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  Virtues of Devotion - Faith and...

  Esther Jameson

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  This book delves into the spiritual virtues that anchor and guide us toward a deeper connection with the divine. By embracing Faith, Trust in God, and Reverence, we develop a strong spiritual foundation that nurtures our relationship with God and fosters a life filled with devotion, peace, and purpose. These virtues are central to cultivating a life of spiritual commitment, love, and dedication. 
  Faith is the cornerstone of spiritual devotion. This section emphasizes the importance of believing in something greater than ourselves, even when faced with doubt or uncertainty. Faith in God allows us to see beyond the immediate challenges and trust that His plan for us is purposeful. It nurtures hope, provides guidance, and fosters resilience in the face of adversity. With faith, we find strength in moments of weakness and clarity in times of confusion. 
  Trust in God goes hand in hand with faith but focuses more specifically on surrendering our worries and uncertainties to God. This section explores how trust in God allows us to relinquish control and fully rely on His wisdom and timing. Trusting in God means believing that He is always with us, guiding our path, and providing the grace we need, even in moments of doubt or hardship. It nurtures a profound sense of peace and security, knowing that God’s love and guidance are unwavering. 
  Reverence involves a deep respect and awe for the divine. This part highlights the importance of showing honor, humility, and deep admiration for God's holiness. Reverence calls us to approach life with a sense of sacredness, recognizing the presence of the divine in all aspects of creation. It encourages us to live in a way that reflects our reverence for God, through acts of kindness, gratitude, and devotion. Reverence strengthens our spiritual connection and inspires us to live a life that honors the divine in all things.

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  The Dean - Memoirs & Missives

  Sparky Reardon

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  Sparky Reardon — who dedicated 36 years to his alma mater, the University of Mississippi — was a witness to the best, and worst, of times at Ole Miss. Reardon engaged with every facet of campus life, navigating the wild and unpredictable situations sparked by students (and, at times, by visitors). Reardon found himself in the midst of campus crises where he facilitated the university family through tragedy and loss (some involved student casualties); he navigated intricate battles for freedom of expression on campus (including confrontations with the Ku Klux Klan and loony street preachers); he gently guided students (and sometimes administrators and politicians) through complex judicial issues; and he had a rare, insider’s view of the evolution of Oxford, Mississippi, from a quiet college town to a vibrant cultural hub. In The Dean, Sparky lays bare the joys and hardships of what he describes as “the best job in America.” In 1968, Reardon enrolled at Ole Miss with an eye on law school. Two years later, his plans shifted. Summoned to the dean’s office to account for his role as social chairman in breaking university rules, Reardon experienced a pivotal moment of clarity. As Reardon remembered, “It might have been the result of one of our parties running too late or getting too loud, or perhaps there was a chance that beer was involved.” He realized that someone, someday, would need to take this man’s place. Reardon left that meeting determined to become the dean of students at Ole Miss.  Raised in Clarksdale, Mississippi, a young Sparky Reardon turned to books after a severe knee injury ended his sports days. Guided by inspiring teachers, he cultivated a passion for writing. Artist and author William Dunlap said, “Sparky Reardon’s The Dean is anecdotally rich and beautifully written. His prose — which soars — is once again proof that language is a Southerner’s birth

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  American Civil War in 1864 The:...

  Editors Charles River

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  Americans have long been fascinated by the Civil War, marveling at the size of the battles, the leadership of the generals, and the courage of the soldiers. Since the war's start over 150 years ago, the battles have been subjected to endless debate among historians and the generals themselves. The Civil War was the deadliest conflict in American history, and had the two sides realized it would take 4 years and inflict over a million casualties, it might not have been fought. Since it did, however, historians and history buffs alike have been studying and analyzing the biggest battles ever since.  
  	By the close of 1864, Abraham Lincoln had been reelected, the Union army had taken Nashville from General Hood, and Sherman had concluded his total war, “slash-and-burn” march of destruction to Savannah, Georgia, offering it as a Christmas present to Lincoln. Nevertheless, with everything seemingly falling to pieces, the South still held out hope of some sort of miracle, and Davis even attempted to send a peace delegation to meet with Lincoln in the early months of 1865. On January 28, 1865 as Union General Ulysses S. Grant was continuing to lay siege to Lee’s army at Petersburg, Virginia, Davis sent three commissioners headed by Vice-President Stephens to initiate informal peace talks with Lincoln. By February 3, however, the talks, known as the Hampton Roads Conference, came to a stalemate as Lincoln would accept nothing less than total union, while Davis would only accept Southern independence.  
  	Even at that point, the South was clearly on its last legs. General George H. Thomas destroyed John Bell Hood’s Confederate army at the battles of Nashville and Franklin, leaving only two large Confederate armies still in the field. Lee's army was weakened by desertion, lack of supplies and casualties, and Joseph E. Johnston’s army could barely resist against Sherman’s army as it was advancing north toward Virginia.

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  More Lessons from History -...

  Alex Deane

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  "Fabulously entertaining, Alex Deane's wry, witty stories take hidden gems from our shared history and polish them until they shine. A must-read." – Iain Dale
  "Ribald, riotous and sometimes surreal, Alex Deane's dispatches from the forgotten corners of history bring heroes and villains roaring vividly and often poignantly back to life." – Gavin Esler
  "Alex Deane's tongue-in-cheek tales of eccentricity and endeavour not only shed light on the obscurest parts of history; they teach us things we never knew about the present." – Suella Braverman, Home Secretary
  "More rollicking tales of fascinating figures who should not be lost to history – told with Alex Deane's warm empathy, shrewd insight and glistening wit." – Lord Parkinson, former special adviser to Prime Minister Theresa May
  ***
   
  Welcome to another round of history's most absurd stories and the timeless lessons that come with them. In More Lessons from History, Alex Deane has unearthed yet more bizarre tales that you certainly haven't heard before. If you're wondering how large, flightless birds might organise themselves against a military regiment, how you should respond to the glare of an international rugby player whose glass eye you just knocked out, exactly why carrots are orange, or whether the world's worst-run battleship ever ceased firing upon her comrades-in-arms, then look no further.
   
  In this second volume of his acclaimed series, Alex Deane reminds us that, throughout history, human nature has remained exactly the same, and the way that people responded to the most amusing, horrifying and convoluted of circumstances in the past can teach us everything we need to know about who we are today.
  For even more lessons from history, check out Alex Deane's Hidden History Happy Hour podcast on Spotify, Google and Apple.

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  Trish Hinde: Not My Fault - Not...

  Trish Hinde, Ann Cusack

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  "What mattered was that someone listened to me. Someone believed me, after 25 years. That means everything." 
   
  A mum of three who was abused and raped as a child by her own father has revealed her ordeal drove her into the clutches of middle-aged paedophiles. 
   
  Trish Hinde, 35, was sexually abused by her father, Gerard King, from the age of six. Alone and scared, she internalised her trauma and began suffering from violent seizures. Her father took responsibility for her epilepsy care, even abusing her on hospital visits. 
   
  Trish and her five siblings were neglected, often relying on neighbours for food and watching helplessly as bailiffs carried away their possessions. In her early teens, Trish was recklessly promiscuous and became a victim of child sexual exploitation, often finding herself in danger. 
   
  She reported her childhood abuse many times, in letters to family members and social workers, in an essay she wrote at school, to a therapist and to NSPCC. But, despite her father being jailed for abusing another child, her complaint never went any further. Trish became suicidal and despairing. Her relationships seemed doomed because she had damaging flashbacks and seizures whenever she became intimate. 
   
  But in 2015, she met her husband, Craig, and found true happiness. They had three children, Jacob, now six, Oscar, five and Jessica, three. But Trish was overly protective of her children and did not like her husband looking after their daughter. Realising her past history was damaging her marriage, she decided to go to the police. This time, at last, they listened. 
   
  In April 2022, Gerard King, 59, was convicted of rape, indecent assault and indecency with a child at Chester Crown Court. Trish maintains the court case and conviction were not important to her.

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  The Fly Girls Revolt - The Story...

  Eileen A. Bjorkman

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  In 1993, U.S. women earned the right to fly in combat, but the full story of how it happened is largely unknown. The Fly Girls Revolt chronicles the actions of a band of women who overcame decades of discrimination and prevailed against bureaucrats, chauvinists, anti-feminists, and even other military women. 
   
   
   
  Drawing on extensive research, interviews with women who served in the 1970s and 1980s, and her personal experiences in the Air Force, Eileen Bjorkman weaves together a riveting tale of the women who fought for the right to enter combat and be treated as equal partners in the U.S. military. 
   
   
   
  Although the military had begun training women as aviators in 1973, by a law of Congress they could not fly in harm's way. Time and again when a woman graduated at the top of her pilot training class, a less-qualified male pilot was sent to fly a combat aircraft in her place. 
   
   
   
  Most of the women who fought for change between World War II and today would never fly in combat themselves, but they earned their places in history by strengthening the U.S. military and ensuring future women would not be denied opportunities solely because of their sex. The Fly Girls Revolt is their story.

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