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The Life of Alcibiades: Dangerous Ambition and the Betrayal of Athens (Cornell Studies in Classical Philology #68)
By Jacqueline De Romilly. 2019
This biography of Alcibiades, the charismatic Athenian statesman and general (c. 450–404 BC) who achieved both renown and infamy during…
the Peloponnesian War, is both an extraordinary adventure story and a cautionary tale that reveals the dangers that political opportunism and demagoguery pose to democracy. As Jacqueline de Romilly brilliantly documents, Alcibiades's life is one of wanderings and vicissitudes, promises and disappointments, brilliant successes and ruinous defeats. Born into a wealthy and powerful family in Athens, Alcibiades was a student of Socrates and disciple of Pericles, and he seemed destined to dominate the political life of his city—and his tumultuous age.Romilly shows, however, that he was too ambitious. Haunted by financial and sexual intrigues and political plots, Alcibiades was exiled from Athens, sentenced to death, recalled to his homeland, only to be exiled again. He defected from Athens to Sparta and from Sparta to Persia and then from Persia back to Athens, buffeted by scandal after scandal, most of them of his own making. A gifted demagogue and, according to his contemporaries, more handsome than the hero Achilles, Alcibiades is also a strikingly modern figure, whose seductive celebrity and dangerous ambition anticipated current crises of leadership.Napoleon and de Gaulle: Heroes and History
By Patrice Gueniffey. 2020
One of France’s most famous historians compares two exemplars of political and military leadership to make the unfashionable case that…
individuals, for better and worse, matter in history. Historians have taught us that the past is not just a tale of heroes and wars. The anonymous millions matter and are active agents of change. But in democratizing history, we have lost track of the outsized role that individual will and charisma can play in shaping the world, especially in moments of extreme tumult. Patrice Gueniffey provides a compelling reminder in this powerful dual biography of two transformative leaders, Napoleon Bonaparte and Charles de Gaulle. Both became national figures at times of crisis and war. They were hailed as saviors and were eager to embrace the label. They were also animated by quests for personal and national greatness, by the desire to raise France above itself and lead it on a mission to enlighten the world. Both united an embattled nation, returned it to dignity, and left a permanent political legacy—in Napoleon’s case, a form of administration and a body of civil law; in de Gaulle’s case, new political institutions. Gueniffey compares Napoleon’s and de Gaulle’s journeys to power; their methods; their ideas and writings, notably about war; and their postmortem reputations. He also contrasts their weaknesses: Napoleon’s limitless ambitions and appetite for war and de Gaulle’s capacity for cruelty, manifested most clearly in Algeria. They were men of genuine talent and achievement, with flaws almost as pronounced as their strengths. As many nations, not least France, struggle to find their soul in a rapidly changing world, Gueniffey shows us what a difference an extraordinary leader can make.They Were Soldiers: The Sacrifices and Contributions of Our Vietnam Veterans
By Marvin J. Wolf, Joseph L. Galloway. 2020
They Were Soldiers showcases the inspiring true stories of 49 Vietnam veterans who returned home from the "lost war" to enrich America's present and future.…
In this groundbreaking new book, Joseph L. Galloway, distinguished war correspondent and New York Times bestselling author of We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young, and Marvin J. Wolf, Vietnam veteran and award-winning author, reveal the private lives of those who returned from Vietnam to make astonishing contributions in science, medicine, business, and other arenas, and change America for the better.For decades, the soldiers who served in Vietnam were shunned by the American public and ignored by their government. Many were vilified or had their struggles to reintegrate into society magnified by distorted depictions of veterans as dangerous or demented. Even today, Vietnam veterans have not received their due. Until now. These profiles are touching and courageous, and often startling.They include veterans both known and unknown, including:Frederick Wallace (&“Fred&”) Smith, CEO and founder of FedExMarshall Carter, chairman of the New York Stock ExchangeJustice Eileen Moore, appellate judge who also serves as a mentor in California's Combat Veterans CourtRichard Armitage, former deputy secretary of state under Colin PowellGuion &“Guy&” Bluford Jr., first African American in space Engrossing, moving, and eye-opening, They Were Soldiers is a magnificent tribute that gives long overdue honor and recognition to the soldiers of this "forgotten generation."A View from Two Benches: Bob Thomas in Football and the Law
By Doug Feldmann. 2020
Whether in football or in the law, Illinois Supreme Court Justice Robert Thomas has always had the "best view from…
the bench."Bob Thomas got his start in football at the University of Notre Dame, kicking for the famed "Fighting Irish" in the early 1970s. Claimed off waivers by the Chicago Bears in 1975, Thomas helped to take the franchise from their darkest days to their brightest. Yet, on the cusp of the team's greatest moment, he was struck with a shocking blow that challenged his fortitude.In this dramatic retelling of Bob Thomas's fascinating life, renowned sports writer Doug Feldmann shows how neither football nor the law was part of Thomas's dreams while growing up the son of Italian immigrants in Rochester, New York, in the 1960s. Chasing excellence on both the gridiron and in the courtroom, however, would require resilience in ways he could not have imagined.As A View from Two Benches shows us, Bob Thomas reached the top of two separate and distinct professions, guided by a bedrock of faith that has impacted his decisions and actions as both a football player and a judge, helping him navigate the peaks and valleys of life. As Doug Feldmann reveals, Bob Thomas has always stayed true to the values he learned in his earliest days.Doug Feldmann's rich biography of an accomplished kicker and a proud justice of the law shows us that determination and resilience go a long way to a successful and impactful life.The Golden Thirteen: How Black Men Won the Right to Wear Navy Gold
By Dan Goldberg. 2020
The story of the 13 courageous black men who integrated the officer corps of the US Navy during World War…
II—leading desegregation efforts across America and anticipating the civil rights movementThrough oral histories and original interviews with surviving family members, Dan Goldberg brings 13 forgotten heroes away from the margins of history and into the spotlight. He reveals the opposition these men faced: the racist pseudo-science, the regular condescension, the repeated epithets, the verbal abuse and even violence. Despite these immense challenges, the Golden Thirteen persisted—understanding the power of integration, the opportunities for black Americans if they succeeded, and the consequences if they failed.Until 1942, black men in the Navy could hold jobs only as cleaners and cooks. The Navy reluctantly decided to select the first black men to undergo officer training in 1944, after enormous pressure from ordinary citizens and civil rights leaders. These men, segregated and sworn to secrecy, worked harder than they ever had in their lives and ultimately passed their exams with the highest average of any class in Navy history.In March 1944, these sailors became officers, the first black men to wear the gold stripes. Yet even then, their fight wasn&’t over: white men refused to salute them, refused to eat at their table, and refused to accept that black men could be superior to them in rank. Still, the Golden Thirteen persevered, determined to hold their heads high and set an example that would inspire generations to come.In the vein of Hidden Figures, The Golden Thirteen reveals the contributions of heroes who were previously lost to history.Gods of War: History's Greatest Military Rivals
By Williamson Murray, James Lacey. 2020
Hannibal vs. Scipio. Grant vs. Lee. Rommel vs. Patton. The greatest battles, commanders, and rivalries of all time come to…
life in this engrossing guide to the geniuses of military history. &“A compelling study of military leadership.&”—James M. McPherson, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Battle Cry of Freedom Any meeting of genius may create sparks, but when military geniuses meet, their confrontations play out upon a vast panorama of states or civilizations at war, wielding the full destructive power of a mighty nation&’s armies. Gods of War is the first single-volume, in-depth examination of the most celebrated military rivalries of all time, and of the rare, world-changing battles in which these great commanders in history matched themselves against true equals. From Caesar and Pompey deciding the fate of the Roman Republic, to Grant and Lee battling for a year during the American Civil War, to Rommel and Montgomery and Patton meeting in battle after battle as Hitler strove for European domination, these match-ups and their corresponding strategies are among the most memorable in history. A thrilling look into both the generals&’ lives and their hardest-fought battles, Gods of War is also a thought-provoking analysis of the qualities that make a strong commander and a deep exploration of the historical context in which the contestants were required to wage war, all told with rousing narrative flair. And in a time when technology has made the potential costs of war even greater, it is a masterful look at how military strategy has evolved and what it will take for leaders to guide their nations to peace in the future.Dare to Fly: Simple Lessons in Never Giving Up
By Martha McSally. 2020
“Like the A-10 aircraft she flew in combat, retired colonel and fighter pilot Martha McSally is a gritty individual who loves our…
Air Force and personified its core values of excellence, integrity, and service before self, while standing up to make it a better institution for everyone who serves. How to be resolute, do the right thing, persevere, find gratitude, and learn compassion are just some of the lessons in her inspirational life story.” —Ron FOGLEMAN, General (ret.), U.S. Air Force; former Air Force Chief of StaffCombining the soulful honesty of Make Your Bed with the inspiring power of You Are a Badass, America’s first female combat jet pilot and Arizona Senator Martha McSally shows you how to clear the runway of your life: embrace fear, transform doubt, succeed when you are expected to fail, and soar to great heights in this motivational life guide. Martha McSally is an extraordinary achiever whose inner strength and personal principles have helped her overcome adversity throughout her life. Initially rejected from Air Force flight school because she was too short, she refused to give up, becoming the first female fighter pilot to fly in combat and the first to command a combat fighter squadron in United States history. During her twenty-six-year military career, she fought to free American servicewomen stationed in the Middle East from restrictions requiring them to don full-body, black abayas and ride in the backs of cars – and won. McSally has continued to serve America, first in the House of Representatives, and now as a U.S. Senator from Arizona. McSally is also a survivor. She shares how her experiences propelled her to become a fighter for justice in and out of the cockpit. In this powerful, uplifting book, McSally reflects on her successes and failures, shares key principles that have guided her, and reveals invaluable lessons to break barriers, thrive through darkness, and make someone proud in your life. “Courage isn’t magic or genetics. It is a choice. By choosing to do things afraid, you discover your own power to overcome.” Filled with fresh stories and insights, Dare to Fly will help each of us find the courage inside to break our barriers, endure turbulence, and keep flying high.Scholars of Mayhem: My Father's Secret War in Nazi-Occupied France
By Daniel C. Guiet, Timothy K. Smith. 2019
The astonishing untold story of the author's father, the lone American on a four-person team of Allied secret agents dropped…
into Nazi-occupied France, whose epic feats of irregular warfare proved vital in keeping German tanks away from Normandy after D-Day.When Daniel Guiet was a child and his family moved country, as they frequently did, his father had one possession, a tin bread box, that always made the trip. Daniel was admonished never to touch the box, but one day he couldn't resist. What he found astonished him: a .45 automatic and five full clips; three slim knives; a length of wire with a wooden handle at each end; thin pieces of paper with random numbers on them; several passports with his father's photograph, each bearing a different name; and silk squares imprinted with different countries' flags, bearing messages in unfamiliar alphabets. The messages, he discovered much later, were variations on a theme: I am an American. Take me to the nearest Allied military office. You will be paid.Eventually Jean Claude Guiet revealed to his family that he had been in the CIA, but it was only at the very end of his life that he spoke of the mission during World War II that marked the beginning of his career in clandestine service. It is one of the last great untold stories of the war, and Daniel Guiet and his collaborator, the writer Tim Smith, have spent several years bringing it to life. Jean Claude was an American citizen but a child of France, and fluent in the language; he was also extremely bright. The American military was on the lookout for native French speakers to be seconded to a secret British special operations commando operation, dropping clandestine agents behind German lines in France to coordinate aid to the French Resistance and lead missions wreaking havoc on Germany's military efforts across the entire country. Jean Claude was recruited, and his life was changed forever. Though the human cost was terrible, the mission succeeded beyond the Allies' wildest dreams.Scholars of Mayhem tells the story of Jean Claude and the other three agents in his "circuit," codenamed Salesman, a unit of Britain's Special Operations Executive, the secret service ordered by Churchill to "Set Europe ablaze." Parachuted into France the day after D-Day, the Salesman team organized, armed, and commanded an underground army of 10,000 French Resistance fighters. National pride has kept the story of SOE in France obscure, but of this there is no doubt: While the Resistance had plenty of heart, it was SOE that gave it teeth and claws. Scholars of Mayhem adds brilliantly to that picture, and further underscores what a close-run thing the success of the Allied breakout from the Normandy landings actually was.For Cause and Comrades: Why Men Fought in the Civil War
By James M. Mcpherson. 1997
Why did the soldiers of the Civil War--Confederate and Union--risk their lives, through countless bloody battles and four long, awful…
years? Drawing on more than 25,000 uncensored letters and nearly 250 private diaries from men on both sides, James McPherson shows that the soldiers of the Civil War remained powerfully convinced of the ideals for which they fought throughout the conflict. Motivated by duty and honor, and often by religious faith, these men wrote frequently of their firm belief in the cause for which they went to war: the principles of liberty, freedom, justice, and patriotism. For Cause and Comrades lets these soldiers tell their stories in their own word to create an account that is both deeply moving and far truer than most books of war. McPherson's masterful prose and the soldiers' words combine to create both an important book on an often overlooked aspect of our bloody Civil War, and a powerfully moving account of the men who fought it. "In a prose that is both sensitive and remarkably lucid, [McPherson] helps us re-enter an American society in which ideals were not merely pat phrases but principles that inspired conduct--however hateful some of those principles were." --New York Review of Hook James McPherson is the George Henry Davis '86 Professor of American history at Princeton University where he has taught since 1962. The author of eleven books on the Civil War era, he won the Pulitzer Prize in History in 1989 for Battle Cry of Freedom.The Mysterious Life and Faked Death of Jesse James: Based on Family Records, Forensic Evidence, and His Personal Journals
By Daniel J. Duke, Teresa F. Duke. 2020
A deep investigation into historical documents that prove the notorious outlaw Jesse James faked his own death • Presents the…
legend of Jesse James and counters it with the real story, based on family records • Provides photographic evidence, a journal of Jesse James&’s, and historical records that prove James faked his death, verified by experts and civic authorities • Debunks the 1995 DNA test results of James&’s supposed remains The story of the notorious outlaw Jesse James&’s assassination at the hands of Robert Ford has been clouded with mystery ever since its inception. Now, James&’s great-great-grandchildren Daniel and Teresa Duke present the results of more than 20 years of exhaustive research into state and federal records, photographs, newspaper reports, diaries, and a 1995 DNA test in search of the truth behind Jesse James&’s demise. Explaining how the accepted version of the history of Jesse James is wrong, the authors confirm their family&’s oral tradition that James faked his own death in 1882 and lived out his remaining days in Texas. They methodically unravel the legend surrounding his death, with evidence vetted by qualified experts and civic authorities. They share the journal of their great-great-grandfather, kept from 1871 to 1876 and verified to be written in James&’s handwriting. They reveal forensically confirmed photographs of James before and after his supposed killing, including one of James attending his own funeral. Examining James&’s life both before and after his faked death, they provide an account of where he lived and who he associated with, including his interactions with secret societies. They compare the contradictory newspaper reports of James&’s death with accounts by his family and associates, which support that the man buried as James was actually his cousin, and reveal how James tricked authorities into believing he had been killed. Further supporting their claim, the authors debunk the DNA test results of the exhumation of James&’s body in 1995. The Dukes detail the ways in which the test was fraudulent, an assertion supported by the deputy counselor for Clay County at the time of the testing. Backed by a wealth of evidence, the descendants of Jesse James conclusively prove what really happened to America&’s Robin Hood.Cult of Glory: The Bold and Brutal History of the Texas Rangers
By Doug J. Swanson. 2020
A twenty-first century reckoning with the legendary Texas Rangers that does justice to their heroic moments while also documenting atrocities,…
brutality, oppression, and corruptionThe Texas Rangers came to life in 1823, when Texas was still part of Mexico. Nearly 200 years later, the Rangers are still going--one of the most famous of all law enforcement agencies. In Cult of Glory, Doug J. Swanson has written a sweeping account of the Rangers that chronicles their epic, daring escapades while showing how the white and propertied power structures of Texas used them as enforcers, protectors and officially sanctioned killers.Cult of Glory begins with the Rangers' emergence as conquerors of the wild and violent Texas frontier. They fought the fierce Comanches, chased outlaws, and served in the U.S. Army during the Mexican War. As Texas developed, the Rangers were called upon to catch rustlers, tame oil boomtowns, and patrol the perilous Texas-Mexico border. In the 1930s they began their transformation into a professionally trained police force. Countless movies, television shows, and pulp novels have celebrated the Rangers as Wild West supermen. In many cases, they deserve their plaudits. But often the truth has been obliterated. Swanson demonstrates how the Rangers and their supporters have operated a propaganda machine that turned agency disasters and misdeeds into fables of triumph, transformed murderous rampages--including the killing of scores of Mexican civilians--into valorous feats, and elevated scoundrels to sainthood. Cult of Glory sets the record straight.Beginning with the Texas Indian wars, Cult of Glory embraces the great, majestic arc of Lone Star history. It tells of border battles, range disputes, gunslingers, massacres, slavery, political intrigue, race riots, labor strife, and the dangerous lure of celebrity. And it reveals how legends of the American West--the real and the false--are truly made.No Dudes, Few Women: Life with a Navaho Range Rider
By Elizabeth Lester Ward. 2020
The story of a woman’s life lived among her Navajo neighbors— a life lived with sparkling humor, and a sympathetic…
understanding of the natives, set against 25,000 square miles of cold, heat, wind, dust and loneliness. The author’s husband was a range-rider on the Navaho reservation during the stock reduction program of the Indian Bureau.Notes on Hopi Economic Life: Yale University Publications In Anthropology, No. 15 (Yale University Publications In Anthropology #No. 15)
By Ernest Beaglehole, Pearl Beaglehole. 1978
This source is a general study of Hopi economic life based on the study of two Second Mesa villages —…
Mishongnovi and Shipaulovi. The field work was done by the author in the summers of 1932 and 1934. In addition to the detailed data on various aspects of the Hopi economy (e. g., food gathering, agriculture, etc.), there is a great deal of other information to be found here relevant to household organization, kin and clan, property, foods and food preparation, crafts, house building, labor organization, and the distribution of wealth through ceremony and exchange.Myths and Tales of the White Mountain Apaches
By Pliny Earle Goddard. 2020
These myths and tales are the free translations of texts recorded in the dialect of the White Mountain Apache. The…
texts themselves with word for word translations follow as Part IV of the volume. They were recorded, with one exception, during the winter of 1910 as a part of the studies made in the Southwest under the yearly grant of Mr. Archer M. Huntington. The creation myth, secured from Noze, differs in important incidents from the versions given above from the San Carlos as well as from versions secured from other White Mountain Apache. It should not be assumed that these differences are tribal, it is more probable that they are individual, since forms from the San Carlos and Navajo are closely similar to each other. The greater number of the remaining narratives were secured from the father of Frank Crockett, the interpreter employed. Several of these are ceremonial and religious in their character and probably would not have been given except for the son’s influence. Two of these were later secured from San Carlos informants in more extended form but highly corroborative in their general agreement. The main purpose in recording these narratives was to secure sufficient and varied connected texts in the dialect of the White Mountain Apache. As a collection of mythology and folklore it is probably far from complete. It is assumed, however, to be fairly representative. Pliny Earle Goddard. January, 1919.Not So Wild, The Old West: A Collection of Facts, Fables and Fun
By Clara Toombs Harvey. 2020
These are stories of early days in and around Union County, New Mexico. The biographies and thumbnail sketches of many…
of our pioneers who were builders of this part of the Old West, were preserved in scrapbooks, old letters, interviews and my own recollections.Iron Face: The Adventures of Jack Frazer Frontier Warrior, Scout and Hunter
By Joseph Jack Frazer, Henry Hastings Sibley. 2020
Written in the 1850’s by Henry Hastings Sibley, recorded first hand from Iron Face, a half-breed Sioux warrior and scout.…
Frazer, also was a half-breed born and raised in a Sioux village. Includes information on the Black Hawk War and the Minnesota Massacre. Vestal says, “We are lucky, I think, to have this story in any form. Its chief service is a tool to help us understand a kind of life now gone forever.” Stanley Vestal states that this volume presents a close-up picture of the Indians. Jack Frazer was a half-breed whose Sioux name was Iron Face. “There is no lace or perfume in theis book, no gilding of the aboriginal lily . . .”With Introduction And Notes By Theodore C. Blegen And Sara A. Davidson.John Ledyard’s Journal of Captain Cook’s Last Voyage
By John Ledyard, Helen M. Gilkey, Robert M. Storm. 2020
To the Pacific Ocean, and in Quest of a North-West Passage, Between Asia and America; Performed in the Years 1776,…
1777, 1778, and 1779Captain John Cook’s last voyage, his third to the Pacific Northwest, was a remarkable one, for his crew included several literate men, scientists, scholars, and specialists. Anticipating a rush into print after the voyage, the British Admiralty ordered all logbooks, journals, diaries, and notes of the crew members confiscated when the fleet returned to England. It has thus been presumed that John Ledyard, the young Yankee sailor, compiled this Journal from memory or from notes which he secretly retained. Aside from its value as an independent account of the Cook voyage, it was the first writing on the Pacific Northwest to be widely distributed in America.Free Grass to Fences: The Montana Cattle Range Story
By Robert Henry Fletcher. 2020
The full story of the Montana cattle industry, from the earliest days of the fur traders down to the latest…
Miles City Roundup, written by a man who knows the northwestern range land and its history without a map.One of the essential works on Montana Range Books by one whose family and personal work was intimately involved with the association. Robert Athearn notes it is a fine book dealing with the entire history of the West from the fur trade to the great ranches after 1885. He further observes that though it shows a conservative complaint against the New Deal and having to deal with Federal and State Bureaucrats, he nevertheless shows that the rancher on his own has genuine environmental concerns that do not coincide with mining and allied interests. The author also was famous for the song: “Don’t Fence Me In” sung by Bing Crosby.The S.S. Officer's Armchair: Uncovering the Hidden Life of a Nazi
By Daniel Lee. 2020
Based on documents discovered concealed within a simple chair for seventy years, this gripping investigation into the life of a…
single S.S. officer during World War Two encapsulates the tragic experience of a generation of EuropeansOne night at a dinner party in Florence, historian Daniel Lee was told about a remarkable discovery. An upholsterer in Amsterdam had found a bundle of swastika-covered documents inside the cushion of an armchair he was repairing. They belonged to Dr. Robert Griesinger, a lawyer from Stuttgart, who joined the S.S. and worked at the Reich's Ministry of Economics and Labor in Nazi-occupied Prague during the war. An expert in the history of the Holocaust, Lee was fascinated to know more about this man--and how his most precious documents ended up hidden inside a chair, hundreds of miles from Prague and Stuttgart.In The S.S. Officer's Armchair, Lee weaves detection with biography to tell an astonishing narrative of ambition and intimacy in the Third Reich. He uncovers Griesinger's American back-story--his father was born in New Orleans and the family had ties to the plantations and music halls of nineteenth century Louisiana. As Lee follows the footsteps of a rank and file Nazi official seventy years later, and chronicles what became of him and his family at the war's end, Griesinger's role in Nazi crimes comes into focus. When Lee stumbles on an unforeseen connection between Griesinger and the murder of his own relatives in the Holocaust, he must grapple with potent questions about blame, manipulation, and responsibility.The S.S. Officer's Armchair is an enthralling detective story and a reconsideration of daily life in the Third Reich. It provides a window into the lives of Hitler's millions of nameless followers and into the mechanisms through which ordinary people enacted history's most extraordinary atrocity.The Outlaw of Navaho Mountain
By Albert R. Lyman. 2020
Tells the story of Paiute Indian Sowagerie (Posey) from birth to death. Based on historic people and events in San…
Juan County, Utah, abt. 1860 - 1923. Novel focuses primarily on Sowagerie's earlier life and upbringing around Bluff and concludes with the "Posey War" near Blanding.Additional significant characters include Poke, Toorah, Big-Mouth Mike, Pahneab, and other Paiute Indians and the Navajo Indians Tsabekiss and Bitseel.