Books by David Ryan

Get outdoors with this guide to 60 of the best hikes within an hour or so from Albuquerque, leading you to scenic overlooks, wildlife hot spots, and historical settings.

The author''s smooth, inviting tone is at once in-depth and profound while maintaining an air of conversational storytelling that makes it seem as if one is having coffee with the author and listening to his tales in person. The global nature of David Ryan''s stories, whether in tales of his travels or in stories of meeting people from far-off places, gives an exotic and adventurous feeling to the book. At the same time, descriptions of the UK have a familiar and comforting sense of home. In each story, the author deftly integrates personal experiences and emotions with wider observations of how the world around us is changing, capturing the aura of a place or moment in time while reflecting on its transience. This truly makes for an enjoyable read. ''Close Encounters takes you on a journey to different places and times, but always returns to the heart of Belfast. David Ryan describes Belfast in a way that creates both nostalgia for the past and comment for the future.'' Tony Macauley. Bestselling author of Paperboy, Bread Boy, All Growed Up Now and Little House on the Peace Line.''Honest, insightful and witty are three words that I would use to describe this book. Close Encounters is a brave and bold set of personal reflections on life that are shaped by the experiences of David Ryan himself and it is peppered throughout with a healthy dose of humour. His telling of these stories is thought-provoking and unapologetic in addressing some of the challenging cultural issues of our time.''Dr Adam Boddison, Chief Executive Officer, nasen.''Written from a Christian perspective and with customary candour and self-depreciating humour, Close Encounters offers us a further cornucopia of keenly observed experiences, conversations and reflections. As with Brief Encounters these stories help us discover more about a wealth of characters in our richly diverse world, but ultimately in the process help us learn more about ourselves, our attitudes and our beliefs.''Dr Noel Purdy, Stranmillis University College, Belfast

Examining the broad contexts of US foreign policy and the lingering aftermath of the Vietnam War, David Ryan argues that these events created an opportunistic framing of 9/11, paving the way for the long-held neo-conservative desire for regime change and war in Iraq. *BR**BR*He examines the construction of the cultural framework for war following 9/11, the legitimacy of military force in Afghanistan, the rise of anti-Americanism, within the broader contexts over the struggle over legitimacy, identity and leadership.*BR**BR*Turning the 'clash of civilisations' thesis on its head, Ryan presents a careful analysis of the evolution of US foreign policy and its engagement with Iraq through the 1980s. While 9/11 provided the opportunity, the post-Vietnam context provides a more pertinent framework for this reflection on the Gulf War, the Iraq War and the strategic implications for US foreign policy.

A survey of US foreign relations and its perceived crusade to spread liberty and democracy in the two hundred years since the American Revolution. It is structured around central episodes and ideas in the history of US foreign policy.

The relationship between the US and Europe in the 20th century is one of the key considerations in any understanding of international relations. This work first sets the context by looking at the trends and traditions of America's foreign relations in the 19th century, and then considers the changing nature of America's vision of Europe from 1900.