With a post* describing SEAL efforts in Afghanistan,The Warrior Elite takes you into the toughest, longest, and mostrelentless military training in the world. What does it take to become a Navy SEAL? What makes talented,intelligent young men volunteer for physical punishment, coldwater, and days without sleep? In The Warrior Elite, former NavySEAL Dick Couch documents the process that transforms young meninto warriors. SEAL training is the distillation of the humanspirit, a tradition-bound ordeal that seeks to find men withcharacter, courage, and the burning desire to win at all costs, menwho would rather die than quit.

March 23, 2003: U.S. Marines from the Task Force Tarawa arecaught up in one of the most unexpected battles of the Iraq War.What started off as a routine maneuver to secure two key bridges inthe town of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq degenerated into anightmarish twenty-four-hour urban clash in which eighteen youngMarines lost their lives and more than thirty-five others werewounded. It was the single heaviest loss suffered by the U.S.military during the initial combat phase of the war. On that fateful day, Marines came across the burned-out remains ofa U.S. Army convoy that had been ambushed by Saddam Hussein’sforces outside Nasiriyah. In an attempt to rescue the missingsoldiers and seize the bridges before the Iraqis could destroythem, the Marines decided to advance their attack on the city bytwenty-four hours. What happened next is a gripping and gruesometale of military blunders, tragedy, and heroism. Huge M1 tanks leading the attack were rendered ineffective whenthey became mired in an open sewer. Then a

"The letters provide a nostalgic timeline of American historytold through the words and feelings of Americans, from regularfolks to kings." —Star Gazette, Elmira, NY, Dec. '05 "There are more than 80 letters, reflecting both our history andour very American sense that when we speak, our president shouldlisten." —The Arizona Republic, Dec. '05 Drawn from the extensive holdings of the National Archives—whichincludes all of the Presidential libraries—these carefully chosenletters remind us that ours is a government "of the people, by thepeople, and for the people," which entitles us to make our viewsknown to our leaders. Most of the letters come from workingcitizens; others were written by notable figures: John Glenn, ElvisPresley, Walt Disney, Ho Chi Minh, Nikita Kruschev, Upton Sinclair,John Steinbeck, Robert Kennedy, and many more. Grouped thematically, the sections cover such topics as civilrights, the Cold War, physical fitness, joblessness, World War II,western expansion, and the space race. An

John Julius Norwich’s A History of Venice has been dubbed“indispensable” by none other than Jan Morris. Now, in his secondbook on the city once known as La Serenissima, Norwich advances thestory in this elegant chronicle of a hundred years of Venice’shighs and lows, from its ignominious capture by Napoleon in 1797 tothe dawn of the 20th century. An obligatory stop on the Grand Tour for any cultured Englishman(and, later, Americans), Venice limped into the 19th century–firstunder the yoke of France, then as an outpost of the AustrianHapsburgs, stripped of riches yet indelibly the most ravishing cityin Italy. Even when subsumed into a unified Italy in 1866, itremained a magnet for aesthetes of all stripes–subject or settingof books by Ruskin and James, a muse to poets and musicians, in itsway the most gracious courtesan of all European cities. Byrefracting images of Venice through the visits of such extravagant(and sometimes debauched) artists as Lord Byron, Richard Wagner,and the inimi

The Watergate scandal began with a break-in at the office ofthe Democratic National Committee at the Watergate Hotel on June17, 1971, and ended when President Gerald Ford granted Richard M.Nixon a pardon on September 8, 1974, one month after Nixon resignedfrom office in disgrace. Effectively removed from the reach ofprosecutors, Nixon returned to California, uncontrite andunconvicted, convinced that time would exonerate him of anywrongdoing and certain that history would remember his greataccomplishments—the opening of China and the winding down of theVietnam War—and forget his “mistake,” the “pipsqueak thing” calledWatergate. In 1977, three years after his resignation, Nixon agreed to aseries of interviews with television personality David Frost.Conducted over twelve days, they resulted in twenty-eight hours oftaped material, which were aired on prime-time television andwatched by more than 50 million people worldwide. Nixon, a skilledlawyer by training, was paid $1 million for the i

Before writing his award-winning Going After Cacciato ,Tim O'Brien gave us this intensely personal account of his year asa foot soldier in Vietnam. The author takes us with him toexperience combat from behind an infantryman's rifle, to walk theminefields of My Lai, to crawl into the ghostly tunnels, and toexplore the ambiguities of manhood and morality in a war goneterribly wrong. Beautifully written and searingly heartfelt, IfI Die in a Combat Zone is a masterwork of its genre.

In The Fatal Englishman, his first work of nonfiction,Sebastian Faulks explores the lives of three remarkable men. Eachhad the seeds of greatness; each was a beacon to his generation andleft something of value behind; yet each one died tragicallyyoung. Christopher Wood, only twenty-nine when he killed himself, was apainter who lived most of his short life in the beau monde of 1920sParis, where his charm, good looks, and the dissolute life thatfollowed them sometimes frustrated his ambition and achievement asan artist. Richard Hillary was a WWII fighter pilot who wrote a classicaccount of his experiences, The Last Enemy, but died in a mysterious trainingaccident while defying doctor’s orders to stay grounded afterhorrific burn injuries; he was twenty-three. Jeremy Wolfenden, hailed by his contemporaries as the brightestEnglishman of his generation, rejected the call of academia to become a hackjournalist in Cold War Moscow. A spy, alcoholic, and openhomosexual at a time when su

NATIONAL BESTSELLER The three Great Premises of Idiot America: · Any theory is valid if it sells books, soaks up ratings, orotherwise moves units · Anything can be true if someone says it loudly enough · Fact is that which enough people believe. Truth is determinedby how fervently they believe it With his trademark wit and insight, veteran journalist CharlesPierce delivers a gut-wrenching, side-splitting lament about theglorification of ignorance in the United States. Pierce asks how a country founded on intellectual curiosity hassomehow deteriorated into a nation of simpletons more apt to votefor an American Idol contestant than a presidential candidate. Buthis thunderous denunciation is also a secret call to action, as hehopes that somehow, being intelligent will stop being a stigma, andthat pinheads will once again be pitied, not celebrated. Eruditeand razor-sharp, Idiot America is at once an invigorating historylesson, a cutting cultural critique, and a bullis

This is the story of a small group of soldiers from the 101stAirborne Division’s fabled 502nd Infantry Regiment—a unit known as“the Black Heart Brigade.” Deployed in late 2005 to Iraq’sso-called Triangle of Death, a veritable meat grinder just south ofBaghdad, the Black Hearts found themselves in arguably thecountry’s most dangerous location at its most dangerous time. Hit by near-daily mortars, gunfire, and roadside bomb attacks,suffering from a particularly heavy death toll, and enduring achronic breakdown in leadership, members of one Black Heartplatoon—1st Platoon, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion—descended, overtheir year-long tour of duty, into a tailspin of poor discipline,substance abuse, and brutality. Four 1st Platoon soldiers would perpetrate one of the mostheinous war crimes U.S. forces have committed during the IraqWar—the rape of a fourteen-year-old Iraqi girl and the cold-bloodedexecution of her and her family. Three other 1st Platoon soldierswould be overrun at

Between 1850 and 1900, Boston underwent a stunningmetamorphosis from an insulated New England town into one of theworld’s great metropolises—one that achieved worldwide prominencein politics, medicine, education, science, social activism,literature, commerce, and transportation. In A City So Grand, Stephen Puleo chronicles this remarkableperiod in Boston’s history. He takes readers through the ferocityof the abolitionist movement of the 1850s, the thirty-five-yearengineering and city-planning feat of the Back Bay project,Boston’s explosion in size through immigration and annexation, thedevastating Great Fire of 1872, and the glorious opening ofAmerica’s first subway station in 1897. This lively journey paintsa portrait of a half century of progress, leadership, andinfluence.

By the world-renowned novelist, playwright, critic, and authorof Wizard of the Crow, an evocative and affecting memoir ofchildhood. Ngugi wa Thiong’o was born in 1938 in rural Kenya to a fatherwhose four wives bore him more than a score of children. The manwho would become one of Africa’s leading writers was the fifthchild of the third wife. Even as World War II affected the lives ofAfricans under British colonial rule in particularly unexpectedways, Ngugi spent his childhood as very much the apple of hismother’s eye before attending school to slake what was thenconsidered a bizarre thirst for learning. In Dreams in a Time of War, Ngugi deftly etches a bygone era,capturing the landscape, the people, and their culture; the socialand political vicissitudes of life under colonialism and war; andthe troubled relationship between an emerging Christianized middleclass and the rural poor. And he shows how the Mau Mau armedstruggle for Kenya’s independence against the British informed noton

Ludwig van Beethoven lay dying in 1827, a young musician namedFerdinand Hiller came to pay his respects to the great composer. Inthose days, it was customary to snip a lock of hair as a keepsake,and this Hiller did a day after Beethoven's death. By the time hewas buried, Beethoven's head had been nearly shorn by the manypeople who similarly had wanted a lasting memento of the great man.Such was his powerful effect on all those who had heard hismusic. For a century, the lock of hair was a treasured Hiller familyrelic, and perhaps was destined to end up sequestered in a bankvault, until it somehow found its way to the town of Gilleleje, inNazi-occupied Denmark, during the darkest days of the Second WorldWar. There, it was given to a local doctor, Kay Fremming, who wasdeeply involved in the effort to help save hundreds of hunted andfrightened Jews. Who gave him the hair, and why? And what was thefate of those refugees, holed up in the attic of Gilleleje'schurch? After Fremming's death, his d

A brilliant new approach to the Constitution and courts of the United States by Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.For Justice Breyer, the Constitution s primary role is to preserve and encouragewhat he calls active liberty : citizen participation in shaping government and its laws. As this book argues, promoting active liberty requires judicial modesty and deference to Congress; it also means recognizing the changing needs and demands of the populace. Indeed, the Constitution s lasting brilliance is that its principles may be adapted to cope with unanticipated situations, and Breyer makes a powerful case against treating it as a static guide intended for a world that is dead and gone. Using contemporary examples from federalism to privacy to affirmative action, this is a vital contribution to the ongoing debate over the role and power of our courts.

As a senior foreign correspondent for The Times ofLondon, Janine di Giovanni was a firsthand witness to the brutaland protracted break-up of Yugoslavia. With unflinchingsensitivity, Madness Visible follows the arc of the wars inthe Balkans through the experience of those caught up in them:soldiers numbed by the atrocities they commit, women driven todespair by their life in paramilitary rape camps, civilians (diGiovanni among them) caught in bombing raids of uncertain origin,babies murdered in hate-induced rage. Di Giovanni’s searing memoir examines the turmoil of the Balkansin acute detail, and uncovers the motives of the leaders whocreated hell on earth; it raises challenging questions about ethnicconflict and the responsibilities of foreign governments in timesof mass murder. Perceptive and compelling, this unique work ofreportage from the physical and psychological front lines makes themadness of war wholly visible.

In this classic study, Pulitzer Prize-winning author James M.McPherson deftly narrates the experience of blacks--former slavesand soldiers, preachers, visionaries, doctors, intellectuals, andcommon people--during the Civil War. Drawing on contemporaryjournalism, speeches, books, and letters, he presents an eclecticchronicle of their fears and hopes as well as their essentialcontributions to their own freedom. Through the words of theseextraordinary participants, both Northern and Southern, McPhersoncaptures African-American responses to emancipation, the shiftingattitudes toward Lincoln and the life of black soldiers in theUnion army. Above all, we are allowed to witness the dreams of adisenfranchised people eager to embrace the rights and the equalityoffered to them, finally, as citizens.

"Calm Birth is a sublime gift to all of us. It contains theblueprint for reconnecting with birth wisdom on all levels. Readingthough this book and doing the practices will transform the birthprocess and imprint a peaceful beginning on both mother and child.The positive impact of this on society can’t beoverestimated."-Christiane Northrup, MD, author of Mother-DaughterWisdom, The Wisdom of Menopause and Women’s Bodies, Women’sWisdom"Calm Birth: New Method of Conscious Childbirth successfullybridges ancient feminine healing wisdom and meditation tocontemporary birth practices…This book is a must for anyoneinterested in childbirth."- Barbara Findeisen, MFT, president ofthe Association fo Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health

Ernest Furgurson, author of Ashes of Glory and Chancellorsville 1863 , brings his talents to a pivotal andoften neglected Civil War battle–the fierce, unremitting slaughterat Cold Harbor, Virginia, which ended the lives of 10,000 Unionsoldiers. In June of 1864, the Army of the Potomac attacked heavilyentrenched Confederate forces outside of Richmond, hoping to breakthe strength of Robert E. Lee and take the capital. Facing almostcertain death, Union soldiers pinned their names to their uniformsin the forlorn hope that their bodies would be identified andburied. Furgurson sheds new light on the personal conflicts thatled to Grant’s worst defeat and argues that it was a watershedmoment in the war. Offering a panorama rich in detail and revealinganecdotes that brings the dark days of the campaign to life, NotWar But Murder is historical narrative as compelling as anynovel.

Sherman's March is the vivid narrative of General William T.Sherman's devastating sweep through Georgia and the Carolinas inthe closing days of the Civil War. Weaving together hundreds ofeyewitness stories, Burke Davis graphically brings to life thedramatic experiences of the 65,000 Federal troops who plunderedtheir way through the South and those of the anguished -- and oftendefiant -- Confederate women and men who sought to protectthemselves and their family treasures, usually in vain. Dominatingthese events is the general himself -- "Uncle Billy" to his troops,the devil incarnate to the Southerners he encountered.

The Ultimate Guide to Surviving and Thriving in the Dorm Dorm life offers you a great chance to meet new people and trynew things. But leaving the comforts of home for the first time toenter the roommate-having, small-room-sharing,possibly-coed-bathroom-using world of the dorms can be overwhelmingand intimidating. The College Dorm Survival Guide offers expert advice and theinside scoop on: ? Choosing the right residence hall for you ? Getting along with your roommate (and handling conflict) ? Bathroom, laundry, and dining hall survival ? Dealing with stress, depression, and safety issues From avoiding the dreaded Freshman 15 to decorating your space,this informative and funny guide gives experts' advice oneverything you need to know to enjoy dorm living to thefullest.

David Kenyon Webster’s memoir is a clear-eyed, emotionallycharged chronicle of youth, camaraderie, and the chaos of war.Relying on his own letters home and recollections he penned justafter his discharge, Webster gives a first hand account of life in E Company, 101st Airborne Division , crafting a memoir thatresonates with the immediacy of a gripping novel. From the beaches of Normandy to the blood-dimmed battlefields ofHolland, here are acts of courage and cowardice, moments ofirritating boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror, andpitched urban warfare. Offering a remarkable snapshot of what itwas like to enter Germany in the last days of World War II, Websterpresents a vivid, varied cast of young paratroopers from all walksof life, and unforgettable glimpses of enemy soldiers and haplesscivilians caught up in the melee. Parachute Infantry is at onceharsh and moving, boisterous and tragic, and stands today as anunsurpassed chronicle of war--how men fight it, survive it, andremember it.

Building on the science of nutrition that she outlined in herbestselling book, Potatoes Not Prozac , Dr. KathleenDesMaisons now presents the first complete, in-depth dietary planfor living with–and healing–sugar sensitivity. She explains exactlyhow you can free your mind and body from the tyranny of sugar andshake off the exhaustion, mental fogginess, and mood swings thatsugar dependence causes. Revealing the various ways sugar addictionaffects both men and women, and the unique methods for healing it,Dr. DesMaisons encourages you to custom-tailor her simple programto fit your lifestyle and includes information on ? How to integrate a “slow-carbs not low-carbs” strategy into yourdiet ? Why regular protein is essential and how to get it with everymeal ? What to eat when a sugar craving strikes ? How to get the nutrition you need on the run–even at fast-foodrestaurants ? How to find an exercise program you’ll enjoy ? Ten breakfasts you can prepare in a flash ? Menus and recipes for every lifestyl

David Dornstein was twenty-five years old, with dreams ofbecoming a great writer, when he boarded Pan Am Flight 103 onDecember 21, 1988. Thirty-eight minutes after takeoff, a terroristbomb ripped the plane apart over Lockerbie, Scotland. Almost adecade later, Ken Dornstein set out to solve the riddle of hisolder brother’s life, using the notebooks and manu*s thatDavid left behind. In the process, he also began to create a newlife of his own. The Boy Who Fell Out of the Sky is theunforgettable story of one man’s search for the truth about hisbrother--and himself.

They invented slums. They invented child labor. They putSaddam Hussein in power. They burned Joan of Arc at the stake, andthey enslaved the globe to get their tea fix. We're talking aboutEngland, of course, and the terrible evils they've set loose on theworld. In The Evil Empire, American author Steven Grasse documentsthe 101 worst atrocities of Mother England everything fromfoxhunting to the invention of the concentration camp. With anirreverent mix of historical facts, smart commentary, andred-blooded American arrogance, Grasse offers a devastatingcritique of the country that gave us the machine gun, factorylabor, and the metric system. Publishing just in time for theQueen's birthday (April 21), The Evil Empire is essential readingfor true-blue Americans and others oppressed by the Englishthroughout history.