Audrey Borus

On April 25, 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick published a groundbreaking article in Nature that revealed the double helix structure of DNA. Their work was based on the findings of Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins, who were equally as brilliant yet who did not enjoy the same level of recognition for their scientific contributions. Through accessible yet captivating text accompanied by striking images, students will understand the significance of this discovery and get to know the story of the scientists who played a critical role in describing DNA, including how they worked and what motivated them in their pioneering research.

Learning and attention issues affect one in five American students. These neurologically based disorders interfere with an individual's ability to store, process, or produce information. While science seeks to pinpoint exactly what areas of the brain are involved, students with learning difficulties must learn to manage. This authoritative volume introduces readers to the many labels used to describe conditions that affect attention, memory, coordination, social, and emotional skills. Readers will learn to recognize symptoms and common misconceptions, and get advice on how to cope with a learning disability. A list of valuable organizations and websites will help readers gain further insight.

On July 12, 1962, the Marquis Club in London debuted a new band. Scruffy-looking and irreverent, they performed music that hadn't really been heard on English shores, a combination of the blues, a style of music written and performed by slaves in the American South, and a newer genre, rock and roll. They called themselves The Rolling Stones. Through informative sidebars, fascinating direct quotations, and revealing personal facts, this book explores the past, present, and future of the legendary band that more than fifty years later, still keeps turning out hits.

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you." Maya Angelou's words in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings reveal her own need to tell stories, a lifelong passion that manifested itself in the form of memoirs and poetry as well as essays, film, and music. This in-depth guide utilizes the fascinating life story of Angelou, who was also an educator and activist, as a springboard for exploring the themes, motifs, and literary techniques that characterize her writing. Critical analysis, quotes, and excerpts from a variety of texts provide a compelling examination of Angelou's extensive body of work.

As a young man, Eric Blair, better known as George Orwell, traveled to Spain to fight in that country's civil war. Although he was a British citizen, he felt the need to fight for the rights of the oppressed in that country. As the writer of the classics Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, Orwell used his pen to comment on power and corruption in government and how they affect society. This text takes an in-depth look at Orwell's novels and essays in the context of his own fascinating life and times. It analyzes his style, themes, and use of language, while also asking readers to consider how this prescient author and his works are still relevant in today's world.

Amy Tan was born to Chinese immigrants who worked hard to fulfill their own version of the American Dream. After tragedy befell her family when she was a teenager, a tumultuous period followed in which Tan and her mother often clashed. This text reveals how biographical elements like these largely influenced the recurring themes in many of her novels. Tan's unique view on the Chinese-American experience and mother-daughter relationships, along with her use of setting, point of view, and a unique writing style are closely examined through excerpts from the books as well as critical analysis. Quotations from Tan herself help readers gain a better understanding and appreciation for this critically acclaimed author.

Emily Dickinson's words may be well known to students, but they may know very little of her quiet solitary life. This text positions her work within the political climate in which she lived, the culture and expectations for an educated young woman of the day, and discusses what it meant to be a poet during the American Civil War. Through critical analysis of her themes, language, and style and direct quotations from Dickinson's many correspondences, readers will learn how to think about and understand the works of Emily Dickinson.