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In a Guardsmans Boots: A Boy Soldiers Adventures from the Streets of 1920s Dublin to Buckingham Palace, WWII and the Egyptian Revolution
by Caroline Rochford Paddy RochfordWhen he was just eight years old, Paddy Rochford enrolled at Dublins Royal Hibernian Military School, where he was taught how to be a soldier with the British Army, like his father. Soon afterwards, in 1922, he and his fellow pupils were evacuated from Ireland, a land torn apart by civil war. Across the sea in England, Paddy joined the Third Battalion of the Coldstream Guards as a drummer boy, with postings to Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace, the Bank of England and the Tower of London, where he guarded the Royal Family and Britains treasures. In the 1930s, as thousands of Jewish families fled Nazi Germany, Paddy was sent to Jerusalem, charged with keeping the peace between the local Arabs and the Jewish immigrants. During the Second World War, he was part of the Western Desert Campaign in Egypt, defending British territories. After countless wartime adventures, the young sergeant went on to train the Egyptian Army, where a bond of friendship grew between him and the future president, Colonel Nasser. Learning Nassers plans to oust the British from Egypt, Paddy tried in vain to warn his superiors prior to the bloody revolution of 1952, which signalled the end of British supremacy in the Middle East. Paddy retired from the army soon afterwards, moving his young family to Yorkshire, where he began writing these, his enthralling memoirs about a young boy who spent a lifetime growing into his boots.
In a Land Far from Home: a JM Journey
by Syed Mujtaba AliWITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY TARAN KHAN, author of Shadow CityTRANSLATED FROM BENGALI BY NAZES AFROZAn intrepid traveller and true cosmopolitan, legendary Bengali writer Syed Mujtaba Ali spent a year and a half teaching in Kabul from 1927 to 1929. Curious to explore Afghan society, Mujtaba Ali had access to a cross-section of Kabul's population, and in In a Land Far from Home he chronicles his experiences with a keen eye and a wicked sense of humour.Mujtaba Ali's travels coincided with a critical point in Afghanistan's history: when the reformist King Amanullah tried to steer his country towards modernity by encouraging education for girls and giving them the choice of removing the burqa. Branded a 'kafir', Amanullah was overthrown by the bandit leader Bacha-e-Saqao. With striking parallels to twenty-first century events in the region, In a Land Far From Home is the only first-hand account of this tumultuous period by a non-Afghan.Providing a unique perspective, Mujtaba Ali's fascinating account is brought to life by contact with a colourful cast of characters at all levels of society -- from the garrulous Pathan Dost Muhammed and the gentle Russian giant Bolshov, to his servant, Abdur Rahman and his partner in tennis, the Crown Prince Enayatullah.
In a Time of Total War: The Federal Judiciary and the National Defense - 1940-1954 (Justice, International Law and Global Security)
by Joshua E. Kastenberg Eric MerriamThis book is a judicial, military and political history of the period 1941 to 1954. As such, it is also a United States legal history of both World War II and the early Cold War. Civil liberties, mass conscription, expanded military jurisdiction, property rights, labor relations, and war crimes arising from the conflict were all issues to come before the federal judiciary during this period and well beyond since the Supreme Court and the lower courts heard appeals from the government’s wartime decisions well into the 1970s. A detailed study of the judiciary during World War II evidences that while the majority of the justices and judges determined appeals partly on the basis of enabling a large, disciplined, and reliable military to either deter or fight a third world war, there was a recognition of the existence of a tension between civil rights and liberties on the one side and military necessity on the other. While the majority of the judiciary tilted toward national security and deference to the military establishment, the judiciary’s recognition of this tension created a foundation for persons to challenge governmental narrowing of civil and individual rights after 1954. Kastenberg and Merriam present a clearer picture as to why the Court and the lower courts determined the issues before them in terms of external influences from both national and world-wide events. This book is also a study of civil-military relations in wartime so whilst legal scholars will find this study captivating, so will military and political historians, as well as political scientists and national security policy makers.
In a Time of War: The Proud and Perilous Journey of West Point's Class of 2002
by Bill Murphy Jr.The dramatic story of West Point's class of 2002, the first in a generation to graduate during wartime. They came to West Point in a time of peace, but soon after the start of their senior year, their lives were transformed by September 11. The following June, when President George W. Bush spoke at their commencement and declared that America would 'take the battle to the enemy,' the men and women in the class of 2002 understood that they would be fighting on the front lines. In this stirring account of the five years following their graduation from West Point, the class experiences firsthand both the rewards and the costs of leading soldiers in the war on terror. In a Time of War focuses on two members of the class of 2002 in particular: Todd Bryant, an amiable, funny Californian for whom military service was a family tradition; and Drew Sloan, the hardworking son of liberal parents from Arkansas who is determined to serve his country. On the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, Todd, Drew, and their classmates--the army's newest and youngest officers--lead their troops into harm's way again and again. Meticulously reported, sweeping in scope, Bill Murphy Jr.'s powerful book follows these brave and idealistic officers--and their families--as they experience the harrowing reality of the modern battlefield. In a Time of War tells a vivid and sometimes heartbreaking story about courage, honor, and what war really means to the soldiers whose lives it defines.
In a Time of War: The Proud and Perilous Journey of West Point's Class of 2002
by Bill Murphy Jr.The dramatic story of West Point's class of 2002, the first in a generation to graduate during wartimeThey came to West Point in a time of peace, but soon after the start of their senior year, their lives were transformed by September 11. The following June, when President George W. Bush spoke at their commencement and declared that America would "take the battle to the enemy," the men and women in the class of 2002 understood that they would be fighting on the front lines. In this stirring account of the five years following their graduation from West Point, the class experiences firsthand both the rewards and the costs of leading soldiers in the war on terror. In a Time of War focuses on two members of the class of 2002 in particular: Todd Bryant, an amiable, funny Californian for whom military service was a family tradition; and Drew Sloan, the hardworking son of liberal parents from Arkansas who is determined to serve his country. On the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, Todd, Drew, and their classmates—the army's newest and youngest officers—lead their troops into harm's way again and again. Meticulously reported, sweeping in scope, Bill Murphy Jr.'s powerful book follows these brave and idealistic officers—and their families—as they experience the harrowing reality of the modern battlefield. In a Time of War tells a vivid and sometimes heartbreaking story about courage, honor, and what war really means to the soldiers whose lives it defines.
In at the Kill (Rosie Ewing Spy Thrillers)
by Alexander FullertonShe operates in the enemy&’s midst—but the true danger is from one of her own . . . A pulse-pounding WWII thriller by an author whose &“action passages are superb&” (The Observer). At the London headquarters of &‘F&’ Section SOE—Special Operations Executive—they&’re sure Rosie Ewing is dead, shot by the Gestapo while running from a train taking her to Ravensbrück concentration camp. But they shouldn&’t be so sure. Left for dead, Rosie has been nursed back to health at a farmhouse in Alsace. Now she has a score to settle, and an SOE traitor to track down. It&’s not just necessary, it&’s personal—because she&’s one of the agents he betrayed . . .Praise for the Rosie Ewing Spy Thrillers: &“Enthralling . . . A gripping read.&” —Historical Novels Review &“The most meticulously researched war novels I&’ve ever read.&” —Len Deighton
In the Black
by Patrick S. Tomlinson“Tomlinson offers space opera fans much to chew on in this fun, fast-moving series debut . . . Readers are sure to be entertained.” —Publishers WeeklyIt’s The Hunt for Red October in space, with this brand new military science fiction novel from Patrick S. Tomlinson.In a demilitarized zone on the border of human space, long range spy satellites are mysteriously going quiet, and no one knows why. Captain Susan Kamala and her crew are dispatched to figure out what’s going on and solve the problem.That problem, however, is a mysterious, bleeding edge alien ship that no human vessel could hope to match in open conflict. But, it’s not spoiling for a fight.Now, the Captain and her crew must figure out how to navigate a complicated game of diplomacy, balancing the needs of their corporate overlords, and the honest desire for a lasting peace between the two races, all without letting a long-standing cold war turn hot.“Tomlinson is back with another crowd-pleasing, snarky, thought-provoking, character-driven tale.” —Booklist
In the Blink of Eye (The Taylor Clan #2)
by Julie MillerThe mysterious explosion at the crime lab had cost one man his life, and had pitched Mac Taylor into perpetual darkness. Now, as the evidence mounted against the temporarily dismissed forensic expert, one person had dedicated herself to proving his innocence: the former girl-next-door, Julia Dalton. Before long, Mac's predicament had them racing against time and running for their lives, a life Mac could no longer imagine without the experienced nurse by his side. Suddenly Mac was seeing more with his heart than he ever had with his eyes....
In the Blood
by June OldhamRigby's grandfather, Gilbert, has wandered from home and is roaming the Yorkshire countryside in distress. Finding an old map in his grandfather's home, peculiarly annotated and marked by his grandfather, Rigby begins to realise that it duplicates Normandy: the marked sites mirror places in another place and other time - the days following the Normandy landings in 1944. He is drawn down an elusive trail into the past, hunting old memories and new truths to the heart of his grandfather's youth in the raw days of the War. It shakes the very foundations of Rigby's own young life, and as he discovers the secret about another soldier - the quest becomes an inner journey for Rigby. He learns of the feelings of young men caught in the terrors and misery of the battlefield, and the impact of their lives on generations to come.
In the Blood: How Two Outsiders Solved a Centuries-Old Medical Mystery and Took On the US Army
by Charles BarberThe "high-stakes" true story of how an absent-minded inventor and a down-on-his-luck salesman joined forces to create a once‑in‑a‑generation lifesaving product: "Suspenseful storytelling helps us see and feel the struggle and frustration, the sweat and tears . . . Inspiring&” (Robert Kolker, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Valley Road). At the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, dramatized by the popular film Black Hawk Down, the majority of soldiers who died were killed instantly or bled to death before they could reach an operating table. This tragedy reinforced the need for a revolutionary treatment that could transform trauma medicine. So, when Frank Hursey and Bart Gullong—who had no medical or military experience—discovered that a cheap, crushed rock called zeolite had blood‑clotting properties, they brought it to the military's attention. The Marines and the Navy adopted the resulting product, QuikClot, immediately. The Army, however, resisted. It had two products of its own being developed to prevent excessive bleeds, one of which had already cost tens of millions of dollars. The other, "Factor Seven," had a more dangerous complication: its side effects could be deadly. Unwilling to let its efforts end in failure—and led by the highly influential surgeon Colonel John Holcomb—the Army set out to smear QuikClot&’s reputation. Over the course of six years, Hursey and Gullong engaged in an epic struggle with Holcomb for recognition. Ultimately, a whistle‑blower inside the Army challenged the Army&’s embrace of Factor Seven, which resulted in a massive lawsuit led by the U.S. Department of Justice. The lawsuit focused further attention on the financial ties between the pharmaceutical company that produced Factor Seven and Holcomb&’s research institute. By withholding QuikClot—which later became the medical miracle of the Iraq War—and in the use of Factor Seven with its known, life-threatening risks of heart attacks and strokes, the lives of countless soldiers were imperiled. Using deep reportage and riveting prose, In the Blood recounts this little‑known David‑and‑Goliath story of corruption, greed, and power within the military—and the devastating consequences of unchecked institutional arrogance.
In the Blood: James Reece 5 (Terminal List Ser. #5)
by Jack Carr**NOW AN AMAZON PRIME TV SERIES STARRING CHRIS PRATT**'Take my word for it, James Reece is one rowdy motherf***er. Get ready!' CHRIS PRATT A woman boards a plan in Burkina Faso having just completed a targeted assassination for the state of Israel. Two minutes after takeoff her plane is blown out of the sky. 6000 miles to the east, James Reece watches the names and pictures of the victims cross cable news. One face triggers a distant memory of a Mossad operative attached to the CIA years earlier in Iraq, a woman with ties to the intelligence services of two nations, a woman Reece thought he would never see again… In a global pursuit spanning four continents, James Reece will enlist the help of friends new and old to track down her killer and walk right into a trap set by a master sniper, a sniper who has enlisted help of his own…The 5th in the bestselling James Reece series, from former Navy SEAL Jack Carr. If you loved Lee Child's Jack Reacher, Peter James's Roy Grace or Michael Connelly's Mickey Haller, you will love James Reece! Praise for Jack Carr: &‘A propulsive and compulsive series. Jack Carr&’s James Reece is the kind of guy you&’d want to have in your corner. A suspenseful and exhilarating thrill-ride. Jack Carr is the real deal&’ Andy McNab 'This is seriously good . . . the suspense is unrelenting, and the tradecraft is so authentic the government will probably ban it – so read it while you can!' Lee Child 'With a particular line in authentic tradecraft, this fabulously unrelenting thrill-ride was a struggle to put down' Mark Dawson 'Gritty, raw and brilliant!' Tom Marcus &‘So powerful, so pulse-pounding, so well-written – rarely do you read a debut novel this damn good&’ Brad Thor 'Carr writes both from the gut and a seemingly infinite reservoir of knowledge in the methods of human combat. Loved it!' Chris Hauty 'A powerful, thoughtful, realistic, at times terrifying thriller that I could not put down. A terrific addition to the genre, Jack Carr and his alter-ego protagonist, James Reece, continue to blow me away' Mark Greaney 'Thrilling' Publishers Weekly
In the Blood: James Reece 5 (Terminal List Ser. #5)
by Jack Carr**NOW AN AMAZON PRIME TV SERIES STARRING CHRIS PRATT**'Take my word for it, James Reece is one rowdy motherf***er. Get ready!' CHRIS PRATT A woman boards a plan in Burkina Faso having just completed a targeted assassination for the state of Israel. Two minutes after takeoff her plane is blown out of the sky. 6000 miles to the east, James Reece watches the names and pictures of the victims cross cable news. One face triggers a distant memory of a Mossad operative attached to the CIA years earlier in Iraq, a woman with ties to the intelligence services of two nations, a woman Reece thought he would never see again… In a global pursuit spanning four continents, James Reece will enlist the help of friends new and old to track down her killer and walk right into a trap set by a master sniper, a sniper who has enlisted help of his own…The 5th in the bestselling James Reece series, from former Navy SEAL Jack Carr. If you loved Lee Child's Jack Reacher, Peter James's Roy Grace or Michael Connelly's Mickey Haller, you will love James Reece! Praise for Jack Carr: &‘A propulsive and compulsive series. Jack Carr&’s James Reece is the kind of guy you&’d want to have in your corner. A suspenseful and exhilarating thrill-ride. Jack Carr is the real deal&’ Andy McNab 'This is seriously good . . . the suspense is unrelenting, and the tradecraft is so authentic the government will probably ban it – so read it while you can!' Lee Child 'With a particular line in authentic tradecraft, this fabulously unrelenting thrill-ride was a struggle to put down' Mark Dawson 'Gritty, raw and brilliant!' Tom Marcus &‘So powerful, so pulse-pounding, so well-written – rarely do you read a debut novel this damn good&’ Brad Thor 'Carr writes both from the gut and a seemingly infinite reservoir of knowledge in the methods of human combat. Loved it!' Chris Hauty 'A powerful, thoughtful, realistic, at times terrifying thriller that I could not put down. A terrific addition to the genre, Jack Carr and his alter-ego protagonist, James Reece, continue to blow me away' Mark Greaney 'Thrilling' Publishers Weekly
In the Cauldron: Terror, Tension, and the American Ambassador's Struggle to Avoid Pearl
by Lew PaperThis is not just another book about Pearl Harbor. It is the story of Joseph Grew, America&’s ambassador to Japan, and his frantic effort in the months before the Pearl Harbor attack to orchestrate an agreement between Japan and the United States to avoid the war he saw coming. It is a story filled with hope and heartache, with complex and fascinating characters, and with a drama befitting the momentous decisions at stake. And more than that, it is a story that has never been told. In those months before the Pearl Harbor attack, Japan and the United States were locked in a battle of wills. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's economic sanctions were crippling Japan. America's noose was tightening around Japan's neck — but the country's leaders refused to yield to American demands. In this cauldron of boiling tensions, Joseph Grew offered many recommendations to break the deadlock. Having resided and worked in Tokyo for almost ten years, Grew understood what Roosevelt and his administration back home did not: that the Japanese would rather face annihilation than endure the humiliation of surrendering to American pressure. The President and his administration saw little need to accept their ambassador&’s recommendations. The administration&’s policies, they believed, were sure to succeed. And so, with increasing urgency, Grew tried to explain to the President and his administration that Japan&’s mindset could not be gauged by Western standards of logic and that the administration&’s policies could lead Japan to embark on a suicidal war with the United States &“with dangerous and dramatic suddenness.&” Relying on Grew&’s diaries, letters and memos, interviews with members of the families of Grew and his staff, and an abundance of other primary source materials, Lew Paper presents the gripping story of Grew&’s effort to halt the downward spiral of Japan&’s relations with the United States. Grew had to wrestle with an American government that would not listen to him – and simultaneously confront an increasingly hostile environment in Japan, where pervasive surveillance, arbitrary arrest, and even unspeakable torture by Japan's secret police were constant threats. In the Cauldron reads like a novel, but it is based on fact. And it is sure to raise questions whether the Pearl Harbor attack could have been avoided.
In the Cockpit II: Inside History-Making Aircraft of World War II
by National Space MuseumIn the Cockpit II: Inside History-Making Aircraft of World War II provides close-up access to the instrument panels, controls, and crew stations of 34 legendary World War II aircraft in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's impressive collection. Using a high-end digital camera with a wide-angle lens and complex shooting techniques that combine digital precision with manual dexterity, photographers Eric F. Long and Mark A. Avino expertly capture every detail of the cockpits, bringing them to life as never before. Insightful text by Smithsonian curators Roger D. Connor and Christopher T. Moore place each cockpit in historical context.
In the Commodore's Hands
by Mary NicholsStowaway...or wife! Commodore John Drymore's mission is clear. Sail to France, rescue Comte Giradet from prison and bring him and his daughter back to England safely. But Lisette Giradet defies the Commodore at every turn and soon gets under his skin more deeply than the bullet in his arm. Desperate to rescue her brother from the guillotine, Lisette smuggles herself back on board ship. With her life in jeopardy, she's given no choice-she must assume the role of the commodore's wife!
In the Company of Heroes
by Michael J. Durant Steven HartovFrom School Library Journal Adult/High School-A decade ago, Durant and his crew were shot down while flying a U.S. Army Special Operations Black Hawk helicopter in the heart of Mogadishu. The only survivor after a firefight with hostile forces of warlord Mohamed Farah Aidid, the author recounts the conditions of his 11 days in captivity, with experiences that ranged from heroic to gruesome, harrowing, bizarre, and compassionate. Suffering severe injuries to his back, leg, and face, moved under guard through a sequence of rudimentary facilities in a volatile combat environment, and facing the deadly risk of discovery by rival clans, Durant became a political pawn receiving global media attention.
In the Company of Heroes: A True Story Of Black Hawk Pilot Michael Durant And The Men Who Fought And Fell At Mogadishu (Americana Ser.)
by Michael J. Durant Steven HartovIn the autumn of 1993, American special forces were dispatched to the famine-stricken land of Somalia. Their intervention in this war-torn country was the most dramatic US military action since Vietnam. A routine mission went horribly wrong when Michael Durant's Black Hawk helicopter was shot down over Mogadishu and he was quickly surrounded by Somali troops and taken captive. The brutal torture he underwent was made all too clear to the world when his coerced statements were broadcast on live television and his battered face appeared on the cover of magazines around the globe. Michael Durant's ordeal was first described in Mark Bowden's international bestseller Black Hawk Down and the critically acclaimed film of the same name. This, his first-person gripping account tells of bravery under fire, torture, imprisonment, and the terrifying day by day reality for a soldier, unarmed and helpless in enemy hands, fighting to survive.
In the Company of Heroes: The Inspiring Stories of Medal of Honor Recipients from America's Longest Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
by James KitfieldAn award-winning military journalist tells the amazing stories of twenty-five soldiers who've won the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award. In the Company of Heroes will feature in-depth narrative profiles of the twenty-five post-9/11 Medal of Honor awardees who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. This book will focus on the stories of these extraordinary people, expressed in their own voices through one-on-one interviews, and in the case of posthumous awards, through interviews with their brothers in arms and their families. The public affairs offices of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the individual armed services, as well as the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, have expressed their support for this project.Stories include Marine Corps Corporal William "Kyle" Carpenter, who purposely lunged toward a Taliban hand grenade in order to shield his buddy from the blast; Navy SEAL team leader Britt Slabinski, who, after being ambushed and retreating in the Hindu Kush, returned against monumental odds in order to try to save one of his team who was inadvertently lost in the fight; and Ranger Staff Sergeant Leroy Petry, who lunged for a live grenade, threw it back at the enemy, and saved his two Ranger brothers.
In the Crossfire of History: Women's War Resistance Discourse in the Global South (War Culture)
by Matthew Spencer Lava Asaad Doaa Omran Farzana Akhter Margaret Hageman Nyla Khan Shafinur Nahar Carolyn Ownbey Moumin Quazi Lucia Garcia-Santana Stefanie SevcikIn the global south, women have and continue to resist multiple forms of structural violence. The atrocities committed against Yazidi women by ISIS have been recognized internationally, and the Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Nadia Murad in 2018 was a tribute to honor women whose bodies have been battered in the name of race, nationality, war, and religion. In the Crossfire of History:Women's War Resistance Discourse in the Global South is an edited collection that incorporates literary works, testimonies, autobiographies, women’s resistance movements, and films that add to the conversation on the resilience of women in the global south. The collection focuses on Palestine, Kashmir, Syria, Kurdistan, Congo, Argentina, Central America, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. The essays question historical accuracy and politics of representation that usually undermine women’s role during conflict, and they reevaluate how women participated, challenged, sacrificed, and vehemently opposed war discourses that erase women’s role in shaping resistance movements. The transformative mode of these examples expands the definition of heroism and defiance. To prevent these types of heroism from slipping into the abyss of history, this collection brings forth and celebrates women’s fortitude in conflict zones. In the Crossfire of History shines a light onwomen across the globe who are resisting the sociopolitical and economic injustices in their nation-states.
In the Crosshairs: A Sniper Novel (Kyle Swanson Sniper Novels #10)
by Sgt. Jack CoughlinThe Central Intelligence Agency is under attack, and so is its top field operative, Kyle Swanson. The highly decorated former Marine Corps gunnery sergeant is attending the funeral of a friend when a terrorist blows up the grave. A week later, he narrowly survives a grenade attack in Berlin. In Washington, Congress is being told that Swanson has been turned, his private employer is corrupt, and the Agency itself cannot be trusted. Swanson is assigned to find the root of the problem and is partnered up with Luke Gibson, a skilled operative rated as being almost as good as Swanson.They are looking for assassin Nicky Marks, who also was a CIA shooter but now works for a shadowy power broker known as The Prince. But before Kyle and Luke can eliminate the threat, they must identify and find the man who wants them dead. That takes them from the pink poppy fields of Afghanistan to the jungles of Southeast Asia and the streets of America as they learn that the Prince is the ruthless kingpin of a global drug empire that uses CIA planes to transport opium and heroin. Swanson also lines up a secret partner, the beautiful widow of his friend whose grave was desecrated in Mexico, the sharpshooting former commando Beth Ledford, who has her own agenda of pure retribution. Kyle Swanson, at the worst possible moment in a combat showdown, must decide: Do you trust your partner, and if so, which one?
In the Face of the Enemy: A Battery Sergeant Major in Action in the Second World War
by Ernest PowdrillIn Part One Powdrill describes his experiences in France during &‘the Phoney War and then their baptism by fire in May 1940, culminating in the evacuation from Dunkirk having left their disabled guns behind. Ernest was wounded but many of his colleagues were killed by ferocious German counter-battery fire. Part 2 tells a very different story in more detail. By now a Sergeant Major in an armoured tracked regiment, the author fought through from the Normandy beaches to the River Maas. He describes the near constant action in graphic terms. In the Face of the Enemy is a splendid soldiers story full of understatement and atmosphere. Success is tinged with sadness for lost comrades and admiration for his fellow men.
In the Fields and the Trenches: The Famous and the Forgotten on the Battlefields of World War I
by Kerrie HollihanFrom a Hall of Fame pitcher to a U.S. president, learn what an incredible impact World War I made on young men and women When it started, many thought the Great War would be a great adventure. Yet as those who saw it up close learned, it was anything but. In the Fields and the Trenches traces the stories of 18 young idealists swept into the brutal conflict, many of whom would go on to become well-known 20th-century figures in film, science, politics, literature, and business. Writer J. R. R. Tolkien was a signals officer with the British Expeditionary Force and fought at the Battle of the Somme. Scientist Irène Curie helped her mother Marie run 20 French field hospitals. Actor Buster Keaton left Hollywood after being drafted into the army's 40th Infantry Division. And all four of Theodore Roosevelt's sons fought in Europe, though one did not return. With World War I as a backdrop, readers will encounter heroes, cowards, comics, and villains who participated in this life-changing event. Author Kerrie Logan Hollihan uses extensive original material, from letters sent from the frontlines to personal journals, to bring these men and women back to life. And though their stories are a century old, they convey modern, universal themes of love, death, power, greed, courage, hate, fear, family, friendship, and sacrifice.
In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz: Living on the Brink of Disaster in Mobutu's Congo
by Michela WrongKnown as "the Leopard," the president of Zaire for thirty-two years, Mobutu Sese Seko, showed all the cunning of his namesake -- seducing Western powers, buying up the opposition, and dominating his people with a devastating combination of brutality and charm. While the population was pauperized, he plundered the country's copper and diamond resources, downing pink champagne in his jungle palace like some modern-day reincarnation of Joseph Conrad's crazed station manager.Michela Wrong, a correspondent who witnessed Mobutu's last days, traces the rise and fall of the idealistic young journalist who became the stereotype of an African despot. Engrossing, highly readable, and as funny as it is tragic, In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz assesses the acts of the villains and the heroes in this fascinating story of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In the Footsteps of the Band of Brothers
by Larry AlexanderA tribute to World War II heroism from the national bestselling author of Biggest Brother. The paratroopers of Easy Company, 101st Airborne Division, have come to symbolize the incredible bravery and heroism shown by the greatest generation in World War II. on the eve of the 65th anniversary of the Allies' victory in Europe, author Larry Alexander crosses an ocean and a continent to discover just what made the Band of Brothers special. Accompanied by his friend Forrest Guth, an easy Company veteran on his final tour in Europe, Alexander explores the living history of the places where American soldiers went into action, and reveals what makes this story so meaningful for us today. Part travelogue, part historical perspective, In the Footsteps of the Band of Brothers is an unforgettable memorial to the men who fell in action, and a tribute to the veterans who are still with us. .
In the Footsteps of the Red Baron (Battleground Europe)
by Mike O'Connor Norman FranksManfred von Richthofen became a fighter pilot on the Western Front in August 1916. By January 1917, Richthofen had shot down fifteen aircraft had been appointed commander of his own unit. He painted the fuselage of his Albatros D-III a bright red and was nicknamed the Red Baron. In June 1917, Richthofen was appointed commander of the German Flying Circus. Made up of Germany's top fighter pilots, this new unit was highly mobile and could be quickly sent to any part of the Western Front where it was most needed. Richthofen and his pilots achieved immediate success during the air war over Ypres during August and September. Manfred von Richthofen was killed on 21st April 1918. Richthofen had destroyed 80 allied aircraft, the highest score of any fighter pilot during the First World War. This book is divided into three sectors of the WWI front line in which von Richthofen operated. Each area is conveniently reached within hours. Airfield sites, memorials and the graves of Manfred's famous victims are described and directions for the battlefield walker are included with information on related museums and historic sites with special association with this most famous of fighter pilots.