By piecing the lives of selected individuals into a grand mosaic, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Daniel J. Boorstin explores the development of artistic innovation over 3,000 years. A hugely ambitious chronicle of the arts that Boorstin delivers with the scope that made his Discoverers a national bestseller. Even as he tells the stories of such individual creators as Homer, Joyce, Giotto, Picasso, Handel, Wagner, and Virginia Woolf, Boorstin assembles them into a grand mosaic of aesthetic and intellectual invention. In the process he tells us not only how great art (and great architecture and philosophy) is created, but where it comes from and how it has shaped and mirrored societies from Vedic India to the twentieth-century United States.

Ancient pyramids found throughout the world, especially Egypt and Mesoamerica, have mystified people for centuries. This title explores the controversial theories related to why they were built, who built them, and where did these ancient peoples acquire the necessary technology to construct such mysterious and enormous structures.

Stories give meaning to our lives and make us who we are. They shape our self-awareness, thus helping make sense of personal experiences, no matter how complex or difficult. Stories can also have a profound impact on our behaviours, values, and attitudes. This exciting new book examines the powerful role stories can play in schools both as a curriculum/teaching tool and as a framework for school improvement. The Stories We Tell looks holistically at the uses of story in schools and sets out the ways it can be used to support teaching, including by: Organising the curriculum and helping to structure lessons Aiding students’ memorisation Promoting inclusion Preparing students for future success In addition, it offers four ways of using story and storytelling in the school improvement process to: Consult, communicate, and collaborate with stakeholders during the school improvement journey Articulate a vision for the future and foster a set of shared values Build trust and adopt ethical leadership behaviours to create a no-blame culture that encourages risk-taking Resolve conflict and manage people, and lead change and manage PR Providing a fresh and stimulating approach to teaching and learning, curriculum-development, and school improvement, this will be valuable reading for teachers and school leaders across the primary and secondary phases.