María Ruiz de Burton's novel 'Who Would Have Thought It?' is a groundbreaking work that delves into issues of race, identity, and social class in post-Civil War America. Written in the unique style of a roman à clef, the book challenges traditional literary conventions through its critique of American society and its exploration of the complexities of cultural hybridity. Set against the backdrop of a changing nation, the novel offers a powerful commentary on the experiences of Mexican Americans during a time of upheaval and transformation. With its intricate narrative structure and thought-provoking themes, 'Who Would Have Thought It?' stands as a testament to Ruiz de Burton's innovative approach to storytelling and her commitment to shedding light on the marginalized voices of her time. María Ruiz de Burton's own background as a Mexican American woman living in the 19th century undoubtedly influenced her decision to write a novel that confronts issues of prejudice and discrimination. Her unique perspective and personal experiences bring a sense of authenticity to the narrative, making 'Who Would Have Thought It?' a compelling and enlightening read for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of identity and social justice in historical fiction.

Cardinal Giovanni Morone (1509-80) remains one of the most intriguing characters in the history of the sixteenth century Catholic Church - with neither his contemporaries nor subsequent scholars being able to agree on his motivations, theology or his legacy. Appointed Bishop of Modena in 1529 and created Cardinal in 1542 by Pope Paul III, his glittering career appeared to be in ruins following his arrest in 1557 on charges of heresy. Yet, despite spending more than two years imprisoned in Castel Sant' Angelo, he managed to resurrect his career and in 1563 was appointed principal legate to the Council of Trent, whereupon he resolved the difficulties besetting the council, which had brought it to a virtual standstill, and guided it to a successful conclusion. Concentrating largely - but by no means exclusively - upon the period of the pontificate of Pius IV (1559-65) and an evaluation of Morone's role as presiding legate at the Council of Trent, this book tackles a number of issues that have exercised scholars. How does Morone's activity at Trent in 1563 now look in the light of the information available in connection with his processo? What was the result of the wider activity of Morone and the spirituali during Pius' pontificate? How did Morone's career progress after Trent, with regards his actions as a diocesan in the immediate post-conciliar situation and his renewed difficulties in the pontificate of Pius V? Through a re-reading of important archival material and a re-examination of the wealth of recently published primary sources, this study revisits these key questions, and analyses the fluctuating fortunes of Morone's career as bishop, diplomat, heretic and cardinal legate.

Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- List of Illustrations -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction: A Finer Art, by Susan M. Griffin -- Symbols and Abbreviations -- Chronology -- Errata -- 1880 -- June -- July -- August -- September -- October -- November -- December -- 1881 -- January -- February -- March -- April -- May/June -- July -- August -- September -- October -- Biographical Register -- General Editors' Note -- Works Cited -- Index

This book details the struggles of a Mexican-American girl born in Indian captivity, Lola, in an American society obsessed with class, religion, race and gender. The first part of the book follows the central family in the years leading up to the start of the American Civil War and the attack on Fort Sumter (1857–1861), and flashbacks are meant to take the readers back further than that time line, such as the kidnapping of Lola's mother in 1846. The second part chronicles the events that took place during the Civil War (1861–1864). Each chapter focuses on a particular character and is told from an omniscient point of view. Who Would Have Thought It? is a semi-autobiographical novel written by María Ruiz de Burton and it reflects the author's ambiguous position between the small in number Californio elite and the Anglo-American populace, which form the majority of the United States population.

For decades, the name "Las Vegas" summoned up the image of a neon world of nonstop gambling, gangsters, sex, and adult entertainment. But today, Las Vegas has transformed itself into a family vacation spot second only to Disneyworld on America's leisure-time itinerary. What—and who—is responsible for this multibillion-dollar transformation? With High Stakes, Gary Provost takes the reader on a wide-ranging tour of Nevada's newly revitalized 21st-century vacation world. This inside look at both the gaming business and its new total entertainment centers, which now host twenty million visitors a year, reveals how Las Vegas became a clean, attractive, family-oriented resort. Today, casino gambling is just one attraction of many, most of them new: amazing theme parks, spectacular virtual-reality rides, futuristic glass domes, the world's tallest tower, a sky laser that can be seen all the way to Los Angeles. Circus Circus Enterprises Inc. is used as a model of excellence to show how the Las Vegas gaming industry develops, markets, and delivers its entertainment "product" at a lower price, and with greater profits, than any of its competitors. Highlighted by a preview of Circus Circus' astonishing pyramid—Luxor—the new centerpiece of the greatest gaming empire in history, High Stakes includes extensive interviews with Luxor's legendary creator, William G. Bennett, the man who taught the entire gaming industry how to attract the vast market of family-oriented vacationers. Also covered are all the games of chance that a casino like Circus Circus offers and the odds each gives; everything the casino hands out for free and why; the different ways in which high rollers and ordinary folk are treated; how legendary casinos of the past have crashed to oblivion and the hot newcomers that have taken their place; and the increasing competition from Atlantic City and the growing list of other venues of legal gambling in the United States. Timely, wide-ranging, and well informed, this eye-opening book traces the evolution of Las Vegas from "Sin City" to the "Orlando of the West." Whether you are interested in gambling, business, or the changing face of America, High Stakes is fascinating.

Lust for Liberty challenges long-standing views of popular medieval revolts. Comparing rebellions in northern and southern Europe over two centuries, Samuel Cohn analyzes their causes and forms, their leadership, the role of women, and the suppression or success of these revolts. Popular revolts were remarkably common--not the last resort of desperate people. Leaders were largely workers, artisans, and peasants. Over 90 percent of the uprisings pitted ordinary people against the state and were fought over political rights--regarding citizenship, governmental offices, the barriers of ancient hierarchies--rather than rents, food prices, or working conditions. After the Black Death, the connection of the word liberty with revolts increased fivefold, and its meaning became more closely tied with notions of equality instead of privilege. The book offers a new interpretation of the Black Death and the increase of and change in popular revolt from the mid-1350s to the early fifteenth century. Instead of structural explanations based on economic, demographic, and political models, this book turns to the actors themselves--peasants, artisans, and bourgeois--finding that the plagues wrought a new urgency for social and political change and a new self- and class-confidence in the efficacy of collective action.

Cultivated Power explores the collection, cultivation, and display of flowers in early modern France at the historical moment when flowering plants piqued the curiosity of European gardeners and botanists, merchants and ministers, and dukes and kings alike.

DigiCat presents to you this unique collection of the carefully picked out Civil War novels and stories: History of the Civil War, 1861-1865 (James Ford Rhodes) The Red Badge of Courage (Stephen Crane) The Little Regiment (Stephen Crane) The Veteran (Stephen Crane) An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (Ambrose Bierce) A Horseman in the Sky (Ambrose Bierce) Chickamauga (Ambrose Bierce) The Private History of a Campaign That Failed (Mark Twain) A Curious Experience (Mark Twain) The Guns of Bull Run (Joseph A. Altsheler) The Guns of Shiloh (Joseph A. Altsheler) The Scouts of Stonewall (Joseph A. Altsheler) The Sword of Antietam (Joseph A. Altsheler) The Star of Gettysburg (Joseph A. Altsheler) The Rock of Chickamauga (Joseph A. Altsheler) The Shades of the Wilderness (Joseph A. Altsheler) The Tree of Appomattox (Joseph A. Altsheler) The Crisis (Winston Churchill) Miss Ravenel's Conversion from Secession to Loyalty (John William De Forest) With Lee in Virginia (G. A. Henty) Who Would Have Thought It? (María Ruiz de Burton) The Long Roll (Mary Johnston) Cease Firing (Mary Johnston) The Victim: A Romance of the Real Jefferson Davis (Thomas Dixon Jr.) Kincaid's Battery (George Washington Cable) The Border Spy (Harry Hazelton) The Battle Ground (Ellen Glasgow) Who Goes There? (B. K. Benson) Ailsa Paige (Robert W. Chambers) Special Messenger (Robert W. Chambers) How Private George W. Peck Put Down the Rebellion (George W. Peck) Raiding with Morgan (Byron A. Dunn) Mohun; Or, the Last Days of Lee and His Paladins (John Esten Cooke) Brother Against Brother (John R. Musick) The Last Three Soldiers (W. H. Shelton) A War-Time Wooing (Charles King) The Iron Game (Henry F. Keenan) The Blockade Runners (Jules Verne) The Lost Despatch (Natalie Sumner Lincoln) My Lady of the North (Randall Parrish) Uncle Daniel's Story of "Tom" Anderson (John McElroy) The Red Acorn (John McElroy) Winning His Way (Charles Carleton Coffin) A Daughter of the Union (Lucy Foster Madison) Chasing an Iron Horse (Edward Robins) The Man Without a Country (Edward Everett Hale)

Memoir of a provocative Parisian art dealer at the heart of the 20th-century art world, available in English for the first time. Berthe Weill, a formidable Parisian dealer, was born into a Jewish family of very modest means. One of the first female gallerists in the business, she first opened the Galerie B. Weill in the heart of Paris’s art gallery district in 1901, holding innumerable exhibitions over nearly forty years. Written out of art history for decades, Weill has only recently regained the recognition she deserves. Under five feet tall and bespectacled, Weill was beloved by the artists she supported, and she rejected the exploitative business practices common among art dealers. Despite being a self-proclaimed “terrible businesswoman,” Weill kept her gallery open for four decades, defying the rising tide of antisemitism before Germany’s occupation of France. By the time of her death in 1951, Weill had promoted more than three hundred artists—including Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, Diego Rivera, and Suzanne Valadon—many of whom were women and nearly all young and unknown when she first exhibited them. Pow! Right in the Eye! makes Weill’s provocative 1933 memoir finally available to English readers, offering rare insights into the Parisian avant-garde and a lively inside account of the development of the modern art market.

A richly detailed graveyard history of the Florentine poet whose dead body shaped Italy from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance to the Risorgimento, World War I, and Mussolini’s fascist dictatorship. Dante, whose Divine Comedy gave the world its most vividly imagined story of the afterlife, endured an extraordinary afterlife of his own. Exiled in death as in life, the Florentine poet has hardly rested in peace over the centuries. Like a saint’s relics, his bones have been stolen, recovered, reburied, exhumed, examined, and, above all, worshiped. Actors in this graveyard history range from Lorenzo de’ Medici, Michelangelo, and Pope Leo X to the Franciscan friar who hid the bones, the stone mason who accidentally discovered them, and the opportunistic sculptor who accomplished what princes, popes, and politicians could not: delivering to Florence a precious relic of the native son it had banished. In Dante’s Bones, Guy Raffa narrates for the first time the complete course of the poet’s hereafter, from his death and burial in Ravenna in 1321 to a computer-generated reconstruction of his face in 2006. Dante’s posthumous adventures are inextricably tied to major historical events in Italy and its relationship to the wider world. Dante grew in stature as the contested portion of his body diminished in size from skeleton to bones, fragments, and finally dust: During the Renaissance, a political and literary hero in Florence; in the nineteenth century, the ancestral father and prophet of Italy; a nationalist symbol under fascism and amid two world wars; and finally the global icon we know today.