The word freelance came out of the period between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, when mercenary knights with no particular allegiance would take their lances into battle for the prince or state

When the early Normans brought fire indoors they built semicircular open fireplaces. To keep warm at night or when the air was cool, the family would sit in a semicircle opposite the one formed by the

The word chauvinism originally meant excessive patriotism and came from the name of Nicolas Chauvin, a French general who was known for his extreme devotion to Napoleon Bonaparte. “Male chauvinism” became

If you wish to gain esteem and avoid grief, then it’s wise to respect the customs of the majority within any culture you may find yourself. When St. Ambrose was sent on a mission to Rome by St. Augustine,

In the 1800s, when the American West was first opened, the early pioneers were offered free land east of the Rockies, but to ensure fairness, they could only stake out forty acres after a race to the region

Tin Pan Alley is an actual place in New York City. It’s the nickname for the side streets off Times Square, where for generations music publishers have auditioned new songs. The name came from the late

In September of 1653, the settlers in what is now New York City felt threatened by the local Natives and by the possibility of an invasion by Oliver Cromwell’s army. For protection, they built a large

From 1800, when John Adams became the first president to inhabit it, until 1814, when the British burned it because the Americans had torched Toronto, the presidential building was a grey Virginia freestone.

In the tenth century, in an effort to stop hostilities between their two countries, the English gave a Scottish king land in London with the provision that he build a castle on it and live there for a

The nickname “Dixieland” didn’t come from the Mason-Dixon Line, the boundary between the free and the slave states. Rather it’s from the word dixie, which was what southerners called a French ten-dollar

Most people believe that Chicago got its nickname from its prevailing winds, but that isn’t the case. In 1893, Chicago hosted the World’s Columbian Exposition, celebrating the four hundredth anniversary

During the 1940s, Robert Emmerich, who played piano in the Tommy Dorsey Band, wrote an obscure song called “The Big Apple.” It was soon forgotten by everyone except legendary reporter Walter Winchell,

Description Everyone loves wordplay! This collection of more than eight hundred quips and pun-filled anecdotes will have your friends in stitches! Classics and new inventions fill these pages with humor

Description Recently named the best and healthiest diet by nutrition experts at US News and World Report The DASH diet is one of the most researched and well-respected diets available today. It is not

Description The DIY spirit is alive and well, and solar panels are among the more exciting and useful Do-it-Yourself projects to undertake. On first glance one might feel intimidated; however, this book

Description Eat Chocolate, Lose Weight is a game-changing look at the world's most surprising (and luscious) health food: chocolate. Based on new groundbreaking research and the amazing results of his

Description "I have used this book for the last 20 years when I do a garden. It almost always has the detail I need for a particular vegetable. Example: My tomato plants look great but I don't have

Description Learn to heal depression, anxiety, brain fog, and other mental disorders without drugs. Every part of your body affects every other part of your body, and if any one area is not functioning

Description The relationship between cats and us lower animals cannot be summed up in mere words, but leave it to Uncle John to try anyway. Curl up with the Cat Lover’s Companion, and you’ll explore the

Description In Heal Your Pain Now, Dr. Joe Tatta teaches you how to regain control of your life by breaking the cycle of persistent pain. Following Dr. Tatta's program, you learn the role of the brain