In most discussions and analyses of American teenage life, one major topic is curiously overlooked: religion. Yet most American teens say that religious faith is important in their lives. What is going on in the religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers? What do they actually believe? What religious practices do they engage in? Do they expect to remain loyal to the faith of their parents? Or are they abandoning traditional religious institutions in search of a new, more "authentic" spirituality?

Answering these and many other questions, Soul Searching tells the definitive story of the religious and spiritual lives of contemporary American teenagers. It reports the findings of the National Study of Youth and Religion, the largest and most detailed study of teenagers and religion ever undertaken.

Soul Searching reveals the complexity of contemporary teenage religious life, showing that religion is widely practiced and positively valued by teens, but also deprioritized and very poorly understood by them; yet religion is significant in shaping their lives.

The classical civilizations of Greece and Rome once dominated the world, and they continue to fascinate and inspire us. Classical art and architecture, drama and epic, philosophy and politics - these are the foundations of Western civilization. In The Classical World, eminent classicist Robin Lane Fox brilliantly chronicles this vast sweep of history from Homer to the reign of Hadrian.

From the Peloponnesian War through the creation of Athenian democracy, from the turbulent empire of Alexander the Great to the creation of the Roman Empire and the emergence of Christianity, Fox serves as our witty and trenchant guide. He introduces us to the extraordinary heroes and horrific villains, great thinkers and bloodthirsty tyrants. Throughout this vivid tour of two of the greatest civilizations the world has ever known, we remain in the hands of a great master.

The History of Mathematics is a fascinating survey of the development of math through discovery, innovation, collaboration, and experimentation.

Numbers is an insightful look at the properties and use of numerical quantities, from fractions to algebraic numbers, transcendental numbers, and complex numbers. We rely on numbers to carry out countless daily activities - from mapping the universe to running word-processing programs to buying lunch.

Author John Tabak points out that numbers are a human invention, as seen through the compelling histories of Babylonian, Roman, and Arab thinkers and their influential systems for representing numbers. The book examines in detail the number pi, the evolution of the idea of infinity, the representation of numbers in computers, the metric and American systems of measurement, and the application of some historical concepts of numbers in such modern forms as cryptography and hand calculators.

When religion reporter Cathleen Falsani climbed aboard Bono's tour bus, it was to interview the U2 rocker about AIDS in Africa. Instead, the journalist and the rock star plunged into a lively discussion about faith today. "This is a defining moment for us," Bono said. "For the culture we live in."

Spirituality clearly now plays a key role in the United States. But what is also clear is that faith is a more complex issue than snapshots of the country convey. Jesus. Buddha. Kabbalah. Muhammad. Angels. This may be a nation of believers, but not of one belief - of many.

The resulting thirty interviews offer a fresh, occasionally controversial, and always illuminating look at the beliefs that shape our lives. The God Factor is a book for the believers and the seekers, as well as the merely curious, among us.

Think that your life's growth, success, and happiness depend on which college you attend? The higher-profile school, the better, right? Wrong! Neither is true.

Written by a Harvard grad, Harvard Schmarvard refutes the perception that image is everything when it comes to college and emphasizes this simple fact: What you will be measured by in life is your talent and energy, not your college's name. Packed with practical information and insider tips, this must-have guide will help you determine which school fits you.

Inside, you will find: How to survive the application process without losing your sanity or sense of humor. Tips on writing essays, visiting campuses, and keeping cool during your college interviews. The truth about search letter scams and the early admissions game. Plus load of other valuable insights!

The question of nationality - of "identity" - has stalked Afro-American history from its colonial beginnings, when the expression "a nation within a nation" was already being heard. Some historians, black and white, interpret the Afro-American experience as a separate national experience; others, black and white, interpret it as a more or less ethnically distinct component of a single regional or national experience. The closer one looks at the quarrel, the clearer it becomes that no such formula can account for so rich and contradictory an experience.

Roll, Jordan, Roll is a profound, learned and detailed analysis of Negro slavery to appear since World War II. It covers an incredible range of topics and offers fresh insights on nearly every page. Genovese's great gift is his ability to penetrate the minds of both slaves and masters, revealing not only how they viewed themselves and each other, but also how their contradictory perceptions interacted.