The chafing restrictions of a typical upbringing in upper-class, small town Alabama simply did not apply to Zelda, who was described as an unusual child and permitted to roam the streets with little supervision. Zelda refused to blossom into a typical 'Southern belle' on anyone's terms but her own and while still in high school enjoyed the status of a local celebrity for her shocking behavior. Everybody in town knew the name Zelda Sayre. Queen of the Montgomery social scene, Zelda had a different beau ready and willing to show her a good time for every day of the week. Before meeting F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda's life was a constant pursuit of pleasure. With little thought for the future and no responsibilities to speak of, Zelda committed herself fully to the mantra that accompanied her photo in her high school graduation book: "Why should all life be work, when we all can borrow. Let's think only of today, and not worry about tomorrow." But for now Zelda was still in rehearsal for her real life to begin, a life she was sure would be absolutely extraordinary. Zelda Sayre married F. Scott Fitzgerald on the 3rd of April 1920 and left sleepy Montgomery behind in order to dive headfirst into the shimmering, glamourous life of a New York socialite. With the publication of Scott's first novel, This Side of Paradise, Zelda found herself thrust into the limelight as the very epitome of the Flapper lifestyle. Concerned chiefly with fashion, wild parties and flouting social expectations, Zelda and Scott became icons of the Jazz Age, the personification of beauty and success. What Zelda and Scott shared was a romantic sense of self-importance that assured them that their life of carefree leisure and excess was the only life really worth living. Deeply in love, the Fitzgeralds were like to sides of the same coin, each reflecting the very best and worst of each other. While the world fell in love with the image of the Fitzgeralds they saw on the cover of magazines, behind the scenes the Fitzgerald's marriage could not withstand the tension of their creative arrangement. Zelda was Scott's muse and he mercilessly mined the events of their life for material for his books. Scott claimed Zelda's memories, things she said, experiences she had and even passages from her diary as his possessions and used them to form the basis of his fictional works. Zelda had a child but the domestic sphere offered no comfort or purpose for her. The Flapper lifestyle was not simply a phase she lived through, it formed the very basis of her character and once the parties grew dull, the Fitzgeralds' drinking became destructive and Zelda's beauty began to fade, the world held little allure for her. Zelda sought reprieve in work and tried to build a career as a ballet dancer. When that didn't work out she turned to writing but was forbidden by Scott from using her own life as material. Convinced that she would never leave her mark on the world as deeply or expressively as Scott had, Zelda retreated into herself and withdrew from the people she knew in happier times. The later years of Zelda's life were marred by her detachment from reality as, diagnosed with schizophrenia, Zelda spent the last eighteen years of her life living in and out of psychiatric hospitals. As Scott's life unraveled due to alcohol abuse, Zelda looked back on the years they had spent together, young and wild and beautiful, as the best of her life. She may have been right but she was wrong about one thing, Zelda did leave her mark on the world and it was a deep and expressive mark that no one could have left but her. Zelda Fitzgerald: The Biography

    When an old Army buddy recruits Pat to work as an asset for the CIA, he reluctantly agrees, and the adventure begins.Working as an arms dealer in Abu Dhabi, Pat gets caught in a shadowy world of deception, intrigue, and conspiracy. A failed attempt on his life, reveals that he has once again aggravated the powerful. Pat will now have to unravel the mystery of who is after him to survive. Discovering and neutralizing this threat will throw Pat into a whirlwind tour of Middle Eastern action, intrigue and adventure.This is the first book in the popular Pat Walsh Arabian Adventure Series.Arabian Deception is a fully rewritten version of James Lawrence's first book, Lost in Arabia. The next two books in the series are Arabian Vengeance and Arabian Fury.

    The children will smile on Christmas morning at all costs. Even if Kris has to die to try to make it happen.Someone has set a trap for Kris Kringle. The problem is, Kris is willing to go anywhere to get those gifts to the children.Including to his dark place.This time, even Kris is surprised by who helps him.Be careful, world. You don’t want to piss off Saint Nick.

    But Alison and her team know better. Trouble’s always coming for a Brownstone. Good thing she has an answer for them. Brownstone Security’s reputation is spreading, which means more jobs for the growing team. But more money means more mayhem looking for them. Can the team dig deeper and pull out another win? A Brownstone Solution: What could be harder for Alison than hunting magical beasties? Meeting Mason’s parents. Now she knows what Mason felt like meeting her father. Well, that was James Brownstone, so… maybe not.No time to ponder impressing the parents anyway – she has other issues to deal with.And an unknown person has reached out to Tahir and Hana about Omni’s owner. Something smells a bit fishy about the whole situation – and it’s not Omni being a fish. Keep Your Enemies Closer: Alison bloodied the Tapestry, but has she defeated them? With her foes operating under the radar, Alison thinks she has time, but when the mysterious magic-enhancing drug Ultimate arrives in Seattle, she is faced with a shocking conspiracy that might reach from Las Vegas to Seattle. Sadistic wizards willing to experiment are flocking to town. Rise Up: It’s hard to plan a wedding when the bad guys just won’t take a hint. Invite only… Brownstone Security is hired for what should be a relatively simple job. Nothing about the job is as it seems and Alison ends up working with the FBI’s first witch on the case. Dark Reunion: Sometimes even a Brownstone needs to get away from it all. Did the bad guys not get the memo? Alison Brownstone is on vacation. Do not disturb. Oh they disturbed.But when your mom is Shay Carson and she makes two requests of you, you take them seriously. 1. Go on a father-daughter bounty hunt. 2. Go on vacation. How can Alison say no? She can’t.Two Brownstone’s on a bounty. That dude’s going down hard. It’s not like Seattle will burn down because Alison isn’t there, right? Drow Conqueror: Alison Brownstone is a Drow Princess with no ordinary powers. Time to remind a few people just what that means. Kick ass, don’t bother taking names. Alison is in Mongolia to rescue Mr. D’s nephew, but things aren’t adding up. Are the other Drow trying to off Alison and her team to secure their succession? Drow Triumphant: It’s the beginning of the end. The other Drow princess and queen just don’t know it… yet. It’s business as usual for Brownstone Security. Drow threats or not, they still have work to do.

    The dos and don'ts of travelling and staying in Iceland. Five chapters with multiple tips in each one explain what is expected of you as a traveller - as well as some bonus tips on what you can do.

    It was fought at a place thousands of miles from land, by hundreds of planes over distances of hundreds of miles. It saw four massive Japanese aircraft carriers pitted against three similarly huge American carriers in a battle for domination of the Pacific. The battle is the story of the young Japanese empire seeking to challenge the established industrial power of America. Japan had smashed America at Pearl Harbour, shaken her at Coral Sea. Now she was ready to risk all in one mighty attempt to drive the United States Navy from the Pacific Ocean. Japan’s admirals put to sea confident that they could take the Americans by surprise, take the Midway atoll and destroy the American carriers. American espionage ensured that Admiral Nimitz had full knowledge of the planned attack, so turning a Japanese trap into an American ambush. The battle that followed raged over three days, full of set backs and disaster for each side. But Admirals Yamamoto and Nagumo had over-reached themselves and suffered the greatest naval defeat in history. America entered Midway on the defensive, still a hesitant participant in the war. She left the battle as the world’s first super power. Richard Freeman graduated in mathematics before following a career in distance education. He now writes on naval history. His other books include 'The Great Edwardian Naval Feud'. Endeavour Press is the UK's leading publisher of digital books.

    The first covered the insanity, and the second, the result. At the request of his daughters, Charles Hensler set out to write a brief summary of his time in Vietnam. The project evolved into a cathartic journey, resulting in a compelling, heartfelt memoir. Weaving threads of the events back home throughout his personal story, Hensler skillfully sets a scene integral to understanding how he and his compatriots felt in Vietnam in 1968, a year of transition. A year many Americans turned their backs on the war, and in a way, on those who fought in it. Hensler tells his story in a relatable way, creating a memoir with broad appeal. He held several occupations, giving an opportunity to understand many aspects of the war through his eyes. Through these varied roles, he was able to connect with locals on a different level than most troops. His recollection of these unlikely friendships is sincere and real. Hensler deftly paints scenes, some bloody and some beautiful. He reveals conflicted feelings about being in Vietnam, and how his experiences there affected him for years after his tour finished. He tells it all in a conversational tone, reminding us throughout of the personal nature of the project— explaining to his daughters a part of their father they never knew. Hensler’s memoir, in his words, was a journey retaken and in some ways, finally completed.

     The soldiers of the 77th Infantry Division saw some of the bloodiest action of the Second World War. Ours to Hold It High is brilliant history of the division’s actions through the course of World War Two as it island-hopped its way towards victory in the face of ferocious Japanese resistance. The story begins in America in 1942 when the division was re-activated and the units were formed and given training before they sailed west to fight. Part one of the book covers these initial two years and the various forms of rigorous training that the men went through to prepare them for the amphibious warfare that they would meet in the islands of the Pacific Ocean. Parts two, three, four, and five of the book provides brilliant insight into the combat history of the unit from Guam to Okinawa. The actions of each unit of the division are uncovered to give a thorough overview of the tumultuous and chaotic action that the men saw. This is account is not written by a historian sitting at a desk in the United States, instead it was written by the soldiers who were there on the frontlines. Max Myers, the unit historian, has compiled their accounts to form this fascinating book. The actions of the 77th have become famous throughout the globe, particularly with the assistance of films such as Hacksaw Ridge that have immortalized the division. Almost every member of the 77th contributed in one way or another to this history. The Commanding General and members of his staff, the commanders and staff members from the organizations, and many other individuals devoted some of their time to revision and correction of preliminary manuscripts. Ours to Hold It High was initially published in 1947 and Max Myers, the main editor, passed away in 2011.

    The armies of North and South stand on the brink of America’s civil war. Nathanial Starbuck arrives in the capital of the Confederate South, where he enlists in an elite regiment. He is a northern boy fighting for the southern cause. But nothing can prepare him for the shocking violence to follow in the war which broke America in two.COPPERHEADNathanial Starbuck is a Copperhead: a northerner fighting for the rebel South in America’s Civil War. Expelled from the Faulconer Legion, Starbuck must travel a hard road before he can rejoin his comrades. His journey will take him through the savage prisons of Richmond, across the blood-sodden battlefields of Virginia, and into the deadly high command of the northern army.BATTLE FLAGThe epic battle for control of the Confederate capital continues through the hot summer of 1862. It’s a battle that Captain Nate Starbuck, a Yankee fighting for the Southern cause, has to survive and win.THE BLOODY GROUNDIt is late summer 1862 and the Confederacy is invading the United States of America.Nate Starbuck, a northern preacher’s son fighting for the rebel South, is given command of a punishment battalion – a despised unit of shirkers and cowards. His enemies expect it to be his downfall, as Starbuck must lead this ramshackle unit into a battle that will prove to be the bloodiest of the Civil War.

    Called to Captain Ironside’s cabin, they learn their fate. Three are made sublieutenant, the fourth is pushed out of the Navy, a failure.There was no tolerance in the Royal Navy for weaklings and incompetents who failed to master the basics. They were beaten for every infraction of the rules of seamanship, encouraging them to conform or to get out.Adams, born to the elite, is made sublieutenant and posted to Iron Duke, flagship of the Grand Fleet, and the latest and largest of superdreadnoughts.McDuff goes to Good Hope cruiser bound for the South Atlantic. An old ship, and he had hoped for better, but there were chances to specialise on an armoured cruiser.Sturton, able and slightly maverick, hoped to be sent to another battleship where he could become a gunnery specialist, but instead goes to Sheldrake, a destroyer joining the Mediterranean Fleet. Destroyers were wet, cold, and uncomfortable, but it could be the making of his career.Baker, the failure, had never fit in. He came from the wrong background and was ostracised aboard ship, left on his own to survive the best he could. Rejected by the Navy, he is forced to join the Territorial Army or be disowned by his rich, vulgar father. Nineteen years of age and dumped on the scrapheap.War comes in August and the four young men meet its challenges in surprising ways.

    She was the wealthiest woman in Europe. But only few knew the secret she was hiding. She was a normal little girl, daughter of the King of Portugal’s personal physician, and for many years she was convinced that she, just like all the people in her immediate surroundings, was a Catholic.Until one day, on her twelfth birthday, Doña Gracia was led down to the basement of their home by her mother where the family’s deepest secret was revealed to her—"We are Jews.”Doña Gracia did not remain indifferent to this shocking news and little by little, she began to investigate and become familiar with her Jewish roots.The Little Girl from Lisbon Is the wonderful story of Doña Gracia, one of the greatest women Europe has known, about her personal struggle in a world controlled by men, her escape from the persecution of the Inquisition, and all the nobility who coveted her wealth, while turning into a leader who was truly admired and followed by her people.

    Requires Life Insurance. Will be working with deadly magical artifacts and killers. Kill The Willing: Shay Carson had a wake up call when a hitman was sent after her. Her previous profession was getting a bit personal. Then, life offered her a chance to disappear, and she did. What's a girl to do with a very specific set of skills? Take up Tomb Raiding!Behind every complicated woman is a story. For Shay, it happens to be a little complicated and she can't share with her new friends. Better to lie to her friends, than have to kill more for knowing too much! Bury The Past, But Shoot it First: Magic is back on Earth and there’s money to be made. It didn’t take long for Shay Carson to figure out that being a hitman isn’t good for a girl’s retirement plans. Time to fake her own death and get the hell out of town. Start over in L.A. with dream job number two – tomb raider in a world just coming to terms with magic. Just as dangerous a profession but the payoff’s bigger even if someone’s still shooting at her. Good thing this girl has better aim and no problem pulling the trigger. Reload Faster: Killer for hire needs to retool her skill set. Find a new career with a little less risk. Meet Shay Carson – Tomb Raider for hire. Good with weapons, works badly with others, can leave at a moment’s notice and not thrown by magic. She’s already making a name for herself on the dark web. Rich people in search of treasure willing to pay to send someone else. Look out world… Dead In Plain Sight: Shay Carson's rep as a tomb raider grows, along with her list of new friends. The former killer for hire has managed to figure out what a life looks like without killing off her inner circle. But a teenage elf may upend all of it.New adventures across France hunting for the lost scepter of Dagobert protected by dark magic or finding the answers to a broken piece of machinery that’s 300 million years old. Not your typical day job. Shay is not your typical woman… just ask Brownstone. Tomb Raiding PHD: What do you do when someone threatens your man? If his name is Brownstone, you can take the easy way out and just tell him. He’ll take care of the rest. But if you’re Shay Carson, archaeologist of magic and history, you take care of it, permanently. It’s her specialty. In a surprising twist, Shay’s turned out to be teachable and is taking along Lily, a Gray Elf to help her settle the score, while Peyton, her IT specialist with a love of costumes and pizza has her back. Tomb Raider Emeritus: Shay Carson has a secret. Not all aliens are Oricerans.

    Michael Gear bring us a gripping disaster thriller.The seas flood their banks. Storms devastate entire continents. Fires envelop the world in darkness. The collapse begins…Anthropologist Anika French makes an explosive discovery: due to climate change, our world is threatened with collapse in just a few years, and humanity will perish. Anika’s committee chair published her work under his own name, now powerful people will do anything to obtain Anika’s statistical program for their own use.With murder, kidnapping, extortion, and assassination on every side, Dr. Maureen Cole, a team of specialists, and bodyguard Skip Murphy will do everything in their power to keep Anika safe as they struggle with the implications of Anika’s work. For once the “fracture event” occurs, Anika’s model predicts the end of the world – and dark powers are already testing the model with devastating results.Ultimately, it will be up to Skip, Maureen, and Anika as a deadly showdown in the Alps will determine who will profit from the destruction of civilization.

    Their achievements, rich culture and craftsmanship contributed greatly to our world today, and their explorations helped make up the boundaries of nations. The Vikings: Raiders, Explorers, and Seafaring Warriors by author Lance Hightower will give you a glimpse of the battles that raged for more than 300 years, sparked by the cultural and religious differences that were the trigger for warring with the Franks, England and Ireland, and for trade and exploration into the Muslim empire, the Byzantine Empire, as far as Russia, Spain and North America.They came from Sweden, Norway and Denmark, not as one army, but as separate tribes who assaulted their way through Christendom as retaliation for the destruction of their holy icon. They came from the sea in a way that ingeniously allowed them to go where no conventional ship dared, and they were able to navigate waters without benefit of the sun to guide them. They used boats that made ship-building history – light, fast, and equally efficient in shallow rivers and mighty oceans.They terrorized, traded, bartered, took slaves, colonized, fought and died all in the name of Odin, god of the battle-slain. Perhaps in the end, they fought more for territory and riches than principle, but the history of the Vikings will always remain as one of the most enthralling of all Ages, where honor was crucial, death on the battlefield was preferred to idleness, and the stormy pantheon of their gods still held the greatest influence in their lives.The brilliant sagas come to life with snippets of modern translations, told like tales of old should be told, with dread, heroics and excitement. Lance Hightower combines his own expertise with the latest archeological findings and information given to us from ancient text to present a first-rate portrayal of the Vikings in an easy-to-read format that is a refreshing change from the usual dry delivery of history.

    It has been one of the highest-rated sci-fi series on Amazon over the last three years. This bundle contains books 1 through 9--the complete series--and will captivate fans of science fiction, fantasy, thrillers, and cyberpunk. In this riveting nine-volume set, Hoodwink Cooper infiltrates a tyrannical alien regime and traverses multiple realities in a daring attempt to save his daughter from certain doom... There's only one problem. He might destroy the last living remnants of humanity in the process. This ultimate edition contains THE FOREVER GATE volumes one through nine. Strap yourself in, because the mind-bending thrill ride that explores what it means to be human has only just begun.