New Releases

Most Civil War Generals commanded an "Escort" or "Bodyguard" (usually 100 men)which provided personal protection, acted as messengers and scouts, etc. Fortunately William R. Dyer, a member of Nathan Bedford Forrest's Escort, kept a diary as he rode through Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi with The Wizard of the Saddle. Dyer's diary gives insight into duty at Forrest's side describing events from his unique perspective. Like so many young men of the era, Dyer experienced war on the front line. Terror, boredom, illness, and fun all make appearances in the narrative. ...

Spanish ships have been sailing along the coast of Alta California for more than two hundred years. Majestic Manila galleons laden with riches from the Orient cruise past regularly, bound for the port of Acapulco. But no Spaniard has ever ventured inland to explore the rugged terrain lying beyond the rocky shoreline. The King of Spain, Carlos III, is concerned about the predations of English pirates and the encroachment of Russian fur traders from the north. He wishes to secure his possessions in America and has commissioned Gaspar de Portolá, governor of both Alta and Baja California, to ...

A Detailed History of Texas - The Lone Star State. Step into the vast landscapes of the Southwest with Daniel Hardy's "The Lone Star State: A History of Texas." This comprehensive, engaging chronicle invites readers to traverse the epic tapestry of Texas, from its Native American origins and Spanish colonization to the frenzied oil boom and beyond. Hardy masterfully uncovers the state's paradoxical nature — a land of fierce independence and cultural assimilation, of wild west tales and cosmopolitan growth. Through riveting storytelling and painstaking research, he brings to life the ...

In 2004, Doug Hunt published "A Course in Applied Lynching," an essay that drew national attention to the 1923 murder of James T. Scott in front of several hundred witnesses, few of whom would testify honestly when the prominent citizen who led the lynch mob went to trial. In 2010 he republished the essay as a short book (Summary Justice) that supported a community-wide effort to understand the Scott lynching and its legacy. The volume presented here includes an expanded version of the 2004 essay, along with two companion essays about racism and justice in Columbia, Missouri--a heartland ...

Mack Brushwood, descendant of one of the pioneer families of Boone County, Missouri, remembers growing up in Columbia between the world wars with a clarity that occasionally gives his talk the flavor of poetry. In this booklet (about 7,000 words), Doug Hunt assembles some of Brushwood's most vivid memories into a narrative that gives the reader a picture of the social world in a midwestern community of the time, and of the physical and financial realities faced by many midwesterners of Brushwood's generation.

Worthless Artifacts & Forgotten Scots: A Mile Below Paradise Awaits... Imagine a hidden city, shrouded in mystery, nestled a mile beneath a vanished Kentucky town. This is Airdrie, a Scottish haven built over 170 years ago and lost to time. In "A Mile Below Paradise," the whispers of an elusive artifact ignite a lifelong obsession for three best friends: Jenny, Lucy, and Abigail. Their thrilling quest takes an explosive turn when they unearth a missing piece of Airdrie's forgotten past. Suddenly, they're not just treasure hunters but history detectives unraveling the captivating lives of ...

Once again, a crime wave swept through Pennsylvania state government. During a 17-month period from early 2015 through mid-2016, a sitting state treasurer, and a former state treasurer, both statewide elected officials who were guardians of taxpayers' money, were charged with crimes, as was an ex-Governor's chief of staff and the attorney general, the state's chief law enforcement officer. It was preceded by a sting investigation that resulted in state legislators videotaped taking cash from an undercover operative posing as a lobbyist and an alleged pay to play scheme at the Pennsylvania ...

A sweeping panorama of the great state of California. "The Golden State: A History of California" by Daniel Hardy offers a comprehensive journey through the rich tapestry of California's past. From its indigenous roots to its transformation into a global economic powerhouse, Hardy expertly weaves together the stories of diverse peoples, landmark events, and cultural movements that have shaped the state's unique identity. This meticulously researched volume explores California's pivotal role in American history - from the Gold Rush and the transcontinental railroad to Hollywood's rise and ...

The capital of Massachusetts attracts more and more thousands of tourists, which is not surprising, because Boston is the home of the American Revolution and the war for freedom began here. In addition to places related to the history of the USA, Boston is known for its extraordinary monuments of art and culture, magnificent parks, good shopping and delicious restaurants. The charm of the city resides, especially, in the mixture of Europe and America that is perceived in its streets. Boston, in terms of extension, is not a very big city but it has everything that any big city should have. ...

In July 2002, the Eastlake police discovered a decomposed body in a modest studio apartment in Cleveland, Ohio. It appeared to be a suicide by firearm. The man was Joseph Newton Chandler III, a retiree whom neighbors and former colleagues described as quiet, secretive, and strange. But as the investigation progressed, less and less about Joseph's life and identity made sense. In 2018, thanks to scientific advances in DNA, the man's true identity was finally discovered: Robert Ivan Nichols.

The Quaker City and its hospitals were pioneers in the field of mental health. Yet by the end of the nineteenth century, its institutions were crowded and patients lived in shocking conditions. The mentally ill were quartered with the dangerously criminal. By 1906, the city had purchased a vast acreage of farmland incorporated into the city, and the Philadelphia Hospital dubbed its new venture Byberry City Farms. From the start, its history was riddled with corruption and committees, investigations and inquests, appropriations and abuse.

In the wake of the financial crisis, the number of anchor-outs living in Richardson Bay more than doubles as their long-simmering feud with the wealthy residents of Marin County—one of the richest counties in the country—finally boils over. Many of the shoreline’s well-heeled yacht club members and mansion owners blame their unhoused neighbors for rising crime on the waterfront. Meanwhile, local politicians accuse them of destroying the Bay Area’s marine ecosystem and demand their eviction.

A well respected urban writer who has focused on New York's transportation system for more than a decade, author Nicole Gelinas resumes the story where Robert Caro's landmark The Power Broker ended. Movement: New York's Long War to Take Back Its Streets from the Car explores how, in the half-century leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, New York's re-embracement of its mass-transit system and a livable streetscape helped save the city.

Explore the untamed spirit of the Natural State, from its rugged origins to modern times. The definitive chronicle of Arkansas: Where heritage meets resilience in the American South. A richly-woven tale of Native lands, civil wars, and the indomitable character of Arkansans. In this comprehensive and engaging historical account, author Daniel Hardy takes readers on a fascinating journey through the rich heritage of the state of Arkansas. From the Native American societies that first inhabited the region, through the turbulent years of the Civil War and the complex 20th century era of civil ...

The Southern Fault Line explores the under-appreciated division in the South between the oligarchic rule of plantation owners and industrialists on the one hand, and the more democratic mindset of the mountain-dwelling small farmers on the other. These two mindsets were in continual tension from the 1800s to the 1960s, when the adherents of the more democratic side of the struggle capitulated to the oligarchical side in response to the Civil Rights movement. Bryan Jones draws from his own family's centuries-old history in the region to explore the rise and fall of the "two minds" of the South.