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Citizens of London: The Americans Who Stood with Britain in Its Darkest, Finest Hour by Lynne OlsonRandom House Trade PaperbacksThe acclaimed author of Troublesome Young Men reveals the behind-the-scenes story of how the United States forged its wartime alliance with Britain, told from the perspective of three key American players in London: Edward R. Murrow, the handsome, chain-smoking head of CBS News in Europe; Averell Harriman, the hard-driving millionaire who ran FDR’s Lend-Lease program in London; and John Gilbert Winant, the shy, idealistic U.S. ambassador to Britain. Each man formed close ties with Winston Churchill—so much so that all became romantically involved with members of the prime minister’s family. Drawing from a variety of primary sources, Lynne Olson skillfully depicts the dramatic personal journeys of these men who, determined to save Britain from Hitler, helped convince a cautious Franklin Roosevelt and reluctant American public to back the British at a critical time. Deeply human, brilliantly researched, and beautifully written, Citizens of London is a new triumph from an author swiftly becoming one of the finest in her field. Amazon Best Books of the Month, February 2010: Citizens of London is the story of the American firebrands who broke rank with popular opinion and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with England during the bleak infancy of World War II. Author Lynne Olson more than lives up to the critical acclaim of her last book, Troublesome Young Men, by exploring the origins of an Anglo-American alliance that helped turn the tide during the most widespread conflict in history. Although other "Yanks" rallied against the hesitancy of their isolationist government before Pearl Harbor, few matched the impact of U.S. ambassador John Gilbert Winant, businessman Averell Harriman, and broadcaster Edward R. Murrow. Each recognized the insidious dangers of Nazi aggression, and with the help of meticulous research, Olson elucidates the challenges they endured to help bridge political and cultural gaps between the United States and Britain. At a time when the English capital was described as "swimming in the full tide of history," Citizens of London echoes Tennyson in its tribute to those who strove, sought, and refused to yield. --Dave Callanan Exclusive Q&A with Lynne OlsonAmazon.com: Your last three books (Citizens of London, Troublesome Young Men, and A Question of Honor) have focused on England during the late 1930's/early 1940's. As a historian, what draws you to this period?Olson: I’ve been fascinated with the place and the period ever since my husband, Stan Cloud, and I wrote our first book, The Murrow Boys, about Edward R. Murrow and the correspondents he hired to create CBS News before and during World War II. Several scenes in the book take place in London during the Battle of Britain and the 1940-41 Blitz. In doing research for The Murrow Boys, I got caught up in the story of Britain’s struggle for survival in those early years of the war – and the extraordinary leadership of Winston Churchill and courage of ordinary Britons in waging that fight. I discovered that there were still a number of stories about the period that remained largely unknown and untold, so I decided to tell them myself. Amazon.com: Had Pearl Harbor not forced America's hand, how much longer could England have lasted against Germany? Olson: That’s an excellent “what if” question. Churchill, for one, was desperately worried that Britain would be defeated by Germany in 1942 if the United States didn’t enter the war. In the days immediately before Pearl Harbor, he knew that the Japanese were also on the move, and he was afraid they were going to strike at British territory in Asia. If that had happened, his country would have been forced into a two-front war, with no lifeline from the United States – which almost assuredly would have meant the end for Britain. So it’s no wonder than when he heard the news of Pearl Harbor on the night of Dec. 7, 1941, he was euphoric. It meant, as he later wrote, that no matter how many military setbacks lay ahead, “England would live.” Amazon.com: In contrast to Winant and Murrow, Harriman was a bit of a bourgeois playboy. What made you include him in this book? Olson: There’s no question that Harriman’s social life was considerably more hectic in London than that of Winant and Murrow. At the same time, however, he was a dogged, extremely hard-working administrator of Lend Lease aid for Britain, who did what he could to speed up the flow of American help to the British and who pressed the Roosevelt administration hard for more vigorous action and more direct involvement in the war. He also carved out for himself quite an influential role as conduit and buffer between Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill. I also wanted to include Harriman for another reason – to point up the contrast between his tough-minded pragmatism and the idealism of Winant and Murrow. These three men, I think, reflected the complexity of America and its attitude to the rest of the world at that time. Winant and Murrow, who championed economic and social reform as well as international cooperation, reflected America’s idealistic side. Harriman, who was intent on broadening his own power and influence, as well as that of his country, became an exemplar of U.S. exceptionalism. In the postwar era, it was his world view that, for the most part, dominated American foreign policy. Amazon.com: You note an almost apathetic Churchill response to American dalliances within his family. Was this a diplomatic necessity or was he simply too focused on the larger picture? Olson: I’m not sure I would call him “apathetic.” I think that “pragmatic” would be a better word. I should also point out that it’s not an absolute certainty he knew about the affair that occurred between Averell Harriman and Pamela Churchill, the wife of his son, Randolph, which began in 1941. When Randolph later accused his father of condoning adultery under his own roof, Churchill denied any knowledge of what was going on. That being said, I do believe, as did Pamela, that he was aware of what she and Harriman were up to. Churchill loved Randolph, and while I’m sure he was not thrilled about the Pamela/Harriman affair, he knew how important Harriman and the other Americans were to the survival of Britain, and he had no intention of letting personal matters interfere with the national interest. Besides, Pamela proved to be a useful conduit for him and Harriman, passing on to each man information and insights she had found out from the other. When Pamela took up with Edward R. Murrow later in the war, she was already separated from Randolph, and I doubt that Churchill cared one way or the other. As for the affair between his daughter, Sarah, and John Gilbert Winant, the couple kept their involvement exceptionally discreet. Sarah believed her father knew about it, but he never said anything, and I don’t think he would have minded. Amazon.com: Talk about the lower-profile "Citizens of London" -- the brave Americans who violated their own country's laws to volunteer for the RAF. Olson: In the late 1930s, as part of its desperate effort to keep the United States out of war, the American government did, as you note, make it illegal for any U.S. citizen to join the military service of a warring power. But, after Britain declared war on Germany in September 1939, thousands of young Americans disregarded that law and traveled to England to join the British or Canadian armed forces. Unlike the hordes of Yanks who descended on Britain just prior to D-Day, the early U.S. volunteers became an integral part of Britain’s military and society. The best-known volunteers were those who joined the Royal Air Force. Seven U.S. citizens were counted among “The Few” – the celebrated band of RAF pilots who, in their Hurricanes and Spitfires, successfully beat back the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain in the summer and fall of 1940. Over the next several months, an additional 300-plus Americans enlisted in the RAF -- so many that they were soon given their own units, called the Eagle Squadrons. Churchill, who instantly saw what a powerful propaganda tool the American squadrons could be, enthusiastically endorsed the idea. When the U.S. finally entered the conflict, virtually all the Americans serving in the RAF transferred to the U.S Army Air Forces. Of the 244 pilots who flew in the Eagle Squadrons, more than 40 per cent did not survive the war. Jesus Freaks: Martyrs: Stories of Those Who Stood for Jesus: The Ultimate Jesus Freaks by DC TalkBethany House Publishers
With life-changing impact, Jesus Freaks: Martyrs and Jesus Freaks: Revolutionaries have captured the attention of Christians of all ages with their stories of Christian martyrs and revolutionaries who took a stand for Christ against the culture of their day. Through these influential books, dc Talk challenges readers to pray for the persecuted church around the world and openly stand for Jesus. The new packages highlight the differences between the two books. Jesus Freaks: Stories of Those Who Stood for Jesus The Ultimate Jesus Freaks by D. C. TalkAlbury PublishersThis Gold Medallion-nominated book opens the eyes of a new generation to the persecution of Christians around the world. Created by dc Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs, Jesus Freaks is a companion volume to dc Talk’s album of the same name. It’s a wake-up call to prayer and to lives of unashamed faith, offering stories of martyrs past and present. The book was written especially for teenagers, with: -A hip and easy-to-read format A powerfully enlightening volume. Jesus Freaks by dc Talk and The Voice of the Martyrs, is a companion volume to dc Talk's album of the same name. It is a book for teenagers about martyrdom, containing dozens of profiles of figures ranging from Stephen, whose martyrdom is described in the Book of Acts, to "Anila and Perveen," two teenage Pakistani girls and Christian believers. In 1997, Perveen was killed for running away in order to avoid marrying a Muslim man; Anila was imprisoned for helping her friend escape. In an introduction to the book, Michael Tait explains its purpose: "In a world built on free will instead of God's will, we must be the Freaks. While we may not be called to martyr our lives, we must martyr our way of life. We must put our selfish ways to death and march to a different beat. Then the world will see Jesus." The book's design is hip and easy to read, and its summary of Christian persecutions that continue today is useful--and frightening. Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down (Jane Addams Honor Book (Awards)) by Andrea PinkneyLittle, Brown Books for Young ReadersIt was February 1, 1960. My Heart Stood Still by Lynn KurlandBerkleyUSA Today bestselling author Lynn Kurland captures the haunting beauty of England, past and present—and the exquisite tenderness of timeless love…In a bleak, landlocked keep on the English moors, Iolanthe MacLeod dreams of the sea—and of a darkly handsome man to come rescue her. Centuries have passed and she feels she has waited in vain.Until now.Thomas McKinnon is used to attaining impossible heights, both in business and in the mountains he loves. But when the chance to restore a twelfth century castle comes his way, he gamely takes hammer in hand and crosses the Atlantic, expecting to find nothing more interesting inside his new home than cobwebs and weeds.But in that ancient, crumbling castle, the fierce, restless spirit of a medieval Scottish woman lives on—a woman so haunting that he would do anything, go anywhere, risk everything to make her his forever… Betrayed by her new husband, lovely Scottish bride Iolanthe MacLeod dies by the sword in the fall of 1382 in a landlocked keep on the English moors, far from the sea she loves. Doomed to haunt the castle, little does she know that it will be nearly seven hundred years before the man of her dreams will come to rescue her. When Thomas MacLeod MacKinnon appears in 2001, Iolanthe isn't quite prepared to deal with her feelings for this modern man. And Thomas, although he grows accustomed to seeing and talking to ghosts in the castle, is stunned to realize that he's fallen in love with one of them. Beautiful and desirable though Iolanthe is, he can't hold a spirit in his arms. Thomas has to find a way to go back in time and prevent her death--and he knows just how to accomplish the feat. Now if only saving the young Scotswoman's life proves to be as easy--and if he can rescue her, he'll be faced with having to convince Iolanthe that she loves him in another time and place. No medieval knight in shining armor ever had a quest quite this tough. My Heart Stood Still is a tale that's absorbing, adventurous, and downright delightful. Kurland deftly juggles a cast of ghostly secondary characters with wonderful humor and a dry wit that makes for hilarious moments without losing the warmth and emotion of a compelling love story. All in all, an excellent novel. --Lois Faye Dyer Cowboy Values: Recapturing What America Once Stood For by James P. OwenLyons PressThe Naked Lady Who Stood on Her Head: A Psychiatrist's Stories of His Most Bizarre Cases by Gary SmallHarperCollins e-booksTrue stories are more bizarre than any fiction, and Dr. Gary Small knows this best. After thirty distinguished years of psychiatry and groundbreaking research on the human brain, Dr. Small has seen it all—now he is ready to open his office doors for the first time and tell all about the most mysterious, intriguing, and bizarre patients of his career. The Naked Lady Who Stood on Her Head is a spellbinding record of the doctor's most bewildering cases, from naked headstands and hysterical blindness to fainting schoolgirls and self-amputations. It is an illuminating journey into the mind of a practicing psychiatrist and his life in medicine as it evolves over time—a behind-the-scenes look at the field and a variety of mental diseases as they've never been seen or diagnosed before. You'll find yourself exploring the puzzling eccentricities that make us human. Often funny, sometimes tragic, and always compelling, Dr. Small takes you on a tour of his career that moves from the halls of a crowded inner-city Boston emergency room to the multimillion-dollar ski lodges of the nation's elite. In between, Dr. Small introduces a strange cast of true-life characters and conditions, while dealing with mysterious hysterical blindness, a man convinced that his penis is shrinking, secret double lives, and frighteningly psychotic romantic desires. His career and personal life come full circle when his own mentor becomes his patient, making Small realize that no one is beyond mental exploration—not even himself. True stories are more bizarre than any fiction, and Dr. Gary Small knows this best. After thirty distinguished years of psychiatry and groundbreaking research on the human brain, Dr. Small has seen it all—now he is ready to open his office doors for the first time and tell all about the most mysterious, intriguing, and bizarre patients of his career. The Naked Lady Who Stood on Her Head is a spellbinding record of the doctor's most bewildering cases, from naked headstands and hysterical blindness to fainting schoolgirls and self-amputations. It is an illuminating journey into the mind of a practicing psychiatrist and his life in medicine as it evolves over time—a behind-the-scenes look at the field and a variety of mental diseases as they've never been seen or diagnosed before. You'll find yourself exploring the puzzling eccentricities that make us human. Often funny, sometimes tragic, and always compelling, Dr. Small takes you on a tour of his career that moves from the halls of a crowded inner-city Boston emergency room to the multimillion-dollar ski lodges of the nation's elite. In between, Dr. Small introduces a strange cast of true-life characters and conditions, while dealing with mysterious hysterical blindness, a man convinced that his penis is shrinking, secret double lives, and frighteningly psychotic romantic desires. His career and personal life come full circle when his own mentor becomes his patient, making Small realize that no one is beyond mental exploration—not even himself. The Day the Falls Stood Still (Voice) by Cathy Marie BuchananVoice"A wonderful love story . . . Buchanan weaves Niagara Falls' history and her storytelling together masterfully." 1915. Niagara Falls. The dawn of the hydroelectric power era. Seventeen-year-old Bess Heath, who has led a sheltered existence as the younger daughter of the director of the Niagara Power Company, meets Tom Cole by chance on a trolley platform and finds herself inexplicably drawn to him--against her family's strong objections. Tom is not from their world. Rough-hewn and fearless, he lives off what the river provides and has an uncanny ability to predict the whims of the falls. His daring river rescues render him a local hero and cast him as a threat to the power companies who seek to harness the power of the falls for themselves. As the paths of Bess and Tom become entwined, Bess must make a painful choice between what she wants and what is best for her family and her future. Praise for The Day the Falls Stood Still "Few first novels exhibit the mastery, maturity, and majesty of Buchanan's riveting fictional debut, a heart-wrenching, soul-racking, spellbinding tale interwoven with guts, anguish, and glory guaranteed to remain in readers' minds." "[The Day the Falls Stood Still] stands on its own elegant prose and the vibrant voice of its narrator." The Day the Earth Stood Still and Other Classic SF Novellas by Harry BatesPageTurnerBALROG AWARD WINNER'S SCIENCE FANTASY CLASSIC! Were the alien and his robot here to help or hinder humankind? Find out the surprising answer in the original story that inspired the classic 1951 science fiction movie The Day the Earth Stood Still. Here is a must-read for any science fiction lover, for, as the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction says, "the film lost the story's ironic ending." Discover for yourself what Hollywood left out in this first-ever collection of the best work of the legendary 1930s idea man, Harry Bates (1900-1981). Rounding out this collection of sophisticated plays-on-ideas that stood traditional science fiction on its head are "A Matter of Size" and "Alas, All Thinking" (1935). These three short novels, which the Encyclopedia calls his most "notable stories," have never before been gathered in one book. Bates' "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1940 under the title, "Farewell to the Master"), with its poignant, haunting last line, would posthumously bring him the coveted Balrog Award (1983). When you have read it, you will understand why long-time science fiction fans rank it and its creator, Harry Bates, among the greats.
BALROG AWARD WINNER'S SCIENCE FANTASY CLASSIC! Were the alien and his robot here to help or hinder humankind? Find out the surprising answer in the original story that inspired the classic 1951 science fiction movie The Day the Earth Stood Still. Here is a must-read for any science fiction lover, for, as the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction says, "the film lost the story's ironic ending." Discover for yourself what Hollywood left out in this first-ever collection of the best work of the legendary 1930s idea man, Harry Bates (1900-1981). Rounding out this collection of sophisticated plays-on-ideas that stood traditional science fiction on its head are "A Matter of Size" and "Alas, All Thinking" (1935). These three short novels, which the Encyclopedia calls his most "notable stories," have never before been gathered in one book. Bates' "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1940 under the title, "Farewell to the Master"), with its poignant, haunting last line, would posthumously bring him the coveted Balrog Award (1983). When you have read it, you will understand why long-time science fiction fans rank it and its creator, Harry Bates, among the greats.
In My Place Condemned He Stood: Celebrating the Glory of the Atonement by J. I. PackerCrossway BooksAn important anthology that reaffirms the classic doctrine ofsubstitutionary atonement and counters the ongoing attacks againstit. If ever there was a time and a need for an enthusiasticreaffirmation of the biblical doctrine of substitutionaryatonement, it is now. With this foundational tenet under widespreadattack, J. I. Packer and Mark Dever's anthology plays an importantrole, issuing a clarion call to readers to stand firm in thetruth. In My Place Condemned He Stood combines threeclassic articles by Packer-"The Heart of the Gospel"; his TyndaleBiblical Theology Lecture, "What Did the Cross Achieve"; and hisintroductory essay to John Owen's The Death of Death in theDeath of Christ-with Dever's recent article, "Nothing butthe Blood." It also features a foreword by the four principals ofTogether for the Gospel: Dever, Ligon Duncan, C. J. Mahaney, and AlMohler. Thoughtful readers looking for a compact classic on thisincreasingly controversial doctrine need look no farther than thispenetrating volume. |
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