It is most often in trying times that we take stock of ourselves, our rights, our heritage, and our purpose. For the past few years, the question of what it means to be an American has been asked more often -- by each citiz...
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In these letters to her daughter Gloria that she wrote during her two-year stay in India as a Peace Corps volunteer, we hear the voice of a courageous woman with a sense of humor and an abiding integrity as well as curiosity, who welcomed new customs and fresh faces. Mrs. Carter discovers a determination that brings her peace within herself. And her readers take a daily wal...
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"My father was a kidder, and he could usually make me laugh; in laughing I was able to feel better about myself. He also gave me a piece of advice about beauty that has stayed with me. 'Beauty fades' he used to say, 'but dumb? Dumb is forever.' "

Judge Judy's father impressed upon her that a bright intellect, a curious mind, and a passion for learning are priceless commodities. "For as long as I can remember," she writes, "the worst insult someone could give me was to say 'You're stupid.' In fact to this day, it's second nature for me when I'm on the bench to point a finger to th...
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