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? Did General Sherman really say, "War is Hell"?

If you can't answer these questions, you're not alone. Millions of Americans, bored by dull textbooks, are in the dark about the most significant event in our history. Now New York Times bestselling author Kenneth C. Davis comes to the rescue, deftly sorting out the players, the politics, and the key events - Emancipation and Reconstruction, Shiloh and Gettysburg, Generals Grant and Lee, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and much more. Drawing on moving eyewitness accounts, Davis includes a wealth of "hidden history" about the roles played by women and African Americans before and during the war, along with lesser-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."

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 Know Much About® series, you'll be taking off on an exciting armchair exploration of the solar system, the Milky Way, and beyond.

This entertaining guide to some of the best short novels of all time, from a bestselling historian, is the "perfect gift for busy bibliophiles" (BookPage). Experience the joys of literature with this this "exciting guide to all that the world of fiction has to offer" (The New York Times Book Review): a compulsively readable, deeply engaging discussion of great short novels. A journey into fiction designed with our contemporary attention spans in mind, Great Short Books suggests fifty-eight excellent short novels, all under 200 pages--easily readable in a week or less--a fresh approach to a fun, fascinating year of reading. From hard-boiled fiction to magical realism, the 18th century to the present day, Great Short Books spans genres, cultures, countries, and time to present an enchanting and diverse selection of acclaimed and canonical novels. From works in translation like Yu Miri's Tokyo Ueno Station and Marguerite Duras's The Lover to popular, acclaimed authors like Toni Morrison and James Baldwin, this compilation is a celebration of classics from the historic to contemporary--plus a few bestsellers, including Stephen King and Colson Whitehead. Each entry includes the novel's opening lines, a spoiler-free plot summary, a "why you should read it" section, and suggestions for what to read next. "An entertaining journey with a fun, knowledgeable guide" (Booklist), this eclectic collection is a fun and practical book for any passionate reader hoping to broaden their literary IQ--or anyone who wants to find an effortless reentry into reading.

From Homer to Harry Potter, from Chaucer to "Charlotte's Web," a compelling book of quizzes on history's most influential literary works and writers Did a whale named "Mocha Dick" inspire Melville's masterpiece? Who was the first poet to speak at a presidential inauguration? Which French-speaking high school football star shook up the literary world?

Do you freeze when someone mentions Faulkner? When the conversation turns to the Odyssey, do you want to take a hike? Have no fear. For years, Kenneth C. Davis's "New York Times" bestselling Don't Know Much About(R) books have enlightened and enthralled us with a winning blend of fascinating facts and wonderfully irreverent fun. Now he sets his sights on our literary IQ in "Don't Know Much About(R) Literature." With this rich treasure trove of knowledge and intriguing information about the world's great books and authors, Kenneth Davis and his daughter, Jenny, demystify "Dracula," capture Kafka, and help you brush up on your BrontE in the inimitable and endlessly entertaining Don't Know Much About(R) style.

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(R) 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(R) Anything," comes "Don't Know Much About(R) 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.

In his wildly entertaining, winningly irreverent, "New York Times" bestselling Don't Know Much About(R) series, author Kenneth C. Davis has amused and edified us with fascinating facts about history, mythology, the Bible, the universe, geography, and the Civil War.

Now, the sky's the limit in his latest irresistible installment--a grand tour of knowledge that carries us from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Berlin Wall, from the Salem Witch Trials to Watergate, from Michelangelo to Houdini. Brimming with busted myths, gripping true stories, and peculiar particulars about a plethora of people, places, and events, this captivating compendium is guaranteed to delight information lovers everywhere as it feeds our insatiable appetite to know "everything!"

What is an Egyptian pyramid doing on the U. S. dollar bill? Did a pharaoh inspire Moses to worship one God? What's a Canaanite demoness doing at a rock concert?

Since the beginning of time, people have been insatiably curious. They've asked questions about where we come from, why the stars shine and the seasons change, and what constitutes evil. The imaginative answers crafted by our ancestors have served as religion, science, philosophy, and popular literature. In this latest installment of the New York Times bestselling Don't Know Much About(R) series, Kenneth C. Davis introduces and explains the great myths of the world using his engaging and delightfully irreverent question-and-answer style. He tackles the epic of Gilgamesh; Achilles and the Trojan War; Stonehenge and the Druids; Odin, Thor, and the entire Norse pantheon; Native American myths, and much more, including the dramatic life and times of the man who would be Buddha. From Mount Olympus to Machu Picchu, here is an insightful, lively look at the greatest stories ever told.

Who killed the Dead Sea? What can you build with BRICS? Does the World Bank have ATMs? Is all the talk of global warming just a lot of hot air?

In Don't Know Much About(R) Geography, Kenneth C. Davis, New York Times bestselling author and creator of the Don't Know Much About(R) series of books, takes the reader on a fascinating, breathtaking, and hilarious grand tour of the planet Earth--opening our eyes and imaginations to a wide, wild, and wonderful world we never knew. In this newly revised, updated, and expanded edition of the classic anti-textbook, he reflects on many of the profound and important changes that have occurred on our planet in the last twenty years.

In the dramatic period from 1800 through 1850, the United States went from a tiny newborn nation on the Atlantic seaboard to a near-empire that spanned the continent. But America's path to nationhood was vastly more complex than the tidily packaged national myth of a destiny made manifest by visionary political leaders and fearless pioneers. In A Nation Rising, bestselling author Kenneth C. Davis offers fascinating, intertwining stories about historical episodes whose great issues--ambition, power, territorial expansion, slavery, intolerance, civil rights, freedom of the press--reverberate to this day, including:

Aaron Burr's 1807 trial, culminating in one of our nation's first media circuses

The 1813 Indian uprising and ensuing massacre, exposing the powerful conflicts at the heart of America's expansion

The mutiny aboard the slave ship Creole, illustrating how the institution of slavery both destroyed lives and warped our nation's founding

The bloody "Bible Riots" in Philadelphia, erupting in an early episode of deadly anti-immigrant sentiment

Eye-opening history and riveting storytelling, A Nation Rising is a powerful reminder of the ways in which our past continues to shape our present.

Was Columbus the first European in the Americas?

What sport became more popular after the Civil War?

Were the Little Rock Nine a rock-and-roll band?

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 take on history with its wit and unusual detail. Davis now does for young people what his earlier book did for adults. In his trademark question-and-answer style -- peppered with surprising facts, historic reproductions, and Matt Faulkner's lively illustrations -- Davis introduces our ancestors who settled the East and expanded the West, as well as those who had been living here all along. His sure touch brings the drama and excitement of the American story vividly to life.

Desde la llegada de Cristobal Colon hasta las extranas elecciones del 2000, el autor Kenneth C. Davis lleva a sus lectores en un divertido viaje a traves de mas de 500 anos de la historia de los Estados Unidos. En esta edicion actualizada -- y disponible por primera vez en espanol -- Davis rectifica, explica y cuenta la verdad que se esconde tras los mitos y las mentiras de la historia estadounidense.

Kenneth C. Davis, author of the phenomenal "New York Times" bestseller "Don't Know Much About History," presents a collection of extraordinary stories, each detailing an overlooked episode that shaped the nation's destiny and character. Davis's dramatic narratives set the record straight, busting myths and bringing to light little-known but fascinating facts from a time when the nation's fate hung in the balance.

Spanning a period from the Spanish arrival in America to George Washington's inauguration in 1789, "America's Hidden History" is an iconoclastic look at America's past, connecting some of the dots between history and today's headlines, and proving why Davis is truly America's teacher.

Find out: Which Pilgrims arrived in Florida fifty years before the Mayflower sailed. What Supreme Court Justice went to prison. What traitor is honored with a statue for his bravery. Which fighting woman in colonial New England scalped her Indian captors.

From Homer to Harry Potter, from Chaucer to "Charlotte's Web," a compelling book of quizzes on history's most influential literary works and writers Did a whale named "Mocha Dick" inspire Melville's masterpiece? Who was the first poet to speak at a presidential inauguration? Which French-speaking high school football star shook up the literary world?

Do you freeze when someone mentions Faulkner? When the conversation turns to the Odyssey, do you want to take a hike? Have no fear. For years, Kenneth C. Davis's "New York Times" bestselling Don't Know Much About(R) books have enlightened and enthralled us with a winning blend of fascinating facts and wonderfully irreverent fun. Now he sets his sights on our literary IQ in "Don't Know Much About(R) Literature." With this rich treasure trove of knowledge and intriguing information about the world's great books and authors, Kenneth Davis and his daughter, Jenny, demystify "Dracula," capture Kafka, and help you brush up on your BrontE in the inimitable and endlessly entertaining Don't Know Much About(R) style.

Kenneth C. Davis, author of the phenomenal "New York Times" bestseller "Don't Know Much About History," presents a collection of extraordinary stories, each detailing an overlooked episode that shaped the nation's destiny and character. Davis's dramatic narratives set the record straight, busting myths and bringing to light little-known but fascinating facts from a time when the nation's fate hung in the balance.

Spanning a period from the Spanish arrival in America to George Washington's inauguration in 1789, "America's Hidden History" details these episodes, among others: The story of the first real Pilgrims in America, who were wine-making French Huguenots, not dour English Separatists The coming-of-age story of Queen Isabella, who suggested that Columbus pack the moving mess hall of pigs that may have spread disease to many Native Americans The long, bloody relationship between the Pilgrims and Indians that runs counter to the idyllic scene of the Thanksgiving feast The little-known story of George Washington as a headstrong young soldier who committed a war crime, signed a confession, and started a war!

Full of color, intrigue, and human interest, "America's Hidden History" is an iconoclastic look at America's past, connecting some of the dots between history and today's headlines, proving why Davis is truly America's Teacher.

• 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.