Most Popular Books by HP Newquist

A magician never reveals his secrets . . . but HP Newquist does, in this illustrated history of magic and famous magicians! Magic is a word we use to describe something amazing, awe-inspiring, or spectacular. Truly great magic makes us believe in things we know can''t be real. In the hands of the greatest magicians, even a simple card trick can become truly wondrous. Now, in this nonfiction narrative of magic through the ages, HP Newquist explains how the world''s most famous tricks were created. From the oracles of ancient Egypt and the wizards of medieval Europe on to the exploits of Houdini and modern practitioners like Criss Angel, this book unlocks the secrets behind centuries of magic and illusion. Fully illustrated and including step-by-step instructions for eight classic magic tricks, this book will have middle-grade readers spellbound.

Have you been attacked by a great white shark? Gone over Niagara Falls in a barrel? Been exposed to anthrax? No, you haven''t, or you''d be dead. This Will Kill You reveals the intriguing facts behind the many ways humans bite the dust in encounters with deadly bugs, hungry predators, natural disasters, and freak occurrences. Thoroughly researched and illustrated, not to mention thoroughly hilarious, this book describes in deathly detail what happens to the body when it''s struck by lightning, slimed by a dart frog, or flung from a mountaintop. No other book has ever peaked under the Grim Reaper''s robe in such a straightforward and irreverent way. With a foreword by a physician at the Mayo Clinic, an afterword by a funeral director, lists of history''s most notable deaths, and a unique death rating system, everything you need to know about the ways in which we go are included in these pages.

(Book). This book is a virtual encyclopedia of great electric guitar players, with 35 chapters examining the major players in each important era of rock. The book begins with rock''s birth from the blues, covering masters like Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. It proceeds to cover rockabilly greats like Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Buddy Holly; through the mop tops and matching suits of the British Invasion; to the psychedelia of the Dead and Hendrix; glam rock''s dresses and distortion; fusion virtuosos like Metheny, Gambale, and Henderson; metal masters; shred stars; grunge gods; grindcore; and much more. Legends of Rock Guitar is not only a great resource for guitar fans, but an interesting and well-researched chronology of the rock idiom.

This lively history of transportation follows our fascinating route from primitive technology like sandals to driverless cars and beyond! Since humans first stood upright, we''ve been on the move. Need food? Water? Land? A place to live? Survival depends upon motion. For thousands of years, people have devised ways to move faster, farther, and more comfortably. Their inventions—shoes, skis, the rudder, the wheel, engines, rockets—have had an enormous impact on how and where human beings live and thrive. When human beings get a move on, change happens: - The wheel, probably first used in the Middle East around 6,000 years ago, meant building and trading supplies could be moved more easily—whole civilizations rolled out. - The Vikings sailed far and wide because they used a keel on their longships. - Horse-and-carriage gridlock gave rise to subways. - The bicycle changed the world for women in terms of freedom and fashion. - Drones and driverless cars are the future . . . coming sooner than we think. Award-winning author HP Newquist explores the transportation inventions and technologies that have transformed the way we experience the world around us. It’s a fascinating journey!

Chocolate . . . - Its scientific name means “food of the gods.” - The Aztecs mixed it with blood and gave it to sacrificial victims to drink. - The entire town of Hershey, Pennsylvania was built by Milton Hershey to support his chocolate factory. Its streetlights are shaped like chocolate Kisses. - The first men to climb to the top of Mount Everest buried a chocolate bar there as an offering to the gods of the mountain. - Every twenty-four hours, the U.S. chocolate industry goes through eight million pounds of sugar. - Its special flavor is created by a combination of 600 to 1000 different chemical compounds Join science author HP Newquist as he explores chocolate’s fascinating history. Along the way you’ll meet colorful characters like the feathered-serpent god Quetzalcoatl, who gave chocolate trees to the Aztecs; Henri Nestlé, who invented milk chocolate while trying to save the lives of babies who couldn’t nurse; and the quarrelsome Mars family, who split into two warring factions, one selling Milky Way, Snickers, and 3 Musketeers bars, the other Mars Bars and M&M’s. From its origin as the sacred, bitter drink of South American rulers to the familiar candy bars sold by today’s multimillion dollar businesses, people everywhere have fallen in love with chocolate, the world’s favorite flavor.

(Book). This book explores the secrets of nine players who have shaped the legacy of blues-rock guitar: Duane Allman, Roy Buchanan, Eric Clapton, Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Stevie Ray Vaughan. It offers biographical portraits highlighting each guitarist''s position and influence in blues-rock history; details on gear including setup and tone; descriptive analysis of playing techniques; and several annotated music examples. Helping readers emulate the stylings of the masters, the accompanying CD contains examples from the book, played with each artist''s preferred equipment.

This award–winning YA book takes readers on a fascinating tour through the world of blood—from ancient history to modern science. HP Newquist''s thrilling volume explores the dark and often fascinating tales about blood—with an occasional side trip to explore the stranger aspects about blood and our relationship to it. Though common among living beings, this substance is anything but ordinary. People have always feared and respected blood. It spills out at both birth and death, indicating events of the utmost significance. Ancient civilizations couldn''t perform religious rituals without this sacred substance. Doctors up through the nineteenth century attempted to cure mysterious illnesses by draining their patients'' blood. Scientists only recently began to understand how its microscopic components nourish the entire body, why simple transfusions don''t always work, and that bloodletting likely killed people who otherwise would have lived. Back before people understood what blood really was, they had to weave their own explanations. From vampire legends to medieval medical practices and Mayan sacrificial rites, this comprehensive investigation into blood''s past and present will surely enthrall. And if this account is a little blood-curdling, well, that''s half the fun! Winner of the Magnolia Award

The science and inventions that make us who we are . . . literally! Did you know the first blood transfusions were between people and lambs? Or that the first prosthetic hand with a hook was created so a French soldier could hold the reins of his horse in battle? Or that scientists recently grew a nose? Invention & Impact, an exciting new series from PYRG-Smithsonian, introduces young readers to experiments, discoveries, and breakthroughs such as these, which have huge impacts on our world. Designed with exciting images from the Smithsonian''s vast collections, each highly visual book in the series starts with a big idea and then explores that concept through specific objects that give kids the micro and meta picture on how inventions and ideas connect over time. The debut book in the series looks at one of the most complex systems on planet Earth: the human body. From artificial eyeballs to aspirin to 3-D printed body parts, The Human Body profiles the objects that scientists and tinkerers throughout history have invented (or cobbled together) to protect, repair, or improve our physical selves. And there are plenty of fascinating stories behind these objects!

Learn about the history of forensic science, how to collect and analyze evidence, and get one step closer to being a world-class, crime-solving detective! From the critically acclaimed author of The Book of Chocolate, The Human Body, and From Here to There, comes an all new nonfiction deep dive into forensic science. What is evidence and how do investigators gather it? How do you determine how long a body has been dead? Do fingerprints differ from person to person? How did some of the world''s great fictional detectives, like Sherlock Holmes, further the study of forensics? Packed with lively photos, classroom activities, and engaging prose, budding private eyes and scientists will be eager to find the answers to these and other questions in HP Newquist''s latest, and to learn about everything from the world''s first autopsy in Ancient Rome to the role that DNA plays in solving crimes along the way.

A mysterious car crash results in the death of three boys in a small rural town. Later that night, people living nearby begin disappearing. One at a time. Something has been released. Rumors spread and townspeople claim there are rational explanations. But the seemingly normal village has a haunted past: missing children and whispers about a strange creature in the woods. The one person who tries to find an explanation discovers that he may be the next to disappear. And that is when truly unspeakable things start to happen . . .

Three strangers are invited to the opening of a Manhattan art gallery and find nothing more than a single white sculpture etched with an image of a scorpion. No other guests. No artist. No explanation. That night, a woman is found dead in the river, her neck marked with a scorpion tattoo. The three strangers-women with quiet lives-become the focus of an aggressive detective who thinks they had something to do with the scorpion tattoo murder. More disturbing, they become the target of the gallery artist . . . who is intent on hunting them down, one-by-one. The women are drawn into a nightmare of lies, mistrust, and betrayal. They take it upon themselves to find the reclusive gallery artist, who believes that causing pain is the highest form of art. And he won''t stop until he has turned one of them into his most terrifying creation.

Presents a collection of exciting trivia for boys, including information on supercars, pizza statistics, and nature''s deadliest poisons, and provides tips on such subjects as fighting sharks, creating codes, and escaping.