Reproduces photographic prints from the collection of the New York Transit Museum.

A beautifully illustrated look at the forces that help cities grow—and eventually cause their destruction—told through the stories of the great civilizations of ancient America. You may think you know all of the American cities. But did you know that long before New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, or Boston ever appeared on the map—thousands of years before Europeans first colonized North America—other cities were here? They grew up, fourished, and eventually disappeared in the same places that modern cities like St. Louis and Mexico City would later appear. In the pages of this book, you'll find the astonishing story of how they grew from small settlements to booming city centers—and then crumbled into ruins.

The Second Edmond Hamilton MEGAPACK collects 15 more classic fantasy and science fiction stories by the master of space opera. From the confines to Earth to the edges of the galaxy, this is a far-ranging collection of some of his most exciting and action-packed tales. Here are: THE STAR-STEALERS THE SEA HORROR OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSE THE LIFE-MASTERS THE COMET-DRIVERS THE UNIVERSE WRECKERS FORGOTTEN WORLD CITIES IN THE AIR COPYRIGHT INFORMATION COME HOME FROM EARTH TRANSURANIC BATTLE FOR THE STARS CITADEL OF THE STAR LORDS THE KNOWLEDGE MACHINE REQUIEM THE STAR-STEALERS If you enjoyed this ebook, search your favorite ebook store for "Wildside Press MEGAPACK" to see more than 400 other volumes in the best-selling series. Accept no substitutes or cheap imitations! Wildside's MEGAPACK® collections are always terrific values, covering science fiction, fantasy, mystery, western, horror, classic -- and much, much more.

In the distant future, Earth faces an unprecedented threat - the sun is spinning faster, on the verge of splitting into a deadly double star. Four brave explorers venture to the edges of the solar system in humanity's first interplanetary spacecraft, seeking the source of this cosmic calamity. On Neptune's moon Triton, they discover an ancient alien civilization with unimaginable power, intent on destroying the sun to save their own dying world. Racing against time, our heroes must find a way to stop the Universe Wreckers before Earth and the entire solar system are obliterated. Edmond Hamilton's classic space opera pits humanity against a vast alien menace in an action-packed adventure across the cosmos, with the fate of our world hanging in the balance.

“A fascinating look into the aircrews used and the effect on those who had to live through this constant bombing” by the RAF during World War II (UK Historian). Berlin was bombed by four Allied air forces between 1940 and 1945. British bombers alone dropped 45,517 tons of bombs, while the Americans a further 23,000 tons. By 1944, some 1.2 million people, 790,000 of them women and children, about a quarter of Berlin’s population, had been evacuated to rural areas. An effort was made to evacuate all children from Berlin, but this was defeated by parents and many evacuees who soon made their way back to the city. However, by May 1945, 1.7 million people—40% of the population—had fled the city. This fitting tribute to those who died in the relentless struggle to knock Berlin, and hopefully Germany, out of the war resonates with eyewitness accounts and background information which the author has painstakingly investigated and researched. The result is a hugely fascinating and highly readable narrative containing very real and unique observations by British and Commonwealth aircrew and, equally importantly, the long-suffering citizens of Berlin, and well as the capital’s defenders. Though not a defeat in absolute terms, in the operational sense The Battle of Berlin was an offensive that Air Marshal Sir Arthur Harris and his aircrews could not win. “Berlin won” concluded Sir Ralph Cochrane, the Air Officer Commanding 5 Group RAF Bomber Command. “It was just too tough a nut.” “An impressively informative, deftly written, exceptionally well documented, and expertly organized history . . . a seminal work of original scholarship.” —Midwest Book Review

Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Mother’s Day Tea,” by Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier [Michael Bracken Presents short story] At a seemingly innocent kindergarten Mother’s Day tea, Briana Carter arrives late and out of place, feeling the pressure of keeping up with the other polished moms. But behind her professional exterior, Briana has a darker motive. “Who Stole Annie Oakley’s Golden Gun?” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] When Fanny Fister’s prized possession—a gold-plated Colt .45 once owned by Annie Oakley—vanishes from her gun safe, State Police Detective Kelly Stone is called in to solve the locked-room mystery. Can you solve it before Kelly does? “Business As Usual,” by Wayne J. Gardiner [Barb Goffman Presents short story] Lucille is a cold-blooded specialist for hire, used to handling “business” for the Chicago Outfit. After a risky job in Kansas City, she returns to New York with doubts creeping in—did she make a mistake by taking a little extra on the side? When a hitman in a brown suit tails her at LaGuardia, it’s clear Walter, the polished underboss who hired her, isn’t done. Lucille must think fast and act faster. But how long can she stay ahead? “Mow Way Out,” by Kathleen Marple Kalb [short story] When Christian Shaw, a history buff and single mom, finds her neighbor, Mr. Berducci, unresponsive in his tomato patch, it seems like a tragic accident. But her young son, He When Baddie Pretlow gets caught up in a web of deception and crime, she finds herself at the center of a dangerous game involving stolen jewels, false identities, and ruthless criminals. As she navigates a world of con artists and crooks, Baddie must decide who she can trust—especially when it comes to the enigmatic Wendy Washburn, who may be her salvation…or her downfall. Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Snail Ghost,” by Will Murray [Darrell Schweitzer Presents short story] Under a mysterious blue moon in Tibet, an otherworldly traveler encounters a snail-like entity with a plea for help. Drawn through a strange, dimensionless door, they uncover a timeless space filled with unsettling figures—mirror images of themselves! “Nightmare on Ice,” by John S. Glasby [short story] The polar base is under siege by an otherworldly force in the depths of an unrelenting Arctic winter. When a scientist, Spender, dies mysteriously and leaves behind strange tracks in the snow, the remaining men of the expedition face an escalating series of supernatural terrors. “Where Are You, Mr. Biggs?” by Nelson S. Bond [short story, Lancelot Biggs series] Lancelot Biggs, the brilliant but eccentric First Mate of the spaceship Saturn, invents a revolutionary “velocity intensifier” that propels the crew on a high-speed journey to Uranus. When a miscalculation puts them on a collision course with Jupiter, disaster seems unavoidable—unless Biggs can perform a miracle! “The Nobles Are Coming,” by Gene Cross [short story] Trapped in a Martian cave, archeologist Ross encounters the unnerving presence of a man named J.J. Abrogado, a prospector with a deep obsession over the mysterious, deadly creatures known as the Nobles. These towering, regal beings are infamous for making humans disappear, leaving behind only husks of their former selves… Cities in the Air, by Edmond Hamilton [novel] In a future where massive floating cities dominate the skies, Captain Martin Brant finds himself at the center of an epic aerial war between global superpowers. As enemy forces close in with devastating new weapons, Brant and his crew must pull off a daring mission to infiltrate and hijack the enemy’s flagship city in a desperate bid to turn the tide!

This issue, we have a pair of original mysteries (by Ron Miller and Shannon Taft, the latter two thanks to our Acquiring Editor Barb Goffman), and our mystery novel is a Victorian-era sensation novel by Florence Warden. Of course, there’s a solve-it-yourself puzzler from Hal Charles, too. Our fantasy and science fiction section is heavier than usual on fantasy, with an Australian tale by Ernest Favenc, a dark fantasy by British master John Glasby, and a supernatural novel by E.F. Benson. Science fiction fans will enjoy classic pulp adventures by Edmond Hamilton and Arthur Leo Zagat. Fun stuff! Here’s the complete lineup— Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “Under Cover,” by Wil A. Emerson [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “Take the Money and Run,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “The Penny Drops,” by Shannon Taft [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “Velda’s First Case,” by Ron Miller [short story, Velda series] The Mystery of the Inn by the Shore, by Florence Warden [novel] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Not Without Sorcery,” by John Glasby [short story] “Fey,” by Ernest Favenc [short story] “The Comet-drivers,” by Edmond Hamilton [short story] “No Escape from Destiny” by Arthur Leo Zagat [short novel] Across the Stream, by E.F. Benson [novel]