Showing results by narrator "Bill Hare" in All Categories

After Prussia was victorious in the Austro-Prussian War, Bismarck played a waiting game where the unification of Germany was concerned, as the joining of the southern states - initially resistant to Prussian rule, friendly with Austria, and bent on independence - would have to be overcome. What was needed was “a clear case of French aggression” toward either Prussia or the southern states. Not only would such a move by Emperor Napoleon III trigger the terms of the treaty between the German states, but it would keep the remaining world powers out of the conflict.

Brantura house sits by the water on the coast, a beckoning retreat for those wanting to get away from the city. But the house and water hold deadly secrets of love lost and minds gone mad. When Toby and his friends rent the house for a few weeks at the end of their university term, they all look forward to peace, quiet, and fun. But they get none of that. The water beckons them in, hoping to repeat its past, entrancing anyone who walks along its shores. The walls of Brantura hold both sadness and evil, and evil wins out.

Serving as both a glossary and primer of the history of the Middle East conflict and the peace process, Decoding the Conflict Between Israel and the Palestinians defines the terms, looks at the region’s history, discusses previous attempts at negotiations like Oslo and Taba, identifies important figures, and explains the arguments and mentalities of each side, showing why the conflict has proven so intractable.

The ancient Greeks used a number of forms of divination to determine the future and seek advice from the gods as to which actions they should take in any given situation. The most popular of these ways to consult the Gods was through a visit to an oracle - usually a person - at a fixed shrine. The oldest of these Greek sites was at Dodona in Epirus, and while it continued to be a major oracle for the Greek world through antiquity, it was quickly overtaken by the oracle at Delphi as the most consulted by kings, politicians, and ordinary Greeks alike.

The most famous battle of the 19th century was undoubtedly Waterloo, and the biggest battle of the Napoleonic Wars was Leipzig, but neither one of those legendary battles was the biggest of the century. That distinction instead belongs to the Battle of Königgrätz, a little known, but decisive conflict in a war between Prussia and Austria. Though it lasted only seven weeks and only had one truly decisive battle, the Austro-Prussian War nonetheless changed the political outlook in Europe forever.

Welcome to Mumbai, one of India’s most bustling, populated, action-packed, creative, and absolutely random cities. Located in Western India in the state of Maharashtra, Mumbai is a natural destination for travelers who are seeking to get a feel for Indian city life and its environs. Experience Mumbai takes listeners to Mumbai’s touristy district and beyond, exposing them to local architecture, art, nature, cuisine, dance, and more in a way that will make a trip to Mumbai an experience unforgettable.

Experience Thailand takes listeners to Thailand’s main cities and beyond, exposing them to local architecture, art, nature, cuisine, dance, and more in a way that will make a trip to Thailand an unforgettable experience. Whether you’re planning a trip to Thailand or looking to learn more about the city, this guide is for you!

The invasion across the Channel came in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944. That day, forever known as D-Day, the Allies commenced Operation Overlord by staging the largest and most complex amphibious invasion in human history. The complex operation would require tightly coordinated naval and air bombardment, paratroopers, and even inflatable tanks that would be able to fire on fortifications from the coastline, all while landing over 150,000 men across nearly 70 miles of French beaches.

The modern day city of Guangzhou is located in the mountainous region of south China. Near the Baiyun Mountains that rise from the edge of the city and the eastern banks of the Pearl River (Zhujiang), the city today covers approximately 7, 400 square kilometers. The location of the city provides it the opportunity to oversee the delta of the Pearl River, which is China’s third largest river.

For the most part forgotten, they were “the other” prophets, miracle workers, and messiahs - in some cases acclaimed as kings – and they were certainly contemporaries of Jesus of Nazareth. The New Testament does not deny the existence of such characters; in fact, it gives subtle but unequivocal clues to their presence. Learn about their existence in this audiobook.

Agrippa Hull: The Life and Legacy of the Revolutionary War’s Most Famous Black Soldier profiles one of the Revolution’s most unique participants.

Many Americans labor under the misconception that the nation’s colonial and national heritage was almost wholly accomplished by an English migration, and the notion of early American diversity ends at an acknowledgment of the slave trade conducted between Southern buyers, Northern shippers, the African continent, and the Caribbean region. However, early America witnessed the development of New York by the Dutch, the southernmost regions by Spain, and what would become eastern Canada by the French after lengthy battles with Britain.

During the Six-Day War in 1967, Israeli forces struck suddenly into Sinai in response to an Egyptian violation of an earlier treaty agreement that allowed Israeli ships passage through the important Straits of Tiran. In a lightning campaign, the Israeli forces, equipped with American and French vehicles and aircraft, shattered the low-quality Egyptian army forces decisively. When Jordan and Syria attacked Israel in support of Egypt, the Israelis smashed their forces also. Israel acquired most of the Sinai, as well as occupying the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights.

By 1787, it became evident that the Articles of Confederation were inadequate for the new nation. With these problems hampering the national government under the Articles of Confederation and the threat of default on the nation's massive war debt looming, plans began being made to fix the problems of the Articles of Confederation. Thus, that summer, a Constitutional convention was called, and each state sent delegates to Philadelphia. Among the delegates were prominent patriots and former members of the Continental Congress, including George Washington and Benjamin Franklin.

Even before the American Revolution, Americans traveled west. From the narrow strip of the 13 colonies, across the Appalachians, ever westward they journeyed, and by the end of the 19th century the United States of America stretched from sea to shining sea.

Anne Bradstreet was born into an unusual family that, in the early years of the 17th century, believed in educating daughters as well as sons. She then moved to the American wilderness as a young bride and proceeded to produce children and poetry at nearly equal speed in the years that followed. She was the first published poet from the North American colonies, beating out the men who would follow her by a number of years. Anne Bradstreet: The Life and Legacy of the Famous Puritan Poet in the American Colonies examines Bradstreet’s influential work.

Historians believe that even Jim Bridger’s prodigious travels were eclipsed by that of New York-born Jedediah Strong Smith, whose uncharacteristic personal life set him apart from the rough-edged mountain man reputation. Smith, who developed into a master cartographer through a regimen of self-study, left a legacy of surprisingly accurate maps of the western continent for military and immigrant groups, so accurate as to remain in use far beyond his death.

History for Kids: An Illustrated Biography of Jacqueline Kennedy for Children details the fame and fashion of the famous first lady while also examining her legacy during and after her years in the White House. Americans were fascinated by the young first lady’s style and the manner in which she glamorously positioned both the first family and the White House in those years, and Jackie remains one of the country’s most popular first ladies.

The most iconic images of the First World War are of the war on land. But part of that same generation faced a very different war, one that was just as important in deciding the fate of Europe. This was the war at sea. Here, events took place that would draw America into the war, providing the Allies with a new pool of manpower and so ensuring that the scales of the conflict tipped in their favor. At sea just as much as on land, this was a war that would shape the future of the world.

The people who have lived outside the boundaries of normal societies and refused to play by the rules have long fascinated the world, and nowhere is this more evident than the continuing interest in the pirates of centuries past. As the subjects of books, movies, and even theme park rides, people continue to let their imaginations go when it comes to pirates, with buried treasure, parrots, and walking the plank all ingrained in pop culture’s perception of them.