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Road to surrender : three men and the countdown to the end of World War II / by Thomas, Evan,1951-author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."This suspenseful and propulsive account of the days leading up to the end of World War II, is told through the stories of three men: Henry Stimson, the Secretary of War, who had overall responsibility for decisions about the atomic bomb; Gen. Carl "Tooey" Spaatz, head of strategic bombing in Europe and the Pacific, who was in charge of actually dropping the bombs; and Shigenori Tōgō, the Japanese Foreign Minister, who was the only one in Emperor Hirohito's Court and Supreme War Council who knew and believed that Japan must surrender. 1945 was Stimson's last year of his career as a statesman in the administrations of five presidents. When Truman, a peripheral figure in the momentous decision, accepted Stimson's recommendation to drop the bomb, you are there as Army Air Force commander General Spaatz accepts the order, gets into one of the planes, and the planes take off. Like Stimson, Spaatz agonized over the command even as he recognized it would end the war, and that a prolonged war would cause even greater destruction. But Spaatz and Stimson were on only one side of the story. On the other side of the world was a commander whom they would never meet. From the start of the Pacific war, Foreign Minister Tōgō worked to mediate negotiations between the Japanese Prime Minister, the Emperor, and his Court, all of whom believed surrender was impossible. Finally, Tōgō convinced the Emperor that surrender was the best option for Hirohito, and for Japan"--
Subjects: Biographies.; Personal narratives.; Spaatz, Carl, 1891-1974.; Stimson, Henry L. (Henry Lewis), 1867-1950.; Tōgō, Shigenori, 1882-1950.; Atomic bomb.; Capitulations, Military; World War, 1939-1945; World War, 1939-1945;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Paradise of the damned : the true story of an obsessive quest for El Dorado, the legendary city of gold / by Thomson, Keith,1965-author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index.The transporting account of an obsessive quest to find El Dorado, set against the backdrop of Elizabethan political intrigue and a competition with Spanish conquistadors for the legendary city's treasure. As early as 1530, reports of El Dorado, a city of gold in the South American interior, beckoned to European explorers. Whether there was any truth to the stories remained to be seen, but the allure of unimaginable riches was enough to ensnare dozens of would-be heroes and glory hounds in the desperate hunt. Among them was Sir Walter Raleigh: ambitious courtier, confidant to Queen Elizabeth, and, before long, El Dorado fanatic. Entering the Elizabethan court as an upstart from a family whose days of nobility were far behind them, Raleigh used his military acumen, good looks, and sheer audacity to scramble into the limelight. Yet that same swagger proved to be his undoing, as his secret marriage to a lady-in-waiting enraged Queen Elizabeth and landed him in the Tower of London. Between his ensuing grim prospects at court and his underlying lust for adventure, the legend of El Dorado became an unwavering siren song that hypnotized Raleigh. On securing his release, he journeyed across an ocean to find the fabled city, gambling his painstakingly acquired wealth, hard-won domestic bliss, and his very life. What awaited him in the so-called New World were endless miles of hot, dense jungle packed with deadly flora and fauna, warring Spanish conquistadors and Indigenous civilizations, and other unforeseen dangers. Meanwhile, back at home, his multitude of rivals plotted his demise. Paradise of the Damned, like Keith Thomson's critically acclaimed Born to Be Hanged, brings this story to life in lush and captivating detail. The book charts Raleigh's obsessive search for El Dorado -- as well as the many doomed expeditions that preceded and accompanied his -- providing not only an invaluable history but also a gripping narrative of traveling to the ends of the earth only to realize, too late, that what lies at home is the greatest treasure of all.
Subjects: Biographies.; Raleigh, Walter, Sir, 1552?-1618.; El Dorado.; Explorers;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Prince Philip revealed / by Seward, Ingrid,author.;
Included bibliographical references and index.The son of Greek and Danish royalty, consort to the queen, and the grandfather of Princes Harry and William, Prince Philip has been at the heart of the royal family for decades-yet he remains an enigma to many. Now, Ingrid Seward, the editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, brings her decades of experience covering the royal family to this fascinating and insightful biography of Queen Elizabeth II's husband, and father, grandfather, and great-grandfather of the next three kings of England. From his early childhood in Paris among aristocrats and his mother's battle with schizophrenia to his distinctive military service during World War II and marriage to Elizabeth in 1947, Seward chronicles Philip's life and reveals his many faces-as a father, a philanthropist, a philanderer, and a statesman. Though it would take years for Philip to find his place in a royal court that initially distrusted him, he remains one of the most complex, powerful, yet confounding members of Britain's royal family. Entertaining, eye-opening, and informative, Prince Philip is perfect for any anglophile and fans of the series The Crown.
Subjects: Biographies.; Philip, Prince, consort of Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain, 1921-; Princes;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Remember the Ramrods : an Army brotherhood in war and peace / by Bellavia, David,1975-author.;
"An extraordinary re-envisioning of the scope and ambitions of the contemporary military memoir: the Iraq War's only living Medal of Honor recipient examines the bonds and wounds of war across two decades"--
Subjects: Biographies.; Autobiographies.; Personal narratives.; Bellavia, David, 1975-; United States. Army. Infantry Regiment, 2nd. Battalion, 2nd; United States. Army. Non-commissioned officers; Iraq War, 2003-2011; Iraq War, 2003-2011; Iraq War, 2003-2011; Soldiers;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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On a night of a thousand stars / by Clark, Andrea Yaryura,author.;
"New York, 1998. Santiago Larrea, a wealthy Argentine diplomat, is holding court alongside his wife, Lila, and their daughter, Paloma, a college student and budding jewelry designer, at their annual summer polo match and soiree. All seems perfect in the Larreas' world--until an unexpected party guest from Santiago's university days shakes his usually unflappable demeanor. The woman's cryptic comments spark Paloma's curiosity about her father's past, of which she knows little. When the family travels to Buenos Aires for Santiago's UN ambassadorial appointment, Paloma is determined to learn more about his life in the years leading up to the military dictatorship of 1976. With the help of a local university student, Franco Bonetti, an activist member of H.I.J.O.S.--a group whose members are the children of the Desaparecidos, or the "Disappeared," men and women who were forcibly disappeared by the state during Argentina's "Dirty War"--Paloma unleashes a chain of events that not only leads her to question her family and her identity, but also puts her life in danger. In compelling fashion, On a Night of a Thousand Stars speaks to relationships, morality, and identity during a brutal period in Argentinian history, and the understanding--and redemption--people crave in the face of unspeakable tragedy"--
Subjects: Historical fiction.; Dictatorship; Diplomats; Disappeared persons; Family secrets;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Princess of Dune / by Herbert, Brian,author.; Anderson, Kevin J.,author.;
"Set two years before Dune: Princess of Dune is the never-before-told story of two key women in the life of Paul Muad'Dib-Princess Irulan, his wife in name only, and Paul's true love, the Fremen Chani. Both women become central to Paul's galaxy-spanning Imperial reign. Raised in the Imperial court and born to be a political bargaining chip, Irulan was sent at an early age to be trained as a Bene Gesserit Sister. As Princess Royal, she also learned important lessons from her father-the Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV. Now of marriageable age, Princess Irulan sees the machinations of the many factions vying for power-the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, the Spacing Guild, the Imperial throne, and a ruthless rebellion in the Imperial military. The young woman has a wise and independent streak and is determined to become much more than a pawn to be moved about on anyone's gameboard. Meanwhile, on Arrakis, Chani-the daughter of Liet-Kynes, the Imperial Planetologist who serves under the harsh rule of House Harkonnen-is trained in the Fremen mystical ways by an ancient Reverend Mother. Brought up to believe in her father's ecological dream of a green Arrakis, she follows Liet around to Imperial testing stations, surviving the many hazards of desert life. Chani soon learns the harsh cost of Fremen dreams and obligations under the oppressive boot heel of the long Harkonnen occupation"--
Subjects: Science fiction.; Novels.; Dune (Imaginary place); Life on other planets; Man-woman relationships; Nobility; Princesses;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The last grand duchess : a novel of Olga Romanov, Imperial Russia, and revolution / by Turnbull, Bryn,author.;
Includes bibliographical references.This sweeping novel takes readers behind palace walls to see the end of Imperial Russia through the eyes of Olga Nikolaevna Romanov, the first daughter of the last tsar. Grand Duchess Olga Romanov comes of age amid a shifting tide for the great dynasties of Europe. But even as unrest simmers in the capital, Olga is content to live within the confines of the sheltered life her parents have built for her and her three sisters: hiding from the world on account of their mother's ill health, their brother Alexei's secret affliction, and rising controversy over Father Grigori Rasputin, the priest on whom the tsarina has come to rely. Olga's only escape from the seclusion of Alexander Palace comes from the grand tea parties her aunt hosts amid the shadow court of Saint Petersburg--a world of opulent ballrooms, scandalous flirtation, and whispered conversation. But as war approaches, the palaces of Russia are transformed. Olga and her sisters trade their gowns for nursing habits, assisting in surgeriesand tending to the wounded bodies and minds of Russia's military officers. As troubling rumors about her parents trickle in from the front, Olga dares to hope that a budding romance might survive whatever the future may hold. But when tensions run high and supplies run low, the controversy over Rasputin grows into fiery protest, and calls for revolution threaten to end three hundred years of Romanov rule. At turns glittering and harrowing,The Last Grand Duchessis a story about dynasty, duty, and love, but above all, it's the story of a family who would choose devotion to each other over everything--including their lives.
Subjects: Biographical fiction.; Historical fiction.; Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia, 1868-1918; Olʹga Nikolaevna, Grand Duchess, daughter of Nicholas II, Emperor of Russia, 1895-1918; Romanov, House of;
Available copies: 2 / Total copies: 2
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Breaker Morant [videorecording] / by Beresford, Bruce,film director,screenwriter.; Brown, Bryan,1947-actor.; Thompson, Jack,1940-actor.; Waters, John,1948-actor.; Woodward, Edward,1930-2009,actor.; Motion picture adaptation of (work):Ross, Kenneth,1941-Breaker Morant.Videorecording.; Criterion Collection (Firm),publisher.;
Director of photography, Donald McAlpine ; editor, Harold Lander.Edward Woodward, Jack Thompson, John Waters, Bryan Brown, Charles Tingwell, Terence Donovan, Rod Mullinar.During the Boer war, a champion horse trainer and two other Australian officers are court-martialed for murdering civilians.MPAA Rating: PG.DVD ; widescreen presentation ; Dolby Digital.
Subjects: Morant, Breaker, 1865-1902; Ross, Kenneth, 1941-; Great Britain. Army. Bushveldt Carbineers; Feature films.; South African War, 1899-1902; Trials (Military offenses);
For private home use only.
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Antoinette's sister / by Giovinazzo, Diana,author.;
"Austria 1767: Maria Carolina Charlotte--ninth daughter and sixteenth child of Empress Maria Theresa of Austria--knows her position as a Hapsburg archduchess will inevitably force her to leave her home, her family, and her beloved country. But not yet. The Hapsburg family is celebrating a great triumph: Charlotte's older sister, Josepha, has been promised to King Ferdinand IV of Naples, and will soon take her place as queen. Before Josepha can journey to her new home, however, tragedy strikes: after visiting the family crypt, Josepha contracts smallpox and dies. Shocked, Charlotte is forced to face an unthinkable new reality: she must now marry Ferdinand in her sister's stead. Bereft and alone, Charlotte finds that her new life in Naples is more complicated than she could ever have imagined. Ferdinand is weak and feckless, and a disastrous wedding night plunges her into despair. Her husband's regent, Tenucci, is a controlling and power-hungry man who has pushed the country to the brink of ruin. Overwhelmed, she asks her brother Leopold, now the Holy Roman Emperor, to send help--which he does in the form of John Acton, a handsome military man twenty years Charlotte's senior who is tasked to take over the Navy. Now, Charlotte must gather the strength to do what her mother did before her: take control of a country. In a time of political uprisings, royal executions, and the increasingly desperate crisis her favorite sister, Queen Marie Antoinette, is facing in France, how is a young monarch to keep hold of everything--and everyone--she loves? Find out in this sweeping, luxurious tale of family, court intrigue, and power"--
Subjects: Biographical fiction.; Historical fiction.; Maria Carolina, Queen, consort of Ferdinand I, King of the Two Sicilies, 1752-1814;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Zero motivation [videorecording] / by Bagno, Ran.; Ivgy, Dana,1982-; Jacoel, Guy.; Klein, Shani.; Kredo, Yochanan.; Lahav-Leibovich, Arik.; Lavie, Talya.; Ratzkovsky, Eilon.; Scharf, Yaron.; Scotta, Carole.; Tagar, Nelly.; Uzrad, Yossi.; Haut et Court (Firm); July August Productions (Firm); Zeitgeist Films.;
Co-producer, Carole Scotta ; editor, Arik Lahav-Leibovich ; director of photography, Yaron Scharf ; original score, Ran Bagno.Dana Ivgy, Nelly Tagar, Shani Klein.Zero Motivation is a unique, sharply observed, sometimes dark and often hilarious portrait of everyday life for a unit of young, female soldiers in a remote Israeli desert outpost. Playing out like M*A*S*H meets Orange is the New Black, Talya Lavie's debut details the power struggles of three women with different agendas and very little to do. Pencil-pushers in the Human Resources Office, best friends Zohar (Dana Ivgy) and Daffi (Nelly Tagar) spend their time playing video games, singing pop songs, jousting with stationery and dreaming of Tel Aviv. The indolent twosome are watched over by their aspiring senior officer, Rama (Shani Klein), who dreams of a higher position and a significant military career, but with a platoon of unskilled, idle, female soldiers without any drive under her charge, her ambitions for promotion are constantly thwarted.PG.DVD ; widescreen presentation ; Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo.
Subjects: Comedy films.; Feature films.; Female friendship; Foreign films; Motion pictures, Israeli.; Women soldiers;
For private home use only.
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 2
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