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Books > Social sciences > Warfare & defence > General
Exploring the representations of the war dead in early Greek
mythology, particularly the Homeric poems and the Epic Cycle,
alongside iconographic images on black-figure pottery and the
evidence of funerary monuments adorning the graves of early
Athenian elites, this book provides much-needed insight into the
customs associated with the war dead in Archaic Athens. It is
demonstrated that this period had remarkably little in common with
the much-celebrated institutions of the Classical era, standing in
fact much closer to the hierarchical ideals enshrined in the epics
of Homer and early mythology. While the public burial of the war
dead in Classical Athens has traditionally been a subject of much
scholarly interest, and the origins of the procedures described by
Thucydides as patrios nomos are still a matter of some debate, far
less attention has been devoted to the Athenian war dead of the
preceding era. This book aims to redress the imbalance in modern
scholarship and put the spotlight on the Athenian war dead of the
Archaic period. In addition, the book deepens our understanding of
the processes which led to the establishment of first public
burials and the Classical customs of patrios nomos, shedding
significant light on the military, cultural and social history of
Archaic Athens. Challenging previous assumptions and bringing new
material to the table, the book proposes a number of new ways to
investigate a period where many 'ancestral customs' were thought to
have their roots.
Every time Mark W. Merritt puts on the uniform of a US Naval
Officer, he is reminded of how thankful he is to be an American. He
began compiling his memories in 2008 while serving in Iraq, just
after celebrating his fiftieth birthday in a combat zone. In his
memoir, he offers a collection of lessons learned from his years in
intelligence-through twenty-nine countries, frost bite, two hip
replacements, cancer, three wars, five combat zones, eight
marathons, multiple parachute jumps, three college degrees, and two
black belts. He has been an author, high school hall-of-famer and
collegiate NCAA athlete, mountain climber and kayaker, husband,
son, brother, warrior, scholar, and gentleman. As a special
operations intelligence officer, Merritt has always pushed to do
more, but now he can step back and take in what he has
accomplished. He has failed many times, but he has succeeded often,
as well. Happiness no longer seems like an unobtainable goal. They
Rest Not at Night offers both Merritt's personal life history with
all its variety and an exploration of his intelligence experience,
sharing his own commentary on the wisdom he has gained the hard
way.
On the Insistence of Kevin, Con Kruger wrote this fascinating
biography introducing the Krugers in South Africa and the
Cunynghames in England. The Progenitor Jacob Kruger arrived in
Table Bay, South Africa, during 1713. Kevin's family background is
an admixture of French, Belgian, German and Royal English genes
(well camouflaged to protect his pony breeding business in Sussex,
England). The story is cast against the larger canvass of the war
between the global British Empire and the two tiny independent Zar
and OFS Boer Republics during the last 20 years of Queen Victoria's
reign - a war described as barbaric. This shameful period in
British history has remained largely unknown covered by a
thick-veiled diplomatic silence. Lest the Empire's brutal cruelty
to animals and other atrocities be forgotten, Kevin feels compelled
to recall the details. Kevin goes further. These wrongs must be
redressed. He is resolute that those in command of the Empire Army
face charges of war crimes. Warning: This book contains material
that may upset sensitive readers. Con Kruger, born January 1930, is
an eighth generation offspring of progenitor Jacob Kruger, who
married a manumitted slave daughter, Jannetjie Kemp. She started
the Kruger clan by bearing Jacob eight children during the early
1700's. Con obtained a master's degree in psychopathology and a
doctorate in industrial psychology from Stellenbosch University. He
practiced as a consulting psychologist from 1952 to 1992. He has
authored two historical dramas and four anthologies of Afrikaans
poetry. He now lives at the southernmost tip of the African
continent at Cape Agulhas. Publisher's website: http:
//sbprabooks.com/ConKruger
"Shoot" hollered Willie B. "Where" I screamed. "Shoot, Shoot."
Screamed Willie B. Again. I clicked my rifle from safe to full auto
and let it rip in the direction of the tracers from the other two
guys. I fired one complete magazine. I had no idea what was
happening. I changed magazines. I buried my face in the dirt
attempting to make myself invisible. I was terrified. I lie there
cowering by hiding my face in the dirt. I had no idea what to do.
"Shoot" screamed Willie B. again . My rifle had a bi-pod attached
to the front of it as it was a select fire. (Semi or full auto). I
extended the bi-pod and again ripped off full auto rounds. My hands
and fingers were moving too slow. It was as if I was moving in slow
motion. I couldn't make my hands move any faster. I kept shooting
like the other two . At what, I had no idea. My heart was pumping
ninety miles an hour. I heard firing erupt from the NDP then stop.
A piece of hot brass hit me in the neck and went down my fatigue
shirt burning the hell out of me. I kept firing and trying to shake
the hot brass out of my shirt at the same time. I had fired six
magazines before I noticed the other two had stopped firing. I
errently touched the barrel of my rifle and got a burn that bubbled
up the skin. We all lie still. My mouth was so dry, I couldn't
swallow. I was shaking badly and couldn't catch my breath. Again, I
buried my face in the dirt in a futile attempt to escape. I didn't
like any of this. This wasn't at all like playing soldier in the
back yard as a kid.
Drafted when he was 37 years old, this is the story of Dale Hubley
- his life and service during World War II as a member of the
Seventh Armored Division in Patton's Third Army. Being drafted when
he was older change his life in many way but he was never bitter.
He would always say, "I was one of the lucky ones, I got to come
home." This positive attitude is what shaped Dale's life.
The Outcast Majority invites policymakers, practitioners,
academics, students, and others to think about three commanding
contemporary issues-war, development, and youth-in new ways. The
starting point is the following irony: while Africanyouth are
demographically dominant, many act as if they are members of an
outcast minority. The irony directly informs young people's lives
in war-affected Africa, where differences separating the priorities
of youth and those of international agencies are especially
prominent. Drawing on interviews with development experts and young
people, Marc Sommers shines a light on this gap and offers guidance
on how to close it. He begins with a comprehensive consideration of
forces that shape and propel the lives of African youth today,
particularly those experiencing or emerging from war. They are
contrasted with forces that influence and constrain the
international development aid enterprise. The book concludes with a
framework for making development policies and practices
significantly more relevant and effective for youth in areas
affected by African wars and other places where vast and vibrant
youth populations reside.
For author Virginia Kiernan, February 2003 is a month, though more
than ten years past, that remains vivid in her memory. It was the
month her husband, Verner Kiernan, a father of six, was deployed
with the 101st Airborne Division in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, only
one month before the war with Iraq began. In Dear God, Please Keep
Daddy Safe, Virginia narrates the trials and triumphs of a year of
deployment. She discusses the struggles army families face as she
provides insight into the unknown world of army life in one of the
nation's top units-including a deadly grenade attack on her
husband's unit, the emotion of attending heart-wrenching memorial
services, and the family crisis that becomes compounded with
separation. A compelling true story written by a mom raising six
children while her husband was deployed during the early days of
Operation Iraqi Freedom, Dear God, Please Keep Daddy Safe
chronicles the highs and lows of events both overseas and on the
home front, showing that the often overlooked issues at home can
sometimes be as stressful as serving in uniform.
"Don't Thank Me, Thank Your Recruiter" is a story of a US Army
Soldier who served for over 9 years as a Human Resources
Specialist. During this time he traveled to a total of 14 countries
to include Iraq, Kuwait, Korea, and Afghanistan. Through the years
he met various people from all walks of life. During his journey he
learned a lot about himself and the world as a whole. This is a
story of true perseverance and courage. "Don't Thank Me, Thank Your
Recruiter" teaches the lesson that it is never too late, nor is it
ever wrong to stand up for yourself despite impeccable odds. A true
depiction of the Human Spirit, this book is sure to show the world
that despite your chosen profession you could still face challenges
in life, and work to overcome them. It's not about the size of the
dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog that
matters.
To borrow a hackneyed phrase, Nigeria has had a chequered political
history before and since independence from British colonial rule on
October 1, 1960. Two sets of actors - the civilian politicians and
the military politicians - have been on the national political
stage since January 15, 1966. General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida
was one of them. In his eight years in power as president, or
perhaps more correctly as military president, he affected the
course of Nigeria's events, for better or for worse, in a way that
few, if any, before him did. It is not possible to tell Nigeria's
story without Babangida's part in it. The book is the story of IBB,
the little orphan from Minna, Niger State and his meticulous rise
to the top of his profession and the leadership of his country.
Perhaps, more importantly, it is the story of Nigeria, its
post-independence politics and power, told from the perspective of
the actions and decisions of one of the main actors on the
country's political stage. The events that shaped the Babangida era
did not begin on August 27, 1985, the day he staged a palace coup
against General Muhammadu Buhari. They began long before that. This
book is the definitive story of the military, politics and power in
Nigeria. ______________________________ Dan Agbese holds degrees in
mass communications and journalism from the University of Lagos and
Columbia University, New York, respectively. He is a former editor
of The Nigeria Standard, the New Nigerian as well as former general
manager of Radio Benue. Agbese was one of the founders of the
trail-blazing weekly newsmagazine in Nigeria, Newswatch. He was
until April 2010 the Editor-in-Chief of the magazine. He is the
author of several acclaimed books, including Nigeria their Nigeria,
Fellow Nigerians, The Reporter's Companion, Style: A Guide to Good
Writing and The Columnist's Companion: The Art and Craft of Column
Writing. Agbese is also a highly-regarded newspaper columnist.
This book explores the evolution of the current U.S. research and
development enterprise, asks whether this organization remains
appropriate to the challenges we face today, and proposes
strategies for better preparing for the global technology race
shaping our future. Across the globe, nation states and societies,
as well as corporations, technology developers, and even
individuals, find themselves on the front lines of a global
technology race. As we approach the third decade of this century,
the outlines of the contest have become clear. Spending on research
and development, such new methods as innovation centers, and
inclusion of powerful technologies into governments and society are
occurring at a rapid pace. Technology winners and losers are
emerging. How did we arrive at this global technology fight? How
and where will it be waged? What can we do to prepare for the
future? In 10 chapters, Tech Wars addresses these questions and
more, examining the conditions that have led us to this point and
introducing new strategies, organizational changes, and resource
allocations that will help the United States respond to the
challenges that are on the horizon. Focuses on how technology
affects society and individuals, recognizing that a discussion of
technology must also include such topics as economics, trade,
military activities, and other human endeavors Demonstrates through
historical precedents and examination of potential alternative
futures that changes in the global research and development
ecosystem are needed Highlights the importance of technology to the
economic and national security of the United States Explains how
and why our science and technology, research and development, and
innovation capabilities should be adapted
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