BERKLEY

The Real History Behind the Templars (July, $15) by Sharan Newman addresses the facts behind these 12th-century noblemen who have attained legendary status.

BIG EARTH/JOHNSON BOOKS

Letters from Tully: A Woman's Life on the Dakota Frontier (June, $17.50) by Estella Bowen Culp collects letters that chronicle life in pioneer days.

JOHN F. BLAIR

Boys of the Battleship North Carolina (Apr., $19.95) by Cindy Horrell Ramsey looks at the WWII vessel through the eyes of the men who served on it; includes 100 b&w photos. Author tour.

BURD STREET PRESS

Kiss Me Good-Bye: Finding Love Among the Ashes of the Civil War (Apr., $17.95) by Bonny Barry Sanders chronicles the history and Civil War battles of the 60th New York State Volunteer Regiment.

CAREER PRESS

Knights Templar Encyclopedia: The Essential Guide to the People, Places, Events and Symbols of the Order of the Temple (Apr., $19.99) by Karen Ralls studies the most famous military religious order of the Crusades.

COLLINS/SMITHSONIAN

How to Tell a Secret: Tips, Tricks and Techniques for Breaking Codes and Conveying Covert Information (Apr., $14.95) by P.J. Huff explains how Americans have communicated in secret throughout history.

CORNELL MARITIME PRESS

Whips of the West: An Illustrated History of American Whipmaking (Mar., $9.95) by David W. Morgan tracks whipmaking from the move west to the industrial revolution.

DUKE UNIV. PRESS

Femininity in Flight: A History of Flight Attendants (Mar., $22.95) by Kathleen M. Barry traces their evolution from sexy stewardesses to unionized aviation professionals.

WM. B. EERDMANS

What Are the Dead Sea Scrolls and Why Do They Matter? (Apr., $10) by David Noel Freedman and Pam Fox Kuhlken draws on current research to understand the ancient manuscripts.

GIBBS SMITH/ANCIENT CITY

Kokopelli: The Magic, Mirth and Mischief of an Ancient Symbol (Apr., $15.95) by Dennis Slifer examines the ancient symbols and sites of the Southwest's iconic image.

GLOBE PEQUOT

Jack London's Grand North (Apr., $19.95) by Philippe Lansac journeys through the Klondike's gold rush days by way of London's stories.

ISI BOOKS

The Future of Conservatism: Conflict and Consensus in the Post-Reagan Era (May, $15), edited by Charles W. Dunn, casts conservatism as a collage of complexity that defies easy characterization.

LYONS PRESS

101 People You Won't Meet in Heaven : A Gruesome Hall of Fame—Dictators, Mass Murderers, Crime Bosses, Outlaws and Other Evildoers (May, $14.95) by Michael Powell recounts the twisted achievements of the bad boys of history.

W.W. NORTON

War and Liberty: An American Dilemma—1790 to the Present (Apr., $14.95) by Geoffrey R. Stone looks at the challenges of preserving civil liberties in wartime.

QUIRK BOOKS

Secret Lives of the Civil War: What Your Teachers Never Told You About the War Between the States (Aug., $16.95) by Cormac O'Brien reveals irreverent facts about Civil War personalities.

SCALA (dist. by Antique Collector's Club)

Aspects of America: The American Museum in Britain (Mar., $9.95) by Sandra Barghini highlights items from the museum's collection.

SOUTH END PRESS

When the Prisoners Ran Walpole: A True Story in the Movement for Prison Abolition (Aug., $18) by Jamie Bissonnette looks at the Massachusetts prison in 1973, when the prisoners won control of the daily operations.

STACKPOLE

Doo Wop Motels: Architectural Treasures of the Wildwoods (Mar., $19.95) by Kirk Hastings recalls the outré features of three New Jersey beach resorts.

TWO DOT

Jesse James: The Best Writings on the Notorious Outlaw and His Gang (May, $16.95), edited by Harold Dellinger, gathers writings about James from novels, period articles and song lyrics.

Frontier Justice: Bungled, Bizarre and Fascinating Executions in the Wild West (June, $14.95) by R. Michael Wilson treats 18 crimes and subsequent punishments from the era.

UNIV. OF HAWAII PRESS

The White Pacific: U.S. Imperialism and Black Slavery in the South Seas After the Civil War (May, $29) by Gerald Horne recalls the history of slave trading in the region.

UNIV. OF OKLAHOMA PRESS

Looting Spiro Mounds: An American King Tut's Tomb (Apr.; $24.95, cloth $59) by David La Vere tells of grave robbers and treasures taken from an eastern Oklahoma Indian burial crypt during the Depression.

UNIV. OF VIRGINIA PRESS

A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia (Apr.; $35, cloth limited edition $200) by Thomas Hariot. A facsimile of the Latin and modern English text whose influence shaped European conceptions of North America.

WALKER CO.

Working IX to V: Orgy Planners, Funeral Clowns and Other Curious Careers of the Ancient World (May, $15.95) by Vicki Leon considers the passionate pursuits of ancient Greece and Rome.

WESTCLIFFE PUBLISHERS

Guide to Colorado's Historic Places (Apr., $27.95) by Thomas J. Noel and the Colorado Historical Society provides info and photos of the state's notable sites.