Books in Historical Notebooks series

Immerse yourself in this interactive introduction to one of the greatest explorers ever known.Travel along the Silk Road to medieval China with Marco Polo as your guide. Meet the warlord Kublai Khan and sail through pirate-infested seas in search of riches beyond measure. Including booklets, foldouts, and maps, as well as excerpts from The Travels of Marco Polo, this beautifully illustrated volume illuminates the adventures of history’s greatest storyteller.

Meet the woman who became the icon.The story of Cleopatra’s life has captured the imagination of countless writers and artists for centuries. As one of history’s most enduring figures, much lore has obscured the real woman behind the myth. Was she a beautiful and heartless schemer who stopped at nothing to get what she wanted? Or was Cleopatra a tragic victim of her own heart? This next volume in the acclaimed Notebook series offers a fascinating look into the world of one of Egypt’s most notorious leaders. Featuring a fictional journal that invites us into Cleopatra’s inner world, this is an exquisite guide bursting with gorgeous illustrations and packed with fun interactive extras such as flaps featuring historical facts and pop-culture references. This is a riveting volume rife with battles, passion, and even murderous intrigue — an exclusive look into the legendary queen’s dramatic life.

Discover the plants, animals, and people Darwin encountered on his groundbreaking voyage aboard the BEAGLE. Packed with novelties, including extracts from Darwin’s diary and later works, CHARLES DARWIN AND THE BEAGLE ADVENTURE takes readers on an eyeopening exploration of our globe and uncovers the path that led to the cornerstone of natural history: the theory of evolution.

A lavish, interactive introduction to the great poet’s life, his work and the times he lived in.In this enthralling scrapbook that William Shakespeare compiled for his daughter, he looks back on his life as he retires from the theatre. Discover late-sixteenth- and early-seventeenth centurystories of love, war, kings and queens, fellow playwrights and actors, explorers and life in London.

Celebrate the bicentenary of Dickens's birth in 2012 by stepping into his world.See the world of Charles Dickens spring to life in his fascinating notebook. Excerpts from his personal letters, guides to his major works, and enthralling facts about his life and times—including Dickens's own amazing rags-to-riches story—are accompanied by fascinating new illustrations, drawings from the original books, and photographs from the period. This novelty-filled notebook immerses readers in Victorian life and allows them to meet not only Dickens himself, but also such enduring and iconic characters as Oliver Twist, Ebenezer Scrooge, and David Copperfield.

Discover the plants, animals, and people Darwin encountered on his groundbreaking voyage aboard the BEAGLE. Packed with novelties, including extracts from Darwin’s diary and later works, CHARLES DARWIN AND THE BEAGLE ADVENTURE takes readers on an eyeopening exploration of our globe and uncovers the path that led to the cornerstone of natural history: the theory of evolution.