Download or read book The Trigger written by Tim Butcher and published by Grove Press. This book was released on 2014 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First published in Great Britain in 2014 by Chatto & Windus with the proposed subtitle: A journey through the land and legend of the teenager who led the world to war.
Download or read book The Trigger written by Tim Butcher and published by Clipper Audio. This book was released on 2014-01-10 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Stranger Than We Can Imagine written by John Higgs and published by Catapult. This book was released on 2015-11-01 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “An illuminating work of massive insight” on the complex ideas and events that initiated the historical shift between the 19th and 20th centuries (Alan Moore, author of V for Vendetta and Watchmen). “An always-provocative view of an era that many people would just as soon forget . . . an absorbing tour of the 20th century.” —Kirkus Reviews In Stranger Than We Can Imagine, John Higgs argues that before 1900, history seemed to make sense. We can understand innovations like electricity, agriculture, and democracy. The twentieth century, in contrast, gave us relativity, cubism, quantum mechanics, the id, existentialism, Stalin, psychedelics, chaos mathematics, climate change and postmodernism. In order to understand such a disorienting barrage of unfamiliar and knotty ideas, Higgs shows us, we need to shift the framework of our interpretation and view these concepts within the context of a new kind of historical narrative. Instead of looking at it as another step forward in a stable path, we need to look at the twentieth century as a chaotic seismic shift, upending all linear narratives. Higgs invites us along as he journeys across a century “about which we know too much” in order to grant us a new perspective on it. He brings a refreshingly non-academic, eclectic and infectiously energetic approach to his subjects as well as a unique ability to explain how complex ideas connect and intersect—whether he’s discussing Einstein’s theories of relativity, the Beat poets' interest in Eastern thought or the bright spots and pitfalls of the American Dream.
Download or read book Balkan Legacies of the Great War written by Othon Anastasakis and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-04-29 with total page 99 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a rich yet succinct account of an underexplored story: the consequences of the Great War for the region which ignited it. It offers a fascinating tapestry: the collapse of Empires, the birth of Turkey and Yugoslavia, Greece as both victor and loser, Bulgaria's humiliating defeat; bitter memories, forced migrations, territorial implications and collective national amnesias. The legacies live on. The contributions in this volume significantly enhance the debate about how the Great War is remembered in South East Europe, and why it still evokes such strong emotions and reactions, more than a century after its beginnings.
Download or read book The Spanish Flu Epidemic and Its Influence on History written by Jaime Breitnauer and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2020-02-19 with total page 186 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A look at the 1918 influenza pandemic from its outbreak to its effects on the global population and its legacy. On the second Monday of March, 1918, the world changed forever. What seemed like a harmless cold morphed into a global pandemic that would wipe out as many as a hundred-million people—ten times as many as the Great War. German troops faltered, lending the allies the winning advantage, and India turned its sights to independence while South Africa turned to God. In Western Samoa, a quarter of the population died; in some parts of Alaska, whole villages were wiped out. Civil unrest sparked by influenza shaped nations and heralded a new era of public health where people were no longer blamed for contracting disease. Using real case histories, we take a journey through the world in 1918, and look at the impact of Spanish flu on populations from America to France and the Arctic, and at the scientific legacy this deadly virus has left behind. “Breitnauer puts the whole thing into perspective with a fascinating account of the origin and extent of the outbreak, at a time when people were returning from the conflict expecting a brave new world and instead confronting one of the deadliest epidemics ever to hit mankind.” —Books Monthly (UK)
Download or read book Twenty Cars that Defined the 20th Century written by James Morrison and published by Austin Macauley Publishers. This book was released on 2024-02-02 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On the 29 June 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Sarajevo triggering events leading to the outbreak of the First World War. Less well known is that the car he was in was a borrowed Graf + Stift Double Phaeton, that the route was published in advance, and the decision to lower the hood was only taken at the last minute. As with the other events in this book, the car played a central role, yet its history is largely unknown. These cars not only had their own stories in terms of design, ownership, and the role they played but they are also a way of telling the story of the events themselves – they are literally a vehicle for history. In this book James Morrison takes 20 cars involved in twenty key 20th century world events and examines their involvement and history to provide a new angle and fascinating insights.
Download or read book The Trigger written by Tim Butcher and published by Open Road + Grove/Atlantic. This book was released on 2014-06-03 with total page 249 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the author of Blood River: “A splendid book, part memoir, part history,” about the teenager who killed Archduke Ferdinand and sparked WWI (Norman Stone, author of World War One). Sarajevo, 1914. On a June morning, nineteen-year-old Gavrilo Princip drew a pistol from his pocket and fired the first shot of the First World War, killing the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Princip then launched a series of events that would transform the world forever. Retracing Princip’s steps from the feudal frontier village of his birth to the city of Belgrade and ultimately Sarajevo, journalist and bestselling author Tim Butcher discovers details about the young assassin that have eluded historians for a century. Drawing on his own experiences in the Balkans covering the Bosnian War in the 1990s, Butcher also unravels the complexities and conflicts of this part of the world, showing how the events of that day in 1914 still have influence today. “Devastating yet strangely exhilarating.” —Publishers Weekly “Evocative and moving . . . [Butcher] reveals an intelligent and determined South Slav patriot who gave his life for the cause.” —Saul David, author of Military Blunders “Well-researched history . . . indelible personal recollections of the Bosnian war . . . piquant vignettes of traversing rural Bosnia on foot . . . Consistently appetizing and highly controversial.” —Dervla Murphy, author of Full Tilt “A great book . . . to be recommended to professional and amateur historians alike.” —General Sir David Richards, former chief of the British Defense Staff
Download or read book The Guns of John Moses Browning written by Nathan Gorenstein and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2022-05-17 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A “well-researched and very readable new biography” (The Wall Street Journal) of “the Thomas Edison of guns,” a visionary inventor who designed the modern handgun and whose awe-inspiring array of firearms helped ensure victory in numerous American wars and holds a crucial place in world history. Few people are aware that John Moses Browning—a tall, humble, cerebral man born in 1855 and raised as a Mormon in the American West—was the mind behind many of the world-changing firearms that dominated more than a century of conflict. He invented the design used in virtually all modern pistols, created the most popular hunting rifles and shotguns, and conceived the machine guns that proved decisive not just in World Wars I and II but nearly every major military action since. Yet few in America knew his name until he was into his sixties. Now, author Nathan Gorenstein brings firearms inventor John Moses Browning to vivid life in this riveting and revealing biography. Embodying the tradition of self-made, self-educated geniuses (like Lincoln and Edison), Browning was able to think in three dimensions (he never used blueprints) and his gifted mind produced everything from the famous Winchester “30-30” hunting rifle to the awesomely effective machine guns used by every American aircraft and infantry unit in World War II. The British credited Browning’s guns with helping to win the Battle of Britain. His inventions illustrate both the good and bad of weapons. Sweeping, lively, and brilliantly told, this fascinating book that “gun collectors and historians of armaments will cherish” (Kirkus Reviews) introduces a little-known legend whose impact on history ranks with that of the Wright Brothers, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford.
Download or read book World War 1 History For Kids Stories Of Courage Cautionary Tales Fascinating Facts To Inspire Educate Children About The History Of WW1 written by History Brought Alive and published by History Brought Alive. This book was released on 101-01-01 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Prepare for an epic journey through the dramatic events of World War 1 Unlike typical history books, this book is filled with exciting stories, intriguing metaphors, and lessons that will inspire and educate young readers. Inside you'll discover valuable lessons intertwined with stories to help young readers understand the significance of World War 1. Discover what caused World War 1, from Europe's arms race to a shocking assassination in Sarajevo, all showing how small events can change history in big ways Prepare to be captivated by heroic tales, such as the brave soldiers who raced on horseback through enemy fire in the Battle of Beersheba. Learn about pivotal moments like the entry of The United States, the One Hundred Days Offensive, the Russian Revolution and much more. Unveil the world of secret codes, spies and marvel at the weapons crafted by the wartime inventors. Explore the intense moments leading up to the November 11th armistice, the Treaty of Versailles peace deal and the uncertain aftermath. But it's not just about battles and conflict – this book also delves into the emotional journeys of people forced to migrate and resettle. Through its captivating stories, vivid metaphors, and powerful lessons, this book ensures that the heroes and history of this era come alive for young minds. So buckle up, get ready for adventure, and embark on an unforgettable journey through the pages of this remarkable book! Begin reading now
Download or read book The First Nazi written by Will Brownell and published by Catapult. This book was released on 2016-03-01 with total page 197 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The authors deliver a chilling, well–researched biography that opens a whole new window on the world wars and the German psyche at the time."—Kirkus Reviews "A brilliant tactician and an abysmally poor politician and strategist, Ludendorff summed up the strengths and weaknesses of the German General Staff. His is a fascinating story of talent, discipline, obsession, and denial."—Professor Isabel Virginia Hull, PhD, Cornell University One of the most important military individuals of the last century, yet one of the least known, Ludendorff not only dictated all aspects of World War I, he refused all opportunities to make peace; he antagonized the Americans until they declared war; he sent Lenin into Russia to forge a revolution in order to shut down the Russian front; and in 1918 he pushed for total military victory, in a slaughter known as "The Ludendorff Offensive." Ludendorff created the legend that Germany had lost the war only because Jews had conspired on the home front. He forged an alliance with Hitler, endorsed the Nazis, and wrote maniacally about how Germans needed a new world war, to redeem the Fatherland. He aimed to build a gigantic state to dwarf even the British Empire. Simply stated, he wanted the world.
Download or read book Day of the Assassins written by Michael Burleigh and published by Pan Macmillan. This book was released on 2021-05-27 with total page 478 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ‘Written with Burleigh’s characteristic brio, with pithy summaries of historical moments (he is brilliant on the Americans in Vietnam, for example) and full of surprising vignettes’ – The Times ’Book of the Week’ In Day of the Assassins, acclaimed historian Michael Burleigh examines assassination as a special category of political violence and asks whether, like a contagious disease, it can be catching. Focusing chiefly on the last century and a half, Burleigh takes readers from Europe, Russia, Israel and the United States to the Congo, India, Iran, Laos, Rwanda, South Africa and Vietnam. And, as we travel, we revisit notable assassinations, among them Leon Trotsky, Hendrik Verwoerd, Juvénal Habyarimana, Indira Gandhi, Yitzhak Rabin and Jamal Khashoggi. Combining human drama, questions of political morality and the sheer randomness of events, Day of the Assassins is a riveting insight into the politics of violence. ‘Brilliant and timely . . . Our world today is as dangerous and mixed-up as it has ever been. Luckily we have Michael Burleigh to help us make sense of it.’ – Mail on Sunday
Download or read book Americans in a Splintering Europe written by Mark Strecker and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2018-11-27 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: World War I began in August 1914--the United States did not enter the conflict until April 1917. During those nearly three years of neutrality, a small number of Americans did experience the horrors of the war zones of Europe. Some ran for their lives as refugees while others, like journalists and doctors, headed toward the fighting. Missionaries in Persia (Iran) and the Ottoman Empire became witnesses to both the Armenian genocide and the persecution of Assyrian Christians. This history focuses on the war from the perspective of ordinary people who found themselves in the midst of what was then the most destructive and bloody war in history.
Download or read book Britain Goes to War written by Peter Liddle and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2015-11-30 with total page 442 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The First World War had a profound impact on British society and on British relations with continental Europe, the Dominions, the United States and the emerging Soviet Union. The pre-war world was transformed, and the world that we recognize today began to take shape. That is why, 100 years after the outbreak, the time is right for this collection of thought-provoking chapters that reassesses why Britain went to war and the preparations made by the armed forces, the government and the nation at large for the unprecedented conflict that ensued.A group of distinguished historians looks back, with the clarity of a modern perspective, at the issues that were critical to Britain's war effort as the nation embarked on the most intense and damaging struggle in its history. In a series of penetrating chapters they explore the reasons for Britain going to war, the official preparations, the public reaction, the readiness of the armed forces, internment, the impact of the opening campaign, the experience of the soldiers, recruitment, training, weaponry, the political implications, and the care of the wounded.
Download or read book The First World War written by Antonello Biagini and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2015-09-04 with total page 415 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is the result of an international conference held at Sapienza University of Rome in June 2014, which brought together scholars from different countries to re-analyse and re-interpret the events of the First World War, one hundred years after a young Bosnian Serb student from the “Mlada Bosna,” Gavrilo Princip, “lit the fuse” and ignited the conflict which was to forever change the world. The Great War – initially on a European and then on a world scale – demonstrated the fragility of the international system of the European balance of powers, and determined the dissolution of the great multinational empires and the need to redraw the map of Europe according to the principles of national sovereignty. This book provides new insights into theories of this conflict, and is characterized by internationality, interdisciplinarity and a combination of different research methods. The contributions, based on archival documents from various different countries, international and local historiography, and on the analysis of newspaper articles, postcards, propaganda material, memorials and school books, examine ideological and historiographical debates, the memory of the war and its most important contemporary and popular narratives, and the use of propaganda for the mobilization of public opinion, in addition to military, social, political, economic and psychological aspects of the conflict.
Download or read book The Balkans as Europe 1821 1914 written by Timothy Snyder and published by Boydell & Brewer. This book was released on 2018 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Focusing on state formation and the identity-geopolitics relationship, makes the case that the Balkans were at the forefront of European history in the century before World War I
Download or read book Conspiracy written by Michael Shermer and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2022-10-25 with total page 375 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Best-selling author Michael Shermer presents an overarching theory of conspiracy theories—who believes them and why, which ones are real, and what we should do about them. Nothing happens by accident, everything is connected, and there are no coincidences: that is the essence of conspiratorial thinking. Long a fringe part of the American political landscape, conspiracy theories are now mainstream: 147 members of Congress voted in favor of objections to the 2020 presidential election based on an unproven theory about a rigged electoral process promoted by the mysterious group QAnon. But this is only the latest example in a long history of ideas that include the satanic panics of the 1980s, the New World Order and Vatican conspiracy theories, fears about fluoridated water, speculations about President John F. Kennedy's assassination, and the notions that the Sandy Hook massacre was a false-flag operation and 9/11 was an inside job. In Conspiracy, Michael Shermer presents an overarching review of conspiracy theories—who believes them and why, which ones are real, and what we should do about them. Trust in conspiracy theories, he writes, cuts across gender, age, race, income, education level, occupational status—and even political affiliation. One reason that people believe these conspiracies, Shermer argues, is that enough of them are real that we should be constructively conspiratorial: elections have been rigged (LBJ's 1948 Senate race); medical professionals have intentionally harmed patients in their care (Tuskegee); your government does lie to you (Watergate, Iran-Contra, and Afghanistan); and, tragically, some adults do conspire to sexually abuse children. But Shermer reveals that other factors are also in play: anxiety and a sense of loss of control play a role in conspiratorial cognition patterns, as do certain personality traits. This engaging book will be an important read for anyone concerned about the future direction of American politics, as well as anyone who's watched friends or family fall into patterns of conspiratorial thinking.
Download or read book Misfire written by Paul Miller-Melamed and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2022-05-27 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new interpretation of the Sarajevo assassination and the origins of World War I that places focus on the Balkans and the prewar period. The story has so often been told: Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne of the Habsburg Empire, was shot dead on June 28, 1914, in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo. Thirty days later, the Archduke's uncle, Emperor Franz Joseph, declared war on the Kingdom of Serbia, producing the chain reaction of European powers entering the First World War. In Misfire, Paul Miller-Melamed narrates the history of the Sarajevo assassination and the origins of World War I from the perspective of the Balkans. Rather than focusing on the bang of assassin Gavrilo Princip's gun or reinforcing the mythology that has arisen around this act, Miller-Melamed embeds the incident in the longer-term conditions of the Balkans that gave rise to the political murder. He thus illuminates the centrality of the Bosnian Crisis and the Balkan Wars of the early twentieth century to European power politics, while explaining how Serbs, Bosnians, and Habsburg leaders negotiated their positions in an increasingly dangerous geopolitical environment. Despite the absence of evidence tying official Serbia to the assassination conspiracy, Miller-Melamed shows how it spiraled into a diplomatic crisis that European statesmen proved unable to resolve peacefully. Contrasting the vast disproportionality between a single deadly act and an act of war that would leave ten million dead, Misfire contends that the real causes for the world war lie in "civilized" Europe rather than the endlessly discussed political murder.
