Books in the Great Lives series

A superbly crafted and humane portrait of the last days - and last rulers - of the Russian Empire.

This Bible Companion will serve as a good guide to His life and teachings. And it can help you grow to know Him better than you ever have.

Generally considered one of the greatest modern writers, James Joyce (1882–1941) grew up in Dublin, Ireland, but spent his adult life in the European cities of Trieste, Zurich, and Paris. Yet, while he left his native country behind, he never stopped writing about it. He published his well-known short story collection, Dubliners, in 1914 and the coming-of-age novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man two years later. In 1922 came Ulysses, the book that would make Joyce famous and infamous at the same time: extremely controversial in its time, Ulysses was banned in the U.K. and the U.S. and led to a landmark obscenity case in 1933.In Simply Joyce, author Margot Norris strips the mystery from Joyce's ground-breaking books by offering a clear introduction to why and how they were produced. Along the way, she offers insights into Joyce’s life and creative inspirations by exploring his stories and novels in depth. Beginning with the more accessible early works and proceeding through Ulysses and the even more challenging Finnegans Wake—Joyce’s final work that was published two years before his death—Norris provides a clear and easily understandable overview of this seminal writer.Both Ulysses and Portrait of the Artist are included on almost every list of the greatest novels of all time. Simply Joyce shows why this is so and, for those who have never had the pleasure of discovering Joyce’s works, it will serve as a riveting introduction and a jumping-off point into the extraordinary linguistic world of one of the most influential writers of the previous century.

Nobel Laureate and two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner William Faulkner (1897–1962) was one of America’s greatest and most celebrated writers, whose work reflects and, at the same time, questions the South's most deeply held values. His novel The Sound and the Fury is frequently cited as one of the best books of all time, and all of his works powerfully explore complex societal and family issues that continue to be relevant in our own day. Yet, because of his decidedly difficult, stream-of-consciousness style, Faulkner’s books remain sadly unknown to many readers. In Simply Faulkner, author Philip Weinstein not only helps us understand these challenging works, but also explains why Faulkner had to write them as he did, in an effort to capture the sheer abundance and unruliness of life. Further, in his exploration of the author’s own colorful life—including decades of working for a film industry he despised—Weinstein reveals a fascinating connection between Faulkner’s troubled personal biography and his groundbreaking fiction.The goal of Simply Faulkner is not to simplify the author, but, rather, to create a framework that allows us to comprehend him in his own idiosyncratic way. It strives to show us the real Faulkner—warts and complications and all—and to demonstrate why his brilliant masterpieces still speak to us in a deeply meaningful way.

In this eighth volume of the bestselling Great Lives from God's Word series, Chuck will examine little-remembered Bible characters and events. He will help you discover biblical principles and practical applications for living so that you can be who you are in God's estimation . . . a person of true significance.

Everyone loves a transforming story. Rags to riches. Plain to beautiful. Weak to strong. Esther's story is that, and much more. It is a thought-provoking study of God's invisible hand, writing silently across the pages of human history.

Swindoll gives us straight facts based squarely on the truth revealed in God's Word. He also fills in the fine-line details of Moses' life with emotion and feeling, because Moses, like all of us, was a human being with faults and frailties. And finally, Swindoll helps us apply the lessons of Moses' life to our own daily dilemmas.

One of the most beloved novelists of all time, Jane Austen (1775—1817) is also one of the most scrutinized. Since the early 20th century, she has been a favorite topic of academic researchers and scholars; at the same time, the popularity of her books has continued to grow. Why are Austen’s novels the subject of scholarly tomes and doctoral dissertations, and also the inspiration for a virtual cottage industry of popular adaptations? And how did this English country parson’s daughter with little formal education become a major literary figure?In Simply Austen, author Joan Klingel Ray paints a carefully researched, comprehensive, and highly entertaining portrait of the phenomenon that is Jane Austen—an author whose works have been translated into dozens of languages and who critic Harold Bloom placed among the greatest writers of all time. In exploring Austen’s life and books, Ray not only helps us understand the forces that shaped this talented writer, but also offers a wealth of insightful clues that help explain her lasting popularity and continuing relevance for a 21st-century audience.In Pride and Prejudice, the satirical character Mr. Collins announces, “Oh, I never read novels.” For those of us who do—and especially for confirmed or aspiring Janeites—Simply Austen is an invaluable resource and a great way to discover the author who helped refine the art of novel writing.

Simply Darwin tells the story of Charles Robert Darwin (1809–1882) and his theory of evolution through natural selection. On one level, the book portrays a dedicated scientist who, through careful observation and brilliant insight, became convinced that organisms were the end product of a long, slow, and natural process of development. On another level, it is an account of a cataclysmic change in our ideas about ourselves—a conceptual upheaval that continues to generate aftershocks—and heated debates—to this day.In Simply Darwin, author Michael Ruse puts Darwin and his ideas in their proper context, clearly showing that, while the father of evolutionary biology was a true trailblazer, he was no rebel. He was simply following an evidentiary trail that led to an inevitable conclusion about the origin of species and natural selection. Eventually, as Darwin and his fellow scientists began to apply his ideas to humans, long-held notions about the nature and origins of religion, morality, race, sexuality, and much more, were called into question. Then, as now, some of us embraced these provocative ideas, while others reacted with horror and disbelief.In recounting this fascinating and inspiring story, Ruse doesn’t neglect the visual component that has always been an inherent part of evolutionary thought. Simply Darwin features copious illustrations, which provide an informative and captivating element to this riveting account.

The first emperor of France and one of the shrewdest military leaders of all time, Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821) eventually came to control much of Europe. In Simply Napoleon, authors J. David Markham and Matthew Zarzeczny tell Napoleon’s story, from his birth on the island of Corsica to his eventual imprisonment and death on the island of Saint Helena. They explain how the famed military commander’s unique combination of determination, intellect, and personal charisma allowed him to rise from a provincial village to become a powerful and authoritative ruler. While taking an overall positive view of Napoleon, Markham and Zarzeczny also make it a point to draw attention to his mistakes and their consequences, providing a balanced picture of this complicated figure who was both a product of his times and a man pointing the way to the future.Marked by first-rate scholarship, as well as a highly readable and accessible style, Simply Napoleon is an exceptional introduction to Napoleon and his times—a study that not only illuminates a key personality and period in modern history, but also helps us understand how modern Europe took shape.

Nelson was a young South African with a reputation for trouble-making. Who would have thought he would one day lead his people to freedom?

Kurt Gödel (1906–1978) was born in Austria-Hungary (now the Czech Republic) and grew up in an ethnic German family. As a student, he excelled in languages and mathematics, mastering university-level math while still in high school. He received his doctorate from the University of Vienna at the age of 24 and, a year later, published the pioneering theorems on which his fame rests. In 1939, with the rise of Nazism, Gödel and his wife settled in the U.S., where he continued his groundbreaking work at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) in Princeton and became a close friend of Albert Einstein’s.In Simply Gödel, Richard Tieszen traces Gödel’s life and career, from his early years in tumultuous, culturally rich Vienna to his many brilliant achievements as a member of IAS, as well as his repeated battles with mental illness. In discussing Gödel’s ideas, Tieszen not only provides an accessible explanation of the incompleteness theorems, but explores some of his lesser known writings, including his thoughts on time travel and his proof of the existence of God.With clarity and sympathy, Simply Gödel brings to life Gödel’s fascinating personal and intellectual journey and conveys the lasting impact of his work on our modern world.