Eric Burns: 17 books

When the first television was demonstrated in 1927, a headline in The New York Times read, “Like a Photo Come to Life.” It was a momentous occasion. But the power of television wasn’t fully harnessed until the 1950s, when the medium was, as Eric Burns says, “At its most preoccupying, its most...

"Thousands of years ago, before Christ or Buddha or Muhammad...before the Roman Empire rose or the Colossus of Rhodes fell," Eric Burns writes, "people in Asia Minor were drinking beer." So begins an account as entertaining as it is extensive, of alcohol's journey through world—and,...

"Fox News Watch" host Eric Burns, who chronicled the social history of alcohol in The Spirits of America turns to tobacco in The Smoke of the Gods. Ranging from ancient times to the present day, The Smoke of the Gods is a lively history of tobacco, especially in the United States. Although...

One of the most dynamic eras in American history—the 1920s—began with this watershed year that would set the tone for the century to follow. "The Roaring Twenties” is the only decade in American history with a widely applied nickname, and our collective fascination with this era...

Infamous Scribblers is a perceptive and witty exploration of the most volatile period in the history of the American press. News correspondent and renonwned media historian Eric Burns tells of Ben Franklin, Alexander Hamilton and Sam Adams-the leading journalists among the Founding Fathers; of George...

**A fresh and sensitive examination of Eleanor Roosevelt—one of the most remarkable Americans in history—and the tortured father who would inspire and shape her future leadership and advocacy. ** Eleanor Roosevelt is viewed as one of the most pioneering women in American history. But she...

Celebrities can come from many different realms: film, music, politics, sports. But what do all these major celebrities have in common? What elevates them to the status of household names while their equally talented peers remain in relative obscurity? Is it just a question of charisma, or does fame...

Amanda is an ordinary girl in an extraordinary world. Raised with the secrets of the backworlds and behind-the-scenes spaces of our reality, she has grown into a confident, normal person. But, when she falls in love with the son of a Locus -- a cornerstone of reality -- Amanda must prove she can be...

Art and industry are often seen as mutually exclusive, but it wasn't always that way. In this modern myth, we learn the story of a nemesid named Adrastia Young -- one of the spirits of vengeance and retribution, partnered to a spirit of Good Order and a muse. When Adrastia sees her partners...

A modern retelling of the myth of Persephone, Proserpina is the story of an immortal goddess condemned to eternity under the heel of a domineering mother. What price would she -- and all of creation -- pay for freedom? A mixture of modern world scenes and classical themes, Proserpina is a special...

Washington, Adams, Henry, Jefferson, Franklin, and Hamilton: their ambitions, intrigues, and jealousies shaped the birth of the nation, but they overcame their foibles and imperfections to throw off the chains of tyranny and form a more perfect union. We think of them now as faces on money or statues...

Theodore Roosevelt is one of the most fascinating and written-about presidents in American history—yet the most poignant tale about this larger-than-life man has never been told. More than a century has passed since Theodore Roosevelt was in the White House, but he still continues to fascinate....

You really can't believe everything you read . . . A premature newswire report announces the end of World War I, spurring wild celebrations in American streets days before the actual treaty was signed. A St. Louis newspaper prints reviews of theatrical performances that never took place—they...

There has never been a novel like Mid-Strut, virtually a genre unto itself Friday, October 1, 1965. Arnie Stats Castig is a fine, upstanding citizen of a dying western Pennsylvania steel town---until he snaps. He dashes onto the field at halftime of a high school football game and throws his arms...