Showing results by author "Hourly History" in All Categories

John Lennon is often known as the rebellious, troubled Beatle - as if his disposition was just a bit gloomier than the rest. Lennon did indeed have his struggles in life. He was raised by an austere and controlling aunt, and he barely knew his own mother and father. As a result, Lennon grew up with a serious need for love, affection, and attention. It was this desire for recognition that would drive Lennon to reach for the stars. Come along as we explore the life and legend of John Lennon, from his troubled childhood, to his superstardom and eventual assassination in 1980.

The Aztec Empire did not recoil from the face of an impending doom, it struggled faithfully. Destined to emerge from humble beginnings, it grew into a highly complex devoted civilization refusing to live at the mercy of more neighboring powerful rulers. Its powerful pochteca combed the valley for luxury items while markets dotted their lands. Investigate the era of the Fifth Sun and what defined the Aztecs and their relationship with the divine.

The Progressive Era was the period of American history between the 1890s and 1920s. It was a movement dedicated to political and social reform, largely driven by the middle class. In a world that was dominated by wealthy industrialists and threatened by radical ideas of laborers, the middle class strived for order.

Agatha Christie, born in upper-middle-class British society during the late Victorian era, turned into one of the most prolific and popular mystery writers of all time. Her novels have been translated into 44 languages and have sold over two billion copies worldwide. Her mysteries continue to sell as new generations of readers discover the delights of her main characters, Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. In addition, Christie’s plays have been a tremendous success, with The Mousetrap running in London for the past 70 years.

It is possible that no man has ever dominated a time as much as Charles the Great dominated the Early Middle Ages. It is true that the era had its kings, warriors, scholars, and religious leaders, but in many ways, Charlemagne was all of these things. He conquered land for the Franks and sent in missionaries to convert the pagans to Christianity.

The Great Famine which afflicted Ireland from 1845 to 1849 was one of the most catastrophic events in Europe during the 19th century. More than one-quarter of the population of Ireland died of starvation or associated disease, or were forced to emigrate...The Great Famine left a legacy of distrust and animosity between large segments of the population of Ireland and Great Britain, and this in part led to the movements which finally produced Irish independence.

Al Capone and Chicago at one time were almost synonymous. While opinions of the infamous mob leader varied from group to group, Capone was at one point seen by many as a lovable outlaw and modern Robin Hood. How could this man who ran the most vicious criminal organization in the country become so beloved by the general public? Was it the rags-to-riches tale of an immigrant that rose from the bottom to make it to the big time that transfixed the nation? Or is it something else entirely?

One of America’s most influential presidents was a man who could not walk. The polio that struck Franklin Delano Roosevelt when he was a future political star did not diminish him. Instead, against all expectations, it was the agent that forged his destiny.

Gandhi. The name conjures the image of a man, unimpressive in appearance, simple in his lifestyle, who spent his life pursuing independence for India. Months after the country achieved that independence from Great Britain, Gandhi’s life ended when an assassin killed him. But Gandhi’s legacy lives on. Gandhi’s rise to political and spiritual leadership is the incredible saga of a man who, in his youth, showed no signs of greatness but who became one of the most influential men of all time.

Just what was so terrible about Ivan the Terrible? Most of us are familiar with this infamous nickname, but most fall short of being able to describe how he received such an ominous moniker. Maybe you’ve heard the stories of how Ivan killed his own son, poisoned his wives, and waged war on his neighbors, but these anecdotes are just minor details in the scheme of this man’s complicated life.

The Korean War, which began in 1950 and ended in 1953, is not considered one of the major wars of the 20th century. However, in reality, it was profoundly impactful on global history. As an early crisis of the Cold War, it set important precedents for how conflicts would be handled during this era. It has also shaped Korea’s history for more than half a century.

Joan Crawford was a legend. Few could compare to the charm and grace that she brought to the silver screen. Little did anyone know, however, of the charmed yet ultimately tragic life she led away from the camera and the main stage. Crawford was married four times and ended up disinheriting two of her children from her will. She certainly had her share of problems, but no one could keep this ambitious leading lady down for long. In this audiobook, we cover the life and legend of Joan Crawford in full.

John Tyler is perhaps one of America’s lesser-known presidents, and the fact that he even became president was due to the tragic death of his predecessor, William Henry Harrison. Throughout history, Tyler was indeed mostly known merely for the fact that he was the first vice president to be promoted to the presidency, but there is more to John Tyler’s story than that. He presided over a tumultuous time in American history and continued to play a decisive role in American politics even after leaving the White House. Here, in this book, we explore his life and his legacy in full.

Long-time adversaries Germany and the Soviet Union put their hostilities to the test in World War II. Despite a temporary truce in the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Non-aggression Pact in 1939, the Germans and the Soviets knew that the time was coming when they would face one another on the battlefield. But Operation Barbarossa was the beginning of the downfall of the Third Reich, as the dogged Russian refusal to succumb and the menace of the Russian winter demonstrated that the Soviet Union would not surrender as other European nations had done.

Elizabeth Taylor was born to become a legend. By the time she was a young teenager, she was already making news and attracting attention. Taylor would go onto star in movies such as A Place in the Sun, Butterfield 8, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and Cleopatra, where she played opposite Richard Burton. Her affair with Burton caused a worldwide scandal, and the movie almost ruined 20th Century Fox. Taylor and Burton were married and divorced twice, with the world watching their every scandalous move.

One of the first independent female rulers of an ancient kingdom, Cleopatra was a gifted diplomat, efficient administrator, and accomplished linguist who ruled her kingdom with more courage than the majority of her male predecessors. Cleopatra’s death ended an era, but her life promised the dawn of a new age, one where women might dare to rule the world.

Casanova. Womanizer. Playboy. It has been more than 200 years, but Giacomo Casanova’s name is still a slang word. That name, emblazoned across Europe in the 1700s, is synonymous yet today with a player, someone who seduces a woman, makes a sexual conquest of her, and leaves her. It was once something more than that. Beyond the scams and the scandals, beyond the gambling debts, even beyond the lace ruffles and the powdered wigs, Giacomo Casanova was once something more, someone more. Someone formed by the social customs of the day; molded by the unique experiences of a little boy in Venice; sparked into life by the intelligence, philosophy, adventure, and passion that was Giacomo Casanova.

Martin Van Buren, the eighth president of the United States, was the first president who was born an American and not a British citizen, a change in demographic which reflects his modern influence upon the office he held. From his earliest involvement in government, Van Buren was committed to the nurturing of political parties as a way to deliver the most effective leadership to the American people.

Johnny Cash, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, was born into a family of impoverished sharecroppers during the Great Depression. From an early age, he picked cotton with his siblings at an Arkansas farm, learning the value of grit and hard work already as a young child. Cash never forgot where he came from, and he kept with him a defiant spirit and a sheer resilience that would be infused into classic songs known the world over. As much as Cash had his strengths, he also had his weaknesses.

Alexandra Feodorovna was one of the most tragic figures of the 20th century. Born in the wrong time, giddy with power, married to a man who ruled one-sixth of the world, she was murdered with her family in 1918.