BOOK JACKET COPY
Cosimo Books
Parthia
by George Rawlinson
In this sweeping
historical account of ancient Parthia (which encompassed most of
modern-day Iran as well as parts of Iraq and Afghanistan), George
Rawlinson details the history, ethnography, government, and culture of
an empire that was ancient Rome's most formidable obstacle to eastward
expansion. Aided by a wealth of maps and illustrations, Rawlinson
documents the ebb and flow of empire, providing vivid accounts of the
Parthians' battles with Rome and a window into a civilization that
lasted five centuries.
The Buccaneers of America
John Esquemeling
Captain Jack Sparrow would shiver his timbers when faced with Sir Henry Morgan and his savage band of buccaneers. Sacking Porto Bellow, burning Panama, and even taking on the Spanish armada, Morgan stopped at nothing to acquire his precious lucre in the years 1666 to 1672. This vivid account, as told by one of Morgan's own men and illustrated with engravings from the period, puts the lie to the idea of the "romantic swashbuckler." A brutal, unforgiving, and essential slice of seafaring history.
A History of Elementary Mathematics
by Florian Cajori
Written as a teaching aid for graduate and undergraduate math students, Florian Cajori's comprehensive survey of mathematics from Babylonian to modern times makes for an enlightening read. (Did you know that the decimal system is based on our having ten fingers and toes?) Beginning with the number systems of antiquity, continuing through the Hindu and Arabic influence on medieval thought, and concluding with an overview of trends in modern mathematical teaching, this is an invaluable work not only for students, but educators as well.
The West Indies in 1837
by Joseph Sturge and Thomas Harvey
In response to reports of brutality toward former slaves in the West Indies, Joseph Sturge and Thomas Harvey journeyed to the region's plantations to investigate the newly instituted apprenticeship system. The result was this vivid exposé, written for "the purpose of ascertaining the actual condition of the Negro population of those islands." Along with Sturge's testimony to Parliament, the book brought an end to the apprenticeship system and reawakened anti-slavery sentiment in Britain. This near-forgotten chapter in the history of slavery is an early example of muckraking at its best.