Other books that might interest you

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  Into the Silk - The Dramatic...

  Ian Mackersey

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  From World War Two to the Jet Age, Ian Mackersey charts the thrilling and personal accounts of airmen who have jumped from their planes and survived. 
   
   
   
  Since the test pilot Harold Harris became the first man to save his life with a parachute in 1922 there have been over 120,000 air force pilots and crew who owe their lives to their parachutes. 
   
   
   
  Into the Silk is full of astounding tales of people who against the odds bailed out of their planes and were therefore able to enter the annals of the Caterpillar Club, a society open only to men and women who survive aviation disaster with the aid of a parachute. 
   
   
   
  Mackersey records dramatic moments during the Second World War when pilots leapt from their burning planes while still being shot at by enemy fighters. He uncovers the descent of the extraordinarily lucky man who jumped from his damaged bomber but had to put his parachute on while falling through the sky and the pilot who found himself attached to a moving train and was dragged along for miles. 
   
   
   
  The book highlights the debts that all of these survivors owe to people such as Leslie Irvin, who invented the modern parachute and Sir James Martin, the great designer of ejection seats.

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  The Stress Meditation

  Deepak Bhosle

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  Immerse yourself in the transformative power of "The Stress Meditation" by Deepak Bhosle, a profound audiobook designed to guide you through the tumultuous waters of stress and into a state of peace and equilibrium. This audiobook is a sanctuary for those seeking solace from the relentless pressures of daily life, offering two meticulously crafted meditations that serve as your personal toolkit for stress management. 
  The first meditation takes you on a journey inward, where Deepak Bhosle's soothing voice, combined with gentle, ambient soundscapes, invites you to explore the depths of your own consciousness. Here, you'll learn to identify the roots of your stress and gently release them, using time-honored techniques that promote relaxation and mindfulness. This session is designed to be accessible to both beginners and seasoned practitioners alike, providing clear, step-by-step guidance that helps you ease into a state of calmness and clarity. 
  The second meditation builds upon the foundations laid in the first, introducing more advanced strategies for managing stress. This session focuses on resilience, offering practical tools that empower you to navigate life's challenges with grace and composure. Through visualization, breath work, and mindfulness exercises, you'll cultivate a deep sense of inner strength and flexibility, transforming the way you react to stress-inducing situations.

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  Civic Gifts - Voluntarism and...

  Elisabeth S. Clemens

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  In Civic Gifts, Elisabeth S. Clemens takes a singular approach to probing the puzzle that is the United States. How, she asks, did a powerful state develop within an anti-statist political culture? How did a sense of shared nationhood develop despite the linguistic, religious, and ethnic differences among settlers and, eventually, citizens? Clemens reveals that an important piece of the answer to these questions can be found in the unexpected political uses of benevolence and philanthropy, practices of gift-giving and reciprocity that coexisted uneasily with the self-sufficient independence expected of liberal citizens Civic Gifts focuses on the power of gifts not only to mobilize communities throughout US history, but also to create new forms of solidarity among strangers. Clemens makes clear how, from the early Republic through the Second World War, reciprocity was an important tool for eliciting both the commitments and the capacities needed to face natural disasters, economic crises, and unprecedented national challenges. Encompassing a range of endeavors from the mobilized voluntarism of the Civil War, through Community Chests and the Red Cross to the FDR-driven rise of the March of Dimes, Clemens shows how voluntary efforts were repeatedly articulated with government projects.  The legacy of these efforts is a state co-constituted with, as much as constrained by, civil society.

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  Disappearance of the Surcouf...

  Editors Charles River

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  When the Surcouf launched in 1929, it was a technological marvel. This wasn’t a conventional submarine at all, but a 3,300-ton, 300-foot-long submersible light cruiser. Armed not just with torpedoes but also a pair of eight-inch guns, the Surcouf had a range of over 10,000 miles and was equipped with a seaplane in a hanger and a prison capable of holding up to 40 prisoners. When it was launched, the submarine looked like something out of the novels of Jules Verne, and many people believed it would make all existing submarines (and many surface warships) obsolete. However, by the time France found itself at war with Nazi Germany in 1939, the Surcouf was outdated and basically irrelevant, though it was still in active service with the French Navy. 
  When France was defeated by Nazi Germany in June 1940, the majority of French troops and warships ceased fighting. However, some relocated to Britain, the only nation still fighting Germany, to join Free French forces under the command of the charismatic General Charles De Gaulle. The crew of the Surcouf joined the Free French Navy and served from late 1940 to February 1942, when she called in at the British port of Bermuda before sailing for the island of Tahiti, French Polynesia, in the South Pacific. On February 12, the Surcouf left Bermuda en route for Tahiti via the Panama Canal and was never seen again. 
  There have been many theories about what might have happened to the Surcouf and her 130-man crew, ranging from an accidental collision to sabotage and even accidental (or deliberate) attacks by her allies. As a result, the fate of the Surcouf has become one of the most enduring and baffling maritime mysteries, and it still generates a great deal of debate.

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  What to Know When You Adopt...

  Marcy Bursac

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  Are you feeling drawn to adopt but your mind is afraid, confused, or overwhelmed by stories you've heard in the news and comments from other people? 
  As an adoptive mom of a sibling pair, I am often asked about the foster care adoption process. I often share my own stories and stories I've been told from those I know who have actually navigated this journey.  
  This is the basis for why this book came to life—to share real life stories with others who are considering adopting through the foster care system and to raise awareness about the 113,000 children who are currently waiting in the system for their forever family. Some profiles of these children can be found online; but, in order to adopt them, you need to first navigate through the licensing process.  
  There are over 45 topics in this book to help you with deciding and applying to go this route, getting through the training, home study, legal, and matching processes, and to equip you with practical insights for the parenting journey.  
  Inside you'll learn: 
  - what foster care adoption is and which children can be adopted 
  - why some families waited and how some pursued this path after facing infertility 
  - how some had to be persistent and how they endured the process 
  - tips for parenting children who have experienced neglect, trauma, alcohol exposure 
  - tips for parenting children who have mental health or medical needs 
  and more!

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  The Age of Jackson - The Rise of...

  Harry Montgomery

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  Andrew Jackson's rise to prominence began in the backwoods of the Carolinas, where he was born in 1767 to Irish immigrant parents. Orphaned at a young age and shaped by the violence of the Revolutionary War, Jackson's early years were filled with hardship and struggle. These formative experiences instilled in him a fierce independence and an unwavering sense of personal honor, traits that would define his character for the rest of his life. Largely self-taught and known for his fiery temper, Jackson developed a reputation for toughness, earning the nickname “Old Hickory” from soldiers who served under him. Despite limited formal education, he pursued a career in law and eventually moved westward to Tennessee, where he would find opportunity and recognition. 
  Jackson's military career was the first major platform that launched him into the national spotlight. During the War of 1812, he was appointed a general in the U.S. Army and quickly demonstrated his capabilities as a leader. His most celebrated moment came at the Battle of New Orleans in January 1815. Although the battle technically took place after the war had officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, news had not yet reached American forces. Jackson’s troops, composed of militia, freedmen, Native Americans, and even pirates, faced a professional British army. Against the odds, they achieved a decisive victory, inflicting heavy casualties while suffering minimal losses. This triumph turned Jackson into a national hero and a symbol of American resilience and patriotism. The victory solidified his image as a man of action who could defend the country against foreign threats.

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