Napoleon's Buttons is the fascinating account of seventeen groups of molecules that have greatly influenced the course of history. These molecules provided the impetus for early exploration, and made possible the voyages of discovery that ensued. The molecules resulted in grand feats of engineering and spurred advances in medicine and law; they determined what we now eat, drink, and wear. A change as small as the position of an atom can lead to enormous alterations in the properti...

“As our climate changes, the force of the wind is set to grow. By looking to the past and the future, Winchester examines the twinned possibilities alive in this bluster: the power of the wind to tear our world apart and its ability to help us travel farther and do more.” — The Washington Post"Epic . . . . A splendidly written account of an unseeable force." — Kirkus Reviews

An “impassioned and inspiring account of the extraordinary men and women still doing traditional artisanal work” (The Sunday Times) in the face of massive technological industrialization—by renowned Cambridge art historian Dr. James Fox.“Beautifully written and (charmingly illustrated) . . . His chronicle of the decline of the traditional trades is staggering.”—The Wall Street JournalDuring an age of mass manufacturing, fa...

A captivating exploration of how underwater animals tap into sound to survive, and a clarion call for humans to address the ways we invade these critical soundscapes—from an award-winning science writer“Sing Like Fish is that rare book that makes you see the world differently.”—Mark Kurlansky, New York Times bestselling author of Salt and CodLONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE ...

From an award-winning historian, the definitive account of the golden age of Rome—an ultimate superpower at the pinnacle of its greatness.**“Rarely has the distant past seemed so vividly alive.” —**Financial TimesThe Pax Romana has long been shorthand for the empire’s golden age. Stretching from Caledonia to Arabia, Rome ruled over a quarter of the world’s population. It was the wealthiest and most formidable state in the history o...

This “marvelously humor-laced page-turner” about one of the world’s most influential species is “a masterpiece of a treatise on the natural world” (The Washington Post, “50 Notable Works of Nonfiction”).“Takes us inside the amazing world of nature’s premier construction engineer . . . and shows us why the restoration of an animal almost driven to extinction is producing wide-ranging, positive effects on our landscapes, ecology, and even our economy...

An irresistible and enchanting journey through human history—from mankind’s earliest fires to the latest smart phones—that tells the surprising and untold story of storytelling.Joan Didion told us, “We tell ourselves stories in order to live.” And yet, the story of stories has never been told until now. MIT technology pioneer Kevin Ashton was at the forefront of the digital revolution that led to the invention of the smartphone, the ultimate storytelling device. Th...

**Explore Lao food through 95 approachable, flavor-packed recipes from the popular food content creator behind Saeng’s Kitchen.“Saeng Douangdara brings Laos to the table with recipes that are bold, soulful, and alive with memory. This book belongs on every shelf where flavor, family, and food history matter.”—Andrew Zimmern**In Lao kitchens, every dish tells a story and every bite excites. The food culture of Laos has historically been preserved through oral tradition, and ...

**A major new history from our most trusted voice on the Revolutionary era, the author of the Pulitzer Prize–winning Founding Brothers and the National Book Award winner American Sphinx, and featured in THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, a film by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, on PBS.An astounding look at how America’s founders—Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Madison, Adams—regarded the issue of slavery as they drafted the Declaration of Independence and th...

The must-have reference guide to all the methods used for preserving every type of food—from canning vegetables to making fruit wines to curing meat—with more than 250 recipes and creative zero-waste options.Featuring clear step-by-step instructions and original photography, Essential Food Preserving is organized by type of food, with multiple preservation methods for each one, so you can preserve almost anything in a variety of ways, including:

A provocative, personal, blazingly intelligent examination of one of the most vexing questions facing the United States today: Who is, and should be, a citizen?“[A] fascinating, urgently needed new book.”—Chicago Tribune**“How did ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free’ turn upside down to where we are today? Everyone needs to read this book, citizens and non-citizens alike. Brilliant!”—Sandra ...

**“**A crisp, confident, and convincing new account of the place and its chroniclers" — The New Yorker“A definitive history of the mysteries of Easter Island...compelling...[a] magisterial history.” — New York Times“Revelatory…fascinating… wholly convincing” — Daily Mail (UK)A vital and timely work of historical adventure and reclamation by British archeological scholar Mike Pitts—...