History
Endurance : Shackleton's incredible voyage
Lansing, Alfred.
919.8904 /Lansing
Adventure, Nonfiction, History
Bound for Antarctica, where polar explorer Ernest Shackleton planned to cross on foot the last uncharted continent, the Endurance set sail from England in August 1914. In January 1915, after battling its way for six weeks through a thousand miles of pack ice and now only a day's sail short of its destination, the Endurance became locked in an island of ice. For ten months the ice-moored Endurance drifted northwest before it was finally crushed. But for Shackleton and his crew of twenty-seven men the ordeal had barely begun. It would end only after a near-miraculous journey by Shackleton and a skeleton crew through over 850 miles of the South Atlantic's heaviest seas to the closest outpost of civilization. This astonishing tale of survival by Shackleton and all twenty-seven of his men for over a year on the ice-bound Antarctic seas, as Time magazine put it, "defined heroism."
The royal art of poison : filthy palaces, fatal cosmetics, deadly medicine, and murder most foul
Herman, Eleanor, 1960- author.
364.1523 /Herman
Nonfiction, History, Science, True Crime
Traces the history of poison in centuries of royal courts, from the intentional posionings to the unintentional side effects of commonly used makeup and medications.
Royal life isn't all fancy ball gowns, glittering jewels, and lavish banquets - it also came with the near-constant fear of being poisoned (sometimes from actual, malicious people, more often from the royal family's own unbeknownst doing). For anyone intrigued by the surreal realities behind the glitz and glamor of royal life, Eleanor Herman's meticulously researched book pulls back the curtain on the poisonous side of European royalty. -Madison C
Impossible monsters : dinosaurs, Darwin, and the battle between science and religion
Taylor, Michael (Michael Hugh), 1988- author.
567.90941 /Taylor
Nonfiction, History, Religion, Science
When the twelve-year-old daughter of a British carpenter pulled some strange-looking bones from the country's southern shoreline in 1811, few people dared to question that the Bible told the accurate history of the world. But Mary Anning had in fact discovered the 'first' ichthyosaur, and over the next seventy-five years--as the science of paleontology developed, as Charles Darwin posited radical new theories of evolutionary biology, and as scholars began to identify the internal inconsistencies of the Scriptures--everything changed. Beginning with the archbishop who dated the creation of the world to 6 p.m. on October 22, 4004 BC, and told through the lives of the nineteenth-century men and women who found and argued about these seemingly impossible, history-rewriting fossils, "Impossible Monsters" reveals the central role of dinosaurs and their discovery in toppling traditional religious authority, and in changing perceptions about the Bible, history, and mankind's place in the world.
Dinosaurs not only rocked the Earth but also rocked the very foundations of religious belief. Blending science history and societal upheaval, Michael Taylor's novel explores how giant fossilized "monsters" upended centuries of theology and sparked a scientific revolution. This book is great for readers interested in history-making discoveries, especially those that helped give rise to the secular age. -Madison C
Crown & sceptre : a new history of the British monarchy, from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II
Borman, Tracy, author.
941 /Borman
Nonfiction, History, Political
Since William the Conqueror crossed the English Channel in 1066 to defeat King Harold II and unite England's various kingdoms, forty-one kings and queens have sat on Britain's throne: "shining examples of royal power and majesty alongside a rogue's gallery of weak, lazy, or evil monarchs," as Tracy Borman evocatively describes them in her sparkling chronicle, "Crown & Sceptre." Ironically, during very few of these 955 years has the throne's occupant been unambiguously English. Appealing to the intrinsic fascination with British royalty, Borman lifts the veil to reveal the remarkable characters and personalities who have ruled and, since the Glorious Revolution of 1688, have more ceremonially reigned-a crucial distinction explaining the staying power of the monarchy as the royal family has evolved and adapted to the needs and opinions of its people, avoiding the storms of rebellion that brought many of Europe's royals to an abrupt end.
If you've ever dreamed of living in a castle, wearing a crown, and ruling your own kingdom (without the coups), then Tracy Borman's book is perfect for you! Tracing the history of the British monarchy, from William the Conqueror to King Charles III, "Crown & Sceptre" brings centuries of royal history to life. -Madison C
Pirate hunters : treasure, obsession, and the search for a legendary pirate ship
Kurson, Robert, author.
910.453 /Kurson
Adventure, Nonfiction, History
'Pirate Hunters' is a gripping account of two courageous divers' quest to uncover the shipwrecked vessel of Joseph Bannister, one of history's most infamous pirates.
Sometimes, real-life treasure hunting is just as wild as the movies. Robert Kurson's book follows two modern-day treasure hunters in pursuit of the sunken ship of one of history's most elusive pirates, Joseph Bannister. Part history, part true crime, part action, this book is ideal for anyone who is interested in shipwrecks, buried treasure, and real-life swashbuckling adventures. -Madison C
The rise and fall of the dinosaurs : a new history of a lost world
Brusatte, Stephen, author.
567.9 /Brusatte
Nonfiction, History, Nature, Science
A sweeping narrative scientific history that tells the epic story of the dinosaurs, examining their origins, their habitats, their extinction, and their living legacy.
For anyone who is still a child at heart and misses being asked what their favorite dinosaur is, "The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs" is the book for you! As someone who grew up wanting to be the next Dr. Alan Grant of paleontology, I can say with confidence that Steve Brusatte's book is the perfect fit for anyone fascinated by the wonders of paleontology and golden age of dinosaur discoveries. -Madison C
The LEGO story : how a little toy sparked the world's imagination
Andersen, Jens, 1955- author.
338.7688725 /Andersen
Nonfiction, Business, History
The extraordinary inside story of the LEGO company--producer of the most beloved and popular toy on the planet--based on unprecedented access to the founding family that still owns the company, chronicling the brand's improbable journey to become the empire that it is today.
Did LEGO-building become your pandemic hobby that never went away? Have you ever cursed a brick that found its way underfoot? Whether you're a Master Builder or a casual fan, Jens Andersen's deep dive into the origin of the toy that shaped the world is great for anyone who has ever enjoyed the creativity that is LEGO. -Madison C
Impossible monsters : dinosaurs, Darwin, and the battle between science and religion
Michael (Michael Hugh) Taylor
567.90941 /Taylor
History, Religion, Science
"When the twelve-year-old daughter of a British carpenter pulled some strange-looking bones from the country's southern shoreline in 1811, few people dared to question that the Bible told the accurate history of the world. But Mary Anning had in fact discovered the 'first' ichthyosaur, and over the next seventy-five years--as the science of paleontology developed, as Charles Darwin posited radical new theories of evolutionary biology, and as scholars began to identify the internal inconsistencies of the Scriptures--everything changed. Beginning with the archbishop who dated the creation of the world to 6 p.m. on October 22, 4004 BC, and told through the lives of the nineteenth-century men and women who found and argued about these seemingly impossible, history-rewriting fossils, Impossible Monsters reveals the central role of dinosaurs and their discovery in toppling traditional religious authority, and in changing perceptions about the Bible, history, and mankind's place in the world"--
Dinosaurs not only rocked the Earth but also rocked the very foundation of religious belief. Blending science history and societal upheaval, Michael Taylor's novel explores how giant fossilized "monsters" upended centuries of theology and sparked a scientific revolution. This book is perfect for readers interested in history-making discoveries, especially those that helped give rise to the secular age. -Madison C
Dead Mountain : the untold true story of the Dyatlov Pass incident
Donnie Eichar
796.522 /Eichar
Nonfiction, History, True Crime
In 1959, a group of Russian students died tragically on a winter hiking trip to the northern Ural Mountains. The circumstances surrounding their deaths at Dyatlov Pass seemed bizarre, and with very little physical evidence left behind, dozens of competing theories cropped up to explain what had happened. Half a century later, American author Donny Eichar was determined to find out the truth, and his obsession took him across the world to retrace their journey in search of answers.
I recommend it if you like to read survival stories, mountaineering adventures, true crime, or are interested in Soviet Era history. -Jessica
The white ladder : triumph and tragedy at the dawn of mountaineering
Light, Daniel (Mountain climber), author.
796.522 /Light
Nonfiction, History, Sports
"A sweeping history of mountaineering before Everest, and the epic human quest to reach the highest places on Earth"--
I have absolutely no interest in climbing mountains, but ever since I read Jon Krakauer's "Into Thin Air" when it came out, I've been obsessed with reading about it. I think this book will be best enjoyed from the comfort of a beach towel, with nary a hill in sight. -Candice
In what could be considered the ultimate survival story, Alfred Lansing expertly recounts Ernest Shackleton's doomed Antarctic expedition. Almost stranger than fiction, Shackleton and his crew were up against incredible odds: a hopelessly trapped ship, freezing temperatures, diminishing food supplies, and zero chance of rescue...to somehow live to tell the tale. This real-time account of the Shackleton expedition is perfect for readers who crave stories of the indomitable spirit of the human will, and the lengths one will go to survive. -Madison C