Books with author John M. Shea

From the early years at Archbold Gymnasium to today's record-breaking crowds at the Carrier Dome, readers learn the rich history of the Syracuse Orange, the fifth winningest Division I men's basketball program. Early chapters trace the team from its founding in 1901 to its emergence onto the national scene in the 1960s, led by Hall of Famer Dave Bing and his teammate and future coach Jim Boeheim. Since 1976, Coach Boeheim has led Syracuse to multiple NCAA appearances, including a national championship. Later chapters follow the team through its membership in the Big East from 1979 to 2013, when it left to join the ACC.

Vlad III, the 15th century ruler of what is now southern Romania, had a terrifying nickname, the Impaler. It originated with the grisly way he dealt with his enemies: He demanded that their not-yet-dead bodies be impaled on stakes. Vlads reputation for brutality only grew and later became entwined with the legend of the vampire Dracula. This in-depth account presents the true story of Vlad the Impaler and his fight against the Ottoman Empire, a struggle that makes the villain a hero to some. An appealing design and features such as sidebars and fact boxes make this biography an especially high-interest read for young historians.

It's not hard to think of gross attributes of the human body. Runny noses, bad breath, and stinky feet are just some of the yucky and unavoidable parts of being human. However, the science behind the gross ways in which the body functions is pretty cool. Scabs, blisters, and mucus are actually ways for our bodies to heal and stay healthy. Readers will love learning about the body through the gross, engaging, and informational facts presented in accessible language. A graphic organizer helps reinforce basic concepts in the book.

From the early years at Archbold Gymnasium to today's record-breaking crowds at the Carrier Dome, readers learn the rich history of the Syracuse Orange, the fifth winningest Division I men's basketball program. Early chapters trace the team from its founding in 1901 to its emergence onto the national scene in the 1960s, led by Hall of Famer Dave Bing and his teammate and future coach Jim Boeheim. Since 1976, Coach Boeheim has led Syracuse to multiple NCAA appearances, including a national championship. Later chapters follow the team through its membership in the Big East from 1979 to 2013, when it left to join the ACC.

The digestive system takes the food we put into our mouths and breaks it down into the most elemental parts. Our bodies use these nutrients to fuel life processes. The digestive system also eliminates waste products from our bodies. Readers will view this system through illustrative diagrams. They will also learn about nutrition and the importance of maintaining a healthy digestive system.

DNA is perhaps the most remarkable scientific discovery of the twentieth century. Found in almost every human cell, DNA holds the instructions for life. Readers discover how these instructions are carried out and how they make us who we are. Readers also learn the implications of genetic engineering and what recent breakthroughs may mean for the future. Amazing photographs include images of cells, DNA, chromosomes, and more.

Thomas Jefferson's career is an incredible list of accomplishments. Not just the primary author of the Declaration of Independence and the third US president, he's also the founder of the University of Virginia and the architect of Monticello. This in-depth biography of Jefferson uses his documents and private letters as primary sources to paint a complete portrait of the man and his undeniable impact on a new nation. Historical images, sidebars, and "More to Know" fact boxes add to the appeal of this absorbing book.

Peacetime duties make the US Coast Guard unique among the many branches of armed force units. This military branch has a broad mission that includes search-and-rescue operations, environmental safety patrols, and boat safety. This fascinating look at the Coast Guard reveals its history and includes some of the most riveting stories of our nation's finest men and women in uniform.

You've met the Italian mobin The Godfather, now welcometo the real-life world of IrishAmerica's own murderous clanof organized crime The man who has remained silent for more than a decade finally speaks, revealing the gritty true story of his life inside the infamous South Boston Irish mob led by the elusive, Machiavellian kingpin Whitey Bulger, who to this day remains on the lam as one of the world's Ten Most Wanted criminals, second only to Osama bin Laden.John "Red" Shea was a top lieutenant in the South Boston Irish mob, rising to this position at the age of twenty-one. Thus began his tutelage under the notorious Irish godfather James "Whitey" Bulger. An ice-cold enforcer with a legendary red-hot temper, Shea was a legend among his Southie peers in the 1980s. From the first delivery truck he robbed at thirteen to the start of his twelve-year federal sentence for drug trafficking at twenty-seven, Shea was a portrait in American crime -- a terror, brutal and ruthlessly ambitious. Drug dealer, loan shark, money launderer, and multimillion-dollar narcotics kingpin, Shea was at the pinnacle of power -- until the feds came knocking and eventually obliterated the legendary mob in a well-orchestrated sweep of arrests, fueled by insider tips to the FBI and DEA. While Bulger's other top men turned informant to save their own hides, Shea alone kept his code of honor and his mouth shut -- loyalty that earned him a dozen years of hard time even as the man he was protecting turned out to be, himself, a rat. For in the end, in a remarkable show of betrayal, Bulger turned out to be the FBI's "main man" and top informant -- tipping off the feds for decades while still managing to operate one of the most murderous and profitable organized crime outfits of all time.In Rat Bastards, Shea brings that mysterious world and gritty urban Irish American street culture into sharp focus by telling his own story -- of his fatherless upbringing, his apprenticeship on the tough streets of Southie, and his love affair with trouble, boxing, and then the gangster life. In prose that is refreshingly honest, personal, and surprisingly tender, Shea tells his harrowing, unflinching, and unapologetic story. A man who did the crime, did the time, and held fast to the Irish code of silence, which he was raised to follow at any cost, Shea remains a man of honor and in doing so has become a living legend. One of the last of a dying breed, a true stand-up guy.Shea expects no forgiveness and makes no excuses for the life he chose. His story is intense, compelling, and in your face.