True stories and vintage photos of this bustling New York City borough, covering everything from crime and corruption to a beloved Christmas poem. Queens has a history filled with fascinating firsts, cool characters and ramshackle ruins. From the nation’s first modern highway to the first-ever transatlantic flight, the borough has long been at the forefront of modern transportation. Poet Clement Clarke Moore was inspired by childhood memories of Elmhurst when he wrote the poem “’Twas the Night before Christmas.” The infamous William “Boss” Tweed once fled jail to a secret hideout in a Bayside hotel. The remains of the old Creedmoor Hospital complex in Queens Village are haunting, as are the eerie remnants of Fort Tilden in the Rockaways. In this fascinating book, Richard Panchyk reveals glimpses of the hidden history of Queens.
“A fascinating romp through the feminine side of the infamous Khan clan” (Booklist) by the author featured in Echoes of the Empire: Beyond Genghis Khan “Enticing . . . hard to put down.”—Associated Press The Mongol queens of the thirteenth century ruled the largest empire the world has ever known. The daughters of the Silk Route turned their father’s conquests into the first truly international empire, fostering trade, education, and religion throughout their territories and creating an economic system that stretched from the Pacific to the Mediterranean. Yet sometime near the end of the century, censors cut a section about the queens from the Secret History of the Mongols, and, with that one act, the dynasty of these royals had seemingly been extinguished forever, as even their names were erased from the historical record. With The Secret History of the Mongol Queens, a groundbreaking and magnificently researched narrative, Jack Weatherford restores the queens’ missing chapter to the annals of history.
In the early years of the 20th century, Queens County underwent an enormous transformation. The Queensboro Bridge of 1909 forever changed the landscape of this primarily rural area into the urban metropolis it is today. Forgotten Queens shows New York's largest borough between the years 1920 and 1950, when it was adorned with some of the finest model housing and planned communities anywhere in the country. Victorian mansions, cookie-cutter row houses, fishing shacks, and beachside bungalows all coexisted next to workplaces and commercial areas. Beckoning with the torch of the new century and a bright promise for those who dared to pioneer its urban wilderness, Queens flourished as a community. Through vintage photographs being seen by the public for the first time, the five wards of Queens are highlighted for their unique character and history.
Queens offers a rare look at New York City's largest borough, featuring many never-before-seen images. The borough of Queens, New York, has seen many historical and geographical changes. Marshlands, woods, and farms gave way to factories, thriving communities, and the nation's premier arterial highway system.
This new history of the grail tradition illuminates the primary importance of the Maidens of Wells and the descent of Grail Queens from the Mother of Jesus to the Spanish infantado queens who possessed and guarded the holy blood relics - the grails of the Christians. The essential element of the Holy Lance of Longinus and its provenance is compared to a comprehension historical study of all known associations with the "Spear of Destiny" that pierced the side of Jesus; spear and grail must join together to complete the procession of the Holy Grail.
“Attention, ‘Game of Thrones’ fans: The most enjoyably sensational aspects of medieval politics—double-crosses, ambushes, bizarre personal obsessions, lunacy and naked self-interest—are in abundant evidence in Nancy Goldstone's The Maid and the Queen.” (Laura Miller, Salon.com) Politically astute, ambitious, and beautiful, Yolande of Aragon, queen of Sicily, was one of the most powerful women of the Middle Ages. Caught in the complex dynastic battle of the Hundred Years War, Yolande championed the dauphin's cause against the forces of England and Burgundy, drawing on her savvy, her statecraft, and her intimate network of spies. But the enemy seemed invincible. Just as French hopes dimmed, an astonishingly courageous young woman named Joan of Arc arrived from the farthest recesses of the kingdom, claiming she carried a divine message-a message that would change the course of history and ultimately lead to the coronation of Charles VII and the triumph of France. Now, on the six hundredth anniversary of the birth of Joan of Arc, this fascinating book explores the relationship between these two remarkable women, and deepens our understanding of this dramatic period in history. How did an illiterate peasant girl gain access to the future king of France, earn his trust, and ultimately lead his forces into battle? Was it only the hand of God that moved Joan of Arc-or was it also Yolande of Aragon?
The only neighborhood-by-neighborhood guide to New York City's largest borough, from the award-winning author of The New York Nobody Knows Bill Helmreich walked every block of New York City—some six-thousand miles—to write the award-winning The New York Nobody Knows. Later, he re-walked most of Queens—1,012 miles in all—to create this one-of-a-kind walking guide to the city's largest borough, from hauntingly beautiful parks to hidden parts of Flushing's Chinese community. Drawing on hundreds of conversations he had with residents during his block-by-block journey through this fascinating, diverse, and underexplored borough, Helmreich highlights hundreds of facts and points of interest that you won't find in any other guide. In Bellerose, you'll explore a museum filled with soul-searing artwork created by people with mental illness. In Douglaston, you'll gaze up in awe at the city's tallest tree. In Corona, you'll discover the former synagogue where Madonna lived when she first came to New York. In St. Albans, you'll see the former homes of jazz greats, including Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday. In Woodhaven, you'll walk a block where recent immigrants from Mexico, Guyana, and China all proudly fly the American flag. And much, much more. An unforgettably vivid chronicle of today's Queens, the book can be enjoyed without ever leaving home—but it's almost guaranteed to inspire you to get out and explore this captivating borough. Covers every one of Queens's neighborhoods, providing a colorful portrait of their most interesting, unusual, and unfamiliar people, places, and things Each neighborhood section features a brief overview and history; a detailed, user-friendly map keyed to the text; photographs; and a lively guided walking tour Draws on the author's 1,012-mile walk through every Queens neighborhood Includes insights from conversations with hundreds of residents
In this epic prequel to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, journey with a young sorceress, Glinda, as she steps out of her sheltered life into a world of bitter enemies and loyal friends, unwanted destinies and impossible choices. Experience the heartache of opportunities lost, and the thrill of exciting new adventures. Enjoy the whimsy and wonder of growing up in the Land of Oz, where magic rules, and every freedom comes with a price. The Witch Queens Glinda is the daughter of the Ruby Sorceress, trapped in her so-called perfect life - stuck in a tower with books, locked away to protect her from the Wicked Witches until the fateful day when she will join her mother in the sorcerous arts. With her sixteenth birthday approaching, all Glinda wants is freedom - from her life, her parents, and all of their expectations. Today, at the Abracadabra Bazaar, she was expected to dress nice and play her part, but her red-haired rebellion ruined everything. Humiliated, she runs away and rejects all offers of help, leaving a huge opening in her life for the devious Wicked Witches to step in wreak havoc. Orphaned and alone, Glinda runs for her life, questioning the freedom she thought she wanted, but no place is safe from the reach of the Wicked Witches. Until one day a giant balloon from a far-off land drops through a magic hole in the sky and changes everything. Glinda befriends this young ventriloquist and finds courage from his stories of freedom and independence. Emboldened, Glinda stops running and faces the Witches and their armies. If she can win the day against impossible odds, Glinda (and the entire Land of Oz) will be safe. Journey with Glinda as she steps out of her sheltered life into a world of bitter enemies and loyal friends, unwanted destinies and impossible choices. Experience the heartache of opportunities lost, and the thrill of exciting new adventures. Enjoy the whimsy and wonder of growing up in a land where magic rules, and every freedom comes with a price. About the Hidden HistoryThe Celtic roots of Oz reach back more than one thousand years; a past full of Witches and warriors fighting to control the magic of the land. Oz is a land powered by human dreams, taking what is dreamed on earth to create magic. Now the destiny of this magical land rests in the hands of two dreamers - a sorceress and a wizard. If they can conquer fear and overcome their troubled past, they will find a love for the ages and a brighter future for Oz. If not, their shadows will blanket Oz in an everlasting nightmare.Whimsy and wonder, courage and adventure await in this prequel series to L. Frank Baum's classic novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The Hidden History of Oz, Book One: The Witch Queens is a fun-filled fantastic adventure for ages 10 and up. Guide for Parents included in Appendix of book. Also available here: http://hiddenhistoryofoz.wordpress.com/guide-for-parents/
This book contains fascinating examination of lost civilizations, ancient mysteries and alternative history around the world, with over 50 photographs and illustrations.
