The Men in Black


Book Description

From the late Eighties onwards, one football gang dominated the hooligan world. Older, harder and better organised than their foes, they travelled everywhere and feared no-one. After one spectacular street victory, vanquished rivals gave them the name that became a byword for soccer violence: The Men In Black. Manchester United's hooligan mob had long caused mayhem, but in 1989 their hardcore was the target of a massive undercover police investigation, codenamed Operation Mars. It focused on the most infamous of the firm's members, including its `general', Tony O'Neill, and led to more than thirty arrests. But when the trial collapsed, the firm returned to the fray, wiser, more cunning and more ruthless than ever. They went on to defend their fearsome reputation against the toughest outfits in Britain: the Soul Crew, the Zulu Warriors, the Boro Frontline and the ICF. And they were never defeated. Covering the crucial period 1988-2005, The Men In Black recounts these stories and many more, told by those who were there, those who were involved in the hand-to-hand, close quarter battles and notably, the man police called Target Kilo: Tony O'Neill.




Steel City Rivals


Book Description

A double-sided flip book exploring the divide between fans of Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday Football rivalry is a common factor anywhere in the world where the sport is played, but some take it far more seriously than others. In Sheffield, the traditional capital of Britain's steel manufacturing industry, there is no greater tribal divide than between fans of Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday. The two clubs' supporters berate each other with a venomous passion, their long-running feud intense enough to divide families and workplaces from 1889 to the present day. But why? How does a natural rivalry that, in the 1960s, saw supporters from both clubs going to Hillsborough Stadium (Wednesday's ground) one week, then Bramell Lane (home to United) the next, turn to such enmity? In this history, authors Cowens (a United supporter) and Cronshaw (Wednesday) leaven their insider knowledge and fan anecdotes with a dark humor and bitter fascination with football violence. The struggle for supremacy between red (United) and blue (Wednesday), between "blade" and "owl", is absolute. To the people of Sheffield, Britain's fourth largest city, it’s never just a game.




Blades of Thunder


Book Description

Six young Army pilots and green officers, all they between each 20 band 21 years old, arrive in Vietnam where each become men, highly skilled pilots, and proficient officers within a few months. None of them will be the same after their first combat tour in Vietnam. All of them will bear the scars of war for life, either physically or mentally or both. All will be strengthened spiritually and none will ever be the same. Some will soon be next dead 12 and most will be injured or wounded within the next 12 months. One will become an amputee and all will suffer from varying degrees of Post Trauma Disorder (PTSD) for the rest of their lives. tic All Stress will become beloved brothers and all will honor their families, friends, and this great nation with their dedication, sacrifice, courage, and love of family, country, and God!




Argo


Book Description

You've read the myth of the Golden Fleece. Now find out how it really was for Jason and the Argonauts in this gripping reimagining of the famous Ancient Greek tale, and first book in the breathtaking Blades of Bronze series. Perfect for fans of Madeline Miller, Neil Gaiman and Natalie Haynes. He has come to take what is yours... Iolkos, Greece, 1230 BC. King Pelias has grown paranoid, tormented by his murderous past and a prophecy of the man who will one day destroy him. When a stranger arrives to compete in the Games of Poseidon, Pelias is horrified, for this young man should never have grown to manhood. He is Jason, Pelias' nephew, who survived his uncle's assassins as a child. Now Jason wants his revenge – and the kingdom. But Pelias is cunning as well as powerful. He gives Jason an impossible challenge: to claim the throne, he must first steal the fabled Golden Fleece of Colchis. Jason assembles a band of Greece's finest warriors. They are the Argonauts, named for their trusty ship. But even with these mighty allies, Jason will have to overcome the brutal challenges hurled his way. His mission and many lives depend on his wits – and his sword. PRAISE FOR THE BLADES OF BRONZE SERIES AND MARK KNOWLES 'A bold and thrilling voyage that plunges you deep into the world of ancient myth' Daisy Dunn 'Mark Knowles has taken the legend of Jason and the Golden Fleece, and stripped it down to its bare bones... A deeply researched historical epic, so brilliantly brought to life I could taste the salt air on my tongue... Epic battles, well-rounded characters sailing through a brilliantly described world' Adam Lofthouse 'What a spectacular triumph! Knowles has taken a reassuringly familiar legend and elevated it into a new, realistic and engrossing story' Sam Taw 'Knowles has combined historical realities with sure-footed imagination... brilliant' Dr Paul Millett '[Knowles] has teamed his love of learning classics and childhood love of sword-and-sandals epics to accomplish something remarkable' Boarding Schools' Association




American Green: The Obsessive Quest for the Perfect Lawn


Book Description

“Ted Steinberg proves once again that he is a master storyteller as well as our foremost environmental historian.”—Mike Davis The rise of the perfect lawn represents one of the most profound transformations in the history of the American landscape. American Green, Ted Steinberg's witty exposé of this bizarre phenomenon, traces the history of the lawn from its explosion in the postwar suburban community of Levittown to the present love affair with turf colorants, leaf blowers, and riding mowers.




A Bad Night's Sleep


Book Description

Winner of the Shamus Award for Best Novel Working late-night surveillance at a luxury condominium development, Chicago private investigator Joe Kozmarski encounters a burglary crew. Two of the crew members show up in a police cruiser dressed in uniform. In the chaos that follows, Kozmarski shoots and kills one of the thieves, who, like the rest of the crew, is one of Chicago's Finest. And just like that Kozmarski finds he's in for many a bad night's sleep. Kozmarski joins the burglary crew, working as an inside agent for his old friend Lieutenant Bill Gubman. Facing dangerous suspicions from both the criminal gang and the uncorrupted ranks of the police department, uncertain about who wishes to help him stay alive and who wishes to kill him, Kozmarski takes his wildest ride yet. A Bad Night's Sleep pushes full throttle through the streets of Chicago to a stunning conclusion.




Shadow Chase


Book Description

In a job like this, one mistake can cost you everything. As a Shadowchaser, Kira Solomon has been trained to serve the Light, dispatch the Fallen, and prevent the spread of chaos. It’s a deadly job, and Kira knows the horror of spilling innocent blood. But now she has a new role, as the Hand of Ma’at, the Egyptian Goddess of Truth and Order, and an assignment that might just redeem her. A fellow Shadowchaser has gone missing, and so has a unique artifact imbued with astonishing magic. Unless the Vessel of Nun is returned, it will cause destruction beyond anything the modern world has seen. Kira’s got a team at her back, including Khefar, a near-immortal Nubian warrior who’s already died for her once. But as complicated as her feelings for him are, they’re nothing compared to the difficulties of the task she faces.And the only way to defeat the enemy is to trust in a powershe can barely control, and put her life—and her soul—on the line.




Body Check


Book Description

They call me the Bad*ss of Hockey. The Beast of the Northeast. And I'm not just referring to my stick play on the ice. As Captain for the Boston Blades, I've spent years working toward bringing home the Stanley Cup. But when the owners sell us out to Hollywood, suddenly we're not just playing for thousands of fans, we're cracking open our lives on a new reality show, Getting Pucked. They want all the dirty details, and I'd rather take a puck to the gonads than peel back the curtains on my life. Not when it could take me out of the game for good. I agree to sign the contract on one condition: they hire New England's reigning queen of media to call the shots. Holly Belliveaux Carter. The woman who drives me to insanity and turns me on with nothing but a quirk of her lips and the sound of her laugh. The only woman I've ever loved. The problem? She's my ex-wife and I'm still not over her. BODY CHECK is a second chance romance with all the mutual pining/forced proximity vibes. No cheating or OM/OW drama. It's the fourth book in the Blades Hockey series but can be read as a complete standalone. If you're here for the swoons, Body Check will definitely be your jam.




Red Rose Crew


Book Description

In 1975, a group of amazing women rowed their way to international success and glory, battling sexual prejudice, bureaucracy, and male domination in one of the most grueling and competitive sports around. Among the members of the first international women’s crew team--and one of the first women’s teams anywhere--were Gail Pearson, the soft-spoken MIT professor who fought equally hard off the water to win the political battles neccessary for her team to succeed; lead rower Carie Graves, a statuesque bohemian from rural Wisconsin who dropped out of college and later became the most intense rower of the crew; and Lynn Stillman, a tiny sixteen-year-old coxswain from California. On hand to guide them was Harry Parker, the legendary Harvard men’s crew coach who overcame his doubts about the ability of women to withstand the rigors of hard training. From their first dramatic bid at the 1975 World Championships to their preparations for their first Olympic Games in 1976, this gripping story of bravery, determination, and indomitable spirit captures a compelling moment in the history of sports and of America.




The Boys in the Boat (Movie Tie-In)


Book Description

The inspiration for the Major Motion Picture Directed by George Clooney—exclusively in theaters December 25, 2023! The #1 New York Times bestselling true story about the American rowing triumph of the 1936 Olympics in Berlin—from the author of Facing the Mountain For readers of Unbroken, out of the depths of the Depression comes an irresistible story about beating the odds and finding hope in the most desperate of times—the improbable, intimate account of how nine working-class boys from the American West showed the world at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin what true grit really meant. It was an unlikely quest from the start. With a team composed of the sons of loggers, shipyard workers, and farmers, the University of Washington’s eight-oar crew team was never expected to defeat the elite teams of the East Coast and Great Britain, yet they did, going on to shock the world by defeating the German team rowing for Adolf Hitler. The emotional heart of the tale lies with Joe Rantz, a teenager without family or prospects, who rows not only to regain his shattered self-regard but also to find a real place for himself in the world. Drawing on the boys’ own journals and vivid memories of a once-in-a-lifetime shared dream, Brown has created an unforgettable portrait of an era, a celebration of a remarkable achievement, and a chronicle of one extraordinary young man’s personal quest.