From the author of the extraordinary Vampire Chronicles comes a huge, hypnotic novel of witchcraft and the occult through four centuries. Demonstrating, once again, her gift for spellbinding storytelling and the creation of legend, Anne Rice makes real for us a great dynasty of witches--a family given to poetry and to incest, to murder and to philosophy; a family that, over the ages, is itself haunted by a powerful, dangerous, and seductive being....

It's no secret that Beethoven went deaf, that Mozart had constant money problems, and that Gilbert and Sullivan wrote musicals. But what were these people-and other famous musicians-really like? What did they eat? What did they wear? How did they spend their time? And-possibly most interesting of all-what did their neighbors think? Discover the fascinating and often humorous stories of twenty famous musicians-people of all shapes, sizes, temperaments,...

Profiles the lives and discusses the humor and tragedy of artists of the sixteenth century to the twentieth century, including Georgia O'Keefe, Salvador Dali, and Pablo Picasso.

Presents the lives of the presidents, focusing on their roles as parents, husbands, pet owners, and neighbors, while also including humorous anecdotes about hairstyles, attitudes, diets, fears, and sleep patterns.

Patricia Highsmith, author of Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley, had more than her fair share of secrets. During her life, she felt uncomfortable about discussing the source of her fiction and refused to answer questions about her private life. Yet after her death in February 1995, Highsmith left behind a vast archive of personal documents—diaries, notebooks, and letters—which detail the links between her life and her work. Drawing...

Not all governments have been run by men. Lives of Extraordinary Women turns the spotlight on the women who have wielded power, revealing their feats—and flaws—for all the world to see. Here you'll find twenty of the most influential women in history: queens, warriors, prime ministers, first ladies, revolutionary leaders. Some are revered. Others are notorious. But they were all real people with private interests and personalities....

Martin E. Marty is professor emeritus of religious history at the University of Chicago. He is the winner of the National Book Award and the author of more than fifty books, including Martin Luther: A Life and The Christian World: A Global History. From National Book Award–winning author Martin Marty, the surprising story of a Christian classic born in a Nazi prison cell For fascination, influence, inspiration, and controversy, Dietrich Bonhoeffer's...

Tensions escalate between two alien factions as the battle to leave Earth reaches deadly new heights in this funny sci-fi thriller sequel to The Lives of Tao

The Prophus and the Genjix are at war. For centuries they have sought a way off-planet, guiding humanity’s social and technological development to the stage where space travel is possible. The end is now in sight, and both factions have plans to leave...

Profiles many of history's most noteworthy scientists, from Zhang Heng and Isaac Newton to Albert Einstein and Barbara McClintock, sharing lesser-known facts about their favorite activities, relationships, and eccentricities.