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Brave Warriors, Humble Heroes: A Vietnam War Story
by Marjorie T. HansenA wife tells of her husband&’s combat missions—and the Agent Orange exposure that changed both their lives.Through her husband&’s letters from Southeast Asia about his combat missions in Vietnam and over the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos in 1971 and 1972, Marge Hansen shares a gripping journey into one of the most divisive and turbulent periods in the nation&’s history. Brave Warriors, Humble Heroes: A Vietnam War Story captures in a flier&’s words the conflict, drama, frustration, heroism, and longing for home and family that mark combat missions. Through meticulous research and compelling narrative, Marge brings to readers a chance to understand what may have been only an ongoing headline in the news for those at home or a distant episode in American history for younger readers. In her voice and Charlie&’s, she captures the experience of those who serve and those who support them. For Marge and Charlie, the war was immediate and personal and has not ended; both were impacted by the legacy of Agent Orange—he from his assignment to front-line bases and she from her visit to him at one of those bases. Brave Warriors, Humble Heroes recounts the story of one war, one hero, one marriage, and one family. This book stands for all those whose voices have not been heard.
Braver Than You Think: Around the World on the Trip of My (Mother's) Lifetime
by Maggie DownsNewly married and established in her career as an award–winning newspaper journalist, Maggie Downs quits her job, sells her belongings, and embarks on the solo trip of a lifetime: Her mother’s.As a child, Maggie Downs often doubted that she would ever possess the courage to visit the destinations her mother dreamed of one day seeing. “You are braver than you think,” her mother always insisted. That statement would guide her as, over the course of one year, Downs backpacked through seventeen countries―visiting all the places her mother, struck with early–onset Alzheimer’s disease, could not visit herself―encountering some of the world’s most striking locales while confronting the slow loss of her mother. Interweaving travelogue with family memories, Braver Than You Think takes the reader hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, white–water rafting on the Nile, volunteering at a monkey sanctuary in Bolivia, praying at an ashram in India, and fleeing the Arab Spring in Egypt.By embarking on an international journey, Downs learned to make every moment count―traveling around the globe and home again, losing a parent while discovering the world. Perfect for fans of adventure memoirs like Wild and Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube, Braver Than You Think explores grief and loss with tenderness, clarity, and humor, and offers a truly incredible roadmap to coping with the unimaginable.
The Bravest Cat! (Penguin Young Readers, Level 2)
by Laura DriscollHere's the heartwarming, true story of the cat who risked her life to save her five kittens from a burning building. Written for very young readers, The Bravest Cat! follows the feline family's recovery and their eventual adoptions into loving homes.
The Bravest Girl in Sharpsburg
by Kathleen ErnstThe daring adventures of best friends Teresa Kretzer and Savilla Miller have earned them the title of "the bravest girls in Sharpsburg" -- and the admiration of Teresa's shy younger sister, Bethie. But when the Civil War looms, the girls become political enemies. Teresa is a staunch Unionist; Savilla, a Secessionist. Tensions escalate as the Confederate army marches into Maryland in September 1862. The question of which flag to display and how, the fear for the lives of loved ones on both sides, and the daily dangers facing the girls all culminate in the confrontation between Confederate and Union armies along Antietam Creek. Each girl most confront challenges which test everything she believes in. In the end, Teresa, Savilla, and Bethie all learn new definitions of courage as they struggle with issues of love, loss, and friendship amidst the horror of the Battle of Antietam Creek.
The Bravest Man: Richard O'Kane and the Amazing Submarine Adventures of the USS Tang
by William Tuohy"There's no margin for mistakes in submarines. You're either alive or dead. " -Richard O'Kane Hailed as the ace of aces, captain Richard O'Kane, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his consummate skill and heroism as a submarine skipper, sank more enemy ships and saved more downed fliers than anyone else. Now Pulitzer Prize--winning author William Tuohy captures all the danger, the terror, and the pulse-pounding action of undersea combat as he chronicles O'Kane's wartime career-from his valiant service as executive officer under Wahoo skipper Dudley "Mush" Morton to his electrifying patrols as commander of the USS Tangand his incredible escape, with eight other survivors, after Tang was sunk by its own defective torpedo. Above all, The Bravest Manis the dramatic story of mavericks who broke the rules and set the pace to become a new breed of hunter/killer submariners who waged a unique brand of warfare. These undersea warriors would blaze their own path to victory-and transform the "Silent Service" into the deadliest fighting force in the Pacific. From the Paperback edition.
The Bravest Man in the British Army: The Extraordinary Life and Death of John Sherwood Kelly
by Philip BujakToday a new major joined us, a Herculean giant of South African origin with a quite remarkable disregard for danger.' _The Regimental Diary of The Kings Own Scottish Borderers, July 1915_'Brave as a lion, stubborn as a mule and as quick tempered as his Irish forebears, Kelly VC spoke out about Churchill's support of the White Russians in 1919. This is a well researched and lively read and brings to our attention an early Churchill folly.' _Keith Simpson_John (Jack) Sherwood Kelly, VC CMG DSO (1880-1931) was a formidable soldier. He fought in British colonial campaigns in the early 1900s, distinguished himself during the First World War at Gallipoli, the Somme and Cambrai, and, after the war, was involved in the British campaign in northern Russia in support of the White Russians. During his military career he achieved fame and notoriety for his mixture of heroic exploits and explosive temperament. In this meticulously researched and vivid biography Jake B. Liphuip tells Sherwood Kellys story and gives a fascinating insight into one of the most remarkable and controversial military men of the period. Kelly had a combat record going back to the 1896 Matabele Revolt. He was awarded the DSO for his exploits in Gallipoli in 1916. During 1917 he commanded 1st Battalion, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and was instrumental in the early success achieved during the Battle of Cambrai for which he was awarded the VC. His later service during the British intervention against the Bolsheviks in 1919 ended in court martial and a highly publicized clash with Winston Churchill.
The Bravest of the Brave: The Correspondence of Stephen Dodson Ramseur
by Gary W. Gallagher George G. KundahlBorn in Lincolnton, North Carolina, in 1837, Stephen Dodson Ramseur rose meteorically through the military ranks. Graduating from West Point in 1860, he joined the Confederate army as a captain. By the time of his death near the end of the war at the Battle of Cedar Creek, he had attained the rank of major general in the Army of Northern Virginia. He excelled in every assignment and was involved as a senior officer in many of the war's most important conflicts east of the Appalachians. Ramseur's letters--over 180 of which are collected and transcribed here by George Kundahl--provide his incisive observations on these military events. At the same time, they offer rare insight into the personal opinions of a high-ranking Civil War officer. Correspondence by Civil War figures is often strictly professional. But in personal letters to his wife, Nellie, and best friend, David Schenk, Ramseur candidly expresses beliefs about the social, military, and political issues of the day. He also shares vivid accounts of battle and daily camp life, providing colorful details on soldiering during the war.
The Bravest Voices: A Memoir of Two Sisters' Heroism During the Nazi Era (Hq Non-fiction Ser.)
by Ida CookThis timeless memoir documents two sisters’ bravery leading up to WWII—a singular historical account that shines a light on one of humanity’s darkest hours.Ida and Louise Cook are two ordinary Englishwomen, seemingly destined never to stray from their quiet London suburb and comfortable jobs—Ida as a budding romance novelist and Louise as a civil service typist. But in 1923, a chance hearing of an aria from Madame Butterfly sparked a passion for opera in the sisters that led to the formation of friendships with some of Europe’s leading singers and their network, many of them Jewish. As the Nazis rose to power, Ida and Louise began working with the opera world’s insiders to save members of the community from persecution and death. Through ingenuity, thrift and bottomless goodwill, the sisters eluded the suspicion of the Nazis and helped secure safe passage for dozens of refugees. No one would have predicted such daring lives for Ida and Louise Cook—but that underestimation is exactly how they were able to save lives.First published in 1950, Ida’s memoir of the adventures she and Louise shared remains as fresh, vital and entertaining as the woman who wrote it, and is a moving testament to the extraordinary acts of courage by two everyday heroes.
Bravey: Chasing Dreams, Befriending Pain, and Other Big Ideas
by Alexi PappasThe Olympic runner, actress, filmmaker and writer Alexi Pappas shares what she&’s learned about confidence, self-reliance, mental health, embracing pain, and achieving your dreams. &“Heartbreaking and hilarious.&”—Mindy Kaling • &“A beautiful read.&”—Ruth Reichl • &“Essential guidance to anyone dreaming big dreams.&”—Shalane Flanagan • &“I couldn&’t put it down.&”—Adam Grantrun like a bravey sleep like a baby dream like a crazy replace can&’t with maybe When &“Renaissance runner&” (New York Times) Alexi Pappas—Olympic athlete, actress, filmmaker, and writer—was four years old, her mother died by suicide, drastically altering the course of Pappas&’s life and setting her on a search for female role models. When her father signed his bereaved daughter up for sports teams as a way to keep her busy, female athletes became the first women Pappas looked up to, and her Olympic dream was born. At the same time, Pappas had big creative dreams, too: She wanted to make movies, write, and act. Despite setbacks and hardships, Pappas refused to pick just one lane. She put in a tremendous amount of hard work and wouldn&’t let anything stand in her way until she achieved all of her dreams, however unrelated they may seem to outsiders. In a single year, 2016, she made her Olympic debut as a distance runner and wrote, directed, and starred in her first feature film. But great highs are often accompanied by deep lows; with joy comes sorrow. In Bravey, Pappas fearlessly and honestly shares her battle with post-Olympic depression and describes how she emerged on the other side as a thriving and self-actualized woman. Unflinching, exuberant, and always entertaining, Bravey showcases Pappas&’s signature, charming voice as she reflects upon the touchstone moments in her life and the lessons that have powered her career as both an athlete and an artist—foremost among them, how to be brave. Pappas&’s experiences reveal how we can all overcome hardship, befriend pain, celebrate victory, relish the loyalty found in teammates, and claim joy. In short: how every one of us can become a bravey.
Bravey (Adapted for Young Readers): Chasing Dreams, Befriending Pain, and Other Big Ideas
by Alexi PappasAlexi Pappas is not only an Olympic runner, actress, filmmaker, she is a writer whose heartwarming and life-affirming memoir will inspire young readers, as she shares the touchstone moments in her life that helped her learn about confidence and self-reliance, compassion and forgiveness, and loss and hope, in this accessible and motivating memoir.What is a bravey? For Alexi Pappas, it means to chase the goals that seem scary. She has not shied away from the challenge.In this honest and hopeful memoir written especially for young readers, Alexi Pappas details key moments that had profound effects on her life, including the loss of her mother when she was just four years old, to her formative years at school where she felt different from her peers, and into her young adult life, including the incredible year she experienced in 2016 when she made her Olympic debut as a distance runner and wrote, directed, and starred in her first feature film. Through it all, Alexi worked hard—physically, mentally, and emotionally, but not without setbacks and difficulties, all of which helped her learn about confidence and self-reliance, compassion and forgiveness, loss and hope. Even with good things happening, Alexi found herself facing anxiety and mental health issues. Isn't winning supposed to make a person happy? How does one make life better when it already seems good? Alexi doesn't provide all the answers, but she offers ideas to consider when life gets complicated.Young readers will be inspired by Alexi's journey to create an abundant life filled with loving friends and family and strong female role models and mentors--who helped to shape the bravey she is today.
Braving Home: Dispatches from the Underwater Town, the Lava-Side Inn, and Other Extreme Locales
by Jake Halpern"every journalist has a niche - it's inevitable - and I was just a few days into my career when I stumbled upon mine. It started as a running joke at the office: I was the magazine's Bad Homes Correspondent. The production department quipped about changing my title on the masthead. I laughed it off, but some of the older writers definitely thought there was something wrong with me. "Did you grow up in some sort of dysfunctional household?" a senior editor asked. No, I told him. "Well, there's got to be something in your past that makes you interested in these stories-you ought to think about it." The magazine I worked for was the New Republic, and my co-workers were a mix of policy wonks, art critics, and political junkies. I was none of these, and instead of trying to pass as one, I set out to write a different kind of story; yet every time I did, it ended up being about some outlandish and often hellish place inhabited by a handful of stalwarts who refused to leave. Iron-willed, unfearing, and utterly immovable, these characters captured my imagination. They were the nation's toughest home-keepers, and I was their aspiring chronicler." A fascinating and witty book.
Braving It: A Father, a Daughter, and an Unforgettable Journey into the Alaskan Wild
by James CampbellThe powerful and affirming story of a father's journey with his teenage daughter to the far reaches of Alaska Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, home to only a handful of people, is a harsh and lonely place. So when James Campbell's cousin Heimo Korth asked him to spend a summer building a cabin in the rugged Interior, Campbell hesitated about inviting his fifteen-year-old daughter, Aidan, to join him: Would she be able to withstand clouds of mosquitoes, the threat of grizzlies, bathing in an ice-cold river, and hours of grueling labor peeling and hauling logs? But once there, Aidan embraced the wild. She even agreed to return a few months later to help the Korths work their traplines and hunt for caribou and moose. Despite windchills of 50 degrees below zero, father and daughter ventured out daily to track, hunt, and trap. Under the supervision of Edna, Heimo's Yupik Eskimo wife, Aidan grew more confident in the woods. Campbell knew that in traditional Eskimo cultures, some daughters earned a rite of passage usually reserved for young men. So he decided to take Aidan back to Alaska one final time before she left home. It would be their third and most ambitious trip, backpacking over Alaska's Brooks Range to the headwaters of the mighty Hulahula River, where they would assemble a folding canoe and paddle to the Arctic Ocean. The journey would test them, and their relationship, in one of the planet's most remote places: a land of wolves, musk oxen, Dall sheep, golden eagles, and polar bears. At turns poignant and humorous, Braving It is an ode to America's disappearing wilderness and a profound meditation on what it means for a child to grow up--and a parent to finally, fully let go.From the Hardcover edition.
Brayden Speaks Up: How One Boy Inspired the Nation
by Brayden HarringtonBrayden Harrington, a thirteen-year-old boy who stutters, gives an incredible speech that electrifies the nation in this timely and extraordinary nonfiction picture book that celebrates the importance of speaking up and using your voice—for everyone deserves to be heard. When Brayden talks, his words get caught in his mouth. He has bumpy speech—and that’s okay! Sometimes, though, he doesn’t feel anyone really understands what it feels like to be a person who stutters.Then Brayden meets Joe Biden, who knows exactly how he feels and inspires him to be more confident. But when Mr. Biden asks Brayden to give a big speech in front of the whole nation, will Brayden be brave enough to speak up and speak out? Brayden Speaks Up is the incredible true story of one extraordinary boy’s perseverance and the importance of celebrating yourself just as you are. For after all, your biggest challenge just might be your greatest gift.
Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World
by Pénélope Bagieu2019 Eisner Award Winner for Best U.S. Edition of International MaterialThroughout history and across the globe, one characteristic connects the daring women of Brazen: their indomitable spirit. With her characteristic wit and dazzling drawings, celebrated graphic novelist Pénélope Bagieu profiles the lives of these feisty female role models, some world famous, some little known. From Nellie Bly to Mae Jemison or Josephine Baker to Naziq al-Abid, the stories in this comic biography are sure to inspire the next generation of rebel ladies.This title has Common Core connections.
Brazen: My Unorthodox Journey from Long Sleeves to Lingerie
by Julia HaartFrom the star of the Netflix reality series My Unorthodox Life, a riveting, inspiring memoir of one woman&’s escape from an extremist religious sect and an extraordinary rise from housewife to shoe designer, to CEO and co-owner of the modeling agency Elite World Group&“An irresistible read . . . Written with great intensity and rare candor, Brazen is a story of longing for more and manifesting that vision.&”—Tommy HilfigerEver since she was a child, every aspect of Julia Haart&’s life—what she wore, what she ate, what she thought—was controlled by the dictates of ultra-Orthodox Judaism. At nineteen, after a lifetime spent caring for her seven younger siblings, she was married off to a man she barely knew. For the next twenty-three years, her marriage would rule her life. Eventually, when Haart&’s younger daughter, Miriam, started to innocently question why she wasn&’t allowed to sing in public, run in shorts, or ride a bike without being covered from neck to knee, Haart reached a breaking point. She knew that if she didn&’t find a way to leave, her daughters would be forced into the same unending servitude that had imprisoned her.So Haart created a double life. In the ultra-Orthodox world, clothing has one purpose—to cover the body, head to toe—and giving any thought to one&’s appearance beyond that is considered sinful, an affront to God. But when no one was looking, Haart would pore over fashion magazines and sketch designs for the clothes she dreamed about wearing in the world beyond her Orthodox suburb. She started preparing for her escape by educating herself and creating a &“freedom&” fund. At the age of forty-two, she finally mustered the courage to flee the fundamentalist life that was strangling her soul.Within a week of her escape, Haart founded a shoe brand, and within nine months, she was at Paris Fashion Week. Just a few years later, she was named creative director of La Perla. Soon she would become co-owner and CEO of Elite World Group, and one of the most powerful people in the fashion industry. Along the way, her four children—Batsheva, Shlomo, Miriam, and Aron—have not only accepted but embraced her transformation.Propulsive and unforgettable, Haart&’s story is the journey from a world of no to a world of yes, and an inspiration for women everywhere to find their freedom, their purpose, and their voice.
Brazen: The sensational memoir from the star of Netflix's My Unorthodox Life
by Julia HaartFrom the star of Netflix's My Unorthodox Life, a riveting, inspiring memoir. Julia Haart tells the story of her extraordinary journey, from leaving an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community to her rise from housewife to shoe designer, to CEO and co-owner of the modelling agency Elite World Group.'An irresistible read . . . Written with great intensity and rare candor, Brazen is a story of longing for more and manifesting that vision.' TOMMY HILFIGER'I congratulate Haart on the show and book, both of which I enjoyed ... Haart is a hustler, a born entrepreneur, charismatic enough to attract investment like a pop ingenue attracts talent scouts, a "fighter" (her words) and a woman who loves and understands fashion.' POLLY VERNON, THE TIMES MAGAZINEEver since she was a child, every aspect of Julia Haart's life - what she wore, what she ate, what she thought - was controlled by the rules of ultra-Orthodox Judaism. At nineteen, after a lifetime spent caring for her seven younger siblings, she was married off to a man she barely knew. For the next twenty-three years, her marriage would rule her life.Eventually, when Haart's youngest daughter, Miriam, started to innocently question why she wasn't allowed to sing in public, run in shorts, or ride a bike without being covered from neck to knee, Haart reached a breaking point. She knew that if she didn't find a way to leave, her daughters would be forced into the same unending servitude.So Haart created a double life. In the ultra- Orthodox world, clothing has one purpose - to cover the body, head to toe - and giving any more thought than that to one's appearance is considered sinful, an affront to God. But when no one was looking, Haart would pour over fashion magazines and sketch designs for the clothes she dreamed about wearing in the world beyond her Orthodox suburb. She started preparing for her escape by educating herself and creating a 'freedom' fund. At the age of forty-two, she finally mustered the courage to flee.Within a week of her escape, Haart founded a shoe brand, and within nine months, she was at Paris Fashion Week. Just a few years later, she was named creative director of La Perla. Soon she would become co-owner and CEO of Elite World Group and one of the most powerful people in fashion. Along the way, her four children - Batsheva, Shlomo, Miriam and Aron - have not only accepted but embraced her transformation.Propulsive and unforgettable, Haart's story is the journey from a world of 'no' to a world of 'yes', and an inspiration for women everywhere to find their freedom, their purpose and their voice.'Julia lives her life with an exhilarating fervour that's contagious to anyone lucky enough to be around her. Never willing to accept the status quo, time and again she has fought for her place in the world and demanded her seat at the table. I'm incredibly inspired by her stories, which are always told with honesty and heart. This book is a must read!'COCO ROCHA'Julia Haart is a hustler. Her story is an inspiring, believe-in-your-dreams, never-give-up, anything-in-life-is-possible story of hope. Run, don't walk, to get this book!'LISA RINNA
Brazil
by Michael PalinMichael Palin, the No.1 bestselling author, explores an exotic country that is now a global superpower. Brazil is one of the four new global super powers with its vast natural resources and burgeoning industries. Half a continent in size and a potent mix of races, religions and cultures, of unexplored wildernesses and bustling modern cities, it is also one of the few countries Michael Palin has never fully travelled. His timely book and series take a closer look at a remarkable new force on the world scene. From the Venezuelan border and the forests of the Lost World, where he encounters the Yanomami tribe and their ongoing territorial war with the gold miners, Michael Palin explores this vast and disparate nation in his inimitable way. He journeys into the heart of the Amazon rainforest. He travels down the north-east coast to meet the descendants of African slaves with their vibrant culture of rituals, festivals and music. He visits the shanty towns of Rio and the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. He goes to Sao Paolo, where the rich commute by helicopter. He travels south to meet German and Japanese communities, meets supermodels in the making and wealthy gauchos in the Pantanal before ending his journey at the spectacular Iguaçu Falls.
Brazil after Bolsonaro: The Comeback of Lula da Silva
by Richard BourneBrazil after Bolsonaro captures and presents the voices of a wide range of stakeholders including academics and journalists in Brazil and abroad to produce the first systematic engagement with Lula’s latest presidency. Providing fair and balanced perspectives on Lula, the authors examine the legacy of Lula’s previous presidency; what happened in the interim in the eras of Rousseff, Temer, and Bolsonaro; and what are the challenges facing a new Lula administration. This book is divided into three main sections (Background to change, Context and issues, and Foreign policy) and chapters detail the political, social, and economic dimensions of change in Brazil and its wider repercussions. A fourth section sees Luís Guillermo Solís Rivera, President of Costa Rica from 2014 to 2018, offer reflections on Lula from the perspective of a fellow president. Assuming no prior knowledge and written in an accessible style, this book is ideal for those seeking to further their understanding of contemporary politics in Brazil and to learn the context and consequences of the transfer of power from Jair Bolsonaro to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Brazil That Never Was
by A.J. LeesA famed British neurologist embarks on an expedition in Brazil to follow the trail of Percy Fawcett, an occult-obsessed explorer who went missing in the Amazon rainforest and was the subject of the 2016 film The Lost City of Z.As a boy growing up near Liverpool in the 1950s, Andrew Lees would visit the docks with his father to watch the ships from Brazil unload their exotic cargo of coffee, cotton bales, molasses, and cocoa. One day, his father gave him a dog-eared book called Exploration Fawcett. The book told the true story of Lieutenant Colonel Percy Fawcett, a British explorer who in 1925 had gone in search of a lost city in the Amazon and never returned. The riveting story of Fawcett's encounters with deadly animals and hostile tribes, his mission to discover an Atlantean civilization, and the many who lost their own lives when they went in search of him inspired the young Lees to believe that there were still earthly places where one could "fall off the edge."Years later, after becoming a successful neurologist, Lees set off in search of the mysterious figure of Fawcett. What he found exceeded his wildest imaginings. With access to the cache of "Secret Papers," Lees discovered that Fawcett's quest was far stranger than searching for a lost city. There was a "greater mission," one that involved the occult and a belief in a community of evolved beings living in a hidden parallel plane in the Mato Grosso.Lees traveled to Manaus in Fawcett's footsteps. After a time-bending psychedelic experience in the forest, he understood that his yearning for the imaginary Brazil of his boyhood, like Fawcett's search for an earthly paradise, was a nostalgia for what never was. Part travelogue, part memoir, Lees paints a portrait of an elusive Brazil, and of a flawed explorer whose doomed mission ruined lives.
Brazillionaires: Wealth, Power, Decadence, and Hope in an American Country
by Alex CuadrosFor readers of Michael Lewis comes an engrossing tale of a country's spectacular rise and fall, intertwined with the story of Brazil's wealthiest citizen, Eike Batista--a universal story of hubris and tragedy that uncovers the deeper meaning of this era of billionaires. When Bloomberg News invited the young American journalist Alex Cuadros to report on Brazil's emerging class of billionaires at the height of the historic Brazilian boom, he was poised to cover two of the biggest business stories of our time: how the giants of the developing world were triumphantly taking their place at the center of global capitalism, and how wealth inequality was changing societies everywhere. The billionaires of Brazil and their massive fortunes resided at the very top of their country's economic pyramid, and whether they quietly accumulated exceptional power or extravagantly displayed their decadence, they formed a potent microcosm of the world's richest .001 percent. Eike Batista, a flamboyant and charismatic evangelist for the country's new gospel of wealth, epitomized much of this rarefied sphere: In 2012, Batista ranked as the eighth-richest person in the world, was famous for his marriage to a beauty queen, and was a fixture in the Brazilian press. His constantly repeated ambition was to become the world's richest man and to bring Brazil along with him to the top. But by 2015, Batista was bankrupt, his son Thor had been indicted for manslaughter, and Brazil--its president facing impeachment, its provinces combating an epidemic, and its business and political class torn apart by scandal--had become a cautionary tale of a country run aground by its elites. Over the four years Cuadros was on the billionaire beat, he reported on media moguls and televangelists, energy barons and shadowy figures from the years of military dictatorship, soy barons who lived on the outskirts of the Amazon, and new-economy billionaires spinning money from speculation. He learned just how deeply they all reached into Brazilian life. They held sway over the economy, government, media, and stewardship of the environment; they determined the spiritual fates and populated the imaginations of their countrymen. Cuadros's zealous reporting takes us from penthouses to courtrooms, from favelas to extravagant art fairs, from scenes of unimaginable wealth to desperate, massive street protests. Within a business narrative that deftly explains and dramatizes the volatility of the global economy, Cuadros offers us literary journalism with a grand sweep. Praise for Brazillionaires"A wild, richly reported tale about Brazil's recent economic rise and fall, and some of the biggest, most colorful characters in business in Brazil who now have a global reach. . . . Cuadros's story really takes off when he focuses on Eike Batista, an over-the-top one-time billionaire who became the country's corporate mascot, only to go bankrupt in a dramatic unraveling."--Andrew Ross Sorkin, the New York Times "In this excellent book [Cuadros] has managed to use billionaires to illuminate the lives of both rich and poor Brazilians, and all those in between."--The Economist "Brazil's shocking rise and even more shocking fall is one of the biggest stories of our young century. Alex Cuadros tells it through the stories of its billionaires--whose genius, hubris, and (in some cases) utter folly come through in vivid, human detail throughout this book."--Brian Winter, co-author of The Accidental President of BrazilFrom the Hardcover edition.
The Breach: Inside the Impeachment and Trial of William Jefferson Clinton
by Peter BakerThe journalist who co-wrote the original article breaking the Monica Lewinsky scandal for the Washington Post reveals the complete story behind the headlines: a riveting, in-depth account of an event unique in American history -- the first impeachment of an elected president. "For all of the titillation about thongs and cigars, the story of the impeachment and trial of William Jefferson Clinton was not so much about sex as it was about power. It may have started with an unseemly rendezvous near the Oval Office, but it mushroomed into the Washington battle of a generation, ultimately dragging in all three branches of government.... "Clinton opened his second term vowing to bring the parties together, to become the 'repairer of the breach.' But the last half of the presidency demonstrated that the breach was wider than anyone had anticipated." -- from the Prologue With unprecedented access to all the players -- major and minor -- Washington Post reporter Peter Baker reconstructs the compelling drama that gripped the nation for six critical months: the impeachment and trial of William Jefferson Clinton. The Breach vividly depicts the mind-boggling political and legal events as they unfolded, a day-by-day and sometimes hour-by-hour account beginning August 17, 1998, the night of the president's grand-jury testimony and his disastrous speech to the nation, through the House impeachment hearings and the Senate trial, ending on February 12, 1999, the day of his acquittal. Using 350 original interviews, confidential investigation files, diaries, and tape recordings, Baker goes behind the scenes and packs the book with newsworthy revelations -- the infighting among the president's advisers, the pressure among Democrats to call for Clinton's resignation, the secret back-channel negotiations between the White House and Congress, a tour of the War Room set up by Tom DeLay to force Clinton out of office, the agonizing of various members of Congress, the anxiety of lawmakers who feared the exposure of their own sex lives, and Hillary Clinton's learning that her husband would admit his affair with Monica Lewinsky. The Breach is contemporary history at its best -- shocking, revealing, and consequential. It is a tale of how Washington became lost in "the breach" of its own partisan impulses. All of this, and much more, makes The Breach one of the most important and illuminating volumes of history and contemporary politics of our generation.
Breaching Jericho's Walls: A Twentieth-Century African American Life (Excelsior Editions)
by Allen B. BallardA rich narrative recounting the life story of award-winning African American historian and novelist Allen B. Ballard, Breaching Jericho's Walls takes its readers on an exciting journey from a segregated Philadelphia community in the 1930s to mid-century Paris, Moscow, Cambridge, and Manhattan. The author reflects on his own pioneering role as he expands his horizons, as one of the first African American students at Ohio's Kenyon College, studying abroad in France and sharing a café table with Richard Wright and James Baldwin, serving in the military in the American South and attending graduate school at Harvard University. Becoming one of the nation's first black Russian specialists, Ballard studies in post-Stalinist Russia for a year, where, among other adventures, he spends a month with Michael Gorbachev and his wife, Raisa, on a Soviet farm. Though he tells his own personal story within Breaching Jericho's Walls, Ballard also portrays the experiences of those northern African-Americans whose generations bridged the gap from the legacy of slavery to the breakdown of the segregated system in the 1950s and 1960s while revealing the crucial role that individuals like civil rights leader Paul Robeson, Olympic athletes Jesse Owens and Long John Woodruff, and scholar Alain Locke played in inspiring the hopes of an oppressed and downtrodden race. A memoir filled with entertaining anecdotes and insightful reflection, Breaching Jericho's Walls offers Ballard's compelling personal story and reveals how, brick by brick, African Americans built the road that led to the election of President Obama in 2008.
Breaching the Summit: Leadership Lessons from the U.S. Military's Best
by Kenneth O. Preston Michael P. Barrett Rick D. West James A. Roy Denise M. Jelinski-Hill Charles BowenThis unique anthology collects personal stories and leadership lessons from six highly-ranked officers across all branches of service. In Breaching the Summit, six senior enlisted advisors to the joint chiefs of staff share their stories, experiences, and lessons learned from a lifetime of military service. In their own words, each tells how they got their start, how mentors encouraged them along the way, and how they eventually became the highest-ranking enlisted member in their respective services. Their personal stories illustrate battle-tested principles of successful leadership that are applicable in all walks of life. The authors include Ken Preston, 13th Sergeant Major of the Army (retired); Mike Barrett, 17th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (retired); Rick West, 12th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (retired); James Roy, 16th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (retired); Denise Jelinski-Hall, Senior Enlisted Advisor to the National Guard Bureau (retired); and Skip Bowen, 10th Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard (retired). &“Books on leadership are many, but none are as practical, clear, and proven as Breaching the Summit.&” —Adm. Gary Roughead, US Navy (retired)
Bread and Bibles: D.L. Moody's Evangelism and Social Action
by Gregg QuiggleWhen I was at work in the City Relief Society, before the fire, I used to go to a poor sinner with the Bible in one hand and a loaf of bread in the other. –D. L. MoodyDwight Lyman Moody was a preacher, pastor, and visionary whose impact is still felt around the world. He was a servant to poor and immigrant communities, an evangelist who traveled the globe, and a champion of Christian education—Moody founded Moody Publishers and he started three schools, including Moody Bible Institute, which has trained more missionaries than any other single institution in the United States. Dr. Gregg Quiggle explores the life and legacy of a man who helped shape American evangelicalism. Taking a focused and in-depth look at the social vision and missionary work—triumphs and failures—of D. L. Moody, Quiggle tells the story of a man whose impact continues to this day.
Bread and Circus
by Airea D. MatthewsA powerful collection of autobiographical poems from Yale Young Poets Award Winner and Philadelphia&’s Poet Laureate Airea D. Matthews about the economics of class and its failures for those rendered invisible by it.As a former student of economics, Airea D. Matthews was fascinated and disturbed by 18th-century Scottish economist Adam Smith, and his magnum opus The Wealth of Nations. Bread and Circus is a direct challenge to Smith&’s theory of the invisible hand, which claims self-interest is the key to optimal economic outcomes. By juxtaposing redacted texts by Smith and the French Marxist Guy Debord with autobiographical prose and poems, Bread and Circus demonstrates that self-interest fails when people become commodities themselves, and shows how the most vulnerable—including the author and her family—have been impacted by that failure. A layered collection to be read and reread, with poems that range from tragic to humorous, in forms as varied and nuanced as the ideas the book considers, Bread and Circus explores the area where theory and reality meet. Timely, ambitious, and relevant, Bread and Circus is a brilliant intellectual and artistic contribution to an ongoing conversation about American inequality, for fans of Elizabeth Alexander, Natalie Diaz, Eve Ewing, and Gregory Pardlo.