Books in Don't Know Much series

Why did Abraham Lincoln sneak into Washington for his inauguration? Was the Gettysburg Address written on the back of an envelope? Where did the Underground Railroad run? Can you answer these questions? If not, you're not alone! New York Times-bestselling author Kenneth C. Davis comes to the rescue, deftly sorting out the players, the politics, the key events - Emancipation and Reconstruction, Shiloh and Gettysburg, Generals Grant and Lee, Harriet Beecher Stowe - and providing little-known facts that will enthrall even learned Civil War buffs. Vivid, informative, and hugely entertaining, Don't Know Much About® the Civil War is the only book you'll ever need on "the war that never ended."

If Earth is round, why don't people on the other side of the world fall off? (see page 26)Is Mars red because it's embarrassed? (see page 49)If black holes are invisible, how do we know they're there? (see page 86)Using the popular style that has won millions of readers, best-selling author Kenneth C. Davis blasts off for the stars! With an entertaining question-and-answer format, amusing anecdotes, and fact-filled sidebars, he sets his sights on the mysteries of space.Humorous illustrations, along with NASA photographs, add fun and excitement to this fascinating and comprehensive book. Davis takes you back to the time when the Babylonians first charted the stars -- over three thousand years ago! You'll uncover amazing facts about the planets and stars, read how people were once convinced that Earth was the center of the universe, and discover how the experience of moonwalking astronauts may someday lead us to become pioneers on other planets.This book is the perfect companion to Don't Know Much About® The Universe -- and all the other books in the New York Times best-selling Don't Know Much About® series.

“Fun, engrossing, and significant. . . . History in Davis’s hands is loud, coarse, painful, funny, irreverent—and memorable.”—San Francisco ChronicleHere, celebrating the twentieth anniversary of its debut as a New York Times bestseller, is the revised, updated, and expanded edition of the classic anti-textbook that changed the way we look at history. First published two decades ago, when the “closing of the American mind” was in the headlines, Don’t Know Much About® History proved Americans don’t hate history—just the dull version that was dished out in school. Now Davis has brought his groundbreaking work up to the present, including the history of an “Era of Broken Trust,” from the end of the Clinton administration through the recent Great Recession. This additional material covers the horrific events of 9/11 and the rise of conspiracy theorists, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Hurricane Katrina and the failure of the New Orleans levees, the global financial meltdown, the election of Barack Obama, and the national controversy of same-sex marriage.

Who dug those canals on Mars? What was the biblical Star of Bethlehem? Were the pyramids built by extraterrestrials? From the ancients who charted the heavens to Star Trek, The X-Files, and Apollo 13, outer space has intrigued people through the ages. Yet most of us look up at the night sky and feel totally in the dark when it comes to the basic facts about the universe. Kenneth C. Davis steps into that void with a lively and readable guide to the discoveries, theories, and real people who have shed light on the mysteries and wonders of the cosmos. Discover why Einstein was such a genius, the truth behind a blue moon or two, the amazing secrets of Stonehenge, and even how one great astronomer lost his nose. With the fun question-and-answer format that has appealed to the millions of readers of his bestselling Don't Much About® series, you'll be taking off on an exciting armchair exploration of the solar system, the Milky Way, and beyond.

Whether it's the adventures of Greek gods and goddesses or Norse trickster tales, we all love to hear a good story. Kenneth C. Davis gives readers a taste of the diverse myths that live on in the cultures and religions around the world today. In his trademark question-and-answer style, peppered with entertaining sidebars and quotes, he also shows how almost every civilization's mythology shares common themes. A wealth of photographs and art reproductions, along with clever black-and-white illustrations by Sergio Ruzzier, helps convey mythology's lasting vitality. This is the perfect young companion to Don't Know Much About® Mythology -- and other titles in Davis's best-selling Don't Know Much About® series.

Did young Rosa always follow the rules?Why did she join the NAACP in 1943?How did Rosa Parks get around Montgomery during the bus boycott?In his trademark question-and-answer format, best-selling author Kenneth C. Davis sensitively describes the life of one brave woman who quietly fought for what she believed in. Rosa Parks was arrested after she refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white person. But she had been fighting the laws that separated blacks and whites for a long time. This biography is peppered with informational sidebars and compelling quotes. Noteworthy photographs and dramatic black-and-white illustrations by Sergio Martinez help capture Rosa Parks's decisive courage, as well as the turbulence of the era in which she lived.

Why did the Mesopotamian hero Gilgamesh search for eternal youth? (see page 21) What is the Chinese recipe for creating the universe? (see page 67) How did the Blackfoot maiden Feather Woman turn the world upside down? (see page 122) Whether it's the adventures of Greek gods and goddesses or Norse trickster tales, we all love to hear a good story. Best-selling author Kenneth C. Davis gives readers a taste of these enchanting myths and the diverse people who tell them. In his trademark question-and-answer style peppered with entertaining sidebars and quotes, he also shows how almost every civilization's mythology shares common themes. Some stories celebrate the creation of the earth and the arrival of the first humans; others mourn a massive flood of destruction. Our wide world is linked together by the stories we tell. A wealth of photographs and art reproductions, along with clever black-and-white illustrations by Sergio Ruzzier, helps convey the vitality of these amazing myths.

Don't Know Much About Anything: Everything You Need to Know But Never Learned About Famous People, Exceptional Places, Historical Happenings, Holidays and Traditions, Everyday Objects, Remarkable Inventions, Space, Sports, Food, Entertainment and More! is a compendium of around 275 columns, sorted into the subject categories listed in the subtitle. Quizzes on the atomic bomb, hamburgers, football, andThe Wizard of Oz are included, along with the Emancipation Proclamation, cold weather, and Mother Theresa, to name a few.Like all of Ken Davis' Don't Know Much About audiobooks, Don't Know Much About Anything will educate and inform listeners while allowing them to have fun.