![]() ![]() Michael Smith has spoken to many former members of the Activity, and we follow them on operations from the war on the drug barons that led Colombian "death squads" to the hideouts of Pablo Escobar and his men. Hidden from the politicians and the government bean counters, it would carry out deniable operations preparing the way for Delta and SEAL Team Six. military chiefs set up the "Intelligence Support Activity," a cover name for a secret army surveillance team that could operate undercover anywhere in the world. One of the main reasons Operation Eagle Claw failed was a chronic lack of intel on the ground, so in January 1981, U.S. The Activity's story begins with the abortive attempt to rescue the American hostages from Iran in 1980. Now journalist Michael Smith gets inside this clandestine military team to expose their explosive history and secrets. ![]() 'The Activity," as it became known to insiders, has achieved near-mythical status, even among the world's Special Operations elite. ![]() Army Special Operations unit has been running covert missions all over the world, from leading death squads to the hideout of drug baron Pablo Escobar to assassinating key al Qaeda members, including Iraqi leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, and, in one of their greatest missions, capturing Saddam Hussein. ![]()
0 Comments
![]() ![]() ![]() Ilya Kaminsky is the author of Dancing in Odessa (Tupelo Press, 2004) which won the Whiting Writers' Award, the American Academy of Arts and Letters' Metcalf Award, the Dorset Prize, and the Ruth Lilly Poetry Fellowship awarded annually by Poetry magazine. ![]() Her poetry stands among the greatest works of twentieth century Russian writers. Marina Tsvetaeva was born in Moscow in 1892 and died in 1941. Take it, church by church-all forty times forty churches,Īnd flying up over them, the small pigeons By juxtaposing fragments of her poems with short pieces of prose, we begin to know her as poet, friend, enemy, woman, lover, and revolutionary.įrom my hands-take this city not made by hands, my strange, my beautiful brother. Via what Ilya Kaminsky and Jean Valentine call readings-not translations-of fragments of Marina Tsvetaeva's poems and prose, Tsvetaeva's lyrical genius is made accessible and poignant to a new generation of readers. About the Book Two of America's most passionate poets work magic to unearth the true voice of Tsvetaeva, to open veins. ![]() ![]() The narrative abruptly jumps around from character to character, which, though initially confusing, actually turned out to be a good thing, as the side characters were much the most interesting, with completely invented backstories, unlike Mary and Joseph, who were constrained by the traditional story. I’d decided to try to read some seasonal literature to go with the upcoming Christmas season, and what better way to start, I thought, than with this one, going right back to the source, as it were.Īs you can see from my rating, it was an adequate though not an astounding success. I mildly enjoyed Norah Lofts’ attempt, but found that I could not fully enter into this creative re-imagining of the story of the birth of Christ, for reasons touched on below. ![]() How Far to Bethlehem? by Norah Lofts ~ 1964. ![]() ![]() I wanted to include it as one continuous illustration, but my scanner bed was just a bit too small for the whole thing. ![]() ![]() ![]() Each book's title within the series gives the reader a chance to know what is being explored within the pages of the actual book while also providing the format of the book's writing, which is the "is. This is one series that had my attention caught since of its descriptive title. A Seed Is Sleepy presents its information in an innovative way, making it one of a number of recent picture-book (Jason Chin's Redwoods also springs to mind, in this regard) I would recommend, to get reluctant or indifferent young students interested in botany. The ink and watercolor artwork is simply superb, with beautiful colors, appealing page layout, and botanical portraits that capture the delicate charm of dandelion seeds and the towering strength of the redwoods. I really liked this dual format, and think it will draw young readers in, sparking their interest and then building upon it. "A Seed Is Naked," for instance, is followed by a brief two-sentence discussion of gymnosperms - seeds that are not "clothed" in fruit. Each two-page spread pairs a general (and rather poetic) statement about seeds, with some specific scientific information. ![]() In the beginning, a seed is sleepy (and secretive), lying untouched and still, but soon it is fruitful and adventurous - spreading out and growing. Diana Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long - who also collaborated on An Egg Is Quiet - offer a pean to the seed in this lovely picture-book, which explores some of the many fascinating qualities of these plants-to-be. ![]() ![]() ![]() She remembers using her first royalty fee to get the car mended. Funds were low - she couldn’t even afford to fix her car - so we scratched that lunch and went for tea and coffee instead. ![]() But all of her money, including an apartment in London’s posh Holland Park area, was tied up in trying to put Mamma Mia! together. ![]() Later, as I walk along Piccadilly, I find myself smiling at a memory from possibly 28 years ago, when I was due to lunch with Craymer, at her invitation. “There is a story there, and I do think Meryl should come back - and if the script is right, she would, I think, because she really loved playing Donna,” Craymer tells me as we settle into a comfy banquette at Charlie’s, a delightfully swanky restaurant located at Brown’s hotel in Mayfair. “I don’t want to over-egg it, but I know there’s a trilogy there,” she says brightly. So far, there’s nothing “official” about MM!3, cautions Craymer. Scoot McNairy To 'Speak No Evil' For Blumhouse & Universal ![]() ![]() ![]() Your latest novel, Belle Révolte, is set to release February 4 th! Can you tell us what it’s about?īelle Révolte is a standalone fantasy novel that draws from Reformation-era France and follows two girls, Emilie and Annette, in a nation on the brink of revolution. If you could describe, Belle Révolte in just five words, what would they be? It was part of a duology, so working on Belle Révolte, a standalone, was challenging but fun. ![]() My debut novel Mask of Shadows, about a thief auditioning to be the next royal assassin, dealt heavily in revenge, morality, and identity. I love exploring how magic and medicine intersect and how far characters will go to get what they want. I pretended I didn’t want to write in college before realizing I was wrong and repurposing my biology background for fantasy. Hi! I am a YA author who loves weird magic and morally gray characters. Hi Linsey! Could you tell us a little about yourself? You can find Linsey on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr, along with at her website. We chat to Linsey about this magically dangerous new world and its inspiration, along with book recommendations, her upcoming projects, and more! ![]() Linsey Miller, author of the Mask of Shadows duology, is back with a new YA fantasy stand-alone, Belle Révolte. ![]() ![]() ![]() How To Prevent and Reverse Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS)Ĭlear Flashes and Dynamic vs. Reversing Astigmatism (with Esther Joy Van Der Werf)Įye Mind Connection (The Correct Way To Practice The Bates Method)ĭiet, Nutrition, and Supplementation for Optimal Eye Health This book is for anyone with blurry vision at distance, which is knows as nearsightedness or myopia. Nose Drawing (“My Eye Doctor Told Me I Can’t Improve My Vision”) How To Get, And Use, Weaker Prescription “Training Glasses” Make sure you SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel to not miss any new vision improvement videos! If you benefit from all these free instructional vision improvement videos, show your appreciation with a donation for the continued production of high quality videos in the future – – thank you! European Light & Vision Conferences 2019 /rebates/2fbook-search2fisbn2f193589417x2f&.GROUP – 6 Month Vision Improvement Program. ![]() ![]() ![]() In these thirty-two pieces, spanning states (geographical as well as internal), eras and even continents, something specific and seismic has happened to each author, as they seek to find their place in that mysterious chimera ‘The Great Australian Childhood’. ![]() Our childhood often shapes our ingrained adult aspirations, reactions and fears. It’s no wonder, then, that the combination of powerlessness and having a surfeit of time to reflect on first-time events tattoos these experiences on our memory. And as children we are entirely subject to the decisions of adults – your family might move country, your government might exclude you (or worse, remove you from your family), your teachers might not understand you, your friends might suddenly shun you. We also experience the greatest number of ‘firsts’ during our childhood and adolescence. ![]() When we are children, time moves differently an hour can seem like a day, a week, a month. Perhaps it is a combination of two things that make these experiences so indelible: time and power. ![]() Erik Jensen said that ‘We spend our whole lives trying to work out what happened in the first fourteen years.’ Why are our ‘growing up’ stories so urgent, no matter where or when we live? What is it that makes us dive again and again into this period of our lives? ![]() ![]() ![]() And in 2093, in a world riven by plagues and governed by totalitarian rule, a powerful scientist’s damaged granddaughter tries to navigate life without him-and solve the mystery of her husband’s disappearances. In a 1993 Manhattan besieged by the AIDS epidemic, a young Hawaiian man lives with his much older, wealthier partner, hiding his troubled childhood and the fate of his father. The fragile young scion of a distinguished family resists betrothal to a worthy suitor, drawn to a charming music teacher of no means. In an alternate version of 1893 America, New York is part of the Free States, where people may live and love whomever they please (or so it seems). The great power of this remarkable novel is driven by Yanagihara’s understanding of the aching desire to protect those we love-partners, lovers, children, friends, family, and even our fellow citizens-and the pain that ensues when we cannot. ![]() ![]() To Paradise is a fin de siècle novel of marvelous literary effect, but above all it is a work of emotional genius. From the award-winning, best-selling author of the classic A Little Life- a bold, brilliant novel spanning three centuries and three different versions of the American experiment, about lovers, family, loss and the elusive promise of utopia. ![]() ![]() But when they uncover the truth behind its origins, they will be forced to reconsider everything they think they know about the nature of life in the universe. With the fate of every living thing on Earth in the balance, world leaders assemble a team of brilliant scientists to figure out a way to stop the cloud. If their calculations are correct, the cloud's path will bring it between the Earth and the Sun, blocking out the Sun's rays and threatening unimaginable consequences for our planet. ![]() ![]() ![]() Astronomers in England and America have made a terrifying discovery: an ominous black cloud the size of Jupiter is travelling straight towards our solar system. ![]() |