Walt Whitman in Washington, D.C.: The Civil War and America’s Great Poet

An energetic study of the famed writer’s time in the nation's capital and the loves of his life.

The Wright Brothers

By David McCullough

The Wright Brothers

A rich, readable account of the daring young men in their flying machine.

Who Freed The Slaves? The Fight Over the Thirteenth Amendment

A misunderstood part of the Constitution finally gets its due.

Madison’s Gift: Five Partnerships That Built America

The nation’s fourth president offers lessons that remain relevant today.

The Great New Orleans Kidnapping Case: Race, Law, and Justice in the Reconstruction Era

When a Crescent City toddler goes missing, the tensions of the post-Civil War South are exposed.

Outbreak in Washington, D.C.: The 1857 Mystery of the National Hotel Disease

This mix of conspiracy, illness, and politics from the past allows us to reflect on our present.

Star-Spangled Banner: The Unlikely Story of America’s National Anthem

The controversy, and possible regret, surrounding the nation's premier song.

Empire of Sin: A Story of Sex, Jazz, Murder, and the Battle for Modern New Orleans

Though well-researched, this tale of Crescent City corruption is less compelling than the events it covers.