This masterpiece of medieval historical literature constitutes the first account of English history. Written in 731 AD by a Northumbrian monk, it chronicles the growth of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England. The Venerable Bede's account starts with the Roman invasion led by Julius Caesar in 55-54 BC and extends to the date of its completion. It profiles the kings, bishops, monks, and nuns involved in the formation of the island nation's religion and...

When The Nightless City was first published in 1899, it was deemed taboo in polite circles. It is now considered a valuable historical document-albeit still provocative-as a pioneering sociological study of the Yoshiwara Yukwaku: Tokyo's infamous red-light district where the giving of pleasure became both a tradition and a business. A consequence of old Japan's polygamous family system (where men had multiple wives who bore them many children), the...

First written in French and originally appearing as a series of articles in 1892, "The Conquest of Bread" is the most famous and enduring work by Peter Kropotkin, the Russian political philosopher and anarchist. In this widely influential and often cited work, Kropotkin presents his arguments against feudalism and capitalism. These economic systems rely on and perpetuate poverty, misery, and scarcity, while protecting and promoting the privilege of...

Published in 1938, when Nazi power was approaching its zenith, this well-documented indictment reveals the systematic brainwashing of Germany's youth. The Nazi program prepared for its future with a fanatical focus on national preeminence and warlike readiness that dominated every department and phase of education. Methods included alienating children from their parents, promoting notions of racial superiority instead of science, and developing a...