According to Wikipedia: "The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people and peaking in Europe in the years 1346–53. Although there were several competing theories as to the etiology of the Black Death, analysis of DNA from victims in northern and southern Europe published in 2010 and 2011 indicates that the pathogen responsible was the Yersinia pestis bacterium, probably causing several forms of plague. The Black Death is thought to have originated in the arid plains of central Asia, where it then travelled along the Silk Road, reaching the Crimea by 1346.[citation needed][6] From there, it was most likely carried by Oriental rat fleas living on the black rats that were regular passengers on merchant ships. Spreading throughout the Mediterranean and Europe, the Black Death is estimated to have killed 30–60% of Europe's total population. All in all, the plague reduced the world population from an estimated 450 million down to 350–375 million in the 14th century. The aftermath of the plague created a series of religious, social, and economic upheavals, which had profound effects on the course of European history. It took 150 years for Europe's population to recover. The plague recurred occasionally in Europe until the 19th century."

According to Wikipedia: "Apologia Pro Vita Sua (Latin: A defense of his life) is the classic defense by John Henry Newman of his religious opinions, published in 1864 in response to what he saw as an unwarranted attack on him, the Catholic priesthood, and Roman Catholic doctrine by Charles Kingsley. The work quickly became a bestseller and has remained in print to this day. The work was tremendously influential in turning public opinion for Newman, and in establishing him as one of the foremost exponents of Catholicism in England....Venerable John Henry Newman, CO (21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890) was a Roman Catholic priest and Cardinal who converted to Roman Catholicism from Anglicanism in October 1845. In early life, he was a major figure in the Oxford Movement to bring the Church of England back to its Catholic roots. Eventually his studies in history persuaded him to become a Roman Catholic. Both before and after becoming a Roman Catholic, he wrote a number of influential books, including Via Media, Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine (1845), Apologia Pro Vita Sua (1865-66) and the Grammar of Assent (1870)."

According to Wikipedia: "Lewis Sperry Chafer (February 27, 1871 – August 22, 1952) was the founder and first president of Dallas Theological Seminary, and an influential founding member of modern Christian Dispensationalism.

Excerpt from Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions. The essay begins: "The belief that disembodied spirits may be permitted to revisit this world, has its foundation upon that sublime hope of immortality, which is at once the chief solace and greatest triumph of our reason. Even if revelation did not teach us, we feel that we have that within us which shall never die; and all our experience of this life but makes us cling the more fondly to that one repaying hope. But in the early days of "little knowledge," this grand belief became the source of a whole train of superstitions, which, in their turn, became the fount from whence flowed a deluge of blood and horror. Europe, for a period of two centuries and a half, brooded upon the idea, not only that parted spirits walked the earth to meddle in the affairs of men, but that men had power to summon evil spirits to their aid to work woe upon their fellows. An epidemic terror seized upon the nations; no man thought himself secure, either in his person or possessions, from the machinations of the devil and his agents. Every calamity that befell him, he attributed to a witch."

This eBook features the unabridged text of ‘Cousin Betty by Honoré de Balzac - Delphi Classics (Illustrated)’ from the bestselling edition of ‘The Collected Works of Honoré de Balzac’. Having established their name as the leading publisher of classic literature and art, Delphi Classics produce publications that are individually crafted with superior formatting, while introducing many rare texts for the first time in digital print. The Delphi Classics edition of Balzac includes original annotations and illustrations relating to the life and works of the author, as well as individual tables of contents, allowing you to navigate eBooks quickly and easily. eBook features: * The complete unabridged text of ‘Cousin Betty by Honoré de Balzac - Delphi Classics (Illustrated)’ * Beautifully illustrated with images related to Balzac’s works * Individual contents table, allowing easy navigation around the eBook * Excellent formatting of the text Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to learn more about our wide range of titles

Account of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, first published in 1865. According to Wikipedia: "George Alfred Townsend (January 30, 1841 – April 15, 1914), was a noted war correspondent during the American Civil War, and a later novelist. Townsend wrote under the pen name "Gath", which was derived by adding an "H" to his initials, and inspired by the biblical passage II Samuel 1:20, "Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askalon"... He is considered to have been the youngest correspondent of the war. In 1865, Townsend was Washington correspondent for the New York World, covering the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and its aftermath. His daily reports filed between April 17 – May 17 were published later in 1865 as a book, The Life, Crime, and Capture of John Wilkes Booth."

According to Wikipedia: "Vice Admiral William Bligh, (9 September 1754 – 7 December 1817) was an officer of the British Royal Navy and a colonial administrator. A historic mutiny occurred during his command of HMS Bounty in 1789; Bligh and his loyal men made a remarkable voyage to Timor, after being set adrift in the Bounty's launch by the mutineers. Fifteen years after the Bounty mutiny, he was appointed Governor of New South Wales in Australia, with orders to clean up the corrupt rum trade of the New South Wales Corps, resulting in the so-called Rum Rebellion."

First published in the 19th century. Written by a brigadier general from the U.S. The book begins: "In universal history there is no more interesting subject for the consideration of the political student than the record of Russian progress through Central Asia. In one sense this advance is a practical reestablishment or extension of the influence of the Aryan race in countries long dominated by peoples of Turki or Mongolian origin; in another sense it has resulted in a transition from the barbarism or rude forms of Asiatic life to the enlightenment and higher moral development of a European age. In a religious sense it embodies a crusade against Oriental fanaticism; and it is a curious feature of the Anglo-Russian dispute, that upon a question of temporal gain, the greatest Christian nation finds itself allied with the followers of Buddha and Mahomet against Russia under the Banner of the Cross."

First published in 1903. Biographies of Balfour, Lord Salisbury, Lord Rosebery, Chamberlain, Labourchere, Morley, Burns, Hicks-Beach, Redmond,Harcourt, Bryce, Campbell-Bannerman, and the Earl of Aberdeen.

First published in 1880. According to Wikipedia: "The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Following Lord Carnarvon's successful introduction of federation in Canada, it was thought that similar political effort, coupled with military campaigns, might succeed with the African kingdoms, tribal areas and Boer republics in South Africa. In 1874, Sir Henry Bartle Frere was sent to South Africa as High Commissioner for the British Empire to bring such plans into being. Among the obstacles were the presence of the independent states of the South African Republic and the Kingdom of Zululand and its army.[6] Frere, on his own initiative, without the approval of the British government[7][8] and with the intent of instigating a war with the Zulu, had presented an ultimatum on 11 December 1878, to the Zulu king Cetshwayo with which the Zulu king could not comply.[9] Cetshwayo did not comply and Bartle Frere sent Lord Chelmsford to invade Zululand.[10] The war is notable for several particularly bloody battles, including a stunning opening victory by the Zulu at Isandlwana, as well as for being a landmark in the timeline of imperialism in the region. The war eventually resulted in a British victory and the end of the Zulu nation's independence."

Based on research completed in 1997. Originally published by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress as part of the Country Studies/Area Handbook Series sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Army between 1986 and 1998. Each study offers a comprehensive description and analysis of the country or region's historical setting, geography, society, economy, political system, and foreign policy.

Originally published by the CIA, as an unclassified public document. Douglas MacEachin served as CIA's Deputy Director for Intelligence from 1993 to 1995 during his thirty-two year career at CIA. Mr. MacEachin was an officer-in-residence at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, from 1995 to 1997, subsequently becoming a senior at the Kennedy School.

English writer, philosopher and pioneering advocate of women's rights, Mary Wollstonecraft wrote novels, treatises, a travel narrative, a history of the French Revolution and a children's book. In her landmark feminist text, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), Wollstonecraft argued that women are not naturally inferior to men, but appeared to be only because they lacked education. She called for men and women to be treated equally, paving the way for the emergence of the feminist movement at the turn of the twentieth century. This comprehensive eBook presents Wollstonecraft’s complete fictional works, with numerous illustrations, rare texts, informative introductions and the usual Delphi bonus material. (Version 1) * Beautifully illustrated with images relating to Wollstonecraft’s life and works* Concise introductions to the novels and other texts* All the novels, with individual contents tables* Images of how the books were first published, giving your eReader a taste of the original texts* Excellent formatting of the texts* Includes Wollstonecraft’s complete pamphlets* ‘A Vindication of the Rights of Man’ in presented with an appendix of Burke’s ‘Reflections on the Revolution in France’* Includes Wollstonecraft’s posthumously published Works* Features three biographies, including the author’s husband’s controversial memoir - discover Wollstonecraft’s personal and literary life* Scholarly ordering of texts into chronological order and literary genres Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles CONTENTS: The FictionMARY: A FICTIONMARIA; OR, THE WRONGS OF WOMANTHE CAVE OF FANCY The Children’s BookORIGINAL STORIES FROM REAL LIFE The Non-FictionTHOUGHTS ON THE EDUCATION OF DAUGHTERSA VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTS OF MENA VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTS OF WOMANAN HISTORICAL AND MORAL VIEW OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION; AND THE EFFECT IT HAS PRODUCED IN EUROPELETTERS WRITTEN DURING A SHORT RESIDENCE IN SWEDEN, NORWAY, AND DENMARKON POETRY, AND OUR RELISH FOR THE BEAUTIES OF NATURELETTER ON THE PRESENT CHARACTER OF THE FRENCH NATIONFRAGMENT OF LETTERS ON THE MANAGEMENT OF INFANTSLETTERS TO MR. JOHNSON, BOOKSELLER, IN ST. PAUL’S CHURCH-YARDLESSONSHINTSLETTERS The BiographiesMEMOIRS OF THE AUTHOR OF A VINDICATION OF THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN by William GodwinMARY WOLLSTONECRAFT by Elizabeth Robins PennellA BRIEF SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT Please visit www.delphiclassics.com to browse through our range of exciting titles or to purchase this eBook as a Parts Edition of individual eBooks

This series of nonfiction readers will grab a student's interest from the very first page! Designed with struggling readers in mind, these riveting 92-page books offer short chapters on significant disasters. Each chapter is its own mini-book, which includes a timeline, key terms, and interesting facts. Fascinating black and white photographs keep the pages turning. A bibliography encourages further topical reading. Disasters are inherently frightening, riveting, and involving. Grabbed straight from the headlines, these disasters leave tragedy, destruction, and years of anguish: Vesuvius, Krakatoa, Mount Pelee, Mount St. Helens, Mount Pinatubo, Hawaii's Gentle Giants, The World's Most Active Volcanoes, and more.

Discover the astonishing true stories--that will make readers laugh, cry, and gasp--behind the headlines: The Boston Massacre, Pearl Harbor, Kent State, Sarajevo, Pentagon, Cyber Attacks, and more. This series of nonfiction readers will grab a student's interest from the very first page! Designed with struggling readers in mind, these riveting books offer short chapters on high-interest headlines. Each chapter is its own mini-book, which includes a timeline, key terms, and interesting facts. Fascinating black and white photographs keep the pages turning. A bibliography encourages further topical reading.

Discover the astonishing true stories--that will make readers laugh, cry, and gasp--behind the headlines: Ace Pilot, Spy Plane, Flight 007, Dark Horse Six, Passenger Planes, Navy Seal Team 6, and more. This series of nonfiction readers will grab a student's interest from the very first page! Designed with struggling readers in mind, these riveting books offer short chapters on high-interest headlines. Each chapter is its own mini-book, which includes a timeline, key terms, and interesting facts. Fascinating black and white photographs keep the pages turning. A bibliography encourages further topical reading.

Discover the astonishing true stories--that will make readers laugh, cry, and gasp--behind the headlines: Balboa in a Barrel, Harriet Tubman, Brown Tree Snakes, Guzman in the Wheel, Deadly Truck Trip, Man Ships Himself, The Case of the Huanglongbing, and more. This series of nonfiction readers will grab a student's interest from the very first page! Designed with struggling readers in mind, these riveting books offer short chapters on high-interest headlines. Each chapter is its own mini-book, which includes a timeline, key terms, and interesting facts. Fascinating black and white photographs keep the pages turning. A bibliography encourages further topical reading.

Discover the astonishing true stories--that will make readers laugh, cry, and gasp--behind the headlines: The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, A Sticky Mess, The Iron Curtain, The Kursk, The Quecreek Mine Flood, The Chilean Miners, and more. This series of nonfiction readers will grab a student's interest from the very first page! Designed with struggling readers in mind, these riveting books offer short chapters on high-interest headlines. Each chapter is its own mini-book, which includes a timeline, key terms, and interesting facts. Fascinating black and white photographs keep the pages turning. A bibliography encourages further topical reading.

Uncle Tom's Cabin is a hugely influential story written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, a Connecticut-born teacher at the Hartford Female Academy and an active abolitionist. Stowe featured the character of Uncle Tom, a long-suffering black slave around whom the stories of other characters revolve. The sentimental novel depicts the reality of slavery while also asserting that Christian love can overcome something as destructive as enslavement of fellow human beings.

What is the meaning and purpose of life?’ ?This is, perhaps, the most important question that has ever been asked.? Throughout the ages, philosophers have considered it to be the most fundamental question.? Scientists, historians, philosophers, writers, psychologists and the common man all wrestle with the question at some point in their lives.? ‘Why do we eat?’ ?‘Why do we sleep?’ ?‘Why do we work?’ ?The answers we would get to these questions would be similar.? ‘I eat to live.’ ?‘I sleep to rest.’ ?‘I work to support myself and my family.’ ?But when it comes to what the purpose of life is, people are confused.? We see their confusion by the type of answers we receive.? Youths may say, "I live for booze and bikinis."? The middle aged professional might say, "I live to save enough for a comfortable retirement."? The old man would probably say, "I’ve been asking why I’m here most of my life.? If there’s a purpose, I don’t care anymore." ?And perhaps the most common answer will be, "I really don’t know!" How, then, do you discover the purpose of life? ?We basically have two options.? The first is to let ‘human reason’ - the celebrated achievement of the Enlightenment - guide us.? After all, the Enlightenment gave us modern science based on careful observation of the natural world.? But have post-Enlightenment philosophers figured it out? ?Camus described life as "absurd"; Sartre spoke of "anguish, abandonment and despair." ?To these Existentialists, life has no meaning. Islam is the response to humanity’s search for meaning.? The purpose of creation for all men and women for all times has been one: to know and worship God. The Quran teaches us that every human being is born conscious of God, "(Remember) when your Lord extracted from the loins of Adam’s children their descendants and made them testify [saying]: ‘Am I not your Lord?’ ?They said: ‘Yes, we testify to it.’ ?(This was) in case you say on the Day of Judgment: ‘We were unaware of this.’ ?Or you say: ‘It was our ancestors who worshipped others besides God and we are only their descendants.? Will you then destroy us for what those liars did?’"(Quran 7:172-173) The Prophet of Islam teaches us that God created this primordial need in human nature at the time Adam was made.? God took a covenant from Adam when He created him.? God extracted all of Adam’s descendants who were yet to be born, generation after generation, spread them out, and took a covenant from them.? He addressed their souls directly, making them bear witness that He was their Lord.? Since God made all human beings swear to His Lordship when He created Adam, this oath is imprinted on the human soul even before it enters the fetus, and so a child is born with a natural belief in the Oneness of God.? This natural belief is called fitra in Arabic.

In 1914, Coningsby Dawson went to Ottawa, saw Sir Sam Hughes, and was offered a commission in the Canadian Field Artillery on the completion of his training at the Royal Military College of Canada, at Kingston, Ontario. "His long training at Kingston had been very severe. It included besides the various classes which he attended a great deal of hard exercise, long rides or foot marches over frozen roads before breakfast, and so forth."