Shorto, Russell

Explains how space shuttles work and what astronauts do during the course of a shuttle mission.

People who like to use their minds, including an antique collector, opinion researcher, and detective, describe what they do in their jobs, how they got there. ..

People working in a wide range of performing careers, including a trial lawyer, comedian, dancer, and anchorwoman, describe the daily routines, benefits, and drawbacks of their jobs and the education and training they received.

People who work with their hands, including a tailor, film editor, and masseuse, describe what they do in their jobs, how they got there, and what others would need to get a similar job.

Traces the life and achievements of the Virginian who wrote the Declaration of Independence and served as the third president of the United States.

Follows the trail of the bones of seventeenth-century French philosopher and mathematician Rene Descartes after they were dug up sixteen years after his death in Stockholm by French ambassador Hughes de Terlon and transported to France, and provides information about the life of Descartes, his controversial ideas, and why his bones were coveted by diverse people throughout the generations.

A brief biography of Abraham Lincoln, describing his political career, his feelings about slavery, and his role as president during the Civil War.

A biography of Jackie Robinson, the first African-American player in major-league baseball.

A biography of the President who led the country through the stormy years of the Civil War.