We never know when violence might be visited upon us—at home, in the workplace, at school—anywhere. Crime, sexual assaults, threats to our children, and terrorist attacks are all part of the global landscape. There are concrete measures anyone can take to mitigate danger and if necessary, to fight like a sociopath to defeat a sociopath. Robert Montgomery wrote Seconds to Live or Die to help you prevail in the face of unexpected violence. Drawing on his experiences as a career CIA officer, ...

"The Infidel" primarily follows the exploits of Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire. The story intertwines the lives of historical figures with fictional characters, offering a rich narrative that explores the cultural and ideological conflicts between the Spanish invaders and the indigenous peoples of Mexico.Key themes in the novel include the clash of civilizations, the brutality of conquest, and the complexities of loya...

"The Hawks of Hawk-Hollow" is a historical romance novel set in Pennsylvania during the American Revolutionary War. The narrative revolves around the Hawks family, particularly their involvement in the war and their interactions with other characters in the community. The novel explores themes of loyalty, honor, and love against the backdrop of the Revolutionary War.Robert Montgomery Bird was known for his vivid descriptions of Pennsylvania landscapes and his ability to capture the spirit ...

"The Infidel" primarily follows the exploits of Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire. The story intertwines the lives of historical figures with fictional characters, offering a rich narrative that explores the cultural and ideological conflicts between the Spanish invaders and the indigenous peoples of Mexico.Key themes in the novel include the clash of civilizations, the brutality of conquest, and the complexities of loya...

The novel follows the adventures of Nick, a frontiersman of mixed race, as he navigates the challenges of life on the prairie. The narrative is filled with elements of adventure, romance, and exploration, offering readers a glimpse into the rugged and often perilous existence of those living on the American frontier.Robert Montgomery Bird was known for his historical romances, and "Nick of the Woods" is an example of his work within the frontier fiction genre. The novel is notable for its ...

The second volume of "Sheppard Lee" builds upon the innovative ideas introduced in the first volume, cementing the novel's place as a significant early work in speculative fiction. Its exploration of social themes through fantastical elements predates and influences later works in science fiction and fantasy genres.Overall, Volume 2 of "Sheppard Lee, Written by Himself" provides a compelling continuation of Sheppard Lee's journey, offering rich commentary on society and identity while deli...

The protagonist of the novel is a young Spanish knight named Don Amador de Leste, who joins Cortés’s expedition to the New World in search of adventure and glory. He is accompanied by his loyal servant Jacinto. As they journey through the treacherous landscapes of Mexico, they encounter various indigenous tribes, including the powerful Aztecs, and witness the complex and often violent interactions between the Spanish conquistadors and the native peoples.Don Amador's story is intertwined wi...

The story begins with Sheppard Lee, a somewhat lazy and dissatisfied farmer in New Jersey, who bemoans his fate and lack of prosperity. Lee's life takes an unexpected turn when he stumbles upon an old manuscript that supposedly grants him the ability to transfer his soul into other bodies. This discovery sets the stage for a series of fantastical and satirical adventures.Lee's first experiment with body-swapping occurs after a disastrous farming accident. He finds himself able to leave his...

Hear me, but don't believe me, after you have heard—says Calderon, the Spanish dramatic poet, with a droll spirit of honesty, only equalled by the English Burton, who concludes the tale of the Prebend, in his Anatomy of Melancholy, by exclaiming, "You have heard my tale; but, alas! it is but a tale,—a mere fiction: 'twas never so, never like to be,—and so let it rest." We might imitate the frankness of these ancient worthies, in regard to the degree of credit which should be accorded to ou...

In the year of Grace fifteen hundred and twenty, upon a day in the month of May thereof, the sun rose over the islands of the new deep, and the mountains that divided it from an ocean yet unknown, and looked upon the havoc, which, in the name of God, a Christian people were working upon the loveliest of his regions. He had seen, in the revolution of a day, the strange transformations which a few years had brought upon all the climes and races of his love. The standard of Portugal waved fro...

In "Sheppard Lee, Written by Himself," Robert Montgomery Bird presents an innovative narrative structure that intertwines social satire with a rich exploration of identity and transformation. The novel tells the tale of Sheppard Lee, a character who gains the ability to inhabit various bodies throughout his life, allowing him to critique and examine the social mores of early 19th-century America. Bird's prose is marked by a keen wit and vivid imagery, reflecting the burgeoning American lit...

Sheppard Lee, Written by Himself (1836) is one of the most inventive fictions of the American Renaissance before its canonical moment: a comic, satirical tale of a feckless New Jersey farmer whose spirit passes from body to body after death. Through these successive embodiments—among the wealthy, the ambitious, the enslaved, and the socially respectable—Bird constructs a picaresque meditation on identity, class, race, property, and moral self-deception. Its brisk, ironic prose belongs to t...