In this well-written and well-researched social history F.R.Cowell succeeds in making Life in Ancient Rome alive and dynamic.The combination of acute historical detail and supplementaryillustrations makes this book perfectly suited for the studentpreparing to explore the classics, as well as the tourist preparingto explore twentieth-century Rome. Lucid and engaging, Life InAncient Rome is for anyone seeking familiarity with the greatnessthat was Rome.

Pliny's "Natural History" is an astonishingly ambitious workthat ranges from astronomy to art and from geography to zoology.Mingling acute observation with often wild speculation, it offers afascinating view of the world as it was understood in the firstcentury AD, whether describing the danger of diving for sponges,the first water-clock, or the use of asses' milk to removewrinkles. Pliny himself died while investigating the volcaniceruption that destroyed Pompeii in AD 79, and the natural curiositythat brought about his death is also very much evident in the"Natural History" - a book that proved highly influential right upuntil the Renaissance and that his nephew, Pliny the younger,described 'as full of variety as nature itself'.

Africa has witnessed the birth of many important developmentsin history. Human evolution, including the use of fire, foodproduction via plant cultivation and animal domestication, as wellas the creation of sophisticated tools and hunting weapons fromiron took place in Africa. Other historical events such as theslave trade, which played a critical role in Western economicpower, the rise of Islam as one of the world's dominant religions,and colonization and struggles for independence occurred on Africansoil. Africans and Their History chronicles in fascinating detailAfrican history from prehistoric times through the present. Thisconcise and authoritative overview of the diverse peoples andsocieties of Africa now covers recent events, including theemergence of a free South Africa and its landmark enactment of aconstitution that recognizes even more rights than the Americanconstitution. The dynamic history and the relationship Africanshave with the rest of the world is revealed in Africans and TheirHistory

A companion book to The History Channel specialseries of ten one-hour documentaries 10 Days That Unexpectedly Changed America pinpoints pivotaldays that transformed our nation. For the series and the book, TheHistory Channel challenged a panel of leading historians, includingauthor Steven M. Gillon, to come up with some less well-known buthistorically significant events that triggered change in America.Together, the days they chose tell a story about the greatdemocratic ideals upon which our country was built. You won’t find July 4, 1776, for instance, or the attack on FortSumter that ignited the Civil War, or the day Neil Armstrong setfoot on the moon. But January 25, 1787, is here. On that day, theragtag men of Shays’ Rebellion attacked the federal arsenal inSpringfield, Massachusetts, and set the new nation on the path to astrong central government. January 24, 1848, is also on the list.That’s when a carpenter named John Marshall spotted a fewglittering flakes of gold in a California riverbed.

A masterly and beautifully written account of theimpact of Alexander von Humboldt on nineteenth-century Americanhistory and culture The naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859)achieved unparalleled fame in his own time. Today, however, he andhis enormous legacy to American thought are virtually unknown. In The Humboldt Current , Aaron Sachs traces Humboldt’spervasive influence on American history through examining the workof four explorers—J. N. Reynolds, Clarence King, George Wallace,and John Muir—who embraced Humboldt’s idea of a "chain ofconnection" uniting all peoples and all environments. A skillfulblend of narrative and interpretation that also discussesHumboldt’s influence on Emerson, Whitman, Thoreau, Melville, andPoe, The Humboldt Current offers a colorful, passionate, andsuperbly written reinterpretation of nineteenth-century Americanhistory.

If this is a book about war, it is equally a book about the hypocrisy and indifference of those in power. Fisk is an angry man and more than a little self-righteous. No national leader comes off with a scrap of credit here; he regards the lot of them with contempt, if not loathing. Among the men in charge -- whether Arab, Iranian, Turkish, Israeli, British or American -- there are no heroes and precious few honorable people doing their inadequate best in difficult situations. Jimmy Carter is lucky to escape with condescension, King Hussein of Jordan with a bit better than that. Fisk is not fond of the media either (though he grants some exceptions); CNN and the New York Times are particular targets of his scorn for what he sees as their abject failure to challenge the lies, distortions and cover-ups of U.S. policymakers. Only among ordinary people, entangled in a web of forces beyond their control, does Fisk find a human mixture of courage, cowardice, charity and cruelty!

Undeniably one of Rome's most important historians, Tacituswas also one of its most gifted. The Agricola is both aportrait of Julius Agricola-the most famous governor of RomanBritain and Tacitus's respected father-in-law-and the first knowndetailed portrayal of the British Isles. In the Germania ,Tacitus focuses on the warlike German tribes beyond the Rhine,often comparing the behavior of "barbarian" peoples favorably withthe decadence and corruption of Imperial Rome.

Lawyer, philosopher, statesman and defender of Rome'sRepublic, Cicero was a master of eloquence, and his pure literaryand oratorical style and strict sense of morality have been apowerful influence on European literature and thought for over twothousand years in matters of politics, philosophy, and faith. Thisselection demonstrates the diversity of his writings, and includesletters to friends and statesmen on Roman life and politics; thevitriolic Second Philippic Against Antony; and, his two most famousphilosophical treatises, "On Duties" and "On Old Age" - acelebration of his own declining years. Written at a time of brutalpolitical and social change, Cicero's lucid ethical writings formedthe foundation of the Western liberal tradition in political andmoral thought that continues to this day.

True tales of life and death as told by those who fought inthe briny depths. From the undersea warfare of World War II through the Cold Warstand-offs in the deep to the cutting-edge technology of the modernU.S. Navy, submarines have evolved into the front line of ournation's defense at sea. And the men who sail them have becomeheroes above and below the waves. These are their stories. Compiled from interviews and recollections from submarineveterans and accompanied by detailed photos and illustrations ofboth man and machine at work, Sub is a gripping chronicle ofundersea warfare as told by those who know firsthand what it meansto drop through the hull of a boat, to sink into the dark, freezingwaters of the deep-and to have death never more than one torpedoaway.

In 1790, America was in enormous debt, having depleted whatlittle money and supplies the country had during its victoriousfight for independence. Before the nation's greatest asset, theland west of the Ohio River, could be sold it had to be measuredout and mapped. And before that could be done, a uniform set ofmeasurements had to be chosen for the new republic out of themorass of roughly 100,000 different units that were in use in dailylife. Measuring America tells the fascinating story of how weultimately gained the American Customary System-the lasttraditional system in the world-and how one man's surveying chainindelibly imprinted its dimensions on the land, on cities, and onour culture from coast to coast.

A lively, compulsively browsable collection of neglectednotables-from the bestselling author of A Treasury of RoyalScandals "History," wrote Thomas Carlyle, "is the essence of innumerablebiographies." Yet countless fascinating characters are relegated toa historical limbo. In A Treasury of Foolishly ForgottenAmericans , Michael Farquhar has scoured the annals and rescuedthirty of the most intriguing, unusual, and yes, memorableAmericans from obscurity. From the mother of Mother's Day to PaulRevere's rival rider, the Mayflower murderer to "America'sSherlock Holmes," these figures are more than historicalrunners-up-they're the spies, explorers, patriots, and martyrswithout whom history as we know it would be very differentindeed.

This compelling Icelandic history describes the life of KingHarald Hardradi, from his battles across Europe and Russia to hisfinal assault on England in 1066, less than three weeks before theinvasion of William the Conqueror. It was a battle that led to hisdeath and marked the end of an era in which Europe had beendominated by the threat of Scandinavian forces. Despite England'striumph, it also played a crucial part in fatally weakening theEnglish army immediately prior to the Norman Conquest, changing thecourse of history. Taken from the Heimskringla Snorri Sturluson'scomplete account of Norway from prehistoric times to 1177 this is abrilliantly human depiction of the turbulent life and savage deathof the last great Norse warrior-king.

In this thrilling real-life account of bravery, greed,obsession, and ultimate betrayal, award- winning writer Joe Jacksonbrings to life the story of fortune hunter Henry Wickham and hiscollaboration with the empire that fueled, then abandoned him. In1876, Wickham smuggled 70,000 rubber tree seeds out of therainforests of Brazil and delivered them to Victorian England'smost prestigious scientists at Kew Gardens. The story of howWickham got his hands on those seeds-and the history-makingconsequences-is the stuff of legend. The Thief at the End of theWorld is an exciting true story of reckless courage andambition that perfectly captures the essential nature of GreatBritain's colonial adventure in South America.

The Taste of Conquest offers up a riveting, globe-trottingtale of unquenchable desire, fanatical religion, raw greed, ficklefashion, and mouthwatering cuisine–in short, the very stuff ofwhich our world is made. In this engaging, enlightening, andanecdote-filled history, Michael Krondl, a noted chef turned writerand food historian, tells the story of three legendarycities–Venice, Lisbon, and Amsterdam–and how their single-mindedpursuit of spice helped to make (and remake) the Western diet andset in motion the first great wave of globalization. Sharing mealsand stories with Indian pepper planters, Portuguese sailors, andVenetian foodies, Krondl takes every opportunity to explore theworld of long ago and sample its many flavors. Along the way, hereveals that the taste for spice of a few wealthy Europeans ledto great crusades, astonishing feats of bravery, and even wholesaleslaughter. As stimulating as it is pleasurable, and filled with surprisinginsights, The Taste of Conquest offers a compell

California has always been our Shangri-la–the promised land ofcountless pilgrims in search of the American Dream. Now the GoldenState’s premier historian, Kevin Starr, distills the entire sweepof California’s history into one splendid volume. From the age ofexploration to the age of Arnold, this is the story of a place atonce quintessentially American and utterly unique. Arguing that America’s most populous state has always beenblessed with both spectacular natural beauty and astonishing humandiversity, Starr unfolds a rapid-fire epic of discovery,innovation, catastrophe, and triumph. For generations, California’s native peoples basked in theabundance of a climate and topography eminently suited to humanhabitation. By the time the Spanish arrived in the early sixteenthcentury, there were scores of autonomous tribes were thriving inthe region. Though conquest was rapid, nearly two centuries passedbefore Spain exerted control over upper California through thechain of missions that s

Commemorating the 150th anniversary of the beginning of theAmerican Civil War. This well-rounded selection of Abraham Lincoln's finest speechescombines the classic and obscure, the lyrical and historical, andthe inspirational and intellectual to present a historical arcmarking periods of the Civil War-crisis, outbreak, escalation,victory, and Reconstruction. Addressing the conflict's multipleaspects-the issue of slavery, state versus federal power, themeaning of the Constitution, civic duty, death, and freedom-thiselegant keepsake collection will make a wonderful inspirationalgift for professed Lincoln fans, Civil War buffs, and lovers ofrhetorical genius.

In A Continent for the Taking Howard W. French, a veterancorrespondent for The New York Times, gives a compelling firsthandaccount of some of Africa’s most devastating recent history–fromthe fall of Mobutu Sese Seko, to Charles Taylor’s arrival inMonrovia, to the genocide in Rwanda and the Congo that leftmillions dead. Blending eyewitness reportage with rich historicalinsight, French searches deeply into the causes of today’s events,illuminating the debilitating legacy of colonization and theabiding hypocrisy and inhumanity of both Western and Africanpolitical leaders. While he captures the tragedies that have repeatedly befallenAfrica’s peoples, French also opens our eyes to the immensepossibility that lies in Africa’s complexity, diversity, and myriadcultural strengths. The culmination of twenty-five years ofpassionate exploration and understanding, this is a powerful andultimately hopeful book about a fascinating and misunderstoodcontinent.

This streamlined revision of the breakthrough bestseller byrenowned child-development expert Dr. Harvey Karp will do even moreto help busy parents survive the “terrible twos” andbeyond.... In one of the most revolutionary advances in parenting of thepast twenty-five years, Dr. Karp revealed that toddlers often actlike uncivilized little cavemen, with a primitive way of thinkingand communicating that is all their own. In this revised edition ofhis parenting classic, Dr. Karp has made his innovative approacheasier to learn—and put into action—than ever before. Combining his trademark tools of Toddler-ese and the Fast-FoodRule with a highly effective new green light/yellow light/red lightmethod for molding toddler behavior, Dr. Karp provides fastsolutions for today’s busy and stressed parents. As you discoverways to boost your child’s good (green light) behavior, curb hisannoying (yellow light) behavior, and immediately stop hisunacceptable (red light) behavior you will learn how t

One of the greatest figures of his age, Thomas BabingtonMacaulay (1800-59) was widely admired throughout his life for hisprose, poetry, political acumen and oratorical skills. Among themost successful and enthralling histories ever written, his"History of England" won instantaneous success following thepublication of its first volumes in 1849, and was rapidlytranslated into most European languages. Beginning with theGlorious Revolution of 1688 and concluding at the end of the reignof William III in 1702, it illuminates a time of deep strugglethroughout Britain and Ireland in vivid and compelling prose. Butwhile Macaulay offers a gripping narrative, and draws on a widerange of sources including historical accounts and creativeliterature, his enduring success also owes a great deal to hisastonishing ability to grasp, and explain, the political realitythat has always underpinned social change.

If members of the History Book Club do not recognize the name Joy Hakim, grade school students know her as the grandmother who writes history. Hakim's widely acclaimed 10-volume A History of US has earned a place in classrooms across the nation. Now she aims to bring history into the nation's homes as well with a companion book for the upcoming PBS miniseries Freedom. She considers herself a storyteller, and indeed, she writes U.S. history from colonial times to the new millennium as the story of the march of liberty. As she recounts the struggles of women, workers, blacks, immigrants and other minorities to participate equally in American society and government, she reiterates the ideals of freedom of religion and speech, and the right to vote, to a fair trial and to education. Despite advertising claims that the book is "for families," Hakim seems to be writing for children. Young readers will like the personable characters, lively action and conversational style ("There's a whole lot more to this freedom s

Containing over 120 combat photographs- including shots of theflag-raising by other photographers-quotes from survivors,newspapers and magazines, battle reports and Medal of Honorcitations, here is a grunt's eye view of the bloodiest battle inU.S. Marine Corps history. It also recounts "the photograph's"enduring legacy in popular culture, and reveals the fates of theflag raisers- men who became a fixture in their country'shistory.

John Keegan, whose many books, including classic histories ofthe two world wars, have confirmed him as the premier miltaryhistorian of our time, here presents a masterly look at the valueand limitations of intelligence in the conduct of war. Intelligence gathering is an immensely complicated and vulnerableendeavor. And it often fails. Until the invention of the telegraphand radio, information often traveled no faster than a horse couldride, yet intelligence helped defeat Napoleon. In the twentiethcentury, photo analysts didn’t recognize Germany’s V-2 rockets forwhat they were; on the other hand, intelligence helped lead tovictory over the Japanese at Midway. In Intelligence inWar , John Keegan illustrates that only when paired withforce has military intelligence been an effective tool, as it mayone day be in besting al-Qaeda.