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The King Bee
by A. N. OlsenBen Moreell was the first non-Naval Academy graduate to be awarded the four stars of an Admiral. He is still the only staff corps officer to be promoted to Admiral. The history of the U.S. Navy Seabees and the biography of Admiral Ben Moreell are inseparable. Immediately after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he began forming the construction units that ultimately became known as the Seabees. The first battalion of Seabees deployed from the U.S. on 27 Jan. '42. This instantaneous effort to recruit, train, organize, equip and deploy a military unit is still recognized as an amazing achievement. Ultimately over 300,000 Seabees were involved during WW II. The Seabees built and operated the equipment needed to get troops, equipment and supplies ashore in every amphibious landing of WW II. Beginning in North Africa and continuing to Sicily, Italy and Normandy, they were an essential element of the invasions of Europe. But their island hopping campaign throughout the Pacific with the Marines really made their reputation.They participated in every Pacific invasion together with the Marines with the exception of Guadalcanal, where they arrived about three weeks after the First Marines went ashore. Following the invasions, the Seabees built every sort of facility required by the Marines and the Navy; piers, runways, fuel storage, hospitals, ammo storage, dry docks, and more. The accomplishments of the Seabees continued through Korea, Viet Nam and the middle east. The unique aspect of the fighter-builder Seabees generated a need for a command structure that could respond to both elements at any time. Recognizing this critical feature Moreell achieved a major change to Navy Regulations and obtained the authorization for Civil Engineer Corps officers to be given command of the Seabees. They are still the only staff corps officers who enjoy the privilege of commanding fleet units.Moreell also directed the massive mobilization and construction effort for the Navy and Marine Corps throughout the war as well as dealing with unions, congress, manufacturers, and an ever growing federal bureaucracy. His open and honest dealings were recognized by all and contributed to the successful accomplishments of the Bureau of Yards and Docks during that time.But it Seabees remain his crowning military achievement.Their success in W W II was recognized by Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz in a Seabee birthday anniversary letter to Moreell in which he stated, "....without them we could not have beaten the (Japanese)."An advisor to four Presidents, Ben Moreell's actions forever placed the Civil Engineer Corps and the Seabees solidly in Navy history and tradition.
King George V Class Battleships (ShipCraft #2)
by Roger ChesneauThe ShipCraft series provides in-depth information about building and modifying model kits of famous warship types. Lavishly illustrated, each book takes the modeller through a brief history of the subject class, highlighting differences between sister-ships and changes in their appearance over their careers. This includes paint schemes and camouflage, featuring colour profiles and highly-detailed line drawings and scale plans. The modelling section reviews the strengths and weaknesses of available kits, lists commercial accessory sets for super-detailing of the ships, and provides hints on modifying and improving the basic kit. This is followed by an extensive photographic gallery of selected high-quality models in a variety of scales, and the book concludes with a section on research references books, monographs, large-scale plans and relevant websites.The five battleships of the class covered by this volume were the most modern British capital ships to serve in the Second World War. They were involved in many famous actions including the sinking of both Bismarck and Scharnhorst, while Prince of Wales suffered the unfortunate distinction of being the first capital ship sunk at sea by air attack.
King Harald's Saga
by Magnus Magnusson Hermann PalssonThe story of King Harald (The Ruthless) of Norway, a contemporary of King Harold of England and William The Conqueror of Normandy. Harald attempted to claim for Norway the English throne and succeeded in marching to Chelsea before his army was defeated by English King Harold's troops and Harald was killed. Harold himself was defeated only nineteen days later by William of Normandy. Harald's demise though marked the end of the Viking era, of centuries of Scandinavian harrassment of England. Magnusson and Palsson wrote the introduction and translated the saga into English.
King, Kaiser, Tsar: Three Royal Cousins Who Led The World To War
by Catrine ClayDuring the last days of July 1914 telegrams flew between the King, the Kaiser and the Tsar. George V, Wilhelm II and Nicholas II, known in the family as Georgie, Willy and Nicky, were cousins. Between them they ruled over half the world. They had been friends since childhood. But by July 1914 the Trade Union of Kings was falling apart. Each was blaming the other for the impending disaster of the First World War. 'Have I gone mad ' Nicky asked his wife Alix in St Petersburg, showing her another telegram from Willy. 'What on earth does William mean pretending that it still depends on me whether war is averted or not!' Behind the friendliness of family gatherings lurked family quarrels, which were often played out in public. Drawing widely on previously unpublished documents, this is the extraordinary story of their overlapping lives, conducted in palaces of unimaginable opulence, surrounded by flattery and political intrigue. And through it runs the question: to what extent were the King, the Kaiser and the Tsar responsible for the outbreak of the war, and, as it turned out, for the end of autocratic monarchy
King, Kaiser, Tsar
by Catrine ClayDuring the last days of July 1914 telegrams flew between the King, the Kaiser and the Tsar. George V, Wilhelm II and Nicholas II, known in the family as Georgie, Willy and Nicky, were cousins. Between them they ruled over half the world. They had been friends since childhood. But by July 1914 the Trade Union of Kings was falling apart. Each was blaming the other for the impending disaster of the First World War. 'Have I gone mad ' Nicky asked his wife Alix in St Petersburg, showing her another telegram from Willy. 'What on earth does William mean pretending that it still depends on me whether war is averted or not!' Behind the friendliness of family gatherings lurked family quarrels, which were often played out in public. Drawing widely on previously unpublished documents, this is the extraordinary story of their overlapping lives, conducted in palaces of unimaginable opulence, surrounded by flattery and political intrigue. And through it runs the question: to what extent were the King, the Kaiser and the Tsar responsible for the outbreak of the war, and, as it turned out, for the end of autocratic monarchy
“King Lehr” and the Gilded Age
by Elizabeth Drexel LehrHARRY SYMES LEHR was born in 1869 into a family that was neither wealthy nor socially prominent. His natural gift for entertaining and his penchant for hobnobbing with the very rich earned him entry to the powerful circle of the New York and Newport social elite, where Harry clowned his way to a position of prominence. One of his admirers and patrons, Mrs. Stuyvesant Fish, introduced him to a young widow, Elizabeth Wharton Drexel. Elizabeth was smitten with young Harry, his elegant dress, and outrageous behavior. They were soon married.But King Lehr had a secret—he was not what he seemed. On their wedding night he cruelly dictated the rules of their strange relationship to his new bride. For twenty-three years, Mrs. Lehr protected his secret and remained in a loveless and abusive marriage.After Harry’s death Elizabeth remarried, to the Baron Decies. Lady Decies wrote down her secret story in 1938, incorporating Harry’s most intimate diaries, and told all in this scandalous tale of power, desire, and deception.
King of Air Fighters: The Biography of Major “Mick” Mannock, V.C., D.S.O., M.C.
by Wing-Cmdr. Ira JonesMajor “Mick” Mannock, VC, was the top-scoring RAF air ace of the First World War, an almost legendary figure who personified the bravery and modesty that came to be expected of aerial heroes. While other aces of that war became better known, Mannock in his own quiet way topped them all, with an official tally of 73 victories by the time of his death. On the award of his posthumous VC the London Gazette described him as “an outstanding example of fearless courage, remarkable skill, devotion to duty and self-sacrifice that has never been surpassed.”King of Air Fighters is an exciting account of Mannock’s character and career by another great air ace. For author “Taffy” Jones himself ranks sixth in the British list of First World War aces with 41 victories. This is a tale of adventure, courage and gallantry told with an experienced insider’s understanding of the feelings and psychology of the air aces, and with a thorough analysis of aerial combat techniques.
King of Airfighters: The Biography of Major "Mick" Mannock, VC, DSO MC (Vintage Aviation Library)
by Ira JonesA penetrating study of Britain’s top World War I fighter ace, written by fellow pilot Ira Jones, the author of An Air Fighter’s Scrapbook.Ira Jones’ biography of Britain’s top-scoring ace of the First World War has become the subject of some controversy over the last few years; most notably, it claims seventy-three “kills” for Mannock, making him the number-one-scoring Allied ace of the war. Later research has thrown serious doubt on this assertion, and indeed, Mannock himself only claimed fifty-one kills.Jones’ biography is nevertheless an important account, especially when seen in the context of the time in which it was first written. In particular, the biography delves into the mind of Mannock, portraying the singular nature of his character and the true stress that these pioneer air fighters experienced in the last few months of the war.Originally published in 1934 by Ivor Nicholson and Watson in London, the book has been reprinted—most recently in the 1990s by Greenhill Books as part of its Vintage Aviation Library—and reproduced from the original 1930s version of the book.Not a word has been changed in this Casemate edition, but the original, very dated type and page layout have been reworked, as has been the format in which the book is presented, to give a beautiful new treatment to this classic of aviation literature.
King of Assassins (The Wounded Kingdom #3)
by RJ BarkerTwenty years ago, Girton Club-Foot began his journey to become the Tired Land's finest assassin and now he'll face his greatest challenge yet in the riveting conclusion to RJ Barker's fantasy trilogy. Assassin Girton Club-Foot has lived in relative peace for many years, but now his king, Rufra ap Vthyr, eyes the vacant High-King's throne and will take his court to the capital. In a viper's nest of intrigue, the endgame of twenty years of politics and murder will be played out in the bid to become the King of all Kings.Friends become enemies, enemies become friends, and the god of death stands closer than ever, casting his shadow over everyone Girton holds dear.The Wounded KingdomAge of AssassinsBlood of AssassinsKing of AssassinsFor more from RJ Barker, check out:The Tide Child TrilogyThe Bone Ships
The King of Athelney
by Alfred DugganAs the Vikings invade ninth-century England, only Alfred the Great, King of the West Saxons, takes a stand in this epic novel of medieval warfare. Throughout the British Isles, it was considered foolish to fight those heathen pirates, the Vikings. Prudent statesman paid them off. But they never stayed away for long. King Alfred was different. He alone stood his ground and fought the marauders again and again. But he was never meant to be king. With two older brothers, Alfred was first sent to Rome for confirmation by the Pope himself, to be educated for a life of diplomacy. But a new path was forged on the battlefields of far Wessex. Alfred&’s prowess in battle made him king. His training made him one of the most ingenious and forward-thinking monarchs of his time. Uniting the disparate kingdoms of England wasn&’t his goal. It was his destiny . . .
The King of Italy: A Novel
by Kent HeckenlivelyImmerse yourself in a sweeping family saga spanning decades and including many famous names, including Benito Mussolini and King Victor Immanuel II. In New York Times bestselling author Kent Heckenlively's fiction debut, The King of Italy, we first meet Vincenzo Nicosia as a young boy in Sicily, watching as his father is sent to jail for nearly beating a man to death. The person he blames more than anybody else for this is Alessandro de Leone, the Duke du Taormina, and the illegitimate son of King Victor Immanuel II, the unifier of Italy in the 1870s. Vincenzo is approached by Benito Mussolini as part of his plan to take control in Italy, which involves dealing justice to the long-hated Duke. After completing his part of the plan, Vincenzo is betrayed by Mussolini and forced to flee to America. In San Francisco, far away from the troubles in Italy, Vincenzo struggles to forget his past and forge a new life as a builder. But the past never stays buried, as Vincenzo&’s violent nature reasserts itself as new challenges arise. As World War II begins, Vincenzo&’s nephew, Alex, volunteers for the army. Vincenzo tells Alex, &“It&’s your mission to kill Mussolini and avenge your family.&” Alex attempts to fulfill his uncle&’s plan and nearly succeeds. But at the end of the war Alex is swept into Italian politics as the country struggles to recover from devastation. Alex may hold the future of Italy in his hands. However, the truth he finds could destroy the new life his uncle Vincenzo has made for himself in America. The King of Italy is a stunning historical novel, filled with passion, violence, and political intrigue, that you won&’t be able to put down until the last page.
King of Spies: The Dark Reign of America's Spymaster in Korea
by Blaine HardenFrom the New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Camp 14, the shocking, gripping account of the most powerful American spy you’ve never heard of, whose role at the center of the Korean War—which gave rise to the North Korean regime—is essential to understanding the most intractable foreign policy conflict of our time. In 1946, master sergeant Donald Nichols was repairing jeeps on the sleepy island of Guam when he caught the eye of recruiters from the army's Counter Intelligence Corps. After just three months' training, he was sent to Korea, then a backwater beneath the radar of MacArthur's Pacific Command. Though he lacked the pedigree of most U.S. spies—Nichols was a 7th grade dropout—he quickly metamorphosed from army mechanic to black ops phenomenon. He insinuated himself into the affections of America’s chosen puppet in South Korea, President Syngman Rhee, and became a pivotal player in the Korean War, warning months in advance about the North Korean invasion, breaking enemy codes, and identifying most of the targets destroyed by American bombs in North Korea. But Nichols's triumphs had a dark side. Immersed in a world of torture and beheadings, he became a spymaster with his own secret base, his own covert army, and his own rules. He recruited agents from refugee camps and prisons, sending many to their deaths on reckless missions. His closeness to Rhee meant that he witnessed—and did nothing to stop or even report—the slaughter of tens of thousands of South Korean civilians in anticommunist purges. Nichols’s clandestine reign lasted for an astounding eleven years. In this riveting book, Blaine Harden traces Nichols's unlikely rise and tragic ruin, from his birth in an operatically dysfunctional family in New Jersey to his sordid postwar decline, which began when the U.S. military sacked him in Korea, sent him to an air force psych ward in Florida, and subjected him—against his will—to months of electroshock therapy. But King of Spies is not just the story of one American spy: with napalmed villages and severed heads, high-level lies and long-running cover-ups, it reminds us that the darkest sins of the Vietnam War—and many other conflicts that followed—were first committed in Korea.
King of the City
by Michael MoorcockMoorcock's second great London novel - and thematic sequel to MOTHER LONDON - returns to print in a newly revised edition.The death of Princess Di heralded a spring clean of the soul. And the dirt we wanted off our coffee tables was the kind of salacious exposure tabloid paparazzo photographer Denny Dover had made a fortune out of. Now he's out of work and moving to the godforsaken wastes of Skerring on the South coast to lick his wounds. A former rock star, this East End lad-made-good lived it up with the best of them. But his childhood friend, hugely wealthy magnate Sir John Barbican-Begg (deceased, allegedly) is resurrecting events from a past littered with dysfunction and greed, sex, rock and roll and a ton of drugs. Denny's life encapsulates the fevered underground of a London teeming with contradiction and ambivalence, subversion and rage. Moorcock's hugely entertaining follow-up to his masterpiece MOTHER LONDON captured the spirit of our age as we staggered into the new millennium.
King of the Gunrunners: How a Philadelphia Fruit Importer Inspired a Revolution and Provoked the Spanish-American War
by James W. MillerBy the time he turned thirty at the end of the nineteenth century, John D. Hart thrived as the busiest importer of bananas on the East Coast. A master of ships with a thunderous voice, Hart aggressively carried tropical fruit to an insatiable market with little concern for notions of supply and demand. But when an unexpected crisis hit the fruit business, Hart was unprepared. The financial Panic of 1893 doomed his strategy of bringing in limitless bananas. Jobless consumers could not afford such luxuries. Nearing bankruptcy, Hart was approached by Emilio Nuñez, a member of the Cuban Revolutionary Party—a cadre of exiled conspirators in New York whose singular purpose was to liberate the Cuban island from four hundred years of Spanish rule. Nuñez enlisted Hart as a “filibuster” to transport guns and ammunition to the Cuban rebels. For nearly three years, Hart became the most visible of a disparate group of mariners between New York and Key West who tormented Spanish authorities, riled the US government, and became heroes to an oppressed people fighting to be free. In King of the Gunrunners: How a Philadelphia Fruit Importer Inspired a Revolution and Provoked the Spanish-American War, author James W. Miller reveals the untold story of a forgotten American whose adventures helped pave the way for the United States’ emergence as an international power. With the Yellow Press trumpeting his exploits, Hart’s influence helped inflame the nation’s mood and made war with Spain inevitable. The quick US victory in what became known as the Spanish-American War compelled Spain to abandon Cuba and cede sovereignty over Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines to the United States, which also annexed the independent state of Hawaii during the conflict. This volume presents the story of Hart, the defiant king of the Cuban gunrunners, who prolonged a revolution, provoked a war, and left an indelible mark on history.
King of the Harem Heaven: The Amazing True Story of A Daring Charlatan Who Ran A Virgin Love Cult In America
by Anthony SterlingKing Of The Harem Heaven, first published in 1960, is the fascinating, although likely somewhat sensationalized story, of the House of David religious cult and its leader, Benjamin Franklin Purnell. Based in Benton Harbor, Michigan, the group also owned a large tract of land on High Island in Lake Michigan, and eventually developed a number of successful enterprises including farms, timber, a vegetarian restaurant, amusement park, roadside service station, and a motel. Notable was their having several baseball teams, the “Flying Rollers,” famous for their long hair and beards (they did not believe in cutting their hair) which toured the U.S. and played against other semi-pro teams. The group was rocked by scandal when members alleged that leader Purnell, while enforcing celibacy among the members, was engaging in sex with the women—including underage teenagers—of the group, and also for massive financial irregularities. Legal battles ensued, ending only upon the death of Purnell in December 1927.
King of the Scepter'd Isle
by Michael G. ConeyThe beautiful Dedo Nyneve's innocent tales of a land called Camelot have spawned a real-life cast determined to choose their own fates, yet each move draws them closer to catastrophe. And as the many happentracks of the universe narrow to a dangerous few, the actions of every sorcerer, man, and living creature will determine whether the great god Starquin lives or dies.For the first time in remembered history, humans and gnomes find themselves sharing the same Earth happentrack. But King Arthur has larger concerns as he watches the society he rules spiralling toward ultimate destruction. Little does he know that the evil Mogan Le Fay has been working her treacherous magic to split the happentracks wide open - a deadly betrayal that could spell the end of Camelot.With the ma possible futures swiftly shrinking to one last destiny too awful to contemplate, courageous Fang the gnome joins forces with Arthur and Nyneve to manipulate history in a final confrontation of wills and worlds. The last move is Fang's, as he unravels the strands of time to keep his clan from the brutal vision of Starquin's end.
The King of the Swords (Gateway Essentials #407)
by Michael MoorcockPrince Corum Jhaelin Irsei: the Eternal Champion.With his plane at war with itself, thanks to the machinations and magic of Chaos, Prince Corum, his beloved Rhalina and the eternal companion Jhary-a-Conel must travel to the last five planes to confront Mabelode, the King of the Swords.Joining forces with other aspects of the Eternal Champion - Elric and Ereköse - Corum must rescue Rhalina from the Chaos Lord's minions before attempting to defeat the King of the Swords and free his plane from its madness. But the stakes are also personal for Corum, for the captain who commands the forces of chaos is the same savage Mabden who slaughtered Corum's family...
King Philip's War (Revised Edition): The History And Legacy Of America's Forgotten Conflict
by Eric B. Schultz Michael J. TougiasThe harrowing story of one of America's first and costliest wars—featuring a new foreword by bestselling author Nathaniel Philbrick At once an in-depth history of this pivotal war and a guide to the historical sites where the ambushes, raids, and battles took place, King Philip's War expands our understanding of American history and provides insight into the nature of colonial and ethnic wars in general. Through a careful reconstruction of events, first-person accounts, period illustrations, and maps, and by providing information on the exact locations of more than fifty battles, King Philip's War is useful as well as informative. Students of history, colonial war buffs, those interested in Native American history, and anyone who is curious about how this war affected a particular New England town, will find important insights into one of the most seminal events to shape the American mind and continent.
King Solomon's Curse (Wilde/Chase #13)
by Andy McDermottIn a gripping race against time, archaeologist Nina Wilde and ex-soldier Eddie Chase must find an immensely powerful weapon hidden in a lost African city. This explosive thriller is perfect for fans of James Rollins, Steve Berry, Matthew Reilly and Dan Brown.World-renowned archaeologist Nina Wilde is back on the hunt. Now a documentary presenter, Nina is in Jerusalem where clues found at the Ark of the Covenant recovery site have led her to the ruins of the First Temple, buried beneath Temple Mount. Within them, a hidden chamber conceals a map room - which contains a model of a mysterious city thought to hold a great yet deadly power hidden by King Solomon himself. Analysing the clues, Nina believes that the city is located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the most dangerous locations on Earth. Her husband and ex-special forces soldier Eddie is in England but Nina's phone call is about to change everything. He has had his own problems in the DRC in the past and he isn't about to let Nina go there alone.Joining forces, Nina and Eddie are about to start a devastating chain of events which threatens the entire globe...Why readers are hooked on this KING Solomon's Curse:'One of the best authors that I have read' ***** Goodreads reviewer'Great characters, great action. This is definitely a 5 star' ***** Goodreads reviewer'Brilliantly crafted with great plots and imaginative scenarios...it leads to a gripping finale. Awesome read and I can't wait for the next one!' ***** Goodreads reviewer
King Solomon's Curse (Wilde/Chase #13)
by Andy McDermottFollowing on from THE MIDAS LEGACY, Andy McDermott's new Wilde and Chase novel sees our daring duo on the trail of a strange, ancient weapon of immense power hidden in a lost city deep in the African jungle. Perfect for fans of Clive Cussler, Chris Kuzneski, Dan Brown and Scott Mariani.Nina Wilde is back on the hunt. Now a presenter of her own TV documentary series, Nina is in Jerusalem. Clues found at the Ark of the Covenant recovery site have led her to the ruins of the First Temple, buried beneath Temple Mount. Within them, Nina spots an opening to a previously hidden chamber - a map room which contains a model of a mysterious city thought to contain a great yet dangerous power hidden by King Solomon himself. Analysing the clues, Nina believes that the city is located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the most dangerous locations on Earth. Eddie is in England with their daughter Macy but Nina's phone call is about to change everything. He has had his own problems in the DRC in the past and he isn't about to let Nina go there alone.Joining forces, Nina and Eddie are about to start a chain of events from which there might be no return...(P)2017 Headline Publishing Group Ltd
King Solomon's Curse (Wilde/Chase 13)
by Andy McDermottIn a gripping race against time, archaeologist Nina Wilde and ex-soldier Eddie Chase must find an immensely powerful weapon hidden in a lost African city. This explosive thriller is perfect for fans of James Rollins, Steve Berry, Matthew Reilly and Dan Brown.World-renowned archaeologist Nina Wilde is back on the hunt. Now a documentary presenter, Nina is in Jerusalem where clues found at the Ark of the Covenant recovery site have led her to the ruins of the First Temple, buried beneath Temple Mount. Within them, a hidden chamber conceals a map room - which contains a model of a mysterious city thought to hold a great yet deadly power hidden by King Solomon himself. Analysing the clues, Nina believes that the city is located in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the most dangerous locations on Earth. Her husband and ex-special forces soldier Eddie is in England but Nina's phone call is about to change everything. He has had his own problems in the DRC in the past and he isn't about to let Nina go there alone.Joining forces, Nina and Eddie are about to start a devastating chain of events which threatens the entire globe...Why readers are hooked on this KING Solomon's Curse:'One of thebest authors that I have read' ***** Goodreads reviewer'Great characters, great action. This is definitely a 5 star' ***** Goodreads reviewer'Brilliantly crafted with great plots and imaginative scenarios...it leads to a gripping finale. Awesome read and I can't wait for the next one!' ***** Goodreads reviewer
King Stephen and The Anarchy: Civil War and Military Tactics in Twelfth-Century Britain
by Chris PeersThe Anarchy, the protracted struggle between Stephen of Blois and the Empress Matilda for the English crown between 1135 and 1154, is often seen as a disastrous breakdown in one of the best-governed kingdoms of medieval Europe. But perhaps the impact of the conflict has been overstated, and its effect on the common people across the country is hard to judge. That is why Chris Peerss fresh study of this fascinating and controversial era is of such value. He describes each phase of this civil war, in particular the castles and sieges that dominated strategic thinking, and he sets the fighting in the context of the changing tactics and military systems of the twelfth century. His fresh account of this pivotal episode in the medieval history of England will be absorbing reading anyone who is keen to gain an insight into this period of English history and has a special interest in the practice of medieval warfare.
King Tiger vs IS-2
by Jim Laurier David HigginsThis book examines the technology and strategy that defined the outcome of the battles between the King Tiger and the IS-2. The Soviets had been quick to develop tanks that could fight the Tiger on an equal footing, but these were developed as part of a completely different strategy than that employed by the Germans. The King Tiger was a modern marvel, and remained unmatched in one-on-one combat. Technologically superior, with greater firepower and better armour than the Soviet IS-2, the King Tiger was a formidable opponent. However, the IS-2 was lighter, more manoeuvrable and most importantly, far more numerous. With overwhelming numerical superiority the Soviets were able to simply overwhelm their opponents, negating the technical superiority of the King Tiger.
Kingdom of Beauty: Mingei and the Politics of Folk Art in Imperial Japan
by Kim BrandtA Study of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University Kingdom of Beauty shows that the discovery of mingei (folk art) by Japanese intellectuals in the 1920s and 1930s was central to the complex process by which Japan became both a modern nation and an imperial world power. Kim Brandt's account of the mingei movement locates its origins in colonial Korea, where middle-class Japanese artists and collectors discovered that imperialism offered them special opportunities to amass art objects and gain social, cultural, and even political influence. Later, mingei enthusiasts worked with (and against) other groups--such as state officials, fascist ideologues, rival folk art organizations, local artisans, newspaper and magazine editors, and department store managers--to promote their own vision of beautiful prosperity for Japan, Asia, and indeed the world. In tracing the history of mingei activism, Brandt considers not only Yanagi Muneyoshi, Hamada Shōji, Kawai Kanjirō, and other well-known leaders of the folk art movement but also the often overlooked networks of provincial intellectuals, craftspeople, marketers, and shoppers who were just as important to its success. The result of their collective efforts, she makes clear, was the transformation of a once-obscure category of pre-industrial rural artifacts into an icon of modern national style.
Kingdom of Bones: A Sigma Force Novel (Sigma Force #16)
by James RollinsFrom #1 New York Times bestselling author James Rollins, the latest riveting, deeply imaginative thriller in the Sigma Force series, told with his trademark blend of cutting-edge science, historical mystery, and pulse-pounding action.It begins in Africa . . .A United Nations relief team in a small village in the Congo makes an alarming discovery. An unknown force is leveling the evolutionary playing field. Men, women, and children have been reduced to a dull, catatonic state. The environment surrounding them—plants and animals—has grown more cunning and predatory, evolving at an exponential pace. The insidious phenomenon is spreading from a cursed site in the jungle — known to locals as the Kingdom of Bones —and sweeping across Africa, threatening the rest of the world.What has made the biosphere run amok? Is it a natural event? Or more terrifyingly, did someone engineer it?Commander Gray Pierce and Sigma Force are prepared for the extraordinary and have kept the world safe, vigilance for which they have paid a tragic personal price. Yet, even these brilliant and seasoned scientific warriors do not understand what is behind this frightening development—or know how to stop it. As they race to find answers, the members of Sigma quickly realize they have become the prey.To head off global catastrophe, Sigma Force must risk their lives to uncover the shattering secret at the heart of the African continent—a truth that will illuminate who we are as a species and where we may be headed . . . sooner than we know.Mother Nature—red in tooth and claw—is turning against humankind, propelling the entire world into the Kingdom of Bones.