Showing results for "John" in History

In this major and wholly original contribution to military history, John Keegan reverses the usual convention of writing about war in terms of generals and nations in conflict, which tends to leave the common soldier as cipher. Instead, he focuses on what a set battle is like for the man in the thick of it.

Best-selling historian and philosopher Will Durant devoted his entire life to studying the most significant eras, individuals, and achievements of human history. Here is a summation of Durant's work, as he presents the best of world history. Filled with Durant's renowned wit, knowledge, and unique ability to explain events in simple and exciting terms, it is a concise liberal arts education.

A story of defiance and determination by a controversial scientist, this is Lee Berger's own take on finding Homo naledi, an all-new species on the human family tree and one of the greatest discoveries of the 21st century. In 2013, Lee Berger, a National Geographic explorer-in-residence, heard of a cache of bones in a hard-to-reach underground cave in South Africa. He put out a call around the world for petite collaborators - men and women small and adventurous enough to be able to squeeze through eight-inch tunnels to reach a sunless cave forty feet underground. It worked.

At Will Durant's death at 96, in 1981, his personal papers were dispersed among relatives, collectors, and archive houses. Twenty years later, scholar John Little discovered the previously unknown manuscript of Heroes of History in Durant's granddaughter's garage. Written shortly before he died, these 21 essays serve as an abbreviated version of Durant's best-selling, 11-volume series, The Story of Civilization.

A journalist writing in the first flush of revolutionary enthusiasm, John Reed gives a gripping record of the events in Petrograd in November 1917, when Lenin and the Bolsheviks finally seized power. Containing verbatim reports both of speeches by leaders and the chance comments of bystanders, set against an idealized backcloth of the proletariat, soldiers, sailors, and peasants uniting to throw off oppression, Reed's account is the product of passionate involvement and remains a classic of reporting.

The story of human civilization can be read most deeply in the materials we have found or created, used or abused. They have dictated how we build, eat, communicate, wage war, create art, travel, and worship. Some, such as stone, iron, and bronze, lend their names to the ages. Others, such as gold, silver, and diamond, contributed to the rise and fall of great empires.

"Probably in the life of everyone there comes a time when he is inclined to go over again the events, great and small, which have made up the incidents of his work and pleasure, and I am tempted to become a garrulous old man, and tell some stories of men and things which have happened in an active life. In some measure I have been associated with the most interesting people our country has produced, especially in business - men who have helped largely to build up the commerce of the United States...."

Step into the charming world of 19th-century Beckside, a fictional village nestled between Manchester and Bolton, through the captivating tales of John Ackworth, the pen name of Rev. Frederick R. Smith. As a dedicated Methodist minister and circuit preacher, Ackworth brings to life the warmth and quirks of a close-knit community in his acclaimed work, Clog Shop Chronicles. This collection features 12 delightful stories that weave together the lives of an entertaining cast of characters who gather around the clog shop fire. While the narratives are sometimes sentimental, Ackworth masterfully ...

Since its controversial debut, this novel has sparked debate and been banned in various countries for its candid portrayal of a young womans journey through desire and despair. Follow the life of an orphaned girl who finds herself navigating the seedy underbelly of London as she works in a brothel. Though she falls deeply in love with a charming young man named Charles, fate pulls them apart. As she recounts her struggles and experiences as a prostitute, she clings to her humanity and an unwavering belief in the power of true love. - Summary by mlcui

In Areopagitica, John Milton presents a powerful and passionate defense of free speech, published on November 23, 1644, amid the turmoil of the English Civil War. As a staunch supporter of Parliament, Milton fiercely opposed the Licensing Order of 1643, arguing that censorship was alien to the principles of classical Greek and Roman societies. Rich with biblical and classical allusions, he bolsters his case with personal experiences of censorship, having faced his own struggles while advocating for radical views on divorce. This seminal work stands as one of the most influential philosophical ...

Callista, A Tale of the Third Century, is a captivating novel penned by John Henry Newman, an esteemed Anglican theologian who eventually became a Catholic priest and cardinal, guiding many of his Protestant friends into the Roman faith. This compelling story emerged from a friendly challenge with Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman, who also ventured into fiction with his novel Fabiola. Published in 1855, Callista introduces us to a beautiful yet troubled Greek woman living in pagan Roman North Africa during a tumultuous third century. As she grapples with her desires and a growing curiosity about ...

Join the eccentric bohemian Paragot, a wandering scholar with a shadowy past, as he adopts a London street urchin named Asticot, purchasing him from his mother for just half a crown. Together, they embark on thrilling adventures across 19th century Europe, ultimately finding themselves in the vibrant streets of Paris. But as they navigate the citys charm, Paragots dark romantic history begins to resurface, threatening to change their lives forever. (Summary by Simon Evers)

Ashton-Kirk is a master at unraveling mysteries, yet to those closest to him, he remains an enigma. Young, affluent, and well-connected, he immerses himself in his work with an unyielding passion. Though he brushes off the label of detective, preferring to call himself an investigator, his remarkable contributions have drawn a diverse array of visitors to his door. Scholars, scientists, and those steeped in ancient lore often seek his insights, but it’s the myriad of individuals grappling with criminal conundrums that truly pique his interest. “I’m just more curious than most,” he ...

More than 2,000 years ago one of the greatest military leaders in history almost destroyed Rome. Hannibal, a daring African general from the city of Carthage, led an army of warriors and battle elephants over the snowy Alps to invade the very heart of Rome's growing empire. But what kind of person would dare to face the most relentless imperial power of the ancient world? How could Hannibal, consistently outnumbered and always deep in enemy territory, win battle after battle until he held the very fate of Rome within his grasp?

John Calvins Expository Treatises on Pauls Epistles have garnered acclaim from leading critics, a testament to their profound insight despite the challenging circumstances under which they were created. Composed in 1548 during a tumultuous period of conflict with adversaries of the faith, his commentaries reflect a remarkable blend of intellectual rigor and spiritual conviction. Correspondence from this era reveals Calvin’s unwavering faith, as he reassured his friend Brentius, then in exile, that the divine restoration of the Church was a promise of enduring hope—one that would prevail ...

Join North American missionary John Eliot as he passionately argues for post-civil-war England to embrace representative democracy, drawing inspiration from the principles of the Mosaic Law. (Summary by Aaron Decker)

The drama of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson is the foundational story of America - courage, loyalty, hope, fanaticism, greatness, failure, forgiveness, love. Agony and Eloquence is the story of the greatest friendship in American history and the revolutionary times in which it was made, ruined, and finally renewed. In the wake of Washington's retirement, longtime friends Thomas Jefferson and John Adams came to represent the opposing political forces struggling to shape America's future.

Five centuries of Irish history are explored in this informative and accessible volume. John Gibney proceeds from the beginning of Ireland’s modern period and continues through to virtually the present day, offering an integrated overview of the island nation’s cultural, political, and socioeconomic history. This succinct, scholarly study covers important historical events, including the Cromwellian conquest and settlement, the Great Famine, and the struggle for Irish independence.

Here is a gripping account of the major postwar trial of the Nazi hierarchy in World War II. The Nuremberg Trial brilliantly recreates the trial proceedings and offers a reasoned, often profound examination of the processes that created international law. From the whimpering of Kaltenbrunner and Ribbentrop on the stand to the icy coolness of Goering, each participant is vividly drawn.

World War II is the defining conflict of the 20th century, one that created a line in the sands of history dividing the pre-war and post-war eras. In this epoch-defining conflict lies another definitive moment: the invasion of a 50-mile stretch of coast in Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944. This battle, also known as D-Day, was the pivot point of the war in Europe. Its success led to a nearly yearlong, bloody campaign that saw the liberation of France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands, followed by the final defeat of Hitler’s Third Reich.