On January 20, 2009, millions of people gathered at the Capitol in Washington, DC, and around televisions across the country and throughout the world to watch a new president take the oath of office
Which fork do I use? How do you use chopsticks? Is it okay to answer my cell phone during dinner? What is the polite way to eat spaghetti? These and other important questions are answered in this han
Wolves are much more than big, bad animals that prey on other animals. Did you know that wolves are like dogs—they are loyal, affectionate, and highly intelligent. live in packs—or families—led by t
Sometimes your mom seems like the most wonderful woman in the world. Sometimes you think she is mean and wants to ruin your life. Really, it is both. No matter how well you know your mom, chances ar
Wolves are much more than big, bad animals that prey on other animals. Did you know that wolves are like dogs—they are loyal, affectionate, and highly intelligent. live in packs—or families—led by t
Did George Washington really chop down the cherry tree? How was James Madison a father if he didn't have any children? Where in the White House did William Howard Taft get stuck? Hail to the c
Lincoln's Men is the first narrative portrait of the three young men who served as Lincoln's secretaries during the Civil War. John Nicolay and John Hay lived in the White House, across the hall fro
Abigail Adams was the wife of John Adams, the nation's second president. Abigail had strong opinions about war, politics, and the rights of women—and she wasn't shy about expressing them. Few women in
Did George Washington really chop down the cherry tree? How was James Madison a father if he didn't have any children? Where in the White House did William Howard Taft get stuck? Hail to the chief! Th
Righting the Mother Tongue tells the cockamamie story of English spelling. When did ghost acquire its silent 'h'? Will cyberspace kill the one in rhubarb? And was it really rocket scientists who inve
The image of the Baron de Steuben training Washington's ragged, demoralized troops in the snow at Valley Forge is part of the iconography of our Revolutionary heritage, but most history fans know lit
More than just the tale of one flag and one song, The Star-Spangled Banner is the story of how Americans—often in times of crisis—have expressed their patriotism and defined their identity through the
George Washington never lived in the White House. Thomas Jefferson played the violin and spoke six languages. Andrew Jackson hosted a party on his first day as president that got so rowdy, he had to
In How Math Explains the World, mathematician Stein reveals how seemingly arcane mathematical investigations and discoveries have led to bigger, more world-shaking insights into the nature of our worl
In this compelling narrative, renowned historian Roy Morris, Jr., expertly offers a new angle on two of America's most towering politicians and the intense personal rivalry that transformed both the
George Washington wrote an astonishing number of letters, both personal and professional. The majority - about 140,000 documents - are from his years as commander in chief during the Revolutionary Wa
Was the White House always white? Did someone actually burn down the White House? Is it true that a person went skinny-dipping in a White House fountain? More than 200 years old, the White House
This epic story opens at the hour the Greatest Generation went to war on December 7, 1941,and follows four U.S. Navy ships and their crews in the Pacific until their day of reckoning three years late
Some minerals are extremely soft—as soft as baby powder. Other minerals are extremely hard—like diamonds, the hardest natural substance in the world. Some rocks were once extremely hot&#
What your older sister won't tell you . . . What your parents don't know . . . Where's the cafeteria? How do I get to my next class, with all the right books, in less than five minutes? How do
This little volume introduces readers to a collection of cats who've made their homes in England's ecclesiastical sites and communities—from ancient ruins, like Fountains Abbey and Tintern, to
During the Vietnam War, Time reporter Pham Xuan An befriended everyone who was anyone in Saigon, including American journalists such as David Halberstam and Neil Sheehan, the CIA's William Colby, and
In October 2004, a team of Australian and Indonesian anthropologists led by Mike Morwood and Raden Pandji Soejono stunned the world with their announcement of the discovery of the first example of a
Born almost 5 billion years ago at the edge of the Milky Way galaxy, our Solar System is a place filled with mystery and wonder. In the last fifty years, we have learned more than ever about the farth
In the 50 years since Sputnik's historic orbit kickstarted a race to the stars, spaceflight has moved from a speculative and experimental science to a staple of contemporary life. Space exploration h
Widely hailed on its first publication in 1951,?this authoritative guide?has long been established as one of the most esteemed and influential editions of Shakespeare's works. This edition includes: t
Few foods rival the feel-good factor of soup, whether a hearty minestrone on a chilly evening, a cooling gazpacho in the heat of summer, or the comforting tomato soup of childhood memory. This rich c
An updated photographic study of snakes offers a fact-filled look at the important role of snakes--poisonous and nonpoisonous alike--in the natural world and discusses how snakes eat, move, reproduce,
In Baseball! Q&A Check out cool Smithsonian websites and exhibits throughout the book Meet a Smithsonian Specialist See fabulous close-up photos Read extremely fun facts about baseball
The twentieth century was astonishing in all regards, shaking the foundations of practically every aspect of human life and thought, physics not least of all. Beginning with the publication of Alber
Offering a unique approach to history, this series of individual encyclopedias will delineate and explain the people, places, events, chronology, and ramifications of pivotal days in history. ONE DAY
Since its creation in 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial has become the most visited National Park Services site. Each year, 4.5 million people come to the Wall. Many of them leave letters or other
The earth is getting hotter, and not just in the summer. The climate of your own hometown is changing. But why is this happening, and can we stop it? Read and find out!
Scientists consider alligators a "keystone species"—the most important animal in their habitat. Without the alligator, many animals dependent on the gator would become extinct. Read and find ou
A fascinating and unique overview of international currency, All the Money in the World vividly chronicles how political, cultural, and economic forces have shaped the development of coinage and paper
In Extreme Stars! Q&A Check out cool Smithsonian websites and exhibits throughout the book Meet a Smithsonian Specialist See fabulous close-up photos Read extremely fun facts about stars
Thirty-four children on the Mayflower Three days of Thanksgiving feasting And hundreds of facts about the hardworking Pilgrims Pilgrims in Plymouth: True or False Quiz The Mayflower was a huge shi
Do you think of volcanoes as simply big mountains with lava streaming over their tops? Not all of them are like that. Some are covered in ice, and some look like nothing more than deep blue lakes. So
An updated title created in cooperation with the Smithsonian's Air & Space and Natural History museum presents and explains the process of lightning while bold photographs capture its power and be
An updated title created in cooperation with the Smithsonian's Air & Space and Natural History museum explores the causes, changing patterns, and forecasting of weather. Simultaneous.
