Islands America

In a landmark work of history, Russell Shorto presents astonishing information on the founding of our nation and reveals in riveting detail the crucial role of the Dutch in making America what it is today.

Home to the giant tortoises that gave them their name, the Galapagos Islands lie one thousand kilometres off the coast of mainland Ecuador. The famous group of islands remained untouched by humanity for thousands of years, being only charted in the seventeenth century. Two hundred years later the stunning wildlife provided Charles Darwin with the perfect place to work on his theory of evolution. Darwin’s book ‘The Origin of the Species’ was partially inspired by his trip to the Galapagos.

Willow Shorts has told herself the same thing for years – she doesn’t want a divorce. But deep down, she knows there’s more to life than laundry and loneliness. Her husband, Charlie, had promised to give up his workaholic ways this summer. But it’s been months, and nothing has changed. In an act of desperation, Willow leaves her husband a note, drives south through the night, to stay at her best friend’s summer cottage on Sanibel Island. The first few days are filled with sandy streets, sunshine and crystal blue water, just as she imagined. It’s only after 4 days have passed ...

The devastation of Pearl Harbor and the American victory at Midway were prelude to a greater challenge: rolling back the vast Japanese Pacific empire island by island. This masterful history encompasses the heart of the Pacific War - the period between mid-1942 and mid-1944 - when parallel Allied counteroffensives north and south of the equator washed over Japan's far-flung island empire like a "conquering tide", concluding with Japan's irreversible strategic defeat in the Marianas.

INTO THE AMERICAS (A novel based on a true story) is a gritty, real-life adventure based on one of history’s greatest survival stories. It was inspired by the diary entries of young English blacksmith John Jewitt during his time aboard the brigantine The Boston and also during his sojourn at Nootka Sound, on North America's western seaboard, from 1802 to 1805. Written by father-and-son writing team Lance & James Morcan (authors of The World Duology and The Orphan Trilogy), INTO THE AMERICAS is a tale of two vastly different cultures – Indigenous North American and European civilization ...

The Curse of Oak Island is a fascinating account of the strange, rich history of the island and the intrepid treasure hunters who have driven themselves to financial ruin, psychotic breakdowns, and even death in pursuit of answers. And as Michigan brothers Marty and Rick Lagina become the latest to attempt to solve the mystery, as documented on the History Channel’s television show The Curse of Oak Island, Sullivan takes listeners along to follow their quest firsthand.

On December 8, 1941, just five hours after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Japanese planes attacked a remote US outpost in the westernmost reaches of the Pacific. It was the beginning of an incredible 16-day fight for Wake Island, a tiny but strategically valuable dot in the ocean. Unprepared for the stunning assault, the small battalion was dangerously outnumbered and outgunned. But they compensated with a surplus of bravery and perseverance, waging an extraordinary battle against all odds.

On Wednesday, March 28, 1979, 36 seconds after the hour of 4:00 a.m., several water pumps stopped working in the unit 2 nuclear power plant on Three Mile Island, 10 miles southeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Today it is known as Roosevelt Island. In 1828, when New York City purchased this narrow, two-mile-long island in the East River, it was called Blackwell's Island. There, over the next hundred years, the city would build a lunatic asylum, prison, hospital, workhouse, and almshouse. Stacy Horn has crafted a compelling and chilling narrative told through the stories of the poor souls sent to Blackwell's, as well as the period's city officials, reformers, and journalists (including the famous Nellie Bly). Damnation Island re-creates what daily life was like on the island....

The creation myth of the United States begins with the plucky English puritans of the Mayflower, but what about the story of its sister ship, the Seaflower? Few people today know the story of the passengers aboard the Seaflower, who in 1630 founded a rival puritan colony on an isolated Caribbean island called Providence. The Island That Disappeared presents Providence as a fascinating microcosm of colonialism. At first glance it is an island of devout churchgoers, but look a little closer, and you see that it is still dependent on its smugglers.

Religious fanatics inform historian Cameron Thorne that a medieval stone tower in Newport, Rhode Island is a secret portal—built by the Knights Templar—through which the Antichrist will appear. A group of Native Americans share this belief, claiming that the shape of Turtle Island, their name for North America, was revealed to them by ancient aliens passing through this same portal centuries ago. It all seems utterly ridiculous, until Cam's teenage daughter Astarte is kidnapped and dragged into an occult ritual designed to bring about the Apocalypse.

In Fantasy Island, Ed Morales traces how, over the years, Puerto Rico has served as a colonial satellite, a Cold War Caribbean showcase, a dumping ground for US manufactured goods, and a corporate tax shelter. He also shows how it has become a blank canvas for mercenary experiments in disaster capitalism on the frontlines of climate change, hamstrung by internal political corruption and the US federal government's prioritization of outside financial interests.

“I am afraid of the dark, and this fear is gaining power over me with every moment I spend in the cellar. My stepmother is perfectly aware of this fear; I even used a nightlight to go to sleep when I lived upstairs. If she wanted to punish me, click, off it would go, leaving me to cry in the dark. Fear is not always rational, it is powered by your imagination, or an accumulation of past experiences that teaches you to be afraid. In this cellar I have an abundance of fears to choose from, be it the creations of my own mind or the reality of where I am.” It began with the purchase of an ...

Unlock the secrets of America's most legendary prison island. The History of Alcatraz: A Complete Guide to America's Most Infamous Prison Island is a captivating, thoroughly researched look at the rich and complex past of Alcatraz. From its early days as a Civil War-era military fort to its decades as a maximum-security federal penitentiary, this book explores why Alcatraz has remained a symbol of justice, power, and mystery in the American imagination. Walk the island through its many lives: the fortress that once protected San Francisco Bay, the prison that held notorious criminals like ...

They were the perfect family…until the summer that changed everything. Lauren Moorfield has everything - a wonderful husband, two adorable kids, a dazzling career, and a dream house to die for. Then one day, 20 year old Isabella shows up at the family home, claiming Lauren’s husband Jeff is the father she never knew - the father who left her mother before she was born. As Jeff and Lauren attempt to make sense of the situation, they welcome her into the family. Jeff assures Lauren that he has no idea about Isabella’s existence, but as time goes by, and despite her best efforts to make ...

While Western accounts of North American history traditionally start with European colonization, Indigenous histories of North America—or Turtle Island—stretch back millennia. Drawing on comparative analysis, firsthand Indigenous accounts, extensive historical writings, and his own experience, Omaha Tribal member, Cherokee citizen, and teacher Taylor Keen presents a comprehensive re-imagining of the ancient and more recent history of this continent’s oldest cultures.

Taíno Myths: The Stories That Shaped the Caribbean Before any European set foot on Caribbean shores, the Taíno people flourished, their lives intertwined with rich beliefs and powerful ancient tales. This book unveils their legacy. This book is an intimate portrait of a culture that overcame attempts at erasure, colonization, and centuries of enforced silence. The Taíno were declared gone, but their pulse still resonates across the Caribbean, their stories speaking clearly today. Here’s just a fraction of what you can expect inside: Foundational creation myths where sibling rivalry ...

Ever since Lucy Smith’s father died five years ago; “home” has been more of an idea than a place. She knows being on the run is better than anything waiting for her as a “ward of the state”. But when the sharp-eyed and kind Mr. Jameson with an interest in her case comes looking for her; Lucy wonders if hiding from her past will ever truly keep her safe.

Just what is Latin America? How do you define it? Latin America comprises the Caribbean, South America, and Mexico. These regions are diverse in culture yet share a common bond of history that was forged when the Old World of Latin Europe met the New World of the Americas. This audiobook takes you through the history of this vast and complex region.

As tensions over Taiwan escalate, the United States and China stand on the brink of a catastrophic war. Resolving the impasse demands we understand how it began. In 1943, the Allies declared that Japanese-held Taiwan would return to China at the conclusion of World War II. The Chinese civil war led to a change of plans. The Communist Party came to power in China and the defeated Nationalist leader, Chiang Kai-shek, fled to Taiwan, where he was afforded US protection. The specter of conflict has loomed ever since.