Charles River

*Examines the legend that Abner Doubleday invented baseball, including the origins of the legend and its veracity. *Includes Doubleday's accounts of Fort Sumter, Antietam, and Gettysburg. *Discusses the controversies surrounding Doubleday's life and legacy. *Includes pictures of Doubleday and important people and places. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "Gen. Doubleday was not a man of 'personal magnetism' nor what is called a dashing officer.' He was an earnest and conscientious man and a safe and steady soldier-precise, methodical, and to be depended on in any emergency." - General Don Carlos Buell 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. Abner Doubleday (1819-1893) had one of the lengthiest Civil War resumes and an influence that made him worthy of national recognition. Doubleday is credited with firing the first shot in defense of Fort Sumter, the opening fight of the war, and he played a pivotal role on the first day of the Battle of Gettysburg, taking command of the I Corps early on the morning of July 1, 1863 after General John Reynolds was killed. Doubleday also led a division at South Mountain and then at Antietam, where he was injured during deadly fighting in the Cornfield and the West Woods. One colonel described him as a "gallant officer ... remarkably cool and at the very front of battle", and his personal character was so admired among the rank-and-file that one of his men humorously asserted, "He is deficient considerably in the requisites of a commander. He does not drink whiskey...stays with his command and seems anxious to do his duty and fight Rebels.... He also allows his wife to stay with him when he ought to keep a mistress." Despite his Civil War service, few people remember Abner Doubleday for his military career today, and it has basically been relegated to the status of historical footnote. Instead, Doubleday has become the inadvertent beneficiary of the myth that he invented baseball, and he is almost universally remembered for that claim. In conjunction, the widespread belief that Doubleday invented baseball resulted in his hometown of Cooperstown, New York becoming home of Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame. This is all in spite of the fact that Doubleday never claimed to have invented the game much less said anything of note about it, which should come as no surprise since baseball was so commonplace by then that it was a popular game played in army camps among Civil War soldiers on both sides. American Legends: The Life of Abner Doubleday profiles the life of the Civil War general, examines his military career, and explains the origins of the myth that he invented baseball. Along with pictures, you will learn about Doubleday like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures *Includes Biblical citations *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading The beauty of a spider web cannot be appreciated if only one single strand thereof is seen; nor can only one piece of a jigsaw puzzle make the whole thereof understood. It is only when all the pieces are fitted that the significance and importance of each part can be appreciated. Even so the covenant that God established with Abraham has its prelude far in the past, and its development and consummation reach far into the future. The whole of the picture is essential to even just glimpse the incomprehensive nature of God's love, longsuffering, patience, and His persistence in reaching the goal that He had predetermined. Then we can also appreciate His message through the profit Isaiah: "My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways My ways, says Jehovah. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isa.55:8-9). It is because of this that we have the old saying "Scripture explains Scripture." This means that, where there is uncertainty, we can look to the wider context in Scripture in order to understand what we are reading at present. A very good example of this is that we read in 1Cor.10:2 that all the Israelites were baptized into Moses in the events relating to the cloud and the sea. Now, if we read the story of the exodus from Egypt, it is clear that there was no physical ritual or ceremony relating to baptism, but what is seemingly a contradiction is clearly solved by the rest of Scripture. In the apostle Paul's other letters he makes it clear that he wanted to convey the fact that the Israelites identified with Moses by following him through the sea and after the cloud, as described in Ex.13:21-22 and 14:15-31. The Abrahamic Covenant: The Establishment, Development, and Consummation of the Promises Made by God to Abraham examines the various stages of the Abrahamic covenant and how they are all related to man's salvation. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Abrahamic Covenant like never before.

*Illustrated with dozens of pictures of leaders and places In May 2011, President Barack Obama gave speeches about the Middle East that discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, using terms like "final status issues," "1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps," and "demographic realities." Obama's speeches were strongly denounced by both the Palestinians and the Israelis, while political commentators across the world debated what Obama's speeches actually meant. Four months later, in September, the Palestinians sought statehood at the United Nations. Why would the Palestinians go to the U. N. after President Obama had made clear for months that the U. S. would ultimately prevent any attempt at Palestinian statehood with its veto in the Security Council? Welcome to the Middle East conflict, a conflict that is technically 63 years old and counting but has its roots in over 2,000 years of history. With so much time and history, the peace process has become laden with unique, politically sensitive concepts like the right of return, contiguous borders, secure borders, demilitarized zones, and security requirements, with players like the Quartet, Palestinian Authority, Fatah, Hamas, the Arab League and Israel. Over time, it has become exceedingly difficult for even sophisticated political pundits and followers to keep track of it all. Until now. Decoding the Conflict Between Israel and the Palestinians cannot solve the peace process, nor does it heap credit or blame on any of the sides. This book goes about breaking down all the terms often thrown around in the Middle East that make the peace process a political minefield, and one that both beginners and sophisticated followers have a hard time keeping up with. Serving as both a glossary and primer of the history of the Middle East conflict and the peace process, Decoding the Conflict between Israel and the Palestinians defines the terms, looks at the region's history, discusses previous attempts at negotiations like Oslo and Taba, identifies important figures, and explains the arguments and mentalities of each side, showing why the conflict has proven so intractable. Along with analysis, anecdotes, and dozens of maps and pictures of important events and people, Decoding the Conflict between Israel and the Palestinians will get you up to speed on the history of the Middle East conflict and serve as a reference point that will help keep you updated as events in the region unfold.

*Includes pictures of Chaplin and important people, places, and events in his life. *Includes Chaplin's own quotes about his work, politics, and more. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "I remain just one thing, and one thing only - and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any politician." - Charlie Chaplin Only a select few actors become international stars in their time, but none had as unique a career as Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin was the first true film star, and he managed to do so even when films were still silent. He has been honored with too many awards to count, and the fact that his name remains instantly recognizable nearly a century after his first film is a testament to his influence. Even today, Chaplin's films are arguably more recognizable than those of perhaps any other actor or director; everyone is familiar with the famous "Tramp" costume and persona, and even the casual film enthusiast has likely seen films such as City Lights (1931) and Modern Times (1936). Chaplin is known for the singular blend of pathos and humor evinced by his films, and it is not uncommon for audiences to laugh and cry at alternate points of a Chaplin film, a trait that continues to endear audiences even to this day. For this reason, in his review of Stephen Weissman's biography of Chaplin, Martin Sieff noted, "It is doubtful any individual has every given more entertainment, pleasure, and relief to so many human beings when they needed it most." As Sieff's comment suggests, Chaplin's career coincided with the two World Wars and the Great Depression, but while Chaplin the actor was popular, Chaplin the person became controversial in the final decades of his life. In fact, there is a wide discrepancy between the almost uniformly enthusiastic praise of Chaplin today and the subversive identity he cultivated toward the latter part of his career. Although accusations of being a communist sympathizer and Chaplin's confrontation with the House Committee on Un-American Activities have mostly become a footnote in the storied career of a man best remembered as an acting pioneer, it forced Chaplin to spend the last 15 years of his career working as an artist in exile, and the shifting viewpoints of Chaplin were instrumental in forcing people to evaluate the way in which they viewed celebrities, as well as what it means to be entertained. Indeed, it is impossible to substantiate the belief that Chaplin's later films are poorer in quality than his earlier ones, yet the public largely rejected his later directorial efforts. In the end, it must be acknowledged that, more than any other figure who had come before him, the public was aware of Chaplin's personal life in ways that were often upsetting and inconsistent with the persona effected through his films. Due to the way Chaplin was vilified, relatively little is known about the final chapter of Chaplin's life, and one of the prevailing tensions concerning Chaplin is the way in which he is incredibly famous on the one hand but also a particularly mysterious and even unknown figure on the other hand. After Chaplin's body was stolen from his grave, Kenneth Schuyler Lynn pointed out that "the image of his empty gravesite came to symbolize his historic elusiveness, as a person no less than as a performer." How is it that a director who is arguably more famous than any other also held such an "elusive" sensibility? British Legends: The Life and Legacy of Charlie Chaplin comprehensively examines Chaplin's life and films, exploring the controversies and the ways in which his life and works are mutually informative. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Charlie Chaplin like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures of Newton and important people in his life. *Discusses Newton's discoveries and theories, including the legend about the falling apple inspiring his discovery of gravity. *Includes excerpts of Newton's most influential quotes and writings. "Here is buried Isaac Newton, Knight, who by a strength of mind almost divine, and mathematical principles peculiarly his own, explored the course and figures of the planets, the paths of comets, the tides of the sea, the dissimilarities in rays of light, and, what no other scholar has previously imagined, the properties of the colours thus produced. Diligent, sagacious and faithful, in his expositions of nature, antiquity and the holy Scriptures, he vindicated by his philosophy the majesty of God mighty and good, and expressed the simplicity of the Gospel in his manners. Mortals rejoice that there has existed such and so great an ornament of the human race He was born on 25 December 1642, and died on 20 March 1726/7." - Inscription on Sir Isaac Newton's tomb. 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' British Legends series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of Great Britain's most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. In 1676, Sir Isaac Newton famously wrote in a letter to philosopher Robert Hooke, "If I have seen further it is by standing on ye sholders of Giants." By the time he died, Newton had become science's greatest giant, and every scientist who has followed him has stood on his shoulders. Newton is widely considered the most influential scientist in history, best known for the discovery of gravity and the subsequent laws of motion that he theorized. Schoolchildren around the world are still taught the famous legend about an apple falling on Newton's head, but that colorful story and the preoccupation with Newton's work in physics tend to make people forget Newton's work in other fields. Using empirical studies, Newton developed theories about light prisms, how matter cools, and even tried studying and calculating the speed of sound. And those are just the sciences; Newton also helped develop several mathematical fields, including calculus. When looking at Newton's work, it's easy to forget that he was also a man with typical human emotions and convictions. Though religion and science are often seen as antagonistic counterparts, Newton was very religious, and he intently studied the Bible and even occultist practices and theories. Newton wrote at length on these topics, which fascinated him so much that he spent more time writing about them than he did science and mathematics. British Legends: The Life and Legacy of Sir Isaac Newton chronicles the amazing life and legacy of a man whose work helped propel the Scientific Revolution and modern physics, but it also humanizes him and looks at his non-scientific work as well. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events in his life, you will learn about Sir Isaac Newton like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures *Includes Serling's own quotes about his life and career *Includes footnotes, a bibliography, and online resources for further reading *Includes a table of contents "There's nothing in the dark that isn't there when the lights are on." - Rod Serling 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. The "Golden Age" of television was in part so named because it was the era in which new technology was pioneered and industry rules were still being written. Here was a fascinating new medium, founded by executives with no previous body of experience, and a myriad of directions in which to proceed. Numerous factions spent the next generation wresting control over content and the content/product relationship. Some envisioned a public service and educational medium, while others sought sophisticated entertainment. With profit as the determining motive, executives and sponsors sought only what would evoke the most lucrative response. The term "Golden Age" also applies to the reality that much of the television programming in the 1950s was offered up as live performance, a dangerous and exciting time for both writers and actors. As pioneer director John Frankenheimer put it, "There were no old days. We were the old days." Frankenheimer went on to associate with one of the age's best and most prolific TV writers, Rod Serling, an enduring name in the realm of philosophical fright and ironic reflections of human injustice. In another sense, it was the writing of television scripts that defined the era, on as important level as the acting. Many of the best writers strove for a greater degree of enlightenment and public service, and in the process became the early stars of the new paradigm in communications. Many came from the world of radio where sophisticated content in adult programming reigned as a prerequisite for success. Among this group of gifted literary giants was Serling, a prolific writer and social thinker who came to be best known for his iconic Twilight Zone and Night Gallery. Through his personal literary standards, Serling sought to "challenge the medium of television to reach for loftier artistic goals," and for more than two decades, largely succeeded in the face of sponsor resistance and executive tinkering with content and format. In this "Golden Age" of new media writing, Serling and his contemporaries created a television format for which viewers tuned in to hear and see the work of great writers, with the focus on iconic stars to come later. Serling, who went on to be one of modern television's most recognizable writers, producers, spokesmen, and narrators/actors, hailed the potential of the early years as a time where "one could take chances." In the first decade of television's success as a public market, he envisioned a clear path toward a format in which one could write "stirring and relevant teleplays," remaining confident in the belief that individualistic and imaginative offerings would endure in the face of hands-on corporate sponsors and a strict sense of censorship prevalent in the early years. In that era, he was fond of uttering the phrase that supported his individualism, and that of others - "Being like everybody is like being nobody." In later years, he used the phrase in resignation and frustration, as his industry demanded increasingly formulaic and non-controversial offerings. American Legends: The Life of Rod Serling examines the life and career of America's most famous television icons. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Rod Serling like never before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures *Includes contemporary accounts *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading By the golden age of the mountain man in the mid-19th-century, there were perhaps only 3,000 living in the West. Their origins were disparate, although they included many Anglo-Americans. A good number hailed from wilderness regions of Kentucky and Virginia and throughout the newly purchased Louisiana Territory, which occupied the entire central section of the continent. French Canadians traveled from the north to work in the fur trade, while Creole-Europeans represented approximately 15% of the men known to be living the isolated mountain life. Others were of M tis, Spanish, American, Black, Indian, and mixed-blood origin, most often Iroquois or Delaware. Most came to the West in their late adolescent years, the oldest learning the trade in their 30s. Many roamed the west for as long as their constitutions would hold up under constant attacks on their health and personal safety. Some stayed too long and failed to survive the experience. Among the most famous, Jim Bridger arrived at the age of 16, while Edward Robinson was eventually killed in his 60s by what were known as "bad snakes," a reference to the Snake tribe in Idaho country. Jim Beckwourth left the mountains at 68 and Old Bill Williams died at the age of 62 when a band of Utes "made him to come." Regardless of their motivations for entering the western forests, fur trapping was a central component of the lifestyle in order to satisfy the east coast and European fashion industries. The quest for fur of several varieties, particularly beaver, peaked in the 1840s, but many of the trappers continued for decades longer. Those laboring in the lower positions of the trade lasted an average of only 2.7 years in duration, while mid-level positions, such as traders and clerks, averaged 6.3. Directors and factory owners generally continued for approximately 15 years. Eventually, fashion moved on to other resources, but for the better part of a century, the frontiersman was the only worker able to survive the rigors of wilderness life while maintaining prosperity. Most of the most notable frontiersmen traveled immense distances during their careers, and for many, only distant memories could recreate the routes taken. Few of the significant wilderness figures were experienced as cartographers to create accurate maps for industry, settlement, and the military. These American frontiersmen made first contact with numerous indigenous tribes in virtually every area of the west, but viable maps were few. Between such disparate cultures, relations could prove profitable or deadly at a moment's notice. The accuracy of expedition diaries might put other explorers in harm's way, or offer tremendous advantages. No one of European descent came to understand the traditions and psychology of the western tribes as did the western mountain man, and in some instances, he was the only figure with whom the Indian community would enact business. This was the backdrop for bold, innovative men who both explored the frontier and survived along it, and in time, their legacies even began to upstage their colorful careers. Men like Kit Carson, who was literally a trailblazer for John C. Fremont's historic expeditions through the West in the 1840s, became proficient in both talking with and fighting Native Americans, and they served as heroes for the country's dime novels during the mid-19th century. Of course, the stories embellished so much that when one man found out how diminutive Kit Carson truly was, he responded, "You ain't the kind of Kit Carson I'm looking for." America's Most Influential Mountain Men: The History and Legacy of the 19th Century Explorers Who Helped Chart Paths to the West chronicles the Western icons' lives and examines the myths and legends in an attempt to separate fact from fiction.

*Includes pictures of Lindbergh and important people, places, and events in your life. *Includes descriptions of Lindbergh's historic flight from his own words. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "If one took no chances, one would not fly at all." - Charles Lindbergh 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. In many ways, Charles Lindbergh represented the best and worst of America during the first half of the 20th century. Lindbergh became famous for being an aviation pioneer whose solo flight across the Atlantic captured the imagination of an entire world, yet he was an isolationist who wanted to keep American freedoms safe for Americans and no one else. Lindbergh was the quintessential family man, yet he fathered illegitimate children and suffered an unspeakable tragedy that became known as "The Crime of the Century." Lindbergh embodied some of his era's greatest virtues and harbored some of its worst prejudices. Lindbergh was a 25 year old U. S. Air Mail pilot who was probably best known for two crashes before shooting to fame with his non-stop flight across the Atlantic from New York City to Paris on May 20-21, 1927. Lindbergh was Time Magazine's first Man of the Year in 1927, and he used his newfound fame to promote the development of commercial flight and become a spokesman and symbol for advances in aviation. Tragically, Lindbergh was the subject of front page headlines in 1932 when his infant son, Charles, Jr., was kidnapped and murdered in the "Crime of the Century". After going into voluntary exile in Europe, Lindbergh found himself embroiled in scandals as he toured German (and Luftwaffe) aviation systems and took isolationist stances, at times making comments that were tinged with anti-Semitism and in favor of eugenics. Nevertheless, after Pearl Harbor, Lindbergh was rejected from serving in the armed forces, likely because President Roosevelt thought he was a Nazi sympathizer. But Lindbergh worked his way through administrative and technical positions to give himself the opportunity to fly about 50 combat missions in the Pacific, impressing his colleagues with his flying abilities and technical know-how. After World War II, as Lindbergh began to fade from the spotlight, he took up a number of causes, writing books and supporting environmental initiatives. The controversies began to fade as well, and when he died in 1974, he was remembered fondly for the Spirit of St. Louis and sympathetically for the Crime of the Century. American Legends: The Life of Charles Lindbergh chronicles the amazing life and career of Lindbergh, his greatest highs and most notorious lows, and everything inbetween. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events in his life, you will learn about "Lucky Lindy" like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures of historic art depicting Pocahontas and important people and places in her life. *Discusses John Smith's accounts of Pocahontas, the Mattaponi Native Americans' oral histories of Pocahontas, and the sharp differences between them. *Analyzes the legends surrounding Pocahontas and how her legacy was shaped. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "So it is, that some ten years ago being in Virginia, and taken prisoner by the power of Powhatan their chief King, I received from this great Savage exceeding great courtesy, especially from his son Nantaquaus, the most manliest, comeliest, boldest spirit, I ever saw in a Savage, and his sister Pocahontas, the King's most dear and well-beloved daughter, being but a child of twelve or thirteen years of age, whose compassionate pitiful heart, of my desperate estate, gave me much cause to respect her." - John Smith in a letter to Queen Anne, 1616 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. The life of Pocahontas fulfills a specific role in American culture and history. Her short life came to symbolize the first encounters between English settlers and the local native tribes, and the meaning of her name, "little plaything" or "little wanton," suggests that she was destined to be bandied about by the powers in her life. The men of the time simply assumed a young Native American girl did not deserve or even want respect. She had other many names, however, some which would have never been known to people outside her tribe, let alone European colonists. What historians do know is Pocahontas was also known as Matoaka, she was born sometime in 1595, and she was the daughter of the paramount chief (mamanatowick) Powhatan, leader of an Algonquian-speaking native group. She grew up in Tsenacommacha, the "densely inhabited Land" of eastern Virginia, where English explorers and settlers under the leadership of Lord Newport yearned to find a passage to the "other sea". The English settlers were also ready to play the role of the legendary Spanish conquistadors and hoping to find hidden gold in the region. Nevertheless, generations of Americans and English have been taught that Pocahontas was part of a unique fairy tale, saving the life of explorer John Smith and later becoming his wife. While their relationship has been the subject of countless historical texts and even children's books, it has no historical basis in fact. There is still even some doubt over whether she saved his life in the famous encounter that has ensured her name remains instantly recognizable nearly 400 years after her death. American Legends: The Life of Pocahontas profiles the life and legacy of the famous Native American girl woman, including the known and unknown, while analyzing her lasting legacy. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Pocahontas like you never have before, in no time at all.

"You don't want a messianic apocalyptic cult controlling atomic bombs." - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Welcome to the Middle East, where Israel and her neighbors have been engaged in diplomatic and military conflicts for nearly 64 years, with roots in the disputes dating back over 2,000 years of history. Founded in May 1948, Israel faced annihilation from the moment the state declared independence, finding itself invaded by Arab armies hoping to put an end to it before it had barely been born. Israel has since grown into the region's strongest military power, but it continues to face existential threats that leave its position perilous in ways more dangerous than any it has faced in over 40 years. In fact, the world has been on edge for months over the standoff between Israel and Iran. With Iran seemingly racing toward a nuclear bomb and showing no signs of relenting, all eyes are on the two sides' covert shadow war (including assassinations and cyber warfare), and ultimately whether Israel and/or the United States will use force to stop them. In Israel and Her Enemies, the authors of Decoding the Conflict between Israel and the Palestinians recount the history of all of the conflicts between Israel and her neighbors, while also getting readers up to speed on where things stand now between Israel and nations like Iran and Syria, as well as relations between Israel and substate groups like Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, and Hezbollah. Along with analysis, anecdotes, and dozens of maps and pictures of important events and people, Israel and Her Enemies is the perfect starting point for understanding how the Middle East conflicts have gotten to where they are at today, and what the future may hold.

*Includes pictures of the Kennedys and important people, places, and events in their lives. *Includes an introduction. "Don't let it be forgot that once there was a spot for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot" In many ways, John Fitzgerald Kennedy and his young family were the perfect embodiment of the '60s. The decade began with a sense of idealism, personified by the attractive Kennedy, his beautiful and fashionable wife Jackie, and his young children. Months into his presidency, Kennedy exhorted the country to reach for the stars, calling upon the nation to send a man to the Moon and back by the end of the decade. In 1961, Kennedy made it seem like anything was possible, and Americans were eager to believe him. The Kennedy years were fondly and famously labeled "Camelot" by Jackie herself, suggesting an almost mythical quality about the young President and his family. Much of the glamor and vigor of Camelot, if not the majority of it, was supplied by First Lady Jackie Kennedy, whose elegance and grace made her the most popular woman in the world. Her popularity threatened to eclipse even her husband's, who famously quipped on one presidential trip to France that he was "the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris." Lady Jeanne Campbell put it best, writing for The London Evening Standard, "Jacqueline Kennedy has given the American people...one thing they have always lacked: Majesty." Americans were fascinated by the young First Lady's style, and the manner in which she glamorously positioned both the First Family and the White House in those years, and Jackie remains one of the country's most popular First Ladies. But it was in the face of adversity that she truly made her lasting mark, with the country taking its cue from her in the aftermath of the president's assassination. Having devised and lit the eternal flame at JFK's tombstone, Jackie also set about securing her husband's legacy, a time still fondly and mythically remembered as Camelot today, despite his legendary transgressions and infidelities. As it turned out, the '60s closely reflected the glossy, idealistic portrayal of John F. Kennedy, as well as the uglier truths. The country would achieve Kennedy's goal of a manned moon mission, and the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 finally guaranteed minorities their civil rights and restored equality, ensuring that the country "would live out the true meaning of its creed." But the idealism and optimism of the decade was quickly shattered, starting with Kennedy's assassination in 1963. The '60s were permanently marred by the Vietnam War, and by the time Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. were assassinated in 1968, the country was irreversibly jaded. The events of the decade produced protests and countercultures unlike anything the country had seen before, as young people came of age more quickly than ever. Creating Camelot chronicles the amazing lives and legacies of John and Jackie, weaving their lives and legacies together into one narrative. Along with pictures of the Kennedy family and important people, places, and events in their lives, you will learn about the John and Jackie like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures of Helen Keller and important people in her life. *Includes Helen's quotes on politics, religion, inspiration, and more. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "Most people measure their happiness in terms of physical pleasure and material possession. Could they win some visible goal which they have set on the horizon, how happy they could be Lacking this gift or that circumstance, they would be miserable. If happiness is to be so measured, I who cannot hear or see have every reason to sit in a corner with folded hands and weep. If I am happy in spite of my deprivations, if my happiness is so deep that it is a faith, so thoughtful that it becomes a philosophy of life, - if, in short, I am an optimist, my testimony to the creed of optimism is worth hearing.." - Helen Keller 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. To say Helen Keller is one of the most unique figures in American history would be an understatement. As a young child, Helen lost both her vision and hearing, leaving her deafblind, an almost hopelessly debilitating condition that left her literally trapped, unable to communicate with anyone. As she would later write, "My life was without past or future; death, the pessimist would say, 'a consummation devoutly to be wished.'" Nobody would have blamed her for being hopelessly frustrated and imprisoned by her disabilities; in fact, that was to be expected. When her famous teacher, Anne Sullivan, brought Helen a doll and tried to teach her a few words by spelling them into her hand, the child became so frustrated that she broke the doll. As every American now knows, Helen eventually overcame the frustration and used unimaginable perseverance to overcome her disability. With Sullivan's help and the sense of touch, Helen eventually broke through and learned to communicate. Helen later recalled that after Sullivan put one of her hands in water and spelled water on the other hand, "I stood still, my whole attention fixed upon the motions of her fingers. Suddenly I felt a misty consciousness as of something forgotten - a thrill of returning thought; and somehow the mystery of language was revealed to me." Helen's story would have been remarkable enough if it had ended simply with her ability to communicate with the outside world, but "I had now the key to all language, and I was eager to learn to use it." With unbridled ambition, Helen became the first deafblind individual to earn a bachelor's degree from a college, published her own autobiography when she was just 22, and in the early 20th century became famous across the world as both an author and speaker. Naturally, Helen was a walking embodiment and advocate for people with disabilities, both the blind and deaf, but she was just as interested in other social and political causes, eventually becoming one of the most outspoken figures of her time. Those who were inspired by her story were surprised that she was willing to voice what they believed were radical beliefs on behalf of causes like women's suffrage, pacifism, and socialism. Helen also added actions to her words, founding both the Helen Keller International organization for research in vision, health and nutrition, and helping found the American Civil Liberties Union. American Legends: The Life of Helen Keller chronicles the amazing life and work of one of America's most famous women, explaining how she suffered and overcame her disabilities. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events in her life, you will learn about Helen Keller like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures of historic art depicting Black Hawk and important people, places, and events. *Includes Black Hawk's own quotes about his life and battles. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. "I was once a great warrior; I am now poor... I am now old. I have looked upon the Mississippi since I have been a child. I love the great river. I have dwelt upon its banks from the time I was an infant. I look upon it now. I shake hands with you, and as it is my wish, I hope you are my friends." - Black Hawk at Fort Madison, 1838 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. Of all the Native American leaders who attempted to resist the westward expansion of the United States and further white settlement during the 19th century, few fought as long or as hard as Black Hawk, a leader of the Sauk in the present-day Midwest. Though he is no longer as well-known as his contemporary Tecumseh, or subsequent Native American leaders like Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Geronimo, his eventual surrender and trip east as a prisoner turned him into one of the first Native American celebrities in the country. Long before curious Americans came out in throngs to get a glimpse of him, Black Hawk played a crucial role in some of the seminal events of the 19th century, including the negotiations of several treaties and the War of 1812. Today, of course, he is best known for leading a band of about 1,500 during the Black Hawk War in 1832, a series of small battles fought in the Wisconsin territory after Black Hawk led his people east across the Mississippi River in an attempt to reclaim his people's old lands in Illinois. One of the earliest battles in the war resulted in a shocking defeat of American militia and one of America's most notorious losses before the Battle of the Little Bighorn, but the fighting ultimately lasted only a few months, culminating in a massacre of Native Americans at the Battle of Bad Axe. During the fighting there, American soldiers literally pushed the Native Americans back to the Mississippi River and then shot men, women and children as they attempted to cross the river to safety. Given the limited amount of fighting, the Black Hawk War was hardly a war in the traditional sense, but it is still well-known among Americans today, and it was truly a seminal moment in American history. Black Hawk's defeat essentially ended all Native American resistance east of the Mississippi River and opened up the rest of Illinois and Wisconsin to white settlement. The war also provided an opportunity for some of the era's most famous Americans to get military experience, including several U. S. Senators, several Territorial Governors, future Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and most famously, Abraham Lincoln. American Legends: The Life of Black Hawk chronicles the life of the Sauk leader who defiantly fought to save his people's homeland, but it also humanizes one of the most famous Native Americans in American history. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Black Hawk like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading "The Gobi Desert seems like earth reduced to its most basic elements: rock, sky, glaring sunlight, and little else. The apparent emptiness is both compelling and intimidating. But the Gobi is not empty, it is filled with space, sky, history, and landscapes..." - Conservation Ink In August of 2008, London-based Jane Macartney published this striking description of the Gobi Desert in The Times: "On the Mongolian steppes, the emptiness and the silence inspire awe. From time to time, a huge, tawny eagle drifts on the breeze, watching for small animals to snatch amid the grasses. The only movement on the ground comes from the flocks of sheep and goats, yaks and cattle that roam, heads down, as they much their way across the grasslands..." Alongside this stunning and therapeutic view of the grassland critters are a smattering of white yurts which belonged to the Mongolian nomads who now inhabit the land. Gazing upon the rest of the Gobi, furnished with rolling plains, sweeping steppes, cragged mountains, and singing sand dunes, the desert instills in one a similar sense of inner peace. In fact, these Kodak scenes are so picture-perfect that it is almost impossible to imagine the adventurous discoveries, devastating wars, colorful commerce, and dramatically different landscape that once appeared in its place. The Gobi Desert: The History and Legacy of the Asia's Largest Desert examines the history of Asia's greatest desert. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Gobi Desert like never before.

*Includes pictures *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading For centuries, Christians and Muslims were embroiled in one of the most infamous territorial disputes of all time, viciously and relentlessly battling one another for the Holy Land. In the heart of Jerusalem sat one of the shining jewels of the Christian faith, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Legend has it that this was where their Savior had been buried before his fabled resurrection. What was more, it was said to house the very cross Jesus Christ had died upon. It was for precisely these reasons that fearless pilgrims, near and far, risked their lives and made the treacherous trek to Jerusalem. The Order of the Temple of Solomon, also known as the Templars or the Knights Templar, is one of the best-known and least-understood groups in history. They appear prominently in everything from novels (The Da Vinci Code) to films (as the Knights of the Cruciform Sword in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) to videogames (Assassin's Creed). In these stories, they are a sinister cult that manipulated historical events since the Middle Ages, via intimidation and assassination. They are usually connected to the Freemasons and, sometimes, to other historical cults like the Hindu Thuggees. The real Templars were both more mundane and more fascinating than the myths and legends. They were the first military religious order - monks who were also knights. The knights of the Teutonic Order have since been compared to the surreal creature that appeared to the biblical Ezekiel, one that bore 2 faces - one of a man's, and one of a lion's. The human side of the creature is said to symbolize the order's charity, whereas the lion was a metaphor for its valor and gallant spirit, which they relied on to vanquish the heathens of the world. Like other secretive groups, the mystery surrounding these military orders helped their legacies endure. While some conspiracy theorists attempt to tie the groups to other alleged secret socities like the Illuminati, other groups have tried to assert connections with them to bolster their own credentials. Who they were and what they had in their possession continue to be a source of great intrigue. The Catholic Church's Most Influential Religious Military Orders: The Controversial and Mysterious History of the Knights Templar, the Teutonic Knights, and the Order of the Holy Sepulchre chronicles the known history of the orders and examines the secrecy and mystery surrounding them. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Catholic Church's most famous religious military orders like you never have before.

*Includes pictures depicting important people, places, and events in each man's life. *Discusses interesting, lesser known facts about each man and answers common myths and misconceptions about them. Was Alexander referenced in the Qur'an? What were Caesar's last words? Was Napoleon really short? *Includes bibliographies on Napoleon and Alexander for further reading. "There is nothing impossible to him that will but try" - Alexander "I would rather be the first man in a humble village, than the second man in Rome" - Caesar "Courage cannot be counterfeited. It is the one virtue that escapes hypocrisy." - Napoleon Over the last 2,000 years, ambitious men have dreamed of conquering vast empires and attaining eternal glory in battle, but of all the men who took steps toward such dreams, few were as successful as Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Napoleon Bonaparte, all of whom have been inextricably tied together by their successes and ambitions. Over the last 200 years, would-be conquerors and generals hoped to rival Napoleon's accomplishments, while Napoleon aimed to emulate the accomplishments of Julius Caesar. But Caesar himself found inspiration in Alexander the Great (356-323 B. C.), the Macedonian King who managed to stretch an empire from Greece to the Himalayas in Asia at just 30 years old. It took less than 15 years for Alexander to conquer much of the known world. Alexander was responsible for establishing 20 cities in his name across the world, most notably Alexandria in Egypt, and he was directly responsible for spreading Ancient Greek culture as far east as modern day India and other parts of Asia. Alexander was a legend in his own time, and one of the men who viewed his body was possibly the most important man of antiquity, and even all of history: Julius Caesar. The ultimate conqueror, statesman, dictator, visionary, and opportunist, during his time in power Caesar expanded the borders of Rome to almost twice their previous size, revolutionized the infrastructure of the Roman state, and destroyed the Roman Republic for good, leaving a line of emperors in its place. His legacy is so strong that his name has become, in many languages, synonymous with power: the Emperors of Austria and Germany bore the title Kaiser, and the Czars of Russia also owe the etymology of their title to Caesar. His name also crept further eastward out of Europe, even cropping up in Hindi and Urdu, where the term for "Emperor" is Kaisar. When historians are asked to list the most influential people of the last 200 years, a handful of names might vary, but there is no question that the list will include Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), the most successful French leader since Charlemagne and widely acknowledged as one of the greatest generals ever. Indeed, Napoleon was likely the most influential man of the 19th century, leaving an indelible mark on everything from the strategy and tactics of warfare to the Napoleonic Code that drafted laws across the continent. To defeat Napoleon, the Europeans had to form large coalitions multiple times, which helped bring about the entangling alliances that sparked World War I after Europe was rebuilt following Waterloo and the Congress of Vienna. Conquerors chronicles the amazing lives and accomplishments of these conquerors, while discussing and explaining some of the myths and legends that have surrounded them for centuries. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Napoleon Bonaparte like you never have before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures. *Includes Cronkite's quotes about his life and career. *Examines Cronkite's most legendary coverage of important events like the Kennedy assassination. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. "And that's the way it is." - Walter Cronkite 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. The rise of cable media in the 21st century has seen news programming become more opinionated and partisan than ever before, and it has led many nostalgic Americans to yearn for the news programs of earlier times, with the seemingly objective anchor just giving viewers the facts. While that bygone era is no doubt idealized and romanticized to a certain degree beyond what it actually was, nobody epitomizes that era like Walter Cronkite, America's most famous news anchor. Still a household name today, decades after he went off air, Cronkite is still remembered as the kind of trustworthy broadcaster whose reports could be taken as truth. His outsized influence on the American viewing public is best remembered in one of the more memorable anecdotes of Cronkite's career, which came during the Vietnam War when he opined near the end of one broadcast, "But it is increasingly clear to this reporter that the only rational way out then will be to negotiate, not as victors, but as an honorable people who lived up to their pledge to defend democracy, and did the best they could." President Lyndon Johnson allegedly said in response, "If I've lost Walter Cronkite, I've lost Middle America." It's still debated whether or not the president said that, but it was certainly an apt representation of the news anchor's influence at the time. Cronkite's influence is perhaps rivaled only by the lengthy scope of his career, which spanned nearly 50 years and covered everything from World War II and Vietnam to the assassinations of President Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. His reports on the big news events of the 20th century are still iconic clips that remain intimately associated with the events they covered, and the sheer length of his career and the countless appearances on television screens in American living rooms helped make him "the most trusted man in America" by the end of his career. American Legends: The Life of Walter Cronkite examines the life and career of America's most famous news anchor. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Walter Cronkite like never before, in no time at all.

*Includes pictures *Includes ancient accounts *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading Dominated to this day by the sprawling white marble complex of the Acropolis, Athens is a city which is immensely and rightly proud of its past. For a period of roughly three centuries, the polis of Athens stood, if not in a position of unchallenged supremacy among the cities of Hellas, then at the very least among its three most important polities. Its fledgling Empire, though small by the standards later set by Alexander or the Romans, or even by those of its ancient enemy Persia, nonetheless encompassed cities as far afield as Asia Minor and Southern Italy, a remarkable fact considering such expansion was achieved by the inhabitants of a single city and its immediate surroundings, rather than by an entire nation. Athens is chiefly remembered for two reasons: its political system, which would in time form the nucleus of all Western democratic systems of government, and the remarkable number of outstanding individuals which, during the Golden Age of Athens, lived and flourished in the enlightened city-state. The Ancient Athenians formed the backbone of the West's entire culture, from the arts to philosophy and everything in between. The most unique city-state in Ancient Greece was Sparta, which continues to fascinate contemporaneous society. It is not entirely clear why Sparta placed such a great emphasis on having a militaristic society, but the result was that military fitness was a preoccupation from birth. If a Spartan baby did not appear physically fit at birth, it was left to die. Spartan children underwent military training around the age of 7 years old, and every male had to join the army around the age of 18. Sparta will forever be known for its military prowess, but they had lives off the battlefield as well, and their way of life was also unique. For example, Spartan females were formally educated, which was a rarity among the city-states, and the Spartan way of life was entirely dependent on a class of indentured servants known as the helots. Yet the Laws of Lycurgus, which ordered all Spartans to disregard art (with the exception of song, which the Spartans prized, and some forms of music and poetry), to distrust philosophy, and to abhor excess in all things, were designed to create the perfect warrior society, and they did. As a result, the Spartans became notorious for "Laconic phrases" In the Archaic and Classical periods, Rhodes often stood as a prime exemplar of the highs and lows of its fellow Greek cities, and as the largest island of the Dodecanese, Rhodes' history is largely in line with that of the rest of those islands. Rhodes would reach the zenith of its power in the Hellenistic period following the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B. C. Even as the rest of the city-states waned compared to the much larger kingdoms of Alexander's successors in Egypt and Asia, Rhodes would come to the forefront as a main power in the Greek world. Modern perceptions of Classical Greece are almost invariably based on Athens and Sparta, but Thebes was also a key player in the history of the region in this pivotal period. Indeed, it was, in fact, Thebes that was the major power for many of the years preceding the emergence of Macedon. The reasons for so little being known about Thebes and its contributions to ancient Greek civilization are complex, but the fact that it was totally destroyed by Alexander the Great is certainly one. Ancient Corinth had actually been founded in the 10th century B. C. and was, for most of its history, the richest port and the largest city in all of Greece. Corinth had a population in excess of 90,000 in 400 B. C., but the Romans leveled this original city in 146 B. C., killing all the male inhabitants and selling the women and children into slavery. This book weaves all these city-states' stories and histories together.

*Includes pictures of Rosa and important people, places, and events in her life. *Includes some of her most inspirational quotes. *Discusses Rosa's participation in some of the Civil Rights Movement's most famous events. "People always say that I didn't give up my seat because I was tired, but that isn't true. I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day. I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then. I was forty-two. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in." - Rosa Parks 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. Rosa Parks is one of the most famous women in American history, and an instantly recognizable name among Americans of all age, thanks to the events of December 1, 1955. That afternoon, on her way home from work, Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white person in defiance of Montgomery's segregated bus policies. Within days of her arrest, Montgomery's civil rights activists had organized a wide-scale boycott of Montgomery's buses by blacks. To lead the boycott, organizers formed the Montgomery Improvement Association, electing a young, 26 year old pastor president of the new group. His name was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In many histories, the narrative of Rosa Parks' life ends there. While she was celebrated and hailed as a civil rights activist for the next 50 years until her death in 2005, few details of her life aside from her determined act and arrest are remembered. The context of the time and place are also largely overlooked, most notably the fact that she was not the first black woman who was arrested for refusing to give up her seat in 1955. All of that is largely unfair, considering the fact that Rosa Parks suffered further abuse and stigma living in the South during the Civil Rights Movement. And instead of cashing in on her fame, she gave much of the money she made to civil rights groups and organizations. American Legends: The Life of Rosa Parks profiles the life and legacy of one of America's most famous women and one of its greatest Civil Rights icons. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Rosa Parks and her story like never before.

*Chronicles Al Capone's rise in Chicago and the efforts of Eliot Ness and the Untouchables to bring him down. *Includes pictures of Ness and important people, places, and events in his life. *Includes a Bibliography for further reading. "Unquestionably, it was going to be highly dangerous. Yet I felt it was quite natural to jump at the task. After all, if you don't like action and excitement, you don't go into police work. And, what the hell, I figured, nobody lives forever " - Eliot Ness 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. The early decades of the 20th century featured a series of growing pains for the United States as the nation entered a new century, a rapidly changing world, and a new stage in its own evolution. All at once, it seemed, American society was attempting to deal with the excesses and injustices of a rapidly industrializing and increasingly centralized economy, a wave of immigration changing the ethnic make-up of the country, and the emergence of new social movements fighting for causes like women's right to vote. It was also the era of the American gangster, during which men like Al Capone famously and infamously strutted their stuff. The Brooklyn born kid with Italian roots would become the face of a multi-ethnic urban America, an early innovator in an almost corporate approach to organized crime, and a savvy manipulator of big-city politics. His mixture of sophistication and savagery mirrored that of a nation trying to harness its considerable but sometimes unruly energies. It was America's brief and disastrous attempt to outlaw the sale of alcohol-an experiment that in so many ways seemed at odds with a decade some have called The Roaring Twenties-that allowed gangsters to garner the tremendous wealth and wield the outrageous power that made then almost mythical, larger-than-life historical figures. And it was another of Progressivism's reforms, the establishment of a Federal Income Tax, which would in the end provide for Capone's downfall. The man most famously associated with Capone's downfall, of course, is Eliot Ness, thanks in large measure to his own sensationalized version of the events that became the basis for the book Eliot Ness and the Untouchables." That work in turn spawned the memorable television series "The Untouchables", in which Robert Stack plays an intrepid Eliot Ness who has both seemingly omniscient detective skills and the ability to fight tommy-gun wielding gangsters in street battles. That portrayal of Ness was a mythological creation made for TV, but it has also cemented his legacy as the man who brought Al Capone down. "The Untouchables" has mostly obscured what the real man and his real work was like during that critical period, but it has also overshadowed the rest of Ness's life and career, which saw him mostly try and fail to parlay his success against Capone into success elsewhere. By the time Ness died, he was mostly down and out, and he had no clue that the book he was working on with writer Oscar Fraley would make him one of the most famous law enforcement officials in American history. Some have even dubbed him the patron saint of today's ATF. American Legends: The Life of Eliot Ness looks at the life and career of Eliot Ness, but it also humanizes the man who refused Capone's bribes and never flinched. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Eliot Ness like you never have before, in no time at all.