Edward J. Larson Books In Order

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of George H. Shriver Lecture in Religion in American History Books

Publication Order of Modern Library Chronicles Books

Edward J. Larson is a published author.

He is known for writing several books that have been highly acclaimed in American history. These include the history of the Scopes Trial novel, Summer for the Gods, which won a 1998 Pulitzer Prize in History.

In addition to his books, he has also penned over a hundred articles. The majority of these articles are on topics of politics, law, or science from a historical perspective. He has been published in such journals as The Nation, Nature, The Atlantic, Scientific American, The Wilson Quarterly, and Virginia Law Review.

Larson is a University Professor of history and law at Pepperdine University, where he is a Hugh and Hazel Darling Chair. He resides with his family in Georgia and in California close to Los Angeles.

Declaring Independence: Why 1776 Matters is a compelling book from Edward J. Larson. On the 250th anniversary of American Independence, this is a careful study both of the many ideas that helped found our country as well as the sacrifices made on the battlefield in 1776. If you are a huge history buff or just interested in this topic, this is the book for you.

At the start of the year 1776 in the colonies, there was almost no one who was advocating for independence. Americans would found their grievances against Parliament on the rights that they enjoyed as British subjects.

But by the time that 1776 was coming to a close, independence was the word and the topic that was gracing many a patriot’s lips. The tyrannies pressed upon the colonies by the king had pushed enough people that it had made the drive to establish an independent republic necessary.

In this book, the author gives the readers an insightful history into what went on during that crucial year. He goes along a narrative arc that goes from the appeals made by Paine in Common Sense in January all through the midsummer where ideals soared, when the Continental Congress grounded independence in the self-evident truths of human equality and individual rights, when the states put together the principles of their government and the rule of law into constitutions, all the way to the please of December made by Paine for men to serve their country.

The year was also marked by military clashes, by the evacuation of the British from Boston that was pushed by the maneuvers of Washington’s Amy, and the Battle of Long Island, an expensive defeat that meant New York was open to British occupation, as well as the victory at the end of the year of an American army in Trenton. A fascinating and compelling look into the early days of the American country forming and what was going on at the time that you won’t want to miss!

To the Edges of the Earth: 1909, the Race for the Three Poles, and the Climax of the Age of Exploration is a book written by historian and author Edward J. Larson. It was the winner of the National Outdoor Book Award. It is a narrative of one of the most adventurous years to ever exist, when three different expeditions raced to reach the top of the world as well as the bottom and the very highest heights of the world.

As the year 1909 started, the largest jewels of exploration were still unclaimed, set at the frozen extremes of the world. The North and South Poles were there, as well as the pole of altitude called the ‘third Pole’, located in the heights of the Himalaya.

Before the calendar had advanced much, three different expeditions had taken on their challenge, facing death and mutiny on the way, as well as some of the most difficult planetary conditions to be found, all so that they could plant their flags at these respective furthest edges of the Earth.

The Americans Robert Peary and Matthew Henson found that throughout the course of a year, they were praised all over the world for being the discoverers of the North Pole. Meanwhile, Ernest Shackleton of Britain had set a new geographic record for being ‘furthest south’, and his Australian expedition mate Douglas Mawson had gotten to the Magnetic South Pole.

The Duke of the Abruzzi from Italy had also made an altitude record at the top of the world that would hold up for a generation, which was the consequence of the first huge mountaineering expedition to the eastern Karakoram of the Himalaya, where he attempted K2 and made what would become the standard route up the most intimidating mountain to exist.

Full of interesting information and based of an extensive archival as well as plenty of research done on the ground, Larson crafts an adventure story that will have readers on the edge of their seat. He also pulls upon his own voyages around the world and reaching the South Pole on his own.

The three expeditions quickly became legend as they were glorified upon returning, and the leaders of these missions were held up as the heroes of their day. Taking away the myth, the master historian is able to give readers an inside look into one of the greatest stories of exploration of all time, showing the human achievement that lays at the center of all these journeys. Never before has history been so interesting!