Search results for ""author air"

Germany, spring 1945. Hitler is dead and his armies crushed. Across the conquered Reich, cities lie devastated by Allied saturation bombing; their traumatised populations, exhausted and embittered by defeat, face a future of acute privation and hardship. Such was the broken state of the nation in which a British civilian and military force arrived in the spring and summer of 1945. Their zone of occupation was the northern and northwestern part of Germany, the country’s former industrial heartland. Their task? To build democracy from the ruins of Hitler’s Reich, and, having defeated Nazism on the battlefield, to ‘win the peace’ by eradicating Nazism from German hearts and minds. As well as offering a vivid narrative of the British occupation in political and military terms, from the Potsdam Conference to the Berlin Airlift, Don’t Let’s Be Beastly to the Germans explores the day-to-day experiences of the ordinary Britons who worked for the Control Commission for Germany between 1945 and 1949. Some reconstructed bridges and schools, supervised the destruction of military matériel and brought fugitive Nazis to justice; while others became entangled in black marketeering, corruption and sexual scandal. In time, they would find themselves on the front line of the Cold War, as irreconcilable tensions divided Europe between East and West.

Read more less

I'm Never Coming Back is a collection of surreal, comic and mournful interweaving tales travelling across three continents. In each destination we zoom in on unusual lives and remarkable situations, each tale unknowingly impacting on the next.In Rye train station a woman impulsively buys the same ticket as the man in front of her. The accidental journey leads her to Berlin. A novel way to run away from home. At Heathrow Airport, a building perpetually busy with people coming and going, a traveller is visited by a memory that refuses to leave. A tray of Singapore rice noodles cooked up in Christchurch takes on a life of its own.Winchelsea. A lone letterbox in Britain's only desert is central to a friendship between a travelling chef and a deep-sea diver.An old man realises that time is running out in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. Elsewhere an out-of-towner meets a crab at a taco stand who seems to know more than any crab has a right to know.The 'sound mirrors of Denge' reflect more than noise for one day-tripper.And on Johnston Island a man struggles to hold onto his fading memories as his house slowly fills with pollen. Test Match Special seems to be the only foothold in reality.The Art of Pho is now available as a live motion comic: http://artofpho.submarinechannel.com/

Read more less

Some cars are loved by the public. The Beetle is one of those cars. It became a part of our lives and that is why it is an important car. This is an amazing story that goes from the time of the most evil period in the 20th Century in Europe and the role of Adolf Hitler in the design of this car and how a Jewish designer had to be ‘airbrushed’ out of the story. We see how Czech car maker Tatra fought back against the Nazis with some incredible results. We read how the Americans and the Europeans made a mistake with Volkswagen and how a British officer rescued the company and got them making cars again. This car is witness to the darkest days in Europe and the skill and determination to rise from those ashes. In this car’s lifetime, Europe went from a smouldering war torn ruin of a continent to a place where all can prosper. During this car’s lifetime, Europe saw the establishment of close ties and a new way of living and working so that all could move forward together. This car is testament to our lives in the twentieth century and that is why it is so iconic. sbn 9781842855089 Ed Carlow Price £6.99 €7.99 PUB DATE Sept 30 th 2021 A5 landscape 40pgs

Read more less

Seven modern fairytales from Pulitzer Prize finalist Kelly Link, featuring illustrations by award-winning artist Shaun Tan. Leaving behind the enchanted castles, deep, dark woods and gingerbread cottages of fairytales for airport waiting rooms, alien planets and a cannabis farm run by a team of hospitable cats, White Cat, Black Dog offers a fresh take on the stories that you thought you knew. Here you’ll find stoner students, failing actors and stranded professors questing for love, revenge or even just a sense of purpose. Poised on the edges between magic, modernity and mundanity, this collection will remind you once again of why Kelly Link is incomparable in the realm of short fiction. Don’t stray from the path! Not without Kelly Link as your guide. 'Uncanny brilliance' Sunday Times 'An expert illusionist' New Yorker 'Link is a genius' LA Times 'Thrilling... glittering' Spectator 'A short story sorceress' Washington Post 'Joyful... awe-inspiring' Jessamine Chan 'Contains all the good stuff' Bustle 'Magically transporting' Salon 'Wonderfully told' BuzzFeed 'Liable to linger in your mind' Today 'Enchanting' Publishers Weekly 'Wondrous' Stephen Graham Jones 'This book is sublime' Emma Straub 'Enchanting... unsettling' Kiersten White 'Glorious and bewitching' Clare Beams Tales you live inside' Victor Lavalle 'Luminous... surreal' Kate Mascarenhas

Read more less

The dazzling follow-up to the phenomenal The Book of Stolen Dreams from master storyteller David Farr, perfect for fans of Katherine Rundell and Philip Pullman.Step inside the pages of an immortal adventure...Rachel and Robert have defeated the tyrant Malstain and become the heroes of Krasnia, but all is not how it should be. Robert is swept away with his new friends, leaving Rachel alone to take care of her ailing father, who's lost without their beloved mother.From nowhere, a boy appears knowing the secrets of the hidden blood-red key. For the key is a way into the Hinterland - and Rachel must promise that, as a new key keeper, she will answer when it calls. When a young girl, Elsa Spiegel, is illegally smuggled into the Hinterland, Rachel has no choice but to use her key to save Elsa. But her fate is linked to Krasnia, and Rachel must battle to save her home as she knows it.Praise for The Book of Stolen Dreams:"A new and important voice for young people." Michael Morpurgo"Dazzling! An instant classic. An eye-wateringly funny and jaw-droppingly fantastical adventure, chock-a-block with rare books, airships, and penguin-shaped hats." Ben Miller"A wonderful story. Gripping and magical." Anthony Horowitz

Read more less

Military Vehicles is a wide-ranging guide to the world of military mobility in the twentieth century and beyond. In 300 detailed entries, it explores the combat, transport and utility vehicles that have supported military units from World War I to the present day. Categories include armoured personnel carriers, armoured cars, anti- aircraft vehicles, tank destroyers, trucks and transporters, amphibious vehicles, self- propelled artillery and more. From early iron-clad machines such as the German Büssing A5P and the Russian Garford-Putilow armoured cars to advanced machines such as the Italian MICV Dardo and the German LGS Fennek, Military Vehicles examines the development of these powerful weapons of war. Each vehicle featured is illustrated by a full-colour side-profile artwork. The service history and key features of the vehicle are explained, and a detailed specification table lists the country of origin, crew, weight, dimensions, armour, armament, powerplant and performance. The book also features an introductory history of the development of military vehicles from 1900 to the present and a full glossary of technical terms and abbreviations. Presented in a handy, pocket-book size, Military Vehicles is a colourful guide that will interest any enthusiast of military technology and modelling.

Read more less

In this installment of the New York Times bestselling graphic novel series, take to the skies with the flying aces of World War I“Yippee! We’re going back to World War One!” said nobody ever—except maybe the Hangman. When the Great War began in 1914, America had plans to stay out of it. But some young men were so eager to fight, they joined the French foreign legion. From deep in the mud and blood of the Western Front, these young volunteers looked to the sky and saw the future—the airplane. The first American pilots to fight in World War One flew for the French military. France created a squadron of volunteer Americans called the Lafayette Escadrille (named after the great Marquis de Lafayette). This book is about that volunteer squadron. How they got into the French military. How they learned to fly. How they fought—and died. And how these American pilots would go down in history with other legendary flying aces, like the Red Baron and his Flying Circus. Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales are graphic novels that tell the thrilling, shocking, gruesome, and TRUE stories of American history. Read them all—if you dare!

Read more less

It's long been acknowledged that Scotland's 'great outdoors' is one of its biggest visitor attractions and that one of the best ways of experiencing its awesome scenery is on a camping, motorhome or caravan holiday. However, there is an extensive range of campsites and caravan parks to choose from, perhaps making the decision over where to stay a more difficult or confusing one. Scotland Campsites and Caravan Parks map is the most comprehensive directory for tent, motor-home and caravan travellers in Scotland, and a practical resource either for those planning to visit Scotland for the first time, or those with some knowledge of the country. Alongside displaying the locations of over official 400 sites, this easy to use touring map provides essential information on the units accepted at each site along with contact details. Other facilities for each site, such as pets allowed, are also noted. The map, which folds to a handy travel size, also features airports, roads, rail and ferry routes and helpfully lists cycle routes, long distance footpaths and national parks for the travellers' convenience. It has a protective cover to withstand weather conditions while in Scotland. This is the 6th edition of the map which may be used as a stand-alone directory or in conjunction with the website which has full, regularly updated details on each site.

Read more less

(New edition) This comprehensive encyclopedia focuses exclusively on destroyers and frigates. The opening section both explains the rationale behind the technological development of destroyers and frigates and illustrates the varied manner of their use. Three major country-by-country sections then deal with, firstly, the destroyer in its formative years up until the end of World War I, and secondly, its classic phase and transformation into a specialist anti-aircraft escort. The third section covers the development of the frigate since its inception in 1940. Technical description is blended with informed comment on the performance and effectiveness of each of over 250 types and classes, making this an essential reference, and also an enjoyable read for anyone interested in naval history. The book examines destroyer and frigate evolution, including special topics such as the origins of the torpedo boat, frigates versus high-speed submarines, and frigates in the missile age. Specification boxes provide each vessel’s country of origin, the company that built the ship, construction and completion dates, displacement, dimensions, armament, machinery, power and performance. A collection of over 500 colour and black-and-white photographs illustrating each type of warship, and there are fascinating quotes from military leaders, plus a glossary of key terms and abbreviations.

Read more less

From one of America's iconic writers, a portrait of a marriage and a life – in good times and bad – that will speak to anyone who has ever loved a husband or wife or child. A stunning book of electric honesty and passion. Several days before Christmas 2003, John Gregory Dunne and Joan Didion saw their only daughter, Quintana, fall ill. At first they thought it was flu, then pneumonia, then complete sceptic shock. She was put into an induced coma and placed on life support. Days later – the night before New Year’s Eve –the Dunnes were just sitting down to dinner after visiting the hospital when John suffered a massive and fatal coronary. In a second, this close, symbiotic partnership of 40 years was over. Four weeks later, their daughter pulled through. Two months after that, arriving at LA airport, she collapsed and underwent six hours of brain surgery at UCLA Medical Centre to relieve a massive hematoma. This powerful book is Didion’s ‘attempt to make sense of the weeks and then months that cut loose any fixed idea I ever had about death, about illness … about marriage and children and memory … about the shallowness of sanity, about life itself’. The result is an exploration of an intensely personal yet universal experience: a portrait of a marriage, and a life, in good times and bad.

Read more less

Over the days and weeks that followed, it was difficult to keep up with changes as new roads and buildings sprouted up at an alarming rate; I have to say that most were positive changes, with oil revenues allocated to the various Five-Year plans. Ports would be expanded, hospitals and schools created, airports completely built from scratch, and then a plethora of new shopping centres to prevent us going short of anything! Sid Deeky was my Friend is a memoir recalling the days of expat life in Saudi Arabia between 1978-1985. From the daily rigour of port life to the sweeping deserts and hectic roads, Hunt's convivial recounting of his time at the Port of Jeddah covers a broad range of experiences, landscapes and interactions. Whether caught up in the daily drama of the port or cruising down Jeddah's Corniche Road in a signature Datsun, Hunt's account of expat life provides that sense of adventure which enticed so many members of Saudi Arabia's immigrant communities in the first place. Bright, poignant and occasionally tragic, this tale offers a window into expat life during an economic boom which utterly transformed the country - a transformation which would never have been possible without the immense effort of thousands of expats who migrated from Europe, Africa, the Americas and elsewhere in Asia in search of greater opportunities.

Read more less

'A writer the world should be reading right now.' IndependentWho would you be, if you hadn't turned out to be the person you are now?Dawn is a death doula, and spends her life helping people make the final transition peacefully.But when the plane she's on plummets, she finds herself thinking not of the perfect life she has, but the life she was forced to abandon fifteen years ago - when she left behind a career in Egyptology, and a man she loved.Against the odds, she survives, and the airline offers her a ticket to wherever she needs to get to - but the answer to that question suddenly seems uncertain.As the path of her life forks in two very different directions, Dawn must confront questions she's never truly asked: What does a well-lived life look like? What do we leave behind when we go? And do we make our choices, or do our choices make us?Two possible futures. One impossible choice.----------------------------------------------------------------'It is hard to exaggerate how well Picoult writes.' Financial Times'Her intelligent, meticulously researched novels explore ethical dilemmas through heartrending, headline-grabbing scenarios.' The Sunday Times'A matchless talent for hitting emotional notes.' Irish TimesMAD HONEY, the stunning and compelling Sunday Times bestseller by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan is available now.

Read more less

An unputdownable thriller, perfect for fans of THE HOLIDAY and BIG LITTLE LIES.'A sparkling, thrilling whodunit with a cast of extraordinarily well-realised characters and a setting that will take your breath away. I read it in twenty-four hours and was bereft when it ended' LISA JEWELL Till death do us part . . . Lucy has dreamt of her wedding day for as long as she can remember. And now the day is almost here. Her nearest and dearest are gathered on an idyllic Greek island and she just knows it's going to be perfect. It has to be.But even the best-laid plans can go horribly wrong. Why are her parents behaving so strangely? Why won't the rather odd lady from the airport stop hanging around? Who is the silent stranger her sister brought as a plus-1? And then they find the body. It's going to be a day to remember.***'A bride, a groom, a body: fantastically well-realised characters, tense, fast paced and surprising. I loved it' GILLIAN MCCALLISTER'Claustrophobic, creepy and page-turning, a surprising and original domestic noir thriller' ROSAMUND LUPTON'Brilliantly thrilling' JENNY COLGAN'Vibrant characters, pitch-perfect dialogue and trademark piercing observation all set against a stunning Grecian backdrop. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough' AMANDA JENNINGS

Read more less

Having the most compelling evidence and airtight argument does not mean you'll win your case if you cannot clearly and expertly express yourself. Using common examples from every-day legal documents, the Grammar and Writing Handbook shows you precisely which rules need to be followed, how to choose the correct words, and the most effective way to structure every sentence. The book includes a brief history of the English language, as well as comprehensive information on: Parts of speech Verb properties Singular vs. plural Punctuation and mechanics Using words to convey meaning Agreement Composing sentences Variety in composing sentences Composing paragraphs Composing a legal memorandum Faux pas: miscellanea Extra credit for grammar maestros This essential handbook also includes an appendix of common irregular verbs, and another appendix with a sample legal memorandum. The Grammar and Writing Handbook is the thorough resource you need that will help you compose more persuasive, stronger material that's flawlessly written--which can be the difference you need to win you the case or the client.

Read more less

Have you ever heard someone say that climate change is simply the result of natural cycles? Or that there can't be global warming because it still gets so cold out? While the claims climate-change deniers make can seem, on their surface, quite plausible, they simply don't hold up against the evidence: Beyond a shadow of a doubt, science proves that climate change is real and primarily human-driven. But the next time a skeptic puts you on the spot, will you know what to say to end the argument?HOW TO CHANGE MINDS ABOUT OUR CHANGING CLIMATE dismantles all the most pernicious misunderstandings using the strongest explanations science has to offer. Armed with airtight arguments, you'll never be at a loss for words again no matter how convincing or unexpected the misconception you're faced with. And with our planet's future in our hands, the time to change minds is now: The sooner we can agree, once and for all, that climate change is a significant threat to our well-being, the sooner we can start to do something about it.

Read more less

In World War I German and British bombers sometimes faced a few dozen light machine-guns defending the target. In World War II Luftwaffe Stuka dive-bombers braved the combined fire of over 1,000 anti-aircraft guns to sink several capital ships at Kronstadt in the Gulf of Finland. In World War I hundreds of thousands of German troops fought months to gain ground measured in yards. During World War II, eighty-five Fallschirmjäger captured one of the world's strongest fortifications at Fort Eben Emael, Belgium - manned by 1,200 defenders - in only eighteen hours in May 1940. As a result of these and many other deeds of valor, some 1,785 Luftwaffe officers and enlisted men won the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross - World War II Germany's highest decoration for bravery. This is their story through the eyes of the commanders of 113 of these men, as recorded in their official efficiency reports contained here. Volume 1 contains detailed biographies and official efficiency and promotion reports for fifty-three Knight's Cross winners, as well as biographies for sixty-seven rating commanders.

Read more less

An affecting sequel to Last Airlift: A Vietnamese Orphan's Rescue from War. Tuyet cannot believe her good fortune. Brought up in a Vietnamese orphanage and rescued from the invading North Vietnamese army, she has been adopted by a kind and loving family in Canada. Tuyet feels safe at last as she adjusts to a new language and unfamiliar customs. But polio has left her with a weak leg, and her foot is turned inward, making walking painful and difficult. There is only one answer; she must have a series of operations. Her dread of doctors and hospitals brings back troubling memories of helicopters, a field hospital, and another operation in Vietnam. It won't stop Tuyet, despite her fears and her overwhelming shyness. She has always dreamed of having two straight legs, of walking and running, of playing with other children, of owning a pair of shoes that actually match. Now that she has been given a chance, Tuyet is determined to do what it takes to finally stand on her own two feet. "Readers of this moving refugee story will celebrate as well."—Kirkus Reviews

Read more less

Sharing is central to how we live today: it is what we do online; it is a model of economic behaviour; and it is also a type of therapeutic talk. Sharing embodies positive values such as empathy, communication, fairness, openness and equality. The Age of Sharing shows how and when sharing became caring, and explains how its meanings have changed in the digital age. But the word �sharing� also camouflages commercial or even exploitative relations. Websites say they share data with advertisers, although in reality they sell it, while parts of the sharing economy look a great deal like rental services. Ultimately, it is argued, practices described as sharing and critiques of those practices have common roots. Consequently, the metaphor of sharing now constructs significant swathes of our social practices and provides the grounds for critiquing them; it is a mode of participation in the capitalist order as well as a way of resisting it. Drawing on nineteenth-century literature, Alcoholics Anonymous, the American counterculture, reality TV, hackers, Airbnb, Facebook and more, The Age of Sharing offers a rich account of a complex contemporary keyword. It will appeal to students and scholars of the internet, digital culture and linguistics.

Read more less

The Water Tales: Ten Life Lessons from My Water Buddy and Family is an adventurous collection of ten short children's stories that uses anthropomorphic body and organ characters to tell ten different tales centered around the importance of water. Each tale is cleverly built around each of the eleven members of My Water Buddy and Family® who are all focused on the beneficial impact of water in our bodies. The main characters embody the major body parts that are important to drinking water including: The body (My Water Buddy), the blood (Flowy the Blood Drop), the bones (Boney the Bone), the brain (Whizzy the Brain), the heart (Pumpy the Heart), the kidneys (Gushy & Flushy the Twin Kidneys), the lungs (Airy & Breezy the Twin Lungs), the muscles (Brawny the Muscle), and the stomach (Tummy the Stomach). In addition to motivating young readers to drink water, the stories tap into life topics important to children: autism, bullying, fears, self-esteem, peer pressure, etc.

Read more less

Immerse yourself in the rich shades and textures of Tiziano Vecellio (c. 1488–1576), commonly known as Titian, and the figurehead of 16th-century Venetian painting. With his bold approach to form and startling, opulent colors, Titian worked with a number of prestigious commissions and left behind an astonishing repertoire of portraits, mythological scenes, altarpieces, and landscapes that remains one of the most important legacies of Renaissance art. This dependable artist introduction traces Titian’s complete career and its trailblazing influence on successive generations of artists, from Diego Velázquez to van Dyck. From the rippling sensuality of Venus of Urbino (c. 1488–1576) to the airborne dynamism of Bacchus and Ariadne (1520–1523), all the major works are here, charting the artist’s stylistic experimentation over time as well as his consistent and unique ability to work across genres and to bring a defining new level of emotional and spiritual aspect to his subjects. “Titian has the finest talent and a very pleasant, vivacious manner.” — Michelangelo.

Read more less

The Ninth Army came into existence in May 1944, under the command of General William Hood Simpson, himself a rather unknown but highly successful ground commander. By late August, the Ninth Army was ready to join the crusade in Europe. Known by its radio call sign "Conquer," they landed at Utah Beach, France, on August 28 and 29. They were now at war and ready for their first assignment. It entered the fray in Brittany, taking over from the Third Army. The biggest port in Brittany was Brest, and operations to capture it began mid-August, with the Ninth Army completing what General Patton had begun by late September. The Ninth Army then moved to the Siegfried Line alongside the First Army. After some inter-army political maneuvering, it was moved to the north flank of the American lines and was the only American army to fight under British Field Marshal Montgomery’s command for several months, until the Rhine River was crossed, playing a small supportive role in the Battle of the Bulge. It went on to be involved in the reduction of the Wesel Pocket in cooperation with the British; the Rhine Crossing, including Operation Varsity, the airborne drop across the Rhine, the reduction of the Ruhr Pocket, and then the"Race to Berlin." The Ninth reached the Elbe River before it was stopped not by the enemy, but by high command. Following the end of hostilities the army was eventually dissolved, and the book covers the dissolution and the subsequent fate of some of its leaders.This new history of the Ninth places the contribution of this unsung army into a full history of the war in Europe in 1944-45. It covers all levels of the army’s activities from the responsibilities and duties of the higher echelon, the commanders through to combat stories of the units under its command and Medal of Honor actions.

Read more less

With the advent of a host of new materials ranging from shape memory alloys to biomaterials to multiphase alloys, acquiring the capacity to model inelastic behavior and to choose the right model in a commercial analysis software has become a pressing need for practicing engineers. Even with the traditional materials, there is a continued emphasis on optimizing and extending their full range of capability in the applications. This textbook builds upon the existing knowledge of elasticity and thermodynamics, and allows the reader to gain confidence in extending one's skills in understanding and analyzing problems in inelasticity. By reading this textbook and working through the assigned exercises, the reader will gain a level of comfort and competence in developing and using inelasticity models. Thus, the book serves as a valuable book for practicing engineers and senior-level undergraduate/graduate-level students in the mechanical, civil, aeronautical, metallurgical and other disciplines.The book is written in three parts. Part 1 is primarily focused on lumped parameter models and simple structural elements such as trusses and beams. This is suitable for an advanced undergraduate class with just a strength of materials background. Part II is focused on small deformation multi-dimensional inelasticity and is suitable for a beginning graduate class. Sufficient material is included on how to numerically implement an inelastic model and solve either using a simple stress function type of approach or using commercial software. Case studies are included as examples. There is also an extensive discussion of thermodynamics in the context of small deformations. Part III focuses on more advanced situations such as finite deformation inelasticity, thermodynamical ideas and crystal plasticity. More advanced case studies are included in this part.• This textbook takes a new, task- or scenario-based approach to teaching and learning inelasticity. The book is written in an active learning style that appeals to engineers and students who wish to design or analyze structures and components that are subject to inelasticity.• The book incorporates thermodynamical considerations into the modeling right from an early stage. Extensive discussions are provided throughout the book on the thermodynamical underpinnings of the models.• This textbook is the first to make extensive use of MATLAB to implement many inelasticity models. It includes the use of concepts such as Airy stress functions to solve plane problems for inelastic materials. The MATLAB codes are listed in the appendix for one to modify with their own models and requirements.• Step-by-step procedures for formulations and calculations are provided for the reader to readily adapt to the inelastic problems that he or she attempts to solve.• A large number of problems, exercises and projects for one to teach or learn from are included. These can be assigned as homework, in-class exercises or projects.• The book is written in a modular fashion, which provides adequate flexibility for adaptation in classes that cater to different audiences such as senior-level students, graduate students, research scholars, and practicing engineers.

Read more less

This extraordinary adventure of three brothers at the center of the most dramatic turning points of World War II is “liable to break the hearts of Unbroken fans, and it’s all true” (The New York Times).They are three brothers, all Navy men, who end up coincidentally and extraordinarily at the epicenter of three of the war’s most crucial moments. Bill, a naval intelligence officer, is tapped by FDR to set up and run his secret map room in the White House basement. Benny is the gunnery and antiaircraft officer on USS Enterprise, one of the few ships to escape Pearl Harbor and, by the end of 1942, the only aircraft carrier left in the Pacific to defend against the Japanese. Barton, the youngest, gets a plum commission in the Navy Supply Corps because his mother wants him out of harm’s way. But this protection plan backfires when Barton is sent to Manila and listed as wounded and missing after a Japanese attack. Now it is up to Bill and Benny to find and rescue him… Based on a decade of research drawn from archives around the world, interviews with fellow shipmates and POWs, and half-forgotten letters stashed away in attics, The Jersey Brothers is “a captivating tour-de-force” (San Antonio Express-News) that whisks readers from America’s front porches to Roosevelt’s White House to the battlefronts of the Pacific. But at its heart The Jersey Brothers is a family story, written by one of its own in intimate, novelistic detail. It is a remarkable tale of agony and triumph; of an ordinary young man who shows extraordinary courage as the enemy does everything short of killing him; and of brotherly love tested under the tortures of war. “The Jersey Brothers shines in singularity. A blend of history, family saga and family questions, Freeman’s book [is] a winning and moving success, and adds an authoritative entry to the… vast canon of war literature” (Richmond Times Dispatch).

Read more less

The strategic importance of Malta sitting astride both the Axis and Allied supply routes in the Mediterranean was obvious to both sides during WW2. As a result the Island became the focal point in a prolonged and dreadful struggle that cost the lives of thousands of servicemen and civilians. After setting the scene for the action, this book tells the story of the Island's stand against the might of the Axis powers that led to the unprecedented award of the George Cross to the whole by King George VI. It not only covers the struggle by the British and Maltese forces on the ground but the vicious fighting in the skies above. At one point the Island's only aircraft were the three antiquated Gloster Gladiators, nicknamed Faith, Hope and Charity. Then of course there was the naval effort to run convoys through with essential supplies not just of war material and oil but food for the starving population. The losses endured were appalling but repeated attempts to run the gauntlet had to be made. This was indeed a great siege involving every man and women on the Island. David Wragg tells the story using many first hand accounts and yet skilfully explains the strategic situation. The result is an inspiring book worthy of the courage shown by the Islanders and their defenders.

Read more less

Famous for Calvados apple brandy and Camembert cheese, Normandy is a green and pleasant land now dotted with thousands of British-owned second homes. Its coastline is also dotted with thousands of indestructible reinforced-concrete bunkers and gun emplacements that formed part of the Atlantic Wall of Hitler's Fortress Europe. Tourists passing through the ferry ports like Boulogne, Cherbourg and Dunkirk may wonder why there are so few old buildings. Few know that the demolition which preceded the extensive urban renewal of the ancient town centres was effected by British bombs during four years of hell for the people living there. Before its belated liberation three ghastly months after D-Day, the sirens in Le Havre wailed 1,060 times to warn of approaching British and American bombers. After one single Allied raid, over 3,000 dead civilians were recovered from the city's ruins, without counting the thousands of injured, maimed and traumatised survivors. So, whom did the Normans regard as the enemy: the German occupiers who shot a few hundred civilians or the Allied airmen who killed as many neutral citizens of northern France as died in Britain from German bombs during the whole war? Told largely in the words of French, German and Allied eyewitnesses - including the moving last letters of executed hostages - this is the story of Normandy's nightmare war.

Read more less

Hitler arrogated to himself the power to make all critical decisions relating to the strategic and operational deployment of the entire Wehrmacht, and this volume analyses the effect of his decisions on the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine. How did his decisions affect the development of German Jet aircraft? And the types of U-Boats used? How did he decide what priority to assign to key weapons in the overall German war effort? What determined how programs such as the V1, V2 and the potential German Atomic bomb were integrated into the German war effort? All these matters were critical to the actual operational power of the Wehrmacht as opposed to its theoretical potential. Similarly, what was the effect of the allied strategic bombing campaign on Germany’s war potential and how effective were the steps Hitler ordered against it? Finally, what did the leading military figures of the Third Reich such as Field Marshals von Rundstedt, Rommel, Kluge, Bock, Model and Kleist think of Hitler’s command? Did the Chiefs of the General Staff during the war – Halder, Zeitzler and Guderian state their views? And what was the effect of the attempt on Hitler’s life through ‘Operation Valkyrie’ on military operations? Hitler's Command is the third in a three part in depth study and deals with Hitler’s influence on the Wehrmacht and how his decisions influenced the advancement of weapons technology in this pivotal era of the Second World War.

Read more less

A mystery unwinds in the idyllic English countryside shortly before ChristmasLori can hardly wait for Christmas this year: lean times are over, the cottage Aunt Dimity willed her is more beautiful than ever, her nine-month-old twins, Will and Rob, are thriving, and she and husband Bill have never been happier. Determined to make this Christmas the best ever, Lori embarks on a round of shopping, holly-cutting, angel-cookie making, and more. When fat snow flakes begin drifting down outside of the window, Lori feels all her holiday wishes are about to come true. But the next day, beneath the lilac bushes now covered by freshly fallen snow, Lori makes a disturbing discovery: the body of a mysterious stranger--a tramp--barely alive. While the nearby village of Finch continues with its seasonal preparations, including rehearsals for the Christmas Eve Nativity play, Lori puts her plans on hold and teams up with Julian Bright--a devilishly attractive Roman Catholic priest--to search out the stranger's identity. Their journey takes them from abandoned World War II airfields to homeless shelters, places where the Christmas star shines dimly, if at all. As Lori unveils the tragic secret that led the stranger to her door, she confronts painful truths about herself and discovers the real meaning of a perfect family Christmas.

Read more less

Amid one of the darkest times in American history, it was a moment that captured the attention of the nation. Brett Crozier, captain of the most powerful and prestigious aircraft carrier in the United States Navy, walked off his ship for the last time while thousands of his sailors saluted and chanted his name in admiration.This remarkable moment occurred after Crozier made the decision to try to protect his sailors by pleading with his superiors for help when COVID-19 swept through the vessel. Two days later, he was relieved of command.Now, Crozier reflects on his life, career, and commitment to doing the right thing in a book that celebrates the power of kindness, the importance of teamwork, and the value of standing up for what you believe in. Through a series of captivating stories set all around the world, Crozier takes us along on the grand adventures of his extraordinary career and introduces the incredible people he met along the way.From his days as fighter pilot facing near-death experiences to commandeering suspected pirate vessels in the Persian Gulf, and of course, seizing any opportunity to enjoy one of his favorite hobbies-surfing-Crozier distills the lessons he has learned and the principles that have guided him, showing how you can apply them to your personal and professional life.

Read more less

An up-close look at how porn permeates our culture Pictures of half-naked girls and women can seem to litter almost every screen, billboard, and advertisement in America. Pole-dancing studios keep women fit. Men airdrop their dick pics to female passengers on planes and trains. To top it off, the last American President has bragged about grabbing women “by the pussy.” This pornification of our society is what Bernadette Barton calls “raunch culture.” Barton explores what raunch culture is, why it matters, and how it is ruining America. She exposes how internet porn drives trends in programming, advertising, and social media, and makes its way onto our phones, into our fashion choices, and into our sex lives. From twerking and breast implants, to fake nails and push-up bras, she explores just how much we encounter raunch culture on a daily basis—porn is the new normal. Drawing on interviews, television shows, movies, and social media, Barton argues that raunch culture matters not because it is sexy, but because it is sexist. She shows how young women are encouraged to be sexy like porn stars, and to be grateful for getting cat-called or receiving unsolicited dick pics. As politicians vote to restrict women’s access to birth control and abortion, The Pornification of America exposes the double standard we attach to women’s sexuality.

Read more less

Tired of the 9-to-5 grind and want a way to earn or to supplement your income? Easy. The media has named the growing trend toward micro-entrepreneurship "the Rise of the Creative Class," "the Gig Life," or "the freelance economy." All of those refer to the nearly 4 million workers who were self-employed this past year, and millions of others who currently supplement their income with freelance work. While the trend has been spotted before, there's one stark difference between micro-entrepreneurs today and the "Free Agent Nation" citizens of the late '90s: technology. Micro-Entrepreneurship For Dummies shows you how to navigate this confusing technological landscape in order to make a contributable profit. Micro-Entrepreneurship For Dummies aids you in making the best use of micro-entrepreneurial platforms, with helpful advice that includes information on signing up for and selling products on websites such as Airbnb, Craigslist, Taskrabbit, Uber, and Etsy. Micro-enterprise, using online platforms to sell products or services,??is a proven way to earn extra money and supplement household income In today's struggling economy, the importance of self-run businesses and small enterprise is growing as more people take lower-paying jobs and need a little extra spending money Shows you how to sign up for and sell products online Micro-Entrepreneurship For Dummies appeals to anyone looking to earn or supplement their income from home.

Read more less

This book concerns the subject of illegal charters. The risks associated with illegal charters are high, and the consequences are dire and different for all the parties involved. Pilots can lose their hard-earned licenses, aircraft owners might not get paid by the insurance companies, businesses might be prosecuted and fined, customers do not get what they paid for. The worst consequence of an illegal charter is that someone gets hurt or killed. The tragic part in reading about a flight accident is the understanding that an illegal charter could have been avoided. The present book aims to fulfil the industry’s call for greater awareness, education, and transparency. It will systematically and thoroughly investigate the application of law in a practical context of illegal charters. It engages in a comprehensive comparative study across various jurisdictions, such as the USA, Europe, Russia, Asia and the Middle East. This text considers whether the elements evidencing state practice in regulation of illegal charters are peculiar to the region and legal system. It examines how illegal charters can be prevented and undertakes the analysis of risks and consequences of illegal charters. This is an important book that is likely to have a significant impact on existing scholarship regarding international and national aviation law and be of interest of all parties involved in aviation. This includes industry professionals, legal practitioners, academics, policy-makers, and government officials.

Read more less

A breakthrough paper-folding book for kids—paper airplanes meet Origami meets Pokemon. Papertoys, the Internet phenomenon that’s hot among graphic designers and illustrators around the world, now comes to kids in the coolest new book. Created and curated by Brian Castleforte, a graphic designer and papertoy pioneer who rounded up 25 of the hottest papertoy designers from around the world (Indonesia, Japan, Australia, Italy, Croatia, Chile, even Jackson, Tennessee), Papertoy Monsters offers 50 fiendishly original die-cut designs that are ready to pop out, fold, and glue. The book interleaves card stock with paper stock for a unique craft package; the graphics are colorful and hip, combining the edginess of anime with the goofy fun of Uglydolls and other collectibles. Plus each character comes with its own back-story.And the results are delicious: meet Pharaoh Thoth Amon, who once ruled Egypt but is now a mummy who practices dark magic in his sarcophagus. Or Zumbie the Zombie, who loves nothing more than a nice plate of brains and yams. NotSoScary, a little monster so useless at frightening people that he has to wear a scary mask. Yucky Chuck, the lunchbox creature born in the deepest depths of your school bag. Plus Zeke, the monster under your bed, Nom Nom, eater of cities, and Grumpy Gramps, the hairy grandpa monster with his very own moustache collection.

Read more less

This first collection of plays by Charlotte Jones includes her multi-award winning Humble Boy (Susan Smith Blackburn Award 2001, the Critics' Circle Best New Play Award 2002, and the People's Choice Best New Play Award 2002).'Charlotte Jones . . . one of our most accomplished and entertaining young playwrights.' Financial TimesAirswimming'The structure and writing - admirably clear and unsentimental - both trip the light fantastic too, effortlessly gliding from the desperately funny to the desperately sad.' GuardianIn Flame'Watching Charlotte Jones's play, In Flame, is an experience of pleasure virtually unalloyed. It is funny, but with depth; painful, but with delicacy.' Financial Times'A play about life and death, love and lust, guilt and hope and dreams and the whole damn thing. It has some of the best writing I have come across recently: vigorous, poetic and lethally funny, probing hearts with warmth, compassion and irony.' Sunday TimesMartha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis'What strikes one is the play's generosity of spirit and belief in human potential . . . confirms that Jones has a great future.' GuardianHumble Boy'Sad, very sad: funny, very very funny . . . this is a seriously wonderful play.' Sunday Times'Rich, original, intelligent, funny and touching . . . I can't recommend this lovely play too highly.' Daily Telegraph

Read more less

How do you dig up a 13,000 year-old footprint? Why do kelp forests need sea otters? How do you measure a shrinking glacier from an airplane? What is a ‘zombie urchin’? Heart of the Coast brings these questions to life in a deep exploration of the beauty, mystery and biodiversity of the Pacific coast. Join Hakai Institute researchers in the field—archaeologists, oceanographers, marine biologists and beyond—as they journey from the ice fields of Klinaklini Glacier to the dazzling undersea reefs of a place called Crazy Town. British Columbia’s Central Coast is a rich landscape called “a biologist’s dream” and “the Amazon of the north.” Since launching its Calvert Island ecological observatory there in 2009, the Hakai Institute has become a renowned centre of science and exploration. Collaborations with the Smithsonian Institution, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and several First Nations on the BC coast——along with a wide array of scientists hailing from other agencies and universities across North America—have uncovered new species, advanced our knowledge of marine food webs, and helped track the effects of climate change on watersheds and coastal ecosystems. Stunning photography illuminates the institute’s journey of discovery over the past decade. This unforgettable book will inspire you with wonder and awe for the natural world, but be careful—you may learn something along the way.

Read more less

Ian Robertson joined the BBC during the golden age of radio broadcasting and was given a crash course in the art of sports commentary from some of the greatest names ever to sit behind a microphone: Cliff Morgan and Peter Bromley, Bryon Butler and John Arlott. Almost half a century after being introduced to the rugby airwaves by his inspiring mentor Bill McLaren, the former Scotland fly-half looks back on the most eventful of careers, during which he covered nine British and Irish Lions tours and eight World Cups, including the 2003 tournament that saw England life the Webb Ellis Trophy and "Robbo" pick up awards for his spine-tingling description of Jonny Wilkinson's decisive drop goal.He reflects on his playing days, his role in guiding Cambridge University to a long spell of Varsity Match supremacy and his relationships with some of the union code's most celebrated figures, including Sir Clive Woodward and Jonah Lomu. He also writes vividly and hilariously of his experiences as a horse racing enthusiast, his meetings with some of the world's legendary golfers and his dealings with a stellar cast of sporting outsiders, from Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor to Nelson Mandela. It is a hugely entertaining story that begins in a bygone rugby age, yet has much to say about the game in the here and now.

Read more less

Zaha Hadid (1950 - 2016) was a revolutionary architect. For years, she was widely acclaimed and won numerous prizes despite building practically nothing. Some even said her work was simply impossible to build. Yet, during the latter years of her life, Hadid’s daring visions became a reality, bringing a new and unique architectural language to cities and structures such as the Port House in Antwerp, the Al Janoub Stadium near Doha, Qatar, and the spectacular new airport terminal in Beijing. By her untimely death in 2016, Hadid was firmly established among architecture’s finest elite, working on projects in Europe, China, the Middle East, and the United States. She was the first female architect to win both the Pritzker Prize for architecture and the prestigious RIBA Royal Gold Medal, with her long-time Partner Patrik Schumacher now the leader of Zaha Hadid Architects and in charge of many new projects. Based on the massive TASCHEN monograph, this book is now available in an extensively updated and accessible edition covering Hadid’s complete works, including ongoing projects. With abundant photographs, in-depth sketches, and Hadid’s own drawings, the volume traces the evolution of her career, spanning not only her most pioneering buildings but also the furniture and interior designs that were integrated into her unique, and distinctly 21st-century, universe.

Read more less

You may not be interested in Russia. But Russia is interested in you. Russia’s 2022 attack on Ukraine saw confrontation between Moscow and the West spill over into open conflict once again. But Russia has also been waging a clandestine war against the West for decades. Hostile acts abroad, from poisoning dissidents to shooting down airliners, interfering in elections, spying, hacking and murdering, have long seemed to be the Kremlin’s daily business. But what is it all for? Why does Russia consistently behave like this? And what does it achieve? In this book, Keir Giles explains how and why Russia pushes for more power and influence wherever it can reach, far beyond Ukraine – and what it means not just for governments, but for ordinary people. Bringing together stories from the military, politics, diplomacy, espionage, cyber power, organised crime and more, Giles describes how Moscow conducts its campaigns across the globe, and how nobody is too unimportant to be caught up in them. By lifting the lid on the daily struggle going on behind the scenes to protect governments, businesses, societies and people from Russian hostile activity, Russia’s War On Everybody shows how Moscow’s hostile intentions for the rest of the world are far broader and more ambitious, and the ways it tries to achieve them far more pervasive and damaging, than we realise.

Read more less

A joyful and celebratory gift book devoted to the work of the much-loved English artist Eric Ravilious (1903–1942) and the influence of natural forms and themes in his work. Eric Ravilious was a designer, painter, printmaker and illustrator best known for his depictions of the English landscape, particularly the South Downs. Often described as a particularly ‘English’ artist, key to his style was an ability to convey in watercolour the mild vagaries of the British climate. His engagement with nature, though romantic rather than precise, pervades his works in many different techniques. This book explores his appreciation of the natural world and the techniques he used in a variety of media to convey those elements. Drawing on the V&A’s collections, more than 100 beautiful images capture Ravilious’s deep enjoyment of everything in nature, from dewponds, cockerels, grassy hills, owls, greenhouse geraniums, cornsheaves and snow, to the rainy seas, airport-runway puddles and tideswept beaches of his later work as a war artist. The book includes sections on weather, plants, landscape, animals and birds, and ends with a section devoted to man in the landscape, showcasing Ravilious’s love of rusting machinery and other signs of human presence within nature, not least his famous depictions of hillside chalk figures. This book will appeal to those with a love of English landscapes, flora and fauna or an interest in British art and design in the interwar period.

Read more less

The unforgiving and deadly combats fought in the skies over the United Kingdom during the Battle of Britain were, in many respects, personal affairs - one man against another. These duels, and the emotions and stress they generated, are revealed in this day-to-day, blow-by-blow account of the part that two front line fighter units, one British and one German, played in the events of the summer of 1940. This is the story of the Battle of Britain as seen through the eyes of the men of 609 (West Riding) Squadron, based in southern England, and 1/JG53, a Luftwaffe staffel based in northern France. The tense action of aerial combat and the relief felt by individual pilots surviving these encounters, the elation of a successful kill', or the tragedy of seeing a friend shot down, highlight the common fears felt by airmen on both sides of the fight. We learn of exhausting, unremitting action, and days of frustrating weather-induced inactivity, along with those brief moments of leisure and pleasure grasped from the daily struggle for survival. What we also discover is that there was, in many regards, little difference in the experiences and reactions between the men defending king and country and those fighting for the F hrer - creating a form of bond derived from those shared experiences, of indeed, brothers in arms.

Read more less

This is a unique account of the impact that the Second World War had on the city of Sheffield. Soon after the declaration of war, the government and the people of Sheffield realised that the Germans would make the city one of their prime targets, due to the importance of the steel industry. Also, for the first eighteen months of the war Sheffield had the only drop hammer in the country, which was capable of producing Rolls Royce crankshafts for Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft. Using contemporary diaries, letters, police accounts and other archive material, this book reveals how, despite heavy bombing, the people of Sheffield refused to be intimidated. It looks at the events that were happening in the city during the countdown to the war, such as the evacuation of the children not only to other safer districts, but to the Dominions, and the development of the Sheffield Home Guard, who started out as 'Dads Army' but were sent to London to relieve its Home Guard when the capital was under heavy fire from German rockets. Also included is a description of the protection of the dams above Sheffield and how the Ladybower reservoir was used as a training ground for the 'Dambusters'.Finally, there are accounts not only of Sheffield men who were taken as prisoners of war, but how the police dealt with the German and Italian prisoners at Lodge Moor Camp.

Read more less

In March 1944, some 2,200 battle trained men of 111 Brigade flew from India into northern Burma to land on improvised airstrips cleared from the jungle, They were part of General Orde Wingates Chindit force sent to fight the Japanese deep behind their lines. Five months later, 111 Brigade was down to 118 fit men eight British officers, a score of British soldiers and 90 Gurkhas. One of those eight officers was Frank Baines, and in Chindit Affair he tells, in vivid language and with shrewd insight, what happened. Frank commanded two platoons of young Gurkhas and was attached to 111 Brigade Headquarters, serving under John Masters, where he had a close-up view for most of the time. His account throws new light on the leadership of the Chindit campaign, but above all it is a soldiers story. All the horrors of jungle warfare are here bodies blood-sucked by leeches and corpses impaled by bamboo; Japanese soldiers reduced to eating human flesh; a court martial and execution; soldiers falling sick and dropping by the wayside, and being killed and wounded in action. He also captures the atmosphere of the jungle, its watercourses, trees, birds and the Kachin villagers simple way of life. No other account of the Chindit operations touches the same raw nerves, and none recreates so immediately the sensations of being there in the jungle and hills which devoured nearly all of them.

Read more less

TIKTOK BOOK AWARDS WINNER 2023“Nearly everything I know about love, I've learnt from my long-term friendships with women.”I know that love can be loud and jubilant. It can be dancing in the swampy mud and the pouring rain at a festival and shouting “YOU ARE AMAZING” over the band. It’s laughing until you wheeze. It’s walking along the street together on a Saturday night and feeling an entire city is yours.I also know that love is a pretty quiet thing. It’s lying on the sofa together drinking coffee, talking about where you’re going to go that morning to drink more coffee. It’s folding down pages of books you think they’d find interesting.I know that love happens under the splendour of fireworks and sunsets, but also happens when you’re lying on blow-up airbeds in a childhood bedroom, sitting in A&E or in the queue for a passport.Everything I Know About Love is a celebration of our female friendships, of our messy years, and of growing up together. Glittering with wit, heart, and humour, it’s a book to share with every woman you’ve ever been lucky enough to call a friend.*****WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:‘A book every girl in her 20s needs to read’‘I’ll never stop recommending this book’‘This is my comfort book! I LOOOOVE THIS BOOK TO MY CORE’‘I wish I could read it for the first time again’A Sunday Times bestseller, September 2022TikTok Book Awards Winner, August 2023

Read more less

Rob Brydon tells story of his slow ascent to fame and fortune in Small Man in a Book. A multi-award-winning actor, writer, comedian and presenter known for his warmth, humour and inspired impressions, Rob Brydon has quickly become one of our very favourite entertainers. But there was a time when it looked like all we'd hear of Rob was his gifted voice. Growing up in South Wales, Rob had a passion for radio and soon the Welsh airwaves resounded to his hearty burr. However, these were followed by years of misadventure and struggle, before, in the TV series Marion and Geoff and Gavin and Stacey, Rob at last tickled the nation's funny bone. The rest, as they say, is history. Or in his case autobiography. Small Man in a Book is Rob Brydon's funny, heartfelt, honest, sometimes sad, but mainly funny, memoir of how a young man from Wales very, very slowly became an overnight success. Rob Brydon was brought up in Wales, where his career began on radio and as a voiceover artist. After a brief stint working for the Home Shopping Network he co-wrote and performed in his breakthrough show, the darkly funny Human Remains. He has since starred in the immensely popular Gavin and Stacey, Steve Coogan's partner in The Trip, and was the host of Would I Lie to You? and The Rob Brydon Show. He now lives in London with his wife and five children.

Read more less

The End of the World as They Knew It maps the shifting constructions of the space of the South in Argentine discourses of identity, nation, and self-fashioning. In works by Domingo F. Sarmiento, Lucio V. Mansilla, Francisco P. Moreno, Jorge Luis Borges, Ricardo Piglia, and César Aira, Eva-Lynn Alicia Jagoe examines how representations of the South - as primitive, empty, violent, or a place of potential - inform Argentine liberal ideology. Part of this process entails the reception of travel narratives by Francis Bond Head, Charles Darwin, and W.H. Hudson, which served the purpose of ratifying the gaze of the crioloo , and of appropriating the South through civilized discourses. Focusing on crucial moments in Argentine cultural history, such as the 1871 Conquest of the Desert and the military dictatorship of the 1970s, Jagoe compellingly argues that these intensely experiential narrations of the South are inextricably linked to questions of collective memory and the construction of an Argentine history and tradition.

Read more less

First Lady Barbara Bush was famous for handing out advice. From friends and family to heads of state and Supreme Court justices and certainly to her staff, her advice ranged from what to wear, what to say or not say and how to live your life.She especially loved visiting with students of all ages, from kindergartners to college graduates. When she turned 80, she owned up to all her advice-giving and explained it this way: After all, in 80 years of living, I have survived 6 children, 17 grandchildren, 6 wars, a book by Kitty Kelly, two presidents, two governors, big Election Day wins and big Election Day losses and 61 years of marriage to a husband who keeps jumping out of perfectly good airplanes. So, it's just possible that along the way I've learned a thing or two.At the end of the day, she taught all of us some valuable lessons. As First Lady, she made a point of cuddling a baby with AIDS and hugging a young man who was HIV positive and whose family had rejected him, showing us by example the importance of compassion and the myth of fear. As a mother, she made sure we all knew that your children must come first and one of the most important things you can do is to read to them. As a friend and mentor, she showed that you had to be true to yourself and even at the end of her life, she taught us how to die with grace.Full of Barbara Bush's trademark wit and thoughtfulness, Pearls of Wisdom is a poignant reflection on life, love, family and the world by one of America's most iconic -- and beloved -- public figures.

Read more less

In this eloquent and impassioned book, defense expert Fred Ikle predicts a revolution in national security that few strategists have grasped; fewer still are mindful of its historic roots. We are preoccupied with suicide bombers, jihadist terrorists, and rogue nations producing nuclear weapons, but these menaces are merely distant thunder that foretells the gathering storm. It is the dark side of technological progress that explains this emerging crisis. Globalization guarantees the spread of new technologies, whether beneficial or destructive, and this proliferation reaches beyond North Korea, Iran, and other rogue states. Our greatest threat is a cunning tyrant gaining possession of a few weapons of mass destruction. His purpose would not be to destroy landmarks, highjack airplanes, or attack railroad stations. He would annihilate a nation's government from within and assume dictatorial power. The twentieth century offers vivid examples of tyrants who have exploited major national disasters by rallying violent followers and intimidating an entire nation. To explain how we have become so vulnerable, Ikle turns to history. Some 250 years ago, science was freed from political and religious constraints, causing a cultural split in which one part of our culture remained animated by religion and politics while the other became guided by science. Since then, technological progress and the evolving political order march to different drummers. Science advances at an accelerating pace while religion and politics move along a zigzag course. This divergence will widen and endanger the survival of all nations. Drawing on his experience as a Washington insider, Ikle outlines practical measures that could readily be implemented to help us avert the worst disaster.

Read more less

Born in America in the late 1940s, drag racing soon spread across the world, reaching Britain in 1960 when some local hot rod clubs joined forces to form the British Hot Rod Association. At the same time, Sydney Allard saw drag racing as a new challenge, and began building an American style-dragster in the Allard workshops. Sydney also brought over teams of American dragsters to show the British what drag racing was all about, while the British Hot Rod Association was holding meetings on RAF runways with a growing number of enthusiasts who were building their own dragsters based on the American machine designs. John Bennett realised that for drag racing to grow in Britain a permanent facility needed to be found, and at the end of 1965, he announced that Podington airfield was to become Santa Pod Raceway, opening for business in 1966. This book takes a detailed look at the burgeoning British drag racing of the 1960s, complemented by rare colour photos. It follows the development of Santa Pod Raceway, and the ever increasing fields of competitors that ran there up to 1969. A fascinating, nostalgic study of one of the fastest, loudest, most powerful motor sports in the world.

Read more less

This collection of brief biographical sketches presents the American experience in the World War II era by looking at the conflict through the ordeals of a broad array of men and women. The stories of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who served in the European and Pacific theaters are included here. Among the persons in uniform, subjects include an aviation trainer and combat commander, an infantryman, and a prisoner of war. The critical homefront comes to life through such diverse figures as a Kansas farmer, a famous Hollywood actor, women workers in the Iron Range of Minnesota, a Mennonite conscientious objector, and a wartime congresswoman. The varied experiences of a Japanese-American couple, a Jewish policymaker, and black leader reveal the trials and accomplishments of minority groups during this tumultuous time. By focusing on a wide variety of Americans, The Human Tradition in the World War II Era gives readers a fuller understanding of the tremen-dous war effort mounted by the U.S., but also a deeper sense of its profound impact on American society at large and on the lives of individuals both in the field and on the homefront. These compelling, personal stories will capture the imagination of all those interested in military history, American history, and World War II.

Read more less