Books with author Russel Roberts

Stephen F. Austin is a man few people have heard about. They may know that the Texas state capital of Austin is named after him, but they don t know why. When people think of Texas, it is the Alamo they think of, the doomed battle bravely fought by Crockett, Bowie, Travis, and others, and of the subsequent heroism of Sam Houston and his army at San Jacinto. Austin isn t mentioned in either of those accounts. Yet without Austin there may never have been a Texas. Without this small, frail man from Missouri, the history of Texas would likely be quite different. It was Austin who initially brought colonists into Texas . . . Austin who dealt with the Mexican government to clarify matters that threatened the survival of Americans in Texas . . . and Austin who braved bad weather, starvation, hostile tribes and rebellious settlers to maintain the American presence in Texas. The story of Stephen Austin is the story of Texas.

The Creek of the American Southeast have had their share of conflict with invaders. First the Spanish came looking for gold. They left diseases and ruined the crops of the Creeks who lived there. Then English colonists moved in, trading goods for deerskins. As the deerskin market faded, the Creeks fell into debt. They sold parts of their land to pay it. Through many treaties, the Creek continued to lose their land. Eventually they were forced to march on the Trail of Tears to land west of the Mississippi River. But they did not give up their culture or traditions. Find out how the Muscogee/Creek Nation has endured and thrived, even in the face of extreme obstacles.

Waterloo was the climax of The Hundred Days, that remarkable period when Napoleon returned from exile on Elba and once again seized control of France. Waterloo was like a giant chessboard for both Napoleon and his opponent Wellington; both made strategic maneuvers knowing that not just their futures, but the future of Europe and maybe even the world, were at stake. Why was Napoleon so confident of victory at Waterloo that he detached thousands of men on another mission? What strategy did Wellington use to disguise the strength of his forces? What strategy did Napoleon employ that wound up costing him instead? These and other questions are what make the Battle of Waterloo so fascinating to examine.

Thomas Jefferson is one of the most famous men in American history. The list of his political accomplishments, such as writing the Declaration of Independence, serving as Minister to France, becoming America s third President, and spearheading the Louisiana Purchase, is long indeed. But that describes Jefferson the public servant. What about Jefferson the private man? How was he affected by the untimely death of his wife? Where did he long to be above all other places in the world? What was his reaction to his fights with Alexander Hamilton under President George Washington? How did his passion for continually rebuilding his home lead to worry? While most people know of and about many of the political deeds he performed, fewer know much about his personal life. This biography tells not only the public accomplishments of Thomas Jefferson, but also reveals the private side of his remarkable life.

Of all the fantastic creatures to emerge from Greek mythology, perhaps none is more well-known than the Cyclops. With his single eye glowering out from the middle of his forehead, the Cyclops is an image that is not soon forgotten and so has been used in countless stories, films, and other subjects. Almost everyone knows the story of how Odysseus (Ulysses) and his crew encountered the Cyclops Polyphemus on their way home from Troy and how the creature imprisoned them in his cave, only to have them escape by hiding underneath sheep. But fewer know about the rest of the Cyclopes. They donít know how the creatures actually once helped in the battle to create the world, and that they were allies of Zeus and his fellow gods. How did the Cyclopes go from friend to foe? The answer may well surprise you.