After graduating from the University of Missouri in 1969 I was commissioned as an officer in the Marines. I served an interesting 'tour of duty' in Southeast Asia in 1972, during which time I was "in and out" of six different countries...including Vietnam. A greenhorn lieutenant when I landed, I was eventually promoted to captain. Because of my God given 'take charge personality' and a few "very junior officer" notable accomplishments I found myself frequently being handpicked for special assignments. I 'saw action' with seven different units...some good ...some bad...some ugly. I saw men die. I saw capable men withered by fatigue, brave men crippled by fear. Since I served, more than forty years ago now, I have had the pleasure and privilege of meeting and getting to know hundreds of fellow-Vietnam Vets; short term acquaintances, professional colleagues, neighbors, close friends, family members. Although our individual Vietnam stories are unique and intensely personal, I have come to realize that a common thread runs through most of them. For more than twenty-five years I have been asked to formally speak to sundry civic organizations, history classes, and social gatherings. As a result of fielding thousands of audience questions and listening to their spontaneous reactions to my "talks" I have learned what people are interesting in hearing. I have seen their reactions to my version of America's 'Vietnam experience'. I know what's interesting and what's not; what's important to those who weren't there, ordinary people who merely wonder 'what it was like'. I have enjoyed two "successful careers" and am currently embarked upon my third. I have fired most of life's best bullets, emptied most of my chosen weapon's most precious magazines, drained my fullest canteens, exhausted most of my allotted time on this fair planet we call earth. I want to share a few of the stories of men I served with, men I came to know later in life, men I loved as brothers-in-arms surviving in harm's way; or men who were simply 'Crazy Vietnam Vets' (like me) with a special story to tell. "Men JUST like me...only different " Ours are interesting up and down tales of wonder and weird, of good times and bad. I am happily married to a "seasoned" school nurse, am the father of three college educated sons, and have two fine grandsons. I live in Blanco, Texas about forty miles due west of Austin. I have always viewed life's glass as half full; hope you enjoy our 'Not Ordinary' war stories.

The world today is facing a bewildering array of problems where human behavior is both brazen and bizarre. Those who are searching for a way out are daring to ask fundamental questions: What is man's rightful place? Are we a doomed species? Is God becoming weary of mankind? In Man's Fate and God's Choice, Bhimeswara Challa shares his comprehensive study of human behavior that suggests that the very paradigm of our thinking is inappropriate for the current challenges we face. In a thoughtful, innovative presentation of ideas, Challa posits that any betterment in human behavior needs a cathartic change at the deepest level, ultimately reawakening the intelligence of the human heart. He begins by examining the greatest challenge of this generation of human beings and continues by placing the multiple identities of man in perspective, reviewing our growing insensitivity to human suffering. Finally, he looks to the living world for inspiration, metaphors, and models for human transformation. Man's Fate and God's Choice incisively covers an array of issues and proposes an agenda for action as it challenges those who see misery and ask "Why?" to also see the promise in the rainbow and then ask "Why not?"

AN EPIC BATTLE THAT LASTED TEN YEARS. A LEGENDARY STORY THAT HAS SURVIVED THOUSANDS. 'An inimitable retelling of the siege of Troy . . . Fry's narrative, artfully humorous and rich in detail, breathes life and contemporary relevance into these ancient tales' OBSERVER 'Stephen Fry has done it again. Well written and super storytelling' 5***** READER REVIEW ________ 'Troy. The most marvellous kingdom in all the world. The Jewel of the Aegean. Glittering Ilion, the city that rose and fell not once but twice . . .' When Helen, the beautiful Greek queen, is kidnapped by the Trojan prince Paris, the most legendary war of all time begins. Watch in awe as a thousand ships are launched against the great city of Troy. Feel the fury of the battleground as the Trojans stand resolutely against Greek might for an entire decade. And witness the epic climax - the wooden horse, delivered to the city of Troy in a masterclass of deception by the Greeks . . . In Stephen Fry's exceptional retelling of our greatest story, TROY will transport you to the depths of ancient Greece and beyond. ________ 'A fun romp through the world's greatest story. Fry's knowledge of the world - ancient and modern - bursts through' Daily Telegraph 'An excellent retelling . . . told with compassion and wit' 5***** Reader Review 'Hugely successful, graceful' The Times 'If you want to read about TROY, this book is a must over any other' 5***** Reader Review 'Fluent, crisp, nuanced, begins with a bang' The Times Literary Supplement 'The characters . . . are brilliantly brought to life' 5***** Reader Review PRAISE FOR STEPHEN FRY'S GREEK SERIES: 'A romp through the lives of ancient Greek gods. Fry is at his story-telling best . . . the gods will be pleased' Times 'A head-spinning marathon of legends' Guardian 'An Olympian feat. The gods seem to be smiling on Fry - his myths are definitely a hit' Evening Standard 'An odyssey through Greek mythology. Brilliant . . . all hail Stephen Fry' Daily Mail 'A rollicking good read' Independent

A magical grimoire of sigils and rituals for summoning and mastering spirits, The Key of Solomon the King is the most infamous, of all magick books. It has influenced everything from the revival of magick and the Western Mystery Traditions (tarot, alchemy, astrology, etc.) to fictional works such as Lovecraft's The Necronomicon. This new 2017 hardcover edition of S. L. MacGregor Mathers' masterwork includes reproductions of all original 13 plates from the 1885 edition.