This memoir recounts how veteran journalist John A. Torres was able to find his way back to God through heartbreaking assignments and reporting from disaster sites around the world. During poignant and amusing recollections from his childhood in the Bronx, Torres tries to pinpoint what caused him to fall so far from his faith and how he struggled with the hole in his life. The book takes the reader along a journey to faith as Torres reports from Indonesia only days after the tsunami, the AIDS pandemic in Africa, the execution chamber of a child killer, and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

On Higher Ground: A Journey to Faith

Biographies & Memoirs

John A. Torres

Leaders & Notable People

Nepperhan Press, LLC

Jack Hopkins is enjoying life with his neighborhood buddies in the Bronx until his counselor at the unemployment office threatens to cut off his benefits, his landlord gives him an eviction notice, and his girlfriend delivers an ultimatum to find a job and lose fifty pounds. To prove he is seriously looking for work, he answers an ad in The Economist for an airport manager in Africa, though his only relevant experience has been in fueling planes at LaGuardia. By a freak accident he gets the job, and he travels to Jabra in southern Sudan where the airport is located. With his generous, outgoing personality he makes friends and motivates the workers at the airport. Then he meets Jenelle, a dedicated teacher at the Catholic elementary school, and he falls in love with her. Their happy time together is cut short when an army from the north invades the area, ruthlessly killing men, women, and children, and Jack is thrust into the role of saving what remains of the world that Jenelle revealed to him.

The Plentiful Harvest

Literature & Fiction

Literary

On December 26, 2004, a monster tsunami struck several countries around the Indian Ocean. Hundreds of thousands of people were killed; whole towns were washed away. In this gripping account, learned through face-to-face interviews with survivors, veteran reporter John Torres tells the story of that disaster and of the horrors it caused. In age-appropriate prose, he also describes the remarkable way in which the world responded. For the survivors, there is hope, even in the wake of one of the worst natural disasters in history.

Tsunami Disaster in Indonesia, 2004 (Natural Disasters)

Children's Books

Mitchell Lane Publishers

Everywhere across the United States, children from other countries are joining American classrooms. How can their classmates prepare? Learning about the culture, geography, and history of the new student s native country can help smooth the transition. Greeting the student with a few words in his or her language, making a traditional craft, and whipping up a well-known dish are all sure to help the child feel welcome. In this vibrant and colorful series, students and teachers can find out how to Meet a New Student and maybe make a new friend. From afar, Haiti, a small country on the island of Hispaniola, seems like any other Caribbean paradise. There are lush jungles, white sand beaches, and turquoise waters. But a closer look at the island country reveals a stark glimpse into the third world. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. The government is unstable, crime is rampant, education is for the lucky, and hope is hard to come by. Find out how the Haitian people overcome poverty, killer storms, and mudslides to celebrate a culture rich in French, Spanish, and African history when American schoolchildren Meet a New Student from Haiti.

Meet Our New Student From Haiti (Robbie Readers)

Geography & Cultures

As humans take up more of the wilderness where the giant panda lives, the number of these wild bears has decreased. Efforts have been in place for years to save the cuddly-looking creatures, but they are still endangered. An earthquake in 2008 damaged one of the largest panda reserves in China. Read about the habits and lifestyle of these precious animals, and learn what you can do to help save them.

Threat to the Giant Panda (A Robbie Reader) (Robbie Readers)

Animals

Danny Parker and his fourth-grade classmates in rural New York are excited to meet Franco, a boy who will be joining their school from Zambia. Their teacher prepares nshima and pineapple chutney, and the students weave baskets to prepare for his arrival. They also learn that Zambia is a rare landlocked country where people can see lions, rhinos, and elephants. It is home to such wondrous sites as Victoria Falls and the Zambezi River. Zambia was once one of the major copper-producing nations in the world. But a poor economy and a deadly disease have caused a lot of despair in Zambia, as they have throughout much of Africa. Danny and his friends are eager to welcome Franco to their school, where he will have a chance to rebuild his life after AIDS devastated his family.

Meet Our New Student from Zambia

Nicaragua is a land of baseball and beautiful beaches, soaring mountain ranges, and smoking volcanoes. The rich history of this small Central American country contributes to a blending of different cultures, including those of the Spanish settlers, native Indians, and others. Its vibrant history also includes political strife from civil wars, protests, and military intervention by the United States. Join Danny and his fourth-grade classmates as they explore the history, culture, geography, and climate of the country to prepare for the arrival of Ramón, a new student from Nicaragua. Best of all, find out how to make gallopinto, then paint a clay piggy bank you can make yourself. Hola, Ramón!

Meet Our New Student from Nicaragua

"Fiebre de Fresno materializa su factura poética desde el espesor estético de una escritura equivocada. Agotado el sentido de la palabra, Torres artificia el registro de una interferencia que refracta el lenguaje en función de una resistencia: oponer el flujo siempre escurridizo de la enunciación a la posibilidad última de cualquier significación absoluta. Poesía al sesgo." FEDERICO IRRIZARRY NADAL

Fiebre de fresno (Spanish Edition)

Terranova Editores

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Books by John A. Torres