Other books that might interest you

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  Genghis Khan - Life Death and...

  John Man

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  “A thrilling account” of the brilliant, ruthless founder of the Mongol Empire (The Guardian). 
   
  Genghis Khan is one of history’s immortals, alive in memory as a scourge, hero, military genius and demigod. To Muslims, Russians, and westerners, he is a murderer of millions, a brutal oppressor. Yet in his homeland of Mongolia he is the revered father of the nation, and the Chinese honor him as the founder of a dynasty. In his so-called Mausoleum in Inner Mongolia, worshippers seek the blessing of his spirit. In a supreme paradox, the world’s most ruthless conqueror has become a force for peace and reconciliation. 
   
  As a teenager, Genghis was a fugitive, hiding from enemies on a remote mountainside. Yet he went on to found the world’s greatest land empire and change the course of world history. Brilliant and original as well as ruthless, he ruled an empire twice the size of Rome’s until his death in 1227 placed all at risk. To secure his conquests and then extend them, his heirs kept his death a secret—and secrecy has surrounded him ever since. His undiscovered grave, with its imagined treasures, remains the subject of intrigue and speculation. 
   
  This is more than just a gripping account of Genghis’ rise and conquests. John Man uses firsthand experiences in China and Mongolia to reveal the khan’s enduring influence. He has traveled the length of the empire, and he spotlights the tension between Mongols and Chinese, who both claim Genghis’ spirit. He is the first writer to explore the hidden valley where Genghis is believed to have died, and one of the few westerners to climb the mountain where he was likely buried. 
   
  This stunning narrative paints a vivid picture of the man himself, the places where he lived and fought, and the passions that surround him still. For in legend, ritual, and intense controversy, Genghis lives on. 
   
  “[An] engrossing book.” —Booklist 
   
  “A rattling good read.” —The Independent

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  Richard Sorge: The Life and...

  Editors Charles River

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  Spies are a feature of countless works of fiction in which they often discover secrets on which the fate of nations hang in the balance. Reality is generally rather more mundane, as spies often gather low-level intelligence that only makes sense when it is examined by analysts and compared to information from other sources. Espionage provides clues to what the enemy is planning, but on its own, it rarely changes the course of a war. Moreover, real spies are generally anonymous, not the bold, swashbuckling action heroes depicted in fiction. Spies must hide in plain sight, and that is best achieved by being as innocuous as possible.  
  	However, there are exceptions. Occasionally, a spy will be so successful that they are able to place themselves in a position where they have access to information at the highest levels, secrets that really can change the course of world events. Sometimes, these spies may even be as handsome, charming, charismatic, and bold as their fictional counterparts. 
  	One such spy was a man named Richard Sorge. Experiencing the horrors of World War I at first-hand turned Sorge into an ardent communist, after which he worked as a spy for the USSR in Germany, China, and Japan before and during World War II. He obtained vital military and political secrets and maintained his cover for over nine years despite frantic searches for the spy who was leaking information to Russia. His effortless charm meant that he didn’t need to steal secrets: people told him willingly, including the many women that he seduced.

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  Grief Is Love - Living with Loss

  Marisa Renee Lee

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  A trusted grief expert shares advice on how to navigate the loss of a loved one in this incisive and compassionate guide: “calm, lucid prose… humanizing exploration of coping with the life-changing tides of loss” (Kirkus Reviews).In Grief is Love, author Marisa Renee Lee reveals that healing does not mean moving on after losing a loved one—healing means learning to acknowledge and create space for your grief. It is about learning to love the one you lost with the same depth, passion, joy, and commitment you did when they were alive, perhaps even more. She guides you through the pain of grief—whether you’ve lost the person recently or long ago—and shows you what it looks like to honor your loss on your unique terms, and debunks the idea of a grief stages or timelines.  Grief is Love is about making space for the transformation that a significant loss requires. In beautiful, compassionate prose, Lee elegantly offers wisdom about what it means to authentically and defiantly claim space for grief’s complicated feelings and emotions. And Lee is no stranger to grief herself, she shares her journey after losing her mother, a pregnancy, and, most recently, a cousin to the COVID-19 pandemic. These losses transformed her life and led her to question what grief really is and what healing actually looks like. In this book, she also explores the unique impact of grief on Black people and reveals the key factors that proper healing requires: permission, care, feeling, grace and more. The transformation we each undergo after loss is the indelible imprint of the people we love on our lives, which is the true definition of legacy. At its core, Grief is Love explores what comes after death, and shows us that if we are able to own and honor what we’ve lost, we can experience a beautiful and joyful life in the midst of grief.

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  Punic Wars - Events and...

  Kelly Mass

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  The Punic Wars were a series of three major conflicts fought between the Roman Republic and the ancient city-state of Carthage from 264 BC to 146 BC. These wars were pivotal in shaping the balance of power in the ancient Mediterranean, ultimately resulting in the complete destruction of Carthage and the rise of Rome as the dominant power in the region. 
  The first war, known as the First Punic War, began in 264 BC, centered around the strategic island of Sicily. According to the Greek historian Polybius, it was “the longest and most bitterly waged battle in history.” The conflict ignited when Rome’s growing imperial ambitions clashed with Carthage’s established control over the island. Carthage, a formidable maritime power with a vast network of colonies across the western Mediterranean, saw Sicily as vital to its prosperity. Rome, a land-based power with a strong army but a comparatively weak navy, sought to challenge Carthage’s dominance at sea. Over the course of the war, naval engagements dominated, and the conflict resulted in significant losses for both sides. Despite initial setbacks, Rome ultimately prevailed after 23 years of intense fighting, inflicting severe losses on the Carthaginian fleet and forcing Carthage to pay massive reparations. The island of Sicily became Rome’s first province, marking a significant step in the Republic’s expansion. The end of the First Punic War also saw the outbreak of the Mercenary War within Carthage’s borders, a revolt by Carthaginian soldiers who had not been paid, further weakening the empire.

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  Congressional Tyranny: How...

  A.A. Castor

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  What if the real dictators never wore military uniforms—but barongs and lapel pins? 
  In Congressional Tyranny, A.A. Castor pulls back the velvet curtain on one of the most dangerous illusions in modern Philippine democracy: that power resides in the President. With razor-sharp satire and sobering analysis, this book explores how lawmakers have quietly transformed themselves from representatives into rulers—armed not with guns, but with gavels, budgets, and contempt powers. 
  From weaponized budget hearings to backdoor appointments, media manipulation, and the jailing of critics without due process, Castor dissects how Congress has become the country's most powerful, unaccountable institution. With chapters like "Tyranny by Default" and "The Budget Becomes a Weapon," this book shines a light on the quiet coup happening under the guise of public service. 
  Congressional Tyranny is not a conspiracy theory—it's a mirror held up to a system designed to protect itself. A must-read for anyone who still believes that the greatest threat to democracy comes from above, when in truth, it may already be seated in session.

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  Lost Lake Erie

  Jennifer Boresz Engelking

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  Serene one moment and destructive the next, Lake Erie's moods mirror its tumultuous role in history . 
   
  As the site of Cleveland's Great Lakes Exposition, the lake offered visitors a respite from the Great Depression, and Hotel Victory, once considered the world's largest summer resort, drew thousands to Put-In-Bay. Daring postal workers dangerously crossed the ice-covered surface on hybrid "boats" and by foot. Canal Street, at the Buffalo Wharf, was once called "the Wickedest Street in America." The Erie is one of thousands of ships that lie in a solemn graveyard below the surface. And rum runners turned the lake into a watery highway for illegal booze during Prohibition. 
   
  Author Jennifer Boresz Engelking reveals entertaining, heartbreaking, and nostalgic stories of the lost sites, businesses, and industries of Lake Erie.

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