Jim Whiting – författare

A musician of rare artistry, the self-effacing yet charismatic Yo-Yo Ma connects with his audiences with startling effectiveness. He remains devoted to the classical repertoire yet has long roved far beyond the Western classical music canon. Despite his real superstar status and thriving solo career, he has often sought out musicians outside the classical sphere and collaborated with them on fascinating recordings. Above all, he is committed to the ever-evolving musical odyssey of his Silk Road Ensemble, itself part of a broader Silk Road Project aiming to explore the deep and varied artistic connections between East and West. Ma's legions of admirers seek out his musical genius in his recordings. Here they can become acquainted with the energetic and charming Ma himself and trace the trajectory of his unique and distinguished career.

Percy "Master P." Miller came out of one of the toughest slums in New Orleans to found No Limit Records in Richmond, California, on a shoestring budget in 1991. Master P sold his first releases out of the trunk of his car, but he always believed in himself. Thanks to his hard work, within a few years No Limit was one of the most successful hip-hop record labels in the country and Master P was a multi-millionaire. Master P couldn''t maintain this level of success, however, and in 2003 the label went bankrupt. Master P began a new label and kept going. In recent years, he has attempted to change the focus of his music to make it more positive, and started Take a Stand Records for that purpose. Now calling himself P. Miller, the rapper/entrepreneur remains active in the music business and also works to help others.

W..E.B. Du Bois''s mother came from a long line of free blacks living in the North. His great-grandfather was a white plantation owner whose ancestors came from France. Long before the start of the Civil Rights movement, W.E.B. Du Bois worked tirelessly for black people in this country. He was a brilliant student and became the first black man to receive a Ph.D. degree from Harvard University, and later taught at several black colleges. He realized that teaching wasn''t enough. For decades, he wrote, gave speeches, formed organizations, and worked hard toward the cause of social justice. W.E.B. became controversial in the last years of his life. He took political positions that many Americans--both black and white--didn''t approve of. But he wouldn''t back down or change what he believed in. He felt so strongly about his beliefs that in his old age he moved to the African nation of Ghana, whose people loved and admired him.

Frederick Douglass never knew the identity of his father, though he was probably a white slave owner. His mother was a slave. Frederick was taken from her soon after his birth. He only saw her a few times before she died. It seemed likely that Frederick would live out his life as a slave. But from an early age, he was determined to become a free man. He escaped to the North when he was about 20. A few years later, he discovered that he was an outstanding public speaker. For the rest of his life, Frederick would courageously speak out about the issues that affected his fellow blacks. Sometimes his actions placed him in great danger. During his lifetime no other African American did as much for blacks as Frederick Douglass. Even today his memory continues to inspire many people to work for civil rights and racial justice.

Experience life on the pitch with one of the greatest professional soccer teams in the world: AC Milan. Designed for teen readers, this nonfiction sports history of the Italian club highlights AC Milan's 19 Serie A championships and 6 UEFA Champions League titles and the star strikers, goalkeepers, and other players and coaches who contributed to the club's success. Explosive photos drop association football fans into match action, while deep-dive sidebars add stats and fun facts. Also includes a table of contents, captions, a bibliography, a glossary, websites, and an index.

Experience life on the pitch with one of the greatest professional soccer teams in the world: Flamengo. Designed for teen readers, this nonfiction sports history of the Brazilian club highlights Flamengo's seven Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A championships and the star strikers, goalkeepers, and other players and coaches who contributed to the club's success. Explosive photos drop association football fans into match action, while deep-dive sidebars add stats and fun facts. Also includes a table of contents, captions, a bibliography, a glossary, websites, and an index.

Experience life on the pitch with one of the greatest professional soccer teams in the world: Liverpool FC. Designed for teen readers, this nonfiction sports history of the English club highlights Liverpool FC's 19 Premier League championships and 6 UEFA Champions League titles and the star strikers, goalkeepers, and other players and coaches who contributed to the club's success. Explosive photos drop association football fans into match action, while deep-dive sidebars add stats and fun facts. Also includes a table of contents, captions, a bibliography, a glossary, websites, and an index.

Experience life on the pitch with one of the greatest professional soccer teams in the world: LA Galaxy. Designed for teen readers, this nonfiction sports history of the American club highlights LA Galaxy's five Major League Soccer championships and one CONCACAF Champions Cup title and the star strikers, goalkeepers, and other players and coaches who contributed to the club's success. Explosive photos drop association football fans into match action, while deep-dive sidebars add stats and fun facts. Also includes a table of contents, captions, a bibliography, a glossary, websites, and an index.

Experience life on the pitch with one of the greatest professional soccer teams in the world: Manchester United. Designed for teen readers, this nonfiction sports history of the English club highlights Manchester United's 20 Premier League championships and 3 UEFA Champions League titles and the star strikers, goalkeepers, and other players and coaches who contributed to the club's success. Explosive photos drop association football fans into match action, while deep-dive sidebars add stats and fun facts. Also includes a table of contents, captions, a bibliography, a glossary, websites, and an index.