Other books that might interest you

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  Vanilla - Travels in Search of...

  Tim Ecott

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  From Papantla in Mexico—“the city that perfumed the world”—to the Indian Ocean islands, Vanilla traces the story of the vanilla plant and its secretive trade.   From the golden cups of Aztec emperors to the ice cream dishes of US presidents, vanilla has mystified and tantalized man for centuries. The only orchid that produces an agriculturally valuable crop, vanilla can mask unpleasant tastes and smells, but also makes pleasant tastes stronger, smoother, and longer lasting. Because it has over four hundred separate flavor components, choosing premium vanilla beans is as complex as judging the aroma and taste of fine wine. Vanilla finds its way into over half of all dessert products sold worldwide, as well as the finest perfumes, well-known brands of rum and vodka, and even Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Americans consume more vanilla than anyone else on Earth—a fact that has forced growers and traders to mount armed guards over their plants in the tropical jungle. The traders who travel the world in search of America’s favorite flavor are a small and secretive elite. Vanilla is a globetrotting adventure that follows buccaneers, aristocrats, and gourmets, all in search of the ice cream orchid.

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  The Civil War Lover's Guide to...

  Bill Morgan

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  This fascinating illustrated guide is “a must for any Civil War buff visiting or living in New York City” (New York Journal of Books).   Few Americans associate New York City with the Civil War, but the most populated metropolitan area in the nation, then and now, is filled with scores of monuments, historical sites, and resources directly related to those four turbulent years. Veteran author Bill Morgan’s The Civil War Lover’s Guide to New York City examines more than 150 of these largely overlooked and often forgotten historical gems.   Morgan’s book takes readers on a journey of historical discovery. Walk inside the church where Stonewall Jackson was baptized, visit the building where Lincoln delivered his famous Cooper Union Speech, and marvel that the church built by the great abolitionist Henry Ward Beecher is still used for worship. A dozen Civil War–era forts still stand (the star-shaped bastion upon which the Statue of Liberty rests was a giant supply depot), and one of them sent relief supplies to besieged Fort Sumter in Charleston. Visit the theater where “Dixie” was first performed and the house where Stephen Crane wrote The Red Badge of Courage.   After the war, New York honored the brave men who fought by erecting some of the nation’s most beautiful memorials in honor of William T. Sherman, Admiral David Farragut, and Abraham Lincoln. These and many others still grace parks and plazas around the city. Ulysses S. Grant adopted New York as his home and is buried here in the largest mausoleum in America (which was also the most-visited monument in the country). See the homes where many generals, including Winfield Scott, George B. McClellan, and even Robert E. Lee, once lived.   Complete with full-color photos and maps, Morgan’s lavishly illustrated and designed volume is a must-have book for every student of the Civil War and for every visitor to New York City.  

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  Road Sides - An Illustrated...

  Emily Wallace

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  This illustrated A to Z guide covers detours, destinations, and culinary delights for your next road trip through the American South.   Essential in any traveler’s glovebox, Road Sides explores the fundamentals of a well-fed road trip across the Southern United States. Entries feature detailed histories and more than one hundred original illustrations that document the many colorful sights and delicious flavors you can experience along the way.   Learn the backstory of food-shaped buildings, including the folks behind Hills of Snow, a giant snow cone stand in Smithfield, North Carolina, that resembles the icy treats it sells. Discover the roots of kitschy roadside attractions, and have lunch with the state-employed mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs in Florida.  Road Sides is for everyone: the driver in search of supper or superlatives (the biggest, best, and even worst), the person who cannot resist a local plaque or snack, and the kid who just wants to gawk at a peach-shaped water tower.

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  Solomon's Builders - Freemasons...

  Christopher Hodapp

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  Unearth the fascinating history of how the Freemasons and Founding Fathers sowed the seeds of a new nation amid the collapse of the British colonies. 
   
  Step back in time to the birth of a revolutionary new republic and discover how the utopian ideals of a visionary secret society laid the foundation for the most powerful nation on earth. Follow George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and other Founding Fathers as they transform the democratic principles of their Masonic lodges into a radical new nation. 
   
  Solomon’s Builders unravels history from myth as it takes you on a Freemason’s tour of Washington, D.C. It reveals the evidence of Masonic influence during the construction of America and its new capital, including clues hidden in plain sight: 
   
  •Masonic connections to national monuments 
   
  •Puzzling pentagrams and symbolism in city streets 
   
  •The mysterious temples of the “Widow’s Sons” 
   
  Solomon’s Builders relates the true stories of these visionary founders, and the fascinating meaning behind the cryptic codes, enigmatic symbols and intriguing architecture that is reputedly the basis for the sequel to The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown’s novel The Lost Symbol. 
   
  “Well written account of the philosophical thinking that led to the formation of a common man’s democracy. . . . The reference book that teachers need to use in their American History classes.” —Karl Grube, Ph.D., Bonisteel Masonic Library, Ann Arbor, MI 
   
  “One of the better books that I have seen that credits Freemasonry where credit is due.” —Thomas W. Jackson, The Northern Light Magazine 
   
  “What distinguishes Solomon’s Builders from the good and bad, malicious and benevolent, is its honesty, humor and clarity.” —Mark A. Tabbert, author of American Freemasons 
   
  “An academically written book on the early days of American Freemasonry without the pretentious trappings of most scholarly treatments on the subject.” —Stephen Dafoe, author of Nobly Born

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  Culture Smart! Morocco - The...

  Jillian York

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  Morocco is a land of spectacular scenery with a rich history and heady with tantalizing scents and colorful sights. The call of the muezzin seems to draw people from every corner of the globe. In 1956, Morocco gained independence from French colonial rule and was jolted into the 20th century. Today, it is a country in transition—a unique blend of Arab, African, and European ways of life. The teeming cities have an air of sophistication and joie de vivre, but life in rural areas has stayed much the same. And while the cities are highly westernized, tradition and religion still play a vital role in the everyday life of most people.With rapid change came problems. Lack of opportunity and high unemployment resulted in a "brain drain" as educated Moroccans made their way abroad, and a fundamentalist interpretation of Islam started gaining ground among the urban poor. Even so, as technology becomes widespread and the world shrinks further, Morocco today is coming into its own. Culture Smart! Morocco describes the way the country’s past has shaped its present, advising tourists and business travelers on what to expect and how to behave in different situations.

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  Haunted Hannibal - History and...

  Ken Marks, Lisa Marks

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  Local historians take readers beyond the celebrated charm of Mark Twain’s boyhood home to its unexplainable and disturbing dark side.   After living in Rockcliffe Mansion, where the haunted hallways were a rite of passage for countless Hannibalian youth, Ken and Lisa Marks learned firsthand that Hannibal, Missouri, is indeed haunted. Hannibal’s own Mark Twain held a lifelong fascination with paranormal activity after experiencing an uncanny premonition of the death of his brother in 1858. Even skeptics will find it hard to resist the marvelously strange history of the limestone cave made famous in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer where the real-life, macabre Dr. McDowell experimented with his own daughter’s corpse. Stories of the town’s notorious red light district and Hannibal’s larger-than-life lumber barons provide even more spine-tingling evidence of the haunting of America’s Hometown.   Includes photos!

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