{"title":"Charles River","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"glenn-miller-the-life-and-legacy-of-early-20th-century-americas-most-popular-musician-paperback","title":"Glenn Miller: The Life and Legacy of Early 20th Century America's Most Popular Musician - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eCharles River\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures\u003cbr\u003e*Includes a bibliography for further reading\u003cbr\u003e\"A band ought to have a sound all of its own. It ought to have a personality.\" - Glenn Miller\u003cbr\u003eSprightly swing music spills across the dimly lit club. The grayish curtains of cigarette smoke part every once in a while to reveal a sparkling stage and tables upon tables of patrons, some incurably inebriated and others high on the fast-paced nightlife. Fabulous flappers in shimmery cocktail dresses and stylish feather headbands throw their hands up and stomp their feet to the addictive beat on the dance floor. Smartly dressed men, their hair neatly parted and slicked back, toss fistfuls of dice onto the plush green baize of the craps tables. Some hover over roulette wheels, staring intently at the spinning flashes of silver, while others finger their playing cards as they sip on tumblers of whiskey, eyeing both the river and the tower of tokens next to them. \u003cbr\u003eFrisky tunes, chic fashion, and American gambling are nostalgic, rose-tinted images most choose to project when visualizing the Roaring Twenties, but the other side of the coin brought an uninviting, much harsher reality that most would prefer to sweep under the rug. The first real estate bubble was on the brink of bursting, and progress was evident, but painfully slow, which gave way to yet another era of violent riots, lynchings, and other forms of oppression imposed on minorities. \u003cbr\u003eThe Swing Era was a magical period in American history between the hedonism of the Roaring Twenties and the rebelliousness sparked by rock music beginning in the 1950s. Swing music was rooted in ragtime, blues, and jazz music that had long been popular in African American enclaves in Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, and New Orleans, and while musicians like Benny Goodman popularized swing music, big bands produced America's most popular music. \u003cbr\u003eThough it may be hard to fathom in the wake of Elvis Presley and popular rock bands like the Beatles, the early 20th century featured a burgeoning music sales industry that was dominated in ways that nobody would ever reach again, including the Fab 4. While Elvis and the Beatles had a combined 71 Top 10 hits over their lengthy careers, Glenn Miller had 16 records reach #1, and he compiled 69 Top 10 hits, all in the span of four years before he had turned 40. Like any music pioneer, Miller and his band were often criticized for not being true to the roots of the music they performed, even as they perfected a sound that captivated the country. In short order, Miller and his music influenced legends ranging from Benny Goodman to Louis Armstrong.\u003cbr\u003eMiller was the most popular big band leader in the United States when he walked away from his orchestra to enlist in the U.S. Army. World War II was raging, and Miller was determined to fulfill his patriotic duty, so he assembled a military orchestra to give fellow American servicemen a little taste of the homes they were missing. While based in the United Kingdom in 1944, the military orchestra was granted clearance to perform in Paris, which had been liberated from the Nazis just months before. \u003cbr\u003eMiller planned his own trip across the English Channel to prepare for a few days ahead of the orchestra's arrival. Miller's trip had already been postponed by cold, foggy and drizzly weather, but on December 15, 1944 the pilot chose not to let similar conditions delay it again. The plane took off at about 2:00 p.m. from the airstrip at Twinwood Farm, but it never made it to Paris. As Miller himself had once prophetically put it, \"I don't know why I spend my time making plans like this.... I have an awful feeling you guys are going to go home without me, and I'm going to get mine in some goddamn beat-up old plane!\" December 2019 marks the 75th anniversary of Miller's disappearance, which remains among the greatest aviation mysteries of all time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.08 x 11 x 8.5 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e July 19, 2019\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50494011900127,"sku":"9781081414580","price":15.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/ik8Y7RjP-69781081414580.webp?v=1782829560"},{"product_id":"monet-renoir-the-lives-and-legacies-of-the-famous-impressionist-artists-paperback","title":"Monet \u0026 Renoir: The Lives and Legacies of the Famous Impressionist Artists - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes the artists' quotes about their lives and art *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents To get a sense of the kind of prestige that Claude Monet enjoys within the art world, one need only learn that his Le Bassin Aux Nympheás (1919) - from his series of paintings featuring water lilies - sold for the equivalent of more than $70 million. This is an incredibly staggering price, especially considering that early in his life, Monet had been so poor and debt-ridden that some of his paintings were taken from him by creditors. How, exactly, did Monet progress from being an impoverished young Impressionist artist working at the vanguard of European art to the legendary Master whose works command prices near the very pinnacle of the art world? Naturally, Monet's commercial success soared exponentially in the decades following his death in 1926, at a time in which the prices commanded by the great Masters of Western art began rising in price at exponential rates. Yet even during his own lifetime, Monet enjoyed a sharp rise to fame and was canonized as one of the greatest painters in France. Following sharply in the footsteps of Edouard Manet, Claude Monet was one of the first painters identified within the Impressionist circle (indeed, it was Monet himself who coined the label of Impressionist after using it in the title of one of his paintings). Where some artists reach the peak of their acclaim early in life, Monet's star continued to rise even throughout his old age; although some would argue that the last decade or so of his life were anticlimactic, at least from an artistic standpoint, his landmark water lilies were made during his elderly years. And even though Monet would continue to paint well after the canonical period of Impressionism had ended, his name was and remains synonymous with Impressionism, along with cherished acquaintances of his, including such luminaries as Pierre-August Renoir, Camille Pissarro, and Edouard Manet. Simply put, Monet is a monumental figure when it comes to examining Western art during the second half of the 19th century. Pierre-Auguste Renoir stands alongside Claude Monet at the very peak of Impressionist painting, and though neither of them can be credited with founding the movement (that honor likely goes to Edouard Manet or Edgar Degas), Renoir and Monet remain inextricably tied to the key characteristics of Impressionism: loose brushwork; outdoor painting; an emphasis on capturing natural light and shadow; and a focus on remaining in Paris and the surrounding countryside. Yet if Monet and Renoir are each remembered for their affiliation with these descriptors, differences nevertheless distinguish them, especially the fact that Renoir concentrated less on nature than did Monet, attending instead to scenes depicting Parisian leisure activity. This thematic concern for depicting scenes of idyllic Parisian enjoyment, such as rowing in boats or grand luncheons, imbues Renoir with a greater sense of joie-de-vivre than Monet or perhaps any of the other members of the Impressionist cohort. Even though Renoir's art shares much in common with his Impressionist colleagues, both his handling of paint and even his subject matter contain significant differences that render him truly unique as a painter. That Renoir captured scenes of leisure better than any of his contemporaries was surprising and unlikely considering the background in which he was raised. Denied the opportunity for a proper education, Renoir's painting, which started at a young age, was borne more out of a need to work than in pursuit of a lifelong passion. Renoir certainly loved to paint, but like Monet, painting always remained his profession, and he treated it as such. Monet \u0026amp; Renoir looks at the personal background that led to the two becoming artists and the cultural climate in which they rose to fame.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50732380324063,"sku":"9781515378884","price":21.92,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/gt9Ow2j--o9781515378884.webp?v=1785741367"},{"product_id":"the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-the-history-and-legacy-of-americas-largest-art-museum-paperback-1","title":"The Metropolitan Museum of Art: The History and Legacy of America's Largest Art Museum - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures \u003cbr\u003e *Includes contemporary accounts \u003cbr\u003e *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading \u003cbr\u003e \"The Metropolitan Museum of Art is unsurpassed at presenting more than 50 centuries of work. I go there constantly, seeing things over and over, better than I've ever seen them before.\" - Jerry Saltz \u003cbr\u003e Americans are rightfully proud of much of their heritage, especially as it relates to the ideas of democracy and government. The country has spread its ideals throughout the world and rose, in just two short centuries, to a place of global leadership. However, when it comes to art and culture, there's never been any doubt how young the nation is, especially compared to much older nations across the Atlantic. The Metropolitan Museum of Art was created to assuage some of that, and to show the world that America could hold its own with the leading galleries of the rest of the world. \u003cbr\u003e From the beginning, the Met has been unique, because unlike many European museums, the support for the sprawling New York City museum came from modern tycoons and philanthropists, instead of old families with wealth and land. Like the rest of the city, the museum grew quickly, as the millionaires of New York and other cities around the nation vied to see who could donate the most paintings or objects of art. Having one's work in the Met, or contributing to it, became something of a status symbol, a way to demonstrate prestige and importance. Having one's name on a gallery wall or a wing of the always expanding museum could cement a legacy. \u003cbr\u003e At the same time, the Met has always been a place that anyone could visit. Its very charter insisted that patrons be welcomed and educated by what they saw during their visits, a goal the museum has kept in focus for nearly 150 years. And while many European museums cater primarily to tourists, the Met remains something of a hometown treasure for New York City, focusing much of its attention on recognizing and balancing the city's cultural diversity with the needs of its patrons of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. \u003cbr\u003e The Metropolitan Museum of Art: The History and Legacy of America's Largest Art Museum chronicles the remarkable history of the museum and highlights some of its most important pieces. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Met like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50859627282655,"sku":"9781725976467","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/i0vHzERY2k9781725976467_e7fa1e4d-0629-4a89-8720-d966fc5ff0c3.webp?v=1785899243"},{"product_id":"the-louvre-and-the-hermitage-the-history-and-contents-of-europes-biggest-art-museums-paperback","title":"The Louvre and the Hermitage: The History and Contents of Europe's Biggest Art Museums - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures \u003cbr\u003e *Includes contemporary accounts \u003cbr\u003e *Profiles the various art in each museum \u003cbr\u003e *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading \u003cbr\u003e The Louvre: The very name conjures up scenes of art and elegance, and of long halls filled with beauty and people strolling through them whispering quietly among themselves about the glories they are witnessing. Even those who have never been to the Louvre know some of its most prized possessions, from ancient statues to Leonardo Da Vinci's \"Mona Lisa\". As the world's largest museum, the Louvre is unquestionably the cultural highpoint of Paris, a city that has long been considered the cultural center of Europe. \u003cbr\u003e However, life is rarely as simple as one imagines, and the life of the Louvre is no different. While just about everyone is familiar with its history as an art museum, the Louvre's history goes back over 800 years, and it used to have far different purposes, both as a medieval fortress and a palatial residence for French kings. The Louvre bore witness to mass murder during the French Revolution, and there have been countless accusations of theft and other questionable actions since its opening. \u003cbr\u003e Furthermore, the museum is also a classic example of beating one's swords into ploughshares, for it has been largely stocked through the conquests of war. Its first collection was put on display by a king who wanted to share his personal art collection with his subjects. Following the French Revolution, the Louvre became a place of ascetic refuge, where those burdened by daily life could go, often at no cost, and visit some of the most beautiful pieces of art in the world. While the power hungry Napoleon made war across the continent, he was also always on the lookout for beautiful and interesting items to send home to his people. Later, when rioters attempted to burn the building down, the museum portion of the palace survived, almost by miracle, and when the Nazis occupied Paris, they found that most of the items of value had been safely sent away. Ironically, when World War II was over, the museum became a safehouse for items stolen by the Germans from around the world, and a conduit to get the pieces back to their rightful owners. Even now, in the 21st century, the museum is serving as a bridge to peace and understanding; its latest gallery was designed to showcase Islamic art in the hope of bringing together people from different cultures. This is, to say the least, quite a change of pace for a fortress originally intended to fight off invaders. \u003cbr\u003e Catherine the Great came to power in the midst of the Enlightenment, which was flourishing in France and Britain, and she would rule as an Enlightened ruler. A known correspondent of Voltaire's, Catherine sought to modernize Russia and turn it into a force in its own right, creating a rich and cultured court at the same time. Over the course of nearly 35 years in power, Catherine ushered in the Russian Enlightenment and presided over a period of time known as the Golden Age of the Russian Empire. \u003cbr\u003e Moreover, Catherine had an unmatched passion for the arts, and she began a private art collection that would eventually evolve into galleries upon galleries of historical treasures shipped in from all over the world. This fabled museum was none other than the Hermitage, located in the heart of Saint Petersburg, a city founded by the imperial empire's very own Peter the Great. \u003cbr\u003e The Louvre and the Hermitage: The History and Contents of Europe's Biggest Art Museums chronicles the remarkable history of the museums and profiles some of their most important pieces. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Louvre and the Hermitage like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50934455173343,"sku":"9781979653053","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/CefKGhMdt39781979653053.webp?v=1786018833"},{"product_id":"the-louvre-and-the-hermitage-the-history-and-contents-of-europes-biggest-art-museums-paperback-1","title":"The Louvre and the Hermitage: The History and Contents of Europe's Biggest Art Museums - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures \u003cbr\u003e *Includes contemporary accounts \u003cbr\u003e *Profiles the various art in each museum \u003cbr\u003e *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading \u003cbr\u003e The Louvre: The very name conjures up scenes of art and elegance, and of long halls filled with beauty and people strolling through them whispering quietly among themselves about the glories they are witnessing. Even those who have never been to the Louvre know some of its most prized possessions, from ancient statues to Leonardo Da Vinci's \"Mona Lisa\". As the world's largest museum, the Louvre is unquestionably the cultural highpoint of Paris, a city that has long been considered the cultural center of Europe. \u003cbr\u003e However, life is rarely as simple as one imagines, and the life of the Louvre is no different. While just about everyone is familiar with its history as an art museum, the Louvre's history goes back over 800 years, and it used to have far different purposes, both as a medieval fortress and a palatial residence for French kings. The Louvre bore witness to mass murder during the French Revolution, and there have been countless accusations of theft and other questionable actions since its opening. \u003cbr\u003e Furthermore, the museum is also a classic example of beating one's swords into ploughshares, for it has been largely stocked through the conquests of war. Its first collection was put on display by a king who wanted to share his personal art collection with his subjects. Following the French Revolution, the Louvre became a place of ascetic refuge, where those burdened by daily life could go, often at no cost, and visit some of the most beautiful pieces of art in the world. While the power hungry Napoleon made war across the continent, he was also always on the lookout for beautiful and interesting items to send home to his people. Later, when rioters attempted to burn the building down, the museum portion of the palace survived, almost by miracle, and when the Nazis occupied Paris, they found that most of the items of value had been safely sent away. Ironically, when World War II was over, the museum became a safehouse for items stolen by the Germans from around the world, and a conduit to get the pieces back to their rightful owners. Even now, in the 21st century, the museum is serving as a bridge to peace and understanding; its latest gallery was designed to showcase Islamic art in the hope of bringing together people from different cultures. This is, to say the least, quite a change of pace for a fortress originally intended to fight off invaders. \u003cbr\u003e Catherine the Great came to power in the midst of the Enlightenment, which was flourishing in France and Britain, and she would rule as an Enlightened ruler. A known correspondent of Voltaire's, Catherine sought to modernize Russia and turn it into a force in its own right, creating a rich and cultured court at the same time. Over the course of nearly 35 years in power, Catherine ushered in the Russian Enlightenment and presided over a period of time known as the Golden Age of the Russian Empire. \u003cbr\u003e Moreover, Catherine had an unmatched passion for the arts, and she began a private art collection that would eventually evolve into galleries upon galleries of historical treasures shipped in from all over the world. This fabled museum was none other than the Hermitage, located in the heart of Saint Petersburg, a city founded by the imperial empire's very own Peter the Great. \u003cbr\u003e The Louvre and the Hermitage: The History and Contents of Europe's Biggest Art Museums chronicles the remarkable history of the museums and profiles some of their most important pieces. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Louvre and the Hermitage like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50934455927007,"sku":"9781979653060","price":16.07,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/GXXZDD9gaB9781979653060.webp?v=1786018836"},{"product_id":"monet-renoir-the-lives-and-legacies-of-the-famous-impressionist-artists-paperback-1","title":"Monet \u0026 Renoir: The Lives and Legacies of the Famous Impressionist Artists - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes the artists' quotes about their lives and art *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents To get a sense of the kind of prestige that Claude Monet enjoys within the art world, one need only learn that his Le Bassin Aux Nympheás (1919) - from his series of paintings featuring water lilies - sold for the equivalent of more than $70 million. This is an incredibly staggering price, especially considering that early in his life, Monet had been so poor and debt-ridden that some of his paintings were taken from him by creditors. How, exactly, did Monet progress from being an impoverished young Impressionist artist working at the vanguard of European art to the legendary Master whose works command prices near the very pinnacle of the art world? Naturally, Monet's commercial success soared exponentially in the decades following his death in 1926, at a time in which the prices commanded by the great Masters of Western art began rising in price at exponential rates. Yet even during his own lifetime, Monet enjoyed a sharp rise to fame and was canonized as one of the greatest painters in France. Following sharply in the footsteps of Edouard Manet, Claude Monet was one of the first painters identified within the Impressionist circle (indeed, it was Monet himself who coined the label of Impressionist after using it in the title of one of his paintings). Where some artists reach the peak of their acclaim early in life, Monet's star continued to rise even throughout his old age; although some would argue that the last decade or so of his life were anticlimactic, at least from an artistic standpoint, his landmark water lilies were made during his elderly years. And even though Monet would continue to paint well after the canonical period of Impressionism had ended, his name was and remains synonymous with Impressionism, along with cherished acquaintances of his, including such luminaries as Pierre-August Renoir, Camille Pissarro, and Edouard Manet. Simply put, Monet is a monumental figure when it comes to examining Western art during the second half of the 19th century. Pierre-Auguste Renoir stands alongside Claude Monet at the very peak of Impressionist painting, and though neither of them can be credited with founding the movement (that honor likely goes to Edouard Manet or Edgar Degas), Renoir and Monet remain inextricably tied to the key characteristics of Impressionism: loose brushwork; outdoor painting; an emphasis on capturing natural light and shadow; and a focus on remaining in Paris and the surrounding countryside. Yet if Monet and Renoir are each remembered for their affiliation with these descriptors, differences nevertheless distinguish them, especially the fact that Renoir concentrated less on nature than did Monet, attending instead to scenes depicting Parisian leisure activity. This thematic concern for depicting scenes of idyllic Parisian enjoyment, such as rowing in boats or grand luncheons, imbues Renoir with a greater sense of joie-de-vivre than Monet or perhaps any of the other members of the Impressionist cohort. Even though Renoir's art shares much in common with his Impressionist colleagues, both his handling of paint and even his subject matter contain significant differences that render him truly unique as a painter. That Renoir captured scenes of leisure better than any of his contemporaries was surprising and unlikely considering the background in which he was raised. Denied the opportunity for a proper education, Renoir's painting, which started at a young age, was borne more out of a need to work than in pursuit of a lifelong passion. Renoir certainly loved to paint, but like Monet, painting always remained his profession, and he treated it as such. Monet \u0026amp; Renoir looks at the personal background that led to the two becoming artists and the cultural climate in which they rose to fame.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50934554951903,"sku":"9781983753824","price":19.84,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/3-O4ijn9mj9781983753824.webp?v=1786021246"},{"product_id":"the-library-of-alexandria-the-history-and-legacy-of-the-ancient-worlds-most-famous-library-paperback","title":"The Library of Alexandria: The History and Legacy of the Ancient World's Most Famous Library - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures depicting important people, places, and events.\u003cbr\u003e *Includes ancient accounts about the Library of Alexandria and its destruction.\u003cbr\u003e *Includes a bibliography for further reading.\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"When I wrote 'The Alexandria Link, ' I discovered that we are only aware of about 10 percent of the knowledge of the ancient world. In the ancient world, most of the knowledge was destroyed.\" - Steve Berry \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e In the modern world, libraries are taken for granted by most people, perhaps because their presence is ubiquitous. Every school has a library, large libraries can be found in every major city, and even most small towns have public libraries. However, the omnipresent nature of libraries is a fairly recent historical phenomenon, because libraries were still few and far between before the 19th century. For centuries in the Western world, during what is known as the Middle Ages, written knowledge was guarded closely and hidden away in private repositories, usually by the religious classes, and hidden away in private repositories. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The lack of libraries in the West has helped contribute to the popular imagination of the ancient Library at Alexandria, and all the myths and legends that have come to be associated with it, but the Library of Alexandria deserves its reputation. Before the Middle Ages, Greek scholars carefully collected and inventoried books and other written materials in the Library of Alexandria, which truly made it a sort of precursor to all modern libraries. In fact, the Library of Alexandria proved to be one of the greatest institutions created in the ancient world because it influenced the minds of countless people in profound ways for centuries. The Library not only inspired the imaginations of artists but gave birth to new research methods, which proved to provide the basis for many considered common-place today. The Library of Alexandria was one of the few libraries in the ancient Greek world, which helped ensure that mathematicians, scientists and other scholars from across the Mediterranean traveled to Egypt to study there, and it was so impressive in its size and influence that it left an indelible mark on the world that still reverberates today. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e While the exact nature of the Library remains murky, it functioned for at least several centuries and is believed to have housed hundreds of thousands of books, most written as scrolls on papyrus, and it essentially became the culmination of two ancient literary and cultural traditions converging: the Greek and Egyptian. Of course, the most controversial aspect of the Library of Alexandria is its destruction, which is still a topic of debate today. Several ancient historians attributed its destruction to the Roman conquest of Egypt during the 1st century B.C., with some like Plutarch specifically citing Julius Caesar's soldiers as the ultimate cause of its destruction. The Roman writer Seneca wrote that 40,000 books were lost in the fire. However, other ancient historians claimed to have gone to the Library of Alexandria after Caesar stayed in the city, and all of these claims might be muddled by the fact that there was more than one library in the area. It's possible that the Library of Alexandria or some version of it survived until the 7th century A.D., but either way, the destruction of the library is often viewed as one of the reasons the Middle Ages were \"Dark\". Nobody knows for sure how much knowledge was lost in the Library, nor how it affected what Western societies knew and didn't during medieval times. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The Library of Alexandria: The History and Legacy of the Ancient World's Most Famous Library looks at the history of the library in an attempt to separate fact and fiction. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Library of Alexandria like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367052509407,"sku":"9781495953972","price":9.77,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/Bk1TZ8P4C89781495953972.webp?v=1789102270"},{"product_id":"native-american-tribes-the-history-and-culture-of-the-navajo-paperback","title":"Native American Tribes: The History and Culture of the Navajo - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures. \u003cbr\u003e*Explains the origins, culture, and social structure of the Navajo. \u003cbr\u003e*Includes a Bibliography for further reading. \u003cbr\u003eFrom the \"Trail of Tears\" to Wounded Knee and Little Bighorn, the narrative of American history is incomplete without the inclusion of the Native Americans that lived on the continent before European settlers arrived in the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the first contact between natives and settlers, tribes like the Sioux, Cherokee, and Navajo have both fascinated and perplexed outsiders with their history, language, and culture. In Charles River Editors' Native American Tribes series, readers can get caught up to speed on the history and culture of North America's most famous native tribes in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. \u003cbr\u003eThe Navajo are one of the most famous tribes in the United States, even though many of the important events in the people's history have been overlooked with the passage of time. Still one of the biggest Native American groups in America, the Navajo are typically associated with the Southwest and other tribes like the Pueblo, and they are popularly remembered for the Code Talkers of World War II, who used the Navajo language to provide the American military with a code that could not be deciphered by enemy cryptologists. \u003cbr\u003eUnfortunately, the 19th century was full of hardships for the Navajo, particularly as American settlers pushed west in the later stages of the 1800s. They engaged in conflicts with the Americans, but eventually they had to make the Long Walk, a march of over 300 miles from their homes to a reservation. Like the Cherokee's Trail of Tears, the Long Walk was an unmitigated disaster for the Navajo, who only suffered more adversity in the years after the Long Walk as their lands and livelihoods were reduced. \u003cbr\u003eNevertheless, the Navajo have successfully maintained their culture and traditions, which are some of the oldest and richest in North America, as evidenced by the Code Talkers in the 1940s. As anthropologists and scholars become more refined, they have been able to trace the Navajo's history and identity in ways that allow them to compare and contrast to neighboring Native American groups, which has led to a better understanding of their ancestors as well. \u003cbr\u003eToday, the Navajo people are the second largest federally-recognized tribe of the United States with over 300,000 members, which represents over 15% of the total Native American population in America. Native American Tribes: The History and Culture of the Navajo comprehensively covers the culture and history of the famous tribe, profiling their origins, their famous leaders, and their lasting legacy. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Navajo like you never have before, in no time at all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367057031391,"sku":"9781492195221","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/tIwjQXRWrU9781492195221.webp?v=1789102279"},{"product_id":"ancient-cities-the-history-of-pompeii-paperback","title":"Ancient Cities: The History of Pompeii - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures of Pompeii, artifacts, and more.\u003cbr\u003e*Chronicles the history of Pompeii since the first settlements there nearly 3,000 years ago.\u003cbr\u003e*Includes quotes from Pliny the Younger about the eruption of Vesuvius.\u003cbr\u003e*Includes a Bibliography for further reading.\u003cbr\u003eThey come in droves, busloads of tourists shepherded down through modern streets, shops and stalls, past souvenir stands and hordes of local guides offering insight and spectacle. From all across the world they come to the Italian region of Campania, to walk the cobbles of ancient streets, peer at frescoes, marvel at sculptures, and visit the remnants of historic villas, bath-houses and even brothels. In 2003, it was estimated these international visitors contributed some $35 million dollars to the Italian economy. A feature of the Grand Tour, an educational rite of passage for wealthy travelers from the mid-1600s to the mid-1800s, Pompeii has long been a popular destination for tourists; in 2008, an estimated 2.5 million tourists visited it.\u003cbr\u003eThe type of tourists also changed over time. In 79 A.D., the year Vesuvius erupted, Pompeii was actually the equivalent of a resort town for wealthy Romans. Over 1500 years later, it was only the wealthy elite who could afford to travel, trekking through Italy to examine culture, art and the roots of Western civilization. They sought exposure to the relics of classical antiquity while deepening language skills, broadening aristocratic connections, commissioning paintings and generally mingling with the higher social classes of the Continent. In more contemporary times, increases in the technology of transportation allowed the movement of people from multiple social classes, scales of wealth and cultural backgrounds. The style of traveler has altered, but the attractions of Pompeii have not.\u003cbr\u003eNaturally, the main attraction of Pompeii is its time capsule nature, and the way in which it provides a snapshot of life in the past. The study of archaeology can examine varied scales of space and time, examining the long term changes of human material across centuries and continents, or the short term actions of a single event in one small room. Scale varies according to the research questions and the available data, but it goes without saying that it is highly unusual to encounter the material culture of an entire city effectively preserved within a single moment.\u003cbr\u003eAncient Cities: The History of Pompeii comprehensively covers the history of the famous Roman city that was born, destroyed, and reborn again, looking at what life was like in the city before and during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about Pompeii like you never have before, in no time at all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367059325151,"sku":"9781492227014","price":13.48,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/Ak03I0F8dE9781492227014.webp?v=1789102284"},{"product_id":"the-sinking-of-the-edmund-fitzgerald-the-loss-of-the-largest-ship-on-the-great-lakes-paperback","title":"The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald: The Loss of the Largest Ship on the Great Lakes - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures \u003cbr\u003e *Discusses official investigations and amateur expeditions to the wreckage \u003cbr\u003e *Discusses the evidence and theories about the sinking \u003cbr\u003e *Includes a bibliography for further reading \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"They might have split up or they might have capsized; they may have broke deep and took water. And all that remains is the faces and the names of the wives and the sons and the daughters.\" - Gordon Lightfoot, \"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The Great Lakes have claimed countless thousands of vessels over the course of history, but its biggest and most famous victim was the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, the largest ship of its day to sail the Great Lakes and still the largest to lie below Lake Superior's murky depths. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The giant ore freighter was intentionally built \"within a foot of the maximum length allowed for passage through the soon-to-be completed Saint Lawrence Seaway.\" but despite its commercial purpose, the Edmund Fitzgerald was also one of the most luxurious ships to ever set sail in the Great Lakes. One person who sailed aboard the ship recounted, \"Stewards treated the guests to the entire VIP routine. The cuisine was reportedly excellent and snacks were always available in the lounge. A small but well stocked kitchenette provided the drinks. Once each trip, the captain held a candlelight dinner for the guests, complete with mess-jacketed stewards and special 'clamdigger' punch.\" Indeed, when it was completed in 1957, the Edmund Fitzgerald was nearly 730 feet long and dubbed \"Queen of the Lakes\", and it was so popular that people would wait along the shores to catch a glimpse of the famous boat. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The ship had already earned various safety awards and never suffered a serious problem when it set sail from Superior, Wisconsin with over 26,000 tons of freight on November 9, 1975 and headed for a steel mill near Detroit. During that afternoon, however, the National Weather Service, which had earlier predicted that a storm would miss Lake Superior, revised its estimates and issued gale warnings. Over the course of the next 24 hours, the Fitzgerald and other ships in Lake Superior tried to weather the storm, but by the early evening hours of November 10, the Fitzgerald's captain radioed other ships to report that the ship was having some problems and was taking on water. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e In the ship's last radio contact, the captain reported that the ship and crew were \"holding our own,\" but just what happened next still remains a mystery to this day. Minutes after that last contact, the Edmund Fitzgerald stopped replying on the radio and no longer showed up on radar, indicating that it sank, but no distress signal was ever given, suggesting something catastrophic happened almost instantly. At the time the ship went down with all 29 of its crew, winds had reached about 60 miles per hour, waves were about 25 feet high, and rogue waves were measured at 35 feet. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The wreck of the ship was found within days, and the fact that it was found in two large pieces suggest it broke apart on the surface of the lake, but it's still unclear how that happened. Since her loss with all hands, people from all walks of life have weighed in on the ship's fate, including official investigators, sailors, and meteorologists, but no one has yet to come to a clear conclusion about what exactly went wrong. Various theories have since been put forth, attributing the sinking to everything from rogue waves to the flooding of the cargo hold, but the loss made clear that more stringent regulations on shipping in the Great Lakes was necessary, and it was also a painful reminder of the dangers of maritime travel. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald: The Loss of the Largest Ship on the Great Lakes chronicles the story of the Great Lakes' biggest victim. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald like never before, in no time at all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367078166751,"sku":"9781500234775","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/LzSFrBytWT9781500234775.webp?v=1789102320"},{"product_id":"the-eruption-of-mount-st-helens-the-deadliest-volcanic-eruption-in-american-history-paperback","title":"The Eruption of Mount St. Helens: The Deadliest Volcanic Eruption in American History - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures \u003cbr\u003e *Includes eyewitness accounts of the eruption \u003cbr\u003e *Includes a bibliography for further reading \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"One big 'Aha!' for geologists was that an entire mountain could collapse.\" - Peter Frenzen \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"Mount St. Helens certainly reminds us of the power of nature, and we can certainly see that in the evidence of the 1980 eruption that's all around us. And here we just have an opportunity to see sort of another chapter in its history and to understand the forces that lie beneath our feet.\" - Peter Frenzen \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e In 1980, the United States suffered the deadliest and most destructive volcanic eruption in its history when Mount St. Helens literally blew its lid off, the result of seismic activity during the eruption. What made the eruption all the more remarkable is that a fair amount of preparations had gone into anticipating it after an earthquake in the area a few months earlier alerted federal geologists to the possibility of activity there. In fact, Mount St. Helens had been the cause of the earthquake itself, the result of its own lava flows under the surface. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Despite the warning signs, the volcanic eruption wound up being so powerful that it devastated hundreds of square miles around it, along with spewing volcanic ash in a giant plume that managed to scatter and deposit ash across 11 different states. Furthermore, another earthquake on May 18 managed to make the north face of the mountain collapse, shocking observers and scientists as it created the largest landslide ever recorded. Taken together, Mount St. Helens ultimately inflicted over $1 billion in damage and killed 57 people, including U.S. scientists studying the volcano on the day it exploded. When President Carter saw the area, he remarked, \"Someone said this area looked like a moonscape. But the moon looks more like a golf course compared to what's up there.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The 1980 eruption is why so many Americans are familiar with Mount St. Helens today, but it remains an active volcano and was known for volcanic activity back when the Native Americans lived around it. In fact, Native Americans had oral legends to explain the origins of Mount St. Helens, and European explorers and settlers also observed its eruptions in the 19th century. As scientist Peter Frenzen noted, \"There's absolutely no question that Mount St. Helens will erupt again. The question is when.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The Eruption of Mount St. Helens chronicles the history of America's most famous volcano and the destruction it wreaked in 1980. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the volcano like never before, in no time at all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367079805151,"sku":"9781500617585","price":9.77,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/UPfenDy6kh9781500617585.webp?v=1789102323"},{"product_id":"the-society-of-the-cincinnati-the-history-of-the-hereditary-group-established-by-the-founding-fathers-after-the-revolutionary-war-paperback","title":"The Society of the Cincinnati: The History of the Hereditary Group Established by the Founding Fathers After the Revolutionary War - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes the Founding Fathers' quotes about the society *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading \"Omnia reliquit servare rempublicam\" (\"He left everything to save the republic\") - The motto of the Society of the Cincinnati The American Revolution is replete with seminal moments that every American learns in school, from the \"shot heard 'round the world\" to the Declaration of Independence, but the events that led up to the fighting at Lexington \u0026amp; Concord were borne out of 10 years of division between the British and their American colonies over everything from colonial representation in governments to taxation, the nature of searches, and the quartering of British regulars in private houses. Over 230 years later, it's hard to imagine just how turbulent the post-Revolution era was for the new United States of America, and the Society of the Cincinnati was emblematic of that. With prominent Founding Fathers like George Washington and Alexander Hamilton leading the Society of the Cincinnati, comprised of Revolutionary War veterans, it should come as little surprise that the Society was both powerful and controversial. One of the reasons that the Society of the Cincinnati was able to endure is that its founders designed it to. Though they originally founded the Society for themselves, they also knew that they would not live forever. They wanted the memories of their shared hardships and triumphs to be shared by their descendants and thus made the Cincinnati not just an organization for themselves but one in which their sons could inherit membership, so long as they proved worthy of the ideas upon which the organization was founded. While this sounds like a simple, even quaint, concept in the 21st century, it was still somewhat controversial in the wake of the Revolution. This caused controversy and consternation among many, both those who were part of the Society and those who were not, because some feared that the officers were creating a sort of feudal system of knights, lords and ladies, similar to that which the rank and file in the nation had just fought and died to overthrow. Others feared that the Society, made up as it was of some of the most powerful men in the nation, might come to dominate and even supplant the weak Congress that was then functioning under the Articles of Confederation. Even Congress came to fear the members of the Society of the Cincinnati, if only because they proved to be a forceful voice on behalf of veterans demanding pay for their service during the war. Ultimately, none of the major fears about the Cincinnati expressed by those living during the time of its founding came to fruition. The Society grew during the years leading up to the American Civil War, but then, like so many similar institutions, fell into disrepair following the war. However, the years leading up to the turn of the 20th century were a heyday for such organizations, and the Society of the Cincinnati's state and national meetings evolved into occasions when men could get together and tell old war stories and drink a toast or two to their late fathers. Today, the Society is proud to be \"the nation's oldest patriotic organization,\" and it declares that its mission is \"to promote knowledge and appreciation of the achievement of American independence and to foster fellowship among its members.\" 230 years after it was founded, the Society is now \"a nonprofit educational organization devoted to the principles and ideals of its founders...\" The Society of the Cincinnati: The History of the Hereditary Group Established by the Founding Fathers After the Revolutionary War examines the history of one of the most famous organizations in American history. Along with pictures of important people and places, you will learn about the Society of the Cincinnati like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367376879839,"sku":"9781539108597","price":9.77,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/uPo9sLdq029781539108597.webp?v=1789106158"},{"product_id":"the-civilian-conservation-corps-the-history-of-the-new-deals-famous-jobs-program-during-the-great-depression-paperback","title":"The Civilian Conservation Corps: The History of the New Deal's Famous Jobs Program during the Great Depression - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes accounts written by CCC workers *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents \"I propose to create [the CCC] to be used in complex work, not interfering with abnormal employment, and confining itself to forestry, the prevention of soil erosion, flood control and similar projects. I call your attention to the fact that this type of work is of definite, practical value, not only through the prevention of great present financial loss, but also as a means of creating future national wealth.\" - President Franklin D. Roosevelt In 1932, America faced an economic crisis even more severe than the one it has been experiencing recently. The issue then, as now, was how to address it. When President Franklin Roosevelt came into office, he faced more economic problems than any president since has ever faced, but he came equipped with unique and creative solutions to them. One of his most important programs was the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which recruited and employed more than two million young men in the prime of life and put them to work in the much threatened forests and farms around the nation. He gave these young men jobs, something they could be proud of doing, and offered them a level of education many had been denied. The CCC also taught them discipline and teamwork, skills that easily translated into workplace success. In less than eight years, the CCC planted billions of trees, built thousands of cabins and other rustic buildings, cleared thousands of acres of land, and created thousands of miles of walking and hiking trails. In the process, it shaped the lives of millions of young men, many of whom were dangerously close to embracing a life of crime. It gave them work to do and taught them skills that could later be used in the workplace, but it also taught them to appreciate and care for the land they worked and lived on, inspiring an unprecedented level of admiration for the environment. A generation later, these men would tell their children stories of their work on the land, inspiring an explosion of interest in the environment in the 1960s, a passion that continues to this day. It's often wondered whether such a program would work today, but rather than see the CCC as an inspiration for something that could be done today, it is easier and probably more accurate to view it as an old-fashioned idea that worked in a world very different from the one we live in today. The Civilian Conservation Corps: The History of the New Deal's Famous Jobs Program during the Great Depression chronicles the New Deal program that employed millions and revitalized the nation's infrastructure at the height of the Great Depression. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the CCC like never before, in no time at all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367382188255,"sku":"9781542733847","price":15.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/MzRQVmZPTDQ5cEFZNUJlcDNKMDB2UT09.webp?v=1789106169"},{"product_id":"the-navajo-code-talkers-the-history-of-the-native-american-marines-behind-world-war-iis-most-uncrackable-code-paperback","title":"The Navajo Code Talkers: The History of the Native American Marines Behind World War II's Most Uncrackable Code - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes footnotes, online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents One of World War II's most crucial struggles happened in the realm of the unseen, inside the human mind and amid the invisible flow of radio waves. Every war is a battle of wits as intelligence-gathering, tactics, and strategies clash, from the level of individual action up to the grand, overarching schemes of generals and statesmen. Intelligence took on a freshly urgent aspect in World War II, however, as the fate of offensives, armies, and nations came to hang on the struggle to decrypt vital enemy radio traffic and military communications. During the Second World War, cryptography suddenly became a significant factor in warfare because of mid 20th-century advances in communications technology. With radios small and common enough to be fitted into most individual vehicles and readily carried in a man-portable form, information and orders flowed from supreme headquarters to individual squad leaders, tanks, and soldiers at the front and back again. Complex radio networks connected armies to their other elements almost like a nervous system, making unprecedented tactical and strategic coordination between units hundreds of miles apart not only possible but swift and, in some cases, efficient. Decrypting these signals or protecting their contents from enemy spying became one of the touchstones of victory or defeat. \"Information warfare\" arrived well ahead of the modern computer and satellite networks. The Allies expended much more effort on decrypting Axis codes than the Axis spent attempting to decipher theirs. Standing on the offensive for much of the war, the Germans felt less need for code-breaking than the Allies. Though they found intelligence useful, it had less value to the Wehrmacht's planners, who needed only moderate detail about enemy movements to plan a successful strategy, while leaving tactics in the highly capable hands of small unit leaders trained to take the initiative and react fluidly to the actual battlefield situation. At a more personal level, the struggle to gain the upper hand in intelligence sometimes resembled the plot of a pulp adventure novel. While much of the hard work occurred in bland offices located in British manor houses, government buildings, or American labs, moments of intense human drama also punctuated the cryptographic struggle as soldiers, spies, and others risked their lives to gain a fresh key to crack a heretofore impenetrable code, or underwent similar risks attempting to keep the secret. During the war, members of the Navajo tribe who still spoke their native language came to the service of the United States by offering a very unique and powerful weapon, the Navajo language. The story of the Navajo code talkers highlights how unaware people are of Native American history. For nearly a century, the Navajo code talkers were forgotten, even by those who were aware of their contribution to America's role in World War II. Until a movie about them surfaced in 1994, \"Navajo Code Talkers: The Epic Story,\" the code talkers were virtually unknown. Several movies and documentaries have been made about the Navajo code talkers, and while those are sometimes inaccurate, the story of the courageous and ingenious service the Navajo soldiers provided to the U.S. Marines is told as a source of pride in a number of autobiographies by the original code talkers and their unique contribution to the war effort. It is a unique story about how an elite group of Native Americans defied all odds, overcame the hardships they inherited from their ancestors and became heroes to the American people. The Navajo Code Talkers: The History of the Native American Marines Behind World War II's Most Uncrackable Code looks at the people and the program that produced behind one of the war's most legendary aspects.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367385858271,"sku":"9781544876528","price":15.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/Nfh1B0fVZ59781544876528.webp?v=1789106176"},{"product_id":"the-eiffel-tower-the-history-of-paris-most-famous-landmark-paperback","title":"The Eiffel Tower: The History of Paris' Most Famous Landmark - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the construction written by Gustave Eiffel and others *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents \"Being the most striking manifestation of the art of metal structures by which our engineers have shown in Europe, it is one of the most striking of our modern national genius.\" - Gustave Eiffel It's the home of kings, emperors, and aristocrats, and the home of the Champs-Élysées, the Bastille, the Louvre and the salons that fueled the Enlightenment. For foreigners like Benjamin Franklin, it was the most beautiful city in the world, and millions of people still visit those same sites every year. Known as the \"City of Light,\" Paris seamlessly blends its rich past with all the trappings of a modern city, and the city's features and qualities are taken for granted today, but Paris was not always that way. In fact, it took nearly half a century of redesigning the city during the 19th century to transform it into the city it is today. Paris's expansion also required new monuments, administrative buildings, and other public buildings. The urban renewal of Paris coincided with the Neoclassicism movement in art and architecture that had taken hold across Europe, which incorporated the classical architecture of the Ancient Greeks and Romans. All over Paris, builders constructed marble colored buildings with arches, pillars, domes, and neoclassical art that used the themes of antiquity. Fittingly, the construction of the Eiffel Tower for the 1889 World's Fair was a capstone of sorts to the reconstruction of Paris, and it remains one of the world's most famous and visited landmarks. Designed as an entrance to the fair, the Eiffel Tower, soaring over 1,050 feet into the air, was an architectural wonder that served as the world's tallest man-made object for over 40 years. As its designer, Gustave Eiffel, put it, \"It seems to me that [if] it had no other rationale than to show that we are not simply the country of entertainers, but also that of engineers and builders called from across the world to build bridges, viaducts, stations and major monuments of modern industry, the Eiffel Tower deserves to be treated with consideration.\" Though it may be hard to believe today, the Eiffel Tower was initially met with derision by many Frenchmen, some of whom compared it to the Tower of Babel and complained that the \"useless and monstrous\" structure would obscure treasures such as Notre Dame. In response to such criticisms, Eiffel himself pointed out, \"Can one think that because we are engineers, beauty does not preoccupy us or that we do not try to build beautiful, as well as solid and long lasting structures? Aren't the genuine functions of strength always in keeping with unwritten conditions of harmony? ... Besides, there is an attraction, a special charm in the colossal to which ordinary theories of art do not apply.\" It's safe to say that Eiffel was correct. Each year, millions of people refute those original notions by riding to the top and making it the most visited paid monument in the entire world. Indeed, the Eiffel Tower has welcomed over 250 million visitors in less than 130 years. Eiffel had the good fortune of being vindicated in his lifetime, and as he once joked, \"I ought to be jealous of the tower. She is more famous than I am.\" The Eiffel Tower: The History of Paris' Most Famous Landmark traces the history of the landmark from its construction to the present day. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Eiffel Tower like never before, in no time at all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367386841311,"sku":"9781511735643","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/WwXTs4UGLX9781511735643.webp?v=1789106177"},{"product_id":"the-history-and-folklore-of-vampires-the-stories-and-legends-behind-the-mythical-beings-paperback","title":"The History and Folklore of Vampires: The Stories and Legends Behind the Mythical Beings - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes historical accounts describing vampires *Discusses the legends of vampires across various cultures and the evolution of the folklore *Includes a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents People have always been afraid of the dead. Since the dawn of humanity, people have both cared for those who have deceased yet also tried to keep them away. There are a myriad of legends and beliefs about the dead coming back, and one of the more persistent ones is of the vampire. Everyone has heard of vampires, but few people are truly familiar with the history and folklore that have made the mythical beings so popular. Indeed, there are so many legends from so many cultures that it is difficult to come up with a hard definition, and folklore is by its very nature unscientific, but most people in the Western world think of vampires as those who come back from the grave to suck the blood or life essence from the living. This common understanding of vampires actually obscures many European and most non-European traditions of bloodsucking monsters. For example, in China, Japan, and the Middle East, there are spirits that will drain the life force of an unwary person, but these magical beings were never mortal humans. In African and Native American traditions, there are monsters that do the same, but while they are supposed to be of this Earth, they too are not human beings. Furthermore, folklore changes over time, so the vampires people are familiar with today (and the ones some people claim to actually meet) bear little resemblance to the vampires of early modern Europe. Stories change, fiction turns to fact and vice versa, and beliefs are constantly reinvented. Ideas are adopted, adapted, and presented as true. All the while, the legend of the vampire remains. The History and Folklore of Vampires chronicles how vampires became so popular. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about vampires like never before, in no time at all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367389888735,"sku":"9781505372786","price":9.77,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/3__7Ycn2fH9781505372786.webp?v=1789106183"},{"product_id":"niagara-falls-the-history-of-north-americas-most-famous-waterfalls-paperback","title":"Niagara Falls: The History of North America's Most Famous Waterfalls - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes historic descriptions of Niagara Falls written over the centuries *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents \"All trembling, I reached the Falls of Niagara, and oh, what a scene! My blood shudders still, although I am not a coward, at the grandeur of the Creator's power; and I gazed motionless on this new display of the irresistible force of one of His elements.\" - John James Audubon \"It's Niagara Falls. It's one of the most beautiful natural wonders in the world. Who wouldn't want to walk across it?\" - Nik Wallenda North America is full of natural wonders, but few inspire as much awe as Niagara Falls, the continent's most famous waterfalls. Comprised of three separate waterfalls (Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls), Niagara's falls can boast of the fastest flow rate in the world, dropping 6 million cubic feet of water every minute from as high as 185 feet. Situated on the border between the United States and Canada, Niagara Falls is not just a prime tourist spot but a source of hydroelectric power that attracted scientists like Nikola Tesla who hoped to harness the waterfalls' energy. In fact, Niagara Falls is so powerful that it is eroding the ground under it, to the extent that it will cease to exist in about 50,000 years. Niagara Falls is a byproduct of glaciers receding about 10,000 years ago, and it has been amazing people for as long as the area has been inhabited. It's widely believed Niagara is a word derived from the Mohawk tribe, but the most famous people now associated with the waterfalls are those who have dared to ride down the falls one way or another. The falls have seen both amateurs and professional stuntmen ride over it in barrels, some successfully and others fatally, and a local museum has even preserved some of the barrels used in the attempts. Just as daringly, others have tried to walk tightropes across the falls. Niagara Falls: The History of North America's Most Famous Waterfalls traces the history of the region and its establishment as a park. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Niagara Falls like never before, in no time at all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367390806239,"sku":"9781511724470","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/11wUdxUfiw9781511724470.webp?v=1789106185"},{"product_id":"secretariat-the-life-of-the-most-famous-triple-crown-winner-in-american-history-paperback","title":"Secretariat: The Life of the Most Famous Triple Crown Winner in American History - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of Secretariat's life and races *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents \"All long lazy mornings in pastures of green The sun on your withers the wind in your mane Could never prepare you for what lied ahead The run for the roses so red From sire to sire it's born in the blood The fire of a mare and the strength of a stud It's breeding and it's training and it's something unknown That drives you and carries you home. And it's run for the roses as fast as you can Your fate is delivered your moment's at hand It's the chance of a lifetime in a lifetime of chance And it's high time you joined in the dance.\" - Dan Fogelberg, \"Run for the Roses\" It is not difficult to drive through Laurel, Maryland and never know that it was once the site of races where thundering thoroughbreds ran at top speeds in search of victory. In fact, thousands of people do each day, on their way from Baltimore to Washington D.C. or vice versa. But there was a time, not that long ago, when champions ran at the now largely disused Laurel Race Course, when four-footed athletes raced for a prize that would go not to themselves but to their two-footed owners. They ran for the shear love of running and, hopefully, with a certain internal satisfaction at winning. One of the horses that once ran in Laurel, and other similar tracks across the country, was the legendary Secretariat. Unlike other previous heroes like Seabiscuit, Secretariat's fame is based not on the way in which he overcame long odds against him but in the way that he and his trainers made the very most of the advantages he had from birth. Won by his owner in a lucky draw, he was cherished even before he was born and spent the first year of his life happily trotting around the green fields of a Virginia farm. As he grew up, he enjoyed the best food, care and training money could buy, and in return he learned to run, first fast and then faster, as it slowly dawned on his growing audience that they were in the presence of greatness. His career was short lived but full of glory, as he won nearly every race he ever ran. Of course, the peak of his career came in 1973, when he capped off a Triple Crown by shattering the track record at the Belmont Stakes on the way to winning by 31 lengths, a margin of victory that was never replicated. As he marveled at the performance, CBS announcer Chic Anderson couldn't help but gush, \"Secretariat is widening now! He is moving like a tremendous machine!\" Everyone the least bit familiar with horseracing has seen clips of Secretariat, and by the time Secretariat retired, he had won 16 of the 21 races he ran and only placed outside of the Top 3 once. Along the way, he ran at many race courses like Laurel, courses that most people don't remember, places where once full parking lots are now overgrown with weeds and where once glorious tracks are now being covered over with new construction. But while these courses may be nearly forgotten, Secretariat never will be. Secretariat: The Life of the Most Famous Triple Crown Winner in American History looks at the life and career of one of the world's fastest horses. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Secretariat like never before, in no time at all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367393657055,"sku":"9781530283392","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/53S-nyT_L59781530283392.webp?v=1789106190"},{"product_id":"seabiscuit-and-secretariat-the-history-of-americas-most-famous-horses-paperback","title":"Seabiscuit and Secretariat: The History of America's Most Famous Horses - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the horses' lives and races *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents Americans have always loved animals, and those living prior to World War II were still close enough to their pioneer roots to feel a special affection for horses. After all, it was these noble animals that had carried soldiers and pulled plows and milk wagons alike. A horse was more than just a pet; it was a partner in the fight for survival. Just as many Americans had known special, unforgettable individuals, so they had known special horses. Seabiscuit was one of these, and even the animal's name spoke to the heart of those struggling. A sea biscuit was a piece bread baked for so long in such a low oven that it was completely dry and would never mold. It was so tough that it had to be soaked in water, sometimes even rainwater, before it could be eaten. But it was nutritious and would allow a sailor to do his duty for one more hour, helping keep him alive until he reached a safe harbor. Seabiscuit was in many ways like his cracker namesake, for he was cultivated in many small races until he was ready for the big league. He was also at his best when soaked in the affection and attention given to him by his owners, trainer, and jockeys. Most of all, his wins and even his losses came to nourish a desperate nation and inspire its citizens to keep going until they reached a safer harbor of financial stability. He was also a friend, an inspiring leader who would rank in popularity and respect along with men like Roosevelt and Churchill. It is possible, perhaps even likely, that had he been born in another place and time, his name might never have been known outside of the racing world, but as one Horatio Alger story appealing to a nation full of them, his name became a household word and helped secure him a legacy as perhaps the most famous horse in history. Unlike other previous heroes like Seabiscuit, Secretariat's fame is based not on the way in which he overcame long odds against him but in the way that he and his trainers made the very most of the advantages he had from birth. Won by his owner in a lucky draw, he was cherished even before he was born and spent the first year of his life happily trotting around the green fields of a Virginia farm. As he grew up, he enjoyed the best food, care and training money could buy, and in return he learned to run, first fast and then faster, as it slowly dawned on his growing audience that they were in the presence of greatness. His career was short lived but full of glory, as he won nearly every race he ever ran. Of course, the peak of his career came in 1973, when he capped off a Triple Crown by shattering the track record at the Belmont Stakes on the way to winning by 31 lengths, a margin of victory that was never replicated. As he marveled at the performance, CBS announcer Chic Anderson couldn't help but gush, \"Secretariat is widening now! He is moving like a tremendous machine!\" Everyone the least bit familiar with horseracing has seen clips of Secretariat, and by the time Secretariat retired, he had won 16 of the 21 races he ran and only placed outside of the Top 3 once. Along the way, he ran at many race courses like Laurel, courses that most people don't remember, places where once full parking lots are now overgrown with weeds and where once glorious tracks are now being covered over with new construction. But while these courses may be nearly forgotten, Secretariat never will be. Seabiscuit and Secretariat: The History of America's Most Famous Horses looks at the life and career of two of the world's most famous horses. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Seabiscuit and Secretariat like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367394738399,"sku":"9781530283941","price":15.17,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/oNbJAeAZNh9781530283941.webp?v=1789106192"},{"product_id":"u-s-route-66-the-history-of-americas-most-famous-highway-paperback","title":"U.S. Route 66: The History of America's Most Famous Highway - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Describes the origins, route, construction, and history of the highway *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents \"Sometimes there's a tackiness about Route 66 that out-tacks any tackiness I've ever seen anywhere else. And the Meramec Caverns are the pinnacle of that tack.\" - Billy Connolly Start a sentence with, \"Get your kicks on...\" and most Americans will immediately complete the sentence with \"Route 66.\" Route 66 conjures up visions of a fun road trip across the United States, whether it was a bird's eye view from a snappy convertible or from a station wagon hauling a trailer. There was fun to be had around every turn. For thousands, Route 66 was far from fun. Route 66 was the way to a better life. The celebrated Route 66 was commissioned in 1926 as the first highway linking Chicago to Los Angeles, and though most people today would avoid two-lane highways in favor of fast-moving interstates, the interstate system was still decades away at the time. Two of the few things modern America has in common with the America of the 1920s when it comes to roads and technology is the need to transport goods to market and the desire to see the vast lands that form the United States. Shortly before the Great Depression, Route 66 was the road that offered both. In 1985, the last original bits of pavement forming Route 66 vanished from maps, so technically, Route 66 has come and gone. But in a sense, Route 66 will never disappear. It left an indelible impression on American culture, and since its creation nearly a century ago, Route 66 has become so much more than a road; it is now a myth, legend, and fantasy. Called \"the most magical road in all the world,\" it offered a trip through the heart of America in all her glory, and some of her inglorious days. Route 66: The History of America's Most Famous Highway looks at the construction, history, and legacy of the Main Street of America. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Route 66 like never before, in no time at all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367395295455,"sku":"9781530285785","price":9.77,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/mhe3xBDqnx9781530285785.webp?v=1789106193"},{"product_id":"the-twin-towers-the-history-of-new-york-citys-original-world-trade-center-paperback","title":"The Twin Towers: The History of New York City's Original World Trade Center - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the construction and history of the Twin Towers *Covers the destruction of the World Trade Center during 9\/11 *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents \"The World Trade Center site will forever hold a special place in our city, in our hearts. \" - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg Before its destruction in the attacks on September 11, 2001, the World Trade Center in New York consisted of two of the world's most recognizable buildings, representing the strength and wealth of New York City in particular and the United States in general. That was the goal all along for philanthropist David Rockefeller, who had largely self-financed the development of One Chase Manhattan Plaza in the late 1950s in the hopes that the 70 story skyscraper would help spur further development nearby. Rockefeller envisioned Lower Manhattan as the site of a global financial center, full of stock exchanges, brokerages, investment banks, law firms, and other financial businesses. The name \"World Trade Center,\" when spoken by an American, tends to conjure up the best and worst about the nation. The idea for such a financial center was conceived of in the heady days of post-World War II prosperity, when the nation's financial prospects had never looked better and Americans were trading all over the world with both former allies and enemies. At the same time, many in New York City, one of the jewels of the East Coast, had fallen on hard times, and it was hoped that the World Trade Center would revitalize Lower Manhattan and bring the Big Apple a bigger share of the prosperity the world was enjoying. Likewise, the center was designed by men steeped in the modern era, when architects could build skyscrapers as opposed to simple office complexes. As it would turn out, by the time construction on the buildings began, there were ominous clouds in the political and financial skies. The prosperity that had inspired its construction had given way to a financial malaise unlike any seen since the Great Depression, and many people were offended that money that could have gone to social programs was being used to build more office space. There was also political unrest, as many criticized the country's involvement in Vietnam. By the time the Twin Towers and the rest of the World Trade Center were completed, the project was considered by many to be not only a symbol of American prosperity but also another sign of capitalist greed. For 30 years, the Twin Towers were the most dramatic features of the New York skyline, and for a short while one of the towers could boast of being the tallest building in the world. People came from around the world to visit them for both business and pleasure, and while most days were busy but uneventful, there were exceptions. A stunt seemingly featuring a man dancing in the sky humanized and popularized the buildings, and they began to prosper, just as the nation itself would rise again out of the mire of the 1970s. Almost as quickly, a fire threatened the North Tower in 1975. In 1977, a man decided to scale the side of the South Tower, and in 1983, a fireman completed a stunt designed to warn people about the impossibility of evacuating everyone in case of emergency. Fatefully, the fireman's efforts fell on largely deaf ears, as no one could conceive of the need for such efforts. As everyone now knows, the World Trade Center could have stood for a century or more but didn't last half that long, because what they symbolically represented made them a physical target. The Twin Towers survived the first violent attack in 1993, but less than a decade later they were gone, the initial victims of a war still raging. The World Trade Center would be rebuilt, but New York City would never look the same again.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367396409567,"sku":"9781530200214","price":9.77,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/n9UYvXlycb9781530200214.webp?v=1789106195"},{"product_id":"operation-paperclip-the-history-of-the-secret-program-to-bring-nazi-scientists-to-america-during-and-after-world-war-ii-paperback","title":"Operation Paperclip: The History of the Secret Program to Bring Nazi Scientists to America During and After World War II - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures\u003cbr\u003e*Includes accounts of the operations written by Nazi scientists and Allied forces\u003cbr\u003e*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading\u003cbr\u003e*Includes a table of contents \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAfter the last shots of World War II were fired and the process of rebuilding Germany and Europe began, the Western Allies and the Soviet Union each tried to obtain the services of the Third Reich's leading scientists, especially those involved in rocketry, missile technology, and aerospace research. Naturally, this was a delicate affair due to the fact many of the German scientists were not only active Nazis but had helped the Nazi war machine terrorize the world. At the same time, by the late war period, the Anglo-American Allies formed a clear picture of the Soviet state. Though forced to ally with the USSR's dictator, Josef Stalin, the West came to understand Communist Russia represented yet another hungry totalitarian power, and thus a very real threat to an independent Europe. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill realized the menacing character of the Soviets from the Katyn Forest Massacre of Polish army officers, if not before, while the Americans only gradually shed a naïve assumption of continued Russian friendliness after the war. For their part, the Soviets retained ruthless imperial ambitions which manifested in various ways. They allied with Hitler for a time in 1939 to 1941, planning to divide Eastern Europe between their two expansionist states. They devastated the Ukrainian population with the Holomodor, an engineered, genocidal famine which claimed perhaps 3 million victims. The Soviet refusal to evacuate Eastern Europe following the war, instead retaining many formerly democratic countries as vassal states, spoke volumes about their intentions. Both the Western Allies and the Soviets knew of Adolf Hitler's V-2 rocket program, the forerunner of ballistic missiles and the space race. Each recognized the immense strategic value of these technologies and wished to secure their benefits for themselves. As the Soviets contemplated additional expansion following the \"Great Patriotic War\" and the U.S. military came to understand the putative allies of today would emerge as the enemies of tomorrow, the men possessing knowledge of the V-2 rockets and other Third Reich military technology programs became seen as crucial pieces in the incipient NATO versus Warsaw Pact standoff. The result was the American-led \"Operation Paperclip\" on the Western side, which resulted in German scientists putting their expertise at the disposal of the U.S. and other NATO members. Operation Paperclip aimed not only to obtain the benefits of German scientific advances for the United States but also to deny them to the potentially hostile Soviets, as General Leslie Groves enunciated: \"Heisenberg was one of the world's leading physicists, and, at the time of the German break-up, he was worth more to us than ten divisions of Germans. Had he fallen into the Russian hands, he would have proven invaluable to them (Naimark, 1995, 207).To say Operation Paperclip had a profound impact on the Cold War and American history would be an understatement. The most well known example of the operation's \"success\" is Wernher von Braun, who was once a member of a branch of the SS involved in the Holocaust, would become known as the \"father of rocket science\" and fascinate the world with visions of winged rockets and space stations as a \"new\" Manhattan Project, one that NASA would eventually adopt. And in addition to the weaponization of ballistic missiles that progressed throughout the Cold War, von Braun's expertise was used for America's most historic space missions. NASA also had to develop rockets capable of first launching a spacecraft into Earth's orbit, and then launching it toward the Moon. The Soviets struggled throughout the 1960s to design rockets up to the task, but thanks to von Braun, NASA got it right with the Saturn V rocke","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367398899935,"sku":"9781533676870","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/YiS_URPN1e9781533676870.webp?v=1789106200"},{"product_id":"the-life-and-trial-of-lizzie-borden-the-history-of-19th-century-americas-most-famous-murder-case-paperback","title":"The Life and Trial of Lizzie Borden: The History of 19th Century America's Most Famous Murder Case - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes reports and witness testimony regarding the murders *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents \"I don't know what I have said. I have answered so many questions and I am so confused I don't know one thing from another. I am telling you just as nearly as I know.\" - Lizzie Borden \"I knew there was an old axe down cellar; that is all I knew.\" - Lizzie Borden \"Lizzie Borden took an axe, and gave her mother forty whacks, when she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one.\" Like so many others, this ditty and similar ones sacrificed accuracy in the name of rhyme and rhythm, as Abby and Andrew Borden were not hit 81 times but \"only\" 29. Of course, that still proved to be more than enough to kill both of them and propel their daughter, Elizabeth, into infamy. Today, cases are often referred to as the trial of the century, but few could lay claim in the 19th century like Lizzie Borden's in the wake of her parents' murders. After all, the story included the grisly axe murders of wealthy socialites and a young daughter as the prime suspect. As Trey Wyatt, author of The Life, Legend, and Mystery of Lizzie Borden, put it, \"Women were held to strict standards and genteel women were pampered, while at the same time they were expected to behave within a strict code of conduct. In 1892, Fall River, Massachusetts wealthy society ladies were not guilty of murder, and if they did kill someone, it would not be with an axe.\" When questioned, Lizzie gave contradictory accounts to the police, which ultimately helped lead to her arrest and trial, but supporters claimed it may have been the effects of morphine that she had a prescription to take. Much like subsequent famous murder cases, such as the O.J. Simpson case or Leopold \u0026amp; Loeb, Lizzie Borden's trial garnered national attention unlike just about anything that had come before. The case sparked Americans' interest in legal proceedings, and as with Simpson, even an acquittal didn't take the spotlight off the Borden case, which has been depicted in all forms of media ever since. Lizzie became a pariah among contemporaries who believed she'd escaped justice, and she remains the prime suspect, but the unsolved nature of the case has allowed other writers to advance other theories and point at other suspects. The Life and Trial of Lizzie Borden: The History of 19th Century America's Most Famous Murder Case looks at the personal background of the Borden family and the shocking true crime that captivated America at the end of the 19th century. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Lizzie Borden like never before, in no time at all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367399227615,"sku":"9781514818992","price":9.77,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/aZiLSM_0Eb9781514818992.webp?v=1789106200"},{"product_id":"the-mexican-american-war-the-history-of-the-controversial-war-that-resulted-in-the-annexation-of-the-southwest-and-california-paperback","title":"The Mexican-American War: The History of the Controversial War that Resulted in the Annexation of the Southwest and California - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the war written by generals *Includes footnotes, online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents \"Generally, the officers of the army were indifferent whether the annexation was consummated or not; but not so all of them. For myself, I was bitterly opposed to the measure, and to this day regard the war, which resulted, as one of the most unjust ever waged by a stronger against a weaker nation. It was an instance of a republic following the bad example of European monarchies, in not considering justice in their desire to acquire additional territory.\" - Ulysses S. Grant The policy of manifest destiny increased tensions with Mexico in the 1840s. Mexico's northern half formed the western border of the territory bought in the Louisiana Purchase. Naturally, notions of the United States expanding to the Pacific Ocean alarmed Mexico, which held what is today the west coast of the United States. However, Mexico first came to regard American expansion as a serious problem with the immigration of Americans into its northeastern territory. These Americans declared independence from Mexico and created a nation in the Mexican province of Texas. After winning independence in 1836, Texas became an independent republic. Texas formally asked to be annexed by the United States in 1845. This annexation angered the Mexican government, which still considered Texas to be part of its territory. Mexico had previously warned that the annexation of Texas would cause Mexico to declare war on the United States. When the annexation bill was passed by Congress, it included an additional provocation to Mexico: it claimed that the southern border of Texas was the Rio Grande. The actual territory controlled by the Republic of Texas did not extend nearly to the Rio Grande, and this border would represent a further loss of territory to the United States. When a Mexican patrol attacked American cavalry in the disputed area north of the Rio Grande, President Polk went to Congress for a declaration of war. The declaration passed on May 13, 1846. The war against Mexico was unpopular with the opposition Whig party, especially in the North. Opponents of the war denounced it as a war of aggression, and denied that there had been a valid reason for war. Small American military units were quickly able to occupy key points in California, including San Francisco and Los Angeles. Although California was sparsely populated, some Mexican inhabitants formed an effective resistance which was eventually put down in 1847 by American reinforcements. Subsequently, a larger American army was sent to invade central Mexico, and managed to capture the Mexican capital, Mexico City, on September 13, 1847. Although a large Mexican army was still fighting American forces in northeast Mexico and Texas, news of the capital falling caused it to retreat to try to retake the capital. After the defeat of the last Mexican army, major hostilities ended. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War in February 1848. Mexico agreed to sell over half its territory for less than half of the money the United States had offered only two years earlier. As the Army occupied most of Mexico's major cities, Mexico had no choice but to accept the American terms. The new territory acquired in the treaty included all or part of the present day states of California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. The Mexican-American War: The History of the Controversial War that Resulted in the Annexation of the Southwest and California looks at the controversial war. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Mexican-American War like never before, in no time at all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367399555295,"sku":"9781534731981","price":9.77,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/XZND9ek3e79781534731981.webp?v=1789106201"},{"product_id":"countess-elizabeth-bathory-the-life-and-legacy-of-historys-most-prolific-female-serial-killer-paperback","title":"Countess Elizabeth Bathory: The Life and Legacy of History's Most Prolific Female Serial Killer - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes historic accounts of the Countess' life and crimes *Includes footnotes, online resources, and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents \"She didn't fear death because inside herself, she didn't conceive it as a common destiny, although she had seen it several times, although it had upset her so many times. Death is what happens to others, to the weak ones, she might have thought in her delirious blindness. As far as the physical pains and punishments were concerned, these had been exciting her ever since she was a child.\" - Javier Garcia Sanchez, Contesa Dracula Erzsébet Báthory The legends of vampires like Dracula have generated massive interest throughout time. Indeed, the story of a man (in some versions a very handsome, dashing man), who feeds on the blood of virgins in order to survive, and who walks the earth only at night, has been revived throughout the centuries in different forms. However, one famous tale that has been lost among the legends is the story of a female Dracula, an educated woman from a well-known family of 16th century Hungary who was so afraid to lose her beauty and young looks that she engaged in dangerous practices, combining witchcraft with exsanguination. Countess Elizabeth Báthory is this female Dracula. She is said to have drained the blood of approximately 600 young women, in order to drink it, spread it all over her body as a nurturing blend, or simply to bathe in it. Her preferences for such practices can be explained by several factors, including the practices of the time as far as torture was concerned, her genetic heritage, personal madness, and the fear of fading beauty. Despite the general impression that Báthory was exsanguinating these girls and bathing in their blood, it appears that she did much more. Sources indicate that most of the girls had been beaten, tortured, and even forced into particular sexual activities. Regardless, her attempts to do anything to keep her beauty apparently went for naught, because upon her death, Báthory was no longer the beautiful and young woman she desired to be. In essence, it seems that all her criminal efforts had been in vain. Based on her behavior and the reactions to it throughout time, it is virtually impossible to set Erzsébet Báthory in a character typology. On one hand, she could be considered a bored wife left alone by her husband for long periods of time, time that she used to develop passions for same-sex relations and an acute interest in inflicting pain on her victims. She might be seen as a mentally unstable person who found great joy in torturing others. Perhaps most disturbing of all, there's a possibility that the countess was a common character within the nobility of the 16th century who was acting normally based on the customs and norms of her era. Adding to the mystery of the story is that historical records are still mostly inaccessible because of the language barriers (most historical sources are in Hungarian). As a result, researchers interested in her life story and history usually rely on a limited number of available sources, such as biographies, articles, published letters said to have belonged to her, and scholarly articles on the topic. Countess Elizabeth Bathory: The Life and Legacy of History's Most Prolific Female Serial Killer details the mysterious and sordid history of one of the world's first and worst serial killers. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Countess Bathory like never before, in no time at all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367403716831,"sku":"9781515188858","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/PK-x5DKKR9781515188858.webp?v=1789106209"},{"product_id":"the-sinking-of-the-edmund-fitzgerald-the-loss-of-the-largest-ship-on-the-great-lakes-paperback-1","title":"The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald: The Loss of the Largest Ship on the Great Lakes - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures \u003cbr\u003e *Discusses official investigations and amateur expeditions to the wreckage \u003cbr\u003e *Discusses the evidence and theories about the sinking \u003cbr\u003e *Includes a bibliography for further reading \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \"They might have split up or they might have capsized; they may have broke deep and took water. And all that remains is the faces and the names of the wives and the sons and the daughters.\" - Gordon Lightfoot, \"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The Great Lakes have claimed countless thousands of vessels over the course of history, but its biggest and most famous victim was the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, the largest ship of its day to sail the Great Lakes and still the largest to lie below Lake Superior's murky depths. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The giant ore freighter was intentionally built \"within a foot of the maximum length allowed for passage through the soon-to-be completed Saint Lawrence Seaway.\" but despite its commercial purpose, the Edmund Fitzgerald was also one of the most luxurious ships to ever set sail in the Great Lakes. One person who sailed aboard the ship recounted, \"Stewards treated the guests to the entire VIP routine. The cuisine was reportedly excellent and snacks were always available in the lounge. A small but well stocked kitchenette provided the drinks. Once each trip, the captain held a candlelight dinner for the guests, complete with mess-jacketed stewards and special 'clamdigger' punch.\" Indeed, when it was completed in 1957, the Edmund Fitzgerald was nearly 730 feet long and dubbed \"Queen of the Lakes\", and it was so popular that people would wait along the shores to catch a glimpse of the famous boat. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The ship had already earned various safety awards and never suffered a serious problem when it set sail from Superior, Wisconsin with over 26,000 tons of freight on November 9, 1975 and headed for a steel mill near Detroit. During that afternoon, however, the National Weather Service, which had earlier predicted that a storm would miss Lake Superior, revised its estimates and issued gale warnings. Over the course of the next 24 hours, the Fitzgerald and other ships in Lake Superior tried to weather the storm, but by the early evening hours of November 10, the Fitzgerald's captain radioed other ships to report that the ship was having some problems and was taking on water. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e In the ship's last radio contact, the captain reported that the ship and crew were \"holding our own,\" but just what happened next still remains a mystery to this day. Minutes after that last contact, the Edmund Fitzgerald stopped replying on the radio and no longer showed up on radar, indicating that it sank, but no distress signal was ever given, suggesting something catastrophic happened almost instantly. At the time the ship went down with all 29 of its crew, winds had reached about 60 miles per hour, waves were about 25 feet high, and rogue waves were measured at 35 feet. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The wreck of the ship was found within days, and the fact that it was found in two large pieces suggest it broke apart on the surface of the lake, but it's still unclear how that happened. Since her loss with all hands, people from all walks of life have weighed in on the ship's fate, including official investigators, sailors, and meteorologists, but no one has yet to come to a clear conclusion about what exactly went wrong. Various theories have since been put forth, attributing the sinking to everything from rogue waves to the flooding of the cargo hold, but the loss made clear that more stringent regulations on shipping in the Great Lakes was necessary, and it was also a painful reminder of the dangers of maritime travel. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald: The Loss of the Largest Ship on the Great Lakes chronicles the story of the Great Lakes' biggest victim. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald like never before, in no time at all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367408369887,"sku":"9781542406529","price":15.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/y4I1dDG-NL9781542406529.webp?v=1789106219"},{"product_id":"the-tuskegee-airmen-the-history-and-legacy-of-americas-first-black-fighter-pilots-in-world-war-ii-paperback","title":"The Tuskegee Airmen: The History and Legacy of America's First Black Fighter Pilots in World War II - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of training, combat, and segregation written by multiple members of the Tuskegee Airmen *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents \"When World War II started, the black press and the black community wanted blacks to be able to fly because in 1925, the military had done a study that said that blacks didn't have the intelligence, ability, or coordination to fly airplanes. The pressure from the NAACP and the press caused them to start an experimental group that was to be trained in Tuskegee, Alabama, and that's why we were known as 'The Tuskegee Airmen.'...I come from a generation of African Americans where we were always trying to be better. We were taught that you had to be better than whites in order to move ahead, so we were very competitive...Practically everyone in the Tuskegee Airmen was an exceptional scholar and athlete, so the competition was really great and it helped to bond us together.\" - Roscoe Brown, one of the Tuskegee Airmen The United States has no shortage of famous military units, from the Civil War's Iron Brigade to the 101st Airborne, but one would be hard pressed to find one that had to go through as many hardships off the field as the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African American fighter pilots who overcame Jim Crow at home and official segregation in the military to serve their country in the final years of World War II. In fact, it required a concerted effort by groups such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the extreme circumstances brought about by World War II that the military eventually decided to establish the \"Tuskegee Experiment.\" The black crews trained at Tuskegee before being sent overseas, and even then, they faced discrimination from those who didn't trust them to do more than escort bombers flown by white pilots. However, as the men proved their worth in the heat of battle, some of the squadrons' red markings helped them earn the nickname \"Red Tails,\" and their track record was so good that eventually the white pilots of American bombers wanted to fly with them. As Tuskegee airman Roscoe Brown eloquently put it, \"They have a saying that excellence is the antidote to prejudice; so, once you show you can do it, some of the barriers will come down.\" In time, the Tuskegee Airmen would be romanticized and mythologized to the extent that it was erroneously claimed that some escort squadrons didn't lose a bomber to the enemy, which led Tuskegee airman Grant Williams to note in jest, \"Back then, nobody realized the significance of what we were doing. Now, they seem to think we could walk on water.\" However, even though the suggestion that the escorts lost no bombers on their missions was inaccurate, there is no question that the Tuskegee Airmen's record was elite and some of the fighter pilots were among the best to serve. Ironically, this was a byproduct of the systemic racism the men had to overcome, which resulted in extra training and planning among other issues. The Tuskegee Airmen: The History and Legacy of America's First Black Fighter Pilots in World War II chronicles the story of the Tuskegee Airmen and their important place in American military history. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Tuskegee Airmen like never before, in no time at all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367409058015,"sku":"9781542408370","price":15.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/yOF5Xe2ChD9781542408370.webp?v=1789106222"},{"product_id":"the-mosque-cathedral-of-cordoba-the-history-and-legacy-of-the-moors-greatest-holy-site-in-spain-paperback","title":"The Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba: The History and Legacy of the Moors' Greatest Holy Site in Spain - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures \u003cbr\u003e *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading \u003cbr\u003e \"To Córdoba belong all the beauty and ornaments that delight the eye or dazzle the sight. Her long line of Sultans form her crown of glory; her necklace is strung with the pearls which her poets have gathered from the ocean of language; her dress is of the banners of learning, well-knit together by her men of science; and the masters of every art and industry are the hem of her garments...\" - Stanley Lane-Poole, \"The Moors in Spain\" \u003cbr\u003e The Calle Cardenal Herrero in Córdoba is an iconic cobbled street impossible to overlook, for it is home to the Andalusian city's spectacular Mosque-Cathedral. Also known as \"La Mezquita,\" this one-of-a-kind Moorish and Christian place of worship reels in about 1.5 million visitors each year, most of whom find themselves spellbound by its hypnotic architectural features and the riveting history that has transpired and continues to within the beautifully weathered walls of the dual-church. That said, the Mezquita is far more than a mere tourist attraction - in recent years, the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba has become the crux of a complicated religious conflict resurrected by impassioned worshipers and patriotic locals who fear not only for the future of its legacy, but the preservation of its true history. \u003cbr\u003e It is easy for those on the outside looking in to make hasty judgments about the ongoing dispute, considering the endless amount of information that is uploaded online by the second. The contentious debates surrounding the Mezquita are often products of outdated prejudices, festering distrust, and whitewashing, all of which make it harder for the Mezquita to remain a non-discriminatory space serviceable to and appreciated by everyone today. \u003cbr\u003e The Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba: The History and Legacy of the Moors' Greatest Holy Site in Spain offers a virtual tour of this priceless place of worship, and how it has been at the center of religious debates for hundreds of years. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Mezquita like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367535083743,"sku":"9781721082216","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/q1tfZGyCcU9781721082216.webp?v=1789109768"},{"product_id":"armenian-myths-and-legends-the-history-of-the-mythology-and-folk-tales-from-armenia-paperback","title":"Armenian Myths and Legends: The History of the Mythology and Folk Tales from Armenia - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures \u003cbr\u003e *Includes ancient accounts \u003cbr\u003e *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading \u003cbr\u003e Armenia is considered to be one of the oldest cradles of civilization, with the area of historical Armenia roughly extending to the area stretching from the Euphrates River in the west, the region of Artsakh, parts of Caucasian Albania to the east, parts of the modern state of Georgia to the north, and its southern boundary abutting the northern tip of Mesopotamia. Armenia is a landlocked mountainous plateau which rises to an average of over 6,000 above sea level, and for this reason, the territory was commonly referred to as the Armenian Highlands. In these highlands, Armenian culture, as well as its language, started to develop. \u003cbr\u003e A rich cultural material, mythological and legendary tales, toponyms and names, as well as historical sources, serve as evidence that the Armenian Highlands have been inhabited by Armenians since the dawn of time. Like many other people all over the world, Armenian people also created their own mythology and heroes. The first pantheon of the Armenian pagan gods had gone through its formation parallel to the development of the Armenian people, as a consequence of the religious beliefs that the people bore. \u003cbr\u003e Before being the first kingdom to convert to and accept Christianity as its religion in the year of 301 AD, Armenians were pagan and believed in a multitude of gods and goddesses. These were attributed with many natural elements. The main sources that have conveyed the Armenian pagan myths and legends to the following generations are the Armenian historians of the 4-7th centuries, such as Agathangelos, Faustus the Byzantine, Movses Khorenatsi and Sebeos. Another prime source containing many clues which helps us grasp and comprehend these myths and legends is the Armenian national heroic epic Daredevils of Sassoun. \u003cbr\u003e Armenian Myths and Legends: The History of the Mythology and Folk Tales from Armenia looks at the stories that came from Armenia in ancient times, including their influences from other cultures. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about Armenian mythology like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367535739103,"sku":"9781721620791","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/ODogxL0HWp9781721620791.webp?v=1789109769"},{"product_id":"the-maori-the-history-and-legacy-of-new-zealands-indigenous-people-paperback","title":"The Maori: The History and Legacy of New Zealand's Indigenous People - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures \u003cbr\u003e *Includes contemporary accounts \u003cbr\u003e *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading \u003cbr\u003e \"When one house dies, a second lives.\" - Maori proverb \u003cbr\u003e In 1769, Captain James Cook's historic expedition in the region would lead to an English claim on Australia, but before he reached Australia, he sailed near New Zealand and spent weeks mapping part of New Zealand's coast. Thus, he was also one of the first to observe and take note of the indigenous peoples of the two islands. His instructions from the Admiralty were to endeavor at all costs to cultivate friendly relations with tribes and peoples he might encounter, and to regard any native people as the natural and legal possessors of any land they were found to occupy. Cook, of course, was not engaged on an expedition of colonization, so when he encountered for the first time a war party of Maori, he certainly had no intention of challenging their overlordship of Aotearoa, although he certainly was interested in discovering more about them. \u003cbr\u003e It was on October 6, 1769 that land was sighted from the masthead of the HMS Endeavour. The ostensible purpose of the expedition was to observe the transit of Venus across the Sun, but in sealed orders, to be opened only when these astrological observations were complete, he was instructed to search for evidence of the fabled Terra Australis. Approaching from the east, having rounded Cape Horn and calling in at Tahiti, the Endeavour arrived off the coast of New Zealand, and two days later it dropped anchor in what would later be known as Poverty Bay. No sign of life or habitation was seen until on the morning of the 9 October when smoke was observed to be rising inland, indicating that the territory was indeed inhabited. Cook and a group of sailors set off for shore in two boats and leaving four men behind to mind the boats, the remainder set off inland over a line of low hills. The sentries, however, were surprised by the arrival of a group of four Maori, who adopted an aggressive posture, and when one lifted a lance to hurl, he was immediately shot down. \u003cbr\u003e The impression that all of this left on Cook and the scientific members of the expedition was mixed. By then there had already been several encounters with Polynesian people scattered about the South Pacific, and although occasionally warlike, there were none quite so aggressive as the Maori. In fairness, it must be added that the Maori understanding of Cook's appearance, and what it represented was by necessity partial, and in approaching it they simply fell back on default behavior, applicable to any stranger approaching their shores. The presence on board the Endeavour of Tupaia allowed for a certain amount of superficial exchange, and a little trade, but little else, and Cook was intrigued by this upright, warlike and handsome people. \u003cbr\u003e Taking into account similarities of appearance, customs and languages spread across a vast region of scattered islands, it was obvious that the Polynesian race emerged from a single origin, and that origin Cook speculated was somewhere in the Malay Peninsula or the \"East Indies.\" In this regard, he was not too far from the truth. The origins of the Polynesian race have been fiercely debated since then, and it was only relatively recently, through genetic and linguistic research, that it can now be stated with certainty that the Polynesian race originated on the Chinese mainland and the islands of Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. Oceania was, indeed, the last major region of the Earth to be penetrated and settled by people, and Polynesia was the last region of Oceania to be inhabited. The vehicle of this expansion was the outrigger canoe, and aided by tides and wind patterns, a migration along the Malay Archipelago, and across the wide expanses of the South Pacific, began sometime between 3000 and 1000 BCE, reaching the western Polynesian Islands in about 900 BCE.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367539081439,"sku":"9781724562357","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/9T6lzjiNt89781724562357.webp?v=1789109775"},{"product_id":"the-khmer-empire-the-history-and-legacy-of-one-of-southeast-asias-most-influential-empires-paperback","title":"The Khmer Empire: The History and Legacy of One of Southeast Asia's Most Influential Empires - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures \u003cbr\u003e *Includes contemporary accounts \u003cbr\u003e *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading \u003cbr\u003e The Khmer Empire, also known as the Angkor Empire, was a powerful empire of Southeast Asia that was established in 802 CE and ended in 1431 with the invasion of the Siamese and abandonment of Angkor. The Khmer Empire was responsible for many of the historic monuments and temples found throughout the jungles of modern-day Cambodia, and also in other countries of Southeast Asia, all made possible by the fact the Khmer Empire reached across modern-day Cambodia, parts of Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam, making it a strategic trading partner with ships traveling from China and India. \u003cbr\u003e Of all the architecture, the empire is best known for constructing Angkor Wat, one of the modern world's greatest wonders. Known in English as Angkor Wat (\"City Temple\"), the gigantic complex was built by King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century to serve as the king's state temple and capital city. Since it has remained so finely preserved, it has maintained religious significance for nearly 900 years, first dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, and then Buddhist. Understandably, it has become one of Cambodia's most potent symbols and tourist attractions, and it even appears on the Cambodian national flag. Angkor Wat continues to fascinate the world, both due to its sheer grandeur and size, as well as its ornamental decorations both inside and out. With political strife in Cambodia having cooled, Angkor Wat is now a major tourist attraction, bringing upwards of over half a million foreigners per year, which accounts for over half of the nation's tourists. \u003cbr\u003e As a result, the long-lasting influence that this empire had on the people of Cambodia can still be felt today, with Angkor Wat being featured on the national flag. The Khmer Empire: The History and Legacy of One of Southeast Asia's Most Influential Empires chronicles the remarkable history of the Khmer and their impact on the region. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Khmer Empire like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367560904927,"sku":"9781720468400","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/AO7wLHymAY9781720468400.webp?v=1789109817"},{"product_id":"john-colter-the-life-and-legacy-of-americas-first-mountain-man-paperback","title":"John Colter: The Life and Legacy of America's First Mountain Man - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures\u003cbr\u003e*Includes contemporary accounts\u003cbr\u003e*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading\u003cbr\u003e\"Again he turned his head, and saw the savage not twenty yards from him. Determined if possible to avoid the expected blow, he suddenly stopped, turned round, and spread out his arms. The Indian, surprised by the suddenness of the action, and perhaps at the bloody appearance of Colter, also attempted to stop; but exhausted with running, he fell whilst endeavouring to throw his spear, which stuck in the ground, and broke in his hand. Colter instantly snatched up the pointed part, with which he pinned him to the earth, and then continued his flight.\" - John Bradbury, 1817 \u003cbr\u003eThe time of the American mountain man was not to reach its peak until the mid-19th century, but the man who served as the prototype for the cultural genre hailed from an earlier age in which the new United States had scarcely established its most basic structural tenets. A member of the original Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery commissioned by Thomas Jefferson, John Colter's multiple journeys to the northwest country of present-day Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho were first-time events in the development of the continent. \u003cbr\u003eWith Lewis and Clark, Colter was met with every challenge the North American wilderness had to offer, including \"constant rain and plaguing insects,\" a range of cultures never before explored, an extreme mountain climate at unfamiliar elevations, and teeming wildlife boasting its share of predators. Added to Colter's skills as a woodsman was a developing talent for communicating with previously unknown indigenous societies. He was undoubtedly assisted in this essential function by the presence of Sacajawea, a Lehmhi Shoshoni woman of the Agaidika, or Salmon-Eaters. She was married to the French translator Toussaint Charbonneau in a non-consensual contract, purchased with a second woman to serve as a working wife. \u003cbr\u003eBased on the experience gained from the Lewis and Clark expedition, Colter became a valued figure in future treks as part of the international trade for \"plews,\" the frontier word for beaver pelts. As one of the best hunters and trackers from the expedition, he was to be sent out on missions covering vast distances in his subsequent returns to the northwest. Although the precise routes of his solo journeys are difficult to confirm, Colter was likely the first explorer to witness the thermal marvels of the Yellowstone region and the Grand Tetons towering above present-day Jackson Hole. His accounts of the boiling geysers and bubbling pools of the northern Rockies remained the butt of frontier jokes until discovered by the next wave of surprised frontiersmen. \u003cbr\u003eCompared to the fantasies of Paul Bunyan and Pecos Bill that entertained a fascinated public in the east, the hair-raising events of Colter's time in the West were authentic and more than equal to popular fantasies of wilderness lore. His travels on foot were likened to the Aegean wanderings of Homer's Odysseus, and in a comparison closer to home, he was often referred to as the Daniel Boone of the West. As the first mountain man, many factual considerations concerning his travels remain as matters of contention, and Colter never produced a written account, but the maps of William Clark and the recollections of the few who knew him have helped to clarify a story two centuries old.\u003cbr\u003eJohn Colter: The Life and Legacy of America's First Mountain Man chronicles the remarkable story of the legendary explorer. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about John Colter like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367562772703,"sku":"9781722656867","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/kFr_77uS__9781722656867.webp?v=1789109823"},{"product_id":"american-legends-the-life-of-chuck-norris-paperback","title":"American Legends: The Life of Chuck Norris - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes Norris' own quotes about his life and career *Includes online resources, footnotes, and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents \"Whatever luck I had, I made. I was never a natural athlete, but I paid my dues in sweat and concentration and took the time necessary to learn karate and become world champion.\" - Chuck Norris A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' American Legends series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of America's most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. It is not uncommon for a culture to create intricate mythologies around its combat arts champions, but those celebrity fighters who have produced enough tangible accomplishments to merit such adulation are generally limited to a few in each generation. In the second half of the 20th century, boxer Muhammad Ali commanded such reverence, and in the martial arts, two stars have primarily reestablished the entire combat genre for the international movie-going population. In terms of raw popularity, Chuck Norris represents the West. Whereas Bruce Lee developed a cinematic market by attaching scripts and formulaic plots to his masterful athleticism and martial arts skills that are still considered exotic to many Westerners, American Chuck Norris built his resume with little fanfare or sense of peripheral fantasy by studying and mastering the Korean karate form Tang Soo Do and by dominating in international competition for six consecutive years. Along the way, he came to study numerous related styles as well, attaining advanced black belt degrees in several. In a fighting career of approximately one decade, Norris was considered all but unbeatable for the last 8 years, and once his skills reached their peak, he held every significant major world title available in his weight class, as well as some without any weight distinction. Only after retirement was he redirected into the martial arts film industry set against uniquely American landscapes, where he created iconic characters and memorable combat scenes for several more decades. In contrast to Lee's fame, which emerged from a Chinese version of martial arts entertainment laced with tinges of the superhuman, Chuck Norris was karate's verismo artist, with his characters based on the realities of actual tournament and military experiences. His films capitalized upon the preexisting model of the American international male persona, both as it was and as he and the studios believed that it should be. In this way, Norris followed in the footsteps of Gary Cooper and John Wayne, with the addition of martial arts as a spur to the action. Critics have derided the quality of his acting from the onset of his career, but Norris has always maintained that his interest in acting was for the messages he intended for viewers, and he has never expressed a moment's care for the pundits. A master of the paramilitary underdog and lone law enforcement officer film, his career would come to an apex with the television series Walker, Texas Ranger, a household name among viewers for nearly a decade and one that rivaled such classics as Gunsmoke and Bonanza. Not the sort to occupy his time with either second-guessing an issue or playing devil's advocate, Norris has parlayed his fame into a forum from which he speaks openly of his conservative religious, political, and personal principles as an outspoken member of America's far right. As an athletic icon, he is heavily involved with numerous charities, including the cleansing of the American school system of illegal drugs, and in the building of confident, self-assured citizens who are secure enough to resist the urge to respond to daily burdens with violence.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367712260319,"sku":"9781986134538","price":11.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/YlNuvZvFcA9781986134538.webp?v=1789113358"},{"product_id":"buffalo-soldiers-the-history-and-legacy-of-the-black-soldiers-who-fought-in-the-u-s-army-during-the-indian-wars-paperback","title":"Buffalo Soldiers: The History and Legacy of the Black Soldiers Who Fought in the U.S. Army during the Indian Wars - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures\u003cbr\u003e*Includes excerpts of contemporary accounts\u003cbr\u003e*Includes a bibliography for further reading\u003cbr\u003eDuring the Civil War, over 180,000 black men fought in volunteer units as part of the United States Colored Troop (USCT), but it was only after the end of it that they were allowed to enlist in the Regular Army. They did so in four segregated regiments, and they colloquially became known as Buffalo Soldiers. The evolution of these black units followed the course of the organization of the peacetime Regular Army. With the end of the Civil War came the demobilization of the millions of men who had volunteered to fight on behalf of the Union, including the USCT, which disbanded in late 1865. The first draft of a bill setting the organization of the Army sent to the House on March 7, 1866 called for the establishment of eight infantry regiments to be staffed by veterans of the USCT, but the legislation lacked similar provisions for black cavalry units. When the bill got to the Senate for approval, Senator Benjamin Wade succeeded in having a provision added that authorized black cavalry units. \u003cbr\u003eThe bill that passed on July 28, 1866 authorized a total of 10 regiments of cavalry and 45 regiments of infantry, and in 1867, the Regular Army raised two regiments of black cavalry, designated the 9th (Colored) Cavalry and the 10th (Colored) Cavalry. In addition, the Army raised four regiments of black infantry: the 38th (Colored) Infantry, the 39th (Colored) Infantry, the 40th (Colored) Infantry, and the 41st (Colored) Infantry. Ultimately, however, the number of black regiments did not stay at six for very long, because in 1869 there was a further reduction in the size of the Regular Army, with the number of infantry regiments reduced to 25. As part of the reduction, the number of black regiments was reduced from four to two, so the 38th and 41st were reorganized as the 25th (Colored) Infantry, and the 39th and 40th were reorganized as the 24th (Colored) Infantry. The enlistment in both the cavalry and infantry was for five years, with soldiers being paid $13 a month, plus room, board, and clothing. \u003cbr\u003eOf course, these units are now known for the nickname attached to them, but exactly where the nickname Buffalo Soldiers came from is a subject of some dispute. Dr. Walter Hill wrote, \"According to Benjamin H. Grierson, Colonel, 10th Cavalry, 1867 to 1890, the 10th acquired the name 'Buffalo Soldiers' during the 1871 campaign against the Comanches in the Indian Territory. Grierson said that the Comanches respected the soldiers' tireless marching and dogged trail skills. They had earned the name of the rugged and revered buffalo. The 10th made the 'Buffalo' its regimental coat of arms years later, but the term 'Buffalo Soldiers, ' became synonymous with both the 9th and 10th units.\" The term appeared in public for the first time in 1873, in reference to the 10th Cavalry, in a letter from Mrs. Frances M.A. Roe to a popular magazine. She wrote, \"The officers say that the Negroes make good soldiers and fight like fiends...the Indians call them 'buffalo soldiers' because their woolly heads are so much like the matted cushion that is between the horns of the buffalo. Others believe that the nickname originated from the Cheyanne. Another possible source came from the Apaches for the buffalo coats they wore in the winter.\" \u003cbr\u003eBuffalo Soldiers: The History and Legacy of the Black Soldiers Who Fought in the U.S. Army during the Indian Wars examines how the regiments were raised, and what their service entailed over the course of several decades. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Buffalo Soldiers like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367725301983,"sku":"9781678503086","price":15.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/AfXgEnNrS_9781678503086.webp?v=1789113382"},{"product_id":"the-voynich-manuscript-the-history-of-the-mysterious-renaissance-codex-that-has-never-been-deciphered-paperback","title":"The Voynich Manuscript: The History of the Mysterious Renaissance Codex that Has Never Been Deciphered - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures \u003cbr\u003e *Includes contemporary accounts describing the manuscript and attempts to decipher it \u003cbr\u003e *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading \u003cbr\u003e \"Yet it may be roundly asserted that human ingenuity cannot concoct a cipher which human ingenuity cannot resolve.\" - Edgar Allan Poe, excerpt from \"A Few Words On Secret Writing,\" 1841 \u003cbr\u003e For as long as language and communication have existed, humans have been inventing ways to mask their messages from prying eyes. Military and diplomatic officials often devise secret codes to transmit sensitive data and confidential information to approved parties. This practice has become so commonplace in recent years that entire sciences, hobbies, and fully fledged professions have been established to decipher these cryptic texts, called \"cryptographers.\" \u003cbr\u003e Needless to say, these revolutionary methods of cryptography, though historic, are now considered archaic. Their simplistic secrets have been disclosed to the general public, and even incorporated into children's toys geared towards aspiring spies. \u003cbr\u003e With the bulk of modern civilization so dependent on the virtual world, secret codes have evolved to a whole new level, most notably through data encryption. Data encryption, which aims to conceal classified electronic information through the use of complex ciphers and algorithms, was initially used for governmental and military purposes, but it now acts as the primary medium of security that most online platforms (as of January 2017, at least half of them) provide for their users. \u003cbr\u003e As intricate and inextricable as data encryption might seem to people today, a growing number of brilliant but devious minds continue to successfully find ways to bypass supposedly state-of-the-art encryption software, rendering the efforts of the enormous teams employed to handle online security void. As a matter of fact, stories of unscrupulous hackers stealing episodes of popular TV shows and threatening to unleash them before their release dates, as well as reprobates poaching private images of unfortunate victims for ransom, are becoming increasingly commonplace. Meanwhile, government agencies are staffed with full-type cryptanalysts dedicated to retrieving encrypted intelligence and decoding them in the hopes of learning more about or thwarting potential domestic and foreign threats. \u003cbr\u003e With such incisive minds constantly at work, one could be forgiven for assuming there are no ciphers left unsolved. On the contrary, there exists quite a diverse array of both ancient and modern-day cryptographic challenges that have stumped even the most seasoned code crackers of today, and maybe even for generations to come. Among the most famous of these mysterious memorandums is a 600 year old document that continues to mystify those that lay their eyes upon it, whether it is for the first time or the millionth time: the one and only Voynich Manuscript. \u003cbr\u003e The Voynich Manuscript: The History of the Mysterious Renaissance Codex that Has Never Been Deciphered explores the history of the cryptic codex, the minds that attempted to tackle it, and aims to examine both credible and ludicrous interpretations and theories from various angles. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Voynich Manuscript like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367725859039,"sku":"9781976082610","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/C36Z_HYNL09781976082610.webp?v=1789113383"},{"product_id":"the-voynich-manuscript-the-history-of-the-mysterious-renaissance-codex-that-has-never-been-deciphered-paperback-1","title":"The Voynich Manuscript: The History of the Mysterious Renaissance Codex that Has Never Been Deciphered - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures \u003cbr\u003e *Includes contemporary accounts describing the manuscript and attempts to decipher it \u003cbr\u003e *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading \u003cbr\u003e \"Yet it may be roundly asserted that human ingenuity cannot concoct a cipher which human ingenuity cannot resolve.\" - Edgar Allan Poe, excerpt from \"A Few Words On Secret Writing,\" 1841 \u003cbr\u003e For as long as language and communication have existed, humans have been inventing ways to mask their messages from prying eyes. Military and diplomatic officials often devise secret codes to transmit sensitive data and confidential information to approved parties. This practice has become so commonplace in recent years that entire sciences, hobbies, and fully fledged professions have been established to decipher these cryptic texts, called \"cryptographers.\" \u003cbr\u003e Needless to say, these revolutionary methods of cryptography, though historic, are now considered archaic. Their simplistic secrets have been disclosed to the general public, and even incorporated into children's toys geared towards aspiring spies. \u003cbr\u003e With the bulk of modern civilization so dependent on the virtual world, secret codes have evolved to a whole new level, most notably through data encryption. Data encryption, which aims to conceal classified electronic information through the use of complex ciphers and algorithms, was initially used for governmental and military purposes, but it now acts as the primary medium of security that most online platforms (as of January 2017, at least half of them) provide for their users. \u003cbr\u003e As intricate and inextricable as data encryption might seem to people today, a growing number of brilliant but devious minds continue to successfully find ways to bypass supposedly state-of-the-art encryption software, rendering the efforts of the enormous teams employed to handle online security void. As a matter of fact, stories of unscrupulous hackers stealing episodes of popular TV shows and threatening to unleash them before their release dates, as well as reprobates poaching private images of unfortunate victims for ransom, are becoming increasingly commonplace. Meanwhile, government agencies are staffed with full-type cryptanalysts dedicated to retrieving encrypted intelligence and decoding them in the hopes of learning more about or thwarting potential domestic and foreign threats. \u003cbr\u003e With such incisive minds constantly at work, one could be forgiven for assuming there are no ciphers left unsolved. On the contrary, there exists quite a diverse array of both ancient and modern-day cryptographic challenges that have stumped even the most seasoned code crackers of today, and maybe even for generations to come. Among the most famous of these mysterious memorandums is a 600 year old document that continues to mystify those that lay their eyes upon it, whether it is for the first time or the millionth time: the one and only Voynich Manuscript. \u003cbr\u003e The Voynich Manuscript: The History of the Mysterious Renaissance Codex that Has Never Been Deciphered explores the history of the cryptic codex, the minds that attempted to tackle it, and aims to examine both credible and ludicrous interpretations and theories from various angles. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Voynich Manuscript like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367726416095,"sku":"9781976082627","price":15.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/pd5tUwMtS29781976082627.webp?v=1789113383"},{"product_id":"the-nag-hammadi-library-the-history-and-legacy-of-the-ancient-gnostic-texts-rediscovered-in-the-20th-century-paperback","title":"The Nag Hammadi Library: The History and Legacy of the Ancient Gnostic Texts Rediscovered in the 20th Century - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes excerpts from the texts \u003cbr\u003e *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading \u003cbr\u003e Many people interested in biblical themes know about the Dead Sea Scrolls and their guardians, the mysterious Essenes, the sect of Judaism that hid its priceless library in caves before marching against the Romans in an end-time war, certain that God would intervene at the decisive moment. The ancient texts found in their rock cabinets have produced tons of literature. Fewer people know about an equally fascinating finding in the same region of the planet, made only a few months apart: a collection of hitherto unknown Christian codices, buried in the 4th century AD, and found accidentally by peasants near the city of Nag Hammadi, Upper Egypt. Among the old codices was The Gospel of Thomas, lost for sixteen centuries, and other unfamiliar titles such as The Gospel of Philip and the Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles. \u003cbr\u003e In this case it was not Essenes who had entrusted them to the protection of the caves and the centuries, but monks who followed a now forgotten variant of Christianity called Gnosticism. The Gnostics were mystics who had no real use or hope for the world. Their writings became forbidden when the Church defined the canon of the books authorized to be read in the congregation. For some reason, instead of burning them, the monks of Nag Hammadi decided to entrust them to posterity, perhaps waiting for better times. \u003cbr\u003e The library of Nag Hammadi, Egypt is as significant in the study of early Christianity as the writings of the Essenes to the understanding of Judaism during the time of the Roman occupation. Considering the history of religions, they were composed at the opposite sides of that watershed that was the 1st century CE, which witnessed the birth of Christianity and the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem. The Dead Sea Scrolls belonged to a community that lived before the traumatic destruction of Holy City and its temple at the hands of the Romans. The library of Nag Hammadi was produced and buried by a group of Christians whose ancestors had left their place of origin many years before. \u003cbr\u003e Although all the titles of the Nag Hammadi library are not known, many people have heard about its most famous components: The Gospel of Thomas -at one time it was discussed whether it should be included in the New Testament- and The Gospel of Philip, which tried to revive the debate around the identity of Mary Magdalene: \"Why do you love her more than all of us?\" asks a disconcerted Peter to Jesus. Finally, the Nag Hammadi texts have led many scholars to reconsider the rigid canons imposed by the early Church, and the readers to find a more intimate religion that turned upside down many postulates of Christian orthodoxy. Along with the history of their discovery in 1945, the analysis of the main texts that form this collection, the exposition of their most important beliefs, and the reasons for their suppression in the 4th century CE, you will learn about the unknown gospels and the Gnostic texts of Nag Hammadi like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367736475871,"sku":"9781981226351","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/CwXZ13CdUl9781981226351.webp?v=1789113401"},{"product_id":"the-cambridge-five-the-history-and-legacy-of-the-notorious-soviet-spy-ring-in-britain-during-world-war-ii-and-the-cold-war-paperback","title":"The Cambridge Five: The History and Legacy of the Notorious Soviet Spy Ring in Britain during World War II and the Cold War - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures\u003cbr\u003e*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading\u003cbr\u003eThe spy novel emerged from the intrigues of the mid-20th century for good reason. The war with the Third Reich involved an unseen cloak and dagger struggle between the participants, but beyond that, an even larger and longer contest took place in the shadows.\u003cbr\u003eCommunism gained its first major foothold in statehood with the success of the Russian Revolution at the end of World War I, a success bizarrely assisted by the massive funding provided to the revolutionaries by some Western businessmen. Armand Hammer's father Julius, for instance, gave the new Soviet Union $50,000 in gold to back their new currency. In exchange he received asbestos mining and oil concessions, plus a pencil manufacturing monopoly in the USSR lasting until the Stalin era.\u003cbr\u003eSoviet Russia followed a philosophy demanding international, global revolution - which, in practice, often resembled conquest by any means available, direct or indirect. While the Soviets never hesitated to use naked force when it seemed advisable, or when compelled to it by outside attack, they made intensive use of covert operations - spying, assassination, bribery, infiltration of governments and educational systems, the deployment of agents provocateur and \"agitprop\" - in an effort to weaken other nations from within or possibly cause takeover by a friendly revolutionary regime.\u003cbr\u003eSoviet agents operated in all European countries and others, but their main efforts naturally focused on the strongest potential rivals - Germany, the United States, and Great Britain. Intelligent, persistent, and ruthless, the Soviets succeeded in recruiting a considerable number of agents, including men from the British ruling class.\u003cbr\u003eTheir activities enabled the Soviets to capture and execute hundreds, if not thousands, of the opponents of their regime along with numbers of British agents. The men responsible for this unprecedented leaking of life-or-death information would enter history as the Cambridge Five - though in fact, they may have been only the core of a much larger group.\u003cbr\u003eThe Cambridge Five: The History and Legacy of the Notorious Soviet Spy Ring in Britain during World War II and the Cold War chronicles the war's most infamous spy ring and its activities. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Cambridge Five like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367740702943,"sku":"9781983944260","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/omLyFbluQw9781983944260.webp?v=1789113409"},{"product_id":"native-american-tribes-the-history-and-culture-of-the-utes-paperback","title":"Native American Tribes: The History and Culture of the Utes - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures\u003cbr\u003e*Includes a bibliography for further reading\u003cbr\u003e*Includes a table of contents \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFrom the \"Trail of Tears\" to Wounded Knee and Little Bighorn, the narrative of American history is incomplete without the inclusion of the Native Americans that lived on the continent before European settlers arrived in the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the first contact between natives and settlers, tribes like the Sioux, Cherokee, and Navajo have both fascinated and perplexed outsiders with their history, language, and culture. In Charles River Editors' Native American Tribes series, readers can get caught up to speed on the history and culture of North America's most famous native tribes in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known.The Utes are a Native American people who live today in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah, and they currently have the second largest Indian reservation in the United States: the 1.2 million acre Uintah and Ouray Reservation located in northeastern Utah. The Southern Ute Reservation in southwestern Colorado takes in another 681,000 acres, while the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation mostly in southwestern Colorado and northeastern New Mexico has 553,000 acres. However, these holdings are relatively small fragments of the original Ute land base; before the arrival of whites and the taking of the Utes' land, they stretched from the Great Basin of Utah through the Colorado Plateau and Rocky Mountains of Colorado and northern New Mexico and into the Great Plains. The Utes were a fierce warrior people who fought hard to defend their land against Spaniards and later the Americans, but they remain much less well-known among the American public than the Navajo (holders of the biggest reservation today) and many other Native American nations. Native American Tribes: The History and Culture of the Utes comprehensively covers the history and legacy of one of the Southwest's most famous Native American groups. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about the Utes like never before, in no time at all.","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367741849823,"sku":"9781983756290","price":13.48,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/nuYmUS-QD69781983756290.webp?v=1789113412"},{"product_id":"the-gullah-the-history-and-legacy-of-the-african-american-ethnic-group-in-the-american-southeast-paperback","title":"The Gullah: The History and Legacy of the African American Ethnic Group in the American Southeast - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures\u003cbr\u003e*Includes a bibliography for further reading\u003cbr\u003e\"If you do not know where you're going, you should know where you come from.\" - Old Gullah Proverb\u003cbr\u003eCharming drawls, bluegrass bops, NASCAR, mouthwatering barbecues, and the Great Smoky Mountains are all customs that make America's Deep South home to some of the most vibrant, powerfully evocative, and culturally rich subregions on the continent, tethered to a heritage that rose from the ashes of the Civil War. There exists, however, a lesser-known, but equally indispensable subculture based within a 500-mile radius of the coastal South Atlantic states and Sea Islands. These culture bearers, who refer to themselves as the Gullah Geechee, or the \"Gullah\" for short, are the descendants and rightful heirs of the once-shackled slaves who resided in these parts. As the guardians and torch holders of the incredible legacy left behind by their persevering ancestors, the modern Gullah spare no effort in preserving the inherently unique customs and traditions, complete with their own creole tongue, that have been passed down from one generation to the next. \u003cbr\u003eOf course, the first Gullah people were not natives of the Deep South, nor were they eager immigrants who willingly crossed the North Atlantic in the hopes of landing opportunities available only in the \"land of the free.\" Rather, the Gullah were normal, everyday people who were forcibly extracted from their homes and shipped like chattel to a foreign land, where they were sold, purchased, and put to work on plantations, mines, factories, and elsewhere. Simply put, they were an ill-starred, yet fiercely diligent people who made the most out of their unimaginably horrific fates, constructing their own colorful customs and a remarkable legacy for their future successors.\u003cbr\u003eA number of notable figures have been linked with the Gullah in recent years. Michelle Obama, for instance, is said to be a descendant of a Gullah slave who once dwelled in a cotton plantation in the Low Country region of South Carolina. Little Melvinia was no older than eight when she arrived at the plantation of one Henry Wells Shields, soon after adopting the surname of her \"master,\" as per the customs of the mid-19th century. A teenaged Melvinia was ripped from her home once more in 1852 and relocated to Georgia, and it was there that she was impregnated by a white man and gave birth to the great-great-grandfather of the former First Lady. South Carolinian boxing icon Smokin' Joe Frazier and Cleveland Browns legend Jim Brown of St. Simons Island, Georgia also share Gullah blood.\u003cbr\u003eThe Gullah: The History and Legacy of the African American Ethnic Group in the American Southeast examines the origins of the people, their culture, and how their history has winded over the centuries. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Gullah like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367746699487,"sku":"9781701803251","price":15.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/RPwl61wR5T9781701803251.webp?v=1789113422"},{"product_id":"the-gullah-the-history-and-legacy-of-the-african-american-ethnic-group-in-the-american-southeast-paperback-1","title":"The Gullah: The History and Legacy of the African American Ethnic Group in the American Southeast - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures\u003cbr\u003e*Includes a bibliography for further reading\u003cbr\u003e\"If you do not know where you're going, you should know where you come from.\" - Old Gullah Proverb\u003cbr\u003eCharming drawls, bluegrass bops, NASCAR, mouthwatering barbecues, and the Great Smoky Mountains are all customs that make America's Deep South home to some of the most vibrant, powerfully evocative, and culturally rich subregions on the continent, tethered to a heritage that rose from the ashes of the Civil War. There exists, however, a lesser-known, but equally indispensable subculture based within a 500-mile radius of the coastal South Atlantic states and Sea Islands. These culture bearers, who refer to themselves as the Gullah Geechee, or the \"Gullah\" for short, are the descendants and rightful heirs of the once-shackled slaves who resided in these parts. As the guardians and torch holders of the incredible legacy left behind by their persevering ancestors, the modern Gullah spare no effort in preserving the inherently unique customs and traditions, complete with their own creole tongue, that have been passed down from one generation to the next. \u003cbr\u003eOf course, the first Gullah people were not natives of the Deep South, nor were they eager immigrants who willingly crossed the North Atlantic in the hopes of landing opportunities available only in the \"land of the free.\" Rather, the Gullah were normal, everyday people who were forcibly extracted from their homes and shipped like chattel to a foreign land, where they were sold, purchased, and put to work on plantations, mines, factories, and elsewhere. Simply put, they were an ill-starred, yet fiercely diligent people who made the most out of their unimaginably horrific fates, constructing their own colorful customs and a remarkable legacy for their future successors.\u003cbr\u003eA number of notable figures have been linked with the Gullah in recent years. Michelle Obama, for instance, is said to be a descendant of a Gullah slave who once dwelled in a cotton plantation in the Low Country region of South Carolina. Little Melvinia was no older than eight when she arrived at the plantation of one Henry Wells Shields, soon after adopting the surname of her \"master,\" as per the customs of the mid-19th century. A teenaged Melvinia was ripped from her home once more in 1852 and relocated to Georgia, and it was there that she was impregnated by a white man and gave birth to the great-great-grandfather of the former First Lady. South Carolinian boxing icon Smokin' Joe Frazier and Cleveland Browns legend Jim Brown of St. Simons Island, Georgia also share Gullah blood.\u003cbr\u003eThe Gullah: The History and Legacy of the African American Ethnic Group in the American Southeast examines the origins of the people, their culture, and how their history has winded over the centuries. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Gullah like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367747059935,"sku":"9781701803336","price":15.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/ROewMJ5ojp9781701803336.webp?v=1789113423"},{"product_id":"yuri-bezmenov-the-life-and-legacy-of-the-influential-kgb-informant-who-defected-to-the-west-paperback","title":"Yuri Bezmenov: The Life and Legacy of the Influential KGB Informant Who Defected to the West - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures\u003cbr\u003e*Includes a bibliography for further reading\u003cbr\u003e\"The main emphasis of the KGB is not in the area of intelligence at all. Only about 15% of time, money, and manpower is spent on espionage and such. The other 85% is a slow process which we call either ideological subversion or active measures ... or psychological warfare.\" - Yuri Bezmenov\u003cbr\u003eThe KGB is one of the most famous abbreviations of the 20th century, and it has become synonymous with the shadowy and often violent actions of the Soviet Union's secret police and internal security agencies. In fact, it is often used to refer to the Soviet state security agencies throughout its history, from the inception of the inception of the Cheka (Extraordinary Commission) in 1917 to the official elimination of the KGB in 1992. Whether it's associated with the Russian Civil War's excesses, Stalin's purges, and even Vladimir Putin, the KGB has long been viewed as the West's biggest bogeyman during the second half of the 20th century. \u003cbr\u003eInevitably, some of the Cold War's most shadowy actions involved trying to turn Soviet assets, whether for propaganda or intelligence purposes, but the Soviet system constantly had to worry about defections, as evidenced by the construction of the Berlin Wall in the early 1960s. That said, while the whistleblowers may be celebrated if they damage the public relations of an adversary, they can be controversial if they damage one's own country, as evidenced by the polarizing reputations of individuals like Edward Snowden and Julian Assange. \u003cbr\u003eYuri Bezmenov was among the first Soviet whistleblowers to attract attention on a global scale, and interest in his story has recently been revived thanks to his surprising cameo in the teaser trailer for Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War in August 2020. This came despite the fact he was far from the first ex-KGB agent or Russian to pull back the curtains on the Russian government and reveal the harrowing \"truths\" they were once sworn to harbor, as well as the disconcerting covert operations of which they once allegedly partook. In fact, the history of Russian defectors who later emerged as informants in the name of public interest stretches back to the 16th century, when Andrey Kurbsky, a former boyar, high-ranking military commander, and trusted adviser to Tsar Ivan the Terrible, decamped to Lithuania on April 30, 1564. \u003cbr\u003eNonetheless, Bezmenov remains known for his works after becoming disillusioned with the Soviet system in middle age, his interest in India, and his ultimate defection to Canada, which led to him railing against Soviet communism in various lectures and works throughout the 1980s. \u003cbr\u003eYuri Bezmenov: The Life and Legacy of the Influential KGB Informant Who Defected to the West chronicles how Bezmenov went from the KGB to a thunderous anti-Soviet activist in America in the 1980s. Along with pictures of important people and places, you will learn about Bezmenov like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367960838367,"sku":"9798580561585","price":15.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/dGSgpMFOm59798580561585.webp?v=1789116972"},{"product_id":"the-dutch-revolt-the-history-of-the-dutch-republics-war-of-independence-against-spain-paperback","title":"The Dutch Revolt: The History of the Dutch Republic's War of Independence against Spain - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures\u003cbr\u003e*Includes a bibliography for further reading\u003cbr\u003eDuring the 17th century, the Netherlands, despite having only 1.5 million people in 1600, became a global maritime and trading power. By contrast, France at the time had 20 million people, Spain had 8 million, and England had 5 million. Nevertheless, Amsterdam became one of the most important urban centers in the world and the location of the world's first stock market, and Dutch merchant ships and pirates plied the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean. The Dutch acquired colonies in the East Indies, where they seized control of the spice trade from the Portuguese, and in the West Indies, they acquired a number of islands from the Spanish (several of which are still Dutch today). They became the only Westerners who were allowed to trade with Shogunate Japan from a small island next to Nagasaki, and they settled the town that ultimately became New York City. Naturally, all of this imperialism generated enormous amounts of wealth that flowed into the Netherlands.\u003cbr\u003eThe Netherlands has had a complex and turbulent history involving the interplay of multiple political entities, ethnicities, and languages. The term \"Netherlands\" (Nederland in Dutch, Pay-Bas in French) refers to the low-lying topography of the region and today is used specifically to describe the country bordering Germany and Belgium, but historically it referred to the entire region occupied by Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. In English, the term \"Low Countries\" is still used in this sense. Located largely on the deltas of the Rhine and Maas Rivers, much of it consisted of sand dunes and peat bogs until, centuries ago, humans began building dikes, pumping out water and laboriously reclaiming the land. Much of the land falls below sea level. As an old saying goes, \"God created the earth, but the Dutch created the Netherlands.\" The long struggle with nature is an important part of the Dutch identity.\u003cbr\u003eWhat made the Netherlands' global influence in the 17th century all the more remarkable is that the Dutch had only recently achieved political independence through the process of fighting a long and brutal war of resistance against rule by the Spanish Hapsburgs, starting in 1568. In 1581, the seven northern provinces - Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland, Overijssel, Friesland, and Groningen - declared their independence, and fighting took place back and forth on land and sea for decades, with the Dutch receiving some much-needed assistance from England's Queen Elizabeth I. Thousands of civilians were massacred by the rampaging Spanish armies, and on the water, Dutch \"sea beggars\" attacked and harassed the Spanish fleet. Pro-Spanish privateers operating out of Dunkirk did the same against Dutch shipping. \u003cbr\u003eAlthough there were several issues behind the revolt, like heavy taxation, the war was also in large part a religious revolt. The Dutch in the northern and western provinces had mostly become Protestants, followers primarily of the French theologian John Calvin, and there were some Lutherans and Anabaptists present as well). Calvinism as institutionalized in the Dutch Reformed Church would become the officially recognized faith of independent Netherlands, but Philip II, the Catholic monarch of Spain, was determined to restore Catholicism through the strict use of the Inquisition against \"heretics,\" and the Catholics were strongest in the 10 southern provinces. Religious differences between the north and south were accentuated because of the migration of Protestants and Catholics across the border during the long war, ensuring that there would continue to be tensions even after the fighting stopped and Dutch independence was secured. At the same time, the conflict's ideological, political, and religious issues all ensured that the Dutch Revolt would influence future revolutions in the centuries to come.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367963164895,"sku":"9798708963505","price":15.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/kHKPcdFC3K9798708963505.webp?v=1789116977"},{"product_id":"africas-origin-stories-the-history-and-legacy-of-the-ancient-african-stories-that-sought-to-explain-life-paperback","title":"Africa's Origin Stories: The History and Legacy of the Ancient African Stories that Sought to Explain Life - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures\u003cbr\u003e*Includes a bibliography for further reading\u003cbr\u003eBy the dawn of the 17th century, Portuguese influence in Africa fell into decline, and the occasions of European contact with Ethiopia became very few and far between. It would be another three centuries before another European would venture into the holy precincts of Lalibela as part of a British military expedition mounted in 1867. Thus, the \"rediscovery\" of the remarkable churches and the story of Christianity in Ethiopia would only be recently written.\u003cbr\u003eAs that indicates, the modern history of Africa was, until very recently, written on behalf of the indigenous races by the white man, who had forcefully entered the continent during a particularly hubristic and dynamic phase of European history. When they began to arrive in sub-Saharan Africa in the early 16th century, Christian missionaries replaced established animist practices with the tenets of Christianity. This was particularly true for the Catholics who offered a faith promising eternal paradise upon the simple confession of sin. In an age of slavery, disease, and inter-tribal warfare when life was unembellished, brutal, and usually short, this was a particularly seductive message. Add to this the ritual inherent in Catholic worship, the drinking of blood and the eating of flesh, and the susceptibilities of a society defined by elaborate religious rituals, and the conversion succeeded with extraordinary ease. \u003cbr\u003eIt is also true that the Catholic spiritual hierarchy reflected the structure of African spiritual life. The first line of African worship is composed of the spirits of passed ancestors whose relationship with the living remains direct and active. This overlapped with the idea of a host of saints endowed with specific functions and responsibilities. At a higher level, the more remote ancestral spirits, those of more than three or four generations past who have merged into the overall spirit of the nation, formed a less definable but powerful presence in day to day life. These spirits easily translate to angels, while the almighty creator, too vast and remote to be understood, conforms to the notion of the one God. The embrace of Christianity and Islam, even today, is not necessarily to the exclusion of ancestral spirits, nor the essentials of witchcraft and sorcery. The precarious security of albino people in east and central Africa, whose body parts are sought after in traditional \"medicine,\" is testimony to the fact that these superstitions are alive and well throughout Africa. \u003cbr\u003eAfrica's Origin Stories: The History and Legacy of the Ancient African Stories that Sought to Explain Life examines the various legends, how they formed, the evolution of African beliefs, and how they've affected countless cultures. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about African mythology like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51367965524191,"sku":"9798613549252","price":15.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/MHw1QXe5zj9798613549252.webp?v=1789116981"},{"product_id":"apollo-and-artemis-the-origins-and-history-of-the-twin-deities-in-ancient-greek-mythology-paperback","title":"Apollo and Artemis: The Origins and History of the Twin Deities in Ancient Greek Mythology - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures\u003cbr\u003e*Includes ancient accounts\u003cbr\u003e*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading\u003cbr\u003e\"Apollo's history is a confusing one,\" said the renowned poet and mythologist Robert Graves. This notion is also illustrated in the above quote from the 6th century BCE Homeric Hymn to Apollo, which gives the reader a brief glimpse into the confusion surrounding Apollo's multi-faceted nature. The quote comes from the end of an episode in which Apollo is traversing the known world, looking for a place to build a temple to himself. Once he lands upon a place of his liking, however, he realizes that he needs to populate it with priests who would 'guard' and care for its ceremonies. Rather than depend upon those 'glorious tribes' to supply his temple with sycophants, Apollo has no patience for chance, and flies down to a Cretan merchant ship, landing on it in the form of a timber-shaking dolphin. After terrifying the merchants, he tells them that their lives in the sea trade are over, and they are to be priests at his temple from then on. Cautioning the merchants to eschew piracy and 'keep righteousness' in their hearts, while simultaneously confronting and sequestering them captures the youthful god's capricious character quite well.Of course, the rest of the ancient Greek gods were certainly not above hypocrisy - the adultery of Zeus alone demonstrates that - but Apollo was a brash contrarian in the face of all divine order. Unlike many of the other Olympian gods, Apollo's nature changed dramatically at the closing of his adolescence. His twin sister Artemis, in direct comparison with Apollo, immediately leapt to her mother's aide as midwife to her brother after she was born. Artemis would continue to be a goddess of midwives, while Apollo's \"role\" would continue to evolve over centuries.\u003cbr\u003eUltimately, any 21st century study of a mythological being must gather together as many strands of learning as possible in order to formulate a useful hypothesis. In the case of Apollo, these strands are expansive, permeative, and international, and at first blush, they can seem very confusing indeed. An important thing to bear in mind when approaching Apollo is that his role in the ancient Greek pantheon was eclectic, even by contemporary standards, and the expansion of Greek culture to other parts of the Mediterranean only served to compound his identity even further. The story of Apollo is an excellent example of how stories and characters can change when they're beloved across centuries, and it is for this reason that reading about the god is so enjoyable.\u003cbr\u003eArtemis had one of the most widespread cults in the Greek world, perhaps due to her connection to nature, which can be a ubiquitous antagonist or boon-giver. Her association with nature may also explain why she was one of the oldest deities in the Greek pantheon, although her appearance in the Mycenaean Linear B script (the earliest form of Greek that has been deciphered, dating to as early as 1450 BCE) is still contested. Etymology often gives modern readers a better idea of the earliest form of a deity, but Artemis's is confusing. Of course, that didn't stop many writers, both ancient and modern, from making attempts at it, either associating her with mythic qualities (such as \"maidenhood\" and \"purity\") and\/or giving her non-Greek origins. The latter is as unsurprising as the former, since Artemis had a large following throughout Greece and across Asia Minor, where her most famous temple-one of the Seven Wonders of the World-resided. It was in the Near East that Artemis embraced some of the wilder and more formidable characteristics many of the later Greek mythographers only hinted at.\u003cbr\u003eTo many modern readers, what is most surprising about Artemis is not her \"foreignness,\" but that she was not the carefree maiden prancing through woods and glades to give succor to animals in need.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51368248738015,"sku":"9781979830089","price":13.82,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/xuVYEiaJk89781979830089.webp?v=1789125106"},{"product_id":"niagara-falls-the-history-of-north-americas-most-famous-waterfalls-paperback-1","title":"Niagara Falls: The History of North America's Most Famous Waterfalls - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures *Includes historic descriptions of Niagara Falls written over the centuries *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents \"All trembling, I reached the Falls of Niagara, and oh, what a scene! My blood shudders still, although I am not a coward, at the grandeur of the Creator's power; and I gazed motionless on this new display of the irresistible force of one of His elements.\" - John James Audubon \"It's Niagara Falls. It's one of the most beautiful natural wonders in the world. Who wouldn't want to walk across it?\" - Nik Wallenda North America is full of natural wonders, but few inspire as much awe as Niagara Falls, the continent's most famous waterfalls. Comprised of three separate waterfalls (Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls), Niagara's falls can boast of the fastest flow rate in the world, dropping 6 million cubic feet of water every minute from as high as 185 feet. Situated on the border between the United States and Canada, Niagara Falls is not just a prime tourist spot but a source of hydroelectric power that attracted scientists like Nikola Tesla who hoped to harness the waterfalls' energy. In fact, Niagara Falls is so powerful that it is eroding the ground under it, to the extent that it will cease to exist in about 50,000 years. Niagara Falls is a byproduct of glaciers receding about 10,000 years ago, and it has been amazing people for as long as the area has been inhabited. It's widely believed Niagara is a word derived from the Mohawk tribe, but the most famous people now associated with the waterfalls are those who have dared to ride down the falls one way or another. The falls have seen both amateurs and professional stuntmen ride over it in barrels, some successfully and others fatally, and a local museum has even preserved some of the barrels used in the attempts. Just as daringly, others have tried to walk tightropes across the falls. Niagara Falls: The History of North America's Most Famous Waterfalls traces the history of the region and its establishment as a park. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Niagara Falls like never before, in no time at all.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51368251228383,"sku":"9781542504539","price":15.05,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/RjCSLAbbX29781542504539.webp?v=1789125111"},{"product_id":"operation-mockingbird-the-controversial-history-of-the-cias-efforts-to-manipulate-american-media-outlets-paperback","title":"Operation Mockingbird: The Controversial History of the CIA's Efforts to Manipulate American Media Outlets - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eFreedom of the press isn't just a fundamental right in America but a key part of the democratic process. When the United States secured its independence against Britain in the War of Independence in 1783, there was no certainty about what the new country would look like in terms of national governance. In 1787, delegates from the various states convened in Philadelphia to draft a constitution that would define this. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThe process involved some fundamental challenges: the new federal government had to be strong enough to act effectively at a national level but not so strong that the rights of states and individual citizens would be subsumed. After a great deal of debate, a solution was agreed upon. The House of Representatives would represent all of the people of the United States, while the Senate would represent the interest of individual states. The president would be elected by the Electoral College. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThis constitution was adopted in September 1887 and ratified by all states by 1890. However, it contained an important proviso: the Constitution would be subject to amendment through a complex and lengthy process. For many people in the US, especially those suspicious of the power of the new federal government, this was vital. Just two years after the new constitution was adopted, a new Bill of Rights was raised that suggested a total of 12 amendments. The First Amendment (and to many people, one of the most important) forbade Congress from passing laws that related to religion, but also from \"abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.\" \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFreedom of the press became one of the core principles of democracy in the United States. People could only place their votes in an informed way if the press was free to provide information about politicians and their actions. Politicians must also know that their actions were accountable through a press that informed voters honestly and accurately.\u003cbr\u003eUp to the 1960s, most Americans were confident they had access to a truly free press, but then series of revelations emerged that suggested the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had been subverting journalists in the US and elsewhere through the use of bribery, blackmail, and covert operations. By the late 1970s, this alleged CIA plan had a name: Operation Mockingbird. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMany people were understandably horrified at the notion that the federal government had attempted to operate counter to the First Amendment through one of its intelligence agencies, and Operation Mockingbird was widely discussed. These debates continue to the present day, including whether there actually was a covert CIA operation named Mockingbird, whether the operation truly sought to subvert the press in the US and elsewhere, and whether the operation really ended by 1976, as the CIA claimed. As such, nearly 50 years later, Operation Mockingbird remains a controversial topic.","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51368251654367,"sku":"9798876421876","price":13.48,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/FMmkbwwVZd9798876421876.webp?v=1789125112"},{"product_id":"the-world-health-organization-the-history-and-legacy-of-the-uns-top-international-public-health-agency-paperback","title":"The World Health Organization: The History and Legacy of the UN's Top International Public Health Agency - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures\u003cbr\u003e*Includes a bibliography for further reading\u003cbr\u003eApril 7 is World Health Organization Day, in honor of the day that the World Health Organization held the first World Health Assembly in 1948. International health conferences had been held nearly a century before this date, and international health organizations had been established in the half-century prior to the creation of the World Health Organization, but 1948 marked the year that a formal institution was created to direct and implement a concerted and truly global effort to investigate, prevent, control, and cure disease. As the world recovered from the Second World War, which included the reconstruction of Europe, the emergence of the United States as a world superpower, the spread of Communism in large parts of the world, and the end of European colonial empires, the World Health Organization had to respond to these economic and political challenges in order to coordinate international health policy. \u003cbr\u003eSince the inception of the World Health Organization (WHO), the nature of public health issues has evolved greatly. An initial focus on preventing the spread of communicable diseases led to addressing poor health outcomes as a result of poverty, population growth, lifestyle changes, and globalization which meant that diseases could spread around the world faster than ever before. The WHO has also had to adopt mechanisms to respond to rapidly to major outbreaks of disease which can lead to negative economic outcomes and severe strains on health care systems in the affected regions. Economic and political changes over the last 72 years have altered the WHO's global authority, its funding model, and the manner in which it carries out its mandate. Although medical science has advanced greatly since the WHO was established, newly emerging diseases have tested the WHO's ability to understand the epidemiology of these diseases and to combat them. The WHO has withstood various criticisms over the years, but today it still the agency of the United Nations that works with partners to lead global health responses.\u003cbr\u003eThe World Health Organization: The History and Legacy of the UN's Top International Public Health Agency examines how the WHO came about, and the kind of work it has done over the past 70 years. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about the WHO like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51368284455135,"sku":"9798679967472","price":13.48,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/Vu2ykuGhyu9798679967472.webp?v=1789125185"},{"product_id":"the-colonization-of-south-africa-the-history-and-legacy-of-the-european-subjugation-of-south-africa-paperback","title":"The Colonization of South Africa: The History and Legacy of the European Subjugation of South Africa - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e*Includes pictures\u003cbr\u003e*Includes contemporary accounts\u003cbr\u003e*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading\u003cbr\u003e\"The Boers were hostile toward indigenous African peoples, with whom they fought frequent range wars, and toward the government of the Cape, which was attempting to control Boer movements and commerce. They overtly compared their way of life to that of the Israel patriarchs of the Bible, developing independent patriarchal communities based upon a mobile pastoralist economy. Staunch Calvinists, they saw themselves as the children of God in the wilderness, a Christian elect divinely ordained to rule the land and the backward natives therein. By the end of the 18th century the cultural links between the Boers and their urban counterparts were diminishing, although both groups continued to speak a type of Flemish.\" - Encyclopaedia Britannica\u003cbr\u003eThe Boer War was the defining conflict of South African history and one of the most important conflicts in the history of the British Empire. Naturally, complicated geopolitics underscored it, going back centuries. In fact, the European history of South Africa began with the 1652 arrival of a small Dutch flotilla in Table Bay, at the southern extremity of the African continent, which made landfall with a view to establishing a victualing station to service passing Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie) ships. The Dutch at that point largely dominated the East Indian Trade, and it was their establishment of the settlement of Kaapstad, or Cape Town, that set in motion the lengthy and often turbulent history of South Africa.\u003cbr\u003eFor over a century, the Cape remained a Dutch East India Company settlement, and in the interests of limiting expenses, strict parameters were established to avoid the development of a colony. As religious intolerance in Europe drove a steady trickle of outward emigration, however, Dutch settlers began to informally expand beyond the Cape, settling the sparsely inhabited hinterland to the north and east of Cape Town. In doing so, they fell increasingly outside the administrative scope of the Company, and they developed an individualistic worldview, characterized by self-dependence and self-reliance. They were also bonded as a society by a rigorous and literal interpretation of the Old Testament. In their wake, towards the end of the 17th century, followed a wave of French Huguenot immigrants, fleeing a renewal of anti-Protestantism in Europe. They were integrated over the succeeding generations, creating a hybridized language and culture that emerged in due course as the Cape Dutch, The Afrikaner or the Boer.\u003cbr\u003eThe Napoleonic Wars radically altered the old, established European power dynamics, and in 1795, the British, now emerging as the globe's naval superpower, assumed control of the Cape as part of the spoils of war. In doing so, they recognized the enormous strategic value of the Cape as global shipping routes were developing and expanding. Possession passed back and forth once or twice, but more or less from that point onwards, the British established their presence at the Cape, which they held until the unification of South Africa in 1910. However, it would only come after several rounds of conflicts. \u003cbr\u003eThe Colonization of South Africa: The History and Legacy of the European Subjugation of South Africa looks at the controversial expeditions, fighting, and results. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about the colonization of South Africa like never before.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51368296775903,"sku":"9781090687029","price":15.62,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/Xwm-fFchrh9781090687029.webp?v=1789125214"},{"product_id":"the-clovis-culture-the-history-and-legacy-of-the-prehistoric-paleoamericans-paperback","title":"The Clovis Culture: The History and Legacy of the Prehistoric Paleoamericans - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn popular media and culture, the Paleolithic era is often depicted as a time when humans were completely savage, spoke with little more than grunts, hit women over their heads with clubs and kidnapped them, and of course, everyone lived in caves. The reality is that the Paleolithic era was a time of great change when humans coalesced into groups and developed different technologies that helped them survive and ultimately thrive in harsh environments. Among the most important technologies developed by Paleolithic humans were those helping them hunt because, after all, the Paleolithic era was when humans lived as hunters and gatherers, so human survival and advancement were contingent upon developing better tools and weapons. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e The discovery of distinct arrow tips throughout the United States, Canada, and parts of northern Mexico in the early 20th century, often referred to by archaeologists as projectile points, is a testament to the success of the Paleolithic culture, now known as Clovis. Modern scholars point to the extensive nature of Clovis archaeological sites as proof of its importance, yet these same scholars have only begun to uncover this culture, and as they do, more questions are raised than there are answers. Although most of the questions are not controversial, some of the answers scholars have forwarded are. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAny examination of the Clovis culture begins with what is known. Archaeologists know the approximate chronological and geographic range of the Clovis culture, and they can identify what made the Clovis people unique. These were the projectile points the Clovis people made, setting them apart from most people that came before and after them, and it was those same tools that made them a successful people for such an extended period in the harsh climate of the Upper Paleolithic era (50,000 to 12,000 years ago). Scholars have also determined that the Clovis people were big game hunters, chasing and killing mammoths and other now-extinct animals across North America. The picture that has emerged of the Clovis people is one of an industrious, resourceful, and prolific people who became masters of the environment and North America for approximately 2,000 years. That being said, there is also much that is not known about the Clovis culture. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAcademically speaking, there is probably more that is not known about the Clovis people than what is known. For example, the Clovis people's religious ideas, particularly about their views on an afterlife, remain a mystery. The lack of art at Clovis sites has also raised more questions, including if it was the result of a dearth of materials or societal norms and taboos, but perhaps the most hotly debated question surrounding the Clovis culture is its origins. It was once believed the Clovis people were the first to inhabit the Americas, but new evidence appears to suggest they were not. Studies have also questioned how the Clovis people arrived in North America, with the standard crossing of the Ice Age land bridge in Beringia being questioned in favor of other migration theories. An examination of the Clovis culture reveals just how important these Paleolithic people were to the history of North America, and although many questions remain, perhaps steps can be made toward answering a few of them.","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51368433909983,"sku":"9798320394909","price":12.13,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/pOO-vLWX1E9798320394909.webp?v=1789128412"}],"url":"https:\/\/blackandbarhe.com\/collections\/charles-river.oembed?page=4","provider":"Black \u0026 Barhe Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}