COP is the true story of Bill Sharp's service in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police from 1968 to 2011. For over forty-three years he served in British Columbia where he upheld the law in Trail, Burnaby, Castlegar, Surrey, North Vancouver, Coquitlam and Langley. These are his stories of basic training, followed by first-hand accounts of violence, tragedy and interesting events — experiences recounted with honesty and humour. It is a lucid, credible and articulate memoir of the author's career as a front-line policeman in the RCMP. - Renée Layberry, Editor
Bill Bellamy was a young officer in the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars from 1943 to 1955. He served in 7th Armoured Division in the North West Europe campaign, landing in Normandy on D+3, fought throughout the Battle for Normandy and into the Low Countries as a troop leader in Cromwell tanks, and was latterly a member of the initial occupying force in Berlin in May 1945. Against the rules, Bill kept diaries and notes of his experiences. His account is fresh and open, and his descriptions of battle are vivid. He witnessed many of his contemporaries killed in action, and this life-altering experience clearly informs his narrative. The accounts of tank fighting in the leafy Normandy bocage in the height of summer, or in the iron hard fields of Holland in winter, are graphic and compelling.
This highly readable illustrated biography on the Percy Tenantry Volunteers has been written with exclusive access to the current Duke of Northumberland's treasure trove of archive records. This book is for anyone interested in military history, especially Revolutionary and the Napoleonic war period, and for those looking at the local history of Northumberland, and especially Alnwick Castle. The history of Britain's conflict with France between 1793 and 1815 is well documented. Nevertheless, one aspect that has scant coverage, is that of the role of Volunteers. In 1798, afraid of impending invasion by France's all-conquering armies the British desperately needed to defend their shores. To The Call of Bugles reveals, for the first time, how among those who stood forward in Home Guard style military bodies, there was no finer example than that of the valiant Percy Tenantry Volunteers, created by the 2nd Duke of Northumberland, General Hugh Percy. This amateur body of men, 1,500 strong, consisting of cavalry, artillery and riflemen, was put together, trained, armed, dressed and operated by General Hugh Percy. This book provides stories from the original volunteers, an in-depth understanding of how such a corps was organised and reveals how they were fashioned into an elite and innovative fighting force.
Two brothers create constant problems for the main characters. An incident of racism and finding evidence of drug dealers present problems that are revealed to the town as Patrick, his brother Bobby, and Darius, the only African American boy in town unveil their discoveries. The boys and girls, along with their teacher’s guidance, improve the quality of life in their hometown of Marion. Tenets of life are subtly made known to the reader as the many characters share camping, hunting, scouting, and trapping adventures while probing the wonders of nature. Campfire and historical stories offer enhancements to the basic content. Schoolwork, girlfriends, and pets are included in the activities as they combine efforts to enrich the environment. The boys become town heroes.
During WWII and throughout history, military units have needed to disguise their discussions about military assets. They developed a coded language designed to confuse the enemy if overheard or referenced on a map or other document. This book contains all the CODE NAMES and their respective UNIT DESIGNATIONS for the First U.S. Army for 1944. For history buffs and WWII enthusiasts a lot of material from this era uses coded messages without clues as to what or who they are referencing. In this book are the CODE NAMES for SHAEF, General of the Army Eisenhower down through the entire organizational structure to the unit level. Dedicated to our greatest generation, those who have served honorably in the U.S. military and to the preservation of history.
So many histories of the War in the Pacific focus on the Allied experience. This title reverses this trend by examining the year of Japanese victory, when the might Japanese naval and ground forces swept all before them both throughout the Pacific and on mainland Asia. The German offensives which crushed Poland in 1939 and swallowed most of Western Europe in less than two months in 1940 have been well documented and heavily studied, however, the overall picture of the remarkable Japanese offensive land campaign in 1941–42 has received less attention. In this fascinating book, Bill Yenne documents the years when the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) was conducting its equally unstoppable ground campaign in the Far East, and unlike other books on this subject, he studies the campaign from the Japanese point of view. He reveals how the IJA were able to conquer huge swathes of Southeast Asia in a little over eight weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Using first-hand accounts from Japanese sources, Yenne reveals the tactics and mindset of the IJA during their offensive, detailing the capturing of Manila, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Burma, and the Dutch East Indies. Exploring the infrastructure and technical challenges of waging war across such a huge area, Yenne delves into the hardships that faced individual Japanese soldiers in theatre and explains how the Japanese were able to remain undefeated and establish the aura of invincibility that marked their campaign between 1941–42.
A companion volume to the Emmy Award–winning PBS® series—interviews with “an essential voice in our national conversation” (Brian Williams, MSNBC anchor). This “provocative” and “absorbing” (Star Tribune) companion book to Bill Moyer’s acclaimed PBS series invites readers into conversations with some of the most captivating voices on the scene today, in what Kirkus Reviews calls “a glittering array of discussions.” From Jon Stewart on politics and media to Michael Pollan on food, The Wire creator David Simon on the mean streets of our cities, James Cone and Shelby Steele on race in the age of Obama, Robert Bly and Nikki Giovanni on the power of poetry, Barbara Ehrenreich on the hard times of working Americans, and Karen Armstrong on faith and compassion, Moyer’s own intelligence and insight match that of his guests and their discussions animate many of the most salient issues of our time. With extensive commentary from Moyers, marked by his customary “respect, intelligence, curiosity, humor, and graciousness,” here are the debates; cultural currents; and, above all, lively minds that shape the conversation of democracy (Booklist). “In an era of much instant and ephemeral talk, it is a pleasurable thing to hold this ‘book of ideas.’” —Publishers Weekly “[Moyers] has always been about something beyond the moment. Or put another way, while everyone else in the media has been exploring topography, Moyers has been exploring geology.” —Los Angeles Times
A remarkable World War II survival story and combat memoir by “an indestructible wartime tank commander” (The Telegraph). In campaign after campaign, from the defense of Calais in 1940 to the defeat of Germany in 1945, Bill Close served as a tank commander in Britain’s Royal Tank Regiment—and he survived. His tanks were hit eleven times by enemy shellfire and he bailed out. He was wounded three times. He finished the war as one of the most experienced and resourceful of British tank commanders, and in later life, he set down his wartime experiences in graphic detail. His book is not only an extraordinary memoir; it is also a compelling account of the exploits of the Royal Tank Regiment throughout the conflict. As a record of the day-to-day experience of the tank crew of seventy-five years ago—of the conditions they faced and the battles they fought—it has rarely been equaled.
For over the last sixty years, just a handful of certain elite higher up officials and scientists in our government have been harboring some very amazing secrets, deep down in the bowels of area 51. These secrets have been kept very highly classified from even all the military personnel their and all the US Presidents during this time period. Until finally the secrets have matured to a level of finely machined tools, to be turned lose on this planet, with an assortment of amazing weapons beyond today's reality. Wilds and Celia grow up almost as normal as others. Suddenly one day as they turn into young adults they find themselves very different from others. They had to learn very young and very fast to master the art of hiding who they have become. Are they thrill seekers, suicidal or just plain born on this planet as a half breed alien race? You will have to decide as the proof is in the RAGE! You could say they were planned out many years before conception, to be what they are today. Completely extraordinary, unite and superior, while being unmatched by any other in the world. Are they thrill seekers, suicidal or just plain bizarre? You will have to decide as Wilds Rage takes human life on this planet to another level. The human population of this planet is in turmoil today and we need to set it's people back on the right path. How do we do it in our lifetime? There is but one way. It's not sugar coated, it's not inhumane either, but its somewhere in-between. It's in that gray area between a rock and a hard place that most people close their mind and eyes too. Where does this book take you? It takes you to Florida, Italy, International Space Station, Russia, Phoenix Islands, Cambodia and Afghanistan. There's also a new revolutionary technical break threw in energy. Putting oil as we know it on the back burner. Even under strict military orders their missions are totally insane, but something or somebody has to do the impossible, to get this planet humanity back to normal. Its been to long and now it's way out of control. What is normal? Maybe normal is not the norm anymore! You decide as you follow a CIA's family adventures in space and around the world and back.
Like other families, letters were the fabric that held the fledgling Waldron family together during the personally trying, society changing events of World War II. Bill, the town baker, voluntarily became an infantry soldier and platoon scout in Europe and Marge, a new wife, became the town baker - the Waldron's version of Rosie the Riveter. Nothing in their lives had prepared them for these roles yet everything in their lives made them equal to the tasks at hand. Their letters to one another provide an intimate view of an American family triumphing in the face of adversity. Duty, Honor, Faith, Love and Family all play a role and readers will come to love and admire both of them. Bill's letters from the Battle of the Bulge, the Siegfreid Line and through the end of the war across Germany and into Czechoslovakia are particularly interesting. He reveals himself as a down to earth patriot who volunteered for a very dangerous job and excelled - a man with survivor's instincts who avoided illness, frostbite and wounds under extremely difficult circumstances. Historical perspective is provided by sidebars throughout the book which explain matters referred to in the letters as well as what is going on in the war and at home. The sidebars are themselves an education, made immediate and interesting by the personal experiences conveyed in the letters"--Page 4 of cover
The 49th Engineer Combat Battalion is called the "Ghost Battalion" because so little is known about this fascinating unit in WWII and its contributions to history. The 49th landed on Utah Beach on D-day, clearing beach obstacles, mines, taking and holding key points, building bridges and rescuing Airborne soldiers trapped behind enemy lines. Follow this unit through major campaigns and battles including Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge), Huertgen Forest, Cherbourg, Cologne Plain and Ruhr Pocket. This is a true historical rendering of their story taken from actual unit journals, battle casualty reports, photos and maps.
The story of Fort Clark and Brackettville began with a quiet pool of water, Las Moras Spring, named by the Spanish conquistadors for the mulberry trees lining its banks. The discovery of gold in California and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo precipitated the opening of the Lower Road from San Antonio to El Paso. To protect the spring and the travelers on the road, the U.S. government established a fort on the high ground above the spring. The town of Brackettville grew with the fort, and the area soon played host to an honor roll of American heroes. ÝÝRevealed in some 200 images, many never before published, are some of the fortís most famous alumni, including Stuart, Longstreet, Sheridan, Sherman, Bullis, Patton, and Wainwright, in addition to the little-known Medal of Honor recipients buried there. Captured here are the deeds of a legion of unsung heroes, as well as the fort and townís historic past, highlighting the Indian War era, the Seminole Scouts, and the quiet time between the World Wars. Culled from the collections of the Library of Congress, the National Archives of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, and pioneer photographer Eugene O. Goldbeck, this book is a testament to American soldiers throughout the country.
The B-52 is the longest serving and most versatile of the United States Air Force's combat aircraft. The Stratofortress entered active service in 1955 and is scheduled to continue as part of the air force's inventory through 2040. The jet-powered bomber was a mainstay of America's Cold War nuclear-deterrent strategy, providing air power that balanced the land and sea military forces. The massive plane also served as the launch platform for the experimental X-15 hypersonic rocket aircraft. Due to its versatility as an aircraft, the B-52 has seen combat service in all of America's military conflicts since it came on active duty: Vietnam, the first and second Gulf wars, and the War in Afghanistan. B-52 Stratofortress also covers every aspect of the aircraft's development, manufacture, and modification. These technical details set the stage for its military service, starting with its role as a nuclear bomber in the Cold War even though only conventional weapons have been used during its combat duty. The airplane’s service in key campaigns in Vietnam is covered, followed by the quieter years after it. The B-52 returned to prominence in the Gulf Wars and Afghanistan, taking part in massive bombing campaigns in both conflicts. Finally, the book ends with the constant upgrades that will keep the B-52 an integral part of U.S. airpower for decades to come.
General Douglas MacArthur, during the Korean War, ordered two small atomic bombs to be hidden in a small island near South Korea “just in case.” Things get out of hand. They didn’t and were never activated. Now that the war has ended, the US military is unable to find the two bombs. They are gone! Two Japanese businessmen form an alliance to eventually blackmail the USA with only the threat of detonation. One man is seeking vengeance for his parents dying in a Japanese internment camp; the other’s parents perished at Hiroshima. Rolf Reiter, who saved the day during Chameleon Bravo, is called out of retirement to find the bombs. The Russians become involved because the two evil businessmen are considering threatening Russia as well after the Americans. One businessman isn’t aware that the other is actually going to detonate one bomb in a large American city even if blackmail money is paid. He is in a hurry, and Rolf Reiter is plagued by traitors from the highest level in the American military and intelligence networks. The character and the plot twist and turn as the bombs are relocated and armed to annihilate a metropolitan destination.
I would give myself an A+" —Donald Trump, on his first 100 days in office. Americans increasingly agree on one thing: Every day that Trump stays in office, he diminishes the United States and its people. In Trump Must Go, TV and radio host Bill Press offers 100 reasons why Trump needs to be removed from office, whether by impeachment, the 25th Amendment, or the ballot box. Beginning with the man himself and moving through Trump’s executive action damage, Press covers Trump's debasement of the United States political system and degrading of the American presidency. Ranging from banning federal employees’ use of the phrase “climate change,” to putting down Haiti, El Salvador, and African nations as “shithole” countries, we have to wonder what he’ll do next. He has a bromance with Putin that enables several meetings between Trump staffers and Russian officials, and he has a wrecking crew administration: Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, and Housing Secretary Ben Carson, to name a few. Extensive “executive time” marks Trump’s calendar so he can golf, watch TV, and eat fast food. Trump has done it all...badly. But, in a political climate where the world has learned to expect the unexpected, Press offers readers a twist: one reason not to ditch Donald Trump.
In 2016, on observing the 55th anniversary of their whirlwind courtship and marriage in 1961, Bill & Elin Walker reflected on how the first half of the 1960s, impacted and molded their world view, as they became witnesses to history in the making in what turned into a long ride with the military. This book tries to capture some essence of those times through recollections, letters, and stories from 1961 through 1965.
Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody were considered heroes and the greatest plainsmen of their time. They were larger than life, legendary characters. They knew where to locate water, good grass for livestock, sheltered campsites, and game for hunting. They knew how to survive the blistering heat and terrific thunderstorms of summer and the subzero blizzards of winter. They could avoid Indians or act as trackers following the trails of Indians as well as desperados. They were expert marksmen and did not back down from a fight. They rushed in where others held back. Hickok, a frontier wagon and stagecoach driver, became a Union spy during the Civil War, furthering his reputation after the war as a frontier Army scout, gunfighter, and lawman. Cody, who claimed to ride for the Pony Express, served in the Union Army, and became legendary as an expert buffalo hunter and Army scout. Hickok and Cody were good friends and experienced a series of adventures together. Hickok traveled to Deadwood, Dakota Territory, during the 1876 Black Hills goldrush where he was assassinated by Jack McCall. Cody continued scouting for the Army and after the Battle of the Little Big Horn, won a one-on-one duel with a Cheyenne warrior, Yellow Hair. Cody went on to become one of the most well-known showmen in the world with his Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. Wild Bill Hickok and Buffalo Bill Cody: Plainsmen, the fourth book in the Legendary West series, explores the lives of these two well-known characters.
Hannibal's invasion of Italia in 218 BC was one of the boldest mountain military operations of the Second Punic War, if not the entire ancient world. A master of warfare, he remains an enigmatic figure known mainly from descriptions written by his adversaries. In this unique work of fiction, Hannibal, a Carthaginian, member of a North African banking family and the son of a famous general, is accurately depicted as a strong leader who spent his entire life fighting the Romans. His restless, investigative mind, along with a deep love and appreciation of Greek culture, was nurtured into the Carthaginian war machine by his father and brother-in-law. Hannibal was elected Commander-in-Chief of the Carthaginian Army by the troops in 221. In late spring 218, his army of 65,000 men and 37 elephants left Cartagena in Spain, subdued tribes on the fringes of the Pyrénées Mountains, crossed southern Gaul into the Rhône Basin, and marched across the Alps into Italia. The Warmaker: Hannibal's Invasion of Italia and the Aftermath provides a fictional account of the war master, and what could likely have happened, following his military success in Italia, had he decided to conquer Rome.
A revealing exploration of domestic fascism in the United States from the 1930s to the January 6th insurrection in Washington, D.C. In 1951, the Civil Rights Congress presented to the United Nations We Charge Genocide, a more than two-hundred-page petition that held the United States accountable for genocide against African Americans. This landmark text represented the dawn of Black Lives Matter and is as relevant today as it was then, as evidenced by the rise of white supremacist groups across the nation, and the January 6th Capitol riot which disclosed the specter of a fascist revival in the U.S. Tracing this specter to its roots, We Charge Genocide! provides an original interpretation of American fascism as a permanent and longstanding current in U.S. politics dating to the origins of U.S. settler-colonialism. Picking up where Angela Davis’s 1971 essay, “Political Prisoners, Prisons, and Black Liberation,” left off, We Charge Genocide! reveals how the United States legal system has contributed to the growth of fascist states and fascist movements domestically and internationally. American Studies scholar Bill V. Mullen contends that the preservation of a white supremacist world order—and the prevention of revolutionary threats to that order—structure the discourse and practice of U.S. fascism. He names this fascist modality the “counterrevolution of law” in tribute to the radicals on the American Left, such as George Jackson, Angela Davis, Herbert Marcuse, and the Black Panther Party, who perceived the American state’s destruction of revolutionary groups and ideas as a distinctive form of American fascism. Mullen argues that U.S. law, particularly U.S. “race law,” has been an enabling mechanism for modalities of fascist rule that have locked historic blocs of non-white populations into an iron cage of legal and extralegal violence. To this end We Charge Genocide! offers a legal historiography of U.S. fascism rooted in law’s capacity to legitimate and sustain racial domination. By recovering the legacy of important organizations, such as the Civil Rights Congress and Black Panther Party, which have both theorized and resisted American legal fascism, Mullen demonstrates how their work and critical theorists like Davis, Marcuse, Jackson, Walter Benjamin and Ernst Fraenkel illuminate the threat of American legal fascism to its most vulnerable racialized victims of state violence in our time, including gender and transgender violence.
Discover the secret method used to build the world... For millennia, humans have used one simple method to solve problems. Whether it's planting crops, building skyscrapers, developing photographs, or designing the first microchip, all creators follow the same steps to engineer progress. But this powerful method, the "engineering method", is an all but hidden process that few of us have heard of—let alone understand—but that influences every aspect of our lives. Bill Hammack, a Carl Sagan award-winning professor of engineering and viral "The Engineer Guy" on Youtube, has a lifelong passion for the things we make, and how we make them. Now, for the first time, he reveals the invisible method behind every invention and takes us on a whirlwind tour of how humans built the world we know today. From the grand stone arches of medieval cathedrals to the mundane modern soda can, Hammack explains the golden rule of thumb that underlies every new building technique, every technological advancement, and every creative solution that leads us one step closer to a better, more functional world. Spanning centuries and cultures, Hammack offers a fascinating perspective on how humans engineer solutions in a world full of problems. Perfect for readers of Adam Grant and Simon Winchester, The Things We Make is a captivating examination of the method that keeps pushing humanity forward, a spotlight on the achievements of the past, and a celebration of the potential of our future that will change the way we see the world around us.
**2022 Will Rogers Medallion Award Silver Winner for Western Biographies and Memoirs** Two Native American leaders who left a lasting legacy, Geronimo and Sitting Bull. Most Americans and many people worldwide have heard these two famous names. Today, however, the general public knows little about the lives of these great leaders. During the second half of the nineteenth century when they opposed white intrusion and expansion into their territories, just the mention of their names could spark fear or anger. After they surrendered to the army and lived in captivity, they evoked curiosity and sympathy for the plight of the American Indian. Author Bill Markley offers a thoughtful and entertaining examination of these legendary lives in this new joint biography of these two great leaders. .
Critical acclaim for The Last Comanche Chief "Truly distinguished. Neeley re-creates the character and achievements of this most significant of all Comanche leaders." -- Robert M. Utley author of The Lance and the Shield: The Life and Times of Sitting Bull "A vivid, eyewitness account of life for settlers and Native Americans in those violent and difficult times." -- Christian Science Monitor "The special merits of Neeley's work include its reliance on primary sources and illuminating descriptions of interactions among Southern Plains people, Native and white." -- Library Journal "He has given us a fuller and clearer portrait of this extraordinary Lord of the South Plains than we've ever had before." -- The Dallas Morning News
In 1920 Bill Disbrow had his first airplane ride with his dad in a Jenny WWI trainer when he was five. This ignited his desire to be an Army Air Corps pilot. He finally applied in 1935 but failed his physical due to high blood pressure from excitement. He tried three more times. After Pearl Harbor, he was turned down because he was married, but the marriage ban was lifted and he was in and getting shot at. He always thought he could fly and sailed through Cadets in 1943, the oldest Cadet at 28. He was finally a pilot! He expected to go to P-38 fighter school but wound up as a B-24 co-pilot. His pilot and Bill flew their B-24 from Hamilton Field to Italy. Bill flew 50 missions for the 15th Air force, 455th Bomb Group, 741st Squadron. 25 of those mission he was first pilot in the B-24, Organized Confusion. He survived 7 missions to the Ploesti oil fields, the graveyard of the 15th Air Force. He returned to the U.S. in 1944 with the DFC and the Air Medal with 3 OLCs, where he attended Officers Armament School and graduated at the top of his class. He was later assigned to Colorado Springs where, as a recruiting officer, he flew anything they would let him. Bill In 1948, he was sent to Japan as an I & E officer and later Chief of Flight Test FEMCOM. Later he took an old C-47 to Korea, ferrying supplies to the troops and became stationed there in charge of field maintenance at Pusan. On his return to the states, Bill became the CO of the Air Force recruiting in Los Angeles where he built the Disbrow Special sportcar. Later he brought the car to Tyndal AFB in Florida and raced against General LeMay and others. There he flew F-86s and F-102s. He was sent back to Japan in charge of a fighter squadron and finally sent home to Travis AFB where he retired with 21 years of active duty. On retiring he would become an investigator, a high school teacher, a aircraft owner, a civilian flight instructor a resort owner, a house builder, a world-class snow skier in his age group, and an excellent ballroom dancer. He would sire four beautiful daughters by his wife Fay of 27 years; have 10 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren and still counting. through all the anxiety and adversities he had to contend with. He thanks his Lord Jesus Christ for making this all possible.
The computer says the USSR will attack the USA. The computer lies. On Sunday, the 6th of June, a red alert will be sounded. There will be no war. Only a victory. And, unless the November Man can change history, it will belong to the enemy. An undercover mission is blown. The corpses of three U.S. secret agents lie unclaimed in Europe. Baffled and angry, unable to trust its own people or its own computer, American Intelligence must go outside the system. Enter the November Man. Devereaux, ex-CIA, a maverick and enforcer, is lured back into the fray. Now the war games begin. Now the skill, nerve and icy passion of one man must help avert a firestorm.
From renowned journalist Bill Zehme, author of the New York Times bestselling The Way You Wear Your Hat: Frank Sinatra and the Lost Art of Livin', comes the first full-fledged biography and the only complete story of the late comic genius Andy Kaufman. Based on six years of research, Andy's own unpublished, never-before-seen writings, and hundreds of interviews with family members, friends, and key players in Andy's endless charades, many of whom have become icons in their own right, Lost in the Funhouse takes us through the maze of Kaufman's mind and lets us sit deep behind his mad, dazzling blue eyes to see, firsthand, the fanciful landscape that was his life. Controversial, chaotic, splendidly surreal, and tragically brief--what a life it was. Andy Kaufman was often a mystery even to his closest friends. Remote, aloof, impossible to know, his internal world was a kaleidoscope of characters fighting for time on the outside. He was as much Andy Kaufman as he was Foreign Man (dank you veddy much), who became the lovably bashful Latka on the hit TV series Taxi. He was as much Elvis Presley as he was the repugnant Tony Clifton, a lounge singer from Vegas who hated any audience that came to see him and who seemed to hate Andy Kaufman even more. He was a contradiction, a paradox on every level, an artist in every sense of the word. During the comic boom of the seventies, when the world had begun to discover the prodigious talents of Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, John Belushi, Bill Murray, and so many others, Andy was simply doing what he had always done in his boyhood reveries. On the debut of Saturday Night Live, he stood nervously next to a phonograph that scratchily played the theme from Mighty Mouse. He fussed and fidgeted, waiting for his moment. When it came, he raised his hand and moved his mouth to the words "Here I come to save the day!" In that beautiful deliverance of pantomime before the millions of people for whom he had always dreamed about performing, Andy triumphed. He changed the face of comedy forever by lurching across boundaries that no one knew existed. He was the boy who made life his playground and never stopped playing, even when the games proved too dangerous for others. And in the end he would play alone, just as he had when it was all only beginning. In Lost in the Funhouse, Bill Zehme sorts through a life of disinformation put forth by a master of deception to uncover the motivation behind the manipulation. Magically entertaining, it is a singular biography matched only by its singular subject.
President Bill Clinton’s My Life is the strikingly candid portrait of a global leader who decided early in life to devote his intellectual and political gifts, and his extraordinary capacity for hard work, to serving the public. It shows us the progress of a remarkable American, who, through his own enormous energies and efforts, made the unlikely journey from Hope, Arkansas, to the White House—a journey fueled by an impassioned interest in the political process which manifested itself at every stage of his life: in college, working as an intern for Senator William Fulbright; at Oxford, becoming part of the Vietnam War protest movement; at Yale Law School, campaigning on the grassroots level for Democratic candidates; back in Arkansas, running for Congress, attorney general, and governor. We see his career shaped by his resolute determination to improve the life of his fellow citizens, an unfaltering commitment to civil rights, and an exceptional understanding of the practicalities of political life. We come to understand the emotional pressures of his youth—born after his father’s death; caught in the dysfunctional relationship between his feisty, nurturing mother and his abusive stepfather, whom he never ceased to love and whose name he took; drawn to the brilliant, compelling Hillary Rodham, whom he was determined to marry; passionately devoted, from her infancy, to their daughter, Chelsea, and to the entire experience of fatherhood; slowly and painfully beginning to comprehend how his early denial of pain led him at times into damaging patterns of behavior. President Clinton’s book is also the fullest, most concretely detailed, most nuanced account of a presidency ever written—encompassing not only the high points and crises but the way the presidency actually works: the day-to-day bombardment of problems, personalities, conflicts, setbacks, achievements. It is a testament to the positive impact on America and on the world of his work and his ideals. It is the gripping account of a president under concerted and unrelenting assault orchestrated by his enemies on the Far Right, and how he survived and prevailed. It is a treasury of moments caught alive, among them: • The ten-year-old boy watching the national political conventions on his family’s new (and first) television set. • The young candidate looking for votes in the Arkansas hills and the local seer who tells him, “Anybody who would campaign at a beer joint in Joiner at midnight on Saturday night deserves to carry one box. . . . You’ll win here. But it’ll be the only damn place you win in this county.” (He was right on both counts.) • The roller-coaster ride of the 1992 campaign. • The extraordinarily frank exchanges with Newt Gingrich and Bob Dole. • The delicate manipulation needed to convince Rabin and Arafat to shake hands for the camera while keeping Arafat from kissing Rabin. • The cost, both public and private, of the scandal that threatened the presidency. Here is the life of a great national and international figure, revealed with all his talents and contradictions, told openly, directly, in his own completely recognizable voice. A unique book by a unique American.
Bill Schneider, former CNN senior political analyst, takes us inside the voting booth in “a detailed examination of recent presidential elections studded with sharp observations…A good choice for political junkies” (Kirkus Reviews). In the 1960s, a rift developed between the Old America and the New America that resulted in a populist backlash that ultimately elected Donald Trump in 2016. Bill Schneider describes today’s American populism in Standoff as one that is economically progressive and culturally conservative. Liberals are attacked as cultural elitists (“limousine liberals”), and conservatives as economic elitists (“country club conservatives”). Trump, says Schneider, is the complete populist package. He embraces social populism (anti-immigrant), economic populism (anti-free trade), and isolationism (“America First”). Standoff examines a number of hard-fought elections to show us how we got to Trump. He asserts the power of public opinion. He points to the public that draws the line on abortion and affirmative action. He shows why an intense minority cancels a majority on gun control, immigration, small government, and international interests. Standoff tells us why fifty years of presidential contests have often been confounding. It takes us inside to watch how and why Americans pull the lever, how they choose their issues, and select their leaders. It is usually values that trump economics. Required reading for an understanding of the 2016 election and the political future, Schneider’s “fast-paced” (Publishers Weekly) Standoff shows how Americans vote and why their votes sometimes seem to make no practical sense.
Civilians play crucial roles in building empires. Constructing Empire shows how Japanese urban planners, architects, and other civilians contributed – often enthusiastically – to constructing a modern colonial enclave in northeast China, their visions shifting over time. Japanese imperialism in Manchuria before 1932 developed in a manner similar to that of other imperialists elsewhere in China, but the Japanese thereafter sought to surpass their rivals by transforming the city of Changchun into a grand capital for the puppet state of Manchukuo, putting it on the cutting edge of Japanese propaganda. Providing a thematic assessment of the evolving nature of planning, architecture, economy, and society in Changchun, Bill Sewell examines the key organizations involved in developing Japan’s empire there as part of larger efforts to assert its place in the world order. This engaging book sheds light on evolving attitudes toward empire and perceptions of national identity among Japanese in Manchuria in the first half of the twentieth century.
In his first memoir, beloved comedian and national treasure Bill Bailey shares stories of his life - and the animals he's met along the way. Bill Bailey has always had dogs, including a Patterdale terrier called Rocky who would travel with him in the van to his first shows and occasionally join him on stage. Fast forward a few decades and Bill has shared his home with a variety of birds, dogs, frogs, chameleons and an armadillo called Tommy. 'We even had a giant chicken, a huge Malay cockerel called Kid Creole. After a few stand-offs he took against me. He had to go in the end, I was being stalked in my own back garden.' That chicken apart, animals have always been at the heart of an extraordinary life as one of the nation's favourite comedians, actors, musicians and (thanks to Strictly) dancers: from terriers to the orangutans of Sumatra and the parrots that share his breakfast every morning in west London. Full of the leftfield humour, wit and wisdom that has made Bill Bailey such a beloved performer around the world, My Animals and Other Animals is the story of Bill's life; but more than that, it's the story of how all of our lives are enriched by the animals who accompany us on that journey.
This in-depth history of our nation’s 46 presidents is now fully revised and updated to include Donald Trump’s eventful term in office, Joe Biden’s path to the presidency, and the election of Kamala Harris, the nation’s first female, black vice president. The Presidents Fact Book is the complete compendium of all things presidential and a sweeping survey of American history through the biography of every president from George Washington to Joe Biden. Organized chronologically by president, each entry covers the major accomplishments and events of the presidential term; cabinet members, election results, groundbreaking legislation, and Supreme Court appointments; personality and personal habits including hobbies, odd behaviors, and outlandish penchants; a behind the scenes look at the wives, families, friends, and foes; and much more. Major moments from administrations – from the Bill of Rights and the Emancipation proclamation to the Civil Rights Era and the coronavirus pandemic – provide a glimpse into the crucial moments of America's storied past. Perfect for students, history buffs, and political junkies, The Presidents Fact Book is at once an expansive collage of the American presidency and a comprehensive view of American history.
On Call 24/7 chronicles the life experiences and lessons learned that have molded the outstanding career of Bill Lyght as a Black army lieutenant colonel and as a Black police executive. He tells the story of his grandparents and parents and the impressions that they made on him that hard work and education propel one's career. It is a narrative of his vast experiences while serving in the military as a commissioned officer for twenty years and as a police executive for almost twenty years. Bil
The Sun Never Sets tells the extraordinary story of L.W. "Bill" Lane, Jr., longtime publisher of Sunset magazine, pioneering environmentalist, and U.S. ambassador. Written with Stanford historian Bertrand Patenaude, this fascinating memoir traces Sunset's profound impact on a new generation of Americans seeking opportunity and adventure in the great American West. Bill Lane was a Californian whose life spanned a vital period of the state's emergence as the embodiment (or symbol) of the country's aspirations. His recollections offer readers a rich slice of the history of California and the West in the 20th century. Recounting his boyhood move from Iowa to California after his father purchased Sunset magazine in 1928, and his subsequent rise through the ranks of Sunset, Bill Lane's memoir evokes the American West that his magazine helped to shape. It illuminates the sources of Sunset's canny appeal and its manifold influence in the four major editorial fields it covered—travel, home, gardening, and cooking—while taking readers behind the scenes of American magazine publishing in the 20th century. The Sun Never Sets also reveals the evolution of Bill Lane's views and roles as an influential environmentalist and conservationist with strong connections to the national and California state parks, and it recounts his two stints as U.S. ambassador: in Japan in the 1970s, and in Australia in the 1980s. This memoir will especially appeal to readers interested in the history of the American West, environmental conservation and preservation, and publishing.
Armed with Bill Schul’s guidance, even the shyest person can become a powerful and effective leader. Learn goal-setting methods, keys for maximizing group participation, and the do's and don’ts of leadership. This how-to also covers the best ways to establish your group’s atmosphere and tips for holding productive meetings. Whether you’re in a leadership role now or expect to attain one, this straightforward text will help you achieve your ambitions. Plus, the information is equally valid for social, civic, government and business organizations.
Richardson never pulls his punches in these vivid descriptions." --Publishers Weekly Caught in the Chinese counterattack at Unsan-one of the deadliest American battles of the Cold War Era-Colonel Bill Richardson led an Alamo like defense of the few survivors before being taken prisoner. The North Koreans marched them through sub-zero weather without food, shelter, or medical attention to the area known as Death Valley. Enduring torture designed to break the mind and body, Richardson remained strong enough to lead his fellow prisoners in resistance, sabotage, and new plans for escape. Valleys of Death is a stirring story of survival and determination, an intimate look at the soldiers who fought America's first battle of the cold war in the unvarnished words of one of their own.
Facing the Nazi Past reflects on the most important developments and debates affecting the way united Germany remembers its past today. This timely account is set to provoke fresh discussion of this dramatic historical period."--Jacket
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