Dennis Abrams – författare

Hamid Karzai made history on December 7, 2004, when he was officially sworn in as Afghanistan's first democratically elected president. The world applauded as he vowed to heal his wounded country. A nation with a long and tumultuous history, Afghanistan had endured much over the previous two decades. Invading Soviet troops, resistance by the Mujahideen, anarchy, the oppressive rule of the Taliban, and finally U.S. military action after 9/11 had left the country in ruins. Intelligent, calm, and diplomatic, Hamid Karzai still has a formidable task ahead of him. Will it be possible to restore hope to the Afghan people? Can he bring order and stability to his war-weary nation? This book tackles such tough questions head-on, while giving clear insights into the background and tactics of one of the world's most crucial decision-makers. ""Hamid Karzai"" is an excellent resource for students seeking to enhance their knowledge of contemporary world issues and the important figures behind them.

Born Marshall Mathers III, Eminem overcame a difficult childhood to become the most critically acclaimed white rapper of his time. His albums have sold in the millions. He's won MTV Video Music Awards, Grammy Awards, and even an Oscar. But fame and success have come with a price: His lyrics have been attacked for encouraging violence against women and others. His turbulent personal life has made countless headlines. Some people have called for his music to be banned; others have labeled him a genius. ""Eminem"" is an in-depth, full-color biography that examines the remarkable life of a controversial yet undeniably talented artist who pushed creative envelopes and broke racial boundaries to become one of hip-hop's greatest stars.

This is the rags-to-riches story of baseball star Albert Pujols.Widely regarded as one of the best baseball players of our time, slugger Albert Pujols started playing the game on the streets of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. Often compared to such baseball legends as Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio, he has thrilled fans with his exploits at the plate, and touched the hearts of millions with his tireless advocacy for people with Down syndrome and for the poor of his native Dominican Republic. From growing up poor to signing a $100 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, this devoted father of three has always been able to balance family time with baseball superstardom. This extensive new biography explores this MVP player's record and how he came to be recognized worldwide as one of baseball's true superstars.

Judy Blume is one of America's most popular authors of books for teens and adults. Fans of her work may not be aware, however, that this successful author was a wife and a mother before she tested her writing abilities. Blume's perseverance eventually landed this keenly observant author a publishing contract. Readers have laughed at the adventures of Peter Hatcher and his brother, Fudge, in ""Blume's Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing"", and preteen readers found the trials and tribulations of puberty eased by reading ""Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret"" or ""Then Again, Maybe I Won't"". Blume's characters convey how it truly feels to be a teenager facing doubts, fears, and anxiety about life. This new edition brings readers up to date on this active author.

The Treaty of Nanking, signed between Great Britain and China to end the First Opium War (1839-1842), created a new framework for Chinese foreign relations and overseas trade that would last for nearly a century. The story behind this treaty features a culture clash between two great powers, with incidents of cultural misunderstanding, unappreciated gifts, drug smuggling, bribery, and piracy, as well as fortunes won and lost, millions of pounds of opium destroyed, prayers to the spirit of the Southern Sea, and serious debates over kowtowing. One of the most interesting and yet not widely known documents of the 19th century, the Treaty of Nanking forever changed the course of Chinese history and completely reshaped China's future relations with the West. Read in this captivating book about this fascinating time when the West sought to establish a lasting relationship with China, a formidable power in the East.

The provocative fictional memoir of a boy actor in Shakespearian London.In Shakespeare’s time, women were not allowed to appear on stage, and so female parts were played by boy actors. In I Was Cleopatra, readers meet John Rice — perhaps the most beautiful and acclaimed boy actor of them all. It is believed by many that John Rice originated the roles of Lady Macbeth, Cleopatra and Cordelia, and this fictional memoir explores his life both on and off the stage. With graceful prose and an encyclopedic knowledge of the period, Dennis Abrams invites readers to experience gender fluidity and sexuality through the fictional recollections of a fascinating historical figure as he reflects on his life in this “farewell” to his theatrical past.The story follows John from the age of thirteen, when he leaves his family in Reading to join the King’s Men theater troupe in London as an apprentice boy actor. Over the course of the next few years, John eagerly hones the acting skills necessary to portray female roles. He memorizes lines, reads all the plays he can get his hands on, and works on imitating female gestures and mannerisms. He becomes a friend, and eventually a lover, of Alexander, a boy actor who is getting too old to play female roles. And he works closely with Shakespeare himself, who coaches him through the roles of Lady Macbeth and Cleopatra, among others.But around the time he turns sixteen, John starts to worry about inevitably becoming too old to convincingly portray women onstage, which leads to some unsettling choices.Key Text Featuresliterary referencesauthor’s noteCorrelates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.3Describe how a particular story's or drama's plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.6Explain how an author develops the point of view of the narrator or speaker in a text.