"A sweeping exploration of the ways in which emotions shaped the course of human history, and how our experience and understanding of emotions have evolved along with us. We humans like to think of ourselves as rational creatures, who, as a species, have relied on calculation and intellect to survive. But many of the most important moments in our history had little to do with cold, hard facts and a lot to do with feelings. Events ranging from the...

Galileo, Einstein, Curie, Darwin, Hawking--we know the names, but how much do we really know about these people? Galileo gained notoriety over his battle with the Vatican, but did you know that this "father of modern science" was also an accomplished lute player? And Darwin of course discovered the principle by which new species are formed, but his bold curiosity extended to the dinner table as well. (And how many people can say they've eaten an owl!)...

Anthropologist and equestrian expert Susanna Forrest presents a singular, sweeping panorama of the horse's prominent role across time and in societies around the world. Combining fascinating anthropological detail and incisive personal anecdotes, Forrest illustrates how our evolution has coincided with that of horses. Unique, passionate, and insightful, this book investigates the complexities of human and horse coexistence, brilliantly revealing the...

Traces the history of coal from its formation three million years ago through its role in industry and disease, including its part in the establishment of China as a twelfth-century superpower and in the American Civil War.

"A magisterial history of the Himalaya: an epic story of peoples, cultures, and adventures among the world's highest mountains. For many years, the unique and astonishing geography of the Himalaya has attracted those in search of spiritual and literal elevation: pilgrims, adventurers, and mountaineers seeking to test themselves among the world's most spectacular and challenging peaks. But far from being wild and barren, the Himalaya has been home...

We live in a world of seeds. From our morning toast to the cotton in our clothes, they are quite literally the stuff and staff of life: supporting diets, economies, and civilizations around the globe. Just as the search for nutmeg and pepper drove the Age of Discovery, coffee beans fueled the Enlightenment and cottonseed sparked the Industrial Revolution. Seeds are fundamental objects of beauty, evolutionary wonders, and simple fascinations. Yet,...

From a completely bald beauty queen with alopecia to the famed hair-hang circus act, Stenn weaves the history of hair through a variety of captivating examples, with sources varying from renaissance merchants diaries to interviews with wig makers, modern barbers, and more. In addition to expelling the biological basis and the evolutionary history of hair, the fiber is put into context: hair in history (as tied to textile mills and merchant associations),...