...asked one expert. And there were constant reminders about the America that used to be. "The United States has been a major author and promoter of international rules. But it is no longer playing that role. ... Somebody said the United States...

...India, Latin America, China, and Japan. Each region or country is represented by five stories, each written by a major author such as Chinua Achebe, Wang Anyi, Anita Desai, Isabel Allende, and others. One of the criteria for selecting the...