Download or read book My Life in the Service written by George McGovern and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Before he was a celebrated politician, Senator George McGovern served as a B-24 bomber pilot in World War II. Based in Italy, he flew thirty-five combat missions over Europe between 1944 and 1945. My Life in the Service features a facsimile of the diary George McGovern kept from his first days of basic training until the end of the war. Hastily jotted down in his exacting hand whenever he had the impulse to put his thoughts on paper, the pages convey the immediacy of McGovern's wartime experiences. Each lined sheet is decorated with illustrations, alongside aphorisms on battle and democracy from some of history's greatest minds. This document powerfully evokes an era, while it predicts the man George McGovern would become. (For ease of reading, a typed transcription of the diary is included.) As Andrew Bacevich states in his introduction, "We also come to understand why McGovern, having experienced combat at first hand, was not in later life among those given to glorifying war or to sending their fellow citizens to fight when not absolutely necessary." "We are all heaving a sigh of relief that it is in the past," McGovern wrote near the end of his training, which took him from South Dakota to Missouri, Illinois, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and Idaho. Yet McGovern excelled at flight school and became a skilled pilot. He earned many decorations including the Distinguished Flying Cross for saving the lives of his crew. My Life in the Service provides a lively and intimate glimpse into the Allied bombing of Nazi-occupied Europe. The B-24, nicknamed the "Flying Coffin," was unwieldy, uncomfortable, and, as McGovern himself learned, unreliable. "Needless to say old terra firma felt pretty good," McGovern wrote after one of many rough landings detailed in his diary. McGovern endured dangerous weather, tire blowouts, and midair engine losses. He returned home without a scratch, though many of his friends were less fortunate. "I hated like everything to see him go," he wrote of one who died in a crash. McGovern counted down the missions he had to complete before he returning to his hometown sweetheart, Eleanor--they married during his service, and she gave birth to their daughter while he was overseas. His final mission, on April 25, 1945, was the worst of them all. "All our hydraulic lines were cut hopelessly so to land we had to crank our gear down manually, pump the flaps down, and then throw out parachutes to stop us when we were on the ground," he wrote. "We ended up at the end of the runway O.K. with no further damage to the planes or the fellows. We had well over 75 holes in our plane--some of which were amazingly close to some of us. In a way this was a good one to quit on because it made me more thankful than ever that I had finished." That mission proved to be the last that the 15th Air Force flew. Less than two weeks later, the war ended. "I should consider myself lucky not to have missed that one," McGovern wrote, with the pluck that enlivens every page of this book, "even though it did scare the devil out of me."

Download or read book Better Together written by Alex Quian and published by . This book was released on 2021-03-29 with total page 176 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do you believe that everyday individuals have the power to make a difference? In the age of strong political divisions and global challenges, it is easy to feel powerless over the direction of our lives and communities. That's exactly how 21-year-old Alex Quian felt until his mentor issued him a daunting challenge: to serve and unite his community by completing 30 different service projects in 30 days. What followed was a life-changing service journey that taught Alex that anyone can create meaningful impacts. In Better Together: How 30 Days of Service Changed My Life, Alex shares valuable insights he gained from his experiences and seeks to encourage readers to serve their communities, live a fulfilling life, and prove we are truly better together. Serving as both an inspiring example and a practical guide, Better Together features a variety of lessons, tips, and advice that can help anybody be a better student, professional, leader, and community servant.

Download or read book Thank You for Your Service written by David Finkel and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2013-10-01 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Now a Major Motion Picture Directed by American Sniper Writer Jason Hall and Starring Miles Teller No journalist has reckoned with the psychology of war as intimately as David Finkel. In The Good Soldiers, his bestselling account from the front lines of Baghdad, Finkel embedded with the men of the 2-16 Infantry Battalion as they carried out the infamous “surge”. Now, in Thank You for Your Service, Finkel tells the true story of those men as they return home from the front-lines of Baghdad and struggle to reintegrate--both into their family lives and into American society at large. Finkel is with these veterans in their most intimate, painful, and hopeful moments as they try to recover, and in doing so, he creates an indelible, essential portrait of what life after war is like--not just for these soldiers, but for their wives, widows, children, and friends, and for the professionals who are truly trying, and to a great degree failing, to undo the damage that has been done. Thank You for Your Service is an act of understanding, and it offers a more complete picture than we have ever had of two essential questions: When we ask young men and women to go to war, what are we asking of them? And when they return, what are we thanking them for? “Finkel sketches a panoramic view of postwar life....A book that every American should read.” —Jake Tapper, Los Angeles Times Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and the New York Public Library Helen Bernstein Award for Excellence in Journalism. One of Ten Favorite Books of 2013 by Michiko Kakutani (The New York Times), a Washington Post Top Ten Book of the Year, and a New York Times Book Review Notable Book of the Year

Download or read book I Am a Secret Service Agent written by Dan Emmett and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2017-06-06 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Adapted from Within Arm'’s Length for a younger audience, a rare inside look at the Secret Service from an agent who protected Presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. Dan Emmett was just eight years old when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. From that moment forward, he knew he wanted to become a Secret Service agent, one of an elite group of highly trained men and women dedicated to preserving the life of the President of the United States at any cost, including sacrificing their own lives if necessary. Armed with single-minded determination and a never-quit attitude, he did just that. Selected over thousands of other highly qualified applicants to become an agent, he was eventually chosen to be one of the best of the best and provided protection worldwide for Presidents George Herbert Walker Bush, William Jefferson Clinton, and George W. Bush. I Am a Secret Service Agent skillfully describes the duties and challenges of conducting presidential advances, dealing with the media, driving the President in a bullet-proof limousine, running alongside him through the streets of Washington, and flying with him on Air Force One. With fascinating anecdotes, Emmett weaves keen insight into the unique culture and history of the Secret Service with the inner workings of the White House. I Am A Secret Service Agent is a must read for young adults interested in a career in federal law enforcement.

Download or read book The Lady s Maid written by Rosina Harrison and published by Random House. This book was released on 2011 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In 1929, Yorkshire lass Rosina Harrison became personal maid to Lady Astor: the first female Member of Parliament to take her seat and wife of one of England's wealthiest lords. Lady Astor was brilliant yet tempestuous, but outspoken Rose gave as good as she got. For 35 years, the battle of wills and wits raged between the two women, until an unlikely friendship began to emerge. "The Lady's Maid" is a captivating insight into the great wealth 'upstairs' but also the endless work 'downstairs', but it is Rose's unique relationship with Lady Astor that makes this book a truly enticing read"--Publisher's description.

Download or read book Our Life of Service written by Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers and published by Ave Maria Press. This book was released on 2021-12-03 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner of a 2022 Association of Catholic Publishers Excellence in Publishing Award: Resources for Ministry (Third Place). Whether you are seasoned from years of ministry or are just getting started living out the vows you made at ordination, this essential handbook will provide the spiritual and practical support you need as a Catholic deacon in the Church today. In Our Life of Service, international speaker and bestselling author Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers will inspire and uplift you as he and his brother deacons—including Greg Kandra, Larry Oney, Dominic Cerrato, and Thomas J. Fox—share their testimonies and insights about how to serve God with determination, faith, and vision. Burke-Sivers explains the gift of the diaconate as a living image of Christ the Servant in the world, a source of comfort and hope at a time when both are in short supply. Burke-Sivers explores the daily realities of life to answer important questions about the diaconate such as: What does the Church teach about the purpose of this ministry both within the parish and the world? How are the three key responsibilities of teaching, sanctifying, and leading entrusted to a deacon at ordination practiced in daily life? How does his commitment to his wife help a married deacon balance his duties to his family and ministry? What are practical strategies and solutions for the challenges deacons face, especially when conflicts arise within ministry? Burke-Sivers also calls for younger, more diverse groups of men who reflect on the face of the Church to become permanent deacons in order to bridge the gap between the Church and the world and to reach the unchurched. Each chapter contains questions for reflection, action steps, and prayers to help deacons strengthen their own commitment to their calling. Drawing from the writings of St. John Paul II and other ecclesial writings about the purpose and gift of the permanent diaconate, Burke-Sivers educates and inspires us to more fully appreciate this gift and enriches and encourages those who have themselves answered this call. Written for deacons in active ministry, Our Life of Service is also inspiring reading for Catholics in the pew who are considering a call or who simply want to understand the purpose and gift of the permanent diaconate.

Download or read book Jetta s Journey written by Denise Solters and published by Oak Tree Books. This book was released on 2011-10-01 with total page 106 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jetta, a service dog, wants to be good but some times she just acts like dog. She tells her adventures from puppy training to becoming a loyal companion to "Mom."

Download or read book The Books in My Life written by Henry Miller and published by New Directions Publishing. This book was released on 1969 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this unique work, Henry Miller gives an utterly candid and self-revealing account of the reading he did during his formative years.

Download or read book Rose written by Rosina Harrison and published by Viking Adult. This book was released on 1975 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Autobiography about life in domestic service, as personal maid to Nancy, Lady Astor.

Download or read book A Life of Service Sacrifice and Secrets written by LaRee Harding and published by . This book was released on 2021-12-10 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live a life shrouded in secrecy? On 3 January 1983, an 18-year-old college student from South Georgia entered the Main Entrance of CIA''s fortified compound in Langley, Virginia, where she raised her right hand and swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Standing there, she could never have imagined the ways in which she would honor that oath before she exited those same doors almost 32 years later - moving from supporting various CIA missions to serving as a "bad insider" who exposed a critical weakness that impacted the entire Intelligence Community to handling one of the Agency''s most prized reporters to building, leading, and managing sensitive, high-profile operations pursuing foreign spies and terrorists - or the family who would be impacted by all of this. A Life of Service, Sacrifice, and Secrets is a gripping first-hand account of a small-town girl determined to serve her country, who found her life''s purpose in a covert CIA career that spanned the Cold War to the Global War on Terror. Did key figures and opportunities just happen to surface around her over the years, repeatedly landing her in a position to make a difference, or did a Higher Power have a hand in those events? This teen from the Bible Belt rose through the Agency ranks, ultimately using her talents to both enhance national security and to disrupt the efforts of foreign spies and terrorists. LaRee Harding wrote this deeply personal memoir for her daughters, not only to share her life lessons but also to provide them a glimpse into what she was doing when she missed so much of their lives. Equally important, she hoped her story demonstrates that sometimes good things happen when life doesn''t unfold as we planned. After almost a year of pushing, former colleagues persuaded LaRee to publish her story. They stressed that this first-hand account of her career provided a unique, realistic window into CIA Intelligence Officers'' work and home life. LaRee is quick to note that CIA employees knowingly sign up for A Life of Service, Sacrifice, and Secrets, but it is thrust upon their families. For a variety of reasons, she chose to publish this version under a pseudonym. As LaRee did not intend to publish this memoir, she is donating 100% of her portion of the royalties to The CIA Officers Memorial Foundation -- an independent charity supporting the needs of CIA families. "Of all the books I''ve read about the CIA, this engaging account is the best for capturing the home and work life of an intelligence officer. LaRee''s perceptiveness, competence, energy, and passion for the CIA mission shine through as she outlines her valuable lessons learned. Anyone wondering what it is like to work inside should read this leader and mother of two children''s account of her remarkable career." - Mike Mears, retired CIA Chief of Human Capital "This story brilliantly illustrates the sacrifices CIA officers make through love of country and dedication to making the world a safer place. These sacrifices are not made in a vacuum and forever impact our families, but in the end you hope you make them proud." - M.A. Sotos, retired CIA "A gripping read. It''s been over 10 years since I picked up a book and read it all the way through, non-stop. I couldn''t put it down. So many of the stories told reminded me of moments in my own career...some of the vignettes even generated familiar memories of the stresses of urgency and uncertainty. At the front end of my application, an officer interviewing me recommended to me a specific book as a window into the biz. Great book, but this one is better and more relevant today. I seriously believe it should be in the applicant curriculum." - callsign "Hippo", retired CIA Operations Officer

Download or read book Famous Long Ago written by Raymond Mungo and published by Univ of Massachusetts Press. This book was released on 2012 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "First edition published 1970 by Beacon Press."

Download or read book The Book of My Life written by Girolamo Cardano and published by New York Review of Books. This book was released on 2002-10-31 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A bright star of the Italian Renaissance, Girolamo Cardano was an internationally-sought-after astrologer, physician, and natural philosopher, a creator of modern algebra, and the inventor of the universal joint. Condemned by the Inquisition to house arrest in his old age, Cardano wrote The Book of My Life, an unvarnished and often outrageous account of his character and conduct. Whether discussing his sex life or his diet, the plots of academic rivals or meetings with supernatural beings, or his deep sorrow when his beloved son was executed for murder, Cardano displays the same unbounded curiosity that made him a scientific pioneer. At once picaresque adventure and campus comedy, curriculum vitae, and last will, The Book of My Life is an extraordinary Renaissance self-portrait—a book to set beside Montaigne's Essays and Benvenuto Cellini's Autobiography.

Download or read book My Life in Middlemarch written by Rebecca Mead and published by Crown. This book was released on 2014-01-28 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A New Yorker writer revisits the seminal book of her youth--Middlemarch--and fashions a singular, involving story of how a passionate attachment to a great work of literature can shape our lives and help us to read our own histories. Rebecca Mead was a young woman in an English coastal town when she first read George Eliot's Middlemarch, regarded by many as the greatest English novel. After gaining admission to Oxford, and moving to the United States to become a journalist, through several love affairs, then marriage and family, Mead read and reread Middlemarch. The novel, which Virginia Woolf famously described as "one of the few English novels written for grown-up people," offered Mead something that modern life and literature did not. In this wise and revealing work of biography, reporting, and memoir, Rebecca Mead leads us into the life that the book made for her, as well as the many lives the novel has led since it was written. Employing a structure that deftly mirrors that of the novel, My Life in Middlemarch takes the themes of Eliot's masterpiece--the complexity of love, the meaning of marriage, the foundations of morality, and the drama of aspiration and failure--and brings them into our world. Offering both a fascinating reading of Eliot's biography and an exploration of the way aspects of Mead's life uncannily echo that of Eliot herself, My Life in Middlemarch is for every ardent lover of literature who cares about why we read books, and how they read us.

Download or read book My Life in France written by Julia Child and published by Anchor. This book was released on 2006-04-04 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Julia's story of her transformative years in France in her own words is "captivating ... her marvelously distinctive voice is present on every page.” (San Francisco Chronicle). Although she would later singlehandedly create a new approach to American cuisine with her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking and her television show The French Chef, Julia Child was not always a master chef. Indeed, when she first arrived in France in 1948 with her husband, Paul, who was to work for the USIS, she spoke no French and knew nothing about the country itself. But as she dove into French culture, buying food at local markets and taking classes at the Cordon Bleu, her life changed forever with her newfound passion for cooking and teaching. Julia’s unforgettable story—struggles with the head of the Cordon Bleu, rejections from publishers to whom she sent her now-famous cookbook, a wonderful, nearly fifty-year long marriage that took the Childs across the globe—unfolds with the spirit so key to Julia’s success as a chef and a writer, brilliantly capturing one of America’s most endearing personalities.

Download or read book 20 Years in the Secret Service written by Rufus W. Youngblood and published by Fideli Publishing. This book was released on 2018-09-24 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When shots rang out in Dallas on November 22, 1963, U.S. Secret Service Agent Rufus W. Youngblood immediately lunged over the seat of the vice president's car and bravely used his body to shield Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson. Faced with the unknown, Youngblood maintained this protective position as they sped toward Parkland Hospital. Throughout that fateful day, he vigilantly remained by LBJ's side to ensure his safety. This candid memoir includes Youngblood's first-hand account of the Kennedy assassination and its aftermath, as well as highlights from his twenty-year career in the Secret Service during which he protected Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon. Readers will enjoy Youngblood's behind-the-scenes look at some of the most pivotal events in U.S. history, humorous anecdotes, and descriptions of the complexities, risks, and constant tensions involved in protecting America's chief executive. A unique and comprehensive collection of more than one hundred photographs has been added to illustrate this agent's amazing story.

Download or read book Things I have learned in my life so far written by Stefan Sagmeister and published by Harry N. Abrams. This book was released on 2008-02-01 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book began as a list designer Sagmeister made in his diary under the title Things I have learned in my life so far and transformed these sentences into typographic works. This series is revealed as a complex blend of personal revelation, art, and design.

Download or read book William Tecumseh Sherman In the Service of My Country A Life written by James Lee McDonough and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2016-06-14 with total page 728 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The New York Times best-selling biography of one of America’s most storied military figures. General William Tecumseh Sherman’s 1864 burning of Atlanta solidified his legacy as a ruthless leader. Evolving from a spirited student at West Point, Sherman became a general who fought in some of the Civil War’s most decisive campaigns—Shiloh, Vicksburg, Atlanta—until finally, seeking a swift ending to the war’s horrendous casualties, he devastated southern resources on his famous March to the Sea across the Carolinas. Later, as general-in-chief of the U.S. Army, Sherman relentlessly paved the way west during the Indian wars. James Lee McDonough’s fresh insight reveals a man tormented by fears that history would pass him by and that he would miss his chance to serve his country. Drawing on years of research, McDonough delves into Sherman’s dramatic personal life, including his strained relationship with his wife, his personal debts, and his young son’s death. The result is a remarkable, illuminating portrait of an American icon.