Invisible Giants - Fifty Americans Who Shaped the Nation But Missed the History Books (Electronic book text)

History is about people. Everyone has heard of Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Thomas Eddison, Emily Dickinson and know more or less the impact they had on American history. Names such as these have inspired generations of people. Not all great Americans, however, rose to this level of glory. History must be selective in order to be instructive, and many of the people who lived the lives and accomplished the goals that shaped America have faded from the spotlight. For example, who was Clarence Birdseye, what were his achievements and how did he get to achieve them? His idea made him a millionaire and his surname a household name. Invisible Giants tells the fascinating story of his lifeand the lives of others who, like him, missed the limelight. This collection of life histories, culled from the American National Biography, of fifty Americans who shaped American history without necessarily receiving the adulation or renown that they deserve, highlights America's rich biographical tapestry.; Notable people in a variety of fields - individuals who are shaping the time we live in now - have been asked to select a person from America's past who they feel is both influential and overlooked. Invisible Giants will be a varied and lively collection of portraits reminding us that history may remember, but it also forgets. Edited under the auspices of the American Council of Learned Societies and with an introduction by Mark Carnes, General Editor of the American National Biography, Invisible Giants introduces the ANB to a broad audience worldwide.