An outspoken conservative commentator considers the state of the West today, asking why, if American lives have never been better than at any other time in history, the United States' political, social, and economic situation is beginning to erode.

"Judith Herrin, Winner of the 2016 Dr A.H. Heineken Prize, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences" Judith Herrin is professor emeritus in the Department of Classics at King's College London. Her books include Ravenna: Capital of Empire, Crucible of Europe; Unrivalled Influence: Women and Empire in Byzantium; Margins and Metropolis: Authority across the Byzantine Empire; Women in Purple: Rulers of Medieval Byzantium; and The Formation of Christendom...

"Thirty thousand years ago our prehistoric ancestors painted perfect images of animals on walls of tortuous caves, most often without any light. How was this possible? What meaning and messages did the cavemen want these paintings to convey? In addition, how did these perfect drawings come about at a time when man's sole purpose was surviving? And why, some ten thousand years later, did startlingly similar animal paintings appear once again, on dark...

Widely referred to as the "Father of History", Greek Historian Herodotus lived during the 5th century BC and "The Histories" is generally accepted as the first work of historical literature in Western Civilization. Departing from the ancient Homeric tradition of treating historical subjects as epically romantic figures, Herodotus instead approached his subjects with a systematic method of investigation. "The Histories" of Herodotus describe the important...

I'm fascinated with Ancient History because there are continuous new discoveries which push back the dawn of civilization by thousands of years. In the last couple of decades, the discoveries at Gobekli Tepe in eastern Turkey pushed back man-made structures to the time period of 9,000-11,000 B.C. Thousands of years before the next know civilizations existed. This book includes my research on ancient sites around the world, underground structures,...

Birmingham, Alabama, has lost all power. Its streets are jammed with cars that won't start, its airport engulfed in flames from burning planes. All communications-cell phones, computers, even radios-are silent. Every home and business is dark. Is it a natural disaster . . . a terrorist attack . . . or something far worse? In the face of a crisis that sweeps an entire high-tech planet back to a time before electricity, the Branning family faces a choice....

As the electronic pulses that caused the power outage finally come to an end, thirteen-year-old Beth Branning witnesses two brutal murders. She narrowly escapes the killer and runs away in terror. But he knows who she is, and it's just a matter of time before he comes after her. Torn between fear and compassion, Beth tries to help the grieving wife of one of the victims. But will her bravery cost Beth her life? As the power begins to be restored,...

The Tower of Babel - Legend or History? reveals our shared ancestry as never before! Have you ever wondered if the Tower of Babel Story was about a real thing? Certainly, many scientists and historians try not to confirmed its existence but according to many, people were simply too dumb to have created such a thing 6 or 7 thousand years ago. This book takes the reader back to the Tower of Babel and discusses themes and ideas present that resonate...

The world is in great turmoil. Nuclear cataclysm is a real and present danger and the talk of a third world war has become all too common even among the most influential personalities. Political instability is shaking the great nations that once claimed to be bastions of democracy and rule of law. Geopolitical rivalry among the superpowers is ripping apart the institutions that ensured relative peace and stability around the globe for the past several...

The human species took millions of years to evolve. For most of that time we were hunter gatherers without language. And then suddenly in just a few moments we became something different. Historians would say we became civilized. "A civilized society or country has a well-developed system of government, culture, and way of life and that treats the people who live there fairly: A fair justice system is a fundamental part of a civilized society." Is...