History and Biography

A Century of Unitarianism in the National Capital, 1821-1921: The Shadow of Slavery - by Jennie W. Scudder Purchase through Amazon     Jennie Scudder’s work traces the sometimes controversial history of Unitarianism in the District of Columbia, centering on All Souls Unitarian Church. Scudder publshed the volume initially in 1909, but it wasn’t copyrighted until 1921, when the Church celebrated its hundredth birthday. The account includes the development of… Continue reading A Century of Unitarianism in the National Capital, 1821-1921: The Shadow of Slavery
A History of Shorthand, Written in Shorthand - by Isaac Pitman Purchase through Amazon  Isaac Pitman (1813-1897) lived a fascinating and varied life. He was born in England, and earned his teaching credential from the British and Foreign School Society. He began teaching in Lincolnshire. After marrying in 1835, he started his own school in Gloucestershire, where he taught for a few years… Continue reading A History of Shorthand, Written in Shorthand
A Text-Book on the History of Painting - John Charles Van Dyke is primarily known for being an art critic and historian, but he had many interests, as he was also a nature writer and intrigued by the law. Van Dyke was admitted to the bar in New York in 1877, but instead he worked as a librarian from 1878 at the New Brunswick Theological Seminary. In 1891, he was appointed to the professor of art history.
Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales - by John Timbs and Alexander Gunn Purchase through Amazon  Here are remarkable stories of abbeys, castles, manors and other notable buildings across England and Wales. The John Timbs account is broken up by region, including Yorkshire, the Isle of Man, and North and South Wales. Timbs manages to cover a lot of ground by providing… Continue reading Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales
Adventures of Hunters and Travellers and Narratives of Border Warfare - by An Old Hunter Purchase through Amazon  Adventures of Hunters and Travellers is not a personal account by “An Old Hunter” but rather a collection of brief accounts of various Westerners exploring other parts of the world. For example, there are short accounts about the experiences of James Bruce ‘discovering’ the Nile, and the colonization… Continue reading Adventures of Hunters and Travellers and Narratives of Border Warfare
Afro-American Folk Songs: A Study in Racial and National Music - Henry Edward Krehbiel (1854 - 1923) was an American music critic and author. Krehbiel's interest in music developed at a young age, and he pursued his passion by studying music theory and composition. However, he soon turned to music criticism and journalism, becoming a prominent figure in the field. He wrote for various publications, including the New York Tribune and the New York Times, where he served as the chief music critic for many years.
Alchemy: Ancient and Modern: Meaning, Theory and Lies of Alchemists Across the Ages - by H. Stanley Redgrove Purchase through Amazon  According to the author, alchemy was the belief that “all the metals (and, indeed, all forms of matter) are one in origin, and are produced by an evolutionary process. The Soul of them all is one and the same; it is only the Soul that is permanent…” Redgrove… Continue reading Alchemy: Ancient and Modern: Meaning, Theory and Lies of Alchemists Across the Ages
American Highways: A Popular Account of Their Conditions and of the Means by Which They May be Bettered - Nathaniel Southgate Shaler (1841-1906) studied at Harvard College and then went on to become a professor in paleontology there. Although he was from Kentucky, he served in the Union Army as an officer during the Civil war. However, he was an apologist for slavery, and in an 1884 Atlantic Monthly article stated that slavery in the US had been "infinitely the mildest and most decent system of slavery that ever existed." This racism influenced his own teachings. Initially a creationist, he later became a proponent of Lamarckian theories, and an espouser of Aryan supremacy.
American Prophets of Peace: Souvenir of the National Arbitration and Peace Congress, New York, April 1907 - by National Arbitration and Peace Congress Purchase through Amazon  When the Peace Congress was proposed, it was considered “the greatest gathering ever held in advocacy of the abolition of war as a means of settling international disputes, and the most important non-political gathering ever held in this country for any purpose.” The Congress was supported… Continue reading American Prophets of Peace: Souvenir of the National Arbitration and Peace Congress, New York, April 1907
An Oration Delivered Before the Municipal Authorities of the City of Boston - by Thomas Starr King Purchase through Amazon  |  Purchase on CreateSpace Thomas Starr King delivered this famous address while at the pinnacle of his career as minister of the Hollis Street Church in Boston. It was no small accomplishment in a city which, at the time, nurtured a host of famous orators. But King’s most singular… Continue reading An Oration Delivered Before the Municipal Authorities of the City of Boston
Benjamin Franklin and Canada - by Hon. William Renwick Riddell Purchase through Amazon  |  Purchase through CreateSpace While Benjamin Franklin is of paramount importance to American history, he deserves a place in Canadian history as well. As deputy postmaster general for the British colonies, he established the Canadian post office in Halifax to better link the North American settlements with Britain,… Continue reading Benjamin Franklin and Canada
Benjamin Franklin as a Man of Letters - by John Bach McMaster Purchase through Amazon  Benjamin Franklin (1705-1790) is often given the title, “The First American” for his tireless advocacy for the colonies to form a union. He was, aside from being an inventor, politician, printer, inventor, diplomat, and scientist, a prolific author. While his published works are well known, his letters are… Continue reading Benjamin Franklin as a Man of Letters
Boston Unitarianism 1820-1850: A Study of the Life and Work of Nathaniel Langdon Frothingham - by Octavius Brooks Frothingham Purchase through Amazon  |  Purchase through CreateSpace A word of explanation seems to be necessary. Many years ago I proposed writing something in memory of Dr. Frothingham, but abandoned the project on account of the meagerness of the biographical material. Within the twelvemonth, a warm friend and admirer of his asked… Continue reading Boston Unitarianism 1820-1850: A Study of the Life and Work of Nathaniel Langdon Frothingham
Boudoir Mirrors of Washington - The Lindlahrs, Henry and Anna, wrote extensively of the merits of a vegetarian diet, and are considered to be the authors of "one of the cornerstone texts of American naturopathic medicine." While science has shown that some of their findings in this work are false, many have been shown to be helpful in improving health, such as access to sunlight and fresh air, and a plant-based diet. This work contains a variety of recipes for creating vegetarian meals.
Bugle Echoes: A Collection of the Poetry of the Civil War - Edited by Francis F. Browne Purchase through Amazon  |  Purchase through CreateSpace Bugle Echoes offers a vast collection of poetry illustrating the lived experiences of the Civil War. The collection was edited by Francis Fisher Browne (1843-1913) who fought in the Civil War as a soldier in the Forty-Sixth Massachusetts Volunteers. His father, William Goldsmith Browne,… Continue reading Bugle Echoes: A Collection of the Poetry of the Civil War
California Chinese Chatter - by Albert Dressler Purchase through Amazon   by Albert DresslerCalifornia Chinese Chatter contains telegrams sent in 1874 between Chinese citizens living in Downieville, California, and a court transcript of the murder trial of Ah Jake. It offers a unique view of the difficulties that Chinese immigrants had in the United States, particularly in the midst… Continue reading California Chinese Chatter
Captain John Smith and His Critics - by Charles Poindexter Purchase through Amazon  Though he lived over 500 years ago, Captain John Smith’s life is still much discussed. He was born in 1580 in England, and at sixteen, after his father’s death, Smith set off for a life at sea. He fought under various flags and found himself knighted by the Prince… Continue reading Captain John Smith and His Critics
Chinese Immigration: Turn of the Century Views - by Mary Roberts Coolidge Purchase on Amazon This volume is one of a number of Westphalia titles significant in the story of the not always happy and often controversial Chinese contact with Western society. In the American case, despite appreciation by scholars for Chinese civilization, cries against Chinese immigration began in response to the development of… Continue reading Chinese Immigration: Turn of the Century Views
This is a book cover. It features a red-based rug with the title text and author info in the middle Colonial Folkways: A Chronicle of American Life in the Reign of the Georges - by Charles McLean Andrews Purchase Charles McLean Andrews was a well regarded scholar focusing on American colonial history. As a leader of the “Imperial School” of historians, he emphasized the role England played. Specifically, he he argued that British leaders failed in a major way to recognize the differences in American society, which led to… Continue reading Colonial Folkways: A Chronicle of American Life in the Reign of the Georges
Cyrus Hall McCormick: His Life and Work - by Herbert N. Casson Purchase through Amazon  What would become the International Harvester Company, originally was known as the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company. The McCormicks were one of many who had developed farm machinery, but their company grew due to Cyrus McCormick’s attention to building marketing, sales and improved manufacturing. However, one aspect of McCormick… Continue reading Cyrus Hall McCormick: His Life and Work
Debating the Ku Klux Klan - by Julia E. Johnsen Purchase through Amazon The Ku Klux Klan has had several manifestations in the United States. The first emergence was in the 1860s during the Reconstruction Era. Julia Johnsen’s work intersects with the second major resurgence of the Klan during the 1920s. The work takes a unique approach, as the Ku Klux Klan… Continue reading Debating the Ku Klux Klan
Demand the Impossible: Essays in History as Activism - Born from the wave of activism that followed the inauguration of President Trump, Demand the Impossible asks scholars what they can do to help solve present-day crises. The twelve essays in this volume draw inspiration from present-day activists.
Diary of Anna Green Winslow: A Boston School Girl - In this collection of letters to her mother from 1771-3, Anna Green Winslow sheds light on daily life of the wealthy in the Boston area during the beginnings of the American Revolution. The collection was edited by Alice Morse Earle for this publication.
Discourse on the Life and Character of William Wirt - by John P. Kennedy Purchase through Amazon   Wirt made headlines most recently in 2005, but for an unfortunate reason. Someone had broken into the Wirt Tomb, located in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington DC, and his skull was taken and later found in a tin box with gold letters announcing that it was the skull… Continue reading Discourse on the Life and Character of William Wirt
Dogs in Early New England - by Howard M. Chapin Purchase through Amazon Howard M. Chapin’s interesting and unusual study offers a look at dogs in the New England region during the 1600-1700s. He offers accounts derived from both Native Americans and incoming settlers, and includes archival evidence and photographs of artifacts. A dog fancier himself, Chapin sheds some light on… Continue reading Dogs in Early New England
Donald J. Trump’s Presidency: International Perspectives - Editors: John Dixon and Max J. Skidmore Purchase through Amazon  President Donald J. Trump’s foreign policy rhetoric and actions become more understandable by reference to his personality traits, his worldview, and his view of the world. His campaign rhetoric catered to Americans comfortable with isolationism and certainly with no appetite for foreign military engagements. So, his… Continue reading Donald J. Trump’s Presidency: International Perspectives
Dr. John Bull - by Leigh Henry, with a new introduction by Matthew Brewer Dr. John Bull is a fascinating look at the life and times of one of the most influential English composers in musical history. Leigh Henry vividly realizes both the events that shaped John Bull as well as the world he inhabited. Through a richly detailed account… Continue reading Dr. John Bull
Engineering America: The Rise of the American Professional Class, 1838-1920 - by Edward Rhodes Purchase on Amazon  |  Purchase on CreateSpace In a single lifespan in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, America passed through an extraordinary economic and social transformation. Industrialization, urbanization, immigration, and westward expansion into the vast interior of the continent yielded the structural framework of the modern America we still recognize more than a century later.… Continue reading Engineering America: The Rise of the American Professional Class, 1838-1920
Facts and Speculations on the Origin and History of Playing Cards - by William Andrew Chatto Purchase through Amazon  |  Purchase through CreateSpace William Andrew Chatto (1799-1864) initially was employed in the wholesale tea business. However, his real passion was antiquarian scholarship, so in 1834, he gave up the family firm and devoted himself to writing full-time. His first work was entitled, Recollections of Fly-Fishing in Northumberland, under the… Continue reading Facts and Speculations on the Origin and History of Playing Cards
Farm Ballads - Farm Ballads is a collection of poems written by American poet Will Carleton. The book was first published in 1873 and quickly gained popularity for its portrayal of rural life in the United States during the 19th century. Carleton, born in 1845 in Michigan, had a deep appreciation for the agricultural way of life, and this is evident in his works.
Florence Nightingale: The Wounded Soldier’s Friend - by Eliza F. Pollard Purchase through Amazon  |  Purchase through CreateSpace Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) is regarded as the founder of modern nursing. The Nightingale Museum in London includes such curiosities as the lantern she carried on her rounds to the wounded during the Crimean War, more than a thousand of her letters, and her pet owl,… Continue reading Florence Nightingale: The Wounded Soldier’s Friend
Florida: Its Scenery, Climate, and History: with an Account of Charleston, Savannah, Augusta, and Aiken and a Chapter For Consumptives - Sidney Lanier (1842-1881) wrote this account of Florida. Of it he stated, "The newspapers have abounded with communications from clever correspondents who have done the State in a week or two; the magazinists have chatted very pleasantly of St. Augustine and the Indian River country; and there are half a dozen guide-books giving more or less details of the routes, hotels, and principal stopping-points. But it is not in clever newspaper paragraphs, it is not in chatty magazine papers, it is not in guide-books written while the cars are running, that the enormous phenomenon of Florida is to be disposed of. There are at least claims here which reach into some of the deepest needs of modern life."
From Slavery to Wealth, The Life of Scott Bond: The Rewards of Honesty, Industry, Economy and Perseverance - by Daniel Arthur Rudd Purchase Scott Bond was born into slavery in Madison County, Mississippi. Due to the inhumanity of slavery, Bond’s exact birth year is not known, outside from being sometime in the early 1850s. Despite the intolerable cruelties Bond faced, he went on to become a high powered farmer and entrepreneur. He was… Continue reading From Slavery to Wealth, The Life of Scott Bond: The Rewards of Honesty, Industry, Economy and Perseverance
From the Farm to the Presidential Chair: The Life and Public Services of James A. Garfield - by James D. McCabe Purchase through Amazon  James A. Garfield (1831-1881) was the 20th President of the United States. His term was cut short when he was assassinated in 1881, the same year he took office. Many biographies highlight the difficult circumstances Garfield overcame to become the President. He was born in Ohio on a… Continue reading From the Farm to the Presidential Chair: The Life and Public Services of James A. Garfield
Frontier Law: A Story of Vigilante Days - by William J. Connell Purchase through Amazon   Gold and blood, Indians and pioneers, criminals and vigilantes! These are terms that have captivated the imagination of America for generations. Nevertheless, authentic, first-hand accounts of the vigilantes have been few indeed. The reason is plain: no one who helped to dispense the rough and salutary justice of… Continue reading Frontier Law: A Story of Vigilante Days
Gold Days: California During the Eventful Days of ’49 - by Owen Cochran Coy Purchase on Amazon  The California Gold Rush really was a bonanza. Between 1849 and 1855 more than $400 million dollars was gathered by the miners; once adjusted, it is a sum today reaching into the trillions. It was a social phenomenon marked by the carnivalesque. In Mark Twain’s Roughing It (1872),… Continue reading Gold Days: California During the Eventful Days of ’49
Grandmother Brown’s One Hundred Years, 1827-1927: Settling the Midwest - by Harriet Connor Brown Purchase through Amazon  Harriet Connor Brown (1877-1859) was born in Burlington, Iowa, and attended Cornell University. She was the first female staff member of Cornell’s newspaper, Erg. After graduation, she worked for other newspapers, including the New York Journal, Buffalo Enquirer and the New York Tribune. She wrote on a wide… Continue reading Grandmother Brown’s One Hundred Years, 1827-1927: Settling the Midwest
Historical Sketches of New Haven - Ellen Strong Bartlett was an evocative and prolific writer. Historical Sketches of New Haven offers a wonderful portrait of New Haven, Connecticut. Bartlett offers centuries of history, photographs, architectural analysis, folklore and more.
History of Lady Jane Grey: The Nine Day Queen - by Arthur MacArthur Purchase through Amazon The history of Lady Jane Grey illustrates the complex and bloody history of the English monarchy. Through a very long, strange chain of wills, deaths and requests, Jane was named heiress to the English throne of July 1553. She was known as a kind and devout Protestant and was… Continue reading History of Lady Jane Grey: The Nine Day Queen
History of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1851 - by Mary Floyd Williams Ph.D. Purchase through Amazon Mary Floyd Williams gives a detailed account of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance formed in 1851 (it was later reincarnated in 1856. Although the Committee, formed by a group of vigilantes, lasted only about three months, they were responsible for the hanging of at least eight… Continue reading History of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance of 1851
International or Local Ownership?: Security Sector Development in Post-Independent Kosovo - by Dr. Florian Qehaja Purchase through Amazon  International or Local Ownership? contributes to the debate on the concept of local ownership in post-conflict settings, and discussions on international relations, peacebuilding, security and development studies. It utilizes extensive data collection, including public opinion surveys conducted throughout the country, in order to introduce the concept of local… Continue reading International or Local Ownership?: Security Sector Development in Post-Independent Kosovo
James A. Garfield: The Backwoods Boy Who Became President - by Frank Mundell Purchase through Amazon  James A. Garfield (1831-1881) was the 20th President of the United States. His term was cut short when he was assassinated in 1881, the same year he took office. Many biographies highlight the difficult circumstances Garfield overcame to become the President. He was born in Ohio on a farm… Continue reading James A. Garfield: The Backwoods Boy Who Became President
John Brown: A Biography, 1800-1859 - by Oswald Garrison Villard Purchase through Amazon  Slavery was simply an awful institution that even today in its legacy continues to plague the United States. During its height, abolitionists “waved the bloody flag” and vigorously protested to end it, though it took plunging the nation into the Civil War to result in it being finally… Continue reading John Brown: A Biography, 1800-1859
This is a sepia toned cover with the book title and author at the top and a drawn image of some buildings from the 1600s John Harvard and His Times - by Henry C. Shelley Purchase Henry C. Shelley prefaced this work on John Harvard by stating, “Among the names graven on the foundation stones of American history none is so deeply carved or is so rich in promise of endurance as that of John Harvard. In fact, no name has been for so many generations… Continue reading John Harvard and His Times
Joseph Stebbins: A Pioneer at the Outbreak of the Revolution - by George Sheldon Purchase through Amazon This is an account of one person’s dilemmas during the American Revolution and its aftermath. Joseph Stebbins was born in 1749. He was thrust into the conflict as captain of a militia company of soldiers from Deerfield, Massachusetts. Many colonists experienced mixed emotions about the war, its need and… Continue reading Joseph Stebbins: A Pioneer at the Outbreak of the Revolution
Journal of a Trip to California: Across the Continent from Weston, Mo., to Weber Creek, Cal., in the Summer of 1850 - by C. W. Smith, by R. W. Vail Purchase Found in the litter of a storeroom was a small 4×6 notebook bound in leather. The notebook contained pressed flowers, plants, and the story of C. W. Smith’s journey to California. C. W. Smith’s father, William Smith, came to the United States from England in 1831… Continue reading Journal of a Trip to California: Across the Continent from Weston, Mo., to Weber Creek, Cal., in the Summer of 1850
Letters of Lydia Maria Child: With a Biographical Introduction - Lydia Maria Child (1802 –1880) was many things, but always an activist. She was deeply involved in many causes, including abolition, women’s rights, indigenous rights, and opposing American expansionism. Writer by trade, she was the editor of The National Anti-Slavery Standard, and she wrote novels, domestic manuals, edited a children’s magazine, and much more. She also was a philanthropist and assisted many causes, artists and musicians financially.
Life of Sitting Bull and History of the Indian War of 1890-91 - Lydia Maria Child (1802 –1880) was many things, but always an activist. She was deeply involved in many causes, including aSitting Bull (1831 – 1890) was a Hunkpapa Lakota leader who fought tirelessly against the United States’ genocidal policies. During an attempt to arrest him, he was killed on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation during an attempt to arrest him. Sitting Bull (Lakota: Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake) became a target of the US government after his success at the Battle of Little Bighorn, where the confederated Lakota tribes and the Northern Cheyenne annihilated defeated the 7th Cavalry under Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer on June 25, 1876. bolition, women’s rights, indigenous rights, and opposing American expansionism. Writer by trade, she was the editor of The National Anti-Slavery Standard, and she wrote novels, domestic manuals, edited a children’s magazine, and much more. She also was a philanthropist and assisted many causes, artists and musicians financially.
Memoirs of a Poor Relation: Being the Story of a Post-War Southern Girl and Her Battle With Destiny - by Marietta Minnigerode Andrews Purchase on Amazon |  Purchase on CreateSpace Born in Richmond, Virginia, Marietta Minnigerode Andrews (1869-1931) was the oldest of ten children in a family prominent in the Confederacy but reduced to poverty by the Civil War. She became an art teacher, stained glass artist, and author. A member of the Arts Club… Continue reading Memoirs of a Poor Relation: Being the Story of a Post-War Southern Girl and Her Battle With Destiny
Mexico y sus luchas internas: resena sintetica de los movimientos revolucionarios de 1910 a 1920 - by Luis F. Seoane Purchase through Amazon  La decada de 1910 a 1920 es un periodo de increible agitacion politica conocido como la Revolucion Mexicana. En 1911, Porfirio Diaz, quien habia sido Presidente de Mexico por 35 anos, fue quitado finalmente del poder. Diaz habia ganado las elecciones presidenciales de 1910, pero el Plan de… Continue reading Mexico y sus luchas internas: resena sintetica de los movimientos revolucionarios de 1910 a 1920
Middle East Reviews: Second Edition - Editors: Mohammed M. Aman PhD and Mary Jo Aman, MLIS Purchase through Amazon  About the Editors Mohammed M. Aman, PhD is current Professor (Dean from 1979 to 2002) at the School of Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), Interim Dean, School of Education (2000-2002), and Editor-in-Chief of the peer-reviewed journal, Digest of Middle… Continue reading Middle East Reviews: Second Edition
My Garden of Memory: An Autobiography of an Advocate for Early Child Education - by Kate Douglas Wiggin Purchase through Amazon Kate Douglas Wiggin (1856-1923) was a pioneer, leading the way to massive reform of children’s education in the United States, along with her sister, Nora Archibald Smith. During the late 1800s, most people had minimal education, as children went to work at very young ages. To help combat… Continue reading My Garden of Memory: An Autobiography of an Advocate for Early Child Education
Naturism in the United States - Purchase through Amazon  |  Purchase through CreateSpace This controversial book has been a stalwart part of the reading lists of those attracted to naturism, which involved much more than simply taking off clothes and lying on a beach. The complex relationship that involves nudity with disciplines as disparate as yoga and environmentalism makes the subject… Continue reading Naturism in the United States
Negro Poetry and Drama: Revisiting the Voices of Early African American Figures - by Sterling A. Brown, Preface by Whitney Sheperd Purchase through Amazon  |  Purchase through CreateSpace Commissioned by the great Alain Locke and edited by Sterling A. Brown, Negro Poetry and Drama was an essential tool in the African American adult education movement during the early twentieth century. The fight for civil rights was accompanied by a… Continue reading Negro Poetry and Drama: Revisiting the Voices of Early African American Figures
Ocean Life in the Old Sailing Ship Days - by John D. Whidden Purchase on Amazon John D. Whidden served in various roles on ships since the age of twelve. Although he portrayed himself as a roguish boy, he quickly proved himself as a ship’s gofer, and earned a mate’s position by his early twenties. His travels saw him around the world, with stops at… Continue reading Ocean Life in the Old Sailing Ship Days
Old Chinatown: Turn of the Century Photographs of San Francisco’s Chinatown - by Arnold Genthe and Will Irwin Purchase through Amazon  This volume is one of a number of Westphalia titles significant in the story of the not always happy and often controversial Chinese contact with Western society. In the American case, despite appreciation by scholars for Chinese civilization, cries against Chinese immigration began in response to… Continue reading Old Chinatown: Turn of the Century Photographs of San Francisco’s Chinatown
Old Time Schools and School Books - by Clifton Johnson Purchase on Amazon |  Purchase on CreateSpace Primers and other early American schoolbooks were often lost due to years of use, neglect and eventually becoming outdated. Thankfully, Clifton Johnson, in Old Time Schools and School-Books, is able to draw from his vast collection of school books in order to offer readers a taste… Continue reading Old Time Schools and School Books
Old Towpaths: The Story of the American Canal Era - by Alvin F. Harlow Purchase through Amazon  |  Purchase through CreateSpace Alvin Fay Harlow wrote on many historical subjects, including mailing services, waybills, the telegraph, stamp collecting and education. Born in Sedalia, Missouri, he attended Franklin College in Indiana and then worked in the coal and timber business, and as a commercial artist, before being able… Continue reading Old Towpaths: The Story of the American Canal Era
On Foreign Service - by T. T. Jeans Purchase on Amazon  |  Purchase on CreateSpace This story is based on Experiences, of my own, in various parts of the world, and describes a Revolution in a South American Republic, and the part played by two armoured cruisers whilst protecting British interests. It describes life aboard a modern man-of-war, and attempts to… Continue reading On Foreign Service
One Little Orchid: Mata Hari: A Marginal Voice - by Sanusri Bhattacharya Purchase through Amazon  “Her father was a subject of the Netherlands, and her mother was a Japanese. He died when she was an infant, and in order to protect her from the dangers which beset a young girl of mixed blood in the East, her mother fled from Java with her when… Continue reading One Little Orchid: Mata Hari: A Marginal Voice
Original Cables from the Pearl Harbor Attack: David Hurlburt’s War Comes to the U.S. – Dec. 7, 1941 - Purchase through Amazon The Pearl Harbor attack, which launched United States participation in World War II, has been the subject of endless speculation as to how much President Franklin Roosevelt knew in advance about Japanese intentions, about the state of readiness of American forces in Hawaii, and about the handling of raw intelligence that might… Continue reading Original Cables from the Pearl Harbor Attack: David Hurlburt’s War Comes to the U.S. – Dec. 7, 1941
Pacific Hurtgen: The American Army in Northern Luzon, 1945 - by Robert M. Young Purchase through Amazon  Too often in war many of its campaigns are forgotten. One such forgotten campaign occurred in the Philippines during the last year of World War II. American Army units fought a bitter battle against dug-in, fanatical Japanese soldiers on the Philippine island of Luzon. It was a campaign… Continue reading Pacific Hurtgen: The American Army in Northern Luzon, 1945
Palaces of Sin, or The Devil in Society - by Col. Dick Maple Purchase through Amazon  “Colonel” Dick Maple was the fanciful pen name for Seth McCallen, who penned a great many highly polemical works. He wrote this particular work against alcohol and nightlife. In particular, he guards readers against women in corsets, who drink or otherwise dabble in lifestyles or actions he finds… Continue reading Palaces of Sin, or The Devil in Society
Pioneer Days in the Wyoming Valley - by Mary Hinchcliffe Joyce Purchase through Amazon  This is a primary source for the history of Pennsylvania’s Wyoming Valley by someone deeply rooted in its society. Mary Hinchcliffe Joyce (1882-1938) was born in Sabastopol, Jenkins Township in Pennsylvania, and graduated from St. John’s High School. She did not attend college, but worked as a stenographer… Continue reading Pioneer Days in the Wyoming Valley
Poverty in America: Urban and Rural Inequality and Deprivation in the 21st Century - Max J. Skidmore Purchase through Amazon Poverty in America too often goes unnoticed, and disregarded. This perhaps results from America’s general level of prosperity along with a fairly widespread notion that conditions inevitably are better in the USA than elsewhere. Political rhetoric frequently enforces such an erroneous notion: “the poor live better in America than… Continue reading Poverty in America: Urban and Rural Inequality and Deprivation in the 21st Century
Quaker Women, 1650-1690 - by Mabel Richmond Brailsford Purchase Mabel Richmond Brailsford was not a Friend, but this work is considered to be truthful, extremely well researched, and also sympathetic. Brailsford did extensive research at the Library at Devonshire House in order to complete the portraits of numerous Quaker women, such as Margaret Fell, Barbara Blaugdone, Elizabeth Hooton, Elizabeth… Continue reading Quaker Women, 1650-1690
Rear-Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont: A Biography - by H. A. Du Pont Purchase through Amazon  Rear Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont (1803-1865) served in the United States Navy, specifically during the Mexican-American War and the Civil War. His uncle, Eleuthere Irenee du Pont, was the founder of what is commonly known as the DuPont chemical concern, but is officially E. I. du… Continue reading Rear-Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont: A Biography
Recollections of the Early Days of American Accountancy, 1883-1893 - by James T. Anyon Purchase through Amazon  Accountants are often hidden from view and little considered as part of history, though their impact on our lives is tremendous. Business history sadly tends to neglect the field, so small gems such as Recollections of the Early Days of American Accountancy, 1883-1893 are often lost to scholars.… Continue reading Recollections of the Early Days of American Accountancy, 1883-1893
Russia - William Richard Morfill (1834-1909) was a University of Oxford professor, specializing in Russian and Slavonic languages. He was born in England, and even as a small child was interested in foreign languages.
Secret Chambers and Hiding Places: The Historic, Romantic & Legendary Stories & Traditions About Hiding Holes, Secret Chambers, Etc. - by Allan Fea Purchase through Amazon Allan Fea (1860-1956) went to Grove Hall School, Highgate, became a researcher in the India Office Library and then Private Secretary to Field Marshal Lord Strathnairn before a career in the Bank of England, 1880-1900. His history of hiding places features many illustrations. The work focuses on English history and… Continue reading Secret Chambers and Hiding Places: The Historic, Romantic & Legendary Stories & Traditions About Hiding Holes, Secret Chambers, Etc.
Secrets & Lies in the United Kingdom: Analysis of Political Corruption - by Fabienne Portier-Le Cocq Purchase through Amazon  Secrets & Lies in the United Kingdom: Analysis of Political Corruption lifts the shroud of secrecy in the United Kingdom in relation to modern freemasonry in Scotland in the late-18th century, the ‘Stolen Generations’ in Australia from the early 1900s to the late 1970s, Enoch Powell’s motives for… Continue reading Secrets & Lies in the United Kingdom: Analysis of Political Corruption
Seventy Five Years in California: A History of Events and Life in California During the 1800s - by William Heath Davis Purchase through Amazon Seventy-Five Years in California spans the 19th century, offering William Heath Davis’ view of California’s Pastoral Period. He gives readers a unique look at the disintegration of missions, the rise of the rancheros, the American Invasion, the Gold Rush and the adoption of the territory as a state.… Continue reading Seventy Five Years in California: A History of Events and Life in California During the 1800s
Shakespeare and the Makers of Virginia: Annual Shakespeare Lecture, 1919 - by Adolphus William Ward Purchase Adolphus William Ward was born on December 2, 1837 in London to a family of means. His father, John Ward, was an English diplomat. After his schooling, he being a professor of history and literature at Owens College. He also helped to found Victoria University and Withington Girls’ School. Additionally,… Continue reading Shakespeare and the Makers of Virginia: Annual Shakespeare Lecture, 1919
Sources in Late Antiquity and Byzantium - by Leslie Kelly Purchase This book introduces the student of Late Antiquity and Byzantium to the types of sources they are most likely to encounter in their research, explaining how these genres work and how best to utilize them as sources for history. When attempting to draw on a letter, a legal text, a code… Continue reading Sources in Late Antiquity and Byzantium
Springfield Memories: Odds and Ends of Anecdote and Early Doings, Gathered from Manuscripts, Pamphlets, and Aged Residents - Springfield was founded in 1636 by English Puritan William Pynchon and was named after his hometown of Springfield, Essex, in England. It is one of the oldest cities in the United States and played a significant role in the early colonial history of the country.
Spying on America: Leon G. Turrou’s The Nazi Spy Conspiracy in America - Purchase through Amazon  |  Purchase through CreateSpace Edited and Introduced by Paul Rich Leon Turrou was the FBI agent closest to the Nazi spy ring in America in the late 1930s.  His leaks to the American press and the book he was allegedly writing led to him being fired from the Bureau by J. Edgar… Continue reading Spying on America: Leon G. Turrou’s The Nazi Spy Conspiracy in America
Story of the Huguenots: A Sixteenth Century Narrative Wherein the French, Spaniards and Indians Were the Actors - by F. A. Mann Purchase through Amazon  The Huguenots are French Protestants, a product of turmoil during the early sixteenth century. The Huguenot community oscillated between celebration and persecution in France. On August 24, 1572, while celebrating Saint Bartholomew’s Day, thousands of Huguenots were massacred. After decades of fighting occurred, an edict of peace was… Continue reading Story of the Huguenots: A Sixteenth Century Narrative Wherein the French, Spaniards and Indians Were the Actors
Thames-Side in the Past: Sketches of its Literature & Society - by F. C. Hodgson Purchase through Amazon  Described as liquid history, the River Thames flows through southern England, salient to such wonderful urban scapes as London, Oxford and Windsor. F.C. Hodgson wrote a great deal about the history of Thames, frequently using it as a lens to discuss various aspects of British history and the… Continue reading Thames-Side in the Past: Sketches of its Literature & Society
This cover has the title text in a blue box, and some Greek text over a stone to show concepts of translation The Athenian Year Primer: Attic Time-Reckoning and the Julian Calendar - by Christopher Planeaux Purchase Ancient Athenians typically used two or, at times, three separate calendars from the 6th to 1st Centuries BCE. Scholars have long known that all ancients followed the Moon, Sun, and Stars to organize their lives, but exactly how the Calendars of Ancient Athens functioned on a daily basis has remained a point… Continue reading The Athenian Year Primer: Attic Time-Reckoning and the Julian Calendar
The Autobiography of Theophilus Waldemeier - by Theophilus Waldemeier Theophilus Waldmeier (1832-1915) was a Swiss Quaker who first attracted international attention when he was imprisoned by King Theodore of Ethiopia and rescued by British forces at the battle of Magdala in 1859. He went to Beirut and founded the Brumana School, his lasting achievement, and which became one of the most… Continue reading The Autobiography of Theophilus Waldemeier
The Capture and Execution of John Brown: A Tale of Martyrdom - by Elijah Avey Purchase through Amazon  Slavery was truly an awful institution that, even today in its legacy, continues to plague the United States. During its height, abolitionists “waved the bloody flag” and vigorously protested to end it, though it took plunging the nation into the Civil War to result in it being finally eradicated.… Continue reading The Capture and Execution of John Brown: A Tale of Martyrdom
The Discovery of the Five Great Lakes - by Sara Stafford Purchase through Amazon  |  Purchase through CreateSpace The Great Lakes consist of Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, and are the world’s greatest concentration, more than 20 percent, of fresh water. In geologic terms they are only about ten thousand years old, formed during the last ice age. Appreciating their history has… Continue reading The Discovery of the Five Great Lakes
The Dutch and Quaker Colonies in America: Volume I - by John Fiske Purchase John Fiske was born on March 30, 1842 in Hartford, Connecticut as Edmund Fiske Green. Fiske was raised by his paternal grandmother who enjoyed an excellent education, learning Latin and Greek at a very early age, moving on to other languages as a teen, including Spanish, Hebrew and Sanskrit. He attended… Continue reading The Dutch and Quaker Colonies in America: Volume I
The Dutch and Quaker Colonies in America: Volume II - by John Fiske Purchase John Fiske was born on March 30, 1842 in Hartford, Connecticut as Edmund Fiske Green. Fiske was raised by his paternal grandmother who enjoyed an excellent education, learning Latin and Greek at a very early age, moving on to other languages as a teen, including Spanish, Hebrew and Sanskrit. He attended… Continue reading The Dutch and Quaker Colonies in America: Volume II
The Etchings of Rembrandt: A Study and History - by P. G. Hamerton Purchase through Amazon  Philip Gilbert Hamerton (1834-1894) was an Englishman who was devoted to the arts in numerous forms. He became an orphan at the age of ten; his mother died giving birth to him, and he ended up living with two aunts when he turned five. Five years after that,… Continue reading The Etchings of Rembrandt: A Study and History
The First Forty-Niner and the Story of the Golden Tea-Caddy - by James A. B. Scherer Purchase through Amazon  |  Purchase through CreateSpace Samuel Brannan lived across the span of the nineteenth century in the United States. He is believed to have been the first millionaire created by the Gold Rush. Among other things, Brannan is also noted for founding the California Star newspaper, relocating with other… Continue reading The First Forty-Niner and the Story of the Golden Tea-Caddy
The History of Men’s Raiment - by The Edson Lewis Company Purchase through Amazon  Strouse & Brothers, originating out of Baltimore, published this unique tract on the history of men’s fashion in the European world. The work begins with a very brief history of fashion, and then links the Strouse & Brothers firm to that history of high quality fashion. It… Continue reading The History of Men’s Raiment
The History of Photography - Purchase through Amazon  Edited and Introduced by Daniel Gutierrez-Sandoval The life of George Eastman is very much a part of the history of contemporary photography. Founder of the Eastman Kodak Company, Eastman was an enthusiastic photographer himself who became instrumental in bringing photography to the mainstream. He invented the first commercial film, as well as… Continue reading The History of Photography
The History of Playing Cards: Anecdotes for Their Use in Conjuring, Fortune Telling & Card Sharping - by Rev. Ed. S. Taylor Purchase through Amazon  |  Purchase through CreateSpace The History of Playing Cards offers a comprehensive look at the history and usage of cards, tracing their movements through India, China, the Middle East, and through Europe, with a heavy emphasis on cards in France and England. Taylor included a great deal of… Continue reading The History of Playing Cards: Anecdotes for Their Use in Conjuring, Fortune Telling & Card Sharping
The History of the Jews: From 586 BCE to 1900 CE - by Gotthard Deutsch PhD Purchase through Amazon  Gotthard Deutsch was born in Austria as Eliezer Deutsch; Gotthard being a translation of his given first name into German. Deutsch studied at the Jewish Theological Seminary of Breslau as well as the University of Vienna, splitting his time between secular and Jewish institutions, eventually earning his PhD… Continue reading The History of the Jews: From 586 BCE to 1900 CE
The Huguenots in France: After the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes with Memoirs of Distinguished Huguenot Refugees, and A Visit to the Country of Voudois - by Samuel Smiles Purchase through Amazon  The Huguenots are French Protestants, a denomination that began during the early sixteenth century. Their place in French society oscillated between their being celebrated and defamed. On August 24, 1572, while marking Saint Bartholomew’s Day, thousands of Huguenots were massacred. After decades of fighting occurred, a guarantee of peace… Continue reading The Huguenots in France: After the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes with Memoirs of Distinguished Huguenot Refugees, and A Visit to the Country of Voudois
The Idea of Neoliberalism: The Emperor Has Threadbare Contemporary Clothes - by John Dixon Purchase through Amazon  Neoliberalism, as a set of ideas, represents the 1970s rebirth—rebranding—of classical liberalism, which originated in the mid-eighteenth century Scottish Enlightenment. This book is about those ideas. It assembles an archetypal ideational construct of neoliberalism, so permitting the demarcation of its worldview, grounded in a set of framing assumptions (organizing… Continue reading The Idea of Neoliberalism: The Emperor Has Threadbare Contemporary Clothes
The Life of Hiuen-Tsiang: By the Shaman Hwui Li - Hiuen-Tsiang, also known as Xuanzang, was a Chinese Buddhist monk, traveler, researcher, and translator of the seventh century. Born in 602, he was primarily known for his travels to Southeast Asia, in what is now known as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, where he wrote about Chinese and Indian Buddhist practices.
The Limits of Moderation: Jimmy Carter and the Ironies of American Liberalism features a photo of author Leo P. Ribuffo shaking hands with President Jimmy Carter in a polaroid photo frame held up against wood paneling background with masking tape. The Limits of Moderation: Jimmy Carter and the Ironies of American Liberalism - The Limits of Moderation: Jimmy Carter and the Ironies of American Liberalism is not a finished product. Consider this book a primary source, an unfinished manuscript of the type historians might encounter while digging into the papers of an intellectual figure in an archive.
The Log of a Forty-Niner - by Carolyn Hale Russ Purchase on Amazon  |  Purchase on CreateSpace Carolyn Hale Russ uses the diary and personal accounts of her father, Richard L. Hale, to discuss California exploration by settlers from 1849 to 1854. Russ highlights the land and ship excursions her father undertook in order to find adventure and gold. The Log of… Continue reading The Log of a Forty-Niner
This is a cover of a book with a sand colored background with the title and author in black decorative text and a greyscale image of Glubb on the center The Lord of the Desert: A Study of the Papers of the British Officer John B. Glubb in Jordan and Iraq - John Bajot Glubb, a British engineer officer, was sent to Iraq in 1920 to resolve the problems which erupted after the Iraqi revolt. He remained in the area for ten years, working with the Bedouins and learning fluent Arabic.
The Orpheus C. Kerr Papers - Edited by Robert Henry Newell Purchase through Amazon  The Orpheus C. Kerr Papers highlights the sense of humor that was part of the literature of the Civil War in the United States. The Papers originally appeared as a series of installments to Sunday newspapers. Upon completion of the installments, they were edited and bound with… Continue reading The Orpheus C. Kerr Papers
The Prisoners of 1776: A Relic of the Revolution - by Rev. R. Livesey Purchase through Amazon  Most of this work is not by Rev. R. Livesey, but rather by Charles Herbert, who was made prisoner by the English during the Revolutionary War. The journal begins around November 15, 1776, shortly after Herbert was captured while on the brigantine, Dolton. While imprisoned, he suffered from… Continue reading The Prisoners of 1776: A Relic of the Revolution
The Spanish Borderlands: A Chronicle of Old Florida and the Southwest - by Herbert E. Bolton Purchase The Spanish Borderlands focuses on the areas between Florida and California, and the influence that Spanish conquistadores held. The work is broken into two sections, with the first highlighting exploration of the region by Spaniards, and the latter half of the book looking at these areas as colonies. Bolton examines… Continue reading The Spanish Borderlands: A Chronicle of Old Florida and the Southwest
The Speculative Art of Alchemy: A Text Book on the Art of Self-Regeneration - by A. S. Raleigh Purchase through Amazon  Of The Speculative Art of Alchemy, Raleigh wrote, “This Course of Lessons constitutes the Official Text Book of the Hermetic Brotherhood of Atlantis for the study of the Speculative Art of Alchemy, they contain as much of the Sacred Art as will ever be given to the general… Continue reading The Speculative Art of Alchemy: A Text Book on the Art of Self-Regeneration
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