Washington Irving-author, ambassador, Manhattanite, and international celebrity-has largely slipped from America's memory, and yet, his creations are still very well known. With a historian's eye for scope and significance, Andrew Burstein returns Irving to the context of his native nineteenth century where he was a major celebrity-both a colorful comic genius and the first name in our national literature. Though he gave his young nation such enduring tales as “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle,” he was far more than one of our nation's most outsized literary talents. Irving was an American original and a citizen of the world.

On the evening of January 28, 1922, several hundred people fought their way through the greatest snowstorm in Washington’s history to see a show at the Knickerbocker Theater, the city’s largest and most modern moving picture theater of the time. Unbeknownst to the theater patrons, the Knickerbocker Theater’s flat roof was tremendously burdened by the weight of the snow. During the show’s intermission, the snow-covered roof crashed down upon the crowd. As the roof fell, it collapsed the theater’s balcony and pulled down portions of the surrounding brick walls, killing 98 people and injuring 133. Some of Washington’s prominent politicians and business owners were among the casualties. The disaster ranks as one of Washington’s worst in history, and the snowstorm continues to hold the record for Washington’s single greatest snowfall.

A man who sleeps for twenty years in the Catskill Mountains wakes to a much-changed world.

For fans of HBO’s The Gilded Age, explore the dazzling world of America’s 19th century elite in this lush series of sparkling, page-turning love stories… New York City's Gilded Age shimmers with unimaginable wealth and glittering power. The men of the Knickerbocker Club know this more than anyone else. But for one titan of industry, the business of love is not what he expected… Born in the slums of Five Points, Emmett Cavanaugh climbed his way to the top of a booming steel empire and now holds court in an opulent Fifth Avenue mansion. His rise in stations, however, has done little to elevate his taste in women. He loathes the city's "high society" types, but a rebellious and beautiful blue-blood just might change all that… Elizabeth Sloane's mind is filled with more than the latest parlor room gossip. Lizzie can play the Stock Exchange as deftly as New York's most accomplished brokers—but she needs a man to put her skills to use. Emmett reluctantly agrees when the stunning socialite asks him to back her trades and split the profits. But love and business make strange bedfellows, and as their fragile partnership begins to crack, they'll discover a passion more frenzied than the trading room floor… Raves for The Courtesan Duchess "Original and alluring." —Publishers Weekly "Riveting." —Sabrina Jeffries "Passionate and seductive." —RT Book Reviews "Captivating." —Booklist

Now in its second edition, this book explores a great variety of genres and formats of young adult literature while placing special emphasis on contemporary works with nontraditional themes, protagonists, and literary conventions that are well suited to young adult readers. It looks at the ways in which contemporary readers can access literature and share the works they're reading, and it shows teachers the resources that are available, especially online, for choosing and using good literature in the classroom and for recommending books for their students’ personal reading. In addition to traditional genre chapters, this book includes chapters on literary nonfiction; poetry, short stories, and drama; and film. Graphic novels, diversity issues, and uses of technology are also included throughout the text. The book's discussion of literary language—including traditional elements as well as metafictive terms—enables readers to share in a literary conversation with their peers (and others) when communicating about books. This book is an essential resource for preservice educators to help young adults understand and appreciate the excellent literature that is available to them. New to the second edition: New popular authors, books, and movies with a greater focus on diversity of literature Updated coverage of new trends, such as metafiction, a renewed focus on nonfiction, and retellings of canonical works Increased attention to graphic novels and multimodal texts throughout the book eResources with downloadable materials, including book lists, awards lists, and Focus Questions

Thomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, leaving behind a series of mysteries that captured the imaginations of historical investigators-an interest rekindled by the recent revelation that he fathered a child by Sally Hemmings, a woman he legally owned-yet there is still surprisingly little known about him as a man. In Jefferson's Secrets Andrew Burstein focuses on Jefferson's last days to create an emotionally powerful portrait of the uncensored private citizen who was also a giant of a man. Drawing on sources previous biographers have glossed over or missed entirely, Burstein uncovers, first and foremost, how Jefferson confronted his own mortality; and in doing so, he reveals how he viewed his sexual choices. Delving into Jefferson's soul, Burstein lays bare the president's thoughts about his own legacy, his predictions for American democracy, and his feelings regarding women and religion. The result is a moving and surprising work of history that sets a new standard, post-DNA, for the next generation's reassessment of the most evocative and provocative of this country's founders.