Dear Folks,


Book Description

"Such is life in the army . . ."-this simple statement gets unpacked in the homespun pages of Dear Folks. Earl Young was a farm boy who had never even been out of his home state of Nebraska. In 1918, at age 18, Earl enlisted in the U.S. Army and, thus, WWI.Dear Folks offers up a rare treasure and a brief glimpse into a young American soldier's daily life through his own words-his own letters home. Interspersed with photographs, popular music of the time, poems, hymns, family recipes, and unique mementos, Dear Folks is a poignant journey of anticipation and discovery that will engage your senses and draw you back to a time when the innocence and passion of youth is all it took to change the world.Join the family and follow Earl as he leaves the only life he has ever known, his beloved Nebraskan wheat fields, and journeys across continents and oceans and back again with a resilience and indefatigable nature that will leave you inspired and content, realizing life does not always turn out the way you expect. Thank goodness!




LIFE


Book Description

LIFE Magazine is the treasured photographic magazine that chronicled the 20th Century. It now lives on at LIFE.com, the largest, most amazing collection of professional photography on the internet. Users can browse, search and view photos of today’s people and events. They have free access to share, print and post images for personal use.




Cross-Cultural Encounters


Book Description

Doctors, nurses, teachers, and evangelists, the men and women of the Amoy Mission sowed the seeds of vibrant Christian community in China’s Fujian Province. This book tells the stories of those remarkable missionaries whose legacy endures to this day.




Dear Folks


Book Description

Before computers and the internet, letter writing was a labor of love. They could make you laugh or cry, holding untold mysteries within a quaint, many-times-over postmarked envelope. When the letter writer is a strapping lad of twenty-four who is blind in one eye and gets into the Army by faking the eye test, his letters home span the hysterically funny to the downright absurd. Meet Hal, Harold W. Yorke, Jr., a tall young man with coal black hair, a strikingly pale moustache, tanned complexion, and intelligent blue eyes that speak volumes. What started as a lark, turns into an interesting career in the Army spanning twenty years. The military took him all over the United States and to exotic locales like Korea and Puerto Rico. Hal’s journey of sepia-tinted World War II memories relates how he makes do with a not-so-handsome salary, yet his sharp mind and will to succeed has him fixing cars and planes, as well as just about anything broken that needs repairs during wartime. His letter home on how to score a cake from the base kitchen without getting caught is hilarious, while his letter about a terrifying fire will chill hearts. Presented by his daughter in this nostalgic compilation, each day in the military produced something new for Hal, and all those outpourings are captured as if on cellulose.




The Life of Johnny Reb


Book Description

In this companion to The Life of Johnny Reb, Bell Irvin Wiley explores the daily lives of the men in blue who fought to save the Union. With the help of many soldiers' letters and diaries, Wiley explains who these men were and why they fought, how they reacted to combat and the strain of prolonged conflict, and what they thought about the land and the people of Dixie. This fascinating social history reveals that while the Yanks and the Rebs fought for very different causes, the men on both sides were very much the same. "This wonderfully interesting book is the finest memorial the Union soldier is ever likely to have.... [Wiley] has written about the Northern troops with an admirable objectivity, with sympathy and understanding and profound respect for their fighting abilities. He has also written about them with fabulous learning and considerable pace and humor.




Stewart L. Udall


Book Description

As a three-term member of Congress and as the secretary of the interior in the Kennedy and Johnson cabinets (1961–1969), Stewart L. Udall (1920–2010) was a distinguished public servant and one of the great environmental leaders in US history. This book, the first biography of Udall, introduces his work to a new generation of Americans concerned with the environment. The author traces the influences on Udall’s career, the evolution of his views on conservation, and his setbacks as well as his triumphs. In addition to his efforts to preserve wilderness areas and protect the planet, Udall advocated reforming the seniority system in Congress, limiting the production and testing of nuclear weapons, promoting coexistence with the Soviet Union, and helping oppressed peoples in emerging nations. A visionary leader, Udall was inspired by his pioneering Mormon forebears who helped settle the Arizona high plateau, where he first connected with the natural world.




Gettysburg's Unknown Soldier


Book Description

He was found dead on the battlefield at Gettysburg, an unknown soldier with nothing to identify him but an ambrotype of his three children, clutched in his fingers. With the photograph as the single, sad clue to his identity, a publicity campaign to locate his family swept the North. Within a month, the bereaved widow and children were located in Portville, New York, and the devoted father was revealed to be Sergeant Amos Humiston of the 154th New York Volunteers. Using many previously untapped sources, this book tells the tale of 19th-century war, sentiment, and popular culture in greater detail than ever before. The Humiston story touched deep emotions in Civil War America, and inspired a flood of heartfelt prose, poetry, and song. Amid a vast outpouring of public sympathy, a charitable drive evolved to assist the bereft family. At the end of the war, the crusade was expanded to establish a home at Gettysburg for orphans of deceased soldiers. The first residents of the institution were Amos Humiston's widow Philinda and her three children: Franklin, Alice, and Frederick. In this extensive account, a full portrait emerges of Amos Humiston, the loving husband and father destined to be remembered for his death tableau, and his family, the widow and orphans who struggled for the rest of their lives with celebrity born of tragedy.




The Last Hurrah


Book Description

The Last Hurrah tells the story of Skeffington's final campaign as witnessed through the eyes of his nephew, who learns a great deal about politics as he follows his uncle to fundraisers, wakes, and into smoke-filled rooms, ultimately coming--almost against his will--to admire the man.




Rediscover Your Holiday Sparkle: 400+ Christmas Novels, Stories, Poems, Carols & Legends


Book Description

'Rediscover Your Holiday Sparkle: 400+ Christmas Novels, Stories, Poems, Carols & Legends' stands as an unprecedented anthology that elegantly weaves together the diverse tapestries of holiday literature. Spanning centuries and embracing a multitude of literary styles – from the transformative social narratives of Charles Dickens to the intimate poetic reflections of Emily Dickinson – this collection encompasses the profound, the heartwarming, and the magical realms of Christmas. Each piece has been meticulously selected to highlight the myriad ways in which the holiday season has inspired some of the most eminent writers in history, making this compilation a treasure trove of cultural and literary significance. The anthology's vast range of offerings ensures that every reader can find a piece that resonates, be it a story that kindles warmth or a poem that reflects on the deeper meanings of the season. The contributing authors and editors, hailing from varied times and lands, bring their unique voices to a common theme – the celebration of Christmas. Their backgrounds span the gamut of the literary spectrum, from iconic figures like Shakespeare and Tolstoy, who need no introduction, to those like Beatrix Potter and Selma Lagerlöf, whose works have touched hearts in more specific but no less significant ways. This collection aligns with various historical, cultural, and literary movements, illustrating how the holiday season has been a perennial source of inspiration across ages and cultures. The anthology thereby serves as a microcosm of global literary heritage, offering insights into the universal human condition through the lens of Christmas celebrations. Scholars and casual readers alike are invited to delve into 'Rediscover Your Holiday Sparkle' for an unparalleled exploration of Christmas as depicted in literature. This anthology not only promises to rekindle the joy and wonder of the holiday season but also offers a unique educational journey through the evolution of Christmas-themed writing. It is an essential addition to the libraries of those who appreciate the richness of holiday traditions and the powerful narratives that have shaped them over centuries. Within its pages lies the opportunity to engage with the works of legendary authors in a new light and to foster a deeper appreciation for the art of storytelling around the theme of Christmas.




The Ultimate Christmas Collection: 400+ Holiday Novels, Tales, Poems, Carols & Legends (Illustrated Edition)


Book Description

Musaicum Books presents to you a meticulously edited Christmas Classics collection. This ebook has been designed and formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. Content: The Holy Night (Selma Lagerlöf) The Gift of the Magi (O. Henry) A Merry Christmas & Other Christmas Stories (Louisa May Alcott) A Letter from Santa Claus (Mark Twain) Silent Night The Night After Christmas The Child Born at Bethlehem The Adoration of the Shepherds The Visit of the Wise Men As Joseph Was A-Walking The Tale of Peter Rabbit (Beatrix Potter) Where Love Is, God Is (Leo Tolstoy) The Three Kings (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow) A Christmas Carol (Samuel Taylor Coleridge) Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (L. Frank Baum) Christmas At Sea (Robert Louis Stevenson) The Savior Must Have Been A Docile Gentleman (Emily Dickinson) The Heavenly Christmas Tree (Fyodor Dostoevsky) The Little City of Hope (F. Marion Crawford) The First Christmas Of New England (Harriet Beecher Stowe) Christmas in the Olden Time (Walter Scott) Christmas In India (Rudyard Kipling) A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens) The Twelve Days of Christmas The Wonderful Wizard of OZ (L. Frank Baum) Ring Out, Wild Bells (Alfred Lord Tennyson) Little Lord Fauntleroy (Frances Hodgson Burnett) Black Beauty (Anna Sewell) The Christmas Child (Hesba Stretton) Granny's Wonderful Chair (Frances Browne) The Romance of a Christmas Card (Kate Douglas Wiggin) Wind in the Willows (Kenneth Grahame) The Wonderful Life - Story of the life and death of our Lord (Hesba Stretton) The Christmas Angel (A. Brown) Christmas at Thompson Hall (Anthony Trollope) Christmas Every Day (William Dean Howells) The Lost Word (Henry van Dyke) The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (E. T. A. Hoffmann) The Little Match Girl The Elves and the Shoemaker Mother Holle The Star Talers Snow-White…