Douglas R. Pratt has narrated 13 audiobooks on Listento.it by 16 authors, with an average listener rating of 4★ across 3 ratings. The most-rated is Thirty Seconds over Tokyo.
Thirty Seconds over Tokyo
Summary
In Ted W. Lawson’s classic Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, Lawson gives a vivid eyewitness account of the unorthodox assignment that 85 intrepid volunteer airmen - the “Tokyo Raiders” - under the command of celebrated flier James H. Doolittle executed in April 1942. The plan called for 16 B-25 twin-engine medium bombers of the Army Air Corps to take off from the aircraft carrier Hornet, bomb industrial targets in Japan, and land at airfields in China. While the raid came off flawlessly, completely surprising the enemy, a shortage of fuel caused by an early departure, bad weather, and darkness took a heavy toll of the raiders. For many, the escape from China proved a greater ordeal. Peter B. Mersky provides new information on the genesis of the raid, places it in the context of the early operations against Japan, and updates Ted Lawson’s biography. The book is published by University of Nebraska Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.
©2002 Ellen R. Lawson (P)2020 Redwood Audiobooks
The War of 1812
Summary
This comprehensive and authoritative history of the War of 1812, thoroughly revised for the 200th anniversary of the historic conflict, is a myth-shattering study that will inform and entertain students, historians, and general listeners alike. Donald R. Hickey explores the military, diplomatic, and domestic history of our second war with Great Britain, bringing the study up to date with recent scholarship on all aspects of the war, from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada. The newly expanded The War of 1812: A Forgotten Conflict, Bicentennial Edition includes additional information on the British forces, American Indians, and military operations - such as the importance of logistics and the use and capabilities of weaponry. Hickey explains how the war promoted American nationalism and manifest destiny, stimulated peacetime defense spending, and enhanced America's reputation abroad. He also shows that the war sparked bloody conflicts between pro-war Republican and anti-war Federalist neighbors, dealt a crippling blow to American Indians, and solidified the United States's antipathy toward the British.
©2012 Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois (P)2013 Redwood Audiobooks
The Battle for North Africa
Summary
In the early years of World War II, Germany shocked the world with a devastating blitzkrieg, rapidly conquered most of Europe, and pushed into North Africa. As the Allies scrambled to counter the Axis armies, the British Eighth Army confronted the experienced Afrika Corps, led by German field marshal Erwin Rommel, in three battles at El Alamein. In the first battle, the Eighth Army narrowly halted the advance of the Germans during the summer of 1942. However, the stalemate left Nazi troops within striking distance of the Suez Canal, which would provide a critical tactical advantage to the controlling force. War historian Glyn Harper dives into the story, vividly narrating the events, strategies, and personalities surrounding the battles and paying particular attention to the Second Battle of El Alamein, a crucial turning point in the war that would be described by Winston Churchill as "the end of the beginning." Moving beyond a simple narrative of the conflict, The Battle for North Africa tackles critical themes, such as the problems of coalition warfare, the use of military intelligence, the role of celebrity generals, and the importance of an all-arms approach to modern warfare. This book is published by Indiana University Press. "A well-researched and highly readable account of one of World War II's most important 'turning point' battles.... Harper provides a 'fresh look' from an unbiased perspective at this decisive battle..." (Jerry D. Morelock, Senior Editor at HistoryNet.com)
©2017 Glyn Harper (P)2018 Redwood Audiobooks
The Big Book on the Gastric Bypass
Summary
The Roux-nn-Y gastric bypass surgery, or RNY, can be your weight loss solution after years of struggling with obesity. Thousands of patients have successfully lost weight and kept it off after RNY, which is the most well-known kind of bariatric surgery. Weight loss surgery is life-changing, and the best information can help you succeed. The Big Book on the Gastric Bypass: Everything You Need to Know to Lose Weight and Live Well with the Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery provides the information and tips you need to make the most out of this chance to overcome obesity forever. How is the RNY procedure performed? How can it help you lose weight? Is the gastric bypass surgery your best option for weight loss? What should you look for when choosing a surgeon? What will your diet be like? How can you reduce complications and side effects? This book is for you if you are just starting to consider weight loss surgery, if you know you want the RNY in particular, or if you are already a gastric bypass patient. The book is a great gift option and also a great choice if you are supporting a gastric bypass patient. Learn all about: Average weight loss after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RNY) Choosing a surgeon and paying for surgery Safely preparing for and recovering from surgery All about the RNY diet for weight loss and health Health benefits and risks of the gastric bypass Embracing life as a RNY patient This complete guide covers the entire RNY journey - don't be left behind!
©2013 Alex Brecher (P)2015 Alex Brecher
O'Connell's Treasure
Summary
In 1943, Captain Peter O’Connell leaves the 82nd Airborne through a mysterious invitation and joins the first US Special Forces, the Office of Special Services (OSS). O’Connell soon realizes the OSS mission to support the Resistance in Occupied Europe is more than just sabotage and subversion. It also means staying alive behind the lines when you rarely know who is friend and who is your enemy. Reassigned to India in late 1944, Peter and his British colleagues work to destroy a Nazi sabotage ring based in Goa. Success in this operation uncovers O’Connell’s treasure - Nazi gold and his future wife.
©2019 John R. Seeger (P)2020 John R. Seeger
GPS Declassified
Summary
GPS Declassified examines the development of GPS from its secret, cold war military roots to its emergence as a worldwide consumer industry. Drawing on previously unexplored documents, the authors examine how military rivalries influenced the creation of GPS and shaped public perceptions about its origin. Since the United States’ first program to launch a satellite in the late 1950s, the nation has pursued dual paths into space - one military and secret, the other scientific and public. Among the many commercial spin-offs this approach has produced, GPS arguably boasts the greatest impact on our daily lives. Told by a son of a Navy insider - whose work helped lay the foundations for the system - and a science and technology journalist, the story chronicles the research and technological advances required for the development of GPS. The authors peek behind the scenes at pivotal events in GPS history. They note how the technology moved from the laboratory to the battlefield to the dashboard and the smartphone, and they raise the specter of how this technology and its surrounding industry affect public policy. Insights into how the system works and how it fits into a long history of advances in navigation tie into discussions of the myriad applications for GPS. Published by University of Nebraska Press. "A carefully researched, well written, fast-paced, and thoroughly enjoyable book." - Space Review "As an introduction to GPS, its history, uses, issues and concerns GPS Declassified can't be beat." - New York Journal of Books "Expertly weaves the story of GPS development and its ever-expanding use." - Choice
©2013 Richard D. Easton and Eric F. Frazier (P)2017 Redwood Audiobooks
Sun, Sin, Suburbia
Summary
Las Vegas is gambling's mecca - Sin City the Entertainment Capital of the World with 40 million visitors a year. But that's just part of the story. This carefully documented history tracks the rise of Las Vegas from its vital role in World War II, of the Rat Pack era of the 50s, the explosive growth of the 90s, and it's colossal collapse in the post 2008 real-estate crash. It offers a history of the iconic Strip, but also profiles the neighborhoods where over 2 million people live - a diverse community of much more than gaming tables, lounge acts, and organized crime. This revised and expanded edition brings the story up to date with it's meteoric rise to one of the Great Recession's most battered victims. Sun, Sin & Suburbia is required reading for newcomers who want to learn about their new hometown, and an essential addition to any longtime resident's library.
©2004, 2012 Geoff Schumacher and Stephens Press (P)2013 Geoff Schumacher and Stephens Press
Howard Hughes: Power, Paranoia & Palace Intrigue
Summary
One of the most famous and enigmatic Americans of the 20th century, Howard Hughes challenged Hollywood's conventions and packed theaters with his blockbuster films Hell's Angels, Scarface and The Outlaw. He thrilled the world with his aviation exploits, shattering air speed records, flying around the world in record time and building the world's largest aircraft. Hughes was linked with almost every major film beauty of the 1930s and '40s, making him a favorite subject of the nation's gossip columns. One of the world's first billionaires, Hughes transformed his father's small fortune into a vast business empire. But for all his celebrated achievements, Hughes' later years in Las Vegas - when drug addiction, bizarre behavior and a casino buying spree dominated his days - continue to draw the public's fascination. Geoff Schumacher, a veteran journalist and the author of Sun, Sin & Suburbia: An Essential History of Modern Las Vegas, delves into the Las Vegas years of Howard Hughes in this engrossing portrait of a man whose impact on the city is still being felt today.
©2008 Geoff Schumacher and Stephens Press (P)2013 Geoff Schumacher and Stephens Press
Buster Keaton
Summary
Buster Keaton (1895-1966) was a brilliant comedian and filmmaker who conceived, wrote, directed, acted, and even edited most of his ten feature films and nineteen short comedies, which are perhaps the finest silent pictures ever made. With a face of stone and a mind that engineered breathtakingly intricate moments of slapstick, Keaton has become an icon of the American cinema. Marion Meade's definitive biography explores his often brutal childhood acting experiences, the making of his masterpieces, his shame at his own lack of education, his life-threatening alcoholism, and his turbulent marriages. Based on four years of research and more than 200 interviews with notables such as Billy Wilder, Leni Riefenstahl, Gene Kelly, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Irene Mayer Selznick, as well as members of Keaton's family who had previously refused to discuss him, Buster Keaton: Cut to the Chase is a startling and moving account of the troubled life of a cinematic genius.
©1995 Marion Meade (P)2013 Marion Meade
Titan
Summary
When the leaders of the French Revolution executed Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette in 1793, they sent a chilling message to the hereditary ruling orders in Europe. Believing that monarchy anywhere presented a threat to democratic rule in France, the leaders of the revolution declared war on European aristocracies, including those of Great Britain. For more than 20 years thereafter, France and England waged a protracted war that ended in British victory. In Titan, William R. Nester offers a deeply informed and thoroughly fascinating narrative of how England accomplished this remarkable feat. Between 1789 and 1815, British leaders devised, funded, and led seven coalitions against the revolutionary and Napoleonic governments of France. In each enterprise, statesmen and generals searched for order amid a complex welter of bureaucratic, political, economic, psychological, technological, and international forces. The interplay of individuals and events, the importance of conjunctures and contingency, the significance of Britain's island character and resources: all come into play in Nester's exploration of the art of British military diplomacy. The result is a comprehensive and insightful account of the endeavors of statesmen and generals to master the art of power in a complex battle for empire.
©2016 William R. Nester (P)2017 Redwood Audiobooks
Night Hunters: The AC-130s and Their Role in US Airpower
Summary
In Night Hunters, air power historian William P. Head provides the first detailed study of the development and deployment of the AC-130 gunship. While other airframes and other types of close air support (CAS) and interdiction weapon systems preceded or flew with the AC-130s, this four-engine cargo airframe proved to be not only the longest serving fixed-wing gunship but also the most effective by far.
During the Vietnam War, the US military developed new tactics and weapons systems to counter a diversity of enemy tactics and geographic features, the difficult climate, and the shifting diplomatic context. One of the most important was the development of the AC-130. Its ability to transport heavier payloads at higher altitudes across longer distances made it the logical choice to be the final Vietnam-era fixed-wing gunship and the only one that continues to fly missions in the 21st century. In addition, it employed many of the most advanced weapons, sensors, targeting devices, and fire control systems of the 1970s or of any era.
By recounting both the technical development and the combat operations of the plane, and by looking at the proposed alternatives for its use in the War on Terror, Night Hunters offers a clear view of the role of gunships and of close air support in US wars. In today’s never-ending brushfire wars, the AC-130s continue to uphold their reputation for excellence.
The book is published by Texas A&M University Press.
©2014 William P. Head (P)2019 Redwood Audiobooks
US Foreign Policy and Defense Strategy
Summary
In US Foreign Policy and Defense Strategy, the authors analyze the strategic underpinnings of hegemony, assess the national security establishment that sustains dominance, consider the impact on civil-military relations, and explore the intertwining relationships between foreign policy, defense strategy, and commercial activities. Eschewing conventional analyses, the volume not only identifies drivers and continuities in foreign policy, but it also examines how the legacy of the last sixty-five years will influence future national security policy that will be characterized by US leadership in an increasingly competitive world. From civil-military relations to finance, and from competing visions of how America should make war to its philosophy of securing peace through reconstruction and reconciliation, US Foreign Policy and Defense Strategy offers unique insights into the links between military and commercial power as it charts the rise of a historical rarity: the incidental superpower.
©2015 Georgetown University Press (P)2015 Redwood Audiobooks
Aging Is a Treatable Disease
Summary
New advances in medical science and the unraveling of the human genome are providing us great insights to the aging process. We can now significantly increase our healthy longevity and live long enough to take advantage of the even newer technologies being developed. The overall deterioration of the body that comes with growing old is not inevitable. Aging is a treatable disease. So if you want to increase your chances of living a long and healthy life, maybe even becoming immortal, you need to learn what you can do today. You do not have to go to the extremes to get great benefits. But you do need to learn what to do and take action. This audiobook describes seven programs that you can begin today to dramatically improve your health and longevity.
©2011, 2012 UnknownTruths Publishing Company (P)2012 UnknownTruths Publishing Company