Books in Don't Know Much About series

How much fun was life aboard the Mayflower?Did Pilgrims dance with Indians to Plymouth Rock?If there was no football to watch on TV, what did people do during the first Thanksgiving?Thanksgiving today is a time for families to say grace and gobble turkey. But why did the Pilgrims start this tradition? And who were these people anyway?Now you can discover a wealth of cool and astonishing facts about the Pilgrims. Did you know that they made the long ocean journey in a cramped boat, or that the friendly Indians helped the Pilgrims survive that first winter? Would you have liked being a child in Plymouth? You wouldn't have gone to school, but just read about the chores you would have done!Kenneth C. Davis delivers another outstanding picture book in the Don't Know Much About series. With his trademark question-and-answer format and S. D. Schindler's detailed artwork, you'll get an insider's view of the Pilgrims' life. It wasn't easy, but they helped make America what it is today. Now that is something to give thanks for!

Can you really catch a shooting star?Why is our galaxy called "the Milky Way"?Is Pluto just a comic-book character?The solar system is a big place with lots of big questions still to be answered. But now you can get a glimpse at what scientists know -- without even having to leave the planet! Find out about asteroids, meteoroids, and craters. Learn how to safely watch a solar eclipse. Discover what makes each planet special and why Earth stands apart from the others.Kenneth C. Davis dispels many myths about the vast beyond in Don't Know Much About® The Solar System. His question-and-answer format, accompanied by riddles and humorous illustrations, make learning about the solar system an out-of-this-world experience!

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."

Was Columbus the first European in the Americas?Who was left standing at Custer's Last Stand? Were the Little Rock Nine a rock-and-roll band? It's true that in 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue. But he didn't discover the New World. In fact, the new world we now call America wasn't very new at all. People had been coming to this land for thousands of years. And they haven't stopped yet.But most of us never learned the real story of America's past. And that's a shame. As best-selling author Kenneth C. Davis knows, history can be fun, fascinating, and memorable. When his don't know much about® history was published in 1990, it was a sensation. The book delivered a fresh new take on history with its wit, humor, and great stories. Davis now does for young people what his earlier book did for adults. In his trademark question-and-answer style peppered with fun facts and humorous illustrations, Davis proves that history is never boring. He introduces our ancestors who settled the East and expanded the West, as well as those who had been living here all along. Davis brings the drama and excitement of America's past and present vividly to life.

•Where did George go to college? (see page 20) •Why didn't he sign the Declaration of Independence? (see page 60) •Did everyone vote for him to be president of the United States? (see page 92) Best-selling author Kenneth C. Davis lays aside popular myth to unveil the true character of an avid farmer -- and our nation's first president. He weaves a smooth, flowing narrative into the trademark question-and-answer format of his popular Don't Know Much About® series, peppering this outstanding biography with informational sidebars and compelling quotes. Washington's life illuminates a glorious era in American history. Maps, reproductions from the period, and clever black-and-white illustrations by Rob Shepperson help re-create the flavor of these exciting times.

Which Texas leader cried, "Remember the Alamo"?Where in Kentucky can you find eyeless fish and blind beetles?What Minnesotan was so big that he used a pine tree to brush his beard?Every state boasts a special claim to fame -- whether for its rich history, natural splendor, advancement of the arts, or other unique contribution to American life. Check out what's said about the place you call home -- and learn surprising facts about the rest of the country.In this delightfully designed and illustrated book, Kenneth C. Davis's lively question-and-answer format gives you lots of fascinating information. You're guaranteed to impress parents, shock friends, and even stump teachers!

Do sleeping volcanoes snore? (see page 12)Is the Dead Sea dead? (see page 21)How icy is Iceland? (see page 78)Join best-selling author Kenneth C. Davis on an entertaining trek across the globe as he answers some big questions about the world in the amusing style that has won millions of readers.With fascinating anecdotes about the world's most unusual places and notable quotes from world travelers throughout history, Davis leads you to the longest river, coldest desert, tallest waterfall, most powerful volcanic eruption, and much more. Humorous illustrations and amazing stories make the "boring" facts of geography come to life as you read about Marco Polo's adventures in China and discover that people in Latin America speak Spanish and Portuguese -- not Latin at all!Kenneth C. Davis brings the verve of his popular best-seller Don't Know Much About® Geography to a new audience. He makes it fun to learn more about this incredible planet we call home.

For years, Kenneth C. Davis has enlightened and enthralled us, opening our minds and tickling our fancies with his wonderfully irreverent, fun, and factual Don't Know Much About® books. He has carried readers on wild and edifying rides through history, mythology, geography, the Bible, the Civil War, even across the universe. Now, following on the heels of his triumphant New York Times bestseller Don't Know Much About® Anything, comes Don't Know Much About® Anything Else, his latest one-stop potpourri of intriguing information. Chock-full of delightful historical snippets and fascinating people, remarkable milestones and boneheaded blunders, and eye-opening, brain-boggling facts about simply anything and everything in the world, here is the ideal companion for those long car rides, plane flights, quality family hours, or relaxing downtime.

Nine out of ten Americans own a Bible, but how much do they know about the one book that has influenced human history more than any other? Don't Know Much About® the Bible by New York Times bestselling author Kenneth C. Davis is designed to illuminate everything we need to know about the Good Book but never learned. With wit, authority, and intelligence, Davis brings the world of the Old and New Testaments to vivid life, setting the panorama of the Scriptures against the historical events that shaped them; clearing up misconceptions and mistranslations; summarizing Bible stories, parables, and miracles; and adding fresh new insights to the world's most owned, least understood book.Davis is uniquely qualified for the assignment. The creator of the bestselling Don't Know Much About® series, he now illuminates the bestselling book of all time, using his inimitable question-and-answer approach and providing a key to the people, places, and "household names" we need to unlock "The Greatest Story Ever Told." Writes Davis, "I believe people are starved for knowledge. They just want it in a more appealing style than the way it was presented back in school."Relying on up-to-date research and improved translations, Davis sets out to uncover what the Bible says--and doesn't say. Don't Know Much About® the Bible is the result of his efforts and includes the following observations: There are two different Creation stories told in Genesis, but no apple in the Garden of Eden story. There was no "coat of many colors" in the story of Joseph and his jealous brothers, but rather a long-sleeved robe. Moses didn't write the Torah and he didn't part the Red Sea in his escape from Pharaoh. The Sixth Commandment does not condemn all killing. King David probably didn't kill Goliath and didn't write the Psalms. Jesus wasn't born on Christmas.Davis brings readers up-to-date on findings gleaned from the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Gnostic Gospels that prompt serious scholars to ask such questions as: Who wrote the Bible? Did Jesus say everything we were taught he did? Did he say more? By examining the Bible historically, Davis also shows which biblical teachings may have suited an ancient, semi-nomadic world but no longer apply to life at the dawn of the twenty-first century.

When did King first encounter an integrated world? (see page 20)How did he learn about nonviolent movements? (see page 53)Why did King need so much paper in the Birmingham jail? (see page 88)Best-selling author Kenneth C. Davis sheds light on the most prominent leader of the Civil Rights movement. Martin Luther King Jr. had big dreams about ending segregation and fervently advocated nonviolent protests. Tragically, his life was cut short. Davis weaves a smooth, flowing narrative through his trademark question-and-answer format, peppering the text with informational sidebars and compelling quotes. Dramatic photographs and stirring black-and-white illustrations by Machiyo Kodaira reveal King's public courage and private fear, as well as the tumultuous times in which he lived.