Western Biography

Out of all of the world’s most dangerous serial killers, none are more infamous than Ted Bundy. Known as the charming, charismatic killer who stalked young women to commit his unspeakable crimes, Ted Bundy left a dark shadow on America’s history that has haunted our collective consciousness for generations. Perfect for anyone morbidly curious about the evil that lurks just out of sight, as well as fans of true crime books, Ted Bundy: The Horrifying Story of the Charming Serial Killer offers you a gritty, detailed, and unforgettable look at the monster Ted Bundy became.

In 1932, a Jamaican man named Leonard Percival Howell began leading nonviolent protests in Kingston, Jamaica, against British colonial rule. While history books rightly credit Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. with popularizing nonviolent protest strategies in later years, little is known about Leonard Howell and his vision of self-reliance—poor people working together to build a society of their own

Whilst it’s impossible to capture the essence of Nigeria in one story, its writers have given listeners the opportunity to experience the many different parts that make up Africa’s most populous nation. In Of This Our Country, acclaimed and award-winning Nigerian writers go a step further and describe their Nigeria, sharing personal essays about a country that holds so much more than any one perspective could. Through the words of these writers, a living portrait of Nigeria is woven, one that is as beautiful as it is complex.

Famous Heroes of the American West is a lively account of the "Wild West" and its renowned figures, narrated with vigor by Adam Sims. The lives of Davy Crockett, Christopher Kit" Carson, Calamity Jane, and Sitting Bull, among others, are explored in detail. Their exploits, adventures, and alliances make for fascinating listening.

Army scout, buffalo hunter, Indian fighter, and impresario of the world-renowned "Wild West show", William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody lived the real American West. Bobby Bridger draws on many historical accounts and Cody's own memoirs to show how deeply intertwined Cody's life was with the Plains Indians. In particular, he demonstrates that the Lakota and Cheyenne were active cocreators of the Wild West shows. This dual story of Buffalo Bill and the Plains Indians clearly reveals how one West was lost, and another born, within the lifetime of one remarkable man.

Curious about the ancient Greek philosopher Plato but short on time? "Plato: A Short Introduction to His Life and Works" is your perfect solution! This concise book explores Plato's life, contributions to philosophy, and lasting impact on Western thought. You'll discover: Rise of the Philosophers in Ancient Greece Sources of information about him The life of Plato, his trips to Syracuse, the Academy, and Aristotle The works of Plato, order of the dialogues, Theory of Forms, natural science,… Plato’s masterwork the “Republic,” Ideal State, education, Allegory of the Cave, dialectic,...

You probably heard the stories of Pablo Escobar, the Medellín Cartel, and Narcos. But do you know the story of the equally essential founder of the cartel and the guy who appears in FORBES 1988 World's Billionaires List as a Druglord?—Meet José Gonzalo Rodríguez Gacha

Meet Barbara Reichmann, once known as Gucia Gomolinska: smart, determined, independent, and steadfast in the face of injustice. A Jew growing up in predominantly Catholic Poland during the 1920s and ’30s, Gucia studies hard, makes friends, falls in love, and dreams of a bright future. Her world is turned upside down when Nazis invade Poland and establish the first Jewish ghetto of World War II in her town of Piotrko´w Trybunalski.

George Mergenthaler, the grandson of the inventor of the Linotype, was an only child, and at the time of his birth in 1920, became the sole male heir the family fortune. Tall, handsome, Ivy League educated, speaking fluent German and French, "Merg" as he was know to his friends, did what many in his generation did following the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor: He enlisted in the Army.

As one of the most profound and insightful scholars of the Middle East, Fouad Ajami’s sensibility was powerfully shaped by his childhood and youth in Lebanon in the ’50s and ’60s. The time was a transitional one - not only for the Middle East but for America and the world. Lebanon in this era was just coming into its own as a cosmopolitan destination of the international jet set as well as earnest American educators seeking to modernize Arab society.

Do you want to learn about the botanist John Bartram but don’t have the time or patience to read a thick book? Then this is the short and concise book for you! Some of the many accomplishments of John Bartram were: Established one of America’s first botanical gardens in Philadelphia. Held regular scientific correspondence with such notable scientists as: Peter Collinson, Carl Linnaeus, Alexander Garden, Benjamin Franklin, Cadwallader Colden, and more. Explored and recorded his journey into uncharted parts of up-state New York in the 1740s. Co-founded the American Philosophical Society ...

Where nature writing meets humor—a raucous, hilarious look at life in the high desert of Nevada, from the author of Raising Wild and Rants from the Hill.

West Winging It: An Unpresidential Memoir is the personal story of Pat Cunnane and his journey from outsider to insider, from his dreary job at a warehouse to his dream job at the White House. Pat pulls the drapes back on the most famous and exclusive building in the United States, telling the story of the real West Wing with compelling and quirky portraits of the people who populate the place, from the president to the press corps.

Just before Christmas, 1996, a beautiful French woman - the wife of a movie mogul - was brutally murdered outside of her holiday home in a remote region of West Cork, Ireland. The crime was reported by a local journalist, Ian Bailey, who was at the forefront of the case until he became the prime murder suspect. Arrested twice, he was released without charge. This was the start of a saga lasting decades with twists and turns and a battle for justice in two countries, which culminated in the 2019 conviction of Bailey - in his absence - by the French Criminal court in Paris.

Billy the Kid once said that he killed 22 men - one for each year that he lived. While it’s more likely that he only killed eight or nine, this young outlaw was clearly deadly. But his brief and brutal life reveals how his tragic existence led him into a life of crime. After growing up in poverty as an Irish immigrant in New York City and losing his father at a young age, Billy the Kid had to endure losing his mother when he was only 15.

This is the first full-length biography of this mid-twentieth century multi-faceted star. One of the central tensions of Dale's life revolved around chasing the elusive work/family balance, making her story instantly relatable to women today. In addition to fame, Dale longed for a happy, stable, family life. Her roles of wife and mother became the foundation for her public persona: the smart, smiling, cheerful cowgirl. Unusual for the time were Dale Evans's attempts to control the trajectory of her career at a time when men dominated decision-making in the entertainment fields.

In the 1790s an extraordinary group of friends changed the world. Disappointed by the French Revolution's rapid collapse into tyranny, what they wanted was nothing less than a revolution of the mind. The rulers of Europe had ordered their peoples how to think and act for too long. Based in the small German town of Jena, through poetry, drama, philosophy and science, they transformed the way we think about ourselves and the world around us. They were the first Romantics.

Charles Dickens was a literary giant, second only to Shakespeare in the ranks of England's greatest writers. This extensive biographical collection looks at the man, his novels and his legacy to provide an all-round portrait of the much-loved author.

G. K. Chesterton was a journalist, playwright, poet, biographer, novelist, essayist, literary commentator, editor, orator, artist, and theologian. Orthodoxy is his great apologia for the Christian faith, which was prompted by a serious attack in 1903 against Christianity by well-known newspaper editor Robert Blatchford.

The giant characters of history - from Mozart to Michelangelo, Shakespeare to Einstein, Henry VIII to Hitler, Catherine the Great to Margaret Thatcher, Jesus Christ to Genghis Khan - lived lives of astonishing drama and adventure, debauchery and slaughter, but they also formed our world and will shape our future. In this eclectic and surprising collection of short and entertaining life stories, Simon Sebag Montefiore introduces his choice of kings, empresses, sultans and conquerors as well as prophets, explorers, artists, actresses, courtesans and psychopaths.