Four volumes of history and biography for fans of the Aubrey-Maturin novels, with lore on the Royal Navy and much more.What is a sandgrouse, and where does it live? What are the medical properties of lignum vitae, and how did Stephen Maturin use it to repair his viola? Who is Adm. Lord Keith, and why is his wife so friendly with Capt. Jack Aubrey? More than any other contemporary author, Patrick O'Brian knew the past. His twenty Aubrey–Maturin novels, beginning wit...

A revealing and insightful look at one of the modern world's most acclaimed historical novelistsPatrick O'Brian was well into his seventies when the world fell in love with his greatest creation: the maritime adventures of Royal Navy Captain Jack Aubrey and ship's surgeon Stephen Maturin. But despite his fame, little detail was available about the life of the reclusive author, whose mysterious past King uncovers in this groundbreaking biography.King traces O...

Napoleonic-era accounts of life aboard Royal Navy warships: "Readers of Patrick O'Brian and C. S. Forester will enjoy this collection" ( Library Journal ).At the dawn of the nineteenth century, the British Navy was the mightiest instrument of war the world had ever known. The Royal Navy patrolled the seas from India to the Caribbean, connecting an empire with footholds in every corner of the earth. Such a massive Navy requ...

A guide to the British Royal Navy in the Napoleonic Age for fans of the Aubrey–Maturin series: "A gem of a book" ( Minneapolis Star Tribune).What is a sand-grouse, and where does it live? What are the medical properties of lignum vitae, and how did Stephen Maturin use it to repair his viola? Who is Admiral Lord Keith, and why is his wife so friendly with Captain Jack Aubrey?More than any other contemporary author, Patrick O'Brian knew the ...

In October 1934, the Chinese Communist Army found itself facing annihilation, surrounded by hundreds of thousands of Nationalist soldiers. Rather than surrender, 86,000 Communists embarked on an epic flight to safety. Only thirty were women. Their trek would eventually cover 4,000 miles over 370 days. Under enemy fire they crossed highland awamps, climbed Tibetan peaks, scrambled over chain bridges, and trudged through the sands of the western deserts. Fewer than 10,000 of them would survi...

This companion for fans of the Napoleonic sea sagas offers maps of the novels' streets, seas, and coasts, and much more.The tall-masted sailing ships of the early nineteenth century were the technological miracles of their day, allowing their crews to traverse the seas with greater speed than had ever been possible before. Novelist Patrick O'Brian captured the thrill of that era with his characters Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin, who visited exotic locales in the ...

Finalist for the PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography*****“We see through this book the immense power of language…to change the minds of lawmakers and tourists alike.” —*The New York Times Book Review **“A poignant portrait of an era when mere words could change the world.” —San Francisco Chronicle*The dramatic and uplifting story of legendary outdoorsman and conservationist John Muir’s journey to...

For more than a century, the enduring feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys has been American shorthand for passionate, unyielding, and even violent confrontation. Yet despite numerous articles, books, television shows, and feature films, nobody has ever told the in-depth true story of this legendarily fierce-and far-reaching-clash in the heart of Appalachia. Drawing upon years of original research, including the discovery of previously lost and ignored documents and interviews with re...

This is the book that restarted the James Dean cult by celebrating him as the cool, defiant visionary of pop culture who made adolescence seem heroic instead of awkward and who defined the style of rock 'n' roll's politics of delinquency. The only book to fully show how deliberately and carefully Dean crafted his own image and performances, and the product of still unequalled research, vivid writing, intimate photographs, and profound meditation, James Dean: The Mutant King

Born 130 years ago in the heart of Mississippi, Charlie Patton (c. 1891–1934) is considered by many to be a father of the Delta blues. With his bullish baritone voice and his fluid slide guitar touch, Patton established songs like “Pony Blues,” “A Spoonful Blues,” and “High Water Everywhere” in the blues lexicon and, through his imitators, in American music. But over the decades, his contributions to blues music have been overshadowed in popularity by those of Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters,...

He is supposed to be my fated mate, but all I can see is a blood-thirsty warlord.I have been sent to this planet all on my own. All I know is that I am to be mated to the greatest warrior the Gok'han empire has ever seen. He is savagely handsome and intimidatingly smart, but I think he might be going crazy.It's my job to convince him to stop the killing, but I can barely stop him from taking me. I think I may have bitten off a little more then I ca...

For ten thousand years, the Veyna have been silent. Now, they speak again.As King Dorukov turns his gaze westward, the Kingdom of Verdane begins to fracture beneath the weight of old alliances and gathering war. Loyalties strain, ancient hatreds stir, and the cost of ambition grows ever steeper.Far to the north, among the elves of the Sílnárán, a prophecy long feared has come to pass. An heir is born beneath omens of fire and light — a child the gods themselves have marked....