Spying on the South - An Odyssey Across the American Divide by Tony Horwitz

$59.99 AUD

Category: American

The best-selling author of Confederates in the Attic returns to the South and the Civil War era for an epic adventure on the trail of America's greatest landscape architect.   In the 1850s, the young Frederick Law Olmsted was adrift, a restless farmer and dreamer in search of a mission. He found it du ring an extraordinary journey, as an undercover correspondent in the South for the up-and-coming New York Times.   For the Connecticut Yankee, pen name "Yeoman," the South was alien, often hostile territory. Yet Olmsted traveled for 14 months, by horseback, steamboat, and stagecoach, seeking dialogue and common ground. His vivid dispatches about the lives and beliefs of Southerners were revelatory for readers of his day, and Yeoman's remarkable trek also reshaped the American landscape, as Olmsted sought to reform his own society by creating democratic spaces for the uplift of all. The result: Central Park and Olmsted's career as America's first and foremost landscape architect.   Tony Horwitz rediscovers Yeoman Olmsted amidst the discord and polarization of our own time. Is America still one country? In search of answers, and his own adventures, Horwitz follows Olmsted's tracks and often his mode of transport (including muleback): through Appalachia, down the Mississippi River, into bayou Louisiana, and across Texas to the contested Mexican borderland. Venturing far off beaten paths, Horwitz uncovers bracing vestiges and strange new mutations of the Cotton Kingdom. Horwitz's intrepid and often hilarious journey through an outsized American landscape is a masterpiece in the tradition of Great Plains, Bad Land, and the author's own classic, Confederates in the Attic. ...Show more

World Without End: The Global Empire of Philip II by Hugh Thomas

$26.99 AUD

Category: American

World Without Endis the climax of Hugh Thomas's great history of the Spanish Empire in the Americas. It describes the conquest of Paraguay and the River Plate, the Yucatan in Mexico, the only partial conquest of Chile, battles with the French over Florida, and then, in the 1580s, the extraordinary proje ction of Spanish power across the Pacific to conquer the Philippines. As significantly, it describes how the Spanish ran the greatest empire the world had seen since Rome. Besides the conquistadores, the book is peopled with viceroys, judges, nobles, bishops, inquisitors and administrators of many different kinds, often in conflict with one another, seeking to organize the native populations into towns, to build cathedrals, hospitals and universities. Behind them - sometimes ahead of them - came the religious orders, the Franciscans, Dominicans, Augustinians, and finally the Jesuits, builders of convents and monasteries, many of them of astonishing beauty and reminders of the pervasiveness of religion and the self-confidence of the age. Towering above them all, though moving rarely from the palace of the Escorial outside Madrid, is the art lover and collector King Philip II, the central figure in the book. The Venetian ambassador thought him 'the arbiter of the world'. Once the conquest of the Philippines had been completed, Philip's advisors proposed to him an invasion of China- the Jesuit Father Sanchez called it 'the greatest enterprise which has ever been proposed to any monarch in the world'. It was an enterprise never undertaken, but never explicitly abandoned. Was it a great or a terrible empire? In contrast to other empire builders, the Spaniards entered upon arguments with each other about their right to rule other peoples, and their ruthlessness was often tempered by humanity. Hugh Thomas's conclusion is unequivocal- 'The speed with which the sixteenth-century conquistadores conquered such large territories on two vast continents, and the comparable success of missionaries with large populations of Indians, stands as one of the supreme epics of both valour and imagination by Europeans.' Acclaim for Hugh Thomas's Spanish Empire Trilogy The Golden Age- The Spanish Empire of Charles V 'Thomas tells th story of missionary zeal and military plunder with a zest worthy of a swashbuckling historical novelist.' Kate Saunders, The Times 'A riveting story of adventure and cruelty . . . a considerable literary and scholarly accomplishment.' Ben Wilson, Daily Telegraph 'Monumental . . . definitive . . . vivid . . . this is a book written by a master of his field, and it is unlikely to be bettered.' Jerry Brotton, BBC History Magazine 'Ambitious in scope and rich in detail . . . Hugh Thomas tells these stories with his customary verve and vigour. Coherent, fast-paced and up-todate.' J. H. Elliott,Guardian Rivers of Gold- The Rise of the Spanish Empire 'Affirms Hugh Thomas's record as one of the most productive and wide-ranging historians of modern times.' Paul Kennedy, The New York Times 'What a bloody, brilliant canvas he paints.' Boyd Tonkin, Independent 'So steeped is he in the spirit of the time, so familiar with its people and places, that we almost feel he must have been there.' Nicholas Bagnall, Sunday Telegraph ...Show more

Operation Ajax: The Story of the CIA Coup That Remade the Middle East by Daniel Burwen

$32.99 AUD

Category: American

The year is 1953. As the value of oil skyrockets, global power brokers are taking an increased interest in the ruling political regimes of the Middle East. British agents have controlled Iranian oil exports for a generation, with the tacit approval of the Shah, but the landscape there has started to cha nge. Democratically elected prime minister Mohammed Mossadegh's calls to overthrow the elites and take back Iran resonates among the people, and immediately American, British, and Persian agents begin to hatch plans for insurrection. Deals are made behind closed doors. Every actor has a stake. Iran's oil will flow to the West, by any means necessary. Operation Ajax is the story of the CIA coup that removed Mossadegh and reinstalled the monarchy. Produced by a team of award-winning artists and based on an award-winning interactive storytelling app, Operation Ajax is a thrilling tale of real-life intrigue. ...Show more

The Smithsonian's History of America in 101 Objects by Richard Kurin

$59.99 AUD

Category: American

The Smithsonian Institution is America's largest, most important, and most beloved repository for the objects that define our common heritage. Now Under Secretary for Art, History, and Culture Richard Kurin, aided by a team of top Smithsonian curators and scholars, has assembled a literary exhibition of 101 objects from across the Smithsonian's museums that together offer a marvelous new perspective on the history of the United States. Ranging from the earliest years of the pre-Columbian continent to the digital age, and from the American Revolution to Vietnam, each entry pairs the fascinating history surrounding each object with the story of its creation or discovery and the place it has come to occupy in our national memory. Kurin sheds remarkable new light on objects we think we know well, from Lincoln's hat to Dorothy's ruby slippers and Julia Child's kitchen, including the often astonishing tales of how each made its way into the collections of the Smithsonian. Other objects will be eye-opening new discoveries for many, but no less evocative of the most poignant and important moments of the American experience. Some objects, such as Harriet Tubman's hymnal, Sitting Bull's ledger, Cesar Chavez's union jacket, and the "Enola Gay "bomber, tell difficult stories from the nation's history, and inspire controversies when exhibited at the Smithsonian. Others, from George Washington's sword to the space shuttle "Discovery," celebrate the richness and vitality of the American spirit. In Kurin's hands, each object comes to vivid life, providing a tactile connection to American history. Beautifully designed and illustrated with color photographs throughout, "The Smithsonian's History of America in 101 Objects "is a rich and fascinating journey through America's collective memory, and a beautiful object in its own right. ...Show more

The Bill of the Century: The Epic Battle for the Civil Rights Act by Clay Risen

$19.99 AUD

Category: American

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the single most important piece of legislation passed by Congress in American history. This one law so dramatically altered American society that, looking back, it seems preordained--as Everett Dirksen, the GOP leader in the Senate and a key supporter of the bill, said, "No force is more powerful than an idea whose time has come." But there was nothing predestined about the victory: a phalanx of powerful senators, pledging to "fight to the death" for segregation, launched the longest filibuster in American history to defeat it. The bill's passage has often been credited to the political leadership of President Lyndon B. Johnson, or the moral force of Martin Luther King Jr. Yet as Clay Risen shows, the battle for the Civil Rights Act was a story much bigger than those two men. It was a broad, epic struggle, a sweeping tale of unceasing grassroots activism, ringing speeches, backroom deal-making, and, finally, hand-to-hand legislative combat. In "The Bill of the Century," Clay Risen delivers the full story, in all its complexity and drama. ...Show more

Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell

$59.99 AUD

Category: American

From the bestselling author of Assassination Vacation and Unfamiliar Fishes, a humorous and insightful account of the Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette - the one Frenchman we could all agree on - and an insightful portrait of a nation's idealism and its reality.

Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring by Alexander Rose

$36.00 AUD

Category: American

"Turn: Washington's Spies" - Now a new original series on AMC Based on remarkable new research, acclaimed historian Alexander Rose brings to life the true story of the spy ring that helped America win the Revolutionary War. For the first time, Rose takes us beyond the battlefront and deep into the shado wy underworld of double agents and triple crosses, covert operations and code breaking, and unmasks the courageous, flawed men who inhabited this wilderness of mirrors--including the spymaster at the heart of it all. In the summer of 1778, with the war poised to turn in his favor, General George Washington desperately needed to know where the British would strike next. To that end, he unleashed his secret weapon: an unlikely ring of spies in New York charged with discovering the enemy's battle plans and military strategy. Washington's small band included a young Quaker torn between political principle and family loyalty, a swashbuckling sailor addicted to the perils of espionage, a hard-drinking barkeep, a Yale-educated cavalryman and friend of the doomed Nathan Hale, and a peaceful, sickly farmer who begged Washington to let him retire but who always came through in the end. Personally guiding these imperfect everyday heroes was Washington himself. In an era when officers were gentlemen, and gentlemen didn' t spy, he possessed an extraordinary talent for deception--and proved an adept spymaster. The men he mentored were dubbed the Culper Ring. The British secret service tried to hunt them down, but they escaped by the closest of shaves thanks to their ciphers, dead drops, and invisible ink. Rose's thrilling narrative tells the unknown story of the Revolution-the murderous intelligence war, gunrunning and kidnapping, defectors and executioners--that has never appeared in the history books. But Washington's Spies is also a spirited, touching account of friendship and trust, fear and betrayal, amid the dark and silent world of the spy. "From the Hardcover edition." ...Show more

The Civil War: A Narrative by FOOTE SHELBY

$175.00 AUD

Category: American

Hamilton: The Revolution (HB) by Lin-Manuel Miranda; Jeremy McCarter; Simon Trewin

$65.00 AUD

Category: American

A backstage pass to the groundbreaking, hit musical Hamilton, winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Eleven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, including the award-winning libretto, behind-the-scenes photos and interviews, and exclusive footnotes from composer-lyricist-star Lin-Manuel Miranda. Lin-Manuel Miranda's groundbreaking musical Hamilton is as revolutionary as its subject, the poor kid from the Caribbean who fought the British, defended the Constitution, and helped to found the United States. Fusing hip-hop, pop, R&B, and the best traditions of theater, this once-in-a-generation show broadens the sound of Broadway, reveals the storytelling power of rap, and claims our country's origins for a diverse new generation. HAMILTON: THE REVOLUTION gives readers an unprecedented view of both revolutions, from the only two writers able to provide it. Miranda, along with Jeremy McCarter, a cultural critic and theater artist who was involved in the project from its earliest stages--"since before this was even a show," according to Miranda--traces its development from an improbable perfor­mance at the White House to its landmark opening night on Broadway six years later. In addition, Miranda has written more than 200 funny, revealing footnotes for his award-winning libretto, the full text of which is published here. Their account features photos by the renowned Frank Ockenfels and veteran Broadway photographer, Joan Marcus; exclusive looks at notebooks and emails; interviews with Questlove, Stephen Sond­heim, leading political commentators, and more than 50 people involved with the production; and multiple appearances by Presi­dent Obama himself. The book does more than tell the surprising story of how a Broadway musical became a national phenomenon: It demonstrates that America has always been renewed by the brash upstarts and brilliant outsiders, the men and women who don't throw away their shot. ...Show more

New York City in 3D - the Gilded Age - A Book Plus a Stereoscopic Viewer, and 50 3D Photos from the Turn of the Century by Dinah Dunn

$39.99 AUD

Category: American

This innovative package includes a metal stereoscopic viewer and 50 stereoscopic photographs. The kit includes an accompanying 112-page paperback that provides a brief history of the stereograph craze and an overview of the city's evolution. New York City in the Gilded Age paperback details the rapid gr owth of Manhattan during 1870-1900, when nearly half of the millionaires in America lived in the city. Beyond their ornate mansions, many enduring structures such as the Statue of Liberty, Grand Central Station and the first skyscrapers were built during this time. Stereoscopic images expand beyond the Gilded Age, with views through 1910. These include Coney Island lit up at night; the 1900 view towards Madison Square Garden from the top of the Flatiron Building and many more. ...Show more

Ghostland by Dickey, Colin

$58.95 AUD

Category: American

The Best and the Brightest by David Halberstam

$42.95 AUD

Category: American

"A rich, entertaining, and profound reading experience". -- The New York Times"[The] most comprehensive saga of how America became involved in Vietnam. It is also the Iliad of the American empire and the Odyssey of this nation's search for its idealistic soul. THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST is almost like w atching an Alfred Hitchcock thriller". -- The Boston Globe"Deeply moving . . . We cannot help but feel the compelling power of this narrative . . . . Dramatic and tragic, a chain of events overwhelming in their force, a distant war embodying illusions and myths, terror and violence, confusions and courage, blindness, pride, and arrogance". -- Los Angeles Times"Most impressive, superb -- perceptive, literary, multidimensional". -- The New York Times Book Review"A story which every American should read". -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch ...Show more