Books like Benjamin Franklin by Thomas J. Fleming

A true account of William Kamkwamba, a Malawian boy who, against famine, drought and poverty, builds a working windmill from scrap to bring electricity and water to his village.

Pulitzer Prize winner, considered to be one of the best biographies of Benjamin Franklin. The author's son became famous for his involvement in the TV quiz show scandals.

A kid‑friendly biography of Benjamin Franklin, highlighting his achievements as a statesman, inventor, and printer during America’s early years.

A graphic‑novel biography of Benjamin Franklin, showcasing his life as an American inventor, statesman, diplomat and one of the nation's founding fathers.

Inspired by the deaf Thomas Edison, this biography shows how a young man with a disability turned into America's greatest inventor.

A brief biography of the eighteenth-century printer, inventor, and statesman who played an influential role in the early history of the United States.

Two popular series, Ready-to-read and Childhood of famous Americans, combine to present the story of young Ben Franklin who loves doing experiments and cannot wait to test out his latest idea involving a kite!

Brings together eighteenth century etchings, artifacts, and quotations to create the effect of a scrapbook of the life of Benjamin Franklin.

Surveys the life of Benjamin Franklin, highlighting his work as an inventor and statesman.

Discover how Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks reveal a 15th‑century scientific mind that pushed the boundaries of his time.

This book is about one famous inventor. A biography of one of America's beloved and innovative person.

The Last Samurai chronicles Saigo Takamori, a samurai who rose from humble beginnings to lead the Meiji restoration, then rebelled against a modernizing Japan, becoming a national icon of honor and loyalty.

Describes the life and many notable accomplishments of the American printer, businessman, inventor, community leader, and statesman.

"This volume places recent events in Iraq and Afghanistan to Tunisia and Egypt in historical context. It provides a history of revolutions and insurgencies, an introduction to the way social scientists think about the causes and outcomes of revolutions, and an explanation of their significance in historical and political change. Jack A. Goldstone begins with a brief history of revolutions and insurgencies, from the revolutions that brought democracy to Greek city-states and led to the founding of Rome through the major peasant revolts of the Middle Ages in Europe and China, and the Independence revolts in the Americas. He also touches upon the insurgencies in Latin America (Zapatistas and FARC) and Asia (in Malaysia and the Philippines), whose failure is instructive in understanding why revolts succeed or fail. The book then discusses types of revolutions and their causes; the radical social revolutions in France, Russia, and China; the revolutions for independence in India and Algeria; revolutions against dictators in Mexico, Cuba, and Iran; and the so-called color revolutions in Czechoslovakia, Ukraine, and Georgia. Goldstone considers some of the key revolutionary leaders of history where they came from, what inspired them, and how they changed their societies. A chapter on insurgency and counter-insurgency covers Iraq and Afghanistan. Finally, Goldstone grapples with the outcomes of revolutions: whether they are associated with the rise of freedom and democracy, devastating ideological dictatorships, or something inconclusive. He examines the historical legacies of revolutions, in the areas of freedom, economic growth, women's rights, and minority rights. Revolutions have succeeded enough to feed dreams of freedom, but failed often enough to prompt caution"-- "From 1789 in France to 2011 in Cairo, revolutions have shaken the world. In their pursuit of social justice, revolutionaries have taken on the assembled might of monarchies, empires, and dictatorships. They have often, though not always, sparked cataclysmic violence, and have at times won miraculous victories, though at other times suffered devastating defeat. This Very Short Introduction illuminates the revolutionaries, their strategies, their successes and failures, and the ways in which revolutions continue to dominate world events and the popular imagination. Starting with the city-states of ancient Greece and Rome, Jack Goldstone traces the development of revolutions through the Renaissance and Reformation, the Enlightenment and liberal constitutional revolutions such as in America, and their opposite--the communist revolutions of the 20th century. He shows how revolutions overturned dictators in Nicaragua and Iran and brought the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, and examines the new wave of non-violent "color" revolutions-the Philippines' Yellow Revolution, Ukraine's Orange Revolution--and the Arab Uprisings of 2011-12 that rocked the Middle East. Goldstone also sheds light on the major theories of revolution, exploring the causes of revolutionary waves, the role of revolutionary leaders, the strategies and processes of revolutionary change, and the intersection between revolutions and shifting patterns of global power. Finally, the author examines the reasons for diverse revolutionary outcomes, from democracy to civil war and authoritarian rule, and the likely future of revolution in years to come. About the Series: Oxford's Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how the