cover image Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Kind (of) America; 101 Stories About the True Spirit of Our Country

Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Kind (of) America; 101 Stories About the True Spirit of Our Country

Amy Newmark. Chicken Soup for the Soul, $14.95 trade paper (400p) ISBN 978-1-6115-9973-2

This uplifting installment to the highly popular Chicken Soup for the Soul series shows that kindness, while little in evidence in contemporary news and politics, is still abundant in American life. These short true stories take on a variety of topics, including speaking up for what’s right, honoring those who defend us, fostering communication between different cultures, appreciating role models, and more. Readers learn how a broken pearl earring revealed the unlikely friendship between a young Muslim woman and a young Jewish man, both jewelers at rival kiosks yet friendly despite their differences. Stories of country hospitality, the gift of groceries to a student who was literally starving, and people befriending a German immigrant in the United States just after WWII speak to the generosity and compassion of the American spirit. The powerful story of a woman’s lifesaving treatment at the Bridge Breast Network in Dallas is just one of the book’s many examples of hard work and empathy. This inspiring collection lives up to the promise of its title. [em](Aug.) [/em]