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Oil Painting Techniques and Materials
by Harold Speed"In any exhibition of amateur work . . . it is not at all unusual to find many charming water-colour drawings, but . . . it is very rarely that the work in the oil medium is anything but dull, dead, and lacking in all vitality and charm." -- Harold SpeedSuch provocative assertions are characteristic of this stimulating and informative guide, written in a highly personal and unique style by a noted painter and teacher. Brimming with pertinent insights into the technical aspects and painting in oils, it is also designed to help students perfect powers of observation and expression.Harold Speed has distilled years of painting and pedagogical experience into an expert instructional program covering painting technique, painting from life, materials (paints, varnishes, oils and mediums, grounds, etc.), a painter's training, and more. Especially instructive is his extensive and perceptive discussion of form, tone, and color, and a fascinating series of detailed "Notes" analyzing the painting styles of Velasquez, Reynolds, Gainsborough, Franz Hals, and Rembrandt.Nearly 70 photographs and drawings illustrate the text, among them prehistoric cave paintings, diagrams of tonal values, stages of portrait painting, and reproductions of masterpieces by Giotto, Vermeer, Ingres, Rembrandt, Titian, Reynolds, Gainsborough, Hals, Giorgione, Poussin, Corot, Veronese, and other luminaries. In addition to these pictorial pleasures, the author further leavens the lessons with thought-provoking opinion.Clear, cogent, and down-to-earth, this time-honored handbook will especially interest serious amateurs studying the technical aspects of oil painting, but its rich insight into the mind and methods of the artist will enlighten and intrigue any art lover.
Parson Russell Terrier
by Christina PettersallThe experts at Kennel Club Books present the world's largest series of breed-specific canine care books. Each critically acclaimed Comprehensive Owner's Guide covers everything from breed standards to behavior, from training to health and nutrition. With nearly 200 titles in print, this series is sure to please the fancier of even the rarest of breeds!
Passin' Through
by Louis L'AmourIt seemed the perfect place to lie low. The owner of the ranch was an attractive gray-haired lady who had once been an actress. The other woman was a beautiful, fragile-seeming blonde. They needed repairs done, and he needed to disappear for a while.The first sign that things were not as they should be was when a Pinkerton man questioned him about a missing woman. Then he accidentally found a will belonging to the previous owner of the ranch. After that, a young lady showed up in town making claims that the place belonged to her.Worried that his hideout was turning into a battleground, he didn't know what would be more dangerous, staying or leaving. For a man interested only in passin' through, he suddenly found himself entangled in a deadly struggle....From the Paperback edition.
Pedestrianism: When Watching People Walk Was America's Favorite Spectator Sport
by Matthew AlgeoStrange as it sounds, during the 1870s and 1880s, America's most popular spectator sport wasn't baseball, football, or horseracing--it was competitive walking. Inside sold-out arenas, competitors walked around dirt tracks almost nonstop for six straight days (never on Sunday), risking their health and sanity to see who could walk the farthest--more than 500 miles. These walking matches were as talked about as the weather, the details reported in newspapers and telegraphed to fans from coast to coast. This long-forgotten sport, known as pedestrianism, spawned America's first celebrity athletes and opened doors for immigrants, African Americans, and women. But along with the excitement came the inevitable scandals, charges of doping and insider gambling, and even a riot in 1879. Pedestrianism chronicles competitive walking's peculiar appeal and popularity, its rapid demise, and its enduring influence.
Profiting from Innovation
by William G. HowardAmerican industry is renowned for its scientific and technical breakthroughs -- and equally famous for its visible failures in commercializing its own technology. Drawing on many examples of successful innovation management, an elite panel of the nation's most accomplished technical managers demonstrates how companies can transform new ideas into products efficiently and systematically by removing the barriers that surround innovative technology. This book reveals how technical innovation occurs in distinct patterns, and explains how pure technological advance relates to the organizations and markets it affects. Early in the life of a new technology, value lies in the search for applications and means, and the benefits come from being early to market. Later, value comes from executing product, process, quality, or service improvements sooner than others do. Finally, value comes from correctly managing mature products. The authors emphasize that recognizing and understanding these patterns enable managers to structure and prosecute commercialization activities, and relate internal capabilities to external opportunities. Since goals and techniques must vary with the characteristics and maturity of the technology, the requirements of production, and the parameters of competition in each industry, management must be flexible in the methods and strategies it selects. This nuts-and-bolts handbook demonstrates how managing technical resources is as important to the paper clip business as it is to microelectronics, and describes and illustrates tools and techniques to help managers keep commercialization efforts in any business on track.
Quaker Brotherhood: Interracial Activism and the American Friends Service Committee, 1917-1950
by Allan W. AustinThe Religious Society of Friends and its service organization, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) have long been known for their peace and justice activism. The abolitionist work of Friends during the antebellum era has been well documented, and their contemporary anti-war and anti-racism work is familiar to activists around the world. Quaker Brotherhood is the first extensive study of the AFSC's interracial activism in the first half of the twentieth century, filling a major gap in scholarship on the Quakers' race relations work from the AFSC's founding in 1917 to the beginnings of the civil rights movement in the early 1950s. Allan W. Austin tracks the evolution of key AFSC projects such as the Interracial Section and the American Interracial Peace Committee, which demonstrate the tentativeness of the Friends' activism in the 1920s, as well as efforts in the 1930s to make scholarly ideas and activist work more theologically relevant for Friends. Documenting the AFSC's efforts to help European and Japanese American refugees during World War II, Austin shows that by 1950, Quakers in the AFSC had honed a distinctly Friendly approach to interracial relations that combined scholarly understandings of race with their religious views. In tracing the transformation of one of the most influential social activist groups in the United States over the first half of the twentieth century, Quaker Brotherhood presents Friends in a thoughtful, thorough, and even-handed manner. Austin portrays the history of the AFSC and race--highlighting the organization's boldness in some aspects and its timidity in others--as an ongoing struggle that provides a foundation for understanding how shared agency might function in an imperfect and often racist world. Highlighting the complicated and sometimes controversial connections between Quakers and race during this era, Austin uncovers important aspects of the history of Friends, pacifism, feminism, American religion, immigration, ethnicity, and the early roots of multiculturalism.
The Bonanza King: John Mackay and the Battle over the Greatest Riches in the American West
by Gregory Crouch&“A monumentally researched biography of one of the nineteenth century&’s wealthiest self-made Americans…Well-written and worthwhile&” (The Wall Street Journal) it&’s the rags-to-riches frontier tale of an Irish immigrant who outwits, outworks, and outmaneuvers thousands of rivals to take control of Nevada&’s Comstock Lode.Born in 1831, John W. Mackay was a penniless Irish immigrant who came of age in New York City, went to California during the Gold Rush, and mined without much luck for eight years. When he heard of riches found on the other side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in 1859, Mackay abandoned his claim and walked a hundred miles to the Comstock Lode in Nevada. Over the course of the next dozen years, Mackay worked his way up from nothing, thwarting the pernicious &“Bank Ring&” monopoly to seize control of the most concentrated cache of precious metals ever found on earth, the legendary &“Big Bonanza,&” a stupendously rich body of gold and silver ore discovered 1,500 feet beneath the streets of Virginia City, the ultimate Old West boomtown. But for the ore to be worth anything it had to be found, claimed, and successfully extracted, each step requiring enormous risk and the creation of an entirely new industry. Now Gregory Crouch tells Mackay&’s amazing story—how he extracted the ore from deep underground and used his vast mining fortune to crush the transatlantic telegraph monopoly of the notorious Jay Gould. &“No one does a better job than Crouch when he explores the subject of mining, and no one does a better job than he when he describes the hardscrabble lives of miners&” (San Francisco Chronicle). Featuring great period photographs and maps, The Bonanza King is a dazzling tour de force, a riveting history of Virginia City, Nevada, the Comstock Lode, and America itself.
The Journey of Crazy Horse: A Lakota History (Playaway Adult Nonfiction Ser.)
by III Marshall Joseph M.Drawing on vivid oral histories, Joseph M. Marshall’s intimate biography introduces a never-before-seen portrait of Crazy Horse and his Lakota community Most of the world remembers Crazy Horse as a peerless warrior who brought the U. S. Army to its knees at the Battle of Little Bighorn. But to his fellow Lakota Indians, he was a dutiful son and humble fighting man who—with valor, spirit, respect, and unparalleled leadership—fought for his people’s land, livelihood, and honor. In this fascinating biography, Joseph M. Marshall, himself a Lakota Indian, creates a vibrant portrait of the man, his times, and his legacy. Thanks to firsthand research and his culture’s rich oral tradition (rarely shared outside the Native American community), Marshall reveals many aspects of Crazy Horse’s life, including details of the powerful vision that convinced him of his duty to help preserve the Lakota homeland—a vision that changed the course of Crazy Horse’s life and spurred him confidently into battle time and time again. The Journey of Crazy Horse is the true story of how one man’s fight for his people’s survival roused his true genius as a strategist, commander, and trusted leader. And it is an unforgettable portrayal of a revered human being and a profound celebration of a culture, a community, and an enduring way of life. .
The Palliser Novels Volume Two: Phineas Redux, The Prime Minister, and The Duke's Children (The Palliser Novels)
by Anthony TrollopeThree novels of an aristocratic British family and the world of parliamentary politics—the basis for the BBC adaptation.Also known as the Parliamentary Novels, the fourth, fifth, and sixth books in Anthony Trollope&’s series follow the lives of an aristocrat, his wife, and the political and social circles in which they move.Phineas Redux: The ever-ambitious Irish rogue Phineas Finn, now widowed and restless, is pulled back into the game of parliamentary politics.The Prime Minister: With the Whigs and Tories at a standstill in their attempts to form a working government, a compromise is finally reached and Plantagenet Palliser is installed as prime minister—but it will soon bring turmoil, both personal and professional.The Duke&’s Children: Plantagenet Palliser must face new challenges and a changing world if he is to hold his family together in the final installment of the Palliser Novels.
Welsh Terrier
by Bardi MclennanThe handsome black and tan terrier of Wales, the Welsh Terrier is a smart and sensible member of the terrier family who offers owners charm and personality in abundance. Like their loyal, fearless hunting dogs, Welsh Terrier owners are strongly devoted to their happy, responsive dogs. For an experienced dog person, the Welsh is biddable and obedient, though, for the novice, the breed may be too bright (or stubborn) to handle. This is a practical companion dog looking for a like-minded owner to appreciate all his vistures. Welsh owners think as highly of their dogs as the dogs think of themselves! Blessed with a strong constitution and hardy health, the Welsh promises many quality years for the right dedicated owners. Written by long-time Welsh Terrier breeder and popular author Bardi Mc Lennan, this new Special Limited Edition offers an insightful look at the breed's history and origins, the Welsh's characteristics and breed standard as well as comprehensive coverage of puppy selection, care and training. All aspects of care are included in this new colorful volume, including house-training, grooming, feeding, home safety and healthcare. The book also presents a special chapter on recognizing and solving behavioral problems and introduces Welsh Terrier lovers to the exciting world of competitive pure-bred dog sports.
Airedale Terrier
by Bardi MclennanThis Comprehensive Owner's Guide to the Airedale Terrier serves as a complete introduction to the breed known to his admirers as "the king of terriers." The largest of the British terriers, the Airedale, hailing from that industrial town in northeastern England, has been favored as a working terrier, show dog, military messenger dog, and farm dog since the nineteenth century. The book begins with an entertaining chapter on the breed's history in England followed by chapters on characteristics and the breed standard encapsulating all of the virtues of this imposing terrier breed, offering sound advice about which owners are best suited to the breed.New owners will welcome the well-prepared chapter on finding a breeder and selecting a healthy, sound puppy. Chapters on puppy-proofing the home and yard, purchasing the right supplies for the puppy as well as house-training, feeding, and grooming are illustrated with handsome adults and puppies bursting with energy and personality! In all, there are over 135 photographs in this compact, useful, and reliable volume. The author's advice on obedience training the super smart Airedale will help readers better mold and train their dogs into the most socialized, well-mannered dog in the neighborhood. The extensive chapter on healthcare written by Dr. Lowell Ackerman provides up-to-date detailed information on selecting a qualified veterinarian, vaccinations, parasites, infectious diseases, and more. Sidebars throughout the text offer helpful hints, covering topics as diverse as historical kennels, toxic plants, first aid, crate training, carsickness, fussy eaters, and parasite control. Fully indexed.
American Phoenix
by Sarah S. KilborneThe incredible story of nineteenth-century millionaire William Skinner, a leading founder of the American silk industry, who lost everything in a devastating flood--and his improbable, inspiring comeback to the pinnacle of the business world In 1845 a young, penniless William Skinner sailed in steerage class on a boat that took him from the slums of London to the United States. Endowed with rare knowledge in the art of dyeing and an uncanny business sense, he acquired work in a fledgling silk mill in Massachusetts, quickly rising to prominence in the nation's new luxury industry. Soon he opened his own factory and began turning out one of the bestselling silk brands in the country. Skinner was lauded as a pioneer in the textile industry and a manufacturer who knew no such word as fail. His business grew to sustain a bustling community filled with men, women, and children, living and working in the mill village of "Skinner-ville," producing the country's most glamorous, fashionable thread. Then, in 1874, disaster struck. Hundreds of millions of gallons of water burst through a nearby dam, destroying everything in its path, including Skinnerville. Within fifteen minutes, Skinner's entire life's work was swept away, and he found himself one of the central figures in the worst industrial disaster the nation had yet known. In this gripping narrative history, Skinner's great-great-granddaughter, Sarah S. Kilborne, tells an inspiring, unforgettable American story--of a town devastated by unimaginable catastrophe; an industry that had no reason to succeed except for the perseverance of a few intrepid entrepreneurs; and a man who had nothing--and everything--to lose as he struggled to rebuild his life a second time. None of Skinner's peers who lost their factories in the Mill River Flood withstood the shock of their losses, but Skinner went on to stage one of the greatest comebacks in the annals of American industry. As a result of his efforts to survive, he became one of the leading silk manufacturers in the world, leaving an indelible imprint on the history of American fashion and style. More striking still, this achievement would never have been possible if Skinner hadn't been ruined by the flood and forced, at age forty-nine, to start all over again, rebuilding everything with just one asset: the knowledge in his head. With masterful skill Kilborne brings to life an era when fabric was fashion, silk was supreme, factories were beacons of American success, and immigrants like Skinner with the secrets of age-old European arts possessed knowledge worth gold to Americans. Here is a story of ambition and desire, resilience and faith, disaster and survival. It is about making it, losing it, and then making it again despite the odds. An enthralling tale, American Phoenix offers a new twist on the American dream, reminding us that just when we thought the dream was over, it may have only just begun. *** FROM AMERICAN PHOENIX As the train slowed in its approach to the depot at the northern end of Skinnerville, one of Skinner's employees, John Ellsworth perhaps, awaited him on the platform. The depot was about a quarter mile from the house along a dark, unlit road. Thus when Skinner stepped down from the car and into the cold night air, he would have found both driver and horse all ready for the short jog home. The trip and this day were almost over, the anniversaries behind him, and a new year in the life of his marriage, his family, and his work was about to begin on the morrow. He was forty-nine years old, and the fabric of his existence had never been stronger. As he walked up the steps to his front door, there in the middle of Skinnerville, with the river flowing reliably behind him, the mill at rest across the way, the houses of his neighbors and employees all around, and a reunion with his wife and children just seconds ahead, there wasn't one clue, nor any sign, that the very next morning nearly everything in his world would be swept away.
Burgoyne Diaries: The First Winter at Ypres with the Irish Rifles
by Gerald Achilles BurgoyneThese are the diaries of Gerald Achilles Burgoyne, wrote from the trenches just south of Ypres while he was with the Royal Irish Rifles in the Great War.The author's daughter, Claudia Davison, was not even born when these diaries were originally written and was only 12-years-old when her father died in 1936 after being bombed by the Italian Air Force while he and his mules were conveying a Red Cross unit in Ethiopia.Claudia found the diaries in a trunk full of personal effects when her mother died and, after showing them to a long-standing friend who loved the diaries, she sent them off to be published.Despite conditions of all-pervading mud, bitter cold and wind, let alone the bursting shells and the 'sipping' bullet, Burgoyne dispassionately recorded and drew what he saw. These vivid accounts, written on pages of a notebook, were almost daily sent back to his wife. Each day is a gem of interest, from the very first entry in November 1914 to the last in May 1915.The diaries end as abruptly as they begin. In May 1915 Burgoyne was wounded and sent back to England after a gruesome and abortive attack on the notorious Hill 60.Complete with maps and sketches drawn by Burgoyne at the time, this book is essential reading for all Great War enthusiasts and those wishing to learn more about the key conflicts that occurred in 1914 and 1915.
English Men of Science: Their Nature and Nurture (Routledge Library Editions: Science and Technology in the Nineteenth Century #2)
by Francis GaltonThis edition first published in 1970. Francis Galton has been honoured as the founder of biostatics and one of the creators of modern psychology. His principal aim was to establish a body of statistical knowledge about mental heredity which would result in a new pattern of behaviour for society. The relationship between outstanding men had led him to conclude that mental traits are inherited, and that an ideal society would take advantage of this "fact". In this particular work, which he termed a "Natural History of the English Men of Science of the present day", he examined at great length the antecedents, environment, education and hereditary features of the most prominent men of science in order to establish certain laws relating to heredity. It is a landmark in the transition from introspective to objective methods in biological and psychological research, and the author’s statistical, nonanecdotal approach was to prove immensely fruitful for the development of psychology. Indeed the questionnaire included in the work is probably the earliest in existence. As Professor Cowan points out in her introduction, historians as well as scientists intent upon a deeper understanding of the Victorian mind will find much of interest in this remarkable book.
Escape from Hong Kong
by Tim LuardOn 25 December 1941, the day of Hong Kong's surrender to the Japanese, Admiral Chan Chak - the Chinese Government's chief agent in Hong Kong - and more than 60 Chinese, British and Danish intelligence, naval and marine personnel made a dramatic escape from the invading army. They travelled on five small motor torpedo boats - all that remained of the Royal Navy in Hong Kong - across Mirs Bay, landing at a beach near Nan'ao. Then, guided by guerrillas and villagers, they walked for four days through enemy lines to Huizhou, before flying to Chongqing or travelling by land to Burma. The breakout laid the foundations of an escape trail jointly used by the British Army Aid Group and the East River Column for the rest of the war. Chan Chak, the celebrated 'one-legged admiral', became Mayor of Canton after the war and was knighted by the British for his services to the Allied cause. His comrade in the escape, David MacDougall became head of the civil administration of Hong Kong in 1945. This gripping narrative account of the escape draws on a wealth of primary sources in both English and Chinese and sheds new light on the role played by the Chinese in the defence of Hong Kong, on the diplomacy behind the escape, and on the guerillas who carried the Admiral in a sedan chair as they led his party over the rivers and mountains of enemy-occupied China. Escape from Hong Kong will appeal not just to military and other historians and those with a special interest in Hong Kong and China but also to anyone who appreciates a good old-fashioned adventure story. Tim Luard is a former Beijing correspondent for the BBC World Service.
Flores y sombras
by Lian HearnUna arrebatadora historia de amor y guerra, de mujeres y hombres, del nacimiento del Japón moderno. Japón, 1857. La época de los samuráis está a punto de terminar y es el momento de que nazca el nuevo Japón. Una joven se aventura en este revuelo. Tsuru se ve arrastrada por la subversión, la intriga política y un amor peligroso, hasta terminar en pleno campo de batalla, en un mundo de hombres, cuidando de los heridos. Flores y sombras es un absorbente relato de amor y de guerra, de mujeres y hombres, del nacimiento del Japón moderno. Arroja una luz brillante a una época de la historia de la que poco se ha sabido hasta ahora, aunque el impacto que supuso todavía deja murmullos en todo el mundo. Reseñas:«Lian Hearn ha tejido una maravillosa historia que llevará a los lectores a través de un viaje precioso y gratificante».Booksellers «La historia de amor y aventura, de corajey desengaño de Tsuru atrapa al lector y arrastra consigo, de forma delicada, historia y filosofía hacia la luz final de la comprensión y la empatía. Bajo la apariencia de una cautivadora novela histórica, Hearn nos brinda una inmersión total en una cultura compleja, fascinante y poco conocida».Well Read «Una excelente novela de ficción histórica».Media Culture «Esta novela permite a los lectores sentirse identificados con la protagonista y desear estar entre los rebeldes, capitaneados por el comprometido espíritu de Tsuru, mientras ella lucha contra las convenciones del momento y se rinde a un amor prohibido, enfrentándose al horror de una guerra civil y a las sombras de un futuro incierto».Borders Australia
Law of the Land
by Greg TaylorHow was it that the Torrens system, a mid-nineteenth-century reform of land titles registration from distant South Australia, gradually replaced the inherited Anglo-Canadian common law system of land registration? In The Law of the Land, Greg Taylor traces the spread of the Torrens system, from its arrival in the far-flung outpost of 1860s Victoria, British Columbia, right up to twenty-first century Ontario.Examining the peculiarity of how this system of land reform swept through some provinces like wildfire, and yet still remains completely unknown in three provinces, Taylor shows how the different histories of various regions in Canada continue to shape the law in the present day. Presenting a concise and illuminating history of land reform, he also demonstrates the power of lobbying, by examining the influence of both moneylenders and lawyers who were the first to introduce the Torrens system to Canada east of the Rockies.An exact and fluent legal history of regional law reforms, The Law of the Land is a fascinating examination of commonwealth influence, and ongoing regional differences in Canada.
Liza of Lambeth
by Somerset MaughamWilliam Somerset Maugham (1874-1965) was born in the British embassy in Paris in 1874, son of a British solicitor and his socialite wife. He developed a stammer in childhood, which prevented him from entering into a legal profession like his father and brothers, so it was decided that he would study medicine. His secret passion for literature led to the publication of "Liza of Lambeth" in 1897, and sparked a literary career that would make Maugham one of England's most successful authors of the twentieth century. The novel depicts the Lambeth slum along Vere Street, London, and the people who lived in poverty there. Liza Kent is the youngest of 13 children, is working in a factory in the slum, and enters into a passionate but reckless affair with an older, married neighbor, Jim Blakeston. Although the novel demonstrates clear themes of poverty and stereotypical gender roles, it surprisingly does not call for social reform.
Peter Piper's Practical Principles of Plain and Perfect Pronunciation: A Study in Typography
by Harry Miller Lydenberg Willard JohnsonAndrew Airpump ask'd his Aunt her ailment, Davy Dolldrum dream'd he drove a Dragon, Jumping Jackey jeer'd a Jesting Juggler, and Rory Rumpus rode a raw-bon'd Race-horse among other antics in this antique alphabet of tongue twisters.Originally published in 1836, this charming collection of whimsical rhymes was redesigned 100 years later by some of the twentieth century's most celebrated typographers. The artists volunteered their services and worked independently of each other, resulting in a captivating pastiche in which the verses are rendered in a variety of typefaces and accompanied by woodcuts, line drawings, and other black-and-white illustrations.
Scottish Mandarin
by Shiona AirlieColonial administrator, writer, explorer, Buddhist, and friend to China's last emperor, Sir Reginald Johnston (1874-1938) was a distinguished sinologist with a tangled love and family life that he kept secret even from his closest friends. Born and educated in Edinburgh, he began his career in the colony of Hong Kong and eventually became Commissioner of the remote British leased territory of Weihai in northern China. He travelled widely and, during a break from colonial service, served as tutor and advisor to Puyi, the deposed emperor. As the only foreigner allowed to work in the Forbidden City, he wrote the classic account of the last days of the Qing Dynasty--Twilight in the Forbidden City'.
Shaken: Drinking with James Bond and Ian Fleming, the official cocktail book
by Ian FlemingThe 007 official cocktail book - created in association with the Ian Fleming EstateExplore Bond creator Ian Fleming's writings on the pleasures of drinking and sample 50 delicious cocktail recipes inspired by his work - developed by award-winning bar Swift.Cocktails are at the glamorous heart of every Bond story. Whether it's the favoured Martini, which features in almost every book, or a refreshing Negroni or Daiquiri, strong, carefully crafted drinks are a consistent feature of the Bond novels. Recipes are divided into five categories: Straight Up; On The Rocks; Tall; Fizzy; and Exotic. Sip on inventions such as Smersh, Moneypenny, That Old Devil M and Diamonds are Forever, as well as classic Bond cocktails such as the Vesper and, of course, the Dry Martini. Each recipe is accompanied by extracts from Fleming's writings - be it the passage where the classic drink was featured or a place, character or plot that inspired one of the drinks.Also features Ian Fleming's writings on whisky, gin and other spirits.Foreword by Fergus Fleming.
South
by Ernest ShackletonExemplary British expedition leader Sir Ernest Shackleton's (1874-1922) compelling account of his 1914 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition consisting of two ships, the HMS Endurance and the HMS Aurora. The goal of the expedition (which it failed to achieve, but not for want of perseverance) was to cross the Antarctic by dogsled, exploring unknown territory and making scientific observations along the way. The plan called for the Endurance, with Shackleton aboard, to establish a base on the shore of the Weddell Sea, while the Aurora did the same at the Ross Sea on the opposite side of the continent. It is a tribute to Shackleton's remarkable energy, his tireless persistence, and his admirable leadership qualities that all members of the Weddell Sea party survived the extraordinary hazards and dangers encountered by the expedition, as did all but three members of the Ross Sea party. Though overshadowed at the time by the outbreak of World War I, the feats of Shackleton and his companions in this expedition are now recognized as ranking among the most memorable in the annals of Antarctic exploration.
The Expressman and the Detective: Large Print
by Allan PinkertonPinkerton sends an agent to catch a thief on the Southern railway In the build-up to the Civil War, Montgomery is a thriving town—a local capital grown rich on cotton and the railroad. When $10,000 disappears from the railroad, suspicion falls on a clerk named Maroney, an upstanding citizen whose only vice is a love of horseracing. The railroad hires the South&’s best detectives to tail Maroney, looking for a clue as to where the money has gone, but they find nothing. So they turn to the only man who can help: Allan Pinkerton. The head of the nation&’s first modern detective agency, Pinkerton invented undercover detective work, and he sends his finest agent, Mr. Porter, to infiltrate the high society of the old South. Whether Maroney is the culprit or merely a scapegoat, Porter will get to the truth. Allan Pinkerton never rests until justice is served. This ebook features a new introduction by Otto Penzler and has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Gilded Age
by Mark Twain Charles Dudley Warner Louis J. BuddFirst published in 1873, The Gilded Age is both a biting satire and a revealing portrait of post-Civil War America-an age of corruption when crooked land speculators, ruthless bankers, and dishonest politicians voraciously took advantage of the nation's peacetime optimism. With his characteristic wit and perception, Mark Twain and his collaborator, Charles Dudley Warner, attack the greed, lust, and naivete of their own time in a work which endures as a valuable social document and one of America's most important satirical novels.
A Trail Called Home: Tree Stories from the Golden Horseshoe
by Paul O'HaraAn exploration of trees in the Golden Horseshoe and the stories they tell. Trees define so much of Canadian life, but many people, particularly in the Golden Horseshoe area of Ontario, don’t know that much about them. Granted, it is harder here: there are more trees that are native to this area than anywhere else in Canada. The great storytellers of the landscape, trees are looking glasses into the past. They speak of biology, ecology, and geology, as well as natural and human history. Through a greater understanding of trees, we can become more rooted to the land beneath our feet, and our place in it.