Mason Crest: 778 books

On November 4, 2008, Americans went to the polls and elected the first black president in the history of the United States. Barack Obama was clearly a gifted politician with impressive achievements and a compelling life story. Still, his historic election wouldn't have been possible if earlier generations...

Who do you look up to? Most people have a role model—someone who represents the person they want to be more like, who represents the characteristics they value. Athletes, celebrities, parents, politicians, religious leaders, and even friends can be role models. But many lesbian, gay, bisexual, and...

Africa is the only continent where poverty levels have risen in recent decades, and many of its countries suffer from humanitarian crises, political unrest, or both. Knowledge of Africas complex, often troubled past is crucial to understanding its current problems. The Making of Modern Africa outlines...

The issue of slavery had divided the nation for decades, but problems came to a head after the election of Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860. Fearing that Lincoln would attempt to abolish slavery, the legislatures of 11 southern states voted to withdraw from the United States and create a new nation,...

For American women, the struggle to win equality has been long and difficult. And the struggle continues. But incredible progress has been made. Much of the credit goes to feminists who refused to accept second-class status because of their gender. This book examines the three historical waves of...

Rhodesia, a country in southern Africa, was a fairly prosperous British colony until the mid-1960s; however, the black African majority of Rhodesia was ruled by a handful of white leaders. The country fought Great Britain in a 15-year war for independence, which it ultimately achieved in 1980. Zimbabwe,...

In 1498 Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama became the first European to set foot on the shores of Mozambique. By the next century, this region along the southeastern edge of Africa had become a colony of Portugal. For almost 500 years the region remained under Portuguese rule, until years of armed...

Located on the westernmost point of Africa, Senegal is a land of stunning coastlines, semi-desert sands, fertile river valleys, grassland plains, and tropical rainforests. Since winning independence from France in 1960, Senegal has gained a reputation as one of Africa's most modern and progressive...

In the United States, people of all different backgrounds live together. Today, more than one in eight people in the United States are Hispanic, and Latino communities are an important part America. Hispanic Americans are people from different lands, cultures, and backgrounds. Many come to the United...

The combination of breathtaking scenic beauty, fabulous wildlife, and peace-loving citizens makes Botswana a favorite of tourists from all over the world. This country in the heart of southern Africa is also the homeland of a proud people, the Batswana, who have created a vibrant democracy. Since...

The Rise of Nationalism: The Arab World, Turkey, and Iran examines the ideological background of nationalist movements in the Middle East, including Jewish nationalism in Palestine, tracing the way these movements grew and developed.

Iran-or Persia, as it was known until the 1930s-is home to one of the world's oldest cultures. Over the years it has exerted a great influence over its neighbors in the Middle East and Central Asia. Although Iran was once a close ally of the United States, in 1979 supporters of the Islamic fundamentalist...

The Kurds are considered the largest ethnic group without a state of their own. Most live in the mountainous region historically known as Kurdistan; however, this region, which includes parts of Turkey, Iraq, and Syria, never existed as a political entity. Under the rule of others, the Kurds were...

When the British Empire partitioned its Indian colony in 1947, it created two independent states: India, where most people were Hindus, and Pakistan, where most were Muslims. Violence immediately broke out, during which approximately 250,000 people were killed and a million became refugees. Since...