The dramatic arc of Saigo Takamori's life, from his humble origins as a lowly samurai, to national leadership, to his death as a rebel leader, has captivated generations of Japanese readers and now Americans as well - his life is the inspiration for a major Hollywood film, The Last Samurai, starring Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe. In this vibrant new biography, Mark Ravina, professor of history and Director of East Asian Studies at Emory University,...

Gandhi was one of the most important leaders in history. He used peaceful protests and other nonviolent methods to stand up for equal rights for all people. Before he showed the world that peaceful actions can create powerful change, he was a shy young boy who kept to himself. He studied hard in school, became a lawyer, and used his skills to help others. Explore how Gandhi went from being a quiet kid growing up in India to one of the bravest and...

"A group biography of Pasquale Paoli, George Washington, Toussaint Louverture, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Simon Bolivar with an emphasis on charismatic leadership."--

Alexis de Tocqueville was among the first foreigners to recognize the potential of a new land called the United States. His classic work Democracy in America, first published in 1835, was not only a vivid portrait of the new nation, but also a startlingly accurate forecast of its future. From the influence of evangelical Christianity to the advent of our "consumer society," many of de Tocqueville's predictions have come true. Bestselling author...

Alfonso Scirocco is the author of many books on modern Italian history. From 1966 to 2000, he was professor of humanities at University Frederick II in Naples, Italy. What adventure novelist could have invented the life of Giuseppe Garibaldi? The revolutionary, soldier, politician, and greatest figure in the fight for Italian unification, Garibaldi (1807-1882) brought off almost as many dramatic exploits in the Americas as he did in Europe, becoming...

"Forget Pinochet, Milosevic, Hussein, Kim Jong-il, or Gadafi: America need look no further than its own lauded leaders for a war criminal whose offenses rival those of the most heinous dictators in recent history-Henry Kissinger. Employing evidence based on firsthand testimony, unpublished documents, and new material uncovered by the Freedom of Information Act, and using only what would hold up in international courts of law, The Trial of Henry Kissinger...

"Thoroughly researched, written from a nonpartisan perspective, and as lively as a novel, this is the definitive biography of the revered Cuban patriot and martyr whose revolutionary movement eventually ended the Spanish colonial domination of Cuba."--

"Meticulously researched by a senior private banker now turned historian, No More Champagne reveals for the first time the full extent of the iconic British war leader's private struggle to maintain a way of life instilled by his upbringing and expected of his public position. Lough uses Churchill's own most private records, many never researched before, to chronicle his family's chronic shortage of money, his own extravagance and his recurring losses...

Follows the life of the Polish aristocrat who believed in freedom, fought in the American Revolution, and was appointed chief of the Engineering Corps of the Northern army.

"Explores why . . . The Prince . . . continues to enthrall readers and . . . can help enrich the way we understand [the statesman] . . . . A compelling portrait." (Kirkus Reviews) The man whose name is shorthand for all that is ugly in politics was more nuanced than his reputation suggests. Christopher Celenza's portrait of Machiavelli removes the varnish to reveal not just the hardnosed philosopher but the skilled diplomat, learned commentator...