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With Light Steam: A Personal Journey through the Russian Baths (NIU Series in Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies)
by Bryon MacWilliamsIn 1996 Bryon MacWilliams left the relative stability of the United States for the chaos of post-Soviet Russia, and stayed. Over the course of nearly twelve years he reported on academe and the sciences for the world's leading publications, and sought out the best baths—or banyas—everywhere he went. His story of Russia through its cult of steam begins on a frosty Sunday morning in a gypsy cab traveling to a bathhouse in Moscow, where the steam is conjured by an out-of-work carpenter named Grisha, who takes on MacWilliams as a kind of apprentice, allowing him into an otherwise closed world through which MacWilliams could see himself, and Russia, with different eyes. The Russian bathers insist, only half-jokingly, that the American is a spy. Writing in a highly engaging style, MacWilliams travels the country to convey the breadth of banya culture and what it means to steam, a process that is at once a simple cleansing and a deep purification. It awakens the body and quiets the mind, generating waves of good feeling akin to an endorphin high. Each chapter of this splendid book is an episode—spanning from several hours to several days—from the Far North, Moscow, the Ural Mountains, the Solovetsky Islands, and a southern stretch of the Volga River. With Light Steam, the title is derived from the phrase used in banyas in lieu of goodbye, is the only book in English devoted to the banya and the only volume in any language to present Russia through the lens of its bath culture, the most Russian thing there is. General readers and scholars alike will be enchanted with this unforgettable portrait of a people and a millennia-spanning tradition.
With Love and Laughter, John Ritter
by Amy YasbeckWith Love and Laughter is actress Amy Yasbeck&’s most enduring memory of the life she shared with her husband, one of America&’s most popular and beloved film and television actors, John Ritter.We welcomed him into our homes weekly with his Emmy Award–winning portrayal of Jack Tripper on Three&’s Company and his hit comedy 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter. On September 11, 2003, John Ritter&’s death from an undiagnosed aortic dissection, at the age of fifty-four, shocked and saddened not only his family and friends but also his millions of fans around the world. In this inspiring and enlightening memoir, Yasbeck reveals how she dealt with the loss and shock of losing John so unexpectedly. It is both a moving portrait of her husband, and an extremely relatable examination of the painful process of grieving. Enduring her grief with poise and patience, she is dedicated to preserving his name and With Love and Laughter, John Ritter is a wonderful and touching tribute to a man adored by the public and cherished by friends and family. Here are the unforgettable times she shared with a man who was adored for finding humor in everyday encounters, never failing to energize and entertain everyone around him. His philosophy was summed up by his favorite autograph for his fans, With Love and Laughter, John Ritter. Amy Yasbeck&’s powerful story reminds us that love never dies . . . and the laughter doesn&’t have to end.
With Love from Karen
by Marie KillileaWhat happened to Karen, a little girl with cerebral palsy, in the years after her original story was published in the award-winning book "Karen."<P><P> This sequel, undoubtedly greeted with joy by all of us who loved "Karen," in one sense surpasses the first work. Karen, delightful and positive though she is, is depicted far more realistically than in the initial book, which tended to make her a bit of a picture book saint. Her struggles, decisions, and (in all honesty) unquestionable confusion with the expectations of her wonderful family are quite vividly portrayed. (As an example of the last - one wonders why Marie does not realise that much of Karen's dilemma over "walking vs wheelchair" undoubtedly stems from Marie's constant insistence on Karen's walking - she fought the idea of Karen's having a wheelchair at all earlier in the book.) The Killilea family clearly had an unusual and blessed balance - tough-minded, persistent, deeply religious, but hospitable and joyous to the point where their home seemed a favourite stopping place for all whom they knew. Yet many new questions remained unanswered. "Karen," though it did not include many extended family members at length, mentioned a large family - in "With Love from Karen," even the most special occasions include many "honorary" family members but no blood relatives.
With Love from Karen
by Marie KillileaThe Killilea family returns in the heartwarming sequel to national bestseller KarenWith Love from Karen picks up five years after the conclusion of Karen, the miraculous and true story of a girl with cerebral palsy who triumphed against all odds. It follows the Killileas through Karen's teen years and into adulthood. Karen and her family continue to face seemingly insurmountable obstacles: They must fight for Karen's right to attend public school, support Karen in her dream to raise and exhibit champion show dogs, and encourage her in her decision to use a wheelchair or walk on her own. Once again, the Killilea family proves that the power of faith, love, and courage in the face of adversity can make miracles happen.
With Malice Toward None: A Biography of Abraham Lincoln
by Stephen B. OatesNew York Times–Bestseller: “The standard one-volume biography of Lincoln.” —The Washington PostThe definitive life of Abraham Lincoln, With Malice Toward None is historian Stephen B. Oates’s acclaimed and enthralling portrait of America’s greatest leader. In this award-winning biography, Lincoln steps forward out of the shadow of myth as a recognizable, fully drawn American whose remarkable life continues to inspire and inform us today.Oates masterfully charts, with the pacing of a novel, Lincoln’s rise from bitter poverty in America’s midwestern frontier to become a self-made success in business, law, and regional politics. The second half of this riveting work examines his legendary leadership on the national stage as president during the tumultuous and bloody Civil War years, which concluded tragically with Lincoln’s assassination.“Certainly the most objective biography of Lincoln ever written.” —David Herbert Donald, The New York Times Book Review“A masterful work.” —Chicago Sun-Times“Superb . . . thoroughly researched.” —Milwaukee Journal“Here, in these pages, Lincoln is still alive.” —Los Angeles Times
With My Eyes Wide Open: Miracles & Mistakes on My Way Back to KoRn
by Brian "Head" Welch Carol TraverHe left KoRn to help himself. He went back to help others. And along the way, he nearly lost everything.A life-changing spiritual awakening freed Brian &“Head&” Welch from a stranglehold of drugs and alcohol and prompted him to leave the highly successful nu-metal band KoRn in 2005. What followed was a decade-long trial by fire, from the perils of fathering a teen lost in depression and self-mutilation to the harsh realities of playing solo and surviving the shattering betrayal of a trusted friend. In this intensely inspiring redemption saga, perhaps most inspiring is Brian&’s radical decision to rejoin KoRn and reconcile with the tribe of people he once considered family in the metal music scene.Brian returned to his musical roots with a clear head and a devoted heart. Though his story is wild, hilarious, and deeply poignant, the message is simple: God will love you into the freedom of being yourself, as long as you keep the relationship going and never, ever quit.
With My Regiment From Aisne to La Bassée [Illustrated Edition]
by Arthur F. H. MillsIncludes the First World War Illustrations Pack - 73 battle plans and diagrams and 198 photosOriginally published under the pseudonym "Platoon Commander" these excellent memoirs were written by the noted novelist Arthur F. H. Mills after his service in the British Expeditionary Force in 1914-1915. "In the early summer of 1914, apparently unconcerned by the gathering storm and the colossal building of military might in Germany, the British regular army, reduced in numbers and not having fought a major conflict for over a decade, was at peace in its garrisons. When German troops marched through Belgium and attacked France, the British Expeditionary Force was hastily created and for British soldiers the transition from peace to mobilisation and transportation to the battle line happened within a matter of days. It is astonishing that the 'Contemptible Little Army' was not instantly enveloped by the advancing Germans who outnumbered them--often by much more than five to one. Some are jingoistic about the British Army of the day being 'the best army in the world,' however, the battle fought at Mons, the retreat to the Marne, the skilful command of the British staff and the dogged resistance of troops, who inflicted causalities on the enemy totally disproportionate to their strength, speaks for itself. The outcome was inevitable though and by the early months of 1915 the B. E. F. had all but been destroyed. Its tenacity had, however, earned the British sufficient time to build a new army, defence and response."-Print ed.
With Napoleon's Guard in Russia: The Memoirs of Major Vionnet, 1812
by Louis Joseph VionnetMajor Louis Joseph Vionnets memoirs of Napoleons disastrous 1812 campaign in Russia are readable, detailed, and full of personal anecdote and vivid glimpses into the life of the nineteenth-century soldier. His account concentrates in particular on the retreat from Moscow, but he was present at all the major actions and followed the entire course of the campaign from the opening moves in July 1812 to being chased through Prussia by bands of Cossacks in early 1813. He was present at the destruction of Smolensk, toured the battlefield of Borodino and witnessed the great fire in Moscow. Vionnet was a major in the Fusiliers-Grenadiers, a regiment of veterans in the Imperial Guard, and his account provides a wonderful insight into the lan, morale and cohesion of this elite fighting force. Jonathan North has translated Vionnets memoirs for the first time for this English edition. In addition to providing detailed explanatory notes, he quotes from the accounts left by five other soldiers from the same regiment, and these extracts allow the reader to follow the ups and downs of the unit as a whole. Louis Joseph Vionnet, Vicomte de Maringon, was born in Longueville in 1769, the son of a peasant and a lace maker. He joined the artillery in 1793 and was promoted to captain in the line in 1794. He fought in Italy in 1796, in the line infantry in 1798 and the Guard grenadiers in 1806, and campaigned in Prussia, Poland and Spain. In 1809, he joined the Fusiliers of the Guard, fought again in Spain in 1811 and then, with the rank of major, he took part in the 1812 Russian campaign, which he survived. He retired in the 1830s and died in 1834.
With One Shot: Family Murder and a Search for Justice
by Dorothy Marcic“A rapid-fire, real-life thriller.”—New York Times bestselling author M. William Phelps The lovely widow had confessed to the coldblooded murder of her husband. But Dorothy Marcic suspected a more sinister tale at the heart of her beloved uncle’s violent death. The brutal murder of LaVerne Stordock, a respected family man and former police detective, shocked his Wisconsin community. On the surface, the case seemed closed with the confession of Stordock’s wife, Suzanne. But the trail of secrets and lies that began with his death did not end with his widow’s insanity plea. Dorothy Marcic, a playwright, theatrical producer, and university professor, couldn’t put her doubts to rest. In 2014 she embarked on a two-year mission to uncover the truth. In the bestselling tradition of Ann Rule and M. William Phelps, With One Shot weaves a spellbinding tale of unmet justice and the truth behind a shocking family tragedy. “A riveting, personal story of the American justice system.”—Kaylie Jones, author of Lies My Mother Never Told Me “A gripping tale, well worth reading.”—Lawrence M. Miller, author of The Lean Coach “Marcic excavates new depths of perfidy, cruelty and lies.”—Randy Cohen, former Ethicist for The New York Times“A compelling read about a true family murder mystery marked by intrigue, betrayal and injustice.” —Leslie J. Mann, assistant prosecutor, Essex County, New Jersey
With Open Hands: A Story about Biddy Mason
by Jeri Chase FerrisRecounts the life of Biddy Mason, a slave who found freedom in California in 1856, who practiced the philosophy of sharing as she nursed the sick, delivered babies, and started many philanthropic projects after becoming a wealthy landowner in Los Angeles.
With or Without You: A Memoir
by Domenica RutaA haunting, unforgettable mother-daughter story for a new generation--the debut of a blazing new lyrical voice Domenica Ruta grew up in a working-class, unforgiving town north of Boston, in a trash-filled house on a dead-end road surrounded by a river and a salt marsh. Her mother, Kathi, a notorious local figure, was a drug addict and sometimes dealer whose life swung between welfare and riches, and whose highbrow taste was at odds with her hardscrabble life. And yet she managed, despite the chaos she created, to instill in her daughter a love of stories. Kathi frequently kept Domenica home from school to watch such classics as the Godfather movies and everything by Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen, telling her, "This is more important. I promise. You'll thank me later." And despite the fact that there was not a book to be found in her household, Domenica developed a love of reading, which helped her believe that she could transcend this life of undying grudges, self-inflicted misfortune, and the crooked moral code that Kathi and her cohorts lived by. With or Without You is the story of Domenica Ruta's unconventional coming of age--a darkly hilarious chronicle of a misfit '90s youth and the necessary and painful act of breaking away, and of overcoming her own addictions and demons in the process. In a brilliant stylistic feat, Ruta has written a powerful, inspiring, compulsively readable, and finally redemptive story about loving and leaving.
With Patience and Fortitude: A Memoir
by Christine QuinnChristine Quinn, candidate for mayor of New York City, is the first female and first openly LGBT Speaker of the New York City Council. In her memoir, With Patience and Fortitude, she shares the inspiring story of her life, her career, and the city she loves.Speaker Quinn talks about growing up in a middle-class, Irish family and describes the people and events that have shaped who she is and the beliefs she has dedicated her life to fight for. After her mother died when Christine was 16 years old, she began carving her own path, setting her sights on work that would make a difference in the world. Yet she would ultimately have to face coming of age in a world where both women and gay people had no choice but to fight for their dreams.Over time, she met those challenges both personal and professional with patience and with fortitude. Christine Quinn’s memoir includes original black-and-white photos from her personal archive.
With Pen and Pencil on the Frontier in 1851: The Diary And Sketches Of Frank Blackwell Mayer
by Frank Blackwell MayerFrank B. Mayer, a Baltimore artist, journeyed to Traverse de Sioux and Mendota on the Minnesota frontier in 1851 to record meetings between United States officials and Indian tribes who were ceding title to much of Southern Minnesota and portions of Iowa and Dakota. This volume contains the journal entries and sketches Mayer made on his travels. They provide a descriptive and visual record of Native American life as he saw it, particularly among the Sioux. Mayer includes sketches of lacrosse, child rearing practices, smoking the peace pipe, buffalo dancers, teepees and summer lodges, and portraits of prominent chieftains. There are also sketches of voyageurs and a variety of artifacts and military personalities connected with this chapter of Minnesota history. The materials in this book have been selected from larger holdings at the Newberry Library and do not illustrate the actual treaty signings. Mayer himself acquired a distinguished reputation as an artist and writer. Several of his paintings adorn the Maryland statehouse, and he wrote a number of illustrated articles for Harper's and Scribner's magazines.
With Powder on My Nose
by Billie Burke Cameron ShippFollowing on from her successful 1949 memoir "With a Feather on My Nose," here we have a further biography, first published in 1959, from famous Broadway and early silent film actress Billie Burke, best known as Glinda the Good Witch of the North in The Wizard of Oz and widow of Broadway producer Florenz Ziegfeld of Ziegfeld Follies fame.Co-author Cameron Shipp, a ghost writer who had also worked with Mack Sennett and Lionel Barrymore, assisted in assembling Miss Burke's copious notes and transcribed her enthusiastic monologues into this wonderful biography filled with good-humoured advice on marriage, career, exercise, food (included are some delicious recipes!), and even perfecting the art of lying about your age!A most enjoyable trip down a career film star's memory lane.
With The R.A.M.C. In Egypt [Illustrated Edition]
by Sergt. MajorA veteran Non-Commissioned Officer tells of his experiences among the shells, wounded and diseases of the Egyptian Campaign of World War One. Includes 32 illustrations."THIS account of the work of the Royal Army Medical Corps in Egypt from the earliest days of the British Occupation in 1883 to the close of the Sinai Desert Campaign at the beginning of 1917, is in no way official, nor must it be regarded as in any sense officially inspired...It is due to the reader, however, to say at once that, though the book must be taken solely as the independent work of one man possessing no official status whatever, it has been produced under privilege, without which, indeed, it could never have been written. For the facts as to the doings of the R.A.M.C. on the battlefield, and in respect of the Corps' many activities in other branches of medical war service, the writer has been able to draw largely on his own experience, it having been his lot to serve as a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps both with the Dardanelles Army and with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force...Very few names are here set down, albeit many fine achievements and instances of singular devotion to duty have been necessarily recorded. Seeing that it was practically impossible to mention by name all in the Service who had won, or deserved to win, distinction, it was thought better to leave names alone altogether, and to let the great sum of heroism, enterprise, exertion, merge itself into the common honour of the Corps."
With Schwarzkopf
by Gus LeeWith Schwarzkopf is Gus Lee's remembrance of his mentor and friend H. Norman Schwarzkopf, and his firsthand account of how Schwarzkopf shaped his life. In 1966, Lee, a junior-year cadet at West Point, was bright, athletic, and popular. He was also on the verge of getting kicked out. Nearing the bottom of his class due to his penchant for playing poker and reading recreationally instead of studying engineering, he was assigned a new professor: then-Major Norman Schwarzkopf. Schwarzkopf's deeply principled nature and fierce personality took hold of the wayward cadet, and the two began meeting regularly and discussing what it meant to be a scholar, a soldier, and a man. Lee's vibrant, witty narrative brings his more than forty-year relationship with Schwarzkopf to life. Readers get an inside look at West Point culture; they see Schwarzkopf's bristling anger with his rebellious pupil as well as his tenacity, intellect, and moments of surprising emotional warmth; and they watch as Lee starts to absorb his teachings. As he left West Point and took on more professional and personal roles, Lee approached every crisis or difficult decision by channeling his mentor. Over the years, Schwarzkopf's instilled values, wise counsel, and warm conversations shaped Lee and brought the two together in an unlikely friendship. In With Schwarzkopf, Lee passes along the lessons he learned so future generations can hear Schwarzkopf's important teachings.
With SOE in Greece: The Wartime Experiences of Captain Pat Evans
by Tom EvansPat Evans parachuted into German-occupied Northern Greece in September 1943. His mission as a SOE operative was to support the Greek resistance movement, carry out sabotage and commando operations and gather military intelligence.By this time Greece was not only a country ravaged by a brutal occupation but being torn apart by fending political factions on the edge of civil war. Evans had to walk a tight-rope between the Germans, the Communist directed ELAS, Macedonia irredentists and his own SOE masters in Cairo and Allied High Command.After the Nazis withdrew in late 1944, he was sent to Northern Greece to try and restore some form of normality amid the chaos of civil war. His success can be measured by the warmth in which the locals still remember him, over 70 years on.This book draws on a wide range of sources, including SOE and War Cabinet papers but it is Pat Evans unpublished letters and reports that give the reader an insight into the challenge that he faced, both operationally and politically.The result is a thrilling and informative book.
With the Argylls: A Soldier's Memoir
by Ray WardAn unforgettable memoir of fighting with the renowned Scottish infantry regiment during World War II. &“The real stuff of history . . . a classic.&” —Trevor Royle, author of Facing the Bear When Ray Ward died in 1999, his sons discovered an old and dusty manuscript in an Afrika Korps ammunition box in the cellar of the family home in Glasgow. These papers contained a collection of their father&’s memoirs, which detailed his experiences as an infantry officer during the Second World War, when he served in the 1st Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. His memoirs give vivid accounts of Ray Ward&’s time in Eritrea, Abyssinia, Egypt, the Western Desert, Sicily and mainland Italy, and bring to life individual episodes of bravery, adventure and danger that characterized the North African and Italian Campaign.
With the Beatles
by Lewis LaphamHalfway between the summer of love and the Tet offensive, the Beatles went to India to study with the Maharishi--and Lewis Lapham, esteemed Harper's editor and award-winning writer, was there. WITH THE BEATLES is a remarkable book of cultural commentary on that seminal '60s moment.The ashram in Rishikesh, India was the ultimate '60s scene: the Beatles, Donovan, Mia Farrow, a stray Beach Boy and other '60s icons gathered along the shores of the Ganges--amidst paisley and incense and flowers and guitars--to meditate at the feet of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The February 1968 gathering received such frenzied, world-wide attention that it is still considered a significant, early encounter between Western pop culture and the mystical East. And Lewis Lapham was the only journalist allowed inside.And what went on inside the compound has long been the subject of wild speculation and rampant rumor. The Beatles said they wrote some of their greatest songs there . . . and yet they also came away bitterly disillusioned. In WITH THE BEATLES, Lewis Lapham finally tells the whole story.
With the Devil's Help: A True Story of Poverty, Mental Illness, and Murder
by Neal WootenIn the tradition of The Glass Castle, Educated, and Heartland, Neal Wootentraces five decades of his dirt-poor, Alabama mountain family as the years and secrets coalesce.Neal Wooten grew up in a tiny community atop Sand Mountain, Alabama, where everyone was white and everyone was poor. Prohibition was still embraced. If you wanted alcohol, you had to drive to Georgia or ask the bootlegger sitting next to you in church. Tent revivals, snake handlers, and sacred harp music were the norm, and everyone was welcome as long as you weren&’t Black, brown, gay, atheist, Muslim, a damn Yankee, or a Tennessee Vol fan. The Wooten's lived a secret existence in a shack in the woods with no running water, no insulation, and almost no electricity. Even the school bus and mail carrier wouldn&’t go there. Neal&’s family could hide where they were, but not what they were. They were poor white trash. Cops could see it. Teachers could see it. Everyone could see it. Growing up, Neal was weaned on folklore legends of his grandfather—his quick wit, quick feet, and quick temper. He discovers how this volatile disposition led to a murder, a conviction, and ultimately to a daring prison escape and a closely guarded family secret. Being followed by a black car with men in black suits was as normal to Neal as using an outhouse, carrying drinking water from a stream, and doing homework by the light of a kerosene lamp. And Neal&’s father, having inherited the very same traits of his father, made sure the frigid mountain winters weren&’t the most brutal thing his family faced. Told from two perspectives, this story alternates between Neal&’s life and his grandfather&’s, culminating in a shocking revelation. Take a journey to the Deep South and learn what it&’s like to be born on the wrong side of the tracks, the wrong side of the law, and the wrong side of a violent mental illness.
With the German Guns: Four Years on the Western Front (Pen And Sword Military Classics Ser.)
by Herbert Sulzbach&“An invaluable eye-witness account of life at the lower levels of the German Army during the First World War.&”—HistoryOfWar.org At once harrowing and lighthearted, Herbert Sulzbach&’s exceptional diary has been highly praised since its original publication in Germany in 1935. With the reprint of this classic account of trench warfare, it records the pride and exhilaration of what to him was the fight for a just cause. It is one of the very few available records of an ordinary German soldier during the First World War. &“One of the most notable books on the Great War. It is a book which finely expressed the true soldierly spirit on its highest level; the combination of a high sense of duty, courage, fairness and chivalry.&”—Sir Basil Liddell Hart &“Herbert Sulzbach&’s first person diary focuses on four years of trench warfare and is a valuable contribution to the overall individual story of the First World War, more so than many other such accounts perhaps, as the author was German.&”—OCAD Militaria Collectors Resources &“A first-class personal account of Herbert Sulzbach&’s war seen through his diaries. There is much insight into both his and the German soldier&’s attitude to war and events . . . a very readable narrative and adds to the library of sources that are invaluable to counter the legions of postmodern re-evaluations of the German soldier.&”—Battlefield Guide
With the Guns in the Peninsula: The Peninsular War Journal of Captain William Webber, Royal Artillery (The Napoleonic Library #No. 18)
by William WebberThis British artillery officer&’s journal vividly depicts life on the frontlines in the war against Napoleon in Spain and Portugal. In August 1812, Second Captain Webber of the Royal Artillery joined Captain Maxwell&’s 9-pounder Brigade at Zafra, Spain. His journal offers a detailed chronicle of the period up June 16th 1813, just before the Battle of Vitoria. Webber records events as they unfold, as well as his impressions of the countryside and its people and customs. Webber describes his experiences during the advance up to and along the Tagus to Aranjuez, the reversal of fortunes during the autumn of 1812, the difficult retreat into winter quarters in Portugal, and finally his brigade&’s part in the brilliant campaign of 1813 which saw the French pushed back across the Ebro. Webber gives vivid accounts of engagements with the enemy along the way; notably around Alba de Tormes during the retreat, and on the heights outside Burgos. The preface by Lieutenant Colonel Laws sets the journal within the context of the Peninsular War. It also outlines Webber&’s military career, which culminated with his wounding at Waterloo.
With the Jocks: A Soldier's Struggle for Europe 1944-45
by Peter White'The book is remarkable .... one of the most striking personal records of the period.' - Max HastingsAs a 24-year-old lieutenant in the King's Own Scottish Borderers, Peter kept an unauthorised journal of his regiment's advance through the Low Countries and into Germany in the closing months of the war in Europe. Forbidden by his commanding officer from doing so for security reasons, Peter's boyhood habit of diary keeping had become an obsession too strong to shake off. In this graphic evocation of a soldier at war, the images he records are not for the faint hearted.There are heroes aplenty within its pages, but there are also disturbing insights into the darker sides of humanity - the men who broke under the strain and who ran away; the binge drinking which occasionally rendered the whole platoon unable to fight; the looting, the rape, and the callous disregard for human life that happens when death is a daily companion. Hidden away for more than 50 years, this is a rare opportunity to read an authentic account of the horrors of war experienced by a British soldier in the greatest conflict of the 20th century.
With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa
by E. B. SledgeA reprint of the classic World War II memoir chronicling 20-year-old Sledge's experiences as a rifleman. The non-fiction account of the Peleliu and Okinawa battles has been compared to All Quiet on the Western Front. It certainly captures the confusion and fear of war, particularly for a young man torn between ideals of duty and the horrific devastation of combat. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa
by E. B. SledgeIn The Wall Street Journal, Victor Davis Hanson named With the Old Breed one of the top five books on epic twentieth-century battles. Studs Terkel interviewed the author for his definitive oral history, The Good War. Now E. B. Sledge's acclaimed first-person account of fighting at Peleliu and Okinawa returns to thrill, edify, and inspire a new generation.An Alabama boy steeped in American history and enamored of such heroes as George Washington and Daniel Boone, Eugene B. Sledge became part of the war's famous 1st Marine Division-3d Battalion, 5th Marines. Even after intense training, he was shocked to be thrown into the battle of Peleliu, where "the world was a nightmare of flashes, explosions, and snapping bullets." By the time Sledge hit the hell of Okinawa, he was a combat vet, still filled with fear but no longer with panic.Based on notes Sledge secretly kept in a copy of the New Testament, With the Old Breed captures with utter simplicity and searing honesty the experience of a soldier in the fierce Pacific Theater. Here is what saved, threatened, and changed his life. Here, too, is the story of how he learned to hate and kill-and came to love-his fellow man.From the Trade Paperback edition.