Product Description: *Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the campaign written by soldiers and generals *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents “Jackson and his army, in one month, have routed Milroy—annihilated Banks—discomfited Frémont, and overthrown Shields! Was there ever such a series of victories won by an inferior force by dauntless courage and consummate generalship?” – An anonymous newspaper correspondent for the Richmond Whig, June 6, 1862 Confederate general Thomas Jonathan Jackson had been a virtual unknown upon his arrival at the front line of First Bull Run, but by the spring of 1862, thanks to his actions at that battle, “Stonewall” was already becoming known across the battlefields...read more

Product Description: *Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the eruption *Includes a bibliography for further reading "In 1883, Krakatoa suddenly sprang into notoriety. Insignificantly though it had hitherto seemed the little island was soon to compel by its tones of thunder the whole world to pay it instant attention...read more

Product Description: *Includes pictures. *Includes the stars' own quotes about their lives and careers. *Includes suggested playlists and analyses of their music. *Includes bibliographies for further reading. It is rare in the world of music for a general consensus to form over who was the best at anything...read more

Product Description: *Includes pictures. *Includes Abbott and Costello's own quotes about their lives and careers. *Includes a transcript of "Who's on First?" *Includes a bibliography for further reading. “You never heard of a comedy team that didn’t fight, did you? But for twenty years as a professional team, Lou and I were closer than man and wife...read more

Product Description: *Weaves the lives and work of the Adams family into one entertaining and educational narrative. *Includes several quotes and writings from Samuel, John, John Quincy and Abigail. *Includes pictures of the Adams family and important people, places, and events in their lives...read more

Product Description: *Includes pictures *Includes quotes by bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders about the group's history and ideology *Explains the formation, influences, ideology, and goals of the group *Includes footnotes and a bibliography for further reading Since the attacks on September 11, 2001, the world has struggled to define al-Qaeda, an amorphous, growing, and seemingly inexhaustible organization...read more

Product Description: *Includes pictures *Includes accounts of the prison written by officials and inmates *Describes the various parts of the prison, the Battle of Alcatraz, and escape attempts *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents “It’s mighty good to get up and leave...read more

Product Description: *Includes pictures. *Includes ancient accounts of the Appian Way's history and construction. *Explains the Appian Way's role during the Second Punic War and Spartacus' rebellion. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. “Appia teritur regina longarum viarum” ("The Appian Way is the queen of the long roads") - Statius The modern world has the ancient Romans to thank for the origins of many modern technologies, conveniences, and ideas such as running water, baths, and republican style government, but roads are another influence the Romans have had on the modern world that are often taken for granted...read more

*Includes pictures *Includes Vanderbilt's quotes about his own life and work *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents “I don't care half so much about making money as I do about making my point, and coming out ahead.” – Cornelius Vanderbilt 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 Gilded Age and the dawn of the 20th century are often remembered as an era full of monopolies, trusts, and economic giants in heavy industries like oil and steel. Men like Andrew Carnegie built empires like Carnegie Steel, and financiers like J.P. Morgan merged and consolidated them. The era also made names like Astor, Cooke, and Vanderbilt instantly recognizable across the globe. Over time, the unfathomable wealth generated by the businesses made the individuals on top incredibly rich, and that in turn led to immense criticism and an infamous epithet used to rail against them: robber barons. Dozens of men were called “robber barons”, but few of them were as notorious as Cornelius Vanderbilt, who also happened to be one of the nation’s first business titans. Vanderbilt was a railroad and shipping magnate at a time that the industry was almost brand new, but he rode his success to become one of the richest and most powerful men in American history. The industrial might wielded by men like Vanderbilt in the later 19th century directly led to a public backlash and made President Teddy Roosevelt the “trust buster”, and there has since been countless regulations to attempt to avoid the types of monopolies found over 100 years ago. However, many 20th century historians and writers pushed back against the allegations hurled at the “robber barons” and even took issue with the name. Libertarian writer John Stossel argued, “They weren't robbers, because they didn't steal from anyone, and they weren't barons—they were born poor...” Moreover, Vanderbilt set a precedent of sorts with his philanthropy, most notably his gift to Vanderbilt University, which bears his name. American Legends: The Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt looks at the life and career of one of America’s richest men. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Vanderbilt like never before, in no time at all.

Product Description: *Includes pictures. *Includes Turner's quotes about her own life and career. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. "My life has been a series of emergencies.” – Lana Turner 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...read more

Product Description: *Includes pictures *Includes Carnegie's own quotes about his life and career *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents “While the law [of competition] may be sometimes hard for the individual, it is best for the race, because it insures the survival of the fittest in every department...read more

Product Description: *Includes pictures *Includes Kaufman's quotes about his life and career *Includes a bibliography for further reading “There's no way to describe what I do. It's just me.” – Andy Kaufman “I just want real reactions. I want people to laugh from the gut, be sad from the gut - or get angry from the gut...read more

Product Description: *Includes pictures. *Includes Stanwyck's quotes about her own life and career. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. “Career is too pompous a word. It was a job, and I have always felt privileged to be paid for what I love doing...read more

Product Description: *Includes pictures *Includes Streisand's quotes about her life and career *Includes a bibliography for further reading “I was a personality before I became a person - I am simple, complex, generous, selfish, unattractive, beautiful, lazy and driven...read more

*Includes pictures. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. “There are two reasons why I'm in show business, and I'm standing on both of them.” – Betty Grable 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. No history of American pop culture in the 1940s would be complete without mention of Betty Grable, the most popular pin-up girl of the World War II era. Grable possessed the outstanding fortune of not only having an ideal body but arriving at the most fortuitous time imaginable; the famous pin-up photo of her, taken by Frank Powolny, made her the highest-earning actress in Hollywood from 1943 to 1951. Indeed, it was not hyperbole that earned Grable the nickname of “the girl with the million dollar legs” — not only were her legs famously adored by American soldiers fighting overseas, they were actually insured to the tune of one million dollars (Suddath). Grable was the banner actress for the era before the advent of Playboy and other publications designed to satisfy the lust of the heterosexual male, an era that objectified women but in a more wholesome, less pornographic way that was designed to reinforce all-American values. However, if Grable was, monetarily speaking, the most successful actress of the 1940s, there is a major gulf between her commercial success and the critical appraisal of her acting talents. Grable never won an Academy Award, and the swift demise of her career testifies to her inability to sustain her career after she had begun to age and her glamour showed signs of atrophying. In a famous quote, Grable once noted she was “the kind of girl truck drivers like,” a statement that simultaneously encapsulates her wide appeal but also the lack of sophistication that precluded her recognition among the premier acting talents of 1940s Hollywood (McLean 180). Decades later, her films are largely forgotten, which isn’t surprising since they were a collection of movies that were designed to gain quick commercial success rather than long-term critical acclaim. Certainly, Grable should be acknowledged for her acting career, but her fame rests more on the impact she had on wartime American culture than the intrinsic value of any of her films. American Legends: The Life of Betty Grable looks at the significance of Betty Grable’s place in war-era America, as well as her acting career, exploring how she came to gain such unprecedented popularity. This includes not just her rise to fame but also the reasons why her career did not last as long as many of her contemporaries in Hollywood, women like Katharine Hepburn, Joan Crawford, and Bette Davis. By analyzing her triumphs and adversities, it’s possible to understand the whirlwind life and career of Betty Grable, and along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Betty Grable like never before, in no time at all.

Product Description: *Includes pictures *Includes Graham's quotes about his life and work *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents “The greatest legacy one can pass on to one's children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one's life, but rather a legacy of character and faith...read more

Product Description: *Includes pictures. *Includes Crosby's quotes about his life and career. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. “I think popular music in this country is one of the few things in the twentieth century that have made giant strides in reverse...read more

Product Description: *Includes pictures. *Includes Lee's own quotes about his life, martial arts, and philosophy. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. “When you're talking about fighting, as it is, with no rules, well then, baby you'd better train every part of your body!” – Bruce Lee “The slender, swift Bruce Lee was the Fred Astaire of martial arts, and many of the fights that could be merely brutal come across as lightning-fast choreography...read more