New Releases by The editors of Time-Life

The Salem witch trials remain one of the most shocking and studied episodes in American history. Within the span of 15 months, the legal proceedings around the trials swept up at least 144 people, secured the confessions of 54 individuals and led to the execution of 20, mostly women. The hysteria and the accusations reached far beyond the geographic limits of Salem Village, eventually engulfing more than 20 towns and villages in the vicinity. Now, in this Special Edition from TIME-LIFE - The Salem Witch Trials - readers can revisit the witch trials, study their European origins and understand "the climate of fear" both then and now. This Special Edition is also full of historic photographs and images of Salem, the participants, and more, and a special section devoted to modern witchcraft and witches in the movies and on television.

TIME-LIFE presents Great Prisons Escapes: Thrilling Tales of How they Got Away. Includes the true story behind the Papillon legend, the story for Tupac''s godmother, and the real con artist of Catch Me If You Can.

From The Beatles, to The Rolling Stones, to Jimmy Hendrix and Janis Joplin, 1968 was a year when rock ''n'' roll helped change the conversation around the world. Celebrate this epic year with TIME-LIFE''s special edition Music of 1968.

Discover the story behind the assassains who changed history in this TIME-LIFE special edition, TIME-LIFE Assassins.

Fallen giants, taken too soon. Unexpected deaths are not entirely unexpected-they surround us every day. What shocks us is "the who," the how, and the why of them, especially when it comes to celebrities. Whether they fought for our rights or spoke to us through song, moved us on screen, stage, or provided leadership for our country, they gave us a window into their hearts and minds, and their loss unites friends and strangers in an outpouring of sadness. Deaths That Shocked the World, the new Special Edition from TIME-LIFE, tells the stories of how we lost some of our most beloved icons to accidents, drugs, murder, and political assassination. And regardless of how they died, it is agreed that they all went too soon. Princess Diana and James Dean, John Lennon and Prince, Kurt Cobain and Robin Williams, Martin Luther King and both John F. Kennedy and John F. Kennedy Jr., are among the many featured in this Special Edition that profiles the impact their lives and deaths had on our world.

Killer cults horrify us-and fascinate us. Their leaders demand obedience from their followers, even when the ends are deadly. Manson is perhaps the most notorious, but history is filled with brutal cult leaders: Jim Jones, David Koresh, Marshall Applewhite, Shoko Asahara. How do these men take hold of so many lives?

From his early years, his teachings and miracles, to his death, burial, and resurrection, TIME-LIFE explores the life of Jesus.

True-crime stories of women who robbed, cheated, and killed This compelling volume is packed with shocking true-crime tales and stunning photographs of women who robbed, kidnapped, and killed their way through history, all taken from the remarkable archives of TIME and Life magazines.

Inside the brutal world of the mafia The Mob. The Mafia. Organized crime. America''s violent underworld has always fascinated us--the colorful criminals, dirty cops, crooked politicians and shady businessmen. It''s a hard and high-stakes world, fueled by gambling, prostitution, extortion, graft, illegal booze and narcotics. Now you can explore the fascinating history of the Mob in America through the lens of a new special edition from TIME-LIFE, The Mob: Inside the Brutal World of the Mafia. Compelling photographs from throughout the past century combine with sharp biographies to reveal the key players and historical figures who loomed large. Plus: deep dives into the history of organized crime, the truth behind The Godfather, the power struggles, the roles of trigger-happy thugs and political bosses, and how the Mob is evolving in today''s digital age.

The settling of the West in the 19th century is the essential American story, rich in symbolism and full of inspiration. This narrative of intrepid explorers, hardy pioneers seeking a better life, and daring outlaws who flouted authority, defintes the American spirit even today.

Discover the heroes who saved 340,000 lives The Battle of Dunkirk has come to represent heroic perseverance in the face of adversity. By May 1940, Hitler''s Nazis had pushed the Allies into a corner of France, almost to the sea. They thought the English had no choice but to surrender . . . but they were wrong. "We shall fight on the beaches," said Winston Churchill, the new English prime minister, and fight they did. Surrounded by German ground forces and bombarded by Nazi warplanes, some 340,000 British and French troops were rescued by a makeshift flotilla of military and civilian ships despite incredible odds. Photographs from the archives of TIME and LIFE magazines, combined with compelling text, put the mission in historic context and show how this massive operation unfolded. Discover true heroism in Time-Life World War II: Dunkirk, a remarkable collector''s keepsake.

In film, pirates are romanticized as swashbuckling outlaws who defy authority, pursue danger, and cruise the world''s oceans in search of wealth and adventure. They are celebrated in books, comics and rock ''n'' roll lyrics. Their ruffled shirts and tricorne hats inspire fashion designers; their cruel exploits are immortalized in art. But pirates through time have not been lovable, witty tricksters, they were often societal outcasts and pioneers who helped forge political and social revolt.

War hero. Political icon. Martyr. As the 35th president of the United States, John F. Kennedy is one of the most celebrated figures in American history. Born into wealth and power, Kennedy proved himself to the nation as a young man, then rose through the ranks of elected office, reaching the White House at just 42 years old. It was the dawn of the nuclear age, and in his short term as president, JFK balanced a Cold War steeliness with a commitment to public service to assert America''s role as a global leader. Alongside his wife, Jackie, and their two young children, JFK represented the new face of a new generation, and the hope and optimism he expressed continues to reverberate today.

From iconic love songs and odes to domestic bliss, to bloodcurdling screams and provocative performances, TIME-LIFE presents a history of rock and roll, and the stories behind the songs.

Few criminals provoke the fear, revulsion and fascination of the serial killer. What makes them do it? Were they born that way? How do they elude law enforcement and how do the police track them down? Now, TIME-LIFE explores history''s most famous cases from Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacey to Son of Sam and Ariel Castro.

TIME-LIFE looks back a century to The Roaring 20s

As 1945 progressed, Allied forces continued to move from island to island across the Pacific, closing in on the Japanese homeland. In Victory in the Pacific, youÍll find the winning strategies that lead to the Allies retaking Manila, invading Okinawa, attacking Iwo Jima and, finally, dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Japanese could fight no more. After six long years, World War II was truly over.

From Thomas Edison to Alexander Graham Bell to Benjamin Franklin to Henry Ford to the Wright Brothers, our country has been built upon a foundation of innovation. A melting pot of diversity, America harbors a collaborative spirit and inspires an exchange of ideas where what is developed by one inventor is adopted by others and pushed further, improved, and perfected, fusing different perspectives together as one. In this all-new special edition from TIME LIFE, American Inventors chronicles those minds that transformed the worlds of Industry, Information, Home, Health, and Transportation and inspired generations to come. Learn more about the inventors that went down in history for their vision, dedication and perseverance in this celebration of American ingenuity. As automotive inventor and businessman Charles Kettering once put it, although "the world hates change, it is the only thing that has brought progress" and this nation is composed of a rich history of genius that continues to inspire progress each and every day.

As John Maynard Keynes said, ideas change the course of history. Trace inventions from vision to reality and learn how they shaped the world that we know today in TIME LIFE American Inventions. This new special edition details the history of our country''s progressive and entrepreneurial spirit and spotlights those inventions that show the dedication and perseverance of some of America''s greatest minds. TIME LIFE American Inventions: Big Ideas that Changed Modern Life features our top-picks of inventions that were not only successful, but that changed the way we live on a day-to-day basis, shaping the modern world that we live in. TIME LIFE American Inventions investigates the fruits of imagination, innovation, and ingenuity from cities to hospitals to kitchens. With chapters including Building America, The Office, Food, Recreation, Health and Medicine, Apparel, and Technology, learn about how innovations throughout time made this land our land.

Time-Life Magazine presents ''The Olympics: Moments That Changed History.''

TIME-LIFE presents the History of the Rifle from the first hand-held versions were Chinese fire lances invented in the 10th century through the Americans and their expansion westward, who refined the weapon and redefined its place in culture and society.

North vs. South. Brother against brother. The War of Northern Aggression. The Civil War, over 150 years in our nation''s past, still weighs upon American culture and politics to this day. Now, in an all-new special edition, TIME LIFE brings readers a thorough overview of what remains the largest, longest and most bloody war set on American soil in The Civil War, On the Front Lines: From Fort Sumter to Appomattox.Written in the trademark style of TIME LIFE that marries compelling photography and illustration to thoughtful yet accessible text and graphics, The Civil War, On the Front Lines covers every facet of the war from the political and cultural divides that sparked the war, to life on the front lines for soldiers, slavery, and the war at home, to a country, once again united and transformed. Whether you''re a Civil War buff or just in search of a little more information, The Civil War, On the Front Lines will bring you a thorough overview of the war that has continued to affect America.

A fascinating look into the history of the firearm and how and why it has had the impact it has on American culture and society. Few inventions have had more of a profound impact on the course of civilization than guns: The first hand-held versions were Chinese fire lances invented in the 10th century, though it was Europeans who were credited with creating the handheld weapons that we recognize today. Americans and their expansion westward were the ones who refined, and helped define innovation and the development of an industry. Starting with Samuel Colt and the "revolver revolution," Americans took the lead in moving gun development forward. Names now well-known including Wesson, Winchester, and Browning helped create weapons that helped move a nation forward and ushered in the industrialized warfare of World War I. Now, TIME-LIFE, in the next book in the success "500 Photographs" series, following World War II in 500 Photographs and The Civil War in 500 Photographs, brings readers The History of the Gun in 500 Photographs, which traces the fascinating evolution of firearms, not just as tools of security, but as ingenious feats of science and engineering. This book contains over 500 photos that take readers on a historical and visual journey of the gun, not just as a weapon, but as a constantly-evolving artifact that has shaped America''s culture and mindset.

The first months of 1945, which brought the long war in Europe to an end, were some of the most remarkable in history. The Allies scored stunning victories, Franklin Roosevelt died, Hitler committed suicide, and finally, in May, the Germans surrendered and celebrations around the world began, even as war in the Pacific raged on. Victory in Europe charts the events of these incredible days.

Could the strange actually be true? This book takes readers on a tour of the eerie and unexplained - from the search for vanished civilizations to the science of real-life zombies, from famous UFO sightings to encounters with ghosts and otherworldly creatures, and much more.

Is it nature or nurture that shapes a serial killer? What drives a person to become a kidnapper or a terrorist? And can such behaviors be predicted — or even stopped before they occur? As advances in science unlock the secrets of our DNA and reveal the inner workings of the human brain, Time-Life Books explores the fascinating findings that are shedding new light on the criminal mind. What role does birth order, divorce, media influence, and other societal pressures play in how criminals are formed? By examining some of the most notorious criminals from history and our modern era — from Al Capone and Charles Manson to Scott Peterson and Dzohkhar Tsarnaev — and their characteristics, the nature of their deeds and the possible formation of their pathologies. Readers will explore the roots of crime, going on the streets to meet the authorities who deal with criminals on a daily basis and have developed unique insights into the criminal mentality. Packed with infographics, sidebars and lists, this book is a compelling yet easy introduction to the new age of crime and punishment — a must-read for anyone who wants to understand how crimes begin and how we can help end them.

The name TIME-LIFE has become synonymous with providing readers with a deeper understanding of subjects and world events that matter to us all. Now, with the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War upon us, TIME-LIFE The Civil War in 500 Photographs will be an indispensable guide to a nation-changing era and the military, social, economic, and political forces that shaped it. The narrative of the Civil War, fought from 1861 to 1865, is familiarly to almost all Americans, from Presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln''s noble declaration that "the government cannot endure permanently half-slave, half-free" to Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee''s surrender at Appomattox. Yet the details of the battles and battlefields, the political maneuverings, and the personalities who defined the war continue to fascinate citizens of all ages. TIME-LIFE The Civil War in 500 Photographs taps into that into that interest, providing a fresh and accessible way to appreciate this most important conflict. It will lay out the war''s major developments in arresting, colorized images and cover topics from the backstory through secession, the Union''s early setbacks, the Underground Railroad, victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg, and Reconstruction. For history buffs and the newly curious, The Civil War in 500 Photographs will be the ultimate, easy-to-use guide to four years that changed our nation forever.

The Bible is one of the greatest, most influential books ever written. It is also one of the most complex and challenging. Now, the editors of Time-Life Books take you on tour of its extraordinary pages. This beautifully illustrated, simple-to-use guide covers the essential stories and Scripture, from the birth of creation to the end of days. Inside, you''ll find: The Bible''s most important people, stories, and messages Inspirational "Verses to Know" Biblical citations for easy reference Color maps and timelines Meet the great nation-builders, kings, prophets and disciples. Discover the life, works and teachings of Jesus Christ. Whether you are new to the Bible or already a daily reader, this must-have reference will bring its magnificent pages to life.

World War II, fought from 1939 to 1945, engulfed the globe in a shattering struggle over national sovereignty and individual rights. It was also the costliest battle in history in terms of human life, with millions perishing in combat, in concentration camps, and under the rubble of crushed cities. This gripping and epic battle is brought powerfully to life on every page of Time-Life Books'' World War II in 500 Photographs. Inside, you''ll find: Key events, battles, and turning points, year by year Profiles of the war''s leaders, heroes, and enemies Memorable quotations and firsthand accounts Color maps and photo timelines From the Nazis'' early rise to power to Victory over Japan Day, this essential guide brings you to the front lines of the war that changed our world.

The name TIME-LIFE has become synonymous with providing readers with a deeper understanding of subjects and world events that matter to us all. Now, as the U.S. commemorates the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, TIME-LIFE revisits the pivotal final battles and events in one of the most influential periods in history in World War II: 1945. Between January and August of 1945, the Allies staged their last great military victories, participated in the Potsdam and Yalta conferences, and mourned the death of FDR. Adolf Hitler committed suicide, Benito Mussolini was hanged. The first atomic bomb was dropped. These are just some of the events in the closing months of World War II, a dramatic period that both marked the end of the bloodiest conflict in history and laid the groundwork for the coming Cold War. Organized chronologically, World War II: 1945 maps out the conflict''s end in a visual, easy-to-digest format that illustrates key events, days, battles, personalities, military strategies, political maneuverings and betrayals. A compelling, illustrated package, the book will bring 1945 to life for a public curious to learn about the year that changed the world.