Author: Chang-rae Lee
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101217278
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 386
Book Description
The New York Times–bestselling novel by the critically acclaimed author of Native Speaker, A Gesture Life and My Year Abroad. At 59, Jerry Battle is coasting through life. His favorite pastime is flying his small plane high above Long Island. Aloft, he can escape from the troubles that plague his family, neighbors, and loved ones on the ground. But he can't stay in the air forever. Only months before his 60th birthday, a culmination of family crises finally pull Jerry down from his emotionally distant course. Jerry learns that his family's stability is in jeopardy. His father, Hank, is growing increasingly unhappy in his assisted living facility. His son, Jack, has taken over the family landscaping business but is running it into bankruptcy. His daughter, Theresa, has become pregnant and has been diagnosed with cancer. His longtime girlfriend, Rita, who helped raise his children, has now moved in with another man. And Jerry still has unanswered questions that he must face regarding the circumstances surrounding the death of his late wife. Since the day his wife died, Jerry has turned avoiding conflict into an art form-the perfect expression being his solitary flights from which he can look down on a world that appears serene and unscathed. From his comfortable distance, he can't see the messy details, let alone begin to confront them. But Jerry is learning that in avoiding conflict, he is also avoiding contact with the people he loves most.
Aloft
Author: Chang-rae Lee
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101217278
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 386
Book Description
The New York Times–bestselling novel by the critically acclaimed author of Native Speaker, A Gesture Life and My Year Abroad. At 59, Jerry Battle is coasting through life. His favorite pastime is flying his small plane high above Long Island. Aloft, he can escape from the troubles that plague his family, neighbors, and loved ones on the ground. But he can't stay in the air forever. Only months before his 60th birthday, a culmination of family crises finally pull Jerry down from his emotionally distant course. Jerry learns that his family's stability is in jeopardy. His father, Hank, is growing increasingly unhappy in his assisted living facility. His son, Jack, has taken over the family landscaping business but is running it into bankruptcy. His daughter, Theresa, has become pregnant and has been diagnosed with cancer. His longtime girlfriend, Rita, who helped raise his children, has now moved in with another man. And Jerry still has unanswered questions that he must face regarding the circumstances surrounding the death of his late wife. Since the day his wife died, Jerry has turned avoiding conflict into an art form-the perfect expression being his solitary flights from which he can look down on a world that appears serene and unscathed. From his comfortable distance, he can't see the messy details, let alone begin to confront them. But Jerry is learning that in avoiding conflict, he is also avoiding contact with the people he loves most.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101217278
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 386
Book Description
The New York Times–bestselling novel by the critically acclaimed author of Native Speaker, A Gesture Life and My Year Abroad. At 59, Jerry Battle is coasting through life. His favorite pastime is flying his small plane high above Long Island. Aloft, he can escape from the troubles that plague his family, neighbors, and loved ones on the ground. But he can't stay in the air forever. Only months before his 60th birthday, a culmination of family crises finally pull Jerry down from his emotionally distant course. Jerry learns that his family's stability is in jeopardy. His father, Hank, is growing increasingly unhappy in his assisted living facility. His son, Jack, has taken over the family landscaping business but is running it into bankruptcy. His daughter, Theresa, has become pregnant and has been diagnosed with cancer. His longtime girlfriend, Rita, who helped raise his children, has now moved in with another man. And Jerry still has unanswered questions that he must face regarding the circumstances surrounding the death of his late wife. Since the day his wife died, Jerry has turned avoiding conflict into an art form-the perfect expression being his solitary flights from which he can look down on a world that appears serene and unscathed. From his comfortable distance, he can't see the messy details, let alone begin to confront them. But Jerry is learning that in avoiding conflict, he is also avoiding contact with the people he loves most.
The Surrendered
Author: Chang-rae Lee
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101185988
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 380
Book Description
Read an essay by Chang-rae Lee here. The bestselling, award-winning writer of Native Speaker, Aloft, and My Year Abroad returns with his biggest, most ambitious novel yet: a spellbinding story of how love and war echo through an entire lifetime. With his three critically acclaimed novels, Chang-rae Lee has established himself as one of the most talented writers of contemporary literary fiction. Now, with The Surrendered, Lee has created a book that amplifies everything we've seen in his previous works, and reads like nothing else. It is a brilliant, haunting, heartbreaking story about how love and war inalterably change the lives of those they touch. June Han was only a girl when the Korean War left her orphaned; Hector Brennan was a young GI who fled the petty tragedies of his small town to serve his country. When the war ended, their lives collided at a Korean orphanage where they vied for the attentions of Sylvie Tanner, the beautiful yet deeply damaged missionary wife whose elusive love seemed to transform everything. Thirty years later and on the other side of the world, June and Hector are reunited in a plot that will force them to come to terms with the mysterious secrets of their past, and the shocking acts of love and violence that bind them together. As Lee unfurls the stunning story of June, Hector, and Sylvie, he weaves a profound meditation on the nature of heroism and sacrifice, the power of love, and the possibilities for mercy, salvation, and surrendering oneself to another. Combining the complex themes of identity and belonging of Native Speaker and A Gesture Life with the broad range, energy, and pure storytelling gifts of Aloft, Chang-rae Lee has delivered his most ambitious, exciting, and unforgettable work yet. It is a mesmerizing novel, elegantly suspenseful and deeply affecting.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101185988
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 380
Book Description
Read an essay by Chang-rae Lee here. The bestselling, award-winning writer of Native Speaker, Aloft, and My Year Abroad returns with his biggest, most ambitious novel yet: a spellbinding story of how love and war echo through an entire lifetime. With his three critically acclaimed novels, Chang-rae Lee has established himself as one of the most talented writers of contemporary literary fiction. Now, with The Surrendered, Lee has created a book that amplifies everything we've seen in his previous works, and reads like nothing else. It is a brilliant, haunting, heartbreaking story about how love and war inalterably change the lives of those they touch. June Han was only a girl when the Korean War left her orphaned; Hector Brennan was a young GI who fled the petty tragedies of his small town to serve his country. When the war ended, their lives collided at a Korean orphanage where they vied for the attentions of Sylvie Tanner, the beautiful yet deeply damaged missionary wife whose elusive love seemed to transform everything. Thirty years later and on the other side of the world, June and Hector are reunited in a plot that will force them to come to terms with the mysterious secrets of their past, and the shocking acts of love and violence that bind them together. As Lee unfurls the stunning story of June, Hector, and Sylvie, he weaves a profound meditation on the nature of heroism and sacrifice, the power of love, and the possibilities for mercy, salvation, and surrendering oneself to another. Combining the complex themes of identity and belonging of Native Speaker and A Gesture Life with the broad range, energy, and pure storytelling gifts of Aloft, Chang-rae Lee has delivered his most ambitious, exciting, and unforgettable work yet. It is a mesmerizing novel, elegantly suspenseful and deeply affecting.
On Such a Full Sea
Author: Chang-rae Lee
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101632143
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 307
Book Description
“Watching a talented writer take a risk is one of the pleasures of devoted reading, and On Such a Full Sea provides all that and more. . . . With On Such a Full Sea, [Chang-rae Lee] has found a new way to explore his old preoccupation: the oft-told tale of the desperate, betraying, lonely human heart.”—Andrew Sean Greer, The New York Times Book Review “I've never been a fan of grand hyperbolic declarations in book reviews, but faced with On Such a Full Sea, I have no choice but to ask: Who is a greater novelist than Chang-rae Lee today?”—Porochista Khakpour, The Los Angeles Times From the beloved award-winning author of Native Speaker,The Surrendered, and My Year Abroad, a highly provocative, deeply affecting story of one woman’s legendary quest in a shocking, future America. On Such a Full Sea takes Chang-rae Lee’s elegance of prose, his masterly storytelling, and his long-standing interests in identity, culture, work, and love, and lifts them to a new plane. Stepping from the realistic and historical territories of his previous work, Lee brings us into a world created from scratch. Against a vividly imagined future America, Lee tells a stunning, surprising, and riveting story that will change the way readers think about the world they live in. In a future, long-declining America, society is strictly stratified by class. Long-abandoned urban neighborhoods have been repurposed as highwalled, self-contained labor colonies. And the members of the labor class—descendants of those brought over en masse many years earlier from environmentally ruined provincial China—find purpose and identity in their work to provide pristine produce and fish to the small, elite, satellite charter villages that ring the labor settlement. In this world lives Fan, a female fish-tank diver, who leaves her home in the B-Mor settlement (once known as Baltimore), when the man she loves mysteriously disappears. Fan’s journey to find him takes her out of the safety of B-Mor, through the anarchic Open Counties, where crime is rampant with scant governmental oversight, and to a faraway charter village, in a quest that will soon become legend to those she left behind.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101632143
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 307
Book Description
“Watching a talented writer take a risk is one of the pleasures of devoted reading, and On Such a Full Sea provides all that and more. . . . With On Such a Full Sea, [Chang-rae Lee] has found a new way to explore his old preoccupation: the oft-told tale of the desperate, betraying, lonely human heart.”—Andrew Sean Greer, The New York Times Book Review “I've never been a fan of grand hyperbolic declarations in book reviews, but faced with On Such a Full Sea, I have no choice but to ask: Who is a greater novelist than Chang-rae Lee today?”—Porochista Khakpour, The Los Angeles Times From the beloved award-winning author of Native Speaker,The Surrendered, and My Year Abroad, a highly provocative, deeply affecting story of one woman’s legendary quest in a shocking, future America. On Such a Full Sea takes Chang-rae Lee’s elegance of prose, his masterly storytelling, and his long-standing interests in identity, culture, work, and love, and lifts them to a new plane. Stepping from the realistic and historical territories of his previous work, Lee brings us into a world created from scratch. Against a vividly imagined future America, Lee tells a stunning, surprising, and riveting story that will change the way readers think about the world they live in. In a future, long-declining America, society is strictly stratified by class. Long-abandoned urban neighborhoods have been repurposed as highwalled, self-contained labor colonies. And the members of the labor class—descendants of those brought over en masse many years earlier from environmentally ruined provincial China—find purpose and identity in their work to provide pristine produce and fish to the small, elite, satellite charter villages that ring the labor settlement. In this world lives Fan, a female fish-tank diver, who leaves her home in the B-Mor settlement (once known as Baltimore), when the man she loves mysteriously disappears. Fan’s journey to find him takes her out of the safety of B-Mor, through the anarchic Open Counties, where crime is rampant with scant governmental oversight, and to a faraway charter village, in a quest that will soon become legend to those she left behind.
Native Speaker
Author: Chang-rae Lee
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1573225312
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 377
Book Description
ONE OF THE ATLANTIC’S GREAT AMERICAN NOVELS OF THE PAST 100 YEARS The debut novel from critically acclaimed and New York Times–bestselling author of On Such a Full Sea and My Year Abroad. In Native Speaker, author Chang-rae Lee introduces readers to Henry Park. Park has spent his entire life trying to become a true American—a native speaker. But even as the essence of his adopted country continues to elude him, his Korean heritage seems to drift further and further away. Park's harsh Korean upbringing has taught him to hide his emotions, to remember everything he learns, and most of all to feel an overwhelming sense of alienation. In other words, it has shaped him as a natural spy. But the very attributes that help him to excel in his profession put a strain on his marriage to his American wife and stand in the way of his coming to terms with his young son's death. When he is assigned to spy on a rising Korean-American politician, his very identity is tested, and he must figure out who he is amid not only the conflicts within himself but also within the ethnic and political tensions of the New York City streets. Native Speaker is a story of cultural alienation. It is about fathers and sons, about the desire to connect with the world rather than stand apart from it, about loyalty and betrayal, about the alien in all of us and who we finally are.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1573225312
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 377
Book Description
ONE OF THE ATLANTIC’S GREAT AMERICAN NOVELS OF THE PAST 100 YEARS The debut novel from critically acclaimed and New York Times–bestselling author of On Such a Full Sea and My Year Abroad. In Native Speaker, author Chang-rae Lee introduces readers to Henry Park. Park has spent his entire life trying to become a true American—a native speaker. But even as the essence of his adopted country continues to elude him, his Korean heritage seems to drift further and further away. Park's harsh Korean upbringing has taught him to hide his emotions, to remember everything he learns, and most of all to feel an overwhelming sense of alienation. In other words, it has shaped him as a natural spy. But the very attributes that help him to excel in his profession put a strain on his marriage to his American wife and stand in the way of his coming to terms with his young son's death. When he is assigned to spy on a rising Korean-American politician, his very identity is tested, and he must figure out who he is amid not only the conflicts within himself but also within the ethnic and political tensions of the New York City streets. Native Speaker is a story of cultural alienation. It is about fathers and sons, about the desire to connect with the world rather than stand apart from it, about loyalty and betrayal, about the alien in all of us and who we finally are.
Bibliophile: Diverse Spines
Author: Jane Mount
Publisher: Chronicle Books
ISBN: 1797214721
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 147
Book Description
It's time to diversify your reading list. This richly illustrated and vastly inclusive collection uplifts the works of authors who are often underrepresented in the literary world. Using their keen knowledge and deep love for all things literary, coauthors Jamise Harper (founder of the Diverse Spines book community) and Jane Mount (author of Bibliophile) collaborated to create an essential volume filled with treasures for every reader: • Dozens of themed illustrated book stacks—like Classics, Contemporary Fiction, Mysteries, Cookbooks, and more—all with an emphasis on authors of color and own voices • A look inside beloved bookstores owned by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color • Reading recommendations from leading BIPOC literary influencers Diversify your reading list to expand your world and shift your perspective. Kickstart your next literary adventure now! EASY TO GIFT: This portable guide is packed with more than 150 colorful illustrations is a perfect gift for any booklover. The textured paper cover, gold foil, and ribbon marker make this book a special gift or self-purchase. DISCOVER UNSUNG LITERARY HEROES: The authors dive deep into a wide variety of genres, such as Contemporary Fiction, Classics, Young Adult, Sci-Fi, and more to bring the works of authors of color to the fore. ENDLESS READING INSPIRATION: Themed book stacks and reading suggestions from luminaries of the literary world provide curated book recommendations. Your to-read list will thank you. Perfect for: bookish people; literary lovers; book club members; Mother's Day shoppers; stocking stuffers; followers of #DiverseSpines; Jane Mount and Ideal Bookshelf fans; Reese's Book Club and Oprah's Book Club followers; people who use Goodreads.com; readers wanting to expand/decolonize their book collections; people interested in uplifting BIPOC voices; antiracist activists and educators; grads and students; librarians and library patrons wanting to expand/decolonize their book collections; people interested in uplifting BIPOC voices; antiracist activists and educators; grads and students; librarians and library patrons
Publisher: Chronicle Books
ISBN: 1797214721
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 147
Book Description
It's time to diversify your reading list. This richly illustrated and vastly inclusive collection uplifts the works of authors who are often underrepresented in the literary world. Using their keen knowledge and deep love for all things literary, coauthors Jamise Harper (founder of the Diverse Spines book community) and Jane Mount (author of Bibliophile) collaborated to create an essential volume filled with treasures for every reader: • Dozens of themed illustrated book stacks—like Classics, Contemporary Fiction, Mysteries, Cookbooks, and more—all with an emphasis on authors of color and own voices • A look inside beloved bookstores owned by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color • Reading recommendations from leading BIPOC literary influencers Diversify your reading list to expand your world and shift your perspective. Kickstart your next literary adventure now! EASY TO GIFT: This portable guide is packed with more than 150 colorful illustrations is a perfect gift for any booklover. The textured paper cover, gold foil, and ribbon marker make this book a special gift or self-purchase. DISCOVER UNSUNG LITERARY HEROES: The authors dive deep into a wide variety of genres, such as Contemporary Fiction, Classics, Young Adult, Sci-Fi, and more to bring the works of authors of color to the fore. ENDLESS READING INSPIRATION: Themed book stacks and reading suggestions from luminaries of the literary world provide curated book recommendations. Your to-read list will thank you. Perfect for: bookish people; literary lovers; book club members; Mother's Day shoppers; stocking stuffers; followers of #DiverseSpines; Jane Mount and Ideal Bookshelf fans; Reese's Book Club and Oprah's Book Club followers; people who use Goodreads.com; readers wanting to expand/decolonize their book collections; people interested in uplifting BIPOC voices; antiracist activists and educators; grads and students; librarians and library patrons wanting to expand/decolonize their book collections; people interested in uplifting BIPOC voices; antiracist activists and educators; grads and students; librarians and library patrons
Junior Year Abroad
Author: Rosamond Du Jardin
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781930009806
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781930009806
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
The Romance of Crossing Borders
Author: Neriko Musha Doerr
Publisher: Berghahn Books
ISBN: 1785333593
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 302
Book Description
What draws people to study abroad or volunteer in far-off communities? Often the answer is romance – the romance of landscapes, people, languages, the very sense of border-crossing – and longing for liberation, attraction to the unknown, yearning to make a difference. This volume explores the complicated and often fraught desires to study and volunteer abroad. In doing so, the book sheds light on how affect is managed by educators and mobilized by students and volunteers themselves, and how these structures of feeling relate to broader social and economic forces.
Publisher: Berghahn Books
ISBN: 1785333593
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 302
Book Description
What draws people to study abroad or volunteer in far-off communities? Often the answer is romance – the romance of landscapes, people, languages, the very sense of border-crossing – and longing for liberation, attraction to the unknown, yearning to make a difference. This volume explores the complicated and often fraught desires to study and volunteer abroad. In doing so, the book sheds light on how affect is managed by educators and mobilized by students and volunteers themselves, and how these structures of feeling relate to broader social and economic forces.
A Student Guide to Study Abroad
Author: Stacie Nevadomski Berdan
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780872063617
Category : College students
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Every student who wants to succeed in the global economy should study abroad. And every student who is considering studying abroad should read this book! Packed with practical "how to" information offered in a fun and engaging style, this valuable hands-on resource includes 100 easy-to-follow tips and dozens of real-life stories. Each chapter features useful quotes and anecdotes from a diverse collection of students, advisers and professional from across the country. -- from back cover.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780872063617
Category : College students
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
Every student who wants to succeed in the global economy should study abroad. And every student who is considering studying abroad should read this book! Packed with practical "how to" information offered in a fun and engaging style, this valuable hands-on resource includes 100 easy-to-follow tips and dozens of real-life stories. Each chapter features useful quotes and anecdotes from a diverse collection of students, advisers and professional from across the country. -- from back cover.
Let's Leave the Country!
Author: Jacqueline Jannotta
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780998038117
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
Do you ever imagine leaving the country for a while? Maybe you dream of living in a particular country, savoring the scents, sounds, and flavors of another corner of the world. Or you envision extended travel, exploring a range of cultures across the globe. It may seem impossible to break free from your routine of "shoulds" -- but you can design a life-changing adventure for you and your family! Let's Leave the Country! is the book Jacqueline Jannotta wishes she'd had when planning her family's year in Italy. Now she offers her expertise, along with insights and tips from dozens of others. Let her lead you through the practical and emotional hurdles of orchestrating an extended adventure beyond the border, including guidance on: Visas Schooling Housing Finances Navigating life outside your comfort zone, even with a new language and much more You'll discover: How to develop the optimal mindset to achieve your dream How to find "ambassadors" who will help ease your passage abroad Advice on creating the most gratifying experience possible once you're beyond the border Wisdom on how to extend the adventure long after you return home as better versions of yourselves. Immersing in a whole new setting offers a fresh perspective, a renewed sense of vitality, and exponential growth for you and your family. Let's Leave the Country! will help coax your dream out of hiding so you can forge an inspired and unforgettable journey. What others have said: "If you're considering a family year abroad, this is your first book to read (and re-read). Jacqueline Jannotta is the detail-oriented guide, wise mentor and honest friend you need to help you make the leap from dream to reality." - Asha Dornfest, author of Parent Hacks and co-host of the Edit Your Life podcast "This is a wonderful book and it completely rebooted my excitement about our family year abroad. Not only do I feel much better prepared, but I could not put it down -- that says a lot for a 'How To' book." - Megan Mahar Barnett, TheFunctionalFx.com "A wonderfully insightful how-to guide designed to help readers take their own leaps into life-changing travel adventures." - Tracey Carisch, author, Excess Baggage: One Family's Around-the-World Search for Balance "Dreaming of spending a year abroad with your family? Read Jacqueline Jannotta's delightful and inspiring guide. This book offers loads of in-the-know information to make the beginning, middle, and end of your family's adventure go smoothly in every way. No matter where you plan to go, Jannotta's valuable tips will boost your confidence, enhance your experience, and save you money. Don't leave home without it!" - Maya Frost, author, The New Global Student
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780998038117
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
Do you ever imagine leaving the country for a while? Maybe you dream of living in a particular country, savoring the scents, sounds, and flavors of another corner of the world. Or you envision extended travel, exploring a range of cultures across the globe. It may seem impossible to break free from your routine of "shoulds" -- but you can design a life-changing adventure for you and your family! Let's Leave the Country! is the book Jacqueline Jannotta wishes she'd had when planning her family's year in Italy. Now she offers her expertise, along with insights and tips from dozens of others. Let her lead you through the practical and emotional hurdles of orchestrating an extended adventure beyond the border, including guidance on: Visas Schooling Housing Finances Navigating life outside your comfort zone, even with a new language and much more You'll discover: How to develop the optimal mindset to achieve your dream How to find "ambassadors" who will help ease your passage abroad Advice on creating the most gratifying experience possible once you're beyond the border Wisdom on how to extend the adventure long after you return home as better versions of yourselves. Immersing in a whole new setting offers a fresh perspective, a renewed sense of vitality, and exponential growth for you and your family. Let's Leave the Country! will help coax your dream out of hiding so you can forge an inspired and unforgettable journey. What others have said: "If you're considering a family year abroad, this is your first book to read (and re-read). Jacqueline Jannotta is the detail-oriented guide, wise mentor and honest friend you need to help you make the leap from dream to reality." - Asha Dornfest, author of Parent Hacks and co-host of the Edit Your Life podcast "This is a wonderful book and it completely rebooted my excitement about our family year abroad. Not only do I feel much better prepared, but I could not put it down -- that says a lot for a 'How To' book." - Megan Mahar Barnett, TheFunctionalFx.com "A wonderfully insightful how-to guide designed to help readers take their own leaps into life-changing travel adventures." - Tracey Carisch, author, Excess Baggage: One Family's Around-the-World Search for Balance "Dreaming of spending a year abroad with your family? Read Jacqueline Jannotta's delightful and inspiring guide. This book offers loads of in-the-know information to make the beginning, middle, and end of your family's adventure go smoothly in every way. No matter where you plan to go, Jannotta's valuable tips will boost your confidence, enhance your experience, and save you money. Don't leave home without it!" - Maya Frost, author, The New Global Student
A Family Year Abroad
Author: Chris Westphal
Publisher: Great Potential Press
ISBN: 9780910707473
Category : Americans
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
We live in a continually changing global society where it is essential to become educated about life outside our own borders. Chris Westphal, his wife, and their two bright school-aged children decided to move to Prague, Czech Republic, to broaden their world perspectives. Their year abroad had a profound and positive effect on them all. They learned that life doesn't begin and end at their city limits. Both children also gained an appreciation of different people, cultures, and their place in the world. In this time of international uncertainty, Westphal's story of global understanding is more important than ever..
Publisher: Great Potential Press
ISBN: 9780910707473
Category : Americans
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
We live in a continually changing global society where it is essential to become educated about life outside our own borders. Chris Westphal, his wife, and their two bright school-aged children decided to move to Prague, Czech Republic, to broaden their world perspectives. Their year abroad had a profound and positive effect on them all. They learned that life doesn't begin and end at their city limits. Both children also gained an appreciation of different people, cultures, and their place in the world. In this time of international uncertainty, Westphal's story of global understanding is more important than ever..