Biography: historical, political and military Books

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis'My horse took the force of his sabre, but I was able to hack at his hands... Wounded quite badly, he went down only to try again. I was tired of this game, so I threw myself onto him and staved in his head.' Jonathan North presents an astonishing history of Napoleon's early 'bartering of lives for glory' based on the words of the soldiers.Trade Review'It is expected now that anything coming from Jonathan North's pen will be minutely researched and supported by outstanding footnotes.' -- Military History Matters Magazine, October/ November 2023'It's a fascinating read with an interesting colour photo plate section.' -- The Armourer Magazine, October 2023'I recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in the history of Napoleon or that of France or the Middle East in the period. It’s packed with fascinating details and has certainly helped me better understand Bonaparte himself, along with how Egypt became a subject of fascination during the Regency period.' -- Regency History, November 2023'Jonathan North has created a very readable and evocative narrative that deserves to be read by any wargamer planning to recreate Napoleon’s campaigns and battles in Egypt and Syria.' -- Miniature Wargames Magazine, November 2023

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA first-hand chronicle of Wolseley's expedition to end Riel's Red River Rebellion by a remarkable trio embedded on the mission.In the spring of 1870, two reporters set off from Toronto to cover one of the biggest stories in Canadian history: Colonel Garnet Wolseley's 1870 expedition to Red River. Over the course of six months, the Daily Telegraph's Robert Cunningham and the Globe's Molyneux St. John brought readers along as they paddled and portaged alongside the expedition's 1,100 troops and 400 voyageurs and guides from the shores of Lake Superior to Fort Garry.But that's not the whole story. Buried well below the fold was the fact that St. John's wife international burlesque star Kate Ranoe accompanied him and the expedition, and not just as an adventurer. Owing to an accident early on, Ranoe ended up ghostwriting many of St. John's stories. Embedded is the remarkable story of two reporters and one extraordinary woman as thTrade ReviewTed Glenn’s book brings a largely forgotten tale to life in a fine and exuberant style. * J.L. Granatstein, author of Canada’s Army: Waging War and Keeping the Peace *A fascinating account of life on the edge. Embedded encourages us to rethink the drama of imperial expansion. A great read. * Jeremy Black, author of Imperial Legacies *Embedded offers an accessible narrative...like the readers of the Globe and the Daily Telegraph, [readers will] follow the journey, feel the excitement and dread of running rapids, traversing rivers, forests, and lakes and fleeing and fighting fires. * Bettina Bradbury, Professor Emeritus York University *Masterful weaving of the voices of Cunningham, St. John and Ranoe... Glenn's history brings forth a truly remarkable story. * Winnipeg Free Press *Black-and-white illustrations and photographs bring the key personalities and various scenarios to life, while a fascinating appendix that profiles some of the artists who travelled with the expedition is worthy of its own book. * Canada's History *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAfter John A. Macdonald's death, four Tory prime ministers each remarkable but all little known rose to power and fell in just five years. From 1891 to 1896, between John A. Macdonald's and Wilfrid Laurier's tenures, four lesser-known men took on the mantle of leadership. Tory prime ministers John Abbott, John Thompson, Mackenzie Bowell, and Charles Tupper headed the government of Canada in rapid succession. Each came to the job with qualifications and limitations, and each left after unexpectedly short terms. Yet these reluctant prime ministers are an important part of our political legacy. Their roles were much more than caretakers between the administrations of two great leaders. Personal tragedy, terrible health issues, backstabbing, and political manipulation all led to their eventual downfalls. The Lost Prime Ministers is the dramatic saga of these overlooked Canadian leaders.Trade ReviewErudite and objective when describing the political strengths and character weaknesses of these four men... Hill makes a good case for recognizing the historical significance of their brief respective 15 minutes of fame. * Winnipeg Free Press *Table of ContentsCONTENTS Author’s Note Introduction: A Deluge of Caretakers One. The Legacy of Sir John A. Macdonald Two. Sir John Abbott: The Reluctant Prime Minister Three. Sir John Thompson: “The Great Might-Have-Been” Prime Minister Four. Sir Mackenzie Bowell: The Accidental Prime Minister Five. Sir Charles Tupper: “Finally … It’s About Time You Were Prime Minister!” Six. After the Deluge: Laurier and Beyond Acknowledgements Notes Selected Bibliography Index About the Author

Read more less

Book SynopsisA fresh take on the Manitoba schools question and the Conservative Coup that toppled Canada's fifth prime minister.When Mackenzie Bowell became Canada's fifth prime minister in December 1894, everyone including Bowell expected the job would involve nothing more than keeping the wheels on the Conservative wagon until a spring election.Plans for a quiet caretakership were dashed in January 1895 when the courts ruled that the Manitoba government had violated Roman Catholics' constitutional rights by abolishing the provincial separate school system. Catholics in Quebec demanded that Bowell force Manitoba to restore the schools, while Ontario Protestants warned him to keep his hands off.Backed into a corner, Bowell tried three times to negotiate a compromise with the Manitoba government over the course of 1895, but to no avail. By January 1896, seven of Bowell's cabinet ministers had had enough. Convinced that Bowell had tarnished the ConsTrade ReviewFew Canadians know that the key issue in the 1896 federal election was the Manitoba Schools question; fewer know that religion and language once played a very important part in our elections; and fewer still know that Sir Mackenzie Bowell, former Grandmaster of the Orange Lodge of British North America, proposed remedial legislation which would have returned to French Roman Catholics their rights to language and religion. Bowell’s views were controversial within his caucus and a coup was staged to remove him as Prime Minister. I well remember the heat the issue generated in the 1960s when my boss, the Honourable Duff Roblin, Premier of Manitoba, tried to restore justice. Ted Glenn is an excellent author with a sound command of the historical issues and the structure of the English language. -- Joe Martin, author of Relentless Change, A Case Book for the Study of Canadian Business HistoryTed Glenn has taken one of the most dramatic yet little-known events in Canadian history and made it come alive. He tells the detailed story with compelling language. His research is impeccable as he navigates the tricky issues of the 1890s. This is precisely how to present historical non-fiction. The characters shine through, one can sense the tone of the era and it reads like a suspense novel from beginning to end. -- Michael Hill, Author of The Lost Prime MinistersTable of ContentsContentsCast ixTimeline xviiIntroduction 11 Sans Souci 32 Black Day 93 Halifax 334 Ides 455 Blazing Heather 716 Friendly Negotiations 997 Coup 1198 Anew 1479 Coda 171Notes 175Sources 179Image Credits 199Index 201About the Author 207

Read more less

Book Synopsis ''Jo Cox''s selfless service to others made the world a better place'' Barack Obama, 44th President of the United StatesTHE NUMBER 1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER''Jo''s dedication to a fairer and kinder world beautifully told ...'' Bear Grylls ''A desperately tender account ... part love story, part grief memoir ... resolutely uplifting'' Decca Aitkenhead, Guardian ''Brave, inspiring, and full of love'' Daily Express ''A chance to get to know the woman behind the headlines - a tiny ball of energy with a heart as big as a lion, a person who wanted to make a difference'' Lorraine Kelly, SunJo Cox''s murder in June 2016 shocked the world. In the aftermath of her tragic death her husband Brendan Cox urged us to remember Jo''s life and what she stood for and not the manner of her death. In this inspiring and impassioned portrait of Jo - as daughter, mother, wife, sister, MP and campaigner - we see how much she gave and much more she had to give. The valTrade ReviewThe story of Jo's life runs through the book: her childhood growing up in West Yorkshire; winning a place at Cambridge; working for Oxfam where she met Brendan; winning the seat for Labour in 2015 in her childhood constituency which fulfilled a lifelong dream... Jo comes across as a thoroughly decent person who was on a mission to change what she saw as an unjust world... And it is all utterly heart-breaking because you know as you read the book that all of this happiness, drive and energy is going to come to a sudden, needless and irrevocable end... This is not an easy read. It is overwhelmingly sad at times and the chapters that deal with the immediate aftermath of Jo's death, where Brendan wrestles with how to tell his children what has happened, are almost unbearable... While Jo Cox: More In Common is raw, painful and shot through with grief, it is also brave, inspiring and full of love. * Daily Express *A searingly honest and extremely moving book about Jo Cox, which gives us all a chance to get to know the woman behind the headlines and the shocking way she died. Jo comes across as a tiny ball of energy with a heart as big as a lion, a person who wanted to make a difference. * Lorraine Kelly, Sun *This feels like an important book, and it shows that a beautiful book can be written in clear, plain style - there is beauty enough in its subject. * The Guardian *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTaha Hussein (1889–1973) is one of Egypt's most iconic figures. A graduate of al-Azhar, Egypt's oldest university, a civil servant and public intellectual, and ultimately Egyptian Minister of Public Instruction, Hussein was central to key social and political developments in Egypt during the parliamentary period between 1922 and 1952. Influential in the introduction of a new secular university and a burgeoning press in Egypt—and prominent in public debates over nationalism and the roles of religion, women, and education in making a modern independent nation—Hussein remains a subject of continued admiration and controversy to this day. The Last Nahdawi offers the first biography of Hussein in which his intellectual outlook and public career are taken equally seriously. Examining Hussein's actions against the backdrop of his complex relationship with the Egyptian state, the religious establishment, and the French government, Hussam R. Ahmed reveals modern Egypt's cultural influence in the Arab and Islamic world within the various structural changes and political processes of the parliamentary period. Ahmed offers both a history of modern state formation, revealing how the Egyptian state came to hold such a strong grip over culture and education—and a compelling examination of the life of the country's most renowned intellectual.Trade Review"The Last Nahdawi is a breakthrough biography of one of the most important figures of modern Arab thought. Hussam R. Ahmed brings to light much new material about Taha Hussein's illustrious career and impressive oeuvre in a masterful, original, and important critical assessment of this towering intellectual."—Khaled Fahmy, University of Cambridge"In The Last Nahdawi Hussam R. Ahmed provides a lucid, insightful, and nuanced reassessment of Taha Hussein's key role in twentieth-century Egypt's cultural and political life. Anyone interested in modern Egypt will find this book of value."—Zachary Lockman, New York University"As we wonder about the role of the humanities today, The Last Nahdawi suggests that some solutions to our present predicament might be located in interwar and postcolonial Egypt. This brilliant work not only richly contextualizes a mesmerizing public intellectual, but pays homage to his humanity and his democratic vision of education and language."—Orit Bashkin, University of Chicago"The institutional approach adopted by Ahmed in The Last Nahdawi... adds much-needed nuance to Hussein's public positions by revealing the bureaucratic constraints and opportunities within which he operated. The book not only reveals the hidden side of Hussein's otherwise well-documented story but also elucidates the birth of Egypt's key cultural institutions from the interwar period, which has merited little attention by researchers. It is against this backdrop that Ahmed's book will hopefully spark new conversations in the field of Arab intellectual history on the ways in which cultural bureaucracies participate in thought production."—Giedrė Šabasevičiūtė, International Journal of Middle East Studies

Read more less

Book SynopsisBob Crow was the most high-profile and militant union leader of his generation. This biography focuses on his leadership of the RMT union, examining and exposing a number of popular myths created about him by political opponents. Using the schema of his personal characteristics (including his public persona), his politics and the power of his members, it explains how and why he was able to punch above his weight in industrial relations and on the political stage, helping the small RMT union become as influential as many of its much larger counterparts. As RMT leader, Crow oversaw a rise in membership and promoted a more assertive and successful bargaining approach. While he failed to unite all socialists into one new party, he established himself as the leading popular critic of neo-liberalism, 'New' Labour and the age of austerity.Trade Review‘In this well –written new biography Gregor Gall explains how and why Bob Crow achieved this fame. Central to Bob’s rise to power was the position of the RMT workers on the London Underground.’Bernadette Hyland, Lipstick socialist‘Gregor Gall’s biography does justice to Crow – the socialist, leader and fighter. He was a complicated figure and some of that complexity comes over in the book.’Paul Salveson, Tribune – April 2107‘There’s a great exploration of the structures that Crow inherited, the limitations they placed on him and what he did to change the situation, thereby encouraging the development of the RMT on the trajectory that it became renowned for.’Alan Crowe, Socialist Review May 2017‘The late leader of the small but politically important RMT union – a “Marxist Millwall supporter”, as the papers had it, and he was both; “the most hated man in Britain”, as some papers tried on, and he wasn’t – is well served by an account of his career set against informed analysis of 21st-century UK trade unions’ far-from-dinosaurish determination to grapple with changing workplaces, state rollback, electoral politics after Labour’s Blairite takeover, gender equity and globalisation. Gall is wary of the “great man” approach, but wherever Crow’s own words appear, the tale shifts from scholarly grey to vivid, quotable, charismatic and quip-filled Red Flag red – and the words “great man” look pretty spot on. ‘ THES 20/04/2017‘As the first book about Bob Crow published since his untimely death three years ago, Gregor Gall’s political biography of Crow provides us with an opportunity to review his life and his time in the railworkers’ union NUR and its successor RMT, to highlight the key reasons for his effectiveness and impact, and to examine the limits of those.’Janine Booth, Solidarity Newspaper May 2017'As a political analysis it is refreshing, nuanced and worthwhile.' Conrad Landin, TLS, June 2017‘Gall neatly presents Crow’s early life in poverty and the unshakeable class consciousness, learned from his Communist Party father, heretained all his life. He also describes Crow’s rise to prominence in the union, the industrial struggles and the RMT break with the Labour Party in 2004…a well-researched book.’Martin Pitt and Anne Kenefeck, International Socialism, A quarterly review of socialist theory, Issue 157‘The book is a fitting record of Bob’s life which draws out lessons and inspirations for us as a movement and as a class going forward.’Richard Whyte, Scottish Left Review, Issue 103‘this book should be placed high on the reading list of anyone interested in British industrial relations and the labour movement in general.’ David O’Connell, Global Labour Journal, 2018 -- .Table of ContentsIntroduction1 Formative years 2 The 1990s 3 Becoming RMT general secretary 4 Second term as general secretary 5 Last term of office 6 Person and personal life 7 Politics and practice 8 Perception and practice 9 Legacy and legend Appendix 1: Testimonies Appendix 2: Tributes to Crow References Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe new biography of President Joe Biden by National Book Award winner and New Yorker staff writer Evan Osnos - A Financial Times, Guardian and Daily Express Book of the Year 'A thoroughly readable primer' Guardian 'Biden has overcome unimaginable tribulation, multiple presidential primary humiliations, a potentially crippling speech impediment and his own mediocrity. Now he carries the hopes of billions upon his shoulders' Sunday Times President Joseph R. Biden Jr. has been called both the luckiest man and the unluckiest – fortunate to have sustained a fifty-year political career that reached the White House, but also marked by deep personal losses that he has suffered. Yet even as Biden’s life has been shaped by drama, it has also been powered by a willingness, rare at the top ranks of politics, to confront his shortcomings, errors and reversals of fortune. His trials have forged in him a deep empathy for others in hardship – an essential quality as he addresses a nation at its most dire hour in decades. Blending up-close journalism and broader context, Evan Osnos illuminates Biden’s life and captures the characters and meaning of an extraordinary presidential election. He draws on lengthy interviews with Biden and on revealing conversations with more than a hundred others, including President Barack Obama, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar, Pete Buttigieg, and a range of progressive activists, advisers, opponents, and Biden family members. In this nuanced portrait, Biden emerges as flawed, yet resolute, and tempered by the flame of tragedy – a man who just may be uncannily suited for his moment in history.Trade ReviewTreads back along the trail of horrendous tragedies, dashed hopes and dramatic implosions that preceded Biden’s improbable third run at the presidency . . . It is impossible to come away from Osnos’s biography without a sense of awe at what Biden has overcome to arrive at this point . . . Osnos has written a fast-paced biography that draws on extensive interviews with his subject, as well as with Obama and a host of Democratic party heavyweights * Guardian *There’s just something about Joe, as this short biography from New Yorker writer Evan Osnos illustrates. At 77, Biden has overcome unimaginable tribulation, multiple presidential primary humiliations, a potentially crippling speech impediment and his own mediocrity. Now he carries the hopes of billions upon his shoulders . . . Eloquent and well-informed * Sunday Times *What kind of president would Biden make? Osnos, who has been writing about Biden for years for the New Yorker, believes he could be more radical in office than people who have tracked his career might believe . . . [A] beautifully written short volume * Financial Times *Reveals Biden’s flaws but also the compassion and courage needed to start America’s healing process * Observer *Beautifully written . . . A light, enjoyable read . . . Osnos gives you a taste of what could be to come under a Biden presidency … He has a delightful turn of phrase * Telegraph *A timely and stylish work at a key juncture in US history . . . This book tries to get behind Joe Biden the person to analyse Joe Biden the politician . . . [It] is strongest on Biden’s relationship with Obama, where the author draws on interviews he conducted with both men when they were in the White House . . . As Osnos moves to Biden’s most recent political chapter, his analysis of how a Biden presidency might work is fascinating . . . Osnos’s fluid style, access to Biden, and insightful analysis makes it a worthwhile and eminently readable portrait * Irish Times *Brimming with insights . . . A richly detailed profile . . . Osnos – an award-winning journalist – spoke with more than 100 people in Biden’s orbit and interviewed the former senator four times . . . The overarching image Osnos presents is that of a veteran American legislator whose moment has finally, and improbably, arrived * Herald *A pithy and succinct biography * The Times *Evan Osnos is an immensely talented reporter . . . Joe Biden ably takes the measure of the man and the politician * Washington Post *Gives the low-down on the new leader of the free world. Everything about Biden is refreshing after Trump * Daily Express *

Read more less

Book SynopsisField Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt (1875-1953) was one of the foremost German commanders of the Second World War. After service on both the Western and Eastern Fronts during 1914-1918 he rose steadily through the ranks before retiring in 1938. Recalled to plan the attack on Poland, he played a leading part in this and the invasion of France in 1940. Thereafter he commanded Army Group South in the assault on Russia before being sacked at the end of 1941. Recalled again, he was made Commander-in-Chief West and as such faced the 1944 Allied invasion of France, but was removed that July. He resumed his post in September 1944 and had overall responsibility for the December 1944 Ardennes counter-offensive. Captured by the Americans, he was handed over to the British, who wanted to try him for war crimes. Only his ill health prevented this from coming about.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThomas Howard, 2nd duke of Norfolk, lived a remarkable life spanning eighty years and the reigns of six kings. Amongst his descendants are his granddaughters, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, and his great-granddaughter, Elizabeth I. The foundations of this dramatic and influential dynasty rest on Thomas' shoulders, and it was his career that placed the Howard family in a prominent position in English society and at the Tudor royal court. Thomas was born into a fairly ordinary gentry family, albeit distantly related to the Mowbray dukes of Norfolk. During the course of the fifteenth century, he and his father would rise through the political and social ranks as a result of their loyal service to Edward IV and Richard III. In a tragic turn of events, all their hard work was undone at the Battle of Bosworth and his father was killed fighting for King Richard. Imprisoned for treason and stripped of his lands and titles, Thomas had to start from the beginning to gain the trust of a new king. He spent the next thirty-five years devoting his administrative, military and diplomatic skills to the Tudors whilst rebuilding his family fortunes and ensuring that his numerous children were well-placed to prosper.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs one of the foremost military commanders of the early seventeenth century Gustavus Adophus, king of Sweden, played a vital role in defending the Protestant cause during the Thirty Years War. In the space of two years -between 1630 and 1632 -he turned the course of the war, winning a decisive victory at the Battle of Breitenfeld and conquering large parts of Germany. Yet in English remarkably little has been written about him and no full account of his extraordinary career has been published in recent times. That is why Lars Ericson Wolke's perceptive and scholarly study is of such value. The book sets Gustavus in the context of Swedish and European dynastic politics and religious conflict in the early seventeenth century, and describes in detail Swedish military organization and Gustavus's reforms. His intervention in the Thirty Years War is covered in graphic detail -the decision to intervene, his alliance with France, his campaigns across the breadth of Germany and his generalship at the two major battles he fought there. His exceptional skill as a battlefield commander transformed the fortunes of the Protestant side in the conflict, and he had established himself as a major European figure before his death on the battlefield. Lars Ericson Wolke, one of the leading experts on the military history of the Baltic and the Thirty Years War, offers a fascinating insight into Gustavus the man and the soldier.

Read more less

Book SynopsisItaly, 1943\. Although allied with Hitler, there were those who refused to accept the fascist policies of racial discrimination and deportation. Among them was Gino Bartali. A champion cyclist, he won the Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy) three times and the Tour de France twice. But these weren't his only achievements. Deeply religious, Bartali never spoke about what he did during those dark years, when he agreed to work with the Resistance and pass messages from one end of the country to the other. Despite the dangers, Bartali used his training as a pretext to criss-cross Italy, hiding documents in the handlebars and saddle of his bicycle, all the while hoping that each time he was searched they wouldn't think to disassemble his machine. As a result of his bravery, 800 Jews including numerous children were saved from deportation. He died in Florence in 2000 and was recognised as one of the 'Righteous Among the Nations' in 2013. In this book, Alberto Toscano shares the incredible story of this great sportsman and recalls the dramatic moments in Italy and Europe in the twentieth century.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisDocuments the life of a gifted African American leader whose contributions were pivotal to the movement for social justice and racial equality Franklin Hall Williams was a visionary and trailblazer who devoted his life to the pursuit of civil rights—not through acrimony and violence and hatred but through reason and example. A Bridge to Justice sheds new light on this practical, pragmatic bridge-builder and brilliant, complex individual whose life reflected the opportunities and constraints of an intellectually elite Black man in the twentieth century. Franklin H. Williams was considered a “bridge” figure, someone whose position outside the limelight allowed him to navigate both Black and white circles, span the more turbulent racial waters below, and persuade people to see the world in a new way. During his prolific lifetime, he was a civil rights leader, lawyer, diplomat, organizer of the Peace Corps, United Nations representative, foundation president, and associate of Thurgood Marshall on some of the seminal civil liberties cases of the past hundred years, though their relationship was so fraught with tension that Marshall had Williams sent to California. He worked in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, served as a diplomat, and became an exceptionally persuasive advocate for civil rights. Even after enduring the segregated Army, suffering cruel discrimination, and barely escaping a murderous lynch mob eager to make him pay for zealously representing three innocent Black men falsely accused of rape, Franklin was not a hater. He believed that Americans, in general, were good people who were open to reason and, in their hearts, sympathetic to fairness and justice. Dr. Enid Gort, an anthropologist and Africanist who conducted hundreds of hours of exclusive interviews with Williams, his family, friends, colleagues, and compatriots, and John M. Caher, a professional writer and legal journalist, have co-written an exhaustively researched and scrupulously documented account of this civil rights champion’s life and impact. His story is an object lesson to help this nation heal and advance through unity rather than tribalism.Table of ContentsPreface | ix Note from the Authors | xiii Introduction | 1 1 Roots | 7 2 Coming of Age | 17 3 An “Ole Lady” at Lincoln | 31 4 The Real World | 39 5 The American Veterans Committee | 52 6 Civil Rights Lawyer | 63 7 In the Courts | 74 8 Legal Lynching | 91 9 Passion and Power Plays | 110 10 California Deliverance | 122 11 The Washington Years | 145 12 After Washington | 165 Epilogue | 183 Acknowledgments | 191 Notes | 193 Index | 219

Read more less

Book SynopsisA classic account of courage, integrity, and most of all, belongingIn 1977, Natan Sharansky, a leading activist in the democratic dissident movement in the Soviet Union and the movement for free Jewish emigration, was arrested by the KGB. He spent nine years as a political prisoner, convicted of treason against the state. Every day, Sharansky fought for individual freedom in the face of overt tyranny, a struggle that would come to define the rest of his life.Never Alone reveals how Sharansky's years in prison, many spent in harsh solitary confinement, prepared him for a very public life after his release. As an Israeli politician and the head of the Jewish Agency, Sharansky brought extraordinary moral clarity and uncompromising, often uncomfortable, honesty. His story is suffused with reflections from his time as a political prisoner, from his seat at the table as history unfolded in Israel and the Middle East, and from his passionate efforts to unite the Jewish people.Written with frankness, affection, and humor, the book offers us profound insights from a man who embraced the essential human struggle: to find his own voice, his own faith, and the people to whom he could belong.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEven in his heyday in wrestling, Jacobs was inspired to pursue politics by popular libertarian figures such as former Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, Republican Senator Rand Paul, Fox News' Judge Andrew Napolitano and others, and that led him to fulfill his own political ambitions.Before becoming Mayor Kane, Glenn "Kane" Jacobs was one of WWE's top Superstars for over two decades and travelled the globe with the likes of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, John Cena, Ric Flair, and many others. He dominated the WWE with The Undertaker as the "Brothers of Destruction." Kane reinvented himself with the help of Daniel Bryan forming "Team Hell No." He set "Good ol' JR," Jim Ross on fire.The wrestler-turned-politician hasn't hung up his wrestling boots yet. Politics is a contact sport and Jacobs is using his wrestling skills in that arena. Jacobs supports President Trump and his agenda, and is implementing conservative policies in Tennessee.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book's central focus is General China, the most important but controversial leader of the notorious Mau Mau rebellion that exploded in Kenya colony during the 1950s. We read the story through the lens of China, his memoirs - now published for the first time outside of Kenya -and archival sources, to understand important themes in African history: how Africans fought for the end of colonial rule, and the complex histories of nationalist movements; how Britain tried to handle such resistance; the wider moment of decolonisation on the world stage; and how past conflicts still have contemporary relevance.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe protagonist and anti-heroine of Louise Fitzhugh's masterpiece Harriet the Spy, first published first in 1964, continues to mesmerize generation after generation of readers. Harriet is an erratic, unsentimental, and endearing prototype--someone very like the woman who dreamed her up, author and artist Louise Fitzhugh.Born in 1928, Fitzhugh was raised in a wealthy home in segregated Memphis, and she escaped her cloistered world and made a beeline for New York as soon as she could. Her expanded milieu stretched from the lesbian bars of Greenwich Village to the dance clubs of Harlem, on to the resurgent artist studios of post-war New York, France, and Italy. Her circle of friends included artists like Maurice Sendak and playwrights like Lorraine Hansberry.In the 1960s, Fitzhugh wrote Harriet the Spy, and in doing so she introduced "new realism" into children's books-she launched a genre of children's books that allowed characters to experience authentic feelings and acknowledged topics that were formerly considered taboo. Fitzhugh's books are full of resistance: to liars, to conformity, to authority, and even (radically, for a children's author) to make-believe. As a commercial children's author and lesbian, Fitzhugh often had to disguise the nature of her most intimate relationships. She lived her life as a dissenter--a friend to underdogs, outsiders, and artists--and her masterpiece remains long after her death to influence and provoke new generations of readers.Harriet is massively influential among girls and women in contemporary culture; she is the missing link between Jo March and Scout Finch, and it's not surprising that writers have thought of her as a kind of patron saint for misfit writers and unfeminine girls. This lively, rich biography brings Harriet's creator into the frame, shedding new light on an extraordinary author and her marvelous creation.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisMost Civil War histories focus on the performance of top-level generals. However, it was the individual officers below them who actually led the troops to enact the orders. Some of these were remarkably effective. One such officer was Edmund Winchester Rucker. He was a force to be reckoned with, both during the Civil War and in his post-war business ventures. He was courageous, tough and resourceful, and achieved significant results in every assignment. During the campaign by the United States Army to capture the upper Mississippi River, Rucker and his faithful Confederate artillerists, with only three operable cannons, held off the entire Federal fleet which possessed 105 heavy guns. Later, in East Tennessee, Rucker’s duties included punishing saboteurs and conscripting unwilling local citizens into the Confederate Army. He described these assignments as: "The meanest and damnest [sic] duty a soldier had to perform." Following the battles for Chattanooga, he served with General Nathan Bedford Forrest as a cavalry brigade commander, earning high merits for his performance. Rucker’s leadership was a major factor in the Confederate victory in the Battle of Brices Cross Roads, which has been called "History’s Greatest Cavalry Battle." Subsequent to the Battle of Nashville, Rucker was wounded and captured; although his left arm was amputated, this did not impede his future achievements. After the war, Colonel Rucker and General Forrest became business partners in a railroad-building project. Rucker did well from this venture and became one of the wealthiest early entrepreneurs in Birmingham. In recognition of his many accomplishments, Fort Rucker Alabama was named in his honor. This first biography on his life examines, at a fast-moving pace, the military and business accomplishments of this outstanding leader who left his mark on both the Civil War and Southern industry of the time.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn intimate glimpse into the public and private world of one of history's most famous- and infamous-queens Marie-Antoinette (1755-1793) continues to fascinate historians, writers, and filmmakers more than two centuries after her death. She became a symbol of the excesses of France's aristocracy in the eighteenth century that helped pave the way to dissolution of the country's monarchy. The great material privileges she enjoyed and her glamorous role as an arbiter of fashion and a patron of the arts in the French court, set against her tragic death on the scaffold, still spark the popular imagination. In this gorgeously illustrated volume, the authors find a fresh and nuanced approach to Marie- Antoinette's much-told story through the objects and locations that made up the fabric of her world. They trace the major events of her life, from her upbringing in Vienna as the archduchess of Austria, to her ascension to the French throne, to her execution at the hands of the revolutionary tribunal. The exquisite objects that populated Marie-Antoinette's rarefied surroundings-beautiful gowns, gilt-mounted furniture, chinoiserie porcelains, and opulent tableware-are depicted. But so too are possessions representing her personal pursuits and private world, including her sewing kit, her harp, her children's toys, and even the simple cotton chemise she wore as a condemned prisoner. The narrative is sprinkled with excerpts from her correspondence, which offer a glimpse into her personality and daily life. Visually rich and engaging, this book offers a fascinating look at the multifaceted life of France's last, ill-fated queen.Trade Review"[A] sumptuous, gossipy volume."--Art Newspaper "A remarkable work of history, art, and storytelling."--Foreword Reviews

Read more less

Book SynopsisCaptain James Carlin is a biography of a shadowy nineteenth-century British Confederate, James Carlin (1833–1921), who was among the most successful captains running the U.S. Navy’s blockade of Southern ports during the Civil War. Written by his descendent Colin Carlin, Captain James Carlin ventures behind the scenes of this perilous trade that transported vital supplies to the Confederate forces.An Englishman trained in the British merchant marine, Carlin was recruited into the U.S. Coastal and Geodetic Survey Department in 1856, spending four years charting the U.S. Atlantic seaboard. Married and settled in Charleston, South Carolina, he resigned from the survey in 1860 to resume his maritime career. His blockade-running started with early runs into Charleston under sail. These came to a lively conclusion under gunfire off the Stono River mouth. More blockade-running followed until his capture on the SS Memphis. Documents in London reveal the politics of securing Carlin’s release from Fort Lafayette.On his return to Charleston, General P. G. T. Beauregard gave him command of the spar torpedo launch Torch for an attack on the USS New Ironsides. After more successful trips though the blockade, he was appointed superintending captain of the South Carolina Importing and Exporting Company and moved to Scotland to commission six new steam runners.After the war Carlin returned to the southern states to secure his assets before embarking on a gun-running expedition to the northern coast of Cuba for the Cuban Liberation Junta fighting to free the island from Spanish control and plantation slavery.In researching his forebear, the author gathered a wealth of private and public records from England, Scotland, Ireland, Greenland, the Bahamas, and the United States. The use of fresh sources from British Foreign Office and U.S. Prize Court documents and surviving business papers make this volume distinctive.Trade Review"Colin Carlin has produced a groundbreaking work that lifts the veil off the all-important ship captains who supplied the Confederacy with the necessary supplies to sustain its fight for independence. The author does a superb job in relating the story of his relative, James Carlin, a key member of the cadre of captains who sustained the Confederacy by running supplies through the Northern blockade on specialized vessels. James Carlin's career not only included operating blockade runners, but also a Charleston-based torpedo boat, and after the war he served as a gunrunner to Cuban rebels. A sweeping story from England to Charleston, Florida, and Cuba. This book is a must for anyone interested in Southern/ Confederate maritime history." STEPHEN R. WISE, author of Lifeline of the Confederacy: Blockade Running during the Civil War "Captain James Carlin's fascinating adventures come to life in this superbly researched biog¬raphy. As a British captain, commodore, and ship owner, Carlin ran vessels into Confeder¬ate ports from North Carolina to Texas; Civil War and naval scholars and enthusiasts alike will welcome Colin Carlin's fresh insights into this shadowy world." WALTER E. WILSON, captain, U.S. Navy (ret.), author of The Bulloch Belle: Three First Ladies, a Spy, a President’s Mother and Other Women of a 19th Century Georgia Family

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe history of the United States is peppered with extraordinary military leaders. Fate has enshrined an exceptional few in the public’s collective consciousness while sometimes ignoring others often equally as deserving, relegating them to footnotes at best. Though the nation owes them considerable debts, there are many examples of men whose singular leadership is now little remembered or forgotten completely. This volume covers leaders “in the shadows” during the four major conflicts the United States engaged in from the end of the 19th century to the middle years of the 20th: the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, World War I, and World War II. It tells the stories of more than 20 individuals and chronicles their activities through conflagrations spanning five decades. To enable readers to put these exploits into proper context, each chapter traces the roots of the conflict covered and discusses the paths that led to America’s involvement. Throughout the book, examples are also noted of leaders whose major renown is associated with a specific war—John J. Pershing, America’s towering military figure during World War I, for example—who also rendered exemplary though largely forgotten service during a different conflict (in Pershing’s case, the Philippine Insurrection). Of special interest to many audiences may be the commentaries regarding the World War I services of officers such as Eisenhower, Marshall, Patton, and Bradley—an aspect of their long military careers overshadowed by their World War II renown and too often minimized in consequence. The book also features brief biographies of officers whose contributions, while less consequential on the world stage than those of colleagues chronicled elsewhere in these pages, are nonetheless deserving of far more recognition than has thus far been accorded them. Reviews for In the Shadows of Victory: America's Forgotten Military Leaders 1776-1876: "...a valuable addition to the history of American military leaders because of its viewpoint. I highly recommend this book to students of history and military history, especially American military history. It is a necessary addition to the libraries of all such students and the public at large." -Michael F. Dilley "...a welcome addition to popular writing on military history... both informative and a pleasure to read. The individual narratives are well structured, carefully researched and nicely written. ...I would recommend it to those who wish to get new perspectives on interesting chapters in American history. Also to those who simply like a good story well told...an excellent book, well worth reading – even for those who don’t particularly like military history. I had the privilege of serving with Tom Phillips while on active duty. I got to know him as a superb officer. And he may well turn out to be an even better writer. " - Raymond E. Franck Brig Gen, USAF Retired "...well written prose...being reminded of and reading about these officers' achievements is an enjoyable experience." -Journal of America's Military PastTrade ReviewThis is a wonderful book which is very clear about what it wants to do and succeeds in doing it superbly. * Army Rumour Service *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book describes the wartime experiences of Reverend David Railton, MC, who was a chaplain on the Western Front during WWI. As a chaplain, Railton supported soldiers in their worst moments, he buried the fallen, comforted the wounded, wrote to the families of the missing and killed, and helped the survivors to remember and mark the loss of their comrades so that they were able to move on and do their job. He was present at many battles, and received the Military Cross for rescuing an officer and two men under heavy fire on the Somme.It was Railton’s idea to bring home the body of a fallen comrade, whose identity was unknown, from the battlefields of Belgium and France to be buried in Westminster Abbey. Although suffering from what was obviously Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, after the war he carried out his duties as the vicar of Margate and took on many philanthropic works on behalf of the poor, especially supporting ex-servicemen who came home and had to deal with the aftermath of a terrible war and crippling unemployment.The story of the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior has been told several times, including the part played by the Reverend David Railton, M.C. However, this book – based on hundreds of Railton's original letters, notes, and writings – is the first book to tell the story of the man himself and his flag, which he used as an altar cloth and shroud throughout the war, was consecrated a year after the burial of the Unknown Warrior, and now hangs in Westminster Abbey.Trade ReviewRailton's is a story worth telling and Richard's narrative of wartime events and peacetime social conditions is clear and effective. * Stand to! *The Flag is a memoir full of hope and inspiration. It offers up a lesson to us all. It's a must-read and, once and for all, ensures the life and times of Padré Railton will never be forgotten. BRITAIN AT WAR BOOK OF THE MONTH NOVEMBER 2018 * Britain at War Magazine *The book explains how Railton was moved to create a symbol which every family in the country could identify. That symbol lies inside Westminster Abbey in the shape of the Unknown Soldier. […] Such a legacy is monumental and a fitting tribute to the work of the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department during the war. * Gun Mart *We have waited nearly a century for Reverend David Railton's story, and this book does this humble and decent man a great service. It is an extraordinary story. * Guards Magazine *...a worthwhile biography and one well worth reading. * Long Long Trail *The book is an attractive addition to the mass of literature about the First World War and about the tasks and frequent heroism of the chaplains. * Church Times *This is a well-researched book...The style of writing brings home something of what it was to be an army chaplain amid the battles in France and Flanders. * Methodist Recorder *Table of ContentsPrologue – 1: Sleepless Nights – 2: Early Days in France – 3: Vimy Ridge – 4: The Graveyards – 5: Military Cross – 6: Winter of Death – 7: Private Blakemore – 8: The Quiet Sector – 9: Back to Blighty – 10: It’s Now or Never – 11: The Unknown Warrior – 12: Hanging the Flag – 13: Going Home

Read more less

Book SynopsisMajor-General Eugene Vincent Michael Strickland CMG, DSO, OBE, MM, CStJ, Star of Jordan - Strick - rose from penniless hardship to great military distinction. He was a tank man, a war hero who fought in France, North Africa and Italy during World War II, and whose name is revered even today among regiments that he commanded.His is the extraordinary tale of a man who gained a Regular Commission in the Indian Army from Sandhurst, but resigned soon afterwards. After a series of intriguing adventures, he then enlisted as a private soldier in the Royal Tank Corps. In May 1940, he played a major part in the counterattack at Arras in May 1940, where two British infantry tank battalions held up the German advance for three days, enabling the success of the Dunkirk evacuation – and perhaps saving Britain from ultimate defeat in the process.Strick's outstanding success as a troop-sergeant in France saw him immediately (re-)commissioned, and his rise to high command was then swift. He led the leading Squadron of the North Irish Horse with great distinction in Tunisia 1943, and later commanded North Irish Horse in its greatest battle, the breaking of the Hitler Line in Italy in 1944. This book focuses on his experience during World War II, drawing out the unique qualities required of leaders in close-combat battle; the particular demands of armoured infantry cooperation, and how an individual can make a success of such a rapid rise through the ranks during wartime.This fine story of adventure and achievement is brought alive by Strick’s remarkable correspondence - he wrote home to his family every second or third day throughout the war, except when action was too fierce to write - supplemented by the recollections of his comrades and years of archival research. More than a portrait of a gifted and morally courageous man, this biography also offers an insight into the arts of command and tactical control, and the difficulties of a family life fragmented by war.Trade ReviewThis biography is written by Strick's son, who painstakingly gathered his father's papers and other records to create a detailed and interesting account of his wartime experiences. This book has excellent maps and several personal photos. * WWII History 28/09/2021 *It is a book I literally could not put down. It is superbly written, absolutely gripping and most highly recommended and will appeal to a very wide readership and not least those with an interest in the development and conduct of armoured warfare during the Second World War, the brutal reality of close quarter all arms fighting and in the challenges faced by military wives which will be very familiar to generations of servicemen and their families. * Military Historical Society Bulletin 19/07/2021 *As well as being a riveting military history, the well drawn out aspects of his superb style of leadership should give this book a place on the required reading list for commanders at every level in the British Army. * The Iron Duke Regimental Magazine *The photos are a sublime bonus to the text as many have never been published before, again, great for the enthusiast with plenty of armour, and plenty showing the family and comrades that made Strick the great man he was. Thoroughly recommended, but beware, you may find yourself trying to read it in one sitting! * Scale Military Modelling International Magazine 05/07/2021 *It is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read, and I recommend it strongly. * Pennant Magazine *This is, on a number of counts, a remarkable book. […] This makes the book a valuable social history as well as a good read. * Fortress Study Group 02/08/2021 *Table of Contents1 India 2 England 3 To Follow the Drum 4 The Royal Tank Corps 5 Peace Before the Storm 6 Unto the Breach 7 Striking Back 8 Rearguard Actions 9 Escape to Dunkirk 10 Re-Commissioned 11 25 Army Tank Brigade 12 Return to Action 13 Longstop to Victory 14 Marking Time 15 Regimental Command 16 Entr'acte 17 To Italy 18 Prelude to Battle 19 Breaking the Hitler Line 20 Aftermath 21 Italian Scenarios 22 Advance to the Gothic Line 23 Through the Gothic Line 24 Impasse 25 Battle for San Martino 26 The Last Ridge 27 Winter in the Romagna 28 Intermezzo 29 Monty's Foxhounds 30 Home Again

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe New York Times chief television critic James Poniewozik traces the history of television and mass media from the early 1980s to today and demonstrates how a “volcanic, camera-hogging antihero” merged with America’s most powerful medium to become the forty-fifth president. He charts the seismic evolution of television from a monolithic mass medium of mainstream networks into today’s fractious media subculture. He then examines Donald Trump, who took advantage of these changes to reinvent himself: from boastful cartoon zillionaire; to 1990s self-parodic sitcom fixture; to The Apprentice-reality-TV star to Twitter-mad, culture-warring demagogue. A trenchant, often hilarious work, Audience of One provides an eye-opening history of American media and a reflection of a raucous, “gorillas-are always-fighting” culture.Trade Review"According to The New York Times TV critic, Trump’s addiction to TV and Twitter meant that even before he won the presidency, he “had essentially become a cable news channel in human form, loud, short of attention span, addicted to conflict … a meshing of man and machine”." -- Martin Pengelly and David Smith - The Guardian"The Mueller Report of television criticism! James Poniewozik’s Audience of One is both damning and illuminating, a witty, penetrating exposé of Trump’s most intimate relationship, the one with the medium that made him." -- Emily Nussbaum - The New Yorker"With wit, insight, and clarity, James Poniewozik puts Trump at the center of a series of changes that swept through American popular culture and political systems. Poniewozik’s essential book shows how these evolutions incubated Trumpism, even as Trump’s rise exposed the limits and vulnerabilities of the media, which too often found itself floundering in the face of his shameless manipulations." -- Maureen Ryan - Variety"Illuminating... Poniewozik is a funny, acerbic and observant writer… [He] uses his ample comedic gifts in the service of describing a slow-boil tragedy. If humor is the rocket of his ICBM, the last three years of our lives are the destructive payload... Poniewozik brings a new microscope with which to analyze the drug-resistant bacterium that is our president. Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of is that it makes Trump's presidency seem almost inevitable." -- Gary Shteyngart - The New York Times Book Review

Read more less

Book SynopsisBernie Sanders is one of the most influential figures of our time, a politician who inspires fervent love and, even among his enemies, a measure of grudging respect—yet we know comparatively little about this famously private left-wing firebrand. Now, Ari Rabin-Havt, a trusted Sanders aide, is able to take us where no press features or televised interviews have been able to go. The Fighting Soul is a behind-the-scenes chronicle of Sanders’s meteoric 2020 campaign for president—from the first campaign meeting in Rabin-Havt’s living room, to Sanders’s heart attack and the end of the campaign as the COVID-19 pandemic spread around the world—that deepens into an unforgettable portrait of Sanders. Rabin-Havt unfolds the history that drives his deep ideological commitments to the working class, his views of his young supporters, his sense of humour, which few outside his immediate circle ever witness, and the role his wife, Jane, plays in his success. In the tradition of What It Takes and other exuberant works of American political writing, The Fighting Soul shows the making of the rare politician motivated by principle, not power.

Read more less

Book SynopsisUnconventional warfare tactics can have a considerable effect on the outcome of any war. During World War II, the United States government developed and employed two new methods of fighting. The first was the development of 'paratroop' units, as they were first called. The second was the formation of a covert and sabotage operations branch called the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Lt. Colonel Bolland was involved in both of these 'firsts'. During the D-Day invasion he parachuted behind enemy lines, jumping out of the 82nd Airborne lead aircraft with General James Gavin. After fighting with the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment for thirty-three days straight, he returned to England and became involved with the OSS Scandinavian Section. He served as Field Commander for their Operation, code named Rype. This was the only American military undertaking, albeit covert, in Norway during the entire course of the war.As a young boy growing up in rural western Minnesota, Bolland got his military start with the Minnesota National Guard, before being accepted to West Point, solely on merit. His military career lasted seventeen years. Lt. Colonel Bolland ended up with numerous decorations including the Norwegian Liberation Medal and Citation, the Bronze Star for valour, the French Fouragerre of Croix de Guerre with Palms and posthumously the Congressional Gold medal awarded to the OSS Society on behalf of all former OSS members that served during the war.His story reveals the struggles, successes, failures and ultimate victories, detailing what went right and what went wrong with these new unconventional methods of fighting.Table of ContentsForeword Introduction Chapter 1. A Changing Scene Chapter 2. The Making of a Paratrooper Chapter 3. Battle Experience, D-Day Invasion with the 82nd Airborne Chapter 4. The British Temperament Chapter 5. The Norwegian Temperament Chapter 6. Norwegian-American Roots of the Bolland Family Chapter 7. German Methods of Fighting Chapter 8. Norwegian Resistance Chapter 9. OSS Beginnings, Background and History Chapter 10. Prelude to a Mission Chapter 11. The Scandinavian Section, OSS London Chapter 12. The Inception and Importance of Operation RYPE Chapter 13. Meeting the NORSO Group Personnel Chapter 14. NORSO Beginnings Chapter 15. Operation Rype Preparation Chapter 16. Carpetbaggers Chapter 17. Operation Rype Chapter 18. Spies through Sweden Chapter 19. Impending Victory Chapter 20. Capturing the German Airport Trondheim Fjord Chapter 21. NORSO's Final Days Chapter 22. Liberation Chapter 23. Bon Voyage, Back to the United States Chapter 24. Closing Military Endeavors—Korea and Japan Conclusion Supplemental Documents and Photos Epilogue: Congressional Gold Medal

Read more less

Book SynopsisRichard Edward Carey came from a broken home. Enlisting in the Corps in 1945 he later earned a commission, fighting at Inchon and Chosin in Korea before becoming a pilot – flying every aircraft in the Marine arsenal. During his 38-year military career, he witnessed and participated in major historical events, though a high school wrestling injury would eliminate him from the Mercury-7 space program.As a second lieutenant, he tackled General Douglas MacArthur on the way to Seoul in 1950. Carey would provide critical intelligence decisions enabling the successful defense of the Chinese attack on Hagaru-ri at the Chosin Reservoir. In 189 days of combat, he escaped death seven times, and was awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star Medals. In Vietnam he flew 204 combat sorties, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and 16 Air Medals. In 1975, from Saigon, Carey led history’s largest helicopter evacuation of refugees.Subordinates praised his leadership and courage. Never afraid to stand up for his principles, Carey faced down an Air Force general in Vietnam, and organized air defense for supply helicopters at Khe Sahn; he countermanded a senior Naval officer’s order during the 1975 Saigon evacuation, refusing to cease air operations and forcing a reluctant ambassador onto a flight.In retirement, Carey served as a cabinet member for the governor of Ohio and ran the airport in his native home of Columbus. When the Careys moved to Texas, Carey continued supporting veterans, advocating for veterans’ health care, aiding the drive to build accommodation for families of hospitalised veterans, and was a leader in the effort to build a veterans’ cemetery in Dallas. He would lead the drive to build two Chosin Few memorials even as he cared for his ailing wife.This biography is based upon hours of interviews with the general, capturing an exceptional and inspiring life.Trade ReviewThis well written and researched book is replete with personal recollections and anecdotes faithfully recalled and recorded. * The Journal of the Air Force Historical Foundation *The chapters dealing with the evacuation of Saigon are especially enlightening. Carey and Mesches offer arguments for readers to reach personal conclusions about the rights and wrongs of the withdrawal procedures. * The VVA Veteran *Table of Contentshapter 1 The Early Years Chapter 2 On to Korea Chapter 3 A New Role—Chosin Reservoir Campaign Chapter 4 Reflections on Chosin Reservoir Chapter 5 After Chosin Reservoir Chapter 6 Aviation Career Begins Chapter 7 Mid 1950s to 1960s Chapter 8 Fighter Pilot in Vietnam Chapter 9 Vietnam Media Coverage Chapter 10 Post-Vietnam War Chapter 11 Evacuation from Vietnam Chapter 12 General Carey’s Supplement to the Command Chronology on Frequent Wind Chapter 13 Mayaguez Rescue Chapter 14 Back to Headquarters Marine Corps (HMC) Chapter 15 Atlantic Command Chapter 16 Final Assignment Quantico Chapter 17 A Brief Entry into Politics Chapter 18 Aiding the Dallas District Courts Chapter 19 General Carey Continues to Serve in Retirement Chapter 20 The Chosin Few Monument Project Chapter 21 Family Epilogue Glossary Endnotes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisPlying through the darkness at the very limit of the earth's atmosphere, the U-2's extrasensory intelligence-gathering sensors quietly intercept and redistribute mountains of information to a highly classified ground site, located at Osan Air Base, Korea. From there, the top-secret intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) products are distributed to the highest levels of command authority within the United States. Although the Dragon Lady has been in continuous service for nearly 70 years, she has always been considered a "National Asset," with technology so sophisticated that she outlasted her "replacement" – the SR-71 – decades ago.Lt. Col. (Ret.) Rick Bishop, a former U-2 pilot, takes the reader deep into the Black World of non-satellite ISR to reveal how a small detachment of 100 hand-selected personnel with only eight pilots and two aircraft became the most reliable and productive air force unit to ever utilise the Dragon Lady, to this day. As second-in-command of Detachment 2 (Det 2) of the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing during the mid-1980s, Rick kept a detailed journal of the daily operations that routinely launched pilots on high-altitude solo missions lasting at least nine hours. Wearing full-pressure suits, these missions took a physiological toll on each pilot who upon return had to coax the Lady, universally known for her treacherous landing characteristics, safely back on to the ground along with the often-priceless intelligence-gathering sensors.Although the pilots were the pointy end of the spear, this is also the story of the missions that could not be accomplished without the dedicated effort from enlisted personnel and civilian company tech reps to keep the maintenance-intensive platform in the air. Along with Physiological Support Division personnel, responsible for keeping the pilot alive in their pressure suit environment during emergency situations, as well as numerous other support troops required for logistical and supply support, the unparalleled success of Det 2 can only be attributed to the professional pride of the close-knit brotherhood known as the Black Cats of Osan.face=Calibri>Table of Contents1 A Star Is Born 2 Black Cats 3 Lieutenant Oscar Black Cat 4 First Tour 5 Learning The Ropes 6 Countdown 7 The Quest Begins 8 Movers And Shakers 9 Between Life And Death 10 The ‘Drivers’ 11 Sallying Forth 12 1984—Trimester-One 13 Trimester—Two 14 Trimester—Three 15 The Final Trimester 16 Blackcat Metamorphosis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAlthough he objected to being characterized as such, Hamilton McWhorter III's service to family and country make him a standout among America's Greatest Generation. A Georgia native whose family roots date from that region's settlement during the 1700s, “Mac” McWhorter was a naval aviation cadet undergoing training when Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan on December 7, 1941. After earning his Wings of Gold in early 1942, Ensign McWhorter was trained as a fighter pilot in the robust but technologically outmoded F4F Wildcat. Initially assigned to VF-9—a fiercely spirited and hard-playing fighter squadron—he saw first combat in November 1942 against Vichy French forces in North Africa.After returning to the United States, VF-9 became the first unit to convert to the new Grumman F6F Hellcat. This was the fighter the U.S. Navy would use to crush Japanese air power during the long offensive from the Southwest Pacific to the shores of Japan. From mid-1943, Hamilton McWhorter was constantly engaged in the unforgiving and deadly aerial warfare that characterized the battles against Imperial Japan. His fifth aerial victory, in November 1943 off Tarawa Atoll, made him the first ace in the Hellcat, and seven subsequent victories ensured his place in the annals of air-to-air combat.McWhorter's combat service, from the beginning of the war to the last campaign off the shores of Okinawa, makes his story a must-read for the serious student of the Pacific air war. Hamilton McWhorter III retired from the Navy as a commander in 1969. He passed away in 2008.

Read more less

Book Synopsis"...the Winston Churchill of our time." - Former President George W. Bush, in reference to Ukraine leader Volodymyr ZelenskyyAmidst the turmoil of an unprovoked attack by neighboring Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emerged almost overnight as a modern-day folk hero in the eyes of both civilians and military/government leaders across the globe. On the heels of two runaway successes, Melania Trump: Elegance in the White House, and Trump 45: American's Greatest President, author and historian L. D. Hicks has curated another beautiful collection of portraits and facts. Be it in fatigues observing military training exercises alongside his servicemen, or formal attire at meetings with foreign dignitaries, Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Defender of Freedom brings the leader of Ukraine in focus as a shining example of courage and leadership.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJohn Quincy Adams is widely recognized as America’s most distinguished diplomat, taking into account the length and breadth of his public service and his influence on American foreign policy. In the course of this remarkable journey, John Quincy documented his ideas and actions through his writings, speeches, letters, diary entries, and state papers. To aid those interested specifically in learning more about the man and his views on foreign policy, the editors have compiled a collection of the most important and often-cited works, such as his famous July 4, 1821 Oration: “she goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy.”The selections in this volume provide insights into Adams's diplomatic practices and the critical issues that marked the young American nation. To give the readers context, the editors have provided introductions for both particular periods in John Quincy's life as well as individual documents. Wherever possible, the editors have included the full text but, given the immensity of the available material and John Quincy Adams’s style of writing, they have used discretion to abridge certain documents.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less