Presents an illuminating biography of Alfonso X, the thirteenth-century philosopher-king whose affinity for Spain's Islamic culture left an indelible mark on Western civilization.

"Reminiscent of Wiseguy, this compelling biography from two prominent mob experts recounts the life and times of the first acting boss of an American Mafia family to turn government witness As top boss of the Luchese crime family, Alfonso "Little Al" D'Arco was the highest-ranking mobster to ever share Mafia secrets when he changed sides in 1991. His testimony sent more than fifty mobsters to prison, and prompted others to make the same choice, including...

The story of the remarkable visionaries who have quietly dedicated their lives and their fortunes to saving the planet from ecological destruction. While many people remain paralyzed by the scope of Earth's environmental woes, eco barons--a new and largely unheralded generation of Rockefellers and Carnegies--are having spectacular success saving forests and wildlands, pulling endangered species back from the brink, and pioneering the clean and green...

Arturo Schomburg's passion for collecting books, music, and art led to the creation of the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Where is our historian to give us our side? Arturo asked. Amid the scholars, poets, authors, and artists of the Harlem Renaissance stood an Afro-Puerto Rican named Arturo Schomburg. This law clerk's life's passion was to collect books, letters, music, and art from Africa and the African diaspora and bring to light the achievements of people of African descent through the ages. When Schomburg's collection became so big it began to overflow his house...