Lauren Markham – författare

Live Large for Less! Thinkyou have to earn big bucks to live big in the City by the Bay? San Francisco is full of free and ridiculously inexpensive stuff—you just need to know where to look. Leave it to “The Cheap Bastard” to uncover all the ins and outs and exclusive bargains to be had, and to tell you the real deal with wit and humor.The Cheap Bastard’s Guide to San Francisco shows you how to find free or low-cost:• Entrance to plays, films, concerts, comedy clubs, and museums, as well as the zoo, pools, and other great places for family fun• Classes of all sorts, including dancing, cooking, photography, and yoga• Food—from fish tacos, fried chicken, sushi, and samosas to gourmet food trucks and San Francisco staples• Haircuts, manicures, and massagesWith The Cheap Bastard’s Guide to San Francisco, anyone can enjoy the good life!

The deeply reported story of identical twin brothers who escape El Salvador''s violence to build new lives in California—fighting to survive, to stay, and to belong.Growing up in rural El Salvador in the wake of the civil war, Ernesto Flores had always had a fascination with the United States, the faraway land of skyscrapers and Nikes, while his identical twin, Raul, never felt that northbound tug. But when Ernesto ends up on the wrong side of the region''s brutal gangs he is forced to flee the country, and Raul, because he looks just like his brother, follows close behind—away from one danger and toward the great American unknown.In this urgent chronicle of contemporary immigration, journalist Lauren Markham follows the seventeen-year-old Flores twins as they make their harrowing journey across the Rio Grande and the Texas desert, into the hands of immigration authorities, and from there to their estranged older brother''s custody in Oakland, CA. Soon these unaccompanied minors are navigating a new school in a new language, working to pay down their mounting coyote debt, and facing their day in immigration court, while also encountering the triumphs and pitfalls of life as American teenagers—girls, grades, Facebook—with only each other for support. With intimate access and breathtaking range, Markham offers a coming of age tale that is also a nuanced portrait of Central America''s child exodus, an investigation of U.S. immigration policy, and an unforgettable testament to the migrant experience.

This inspiring true story about identical twin teenage brothers who escape El Salvador''s violence to build new lives in California as undocumented immigrants is perfect for fans of Enrique''s Journey and anyone interested in learning about the issues that underlie today''s conversations about DACA and immigration reform.Ernesto and Raúl Flores are identical twins, used to being mistaken for each other. As seventeen-year-olds living in rural El Salvador, they think the United States is just a far-off dream--it''s too risky, too expensive to start a life there. But when Ernesto ends up on the wrong side of MS-13, one of El Salvador''s brutal gangs, he flees the country for his own safety. Raúl, fearing that he will be mistaken for his brother, follows close behind. Running from one danger to the next, the Flores twins make the harrowing journey north, crossing the Rio Grande and the Texas desert only to fall into the hands of immigration authorities. When they finally make it to the custody of their older brother in Oakland, California, the difficulties don''t end. While navigating a new school in a new language, struggling to pay off their mounting coyote debt, and anxiously waiting for their day in immigration court, Raul and Ernesto are also trying to lead normal teenage lives--dealing with girls, social media, and fitting in. With only each other for support, they begin the process of carving out a life for themselves, one full of hope and possibility.Adapted for young adults from the award-winning adult edition, The Far Away Brothers is the inspiring true story of two teens making their way in America, a personal look at U.S. immigration policy, and a powerful account of contemporary immigration.

Cheap Bastard's Guide to San Francisco details endless free and inexpensive opportunities available in the City by the Bay from theater, concerts, and museums to wine tastings, yoga classes, haircuts, and massages––for native and visiting cheapskates alike. Written in a fun, humorous tone, this unique guide offers sound advice on how to live the good life on the cheap!