August Quote of the Month: The Mueller investigation is complete and this is a simple fact that will never go away: not one single American was charged, indicted or convicted for conspiring with Russia to influence the 2016 election.”

"The Mueller investigation is complete and this is a simple fact that will never go away: not one single American was charged, indicted or convicted for conspiring with Russia to influence the 2016 election.” 

—Glenn Greenwald, journalist, 2019

Our August quote of the month comes from our August Book of the Month, The Mueller Report: The Investigation into Collusion between Donald Trump's Presidential Campaign and Russia by Robert Mueller. 

One of the most important political investigations in American history is Robert Mueller's inquiry into President Donald Trump's possible collusion with Russia. This investigation has engulfed US politics and US–Russia relations for the last two years, reaching levels of hysteria among political pundits and the media. Was it a “witch hunt,” as Trump supporters believed, or a necessary look into impeachable offenses?

In May 2017, Mueller was appointed to head the Special Counsel's Office investigation of the Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, including possible coordination between Donald Trump's campaign and the Russian government, as well as “any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation.”  In addition, Mueller also took over several other existing FBI investigations, including those into former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former national security advisor Michael Flynn.

Although this investigation resulted in dozens of indictments for federal crimes, and at least eight guilty pleas or convictions, no American was charged, indicted, or convicted for conspiring with Russia to influence the 2016 election. Mueller submitted his report to attorney general William Barr on March 22, 2019, the findings of which are now available for everyone to read. This publication also includes two separate letters from Barr to the Senate Judiciary Committee detailing the findings of the report before its release. Students of politics, historians, journalists, and anyone interested in US politics will find this report vital reading.

About the AuthorRobert S. Mueller III (born 1944) is an American attorney, who spent the bulk of his career in government service, serving as a US attorney, homicide prosecutor, and director of the FBI (2001-2013). A life-long Republican, he has served Democratic and Republican presidents, enjoying broad bi-partisan support.

August Book of the Month: The Mueller Report

As August comes to a close, we are getting closer and closer to the election, debates, and learning more about all those who are running for President in 2020. Our Book of the Month, The Mueller Report: The Investigation into Collusion between Donald Trump's Presidential Campaign and Russia by Robert Mueller, cannot be coming at a more timely moment in the history of American politics and democracy. 

One of the most important political investigations in American history is Robert Mueller's inquiry into President Donald Trump's possible collusion with Russia. This investigation has engulfed US politics and US–Russia relations for the last two years, reaching levels of hysteria among political pundits and the media. Was it a “witch hunt,” as Trump supporters believed, or a necessary look into impeachable offenses?

In May 2017, Mueller was appointed to head the Special Counsel's Office investigation of the Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, including possible coordination between Donald Trump's campaign and the Russian government, as well as “any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation.”  In addition, Mueller also took over several other existing FBI investigations, including those into former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former national security advisor Michael Flynn.

Although this investigation resulted in dozens of indictments for federal crimes, and at least eight guilty pleas or convictions, no American was charged, indicted, or convicted for conspiring with Russia to influence the 2016 election. Mueller submitted his report to attorney general William Barr on March 22, 2019, the findings of which are now available for everyone to read. This publication also includes two separate letters from Barr to the Senate Judiciary Committee detailing the findings of the report before its release. Students of politics, historians, journalists, and anyone interested in US politics will find this report vital reading.

About the Author
Robert S. Mueller III (born 1944) is an American attorney, who spent the bulk of his career in government service, serving as a US attorney, homicide prosecutor, and director of the FBI (2001-2013). A life-long Republican, he has served Democratic and Republican presidents, enjoying broad bi-partisan support.

June Book of the Month: Two Scottish Tales of Medical Compassion

With the recent news regarding the medical field in our current political climate (insurance and Medicaid, repealing ObamaCare, the Health Care Bill, and so much more), we at Cosimo are dedicating this post to health and doctors with Two Scottish Tales of Medical Compassion, by Dr. John Brown, Ian Maclaren, and Dr. John Raffensperger as our June Book of the Month.

Included in the book are the short stories "Rab and His Friends," by John Brown, and "A Doctor of the Old School," by Ian MacLaren. In "Rab and His Friends," Dr. John Brown recounts a true story from his early days as a doctor about a huge mutt named Rab and his owner, of whom the dog was fiercely protective. He discusses medical procedures that were cutting edge at the time, though they would be seen as invasive and rather cruel today.

In "A Doctor of the Old School," we are painted a picture of a typical doctor on call from the Scottish highlands, complete with an authentic Scottish dialect. This touching story shows how selfless small doctors in the backwoods of Scotland were, never taking a day off and treating patients right up until their own bodies gave out on them.

Finally, Dr. John Raffensperger, a retired surgeon with a deep love for and interest in these medicinal roots, paints a picture of the authors of these tales, John Brown and Ian MacLaren, showing how their ties to the Edinburgh School of Medicine shaped their stories and love of medicine. He takes us back to the first instances of modern medicine, where cleanliness standards were just beginning to be discovered and used and where medical procedures with anesthesia were rare. It is a fascinating glimpse into the old ways and will make any reader — doctor, patient, or friend — truly thankful for the advancements that have been made because of men like Dr. John Brown.

You can enjoy your copy in paperback, or order the eBook version straight to your Nook or Kindle and enjoy immediately.

About the Authors 
John Brown, M.D. (1810-1882) was a well-known Scottish doctor and writer from Edinburgh. He attended the medical school at the University of Edinburgh before becoming apprentice to James Syme at the Minto House Hospital. His experiences at the hospital influenced his writing, including "Rab and his Friends," the short stories in his book Horae Subsecivae, and others.

Ian Maclaren (1850-1907) was the pen name of Highland-born John Watson. Watson studied for the ministry at the University of Edinburgh and at Tubingen in Germany. In addition to serving at the Parish of Logielmond in Perthshire and the Sefton Park Church in Liverpool, he was well known as a writer and speaker, culminating in several speaking tours in the United States. His works include "A Doctor of the Old School," Beside the Bonnie Briar Bush, and The Days of Auld Lang Syne.

John Raffensperger, M.D. was a surgeon-in-chief at the Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago and a professor of surgery at Northwestern University. He has authored surgical textbooks, a history of the Cook County Hospital, a collection of short stories, and a "surgical thriller." He currently lives in Sanibel Island, Florida.

November Series of the Month: Modern Democracies by Viscount James Bryce

After a very stressful and heated election year, all of us at Cosimo are slowing down and giving thanks for democracy with our November Series of the Month, Modern Democracies by British historian Viscount James Bryce.

This 1921 study of democracy in action, presented in two volumes, is not only an important examination of the state of the free world in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it's a vital reminder, as democracy continues to struggle to fruition around the globe, of history as an ongoing story.

Volume I covers the definition and historical evolution of democracy, the theoretical foundations of democracy, democracy as it interacts with education and religion, the press in a democracy, and democracy at work in the ancient republic of Athens, in Spanish America, and in France, Switzerland, and Canada.

Volume II covers the decline of legislatures, the executive in a democracy, democracy and foreign policy, the judiciary, the relation of central to local government, the money power in politics, democracy compared with other forms of government, the future of democracy, and democracy at work in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

About the Author

British historian Viscount James Bryce (1838–1922) attended the University of Glasgow and Trinity College, Oxford. He is best known for his scholarship of the Holy Roman Empire. His popular works include Studies in History and Jurisprudence (1901) and Studies in Contemporary Biography (1903).

Cosimo offers the full set by individual volume at leading online bookstores or as a full set in paperback. This series is perfect for anyone who enjoys historical literature, or anyone who has an interest in politics, government, or past elections. If you are interested in purchasing the full set, please contact us.

The paperback retail price for this set is $59.98, but now our price is $49.99 (you save $9.99 or 16%)

Happy Birthday Abraham Lincoln!

Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States, was one of the nation's greatest success stories. Born in Hardin County, Kentucky, his family moved frequently forcing Lincoln to gain what education he could along the way. While reading law, he worked in a store, managed a mill, surveyed and split rails. As a result of his passion for hard work, Lincoln developed great ability in law, a ready grasp of argument, and sincerity, color, and lucidity of speech evident during his long and distinguished career in public life.


In honor of his birthday, February 12, 1809, we celebrate one of the most famous men (and let's face it, our favorite man) to wear a top hat, with a selection of books, from Cosimo, all about the life and history of Lincoln.

Here you'll find Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address, both inaugural addresses, the Emancipation Proclamation, a selection of correspondence, his last public speech, and other notable papers. Also included are: an 1891 essay by Carl Schurz, a prominent and trusted member of the Lincoln administration, a stirring and emotional 1864 defense of Lincoln's prosecution of the Civil War by his friend, poet James Russell Lowell, Ralph Waldo Emerson's eulogy of Lincoln, and poetry in honor of the fallen president by Lowell, John Greenleaf Whittier, Oliver Wendall Holmes, and Walt Whitman. Written by those who knew him, loved him, and witnessed his dramatic impact on United States during its most perilous crisis, this collection offers us the invaluable perspective of his contemporaries and the beginnings of the towering image we have of Abraham Lincoln today. 

Abraham Lincoln by Lord Charnwood from 1917 is a rich, evocative portrait of the man and how actions as a leader were shaped by his character and ideals. From its British perspective, offering a fresh angle on an American legend, to its charming readability, Charnwood's treatise- which was called, in 1947, "the best one-volume life of Lincoln ever written" by historian Benjamin Thomas - today remains one of the most intriguing examinations of the great president, and a keystone for understanding the evolution of Lincoln scholarship. 

Ingersoll published this lecture in 1894, a stirring tribute to the honesty, courage, and genius of a beloved leader at a time when his life and works were still within living memory. Focusing in particular on Lincoln's abhorrence of slavery and his work to defeat it as a national institution, Ingersoll offers readers today an invaluable perspective on the great President from the era immediately after his own, when his legend was being cemented in the American imagination.

The Lincoln Year Book containing the immortal words of Abraham Lincoln spoken and written on various occasions throughout his extraordinary life, The Lincoln Year Book is a timeless collection of proverbs and dictum from "The Great Emancipator" of American history. Each entry is preceded by appropriate Scripture texts and followed by first-rate poetic selections and charming illustrations for each day in the year, including particular reference to anniversary dates.

Considered one of the best treatments of the presidency of Abraham Lincoln of its time, this 10-volume portrait of the man and his administration of the United States at the moment of its greatest upheaval is both intimate and scholarly. Written by two private secretaries to the president and first published in 1890, this astonishingly in-depth work is still praised today for its clear, easy-to-read style and vitality. This new replica edition features all the original illustrations.

Happy Birthday Abraham Lincoln!

"The Roosevelts: An Intimate History" comes to PBS

The fourteen hour documentary film, "The Roosevelts: An Intimate History," began on PBS on September 14th and will continue for seven episodes. Each episode gives viewers an intense overview of the lives of  Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt from unknown stories and facts, to deeply researched fresh takes on famous happenings and events, this film is sure to delight any history buff.

Beginning with Theodore Roosevelt’s birth in 1858, the episodes (from documentary filmmaker Ken Burns) cover both the political and private lives of the three relatives, covering elections, economic struggles, wars, family births and deaths, as well as their bravery, vision, and courage in both personal and public spheres, ending with Eleanor’s death in 1962. This documentary is the first of its kind to combine all three individual stories and histories of the three most predominant Roosevelts into one single narrative and to do so in such great detail, thoroughness, and depth.

If viewers wish to supplement the documentary watching or to learn more about the Roosevelts, Cosimo offers a robust collection of titles by Theodore Roosevelt, including: The Strenuous Life: Essays and Addresses, Theodore Roosevelt's Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail, Theodore Roosevelt's Letters to His Children, America and the World War, and A Book-Lovers Holidays in the Open.

Please visit our website to view all of our books written by Theodore Roosevelt, or visit our reports and history sections to learn more about the politics and the past events of that time. To watch full episodes of "The Roosevelts: an Intimate History," please visit the film's section on PBS.