This extensive series delves into the lives of history's most influential figures. Each volume offers a captivating exploration of how pivotal individuals shaped the world through their actions and ideas. Readers can expect in-depth examinations of the motivations, triumphs, and failures of these inspiring yet often complex personalities. It's an ideal collection for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of human history through the compelling life stories of its key players.
This is a book for people, especially students, who wish to understand Martin Luther within the broader sweep of history. Luther was a theologian, and theological issues are crucial for understanding him. But the larger context of Luther's life and its historical significance also figure prominently in this account of his development, career, and thought.
This new entry in the Longman Library of World Biography series offers the compelling story of Wu Zhao - one woman's unlikely and remarkable ascent to the apex of political power in the patriarchal society of traditional China. Wu Zhao, Woman Emperor of China is the account of the first and only female emperor in China's history. Set in vibrant, multi-ethnic Tang China, this biography chronicles Wu Zhao's humble beginnings as the daughter of a provincial official, following her path to the inner palace, where she improbably rose from a fifth-ranked concubine to becoming Empress. Using clever Buddhist rhetoric, grandiose architecture, elegant court rituals, and an insidious network of "cruel officials" to cow her many opponents in court, Wu Zhao inaugurated a new dynasty in 690, the Zhou. She ruled as Emperor for fifteen years, proving eminently competent in the arts of governance, deftly balancing factions in court, staving off the encroachment of Turks and Tibetans, and fostering the state's economic growth.
This book covers aspects of Marx's life and theoretical arguments in his works. It explores the Industrial Revolution through the lens of Marx's view of socialism as a way of framing the industrial system and its impact on workers.