A riveting history of the Mount St. Helens eruption that will "long stand as a classic of descriptive narrative" (Simon Winchester).For months in early 1980, scientists, journalists, sightseers, and nearby residents listened anxiously to rumblings in Mount St. Helens, part of the chain of western volcanoes fueled by the 700-mile-long Cascadia fault. Still, no one was prepared when an immense eruption took the top off of the mountain and laid waste to hundreds of sq...

150,000 years of human existence have passed, and yet what do we really know about our history before the advent of writing? Some of the most momentous events - including our origins, our migrations across the globe, and our acquisition of language - were lost in the darkness of 'prehistory'. But at last geneticists and other scientists are piecing together a history - the true story of Adam and Eve. Mapping Human History is nothing less than a 'history of prehistory'. Steve Olson travelle...

A thrilling narrative of scientific triumph, decades of secrecy, and the unimaginable destruction wrought by the creation of the atomic bomb.It began with plutonium, the first element ever manufactured in quantity by humans. Fearing that the Germans would be the first to weaponize the atom, the United States marshaled brilliant minds and seemingly inexhaustible bodies to find a way to create a nuclear chain reaction of inconceivable explosive power. In a matter of ...

From punk rock band Bad Religion's Greg Graffin and Steve Olson, Anarchy Evolution is a provocative look at the collision between religion and science."Take one man who rejects authority and religion, and leads a punk band. Take another man who wonders whether vertebrates arose in rivers or in the ocean. . . . Put them together, what do you get? Greg Graffin, and this uniquely fascinating book." —Pulitzer Prize-win...

Lessons in Leadership: A Storied Approach is a leadership book with a difference! The stories are personal and range from humorous to poignant. They include the follies of youth, the mistakes of being a new leader, and wisdom from knowledge and experience. The lessons learned are relevant and come with several points to ponder that will help you gain insights about yourself.

What turns experience into wisdom?We’re told experience is everything. That time alone will teach us what we need to know. But experience, left unexamined, can just as easily trap us in repetition as guide us forward.Beyond Experience is a reflective audiobook about how wisdom actually forms, not through doing alone, but through the pairing of experience, knowledge, and thoughtful reflection.Written and narrated by the author, this audioboo...

It began with plutonium, the first element ever manufactured in quantity by humans. Fearing that the Germans would be the first to weaponize the atom, the United States marshaled brilliant minds and seemingly inexhaustible bodies to find a way to create a nuclear chain reaction of inconceivable explosive power. In a matter of months, the Hanford nuclear facility was built to produce and weaponize the enigmatic and deadly new material that would fuel atomic bombs. In the desert of eastern W...

The preeminent historian of the American Revolution explains why it remains the most significant event in our history.More than almost any other nation in the world, the United States began as an idea. For this reason, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Gordon S. Wood believes that the American Revolution is the most important event in our history, bar none. Since American identity is so fluid and not based on any universally shared heritage, we have had to continual...

“Peter Beinart has written a vivid, empathetic, and convincing history of the men and ideas that have shaped the ambitions of American foreign policy during the last century—a story in which human fallibility and idealism flow together. The story continues, of course, and so his book is not only timely; it is indispensable.” — Steve Coll, author of Ghost WarsPeter Beinart's provocative account of hubris in the American century describes Wa...

An extraordinary work of revisionist history that centers Africa in the life of one of our greatest philosophers.Augustine of Hippo (354–430), also known as Saint Augustine, was one of the most influential theologians in history. His writings, including the autobiographical Confessions and The City of God, helped shape the foundations of Christianity and Western philosophy. But for many centuries, Augustine's North African birth and Berber heritag...

An epic, revelatory account of the Battle of Gettysburg, where George Meade, Lincoln's unexpected choice to lead the Union army, defeated Robert E. Lee and changed the course of the Civil War, from the award-winning author of James Monroe: A LifeBy mid-1863, the Civil War, with Northern victories in the West and Southern triumphs in the East, seemed unwinnable for Abraham Lincoln. Robert E. Lee’s bold thrust into Pennsylvania, if successful, could mean Sou...

An eye-opening new history of one of Christianity's most important figures - and one of Pope Leo XIV's primary inspirations'Brilliant' SPECTATOR'Illuminating' NEW YORKER'Rich and sympathetic' TLSAugustine of Hippo is one of the world's most influential theologians, an early Christian writer whose work shaped the course of Western philosophy. Born in Numidia in 354 CE, Augustine's Afr...