A witty, irreverent tour of history's worst plagues—from the Antonine Plague, to leprosy, to polio—and a celebration of the heroes who fought themIn 1518, in a small town in Alsace, Frau Troffea began dancing and didn’t stop. She danced until she was carried away six days later, and soon thirty-four more villagers joined her. Then more. In a month more than 400 people had been stricken by the mysterious dancing plague. In late-seventeenth-century England an eccentr...

A powerful collection of stories about women who murdered—for revenge, for love, and even for pleasure—rife with historical details that will have any true crime junkie on the edge of their seatIn every tragic story, men are expected to be the killers. There are countless studies and works of art made about male violence. However, when women are featured in stories about murder, they are rarely portrayed as predators. They're the prey. This common dynamic is one of ...

A history of heartbreak—replete with beheadings, uprisings, creepy sex dolls, and celebrity gossip—and its disastrously bad consequences throughout time.Spanning eras and cultures from ancient Rome to medieval England to 1950s Hollywood, Jennifer Wright's It Ended Badly guides you through the worst of the worst in historically bad breakups. In the throes of heartbreak, Emperor Nero had just about everyone he ever loved—from his old tutor to most of his frie...

Isadora Duncan was RedPut on a scarf; popped off her headFashion is silly, thought SteinIt may tear your head from your spineA darkly comic book about some surprisingly lethal garments. Featuring stories like the untimely demise of dancer Isadora Duncan caused by her signature red scarf and the bloody riot that greeted the appearance of the first top hat, among many others, these bite-size accounts will frighten and delight. ...

Amid the 1900 Galveston hurricane, one woman's perseverance is tested in this captivating story from the author whose work has been called "intelligent and arresting" ( Foreword Reviews ) and "historical fiction as it is meant to be told" ( Library Journal )."Old Galveston shines in this beautifully written tale of a woman's quest to both lose herself and find herself."

Discover the true story of a self-taught surgeon and trailblazing figure in medical history—Madame Restell, a revolutionary surgeon who fought for women's rights and healthcare in Gilded Age New York.An industrious immigrant who built her business from the ground up, Madame Restell was a self-taught surgeon on the cutting edge of healthcare in pre-Gilded Age New York, and her bustling “boarding house” provided birth control, abortions, and medical assistance to tho...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NPR BOOKS WE LOVE 2025 PICKA thrilling biography of Mamie Fish that explores how women used parties and social gatherings to gain power and prestige, from the author of Madame Restell and Get Well Soon**.**"As entertaining as it is illuminating ... Wright is a brilliant social observer and she knows how to tell a rollicking story. An utter joy...

Fans of Richard Osman's The Thursday Murder Club will love The Dying Five!Murder and conspiracy are exactly what the doctor ordered, if you ask The Dying Five. Who says you can't solve crime with terminal illnesses?When Eric Graham, the CEO of an Indianapolis start-up company is gunned down on his porch after a dinner party, a group of hospice heroes and their social worker go undercover to unravel the mystery. Investigating Eric's death exposes a scheme of national proport...

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • NPR BOOKS WE LOVE 2025 PICKA thrilling biography of Mamie Fish that explores how women used parties and social gatherings to gain power and prestige, from the author of Madame Restell and Get Well Soon**.**"As entertaining as it is illuminating ... Wright is a brilliant social observer and she knows how to tell a rollicking story. An utter joy...

A story of resilience and redemption set against one of America's defining moments―the Dust Bowl.It's 1935 in Oklahoma, and lives are determined by the dust. Fourteen-year-old Kathryn Baile, a spitfire born with a severe clubfoot, is coming of age in desperate times. Once her beloved older sister marries, Kathryn's only comfort comes in the well-worn pages of her favorite book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Then Kathryn's father decides to relocate to Indian...

Finding Home – the complete box set1 – Pavarus Thrown into another world where dangerous creatures live and rule, will Wesley stay and find love with a vampire, or will the terrors of an unknown realm have him running home?2 -Morvea Keddrick has denied claiming his mate for four years, separating them by worlds just to keep the man he loves safe…from him. Can he resist temptation when his love lands on his door...

I grew up as a perfectionist, trying to please my temperamental mother. At least my father was laid back and came from a caring family. I was also encouraged by my teachers and many friends. Life was pretty good until my parents started fighting and got a divorce. I grew angry with God for not fixing my family and turned my back on him, leading to depression.At college I felt very alone and my art professors took only a mild interest in my work. I quickly came to the end of my resou...