Burlington Public Library

China Rises (a look at this rapidly developing economic power, from a factory to a pop concert and an Olympic volleyball court to the red carpet at the Shanghai Film Festival) and Behind the Great Wall (a look at the world's single greatest structure).

Credited with both unifying China and tormenting its citizenry, Qin Shi Huangdi, the "first emperor of China," is one of the most controversial leaders in the nation's history. His reign brought advances such as standardized currencies, weights, and measures, unified written and spoken language and transportation systems. In battle, too, he was centuries ahead of his time, creating assembly lines to mass-produce precision-crafted swords, arrows and...

New wonders of the world: Experience some of the most magnificent works of humankind now designated as the New Wonders: The Great Wall of China; Petra in Jordan; The Statue of Christ the Redeemer in Brazil; Machu Picchu in Peru; Chichen Itza pyramid in Mexico; The Colosseum in Rome; and the Taj Mahal. Seven wonders of the ancient world: They have captivated and intrigued. Each was a singular achievement of architecture, engineering, and artistic...