New Releases by Don Nardo

Certain universal themes run throughout mythologies of the many and diverse peoples of the past. Each pantheon of deities has at least one creator god, for instance. Gods of justice, war, and love are also common. Gods of World Mythology explores some of the leading gods of the Greeks, Romans, Norse, Hindus, Chinese, Aztecs, and Igbo.

Every people and religion in human history has produced its own stories and legends about how the universe, world, and/or human race came to be. This book explores the fascinating creation myths of the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Babylonians, Aztecs, Hindus, and Chinese.

From bustling cities with gleaming skyscrapers, to deep, mysterious jungles, Southeast Asia is a region of fantastic extremes. On the one hand, it is made up of modern nations with houses, cars, and businesses like those in the United States. On the other, these lands feature large stretches of wild territory where elephants and tigers still roam in the shadows of towering, active volcanoes. Such extremes do not bother the people of Southeast Asia. In fact, they are proud to be modern caretakers of their sprawling national parks and the rich array of wild creatures and plants within them. At the same time, the Indonesians, Cambodians, and other Southeast Asians strive to preserve their native cultures. These range from ancient faiths like Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, and traditional religions to modern pastimes like soccer, computer blogging, and taking in the latest Star Trek movie.

North Africa, composed of Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco, is a region in the midst of major transition. Long ruled by brutal local dictators, in 2011 several of those nations threw out their unpopular rulers and demanded the institution of democracy. Meanwhile, most young North Africans are far better educated than they were only a few decades ago. They study hard, hoping to scoop up high-paying jobs. The Egyptians, Libyans, and other North Africans are therefore pushing for better, brighter futures. At the same time, however, many aspects of their culture remain rooted in tradition. Among these are family and gender roles, religious and marriage customs, and traditional foods and folk music. As a result, North African culture remains old-world, charming, and even quaint, while its politics, education, and finances keep pace with the fast-changing outside world.

A series of photos taken from space more than 20 years ago revealed thousands of unknown galaxies in a tiny patch of "empty" space. Called the Hubble Deep Field, the amazing image is made up of hundreds of photos combined into one. It was taken over the course of 10 days from the Hubble Space Telescope and has prompted astronomers and other scientists to speculate about universe''s size, shape, and age. How long ago did the first galaxies appear? Have they always looked like they do today, or have their shapes evolved over time? And will they, along with the universe itself, go on expanding forever? The Hubble Deep Field has helped to answer some of these questions.

Everyone makes mistakes, but they're not often on display for the whole world to see. These blunders in battle have gone down in history and will never be forgotten.

The tragic events of September 11, 2001 sent shockwaves around the globe that are still felt today. Nearly 3,000 people died in the terrorist attacks and thousands more were injured.æ On the afternoon of the attacks, three firefighters paused in their rescue work to raise an American flag at Ground Zero in New York City. In the midst of horror and despair, the iconic photo of the men would remind Americans that they were far from beaten. It represented the countryÍs strength, courage, decency, and its hope for the future.

Franklin Delano RooseveltÜthe longest serving president in U.S. historyÜsuccessfully guided Americans through two of the worst crises ever. He succeeded where others had failed in pulling the country back from the brink of collapse during the Great Depression. He lifted Americans' spirits and turned them away from fear and defeatism. Then came the horrors and devastation of World War II. The brilliant and courageous Roosevelt proved to be an outstanding commander in chief, leading the world to victory over the powers of evil.

This book explores what life was really like for everyday people in Ancient Greece. Using primary sources and information from archeological discoveries, it uncovers some fascinating insights and explodes some myths. Supported by timelines, maps and references to important events and people, children will really feel they are on a time-travelling journey when reading this book.

This book explores what life was really like for everyday people in Ancient Rome. Using primary sources and information from archeological discoveries, it uncovers some fascinating insights and explodes some myths. Supported by timelines, maps and references to important events and people, children will really feel they are on a time-travelling journey when reading this book.

Our heart is our motor. Without it, we cease to exist, when it's in peril, all other systems of the body are impacted. It is crucial that children learn early on that taking care of their heart is crucial. Studies are conclusive, for several years now, that certain foods we eat put us on the track to major heart problems. Give your readers this approachable guidebook on how diet can be used to control and even prevent heart disease.

Author Don Nardo examines the many aspects of science underlying the popular sport of surfing. This book discusses the physics of waves, the science behind board shape and how riders stay on the board, covering the principles of gravity, buoyancy, and water surface tension. It also covers the scientific principles behind movements such as popping-up on the board; catching a wave; riding a wave; turning; the "hang-ten"; the "duck dive"; the "turtle roll"; and others. Other connections to science are made through discussion of wiping out, rip currents, collisions and typical injuries, hypothermia, and shark attacks. This volume discusses psychological aspects, especially anxiety.

Mathew Brady recognized that the new art of photography could be more than just a means of capturing people''s likenesses in portraits. Beginning with the First Battle of Bull Run in 1861 and continuing through the entire Civil War, Brady and his employees chronicled the long, bloody conflict, bringing images of war directly to the people. Brady knew the photos would create valuable historical records for later generations. More than any other photographer of his generation, Brady understood photography''s great potential and through his influence, he taught others to understand it as well.

"Discusses the iconic Blue Marble photo of Earth taken by the Apollo 17 astronauts in December 1972"--

Contents printed back-to-back and inverted.

Examines the photojournalism of Heinrich Hoffman, the personal photographer of Adolf Hitler, and the impact Hoffman''s photos had on events during the early years of World War II.

World War II was in its early days when brutal German dictator Adolf Hitler paid a visit to Paris, the capital of France. Only days before, on June 14, 1940, German soldiers had overrun the city, shocking the world. Hitler now viewed the city''s cultural treasures as his own. He posed for a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower, the beloved symbol of France and the country''s free, democratic people. The photo, taken by his personal photographer, Heinrich Hoffmann, would show the world that Nazi Germany had triumphed over its bitter enemy. Many who viewed the photo in newspapers around the globe would draw a second conclusion that Germany would almost certainly invade Britain next. And if Britain fell, Hitler would be a huge step closer to his ultimate goal of world domination.

Thousands of years ago, the Egyptians had no cranes or other advanced lifting devices. Yet they managed to build the tallest structures the world would see until modern times. These great engineering feats--three gigantic pyramids--still tower above the desert sands at Giza, near Egypt's capital, Cairo. Correlates with STEM instruction. Includes glossary, websites, and bibliography for further reading.

Introduce readers to the elaborate mythology of ancient Egypt. This book provides detailed discussion of the mythology''s importance to its own culture and the impact it had on subsequent cultures. The numerous deities worshipped by the ancient Egyptians are described and their importance to different groups and in different regions within the empire are explained. Stories are retold along with explanation of how they reflect the values and concerns of Egyptian culture. Readers will also learn how the myths have made their way to Pop culture.

The peoples of ancient Mesopotamia oversaw one of the major cradles of human civilization. The world''s first cities and empires grew on the plains of what is now Iraq. Some of the world''s first farmers worked land in what historians call the Fertile Crescent.

The U.S. Navy is the largest and strongest naval force in the world. Its sailors serve all around the world in many types of jobs. In 2011 a Navy unit made history. A group of highly trained commandos, the Navy SEALS, brought down terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden.

Author Don Nardo examines the ancient civilizations and peoples of Persian mythology. Origin / creation stories, early gods, mythical kings and heroes, and Zoroastrianism are all covered. This volume has a map of ancient Persia, a visual organizer grouping major characters, a table of major characters with name pronunciations and brief descriptions, a glossary, sidebars, fact boxes, and bibliography of sources for further study, and a subject index.

This volume looks at Babylonian Mythology, drawing connections between ancient Babylonian culture and its myths, explaining how the beliefs, values, and experiences of that culture are represented in its treasured stories. Readers are treated to a map of ancient Mesopotamia, a family tree of the major gods, a table of major characters with name pronunciations with brief descriptions, sidebars, and fact boxes.

This volume examines Greek mythology, drawing connections between ancient Greek culture and its myths. It explains how the beliefs, values, and experiences of that culture are represented in its treasured stories of gods, demi-gods, monsters, and heroes. This volume includes a map of ancient Greece, a family tree of the major gods, a table of major characters with name pronunciations and brief descriptions, a glossary, sidebars, fact boxes, a bibliography of sources for further study, and a subject index.

"Describes the history and future of human space exploration"--Provided by publisher.

This must-have volume provides an overview of the rise and expansion of the Islamic Empire, Muslim conquests, and later dynasties and empires. Author Don Nardo presents a thorough and sensitive study of Islam''s past and present. Readers will learn about Muhammad and early Muslim conquests. They will learn about Islam''s golden age and its existence today. Full-color photographs, maps, illustrations, timelines, and sidebars support the text.

Describes the origins of the most important Greek myths along with the personalities and special powers of the major Greek gods and goddesses.

This fascinating volume focuses on the women''s movement, featuring quotations from sources such as diaries, public records, and contemporary chronicles. Author Don Nardo explains the ordeal of being an American woman in days without rights. He then details the long road to the ballot box, and the emergence of a new, powerful public woman. The gender equality struggle is richly chronicled here.

One the least understood places in the world, the North and South poles have captivated the imagine of scientists, adventurers, and ordinary people for centuries. With an abundance of natural resources, including crude oil, and the possibility for new scientific breakthroughs, the race to understand the poles has at various times led many nations to make political claims in a rush to exercise control over this terrain. This comprehensive volume offers detailed accounts of the major polar explorations, the political and scientific stakes in the quest to map and contain the Arctic and Antarctica. Chapters discuss the contest for the North Pole, the "heroic age" of exploration of the South Pole during the beginning of the twentieth century, the evolution of scientific technology and its effect on research in the harsh environment, and the trends in modern polar research.

Recounts events leading up to the Civil War and provides insight into the economic, cultural, and educational differences of the Northerners and Southerners.