New Releases by Raymond Bial

The Shaker faith is estimated to have had a total of fewer than 20,000 members across its 250-year history, yet more than 100,000 people visit the various Shaker villages and museums scattered across the eastern United States every year. We are still fascinated with the world of the Shakers, and authentic examples of Shaker architecture, furniture, and crafts are prized wherever they remain. In The Shaker Village, author and photographer Raymond Bial brings readers the history of the Shaker religion and an examination of the Shaker way of life, which was based on cooperation and self-sufficiency. Each Shaker village was built with the goal of creating a heaven on earth for its inhabitants. The Shaker people were among the first in America to apply science and new learning directly to traditional farming and homekeeping. They invented or improved significantly upon designs of many farm and household items, including some still used today: the flat broom, the slotted spoon, the circular saw, and the idea of selling gardening seeds in packets. Although each Shaker community was self-supporting, the Shakers' success at applying their core values—simplicity, utility, and tranquility—carried Shaker villages to a point of abundance: they were able to export their beautiful furniture, delicious foods, and superior wares to the outside world, where they have been appreciated ever since. The Shaker Village is generously illustrated with Bial's evocative photographs of buildings and artifacts from the Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, one of the largest and best-preserved Shaker sites. The Shaker movement reached its peak in the mid-nineteenth century. Membership began to drop with the onset of the Civil War, and as the new promise of industrialization began to take hold in America, Shaker numbers steadily dwindled. Although the Shaker religion has all but departed, The Shaker Village captures a revelatory glimpse of a legacy that still resounds with modern Americans.

Founded as a humble trading post along the Mississippi River 250 years ago, St. Louis has since grown into a thriving metropolis. It appears to be a calm city, but like the mighty Mississippi, it has powerful undercurrents. Known as the "Gateway to the West," St. Louis was a port city and home to many manufacturing businesses making everything from shoes to ships. St. Louis, though, is perhaps best known for its breweries and distilleries. St. Louis: Out and About in the Gateway City captures the energy of people bustling along the street, dining out and going to movies, hopping a trolley, swimming, picnicking, clip-clopping along in horse and carriage, ice skating, or driving an automobile. It also touches upon issues of the day that had to be overcome--suffrage, the Great Depression, and civil rights, to name a few--and shows the resilient spirit of the people of St. Louis.

Throughout the centuries, Native American tribes have populated North America. Each generation left a unique mark on the continent. Many nations formed thriving communities in coastal towns, on mountainsides, and in the valleys, hills, and forests. They had their own beliefs, religious practices, and rituals. One such tribe was the Blackfeet. This book explores the history of the Blackfeet, their culture, customs, and traditions, and describes the importance of the tribe today.

For thousands of years, Native American tribes have populated North America. They built great civilizations, cultures, and communities in the hills, valleys, and forests of the continent. They sang songs that gave praise to their gods, and taught their children the stories and beliefs of their people. One of the most well-known and well-remembered tribes was the Navajo. Despite encountering hardship and the Long Walk in the 1860s, they developed a rich culture that persists to this day.

People have inhabited North America for centuries. Among their descendants are many Native American tribes. Today, one tribe with a rich history is the Mandan. The Mandan have a vibrant culture and past, filled with challenges and triumphs. This book discusses the Mandan’s beginnings, as well as their present-day happenings, and explores their future in an ever-changing world.

North America was inhabited Native tribes some ten thousand years ago. As generations passed, the tribes formed individual communities, full of rich customs, beliefs, and ideals. Despite facing hardship in later centuries, the First People of North America continue to thrive in modern times. This book discusses the origin of the Tlingit, their rituals, beliefs, and culture, and their importance in society today.

The Arapaho is a tribe with ancient origins. Their ancestors populated North America and spread their influence throughout the continent. Eventually, their encounters with Europeans challenged their way of life and transformed their communities forever. This book discusses the tribe’s beginnings, its history, and its presence today, celebrating the men, women, and children who have made up the tribe throughout its existence.

The Shoshone have a long and varied history. Their members were among the first bands of Native Americans to welcome the Lewis and Clark expedition in the early 1800s. One of the most famous Native American women, a Shoshone named Sacagawea, became instrumental and invaluable to this particular expedition. Over the centuries that followed, the Shoshone endured many hardships. However, they have persevered and continue to have a presence today. This is the story of the Shoshone, from their beginnings to the modern day.

The people of the Cherokee Nation were descendants of the first Native Americans to live in North America. Over time, they developed their own culture, identity, language, beliefs, and customs. However, their lifestyles became threatened with the arrival of Europeans. By the 1830s, many people living in the United States wanted Native Americans moved onto reservations. One of the most difficult experiences for the Cherokee Nation was the forced removal of the Cherokee from their lands to Oklahoma. This was called the Trail of Tears. In this book, the history of the Cherokee people is told, from their earliest days to hardships during the nineteenth century, to how they have endured in the modern age.

In Native American history, the Iroquois have earned their place as one of the most democratic alliances with some of the most formidable warriors. United by a language and a desire to improve their lifestyles, the Iroquois Nations helped shape United States history. This book details the story of the Five, and later Six, Iroquois Nations—the Cayuga, the Seneca, the Onondaga, the Oneida, the Mohawk, and the Tuscarora: who they were, how the Iroquois Confederacy was formed, and the struggles the Iroquois faced with the arrival of European settlers. Likewise, it describes what these tribes are like today and what new experiences they face in modern society.

Native Americans were the first people to call North America home. Each nation, or tribe, has its own history, full of tales of triumph and hardship. The Menominee Nation settled in the upper Midwest. Throughout their existence, they have faced many obstacles and fought for many causes. This is the story of how they became a culture and where they are today.

Over the course of its history, North America has been home to many different animals, including humans. The first humans to call North America home came over thousands of years ago from Russia. They traveled the earth looking for animals to provide meat and clothing. One of these groups contained the ancestors of the Delaware. The Delaware Nation was one of the first nations to encounter English settlers. Their story of triumph, hardship, and how they overcame obstacles to remain one of the standard communities today is told here.

The history of Native Americans in North America stretches millennia. One Native group that evolved from one of the first tribes is the Crow. This group traveled the migration routes of the buffalo in the Plains. They made peace with some tribes and war with others. The men and women of the Crow Nation today celebrate their heritage and history.

North America has been inhabited by communities since prehistoric times. Some of the oldest communities are now today known as Native American nations, or tribes. This series takes a close look at the tribes that have influenced North America. Despite hardship and sorrow, these Native people have survived centuries and have passed down their beliefs, traditions, and practices through generations. This series celebrates each Native nation and aspires to educate others about the First People of North America. EACH BOOK CONTAINS Each book contains an in-depth history of the Native American tribe, including individual chapters focusing on their beliefs, early communities, and their presence in the world today. Recipes unique to the tribe are also included, with careful instruction on how to make specific dishes. These books give an overview of what the tribe was like in their earliest stages and examines how they have evolved into the communities they are today. CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS - Uses text and pictures to closely connect the reader to the topic - Depicts an in-depth study of a specific culture - Includes primary sources, including photographs and myths specific to the tribe - Promotes further research into the tribal community

Native Americans first came to settle North America many thousands of years ago. The Cree is an ancient group that chose to set up their communities in Quebec, Canada. Their ancestors passed down their history from one generation to the next through word of mouth. As years passed, the Cree built communities and faced many challenges. This is the story of the Cree nation, how they survived hardships and obstacles, and continued into the present day.

Looks at the problem of dog overpopulation in America; discusses the role of puppy mills, pet stores, and independent breeders; and includes a profile of a local animal shelter.

The story of the island where the immigrants went when they came to America looking for a better way of life and the museum that preserves these memories.

Includes a brief biography of President Lincoln, a list of locations where he walked, and photographs of places, buildings, and objects significant in his life.

The low-lying prairie on which Champaign came to be established was once described as "one vast pond where the mud turtle and water moccasin luxuriated, the mosquito wound his bugle, and the frogs gave a rival symphony." From humble origins as a stop on the Illinois Central Railroad called West Urbana, the cluster of buildings quickly became a bustling town of square storefronts, with horses and wagons hitched along wood-plank sidewalks. Gradually rising above muddy thoroughfares, Champaign grew into a charming city in which trolleys rumbled along brick streets. Elegant homes were built and churches established, along with shops and stores, and municipal services and utilities, not to mention parks, opera houses, and confectioneries.

If there is any such thing as a "super" plant, that plant is the soybean. Used for an amazing variety of things--plastics, fuel, soap, and medicine--soybeans are also a healthy food source for animals and people.

Discusses the history, culture, beliefs, changing ways, and notable people of the Shawnee.

Chronicles Washington's path from the farm he inherited at age eleven, to the forests and marshes where he battled against the British, to the halls of government where he made his political mark, and finally, to the fields of Mount Vernon, where he spent

Travel to the sites where colonial villages, longhouses, missions and presidios, frontier settlements, and cow towns once thrived. Bial's photography captures the amazing spirit of the many different people who carved communities from our rugged land. Discover how they built homes and started businesses, made and traded goods,m and worked incredibly hard to realize their dreams.

Travel to the sites where colonial villages, longhouses, missions and presidios, frontier settlements, and cow towns once thrived. Bial's photography captures the amazing spirit of the many different people who carved communities from our rugged land. Discover how they built homes and started businesses, made and traded goods,m and worked incredibly hard to realize their dreams.

Life on the Lower East Side was bustling. Immigrants from many European countries had come to make a better life for themselves and their families in the United States. But the wages they earned were so low that they could afford only the most basic accommodations—tenements. Unfortunately, there were few laws protecting the residents of tenements, and landlords took advantage of this by allowing the buildings to become cramped and squalid. There was little the tenants could do; their only other choice was the street. Though most immigrants struggled in these buildings, many overcame a difficult start and saw generations after them move on to better apartments, homes, and lives. Raymond Bial reveals the first, challenging step in this process as he leads us on a tour of the sights and sounds of the Lower East Side, guiding us through the dark hallways, staircases, and rooms of the tenements.

In the Building American series, noted author-photographer Raymond Bail provides an absorbing account of how technology helped shape and define the American landscape from colonial through frontier times. The form and purpose of farms, forts, and mills are discussed, as is the significance of these buildings in United States history. A medley of the author's and period photographs, archival paintings, and line drawings from artist Eric Sloane's celebrated works further enhance a distinguished achievement of historical, architectural, and technological interest.

Grade level: 5, 6, 7, 8, e, i, s.

Photographs and text profile the history and life of the Nez Perce Indians.

Discusses the history, culture, beliefs, changing ways, and notable people of the Apache.

Discusses the history, culture, social structure, beliefs, and notable people of the Cheyenne.