In this philosophical fantasy, naive Candide sees and suffers such misfortune that he ultimately rejects the philosophy of his tutor Doctor Pangloss, who claims that "all is for the best in this best of all possible worlds." Candide and his companions--Pangloss, his beloved Cunegonde, and his servant Cacambo--display an instinct for survival that provides them hope in an otherwise somber setting. When they all retire together to a simple life on a...

"From a renowned historian comes a groundbreaking narrative of humanity's creation and evolution--a #1 international bestseller--that explores the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be "human." One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Yet today there is only one--homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to us? Most...

A writer at The New Yorker examines the fractures at the center of contemporary culture. In each essay, Tolentino writes about a cultural prism: the rise of the nightmare social internet; the advent of scamming as the definitive millennial ethos; the literary heroine's journey from brave to blank to bitter; and the punitive dream of optimization, which insists that everything, including our bodies, should become more efficient and beautiful until...

"This important book explores the culture and achievements of ancient Mesopotamia through the examination of artifacts that have survived through the centuries. Each primary-source artifact offers the reader significant clues to the civilization's technologies, cultural traditions, foods, and conflicts"--Provided by publisher.

An illustrated comprehensive and accessible history of Ancient Greece explores the rise and fall of the Greek empire, its powerful legacy for the modern world, and new discoveries shedding light on ancient Greek civilization.

The year is AD100 and Rome stands supreme and unconquerable, from the desert sands of Mesopotamia to the misty highlands of Caledonia. But the might of Rome rests entirely on the shoulders of the legionaries, who stand strong against the barbarian hordes, pushing back the frontiers of the empire. This book tells you how to get in and get on in the legions, the best places to serve, life in camp, on campaign and in battle, and such things as how to...

"In her Arts of Tuscany, Marina Belozerskaya leads the reader on a journey through the arts of this astonishing part of Italy, from the Etruscan capitals of Cerveteri and Tarquinia, to the great medieval and Renaissance city-states of Lucca, Pisa, Siena, and Florence, and onto the fashionable destinations of the recent past. Spanning time, geography, and a wide variety of art forms - from Etruscan bronzes to Ferragamo shoes - she shows how the arts...

"A captivating, surprising history of timekeeping and how it has shaped our world. For thousands of years, people of all cultures have made and used clocks, from the city sundials of ancient Rome to the medieval water clocks of imperial China, hourglasses fomenting revolution in the Middle Ages, the Stock Exchange clock of Amsterdam in 1611, Enlightenment observatories in India, and the high-precision clocks circling the Earth on a fleet of GPS satellites...

"In 1177 B.C., marauding groups known only as the "Sea Peoples" invaded Egypt. The pharaoh's army and navy managed to defeat them, but the victory so weakened Egypt that it soon slid into decline, as did most of the surrounding civilizations. After centuries of brilliance, the civilized world of the Bronze Age came to an abrupt and cataclysmic end. Kingdoms fell like dominoes over the course of just a few decades. No more Minoans or Mycenaeans. No...