NEW RELEASE: The Role of Women in Society in the 20th Century

We are pleased to announce our latest publication of Salvatore Ferrazzani's The Role of Women in Society in the 20th Century, translated into English for the first time.

Written in 1901 by Ferrazzani, an Italian lawyer and sociologist, this concise, fascinating book predicts the role women will have, the changes society will undergo, and the part the new movement called ‘feminism’ will play in the upcoming century.

Ferrazzani was a man ahead of his time. In a period in Italy when no need was seen to educate young girls, and a married woman was completely under the authority of her husband, he examines the social, legal and moral plight of women and argues for and predicts the inevitability of changes that have ultimately come to pass in progressive societies: equality in education, full access to employment, legal rights in the event of divorce or abandonment, and more. His arguments are still echoed today and the insights and predictions he makes, given the prevailing social values of the time, are nothing short of remarkable.

Available for Kindle at:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017JAJC02/

The Magic of Books

“A house without books is like a room without windows.” This quote by Horace Mann sums up what many consider to be one of the greatest attributes of books. They allow us to look out into the vast unknown of people, places and events, to travel through time and space without physical limitations, to hear the words of those who would otherwise remain silent, and to do this at any time we choose. In these respects they are magical creations, portals into space and time.

Yet this is not their only enticement. For the true bibliophile books assault all the senses. What booklover has not experienced the pleasure of holding a leather-bound volume, of catching a whiff of the paper as he turns a page, even of hearing the solid thud as he lays it on a table?  Who does not enjoy the sight of a shelf full of beautifully-crafted books?  

Now, with the inevitable evolution of the book in the digital age, e-books hold their own unique appeal. Whereas once it was impossible for someone to carry more than an armful at a time, now hundreds and thousands of books can be transported by a device the size of a wallet. Where once it took hours to sort through and list particular passages, this can now be done in the blink of an eye.

Books are indeed magical, and it remains to be seen what the future has in store for them. Only one thing is certain: they will continue to fascinate, inform and entertain, regardless of what form they take. 

New Release for August - The Mafia by Michele Angelo Vaccaro

Our latest translation is a brief treatise written in 1899 about the Mafia, when very little was known about its nature and inner workings. Professor Vaccaro attempts to shed light on this clandestine world and its members when the organization was in its earliest stages.

Book summary
In the late 19th century the Sicilian Mafia emerged from the breakdown in feudal society and the ingrained distrust of outside authority stemming from centuries of foreign domination. In its earliest years wild speculation in the minds of most people compensated for the lack of real knowledge as to the nature and workings of the shadowy organization. This short treatise, written in 1899 by a professor of law at the University of Rome, and a Sicilian by birth, was meant to clarify the many misconceptions people had at the turn of the 20th century. It is translated into English here for the first time. 
It is a concise, thorough, and fascinating description of the origins and characteristics of the early Mafia and Mafiosi as Professor Vaccaro understood them, and their rituals and codes, which set them on their way to becoming the multinational criminal enterprise we know today. 

Available for Kindle now at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0141FSVJG

Memoirs of a 19th-Century Prisoner of War in Africa

  Our latest publication has been released and is now available for purchase:

  The 19th century was a time of conquest and empire. Nearly all of Africa had been devoured by the European powers. The notable exception in East Africa was Ethiopia: a proud, fiercely independent land surrounded by the Italian colonies of Eritrea to the north, and Italian Somaliland to the east.

  Italy invaded Ethiopia from Eritrea in 1895 and initially penetrated deep into northern Ethiopia. Soon, however, the vastly outnumbered Italian and colonial troops suffered several setbacks, leading up to the definitive battle of the war, Adwa.

  These are the memoirs of an Italian major, captured at Adwa, brought to Shewa province, and held until the end of the war. Major Gamerra describes in detail the events leading up to and following his capture, the sufferings of the prisoners, especially the wounded, and the personalities and customs of the various people he encountered. It is a window into the colonialism and militarism of the time, as well as a portrait of East Africa at the turn of the 20th century.


Available at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YW6PJ36/

Price Reduction on Selected Titles

We have recently reduced the price on two titles (first title available only in select countries):

Argentina Seen As It Is   by Luigi Barzini   
originally $3.99, now $2.99 (comparable reduction in non-U.S. markets)


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CCGIRT6/


-and-

My Memoirs   by General Giuseppe Avezzana
originally $2.99, now $1.99 (comparable reduction in non-U.S. markets)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I115AD2/



For all Garis Knight publications please go to http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00O5I1GYM/

Count Girolamo Lucchini: The Most Infamous Scoundrel of 18th-century Bologna You've Never Heard Of

The story of this criminal and his fascinating exploits will fill you with mixed emotions. Was he the detestable villain his compatriots made him out to be, or was he a pitiful specimen who, despite his failings, showed many admirable qualities as well? Or perhaps a little of both? The world in which he lived was filled with corruption, pretense and extremes in wealth and poverty. Regardless of how the man or his crimes are viewed, you will find that his ingenuity, cleverness and tenacity were nothing less than remarkable.

Now available in both Kindle and paperback versions.

Available now at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1507625170