Books in NHL: History and Heroes series

John's heart sank. A British man-of-war was plowing through the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean in hot pursuit of his ship. If the British caught up with the Boston, John would be hanged. He had proudly signed the Declaration of Independence and was carrying the colonies' secret papers. He couldn't be captured now!Growing up in Massachusetts, longing to be a farmer like his father, John Adams never imagined the vital role he would one day play in the transformation of the colonies into an independent American nation. As the injustices of British rule stirred up the colonists to revolution and independence, this rising young lawyer became and influential member of the Continental Congress and a passionate advocate for freedom.As a foreign diplomat for the young United States, first vice president, and second president, this true American patriot held firmly to his integrity and left an uncompromising legacy: independence forever.Audiobook: CD format (5 CDs)Running Time: Approximately 5:18 hoursRead by: Tim GregoryAges: 10+

Written for readers age 10 and up -- enjoyed by adults!With only three months of formal education, Thomas Edison grew up to be one of the most successful inventors of all time. Applying scientific principles to practical use, he made scores of inventions and held over thirteen hundred patents, from improvements on the telegraph and phonograph to the development of the incandescent lamp and a whole system for distributing electricity.Edison's rise from humble beginnings and his unceasing struggle to overcome obstacles illustrate the spirit of America. His genius and investigative methods shaped the future and continue to influence new generations. Audiobook: CD format (5 CDs) Running Time: Approximately 5:12 hours. Read by Tim Gregory.

The mainsail cracked above them in the ferocious wind as a group of red-faced men descended on John. "You have brought a curse on us. Overboard with you," one of the men yelled. A chorus of cheers went up. It was the last sound John heard before he was dumped over the side of the ship and engulfed by the dark, roiling ocean." Thrown overboard, enslaved by the Turks, captured by pirates, rescued by a princess-the story of Englishman John Smith (1580-1631) would seem unbelievable were it fiction. Young John first sought adventure in Europe, traveling as far as Russia and distinguishing himself in the wars that raged across the Old World. But John Smith's real passion was for the New World, and in 1607 he sailed to North America with the men who would establish the first lasting British settlement-Jamestown. There he fought level-headedly for the policies that would enable the fragile community to survive starvation, disease, and deadly attacks to become a foothold in the New World. Audiobook: CD format (55 CDs) running Time: Approximately 4:56 hours. Read by Tim Gregory. Ages 8-10 to AdultHeroes of History is a unique biography series that brings the shaping of history to life with the remarkable true stories of fascinating men and women who changed the course of history. The stories of Heroes of History are told in an engaging narrative format, where related history, geography, government, and science topics come to life and make a lasting impression. This is a premier biography line for the entire family.

In a world where freedoms were subject to the whims of rulers, William Penn worked passionately for religious tolerance. When this Quaker reformer secured a land grant in America, he laid for Pennsylvania a foundation of liberty, justice, fairness, and tolerance that would later guide the drafting of the Constitution of the United States (1644-1718).Audiobook: CD format (4 CDs) Running Time: Approximately 4:49 hours. Read by Tim Gregory. Ages 8-10 to Adult

In the gloom of the ship's oil lights, Ernest saw that the blizzard had broken up the ice plain. Huge, jagged ice slabs jutted into the air around the Endurance, jostling and scraping together. Great drifts of windblown snow had piled up behind them. Alone in the polar darkness, on a ship coated and locked in ice, the explorers waited.As adventurers from around the world raced to reach the South Pole and achieve other polar firsts in the early 1900s, outsider Ernest Shackleton (1874 1922) and his motley expeditions would outshine even the British navy, becoming icons of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.Known for prizing loyalty, leadership, and skill without regard for rank or social class and for bringing men back alive Shackleton completed three death-defying Antarctic journeys. Called the Boss by his crew and Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton by the king, the Anglo-Irish explorer counted it all part of life's grand adventure.Audiobook: CD format (6 CDs)Running Time: 6:02 hoursRead by: Tim GregoryAges: 10+

Ben thought about the strange course of events that had led him to this point in his life. He had considered being a lawyer but had ended up becoming a doctor, and now he was also a politician and member of the Continental Congress. Ben had never thought of working with the army. But for now, that was what he was doing. He wondered if he too might be called to die for the new country they were trying to forge. Filled with intelligence and devotion, Benjamin Rush eagerly took up numerous roles as a physician, surgeon general in the army, politician, educator, and writer. A signer of the Declaration of Independence and close friend of John Adams, he made lasting contributions to American society. Born in Pennsylvania, Rush studied medicine with some of the greatest doctors in America and Europe. He was outspoken about improving the conditions and treatment of wounded soldiers and was a lifelong champion of medical care for the poor and freedom for slaves, becoming one of the greatest American physicians and social reformers in history (1746-1813). Audiobook: CD format (5 CDs) Running Time: 5:47 hours Read by: Tim Gregory Ages: 10 +