Showing titles in North America

Did you know that a newly-designed boat helped win World War II? Learn about Andrew Higgins and his amphibious boat design that revolutionized the war effort. See how Higgins adapted his boat design to help carry soldiers and supplies onto Normandy Beach on D-Day. His craft was amphibious—it worked on land and water. See how one American's invention helped changed the tide of the war.

World War II was the most destructive war in history. Millions upon millions of people died, including innocent civilians. Both sides—the Allies and Axis Powers—pursued secret plans, tactics, and weapons to destroy each other resulting in horrors on a scale never before seen. Secrets of World War II reveals little-known stories of the people, weapons, and battles that have affected the maps on our walls and the allegiances in our hearts.

Four airplanes crashed; thousands of people died; and millions more wept. The impact of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, sent shock waves around the world.

When you need to mislead the enemy, who are you going to call? The Ghost Army of course! During World War II, this top secret group of artists and special effects experts worked to deceive German forces on the front lines. Using fake combat vehicles and artillery, dummies dressed as soldiers, and broadcasting the sounds of troops and equipment, the Ghost Army often tricked the Germans into believing U.S. forces were about to attack in one place while the real troops moved against another target.

In an immersive, exciting narrative nonfiction format, this powerful book follows a selection of people who experienced the events of the Holocaust.

SEAL Team 6 was formed in 1980 to help combat the growing threat of global terrorism and to better handle situations such as the failed attempt to rescue American hostages in Iran earlier that year. They've played an important part in many US special ops missions.

Whaling in the Arctic waters off Alaska’s coast was as dangerous as it was lucrative in 1897. In that particular year, winter came early, bringing with it storms and ice packs that caught eight American whale ships and about three hundred sailors off guard. The ships were imprisoned in ice with no hope of escape. With limited provisions on board the ships that hadn’t been crushed by the ice, there was little hope that these men could survive until warmer temperatures arrived at least 10 months later. Martin Sandler tells the incredible true adventure story of three men who were ordered by President McKinley to carry out an overland rescue in the dead of winter.

Grab your investigative tools, and get ready to meet the Inca people. They were the biggest civilization in the Americas during their time, so how did they fall so quickly to the Spanish conquistadors? Dive into this audiobook to learn more about the Inca Empire in a fun, up-to-date journey through its history.

From heroic George Washington to the dastardly Richard Nixon, the oval office has been occupied by larger-than-life personalities since 1789. The position comes with enormous power and responsibility, and every American president thus far has managed to achieve great things. However, the President of the United States is only human - and oftentimes far from perfect. While some men suffered through only minor mishaps during their time in office, others are famously remembered for leaving behind much bigger messes.

New York Times bestselling author Steve Sheinkin presents a follow up to his award-winning book Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon, taking listeners on a terrifying journey into the Cold War and our mutual assured destruction. As World War II comes to a...

When a forty-seven-foot sailboat disappears in the Gulf Stream in the throes of a disastrous storm, it leaves behind three weary passengers struggling to stay alive. This middle-grade adaptation of an adult nonfiction book tells the story of the four intrepid Coast Guardsmen who braved this ruthless storm in the hopes of saving them. A spellbinding tale of courage and survival from the author of The Finest Hours.

On October 29, 1929, life in the United States took a turn for the worst. The stock market – the system that controls money in America – plunged to a record low. But this event was only the beginning of many bad years to come. By the early 1930s, one out of three people was not working...

In England in the early 1600s, everyone was forced to join the Church of England. Young William Bradford and his friends believed they had every right to belong to whichever church they wanted. In the name of religious freedom, they fled to Holland, then sailed to America to start a new life. But the winter was harsh, and before a year passed, half the settlers had died. Yet, through hard work and strong faith, a tough group of Pilgrims did survive. Their belief in freedom of religion became an American ideal that still lives on today.

On the 16th of December, 1944, in the frozen forests of the Ardennes, the German army attacked American Allied forces, launching a final bid to turn the tide of World War II. Thus began the long, hard slog of a battle that was nicknamed by the media as the Battle of the Bulge. Lasting more than...

Learn all about what it takes to run for—and win—the U.S. presidency in this fascinating guide for young readers, part of the trusted What Was? series. It’s the perfect way to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary! What are the differences between America's two major political parties?...

The quiet Sunday morning was shattered as Japanese warplanes screamed toward the US Navy's Pacific Fleet without warning. The attack sent shockwaves around the globe, pushing the United States to enter World War II. Through powerful narrative storytelling, follow the tales of people who experienced the tragedy firsthand. Meets Common Core standards for narrative nonfiction and exploring multiple accounts of an event.

The groundbreaking people, ideas, and inventions of the Industrial Revolution, spanning from 1760 to 1840, are brought to life in this fascinating addition to the New York Times bestselling What Was? series. Following the Agricultural Revolution, the Industrial Revolution was a global period of...

Don't miss the fun, high-stakes true story about the Great Diamond Hoax of 1872, by award-winning and New York Times-bestselling author Steve Sheinkin. Perfect for fans of THE MONA LISA VANISHES! Late one night two travel-weary miners, Philip Arnold and John Slack, show up at a businessman’s...

Although Orville and Wilbur Wright are celebrated today as heroes for their revolutionary contributions to science and engineering - they are acknowledged as the first men to successfully achieve powered, piloted flight - their success was hard-earned. In fact, it took the self-taught engineers years of work and dozens of crashes before they managed a single 12-second flight! In this first installment of the brand new Epic Fails series, Ben Thompson and Erik Slader take listeners through the Wright brothers' many mishaps and misadventures as they paved the way for modern aviation.

When was the first special forces unit established? What daring feats have taken place throughout history? This unique timeline of the US Army Ranger missions seizes the courage and drama these soldiers experienced. Follow along to learn more!