Book picks similar to
Lost Gardens of England: From the Archives of Country Life by Kathryn Bradley-Hole
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Over the Wire: A POW's Escape Story from the Second World War
Philip H. Newman - 1983
After several failed attempts he got out over the wire and journeyed for weeks as a fugitive from northern France to Marseilles, then across the Pyrenees to Spain and Gibraltar and freedom. He was guided along the way by French civilians, resistance fighters and the organizers of the famous Pat escape line. His straightforward, honest and vivid memoir of his work as a surgeon at Dunkirk, life in the prison camps and his escape attempts gives a fascinating insight into his wartime experience. It records the ingenuity and courage of the individuals, the ordinary men and women, who risked their lives to help him on his way. It is also one of the best accounts we have of what it was like to be on the run in occupied Europe.
Still a PFC: A Combat Marine in World War II: The Pacific Theater (1942-1945): Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Guam, & Iwo Jima
Eugene H. Peterson - 2020
Tomes have been devoted to this subject. I choose instead to tell of my life as a Private, a grunt if you will, and how this life impacted on me.As a telephone lineman for the United States Marine Corps, I had the greatest opportunity to see more of the combat area than most participants. We traveled to the right flank, left flank, up front and to the rear areas to keep our telephone lines functioning and all our artillery and infantry in constant communications.A Japanese general stated "the American troops' ability to concentrate artillery fire on a given point was a tremendous advantage." As an artilleryman, I am proud we provided this edge. Our front line troops on numerous occasions told me our artillery barrage had "stopped the Japs cold." Our constant goal.I have often been asked, "How did you cope with death as an everyday fact?" I tell of losing eight buddies on one day on Guam. We acknowledged the loss then moved on. "What is past is past." We did not dwell on one or multiple losses. We simply moved on. Yesterday was an age away, this is today, we hope to see tomorrow. Perhaps cruel, but it retained our sanity. Those who stand and wait have not shared this burden.Lest you think I am portraying myself as some kind of hero -- let me remind you, they never asked me if I wanted to go on these combat landings to Bougainville, Guam, and Iwo Jima.I was not a hero, but I walked among heroes.
Two Hearts, Lost and Found: A Historical Western Romance Book
Aurora Hanson - 2021
Responding to an ad for a mail-order bride, she heads out West to be with the man she hopes will be her break in the clouds. Yet a twist of fate is about to test her heart in the most unexpected way. Meeting her fiancé's brother brings back strong memories of a time long gone, and Maryanne finds herself trapped in a painful dilemma...Could the happiness she's been longing for be tied to a past she has so desperately been running from?With his mother mourning his father and his brother finding his way through heartbreak, Josie Johnson has had to step up to take care of their ranch. Conscious of his family's past troubles and misfortunes, he is determined to be vigilant with both his business and his heart. Everything is about to change though when his brother's fiancé enters their lives. Maryanne might present his brother's last hope for happiness, yet Josie cannot shut his eyes to his undeniable attraction towards her. Will he be able to resist his emotions when he realizes that their pasts are more entwined than he could ever have imagined?Fate meant for Maryanne and Josie to find each other again under the most impossible of circumstances. Caught between revelations about a painful past and an increasingly uncertain future, they must decide if they are willing to spend the rest of their lives wondering "what if?" But in the end, will the choice even be theirs to make?"Two Hearts, Lost and Found" is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
Our Vietnam Wars: Vol 2: as told by more veterans who served
William F. Brown - 2018
Some enlisted. Some were true war heroes, but most were just trying to survive. As everyone "in-country" knew, Vietnam was all about luck, good or bad. If you were there, you understand. If you weren't, grab a copy and start reading, anywhere in the book. The stories are like Doritos. Try a few and you won't be able to stop.The Vietnam War was the seminal event of my generation and affected so many lives. Over 58,200 of us paid the ultimate price, but the war didn't end when the last US helicopter lifted off from the roof of the US Embassy in Saigon. It continues to take its ugly toll on many who did come home. Instead of bands and parades, we got PTSD and Agent Orange, diabetes, ischemic heart disease, neuropathy, leukemia, Hodgkin's Disease, and prostate cancer, and many more. As they say, "Vietnam is the gift that keeps on giving."Unfortunately, what little our kids and grandkids know of the war comes from books that only focus on one soldier, one unit, and one year, or movies like Oliver Stone's Platoon and Hamburger Hill, leaving people to think that all we did was crawl through the jungle on the Cambodian border smoking dope. But that wasn't how most of us spent our year. In February, I published Volume 1. Due to the amazing response it received from vets and their families, I'm publishing Volume 2, with even more interesting, exciting, and informative stories. Hopefully, they will help correct that narrative.William F Brown is the author of nine action adventure and suspense novels on Kindle, including the highly successful Bob Burke series, and Our Vietnam Wars, Volumes 1 and 2, personal stories of the veterans who served there. His ministry and suspense novels include 'The Undertaker,' 'Amongst My Enemies,' 'Thursday at Noon,' 'Aim True, My Brothers,' 'Winner Lose All,' and 'The Cold War Trilogy,' as well as Burke's War, Burke's Gamble, and Burke's Revenge. You can them out on my web site and Enjoy!
Orphan Girl
Lila Beckham - 2014
She never overcame her humble beginnings and when Willie Eubanks rescued her from the orphanage by marrying her, she ended up right back where she started. Living in the same cabin, she was born in twelve and a half years earlier. However, she grew to love Willie and was determined that she and Willie were not going to end up as her parents had. In addition, she wanted to make sure her children were not going to have to suffer through the same experiences she had.
Pioneer Days in the Southwest from 1850 to 1879: Thrilling Descriptions of Buffalo Hunting, Indian Fighting and Massacres, Cowboy Life and Home Building
Charles Goodnight - 1909
Pioneer Days is written by the rank and file who were the true heroes and heroines, who suffered and gave their lives and the lives of those near and dear to them, in order to lay the foundation for future happy homes, peace and prosperity. The writers of this book were the small remnant yet left who were the actual participators in these early struggles, and they give their experiences, unadorned, without any claim to literary merit; for the writers were by then old. When you read their simple statements of facts of Indian conflicts, of terrible suffering and privations, so unassumingly told by them, it is only fitting that those who have had the advantage of schools and Christianity, and refinement, of which they were almost entirely deprived, to cover their rough and often ungrammatical sentences with the cloak of Christian charity, and interline them with garlands of flowers and chivalry which truly belongs to them. With contributions from Charles Goodnight (1836-1929), Emanuel Dubbs (1843–1932), and John A. Hart (1790–1840), the 1909 book "Pioneer Days in the Southwest" gives unadorned truths and conditions that fortunately have passed out forever. A great portion is devoted to the life of Charles Goodnight the first pioneer of the Texas Panhandle. No history of pioneer days would be complete without the name of Charles Goodnight. While Mr. Goodnight has a state and national reputation, the people of the Panhandle of Texas feel that they are especially honored in owning him as a citizen, and he and his estimable wife had, and now hold a place in the hearts of old timers as well as later settlers, that would cause the people to condemn any writer who failed to give to them that mete of praise which they so richly deserve, and place their name at the head of the highly honored galaxy of heroes who contended with and finally overcame every obstacle and danger of a country entirely given over to lawlessness at the time of their advent. These histories generally took place in the present-day states of Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, and New Mexico.
A Frontier Bride for the Tormented Rancher
Lydia Olson - 2021
How will they unite their hearts amidst all the horrors of the California Trail?California Trail 1863Irene is a sweet young woman who has been devoid of family love. When she hears of her step-father’s scheme, she escapes with her younger brother. They both hope that what lies ahead of the California Trail is a promise of the life they never had. However, the trail carries pain, loss, death and not everything is what it seems especially when she meets Austin. How can she let go of her fear of abandonment and trust him with her heart when he’s hiding the truth?Austin is an emotionally guarded rancher who hasn´t recovered from his family´s loss yet. On the verge of losing his only remaining connection to his wife and son, Austin will have to strike an unlikely deal. He is assigned to return Irene to her father, or he will lose his beloved land. But this task will prove more difficult than he had thought. How can he bring Irene back when his growing feelings for her get in the way? This long journey hides foes in plain sight. Irene and Austin should confront not only those but also illness, famine and wild animals. Will they make it through and find happiness in each other arm’s before their time together ends?
For a Governess' Fiery Kiss
Henrietta Harding - 2020
She's newly orphaned and ruined, wanting only the peace and quiet that a governess position for Edwin's stoic daughter allows. She never expected though her new employer to be so handsome that she can barely resist the temptation. She soon discovers that she is not the only one who is hiding secrets, but that doesn't stop her lascivious longing. There is a dreadful scandal that has tarnished Edwin's name and left him broken-hearted... Can a governess full of secrets find a place in Edwin's house and most importantly in his wounded heart?Edwin Huntington moved with his jaw-droppingly gorgeous blonde, Cecily, and their young daughter, Jane, across the country, so he could work as a high-ranking military officer. Little did he know that he and his daughter would be abandoned by Cecily for his cousin, the next in line to Edwin's wealthy uncle's estate. Since Jane doesn't seem to take kindly to her mother's disappearance, Edwin soon realizes the urgent need of a governess. But when the new magnetic governess appears to be more than he ever wished for, he finds himself trying to tame his growing feelings. After all he's been through, could she really be the one to set his body and soul on fire?Emilia and Edwin know they are playing dangerously close with fire, but their intriguing lust is too overwhelming to resist. As the story of Cecily and Edwin's wealthy cousin, Marcus, is not over yet, whatever joy and passion Edwin and Emilia might have found together is at high risk. Can they defy everyone and turn this promising desire into an everlasting love? Or will their passionate affair go down in flames before it fills them with sparks?
Purling Road - The Complete Third Season: Episodes 1-10
M.L. Gardner - 2017
If there is one thing they’ve learned to do over the years, it’s how to stick together. Maura is called to her hardest task yet, having to take over the raising of Tarin’s newborn baby, Brigid. Gordon’s faith in life and love is put to the test. Arianna attempts to close the gap of mistrust with Caleb while pressing to bring the dream of her own salon to life. Caleb wrestles with a bad feeling that haunts him like a ghost. Claire and Aryl come to terms with the decision they’ve made not have any more children and surgery day isn’t as easy for Claire as she thought. When an epidemic strikes and the town is all but shut down, Muzzy and Peter become Rockport’s saving grace while a Texas newcomer brings unexpected hope and friendship, just when the group needs it the most. Jonathan and Ava are tested with a devastating loss, leaving the others to wonder if Jonathan will sink down into the depths of depression again, or rise to meet an uncertain future with determination and hope.
Her Patriotic Duty
Rosie Meddon - 2020
When Esme learns she is adopted—from a working class family—she cannot allow Richard to marry so far beneath his station. Fleeing the life she knew, Esme finds work as a "decoy woman," testing British undercover operatives who may otherwise reveal secrets. But she still loves Richard—is she brave enough to go back to him and reveal the truth of her birth? A captivating World War II saga for fans of Rosie Archer and Annie Murray.
Boris Johnson: The Gambler
Tom Bower - 2020
His ruthless ambition was evident from his insistence, as a three-year-old, that he would one day be 'world king'. Eton and Oxford prepared him well for a frantic career straddling the dog-eat-dog worlds of journalism and politics. His transformation from bumbling stooge on Have I Got New for You to a triumphant Mayor of London was overshadowed only by his colourful personal life, brimming with affairs, scandals and transgressions. His ascent to Number 10 in the wake of the acrimonious, era-defining Brexit referendum would prove to be only the first act in an epic drama that saw him play both hero and villain - from proroguing parliament to his controversial leadership of the Covid-19 Crisis, all against the backdrop of divorce, marriage, the birth of his sixth child, revolts among Tory MPs and the countdown to Brexit.Yet despite his celebrity, decades of media scrutiny, the endless vitriol of his critics and the enduring adoration of his supporters, there is so much we've never understood about Boris - until now. Previous biographies have either dismissed him as a lazy, deceitful opportunist or been transfixed by his charm, wit and drive. Both approaches fall short, and so many questions about Boris remain unanswered.What seismic events of his childhood have evaded scrutiny? How has he so consistently defied the odds, proved his critics wrong, and got away with increasingly reckless gambles? What were his real achievements and failures as Mayor of London, what was really going on during his time as Foreign Secretary, and why did he write two articles for the Telegraph, one in favour of Leave and the other for Remain? How have the women in his life exerted more influence than any of us realise, and why is his story ultimately one overshadowed by family secrets?Based on a wealth of new interviews and research, this is the deepest, most rounded and most comprehensive portrait to date of the man, the mind, the politics, the affairs, the family - of a loner, a lover, a leader.Revelatory, unsettling and compulsively readable, it is the most timely and indispensable book yet from Britain's leading investigative biographer.
Queen Victoria's Grandsons (1859-1918)
Christina Croft - 2014
Some died in childhood, some were killed in action, and others lived to see grandchildren of their own. There were heroes and villains, valiant soldiers and dissipated youths, but their lives were interconnected through the tiny Queen for whom their welfare and happiness was a constant preoccupation. As part of a wide, extended family, they lived through the halcyon days of the late nineteenth century European monarchies, witnessing the most spectacular and the most tragic events of the age.
Machu Picchu The History and Mystery of the Incan City
Jesse Harasta - 2013
Though local inhabitants had known about it for century, Bingham documented and photographed the ruins of a 15th century settlement nestled along a mountain ridge above the Urubamba Valley in Peru, placed so perfectly from a defensive standpoint that it’s believed the Spanish never conquered it and may have never known about it.
Handsome Brute: The Story of a Ladykiller
Sean O'Connor - 2013
Since the 1940s, Heath has generally been dismissed as a sadistic sex-killer - the preserve of sensational Murder Anthologies - and little else. But the story behind the tabloid headlines reveals itself to be complex and ambiguous, provoking unsettling questions that echo across the decades to the present day.For the first time, with access to previously restricted files from the Home Office and Metropolitan Police, this book explores the complex motivations behind the murders through the prism of the immediate post-war period. Against the backdrop of a society in flux, a culture at a moment of change, how much is Heath's case symptomatic, or indeed, emblematic of the age he lived in?Handsome Brute is both an examination of the age of austerity, and a real-lifethriller as shocking and provocative as American Psycho or The Killer Inside Me, exploring the perspectives of the women in Heath's life - his wife, his mother, his lovers - and his victims. This collage of experiences from the women who knew him intimately probes the schism at the heart of his fascinating, chilling personality.