Patrice Sherman – författare

Over time, Benjamin Franklin’s kite and key experiment has taken on mythic proportions. Franklin’s experiment established the relationship between lightning and electricity, but it would take the research of Alessandro Volta to discover how humans can generate electrical currents without relying on weather systems. Electricity establishes the history of a scientific discovery that fundamentally changed the way people live their lives. Tracing the line of inquiry from the ancient Greeks’ understanding of static electricity, to Edison’s light bulb, to Tesla’s work in bringing electricity to the masses, the book provides biographies of key figures, explanations of the science behind electricity, and an examination of how electricity is used in contemporary research and innovations.

When Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for working to bring democracy to Myanmar, she was unable to attend the ceremony held in her honor, she was under house arrest for the very work that earned her the prize. Ultimately, Suu Kyi spent fifteen years incarcerated, but her faith in peaceful resistance never wavered. This book explains the struggle to bring democracy to Myanmar, profiles Suu Kyi and her activism, and examines the complexity of her unfolding legacy.

From its earliest days, the press played a pivotal role in American politics and civic life. The trial of printer John Peter Zenger in 1735 established the principle of the free press, and publishers throughout the colonies quickly embraced the concept. The controversy over independence was hotly debated in newspapers. Through letters and debates, the press helped shape the idea of a uniquely American identity. This volume demonstrates how freedom of the press is part of American heritage from colonial times and how it remains essential to democracy to this day.