Biography: historical, political and military Books

Book SynopsisEamonn Ceannt was executed at Kilmainham Gaol on 8 May 1916, along with Con Colbert, Sean Heuston and Michael Mallin, for their part in the Easter Rising. Ceannt was one of the seven signatories of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic read by Patrick Pearse outside the GPO on that Easter Monday. He had led the rebel occupation of the South Dublin Union, and despite having been vastly outnumbered his volunteers were not overpowered but ordered to surrender by Pearse. Eamonn Ceannt, together with Patrick Pearse and Joseph Plunkett, was instrumental in planning the rebellion. He had joined the Gaelic League in 1899, where he met Pearse and Eoin MacNeill. He became a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood in 1912 and became a founding member of the Irish Volunteeers the following year. This is the only biography of this brilliant military tactician and key player in the story of 1916.

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Book SynopsisSeetsele Modiri Molema’s Sol T Plaatje: Morata Wabo is the first biography of Solomon Plaatje written in his mother-tongue, Setswana and the only book-length biography written by someone who actually knew him. The manuscript had long been housed in the Wits Historical Papers and was accessible only to scholars. D. S. Matjila and Karen Haire have mined the archive to produce the first English translation of Molema’s biography, Lover of His People: Sol Plaatje. In this account, Molema balances Plaatje’s public and political persona – as a pioneer black politician and man of letters – with an intimate account of Plaatje, the human being: his physical features, habits, temperament, talents, personality, character, fears, struggles, dreams and aspirations. In short, Molema illuminates the spirit of Plaatje painting a personal portrait of this leading South African figure and his impact not only on South Africa’s political and cultural landscape but on the young Molema as well. In shaping this manuscript into a book the editors and translators have included a preface which elaborates on the uniqueness of Molema’s biography, and on the relationship between these two prominent Africans and the value of this text within the broader ambit of revisioning South African historiography. Recognising that Molema was an extraordinary scholar, intellectual and politician in his own right, the book includes an essay on the life and legacy of Seetsele Modiri Molema and his contribution to South Africa’s black intellectual heritage. This biography will be of interest to scholars and general readers alike.Trade ReviewIt is high time this book was made available to a wider audience, and I congratulate both editors and publisher in this initiative. - Brian Willan, Hon. Senior Research Fellow, Rhodes UniversityTable of ContentsFirst encounter and acquaintance. Early days and youth. An unforgettable year: 1896. Life's challenges . Plaatje, the career journalist. Government news. Conventions and writings. Plaatje in his own words: English extracts. Plaatje in his own words: Setswana extracts. Delegations and meetings. The last meetings and travels. The last encounter.

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Book Synopsis Isaac Orobio de Castro, a crypto-Jew from Portugal, was one of the most prominent intellectual figures of the Sephardi Diaspora in the seventeenth century. After studying medicine and theology in Spain, and having pursued a distinguished medical career, he was arrested by the Spanish Inquisition for practising Judaism, tortured, tired, and imprisoned. He subsequently emigrated to France and became a professor of medicine at the University of Toulouse before openly professing his Judaism and going to Amsterdam where he joined the thriving Portuguese Jewish community. Amsterdam was then a city of great cultural creativity and religious pluralism where Orobio found open to him the world of religious thinkers and learned scholars. In this atmosphere he flourished and became an outstanding spokesman and apologist for the Jewish community. He engaged in controversy with Juan de Prado and Baruch Spinoza, who were both excommunicated by the Portuguese Jewish community, as well as with Christian theologians of various sects and denominations, including Philip van Limborch. This fascinating biography of Orobio sheds light on the complex life of a unique Jewish community of former Christians who had openly returned to Judaism. It focuses on the particular dilemmas of the converts, their attempts to establish boundaries between their Christian past and their new identity, their internal conflicts, and their ability to create new forms of Jewish life and expression.Trade Review'Excellent and even extraordinary ... Kaplan's book is more than a biography, even more than a study of an entire community: it is a treasure-house of information and new source material that will make it one of the most important works of Jewish history published in many years... [a] model study of one of the most compelling figures in the world of early modern Jewry.' David S. Katz, English Historical Review 'A worthy introduction to this important figure and the times in which he lived.' David Schonberg, Jewish Book News & Reviews 'A most meticulous piece of scholarship, that carefully weighs all the evidence, corrects previous assumptions about dates and identifications, and makes major use of primary sources to present a detailed and reliable reconstruction of Orobio's life and work ... Raphael Loewe's felicitous and contextually suitable translation ...' Stefan Reif, Jewish Historical Studies 'The translation of Yosef Kaplan's magisterial book is a momentous event, because it makes available the extraordinary story of Isaac Orobio de Castro as told by his extraordinarily gifted biographer.' Angus Mackay, Journal of Ecclesiastical History 'A superb picture of the intellectual and spiritual life of a Marrano ... Kaplan's book is indispensable for understanding what the Amsterdam Jewish community was like. It is also refreshing and important for bringing back to life a most important intellectual of the time who flourished within the community.' Richard K. Popkin, Journal of the History of Philosophy 'A definitive presentation and analysis ... comprehensively considers broader intellectual, cultural and psychological issues as [it] probes in depth the spiritual and geographical journey of Orobio from Catholic Spain and its Inquisition to the relative freedom of Amsterdam. In the process he goes far beyond the printed texts ... While all the religious issues of the day ... receive a thorough penetrating analysis, perhaps the most original sights are to be found in Kaplan's discussion of what he terms one of the most prominent features of the history of Judaism in the seventeenth century, namely the objections voiced by individuals in the Sephardic diaspora against some of the main articles of the Jewish faith ... This innovative volume ought to be of major interest to all students of early modern European religion, thought and society, as well as to those involved in Judaica, Christian-Jewish polemics, the history of skepticism, and Iberian and Dutch history.' Benjamin Ravid, Journal of Religion 'Kaplan's sensitive study enriches our understanding of how this balance was achieved in the life of a gifted crypto-Jew.' Rachael Kohn, Journal of Religious History 'Erudite work which has been made accessible to English readers by Raphael Loewe to whom we must express a debt of gratitude.' S. B. Leperer, L'Eylah 'Kaplan's book is of major importance ... with amazing detective work ... Kaplan has pieced together a portrait of people born on the Spanish-Portuguese border, where they or their parents had fled to avoid persecution ... remarkably well documented by Kaplan.' Richard H. Popkin, New Republic 'Remarquable de finesse et d'erudition, aussi l'aise avec des manuscits qu'avec des concepts, l'A. presente le medecin, le poete, le theologien, le responsable communautaire aux prises avec les sabbateens ou les calvinistes ... Il a enfin un monument qu'il merite.' Dominique Bourel, Bulletin de Judaisme Moderne/Recherches de Science Religieuse 'This solid historical and theological study belongs in every serious library. Loewe's translation is superb.' Menachem Kellner, Religious Studies Review'The life of Orobio de Castro exemplifies the fate of a whole community of crypto-Jews ... [Kaplan] has recreated the world of the Sephardi Jews in seventeenth-century Amsterdam.' Studia RosenthalianaTable of Contents Preface to the Hebrew EditionPreface to the English Edition List of platesMaps and TablesList of Abbreviations From Portugal to Spain: The Alvares de Orobio Family University Studies: Osuna and Alcalá • The Plague at Málaga, 1637: Baltazar Alvares’ Account A Long Brush with the Inquisition, 1639–1643Isabel Luis and Andrés de Narváez • Violante de Paz, her Children, and her Brother José de Castro • Manuel Alvares and Santiago Luis Building a Career in AndalusiaProfessor at Seville and Service to the Duke of Medinaceli • Scientific Discussion of Phlebotomy • Cádiz Imprisoned by the Seville Inquisition FreedomThe Last Years in Spain • Toulouse • Associations with the Price of Condé and the King of France • Amsterdam: The Dutch Jerusalem Doubt and CertaintyOrobio de Castro’s Questions to Rabbi Moses Raphael d’Aguilar • Isaac Orobio and Juan de Prado: Intellectual Ferment in Sephardi Amsterdam Philosopher, Communal Leader, PhysicianRaymond Lull’s Philosopht Debated • Communal Activity within the Portuguese Congregation • Medical Practice in Amsterdam • Personal Standing and Material Circumstances Isaac Orobio and Sabbateanism Facing Calvinists and CatholicsDebate with a Huguenot on Salvation • ‘Divine Forewarning’ against Catholic ‘Idolatry’ • Tracts on the ‘Seventy Weeks and the ‘Suffering Servant’ • Judaism vis-à-vis Christianity Philosophers, Theologians, and PoetsSpinoza and Metaphysics: Meeting the Challenge • A ‘Friendly Conversation’: Isaac Orobio and Philip van Limborch • Poets, Poetasters, and Patrons: The Academia de los Floridos • Last Days The Intellectual World of Orobio de CastroThe Hispanic Heritage • Between Scholasticism and Fideistic Scepticism • Political and Social Attitudes From Crypto-Judaism to Open JudaismA New Jewish Perspective on Converso Life • The Jewish World: From Dreams to Reality • Israel and the Gentiles • The Jewish Fate: Exile and Redemption EpilogueAppendicesA The Iconography of Isaac OrobioB Poetical Account of the Plague of Málaga, 1637, by Baltasar Alvares (Isaac Orobio de Castro)C Schedule of Moveable Property of Baltasar (Isaac) Orobio Sequestrated by the Inquisition at Cádiz, August 1654D Membership of the Academia de los FloridosE Manuscripts of Works by Isaac Orobio de CastroF Orobio’s Letters to Prado’s Son: A Textual ComparisonG Translations of Orobio’s Works in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth CenturiesH Works Attributed to OrobioBibliographyName IndexPlace IndexSubject Index

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Book SynopsisThe shocking, true story of a soldier gone rogue, and the court martial case that divided America. This is the full story of Eddie Gallagher, a US recruit who was inspired to serve his nation, who became addicted to combat, and whose need to prove himself among his fellow soldiers pushed him to extremes. His actions during a combat deployment to Mosul would divide his platoon, then the SEALs, the Navy, the armed forces, the government, and even the American public, when the President intervened in his trial. Alpha is an examination of how culture within the military has evolved since 9/11. In an endless war without major victories, the media has instead celebrated achievements of SEAL missions — such as the killing of Osama Bin Laden, the rescuing of Captain Phillips, and the survival of Marcus Luttrell. But the SEALs’ popularity blinded the public to what was also happening within the armed forces. When Gallagher was accused of killing an unarmed enemy combatant, it created a scandal that reached the White House and millions around the world.Trade Review‘This is a book to make your blood boil. Expertly reported and written, Alpha details a truly shameful national episode, and stands as a powerful corrective for those who mistake cruelty for toughness and equate war with murder.’ -- Mark Bowden, New York Times bestselling author of Black Hawk Down and Hue 1968‘This is one of the best books to come out of the Iraq war. It is also one of the saddest. There have been many books about Navy SEALs and snipers, but Alpha is by far the most important. I think it will be required reading for the Navy, as Black Hearts has become for the Army. Anyone who cares about the American military needs to read this.’ -- Thomas E. Ricks, bestselling author of Fiasco, First Principles, and The Generals‘Alpha is a phenomenally reported, deeply compelling portrait of moral courage and moral cowardice in the SEAL teams. Philipps details not simply the many failures of leadership within SEAL ranks that enabled war crimes, jeopardised the mission, and risked the lives of service members, but also the culture that made accountability almost impossible. Superb.’ -- Phil Klay, National Book Award–winning author of Missionaries and Redeployment‘Alpha is an important, infuriating, meticulously researched account of modern warfare that I found nearly impossible to put down.’ -- Jon Krakauer, New York Times bestselling author of Where Men Win Glory and Into the Wild‘New York Times reporter Philipps presents an enthralling, blow-by-blow account of the 2019 court-martial of US Navy SEAL platoon chief Eddie Gallagher for stabbing a wounded ISIS prisoner to death … This is the definitive portrait of a saga that exposed deep fault lines within an elite fighting force.’ * Publishers Weekly, starred review *‘A dogged researcher and gifted writer, Philipps turns the story of Gallagher’s rise, his alleged war crimes and the botched Navy prosecution into an infuriating, fast-paced thriller.’ * The Washington Post *‘Shakespearean … An excellent read from a seasoned reporter who covered the entire saga [of] Eddie Gallagher.’ * The San Diego Union-Tribune *‘This disturbing but gripping account by award-winning New York Times correspondent Philipps will appeal to a large audience but few SEAL admirers … After a review of SEALs history, training, and operations in Iraq, Philipps delivers the result of years searching confidential Navy documents, court transcripts, service and medical records, thousands of text messages and emails, and interviews with current and former SEALs … Brilliant journalism that offers a deeply disquieting commentary on America’s dysfunctional cultural divide.’ * Kirkus Reviews, starred review *‘I’ve been haunted these last few days by Alpha … It’s engrossing, full of horror and deeply damning.’ -- Sam Sifton * The New York Times *

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Book SynopsisZelensky is the first major biography of Ukraine's leader written for a Western audience. Told with flair and authority, it is the gripping story of one of the most admired and inspirational leaders in the world. Action-packed biography of Ukraine's comedian-turned-President Millions who have admired Volodymyr Zelensky's defiance during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will learn much from this up-to-date biography of the Ukrainian President. Zelensky's life to date has been packed with drama and action. By the age of 20, the Jewish boy from the provincial town of Kryvyi Rih had become a star of the stage. At 30, he headed a multimillion-dollar TV company. At 40, he took on Ukraine’s corrupt political and business elite in a TV drama, playing a history teacher who becomes President. Then he launched a real-life political party named after the TV show, won a landslide victory and became Ukraine's real President. When Russian troops flooded across the border, Zelensky refused Western offers to leave Kyiv. He has marshalled Ukraine's resistance and successfully obtained Western missile systems and anti-tank weapons. Zelensky said: ‘If I am elected, they will first sling mud at me. Then they will learn to respect me. And finally cry when I leave.’ Zelensky is written by a long-standing Russia and Ukraine reporter and a Russian- and Ukrainian speaking researcher. It’s a pithy biography of Zelensky for anyone who wants to understand Ukraine’s charismatic head of state, his complex country, and its vexed relationship with Russia. Covering Zelensky's life from his childhood to the Ukrainian presidency, Zelensky deals with his background in a Russian-speaking region of Ukraine, his early career in TV taking part in KVN talent competitions, and his rise through the Ukrainian and Russian television industry. Then it deals with Zelensky's breakthrough moment in the TV series Servant of the People playing a teacher who dreams of reforming Ukraine and ending its corruption. The show becomes a reality and Zelensky's party, Servant of the People, takes power. Zelensky's presidency is marred by his attempts to curry favour with the US President Donald Trump and the offshoring of millions of dollars. Nonetheless, Zelensky battles political rivals and takes on powerful vested interests in Europe’s second-largest country. Then with his doggedness, speeches and strategy, he marshals Ukraine's staunch resistance to a superpower – a fight that most analysts assume Russia will quickly win. But they do not - and Ukraine starts to turn the tide of the war. Zelensky and his country become symbols of defiance against Vladimir Putin's aggression. Zelensky: A Biography of Ukraine's War Leader is both an uplifting story and an urgent message from Ukraine. About the authors STEVEN DERIX is a journalist at the Dutch newspaper NRC. From 2014 to 2020 he was NRC correspondent for Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. MARINA SHELKUNOVA studied journalism and was a researcher and coordinator for NRC and De Standaard. ExtractVladimir Putin rarely underestimates his opponent. At the KGB Academy in Leningrad, he learned the meticulous art of profiling ‘targets’ of the service, whether they were Russian dissidents or East German Communist apparatchiks. Before meeting with anybody, Putin first analyses their strengths and weaknesses. During his first visit to the United States, he wound President George W. Bush around his little finger, with pious tales of his christening in the Russian Orthodox Church. Afterwards, an obviously charmed Bush told of how he had looked into the ‘soul’ of the former KGB officer. When German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Sochi in 2007 to discuss energy policy, Putin had his black labrador Konni brought in. Merkel – who is terrified of dogs – dared not budge an inch, and Putin dominated the conversation. Vladimir Putin also carefully considers way he talks about people. The Russian President is only too aware of the political appeal of Alexey Navalny, and will therefore never allow the name of the opposition leader to cross his lips – not even since Navalny’s incarceration in January 2021. Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitri Peskov, consistently refers to Navalny as ‘that blogger.’ *** In April 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky was elected as the sixth President of Ukraine, with nearly three-quarters of the vote. One month later, the Russian President attended the World Economic Forum in St. Petersburg. It had been five years since Russia’s annexation of Crimea but daily skirmishes between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian separatists were still commonplace in eastern Ukraine. ‘Why did you not congratulate Volodymyr Zelenksy when he became President?’ asked the interviewer. Putin breathed a heavy sigh. The Russian officials and business magnates in the room playfully nudged one another: this was going to be good. ‘You know,’ said Putin, ‘he is still pushing a certain rhetoric. He labels us “enemies” and “aggressors.” Perhaps he should think about what he really wants to achieve, what he wants to do.’ Putin had still not once uttered the name ‘Zelensky.’ ‘You are the President of a world power,’ the interviewer fawned, ‘and right now, he is incredibly popular in his country. Both of you could start with a clean slate. Even a small gesture might completely change the course of world history. Why not simply arrange a meeting?’ Putin gave the enormous hall an almost pitying look, and waited until the sniggering from the officials and businesspeople had died down. ‘Did I say “no”?’ replied Putin. With a snide grin, he added: ‘Nobody has invited me.’ ‘Are you prepared to meet with him?’ Putin now looked genuinely amused. ‘Listen, I do not know this man. I hope that we can meet one day. As far as I can tell, he’s amazing at what he does, he’s a marvellous actor.’ Laughter and generous applause filled the room. Putin continued: ‘But seriously: it’s one thing to play a person, but quite another thing to be that person.’ Buy the book to continue readingTable of ContentsIntroduction. Russia's President Vladimir Putin shows his contempt for Ukraine's new president Volydymyr Zelensky, an actor turned politician who has swept to power after starring in a TV drama Servant of the People, where he plays a history teacher who dreams of becoming President of Ukraine 1. Al Pacino. Volodymyr Zelensky grows up in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, and starts to compete in KVN talent championships in Ukraine and Russia, following the fall of the Soviet Union, while also wooing his future wife Olena 2. Bad Neighbours. Charing the history of Ukraine from Viking settlements to the 21st Century, including the vexed relationship between Russia, the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, and Volydymyr Zelensky's progression through the Ukrainian and Russian TV industry via KVN shows 3. The Comedy Factory. Ukraine develops as an independent state, still under pressure from Russia, while Volydymyr Zelensky makes his name in Ukraine and Russia with his troupe and TV company Kvartal 95. 4. Maidan. Modern Ukraine erupts in protests amid the Orange Revolution against corrupt elections and government. Volydymyr Zelensky eventually finds his forte in political satire. Mentions Maidan Square, Yuriy Koryavchenkov, Vitali Klitschko, Rinat Akhmetov, Viktor Yanukovych, Viktor Yushchenko 5. Servant of the People. Volydmyr Zelensky starts a TV show, Servant of the People, playing a teacher who dreams of becoming President and cleaning up Ukraine. Meanwhile, Russia's 'little green men' troops occupy the Crimea peninsula. Mentions Vasyl Holoborodko and Yulia Tymoshenko’s Fatherland Party 6. The Turbo Regime. After winning the presidential election with a landslide, Volydymyr Zelensky starts reforming Ukraine, and immediately runs into trouble with US President Donald Trump. Russia and Ukraine hold peace talks to try to settle their differences over the Donbas and Crimea 7. Confrontation. Volodymyr Zelensky takes on Ukraine's powerful oligarchs and suspected judicial and political corruption. Mentions Ruslan Riaboshapka, Rinat Akhmetov, Ukraine National Security and Defence Council, Viktor Medvedchuk, Taras Kozak, Olena Kondratiuk 8. The Wartime President. Russia invades Ukraine in 2022 and President Zelensky mounts a staunch defence of his country, successfully rallying Western support for his battle against overwhelming firepower. Mentions Zapad military exercise, Russian invasion of Ukraine 2022, FSB agents, Alexey Navalny A Note on Sources. The authors have used some of Steven Derix's reporting for the Dutch newspaper NRC. Explains the use of sources and naming protocol, preferring Ukrainian spellings over Russian ones for Ukrainian names. So the book refers to Zelensky rather than Zelenskyi or Zelenskyy. Bibliography. An extensive list of references for this biography of Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky, including sources in Dutch, English, Russian, Ukrainian and Polish.

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Book SynopsisThroughout the 1930s, May Holman was a household name and an inspiration to the women of her generation. She made history in 1925 when, at age thirty-one, she became Australias first female Labor parliamentarian, holding the seat of Forrest until her untimely death on the eve of the 1939 elections. A woman who fought tirelessly for the rights of those in her electorate, her accidental death received national coverage with thousands of Western Australian mourners lining the streets to pay tribute. May Holman charted new territory for women, but the barriers she encountered and her methods of overcoming them still resonate today.

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