TRUE LOVE: 24 Surprising Stories of Animal Affection

WASHINGTON (Nov. 30, 2012)—Forget Romeo and Juliet. This Valentine’s Day, celebrate love with National Geographic’s new book TRUE LOVE: 24 Surprising Stories of Animal Affection (National Geographic Books; ISBN 978-1-4262-1036-5; Jan. 2, 2013; $9.95 hardcover). Filled with heartwarming tales and adorable photographs, this book is the perfect gift for that special someone.

Author and National Geographic Kids magazine executive editor Rachel Buchholz has been collecting inspiring stories of love in the animal kingdom for the last decade. TRUE LOVE is the compilation of her 24 favorites, including the flamingo who sat on a stone in hopes it would hatch into a baby; the surprising bond between a gorilla and rabbit at Erie Zoo; and the lovesick dog who snuck out in the middle of the night to track down his lady love.

The stories are divided into different sections to showcase the full gamut of love and devotion throughout the animal world: Brothers & Sisters; Parents & Caregivers; Best Friends; and Real Romantics. In addition to touching tales such as the dolphin that jumped into his killer whale best friend’s tank for an overnight play date and the hen that acted as a surrogate mother to a litter of puppies, TRUE LOVE contains inspirational quotes on the importance of love, family and friendship from Bill Cosby, Aristotle, Robert Frost, Agatha Christie and more.

“As executive editor of National Geographic Kids magazine, I constantly read stories of amazing animal devotion,” Buchholz writes in the book’s introduction. “These tales are extremely popular, and it’s easy to see why: If animals can show kindness and love, surely humans can as well.”

An affordable and adorable gift this Valentine’s Day — or any day — TRUE LOVE is the perfect way to spread a little love to those you care about most.

About the Author

Rachel Buchholz is the executive editor of National Geographic Kids and National Geographic Little Kids magazines. In her nearly 20 years of editing for the tween market, she has learned that dogs love to skateboard, that ghosts live in the White House, and that if you’re in doubt, run a story about Harry Potter. Buchholz has helped National Geographic Kids’ 1.2 million readers set five Guinness World Records. She is the author of “How to Survive Anything: Shark Attack, Lightning, Embarrassing Parents, Pop Quizzes, and Other Perilous Situations.” Buchholz is a former editor at Boys’ Life magazine in Dallas.

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EYEWITNESS TO WORLD WAR II: Unforgettable Stories and Photographs from History’s Greatest Conflict

WASHINGTON (Aug. 28, 2012)—EYEWITNESS TO WORLD WAR II: Unforgettable Stories and Photographs from History’s Greatest Conflict (National Geographic Books; 978-1-4262-0970-3; on sale Oct. 30, 2012; $40 hardcover) brings to life the epic strife of World War ll. As the Greatest Generation passes on, we lose the opportunity to hear firsthand the tales of sacrifice, heroic moments and devastating battles. However, through EYEWITNESS TO WORLD WAR II, edited by Neil Kagan and narrated by Stephen Hyslop, National Geographic ensures that the stories of this time are never lost.

EYEWITNESS TO WORLD WAR II takes a comprehensive look at the entire history of World War II — from the key events leading to the clash to the final moments of the war. This book includes words and thoughts of those who lived during this historic time — both on the front lines and the home front. There are personal writings from Roosevelt and Patton, excerpts from soldiers’ letters and journal entries from the battlefield, words from women serving in the military, reports by war correspondents and even the musings of Hitler. Photographs and maps bring into sharp focus moments of triumph, defeat and heartache, while they detail military movements, decisive battles, daily life as well as the horrors of war. Together, the individual accounts, riveting visual testimony by frontline war photographers — in many never-before-seen images — and maps tell the story of World War ll in startling intimacy.

The book begins with the causes of World War II, when Hitler invaded Poland, and provides snapshots of the state of China, Spain, Italy and other countries, which allows readers to contextualize the geopolitical realities of the world just prior to the war. The next six chapters follow the war action around the world, from Pearl Harbor to the Bataan Peninsula, from North Africa to Normandy. These chapters are filled with information about weaponry, equipment and tactics. Throughout EYEWITNESS TO WORLD WAR II, the text highlights the stories of such individuals as Takeo Yoshikawa, a Japanese spy and naval officer sent undercover as a young consular official, who provided intelligence on the U.S. Navy and its fleet and helped plot the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

“This book focuses on the trials, prayers, and sacrifices of Americans in World War ll, while providing a global overview of that great conflict, from the rise of Nazi Germany to the fall of Imperial Japan,” writes historian and author Hugh Ambrose in the book’s introduction. “It reminds us of the vital role Americans played on the world stage when they joined with their allies on distant shores to uphold freedom and democracy.”

EYEWITNESS TO WORLD WAR II brings readers closer than ever before to the greatest challenge a generation of Americans had ever faced. Incredible, first-person stories, moments of heroism, arresting rare imagery and rich maps bring the entire history of World War II into sharp focus. This deeply moving book will delight history lovers and World War II buffs.

About the Narrator and Editor

Narrator Stephen Hyslop’s many books include “Great Empires,” “Eyewitness to the Civil War,” “Bound for Santa Fe: The Road to New Mexico and the American Conquest” and “Chroniclers of Indian Life.”

Editor Neil Kagan heads Kagan & Associates, a firm specializing in innovative illustrated books. During his career at Time-Life Books, he spearheaded multiple historic series and has produced “Eyewitness to the Civil War” and “Atlas of the Civil War” for National Geographic.

About National Geographic Books

National Geographic Books is a global publisher of 125 new books annually in Adult and Children’s combined, as well as a publisher of digital content and services with more than 50 partners who translate our books.

The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society’s mission is to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 400 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; school publishing programs; live events; interactive media; merchandise; and travel programs. For more information on National Geographic Books, visit facebook.com/NatGeoBooks and nationalgeographic.com/books.

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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TALES OF THE WEIRD: Unbelievable True Stories

WASHINGTON (Aug. 14, 2012)—Look out. This fall, things are going to get weird. National Geographic Books’ new publication NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TALES OF THE WEIRD (National Geographic Books; ISBN 978-1-4262-0965-9; on sale Oct. 23, 2012; $18.95 trade paperback) has more than 500 pages of the world’s most unbelievable true stories. The editor-in-chief of National Geographic Daily News website, David Braun, has collected the most popular, surprising and fun stories that have astounded and entertained his hundreds of millions of visitors for more than a decade.

This affordable reader is filled with stories of some of the world’s strangest phenomena, such as the truth behind the Maya “Doomsday” calendar, the albino Cyclops shark found off the coast of Mexico, the mind-controlling fungus that can turn ants into zombies, the secret Cold War mission that led to the Titanic’s discovery, and the discovery of the world’s oldest mattress. Each story is stranger than the next and must be read to be believed.

TALES OF THE WEIRD is divided into 11 chapters: Ancient Rites & Sacred Places; The Body Human; Creature Features; Creepy Crawlies; Explaining the Unexplained; Feathered Friends; The Final Frontier; Human History; Natural Phenomena; Prehistoric Life; and Underwater Weirdness. The book is packed with hundreds of photos, fact-filled sidebars and timelines, and engaging anecdotes that only enhance the weird experience.

Since its founding in 2001, hundreds of millions of fans have clicked on National Geographic Daily News stories — from the discovery of a fish with a see-through head to the secrets of Area 51. The stories befuddle and amaze as they reveal the curious science behind each one. Now these popular stories of extraordinary phenomena are at your fingertips in book format. This volume is a must-have for science, history and nature lovers and fans of National Geographic Daily News website or “fun fact” trivia books. Backed by science, diligently researched and fueled by curiosity, these TALES OF THE WEIRD have to be read to be believed.

About the Author

David Braun is editor-in-chief of nationalgeographic.com’s Daily News, Environment and Science content (news.nationalgeographic.com). A journalist for 35 years covering science, environment, technology, business and politics for newspapers, magazines, newsletters and online news services, Braun’s former positions include political correspondent for The Star newspaper (Johannesburg, South Africa), Washington bureau chief for Africa’s largest newspaper group (Independent Newspapers), Washington correspondent for CMP Media’s TechWeb and Public Affairs editor for the National Geographic Society.

About National Geographic Books

National Geographic Books is a global publisher of 125 new books annually in Adult and Children’s combined, as well as a publisher of digital content and services with more than 50 partners who translate our books.

The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society’s mission is to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 400 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; school publishing programs; live events; interactive media; merchandise; and travel programs. For more information on National Geographic Books, visit facebook.com/NatGeoBooks and nationalgeographic.com/books.

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