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First Girl Scout
by Ginger WadsworthJust in time for the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts in 2012, a lavishly illustrated account of the fascinating life of the woman who started it all. Juliette (Daisy) Gordon Low was a remarkable woman with ideas that were ahead of her time. She witnessed important eras in U.S. history, from the Civil War and Reconstruction to westward expansion to post-World War I. And she made history by founding the first national organization to bring girls from all backgrounds into the out-of-doors. Daisy created controversy by encouraging them to prepare not only for traditional homemaking but also for roles as professional women--in the arts, sciences, and business--and for active citizenship outside the home. Her group also welcomed girls with disabilities at a time when they were usually excluded. Includes author's note, source notes, bibliography, timeline, places to visit, the Girl Scout Promise and Law, and musical notation for the favorite scout song "Make New Friends."
First Great Triumph: How Five Americans Made Their Country a World Power
by Warren ZimmermannAmerican history around 1900 with a focus on five figures.
First Heroes: The POWs Left Behind in Vietnam
by Rod ColvinThe result of five years of research, First Heroes untangles an intricate web of information and ultimately concludes that the prisoners of war that were held captive in Southeast Asia were forgotten or ignored by their own country. Author Rod Colvin crisscrossed the country interviewing military and government officials, veterans, returned POWs, political figures, journalists, and members of the National League of Families and the National Forget-Me-Not Association and balances hard facts with the dramatic personal accounts of parents, wives, brothers, sisters, and children who have waged a difficult battle for the truth about their loved ones. This chronicle is as much a testament to the faith and unending hope of the family members as it is the story of the men themselves. First Heroes is destined to change the way readers think about war, freedom, and their country.
First History Encyclopedia (DK First Reference)
by DKKey history topics are simply explained in this friendly and informative reference book.First History Encyclopedia covers everything a child needs to know about historical events. It follows the curriculum for grades 1 through 6 and provides a strong foundation for history learning through the rest of the school years. It's the perfect homework help book to support children as they begin to learn about history.This history book is part of DK's best-selling First Reference series. It introduces exciting areas of history that will get kids hooked on learning about the past, including the Romans, Ancient Egypt, the Vikings, World War I, and World War II.
First Impressions: A Novel of Old Books, Unexpected Love, and Jane Austen
by Charlie LovettA thrilling literary mystery costarring Jane Austen from the New York Times-bestselling author of The Bookman's Tale Charlie Lovett first delighted readers with his New York Times-bestselling debut, The Bookman's Tale.<P><P> Now Lovett is back with another brilliantly imagined mystery, this time featuring one of English literature's most popular and beloved authors: Jane Austen.Book lover and Austen enthusiast Sophie Collingwood has recently taken a job at an antiquarian bookshop in London when two different customers request a copy of the same obscure book: the second edition of A Little Book of Allegories by Richard Mansfield. Their queries draw Sophie into a mystery that will cast doubt on the true authorship of Pride and Prejudice--and ultimately threaten Sophie's life.In a dual narrative that alternates between Sophie's quest to uncover the truth--while choosing between two suitors--and a young Jane Austen's touching friendship with the aging cleric Richard Mansfield, Lovett weaves a romantic, suspenseful, and utterly compelling novel about love in all its forms and the joys of a life lived in books.From the Trade Paperback edition.
First Impressions: A Reader’s Journey to Iconic Places of the American Southwest
by David J. Weber William DebuysA guide to the history and culture of the American Southwest, as told through early encounters with fifteen iconic sites This unique guide for literate travelers in the American Southwest tells the story of fifteen iconic sites across Arizona, New Mexico, southern Utah, and southern Colorado through the eyes of the explorers, missionaries, and travelers who were the first non-natives to describe them. Noted borderlands historians David J. Weber and William deBuys lead readers through centuries of political, cultural, and ecological change. The sites visited in this volume range from popular destinations within the National Park System—including Carlsbad Caverns, the Grand Canyon, and Mesa Verde—to the Spanish colonial towns of Santa Fe and Taos and the living Indian communities of Acoma, Zuni, and Taos. Lovers of the Southwest, residents and visitors alike, will delight in the authors’ skillful evocation of the region’s sweeping landscapes, its rich Hispanic and Indian heritage, and the sense of discovery that so enchanted its early explorers. Published in Cooperation with the William P. Clements Center for Southwest Studies, Southern Methodist University
First In The Air: The Eagle Squadrons Of World War II [Illustrated Edition]
by Kenneth C. KanIncludes 14 illustrations of the units, planes and personnel of the Eagle SquadronsDuring the perilous years of 1940-1941, a small band of Americans joined the Royal Air Force to help England resist Nazi Germany. They did so while the United States remained a neutral power and overcame significant obstacles to accomplish their objective. Over time, the RAF formed three fighter units, known collectively as the Eagle Squadrons, around these volunteer pilots. These Americans flew alongside their British comrades in fighter and bomber escort missions until 1942, when they transferred into the United States Army Air Forces. The Eagle Squadron pilots made noteworthy contributions to the RAF, assisting them in their transition from fighting a defensive war to waging an offensive campaign against the German Luftwaffe and helping pave the way to an eventual Allied victory.
First In, Last Out: An American Paratrooper in Vietnam with the 101st and Vietnamese Airborne
by John D HowardA Vietnam veteran recounts his experience through two tours of duty—early in the conflict and then in its final stages. Fresh out of West Point, John Howard arrived for his first tour in Vietnam in 1965, the first full year of escalation when U.S. troop levels increased dramatically, from 23,000 to 184,000. When Howard returned for a second tour in 1972, troop strength stood at 24,000 and would dwindle to a mere fifty the following year. He thus participated in the very early and very late stages of American military involvement in the Vietnam War. Howard&’s two tours—the first as a platoon commander and member of an elite counterguerrilla force, and the second as a senior advisor to the South Vietnamese—provide a fascinating lens through which to view not only one soldier&’s experience in Vietnam, but also the country&’s.
First In, Last Out: An Unconventional British Officer in Indo-China
by J.P. CrossThis is the astonishing tale of two episodes in the life of Colonel J P Cross, jungle fighter and linguist extraordinaire.As a young officer at the end of the war against Japan in 1945, he took part in counterinsurgency operations against the Vietminh at a time of chaos and confusion. Sent to the area to help disarm the defeated Japanese, Cross found himself commanding a battalion of the very same troops against the Vietminh.That period provides the backdrop to Crosss experiences as British Defence Attache to Laos between 1972 and 1976. His mastery of the languages of the region allowed him rarely accorded access to high Laotian political circles.Allowed to wander at will even by the Communists, he was in the unique position to survey the subterfuge and rivalry surrounding an overlooked yet fascinating sideshow to the Vietnam War. A remarkable man, J P Cross provides an absorbing account of his life amidst the cut and thrust of Laotion politics.
First In: A History of the 21st Independent Parachute Company, 1942–1946
by Ron KentThe First World War as a living history is to all intents and purposes over. As of today February 2005, there are only twelve veterans from six million alive who served on the Western Front. Richard has spent the last 20 years interviewing and carefully recording the memories of over 270 veterans and this book is a culmination of his 20 years of work.The book will be an extraordinary collection of stories told by the veterans themselves but also through the author's memories of them: the remarkable, the sad, the funny, the moving. It will also feature an outstanding collection of photographs taken of the veterans as they were, as soldiers during the war together with recent images of almost all of these men, taken at home, back on the Western Front, at the final veterans' reunion, and at various investitures. Britain's Last Tommies will also offer a unique list of veterans, all of who individually hold the poignant title of being the last Gallipoli veteran, the last Royal Flying Corps veteran, the last Distinguished Conduct Medal holder, the last cavalryman, the last Prisoner of War.
First In: An Insider's Account of How the CIA Spearheaded the War on Terror in Afghanistan
by Gary C. SchroenIn the days following 9/11, a small group of CIA agents covertly began to change history. This is the riveting first-person account of the harrowing top-secret mission inside Afghanistan to set the stage for the defeat of the Taliban and launch the war on terror. After 9/11, the author was drafted back for his most dangerous assignment: to lead a handpicked team of operatives deep into Afghan territory and prepare the way for an American assault.
First Islanders: Prehistory and Human Migration in Island Southeast Asia
by Peter BellwoodIncorporating research findings over the last twenty years, First Islanders examines the human prehistory of Island Southeast Asia. This fascinating story is explored from a broad swathe of multidisciplinary perspectives and pays close attention to migration in the period dating from 1.5 million years ago to the development of Indic kingdoms late in the first millennium CE.
First Kansas Colored Volunteers: Contributions Of Black Union Soldiers In The Trans-Mississippi West
by Major Michael E. CarterOver one hundred and eighty thousand black men fought for the Union during America's Civil War. From infantrymen, to artillerist and cavalry soldiers, these soldiers combined to form one hundred and sixty-six Union regiments. On 29 October 1862 at Island Mound, Missouri, the First Kansas Colored Volunteers, an infantry regiment comprised mainly of blacks from Kansas and Missouri, became the first black regiment to experience combat during the Civil War. Their courage and outstanding performance in battle, as recorded, are unquestioned. What have been omitted from research thus far are their contributions to overall Union successes in the Trans-Mississippi West. Their accomplishments are remarkable, for they came in the face of extreme obstacles of prejudice and hatred. "No Quarter" was ever given and "No Quarter" was asked of the regiment's black soldiers. The contributions of the First Kansas Colored Volunteers, in conjunction with those of the many regiments they served alongside of, resulted in a resounding Union victory in the Trans-Mississippi West.
First Kill Your Family: Child Soldiers of Uganda and the Lord's Resistance Army
by Peter EichstaedtTold through the voices of those who have suffered, this illuminating exposé examines how a forgotten region of one of Africa's most promising nations--Uganda, dubbed "the pearl of Africa" by Winston Churchill--has been systematically destroyed by a bloody, senseless, and seemingly endless war that has gone largely unnoticed by the rest of the world. <P><P>For the past 20 years, the Lord's Resistance Army has ravaged northern Uganda and has been led by the reclusive Joseph Kony, a former witch doctor and self-professed spirit medium. Through the large-scale abduction and manipulation of children, Kony transformed his army into an efficient killing machine that has murdered nearly 100,000 and displaced two million people. <P><P>Kony utilized the society's pervasive belief in witchcraft to instill cultlike convictions in his fighters. <P><P>This insightful analysis delves into the war's foundations and argues that, much like Rwanda's genocide, international intervention is needed to stop Uganda's virulent cycle of violence. <P><P>This updated paperback edition includes a new afterword by the author that discusses developments since 2008, including failed attempts to capture Joseph Kony and the controversial Kony 2012 video.
First Kills: The Illustrated Biography of Fighter Pilot Wladyslaw Gnys
by Stefan W. Gnys&“Remarkably detailed . . . It is a tribute to Wladyslaw Gnys, the decorated ace pilot, but also to the charming and humble man himself.&” —Hamilton Magazine Polish pilot Wladyslaw (Wladek) Gnys was credited with shooting down the first two German aircraft of World War II on September 1, 1939. On this day, as Gnys&’ squadron took off near Kraków to intercept the German invaders, German Stuka pilot Frank Neubert attacked, killing the captain. Wladek, who barely survived himself, evaded the pursuing Stukas and went on to make the first Allied kills, while Neubert was credited with the first aerial kill of the war. Fifty years after the invasion of Poland, in the summer of 1989, Gnys and Neubert met and shook hands, making news around the world. They reconciled their differences and remained friends until their deaths. This event symbolized the prevailing friendly coexistence between Poland and Germany. Written by his son Stefan and drawing from his logbooks, this highly illustrated biography of Wladek Gnys is the most in-depth account of the Polish hero&’s life. It tells Wladek&’s story from his childhood in rural Poland, through his time flying in three Allied air forces during World War II, his capture and escape during Operation Overlord, and his reconciliation with Neubert and his commemoration as a national war hero in Poland. &“Tells the story of one man&’s ride through the history of most of the 20th century . . . This is far from a run-of-the-mill wartime story, being more of a touching and revealing look into an extraordinary life.&” —Aircrew Remembered
First Ladies
by Margaret TrumanThis well-informed, intimate look at 29 women whose lives were intertwined with those who lead and have led this country presents forthright interviews with Lady Bird Johnson, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Reagan, and others, while warmly recalling Pat Nixon and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Ms. Truman's legendary frankness is present but so, too, is a generosity of spirit. Photos throughout.From the Hardcover edition.
First Ladies Fact Book -- Revised and Updated: The Childhoods, Courtships, Marriages, Campaigns, Accomplishments, and Legacies of Every First Lady from Martha Washington to Michelle Obama
by Bill Harris Laura RossThe revised and updated edition, including all-new information on Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Betty Ford America's first ladies have captured the hearts of the citizens of our country ever since its humble beginnings. This newly updated edition of The First Ladies Fact Book is a comprehensive, fascinating, and intimate look at the life of each first lady from Martha Washington to Michelle Obama. Each profile includes a portrait, key biographical information, and several additional photographs. Among the topics covered are childhood and upbringing, early marriage years, the path to the White House, hobbies, career, style of dress, and decorating preferences. Find out which first lady: had the most children * served as a delegate to the United Nations * was accused of looting the White House * was a professional dancer * or never cooked a meal. Packed with information and surprising facts, The First Ladies Fact Book combines the breadth of a textbook with the intimacy of a biography.And don't forget to pick-up the companion title, The President's Fact Book -- Revised and Updated (978-1-57912-889-0), also available by Black Dog & Leventhal.
First Ladies For Dummies
by Marcus A. Stadelmann PhDIt’s time for the ladies—the First Ladies, that is—to get their time in the spotlight What does a First Lady do? What makes a First Lady successful? If you’ve always wanted to know, this is the place to come to for the answers! This reference has the inside scoop on all the First Ladies, including Michelle Obama’s campaigns for healthy eating and Jackie Kennedy’s emphasis on art and culture. In First Ladies For Dummies, you’ll find out how these women’s values, initiatives, and style have influenced all our lives, and how they’ve become true role models for generations. With the detailed biographies and personal profiles in First Ladies For Dummies, you’ll gain a well-rounded knowledge of the United States' 47 First Ladies. From Martha to Melania, from Jackie to Dr. Jill, and everyone in between, every First Lady has left her stamp on the White House, in the Rose Garden, and in history, and this book covers it all. It includes: An historical context for a deeper understanding of the world these First Ladies lived in Accounts of their childhoods and early lives to learn who these women were before they stepped foot in the White House Each First Lady's interests and achievements Whether you’re a history fanatic or just curious about these highly accomplished women, you’ll find lots of fun facts about them in First Ladies For Dummies. Pick up your copy to be in the know!
First Ladies of Running: 22 Inspiring Profiles of the Rebels, Rule Breakers, and Visionaries Who Changed the Sport Forever
by Amby BurfootToday, millions of women and girls around the world enjoy running and entering races. It wasn’t always so: • In 1961, when Julia Chase edged to the start of a Connecticut 5-miler, officials tried to push her off the road. • At the 1966 Boston Marathon, Roberta Gibb hid behind a forsythia bush, worried that police might arrest her. • The next year at Boston, Kathrine Switzer was assaulted mid-race by a furious race organizer. • In the mid-60s, Indianapolis high schooler Cheryl Bridges was told not to run anywhere near the boys’ track team because she might “distract” them. • When Charlotte Lettis signed up for the University of Massachusetts cross-country team in the fall of 1971, she was told to use the men’s locker room. • A few years later in coastal Maine, young Joan Benoit would stop her workouts to pretend she was picking roadside flowers, embarrassed that her neighbors might spot her running.First Ladies of Running tells the inspiring stories of these and other fiercely independent runners who refused to give up despite the cultural and sports barriers they faced. Legends such as Doris Brown, Francie Larrieu, Mary Decker, Jackie Hansen, Miki Gorman, and Grete Waitz are chronicled by Runner’s World editor Amby Burfoot. Burfoot even runs the 1994 Marine Corps Marathon with Oprah Winfrey, whose successful finish opened the floodgates for other women runners. First Ladies of Running is a beautiful and long-overdue tribute to the pioneers of women’s running, and a gift of empowerment for female runners everywhere.
First Ladies of the Republic: Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Dolley Madison, and the Creation of an Iconic American Role
by Jeanne E Abrams&“[Abrams] gives life to Martha, Abigail, and Dolley, illuminating the importance of their position to American history . . . compelling storytelling.&” —Library Journal, starred review America&’s first First Ladies—Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, and Dolley Madison—had the challenging task of playing a pivotal role in defining the nature of the American presidency to a fledgling nation and to the world. In First Ladies of the Republic, Jeanne Abrams breaks new ground by examining their lives as a group. From their visions for the future of the burgeoning new nation and its political structure, to ideas about family life and matrimony, these three women had a profound influence on one another&’s views as they created the new role of presidential spouse. Martha, Abigail and Dolley walked the fine line between bringing dignity to their lives as presidential wives, and supporting their husbands&’ presidential agendas, while at the same time, distancing themselves from the behavior, customs and ceremonies that reflected the courtly styles of European royalty. In the face of personal challenges, public scrutiny, and sometimes vocal criticism, they worked to project a persona that inspired approval and confidence, and helped burnish their husbands&’ presidential reputations. These capable and path-breaking women not only shaped their own roles as prominent Americans and &“First Ladies,&” but also defined a role for women in public and private life in America. &“Entertaining.&” —Denver Post &“Earnest, balanced, insightful, well researched, and browsable, this is a rich source of Information.&” —Choice &“A nuanced and expertly articulated argument.&” —Betty Boyd Caroli, author of Lady Bird and Lyndon: The Hidden Story of a Marriage that Made a President
First Lady Florence Harding: Behind the Tragedy and Controversy
by Katherine A. S. SibleyFlorence Kling Harding has come down through history as one of our most scorned first ladies. Victimized by caricatures and branded a shrew, she stands at the bottom of historians' polls, her reputation tarnished by her husband's scandals despite their joint popularity while in office. These depictions, argues Katherine Sibley, have prevented us today from seeing how innovative a first lady Florence Harding really was. This new look at Mrs. Harding restores humanity to an oft-maligned figure by examining her progressive causes, her celebrity, and her role in her husband's work. For if Eleanor Roosevelt is credited with shattering the first lady's ceremonial mold, it was Florence Harding who made the first cracks. Sibley's is the first book to offer a full treatment of Florence as first lady rather than as mere supporting actress in the Harding administration. Never shying from publicity, she made herself more available to the press than did her predecessors and opened the White House up to the public. And she took such a pioneering role in Warren Harding's campaign and presidency that many thought she outdid her husband as a politician. Turning to primary sources that others have overlooked, Sibley challenges the clichés about Florence's time in the national spotlight. She describes how Mrs. Harding supported racial equality, lobbied for better treatment for veterans and female prisoners, and maintained a lifelong interest in preventing animal cruelty. As adviser to her husband, she assisted with his speechwriting and consulted with the cabinet; she was also the first first lady to deliver spontaneous speeches while traveling with the president. At a personal level, Sibley examines in detail how Mrs. Harding responded to her husband's death, assessing why this tragedy struck Americans with such force even as national empathy proved so fleeting. She also offers a more nuanced description of the president's philandering, viewing Nan Britton's claims with skepticism while noting the effects on Florence of his dalliance with Carrie Phillips. Florence Harding bequeathed an activist legacy, and it is due to her example that aspiring presidential wives are expected to campaign with their husbands and be accessible to public and press. Florence Harding truly set the stage for those to follow; this book delivers the full and fair portrait that has long been her due.
First Lady Of The South: The Life Of Mrs. Jefferson Davis
by Ishbel RossThis brilliant and engaging biography of Varina Davis tells of the early days of her marriage to Jefferson Davis, the controversial figure who would become president of the Confederacy. The story gives a detailed account of their life in Washington and Richmond, the years of war, and follows their journey during the weeks and months of escape and then--following Jefferson Davis' release from prison--exile."EVERY move the made was noticed and commented on. She was accused of being friendly to the North, of harboring spies in her home, of feasting when others starred, of pretentious ways, of nepotism, of not reading the books which she quoted so freely, of extravagant entertaining in hours of crisis, and of meddling in politics and military affairs. Some of the stories were true; many were not, but it is self-evident that she instinctively generated heat lightning around her."--First Lady of the South.Includes numerous illustrations.
First Lady of Laughs: The Forgotten Story of Jean Carroll, America's First Jewish Woman Stand-Up Comedian
by Grace Kessler OverbekeBefore Hacks and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, there was the comedienne who started it allFirst Lady of Laughs tells the story of Jean Carroll, the first Jewish woman to become a star in the field we now call stand-up comedy. Though rarely mentioned among the pantheon of early stand-up comics such as Henny Youngman and Lenny Bruce, Jean Carroll rivaled or even outshone the male counterparts of her heyday, playing more major theaters than any other comedian of her period. In addition to releasing a hit comedy album, Girl in a Hot Steam Bath, and briefly starring in her own sitcom on ABC, she also made twenty-nine appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. Carroll made enduring changes to the genre of stand-up comedy, carving space for women and modeling a new form of Jewish femininity with her glamorous, acculturated, but still recognizably Jewish persona. She innovated a newly conversational, intimate style of stand-up, which is now recognized in comics like Joan Rivers, Sarah Silverman, and Tiffany Haddish. When Carroll was ninety-five she was honored at the Friars Club in New York City, where celebrities like Joy Behar and Lily Tomlin praised her influence on their craft. But her celebrated career began as an impoverished immigrant child, scrounging for talent show prize money to support her family. Drawing on archival footage, press clippings, and Jean Carroll’s personal scrapbook, First Lady of Laughs restores Jean Carroll’s remarkable story to its rightful place in the lineage of comedy history and Jewish American performance.
First Lady of Letters
by Sheila L. SkempJudith Sargent Murray (1751-1820), poet, essayist, playwright, and one of the most thoroughgoing advocates of women's rights in early America, was as well known in her own day as Abigail Adams or Martha Washington. Her name, though, has virtually disappeared from the public consciousness. Thanks to the recent discovery of Murray's papers--including some 2,500 personal letters--historian Sheila L. Skemp has documented the compelling story of this talented and most unusual eighteenth-century woman.Born in Gloucester, Massachussetts, Murray moved to Boston in 1793 with her second husband, Universalist minister John Murray. There she became part of the city's literary scene. Two of her plays were performed at Federal Street Theater, making her the first American woman to have a play produced in Boston. There as well she wrote and published her magnum opus, The Gleaner, a three-volume "miscellany" that included poems, essays, and the novel-like story "Margaretta." After 1800, Murray's output diminished and her hopes for literary renown faded. Suffering from the backlash against women's rights that had begun to permeate American society, struggling with economic difficulties, and concerned about providing the best possible education for her daughter, she devoted little time to writing. But while her efforts diminished, they never ceased.Murray was determined to transcend the boundaries that limited women of her era and worked tirelessly to have women granted the same right to the "pursuit of happiness" immortalized in the Declaration of Independence. She questioned the meaning of gender itself, emphasizing the human qualities men and women shared, arguing that the apparent distinctions were the consequence of nurture, not nature. Although she was disappointed in the results of her efforts, Murray nevertheless left a rich intellectual and literary legacy, in which she challenged the new nation to fulfill its promise of equality to all citizens.