- Table View
- List View
Kinfolks: Falling Off the Family Tree
by Lisa AltherMost of us grow up knowing who we are and where we come from. Lisa Alther's mother hailed from New York, her father from Virginia. One day a babysitter told Lisa about the Melungeons: six-fingered child-snatchers who hid in caves. Forgetting about these creepy kidnappers until she had a daughter of her own, Lisa learned they were actually an isolated group of dark-skinned people-often with extra thumbs-living in East Tennessee. But who were they? Descendants of Sir Walter Raleigh's Lost Colony? Kin of shipwrecked Portuguese or Turkish sailors? Or were they the children of frontiersman, or displaced Native Americans? Part sidesplitting travelogue, part how (and how not) to climb your family tree, Alther's Kinfolks casts light on a little-known part of America's contentious racial history; it shimmers with wicked humor, dazzles with wit, and demonstrates just how wacky and wonderful our human family truly is.
King Arthur: Man or Myth
by Tony SullivanAn investigation of the evidence for King Arthur based on the earliest written sources rather than later myths and legends.This book differs from the usual Arthur theories in that it favors no particular conjecture simply analyses and clarifies the evidence presenting it all in chronological order. Starting from Roman Britain, the evidence shows how the legend evolved and at what point concepts such as Camelot, Excalibur and Merlin were added.It covers the historical records from the end of Roman Britain using contemporary sources such as they are, from 400-800, including Gallic Chronicles, Gildas and Bede. It details the first written reference to Arthur in the Historia Brittonum c.800 and the later Annales Cambriae in the tenth century showing the evolution of the legend in later Welsh and French stories.While not starting from or aiming at a specific person, the book compares the possibility of Arthur being purely fictional with a historical figure alongside a list of possible suspects. The evidence is presented and the reader is invited to make up their own mind before a discussion of the author&’s own assessment.&“What impressed me about this book is Sullivan&’s passion for this subject and his willingness to go the extra mile to show both sides of the argument . . . It was extremely fascinating to see how he treated this book like a criminal investigation, using different fields of study to figure out the origins of the legend, how it evolved, and whether or not there was a king named Arthur.&” —Adventures of a Tudor Nerd
King Arthur: Man or Myth
by Tony SullivanAn investigation of the evidence for King Arthur based on the earliest written sources rather than later myths and legends.This book differs from the usual Arthur theories in that it favors no particular conjecture simply analyses and clarifies the evidence presenting it all in chronological order. Starting from Roman Britain, the evidence shows how the legend evolved and at what point concepts such as Camelot, Excalibur and Merlin were added.It covers the historical records from the end of Roman Britain using contemporary sources such as they are, from 400-800, including Gallic Chronicles, Gildas and Bede. It details the first written reference to Arthur in the Historia Brittonum c.800 and the later Annales Cambriae in the tenth century showing the evolution of the legend in later Welsh and French stories.While not starting from or aiming at a specific person, the book compares the possibility of Arthur being purely fictional with a historical figure alongside a list of possible suspects. The evidence is presented and the reader is invited to make up their own mind before a discussion of the author&’s own assessment.&“What impressed me about this book is Sullivan&’s passion for this subject and his willingness to go the extra mile to show both sides of the argument . . . It was extremely fascinating to see how he treated this book like a criminal investigation, using different fields of study to figure out the origins of the legend, how it evolved, and whether or not there was a king named Arthur.&” —Adventures of a Tudor Nerd
King Arthur: The Mystery Unravelled
by Chris BarberThis book is the culmination of over thirty years of work and research by the author, who is a King Arthur specialist and bestseller.The book brings new information to light by examining through a jigsaw of connections throughout Dark Age Britain, especially Wales and Cornwall, as King Arthur is revealed to have been a hereditary King of the ancient land of the Silures in South Wales. In this way, Chris Barber has set out to reveal the true identity of King Arthur, whose identity has been obscured by the mists of time and the imaginative embellishments of romantic writers through the ages. After sorting fact from fiction, he not only identifies the Celtic prince who gave rise to the legend of Arthur, but reveals his family background, 6th century inscribed stones bearing his name and those of his contemporaries; locations of his courts, battle sites such as Badon Llongborth and Camlann; the identity of his enemies, the ancient Isle of Avalon and his final resting place.
King Arthur: pocket GIANTS
by Nick HighamWhy is King Arthur a giant? Because his story has had such strong influences on our understanding of the history of Europe and the English-speaking world. Because the debate about Arthur as a historical figure has been central to understanding the fall of Roman Britain and the formation of England for much of the last 1,300 years. Because Arthur is one of the best-known kings in world history, whose reign was viewed as a golden age, an epoch in which to centre tales of right and wrong, of faith and faithlessness, and of courage and falseness, the moral and spiritual values of which continue to resonate today not least among those who dismiss Arthur as a late literary construct. Because an understanding of Arthur and all the different things he has meant to scores of generations up to the present is fundamental to our understanding of our own past, our understanding of ourselves and the ways in which we can benefit from history.
King Charles II
by Antonia FraserA comprehensive biography. Antonia Fraser tells about the life of King Charles II step-by-step, guides the reader through the ups and downs, the horrible tales of the civil war, the lonely days of a king-in-exile, the restoration and his actual reign.
King Charles II
by Lady Antonia FraserFollowing a youth of poverty and bitter exile after his father's execution, the ousted king first challenged, then made his magnificent escape from, Cromwell's troops before he was eventually restored to his throne in triumph in 1660.Spanning his life both before and after the Restoration, Antonia Fraser's lively and fascinating biography captures all the vitality of the man and the expansiveness of the age.
King Charles III: A Little Golden Book Biography (Little Golden Book)
by Jen ArenaHelp your little one dream big and learn about the new monarch with a Little Golden Book biography about King Charles III. The perfect introduction to nonfiction for preschoolers!This Little Golden Book about King Charles III, former Prince of Wales, and the oldest monarch to take the throne is an inspiring read-aloud—and a royal lesson in patience—for young girls and boys.Look for more Little Golden Book biographies: • Misty Copeland • Frida Kahlo • Iris Apfel • Bob Ross • Queen Elizabeth II • Harriet Tubman
King Charles III: Celebrating His Majesty's Coronation and Reign (History's Great Leaders )
by Andrea MillsCelebrate Britain&’s newest monarch, King Charles III, and uncover his fascinating story in time for his coronation in this kid&’s biography.In honor of King Charles III&’s coronation, this once in a lifetime history book for kids tells the story of a young prince who has been heir to the throne since he was just three years old. But what do we know about our new king? Come along as we embark on a royal journey like no other… This incredible book traces Charles&’ life, from his investiture as Prince of Wales and his time in the navy, to his extensive charity work and now his accession to the throne. Going beyond just the basic facts, young readers will love learning compelling and lesser-known information, like before becoming King, Charles was a magician, plus information like what being king really involves.Inside this beautifully illustrated King Charles book for children, you will find:- Fascinating facts on every page about King Charles III, the Royal Family and what being king really means.- Lively illustrations alongside simple text which keeps children interested and allows them to jump to any part of the book.- A different chapter of the King&’s life broken down into each double page feature.- Important information about the British monarchy for parents and children to read together and learn about the King&’s Coronation.From the publisher that brought you Queen Elizabeth: A Platinum Jubilee Celebration, playful illustrations, exciting facts, and age-appropriate text fill every page to make this the perfect gift to mark King Charles III&’s reign and celebrate his coronation!
King Charles: The Man, the Monarch, and the Future of Britain
by Robert JobsonAn exhaustive and revealing biography of Britain&’s new monarch, King Charles III, with fresh reporting by the journalist the Wall Street Journal dubbed &“the Godfather of royal reporting.&” With exclusive interviews and extensive research, King Charles delivers definitive insight into the extraordinary life of His Royal Highness, former Prince of Wales, as he takes the throne, a watershed moment in modern history and in the British monarchy.New York Times bestselling author Robert Jobson debunks the myths about the man who became king, going beyond banal, bogus media caricatures of Charles to tell his true story. Jobson—who has spent nearly thirty years chronicling the House of Windsor, and has met Charles on countless occasions—received unprecedented cooperation from Clarence House, what was the Prince&’s office, in writing this illuminating biography.King Charles divulges the full range of Charles&’s profoundly held political beliefs: the United Kingdom&’s special relationship to the United States, climate change, Brexit, and immigration—to ultimately portray the kind of monarch Charles III will be. Jobson taps a number of sources close to the now-King who have never spoken on the record before, plus members of the Royal Household who have served Charles during his decades of public life. This comprehensive profile also reveals the late Queen Elizabeth&’s plans to transition Charles to the throne; how at her insistence he already reads all government briefings; and why he feels it is his constitutional duty to relay his thoughts to ministers in his controversial &“black spider memos.&” Moreover, King Charles reveals the truth about Charles's deeply loving but occasionally volatile relationship with his second wife and chief supporter, Camilla. The result is an intriguing new portrait of a man who at last has become king.
King Con: The Bizarre Adventures of the Jazz Age's Greatest Impostor
by Paul WillettsThe spellbinding tale of hustler Edgar Laplante—the king of Jazz Age con artists—who becomes the victim of his own dangerous game. Edgar Laplante was a smalltime grifter, an erstwhile vaudeville performer, and an unabashed charmer. But after years of playing thankless gigs and traveling with medicine shows, he decided to undertake the most demanding and bravura performance of his life. In the fall of 1917, Laplante reinvented himself as Chief White Elk: war hero, sports star, civil rights campaigner, Cherokee nation leader—and total fraud. Under the pretenses of raising money for struggling Native American reservations, Laplante dressed in buckskins and a feathered headdress and traveled throughout the American West, narrowly escaping exposure and arrest each time he left town. When the heat became too much, he embarked upon a lucrative continent-hopping tour that attracted even more enormous crowds, his cons growing in proportion to the adulation of his audience. As he moved through Europe, he spied his biggest mark on the Riviera: a prodigiously rich Hungarian countess, who was instantly smitten with the con man. The countess bankrolled a lavish trip through Italy that made Laplante a darling of the Mussolini regime and a worldwide celebrity, soaring to unimaginable heights on the wings of his lies. But then, at the pinnacle of his improbable success, Laplante’s overreaching threatened to destroy him… In King Con, Paul Willetts brings this previously untold story to life in all its surprising absurdity, showing us how our tremendous capacity for belief and our longstanding obsession with celebrity can make fools of us all—and proving that sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.
King David (Get to Know)
by ZondervanA Shepherd and A KingDavid lived an adventurous life. He protected his family&’s sheep from lions and bears. He fought a giant with just a sling and stone. He even spent years hiding from men who were trying to kill him. And eventually, David became a great king. But David was also a man of God. Learn more about this hero from the Bible and his exciting place in history. Discover what it was like to grow up in ancient Israel and then be a king of God&’s people. King David—part of the Get to Know series—will teach you everything you need to know about an imperfect young man whom God used to do great things!
King David: The Real life of the Man Who Ruled Israel
by Jonathan KirschDavid, King of the Jews, possessed every flaw and failing a mortal is capable of, yet men and women adored him and God showered him with many more blessings than he did Abraham or Moses. His sexual appetite and prowess were matched only by his violence, both on the battlefield and in the bedroom. A charismatic leader, exalted as "a man after God's own heart," he was also capable of deep cunning, deceit, and betrayal. Now, in King David: The Real Life of the Man Who Ruled Israel, bestselling author Jonathan Kirsch reveals this commanding individual in all his glory and fallibility. In a taut, dramatic narrative, Kirsch brings new depth and psychological complexity to the familiar events of David's life--his slaying of the giant Goliath and his swift challenge to the weak rule of Saul, the first Jewish king; his tragic relationship with Saul's son Jonathan, David's cherished friend (and possibly lover); his celebrated reign in Jerusalem, where his dynasty would hold sway for generations. Yet for all his greatness, David was also a man in thrall to his passions--a voracious lover who secured the favors of his beautiful mistress Bathsheba by secretly arranging the death of her innocent husband; a merciless warrior who triumphed through cruelty; a troubled father who failed to protect his daughter from rape and whose beloved son Absalom rose against him in armed insurrection. Weaving together biblical texts with centuries of interpretation and commentary, Jonathan Kirsch brings King David to life in these pages with extraordinary freshness, intimacy, and vividness of detail. At the center of this inspiring narrative stands a hero of flesh and blood--not the cartoon giant-slayer of sermons and Sunday school stories or the immaculate ruler of legend and art but a magnetic, disturbingly familiar man--a man as vibrant and compelling today as he has been for millennia.
King David: Trusting God for a Lifetime (Fisherman Bible Studyguide Series)
by Robbie CastlemanFisherman Bible Studyguides have been a trusted name in Bible study for almost thirty years. With outstanding authors, an emphasis on personal growth, and over eighty titles, the Fisherman guides offer a breadth and depth of biblical study not found in any other series. Fisherman are written with a commitment to the unique authority of the Bible in our lives. Nondenominational, nonsectarian, and suitable for new Christians and mature Christians, Fisherman have a broad appeal with a biblical base. King David: Trusting God for a Lifetime, a twelve-week Bible character study, takes an in-depth look at the person referred to in Scripture as "a man after God's own heart," giving insight into how to cope with conflict and depression, how to maintain personal integrity, and how to trust God for a lifetime.
King George III: America's Enemy
by Philip BrooksA children's biography of King George III, who was King of England during the American revolution.
King George III: England's Struggle to Keep America
by Steve RobertsKing George III who ruled Great Britain, is remembered as the "king who lost America". This book covers his life and reign of the British Empire.
King Hancock: The Radical Influence of a Moderate Founding Father
by Brooke BarbierA rollicking portrait of the paradoxical patriot, whose measured pragmatism helped make American independence a reality.Americans are surprisingly more familiar with his famous signature than with the man himself. In this spirited account of John Hancock’s life, Brooke Barbier depicts a patriot of fascinating contradictions—a child of enormous privilege who would nevertheless become a voice of the common folk; a pillar of society uncomfortable with radicalism who yet was crucial to independence. About two-fifths of the American population held neutral or ambivalent views about the Revolution, and Hancock spoke for them and to them, bringing them along.Orphaned young, Hancock was raised by his merchant uncle, whose business and vast wealth he inherited—including household slaves, whom Hancock later freed. By his early thirties, he was one of New England’s most prominent politicians, earning a place on Britain’s most-wanted list and the derisive nickname King Hancock. While he eventually joined the revolution against England, his ever moderate—and moderating—disposition would prove an asset after 1776. Barbier shows Hancock appealing to southerners and northerners, Federalists and Anti-Federalists. He was a famously steadying force as president of the fractious Second Continental Congress. He parlayed with French military officials, strengthening a key alliance with his hospitable diplomacy. As governor of Massachusetts, Hancock convinced its delegates to vote for the federal Constitution and calmed the fallout from the shocking Shays’s Rebellion.An insightful study of leadership in the revolutionary era, King Hancock traces a moment when passion was on the side of compromise and accommodation proved the basis of profound social and political change.
King Harald's Saga
by Magnus Magnusson Hermann PalssonThe story of King Harald (The Ruthless) of Norway, a contemporary of King Harold of England and William The Conqueror of Normandy. Harald attempted to claim for Norway the English throne and succeeded in marching to Chelsea before his army was defeated by English King Harold's troops and Harald was killed. Harold himself was defeated only nineteen days later by William of Normandy. Harald's demise though marked the end of the Viking era, of centuries of Scandinavian harrassment of England. Magnusson and Palsson wrote the introduction and translated the saga into English.
King Harald's Saga
by Snorri SturlusonThis compelling Icelandic history describes the life of King Harald Hardradi, from his battles across Europe and Russia to his final assault on England in 1066, less than three weeks before the invasion of William the Conqueror. It was a battle that led to his death and marked the end of an era in which Europe had been dominated by the threat of Scandinavian forces. Despite England's triumph, it also played a crucial part in fatally weakening the English army immediately prior to the Norman Conquest, changing the course of history. Taken from the Heimskringla - Snorri Sturluson's complete account of Norway from prehistoric times to 1177 - this is a brilliantly human depiction of the turbulent life and savage death of the last great Norse warrior-king.
King Hussein Of Jordan: A Political Life
by Nigel AshtonA towering figure in the history of Jordan, King Hussein reigned for nearly half a century, from his grandfather's assassination in 1953 to his own death in 1999. In this fascinating biography, Nigel Ashton recounts the eventful life of the king who not only survived but flourished amidst crisis after crisis as ruler of a poor desert nation surrounded by powerful and hostile neighbors. Hussein skillfully navigated complicated relationships with the British, his fellow Arab leaders, the new bordering state of Israel, masses of dispossessed Palestinians within his kingdom, every U. S. president from Eisenhower to Clinton, and every British prime minister from Churchill to Blair. This book illuminates the private man, his key relationships, and his achievements and disappointments as a central player in the tough world of Middle Eastern politics. Ashton has had unique access to King Hussein's private papers, including his secret correspondence with U. S. , British, and Israeli leaders, and he has also conducted numerous interviews with members of Hussein's circle and immediate family. The resulting book brings new depth to our understanding of the popular and canny king while also providing new information about the wars of 1967 and 1973, President Reagan's role in the Iran-Contra affair, the evolution of the Middle East peace process, and much more.
King James VI and I and the Reunion of Christendom
by W. B. PattersonThis is a historical study of the career of King James VI and I, as king of Scotland (1567-1625) and England (1603-1625), who achieved a union of the crowns as the first king of Great Britain, and who undertook to end the recurring religious wars. His peacemaking by diplomatic means was complemented by his efforts to foster closer relations among the churches. The peace that he helped to maintain by these initiatives, though cut short by the coming of the Thirty Years' War, was immensely beneficial both to Britain and to the other countries of Europe.
King John
by John CharlesSir Bobby Charlton reckons that if John Charles were playing today, his transfer value would be £70 million; and in a recent poll of Italian football fans, they voted him the greatest foreign player ever to play in their league, ahead of Maradona and Platini. He was equally adept as a centre forward or centre half, and often Juventus would play him up front until he scored, and then move him back into defence to protect the lead.Whether playing for Leeds United, Wales or Juventus, he fully earned his nickname of the 'Gentle Giant', never once being booked or sent off in a 15-year career, and always being the epitome of sportsmanship. KING JOHN recalls not just a vanished era of football, but also highlights what happens to our heroes once they have left the spotlight. It is a warm and moving account from one of football's true legends.
King John
by John CharlesSir Bobby Charlton reckons that if John Charles were playing today, his transfer value would be £70 million; and in a recent poll of Italian football fans, they voted him the greatest foreign player ever to play in their league, ahead of Maradona and Platini. He was equally adept as a centre forward or centre half, and often Juventus would play him up front until he scored, and then move him back into defence to protect the lead.Whether playing for Leeds United, Wales or Juventus, he fully earned his nickname of the 'Gentle Giant', never once being booked or sent off in a 15-year career, and always being the epitome of sportsmanship. KING JOHN recalls not just a vanished era of football, but also highlights what happens to our heroes once they have left the spotlight. It is a warm and moving account from one of football's true legends.
King John's Right Hand Lady: The Story of Nicholaa de la Haye
by Sharon Bennett ConnollyIn a time when men fought and women stayed home, Nicholaa de la Haye held Lincoln Castle against all-comers. Not once, but three times, earning herself the ironic praise that she acted ‘manfully’. Nicholaa gained prominence in the First Baron’s War, the civil war that followed the sealing of Magna Carta in 1215. Although recently widowed, and in her 60s, in 1217 Nicholaa endured a siege that lasted over three months, resisting the English rebel barons and their French allies. The siege ended in the battle known as the Lincoln Fair, when 70-year-old William Marshal, the Greatest Knight in Christendom, spurred on by the chivalrous need to rescue a lady in distress, came to Nicholaa’s aid. Nicholaa de la Haye was a staunch supporter of King John, remaining loyal to the very end, even after most of his knights and barons had deserted him. A truly remarkable lady, Nicholaa was the first woman to be appointed sheriff in her own right. Her strength and tenacity saved England at one of the lowest points in its history. Nicholaa de la Haye is one woman in English history whose story needs to be told…
King John, Henry III and England’s Lost Civil War
by John Paul DavisIn 1204, the great Angevin Empire created by the joining of the dynasties of Henry II of England and his queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, was fragmenting. At its height, the family landholdings had been among the largest the world had ever seen. From the border of England and Scotland in the north to south of the Pyrenees, it seemed there was nowhere in Europe destined to escape Plantagenet control. Yet within five years of his accession, King John’s grip on the family holdings was loosening. Betrayal against his father and brother, the murder of his nephew, and breaking promises made to his supporters were just some of the accusations levelled against him. When Philip II conquered Normandy, the chroniclers believed that an ancient prophecy was fulfilled: that in this year the sword would be separated from the sceptre. For the first time since 1066, England’s rule over the ancestral land was over. For John, troubles on the continent were just the beginning of a series of challenges that would ultimately define his reign. Difficult relations with the papacy and clergy, coupled with rising dissent among his barons ensured conflict would not be limited to the continent. When John died in 1216, more than half of the country was in the hands of the dauphin of France. Never had the future of the Plantagenet dynasty looked more uncertain. As the following pages will show, throughout the first eighteen years of the reign of Henry III, the future direction of England as a political state, the identity of the ruling family and the fate of Henry II’s lost empire were still matters that could have gone either way. For the advisors of the young king, led by the influential regent, William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, the effects of John’s reign would be long and severe. Successful implementation of the failed Magna Carta may have ensured his son’s short-term survival, yet living up to such promises created arguably a more significant challenge. This is the story of how the varying actions of two very different kings both threatened and created the English way of life, and ultimately put England on the path to its Lost Civil War.