An entertaining look at artwork that is out in the open for everyone to experience-- from the Vietnam Memorial, the sleek, black granite wall that changed the way America mourns its war dead -- to Cadillac Ranch, a row of graffiti-covered, vintage caddies rising out of a barren field in Texas, a monument to our romance with cars and the open road.

 

As America grapples with its incredible racial, ethnic, and religious diversity, this book is more timely than ever. It's a diversity that enriches our culture, but also fuels social problems like racial profiling, discrimination, and hate crimes.

 

The United States devotes enormous amounts of money and resources to stopping the illegal drug trade, but Americans still consume more illegal drugs than people almost anywhere else in the world. This book takes a close, unbiased look at what might happen  if drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and heroin were as legal as alcohol.

 

Digs beneath the headlines about the country's obesity epidemic to examine the link between weight and health in America. How do eating habits and lifestyles of U.S. kids compare to kids in other countries? What role does the food industry play in changing Americans' waistlines and eating habits?

 

Do you have a learning disability? Do you have a family member, friend, or classmate who does? This book helps readers to better understand learning disabilities, the challenges and stigma faced by people who have them, and how they learn to cope and overcome them.