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Hallucinations
by Oliver SacksNATIONAL BESTSELLER • The "poet laureate of medicine" (The New York Times) and author of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat weaves together stories of mind-altering experiences to reveal what they tell us about our brains, our folklore and culture, and why the potential for hallucination exists in us all. "Sacks has turned hallucinations from something bizarre and frightening into something that seems part of what it means to be a person. His book, too, is a medical and human triumph.&” —The Washington Post &“An absorbing plunge into a mystery of the mind.&” —Entertainment WeeklyTo many people, hallucinations imply madness, but in fact they are a common part of the human experience. These sensory distortions range from the shimmering zigzags of a visual migraine to powerful visions brought on by fever, injuries, drugs, sensory deprivation, exhaustion, or even grief. Hallucinations doubtless lie behind many mythological traditions, literary inventions, and religious epiphanies. Drawing on his own experiences, a wealth of clinical cases from among his patients, and famous historical examples ranging from Dostoevsky to Lewis Carroll, the legendary neurologist Oliver Sacks investigates the mystery of these sensory deceptions: what they say about the working of our brains, how they have influenced our folklore and culture, and why the potential for hallucination is present in all humans.
Halsey's Typhoon: The True Story of a Fighting Admiral, an Epic Storm, and an Untold Rescue
by Bob Drury Tom ClavinIn the tradition of The Perfect Storm and Flags of Our Fathers , Halsey’s Typhoon chronicles the epic tale of men clashing against the ruthless forces of war and nature. In December 1944, America’s most popular and colorful naval hero, Admiral William “Bull” Halsey, unwittingly sailed his undefeated Pacific Fleet into the teeth of the most powerful storm on earth. Three destroyers were capsized sending hundreds of sailors and officers into the raging, shark infested waters. Over the next sixty hours, small bands of survivors fought seventy-foot waves, exhaustion, and dehydration to await rescue at the hands of the courageous Lt. Com. Henry Lee Plage, who, defying orders, sailed his tiny destroyer escort USS Tabberer through 150 mph winds to reach the lost men. Thanks to documents that have been declassified after sixty years and dozens of first-hand accounts from survivors—including former President Gerald Ford—one of the greatest World War II stories, and a riveting tale of survival at sea, can finally be told. Image descriptions added.
Halton Boys: True Tales from Pilots and Ground Crew Proud to be Called 'Trenchard Brats'
by Sean FeastA history of the twentieth-century Royal Air Force training programme as told by the men who lived it.The RAF Halton Apprenticeship Scheme has a deserved reputation for excellence. The brainchild of MRAF Hugh Trenchard, the founder of the Royal Air Force, it took the “traditional” idea of an apprenticeship and interpreted it in a novel way. It allowed teenage boys from any social background or geography to learn a technical trade that would equip them for their future lives, within and beyond the RAF. It also gave the best an opportunity to become pilots and break into the once public-school-dominated officer class. Of the 50,000 boys trained as apprentices, seventeen won the Sword of Honour at Cranwell, and more than 1,200 were commissioned with 110 achieving Air Rank. Eighteen have been knighted, with well over 1,000 others being honoured at various levels of state.More than a hundred Halton Boys served as pilots in the Battle of Britain (and many more as airframe/engine fitters and armourers), including former Olympic hurdler Don Finlay. Others like Gerry Blacklock and Pat Connolly flew bombers on perilous missions over Western Europe or took part in the famous “Dams” Raid. Then there were the three men murdered for their part in the Great Escape, and those who battled and survived years as prisoners of the Japanese in the Far East.In the jet era, ex-apprentice Graham Hulse became an “ace” in Korea, serving with an American fighter squadron, and Mike Hines went on to become OC 617 Squadron after having first flown operations during the Suez crisis. Others like Charles Owen became a pioneer commercial jet pilot, and Peter Goodwin had the misfortune of being captured in the first Gulf War and used as a human shield.Some forged successful careers beyond the RAF, like Lawrie Haynes, who was on the main board at Rolls-Royce and is now chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, and Eugene Borysuik—one of the many Polish apprentices trained at Halton, who enjoyed a successful career at GEC. And there were many others beyond air and ground crew including policemen, government officials and even bishops whose careers started with the Halton family.This is the story of Halton told through and by the boys who were there and who are still proud to be called “Trenchard Brats.”
Ham: Essays and Stories
by Sam Harrisham (noun) [hæm]<P> 1. the hind leg of a hog, salted, smoked, and cured<P> 2. second son of Noah <P> 3. somebody who performs in an exaggerated showy style -always hamming it up <P> Just when you thought you knew everything about ham, you discover that ham is also: <P> 4. a reason to laugh about everyday life, and <P> 5. an irresistible collection of humorous essays from a man who was born to entertain us. <P> In sixteen brilliantly observed true stories, Sam Harris emerges as a natural humorist in league with David Sedaris, Chelsea Handler, Carrie Fisher, and Steve Martin, but with a voice uniquely his own. Praised by the Chicago Sun-Times for his "manic, witty commentary," and with a storytelling talent the New York Times calls "New Yorker- worthy," he puts a comedic spin on full-disclosure episodes from his own colorful life. What better place to find painfully funny material than in growing up gay, gifted, and ambitious in the heart of the Bible belt? And that's just the first cut: From partying to parenting, from Sunday school to getting sober, these slices of Ham will have you laughing and wiping away salty tears in equal measure with their universal and down-to-earth appeal. After all, there's a little ham in all of us.
Haman: A Biography
by Adam J. SilversteinThe first book-length study of the biblical villain Haman, examining his depiction across Judaism, Christianity, and IslamHaman, infamous as the antagonist in the book of Esther, appears as a villainous figure in virtually all varieties of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In this &“biography&” of Haman, Adam Silverstein traces the evolution of this villainous character from the ancient Near East to modern times, drawing on sources in a variety of languages and from diverse genres. Silverstein considers the evidence for a historical Haman and analyzes the abundance of material that documents what those who read the Bible and the Qur&’ān have thought about him over the past two millennia.With this book, Silverstein offers an essential and original account of the rich diversity and openness of Abrahamic civilizations throughout history. Taking Haman as a case study, Silverstein guides the reader through diverse intellectual terrains, covering ancient Near Eastern cultures, pre-Islamic Iranian literature, Abrahamic scriptures and their interpretation, late antiquity, Islamic history, and interfaith relations. He shows how the figure of Haman has both united and divided Jewish, Christian, and Muslim communities, who collaborated fruitfully in their efforts to grasp the meaning and significance of their holy books, but who also deployed the &“Haman&” label polemically against each other. Silverstein also considers Haman&’s prebiblical origins, raising the possibility that the book of Esther was receiving and reconfiguring Haman no less than later works were, with Esther&’s villain taking his place in a long line of reimagined Hamans.Haman: A Biography is the first book-length study to contextualize an Abrahamic character not only within Jewish and Christian traditions but also with reference to the character&’s prebiblical background and reception in Islamic cultures.
Hambre de Lobo. Mi biografía: Gustavo Fernández por Sebastián Torok
by Sebastian TorokCuando tenía un año y medio, Gusti Fernández sufrió un infarto medular que lo dejó parapléjico. Creció en una familia de deportistas y practicó desde chico en su silla básquet y tenis. Demostró rápidamente su enorme talento y llegó a ser el número 1 del tenis adaptado mundial. En este libro, su historia conmovedora y épica. Con prólogo de Rafael Nadal. "No cambio volver a caminar por todo lo que me pasó en mi vida deportiva y familiar". La sentencia, por cruda que suene, ilustra a la perfección a Gustavo Fernández, el Lobito. Con sólo un año y medio, sufrió un infarto medular, lesión que padece una persona de cada seis millones en todo el mundo. Aquello fue un golpe durísimo para una familia que respira deporte y que hasta recurrió a brujos para intentar que Gusti caminara. Sin embargo, en vez de crecer entre angustias y frustraciones, el cordobés potenció sus sentidos, blindó su valor, luchó contra los prejuicios, naturalizó la discapacidad, se formó como atleta de elite, llegó a la cima mundial del tenis adaptado y hasta asombró a Novak Djokovic durante una tarde en París. "La mayoría de los tenistas sobre silla de ruedas no quieren ni compasión, ni privilegios. Disfrutan y quieren competir con todas las de la ley y que los traten igual que a cualquier otro tenista, que, en definitiva, es lo que son: tenistas [...] En cuanto a Gustavo, solamente me queda felicitarlo y animarlo para que siga con ese espíritu arrollador", así describió Rafael Nadal a un deportista que no deja de asombrar y de ofrecer enseñanzas.
Hambre: Mi historia frente al espejo
by Toni MejíasHambre es la historia personal en la lucha contra la anorexia de Toni Mejías, reconocido rapero y componente de Los Chikos del Maíz. Un testimonio valiente que enfrenta un tema necesario. Un libro optimista sobre la capacidad de aprendizaje y superación y una crítica a la sociedad de la imagen en la que vivimos. Uno de los síntomas más evidentes de la anorexia es el frío que, como un abrazo de hielo, te atrapa y no te suelta. Hambre es mi historia frente al espejo, una historia escrita desde la derrota, pero llena de pequeñas victorias. Una historia escrita desde la depresión, pero que defiende la alegría como un derecho innegociable. Es mi testimonio acerca de un tema tabú, más aún en el caso de los hombres, y nace con la intención de buscar salidas conjuntas donde otros solo ofrecen muros y derrotas individuales. Toni Mejías, miembro del conocido grupo de rap Los Chikos del Maíz, cuenta la historia de cómo ha sufrido y ha luchado por controlar un trastorno alimenticio como es la anorexia. En él, desgrana su percepción sobre cómo la sociedad, el ritmo de vida, las nuevas tecnologías, la propia autoestima e inseguridad y muchos otros factores pueden tener un papel determinante para que un joven y reconocido artista llegue a sumergirse en el infierno de esta enfermedad. "Es muy valiente lo que has hecho con este libro. Valiente, liberador, terapéutico y generoso". María Rozalén "Digo en una canción que la vida es un regalo y es verdad. Pero también duele, también hay días que son una mierda, también hay épocas que son muy complicadas y que forman parte del proceso". "Necesitaba encontrarme. No en una fotografía donde todos sonreímos, no en un espejo en el que yo construía mis propios monstruos. Necesitaba encontrarme en el reflejo de los demás para saber que seguía existiendo. Para saber que podía volver. Para saber que todavía mucha gente me esperaba. Para saber que, sobre todo, llevaba demasiadas horas esperando regresar. Me lo merecía; se lo merecían. Se lo debía. A ella. A ellos".
Hamid Karzai (Modern World Leaders)
by Dennis AbramsHamid Karzai made history on December 7, 2004, when he was officially sworn in as Afghanistan's first democratically elected president. The world applauded as he vowed to heal his wounded country. A nation with a long and tumultuous history, Afghanistan had endured much over the previous two decades. Invading Soviet troops, resistance by the Mujahideen, anarchy, the oppressive rule of the Taliban, and finally U. S. military action after 9/11 had left the country in ruins. Intelligent, calm, and diplomatic, Hamid Karzai still has a formidable task ahead of him. Will it be possible to restore hope to the Afghan people? Can he bring order and stability to his war-weary nation? This book tackles such tough questions head-on, while giving clear insights into the background and tactics of one of the world's most crucial decision-makers. Hamid Karzai is an excellent resource for students seeking to enhance their knowledge of contemporary world issues and the important figures behind them.
Hamilton versus Jefferson in the Washington Administration
by Carson HollowayBy the middle of 1792, just a little more than three years after America's new government under the Constitution had been set in motion, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson - President George Washington's two most important cabinet secretaries and two of the most eminent men among the American founders - had become open and bitter political enemies. Their dispute was not personal but political in the highest sense. Each believed that the debate between them was over regime principles. Each believed that he was protecting the newly established republic, and that the other was laboring to destroy it. Carson Holloway's Hamilton versus Jefferson in the Washington Administration examines Hamilton and Jefferson's differences, seeking to explain why these great founders came to disagree so profoundly and vehemently about the political project to which both were committed and had dedicated so much thought and effort.
Hamilton's Campaigns with Moore and Wellington during the Peninsular War: Original And Compiled (classic Reprint)
by Anthony HamiltonThis ebook is purpose built and is proof-read and re-type set from the original to provide an outstanding experience of reflowing text for an ebook reader. The memoir of another of the hardy and eloquent Irish soldiers that fought in the British army during the Peninsular Wars. Hamilton's memoirs were not intended for a large publication and do not contain the details of camp and campaign life that you might find in such works by Costello, Tomkinson or Kincaid. They are, however, a collection of first rate eye-witness accounts of the battles that Hamilton and his comrades of the 43rd regiment of Foot took part in, or was in a position to offer a close second-hand account of. The list of battles covered encompasses almost all of the major engagements that the British army took part in the Peninsular and 1815 campaign; Rolica, Vimiero, Coruña, Talavera, Busaco, Albuera, Fuentes d'Oñoro, the sieges of Cuidad Rodrigo and Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria and finally Waterloo. A pithy eye-witness account. Author - Anthony Hamilton - (1779 - 1844) Text taken, whole and complete, from the edition published in 1847, New York, by Prescott and Wilson Original - 163 pages. TOC included
Hamilton, Adams, Jefferson: The Politics of Enlightenment and the American Founding
by Darren StaloffAn intellectual history of three Founding Fathers whose unique approaches to the Enlightenment helped shape America.American historian Darren Staloff delves into the political and intellectual lives of Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson to reveal how they embodied the collision of Europe’s grand Enlightenment project with the birth of a young nation. These three very different men each governed their public lives by Enlightenment principles. And the struggle for American independence would forever change their relationships to the politics of Enlightenment.Repeated humiliation on America’s battlefields banished Hamilton’s youthful idealism, leaving him a disciple of Enlightened realpolitik and the nation’s leading exponent of modern statecraft. After ten years in Europe’s diplomatic trenches, Adams’s embrace of the politics of Enlightenment became increasingly skeptical in spirit, and his public posture became increasingly that of the gadfly of his country. And Jefferson’s frustrations as a Revolutionary governor in Virginia led him to go beyond his Enlightened worldview, and articulate a new and radical Romantic politics of principle.Staloff demonstrates how each of these approaches helped shape America’s unique political identity. Because of the influence of these towering figures, Americans demand a government that is both modern, constrained by checks and balances, and capable of appealing to our loftiest aspirations while adhering to decidedly pragmatic policies.
Hamilton: Founding Father (Illustrated Lives)
by Ray Raphael Marie RaphaelAn illustrated biography of the Founding Father and first Secretary of the Treasury by the acclaimed authors of The Spirit of ’74.An illegitimate child born in the Caribbean, who arrived in America as a near-penniless teenager, Alexander Hamilton did not seem to have much in common with the rest of the Founding Fathers. But the audacious young immigrant quickly proved himself in the cauldron of revolutionary fervor gripping the colonies in the 1770s. After proving himself in the Revolution as an artillery officer and aide to George Washington, Hamilton became one of the foremost architects of the new United States of America. He wrote many of the Federalist Papers, established the first national bank, and became first Secretary of the Treasury before losing his life in a duel. In Hamilton, veteran historians Marie Raphael and Ray Raphael explain how Hamilton’s strong personality, quicksilver intellect, and taste for combat played into the contentious arguments over what kind of country the young republic would become. The debate between Thomas Jefferson’s decentralized approach to democracy and Hamilton’s belief in a strong federal government is still being argued today. Vividly written and fully illustrated, including many colorful and rarely seen pieces of art, Hamilton is a powerful testament to one of the most illustrious figures of American history.Praise for The Spirit of ’74: How the American Revolution Began“[A] concise, lively narrative . . . the authors expertly build tension.” —Publishers Weekly“The Raphaels tell this dramatic story in a fascinating and very readable manner.” —Journal of the American Revolution
Hamish Henderson, Volume 1: A Biography: The Making of the Poet (1919–1953) (1 Ser. #1)
by Timothy NeatA &“detailed, vivid and fascinating&” biography of one of Scotland&’s most fascinating literary figures (Sunday Herald). Hamish Henderson lived one of the great lives of twentieth-century Scotland, a dramatic life of epic European scale, a life of major artistic, political, and spiritual achievement. Well-known as a songwriter, a poet, and a pioneer in the field of Scottish folksong, Henderson was also a highly original translator of poetry—from Gaelic, French, German, Latin, and Greek—much of it into Scots. He also translated the work of the Italian socialist Antonio Gramsci, whose &“Prison Letters&” he published in English in 1974. Born in Blairgowrie, Perthshire, in 1919, Hamish Henderson spent his early years in Glenshee before moving to Ireland and then Devon. He won a scholarship to Dulwich College and went on to study Modern Languages at Cambridge. During the Second World War he served in North Africa and Italy with the 51st Highland Division. He died in March 2002. This book, a major study of this charismatic and fascinating man, presents both a detailed biography and an assessment of his place in the context of the twentieth century. It is based on firsthand interviews with those who knew Henderson both personally and professionally, as well as detailed research of published and unpublished sources.
Hamish Henderson, Volume 2: A Biography: Poetry Becomes People (1952–2002) (Hamish Henderson Ser. #2)
by Timothy NeatThe second volume of the comprehensive biography of the renowned twentieth-century Scottish poet and translator. A songwriter, poet, and pioneer in the field of folksong, Hamish Henderson was a towering figure in twentieth-century Scottish literature. He also translated poetry—from Gaelic, French, German, Latin, and Greek—much of it into Scots. His life spanned most of the twentieth century, including serving in North Africa and Italy with the 51st Highland Division during World War II. This book continues Timothy Neat&’s major study of this charismatic and fascinating man, presenting both a detailed biography and an assessment of his place in the context of the twentieth century. It is based on firsthand interviews with those who knew Henderson both personally and professionally, as well as detailed research of published and unpublished sources.
Hamka and Islam: Cosmopolitan Reform in the Malay World
by Khairudin AljuniedSince the early twentieth century, Muslim reformers have been campaigning for a total transformation of the ways in which Islam is imagined in the Malay world. One of the most influential is the author Haji Abdul Malik bin Abdul Karim Amrullah, commonly known as Hamka.In Hamka and Islam, Khairudin Aljunied employs the term "cosmopolitan reform" to describe Hamka's attempt to harmonize the many streams of Islamic and Western thought while posing solutions to the various challenges facing Muslims. Among the major themes Aljunied explores are reason and revelation, moderation and extremism, social justice, the state of women in society, and Sufism in the modern age, as well as the importance of history in reforming the minds of modern Muslims.Aljunied argues that Hamka demonstrated intellectual openness and inclusiveness toward a whole range of thoughts and philosophies to develop his own vocabulary of reform, attesting to Hamka's unique ability to function as a conduit for competing Islamic and secular groups.Hamka and Islam pushes the boundaries of the expanding literature on Muslim reformism and reformist thinkers by grounding its analysis within the Malay experience and by using the concept of cosmopolitan reform in a new context.
Hammarskjöld: A Life
by Roger LipseyAfter his mysterious death, Dag Hammarskjöld was described by John F. Kennedy as the "greatest statesman of our century. " Second secretary-general of the United Nations (1953 - 61), he is the only person to have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize posthumously. Through extensive research in little explored archives and personal correspondence, Roger Lipsey has produced the definitive biography of Dag Hammarskjöld. Hammarskjöld: A Life provides vivid new insights into the life and mind of a truly great individual. Hammarskjöld the statesman and Hammarskjöld the author of the classic spiritual journal Markings meet in this new biography - and the reader will meet them both in these pages. A towering mid-twentieth-century figure, Hammarskjöld speaks directly to our time.
Hammer Head: The Making of a Carpenter
by Nina MaclaughlinA warm and inspiring book for anyone who has ever dreamed of changing tracks: the story of a young woman who quit her desk job to become a carpenter. Nina MacLaughlin spent her twenties working at a Boston newspaper, sitting behind a desk and staring at a screen. Yearning for more tangible work, she applied for a job she saw on Craigslist--Carpenter's Assistant: Women strongly encouraged to apply--despite being a Classics major who couldn't tell a Phillips from a flathead screwdriver. She got the job, and in Hammer Head she tells the rich and entertaining story of becoming a carpenter. Writing with infectious curiosity, MacLaughlin describes the joys and frustrations of making things by hand, reveals the challenges of working as a woman in an occupation that is 99 percent male, and explains how manual labor changed the way she sees the world. We meet her unflappable mentor, Mary, a petite but tough carpenter-sage ("Be smarter than the tools!"), as well as wild demo dudes, foul-mouthed plumbers, grizzled hardware store clerks, and the colorful clients whose homes she and Mary work in. Whisking her readers from job to job--building a wall, remodeling a kitchen, gut-renovating a house--MacLaughlin examines the history of the tools she uses and the virtues and varieties of wood. Throughout, she draws on the wisdom of Ovid, Annie Dillard, Studs Terkel, and Mary Oliver to illuminate her experience of work. And, in a deeply moving climax, MacLaughlin strikes out on her own for the first time to build bookshelves for her own father. Hammer Head is a passionate book full of sweat, swearing, bashed thumbs, and a deep sense of finding real meaning in work and life.
Hammer Time: Me, West Ham, and a Passion for the Shirt
by Julian DicksFrom West Ham's cult hero, Julian Dicks, a hugely entertaining romp through football and the East End of the Eighties and Nineties.'Cult figure' is a term hardly used in football these days: where have they all gone? In the sterile and corporate modern game, is there room for the mercurial midfielder or the tough-tackling defender or the pot-bellied goal poacher? Rewind two or three decades and British professional football was stuffed to the gunnels with these 'one-offs': players with bags of talent, yes, but also lorryloads of personality and a hugely relatable quality which meant they'd all be playing Sunday morning park football if they hadn't become professionals. No media training, no filter, no 5% body fat, no cryotherapy chambers, and no quiet nights in with a curly kale salad and a glass of carrot juice. Meet Julian Dicks. Wonderful name, wonderful player, and (alongside Paulo Di Canio), undoubtedly the greatest 'cult figure' to play for West Ham United for a generation.Hammer Time is Dicks' hugely entertaining romp through his career with West Ham, shot through with all the great anecdotes of life as a pro back then, and peppered with all the marvellous characters who crossed his path in those halcyon days. It evokes memories of intimidating away crowds, muddy pitches, no-nonsense tackling, card schools on the bus, big nights out after matches, and the special camaraderie that was forged between players of that era.Hammer Time will also be an open love letter to the unique character and atmosphere of West Ham United and East London, conjuring up - with great warmth and nostalgia - a fast disappearing world of strong working-class communities, proper East End boozers, Dagenham Motors and the docks, jellied eels, rollmops and those iconic pie and mash shops.(P) 2023 Headline Publishing Group Ltd
Hammer Time: Me, West Ham, and a Passion for the Shirt
by Julian Dicks'pulls no punches' The Sun'full of eventful tales from the past' Daily MailFrom West Ham's cult hero, Julian Dicks, a hugely entertaining romp through football and the East End of the Eighties and Nineties.'Cult figure' is a term hardly used in football these days: where have they all gone? In the sterile and corporate modern game, is there room for the mercurial midfielder or the tough-tackling defender or the pot-bellied goal poacher? Rewind two or three decades and British professional football was stuffed to the gunnels with these 'one-offs': players with bags of talent, yes, but also lorryloads of personality and a hugely relatable quality which meant they'd all be playing Sunday morning park football if they hadn't become professionals. No media training, no filter, no 5% body fat, no cryotherapy chambers, and no quiet nights in with a curly kale salad and a glass of carrot juice. Meet Julian Dicks. Wonderful name, wonderful player and undoubtedly one of the greatest cult figures to play for West Ham United.Hammer Time is Dicks' hugely entertaining romp through his career with West Ham, shot through with all the great anecdotes of life as a pro back then, and peppered with all the marvellous characters who crossed his path in those halcyon days. It evokes memories of intimidating away crowds, muddy pitches, no-nonsense tackling, card schools on the bus, big nights out after matches, and the special camaraderie that was forged between players of that era.Hammer Time is also an open love letter to the unique character and atmosphere of West Ham United and East London, conjuring up - with great warmth and nostalgia - a fast disappearing world of strong working-class communities, proper East End boozers and those iconic pie and mash shops.
Hammer Time: Me, West Ham, and a Passion for the Shirt
by Julian Dicks'pulls no punches' The Sun'full of eventful tales from the past' Daily Mail'punchy, earthy ... entertaining stories that capture football in an era long before sanitised PR and Instagram self-promotion' The IndependentFrom West Ham's cult hero, Julian Dicks, a hugely entertaining romp through football and the East End of the Eighties and Nineties.'Cult figure' is a term hardly used in football these days: where have they all gone? In the sterile and corporate modern game, is there room for the mercurial midfielder or the tough-tackling defender or the pot-bellied goal poacher? Rewind two or three decades and British professional football was stuffed to the gunnels with these 'one-offs': players with bags of talent, yes, but also lorryloads of personality and a hugely relatable quality which meant they'd all be playing Sunday morning park football if they hadn't become professionals. No media training, no filter, no 5% body fat, no cryotherapy chambers, and no quiet nights in with a curly kale salad and a glass of carrot juice. Meet Julian Dicks. Wonderful name, wonderful player and undoubtedly one of the greatest cult figures to play for West Ham United.Hammer Time is Dicks' hugely entertaining romp through his career with West Ham, shot through with all the great anecdotes of life as a pro back then, and peppered with all the marvellous characters who crossed his path in those halcyon days. It evokes memories of intimidating away crowds, muddy pitches, no-nonsense tackling, card schools on the bus, big nights out after matches, and the special camaraderie that was forged between players of that era.Hammer Time is also an open love letter to the unique character and atmosphere of West Ham United and East London, conjuring up - with great warmth and nostalgia - a fast disappearing world of strong working-class communities, proper East End boozers and those iconic pie and mash shops.
Hammer from Above: Marine Air Combat Over Iraq
by Jay A. StoutIn Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Marine Corps' ground campaign up the Tigris and Euphrates was notable for speed and aggressiveness unparalleled in military history. Little has been written, however, of the air support that guaranteed the drive's success. Paving the way for the rush to Baghdad was "the hammer from above"-in the form of attack helicopters, jet fighters, transport, and other support aircraft. Now a former Marine fighter pilot shares the gripping never-before-told stories of the Marines who helped bring to an end the regime of Saddam Hussein. As Jay Stout reveals, the air war had actually been in the planning stages ever since the victory of Operation Desert Storm, twelve years earlier. But when Operation Iraqi Freedom officially commenced on March 20, 2003, the Marine Corps entered the fight with an aviation arm at its smallest since before World War II. Still, with the motto "Speed Equals Success," the separate air and ground units acted as a team to get the job done. Drawing on exclusive interviews with the men and women who flew the harrowing missions, Hammer from Above reveals how pilots and their machines were tested to the limits of endurance, venturing well beyond what they were trained and designed to do. Stout takes us into the cockpits, revealing what it was like to fly these intense combat operations for up to eighteen hours at a time and to face incredible volumes of fire that literally shredded aircraft in midair during battles like that over An Nasiriyah . With its dynamic descriptions of perilous flights and bombing runs, Hammer from Above is a worthy tribute to the men and women who flew and maintained the aircraft that so inspired their brothers in arms and terrified the enemy. From the Hardcover edition.
Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga
by Stephen DavisThe gold-standard biography of the band Led Zeppelin—revised and updated with new material for fans of the band and this beloved rock classic.“One of the most notorious rock biographies ever written.” —Chicago Tribune The members of Led Zeppelin are major deities in the pantheon of rock gods. The first and heaviest of the heavy metal monsters, they violently shook the foundations of rock music and took no prisoners on the road. Their tours were legendary, their lives were exalted, and their music transcendent. No band ever flew as high as Led Zeppelin or suffered so disastrous a fall. And only some of them lived to tell the tale.Originally published in 1985, and last updated in 2008, Hammer of the Gods is considered the ultimate word on Led Zeppelin, and a definitive rock and roll classic that captures the first heavy metal monsters in all their excessive glory. With new material from bestselling biographer Stephen Davis this edition includes the story of their legendary one-night-only reunion in 2007 and the post-Zeppelin work of each member, especially Robert Plant’s Grammy-winning collaborations with Alison Krauss. An up-to-date discography brings this New York Times bestseller fully to the present, and will captivate a new generation of music fans, Zeppelin fans, and readers.
Hammered: The Fight of My Life
by Dan Robson Dave SchultzThe original Broad Street Bully has secrets to reveal.Before there was Bob Probert, Tie Domi, or Stu Grimson, there was Dave Schultz. The original enforcer changed the face of the NHL for decades to come, and helped bring the Philadephia Flyers their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, by scaring opponents into submission. His name was known and feared around the league—and still is. Schultz still draws long lines for his autograph.That&’s a long way to have come for a kid who grew up on a farm with no indoor plumbing, a gentle kid who hated fighting. He calls himself a &“chicken shit,&” and admits he got his brother to fight for him until he was twenty.But none of us leaves the past behind entirely. When the bright lights dimmed and the cheers went quiet, Schultz was left to grapple with the scale of all he&’d lost. The money dwindled. Friendships faded. The lifeline of his marriage slipped from his hands. Finally, all that was left was the echo of fame, the booze, and the demons that shaped him into the fearsome fighter he became.Still, not even haunted fighters like Schultz give up, and they never flinch—no matter how relentlessly life hammers away at them. Unafraid to look his demons in the eye, Schultz knew to keep swinging in the hope of some kind of victory. Maybe not the kind that brings thousands of cheering fans to their feet, but something deeper, braver, and more lasting.Hammered takes readers to the places some of those demons come from, and reveals challenges no one has ever suspected Schultz has fought through. It does not shy away from his regrets. But it also conjures the epic victories that made his name a synonym for toughness and intimidation, and makes clear that while he was down, the big guy was never out.
Hammersteins: A Musical Theatre Family
by Oscar Andrew HammersteinThe remarkable, unprecedented biography of the Hammersteins, Broadway's greatest and most influential family, as told by Oscar Andrew Hammerstein The Hammersteins is the story of one of Broadway's most creative and productive families. It is a story that begins in 1864 when Oscar Hammerstein I emigrates to America, establishes himself as a successful cigar merchant and turns his attention to the business of music and theaters. He builds many theaters including New York's most majestic opera house. He turns Times Square (then Longacre Square) into the theater capital of the world. His sons, Willie and Arthur carry on the tradition and nurture such talents as Will Rogers, W.C. Fields, Al Jolson, Houdini, and Charlie Chaplin. Willie's son Oscar II becomes the most successful lyricist of all time, writing the story and words to the Broadway shows Showboat, Oklahoma, South Pacific, Carousel, The King and I, and The Sound of Music. The accomplishments of this family are monumental. Their tale is enchanting. Written by Oscar "Andy" Hammerstein (Oscar II's grandson), TheHammersteins presents a multi-layered portrait of the Hammerstein legacy, complete with personal and professional highlights, as well as the scandals and tragedies. The book also draws heavily upon the family archives, presenting a rich collection of photographs, theatre blueprints, letters, programs, patents, and more, much of which has never been seen before. The Hammersteins is at once a deeply personal story of an American family living the American dream and a celebration of musical theater in this country.