Historical & Political Biographies

The invention by Whittle of the turbo-jet engine, and the determined effort to design, develop and demonstrate that such a novel new method of propulsion would replace piston engines in the air, was one of the most important technical achievements of the twentieth century. That one man accomplished this working with a small but dedicated team of engineers and craftsman in the middle of a war, and in the face of many doubters, was a truly monumental achievement. The jet engine envisaged by Frank Whittle, a young Royal Air Force cadet, changed aviation forever. It was an invention that has, in the years since, had the effect of shrinking the world we live in. We think nothing today of flying between continents in a few hours, when just a two or three generations ago this would have been a major expedition. In short, the jet engine, developed with great tenacity by Whittle, has made the world a village, and has introduced world-wide travel to ordinary people everywhere. This accomplishment was all the more remarkable given WhittleâEUR(TM)s humble background as the son of a highly skilled but largely uneducated mechanic and machinist. A young man from a working-class family, Frank Whittle wanted to become a pilot, but he was denied admission into the RAF due to his physical limitations. Nevertheless, he persisted until finally he was accepted on an air mechanicâEUR(TM)s (or fitterâEUR(TM)s) apprenticeship at RAF Cranwell. It was a course which was primarily used to train officer cadets. Cranwell included a flying training school and it was WhittleâEUR(TM)s secret hope that he may be one step closer to achieving his aim of learning to fly. The air mechanicâEUR(TM)s apprenticeship was a three-year course aimed at providing a thorough practical understanding of all aircraft structural components as well as a detailed knowledge of the different types of aircraft engines then in use. He was a diligent apprentice, and happily threw himself into every aspect of the rigorous training provided, while at the same time keeping an eye on the officer cadets on the flying courses. Inspired by his training, Frank Whittle developed an idea. He believed it was possible for aircraft to fly faster and higher âEUR" and he turned his vision into reality. This incredible accomplishment was not without considerable personal cost though, as Whittle had to face the realities of war, as well as personal and commercial issues that nearly turned his dream into a nightmare. In addition, this biography, written by someone who met Frank Whittle, includes details of his rather colourful personal life, which have not been previously documented.

Under cloudless blue skies, the Oakwood Cemetery Annex in Montgomery, Alabama hosts the largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in the United States. Most of the graves contain young RAF trainee pilots killed during their flying training at nearby Maxwell and Gunter airfields during the Second World War. However, there is another grave, located at the edge of the plot, not from the early 1940s but, from 1954\. The grave marks the final resting place of a 44-year-old senior RAF officer, Air Commodore Geoffrey Stephenson CBE. It begs the questions who was he and why is he buried there?This book sets out to answer both these questions. As a result, this is the remarkable story of not only StephensonâEUR(TM)s life but the people, planes and places that would leave an indelible mark on a seasoned fighter pilot. After growing up in Lincolnshire and Ireland, 18-year-old Stephenson joined the RAF in 1928 alongside Douglas Bader who would become a life-long friend. After leaving Cranwell, the pair both joined 23 Squadron. In the 1930s, Stephenson rose through the ranks to command 19 Squadron, a Duxford-based Spitfire unit, that would see his baptism of fire over Dunkirk in late May 1940\. Following the downing of a Junkers Ju 87 Stuka, Stephenson was himself shot down and crash landed on the beach at Sangatte. After a brief period on the run in France and Belgium, Stephenson was taken into captivity, spending the next five years as a prisoner of war, ending up at the iconic Colditz Castle where, ironically, he was reunited with his old friend Bader. Upon his release in April 1945, Stephenson quickly resumed his RAF career commanding, instructing, and flying the latest jet fighters, both at home and overseas. He was aide-de-camp to two monarchs, including escorting a young Queen Elizabeth II during her 1953 Coronation Review. However, his already eventful career would take a tragic turn. In 1954, Stephenson flew to the United States to review their latest acquisitions, which included a flight in the supersonic F-100 Super Sabre. It would be his last flight. Nevertheless, StephensonâEUR(TM)s legacy lives on at his former base at Duxford in the guise of the Imperial War MuseumâEUR(TM)s immaculately restored Spitfire Mk.I N3200\. This was the very aircraft in which he force-landed on 26 May 1940\. Recovered from the French beach, N3200 was painstakingly rebuilt and returned to flying condition. Today, N3200 is often referred to as a âEUR¿National TreasureâEUR(TM). This is the biography of a remarkable pilot, husband and father, revealing the planes he flew, the places he visited, and the incredible people he met along the way.

Rugby and Rationing explores Sarah Anderson's genealogical findings from pre World War Two to the early 1960s from her father's letters and diary entries. The book explores the thoughts and concerns of an ordinary, middle class, hardworking English family.

Colm Tóibín's personal account of encountering James Baldwin's work, published in Baldwin's centenary year. Acclaimed Irish novelist Colm Tóibín first read James Baldwin just after turning eighteen. He had completed his first year at an Irish university and was struggling to free himself from a religious upbringing. He had even considered entering a seminary and was searching for literature that would offer illumination and insight. Inspired by the novel Go Tell It on the Mountain, Tóibín found a writer who would be a lifelong companion and exemplar. Tóibín appreciates Baldwin, writer to writer: Baldwin was interested in the hidden and dramatic areas in his own being, and was prepared as a writer to explore difficult truths about his own private life. In his fiction, he had to battle for the right of his protagonists to choose or influence their destinies. He knew about guilt and rage and bitter privacies in a way that few of his White novelist contemporaries did. And this was not simply because he was Black and homosexual; the difference arose from the very nature of his talent, from the texture of his sensibility. "All art," he wrote, "is a kind of confession, more or less oblique. All artists, if they are to survive, are forced, at last, to tell the whole story, to vomit the anguish up." On James Baldwin is a magnificent contemporary author's tribute to one of his most consequential literary progenitors.

Fabian Colonial Essays (1945) brings together a host of leading thinkers to discuss different aspects of colonialism. It examines socialism and imperialism, colonial development, economics and colonialism, social services amongst other issues, all through the lens of 1940s British progressive politics.

Dual Legacies in the Contemporary Caribbean (1986) is a comparative and systematic study of the legacies bequeathed by British and French colonial rule in the Caribbean. These essays offer provocative insights and report intriguing parallels between the British and French experiences in the region.

The definitive bibliographical study of the Elizabethan travel writer Richard Hakluyt and his early works.

The first-ever biography of a pioneering nineteenth century doctor-coroner and his inquests, meticulously researched and written in a clear style for non-specialists. For all those interested in Victorian social history, the history of medicine and coronial history.

This book offers a thoroughly researched and detailed account into the formation and development of Na Fianna Éireann in Cork city during the bloody fight for Irish Independence.

Defying an impossible fate, destiny's abruptly rewritten by unimaginable paths. Eerie synchronicity directs a miraculous escape from grips of WWII Europe to America, as skilled artistry quiets chaos in a quest for truth and self-peace.

A collection of more than 300 quotes from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson: pro wrestling phenom, actor, businessman, and cultural icon, providing a unique look into the mind of one of the most recognizable and influential figures of our era. Part of the In Their Own Words series.This collection of quotes has been curated from Dwayne Johnson’s numerous public statements—interviews, social media posts, television appearances, and more. It’s a comprehensive picture of his legacy as one of the world’s most recognizable and influential celebrities. The quotes in this collection touch on football, wrestling, Hollywood, building a business, heritage, activism, and more. Johnson, a third-generation wrestler, rose to prominence in the late 1990s as one of the most electrifying and charismatic performers in the history of professional wrestling. Debuting in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) as Rocky Maivia, he quickly gained attention for his athleticism, microphone skills, and larger-than-life persona. Embracing the moniker "The Rock," he became a cornerstone of the Attitude Era, and his unparalleled ability to connect with audiences propelled him to multiple WWE Championships. His catchphrases and signature moves became iconic in wrestling lore and garnered mainstream attention beyond the world of wrestling as well. After achieving superstardom in the ring, Johnson transitioned to Hollywood, eventually becoming one of the highest-paid actors in the world and starring in blockbuster films including The Mummy and Jumanji, as well as appearing in DC Comics franchise films and voicing Maui in the Disney hit Moana, a nod to his Samoan heritage that he proudly touts as central to his identity. Beyond acting, he has built a business empire that spans multiple enterprises, including a production company, a premium tequila brand, sportswear, and a digital content platform.Johnson’s entrepreneurial spirit and versatility beyond his entertainment career earned him a nod as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2019. Now, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson: In His Own Words offers a unique look into the mind of one of the world’s most captivating and beloved personas.

Lessons from A Wall Street Legend Turned Secretary of Commerce Before being named President Trump's Secretary of Commerce in 2017, Wilbur Ross had already earned a reputation as the ';King of Bankruptcy' over his 55-year career on Wall Street. Often working on high-profile bankruptcies such as Pan Am and Texaco, Ross helped restructure more than $400 billion in assets, and was named amongBloomberg's50 most influential people in global finance. After coming to Washington, Ross faced equally tough challenges, yet survived in his post for all four years.Risks and Rewards: Creating Success in Business and Lifeexplains how Ross got to the top and stayed there. Rising from humble beginnings in North Bergen, New Jersey, Ross applied simple principles with strict disciplinesomething readers can apply in their own quest for success. Ultimately, Ross's strategies and dealmaking skills led to relationships with King Charles, Warren Buffett, Carl Icahn, the Rothschild family, Steve Wynn, Lakshmi Mittal, Mike Milken, and many other famous personalities. Ross also documents his experiences with President Trump in the Oval Office. Whether you're interested in Ross's experiences as a neighbor of John Lennon in the legendary Dakota apartment building, celebrating with Sir Richard Branson on his private island, or his tumultuoustime in Washington, you will findRisks and Rewardsto be a candid reflection ofa life lived at the pinnacle of Wall Street, NewYork, and Palm Beach society, and the Trump administration. Above all, anyone driven to find career success will learn from Ross's life the strategies and mentality to achieve it.

A news-driven biography of Vladimir Putin's nemesis Alexey Navalny- lawyer, blogger, anti-corruption crusader, protest organizer, political opposition leader, mayoral and presidential candidate, campaign strategist, provocateur, poisoning victim, dissident, and now, prisoner of conscience and anti-war crusader.

At the height of his fame as a composer, Edward Elgar publicly admitted that his success was owing to the influence of his mother. Copiously illustrated, this is the story of thatinspirational mother, Ann Greening, who gave her son love, security and understanding - the best possible start in life. Despite her poor background and basic education, her interests were wide- ranging - the natural world, literature and chivalry - and she had a strong religious faith and sense of fun. She epitomised the Victorians' enthusiasm for self-improvement, and, in spite of not being musical, she played a crucial role in nurturing her son's genius. Her confidence and enthusiasm for learning enabled Elgar to turn what otherwise might have been seen as a distinct disadvantage in the lack of high-level music education to the creation of his own very individual style.

He explains how his philosophy and teachings influenced Australian peace, environmental, religious, and aid movements.

PHILIP SNOWDEN was a proud Yorkshireman, a founding father of the Labour Party, its first Chancellor of the Exchequer and eventually was seen as a traitor by the movement he did so much to build. Growing up in the poverty of a weaving village in the Pennines, Snowden was paralysed in his twenties but overcame his disability by teaching himself to walk again with the aid of two sticks. He came to socialism in the 1890s and helped build Labour from a fringe sect into a governing party. Snowden was LabourâEUR(TM)s undisputed economic expert for decades and served as chancellor three times in the 1920s and 30s. He would be expelled from the party for joining Ramsay MacDonaldâEUR(TM)s controversial National Government in 1931 and has been condemned as a turncoat ever since. A gifted orator, Snowden was regarded as the archetypal Yorkshireman; strong-willed and straight-talking, caustic and biting in his criticism but warm in friendship. He earned the moniker âEUR¿Iron ChancellorâEUR(TM) after doggedly standing up to the French during tense negotiations, with one Paris journal bawling, âEURœThere is only one thing left âEUR" we must occupy Yorkshire!âEUR? SnowdenâEUR(TM)s infamous 1931 election broadcast, in which he condemned LabourâEUR(TM)s programme as âEURœBolshevism run madâEUR?, played a major role in the National Government winning the biggest landslide in British electoral history. In 1934, Snowden wrote his autobiography. It is one of the most readable memoirs of the period, packed with SnowdenâEUR(TM)s characteristic wit and sarcasm. SnowdenâEUR(TM)s portrait of his youth in the rural Yorkshire of the 1870s is a unique window into a lost world, while his narrative of the pioneering days of the Labour movement is passionate and vivid. In describing his long career in parliament and government from 1906-1932, the great men of the age jump off the page as we encounter Asquith, Lloyd George, Churchill, Baldwin and MacDonald among others in this tumultuous period of British history. SnowdenâEUR(TM)s story is both an absorbing account of a fascinating time and an invaluable source for students and scholars.

This book is a biography of a Scottish missionary worker, Alexander Wylie, a classical nineteenth century artisan and autodidact. He made significant contributions to knowledge transfer, both to and from China: in missionary work; as a teacher, and as a writer in English and an internationally recognised major sinologist.

A historical biography of the life of James Holland Walker, a White Star Line hero with a focus on maritime history.

A captivating and poignant biography of a Coldstream Guardsman in World War Two which looks at the hardships faced during battle by a man on the front line.