Do Jane Austen novels truly celebrate—or undermine—romance and happy endings?
How did Jane Austen become a cultural icon for fairy-tale endings when her own books end in ways that are rushed, ironic, and reluctant to satisfy readers thirst for romance? In Jane Austen and the Price of Happiness, Austen ......
Liberty: Don Troiani's Paintings of the Revolutionary War, catalog for the exhibit of Troiani's work at the Museum of the American Revolution, highlights pivotal events of America's fight for independence. For the first time in a museum, this special exhibition brings together Troiani's original Revolutionary War paintings and pairs them with ......
How did the evil nature of slavery become enshrined in law in Great Britain? What drove the change in public perception? What were the key victories on the journey to abolition and who were the key players? What is to prevent a similar evil gaining acceptance again today? Just as Britain's industrial development in the eighteenth and early ......
How an American Captive Rose to Power in Barbary and Saved His Homeland from War
This page-turning narrative follows the twists and turns of the life of hostage-turned-diplomat James Leander Cathcart upon the international stage of diplomacy, trade, and maritime statecraft at a time when America's place in the world was hanging in the balance.
There is indisputable evidence that the Continental Congress voted to separate from England on July 2, 1776. But the more cogent point is that many modern-day Americans seem unaware of the raucous political discourse in the weeks and months leading up to that decision. Independence was not pre-ordained, and almost didn't happen as early as it did. ......
Explores the sociogenesis and development of the French royal mistress, examining the careers of nine of the most significant holders of that title between 1444 and the final years of the ancien regime.
Seven Artists in search of an Industrial Revolution in Britain
In seven linked essays, the author discusses paintings of industrial scenes by seven artists working in the period 1780-1830. Their unique and distinct responses to the subject matter reveal a surprisingly coherent message.
Henry Flitcroft was first employed by the leading aristocratic architect of the time, Richard Boyle, Lord Burlington, who helped him to establish his long career. Flitcroft had about 50 clients over 40 years, working for many dynasties, including the royal family, the Bedfords, the Yorke/Hardwickes and the Malton/Rockinghams. Remarkably, he was ......
Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Dolley Madison, and the Creation of an Iconic American Role
How the three inaugural First Ladies defined the role for future generations, and carved a space for women in America America's first First Ladies-Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, and Dolley Madison-had the challenging task of playing a pivotal role in defining the nature of the American presidency to a fledgling nation and to the world. In ......
