Jim Rasenberger

Introduces the year 1908 as a pivotal turning point in American history marked by such events as the first flight and Peary's quest to the North Pole, in an account that explains how each spectacle contributed to the nation's growing dominance as a worldpower.

"A sweeping, definitive biography of Samuel Colt--the inventor of the legendary Colt revolver (a.k.a. six-shooter)--which changed the US forever, triggering the industrial revolution and the settlement of the American West. Patented in 1836, the Colt pistol with its revolving cylinder was the first practical firearm that could shoot more than one bullet without reloading. For many reasons, Colt's gun had a profound effect on American history. Its...