Other books that might interest you

• 

  Bonaparte & Brimstone - a life...

  Simon Brown

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Napoleon Bonaparte’s defeat in 1815 came at an inconvenient time for John Monk, an ambitious young naval officer. Forced to rethink his plans, John turned to the merchant service, where he encountered storms, shipwreck and even piracy as he traded between Liverpool and the Mediterranean through the 1830s and 1840s.  ‘Bonaparte and Brimstone’ is the fascinating and engaging biography of a little-known Georgian naval lieutenant and mariner from Parkgate on the Wirral and brings him unforgettably to life. Vibrantly written, it is the beguiling story of one man’s hopes and fortunes, and is ultimately an emotional tale of family and belonging, enriched with abundant personal documents, among them the remarkable diary of a stormy voyage to Italy in 1824. John Monk saw ten years’ service across the seas of Europe and survived the horrific bloodshed on HMS Impregnable during the Bombardment of Algiers in 1816, but he grew dismayed at his lack of progress and battled the Admiralty just as he had once battled the French.  ‘Bonaparte and Brimstone’ paints a portrait in miniature of British society in the nineteenth century and of the country’s seafarers who attempted to navigate a path through it.

  Show book

• 

  The Progressive Presidents

  Editors Charles River

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  When William McKinley was assassinated in 1901, young Theodore Roosevelt was thrust into the presidency, one that would earn him a place on Mount Rushmore, Roosevelt’s “Square Deal” domestic policies favored average citizens while busting trusts and monopolies. Roosevelt also promoted conservation as an environmental stance, while his “speak softly and carry a big stick” foreign policy is still an oft used phrase today. Roosevelt even earned a Nobel Prize during his presidency.   
  As one of the most influential men of the 20th century, there is no shortage of adjectives to use when describing Woodrow Wilson’s two terms as president of the United States. Wilson was a pioneer of the Progressive movement both before and during his presidency, becoming a populist champion a generation before Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. He ran for reelection by touting his neutrality during World War I, only to lead his nation into the war and become the architect of a world body that would lead to greater inter-connection among nations. Today Wilson is best remembered for his Fourteen Points, one of the most forceful arguments for an idealistic foreign policy in American history. 
  Franklin Delano Roosevelt might be America’s greatest 20th century president, but there’s no question that he was the most unique. A well-connected relative of Theodore Roosevelt, FDR was groomed for greatness until he was struck down by what was widely believed to be polio at the time. Nevertheless, he persevered, rising through New York politics to reach the White House just as the country faced its greatest challenge since the Civil War. For over a decade, Roosevelt threw everything he had at the Great Depression, and then threw everything the country had at the Axis powers during World War II. Ultimately, he succumbed to illness in the middle of his fourth term, just before the Allies won the war. 

  Show book

• 

  Home Inside the Globe -...

  Gail Straub

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  A memoir taking you to far-flung places across the globe and the inner realms of the soul
  
  “Home Inside the Globe takes its place beside some of the best travel memoirs, but it stands on its own as a new kind of reading experience. Gail Straub’s writing is infused with the pace of a poet and the grace of a mystic.”
                                                                                            —Elizabeth Lesser, cofounder of Omega Institute and author of Broken Open
  
  In a world run amuck with seemingly irreparable differences and conflicts, Gail Straub’s memoir offers an antidote. As a seeker on pilgrimage across the Sahara with indigenous Tuaregs, trekking off the beaten trail high in the Himalayas, the intrepid Straub seeks out all that is different so that she can become whole. As an activist, Gail becomes immersed in Gorbachev-era Russia and Deng Xiaoping-era China. She empowers sex-workers in India and Syrian refugees in Jordan. Here out beyond man-made political borders, she finds a boundless realm where we connect as human beings transcending nationality, skin color, gender, socio-economic status, and religion. Home Inside the Globe is an invitation to awaken as individuals so that we can fully participate in creating a better world for all people.
  Gail Straub is the author of eight award-winning books. As the co-founder of the Empowerment Institute, she is a leading authority on women’s empowerment where her work to help women heal from violence and lead productive lives has impacted several million people throughout Africa, India, and the Middle East. 
  
  gailstraub.com

  Show book

• 

  Ghost Rider - Travels on the...

  Neil Peart

  • 0
  • 3
  • 0

  Within a ten-month period, Neil Peart lost both his 19-year-old daughter, Selena, and his wife, Jackie. Faced with overwhelming sadness and isolated from the world in his home on the lake, Peart was left without direction. This memoir tells of the sense of personal devastation that led him on a 55,000-mile journey by motorcycle across much of North America, down through Mexico to Belize, and back again. 
  Peart’s journey of self-exile and exploration chronicle his personal odyssey and include stories of reuniting with friends and family, grieving, and reminiscing. He recorded with dazzling artistry, the enormous range of his travel adventures, from the mountains to the seas, from the deserts to the Arctic ice, and the memorable people who contributed to his healing. 
  Ghost Rider is a brilliantly written, and ultimately triumphant narrative memoir from a gifted writer and the drummer and lyricist of the legendary rock band Rush.

  Show book

• 

  Rifles - Six Years with...

  Mark Urban

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  The 95th Rifles - Wellington's sharpshooters - first into battle and last out.Acclaimed military writer Mark Urban explores the extraordinary story of these military pioneers; the toughest and deadliest infantrymen in Wellington's Army.Immortalised in Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe novels, the 95th Rifles were skirmishers tasked with acting as Wellington's advanced guard. It was new technology for the warfare of the time: they travelled light, moved rapidly, armed with the accurate rifles that would allow them to take shots from distance. The 95th Rifles were the prototype of the modern infantryman.Mark Urban's fascinating history of the 95th is a must-listen for anyone interested in military history.From the author of Task Force Black, Big Boys' Rules and The Tank War.'If you like Sharpe, then this book is a must, your Christmas present solved.' Bernard Cornwell, Daily Mail

  Show book

• 

  Stay in the Game - Making the...

  Matt Forté, David Thomas

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  If you want to make an impact, you need to play every down. Every Game. Every Season.For ten seasons, Matt Forté was one of the NFL’s premier running backs. During his tenure with the Chicago Bears and the New York Jets, Matt made two Pro Bowl appearances and racked up more career rushes, receptions, and yards from scrimmage than any other football player in the league, a feat made possible in part, because—as an every-down back—Matt never left the field.No matter the down or distance, Matt always stayed in the game, running, catching, and blocking his way into the record books.Now, in Stay in the Game, Matt shares the highs and lows of his storied career—from the first time he put on pads at age 7 in Slidell, Louisiana, his college days at Tulane University, and his decade of dominance in the NFL, to the difficult decision to hang up his cleats at age 32, and the work he is currently doing to mentor professional athletes and stop gun violence on the streets of Chicago.Along the way, Matt gives readers a rare insider’s perspective on:what it takes to make it as an athlete at the collegiate and professional levelwhat it’s like to go through the recruiting process, the combine, and draft dayhis most memorable plays, games, teammates, and coachesthe faith that helped get him through, andwhat every athlete needs to know about life after professional sportsA thoroughly compelling and inspiring read, Stay in the Game is a testament to the perseverance and grit it takes to succeed, endure, and make a lasting impact both in the NFL and in life.

  Show book