Search

A 2024 Sibert Honor BookA 2024 ALSC Notable Book'(A) deeper dive into marine archaeology...enlivened by photographs, diagrams and archival images, describes sunken vessels as ‘time capsules'and the ocean floor itself as ‘the world's greatest museum.'But what extraordinary things have been found, despite the depth and waves!'—The Wall Street JournalFrom National Book Award–winning author Martin W. Sandler, here is a fascinating look at what shipwrecks reveal about our world's past—and how exploring them led to the development of a whole new field of science: marine archaeology.Most of the world's ocean floor remains to be discovered. In fact, it's estimated to be home to over 3 million sunken vessels and countless treasures of the past. This enthralling and adventure-filled nonfiction book for young readers recounts some of the most captivating shipwrecks from history, ranging from the Shinan, a Chinese merchant ship laden with riches from the 14th century, to the HMS Erebus and Terror, two polar exploration ships that mysteriously disappeared in the early 1800s. Combining new research, stunning archival material, and vivid storytelling, Shipwrecked! dives deep into the world of marine archaeology and shows young readers what each discovery reveals about the world before our time.

WINNER OF THE 2019 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD1919 was a world-shaking year. America was recovering from World War I and black soldiers returned to racism so violent that that summer would become known as the Red Summer. The suffrage movement had a long-fought win when women gained the right to vote. Laborers took to the streets to protest working conditions; nationalistic fervor led to a communism scare; and temperance gained such traction that prohibition went into effect. Each of these movements reached a tipping point that year. Now, one hundred years later, these same social issues are more relevant than ever. Sandler traces the momentum and setbacks of these movements through this last century, showing that progress isn't always a straight line and offering a unique lens through which we can understand history and the change many still seek.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy led the United States for barely a thousand days, and yet he is regarded as one of the great Presidents of all time for his brave decisions on civil rights and international relations, and not merely as a consequence of his tragic fate. Kennedy steered his nation away from the brink of nuclear war, initiated the first nuclear test ban treaty and launched his nation on its mission to the moon and beyond. JFK inspired a nation, particularly the massive generation of baby boomers, injecting hope and revitalising faith in the American dream at a time when it was badly needed. 2013 marks the fiftieth anniversary of Kennedy's untimely death. Martin Sandler's The Letters of John F. Kennedy will be the only book that focuses on letters both from and to Kennedy. Drawn from more than two million letters on file at the Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, The Letters of John F. Kennedy presents readers with a portrait of both Kennedy the politician and Kennedy the man, as well as the turbulent times he lived in. The beginnings of American involvement in Vietnam, a touch-and-go Cold War relationship with the Soviet bloc and many other international controversies are intertwined with Kennedy's own hushed-up health problems, his renowned controversial personal life and his charismatic engagement with the world of presidential politics. Letters to and from Martin Luther King, Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, Nikita Khruschev, Bertrand Russell, David Bengurian and many others are included, as well as missives from ordinary citizens and schoolchildren. Each letter is accompanied by lively and informative contextualization and facsimiles of many of the letters will appear in the text, along with photographs and exclusive material from the Kennedy Library and Museum.

The National Book Award–winning author “pulls off a significant historic and literary achievement... by melding the stories of two historic searches” (The Associated Press).Acclaimed historian Martin Sandler—a two-time Pulitzer Prize nominee, winner of seven Emmy® Awards, and author of more than fifty books—finally brings to light an amazing high-seas adventure. Fascinating rare photographs, paintings, engravings, and maps illustrate the book throughout.It all began when, in one of the biggest news stories of the 19th century, Sir John Franklin and his ships the Erebus and the Terror disappeared while attempting to locate the fabled Northwest Passage. At the request of Franklin's wife, Lady Jane, the first mission set out from England in hopes of finding him; many others followed in its wake, none successful.Among these was the Resolute, the finest vessel in Queen Victoria's Navy. But in 1854 it became locked in Arctic ice and was abandoned by its captain. A year later, a Connecticut whaler discovered it 1,200 miles away—drifting and deserted, a 600-ton ghost ship. He and his small crew boarded the Resolute, and steered it through a ferocious hurricane back to New London, Connecticut. The United States government then reoutfitted the ship and returned it to the thankful Queen. In 1879, when the Resolute was finally retired, she had the best timbers made into a desk for then-President Rutherford B. Hayes. It is still used by U.S. presidents today... one of the most celebrated pieces of furniture in the White House.“[A] gripping historical adventure.” —Publishers Weekly

Once purely for adventure, flight has become an integral part of everyday life. Beginning with the first hot air balloon flight to jet fighter planes of today, Sandler traces man's quest to conquer the blue skies. This book has a wealth of beautiful illustrations that give readers an extensive peek into the past. Also, included are two sidebars that take an in-depth look at one aspect of social history. Backmatter includes timeline, places to visit, further readings, and an index.

Canoes, clippers, schooners, sloops, whalers, flatboats, steamboats, hydrofoils, submersibles -- the story of American transport by water has been one of constant adventure and advancement. On the Waters of America traces the remarkable history of America's romance with water transport, from Native American birch bark canoes to precarious crossings of the Atlantic to the astonishing boom in ship-building to present-day innovations. The countless rivers, bays, lakes, deep harbors, (and eventually canals) and two vast oceans necessitated the development of ships and boats as lifelines for commerce and travel, but it was the desire for mobility that made Americans eager to embrace each new means of transport. Illustrated with numerous photographs, maps, sidebars, and a technology timeline, On the Waters of America is a fascinating recounting of America's seafaring tradition.

A riveting look at the evolution of transportation in American cities, Straphanging in America begins with an examination of the horsecar and omnibus, then traces the extraordinary impact of the cable car, elevated railway, interurban, and subway on city life -- and the nation. Capturing people's imaginations with its'magical'use of electricity, trolley cars made pollution-free, inexpensive, mass urban transportation possible and created suburbs. Interurbans connected cities, spawned new towns, and made overland travel a national pastime. Subways solved the problem of street congestion. Beyond the effects on landscape, urban transport unified cities as people of all economic backgrounds rubbed elbows. Vividly illustrating America's urban transformation, Straphanging in America captures the excitement of a nation and its burgeoning technology.

Capturing the excitement of a nation as it became a driving force -- in more ways than one -- Driving Around America is the story of how America's romantic, restless spirit found its counterpart in the automobile. With Henry Ford's assembly lines lowering the price of cars, ordinary people began to travel where and when they pleased with a freedom never before known -- and the nation would never be the same. People moved farther from their work, creating suburbs; the demand for gasoline increased, spurring the growth of the petroleum industry; and individual members of families moved far from each other, changing the social fabric of the nation. From the auto's early beginnings to the commonplace use of cars in all aspects of life today, Driving Around America is a fascinating portrait of how America transformed as its citizens were on the move more and more.

Preachers railed against it:'Traveling at speeds up to 20 miles per hour went against the Lord's plan!'Doctors told their patients that traveling on it would cause serious physical and mental ailments, including the boiling of the blood. Newspapers cried out,'It is a topsy-turvy, harum-scarum whirligig!'But it didn't matter: America loved the train and the freedom of movement that came with it. Riding the Rails in America traces the dynamic relationship of America with the train, showing how the railroad was the single largest influence on the development of the nation's history and economy as it became possible to move freight and people farther and faster than ever before.

Galloping Across America shows how Mustangs, Arabians, Palominos, Morgans, and other kinds of horses played a central role in the development of the United States as a nation. From transportation within cities -- the omnibus, fire wagons, delivery of goods -- to mail delivery from coast to coast to tilling soil and herding cattle, Martin Sandler shows how essential the horse was for the survival of four million citizens stretched across 800,000 square miles. As roads improved, stagecoaches became popular for crossing the country. Covered wagons delivered pioneers into the western regions for homesteading. And Native American culture changed significantly as wealth and social standing within tribes began to be measured by the number of horses each man owned. Galloping Across America is a fascinating look at the horse-powered development of America up through the rodeos and mounted police of today. Filled with the spirit of adventure, competition, and restlessness central to the American character, the Transportation in America series reveals how the horse, trolley, ship, railroad, automobile, and airplane transformed the country. Each volume is richly illustrated with photographs, paintings, drawings, posters, timetables, sheet music covers, and original documents -- many of which have never been published before -- and includes fascinating sidebars on the colorful characters and technology behind the transport.

This book brings to the management of nonprofit organizations and public sector organizations the kind of concepts that have long been applied to commercial firms. Management thinking has long been concentrated on the problems of managing commercial organizations. Authors Sandler and Hudson set out to study the best managed nonprofit and government organizations and to determine what they did to achieve their success. The authors found that there is a close similarity between the management thinking of these organizations and that of profit-making firms. Each type of firm defined who their customers were and how to best serve them. They looked for ways of selling their particular product. They formed partnerships with other organizations in pursuit of their ultimate goals. They encouraged innovation among their workers. They diffused power down through the organizations to the lowest level possible. They created an atmosphere that made their workers feel valued. And they had extensive systems for communicating within and outside the organizations. The book develops these concepts in separate chapters and describes the organizations the authors study as examples. Sandler and Hudson are experienced writers who have produced a straightforward, non-technical work that analyzes the special problems and concerns that these organizations share and offers a set of effective organizing principles to improve their management.