For over a century the Wagners have presided over the Bayreuth Festival, playing host to many of the greatest and ghastliest figures in the arts and politics amidst family in-fighting and political controversy. Drawing on extensive interviews with members of the family and on both archive and recent material, Jonathan Carr presents a balanced but gripping portrait of the Wagners and their circle; a story which presents a mirror of Germany's rise, fall and resurrection.

A propulsive debut of visionary scale, Make Me a City embroiders fact with fiction to tell the story of Chicago's 19th century, tracing its rise from frontier settlement to industrial colossus.The tale begins with a game of chess—and on the outcome of that game hinges the destiny of a great city. From appalling injustice springs forth the story of Chicago, and the men and women whose resilience, avarice, and altruism combine to generate a moment of unpreced...

This chronicle of renowned composer Richard Wagner and his descendants features "a cast of characters who are positively operatic in their histrionics" ( The Guardian).Richard Wagner was many things—composer, philosopher, philanderer, failed revolutionary, and virulent anti-Semite—and his descendants have carried on his complex legacy.In his "lively and wry" history of the legendary composer and his family, biographer Jonathan Carr also offers fasc...

"A beautiful tribute to the iconic American tradition of cider and its many forms." —Sarah Weiner, Founder of the Good Food AwardsInspired by the full flavors produced from their idyllic ciderhouse in the heart of a rustic New England apple orchard, Jonathan Carr and Nicole Blum's recipes, developed in collaboration with chef Andrea Blum, celebrate the versatility of fresh cider in all its forms.Ciderhouse Cookbook teaches home cooks how to make a ...

A propulsive debut of visionary scale, Make Me a City embroiders fact with fiction to tell the story of Chicago's 19th century, tracing its rise from frontier settlement to industrial colossus.The tale begins with a game of chess—and on the outcome of that game hinges the destiny of a great city. From appalling injustice springs forth the story of Chicago, and the men and women whose resilience, avarice, and altruism combine to generate a moment of unprece...

From the author of The Shallows**, a bracing exploration of how social media has warped our sense of self and society.**From the telegraph and telephone in the 1800s to the internet and social media in our own day, the public has welcomed new communication systems. Whenever people gain more power to share information, the assumption goes, society prospers. Superbloom tells a startlingly different story. As communication becomes mo...

Charles Spurgeon is considered one of the greatest preachers in the history of Christianity. In this book, Simonetta Carr informs us how young Charles learned to look to Christ alone for salvation, and how he never tired of point others to his savior. See how God used this young country boy to preach to thousands, provide training for pastors, start orphanages, and stand against those who denied basic teachings of the Bible. Colorful illustrations, interesting facts, and a compelling story...

In this attractive volume, Simonetta Carr introduces young readers to the life, thought, and work of one of the most famous Reformers of the Christian church. She tells about the life of John Calvin from his birth to his death, placing him within the troubled context of the sixteenth century. She also introduces Calvin's writings in a way that children will desire to know more about his ministry and influence.Readers will come to know Calvin's personality, his devotion to God and t...

Thomas Boston was born in 1676 in Duns, Scotland, during a time of religious conflict. Seeing his father imprisoned for his beliefs, Thomas understood that he too might suffer for his faith someday. As a young pastor, Thomas discovered an important book that helped him understand God’s grace more clearly. As helpful as that book was, it also sparked debate in the Church of Scotland and plunged Thomas and other pastors into a heated controversy. Read how Thomas stood firmly in the face of o...

From armed bodyguard to galley slave, from loving husband and father to fiery preacher, John Knox was moved by a relentless passion for the honor of God and the purity of His truth and worship. Yet when he was a schoolboy growing up in the small Scottish town of Haddington, he could never have imagined that he would become a major leader of the powerful movement that transformed Scotland into one of the most committed Protestant countries in the world. Simonetta Carr tells the story of how...

FINALIST at the 2015 San Diego Book Awards.Jonathan Edwards lived at a time when many people were seriously questioning long-accepted ideas about the world, life, and God, and his answers to these questions have left a mark on the way we think today. While he is often remembered as the preacher of a scary sermon about a spider dangling over a fire, he remains significant as one of the greatest thinkers America has produced. Simonetta Carr traces the events of Edwards's life from a young st...

The name St. Patrick is associated with three-leaf clovers and leprechauns, but what was his life really like? Simonetta Carr tells the inspiring story of how Patrick's suffering as a slave opened his eyes to the mercy of God and prepared him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Get to know the real Patrick of Ireland as young readers learn that the joy of the Lord will sustain them through difficult times and strengthen them to share the gospel.