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Captain Kidd and the War against the Pirates
by Robert C. RitchieThe legends that die hardest are those of the romantic outlaw, and those of swashbuckling pirates are surely among the most durable. Swift ships, snug inns, treasures buried by torchlight, palm-fringed beaches, fabulous riches, and, most of all, freedom from the mean life of the laboring man are the stuff of this tradition reinforced by many a novel and film. It is disconcerting to think of such dashing scoundrels as slaves to economic forces, but so they were—as Robert Ritchie demonstrates in this lively history of piracy. He focuses on the shadowy figure of William Kidd, whose career in the late seventeenth century swept him from the Caribbean to New York, to London, to the Indian Ocean before he ended in Newgate prison and on the gallows. Piracy in those days was encouraged by governments that could not afford to maintain a navy in peacetime. Kidd’s most famous voyage was sponsored by some of the most powerful men in England, and even though such patronage granted him extraordinary privileges, it tied him to the political fortunes of the mighty Whig leaders. When their influence waned, the opposition seized upon Kidd as a weapon. Previously sympathetic merchants and shipowners did an about-face too and joined the navy in hunting down Kidd and other pirates. By the early eighteenth century, pirates were on their way to becoming anachronisms. Ritchie’s wide-ranging research has probed this shift in the context of actual voyages, sea fights, and adventures ashore. What sort of men became pirates in the first place, and why did they choose such an occupation? What was life like aboard a pirate ship? How many pirates actually became wealthy? How were they governed? What large forces really caused their downfall? As the saga of the buccaneers unfolds, we see the impact of early modern life: social changes and Anglo-American politics, the English judicial system, colonial empires, rising capitalism, and the maturing bureaucratic state are all interwoven in the story. Best of all, Captain Kidd and the War against the Pirates is an epic of adventure on the high seas and a tale of back-room politics on land that captures the mind and the imagination.
Captain Kidd: A True Story of Treasure and Betrayal
by Samuel MarquisA breakneck adventure of war, romance, and politics in the golden age of piracy.Captain William Kidd stands as one of the most notorious &“pirate&” outlaws ever, but his legend is tainted by a bed of lies. Having captivated imaginations for more than three hundred years and inspired many stories about pirates, troubling questions remain. Was he really a criminal or is the truth more inconvenient: that he was a buccaneer&’s worst nightmare, a revered pirate hunter turned fall guy for scheming politicians? In Captain Kidd, his ninth-great-grandson, bestselling author Samuel Marquis, reveals the real story. Kidd was an English American privateer and leading New York husband and father. The King of England himself dubbed Kidd &“trusty and well-beloved,&” and some historians describe him as a &“worthy, honest-hearted, steadfast, much -enduring sailor&” who was the &“victim of a deliberate travesty of justice.&” With honors far more esteemed than the menacing Blackbeard, or any other sea rover at the turn of the seventeenth century, how can Kidd be considered both gentleman and pirate, both hero and villain? Marquis&’ biography recreates Kidd&’s perilous world of explosive naval warfare and the daring integrity he exemplified as a pirate hunter, as well as the political scandal that entangled Kidd in British–American history, rocking the New World and the Old, and threatening England&’s valuable trade with India. Captain Kidd is both thrilling and tragic. Behind the legend is a real man woven into the tapestry of early America, rendering him a unique colonial hero and scapegoat whose life story was fascinating, exciting, bizarre, and heartrending.
Captain Kidd: The Hunt for the Truth
by Graham A. Thomas Craig Cabell Allan RichardsThe execution of Captain William Kidd on 23 May 1701 is one of the most controversial and revealing episodes in the long history of piracy. The legend that has grown up around Kidds final voyage, his concealed treasure and the dubious conduct of his trial, has made him into one of the most intriguing and misunderstood figures from the golden age of piracy. For either Kidd was a legal privateer or he was a wicked pirate indeed he has been described as one of the most feared pirates to sail the high seas. But his story is complex and ambiguous. This timely new account of Kidds life and seafaring career reassesses the man and his legend it makes compelling reading.
Captain Mac: The Life of Donald Baxter MacMillan, Arctic Explorer
by Mary Morton CowanFrom 1908 until 1954, Donald Baxter MacMillan spent nearly 50 years exploring the Arctic--longer than anyone else. Growing up near the ocean, and orphaned by 12, MacMillan forged an adventurous life. Mary Morton Cowan focuses on the vital role MacMillan played in Robert Peary's 1908-09 North Pole Expedition, as well as his relationships with explorers Peary, Matthew Henson, and Richard Byrd. She follows his long and distinguished career, including daring adventures, contributions to environmental science and to the cultural understanding of eastern Arctic natives. <P><P>Working closely with the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum at Bowdoin College, Cowan showcases many MacMillan documents and archival photographs, many MacMillan's own in this winner of the John Burroughs Nature Books for Young Readers Award.
Captain Marvel and the Art of Nostalgia
by Brian CreminsBilly Batson discovers a secret in a forgotten subway tunnel. There the young man meets a wizard who offers a precious gift: a magic word that will transform the newsboy into a hero. When Billy says, "Shazam!," he becomes Captain Marvel, the World's Mightiest Mortal, one of the most popular comic book characters of the 1940s. This book tells the story of that hero and the writers and artists who created his magical adventures.The saga of Captain Marvel is also that of artist C. C. Beck and writer Otto Binder, one of the most innovative and prolific creative teams working during the Golden Age of comics in the United States. While Beck was the technician and meticulous craftsman, Binder contributed the still, human voice at the heart of Billy's adventures. Later in his career, Beck, like his friend and colleague Will Eisner, developed a theory of comic art expressed in numerous articles, essays, and interviews. A decade after Fawcett Publications settled a copyright infringement lawsuit with Superman's publisher, Beck and Binder became legendary, celebrated figures in comic book fandom of the 1960s.What Beck, Binder, and their readers share in common is a fascination with nostalgia, which has shaped the history of comics and comics scholarship in the United States. Billy Batson's America, with its cartoon villains and talking tigers, remains a living archive of childhood memories, so precious but elusive, as strange and mysterious as the boy's first visit to the subway tunnel. Taking cues from Beck's theories of art and from the growing field of memory studies, Captain Marvel and the Art of Nostalgia explains why we read comics and, more significantly, how we remember them and the America that dreamed them up in the first place.
Captain McCrea's War: The World War II Memoir of Franklin D. Roosevelt's Naval Aide and USS Iowa's First Commanding Officer
by Craig Symonds John L. Mccrea Julia C. TobeyOne of the last memoirs of World War II, from a man who saw the war from both a White House office and the bridge of a warship.Vice Admiral John L. McCrea worked with the president of the United States on difficult and unusual assignments, associated with royalty and world-famous political and military leaders, and he commanded the USS Iowa and a task force in the Pacific. Over the years, many urged him to write a book, and before his passing he finally recorded his reminiscences. Captain McCrea's War captures his amazing tales from the World War II years.After the United States entered the war, McCrea served as a naval aide to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, where he set up the White House Map Room (later known as the Situation Room) and Shangri-La (now called Camp David). He supplied material for the president's fireside chats, helped arrange the Casablanca Conference, and worked with such prominent leaders as Winston Churchill and General Douglas MacArthur.Despite his important work for the president, McCrea yearned for sea duty. Persuading FDR to release him from the White House, he was given command of the USS Iowa, the country's newest and largest battleship. With his new ship, McCrea transported Roosevelt and the joint chiefs of staff across the Atlantic for the Tehran Conference and fought with the Fast Carrier Task Force in the Pacific. Captain McCrea's War ends in April 1945, when McCrea was summoned back to Washington after President Roosevelt's death. Skyhorse Publishing, along with our Arcade, Good Books, Sports Publishing, and Yucca imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs. Our list includes biographies on well-known historical figures like Benjamin Franklin, Nelson Mandela, and Alexander Graham Bell, as well as villains from history, such as Heinrich Himmler, John Wayne Gacy, and O. J. Simpson. We have also published survivor stories of World War II, memoirs about overcoming adversity, first-hand tales of adventure, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Captain Phil Harris
by Steve Springer Josh Harris Jake Harris Blake ChavezThe electrifying behind-the-scenes story of the late Deadliest Catch star, from his own two sons. Prior to his untimely death in 2010, Captain Phil Harris was a star of Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch, the hit show that follows the exhilarating lives of Alaskan crab fishermen as they brave the vicious Bering Sea. He led his crew through hurricane-force winds and fourstory- high waves, hauling in millions of pounds of crab and raking in millions of dollars. Phil worked hard, but he played even harder. His life on shore--from his rebellious days to his tempestuous marriages, from his addictive habits to his fundamental American success story--could serve as a reality show in itself. He lived his life at Mach speed: the blitz of crab season, the six-figure paydays, the thunderous motorcycles, and the drug-fueled parties. High-speed chases and all-night blackjack binges were par for the course. But as wild as Phil could be, he was always openhearted and infectiously friendly. He was a devoted friend, a loving father, a steadfast captain, and a hero to audiences across America and around the world. His death in 2010, the result of stroke and heart failure at the age of fifty-three, left a hole in the hearts of millions. In this exclusive authorized biography, Phil's two surviving sons, Josh and Jake Harris, team up with bestselling author Steve Springer and coauthor Blake Chavez to share the thrilling story of Phil's remarkable life.
Captain Phil Harris: The Legendary Crab Fisherman, Our Hero, Our Dad
by Steve Springer Josh Harris Jake Harris Blake ChavezThe electrifying behind-the-scenes story of the late Deadliest Catch star, from his own two sons.Prior to his untimely death in 2010, Captain Phil Harris was a star of Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch, the hit show that follows the exhilarating lives of Alaskan crab fishermen as they brave the vicious Bering Sea. He led his crew through hurricane-force winds and fourstory- high waves, hauling in millions of pounds of crab and raking in millions of dollars. Phil worked hard, but he played even harder. His life on shore--from his rebellious days to his tempestuous marriages, from his addictive habits to his fundamental American success story--could serve as a reality show in itself. He lived his life at Mach speed: the blitz of crab season, the six-figure paydays, the thunderous motorcycles, and the drug-fueled parties. High-speed chases and all-night blackjack binges were par for the course. But as wild as Phil could be, he was always openhearted and infectiously friendly. He was a devoted friend, a loving father, a steadfast captain, and a hero to audiences across America and around the world. His death in 2010, the result of stroke and heart failure at the age of fifty-three, left a hole in the hearts of millions. In this exclusive authorized biography, Phil's two surviving sons, Josh and Jake Harris, team up with bestselling author Steve Springer and coauthor Blake Chavez to share the thrilling story of Phil's remarkable life.
Captain Quirk: The Unauthorized Biography of William Shatner
by Dennis William HauckHE'S BEEN CALLED A VISIONARY AND AN EGOMANIAC, A GREAT LOVER AND A BULLY. NOW, FIND OUT THE REAL STORY OF THE ACTOR WHOSE NAME IS SYNONYMOUS WITH ONE OF THE MOST BELOVED TV SHOWS EVER! CAPTAIN QUIRK takes you on a journey beyond anything you have ever known about William Shatner. Read about: * His shocking encounter with extraterrestrial beings while on a motorcycle trip through the Mojave Desert. * Why the STAR TREK movies almost didn't get made. * His sizzling off-screen romances. * His stormy relationship with Leonard Nimoy and other cast members--and why he became the most disliked actor on the set. * The lost years after the award-winning series was canceled--including the Grade B movies he would rather forget. * Post STAR TREK: Shatner's disastrous career as a rock 'n' roll star in the 1970s. From fist fights to palimony suits, from his three marriages to his most secret hopes and fears, here is the explosive behind-the-scenes story of the man they call ... CAPTAIN QUIRK
Captain Scott
by Ranulph FiennesSir Ranulph Fiennes is uniquely qualified to write a new biography of Captain Scott. This is the first biography of Scott by someone who has experienced the deprivations, the stress and the sheer physical pain that Scott lived through; he has suffered all but the final tragedy endured by the much maligned Scott. He is determined to put the record straight. As well as being the definitive biography of Scott, written with the full and exclusive cooperation of the Scott Estate, this book traces the way that Scott's reputation has been attacked and his achievements distorted.'Sir Ranulph Fiennes has done Captain Scott's memory some service...he has certainly written a more dispassionate and balanced account than Huntford ever set out to do.' - Simon Courtauld, Spectator
Captain Scott's Invaluable Assistant: Edgar Evans
by Isobel WilliamsPetty Officer Edgar Evans was Captain’s Scott’s ‘giant worker’ and his ‘invaluable assistant’. He went with Scott on both the British Antarctic Expeditions of the early 1900s – the ‘Discovery’ expedition of 1901 and the ‘Terra Nova’ expedition in 1910 – distinguishing himself on both. In 1903, with Scott, Edgar made the first long and arduous sortie onto the Plateau of Victoria Land. The journey highlighted Edgar’s common sense, strength, courage, wit and unflappability. Thus it came as no surprise when, in 1911, Edgar was chosen by Scott to be one of the five men to go on the final attempt at the South Pole. Tragically the ‘Welsh Giant’ was the first to die on the ill-fated return, and posthumously Edgar was blamed in some quarters for causing the deaths of the whole party. It was suggested that his failure was due to his relative lack of education, which made him less able to endure the conditions than his well-educated companions. Isobel Williams repudiates this shameful suggestion and redresses the balance of attention paid to the upper and lower-deck members of Scott's famous expeditions.
Captain Scott: Captain Scott - Mad, Bad And Dangerous To Know And Mad, Dogs And Englishmen
by Ranulph FiennesSir Ranulph Fiennes is uniquely qualified to write a new biography of Captain Scott. This is the first biography of Scott by someone who has experienced the deprivations, the stress and the sheer physical pain that Scott lived through; he has suffered all but the final tragedy endured by the much maligned Scott. He is determined to put the record straight. As well as being the definitive biography of Scott, written with the full and exclusive cooperation of the Scott Estate, this book traces the way that Scott's reputation has been attacked and his achievements distorted.'Sir Ranulph Fiennes has done Captain Scott's memory some service...he has certainly written a more dispassionate and balanced account than Huntford ever set out to do.' - Simon Courtauld, Spectator
Captain Tom's Life Lessons
by Captain Tom MooreStart your year with the uplifting and heartwarming life lessons from a truly inspirational man, Captain Sir Tom Moore'Full of the infectious energy that inspired the nation' Daily Mirror'A dose of wisdom from a British hero . . . A paean to the power of positive thinking' Daily Telegraph________'One small soul like me won't make much difference' Captain TomIf Captain Tom's big heart and generosity of spirit helped see us through difficult days, this was his parting gift.In Life Lessons, Captain Tom has shared all that he learned from living a full and vibrant life. With cherished anecdotes and his signature humour, these heartening life stories will teach you how to:· Be comfortable with who you are· Keep smiling through the tough times· Walk in someone else's shoes· Keep an open mind· Find your purposeFull of the wit, warmth and wisdom that made him so special, his reflections and guiding principles form a long life, well lived; Life Lessons will be a source of reassurance, hope, and encouragement for generations to come.And a reminder, whenever times are hard, that tomorrow will be a good day.________Praise for Captain Sir Tom Moore:'A wonderful life story with lessons for us all . . . beautifully written' Daily Telegraph'Engaging . . . His upbeat nature shines through and reminds us how much worse this year would have been without him' Evening Standard'A great book' Good Morning Britain'A beautiful book. We have so much to learn from Captain Sir Tom' Chris Evans
Captain William Hilton and the Founding of Hilton Head Island
by Dwayne W. PickettBehind the pristine beaches and world renown of Hilton Head Island lies a history that dates back to the early exploration of the nation. In 1663, William Hilton, a mariner born in England, was hired by a group in Barbados to find new lands for them to settle. Hilton led an exploration of the Port Royal Sound area, where he named a high bluff of land Hiltons Head as a navigational marker for future sailors. The island began as a sparsely populated area on the fringe of English settlement in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, when it was called Trench's Island on some maps. Author Dwayne W. Pickett details the life of Hilton, his exploration of the Carolina coast and the founding of an iconic island.
Captain for Life: My Story as a Hall of Fame Linebacker
by Harry CarsonCaptain for Life offers a unique and powerful personal tale about the great joy and devastating price of playing professional football, by a legendary former NFL linebacker Harry Carson.One of the greatest linebackers to ever play professional football, Harry Carson built a reputation during his 13 years in the NFL as a fearsome, physical and passionate player who would give everything he had to win. Whether violently tackling running backs, engaging blockers with reckless abandon or ferociously attacking the line of scrimmage, Carson will always be remembered as having played the game the way it's meant to be played--all out.For the first time ever, this legendary athlete takes readers on an unlikely journey to the NFL that began in the small town of Florence, South Carolina to his days at little known South Carolina State University--and then the bright lights of professional football in New York, playing for the Giants. Carson's story of his life as a football player and after his retirement is more powerful and eye-opening than any that's come before.Within these pages, Carson reveals the startling truth behind the sacrifices these great warriors make for our entertainment, the thrill of stepping onto a field with 80,000 fans screaming your name, and the debilitating physical and mental toll this violent and uncompromising game takes. With insight into some of the game's biggest stars, from Lawrence Taylor to Bill Parcells to Phil Simms this book is a must for any NFL fan.
Captain's Wife: Seafarer's Voices
by Abby Jane Morrell&“Gives the reader a woman&’s perspective on life at sea aboard a schooner when conditions under sail were uncomfortable and, at times, dangerous.&” —The Northern Mariner During the nineteenth century it became increasingly common for merchant service masters to take their wives to sea, particularly in the whaling industry, where voyages of 2–3 years were not uncommon. Reflecting the sailors traditional dislike of women on board—seen as unlucky by the superstitious and disruptive by the more rational—these ships were derisively dubbed Hen Frigates and although they have been the fashionable subject of academic interest in recent years, there is not much literature by the women themselves. Among the first, and most accomplished, is Abby Jane Morrell&’s account of a voyage between 1829 and 1831 that took her from New England to the South Pacific. Her husband Benjamin was in the sealing trade but was a keen explorer, and his adventurous spirit led him and his wife into situations normally well outside the world of the Hen Frigate. Curiously, Benjamin also wrote an account of this voyage, but since he was described by a contemporary as the greatest liar in the Pacific, his wife&’s is a better record of what actually happened, even when dealing with dramatic incidents like the murderous attack by cannibal islanders. Apart from the descriptions of exotic places, much of the interest in this book is the traditional, centuries-old world of the sailor as seen through the eyes of a thoughtful and well-educated woman. As such it heads a long line of improving books aimed at ameliorating the seaman&’s lot. &“A book that absorbs and rewards the reader. Highly recommended.&” —Firetrench
Captain: My Life and Career
by Mike Leonetti Darryl SittlerThe incredible story of the life and phenomenal career of one of the greatest players ever to wear a Maple Leafs uniform, told through stories and never-before-seen photographs.Darryl Sittler may well be best remembered for two of the most remarkable performances in the history of the National Hockey League. On February 7, 1976, he scored six goals and added four assists for an NHL record total of ten points in a game. That spring, he joined Maurice Richard in hockey history by recording five goals in one playoff game. He also scored one of the most famous goals in hockey history, the overtime goal against Czechoslovakia to win the 1976 Canada Cup. Now, #27 looks back at his incredible career and greatest moments on and off the ice. He writes about growing up in St. Jacobs, Ontario, his days in junior hockey with the London Knights, and his rookie year in 1970-71. Also included are his personal reflections on some of his greatest teammates (Lanny McDonald, Borje Salming, Ian Turnbull, and Mike Palmateer, to name a few) and his encounters with his greatest rivals (Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Bobby Hull, Brian Trottier, Bobby Clarke, Guy Lafleur, Ken Dryden, and Larry Robinson). He recounts his childhood hockey heroes (waiting in the cold outside an arena in Kitchener for Bobby Hull's autograph), his years playing for Philadelphia and Detroit, his induction into the Hall of Fame, and deep devotion to his family. Full of great anecdotes from his personal and professional life, this is an inspiring, revealing book by a revered leader and legend in hockey history.
Captive Audience: On Love and Reality TV
by Lucas MannAn intimate portrait of a marriage intertwined with a meditation on reality TV that reveals surprising connections and the meaning of an authentic life. A VINTAGE ORIGINAL.In Lucas Mann's trademark vein--fiercely intelligent, self-deprecating, brilliantly observed, idiosyncratic, personal, funny, and infuriating--Captive Audience is an appreciation of reality television wrapped inside a love letter to his wife, with whom he shares the guilty pleasure of watching "real" people bare their souls in search of celebrity. Captive Audience resides at the intersection of popular culture with the personal; the exhibitionist impulse, with the schadenfreude of the vicarious, and in confronting some of our most suspect impulses achieves a heightened sense of what it means to live an authentic life and what it means to love a person.
Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine
by Alison WeirHaving proven herself a gifted and engaging novelist with her portrayals of Queen Elizabeth I in The Lady Elizabeth and Lady Jane Grey in Innocent Traitor, New York Times bestselling author Alison Weir now harks back to the twelfth century with a sensuous and tempestuous tale that brings vividly to life England's most passionate--and destructive--royal couple: Eleanor of Aquitaine and King Henry II. Nearing her thirtieth birthday, Eleanor has spent the past dozen frustrating years as consort to the pious King Louis VII of France. For all its political advantages, the marriage has brought Eleanor only increasing unhappiness--and daughters instead of the hoped-for male heir. But when the young and dynamic Henry of Anjou arrives at the French court, Eleanor sees a way out of her discontent. For even as their eyes meet for the first time, the seductive Eleanor and the virile Henry know that theirs is a passion that could ignite the world. Returning to her duchy of Aquitaine after the annulment of her marriage to Louis, Eleanor immediately sends for Henry, the future King of England, to come and marry her. The union of this royal couple will create a vast empire that stretches from the Scottish border to the Pyrenees, and marks the beginning of the celebrated Plantagenet dynasty.But Henry and Eleanor's marriage, charged with physical heat, begins a fiery downward spiral marred by power struggles, betrayals, bitter rivalries, and a devil's brood of young Plantagenets--including Richard the Lionheart and the future King John. Early on, Eleanor must endure Henry's formidable mother, the Empress Matilda, as well as his infidelities, while in later years, Henry's friendship with Thomas Becket will lead to a deadly rivalry. Eventually, as the couple's rebellious sons grow impatient for power, the scene is set for a vicious and tragic conflict that will engulf both Eleanor and Henry. Vivid in detail, epic in scope, Captive Queen is an astounding and brilliantly wrought historical novel that encompasses the building of an empire and the monumental story of a royal marriage. From the Hardcover edition.
Captive Queen: The Decrypted History of Mary, Queen of Scots
by Jade ScottAn expert historian on Mary, Queen of Scots draws on hundreds of her encrypted letters to paint a vivid portrait of one of history&’s most compelling figures.For almost two decades before her execution at Fotheringhay Castle in 1587, Mary, Queen of Scots was a prisoner. From her chambers, she wrote countless letters, many encrypted using complex ciphers to prevent her communications from being intercepted. In this way, she used language to exert her will and her influence, even while incarcerated. More than four hundred years after Mary&’s death, the discovery of further encoded letters has led to renewed interest in the breadth of her correspondence while in captivity. In Captive Queen: The Decrypted History of Mary, Queen of Scots, Jade Scott draws on hundreds of these ground-breaking letters to create a vivid picture of one of history&’s most fascinating personalities. She interprets Mary&’s complex relationships with friends and enemies alike throughout the years of her imprisonment, illuminating Mary's strategic vision while bringing her captivity to life like never before.
Captive: 2,147 Days of Terror in the Colombian Jungle
by Clara RojasOn a fateful day in February 2002, campaign manager Clara Rojas accompanied longtime friend and presidential hopeful Ingrid Betancourt into an area controlled by the powerful leftist guerrilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Armed with machine guns and grenades, the FARC took them hostage and kept them in the jungle for the next six years. After more than two years of captivity deep in the Colombian jungle, surrounded by jaguars, snakes, and tarantulas, miles from any town or hospital, Clara Rojas prepared to give birth in a muddy tent surrounded by heavily armed guerrillas. Her captors promised that a doctor would be brought to the camp to help her. But when Rojas went into labor and began to suffer complications, the only person on hand was a guerrilla wielding a kitchen knife. The guerrillas drugged Rojas with anesthetic while one of them slit open her abdomen. Her son, Emmanuel, was born by amateur cesarean section in April 2004. His survival was miraculous, but her joy was soon cut short when the FARC took him from her when he was only eight months old. For the next three years, Clara was given no information about him, but her desire to one day see him again kept her alive. In early 2008, Clara was finally liberated and reunited with her son—to whom this book is dedicated.
Captive: A Mother's Crusade to Save Her Daughter from a Terrifying Cult
by Natasha Stoynoff Catherine OxenbergIn this heartbreaking and shocking exposé, one of Dynasty’s biggest stars lays bare a secretive organization that is holding her daughter hostage and details her mission to save her in this powerful depiction of a mother’s love and determination. I am a mother whose child is being abused and exploited. And I am not alone. In 2011, Catherine joined her daughter, India, at a leadership seminar for a new organization called NXIVM. Her twenty-year-old daughter was on the threshold of building a new company and they both thought this program might help her achieve her dream. But quickly, Catherine saw a sinister side to what appeared to be a self-help organization designed to help its clients become the best versions of themselves. Catherine watched in horror as her daughter fell further and further down the rabbit hole, becoming brainwashed by the organization’s charismatic leader. Despite Catherine’s best efforts, India was drawn deeper into the cult, eventually joining a secret, elite “sorority” of women members who are ordered to maintain a restricted diet, recruit other women as “slaves,” and are branded with their leader’s initials. In Captive, Catherine shares every parent’s worst nightmare, and the lengths that a mother will go to save her child. Featuring interviews with past members of NXIVM and experts in the field of cults, Oxenberg attempts to draw back the curtain on how these groups continue to lure in members. She relates her continuing journey to try to reach her daughter, to save her from what she believes is a dangerous, mind-controlling cult.
Captive: My Time as a Prisoner of the Taliban
by Jere Van DykAn American reporter's chilling account of being kidnapped and imprisoned by the Taliban, in the no-man's-land between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Captive is Van Dyk's searing account of his forty-five days in a Taliban prison, and it is gripping and terrifying in the tradition of the best prison literature.
Captive: My Time as a Prisoner of the Taliban
by Jere Van DykAn American reporter's chilling account of being kidnapped and imprisoned by the Taliban, in the no-man's-land between Afghanistan and PakistanJere Van Dyk was on the wrong side of the border. He and three Afghan guides had crossed into the tribal areas of Pakistan, where no Westerner had ventured for years, hoping to reach the home of a local chieftain by nightfall. But then a dozen armed men in black turbans appeared over the crest of a hill. Captive is Van Dyk's searing account of his forty-five days in a Taliban prison, and it is gripping and terrifying in the tradition of the best prison literature. The main action takes place in a single room, cut off from the outside world, where Van Dyk feels he can trust nobody—not his jailers, not his guides (who he fears may have betrayed him), and certainly not the charismatic Taliban leader whose fleeting appearances carry the hope of redemption as well as the prospect of immediate, violent death. Van Dyk went to the tribal areas to investigate the challenges facing America there. His story is of a deeper, more personal challenge, an unforgettable tale of human endurance.
Captive: The Untold Story of the Atlanta Hostage Hero
by Stacy Mattingly Ashley SmithIn March 2005, Ashley Smith made headlines around the globe when she miraculously talked her way out of the hands of alleged courthouse killer Brian Nichols after he took her hostage for seven hours in her suburban Atlanta apartment. In this moving, inspirational account—now a motion picture from Paramount—Ashley shares the details of her traumatic ordeal and expands on how her faith and the bestselling book The Purpose Driven Life helped her survive and bring the killer's murderous rampage to a peaceful end.Like her captor, Smith too had faced darkness and despair. Seeking a new life, she moved to Atlanta, got a job, enrolled in a medical assistant training program, and was beginning to find her way to becoming the kind of mom she wanted her little girl to have. Then Brian Nichols took her hostage. Just hours earlier, he'd allegedly shot to death a judge, a court reporter, a deputy, and a federal agent and escaped in a stolen vehicle. Now she found herself face-to-face with Nichols, a desperate, heavily armed man with nothing left to lose.Juxtaposing the minute-by-minute tale of her experience with the tragedies and triumphs of her own life, Captive is a riveting story that will leave no reader untouched.