Showing results by narrator "J. A. Smith" in All Categories

Admiral Chester Nimitz stands tall as an absolute giant in military history. The massive Nimitz-class aircraft carriers that still bear his name stand as a testament to that fact. During the Second World War, Nimitz was in charge of a huge chunk of the US Armed Forces in the Pacific theater. It was his job to orchestrate the projection of Allied power across the Pacific in order to take on a resurgent Japanese Empire. He did all these things and more. By war’s end, Nimitz was the highest-ranking member of the US Navy. The Navy, in fact, had to create a whole new rank just to promote him!

This book delves into the Iron Age, exploring its origins, its rapid dissemination, and the profound transformations it brought to human societies. This is the story of how iron reshaped the ancient world.

Nellie Bly was a rare figure in this world. She was someone who steadfastly refused to follow the crowd. In an age when most people, especially women, were expected to conform to social norms and keep their opinions to themselves, Bly boldly charted her own course. She did not wait for permission to speak her mind, nor did she concern herself with the prevailing sentiments of her day. What made Nellie Bly extraordinary was her commitment to thinking independently.

Discover the remarkable history of the Battle of the Little Bighorn.... The Battle of the Little Bighorn and the massacre of Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer and five companies of the U. S. 7th Cavalry in June 1876 is one of the best-remembered events of the turbulent period known as the Wild West. This defeat came as a stunning shock to most Americans. Before Custer’s Last Stand, there was a general assumption that in any full-scale battle between Native Americans and the U.S. Army, the army would prevail.

Discover the remarkable life of Daniel Boone... Daniel Boone is one of those figures in American history whose life often intertwines with myths and legends. While numerous tall tales surround this American adventurer, many of his greatest feats are actually true. They are not merely artifacts of folklore—they genuinely happened. Daniel Boone really did blaze a trail through the Cumberland Gap into the western frontier. He really did become initiated as a member of the Shawnee (who gave him the name “Big Turtle”), and he really did serve under Revolutionary War General George Rogers Clark.

George Rogers Clark was an American general during the Revolutionary War—the epic conflict in which the newly formed United States of America broke free from British rule. A seasoned frontiersman, he became a leading figure in the expansion of the American frontier into what was then known as the Northwest Territory. Before states like Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky even existed, Clark was actively charting their course. When the Revolutionary War erupted, George Rogers Clark did not hesitate to answer the call to action.

Discover the remarkable life of Joachim von Ribbentrop...

In 1874, Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer led a US Army expedition into the Black Hills of South Dakota, which was at that time under the control of the Lakota people. To the expedition members, this was unknown territory on the leading edge of the American frontier. The purpose of the expedition was not only to find a possible location for a fort and a route through the Black Hills to the Southwest but also to investigate rumors of gold deposits. Custer’s cavalry and infantry were accompanied by specialist miners and geologists whose role was to search for that gold.

Vera Atkins is one of the many unsung heroes and heroines of World War II. She carried out her life with great care and due diligence, quietly becoming the perfect spy when no one was watching. Beneath her polished exterior was a mind built for strategy, secrecy, and survival. But Vera wasn’t just a spy—she was a Spymistress. That’s what her operatives in Britain’s military intelligence unit, the Special Operations Executive, called her.

The American Revolution not only changed the continent of North America, but the ideas it represented would go on to change the world. The notion of a state where individual liberty was guaranteed to all citizens and where hereditary positions of power did not exist would directly lead to the French Revolution and to other movements around the world that sought to bring fundamental political and societal changes.

William McKinley’s presidency was fairly brief as far as presidencies go, but it was incredibly consequential all the same. The most notable and lasting part of his legacy is no doubt the US acquisition of Guam and Puerto Rico, which remain US territories to this very day.

John Basilone was a man who embodied self-sacrifice. Prior to his passing, he engaged in several incredible battles with America’s foes in the Pacific Theater of World War II. It was during the heat of battle at Guadalcanal that this Marine proved himself a thousand times over. Under heavy fire, he left his position to run across hostile terrain to grab up much-needed ammunition so that he could resupply his gunners. In the end, only Basilone and two other men from his unit were left standing, but they nevertheless managed to hand the Japanese a stunning defeat.

Irena Sendler is one of the often-unsung heroes of the Holocaust. Nevertheless, she deserves credit for her humanitarian efforts. Time and time again, she put her own safety at risk to save others. Her efforts were especially crucial as it pertained to saving the children who fell victim to the horrors of the Holocaust. As a Catholic Pole, Irena Sendler could have rather easily looked the other way and told herself that it was none of her business what was happening around her. But her conscience wouldn’t let her ignore the pleas of all those innocent voices who so desperately needed her aid.

After years of darkness, Eric Livna, newly appointed lord of Tsaftown, returns from the battlefield ready to properly assume his title and become a true husband and father to his family. His marriage to Lady Viola, though arranged and built on mutual duty, has lacked the warmth of true affection, but Eric is hoping to bridge the emotional distance between them.

Prince was, according to many, one of the greatest musicians ever to have lived. At first glance, one might think that such words are an exaggeration. But if one were to truly look at the life behind this legend, they would quickly understand just how great he really was. Prince showed an extraordinary talent from a young age. He could play just about any instrument he picked up, mastering the guitar, piano, drums, and more. His technical skill was matched only by his creativity, as he blended genres like rock, funk, pop, and jazz into a sound uniquely his own.

Millard Fillmore’s journey to the presidency was anything but conventional. Born into poverty in a log cabin in western New York state, he rose from humble beginnings through sheer determination and hard work. He reached all the way to the position of vice president when President Zachary Taylor suddenly perished in office. Fillmore may not have expected his sudden elevation to the presidency, but he rose to the challenge all the same, ready to tackle some of the most pressing matters of state from day one.

Zachary Taylor might not be the first name that comes to mind when you think about US presidents. Known as “Old Rough and Ready” for his no-nonsense style and countless military victories, Taylor was a war hero long before he reluctantly stepped into politics. He didn’t seek fame or power, but his victories in the Mexican-American War made him one of the most popular people in America and ultimately propelled him to the presidency.

The Comanche were once the most dominant Native American tribe in the Great Plains of North America. From their homelands on the prairies, they ranged across the American West and South into Mexico. They were also one of the most feared of all Native American people, fighting virtually every other Native American tribe they had contact with and waging successful guerilla wars against invaders from Spain, Mexico, and the Eastern United States.

An inspirational tale of triumph over extraordinary setbacks, A Colonel & A Cowboy tells the remarkable story of rodeo great Stran Smith and retired U.S. Army Colonel J. Craig Flowers. Stran Smith’s journey to becoming a World Champion rodeo cowboy is woven together with Colonel Flowers’ experiences supporting some of the most elite teams in the world. Through dramatic, real-life storytelling and humor, these two native Texans offer a profound analysis of what it takes to move from great to elite: Mission, Mindset, and Process.

Bass Reeves was a man who forged his own destiny and wrote his own life story as he went along. Born into slavery, Reeves rose above all challenges to become one of the most legendary lawmen of the American West. As a deputy US marshal, he held himself to a personal code of conduct that went beyond the badge he wore. For Bass, the line between right and wrong was clear, and he never hesitated to enforce the law—even when it meant pursuing his own friends or family. Justice wasn’t just his duty; it was his calling.