Two years later, he was back in Cuba for a course in "conspiratorial methods" that taught him how to work in Havana's growing international underground. Then he joined the notorious Americas Department, entering "the pirate's den" where he worked as a secret agent for Fidel Castro for the next twenty years.".
This is a true story that follows Captain Edouard J. Jacques, a WWII Bombardier and Distinguished Flying Cross recipient, and his crew from childhood through thirty bombing missions over Germany with the 755th Squadron, 458 Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force from 1944 through 1945. It’s a remembrance of ordinary men doing extraordinary feats in their quest to defeat the seemingly invincible Third Reich. Included in their stories are those they left behind — their wives, girlfriends, and family. Their stories mirror that of thousands of young Americans who served on the B-24 heavy bombers in WWII and have not had their history documented. These are the stories of young men from Rhode Island, Utah, South Carolina, Texas, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Neumarkt, Germany. Their backgrounds are as diverse as the places from which they came. Through interviews, their stories are told, and it is apparent that while not similar in background or culture, they were similar in their strength of character and love of country. Those who are no longer with us had their stories told by those interviewed. Those aviators who survived the war were the fortunate ones who returned home to their families, wives, girlfriends, and to a grateful nation. The history of the battle for Europe, 1944-1945, is told in detail.
Grief stricken after the death of his wife, General Thoren Da'ad has left his home to join this religious order of knights known as Paladins. Under the leadership of General Mayweather, he has been tasked to find the lost vaults of the ancient wizard Reglis. With his closest companions, he must face uncertain danger as he journeys across the Fairylands in search of this great treasure. With his old friend and great scholar, Phineus Mibbin, his right-hand soldiers, Riada and Bek, a warrior elf, Leatis, and a sorceress, Jeinan, Da'ad finds clues to the whereabouts of Reglis's treasure as he slowly makes his way to the dead wizard's final resting place. Will Da'ad find the ancient treasure, or are there more important quests ahead for him? Find out in John W. Johnson's exciting, fast-paced fantasy novel,The Vaults of Reglis: The Paladin Part One.
Julia Morgan, America’s first truly independent female architect, left a legacy of more than 700 buildings, many of which are now designated landmarks, in cities throughout California, as well as in Hawaii, Utah, and Illinois. Her work spanned five decades, and the total of her commissions was greater than any other major American architect, including Frank Lloyd Wright. This book tells the remarkable story of this architectural pioneer, and features text, drawings, and photographs of the many buildings that still exist.
ECHOES of Topsail is a history of Topsail Island, NC from its formation to the year 2004. Extensively researched, the facts, folklore and experiences of its people tell the island's story and bring the island's heartbeat to the reader.
"Mesmerizing . . . Original and often profound, [The Bathysphere Book] is a moving testament to the wonders of exploration." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review "Imbued with the adventurous spirit of science and exploration . . . [The Bathysphere Book is] an enchanting cabinet of curiosities." —Kirkus Reviews A wide ranging, philosophical, and sensual account of early deep sea exploration and its afterlives, The Bathysphere Book begins with the first ever voyage to the deep ocean in 1930 and expands to explore the adventures and entanglements of its all-too-human participants at a time when the world still felt entirely new. In the summer of 1930, aboard a ship floating near the Atlantic island of Nonsuch, marine biologist Gloria Hollister sat on a crate, writing furiously in a notebook with a telephone receiver pressed to her ear. The phone line was attached to a steel cable that plunged 3,000 feet into the sea. There, suspended by the cable, dangled a four-and-a-half-foot steel ball called the bathysphere. Crumpled inside, gazing through three-inch quartz windows at the undersea world, was Hollister’s colleague William Beebe. He called up to her, describing previously unseen creatures, explosions of bioluminescence, and strange effects of light and color. From this momentous first encounter with the unknown depths, The Bathysphere Book widens its scope to explore a transforming and deeply paradoxical America, as the first great skyscrapers rose above New York City and the Great Plains baked to dust. In prose that is magical, atmospheric, and entirely engrossing, Brad Fox dramatizes new visions of our planetary home, delighting in tales of the colorful characters who surrounded, supported, and participated in the dives—from groundbreaking scientists and gallivanting adventurers to eugenicist billionaires. The Bathysphere Book is a hypnotic assemblage of brief chapters along with over fifty full-color images, records from the original bathysphere logbooks, and the moving story of surreptitious romance between Beebe and Hollister that anchors their exploration. Brad Fox blurs the line between poetry and research, unearthing and rendering a visionary meeting with the unknown.
Deadly Sails - Complete Collection' assembles a flotilla of narratives from the pens of some of the most distinguished authors known for their contributions to adventure, mystery, and maritime literature. The anthology spans a vast ocean of themes including the raw confrontation with nature, the human spirit's indefatigable quest for the unknown, and the dark, oftentimes supernatural, mysteries that lurk beneath the deck. Each piece, varying from the classic high-seas adventure to tales of ghostly ships and uncharted territories, is meticulously chosen to represent the polyphony of styles and epochal voices that have shaped literature over centuries. Noteworthy are stories that innovate the maritime genre, weaving together narrative techniques that reflect the complexities of the human condition against a backdrop of the formidable sea. The diversity of literary stylesfrom the suspenseful gothic to the thrilling escapadeunderscores the anthologys significance within the literary canon, showcasing an unparalleled breadth in exploring the tempestuous relationship between humanity and the maritime world. The contributing authors, hailing from a spectrum of cultural backgrounds and historical periods, collectively illuminate the evolving dynamics of societal, historical, and personal challenges faced at sea. From Jules Vernes scientific romances to Edgar Allan Poes tales of mystery and macabre, and F. Scott Fitzgeralds poignant narratives, the anthology reflects a rich mosaic of literary movements, including Romanticism, Realism, and the Modernist wave. These authors, many of whom were pioneers in their own right, engage with themes of exploration, existential dread, and the dichotomy of man versus nature, offering a panoramic view of human resilience and frailty. The Deadly Sails - Complete Collection is not merely an anthology; it is a voyage across the tumultuous seas of human emotion and ambition through the lens of some of literatures greatest minds. It beckons readers to set sail into a realm where tales of adventure, mystery, and the supernatural converge, promising a journey that transcends the boundaries of ordinary life. Scholars, enthusiasts of maritime lore, and aficionados of classic literature alike will find in these pages a confluence of stirring narratives that not only entertain but enlighten, fostering a deeper appreciation for the diverse currents that have shaped the literary world.