Other books that might interest you

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  Japan - Culture Smart!: The...

  Paul Norbury

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  The Japanese people have always seen themselves as a nation uniquely apart. Their exquisite art forms and elegant culture, military prowess and technological precision, have long been the envy of friend and foe alike. Today, even as Japan adapts to a rapidly changing world, its traditional culture and consensus-based philosophy have proved remarkably resilient. 
  
  Culture Smart! Japan will broaden your perception and understanding of this complex, rich, and dynamic society. It will guide you through modern Japan’s shifting social and cultural maze and equip you with the tools to avoid the pitfalls of cultural misunderstanding. It provides practical tips and invaluable insights into people’s attitudes and behavior to help make your visit a more meaningful and successful experience.

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  Disaster - Hurricane Katrina and...

  Christopher Cooper, Robert Block

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  Based on exclusive interviews, the inside story of how America's emergency response system failed and how it remains dangerously brokenWhen Hurricane Katrina roared ashore on the morning of August 29, 2005, federal and state officials were not prepared for the devastation it would bring—despite all the drills, exercises, and warnings. In this troubling exposé of what went wrong, Christopher Cooper and Robert Block of The Wall Street Journal show that the flaws go much deeper than out-of-touch federal bureaucrats or overwhelmed local politicians.Drawing on exclusive interviews with federal, state, and local officials, Cooper and Block take readers inside the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security to reveal the inexcusable mismanagement during Hurricane Katrina—the bad decisions that were made, the facts that were ignored, the individuals who saw that the system was broken but were unable to fix it. America's top emergency response officials had long known that a calamitous hurricane was likely to hit New Orleans, but that seems to have had little effect on planning or execution. Disaster demonstrates that the incompetent response to Hurricane Katrina is a wake-up call to all Americans, wherever they live, about how distressingly vulnerable we remain. Washington is ill equipped to handle large-scale emergencies, be they floods or fires, natural events or terrorist attacks, and Cooper and Block make a strong case for overhauling of the nation's emergency response system. This is a book that no American can afford to ignore.

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  Viking History - The...

  Kelly Mass

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  We all have a typical image of Vikings, from the horns on their helmets to the beards and the clothes they wear. Their ships have a certain charm, and their reputation is that they were brutal, raw, and believed in multiple gods. 
  The Vikings traveled during the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Middle East, and The U.S.A. And Canada. That period is acknowledged as the Viking Age in parts of the countries where they robbed and settled, and the name "Viking" is also used to describe the population of the Scandinavian homelands as a whole. The early middle ages history of Scandinavia, the British Isles, France, Estonia, and Kievan Rus' was exceptionally impacted by the Vikings. 
  In this comprehensive guide, we will explore some of the details about the Viking history. What did they do? How did they treat their women? Where did they go to conquer other nations? These are some of the questions we will answer.

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  Barrel of a Gun - A War...

  Al J. Venter

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  A colorful, wide-ranging memoir of danger and adventure in wars around the world. 
   
  Anybody who says that the pen is mightier than the sword hasn’t spent time in Somalia . . . 
   
  So begins this memoir of a career spent examining warfare—on the ground and as the bullets are flying. While many are intrigued by these violent conflicts, Al Venter feels compelled to see them in person, preferably at the center of the action. 
   
  Born in South Africa, Venter has found no shortage of horrific battles on his own continent, from Rhodesia to Biafra and Angola to Somalia. He has ridden with the legendary mercenary group Executive Outcomes; jumped into combat with South Africa’s crack Parachute Regiment, the Parabats; and traipsed through jungles with both guerrillas and national troops. During Sierra Leone’s civil war, he flew in the government’s lone Mi-24 helicopter gunship as it blasted apart rebel villages and convoys, complaining that the Soviet-made craft leaked when it rained. 
   
  In the Mideast, he went into Lebanon with the Israeli army as it encountered resistance from multiple militant groups, including the newly formed Hezbollah. Curious about the other side of the hill, he joined up with General Aoun’s Christian militias while that conflict was at its height. Touching down in Croatia during the Balkan wars, and in Congo during their perpetual one, as well as the Uganda of Idi Amin, Venter never lost his lust for action, even as he sometimes had to put down his camera or notebook to pick up an AK-47. 
   
  In his journeys, Venter associated with an array of similarly daring soldiers and journalists, from “Mad Mike” Hoare to Danny Pearl, as well as elite soldiers from around the world, many of whom, he sadly relates, never emerged from the war zones they entered. A renowned journalist and documentarian who has worked with the BBC, PBS, Jane’s, and other outlets, Al Venter here offers the reader his own personal experiences with combat.

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  His Garden - Conversations with...

  Anne K. Howard

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  A lawyer gets inside the mind of a notorious New England serial killer in this award-winning and “grimly compelling” true crime (Kirkus). For nine months of 2003, William Devin Howell went on a killing spree in and around New Britain, Connecticut. Seven people went missing; all of their bodies eventually discovered in a wooded lot behind a strip mall. But the investigation that led to Howell’s arrest is only part of the story. Attorney and author Anne K. Howard first contacted Howell while he was serving a fifteen-year sentence for one of his murders. He was about to be charged for the remaining six. A unique and disturbing friendship between the two began, comprised of written correspondence, face-to-face prison visits and recorded phone calls. Over the course of years, Howell shared his troubled history with Howard. When his case was finally over, he told her every intimate, grizzly detail of how he became Connecticut’s most prolific serial killer. In His Garden, Howard probes the complicated mind of William Devin Howell. It is a story that explores the eternal question of human evil and its impact on others, including the woman he chose to hear his horrific confession.2020 Independent Press Award2018 Literary Excellence Pencraft Award

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  Under the Cover of Light - The...

  Carole Engle Avriett

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  In 1965, Col. Thomas "Jerry" Curtis's helicopter was shot down over North Vietnam. He was immediately captured and spent 7 and a half years confined in a filthy 5' x 7' cell at the notorious Hanoi prison camp. Thousands of miles from home and unable to communicate with his wife and children, Jerry endured months of solitary confinement, suffocating heat, freezing cold, grueling physical and psychological torture, constant hunger, and unimaginable mental duress. And yet, time and again, the Light that darkness cannot overcome became his beacon of hope. Now, for the first time, Jerry shares the full story of his 2,703 days in captivity and what he learned about faith, hope, and the indomitable power of the human spirit.

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