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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.
Lily Vanilli's Sweet Tooth: Recipes and Tips from a Modern Artisan Bakery
by Lily JonesFrom the British baking sensation, stylish dessert recipes that are “fashionable and fun without being forbidding” (Mail on Sunday).Since she started out selling her cakes at a market in East London, Lily Jones (aka Vanilli) has gone on to become one of Britain’s best-loved artisan bakers. With a star-studded client list and a thriving bakery, she’s famous for her unique flavor combinations, spectacular designs, and exquisite taste. In this book, Lily takes you behind the scenes of her bakery and shows you how to master some of the core skills of baking—the cake, the custard, the coulis, the pastry, the ganache, and much more—arming you with the skills you need to develop your own recipes, and move beyond the cupcake once and for all. Along with over 100 inspirational and easy-to-follow recipes for layer cakes, tarts, biscuits, meringues, confectionary, and ice creams, Lily also shares her invaluable tips and decorating techniques. It’s essential reading for anyone who is passionate about making sweets—from the complete beginner to the expert baker.Includes photos
Gladiators: Fighting to the Death in Ancient Rome (Casemate Short History)
by M.C. BishopA concise history of ancient Roman gladiators—how they lived, fought, and died in the Colosseum—by the archeologist, author, and Roman military expert. Heroic despite their lowly status, the gladiators of ancient Rome fought vicious duels in large arenas filled with baying crowds. Few lasted more than a dozen fights, yet they were a valuable asset to their owners. Gladiators reveals the fascinating history of these men, how they fought, and how their weapons and techniques developed—debunking myths along the way. Historian M. C. Bishop examines the different forms of gladiator combat, including simulated naval battles held on large artificial lakes. He also discusses how gladiators were carefully paired against each other to balance their strengths and weaknesses. Although their lives were brutal and short, gladiators were the celebrities of their day, admired for their bravery. This short history reveals what we know about the gladiators and how we know it: ancient remains, contemporary literature, graffiti, modern attempts to reconstruct ancient fighting techniques, and the astonishing discovery at Pompeii where a complete gladiator barracks was found alongside multiple skeletons, telling their story.
A Notable Woman: The Romantic Journals of Jean Lucey Pratt
by Jean Lucey PrattA glorious gut-wrenching read . . . A Notable Woman makes my heart sing. Jean&’s diaries are a life in its entirety, in all its glorious mess&” (The Pool). In April 1925, at the age of fifteen, Jean Lucey Pratt started a journal that she kept until just a few days before her death in 1986, producing over a million words in forty-five exercise books. What emerges is a portrait of a truly unique, spirited woman and writer. Never before has an account so fully, so honestly, and so vividly captured a single woman&’s journey through the twentieth century. &“Jean&’s journals are timeless. She leaps out of her own pages, free as she never was in life: you want to protect her, and simultaneously to slap her and cheer her on. It&’s very funny, occasionally sobering, and shot through with acute insights. Who would have imagined that the life of a Buckinghamshire bookseller would make you want to turn the pages so fast? I wanted to know how she got through the war, but I was even more interested in when she would lose her virginity.&” —Hilary Mantel, New York Times–bestselling author &“Shows us, in close up, how extraordinary the business of an &‘ordinary&’ life can be—how much complexity and feeling and humour it can contain.&” —The Guardian &“The most moving and important book I read this year by a mile.&” —New Statesman &“What makes these diaries such pleasurable reading is one&’s sense of the diarist herself: her vibrancy and humour, her idea of life as a battle to overcome and, most of all, her endless supply of hope and her refusal to be beaten.&” —Literary Review
The Fights on the Little Horn Companion: Gordon Harper's Full Appendices and Bibliography
by Gordon HarperA treasury of sources and supplemental information for readers of the award-winning history The Fights on the Little Horn. This volume collects and lists books, booklets, pamphlets, manuscripts, personal and family papers, newspapers, magazines, periodicals, correspondence, interviews, military and historical journals, military and government reports, and more used by Gordon Harper, author of The Fights on the Little Horn, in his extraordinary years-long research into Custer&’s Last Stand. As a companion volume to that book, or a resource for anyone interested in the history of the American West, it is a valuable and comprehensive guide.
100 Group: RAF Bomber Command in World War II (Aviation Heritage Trail Ser.)
by Martin W. BowmanA history of the British RAF division in Norfolk dedicated to radio countermeasures during WWII. As part of the AHT series, the airfields and interest in this book are concentrated in a particular area—in this case Norfolk. The growing importance of the &‘electronic war&’ in the air in 1943 caused the creation of 100 Group to fly both defensive and offensive sorties employing highly secret Radio Counter Measure equipment. The Group flew from airfields at Foulsham, Great Massingham, Little Snoring, North Creake, Swannington, and West Raynham. The aircraft flown were Halifax, Beaufighter, Mosquito, and Fortress. The Group included RAF Squadron numbers 192, 169, 23, 171, 199, 214, 157, 85, 141 and 239.100 Group (Bomber Support) looks at the history and personalities associated with each base, and what remains today, exploring the favorite local wartime haunts where aircrew and ground crew would have sought well-deserved entertainment and relaxation. Other museums and places that are relevant will also be described and general directions on how to get them included.
The Story of Looking
by Mark CousinsThe acclaimed author and filmmaker&’s investigation into the human gaze through history, art and science, paints an illuminating portrait of our culture. Looking can be an act of empathy or aggression. It can provoke desire or express it. And from the blurry, edgeless world we inhabit as infants to the landscape of screens we grow into, looking can define us. In The Story of Looking, filmmaker and writer Mark Cousins takes us on a tour - in words and images - through the development of the human gaze over the course of a lifetime, and the ways that looking has changed through the centuries. From great works of art to tourist photographs, from cityscapes to cinema, through science and protest, propaganda and refusals to look, the false mirrors and great visionaries of looking, this book illuminates how we construct as well as receive the things we see.The Story of Looking is a photo album and an art gallery, a road movie and a visual grammar: once you&’ve read it, you&’ll never see things the same way again.Shortlisted for the Saltire Society Non-Fiction Award &“A wide-ranging history of looking, you will gaze at it in wonder.&”—Ian Sansom, The Guardian, UK
That Was a Shiver: And Other Stories
by James Kelman&“Thought-provoking&” short stories from the Man Booker Prize–winning author of How Late It Was, How Late and Kieron Smith, Boy (Scotsman). A trucker passes through a town he used to know and a local tries to sell him his sister; a couple put their children to bed and hear a loud scratching at the wall; a Principal and his associate examine the dead body before them; a man looks into a mirror and reflects on becoming more like his father. Sparky, touching, and brilliantly daring, these stories uncover human feeling in the ordinary and the everyday, and are a reminder of Kelman&’s exceptional talent. Shortlisted for the Saltire Fiction Book of the Year · Longlisted for the Edge Hill Prize. &“Kelman brings alive a human consciousness like no other writer can.&” —Alan Warner, award-winning author of The Man Who Walks &“The mixture of the precisely but surreally bureaucratic and the casually macabre is perfectly judged.&” —The Times &“Kelman is on another level to most of the living writers in the UK.&” —The Guardian &“Kelman has always been a true and honest writer; which is why he is one of the fairly few who really matter.&” —Scotsman &“Kelman&’s language is immediately exciting; like a musician, he uses repetition and rhythm.&” —The New Yorker
Courage in Combat: Stories by and about Recipients of the Nation's Highest Decorations
by Richard J. RinaldoThese stories of military heroism, focusing on members of the Legion of Valor, offer a sweeping study of courage in service to America. Published in conjunction with the Legion of Valor of the United States of America, Courage in Combat shares the stories of military heroes from the Civil War onward. They are recipients of the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross, and the Air Force Cross. Their awards are our nation&’s highest military decorations, given only to one in twenty thousand combatants. Among them are sergeants and generals, as well as corpsmen, civilians, engineers, &“grunts,&” and paratroopers. There are men and women, a mess attendant, aviators, spies and POWs, a cavalry scout, candidates for sainthood, and a president of the United States. The stories of these brave individuals relate personal accounts of heroism, as well as reflections on combat and war. This book also includes a short history of the Legion of Valor, America&’s oldest military service organization, and an extensive list of its members, past and present. Courage in Combat explores the concept of courage through the lives, thoughts, and actions of this elite group—most of whom would say, &“I was just doing my job.&”
BAC SI: A Green Beret Medic's War in Vietnam
by Robert Dumont Jerry KrizanA Special Forces medic delivers &“a fascinating account of an unfamiliar part of the Vietnamese War, written in a compelling style&” (History Of War). During the Vietnam War, US Army Special Forces A-Teams were deployed to isolated outposts or &“camps&” in the remote areas of South Vietnam. Their job was to recruit, train, and house members of the indigenous population while molding them into combat-ready fighting units. A-Teams consisted of up to twelve Green Beret soldiers who were experts in both combat and their individual military specialties.Bac Si, the Vietnamese term for &“medic,&” is the story of Sgt. Jerry Krizan, who was assigned to Special Forces Camp A-331 in the III Corps tactical zone, only ten miles from the Cambodian border. Because of its proximity to a major north-south North Vietnamese Army infiltration route, there were constant enemy troop movements through the camp&’s area of operations and A-331 itself came under attack on more than one occasion. The author accompanied patrols and probes into enemy territory, not only prepared to provide aid but fight as a soldier if the squad was ambushed or chose to attack. In this small-unit warfare against an expert enemy, US soldiers had to survive as best they could, with their only succor a Huey—meantime, on the ground, by themselves against unknown opposition. Our Green Beret base camps were our very first line of defense along the borders of South Vietnam, and in this book, through the eyes of a medic, we learn how dire, and confusing, a role we asked our Special Forces to play during that era.
Surrounded by Heroes: Six Campaigns with Divisional Headquarters, 82d Airborne, 1942–1945
by Leonard LebensonThis WWII memoir offers a rare behind-the-scenes view of the 82nd Airborne and its heroic contributions to Allied victory in Europe and Africa. Joining the army in 1942, Leonard Lebenson was recruited into the 82nd Airborne for his skills as a typist and draftsman. Lebenson thus gained a ringside seat for some of the greatest campaigns of World War II—from the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, and France, to the Netherlands, the Bulge, and the drive on Berlin. Throughout the campaigns, Lebenson was at the division&’s nerve center, typing orders, drafting battle maps, and acting as liaison. A rare enlisted man with top-secret status, he was in the room with Gen. Patton, Field Marshal Montgomery, &“Jumpin&’ Jim&” Gavin, and other luminaries who came through headquarters. But Lebenson also saw battle up close—by ship, plane, glider, parachute, and Jeep. With the rest of the All American Division, he was on the ground in Africa and the Ardennes, facing ever-present enemy fire. Rising from private to master sergeant, Lebenson thought that he had &“the best job in the army.&” In this revealing memoir, however, he never fails to give full credit to the men on the firing line who suffered the greatest hardships and casualties.
On Her Majesty's Nuclear Service
by Eric ThompsonA journey inside the submarines that patrolled beneath the surface to keep the peace during the Cold War, from a Royal Navy officer and engineer. During the Cold War, nuclear submarines quietly helped prevent a third world war, keeping watch and maintaining the deterrent effect of mutually assured destruction. For security reasons, very few knew the inside stories—until now. Eric Thompson is a career nuclear submarine officer who served from the first days of the Polaris missile boats until after the Cold War, ending up as the top engineer in charge of the Navy&’s nuclear power plants. Along the way, he helped develop all manner of kit, from guided torpedoes to the Trident ballistic missile system. In this vivid personal account of his submarine operations, he reveals what it was like to literally have your finger on the nuclear button. He leads the reader through top-secret submarine patrols, hush-hush scientific trials, underwater weapon developments, public relations battles with nuclear protesters, arm wrestling with politicians, and the changes surrounding gender and sexual preference in the Navy. It is essentially a human story, rich in both drama and comedy, like the Russian spy trawler that played dance music at passing submarines. There was never a dull moment—but it was always a deadly serious game. Among other subjects, Thompson discusses: • The two American nuclear submarines Thresher and Scorpion, which sank with no survivors during the Cold War • The history of submarines, including the Hunley a Confederate submarine during the US Civil War, which was the first sub to ever sink a ship—though it did so kamikaze-style • What a submarine base is like • How a Soviet sub in the Mediterranean was flushed out, earning the crew a crate of champagne from America • The author&’s personal experience with the Polaris and Trident classes of submarine, and more &“Interesting, sometimes thought provoking, but above all an entertaining read.&” —Nuclear Futures
Roman Legionaries: Soldiers of Empire (Casemate Short History)
by Simon ElliottA concise and entertaining history of the Roman legionary—from the age of Augustus through the heyday of the Roman Empire.The might of Rome rested on the back of its legions; the superbly trained and equipped fighting force with which the imperial Roman army conquered, subdued and ruled an empire for centuries. The legionary soldier served for 20 years, was rigorously trained, highly equipped, and motivated by pay, bonuses and a strong sense of identity and camaraderie. Legionaries wore full body-armor and carried a shield, as well as two javelins, a sword, and a dagger. In battle they hurled their javelins and then immediately drew their swords and charged to close combat with the enemy. They were the finest heavy infantrymen of antiquity, and a massed legionary charge was a fearsome sight.In The Roman Legionaries, Simon Elliott, author of Julius Caesar: Rome’s Greatest Warlord, provides an introduction to these elite soldiers, including their training, tactics, weapons, the men themselves, life on and off the battlefield, as well as significant triumphs and disasters in the great battles of the era.