Charles River

*Includes pictures *Includes ancient accounts of the leaders and battles *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading In the history of war, only a select few men always make the list of greatest generals. Napoleon. Caesar. Alexander. They are always joined by Hannibal, who has the distinction of being the only man who nearly brought Rome to its knees before its decline almost 700 years later. Rome never suffered a more horrifying defeat in its history than at Cannae, and indeed, Hannibal nearly rewrote the course of Western history during the Second Punic War. Even today there remains great debate on just how he accomplished his masterful invasion of Italy across the Alps. Since his army included war elephants, historians still argue over exactly where and how he crossed over 2,000 years after he managed that incredible feat. Hannibal will always be listed among history's greatest generals, and his military campaign in Italy during the Second Punic War will always be studied, but part of the aura and mystique surrounding the Carthaginian legend is that there is still a lot of mystery. Since Carthage was destroyed by Rome a generation after Hannibal, most of what is known about Hannibal came from the very people he tormented in the late 2nd century B. C., and thus much of his background and life story is unknown. Moreover, while military historians are still amazed that he was able to maintain his army in Italy near Rome for nearly 15 years, scholars are still puzzled over some of his decisions, including why he never attempted to march on Rome in the first place. Spartacus is the world's most famous slave, and one of the most notorious figures of Ancient Rome. A slave enamored of freedom and willing to fight and die for it, he became especially popular in the years following the Enlightenment, after which he was widely viewed as a poignant champion of liberty in the 18th and 19th centuries. As a result, he became a symbol during struggles like the French Revolution, the American Revolution, the American Civil War and the struggle for emancipation. The reason for Spartacus's enduring appeal is obvious. Firstly, he was a gladiator, a profession so violently spectacular that to this days it remains one of the most popular and fascinating aspects of ancient Rome - as testified by the popularity of such productions as Gladiator and the endless queues of tourist outside the ruins of the Colosseum. Secondly, he was a man who, at least on the surface, fought for freedom - not just his but that of every slave in his region of Italy - and he did so almost two millennia before slavery was officially abolished in the United States. Attila, Emperor of the Hunnic Empire and thus most commonly known as Attila the Hun, is an idiosyncratic figure who has become more myth than man, not least because much of his life is shrouded in mystery. Perhaps the most famous "barbarian" in history, Attila was the lord of a vast empire spanning two continents, but he is best remembered for what he did not conquer. Though he seemingly had Rome at his mercy in 452, he ultimately decided not to sack the Eternal City, and a year later he had suffered a mysterious death. Naturally, the dearth of information and the passage of time have allowed myths and legends to fill in the most important details of Attila's life. Why did a man at war with the Roman Empire for so long decide not to sack Rome in 452? Did a meeting with Pope Leo the Great convince him to spare the capital of the Western half of the empire? Did a vision from St. Peter induce Attila to convert to Christianity? Was Attila murdered by his new bride? Many authors and chroniclers have provided many answers to the many questions, but the lack of answers has allowed Atilla to become the face of ancient barbarity and the embodiment of the furious nomadic conqueror.

*Comprehensively covers the two outlaws' most notorious shootouts and robberies, their relationship, and their deaths. *Includes pictures of Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and important people and places in their lives. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "I will be the meanest bastard you ever saw when I get out of here." - John Dillinger "He had a baby face. He was good looking, hardly more than a boy, had dark hair and was wearing a gray topcoat and a brown felt hat, turned down brim." -The wife of Chicago Mayor Big Bill Thompson describing the man who attacked her and stole her jewelry in October 1930. America has always preferred heroes who weren't clean cut, an informal ode to the rugged individualism and pioneering spirit that defined the nation in previous centuries. The early 19th century saw the glorification of frontier folk heroes like Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone. After the Civil War, the outlaws of the West were more popular than the marshals, with Jesse James and Billy the Kid finding their way into dime novels. And at the height of the Great Depression in the 1930s, there were the "public enemies", common criminals and cold blooded murderers elevated to the level of folk heroes by a public frustrated with their own inability to make a living honestly. Two months after Franklin D. Roosevelt's inauguration in 1933, a petty thief who had spent almost a decade behind bars for attempted theft and aggravated assault was released from jail. By the end of the year, that man, John Dillinger, would be America's most famous outlaw: Public Enemy Number One. From the time of his first documented heist in early July 1933, until his dramatic death in late July of the following year, he would capture the nation's attention and imagination as had no other outlaw since Jesse James. America saw in Dillinger what it wanted to see, and even his death seemed scripted for Hollywood. The man who became Public Enemy Number One after the deaths of John Dillinger and Pretty Boy Floyd was Lester Joseph Gillis, whose alias "George Nelson" eventually gave way to the nickname "Baby Face Nelson". Despite the almost playfully innocent nickname, and the fact that he was not as notorious as two of his partners in crime, Dillinger and Floyd, Baby Face Nelson was the worst of them all. In an era where the outlaws were glorified as Robin Hood types, Baby Face was a merciless outlier who pulled triggers almost as fast as he lost his temper. By the time fate caught up with Baby Face Nelson in November 1934 at the "Battle of Barrington", a shootout that left his body riddled with nearly 20 bullet holes, he was believed to have been responsible for the deaths of more FBI agents than anybody else in American history. It was a distinction he would have appreciated; during one bank robbery, Baby Face Nelson gleefully screamed "I got one " after shooting police officer Hale Keith several times. Due to his association with Dillinger and his own crime spree, Baby Face Nelson became a fixture of pop culture and was the main character in a few Hollywood films two decades after his death. Though he is not remembered as colorfully as Dillinger or Bonnie and Clyde, he is often remembered paradoxically as being a devoted family man who even had his wife and children on the run with him. Leading the Dillinger Gang looks at the lives and crimes of the two outlaws, including their time together running the Dillinger gang, and it also analyzes their legacies. Along with pictures of the outlaws and important people, places, and events in their lives, you will learn about Dillinger and Baby Face like never before.

*Includes pictures of each general, and important people, places, and events in their lives. *Includes an original introduction for each general. *Includes a bibliography for each general. The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, and the men who led it, continue to be among the most popular topics of Civil War history, as historians analyze their battles and the generals' decisions, and how to attribute blame and success to the Army's leaders. With the exception of George Washington, perhaps the most famous general in American history is Robert E. Lee (January 19, 1807 - October 12, 1870), despite the fact he led the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia against the Union in the Civil War. As the son of U. S. Revolutionary War hero Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee III, and a relative of Martha Custis Washington, Lee was imbued with a strong sense of honor and duty from the beginning. And as a top graduate of West Point, Lee had distinguished himself so well before the Civil War that President Lincoln asked him to command the entire Union Army. Lee famously declined, serving his home state of Virginia instead after it seceded. Thomas Jonathan Jackson is one of the most famous generals of the Civil War, but many of the people he continues to fascinate probably don't remember his whole name. That's because Jackson earned his famous "Stonewall" moniker at the First Battle of Manassas or Bull Run, when Brigadier-General Bee told his brigade to rally behind Jackson, whose men were standing like a stone wall. Ironically, it's still unclear whether that was a compliment for standing strong or an insult for not moving his brigade, but the nickname stuck for the brigade and the general itself. One of the most important, and controversial, Confederate generals during the Civil War was Lieutenant General James Longstreet, the man Robert E. Lee called his "old war horse." Longstreet was Lee's principal subordinate for most of the war, ably managing a corps in the Army of Northern Virginia and being instrumental in Confederate victories at Second Bull Run, Fredericksburg, and Chickamauga. Longstreet was also effective at Antietam and the Battle of the Wilderness, where he was nearly killed by a shot through the neck. Had Longstreet died on the field in early May 1864, he would almost certainly be considered one of the South's biggest heroes. However, it was his performance at Gettysburg and arguments with other Southern generals after the Civil War that tarnished his image. Alongside Lee, no one epitomized the chivalry and heroism celebrated by the Lost Cause more than JEB Stuart (1833-1864), the most famous cavalry officer of the Civil War. Stuart was equal parts great and grandiose, leading the cavalry for the Confederacy in Lee's Army of Northern Virginia until his death at the Battle of Yellow Tavern in May 1864. Stuart was a throwback to the past, colorfully dressing with capes, sashes, and an ostrich plumed hat, while sporting cologne and a heavy beard. But he was also brilliant in conducting reconnaissance, and he proved capable of leading both cavalry and infantry at battles like Chancellorsville. As the eyes and ears of Robert E. Lee's army, none were better, despite the fact that he was only in his late 20s and early 30s during the Civil War, far younger than most men of senior rank. The Leaders of the Army of Northern Virginia comprehensively cover their lives, careers, and legacies of all 4 of its best known and most important leaders. Along with pictures, maps of battles, and bibliographies, you will learn about Lee, Jackson, Longstreet and Stuart like you never have before.

*Includes pictures *Includes the men's quotes own quotes about their lives and careers *Includes a transcript of Abbott & Costello's "Who's on First?" *Includes a bibliography for further reading By the 1920s, English comic Stan Laurel had been in dozens of films and American Oliver Hardy had appeared in hundreds, but it was not until they formed a duo together in 1926 that they began to truly be noticed. Once they did, however, Laurel & Hardy became one of the most famous comedy teams in American history, with a career that spanned 4 decades and included over 100 combined shorts and feature films. Even today, nearly 60 years after their last performances together, Laurel & Hardy are still popular, alongside legends like The Three Stooges and Abbott & Costello, and their routines are still watched across the globe. Perhaps most importantly, Laurel & Hardy were forerunners of slapstick comedy and thus influenced those that followed. Their complementary styles of slapstick humor, with the thin, childish Laurel acting as a foil for the overweight and overly pompous Hardy, offered a template for others to follow, and the duo established several famous gags that other acts like the Stooges subsequently mimicked. For example, when Laurel occasionally came up with a smart idea, something completely out of character, the surprised Hardy would ask him to repeat what he just said, and Laurel would be unable to replicate it. That theme would recur with Curly and the Stooges, and Laurel & Hardy's use of "D'oh " has been made even more famous by Homer Simpson in The Simpsons. Of course, the physical aspects of their slapstick, which often included destruction and mayhem, proved popular for them and several groups as well. Ironically, one of America's most famous comedy duos, and the performers of the country's most famous skit, came together in part because Lou Costello had already failed to cut it in the film industry. In fact, Costello had appeared in a Laurel & Hardy film in 1927 before meeting his partner, Bud Abbott, on the burlesque circuit in New York City. In fact, the two first performed together in 1935 only because Abbott filled in for Costello's usual partner, who happened to be ill one fateful day. Over time, Abbott & Costello perfected their routine, which typically consisted of Abbott playing the straight man while his dimwit partner acted foolishly and interrupted his plans. It was a shtick that also did well on radio, albeit one that required Costello to modify his voice with a higher pitch that not only differentiated his from Abbott but also made him sound appropriately dumber. By 1940, they were not only successful on the radio but also among America's most popular movie stars, a status they held almost consistently throughout the decade and into the early 1950s. The legendary comedy duo performed together for decades, and like similar acts, their popularity began to wane over time, but Abbott & Costello are still household names today. While all of their material is still in syndication and watched by many, they are best known today for "Who's on First", the famous routine in which Abbott's answers about the names of baseball players at various positions on the field sound like questions and completely confuse Costello. Although the skit was pieced together from various others, it was immortalized by Abbott & Costello and helped popularize not only the duo but some of their subsequent material. Laurel & Hardy and Abbott & Costello: America's Most Popular Comedy Duos examines the lives, careers, and comedy of the famous performers. Along with pictures and bibliographies, you'll learn about them like never before.

*Includes pictures of Fidel and important people, places, and events. *Includes some of Fidel's quotes about Cuba, the Revolution, and America. *Includes a Bibliography of books about Castro and written by him. "Men do not shape destiny. Destiny produces the man for the hour." - Fidel Castro, 1959. Fidel Castro is one of the most influential and controversial men of the last 50 years, equally revered and reviled by people across the globe. To the West, Castro has long been one of the prominent faces of Communism, and the main reason Cuba has been ostracized by many liberal democracies, particularly the United States. On the other hand, Castro has been admired by those who despised capitalism, and despite the fact the political platform Castro advocated has been almost universally repudiated and only maintains a weak hold even in Cuba, Castro's Marxist-leaning writings and speeches have influenced other leaders across the globe, from Hugo Chavez to Nelson Mandela. Although his health has been poor for several years, and rumors relentlessly abound about his imminent demise, Castro continues to be the face of Cuba, for better and worse. But while everybody is at least partially familiar with his leadership of the Cuban Revolution and Cuba itself, far fewer are familiar with Castro's past and the vision he had for himself. Latin American Revolutionaries: The Life and Legacy of Fidel Castro chronicles the life, work and revolutions Castro was involved in, while analyzing the controversies and legacy he left in his wake. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events in his life, you will learn about Fidel like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes a list of Che's most memorable quotes. *Includes pictures of Che and important people, places, and events in his life. *Analyzes Che's enduring legacy. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall." - Che Guevara Ernesto Guevara de la Serna, known to the world as Che, has led two lives. In the first of these lives, the Argentine-born revolutionary was a remarkable and flawed doctor-turned-guerilla who left behind a highly controversial political legacy. In the second, he was - and is - first and foremost an image. Specifically, he is one particular image in which he appears as a wavy-haired, bearded young man with a beret and an intense gaze. The photograph, entitled Guerrillero Heroico and taken on March 5, 1960 by Cuban photographer Alberto Korda, is said to be the most reproduced image in the history of photography. Although Che's face, as captured by Korda, first achieved its global iconic status during the student revolts of the 1960s, it has subsequently reappeared again and again as a branding device for a wide array of products. Korda himself brought a copyright lawsuit against Smirnoff Vodka for using Guerillero Heroico in an advertising campaign, and since Korda's 2001 death his daughter has gone to court with several other companies. There is little market for the type of revolution that Che advocated and pursued, but the aura of rebellion that his image exudes still carries a notable sway. The current status of Che Guevara, then, is paradoxical. The political platform he advocated as a communist revolutionary has been almost universally repudiated and only maintains a weak hold even in Cuba, the country where he exercised the greatest impact. The violent struggles he spearheaded in the Congo and Bolivia look at best quixotic and at worst foolish and pointlessly destructive. Yet Che is in no danger of being forgotten, mainly due to the persistent appeal of a decontextualized image. Most ironically of all, his image is frequently deployed to the direct economic benefit of the kinds of multinational corporations whose power he hoped to obliterate. In contrast to the quaint and hoary air that now surrounds other revolutionaries like Lenin, Mao, and even Fidel Castro, Che has managaed to maintain a youthful glamor and allure in the post-Cold War world. And although any future revolutionary movements in an increasingly urbanized world are unlikely to look much like the peasant insurgencies Che led and theorized, it is likely that their leaders will continue to invoke his image and his example. When considered as a political figure, Che is most notable for his unwavering commitment to the ideals and goals that motivated him. Having reached the pinnacle of his authority as the second-in-command of the new revolutionary Cuba and having occupied several prominent government positions, he preferred to leave Cuba and take part in obscure and ultimately hopeless struggles in remote corners of Africa and South America. He was as vulnerable as any of the far less famous men he fought with, and he suffered the same fate as many of them. Depending on who's asked, his dogged and fierce commitment may be described as admirable idealism or as deranged dogmatism. Latin American Revolutionaries: The Life and Legacy of Che Guevara chronicles the world's most famous revolutionary's life and examines his writings and the revolutions he led, but it also humanizes the guerrilla leader and looks at the controversies and legacy he left in his wake. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events in his life, you will learn about Che like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of Kristallnacht written by eyewitnesses *Includes footnotes and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents "It did not take long before the first heavy grey stones came tumbling down, and the children of the village amused themselves as they flung stones into the many coloured windows. When the first rays of a cold and pale November sun penetrated the heavy dark clouds, the little synagogue was but a heap of stone, broken glass and smashed-up woodwork." - Eric Lucas' description of the destruction of a synagogue during Kristallnacht On the 40th anniversary of Kristallnacht, Germany's night of broken glass, then chancellor of Germany Helmut Schmidt spoke of its legacy, "The German night, whose observance after the passage of forty years has brought us together today, remains a cause of bitterness and shame. In those places where the houses of God stood in flames, where a signal from those in power set of a train of destruction and robbery, of humiliation, abduction and incarceration- there was an end to peace, to justice, to humanity. The night of 9 November 1938 marked one of the stages along the path leading down to hell." The hell that Schmidt spoke of was the persecution and attempted elimination of the Jewish people from Europe itself as envisioned by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi leadership he brought to power in Germany during the 1930s. On the night of November 9, 1938, an organized show of force against Jewish businesses and private homes occurred throughout German cities and recently annexed territories in Austria and the Sudetenland. This night would mark a turning point in the lives of not only Jews but all people of the time, marking a clear new path of violence, destruction, and persecution for Jews throughout Europe in the years to follow. Though German Jews had been discriminated against in many forms for as long as the German nation existed, Kristallnacht is widely viewed as the key point in the chronology of Jewish persecution, and many historians consider it to be the beginning of the Holocaust itself. With the condoned and even coordinated violence of Kristallnacht, a new and unprecedented era of anti-Jewish sentiment and action began. The name Kristallnacht is in itself controversial. The origin of the term, which translates as the night of crystal or the night of broken glass, is unknown. There has been conjecture that the Nazi propaganda minister, Josef Goebbels himself, coined the term, but there is now considerable concern in Germany over anything that might seem to make light of or minimize the events of the Holocaust, so the name Kristallnacht is not favored. Instead, the November Pogrom or Reich Pogrom is the preferred term amongst German historians. As Walter Pehle, German professor of Nazi history, warns, "It is clear that the term Crystal Night serves to foster a vicious minimalizing of its memory, a discounting of grave reality: such cynical appellations function to reinterpret manslaughter and murder arson and robbery, plunder, and massive property damage, transforming these into a glistening event marked by sparkle and gleam." Rabbi Benjamin Blech sees the acceptance of the term as a way to "verbally embrace the very heresy that abetted the Holocaust" and likens it to "murder by euphemism." In fact, the Nazis themselves referred to the attacks as the "Jew Action". Though they would describe the event as a spontaneous response of good Germans who could no longer stand the intrigues of the Jews in their midst, Reichskristallnacht, or the November pogrom, was not only allowed but fueled and encouraged by Nazi leaders in an effort to remove the Jews politically, economically, socially, and even physically from German life and culture. Kristallnacht: The History and Legacy of Nazi Germany's Most Notorious Pogrom analyzes one of the most controversial events in pre-war Germany.

*Includes pictures *Includes contemporary accounts of the war written by colonists *Includes online resources, footnotes and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents "With many such reasons, but whatever be the cause, the English have contributed much to their misfortunes, for they first taught the Indians the use of armes, and admitted them to be present at all their musters and trainings, and shewed them how to handle, mend and fix their muskets, and have been furnished with all sorts of armes by permission of the government, so that the Indians are become excellent firemen. And at Natick there was a gathered church of praying Indians, who were exercised as trained bands, under officers of their owne; these have been the most barbarous and cruel enemies to the English of any others. Capt. Tom, their leader, being lately taken and hanged at Boston, with one other of their chiefs." - An account of the war written by Edward Randolph, an English emissary for King James II What was the bloodiest war in American history? Most people with at least a little knowledge of history would quickly say that it was the Civil War (1861-65), and they would certainly be correct overall. In recently-updated numbers, it is thought that over 750,000 Americans died in the Civil War from battle wounds, diseases and other causes. In a single day at the battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862, almost 27,000 soldiers were killed, wounded and missing. However, when historians go farther back in time and include colonial wars and look at casualties per capita, the correct answer would be the much-lesser known conflict known as "King Philip's War" (1675-76). While a significant 2.5% of the U. S. population perished in the Civil War, 5% of New England's white settler population died during King Philip's War, during which 13 towns were destroyed and 600 dwellings were burned by the natives. A larger, indeterminate number of the native population also died in the war. A hundred thousand pounds, an enormous sum of money in those days, was expended by the colonies in defeating the Indians. Edward Randolph, who was sent to the colonies a few years after the war, bemoaned just how ruinous and unnecessary the fighting had been: "The losse to the English in the severall colonies, in their habitations and stock, is reckoned to amount to 150,000 there having been about 1200 houses burned, 8000 head of cattle, great and small, killed, and many thousand bushels of wheat, peas and other grain burned (of which the Massachusets colony hath not been damnifyed one third part, the great losse falling upon New Plymouth and Connecticot colonies) and upward of 3000 Indians men women and children destroyed, who if well managed would have been very serviceable to the English, which makes all manner of labour dear. The war at present is near an end. In Plymouth colony the Indians surrender themselves to Gov. Winslow, upon mercy, and bring in all their armes, are wholly at his disposall, except life and transportation; but for all such as have been notoriously cruell to women and children, so soon as discovered they are to be executed in the sight of their fellow Indians." King Philip's War: The History and Legacy of the 17th Century Conflict Between Puritan New England and the Native Americans examines one of the most important wars fought in the colonial era. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about King Philip's War like never before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures of Henry, Anne and important people, places, and events in their lives. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "We are, by the sufferance of God, King of England; and the Kings of England in times past never had any superior but God." - King Henry VIII "To us Anne Boleyn ] appears inconsistent-religious yet aggressive, calculating yet emotional, with the light touch of the courtier yet the strong grip of the politician-but is this what she was, or merely what we strain to see through the opacity of the evidence? As for her inner life, short of a miraculous cache of new material, we shall never really know. Yet what does come to us across the centuries is the impression of a person who is strangely appealing to the early twenty-first century: A woman in her own right-taken on her own terms in a man's world; a woman who mobilised her education, her style and her presence to outweigh the disadvantages of her sex; of only moderate good looks, but taking a court and a king by storm. Perhaps, in the end, it is Thomas Cromwell's assessment that comes nearest: intelligence, spirit and courage." - Eric Ives Over 450 years after his reign, Henry VIII is still the most famous and recognizable King of England, but it's for all the wrong reasons. Though well regarded by contemporaries as a learned king and "one of the most charismatic rulers to sit on the English throne", he is best remembered today for his gluttony and multiple marriages, particularly the gruesome way in which he was widowed on more than one occasion. Naturally, that was the focus of the popular Showtime drama series centered around his life, The Tudors. Henry VIII will probably continue to be best known for beheading some of his wives, most notably Anne Boleyn, so it is somewhat fitting that his most decisive act came as a result of a marital mishap. Sharply at odds with the Catholic Church over his attempt to dissolve his marriage with Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII ultimately broke with the Church and established the Church of England, which forever both the religious history of England and the social hierarchy of the nation and its empire. Of Henry VIII's wives, none is more famous than his second, Anne Boleyn, who even today remains both famous and infamous for her personal and political life nearly 400 years after her death. Anne was a vixen and ultimately a victim, but she was also an astute politician, foolish lover and wise woman who could never decide whether to listen to her heart or her head. She was also both an adulteress and religious reformer, and these two qualities would come together to change the face of English Christianity forever. Anne came into the court with a better idea of what she was getting herself into than any other of Henry's queens, but even she could not see foresee how fickle fate would cost her both her love and her life. Like Catherine of Aragon before her, she would be unable to hold on to her wandering husband. However, she would, ironically, be the last of his queens that he'd ever cheat on. Early female mortality and his own failing health would keep him faithful to the women who would follow her as queen, in a way that the teachings of the Church and common decency never would. King Henry VIII and Queen Anne Boleyn looks at the lives of the famous king and queen, but it also analyzes their enduring legacies and popular legends about them. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes dozens of pictures of Lincoln, Kennedy, and other important people, places, and events. *Explains how Booth's plot against Lincoln evolved and the political circumstances that compelled Kennedy to make his fateful trip to Dallas. *Covers the aftermath of both assassinations, including the manhunt for Booth and the investigations of the Kennedy assassination. *Discusses the conspiracy theories surrounding the Kennedy assassination and the similarities and differences between Kennedy, Lincoln and their assassinations. In the annals of American history, few moments have been so thoroughly seared into the nation's conscience that Americans can remember exactly where and when they heard about an earth-shattering event. In the 19th century, there was the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, and in the 20th century there was Pearl Harbor and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Until April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth was one of the most famous actors of his time, and President Abraham Lincoln had even watched him perform. But his most significant performance at a theater did not take place on the stage. That night, Booth became one of history's most infamous assassins when he assassinated President Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D. C. Although Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia had surrendered days earlier, Booth believed the war was not yet over because Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston's army was still fighting the Union Army, so he and his group of conspirators plotted to kill Lincoln and other top officials in a bid to decapitate the federal government and help the South. Perhaps not surprisingly, the actor's flair for the dramatic came at a cost to the plot. It took almost no time for the shocked public and the federal government to begin unraveling Booth's conspiracy, which had mostly faltered from the beginning. Following the shooting, America's most famous manhunt commenced, which itself became the stuff of legends. November 22, 1963 started as a typical Friday, and many Americans were unaware that President Kennedy was even heading to Dallas, Texas. John and Jackie arrived in Dallas in the morning, with Texas Governor John Connally alongside them and Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson due to arrive later to meet them there. As the First Couple rode with the Connallys in an open motorcade en route to a speech Kennedy would deliver later. As they waved to the people lining the streets, around 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time, Governor Connally's wife turned around to the first couple and said, "Mr. President, you can't say Dallas doesn't love you." Moments later, the most controversial assassination in American history took place as a series of shots were fired at the motorcade. The indelible images provided by the Zapruder film of Kennedy being hit in the throat and head, followed by Jackie crawling over the backseat toward the trunk are now instantly recognizable. Within minutes, the news of the shooting began to spread from Dallas across the nation, and everyone's worst fears were confirmed when the President was declared dead about half an hour after the shooting. In the wake of the shooting, Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested, proclaimed his innocence, and was then murdered himself by Jack Ruby two days later. The day after that, the President was given a state funeral and procession. The unbelievable chain of events that took place in those 72 hours understandably left the nation shell-shocked. Killing The President chronicles the two most shocking assassinations in American history, the chaos that ensued in the immediate aftermath, and their similarities and differences. Along with dozens of pictures, you will learn about the assassinations of Lincoln and Kennedy like you never have before.

*Includes pictures.*Includes a bibliography for further reading. "You will be home before the leaves fall from the trees." - Kaiser Wilhelm II to German troops leaving for the front at the start of World War I. Kaiser Friedrich Wilhelm II, who occupied the throne of the German Empire for more than 30 years from June 1888-November 1918, remains as much an enigma in death as he was in life. Over 70 years after his death in 1941, the mention of his name still sparks unsettled debates among historians. Was he the duty-bound, hands-on leader and passionate pro-British reformer who ruled in challenging times, seemingly mild by comparison with Hitler? Or was he an inept, mentally imbalanced and reckless seeker of attention? Was he even possibly a tragic hero that could only fail at his task given the complexities of his age? At the core of such diverse opinions are the contradictory assumptions found within the vast amount of scholarship that exists on the emperor and his era. On one point, however, there is agreement: his influence on imperial Germany was enormous. The earliest writings on Wilhelm II tended to treat him either bitterly as the most hated man in Europe and an out-of-touch autocrat who mismanaged his government and left the world embroiled in the greatest war it had ever seen, or as a respectful and loyal servant of the state and faithful husband. But in the past 50 years, historiography has favored a dispassionate approach that has transcended the earlier writings' depiction of the Kaiser either slavishly or as the cause of the age's tribulations. This dispassionate trend in scholarship originated with a seminar on "Kaiser Wilhelm II as a Cultural Phenomenon", given in 1977 at the University of Freiburg by Professor John R hl and based on his discovery of new archival materials. Two years later, R hl and others met in Corfu and presented a series of pioneering studies about the influence of the Kaiser on German politics. R hl believed he found in Wilhelm II the key to understanding the recklessness and downfall of Imperial Germany. The Kaiser, according to R hl's theory, promoted the policies of naval and colonial expansion so extensively that they inevitably caused a sharp deterioration in British relations before 1914. Given that he was a longstanding emperor of one of World War I's major combatants, it seems odd that it would take 50 years of research to come to the conclusion that the Kaiser played a major role in the march to war. But the early exculpatory research also had its arguments. In 1919, German diplomat Bernhard von B low removed from German archives any documents that might support the view that Germany was responsible for the war, so only documents which lessened Germany's role in bringing about World War I could be seen by researchers. From 1923-1927, the German Foreign Ministry published dozens of volumes from the archives and carefully edited them to make it appear that the war was the result of a breakdown of international relations. Holger Herwig has concluded that most if not all research on Germany's role in the First World War prior to Fritz Fischer's book Griff nach der Weltmacht is little more than an ideologically-driven "sham". Kaiser Wilhelm II: The Life and Legacy of Germany's Emperor during World War I examines the life of one of the 20th century's most important rulers, and the debates over his legacy. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Germany's most famous Kaiser like you never have before.

*Includes pictures of historic art depicting Judgment Day. *Explains how different cultures and religions conceived of Judgment Day, and how it affected Christian interpretations of it. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. "Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." - Revelation 20:11-15 The concept of a future day when the whole of humanity will stand before God in order to be judged for their actions upon Earth is pervasive in Western literature, mostly owing to its roots in the Judeo-Christian worldview, but such a religious concept is not limited to the Judeo-Christian religious tradition. In fact, it seems to be much more deeply seated in the human psyche because it appears in many disparate religious traditions. That said, the reasons for the pervasive nature of such a concept are not difficult to unravel. Human cultures across the world have a sense of fair play, and while they might have slightly different takes on what constitutes fair play, there is certainly a universal underlying conception of it. In addition to this, there is a distinct impression of a cosmic imbalance in terms of right and wrong; the sense of injustice inherent in human life is one of the most basic observations that poets and philosophers have made throughout human history, and such themes are interwoven throughout world literature, both ancient and modern. Obviously, there are occasions where good people who adhere to the rules of fair play seem to be unjustly punished, while bad people, who flagrantly disregard the same rules, often seem to be rewarded by such bad behavior. Naturally, this cries out for some resolution, and one common solution among the faiths is the idea that injustice in the present world will be righted in the world to come. The idea of Judgment Day restores balance to what might otherwise be conceived of as a cosmic imbalance, so while moral choices in this life might not have their full consequences realized, a just God has the opportunity to mete out appropriate rewards and punishments for moral behavior in the life to come. Religious believers see this concept as divine revelation regarding the events that will take place at the end of time, but non-believers view it primarily as a psychological coping strategy to deal with an innate sense of justice. Karl Marx articulated this view in his Communist Manifesto, asserting that religion in general (he did not distinguish between individual religions) seeks to comfort those suffering in the present life by means of persuading them of a joy to be found in the afterlife. Judgment Day: The Historical and Religious Evolution of the Concept of Last Judgment comprehensively looks at the origins of the concept, and how people's beliefs have evolved over time across different religions. Along with pictures, you will learn about the idea of Judgment Day like never before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures. *Includes Scripture passages about Judas's life and betrayal. *Explains arguments over the Gospel of Judas. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. "And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present." - Luke 22: 4-6 Even someone with a casual knowledge of the Bible will recognize the name Judas Iscariot. Well known as the disciple who betrayed Jesus, the Messiah, with a kiss, Judas has become synonymous with betrayal and deception. The most infamous of the Apostles, Judas goes from true follower to a turncoat who seemingly sacrifices the cause for personal benefit. Not surprisingly, the names of the other disciples will appear in birth registries around the world, except for Judas, whose name is still associated with suspicion and even fear. It goes without saying that Judas is an interesting character in the development of the salvation history. His person, his act of betrayal and even his replacement were predicted by the Old Testament prophets, which some Biblical scholars take as evidence that Judas was doomed from the beginning to be the betrayer and had no choice. But by taking a closer look at the history, the reader will see several points along the way, even up to the moment of the final kiss, in which Jesus gave Judas the opportunity to repent. God's plan was going to be fulfilled, and God was going to use an individual to bring about the betrayal of Jesus, but at the same time, Judas made several conscious choices along the way to reject the Messiah and turn Jesus over to the Roman authorities. Like many other teachings of the Bible, the infinite wisdom of God and the finite understanding of man clash in the life of Judas. Divine sovereignty predetermined that Judas would be the betrayer, yet the free will of man allowed him to make his own decisions. At the same time, a relatively recent discovery has cast doubt on the traditional understanding of Judas's life and actions. The Gospel of Judas, a Gnostic text purportedly written in the 3rd or 4th century A. D., casts Judas as a hero who directly follows Christ's explicit orders and accepts the weight of being responsible for Christ's death as the price to pay for being one of the chosen. In this controversial account, Judas is actually portrayed as the one who is favored by Jesus and worthy of praise, while the other 11 disciples are characterized as not understanding the true nature of God. Not surprisingly, this lost gospel has brought about considerable controversy, both over the authenticity of the text and the validity of what was written in it. Judas: The Life of the Apostle Who Betrayed Jesus explores the known and unknown of the life of Judas, and the actions that led to Christ's crucifixion. This book looks at the Biblical narrative of the disciple to gain an understanding of his position in the Gospels. Digging into the Biblical record and accompanying that record with cultural and historical facts, readers can begin to understand the character of this disciple turned betrayer. It also looks at the controversial Gospel of Judas, a text purporting to present an alternative account of the relationship between Jesus and Judas. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about Judas like never before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures *Includes Nash's quotes about his own life and career *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents "In madness, I thought I was the most important person in the world." - John Nash, Jr. In 2001, the critically acclaimed film A Beautiful Mind introduced millions to John Nash, Jr., one of America's most important 20th century mathematicians, nearly 50 years after he had won a Nobel prize for his work. Naturally, most viewers of the movie will remember a prodigy suffering from paranoid schizophrenia while overlooking how the man's innovative studies and works had a major influence on everything from economics to biology, cryptography, artificial intelligence, and political philosophy. The "Nash equilibrium," a theory he developed when he was still a student in his 20s, has also affected games, military doctrine, and computing. Nash was still doing groundbreaking work and was in the prime of his life when he began demonstrating all kinds of odd behavior, initially alarming his wife Alicia and then stunning the academic world with an incoherent lecture in 1959. As it turned out, he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, which made him see things and believe in wild conspiracies like a national communist takeover by men wearing red ties. For nearly a decade after the diagnosis, Nash was treated in hospitals with various kinds of medication, including shock therapy, and Nash himself termed his mental health issues as making him go "from scientific rationality of thinking into the delusional thinking characteristic of persons who are psychiatrically diagnosed as 'schizophrenic' or 'paranoid schizophrenic'". Over time, with a better understanding of the problem and treatment, Nash began to recover his mental faculties and get back to work in the last few decades of the 20th century. Fittingly, some of that work included coming up with hypotheses and theories about mental health issues, thereby having an impact on evolutionary psychology, and he was subsequently recognized with a countless number of awards for both his past and present work. Indeed, when he died in a car accident in May 2015 at the age of 86, he was returning from Norway, where he had been given the Abel Prize, awarded by the Norwegian government to outstanding mathematicians. John Nash, Jr.: The Life and Legacy of One of America's Most Influential Mathematicians chronicles the life and work of Nash and the impact he had on math and economics. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Nash like never before.

*Includes pictures. *Includes accounts of battles by the two partisan leaders and other important soldiers. *Includes footnotes and a bibliography of each for further reading. The Civil War is best remembered for the big battles and the legendary generals who fought on both sides, like Robert E. Lee facing off against Ulysses S. Grant in 1864. In kind, the Eastern theater has always drawn more interest and attention than the West. However, while massive armies marched around the country fighting each other, there were other small guerrilla groups that engaged in irregular warfare on the margins, and perhaps the most famous of them was Colonel John Mosby and William Quantrill. Mosby, the "Gray Ghost" of the Confederate lore that celebrates the Lost Cause, has an image that has proven nearly impossible to corrupt or change, and time has done little good against it. Unlike the vanished 19th century code of honor that he represented, Mosby has retained the image and all its connotations; evident in the pictures taken of him in his Confederate uniform and historical portrayals of him, whether they were written just after the Civil War or much later. But that image, which he helped fashioned, was mostly an invention. While the South would come to idolize "Southern gentlemen" as epitomized by Robert E. Lee, Mosby operated under a far different nature. Though he enlisted with the Confederate army in Virginia after Fort Sumter, he ultimately left the infantry to join J. E. B. Stuart's cavalry, and he later became infamous as an irregular scout leading a group of rangers around Virginia. Of course, the successful feats of daring that Mosby would accomplish during the war, which included capturing a Union general and riding around behind enemy lines to raid and destroy supplies, were supported by the people of Virginia, thus legitimizing his unconventional move to leave army life. Mosby not only earned the nickname "Gray Ghost" by being elusive, he was so successful that part of Virginia was known as "Mosby's Confederacy" during the war, despite the presence of massive Union armies nearby. Quantrill's Raiders operated along the border between Missouri and Kansas, which had been the scene of partisan fighting over a decade earlier during the debate over whether Kansas and Nebraska would enter the Union as free states or slave states. In "Bloody Kansas", zealous pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces fought each other, most notably John Brown, and the region became a breeding ground for individuals like Quantrill who shifted right back into similar fighting once the Civil War started. Rather than target military infrastructure or enemy soldiers, the bushwhackers rode in smaller numbers and targeted civilians on the other side of the conflict, making legends out of men like Bloody Bill Anderson and John Mosby. However, none are remembered like Quantrill and his men, not only because of their deeds during the Civil War but because of the actions of some of the former Raiders after it. Quantrill is best known for raiding Lawrence, Kansas in August 1863 and slaughtering nearly 200 boys and men between the ages of 14-90, under the pretext that they were capable of holding a gun and thus helping the Union cause. After that massacre, Union forces in the area retaliated in similar fashion, forcing Southern sympathizers out of several counties in the area and burning the property. Union forces also detained those accused of assisting Quantrill's Raiders, including their relatives. Quantrill himself was killed while fighting in June 1865, nearly two months after Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox, but his name was kept alive by the notorious deeds of his Raiders during the war and the criminal exploits of former Raiders like Jesse James and his brother, as well as the Younger brothers. These men, who had fought with Quantrill, became some of America's most famous outlaws.

*Includes pictures of Calvin and important people. *Explains Calvin's theological beliefs and his break with the Catholic Church. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "God by a sudden conversion subdued and brought my mind to a teachable frame, which was more hardened in such matters than might have been expected from one at my early period of life. Having thus received some taste and knowledge of true godliness, I was immediately inflamed with so intense a desire to make progress therein, that although I did not altogether leave off other studies, yet I pursued them with less ardour." - John Calvin, Commentary on the Book of Psalms John Calvin (1509-1564) was one of the most important religious figures of the last millennium and an instantly recognizable name across the globe. An influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation, the period when he was most active, namely the 1530s and 1540s, was marked by increased complexity and the diffusion of the Reformation into several branches. Alongside Martin Luther, Calvin was one of the central Reformers, and after fleeing to Basel, Switzerland, he published the Institutes of the Christian Religion in 1536. Calvin was a tireless and controversial worker who corresponded with other leading reformers of the day, but he was also a deeply theological man who published his own interpretations and teachings on Scripture. Today, he is chiefly remembered for the religious proponents that bear his name as Calvinists, and their steadfast devotion to the doctrine of predestination and the absolute sovereignty of God in salvation of the human soul from death and eternal damnation. Like Martin Luther, it has become hard to separate fact from fiction when it comes to historical accounts of Calvin, and it's just as difficult to determine what (if any) distinctions exist between the thoughts and writings of Calvin and the evolution of the Calvinists over the last 4 centuries. John Calvin: The Life of the Man and the Legacy of the Reformer provides an objective and comprehensive overview of Calvin's life while thoroughly contextualizing both the history of his life and the legacy of his work. Along with excerpts of his writings, a bibliography, and pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about John Calvin like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures *Analyzes the Biblical accounts of Jesus and the sources the Gospels relied on *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents The life story of Jesus of Nazareth, considered by billions of Christians to be the Messiah prophesized in the Old Testament of the Bible, is perhaps the most famous in history. Described in detail in the New Testament, Jesus comes from both divine yet humble roots, born in a manger to a young woman, but in time he leads a fervent following as tales of his miracles spread across the Holy Land. Of course, a central aspect of Jesus's life is the situation in Israel and its ongoing conflict with Rome, which helped compel and inspire Jews to seek a savior that would deliver them from their enemies. The country is dismembered and hides religious renegades in the wilderness, waiting inside caves for the final battle against Rome. Apocalyptic effervescence has never been so intense in Israel as now. Jesus speaks in parables and enacts them, and they are understandable to the ears and eyes of a 1st century Jews. His words certainly don t talk about resignation or about future life in heaven, but about a plan, a program. His aphorisms don t command good behavior or spiritual contemplation, like the Buddha. They speak of judgment, first, and then the restoration of Israel, though perhaps not in the way that their listeners expect. He compares his movement with the mustard plant, this pernicious botanical species that the Latin naturalists describe as a destructive pest, since it invades agricultural land and attracts birds, thus destroying the crops. He compares the Kingdom of God with yeast, which remains hidden inside the bread until the decisive moment, when it can no longer be ignored. He speaks preferably to the lowest of the low, the nobodies: the prostitutes, children, lepers and beggars, and he asks them to be ready, to watch and be alert for the signs. The crucifixion and resurrection that follow create the climactic resolution of Jesus' life story and cement his status as the Christ, at least in the eyes of the burgeoning religious movement that would sweep across the region in the coming decades. An anonymous writer would compose the first gospel, Mark, and the major theme would be the way of Jesus to his death. His followers, whose movement would originally be called "the way," would also bring about a new religion that has lasted 20 centuries, and while it is focused on the figure of Jesus, the rural man of Israel who started it all, the historical Jesus was gradually enshrined under layers of sermons, chants, legends and philosophies that would be alien to Jews in Jesus's day. Like ideological strata, they covered the historical facts, obscuring the Jesus of history under the Christ of faith. Given the fact that the Bible's account is so well known, it's perhaps unsurprising that people in the modern day have become more interested in trying to uncover lesser known details about Jesus, arguably the most important figure in history. This has ranged from arguments over his life to arguments over his very existence, making the historical search for Jesus all the more important. From supporters citing 1st century sources like Tacitus to skeptics comparing Jesus to past religions' heroes and other mythological figures, people continue to try bolstering their case, no matter which side they fall on. Jesus of Nazareth: The Historical Search for the Christian Messiah chronicles the life of Jesus and the historicity of the man believed to be the savior of Christianity. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Jesus like never before, in no time at all.

Hoy, el profeta de Nazareth sigue despertando un vivo inter s en una amplia cantidad de c rculos ortodoxos y heterodoxos. Los libros sobre l son tan abundantes como la proverbial planta de mostaza. Jes s, cuya muerte ocurri hace casi dos mil a os, contin a siendo la m s c lebre figura religiosa, seguida por cuando menos dos mil millones de personas en todo el mundo, y fuente de inspiraci n para algunas m s.

*Includes pictures *Includes contemporary accounts of the colonies *Includes a bibliography for further reading John Smith is one of the most common names in the English language and akin to the use of John Doe, but every Briton and American is familiar with the explorer and mercenary Captain John Smith, who helped found the first permanent English colony in the New World at Jamestown in 1607. Jamestown is fondly remembered today for being the first permanent English settlement in the colonies, but it was not fondly remembered by those who lived and died there. The English quickly learned it would be difficult to establish a permanent settlement because of the poor weather, the swampy terrain, the hostile natives living nearby, and the general inexperience and ineptitude of the English settlers. During their first winter, everyone nearly starved, and more than half of the settlers died. By the end of the winter of 1609-1610, known as the "starving time", barely 10% of the settlers were still alive. Nevertheless, Jamestown is remembered today because the settlement did survive through the hardships and go on to serve as the capital of the English colony for much of the 17th century. At the same time, one of the biggest reasons for its survival and fame today can be attributed to the local Native Americans, particularly Pocahontas, who has added both a human and romanticized, mythological element to Jamestown. She was the daughter of the paramount chief (mamanatowick) Powhatan, leader of an Algonquian-speaking native group in eastern Virginia. It was this group that Smith and the other English settlers came into contact with, and Smith credited her with saving him from being killed by the Native Americans. After that, Smith was able to establish relatively friendly relations and trade with the local inhabitants, ensuring Jamestown's survival. Though the Virginian colonists had difficulty in the beginning, by the late 1620s the Chesapeake area was thriving, having become a haven for those seeking economic opportunity in the new world. Pressures in England were growing as King Charles I was on the throne. Though Charles I himself was an Anglican, many suspected him of Catholic sympathies, a suspicion not alleviated by Charles I marriage to a French Catholic princess. Many Protestants had a growing desire to practice their faith and conduct their lives away from the mother country, and sought refuge in a destination called New England. The land chosen by this group, who "could pay their own way across the Atlantic" in contrast to the poorer settlers of the Chesapeake region was "colder, less abundant, but far healthier" than Virginia. Ultimately, the men of the New England Company decided that the time had come to remove themselves from England, and to pursue their lives in the Americas. The Dorchester Company was founded by a group of investors with an interest in settlement in the New World. This settlement would be a for-profit venture, but it would have as its two main causes the spreading of the Gospel to the Indian population and the stop of the spread of Roman Catholicism in the American colonies. John White, the company's leader, also wanted to compete with the separatists who had begun the Plymouth colony in 1620. Cape Ann, a promontory very near to Cape Cod was established by the Dorchester Company as an early settlement. The fishing was excellent, but Cape Ann proved unable to provide the farm goods needed to sustain the Puritan settlers who came to the New World. The Dorchester Company was dissolved, but investors seeking to salvage its aims formed the New England Company or Massachusetts Bay Company and secured a charter just before King Charles I dissolved the Parliament in 1629.

*Includes pictures *Includes contemporary accounts and testimony about the Whitechapel murders *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents "I keep on hearing the police have caught me but they wont fix me just yet. I have laughed when they look so clever and talk about being on the right track... How can they catch me now. I love my work and want to start again. You will soon hear of me with my funny little games." - Excerpt from one of the letters believed to have been written by Jack the Ripper When one hears the term "Victorian," many images come to mind. For some, the term conjures up visions of lace and gloves and delicate fans. Others think of tight corsets and even tighter morals. Others, swayed perhaps by one too many British costume dramas, envision gentle elegance and long lost beauty. Naturally, few people think of multiple dead bodies cast about in the streets or dark bedrooms, most mutilated to a shocking degree, and yet, those tragic images played a significant role not only in late Victorian London but ever since. In 1888 and 1889, a killer stalked the dark backstreets of the city through the notoriously overcrowded and crime-ridden Whitechapel district, murdering young women and then cutting their bodies up like a butcher. As is so often the case with a serial killer, the first murder was largely ignored. She was a "fallen woman," a prostitute barely worthy of police notice. But then there was another victim, killed and butchered while plying her illicit trade. The police took notice and, by the time the third body was found, also mutilated and filleted like a fish, the public took notice too. An outcry began to swell from the good people of the city who, though willing to overlook a prostitute dying in the streets of alcohol poisoning or a venereal disease, were disconcerted by idea of a mass murderer. Then came two victims found in one day, and a feeling that, if the killer remained on the loose, there was nothing to stop him from seeking victims anywhere, even in the nice suburban neighborhoods of the rising middle-class. As more victims turned up, terror spread throughout the city, and it even became news across the globe, but then the murders seem to have ended just as quickly as they began. There have been a countless number of serial killers throughout history, and certainly more prolific ones, but the timing, circumstances, and unsolved nature of the case continue to make Jack the Ripper the most famous serial killer in history. The intense media coverage trained the spotlight on local police, who interviewed thousands and considered hundreds of suspects, and it likely played a role in both the actual murderer and would-be copycats and pranksters sending hundreds of letters to police claiming to be Jack the Ripper. It's also indisputable that the use of a precise modus operandi, the serial killer being given a nickname, and the taunting letters sent to police all influenced subsequent serial killers and the way they were covered. Whether it's the Zodiac Killer, the Son of Sam, or the Boston Strangler, the antecedent of all 20th century and 21st century killers remains Jack the Ripper. The Jack the Ripper case continues to fascinate historians and amateur sleuths so much that people have dubbed themselves Ripperologists, and since nobody knows for sure who the killer was, every aspect of the crimes is up for discussion, down to who the actual victims of the Ripper were and whether there was actually more than one Ripper. In addition to considering so many suspects, the police were only certain that 5 of the victims (the "canonical five") were killed by Jack the Ripper, but there were at least 11 documented murders over the course of several years, and today those are called the Whitechapel murders. This book chronicles the crimes of the infamous serial killer and the speculation surrounding which of the crimes he committed.