This is the story of a sixteen-year-old boy who finds his way to the beginning of manhood during a great and memorable adventure in the world of nature. Geordie Sutton was more interested in the wildlife of the prairie slough and along the Iowa River than he was in following his father's footsteps into the practice of law. His world stretched comfortably from quiet, tree-lined streets with well-spaced houses to clandestine adventures on the river. But the turn of the century was still not far behind, and not even the impact of Darwin could persuade Geordie's father than a career in natural science was anything more than an excuse to loaf in the outdoors. Questioning his own right to choose a life of which his father disapproved, Geordie joined an expedition to Laysan Island, an atoll in the Pacific, where five species of oceanic birds unique to that island were threatened with extinction. There, among colonies of albatross, miller birds, shearwaters, honey eaters and teal, finch and little flightless rails, as well as seals, huge turtles, and most surprisingly of all, rabbits which the expedition had come to kill, Geordie learned that life is full of cruelty as well as beauty, and that no man can stand aside from involvement with both these forces. A Certain Island is Robert Murphy's fourth novel, a story of a classic adolescent conflict set against a background of true natural adventure.

The German Luftwaffe reigned supreme in the early years of World War II, developing new combined-arms tactics to produce the Blitzkrieg ('Lightning War') that quickly conquered Poland, the Low Countries and France. German ground attack aircraft and light bombers, such as the Ju 87 Stuka, Ju 88 fighter-bomber and He 111, provided close support for swift-moving German armoured formations. However, in the Battle of Britain the Luftwaffe failed to achieve supremacy over the British Royal Air Force; and once the American USAAF began extensive bombing campaigns against the Reich from 1943, the Luftwaffe had to develop new fighters - such as the jet fighter Me 252 and He 163 - to counter the bomber threat. Luftwaffe provides a full pictorial record of the German Air Force, from the testing ground of the Spanish Civil War to the final days of the Reich. Key figures, such as Hitler himself, Luftwaffe chief Hermann Goering, as well as many Luftwaffe pilots and aces, are also featured.

This three-volume reference on terrorism in the 20th century places this growing phenomenon in the context of modern history. It provides students with both detailed information and the historical perspective tie terrorism to the high school and college curriculum. "Volume 1" defines terrorism, explores the historical perspective from the dawn of Western Civilisation through World War II, and discusses specific activities of modern terrorist groups. "Volume 2" focuses on the developing world, with emphasis on the Middle East (including the 1996 peace process). "Volume 3" explores terrorism and responses to terrorism in the developed world. This volume covers the United States, Europe, Israel, Britain, Central and South America and concludes with a chronology of major terrorist events since 1945, an A-Z listing of terrorist groups and leaders, and a select bibliography.

The Atlas of World War II traces the course of the conflict chronologically by showing each major campaign as a full-color map, further illustrated by archive action pictures. Skillfully bringing to life the human experience of war with eyewitness accounts of the struggle, this book presents the political and strategic conditions that led to the war, offering a unique insight into military operations and tactics. World War II remains a topic of fascination and study, and this book is an ideal addition to the shelves of all interested readers.