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Showing 1 - 20 of 318 items
By Aurélie Damet. 2023
Dix-huit récits de vies de femmes en Grèce antique témoignent de leur rôle dans des domaines aussi variés que la…
transmission de la citoyenneté, les transactions financières, le service des dieux, la pratique médicale, l'intendance des gymnases, la vente au détail ou l'ascèse philosophique, sans occulter les difficultés inhérentes à l'omniprésence de structures sociales patriarcales.By Andrew Forbes. 2016
Spitball literary essays on the off-kilter joys, sorrows and wonder of North America’s national pastime. A collection of essays for…
ardent seamheads and casual baseball fans alike, The Utility of Boredom is a book about finding respite and comfort in the order, traditions, and rituals of baseball. It’s a sport that shows us what a human being might be capable of, with extreme dedication—whether we’re eating hot dogs in the stands, waiting out a rain delay in our living rooms, or practising the lost art of catching a stray radio signal from an out-of-market broadcast. From learning about America through ball-diamond visits to the most famous triple play that never happened on Canadian soil, Forbes invites us to witness the adult conversing with the O-Pee-Chee baseball cards of his youth. Tender, insightful, and with the slow heartbreak familiar to anyone who’s cheered on a losing team, The Utility of Boredom tells us a thing or two about the sport, and how a seemingly trivial game might help us make sense of our messy lives.By Heidi Lm Jacobs, Dale Jacobs, Heidi Lm Jacobs. 2021
From sandlots to major league stands, two fans set out to recapture their love of the game. For most of…
their lives together Dale Jacobs and Heidi LM Jacobs couldn’t imagine a spring without baseball. Their season tickets renewal package always seemed to arrive on the bleakest day of winter, offering reassurance that sunnier times were around the corner. Baseball was woven into the fabric of their lives, connecting them not only to each other but also to their families and histories. But by 2017 it was obvious something was amiss: the allure of another Sunday watching their Detroit Tigers had devolved to obligation. Not entirely sure what they were missing, they did have an idea on where it might be found: in their own backyard. Drawing a radius of one hundred miles around their home in Windsor, Ontario, Dale and Heidi set a goal of seeing fifty games at all levels of competition over the following summer. From bleachers behind high schools, to manicured university turf, to the steep concrete stands of major league parks, 100 Miles of Baseball tells the story of how two fans rediscovered their love of the game—and with it their relationships and the region they call home.By Karen Krossing. 2022
When the United States officially entered World War I in 1917, it was woefully underprepared for chemical warfare, in which…
the British, French, and Germans had been engaged since 1915. In response, the U.S. Army created an entirely new branch: the Chemical Warfare Service. The army turned to trained chemists and engineers to lead the charge—and called on an array of others, including baseball players, to fill out the ranks.The Gas and Flame Men is the first full account of Major League ballplayers who served in the Chemical Warfare Service during World War I. Four players, two club executives, and a manager served in the small and hastily formed branch, six of them as gas officers. Remarkably, five of the seven—Christy Mathewson, Branch Rickey, Ty Cobb, George Sisler, and Eppa &“Jeptha&” Rixey—are now enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York. The son of a sixth Hall of Famer, player and manager Ned Hanlon, was a young officer killed in action in France with the First Gas Regiment. Prominent chemical soldiers also included veteran Major League catcher and future manager George &“Gabby&” Street and Boston Braves president and former Harvard football coach Percy D. Haughton.The Gas and Flame Men explores how these famous baseball men, along with an eclectic mix of polo players, collegiate baseball and football stars, professors, architects, and prominent social figures all came together in the Chemical Warfare Service. Jim Leeke examines their service and its long-term effects on their physical and mental health—and on Major League Baseball and the world of sports. The Gas and Flame Men also addresses historical inaccuracies and misperceptions surrounding Christy Mathewson&’s early death from tuberculosis in 1925, long attributed to wartime gas exposure.Take a journey through Ancient Egypt and see how the pharaohs once lived!An enticing and insightful guide that covers 3,000…
years of life under the pharaohs (c. 3200-30 BCE) from the early kings of Egypt to the reign of Cleopatra and the Roman conquest, this book explains it all! Written by a team of respected Egyptologists, this book includes the following exciting things: • Themed spreads explore developments in areas like religion, writing, painting, ceramics and medicine. • Biography spreads feature the lives of the most influential pharaohs and queens. • Detailed maps set the main sites in context, and show the growth of the civilization and its trade network. • An optional 80-page reference section provides a directory of the pharaohs and gods and goddesses. Unlock every aspect of Ancient Egypt, from pharaohs and pyramids to ordinary people&’s everyday lives and beliefs. With 31 Egyptian dynasties and 3,000 years of history, from the time of Narmer to that of Cleopatra and so much more, this is the perfect comprehensive guide to Egypt&’s ancient civilization.There's so much to learn and experience with this up-to-date biography on Ancient Egypt. With more than 850 photos, illustrations and maps, this is the perfect book for thinkers, borrowers, life-long learners or anyone with an interest in ancient civilizations and Egyptology.Marguerite Yourcenar is best known as the author of the 1951 novel Mémoires d’Hadrien, her recreation of the life of…
the Roman emperor Hadrian. The work can be examined from the perspective of the issues raised by writing Roman imperial biography at large and the many ways in which Mémoires has a claim to historical authenticity. In Marguerite Yourcenar’s Hadrian, Keith Bradley explains how Mémoires d’Hadrien came to be written, gives details of Yourcenar’s own biography, and describes some of the intricate historical problems that her novel’s portrait of Hadrian presents. He draws on Yourcenar’s correspondence, her interviews with journalists, and her literary corpus as a whole, emphasizing Yourcenar’s profound knowledge of the ancient evidence on which her life of Hadrian is based and exploiting a wide range of contemporary Yourcenarian criticism. The book pays special attention to the methods by which Yourcenar believed Hadrian’s life history to be recoverable, compares examples of modern life-writing, and contrasts the procedures of conventional Roman biographers. Revealing how and why Mémoires d’Hadrien is as it is, Marguerite Yourcenar’s Hadrian illustrates how imaginative literary recreation is often little different from historical speculation.Step into the world of Ancient Rome and explore the rise and fall of a fascinating ancient civilization like never…
before!Become an eyewitness to the wonders of one of history&’s greatest civilizations, from its vast empire to gladiator fights, this picture-led guide will take you on a visual tour through Ancient Rome like never before. Who were Rome's most famous emperors? What was everyday life like for a soldier in the Roman army? How did the citizens of ancient Rome live? Did gladiators really fight to the death in the mighty Colosseum? If you find yourself seeking the answers to these questions and more, then this may be the book for you!Photographs of real artifacts and detailed illustrations will help you to understand what it was like to live in this mighty civilization, as it changed from a small city-state ruled by kings to one of the most powerful empires in history. Find out, too, what a typical Roman house was like and what food Romans ate. Learn about how people spent their free time, whether paying a visit to the theatre, using the public bath, or watching gladiators fight a gruesome battle to the death in the world-famous Colosseum.Throughout the pages of this newly- revised incredible history book, you can expect to find: -Up to 20 percent new images, including photography and updated diagrams-All information updated by expert consultants-Packed with amazing facts, infographics, statistics, and timelines-Includes brand new eyewitness accounts from experts in the fieldThis museum in a book uses striking full-color photographs and illustrations of crafts and technology, talks about trade and travel and house and home in Ancient Rome, as well as amazing facts, infographics, statistics, and timelines to help bring this extraordinary civilization to life before your very eyes. The unique visual approach immerses curious children in every page, and the added wall chart is the perfect historical-themed accessory for the bedroom or classroom! A must-have volume for curious children aged 9+ with a thirst for knowledge and learning, alongside teachers, parents and librarians.So, what&’s new? Part of DK&’s best-selling Eyewitness series, this popular title has been reinvigorated for the next generation of information-seekers and stay-at-home explorers, with a fresh new look, up to 20 percent new images, including photography and updated diagrams, updated information, and a new &“eyewitness&” feature with fascinating first-hand accounts from experts in the field.Explore the series!Globally, the Eyewitness series has sold more than 50 million copies over 30 years. Join the journey to combat climate change with Eyewitness Climate Change or take a trip aboard the most famous ship in history with Eyewitness Titanic.By Eric Nelson. 2002
You&’re no idiot, of course. The battle scenes in Gladiator had you on the edge of your seat and wondering…
where you could find more information on the rise and fall of ancient Rome. But so far, your search has left you feeling like a blundering barbarian.Pick yourself up off the coliseum floor! Consult The Complete Idiot&’s Guide® to the Roman Empire—a fun–to–read introduction to the fascinating history, people, and culture of ancient Rome. In this Complete Idiot&’s Guide®, you get:• The history of the Roman Empire&’s rise and fall.• An idiot-proof introduction to the great epic literature of the Roman Republic.• A survey of the Romans in arts and popular culture.• Fascinating details of some of history&’s most nefarious emperors, including Nero, Caligula, and Commodus.By Audrey Nelson, Eric Nelson. 2004
The overwhelming influence of Ancient Greek culture on everything from science and literature to politics continues to be both relevant…
and hotly debated. In The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Ancient Greece, you are invited to meet the Ancient Greeks and to understand their legacy by entering their world. Profiles the most important contributions of Greek culture, including mythology, philosophy, medicine and the Olympic Games. Includes further reading and travel information to help in planning a personal odyssey.By Dk. 2023
Sumérgete en la historia de la Antigua Roma, desde sus orígenes en un pequeño asentamiento en el monte Palatino hasta…
su apogeo como imperio de más de 90 millones de personas y su tumultuoso declive.Cubriendo más de 1,000 años de historia, 'Antigua Roma' revela con todo detalle los eventos políticos, culturales y militares clave que dieron forma al Imperio Romano y explora cómo era vivir en una sociedad que sentó las bases de nuestro mundo moderno.La suntuosa fotografía y los textos fiables y atractivos cubren cada faceta de la vida de la antigua Roma, desde el arte, la filosofía y el entretenimiento hasta la ingeniería, la medicina y la guerra, mientras que los mapas detallados trazan el ascenso del poderoso Imperio Romano.Con biografías detalladas de los más grandes emperadores de Roma, desde Augusto hasta Constantino, así como de otras figuras clave (generales, filósofos y escritores), 'Antigua Roma' profundiza también en las fascinantes historias de gladiadores, panaderos y esclavos. Las calles y los edificios de Roma cobran vida con recreaciones digitales especialmente creadas para este libro, mientras que acontecimientos trascendentales como la destrucción de Pompeya se relatan con la ayuda de ilustraciones, artefactos y testimonios visuales.Bellamente ilustrado y de un alcance incomparable, 'Antigua Roma' es el libro perfecto para cualquier persona interesada en este período decisivo de la historia mundial.Immerse yourself in the history of Ancient Rome - from its origins as a small settlement on the Palatine Hill to its peak as an empire reigning over 90 million people, and its tumultuous decline.Covering more than 1,000 years of history, 'Antigua Roma'reveals in vivid detail all the key political, cultural, and military events that shaped the Roman Empire and explores what it was like to live in a society that laid the foundations for our modern world.Sumptuous photography and authoritative, engaging text cover every facet of life in ancient Rome, from art, philosophy, and entertainment to engineering, medicine, and war, while detailed maps trace the rise of the mighty Roman Empire.Featuring in-depth biographies of Rome's greatest emperors, from Augustus to Constantine, as well as key figures such as generals, philosophers, and writers, 'Antigua Roma' also delves into the fascinating stories of gladiators, bakers, and enslaved people. The streets and buildings of Rome are brought to life with specially commissioned CGI recreations, while momentous events such as the destruction of Pompeii are told with the help of illustrations, artifacts, and eyewitness accounts.Beautifully illustrated and unparalleled in scope, 'Antigua Roma' is the perfect book for anyone who is interested in this defining period of world history.By William Ecenbarger. 2024
In 1918, Bethlehem Steel started the world’s greatest industrial baseball league. Appealing to Major League Baseball players looking to avoid…
service in the Great War, teams employed “ringers” like Babe Ruth, Rogers Hornsby, and Shoeless Joe Jackson in what became scornfully known as “safe shelter” leagues. In Work, Fight, or Play Ball, William Ecenbarger fondly recounts this little-known story of how dozens of athletes faced professional conflicts and a difficult choice in light of public perceptions and war propaganda. Some players used the steel mill and shipyard leagues to avoid wartime military duty, irking Major League owners, who saw their rosters dwindling. Bethlehem Steel President Charles Schwab (no relation to the financier) saw the league as a means to stave off employee and union organizing. Most fans loudly criticized the ballplayers, but nevertheless showed up to watch the action on the diamond. Ecenbarger traces the 1918 Steel League’s season and compares the fates of the players who defected to industry or continued to play stateside with the travails of the Major Leaguers, such as Christy Mathewson, Ty Cobb, and Grover Cleveland Alexander, who served during the war. Work, Fight, or Play Ball reveals the home field advantage brought on by the war, which allowed companies to profit from Major League players.Learn about compelling worlds and characters depicted in myths and legends in The Mythology Book.Part of the fascinating Big Ideas…
series, this book tackles tricky topics and themes in a simple and easy to follow format. Learn about Mythology in this overview guide to the subject, great for novices looking to find out more and experts wishing to refresh their knowledge alike! The Mythology Book brings a fresh and vibrant take on the topic through eye-catching graphics and diagrams to immerse yourself in. This captivating book will broaden your understanding of Mythology, with:- More than 80 classics retold and explained in mythology- Packed with facts, charts, timelines and graphs to help explain core concepts- A visual approach to big subjects with striking illustrations and graphics throughout- Easy to follow text makes topics accessible for people at any level of understandingThe Mythology Book lets you delve into each myth, discover the meanings behind them, and understand their significance to different cultures worldwide - aimed at adults with an interest in the subject and wanting to gain more of an overview. Here you&’ll find global coverage of world myths, profiling everything from the well-known tales of the Greeks, Norsemen, and Egyptians to the legends of the Caribbean, the Americas, Oceania, and East Asia.Your Mythological Questions, Simply ExplainedLearn about myths in this essential guide, from early creation beliefs to classical hero narratives and the recurring theme of the afterlife. Delve into each myth and discover the meanings behind these stories, getting to the heart of their significance to different cultures worldwide. If you thought it was difficult to learn about the many classic stories, The Mythology Book presents key information in an easy to follow layout. Discover Zeus, god of the sky and ruler of the Olympian gods, Loki, the cunning trickster with a knack for causing havoc, Thor with his mighty hammer, and Hades, ruler of the underworld - and much more.The Big Ideas SeriesWith millions of copies sold worldwide, The Mythology Book is part of the award-winning Big Ideas series from DK. The series uses striking graphics along with engaging writing, making big topics easy to understand.Travel through time on an exhilarating expedition to China&’s most famous landmark!The Great Wall of China is one of the…
world&’s most intriguing, well-known treasures. Spanning 2,700 years and over 13,000 miles long, embark on the fascinating tale of how the Great Wall was built and how it became one of the greatest man-made projects of all time.This thrilling children&’s book about this fascinating structure will leave you with newfound knowledge and appreciation for this amazing world wonder. It includes: • Exquisitely detailed panoramic artworks that show how the Great Wall of China has changed from one era to the next — from the first defensive forts created in 656 BCE to the 13,000 mile-long monument still standing today • Cutaway views that reveal the interior of forts and buildings • Every illustration is surrounded by pull-out details for children to look at, drawing them into the picture and making the book fun and interactive • Lively, engaging narrative text and simple annotations that guide children on a journey through time This informative book educates young readers about how the Great Wall was built and showcases the people that help build it. The wall, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, started as a frontier defense against northern tribesmen and over the eras evolved to become the dynamic landmark that it is today.This educational history book also contains exceptional cutaway views revealing the interiors of important buildings, and pull-out details introducing fascinating facts and key characters. The time-traveling fox who appears in the artwork will have children inquisitively searching for the charming fox throughout the book.This makes for the perfect gift or collector&’s item for children age 7 and up to learn about the Great Wall of China and its history. It is also perfect for parents looking for books on Chinese history to read with their children, and those planning on visiting the Great Wall of China who want to learn more about the landmark before or after their trip.By Matt Gatton. 2024
The death of Socrates may be the most famous unsolved murder in history. Set during the Peloponnesian War, this narrative…
solves that mystery, revealing for the first time how the philosopher was set up, who did it, and why.The influence of the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates has been profound. Even today, over two thousand years after his death, he remains one of the most renowned humans to have ever lived, occupying a stratum with the likes of Buddha, Jesus, Muhammed, Confucius, and Moses. It may not be too much to say that Socrates is the single most recognizable name in the history of all humanity. The death of Socrates is, in some ways, the most famous unsolved murder mystery in history. This book will solve the mystery, revealing for the first time how he was set up, who did it, and why. What follows is not a philosophical tract but something closer to a novel—made all the more compelling because it&’s true. This is a real-life whodunit intertwined with a long running war, rivalry, sex addiction, betrayal, sedition, starvation, and epic bravery. Socrates was the most rational of men living in the most irrational of times. There is another side to this story: impiety, lack of reverence for the gods, was a religious crime. From the perspective of the religious authorities of the time, the charge of impiety against Socrates was warranted, his trial just, and the penalty appropriate. The priests did not tolerate scrutiny, even in the form of philosophical critique. To understand what happened and how it happened, we have to come to terms with the motives of the priests, and as importantly, Socrates&’ motives in provoking them. His trial is perhaps first, but not last, great battle between philosophy and religion. The repercussions of this ancient epic apply equally to the West today, as Athens also endured pendulum swings between democracy and oligarchy—always with bloodshed, and never with Socrates&’s approval.By Harris Cooper. 2024
Over forty million people attend minor league baseball games each season. Who are they? Why do they come? Let&’s find…
out! Noted social scientist Harris Cooper took a job as a Seating Bowl Host for the most famous minor league baseball team, the Durham Bulls. As a host, he helped fans find seats and other stadium amenities, made sure everyone was safe, took pictures, and chased kids from the aisles. He got to talk with a wide-ranging assortment of people, from regular attendees to those at their very first baseball game, from retired judges to middle school students. Minor league baseball games draw a broader array of Americans than any sport. The fleeting moments spent talking baseball with the fan sitting next to you or with a ballpark employee disguise the remarkable variety of people who call themselves &“baseball fans.&” Dr. Cooper brings these people to life. In addition, the book presents a brief history of minor league baseball, the Bulls, and the city of Durham, so typical of small American cities. It profiles the ballplayers, focusing not on their on-field statistics but on who they are and where they come from. The book also profiles twelve baseball movies, all of which focus on baseball not played in the major leagues. Throughout the book, Dr. Cooper draws on his knowledge of social science to extract from his experiences a description of the inhabitants and goings-on at a ballpark. It illuminates not just baseball writ large, but also provides a compelling portrait of Americans as a people and their shared love of our national pastime.By Donald J. Robertson. 2019
Experience the world of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and the tremendous challenges he faced and overcame with the help of…
Stoic philosophy This novel biography brings Marcus Aurelius (121–180 CE) to life for a new generation of readers by exploring the emperor&’s fascinating psychological journey. Donald J. Robertson examines Marcus&’s relationships with key figures in his life, such as his mother, Domitia Lucilla, and the emperor Hadrian, as well as his Stoic tutors. He draws extensively on Marcus&’s own Meditations and correspondence, and he examines the emperor&’s actions as detailed in the Augustan History and other ancient texts. Marcus Aurelius struggled to reconcile his philosophy and moral values with the political pressures he faced as emperor at the height of Roman power. Robertson examines Marcus&’s attitude toward slavery and the moral dilemma posed by capturing enemies in warfare; his attitude toward women; the role of Stoicism in shaping his response to the threat of civil war; the treatment of Christians under his rule; and the naming of his notorious son Commodus as his successor. Throughout, the Meditations is used to shed light on the mind of the emperor—his character, values, and motives—as Robertson skillfully weaves together Marcus&’s inner journey as a philosopher with the outer events of his life as a Roman emperor.A sweeping intellectual history of the role of wealth in the church in the last days of the Roman EmpireJesus…
taught his followers that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. Yet by the fall of Rome, the church was becoming rich beyond measure. Through the Eye of a Needle is a sweeping intellectual and social history of the vexing problem of wealth in Christianity in the waning days of the Roman Empire, written by the world's foremost scholar of late antiquity.Peter Brown examines the rise of the church through the lens of money and the challenges it posed to an institution that espoused the virtue of poverty and called avarice the root of all evil. Drawing on the writings of major Christian thinkers such as Augustine, Ambrose, and Jerome, Brown examines the controversies and changing attitudes toward money caused by the influx of new wealth into church coffers, and describes the spectacular acts of divestment by rich donors and their growing influence in an empire beset with crisis. He shows how the use of wealth for the care of the poor competed with older forms of philanthropy deeply rooted in the Roman world, and sheds light on the ordinary people who gave away their money in hopes of treasure in heaven.Through the Eye of a Needle challenges the widely held notion that Christianity's growing wealth sapped Rome of its ability to resist the barbarian invasions, and offers a fresh perspective on the social history of the church in late antiquity.By Michael Scott. 2014
A comprehensive narrative history of the ancient world's center, from its founding to its modern rediscoveryThe oracle and sanctuary of…
the Greek god Apollo at Delphi were known as the "omphalos"—the "center" or "navel"—of the ancient world for more than 1,000 years. Individuals, city leaders, and kings came from all over the Mediterranean and beyond to consult Delphi's oracular priestess; to set up monuments to the gods; and to take part in competitions.In this richly illustrated account, Michael Scott covers the history and nature of Delphi, from the literary and archaeological evidence surrounding the site, to its rise as a center of worship, to the constant appeal of the oracle despite her cryptic prophecies. He describes how Delphi became a contested sacred site for Greeks and Romans and a storehouse for the treasures of rival city-states and foreign kings. He also examines the eventual decline of the site and how its meaning and importance have continued to be reshaped.A unique window into the center of the ancient world, Delphi will appeal to general readers, tourists, students, and specialists.By Yelena Baraz. 2012
In the 40s BCE, during his forced retirement from politics under Caesar's dictatorship, Cicero turned to philosophy, producing a massive…
and important body of work. As he was acutely aware, this was an unusual undertaking for a Roman statesman because Romans were often hostile to philosophy, perceiving it as foreign and incompatible with fulfilling one's duty as a citizen. How, then, are we to understand Cicero's decision to pursue philosophy in the context of the political, intellectual, and cultural life of the late Roman republic? In A Written Republic, Yelena Baraz takes up this question and makes the case that philosophy for Cicero was not a retreat from politics but a continuation of politics by other means, an alternative way of living a political life and serving the state under newly restricted conditions. Baraz examines the rhetorical battle that Cicero stages in his philosophical prefaces--a battle between the forces that would oppose or support his project. He presents his philosophy as intimately connected to the new political circumstances and his exclusion from politics. His goal--to benefit the state by providing new moral resources for the Roman elite--was traditional, even if his method of translating Greek philosophical knowledge into Latin and combining Greek sources with Roman heritage was unorthodox. A Written Republic provides a new perspective on Cicero's conception of his philosophical project while also adding to the broader picture of late-Roman political, intellectual, and cultural life.