- Table View
- List View
Lincoln's Secret Spy: The Civil War Case That Changed the Future of Espionage
by John Stewart Jane SingerA month after Lincoln&’s assassination, William Alvin Lloyd arrived in Washington, DC, to press a claim against the federal government for money due him for serving as the president&’s spy in the Confederacy. Lloyd claimed that Lincoln personally had issued papers of transit for him to cross into the South, a salary of $200 a month, and a secret commission as Lincoln&’s own top-secret spy. The claim convinced Secretary of War Edwin Stanton and Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt—but was it true? Before the war, Lloyd hawked his Southern Steamboat and Railroad Guide wherever he could, including the South, which would have made him a perfect operative for the Union. By 1861, though, he needed cash, so he crossed enemy lines to collect debts owed by advertising clients in Dixie. Officials arrested and jailed him, after just a few days in Memphis, for bigamy. But Lloyd later claimed it was for being a suspected Yankee spy. After bribing his way out, he crisscrossed the Confederacy, trying to collect enough money to stay alive. Between riding the rails he found time to marry plenty of unsuspecting young women only ditch them a few days later. His behavior drew the attention of Confederate detectives, who nabbed him in Savannah and charged him as a suspected spy. But after nine months, they couldn&’t find any incriminating evidence or anyone to testify against him, so they let him go. A free but broken man, Lloyd continued roaming the South, making money however he could. In May 1865, he went to Washington with an extraordinary claim and little else: a few coached witnesses, a pass to cross the lines signed &“A. Lincoln&” (the most forged signature in American history), and his own testimony. So was he really Lincoln&’s secret agent or nothing more than a notorious con man? Find out in this completely irresistible, high-spirited historical caper.
Sea Stories: 28 Thrilling Tales of the Deep
by Tom McCarthySea stories are, plainly and simply, wonderful springboards for vicarious adventure. There is nothing like a sea story to entertain, thrill, move, shock, or inspire a reader, and this collection will do just that.What is it about the sea that lends itself to so many indelibly classic stories? The sea is a wonderful stage on which to unroll a dramatic narrative or introduce a heroic character. It&’s no wonder so many masterpieces are set on the seas of the world.From sublime moments gunkholing with Erskine Childers in &“An Introduction to Informality,&” to sheer terror with the ill-fated men among sharks in Raymond B. Lech's &“The Loss of the Indianapolis,&” to astounding respect for the endurance of Ernest Shackleton and his storm-tossed men in &“Escape from the Ice,&” there is simply nothing that can compare to what awaits in this collection of twenty-eight thrilling stories. Many, having withstood the test of time and the vagaries of popular culture, are classics.Classic or not, the stories in this collection are good reading—breathtaking, entertaining, and offering myriad unexpected pleasures.
By the Mast Divided: A John Pearce Adventure (John Pearce)
by David DonachieLondon, 1793: In this first installment of the popular high-seas nautical adventure series, young firebrand John Pearce, on the run from the authorities, is illegally press-ganged from the Pelican Tavern into brutal life aboard HMS Brilliant, a frigate on its way to war. Shipboard life is hard, brutal, and dangerous—that anyone chooses it suggests that life ashore is even worse. But Pearce is not alone; he is drawn to a disparate group of men pressed alongside him who eventually form an exclusive gun crew, the Pelicans, with Pearce their elected leader.The Pelicans find solidarity in facing together the cruelty of their hard-nosed captain, Barclay, and the daily threat of bullying, flogging—even murder. The one light on the horizon is the captain's wife, Emily, who is also aboard and new to life at sea. During an action-packed two weeks, as HMS Brilliant chases a French privateer across the English Channel, Pearce discovers the British Navy is a world in which he can prosper, and he and the Pelicans form friendships that will last a lifetime.
Baseball's First Indian: The Story of Penobscot Legend Louis Sockalexis
by Ed RiceBorn in 1871 on Maine's Penobscot Indian reservation and nephew of a chief, Louis Sockalexis became professional baseball's first American Indian player. Ultimately, his prowess on the diamond inspired the name Cleveland's baseball team carries today.Exploring the brilliant but too-brief major league career of the "Deerfoot of the Diamond," Baseball's First Indian follows Sockalexis's rise to the majors, his fall to the minor leagues of New England, and his final return to the reservation in Maine, where he continued to coach baseball and work as an umpire.This fascinating study of the life of Louis Sockalexis is filled with game action and leavened by the flamboyant and colorful stories of 19th century sportswriters who frequently invented what the truth would not supply. It's a treasure for every student of baseball history.
Sister of the Road: The Autobiography of Box-Car Bertha
by Ben L. ReitmanBorn in the shadows of a railroad yard, of a wandering mother who took her lovers where she found them and a father who was scarcely conscious of her arrival in the world, Bertha Thompson took to &‘the road&’ as soon as the restless impulses of adolescence stirred in her. She was more interested in wanders than those who settled down in homes, more interested in criminals than law-abiding citizens. She wanted to see how they lived, live as they did, know what they were like.As a result of her restlessness and curiosity, she became, in fifteen years of wandering, a hobo, treveling from one end of the country to the other in box-cars, &“decking&” passenger trains, and hitchhiking; member of a gang of shoplifters, traveling as the mistress of one of the men; a prostitute working in a Chicago brothel; the mother of a child of an unknown father; and a research worker for a New York social service bureau.Sister of the Road is Bertha&’s own story of those fifteen years and the record of her conclusions about them. Gifted with a naturally keen intelligence, fearless of consequences to herself, willing and eager to do and be everything which other members of her group did and were, her story is a mine of little-known information and a succession of moving human stories about that vast and growing army of homeless, jobless, wandering women who live by begging, stealing, cheating, prostituting themselves, and occasionally working at legitimate jobs.
The Unlikely War Hero: A Vietnam War POW's Story of Courage and Resilience in the Hanoi Hilton
by Marc Leepson&“What a strange, fascinating, and ultimately powerful account of one man's endurance of life as a POW during the American war in Vietnam. . . . This book, I believe, will stand the test of time as one of the finest nonfiction narratives to emerge from the Vietnam War.&” —Tim O'Brien, author of The Things They CarriedOn April 6, 1967, twenty-year-old U.S. Navy Seaman Apprentice Doug Hegdahl fell off his ship, a guided-missile cruiser, in the Gulf of Tonkin. Close to exhaustion after nearly four hours in the water, he was picked up by a small fishing boat and soon found himself in Hỏa Lò Prison, the notorious North Vietnamese POW camp the prisoners called the Hanoi Hilton. Under intense interrogation, Hegdahl pretended to be a country bumpkin who could barely read or write. His captors fell for the ruse, calling him &“The Incredibly Stupid One.&” But Doug Hegdahl was far from stupid. Possessing a razor-sharp memory, during the next two years he memorized the names of 254 fellow prisoners and senior officers ordered him to accept an early release. After coming home in August 1969, Hegdahl shocked his debriefers by rattling off the names of the men. Hanoi had admitted holding only a few dozen, although the U.S. military had reliable intel on scores of others. With Hegdahl&’s names, 63 missing servicemen were reclassified to Prisoners of War.But that&’s not all. In addition to divulging the names, Doug Hegdahl told the Pentagon about the systematic torturing of the American POWs in Hanoi and reported many other hitherto unknown details about life inside the Hanoi POW camps. The new information became an important factor in North Vietnam&’s fall 1969 decision to make life immeasurably easier for the 500-plus POWs held in Hanoi and assuaged the doubts and fears of dozens of POW families.In a vividly written book based on archival research, personal interviews, and his experiences in the Vietnam War, Marc Leepson, for the first time, tells the incredible tale of the youngest and lowest-ranking American POW captured in North Vietnam. Doug Hegdahl has never been properly recognized for his extraordinary efforts, and his story has never been fully told. It&’s a story of survival—has own and scores of POWs. As a U.S. Navy historian put it: the North Vietnamese &“made a bad mistake when they released Seaman Doug Hegdahl.&”
Ice Hunter: A Woods Cop Mystery
by Joseph HeywoodIn a brilliant debut to a thrilling series, Grady Service gets news that his nemesis, the head of an incestuous clan of poachers, is to be released from prison. But something even more sinister is afoot in the Mosquito Wilderness. Service must call upon his every reserve to track, stalk, and capture the &“ice hunter.&” MEET GRADY SERVICE: former Marine, renowned tracker, conservation officer, and the last person any errant hunter wants to cross. In Ice Hunter—the first of a series of mysteries set in Michigan&’s Upper Peninsula and celebrated for its intricate plots and outrageously unforgettable characters—Service defends his turf with the tenacity of a bear and the wisdom of an ancient. He shuns all creature comforts and consumerism and is most at home stalking the Mosquito Tract, his self-designated wilderness. Times are not easy for Service. As the summer season opens, he gets news that his nemesis, the despicable leader of an incestuous clan of poachers, is to be released from prison. But something even more sinister is afoot—something that inspires untold greed, involves giants of industry and politics, and renders human life dispensable. Service must call upon his every reserve to track, stalk, and capture the &“ice hunter.&” Full of grit and wilderness lore, Ice Hunter pulls you in and won&’t let you go.
The Feast of Stephen: An Ellis Portal Mystery
by Rosemary AubertThis is the second in criminologist Aubert's series starring Ellis Portal, the disgraced former judge who solved the mystery in her 1997 novel Free Reign, praised by The New York Times as a "smart, successful who-dun-it" whose sleuth is "a character with great dignity and unusual moral depth."
Vinny Gorgeous: The Ugly Rise and Fall of a New York Mobster
by Anthony M. DeStefanoA vain man of good looks but no family ties to the Mob, Vincent &“Vinny Gorgeous&” Basciano worked his way up to acting boss of the Bonanno crime family, becoming its leader when official boss Joseph Massino went to prison in 2003. When the Mafia was crawling with secret operatives and informants caving to government pressure to flip, Basciano steadfastly obeyed the code of La Cosa Nostra. &“I got faith in one guy,&” he said during a secretly taped meeting. That man was Massino, head of the Bonanno borgata. But for all his loyalty, Basciano was still a hot-headed, cold-blooded killer, which ultimately led to his arrest and downfall.Then in a remarkable betrayal that rocked the Five Families to their foundations, Massino secretly cooperated with the FBI—the first head bossever to roll over. As a result, Basciano faced the death penalty, but a federal jury, disturbed by the prosecution&’s use of deadly criminal informants, reached a surprising verdict. Here from veteran crime author Anthony M. DeStefano comes the riveting story of the last true believer in the Mob&’s cult of brotherhood and his betrayal at the hands of the only man he ever trusted.
Stuffed Spuds: 100 Light Meals in a Potato
by Jeanne JonesThe potato has gone gourmet, with a healthy twist! Here are a hundred diverse, exciting yet nutritionally-sound recipes for turning the world's most popular vegetable into a satisfying light meal.Hungry for a different taste? Choose from the Chicken Tarragon Stuffed SPud, Chili Bowl Spud, Ham Quiche Spud, the Pizza Potato and many more to satisfy that appetite.High in vitamins, minerals and fiber, lower in cholesterol, these one-dish meals can be simple or elaborate, economical or extravagant, sinfully indulgent with an eye on what's good for you.For a fresh new kind of meal sure to tickle your palate without giving you a gut, start stuffing spuds!
There's Something about a Rock
by Linda KranzThis homage to rock collecting, assembled by &“rock artist&” Linda Kranz, celebrates rocks in all their variety, shapes, and colors. Some even resemble pieces of modern art. Others offer a glimpse into the natural beauty that surrounds us. There are rocks that are rough to the touch, and others that are as smooth as glass. There are rocks inside rocks. You can even find rocks that are shaped like a heart. There are even rocks that cling to a magnet! This book will explain how to start a rock collection, and what you might do with them, such as identifying what kind of rocks they are or even painting on them or creating scenes with their shapes. The book also advises you where NOT to collect rocks, such as certain parks and natural areas. Regardless, this book will inspire the rock hound in all of us.
Our Favorite Chocolate Recipes Cookbook: Over 60 of Our Favorite Chocolate Recipes plus just as many handy tips and a new photo cover
by Gooseberry PatchSame great content, new photographed cover! Decadent, ooey-gooey indulgence... there's nothing more satisfying than chocolate and this little best-of book delivers the goods! Tried & true classics like caramel fudge cake and chilly chocolate malts combine effotlessly with new favorites like chocolate quesadillas and black forest cupcakes. You'll get over 60 of our favorites along with cocoa-inspired tips and quotes. A sweet gift for chocoholics...get one to keep for yourself too! Durable softcover, 128 pages.
Hybrid Tiger: Secrets of the Extraordinary Success of Asian-American Kids
by Quanyu HuangWhy do Asian and Asian-American students consistently perform so well on standardized tests? Why are students of Asian descent disproportionately admitted to America's top colleges? This informative and entertainingly written comparison of educational methods in America and China answers these questions and more, while assessing the strengths and weaknesses of each culture's distinctly different education systems. Education expert QuanyuHuang notes that both Asian and Asian American students excel early on at mastering lesson material and test-taking, whereas many of their non-Asian American peers do not perform as well. The author also points out that American students generally demonstrate far more creativity and independence than students in China, where conformity and rote learning are emphasized. This is evident from the American record of award-winning innovations and discoveries. By contrast, the Chinese educational system has not yet produced a Nobel Prize winner in science. For Americans to achieve more consistent academic success at primary and secondary grade levels, the author recommends a blend of the virtues inherent in both cultures. He says this is exactly what often gives Asian American students an edge. They have the advantage of an Asian heritage that drives them to succeed and an American culture that teaches them creativity and independent thinking. Above all, Asian families extoll the virtues of education; this attitude is a key component in the success of these students. Drawing on his own experiences as an immigrant to this country in the 1980s, and as a parent to a son raised in the US, the author concludes by suggesting that Americans rediscover the immigrant attitudes of their ancestors several generations ago. Like Asian immigrants today, they too saw education as a ladder to success in American society. Students anywhere will thrive when their families reinforce the seriousness of education and help children develop the study and discipline habits that ensure academic success.
Almost Perfect: The Heartbreaking Pursuit of Pitching's Holy Grail
by Joe CoxThe rich, poignant tales of major league baseball&’s most hard-luck fraternity—the pitchers of its Almost-Perfect GamesFrom 1908 to 2015, there have been thirteen pitchers who have begun Major League Baseball games by retiring the first twenty-six opposing batters, but then, one out from completing a perfect game, somehow faltering (or having perfection stolen from them). Three other pitchers did successfully retire twenty-seven batters in a row, but are still not credited with perfect games. While stories of pitching the perfect game have been told and retold, Almost Perfect looks at how baseball, at its core, is about heartbreak, and these sixteen men are closer to what baseball really is, and why we remain invested in the sport. Author Joe Cox visits this notion through a century of baseball and through these sixteen pitchers—recounting their games in thrilling fashion, telling the personal stories of the fascinating (and very human) baseball figures involved, and exploring the historical American and baseball backdrops of each flawed gem. From George &“Hooks&” Wiltse's nearly perfect game in 1908 to &“Hard Luck&” Harvey Haddix&’s 12-inning, 36-consecutive-outs performance on May 26, 1959 (the most astounding single-game pitching performance in baseball history) to Max Scherzer&’s near miss in 2015, Joe Cox&’s book captures the action, the humanity, and the history of the national pastime&’s greatest &“almosts.&”
Insiders' Guide® to Dallas & Fort Worth (Insiders' Guide Series)
by June NaylorYour Travel Destination. Your Home. Your Home-To-Be.Dallas & Fort Worth&“Fort Worth is where the West begins,&” it&’s said, &“and Dallas is where the East peters out.&” • A personal, practical perspective for travelers and residents alike• Comprehensive listings of attractions, restaurants, and accommodations• How to live & thrive in the area—from recreation to relocation• Countless details on shopping, arts & entertainment, and children&’s activities
Best Advice Ever Given: Life Lessons for Success In the Real World (1001)
by Steven D. PriceIn need of a bit of good advice? Well here is the best advice ever recorded--a compendium of personal tips, traditional proverbs, and clever observations from the literary, political, and entertainment world. The Best Advice Ever Given covers such diverse topics as life, love, success, forgiveness, friendship, character, health, and many more, including:* "Good advice is something a man gives when he is too old to set a bad example."--François de La Rochefoucauld * "The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want."--Ben Stein* "Never play cards with a man called Doc. Never eat at a place called Mom's. Never sleep with a woman whose troubles are worse than your own."--Nelson Algren* "When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen."--Ernest Hemingway* "Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much."--Oscar Wilde* "The secret of business is to know something nobody else knows."--Aristotle Onassis* "In baiting a mousetrap with cheese, be sure to leave room for the mouse."--H. H. Munro ("Saki")* "Keep cool; anger is not an argument."--Daniel Webster* "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig."--Source Unknown* "Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names."--John F. Kennedy* "If someone offers you a breath mint, accept it."--H. Jackson Brown* "In the fight between you and the world, back the world."--Franz Kafka
Just Off Main Street
by Steven MulakIn Just Off Main Street, author Steven Mulak takes us on a seasonal tour that, month by month, celebrates his beloved New England's landscape, as well as the people, plants, and animals that occupy it. Mulak explores his personal world just off Main Street in such a wise, reflective manner that we more fully appreciate the observational skill emotionally uplifting sight of spring's first willows to the kaleidoscope of autumn color, to the occasional despair of never-ending winter, this book offers a fresh look at New England. The meticulous eye of the fine artist he is.
I Will Tell No War Stories: What Our Fathers Left Unsaid About World War II
by Howard MansfieldWhen Howard Mansfield grew up, World War II was omnipresent and hidden. This was also true of his father&’s time in the Air Force. Like most of his generation, it was a rule not to talk about what he&’d experienced in war. &“You&’re not getting any war stories from me,&” he&’d say.Cleaning up the old family house the year before his father's death, Mansfield was surprised to find a short diary of the bombing missions he had flown. Some of the missions were harrowing. Mansfield began to fill in the details, and to be surprised again, this time by a history he thought he knew.I Will Tell No War Stories is about undoing the forgetting in a family and in a society that has hidden the horrors and cataclysm of a world at war. Some part of that forgetting was necessary for the veterans, otherwise how could they come home, how could they find peace?I Will Tell No War Stories is also about learning to live with history, a theme Mansfield explored in earlier books like In the Memory House, which The New York Times called &“a wise and beautiful book&” and The Same Ax,Twice, said by the Times to be &“filled with insight and eloquence … a brilliant book.&”
God and the Fascists: The Vatican Alliance with Mussolini, Franco, Hitler, and Pavelic
by Karlheinz DeschnerNow available in English for the first time, a controversial work that indicts the Vatican for its actions before and during World War II. In the decade preceding the outbreak of World War II, the Vatican made a devil's bargain with fascist leaders. Anticipating that their regimes would eliminate a common enemy—namely Marxist-Leninist communism—two popes essentially collaborated with Hitler, Mussolini, and the fascist dictators in Spain (Franco) and Croatia (Pavelić). This is the damning indictment of this well-researched polemic, which for almost five decades in Germany has sparked controversy, outrage, and furious debate. Now it is available in English for the first time. Many will dismiss Deschner—who himself was raised and educated in a pious Catholic tradition—as someone who is obsessed with exposing the failings of the church of his upbringing. But he has marshaled so many facts and presented them with such painstaking care that his accusations cannot easily be ignored. The sheer weight of the evidence that he has brought together in this book raises a host of questions about a powerful institution that continues to exercise political influence to this day.
Our Favorite Mexican Fiesta Recipes: Over 60 Zesty Recipes for Favorite South-of-the-Border Dishes
by Gooseberry PatchMexican-style dishes like tacos, burritos and enchiladas are hotter than ever with home cooks and, in Our Favorite Mexican Fiesta Recipes, Gooseberry Patch has gathered 60 south-of-the-border favorites. Buyers will say é! for Enchiladas, Savory Pork Carnitas, Slow-Cooker White Chili and Guacamole Tossed Salad. For parties, there's Tex-Mex Appetizer Tart and 4-Layer Mexican Dip...even desserts like Tres Leches Cake. This little book also includes handy tips for serving up Mexican-style meals...a feature Gooseberry Patch is known for!
Archy Lee's Struggle for Freedom: The True Story of California Gold, the Nation's Tragic March Toward Civil War, and a Young Black Man's Fight for Liberty
by Brian McGintyIn San Francisco, CA, in 1858, a young African American man was freed from the claims of a white man who sought to return him to slavery in Mississippi. This was one year after the Supreme Court&’s notorious Dred Scott decision and during the California Gold Rush, which saw the population of the state rise from 7,000 to more than 60,000 in a few short years. Archy Lee was the name of the man who, with the aid of anti-slavery lawyers and determined opponents of human bondage, had just won his freedom from the claims of Charles Stovall. With the aid of pro-slavery lawyers and equally determined supporters, Stovall had sought to capture him and carry him back to a far-away slave plantation. Yet the book is not solely about Archy Lee. It is also about the travel routes that the gold-seekers followed to California in the 1850s, some by land over the Great Plains, some by sea around Cape Horn, yet others by sailing from the east coast of North America to the isthmus of Panama, where they crossed over the land there by train and continued on by sea to San Francisco. It is about the efforts of the racially motivated lawmakers to suppress the rights of all of California&’s residents except whites, and to subject people of African, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American descent to second-, third-, or even fourth-class citizenship. It is about the residents of the state—including many whites—who fought back against those efforts, seeking to ameliorate or repeal the discriminatory laws and introduce a measure of fairness and justice into California&’s civil life. It is about the lawyers and judges who participated in Archy Lee&’s legal struggles in 1858, some supporting his claims for freedom while others ferociously opposed them and, in the process, elevated their own political and professional profiles.
H.M.S. Cockerel
by Dewey LambdinThe year is 1793 and after four years spent ashore, the thrill of the high seas awaits Alan Lewrie once more. Finding life as a gentleman farmer and family man oppressive, Lewrie is gratified when Revolutionary France threatens war and the Royal Navy beckons. All does not go smoothly, though, as he soon finds himself aboard the HMS Cockerel dealing with a difficult captain and disgruntled crew. Once in the Mediterranean, he throws caution to the wind and becomes involved with the bewitching Lady Emma Hamilton. When the war escalates, he finds himself at the Battle of Toulon, where he meets a dashing young Napoleon Bonaparte. Outnumbered three to one, Lewrie takes on the French in a desperate bid to help the Royalists escape.
The Gilded Cage
by Susannah BamfordDecember 31, 1889. As the sky over New York City explodes with fireworks on the eve of the new decade, an explosion in the streets causes social tremors that will rock the lives of three women who share a house on Twenty-Third Street: suffragette Columbine Nash, her assistant Bell Huxton, and Marguerite Corbeau, a young woman they&’ve adopted from the streets.Lovely noble Columbine, a woman ahead of her time, strives to correct the social ills that are created by her class; lush, beautiful Bell, battered and abused as a child, searches for a true love and a pure philosophy; and Marguerite, a passionate woman of mystery and self-indulgence, attempts to rise above her station and join the glittering stars of New York theatre.Their paths will diverge, but their destinies are entwined in this volatile decade of high contrast, a time when wasp-waisted beauties attend fabulous balls, while underpaid seamstresses talk of anarchy and strike, and in the midst of it all are three women, each living in a gilded cage of her own design, trapped by a difficult past, a promise made in haste, a blind faith in an unbending philosophy, Their liberation is the true story of The Gilded Cage.
Green Bay Packers Firsts: The Players, Moments, and Records That Were First in Team History (Sports Team Firsts)
by Chuck CarlsonIn Green Bay Packers Firsts, Chuck Carlson presents the stories behind the firsts in Packers history in question-and-answer format. Carlson&’s collection includes substantive answers to the question of who was the first…? on a variety of topics, many of which will surprise even seasoned fans of the Packers. In its more than one hundred-year history, Green Bay Packers fans have been treated to countless firsts: the Packers first NFL championship (1929), the Packers first league MVP (Don Hutson, 1941), the Packers first coach (Willard "Big Bill" Ryan), the first Packers NFL Draft choice (Russ Letlow, 1936), the first Packers quarterback to throw six touchdown passes in a game (Matt Flynn, 2012), the first Packers game on TV (1951), and the first Packer to rush for 1,000 yards (Tony Canadeo, 1949).
1,999 Facts About Blacks: A Sourcebook of African-American Achievement
by Raymond M. CorbinBlack History Month is a year-round affair! In this second edition of 1,999 Facts about Blacks, approximately one third of these facts are achievements since 1986 when the first edition was published. Also included is a bibliography for those who want to pursue African-American history beyond the question-and-answer phase.