Michael Murrin here offers the first analysis to bring an understanding of both the history of literature and the history of warfare to the study of the epic.

Known as the King of Pop, Michael Jackson is one of the most amazing entertainers in history. His catchy songs became number-one hits in many countries. In this fascinating introduction, young readers will learn about Michael’s early life and his path to the top of the charts and the pop music world. Each 24-page book in this series of introductory biographies features controlled text with age-appropriate vocabulary and simple sentence construction. The narrative text, colorful design, and colorful photos will speak to even the most reluctant of readers.

Maffeo Vegio (1407-1458) was the outstanding Latin poet of the first half of the fifteenth century. This volume includes Book XIII of Vergil's Aeneid, Vegio's famous continuation of the Roman epic, which was extremely popular in the later Renaissance, printed many times and translated into every major European language (and even into Scottish). It also contains three other epic works: Astyanax, based on an episode in the Iliad; The Golden Fleece (Vellum Aureum); and Antonias, a short epic based on the life of Saint Anthony of Egypt. Antonias is the first Christian epic of the Renaissance, a precursor of Milton's Paradise Lost. This volume contains the first modern editions of the Latin text of Antonias and Astyanax. Table of Contents: Introduction Book XIII of the Aeneid Astyanax The Golden Fleece Antoniad Appendix Note on the Text Notes to the Text Notes to the Translation Bibliography Index

"As panoramic as it is learned, this is ancient history for our globalized world." -- Tom Holland, author of Dynasty and Rubicon Twenty-five-hundred years ago, civilizations around the world entered a revolutionary new era that overturned old order and laid the foundation for our world today. In the face of massive social changes across three continents, radical new forms of government emerged; mighty wars were fought over trade, religion, and ideology; and new faiths were ruthlessly employed to unify vast empires. The histories of Rome and China, Greece and India-the stories of Constantine and Confucius, Qin Shi Huangdi and Hannibal-are here revealed to be interconnected incidents in the midst of a greater drama. In Ancient Worlds, historian Michael Scott presents a gripping narrative of this unique age in human civilization, showing how diverse societies responded to similar pressures and how they influenced one another: through conquest and conversion, through trade in people, goods, and ideas. An ambitious reinvention of our grandest histories, Ancient Worlds reveals new truths about our common human heritage. "A bold and imaginative page-turner that challenges ideas about the world of antiquity." UPeter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads

Genesis is a book of beginnings. It introduces us to several biblical themes, including God's authorship of life. In a world that blames the Creator for disasters and credits luck or karma for life's blessings, God's people need reminding that he is crafting a wondrous story of redemption and grace. Within Genesis, we are called to play the part of faithful children so that we might overcome this world and inherit the one to come. In God's story, we discover how to live out our own. The Epic of God will guide you passage-by-passage through the book of Genesis in hopes of deepening your trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. -- cover of book

Ever had a stupid nickname? A rotten run of bad luck? A best friend who just looks on the bright side, even when the bright side looks black? Well Eric Vale's got all three. Once I used to be just plain old boring Eric Vale. And that was totally fine by me. I didn't want a nickname. But then one day, I got one anyway. And it ended up being way worse than Choo-Choo or Snotty or King Pong or even Booger Brain. Yep, no doubt about it. My nickname was an epic fail! We all have moments in life we would like to forget. But as much as he'd like to erase it from the history books, Eric Vale isn't likely to forget the day his name became an Epic Fail. Neither, it seems, is the fifth grade class at Moreton Hill Primary School. This is the story of one of those awkward and seemingly unforgettable events that define our childhood -- and one boy's dogged determination to turn an Epic Fail into a Mega-Awesome Epic Win.

An ancient proverb holds the key to restoring the long-awaited wizard fortress of Aero'set. Sitting in the front room of his family's cottage, TY listens intently as Nyalis conveys the urgency of his upcoming quest. Having agreed to search out the four missing pieces of an age-old relic, Ty soon discovers how unprepared he is for a mission of this importance. Not only must he find the missing pieces and assemble them, he must survive long enough to figure out how to use them before the White Tower closes in. Desperate to reach Rhowynn ahead of Chief Inquisitor Sylas, FERRIN pushes his small band of convicts to their limits—his twin sister's life depends on it. On foot, they fight their way through the harsh winter countryside of Sidara, hoping to find someone willing to help. But the help they find is not what they expect, and the battle that ensues will likely mean the end of them all. Still struggling with the loss of his memories, AYRION and his companions travel north, eager to find a safe haven in the rugged mountain community of Wellhollow. Instead, they find an army of Black Watch purging the town of wielders. And when a local seer reveals a disturbing prophecy that directly links his fate to hers, Ayrion finds himself donning his black leather coat and twin blades once again. Meanwhile, in Easthaven, ADARRA makes a shocking discovery. Not only were the Tallosians who attacked her home part of Mangora's scheme, it seems they are also part of a much larger invasion—an invasion Easthaven isn't prepared to withstand. The third book in this award-winning epic fantasy saga continues where the second left off, with a world in desperate need of saving, as powers beyond their control threaten to bring the Five Kingdoms to its knees. Street Rats of Aramoor Book 1: Banished Book 2: Hurricane Book 3: Rockslide Book 4: Sandstorm Book 5: Wildfire Book 6: Avalanche The Aldoran Chronicles Book 1: The White Tower Book 2: Plague of Shadows Book 3: The Four-Part Key Book 4: The Tunnels Beneath

Reflections on a lost poem and its rediscovery by contemporary poets Gilgamesh is the most ancient long poem known to exist. It is also the newest classic in the canon of world literature. Lost for centuries to the sands of the Middle East but found again in the 1850s, it tells the story of a great king, his heroism, and his eventual defeat. It is a story of monsters, gods, and cataclysms, and of intimate friendship and love. Acclaimed literary historian Michael Schmidt provides a unique meditation on the rediscovery of Gilgamesh and its profound influence on poets today. Schmidt describes how the poem is a work in progress even now, an undertaking that has drawn on the talents and obsessions of an unlikely cast of characters, from archaeologists and museum curators to tomb raiders and jihadis. Fragments of the poem, incised on clay tablets, were scattered across a huge expanse of desert when it was recovered in the nineteenth century. The poem had to be reassembled, its languages deciphered. The discovery of a pre-Noah flood story was front-page news on both sides of the Atlantic, and the poem's allure only continues to grow as additional cuneiform tablets come to light. Its translation, interpretation, and integration are ongoing. In this illuminating book, Schmidt discusses the special fascination Gilgamesh holds for contemporary poets, arguing that part of its appeal is its captivating otherness. He reflects on the work of leading poets such as Charles Olson, Louis Zukofsky, and Yusef Komunyakaa, whose own encounters with the poem are revelatory, and he reads its many translations and editions to bring it vividly to life for readers.

"Not every flying hero has a cape." —Michael Jordan Essential facts and stories all young basketball fans should know, plus inspiring quotes and brilliant photos Michael Jordan left his mark on the game as a larger-than-life competitor who dazzled the world, pushed the boundaries of his sport, and never settled for anything less than the best. The Chicago Bulls legend is known as the greatest basketball player of all time, but he is so much more than just an athlete. The man who made fans want to "Be Like Mike" revolutionized the world of sports, is an ambassador for the game around the world, and serves as a role model to millions.? In The Legend of Michael Jordan, readers will learn about MJ's early days growing up in North Carolina, his six championships with the Chicago Bulls, the impact he had on fashion and pop culture, and his burning desire to win.? This must-own book is a great way to introduce young ballers to basketball's Greatest of All Time. Other titles in this series: The Legend of Kobe Bryant

Part of a new series Legends from the Ancient North, The Wanderer tells the classic tales that influenced JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings 'So the company of men led a careless life, All was well with them: until One began To encompass evil, an enemy from hell. Grendel they called this cruel spirit...' J.R.R. Tolkien spent much of his life studying, translating and teaching the great epic stories of northern Europe, filled with heroes, dragons, trolls, dwarves and magic. He was hugely influential for his advocacy of Beowulf as a great work of literature and, even if he had never written The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, would be recognised today as a significant figure in the rediscovery of these extraordinary tales. Legends from the Ancient North brings together from Penguin Classics five of the key works behind Tolkien's fiction.They are startling, brutal, strange pieces of writing, with an elemental power brilliantly preserved in these translations.They plunge the reader into a world of treachery, quests, chivalry, trials of strength.They are the most ancient narratives that exist from northern Europe and bring us as near as we will ever get to the origins of the magical landscape of Middle-earth (Midgard) which Tolkien remade in the 20th century.