This explosive look into the dawn of chemical warfare during World War I is "a terrifying piece of history that almost no one knows" (Hampton Sides). In 1915, when German forces executed the first successful gas attack of World War I, the world watched in horror as the boundaries of warfare were forever changed. Cries of barbarianism rang throughout Europe, yet Allied nations immediately jumped into the fray, kickstarting an arms race that would redefine a war already steeped in unimaginable horror. Largely forgotten in the confines of history, the development of the U.S. Chemical Warfare Service in 1917 left an indelible imprint on World War I. This small yet powerful division, along with the burgeoning Bureau of Mines, assembled research and military unites devoted solely to chemical weaponry, outfitting regiments with hastily made gas-resistant uniforms and recruiting scientists and engineers from around the world into the fight. As the threat of new gases and more destructive chemicals grew stronger, the chemists' secret work in the laboratories transformed into an explosive fusion of steel, science, and gas on the battlefield. Drawing from years of research, Theo Emery brilliantly shows how World War I quickly spiraled into a chemists' war, one led by the companies of young American engineers-turned-soldiers who would soon become known as the "Hellfire Boys." As gas attacks began to mark the heaviest and most devastating battles, these brave and brilliant men were on the front lines, racing against the clock -- and the Germans -- to protect, develop, and unleash the latest weapons of mass destruction.
From the end of Reconstruction to the eve of the Great Depression, Atlanta was the New South's "Gate City." Steve Goodson's social and cultural history looks at the variety of public amusements available to Atlantans of the day, including theater, vaudeville, dime museums, movies, radio, and classical, blues, and country music. Revealed in the ways its people embraced or condemned everything from burlesque to opera is an Atlanta unsure of its identity and acutely sensitive of its image in the eyes of the nation. While the general populace hungered for novelty and diversion, middle-class Atlantans, white and black, saw entertainment as a source of--or threat to--status and respectability. Goodson traces the roots of this tension to the city's rapid and problematic growth, its uncomfortably diverse population, and its multiplying ties to national markets. At the same time he portrays some lively individuals who shaped Atlanta's entertainment scene. Among them are impresario Laurent DeGive, tightrope walker Professor Leon, patent-medicine salesman Yellowstone Kit, country music great Fiddlin' John Carson, and blues legends Bessie Smith and Blind Willie McTell. Goodson also brings alive the atmosphere of such venues as DeGive's resplendent Grand Opera House, George Johnson's tacky Museum of Living Wonders, the pioneering Trocadero vaudeville house, and the notorious 81 Theater on Decatur Street, an avenue whose decadent promise rivaled that of Beale in Memphis and Bourbon in New Orleans. Milestone trends and events are also showcased: performances of the play Uncle Tom's Cabin and showings of the film Birth of a Nation, visits by the Metropolitan Opera Company, the debate over Sunday entertainment, the beginning of broadcasts by "The Voice of the South"--radio station WSB--and the rise of Atlanta as the earliest capital of country and blues recording. Accepted historical views of public entertainment in America suggest that ethnicity and class would be the most pronounced forces shaping this aspect of Atlanta's popular culture. Goodson finds, however, that race and evangelical Christianity also heavily influenced the circumstances in which Atlantans went about their fun. With implications for the entire urban South, this is an engaging look at how and why its major city once grasped at sophistication and progress with one hand while pushing it away with the other.
“A great hero, a really exciting series.” —Joseph Finder For hostage rescue specialist Jonathan Grave, every mission is a matter of life or death. But he faces his most personal challenge yet when two boys are abducted while being driven to Resurrection House, the school Jonathan founded as a sanctuary for children of incarcerated parents. The boys were entrusted to Jonathan’s care. Now they’re missing. It’s time to fight fire with fire . . . The boys’ mom, Connie Kendall, is awaiting trial on drug smuggling charges. Prosecutors want her to testify against the brutal Cortez Cartel to help bring down their ruthless operations. If she cooperates, she’ll get an easier sentence. But with her kids in the grip of the cartel, her lips are sealed. As Jonathan and his team of skilled operatives close in on the kidnappers, they realize that their enemies aren’t just hell-bent on selling drugs. Rival factions have even deadlier agendas. The clock is ticking on an attack that could kill thousands in a single breath. And it’s almost zero hour . . .
The second book in a new series featuring the adventures of a half-breed Apache lawman in the Old West. Mitch Frye is on the trail of a butcher who is murdering prostitutes.
Drunken lowlife Sam Chapman is an unlikely candidate to be marshall of Miles City, Montana, but Judge Harlan A. Garth has his reasons for the decision--as Sam soon discovers, learning he is expected to overlook the judge's bloody criminal doings.
Until the late nineteenth century, Yellowstone National Park, known for such famous landmarks as Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, and the Firehole River, was a land largely unknown, uninhabited, and unnamed. The few maps available noted only a handful of major features known from the seasonal visits of trappers and prospectors. Among the large number of place names related to Yellowstone National Park are many that mirror the area's fascinating history. This book devotes chapters to the place names drawn from Native Americans, fur trappers, prospectors, explorers, modern visitors, park concessionaires and employees, and three special groups: (1) the "unapproved" place names that remain in use regardless, (2) names that have lost their cogency and have disappeared from use, and (3) a group of names from outside the park boundary that have always been very important to it. Each chapter is preceded by a brief review of the historic period and its relationship to the park area. An introduction includes information on the present rules covering the naming of features in Yellowstone, and the sources list more than four hundred references examined for place name history.
Whoever said life is a bowl of cherries was an idiot. Life is a minefield strewn with disappointment and death, a veritable hell on earth. The only proper response I can think of is to laugh my way through it all. - Max Grimes The Sunny Side of Hell frolics through the minefield of life, revealing in its blackly humorous tales the myriad ways humans attempt to navigate their way through the explosions of fate, chance and happenstance. From deadly juveniles and octogenarian rebels to pixilated spinsters and a boy who has lost his puppy, these tales reveal the dark humor inherent in the human condition. If life is a veritable hell on earth as Max Grimes claims, then what better way to respond to it than by taking his advice and laughing through it all. So read these tales, keep laughing and stay on The Sunny Side of Hell. * Bonus content this edition only, Professor's X's Famous Existential Quiz: Should I Be?
Divorce a husband, disrupt a career ... grapple with a murder. TV journalist Elizabeth "E.M." Danniher will tell you she committed two sins — she didn't stay young, and she made an enemy of a powerful news executive — her ex. She used to break national news. Now her top story as the “Helping Out!” reporter at dinky KWMT-TV in Sherman, Wyoming is getting a defective toaster repaired. Soon she's in a battle of wills with ex-football player turned journalist Mike Paycik. Does he see her as a handy rung on his career ladder, a potential partner in fighting crime, or something more? And there's the matter of a deputy sheriff – missing or murdered? Elizabeth finds herself investigating at the insistence of a little girl doesn’t so much ask for help as demand Elizabeth proves her father's innocence. Not that enigmatic rancher Thomas Burrell makes investigating easy. She, Mike, and more colleagues heat up this cold case fast, learning Cottonwood County’s secrets. Tough, funny, and determined, Elizabeth wrestles with isolation, keeping a professional edge, an evolving self-image . . . oh,, yes, and a rental unaffectionately known as the Hovel and a standoffish stray dog. Is Wyoming — the land of cattle, cowboys, tumbleweeds, and fewer than six people per square mile — her new home or a road to permanent obscurity? Elizabeth won't fade to black without a fight, no matter how final some might want to make her Sign Off. Sign Off is the first book of the much-loved Caught Dead in Wyoming mystery series of twisty whodunnits with humor, a female sleuth to root for, and supporting cast of people you'd like to know. For readers of Jerusha Jones, LT Ryan, AJ Rivers, L.A. Dobbs, D.D. Black, Alex Sigmore, Lyndee Walker, David J. Gatward, Lynda McDaniel, and David Rosenfelt. What readers are saying about SIGN OFF: "This is one of those books that you want to stop everything to read while hoping it never ends." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Sign Off is a brisk, enthralling page-turner" – P.B. Ryan, bestselling author "Colorful characters, intriguing, intelligent mystery, plus the state of Wyoming leaping off every page." – Emilie Richards, USA Today bestselling author "Be prepared for lots of twist and turns." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I read it in one sitting. I hadn't planned it that way, but just couldn't stop." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "The characters were a mix of funny, sad, and quirky and were totally believable. There was just enough humor to lighten the story, but not to disrespect the seriousness of crime." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "What an entertaining story, great characters and a fun, sometimes funny mystery! On to the next in the series, lots of fun!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Don't miss any of the Caught Dead in Wyoming adventures: Sign Off Left Hanging Shoot First Last Ditch Look Live Back Story Cold Open Hot Roll Reaction Shot Body Brace Cross Talk Air Ready Holiday Bullets Cue Up Head Room What readers say about the Caught Dead in Wyoming series: "McLinn's mysteries set in Wyoming are addictive. The writing is excellent, the twists and turns keep the brain engaged, and Elizabeth's wry commentary keeps a smile on my face." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "E.M.'s internal monologues are sharp, snappy and often hilarious." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “If you haven’t started reading this series and you enjoy reading funny, sassy, interesting, characterful books, then start at book one and continue through. You won’t be sorry.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Hoping this series lasts forever!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "McLinn has created in E.M. a female protagonist who is flawed but likable, never silly or cartoonish, and definitely not made of cardboard." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "While the mystery itself is twisty-turny and thoroughly engaging, it's the smart and witty writing that I loved the best." – Diane Chamberlain, bestselling author “I would recommend anyone who loves a good mystery to start reading now. You must begin with book one to understand relationships and personalities of the main characters. Start reading now." ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ More mystery from Patricia McLinn Secret Sleuth series Death on the Diversion Death on Torrid Avenue Death on Beguiling Way Death on Covert Circle Death on Shady Bridge Death on Carrion Lane Death on ZigZag Trail Death on Puzzle Place The Innocence Trilogy Proof of Innocence Price of Innocence Premise of Innocence Search Terms associated with this western murder mystery series: female sleuth, amateur detective, amateur sleuth, women detectives, traditional mystery, mystery with humor, mysteries with humor, mainstream mystery, western mysteries, humorous mysteries, mystery with dog, mysteries with rescue dog, American crime murder, traditional mysteries, krimis, kriminalromane, journalist sleuth, TV reporter sleuth, mysteries, murder mystery, whodunit, romantic suspense, romantic mystery, cozy mysteries, cozy mystery books, cozy murder mysteries, cozies, Women sleuths, revenge, bookshots, cozy mystery, strong female leads, mystery thriller, mystery series, smart mysteries, booktok, murder mysteries, crime fiction, krimi, bestselling mystery books, whodunit, bestselling mysteries, Wyoming mysteries, cosy, cosies, best sellers, detective stories, mystery stories to keep you up all night, can't stop reading, page-turner, audiobook mysteries, mysterious novels, murder mystery writers, mystery fiction stories, crime authors, romantic suspense series, romantic mystery series,
