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The Dramatic Life of a Country Doctor: Fifty Years of Disasters and Diagnoses
by Arnold Burden Andrew SaferA Canadian physician reflects on a lifetime of helping others, including during World War II and two deadly mining disasters.Dr. Arnold Burden&’s career began unintentionally when he performed his first surgery in the woods following a hunting accident at age fourteen. As a twenty-year-old hospital clerk, he handed battle casualties after D-Day in France and Germany. His early years as a doctor began in rural Prince Edward Island, where he served in the combined role of doctor and coroner. Back home in Springhill, Nova Scotia, Dr. Burden was the first medic to enter the mines after the deadly No. 4 mine explosion in 1956 and the No. 2 mine bump, the most severe bump ever recorded in North America, in 1958. In both cases he risked his life alongside the underground rescue teams to bring the gassed and trapped miners to the surface. In this new edition Dr. Burden gives his account of an active life and of a man dedicated to his patients; a man full of common-sense and interesting stories, who writes candidly of his dealing with patients, unusual cases, and brave efforts made under difficult conditions. As the author states: &“The real satisfaction in life has come from helping people.&”
The Dramatic Life of a Country Doctor: Fifty Years of Disasters and Diagnoses
by Arnold Burden Andrew SaferA Canadian physician reflects on a lifetime of helping others, including during World War II and two deadly mining disasters.Dr. Arnold Burden&’s career began unintentionally when he performed his first surgery in the woods following a hunting accident at age fourteen. As a twenty-year-old hospital clerk, he handed battle casualties after D-Day in France and Germany. His early years as a doctor began in rural Prince Edward Island, where he served in the combined role of doctor and coroner. Back home in Springhill, Nova Scotia, Dr. Burden was the first medic to enter the mines after the deadly No. 4 mine explosion in 1956 and the No. 2 mine bump, the most severe bump ever recorded in North America, in 1958. In both cases he risked his life alongside the underground rescue teams to bring the gassed and trapped miners to the surface. In this new edition Dr. Burden gives his account of an active life and of a man dedicated to his patients; a man full of common-sense and interesting stories, who writes candidly of his dealing with patients, unusual cases, and brave efforts made under difficult conditions. As the author states: &“The real satisfaction in life has come from helping people.&”
The Dread Wyrm
by Miles CameronSOME ARE BORN TO POWERSOME SEIZE ITAND SOME HAVE THE WISDOM NEVER TO WIELD ITThe Red Knight has stood against soldiers, against armies and against the might of an empire without flinching. He's fought on real and on magical battlefields alike, and now he's facing one of the greatest challenges yet. A tournament.A joyous spring event, the flower of the nobility will present arms and ride against each other for royal favour and acclaim. It's a political contest - and one which the Red Knight has the skill to win. But the stakes may be higher than he thinks. The court of Alba has been infiltrated by a dangerous faction of warlike knights, led by the greatest knight in the world: Jean de Vrailly - and the prize he's fighting for isn't royal favour, but the throne of Alba itself.Where there is competition there is opportunity; the question is, will the Red Knight take it? Or will the creatures of the Wild seize their chance instead . . .
The Dread Wyrm
by Miles CameronSOME ARE BORN TO POWERSOME SEIZE ITAND SOME HAVE THE WISDOM NEVER TO WIELD ITThe Red Knight has stood against soldiers, against armies and against the might of an empire without flinching. He's fought on real and on magical battlefields alike, and now he's facing one of the greatest challenges yet. A tournament.A joyous spring event, the flower of the nobility will present arms and ride against each other for royal favour and acclaim. It's a political contest - and one which the Red Knight has the skill to win. But the stakes may be higher than he thinks. The court of Alba has been infiltrated by a dangerous faction of warlike knights, led by the greatest knight in the world: Jean de Vrailly - and the prize he's fighting for isn't royal favour, but the throne of Alba itself.Where there is competition there is opportunity; the question is, will the Red Knight take it? Or will the creatures of the Wild seize their chance instead . . . 'A stirring, gritty and at times quite brutal epic fantasy' Tor.com'This series promises to be the standout epic fantasy for the ages' Fantasy Book CriticRead by Neil Dickson(p) 2015 Hachette Audio
The Dream And The Destiny
by Alexander CordellThe Long March was an extraordinary feat of human endurance. Lin-Wai, a young doctor newly recruited into the Red Army, is caught up in the breakout of the followersof Mao and their ensuing flight. The marchers struggle on through pain and suffering, under continual harrassment from the enormously superior Kuomintang forces. Through the blistering heat of the Grasslands to the icy-zub-zero temperatures of the Great Snow Mountain, they march. Over a hundred thousand men begin the march. Only five thousand will survive.
The Dream Machine
by Richard WhittleWHEN THE MARINES decided to buy a helicopter-airplane hybrid "tiltrotor" called the V-22 Osprey, they saw it as their dream machine. The tiltrotor was the aviation equivalent of finding the Northwest Passage: an aircraft able to take off, land, and hover with the agility of a helicopter yet fly as fast and as far as an airplane. Many predicted it would reshape civilian aviation. The Marines saw it as key to their very survival. By 2000, the Osprey was nine years late and billions over budget, bedeviled by technological hurdles, business rivalries, and an epic political battle over whether to build it at all. Opponents called it one of the worst boondoggles in Pentagon history. The Marines were eager to put it into service anyway. Then two crashes killed twenty- three Marines. They still refused to abandon the Osprey, even after the Corps' own proud reputation was tarnished by a national scandal over accusations that a commander had ordered subordinates to lie about the aircraft's problems. Based on in-depth research and hundreds of interviews, The Dream Machine recounts the Marines' quarter-century struggle to get the Osprey into combat. Whittle takes the reader from the halls of the Pentagon and Congress to the war zone of Iraq, from the engineer's drafting table to the cockpits of the civilian and Marine pilots who risked their lives flying the Osprey--and sometimes lost them. He reveals the methods, motives, and obsessions of those who designed, sold, bought, flew, and fought for the tiltrotor. These stories, including never before published eyewitness accounts of the crashes that made the Osprey notorious, not only chronicle an extraordinary chapter in Marine Corps history, but also provide a fascinating look at a machine that could still revolutionize air travel.
The Dreaming Suburb (The Avenue #1)
by R. F. DelderfieldBetween the wars, the lives of four neighboring English families intersect in this &“highly recommended&” saga by a New York Times–bestselling author (Sunday Express). In the spring of 1919, his wife&’s death brings Sergeant Jim Carver home from the front. He returns to be a single parent to his seven children in a place he has never lived: Number Twenty, Manor Park Avenue, in a South London suburb. The Carvers&’ neighbor Eunice Fraser, at Number Twenty-Two, has also known tragedy. Her soldier husband was killed, leaving her and her eight-year-old son, Esme, to fend for themselves. At Number Four, Edith Clegg takes in lodgers and looks after her sister, Becky, whose mind has been shattered by a past trauma. No one knows much about the Friths, at Number Seventeen, who moved to the Avenue before the war. The first book in the two-part historical series the Avenue, which also includes The Avenue Goes to War, The Dreaming Suburb takes readers into the everyday lives of these English families between World War I and World War II, as their hopes, dreams, and struggles are played out against a radically changing world.
The Dress Thief: one secret could destroy everything she holds dear...
by Natalie Meg EvansAlix Gower may be poor but she's also ambitious, and she'd do anything to secure her dream job in one of Paris's premier fashion houses. But Alix also has a secret: she supports her family by stealing from the very houses she so adores. But can Alix risk her reputation and her relationships forever? And is the handsome English reporter she keeps bumping into really to be trusted? 'Wonderful! I didn't want to put this book down' Amazon reviewer. Perfect for fans of The Keeper of Lost Things, Island of Secrets and Amy Snow.
The Dress in the Window: A Novel
by Sofia GrantA perfect debut novel is like a perfect dress—it’s a “must have” and when you “try it on” it fits perfectly. In this richly patterned story of sisterhood, ambition, and reinvention Sofia Grant has created a story just right for fans of Vintage and The Dress Shop of Dreams.World War II has ended and American women are shedding their old clothes for the gorgeous new styles. Voluminous layers of taffeta and tulle, wasp waists, and beautiful color—all so welcome after years of sensible styles and strict rationing. Jeanne Brink and her sister Peggy both had to weather every tragedy the war had to offer—Peggy now a widowed mother, Jeanne without the fiancé she’d counted on, both living with Peggy’s mother-in-law in a grim mill town. But despite their grey pasts they long for a bright future—Jeanne by creating stunning dresses for her clients with the help of her sister Peggy’s brilliant sketches. Together, they combine forces to create amazing fashions and a more prosperous life than they’d ever dreamed of before the war. But sisterly love can sometimes turn into sibling jealousy. Always playing second fiddle to her sister, Peggy yearns to make her own mark. But as they soon discover, the future is never without its surprises, ones that have the potential to make—or break—their dreams.
The Dressing Station: A Surgeon's Chronicle of War and Medicine
by Jonathan KaplanIn this &“vividly compelling&” New York Times Notable Book, a surgeon recounts his experiences in war zones (The Washington Post). From treating the casualties of apartheid in Cape Town to operating on Kurdish guerrillas in Northern Iraq at the end of the Gulf War, Jonathan Kaplan has saved (and lost) lives in the remotest corners of the world in the most extreme conditions. He has been a hospital surgeon, a ship&’s physician, an air-ambulance doctor, and a trauma surgeon. He has worked in locations as diverse as England, Burma, Eritrea, the Amazon, Mozambique, and the United States. In his &“eloquent . . . beautifully written&” memoir of unforgettable adventure and tragedy, Dr. Kaplan explores the great challenge of his career—to maintain his humanity in the face of incredible pain and suffering (The New York Times Book Review). &“Packed with moments of searing intensity,&” The Dressing Station is an &“extraordinary&” look into the nature of human violence, the shattering contradictions of war, and the complicated role of medicine in the modern world (The Washington Post). &“In this refreshingly unsentimental memoir, [Kaplan] offers a vivid look at what it&’s like to practice medicine in places where there are always too many casualties and not enough resources. His descriptions of surgery are unflinching . . . Kaplan gives us a remarkable self-portrait of the war junkie.&” —The New Yorker
The Dressmaker of Paris: 'A story of loss and escape, redemption and forgiveness. Fans of Lucinda Riley will adore it' (Sunday Express)
by Georgia Kaufmann'Involving, immersive and unputdownable' - bestselling author Jill MansellI need to tell you a story, ma chère. My story.Rosa Kusstatscher has built a global fashion empire upon her ability to find the perfect outfit for any occasion. But tonight, as she prepares for the most important meeting of her life, her usual certainty eludes her.What brought her to this moment? As she struggles to select her dress and choose the right shade of lipstick, Rosa begins to tell her incredible story. The story of a poor country girl from a village high in the mountains of Italy. Of Nazi occupation and fleeing in the night. Of hope and heartbreak in Switzerland; glamour and love in Paris. Of ambition and devastation in Rio de Janeiro; success and self-discovery in New York.A life spent running, she sees now. But she will run no longer.Breathtaking and utterly enthralling, The Dressmaker of Paris is perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Kate Morton and Dinah Jefferies.'The Dressmaker of Paris is a delicious book: elegantly structured, beautifully written and with a fascinating protagonist. Georgia Kaufmann has created a beautiful and compelling novel that had me hooked until the very last page. And that ending: wow!' - Gill Thompson, bestselling author of The Oceans Between Us'Sensuous, sweeping and utterly engrossing, The Dressmaker of Paris is as dazzling and finely crafted as a Dior gown' - Rachel Rhys, bestselling author of Dangerous Crossing'The story of a remarkable woman . . . A book you will lose yourself in' - Gill Paul, bestselling author of THE LOST DAUGHTER
The Dressmaker of Paris: 'A story of loss and escape, redemption and forgiveness. Fans of Lucinda Riley will adore it' (Sunday Express)
by Georgia KaufmannA beautifully written, sweeping historical women's fiction novel that spans both time and the globe as we follow one woman's journey from simple country girl to global fashion icon.I need to tell you a story, ma chère. My story.Rosa Kusstatscher has built a global fashion empire upon her ability to find the perfect outfit for any occasion. But tonight, as she prepares for the most important meeting of her life, her usual certainty eludes her.What brought her to this moment? As she struggles to select her dress and choose the right shade of lipstick, Rosa begins to tell her incredible story. The story of a poor country girl from a village high in the mountains of Italy. Of Nazi occupation and fleeing in the night. Of hope and heartbreak in Switzerland; ambition, glamour and love in Paris. Of ambition and devastation in Rio de Janeiro; success and self-discovery in New York.A life spent running, she sees now. But she will run no longer.Breathtaking and utterly enthralling, The Dressmaker of Paris is a stunning debut novel that is perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Kate Morton and Dinah Jefferies.(P) 2021 Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
The Dressmaker of Paris: A sweeping, breathtaking historical novel
by Georgia Kaufmann'Involving, immersive and unputdownable' - bestselling author Jill MansellI need to tell you a story, ma chère. My story.Rosa Kusstatscher has built a global fashion empire upon her ability to find the perfect outfit for any occasion. But tonight, as she prepares for the most important meeting of her life, her usual certainty eludes her.What brought her to this moment? As she struggles to select her dress and choose the right shade of lipstick, Rosa begins to tell her incredible story. The story of a poor country girl from a village high in the mountains of Italy. Of Nazi occupation and fleeing in the night. Of hope and heartbreak in Switzerland; glamour and love in Paris. Of ambition and devastation in Rio de Janeiro; success and self-discovery in New York.A life spent running, she sees now. But she will run no longer.Breathtaking and utterly enthralling, The Dressmaker of Paris is perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Kate Morton and Dinah Jefferies.'The Dressmaker of Paris is a delicious book: elegantly structured, beautifully written and with a fascinating protagonist. Georgia Kaufmann has created a beautiful and compelling novel that had me hooked until the very last page. And that ending: wow!' - Gill Thompson, bestselling author of The Oceans Between Us'Sensuous, sweeping and utterly engrossing, The Dressmaker of Paris is as dazzling and finely crafted as a Dior gown' - Rachel Rhys, bestselling author of Dangerous Crossing'The story of a remarkable woman . . . A book you will lose yourself in' - Gill Paul, bestselling author of THE LOST DAUGHTER
The Dressmaker's War
by Mary ChamberlainFor readers of Amy Bloom, Sarah Waters, and Anthony Doerr, The Dressmaker's War is the story of a brilliant English seamstress taken prisoner in Germany during World War II: about her perseverance, the choices she makes to stay alive, and the haunting aftermath of war. London, 1939. Ada Vaughan is a young working-class woman with an unusual skill for dressmaking who dreams of opening her own atelier. When she meets Stanislaus von Lieben, a Hungarian aristocrat, a new, better life seems to arrive. Stanislaus sweeps Ada off her feet and brings her to Paris. But when war breaks out and Stanislaus vanishes, Ada is abandoned and alone, trapped on an increasingly dangerous continent. Taken prisoner by the Germans, Ada does everything she can to survive. In the bleak horror of wartime Germany, Ada's skill for creating beauty and glamour is the one thing that keeps her safe. But after the war, attempting to rebuild her life in London, Ada finds that no one is interested in the messy truths of what happened to women like her. And though Ada thought she had left the war behind, her past eventually comes to light, with devastating consequences. Gorgeously written and compulsively readable, The Dressmaker's War introduces us to an unforgettable heroine--Ada Vaughan, a woman whose ambition for a better life ultimately comes at a heartbreaking cost.Advance praise for The Dressmaker's War "Mary Chamberlain's clear, bright prose is river-swift and Ada Vaughan is a character rich with beautiful, flawed humanity. This is a gripping story about limits and the haunting, brutal way they can be drawn and redrawn in war."--Priya Parmar, author of Vanessa and Her Sister "A thrilling story, brilliantly told--I couldn't put it down. Ada Vaughan is a character to fall in love with: utterly real, flawed, and beguiling."--Saskia Sarginson, author of The Twins and Without You "I found myself completely swept up in this tale of love, ambition, and vanity."--Juliet West, author of Before the Fall "The Dressmaker's War is a powerful and gripping tale of longings and dreams, and how a chance meeting that seems to offer the answers and more instead comes with devastating consequences. It's a story about what a person will do and can do under force. The world before, during, and after World War II is amazingly well-drawn. But it is the character of Ada Vaughan that lingers: her resolve, her passion, and her flaws."--Cecilia Ekbäck, author of Wolf WinterFrom the Hardcover edition.
The Dressmaker: Shortlisted for the Booker Prize, 1973
by Beryl Bainbridge'The book I wish I'd written . . . Witty, chilling, every word in place' Hilary Mantel, GuardianWartime Liverpool is a place of ration books and jobs in munitions factories. Rita, living with her two aunts Nellie and Margo, is emotionally naïve and withdrawn. When she meets Ira, a GI, at a neighbour's party she falls in love as much with the idea of life as a GI bride as with the man himself. But Nellie and Margo are not so blind...
The Dressmakers of Auschwitz: The True Story of the Women Who Sewed to Survive
by Lucy Adlington'Lucy Adlington tells of the horrors of the Nazi occupation and the concentration camps from a fascinating and original angle. She introduces us to a little known aspect of the period, highlighting the role of clothes in the grimmest of societies imaginable and giving an insight into the women who stayed alive by stitching' - Alexandra Shulman, author of Clothes...and other things that matter'An utterly absorbing, important and unique historical read' - Judy Batalion, NY Times bestselling author of The Light of Our Days: The Untold Story of Women Resistance Fighters in Hitler's GhettosThe powerful chronicle of the women who used their sewing skills to survive the Holocaust, stitching beautiful clothes at an extraordinary fashion workshop created within one of the most notorious WWII death camps. At the height of the Holocaust twenty-five young inmates of the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp - mainly Jewish women and girls - were selected to design, cut, and sew beautiful fashions for elite Nazi women in a dedicated salon. It was work that they hoped would spare them from the gas chambers. This fashion workshop - called the Upper Tailoring Studio - was established by Hedwig Höss, the camp commandant's wife, and patronized by the wives of SS guards and officers. Here, the dressmakers produced high-quality garments for SS social functions in Auschwitz, and for ladies from Nazi Berlin's upper crust. Drawing on diverse sources - including interviews with the last surviving seamstress - The Dressmakers of Auschwitz follows the fates of these brave women. Their bonds of family and friendship not only helped them endure persecution, but also to play their part in camp resistance. Weaving the dressmakers' remarkable experiences within the context of Nazi policies for plunder and exploitation, historian Lucy Adlington exposes the greed, cruelty, and hypocrisy of the Third Reich and offers a fresh look at a little-known chapter of World War II and the Holocaust.
The Dressmakers of Auschwitz: The True Story of the Women Who Sewed to Survive
by Lucy AdlingtonThe powerful chronicle of the women who used their sewing skills to survive the Holocaust, stitching beautiful clothes at an extraordinary fashion workshop created within one of the most notorious WWII death camps. At the height of the Holocaust twenty-five young inmates of the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp - mainly Jewish women and girls - were selected to design, cut, and sew beautiful fashions for elite Nazi women in a dedicated salon. It was work that they hoped would spare them from the gas chambers. This fashion workshop - called the Upper Tailoring Studio - was established by Hedwig Höss, the camp commandant's wife, and patronized by the wives of SS guards and officers. Here, the dressmakers produced high-quality garments for SS social functions in Auschwitz, and for ladies from Nazi Berlin's upper crust. Drawing on diverse sources - including interviews with the last surviving seamstress - The Dressmakers of Auschwitz follows the fates of these brave women. Their bonds of family and friendship not only helped them endure persecution, but also to play their part in camp resistance. Weaving the dressmakers' remarkable experiences within the context of Nazi policies for plunder and exploitation, historian Lucy Adlington exposes the greed, cruelty, and hypocrisy of the Third Reich and offers a fresh look at a little-known chapter of World War II and the Holocaust.(P) 2021 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
The Dressmakers of London
by Julia KellyThe author of the &“enthralling&” (Woman&’s World) The Lost English Girl returns with a heartfelt new novel about estranged sisters who inherit their late mother&’s dress shop in World War II London. Isabelle Shelton has always found comfort in the predictable world of her mother&’s dressmaking shop, Mrs. Shelton&’s Fashions, while her sister Sylvia turned her back on the family years ago to marry a wealthy doctor whom Izzie detests. When their mother dies unexpectedly, the sisters are stunned to find they&’ve jointly inherited the family business. Izzie is determined to buy Sylvia out, but when she&’s conscripted into the WAAF, she&’s forced to seek Sylvia&’s help to keep the shop open. Realizing this could be her one chance at reconciliation with her sister, Sylvia is determined to save Mrs. Shelton&’s Fashions from closure—and financial ruin. Through letters, the sisters begin to confront old wounds, new loves, and the weight of family legacy in order to forge new beginnings in this lyrically moving novel perfect for fans of Genevieve Graham and Lucinda Riley.
The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights: A Novel
by Kitty Zeldis“A haunting meditation on the bonds between mothers and daughters. Zeldis offers a fascinating look into historic New York City and New Orleans, and her skill as a storyteller is matched by her compassion for her characters. What a beautiful read.”—Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Magnolia Palace“By turns heartbreaking and heartwarming, Kitty Zeldis’s The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights, set against the backdrop of the not-always-so-roaring Twenties, is an only-in-America story of reinvention, rising above tragedy, and finding family.”—Lauren Willig, New York Times bestselling author of Band of SistersFor fans of Fiona Davis, Beatriz Williams, and Joanna Goodman, a mesmerizing historical novel from Kitty Zeldis, the author of Not Our Kind, about three women in 1920s New York City and the secrets they hold.Brooklyn, 1924. As New York City enters the jazz age, the lives of three very different women are about to converge in unexpected ways. Recently arrived from New Orleans, Beatrice is working to establish a chic new dress shop with help from Alice, the orphaned teenage ward she brought north with her. Down the block, newlywed Catherine is restless in her elegant brownstone, longing for a baby she cannot conceive.When Bea befriends Catherine and the two start to become close, Alice feels abandoned and envious, and runs away to Manhattan. Her departure sets into motion a series of events that will force each woman to confront the painful secrets of her past in order to move into the happier future she seeks.Moving from the bustling streets of early twentieth century New York City to late nineteenth-century Russia and the lively quarters of New Orleans in the 1910s, The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights is a story of the families we are born into and the families we choose, and of the unbreakable bonds between women.
The Driest Season: A Novel
by Meghan Kenny"An elegant coming-of-age story that brings real heart to the American heartland. The book may be set during World War II, but the questions it asks—about love, loyalty, and the meaning of life—are timeless ones." —Elliott Holt, author of You Are One of ThemAs her Wisconsin community endures a long season of drought and feels the shockwaves of World War II, fifteen-year-old Cielle endures a more personal calamity: the unexpected death of her father. On a balmy summer afternoon, she finds him hanging in the barn—the start of a dark secret that threatens her family’s livelihood. A war rages elsewhere, while in the deceptive calm of the American heartland, Cielle’s family contends with a new reality and fights not to be undone.A stunning debut, The Driest Season creates a moving portrait of Cielle’s struggle to make sense of her father’s time on earth, and of her own. With wisdom and grit, Kenny has fashioned a deeply affecting story of a young woman discovering loss, heartache, and—finally—hope.
The Drifter (A Peter Ash Novel #1)
by Nicholas PetrieAn explosive thriller debut introducing Peter Ash, a veteran who finds that the demons of war aren't easily left behind . . .Peter Ash came home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with only one souvenir: what he calls his "white static," the buzzing claustrophobia due to post-traumatic stress that has driven him to spend a year roaming in nature, sleeping under the stars. But when a friend from the Marines commits suicide, Ash returns to civilization to help the man's widow with some home repairs. Under her dilapidated porch, he finds more than he bargained for: the largest, ugliest, meanest dog he's ever encountered . . . and a Samsonite suitcase stuffed with cash and explosives. As Ash begins to investigate this unexpected discovery, he finds himself at the center of a plot that is far larger than he could have imagined . . . and it may lead straight back to the world he thought he'd left for good. Suspenseful and thrilling, and featuring a compelling new hero, The Drifter is an exciting debut from a fresh voice in crime fiction.From the Hardcover edition.
The Drillmaster of Valley Forge: The Baron de Steuben and the Making of the American Army
by Paul Lockhart“A terrific biography. . . . The dramatic story of how the American army that beat the British was forged has never been better told.” —Doris Kearns Goodwin, New York Times–bestselling author of Team of RivalsFrustrated with a stalled career in midlife, the Baron de Steuben uprooted himself from his native Europe to seek one last chance at glory and fame in the New World. Steeped in the traditions of the Prussian army of Frederick the Great—the most ruthlessly effective in Europe—he taught the ragged, demoralized soldiers of the Continental Army how to fight like Europeans. His guiding hand shaped the fighting force that triumphed over the British at Monmouth, Stony Point, and Yorktown. But his influence did not end with the Revolution. Steuben was instrumental in creating West Point and in writing the first official regulations of the American army, and his principles have guided the American armed forces to this day.“Reveal[s] the deeds and character of a man whose life was full of surprises and frustrating failures but ultimately crowned with success . . . sheds light on the career of an important but relatively obscure figure.” —Booklist“The author generally treats [Steuben] with balance, understanding and great good humor.” —The Wall Street Journal“An archetypal American story: an immigrant, ambitious, blustering, insecure, who gives his talents and his passion to his new-found home.” —Richard Brookhiser, author of George Washington on Leadership
The Drive on Moscow, 1941
by Niklas Zetterling Anders FranksonHow Nazi forces were driven back by the Soviets amid mud and freezing temperatures: &“Excellent . . . well researched, fast paced and enjoyable to read.&” —Military Review At the end of September 1941, more than a million German soldiers lined up along the frontline just 180 miles west of Moscow. They were well-trained, confident, and had good reasons to hope that the war in the East would be over with one last offensive. Facing them was an equally large Soviet force, but whose soldiers were neither as well-trained nor as confident. When the Germans struck, disaster soon befell the Soviet defenders. German panzer spearheads cut through enemy defenses and thrust deeply to encircle most of the Soviet soldiers on the approaches to Moscow. Within a few weeks, most of the Russian soldiers marched into captivity, where a grim fate awaited them. Despite the overwhelming initial German success, however, the Soviet capital did not fall. German combat units, as well as supply transport, were bogged down in mud caused by autumn rains. General Zhukov was called back to Moscow and given the desperate task to recreate defense lines west of Moscow. The mud allowed him time to accomplish this, and when the Germans again began to attack in November, they met stiffer resistance. Even so, they came perilously close to the capital, and if the vicissitudes of weather had cooperated, would have seized it. Though German units were also fighting desperately by now, the Soviet build-up soon exceeded their own. The Drive on Moscow, 1941 is based on numerous archival records, personal diaries, letters, and other sources. It recreates the battle from the perspective of the soldiers as well as the generals. The battle had a crucial role in the overall German strategy in the East, and its outcome reveals why the failure of the German assault on Moscow may well have been true turning point of World War II.
The Drone Memos: Targeted Killing, Secrecy and the Law
by Edited and Introduced by Jameel Jaffer&“A trenchant summation&” and analysis of the legal rationales behind the US drone policy of targeted killing of suspected terrorists, including US citizens (Publishers Weekly, starred review). In the long response to 9/11, the US government initiated a deeply controversial policy of &“targeted killing&”—the extrajudicial execution of suspected terrorists and militants, typically via drones. A remarkable effort was made to legitimize this practice; one that most human rights experts agree is illegal and that the United States has historically condemned. In The Drone Memos, civil rights lawyer Jameel Jaffer presents and assesses the legal memos and policy documents that enabled the Obama administration to put this program into action. In a lucid and provocative introduction, Jaffer, who led the ACLU legal team that secured the release of many of the documents, evaluates the drone memos in light of domestic and international law. He connects the documents&’ legal abstractions to the real-world violence they allow, and makes the case that we are trading core principles of democracy and human rights for the illusion of security. &“A careful study of a secretive counterterrorism infrastructure capable of sustaining endless, orderless war, this book is profoundly necessary.&” —Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor and publisher of The Nation
The Drowned and the Saved
by Primo Levi Raymond RosenthalLevi wrote of the moral collapse that occurred in Auschwitz and the fallibility of human memory that allows such atrocities to recur. Levi's last book published before his death in 1987.