"This excellent and charming story describes a tree that endured numerous hardships to become not only a staple of Southern cuisine but an American treasure." — Library JournalWhat would Thanksgiving be without pecan pie? New Orleans without pecan pralines? But as familiar as the pecan is, most people don't know the fascinating story of how native pecan trees fed Americans for thousands of years until the nut was "improved" a little more than a century ago...

On 8 August 1918, the Allied forces launched the surprise attack that heralded the end of the First World War. With skill and daring, 21 divisions of men breached the German lines, supported by 500 tanks (the largest number to have been active in any one battle of the war) and 1,000 aircraft. In their wake they left 50,000 dead or wounded German soldiers along a stretch of 11 miles. On this 'black day' for the Germans the Allied forces began to see a glimmer of hope and th...

Finalist, 2026 Pulitzer Prize (Biography)Kirkus Reviews - Best of 2025, Nonfiction"The full-throated biography fans have been yearning for.”**—**Kirkus Starred Review, April 2025"McWilliams does a remarkable job connecting Stanford’s poetry with his personal life, particularly his lifelong friendship with Irv Broughton, owner of a sm...

The giant conflagration of the First World War created the world we live in today, and its history is replete with stirring battles, mind-boggling strategies, and geopolitical manoeuvring. However, the real story was lived in the trenches of Europe and the lonely households of those left behind. The stories of this period are full of tragedy, anger, and loss but also inspirational courage. This special five-book bundle presents some of these stories, from brave Canadian contributions to th...

The world of insects is one we only dimly understand. Yet from using arsenic, cobalt, and quicksilver to kill household infiltrators to employing the sophisticated tools of the Orkin Man, Americans have fought to eradicate the "bugs" they have learned to hate.Inspired by the still-revolutionary theories of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, James E. McWilliams argues for a more harmonious and rational approach to our relationship with insects, one that does not harm our enviro...

Just Food author James McWilliams's exploration of the "compassionate carnivore" movement and the paradox of humanity's relationship with animals.In the last four decades, food reformers have revealed the ecological and ethical problems of eating animals raised in industrial settings, turning what was once the boutique concern of radical eco-freaks into a mainstream movement. Although animal products are often labeled "cage free," "free range," and "humane...

It was the decisive battle of World War I. German commander Erich Ludendorff called it "the black day of the German army." Many authors have stated that it was the beginning of the end of the great conflict. And yet, until now, no book has been published on the climactic battle at Amiens.Amiens was one of the first "modern" battles, and certainly the first attempted by the Allies. Employing the troops of five nations (including Canada) and utilizing secrecy, deception, and combined...

On October 1, 2012, Green Mountain College in Vermont announced that it was going to slaughter its longtime oxen team Bill and Lou and, according to its mission of food sustainability, serve them as hamburger in the school's cafeteria. What ensued was more explosive and far-reaching than anyone could have predicted. Immediately animal advocates entered the fray, sanctuaries offering to take the oxen in and anonymous donors to make up for the lost revenue. As the public dialogue intensified, a...

One of only fifty infantry battalions to see action with the Canadian Expeditionary Force during World War I, the 58th nevertheless had no official history. Second to None tells the story of this important, yet forgotten, battalion. The soldiers who formed the 58th exemplified the ideal citizen soldiers and later evolved into the tough, battle-savvy veterans who destroyed the cream of the German Imperial Army and won battle honours. The author uses the men's letters and diaries and family ...

"One of the best books about the writing profession ever published." ― The Fresno BeeKatherine Anne Porter called courage "the first essential" for a writer. "I have to talk myself into bravery with every sentence," agreed Cynthia Ozick, "sometimes every syllable." E. B. White said he admired anyone who "has the guts to write anything at all."In The Courage to Write, Ralph Keyes, an author who has taught writing for more th...

“Not since Michael Pollan has such a powerful storyteller emerged to reform American food.” —The Washington Post“Dan Barber's tales are engaging, funny and delicious . . . The Third Plate serves as a brilliant culinary manifesto with a message as obvious as it is overlooked. . . . It's an inspiring message that could truly help save our water, air and land before it's too late.” —The Chicago Tribune“Barber...

The eighth Canadian Battle Series volume is the little-told story of the tense final days of World War II, remembered in the Netherlands as the sweetest of springs,” which saw the country’s liberation from German occupation.The Liberation Campaign, a series of fierce, desperate battles during the last three months of the war, was bittersweet. A nation’s freedom was won and the war concluded, but these final hostilities cost Canada 6,298 casualties, including 1,482 dead.Wit...