• Many of the immigrants profiled in the book are the families of students Steven Robert's has taught at George Washington University.

• Roberts is the coauthor (with his wife, Cokie Roberts) of From This Day Forward which reached #7 on the New York Times bestseller list and remained on the list for seven weeks.

• The author’s many honors include the Dirksen Award for covering Congress, the Wilbur Award for reporting on religion and politics, the Bender Prize as one of George Washington University’s top undergraduate teachers, and four honorary doctorates.

America is a nation of immigrants. But what does it mean to be an immigrant in the U.S. today? The 9/11 terrorist attacks and subsequent wars have produced an increasing national insularity that is eroding our long-held melting-pot attitude. In addition, many Americans have become suspicious of recent immigrants who hail almost exclusively from economically developing countries like Iraq, Iran, and Mexico, as well as many parts of Africa.

Having shared his own family’s story in My Fathers’ Houses, distinguished journalist Steven V. Roberts now profiles thirteen other immigrants from China, Afghanistan, Mexico, and Sierra Leone who have journeyed to our shores in pursuit of the same dream that propelled Roberts’ own grandfather a century ago. “I want people to understand the enormous courage and tenacity it takes to start a new life in a new land,” Roberts explains. He combines compelling interviews and meticulous research to produce an engaging, wonderfully clear and accessible narrative that explores each family’s unique yet deeply resonant story. In so doing, Roberts captures the voices of those living the promise of a new land—and the difficulties of starting over among strangers whose suspicions increasingly outweigh their open-armed acceptance.

As the political debate rages on, Roberts offers an essential and timely look at today’s immigrants and sheds light on the enormous contributions they continue to make to the fabric and future of America.