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Books > Fiction > Genre fiction > War fiction
'This book's power lies in its depiction of civilians trying to
lead ordinary lives during the horror of war . . . It is shattering
stuff, but Rothmann is tender towards his characters and this book
is as memorable as his last.' The Times, 'Historical Fiction Book
of the Month' As the Second World War enters its final stages,
millions in Germany are forced from their homes by bombing,
compelled to seek shelter in the countryside where there are barely
the resources to feed them. Twelve-year-old Luisa, her mother, and
her older sister Billie have escaped the devastation of the city
for the relative safety of a dairy farm. But even here the power
struggles of the war play out: the family depend on the goodwill of
Luisa's brother-in-law, an SS officer, who in expectation of
payment turns his attention away from his wife and towards Billie.
Luisa immerses herself in books, but even she notices the Allied
bombers flying east above them, the gauntness of the prisoners at
the camp nearby, the disappearance of fresh-faced boys from the
milk shed - hastily shipped off to a war that's already lost.
Living on the farm teaches Luisa about life and death, but it's
man's capacity for violence that provides the ultimate lesson, that
robs her of her innocent ignorance. When, at a birthday
celebration, her worst fears are realized, Luisa collapses under
the weight of the inexplicable. Ralf Rothmann's previous novel, To
Die in Spring, described the horror of war and the damage done on
the battlefield. The God of that Summer tells the devastating story
of civilians caught up in the chaos of defeat, of events that might
lead a twelve-year-old child to justifiably say: 'I have
experienced everything.'
The first in Ken Follett's bestselling Century Trilogy, Fall of Giants is a captivating novel that follows five families through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for votes for women.
A WORLD IN CHAOS
1911, a thirteen-year-old boy, Billy Williams, begins working down the mines as George V is crowned king. The escalating arms race between the empire nations will put not only the king but this young boy in grave danger.
A TERRIBLE WAR
Billy’s family is inextricably linked with the Fitzherberts, the aristocratic owners of the coal mine where he works. And when Maud Fitzherbert falls in love with Walter von Ulrich, a spy at the German embassy in London, their destiny also becomes entangled with that of Gus Dewar, an ambitious young aide to Woodrow Wilson, and two orphaned Russian brothers, the Peshkovs, whose plan to emigrate to America falls foul of conscription, revolution and imminent war.
A REVOLUTION THAT WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING
When Russia convulses in bloody revolution and the Great War unfolds, the five families’ futures are entwined forever, love bringing them closer even as conflict takes them further apart. What seeds will be sown for further tragedy in the twentieth century and what role will each play in what is to come?
Don Quix loves taking risks. When Don is caught AWOL with buddy Ken
Jackson, his dreams of flying are shattered, but he still manages
to become a sergeant radio truck operator in a fighter control
squadron. Ken is sent to a demolition unit. During a baseball game
in a French forest, Don narrowly escapes a sniper's bullet. In
Verviers, and Liege Belgium, he has daily encounters with buzz
bombs but suffers only minor cuts dodging shrapnel. Using forged
passes to visit a girlfriend; he freely roams restricted areas when
similarly-daring soldiers are court-martialed. But Sergeant Quix's
jauntiness is tempered by tragic loss. His reunion with Ken in
Verviers is violently cut short. Another close friend, Technical
Sergeant Stanley Firestone, dies in a V-1 attack while pulling a
shift for a newly engaged radio man. Meanwhile, Don begins a torrid
love affair with Denise Vervier, a beautiful Belgian seamstress far
wiser than her 23 years. Denise's husband was sent to a forced
labor camp four years ago and is presumed dead. When he
unexpectedly returns, Don and Denise face the most difficult
decision of their lives.
Before the tragedy of the Civil War tore the United States in
two, America was involved in another war, one that has not received
nearly the attention it deserves. In fact, the Mexican-American
War, 1846-1848, could arguably be called the training ground for
the Civil War a little over a decade later.
Author Phillip K. Rose turns the spotlight on this important
historical event in American history in Mexico Redux. Rose digs
into the heart of this conflict and calls it the most significant
war in American history. Through an eclectic mix of fact and
fiction, he profiles some of the war's major and minor players,
offering new ideas and concepts that challenge the current
historical record.
Through the eyes of historical figures, the Mexican-American war
comes to life. Santa Anna describes his tumultuous experiences at
the Alamo and the Battle of Buena Vista while General Zachary
Taylor discusses the Battle of Resaca de la Palma in chilling
detail. Lesser known individuals, such as naval officer Robert
Field Stockton and ordinary soldier Lew Wallace, also lend their
voices to this historic drama.
Inventive and thoroughly researched, Mexico Redux provides an
important addition to our understanding of the Mexican-American
War.
Eric Warner was a military surgeon in Key West, Florida in 1940. He
had few responsibilities, occasional surgeries, and his own
forty-foot fishing boat. On December 8, 1941, the U.S. Navy pulled
all of their ships and airplanes out of the base, sending them to
the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Key West was a ghost military base. The Gulf Stream offshore was
soon trafficked by hundreds of ships each day carrying guns and oil
to European allies. Hitler dispatched U-boats to the U.S. coast and
dozens of ships were attacked each day. Doctor Warner was suddenly
swamped with wounded sailors from the merchant fleets. Only three
Coast Guard ships defended the entire U.S. Coast. The Navy response
was to commandeer civilian boats. Navy personnel manned the ships,
which were used for harbor patrol and convoy duty. Eric found
himself doing double duty...part time surgeon and boat captain
rescuing seamen from burning ships in the waters off Key West. This
is his story.
The great Empire of Ice - Chung Kuo - has finally been shaken after
more than two centuries of peace enforced by brutal tyranny. The
Minister of the Edict has been assassinated and the seven ruling
T'ang struggle to maintain Stasis, even as their mile-high,
continent-spanning cities descend into chaos. But the assassination
was orchestrated by men close to the ruling powers; powerful
merchants - Dispersionists - intent on Change, whose betrayal will
lead them into the world-shattering War of the Two Directions.
This book (hardcover) is part of the TREDITION CLASSICS. It
contains classical literature works from over two thousand years.
Most of these titles have been out of print and off the bookstore
shelves for decades. The book series is intended to preserve the
cultural legacy and to promote the timeless works of classical
literature. Readers of a TREDITION CLASSICS book support the
mission to save many of the amazing works of world literature from
oblivion. With this series, tredition intends to make thousands of
international literature classics available in printed format again
- worldwide.
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