The demon is out of my head, but my problems are only beginning. The veil between worlds is ripping open, and all kinds of nastiness is getting through. Normally, I'd say no problem. It's our job to keep Salem safe. But I just found out there's a curse on my coven, and the demon I exorcised is the only one who can save us. Well, he and his two brothers, whom we also have to summon. Yay. As if handling one Prince of Hell isn't enough of a hassle. But if we can't find them, I'm doomed to murder my entire coven. The danger keeps piling up, people are dying, and we're no closer to ending the curse than we were a month ago. Oh, and that demon who swears he can help? He's hotter than hellfire and wants to make me his own. He says I’m the order to his chaos, but we could be a match made in hell.
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A clear-eyed account of learning how to lead in a chaotic world, by General Jim Mattis—the former Secretary of Defense and one of the most formidable strategic thinkers of our time—and Bing West, a former assistant secretary of defense and combat Marine. “A four-star general’s five-star memoir.”—The Wall Street Journal Call Sign Chaos is the account of Jim Mattis’s storied career, from wide-ranging leadership roles in three wars to ultimately commanding a quarter of a million troops across the Middle East. Along the way, Mattis recounts his foundational experiences as a leader, extracting the lessons he has learned about the nature of warfighting and peacemaking, the importance of allies, and the strategic dilemmas—and short-sighted thinking—now facing our nation. He makes it clear why America must return to a strategic footing so as not to continue winning battles but fighting inconclusive wars. Mattis divides his book into three parts: Direct Leadership, Executive Leadership, and Strategic Leadership. In the first part, Mattis recalls his early experiences leading Marines into battle, when he knew his troops as well as his own brothers. In the second part, he explores what it means to command thousands of troops and how to adapt your leadership style to ensure your intent is understood by your most junior troops so that they can own their mission. In the third part, Mattis describes the challenges and techniques of leadership at the strategic level, where military leaders reconcile war’s grim realities with political leaders’ human aspirations, where complexity reigns and the consequences of imprudence are severe, even catastrophic. Call Sign Chaos is a memoir of a life of warfighting and lifelong learning, following along as Mattis rises from Marine recruit to four-star general. It is a journey about learning to lead and a story about how he, through constant study and action, developed a unique leadership philosophy, one relevant to us all.
Examines how the failure of the nation building policies of the United States have contributed to increased instability in both Pakistan and Afghanistan, a result which represents the greatest threat to peace and security in the global community.
A multilayered group biography of the Civil War commanders who led the Army of the Potomac: “a staggering work . . . by a masterly historian” (Kirkus, starred review). The high command of the Army of the Potomac was a changeable, often dysfunctional band of brothers, going through the fires of war under seven commanding generals in three years, until Grant came east in 1864. The men in charge all too frequently appeared to be fighting against the administration in Washington instead of for it, increasingly cast as political pawns facing down a vindictive congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War. President Lincoln oversaw, argued with, and finally tamed his unruly team of lieutenants as the eastern army was stabilized by an unsung supporting cast of corps, division, and brigade generals. With characteristic style and insight, Stephen Sears brings these courageous, determined officers, who rose through the ranks and led from the front, to life and legend. “A masterful synthesis . . . A narrative about amazing courage and astonishing gutlessness . . . It explains why Union movements worked and, more often, didn’t work in clear-eyed explanatory prose that’s vivid and direct.” —Chicago Tribune
Once the mighty superhero Commander Invincible, thirty-nine-year-old Vincent Shepherd now faces new enemies: downsizing, a second divorce, and the strains of fatherhood. Decades ago, Vince made a living fighting supervillains, huge irradiated insects, and androids armed with death rays. But when the good guys won the war, heroes like Vince grew obsolete. Certain that his younger wife is starting to find their marriage as frivolous as his old cape, Vince embarks on a scheme to reestablish himself not only as a superhero but as a super dad and a super husband. Confronting former allies with long-buried secrets, he must also battle the same demons we all encounter: doubt, regret, loss, and failure. The Midlife Crisis of Commander Invincible turns a literary lens onto the world of comic book fantasy to reveal the challenges of simply being human.
People love to claim they're descendants of the witches they couldn't burn. We actually are. Our ancestors literally could not be set on fire. Neither can we. My sisters and I are elemental witches, and fire is ours to command. The veil between worlds is thin in Salem, and we belong to the order of witches duty-bound to keep the monsters at bay. But we've got two problems. One: Our bloodline is cursed. One of us is meant to destroy every witch in our coven. Two: I've accidentally possessed myself with a demon. And he's not just any demon…he's a Prince of Hell. When I flub, I do it royally. If I can get him out of my head, he might be able to break my family's curse. The problem is…he might just steal my heart in the process. Okay, make that three problems. Collection One Contains the first three books of the Fire Witches of Salem Series: Chaos and Ash Commanding Chaos Claiming Chaos If you like snarky witches, smoldering demons, and fast-paced action, you'll love this slow-burn urban fantasy romance.
When one thinks of influential World War II military figures, five-star generals such as Dwight D. Eisenhower and Omar Bradley instantly come to mind. As important as these central figures were to the Second World War, the conflict produced equally effective lower-profile leaders whose influence had an undeniable impact. Among these leaders are William Simpson, commander of the US Ninth Army, and James Moore, his chief of staff. Working in tandem, the pair helmed a unit that gained recognition as "uncommonly normal," an affectionate designation driven by their steadfast professionalism in all endeavors. It was their unobtrusive leadership style that relegated these career military men to the footnotes of military history. Commanding Professionalism: Simpson, Moore, and the Ninth US Army corrects this historical oversight by examining the achievements of these overlooked heroes. Focusing on Simpson and Moore's careers from 1940 through the end of World War II, author William Stuart Nance recounts the pair's working relationship. Together, they successfully maneuvered through the squabbling of the American and British forces and developed an army admired for its consistency of conduct and military prowess, capable of resisting the complex external and political machinations of the time. Simpson and Moore's unflinching devotion to the greater good and their steady handle on the dynamics of command/staff relationships proved essential to the war effort and its ultimate success. Their example, Nance argues, remains aspirational and worthy of emulation in the military command structure of today.
Not long ago, America's corporations existed only on paper. But now, corporations have begun to assume human form, wreaking havoc wherever they go. As the corporate awakening spreads across America and thousands of corporations become living psychopaths with terrifying powers, hospital psychiatrist Tonya Regan knows the only thing that can contain these masterminds is the United States' border. As Tonya flees Tennessee, she knows her hold on peace is as fragile as a spider's thread. Tonya is accompanied by Bruno, the police detective who saved her from her kidnapper, Revenge Corporation, and Mag, the bewitching corporate ally who is using her powers to help them escape. As Bruno battles guilt over knowing he could not prevent his city's anarchy, Tonya fights the growing feelings she has developed for him. Meanwhile, Tryk, an abrasive sorcerer obsessed with controlling their fate, leads their headlong rush across the country. Bruno is sure Tryk is an angel; Tonya does not trust him. As corporate titans gather their forces for war, Tonya is alarmed to see the group's desperation blurring their line between right and wrong. In this action-packed fantasy tale, Tonya and her newfound friends must reach the border before they encounter something none of them can defeat.
As this book reveals, professional generals viewed the war as a military problem requiring battlefield solutions, while appointees (and President Lincoln) focused more emphatically on the broader political contours of the struggle. The resulting friction often eroded Northern morale and damaged the North's war effort. Goss challenges the traditional idea that success was measured only on the battlefield by demonstrating significant links between military success and the achievement of the Union's political objectives. Examining commanders like Benjamin Butler, Nathaniel Banks, John McClernand, John Fremont, and Franz Sigel, Goss shows how many filled vital functions by raising troops, boosting homefront morale, securing national support for the war--and sometimes even achieving significant success on the battlefield.
Panzer Commander Hermann Balck is an intriguing history of one of the world’s greatest armoured warfare commanders. During World War II, Balck directed panzer troops from the front line and led by example, putting himself in extreme danger when rallying his soldiers to surge forward. He fought battles that were masterpieces of tactical operations, utilising speed, surprise and a remarkable ability to motivate his men to achieve what they considered to be impossible. We follow his exciting journey through the fields of France, the mountains of Greece and the steppes of Russia. In Greece, through flair and innovative leadership, his soldiers overcome every obstacle to defeat determined Australian and New Zealand soldiers defending the narrow mountain passes. This is also the story of a cultured and complex man with a great love of antiquity and classical literature, who nevertheless willingly fought for Hitler’s Third Reich while remaining strangely detached from the horrors around him.
