biography

This sweeping work covers world cultures from prehistory through the year 700 C.E. With in-depth analysis of civilizations, key figures, cities, cultures and daily life. Its three volumes stretch beyond the boundaries of the ancient world of Greece, Rome and Egypt, to include Egypt, China, the Near East, Europe, Africa, the Americas and more, to provide true world coverage. The set begins with 26 overview essays, from Agriculture to Writing Systems, followed by 1,100 alphabetically arranged essays on persons, cultures, wars, battles, documents or works, traditions or cultural phenomena, structures or artifacts, places or sites, terms, and groups or civilizations. Next, over 200 entries provide in-depth overviews of historic civilizations, times and places. Lastly, the set provides detailed descriptions of "life as" an individual living in a given time and place. Coverage is broad in scope, yet easy to use, with guides for pronunciation, geography, word usage, and timelines included. Additional appendices include a Categorized List of Contents, Timeline, Geographical Guide to Ancient World, Glossary, Websites, and Bibliography, as well as a Name Index and a comprehensive Subject Index. Not only does the set provide encyclopedic coverage of the Ancient World and its civilizations, but it goes on to offer students and researchers new insight into what it meant to live in a specific time and place. No other reference tool provides this unique combination of material. -- Amazon.com.

"In 1927, Zora Neale Hurston went to Plateau, Alabama, just outside Mobile, to interview eighty-six-year-old Cudjo Lewis. Of the millions of men, women, and children transported from Africa to America as slaves, Cudjo was then the only person alive to tell the story of this integral part of the nation's history. Hurston was there to record Cudjo's firsthand account of the raid that led to his capture and bondage fifty years after the Atlantic slave trade was outlawed in the United States. In 1931, Hurston returned to Plateau, the African-centric community three miles from Mobile founded by Cudjo and other former slaves from his ship. Spending more than three months there, she talked in depth with Cudjo about the details of his life. During those weeks, the young writer and the elderly formerly enslaved man ate peaches and watermelon that grew in the backyard and talked about Cudjo's past--memories from his childhood in Africa, the horrors of being captured and held in a barracoon for selection by American slavers, the harrowing experience of the Middle Passage packed with more than 100 other souls aboard the Clotilda, and the years he spent in slavery until the end of the Civil War. Based on those interviews, featuring Cudjo's unique vernacular, and written from Hurston's perspective with the compassion and singular style that have made her one of the preeminent American authors of the twentieth-century, Barracoon masterfully illustrates the tragedy of slavery and of one life forever defined by it. Offering insight into the pernicious legacy that continues to haunt us all, black and white, this poignant and powerful work is an invaluable contribution to our shared history and culture."--Publisher's website.

"The true story for middle grade readers of First Lt. Jack Montgomery, a Native American who received the Medal of Honor for his valor in World War II."--Provided by publisher.

Profiles four women who have been integral to NASA's space program, helping to develop the Hubble Space Telescope, create computer code to send spacecraft to the moon, and work onboard the space shuttle.

Television personality Padma Lakshmi examines "her journey from [a humble family kitchen], led by ferocious and unforgettable women, to the judges' table of Top Chef and beyond. It chronicles the fierce devotion of the remarkable people who shaped her along the way, from her headstrong mother who flouted conservative Indian convention to make a life in New York, to her Brahmin grandfather--a brilliant engineer with an irrepressible sweet tooth--to the man seemingly wrong for her in every way who proved to be her truest ally"--Amazon.com.

Introduces the life and achievements of the surfer who won international fame in four Olympics and used his surfboard to save eight people from a capsized boat in California.

"Roberto Clemente became a baseball icon because of his talent and compassion, and how he overcame prejudices. He was drafted from Puerto Rico, where he spoke Spanish, when he was just eighteen. At first fans laughed at his Spanish accent and some even disliked him for the color of his skin. Roberto worked hard to prove his critics wrong and improve his baseball skills. He became one of the game's greatest hitters while he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was the first Latin American player to have 3,000 hits and his legacy of kindness and record breaking continues to inspire players today"--Back cover.

"Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was one of the most influential leaders in the Civil Rights Movement. Influenced by Gandhi, Thoreau, and Jesus, he used nonviolent resistance to become a social activist. Martin led civil rights marches and gave powerful and influential speeches, like his 'I Have a Dream' speech at the March on Washington. Martin hoped that all people would come together for freedom and equality. Martin's work towards equality would eventually become law, such as the legal end of racial segregation"--Back cover.

"Amelia Earhart gained world fame as the most skilled pilot of her time. As a daring and courageous aviator, she was the first female pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Although flight would always be closest to Amelia's heart, she had other interests too. She was a social worker, an author, a clothing designer, and an educator. Most importantly, in all of her pursuits, Amelia worked hard to promote the rights and equality of women. Amelia proved that female pilots were just as capable and courageous as male pilots. Her achievements made her an important part of our history"--Back cover.