"Before Charles Town was established on the banks of the Ashley River in 1670, a reconnaissance expedition was sent by the Lords Proprietors to explore today's South Carolina Lowcountry. After meeting with the Natives and surveying the region from Edisto to Hilton Head, the two sailing vessels prepared for departure. Before setting sail, however, the English left one man behind to make preparations for the first wave of settlers at Port Royal. Dr....

When two-fisted gunslinger Doc Holliday rides into Tombstone, he's ready and willing to help District Marshal Wyatt Earp clean up the unruly town, just as they did in Dodge. But to Doc's surprise, Earp has changed from a steely-eyed believer in law-and-order to a greedy opportunist who'll do anything to be elected Tombstone's sheriff. To ensure his victory, the unscrupulous Earp enlists Doc's help in double-crossing the most vicious band of outlaws...

"Two aging Civil War veterans mourned the death of their sons at a joint funeral in Knoxville National Cemetery. One, a cavalry general, had fought for the Union. The other had served as surgeon/major of a Confederate cavalry regiment. They met for the first time at the graves of their sons--two army lieutenants and University of Tennessee graduates, killed together in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. Newspaper accounts presented the encounter...

"King Henry V's victory over the French armies at Agincourt on 25 October 1415 is unquestionably one of the most famous battles in history. It was an overwhelming victory for the English, with the French suffering horrific casualties. Agincourt opened the door for Henry V's further conquests in France. Mike Livingston provides a new look at this famous battle by going back to the original sources, including the French battle plan that still survives...

Drums along the Mohawk: Newlyweds Gil and Lana Martin try to establish a farm in the Mohawk Valley but are menaced by Indians and Tories as the Revolutionary War begins. The grapes of wrath: Tom Joad returns from prison to find his homestead overwhelmed by weather -- and a greedy banking industry. Seeing virtually no work potential on the horizon of the Oklahoma dust bowls, the entire family packs up and heads for the promised land -- California. How...

Describes the events of the 1914 Shackleton Antarctic expedition when, after being trapped in a frozen sea for nine months, their ship, Endurance, was finally crushed, forcing Shackleton and his men to make a very long and perilous journey across ice and stormy seas to reach inhabited land.

Features analysis of the plays most frequently studied in literature classes. Entries include: introduction providing overview of play; brief biography of playwright; plot summary; discussion of play's principal themes; essays on play's construction; and excerpted critical commentary.

Provides analysis of the most frequently studied poems in literature courses. Contains author biography (if attributed), poem text, poem summary, themes, style, historical context, critical overview, and criticism.

Provides analysis of the most frequently studied poems in literature courses. Contains author biography (if attributed), poem text, poem summary, themes, style, historical context, critical overview, and criticism.