J. Mackay Hitsman''s account of the War of 1812, first published in 1965, is exciting and authoritative, and is regarded by many experts as the best one-volume history of that conflict from the British/Canadian perspective. It is an engrossing account of the causes of the war and of the campaigns and battles that raged on land and water, from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. Hitsman describes the life and role of the soldiers -- both the regulars and the militia -- and the difficulties of waging war in trackless territory, where rivers and lakes were the main means of transport. His examination of the strengths and weaknesses of the leaders on both sides helps us to understand the events as they unfold, and he dispels some of the myths that have pervaded earlier accounts. This new edition, edited by well known War of 1812 scholar Donald E. Graves, contains the entire text of the original and much new material:
-- Foreword by Sir Christopher Prevost (descendant of the wartime British commander-in-chief)
-- Introductory essay by Donald E. Graves
-- More than 50 illustrations of leaders, uniforms, weapons, warships, medals and battle scenes
-- 20 maps of campaigns and battles
-- Appendices listing British and Canadian military units and their modern successors; the First Nations that fought on both sides; the warships of the opposing navies; and the medals and awards of the war
-- A comprehensive bibliography with more than 1,000 entries

National Bestseller

September 8, 1900, began innocently in the seaside town of Galveston, Texas. Even Isaac Cline, resident meteorologist for the U.S. Weather Bureau failed to grasp the true meaning of the strange deep-sea swells and peculiar winds that greeted the city that morning. Mere hours later, Galveston found itself submerged in a monster hurricane that completely destroyed the town and killed over six thousand people in what remains the greatest natural disaster in American history--and Isaac Cline found himself the victim of a devestating personal tragedy.

Using Cline''s own telegrams, letters, and reports, the testimony of scores of survivors, and our latest understanding of the science of hurricanes, Erik Larson builds a chronicle of one man''s heroic struggle and fatal miscalculation in the face of a storm of unimaginable magnitude. Riveting, powerful, and unbearably suspenseful, Isaac''s Storm is the story of what can happen when human arrogance meets the great uncontrollable force of nature.

Twice a winner of the Pulitzer Prize, author Barbara Tuchman now tackles the pervasive presence of folly in governments through the ages. Defining folly as the pursuit by governments of policies contrary to their own interersts, despite the availability of feasible alternatives, Tuchman details four decisive turning points in history that illustrate the very heights of folly in government: the Trojan War, the breakup of the Holy See provoked by the Renaissance Popes, the loss of the American colonies by Britain''s George III, and the United States'' persistent folly in Vietnam. THE MARCH OF FOLLY brings the people, places, and events of history magnificently alive for today''s reader.

In this vivid and compelling narrative, the Seven Years'' War-long seen as a mere backdrop to the American Revolution-takes on a whole new significance. Relating the history of the war as it developed, Anderson shows how the complex array of forces brought into conflict helped both to create Britain's empire and to sow the seeds of its eventual dissolution.

Beginning with a skirmish in the Pennsylvania backcountry involving an inexperienced George Washington, the Iroquois chief Tanaghrisson, and the ill-fated French emissary Jumonville, Anderson reveals a chain of events that would lead to world conflagration. Weaving together the military, economic, and political motives of the participants with unforgettable portraits of Washington, William Pitt, Montcalm, and many others, Anderson brings a fresh perspective to one of America's most important wars, demonstrating how the forces unleashed there would irrevocably change the politics of empire in North America.

In October 1962, when the United States confronted the Soviet Union over its installation of missiles in Cuba, few people shared the behind-the-scenes story as it is told here by the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy. In this unique account, he describes the hour-by-hour negotiations, with particular attention to the actions and views of his brother, President John F. Kennedy.

In an accessible short-essay format, Paul Baldwin offers a panoramic view of our century through 365 of its most remarkable touchstones. Ranging between the inspiring, the terrifying, & the truly silly, the book includes everything from Mao's Cultural Revolution to the 1926 publication of A. A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh. A terrific reference source for all kinds of information, The 365 Most Important Events of the Twentieth Century also provides a comprehensive sense of how individual moments in history affect & build upon each other. The 1912 invention of the S.O.S. distress code, for instance, would later that same year bring the crucial rescue ship to the sinking Titanic. Einstein's 1916 Theory of Relativity would provide the groundwork for Paul Dirac's 1928 horrifying discovery of anti-matter, & the reparations bill presented to Germany after World War I created the necessary environment for Hitler's rise to power. The 365 Most Important Events of the Twentieth Century captures our collective triumphs, ironies, & tragedies with both insight & precision. As we enter into the next century, this book offers a welcome perspective on what we have come from & where we might be headed.

This book brings together twelve of the most influential articles on the English Civil War, including coverage of all the major debates on this key period in British history.

In the 1830s, much of the world was still unexplored territory to European and American travelers, and the forbidding Antarctic region represented perhaps the ultimate mystery. Was there, in fact, a new polar continent where James Cook during his voyages of the 1770s had encountered only "Firm Field and Vast Mountains of Ice?" The prospect of discovering a lucrative whaling ground made this as yet uncharted and unexploited region especially enticing. Three expeditions to the pole were launched simultaneously by the United States, France, and Britain, each nation vying to be the first to forge a path through the pack ice and venture farther south than any vessel had ever sailed before. The leaders of these expeditions paved the way for the explorers, traders, and whalers of what was to become known as the "Heroic Age" of Antarctic exploration. The Race to the White Continent is a colorful and captivating account of their travels and adventures.

Everyone has a special year, whether it be the year they were born or the year when a special event took place that affected their lives. Time Passages has created a book for each year from 1940 to 1998, listing in chronological calendar format, events which occurred during that year. Sports, politics, world events, TV, movies, pricing, fashion and nostalgia are all documented in full color.

Questions established canons and encourages readers to recognize the similarities between West and non-West nations.

Everyone has a special year, whether it be the year they were born or the year when a special event took place that affected their lives. Time Passages has created a book for each year from 1940 to 1998, listing in chronological calendar format, events which occurred during that year. Sports, politics, world events, TV, movies, pricing, fashion and nostalgia are all documented in full color.