In 1935, with a doctorate in art history and no prospect of a job, the 26-year-old Ernst Gombrich was invited to attempt a history of the world for younger readers. Amazingly, he completed the task in an intense six weeks, and "Eine kurze Weltgeschic...

Among the many treasures of The State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg is its remarkable collection of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Flemish paintings – more than five hundred in all – including key works by Rubens, Van Dyck, Jordaens, Snyders...

In the corridors of the Vatican on the eve of World War II, American Catholic priest Joseph Patrick Hurley found himself in the midst of secret diplomatic dealings and intense debate. Hurley's deeply felt American patriotism and fixed ideas about con...

The way a man thinks about his day-to-day living and the needs of his household reveals a great deal about his ambitions, his idea of himself, and his role in the community. And his house or castle offers many clues to his habits as well as those of...

Edouard Baldus (1813-1889) was the most important French architectural photographer of the mid-nineteenth century. This book offers an in-depth exploration of one of his most intriguing projects – a remarkable series of views of the Chateau de La Fal...

While imported Chinese porcelain had become a valuable commodity in Europe in the seventeenth century, local attempts to produce porcelain long remained unsuccessful. At last, the secret of hard-paste porcelain was uncovered, and in 1710, the first E...

The china used by the First Families, both at the White House and in their private homes, reveals a fascinating story of culture and society as it has evolved in the United States since its early days. In this handsome book, which documents over 200...

"The Apocryphal book of "I Maccabees" (Volume 41 in the acclaimed "Anchor Bible" series) is an inspirational thriller. " With the help of God, the aged priest Mattathias and his sons – Judas Maccabaeus, Jonathan, and Simon – dramatically lead the Jew...

"II Maccabees" continues the chronicle of the "Time of the Troubles" (167-64 B. C. E. ), begun in "I Maccabees". It recounts the stories of conflict between militant Jews, led by Judas Maccabaeus, and their Hellenistic oppressors. Aside from the stor...

Some ancient civilizations, notably the Babylonians and the Israelites, held fast to the belief that their particular god (or gods) were stronger than all other heavenly powers and gods combined, supremely able to protect their well-being and success...