by Mary Pipher
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| List Price: | $25.00 |
| Average Rating: |  |
| Lowest New Price: | $13.92 |
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Product Description
Over the past decade, Mary Pipher has helped us understand our family members. Reviving Ophelia did for our teenage daughters what Another Country did for our aging parents. Now, Pipher connects us with our greater family--the human family.
In cities and towns all over the country, refugees arrive daily. Lost Boys from Sudan, survivors from Kosovo, families fleeing Afghanistan and Vietnam: they come with nothing but the desire to experience the American dream. Their endurance in the face of tragedy and their ability to hold on to the essential virtues of family, love, and joy are a tonic for Americans who are now facing crises at home. Their stories will make you laugh and weep--and give you a deeper understanding of the wider world in which we live.
The Middle of Everywhere moves beyond the headlines, into the hearts and homes of refugees from around the world. Her stories bring to us the complexity of cultures we must come to understand in these times.
Harcourt is donating a portion of the proceeds from this book to the Pipher Refugee Relief Fund of the Lincoln Action Project.
Amazon.com Review
Though Lincoln, Nebraska, seems a strange gathering place for refugees from all corners of the globe, it is the setting for Mary Pipher's The Middle of Everywhere, an ardent, anecdotal, and at times moving study of some new arrivals to the United States. Pipher emphasizes the resiliency of the refugees--from Laos, Bosnia, Northern Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan, and the former Soviet Union--whose homeland tales of death, privation, torture, and multi-pronged persecution vary only in the details. In America the refugees must learn a new language and pick their way among the temptations and wonders of a complex land. Does a Publishers Clearing House notice mean one is a millionaire? What is aluminum foil? Is an overdue library book a jailable offense? Pipher visits classrooms and homes and offers extended portraits of a female family of Kurds and a bewildered clan of Sudanese, as well as snapshots of many other refugees. She is a harsh critic of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and an advocate of "cultural brokers"--the social adjustment equivalent of practical nurses. --H. O'Billovich
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Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
 Great book on something I had no clue about, 2008-09-26
Great introduction to how and where our country brings in people from all over the world. Good writing to go along with this.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Middle of Everywhere, 2008-08-28
As we prepare to assist in the resettlement of a refugee family, our group found this book very helpful in our preparation. Presented a broad spectrum of viewpoints to consider.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Eye Opening and Compelling, 2008-08-26
Each story was captivating and very in-depth. Pipher has incredible insight into each of the issues refugees face as they come to our country. It opened my eyes to the plight of others. A fantastic read.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent Information , 2008-02-28
A lot of practical information about helping those new to the US, mixed with compelling stories of every-day experiences.
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:
Can't get this book out of my head, 2008-02-18
One of the most thoughtful and thought-provoking books I've read in a long while. It will enlighten you more about America than about the immigrants who are trying to build a life here.
I could relate to these stories also on another level. We are trying to help our autistic child, 23, fit into society, learn its social cues, get a job, even learn about humor, sarcasm and kidding. For him, it is as difficult to learn as for these refugees.
There are few books that I keep thinking about for days after reading, this is one of those rare ones.
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