From transforming the ways of war to offering godlike views ofinaccessible spots, revolutionizing rescues worldwide, andproviding some of our most-watched TV moments—including the cloudof newscopters that trailed O. J. Simpson’s Bronco—the helicopteris far more capable than early inventors expected. Now James Chilesprofiles the many helicoptrians who contributed to the developmentof this amazing machine, and pays tribute to the selfless heroismof pilots and crews. A virtual flying lesson and scientificadventure tale, The God Machine is more than the history of aninvention; it is a journey into the minds of imaginative thinkersand a fascinating look at the ways they changed our world.
Forever a Soldier captures the personal side of war in 37extraordinary narratives that bear eloquent witness to both thelife-changing experience of battle and to the unflagging spiritthat sustained countless ordinary Americans plunged into the bloodyconflicts of the deadliest, most destructive century in humanhistory. Culled from letters, diaries, private memoirs, and oralhistories collected by the Library of Congress Veterans HistoryProject, their stories paint an unforgettable group portrait of ourcountry's armed forces. Some tell of frontline action: a doughboy's 1918 baptism of fire: abattleship gunner's grim duel with Japanese planes; a femalefighter pilot's capture by Iraqis during the Gulf War. Others evokemoments of relief and reflection, or recall deeply moving episodes:two wounded soldiers—one German, one American—clasping hands in thewordless brotherhood of pain; a POW whose faith gave him thestrength to endure torture in the notorious "Hanoi Hilton;" a GI'slifelong grief for a buddy killed o
Whether he is evoking the blind carnage of the Tet offensive,the theatrics of his fellow Americans, or the unraveling of his ownillusions, Wolff brings to this work the same uncanny eye fordetail, pitiless candor and mordant wit that made This Boy's Life amodern classic.
The story of Jason and the Argonauts and Homer’s tales ofUlysses are among the greatest ancient epics, but are they merelynautical legends or true stories? Mauricio Obregón has combed through classical texts, focusing onthe smallest details, and with his intimate knowledge of historicalnavigation, brilliantly reenacts the voyages the ancient heroesactually traveled. Using the clues embedded in these epic tales,Obregón deftly argues that many of the legends are not merelyfiction, but are, quite possibly, true adventures.
In his writing, Borges always combined high seriousness with awicked sense of fun. Here he reveals his delight in re-creating (ormaking up) colorful stories from the Orient, the Islamic world, andthe Wild West, as well as his horrified fascination with knifefights, political and personal betrayal, and bloodthirsty revenge.Spark-ling with the sheer exuberant pleasure of story-telling, thiscollection marked the emergence of an utterly distinctive literaryvoice.
What ties Americans to one another? What unifies a nation ofcitizens with different racial, religious and ethnic backgrounds?These were the dilemmas faced by Americans in the eighteenth andnineteenth centuries as they sought ways to bind the newly UnitedStates together. In A is for American, award-winning historian Jill Leporeportrays seven men who turned to language to help shape a newnation’s character and boundaries. From Noah Webster’s attempts tostandardize American spelling, to Alexander Graham Bell’s use of“Visible Speech” to help teach the deaf to talk, to Sequoyah’sdevelopment of a Cherokee syllabary as a means of preserving hispeople’s independence, these stories form a compelling portrait ofa developing nation’s struggles. Lepore brilliantly explores thepersonalities, work, and influence of these figures, seven mendriven by radically different aims and temperaments. Through thesesuperbly told stories, she chronicles the challenges faced by ayoung country trying to unify
On April 10, 1970, Hill 927 was occupied by troopers of theScreaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne Division. By July, theactivities of the artillery and infantry of Ripcord had caught theattention of the NVA (North Vietnamese Army) and a long and deadlysiege ensued. Ripcord was the Screaming Eagles’ last chance to dosignificant damage to the NVA in the A Shau Valley before thedivision was withdrawn from Vietnam and returned to the UnitedStates. At Ripcord, the enemy counterattacked with ferocity, using mortarand antiaircraft fire to inflict heavy causalities on the unitsoperating there. The battle lasted four and a half months andexemplified the ultimate frustration of the Vietnam War: theinability of the American military to bring to bear its enormousresources to win on the battlefield. In the end, the 101stevacuated Ripcord, leaving the NVA in control of the battlefield.Contrary to the mantra “We won every battle but lost the war,” theUnited States was defeated at Ripcord. Now, at last, th
The First Battle is a graphic account of the first major clashof the Vietnam War. On August 18, 1965, regiment fought regiment onthe Van Tuong Peninsula near the new Marine base at Chu Lai. On theAmerican side were three battalions of Marines under the command ofColonel Oscar Peatross, a hero of two previous wars. His opponentwas the 1st Viet Cong Regiment commanded by Nguyen Dinh Trong, aveteran of many fights against the French and the South Vietnamese.Codenamed Operation Starlite, this action was a resounding successfor the Marines and its result was cause for great optimism aboutAmerica's future in Vietnam. Those expecting a book about Americansin battle will not be disappointed by the detailed de*ions ofhow the fight unfolded. Marine participants from private to colonelwere interviewed during the book's research phase. The battle isseen from the mud level, by those who were at the point of thespear. But this is not just another war story told exclusively fromthe American side. In researching the book, t
He's silent, invisible. He lies in one position for days, barelytwitching a muscle, able to control his heartbeat and breathing.His record has never been matched: 93 confirmed kills. This is thestory of Sergeant Carlos Hathcock, Marine sniper, legend ofmilitary lore. **MASS MARKET PAPER**
