Michael Anderson

Anyone who has experienced the thrill of watching his or her team win on Super Bowl Sunday will recognize the exhilaration that the game of football generates. Gridiron football is a complex game that demands both tactical ability and physical skill. This enthralling volume outlines the history and rules of American football, chronicles the rise of some of its greatest players, and illustrates how the game has become such a beloved cultural phenomenon....

Together, minerals, rocks, and fossils communicate much about Earth's history. Much more than ornaments on a landscape, minerals and rocks are significant components of the planet's foundation, while fossils contain clues as to the various life forms that once inhabited the planet. Readers are invited to take a closer look at the materials that have, in many ways, facilitated life, and to explore the types and categories of minerals, rocks, and fossils...

The cultural and intellectual achievements of Old World civilizations—ancient Greece or Egypt, for instance—can be glimpsed in present-day societies the world over. Unfortunately, accomplishments of the ancient civilizations of the New World have often been obscured by the colonial forces that eventually eradicated much of their populations. One glance at the imposing architecture left behind by the Inca or the mathematical strides made by the...

Perhaps the most iconic representation of Americana, baseball captured the hearts of the American public when it first gained traction around the country in the mid-19th century. The sport continues to enthrall audiences both in the United States and around the world through informal games, regional associations, and at the professional level. This volume introduces readers to the history of a sport that in many ways is inextricably tied to the American...

It may be little exaggeration to say that the figure of Abraham Lincoln embodies the American ideal more so than any other U.S. president. Although he came from humble beginnings and held several odd jobs before launching his career in politics, Lincoln's determination and natural abilities brought him to the White House, where he led the struggle to preserve the union and emancipate the country's slaves. Lincoln's remarkable life—from his childhood...