"This sweet, sorrowful book is rich with insight. The Inheritance of Exile tells an authentic story of Arab-American life--these characters are true, expressive, and moving. A fully engaging, satisfying collection indeed." --Diana Abu-Jaber, author of Origin, Crescent, and The Language of Baklava

"These dazzling stories of four Palestinian-American women and their families give us a rare portrait of the life of exiles in America. Susan Muaddi Darraj writes with care and intelligence, and her compassion for her flawed and complex characters reminds us of our own humanity." --Laila Lalami, author of Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits

"The Inheritance of Exile is a remarkably engaging collection. With this effort, Muaddi Darraj announces her presence as a major voice in the genre of fiction. The collection sparkles with a lively sense of place, conflict, and description. So often, and so vividly, I felt as if I was reading the cultural items from my own memory." --Steven Salaita, author of Arab American Literary Fictions, Cultures, and Politics

In The Inheritance of Exile, Susan Muaddi Darraj expertly weaves a tapestry of the events and struggles in the lives of four Arab-American women. Hanan, Nadia, Reema, and Aliyah search for a meaningful sense of home, caught in the cultural gap that exists between the Middle East and the United States.

Daughters of Palestinian immigrants who have settled into South Philly, each struggles to reconcile her Arab identity with her American one. Muaddi Darraj adds the perspectives of the girls' mothers, presented in separate stories, which illuminate the often troubled relationship between first and second generations of immigrants....

Roberto Clemente's life represents the ultimate rags-to-riches story. Growing up in poverty in Puerto Rico, the young Clemente never imagined that through baseball, he would have the ability to make a difference in the lives of his family and thousands of others. Within a few years, Clemente went from playing baseball in the barrio in Puerto Rico with a tree branch for a bat and a ball of string for a ball to playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s.Though the journey to America was filled with obstacles, such as racism and discrimination, Clemente succeeded in winning the hearts and minds of the Pittsburgh fans, as well as Americans everywhere, with his tremendous playing ability and his humanitarian spirit. After he died in a tragic plane crash in 1972, Clemente would be remembered as a hero with a powerful throwing arm and a heart of gold. For his contributions to baseball, Clemente was later inducted posthumously into the Hall of Fame, becoming the first Latin American player to receive the honor....

When he was just a skinny, shy kid riding his skateboard through the streets of the East Los Angeles barrio, Oscar De La Hoya never thought he would one day be one of the world's premier boxers, setting records and winning championships. Neither did anyone else. However, when he was just six years old, he stepped into the ring with his father's encouragement and shocked everyone with his speed, power, and agility. He spent much of his childhood and teenage years honing his talent for defeating opponents in the boxing ring and accumulating wins by knockout. "Oscar De La Hoya" is a "made in America" story of a young boy with a dream and the perseverance and determination to make it a reality....

This is an insightful biography of the man who crossed and conquered the color barrier in baseball.Before 1947, professional baseball was as segregated as the rest of American society: Black baseball players were forced to compete in the Negro Leagues, rather than in Major League Baseball. But on April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and changed history by becoming the first African American to play on a Major League team. Signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers and managed by visionary Branch Rickey, Robinson spent 10 seasons in the major leagues, during which time the Dodgers won six pennants. Robinson was a six-time All-Star, the National League Rookie of the Year in 1947, and the National League MVP in 1949. This fully illustrated, highly readable biography traces the phenomenal rise of this all-American icon....

Formed in 1971, the United Arab Emirates comprises seven individual emirates, where vast amounts of oil were discovered in the 1950s. With an oil reserve that makes up almost one-tenth of the world's total, this desert country the size of South Carolina has a stable economy, a labor force that is 13 percent female, and boasts one of the highest standards of living in the world.Although most people living in the UAE are Arabs, about 80 percent of the emirates' inhabitants are foreign workers and their families. The UAE's tolerant, cosmopolitan atmosphere - which is most notable in the emirate of Dubai - gives resident non-Emiris opportunities to enjoy their own cultural and religious organizations. This progressive country has survived threats to its regional stability and prospered because of its use of its oil wealth to the benefit of all Emiris and its close relationship with the United States....

As a schoolboy, Felipe Calderon told his teacher that he wanted to be the president of Mexico one day. In 2006, he achieved that goal, but it was in the midst of one of the nation's most turbulent political scandals. Calderon was born into a political family. His father was one of the founders of the National Action Party, or PAN. PAN struggled for years, as the young Calderon witnessed, to gain political momentum against the PRI, the party that dominated the political scene for decades. The highly controversial election of 2006 is just one part of the complex world of Mexican politics, on which Calderon is now trying to leave a positive imprint....

Growing up in an academically successful Chinese-American family, Anna Sui was not destined to make her mark as a fashion designer. When Sui left for New York City, America's fashion capital, her mother lamented that her only daughter was wasting her brains in a career that required none. Almost 30 years later, Sui has one of the most sought-after labels in fashion world. Blending rock and roll, bohemian culture, and pure girlishness in her designs, Sui has created a devout following of famous fans, including Madonna, Paris Hilton, and supermodels Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. Find out how this girl from suburban Detroit pursued her dream, even when few believed it could come true....