By the time the First World War ended in 1918, eight million people had died in what had been perhaps the most apocalyptic episode the world had known. This Very Short Introduction provides a concise and insightful history of the 'Great War', focusing on why it happened, how it was fought, and why it had the consequences it did.It examines the state of Europe in 1914 and the outbreak of war; the onset of attrition and crisis; the role of the US; the collapse of Russia; and the weakening an...

"Never Answer to a Whistle "It was meant to be a simple task of repossessing an executive jet from Nigeria...Mike became embroiled in a mess created by an English aristocrat involved in illegal currency dealing.At the same time, Mossad agents were plotting the kidnapping of a Nigerian diplomat in Kensington.To escape certain death from two groups of very angry Nigerians, Mike took off from Lagos International Airport, without permission, only to have the Nigeria...

First published over thirty years ago, War in European History is a brilliantly written survey of the changing ways that war has been waged in Europe, from the Norse invasions to the present day. Far more than a simple military history, the book serves as a succinct and enlightening overview of the development of European society as a whole over the last millennium. From the Norsemen and the world of the medieval knights, through to the industrialized mass warfare of the twentieth century, Mi...

**NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE!A razor-sharp, exquisitely paced, madly fun debut thriller that gleefully lampoons Hollywood culture and introduces the highly eccentric yet brilliant ex-detective gone rogue: Charlie Waldo**There are run-of-the-mill eccentric Californians, and then there's former detective Charlie Waldo.Waldo, a onetime LAPD superstar, now lives in solitude deep in the woods, pathologically committed to owning no more than one hundred possessions. He ha...

Most AI "how-to" books stop at: call the API, get a response. Cool demo… until you try to ship it.The real challenge begins after the first successful chatbot reply:How do you give an AI a consistent voice and identity across weeks of use?How do you let it use tools (files, web, email, calendar, databases) without turning your system into a security incident?How do you run multiple specialized agents side-by-side—each with different strengths—witho...

First published over thirty years ago, War in European History is a brilliantly written survey of the changing ways that war has been waged in Europe, from the Norse invasions to the present day. Far more than a simple military history, the book serves as a succinct and enlightening overview of the development of European society as a whole over the last millennium. From the Norsemen and the world of the medieval knights, through to the industrialized mass warfare of the twentieth century,...

In 1870 the German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck ordered the Prussian Army to invade France, inciting one of the most dramatic conflicts in European history. It transformed not only the states-system of the European continent but the whole climate of European moral and political thought. The overwhelming triumph of German military might, evoking general admiration and imitation, introduced an era of power politics, which was to reach its disastrous climax in 1914.Michael Howard's

A fascinating collection of letters and teachings from Robert Cochrane, one of the most influential and enigmatic figures of the Traditional Craft movement. Through personal correspondence, reflections, and practical insights, Cochrane reveals his vision of the Old Craft, its folklore, spirituality, and magical philosophy.This volume offers a rare glimpse into a living tradition that existed beyond modern Wicca, preserving the wisdom of hereditary and traditional practitioners. Ess...

This is a story about a group of Mars Colonists from Earth. They set out to prove that colonizing Mars can be done with the help of robots and drones. Their ship was not the first to arrive on Mars. A supply ship landed a few years before them and had plenty of resources to get them started.Their mission was to set up a starter colony so those that came after them would have an easier time colonizing Mars. This is the story of those colonists. Their 2 year mission and the robots th...

A sought-after interior designer shares his principles for transforming four walls, a floor, and a ceiling into stunning poetry in space.Jim Howard creates luxe yet comfortable homes for sophisticated clients around the country. His design work is known for the sort of evocative atmosphere that characterizes the world's great spaces. "Atmosphere" is the magic of a place, the embodiment of all its power to capture your attention and embrace you—some might call it the...

Eccentric private eye Charlie Waldo is back in another wildly fun and fast-paced thriller lampooning Southern California.Former LAPD detective Charlie Waldo was living in solitude deep in the woods, pathologically committed to owning no more than one hundred possessions, until his PI ex-girlfriend Lorena dragged him back to civilization to solve a high-profile Hollywood murder. Now Waldo and Lorena have their hands full with a new client, a wild and privileged L.A....

Karl von Clausewitz's study On War was described by the American strategic thinker Bernard Brodie as 'not simply the greatest, but the only great book about war'. It is hard to disagree. Even though he wrote his only major work at a time when the range of firearms was fifty yards, much of what he had to say remains relevant today. Michael Howard explains Clausewitz's ideas in terms both of his experiences as a professional soldier in the Napoleonic Wars, and of theintellectual background o...