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Acres of Hope: The Miraculous Story of One Family's Gift of Love to Children Without Hope
by Joe Musser Patty AnglinBack Cover: Over the past several years, Patty and Harold Anglin have adopted eight children with special needs, adding to their already large family of seven biological children. Their adopted children range in age from six months to fifteen years. They come from all over the world, from as far away as Nigeria and India. They are children who would have had no hope in this world if Patty and Harold had not opened their hearts and given them a home bursting with love and acceptance. Many people have asked Patty and Harold why they have adopted so many children with special needs. Their answer is simple, "There is a need!" Years ago, God gave them the verse, "And whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me" (Matthew 18:5). God has brought each miracle child into the Anglin home in a special way. They simply responded to the call. Patty says, "Our wish is that every innocent child will come to know and feel the love and security of a family. We believe if you are faithful and obedient servants of God, He will supply all your needs. We know this to be true; He has never let us down!"
Acquainted With Grief: Wang Mingdao's Stand for the Persecuted Church in China
by Thomas Alan HarveyStory of Wang Mingdao and the House Church in China.
Acne: A Memoir
by Laura ChinnFrom the creator and star of Florida Girls comes a hilarious and profound memoir about family, happiness, and really aggressive acne.Despite having dirty-blonde hair and fair skin, Laura Chinn is mixed-race: the daughter of a Black father and a white mother, which on its own makes for some funny and insightful looks at identity. Laura&’s parents were both Scientologists and nonconformists in myriad ways. They divorced early in Laura&’s childhood, and she spent her teen years ping-ponging back and forth between Clearwater, Florida, and Los Angeles (with an extended stint in Tijuana for good measure).Laura lived alone and raised herself for long periods of time, but don&’t worry! Her mom&’s alcoholic boyfriend was always nearby to supervise. She also lost family members to horrific tragedies, started drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes when she was eleven years old, and dropped out of school when she was fifteen, all the while completely obsessed with and scarred by her severe acne condition. This is not a sad story. There is Jell-O wrestling. There is an abnormal amount of dancing. There is information about whether you can drink gallons of sangria while taking unregulated Accutane acquired in Mexico. But mostly there is love, and ultimately there is redemption. Laura explores her trauma through anecdotes riddled with grit and humor, proving that in the face of unspeakable tragedy, it is possible to find success, love, and self-acceptance, zits and all.
Acid Virga
by Gabriel Kruis&“Gabriel Kruis is a really formidable poet. Acid Virga is rather terrifying, also a tour de force and a formal breakthrough. . . a blend of narrative and lyric the way the mind is. . . &” —ALICE NOTLEY &“As wildly visionary as it is linguistically alive, Gabriel Kruis&’s Acid Virga drills down into the bedrock of American life to produce a book unparalleled in its exploration of how visionary experience and social upheaval collide in ways that are both transformative and annihilating.&” —TOM SLEIGH &“If you&’ve ever been conscious, and felt a little disturbed about it, of life as ancient and ephemeral or that falling apart is an integral force, this is a book to read over and over.&” —STACY SZYMASZEK &“. . .a great affliction and affection inform Acid Virga, fast-moving with strophes like brisk moving cloud banks over the mind in your heart.&” —MAJOR JACKSON &“Meanwhile, in el mal pais, leaned out on mucinex, mixing dexy cocktails in the haloed pharmacy of the car...&” An unusually assured debut, Acid Virga is a memoir in verse cutting between a vivid Southwest upbringing and modern O&’Hara hustle in New York City, deeply and seriously reckoning with the psychedelic heritage of religion and the psychological clarity of chemical consciousness. It is both thrillingly propulsive and dense enough to read again and again, always offering up something new. Language is boundlessly specific, evocative of states internal and external, reading at times like a melancholy memoir stuck between stations, an epic poem or even a philosophical tract, always a true and important record of our American lives as lived now—an endless and reliable ticker tape of the soul.
Acid Test: How a Daring Group of Psychonauts Rediscovered the Power of LSD, MDMA, and Other Psychedelic Drugs to Heal Addiction, Depression, Anxiety, and Trauma
by Tom ShroderIt's no secret that psychedelic drugs have the ability to cast light on the miraculous reality hidden within our psyche. Almost immediately after the discovery of LSD less than a hundred years ago, psychedelics began to play a crucial role in the quest to understand the link between mind and matter. With an uncanny ability to reveal the mind's remote frontiers and the unmapped areas of human consciousness, LSD and MDMA (better known as Ecstasy) have proven extraordinarily effective in treating anxiety disorders such as PTSD--yet the drugs remain illegal for millions of people who might benefit from them. Anchoring Tom Shroder's Acid Test are the stories of Rick Doblin, the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), who has been fighting government prohibition of psychedelics for more than thirty years; Michael Mithoefer, a former emergency room physician, now a psychiatrist at the forefront of psychedelic therapy research; and his patient Nicholas Blackston, a former Marine who has suffered unfathomable mental anguish from the effects of brutal combat experiences in Iraq. All three men are passionate, relatable people; each flawed, each resilient, and each eccentric, yet very familiar and very human. Acid Test covers the first heady years of experimentation in the fifties and sixties, through the backlash of the seventies and eighties, when the drug subculture exploded and uncontrolled use of street psychedelics led to a PR nightmare that created the drug stereotypes of the present day. Meticulously researched and astoundingly informative, this is at once a personal story of intertwining lives against an epic backdrop, and a compelling argument for the unprecedented healing properties of drugs that have for decades been characterized as dangerous, illicit substances.
Acid for the Children: A Memoir
by FleaThe iconic bassist and co-founder of the Red Hot Chili Peppers tells his fascinating origin story, complete with all the dizzying highs and the gutter lows you'd want from an LA street rat turned world famous rock star. <P><P>In Acid for the Children, Flea takes readers on a deeply personal and revealing tour of his formative years, spanning from Australia to the New York City suburbs to, finally, Los Angeles. Through hilarious anecdotes, poetical meditations, and occasional flights of fantasy, Flea deftly chronicles the experiences that forged him as an artist, a musician, and a young man. His dreamy, jazz-inflected prose makes the Los Angeles of the 1970s and 80s come to gritty, glorious life, including the potential for fun, danger, mayhem, or inspiration that lurked around every corner. <P><P>It is here that young Flea, looking to escape a turbulent home, found family in a community of musicians, artists, and junkies who also lived on the fringe. He spent most of his time partying and committing petty crimes. But it was in music where he found a higher meaning, a place to channel his frustration, loneliness, and love. This left him open to the life-changing moment when he and his best friends, soul brothers, and partners-in-mischief came up with the idea to start their own band, which became the Red Hot Chili Peppers. <P><P>Acid for the Children is the debut of a stunning new literary voice, whose prose is as witty, entertaining, and wildly unpredictable as the author himself. It's a tenderly evocative coming-of-age story and a raucous love letter to the power of music and creativity from one of the most renowned musicians of our time. <P><P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
Acid For The Children - The autobiography of Flea, the Red Hot Chili Peppers legend: A Memoir
by FleaFlea, the iconic bassist and co-founder, alongside Anthony Kiedis, of the immortal Red Hot Chili Peppers finally tells his fascinating origin story, complete with all the dizzying highs and the gutter lows you'd expect from an LA street rat turned world-famous rock star.Michael Peter Balzary was born in Melbourne, Australia, on October 16, 1962. His more famous stage name, Flea, and his wild ride as the renowned bass player for the Red Hot Chili Peppers was in a far and distant future. Little Michael from Oz moved with his very conservative, very normal family to Westchester, New York, where life as he knew it was soon turned upside down. His parents split up and he and his sister moved into the home of his mother's free-wheeling, jazz musician boyfriend - trading in rules, stability, and barbecues for bohemian values, wildness, and Sunday afternoon jazz parties where booze, weed, and music flowed in equal measure. There began Michael's life-long journey to channel all the frustration, loneliness, love, and joy he felt into incredible rhythm.When Michael's family moved to Los Angeles in 1972, his home situation was rockier than ever. He sought out a sense of belonging elsewhere, spending most of his days partying, playing basketball, and committing petty crimes. At Fairfax High School, he met another social outcast, Anthony Kiedis, who quickly became his soul brother, the yin to his yang, his partner in mischief. Michael joined some bands, fell in love with performing, and honed his skills. But it wasn't until the night when Anthony, excited after catching a Grandmaster Flash concert, suggested they start their own band that he is handed the magic key to the cosmic kingdom.Acid for the Children is as raw, entertaining and wildly unpredictable as its author. It's both a tenderly evocative coming of age story and a raucous love letter to the power of music and creativity
Acid For The Children - The autobiography of Flea, the Red Hot Chili Peppers legend
by FleaThe strange tale of a boy named Flea starts in Rye, NY. It was all very normal. But soon his parents divorced and his mother Patricia remarried a jazz musician. Flea's stepfather frequently invited musicians to his house for jam sessions which sparked Flea's interest in music. The family moved to Los Angeles, where Flea became fascinated with the trumpet, idolizing musicians like Miles, Dizzy, and Louis.But the family soon fell apart, "I was raised in a very violent, alcoholic household," Flea later said. "I grew up being terrified of my parents, particularly my father figures. It caused [me] a lot of trouble later in life." He began smoking weed at 13, and became a daily user of harder drugs. He was on the streets by 14 and soon after, met another social outcast and drug user named Anthony Kiedis. They form a band that would become the Red Hot Chili Peppers.ACID FOR THE CHILDREN is pure, uncut Flea, with nothing left unsaid.(P)2018 Hachette Audio
Acid Christ: Ken Kesey, LSD, and the Politics of Ecstasy
by Mark ChristensenFrom the literary wonder boy to the countercultural guru whose cross-country bus trip inspired The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, this candid biography chronicles the life and times of cultural icon Ken Kesey from the 1960s through the 1980s. Presenting an incisive analysis of the author who described himself as "too young to be a beatnik, and too old to be a hippie," this account conducts a mesmerizing journey from the perspective of Mark Christensen, an eventual member of the Kesey "flock." Featuring interviews with those within his inner circle, this exploration reveals the bestselling author of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in his many forms, placing him within the framework of his time, his generation, and the zeitgeist of the psychedelic era.
Acid Attack: A Journalist's War With Organised Crime
by Russell Findlay&“A good gritty read . . . expect your heart to race&” from a journalist who took on Scotland&’s most dangerous mob bosses—and paid the price (Gina McKie, DJ and radio legend). Two days before Christmas 2015, veteran crime journalist Russell Findlay was the target of a vicious attack on his own doorstep. An unknown assailant, disguised as a postman, hurled sulphuric acid in his face before attempting to stab him with a steak knife. Despite suffering horrific burns, Findlay managed to overcome his assailant before the police arrived. In this book he unravels the identity of the man who ordered the hit and reflects on a two-decade career during which he has exposed some of Scotland&’s most violent and dangerous men. The result is an unflinchingly realistic portrait of the country&’s criminal underworld, involving not just organized crime&’s most notorious bosses but also murky behavior by lawyers, politicians, policemen and even fellow journalists which has enabled the criminals to flourish.&“Cast[s] light on the reality of Glasgow&’s vicious gang culture and the dangers for those brave enough to report on it.&” —The Guardian&“Puts his head where most reporters wouldn&’t put their feet.&” —Mark Daly, BBC Scotland investigations correspondent&“I&’ve read it twice, it&’s an utterly fascinating book.&” —Tam Cowan, BBC Radio Scotland&“Real journalism is still practiced by brave individuals. I use that word deliberately, because it takes courage to expose the dangerous, violent and depraved. Russell Findlay displays that courage.&” —Joan McAlpine, MSP, Daily Record
Achtung Schweinehund!: A Boy's Own Story of Imaginary Combat
by Harry PearsonThis is a book about men and war. Not real conflict but war as it has filtered down to generations of boys and men through toys, comics, games and movies. Harry Pearson belongs to the great battalion of British men who grew up playing with toy soldiers - refighting World War II - and then stopped growing up. Inspired by the photos of the gallant pilot uncles that decorated the wall above his father's model-making table, by Sergeant Hurricane, Action Man and Escape from Colditz, dressed in Clarks' commando shoes and with the Airfix Army in support, he battled in the fields and on the beaches, in his head and on the sitting-room floor and across his bedroom ceiling. And thirty years later he still is.ACHTUNG SCHWEINEHUND! is a celebration of those glory days, a boy's own story of the urge to play, to conquer - and to adopt very bad German accents, shouting 'Donner und Blitzen' at every opportunity. This is a tale of obsession, glue and plastic kits. It is the story of one boy's imaginary war and where it led him.
Achtung Schweinehund!: A Boy's Own Story of Imaginary Combat
by Harry PearsonThis is a book about men and war. Not real conflict but war as it has filtered down to generations of boys and men through toys, comics, games and movies. Harry Pearson belongs to the great battalion of British men who grew up playing with toy soldiers - refighting World War II - and then stopped growing up. Inspired by the photos of the gallant pilot uncles that decorated the wall above his father's model-making table, by Sergeant Hurricane, Action Man and Escape from Colditz, dressed in Clarks' commando shoes and with the Airfix Army in support, he battled in the fields and on the beaches, in his head and on the sitting-room floor and across his bedroom ceiling. And thirty years later he still is.ACHTUNG SCHWEINEHUND! is a celebration of those glory days, a boy's own story of the urge to play, to conquer - and to adopt very bad German accents, shouting 'Donner und Blitzen' at every opportunity. This is a tale of obsession, glue and plastic kits. It is the story of one boy's imaginary war and where it led him.
Achieving the Impossible
by Lewis Gordon PughIn July 2007, Lewis Gordon Pugh became the first person to swim at the North Pole, in temperatures that would kill a normal person, primarily to raise awareness of climate change. Nicknamed 'the human polar bear' for his ability to raise his body temperature at will, he has pioneered swims in the world's most hostile waters, redefining what it is possible to achieve in terms of endurance. A former member of the SAS, Lewis tells his fantastic story here for the first time. Chapters cover his childhood, growing up with his 'hero' Surgeon Rear Admiral father, his early life in South Africa, his gruelling training in the army's elite regiment, his inspiration and, of course, plenty of action/adventure stories, chronicling his many nail-biting endurance swims. With practical lessons taken from his own life, Lewis explains how recognising one's passions and taking calculated risks is essential for anyone looking to fulfil their goals. The book will also cover his expedition kayaking to the North Pole in summer 2008 and preparing for his most dangerous swim yet - planned for spring 2010. His story is inspiring, entertaining and thrilling in equal measure, and its 40-year-old author is a much-needed role model for our times.
Acheson: The Secretary of State Who Created the American World
by James ChaceAcheson is the first complete biography of the most important and controversial secretary of state of the twentieth century. More than any other of the renowned "Wise Men" who together proposed our vision of the world in the aftermath of World War II, Dean Acheson was the quintessential man of action. Drawing on Acheson family diaries and letters as well as recent revelations from Russian and Chinese archives, historian James Chace traces Acheson's remarkable life, from his days as a schoolboy at Groton and his carefree life at Yale to his work for President Franklin Roosevelt on international financial policy and his unique partnership with President Truman. Acheson was a housemate of Cole Porter's at Harvard Law School, a protégé of Supreme Court justice Felix Frankfurter's, a friend of poet Archibald MacLeish's, a key adviser to General George Marshall, and a confidant of Winston Churchill's. Serving as Truman's secretary of state from 1949 to 1953, he was indeed "present at the creation," as he entitled his memoirs. More than any other of Truman's powerful and glamorous advisers, Acheson conceived the shape of the postwar world and mastered the policies that ensured its birth and endurance. He was the driving force behind the Truman Doctrine to contain the Soviet Union's expansionist ambitions; the Marshall Plan to rebuild the shattered economies of Europe; and NATO, the military alliance that would bind Western Europe and the United States and keep the Soviet Union firmly behind the Iron Curtain until it collapsed. Chace corrects many misconceptions about Acheson's role in the Cold War. Acheson was not one of the original Cold Warriors. In 1945, willing to acknowledge Soviet concerns about its security, Acheson worked closely with Secretary of War Henry Stimson on a plan to share America's scientific information about atomic energy with Moscow in order to avert an arms race. It was only when Moscow made threatening demands on Turkey for bases in the Dardanelles that Acheson hardened his views toward the Soviet Union. Acheson's initial approach toward Communist China was similarly nonideological. He had little sympathy for Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalists on Taiwan and, until the outbreak of the Korean War, held out hope that the United States would soon recognize Mao Zedong's regime as the legitimate government of China. Acheson's early pragmatism toward Moscow and Beijing, and his refusal to denounce Alger Hiss, a State Department colleague accused of being a Communist, earned him the enmity of the McCarthyites, who accused Acheson of having "lost" China and of sabotaging General Douglas MacArthur in Korea. Later, Acheson encouraged President Kennedy to stand firm against the Soviets in the Berlin Wall and Cuban missile crises. He headed a group of elder statesmen who advised President Johnson on the Vietnam War. When Acheson turned against the war, Johnson realized that domestic support for his policy had crumbled. Acheson is a masterful biography of a great statesman whose policies won the Cold War. It is also an important and dramatic work of history chronicling the momentous decisions, events, and fascinating personalities of the most critical decades of the American Century.
Aches & Pains
by Maeve BinchyA brilliantly funny guide to the trials and tribulations of hospitals and convalescence - from No. 1 bestselling author Maeve Binchy.Get the feel-better factor from Maeve Binchy as she teams up with artist Wendy Shea to bring us ACHES & PAINS. This gem of a book includes:Five things you can say to annoy the patient in the next bedHow to put on elastic stockingsSix ways to make non-alcoholic drinks bearableHow to be the perfect hospital visitorUnusual but essential things for your medicine cupboardFilled with the fun, warmth and wisdom for which Maeve Binchy is famous, ACHES & PAINS is the perfect alternative to a Get Well card.
Aches & Pains
by Maeve BinchyA brilliantly funny guide to the trials and tribulations of hospitals and convalescence - from No. 1 bestselling author Maeve Binchy.Get the feel-better factor from Maeve Binchy as she teams up with artist Wendy Shea to bring us ACHES & PAINS. This gem of a book includes:Five things you can say to annoy the patient in the next bedHow to put on elastic stockingsSix ways to make non-alcoholic drinks bearableHow to be the perfect hospital visitorUnusual but essential things for your medicine cupboardFilled with the fun, warmth and wisdom for which Maeve Binchy is famous, ACHES & PAINS is the perfect alternative to a Get Well card.
Aches & Pains
by Maeve BinchyGet the feel-better factor from Maeve Binchy as she teams up with artist Wendy Shea to bring us ACHES & PAINS. This gem of a book includes:Five things you can say to annoy the patient in the next bedHow to put on elastic stockingsSix ways to make non-alcoholic drinks bearableHow to be the perfect hospital visitorUnusual but essential things for your medicine cupboardFilled with fun, warmth and wisdom, for which Maeve Binchy is famous, ACHES & PAINS is the perfect alternative to a Get Well card.Read by Kate Binchy(p) 2002 Orion Publishing Group
Achei Meu Match, ou Quase: Histórias Reais sobre Encontros Desastrosos
by Leroy Vincent Erick AraujoAchei Meu Match, Ou Quase Isso é um livro cheio de histórias reais sobre encontros desastrosos. Este é um ótimo livro para quem está procurando o seu amor e já teve algumas experiências bem malucas. Você vai rir e até dizer: “Isso já aconteceu comigo.”
Aces High, Volume 2: A Further Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the British and Commonwealth Air Forces in WWII
by Christopher ShoresSecond in the Aces High series—an updated military reference of the fighter pilots who had five or more confirmed victories while serving in the RAF. This volume updates the information in the first volume and adds some new names. Information has been added on the pilots who gained success against the V-1 flying bombs during 1944-45. Detail is also provided on those units in which virtually all the fighter pilots served at some time or another—the fighter Operational Training Units—and of specialist units such as the Central Gunnery School, Fighter Leader&’s School and Fighter Experimental Units. There is also coverage of the only other conflicts in which British pilots have been able to claim victories since 1945—Korea and the Falklands Conflict. &“There are some authors whose name alone is sufficient reason to but a book, and Christopher Shores is surely one of these . . . By profession a chartered surveyor, he served in the Royal Air Force in the 1950s so his writing bears the stamp of authenticity.&” —HistoryNet
Aces High, Volume 1: A Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the British and Commonwealth Forces of WWII
by Christopher Shores Clive WilliamsFirst in the Aces High series—a military reference of the fighter pilots who had five or more confirmed victories while serving in the Royal Air Force. Introduced by the French quite early in World War I, the term &“ace&” was used to describe a pilot credited with five or more aerial victories. But in the United Kingdom, the term was never officially recognized. Becoming an ace was partly luck, especially considering the campaigns in which they flew and the areas of combat. There are three distinct kinds of aces: the defensive ace, the offensive ace, and the night fighter. This book is a revised collection of the biographies of the highest scoring Allied fighter pilots of World War II—including those with the confirmed claims of shooting down five aircraft and those pilots with lower scores but whose wartime careers prove them worthy of inclusion. All details of their combat are arranged in tabular form. Included are a selection of photographs from hitherto private collections. &“There are some authors whose name alone is sufficient reason to but a book, and Christopher Shores is surely one of these . . . By profession a chartered surveyor, he served in the Royal Air Force in the 1950s so his writing bears the stamp of authenticity.&” —HistoryNet
Acedia & me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer's Life
by Kathleen NorrisThe extraordinary New York Times bestselling masterpiece from "one of the most eloquent yet earthbound spiritual writers of our time (San Francisco Chronicle). Kathleen Norris had written several much loved books, yet she couldn't drag herself out of bed in the morning, couldn't summon the energy for her daily tasks. Even as she struggled, Norris recognized her familiar battle with acedia, a word she had discovered in early Church text years earlier. Fascinated by this "noonday demon", so familiar to those in the early and medieval Church, Norris knew she must restore this forgotten but important concept to the modern world's vernacular. An examination of acedia in the light of psychology, spirituality, the healing powers of religious practice, and Norris's own experience, Acedia & Me is both intimate and historically sweeping, brimming with exasperation and reverence, sometimes funny, often provocative, and always insightful. .
An Ace of the Eighth
by Norman J. FortierFOR A FIGHTER PILOT IN THE MIGHTY EIGHTH, DEATH WAS ALWAYS A HEARTBEAT AWAY. When the skies of Europe blazed with the fiercest air battles in history, fighter pilots like Norman “Bud” Fortier were in the thick of it, flying four hundred miles an hour at thirty thousand feet, dodging flak and dueling with Nazi aces. In their role as “escorts” to Flying Fortresses and Liberators, the fighter squadrons’ ability to blast enemy aircraft from the sky was key to the success of pinpoint bombing raids on German oil refineries, communication and supply lines, and other crucial targets. Flying in formation with the bomber stream, Fortier and the rest of his squadron helped develop dive-bombing and strafing tactics for the Thunderbolts and Mustangs. As the war progressed, fighter squadrons began to carry out their own bombing missions. From blasting V-1 missile sites along France’s “rocket coast” and the hell-torn action of D day to the critical attacks on the Ruhr Valley and massive daylight raids on German industrial targets, Fortier was part of the Allies’ bitter struggle to bring the Nazi war machine to a halt. In describing his own hundred-plus missions and by including the accounts of fellow fighter pilots, Fortier recaptures the excitement and fiery terror of the world’s most dangerous cat-and-mouse game. From the Paperback edition.
Ace Of Aces: The Life Of Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker
by H. Paul JeffersIn this important new biography, acclaimed historian H. Paul Jeffers brings to vivid life one of the most daring and dramatic figures of twentieth century America-Medal of Honor recipient Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker. Born to immigrant parents with humble means at the turn of the century, Edward Rickenbacker was destined to embody the ingenuity, innovation, and courage that would make the United States a world power. Rickenbacker burst onto the national scene as one of the nation's first star race car drivers. In an era when tracks were rough and safety precautions virtually unknown, Rickenbacker pushed the fastest machines at terrifying speeds. Later in life, he would own the Indianapolis Speedway and help establish the sport of modern race car driving as we know it. But Rickenbacker's lasting fame came as an "Ace of Aces" in World War I, a fearless fighter pilot who would chase the "Flying Circus" of the legendary Red Baron above the battlefields of France. With his "Hat-in-the-Ring" squadron, Eddie was among the first to understand that the new technology of aviation would forever change the face of warfare. Shooting down twenty-six enemy planes in just seven months, he captured the hearts of a nation back home involved in its first Great War. Even after the war, he remained a national figure as one of the founders of Eastern Airlines. Turning his wartime experience to peacetime industry, Rickenbacker again led American interests in reshaping the world. And in one of the most dramatic chapters of World War II, a plane on which Rickenbacker flew as a civilian crash-landed in the Pacific Ocean. He survived as a castaway for twenty-four days before a rescue that defied the odds. Ace of Aces is the unparalleled story of a hero and the dramatic events that shaped our country and our history.
Ace in a Day: The Memoir of an Eighth Air Force Fighter Pilot in World War II
by Lt. Col. Wayne K. BlickenstaffWayne K. Blickenstaff, known as “Blick,” was a stalwart of the 350th Fighter Squadron of the 353rd Fighter Group based at Goxhill, Metfield and Raydon, England as part of the Eighth Air Force prosecuting the strategic air campaign against Germany. As an original cadre member, he rose steadily through the ranks from a Second Lieutenant Element Leader to Flight Leader, Squadron Operations Officer, Squadron Leader and finally to a Lieutenant Colonel and Group Operations Officer. Flying the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang, he completed two tours of operations between 1943 and 1945 encompassing 133 missions and claims of 10 enemy aircraft destroyed in the air. His double “ace” status included a Me262 jet fighter and the destruction of five aircraft in one mission—giving him rare “ace in a day” status. Ace in a Day is Blick’s honest and gritty personal memoir of his air war in Europe. His vivid writing places you in the cockpit as he and his comrades battle the enemy in the skies or attack ground targets across Europe. His account conveys a true sense of just how dangerous flying World War II fighters, in all weather conditions, really was. It was not just the enemy that could kill you. A moment’s inattention, overconfidence or simple mistake could be deadly. As a keen observer of character, Blick’s pen portraits of those around him, including many of those who sadly did not survive the war, offer a poignant and deeply moving tribute to those with whom he served. Anyone wanting an understanding of the dynamics of a working fighter squadron at war and the dilemmas faced by those in command should read this book. Supported by an impressive array of original documentation, photographs, and detailed appendices, including Blick’s never-before published wartime journal, Ace in a Day provides a unique and valuable insight into the harsh realities of the air war in Europe from one of the “Mighty Eighth’s” top fighter pilots.
Accused War Criminal: An American Kempei Tai Survivor (Williams-ford Texas A&m University Military History Ser. #153)
by Fiske Hanley IIA WWII Air Force Cadet shares his incredible story of serving his country and being shot down over Japan in this vivid POW memoir.The day after Fisk Hanley graduated from Texas Technical College, in May of 1943, he boarded a train for Boca Raton, Florida, where he would begin his training as an Air Force Aviation Cadet. Like so many other young men that year, Hanley had been drafted to serve the United States in the Second World War. Assigned to the 504th Bombardment Group in the Pacific Theater, Hanley became a flight engineer on a B-29 bomber squad. On his seventh mission, he and his crew were shot down over Japan. In Accused War Criminal, Hanley shares his experiences from his training and commissioning to his deployment on a failed mission that led to his capture. He recounts how he managed to survive as a prisoner of war until his eventual rescue and recovery. With candid honesty and telling details, this is a humbling and harrowing tale of one man&’s bravery under unimaginable circumstances.