- Table View
- List View
Absent-Minded Beggars: Yeomanry and Volunteers in the Boer War
by Will BennettThe British Army suffered one of its greatest crises when in December 1899 the Boer irregulars inflicted three reverses in South Africa in 'Black Week'. A nation grown accustomed to success was stunned. Part of the answer was a very British blend of patriotism and pragmatism. For the first time civilian volunteers and part-time soldiers were allowed to fight overseas to the horror of traditionalist professional soldiers. Yet, by the end of the Boer War, almost 90,000 men had volunteered to serve the Colours. Much of sporting high society joined the newly formed Imperial Yeomanry. The Volunteers sent infantrymen to serve alongside the regulars and the City of London financed the raising of the City Imperial Volunteers. Men also came forward from the colonies. This book tells the story of these volunteer units.
Fighting with the Screaming Eagles: With the 101st Airborne from Normandy to Bastogne
by Robert BowenA member of the 101st Airborne&’s Glider Infantry recalls WWII, from the horror of D-Day to the despair of Nazi captivity, in this compelling memoir. As World War II broke out, Robert Bowen was drafted into Company C, 401st Glider Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. Soon afterwards, he found himself storming Utah Beach amid the chaos of D-Day, through unfamiliar terrain littered with minefields and hidden snipers. Bowen was wounded during the Normandy campaign but went on to fight in Holland and the Ardennes, where he was captured. That&’s when his &“trip through hell&” truly began. In each of Bowen&’s campaigns, the 101st &“Screaming Eagles&” spearheaded the Allied effort against the Nazi occupation of Europe. At Bastogne, they stood nearly alone against the onslaught of enemy panzers and grenadiers. His insights into life behind enemy lines after his capture provide as much fascination as his exploits on the battlefield. Written shortly after the war, Bowen&’s narrative is immediate and compelling. An introduction by the world&’s foremost historian of the 101st Airborne, George Koskimaki, further enhances this classic work.
Recollections of an Airman (Vintage Aviation Library)
by Louis Arbon StrangeThis candid WWI memoir takes readers inside the cockpit with an RAF officer on the Western Front from the outbreak the Great War until its end in 1918. Louis Arbon Strange was at the Royal Air Force&’s Central Flying School when war broke out in 1914. He immediately reported to Royal Flying Corps headquarters and joined No. 5 Squadron. Strange remained on active duty throughout the war, serving his country over the Western Front from August of that year until the enemy&’s surrender. Strange transferred to No. 6 Squadron in 1915 and went on to form and command No. 23 Squadron. Due to illness, he did not accompany his squadron to France, but spent that time training others. He took charge of the Machine-Gun School at Hythe and other schools of aerial gunnery before returning to the Front. There he commanded the 23rd Wing and finally took command of the 80th Wing from June 1918 until the end of the war. As Strange chronicles his experiences, he provides unique insight into how and why the Allied airmen eventually prevailed.
The U.S. Army Cooks' Manual: Rations, Preparation, Recipes, Camp Cooking (The Pocket Manual Series)
by R. SheppardThis compendium of US Army cooking manuals features recipes, camp cooking tips, and more from the Revolutionary War to WWI. This collection of excerpts from US Army cooking manuals illustrates how America fed its troops from the late eighteenth century to the early twentieth, offering a glimpse of what daily life was like for those preparing and consuming the rations. With an introduction explaining the historical background, this is a fascinating and fun exploration of American army cooking, with a dash of inspiration for feeding your own army! Beginning with a manual from 1775, you will learn how the Continental Congress kept its Patriot forces fed. A manual from 1896 prepares Army cooks for any eventuality—whether in the garrison, in the field, or on the march—with instructions on everything from butchery and preserving meat to organizing food service and cleaning utensils. Along with classic American fare such as chowder, hash, and pancakes, it also includes recipes for Crimean kebabs, Turkish pilau, and tamales. In contrast, a 1916 manual offers a detailed consideration of nutrition and what must be one of the first calorie counters. Instructions are given on how to assemble a field range in a trench or on a train. Among the more unusual recipes are head cheese—meat stew made from scraps—and pickled pigsfeet. Later manuals produced during WWI include baking recipes for breads and cakes, as well as how to cook dehydrated products. &“Culinary and military historians will equally find this a valuable resource.&” —Booklist
Fortune Favours the Brave: The Battles of the Hook Korea, 1952–53 (Military History Ser.)
by A.J. BarkerAll too little remembered today, the Korean War was bitterly fought out under atrocious conditions of weather and terrain. Greatly outnumbered by their Communist Chinese and North Korean enemy, the United Nations forces fought with extraordinary resolve and gallantry. The Hook, the name given to a prominent ridge on the Peninsula, saw more blood spilt than any other feature in this prolonged and grisly war. Not surprisingly it became known as 'the bloody Hood'.The two costliest battles are described in detail in Fortune Favours The Brave, a classic account of the war. Both involved British infantry battalions of 29 Commonwealth Brigade. In November 1952, The Black Watch saw off a major Chinese attack against all odds. In May 1953 it was the turn of 1st Battalion, The Duke of Wellington's Regiment to face what must have seemed an overwhelming onslaught. Along a 1,000 yard front the greatest concentration of artillery fire since the Great War was brought to bear on Chinese human-wave attacks.In the morning the Dukes still held the ground despite heavy casualties. This feat of arms, achieved by battalion made up mainly of young National Servicemen from yorkshire, ranks among the finest in the long and glorious history of the British Army.
Some of Tim's Stories (Stories And Storytellers Ser. #2)
by S.E. HintonFrom the author of The Outsiders: &“Immediate and gripping&” tales of two boys whose lives diverge in dramatic ways after a shared childhood tragedy (School Library Journal). Terry and Mike were cousins who were as close as cousins could be—more like twin brothers, really. They thought they were invincible and that the happy times would last forever, until the day their fathers headed off for their annual deer-hunting trip. That was when everything started to change, and their paths went in very different directions. Years later, another fateful event will send one of them to prison—and the other to a bartending job in Oklahoma—while the prospect of an eventual reunion looms . . . From the award-winning author of That Was Then, This Is Now and Rumble Fish, &“Some of Tim&’s Stories is a compact set of vignettes&” full of &“sharp, concise observation&” (The New York Times).
North Pole, South Pole: The Epic Quest to Solve the Great Mystery of Earth's Magnetism
by Gillian TurnerThis &“fantastic story&” of one of physics&’ great riddles takes us through centuries of scientific history (Simon Lamb, author of Devil in the Mountain). Why do compass needles point north—but not quite north? What guides the migration of birds, whales, and fish across the world&’s oceans? How is Earth able to sustain life under an onslaught of solar wind and cosmic radiation? For centuries, the world&’s great scientists have grappled with these questions, all rooted in the same phenomenon: Earth&’s magnetism. Over two thousand years after the invention of the compass, Einstein called the source of Earth&’s magnetic field one of greatest unsolved mysteries of physics. Here, for the first time, is the complete history of the quest to understand the planet&’s attractive pull—from the ancient Greeks&’ fascination with lodestone to the geological discovery that the North Pole has not always been in the North—and to the astonishing modern conclusions that finally revealed the true source. Richly illustrated and skillfully told, North Pole, South Pole unfolds the human story behind the science: that of the inquisitive, persevering, and often dissenting thinkers who unlocked the secrets at our planet&’s core. &“In recent years, many very good books for interested non-scientists have been published: Richard Dawkins&’s Climbing Mount Improbable and The Ancestor&’s Tale, Stephen Jay Gould&’s The Lying Stones of Marrakech, and Dava Sobel&’s Longitude and The Planets, to name some of them. North Pole, South Pole . . . is a worthy addition to that list . . . Turner has a great story to tell, and she tells it well.&” —The Press (New Zealand)
Knight of Germany: Oswald Boelcke German Ace (Vintage Aviation Library #Vol. 3)
by Johannes WernerThe story of the World War I fighter pilot the Red Baron himself sought to emulate . . .German air ace Oswald Boelcke was a national hero during World War I. He was the youngest captain in the German air force, decorated with the Pour le Mérite while still only a lieutenant, and credited with forty aerial victories at the time of his death.Becoming a pilot shortly before the outbreak of the war, Boelcke established his reputation on the Western front first in reconnaissance, then in scouts, before finally becoming the best known of the early German aces, along with Max Immelmann. After Immelmann’ s death, he was taken off flying and traveled to the Eastern front where he met a young pilot called Manfred von Richthofen. Transferred back to the Western Front in command of Jasta 2, he remembered von Richthofen when new small fighting units were formed and chose him as a pilot for his new Staffel. Boelcke was tragically killed in a flying accident during combat in October 1916, although not before the reputation of his unit, together with his own, had been firmly established forever.This absorbing biography was written with the blessing of Boelcke’s family. Professor Werner was given access to his letters and other papers, and presents here a rounded and fascinating portrait of a great airman and a remarkable soldier who became known as the father of the German Jagdflieger.This edition has been completely reoriginated while remaining faithful to the language of the time of its original translation from German in the 1930s.
Assault from the Sky: Marine Corps Helicopter Operations in Vietnam
by Dick Camp&“Action-packed . . . he brings the reader artfully through the fog of war with clarity&” (20th Century Aviation Magazine). Vietnam has often been called our &“first helicopter war,&” and indeed, the US Marine Corps, as well as Army, had to feel its way forward during the initial combats. But by 1967, the combat was raging across South Vietnam, with confrontational battles against the NVA on a scale comparable to the great campaigns of WWII. In 1968, when the Communists launched their mammoth counteroffensive, the Marines were forced to fight on all sides, with the helicopter giving them the additional dimension that proved decisive in repelling the enemy. The author of this book, a Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient who has also worked at the USMC History Division and National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, uses his experiences as a company commander to bring the story to life by weaving personal accounts, after-action reports, and official documents into a compellingly readable narrative of service and sacrifice by Marine pilots and crewmen. The entire story of the war is depicted through the prism of Marine helicopter operations, from the first deployments to support the Army of the Republic of Vietnam against the Viet Cong through the rapid US buildup to stop the North Vietnamese Army, until the final withdrawal from our Embassy. &“Superlative research.&” —Leatherneck
Gold Run: The Rescue of Norway's Gold Bullion from the Nazis, 1940
by Robert PearsonThe WWII story of Norwegian resistance in the face of Nazi invasion: a daring escape for the Norwegian royal family and fifty tons of gold bullion. Gold Run recounts the thrilling story of the loyal Norwegians who rescued the Norwegian royal family, government, and nearly fifty tons of gold bullion from invading Nazis during World War II. One of the greatest gold snatches in history, it is a tale of loyal citizens who achieved an incredible feat against overwhelming odds through bravery, endurance, and leadership—plus a little good fortune and help from the British Royal Navy. The German invasion on the night of April 9, 1940, took Norway almost completely unawares. But one small coastal battery took swift action to protect the country&’s leadership. In desperate haste, the royal family fled Oslo by rail, dodging bombs and strafing. With extraordinary ingenuity, the gold was moved by road, rail, and fishing boat, hotly pursued by the Germans. After several instances of near disaster, the Norwegians managed to get the gold to the coast, where the Royal Navy came to the rescue. It was taken off in three Royal Navy Cruisers, HMS Enterprise, Galatea, and Glasgow. The ships were attacked in port, then constantly harassed and bombed by the Luftwaffe as they made their way back to the United Kingdom. The Germans had gained a country, but lost a king, a government, and a huge amount of bullion that would have financed their war machine.
Devil's Day: From the Costa winning and bestselling author of The Loney
by Andrew Michael Hurley'The new master of menace' Sunday TimesA blizzard a century ago has passed into fable in the Endlands. Trapped by the snow, the residents of the valley found themselves at the mercy of the Devil, who brought death and destruction before being driven back to the moors. Now, the three farming families of the Endlands face a new test. The patriarch of the community, the Gaffer, has died and his grandson, John Pentecost, must decide if he will return and work the land in his grandfather's stead. He feels the pull of duty, loyalty and tradition: obligations that his pregnant wife, Kat, finds hard to understand as an outsider. And as the celebrations of the Devil's exile draw near, she realises that there is a darkness in this place which cannot be repelled. BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE TIMES, SUNDAY TIMES, FT, METRO AND MAIL ON SUNDAY'A work of goose-flesh eeriness' The Spectator
A Dance for the King: The brand-new spellbinding and gripping historical drama from the star of Strictly Come Dancing (Buckingham)
by Anton Du BekeYou're invited to a show to remember at the prestigious Buckingham Hotel . . . In London 1942 the war is far from over for soldier Raymond de Guise. His wife Nancy is overjoyed to be reunited with her husband, and to introduce him to their son. But their safety is threatened once more as Raymond returns to the ballroom at the Buckingham Hotel, ordered to discover the dark secrets held by the glittering high society. On the dancefloor Raymond uncovers a dangerous relationship that could change the course of the war, and also threaten his marriage to Nancy. Can he protect his King and his family before it is too late?A DANCE FOR THE KING is a pageturning and epic wartime story filled with drama, mystery, dance and romance.
The Loney: 'Full of unnerving terror . . . amazing' Stephen King
by Andrew Michael Hurley'The Loney is not just good, it's great. It's an amazing piece of fiction' Stephen KingEaster 1976. Two teenage brothers, one mute, the other his lifelong protector, set off on a retreat with their parents and others from their church to a Catholic shrine on a wild, ever-changing stretch of Lancashire coastline known as the Loney. Led by new incumbent Father Bernard, the pilgrims dutifully observe the traditions leading up to the Resurrection, but the boys learn that there is a much older, darker power to be found in the landscape itself, one which is being tapped by strange rituals on the tidal island of Coldbarrow. Many years later, a child's body is discovered, and the two brothers are forced to confront the horrors of the past. The Loney always gives up its secrets, in the end. WINNER OF THE 2015 COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARDTHE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2016'This is a novel of the unsaid, the implied, the barely grasped or understood, crammed with dark holes and blurry spaces that your imagination feels compelled to fill' Observer'A masterful excursion into terror' The Sunday Times
Wellington's Hidden Heroes: The Dutch and the Belgians at Waterloo
by Veronica Baker-Smith&“An excellent account of the contribution of the newly formed (and short-lived) United Kingdom of the Netherlands to the Allied victory&” (HistoryOfWar.org). The Dutch-Belgians have been variously described as inexperienced, incompetent, and cowardly, a rogue element in the otherwise disciplined Allied Army. It is only now being tentatively acknowledged that they alone saved Wellington from disaster at Quatre Bras. He had committed a strategic error in that, as Napoleon advanced, his own troops were scattered over a hundred kilometers of southern Belgium. Outnumbered three to one, the Netherlanders gave him time to concentrate his forces and save Brussels from French occupation. At Waterloo itself, on at least three occasions when the fate of the battle &“hung upon the cusp,&” their engagement with the enemy aided British recovery. Their commander—the Prince of Orange—has been viciously described as an arrogant fool, &“a disaster waiting to happen,&” and even a dangerous lunatic. According to the assessment of Wellington himself, he was a reliable and courageous subordinate. This book reveals a new dimension of the famous campaign and includes many unseen illustrations. For the first time, a full assessment is made of the challenge which Willem I faced as king of a country hastily cobbled together by the Congress of Vienna, and of his achievement in assembling, equipping, and training 30,000 men from scratch in eighteen months. &“An extraordinary and impressively researched, written, organized and presented history that sheds considerable new light on one of the most influential battles of 19th century Europe.&” —Midwest Book Review &“A fascinating read.&” —Military Heritage
Letters from Verdun: Frontline Experiences of an American Volunteer in World War I France
by Avery Royce WolfeThe dramatic experiences of an ambulance driver in the Great War, told through personal correspondence and photographs. Though the United States was late to enter the Great War, a number of idealistic young Americans wished to take part from the beginning. One of these was Avery Royce Wolf, a highly educated scion of a family in America&’s burgeoning industrial heartland. Volunteering as an ambulance driver with the French Army in the Verdun sector, Royce sent back a constant stream of highly detailed letters describing the experience of frontline combat, as well as comments on strategy, the country he encountered, and the Allies&’ prospects for success. This treasure trove of brilliant letters, only recently discovered, is accompanied by several albums worth of rare, high-quality photos depicting aspects of the Great War in France never previously published. Full of action, including the suspense and terror of the Ludendorff Offensive, and interesting firsthand analyses, such as comparing French and German trench works, Letters from Verdun brings the reader amazingly close to the frontlines of the Great War.
A Mighty Fortress: Lead Bomber Over Europe
by Chuck Alling&“In a fascinating way, Chuck Alling recalls his days as a pilot flying B-17s over Germany. He is truly a member of &‘The Greatest Generation&’&” (Former Pres. George H.W. Bush). A Mighty Fortress is the personal account of the captain and crew of a lead bomber in the enormous formation raids made by the Eighth Air Force during the last few months of the Second World War. It is an extraordinary tale of heroism and bravery on the part of the entire crew of just one B-17 amongst hundreds—but the one B-17 that meant most to them. Having flown twenty-seven missions before the war ended, Alling tells what it was like to be there, in the skies over enemy territory, constantly on the lookout for German fighters; of the enormity of some of the raids they were part of and the consequences for those on the ground; of the planes around them that fell out of the sky under enemy attack; of the horror and the determination to succeed. From a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, this book gives a unique insight into the lives of one crew of one plane as the war neared its end.
CRU Oyster Bar Nantucket Cookbook: Savoring Four Seasons of the Good Life
by Erin Zircher Jane Stoddard Carlos Hidalgo Martha W. MurphyA cookbook that captures the laid-back, but elegant lifestyle of Nantucket and the wonderful dishes of its locals' and tourists' favorite CRU Oyster Bar.CRU Oyster Bar’s casually stylish cuisine is an ode to the ocean, local farms, and the seasons, served in a beautiful setting on Nantucket Harbor.Zircher takes her inspiration from her classical French training, her love of Mediterranean flavors, and family recipes in these 75 never-before-published recipes. With full-sized four-color images of the food and the island, the CRU Oyster Bar Nantucket Cookbook brings the vibrancy of Nantucket’s spectacular beauty to its pages.Recipes featured in this cookbook include fluke meunière, harissa grilled tuna with leeks vinaigrette, and crispy fried oysters with radish rémoulade. There’s no shortage of lobster recipes with lobster tail, lobster bisque, lobster salad, and lobster cocktail. And dessert as well! Hazelnut shortbread with wild blackberry jam and vanilla and rum roasted plums with orange-scented pound cake. The cocktails are a draw of their own—both delicious and pretty, there are recipes for season-appropriate drinks that anyone can master. A gorgeous tribute to the island—complete with sidebars with information only locals know—and to the gem that is CRU, the CRU Oyster Bar Nantucket Cookbook allows you to enjoy the flavors, places, and luxury of Nantucket every day of the year.
On the Frontlines of the Television War: A Legendary War Cameraman in Vietnam
by Yasutsune Hirashiki&“The eyewitness accounts of the many phases of the war in this memoir bring events to life as if they had happened yesterday&” (Vietnam Veterans of America Book Reviews). On the Frontlines of the Television War is the story of Yasutsune &“Tony&” Hirashiki&’s ten years in Vietnam—beginning when he arrived in 1966 as a young freelancer with a 16mm camera, but without a job or the slightest grasp of English, and ending in the hectic fall of Saigon in 1975, when he was literally thrown on one of the last flights out. His memoir has all the exciting tales of peril, hardship, and close calls of the best battle memoirs, but it is primarily a story of very real and yet remarkable people: the soldiers who fought, bled, and died, and the reporters and photographers who went right to the frontlines to record their stories and memorialize their sacrifice. If this was truly the first &“television war,&” then it is time to hear the story of the cameramen who shot the pictures and the reporters who wrote the stories that the average American witnessed daily in their living rooms. An award-winning sensation when it was released in Japan in 2008, this book has been completely recreated for an international audience. &“Tony Hirashiki is an essential piece of the foundation on which ABC was built . . . Tony reported the news with his camera and in doing so, he brought the truth about the important events of our day to millions of Americans.&” —David Westin, former President of ABC News
Bomber Command: Cover of Darkness, 1939–May 1942 (Bomber Command)
by Martin W. BowmanThis massive work provides a comprehensive insight to the experiences of Bomber Commands pilots and aircrew throughout WWII. From the early wartime years when the RAFs first attempts to avenge Germanys onslaught were bedeviled by poor navigation and inaccurate bombing, to the last winning onslaught that finally tamed Hitler in his Berlin lair, these volumes trace the true experiences of the men who flew the bombers. Hundreds of firsthand accounts are punctuated by the authors background information that puts each narrative into wartime perspective. Every aspect of Bomber Command's operational duties are covered; day and night bombing, precision low-level strikes, mass raids and operations throughout all wartime theaters. Contributions are from RAF personnel who flew the Commands different aircraft from the early Blenheims and Stirlings to the later Lancasters and Mosquitoes.Each volume is full of accounts that tell of the camaraderie amongst the crews, moments of sheer terror and the stoic humor that provided the critical bond. The five volumes of this work provide the most vivid and comprehensive work on the outstanding part played by RAF Bomber Command and their vital role in the destruction of the Third Reich.
Ghosts of the ETO: American Tactical Deception Units in the European Theater, 1944–1945 (World War Ii Ser.)
by Jonathan Gawne&“An excellent, balanced history of the 23rd Special Troops . . . may be one of the most important books to come out of World War II.&” —Engineer Magazine No history of the war in Europe has ever taken into account the actions of the men of the US 23rd Special Troops. These men took part in over twenty-two deception operations against the German army. Some of these operations had tremendous impact upon how the battles in Europe were fought. The men who participated in these actions were sworn to secrecy for fifty years and are only now willing to talk about their role. The 23rd was composed of four main units. A signal deception unit to broadcast fake radio signals, an engineer camouflage unit to set up rubber dummies of tanks and trucks, a combat engineer unit to construct emplacements and provide local security, and a sonic deception company. The sonic unit was developed to fool German listening posts by playing audio recordings of various sounds, such as tanks moving up or bridges being built. The 23rd was the only tactical deception unit of the American Army in World War II combining all aspects of deception. This book also covers the birthplace of sonic deception, the Army Experimental Station at Pine Camp, and the 23rd&’s smaller sister unit, the 3133rd Sonic Deception company that saw action for fourteen days in Italy. &“Highly recommended reading as being a simply fascinating military history of a hidden aspect of World War II that would have a profound and lasting influence on military strategy and tactics.&” —Midwest Book Review
Hungarian Uprising: Budapest's Cataclysmic Twelve Days, 1956 (Cold War, 1945–1991)
by Louis ArchardWhen the world held its breath It is more than 25 years since the end of the Cold War. It began over 75 years ago, in 1944 long before the last shots of the Second World War had echoed across the wastelands of Eastern Europe with the brutal Greek Civil War. The battle lines are no longer drawn, but they linger on, unwittingly or not, in conflict zones such as Syria, Somalia and Ukraine. In an era of mass-produced AK-47s and ICBMs, one such flashpoint was Hungary Soviet troops had occupied Hungary in 1945 as they pushed towards Germany and by 1949 the country was ruled by a communist government that towed the Soviet line. Resentment at the system eventually boiled over at the end of October 1956. Protests erupted on the streets of Budapest and, as the violence spread, the government fell and was replaced by a new, more moderate regime. However, the intention of the new government to withdraw from the Warsaw Pact and declare neutrality in the Cold War proved just too much for Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.Soviet forces had intervened at the beginning of events to help the former regime keep order but were withdrawn at the end of October, only to return in November and quell the uprising with blunt force. Thousands were arrested, many of whom were imprisoned and more than 300 executed. An estimated 200,000 fled Hungary as refugees. Despite advocating a policy of rolling back Soviet influence, the US and other western powers were helpless to stop the suppression of the uprising, which marked a realization that the Cold War in Europe had reached a stalemate.
Big Guns: Artillery on the Battlefield (Casemate Short History)
by Angus KonstamA concise, illustrated introduction to artillery from medieval times to the modern era. Over seven centuries, the artillery piece has evolved from a status symbol to one of the most deadly weapons wielded by man. Using gunpowder weapons was initially something of a black art, but over time, gunnery became a science, a dependable method of breaching fortifications or overcoming an enemy on the battlefield. By the nineteenth century, most European armies had artillery units manned with trained gunners; Napoleon, originally an artillery officer, then took the use of artillery to a new level. Over the following decades, rapid advances in gun technology paved the way for the devastatingly powerful heavy artillery that literally transformed the landscape during World War I. The use of rolling and box barrages shaped how armies fought on the front lines, and powerful naval guns dictated the outcome of battles at sea. By World War II, the range of artillery had expanded to include self-propelled guns and powerful antitank and antiaircraft guns. In this informative introduction, historian Angus Konstam concisely explains how the development and evolving deployment of artillery led to big guns becoming the key to victory in two world wars and a potent force on the modern battlefield.
Letter from Peking: A Novel (Los Jet De Plaza Y J Series)
by Pearl S. BuckFrom the Nobel Prize–winning author of The Good Earth: The New York Times–bestselling novel of a Chinese-American family separated by war. Elizabeth and Gerald MacLeod are happily married in China, bringing up their young son, Rennie. But when war breaks out with Japan, Gerald, who is half-Chinese, decides to send his wife and son back to America while he stays behind. In Vermont, Elizabeth longingly awaits his letters, but the Communists have forbidden him from sending international mail. Over time, both the silences and complications grow more painful: Gerald has taken up a new love and teenager Rennie struggles with his mixed-race heritage in America. Rich with Buck&’s characteristic emotional wisdom, Letter from Peking focuses on the ordeal of a family split apart by race and history. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Pearl S. Buck including rare images from the author&’s estate.
Being Emily
by Anne DonovanInternational bestseller: &“A tender, lyrical coming-of-age narrative, its people drawn with love in that singing Glasgow voice that is Donovan&’s signature.&” —The Guardian Things are never dull in the O&’Connell family. And young Fiona has her artistic pursuits, and her budding relationship with a handsome Sikh boy. Still, squeezed between her quiet brother and her mischievous twin sisters, Fiona thinks life in their tenement flat in the Scottish city of Glasgow is far less interesting than Emily Bronte&’s. But tragedy is not confined to Victorian novels. And life for Fiona in this happy domestic setup is about to change forever. Following the devastating events of a single day, her family can never be the same. But perhaps, new relationships will develop—built on a solid foundation of love. Moving, funny and ultimately heartwarming, Being Emily is a wonderful novel about one young girl trying to find her place in the world amid the turmoil that only your own family can create. &“She handles characters and plot with both toughness and tenderness, and depicts the pains and pleasures borne by the developing female artist.&” —Independent on Sunday &“An accomplished family drama … quirky and endearing.&” —Sunday Herald
The Instruments of Battle: The Fighting Drummers and Buglers of the British Army from the Late 17th Century to the Present Day
by James Tanner“The hitherto forgotten story of the development of the regimental band, mainly drummers and buglers. A rare piece of social history” (Books Monthly).The Instruments of Battle examines in detail the development and role of the British Army’s fighting drummers and buglers, from the time of the foundation of the army up to the present day. While their principal weapon of war was the drum and bugle—and the fife—these men and boys were not musicians as such, but fighting soldiers who took their place in the front line.The origins of the drum and bugle in the classical period and the later influence of Islamic armies are examined, leading to the arrival of the drum and fife in early Tudor England. The story proper picks up post-English Civil War. The drum’s period of supremacy through much of the eighteenth-century army is surveyed, and certain myths as to its use are dispelled. The bugle rapidly superseded the drum for field use in the nineteenth century—until developments on the battlefield consigned these instruments largely to barrack life and the parade ground. But there are surprising examples of the use of the bugle in the field through both world wars as the story is brought up to modern day and the instruments’ relegation to an almost exclusively ceremonial role.This is all set against a background of campaigns, battles, changing tactical methods, and the difficult processes of command and control on the battlefield. Interwoven is relevant comparison with other armies, particularly American and French. Stories of the drummers and buglers themselves provide social context to their place in the army.