Even the oddities—the entire state of Maryland(!)—have become so engrained that our map might as well be a giant jigsaw puzzle designed by Divine Providence. But that's where the real mystery begins. Every edge of the familiar wooden jigsaw pieces of our childhood represents a revealing moment of history and of, well, humans drawing lines in the sand.How the States Got Their Shapes is the first book to tackle why our state lines are where they are. Here are the stories behind the stories, right down to the tiny northward jog at the eastern end of Tennessee and the teeny-tiny (and little known) parts of Delaware that are not attached to Delaware but to New Jersey.How the States Got Their Shapes examines:Why West Virginia has a finger creeping up the side of PennsylvaniaWhy Michigan has an upper peninsula that isn't attached to MichiganWhy some Hawaiian islands are not HawaiiWhy Texas and California are so outsized, especially when so many Midwestern states are nearly identical in sizePacked with fun oddities and trivia, this entertaining guide also reveals the major fault lines of American history, from ideological intrigues and religious intolerance to major territorial acquisitions. Adding the fresh lens of local geographic disputes, military skirmishes, and land grabs, Mark Stein shows how the seemingly haphazard puzzle pieces of our nation fit together perfectly.

    We are in an age of abundance, overspending, mass consumerism, Dollar Tree hauls, and poor food choices. We have storage units for all our "stuff" and we are over our heads in debt and soaking in stress. This book is short but filled with inspiration and tips to overhaul the families lifestyle to one of simple, humble living, and sustainability. This is the way we live debt free and under one very small paycheck for a family of four. We live like middle class although by the government charts we are just above the poverty line. Ha! How silly. We eat organics, drink good coffee and dress well, living in a charming cottage and drive fairly attractive cars. We are happy, healthy and thriving. How do we live well on so little? I stay home to tend to the family, cook almost everything from scratch, and my front and back yards are now kitchen gardens. Brew up some coffee and come join me to see just how this lady does it.

    All three astronauts were experienced pilots and had dreams of one day walking on the moon, but little did they know, nor did anyone else, that once they entered the spacecraft that cold winter day they would never leave it alive. The Apollo program would be perilously close to failure before it ever got off the ground. But rather than dooming the space program, this tragedy caused the spacecraft to be completely overhauled, creating a stellar flying machine to achieve the program’s primary goal: putting man on the moon. Apollo 1 is a candid portrayal of the astronauts, the disaster that killed them, and its aftermath. In it, readers will learn: How the Apollo 1 spacecraft was doomed from the start, with miles of uninsulated wiring and tons of flammable materials in a pure oxygen atmosphere, along with a hatch that wouldn’t open How, due to political pressure, the government contract to build the Apollo 1 craft went to a bidder with an inferior plan How public opinion polls were beginning to turn against the space control before the tragedy and got much worse after Apollo 1 is about America fulfilling its destiny of man setting foot on the moon. It’s also about the three American heroes who lost their lives in the tragedy, but whose lives were not lost in vain.

    Hailed by historians, educators, and parents for its exciting, thought-provoking narrative, the books have been recognized as a break-through tool in teaching history and critical reading skills to young people. And the kids themselves agree: Hakim has piles of fan letters as testimony. Beginning in January, PBS, in association with Thirteen/WNET, General Electric and Kunhardt Productions, will present Freedom: A History of US, an innovative television mini-series based on Joy Hakim's award-winning books. Katie Couric will host the series, George and Laura Bush will introduce the first episode, and celebrated actors such as Paul Newman, Glenn Close, Robin Williams, Matthew Broderick, Angela Bassett, Jeremy Irons, John Lithgow, and Morgan Freeman will participate as narrators. The program will focus on the history of the United States through the inspiring story of our fight to uphold the ideal of freedom, beginning with the Declaration of Independence in 1776, culminating in the Civil Rights movement, and concluding with the challenges posed by the September 11th attacks. In 8 one-hour episodes appearing nationally on public television, the story of America will unfold through Joy Hakim's vision: her belief that freedom survives again and again, despite all the mistakes and tragic setbacks, and that in order to succeed in upholding this great ideal we must examine the past. The Freedom: A History of US companion book to the PBS series will capture both the visual energy of the programs and Hakim's rare gift for telling history through the lives of its makers. The book will follow the thread of the programs and also expand on them, providing a more complete picture of the people and events that shaped a defiant band of thirteen colonies into a great nation of 50 states. More than 400 illustrations, sidebars, and historical documents enhance this stunning look at American history for families to share, discuss, and treasure. Freedom: A History of US is an essential book for every household in America, and reminds us that great storytelling and a passion for freedom will always have a place at the table.

    The idea that his foray into meth production was not merely a dalliance with darkness, but was actually a full-blown awakening intrigued us. And most of all, the idea that we came to have no respect for the protagonist of our favorite show utterly fascinated us.We couldn’t look away.Breaking Down Breaking Bad attempts to poke into the dark corners of Walter White’s mind, explore the traits that make this show special, and revels in the joy of what is arguably the best drama ever to appear on television. In doing so, it also peels back the layers of what makes characters like Jesse Pinkman tick, explores why we were so drawn to characters like Gus Fring and Mike Ehrmantraut, and relives some of the greatest moments of this already legendary show.Because the show may be gone, but the conversation about it certainly isn’t.Eric San Juan is the coauthor of A Year of Hitchcock (Scarecrow Press 2009) and Hitchcock’s Villains (Scarecrow Press 2013), as well as Geek Wisdom (Quirk Books 2011) and other books. Before Breaking Bad came along, he thought Deadwood was the greatest thing since sliced bread. He still thinks it’s pretty damn good.

    Did you know Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. Did you know that if you're looking for a job, the application and resume are not nearly as important as a reference. In fact ...... knowing someone who works at the company increases your chances of getting an interview and makes you 40% more likely to get the job over someone with a fancier resume. If you learnt anything in the last few lines you're going to learn a bunch more in the next 3666 facts. This book is a 3 in 1 compilation of our previous best selling fact series. It's full of interesting information that you can whip out in any conversation. You'll never be lost for words and always have the perfect ice breaker. ★You're going to learn more about the world you live in & some of the topics include:★ -Science -Economics -Human Anatomy -Animal Species -Space And many, many More! What’re you waiting for? Knowledge is power! Come on in and we’ll delve into the interesting and fascinating facts about the world around us. Scroll up and click the ‘add to cart’ button now! Get the e-book absolutely FREE when you get the paperback!

    He seeks conversions, not just votes. This Spotlight Story from TIME explores the Gospel of Bernie Sanders.

     The soldiers of the 77th Infantry Division saw some of the bloodiest action of the Second World War. Ours to Hold It High is brilliant history of the division’s actions through the course of World War Two as it island-hopped its way towards victory in the face of ferocious Japanese resistance. The story begins in America in 1942 when the division was re-activated and the units were formed and given training before they sailed west to fight. Part one of the book covers these initial two years and the various forms of rigorous training that the men went through to prepare them for the amphibious warfare that they would meet in the islands of the Pacific Ocean. Parts two, three, four, and five of the book provides brilliant insight into the combat history of the unit from Guam to Okinawa. The actions of each unit of the division are uncovered to give a thorough overview of the tumultuous and chaotic action that the men saw. This is account is not written by a historian sitting at a desk in the United States, instead it was written by the soldiers who were there on the frontlines. Max Myers, the unit historian, has compiled their accounts to form this fascinating book. The actions of the 77th have become famous throughout the globe, particularly with the assistance of films such as Hacksaw Ridge that have immortalized the division. Almost every member of the 77th contributed in one way or another to this history. The Commanding General and members of his staff, the commanders and staff members from the organizations, and many other individuals devoted some of their time to revision and correction of preliminary manuscripts. Ours to Hold It High was initially published in 1947 and Max Myers, the main editor, passed away in 2011.

    This volume delivers an eye-popping backstage peek into the lusty private lives and cutthroat careers of Hollywood’s most memorable bad girls over the decades. The iconoclastic Hollywood Divas presented are: Jean Arthur, Lucille Ball, Tallulah Bankhead, Theda Bara, Drew Barrymore, Ethel Barrymore, Kim Basinger, Clara Bow, Louise Brooks, Brett Butler, Mariah Carey, Cher, Joan Collins, Joan Crawford, Dorothy Dandridge, Bette Davis, Dolores Del Rio, Marlene Dietrich, Shannen Doherty, Patty Duke, Faye Dunaway, Jane Fonda, Kay Francis, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Greta Garbo, Ava Gardner, Judy Garland, Greer Garson, Paulette Goddard, Melanie Griffith, Jean Harlow, Susan Hayward, Rita Hayworth, Sonja Henie, Katharine Hepburn, Miriam Hopkins, Whitney Houston, Betty Hutton, Janet Jackson, Grace Kelly, Veronica Lake, Hedy Lamarr, Jennifer Lopez, Jeanette MacDonald, Madonna, Jayne Mansfield, Liza Minnelli, Marilyn Monroe, Maria Montez, Demi Moore, Mae Murray, Vera Ralston, Joan Rivers, Julia Roberts, Roseanne, Diane Ross, Meg Ryan, Norma Shearer, Cybill Shepherd, Britney Spears, Sharon Stone, Barbra Streisand, Gloria Swanson, Elizabeth Taylor, Lana Turner, Lupe Velez, Mae West, Shelley Winters, Natalie Wood, and Loretta Young.A must-have volume for every pop-culture fanatic, Hollywood Divas promises to tantalize you with juicy tidbits and saucy scandals that earned each of these devilish darlings the title of diva.

     The ship was called “magnificent”, consuming as much as one hundred forty tons of coal every day even if it just stands still on the dock, and standing seven stories tall from dock to bridge. She was considered by engineers and shipbuilders as one of the finest examples of man’s ingenuity and creativity. In addition, out of all the ships that were converted for use in the war, the Lusitania was the only one that was exempted and continued on as a cruise ship. However, its job of carrying passengers across the Atlantic Ocean was not the thing that made her famous today. Read more.... Download your copy today! for a limited time discount of only $2.99! Available on PC, Mac, smart phone, tablet or Kindle device. © 2015 All Rights Reserved by Unlimited Press Works, LLC

    The first covered the insanity, and the second, the result. At the request of his daughters, Charles Hensler set out to write a brief summary of his time in Vietnam. The project evolved into a cathartic journey, resulting in a compelling, heartfelt memoir. Weaving threads of the events back home throughout his personal story, Hensler skillfully sets a scene integral to understanding how he and his compatriots felt in Vietnam in 1968, a year of transition. A year many Americans turned their backs on the war, and in a way, on those who fought in it. Hensler tells his story in a relatable way, creating a memoir with broad appeal. He held several occupations, giving an opportunity to understand many aspects of the war through his eyes. Through these varied roles, he was able to connect with locals on a different level than most troops. His recollection of these unlikely friendships is sincere and real. Hensler deftly paints scenes, some bloody and some beautiful. He reveals conflicted feelings about being in Vietnam, and how his experiences there affected him for years after his tour finished. He tells it all in a conversational tone, reminding us throughout of the personal nature of the project— explaining to his daughters a part of their father they never knew. Hensler’s memoir, in his words, was a journey retaken and in some ways, finally completed.

    This art form has been developed by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. What I love most about this art form is that all the patterns are based on simple lines, circles and shapes. Anyone can do it. The beauty of Zentangle lies in the way these patterns evolve from their simple building blocks. Different patterns are put together to create small ‘tiles’ or square drawings. Zentangle art has been used by artists from all over the globe and from all art fields. They have incorporated Zentangle art into everything from mixed media, paper crafting, scrap booking to home décor projects. A simple search on Google images will reveal the vast world of Zentangle art! Zentangle art has also been used by kids all over the world to have fun and make paper toys. With this book Zentangle art can now be used by you to rest, relax, create and make art! This book is perfect for the beginner as well as the experienced tangler. We will go through the list of tools needed, basic tangles created by Rick and Maria, Zentangle Inspired Projects, creating new tangles and lots of worksheets for you to play with and have fun. So left brained or right brained, artist or scientist, child or adult join us in this wonderful journey as we discover and create awesome doodles and tangles. This book will take you from the tools needed to start your Zentangle art experience to creating some beautiful Zentangle Inspired Art pieces that will range from mixed media to home décor crafts. Let’s take a brief look at all we will cover in this book. We will discuss paper, pencils, tiles and log books to store patterns. Once we have all the basics in place we will move on to basic tangle patterns. These tangle patterns have either all been developed by the founders of Zentangle, Rick and Maria or are part of the list of official tangles. They are a great place to start your tangling adventure. Tangles can also be enhanced in several different ways. We will talk about four of these methods and share some examples. Next up we will add some color to the black and white world of Zentangle Art and stir things up a bit. We will go through several different ways in which color can be incorporated in your tangled art. Then we come to the art creation section of the book! In Chapter 5 I will share lots of worksheets for exercises and projects you can do yourself whenever you want. The worksheets come as an easy download and you can print as many as you want to use for yourself or share with family and friends when you introduce them to tangling. These worksheets come as a separate pdf which is available for FREE download for all readers. In Chapter 6 I will outline and give instructions for several applications of Zentangle art in the popular art and craft forms today. We will talk about mixed media art dolls, home décor items, book making, art journaling, card making, paper quilts, Artist Trading Cards and paper crafting. To finish up I will share with you a few of the tangles I have come up with and will show you how to create your own!

    Examines the people and events involved in the significant war by which the thirteen original colonies broke away from England.

    They may even have a point. But to build something so successful, so popular, so inescapable, you've got to have mighty strong foundations.Prior to 1992, the old First Division was England's premier prize. Its rich tapestry winds back to 1888 and the formation of the Football League. A grand century-long tradition in danger of being lost in the wake of Premier League year zero.No more! In The Title Scott Murray tells the lively, cherry-picked story of English football through the prism of the First Division. Rich with humour yet underpinned with solid research, this is a glorious meander across our national sport's varied terrain.With as much about Burnley, Wolves, West Brom and Portsmouth as the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United, we learn the less well-known stories the sport has to tell, such as the plight of Glossop, the smallest club to ever play top-flight football, and final day drama involving Huddersfield and Cardiff that knocks Michael Thomas into a cocked hat. We bask in the managerial genius of Tom Watson, the bowler-hatted Victorian Mourinho; celebrate the joy of the Busby Babes; discover the shameless showmanship of George Allison; embark on righteous escapades with Hughie Gallacher; and meet some old favourites in Don Revie, Bill Shankly, Alex Ferguson and Brian Clough.At turns exciting, surprising, witty and bittersweet, The Title is a highly informed, fresh and affectionate love-letter to the English game, and a delight for any football fan.

    This full-color guide will have you blazing through the web, staying entertained with the latest apps and games, watching your favorite TV shows and movies, and, of course, reading magazines, newspapers, and books to indulge all your interests. Whether this is your first tablet or you're upgrading from another device, you'll get to know your Kindle Fire HD and rekindle your love of reading with "Kindle Fire HD For Dummies"!Covers the Kindle Fire HD and original Kindle FireHelps you navigate the interface, customize your settings, get connected, and take advantage of Amazon CloudShows you how to work with the built-in apps and find new ones to to try out from the Amazon AppstoreExplains how to fill your Kindle Fire with cool stuff - from movies and music to videos, photos, apps, e-books, and moreWalks you through using Amazon's incredibly smooth Amazon Silk web browser to find anything you need online and keep in touch with e-mail, Skype, Facebook, and TwitterLight 'er up and unleash the fun with "Kindle Fire HD For Dummies"!