Six Car Lengths Behind An Elephant

"A charming and unusual portrait of the secret life." - John le Carré, author of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and A Legacy of Spies"It's charming, often troubling, and sometimes hilarious and is altogether a fascinating read." - Berkeleyside book review"If you're married to a spy, the always fraught arena of a relationship turns into a positive minefield. What does that all-night absence mean? What can you begin to say to the kids? In Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant, Lillian McCloy gives us the story of a life spent around secret intelligence that is funny and charming and in every wonderful sense, deeply spooky." - Pico Iyer, author of The Art of Stillness and Video Nights in Kathmandu"Six Car Lengths Behind an Elephant by Lillian McCloy is an engrossing, decades-long memoir of foreign life under deep cover for the CIA. McCloy reveals the intrigue, danger, and humor of clandestine life in her thoroughly entertaining account of a CIA family's nomadic lifestyle."- Alan B. Trabue, CIA (Ret.), author of A Life of Lies and Spies

Born in 1861 in French Sudan, imported to Paris as a two year old calf, then later sold to the London Zoo at Regent's Park, Jumbo the elephant delighted countless children (including Winston Churchill and Theodore Roosevelt) with rides and treats gently taken from outstretched hands. Each night, after the children and their families had gone home, he was mistreated in an attempt to keep him docile. By the time he reached sexual maturity, the abused and isolated animal had become dangerously unstable. He was sold to showman P.T. Barnum in 1881 (despite letters from 100,000 British schoolchildren who wrote to Queen Victoria begging her to prevent the sale) and brought to America. There, in the company of other elephants and amid greater physical freedom, Jumbo stabilized and went on to become one of the most lucrative circus acts of all time - as well as the most beloved. The world mourned when his life ended in 1885, with a storied (and most likely embellished) act of animal heroism. Jumbo reportedly rushed in front of an oncoming train in an effort to save a smaller elephant – his companion "Tom Thumb" – then perished while reaching his trunk out toward his longtime handler Matthew Scott – whose intense connection with the pachyderm spawned legends of its own. Integrating the history of elephants in captivity along with the details of Jumbo's celebrity life, dramatic death, and lasting cultural legacy, John Sutherland has written the first comprehensive "biography" of this incredible animal - one whose name has given us one of our most common and hyperbolic adjectives.

Dare to be Fabulous invites readers on an inspiring journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance. These personal stories from women on all walks of life will inspire you, warm your heart, and make you laugh. Writing prompts follow each story.

A step-by-step guide to rebuilding, restoring, and modifying the famous Mopar 'Six-Pack' engines that appeared in all of Chrysler's muscle cars from 1969 through 1971, as well as the late- model small-blocks and crate performance motors currently offered by Chrysler.

To both young and old, the circus remains an icon of American entertainment, a wholesome pastime untouched by the passing years. But the modern circus, with its three rings, ringmaster, animals, and acrobats, is the product of nearly three hundred years of evolution. This intriguing work chronicles the history of the American circus from its roots in England through its importation to America to the end of the nineteenth century. It introduces the early pioneers of the circus, addresses business concerns such as management and training, and discusses the development of the show itself, including the incorporation of menageries, the need for animal training and care, the addition of circus music, the use of the tent, and the unique attractions of side shows and “freaks.” Personal stories of those who made their lives under the “big top” are woven throughout the narrative, adding an intimate perspective to one of America’s most enduring entertainments.