Pen & Sword Books

Explores the complex life of James Barrie, revealing the darker origins of Peter Pan while examining the misunderstandings surrounding his character and sexuality.James Barrie has been marked in recent years as manipulative, perverted and without the ability to love. Having authored the story of Peter Pan, which has been enjoyed by children and adults for over 100 years, many literary critics have been intrigued about where this story epitomising childhood joy and innocence came from. Most will associate Peter Pan with Disney’s colorful version, but the original story that Barrie penned is actually much darker, with a gloomier background in its making.With humble beginnings from a small town in Scotland, Barrie’s childhood was filled with grief and loss, but also stories and play. He took his passion of storytelling to study English Literature at university before finding himself in the capital for all writers: central London. It was here that he came to meet the Llewelyn Davies family. His involvement with this upper-class family with relatives including Daphne du Maurier are what many say to be the sole inspiration for Peter Pan, and that his integration into the family was primarily with sinister intentions.Much of his writing reflected his life, including his marriage and the unhappiness that spanned from it, all of which can be found in traces throughout Peter Pan. The Peter that Barrie wrote was not just a boy that didn’t want to grow up, but a being that was neither human nor not human, with complexities that can only be understood if Barrie’s life is also looked into.This book aims to prove that much of the speculation and accusations surrounding Barrie and his nature have come from a time of misunderstanding, where many psychological terms were not coined and sexuality was a taboo subject. With the latest claims that Barrie was manipulative and perverted, these critics overlooked the likelihood that Barrie was asexual, as well as suffering from Peter Pan Syndrome. With a life littered with loss, it’s clear that Barrie did not go through his life unscathed, but is it fair to mark him as the bad man he’s recently been painted to be, especially after providing one of the most popular stories of all time?

«…a beautiful book that will pique the interests of Churchillians of all ages and levels of study… Whether you are just beginning your Churchillian journey or have been on it for a while, you will enjoy reading this book and will learn somthing about the Great Man you probably did not already know.» — Brian Krapf, International Churchill Society'A book that brings Churchill's long life alive; connecting the reader to his many actions and interests through a carefully curated selection of objects.' — Allen Packwood, Director of Churchill Archives CentreOne of the most recognisable public figures of the twentieth century, Sir Winston Churchill has been the subject of countless works of fiction and non-fiction alike. Winston Churchill in 100 Objects elevates this portrayal to another level entirely.The one hundred objects featured in this book chart the long and storied life of Winston Churchill, accompanied by fascinating descriptions and captivating photographs. Readers are taken back to Churchill’s infancy (with his baby rattle and his christening robe); to his life as a young boy (with his tin soldiers and a school report); to his time as a young man in military service (with his Oxfordshire Hussars service uniform); right through to his many years in public office (with letters from presidents and generals; his chair in the Churchill War Rooms cabinet room; and, of course, his iconic bowler hat).Compiled by experienced archivists and Churchill experts Phil Reed and Anthony Richards, this unique collection shows the personal and professional sides of Churchill in a new and fascinating light. It is a compelling, educational and revelatory book that is truly one-of-a-kind.

Profiles the 178 generals awarded the Knight’s Cross during the early months of Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union.This is a study of the officers who were promoted to the rank of general and who were also awarded the Knight’s Cross during the early period of Hitler’s assault upon the Soviet Union. This takes us from the great onslaught of Operation Barbarossa, through to Hitler’s decision to abandon his attempt to capture Moscow and adopt a temporary defensive stance due to the early onset of winter. Such was the scale of operations during these momentous first six months of the war on the Eastern Front there were endless opportunities for officers to display courage and leadership. This resulted in a total of 172 generals — twenty-five Generalmajors, fifty-five Generalleutnants, eighty-three full Generals, eight Generalobersts and one Generalfeldmarschall — being awarded the Knight’s Cross in this period alone.One such recipient was General der Artillerie Erich Marcks who personally directed the fire of his guns against enemy bunkers at very close range. On the day he was notified of his award of the Knight’s Cross he was seriously wounded and had to have his left leg amputated. Despite this he returned to service in March 1942 and was later awarded the Knight’s Cross with Oakleaves.General der Infanterie Ernst Schroth, the Commanding General of the XII Army Corps, was awarded the Knight’s Cross for his part in the attack on the Brest-Litvosk Fortress in June 1941. Considered a staunch supporter of Hitler, he was appointed to the Court of honor which investigated those members of the Wehrmacht who had participated in the 20 July 1944 Valkyrie plot to kill the Führer.Hermann-Heinrich Behrend was just a Major when he was awarded the Knight’s Cross on 15 July 1941. This was for his actions while commanding I. Battalion of the 489th Infantry Regiment in its successful breakthrough of the enemy’s heavily defended lines southeast and east of Tauroggen in Lithuania on 22 June 1941. Behrend continued to display great courage and resourcefulness, which saw him rise to the rank of Generalmajor and the later awards of both the Knight’s Cross with Oakleaves, and the Knight’s Cross with Oakleaves and SwordsWith each of these 178 entries there is a detailed description of how and where the Knight’s Cross was won and in the case of the higher awards, such as the Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds, who presented the award, where and when. This study provides details of their rank and command at the time of the award as well as also detailing their career during the war and after, with investigations into their fate and post-war life. The book is completed with a considerable number of photographs of many of these officers.

Explores the complex human narratives of Barbary corsairs from the 16th to 19th centuries, revealing the intricacies of conflict, faith, and personal struggles through primary-source accounts.From the mid-sixteenth to the early nineteenth centuries, Barbary corsairs from North Africa swarmed the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, seizing enormous amounts of booty and tens of thousands of captives, hauling them back to the slave markets in their home ports and auctioning them off to the highest bidder.The conflict between these Barbary corsairs and Europe was military, but not just that; religious, but not just that; social and economic, but not just that either. Above all, it was a human conflict, with all the confusion, blurred lines, and inherent messiness of such things, and the narratives it generated were more complicated than simple swashbuckling pirate tales.Corsairs & Captives presents a collection of these narratives, all based directly on primary-source documents, a number of which are translated into English for the first time. They include biographies of four renegade corsair captains (Europeans who converted to Islam and became corsairs), descriptions of sea battles by those who were there, accounts of ransomed captives, the report of a French Trinitarian friar who led a ransoming expedition to Algiers, even the transcript of a trial held by the Canary Islands chapter of the (in)famous Spanish Inquisition.These narratives bring to life a world much rougher than our own but no less complicated, in which people with the ordinary human fears and aspirations we are familiar with today struggled to endure. It is not the world most people expect when they think of Barbary corsairs. It is more interesting than that.

A self-help guide for time-travelers navigating Anglo-Saxon England, offering advice on laws, social roles, survival, and Viking encounters.THIS BOOK COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE! If you are planning to travel back to the England of Anglo-Saxon times and begin a new life without technology, how will you manage? If you were a king, a thegn or even a slave, what rights do you have under the law? Are women treated well by their husbands, and if you become sick, what are your chances of recovery? How might you earn your living, and the biggest worry: what to do about those fearsome Vikings?All these questions and more are answered in this self-help guide for time-travellers. It explores the difficulties you may encounter and the problems that might occur, especially as you are a newcomer in this very different world. Fear not: keep this little volume by you; it will help you find your place in society, learn the language and make friends.You will also meet some of the celebrities of the day, from Alfred the Great to the Venerable Bede, and more humble folk such as Tatberht of Lundenwic and Ardith the local baxter. Learn how to make bread and tell a great story; enjoy the mead, and the beauties of Anglo-Saxon art and jewellery. And if you do find yourself involved in a Viking attack, at least you will know your assailants are well groomed — and afterwards, both sides know how to have a great time in the mead-hall. So join in, but keep this book handy, just in case.

Examines the lives and legacies of historically vilified women, questioning the truth behind accusations of witchcraft, treason, and murder.Throughout history women, from the lowliest of the working classes to the highest echelons of society have been accused of crimes ranging from witchcraft and vampirism to treason and mass murder. Such accusations stuck particularly when it came to women who held power — the names that we most associate with maligned women today include those that we will all have heard of. The infamy of women such as Lucrezia Borgia and Elizabeth Bathory have come down to us throughout the centuries and even in the modern world, many women are needlessly and falsely vilified. But just how true were these accusations? The Most Maligned Women in History takes a look at the lives of a number of women whose crimes have been seen as some of the most heinous, just how true the rumours were and whether their reputations are deserved.

The invention by Whittle of the turbo-jet engine, and the determined effort to design, develop and demonstrate that such a novel new method of propulsion would replace piston engines in the air, was one of the most important technical achievements of the twentieth century. That one man accomplished this working with a small but dedicated team of engineers and craftsman in the middle of a war, and in the face of many doubters, was a truly monumental achievement.The jet engine envisaged by Frank Whittle, a young Royal Air Force cadet, changed aviation forever. It was an invention that has, in the years since, had the effect of shrinking the world we live in.We think nothing today of flying between continents in a few hours, when just a two or three generations ago this would have been a major expedition. In short, the jet engine, developed with great tenacity by Whittle, has made the world a village, and has introduced world-wide travel to ordinary people everywhere. This accomplishment was all the more remarkable given Whittle’s humble background as the son of a highly skilled but largely uneducated mechanic and machinist.A young man from a working-class family, Frank Whittle wanted to become a pilot, but he was denied admission into the RAF due to his physical limitations. Nevertheless, he persisted until finally he was accepted on an air mechanic’s (or fitter’s) apprenticeship at RAF Cranwell. It was a course which was primarily used to train officer cadets. Cranwell included a flying training school and it was Whittle’s secret hope that he may be one step closer to achieving his aim of learning to fly.The air mechanic’s apprenticeship was a three-year course aimed at providing a thorough practical understanding of all aircraft structural components as well as a detailed knowledge of the different types of aircraft engines then in use. He was a diligent apprentice, and happily threw himself into every aspect of the rigorous training provided, while at the same time keeping an eye on the officer cadets on the flying courses.Inspired by his training, Frank Whittle developed an idea. He believed it was possible for aircraft to fly faster and higher — and he turned his vision into reality.This incredible accomplishment was not without considerable personal cost though, as Whittle had to face the realities of war, as well as personal and commercial issues that nearly turned his dream into a nightmare. In addition, this biography, written by someone who met Frank Whittle, includes details of his rather colorful personal life, which have not been previously documented.

Anne Boleyn's downfall was driven by political machinations, religious conflict, and alliances, with little connection to her alleged crimes.Almost 500 years have passed since the death of Anne Boleyn, and yet, there has never been a suggestion she was guilty of the crimes which saw her executed. Attempts to muddy Anne’s reputation throughout history have not lessened her popularity nor convinced anyone she was an adulterer. But many myths surrounding Anne’s conviction for sleeping with George Boleyn, Henry Norris, Francis Weston, William Brereton, and Mark Smeaton have cropped up due to centuries of lies, slander, and misinformation from detractors.One month after Anne was executed, the Convocation of Canterbury ratified the paperwork detailing her arrest, conviction, execution, and the annulment of the marriage between King Henry VIII and his second wife. As parliament had already ruled Anne’s only child, Princess Elizabeth, was no longer heir to the throne, all the paperwork surrounding the trial was destroyed. No trace of her charges, witness statements, evidence, or even Archbishop Thomas Cranmer’s reasoning for annulling the royal marriage survived the mass destruction. Everyone was supposed to forget Anne Boleyn and accept Queen Jane.But why did Anne Boleyn ever need to die? King Henry had started little more than an infatuation with Jane Seymour in December 1535. Yet, many saw the opportunity to pounce, not to reduce Anne’s influence but to increase Princess Mary’s standing. As Vicegerent Thomas Cromwell and Ambassador Eustace Chapuys whispered of alliances in secret meetings, the Catholic nobility and the White Roses began to hatch their plan to restore the king’s daughter, Princess Mary, to her rightful place at court. Just as Katharine of Aragon died, Anne Boleyn felt secure as England’s queen, only to find that her adversary’s death would soon bring on her own.Why did political and religious enemies of Thomas Cromwell seek him in the months leading to Anne’s death, expecting his co-operation to restore Princess Mary? Did Jane Seymour have any significance and why did King Henry and Thomas Cromwell get into a public shouting match at a dinner party? The answers lie not in what evidence remains of court life in early 1536 but in the gaps left behind. None of the characters that played a role in Anne Boleyn’s death were strangers; all had connections, alliances and opportunities, and when their pasts and futures are laid together, we can see how a haphazard plan to end a queen’s life had almost nothing to do with her at all.

This is an adventure story about Royal Marine Commandos going to war during the Falklands War of 1982. Myth and legend. War is an odd thing. It brings out the very best in a person and probably the converse, too. It is also the story of Argentinian Marines who also went to war. The very same war and eventually the very same battle. Memories are still very much alive. But it is curious that people witness the exact same events but remember something quite different. This book allows for these differences, accepting them as truths. The dark stormy stage is set and the players are not even aware they are going to war. One by one, they tell their story of this great Homerian adventure. But it is not a story of heroics and daring-do. It is a story of quite normal people who, through the accident of birth dates, meet in the absurd position of fighting each other for their very lives. Some are injured, some die. Some are deeply affected by the war. If there is a case for the ‘Universal Soldier’, it is truly in this story. Soldiers are sent to war by other people. They endure, suffer and kill for a cause they know or care little about. Real war and real fighting create a microcosm of experiences. Friendship groups reduce in size from a Commando Unit size of 600 men to much smaller groups. 9 Troop, Charlie Company, 40 Commando Royal Marines experienced this. 9 Troop comprises 32 men. All extremely close friends. Closer than you could possibly imagine. As the war progresses, the groups in the Troop reduce in size until you are only concerned with the other two men immediately around you. Microscopic. These are the men you fight for. These are the friendships you will take to the end of your days. If love were ever a thing, it was clearly present among the men of Charlie Company in 1982, also, among the men of the Argentine Marines on Sapper Hill.The War was short and violent. Extremely violent. The Marines on both sides suffered the extreme Antarctic weather conditions and the vicious fighting. Weather was the paramount concern. Royal Marines are trained to pay attention to detail and constantly do their ‘admin’. Clean and service equipment and themselves. It is a harsh religion within the Corps and we all pay homage to it. This may have affected the outcome as much as any fighting.

In the Fall of 1947, an eighty-four-year-old woman receives an extraordinary invitation. Though much that happened was a lifetime ago and in a different world, Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, now the Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven, holds the heavy vellum envelop for a moment in her hands. Within is the end of a long journey seeking vindication for a husband who gave his life to the service of the Royal Navy and received, in return, ingratitude. Within is the reminder of a life lived with her family that is mostly gone. However, for one exquisite moment, it returns as she opens the envelope:The Lord Chamberlain is commanded by Their Majesties to invite The Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven to the Ceremony of the Marriage of Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth,  with Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, Royal Navy in Westminster Abbey, on Thursday, 20th November 1947, at 11.30 o’clock, a.m.Thus begins the story of Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine. Victoria, the eldest daughter of Princess Alice and Prince Ludwig of Hesse, was born in April 1863. One of the envied grandchildren of Queen Victoria, she was related to most of the Royal Families of Europe — a member of the fabled “Royal Mob”.The obstacles that characterized Victoria’s life began with her mother’s untimely death. Queen Victoria helped her granddaughter shoulder the responsibilities of caring for the motherless family, writing letters of advice and guidance, a correspondence lasting some thirty years.In April 1884, Victoria married the dashing Prince Louis of Battenberg, an officer in the Royal Navy, who eventually became Britain’s First Sea Lord. Their daughter, Alice, was the future mother of Prince Philip and their youngest child, another Louis, was Viceroy of India.On the eve of World War I, Prince Louis of Battenberg, was forced to resign because of his German surname, which he later changed to Mountbatten. Victoria’s sister, Alix, who had taken the name Alexandra when she married Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, and her entire family was murdered in 1918.Progressive and intelligent, Victoria was the lynchpin of her family. Through cataclysms, both familial and historical, travelling from pre-revolutionary Russia to the British Mandate of Palestine, Victoria’s life was as exciting as it was triumphant.

Explores the unique journey of the long-running British sitcom, detailing its creation, cast changes, and enduring legacy through critical analysis and behind-the-scenes insights.Red Dwarf is virtually unique among British sitcoms. It began in 1988 and was still releasing new episodes in 2020, making it one of the longest running sitcoms of all time, but the core cast has remained largely unchanged. And its science fiction flavor contrasts strongly with the drawing rooms and sofas which were the norm when it launched, and the fast-cut mockumentary style which is popular today. And yet, this is a show which nobody wanted to make, and which only barely made it to our screens at all. In this work, Tom Salinsky will look at exactly how it came to be; who was considered for the cast but didn’t make it; how it was radically reinvented for the third, sixth, seventh, ninth and tenth seasons; how it survived the breakup of its key creative partnership, the loss of the original spaceship models, BBC strikes, the departure of a major cast member, and the seemingly self-defeating rules which the writers imposed on themselves. But this isn’t just a behind-the-scenes account. It’s also a detailed critical analysis, examining why the best episodes succeed and why the less impressive episodes struggle, while also finding time to ask just how a hologram made of light can smell burning camphor wood, why a creature evolved from a cat is familiar with Wilma Flintstone, or just how long Lister and Kochanski were dating for. How can all this possibly be contained in one book? It can’t! Volume I will cover the first six series and Volume II will conclude the story of Red Dwarf on television as well as looking at the novels, comic strips, computer games and more.

Examines the contentious relationship between archaeology and metal detecting, revealing historical tensions and evolving practices.This book offers a no-holds-barred insight into the often passionate, sometimes controversial, subject of tension and mistrust between the worlds of archaeology and metal detecting with the intent of shedding new light upon and bringing into the open some of the working practices, procedures and thoughts which have fuelled an ill-wind that flurries through levels of archaeological academia.Beginning in the mists of history, the author explores the birth of archaeological investigation from a Kings search, the grave robbers, through the antiquarian collectors, museum artifact collections through to a profession which appears these days to rely upon the construction industry and its commercialism for survival. Integrating various sources of information to highlight analytical information as well cultural, social, and economic intervention to form an unbiased argument.The later appearance of metal detecting as a hobby which fired discontent, distrust, and deliberate efforts to either govern or ban the hobby. This distrust is echoed by the author’s extensive research which uncovered a deep-set denial of the use, by archaeologists, of an innovative invention which has become an essential tool for artifact recovery, the metal detector. This hobby, also listed as a sport, boasts a practitioner membership of over thirty-five thousand in the UK alone, the history of which is covered in depth from the development of electro-magnetism, leading to an ever-increasing number of inventions, including machines for the detection of explosive devices which morphed into the metal detector as we know it today.

Englandspiel Nordpol, or Operation North Pole, was a successful Second World War counterintelligence operation conducted by Germany's military intelligence (the Abwehr) between 1942 and 1944.On the night of 6–7 November 1941 two SOE agents, Huub Lauwers and Thys Taconis were parachuted into the Netherlands and dropped over Stegerveld, near Ommen. Lauwers was captured on 6 March 1942, while Taconis was captured 3 days later on 9 March. Lauwers was persuaded to send messages back to London by the Germans, in which he intentionally left out two security checks. This should have automatically sounded 'alarm bells' with those who received the messages, but for some inexplicable reason, it did not. Whether this was just a genuine mistake or something more sinister has never been fully ascertained. After all, security checks were in place to ensure that messages received from agents in the field were genuine and were part of the SOE's own transmission protocol.   As no one in London realised messages being received from SOE agents in the Netherlands were being sent under the control and direction of German military intelligence, more and more agents and equipment followed unabated for more than 18 months. Of the 54 SOE agents sent to the Netherlands from England during Operation North Pole, 50 died or were executed while being held prisoner by the Germans.

This is the story of the women from the Indian Subcontinent who fought against British imperial power from the 1600s until the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947. It begins by looking at the Partition of India, and the unique impact this had on women who — in addition to the displacement and violence which affected millions of South Asians, suffered uniquely through a campaign of rape, abduction, and forced suicides which left a lasting impact on the souls of women from every community. It then seeks to shine a light on the often-forgotten story of these women — who were not just passive victims of British, and later, communal violence, but who fought alongside (or sometimes at the head of) their male counterparts to secure the fall of the British Raj and the independence of their own nation. The stories of up to forty women, are examined, from various religious and racial communities across South Asia who advocated for Indian Independence and should be remembered and celebrated as influential freedom fighters in the same way that their male contemporaries have been. The book concludes by briefly examining the role of women in Indian nationalist movements today, and how this can be traced to the precedent set by their ancestors during the colonial era.

Explores the overlooked consorts of the Stuart monarchs, revealing their influences on the kingdoms of Scotland, England, Ireland, and Wales from 1406 to 1714.Stuart Spouses looks at the oft-overshadowed consorts of the Stuart monarchs, from 1406 to 1714. By focusing on these people and detailing their rises to matrimony, the trials and tribulations of their courtships, and the impact their unions and dissolutions had on the kingdoms of Scotland, England, Ireland, and Wales, one learns not only the history of these kingdoms but the true, sometimes soft, power behind the throne.

Persecuted, outlawed, imprisoned, shunned. You might think this refers only to the LGBTQ+ community, but their experience is remarkably closely aligned to the experience of the Disabled community. This book examines the histories of these two movements are they ran alongside each other often intersecting. Both the Disabled and the LGBTQ+ movements have rich and intriguing pasts that date back beyond recorded history. As Holder explores the journey of these movements the journey highlights their shared history through the stories of the people who brought both into modern consciousness. They represent vital landmarks in the little-explored intersections between the two groups’ past and present. Turn-of-the-century Mexican bisexual painter, Frida Kahlo, was Disabled by both polio and injury; Michelangelo turned his artistic talents toward homoerotic poetry to manage his arthritis. The iconic Marsha P Johnson lived with and cared for those with AIDs, and Dr Fryer, the psychiatrist with depression, has been credited with planting the seed that led to the removal of homosexuality from the American diagnostic manual of mental disorders. While many of these events seem small, they shape our Queer and Disability cultures and shared history, to show just how far we've come and how far we still have to go.

It was every British serviceman’s duty, be he soldier, sailor or airman, to attempt to evade capture if stranded behind enemy lines or escape if captured. As there were potentially thousands of men who would find themselves cut off or captured during the Second World War, a branch of military intelligence, M.I.9, was set up in 1939 to instruct servicemen in evasion and escape techniques.Such was the success of M.I.9, and the determination and ingenuity of individuals and groups, about 35,000 Allied military personnel escaped PoW camps or evaded capture and made their way to Allied or neutral countries. How this highly secret unit was set up and organised, and how its great success was achieved, was documented by M.I.9 officers towards the end of the war — and is published here for the first time.The history includes details of the lectures given to troops on how to avoid capture if on the run in enemy occupied territory (more than 2,000 lectures were given, to over half-a-million men), and of secret equipment issued to them to help them escape, such as the well-know silk maps and small but comprehensive escape kits.When servicemen escaped and returned to the UK, they were interrogated by specially selected M.I.9 officers and their stories were used to show troops how they too could evade capture. These provide some of the most fascinating, and often funny, stories to come out of the Second World War. How, for example, one man had to cross a bridge over a canal in Holland where a German sentry was stood on the other side. As he considered his options a Dutch woman approached pushing her baby in a pram. The man explained that he was British and the lady handed him the pram and put her arm through his, and together they crossed the bridge and passed the sentry. On another occasion at a railway station, an evader attracted the attention of a German officer. A group of French women arrived, and the man rushed over to the group, embraced one of the women and asked them to speak to him in French. This they did, pretending he was their friend, and the officer turned away.Such stories helped show servicemen how to forge documents, how to travel through enemy-occupied countries without being detected, what disguises could be used that would not attract the attention of the enemy, and also provided lists of local people willing to help escapers — and this included Pope Pius XII, who actually had a private meeting with one of the escapers in the Vatican! The troops were also instructed how to write coded messages in letters to the UK from PoW camps. All this is revealed in this utterly fascinating book.

In a collective voice calling for peace tracing back to pre-World War II, Don't Call Us Girls follows the protests of women and their allies from the White House to the Arc de Triomphe, heralding their impact on today's world.Don’t Call Us Girls examines the importance of women’s participation in the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, and the international anti-war movement. This collective voice for peace, and an end to nuclear proliferation, reached back to before the Second World War and then firmly embedded itself during the war years when women assumed such important roles in the workplace that Franklin D. Roosevelt called them the ‘Arsenal of Democracy’.When the men returned from war, women were encouraged by forces as powerful as government agencies and eminent psychiatrists to return to their ‘place’ at home. And return home they did, only to realize that they could use the skills they practiced as housewives to begin organizing themselves into groups that would start a wave of protest action that swept through the late 1950s, gathering up the Civil Rights Movement as it hurtled ever forward through the next two decades.In the 1960s and 1970s, no institution or convention was sacred—many aspects of women’s lives were fair game for criticism, protest, and change. In this no-holds-barred era, women debated everything from international nuclear policies, pay equity and child care for women, to reproductive rights and sexual politics. They protested in the streets, outside the White House, in Trafalgar Square, at the Arc de Triomphe, on university campuses, and just about anywhere else they would be heard. They were tired of the role society had cast for them and they would not rest until they saw the substantial change that seemed promising with the emergence of Second Wave Feminism in the 1970s. While we still live in a patriarchal society, we have these women to thank for many of the freedoms we now enjoy. If they have taught us anything, it is never to stop pushing back against the patriarchy and to rest only when we are truly equal. The final chapter of Don’t Call Us Girls reminds us that there is still a lot of work to do.

In the heart of 19th-century London, a remarkable woman emerged from adversity to reshape the landscape of nursing education. Born in 1843, Rebecca Strong faced the challenges of widowhood and motherhood by the tender age of 20. Her indomitable spirit and commitment to service led her to the hallowed halls of nursing, where she became a protege of none other than Florence Nightingale.Collaborating with the esteemed Scottish surgeon Sir William Macewen, Rebecca Strong became a catalyst for change in the field of healthcare. Together, they crafted a groundbreaking training scheme for nurses, incorporating visionary concepts that have withstood the test of time. Their legacy endures in the very fabric of nursing education, influencing generations of caregivers.Retiring in 1907 after a lifetime dedicated to healing, Rebecca Strong embarked on a global journey that transcended borders and cultures. Her adventures took her to the far reaches of the world, from meetings with the likes of Mussolini to forming lasting bonds with European royalty, including an enduring friendship with an Italian princess.Rebecca Strong's extraordinary journey came to a close in 1944, at the remarkable age of 100. Her secret to longevity was as simple as it was profound: 'hard work and simple living.' This biography unveils the untold story of a woman whose resilience, innovation, and global influence forever altered the trajectory of nursing and healthcare. Rebecca Strong, a beacon of compassion and change, stands as a testament to the transformative power of one individual's dedication to healing and humanity.

A highly illustrated study of one of the most most lethal, survivable, and connected fighter jets in the world.The origins of the F-35 and the amazing challenges the industry had to be overcome go back to a still-secret NATO study that evaluated the vulnerability of air force bases in the West.This spurred development for Short Take off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) fighter aircraft. Only two aircraft with this capability actually entered service, the British Harrier and the Russian Yak-38. However, these aircraft lacked supersonic capability which made them vulnerable to faster fighters. So a program was initiated for a supersonic STOVL fighter — but the trail of unsuccessful efforts was long. NASA, as well as the defense Evaluation and Research Agency and private industry, studied advanced STOVL propulsion ideas but without tangible result. It was only when the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, at the request of the Marine Corps, issued study contracts for a supersonic STOVL fighter to American industry that real progress began to be made.It was Lockheed Martin that came up finally came up with a design that resulted in the remarkable F-35, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter. In this book, Gérard Keijsper explores the long and difficult journey that customers led to buying the Lockheed Martin F-35. Gérard reveals the story of the F-35 in service and why it is often described as an ‘international aircraft’.First flown on 15 December 2006, the F-35 achieved Initial Operational Capability with the US Marine Corps in July 2015, being followed soon after, in August 2016, by the USAF. The US Navy, meanwhile, reached this milestone in February 2019. Other nations that have since purchased the F-35 include the United Kingdom, for both the RAF and the Royal Navy, Israel, under which service the type undertook its first combat mission in 2018, Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Japan, South Korea and Italy. There is also a long list of potential customers.This, then, is a fascinating and highly illustrated study of the F-35 in service which, in Lockheed Martin’s own words, is the most lethal, survivable, and connected fighter jet in the world.