A collection of illustrated maps and detailed information about countries, conflicts, and people around the world from 1800 to the present.

Describes what it was like to live in the New England colonies during the years 1565 to 1776.

Describes how a wide variety of things such as nursery rhymes, the national anthem, anesthesia, cellophane, raisins, and dynamite came into being.

Looks at modern dance, discussing the history, styles, and famous dancers and choreographers.

"John E. Wills's masterful history ushers us into the worlds of 1688, from the suicidal exaltation of Russian Old Believers to the ravishing voice of the haiku poet Basho. Witness the splendor of the Chinese imperial court as the Kangxi emperor publicly mourns the death of his grandmother and shrewdly consolidates his power. Join the great caravans of Muslims on their annual pilgrimage from Damascus and Cairo to Mecca. Walk the pungent streets of...