Biography: historical, political and military Books

Book SynopsisPavel Florensky was, at one and the same time, a supremely gifted philosopher, mathematician, physicist, engineer and theologian. He was also a poet and wrote studies of history, language and art. His book The Pillar and the Ground of Truth is widely seen as a masterpiece of Russian Orthodox theology. This title offers an account of his life.Trade Review"Avril Pyman brings to the biography of Pavel Florensky the experience of a lifetime's research on Russian culture of the early twentieth century. No one could be better equipped to write this first biography in English of a man whom the epithet 'polymath' fits like no other... Avril Pyman's book brings to the attention of English-language readers for the first time a neglected cultural figure of immense importance." Professor Emeritus John Elsworth, University of Manchester, UK, President of the International Council for Central and East European Studies"Table of ContentsList of Illustrations; Foreword by Geoffrey Hosking; Preface; Chapter I: Childhood; Chapter II: School; Chapter III: From the Physico-Mathematical Faculty at Moscow University to the New Religious Consciousness; Chapter IV: The Melting-Pot. Autumn 1904 - Autumn 1908; Chapter V: The Quiet Mutiny; Chapter VI: The Four-leafed Clover; Chapter VII: Catastrophe. 1917-1926; Chapter VIII: Diversification - Art, Music and Science 1919-1933; Chapter IX: Permafrost; Glossary of Names; Chronology of Florensky's Life; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe life of Princess May of Teck is one of the great Cinderella stories in history. From a family of impoverished nobility, she was chosen by Queen Victoria as the bride for her eldest grandson, the scandalous Duke of Clarence, heir to the throne, who died mysteriously before their marriage. Despite this setback, she became queen, mother of two kings, grandmother of the current queen, and a lasting symbol of the majesty of the British throne. Her pivotal role in the abdication of her eldest son, the Duke of Windsor, is just one of the events that provide the backdrop for both thrilling biography and for narrating the splendors and tragedies of the entire house of Windsor.Trade ReviewThis is a first-class piece of research and reconstruction graced by a first-class writing talent, with a startling royal family scandal buried at the heart of the story. -- Barbara TuchmanA clever and stylishly written biography. . . . For pure glitz and glitter, Matriarch beats anything to be seen on the soaps. * Chicago Sun-Times *Anne Edwards is a magnificent storyteller. . . . [Matriarch is] a vivid and memorable tapestry overflowing with pageantry and fascinating characters. -- Robert A. CaroA magnificent portrayal of majesty. . . . Edwards depicts the whole panorama, from pageantry and protocol to small private detail, with superb narrative finesse, psychological insight, and impressively far-ranging and scrupulous research. * Chicago Tribune *Anne Edwards never disappoints. . . . A fascinating portrait of an impoverished ‘Cinderella’ princess who became a dedicated, powerful, and indomitable queen, and who was indeed a woman of substance. -- Barbara Taylor Bradford

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"I gotta recommend this book, filled with history, wisdom, common sense, and laughs galore. I wish I had lived across the street from Charlie AND that I make it to 109!" — Tom Hanks, on Instagram "An original and highly readable account of a splendid American life." — The Wall Street Journal "As is true of Charlie himself, this book is not just about goodness but grit, not just kindness but courage. It is also a shining example of the magic that can happen when a master storyteller with a deeply inquiring mind finds a subject that has hidden within it a million tantalizing opportunities to learn, to question, and to grow. To say that The Book of Charlie is inspiring is a vast understatement. I am a better person for having read it." — Candice Millard, author of River of the Gods "No one writes as well about as many things as David Von Drehle, and his excellence is fully displayed in this slender examination of a well-lived life. In an era that elicits, by rewarding, incessant disparagement, he shows the beauty of elegant praise. You will never forget Charlie White, who was 102 when he came to Von Drehle’s attention." — George F. Will, syndicated columnist "In every era, an author writes a genuinely original, formula-shattering book. David Von Drehle has done this in The Book of Charlie, a serious history of the last 100 years. Charlie is told through the personal story of one man, an accidental neighbor in Kansas, finding joy and what matters. I don't think it spoils the ending to divulge some of Charlie's lessons learned: 'Practice patience. Smile often. Savor special moments. Be soft sometimes.'" — Bob Woodward "There is something rather magical that David Von Drehle—one of our nation’s most gifted chroniclers of history— met up with Charlie White, who lived longer than anyone you’ll ever know. This Kansas City-set story is about goodness and the American spirit. It is also about time, and the graciousness in which a life can be lived on this green earth." — Wil Haygood, Colorization: 100 Years of Black Films in a White World "David Von Drehle's book is a monumental achievement cloaked in the experience of one ordinary American man of his time. In this stunningly true story, 100 years worth of American eras become breathakingly intimate experiences, history becomes personal, and a neighbor becomes a figure of deep nobility. You will never look at the folks next door the same way again." — Sally Jenkins, author of The Real All-Americans "A marvelous parable of resilience and durability, full of surprises and grace notes. David Von Drehle is among our most astute observers of the human condition, and in Dr. Charlie White—physician, centenarian, bon vivant— he has found a large character worthy of his talent." — Rick Atkinson, author of The British Are Coming "The Book of Charlie isn't just a loving look at an astonishing 110-year life, it's a look at ourselves." — Rick Reilly, author of Commander In Cheat “Excellent…Von Drehle gave his kids, kids in general, and people in general a how-to on life, and an important look back to the way life used to be. Hopefully it will alert them to how good they have it now. And is life ever good now. Read The Book of Charlie to see why.”— Forbes "A splendidly woven, inspirational memoir that explores the meaning of life and the resilience of the human spirit… This deeply engaging personal portrait of a remarkable centenarian also offers an absorbing account of the inventiveness of U.S. citizens— and the U.S., as it continually strives to evolve and improve.” — Shelf Awareness "Von Drehle’s detailed rendering of White’s life—especially his front-seat view of (and sometimes participation in) groundbreaking medical developments—is fascinating, and the men’s friendship affecting. This has a lot to offer." — Publishers Weekly

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Table of Contents Acknowledgements Chronology Epigraph Preface – Death in Exile Chapter I – A Disputed World Chapter II – Looking Westward Chapter III – A New Empire Chapter IV – Hannibal in Command Chapter V – The Great Design Chapter VI – Opening Moves Chapter VII – Across the RhÔne Chapter VIII – Island, River and Alps Chapter IX – Like a Thunderbolt Chapter X – First Blood in Italy Chapter XI – Battle at the Trebia Chapter XII – Transimene Chapter XIII – A Pause for Thought Chapter XIV – The Divided Command Chapter XV – Cannae Chapter XVI – High Tide Chapter XVII – The Kindgom of the South Chapter XVIII – The Long Struggle Chapter XIX – The Fall of Tarentum Chapter XX – Sicily Chapter XXI – The March on Rome Chapter XXII – Unending War Chapter XXIII – Scipio the Younger Chapter XXIV – Death of Two Consuls Chapter XXV – The Metaurus River Chapter XXVI – The Ebbing Tide Chapter XXVII – Recall to Africa Chapter XXVIII – Zama Chapter XXIX – After the War Chapter XXX – Conclusion Select Bibliography

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Table of Contents Dedication Acknowledgments Epigraph Chapter 1 - Ancestry and Antecedents Chapter 2 - Beginnings Chapter 3 – A Greek Adventure Chapter 4 – Politics and Money Chapter 5 – The Shape of Ambition Chapter 6 – From Conspirator to Chief Priest Chapter 7 – A State of Crisis Chapter 8 – The Praetor and a Scandal Chapter 9 – Pompey and Caesar Chapter 10 – Caesar’s Consulship Chapter 11 - Proconsul Chapter 12 – The Tools of the Trade Chapter 13 – The First Planned Victories Chapter 14 – Ariovistus and After Chapter 15 – Conquest of the Belgians Chapter 16 – Politics and a Revolt Chapter 17 – From Germany to Britain Chapter 18 - Invasion Chapter 19 – Disturbances in West and East Chapter 20 – The Great Gallic Uprising Chapter 21 - Alesia and an Example in the Dordogne Chapter 22 – Tension and Dissension Chapter 23 – Across the River Chapter 24 – Civil War Chapter 25 – Rome, Marseilles, Span Chapter 26 – War in Greece Chapter 27 - Pharsalus Chapter 28 – In the East Chapter 29 – Alexandrian Affairs Chapter 30 – Pharnaces and Pompey’s Sons Chapter 31 – Thapsus and Triumph Chapter 32 – Imperious Caesar Chapter 33 – Administrator and General Chapter 34 – Dictator Perpetual Chapter 35 – The Desired Death Chapter 36 - Apotheosis Chronology of Caesar’s Life Further Reading

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Book SynopsisWinner of the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in Biography “A rich narrative of the Crafts, an enslaved couple who escaped from Georgia in 1848, with light-skinned Ellen disguised as a disabled white gentleman and William as her manservant, exploiting assumptions about race, class, and disability to hide in public on their journey to the North, where they became famous abolitionists while evading bounty hunters.” —The Pulitzer Prizes Named one of the best books of the year by The New York Times, The New Yorker, Time, NPR, Smithsonian Magazine, and Oprah DailyIn 1848, a year of international democratic revolt, a young, enslaved couple, Ellen and William Craft, achieved one of the boldest feats of self-emancipation in American history. Posing as master and slave, while sustained by their love as husband and wife, they made their escape together across more than 1,000 miles, riding out in the open

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Book SynopsisA “very dramatic [and] compelling” World War II story of murder, mutiny, and a military cover-up, from the author of The Phoenix Program (The New York Times). Captured by the Japanese while on patrol in the fetid jungles of New Guinea, Douglas Valentine’s father, who’d enlisted in the US Army at age sixteen, was sent to a prison camp in the Philippines, where he was interned with Australian and British soldiers. The events that followed make up this “well-told, chilling” story of betrayal and brutality—a powerful tale of a son uncovering the traumatic events that shaped the rest of his father’s life (Los Angeles Times Book Review). “Not just a searing picture of life in a terrible POW camp, it is also a significant historical document about a place that the U.S. military says never existed.” —Publishers Weekly

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