This is the first major biography of Rose Pesotta, the organizer and vice president of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) from 1933 to 1944. After moving to the United States from the Ukraine in 1913, Pesotta became involved in the resurgence of the garment workers industry, womens labor colleges, and labor activism. While working for the union, she confronted serious opposition as a woman and an anarchist within an all-male bureaucracy. This book chronicles Pesottas life while exploring a number of personal political themes. The author examines Pesottas relationships and friendships as they reflect the issues of gender, power, and sexuality, paying particular attention to her relationships with Sacco and Vanzetti and with Emma Goldman. In the course of this biography, Leeder portrays the inherent conflicts between anarchism and bureaucratic organization and between female consciousness and male-dominated institutions. The book explores the potential for pragmatic activism by social visionaries and offers clear contextual frameworks within which to compare and contrast Pesotta to others in similar historical roles.
In November 1950, United Nations forces in Korea narrowly escaped being overrun by Chinese Communist forces, due to the military expertise of General Oliver Prince Smith. Using the general's own notes and diaries, this book describes Smith's long and distinguished career, his command in Iceland in 1940, in the Pacific campaigns, and in Korea. The general's wartime dealings witrh military and political leaders is also discussed, paying tribute to a man called the gentle warrior.
What is an orc? An orc is an 18 stone fighting machine, made of muscle, hide, talon and tusk, with a villainous disposition and a mean sense of humour. And, of course, an orc is a poor dumb grunt - the much abused foot soldier of the Evil Horde of Darkness. The usual last battle of Good against Evil is about to begin. Orc Captain Ashnak and his war-band know exactly what they can expect. The forces of Light are outnumbered, full of headstrong heroes devoid of tactics - but the Light's still going to win. Orcs - the sword fodder in the front line - will die by the thousands. Life's a bitch.
The Gentle Revolutionaries is a novel based on the lives of two prominent American missionaries, Dan and Emelie Bradley, who became close friends with the famous monk, later King Mongkut. They arrived in Thailand (Siam) in 1835 and made significant contributions to Thailand's medical, social and intellectual history. Their diaries and letters, as well as the Thai's evaluation of them, destroys the false image of Thailand an English writer had created. The Bradleys and their missionary coworkers came from New York's "Burned Over District," famous for its policy of accepting women as social equals. Thai nobles basically treated missionary women as their husbands did, respectfully and warmly. Anna Leonowens, who served as an English teacher for the children and wives of King Mongkut, later fabricated two novels about him that were bestsellers. Unfortunately, these books were innocently used as the basis for Margaret Landon's novel, Anna and the King of Siam, which was made into successful Broadway and Hollywood musicals. The Thai and the missionaries were so close that two missionaries negotiated Thailand's treaties with the United States and England. Missionaries also led the battle against smallpox and inspired the Thai to replace their antiquated educational system with one similar to Western schools. The best example of the Thai/missionary mutual respect came when an American ambassador to Thailand was shocked to discover at a royal dinner with King Chulalongkorn, that not he, but a missionary wife sat at the right hand of the king.
Chatham Roberdeau Wheat has rightly been called the grandest of Civil War heroes. Born a Virginia gentleman, this handsome giant was by turns lawyer, politician, filibusterer, wit, bon vivant, and soldier of fortune. Perhaps the most experienced soldier on either side at the outbreak of the Civil War, Wheat led the “Louisiana Tigers”—notorious as the wildest battalion in either army—in some of the war’s bloodiest battles, including Bull Run, the Valley, and the Seven Days. Idolized by his men for his courage and camaraderie, he was adored by women for his dash and gallantry. In this comprehensive biography, originally published in 1957, Charles L. Dufour details Wheat’s life and loves—from his turbulent school days to his early and heroic end at Gaines Mill. Based largely on letters and unpublished family documents, Dufour’s work—the first in-depth study of Wheat—stands as the most vivid portrait of this fantastic young soldier.
International law was born from the impulse to 'civilize' late nineteenth-century attitudes towards race and society, argues Martti Koskenniemi in this study of the rise and fall of modern international law. This book combines legal analysis, historical and political critique and semi-biographical studies of key figures and institutions.
Bill Lloyd, retired Navy Intelligence Commander, and Dorothy (his wife and daughter of Dr. Baker, Bill’s friend at the FBI) are traveling on vacation on California Hwy. 101. Walking into a restaurant they are horrified to discover their country has been taken over by China, with cooperation from the Russians. They rush to Bill’s son’s cabin in the Lake Tahoe hills to hide and plan what action to take. The mainstay of the US Navy Pacific Fleet in San Diego is bombed with chemical warheads that annihilate all staff and crews. The same happens to the Atlantic Fleet in Norfolk, VA. But Clint Lloyd, Bills’ son, has ideas for revenge!
Major-General Charles Ndiomu was erudite and persuasive. Nigerians found in him the quintessence of an academic communicator and administrator at the various military establishments he was posted to. His mind was incisive and penetrating. He was a silent philanthropist who contributed in various forms to education and religious causes. His self-discipline and integrity were in character with his unwavering insistence on fairness and justice. I believe that in the end, it was this quality, this unquenching eagerness to reach and push back the horizons of knowledge, which made Charles Ndiomu relevant and refreshing in the chequered annals of our national search for intelligent men. In corollary therefore, the leadership qualities, thoroughness, love, straight-forwardness and God-fearing demonstrated by the man Major-General Charles Ndiomu, were ingredients that prompted me to research into his life and times. The Biography entitled The Jolly Gentle General, covered the life and times of Major-General Charles Bebeye Ndiomu (CFR, FSS, mni). In my approach, I have tried to utilize the critics concern with balanced judgement while animating the landscape with a sense of environment where and when necessary. I have tried to recall episodes that I witnessed when necessary, as well as accounts from General Charles Ndiomu himself, and those of his aides, friends and his family members. Throughout, I responded to issues, events and happening the way I would through animated logic. I wrote about Major-General Charles Ndiomu as a man who started from ground-zero aided by God. I wrote about General Charles Ndiomu, as an Academic Soldier that took me to the ringside of history; a profession that never gave Major-General Charles Ndiomu much money but gave him honour, dignity, knowledge, wisdom, fame, integrity and responsibility; a profession that exhorted him to go after the truth and nothing but the truth. A profession that said he should be fair and just to everybody by hearing all sides of the story before giving verdict; a profession that emboldened him to fight (not engaging in fisticuffs) for his kith and kin in the backwater, and gave voice to the voiceless. It is a book of nostalgia, which I hope the young generation will find some aspects useful and which will allow them to avoid some certain pitfalls in this hectic age. And for the older ones, I believe, they will take pride and comfort that the past was the golden age. The story tells of Charles Bebeye Ndiomus enlistment into the Nigerian Army and the amazing life he led unearthing, uncovering, exposing, and shading light on stories that would rather be kept in the dark or in the closets of those who would not want the stories exposed.
