"Forward To Freedom" clearly explains the historical roots and sources of inspiration the Founding Fathers drew upon to create the Constitution of the United States of America. Prior to its creation, for thousands of years, humanity has struggled to find that right balance between rule and liberty. This book takes the reader through humanity's search for this balance over the centuries of rule by man and government, up to the creation and ratification of the Constitution. An enlightening read for understanding the philosophy and process the founding fathers used to create the one document credited for having changed the rule of man forever was created. The ideas proclaimed in the United States Declaration of Independence'liberty, equality, and unalienable rights'remained only empty ideals until the Constitution institutionalized them in a functioning government. The Constitution drafted by the Constitutional Convention stands as the oldest written constitution and helped America become the most prosperous and powerful nation in history. The Framers knew the history of humanity's struggle for liberty. The earliest civilizations of the Middle East crushed human freedom in the name of divine right but did produce the earliest codes of law. The political philosophy of Classical Greece helped them understand basic principles of politics. They also greatly admired Roman law and the Roman Republic and hoped that America's republican form of government would not degenerate into tyranny. They knew how limited and constitutional government developed in England out of centuries of contention against the divine right of kings. When England tried to exert much more control over the colonies than before, the result was the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence. Ideas, already known and accepted by the American people, essentially represented a consensus of opinion that employed many other new political ideas such as separation of powers and checks and balances expressed by modern philosophers. The Constitution is indeed the product of compromises, but it also reflects agreement on political ideas of enormous importance. "Forward To Freedom" brilliantly leads the reader through the ages of humanity's search for liberty culminating in the creation of America's Constitution.

Forward To Freedom: The American Constitution and Humanity's Struggle for Liberty Across The Ages

History

Combee, Jerry

Americas

Publish Authority

Walt Hackman's "No Problem, Mr. Walt" is more than a poignant travel memoir. It is written by a father and easygoing voyager about his travels throughout China in his extraordinary quest to build an authentic wooden Chinese junk boat--in China! This delightful book is filled with humor, drama, and suspense juxtaposed with Chinese history, anecdotes, poetry, and recipes. Synopsis: When Walt's son was tragically murdered, his world collapsed around him. Seeking peace of mind and a new beginning, Walt sought to honor his son's memory by bringing to life a dream that had long been delayed. It is said, "the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." "No Problem, Mr. Walt" is the story of how, despite his unimaginable heartbreak, Walt decided to take that first single step, and the next, and the next. The result is a fun and fascinating story about the people and experiences he encountered in China during the construction of the 'Mei Wen Ti, ' an authentic handcrafted wooden Junk, and the journey he took in the process of becoming "Mr. Walt" while rebuilding his life as he built this extraordinary boat. Mr. Walt's memoir is an account of personal tragedy and tenacious triumph. It's about the adventures and experiences of making unlikely friends despite significant cultural and language barriers, achieving an improbable dream against all odds, and the culmination of the "first step of a thousand miles" that changed his life forever. Mr. Walt's extraordinary journey to build a wooden boat ultimately helped him honor the beloved son he lost and sail new seas. Receiving rave reviews from readers around the world, this rewarding read will allow you to vicariously experience the author's China adventure--wherever you may be at the time you read it.

No Problem, Mr. Walt: A Memoir of Loss, Building a Boat, Rebuilding a Life, and Discovering China

Biographies & Memoirs

Walt Hackman

Community & Culture

Fulfilling a long-time dream, in the summer of 2018 the American author, by design or not, created an unforgettable experience that attending family members and friends will forever mark as a "we-have-to-do-this-again" experience in the beautiful and historic region of Tuscany, Italy. Within the covers of this slim volume, she tells us, dear reader, how she pulled it off and, in the process, gives us an informal "blueprint" of how we too might create our own unique life at a villa in Tuscany. This Tuscan experience began when the author decided to rent a villa in Italy. This would be an opportunity to get away from a very busy life in California and enjoy time in a beautiful setting surrounded by family and friends. The author, a seasoned traveler, knew she wanted to experience a change of pace from her usual travels. This time it would be a leisurely stay in Tuscany in or near a small village where she could begin to feel like a part of the community. Via the internet, she researched the extensive choices for villa rentals and decided on a very old canonica (parsonage) attached to a decommissioned church on the top of a hill overlooking lush vineyards. Located in the tiny village of Petrifitta just a few kilometers from Castellina in Chianti, Casale la Canonica fulfilled each requirement on her short list (location, character, six bedrooms, pool, etc.) and, as it turned out, was even more beautiful than the pictures of the villa on the Internet. But this is neither a "how-to" book nor a Tuscany travel book though the contents are a must for anyone contemplating a villa rental in Italy or travel in Tuscany. Rather, it is a brisk and witty story of 23 eclectic family members and friends who arrive and depart during a three-week period and, while there, share an extraordinary experience in a very beautiful place in this world. There are some central themes in the book. Primary is the camaraderie that soon bound this loosely-knit group together. Despite the vast array of things to see and do in the area, the most-treasured experiences were just hanging out with each other at the villa. Early mornings in the kitchen with a cup of freshly-brewed Italian coffee, dinner under the pergola, playing games, swimming in a pristine pool and going for walks were all special times for the group. Another theme was soccer because, spanning the three-week stay, the Men's Soccer World Cup was in full swing and further because two of the guests were top US soccer players. This is a sports-oriented family but even for a family not much interested in sports, it was impossible not to be swept up by the passion for soccer in Italy. Of course, visits to the major cities of Florence or Siena or to the smaller Tuscan hill towns was a daily ritual. Finding the perfect spot for a delicious Italian lunch and local wine is a pleasurable task. The guests came and went as they chose and at the pace they desired. Stories of experiences with the local merchants who became close friends are heartwarming. It is impossible to read this story without simultaneously planning your vacation in a villa in Italy or even in a seaside cottage or mountain cabin just 100 miles away from home. You can capture the joy of family and the spirit of a new adventure anywhere. This story is a promise of good things to come if the reader takes it and develops his or her own special extended stay with family and friends. This short and sweet volume will inspire you to create your own exceptional experience such as the one you find between its covers.

Meet Us in Tuscany: A Memoir of Life at the Villa

Davidson, Janet Toll

Parenting & Relationships

In Swedish author Miller's thriller series starter set in and around Stockholm, an aging private investigator and her young team take on a seemingly simple adultery case that proves to be complex, indeed. Nadja Franz n's ordinarily staid husband, Mikael, has been acting strangely. He's been staying out late at night, claiming to be working but coming home drunk, and his wife has concluded that he's having an affair. She hires a private detective agency to investigate, and her case is assigned to investigator Gunvor Str m, a former surgeon in her mid-60s. As she pursues Mikael from bar to bar, it quickly becomes apparent that he's involved in something altogether more sinister than garden-variety adultery. As a sexagenarian, though, Gunvor struggles to be inconspicuous at the Stockholm nightspots that Mikael frequents, so she recruits two young acquaintances to be her eyes and ears: Elin, a rather plain teenager with low self-esteem, and David, an immature dropout. The trio soon forges a plan to uncover the truth. After some bodyguards viciously attack Mikael, though, Nadja reconsiders the investigation--and things take a very dark turn when a brutal murder is broadcast live to paying customers. In Gunvor Str m, Miller, the author of the thriller Three Days in September(2016), has crafted an entertaining heroine--a modern Miss Marple with a social conscience and some impressive aikido skills. For the most part, the author also deftly handles this first installment of her new series; the storytelling, as translated from the Swedish by Isherwood, is slick, with strong dialogue, intelligent plotting, and convincing character development throughout. Looking for Alice is a] ... punchy Nordic noir.A...highly enjoyable read. -- Kirkus ReviewsMore praise for Luna Miller &#769;s writing: "A little gem of a book" (5 stars) "Exquisitely honest and perceptive" (5 stars) "Un libro que disfrutaras sin duda alguna" (5 stars) "It grabbed my interest from the beginning and never let go" (4 stars) "Luna has created a unique and memorable character in Gunvor Str m" (5 stars)

Looking for Alice: A Gunvor Ström Novel

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Miller, Luna

Mystery

During the Vietnam War era, eighteen-year-old John Paul Jacobs, better known as Jake, experiences his first years as a new cadet in the U.S. military service academy at West Point. As Jake endures rigorous training, he learns that serving to protect the country could come at a cost. Will his high school romance endure? Will he survive the politics against the armed forces during a time of "peace and love," sit-ins, and protests? Does Jake have what it takes to gain the Green Beret of the newly formed special forces--the Army Rangers--or does the U.S. government have something else in store for him? More importantly, how will Jake be prepared when he crosses paths with an extreme radical mastermind and his terrorist organization bent on destroying the United States and everything Jake holds dear? West Point is the first volume in the trilogy A Full Measure. Readers of the series will gain an understanding of the evolution of West Point to the institution that it is today. The novel is a must-have gift for any reader interested in the great history of military life and the Armed Forces. This coming-of-age story is also enjoyed by readers of historical fiction, Christian fiction, and military fiction. Available in Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, and paperback.

West Point (A Full Measure)

Literature & Fiction

Patton, J.M.

Dramas & Plays

"West Point," book #1 in "A Full Measure" trilogy, is a tale of honorable military commitment, love, and conflict for those reconstructing the U.S. military in the last days of the Vietnam War and the decades following as terrorism redefined enemies foreign and domestic. The setting brings to life the turmoil that a military member faced by his civilian peers in a hostile antiwar environment, and the evolution of a current-day mission. "West Point" takes the reader to the United States Military Academy (USMA) to step into the humor and heartbreak of the daily life that slowly develops the panache of a West Point leader of the Vietnam Era. Of the same development came the likes of Lee, Jackson, Grant, Eisenhower, MacArthur, Bradley, Patton, Schwarzkopf, and many more from the ranks of the Long Gray Line. Graduates receive their degree, but unlike a college, there is but one mission, and that mission is to produce outstanding officers in the combat arms. John Paul "Jake" Jacobs and Patrick McSwain building an unbreakable bond as they overcome the challenges of West Point. Anyone who, even briefly, considered attending one of the service academies, or one even remotely connected to the military, will enjoy this captivating read. The reader is likely to laugh, be exhilarated by the tale, and maybe shed a tear or two.

West Point: A Novel (A Full Measure)

Thrillers & Suspense

It is an attribute of youth to be passionate and many US Millennials champion causes they find worthwhile. However, they often choose their favorite causes because of their "feel good" characteristics rather than being based on solid arguments. Too often, Millennials are unaware of history and that similar former youths in their days enthusiastically championed equivalent grandiose causes to "save humanity". Often, these ended in disaster, some with millions of deaths.These "causes" are directly derived from the political and economic current issues facing Millennials. It easy to be seduced by the siren's songs of the progressive Left. They are so confident about their science and philosophy and their causes and ideas sound so good and so well thought out that they forget that the most valid law of human behavior is that of unintended consequences, and that the road to hell is always paved with good intentions. The grand causes of the current progressive Left seem foolproof in their logic. Yet, there are significant flaws in their argumentation that this book tries to bring to light. These logical flaws are significant enough to make these whole causes (projects) also end up in disaster as did the ones that preceded them. "Rage or Reason" reviews and analyzes some of the most important current issues confronting Millennials, such as socialism, inequalities, globalism vs. nation-states, climate change and diversity among other things. This analysis uses modern methods such as critical thinking as well as complexity theory and tries to emphasize points that may have been missed or overlooked, or not framed in a proper context. The book also explores the untold ulterior motives of many politicians to promote such causes and how they might get rich from them. It is hoped that this short essay will help the younger generation make a more informed opinion before dedicating themselves to a cause. It is also hoped that it will provide valuable arguments for non-Left individuals when debating with their Leftist counterparts.

Rage or Reason: The Economic and Political Choices Faced by Millennials

Michaels, Vincent H L

Legal Theory & Systems

Chariots in the Sky is the story of Captain Taylor St. James, a dedicated Army helicopter pilot, who is sent to Vietnam. While performing his duties, Taylor will be challenged and tested beyond any measure he could have ever envisioned.He is assigned to the Eagles, a Huey Assault Company with the 101st Airborne Division in I Corps. Their flying exploits take them into many familiar places to include: A Shau Valley, Khe Sanh, Quang Tri Province, Hue, DMZ, North Vietnam and Laos.Along the way, Taylor participated in Lam Son 719, the last major American Offensive Operation of the war. This historical campaign lasted for sixty days and involved over 750 helicopters flying in and out of Laos, supporting the South Vietnamese incursion into Laos. Lam Son 719 was the costliest period of helicopter warfare for the Americans. More helicopters were shot down and sustained battle damage than any other period during the Vietnam War.

Chariots in the Sky: A Story About U.S. Army Assault Helicopter Pilots at War in Vietnam

Freeland, Larry A.

Leaders & Notable People

Every weekday, just before dawn, a commuter train full of business people pulls out of the train station in Santa Ana, California and rumbles toward downtown Los Angeles. In the "quiet car" of this train is Peter Nielsen, a banker with an office on the 26th floor of a very tall building, near LA's Union Station. He spends nearly all of his morning commute writing non-fiction true stories with a wide-ranging team of themes and characters. One describes a young boy from the California suburbs who visits his challenging grandfather's ranch in Utah and ends up running from an angry bull. Another, set in the jungles of Guatemala, tells the tale of a Missionary who is asked to raise an infant from the dead. Still another describes the actions of a federal agent who brings pizzas to the managers of insolvent banks he has just closed. In turn, these stories are happy, sad, tense, surprising, anguished and occasionally angry. They take place all over the United States and in Central America. Some describe events that took place in the early 1960s, while others occurred more recently. These wide-ranging stories have important things in common. Each them is full of love, curiosity, generosity and faith. They describe the making of a good, wise man.

All That I've Seen: Failing Banks and Other Stories

Nielsen., Peter

Memoirs

Mr. Moonlight of the South Seas examines the life of American author Robert Dean Frisbie who, at the age of twenty-four, left the United States for the unknown adventurous ports of the Pacific Islands in the early 1920’s. He first landed in Papeete, Tahiti, which at the time was a bustling town and the start-off point for many visitors to the region. He would stay a few years learning the Tahitian language, culture, and way of life. He enjoyed sharing his experiences in numerous articles for U.S. publications such as the Atlantic Monthly. Frisbie was fascinated with the number of characters that lived or frequently visited the island. These included Tahitians, sea captains, beachcombers and writers. He would often refer to these characters in his stories. His most notable friend was James Norman Hall, who would eventually co-author the Bounty Trilogy. For the remainder of his life, Hall remained one of the few people in whom Frisbie would confide his inner-most thoughts. On their first meeting in Papeete, Frisbie was mesmerized by the setting and the different boats in port. He told Hall, “All these ships…. I suppose you can go almost anywhere from here?”\nAfter four years on Tahiti, Frisbie began to take his writing career more seriously and craved finding an isolated island where he could dedicate most of his time to writing his great novel, which he called his “Moby Dick. “ He settled on the lonely atoll known as Pukapuka in the Cook Islands. He got to know the islanders and their language, customs, and lifestyles. He eventually immortalized the island and some of the characters he knew in many sketches, articles and essays. Several of the pieces were collected and made into his most famous book titled The Book of Puka-Puka. Although writing occupied much of his time, Frisbie lived the life of an islander without, however, turning what he termed, “native.” He believed it was very important to respect the culture of the islanders around him by continuing to acknowledge his separate upbringing. That said, he did enjoy participating in island activities such as fishing, canoeing, and house building. Eventually, Frisbie would marry a Pukapukan girl named Ngatokorua, and together the couple would have five children. His family changed his life and created additional challenges and adventures.\nThe years of living on this lonely atoll would take its toll on Frisbie’s health and mind. He could easily go months without talking to another European man, and sometimes a year would pass between ships visiting the island. Frisbie was forced to sail away from Pukapuka due to family tragedies, poor health and a yearning to see other islands. He took his family to Tahiti, Fiji, Samoa, and Rarotonga. During his South Seas travels, he and his children barely survived a monster cyclone on the island of Suwarrow. Despite his wandering, Frisbie returned to Pukapuka on several occasions in hope of reviving some stability with his family. Frisbie was also constantly trying to justify his choice of lifestyle – simple, yet unpredictable, at a time when not many people had the courage to do so. He never lost faith in writing his “Moby Dick”; and he continued to write articles for American magazines. Before his death, Frisbie would publish six very fascinating books that memorialized the people and cultures of this very unique part of the world.

Mr. Moonlight of the South Seas: The Extraordinary Life of Robert Dean Frisbie

Oswald, Brandon

Arts & Literature

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