At the time, he would have done anything to escape; only upon reflection years later did he realize that the self-confidence instilled in him by his drill instructors had probably saved his life in Vietnam. A few months after boot camp, Private Ball was shipped out to Vietnam, joining F Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, near Khe Sanh. As a grunt, in the vernacular of the Corps, Ball, like the other youths of F Company, did a difficult and deadly job in such places as the A Shau Valley, Leatherneck Square, the DMZ and other obscure but critical I Corps locales. His--their--fear of death mingled with homesickness. Little did they realize that the horrors of the Vietnam War--horrors that while in-country they often claimed did not even exist--would haunt them for the rest of their lives.

    *Includes Crosby's quotes about his life and career. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. *Includes a table of contents. “I think popular music in this country is one of the few things in the twentieth century that have made giant strides in reverse.” – Bing Crosby A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history’s most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors’ American Legends series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of America’s most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. In 1948, American polls rated Bing Crosby “the most admired man alive”, and it’s no surprise given how popular he was across every major form of entertainment during the decade. With a string of major hits, Crosby was the most popular singer in the country during that era, with classic songs like “White Christmas” helping pave the way for other singers as varied as Bob Hope, Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra. In fact, young Sinatra modeled his clothing and style after Crosby, who was his idol growing up. And as good as he was at singing, Crosby’s work with radio technology helped pave the way for multitracking songs and making it possible to broadcast the same radio programs across the country without cutting another live version. All told, Crosby sold an estimated 500 million records in the 20th century. In addition to being one of America’s most beloved singers and an accomplished radio presence, Crosby not only made popular movies but acted well enough to be critically acclaimed. His Road To… movie series with Bob Hope produced some of the best-selling movies of the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, and he won an Oscar for Best Actor in Going My Way (1944) by playing Father Chuck O’Malley. When he was nominated for the same role in the 1945 sequel The Bells of St. Mary’s, he became one of just 4 people nominated for two Oscars for playing the same role. American Legends: The Life of Bing Crosby examines the life and career of one of America’s greatest and most versatile entertainers. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Kelly like never before, in no time at all.

    He wants someone who will agree to follow his Catholic faith and give him an heir. She is willing to set aside her own beliefs for what he offers, but she has no idea how hard it will be to support her Catholic husband when Mary becomes Queen and her family are persecuted. The Flawed Mistress Lady Rachel Stewart is Richard’s mistress, a woman who turns heads with her beauty. But following horrific childhood abuse, her beauty has always been a burden and her poverty leaves her at the mercy of unscrupulous men. Richard is different; he befriends her, gives her a life of comfort. This is the real story of Rachel and her role in the lives of Richard and Bethany.The Viscount's Birthright When Robert's estranged father dies, he looks forward to inheriting his estate and marrying Camilla. His plans are thwarted when he learns that his father has willed his estate to him only if he marries his ward, Antonia. Neither one of them wants to be homeless and penniless, and they decide to work through their differences, but their blossoming love is ruined when Antonia becomes ill and suspects Robert of poisoning her, so as to have his wealth as well as Camilla.Betrayal Adrian Kennington is content to marry Frances, who has been raised with him to one day be his bride. His plans are shattered when his brother confesses that he and Frances are in love and wish to marry. Adrian helps them to elope to the Americas and sets out to find experience on the streets of London, where he meets Marianne. She is the daughter of a tavern keeper who is selling her virginity to the highest bidder. It is Adrian who sees her first and takes her away. He rents rooms where she can live as his mistress but he is an earl and cannot marry Marianne, a fact he neglects to mention. A match is arranged with Elizabeth, who comes with her own past. Her former betrothed, Elliot Sinclair, betrayed his entire Protestant family to the Catholic authorities and they are all arrested and executed. She is always afraid that, while Mary reigns, another such event will mar her life. When the Queen commands Adrian to help hunt down Protestants, he has little choice if he does not want to put himself and his family in danger.The Heretics Julia is Bethany's elder sister, a maiden married for a minor title in return for her generous dowry. But Sir Geoffrey Winterton's preference is not for women and, in her unhappiness, Julia turns to Richard for comfort. Before she can tell him their afternoon of passion has born fruit, he proposes marriage to her sister and Julia must escape. She meets Charles Carlisle, a farmer, with whom she falls in love and together they help hundreds of Protestants to escape to France. They are happy together, despite the reduction in lifestyle, until the night Julia is discovered and arrested for heresy and treason.Consequences Mary is dead and the Protestant population of England look forward to the reign of Elizabeth. Richard must decide if he still has a future with the wife who betrayed him but who he still loves. They vow to put the past behind them and start again, but it is harder than it seems when that past rears up to hurt those children. The Final Confession of Lord Richard Summerville The confession he wrote just before his death.

    His glittering international rugby career that took him from England to New Zealand and France – including 77 caps for England – is over. What will he do now? What is his purpose in life?In Ruck Me, James sets out on a voyage of self-discovery speaking to ex-colleagues, friends and family, reflecting on his career and diving into some of his most memorable personal anecdotes to date. But what started out as a search for understanding and meaning soon turns into a – let’s face it, sometimes warranted – chastisement opportunity with James directly in the firing line. Turns out he has a lot of work to do…As funny as it is outrageous, this brilliant book acts as a lesson on how (not) to retire gracefully and move forward. And ruck me – you won’t want to miss it.

    . .Janie and her husband James have a strong, loving marriage. A move from an inner-city slum to a peaceful new estate outside of Bolton should have been a fresh start for them and their three children. But when war is declared and James announces he has signed up, Janie fears it's the beginning of the end.Waving goodbye to their menfolk is a sacrifice that families are making all over the country and Janie does her best to make do, forging friendships in her new community.But when James comes home on leave a traumatised and desperate man, then goes AWOL, Janie's heart goes out to him. Determined to keep him safe, she plans to hide him in their new house. But how long can they keep the secret, and what threats lie ahead if they're found out?A page-turning new wartime saga about love, friendship and secrets, for fans of Katie Flynn and Rosie Goodwin.

    Told through remarkable first-hand descriptions, with dramatic images and attention to detail, The Aviators is an action-packed narrative of the helicopter pilots, crew chiefs, and door gunners as they fight an elusive, ruthless enemy, put their lives at risk to rescue fellow soldiers, and come to grips with the realization that their lives are changing forever. After each riveting story—from a horrific Scout helicopter crash, to a valiant attempt to rescue POWs held in a jungle prison camp, to a covert flight into remote areas of Cambodia, and many more—the book addresses the question not often asked: What happened to those heroic men after Vietnam?

    

     The Napoleonic wars are brought to life with grit and gunpowder in this trilogy of hugely popular novels: Strike the Red Flag, The Normandy Privateer and Dead Man's Island. With a clear knowledge of the period, McDine skillfully uses actual events in the Royal Navy’s history as the backdrop to Anson's swashbuckling adventures. For fans of Hornblower, Bolitho, Ramage or Aubrey, Oliver Anson will be your next naval hero. David McDine, OBE, is a former Admiralty information officer, Royal Navy Reserve officer and Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, and the author of Unconquered: The Story of Kent and its Lieutenancy.

    Written in his own hand from the day he signed up in October 1939 as a trainee pilot to the day he was ‘demobbed’ in October 1945, this poignant and often riveting diary by Squadron Leader Douglas Greaves D.F.C and Bar, records, in typical understated RAF style, the minutiae of everyday life in the services, as well as the horror he and his comrades endured and the heroism they all displayed.

    Yet for one local family, the happy holiday atmosphere risks becoming a cruel joke, as the unusually-named Lewis Lewis’s affair with close friend Nia Martin threatens to tear his marriage apart. The irritation of Lewis’s wife Dora is channeled towards their daughter, Rhiannon, who works at Nia’s sweet shop, Temptations. With his family at war and the gossip beginning to spread, it can only be a matter of time before Lewis’s misadventures catch up with him…From the bestselling author of the Holidays at Home and Badgers Brook sagas, Corner of a Small Town introduces new series characters: the troubled Lewis family, the haughty Weston dynasty and the mischievous Griffiths clan. It will charm and enthrall fans of Freda Lightfoot and Kitty Neale. The Pendragon Island Sagas Corner of a Small Town The Weston Girls Unlocking the Past Maisie's Way A Shop on the High Street Sophie Street

    Sometimes it feels like we are all on a different planet earth. Sometimes we are!

    

    “You know I just worked a twelve-hour shift. Gotta get me right before I go to sleep.” He smiled his ugly smile and opened the screen door. “I’ll take you shoppin’ when I wake up; spend a couple bands on you.”He put his key in the lock and turned it… But the door was snatched open before Mone’s hand could even reach the doorknob.Lacresha’s eyes opened wide with fear as she witnessed a tall masked man step from behind the door and raise a gun to Mone’s face.“Payback’s a bitch, ain’t it?” The masked man stated coldly.

    Bryan Hale and Bluebird Squadron fight on into the autumn of 1940, chasing down the new threat of ‘Jabo’ hit-and-run raids by bomb-laden enemy fighters over the capital’s rooftops.Bryan’s chance encounter in a London pub with Jenny, an acquaintance from his school-days, starts them both down the road to a relationship that neither wants or can afford. But the deadly perils of London’s Blitz ignite a passion that neither can resist.Bluebird Squadron rotates out of the front-line to Scotland. Bryan transfers to night-fighters, partly to sate his desire for combat, but also to stay close to Jenny.Struggling with fledgling radar technology, Bryan and his operator, Tommy Scott, eventually become calculating hunters of the night, stalking and slaying Nazi raiders in a chilling, deadly game of cat-and-mouse in England’s pitch-black winter skies.The stresses of combat, the loss of friends and the daily grind of mortal danger weigh ever more heavily. As the new year dawns on the battered, bohemian streets of the blitzed capital, Bryan’s life begins to fray and unravel.

    TO SURVIVEDan Evans arrived in Vietnam on October 7, 1968, a 21- year-old Army medic who couldn't stand the sight of blood. Thrust into the cauldron of combat, he soon became a seasoned veteran of emergency medicine and the brutal realties of war. Before his time was up, he would master the skills of a surgeon, acquire the patience of a saint, and demonstrate the courage of a lion... Here, in his own words, is the gripping true story of Dan Evans, the highly decorated soldier whom the men of First Platoon, Bravo Company, called the "fighting medic." Experience the rage, the sorrow and the remarkable spirit of Dan Evans - the PLATOON MEDIC who became a true American hero.