Join thousands of book lovers
Sign up to our newsletter and receive discounts and inspiration for your next reading experience.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy.You can, at any time, unsubscribe from our newsletters.
World War II was the defining event of the twentieth century. For everyone it was a time of confusion, fear, destruction, and death on a scale never before seen. Much has been written of the generals, campaigns, and battles of the war, but it was young, ordinary American kids who held our freedom in their hands as they fought for liberty across the globe. Forgotten Heroes of World War II offers a personal understanding of what was demanded of these young heroes through the stories of rank-and-file individuals who served in the navy, marines, army, air corps, and merchant marine in all theaters of the war. Their tales are told without pretense or apology. At the time, each thought himself no different from those around him, for they were all young, scared, and miserable. They were the ordinary, the extraordinarythe forgotten.
In this deliciously revealing oral history of Broadway from World War II through the 1980s, more than one hundred theater veterans-including Carol Channing, Hal Prince, Donna McKechnie, Hal Holbrook, Andrea McArdle, and Al Hirschfeld-deliver the behind-the-scenes story of the hits, the stars, the feuds, and the fiascoes.
Rapid Response Team MemorandumTop Secret/Do Not PhotocopyTo: Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO)From: U.S. Space Defense Operations Center, ColoradoSituation Report: Unmanned Soviet Kvant-3 space laboratory destroyed by defective U.S. Orbital Weapons Platform. Communications inoperative. Soviet retaliation imminent unless immediate action taken.Target: U.S. Low-power Atmospheric Compensation Experiment (LACE)the most powerful weapon in orbit. Equipped with SECRET hydrogen-fluoride, five megawatt chemical laser, LODE 4-meter firing mirror, and Teal Ruby AFP-888 aiming mechanism.Current Status: 38 degree circular orbit at 130 nautical miles FULLY ARMED AND OUT OF CONTROL.Operation: U.S. astronauts Colonel William Parker and Lt. Commander Jacob Enright to fly Space Shuttle Endeavor in mission to deactivate LACE.Risk Factor: HIGHSpecial Orders: In event of mission failure, U.S. shuttle crew to be terminated with EXTREME PREJUDICE.Brief: Presidential briefing NOT RECOMMENDED.
Updated through the 2012 Olympics.In the second edition of The U.S. Women's Soccer Team, Clemente A. Lisi looks at how women's soccer has gained popularity over the last couple of decades, detailing the program's infancy and how it steadily became a model for women's teams around the globe. Beginning with the start of the U.S. program in 1985, Lisi recounts the development of the women's team, highlighted by their two first place finishes in the Women's World Cup (1991 and 1999) and four Olympic women's gold medals (1996, 2004, 2008, and 2012). In addition to chronicling the history of the team as a whole, this book offers miniprofiles and photographs of some of the best players over the years, including Julie Foudy, Amy Rodriguez, Hope Solo, and Mia Hamm.
What made Norma Jean special was the quality she discovered when, bored with being a teenage bride with a husband in the Merchant Marine during World War II, she took her first and most enduring lover, the camera. At the age of 36, Marilyn Monroe died a Hollywood movie star and an American legend. Her rise to fame, however, had very little to do with her limited talents. Monroe infiltrated Hollywood, swarming with fake names and idealized careers, and pressed herself into its mold. Monroe's personal confessions, along with interviews with friends and contemporaries, reveal the truth behind this Hollywood icon.
Born Juanita Slusher in Edna, Texas, in 1935, the entertainer who became Candy Barr was perhaps the last great dancer in burlesque, a stripper who insisted on live, improvisational music and who at one time commanded $2,000 a week in 1950s Las Vegas. But as Juanita she had started life as a prematurely well-developed thirteen-year-old runaway victimized by a Dallas ritual known as "e;the capture"e; that enslaved her into prostitution, for a time turning over 4,000 tricks a year before she was able to escape. A lover of Mickey Cohen's and friend to Jack Ruby, Barr's tumultuous life included a period of imprisonment on trumped-up drug charges, an appearance in a crude, 20-minute stag film, and unlikely role in the investigation into the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Based on over 100 hours of exclusive interviews with Barr, this book is not just the story of Juanita and Candy, but also paints an unflattering picture of all those who sought to exploit her.
The latest in the series that includes best-selling That's Not in My American History Book and That's Not in My Science Book, this book brings geography to life exploring the who behind the discovery of various lands and the what behind how our world changes. From the earliest compass to today's handheld GPS systems, Kelly shows how people throughout time have navigated the world.
When Harvard came back from a 16-point deficit with less than a minute to go to tie Yale in their now-famous 1968 gridiron tilt, the headline in the Harvard Crimson the following Monda proudly boasted, "e;Harvard Beats Yale, 29-29."e; This and nineteen other improbable comebacks are the subjects of Wilner and Rappoport's latest volume of extraordinary achievements from the world of sports, and include the 1914 "e;miracle"e; Braves, Billy Casper's incredible rally to beat Arnold Palmer in the 1966 U.S. Open, the New York Giants' magical playoff run in 1951, and others. Also included are sidebars on individual athletes whose "e;combacks"e; included overcoming disease (i.e. Lance Armstrong) and reviving a career (i.e. Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali).
Texas movies are as vast as the Lone Star State. This book offers readers the chance to visit Texas vicariously by viewing movies filmed in and about the state that reflect Texas history, cultures, and landscapes. Suggested itineraries, maps, and lists of unique shooting locatiosn make this book a travel guide. Anecdotes about the experiences of the movie makers during the filming add unique interest for the movie fan.
A practical guide from an expert camper who rates campsites throughout Texas including location, facilities, activities, sights, layout, fees and cautions. Photos give the flavor and attractions of many of the sites.
Offering tips on finding your own gardening style, choosing climate-appropriate plants, creating low-maintenance landscaping and hardscaping, and weeding efficiently and effectively, Freeman understands that there's no room for scolding, but there is a real need for encouragement and good humor.
This book celebrates the 39 players, managers, and team executives who have been elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame for the baseball feats they achieved during their tenure with this storied ballclub and over their careers.
As head football coach at Florida State, Bobby Bowden has won two national championships and compiled an astounding resume of all-time credentials. Filled with personal anecdotes, famous names, and fascinating stories, The Bowden Way promises to be the leadership book that will redefine the game. With lessons from his years of coaching, this book puts readers inside the mind of a legend in modern sports.
The Big Bend of Texas is a mysterious place in 1869. Legend has it that there's a lost gold mine in the Chisos Mountains. Twelve-year-old Fish Rawlings and his cousin Gid have heard all about it. But when they discover a dying Indian in the desert, they have reason to believe it.Suddenly the boys find themselves with a great secret. No one else knows the way to the last Chisos mines-but do they dare? To find it, they must cross a desert prowled by Apache warriors. They must ride a trail haunted by devil animals and Indian spooks. Even with the help of a young Apache boy, the journey won't be easy.And what will they do if they succeed?
This is the definitive account of a beloved hotel that has played a memorable role in San Antonio's history. Generously illustrated, this is the fascinating story of the people who owned the Menger and the noteworthy folk they entertained.
Continuing the amusing, interesting, factual, and sometimes ridiculous bits of information in A Treasury of Texas Trivia, this second volume brings you all-new entertaining tidbits-some of them useful historical facts and some just for fun.Among these are: Some of the bizarre ways Texas towns and regions have gained lasting recognition. Supporting actors in the cast of leading characters in the development of Texas. Skeletons in the closet of our great state and some less-than-brag-worthy incidents from the past. Incredible but true stories found only in Texas. Minor reflections of history trivia not taught in school.This is truly a book the whole family can read and enjoy.
If you love history and want to amaze your family and colleagues with your prodigious knowledge of Lone Star lore, this book is just what you need.A Browser's Book of Texas History is a day-by-day collection of more than 500 incident-some famous, some obscure-that have made Texas the most remarkable state in the Union. Even if you're a dedicated historian or an old-time Texan, you're likely to find something surprising, amusing, thought provoking, or just plain odd.With this book you can start every day of the year with a concise entry from the chronicles of this unique state, which just seems to naturally breed colorful people and bigger-than-life events.
On March 6, 1836 one of the most well-known Americans of his time fought and died in one of America's most celebrated battles. In recent years the fate of David Crockett at the Alamo has become a subject of controversy and debate.
This ruggedly beautiful area is a haven for hikers, horsepackers, rock climbers, and Western history enthusiasts. Outdoor sports for every season are found here, from snow skiing to river running, fishing to ice climbing. With this book as your guide, explore the legends and lives of the Hole's most illustrious and notorious characters. Stroll the historic streets fo the old town. Stop by the famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar and the Viginian Saloon. Tour the Grizzly Discovery Center and the Nationals Wildlife Art Museum. First-time visitors and old-timers alike will be entertained and elightened as they discover and rediscover this unique part of America.
Puzzles, games, and trivia questions introduce the history, symbols, and people of Texas.
Ron Santo has a remarkable story to tell, from the trauma of a serious illness to his fame as one of the greatest third basemen in the history of baseball.
Drawing on the latest interpretive and methodological advances in historical scholarship, The Young Eagle: The Rise of Abraham Lincoln reexamines the young adult life of America's sixteenth president.
By emphasizing how parents can talk to their children about thoughts and feelings, exploring how children develop negative beliefs about themselves, and teaching parents how to help their children change those hopeless self-perceptions, this book outlines practical methods that parents and children together can use to find solutions to the dark thoughts that plague so many young people today.
In October 2010 the authors became exclusive providers of grief- and grief-recovery-related content on a memorial website called Tributes.com, a site that receives approximately three million unique hits per month, and to which readers submit very personal and unique grief-related questions. Collected in this book are not only a bounty of personal and often moving questions but also the authors' equally compelling responses and tips for using the Grief Recovery Method to deal with broken hearts. The book not only deals with grief from loss of a loved one, but also the grieving that occurs following a divorce, a sudden downturn in health, the loss of a job, and even the loss of faith.
John Wooden was arguably the greatest college basketball coach of all time, a teacher as well as mentor whose handiwork produced a dynasty bridging the 1960s and 1970s. Quotable Wooden is a compilation of more than two hundred quotes by and about Wooden. Among the topics covered are his playing days at Purdue, his years at UCLA, his coaching philosophy, and his views on todays game. Other notables quoted in this inspiring book include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton, Denny Crum, Dick Vermeil, and Rick Reilly.
As millions of golfers will attest, mastering a strong, consistent, and accurate golf swing is no easy feat. Yet, as leading golf-swing analyst Maxine Van Evera Lupo shows in this revolutionary book, any golfer, by focusing on the 15 fundamentals and following the step-by-step instruction for each, can master the proper moves and positions that ensure a correct and controlled swing. Using this sequential method of instruction, the author clearly examines each swing part in detail. The golfer can then compare his or her movements with those discussed in the book and depicted in more than 200 line drawings and adjust those components that are not fundamentally correct.This breakthrough book elimates the endless tips and quick fixes that clutter most instructional golf books. The result is a clear, concise blueprint for understanding the swing's makeup that enables the golfer to achieve a consistently smooth and natural swing.
In this sequel to the wildly successful Hey Ranger: True Tales of Humor and Misadventure from America's National Parks, former ranger Jim Burnett casts his net globally in search of the most outrageous and humorous stories of man in his eternal quest to experience the natural world. Burnett tells of campers being belted by mysterious objects falling from the sky, like potatoes and ice cream; wildlife photos that went awry, including a ground squirrel that outwits a photographer; dumb crooks in parks, such as the drunk driver who mistakenly knocked on a judge's door to report an accident; and drivers who went over the hill and into the woods instead of to Grandma's house.Burnett also assembles contenders for the strangest questions ever asked of a park ranger, lessons on how not to pick a campsite, life lessons you can learn from a canoe trip, as well as some classic bear stories. As always, Burnett's stories are meant to inform as well as entertain, and serve as cautionary tales on how not to become "e;a victim of your vacation."e; Told in Burnett's classic, conversational style, Hey Ranger 2 will not disappoint.
Byron Nelson was one of golfs greatest legends. He was one of the finest golfers ever to pick up a putter, and the man who had the most magnificent year any golfer has ever had1945, when he won an incredible eighteen PGA tournaments, including eleven in a row, and finished second in seven others.How I Played the Game is the beautifully told tale, in his own words, of a man determined to be the best ever: his hardscrabble rural Texas upbringing and his near-death experience with typhoid fever; his early years as a caddie at Fort Worths Glen Garden Country Club (where as a 15-year-old he beat another young caddie named Ben Hogan in the Caddie Championship); the lean years as an amateur and as a young pro during the Depression; and the golden years of the 1940s, when he invented the modern golf swing and forged the legend of Lord Byron.Even after his sudden retirement (the real reason for which is finally revealed here) his impact on the game never lessened. Besides his many years as an insightful TV golf commentator, he was mentor to several future golf champions, Ken Venturi and Tom Watson among them. And he continued to play top-caliber golf with the greats of the game, like Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer, and some who were less than greatPresident Eisenhower, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and a host of others.Laced throughout with scores of priceless stories, anecdotes, opinions, and even golf tips, and with an in-depth, event-by-event recreation of his golden year, 1945, How I Played the Game is golf writing and remembrance of the highest orderirresistible reading for every golfer and fan.
Amusing and informative, Hey Ranger! teaches as it entertains with tales of boat ramp misadventures, lost Afghani campers, encounters with wild animals, dumb crooks, and more. One chapter, "Tales from the Wild Side," brings together unusual incidents from National Park Service reports, and the concluding essay, "Don't Be a Victim of Your Vacation," advises visitors on how to avoid being a story on the evening news.
Sign up to our newsletter and receive discounts and inspiration for your next reading experience.
By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy.