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American Epic - Reading the US...
Garrett Epps
In 1987, E. L. Doctorow celebrated the Constitution's bicentennial by reading it. "It is five thousand words long but reads like fifty thousand," he said. Distinguished legal scholar Garrett Epps disagrees. It's about 7,500 words. And Doctorow "missed a good deal of high rhetoric, many literary tropes, and even a trace of, if not wit, at least irony," he writes. In American Epic, Epps takes us through a complete reading of the Constitution to achieve an appreciation of its power and a holistic understanding of what it says. In this book he seeks not to provide a definitive interpretation, but to listen to the language and ponder its meaning. He draws on four modes of reading: scriptural, legal, lyric, and epic. The Constitution's first three words, for example, sound spiritual—but Epps finds them to be more aspirational than prayer-like. He turns the Second Amendment into a poem to illuminate its ambiguity. He notices oddities and omissions. The Constitution lays out rules for presidential appointment of officers, for example, but not removal. Should the Senate approve each firing? Can it withdraw its "advice and consent" and force a resignation? And he challenges himself, as seen in his surprising discussion of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in light of Article 4, which orders states to give "full faith and credit" to the acts of other states.
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Archaeology - Unearthing the...
Mike Crawford
Archaeology is the scientific study of past human cultures through material remains. It offers invaluable insights into ancient civilizations, their ways of life, and the development of human society over millennia. By examining artifacts, structures, and other remnants of the past, archaeologists reconstruct histories that might otherwise remain unknown. This discipline bridges the gap between history and anthropology, providing a tangible connection to cultures that predate written records. The scope of archaeology is vast, encompassing prehistoric societies, ancient empires, and even more recent historical periods. Archaeologists investigate a wide range of sites, from early human settlements and burial mounds to grand cities and monumental structures. The study of these remains allows researchers to piece together how societies evolved, adapted to their environments, and interacted with one another. Archaeology is not limited to famous civilizations such as the Egyptians, Romans, or Mayans—it also sheds light on lesser-known cultures that played significant roles in shaping human history. One of the core reasons for studying archaeology is to understand the complexities of past human behavior. By analyzing tools, pottery, inscriptions, and architectural remains, scholars can infer how people lived, what they believed, and how they organized their communities. For instance, burial practices provide insights into religious beliefs, while trade artifacts reveal connections between distant societies. Archaeology helps challenge assumptions and correct misconceptions about the past, ensuring a more accurate historical record.
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Secrets of a Suitcase - The...
Pauline Terreehorst
When Pauline Terreehorst bid for a vintage Gucci suitcase at Sotheby's Amsterdam, she had no idea what was inside. The case turned out to be full of fine dresses, furs, and lace, with boxes of postcard albums showing grand castles and churches in Austria, France, England, and Scotland. The curious correspondence revolved around Austrian philanthropist Countess Margarethe Szapary, and her daughter. These unexpected family treasures are a gateway to a lost world: social, cultural, and political life as the Szaparys knew it vanished in twentieth-century Europe's great upheavals. Borders were redrawn, old cities received new names, communities changed loyalties—and Central Europe's cosmopolitan, royalist aristocrats had to decide whether to become Germans under Nazi rule. What did Margarethe choose, when her new neighbor Hermann Goring came knocking with a troubling request? What were the consequences for her and her children? And how did the family's suitcase cross war-torn Europe to end up in Terreehorst's hands decades later?
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Cherokee Civil Warrior - Chief...
W. Dale Weeks
John Ross served the Cherokee Nation in a public capacity for nearly fifty years, thirty-eight as its constitutionally elected principal chief. Historian W. Dale Weeks describes Ross's efforts to protect the tribe's interests amid systematic attacks on indigenous culture throughout the nineteenth century. At the outset of the Civil War, Ross called for all Cherokees to remain neutral in a war they did not support—a position that became untenable when the US withdrew its forces from Indian Territory. The vacated forts were quickly occupied by Confederate troops, who pressured the Cherokees to align with the South. Viewed from the Cherokee perspective, these events can be seen in their proper context, as part of the history of US "Indian policy," failed foreign relations, and the Anglo-American conquest of the American West. This approach also clarifies President Lincoln's acknowledgment of the federal government's abrogation of its treaty obligation and his commitment to restoring political relations with the Cherokees—a commitment abruptly ended when Andrew Johnson sought to punish the Cherokees for their perceived disloyalty. Centering a Native point of view, this book recasts and expands what we know about John Ross, the Cherokee Nation, its commitment to maintaining its sovereignty, and the Civil War era in Indian Territory.
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Ardennes - The Secret War
Charles Whiting
On the morning of 16 December 1944, a monumental German force of six hundred thousand men crashed into the Allied lines in the snowbound hills of the Belgian Ardennes. Why were Allied forces so surprised by this counterattack? And why have the German sabotage and deception operations that disrupted supply lines and outwitted Allied intelligence been so overlooked by historians? Through interviews with three key German officers undertaken shortly after the end of the war, Charles Whiting examines the Battle of the Bulge from a new perspective. Hermann Giskes, a German Army counterintelligence officer, sheds light on his activities directing spies and saboteurs. Paratrooper Freiherr von der Heydte tells how his men were blown over great distances but managed to engage and tie down thousands of Allied troops who thought Nazi paratroopers were landing everywhere. And SS commando leader Otto Skorzeny recounts how he led a handful of special forces, wearing US uniforms and driving US equipment, behind enemy lines to wreak havoc. Ardennes: The Secret War exposes the weaknesses of Allied intelligence and shows how, even when it seemed that the war would be over by Christmas, the Germans nearly turned defeat into victory.
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Historical Mysteries -...
John Harpoon
This book contains 9 mysterious cases and stories from real life: - The Amelia Earhart Mystery - The Shakespeare Conundrum - Rewriting the History of the Black Death - Royal Tragedy Revisited - History's Most Eccentric Rulers - History of Assassins - The Most Enigmatic Woman in History - The Most Fascinating Man in the World - The Great Beyond
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