The year is AD 1523 and the island of Rhodes has just fallen to the Turks. Those sailing away in defeat from this captured bastion are members of an anachronistic crusading order called the Knights of St. John -- otherwise known as the Hospitallers. Among the dejected company is a stalwart young knight named Jean Parisot De La Valette. Were it up to him, the order would have defended the island to the bitter end. Forty-two years later, history has repeated itself. The Hospitallers are again besieged by the teeming armies of the relentless Turk. Their tiny island-fortress of Malta is all that stands between the armies of Suleiman and the very heart of Christendom. But this time the scenario is different -- La Valette wears the Grand Master's cape. Behind him stand the knights of his faithful order: men of incredible valor ready to "strike a blow for Christ" and sacrifice their lives to halt the invading Turks at the gates of Europe. What follows is a desperate struggle between East and West, Cross and Koran, faith and despair. Angels in Iron is based on the actual events surrounding the Siege of Malta in 1565. Nicholas C. Prata relates the tale in riveting and graphic prose which brings the extreme heroism of the knights and the unimaginable horror of combat sharply into focus. Prepare yourself for an epic adventure.

Angels in Iron

Literature & Fiction

Prata, Nicholas C.

Contemporary

Arx Publishing

Martha & Chip

Children's Books

Sohler, Katharine

Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths

Saint Ambrose of Milan is one of the towering figures of the late 4th century AD. A high official in the western Roman government, Ambrose was conscripted against his will by the people of Milan to serve as their bishop. He would go on to become one of the most important fathers of the Western Church: a fierce opponent of heretics, admonisher of emperors, voluminous writer, worker of miracles, and the spiritual father of other great saints. This biography of Ambrose was written by one of the deacons who served under him: Paulinus of Milan. Paulinus was encouraged in this biographical effort by none other than Saint Augustine of Hippo, Ambrose's most famous disciple. Written in a style similar to other works of hagiography from the same time, such as the Life of Saint Anthony by Saint Athanasius, Paulinus places Ambrose in his historical and spiritual context, drawing an enduring picture of the man and his times that has helped to cement Ambrose as one of the great holy men of the ancient Church. As a primary source, The Life of Saint Ambrose includes numerous first-hand accounts which were witnessed by Paulinus himself or related to him by those close to Ambrose. The important figures whose lives intersected with that of Ambrose included the Roman emperors Gratian, Theodosius the Great, and Valentinian II; the Arian empress Justina; usurpers Eugenius and Arbogast; the magister militum Stilicho, and saints like Marcellina, Simplicianus, Bassianus, Venerius, and many others. This version of the Vita Sancti Ambrosii was rendered into English by Sr. Mary Kaniecka in 1928. It has been completely re-typeset for the modern reader with simplified punctuation, expanded bibliography, updated citations, and an index. It retains Sr. Kaniecka's introduction and historical commentary, and includes numerous additional notes added by the modern editor. (Note: this edition does not include Sr. Kaniecka's revised Latin text nor her commentary specific to the translation.)

The Life of Saint Ambrose: A Translation of the Vita Sancti Ambrosii by Paulinus of Milan (Christian Roman Empire)

History

Of Milan, Paulinus

Ancient Civilizations

In the mid-16th century AD, Christianity arrived in Japan. Heralded by daring Jesuits from Spain and Portugal zealous to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the four corners of the earth, Christianity soon took root in that distant land. At that time, Japan was fractured among warring states as feudal lords known as daimyo vied for supremacy. From the first day, the Catholic faith found surprising acceptance among Japanese of all social status and within fifty years, Japanese converts known as Kirishitans numbered in the hundreds of thousands. But with the advent of a unified Japan under the powerful Tokugawa shogunate in the early 17th century, things began to change. While the Tokugawa shoguns appreciated European weapons and trade goods, they had little use for the foreign religion, whose success came to be viewed with increasing suspicion and hostility. Shiro Nakagawa comes from a family of recent converts living near Hitoyoshi castle on the island of Kyushu. A young man of the samurai class, Shiro studies to be a healer, but has also heard the call to become a Catholic priest. His plans for the future, however, are disrupted when the Shogun in Kyoto orders all churches closed throughout Japan. All gaijin priests are to be expelled from the country. All Christian practices and images are summarily banned. This order leads to widespread persecution, abuse and even slaughter of Christians throughout the islands. When the small church of Saint Michael in Hitoyoshi is closed, its priest Fr. Olivera arrested, and his friend Kumiko brutally attacked, Shiro knows he must take action. Along with his boyhood friend, Tomi, Shiro embarks on a mission to rescue Fr. Olivera and defend the helpless Kirishitans of southern Kyushu. Along with an army of ronin and outraged villagers, Shiro captures the castle at Yatsushiro, sheltering tens of thousands of Christian refugees. But even as the spark of justified resistance begins to burn, Shiro and his comrades know that it's only a matter of time before the Shogun’s army descends upon Yatsushiro in full force deploying new and terrifying European weapons. Masaru is an historical novel which paints the travails of the first Japanese Christians in brilliant colors. Author Michael T. Cibenko utilizes his expert knowledge of Japanese culture and language to create a memorable and authentic epic of early Christian Japan which entertains the reader while effortlessly conveying a lesson on this fascinating and complex period of history.

Masaru

Cibenko, Michael

Genre Fiction

Books for students about the history of western nations are everywhere. Less prevalent are those which focus on the equally fascinating and epic histories of the nations of Asia. Now, for the first time, the vibrant and eventful history of the Philippine archipelago is brought to life for students ages 8 through 18 in The Story of the Philippines: God's Rampart in Asia. Phillip Campbell, author of the Story of Civilization series, has called upon his unique talent as a writer of history and a teller of tales to create this engaging chronicle of the diverse and intriguing peoples who inhabit the 7,000+ of islands of the Philippines. From the hazy early history of the ancient Philippines, to the arrival of the Spanish and Catholicism; from the galleon trade to the Moro Wars; from the battles of the Philippine Revolution and Spanish-American War, to the Japanese invasion and Independence; from the Marcos dictatorship to the modern-day Filipino diaspora, this book covers the entire panoply of Philippine history in Campbell's lively, informal style that is sure to appeal to young readers and their parents alike. Including 20 original and historical illustrations, The Story of The Philippines is an engaging way to introduce students to the history of this island nation whose people play an increasingly important role in present-day America and the world.

The Story of the Philippines: God's Rampart in Asia

Campbell, Phillip

Asia

Belisarius: Rome the Eternal

Belzoni, Paolo A

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