For four centuries the British realm depended upon sea power to defend its interest and independence against a myriad of threats both military and economic. During this time the Royal Navy established itself as the sovereign of the Seas, helping transform England, and later Great Britain, from an unassuming island nation perched on the edge of the European continent to the centre of a global empire. Yet the advent of World War II presented Britain's maritime services with their greatest challenge to date. At stake was the survival of the nation. The Longest Campaign tells the story of this epic struggle and the indispensable role that British sea power played in bringing about the victory that shaped the world we live in today. The Longest Campaign is a complete, balanced and detailed account of the activities, results and relevance of Britain's maritime effort in the Atlantic and off northwest Europe throughout World War II. It looks at the entire breadth of the maritime conflict, exploring the contributions of all participants including the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and British merchant marine and their Commonwealth equivalents. It puts the maritime conflict in the context of the overall war effort and shows how the various operations and campaigns were intertwined. Finally it provides unique analysis of the effectiveness of the British maritime effort and role it played in bringing about the final Allied victory.

Written in the reign of Nero-the emperor against whom Lucan was implicated in a conspiracy and by whom he was compelled to commit suicide at the age of 25-the poet's dark, ambiguous, unfinished masterpiece focuses on the disintegration of the Roman body politic and the war between Julius Caesar and Pompey that ultimately lead to the end of the Roman republic. While aiming for a poem both as rugged as Lucan's-with its mix of history and fantasy, of high and low registers, of common and uncommon turns of phrase, of narrative and declamation-and as reader-friendly as possible, Brian Walters owns that he has "nowhere tried to simplify the rhetorical excesses that are the essence of Lucan's poem, the real meat and bone of the Civil War ." A brilliant Introduction by W. R. Johnson discusses the poem's relationship to Nero and monarchy; its invocations of both the gods and chaos; the real hero of the Civil War ; and the poem's end and narrative styles. Synopses of individual books; suggestions for further reading; a glossary of names, places, and Roman institutions; and a map are also included.

Written in the reign of Nero-the emperor against whom Lucan was implicated in a conspiracy and by whom he was compelled to commit suicide at the age of 25-the poet's dark, ambiguous, unfinished masterpiece focuses on the disintegration of the Roman body politic and the war between Julius Caesar and Pompey that ultimately lead to the end of the Roman republic. While aiming for a poem both as rugged as Lucan's-with its mix of history and fantasy, of high and low registers, of common and uncommon turns of phrase, of narrative and declamation-and as reader-friendly as possible, Brian Walters owns that he has "nowhere tried to simplify the rhetorical excesses that are the essence of Lucan's poem, the real meat and bone of the Civil War ." A brilliant Introduction by W. R. Johnson discusses the poem's relationship to Nero and monarchy; its invocations of both the gods and chaos; the real hero of the Civil War ; and the poem's end and narrative styles. Synopses of individual books; suggestions for further reading; a glossary of names, places, and Roman institutions; and a map are also included.

The Art of Life Is the Avoiding of Pain is Brian Walters' fourth collection of stories and poetry. As with all of Walters' poetry you'll find this book accessible and moving, but this is without a doubt his most powerful book to date. As a physical therapist Walters is welcomed into the homes of a vast cross-section of society, and he opens a window on the quiet desperation that so many of our neighbors live with every day. This collection is both beautiful and, at times, profoundly sad. Brian Walters is a rare poet-tuned to history as few have been for a generation or more. He is alert for those critical moments that reveal a place, time, and a human heart with energy and clarity, and gives them to us. Bitter, terrible, sweet, whatever they are, for they are our heritage and what has formed us over the centuries. Human bravery, savagery, thoughtfulness, and passion all find a place in his work. There is even room for hope and love in spite of everything. -Howard McCord

Brian Wood, a now retired Police Sergeant from the Thames Valley Police, recaps some of his humorous and occasionally serious encounters during his 30 years 'in the force'. His experiences include an instance with the Great Train Robbery for which he was awarded recognition for his participation. "As I walked under the Town Hall arch, on my way off duty I was confronted by a man holding a knife who had suddenly appeared out of the darkness. He advanced screaming that he was going to kill me" Not your normal activity on a peaceful evening in Aylesbury. Look out for Brian's second book aptly called 'More Ramblings of a Rustic Copper' due for publishing in 2014.

This is Brian Walters third collection of poetry. As with his previous collections, Watie's Surrender and Other Civil War Narratives has something for everyone. Walters ranges effortlessly from brutal epic narrative poetry to gentle whimsical verse. His narrative poetry is as easy to read as the finest prose, pulling you in so completely that you often forget that you are reading poetry and not a novel. His verse celebrates life and all that comes along with it. Sometimes touching, sometimes stirring, always engaging, Walters' poetry will remain with you long after you close the pages of the book. This collection tracks the American Civil War showing the brutality, senselessness, bravery, and courage that shook America to it's foundations and forever changed us. Born into a family that treated books like gold, Brian Walters, when not engaged in sports of all kinds, avidly read his father's collections of old stories about the wild west and American history in general. After graduating from George Mason University, he lived in Denmark for ten years, where he was much influenced by the Scandinavian climate and Old Norse literature. A number of his poems and one literary essay have been published in various magazines, this is his third collection. He currently resides in Blacksburg, Virginia with his wife and two children.

This is Brian Walters second collection of poetry. As with his first collection, Vinland has something for everyone. Walters ranges effortlessly from brutal epic narrative poetry to gentle whimsical verse. His narrative poetry is as easy to read as the finest prose, pulling you in so completely that you often forget that you are reading poetry and not a novel. His verse celebrates life and all that comes along with it. Sometimes touching, sometimes stirring, always engaging, Walters' poetry will remain with you long after you close the pages of the book. Born into a family that treated books like gold, Brian Walters, when not engaged in sports of all kinds, avidly read his father's collections of old stories about the wild west and American history in general. After graduating from George Mason University, he lived in Denmark for ten years, where he was much influenced by the Scandinavian climate and Old Norse literature. A number of his poems and one literary essay have been published in various magazines. He currently resides in Blacksburg, Virginia with his wife and two children.

Brian Walters is a rare poet --tuned to history as few have been for a generation or more. He is alert for those critical moments that reveal a place, time and a human heart with energy and clarity, and gives them to us. Bitter, terrible, sweet, whatever they are, for they are our heritage and what has formed us over the centuries. Human bravery, savagery, thoughtfulness, and passion all find a place in his work. There is even room for hope and love in spite of everything. --Howard McCord

Brian Walters is a rare poet-tuned to history as few have been for a generation or more. He is alert for those critical moments that reveal a place, time and a human heart with energy and clarity, and gives them to us. Bitter, terrible, sweet, whatever they are, for they are our heritage and what has formed us over the centuries. Human bravery, savagery, thoughtfulness, and passion all find a place in his work. There is even room for hope and love in spite of everything. -Howard McCord

Double Toil and Trouble is the first new volume of fiction in more than a decade by beloved Arkansas writer Donald Harington (1935 - 2009). Featuring the long-lost suspense novel of the title and four previously unpublished or uncollected stories, this volume adds several new chapters to the saga of Stay More, the fictional Ozarks village that serves as the setting for more than a dozen other Harington novels. Edited by longtime Harington scholar Brian Walter, Double Toil and Trouble also includes an appendix featuring the author's spirited correspondence with the editor who originally inspired the title novel, providing an insider's look at the American literary scene and Harington's own early assessment of his work. Spanning several decades of the author's career, this volume gives readers a Harington who is at once familiar and fresh as he experiments with new formal possibilities, only to once again endear the vagaries of love, life, and folk language to us.