Zoe Lowery

This volume offers readers a history of the term "genocide" and then moves into what has been called perhaps the foulest humanitarian crisis of the early twenty-first century: the crisis in Darfur. This edifying resource offers a look into the country's history and the events that led up to the violence of February 2002, when Africans staged a rebellion against the Arab-controlled government of Sudan. Readers will learn about the horrors of the terrifying Janjaweed militia, or "devils on horseback," as the government endeavored to eradicate Africans from Darfur, the major players in the conflict, as well as the reaction around the world.

Despite making up 47 percent of the US workforce, women still face tremendous challenges in nearly every place of employment. This insightful resource highlights some of these challenges, such as lower pay, fewer promotions, and sexual harassment, that women have faced in the past and present. Readers will also learn about the steps taken throughout history for and by working women. Clear explanations illuminate the laws that have been passed for their support and protection, pointing the way to a safer, healthier, and more equitable future for women in the workplace.

Domestic violence, or intimate partner violence, is an epic issue that is defined as a pattern of abusive behavior between people who are familiar, including family members, husbands, boyfriends, children, or caregivers. In a domestic violence situation, one partner procures power and control over the other through force. Readers will find a concise explanation of what constitutes domestic violence, so they can better recognize it when they see or experience it. This crucial resource also provides information about various forms of abuse and other nuances of violence as well as invaluable resources for domestic violence information and assistance.

The feminist movement encourages equal rights, self-respect, and self-confidence for women of all classes and races everywhere in the world; so, theoretically, females everywhere should be coming into their own at last. Yet the media and internet portray females in a different light. This resource highlights the propaganda and stereotypes faced by girls almost as soon as they are born. Readers will learn how girls' toys, music, and more can influence their image of women. More importantly, readers can access support and inspiration to stand up for themselves and thwart the often-damaging messages they are forced to navigate.

As the last descendant of the history-changing Julius Caesar, Nero more than made a name for himself. But his rule of ancient Rome, which lasted from 54 to 68 CE, is a story that is not so straightforward. His shocking and outright brutal behavior certainly stands out, whether it was the murder of his mother, his enjoyment of performance art at a time when such public performances were highly unusual, or his general disregard for his role as ruler when it came to running his government. But much of Nero's nasty reputation was not so straightforward as history might make it seem.

Once Akhenaton came to power in fourteenth-century Egypt, life changed dramatically. He completely reformed the country's religion, and he replaced the traditional gods with a single god: Aton the sun god. His religious fervor went so far that he changed his own name to Akhenaton, meaning "beneficial to the Aton," from Amenhotep IV. His people were dissatisfied, and soon after his death, and with the rule of Tutankhamen, the country returned to its traditional deities. Although Tutankhamen is famously known for his lavish tombs, his short rule is also marked by the restoration of art and any temples damaged during Akhenaton's rule.

Nazi Germany's Holocaust has become something of a benchmark for all other genocides. This instructive volume offers readers insight into the background of its mastermind, Adolf Hitler, and sets the stage for the appalling fates of so many minorities, including Jews, Catholics, Gypsies, homosexuals, and other allegedly "inferior" groups of people in Germany, who were tortured, held captive, and slaughtered. Readers will also learn about their lives before the terrors began and the curious and terrifying views of Hitler and his followers, which changed the lives of Jews and other minorities in Germany forever.

Around 1915, the Young Turks viewed Turkish Armenians as dangerous conspirators, so it endeavored to force thousands of them from their homes. They were massacred or marched to death. When all was said and done, between 600,000 and 1,500,000 Armenians died. This informative book offers a historical backdrop on the events that transpired to result in the Armenian genocide. Readers will learn about what happened during the genocide and in its aftermath, as well as get a closer look at how this period in Armenian history is viewed from a modern-day perspective.

The Bosnian War involved ferocious killing among a trio of the region's major ethnic groups: Serbs, Croats, and Muslims. By the war's end, as many as 26,000 Muslim civilians had been systematically murdered. This insightful resource offers a unique look at those terrifying events, including highlighting three possible perspectives on the war and the confusion these different perspectives can cause, even years later. Readers will also benefit from a review of Bosnia's history and the events that culminated in this gruesome time.

The appalling Cambodian genocide remains barely studied even to this day. Yet nearly two million Cambodians (around 20 percent of Cambodia's population) died between 1975 and 1979 as a result of the dictator Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge Communist government. Innocent Cambodians were murdered, starved, and tortured. This fascinating book offers an overview of this tiny Asian country's history, framing the events that led up to this tragic genocide. Readers will learn about the key players in the genocide, as well as the complications in obtaining justice in its aftermath.

In Rwanda, a small but populous country in Africa, a ghastly genocide started on April 6, 1994. Although it lasted only one hundred days, almost a million people were slaughtered by its end. This illuminating resource reviews one of the most horrible genocides in history, explaining the definition of genocide itself. Readers will learn about Rwanda's history, with a focus on the events that led to those terrible days. The book is rounded out with a brief look at post-genocide Rwanda, as the country copes and the people take back their lives after such a terrible tragedy.