Visible Ink Press

From ancient rock drawings, historic sites, and modern museums to eco- and cultural tourism, sports events and powwows, the Native American Landmarks and Festivals: A Traveler’s Guide to Indigenous United States and Canada provides a fascinating tour of the rich heritage of Indigenous people across the continent. Whether it’s the annual All Indian Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada, a dog-sledding trek in Arctic Bay, Nunavut, or a rough ride to the ancient Kaunolu Village Site on Lanai, Hawaii, there is lots more to experience in the Indigenous world right around the corner, including …

Meet the Monsters That Thrill, Chill, and Fascinate!!

From the creeping undead thirsting for blood to the giant serpent-like creatures inhabiting lakes, rivers, and seas, Monsters: Myths, Legends and Real Encounters dives into the unexplained tales and frightening folklore of beasts that inhabit the land, sea, and air. You’ll encounter winged humanoids with glowing red eyes, dragons and devils, werewolves and water-horses, chupacabras, tommyknockers, and many, many more. With master storyteller and seasoned paranormal investigator Richard Estep as your guide, you will meet …

Influential! Remarkable! Groundbreaking! Discover and celebrate the amazing stories and achievements of some of America’s most inspiring artists, athletes, scholars, advocates and activists, political and civic leaders, entrepreneurs, physicians, educators, and more. Explore the vibrant experiences and vital roles of LGBTQ people in America!

Honoring the history and the impact of LGBTQ people on the United States across a variety of fields, The LGBTQ Almanac: 500 Years of Queer Culture in American History is a fascinating mix of biographies, little-known or misunderstood historical facts, enlightening essays on significant legislation, and cultural changes. It features a large collection of 450 biographies of both celebrated and lesser-known influencers in the community, such as …

Shared morals are key to a functioning society—and important for all of our relationships. But what happens if society no longer seems to share the same ethical views or beliefs? Do we really need to be divided from those whose opinions are different from our own? And are there ways that we can overcome these differences and divisions?

Exploring a variety of moral issues through engaging, real-life examples—including promise keeping, lying, adultery, favoring our friends and loved ones, harming innocent people for the good of the majority, the obligation to give to charity, and other ethical quandaries, Thinking Ethically: A Handbook for Making Moral Choices doesn’t tell you what to think or do! Using common—as well as hot-button—issues, it explores different points of view to illustrate how people make moral judgments and decisions. While conclusions may differ, this thought-provoking guide shows that people share the same moral foundations of honesty, kindness, promise-keeping, and a commitment to not harming others—and recognizes that our shared values can help heal other divisions! By explaining how we can all use our natural ability to think, debate, and evolve, this enlightening book offers numerous valuable insights, including …

Meet the Monsters That Thrill, Chill, and Fascinate!!

From the creeping undead thirsting for blood to the giant serpent-like creatures inhabiting lakes, rivers, and seas, Monsters: Myths, Legends and Real Encounters dives into the unexplained tales and frightening folklore of beasts that inhabit the land, sea, and air. You’ll encounter winged humanoids with glowing red eyes, dragons and devils, werewolves and water-horses, chupacabras, tommyknockers, and many, many more. With master storyteller and seasoned paranormal investigator Richard Estep as your guide, you will meet …

Your spine tingles and the hair rises on your neck. You look around and at first you see — nothing? But then you notice … !!!! Step into the world where the line between the living and the dead is paper-thin in this bone-chilling collection of ghost stories!

From cursed houses where restless spirits whisper in the dark to shadowy apparitions lurking in the corners of forgotten places, Ghostly Encounters: Terrifyingly True Hauntings delves into eerie and unexplained tales that still baffle, intrigue, and terrify us to this day. Encounter malevolent poltergeists who wreak havoc on unsuspecting families, ghostly figures bound by tragic pasts, and haunted locations steeped in mystery and fear. Explore legends of cursed objects, spectral warnings, and the unrelenting presence of those who refuse to leave the mortal world behind.

Master storyteller and seasoned paranormal investigator Richard Estep presents more than 200 years of hauntings in this fright-filled read that spans the nerve-wracking realms of the spirit world. You will …

For enthusiasts and doubters alike, co-authors Jim Willis and Michael A. Kozlowski—one a skeptic and the other a believer—explore the evidence of the man-beast and pull you into the mystery of Bigfoot. They give you plenty of information to help you form your own opinion!

Numerous sightings, mythic folklore, and sensational hoaxes. What are we to believe? Does a hulking, hairy, 800-pound, nine-foot-tall, elusive primate roam the woods and forests throughout North America—and the world? What should we make of the grainy videos and photos, the thousands of eyewitness reports, the giant footprints, inexplicable noises, and reports of a primal sense of being watched? Bigfoot Sightings: True Tales from Across America is a thorough look at the evidence and stories about the cryptid primate.

You’ll explore the physical evidence (footprints, hair samples, photos, and videos); the circumstantial evidence (nests, shelters, and tree structures); the anecdotal evidence (numerous witness stories); the potential explanations for the creature (the giants mentioned in ancient texts, the evolution from Neanderthals, extraterrestrial origins, and shapeshifters); and the history, mythology, and folklore behind the legend in this fascinating book. The authors tell stories of encounters, sightings, and reports across cultures and continents, from Native American legends to modern-day sightings, including …

Salute the Latino legends, pioneers, and trailblazers! Celebrate the Hispanic milestones, accomplishments, and victories!

An inspiring exploration of 1,250 groundbreaking individuals and pioneering events, Latino Firsts: Trailblazers and Milestones in United States History honors the an indelible mark Hispanics have made on American history and society. Featured are brigadier general Richard E. Cavazos, Nobel laureate Gabriela Mistral, actress America Ferrera, playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda, civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Francisco Ayala, artist Jen-Michel Basquiat, weightlifter Sarah Elizabeth Robles, and many, many more notable people and accomplishments, such as …

Your spine tingles and the hair rises on your neck. You look around and at first you see — nothing? But then you notice … !!!! Step into the world where the line between the living and the dead is paper-thin in this bone-chilling collection of ghost stories!

From cursed houses where restless spirits whisper in the dark to shadowy apparitions lurking in the corners of forgotten places, Ghostly Encounters: Terrifyingly True Hauntings delves into eerie and unexplained tales that still baffle, intrigue, and terrify us to this day. Encounter malevolent poltergeists who wreak havoc on unsuspecting families, ghostly figures bound by tragic pasts, and haunted locations steeped in mystery and fear. Explore legends of cursed objects, spectral warnings, and the unrelenting presence of those who refuse to leave the mortal world behind.

Master storyteller and seasoned paranormal investigator Richard Estep presents more than 200 years of hauntings in this fright-filled read that spans the nerve-wracking realms of the spirit world. You will …

Does a hulking, hairy, mysterious and elusive roam the woods and back country throughout North America—and the world? Venture deep into the shadowy forests, remote mountain ranges, and isolated wildernesses of the world and search for the truth in this enthralling collection of Bigfoot encounters.

Explore the physical evidence—footprints, hair samples, photos, and videos; the circumstantial evidence—nests and tree structures; the anecdotal evidence—numerous witness stories; and the history and potential explanations for the creature—the giants mentioned in ancient texts, the evolution from Neanderthals, extraterrestrial origins, and shapeshifters; and ancient history, mythology, and folklore. Bigfoot Sightings: True Encounters tells of encounters, sightings, and reports across cultures and continents, from Native American legends to modern-day sightings in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. You’ll learn about the history and the common threads in the thousands of eyewitness reports—powerful footprints, inexplicable noises, and a primal sense of being watched.

Whether called Bigfoot, Sasquatch, Yeti, or something else, you’ll encounter a trove of stories and evidence from across North America and the world such as:

Your spine tingles and the hair rises on your neck. You look around and at first you see — nothing? But then you notice … !!!! Step into the world where the line between the living and the dead is paper-thin in this bone-chilling collection of ghost stories!

From cursed houses where restless spirits whisper in the dark to shadowy apparitions lurking in the corners of forgotten places, Ghostly Encounters: Terrifyingly True Hauntings delves into eerie and unexplained tales that still baffle, intrigue, and terrify us to this day. Encounter malevolent poltergeists who wreak havoc on unsuspecting families, ghostly figures bound by tragic pasts, and haunted locations steeped in mystery and fear. Explore legends of cursed objects, spectral warnings, and the unrelenting presence of those who refuse to leave the mortal world behind.

Master storyteller and seasoned paranormal investigator Richard Estep presents more than 200 years of hauntings in this fright-filled read that spans the nerve-wracking realms of the spirit world. You will …

Courtrooms and contracts. Legal claims and criminal cases. The legal system can be complex, but you’ll be at an advantage with this enlightening guide by your side!

Understanding the law and navigating the legal system has never been more important. From the day you are born and get your government-issued birth certificate to finding a job and paying your taxes to your eventual death certificate, legal documents, legal rights and responsibilities, and the law are an inescapable part of our lives. Fully revised and updated to include an expanded and up-to-date understanding of individual rights and personal liberties—from the Bill of Rights to the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade—as well as an all-new chapter on immigration law, The Handy Law Answer Book 2nd edition answers over 750 of the most important, intriguing, and interesting legal questions many of us face, including …

For enthusiasts and doubters alike, co-authors Jim Willis and Michael A. Kozlowski—one a skeptic and the other a believer—explore the evidence of the man-beast and pull you into the mystery of Bigfoot. They give you plenty of information to help you form your own opinion!

Numerous sightings, mythic folklore, and sensational hoaxes. What are we to believe? Does a hulking, hairy, 800-pound, nine-foot-tall, elusive primate roam the woods and forests throughout North America—and the world? What should we make of the grainy videos and photos, the thousands of eyewitness reports, the giant footprints, inexplicable noises, and reports of a primal sense of being watched? Bigfoot Sightings: True Tales from Across America is a thorough look at the evidence and stories about the cryptid primate.

You’ll explore the physical evidence (footprints, hair samples, photos, and videos); the circumstantial evidence (nests, shelters, and tree structures); the anecdotal evidence (numerous witness stories); the potential explanations for the creature (the giants mentioned in ancient texts, the evolution from Neanderthals, extraterrestrial origins, and shapeshifters); and the history, mythology, and folklore behind the legend in this fascinating book. The authors tell stories of encounters, sightings, and reports across cultures and continents, from Native American legends to modern-day sightings, including …

A murder at the hands of a mother is a heartbreaking deviation and a crime against nature! How can a mother commit such an appalling crime? How can she end the lives of the innocents she so recently bore and nurtured?

A mother is supposed to be loving, protective, caring, and kind. She’s supposed to nurture and guide her children from infancy into childhood and adolescence. The very thought of murdering a child—much less their own child—is not only bizarre but perhaps the most disturbing thought a parent could have! Exploring the ultimate betrayal of a mother’s duty, Killer Moms: True Stories recounts 31 harrowing tales of motherhood gone wrong, including …

Take a dark descent into a world of supernatural evil! Explore true horrors of sinister spirits, ominous ghosts, angry souls, menacing monsters, malicious demons, and cursed creatures in this collection of the malevolent paranormal!

Sometimes the monsters are monsters — swimming the murky waters of Loch Ness, stalking their victims the streets of small town America, or hunting innocents across the desolate British moors. At other times, the darkness lies within the human soul itself — the falsely accused who were executed for witchcraft in Salem, those hounded to their graves (and beyond) by cruel pursuers, or those cursed by all forms of vile spirits. Then there are the devils and demons lurking in the darkness, capable of possessing and tormenting the living.

Master storyteller and seasoned paranormal investigator Richard Estep presents sinister hordes of evil in Dark Spirits: Monsters, Demons, and Devils. This fright-filled read spans the darkest realms of the paranormal, including …

A murder at the hands of a mother is a heartbreaking deviation and a crime against nature! How can a mother commit such an appalling crime? How can she end the lives of the innocents she so recently bore and nurtured?

A mother is supposed to be loving, protective, caring, and kind. She’s supposed to nurture and guide her children from infancy into childhood and adolescence. The very thought of murdering a child—much less their own child—is not only bizarre but perhaps the most disturbing thought a parent could have! Exploring the ultimate betrayal of a mother’s duty, Killer Moms: True Stories recounts 31 harrowing tales of motherhood gone wrong, including …

Discover the magic within you. This enlightening and powerful book will help you tap into your heart, soul, intuition, body, and the limitless magic that resides within you!

“Happiness comes from within” might be an overused statement, but psychology, science, and personal stories prove how powerfully true it is. Building on what is within each and every one of us, Everyday Magic: How to Live a Mindful, Meaningful, Magical Life is your guide to tapping into your magic.

Amidst the demands of modern life, this insightful book shows that simply shifting your perspective, slowing down, and being present in the moment can have profound benefits. With practical exercises and tools based on scientific studies, as well as thought-provoking insights and personal stories, you'll learn how to cultivate a magical connection with the world around you. Transcend the mundane and embrace the extraordinary by looking at the universal magic in all aspects of life, including …

Quantum physics helps explain many mysteries of the universe. It underpins everything, but it need not be quantum difficult with this informative, accessible, easy-to-follow guide to the fundamentals and concepts of quantum physics and our quantum universe!

Quantum physics is all around us. It’s in electrical lights, lasers, and the color of the sky. Without it, the sun wouldn’t shine. It even explains how human eyes work. With its role in photosynthesis, it literally supports life. Yet, it had Schrödinger wondering whether his cat was alive or dead. It tells us that something can be both a wave and a particle and that two linked particles can communicate across the universe instantaneously! And it might even explain how the multiverse is real. Quantum physics is the key to understanding our complex world, yet even our most brilliant minds haven’t figured it all out yet.

Engaging and approachable, The Handy Quantum Physics Answer Book helps untangle this complex subject, making quantum physics and its impact on us, the world, and the universe entertaining and easy to grasp. From the basics to the theories and from the practical applications to the future, this illuminating book answers more than 800 fascinating questions so you can easily understand quantum physics, including ...

Influential! Remarkable! Groundbreaking! Discover and celebrate the amazing stories and achievements of some of America’s most inspiring artists, athletes, scholars, advocates and activists, political and civic leaders, entrepreneurs, physicians, educators, and more. Explore the vibrant experiences and vital roles of LGBTQ people in America!

Honoring the history and the impact of LGBTQ people on the United States across a variety of fields, The LGBTQ Almanac: 500 Years of Queer Culture in American History is a fascinating mix of biographies, little-known or misunderstood historical facts, enlightening essays on significant legislation, and cultural changes. It features a large collection of 450 biographies of both celebrated and lesser-known influencers in the community, such as …

Discover the magic within you. This enlightening and powerful book will help you tap into your heart, soul, intuition, body, and the limitless magic that resides within you!

“Happiness comes from within” might be an overused statement, but psychology, science, and personal stories prove how powerfully true it is. Building on what is within each and every one of us, Everyday Magic: How to Live a Mindful, Meaningful, Magical Life is your guide to tapping into your magic.

Amidst the demands of modern life, this insightful book shows that simply shifting your perspective, slowing down, and being present in the moment can have profound benefits. With practical exercises and tools based on scientific studies, as well as thought-provoking insights and personal stories, you'll learn how to cultivate a magical connection with the world around you. Transcend the mundane and embrace the extraordinary by looking at the universal magic in all aspects of life, including …

• Fenrir, the wolf child of the giantess Angrboda and the god Loki, from the Old Norse myth of Ragnarok
• Notorious serial killers, including Peter Stumpp and Michael Lupo, who thought themselves to be—and modeled their crimes on—werewolves
• Coyote people, tricksters, and were-animals of Navajo legend
• The Basque butchers of Louisiana and the loup-garou
• Diana, the goddess of the wilderness and the hunt, and her pack of hunting dogs, who once ruled all the dark forests of Europe
• Leopard creature-men and the deadly cult whose members expressed their were-leopard lust for human blood and flesh that has been in existence in West Africa for several hundred years
• The “werewolf of the Dordogne,” Francis Leroy, and his uncontrollable bloodlust during the full moon
• The secret terrorist group Organization Werewolf, established in 1923, and its possible allegiance to Adolf Hitler
• Ghouls from Arabic folklore, the demonic Djinns that hover near burial grounds and sustain themselves on human flesh stolen from graves
• Tasmania’s thylacine and sightings of the “probably extinct” creature and its remarkable—and frightening—jaw capacity
• Alaska’s Kushtaka and other stories of the Bigfoot man-beast
• Puerto Rico’s chupacabra and its powerful goat-like legs, three-clawed feet, and penchant for sucking blood
• The Doñas de Fuera of Sicily, small fairies who looked human, aside from their paw-like feet, and were cruel and dangerous when crossed
• Enkidu, perhaps our earliest written record of a man-beast that appears on a Babylonian fragment circa 2000 BCE and tells the story of King Gilgamesh and his werewolf-like friend in The Epic of Gilgamesh
• And many more stories and histories of werewolves, night-stalkers, lycanthropes, and man-beasts

Courtrooms and contracts. Legal claims and criminal cases. The legal system can be complex, but you’ll be at an advantage with this enlightening guide by your side!

Understanding the law and navigating the legal system has never been more important. From the day you are born and get your government-issued birth certificate to finding a job and paying your taxes to your eventual death certificate, legal documents, legal rights and responsibilities, and the law are an inescapable part of our lives. Fully revised and updated to include an expanded and up-to-date understanding of individual rights and personal liberties—from the Bill of Rights to the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade—as well as an all-new chapter on immigration law, The Handy Law Answer Book 2nd edition answers over 750 of the most important, intriguing, and interesting legal questions many of us face, including …

From Juan Ponce de León to John Wayne to Jane Doe to the little-known stories hidden inside bigger historical events, The Book of Facts and Trivia: American History combines the educational, profound, and trivial into a rich account of American history facts (and the interesting role Johns—and Juans and Janes—played along the way)! You’ll learn about the United States through hundreds of absorbing stories and interesting tidbits such as …

Discover the dark underbelly of American history as you delve into the gripping pages of Grifters, Frauds, and Crooks: True Stories of American Corruption. From the heights of Wall Street to the heart of Main Street, from the hallowed halls of the Capitol to the battlefields of the military, and from the glitz and glamour of entertainment to the sanctity of science, no realm is immune to the clutches of corruption. Through meticulous research, this riveting account exposes both notorious figures and obscure swindles, including …

With more than 120 photos and graphics, Grifters, Frauds, and Crooks is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness. In the pursuit of money, influence, and fame, the line between right and wrong sometimes becomes blurred, leaving a trail of shattered trust and broken dreams. Take an illuminating journey into the cons, scams, and shady deals that have shaped our nation.

Legendary treasures. Mythical robberies. Lost riches. Buried plunder and fabulous wealth. Hidden dangers. Ancient curses and deathbed jinxes. Captivating tales of lost fortunes, hidden caches, the eternal allure of wealth, and the heartbreak of mysterious curses!

Read about the pursuit of riches turning to grief in this mesmerizing story collection! A thrilling exploration of the world's most intriguing and dangerous treasure hunts, Lost Loot: Cursed Treasures and Blood Money collects dozens of fascinating stories of reward, riches, greed, and ruin, including …

• Fenrir, the wolf child of the giantess Angrboda and the god Loki, from the Old Norse myth of Ragnarok
• Notorious serial killers, including Peter Stumpp and Michael Lupo, who thought themselves to be—and modeled their crimes on—werewolves
• Coyote people, tricksters, and were-animals of Navajo legend
• The Basque butchers of Louisiana and the loup-garou
• Diana, the goddess of the wilderness and the hunt, and her pack of hunting dogs, who once ruled all the dark forests of Europe
• Leopard creature-men and the deadly cult whose members expressed their were-leopard lust for human blood and flesh that has been in existence in West Africa for several hundred years
• The “werewolf of the Dordogne,” Francis Leroy, and his uncontrollable bloodlust during the full moon
• The secret terrorist group Organization Werewolf, established in 1923, and its possible allegiance to Adolf Hitler
• Ghouls from Arabic folklore, the demonic Djinns that hover near burial grounds and sustain themselves on human flesh stolen from graves
• Tasmania’s thylacine and sightings of the “probably extinct” creature and its remarkable—and frightening—jaw capacity
• Alaska’s Kushtaka and other stories of the Bigfoot man-beast
• Puerto Rico’s chupacabra and its powerful goat-like legs, three-clawed feet, and penchant for sucking blood
• The Doñas de Fuera of Sicily, small fairies who looked human, aside from their paw-like feet, and were cruel and dangerous when crossed
• Enkidu, perhaps our earliest written record of a man-beast that appears on a Babylonian fragment circa 2000 BCE and tells the story of King Gilgamesh and his werewolf-like friend in The Epic of Gilgamesh
• And many more stories and histories of werewolves, night-stalkers, lycanthropes, and man-beasts

What happens when we die? Many view it as a mystery, but there are tantalizing clues to be found in the Bible and other religious scriptures, scientific findings, historical writings, literature, reports of near-death experiences, and in many other recorded sources. Facing the contradictions and similarities of beliefs from all over the world and throughout history, The Afterlife Book: Heaven, Hell, and Life After Death shows how death and the afterlife is viewed in a variety of different ways. This engrossing guide looks at the many competing views of the afterlife—and the shared connections between them, including ...

Do we really need to be divided from those whose opinions are different from our own? And are there ways that we can overcome these differences and divisions?

Exploring a variety of moral issues through engaging, real-life examples—including promise keeping, lying, adultery, favoring our friends and loved ones, harming innocent people for the good of the majority, the obligation to give to charity, and other ethical quandaries, Thinking Ethically: A Handbook for Making Moral Choices doesn’t tell you what to think or do! Using common—as well as hot-button—issues, it explores different points of view to illustrate how people make moral judgments and decisions.

While conclusions may differ, this thought-provoking guide shows that people share the same moral foundations of honesty, kindness, promise-keeping, and a commitment to not harming others—and recognizes that our shared values can help heal other divisions! By explaining how we can all use our natural ability to think, debate, and evolve, this enlightening book offers numerous valuable insights, including …

From false religions and offshoots of traditional religions to political, financial, sexual, and hate groups, American Cults: Cabals, Corruption, and Charismatic Leaders looks at 40 groups and leaders, including their histories, deceits, manipulations, and twisted ideologies. Some rely on systems of obedience, submission, and dependency. More than a few have mystifying beliefs. Others are dark and murderous. You’ll encounter curious, bizarre, and sometimes upsetting stories of …

American Cults looks at why America is such a fertile ground for cults, how some people got caught in their webs, and how some managed to escape! With more than 120 photos and graphics, this tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography provides sources for further exploration, and an extensive index adds to its usefulness.

Real Witches. Real Lives. Real Magic. Real History. Take a magical tour through the lives and times of 359 of the most important sorcerers and witches throughout history.

For millennia there’s been a fascination and a fear of people possibly wielding magical powers and a stigma surrounding practitioners of ancient rituals and practices. Yet, in the last 70 years, witchcraft, as well as Wicca, have gone from taboo beliefs pursued by a handful of eccentrics and misfits to major global, spiritual movements. Meet the troublemakers and rebels who pushed for change in The Witches Almanac: Sorcerers, Witches, and Magic from Ancient Rome to the Digital Age. You’ll be introduced to the history, persecutions, conjurings, and magic of some of history’s most consequential witches, sorcerers, wizards, and mavericks, including … 

• Circe, Medea, Hermes Trismegistus, the Chaldean Magi, and other Ancient Roman and Classical Greek witches
• Merlin, Morgana le Fey, Nimue, the 10 Queens of Avalon, and sorcery and witchcraft in the Arthurian legends
• San Cipriano, the obscure 4th century bishop whose influence today still plays an important role in folk magic and Hoodoo practices
• Baba Yaga, Joan of Arc, Gilles de Rais, Alice Kyteller, Lord Soulis, Michael Scott, the Golem of Prague, and medieval witchcraft
• King Henry VI, Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII, Catherine de Medici, John Dee, Queen Elizabeth, and witchcraft in the British royal court
• Isobel Gowdie, illusive Scottish witch whose voluntary confessions provided the template for traditional witchcraft beliefs
• Isaac Newton, Friar Roger Bacon, Nicholas Flamel, Paracelsus, Cornelius Agrippa, Robert Boyle, and other alchemists
• The Burning Times of the late 16th to early 18th centuries
• The Berwick witch trial
• The Salem witch trial
• Aleister Crowley, W. B. Yeats, MacGregor Mathers, Eliphas Levi, the Golden Dawn, Thelema and ritual magic, and the rise of esoteric movements of the 19th and early 20th centuries
• Jack Parsons, described as the “Jet-Propelled Antichrist” whose life of sex, rockets, and magic ended prematurely in a mysterious explosion
• Gerald Gardner, Old Dorothy Clutterbuck, Alex Sanders, Robert Cochrane, Raymond Buckland, Lady Sheba, Marjorie Cameron, and others in the modern Wicca and witchcraft movement
• And much more!!

You’ll get a deeper understanding of the obscure history of witches with this enchanting and bewitching tome! The Witches Almanac brings you their rich histories and extraordinary biographies, plus it includes a helpful bibliography, an extensive index, and numerous photos, adding to its usefulness.

Salute the Latino legends, pioneers, and trailblazers! Celebrate the Hispanic milestones, accomplishments, and victories!

An inspiring exploration of 1,250 groundbreaking individuals and pioneering events, Latino Firsts: Trailblazers and Milestones in United States History honors the an indelible mark Hispanics have made on American history and society. Featured are brigadier general Richard E. Cavazos, Nobel laureate Gabriela Mistral, actress America Ferrera, playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda, civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Francisco Ayala, artist Jen-Michel Basquiat, weightlifter Sarah Elizabeth Robles, and many, many more notable people and accomplishments, such as …

What happens when we die? Many view it as a mystery, but there are tantalizing clues to be found in the Bible and other religious scriptures, scientific findings, historical writings, literature, reports of near-death experiences, and in many other recorded sources. Facing the contradictions and similarities of beliefs from all over the world and throughout history, The Afterlife Book: Heaven, Hell, and Life After Death shows how death and the afterlife is viewed in a variety of different ways. This engrossing guide looks at the many competing views of the afterlife—and the shared connections between them, including ...

How well do you know your neighbors? Maybe you should get to know them better! Growing up, we are taught that monsters are easy to identify, but the truth is very different. Too often, the serial murderer does not stand out. Otherwise, he, or she, would get caught.

The contrast between the ordinary-seeming lives that provided cover for their cruel secrets is exposed in The Serial Killer Next Door: The Double Lives of Notorious Murderers. To their coworkers, neighbors, and others who knew them, they led unremarkable lives. They had careers as military pilots, police officers, landscapers, small business owners, farmers, realtors, reporters, authors, veterinary technicians, nurses, doctors, handymen, painters, and chefs, while they simultaneously stalked city suburbs, college campuses, trailer parks, and red-light districts. This chilling book looks at the horrifying stories of nearly 30 malevolent killers (and hundreds of innocent victims) who were mistakenly trusted, including …

• Genene Jones, a nurse responsible for the murder of 60 infants and children in her care. She’s said to be the inspiration for Stephen King’s iconic character of Annie Wilkes, in Misery – and her nephew broke into King’s home, threatening to blow up the writer and his family because of it!
• Robert Lee Yates, a helicopter pilot in the Army National Guard who, when caught, buried one body outside his bedroom window as his wife slept.
• Gary Ridgway, also known as the Green River Killer, went undetected for 20 years, working for 30 years as a painter for a truck company and married for 17 years.
• Kathleen Folbigg, whose three children were at first thought to have died from natural causes. She only got caught when her husband found her personal diary.
• Joseph James DeAngelo, who worked various jobs, including as a police officer and a truck mechanic. He went on a decades-long crime spree and was finally caught with the help of DNA evidence. His case was instrumental in the establishment of California's DNA database.
• And dozens of other serial killers!

It’s chilling to realize that many serial killers have created second lives that are completely divorced from the brutality and evils they commit. It’s incomprehensible to think that they are able to flip a switch, transforming them from apparently loving, ordinary men and women into torturous, homicidal slaughterers. With more than 120 photos and graphics, The Serial Killer Next Door is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness. We trust our neighbors, coworkers, and acquaintances. Of course, we do. It's ominous to think that we can't!

Legendary treasures. Mythical robberies. Lost riches. Buried plunder and fabulous wealth. Hidden dangers. Ancient curses and deathbed jinxes. Captivating tales of lost fortunes, hidden caches, the eternal allure of wealth, and the heartbreak of mysterious curses!

Read about the pursuit of riches turning to grief in this mesmerizing story collection! A thrilling exploration of the world's most intriguing and dangerous treasure hunts, Lost Loot: Cursed Treasures and Blood Money collects dozens of fascinating stories of reward, riches, greed, and ruin, including …

Take an eerie road trip! A chilling collection of true ghost stories spanning every state in the United States with a full range of ghostly manifestations and haunted locations!

From séances to shiny graveyards, take a ghostly journey across the United States. Visit the highways and byways of the supernatural across the country and in each state in the union. American Ghost Stories: True Tales from All 50 States tours possessed houses, unearthly burial sites, forbidding farms, sinister forests, school bathrooms, and all manner of places haunted by spectral visitors, including …

• Sullivan, Maine, and Nelly Butler, America’s “first ghost.”
• Wilder, Kentucky, and Bobby Mackey’s Music World, which was originally built as a slaughterhouse and then served at various times as a honky-tonk, bingo hall, biker bar, and cocktail lounge before becoming a direct portal to Hell.
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and The Pfister Hotel, where every U.S. president since William McKinley stayed—as did Elvis Presley—and its weird noises, flickering lights, malfunctioning electronics, and moving objects.
• Exeter, Rhode Island, and Mercy Lena Brown, the vampire ghost that was caught on a YouTube video.
• San Jose, California, and the maze-like Winchester House, which was allegedly designed to confuse ghosts that haunted the original owner … and have continued to haunt people ever since.
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and the Skirvin Hotel, the historic Art Deco hotel, former speakeasy, and location of several gunfights that is haunted full time by Effie, a Prohibition-era chambermaid.
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the numerous sightings at the Betsy Ross House. 
• Huntsville, Alabama, and the Maple Hill Cemetery, the internment site for governors, U.S. senators, representatives, and soldiers that is the site of … a playground!
• Tularosa Basin, New Mexico, and Pavla Blanca, the woman in white roaming the dunes of the White Sand National Monument.
• And many more paranormal experiences, poltergeists, residual hauntings, curses, witches, prisons, bridges, mental institutions of an America plagued with spirits, phantoms and ghosts!

More than merely a collection of 50 true ghost stories, American Ghost Stories puts you in the middle of the eerie action with captivating stories that would be at home at any midnight campfire. The only difference is that these stories aren't urban legends or fantasies meant to scare you. These stories live right next door to every one of us. We suggest you don’t read them when you are home alone and the lights begin to flicker!

Is technology running amok or is it serving as a helping hand? Is it a threat or a benefit? Runaway Science: True Stories of Raging Robots and Hi-Tech Horrors presents the ominous, and some encouraging, stories of how technology has shaped our past and might shape our future. It dives into the question of mankind’s future. An exhilarating and troubling read, it looks at whether robots and technology are a threat or a boon to humanity. Its investigations include …

A celebration of achievement, accomplishments, and courage!

Native American Medal of Honor recipients, Heisman Trophy recipients, U.S. Olympians, a U.S. vice president, Congressional representatives, NASA astronauts, Pulitzer Prize recipients, U.S. poet laureates, Oscar winners, and more. The first Native magician, all-Native comedy show, architects, attorneys, bloggers, chefs, cartoonists, psychologists, religious leaders, filmmakers, educators, physicians, code talkers, and inventors. Luminaries like Jim Thorpe, King Kamehameha, Debra Haaland, and Will Rogers, along with less familiar notables such as Native Hawaiian language professor and radio host Larry Lindsey Kimura and Cree/Mohawk forensic pathologist Dr. Kona Williams. Their stories plus the stories of 2000 other people, events and places are presented in Indigenous Firsts: A History of Native American Achievements and Events, including …

• Suzanne Van Cooten, Ph.D., Chickasaw Nation, the first Native female meteorologist in the country
• Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, Wampanoag from Martha’s Vineyard, graduate of Harvard College in 1665
• Debra Haaland, the Pueblo of Laguna, U.S. Congresswoman and Secretary of the Interior
• Sam Campos, the Native Hawaiian who developed the Hawaiian superhero Pineapple Man
• Thomas L. Sloan, Omaha, was the first Native American to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court
• William R. Pogue, Choctaw, astronaut
• Johnston Murray, Chickasaw, the first person of Native American descent to be elected governor in the United States, holding the office in Oklahoma from 1951 to 1955
• The Cherokee Phoenix published its first edition February 21, 1828, making it the first tribal newspaper in North America and the first to be published in an Indigenous language
• The National Native American Honor Society was founded by acclaimed geneticist Dr. Frank C. Dukepoo , the first Hopi to earn a Ph.D.
• Louis Sockalexis, Penobscot, became the first Native American in the National Baseball League in 1897 as an outfielder with the Cleveland Spiders
• Jock Soto, Navajo/Puerto Rican, the youngest-ever man to be the principal dancer with the New York City Ballet
• The Seminole Tribe of Florida was the first Nation to own and operate an airplane manufacturing company
• Warrior's Circle of Honor, the National Native American Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, on the grounds of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian
• The Iolani Palace, constructed 1879–1882, the home of the Hawaiian royal family in Honolulu
• Loriene Roy, Anishinaabe, White Earth Nation, professor at the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Information, former president of the American Library Association
• Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Northern Cheyenne, U.S. representative and U.S. senator from Colorado
• Hanay Geiogamah, Kiowa /Delaware, founded the American Indian Theatre Ensemble
• Gerald Vizenor, White Earth Nation, writer, literary critic, and journalist for the Minneapolis Tribune
• Ely S. Parker (Hasanoanda, later Donehogawa), Tonawanda Seneca, lieutenant colonel in the Union Army, serving as General Ulysses S. Grant’s military secretary
• Fritz Scholder, Luiseno, painter inducted into the California Hall of Fame
• The Native American Women Warriors, the first all Native American female color guard
• Lori Arviso Alvord, the first Navajo woman to become a board-certified surgeon
• Kay “Kaibah” C. Bennett, Navajo, teacher, author, and the first woman to run for the presidency of the Navajo Nation
• Sandra Sunrising Osawa, Makah Indian Nation, the first Native American to have a series on commercial television
• The Choctaw people’s 1847 donation to aid the Irish people suffering from the great famine
• Otakuye Conroy-Ben, Oglala Lakota, first to earn an environmental engineering Ph.D. at the University of Arizona
• Diane J. Willis, Kiowa, former President of the Society of Pediatric Psychology and founding editor of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology
• Shelly Niro, Mohawk, winner of Canada’s top photography prize, the Scotiabank Photography Award
• Loren Leman, Alutiiq/Russian-Polish, was the first Alaska Native elected lieutenant governor
• Kim TallBear, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, the first recipient of the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience, and Environment
• Carissa Moore, Native Hawaiian, won the Gold Medal in Surfing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
• Will Rogers, Cherokee, actor, performer, humorist was named the first honorary mayor of Beverly Hills
• Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations by Lois Ellen Frank, Kiowa, was the first Native American cookbook to win the James Beard Award
• Diane Humetewa, Hopi, nominated by President Barack Obama, became the first Native American woman to serve as a federal judge
• Susie Walking Bear Yellowtail, Crow, the first Native American nurse to be inducted into the American Nursing Association Hall of Fame

Indigenous Firsts honors the ongoing and rich history of personal victories and triumphs, and with more than 200 photos and illustrations, this information-rich book also includes a helpful bibliography and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness. This vital collection will appeal to anyone interested in America’s amazing history and its resilient and skilled Indigenous people.

Discover the dark underbelly of American history as you delve into the gripping pages of Grifters, Frauds, and Crooks: True Stories of American Corruption. From the heights of Wall Street to the heart of Main Street, from the hallowed halls of the Capitol to the battlefields of the military, and from the glitz and glamour of entertainment to the sanctity of science, no realm is immune to the clutches of corruption. Through meticulous research, this riveting account exposes both notorious figures and obscure swindles, including …

With more than 120 photos and graphics, Grifters, Frauds, and Crooks is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness. In the pursuit of money, influence, and fame, the line between right and wrong sometimes becomes blurred, leaving a trail of shattered trust and broken dreams. Take an illuminating journey into the cons, scams, and shady deals that have shaped our nation.

How well do you know your neighbors? Maybe you should get to know them better! Growing up, we are taught that monsters are easy to identify, but the truth is very different. Too often, the serial murderer does not stand out. Otherwise, he, or she, would get caught.

The contrast between the ordinary-seeming lives that provided cover for their cruel secrets is exposed in The Serial Killer Next Door: The Double Lives of Notorious Murderers. To their coworkers, neighbors, and others who knew them, they led unremarkable lives. They had careers as military pilots, police officers, landscapers, small business owners, farmers, realtors, reporters, authors, veterinary technicians, nurses, doctors, handymen, painters, and chefs, while they simultaneously stalked city suburbs, college campuses, trailer parks, and red-light districts. This chilling book looks at the horrifying stories of nearly 30 malevolent killers (and hundreds of innocent victims) who were mistakenly trusted, including …

• Genene Jones, a nurse responsible for the murder of 60 infants and children in her care. She’s said to be the inspiration for Stephen King’s iconic character of Annie Wilkes, in Misery – and her nephew broke into King’s home, threatening to blow up the writer and his family because of it!
• Robert Lee Yates, a helicopter pilot in the Army National Guard who, when caught, buried one body outside his bedroom window as his wife slept.
• Gary Ridgway, also known as the Green River Killer, went undetected for 20 years, working for 30 years as a painter for a truck company and married for 17 years.
• Kathleen Folbigg, whose three children were at first thought to have died from natural causes. She only got caught when her husband found her personal diary.
• Joseph James DeAngelo, who worked various jobs, including as a police officer and a truck mechanic. He went on a decades-long crime spree and was finally caught with the help of DNA evidence. His case was instrumental in the establishment of California's DNA database.
• And dozens of other serial killers!

It’s chilling to realize that many serial killers have created second lives that are completely divorced from the brutality and evils they commit. It’s incomprehensible to think that they are able to flip a switch, transforming them from apparently loving, ordinary men and women into torturous, homicidal slaughterers. With more than 120 photos and graphics, The Serial Killer Next Door is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness. We trust our neighbors, coworkers, and acquaintances. Of course, we do. It's ominous to think that we can't!

The story of the United States military is the story of the country itself. Both have grown and changed over time. Learn about the unique histories, traditions, weapons, leaders, stats, and fun facts of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force, and their roles within the military in this fun and fascinating guide!

From the few hundred soldiers in its ranks when it was first established, to the over one million service members today, the U.S. military has grown in power and size over its 250-year history. Its organization and branches have changed to adapt to new technologies and national needs. The Handy Armed Forces Answer Book: Your Guide to the Whats and Whys of the U.S. Military looks at each branch of the U.S. military. It answers more than 500 of the most intriguing questions, including …

• How is the U.S. military organized?

• How do the branches work together?

• When did the Army Air Corps become the U.S. Army Air Force?

• What is the selection process like for Special Forces?

• Who was the Continental Army’s first Commander in Chief?

• How does the military rank structure function?

• How does somebody become an Air Force officer?

• What was the “Brown Water Navy”?

• What is the motto of the Coast Guard?

• How many bases does the military have?

• What is the Marine Corps Hymn?

• Did any Coast Guard vessels serve in combat?

• What type of aircraft is Air Force One?

• Who said “Retreat? Hell! We just got here!”

• Who were the Buffalo Soldiers?

• What are the Blue Angels?

• What is the most challenging USAF plane to fly?

• What is the origin of the Coast Guard “racing stripe”?

• Does the Space Force have any operational bases?

• How did a mutiny help establish the United States Naval Academy?

• What is the longest-serving personal weapon used by the American soldier?

• What is the difference between a UAV and a drone?

• What attack submarines does the Navy deploy?

• Who defends the United States against cyberattacks and other digital threats?

The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Force are uniquely American, each in their own way. Learn what makes each branch special in The Handy Armed Forces Answer Book! With more than 140 photos and graphics, this fascinating to me is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness.

Entertaining, informative, and enlightening! Educational, eyebrow-raising, and profound. Science has never been this much fun! Take a weird and wonderful tour of the every branch of science with this treat of stories, trivia, and facts!

From Earth’s weight gain thanks to the many tons of cosmic dust that falls on the planet each year to William A. Mitchell, the inventor of Tang, Cool Whip, and Pop Rocks candy, The Book of Facts and Trivia: Science combines the educational, profound, and trivial into a fascinating collection of science facts! You’ll learn about yourself and the world through hundreds of absorbing stories and interesting tidbits such as …

The U.S. Supreme Court, its decisions, and its nominating process for new justices are often in the news … but are just as often not well understood. Constitutional law professor David L. Hudson, Jr., explains the cases, processes, and important history with this in-depth primer on the U.S. Supreme Court.

How has the Supreme Court justices’ thinking on gun rights, abortion, free speech, freedom of religion, and many other controversial issues evolved? What were some of the court’s most important and monumental decisions … and failures? Which justices have—and have had—the most influence on the court? Has the nominating process always been so political and bitter?

Covering the history, nominating process, and court decisions on individual and other rights as well as a few fun facts, The Handy Supreme Court Answer Book: The History and Issues Explained by David L. Hudson, Jr., J.D. provides you with 600 answers to questions such as …

Analyzing controversial issues and various points of view, The Handy Supreme Court Answer Book sheds a light on the differing and changing interpretations of the critical issues before the court, as well as the confirmation process and some of the court’s most important justices. Richly illustrated, it also has a helpful bibliography, glossary, and extensive index. Thoroughly updated since it was last published fifteen years ago, this invaluable resource will help you understand the rulings and importance of the U.S. Supreme Court!

A handy resource on the fundamental facts about engineering for both engineers and non-engineers alike, whether you are exploring engineering for the first time, already have a strong background, or fall anywhere in between.

Engineering impacts every aspect of our lives. Bridges,buildings, buses, electrical grids, computers, televisions, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, and virtually any everyday household item needs to be engineered to function properly. Fundamentally, engineering is about identifying a need and developing solutions that meet that need. Throughout history, engineering ideas and innovative feats have provided solutions to many challenges faced by civilizations. From the Great Wall of China to NASA's space program, The Handy Engineering Answer Book covers the history of the field, details the lives of key figures, introduces the tools engineers use to solve problems, and provides fun facts and answers to a thousand important and interesting questions, such as …

• What is the difference between science and engineering?
• What do engineers do?
• What are some famous engineering mistakes or failures?
• What is reverse engineering?
• What is a prototype?
• What types of jobs do electrical engineers do?
• How does a car battery work?
• What are the major job responsibilities of a HVAC engineer?
• What is a Powertrain?
• What is Bernoulli’s principle?
• What are the Laws of Thermodynamics?
• What’s the difference between 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines?
• What is stress and strain?
• What is the difference between torque and power?
• What is automation?
• What is quality assurance?
• What is meant by outsourcing?
• What are the responsibilities of a construction manager?
• What are the types of road construction that are both durable and cost-effective?
• Which materials are used to build a cruise ship?
• What are some design elements that help structures withstand earthquakes?
• How does a civil engineer design water slides for theme parks?
• Who was W. Edwards Deming?
• What is ergonomics?
• What is biomedical engineering?
• Who is Grace Hopper?
• What is debugging?
• What is the difference between a web developer and a website designer?
• Was Leonardo da Vinci an aerospace engineer?
• Where do chemical engineers work?
• How much energy does the world use?
• What are the major challenges addressed by environmental engineers?
• What is humanitarian engineering?
• What is acoustical engineering?
• What are the required skills for fire engineers?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of nanotechnology?

With more than 140 photos and graphics, this fascinating tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness. Whether using science and math or building prototypes for testing or the development of various subdisciplines, The Handy Engineering Answer Book looks at how fundamental engineering is to modern life and society!

From herbs, oils and vitamins to yoga, healing remedies and belly laughs, the Natural Health: Your Complete Guide to Natural Remedies and Mindful Well-Being explores hundreds of ancient remedies, natural therapies and nature’s medicine cabinet. It includes the most current knowledge, information, and science behind natural diets and lifestyle to build your health and wellness. Featuring an extensive overview of natural health therapies, treatments, medicinals and nature’s gifts, this engaging and useful book includes …

Do we really need to be divided from those whose opinions are different from our own? And are there ways that we can overcome these differences and divisions?

Exploring a variety of moral issues through engaging, real-life examples—including promise keeping, lying, adultery, favoring our friends and loved ones, harming innocent people for the good of the majority, the obligation to give to charity, and other ethical quandaries, Thinking Ethically: A Handbook for Making Moral Choices doesn’t tell you what to think or do! Using common—as well as hot-button—issues, it explores different points of view to illustrate how people make moral judgments and decisions.

While conclusions may differ, this thought-provoking guide shows that people share the same moral foundations of honesty, kindness, promise-keeping, and a commitment to not harming others—and recognizes that our shared values can help heal other divisions! By explaining how we can all use our natural ability to think, debate, and evolve, this enlightening book offers numerous valuable insights, including …

Real Witches. Real Lives. Real Magic. Real History. Take a magical tour through the lives and times of 359 of the most important sorcerers and witches throughout history.

For millennia there’s been a fascination and a fear of people possibly wielding magical powers and a stigma surrounding practitioners of ancient rituals and practices. Yet, in the last 70 years, witchcraft, as well as Wicca, have gone from taboo beliefs pursued by a handful of eccentrics and misfits to major global, spiritual movements. Meet the troublemakers and rebels who pushed for change in The Witches Almanac: Sorcerers, Witches, and Magic from Ancient Rome to the Digital Age. You’ll be introduced to the history, persecutions, conjurings, and magic of some of history’s most consequential witches, sorcerers, wizards, and mavericks, including … 

• Circe, Medea, Hermes Trismegistus, the Chaldean Magi, and other Ancient Roman and Classical Greek witches
• Merlin, Morgana le Fey, Nimue, the 10 Queens of Avalon, and sorcery and witchcraft in the Arthurian legends
• San Cipriano, the obscure 4th century bishop whose influence today still plays an important role in folk magic and Hoodoo practices
• Baba Yaga, Joan of Arc, Gilles de Rais, Alice Kyteller, Lord Soulis, Michael Scott, the Golem of Prague, and medieval witchcraft
• King Henry VI, Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII, Catherine de Medici, John Dee, Queen Elizabeth, and witchcraft in the British royal court
• Isobel Gowdie, illusive Scottish witch whose voluntary confessions provided the template for traditional witchcraft beliefs
• Isaac Newton, Friar Roger Bacon, Nicholas Flamel, Paracelsus, Cornelius Agrippa, Robert Boyle, and other alchemists
• The Burning Times of the late 16th to early 18th centuries
• The Berwick witch trial
• The Salem witch trial
• Aleister Crowley, W. B. Yeats, MacGregor Mathers, Eliphas Levi, the Golden Dawn, Thelema and ritual magic, and the rise of esoteric movements of the 19th and early 20th centuries
• Jack Parsons, described as the “Jet-Propelled Antichrist” whose life of sex, rockets, and magic ended prematurely in a mysterious explosion
• Gerald Gardner, Old Dorothy Clutterbuck, Alex Sanders, Robert Cochrane, Raymond Buckland, Lady Sheba, Marjorie Cameron, and others in the modern Wicca and witchcraft movement
• And much more!!

You’ll get a deeper understanding of the obscure history of witches with this enchanting and bewitching tome! The Witches Almanac brings you their rich histories and extraordinary biographies, plus it includes a helpful bibliography, an extensive index, and numerous photos, adding to its usefulness.

The story of the United States military is the story of the country itself. Both have grown and changed over time. Learn about the unique histories, traditions, weapons, leaders, stats, and fun facts of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force, and their roles within the military in this fun and fascinating guide!

From the few hundred soldiers in its ranks when it was first established, to the over one million service members today, the U.S. military has grown in power and size over its 250-year history. Its organization and branches have changed to adapt to new technologies and national needs. The Handy Armed Forces Answer Book: Your Guide to the Whats and Whys of the U.S. Military looks at each branch of the U.S. military. It answers more than 500 of the most intriguing questions, including …

• How is the U.S. military organized?

• How do the branches work together?

• When did the Army Air Corps become the U.S. Army Air Force?

• What is the selection process like for Special Forces?

• Who was the Continental Army’s first Commander in Chief?

• How does the military rank structure function?

• How does somebody become an Air Force officer?

• What was the “Brown Water Navy”?

• What is the motto of the Coast Guard?

• How many bases does the military have?

• What is the Marine Corps Hymn?

• Did any Coast Guard vessels serve in combat?

• What type of aircraft is Air Force One?

• Who said “Retreat? Hell! We just got here!”

• Who were the Buffalo Soldiers?

• What are the Blue Angels?

• What is the most challenging USAF plane to fly?

• What is the origin of the Coast Guard “racing stripe”?

• Does the Space Force have any operational bases?

• How did a mutiny help establish the United States Naval Academy?

• What is the longest-serving personal weapon used by the American soldier?

• What is the difference between a UAV and a drone?

• What attack submarines does the Navy deploy?

• Who defends the United States against cyberattacks and other digital threats?

The Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Force are uniquely American, each in their own way. Learn what makes each branch special in The Handy Armed Forces Answer Book! With more than 140 photos and graphics, this fascinating to me is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness.

Salute the Latino legends, pioneers, and trailblazers! Celebrate the Hispanic milestones, accomplishments, and victories!

An inspiring exploration of 1,250 groundbreaking individuals and pioneering events, Latino Firsts: Trailblazers and Milestones in United States History honors the an indelible mark Hispanics have made on American history and society. Featured are brigadier general Richard E. Cavazos, Nobel laureate Gabriela Mistral, actress America Ferrera, playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda, civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Francisco Ayala, artist Jen-Michel Basquiat, weightlifter Sarah Elizabeth Robles, and many, many more notable people and accomplishments, such as …

Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity postulates, and scientists have proven, that the faster you travel, the slower time moves. Clocks on airplanes, satellites and rockets are slower than clocks on Earth, and time travel is indeed real. Can time machines, time-tunnel wormholes or tales of fictional time-traveling heroes be so far-fetched? Covering the history of time travel in both reality and fiction, Time Travel: The Science and Science Fiction investigates the long history, myths, science and stories of movement from the present to the past and into the future.

Timely in its telling, Time Travel chronicles more than 30 instances, accounts, stories and famous examples of time slips, such as …

The invisible world of influence and power revealed. Hidden agendas uncovered. An examination of over 250 current and historical conspiracies, secret cabals, and powerful groups.

Separating fact from fiction, this compelling work provides gripping details and presents the information without bias, including facts about hundreds of individuals, organizations, and events in which official claims and standard explanations of actions and events remain shrouded in mystery. Sifting through the evidence, weighing competing narratives in a search for the truth, Conspiracies and Secret Societies: The Complete Dossier of Hidden Plots and Schemes examines the many subjects discussed by conspiracy theorists, probing and analyzing the dark doings of secret societies. Bring yourself up to date with the latest research and findings into historical topics plus current issues, including:

• Government cover-ups―internet tracking, electronic spying, MKUltra, the John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. assassinations, Agenda 21, Area 51, Federal Reserve System, black helicopters, Project Monarch, satellite snooping, FEMA, the CIA, the crack cocaine epidemic, and much more.
• Powerful secret societies and groups―Freemasons, Illuminati, Antifa, the Deep State, the Trilateral Commission, Anarchists, the Skull and Bones Society, the Family, Scientology, the Knights Templar, the Lavender Mafia, the Zionists, the Roman Catholics, the Bilderberg group, and QAnon, to name a few.
• Classified background on U.S. Presidents―Lincoln, Kennedy, Eisenhower, Reagan, Obama, Trump, their advisers, and more.
• Terrible secrets―Malaysian Airlines Flight 370, 9/11, Princess Diana, subliminal messaging, psychotronic weapons, the Matrix, Adolf Hitler, Men in Black, Barcodes, The Great Reset, Unit 731 and germ experiments, Jeffrey Epstein, Bill Gates, the Oklahoma City bombing, Fukushima, HAARP, and many more.
• Historical riddles―the Ark of the Covenant, Nazi UFOs, the Holy Grail, George Patton and Operation Unthinkable, the Great Pyramid, the Tonkin Gulf incident, Noah’s Ark, alchemy, the true relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene, Atlantis, and more.
• Science mysteries―biochip implants, genetically modified foods, chemtrails, hallow earth, vaccines, fluoridation, Hadron Collider, AIDS/HIV, suppressed medical cures, and many, many more.

Originally published in 2006, Brad and Sherry Steiger’s masterwork gets an update, with more than 50 new entries, and a complete review and revision by a panel of experts to incorporate the latest developments and newly uncovered conspiracies. Whether confirming or debunking a conspiracy or secret group, Conspiracies and Secret Societies cites sources to let you do your own research and draw your own conclusions. This important book brings the facts to light and provides insights into conspiracies and the world of conspiracy theorists. Knowledge is our best weapon against these people, groups, and their nefarious schemes. When some of the nation's highest leaders, their wives, and followers promote—and even believe—false conspiracies, knowing which conspiracies are actually real and which you should not trust is more important than ever!

The first female. African American vice president, first U.S. senator, the 83rd U.S. Attorney General, and first black state legislator in Alaska. The first time a black woman and a white band shared the same stage; the first black woman writer to win a Pulitzer Prize; and the first black prima ballerina at the Metropolitan Opera Company. Black women have accomplished incredible things throughout American history.

An important book, Originals! Barrier-breaking Black Women profiles the lives and successes of such notable and iconic women as abolitionist Harriet Tubman, Olympic gold medalist Wilma Rudolph, mathematician Katherine Johnson, organizer and politician Stacy Adams Stacey Abrams, astronaut Mae Jemison, jazz legend Billie Holiday, ballerina Misty Copeland, Vice President Kamala Harris, and also the accomplishments of hundreds of less-famous and lesser-known women. This fascinating read recounts 1,400 achievements, including …  

Thousands, perhaps millions, of people have had near-death experiences (NDEs). Why do so many report uncannily similar experiences? What are they—a simple trick of the mind and body or something more? What are we to make of them, and do they tell us anything about the possibility of an afterlife?

An illuminating and thought-provoking journey into the enigmatic territory where science, spirituality, and human consciousness converge, Near Death Experiences: Afterlife Journeys and Revelations presents a comprehensive journey through different interpretations of NDEs:

Take a dark descent into a world of supernatural evil! Explore true horrors of sinister spirits, ominous ghosts, angry souls, menacing monsters, malicious demons, and cursed creatures in this collection of the malevolent paranormal!

Sometimes the monsters are monsters — swimming the murky waters of Loch Ness, stalking their victims the streets of small town America, or hunting innocents across the desolate British moors. At other times, the darkness lies within the human soul itself — the falsely accused who were executed for witchcraft in Salem, those hounded to their graves (and beyond) by cruel pursuers, or those cursed by all forms of vile spirits. Then there are the devils and demons lurking in the darkness, capable of possessing and tormenting the living.

Master storyteller and seasoned paranormal investigator Richard Estep presents sinister hordes of evil in Dark Spirits: Monsters, Demons, and Devils. This fright-filled read spans the darkest realms of the paranormal, including …

What accounts for the undying fascination people have for vampires? How did encounters with death create centuries-old myths and folklore in virtually every culture in the world? When did the early literary vampires—as pictured by Goethe, Coleridge, Shelly, Polidori, Byron, and Nodier as the personifications of man’s darker side—transform from villains into today’s cultural rebels?

Showing how vampire-like creatures organically formed in virtually every part of the world, The Vampire Almanac: The Complete History by renowned religion expert and fearless vampire authority J. Gordon Melton, Ph.D., examines the historic, societal, and psychological role the vampire has played—and continues to play—in understanding death, man’s deepest desires, and human pathologies. It analyzes humanity’s lusts, fears, and longing for power and the forbidden!

Today, the vampire serves as a powerful symbol for the darker parts of the human condition, touching on death, immortality, forbidden sexuality, sexual power and surrender, intimacy, alienation, rebellion, violence, and a fascination with the mysterious. The vampire is often portrayed as a symbolic leader advocating an outrageous alternative to the demands of conformity. Vampires can also be tools for scapegoating such as when women are called “vamps” and bosses are described as “bloodsuckers.”

Meet all of the villains, anti-heroes, and heroes of myths, legends, books, films, and television series across cultures and today’s pop culture in The Vampire Almanac. It assembles and analyzes hundreds of vampiric characters, people, and creatures, including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Vlad the Impaler, Edward Cullen and The Twilight Saga, Bram Stoker, Lestat De Lioncourt and The Vampire Chronicles, Lon Chaney, True Blood, Bela Lugosi, Dracula, Dark Shadows, Lilith, Vampire Weekend, Batman, Nosferatu, and so many more.

There is a lot to sink your teeth into with this deep exhumation of the undead. Quench your thirst for facts, histories, biographies, definitions, analysis, immortality, and more! This gruesomely thorough book of vampire facts also has a helpful bibliography, an extensive index, and numerous photos, adding to its usefulness.

A celebration of achievement, accomplishments, and courage!

Native American Medal of Honor recipients, Heisman Trophy recipients, U.S. Olympians, a U.S. vice president, Congressional representatives, NASA astronauts, Pulitzer Prize recipients, U.S. poet laureates, Oscar winners, and more. The first Native magician, all-Native comedy show, architects, attorneys, bloggers, chefs, cartoonists, psychologists, religious leaders, filmmakers, educators, physicians, code talkers, and inventors. Luminaries like Jim Thorpe, King Kamehameha, Debra Haaland, and Will Rogers, along with less familiar notables such as Native Hawaiian language professor and radio host Larry Lindsey Kimura and Cree/Mohawk forensic pathologist Dr. Kona Williams. Their stories plus the stories of 2000 people, events and places are presented in Indigenous Firsts: A History of Native American Achievements and Events, including …

• Suzanne Van Cooten, Ph.D., Chickasaw Nation, the first Native female meteorologist in the country
• Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, Wampanoag from Martha’s Vineyard, graduate of Harvard College in 1665
• Debra Haaland, the Pueblo of Laguna, U.S. Congresswoman and Secretary of the Interior
• Sam Campos, the Native Hawaiian who developed the Hawaiian superhero Pineapple Man
• Thomas L. Sloan, Omaha, was the first Native American to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court
• William R. Pogue, Choctaw, astronaut
• Johnston Murray, Chickasaw, the first person of Native American descent to be elected governor in the United States, holding the office in Oklahoma from 1951 to 1955
• The Cherokee Phoenix published its first edition February 21, 1828, making it the first tribal newspaper in North America and the first to be published in an Indigenous language
• The National Native American Honor Society was founded by acclaimed geneticist Dr. Frank C. Dukepoo , the first Hopi to earn a Ph.D.
• Louis Sockalexis, Penobscot, became the first Native American in the National Baseball League in 1897 as an outfielder with the Cleveland Spiders
• Jock Soto, Navajo/Puerto Rican, the youngest-ever man to be the principal dancer with the New York City Ballet
• The Seminole Tribe of Florida was the first Nation to own and operate an airplane manufacturing company
• Warrior's Circle of Honor, the National Native American Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, on the grounds of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian
• The Iolani Palace, constructed 1879–1882, the home of the Hawaiian royal family in Honolulu
• Loriene Roy, Anishinaabe, White Earth Nation, professor at the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Information, former president of the American Library Association
• Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Northern Cheyenne, U.S. representative and U.S. senator from Colorado
• Hanay Geiogamah, Kiowa /Delaware, founded the American Indian Theatre Ensemble
• Gerald Vizenor, White Earth Nation, writer, literary critic, and journalist for the Minneapolis Tribune
• Ely S. Parker (Hasanoanda, later Donehogawa), Tonawanda Seneca, lieutenant colonel in the Union Army, serving as General Ulysses S. Grant’s military secretary
• Fritz Scholder, Luiseno, painter inducted into the California Hall of Fame
• The Native American Women Warriors, the first all Native American female color guard
• Lori Arviso Alvord, the first Navajo woman to become a board-certified surgeon
• Kay “Kaibah” C. Bennett, Navajo, teacher, author, and the first woman to run for the presidency of the Navajo Nation
• Sandra Sunrising Osawa, Makah Indian Nation, the first Native American to have a series on commercial television
• The Choctaw people’s 1847 donation to aid the Irish people suffering from the great famine
• Otakuye Conroy-Ben, Oglala Lakota, first to earn an environmental engineering Ph.D. at the University of Arizona
• Diane J. Willis, Kiowa, former President of the Society of Pediatric Psychology and founding editor of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology
• Shelly Niro, Mohawk, winner of Canada’s top photography prize, the Scotiabank Photography Award
• Loren Leman, Alutiiq/Russian-Polish, was the first Alaska Native elected lieutenant governor
• Kim TallBear, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, the first recipient of the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience, and Environment
• Carissa Moore, Native Hawaiian, won the Gold Medal in Surfing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
• Will Rogers, Cherokee, actor, performer, humorist was named the first honorary mayor of Beverly Hills
• Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations by Lois Ellen Frank, Kiowa, was the first Native American cookbook to win the James Beard Award
• Diane Humetewa, Hopi, nominated by President Barack Obama, became the first Native American woman to serve as a federal judge
• Susie Walking Bear Yellowtail, Crow, the first Native American nurse to be inducted into the American Nursing Association Hall of Fame

Indigenous Firsts honors the ongoing and rich history of personal victories and triumphs, and with more than 200 photos and illustrations, this information-rich book also includes a helpful bibliography and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness. This vital collection will appeal to anyone interested in America’s amazing history and its resilient and skilled Indigenous people.

Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity postulates, and scientists have proven, that the faster you travel, the slower time moves. Clocks on airplanes, satellites and rockets are slower than clocks on Earth, and time travel is indeed real. Can time machines, time-tunnel wormholes or tales of fictional time-traveling heroes be so far-fetched? Covering the history of time travel in both reality and fiction, Time Travel: The Science and Science Fiction investigates the long history, myths, science and stories of movement from the present to the past and into the future.

Timely in its telling, Time Travel chronicles more than 30 instances, accounts, stories and famous examples of time slips, such as …

Entertaining, informative, and enlightening! Educational, eyebrow-raising, and profound. Science has never been this much fun! Take a weird and wonderful tour of the every branch of science with this treat of stories, trivia, and facts!

From Earth’s weight gain thanks to the many tons of cosmic dust that falls on the planet each year to William A. Mitchell, the inventor of Tang, Cool Whip, and Pop Rocks candy, The Book of Facts and Trivia: Science combines the educational, profound, and trivial into a fascinating collection of science facts! You’ll learn about yourself and the world through hundreds of absorbing stories and interesting tidbits such as …

From séances to shiny graveyards, take a ghostly journey across the United States. Visit the highways and byways of the supernatural across the country and in each state in the union. American Ghost Stories: True Tales from All 50 States tours possessed houses, unearthly burial sites, forbidding farms, sinister forests, school bathrooms, and all manner of places haunted by spectral visitors, including …

• Sullivan, Maine, and Nelly Butler, America’s “first ghost.”
• Wilder, Kentucky, and Bobby Mackey’s Music World, which was originally built as a slaughterhouse and then served at various times as a honky-tonk, bingo hall, biker bar, and cocktail lounge before becoming a direct portal to Hell.
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and The Pfister Hotel, where every U.S. president since William McKinley stayed—as did Elvis Presley—and its weird noises, flickering lights, malfunctioning electronics, and moving objects.
• Exeter, Rhode Island, and Mercy Lena Brown, the vampire ghost that was caught on a YouTube video.
• San Jose, California, and the maze-like Winchester House, which was allegedly designed to confuse ghosts that haunted the original owner … and have continued to haunt people every since.
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and the Skirvin Hotel, the historic Art Deco hotel, former speakeasy, and location of several gunfights that is haunted full time by Effie, a Prohibition-era chambermaid.
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the numerous sightings at the Betsy Ross House. 
• Huntsville, Alabama, and the Maple Hill Cemetery, the internment site for governors, U.S. senators, representatives, and soldiers that is the site of … a playground!
• Tularosa Basin, New Mexico, and Pavla Blanca, the woman in white roaming the dunes of the White Sand National Monument.
• And many more paranormal experiences, poltergeists, residual hauntings, curses, witches, prisons, bridges, mental institutions of an America plagued with spirits, phantoms and ghosts!

More than merely a collection of 50 true ghost stories, American Ghost Stories puts you in the middle of the eerie action with captivating stories that would be at home at any midnight campfire. The only difference is that these stories aren't urban legends or fantasies meant to scare you. These stories live right next door to every one of us. We suggest you don’t read them when you are home alone and the lights begin to flicker!

Artificial intelligence is popping up everywhere: in Google searches, calls to customer service, and in healthcare, education, and personal assistants—to name just five. It’s rapidly changing businesses and our lives, but what is it, how does it work, and what can we expect from it in the future?

Covering the basics, its history, and the science behind it, The Handy Artificial Intelligence Answer Book is the perfect starting point to understanding the emerging AI revolution, what is currently possible, what might be possible in the future—and what’s just hype. Tackling what has been, what is, and what will be—and the “what ifs”—of AI, this informative book answers questions, such as …

We live in a world filled with plastics, heavy metals, food preservatives, processed foods, genetically modified organisms, drugs, ointments, medications, electromagnetic frequencies, radiation, treated water and all manner of substances alleged to make our modern lives easier. But are the chemicals we encounter, ingest, and breathe necessarily harmless?

From the millions of premature deaths caused by unchecked environmental pollution and weak government oversight of the safety of our food supply to chemtrails, 5G fears, fluoride in our water supply, and various conspiracy theories, Toxin Nation: The Poisoning of Our Air, Water, Food, and Bodies looks at the truth and the schemes to allow toxins, poisons, and unproven substances to potentially harm our health. It looks at the huge profits that corporations make by selling unsafe products and the corrupting influence of money on politicians, government bureaucrats, others tasked with protecting our safety.

The disturbing—and illuminating—exposé shows how the government and industries affect our health, and how the choices we make and the products we purchase contribute to harming our bodies. Its unmasks …

Quantum physics helps explain many mysteries of the universe. It underpins everything, but it need not be quantum difficult with this informative, accessible, easy-to-follow guide to the fundamentals and concepts of quantum physics and our quantum universe!

Quantum physics is all around us. It’s in electrical lights, lasers, and the color of the sky. Without it, the sun wouldn’t shine. It even explains how human eyes work. With its role in photosynthesis, it literally supports life. Yet, it had Schrödinger wondering whether his cat was alive or dead. It tells us that something can be both a wave and a particle and that two linked particles can communicate across the universe instantaneously! And it might even explain how the multiverse is real. Quantum physics is the key to understanding our complex world, yet even our most brilliant minds haven’t figured it all out yet.

Engaging and approachable, The Handy Quantum Physics Answer Book helps untangle this complex subject, making quantum physics and its impact on us, the world, and the universe entertaining and easy to grasp. From the basics to the theories and from the practical applications to the future, this illuminating book answers more than 800 fascinating questions so you can easily understand quantum physics, including ...

There are more than 50 books—some of which exist only in fragments while others are complete and whole—that are not included in the biblical canon. Why were they discarded? Most Protestant denominations settled on 66 canonical books of the Bible, while there are 73 for Roman Catholics and 78 for Eastern Orthodox adherents. Why are there these differences of opinion?

We are often taught that the Bible is, in the words of many religious catechisms, “the infallible word of faith and practice.” In reality, the Bible can also be seen as a political document as much as a spiritual one. Ordained minister and theologian Jim Willis examines the historical, political, and social climates that influenced the redactors and editors of the Bible and other sacred texts in Censoring God: The History of the Lost Books (and other Excluded Scriptures). In analyzing why texts were censored, he uncovers sometimes surprising biases. He investigates enigmatic hints of Bible codes and ancient wisdom that implies a greater spiritual force might have been at work. Willis explores the importance of the Book of Enoch, its disappearance, and how it was rediscovered in Ethiopia. He analyzes over two dozen excluded texts, such as Jubilees and the Gospel of Thomas, along with the many references to books that we know about from fragments but remain lost.

Thought-provoking and provocative, Censoring God scrutinizes how sacred texts might have been used to justify the power of the powerful, including the destruction of sacred writings of conquered indigenous cultures because they did not agree with the finished version of the Bible accepted by the Church establishment. This important book looks at the human failings in interpreting God’s words, and through a compassionate examination it brings a deeper understanding of the power and importance of the lost words. With more than 120 photos and graphics, this tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography provides sources for further exploration, and an extensive index adds to its usefulness.

From herbs, oils and vitamins to yoga, healing remedies and belly laughs, the Natural Health: Your Complete Guide to Natural Remedies and Mindful Well-Being explores hundreds of ancient remedies, natural therapies and nature’s medicine cabinet. It includes the most current knowledge, information, and science behind natural diets and lifestyle to build your health and wellness. Featuring an extensive overview of natural health therapies, treatments, medicinals and nature’s gifts, this engaging and useful book includes …

African Americans helped build the United States. Their contributions, deeds, and influence are interwoven into the fabric of the country. Celebrating centuries of achievements, the African American Almanac: 400 Years of Black Excellence provides insights on the impact and inspiration of African Americans on U.S. society and culture spanning centuries and presented in a fascinating mix of biographies, historical facts, and enlightening essays on significant legislation and movements.

Covering events surrounding African American literature, art and music; the civil rights movement; religion within the black community; advances in science and medicine; and politics, education, business, the military, sports, theater, film, and television, this important reference connects history to the issues currently facing the African American community. The African American Almanac also honors the lives and contributions of 800 influential figures, including ...

Stacey Abrams, Muhammad Ali, Maya Angelou, Josephine Baker, Amiri Baraka, Daisy Bates, Reginald Wayne Betts, Simone Biles, Cory Bush, Bisa Butler, George Washington Carver, Ray Charles, Bessie Coleman, Claudette Colvin, Gary Davis, Frederick Douglass, W. E. B. Du Bois, Michael Eric Dyson, Duke Ellington, Margie Eugene-Richard, Medgar Evers, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Roxane Gay, Amanda Gorman, Nicole Hanna-Jones, Eric H. Holder, Jr., Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Ketanji Brown Jackson, LeBron James, Mae C. Jemison, Gayle King, Martin Luther King, Jr., Queen Latifah, Jacob Lawrence, Kevin Liles, Thurgood Marshall, Walter Mosley, Elijah Muhammad, Barack Obama, Gordon Parks, Rosa Parks, Richard Pryor, Condoleezza Rice, Smokey Robinson, Wilma Rudolph, Betty Shabazz, Tavis Smiley, Dasia Taylor, Clarence Thomas, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Ross Tubman, C. Delores Tucker, Usher, Denmark Vesey, Alice Walker, Raphael Warnock, Booker T. Washington, Denzel Washington, Cornell West, Colson Whitehead, Justus Williams, Serena Williams, Oprah Winfrey, Malcolm X, and many more.

Completely updated and revised for the first time in over a decade, the African American Almanac looks at the recent challenges—from the Black Lives Movement to Covid-19—and ongoing resilience of our nation, and it shines a light on our momentous and complicated history, the individual accomplishments and contributions of the celebrated and unsung—but no less worthy—people who built our country and who continue to influence American society.

Comprehensive and richly illustrated, it thoroughly explores the past, progress, and current conditions of America. This seminal work is the most complete and affordable single-volume reference of African American culture and history available today, and it illustrates and demystifies the emotionally moving, complex, and often lost history of black life in America!

There are more than 50 books—some of which exist only in fragments while others are complete and whole—that are not included in the biblical canon. Why were they discarded? Most Protestant denominations settled on 66 canonical books of the Bible, while there are 73 for Roman Catholics and 78 for Eastern Orthodox adherents. Why are there these differences of opinion?

We are often taught that the Bible is, in the words of many religious catechisms, “the infallible word of faith and practice.” In reality, the Bible can also be seen as a political document as much as a spiritual one. Ordained minister and theologian Jim Willis examines the historical, political, and social climates that influenced the redactors and editors of the Bible and other sacred texts in Censoring God: The History of the Lost Books (and other Excluded Scriptures). In analyzing why texts were censored, he uncovers sometimes surprising biases. He investigates enigmatic hints of Bible codes and ancient wisdom that implies a greater spiritual force might have been at work. Willis explores the importance of the Book of Enoch, its disappearance, and how it was rediscovered in Ethiopia. He analyzes over two dozen excluded texts, such as Jubilees and the Gospel of Thomas, along with the many references to books that we know about from fragments but remain lost.

Thought-provoking and provocative, Censoring God scrutinizes how sacred texts might have been used to justify the power of the powerful, including the destruction of sacred writings of conquered indigenous cultures because they did not agree with the finished version of the Bible accepted by the Church establishment. This important book looks at the human failings in interpreting God’s words, and through a compassionate examination it brings a deeper understanding of the power and importance of those words. With more than 120 photos and graphics, this tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography provides sources for further exploration, and an extensive index adds to its usefulness.

Thousands, perhaps millions, of people have had near-death experiences (NDEs). Why do so many report uncannily similar experiences? What are they—a simple trick of the mind and body or something more? What are we to make of them, and do they tell us anything about the possibility of an afterlife?

An illuminating and thought-provoking journey into the enigmatic territory where science, spirituality, and human consciousness converge, Near Death Experiences: Afterlife Journeys and Revelations presents a comprehensive journey through different interpretations of NDEs:

A celebration of people and pride! Explore the achievements and contributions of Latinos in the United States with this illuminating history.

Latinos in the United States are a vibrant mix of people and multiple identities, each unique, varied, and accomplished. Beginning with the Spanish explorers in the sixteenth century, Latinos have been an important part of American society. They’ve fought the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and all wars in between and since, and in the last decade, their businesses have grown at twice the pace of the overall U.S. economy.

The most complete and affordable single-volume reference on Latino history available today, Latino Almanac: From Early Explorers to Corporate Leaders honors the history and the impact of Latinos on the United States. This hefty tome is a fascinating mix of biographies, little-known or misunderstood historical facts, and enlightening essays on significant legislation, movements, current issues, and achievements across a variety of fields, including business, labor, politics, the military, music, sports, law, media, religion, art, literature, theater, film, science, technology, and medicine. A large collection of 650 biographies includes both celebrated and lesser-known Latino stars, such as

They prey on the innocent with a malicious desire to inflict damage and harm. They hunt and stalk misfortunate victims in the dark, in broad daylight, in quiet neighborhoods, and in the local woods. Their bloodthirst isn't satisfied after their first kill. Or their second. Or third. Serial Killers: The Minds, Methods, and Mayhem of History's Most Notorious Murderers delves into the global phenomenon of serial and spree murderers.

This chilling book looks at the horrifying stories of forty malevolent killers and hundreds of innocent victims, including such notorious homicidal maniacs as John Wayne Gacy, Ted Bundy, and Jeffery Dahmer, but it also looks at lesser-known and overlooked murderers like Herbert Baumeister, America’s I-70 Strangler; Japan’s “Anime Killer,” Tsutomu Miyazaki; Russia’s “Rostov Ripper,” Andrei Chikatilo; the “Giggling Granny,” Nannie Doss; and many more. It journeys to 16th-century Scotland to meet a clan of cannibals whose existence is still debated by historians today, and to the fog-shrouded alleys of Whitechapel, London, where Jack the Ripper earned his grisly namesake. Along the way, we’ll meet the Dating Game Killer, the Milwaukee Cannibal, the Acid Bath Murderer, and other monsters.

Serial Killers also asks the questions …

The first African American president, U.S. senator, and the first black lawyer in the Department of Education. The first black chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff and the first African American commissioned officer in the Marine Corps. The first black professors in a variety of fields. The first African American advertising agency. The first African American Olympian. The first black pilot for a scheduled commercial airline. The first recorded slave revolt in North America. The first African American cookbook writer.

Revel and rejoice in the renowned and lesser-known, barrier-breaking trailblazers in all fields—arts, entertainment, business, civil rights, education, government, invention, journalism, religion, science, sports, music, and more. Black Firsts: 500 Years of Trailblazing Achievements and Ground-Breaking Events, Fourth Edition bears witness to the long and complex history of African Americans!

Expanded, updated, and revised for the first time in over eight years, Black Firsts collects more than 500 all-new achievements and previously unearthed firsts. This massive tome proves that African American accomplishments are wide-ranging and ongoing, documenting thousands of personal victories and triumphs.