“A legendary island in the Atlantic Ocean, first mentioned by Plato”, is how the 11th edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica described Atlantis. Lands and peoples were the focus of several nonfiction readings chosen by the readers for vol. 095: Amerigo Vespucci’s Voyages; Franz Josef Land; Country and People of the Kurds; The South Country, Sussex; Poland, First Impressions; Helena Modjeska; Civilization of Japan; the United States and China; The Isthmus of Panama; and Obi in the Caribbean. Political life received attention in the Sherman Anti-Trust Act; The Exiled Lottery; Tonkin Gulf Resolution; and Bill Clinton’s Inaugural Addresses. Scholarship and books were the focus of Roget’s Thesaurus; Thick Paper and Thin; and The Excised “My’s.” Summary by Sue Anderson     [chương_files]  

“Can we solve the problems confronting us? Well, the answer is an unequivocal and emphatic yes.” This quote, from U.S. President Ronald Reagan’s first inaugural address, captures the searching tone of many reader-chosen selections in vol. 096: The Peace Movement; Fortifications for Peace; An Effective Diplomatic Service; Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs; Bigamy Act; Trade in the Dead; Traffic in Women; Inaugural addresses of Presidents Carter and Reagan; and an essay “Have You an Educated Heart? Other readings highlight the arts: Parchment bindings; the Chinese Book; Folklore of Southern India; The Rosetta Stone; The WPA Art Collection; Jackie Coogan and the Kid; the Cradle of the Movies; and View of a City Sky Line. Rounding out the collection is a humorous piece, The Fatal Legs. Note: The missing part of “The Rosetta Stone (Except)” concerns the deciphering of hieroglyphs, which is difficult to convey in audio. Please see the text.” Summary by Sue Anderson     [chương_files]