Tag: #non-fiction

Posted in #History

History of Ohio

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

A Captivating Guide to the People and Events That Shaped the History of the Buckeye State (U.S. States)

The history of Ohio is so much more than farms and factories.

Do you think there isn’t much to know about the US state of Ohio? Or do you think you already know everything there is to know? Prepare to be amazed. Ohio is quite possibly the most important state in the United States. It has a history as varied and as interesting as any ancient kingdom. Ohio’s history includes the remains of ancient civilizations. It is the home of some of the richest human beings to ever live. There have been grisly wars for domination and epic struggles for freedom. Ohio’s history has it all.

Ohioans have been at the center of progress for many years. This began with the first humans in Ohio. It continued through the development of great systems of canals and railroads. It extends to the development of space travel.

Did you know that Ohio and Michigan were once at war? Did you know that the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth US presidents were all from Ohio? Did you know that ancient Ohioans built massive effigy mounds and that we’re only now discovering what they mean?

Ohio has an amazing story to tell the world; you just have to listen. Delve into this book on the history of Ohio and learn more about:

  • The home to many well-known companies and brands, like Goodyear, Tide, Dawn, and Standard Oil;
  • The birthplace of eight US presidents;
  • Great Native American leaders like Tecumseh, Blue Jacket, and Little Turtle;
  • American generals like “Mad” Anthony Wayne, William Henry Harrison, and Ulysses S. Grant;
  • John D. Rockefeller’s rise to power;
  • The first flights of the Wright Brothers;
  • The home of astronauts John Glenn and Neil Armstrong;
  • The bravery of conductors on the Underground Railroad;
  • Revolutionary new findings about the sacred mounds of ancient Ohioans;
  • And so much more!
Posted in #non-fiction

Suck Less: Where There’s a Willam, There’s a Way

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Hilarious life lessons from the drag queen and reality TV star.

With a foreword from Neil Patrick Harris.

“No, that looks totally cute on you” and “I got AIDS through oral” are common lies. But “It gets better” is told even more often. Well, a lotta times it don’t. Sometimes it just sucks less. But I promise you: where there’s a Willam, there’s a way.

But this isn’t all about me (for once). It’s about you and how you can Suck Less at a variety of things drag queens are so much better at than the average person. I’ve got clap backs and life hacks and tips on classing up a simple grab-and-run lifting spree to the much more dignified act of larceny. Super-important life stuff with my own special, secret fag-swag sauce. So welcome to Willam’s School of Bitchcraft and Wiggotry. Class is in session.

Posted in #History

History of Hawaii

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

A Captivating Guide to Hawaiian History (U.S. States)

You hear its name all the time, but how much do you really know about the island nation of Hawaiʻi?

How did the ancient Hawaiians sail thousands of miles of open ocean without modern methods? How did they avoid getting lost and somehow find new islands? How did such a rich culture even come to exist on perhaps the most isolated archipelago in the world? Does the nickname of a “beach island paradise” properly describe the diverse and beautiful topographies of Hawaiʻi? Are these topographies intriguing and sometimes even dangerous natural phenomena?

Learn the true answers to all these questions and much more in this book of the history of Hawaiʻi. Visualize your way through Hawaiʻi’s history with oral accounts and detailed descriptions. Various dates, facts, names, images, and events are all woven into this one book!

The relatively short history of Hawaiʻi and its people has produced a cultural impact. This impact punches way above the weight of its land size compared to many other civilizations and peoples. Despite the global presence of their name and influence, the history of Hawaiʻi remains fairly unknown to most people. This book seeks to remedy that problem.

This book has been constructed and curated with deep consideration built into each chapter. It offers a comprehensive overview of how Hawaiʻi came to be, including:

  • Looking through the lenses of archaeological evidence, linguistic clues, and oceanic legacies to unveil ancient Hawaiʻi
  • Diving deep into ancient Hawaiian mythology, lore, and life
  • Tracing the steps and developments of the Hawaiian kings and queens
  • Building a great arc of the story behind this island nation’s historical trajectory
  • Visualizing and understanding the challenges, tragedies, and triumphs of Hawaiʻi leading up to and through World War II
  • Incorporating multifaceted modern sources to build a coherent and insightful take on modern Hawaiʻi
  • Breakdowns of famous artifacts and people from the islands of Hawaiʻi
  • And many other fresh and unknown facts of Hawaiʻi presented through a narrative designed to intrigue and engage.
Posted in #non-fiction

What to Expect When You’re Expecting: (Updated in 2025)

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Updated multiple times every year, America’s pregnancy bible answers all your questions. When can I take an at-home a pregnancy test? How can I eat for two if I’m too queasy to eat for one? Can I keep up my spinning classes? Is fish safe to eat? And what’s this I hear about soft cheese? Can I work until I deliver? What are my rights on the job? I’m blotchy and broken out—where’s the glow? Should we do a gender reveal? What about a 4-D ultrasound? Will I know labor when I feel it? Your pregnancy is clearly explained. Your pregnant body is demystified from head to feet. Learn what to do about headaches to why your feet are so swollen. Understand how to stop backaches and why you can’t tell a baby by mom’s bump. This book is filled with must-have information and practical advice. It offers realistic insight and easy-to-use tips. You’ll also find lots of reassurance. Discover the very latest on prenatal screenings and which medications are safe. Learn about the most current birthing options, from water birth to gentle c-sections. Your pregnancy lifestyle gets equal attention. Topics include eating (including food trends) to coffee drinking. You will also find information on working out (and work) to sex, travel to beauty, skin care, and more. Have pregnancy symptoms? You will—and you’ll find solutions for them all. Expecting multiples? There’s a chapter for you. Expecting to become a dad? This book has you covered, too.

Posted in #History

Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

* Selected as One of the Best Books of the 21st Century by The New York Times * Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in History *

“Extraordinary…a great American biography” (The New Yorker) of the most important African American of the 19th century: Frederick Douglass, the escaped slave who became the greatest orator of his day and one of the leading abolitionists and writers of the era.

As a young man Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) escaped from slavery in Baltimore, Maryland. He was fortunate to learn to read from his slave owner mistress. He later became one of the major literary figures of his time. His very existence disproved the claims of slave owners. With dignity, he bore witness to the brutality of slavery. His great intelligence further emphasized this brutality.

Initially mentored by William Lloyd Garrison, Douglass spoke widely, using his own story to condemn slavery. By the Civil War, Douglass had become the most famed and widely travelled orator in the nation. In his unique and eloquent voice, Douglass criticized the United States fiercely. He was also a radical patriot. After the war, he sometimes had political arguments with younger African Americans. However, he never forsook the Republican party or abandoned the cause of black civil and political rights.

In this “cinematic and deeply engaging” (The New York Times Book Review) biography, David Blight has utilized new information from a private collection. Few other historians have consulted this collection. He also drew on recently discovered issues of Douglass’s newspapers. “Absorbing and even moving…a brilliant book that speaks to our own time. It also speaks to Douglass’s era” (The Wall Street Journal). Blight’s biography tells the fascinating story of Douglass’s two marriages. It also explores his complex extended family. “David Blight has written the definitive biography of Frederick Douglass. It is a powerful portrait of one of the most important American voices of the nineteenth century” (The Boston Globe).

In addition to the Pulitzer Prize, Frederick Douglass won several prestigious awards. These include the Bancroft, Parkman, and Los Angeles Times (biography) awards. He also received the Lincoln, Plutarch, and Christopher awards. The book was named one of the Best Books of 2018. It was recognized by The New York Times Book Review, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, The San Francisco Chronicle, and Time.