For history buffs, students, and anyone interested in the 20thcentury, this book reveals why World War I began, explores the"guns of August," describes the horrors of trench warfare and thefirst uses of poison gas, and explains why the Americans were soslow to enter the war. From the eastern front to the west, fromGallipoli to the Marne, from the Lafayette Escadrillo to Lawrencefo Arabia, the book tells the whole story of "the war to end allwars.
An enormously entertaining account of contemporary France fromthe former Paris bureau chief of The New York Times. Bernsteincombines personal memoir, informed observation, and news-houndcuriosity to offer a stirring and unforgettable panaorama ofFrance--at times exalted, troubling, and occasionally absurd.
Hailed on publication in 1957 as "probably the only book published this year that will outlive the century," this is a brilliant of the idea that there are fixed laws in history and that human beings are able to predict them.
From the moment that Master and Commander, the first ofPatrick O'Brian's sequence of 20 novels about the 19th centuryBritish Royal Navy officer Jack Aubrey and his surgeon colleagueStephen Maturin, was published in 1970, critics hailed his work asa masterpiece of historical recreation. Called "the best historicalnovels ever written" by The New York Times, the books have soldmore than 3 million copies. This first full-color illustratedcompanion to the Aubrey-Maturin series, timed to benefit from therelease of the blockbuster Twentieth-Century Fox film adaptationstarring Russell Crowe, explains the fascinating physical detailsof Jack Aubrey's fictional world. An in-depth historical reference,it brings to life the political, cultural, and physical setting ofO'Brian's novels. Annotated drawings, paintings, and diagramsreveal the complex parts of a ship and its rigging, weaponry, crewquarters and duties, below-deck conditions, and fighting tactics,while maps illustrate the location featured in each novel.
Mark Kurlansky, the bestselling author of Cod and The Basque History of the World , here turns his attention toa common household item with a long and intriguing history: salt.The only rock we eat, salt has shaped civilization from the verybeginning, and its story is a glittering, often surprising part ofthe history of humankind. A substance so valuable it served ascurrency, salt has influenced the establishment of trade routes andcities, provoked and financed wars, secured empires, and inspiredrevolutions. Populated by colorful characters and filled with anunending series of fascinating details, Kurlansky's kaleidoscopichistory is a supremely entertaining, multi-layered masterpiece.
Includes the complete texts of Common Sense; Rights ofMan, Part the Second; The Age of Reason (part one); FourLetters on Interesting Subjects , published anonymously and justdiscovered to be Paine’s work; and Letter to the AbbéRaynal, Paine’s first examination of world events; as well asselections from The American Crises In 1776, America was a hotbed of enlightenment and revolution.Thomas Paine not only spurred his fellow Americans to action butsoon came to symbolize the spirit of the Revolution. His elegantlypersuasive pieces spoke to the hearts and minds of those fightingfor freedom. He was later outlawed in Britain, jailed in France,and finally labeled an atheist upon his return to America.
"The Conspiracy of Catiline" (his first published work)contains the history of the memorable year 63. Sallust adopts theusually accepted view of Catiline, and describes him as thedeliberate foe of law, order and morality, and does not give acomprehensive explanation of his views and intentions. Catiline hadsupported the party of Sulla, to which Sallust was opposed.Sallust's "Jugurthine War" is a valuable and interesting monograph.We may assume that Sallust collected materials and put togethernotes for it during his governorship of Numidia. Here, too, hedwells upon the feebleness of the senate and aristocracy.
On General Douglas MacArthur's orders, a force of 12,000 U.S.Marines were marching north to the Yalu river in late November1950. These three regiments of the 1st Marine Division--strung outalong eighty miles of a narrow mountain road--soon found themselvescompletely surrounded by 60,000 Chinese soldiers. Despite beinggiven up for lost by the military brass, the 1st Marine Divisionfought its way out of the frozen mountains, miraculously takingthier dead and wounded with them as they ran the gauntlet ofunceasing Chinese attacks. This is the gripping story that Martin Russ tells in hisextraordinary book. Breakout is an unforgettable portrayal of theterror and courage of men as they face sudden death, making thebloody battles of the Korean hills and valleys come alive as theynever have before. "Magnificent . . . [Russ] seamlessly weaves the stories of manymen, units and battles, day and night, into a coherentpicture."--Chicago Tribune "Engrossing . . . Vivid, at times
The first true exploration of the myths and realities of thecontroversial Holocaust figure. Spy, businessman, bon vivant, Nazi Party member, RighteousGentile. This was Oskar Schindler, the controversial savior ofalmost 12,000 Jews during the Holocaust who struggled afterwards torebuild his life and gain international recognition for his wartimedeeds. Author David Crowe examines every phase of the subject'slife in this landmark biography, presenting a figure of mythicproportions that one prominent Schindler Jew described as "anextraordinary man in extraordinary times."
Have you ever realized how much of your daily life isinfluenced by the contributions of the Romans? Satire, taxshelters, interstate highways, sports stadiums, health clubs andothers are just a few of the influences we can recognize today. Buthow much do you really know about the origins and history of theRoman Empire? In The Complete Idiot's GuideA (R) to the RomanEmpire you'll learn how the Romans conquered the world, ade*ion of every day life, an in-depth look at Roman society,politics and architecture and an inside look at the famous (andinfamous) Roman emperors.
The Ottoman Empire was one of the largest and most influentialempires in world history. Its reach extended to three continentsand it survived for more than six centuries, but its history is toooften colored by the memory of its bloody final throes on thebattlefields of World War I. In this magisterial work--the firstdefinitive account written for the general reader--renowned scholarand journalist Caroline Finkel lucidly recounts the epic story ofthe Ottoman Empire from its origins in the thirteenth centurythrough its destruction in the twentieth.
One of the real-life heroes featured in HBO(r)'s ThePacific tells his own true story. R.V. Burgin reveals his experiences as a Marine atwar in the Pacific Theater, where Company K confronted snipers,ambushes along narrow jungle trails, abandoned corpses of hara-kirivictims, and howling banzai attacks as they island-hopped from onebloody battle to the next. During his two years of service, Burginrose from a green private to a seasoned sergeant, and earned aBronze Star for his valor at Okinawa. With unforgettable drama and an understated elegance, Burgin'sgripping narrative chronicles the waning days of World War II,bringing to life the hell that was the Pacific War.
From the evacuation of Saigon in 1975 to the end of thetwentieth century, the United States committed its forces to morethan a dozen military operations. Offering a fresh analysis of theIranian hostage rescue attempt, the invasions of Granada andPanama, the first Gulf War, the missions in Somalia and Bosnia, andmore, author and distinguished U.S. naval captain Peter Huchthausenpresents a detailed history of each military engagement througheyewitness accounts, exhaustive research, and his unique insiderperspective as an intelligence expert. This timely and rivetingmilitary history is “a must-read for anyone seeking to understandthe nature of war today” (Stephen Trent Smith).
Robert Greene’s first two groundbreaking guides, The 48 Laws of Power and The Art of Seduction, espouse profound, timeless lessons from events in history to help readers vanquish an enemy or ensnare an unsuspecting victim. Now, with The 33 Strategies of War, Greene has crafted an important new addition to this ruthlessly unique series. Structured in Greene’s trademark style, The 33 Strategies of War is a brilliant distillation of the strategies of battle that can help us gain mastery in the modern world. It is the I Ching of conflict, the contemporary companion to Sun-tzu’s Art of War.
With What's So Great About America , Dinesh D'Souza isnot asking a question, but making a statement. The former WhiteHouse policy analyst and bestselling author argues that in theaftermath of September 11, 2001, American ideals and patriotismshould not be things we shy away from. Instead he offers thegrounds for a solid, well-considered pride in the Western pillarsof "science, democracy and capitalism," while deconstructingarguments from both the political Left and political Right. As an"outsider" from India who has had amazing success in the UnitedStates, D'Souza defends not an idealized America, but America as itreally is, and measures America not against an utopian ideal, butagainst the rest of the world in a provocative, challenging, andpersonal book.
The rivalry that presaged the world’s most tenaciousconflict As the Arab -Israeli conflict continues to plaguethe Middle East, historian Ronald Florence offers extraordinary newinsights on its origins. This is the story of T. E. Lawrence, theyoung British officer who became famous around the world asLawrence of Arabia, Aaron Aaronsohn, an agronomist from Palestine,and the antagonism that divided them over the fate of the dyingOttoman Empire during World War I—a clash of visions that set Arabnationalism and Zionism on a direct collision course thatreverberates to this day.
Completed in 1136, "The History of the Kings of Britain"traces the story of the realm from its supposed foundation byBrutus to the coming of the Saxons some two thousand years later.Vividly portraying legendary and semi-legendary figures such asLear, Cymbeline, Merlin the magician and the most famous of allBritish heroes, King Arthur, it is as much myth as it is historyand its veracity was questioned by other medieval writers. ButGeoffrey of Monmouth's powerful evocation of illustrious men anddeeds captured the imagination of subsequent generations, and hisinfluence can be traced through the works of Malory, Shakespeare,Dryden and Tennyson.
In this "informative and inspiring volume" (Chicago Tribune),Robert Harvey reconstructs in vivid detail the gripping story ofLatin America's independence and those who made it possible.Treated with contempt by their Spanish overlords, given todissipation and grandiose proclamations, these fearless mennonetheless achieved military feats unsurpassed elsewhere inhistory. The aristocratic Simón Bolívar led his guerilla armiesthrough swamp, jungle, and Andean ice to surprise his enemies andliberate most of northern South America. The inarticulate SanMartín joined Bernardo O'Higgins, illegitimate son of a Spanishviceroy, to do the same in the south. These and five others wagedthe war for freedom against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars,the American Revolution, the collapse of the Spanish Empire, andthe revolutionary ferment of the nineteenth century. Despite thesuccess of their revolutions, all seven liberators died in poverty,disgrace, or oblivion. This fascinating and dramatic story takes in a
Pausanias's (c. 143-176) account of every Greek city andsanctuary includes historical introductions and a record of localcustoms and beliefs. This volume describes southern Greece,including Olympia, Sparta, Arcadia, and Bassae
"A splendid history.... If Americans want to be convinced ofthe benefits of empire, as well as apprised of its costs, they needmerely pick up Ferguson's dazzling book." --Weekly Standard The British Empire was the largest in all history: the nearestthing to world domination ever achieved. By the eve of World WarII, around a quarter of the world's land surface was under someform of British rule. Yet for today's generation, the BritishEmpire seems a Victorian irrelevance. The time is ripe for areappraisal, and in Empire, Niall Ferguson boldly recasts theBritish Empire as one of the world's greatest modernizingforces. An important new work of synthesis and revision, Empire arguesthat the world we know today is in large measure the product ofBritain's Age of Empire. The spread of capitalism, thecommunications revolution, the notion of humanitarianism, and theinstitutions of parliamentary democracy-all these can be tracedback to the extraordinary expansion of Britain's economy,population, and cultur
Fascinating real-life facts about the Marines offer acompelling story and a unique insider's view of this hallowedbranch of the Armed Forces and the men and women who serve onAmerica's front lines, in an in-depth look at the United StatesMarine Corps.
