"In November 1820, John Keats set foot in Rome for what he hoped would be a swift convalescence. Exactly 100 days later, he succumbed to consumption, dead at the age of 25. This elegiac book brings to light the last days of his life, his tragically unrealized future ambitions and the view he saw from his room overlooking the Spanish Steps. Keats' love affair with young Fanny Brawne has long fascinated biographers, but John Evangelist Walsh shows for...

When America emerged victorious from the Spanish-American War of 1898-1899, many people of the Philippine Islands -- who had been under the harsh rule of Spain for centuries -- hoped for complete independence. But the United States, after bitter internal debate, decided to retain temporary possession of the islands. When they heard of this decision, a large force of Filipino rebels under the brilliant leadership of 30-year old Emilio Aguinaldo began...