Books with author John Bankston

In the United States laws apply to everyone, they are written down, and they are not easily changed. It was not always like this. Over 3,000 years ago, a Middle Eastern king wanted to rule fairly. He had the laws of his kingdom written in stone, and then he shared the laws with his people. His name was Hammurabi and he ruled Babylon- where the country of Iraq is today- for over forty years. Although he expanded his country and won many wars, today he is best remembered for his code of laws. The way laws are written in the United States owes so much to Hammurabi that pictures of him can be seen in the House of Representatives.

When Luke Bryan was nineteen, he was ready to become a country music star. His bags were packed. He had an apartment waiting for him in Nashville. Then his older brother Chris was killed. Everything changed. He remained in his hometown of Leesburg, Georgia. It looked like his dreams might never come true. It would be a long, hard journey to Nashville to become a hit singer.

At sixteen, Adam Levine had a record deal. His band Karas Flowers was on a popular TV show and he thought he would be a star. When his first record didnt sell, the band broke up. Afterward, he discovered music he really wanted to play. Most bands werent playing it and many people didnt think it was cool. Still he kept practicing. He rejoined with members of his band and they became Maroon 5. It took them years to become stars. They did it playing the music they loved.

For years, people doubted pro soccer would ever catch on in the South. After the Miami and Tampa Major League Soccer teams folded in 2001, there wasn't an MLS team in the region for a very long time. It took the owner of the Atlanta Falcons ten years to convince MLS to let him have a team. Then it cost over one billion dollars to build a new stadium for football and soccer. When Atlanta United FC began playing, fans thought it was worth it. Today some games attract over 70,000 people. They come to watch a young, fast, and high scoring team. In their very first year, Atlanta reached the playoffs. In their second, they were at the top of their conference. For most fans the question isn't whether Atlanta will win a championship, but when.

The New York Yankees have reserved a section of the stands. Fans there wear black robes, hold gavels, and stand at the order, All Rise. They are waiting for a home run from The Judge. They usually dont have to wait long. At 6'7"" and 280 pounds, Aaron Judge is one of the biggest Major League Baseball players in history. No one hits the ball as hard. No one hits it as far. No one hit as many home runs as a rookie as Aaron. Yet he remains humble and feels blessed for the opportunity to play baseball. He tries to show it by being friendly to every fan he meets. These days he has a lot of fans.