38 results for "History"

The rise of the dragon: an illustrated history of the Targaryen dynasty

Martin, George R. R.
"This is a stunning introduction to House Targaryen, the iconic family at the heart of HBO's Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon. For hundreds of years, the Targaryens sat the Iron Throne of Westeros while their dragons ruled the skies. The story of the only family of dragonlords to survive Valyria's Doom is a tale of twisty politics, alliances and betrayals, and acts both noble and craven. The Rise of the Dragon chronicles the creation and growth of Targaryen power in Westeros, covering the history first told in George R. R. Martin's epic Fire & Blood, from Aegon Targaryen's conquest of Westeros to the infamous Dance of the Dragons--the bloody civil war that nearly undid Targaryen rule for good. Packed with all-new artwork, the Targaryens--and their dragons--come vividly to life in this deluxe reference book. Perfect for fans steeped in the lore of Westoros, as well as those who first meet the Targaryens in the HBO series House of the Dragon, this provides a must-have overview for anyone looking to learn more about the most powerful family in the Seven Kingdoms."--Publisher information.
Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Random House 2022-10-25 351 pages

Everything you wanted to know about Indians but were afraid to ask

Treuer, Anton
"A revised and updated edition of a modern classic offers answers to nearly 200 essential and thought-provoking questions about the Native people of North America. Anton Treuer, an Ojibwe scholar and cultural preservationist, addresses a range of topics-answering questions that are thoughtful and outrageous, modern and historical, and always interesting"--
Minnesota Historical Society Press 2023 285 pages

P.S.: further thoughts from a lifetime of listening

Terkel, Studs
Millions of Studs Terkel fans have come to know the prizewinning oral historian through his landmark books—“The Good War”, Hard Times, Working, Will the Circle Be Unbroken?, and many others. Few people realize, however, that much of Studs’s best work was not collected into these thematic volumes and has, in fact, never been published. P.S. brings together these significant and deeply enjoyable writings for the first time. The pieces in P.S. reflect Studs’s wide-ranging interests and travels, as well as his abiding connection to his hometown, Chicago. Here we have a fascinating conversation with James Baldwin, possibly Studs’s finest interview with an author; pieces on the colorful history and culture of Chicago; vivid portraits of Studs’s heroes and cohorts (including an insightful and still timely interview with songwriter Yip Harburg, known for his “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime”); and the transcript of Studs’s famous broadcast on the Depression, the very moving essence of what was to become Hard Times. A fitting postscript to a lifetime of listening, P.S. is a truly Terkelesque display of Studs’s extraordinary range of talent and the amazing people he found to talk to.
New Press 2008-11-11 230 pages

Upon further review: the greatest what-ifs in sports history

Pesca, Mike
"From Mike Pesca, host of the popular Slate podcast The Gist, comes the greatest sports minds imagining how the world would change if a play, trade, injury, or referee's call had just gone the other way. No announcer ever proclaimed: "Up Rises Frazier!" "Havlicek commits the foul, trying to steal the ball!" or "The Giants Lose the Pennant, The Giants Lose The Pennant!" Such moments are indelibly etched upon the mind of every sports fan. Or rather, they would be, had they happened. Sports are notoriously games of inches, and when we conjure the thought of certain athletes - like Bill Buckner or Scott Norwood - we can't help but apply a mental tape measure to the highlight reels of our minds. Players, coaches, and of course fans, obsess on the play when they ask, "What if?" Upon Further Review is the first book to answer that question. Upon Further Review is a book of counterfactual sporting scenarios. In its pages the reader will find expertly reported histories, where one small event is flipped on its head, and the resulting ripples are carefully documented, the likes of... What if the U.S. Boycotted Hitler's Olympics? What if Bobby Riggs beat Billie Jean King? What if Bucky Dent popped out at the foot of the Green Monster? What if Drew Bledsoe never got hurt? Upon Further Review takes classic arguments conducted over pints in a pub and places them in the hands of dozens of writers, athletes, and historians. From turning points that every sports fan rues or celebrates, to the forgotten would-be inflection points that defined sports, Upon Further Review answers age old questions, and settles the score, even if the score bounced off the crossbar"--
Twelve 2018 308 pages

The pleasures and sorrows of work

De Botton, Alain
Combining narrative virtuosity, a scholar's grasp of history, an intellectual intrepidness, and a dazzling ability to reveal the extraordinary in the ordinary (and vice versa), Alain de Botton has created his own ever-surprising genre into which The Pleasures and Sorrows of Work fits brilliantly. In this tantalizing new book, Alain de Botton takes on an activity common to us all--the activity in which most of us spend the majority of our time, but which rarely gets serious attention beyond the realm of cartoons and television sitcoms. With his signature elan and expansive curiosity, de Botton explores a diversity of occupations, from accountant to aircraft salesman, painter to power-station designer, career counselor to cookie manufacturer, and the vast diversity of locations where these occupations are undertaken. Peering closely at details of the workday and workplace that we tend to overlook, and asking questions that we hesitate to ask ourselves (To what end do we exhaust ourselves on a daily basis? What makes work pleasurable? Why isn't it pleasurable when it isn't?), de Botton gets at the whys and wherefores of routine, practice, and process, focusing a new and unexpectedly revealing light on the essential meaning of work in our lives.
Pantheon Books 2009 326 pages

Divine encounters: a guide to visions, angels, and other emissaries

Sitchin, Zecharia
In DIVINE ENCOUNTERS Zecharia Sitchin draws on basic Judeo-Christian texts to analyse the creation myths paralleling Biblical stories to the myths of Sumer and Mesopotamia in order to show that humanity did not evolve without assistance. Sitchin daringly hypothesises instead that Enki one of the leaders of the Anunnaki from the 12th planet created humanity as a primitive worker. Furthermore Sitchi[Bokinfo]
Bear & Co 2002-03-01 400 pages

Put it in the book! a half-century of Mets mania

Rose, Howie
In Put It In the Book , New York Mets broadcaster and lifelong fan Howie Rose takes fans behind the microphone, into the locker rooms, and through the last 50 years of Mets baseball. Millions of fans have listened to Rose's trademark calls over the years, and now, with his patented honesty and humor, he gives a firsthand account of the Amazins'--from the greatness of Tom Seaver to Johan Santana's recent no-no. In addition to a personalized look at the rich history of the of the team, this work also features Rose's thoughts and opinions on the current Mets team and roster and his thoughts on the future of the club.
Triumph Books 2012 217 pages

The official punk rock book of lists

Wallace, Amy
(Book). The Official Punk Rock Book of Lists features over 200 of the funniest, craziest lists from the Most Offensive Songs to Stupidest Band Names, from Punk Sell-Outs to Fashion Don'ts culled from historical archives and generated by celebrity guests. Contributors include rock stars and punk luminaries, from members of Guns N' Roses and the Ramones to Little Steven Van Zandt, Nick Tosches, Lenny Kaye, Debbie Harry, and every other big-name punk from the last 30 years of rock history. Wicked caricatures, by noted underground artist Cliff Mott, of punk rock stars are peppered generously throughout the book, which is already being hyped as the most fun music book of all time.
Backbeat Books 2007-11 313 pages

Ask Hal: answers to fans' most interesting questions about baseball rules from a hall-of-fame sportswriter

Lebovitz, Hal
"Very few writers (or broadcasters for that matter) know the rules of the games they cover as Hal Lebovitz did." -- Bob Costas A fun and fact-filled collection of baseball Q&As from a legendary sportswriter and rules expert. Think it couldn't happen on a baseball field? It probably did! Just ask Hal. Hal Lebovitz reigned as a leading expert on baseball rules for more than four decades. From 1957 until his death in 2005, Hal answered readers' questions about sports in his popular "Ask Hal" newspaper column. Baseball provided the most frequent questions--and often the most curious and confounding ones. But Hal was never stumped. Many questions came from real situations--Little League, church-league softball, major league games--even the World Series. (National TV broadcasters even called him at home live during the World Series for opinions about on-field rulings) Some came straight from fans' vivid imaginations. Either way, there was always an answer, and Hal had it. This book collects the best and most entertaining questions and answers about baseball rules from four decades of "Ask Hal." Flip to any page and you'll find a question that might spark a lively debate at any dinner table or settle a bet at the local tavern. How many can you answer? A book for fans who love to "know it all."
Gray & Co 2007 181 pages

The things that nobody knows: 501 mysteries of life, the universe and everything

Hartston, William
A playful and diverting, yet always scientifically rigorous look at those simple mysteries that are yet to be solved Why are so many giraffes gay? Has human evolution stopped? Where did our alphabet come from? Can robots become self-aware? Can lobsters recognize other lobsters by sight? What goes on inside a black hole? Are cell phones bad for us? Why can't we remember anything from our earliest years? Full of the mysteries of life, the universe, and everything, this is a fascinating and unputdownable exploration of the limits of human knowledge of our planet, its history and culture, and the universe beyond.
Atlantic 2012 384 pages

Einstein, history, and other passions

Holton, Gerald James
Gerald Holton uses the life and work of our century's greatest scientist to warn against today's gathering Romantic rebellion, one in which science is blamed for all our social ills, and in which reason is being replaced by New Age 'ways of knowing.' Through his rich exploration of Einstein's thought, the author shows how the best science depends on great intuitive leaps of imagination, and how science is indeed the creative expression of the traditions of Western civilization. Wide-ranging and forceful, this book is a must reading for anyone interested in the place of science in our world.
AIP Press 1995 312 pages