" Alger] was an utterly American artist . . . and the truth of his books is the truth of the power of the wish. . . . Alger was perhaps American capitalism's greatest and most effective propagandist."-Richard WrightIntroduction by David K. ShiplerWritten to inspire schoolboys to strive for "honesty, industry, frugality, and a worthy ambition," the novels of Horatio Alger (1832--99) are infused with great humanity, broad humor, and a surprisingly sophisticated view of Gilded Age propriety. Central to Alger's philosophy is the notion that heroes like Ragged Dick, a poor boot-black, manage to...

Crossing Boundaries in the Americas, Vietnam, and the Middle East is the personal, yet profoundly political first-person account of one man's unique interracial and interfaith leadership roles over five decades in movements for civil rights, against the Vietnam War, and for Arab-Israeli-Palestinian peace. Ron Young's story, told with honesty, humility, and humor, gives an insider view of key events in these movements and personalizes a significant strain of modern American history not often afforded sufficient attention in either the textbooks or the mainstream press. This book is an...

The expanded and updated edition of David Shipler's Pulitzer Prize-winning book that examines the relationship, past and present, between Arabs and Jews
In this monumental work, extensively researched and more relevant than ever, David Shipler delves into the origins of the prejudices that exist between Jews and Arabs that have been intensified by war, terrorism, and nationalism.
Focusing on the diverse cultures that exist side by side in Israel and Israeli-controlled territories, Shipler examines the process of indoctrination that begins in schools; he discusses the far-ranging...

A provocative, timely assessment of the state of free speech in America
With his best seller The Working Poor, Pulitzer Prize winner and former New York Times veteran David K. Shipler cemented his place among our most trenchant social commentators. Now he turns his incisive reporting to a critical American ideal: freedom of speech. Anchored in personal stories--sometimes shocking, sometimes absurd, sometimes dishearteningly familiar--Shipler's investigations of the cultural limits on both expression and the willingness to listen build to expose troubling instabilities...