Lewiston; a mill town of about thirty-six thousand people; is the second-largest city in Maine. It is also home to some three thousand Somali refugees. After initially being resettled in larger cities elsewhere; Somalis began to arrive in Lewiston by the dozens; then the hundreds; after hearing stories of Maine’s attractions through family networks. Today; cross-cultural interactions are reshaping the identities of Somalis—and adding new chapters to the immigrant history of Maine. Somalis in Maine offers a kaleidoscope of voices that situate the story of Somalis’ migration to Lewiston within a larger cultural narrative. Combining academic analysis with refugees’ personal stories; this anthology includes reflections on leaving Somalia; the experiences of Somali youth in U.S. schools; the reasons for Somali secondary migration to Lewiston; the employment of many Lewiston Somalis at Maine icon L. L. Bean; and community dialogues with white Mainers. Somalis in Maine seeks to counter stereotypes of refugees as being socially dependent and unable to assimilate; to convey the richness and diversity of Somali culture; and to contribute to a greater understanding of the intertwined futures of Somalis and Americans.
#3294732 in Books 2017-01-08Original language:English 11.00 x .59 x 8.50l; #File Name: 1542420903258 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. The Complete Saga of Major John Wesley Powell's Expeditions presented in the guise of a faux play.By Rich HoltzinNever had there been a more innovative way to explain the entire John Wesley Powell saga; that is; taking out the confusion of two expeditions he merged into one (given his final publication in the 1890s); as well as the intrigue of the personal disputes some of the men had toward the end of the 1869's nearly 1;000-mile long excursion through the Green and Colorado River canyon country in just one hundred days. This engaging book is written in the guise of a faux play where the three so-called diarists read from their notes (one after the other) what transpired on any given day. However; the performers are not aware there are others on the same stage. To present the essential background to the audience (reader); the author makes use of a Chorus; similar to ancient Greek plays. His name is William (Billy) Bass; a late 19th-century early 20th-century prospector turned tourist guide. He was friends of one of the 1869 expedition's crew; Billy Hawkins; who; like a few other boatmen in that daring escapade; felt they were owed money that either the Major forgot to pay or maybe he didn't. Bass interviewed Hawkins many years after the expedition and learned of such details. As such; he was no fan of Major Powell. The narrative of this story is factual and takes place in four consecutive acts. Details and theories of what happened to three of Major Powell's men on the expedition are also related (i.e.; they hiked out of the canyon not knowing there were only 38 miles to go until the Grand Wash Cliffs (i.e.; the official terminus of the Grand Canyon). However; they were never seen again. The longer 1871-72 expedition is also given mention; only for the sake of clarity there were; in fact; two different expeditions that; until the truth was revealed; no one in the early 20th-century realized. This faux play reveals everything; including the theories and what's behind the disputes levied against Major Powell by those who think or feel his victory as a renowned Western explorer is tarnished. The question is: were the charges levied against the Major by some of his men true or even realistic? Perhaps the real faux pas has only to do with the fact his epic work; "Down the Colorado" was telescoped (i.e.; the 1869 and 1871 expeditions merged); yet only the crew of the 1869 expedition was noted in the book. Thanks to Frederick Dellenbaugh; who was arguably the most popular boatman on the second expedition; he set the record straight when he later published his equally epic work; "Romance of the Colorado River."
