Genghis Khan: The Flail of God (The True Story of Genghis Khan) (Historical Biographies of Famous People) Alexander Kennedy
He was one of history’s greatest conquerors, and in his day, his name was a byword for terror. His forces burned great cities to the ground and slaughtered on a scale that verged on genocide. Yet there was also another side to Genghis Khan; he modernized the laws and customs of his people and unified much of Eurasia, furthering the trade and cultural exchange of the Great Silk Road. For these accomplishments, he is today celebrated as the greatest hero of the Mongolian people. In this essential biography, Alexander Kennedy examines Genghis Khan in all his facets: conqueror and diplomat, warlord and lawgiver, father and son, butcher and hero. We see Temüjin’s rise from the kidnapped son of a clan chief to the ruler of a united Mongol horde, the “Genghis Khan.” But we also see the human cos...
Isaac Newton: Secrets of the Universe (The True Story of Isaac Newton) (Historical Biographies of Famous People) Alexander Kennedy
Isaac Newton is one of the chief architects of our world, the man whose life marked the definitive transition from the Dark Ages to the modern scientific era. His laws of motion and gravity laid the foundations for the entire discipline of physics, and his work on optics, color, thermodynamics, and the speed of sound greatly advanced their respective fields. Along the way, he co-invented calculus and built the first useful reflecting telescope. Yet this towering genius was also all too human, prone to lashing out at rivals, paranoia, and even nervous breakdowns. He secretly worked with alchemy and the occult even as his public experiments swept away the mysticism of the medieval age. In this compact, highly readable biography, Alexander Kennedy chronicles Newton in all his paradoxical glo...
Mozart: Requiem of Genius (The True Story of Wolfgang Mozart) (Historical Biographies of Famous People) Alexander Kennedy
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s name is today synonymous with genius, but his life was a whirlwind of controversy, jealousy, and clashing egos. In this highly readable short biography, Alexander Kennedy brings Mozart and his times vividly to life. Here we see the sweeping grandeur of the courts Mozart visited as a child prodigy, and the grasping desperation of his scheming father. We follow the composer through the flush of his first love up through his marriage to Constanze Weber, and from his first, half-plagiarized concertos to masterpieces like The Magic Flute. We watch Mozart clash with family and friends, with archbishops and emperors, and we feel again the tragedy of his mysterious early death. And above all, we hear his eternal music: music that captivated a continent, defined a genre, ...
Thomas Jefferson: The Blood of Patriots (The True Story of Thomas Jefferson) (Historical Biographies of Famous People) Alexander Kennedy
Thomas Jefferson is justly remembered as one of the great presidents of American history. Yet his greatest accomplishments--the Louisiana Purchase, the First Barbary War, the Lewis and Clark expedition--almost all came in his first term in office. His second term saw a sharp reversal of fortunes, as catastrophe engulfed the nation and Jefferson slunk out of office, never to play a role in public affairs again. While always giving a great man his due, this new biography explores the darker side of Jefferson's political legacy, examining how the flaws in both his personality and ideology led the nation to the brink of war and dissolution. It tells how Jefferson tossed aside legal norms in his pursuit of rival judges and his own vice president, and how his 1807 Embargo Act devastated the na...
