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Bitter Waters: Life and Work in Stalin's Russia
by Gennady M. Andreev-Khomiakov Ann HealyOne dusty summer day in 1935, a young writer named Gennady Andreev-Khomiakov was released from the Siberian labor camp where he had spent the last eight years of his life. His total assets amounted to 25 rubles, a loaf of bread, five dried herrings, and the papers identifying him as a convicted "enemy of the people. " From this hard-pressed beginning, Andreev-Khomiakov would eventually work his way into a series of jobs that would allow him to travel and see more of ordinary life and work in the Soviet Union of the 1930s than most of his fellow Soviet citizens would ever have dreamed possible. Capitalizing on this rare opportunity,Bitter Watersis Andreev-Khomiakov's eyewitness account of those tumultuous years, a time when titanic forces were shaping the course of Russian history. Later to become a successful writer and editor in the Russian émigré community in the 1950s and 1960s, Andreev-Khomiakov brilliantly uses this memoir to explore many aspects of Stalinist society. Forced collectivization, Five Year Plans, purges, and the questionable achievements of "shock worker brigades" are only part of this story. Andreev-Khomiakov exposes the Soviet economy as little more than a web of corruption, a system that largely functioned through bribery, barter, and brute force-and that fell into temporary chaos when the German army suddenly invaded in 1941. Bitter Watersmay be most valuable for what it reveals about Russian society during the tumultuous 1930s. From remote provincial centers and rural areas, to the best and worst of Moscow and Leningrad, Andreev-Khomiakov's series of deftly drawn sketches of people, places, and events provide a unique window on the hard daily lives of the people who built Stalin's Soviet Union.
Bitter Waters
by Ann Healy Gennady M. Andreev-KhomiakovOne dusty summer day in 1935, a young writer named Gennady Andreev-Khomiakov was released from the Siberian labor camp where he had spent the last eight years of his life. His total assets amounted to 25 rubles, a loaf of bread, five dried herrings, and the papers identifying him as a convicted "enemy of the people." From this hard-pressed beginning, Andreev-Khomiakov would eventually work his way into a series of jobs that would allow him to travel and see more of ordinary life and work in the Soviet Union of the 1930s than most of his fellow Soviet citizens would ever have dreamed possible. Capitalizing on this rare opportunity, Bitter Waters is Andreev-Khomiakov's eyewitness account of those tumultuous years, a time when titanic forces were shaping the course of Russian history.Later to become a successful writer and editor in the Russian émigré community in the 1950s and 1960s, Andreev-Khomiakov brilliantly uses this memoir to explore many aspects of Stalinist society. Forced collectivization, Five Year Plans, purges, and the questionable achievements of "shock worker brigades" are only part of this story. Andreev-Khomiakov exposes the Soviet economy as little more than a web of corruption, a system that largely functioned through bribery, barter, and brute force-and that fell into temporary chaos when the German army suddenly invaded in 1941.Bitter Waters may be most valuable for what it reveals about Russian society during the tumultuous 1930s. From remote provincial centers and rural areas, to the best and worst of Moscow and Leningrad, Andreev-Khomiakov's series of deftly drawn sketches of people, places, and events provide a unique window on the hard daily lives of the people who built Stalin's Soviet Union.
The Bitter Waters of Medicine Creek: A Tragic Clash Between White and Native America
by Richard KlugerThe riveting story of a dramatic confrontation between Native Americans and white settlers, a compelling conflict that unfolded in the newly created Washington Territory from 1853 to 1857. When appointed Washington’s first governor, Isaac Ingalls Stevens, an ambitious military man turned politician, had one goal: to persuade (peacefully if possible) the Indians of the Puget Sound region to turn over their ancestral lands to the federal government. In return, they were to be consigned to reservations unsuitable for hunting, fishing, or grazing, their traditional means of sustaining life. The result was an outbreak of violence and rebellion, a tragic episode of frontier oppression and injustice. With his trademark empathy and scholarly acuity, Pulitzer Prize–winner Richard Kluger recounts the impact of Stevens’s program on the Nisqually tribe, whose chief, Leschi, sparked the native resistance movement. Stevens was determined to succeed at any cost: his hasty treaty negotiations with the Indians, marked by deceit, threat, and misrepresentation, inflamed his opponents. Leschi, resolved to save more than a few patches of his people’s lush homelands, unwittingly turned his tribe—and himself most of all—into victims of the governor’s relentless wrath. The conflict between these two complicated and driven men—and their supporters—explosively and enormously at odds with each other, was to have echoes far into the future. Closely considered and eloquently written,The Bitter Waters of Medicine Creekis a bold and long-overdue clarification of the historical record of an American tragedy, presenting, through the experiences of one tribe, the history of Native American suffering and injustice.
Bitterly Divided: The South's Inner Civil War
by David WilliamsThe little-known history of anti-secession Southerners: &“Absolutely essential Civil War reading.&” —Booklist, starred review Bitterly Divided reveals that the South was in fact fighting two civil wars—the external one that we know so much about, and an internal one about which there is scant literature and virtually no public awareness. In this fascinating look at a hidden side of the South&’s history, David Williams shows the powerful and little-understood impact of the thousands of draft resisters, Southern Unionists, fugitive slaves, and other Southerners who opposed the Confederate cause. &“This fast-paced book will be a revelation even to professional historians. . . . His astonishing story details the deep, often murderous divisions in Southern society. Southerners took up arms against each other, engaged in massacres, guerrilla warfare, vigilante justice and lynchings, and deserted in droves from the Confederate army . . . Some counties and regions even seceded from the secessionists . . . With this book, the history of the Civil War will never be the same again.&” —Publishers Weekly, starred review &“Most Southerners looked on the conflict with the North as &‘a rich man&’s war and a poor man&’s fight,&’ especially because owners of 20 or more slaves and all planters and public officials were exempt from military service . . . The Confederacy lost, it seems, because it was precisely the kind of house divided against itself that Lincoln famously said could not stand.&” —Booklist, starred review
Bitterroot: The Life and Death of Meriwether Lewis
by Patricia Tyson StroudIn America's early national period, Meriwether Lewis was a towering figure. Selected by Thomas Jefferson to lead the expedition to explore the Louisiana Purchase, he was later rewarded by Jefferson with the governorship of the entire Louisiana Territory. Yet within three years, plagued by controversy over administrative expenses, Lewis found his reputation and career in tatters. En route to Washington to clear his name, he died mysteriously in a crude cabin on the Natchez Trace in Tennessee. Was he a suicide, felled by his own alcoholism and mental instability? Most historians have agreed. Patricia Tyson Stroud reads the evidence to posit another, even darker, ending for Lewis.Stroud uses Lewis's find, the bitterroot flower, with its nauseously pungent root, as a symbol for his reputation as a purported suicide. It was this reputation that Thomas Jefferson promulgated in the memoir he wrote prefacing the short account of Lewis's historic expedition published five years after his death. Without investigation of any kind, Jefferson, Lewis's mentor from boyhood, reiterated undocumented assertions of Lewis's serious depression and alcoholism.That Lewis was the courageous leader of the first expedition to explore the continent from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean has been overshadowed by presuppositions about the nature of his death. Stroud peels away the layers of misinformation and gossip that have obscured Lewis's rightful reputation. Through a retelling of his life, from his resourceful youth to the brilliance of his leadership and accomplishments as a man, Bitterroot shows that Jefferson's mystifying assertion about the death of his protégé is the long-held bitter root of the Meriwether Lewis story.
Bitterroot
by Charles G. WestTom Allred, Little Wolf's brother by blood, devoted his life to the United States Army. Under George Armstrong Custer, he fought the Sioux and Cheyenne at the Little Bighorn. But because of his decision to help the notorious Cheyenne warrior, Little Wolf, escape, he is cashiered out of the army. Now making his way as a trapper, he has a confrontation with an army patrol, killing a sergeant in the action. Now he is a fugitive, and is hunted by the army as well as an infamous bounty hunter.
Bitters
by Brad Thomas Parsons Ed AndersonGone are the days when a lonely bottle of Angostura bitters held court behind the bar. A cocktail renaissance has swept across the country, inspiring in bartenders and their thirsty patrons a new fascination with the ingredients, techniques, and traditions that make the American cocktail so special. And few ingredients have as rich a history or serve as fundamental a role in our beverage heritage as bitters. Author and bitters enthusiast Brad Thomas Parsons traces the history of the world's most storied elixir, from its earliest "snake oil" days to its near evaporation after Prohibition to its ascension as a beloved (and at times obsessed-over) ingredient on the contemporary bar scene. Parsons writes from the front lines of the bitters boom, where he has access to the best and boldest new brands and flavors, the most innovative artisanal producers, and insider knowledge of the bitters-making process. Whether you're a professional looking to take your game to the next level or just a DIY-type interested in homemade potables, Bitters has a dozen recipes for customized blends--ranging from Apple to Coffee-Pecan to Root Beer bitters--as well as tips on sourcing ingredients and step-by-step instructions fit for amateur and seasoned food crafters alike. Also featured are more than seventy cocktail recipes that showcase bitters' diversity and versatility: classics like the Manhattan (if you ever get one without bitters, send it back), old-guard favorites like the Martinez, contemporary drinks from Parsons's own repertoire like the Shady Lane, plus one-of-a-kind libations from the country's most pioneering bartenders. Last but not least, there is a full chapter on cooking with bitters, with a dozen recipes for sweet and savory bitters-infused dishes. Part recipe book, part project guide, part barman's manifesto, Bitters is a celebration of good cocktails made well, and of the once-forgotten but blessedly rediscovered virtues of bitters.
Bittersüße Wahrheit um Mitternacht
by Sandra SookooMajor Cecil Stapleton kämpft nach fast zwanzig Jahren beim Militär mit seinem neuen Leben als Zivilist. Die Wunden, die er in der Schlacht von Toulouse erlitten hat, haben ihn wütend und entstellt gemacht und ihn nach England zurückgeschickt. Alles, was er jetzt will, ist, sich aufs Land zurückzuziehen und allein zu sein, zumal die Weihnachtszeit anbricht. Als er seine alte Geliebte in seinem Cottage findet, ist er völlig verzweifelt... und will vielleicht mehr. Die Witwe Sarah Presley hat hart gearbeitet, um ihre Existenz auf dem Lande in Buckinghamshire zu verbergen. Sie freut sich darauf, ihrem siebenjährigen Sohn einen besonderen Urlaub zu schenken, aber diese Idylle wird zerstört, als es an ihrer Tür klopft und der Mann auftaucht, mit dem sie vor acht Jahren eine leidenschaftliche Nacht verbracht hat - der Vater ihres Sohnes... und der Mann, den sie nie vergessen hat. Als sie keine andere Wahl hat, wird ein zaghafter Frieden geschlossen, aber die Erinnerungen drängen sich auf, ebenso wie neue und verwirrende Gefühle, denn ihre Zukunft ist genauso verwoben. Als ein gefährliches Geheimnis aus Sarahs Vergangenheit sie wieder heimsucht, ändert sich die Dynamik zwischen ihr und Cecil noch einmal. Für die Liebe ihres Sohnes und die süße Romanze, die sich zwischen ihnen anbahnt, müssen sie zusammenarbeiten, um zu überleben ... und ein Weihnachtswunder würde auch nicht schaden.
Bittersweet
by Nevada BarrAn outcast teacher and her former student pursue life and love on the unforgiving frontier in the acclaimed author’s tender Western lesbian romance.Pennsylvania, 1870s. Schoolteacher Imogen Grelznik is unashamed of who she is, even if she’s had to escape her neighbor’s hateful judgments more than once. When she meets beautiful young Sarah, Imogen encourages her to celebrate her own individual spirit—a spirit that Sarah’s husband does everything in his power to crush. Determined to forge their own path, Imogen and Sarah strike out for the Nevada frontier, where they are free to live by their own rules—and express their love. In her debut novel, New York Times bestselling author Nevada Barr shares a heart-wrenching tale of two women whose boundless devotion to each other is continually challenged by the forces of 19th century America.
Bittersweet
by Chris FeudtnerOne of medicine's most remarkable therapeutic triumphs was the discovery of insulin in 1921. The drug produced astonishing results, rescuing children and adults from the deadly grip of diabetes. But as Chris Feudtner demonstrates, the subsequent transformation of the disease from a fatal condition into a chronic illness is a story of success tinged with irony, a revealing saga that illuminates the complex human consequences of medical intervention. Bittersweet chronicles this history of diabetes through the compelling perspectives of people who lived with this disease. Drawing on a remarkable body of letters exchanged between patients or their parents and Dr. Elliot P. Joslin and the staff of physicians at his famed Boston clinic, Feudtner examines the experience of living with diabetes across the twentieth century, highlighting changes in treatment and their profound effects on patients' lives. Although focused on juvenile-onset, or Type 1, diabetes, the themes explored in Bittersweet have implications for our understanding of adult-onset, or Type 2, diabetes, as well as a host of other diseases that, thanks to drugs or medical advances, are being transformed from acute to chronic conditions. Indeed, the tale of diabetes in the post-insulin era provides an ideal opportunity for exploring the larger questions of how medicine changes our lives.
Bittersweet
by Jannine GallantEight months after her husband is killed in a train robbery, Tess Moran knows she must pick up the pieces of her shattered life and build a future for herself and her infant daughter. Daniel Moran's love for Tess is bittersweet. Acting on his feelings for his sister-in-law will betray his dead brother's memory. Watching her search for love elsewhere may destroy him. In 1880, life in rural Colorado is filled hard work and simple pleasures, but trouble looms on the horizon. Together Tess and Daniel must battle drought and the outlaw who killed the man they both loved, but the greatest challenge is finding solace for their battered hearts.
Bittersweet: A Novel
by Colleen McCulloughIn her first epic romantic novel since The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCullough weaves a sweeping story of two sets of twins--all trained as nurses, but each with her own ambitions--stepping into womanhood in 1920s and 30s Australia.Because they are two sets of twins, the four Latimer sisters are as close as can be. Yet these vivacious young women each have their own dreams for themselves: Edda wants to be a doctor, Tufts wants to organize everything, Grace won't be told what to do, and Kitty wishes to be known for something other than her beauty. They are famous throughout New South Wales for their beauty, wit, and ambition, but as they step into womanhood, they are not enthusiastic about the limited prospects life holds for them. Together they decide to enroll in a training program for nurses--a new option for women of their time, who have previously been largely limited to the role of wives, and preferably mothers. As the Latimer sisters become immersed in hospital life and the demands of their training, they meet people and encounter challenges that spark new maturity and independence. They meet men from all walks of life--local farmers, their professional colleagues, and even men with national roles and reputations--and each sister must make weighty decisions about what she values most. The results are sometimes happy, sometimes heartbreaking, but always . . . bittersweet. Rendered with McCullough's trademark historical accuracy, this dramatic coming of age tale is wise in the ways of the human heart, one that will transport readers to a time in history that feels at once exotic and yet not so very distant from our own.
Bittersweet
by Colleen McCulloughIn her first epic romantic novel since The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCullough weaves a sweeping story of two sets of twins--all trained as nurses, but each with her own ambitions--stepping into womanhood in 1920s and 30s Australia.Because they are two sets of twins, the four Latimer sisters are as close as can be. Yet these vivacious young women each have their own dreams for themselves: Edda wants to be a doctor, Tufts wants to organize everything, Grace won't be told what to do, and Kitty wishes to be known for something other than her beauty. They are famous throughout New South Wales for their beauty, wit, and ambition, but as they step into womanhood, they are not enthusiastic about the limited prospects life holds for them. Together they decide to enroll in a training program for nurses--a new option for women of their time, who have previously been largely limited to the role of wives, and preferably mothers. As the Latimer sisters become immersed in hospital life and the demands of their training, they meet people and encounter challenges that spark new maturity and independence. They meet men from all walks of life--local farmers, their professional colleagues, and even men with national roles and reputations--and each sister must make weighty decisions about what she values most. The results are sometimes happy, sometimes heartbreaking, but always...bittersweet. Rendered with McCullough's trademark historical accuracy, this dramatic coming of age tale is wise in the ways of the human heart, one that will transport readers to a time in history that feels at once exotic and yet not so very distant from our own.
Bittersweet
by Anita MillsA stunning post–Civil War romance from the writer of the Fire series, &“an amazingly talented author who has few rivals&” (RT Book Reviews). Everything changed for Laura Taylor when the South lost the Civil War. The Yankees&’ arrival in South Carolina drove Laura and her soldier husband, Jesse, westward to seek a new beginning. But Laura&’s hopes crumble when Jesse dies, and she finds herself pregnant and alone in a wild railroad camp with winter coming in fast. The only one she can turn to is Dr. Spencer Hardin. Spencer returned from the war to discover his wife had run off with another man, taking his young son with them. Vowing to get his child back, he started the long journey to San Francisco, and not even the revelation of his wife&’s death could stop his vengeful journey. But when a blizzard rages, Spencer finds himself stranded, fighting for the lives of Laura Taylor and her baby, and the first steps on the path to redemption. &“A well-written story of two people who find love in recovering from the past and the war that tore apart a nation.&” —Historical Romance Review with Regan Walker
Bittersweet Ecstasy (Gray Eagle Series #7)
by Janelle TaylorFOLLOW THE WIND...FOREVER ECSTASY...WHISPERED KISSES...Janelle Taylor's historical romances are alive with thrilling passion and enthralling adventure. With BITTERSWEET ECTASY, she continues the spellbinding Savage Ecstasy series with the unforgettable love story of Sun Cloud, the second son of Gray Eagle, and the beautiful Sioux maiden who steals his heart...Bittersweet EcstasyImpetuous and willful, daring and free, ebon-haired Singing Wind had always been mistress for her fate. But when she set eyes on the virile Sun Cloud, she felt herself losing control of her destiny. She was the daughter of a chief, and by rights should wed Bright Arrow, the elder brother of Sun Cloud who would someday lead their people. But whenever Sun Cloud was near, she could not stop her pulse from racing, her skin from burning, or her very soul from aching for her beloved's caress!
Bittersweet Legacy
by Janette Thomas GreenwoodBittersweet Legacy is the dramatic story of the relationship between two generations of black and white southerners in Charlotte, North Carolina, from 1850 to 1910. Janette Greenwood describes the interactions between black and white business and professional people--the 'better classes,' as they called themselves. Her book paints a surprisingly complex portrait of race and class relations in the New South and demonstrates the impact of personal relationships, generational shifts, and the interplay of local, state, and national events in shaping the responses of black and white southerners to each other and the world around them. Greenwood argues that concepts of race and class changed significantly in the late nineteenth century. Documenting the rise of interracial social reform movements in the 1880s, she suggests that the 'better classes' briefly created an alternative vision of race relations. The disintegration of the alliance as a result of New South politics and a generational shift in leadership left a bittersweet legacy for Charlotte that would weigh heavily on its citizens well into the twentieth century.
Bittersweet Promises
by Trana Mae SimmonsCody Garret liked everything in its place: his horse in its stable, his six-gun in its holster, and his money in the bank. But the rugged cowpoke's life was turned head over heels when a daring robbery threw Shanna Van Alstyne into his arms. With a spirit as fiery as the blazing sun, and a temper to match, Shanna was the most downright thrilling woman ever to set foot in Liberty, Missouri. Though it would take the patience of a saint to melt her touch-me-not facade, Cody would use his devilish charm to besiege Shanna's hesitant heart-and a wild seduction to claim her heavenly love.
Bittersweet Promises (Daring Western Hearts Ser. #2)
by Trana Mae SimmonsHeiress Declares Gun-Toting Southern Gentleman Mannerless in Bittersweet Promises, by Trana Mae SimmonsFebruary 13, 1866, Liberty, Missouri and Missouri OzarksCody Garret likes everything in its place: his horse in the corral, his six-gun in his holster, and his money in the bank. There's no way on earth he can tolerate a woman like Shanna Van Alstyne. With a spirit as fiery as the blazing sun, she has a temper to match.Unfortunately, southern manners dictate he save her life, but then she's on her own--until a daring robbery throws the infuriating woman back into his arms, again.REVIEWS:"Tender, humorous, and poignant read." ~Gail Collins, Romantic Times MagazineThe DARING WESTERN HEARTS SERIES, in order Montana SurrenderBittersweet PromisesMountain Magic
Bittersweet Summer (Haunting Hearts Series #3)
by Rachel WilsonFor Sale: One American Castle (ghost included)According to local lore, Crowfoot Castle in Bittersweet, New York, is haunted. It's not the castle ghost who's unnerving the new owner, Indian War veteran Tobias Rakes--but the beautiful housekeeper, Genevieve Crowfoot.Genevieve knows she should leave Tobias to the mercy of the castle ghost. But when she spies the tenderness beneath his haughty eyes, she refuses to abandon him, and stays on as his housekeeper.Now, Genevieve faces a new invisible force--a love that'll strike like summer lightning. But first, she and Tobias must survive the shadowy assailant who intends to do more than just run them out of the castle.REVIEWS"A jocular blending of supernatural elements within an angst-laden historical romance." ~ Harriet KlausnerHAUNTING HEARTS SERIES, in order Restless SoulsHeaven's PromiseBittersweet SummerSpirit of Love
Biz Mackey, a Giant behind the Plate: The Story of the Negro League Star and Hall of Fame Catcher
by Rich Westcott“The best all-around catcher in black baseball history”—Cumberland Posey, Owner of the Homestead Grays National Baseball Hall of Fame catcher James Raleigh “Biz” Mackey’s professional career spanned nearly three decades in the Negro Leagues and elsewhere. He distinguished himself as a defensive catcher who also had an impressive batting average and later worked as a manager of the Newark Eagles and the Baltimore Elite Giants. Using archival materials and interviews with former Negro League players, baseball historian Rich Westcott chronicles the catcher’s life and remarkable career in Biz Mackey, a Giant behind the Plate as well as providing an in-depth look at Philadelphia Negro League history. Westcott traces Mackey’s childhood in Texas as the son of sharecroppers to his success on the baseball diamond where he displayed extraordinary defensive skills and an exceptional ability to hit and to handle pitchers. Mackey spent one third of his career playing in Philadelphia, winning championships with the Hilldale Daisies and the Philadelphia Stars. Mackey also mentored famed catcher Roy Campanella and had an unlikely role in the story of baseball’s development in Japan. A celebrated ballplayer before African Americans were permitted to join Major League Baseball, Biz Mackey ranks as one of the top catchers ever to play the game. With Biz Mackey, he finally gets the biography he deserves.
Bizancio: El imperio que hizo posible la Europa moderna
by Judith HerrinUn libro imprescindible para todo amante de la historia: la mejor historia del Imperio bizantino publicada hasta el momento, desde la fundación de Constantinopla en 330 hasta su caída ante los ejércitos otomanos en 1453. Durante mil años un extraordinario imperio hizo posible que Europa alcanzara la modernidad: Bizancio. El Imperio bizantino fue una sociedad audaz y resistente que combinaba, por un lado, la fe ortodoxa con el paganismo y, por el otro, la sabiduría clásica griega con el poder romano, para producir una civilización tan dinámica como poderosa, que plantó cara durante siglos al islam. La fascinante obra de Judith Herrin descarta el enfoque cronológico de las historias habituales de Bizancio para dedicar cada uno de los capítulos a un tema concreto, como la arquitectura (con la construcción de Santa Sofía de Constantinopla), un conflicto religioso (la iconoclasia), sexo y poder (el papel de los eunucos), un personaje extraordinario (la historiadora Anna Kommene), un símbolo de la civilización (el tenedor) o una guerra expansiva (las cruzadas). Así logra una historia más amena y accesible del imperio desde la fundación de su magnífica capital, Constantinopla (el actual Estambul), en 330 hasta su caída ante los turcos otomanos en 1453. Un panorama fascinante y detallado de las fuerzas y creencias vigentes durante el milenio medieval, este libro es también una contribución original a las obras de historia. Presenta los resultados de muchas investigaciones recientes, al tiempo que recrea la vida de Bizancio para el público general. Escrita en la tradición de la Ilustración, por fin acaba con los estereotipos y las caricaturas de la pasividad y la decadencia de Bizancio que popularizaron Montesquieu, Voltaire y Gibbon.
Bizarre Bluegrass: Strange but True Kentucky Tales
by Keven McQueenFrom ghost towns to circus performers to mass hysteria, the Bluegrass State is no stranger to the strange. Read stories of famed President Abraham Lincoln you've never heard before. Find possible solutions to the mystery of Pearl Bryan's missing head and decipher the outrageous hoaxes involving an unsolvable puzzle and monkeys trained to perform farm work. Learn about the time when the author wrote to Charles Manson as a joke and Manson wrote back--four times. Join author Keven McQueen as he recounts some of the weirder vignettes from Kentucky lore.
Bizarre Brooklyn: Stories of the Tragic, Macabre and Ghostly
by Allison Huntington ChaseBrooklyn. The most populous borough in New York City. Birthplace of the Dodgers, Sweet'n Low, and Season 21 of "The Real World." With more than 400 years under its belt, the borough is filled with a history of both sweet and savory moments. It's hard to imagine Brooklyn as anything other than a concrete jungle. Who would guess that that first battle of the Revolutionary War was fought here? Or that the world's oldest subway is hidden beneath the streets of Boerum Hill? Or how an airplane fell from the sky and landed in the middle of the street in Park Slope? Hundreds of people pass by the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument in Fort Greene Park everyday. Virtually no one stops to read the plaque. If they did, they would learn that it is actually a grave, holding up to 15,000 bodies. Author Allison Huntington Chase, Brooklyn's own Madame Morbid, takes readers on a journey beyond the brownstones, to discover the hidden, macabre and bizarre throughout Brooklyn history.
Bizarre History: Strange Happenings, Stupid Misconceptions, Distorted Facts and Uncommon Events
by Joe RhatiganThis is history served up high-octane, with all of the fun and none of the boredom. It's not about memorizing lists of dates or names, or remembering which general won what battle. Instead, BIZARRE HISTORY merrily digs up the scandals, the strangeness, and the scintillating details that illuminate personalities, events, and real life. Think of it not as a textbook, but as history's juicy unauthorized biography--a historical document in which relevance never gets in the way of a good read. There are humorous quotes from famous figures such as Mark Twain and Napoleon ("History is a myth that men agree to believe"), as well as witty commentary about leaders of the past. After all, while you're probably familiar with William the Conquerer, have you heard of Charles the Simple, ruler of France and son of Louis the Stammerer? What about the emperor who entered Rome in a chariot drawn by 50 naked slaves--and invented the first whoopee cushion, too? But you can find lots of wildness closer to home: George Washington wrote love letters to a married woman; "Old Hickory" Andrew Jackson had been in at least seven duels before becoming president; and Benjamin Franklin fathered an illegitimate child. Paranoia also plagued a few of our presidents: the only thing Franklin Roosevelt had to fear was the number 13: he wouldn't invite 13 guests to a dinner party or travel on the 13th. And both Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan had encounters with UFOs The fun facts span the globe, covering the crazy acts of Caligula in the Roman Empire; the "Dog Shogun" in 17th century Japan; the "Pork and Beans" war between the US and Canada; and even details about fashion, medicine, sports, and the real Dracula. It's a wild journey that no one could resist
Bizarre London: Discover the Capital's Secrets & Surprises
by David LongA fascinating tour of London's strangest and most intriguing locations. Ranging from architectural evidence of past incidents and stories of life beneath the city, to anecdotes of magic, mystery and murder, this is a perfect companion for the curious Londoner. It includes: A Museum of Magical Curiosities; The City's Lost Tunnels and Citadels; The Ghost of a "She-Wolf; The Bawdy House Riots; The Story of 'Jack the Stripper'; The Atmospheric Railway; The Thames Ringway Bicycle Race; A Banker Hanged at Newgate; The Crossdressing Highwayman; Bluebottles, Rozzers and Woodentops; The Hidden Statue of a Beaver; The 'Belgravia of Death'; Whitehall's Licensed Brothel; Pin-Makers, Mole-Takers and Rat Catchers; Drinking in 'The Bucket of Blood'; London's Most Haunted House.All of London is here!