Books like The kingdom of Matthias by Johnson, Paul E.

Chilean author Isabel Allende's account of her homeland's history, politics, and her own experiences as an immigrant in the United States post-September 11.

Raphael explains the central purpose of his "people's history" thusly: "By uncovering the stories of farmers, artisans, and laborers, we discern how plain folk helped create a revolution strong enough to evict the British Empire from the thirteen colonies. And by digging deeper still, we learn how people with no political standing -- women, Native Americans, African Americans -- altered the shape of a war conceived by others." After carefully reconstructing the histories of all these groups, he concludes: "The story of our nation's founding, told so often from the perspective of the 'founding fathers,' will never ring true unless it can take some account of the Massachusetts farmers who closed the courts, the poor men and boys who fought the battles, the women who followed the troops, the loyalists who viewed themselves as rebels, the pacifists who refused to sign oaths of allegiance, the Native Americans who struggled for their own independence, the southern slaves who fled to the British, the northern slaves who negotiated their freedom by joining the Continental Army". Raphael's account rings true: these people made the American Revolution. - Marcus Rediker, University of Pittsburgh.

The definitive biography of the Bundy brothers, who advised presidents on peace and war during the Cold War and became key architects of America's Vietnam War strategy, despite their doubts about sending American troops to Southeast Asia.

A biography of Bayard Rustin, focusing on his work as a civil rights organizer and strategist, including his role in the Montgomery bus boycott and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Swedish explorer Andree's expedition to the Arctic failed when their hydrogen balloon ascended prematurely, causing the fatal deaths of the three crew members.