New mysteries, as well as variations on recurring ones, continue to surface on a weekly basis around the globe, from showers of frogs over Hungary to birds falling to earth in Arkansas. This book examines everything from the experiments being done with the Large Hadron Collider to classic maritime mysteries involving inexplicably missing crews.
'Lenin? Yes, he was a good man -- he ran the whole country -- and he did it on a worker's wages.' The view of a Red Army veteran is in contrast to that of a young Russian entrepreneur: 'Lenin and Trotsky were totally evil -- they turned my country into a nightmare.' The Revolution of 1917 remains controversial though much is known about its key political players. Roy Bainton tells the compelling, human side, via the poignant stories told to him by ordinary families, their hopes transformed into fear.
Exploring the origins of blues and R&B, the narrative highlights the struggles of African-Americans over nearly three centuries, revealing the often outrageous tales of artists robbed of their royalties. It traces the journey from the arrival of the first slaves to the Civil War and the long fight for equality and Civil Rights. Blending tragic and humorous elements, the book ultimately celebrates the resilience and triumph of a vibrant musical heritage that laid the groundwork for rock'n'roll.
Set against the backdrop of April 1945, the narrative explores the audacious robbery of Germany's National Depository by Himmler's SS, which resulted in the theft of vast amounts of gold, currency, and priceless art. The story delves into the dark legacy of Nazi looting, particularly the art stolen from Jewish families, revealing the hidden treasures concealed in the mountains of Bavaria and Austria. This historical account highlights the intersection of greed, war, and the tragic fate of countless victims during a tumultuous period.
Exploring the complexities of aging, this collection of verses reflects on the challenges and misconceptions surrounding the elderly as the author approaches his 70th birthday. It addresses societal attitudes that demonize older individuals, contrasting their experiences with the pressures faced by younger generations in a consumer-driven world. Blending nostalgia, longing, and frustration, the work serves as both a candid self-reflection and a poignant reminder for younger readers about the inevitability of aging and the shared human experience.
An amusingly entertaining exploration of omens, rituals, premonitions and general superstition in every part of the world
When the Allies occupied Germany at the end of World War II, few people could have imagined just how long this occupation was going to last—right up to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and well into its aftermath. Today, some 17,000 British troops remain in Germany. But over the past four and a half decades, tens of thousands of British men and women have lived and worked in the British Zone as members of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR); some for relatively short periods, many for much longer. Long enough, though, for the experience to have a profound effect on their lives and on their attitudes. The Long Patrol reveals what life has really been like in the British Zone for those men and women and their families. As the post-war worlds of Britain and Germany had little in common, they had to find their own identity, often suspended between the two. Based largely on interviews and information culled from personal diaries and letters, The Long Patrol is primarily an oral history of the British in Germany; funny, tragic, bizarre, and poignant in equal parts.