Around The World In Six Years

At the age of 67, Henry Holt struck off on a sailing adventure that would become a six-year voyage unlike any other way of seeing the world. The people he met and the challenges he faced along the way - from bureaucratic headaches at ports, to truly frightening weather events, to isolation from his friends and family while relying on their help from afar - only strengthened his commitment to the journey. Around the World in Six Years is an account of sailing lessons and life lessons in equal measure. Dramatic, funny, and heartfelt, it is an account of an ordinary man on an extraordinary trip, and will inspire the aspiring adventurer in every reader.

At the age of 67, Henry Holt struck off on a sailing adventure that would become a six-year voyage unlike any other way of seeing the world. The people he met and the challenges he faced along the way – from bureaucratic headaches at ports, to truly frightening weather events, to isolation from his friends and family while relying on their help from afar – only strengthened his commitment to the journey. Around the World in Six Years is an account of sailing lessons and life lessons in equal measure. Dramatic, funny, and heartfelt, it is an account of an ordinary man on an extraordinary trip, and will inspire the aspiring adventurer in every reader.

Since Wilbur and Orville Wright's first machine-powered flight, adventurers have pondered the prospect of flying around the world. Though in the early 20th century the idea seemed as plausible as traveling to Mars, aviators made their first attempts in the wake of World War I and have never looked back. This history of around-the-world flights explores the endeavor, starting with the first tentative journeys that allowed changing aircraft en route due to expected breakdowns. Once flying machines demonstrated reliable performance over global distances, a period of one-upmanship emerged, with each new venture striving to outdo the previous one. Today, even with international air travel having become routine, aviators strive to set records, now using unconventional aircraft and fuel sources. Paying tribute to the supporting personnel as well as to the flight captains at the center of attention, this work celebrates aviation's continued spirit of adventure.

New York Times Bestseller * Soon to be a TV series starring Dan Aykroyd “There aren't many books this entertaining that also provide a cogent crash course in ancient, classical and modern history.” -Los Angeles Times Beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola: In Tom Standage's deft, innovative account of world history, these six beverages turn out to be much more than just ways to quench thirst. They also represent six eras that span the course of civilization-from the adoption of agriculture, to the birth of cities, to the advent of globalization. A History of the World in 6 Glasses tells the story of humanity from the Stone Age to the twenty-first century through each epoch's signature refreshment. As Standage persuasively argues, each drink is in fact a kind of technology, advancing culture and catalyzing the intricate interplay of different societies. After reading this enlightening book, you may never look at your favorite drink in quite the same way again.

Well over six years of Chinese anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden have directly supported People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) modernization goals and provided invaluable experience operating in distant waters. Lessons learned have spawned PLAN innovations in doctrine, operations, and international coordination. Many of the insights gleaned during deployments are applicable to security objectives closer to home; some officers enjoy promotion to important positions after returning. Anti-piracy operations have been a springboard for China to expand considerably its maritime security operations, from evacuating its citizens from Libya and Yemen to escorting Syrian chemical weapons to their destruction and participating in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. So great are the benefits to China's global maritime presence and enhanced image at home and abroad that when Gulf of Aden anti-piracy operations finally wind down, Beijing will have to develop new means to address its burgeoning overseas interests.

Oxford professor Joseph Giant doesnt believe in being politically correct when something is wrong. In Giants opinion, the outspoken Muslim community is threatening to take over every facet of British life. Regardless of political correctness, Giant sees it as a threat that church bells are no longer allowed on Sunday and that the day of rest has been moved to Fridayall to keep a small but powerful minority happy. Beth Rimmer is an attractive student activist who opposes Giants unpopular opinionsthat is, until they meet face-to-face. Giant makes a good point for his Muslim cultural concerns, and soon Rimmer is not only Giants advocate but his outspoken supporter. Her surprising change of heart soon gets her murdered, and so begins a conspiracy to discredit Giant and his fight for British freedom. As Great Britain is slowly transformed into what resembles a Muslim nation, the mystery of Rimmers death goes unsolved. Who is stacking the deck against Professor Giant and the British people? The directive appears to come from a power much greater than the Oxford activists are ready to fight. But will the country realize the accuracy of Giants claims in time to regain their rights and save Britain from cultural anarchy?

Drawing on his own diary as well as secret documents and transcripts of high-level meetings, Anatoly Chernyaev recounts the drama that swept the Soviet Union between 1985 and 1991. As Gorbachev&’s chief foreign policy aide for most of that period, he played a central role in efforts to halt the arms race, discard a confrontational ideology, and open his country to the world. And as Gorbachev&’s confidant on many domestic issues as well, Chernyaev offers rare insights into the struggle over glasnost, the growth of separatism, and the rise of Boris Yeltsin. While admiring of perestroika&’s founder, Chernyaev is frank in faulting Gorbachev for his hesitancy in economic reforms, for his delay in decentralizing Union-republic ties, and above all for his misplaced faith in the reformability of the Communist Party. Altogether this book is essential reading for those interested in the Cold War&’s end, the USSR&’s collapse, and especially the role played by ideas, ambitions, and key personalities in these momentous events.

Two fascinating works by John Bechervaise, from 1839 and 1847, describing his thirty-six years of seafaring life from 1803.