The author headed for South America at the age of twenty-five with a clear aim "to do something in [his] life." Fascinated by the beauty of quartz crystals in Brazil, he started to collect them enthusiastically and he is now the only collector of giant crystals in the world.
Conquered by their secret power and the perfection of their forms, he penetrated the intimate world of crystals and marveled at the magnificent play of light reflected on their smooth faces. Some of the phenomenal crystals "survived" hundreds of millions of years untouched.

Why did Abraham Lincoln sneak into Washington for his inauguration? was the Gettysburg Address written on the back of an envelope? Where did the Underground Railroad run? Did General Sherman really say, "War is Hell"?

If you can't answer these questions, you're not alone. Millions of Americans, bored by dull textbooks, are in the dark about the most significant event in our history. Now New York Times bestselling author Kenneth C. Davis comes to the rescue, deftly sorting out the players, the politics, and the key events...

Here is a reference work that is also meant to be a teaching tool, helping its readers comprehend the complex processes and development of the legislative branch of the U.S. government. It describes in simple language selected persons, events, and terms associated with Congress, including arcane terms such as Blue-slip procedure, Morning hour, andShadow senators. Also included are significant court cases, major elections, scandals, and other controversies and many of the rules and customs that regulate congressional behavior.

Both the famous and the obscure from every genre of cinema are celebrated in more than 1,000 quotations that are sure to intrigue and delight. The quotes offer individual takes on more than 200 topics, including life, love, family, work, and death-not to mention cheap motels and bowling.

Pyramids tells the story of these Egyptian monuments from their earliest beginnings, following their development from the first step pyramid to the Great Pyramid of Giza. Unlike most books on the subject, the volume describes not only the pyramids themselves but also the complexes of temples and walls that surrounded them. It also tells the stories of the kings and builders who created them.