"The story of one of the most heroic fighter aces of the Second World War . . . has been brought to life in this gripping new book." —Lancashire Living MagazineAir Commodore Peter Malam "Pete" Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC, and Bar (1917-2008) was one of the most highly praised pilots of the Second World War. Decorated extensively, he secured a total of 16 "kills" over the course of the conflict, with 10 of these occurring during the Battle of Britain. Pivotal moments in h...

When asked to conjure an impression of the 'typical fighter pilot', you may be inclined to think of the confident, extroverted, gregarious type, rallying his men and flying in the pursuit of victory. George Frederick 'Screwball' Beurling, DSO, DFC, and DFM, certainly achieved more victories than most typical fighter pilots dream of, but in temperament, personality and style, he was a one-off.A devout Christian, teetotaler and non-smoker, Beurling wasn't to be found patronising the ...

The heroic life of the pilot who became an ace with one of the most successful fighter squadrons in the RAF and a captive in a notorious Nazi POW camp.Following training, Lee received his commission and was posted to 501 Squadron which was sent to support the Expeditionary Force in France, arriving on 10 May, only hours after the Blitzkrieg had been launched. Lee quickly opened his score, claiming several bombers during the first week of operations. Having been wou...

As the definitive biography of American-bred rocker Tom Petty, this book examines his extensive music career, his personal life and his many public battles. After a momentary but pivotal encounter with Elvis Presley at age 10, Tom Petty felt destined to pursue a career in rock and roll. Raised on a steady diet of Elvis and the Beatles, Petty left the safe confines of Gainesville in 1974 and headed for Los Angeles. Although Petty fared poorly with his early group Mudcrutch, he later formed ...

This is a biography of Joe Walsh, from his days in the James Gang to his membership in the Eagles. One of the most colorful characters in all of rock and roll, Walsh has enjoyed a successful musical career for more than five-decades. With his offbeat attitude and quirky sense of humor, he earned a number of nicknames including the Analog Man and the Clown Prince of Rock Guitar. In the process, he wrote and recorded some of the most memorable classics of the 1970s including "Rocky Mountain ...

Ben Bennion enlisted in the pre-war RAF, serving first as an 'erk' (ground crew) before being selected for pilot training. His first posting led to service in the Middle-East and Bennion's passport and other travel documents had to be rushed through. A clerical error led to his name being recorded as 'Bennions'.Ben served in 41 Squadron and following their overseas tour he returned to the UK and Catterick. Patrols and scrambles were common throughout the early months of the war, but it was...

This is the fully revised Second Edition of the Traveling Wilburys story. This updated biography features a number of surprises, including details of the planned third album and the identity of the notable guitarist who turned down an invitation to join the original lineup of the group. The Traveling Wilburys were formed in 1988 when five rock legends joined forces for an informal recording session inside a cluttered garage in Los Angeles. The five seasoned musicians - Tom Petty, Bob Dylan...

Vienna, 1984. Fifty years after his first visit, retired British General Sir Herbert Christie returns to the city where he first knew romantic love and loss in the midst of civil war. But the opening of his Austrian uncle's time-capsule legacy entangles his family in a web of Cold War espionage, and forces him to confront his past and his faith as never before.

Edward Teddy Mortlock Donaldson was one of three aviator brothers to win the D.S.O. during World War II. He joined his brother in the R.A.F. and was granted a sort-service commission. He quickly became both a stunt pilot and a crack-shot, winning the R.A.F.s Gunnery Trophy One and leading the R.A.F.s aerobatic display team. When war was declared Donaldson was commanding No 151(F) Squadron flying Hurricanes and in their first engagement destroyed six enemy aircraft, shooting down many more ...

Stafford at War is a vivid many-sided portrait of a county town during one of the extraordinary periods in English history. In his wide-ranging narrative Nick Thomas looks at the impact of the Second World War on the townspeople - how it affected their daily lives, their work, their families. And he recalls the contribution Stafford made to the war effort at home and abroad. The story he tells gives a fascinating insight into wartime life and it is a moving record of the sacrifices made by...

Stafford in the Great War tells the fascinating story of a county town and its people between the catastrophic years of 1914–18 .The title was written as a companion volume to the author's earlier work, Stafford at War 1939-45, and adopts the same successful formula. The book examines the work of local men and women on the Home Front, before providing details of the towns contribution in every theatre of the war. Early chapters examine the role of Staffordians who served in the British Exp...

What does it mean to be human? What is knowledge? What is freedom? Philosophy offers answers to these questions, but are its rarefied arguments relevant to people today, or just abstractions? Are we not more preoccupied with day-to-day survival and the unending problems surrounding human relationships? Yet most if not all people seek for meaning in life. We are not content with being specks on a random planet in a solar system, part of a vast clockwork universe. To dismiss consciousness as...