Title search results
Showing 641 - 660 of 1578 items
Days of steel rain: The epic story of a wwii vengeance ship in the year of the kamikaze
By Brent E. Jones. 2021
An intimate true account of Americans at war, Days of Steel Rain is an epic drama about an unlikely group…
of men forced to work together in the face of an increasingly desperate enemy during the final year of World War II. Sprawling across the Pacific, this untold story follows the crew of the newly-built "vengeance ship" USS Astoria , named after her sunken predecessor lost earlier in the war. At its center lies U.S. Navy Captain George Dyer, who vowed to return to action after suffering a horrific wound. He accepted the ship's command in 1944, knowing it would be his last chance to avenge his injuries and salvage his career. Yet with the nation's resources and personnel stretched thin by the war, he found that just getting the ship into action would prove to be a battle. Tensions among the crew flared from the start. Astoria 's sailors and Marines were a collection of replacements, retreads, and older men. Some were broken by previous traumatic combat, most had no desire to be in the war, yet all found themselves fighting an enemy more afraid of surrender than death. The reluctant ship was called to respond to challenges that its men never could have anticipated. From a typhoon where the ocean was enemy to daring rescue missions in the Philippines, a gallant turn at Iwo Jima, and the ultimate crucible against the Kamikaze at Okinawa, they endured the worst of the final year of the war at sea. Days of Steel Rain brings to life more than a decade of research and firsthand interviews, depicting with unprecedented insight the singular drama of a captain grappling with a prospective mutiny amidst some of the most brutal fighting of World War II. Throughout, Brent Jones fills the narrative with secret diaries, memoirs, letters, interpersonal conflicts, and the innermost thoughts of the Astoria men. Days of Steel Rain weaves an intimate, unforgettable portrait of leadership, heroism, endurance, and redemptionThe duchess countess
By Catherine Ostler. 2021
'A scintillating story superbly told... [Ostler] packs every paragraph with eye-opening detail' Ysenda Maxtone Graham, The Times 'A rollicking read...…
[Ostler] tells Elizabeth's story with admirable style and gusto' Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times 'Fascinating. Magnificent.? Sensitively told' Hallie Rubenhold, author of The Five and The Covent Garden Ladies 'Catherine Ostler's superb, gripping, decadent biography brings an extraordinary woman and a whole world blazingly to life' Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of Catherine the Great and Potemkin When the glamorous Elizabeth Chudleigh, Duchess of Kingston, Countess of Bristol, went on trial at Westminster Hall for bigamy in April 1776, the story drew more attention in society than the American War of Independence. A clandestine, candlelit wedding to the young heir to an earldom, a second marriage to a Duke, a lust for diamonds and an electrifying appearance at a masquerade ball in a diaphanous dress: no wonder the trial was a sensation. However, Elizabeth refused to submit to public humiliation and retire quietly. Rather than backing gracefully out of the limelight, she embarked on a Grand Tour of Europe, being welcomed by the Pope and Catherine the Great among others. As maid of honour to Augusta, Princess of Wales, Elizabeth led her life in the inner circle of the Hanoverian court and her exploits delighted and scandalised the press and the people. She made headlines, and was a constant feature in penny prints and gossip columns. Writers were intrigued by her. Thackeray drew on Elizabeth as inspiration for his calculating, alluring Becky Sharp. But her behaviour, often depicted as attention-seeking and manipulative, hid a more complex tale – that of Elizabeth's fight to overcome personal tragedy and loss. Now, in this brilliantly told and evocative biography , Catherine Ostler takes a fresh look at Elizabeth's story and seeks to understand and reappraise a woman who refused to be defined by society's expectations of her. A woman who was by turns, brave, loving and generous but also reckless, greedy and insecure; a woman totally unwilling to accept the female status of underdog or to hand over all the power, the glory and the adventures of life to menPhilip and alexander: Kings and conquerors
By Adrian Goldsworthy. 2020
The definitive biography of the father and son who reshaped the ancient world Alexander the Great's conquests staggered the world.…
He led his army across thousands of miles, overthrowing the greatest empires of his time and building a new one in their place. He claimed to be the son of a god, but he was actually the son of Philip II of Macedon. Philip inherited a minor kingdom that was on the verge of dismemberment, but despite his youth and inexperience, he made Macedonia dominant throughout Greece. It was Philip who created the armies that Alexander led into war against Persia. In Philip and Alexander , classical historian Adrian Goldsworthy shows that without the work and influence of his father, Alexander could not have achieved so much. This is the groundbreaking biography of two men who together conquered the worldThe tragedy of empire: From constantine to the destruction of roman italy
By Michael Kulikowski. 2021
The Tragedy of Empire begins in the late fourth century with the reign of Julian, the last non-Christian Roman emperor,…
and takes listeners to the final years of the Western Roman Empire at the end of the sixth century. One hundred years before Julian's rule, Emperor Diocletian had resolved that an empire stretching from the Atlantic to the Euphrates, and from the Rhine and Tyne to the Sahara, could not effectively be governed by one man. He had devised a system of governance, called the tetrarchy by modern scholars, to respond to the vastness of the empire, its new rivals, and the changing face of its citizenry. Powerful enemies like the barbarian coalitions of the Franks and the Alamanni threatened the imperial frontiers. The new Sasanian dynasty had come into power in Persia. This was the political climate of the Roman world that Julian inherited. Kulikowski traces two hundred years of Roman history during which the Western Empire ceased to exist while the Eastern Empire remained politically strong and culturally vibrant. The changing structure of imperial rule, the rise of new elites, foreign invasions, the erosion of Roman and Greek religions, and the establishment of Christianity as the state religion mark these last two centuries of the EmpireForgotten peoples of the ancient world
By Philip Matyszak. 2021
The ancient world of the Mediterranean and the Near East saw the birth and collapse of great civilizations. While several…
of these are well known, for all those that have been recorded, many have been unjustly forgotten. Our history is overflowing with different cultures that have all evolved over time, sometimes dissolving or reforming, though ultimately shaping the way we continue to live. But for every culture that has been remembered, what have we forgotten? This thorough guide explores those civilizations that have faded from the pages of our textbooks but played a significant role in the development of modern society. Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World covers the Hyksos to the Hephthalites and everyone in between, providing a unique overview of humanity's history from approximately 3000 BCE-550 CE. Each entry exposes a diverse culture, highlighting their important contributions. Forgotten Peoples of the Ancient World is an immersive, thought-provoking, and entertaining book for anyone interested in ancient historyA general-turned-historian reveals the remarkable battlefield heroics of Major General Maurice Rose, the World War II tank commander whose 3rd…
Armored Division struck fear into the hearts of Hitler's panzer crews. Two months after D-Day, the Allies found themselves in a stalemate in Normandy, having suffered enormous casualties attempting to push through hedgerow country. Troops were spent, and American tankers, lacking the tactics and leadership to deal with the terrain, were losing their spirit. General George Patton and the other top U.S. commanders needed an officer who knew how to break the impasse and roll over the Germans—they needed one man with the grit and the vision to take the war all the way to the Rhine. Patton and his peers selected Maurice Rose. The son of a rabbi, Rose never discussed his Jewish heritage. But his ferocity on the battlefield reflected an inner flame. He led his 3rd Armored Division not from a command post but from the first vehicle in formation, charging headfirst into a fight. He devised innovative tactics, made the most of American weapons, and personally chose the cadre of young officers who drove his division forward. From Normandy to the West Wall, from the Battle of the Bulge to the final charge across Germany, Maurice Rose's deadly division of tanks blasted through enemy lines and pursued the enemy with a remarkable intensity. In The Panzer Killers , Daniel P. Bolger, a retired lieutenant general and Iraq War veteran, offers up a lively, dramatic tale of Rose's heroism. Along the way, Bolger infuses the narrative with fascinating insights that could only come from an author who has commanded tank forces in combat. The result is a unique and masterful story of battlefield leadership, destined to become a classicThe first of a three-volume historical narrative of the four-year struggle. Opening with Jefferson Davis' resignation from the Senate and…
closing with Lincoln's departure from Springfield, the battles and personalities are presented from the point of view of the participantsKilling Patton: the strange death of World War II's most audacious general (Bill O'Reilly's Killing)
By Bill O'Reilly, Martin Dugard. 2014
Political commentator O'Reilly and historian Dugard, authors of Killing Jesus (DB 77565), examine the last year and the death of…
General George S. Patton Jr. (1885-1945); theorize that Patton's death was not due to complications of injuries sustained in a car accident; and detail possible motives for assassination. Bestseller. 2014American commander: serving a country worth fighting for and training the brave soldiers who lead the way
By Scott Mcewen, Ryan Zinke. 2016
Former Congressman, Ryan Zinke, recalls his years growing up in Montana, and his service as a Navy SEAL. Includes broad…
information about his time as acting Commander of Joint Special Forces in Iraq. Some strong language and some violenceCombattre le why-why: théâtre (Collection principale #58)
By Rébecca Déraspe. 2021
Combattre le why-why / C'est pas du théâtre / Mais c'est un peu du théâtre / Mais pas comme d'habitude…
/ Cest des mots qui ont existé dans un théâtre / Des poèmes ou quelque chose comme ça / Mais c'est pas de la poésie / Ou en tout cas / Pas comme d'habitude / C'est un témoignage d'amour peut-être / Mais à personne en particulier / Juste un gros JE T'AIME à la complexité humaine / Parce que c'est pas si facile / Vivre / Ou en tout cas / C'est pas du théâtre / C'est pas de la poésie / C'est un cri / Un genre de WHY-WHY lancé / La face vers le ciel / Les mains désespérément offertes à la pluie / WHY METhe triumph of Christianity: how a forbidden religion swept the world
By Bart D. Ehrman. 2018
Theologian chronicles the rise of Christianity, from an obscure sect of Judaism to the dominant religion of the Roman Empire.…
Discusses the mission of Paul, Roman paganism, the reasons for Christianity's success, incentives for conversion, the growth of the Church, persecution, and Constantine's championing of the faith. Some violence. 2018Vets and pets: wounded warriors and the animals that help them heal
By Dava Guerin, Kevin Ferris. 2018
A collection of essays about the bonds that develop between wounded veterans and the animals that help them heal. Includes…
stories of traditional service companion dogs as well as vets who bond with horses, birds of prey, and even pigs. 2017Eat the apple: a memoir
By Matt Young. 2018
An irreverent account of the author's time in the Marine Corps, which he joined while still a teenager. Discusses his…
training, three deployments to Iraq, and the absurdity of twenty-first-century war. Strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2018John McCain: an American hero
By John Perritano. 2018
Portrays John McCain's life, from his childhood as an admiral's son to his own time at the Naval Academy, his…
service as a pilot, and his experience as a prisoner of war. Explores McCain's years as a senator and his two bids for the U. S. presidency. For grades 5-8. 2018The American stage: writing on theater from Washington Irving to Tony Kushner
By Lawrence Senelick. 2010
A wide-ranging collection of essays and works of criticism with contributions from playwrights, actors, directors, critics, and others who love…
the theater. Early writings include pieces by Mark Twain and Willa Cather, alongside more modern ones by David Mamet, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and more. 2010The darkening age: the Christian destruction of the classical world
By Catherine Nixey. 2018
Journalist examines the rise of Christianity in the ancient world and the destruction of Mediterranean literature and cultural artifacts that…
led to the time known as the Dark Ages. Discusses the loss of architecture, intellectual and technological advancements, and art. Analyzes the reasoning behind zealotry and targeted attacks. 2017Can't hurt me: master your mind and defy the odds
By David Goggins. 2018
A retired Navy SEAL who is also an accomplished competitor in marathons and ultramarathons shares his story. Describes overcoming poverty…
and prejudice to go on to great success, and argues that most people only tap into forty percent of their capabilities. Strong language. Bestseller. 2018From the creative minds of the scholarly group behind the groundbreaking Jesus Seminar comes this provocative and eye-opening look at…
the roots of Christianity that offers a thoughtful reconsideration of the first two centuries of the Jesus movement, transforming our understanding of the religion and its early dissemination. Christianity has endured for more than two millennia and is practiced by billions worldwide today. Yet that longevity has created difficulties for scholars tracing the religion's roots, distorting much of the historical investigation into the first two centuries of the Jesus movement. But what if Christianity died in the fourth or fifth centuries after it began? How would that change how historians see and understand its first two hundred years? Considering these questions, three Bible scholars from the Westar Institute summarize the work of the Christianity Seminar and its efforts to offer a new way of thinking about Christianity and its roots. Synthesizing the institute's most recent scholarship—bringing together the many archaeological and textual discoveries over the last twenty years—they have found: There were multiple Jesus movements, not a singular one, before the fourth century There was nothing called Christianity until the third century There was much more flexibility and diversity within Jesus's movement before it became centralized in Rome, not only regarding the Bible and religious doctrine, but also understandings of gender, sexuality and morality. Exciting and revolutionary, After Jesus, Before Christianity provides fresh insights into the real history behind how the Jesus movement became ChristianityAmerican buffalo
By David Mamet. 2016
David Mamet's gift for storytelling and forging poetry from both the plain-spoken and profane turns an ill-conceived scheme to steal…
a rare coin into a triumph of dramatic art. In a junk shop, three men of different generations plan their heist. But their fates, like the nickel's worn image of the beleaguered buffalo, may have been sealed long ago. An L.A. Theatre Works full-cast production starring Rich Hutchman as Donny DuBrow, Josh Stamberg as Walter Cole (Teacher), and Maurice Williams as Bobby. Directed by Brian Kite and recorded before an audience by L.A. Theatre WorksLightning down: A world war ii story of survival
By Tom Clavin. 2021
An American fighter pilot doomed to die in Buchenwald but determined to survive. On August 13, 1944, Joe Moser set…
off on his forty-fourth combat mission over occupied France. Soon, he would join almost 170 other Allied airmen as prisoners in Buchenwald, one of the most notorious and deadly of Nazi concentration camps. Tom Clavin's Lightning Down tells this largely untold and riveting true story. Moser was just twenty-two years old, a farm boy from Washington State who fell in love with flying. During the War he realized his dream of piloting a P-38 Lightning, one of the most effective weapons the Army Air Corps had against the powerful German Luftwaffe. But on that hot August morning he had to bail out of his damaged, burning plane. Captured immediately, Moser's journey into hell began. Moser and his courageous comrades from England, Canada, New Zealand, and elsewhere endured the most horrific conditions during their imprisonment... until the day the orders were issued by Hitler himself to execute them. Only a most desperate plan would save them. The page-turning momentum of Lightning Down is like that of a thriller, but the stories of imprisoned and brutalized airmen are true and told in unforgettable detail, led by the distinctly American voice of Joe Moser, who prays every day to be reunited with his family. Lightning Down is a can't-put-it-down inspiring saga of brave men confronting great evil and great odds against survival. A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press