General History

"An exhilarating mix of unpredictable points of view . . . there's real vitality in this anthology's crazy-quilt vision of America."--Kirkus Reviews Is there such a thing as "American" culture? No, says Ishmael Reed, the editor of this refreshing...

Merging comprehensive research and grand storytelling, Mr. and Mrs. Prince reveals the true story of a remarkable pre-Civil War African-American family, as well as the challenges that faced African-Americans who lived in the North versus the slaves who...

What's the real meaning of "juke joint"? Explore these special places for a special brand of the blues.Juke joint - two words often used, often abused. They convey an inherent promise of something real, edgy, from another time. All ju

When the First World War breaks out, the British navy is committed to engaging the enemy wherever there is water to float a ship--even if the body of water in question is a remote African lake and the enemy an intimidating fleet of German steamers. The...

Dr. Jack Porter, a former Milwaukeean, now living in Newtonville, Mass, continues his memoirs with these two parts of the trilogy. Future memoirs will include How to be a Rabbi in Ten Easy Lessons, Twelve Screen Treatments including 'Key West Rabbi' and...

At Milliken's Bend, Louisiana, a Union force composed predominantly of former slaves met their Confederate adversaries in one of the bloodiest small engagements of the war. This important fight received some attention in the North and South but soon...

British Settlers of 1820The impact of the 1820 Settlers on South Africa has been immense. Their likes included great statesmen, fighters for civil rights and other people who made South Africa what it is today (for good and bad).Why were these settlers...

In a captivating tour of cities famous and forgotten, acclaimed historian Ben Wilson tells the glorious, millennia-spanning story how urban living sparked humankind's greatest innovations. "A towering achievement. . . . Reading this book is like...

In a captivating tour of cities famous and forgotten, acclaimed historian Ben Wilson tells the glorious, millennia-spanning story how urban living sparked humankind's greatest innovations. "A towering achievement. . . . Reading this book is like...

In 1863, at the height of the Civil War, Frederick Douglass promised African Americans that serving in the military offered a sure path to freedom. More than 180,000 black men heeded his call to defend the Union, only to find that the path to equality...

In 1863, at the height of the Civil War, Frederick Douglass promised African Americans that serving in the military offered a sure path to freedom. Once a black man became a soldier, Douglass declared, "there is no power on earth or under the earth which...