Maria loved her life in Italy. She had wonderful parents, Giovanni, her doting husband, a brand new baby, and a successful farm. But it was an idyllic life that wouldn't last. Soon her parents were dead. High taxes and a poor return on their crops meant that they were unable to keep the land and farmhouse from foreclosure, so they decided they would move to America. He would go first, find a job and a home, and then he would send for her.In the two and a half years that she was to wait for her husband' call, Maria supports herself and young son by being La Scrittore (pron. "scree tor ay"); she would write and read letters for those who couldn't. Finally after years of waiting, she gets the letter from her husband that she has long been dreaming of. She is going to America.Maria, like many immigrants, came to America with big ideas full of hope for a new life with her family. What lay in store for her, however, was a life she could have never expected. With her husband getting deeper and deeper into the Mafia and extra marital affairs, Maria find herself more and more isolated in a land that was hostile to outsiders. Antonio, Giovanni's roommate and best friend, helps her through, but she ends up getting much more than she bargained for. In a time of strict Christian piety and marriages that didn't end, Maria would find hard choices to make. It takes a strong woman to survive in 19th century America Discover the real-life story of Maria, who immigrated to Newark, NJ's First Ward at the turn-of-the century looking for a life. What she ended up with would be far different from the dreams she had back in her native Italy. Her determination and perseverance carry her through, and make the rest of the family stronger.

The Making of Peace represents a fascinating contribution to the study of war: namely, the difficulties that statesmen have confronted in attempting to put back together the pieces after a major conflict. These essays examine how Western belligerents have addressed - or failed to address - the making of peace across a span of two and a half millennia and in contests reflecting a broad range of prompting disputes. Some efforts produced at best a momentary suspension of hostilities. Others transformed the very context of international relations. Defined more modestly, however, as the control and moderation of violence, some peacemaking efforts were notably more successful than others. This study also serves as a first draft of a guide for those who will confront the equally difficult task of maintaining the peace, once achieved. It contains path-breaking essays by leading historians of the United States and the United Kingdom.

The Making of Peace represents a fascinating contribution to the study of war: namely, the difficulties that statesmen have confronted in attempting to put back together the pieces after a major conflict. These essays examine how Western belligerents have addressed - or failed to address - the making of peace across a span of two and a half millennia and in contests reflecting a broad range of prompting disputes. Some efforts produced at best a momentary suspension of hostilities. Others transformed the very context of international relations. Defined more modestly, however, as the control and moderation of violence, some peacemaking efforts were notably more successful than others. This study also serves as a first draft of a guide for those who will confront the equally difficult task of maintaining the peace, once achieved. It contains path-breaking essays by leading historians of the United States and the United Kingdom.

This little book is a lively, autobiographical account by Jim Lacey, retired college teacher, novelist, sailor, lousy golfer, raconteur, sojourner abroad for some years, and resident of Brooklyn, New York, and romantic Willimantic, Connecticut. It documents a world that has vanished and which may seem as alien as Jupiter to those who tweet and carry smart phones.

This persuasive biography sheds light on the nation's first modern combat commander who set the standard for today's four-star officers. Though the U.S. entered WWI with inadquate forces, in just over a year Pershing had built and hurled a one million man army against forty battle-hardened German divisions, defending the hellish Meuse-Argonne and turning the tide of the war. With focus and clarity, Lacey traces the development of Pershing from Indian fighter, to warrior against the Philippines insurgency, to victorious commander in WWI.

Maria loved her life in Italy. She had wonderful parents, Giovanni, her doting husband, a brand new baby, and a successful farm. But it was an idyllic life that wouldn't last. Soon her parents were dead. High taxes and a poor return on their crops meant that they were unable to keep the land and farmhouse from foreclosure, so they decided they would move to America. He would go first, find a job and a home, and then he would send for her.In the two and a half years that she was to wait for her husband' call, Maria supports herself and young son by being La Scrittore (pron. "scree tor ay"); she would write and read letters for those who couldn't. Finally after years of waiting, she gets the letter from her husband that she has long been dreaming of. She is going to America.Maria, like many immigrants, came to America with big ideas full of hope for a new life with her family. What lay in store for her, however, was a life she could have never expected. With her husband getting deeper and deeper into the Mafia and extra marital affairs, Maria find herself more and more isolated in a land that was hostile to outsiders. Antonio, Giovanni's roommate and best friend, helps her through, but she ends up getting much more than she bargained for. In a time of strict Christian piety and marriages that didn't end, Maria would find hard choices to make. It takes a strong woman to survive in 19th century America Discover the real-life story of Maria, who immigrated to Newark, NJ's First Ward at the turn-of-the century looking for a life. What she ended up with would be far different from the dreams she had back in her native Italy. Her determination and perseverance carry her through, and make the rest of the family stronger.This historical novel tells the tale of one woman's journey from provincial life on a country farm in her native Italy to her turbulent new life as an immigrant in the fast growing and infamous First Ward of Newark, NJ (USA). The book is based on a true story and the author paints a colorful picture if what it was like growing up and living in an overcrowded and close-knit community. If you've ever wanted to see with a bird's eye view the daily living of your ancestors, then this book is for you.

"A compelling and provocative read . . . With a soldier's eye, Jim Lacey re-creates the battle of Marathon in all its brutal simplicity."--Barry Strauss, author of "Masters of Command"
Marathon--one of history's most pivotal battles. Its name evokes images of almost superhuman courage, endurance, and fighting spirit. In this eye-opening book, military analyst James Lacey takes a fresh look at Marathon and reveals why the battle happened, how it was fought, and whether, in fact, it saved Western civilization. Lacey brilliantly reconstructs the world of the fifth century B.C. leading up to the astonishing military defeat of the Persian Empire by the vastly undermanned Greek defenders. With the kind of vivid detail that characterizes the best modern war reportage, he shows how the heavily armed Persian army was shocked and demoralized by the relentless assault of the Athenian phalanx. He reveals the fascinating aftermath of Marathon, how its fighters became the equivalent of our "Greatest Generation," and challenges the legacy and lessons that have often been misunderstood--perhaps, now more than ever, at our own peril.
Immediate, visceral, and full of new analyses that defy decades of conventional wisdom, "The First Clash" is a superb interpretation of a conflict that indeed made the world safe for Aristotle, Plato, and our own modern democracy.
"With a fresh eye to tactics, strategy, and military organization, and with his text grounded in direct experience of the troops on the battlefield, James Lacey gives us not only new understanding of how the Athenians managed to win but also a greater appreciation of the beginning of a long tradition of Western military dynamism that we take for granted today."--Victor Davis Hanson, author of "Carnage and Culture"
"Lacey's swords-and-shields approach will absorb readers ever fascinated by the famous battles of antiquity.""--Booklist"
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"A lively and rewarding read."--Charleston" Post and Courier"
"Exemplary . . . Lacey, a veteran of the 82nd and 101st Airborne divisions and a professor at the Marine War College, brings to the tale of Marathon the practical experiences of the combat soldier and an intellectual sensibility."--"The New Criterion"