In Egypt one ever seeks the dead in sunshine, black vaults in the land of the gold. But here in Abydos I was accompanied by whiteness. The general effect of Seti's mighty temple is that it is a white temple when seen in full sunshine and beneath a sky of blinding blue. In an arid place it stands, just beyond an Egyptian village that is a maze of dust... -from "Abydos" Leave it to a beloved novelist to bring to life the allure and mystery of Egypt. First published in 1908 under the title Egypt and Its Monuments, this is a beautifully poetic valentine to that desert land by Robert Hichens, one of the most popular fiction writers of the early 20th century. Romantic and transporting, this lovely book explores the "drowsily splendid" pyramids, the "terrible repose" of the Sphinx, the "silver eddies" of the Nile, the "immense aspect of patience" suggested by the Colossi of Memnon, the Tombs of the Kings, where a "king's silence bids you be silent," and more. Whether you've actually traveled down the Nile or have only dreamed about it, you will be swept away by Hichens' idyllic prose.

From thoughtful pieces on the historian's role to striking insights into America's past and present to trenchant observations on the international scene, Barbara W. Tuchman looks at history in a unique way and draws lessons from what she sees. Here is a splendid body of work, the story of a lifetime spent "practicing history."

Stefan Czarniecki 1599 -1665 Adama Kerstena to już dziś klasyka historiografii polskiej XX stulecia. Ta opublikowana po raz pierwszy w 1963 roku w Wydawnictwie Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej monografia w ciągu minionego czterdziestolecia była swoistym punktem odniesienia i jedną z prac najczęściej przywoływanych przez kolejne pokolenia siedemnastowieczników - historyków tej epoki. Publikując swą książkę, Kersten dokonał podwójnego wyłomu: zerwał z obowiązującym zapisem na biografię wybitnego dowódcy wojskowego, a jednocześnie zaproponował zupełnie nowy model uprawiania pisarstwa historiograficznego.

Classic biography of the best Polish general of the 17th century (in Polish)

Jan Amor Tarnowski herbu Leliwa (ur. 1488 w Tarnowie, zm. 16 maja 1561 w Wiewiórce) – jeden z najwybitniejszych hetmanów Polski, hetman wielki koronny w latach 1527 – 1561, kasztelan krakowski od 1536, wojewoda krakowski od 1535, wojewoda ruski od 1527, kasztelan wojnicki od 1522. Swój chrzest bojowy przeszedł w wieku dwudziestu dwóch lat pod okiem hetmana Konstantego Ostrogskiego. Brał także udział w wyprawie do Mołdawii w 1512 gdzie dowodził chorągwią jazdy. W latach 1517-1521 by dopełnić swe wykształcenie podjął zwyczajową podróż po świecie. Odwiedził Bliski Wschód w tym Syrię, Palestynę, Egipt, Grecję, Turcję i oczywiście Ziemię Świętą. Zwiedził także Zachodnią Europę.

A biography of one of the best Polish generals of the 16th century (in Polish)

Military transformation is the act of creating and harnessing a revolution in military affairs. It requires developing new technologies, operational concepts, and organizational structures to conduct war in dramatically new ways. The United States is undertaking such a transformation to tackle its 21st century missions. A properly transformed military can develop significant advantages over a potential enemy. But the process also introduces risks that, if not properly managed, could dangerously undermine military capability.

This is a revealing and frustrating book about the internal German resistance to Hitler throughout the 12 years of the Third Reich. ...

One didn't dare to inhale for fear of breathing it in. It was the sound of eighteen hundred airplanes approaching Hamburg from the south at an unimaginable height. We had already experienced two hundred or even more air raids, among them some very heavy ones, but this was something completely new. And yet there was an immediate recognition: this was what everyone had been waiting for, what had hung for months like a shadow over everything we did, making us weary. It was the end.