First written and published in 1837, Carlyle initially was asked to write this account by his overworked friend John Stuart Mill. Taking the commission to heart, Carlyle proceeded to write a historical masterpiece, combining a scrupulous consideration for facts with a unique style of writing. Rather than a detached account of this turbulent time, Carlyle uses poetic prose that makes readers feel almost as though they are participants in the riots, public executions, and general feelings of tumult and instability in the late 1700s. «The French Revolution» brings to life, with its insights and story-telling quality, this period of French history to such great effect that it strongly influenced Charles Dickens as he wrote «A Tale of Two Cities,» Mark Twain, and many of Carlyle's other contemporaries. Continuously in print since its initial reception, Carlyle's work is still considered a standard work on the subject of the French Revolution today.
Domingo Faustino Sarmiento was a writer and journalist who would become the seventh president of Argentina. His 1845 book, «Facundo: Or, Civilization and Barbarism» is considered a cornerstone of Latin American literature, a work of creative non-fiction that illustrates the region's development, modernization, power, and culture. Literary critic Roberto González Echevarría describes the work as «the most important book written by a Latin American in any discipline or genre.» Sarmiento wrote «Facundo» while exiled in Chile primarily as a criticism of Juan Manuel de Rosas, the Argentine dictator at the time, and regional leader Juan Facundo Quiroga, a warlord from La Rioja. The book provides critical analysis of the development of the Argentine Republic. Following Argentina gaining its independence from Spain in 1810, the country struggled to find its political identity with separate factions wishing on one side for a more centralized government versus those wishing for more regional autonomy. These conflicts ultimately would lead to civil war and a period of instability for the country. Sarmiento's work which is part historical, part autobiographical, and part political criticism is a seminal work of Spanish American literary history which brilliantly illustrates this tumultuous time.
Helen Hunt Jackson (1830-1885) was an American writer who most widely became famous as an activist to improve United States government treatment of Native Americans. In 1879 her interests turned to the Native Americans after hearing a lecture in Boston by Standing Bear, the Ponca Chief. He described the forceful removal of the Ponca from their reservation in Nebraska. Moved by the issues presented by Standing Bear, Hunt learned about the government defaulting on treaties, the removal of Indians to reservations, and the Indian Wars. Soon after Standing Bear's speech, she became an activist, investigating and publicizing government misconduct, circulating petitions, raising money, and writing letters to «The New York Times» on behalf of the Ponca. She gained the widest exposure with her novel, «Ramona», dramatizing the ill treatment by the US government of Native Americans in Southern California. «A Century of Dishonor», published in 1881, was a direct response to the adverse effect of government actions towards the Native Americans. A copy was sent to each member of the US Congress.
"How the Other Half Lives" is a chronicle of the conditions of abject poverty that the residents of the slums of New York at the end of the 19th century had to endure. Riis, who as an immigrant himself lived in these tenements on the lower east side of Manhattan, exposed the horrible conditions while working as a reporter for the New York Tribune. This book when first published in 1890 shed a much-needed light on the conditions of the poor. Presented here is a reproduction of that original 1890 edition with the numerous illustrations included in that volume.
"The Crisis" is Thomas Paine's series of pamphlets published from 1776 to 1783 during the American Revolution. The first pamphlet begins with the famous words «these are the times that try men's souls» and evokes the mood at the outset of the American Revolution. Many colonists were uncertain of the prospect of war with the British Empire and these pamphlets were designed to bolster morale and resistance among patriots, as well as shame neutrals and loyalists toward the cause. As history would show the conflict with the British for American independence would without doubt be a difficult one but as Paine writes «Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.»
Originally published in 1888, “The Cat of Bubastes” is one of G. A. Henty’s most popular historical novels which takes place in ancient Egypt on or around 1250 BC. When the Rebu nation is conquered by the Egyptians and their king is killed, the young prince Amuba is carried away as a captive to Egypt, along with his faithful charioteer, Jethro. In the city of Thebes, Amuba becomes the servant and companion to Chebron, the son of Ameres, high priest of Osiris. Amuba and Jethro begin to uncover evidence of a murderous conspiracy within the ranks of the priesthood, however before they can prevent it they find that they must flee the city when they accidentally kill the successor to the Cat of Bubastes, one of the most sacred animals in all of Egypt. A captivating tale of adventure set during the height of the Egyptian empire, “The Cat of Bubastes” will entertain and delight fans of the historical fiction genre. This edition includes all of the original illustrations by John Reinhard Weguelin and a biographical afterword.
• Toronto is one of the most queer-friendly North American cities. Our Pride parade is the largest in North America, and this year even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to the streets to celebrate.• This is a book about a community, told by a community. Rather than offering one single authoritative voice, this collection features the perspectives of over 60 writers, artists, academics, and activists.• Being diverse in perspective, the book is also broad in scope: chapter subjects include bars, shared houses, raids, stage performers and pioneering activists. • Lavishly illustrated with archival images and photo essays.
It's a quirky sort of historical fiction set in the mid–19th century, during the Spanish-Peruvian/Chilean War. Told in the third person omniscient, it mostly follows an unambitious ship's recorder named Simón, who goes to Peru on what is called a scientific expedition, but is really an attempt (maybe) by Isabella II to reassert her power over her colonies. The language of the novel is extravagant; in contrast, Simón's records of the trip, and of the political machinations between Spain and Peru are the opposite. Throughout, the tone of the book is sometimes mocking, sometimes ironic, rarely the grandiose descriptions you get in a tale of war. It's a weird book – anything but your typical historical fiction, and unlike anything CH has ever published.Winner of the Prix des Collégiens (2014), whose jury is composed by 800 college students.Rhonda Mullins's translation of Jocelyne Saucier's And the Birds Rained Down was shortlisted for CBC Canada Reads (2015) and the Governor General's Literary Award for French-to-English Translation (2013).
This book springs from the Bristol–Sheffield Hallam Colloquium on Contemporary Antisemitism at the University of Bristol in September 2015. International experts in Religious Studies, Law, Politics, Sociology, Psychology, and History came together to examine the complexities of contemporary antisemitism. Recent attacks on Jews in European cities have increased awareness of antisemitism and, as this collection shows, such attacks cannot be separated from wider geopolitical and ideological factors. One distinct feature of antisemitism today is its demonization of the State of Israel. Older ideas also feature Jews being blamed for all the world’s ills, thought to possess almost supernatural levels of power and wealth, and conspiring to harm the non-Jewish other. These and other ideas forming the background to antisemitism in Europe and North America are unpacked in this book with a view to understanding—and thereby combating—contemporary antisemitism. A key concern is how unifying features might be isolated amid the diverse manifestations of this oldest of hatreds.
Sixteen scholars from around the globe gathered at the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies in the bucolic Yarnton Manor in the Oxfordshire countryside in June 2014, for the first (now annual) Oxford Summer Institute on Modern and Contemporary Judaism. The current volume is the fruit of this encounter. The goal of the event was to facilitate in-depth engagement with the thought of Rabbi Dr. Irving “Yitz” Greenberg, concentrating particularly on the historical ramifications of his theological and public stances. Consideration was given to his lifelong and complex encounter with the Modern Orthodox stream of American Judaism and the extent to which his teachings functioned as “the road not taken.” This auspicious gathering was most certainly characterized by deep appreciation for Greenberg’s original outlook, which is predicated on his profound dedication to God, Torah, the Jewish people, and humanity. But this was by no means gratuitous homage or naive esteem. On the contrary, those in attendance understood that the most genuine form of admiration for a thinker and leader of his stature—especially one who continues to produce path-breaking writings and speak out publicly—is to examine rigorously and critically his ideas and legacy. We are confident that the creative process that was nurtured has resulted in a substantive contribution to research on the religious, historical, and social trajectories of contemporary Judaism, and, similarly will engender fresh thinking on crucial theological and ideological postures that will ultimately enrich Jewish life. This volume offers readers a critical engagement with the trenchant and candid efforts of one of the most thoughtful and earnest voices to emerge from within American Orthodoxy to address the theological and moral concerns that characterize our times.