MSI Press Blog

  Portland Kids Meet Belarusan Kids First, the Portland  kids met the Minsk kids in Belarus, and then the Minsk kids met the Portland kids in Oregon. Both trips took a lot of work, lot of collaboration, and a lot of breaking new ground. While I was in Minsk, accompanying the Portland kids as their guide and the person making sure that all the pre-arranged commitments were carried out—and the interpreter on site, the idea arose with the superintendent of schools that the Minks kids might benefit from a trip to the Oregon. This was right after the thawing of relations between the two countries and path existed at the time to make it happen. So, the educational staff and I met day after day when my time was not needed to be with the kids. The staff found out what kinds of documents would be needed to build an exchange from the Belarusan side and drafted them in Russian; I translated them into English. The faculty from the Portland Public Schools who had come with the kids were ab...

  Today's Publisher's Pride is  From Tuscany with Love  by Lauretta Avina, which reached  #150 in emigrants & immigrants biographies, #231 in emigration & immigration studies, and #325 in culinary biographies & memoirs. Book Description: From Tuscany with Love  is an emotional memoir capturing the heartfelt journey of a scared, little girl from the rolling hills of Lucca to the bustling life in America. Through evocative stories and cherished family recipes, the author pays tribute to the rich culture, love, and flavors that shaped her life. This memoir beautifully blends personal reflections on family, resilience, and the timeless traditions of Tuscan cuisine, offering readers a deeply personal and flavorful look at an immigrant's path to finding a home and a sense of belonging in a new world. A Reviewer's Comment: "a cookbook that brought a tear to my eye" I never had a cookbook that brought a tear to my eye, but this one did. [Lauretta's] st...