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All-American Dogs: A History of Presidential Pets from Every Era
by Andrew HagerFrom historian-in-residence at the Presidential Pet Museum, Andrew Hager, comes a fond, fascinating, and often surprising look at the dogs who were the best friends of the presidents, featuring unforgettable photographs.President Biden’s German shepherds, Major and the late Champ, are the latest in a long line of presidential dogs. Dating all the way back to George Washington, dogs have been constant companions to nearly all of America’s presidents. Of the past 46 presidents, 31 have had at least one dog at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.Organized by historical eras, All-American Dogs will take readers through the captivating history of the White House’s four-legged friends, the impact they had on their owner-in-chiefs, and, ultimately, American history. From the assassination of President’s Lincoln’s dog after Lincoln’s own death to President’s Hoover’s Belgian shepherd, King Tut, who helped President Hoover win the election after appearing in a campaign photo, these furry members of the first family often had a lasting impact on the administrations that kept them.As historian-in-residence at the Presidential Pet Museum, Andrew Hager will include original research and rare photographs from the National Archives to trace the history of America’s first dogs. From post-Revolutionary dogs, to Civil War era dogs, to Cold War dogs, Hager will show the differences and similarities of how our nation viewed man’s best friend.Readers will learn not only past presidents’ dogs in each historical era, but also the cultural history of dogs as pets, and the ways in which Americans’ relationships with dogs has evolved over the past two centuries.
Letters of Rainer Maria Rilke, 1910-1926
by Rainer Maria Rilke M. D. Norton Jane Bannard GreeneThis volume of Rilke's letters covers the years from the completion of The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge to Rilke's death in December 1926, nearly five years after he had written the Duino Elegies and the Sonnets to Orpheus, his last major works. There are important letters here to Muzot, Lou Andreas-Salome, to Princess Marie of Thurn and Taxis Hohenlohe, and many others. The most significant of the Wartime Letters: 1914-1921 are also included. An Introduction briefly traces the development of Rilke's work during these years; the Notes provide the necessary framework of biographical details and point up significant references to the poetry.
The North Carolina Roots of African American Literature
by William L. AndrewsThe first African American to publish a book in the South, the author of the first female slave narrative in the United States, the father of black nationalism in America--these and other founders of African American literature have a surprising connection to one another: they all hailed from the state of North Carolina.This collection of poetry, fiction, autobiography, and essays showcases some of the best work of eight influential African American writers from North Carolina during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In his introduction, William L. Andrews explores the reasons why black North Carolinians made such a disproportionate contribution (in quantity and lasting quality) to African American literature as compared to that of other southern states with larger African American populations. The authors in this anthology parlayed both the advantages and disadvantages of their North Carolina beginnings into sophisticated perspectives on the best and the worst of which humanity, in both the South and the North, was capable. They created an African American literary tradition unrivaled by that of any other state in the South. Writers included here are Charles W. Chesnutt, Anna Julia Cooper, David Bryant Fulton, George Moses Horton, Harriet Jacobs, Lunsford Lane, Moses Roper, and David Walker.
Longstreet: The Confederate General Who Defied the South
by Elizabeth VaronA &“compelling portrait&” (Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize–winning author) of the controversial Confederate general who later embraced Reconstruction and became an outcast in the South. It was the most remarkable political about-face in American history. During the Civil War, General James Longstreet fought tenaciously for the Confederacy. He was alongside Lee at Gettysburg (and counseled him not to order the ill-fated attacks on entrenched Union forces there). He won a major Confederate victory at Chickamauga and was seriously wounded during a later battle. After the war, Longstreet moved to New Orleans, where he dramatically changed course. He supported Black voting and joined the newly elected, integrated postwar government in Louisiana. When white supremacists took up arms to oust that government, Longstreet, leading the interracial state militia, did battle against former Confederates. His defiance ignited a firestorm of controversy, as white Southerners branded him a race traitor and blamed him retroactively for the South&’s defeat in the Civil War. Although he was one of the highest-ranking Confederate generals, Longstreet has never been commemorated with statues or other memorials in the South because of his postwar actions in rejecting the Lost Cause mythology and urging racial reconciliation. He is being discovered in the new age of racial reckoning as &“one of the most enduringly relevant voices in American history&” (The Wall Street Journal). This is the first authoritative biography in decades and the first that &“brilliantly creates the wider context for Longstreet&’s career&” (The New York Times).
Messalina: Empress, Adulteress, Libertine: The Story of the Most Notorious Woman of the Roman World
by Honor Cargill-MartinThe shocking and scandalous story of Messalina—the third wife of Emperor Claudius—one of the most controversial women to have inhabited the Roman world.The lubricious image of the Empress Messalina as a ruthless, predatory, and sexually insatiable schemer—derived from the work of male historians such as Tacitus and Suetonius—has taken deep root in the Western imagination. Here, the classicist Honor Cargill-Martin puts this traditional narrative of Messalina to the test. She looks first at Messalina's life as it is recounted in the primary sources, before using material and circumstantial evidence to reconstruct each aspect of Messalina's character: politician, wife, adulteress, and prostitute. Finally, she explores how posterity has memorialized Messalina, whether as artist's muse, epitome of depraved pagan womanhood, or as libertine icon portrayed in literature and film. Cargill-Martin sets out not to entirely rewrite Messalina's history, or to salvage her reputation, but to look at her life in the context of her time and to reclaim the humanity of a life story previously defined by currents of high politics and patriarchy.
The Secret Life of Houdini
by William Kalush Larry SlomanHandcuff King. Escape Artist. International Superstar.Since his death eighty-eight years ago, Harry Houdini's life has been chronicled in books, in film, and on television. Now, in this groundbreaking biography, renowned magic expert William Kalush and bestselling writer Larry Sloman team up to find the man behind the myth. Drawing from millions of pages of research, they describe in vivid detail the passions that drove Houdini to perform ever-more-dangerous feats, his secret life as a spy, and a pernicious plot to subvert his legacy.The Secret Life of Houdini traces the arc of the master magician's life from desperate poverty to worldwide fame--his legacy later threatened by a group of fanatical Spiritualists led by esteemed British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Initiating the reader along the way into the arcane world of professional magic, Kalush and Sloman decode a life based on deception, providing an intimate and riveting portrayal of Houdini, the man and the legend.cian traveled to Germany and Russia and routinely reported his findings. After World War I was successfully concluded, Houdini embarked on a battle of his own. He created a group of disguised field operatives to infiltrate the seamy world of fake spirit mediums. In doing so, Houdini triggered the wrath of fanatical Spiritualists, led by the esteemed British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Death threats became an everyday occurrence, but the group would pose an even greater danger to Houdini's legacy. Rigorously researched, and as exciting as a good thriller, The Secret Life of Houdini traces the arc of the master magician's life from desperate poverty to worldwide legend, initiating the reader along the way into the arcane world of professional magic. In this remarkable book, Kalush and Sloman decode a life based on deception, providing an intimate and riveting portrayal of Houdini, the man and the legend.
The Secret Life of Houdini
by William Kalush Larry SlomanHandcuff King. Escape Artist. International Superstar.Since his death eighty-eight years ago, Harry Houdini's life has been chronicled in books, in film, and on television. Now, in this groundbreaking biography, renowned magic expert William Kalush and bestselling writer Larry Sloman team up to find the man behind the myth. Drawing from millions of pages of research, they describe in vivid detail the passions that drove Houdini to perform ever-more-dangerous feats, his secret life as a spy, and a pernicious plot to subvert his legacy.The Secret Life of Houdini traces the arc of the master magician's life from desperate poverty to worldwide fame--his legacy later threatened by a group of fanatical Spiritualists led by esteemed British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Initiating the reader along the way into the arcane world of professional magic, Kalush and Sloman decode a life based on deception, providing an intimate and riveting portrayal of Houdini, the man and the legend.cian traveled to Germany and Russia and routinely reported his findings. After World War I was successfully concluded, Houdini embarked on a battle of his own. He created a group of disguised field operatives to infiltrate the seamy world of fake spirit mediums. In doing so, Houdini triggered the wrath of fanatical Spiritualists, led by the esteemed British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Death threats became an everyday occurrence, but the group would pose an even greater danger to Houdini's legacy. Rigorously researched, and as exciting as a good thriller, The Secret Life of Houdini traces the arc of the master magician's life from desperate poverty to worldwide legend, initiating the reader along the way into the arcane world of professional magic. In this remarkable book, Kalush and Sloman decode a life based on deception, providing an intimate and riveting portrayal of Houdini, the man and the legend.
The Secret Life of Houdini
by William Kalush Larry SlomanHandcuff King. Escape Artist. International Superstar.Since his death eighty-eight years ago, Harry Houdini's life has been chronicled in books, in film, and on television. Now, in this groundbreaking biography, renowned magic expert William Kalush and bestselling writer Larry Sloman team up to find the man behind the myth. Drawing from millions of pages of research, they describe in vivid detail the passions that drove Houdini to perform ever-more-dangerous feats, his secret life as a spy, and a pernicious plot to subvert his legacy.The Secret Life of Houdini traces the arc of the master magician's life from desperate poverty to worldwide fame--his legacy later threatened by a group of fanatical Spiritualists led by esteemed British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Initiating the reader along the way into the arcane world of professional magic, Kalush and Sloman decode a life based on deception, providing an intimate and riveting portrayal of Houdini, the man and the legend.cian traveled to Germany and Russia and routinely reported his findings. After World War I was successfully concluded, Houdini embarked on a battle of his own. He created a group of disguised field operatives to infiltrate the seamy world of fake spirit mediums. In doing so, Houdini triggered the wrath of fanatical Spiritualists, led by the esteemed British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Death threats became an everyday occurrence, but the group would pose an even greater danger to Houdini's legacy. Rigorously researched, and as exciting as a good thriller, The Secret Life of Houdini traces the arc of the master magician's life from desperate poverty to worldwide legend, initiating the reader along the way into the arcane world of professional magic. In this remarkable book, Kalush and Sloman decode a life based on deception, providing an intimate and riveting portrayal of Houdini, the man and the legend.
The Man Who Saw the Future
by Catherine BlackledgeA spellbinding tale of prophecy, power and politics, this book tells the fascinating story of the 17th-century astrologer William Lilly how his celestial forecasts of the future changed the course of the English Civil War, and the establishment s attempts to silence him.Winter, 1643. Astrologer William Lilly is gazing at a chamber pot. Parliament has asked him to help: will leader John Pym live or die? Using an ancient astrological technique called horary, Lilly predicts Pym will die in eight days time. He is correct.In the pages of his best-selling pamphlets, Lilly enthrals the civil war-torn nation with his uncannily accurate astral forecasts of who will triumph in combat. He advises the New Model Army on when to fight based on his judgement of King Charles I s horoscope; the key battle of Naseby is won with this astrological intelligence. Foreseeing the King s death seals his status as the nation s arch magus. But not everyone is happy with Parliament s new prophet and his enemies begin to plot their revenge. Can Lilly s astonishing gift help him best those in power, and save his profession and his life?With a cast of star-gazers, soldiers and scryers; politicians, priests and prophets, internationally acclaimed author Catherine Blackledge grants a fresh insight into a tumultuous period: illuminating William Lilly s extraordinary life and revealing the secrets of his astonishing foresight.
Nikola Tesla for Kids: His Life, Ideas, and Inventions, with 21 Activities (For Kids series)
by Amy M. O'QuinnNikola Tesla was a physicist, scientist, electrical engineer, and world-renowned inventor whose accomplishments faded into oblivion after his death in 1943. Tesla was undeniably eccentric and compulsive; some considered him to be somewhat of a "mad" scientist. But in reality, he was a visionary. Many of his ideas and inventions that were deemed impossible during his lifetime have since become reality. He was the first to successfully use rotating magnetic fields to create an AC (alternating current) electrical power supply system and induction motor. He is now acknowledged to have invented the radio ahead of Marconi. Among other things, he developed the Tesla coil, an oscillator, generators, fluorescent tubes, neon lights, and a small remote-controlled boat. He helped design the world's first hydroelectric plant at Niagara Falls. Nikola Tesla for Kids is the story of Nikola Tesla's life and ideas, complete with a time line, 21 hands-on activities, and additional resources to better understand his many accomplishments.
A Pima Remembers
by George WebbThe lifestyle of a people, preserved in the memory of a Pima whose life ran from the late 1800s to the Space Age. The universality of man’s eternal hope of betterment is reflected in the wisdom of the Pimas:So now I hopeYou will striveTo make this dayThe best in your life.George Webb. “…a book which seems to have grown right out of the Arizona earth—anecdotal, almost artless in its directness, but having the impact of reality…a flavorsome re-creation of things past in the life of a friendly, generous people.”— The New York Times“George Webb’s gentle recollections of his childhood and Pima Indian lifeways will doubtless endure forever. This deeply moving autobiography is the perfect introduction for younger Pimas to their culture and history.” —Arizona Highways“This extraordinarily pleasant and amiable narrative wakes vivid an ancient and happy way of life”—Oliver LaFarge
White Heat
by Brenda WineappleWhite Heat is the first book to portray the remarkable relationship between America's most beloved poet and the fiery abolitionist who first brought her work to the public. As the Civil War raged, an unlikely friendship was born between the reclusive poet Emily Dickinson and Thomas Wentworth Higginson, a literary figure who ran guns to Kansas and commanded the first Union regiment of black soldiers. When Dickinson sent Higginson four of her poems he realized he had encountered a wholly original genius; their intense correspondence continued for the next quarter century. In White Heat Brenda Wineapple tells an extraordinary story about poetry, politics, and love, one that sheds new light on her subjects and on the roiling America they shared. From the Trade Paperback edition.
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
by Vincent StarrettAn indispensable biography of the world&’s most famous detective from Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Vincent Starrett In a boarding house at 221B Baker Street, a genius is at work. With the help of his tireless companion, Dr. Watson, the peerless Sherlock Holmes solves one impossible mystery after the next. Many of his adventures, such as &“The Hound of the Baskervilles&” and &“The Red-Headed League,&” are world famous, while others, including &“The Adventure of the Tired Captain&” and &“The Singular Affair of the Aluminum Crutch,&” remain strictly private, simply because Watson cannot find the time to write them down. This glimpse into the secret case files of England&’s greatest detective is just one of the fascinating tidbits included in Vincent Starrett&’s landmark book of Sherlockiana. A founding member of the Baker Street Irregulars, Starrett enriches his meticulous research with a true fan&’s delight. Whether he is discussing Arthur Conan Doyle&’s real-life criminal investigations or detailing the layout of 221B Baker Street and its surrounding neighborhood, Starrett&’s deep appreciation for the stories and their inimitable hero is infectious. Countless companion volumes to the series have been published, but none offers as much insight and entertainment as The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes does. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Ernst Lubitsch: Laughter in Paradise
by Scott Eyman"Highly recommended" (Library Journal): The only full-length biography of legendary film director Ernst Lubitsch, the director of such Hollywood classics as Trouble in Paradise, Ninotchka, and The Shop Around the Corner.In this groundbreaking biography of Ernst Lubitsch, undeniably one of the most important and influential film directors and artists of all time, critic and biographer Scott Eyman, author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller John Wayne, examines not just the films Lubitsch created, but explores as well the life of the man, a life full of both great successes and overwhelming insecurities. The result is a fascinating look at a man and an era--Hollywood's Golden Age. Born in Berlin and transported to Hollywood in the 1920s with the help of Mary Pickford, Lubitsch brought with him a level of sophistication and subtlety previously unknown to American movie audiences. He was quickly established as a director of unique quality and distinction. He captivated audiences with his unique "touch," creating a world of fantasy in which men are tall and handsome (unlike Lubitsch himself) and humorously adept at getting women into bed, and where all the women are beautiful and charming and capable of giving as well as receiving love. He revived the flagging career of Marlene Dietrich and, in Ninotchka, created Greta Garbo's most successful film. When movie buffs speak of "the Lubitsch touch," they refer to a sense of style and taste, humor and humanity that defined the films of one of Hollywood's all-time great directors. In the history of the medium, no one has ever quite equaled his unique talent. Written with the cooperation of an extraordinary ensemble of eyewitnesses, and unprecedented access to the files of Paramount Pictures, this is an enthralling biography as rich and diverse as its subject--sure to please film buffs of all types, especially those who champion Lubitsch as one of the greatest filmmakers ever.
Diario 1887-1910
by Jules RenardJules Renard comenzó a escribir su Diario con apenas veinte años. Una obra personal que lo acompañó a lo largo de su vida y lo consagró póstumamente como uno de los autores más sobresalientes del siglo XX. Su enorme influencia entre una pléyade de escritores de varias generaciones se debe a la radical modernidad de su Diario, escrito de un moralista que, sin perdonar las vivisecciones de la sociedad literaria, política y cultural de su tiempo, concentró lo mejor de su talento en el análisis penetrante y despiadado de su propio carácter, sus méritos y debilidades, sus ambiciones y contradicciones. Jules Renard se propuso como espejo de todos los hombres, como tema central de una obra autobiográfica que se erige, a su vez, como un arte poética.La esposa de Renard censuró y quemó muchos de los pasajes del texto original, por lo que la primera publicación del Diario, en 1925, representa tan solo la mitad de la obra. La presente edición es una antología esencial, una cuidada selección de estos escritos, prodigios de humor y lucidez de un maestro indiscutible de la palabra.
The Maverick: George Weidenfeld and the Golden Age of Publishing
by Thomas HardingThe captivating story of the famed publisher George Weidenfeld, from his struggles as an Austrian-Jewish refugee in London to his rise as a world-renowned literary figure. After arriving in London just before World War Two as a penniless Austrian-Jewish refugee, George Weidenfeld went on to transform not only the world of publishing but the culture of ideas. The books that he published include momentous titles such as Lolita, Double Helix, The Group, and The Hedgehog and the Fox, with authors he championed ranging from Joan Didion, Mary McCarthy, JD Salinger, and Edna O&’Brien to Henry Miller, Harold Wilson, Saul Bellow, and Henry Kissinger. His role as publisher brought him into the orbit of influential figures such as George Bush, Ann Getty, Donald Trump, and LBJ. In this first biography, Thomas Harding provides a full, unvarnished, and at times difficult history of this complex and fascinating character. Throughout his long career, he was written about in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Time Magazine, Vanity Fair, and other publications. Was he, as described by some, the &“greatest salesperson,&” &“the world&’s best networker,&” &“the publisher&’s publisher,&” and &“a great intellectual&”? Was his lifelong effort to be the world&’s most famous host a cover for his desperate loneliness? Who, in fact, was the real George Weidenfeld and how did he rise so successfully within the ranks of New York and London society? Drawing on author correspondence, internal memos, and other documents buried deep in the secret publishing files of Weidenfeld & Nicolson, Harding crafts a portrait of the publisher's life that is inextricable from the efforts and intricacies of putting a book into the world. Structured around twenty books associated with George Weidenfeld, and intercut with explorations of contemporary concerns such as cancel culture, the right to publish, freedom of speech, and separating the art from the artist, The Maverick tells the captivating story behind the life of this iconic publisher.
The Maverick: George Weidenfeld and the Golden Age of Publishing
by Thomas HardingBorn into a Jewish family in Vienna in 1919, George Weidenfeld fled to England in 1938 to escape the Nazi regime. There he began a career in publishing that would make him one of the most influential figures in the industry. Over the course of his long and illustrious career he championed some of the most important voices of the twentieth century, from Vladimir Nabokov, Mary McCarthy and Saul Bellow to Harold Wilson, Isaiah Berlin and Henry Kissinger.But what do we know about the man himself? Was he, as described by some, the 'greatest salesperson', 'the world's best networker', 'the publisher's publisher' and 'a great intellectual'? Was his lifelong effort to be the world's most famous host a cover for his desperate loneliness? Who, in fact, was the real George Weidenfeld and how did he rise so successfully within the ranks of London and New York society? Providing a full, unvarnished and at times difficult history of this complex man, this first biography of a titan of culture is also a story of resilience, determination and the power of ideas to shape history.
The Men Who Would Be King: The Courtships of Queen Elizabeth I
by Josephine Ross“Splendid stuff, ‘history with attitude.’ Written with energy and aplomb.” —The Times (London)The colorful, often tempestuous courtships of Queen Elizabeth I of England (the “virgin Queen”) are brought to breathtaking life in The Men Who Would Be King, a thrilling, utterly fascinating popular history by Josephine Ross. The highly respected author of The Winter Queen and The Tudors, Ross captures all the splendors of the royal court, and all the delicious intrigues surrounding the romances of the powerful daughter of King Henry VIII during her glorious reign. The Men Who Would Be King is spirited British history, captivating and eminently readable, that will equally delight fans of historical nonfiction, Tudor aficionados, and anyone who loves the bestselling novels of Philippa Gregory.
A mis mejores amigos no los he visto nunca: Cartas y ensayos selectos
by Raymond ChandlerUn viaje excepcional al mundo de Chandler, marcado por la genialidad, el alcoholismo, la soledad y la visión crítica de la industria del cine. Una lectura fundamental para los fans del género. A mis mejores amigos no los he visto nunca recoge una amplísima selección de la correspondencia y la obra periodística de Raymond Chandler, y constituye como tal un volumen inédito. Aquí se desvelan sus reflexiones literarias, que se caracterizan por un gran sentido del humor, los secretos de su personalidad siempre al borde del abismo, su intuición artística, su curiosidad intelectual y su tormentosa relación con Hollywood. La primera parte del libro es una antología de sus cartas a amigos, editores, agentes y colegas que se lee como una fascinante biografía. La segunda parte consiste en una decena de artículos escritos para la prensa -varios nunca antes traducidos- , que retratan su cambiante visión del mundo a lo largo de los años. Reseña:La obra de Chandler me parece tan imprescindible literariamente como pueda serlo la de Hemingway o Scott Fitzgerald.»Manuel Vázquez Montalbán
The Comstocks of Cornell: John Henry Comstock and Anna Botsford Comstock
by Anna Botsford ComstockThe Comstocks of Cornell is the autobiography written by naturalist educator Anna Botsford Comstock about her life and her husband's, entomologist John Henry Comstock—both prominent figures in the scientific community and in Cornell University history.A first edition was published in 1953, but it omitted key Cornellians, historical anecdotes, and personal insights. Karen Penders St. Clair's twenty-first century edition returns Mrs. Comstock's voice to her book by rekeying her entire manuscript as she wrote it, and preserving the memories of the personal and professional lives of the Comstocks that she had originally intended to share. The book includes a complete epilogue of the Comstocks' last years and fills in gaps from the 1953 edition. Described as serious legacy work, the book is an essential part of Cornell University history and an important piece of Cornell University Press history.
The Autobiography of Charles Darwin: Super Large Print Edition Of The Classic Memoir For Low Vision Readers (Barnes And Noble Library Of Essential Reading Series)
by Charles DarwinA small collection of letters written by that most famous of English naturalists, Charles Darwin. The letters cover subjects such as his marriage, his time at Cambridge, his 'Voyage of the Beagle', and his return to England.
Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant: Volumes One and Two (Barnes And Noble Library Of Essential Reading)
by Ulysses S. GrantThe celebrated remembrances of the man who led the Union to victory during the Civil WarCompleted just days before his death, Grant&’s Personal Memoirs is a clear and compelling account of his military career, focusing on two great conflicts: the Mexican-American War and the Civil War. Lauded for its crisp and direct prose, Grant&’s autobiography offers frank insight into everything from the merits of the war with Mexico to the strategies and tactics employed by Union forces against the Confederacy to the poignancy of Grant&’s meeting with General Lee at Appomattox Court House.Beloved and bestselling since its publication in 1885, Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant is a seminal work of military history and one of the great achievements of American autobiography.This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Se-Quo-Yah
by George Everett FosterPublished in 1885, this is the biography of famed Cherokee Indian, Se-Quo-Yah, the inventor of the Cherokee alphabet.
They Gave Me a Seafire
by Commander R. "Mike" Crosley&“Superb . . . one of the most honest, candid, and truly delightful memoirs . . . the perfect memorial to one of the Fleet Air Arm&’s greats.&”—Aircrew Book Review A classic in every sense of the word, this book charts Commander R. &“Mike&” Crosley&’s service career in the Fleet Air Arm during the entire period of the Second World War. Part of his service saw him in action aboard HMS Eagle, flying Sea Hurricanes on the Harpoon and Pedestal Malta convoys of June and August 1942. It was during this time that he shot down his first enemy aircraft and survived the dramatic sinking of HMS Eagle. From there he graduated on to Seafires, (the Naval equivalent of the Spitfire), and flew this type in Combat Air Patrols over Norway and ramrod strikes from Operation Torch (the invasion of French North Africa in November 1942), through to D-Day in June 1944 in the European Theatre of Operations, and then in the Pacific abroad HMS Implacable as part of the British Pacific Fleet in 1945 until the end of the Pacific War, by which time he had command of his own combined squadron, 801 and 880. They Gave Me a Seafire sets to bring the endeavors of Crosley to a whole new generation of enthusiasts, and it should appeal across the board to fans of aviation, naval history and families and friends of Armed Forces, past and present. &“The fascinating publication details Mike&’s incredible capacity for survival, and sheer skill as a pilot, which were remarked on at the time, securing him a number of decorations.&”—Island Life Magazine
Oscar Wilde in America: The Interviews
by Gary Scharnhorst Matthew Hofer Oscar WildeBetter known in 1882 as a cultural icon than a serious writer, Oscar Wilde was brought to North America for a major lecture tour on Aestheticism and the decorative arts. With characteristic aplomb, he adopted the role as the ambassador of Aestheticism, and he tried out a number of phrases, ideas, and strategies that ultimately made him famous as a novelist and playwright. This exceptional volume cites all ninety-one of Wilde's interviews and contains transcripts of forty-eight of them, and it also includes his lecture on his travels in America.