Showing results by author "William Matthews" in All Categories

Come along on a journey through the history of Mazes and Labyrinths by W.H. Matthews. Get lost in the wonders of winding paths, from ancient Egyptian temples to medieval cathedrals and English garden mazes. Blending mythology, archaeology, and folklore, discover how these puzzling patterns have symbolized everything from spiritual quests to playful challenges. From the Minotaur’s lair to elegant hedge mazes at country estates, Matthews reveals how humanity has always loved getting lost—on purpose. - Summary by Carrie Mae Streb

Egyptian stories translated from ancient, often incomplete, documents. - Summary by Timothy Ferguson

In the beginning, great power is only great potential... Renowned for both martial and arcane skills, the mighty warcasters of the Iron Kingdoms possess the unique gift of bonding with and commanding mighty warjacks on the field of battle. Yet despite their inborn abilities, these powerful soldier-sorcerers began as novices, forced to harness their talents in rigorously structured military training programs or through the brutal crucible of battle.

This is a collection of 14 works of biblical apocrypha for students of lost Christian writings. The Apocrypha are a loosely knit series of books, written by early vanguards of Christianity (covering the eras of both the old and new testaments), which comprise somewhere between about a dozen to several hundred titles, depending on whom you ask and how that person defines the word Apocrypha. A small selection of these can still be found included in the Catholic bible, while a majority of the books in question, were abandoned by church officials in the early centuries of Christianity.

Beneath the stylized violence and thrilling car crashes, the Mad Max films consider universal questions about the nature of human life, order and anarchy, justice and moral responsibility, society and technology, and ultimately, human redemption. In Mad Max and Philosophy, a diverse team of political scientists, historians, and philosophers investigates the underlying themes of the blockbuster movie franchise, following Max as he attempts to rebuild himself and the world.

This first audio edition of Poetry in Person: 25 Years of Conversation with America’s Poets (Knopf, 2010), invites listeners into an intimate classroom with eight acclaimed poets. Full of compelling, in-depth conversation about manuscripts and drafts by the poets themselves, plus readings of the finished poems, these historic recordings offer one of the most detailed portraits ever produced of how poems are actually made.

The individuals in this book all share a common bond - they were awakened. They awoke to a world that was unfamiliar to them and one that was often terrifying and bizarre. Suddenly, those trusted men and women in power became manipulators and power hungry dictators and not the democratic leaders we are led to believe. A unique collection of evidence and theory is set out in this film to reveal a new world order.

Beware of the night, for it shows no mercy. Anxieties run rampant as the last sprinklings of light twinkle out on the inky horizon. The shadows dance their choreography in the damp, dusky air. Night is taking over, and it knows how to keep a dark and deadly secret, for it allows no witnesses. And that screaming you hear nearby? Watch out, because you might be next. The Sinister Supernatural Stories series brings you delicious horror that focuses on elements of the supernatural. Pull up a chair and dig in, but never after dark—everyone knows bad things always happen after dark.

Discover the heartbeat of American poetry through 101 Great American Poems — a carefully curated collection that spans centuries of voices. From the reflective verses of Anne Bradstreet to the bold rhythms of Langston Hughes, this anthology captures the soul of a nation through themes of love, loss, freedom, and hope. Tracing a journey from Puritan resolve to the artistic fervor of the Harlem Renaissance, these poems invite readers to explore America's evolving identity across generations and genres.

When a distress call leads Joe to the ruins of a lost alien civilization, he finds an illegal archaeological dig underway. The Chinese galactic empire is working with the Martian mob to smuggle an artifact across state lines. One deadly shoot-out later, Joe finds himself in possession of the curious trinket. His plan is to auction it off to the highest bidder...until he finds out why the Chinese were after it in the first place.

The world was changed forever when scientists developed a pill that extended the human life span indefinitely. It was distributed free of charge, to the furthest corners of the globe. Everyone was about to live forever. Well, almost everyone. When 18-year-old Kizzy Cartwright learns that she's immune to the immortality-giving pill, it makes her a social outcast. Her only hope is to find the missing scientist who invented the compound, otherwise she'll be the last person to grow old and die.

If you’re a history enthusiast seeking a podcast that masterfully intertwines compelling storytelling with meticulous scholarship, look no further than New York, Quebec, and The Water Route to the Center of the World. This narrative history series, hosted by William Matthews, delves into the pivotal conflicts over the waterways connecting New York and Quebec from 1754 to 1815, encompassing the French & Indian War, the American Revolution, and the War of 1812.

Not many people have influenced the world we live in today in quite the same way as Abraham Lincoln. A visionary, scholar, and gentle soul. Simple qualities we all have within us, but few use these qualities to benefit mankind in quite the same way as Abe did. Centuries after his passing into spirit, we still remember his name, his work, and his legacy and will continue to do so for centuries to come. This short trilogy of verse I feel best capture his essence and the feeling of people who lived with and knew him.

A plague has wiped out more than 99% of earth's population. Less than 200,000 humans remain. Among them, only 18-year-old Kizzy Cartwright has the ability to have children, but becoming a mother is not on her bucket list. When a violent mutation strikes the male population the fate of the human race falls on Kizzy's shoulders. Rebooting UNCLE, an artificial intelligence hidden in the depths of a corporate facility, becomes the only hope for saving her own and mankind's interlocked future.

Dive into the enchanting world of ancient Egypt with these captivating tales of magic, drawn from the Papyri. Each story, while brief and occasionally incomplete, offers a glimpse into the mystical traditions and beliefs of a bygone era. (Summary by Timothy Ferguson)

In this volume of classic poetry our wordsmiths are our companions on journeys near and far. They describe and create worlds that we can explore with them, word by word and line by line. In the company of Keats, Wordsworth, Bronte, Whitman, Kipling and a wealth of others these journeys in verse will be like no other.

Get ready for a wild ride through dark streets, where monsters roam, magic crackles, and heroes fight shadows at every turn. From wizards to vampires, gods to shapeshifters, these stories will drag you into a world where the impossible is just another day.