The Greeks invented history as a literary genre in the fifth century B.C. The first historians owed much to Homer and adopted his vivid and direct style in narrating historical events. Yet, despite the influence of Homer the birth of history was basically a reaction against mythical accounts of the past. Homer wrote about war and travel in foreign lands, in the distant and mythical past. In contrast, the Greek historians of the fifth century wrote about contemporary or very recent events, ...

In the year 2017, a devastating terrorist attack on San Diego causes the Second American Civil War. Various rebel forces form, and the government passes the Espionage Act, which allows for powers that reach beyond the Constitution. President Meryl Montessori does her best to keep DC stable, but when a body is found in her bed, along with a coded message, things go haywire.The president hires an eclectic team of six men and women to help solve the senseless murder and break the thre...

In 2019, the United States is a changed nation. After a recent civil war and a rewritten Constitution, only forty-two states remain within what is now known as the Federated States of America. As President Meryl Montessori attempts to gain full control of a country riddled by violence, sociopathic FBI director, Beatrice Orange, begins to piece together a complex plot to overthrow the new government.On the international front, China and Russia are at war. A deadly, incurable virus h...

When author James Luce was a boy, his father once summarized his moral philosophy of life in one sentence: Your rights end at the tip of my nose. Many years later, after embarking on his own voyage of reflection, Luce finally understood his fathers words. In Chasing Davis, he shares a set of unique ethical tools and blueprints that can be conceived and implemented by either societies or individuals, ultimately creating a moral life solely guided by logic and science rathe...

The contribution of the Ancient Greeks to modern western culture is incalculable. In the worlds of art, architecture, myth, literature, and philosophy, the world we live in would be unrecognizably different without the formative influence of Ancient Greek models. Ancient Greek civilization was defined by the city - in Greek, the polis, from which we derive 'politics'. It is above all this feature of Greek civilization that has formed its most enduring legacy, spawning such key terms as ari...

Three gripping novels from the #1 New York Times –bestselling "master of suspense" and author of the Edward X. Delaney series ( The Washington Post ).Whether the threat is technological, political, or up close and personal, the Edgar Award–winning author of the Commandment thrillers always keeps the tension running high. Included in this special volume are:The Tomorro...

**“If I could give each of you a graduation present, it would be this—the most inspiring book I've ever read."—Bill Gates (May, 2017)Selected by The New York Times Book Review as a Notable Book of the Year**The author of Rationality and Enlightenment Now offers a provocative and surprising history of violence.Faced with the ceaseless stream of news about war, crime, and terrorism, one could easily think we live in t...

Western civilization began with the Greeks. From the highpoint of the 5th century BC through the cultural triumphs of the Alexandrian era to their impact on the developing Roman empire, the Greeks shaped the philosophy, art, architecture, and literature of the Mediterranean world. Beginning with the Homeric period, once believed to be a realm of myth, Paine takes the reader on a journey through more than 12 centuries of Greek culture. He shows what archaeologists have revealed of the Troja...

From America’s preeminent columnist, named by the Financial Times the most influential commentator in the nation, a must-have collection of Charles Krauthammer’s essential, timeless writings.A brilliant stylist known for an uncompromising honesty that challenged conventional wisdom at every turn, Krauthammer dazzled readers for decades with his keen insight into politics and government. His weekly column was a must-read in Washington and a...

This compact, comprehensive, and generously illustrated history of ancient Greece takes us from the Stone Age roots of Greek civilization to the early Hellenistic period following the death of Alexander the Great.Designed for nonspecialist readers, it will be a welcome and needed resource for all who wish to learn about this important subject.Thomas Martin begins with a prehistory of late Stone Age activity that provides background for the conditions of later Greek life. He...

A provocative, unprecedented anthology featuring original short stories on what it means to be an American from thirty bestselling and award-winning authors with an introduction by Pulitzer Prize–winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen: “This chorus of brilliant voices articulating the shape and texture of contemporary America makes for necessary reading” (Lauren Groff, author of Fates and Furies).When Donald Trump claimed victory in the November 2016 election, t...

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the renowned astronomer and author of Cosmos comes a “powerful [and] stirring defense of informed rationality” (The Washington Post Book World) in a world where fake news stories and Internet conspiracy theories play to a disaffected American populace.LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE WINNER • “Glorious . . . A spirited defense of science . . . From the first page to the last, this book is a ma...