William C. Oates is best remembered as the Confederate officer defeated at Gettysburgs Little Round Top, losing a golden opportunity to turn the Union's flank and win the battle--and perhaps the war. Now, Glenn W. LaFantasie--bestselling author of Twilight at Little Round Top--has written a gripping biography of Oates, a narrative that reads like a novel. Here then is a richly evocative story of Southern life before, during, and after the Civil War, based on first-time and exclusive access of family papers and never-before-seen archives.
William P. “Will” Hobby Sr. and Oveta Culp Hobby were one of the most influential couples in Texas history. Both were major public figures, with Will serving as governor of Texas and Oveta as the first commander of the Women’s Army Corps and later as the second woman to serve in a presidential cabinet. Together, they built a pioneering media empire centered on the Houston Post and their broadcast properties, and they played a significant role in the transformation of Houston into the fourth largest city in the United States. Don Carleton’s dual biography details their personal and professional relationship—defined by a shared dedication to public service—and the important roles they each played in local, state, and national events throughout the twentieth century. This deeply researched book not only details this historically significant partnership, but also explores the close relationships between the Hobbys and key figures in twentieth-century history, from Texas legends such as LBJ, Sam Rayburn, and Jesse Jones, to national icons, including the Roosevelts, President Eisenhower, and the Rockefellers. Carleton's chronicle reveals the undeniable impact of the Hobbys on journalistic and political history in the United States.
Bill Eddy knew the Arabs and the Middle East better than any other American of the 20th century, and the work of his eventful life helped to establish the United States as the dominant strategic power in the region. Born in Lebanon, he spoke Arabic like a native. He was a Marine Corps hero of World War I, a prominent scholar of classical English literature, a brilliant spymaster in North Africa during the Allied landings there in World War II, and a major player in the Washington power games that led to the creation of the CIA. He was the impresario of President Franklin Roosevelt's landmark meeting with King Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia in 1945, and his work as the senior U.S. diplomat in Jeddah cemented the improbable alliance of the United States and the desert kingdom. To know his story is to understand why the United States today is an indispensable force in the Arab world--for better or worse. -- Jacket flap.
William Shea offers a gripping narrative of the events surrounding Prairie Grove, Arkansas, one of the great unsung battles of the Civil War that effectively ended Confederate offensive operations west of the Mississippi River. Shea provides a colorful account of a grueling campaign that lasted five months and covered hundreds of miles of rugged Ozark terrain. In a fascinating analysis of the personal, geographical, and strategic elements that led to the fateful clash in northwest Arkansas, he describes a campaign notable for rapid marching, bold movements, hard fighting, and the most remarkable raid of the Civil War.
Through the Valley is the captivating memoir of the last U.S. Army soldier taken prisoner during the Vietnam War. A narrative of courage, hope, and survival, Through the Valley is more than just a war story. It also portrays the thrill and horror of combat, the fear and anxiety of captivity, and the stories of friendships forged and friends lost. In 1971 William Reeder was a senior captain on his second tour in Vietnam. He had flown armed, fixed-wing OV-1 Mohawks on secret missions deep into enemy territory in Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam on his first tour. He returned as a helicopter pilot eager to experience a whole new perspective as a Cobra gunship pilot. Believing that Nixon’s Vietnamization would soon end the war, Reeder was anxious to see combat action. To him, it appeared that the Americans had prevailed, beaten the Viet Cong, and were passing everything over to the South Vietnamese Army so that Americans could leave. Less than a year later, while providing support to forces at the besieged base of Ben Het, Reeder’s chopper went down in a flaming corkscrew. Though Reeder survived the crash, he was captured after evading the enemy for three days. He was held for weeks in jungle cages before enduring a grueling forced march on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, costing the lives of seven of his group of twenty-seven POWs. Imprisoned in the notorious prisons of Hanoi, Reeder’s tenacity in the face of unimaginable hardship is not only a captivating story, but serves as an inspiration to all. In Through the Valley William Reeder shares the torment and pain of his ordeal, but does so in the light of the hope that he never lost. His memoir reinforces the themes of courage and sacrifice, undying faith, strength of family, love of country, loyalty among comrades, and a realization of how precious is the freedom all too often taken for granted. Sure to resonate with those serving in the armed forces who continue to face the demands of combat, Through the Valley will also appeal especially to readers looking for a powerful, riveting story.
To say Bill Murray's entire life has been unconventional would be an understatement! After all, how many people have lived in Canada, England, Spain and traveled the world; burned down a barn and two houses, graduated from the Air Force Academy (1975), and while there burned up a dorm room; played collegiate football, wresting, and lacrosse; flown supersonic fighters, got booted out of the Air Force over a wet rug, only to be reinstated a few years later; crashed an aerobatic plane and survived, had cancer and survived, had children and survived? You get the idea! In Renegade Colonel, Murray recounts his experiences from childhood through his Air Force career. From his early years an F-111 WSO to his later years in leadership positions as a senior director in the Air Force, Bill has had the experiences of a lifetime. He wrote this book because in years to come, he wants his family and friends to be able to share in the memories and travel back in time, if only for a few chapters. Renegade Colonel is a book of unbelievable lifetime experiences experiences anyone could enjoy vicariously and learn from!
