Historian and journalist Stephen Budiansky crafts compelling narratives that delve into military history, science, and nature. His work often explores pivotal historical moments and their profound human consequences. Budiansky meticulously examines periods of significant social upheaval, such as the aftermath of the American Civil War, highlighting struggles against rising violence and the fight for fundamental rights. His writing is characterized by a deep engagement with historical detail and a keen eye for the human element within tumultuous eras.
As Peter MacAulay writes his will, he reflects on his life and how world events filter through to his home, Stornoway. He reveals his passions for history, engines and fish, and witnesses changing times - and things that don't change - in the Hebrides. It's about stories, a litany of small histories witnessed during one very individual lifetime.
No single human invention has changed war more than the aeroplane. The potential of air power to revolutionize the very nature - perhaps even the meaning - of combat was strikingly evident almost from the moment the Wright brothers first flew.
What does it mean to be a horse? The definitive and bestselling book explaining the mysteries of the horse using insights of modern science.
No single human invention has transformed war more than the airplane—not even the atomic bomb. Even before the Wright Brothers’ first flight, predictions abounded of the devastating and terrible consequences this new invention would have as an engine of war. Soaring over the battlefield, the airplane became an unstoppable force that left no spot on earth safe from attack. Drawing on combat memoirs, letters, diaries, archival records, museum collections, and eyewitness accounts by the men who fought—and the men who developed the breakthrough inventions and concepts—acclaimed author Stephen Budiansky weaves a vivid and dramatic account of the airplane’s revolutionary transformation of modern warfare. On the
Exploring the turbulent Reconstruction era, this book delves into the rise of terrorist violence and its impact on society. It examines the motivations behind these acts and the broader implications for civil rights and social order during a pivotal time in American history. Through detailed narratives and historical analysis, it sheds light on the struggles faced by newly freed individuals and the violent opposition they encountered, providing a compelling perspective on resilience and the fight for justice.
America's Intrepid War with Britain on the High Seas, 1812-1815
The narrative centers on the U.S. Navy's dramatic engagements during the War of 1812, highlighting how an emerging American fleet challenged the formidable Royal Navy. Stephen Budiansky captures the intense battles and strategic maneuvers that ultimately solidified America's status as a burgeoning world power. The book delves into the bravery and innovation of naval leaders and sailors, showcasing a pivotal moment in American maritime history.
Adventure, memoir, storytelling and celebration of all things maritime meet in Waypoints, a beautifully written account of sea journeys from Scotland's west coast. In the book Ian Stephen reveals a lifetime's love affair with sailing; each voyage honours a seagoing vessel, and each adventure is accompanied by a spell-binding retelling of a traditional tale about the sea. His writing is enchanting and lyrical, gentle but searching, and is accompanied by beautiful illustrations of each vessel, drawn by his wife, artist Christine Morrison. Ian Stephen is a Scottish writer, artist and storyteller from the remote and bewitching Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. He fell in love with boats and sailing as a boy, pairing this love affair with a passion for the beautiful but merciless Scottish coastline, an inspiration and motivating force behind his poems, stories, plays, radio broadcasts and visual arts projects for many years. This book will be a delightful and absorbing read for anyone with a passion for sailing and the seas, Scotland's landscape and coastlines, stories and the origins of language and literature.
A remarkable account of the brilliant, troubled mathematician and philosopher Kurt Goedel. From his famous Incompleteness Theorem, which shook the foundations of mathematical truth, to his perilous escape from Nazi Vienna, this book weaves together his creative genius, mental illness, and idealism in the face of adversity.
The history of World War II is reexamined through newly released codebreaking records from the U.S. Army, Navy, and British government. Covering events from the battle of Midway to the final German code's deciphering in January 1945, the narrative highlights the crucial role of intelligence and strategy over sheer military might in securing victory. This account reveals the intricate and often unseen battles fought through cryptography that shaped the outcome of the war.
Documents the story of a small group of scientists who applied intellectual strategies to battle techniques and revolutionized the process of waging wars, citing the contributions of future Nobel winner Patrick Blackett.
