Books with author William H. Davis

In the 22nd century, the first wonder of a brave new world is the Phoenix Space Elevator, designed to give mankind greater access to the frontier beyond Earth. Cooperatively built by the United States and the Eurasian Coalition, the Elevator is also a grand symbol of superpower alliance following a second cold war. And it’s just been destroyed.With suspicions rampant, armies and espionage teams are mobilized across the globe and beyond. Enter Claire Haskell and Jason Marlowe, U.S. counterintelligence agents and former lovers—though their memories may only be constructs implanted by their spymaster. Now their agenda is to trust no one. For as the crisis mounts, the lives of all involved will converge in one explosive finale—and a startling aftermath that will rewrite everything they’ve ever known—about their mission, their world, and themselves.

One was called “a tin can on a shingle”; the other, “a half-submerged crocodile.” Yet, on a March day in 1862 in Hampton Roads, Virginia, after a five-hour duel, the U.S.S. Monitor and the C.S.S. Virginia(formerly the U.S.S. Merrimack) were to change the course of not only the Civil War but also naval warfare forever. Using letters, diaries, and memoirs of men who lived through the epic battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack and of those who witnessed it from afar, William C. Davis documents and analyzes this famous confrontation of the first two modern warships. The result is a full-scale history that is as exciting as a novel. Besides a thorough discussion of the designs of each ship, Davis portrays come of the men involved in the building and operation of America’s first ironclads―John Ericsson, supreme egoist and engineering genius who designed the Monitor; John Brooke, designer of the Virginia; John Worden, the well-loved captain of the Monitor; Captain Franklin Buchanan of the Virginia; and a host of other men on both Union and Confederate sides whose contributions make this history as much a story of men as of ships and war.

Elizabeth’s grandfather called her Lily. She was the girl child of a would-be dynasty formed in the Arizona Highlands and built on the taking and selling water. This fascinating family saga begins in the 1930s. Clyde Bohanan is an ordinary con man traveling the long abandoned stretches of the old Route 66 when he discovers the small mountain community of Eternal Springs Arizona. Clyde marries into local politics and brutally takes control of the Eternal Springs Water Coalition. After Clyde’s son dies, Lily feels no compunction about becoming her father’s heir presumptive. Backed by the wealth and power of her family, Lily’s tastes twist into lust: for young men, for slavishly devoted girlfriends, and for revenge. Read this first installment of Arizona Cactus Lily and come back for more at no additional charge. Follow this bad girl through the mountains and deserts of Arizona.

David Walliams' bestselling book Mr Stink has gone FULL COLOUR in a brand-new anniversary edition. This beautiful hardback gift book is the perfect present for children of any age, and contains an introduction from David Walliams himself. Available for a limited time only! Mr Stink was the second David Walliams book to be illustrated by the inimitable Quentin Blake, and won unanimous critical acclaim. Mr Stink remains one of his most beloved characters - in a tale that continues to touch the hearts of readers everywhere. A highly collectable edition for fans old and new.

Throughout his discussion of food in the camp, Davis provides overwhelming evidence of his central theme that the culinary experience for soldiers was a poor one for non-officers. "From 1861 to 1865 [soldiers'] menu was a three-course meal of monotony, insufficiency, and improvisation" (xvi). Many historians, of course, have commented on the poor state of nutrition in both armies, especially in the South. Still, it was a topic that was due for the kind of in-depth and thorough examination that Davis gives it. Davis argues persuasively that malnutrition probably exacerbated the poor health of many soldiers, noting that disease of diarrhea was the "biggest single killer" of men, especially in the prison camps. Interestingly, he posits that such "bowel complaints" probably affected both sides "almost equally" and that the South never lost a battle due to malnutrition (126-127). Even so, it almost certainly did not help and malnutrition in camp and back at home probably had at least some influence on skyrocketing Confederate desertion rates near the end of the war. Some of the most interesting parts of the book, and perhaps where the book could have been tied more closely to recent scholarly literature, comes during Davis's discussion of food in prison camps. Davis demonstrates how the food prisoners ate on both sides steadily declined during the war and played a role in the horrendous death rates in both northern and southern prisons. Although Davis only briefly mentions such vengeful episodes, it seems clear that northerners such as Secretary of State Edwin Stanton and Commissary General of Prisoners of War William Hoffman cut food to prisoners in a retaliatory measure whereas southerners simply did not have the resources to care for their own men or Yankee prisoners (100-102).

One was called "a tin can on a shingle"; the other, "a half-submerged crocodile." Yet, on a March day in 1862 in Hampton Roads, Virginia, after a five-hour duel, the U.S.S. Monitor and the C.S.S. Virginia (formerly the U.S.S. Merrimack) were to change the course of not only the Civil War but also naval warfare forever. Using letters, diaries, and memoirs of men who lived through the epic battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack and of those who witnessed it from afar, William C. Davis documents and analyzes this famous confrontation of the first two modern warships. The result is a full-scale history that is as exciting as a novel. Besides a thorough discussion of the designs of each ship, Davis portrays come of the men involved in the building and operation of America's first ironclads-John Ericsson, supreme egoist and engineering genius who designed the Monitor; John Brooke, designer of the Virginia; John Worden, the well-loved captain of the Monitor; Captain Franklin Buchanan of the Virginia; and a host of other men on both Union and Confederate sides whose contributions make this history as much a story of men as of ships and war. William C. Davis is the editor of Civil War Times Illustrated and the author of Breckinridge: Statesman, Soldier, Symbol ; The Battle of New Market; Battle at Bull Run; and The Orphan Brigade.

Not many halflings dream of magic.But Epik isn’t like the rest. Adventure. Excitement. He craves those things. He would rather learn magic, not follow a wizard on some fool's adventure.... Or so he thinks.The problem: magic is outlawed. After setting out for the city, what Epik finds in Dune All-En isn’t at all what he’d hoped. No magic. And few wizards.Luck, or something more sinister, is on the halfling's side. He meets Gabby, a wizard who is kind enough to rent him a room, or rather, a closet, at his now-defunct magical supply store. And as a group of mountain trolls threatens the city, Epik sees the opportunity to do something, well, epic.If only the halfling inside him would stop peeking out.Featuring halflings, dwarves, elves, and a ranger or two, Hero in a Halfling is perfect for fans of both Discworld and Middle-earth. Join Epik as he goes from halfling to hero, who just also happens to (still) be a halfling.