New Book Releases

Name: Myths, Tall Tales and Half Truths of Cape Cod
Brand: James H. Ellis
SKU: 9781467154444
Price: 23.99 USD
Availability: InStock

We’re always on the hunt for the next great American history book. When we find it, you’ll see about it here, with our new book releases. We release new history books each month in a variety of subjects and series. Browse through all of our newest titles below, and discover your next favorite history book at Arcadia Publishing! [View all New Book Releases]

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Mardi Gras

Hardcover

$35.00

Myths, Tall Tales and Half Truths of Cape Cod

Paperback

$23.99

Scots of Chicago's North Shore

Paperback

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Carnival Noir

Hardcover

$28.95

The Last Sunday Drive

Paperback

$24.99

New Mexico Death Rituals

Detroit's Holy Family Church

Paperback

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

New Orleans Carnival Krewes

Paperback

$23.99

Mardi Gras

9781455617647

$35.00

A treasury of photos, drawings, and reminiscences recounting the history and culture of the annual New Orleans extravaganza.

This pictorial study recounts the history of Carnival in New Orleans, bringing to life in text and more than 160 photographs and drawings—many of them old and rare—the color, the pulse, and the pageantry that have earned this annual extravaganza its distinction as “the greatest free show on earth.” Tracing the evolution of Carnival from its modest beginnings, the book covers:

Lavish balls during the American regime under Governor William C.C. Claiborne

The first masked parade in 1837

The first torchlight parade by the Mystick Krewe of Comus in 1857

The coming of Rex and Momus in 1872

Participation of royalty, including Alexis, Grand Duke of Russia, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor

The fiercely anti-Republican themes during the bitter years of Reconstruction

Modern innovations and the establishment of new krewes

Creation of the Rex doubloon in 1960, and more

As a bonus, recipes are also included—so you can get a little taste of Mardi Gras any day of the year.

Myths, Tall Tales and Half Truths of Cape Cod

9781467154444

$23.99

Cape Cod, one of the nation's oldest regions, can claim many firsts, but not as many as some want you to believe.

Boastfulness, tall tales and plain stretching the truth about history is widely practiced in this tourist mecca. Even esteemed institutions such as churches and historical societies are nimble in the art of gilding the lily. Discover where The Wizard of Oz film really premiered, whether Mercy Otis Warren had a hand in writing the Bill of Rights and who invented the hole in the doughnut. Along the way, you'll find out where the country's oldest Congregational meetinghouse is located, and whether "Mad Jack" was a thieving scoundrel.

Local author and historian James Ellis separates fact from fiction.

Scots of Chicago's North Shore

9781467104302

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Scots helped found Lake Forest, and hundreds of native-born Scots settled there. The Scottish influence is evident in town names along Chicago's North Shore like Glencoe, Bannockburn, Milburn, and Dundee. The Keith family theater chain became RKO Studios with Scots-born J.J. Murdock as president. James Simpson was CEO of Marshall Field and Company and oversaw the building of the Merchandise Mart. After Simpson, a series of Scots ran Fields: John McKinlay, James McKinsey, and Hughston McBain. Scots partnered to form Carson Pirie & Scott. They also founded Douglas and Stuart Oats, which became Quaker Oats. Hugh Robertson was president of the Zenith Corporation, and the Armour family operated one of the largest meatpacking companies in the world. Only slightly smaller was Wilson Meats, which later spun off Wilson Sporting Goods. This book tells the story of these Scots and many others.

Carnival Noir

9781455622610

$28.95

In the first book of its kind focusing on the expansive African American Mardi Gras experience in New Orleans, float designer and native New Orleanian Rene Pierre documents and explores the richness of his community’s contributions. With two generations of family photographs and a firsthand knowledge of the African American krewes, Pierre brings to light this oft-neglected aspect of the Carnival tradition. The artistry and history of the floats and costumes of these krewes stand as testament to an undercelebrated group of New Orleanians who have consistently enriched their city and its traditions. As a participant and member of the community, Pierre charts the growth and influence of the oldest black Carnival clubs in New Orleans including the Original Illinois Club, the Exclusive Twenties, the Black Pirates, and the Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club. Through one-on-one interviews with krewe elders, Carnival royalty, and artisans, along with family narratives from Pierre’s childhood, Carnival Noir tells a very personal story of the black Carnival experience.

The Last Sunday Drive

9781467143103

$24.99

The Sunday drive. Mom, dad and the kids would head out to see the countryside. An ice cream treat usually waited at day’s end. Back in the Burma-Shave days, mom-and-pop drive-ins and gas station biscuits fed folks. Cheap gas filled cars, and people made Sunday drives through a land where See Rock City barns, sawdust piles and trains and junkyards gave them plenty to see. Men in seersucker suits ran old stores with oscillating fans, and if the kids ate too much penny candy, grandma had a home remedy for them. It was a time for dinner on church grounds, yard art and old-fashioned petunias. Join author Tom Poland as he revisits disappearing traditions.

New Mexico Death Rituals

9781467142076

$23.99

Spirituality, last Ceremonies and the afterlife shaped New Mexico's culture in many unique ways.

New Mexico’s harsh terrain, countless wars and epidemics were a challenging and fascinating environment for the many cultures and peoples who settled there. When tragedy struck, their faith and religious rituals allowed them to mourn, celebrate and commemorate their dead. From Pueblo Indians and Spanish colonists to Jewish immigrants and American veterans, many old traditions have endured and blended into modern society. The area is also home to many unique death sites, including the graves of Smokey Bear and Billy the Kid, and the largest contemporary collection of human bones in the world. Author Ana Pacheco guides you through the history of Christmas death rituals, roadside descansos, communal smallpox graves, Civil War memorials and more.

New Mexico Fiestas

9781467154000

$23.99

Revel in the festive history of the Land of Enchantment.

The beautiful red and blue skies of New Mexico have been the perfect backdrop for centuries of celebration, from the venerable Fiestas de Santa Fe to the world famous Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Ageless folk music and dance intermingle with innovations in rock and salsa. Ray John de Aragón issues an invitation to the profound traditions and captivating performances that accompany New Mexico’s Fiestas.

Detroit's Holy Family Church

9780738552170

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The traditions of the Sicilians and Italians have been present in Detroit and Holy Family Church since the early 1900s. The church being the very root of their soul, they have maintained their ancestors' culture and the rituals they brought with them over 100 years ago. Some of these customs date back hundreds of years in their homelands of Cinisi, Terrasini, Trapani, and many other cities. Bonnie Leone was born, raised, and still resides in Detroit. Originally appointed by Gov. John Engler to the position of Wayne County jury commissioner, Leone is a member of several genealogical societies, tracing some of her ancestors as far back as the 1500s. Her strong sense of history, art, and tradition brought her to this church, so that she may help to preserve and protect the traditions of the last 100 years of the Sicilians in Detroit.

New Orleans Carnival Krewes

9781626191549

$23.99

Let the good times roll down in New Orleans! Read the secrets and origins of the beloved Mardi Gras.

New Orleans practically owns Mardi Gras, and you would be hard-pressed to find someone who would deny it. The wild celebration brings thousands of tourists to Louisiana each year, but none of it would be possible without the carnival krewes. The backbone of this Big Easy tradition, different krewes put on extravagant paries and celebrations to commemorate the beginning of the Lenten season. Historic krewes such as Comus, Rex, and Zulu date back generations and have become part of New Orleans' greater history, but today, what was once an exclusive position has widened their reach and new krewes are inaugurated regularly to enrich the flavor of Louisiana's cultural melting pot. Through careful and detailed research of over three hundred sources, author and New Orleans native Rosary O'Neill explores this storied institution, its antebellum roots, and its effects in the twenty-first century.