In 1998, Ron Rosenbaum published Explaining Hitler, a national bestseller and one of the most acclaimed books of the year, hailed by Michiko Kakutani in The New York Times as "lucid and exciting . . . a provocative work of cultural history that is as compelling as it is thoughtful, as readable as it is smart." Time called it "brilliant . . . restlessly probing, deeply intelligent." The acclaim came as no surprise to those who have been reading Ron Rosenbaum's journalism, published widely in America's best magazines for three decades. The man known to readers of his New York Observer column as "The Edgy Enthusiast" has distinguished himself as a writer with extraordinary range, an ability to tell stories that are frequently philosophical, comical, and suspenseful all at once. In this classic collection of three decades of groundbreaking nonfiction, Rosenbaum takes readers on a wildly original tour of the American landscape, deep into "the secret parts" of the great mysteries, controversies, and enigmas of our time. These are intellectual adventure stories that reveal: ¸ The occult rituals of Skull and Bones, the legendary Yale secret society that has produced spies, presidents, and wanna-bes, including George Bush and his son George W. (that's the author, with skull, on the cover, in front of the Skull and Bones crypt) ¸ The Secrets of the Little Blue Box, the classic story of the birth of hacker culture ¸ The Curse of the Dead Sea Scrolls; "The Great Ivy League Nude Posture Photo Scandal"; the underground realms of "unorthodox" cancer-cure clinics in Mexico; the mind of Kim Philby, "the spy of the century"; the unsolved murder of JFK's mistress; and the mysteries of "Long Island, Babylon" ¸ Sharp, funny (sometimes hilarious) cultural critiques that range from Elvis to Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, Bill Gates to Oliver Stone, Thomas Pynchon to Mr. Whipple, J. D. Salinger to the Zagat Guide, Helen Vendler to Isaac Bashevis Singer ¸ And a marriage proposal to Rosanne Cash Forcefully reported, brilliantly opinionated, and elegantly phrased, The Secret Parts of Fortune will endure as a vital record of American culture from 1970 to the present.
TREVIN KNIGHT: Well-liked up-and-coming lawyer on a senator’s staff, still figuring life out. The CEO of a genetic research firm turns up dead and Trevin Knight falls into the crossfire of a covert inside game. International politics, genetic science, and even the nature of life itself hang in the balance. Can Trevin stay alive long enough to save not only himself, but everyone else, too? THE KNIGHT DECEPTION, a fast-paced, near-future political thriller by Derringer Award Nominated author Ron Collins. If you love THE ATLANTIS GENE, BLACK RAIN, or the Jack Reacher series, you’ll love this story.
A Director’s Method for Film and Television (1992) presents the ‘cinematic language’ approach to directing for film and television directors. It shows how the viewer perceives the nuances of the various pictures used to tell the story, and how movement within the frame creates drama and development. It outlines the techniques necessary to maximize each and every shot and create professional results.
Journalists James Bawden and Ron Miller spent their careers interviewing the greatest stars of Hollywood's golden age. They visited Lee Marvin at home and politely admired his fishing trophies, chatted with Janet Leigh while a young Jamie Lee Curtis played, and even made Elizabeth Taylor laugh out loud. In You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet, Bawden and Miller return with a new collection of rare interviews with iconic film stars including Henry Fonda, Esther Williams, Buster Keaton, Maureen O'Sullivan, Walter Pidgeon, and many more. The book is filled with humorous anecdotes and incredible behind-the-scenes stories. For instance, Bette Davis reflects that she and Katharine Hepburn were both considered for the role of Scarlett O'Hara but neither was "gorgeous enough" for the part; Janet Leigh analyzes the famous shower scene in Psycho (1960), which was shot in seven days and gave the actress nightmares for years; and Jimmy Stewart describes Alfred Hitchcock as a "strange, roly-poly man, interested only in blondes and murder." Popular horror film stars from Lon Chaney Jr. to Boris Karloff and Vincent Price are also featured in a special "movie monsters" section. With first-person accounts of Hollywood life from some of the most distinguished luminaries in the history of American cinema, this entertaining book will delight classic movie fans.
Magical Mathematics reveals the secrets of amazing, fun-to-perform card tricks--and the profound mathematical ideas behind them--that will astound even the most accomplished magician. Persi Diaconis and Ron Graham provide easy, step-by-step instructions for each trick, explaining how to set up the effect and offering tips on what to say and do while performing it. Each card trick introduces a new mathematical idea, and varying the tricks in turn takes readers to the very threshold of today's mathematical knowledge. For example, the Gilbreath principle--a fantastic effect where the cards remain in control despite being shuffled--is found to share an intimate connection with the Mandelbrot set. Other card tricks link to the mathematical secrets of combinatorics, graph theory, number theory, topology, the Riemann hypothesis, and even Fermat's last theorem. Diaconis and Graham are mathematicians as well as skilled performers with decades of professional experience between them. In this book they share a wealth of conjuring lore, including some closely guarded secrets of legendary magicians. Magical Mathematics covers the mathematics of juggling and shows how the I Ching connects to the history of probability and magic tricks both old and new. It tells the stories--and reveals the best tricks--of the eccentric and brilliant inventors of mathematical magic. Magical Mathematics exposes old gambling secrets through the mathematics of shuffling cards, explains the classic street-gambling scam of three-card monte, traces the history of mathematical magic back to the thirteenth century and the oldest mathematical trick--and much more"-
For nearly half a century, celebrated historian Ron Tyler has researched, interpreted, and exhibited western American art. This splendid volume, gleaned from Tyler’s extensive career of connoisseurship, brings together eight of the author’s most notable essays, reworked especially for this volume. Beautifully illustrated with more than 150 images, Western Art, Western History tells the stories of key artists, both famous and obscure, whose provocative pictures document the people and places of the nineteenth-century American West. The artists depicted in these pages represent a variety of personalities and artistic styles. According to Tyler, each of them responded in unique ways to the compelling and exotic drama that unfolded in the West during the nineteenth century—an age of exploration, surveying, pleasure travel, and scientific discovery. In eloquent and engaging prose, Tyler unveils a fascinating cast of characters, including the little-known German-Russian artist Louis Choris, who served as a draftsman on the second Russian circumnavigation of the globe; the exacting and precise Swiss artist Karl Bodmer, who accompanied Prince Maximilian of Wied on his sojourn up the Missouri River; and the young American Alfred Jacob Miller, whose seemingly frivolous and romantic depictions of western mountain men and American Indians remained largely unknown until the mid-twentieth century. Other artists showcased in this volume are John James Audubon, George Caleb Bingham, Alfred E. Mathews, and, finally, Frederic Remington, who famously sought to capture the last glimmers of the “old frontier.” A common thread throughout Western Art, Western History is the important role that technology—especially the development of lithography—played in the dissemination of images. As the author emphasizes, many works by western artists are valuable not only as illustrations but as scientific documents, imbued with cultural meaning. By placing works of western art within these broader contexts, Tyler enhances our understanding of their history and significance.
The incredible story of the man and legend who has come to symbolize the continuing pursuit of justice for Blacks in the United States Through the 1980s, the mainstream press portrayed the Reverend Al Sharpton as a buffoon, a fake minister, a hustler, an opportunist, a demagogue, a race traitor, and an anti-Semite. Today, Sharpton occupies a throne that would have shocked the white newspaper reporters who covered him forty years ago. A mesmerizing story of astounding transformation, craftiness, and survival, King Al follows Reverend Sharpton’s life trajectory, from his early life as a boy preacher to his present moment as the most popular Black American activist/minister/cable news host. In the 1980s, Rev. Al created controversies that would have doomed a lesser man to the dustbin of history. Among these controversies were his work with the FBI as the agency attempted to locate Black Liberation Army leader Assata Shakur; and his involvement in the 1987 Tawana Brawley episode. Regarding the Brawley matter, a white prosecutor sued Sharpton, successfully, for falsely accusing him of having raped the then-fifteen-year-old Brawley. It was the white press, in its glory days, that created the podium from which Sharpton became both famous and infamous. Those reporters would joke that the most dangerous place in New York was between Al Sharpton and a television camera. But it was those reporters who made Sharpton the media figure he is today. Today, as host of MSNBC’s PoliticsNation news program, Sharpton has more news viewers than those reporters ever had readers. The Reverend Al’s rise to respectability is a testament to an endurance and boldness steeped in Black American history. Born in Brooklyn to parents from the old slave-holding South, he transformed himself into one of the most respected and politically influential Blacks in the United States. In his in-depth coverage, author Ron Howell tells the stories of Sharpton’s ascendance to the throne. He tells us about the glory years of American newspapers, when Sharpton began his rise. And he tells us about the politicians who intersected with Sharpton as he climbed the ladder. King Al is an engaging read about the late-twentieth-century history of New York City politics and race relations, as well as about the remarkable staying power of the colorful, politically skillful, and enigmatic Sharpton.
Easy-to-understand topics addressed here include the Uncertain Economy, Tax-wise investing, diversification strategies, husband/wife decision making, Etc.
In this finely wrought portrait of Western American life, Ron Carlson takes readers to the small town of Oakpine, Wyoming, and into the lives of four men trying to make peace with who they are in the world. In high school, these men were in a band. One of them, Jimmy, left Oakpine for New York City after the tragic death of his brother. A successful novelist, he has returned 30 years later, in 1999 - because he is dying. With Carlson's characteristic grace, readers learn what has become of these friends and the different directions of their lives.
Athens County, Ohio, came out of the pioneer spirit of a new nation expanding westward after the Revolutionary War into the Northwest Territory. Upon declaration of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, the Ohio Company of Associates bought millions of acres of land to sell to land-hungry easterners. In 1788, the first boat of new settlers arrived in Marietta, Ohio. By 1797, wars with the Native Americans had ended and more land became available. When they got here, settlers found some rich farmland, but more importantly they discovered salt, coal, clay and a need for industry to provide for the needs of the people. Opportunities abounded to make fortunes in other places from the resources readily available locally. Central to the development of Athens County was the vision people had years before the first settlers arrived; they dreamed of and made provisions for a university in the new territory. Today, more than 200 years later, Ohio University thrives in the city of Athens.
Explores the relationship between human and physical geography. All chapters updated in the new edition to reflect new literature and changes in the discipline. Chapter One systematically considers representations of geographical thought. The closing chapter develops an explicit argument about what has made human geography distinctive. Draws on a wide reading of the geographical literature produced during a fifty-year period characterised by both growth in the number of academic geographers and substantial shifts in conceptions of the discipline's scientific rationale
Competitiveness. Leadership. Inclusiveness. Discipline. Dedication to community. Together, these traits form the blueprint for teams that not only win, but transcend sport and develop a purpose to keep on winning for the good of the communities that surround and support them. Alberta’s reputation in Canadian football was built upon this foundation. Through countless hours of intimate interviews and heartfelt discussions with former coaches, players, and their families, author Ron McIntyre highlights the ways in which these traits manifested themselves in five of the best football programs in the province’s history: the St. Francis Browns, the Raymond Comets, the Edmonton Huskies, the Calgary Dinos, and the Edmonton Eskimos. With humour and a clear love of the game guiding his exploration of what made these teams so great, McIntyre reveals to coaches the key principles that contribute to building a solid program; demonstrates to players the nuances of being a good teammate and leading by example; and grants fans a peek behind the curtain at what ultimately goes into achieving true sports excellence.
“Under The Trestle” is the true story of the most compelling murder case in Virginia history. In 1980, beautiful Gina Renee Hall, a Radford University freshman, went to a Virginia Tech nightclub on a Saturday night. She was never seen again. Her abandoned car was found parked beneath a railroad trestle bridging the New River, with blood in the trunk. The investigation led police to a secluded cabin on Claytor Lake, where there was evidence of a violent attack. Former Virginia Tech football player Stephen Epperly was charged with murder, despite the fact that Gina’s body was never found. In Virginia’s “trial of the century,” prosecutor Everett Shockley presented an entirely circumstantial case. Key witnesses against Epperly included his best friend, his mother and a tracking dog handler later believed by many to be a fraud. Three former Virginia Tech football players testified, including a Hokies quarterback once featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Would Epperly become the first person in Virginia history convicted of murder without the victim’s body, an eyewitness or a confession? And would authorities ever find the body of Gina Renee Hall?
In this book, Hawkeye Legends, Lists and Lore, lowa's grand athletic history is chronicled in its most complete form ever and its athletes and teams of yesteryear are brought back to life. This book also lists the great and not-so-great moments in lowa athletic history in the 'Charts' features. These sections provide a handy factual resource to demonstrate Hawkeye individuals and teams that rank in the school's history. Hawkeye Legends, Lists and Lore is a must for anyone who is loyal to the Black and Gold and is the perfect gift for your favourite Hawkeye fan.
Fred Lebow was a dreamer, the kind of dreamer who pursued his dream and made it a reality. And the world is still reaping its rewards.” So begins this inspiring chronicle of a humbly born Holocaust survivor who parlayed natural marketing smarts—and vision—into a major position in recent American sports. He started the New York City Marathon, an event that transformed footracing from an elite, austere sport into a wildly applauded, attainable pursuit for all. Forging a path across the city’s five boroughs, the marathon covers a daunting 26.2-mile course. Ron Rubin’s fascinating book tells how Lebow popularized the race. With a stroke of marketing wizardry he turned it into the world’s largest block party: a gritty mixture of urban theater and kindly entrepreneurship. This event has honored the spirit of the moment, imbued competition with joy, and celebrated play. It put winning within the realm of every man and woman and became a race for all runners. Lebow mainstreamed the notion of marathoning into popular culture; some half-million Americans now participate in the events. Equally significant, the book describes how Lebow scored his greatest personal victory by running in the marathon he created after being diagnosed with brain cancer.
An ex-Scotland Yard officer, detective inspector Don Masters has been educated in turning crime into profit for himself. He and his team of detectives, some - not that many naturally - are scrupulously honest and kept out of the loop. He knows how to get results: with his firm of informants he lines his own pockets and greases the palms of others. Gaining privileges along the way Masters makes deals in his beat in Walthamstead that let some villains off the hook and incarerates the innocent which, from a police point of view, is how it should be. Sex is a requirement for a CID officer and Masters and some of his colleagues dive in with gusto. But over-the-side-sex has it's pitfalls that grab Masters and several of his colleagues by the testicles and sets a chain of events that end in murders.
Rugby is New Zealand's national sport. From the grand tour by the 1888 Natives to the upcoming 2015 World Cup, from games in the North African desert in the Second World War to matches behind barbed wire during the 1981 Springbok tour, from grassroots club rugby to heaving crowds outside Eden Park, Lancaster Park, Athletic Park or Carisbrook, New Zealanders have made rugby their game. In this book, historian and former journalist Ron Palenski tells the full story of rugby in New Zealand for the first time. It is a story of how the game travelled from England and settled in the colony, how Maori and later Pacific players made rugby their own, how battles over amateurism and apartheid threatened the sport, how national teams, provinces and local clubs shaped it. The story of rugby is New Zealand's story. Rooted in extensive research in public and private archives and newspapers, and highly illustrated with many rare photographs and ephemera, this book is the defining history of rugby in a land that has made the game its own.
Science Fiction & Fantasy Anthology and Advice to Writers 2016 You are about to meet: YOUR NEXT FAVORITE AUTHOR The 32nd edition of Writers of the Future may be the best new book yet! Brand-new adventure through space, time and possibility. Along the way these new authors will introduce you to fascinating characters such as Nate, a very loyal companion—like most werewolves would be. Keanie has a parasite that lets her morph and so transform into anyone. Liz owns a dinosaur maker, but raw ingredients can be a problem. Anna slaves away in a factory but her magic leaves her unfulfilled. These authors take creative writing to a whole new level! The answers, the stories, the visions, and the mind-stretching possibilities are all waiting inside. Welcome to the future of Science Fiction and Fantasy. It gets better every year. These are the award winning short stories of the international contest that have launched the writing careers of some of the best new books! BONUS stories and articles on how to write by New York Times best sellers Tim Powers, Sean Williams, Brandon Sanderson, Sergey Poyarkov & L. Ron Hubbard “The Writers of the Future contest looks for people with the best imaginations who can see through the possibilities of the strangest and best ideas and tell stories that intrigue us and involve us.” —Orson Scott Card Celebrate the 32nd anniversary of the Writers of the Future contest and the 27th anniversary of the Illustrators of the Future contest
Collecting autographs is a time-honored avocation that has exploded in popularity in recent years, creating a new industry with millions of autographed items for sale online. Coveted signatures include those of United States presidents, Civil War officers, World War II heroes, classical music composers and baseball stars. It has been estimated that 90 percent of historical autographs on the market today are forgeries. This book is a definitive guide to signature authentication for experts and beginners alike. Numerous illustrations of both genuine and forged signatures are included, from Ty Cobb to Abraham Lincoln to Isaac Newton to Neil Armstrong. Detailed descriptions of common forgeries are given, enabling collectors to make direct comparisons.
Ride a trail of blazing guns and two-fisted action in the Wild West as L. Ron Hubbard brings American history to life. Growing up in Montana provided him with the first-hand experience that added a tone of authenticity to his western tales. Readers will feel the heat, taste the dust and hear the thunder of horses’ hooves in these tales from a master storyteller of the genre. The 4-audiobook collection includes 10 short stories for 8 hours of immersive entertainment. All audiobooks are unabridged, full-cast productions with cinematic quality sound effects that bring the stories and characters to life. The titles and short stories in this collection are: King of the Gunmen (includes: “The No-Gun Gunhawk”), The Magic Quirt (includes: “Vengeance Is Mine!” and “Stacked Bullets”), The No-Gun Man (includes: “Man for Breakfast”) and Shadows from Boot Hill (includes: “The Gunner from Gehenna” and “Gunman!”). “With the flair of a Louis L’Amour or Zane Grey.” —True West Magazine -- L. Ron Hubbard
Completely revised and expanded, this fourth edition covers the 986 minerals found in Arizona, showcased with breathtaking new color photographs throughout the book. The new edition includes more than 200 new species not reported in the third edition and previously unknown in Arizona. Chapters in this fourth edition of Mineralogy of Arizona cover gemstones and lapidary materials, fluorescent minerals, and an impressive catalog of mineral species. The authors also discuss mineral districts, including information about the geology, mineralogy, and age of mineral occurrences throughout the state. The book includes detailed maps of each county, showing the boundaries and characteristics of the mineral districts present in the state. Arizona’s rich mineral history is well illustrated by the more than 300 color photographs of minerals, gemstones, and fluorescent minerals that help the reader identify and understand the rich and diverse mineralogy of Arizona. Anyone interested in the mineralogy and geology of the state will find this the most up-to-date compilation of the minerals known to occur in Arizona.
The reason I wrote the book was to document all of the unusual experiences I had in my life, have others ever experienced what I have, I have questioned myself on numerous occasions about this, I have also questioned whether I should write this book, but in the end I felt it was important to do so. This book has many twists and turns and places where one can hopefully get lost in the moment while reading about my life. My hope is that in some small way this book may help people along the way.
The first Masonic lodge in what is today Nassau and Suffolk Counties was constituted in 1793. For over 200 years, more than 70 lodges were founded and flourished in various locations from Amagansett to Great Neck. For the first time, some of the secrets of the Masonic fraternity are revealed in this book. Recovered from dusty lodge attics and closets, this selection of long-forgotten photographs and artifacts gives the readers a brief glimpse of what was taking place behind the closed doors of their local lodge. Long Island was the Masonic home of Theodore Roosevelt of Oyster Bay and, 30 years later, was honored by a visit to the Huntington Masonic lodge by his fifth cousin and fellow Mason Franklin D. Roosevelt. Masons continue to support the community through charitable endeavors, including the Masonic Medical Research Institute, Masonic Safety Identification Programs, Shriners Hospitals, and many more.
This updated textbook unravels the complex issues related to methodology and theory in the study of religion. It equips students with the knowledge needed for the academic study of religion, explaining the history of the methodology, including ideas of key theorists, and discusses key issues in the field, such as gender, phenomenology, and the insider/outsider discourse. Updated throughout, additional material includes: -New chapter on colonialism and post-colonialism -New chapter on insider/outsider discourse -Coverage of 'cyber-religion' and the internet as a research tool in religious studies Study and classroom features in each chapter include: -Chapter outlines -Case studies -Boxed key concepts -Discussion questions -Chapter bibliographies The text is illustrated throughout with 35 images, and extra resources can be found online, including additional coverage of 'levels of religion'.
Here is expert guidance on one of the most vexing clinical challenges faced by interventional cardiologists. Written by global thought leaders in the area and edited by two internationally-recognized pioneers in interventional cardiology, Bifurcation Stenting covers all techniques, imaging modalities, and devices in current use, including VH-IVUS and OCT. It includes practical tips/tricks from leading experts and a section of challenging cases to further illustrate the material and help readers better understand the treatment of bifurcation lesions.
During the Iraq War, coauthor Capt. Jason Conroy commanded Charlie Company, which was part of Task Force 1-64, 2d Brigade Combat Team, part of the U.S. Army's 3d Infantry Division. A tank unit equipped with mammoth M1A1 Abrams tanks, Conroy's company was literally at the tip of the U.S. Army's spear and one of the first elements into Baghdad. Veteran journalist Ron Martz was embedded in Charlie Company. Together, from the unique perspective of an armor unit that was in nearly continuous combat for four straight weeks, Conroy and Martz tell the unvarnished story of what went right and what went deadly wrong in Iraq. Conroy and his soldiers were able to overcome supply shortages, intelligence failures, and miserable weather to battle their way into downtown Baghdad, a place where they were told they would never have to fight. Heavy Metal evaluates the Army's performance, including its use of tactics that were developed during the war but for which the soldiers had never trained. Through the exciting personal stories of the young troopers of Charlie Company - who experienced a very different war from what was seen back home on TV - Heavy Metal tells us much about the qualities of today's American soldier, about twenty-first-century desert and urban warfare, and about how the Army should prepare to fight future wars.
Examining the development of a sense of national identity in a British colony, this highly authoritative work is a valuable addition to the literature in New Zealand. By looking at the onset of home-grown shipping, railway, and telegraph networks as well as at the Maori and kiwi experiences, not to mention the emergence of rugby teams, this book accounts for how transplanted Britons, and others, turned themselves into New Zealanders—a distinct group of people with their own songs and sports, symbols and opinions, political traditions, and sense of self. Tracing markers in popular culture, political processes, and public events, this informative and thrilling history focuses on the forging of a distinctive new culture and society.
Forged in the hot sun and sand of the Arizona desert, Chinook Shannon is as tough as they come—as steely-eyed and tall in the saddle as Randolph Scott. But Chinook is far from home—in the north country of Montana—and facing a challenge as big as the territory itself. Following his grandfather’s suspicious death, he’s come to Montana to claim his inheritance—the family’s cattle ranch. But the territory’s crawling with bandits and bankers, and they all want a piece of Chinook’s land. With foreclosure hanging over the ranch, Chinook’s got exactly twenty-four hours to find out who killed his grandfather and become the Cattle King. He’ll follow a trail of forgery, cattle rustling and murder to find the truth, knowing he has only one ally—his Colt Peacemaker. L. Ron Hubbard’s detailed knowledge of ranch life and mining techniques—as well as the economics and legal issues surrounding mining and water rights—informs Cattle King for a Day. He wrote: “I became thoroughly acclimated to Montana ranch life and the very rough and tough atmosphere. . . . It was also a mining area, and I used to pan in these streams for pocket money.” It’s no wonder, then, that these stories are pure gold. Also includes the Western adventure Come and Get It, the story of an Easterner who comes to Wyoming to find out who killed his father—but discovers that the only way to get justice is to cook up a new identity for himself. * An International Book Awards Finalist
Lawlessness in Texas did not end with the close of the cowboy era. It just evolved, swapping horses and pistols for cars and semiautomatics. From Patrolman "Newt" Stewart, killed by a group of servicemen in February 1900, to Whitesboro chief of police William Thomas "Will" Miller, run down by a vehicle in the line of duty in 1940, Ron DeLord and Cliff Caldwell present a comprehensive chronicle of the brave--and some not so brave--peace officers who laid down their lives in the service of the State of Texas in the first half of the twentieth century.
Wrangle with some of the finest renegades, outlaws and dangerous desperados in the wild, wild west. Saddle up for excitement with these riveting tales of the Old West that appeared in the pages of the most popular pulp fiction magazines of the 1930s and 1940s. This Collection includes: International Book Awards Winners: Devil’s Manhunt and Death Waits at Sundown; International Book Awards Finalists: Baron of the Coyote River and Cattle King for a Day as well as Six-Gun Caballero, The Toughest Ranger, The Magic Quirt, Under the Diehard Brand, Shadows from Boot Hill and Branded Outlaw.
The Bangkok Connection' chronicles the story of Leslie 'Ike' Atkinson, charismatic former U.S. army master sergeant, career smuggler, card shark and doting family man whom law-enforcement agencies code-named Sergeant Smack. His criminal activities sparked the creation of a special DEA unit code-named Centac 9.
There are many books on Wellington’s campaigns during the Peninsular War. Yet very few examine the pivotal year of 1811, when he went on the offensive and forced Napoleon’s armies back over 300 kilometers, from the doors of Lisbon to the Spanish border. For two months he pursued the retreating French, fighting skirmishes and rearguards virtually the whole way. The French finally halted at the Spanish border and turned on Wellington in early May, where an epic three-day battle was fought at Fuentes de Oñoro. The rest of the year, Wellington defended the border while making plans to liberate Spain in 1811. Wellington’s Light Division and the defense of Portugal looks at the famed Light Division as it led the pursuit of the French and was involved in almost every combat and battle fought that year. The book also explores the stalemate of January and February 1811, where the division maintained outposts overlooking French positions in the vicinity of Santarem, as well as the pursuit of the French Army back to Spain in March and April, when the division fought many skirmishes, combats, and small battles, often on its own. These include the actions at Pombal, Condeixa, Redinha, Casal Novo, Foz d’Arouce, Freixada, and Sabugal. May saw the Light Division in a desperate fight at Fuentes de Oñoro, where for much of the battle it held the army’s right flank. For the rest of the year the Light Division was in the vicinity of Ciudad Rodrigo where it occupied ground that it held for much of 1810, where it served as Wellington’s advance outposts. The assumed similar positions and were engaged at Fuente Guinaldo and El Bodon. In addition to these fights, the book will examine the changes in the organization of the division, with the addition of new battalions and release of other units. It will also go into great detail on the problems it had with command and control – with its leading officers exhausted, requesting permission to return home to recuperate. Drawing on diaries, letters, and memoirs, the authors tell the story of the officers and men who fought in the division. Many of these sources have never been published before.
Despite the bewildering number of tomes devoted to the Napoleonic wars, much basic data as been hitherto unavailable to anyone other than the most ardent scholars. McGuigan and Burnham have collected a tremendous treasure trove of information in a readily accessible form. Other books may tell you how many regiments were sent on the expedition to Hanover in 1805, but The British Army against Napoleon will tell you where every single regiment in the British army was stationed, who were their honorary colonels, and give you a list of all the barracks in Britain with the number of men they were designed to hold. Where else will you find not just the pay of different ranked officers but the amount of income tax they paid, as well as all the other deductions and stoppages that reduced their actual receipts to a fraction of their nominal (and generally quite low) pay? Or pension charts for widows? There are tables that list all the recipients of the honours and awards issued, casualties in action and disease, seniority of officers of the numerous expeditions and campaigns (a matter not just of curiosity but of major significance, for the date of rank of an officer determined who commanded the force and all of its sub-units.) The material in these tables has been collected from countless primary sources and official publications such as the Army List, London Gazette, Wellington s Dispatches, regimental histories, artillery manuals, and handbooks.
The #1 New York Times bestseller and New York Times Book Review 10 Best Books of 2017 “Eminently readable but thick with import . . . Grant hits like a Mack truck of knowledge.” —Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Atlantic Pulitzer Prize winner Ron Chernow returns with a sweeping and dramatic portrait of one of our most compelling generals and presidents, Ulysses S. Grant. Ulysses S. Grant's life has typically been misunderstood. All too often he is caricatured as a chronic loser and an inept businessman, or as the triumphant but brutal Union general of the Civil War. But these stereotypes don't come close to capturing him, as Chernow shows in his masterful biography, the first to provide a complete understanding of the general and president whose fortunes rose and fell with dizzying speed and frequency. Before the Civil War, Grant was flailing. His business ventures had ended dismally, and despite distinguished service in the Mexican War he ended up resigning from the army in disgrace amid recurring accusations of drunkenness. But in war, Grant began to realize his remarkable potential, soaring through the ranks of the Union army, prevailing at the battle of Shiloh and in the Vicksburg campaign, and ultimately defeating the legendary Confederate general Robert E. Lee. Along the way, Grant endeared himself to President Lincoln and became his most trusted general and the strategic genius of the war effort. Grant’s military fame translated into a two-term presidency, but one plagued by corruption scandals involving his closest staff members. More important, he sought freedom and justice for black Americans, working to crush the Ku Klux Klan and earning the admiration of Frederick Douglass, who called him “the vigilant, firm, impartial, and wise protector of my race.” After his presidency, he was again brought low by a dashing young swindler on Wall Street, only to resuscitate his image by working with Mark Twain to publish his memoirs, which are recognized as a masterpiece of the genre. With lucidity, breadth, and meticulousness, Chernow finds the threads that bind these disparate stories together, shedding new light on the man whom Walt Whitman described as “nothing heroic... and yet the greatest hero.” Chernow’s probing portrait of Grant's lifelong struggle with alcoholism transforms our understanding of the man at the deepest level. This is America's greatest biographer, bringing movingly to life one of our finest but most underappreciated presidents. The definitive biography, Grant is a grand synthesis of painstaking research and literary brilliance that makes sense of all sides of Grant's life, explaining how this simple Midwesterner could at once be so ordinary and so extraordinary. Named one of the best books of the year by Goodreads • Amazon • The New York Times • Newsday • BookPage • Barnes and Noble • Wall Street Journal
This will help us customize your experience to showcase the most relevant content to your age group
Please select from below
Login
Not registered?
Sign up
Already registered?
Success – Your message will goes here
We'd love to hear from you!
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.