Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom brims with unforgettable characters and vivid re-creations of massive and often gruesome battles—a sweeping yet intimate portrait of the conflict that shaped the fate of modern China.   The story begins in the early 1850s, the waning years of the Qing dynasty, when word spread of a major revolution brewing in the provinces, led by a failed civil servant who claimed to be the son of God and brother of Jesus. The Taiping rebels drew their power from the poor and the disenfranchised, unleashing the ethnic rage of millions of Chinese against their Manchu rulers. This homegrown movement seemed all but unstoppable until Britain and the United States stepped in and threw their support behind the Manchus: after years of massive carnage, all opposition to Qing rule was effectively snuffed out for generations. Stephen R. Platt recounts these events in spellbinding detail, building his story on two fascinating characters with opposing visions for China’s future: the conservative Confucian scholar Zeng Guofan, an accidental general who emerged as the most influential military strategist in China’s modern history; and Hong Rengan, a brilliant Taiping leader whose grand vision of building a modern, industrial, and pro-Western Chinese state ended in tragic failure.   This is an essential and enthralling history of the rise and fall of the movement that, a century and a half ago, might have launched China on an entirely different path into the modern world.

    Marines of this tiny yet strategically important volcanic island. The book is based on each author's own observations while on the island, plus the experiences of dozens of men involved in various aspects of the intense fighting. Presented in chronological order, the battle unfolds from the initial D-Day air force bombings and naval barrage, to the amphibious assault, to the slow gains made each day as the Marines inched forward under heavy fire. Despite its small size, Iwo Jima was considered the most heavily fortified island in the world, supporting thousands of nearly bomb-proof shelters and caves, hundreds of reinforced machine-gun, mortar, tank, and artillery positions, and more than 20,000 fanatical Japanese defenders. Included is a roster of Marines killed or missing in the battle, plus 12 maps and 32 pages of photographs.

    

    But his unit's mission stayed the same: act as the eyes and ears of the 101st deep in the dreaded A Shau Valley--where the NVA ruled.Relentless thick fog frequently made fighter bombers useless in the A Shau, and the enemy had furnished the nearby mountaintops with antiaircraft machine guns to protect the massive trail network that snaked through it. So, outgunned, outmanned, and unsupported, the teams of L Company executed hundreds of courageous missions. Now, in this powerful personal record, Larry Chambers recaptures the experience of the war's most brutal on-the-job training, where the slightest noise or smallest error could bring sudden--and certain--death. . . .

    In many ways, this war, and the subsequent peace of Westphalia, would set the stage for the balance of power in Europe until the First World War in 1914. Fully illustrated to capture both the majesty and the horror of The Thirty Years' War.

    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?

    Her parents are dead, her home is gone. She lives by her wits at the homes of distant connections, running errands, writing letters, tending children. Belinda arrives in London, the last outpost of her far-flung family, to serve as companion to the irascible Millicent Anstruther. Millicent is the eldest of a proud family famous for its discovery of ancient British artifacts. Belinda's duties include chaperoning beautiful debutante, Fleur Anstruther, and scholar, Edward Fortescue, as they catalogue the collection for exhibit. Belinda's dismay at such proximity to her former beau grows, as she suspects that the Anstruther Miscellany is not at all what it seems to be.

    When he's not out risking his life fighting demons he's doing deadly odd jobs for his boss Goddard. Ash's days of slacking off are over though: after getting their butts kicked a few too many times, Ash and his teammates begin a strict and potentially-lethal training program. Rebel activity is on the rise in Hell and Ash's team is assigned to tracking down and eliminating anyone who opposes King Satan. While Ash focuses on his training, Aura's tragic past family life finally catches up to him. Meanwhile, Shiva falls for an old flame and sets into motion events that lead to a full blown rebel coup that rocks the Kingdom. Let the battle for Hell begin.

    Joella soon learns that the price for selling her body in exchange for her dreams has become a living nightmare, and her father-in-law is intent on making sure she pays ten-fold.

    Tailhookers who wear the US Navy Wings of Gold are renowned as the most skilled pilots in the Aviation community. This book tells the story of a twenty year-old drafted into military service during the Vietnam War, then applying to enter US Navy pilot training. His historically accurate story begins with highlights of his Navy flight training to his assignment as an A-4 Skyhawk pilot in VA-22 The Fighting Redcocks. The book chronicles facts about the frustrating air war in Vietnam from 1968 to 1970 through Lt. Dellicker's three tours as an Attack pilot and LSO. Intertwined with the war stories and close calls is a love story of two young people who met, became engaged in two weeks, and endured 18 months of war-time separation. Now, after 45 years of marriage this story was written for their kids and grandkids as an accurate historical account of the Vietnam War, True Love, and Faith in God.

    Army as a two-tour helicopter pilot in Vietnam. It is a true-life story of a pilot who fought for freedom and often his very life. Vietnams Saga is also a story about the meaning of life. Standing back from his war experience, Stan reflects on his ever-present faith and how it carried him through this challenging period of his life. Originally written as a legacy to Stan Corvin’s family- something that will be passed down for many generations-Vietnam Saga is now an opportunity for you to share in the legacy and the personal recollections, memories, thoughts, fears and shed tears of a decorated and dedicated American military pilot. The book also contains numerous photos.

     After basic training these lads were sent directly into what was then called the battle for Stalingrad. What none of them knew then was that the average life expectancy of a new soldier in Stalingrad was 24-hours. Based on his words this story describes how this sailor-turned-soldier became one of Russia’s most revered sniper heroes. He became so infamous that Germany sent their own crack super-sniper to kill him. From Zaitsev’s sniper notebook we learn how he managed to stay alive and make some of his 242 confirmed kills. Zeitsev himself tells you exactly what his tricks and tactics of this deadly trade were that enabled him to be better than anyone else. Here’s this author’s description of what he said Stalingrad looked like when he first saw it as a greenhorn soldier: “The men were startled to see the city engulfed in flames. Zaitsev said it was like looking into the mouth of a spewing volcano while above this hellish cauldron layer after layer of German bombers including screaming Stuka dive bombers were feeding that fiery inferno. He could not even imagine that somewhere within that hell men were fighting a war… Vassili said that the city “looked like a smoldering and sulfurous hell, with burned-out buildings glowing like red coals, and fires consuming men and machines. Profiled against the glow of the fires were soldiers on the run. Were they theirs or ours? None of us could tell.” Better wear your asbestos gloves and flak jacket for this one because Vassili takes you right into the molten core of this blast furnace and tells you how he came out of it as the Soviet’s top ranking sniper hero of World War II

    Marcos Allende finally had his secretary where he wanted her. Virginia would play the role of his lover while he conducted the deal of his life and then he’d make the pretence a reality. But he didn’t know she had a secret…

    With just one glance, the golden-eyed beauty captured his heart and sparked a fire within him that couldn’t be contained. But no matter the time, something always stood in their way. Shaunie was like a forbidden fruit—one touch and Tat could find himself in a world of trouble—the kind of trouble that wouldn't be easy to get out of. But for her…it was worth the risk. Shaunie has always gone after what she wanted, and Tat is no exception to the rule. But when word gets out that the two of them are more than just friends, Shaunie is hit with something that she never saw coming. Before she can get a grip, her entire world comes tumbling down—forcing her to make decisions that she normally wouldn’t. With so much at stake, Shaunie is left with no other choice but to play by the rules and staying away from Tat is one of them. Will Tat & Shaunie be able to handle the challenge that’s being forced upon them? Or will they give in to their desires and risk everything in the process?

    Dating the love of his life since high school, he dreams of making her his wife. A tragic event turns that dream into a nightmare, causing Demetrice to lose Angela and everything they ever had. Will he love again? Denver has her heart rocked to the core by a man she thought was her forever. So much so, it drives her to drink. One drink too many, Denver loses it all, but with hope so small, she checks into rehab and refuses to ever look back. Five years later, Demetrice and Denver cross paths as total strangers, but that quickly changes by one encounter, and they immediately fall in love. There is one problem—their pasts. Once secrets from the past are exposed, will Demetrice and Denver be able to continue their love, living happily ever after, or will the truth bring back too much pain and ruin what was built so soon? Take a ride with Demetrice and Denver and see what’s behind their eyes.