Books with author Mike Pearson

A “leader of the groundbreaking Stonehenge Riverside Project expounds on recent research into the famed site in this revelatory study . . . immensely rewarding” (Publishers Weekly).Stonehenge stands as an enduring link to our prehistoric ancestors, yet the secrets it has guarded for thousands of years have long eluded us. Until now, the millions of enthusiasts who flock to the iconic site have made do with mere speculation—about Stonehenge’s celestial significance, human sacrifice, and even aliens and druids. But the Stonehenge Riverside Project set out to change that. A hugely ambitious, seven-year dig by today’s top archaeologists, the project unearthed a wealth of fresh evidence that had gone untouched since prehistory.In Stonehenge: A New Understanding, archaeologist and project director Mike Parker Pearson uses that evidence to present a paradigm-shifting theory of the true significance that Stonehenge held for its builders—and mines his field notes to give you an insider’s view of the dirt, drama, and thrilling discoveries of this history-changing archaeological dig.“This is brilliantly written scholarship. The book combines old ideas about the circle with the unexpected revelations of today. It is a triumph.” —Aubrey Burl, author of A Brief History of Stonehenge

From a Vice magazine columnist whose beat is “the future,” here is entertaining speculation featuring both authoritative research and a bit of mischief: a look at how humanity is likely to weather such happenings as the day nuclear war occurs, the day the global internet goes down, the day we run out of effective antibiotics, and the day immortality is achieved.If you live on planet Earth you’re probably scared of the future. How could you not be? Some of the world’s most stable democracies are looking pretty shaky. Technology is invading personal relationships and taking over jobs. Relations among the three superpowers—the US, China, and Russia—are growing more complicated and dangerous. A person watching the news has to wonder: is it safe to go out there or not? Taking inspiration from his virally popular Vice column “How Scared Should I Be?,” Mike Pearl in The Day It Finally Happens games out many of the “could it really happen?” scenarios we’ve all speculated about, assigning a probability rating, and taking us through how it would unfold. He explores what would likely occur in dozens of possible scenarios—among them the final failure of antibiotics, the loss of the world’s marine life, a complete ban on guns in the US, and even the arrival of aliens—and reports back from the future, providing a clear picture of how the world would look, feel, and even smell in each of these instances. For fans of such bestsellers as What If? and The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook, The Day It Finally Happens is about taking future events that we don’t really understand and getting to know them in close detail. Pearl makes science accessible and is a unique form of existential therapy, offering practical answers to some of our most worrisome questions. Thankfully, the odds of humanity’s pulling through look pretty good.

Stonehenge stands as an enduring link to our prehistoric ancestors, yet the secrets it has guarded for thousands of years have long eluded us. Until now, the millions of enthusiasts who flock to the iconic site have made do with mere speculation―about Stonehenge’s celestial significance, human sacrifice, and even aliens and druids. One would think that the numerous research expeditions at Stonehenge had left no stone unturned. Yet, before the Stonehenge Riverside Project―a hugely ambitious, seven-year dig by today’s top archaeologists―all previous digs combined had only investigated a fraction of the monument, and many records from those earlier expeditions are either inaccurate or incomplete.Stonehenge―A New Understanding rewrites the story. From 2003 to 2009, author Mike Parker Pearson led the Stonehenge Riverside Project, the most comprehensive excavation ever conducted around Stonehenge. The project unearthed a wealth of fresh evidence that had gone untouched since prehistory. Parker Pearson uses that evidence to present a paradigm-shifting theory of the true significance that Stonehenge held for its builders―and mines his field notes to give you a you-are-there view of the dirt, drama, and thrilling discoveries of this history-changing archaeological dig.

From a Vice magazine columnist whose beat is “the future,” here is entertaining speculation featuring both authoritative research and a bit of mischief: a look at how humanity is likely to weather such happenings as the day nuclear war occurs, the day the global internet goes down, the day we run out of effective antibiotics, and the day immortality is achieved.If you live on planet Earth you’re probably scared of the future. How could you not be? Some of the world’s most stable democracies are looking pretty shaky. Technology is invading personal relationships and taking over jobs. Relations among the three superpowers—the US, China, and Russia—are growing more complicated and dangerous. A person watching the news has to wonder: is it safe to go out there or not? Taking inspiration from his virally popular Vice column “How Scared Should I Be?,” Mike Pearl in The Day It Finally Happens games out many of the “could it really happen?” scenarios we’ve all speculated about, assigning a probability rating, and taking us through how it would unfold. He explores what would likely occur in dozens of possible scenarios—among them the final failure of antibiotics, the loss of the world’s marine life, a complete ban on guns in the US, and even the arrival of aliens—and reports back from the future, providing a clear picture of how the world would look, feel, and even smell in each of these instances. For fans of such bestsellers as What If? and The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook, The Day It Finally Happens is about taking future events that we don’t really understand and getting to know them in close detail. Pearl makes science accessible and is a unique form of existential therapy, offering practical answers to some of our most worrisome questions. Thankfully, the odds of humanity’s pulling through look pretty good.

While Washington D.C. celebrates The Army of the Potomac's latest victory with a Grand Illumination Ceremony, four men meet in a hotel room overlooking the crowded streets filled with party-goers. Richmond has fallen, and "The Old Man," General Lee has just surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse. The mood in room six of the Herndon House Hotel is dire. The original plan was a kidnapping. Booth's fellow conspirators, Powell, Herold, and Atzerodt quietly sit, listening to Booth trying to re-motivate them. He uses the sounds of revelry coming from the streets below to stoke up their anger. Something decisive must be done; a spark is needed to ignite new hope in the Confederate cause. "This Tyrant. This man Lincoln, who should make himself a king must die!" This, is truly the "crime of the nineteenth century," and the largest manhunt in military history. It's the "full" story about the first murder of an American President. The story, that has been left out of the classroom. Told in a way children can understand it the most. Visually.

‘For a while, we lived well together – even while thinking each others’ beliefs were wrong.’1189. York, England. Hanna wants two things: a spell for invisibility, and the safe return of her brother and father. Then Richard I sets the country ablaze with talk of the infidel and waging a holy war in Palestine…It's a story about a Jewish girl, a Christian boy, a book of ancient Babylonian magic – and the disaster that unfolds when forces beyond their control are unleashed.Hanna is caught up in real events from a medieval past, which resonate powerfully with our 21st-century present.Review from the Jewish Chronicle, 14 December 2017Hanna lives in the Jewish community of 12th-century York. Adept at helping her grandfather heal people, even with operations, she is also fascinated by magic but these are dangerous times to be dabbling, with the new king, Richard, on the throne and mobs on the streets attacking Jews and torching their homes. Out of the Fire by Millie Pearson (Hurstbourne Publishing, £6.99) culminates in the events at Clifford’s Tower. Pearson excels at both day-to-day detail and wide historical drama. Age 12 up.