New Releases by Don Nardo

World War II was in its early days when brutal German dictator Adolf Hitler paid a visit to Paris, the capital of France. Only days before, on June 14, 1940, German soldiers had overrun the city, shocking the world. Hitler now viewed the city''s cultural treasures as his own. He posed for a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower, the beloved symbol of France and the country''s free, democratic people. The photo, taken by his personal photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann, would show the world that Nazi Germany had triumphed over its bitter enemy. Many who viewed the photo in newspapers around the globe would draw a second conclusion that Germany would almost certainly invade Britain next. And if Britain fell, Hitler would be a huge step closer to his ultimate goal of world domination.

The ancient Greeks established modes of and attitudes about warfare that profoundly influenced later European and European-based peoples. Indeed, the triumph of Western civilization from Greco-Roman times to the present owes an incalculable debt to the Greeks. In fascinating detail, this volume covers Greek weapons, armor, battle formations and tactics, and naval warfare, supported by numerous eyewitness accounts of battles and other pivotal events.

The peoples of ancient Mesopotamia oversaw one of the major cradles of human civilization. The world''s first cities and empires grew on the plains of what is now Iraq. Some of the world''s first farmers worked land in what historians call the Fertile Crescent.

A look at the history of the U.S. Army and possible careers available there.

The U.S. Navy is the largest and strongest naval force in the world. Its sailors serve all around the world in many types of jobs. In 2011 a Navy unit made history. A group of highly trained commandos, the Navy SEALS, brought down terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden.

"The world was shocked and frightened when President John F. Kennedy was gunned down by an assassin in 1963 ... When Kennedy''s vice president, Lyndon Baines Johnson, took the presidential oath of office on Air Force One just hours after the assassination, the White House photographer was there. Cecil Stoughton''s iconic photo showed the world that the smooth and orderly transfer of power had occurred. His photo helped ease the shock, tension, and fear in an anxious country."--Back cover.

The Alamo often conjures up images of rugged frontiersmen, the likes of Davy Crockett and James Bowie, shoring up the defenses of the fort against the forces of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. These events did take place, but The Alamo was a small flashpoint in a wider struggle for control of a strategically vital region known as Texas. Seen as a bulwark against the French and British empires to the north, the newly independent nation of Mexico had to secure the territory or risk encroachment on its northern border. This compelling volume examines The Alamo within the wider context of the struggle for control of Texas. Chapters explain the events that led to the battle, provide a gripping description of the siege itself with detailed discussions of the primary figures involved, and describe the legacy of this lost battle to American politics and culture.

This fascinating book explores Great Britain''s culture and myths, as well as the beliefs, values, and experiences represented in its stories and mythological figures. Readers discover the settlement of Britain by the Celts and the influence of the Roman invasion; pre-Christian myths, such as Beowulf; the Arthurian cycle; the adventures of Robin Hood; and the survival of British myth in literary tradition.

Author Don Nardo examines the ancient civilizations and peoples of Persian mythology. Origin / creation stories, early gods, mythical kings and heroes, and Zoroastrianism are all covered. This volume has a map of ancient Persia, a visual organizer grouping major characters, a table of major characters with name pronunciations and brief descriptions, a glossary, sidebars, fact boxes, and bibliography of sources for further study, and a subject index.

This volume looks at Babylonian Mythology, drawing connections between ancient Babylonian culture and its myths, explaining how the beliefs, values, and experiences of that culture are represented in its treasured stories. Readers are treated to a map of ancient Mesopotamia, a family tree of the major gods, a table of major characters with name pronunciations with brief descriptions, sidebars, and fact boxes.

This volume examines Greek mythology, drawing connections between ancient Greek culture and its myths. It explains how the beliefs, values, and experiences of that culture are represented in its treasured stories of gods, demi-gods, monsters, and heroes. This volume includes a map of ancient Greece, a family tree of the major gods, a table of major characters with name pronunciations and brief descriptions, a glossary, sidebars, fact boxes, a bibliography of sources for further study, and a subject index.

The myths of Aeneas, Romulus and Remus, the Six Brave Brothers, Horatius, Coriolanus and Volumnia, Cloelia, and others are explored. Hero myths and the values they represented are explored. This volume has a map of the Roman Empire, a family tree of Rome''s founders, a table of major characters with name pronunciations and brief descriptions, a glossary, sidebars, fact boxes, a bibliography of sources for further study, and a subject index.

This book examines the life and art of Leonardo da Vinci.

"Describes the history and future of human space exploration"--Provided by publisher.

This must-have volume provides an overview of the rise and expansion of the Islamic Empire, Muslim conquests, and later dynasties and empires. Author Don Nardo presents a thorough and sensitive study of Islam''s past and present. Readers will learn about Muhammad and early Muslim conquests. They will learn about Islam''s golden age and its existence today. Full-color photographs, maps, illustrations, timelines, and sidebars support the text.

According to Oil Spill Prevention and Response, oil spill releases have declined from 246 incidents in the 1970s to 33 incidents in the 2000s. Approximately 46 percent of oil that enters the environment is naturally occurring. This accessible volume describes how oil spills occur, how they affect the environment, and how they can be cleaned up and prevented. Readers are provided with thorough and balanced information on oil spills and will be inspired to think critically about how these events affect their community and the world at large.

Greek mythology has the strangest creatures, plucked from the most fertile imaginations in the history of storytelling. Discover figures half-human and half-goat, horrendous giants with 50 heads and 100 arms, and massive one-eyed brutes known as Cyclopes. See how fearless Greek mortals pitted their wits against the ugliest and most monstrous forms known to humans.

Discusses the triumphs and defeats of the Greek and Trojan heroes during the Trojan War and the destruction of Troy by combined Greek armies.

Describes the origins of the most important Greek myths along with the personalities and special powers of the major Greek gods and goddesses.

Author Don Nardo discusses the scientific revolution in Europe that led to what we now know as modern science. Readers will be introduced to the forerunners of modern science. They will become acquainted with advances such as the telescope and with advances in scientific methods. Newton and gravitation are covered, as well as enlightenment and beyond. Full-color photographs, maps, illustrations, timelines, and sidebars support the text.

This fascinating volume focuses on the women''s movement, featuring quotations from sources such as diaries, public records, and contemporary chronicles. Author Don Nardo explains the ordeal of being an American woman in days without rights. He then details the long road to the ballot box, and the emergence of a new, powerful public woman. The gender equality struggle is richly chronicled here.

One the least understood places in the world, the North and South poles have captivated the imagine of scientists, adventurers, and ordinary people for centuries. With an abundance of natural resources, including crude oil, and the possibility for new scientific breakthroughs, the race to understand the poles has at various times led many nations to make political claims in a rush to exercise control over this terrain. This comprehensive volume offers detailed accounts of the major polar explorations, the political and scientific stakes in the quest to map and contain the Arctic and Antarctica. Chapters discuss the contest for the North Pole, the "heroic age" of exploration of the South Pole during the beginning of the twentieth century, the evolution of scientific technology and its effect on research in the harsh environment, and the trends in modern polar research.

Explores and analyzes the historical context and significance of the iconic Dorothea Lange photograph of a migrant mother during the Grea Depression.

Genghis Khan was a warrior and ruler of genius who, in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries, brought the nomadic tribes of Mongolia together under his rule and then turned his attention beyond his borders. This volume chronicles the history of the ancient people of the steppes, the rise of Genghis Khan and reforms under his rule, his conquests in northern China and Western Asia, and the history of the Mongol people after Genghis Khan.

Known for hit-and-run raids that struck terror into the hearts of villagers across Europe during the Middle Ages, the Vikings were independent farmers but also daring explorers, sailing far from Scandinavia in search of new land to conquer and farm. Author Don Nardo unpacks the many myths surrounding the Vikings with this comprehensive account of the their culture and impact upon the course of history. Chapters approach the subject with accessible language, maps, and timelines to broaden student understanding and facilitate research. Topics discussed in this edition include: the origin of the Vikings, conquests and expansions, the nature of Viking communities, Norse mythology, explorations of the West, and the end of the Viking age.

Recounts events leading up to the Civil War and provides insight into the economic, cultural, and educational differences of the Northerners and Southerners.

After the first shots of the Civil War were fired in 1861, both sides thought victory would come quickly. But they were wrong. Battle followed battle, and the death toll climbed. The North and the South were unprepared for the long bloody conflict ahead. Then the two armies met at Gettysburg, a battle that would change the course of history.

Biography of Barack Obama the 44th president of the United States.

In the 1760s, British colonists in North America grew increasingly angry about taxes they felt were unfair. The Sons of Liberty was the result of this anger. The group''s motto was No taxation without representation. Starting with just a handful of members, the group soon grew to more than 2,000. The Sons of Liberty organized protests as well as boycotts against taxed products with the hope the British government would repeal the taxes. But in time it became clear the only option the colonists had was war, the Revolutionary War.