A Bomber Command book with a difference. Rear Gunner Pathfinders is the story of the air war over Germany as seen from the small Perspex bubble of a 'Tail-End Charlie' rear gunner in a Lancaster. Flying firstly with 626 squadron, and later 156 Pathfinder squadron, Ron Smith flew 65 operations and recorded them with the intensity brought on by the isolation of being cocooned in his lonely gun turret.

An autobiography of my love of the ocean and how my first contact in moving to a beach town was at 13 years old. From the beginning I was in love with the sand feeling, the smell of the ocean water and smell of the sand, the waves and boats. I always had boats through my lifetime (15 boats). I explored close islands and rivers first and then expanded to fishing 100 miles offshore and rivers/islands just as far away. Sleeping on my boat to explore the new land and people.Eventually ...

"Your book is riveting. I haven't been able to put it down all day. I'm on page 95."-Chad, LaGrande, ORSomething or someone was visiting Ron in his high school hallway, three times. What was this presence, and why did he suddenly, overwhelmingly, want to go to the Philippines? Join Ron as he discovers his purpose and receives a God-given assignment that takes him on a wild eight-year ride overseas. Read about Ron's experience of singing with an angel choir ...

The acquisition and procurement of major weapons systems is fraught with difficulties. They tend to be delivered late, over budget and unable to meet requirements. This Element provides an economic analysis of why this happens. Market structure, demand by the military and supply by the arms firms, shapes the conduct of the agents and generates the poor performance observed. The military are trying to counter an evolving threat, subject to a budget constraint, high R&D costs and new technol...

Moving effortlessly from Virginia to Italy and beyond, Ron Smith’s new volume responds with a range of emotions from humor to horror and with a variety of forms from the sonnet to visually expressive organic shapes. The book’s forty-three pieces gather themselves into three flights that hover above and touch down among the politics of memory and the psychology of beauty. With inspiration drawn from memoir, myth, history, fiction, and the visual arts, That Beauty in the Trees prese...

When Ron suggested to his wife that he wanted to leave his well-paid job with the state government so that he could help people become fit and healthy, her reaction was, "Who the hell would pay you to do that?""I don't know," he replied. "But let's make it work."So began The Centre for Lifelong Health and Fitness in Mt Eliza, a pretty bayside community on the Mornington Peninsula, one hour south of Melbourne, Victoria.And so continued Ron's journey towards his own h...

“What is a stroke?” This is the question that plagues Ron Smith as he emerges from the carpet bombing of his brain. The Defiant Mind: Living Inside a Stroke is a first-person account of a massive ischemic stroke to the brain stem. Smith takes the reader inside the experience and shows how recuperation happens ― the challenges of communication, the barriers to treatment, the frustrations of being misunderstood and written off, the role of memory in recovering identity, the power of continui...

My purpose is to encourage and help anyone who feels stuck, who is not sure where they're going on this journey called life.For most of my 75 years, like so many of us, I have had self-doubts and fear of failure, and put myself in so many categories like 'I'm not very clever', 'I'm not good at many things' or 'Other people are smarter, born gifted at music, technology, public speaking and life in general'.A year ago, I published my first book – The Boxer: My Journey to Life...

St. Thomas' Roman Catholic Church in Keith, Banffshire Scotland, is a very attractive building with a fascinating history. The majority of the finance for the construction came from King Charles X of France, and the huge oil painting that is the altar piece was painted by the royal painter, Francois Dubois. Built in 1831, the Church sits on the highest point in Keith, and its copper dome is a landmark. This book provides a glimpse into the history of this magnificent church, the various pr...

"The remarkable story of the survival of this unique statue"A result of 8 year's research, this book tells the story of the remarkable survival of a wooden statue from Aberdeen.It has survived the religious persecution of the 16th and 17th century, was smuggled into the Low Countries, and was again hidden there during wars and persecutions. It is in a church in Brussels today, where it is held in high regard.This book unveils a lot of the mystery and secrecy that ha...

"Frikka Frog's Rainy Day Parade" is a delightful children's story about making the most out of unexpected rainy days. When a surprise storm arrives, Frikka Frog and her friends don't let the rain dampen their spirits. Instead, they turn puddles into playgrounds and embark on an imaginative adventure filled with laughter and joy.With themes of resilience, friendship, and creativity, this story highlights how the best days can come from the most unexpected m...

10th March 2015 is the 400th anniversary of the death by hanging of Scotland's only post-Reformation saint, John Ogilvie.St. Thomas' Church, Keith, have produced a book about St. John Ogilvie. He was born at Keith, and died in Glasgow. He had a short life, full of intrigue and mystery, as it was illegal to be a priest in those days, and he often travelled around in disguise. This book tells all that is known of his life and work, and is inspiring and informative.