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A Life in Secrets: Vera Atkins and the Lost Agents of SOE
by Sarah HelmDuring World War Two the Special Operation Executive's French Section sent more than 400 agents into Occupied France -- at least 100 never returned and were reported 'Missing Believed Dead' after the war. Twelve of these were women who died in German concentration camps -- some were tortured, some were shot, and some died in the gas chambers. Vera Atkins had helped prepare these women for their missions, and when the war was over she went out to Germany to find out what happened to them and the other agents lost behind enemy lines. But while the woman who carried out this extraordinary mission appeared quintessentially English, she was nothing of the sort. Vera Atkins, who never married, covered her life in mystery so that even her closest family knew almost nothing of her past. In A LIFE IN SECRETS Sarah Helm has stripped away Vera's many veils and -- with unprecedented access to official and private papers, and the cooperation of Vera's relatives -- vividly reconstructed an extraordinary life.
A Life in a Year: The American Infantryman in Vietnam, 1965-1972
by James R. EbertThis provocative in-depth book focuses on the experiences of the infantry soldier in Vietnam. More than 60 Army and Marine Corps infantrymen speak of their experiences during their year-long tours of duty.
A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader (Cass Series: Naval Policy And History Ser. #Vol. 25)
by Michael SimpsonCunningham was the best-known and most celebrated British admiral of the Second World War. He held one of the two major fleet commands between 1939 and 1942, and in 1942-43, he was Allied naval commander for the great amphibious operations in the Mediterranean. From 1943 to 1946, he was the First Sea Lord and a participant in the wartime conference
A Life of Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham: A Twentieth Century Naval Leader (Cass Series: Naval Policy And History Ser. #Vol. 25)
by Michael SimpsonThis book presents an account of the life of naval commander Andrew Cunningham, the best-known and most celebrated British admiral of the Second World War. It supplements Cunningham's papers by Cabinet and Admiralty records, papers of his service contemporaries and of Churchill.
A Life of Privilege, Mostly: A Memoir
by Gardner BotsfordGardner Botsford's A Life of Privilege tells the fascinating and humorous story of his WWII experiences, from his assignment to the infantry due to a paperwork error to a fearful trans-Atlantic crossing on the Queen Mary, to landing under heavy fire on Omaha Beach and the Liberation of Paris. After the war, he began a distinguished literary career as a long-time editor at the New Yorker, and chronicles the magazine's rise and influence on postwar American culture with wit and grace.
A Light Beyond the Trenches: A Fascinating Historical Novel of WW1
by Alan HladFrom the USA Today bestselling author of Churchill&’s Secret Messenger comes a WWI novel based on little-known history, as four very different lives intertwine across Europe from Germany to France—a German Red Cross nurse, a Jewish pianist blinded on the battlefield, a soldier tortured by deadly secrets of his own, and his tormented French mistress. This life-affirming tale of heroism and resilience will stay with you long after turning the final page. By April 1916, the fervor that accompanied war&’s outbreak has faded. In its place is a grim reality. Throughout Germany, essentials are rationed. Hope, too, is in short supply. Anna Zeller, whose fiancé, Bruno, is fighting on the western front, works as a nurse at an overcrowded hospital in Oldenburg, trying to comfort men broken in body and spirit. But during a visit from Dr. Stalling, the director of the Red Cross Ambulance Dogs Association, she witnesses a rare spark of optimism: as a German shepherd guides a battle-blinded soldier over a garden path, Dr. Stalling is inspired with an idea—to train dogs as companions for sightless veterans. Anna convinces Dr. Stalling to let her work at his new guide dog training school. Some of the dogs that arrive are themselves veterans of war, including Nia, a German shepherd with trench-damaged paws. Anna brings the ailing Nia home and secretly tends and trains her, convinced she may yet be the perfect guide for the right soldier. In Max Benesch, a Jewish soldier blinded by chlorine gas at the front, Nia finds her person. War has taken Max&’s sight, his fiancée, and his hopes of being a composer. Yet despite all he&’s given for his country, the tide of anti-Semitism at home is rising, and Max encounters it first-hand in one of the school&’s trainers, who is determined to make Max fail. Still, through Anna&’s prompting, he rediscovers his passion for music. But as Anna discovers more about the conflict&’s escalating brutality—and Bruno&’s role in it—she realizes how impossible it will be for any of them to escape the war unscathed . . .
A Line in the Sand
by Ray WissIn 2007-08, Dr. Ray Wiss, a former infantry officer, served with the Canadian Forces at forward operating bases in Khandahar's Panjwayi valley, the area experiencing the most intense combat in Afghanistan. He spent more time in the combat area than any other Canadian physician, and his successful first book, FOB Doc, was the diary of his time "outside the wire" during that tour of duty.Captain Wiss's experience in Afghanistan convinced him that this conflict was a rare example of a moral war. When asked to return for an even longer tour of duty in the combat zone, he readily agreed. Once again, he kept a diary, writing with passion about the efforts, sacrifices and achievements of those Canadians who served with such distinction. Illustrated with over 100 colour photographs, A Line in the Sand tells us about virtually every kind of soldier fighting in Afghanistan: the bomb technician, the engineer, the combat medic, the "grunt" as well as about the Afghans, from whom we are seemingly so different yet with whom we share so much. It is an impassioned insider's view of the war in Afghanistan and a convincing testament to why it matters.
A Line in the Sand: A Novel
by Kevin PowersFROM THE AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF THE YELLOW BIRDS'Entertaining, intelligent, and effortlessly readable' Sunday Times'A stunning novel' New York Times'One of the best crime novels of the year' Irish Times'A cracking mystery' Guardian'Tense and enthralling' Daily Mail'Taut and enjoyable' Daily Telegraph'A kickass mystery from a superb storyteller' David Baldacci, author of The 6:20 Man'A spellbinding and totally original thriller' Philipp Meyer, author of The Son An early morning on a beach in Virginia. As he is taking his daily swim, Arman Bajalan - formerly an interpreter in Iraq - discovers a dead body. After surviving an assassination attempt that killed his wife and child, Arman has been given lonely sanctuary in the US. Now, sure that the murder is connected to his past, he knows he's still not safe.Seasoned detective Catherine Wheel and her fresh-off-the-beat partner have little to go on beyond a bus ticket in the man's pocket. It leads them to Sally Ewell, a local journalist as grief-stricken as Arman by the Iraq war, who is investigating a nefarious corporation: one on the cusp of landing a multi-billion-dollar government defence contract.As victims mount around Arman, taking the team down wrong turns and towards startling evidence, they find themselves in a race, committed to unravelling the truth and keeping Arman alive - even if it costs them everything.A Line in the Sand is a sinuous, powerful and white-knuckle thriller, from the award-winning author of The Yellow Birds, shot through with treachery, trauma and the long tentacles of war.
A Line in the Sand: A Novel
by Kevin PowersIn this &“spellbinding and totally original thriller&” (Philipp Meyer, author of The Son) a lonely veteran&’s gruesome discovery throws him right into the face of danger as a twisted investigation unravels the secrets of his dark past. One early morning on a Norfolk beach in Virginia, a dead body is discovered by a man taking his daily swim—Arman Bajalan, formerly an interpreter in Iraq. After narrowly surviving an assassination attempt that killed his wife and child, Arman has been given lonely sanctuary in the US as a maintenance worker at the Sea Breeze Motel. Now, convinced that the body is connected to his past, he knows he is still not safe. Seasoned detective Catherine Wheel and her newly minted partner have little to go on beyond a bus ticket in the dead man&’s pocket. It leads them to Sally Ewell, a local journalist as grief-stricken as Arman is by the Iraq War, who is investigating a corporation on the cusp of landing a multi-billion-dollar government defense contract. As victims mount around Arman, taking the team down wrong turns and towards startling evidence, they find themselves in a race, committed to unraveling the truth and keeping Arman alive—even if it costs them absolutely everything.
A Line in the Sand: Britain, France and the struggle that shaped the Middle East
by James BarrIn 1916, in the middle of the First World War, two men secretly agreed to divide the Middle East between them. Sir Mark Sykes was a visionary politician; François Georges-Picot a diplomat with a grudge. The deal they struck, which was designed to relieve tensions that threatened to engulf the Entente Cordiale, drew a line in the sand from the Mediterranean to the Persian frontier. Territory north of that stark line would go to France; land south of it, to Britain. The creation of Britain's 'mandates' of Palestine, Transjordan and Iraq, and France's in Lebanon and Syria, made the two powers uneasy neighbours for the following thirty years. Through a stellar cast of politicians, diplomats, spies and soldiers, including T. E. Lawrence, Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle, A Line in the Sand vividly tells the story of the short but crucial era when Britain and France ruled the Middle East. It explains exactly how the old antagonism between these two powers inflamed the more familiar modern rivalry between the Arabs and the Jews, and ultimately led to war between the British and French in 1941 and between the Arabs and Jews in 1948. In 1946, after many years of intrigue and espionage, Britain succeeded in ousting France from Lebanon and Syria, and hoped that, having done so, it would be able to cling on to Palestine. Using newly declassified papers from the British and French archives, James Barr brings this clandestine struggle back to life, and reveals, for the first time, the stunning way in which the French finally got their revenge.
A Line in the Sand: The Alamo in Blood and Memory
by Randy Roberts James S. OlsonIn late February and early March of 1836, the Mexican Army under the command of General Antonio López de Santa Anna besieged a small force of Anglo and Tejano rebels at a mission known as the Alamo. The defenders of the Alamo were in an impossible situation. They knew very little of the events taking place outside the mission walls. They did not have much of an understanding of Santa Anna or of his government in Mexico City. They sent out contradictory messages, they received contradictory communications, they moved blindly and planned in the dark. And in the dark early morning of March 6, they died. In that brief, confusing, and deadly encounter, one of America's most potent symbols was born. The story of the last stand at the Alamo grew from a Texas rallying cry, to a national slogan, to a phenomenon of popular culture and presidential politics. Yet it has been a hotly contested symbol from the first. Questions remain about what really happened: Did William Travis really draw a line in the sand? Did Davy Crockett die fighting, surrounded by the bodies of two dozen of the enemy? And what of the participants' motives and purposes? Were the Texans justified in their rebellion? Were they sincere patriots making a last stand for freedom and liberty, or were they a ragtag collection of greedy men-on-the-make, washed-up politicians, and backwoods bullies, Americans bent on extending American slavery into a foreign land? The full story of the Alamo -- from the weeks and months that led up to the fateful encounter to the movies and speeches that continue to remember it today -- is a quintessential story of America's past and a fascinating window into our collective memory. In A Line in the Sand, acclaimed historians Randy Roberts and James Olson use a wealth of archival sources, including the diary of José Enrique de la Peña, along with important and little-used Mexican documents, to retell the story of the Alamo for a new generation of Americans. They explain what happened from the perspective of all parties, not just Anglo and Mexican soldiers, but also Tejano allies and bystanders. They delve anew into the mysteries of Crockett's final hours and Travis's famous rhetoric. Finally, they show how preservationists, television and movie producers, historians, and politicians have become the Alamo's major interpreters. Walt Disney, John Wayne, and scores of journalists and cultural critics have used the Alamo to contest the very meaning of America, and thereby helped us all to "remember the Alamo."
A Little Knowledge
by Michael BishopIn the domed city of Atlanta, after the breakup of the United States, a young writer named Julian Cawthorn is in trouble. Because he insulted the daughter of a public official, Cawthorn is out of work, and virtually unemployable. He begs a temporary job on the city newspaper and finds himself assigned to cover the first public appearance of the aliens Cygnusians, travelers from outer space who have been living in seclusion in Atlanta while visiting Earth.A Christian revivalist dictatorship rules Atlanta; church services are as much social as they are religious events. When one of the aliens chooses to appear at a church service, Julian watches as the first alien from space stands up and is "saved". The alien's voluntary salvation is taken as a sign that the state religion is indeed the one true religion, and minority groups, previously tolerated, are attacked by gangs, leaving Atlanta in turmoil. The service is a turning point in Julian's life. He is hired by Fiona Bitler, hostess to and protector of the aliens; at her invitation he goes to work in the secret alien enclave. In this environment Julian comes to know the fascinating aliens. He is mystified by the aliens' interest in his personal life and cannot understand how they have acquired so many oddly human characteristics in their brief period on Earth.
A Little Maid of Old Maine
by Alice Turner CurtisTo help the men of Machias, Maine, capture an English gunboat in June 1775, Rebecca and Anna undertake a dangerous journey through a forest to get ammunition for them-- based on a true story of the brave effort of two girls to bring help to a little settlement on the Maine coast at the time of the Revolution.
A Little Rebellion
by Marion Lena StarkeyMiss Starkey, author of the famed Death in Massachusetts, with her customary magic touch here deals with the tragic interplay of arrogance in high places and ignorance in low.TIME: the wake of the American RevolutionPLACE: western MassachusettsSUBJECT: the series of revolts culminating in Shays’ RebellionPROVOCATION: plain human misery and the heartbreak and disillusionment that await the victors of warsThe Yankee farmer, having thrown off the tyranny of the British King, dreamed of a Utopia in which taxes would be trifling and debts remitted. Instead they faced the harsh edicts of the Boston aristocrats. Was this not enough to anger a man?So the embattled farmers of ‘76 once more picked up their muskets and took to the road, animated by the same spirit that had moved them 10 years before. They were supported by much of the old revolutionary paraphernalia: county conventions, committees of correspondence, resources solemnly taken.It wasn’t a long war. But it had consequences. No event that called Washington back to public life and impelled thirteen state governments of violently divergent interests to form a more perfect union can be lightly dismissed.Both sides soon invented their devils, for we have always been eager to believe, especially in rural America, in some great but essentially simple conspiracy in high places. The embattled farmers thought the Boston aristocrats aimed at tyranny, and Governor Bowdoin thought that British agents were behind the rebellion. Then as now, it was a time of inflation, high taxes, loyalty oaths—and anxiety. Then as now, arrogance and ignorance did their evil work.Miss Starkey, as always, has so steeped herself in the records left by plain people that the book reads like a novel, although there is not one word of fiction in it. It is a stirring revelation, in dramatic form, of the eternal conflict between man’s political illusions and hard reality.
A Little Short of Boats: The Battles of Ball's Bluff & Edwards Ferry, October 21–22, 1861
by James A. Morgan III“Perhaps a small demonstration on your part would have the effect to move them,” wrote Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan to Brig. Gen. Charles P. Stone on October 20, 1861. The simple telegram triggered the “demonstration” by Col. Edward Baker’s brigade the following day—that evolved into the bloody subject of this book. <p><p> Opposing the Union effort was Brig. Gen. Nathan “Shanks” Evans’ small Confederate command at Leesburg. When he learned of the enemy plans, Evans shuttled troops from Edwards Ferry to Ball’s Bluff, where Baker pushed his brigade across the upper reaches of the Potomac. His troops were on open ground, ill-organized, and with their backs to the river when the Southern infantry attacked. The twelve fitful hours of fighting that followed ended in one of the worst defeats, proportionally speaking, that either side would suffer during the Civil War, wrecked a Union general’s career, and killed Baker—a sitting US senator and one of Abraham Lincoln’s good friends. The news rocked a Northern populace already reeling from the recent disasters of Bull Run and Wilson’s Creek. <p> Based on firsthand research and a full appreciation of the battlefield terrain, A Little Short of Boats sets forth the strategy behind the “demonstration,” the combats that followed, and the colorful personalities involved. The result, coupled with the disaster’s political fallout, held the nation’s attention for weeks. The battle’s most important impact was also the least predictable: the creation of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War. Ostensibly formed to seek out the causes of the string of defeats, the Joint Committee instead pushed the political agenda of the “Radical Republicans” and remained a thorn in Lincoln’s side for four long years. <p> This fully revised and expanded edition of A Little Short of Boats will please Civil War enthusiasts who love tactical studies—and remind them once again that very often in history, smaller affairs often have important and lasting consequences.
A Little Village Called Lidice
by Zdena TrinkaA Little Village Called Lidice, first published in 1947, is an impassioned account of the World War II atrocity committed by the Nazis in Lidice, Czechoslovakia. The reprisal was ordered by Hitler following the assassination of Nazi leader Reinhard Heydrich on May 27, 1942 outside of Prague. On June 9, 1942, Gestapo and other German forces entered the small village of Lidice (chosen apparently at random by the Nazis), rounded up all men and male teenagers 15 and over, and executed them by firing squad (173 in all). Their bodies were placed in a common grave. Some women were also executed, with most transported to concentration camps. A handful of the approximately 100 village children were removed from their mothers to be raised by German families, but over 80 were sent to their death in the extermination camp at Chelmo, where they were placed in sealed trucks and gassed. Following the executions, the village was razed by fire, leveled by explosives, then bulldozed into rubble. The village's famous cherry orchards were also uprooted and destroyed, a small lake was filled-in, and a stream diverted. Grass was planted so that the village was, in effect, obliterated. At war's end, only a few women and 17 Lidice children survived to return to the village. Following the war, houses for a new Lidice were built near the site of the original village, and a memorial erected in honor of those who were killed.Author Zdena Trinka (1892-1967) was a native of North Dakota who wrote a number of additional books, mostly concerning the history of North Dakota. She escaped the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia while on a visit.
A Little in Love: 'The perfect romantic read' HEIDI SWAIN, Sunday Times Bestselling author
by Florence Keeling&‘Tender and engrossing, this romance will touch your heart and make you smile' RACHEL HORE 'The perfect romantic read' HEIDI SWAIN 'You&’ll fall a lot in love with A Little in Love. Secrets, romance, escapism - yes please!' JULIET ASHTON'A warm, delightful joy of a book' PATRICIA SCANLAN 'An absolutely charming and joyful read with lots of laugh-out-loud moments along the way. Overflowing with fabulous friendships, dreamy romance and all things weddings, it really did warm my heart and leave me with a big smile on my face' KIM NASH &‘Fun, fresh and full of fizz, I loved it!&’ LAURA KEMP 'I fell more than a little in love with this book. Florence is an incredible storyteller and this book is the perfect cute romance read' LUCY KEELING 'A warm, comfort read of a book with the kind of rom-com characters you recognise and root for' ANNA MANSELL &‘I thoroughly enjoyed this heart-warming and ever-so-cute story. What an adorable tale!&’ LUCY MITCHELL &‘I absolutely loved this charming romance! It was funny, fresh and an utterly fabulous read&’ HOLLY MARTIN 'A good old fashioned 'will they, won't they' romance filled with as much fun and sparkle as the bubbles in Rose's prosecco. Perfect escapism, best enjoyed with a glass of fizz!' KATHLEEN WHYMANThe little village of Weddington is fast becoming THE place to get married. With its stately home, castle and two churches it has something for everyone, and now, famous after appearing in huge romcom movie hit A Little In Love, it&’s hosting a monthly wedding fayre… Rose Pedal is the proud owner of Pedals & Prosecco, a brand new business serving ice-cold fizz from a vintage bicycle, and she&’s excited to be attending her first wedding fayre. But, on the way to Weddington Hall she&’s involved in a near miss crash involving dashingly handsome James from Blume&’s Florist. Arriving at the beautiful stately home drenched and disheveled, Rose is horrified to find James is not only not sorry for nearly knocking her off her bike, but he&’s gatecrashing her allocated spot on the lawn. His arrogance gets her back up and it&’s definitely a case of hate at first sight. But as the wedding fayre season continues, James gently wins Rose over, and their relationship starts to bloom. Can being just 'a little in love' help Rose and James find their own happy-ending…A Little in Love is the most charming romantic comedy you&’ll read this year, from a hugely talented author, perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Phillipa Ashley and Cressida McLaughlin.
A Liverpool Legacy: An unexpected tragedy forces a family to fight for survival…
by Anne BakerA mother's love is a force to be reckoned with... Set in Liverpool at the end of the Second World War, Anne Baker's saga, A Liverpool Legacy, will move you to tears of sadness and joy. Perfect for fans of Lyn Andrews and Dilly Court.On a spring day in 1947, Millie and Pete Maynard take their daughter Sylvie on a boat trip that is to end in tragedy. Poor Sylvie blames herself for the accident and Millie needs all her strength to comfort her children and overcome her grief. Then Pete's will is read and further heartache lies in store...Meanwhile, Pete's younger brother and his good-for-nothing sons try to take control of the family business, but they've underestimated Millie's indomitable spirit. She's worked in Maynard's perfume laboratory for eighteen years and is determined to protect her husband's legacy no matter what obstacles are thrown in her way... What readers are saying about A Liverpool Legacy: 'Anne Baker is one of my favourite authors and I have read all her books. A Liverpool Legacy is up there amongst her best - a really well written, gripping story, with believable characters''Anne Baker never ceases to amaze me, another brilliant read'
A Local Habitation: Life and Times, Volume One 1918-40
by Richard HoggartRichard Hoggart's book, The Uses of Literary, established his reputation as a uniquely sensitive and observant chronicler of English working-class life. In this vivid first volume of autobiography he describes his origins in that milieu. Orphaned at an early age, Hoggart grew up in a working-class district of Leeds, in an intimate world of terraced back-to-backs, visits from the local Board of Guardians, clothing checks and potted-meat sandwiches. With affectionate insight he recreates the family circle - a loving grandmother, one domineering and on gentle aunt, and a bibulous, melancholy uncle - and recalls his early schooling, the friends he made and the mentors he admired. Hard-working and articulate, Hoggart did well enough at grammar school to go on to Leeds University. This volume ends as, having earned a higher degree and travelled in Nazi Germany, he prepares to leave Yorkshire, via the Army, for the world beyond. Wry, compassionate, exact, A Local Habitation is a classic recreation of working-class England between the wars.
A Log of the Vincennes
by Lt. Donald Hugh DorrisAN INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE HISTORY OF WORLD WAR IIThe LOG begins with U.S. Sloop Vincennes, which, with the Columbus, was the first American ship to enter Tokyo Harbor (1846).A contemporaneous account of the shakedown cruise of the U.S. Cruiser Vincennes in 1937 and experiences of the ship before escorting the Hornet on the Doolittle-Tokyo expedition are given.The contents also include likenesses and biographical sketches of many men lost with the Vincennes; the Chaplain’s Log; experiences at Midway; and a statement concerning the third U.S. Vincennes, launched in 1944.Richly illustrated throughout with photographs and maps.
A Lonely Kind of War
by Marshall HarrisonTells the story of the FACs (forward air controllers) who flew light, unarmored and often unarmed aircraft over the jungles of Vietnam. Their job was to find enemy troop and supply concentrations and direct fighters, artillery, gunships and bombers to them.
A Long Day for Dying
by Patrick A. DavisNew York Times bestselling author Patrick A. Davis spins a gripping tale of deadly intrigue in a time of national crisis that races to the explosive final act. A LONG DAY FOR DYING When General Michael Garber, the newly appointed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is discovered dead in the private compartment of his airplane, Air Force investigator Martin Collins finds himself thrust into the most dangerous case of his career. What initially appears to be an accidental death turns out to be a near-perfect murder -- and three members of the Joint Chiefs are the prime suspects. As Martin weaves his way through a puzzling maze of blood and deceit, he finds himself in the firing line of Garber's enemies, including a half-mad rival general who collects the ears of the men he's killed, and the ruthless female secretary of defense, whose hatred for Garber knows no bounds. With his life and the honor of the military at stake, Martin has only twenty-four hours to uncover a legacy of secrets that no one wants brought to light -- secrets that the most powerful forces in Washington will kill to keep buried....
A Long Long War: Voices from the British Army in Northern Ireland 1969–98
by Ken WhartonThis is the story of the Troubles in Northern Ireland told from the perspective of the British soldiers who served there between 1969 and 1998. This was a war against terrorists who knew no mercy or compassion; a war involving sectarian hatred and violent death. Over 1,000 British lives were lost in a place just 30 minutes flying time away from the mainland. The British Army was sent into Northern Ireland on August 14, 1969 by the Wilson government as law and order had broken down and the population (mainly Catholics) and property were at grave risk. Between then and 1998 some 300,000 British troops served in Northern Ireland. This is their story—in their own words—from first to last. There are stories from some of the most seminal moments in the period of the Troubles in Northern Ireland—detailed accounts of firefights at Crossmaglen from the commanders on the ground at the time; an incredible story from a British Army sniper in Londonderry, 1973; an account from the first squaddie on the scene at Penny Lane after the 1988 funeral killings of the two corporals; the 1988 Ballygawley coach blast which killed 8 Light Infantrymen, with a first-hand account by one of the survivors; the case of the missing Christmas Club money in the Ardoyne; Gerry Adams' 'birthday treat' at a vehicle checkpoint, accounts by plain-clothes intelligence officers on the streets of Belfast and many more. The brave men and women of the Ulster Defence Regiment, many of whom were murdered in their homes or at their places of work, occupy a prominent place in the book. The author has also conducted a great deal of original research to produce a roll of honor for all service personnel killed in Northern Ireland. A major contribution to research, the list differs to its 'official' MoD counterpart to a surprising degree. It includes more than 20 names before the first official casualty, Gunner Robert Curtis (1971) and more than 10 after the last official casualty, L/Bombardier Stephen Restorick (1997). Receiving a remarkable amount of cooperation from Northern Ireland veterans eager to tell their story, the author has compiled a vivid and unforgettable record. Their experiences—sad and poignant, fearful and violent, courageous in the face of adversity, even downright hilarious—make for compelling reading. Their voices need to be heard.
A Long Long Way
by Sebastian BarryPraised as a "master storyteller" (The Wall Street Journal) and hailed for his "flawless use of language" (Boston Herald), Irish author and playwright Sebastian Barry has created a powerful new novel about divided loyalties and the realities of war.In 1914, Willie Dunne, barely eighteen years old, leaves behind Dublin, his family, and the girl he plans to marry in order to enlist in the Allied forces and face the Germans on the Western Front. Once there, he encounters a horror of violence and gore he could not have imagined and sustains his spirit with only the words on the pages from home and the camaraderie of the mud-covered Irish boys who fight and die by his side. Dimly aware of the political tensions that have grown in Ireland in his absence, Willie returns on leave to find a world split and ravaged by forces closer to home. Despite the comfort he finds with his family, he knows he must rejoin his regiment and fight until the end. With grace and power, Sebastian Barry vividly renders Willie's personal struggle as well as the overwhelming consequences of war.
A Long March: The Lives of Frank and Alice Baldwin
by Robert H. SteinbachDuring a distinguished military career, in which he rose to the rank of brigadier general and twice won the Medal of Honor, Frank Baldwin saw service in the Civil War, the Indian wars on the Great Plains, and the Spanish-American War. His wife, Alice Blackwood Baldwin, shared the "long march" with him, from his Plains service onward. In this first biography of the Baldwins, Robert Steinbach combines military and personal history to vividly portray a marriage that survived both the harshness of frontier army life and the restrictive Victorian concept of "separate spheres" for husband and wife. Drawing on a wealth of diaries, letters, and other family papers, Steinbach re-creates the Baldwins' life on the Plains. Moving from post to post in Kansas, New Mexico, Montana, North Dakota, and Texas, they faced danger, excitement, separations, poverty, and many other hardships. Frequently they clashed over Alice's desire to be something more than "an ornament to society"-a wish eventually granted as Frank's long absences and chronic ill health required Allie to take responsibility for herself and their daughter. With insights into military campaigns on the Great Plains in the years 1865-1890 and a revealing look at the human side of those campaigns, A Long March will appeal to a wide audience.