Unconquerable

Preeminent Civil War historian Frank Vandiver always longed to see an interpretive biography of Jefferson Davis. Finally, more than twenty years after Vandiver expressed that wish, publication of Jefferson Davis, Unconquerable Heart makes such an interpretive biography available. Felicity Allen begins this monumental work with Davis's political imprisonment at the end of the Civil War and masterfully flashes back to his earlier life, interweaving Davis's private life as a schoolboy, a Mississippi planter, a husband, a father, and a political leader. She follows him from West Point through army service on the frontier, his election to the U.S. House of Representatives, his regimental command in the Mexican War, his service as U.S. secretary of war and senator, and his term as president of the Confederate States of America. Although Davis's family is the nexus of this biography, friends and enemies also play major roles. Among his friends intimately met in this book are such stellar figures as Andrew Jackson, John C. Calhoun, Zachary Taylor, Franklin Pierce, Albert Sidney Johnston, and Robert E. Lee. With the use of contemporary accounts and Davis's own correspondence, Jefferson Davis, Unconquerable Heart casts new light upon this remarkable man, thawing the icy image of Davis in many previous accounts. Felicity Allen shows a strong, yet gentle man; a stern soldier who loved horses, guns, poetry, and children; a master of the English language, with a dry wit; a man of powerful feelings who held them in such tight control that he was considered cold; and a home-loving Mississippian who was drawn into a vortex of national events and eventual catastrophe. At all times, "duty, honor, country" ruled his mind. Davis's Christian view of life runs like a thread throughout the book, binding together his devotion to God, his family, and the land. Jefferson Davis, Unconquerable Heart brings Davis to life in a way that has never been done before. The variety of his experience, the breadth of his learning, and the consistency of his beliefs make this historical figure eminently worth knowing.

Unconquerable is John Milton Oskison’s biography of John Ross, written in the 1930s but unpublished until now. John Ross was principal chief of the Cherokees from 1828 to his death in 1866. Through the story of John Ross, Oskison also tells the story of the Cherokee Nation through some of its most dramatic events in the nineteenth century: the nation’s difficult struggle against Georgia, its forced removal on the Trail of Tears, its internal factionalism, the Civil War, and the reconstruction of the nation in Indian Territory west of the Mississippi. Ross remains one of the most celebrated Cherokee heroes: his story is an integral part not only of Cherokee history but also of the history of Indian Territory and of the United States. With a critical introduction by noted Oskison scholar Lionel Larré, Unconquerable sheds light on the critical work of an author who deserves more attention from both the public and scholars of Native American studies.

The author presents a clear-sighted and sobering analysis of where we are today in the struggle against terrorism. Jenkins, an internationally renowned authority on terrorism, distills the jihadists' operational code and outlines a pragmatic but principled approach to defeating the terrorist enterprise. We need to build upon our traditions of determination and self-reliance, he argues, and above all, preserve our commitment to American values.

Reaching beyond sensational headlines, Land of the Unconquerable at last offers a three-dimensional portrait of Afghan women. In a series of wide-ranging, deeply reflective essays, accomplished scholars, humanitarian workers, politicians, and journalists—most with extended experience inside Afghanistan—examine the realities of life for women in both urban and rural settings. They address topics including food security, sex work, health, marriage, education, poetry, politics, prisoners, and community development. Eschewing stereotypes about the burqa, the contributors focus instead on women’s empowerment and agency, and their struggles for peace and justice in the face of a brutal ongoing war. A fuller picture of Afghanistan’s women past and present emerges, leading to social policy suggestions and pragmatic solutions for a peaceful future.

The plot of the Black-fires—violent, flame-producing beings—to abduct Dust, an individual unique for his powerful sonar, failed. The small force of would-be kidnappers, led by Maggie Mushu, now flee, certain they will be tortured and killed if they report their failure to their queen, Nesh-nesh, and their spacecraft low on fuel. They seek refuge on the avaricious planet Dawd, unaware that an invisible tracker was placed on their ship and a group of heroes led by Princess Silk of the peaceful, God-worshipping Dronewatoners of Planet Star now pursues them. Meanwhile, Nesh-nesh mobilizes her troops across the stars to find Maggie Mushu and prepare for an assault against Planet Star. Queen Star and her military leader, Captain Ode, do their best to raise soldiers out of the pacifistic Dronewatoners of Planet Star, hoping to prepare an army in time for a potential war with the Black-Fires. As interplanetary plots and clashing motivations unfold across space, one question remains: Is conflict inevitable? Or can the people of Planet Star show the Black-Fires the glory of God before it is too late? The sequel to The Unconquerable Dust, The Unconquerable Star is a thrilling tale of good against evil and the power of God and Christian values set against an imaginative sci-fi backdrop.

Bureaucracy is all-pervasive. It's found in the medical field, in education, in government, and many times the message it imparts is one of arrogance and callous indifference. This message should never play a part in the life of any child. At the age of eight, without any warning, Kathleen Morton's daughter, Michele, had gone from a life any normal eight year old experienced, to the unimaginable. Without any warning Michele's world of light now became a world of darkness. She became blind. Suddenly catapulted into the world of the handicapped, her mother was shocked at the stumbling blocks that she was faced with, the extraordinary challenges Michele had to endure, and the sea of bureaucracy that seriously threatened the quality of life for Michele. Kathleen Morton writes with humor, indignation, frustration, sensitivity, emotion and compassion. She tells the reader about the pitfalls, the struggles and the barriers a parent must endure, the determination one must have in order not to be beaten down by the system, and that giving up is not an option.

Mister is tired of mercenary life. Luckily, as thanks for rescuing her daughter, Queen Star has invited him to join the Star Planet as an honourary Dronewatoner. But on his way to the ceremony, Mister is abducted by the cruel Flames, who seek to claim Mister’s sonar power for their own. When Mister fails to meet his guide at the rendezvous point, the Star Planet knows something has gone horribly wrong. Queen Star, her Captain of the Guard, a skilled tracker, and a mighty warrior team up to rescue Mister before it’s too late. But the Flames have plans that the Star Peoples don’t know about—ones that could endanger the entire planet...

Finally, a book that addresses same-sex attraction in an honest, frank manner, offering the reader insight never before available! For those frustrated with the promises of changed orientation, or discouraged at the prospect of a sexual “lifestyle,” Kim Mack offers clarity and practical wisdom that far surpasses anything on the market today. The Unconquerable Soul is an encouraging, hope-filled book that is destined to bring long sought after light at the end of a seemingly dark tunnel.