Written from a strikingly fresh perspective, this new account of the Boston Tea Party and the origins of the American Revolution shows how a lethal blend of politics, personalities, and economics led to a war that few people welcomed but nobody could prevent. In this powerful but fair-minded narrative, British author Nick Bunker tells the story of the last three years of mutual embitterment that preceded the outbreak of America’s war for independence in 1775. It was a tragedy of errors, in which both sides shared responsibility for a conflict that cost the lives of at least twenty thousand Britons and a still larger number of Americans. The British and the colonists failed to see how swiftly they were drifting toward violence until the process had gone beyond the point of no return. At the heart of the book lies the Boston Tea Party, an event that arose from fundamental flaws in the way the British managed their affairs. By the early 1770s, Great Britain had become a nation addicted to financial speculation, led by a political elite beset by internal rivalry and increasingly baffled by a changing world. When the East India Company came close to collapse, it patched together a rescue plan whose disastrous side effect was the destruction of the tea. With lawyers in London calling the Tea Party treason, and with hawks in Parliament crying out for revenge, the British opted for punitive reprisals without foreseeing the resistance they would arouse. For their part, Americans underestimated Britain’s determination not to give way. By the late summer of 1774, when the rebels in New England began to arm themselves, the descent into war had become irreversible. Drawing on careful study of primary sources from Britain and the United States, An Empire on the Edge sheds new light on the Tea Party’s origins and on the roles of such familiar characters as Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and Thomas Hutchinson. The book shows how the king’s chief minister, Lord North, found himself driven down the road to bloodshed. At his side was Lord Dartmouth, the colonial secretary, an evangelical Christian renowned for his benevolence. In a story filled with painful ironies, perhaps the saddest was this: that Dartmouth, a man who loved peace, had to write the dispatch that sent the British army out to fight.
“LOTS OF CHARACTERS GET COMPARED TO MY OWN JACK REACHER, BUT PETRIE'S PETER ASH IS THE REAL DEAL.”—Lee Child *An Entertainment Weekly Must List Pick In the new novel featuring war veteran Peter Ash, “an action hero of the likes of Jack Reacher or Jason Bourne” (Lincoln Journal-Star), Ash has a woman’s life in his hands—and her mystery is stranger than he could ever imagine. War veteran Peter Ash sought peace and quiet among the towering redwoods of northern California, but the trip isn’t quite the balm he’d hoped for. The dense forest and close fog cause his claustrophobia to buzz and spark, and then he stumbles upon a grizzly, long thought to have vanished from this part of the country. In a fight of man against bear, Peter doesn’t favor his odds, so he makes a strategic retreat up a nearby sapling. There, he finds something strange: a climbing rope, affixed to a distant branch above. It leads to another, and another, up through the giant tree canopy, and ending at a hanging platform. On the platform is a woman on the run. From below them come the sounds of men and gunshots. Just days ago, investigative journalist June Cassidy escaped a kidnapping by the men who are still on her trail. She suspects they’re after something belonging to her mother, a prominent software designer who recently died in an accident. June needs time to figure out what’s going on, and help from someone with Peter’s particular set of skills. Only one step ahead of their pursuers, Peter and June must race to unravel this peculiar mystery. What they find leads them to an eccentric recluse, a shadowy pseudo-military organization, and an extraordinary tool that may change the modern world forever.
Ten years ago, retired astronaut Jim Mayfield closed himself up inside Bear Creek Inn, and he hasn’t been seen since. Just when the small town of Bear Creek had almost forgotten about their reclusive and mysterious resident, a man from out-of-town flies in on a private jet to meet with the astronaut. The visit prompts the good people of the small town to begin asking questions. Who is Jim Mayfield? Why did he lock himself away? And who is the stranger that visited him? While the small town asks these questions, the most puzzling thing of all occurs when Bear Creek Inn takes in two guests for the first time in ten years.
Rank and file soldiers were not ‘the scum of the earth’ but included a cross section of working-class men, who retained their former civilian culture. While they often exhibited pride in regiment and nation, soldiers could also demonstrate a growing class consciousness and support for political radicalism. The book will challenge assumptions that the British army was politically neutral, if privately conservative, by uncovering a rich vein of liberal and radical political thinking among some soldiers, officers and political commentators. This ranges from the Whig ‘militia’ tradition, through radical theories on tactics and army reform, to attempted ultra-radical subversion amongst troops, and the involvement of soldiers in riots and risings. Case studies are given of individual 'military radicals', soldiers or ex-soldiers who were reforming and later socialist activists. Popular anti-French feeling of the Napoleonic Wars is examined, alongside examples of rank and file bravery which fostered widespread loyalty and patriotism. This contributed to soldiers being used successfully in strike breaking, and deployed against rioters or Chartist revolts. By the late Victorian period, popular imperialism was an important part of working-class support for Conservatism. The book explores what impact this had on rank and file soldiers, whilst outlining minority support for socialism.
Secrets, Lies, Privilege, and Power. An in-depth look at the hidden force and the inner workings of secret societies! Claims and counter-claims. Accusations and allegations. NSA spying and suppressed evidence. Cover-ups and threats. Documented connections and intrigue. Suggestions of a New World Order. Are we to believe the coincidences are mere chance? Might the paranoid be on to something? Who really holds the levers of power? History admonishes us to be vigilant of hidden plots and nefarious agendas of governments and the powerful. Exposing their deep reach into the operations of today's world, Secret Societies: The Complete Guide to Histories, Rites, and Rituals is packed with details on nearly 200 organizations, their histories, founding members, backgrounds, and suspected conspiracies. It uncovers and probes the hidden agendas of these secret cabals. Along the way, it debunks myths and presents the evidence on an invisible world of influence. Powerful cliques, their plots, and their chilling affects are examined, including ... the Illuminati the Freemasons the Bilderberg Group MKUltra Skull and Bones Ordo Templi Orientis FEMA Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn the Knights Templar Ku Klux Klan La Cosa Nostra Rosicrucian Order Crotona Fellowship Council on Foreign Relations Montauk Project World Bankers the Secret Government extraterrestrial invaders and many, many more. With more than 140 photos and other graphics, Secret Societies is richly illustrated, and its helpful bibliography and extensive index add to its usefulness. For skeptics and theorists alike, this thoroughly researched reference overflows with fascinating information to make readers think about—and possibly reconsider—the state of the nation and the world!
A guide to the hidden mysteries and secrets of the world from an established author and expert on conspiracies, the unexplained, and the paranormal! History is written by the winners—and the powerful—but how much of it is fiction? And who is really in control today? From the dawn of civilization to the 21st century, from ancient aliens to the New World Order, Secret History: Conspiracies from Ancient Aliens to the New World Order examines, explores, and uncovers the hidden, overlooked, and buried history of civilization. The book moves from biblical, Egyptian, Mayan, Greek, and early mysteries of antiquity to the clandestine doings of the Nazis and the Masons and assassination plots of the more recent past to the surveillance, monitoring, mind-control, and secret schemes of today. Researcher Nick Redfern investigates the stories, mythologies, lore behind incredible events and clandestine groups of yesterday and today. More than 60 entries dig deep into the manipulation of events by influential groups, including ... Historical riddles—revealing, alien visitations, space gods, human–alien crossbreeding, and more. Government cover ups—exposing, mind control, murders, scientists' research, secret agents' agendas, and more. Powerful groups and intended consequences—illuminating, 9-11, new world order, bird-flu, chemtrails, and more. Tracing the chilling and lasting effects of conspiracies, cabals, and plots, Secret History: Conspiracies from Ancient Aliens to the New World Order exposes their deep reach in shaping today's world! Truly an eye-opening read!
On a Sunday afternoon in the spring of 1969, thousands of people defied Auckland city bylaws and came to party in Albert Park. A rock band played on the rotunda. Some people held hands, some danced alone, some sat under trees with guitars, flutes and bongos and made music of their own. They wore kaftans, ponchos and leather-fringed jerkins, floppy hats, headbands, beads and flowers. Poetry and political diatribes were delivered from a podium, improvised from an upturned tea chest. There were bikies, balloons, bubbles, sack races and a lolly scramble, lots of dogs and a pet possum. Someone brought a canoe and paddled it around the fountain, until it capsized. As the afternoon wore on there were joss sticks, skyrockets and what some will have recognised as the musky smell of marijuana. . . —From the PrologueIn Jumping Sundays, award-winning writer and broadcaster Nick Bollinger tells the story of beards and bombs, freaks and firebrands, self-destruction and self-realisation, during a turbulent period in New Zealand's history and culture.
Modern Chess Openings is the best and most trusted tool for serious chess players on the market. First published over a half-century ago, this is a completely revised and updated edition of the book that has been the standard English language reference on chess openings. An invaluable resource for club and tournament players, it now includes information on recent matches and the most up-to-date theory on chess openings. Modern Chess Openings is ideal for intermediate players ready to elevate their game to the next level or International Grandmasters who want to stay on top of recent chess innovations.
Which 100 novels represent the finest American literature ever produced? Let this book be your guide. Ordered A-Z by author this latest title in the popular Must-Read series provides a rich resource for your reading. It features 100 titles from 19th century classics: Melville's Moby Dick and Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, to the 1920s generation: Hemingway, F Scott Fitzgerald and William Faulkner, the Beat generation (Kerouac's On the Road) to the major writers of today: Toni Morrison (Beloved) Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay), Jonathan Franzen (The Corrections), Donna Tartt (The Secret History) and Barbara Kingsolver (The Poisonwood Bible). All the major figures are covered from Fenimore Cooper to the present day, as well as lesser known and more offbeat writers that you may not yet have discoverd such as Dawn Powell, William Maxwell and Marilynne Robinson. The Read-On suggestions provide up to 500 recommendations for further titles and a long Introduction provides contextual and historical background on American fiction, providing great value and everything you need to expand your range of reading.
Starting plants from a seed grants earlier harvests, greater variety, healthier seedlings, lower costs, and the undeniable sense of satisfaction and reward. For the most complete, up-to-date information on starting plants from seed, turn to The New Seed-Starter's Handbook. Written by a gardener with 30 years of experience, this updated, easy-to-use reference explains everything you need to know to start seeds and raise healthy seedlings successfully. You'll find: - The latest research in seed starting - The best growing media - The newest gardening materials - Solutions to seed-starting problems - Source lists for seeds and hard-to-find gardening supplies The robust encyclopedia section lists more than 200 plants—including vegetables and fruits, garden flowers, wildflowers, herbs, trees, and shrubs—with details on how to start each from seed.
How often do you begin reading a book that makes you—immediately, urgently, desperately—want to read more books?” (Booklist). Nick Hornby has managed to write just such a book in this hilarious, insightful, and infectious volume. Ten Years in the Tub chronicles Hornby's journey through a decade’s worth of books, as related in his wildly popular Believer column “Stuff I’ve Been Reading.” Ten Years in the Tub is a one-way ticket into the mind of one of the most beloved contemporary writers on his favorite pastime, but it's also a meditation on what Celine Dion can teach us about ourselves, a warning about how John Updike can ruin our sex lives, and a recommendation for the way Body Shop Vanilla Shower Gel can add excitement to our days. This "decade-long addiction for many... makes standing in line at the bank a blessed interval for snorting another page.” (the New York Times Book Review)
The Unsavoury Tale of Alexander Pearce - The Convict Cannibal. Powerful and relentless, the hunger pursues you like a wild beast without respite. You can resist it for hours, even days, but it eventually overwhelms your reason with its desperate desire to be satisfied. Eat or be eaten ... that was the terrible choice facing the eight convict bolters from Macquarie Harbour, Australia's most remote and brutal penal colony. Lost and starving after a week in a wilderness no white man had ever crossed, order breaks down when one finally gives voice to their secret thoughts, 'I could eat a piece of a man.' Soon betrayal, lies and murder reign and the convicts start to fear each other more than the spears of the Aborigines. Who'll be served next? Will any of them reach the settled areas alive? Bloodlust is the story of this terrible journey as seen through the eyes of Irishman Alexander Pearce, who discovers what happens when men are pushed past their limits and what lies in the dark shadows beyond. Nick Bleszynski, author of the bestselling Shoot Straight You Bastards! and You'll Never Take Me Alive, mixes archive, history and the power of imagination to bring Australia's darkest and most controversial legend to life.
When Nick Doms first saw Jekyll Island State Park in October 2014, it was love at first sight. He was stunned to discover that all the history books suddenly ended with the demise of the island as a private retreat for wealthy families in the 1940s, as if there was nothing more to tell after Georgia acquired the land for a state park. The multitude of hotels, motels, picnic areas, roads, and trails certainly did not appear spontaneously, as if by the waving of a magic wand, and yet no one had told the story of how the island has become a state park that everyone can enjoy. The author took it upon himself to research the island’s story to learn about the people who designed, constructed, and managed the enormous transformation. In this meticulously researched account, he tells the fascinating story of the island, sharing facts from history books, primary documents, and untold stories from locals who have lived on the land for several decades. Discover how a private, secluded, and exclusive island came to be a state park with open and affordable access to everyone.
Deciding what to read next when you've just finished an unputdownable novel can be a daunting task. The Bloomsbury Good Reading Guide features hundreds of authors and thousands of titles, with navigation features to lead you on a rich journey through some the best literature to grace our shelves. This greatly expanded edition includes the latest contemporary authors and landmark novels, an expanded non-fiction section, a timeline setting historical events against literary milestones, prize-winner and book club lists. An accessible and easy-to-read guide that no serious book lover should be without. "The essential guide to the wild uncharted world of contemporary and 20th century writing." Robert McCrum, The Observer
A redistricting crisis is now upon us. This surprising, compelling book tells the history of how we got to this moment—from the Founding Fathers to today’s high-tech manipulation of election districts—and shows us as well how to protect our most sacred, hard-fought principle of one person, one vote. Here is THE book on gerrymandering for citizens, politicians, journalists, activists, and voters. “Seabrook’s lucid account of the origins and evolution of gerrymandering—the deliberate and partisan doctoring of district borders for electoral advantage—makes a potentially dry, wonky subject accessible and engaging for a broad audience.” —The New York Times Gerrymandering is the manipulation of election districts for partisan and political gain. Instead of voters picking the politicians they want, politicians pick the voters they need to get the election results they’re after. Surprisingly, gerrymandering has been around since before our nation’s founding. And with technology, those drawing the redistricting lines have, now more than ever, been able to microtarget their electoral manipulations with unprecedented levels of precision. Nick Seabrook, an authority on constitutional and election law and an expert on gerrymandering (pronounced with a hard G!), has written an illuminating, urgently needed book on how our elections have been rigged through redistricting, beginning with the Founding Fathers, Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, and Reconstruction, and extending to the twentieth century’s gerrymandering battles at the Supreme Court and today’s high-tech manipulations of election districts. Seabrook writes of Patrick Henry, who used redistricting to settle an old score with political foe and fellow Founding Father James Madison (almost preventing the Bill of Rights from happening). He writes of Massachusetts governor Elbridge Gerry, and corrects the mistaken notion of the derivation of the term “gerrymander.” He writes of Abraham Lincoln and how his desire to preserve the Union led him to manipulate the admission of new states in order to maintain his majority in the Senate. And we come to understand the place of the Supreme Court in its fierce battles regarding gerrymandering throughout the twentieth century. First was Felix Frankfurter, who fought for decades to prevent the judiciary from involving itself in disputes concerning the drawing of districts. Then came the Warren Court and its series of civil rights cases culminating in the landmark decision (Reynolds v. Sims), written by Chief Justice Earl Warren, which says that state legislatures, unlike the United States Congress, must have representation in both houses based on districts containing equal populations—with redistricting as needed following each census. The result has been ever-increasing, hard-fought wrangling between the two political parties after each census. Seabrook explores the rise of the most partisan gerrymanders in American history, put into place by the Republican Party after the 2010 census, and how the battle has shifted to the states via REDMAP—the GOP’s successful strategy of the last decade to control state governments and rig the results of state legislative and congressional elections.
This new edition of Retreat from Injustice has the strengths and style of its predecessor: the account of human rights in Australia is firmly grounded in historical and international contexts; the availability and limitations of rights and freedoms are clearly detailed and illustrated with cases; and a particular spotlight is placed on key current human rights issues including terrorism, indigenous issues and asylum seekers.
From the hosts of the Civics 101 podcast—and a New Yorker cartoonist—“an informative and appealing civics lesson for first-time voters and old hands alike” (Publishers Weekly). Do you know what the Secretary of Defense does all day? Are you sure you know the difference between the House and the Senate? Have you been pretending you know what Federalism is for the last twenty years? Don’t worry—you’re not alone. The American government and its processes can be dizzyingly complex and obscure. Until now! Within this book are the keys to knowing what you’re talking about when you argue politics with the uncle you only see at Thanksgiving, and a quick reference to turn to when the nightly news boggles your mind. This approachable and informative guide gives you the lowdown on everything from the three branches of government to what you can actually do to make your vote count to how our founding documents affect our daily lives. Now is the time to finally understand who does what, how they do it, and the best way to get them to listen to you. “An easily digestible, illustrated guidebook to the agencies and institutions that make up the federal government . . . Just the thing for students of civics—which, these days, should include the entire polity.” —Kirkus Reviews
In this new account of Franklin's early life, Pulitzer finalist Nick Bunker portrays him as a complex, driven young man who elbows his way to success. From his early career as a printer and journalist to his scientific work and his role as a founder of a new republic, Benjamin Franklin has always seemed the inevitable embodiment of American ingenuity. But in his youth he had to make his way through a harsh colonial world, where he fought many battles with his rivals, but also with his wayward emotions. Taking Franklin to the age of forty-one, when he made his first electrical discoveries, Bunker goes behind the legend to reveal the sources of his passion for knowledge. Always trying to balance virtue against ambition, Franklin emerges as a brilliant but flawed human being, made from the conflicts of an age of slavery as well as reason. With archival material from both sides of the Atlantic, we see Franklin in Boston, London, and Philadelphia as he develops his formula for greatness. A tale of science, politics, war, and religion, this is also a story about Franklin's forebears: the talented family of English craftsmen who produced America's favorite genius.
DIVA London Year is an anthology of short diary entries, one or more for each day of the year, which, taken together, provides an impressionistic portrait of life in the city from Tudor times to the twenty-first century. This ebook edition, with its own distinct cover, has been optimised for the digital reader. A hyperlinked contents page makes it easy for the reader to dip in and out of the book while each 'page' is dedicated to a separate day. To further improve formatting, the illustrations from the printed edition have been omitted. We promise this does not detract from the reading experience. This ebook serves as the perfect accompaniment to the print edition. There are more than two hundred featured writers, with a short biography for each. The most famous diarist of all - Samuel Pepys - is there, as well as some of today’s finest diarists like Alan Bennett and Chris Mullin. There are coronations and executions, election riots and zeppelin raids, duels, dust-ups and drunken sprees, among everyday moments like Brian Eno cycling in Kilburn or George Eliot walking on Wimbledon Common. Vividly evoking moments in the lives of Londoners in the past, providing snapshots of the city’s inhabitants at work, at play, in pursuit of money, sex, entertainment, pleasure and power, the ebook of A London Year is the perfect read for all who live in or love this eternal, ever-changing city./div
Why did London Underground once employ a one-legged man to ride up and down the escalators at Earl's Court tube station? What did Hitler plan to do with Nelson's Column? Why is London's only medieval mummy a prostitute named Clarice la Claterballock? How did a beer flood in Tottenham Court Road drown nine people? Where can you see a pair of Queen Victoria's knickers? Containing chapters covering London past and present; buildings and streets; famous and unexpected Londoners; arts, literature and crime; plus much much more, the 180 lists will amaze, amuse and inform. More than simply a keepsake for tourists, every self-respecting Londoner needs this book.
With origins as far back as the 14th Century, Westminster School is one of the oldest in the country with a long tradition of scholarship - and outstanding results, both in academic and public life.
The first account of the Allied navies' vital contribution to the success of the D-Day landings and the Normandy campaign The Allied liberation of Nazi-occupied Europe is one of the most widely recognised events of modern history. The assault phase, Operation Neptune, began with the D-Day landings in Normandy--one of the most complex amphibious operations in history, involving 7,000 ships and nearly 200,000 men. But despite this immense effort, the wider naval campaign has been broadly forgotten. Nick Hewitt draws on fascinating new material to describe the violent sea battle which mirrored the fighting on land, and the complex campaign at sea which enabled the Allied assault. Aboard ships ranging from frail plywood landing craft to sleek destroyers, sailors were active combatants in the operation of June 1944, and had worked tirelessly to secure the Seine Bay in the months preceding it. They fought battles against German submarines, aircraft, and warships, and maintained careful watch to keep control of the English Channel. Hewitt recounts these sailors' stories for the first time--and shows how, without their efforts, D-Day would have failed.
Self and Nation is a lively and accessible exploration of the issues related to nationhood, nationalism and national identity. The authors challenge common assumptions of what ‘national identity’ means by addressing key concepts of identity, national character, national history and nationalist psychology. How do constructions of national identity affect the way people act, are mobilized, transform societies, create nations and reshape nations where they already exist? This book shows how the central notion of national identity is used by politicians and activists in support of attempts to create different types of nations. Self and Nation will be essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as researchers in social psychology, politics, sociology and social anthropology.
Podroben prikaz kriminalnih dejanj v zgodovini (od tatvine, ponarejanja pa do kanibalizma, množičnih umorov, političnih škandalov /Watergate/ itd.) in njihovih storilcev, med drugimi naprimer Al Capone, Bonnie in Clyde, Oscar Wilde, Peter Sutcliffe, Nelson, Biggs, Moors itd. Vključena so glavna dejstva, izrečene kazni, metode, motivi in posledice kriminalne dejavnosti in miselnosti, pa tudi zabavne anekdote s tega področja.
A collection of remarkable facts about such phenomena as the world's strongest man, the most accurate archer, the longest speech, the largest living thing, and the loudest explosion.
American history is full of strange paradoxes, and that's one of the things that make it so interesting. Here's one of the 37 stories you're going to read. Imagine what it would be like to wake up, flip on the morning news, and discover Bradley Cooper or Ashton Kutcher assassinated President Obama. That's what happened in 1865. People were shocked to learn John Wilkes Booth had killed President Lincoln. Booth was one of the most popular actors of his day. At just twenty-six years old, he was considered one of the most attractive men in America. Booth stood five feet, 8 inches tall, had a lean, athletic build, ivory skin, and curly, jet black hair. Women mobbed him on and off stage. At the time he killed Lincoln, Booth was pulling down $20,000 a year as an actor (roughly $300,000 in 2015 money). What was going on in the mind of John Wilkes Booth? What was it that turned this mild mannered actor into one of the most hated men of his generation?
Roadtripping across the country has been a rite of passage for generations. From Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady’s On the Road, to Easy Rider to Thelma and Louise, the journey is the destination, and in Frommer’s MTV US Roadtrips, the old school travel guides and cutting edge authors combine their talents and resources for 10 eclectic rides. Maya Kroth pursues the ‘cue from Austin to Charlotte in a Southern BBQ Roadtrip Ethan Wolff visits the Desert Southwest, on the trail of the first Americans Ashley Marinaccio stays at haunted hotels in search of the unexplained and paranormal, in the Weird Northeast. Our other authors go everywhere from Down the Shore, through the Urban Heartland, and on a tour of West Coast Underground Rock Clubs.
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