Books with author Jim Weiss

Jim Weiss narrates thrilling episodes from the history and culture of ancient Greece, including the Olympics, the 300 Spartans, and the wisdom of Socrates. In these vivid, true stories, Jim Weiss takes you back 25 centuries to Golden Age Greece. You’ll charge into land & sea battles to defend the world’s first democracy against a vast, tyrannical empire; attend the original Olympics; hear history’s most famous storyteller, Homer, spin his classic adventure, “The Trojan Horse;” laugh and learn with Socrates, the wisest (and funniest) man in Greece; and meet artists and authors, as well as typical families, in the rival cities of Athens and Sparta. Jim Weiss’s “Courage and a Clear Mind” is sure to inspire your own exploration of the potential that lies within us all.

Adventurer, conqueror, political genious, classical author - Julius Caesar lived one of history's most amazing lives. Yet it was the story of his death that William Shakespeare turned into a dramatic masterpiece. In this spirited retelling, Jim Weiss brings us Shakespeare's cast of immortal characters. With excerpts from the original dialogue (Mark Antony's funeral speech, etc.) told in a way that young listeners can grasp, JULIUS CAESAR AND THE STORY OF ROME will nurture a passion for Shakespeare and an understanding of why these people and historical events still shape our world today.

America's founders dreamed of a day when the United States would reach from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Follow their dream into reality, with these stories of explorers, Native Americans, and pioneers. Follow the saga of American exploration, from Jefferson and Monroe securing the Louisiana Purchase through the bold explorations of Lewis & Clark and Sacagawea. Experience the dawning of a new age aboard Robert Fulton's steamboat, and ride the rumbling wagons of the Oregon Trail pioneers. Feel the devastating effects faced by proud Native American warriors, and witness the mammoth undertaking of the transcontinental railroad. Journey with the brave souls who hung out the sign, "Gone West".

In true stories as vivid as the colors in which they painted, Jim Weiss brings to life Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, Donatello and other captivating characters. Watch fierce Pope Julius II drive out invaders while supervising the painting of the Sisine Chapel, and dine in the palace of Lorenzo de Medici -swordsman, statesman and patron of the arts- as he faces treachery and turns war to peace.

Experience Jim Weiss' hilarious tellings of "The Gingerbread Man," "The Three Little Pigs", and others, each with a multitude of character voices. A lush bouquet of stories for young listeners! You and your children will be enthralled by Jim's tellings of "The Gingerbread Man," "The Three Little Pigs", and the African folk tale, "Why Flies Buzz," each with unique character voices; touching versions of Hans Christian Andersen's beloved "Thumbelina" and "The Ugly Duckling," the classic "Dick Whittington and His Cat," with its famously satisfying ending; and even an unabridged reading of Beatrix Potter's "The Tale of Peter Rabbit," Blooming with warmth, wit and color, this collection will provide your whole family with favorites to last a lifetime.

Renowned storyteller Jim Weiss brings you lively versions of classic American tall tales, from stories of giant lumberjacks to legends of fearless cowboys. You will laugh out loud as you meet Paul Bunyan, taller than the trees and mightier than the rivers; Johnny Appleseed, whose gentle generosity makes him a beloved legend; Pecos Bill, whose outrageous Texas-sized exploits make him the greatest of all cowboys; and Jim's original tale of the Wild West.

The laughter, tragedy and astonishing triumphs in this storytelling biography of Abraham Lincoln will entertain and inspire listeners as they experience touching personal moments, Lincoln's famous wit, great ethical issues, military battles, and the complete Gettysburg address. Jim Weiss' spirited narration will remind children and adults alike why Lincoln holds a special place in American history and in our hearts.