A kaleidoscopic view of new immigrants and refugees living in Queens, New York ? the most ethnically diverse locality in the United States. For three years, Warren Lehrer and Judith Sloan traveled the world by trekking the streets of their home borough. This book (and its companion audio CD) documents the people they encountered along the way. First person narratives are illuminated by strikingly direct photographic portraits of the subjects alongside the objects of their worlds. Lehrer?s postmodern, Talmudic design juxtaposes the multiple perspectives of these new Americans, now thrown together as neighbors, classmates, coworkers, enemies, and friends. They reflect on the good, the ugly and the unexpected in their stories of crossing oceans, borders, wars, economic hardship, and cultural divides. These soulful narratives are put in context by the authors? personal and historical observations. The voices, images and sounds collected here form a portrait of a paradoxical and ever-shifting America.

This stunningly innovative book goes beyond pathos, into the kaleidoscope of experience that defines real immigrant life. (City Limits, Debbie Nathan, 1 November 2003)

Explodes the paradigms of oral history and reinterpreti[s] them for our multimedia century... (Archivist Roundtable of New York: Winner, Innovative Use of Archive Award, 26 June 2003)

"Crossing reveals the impact of changes in immigration law through the oral histories of asylum seekers caught in the maze of mandatory detention, refugees fleeing war and persecution, and those who are pushed out of their countries struggling to recreate their lives. The significance of this extraordinary volume is that, ready or not, it provides a glimpse of the new America which is emerging." Ron Daniels Executive Director, Center for Constitutional Rights

One of the most important stories in New York..the authors know immigrants as individuals. That's the way it should be. ("The Next Big Thing", WNYC, Dean Ulsher, Producer, 30 October 2003)

One of the best books ever! Thank you for telling these stories. (Faith Middleton Show, Connecticut Public Radio, Faith Middleton, 17 October 2003)

A fascinating book....Filled with vivid descriptions and very human, powerful, poignant stories. (Forum, KQED, Michael Krasny, 30 November 2003)

Dazzling but organic... Lehrer and Sloan have produced an oral history as vibrant as a live event. Strongly recommended. (Library Journal, Janet Ingraham Dwyer, 3 October 2004)

[A] typographical and geographical adventure...immigrants from all over the world tell their harrowing, thrilling, inspiring stories. (New Haven Advocate, Paul Bass, 22 October 2003)

An offbeat tour of one of the country's most ethnically diverse counties...Riveting stories about a new wave of immigrants. (New York Times, Corey Kilgannon, 29 December 2003)

Innovatively brings to life the most diverse county in the country...An arresting, vividly printed mosaic. (Publishers Weekly Best Illustrated Books, 1 November 2003)

A one-of-a kind amazingly designed book portraying immigrant Americans today. (Utne Reader Best Books & CDs, 26 June 2003)

Intimate, rich, comic, ironic and sad stories so often seen but not heard in America's big cities. (Washington Post, Lynn Duke, 6 January 2004)

A portrait of the ever-shifting future of America, this book offers a kaleidoscopic view of the lives of new immigrants and refugees living in Queens, New York. 500 color illustrations.

Award winning writer, designer and photographer Warren Lehrer, and actress, writer and oral historian Judith Sloan — a married couple — live in Queens where they co-founded EarSay, a non-profit arts organization. Their multimedia projects portray lives of the uncelebrated, bridging the divide between documentary and expressive forms. As part of this project they produced Crossing the BLVD documentaries for New York Public Radio.

Clothbound book includes an audio CD where speech becomes music and music becomes speech. The nineteen tracks feature original music compositions by Scott Johnson, original text-based audio compositions by Judith Sloan and Warren Lehrer, and recordings of Crossing the BLVD musicians including Gogol Bordello.