An old Indian blessing which becomes a curse, shadows Bryce Harrington’s early life during summer stays at his stepmother’s family farm at Kickapoo Crossing in northeast Iowa. The blessing of the Kickapoo Indians follows him as a young U.S. Navy intelligence officer serving in the Soviet Union and France during World War II. But the Kickapoo blessing urns into a curse by careless actions of a 4-F guitar-playing bootlegger at Kickapoo Crossing while Bryce Harrington is gone, and destroys virtually the entire family who nurtured him in his youth. But Bryce Harrington is protected by a special talisman given him by his dying Grandma Susie; and, following his return to the U.S. for further education, he learns of the colossal Russian blunder of not recycling precious palladium pellets used in fertilizer production by former Soviet munitions make Azurite Fertilizer Works. He returns there as a businessman and also as an undercover agent for the U.S. Pentagon to learn new secret Soviet methods with codes that were shutting down U.S. surveillance of Russian military operations. Bryce Harrington’s success in this endeavor and subsequently in business, and his resolution of the Kickapoo curse, follow in a thrilling, mysterious conclusion.

Historically accurate Hymn To The Sun traces three lives through some of ancient Egypt's most turbulent and transitional years: The Pharaoh Akhenaten, the world's first monotheist, whose belief in one God in Egypt's polytheistic society caused a revolution over three thousand years ago and produced his world-classic literary masterpiece Hymn To The Sun that formed the basis for his worship ceremonies to the Aten; Queen Nefertiti, Akhenaten's beautiful and beloved wife who grew up with him and, until the very last, stood by her beleaguered husband; And Aye, the power behind the thrones of four Pharaohs and who helped develop what museums today exhibit as treasured reminders of that era. Successful in various arts, war, politics and power struggles, Aye marched in youth from a poor stonecutter's home in Athribis to become Pharaoh of Egypt and custodian of Akhenaten's and Tutankhamon's treasures. This novel answers questions historians have been asking for centuries: What happened to the Pharaoh Akhenaten? How did he die? And why? What happened after his death to the one-God religion Akhenaten founded? What happened to Nefertiti? And their daughters? Why was the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamon so full of treasure when it was discovered?

In 1925 I went into Oklahoma looking for snake lore, and I came out with a fear of snakes that will last me the rest of my life. I admit it is foolish, since there are natural explanations for everything I saw and heard, but it masters me none the less. If the old story had been all there was to it, I would not have been so badly shaken. My work as an American Indian ethnologist has hardened me to all kinds of extravagant legendry, and I know that simple white people can beat the redskins at their own game when it comes to fanciful inventions. But I can't forget what I saw with my own eyes at the insane asylum in Guthrie.I called at that asylum because a few of the oldest settlers told me I would find something important there. Neither Indians nor white men would discuss the snake-god legends I had come to trace. The oil-boom newcomers, of course, knew nothing of such matters, and the red men and old pioneers were plainly frightened when I spoke of them. Not more than six or seven people mentioned the asylum, and those who did were careful to talk in whispers. But the whisperers said that Dr. McNeill could shew me a very terrible relic and tell me all I wanted to know. He could explain why Yig, the half-human father of serpents, is a shunned and feared object in central Oklahoma, and why old settlers shiver at the secret Indian orgies which make the autumn days and nights hideous with the ceaseless beating of tom-toms in lonely places.

The cavalry action described here was carefully planned and executed by Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie. His regiment, the 4th, provided six handpicked companies of experienced Indian campaigners. Also included were the famous Seminole-Negro Indian Scouts, a detachment of which was commanded by Lieutenant John L. Bullis. Carefully chosen by the President, because of the reputation of the regiment and its commander, a secret mission into Mexico was made to punish a band of hostile Kickapoo and Lipan's who had rendered life and property on the Texas frontier untenable.

Insight Guides, the world's largest visual travel guide series, in association with Discovery Channel, the world's premier source of nonfiction entertainment, provides more insight than ever. From the most popular resort cities to the most exotic villages, Insight Guides capture the unique character of each culture with an insider's perspective.Inside every Insight Guide you'll find:.Evocative, full-colour photography on every page.Cross-referenced, full-colour maps throughout.A brief introduction including a historical timeline.Lively essays by local writers on the culture, history, and people.Expert evaluations on the sights really worth seeing .Special features spotlighting particular topics of interest.A comprehensive Travel Tips section with listings of the best restaurants, hotels, and attractions, as well as practical information on getting around and advice for travel with children

Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque is a collection of previously-published short stories by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1840.

In Every Root an Anchor, writer and arborist R. Bruce Allison celebrates Wisconsin's most significant, unusual, and historic trees. More than one hundred tales introduce us to trees across the state, some remarkable for their size or age, others for their intriguing histories. From magnificent elms to beloved pines to Frank Lloyd Wright's oaks, these trees are woven into our history, contributing to our sense of place. They are anchors for time-honored customs, manifestations of our ideals, and reminders of our lives' most significant events. For this updated edition, Allison revisits the trees' histories and tells us which of these unique landmarks are still standing. He sets forth an environmental message as well, reminding us to recognize our connectedness to trees and to manage our tree resources wisely. As early Wisconsin conservationist Increase Lapham said, "Tree histories increase our love of home and improve our hearts. They deserve to be told and remembered."

126 myths: sacred stories, animal myths, local legends, many more. Plus background on Cherokee history, notes on the myths and parallels. Features 20 maps and illustrations.

A supplemental textbook for middle and high school students, Hoosiers and the American Story provides intimate views of individuals and places in Indiana set within themes from American history. During the frontier days when Americans battled with and exiled native peoples from the East, Indiana was on the leading edge of America’s westward expansion. As waves of immigrants swept across the Appalachians and eastern waterways, Indiana became established as both a crossroads and as a vital part of Middle America. Indiana’s stories illuminate the history of American agriculture, wars, industrialization, ethnic conflicts, technological improvements, political battles, transportation networks, economic shifts, social welfare initiatives, and more. In so doing, they elucidate large national issues so that students can relate personally to the ideas and events that comprise American history. At the same time, the stories shed light on what it means to be a Hoosier, today and in the past.

This classic history of America's high-stakes quest to dominate the skies is "a gripping technothriller in which the technology is real" (New York Times Book Review). From the development of the U-2 to the Stealth fighter, Skunk Works is the true story of America's most secret and successful aerospace operation. As recounted by Ben Rich, the operation's brilliant boss for nearly two decades, the chronicle of Lockheed's legendary Skunk Works is a drama of Cold War confrontations and Gulf War air combat, of extraordinary feats of engineering and human achievement against fantastic odds. Here are up-close portraits of the maverick band of scientists and engineers who made the Skunk Works so renowned. Filled with telling personal anecdotes and high adventure, with narratives from the CIA and from Air Force pilots who flew the many classified, risky missions, this book is a riveting portrait of the most spectacular aviation triumphs of the twentieth century. "Thoroughly engrossing." --Los Angeles Times Book Review