Sent on a mission to New York he gets involved in a wild journey that takes him in and out of stolen cars, freight trains, and buses. By the time he returns home to Texas, Norwood has met his true love, Rita Lee, on a bus; befriended the second shortest midget in show business and “the world's smallest perfect fat man†?; and helped Joann “the chicken with a college education,†? realize her true potential in life. As with all Portis’ fiction, the tone is cool, sympathetic, and funny.

In the United States, as in many parts of the world, people are discriminated against based on the color of their skin. This type of skin tone bias, or colorism, is both related to and distinct from discrimination on the basis of race, with which it is often conflated. Preferential treatment of lighter skin tones over darker occurs within racial and ethnic groups as well as between them. While America has made progress in issues of race over the past decades, discrimination on the basis of color continues to be a constant and often unremarked part of life. In Color Matters, Kimberly Jade Norwood has collected the most up-to-date research on this insidious form of discrimination, including perspectives from the disciplines of history, law, sociology, and psychology. Anchored with historical chapters that show how the influence and legacy of slavery have shaped the treatment of skin color in American society, the contributors to this volume bring to light the ways in which colorism affects us all--influencing what we wear, who we see on television, and even which child we might pick to adopt. Sure to be an eye-opening collection for anyone curious about how race and color continue to affect society, Color Matters provides students of race in America with wide-ranging overview of a crucial topic.

The Norwood Nanny Chronicles begin . . . When American orphan, Bree, arrives at Norwood College—the elite English training ground of nannies to the world’s rich and powerful—she knows that making it through the first year to land a spot in the coveted certificate program is the key to her future. She also knows she can’t go it alone, bonding quickly with her groupmates: an errant (and broke) nobleman, son of one of England’s oldest families; the ambitious and whip-smart daughter of a self-made immigrant; and the ditzy, husband-hunting daughter of a disgraced playboy aristocrat. What none of them realize is that there is more to Norwood than meets the eye: the school itself may unlock the secrets of Bree’s own shadowy past, and the classmates’ very lives will depend on their ability to work together to meet the dangers ahead.

Norwood has long used the tagline “Gem of the Highlands.” While the origin of this name is not clear, it is believed to refer to Norwood's beautiful locale among the hills and valleys of southwestern Ohio. Norwood got its start in 1809, when Samuel D. Bowman opened a tavern for travelers at the intersection of present-day Montgomery and Smith Roads. During the early 1900s, industries flocked to the area because of easy access to crisscrossing railways and highways. Increased taxes imposed by the neighboring city of Cincinnati also encouraged businesses to move to Norwood. Norwood was soon dubbed “the city that industry built.” More recently, the Rookwood Commons and Pavilion development has helped to revive local businesses. Norwood delves into this unique city's past, uncovering the people, places, and events that have added to its colorful character. Norwood has long used the tagline “Gem of the Highlands.” While the origin of this name is not clear, it is believed to refer to Norwood's beautiful locale among the hills and valleys of southwestern Ohio. Norwood got its start in 1809, when Samuel D. Bowman opened a tavern for travelers at the intersection of present-day Montgomery and Smith Roads. During the early 1900s, industries flocked to the area because of easy access to crisscrossing railways and highways. Increased taxes imposed by the neighboring city of Cincinnati also encouraged businesses to move to Norwood. Norwood was soon dubbed “the city that industry built.” More recently, the Rookwood Commons and Pavilion development has helped to revive local businesses. Norwood delves into this unique city's past, uncovering the people, places, and events that have added to its colorful character.

A malicious and ancient alien race from before the dawn of man lays a trap for an unsuspecting civilization fleeing its home world. The galaxy must once more fight for its very survival, as forces work against it that are almost as old as the galaxy itself. Gallagher and his crew must uncover the truth before time runs out, and the heirs of the ancients implement their evil plan.