Lightning Guides

Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, and the Modern Revolution, explores the myriad ways in which social media has influenced, created, and exposed some of the 21st century's most pivotal moments. From the early days of social networking to the Arab Spring and its winter, the idea of the technoself and the ways that technology has helped both individuals and groups shape their own identities to the issues of privacy and permanency in a digital world, Social Media evaluates everything from...

Mars: Science Fiction to Colonization, explores how science fiction has emerged into scientific fact as the prospect of colonizing Mars grows ever more tangible. From modern technology borne straight from the pages of classic novels to the Space Race, the first orbiter missions to the hypothesized underground hot houses that might provide fresh vegetables to the first colonizers, Mars illuminates the possibility of establishing an extraterrestrial human settlement. Mars covers rovers, orbiters,...

Voices of Black America: Martin Luther King Jr. to Jay Z, explores African-American resistance and revolutionary practice from the Civil Rights Movement to #BlackLivesMatter. Exploring a diversity of issues from the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to the Nation of Islam, African liberation struggles to Black Feminism, Rodney King to Ferguson, Voices explores and illuminates some of America’s most talented and provocative black voices.

The Titans of Tech: Edison to Gates explores the curiosity, creativity, and improvement of American technology throughout the 20th and 21st century. From Josephine Cochran’s pragmatic invention of the dishwasher to Tim Cook’s cutting-edge Apple watch, Titans takes its reader on a 100-year journey of technological revolution.

Secret Societies: Unmasking the Illuminati, Freemasons, & Knights Templar, explores the fascinating history of groups that operate slightly outside of the mainstream—and just how far their influence extends. From Middle Ages and the formation of the Knights Templar to the Skull & Bones society and its list of presidential members, to the much speculated Illuminati influence over American politics and culture, Secret Societies delves into the myths, the common...

Cuba: The Mob, Castro, and the End of the Embargo, explores Cuba's complicated history and emergence from an era of economic isolation from the US. Exploring America's relationship with Cuba, the many political forces that have shaped the country's identity including communism, Batista, and The United Fruit Company; the conflicted legacy of Che Guevara; and the current relationship between Fidel and Raul Castro and President Obama, Cuba contextualizes what the future holds for the...

From investor incentives, to detailed explorations of today's best funded campaigns, to a complete guide for launching your next project, Crowdsourcing: Uber, Airbnb, Kickstarter, & The Distributed Economy provides a current, comprehensive introduction to the art of raising capital in a 21st century economy.

Cults: In Too Deep From Jonestown to Scientology explores 20th and 21st Century cults and the 1960's American culture by which many of them were birthed.  From Then Manson Family to The Ripper Crew to Scientology, Cults provides an in-depth look at America's religious and social cults, their nefarious leaders, and the millions of lives they have stolen.

North Korea: Unmasking Three Generations of Mad Men explores the mysterious legacy of the Kim family. From the annexation of Korea by Japan to the painful separation of North and South Korea following WWII, to the cult of personality created by Kim Il-Sung, North Korea will examine the context that created one of the most mysterious, fascinating, and frightening dictatorships in modern history. Kim Jong-Il's total control over the state-run media, the militarization of...

Serial Killers: Jack The Ripper to The Zodiac Killer is an exploration of the dark world of serial murder in the 20th and 21st century.  Covering international cult figures from H.H. Holmes to Luis Garavito (La Beastia), examining psychological motivations of serial murderers, and presenting some of the most terrifying unsolved cases to date, Serial Killers provides an eerie peer into the oft uncovered world of murder and mystery.

Persian Empire, Pariah State, Nuclear Partner After decades of political and cultural isolation, Iran faces a new chapter in its 2500-year-old history. Following the landmark 2015 nuclear deal, Iran will re-enter international trade markets and be reinstated in the eyes of the West. Trace the evolution and impact of Iran’s complex relationship with the United States in Iran: Ally or Enemy? Through a series of concise, powerful articles, Iran: Ally or Enemy? examines events from the shah’s...