Five wives (at least), up to 13 military conflicts, eight children (at the very least). Lover, Soldier, Reprobate About the exciting and troublesome life and family of Paul Bonaventura Charles Alexander Weiss DeVolpi: shanghaied when he immigrated from Italy in 1890 to the United States; enlisted three times in the U.S. Army, initially serving in Oklahoma Indian Territory around 1893; fought as a mercenary in many nations; and left a handful of wives around the world. His wartime enlistments included the Spanish-American War, the Philippine Insurrection, and the Canadian Army during World War I. Other combat engagements: the Boxer Rebellion, Mexican Revolution, and repatriation of Tripoli and the Dodecanese Islands. (However, his participation with the Italian Army in Abyssinia and the Cossacks in Russia are difficult to verify.) That's the Soldier part. As for Lover, there are four well-documented marriages in the United States, Canada, and Italy; also at least one or two more not confirmed. As for Reprobate, that's what a now-deceased half-brother from Canada called him - with good reason. No divorces. Plenty of children. Also involved in some fraud, personal and an historic art scam. This is an historically factual and authentic trip starting in the late 1800s, written as a dialog between his surviving son (me, Alexander DeVolpi) with curious parties and interested listeners. Particularly fascinating is Bonaventura's role in the Boxer Rebellion and his documented heroism during the Philippine Insurrection, all of which represent a forgotten but curious period in American history. Timeless photos, documents, and newspaper clippings are included so as to depict the individuals, their clothing, whereabouts, surroundings, medical profiles, correspondence, diaries, heraldry, medals, uniforms, and weapons. This is a true story - mostly about marriage, valor, and deceit. If you join me on this trip, it'll transport back to the 1900s, and to many places around the world. Be that as it may, it's part biography, part history, mostly about my wayward father, a career soldier of fortune.

"Nuclear Reductions (A Technically Informed Perspective)" completes a comprehensive 3-volume series, "Nuclear Insights: The Cold War Legacy." It is the unique technical qualifications and relevant experience of the lead author and his colleagues that brings to permanence a thorough history and evaluation of nuclear weaponry, including their origin, testing, stockpiles, delivery systems, and the current institutional burden. What to do with them, how to reduce the risk of nuclear accidents, and how to eliminate unnecessary systems and materials are the primary topics of this culminating volume. It's one thing to wish for and come out in favor of nuclear reductions; it's another (not so straightforward) matter to make permanent reductions.

This second volume identifies and evaluates Cold War residual consequences, especially those related to nuclear weapons and their evolution. It provides a knowledgeable assessment of current risks and future potential of peaceful nuclear technology and inherited nuclear weapons. In this revised edition, a comparative assessment has been included of the nuclear accidents at Fukushima (Japan), Chernobyl, and Three Mile Island reactors. The respective roles of the three volumes in "Nuclear Insights" Volume 1 is a insider history of nuclear weapons development during the Cold War, and Volume 3 is a technically informed perspective about nuclear reductions and arms control. Thus, Volume 2 reports on and examines current nuclear technology, peaceful applications, and proliferation risks. All three volumes are unique, having originated with a written collaboration by four nuclear scientists and engineers, from both sides of the Cold War Iron Curtain, all of whom had hands-on experience with nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors.

This first of two volumes reviews the history of nuclear-weapons development during the Cold War, as well as attempts to limit and control the nuclear arms race.