Historiske og politiske biografier

This endearing story and autobiography lets you imagine what it was like for a young girl growing up during the Great Depression, running away to get married, losing a loved husband to cancer, and then building a wonderful life in the decades that followed.

May 11th 1941 - Berchtesgaden. The day after Rudolf Hess took off from Augsburg and hadn't yet returned or sent any signal, Adolf Hitler had to say something to justify Hess' so far unexplained disappearance. Not least for the benefit of the German nation and his then trading ally, Soviet Russia. Consequently he authorised a statement saying that Hess was suffering from a mental derangement and had succeeded in obtaining an aeroplane against the strict orders of the Fuehrer. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth, but an explanation had at least been proffered before British propaganda commenced. The unlikely explanation has however proven durable, some still believing it to be true 80 years later. In this, their eighth book on the affair, Harris and Wilbourn demonstrate that far from being a random act, the flight had been meticulously planned, using state of the art German radio technology. Using contemporary equipment, maps and charts they demonstrate the true nature and character of the flight and explain what went wrong, leading to the sensational and very public arrival of Rudolf Hess in Scotland at 23.09hrs on May 10th 1941

Harold Holt was a pivotal prime minister in Australian history. Ambitious, modern and telegenic, he helped bring his party and nation into the late twentieth century, following the Menzies years. Nowhere was Holt's legacy more significant than in the 1967 referendum, and in helping to end the White Australia policy. At the same time, as the Vietnam War raged, Holt dramatically increased Australian troops, telling President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966 that Australia was 'all the way with LBJ'. In this evocative, intimate and deeply researched biography, Ross Walker captures the worlds in which Holt moved and the people who were close to him. He reveals a popular, gentle, yet at times self-destructive man, whose tendency to always go one step further would have fatal consequences. This is a strikingly original portrait of Australia's seventeenth prime minister.

Elected to federal parliament aged just twenty-eight, Tanya Plibersek has lived almost half her life in the public eye and is the longest-serving woman in Australia's House of Representatives. But how much do we know about what drives her, what she values, and what we can expect from her next? Plibersek was born in Sydney to Slovenian parents, both of whom fled post-war Europe as young adults. Their experiences as migrants would profoundly shape the lives of their children. Driven by a commitment to social justice, Plibersek joined the Labor Party at a time of intense factional battles for the party's future and emerged as part of a new generation of ALP leaders. Throughout her career she has campaigned for reform on issues such as violence against women, paid parental leave and rights for same-sex couples. Award-winning journalist Margaret Simons draws on exclusive interviews with Plibersek, her political contemporaries, family and close friends to trace this modern Australian story. She considers Plibersek's role in the Rudd and Gillard governments, Labor's soul-searching years in opposition and Plibersek's position in the Albanese cabinet. Simons also sheds light on the personal currents that have carried Plibersek, through moments of joy and tragedy, to become the person she is today.

Called 'DR' by all, Daniel Read Anthony was the little brother of Susan B. Anthony. He was a force in his own right. Even before the Civil War he personally knew Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Horace Greeley, Eli Thayer, William Seward, Jim Lane, John Brown and other historical notables.DR was a leader among the first Emigrant Aid Society settlers to Kansas. DR owned a free-state newspaper in Leavenworth. He was a brash, outspoken abolitionist, and survived being shot at repeatedly in 'Bloody Kansas'. He was involved in the Underground Railroad, in the brazen rescue of the jailed slave Charley Fisher, in freeing Missouri slaves, and in sustaining one winter the destitute family of Frederick Douglass.But his passion for justice developed a dark side...

I grew to realize that like all the others before them and all the immigrants to follow, my family wanted to find their future in America. Their sleepy little towns were beautiful and safe, but for these young adventurers, America was their destiny.

Duncan Hallas (1925-2002) was one of the 33 founding members of the Socialist Review Group, the forerunner of the International Socialists and the Socialist Workers Party. A genuine working-class autodidact, his contribution to the international socialist tradition spanned the fields of theory, propaganda and action. For Duncan, Marxism was living, breathing revolutionary practice. His life was shaped by his experience as a young factory worker growing up in Manchester. Always the revolutionary fighter, he took part in an apprentices'' strike in Manchester in 1941, an army mutiny in Egypt just after the Second World War and later became the driving force behind establishing rank and file teachers'' organisation in the late 1960s. As part of the full-time leadership of the Socialist Workers Party for almost 25 years, Duncan maintained a stream of articles explaining everything from basic Marxist ideas to combating various forms of reformism and, above all, conveying the depth of the revolutionary tradition. His grasp of the united front helped shape the Anti-Nazi League in the 1970s. He was one of the organisation''s most popular speakers, spellbinding and erudite, he would hold his audience, whether a handful of comrades or thousands in a packed hall anywhere in the world, in the palm of his hand. His commitment to the victory of the working-class cause internationally was as strong when he died in 2002 as it was when he started working for socialism at the beginning of the 1940s. This book is a tribute to a remarkable life and a call to a new generation to enrich and deepen their understanding of revolutionary socialism through Duncan''s work. That work left us many bullets to continue with the fight. Let''s use his ammunition wisely.

In this sensational exposé of British Intelligence's top informer in the upper ranks of the IRA, Richard O'Rawe delivers the most definitive account yet of the Troubles' most enigmatic, notorious and sinister figure, Freddie Scappaticci. Codenamed Stakeknife, from the late 1970s through to his eventual exposure in 2003 he was the 'jewel in the crown' of a British infiltration system designed to cause mayhem and chaos in the IRA's military operations. O'Rawe gained unprecedented access to Scappaticci's former comrades, who reveal extraordinary details of the inner workings of the IRA's Internal Security Unit. Headed by Scappaticci, this secretive group was known locally as the 'Nutting Squad' owing to its fearsome reputation for the abduction, interrogation, torture and execution of volunteers suspected of working for the British or the RUC. The political scandal at the heart of this story is that Scappaticci's intelligence handlers were aware of almost every abduction and execution he carried out prior to it taking place; a scandal that became the subject of the British government sponsored inquiry, Operation Kenova. In this compelling and extraordinary story of state-sanctioned murder and extreme moral ambiguity in the overriding quest for the protection of 'national security', the truth is truly stranger than fiction.

For almost two decades, Father Patrick Ryan evaded intelligence agencies across Europe and was, for a time, one of the most wanted men in Britain. In The Padre, award-winning investigative journalist Jennifer O'Leary exposes the exploits of this notorious former Irish priest and active IRA supporter. Revealing sensational details divulged to her during exclusive secret meetings with Ryan, the book lifts the lid on the true extent of the priest's involvement with the IRA and its campaign of terror across Europe, Britain and Ireland - from being a trusted link between the regime of Muammar Gaddafi and the IRA, to his involvement in improving IRA explosive devices, which made possible the almost successful assassination attempt on Margaret Thatcher and her Cabinet in Brighton. The Padre tells the truly remarkable story of this man of the cloth, who, decades on, is still unrepentant about his ruthless zealotry in pursuit of money, weapons and assistance for the IRA's violence. Indeed, his one regret is that he wasn't even more effective.,

People, Politics, and Purpose investigates the roles and reputations of a wide array of political actors, offering insight into Canada's place in the world and stimulating fresh thinking about political biography.

The history of the UK's real-life female detectives told for the first time

This is an intellectual biography of Benjamin Kidd, a leading Social Darwinist in the years before World War I.

This 1980 text was the first biography of William Wilkins, the regency architect whose reputation once rivalled that of Nash.

" On ne l'a pas assez remarqué, parce que Voltaire a tant fait, tant écrit; son activité s'est déployée de tant de côtés qu'on ne saurait prendre garde à tout, et qu'il est difficile d'attacher à chacune de ses ¿uvres une importance suffisante. Ainsi en est-il de la correspondance de Voltaire avec le grand Frédéric et encore avec Catherine II.Il me semble qu'on ne connaît pas une correspondance d'autant de va- leur entre un roi et un philosophe que celle dont nous allons nous occuper.Nous possédons les billets du jeune Marc Aurèle à son précepteur Fronton, ce sont d'aimables et tendres témoignages de respect, d'affection et de reconnaissance. Ces billets montrent combien était sensible et bonne l'âme du futur empereur. Mais ces relations ne pouvaient avoir l'importance de celles du prince royal de Prusse, âgé de vingt-quatre ans, et plus tard du roi avec Voltaire, ayant dix-huit ans de plus que son correspondant et déjà en possession d'une notoriété considérable par ses travaux littéraires et philosophiques."

The Extraordinary Journey of James Crocker; From Dreams To Reality is all about James Crocker the 15 year old Connecticut Native who at just 7 years old invented a revolutionary product to make schools safer and at just 13 founded a nonprofit named Letters for our Elders which is devoted to reducing loneliness in Senior Homes through sending letters of hope, joy, and congratulations to residents of said senior homes.Crocker's story is one like no other. And his tell-all autobiography is a must-read! It offers insight into his thought process, and how he has accomplished so much at just 15. This autobiography is rated E for everyone. Ages 6+

¿ "Drawing on his experience as the first executive director of the Human Rights Campaign Fund, Vic Basile has written a valuable addition to the story of one of the most consequential movements in post-World War II America..." -Congressman Barney Frank Bending Toward Justice chronicles the early years of a movement pressing for equal rights and lifesaving resources for LGBTQ people who for eons have been shunned by the ignorant, reviled by the so-called faithful, and shamed even by their own families. Vic Basile leads the Human Rights Campaign through the AIDS epidemic as it suffers too many lives lost, fights for essential funding for research, education and treatment, confronts ignorance and discrimination, and begins to shift the hearts and minds of Americans about equal treatment. These unsung heroes of the movement worked unobtrusively and bravely within the system to change the system. Some of them are still here, too many are gone. Every single one of them has a poignant, powerful story that must be told and that never should be forgotten. About the author: Vic Basile has enjoyed the rare opportunity and extraordinary privilege of a career of public service and social justice advocacy. A widely recognized national leader in the LGBT community, he lives in Maryland.

Some 600 young Australians served with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps (RFC) during the Great War, many losing their lives. One young fighter-pilot from Melbourne who gave his life was 2nd Lt Lyle Buntine MC, the son of the Principal of Caulfield Grammar School. Lyle's tragic accidental death, following gallant service as a fighter pilot during the Battle of the Somme, was notable in that his family preserved every letter, newspaper article, photograph and artefact associated with his life and active service. His extensive correspondence, which has never before been published, provides the basis for this book, which follows his life from his school days to active service in the fledgling RFC and to his untimely death. Lyle's letters trace his voyage to and travels around England, his life as an officer in the British Army, his training adventures on primitive RFC aircraft and his combat experiences on the Western Front, including surviving being shot down six times! These letters bring to us a forgotten voice from the past resounding with humility and humour, coupled with absolute fear. Also explored in this book is the manner in which his family and school mourned his death and marked his memory. His family's struggle to come to terms with the loss in war of their 'Empire's Noble Son,' was an echo of the deep grief manifest in the wider Australian society at the end of the Great War. 'Years May Pass On, But Memory Remains'(A line from the Caulfield Grammar School song)

Sledgehammer Beck shines the light into the murky corners of one of the darkest periods in Australian law enforcement history. Merv Beckwas born to be an extraordinary policeman and from the outset he proved his mettle. But he was never more severely tested than whenthe NSW Government led by Neville Wran tasked him with closing the illegal casinos and bookmakers which were the lifeblood of Sydney'sburgeoning organised crime syndicates.Sledgehammer Beck provides startling insights into many of the mysteries and scandals that have beset New South Wales since themid-1970s, up to and including the contemporary crises over money laundering in poker machines and plush, billion-dollar casinos.About Author:Fia Cumming was a federal political correspondent in Canberra for 20 years. Because of her willingness to investigated major issues she was approached around 2002 by former NSW police officer, Mervyn Beck. Beck asked her to write his story and she agreed, not realising how big an undertaking this would prove. As time has passed and many of the key players have passed away, the biggest obstacle to telling the full story has been removed.

Leo Teohari was born in Constanta, Romania. Leo holds both a law degree and a degree in international economics.Leo defected from Communist Romania in 1980, and settled with his family in Toronto, Canada, where he became a businessman. Today he writes about his experiences and runs an international food trade business.In 2004 he published his first book, Hawala, based on a true story about a government cover-up and diversion related to the Romanian revolution in 1989.

Leo Teohari was born in Constanta, Romania. Leo holds both a law degree and a degree in international economics.Leo defected from Communist Romania in 1980, and settled with his family in Toronto, Canada, where he became a businessman. Today he writes about his experiences and runs an international food trade business.In 2004 he published his first book, Hawala, based on a true story about a government cover-up and diversion related to the Romanian revolution in 1989.

This is hands down the most heartbreaking and thought provoking book about Khe Sanh and even the Vietnam War you will ever have the honor to read. Other books are easier to read, yet none of them will leave you a believer in the way that this book has. It is January, 1968 and Ernest returns to Khe Sanh from R&R to the opening of the longest battle in the Vietnam War. He is a Korean American Marine Commander and the Rifle Commander of Delta 6, leading over 250 men through the toughest of battles and conditions. The siege at Khe Sanh went on non-stop for 2.5 months. Life was shrunken to full time living inside bunkers, watching rations and supplies slide out the back of cargo planes as they flew low past Hill 881 and finding ways to remain hopeful while being unable to use camaraderie or communications to keep it real. What is to become of the survivors of this incredible battle?Seldom is the author so true to himself and the memory of those lost that he is willing to blind others with their own tears and shame rather than sacrifice what he knows to be the true story. On the very last page of this book, the author, Ernest Spencer was faced with having to identify a casualty from his battalion. He says," Rodriguez is gone and I am still here. Why? Am I but a witness? I feel fear wash through me. They die while I watch. Whom should I tell? Who will care? How long will they care"? You will find some rather colorful language and the haunting truth. Please read the book. It will probably make you feel uncomfortable. Good! It should. If for even a few moments you feel you have suffered from reading about such waste and suffering, then take a few more moments and try to imagine first living the story and then laying it down on paper. It is our debt to read this book, in honor of those who have given more than we can ever imagine. And to remember what really mattered: the men and women who served and sacrificed for a country that has remained ungrateful. This ebook is pages and pages of heart and soul - bare naked anger, hate, suffering and despair. You will feel the weight of the war in Vietnam in your hands.

In this Volume Three of the Contemporary Shamanic Journeys series, the author takes the readers on the roads of North, Central and South America, exploring pre-Columbian civilizations, Indigenous traditional teachings and other ancient cultures, with the ancestral legacy their histories left us with.The Seven Fire Prophecy, the return of the White Buffalo, the mending of the Sacred Hoop, the reunion of the Condor and Eagle, the emergence of the Rainbow warriors and manifestations of other Native prophecies were witnessed and experienced first hand by the author, who renders a personal account of related milestone events.Various medicine teachers, shamanic practitioners, Elders and Wisdom Keepers met along the way have blessed the narrator with guidance and precious gems of spiritualist science shared in this series.Apart from adventures, expeditions, gatherings, ceremonies and encounters, these memoirs provide geographical knowledge and historical insights, as well as reflections on the development of modern society via colonialism, admiralty law, secret societies, social engineering and the globalist agenda.Human relationships, whether positive or negative, remain among our experiences offering the greatest challenges and teachings along our life path. Everyone we met is a part of our life and should be acknowledged. Honoring the contributions of our peers, whether teachers, friends or foes, helps us to assimilate the lessons we are meant to learn. Thus, no biography would be complete without personal anecdotes. The greater perspective aims at healing and long term spiritual evolution for our souls.May this collection of true life stories sharing some of the knowledge they provided be inspirational, educational and entertaining for the readers. Best blessings to all...

The Walter and Eleanor Gillen story is an account of daily life in a large family raised on a farm in the Midwest during the sixties, and the trials and tribulations that led to their individual success.The youngest of nine children, Walter was born and raised on the family farm 20 miles from Toledo, Ohio. "Walter was 5 years old when his father bought his first car - a 1921 Willy's Overland Aster." He enlisted in the U.S. Navy during World War II and returned to help run the family farm. "After finishing a day of farming, and supper was over, he washed up, changed into clean clothes, and went out for the evening. On his way to town, he picked up friends and cousins along the way to share the evening. He could also be found frequently stopping at a brother or sister's home for a visit and was often seen with a niece or nephew in his arms." Eleanor was the eldest of two children, and a city girl from Toledo, Ohio. Her family owned a Hupmobile, but mostly used city transportation. They took the train to visit family in New York every summer. Eleanor was married for two years when her first husband died. After six years, her mother encouraged her to start dating again. She went square dancing with her girlfriends at the Trianon Dance Hall and round dancing at the Odd Fellows Hall where her uncle worked, and where she met Walter in 1946."Walter was 30 when he married Eleanor and won a longtime bet with Dudley that he wouldn't marry before age 30. Eleanor was 27." As a new couple they learned the farming and agriculture business and had nine children between 1947 and 1957. Their third child died the day after her birth. The family went to church on Sunday's and often spent Sunday afternoons at a different aunt and uncle's home. Everyone lived on a farm. Walter and his brother Leslie sold the family farm in 1959. Leslie moved to Wauseon, Ohio, and Walter and Eleanor moved to a 180-acre farm on Stony Lake in Brooklyn, Michigan.Walter had a manufacturing job to supplement the farm income. There was time to play after chores were done. Weekends included visits with family and friends, Sunday drives, singing along with Eleanor playing the piano, or games and cards. Walter and Eleanor bought a family restaurant in 1964 where the children worked before or after school when they were old enough. They lost the restaurant in 1970. "Failure. Lost the battle. Do what has to be done and keep your damn mouth shut." They lost the farm in 1972 and rented an old house in nearby Onsted. The four younger children were still at home. "...everyone still at home spent weeks getting the house ready to live in. Every room had old wallpaper to be removed, up to 13 layers in some rooms." Research found the house to be an 1830s plantation house and a stop along the Underground Railroad. No one wants to endure or experience hardships, but they are what builds and strengthens character, and enables one to overcome future challenges."Eleanor had the great privilege of watching her children grow up to be well-adjusted, responsible, and happy adults."

Thoroughly researched and meticulously crafted, The Alamo Delegate invites readers on a journey across the rugged terrain of the American South as Jesse B. Badgett finally takes his place in the annals of history.

Drafted at the age of twenty, Connard Hogan answers the call to serve his country, even while millions of Americans question their country's presence in Vietnam. A naïve and inexperienced young man with an alcoholic and abusive father, Connard finds himself immersed in the toxic masculinity of the army and the unpredictability of warfare. While serving as an intelligence analyst in Vietnam, Connard endures the constant awareness that death is always close by while observing the widespread daily infliction of trauma upon others. From seeking female companionship in darkened brothels to being awakened by VC mortar attacks in the night, the contradictions of living in a war zone as a burgeoning young man creates a landmine of temptations for Connard. He seeks escape from fear, frustration, and restlessness through various diversions, none of which provides him relief from the adrenaline-induced moments of personal threat. Through the chaos of it all, he searches for his humanity and the true meaning of manhood.On a new life path after his military discharge, the debilitating effects of Connard's time serving in the army intensifies until his inner turmoil reaches the breaking point, and he seeks help through counseling. Ultimately, through his healing journey, Connard awakens to the lasting effects of trauma and PTSD, and comes to understand that it's not about the forgetting . . . it's about the remembering.

What is the definition of 'family'? According to Wikipedia, "it is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as members mature and learn to participate in the community." Now, with that, I believe I have the absolute BEST family in the world. We don't just 'maintain', we LOVE. We ALL love big. What a great example we had from the very start & what a great example we have in our Lord! May we never forget this in generations to come. Love never fails. 1 Cor 13:8 This book is for those who may have seen some faces at the family reunion and wondered where they fit in at. It's for those of us who didn't get to meet the 1st generation & can feel connected through the pictures, through the smiles. Also, to remember names - when you see that familiar face in the store, instead of just thinking I know I'm related to them, but I don't know them. You say, "Hey, aren't you _____?!" I am thankful for my dad, who has a huge heart for family, for coming up with this idea. He wasn't sure who, how or when, but he had the vision and there was no turning back from that. The Lord (& my dad!!) worked on me for a couple months, nudged and nudged & I finally said, "OK! I'll do it!" I've learned so much about my family that I had no idea. We are strong. We have been through some stuff, y'all. We will continue to go through stuff. Never forget how important family is. Never hesitate to call your dad's cousin's son if you need help. We will be there. That's what Hopkins do. God is GOOD, ALL the time.. ALL the time, God is GOOD. --Lindsey (Hopkins) Mathes, daughter of Burl Hopkins & granddaughter of "Doonie" Hopkins