One of two beautifully designed hardback gift editions of Stefan Zweig's
breathlessly dramatic historical sketches, out in time for the holidays.
Millions of people in a nation are necessary for a single genius to arise,
millions of tedious hours must pass before a truly historic shooting star
of humanity appears in the sky. Five vivid dramatizations of some of the
most pivotal episodes in human history, from the Discovery of the Pacific
to the composition of the Marseillaise, bringing the past to life in
brilliant technicolor. Included in this collection: Flight into
Immortality: Vasco Núñez de Balboa's quest to be the first European to see
the Pacific Ocean. The Resurrection of George Frederic Handel: Handel
falls into depression until a poet sends him an inspirational work. The
Genius of a Night: Captain Rouget writes La Marseillaise, the song which
is to become the French national anthem. The Discovery of El Dorado: John
Sutter founds New Helvetia in western America and attempts to keep it. The
First Word to Cross the Ocean: Cyrus W. Field resolves to lay the first
trans-Atlantic telegraph cable.