Books published by publisher Chartwell Books, Inc.

The sheer beauty of the elegant, lonely lighthouses along our shores—and their unspoiled, scenic natural settings—has captivated our collective imagination. More than simply picturesque, the lighthouse has become an enduring symbol of salvation, fortitude, and heroic folklore. The Ultimate Book of Lighthouses is a comprehensive and fascinating work, where you’ll discover. - Profiles of every kind of lighthouse, from the boldly striped 196-foot tower overlooking the notorious Diamond Shoals off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, to the many octagonal and pyramidal beacons built to guide sailors into North American harbors - Fascinating information about lightships, foghorns, and modest beacons - Many remarkable engineering techniques used in constructing lighthouses - Historical examples of our ancestors’ courageous efforts to guide mariners through treacherous seas and storms - Scores of stunning full-color photographs, and more! A celebration of one of America’s purest landmarks, The Ultimate Book of Lighthouses is a must-have for any home.

An unmatched reference work distinguished by its erudition and beauty, this volume is an illustrated who's who of prehistoric life, a Baedeker of more than 500 million years of evolution on Earth. With entries for more than 600 species, each arranged in its evolutionary sequence, this book presents a panorama of enormous diversity, from predatory dinosaurs to primitive amphibians, from giant armored fish to woolly mammoths, sabertooth tigers and dire wolves. Each entry features a specially commissioned full color painting prepared according to the best research of today in close collaboration with world renowned paleontologists.The records of rocks--fossil bones, teeth, skin, hair and even footprints and nests--have been combined with knowledge of the anatomy and behavior of present day descendants to arrive at informed judgments about posture, color and other aspects of appearance. Lively and informative "biographies" of the creatures accompany these remarkable illustrations: how they moved, what they ate, where they ranged and the habitats and ecological niches they occupied.Comparisons are made wherever possible with familiar living animals, highlighting both the contrasts and similarities. Also included are articles on subjects such as the time scale of evolution, fossil formation and interpretation and convergent evolution. Truly a magnificent sourcebook, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Creatures is both a triumph of scholarship and a work of art.

Explore the riveting impact of magic on ancient Egyptian civilization, from birth, to love and marriage, to the rituals of death and the afterlife!First published in 1899, Egyptian Magic is a classic work of one of the most prolific Victorian Egyptologists, Sir E. A. Wallis Budge. Budge presents a history of Egyptian magic and the details of its practice to help you uncover the Egyptian's distinction between white magic and black magic as you learn about magical artifacts, their identities and their applications in detail. These include jeweled scarabs and amulets, shown alongside useful illustrations and an abundance of information. Additionally, some first hand accounts claiming to have witnessed effects of the Egyptian occult are also contained in these pages for your intrique.Egyptian Magic is essential reading for anybody interested in ancient cultures and their approaches to magic.

Based on contemporary reports and diaries, with historic photographs and period posters, Houdini is an intriguing biography of the world’s greatest magician and escape artist. Ninety years after his death, this book from the Oxford People series brings both the man and his magic back to life again for one last performance. In the early 1900s, Houdini’s handcuff show was a huge sensation that toured the best venues in the USA and Europe, and when audiences demanded more, he introduced straight-jackets, water-filled tanks, and nailed shut packing crates. His outdoor spectaculars became increasingly elaborate. In the early winter of 1906, he leaped manacled from the MacArthur Bridge in Detroit, Michigan, freeing himself from two pairs of handcuffs beneath the icy waters. Houdini's mega-star status allowed him to fly airplanes, star in his own movies, write and publish his own books, and even become president of the Society of American Magicians. This biography is an authoritative view from accomplished biographer Charlotte Montague, and belongs on the shelf of any lover of magic, escape artistry, and enigmatic figures.

Ticket To Ride takes you through the history of roller coasters, from the first in seventeenth century St. Petersburg to today’s gigantic theme park attractions—complete with a tour of the most hair-raising and fantastic examples. The adrenaline rush of a roller coaster ride provides its fans with a leg-wobbling wave of euphoria and exhilaration unmatched by any other experience. It takes a certain amount of courage—or foolhardiness—to climb onto a roller coaster, but what a ride. Fans travel the world to experience the latest and most gut-wrenching rides, and they have quite a selection to choose from. Exactly who built the very first roller coasters is contentious, but they are generally agreed to have appeared in seventeenth century St. Petersburg, where they were made of ice and wood—accordingly nicknamed “Russian Mountains.” Now a staple of amusement parks and theme parks, the first patented roller coaster appeared in the first real theme park, at famed Coney Island in 1884. It was created by “Father of the Gravity Ride” LaMarcus Adna Thompson, an American inventor and amusement park pioneer. His “scenic railways” were a sensation, so much so that he opened six at Coney Island alone. The first golden age of the roller coaster ended with the Great Depression in tandem with the decline of amusement parks in general. A roller coaster revival did not begin until 1972, with the construction of The Racer at Kings Island, Ohio. This started the second golden age of the roller coaster and led, in turn, to the construction of rides like Rebel Yell (at Kings Dominion, Virginia) and Thunder Road (at Carowinds, North and South Carolina). In 1959, the first steel track roller coaster, called Matterhorn Bobsleds, appeared at Disneyland, California, leading the way with innovative loops and corkscrews. Aficionados have their favorites; some prefer steel roller coasters for their smoother ride and ability to turn their passengers upside-down as they fly around the tracks. Conversely, others prefer the more old-fashioned wooden roller coasters that rattle along and play with negative G-forces to provide “air time” for their passengers. Today, there are numerous types of roller coasters, which broadly divide into train-type coasters, mechanical coasters, and track layout coasters. Some of the favorites featured in this book include: Jurassic Park, Animal Kingdom theme park, Superman the Ride (Bizarro), Superman: Escape from Krypton, Batman The Ride, El Toro, Loop The Loop, Transformers: The Ride, Jack Rabbit, Th13teen, Saw: The Ride, London Eye, Back at the Barnyard Hayride, Great American Scream Machine, Revenge of the Mummy: The Ride, Apollo's Chariot, Apocalypse, Big Dipper Roller Coaster, Boomerang Coaster, Dragon, Cyclone, Medusa,Thunderbolt, The Sea Dragon, Alpine Bobsled, Rattlesnake, Shockwave, Full Throttle, Goliath, Joker 4-D coasters, Phantom’s Revenge, The Big One, The Ultimate,Centrifugal Railways, Oblivion, Klondike Gold Mine, Dreamland park, and more. Ticket To Ride looks at the development of roller coasters and how they have evolved into the biggest theme park attractions in the world, taking you on a tour of the greatest, most spectacular examples.

Looking for a vacation destination? History reference? Beautiful visuals to get lost in? 1001 Amazing Places to See Before You Die has you covered on every front. Both casual travelers and dedicated history buffs will relish this visitor's guide to palaces, cathedrals, temples, battlefields, homes of great artists and statesmen--places and monuments that bear witness to thousands of years of human history. Packed with vivid color photos and detailed textual entries 1001 Amazing Places You Must See Before You Die carries its readers off to places that include: Prehistoric Sites: Stonehenge, England; the Lescaux Cave Paintings, France, and others.Battlefields: Waterloo, Belgium; Gettysburg, U.S.A.; Hastings, England; Ypres, Belgium, and others.Buildings and Monuments: St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow; Nishi Hogan-Ji (Buddhist temple), Kyoto, Japan; St. Paul's Cathedral, London; the Eiffel Tower, Paris; the Empire State Building, New York City; the Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy; the Wailing Wall, Jerusalem; the Pyramids, Egypt; and many others.Homes of the Famous and Infamous: Mozart's Birthplace, Salzburg, Austria; Shakespeare's birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon, England; Jane Austen's home, Chawton, England; Hitler's retreat at Berchtesgaden, near Munich, Germany; and many others.Published in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), this book upholds their mission to pass on information about the legacy of our past to future generations. 1001 Amazing Places You Must See Before You Die makes a great book for browsing, an idea-packed source for vacation planning, a handy reference volume for students of history, and a sheer pleasure for the general reader.

Winston Churchill once remarked that the secret warfare waged in World War II equaled "the most fantastic inventions of romance and melodrama."William Breuer vividly confirms that assessment with these compelling accounts of Allied and Axis intelligence throughout World War II. Here are riveting tales of patriotism and treachery, saboteurs, sleepers, and moles, giving fresh perspectives on the best-known interceptions and deceptions of the war-the breaking of the German code Enigma and the Japanese code Purple, Operation Overlord's successful disguise of the D-Day invasion-as well as little-known feats of civilian bravado in the face of danger.Meet Sidney Cotton, a British businessman and aviator who took the Luftwaffe's General Albrecht Kesselring aloft for a test flight at a German air show and then coolly snapped valuable reconnaissance photographs after handing the controls over to the Nazi officer.Shadow the covert armada that shipped the foundation of Great Britain' s financial security- including $2.5 billion in gold-from London to the Bank of Canada in Ottawa, without suffering a single loss from U-boats at the height of the Battle for the Atlantic.Discover how U.S. taxpayers footed the bill for a successful Nazi propaganda effort that was documented in the Congressional Record, published by the Government Printing Office, and mailed on a congressman's postal privileges.Witness a German military spy so inept he carried his World War I medals on his mission, and another so bold that he advertised for industry secrets in the pages of Popular Aviation magazine. He paid twenty dollars each for the numerous-and significant-replies that poured in.Drawn extensively from personal interviews, private correspondence, trial records, and declassified documents from official archives, this engrossing volume provides detailed, frequently startling revelations about the secret wars fought.

"I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but I see you are unarmed." —William ShakespeareArm yourself with this volume from the Charwell Classic series, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, including 17 comedies, 10 histories, 10 tragedies, 154 sonnets, and 4 narrative poems of the world's most influential writer. This collection includes poems and plays that were excluded in Shakespeare's First Folio of 1623 to make one complete, authentic collection.For Shakespeare and poetry fans worldwide, this stunning hardcover edition includes an introduction by the widely known Renaissance literature and history author John Lotherington, making this the perfect gift. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare contains essential reading like Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, King Lear, Othello, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, and Henry V, alongside many lesser-known gems for a complete Shakespearean education.

One of the most popular personal development and self-improvement books of all time, Think and Grow Rich has sold over 100 million copies worldwide since its first publication during the Great Depression. In this hardcover edition, Napoleon Hill presents a "Philosophy of Achievement" in 13 principles drawn from the success stories of such greats as Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and other millionaires of his time.Think and Grow Rich reveals the secrets that can bring you fortune. By suppressing negative thoughts and keeping your focus on the long term, you can find true and lasting success. Napoleon Hill details his philosophy through the following 13 principles:DesireFaithAutosuggestionSpecialized KnowledgeImaginationOrganized PlanningDecisionPersistencePower of the Master MindThe Mystery of Sex TransmutationThe Subconscious MindThe BrainThe Sixth SenseFollow the steps outlined here, and you may just find the path to your own personal fortune.

Apollo follows man's dream of walking among the stars and charts how space travel and space programs have grown since then. In 2019, it will have been 50 years since Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the Moon. When his famous words came crackling across the atmosphere—“That’s one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.” The first moon landing took place on July 20, 1969, during the Apollo 11 mission. Nine days earlier, on July 11, 1969, David Bowie released his iconic “Space Oddity” song about Major Tom the astronaut. The two events resonated with people back on Earth like a match made in the heavens. The crew of Apollo 11—Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins—had been launched into space by the powerful Saturn 5, a three-stage rocket which was about as tall as a 36-story building. It was the culmination of NASA’s human spaceflight program which began 1961. This is the story of the Apollo Missions, with all of its ups and downs—in 1967, a cabin fire killed the entire crew of Apollo 1, and-after an oxygen tank exploded-the Apollo 13 crew limped back to Earth using the lunar module as “lifeboat.” But despite Apollo’s many setbacks, twelve men walked on the Moon and their place in American history was assured forever.

This book is bursting with stunning images, fascinating facts, and remarkable illustrations that show kids how to track over 400 animals from around the world. You'll discover new clues on every page - including prints, feeding signs, hiding places and droppings - that will help you identify animals from bugs to birds, and cats to elephants.400 animals leap from the bookAlmost 200 life size tracks prowl the pages650 photos, illustrations, and diagrams bring these creatures to lifeFact boxes add plenty of extra infoSpecial features highlight types of animal signsFun quizzes test your knowledgeBook Details:Format: HardcoverPublication Date: 9/5/2011Pages: 192Reading Level: Age 10 and Up

A dazzling visual record of one of Earth's most extraordinary species, this updated and revised edition of Mammoths: Giants of the Ice Age integrates exciting new research to piece together the story of mammoths, mastodons, and their relatives, icons of the Ice Age. Incorporating recent genetic work, new fossil finds, new extinction theories, and more, Mammoths is a captivating exploration of how these mighty creatures evolved, lived, and mysteriously disappeared. The book features a wealth of color illustrations that depict mammoths in their dramatic Ice Age habitats, scores of photographs of mammoth remains, and images of the art of prehistoric people who saw these animals in the flesh. Have you ever wondered what a Mammoth would look like in real life? Find out what a Mammoth would look like today and so much more in Mammoths.Full of intriguing facts, boxed features, and clear graphics, Mammoths examines the findings, including intact frozen carcasses from Siberia and fossilized remains from South Dakota, California, England, France, and elsewhere that have provided clues to the mammoths' geographic range, body structure, way of life, and interactions with early humans. It is an enthralling story of paleontological, archaeological, and geological exploration and of the fascinating investigations of biologists, anthropologists, and art historians worldwide.