An updated edition contains information on the history of the White House, its leaders, and significant events, from the redesign of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in 1792 to the results of the 2004 election.

Bryson examines closely the events and personalities of the summer of 1927 when America's story was one of brawling adventure, reckless optimism and delirious energy.

"Where will the water come from to sustain the great desert cities of Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Phoenix? In his provocative exploration of the past, present, and future of water in the West, James Lawrence Powell begins at Lake Powell, the vast reservoir that has become an emblem of this concern. At present, Lake Powell is less than half full. Bathtub rings ten stories tall encircle its blue water; boat ramps and marinas lie stranded and useless....

On June 14, 1940, German tanks entered a silent and nearly deserted Paris. Eight days later, France accepted a humiliating defeat and foreign occupation. Subsequently, an eerie sense of normalcy settled over the City of Light. Many Parisians keenly adapted themselves to the situation-even allied themselves with their Nazi overlords. At the same time, amidst this darkening gloom of German ruthlessness, shortages, and curfews, a resistance arose. Parisians...

"The French Revolution was the 'big bang' out of which all the elements of modern politics and social conflicts were formed. Democracy, populism, liberalism, conservatism, socialism, nationalism, feminism, and abolitionism are all heirs to the momentous upheaval that began in Paris in 1789. Historian Jeremy Popkin offers a riveting account of the Revolution that puts the reader in the thick of the debates and the turmoil that led to the overthrow...

"In early modern English medicine, the balance of fluids in the body was seen as the key to health. Menstruation was widely believed to regulate the blood level in the female body and so was extensively discussed in medical texts. In this book, Sara Read examines all forms of literature, from plays and poems, to life-writing, and compares these texts with the medical theories. Many of these literary representations show how early modern English women...

Discover the events that have shaped our world, from the dawn of prehistoric civilization to the digital age, brought to life with contemporary photographs, maps, paintings, and artifacts that place each event in a wider social and historical context.

Tracing the history of weaponry from the stone axes of prehistoric warfare to the high-tech world of modern-day military operations, uses photographs, captions, and descriptions to chronicle the evolution of military armaments.