Six Minutes in May


Book Description

London, early May 1940: Britain is on the brink of war and Neville Chamberlain's government is about to fall. It is hard for us to imagine the Second World War without Winston Churchill taking over at the helm, but in SIX MINUTES IN MAY Nicholas Shakespeare shows how easily events could have gone in a different direction. The first land battle of the war was fought in the far north, in Norway. It went disastrously for the Allies and many blamed Churchill. Yet weeks later he would rise to the most powerful post in the country, overtaking Chamberlain and the favourite to succeed him, Lord Halifax. It took just six minutes for MPs to cast the votes that brought down Chamberlain. Shakespeare shows us both the dramatic action on the battlefield in Norway and the machinations and personal relationships in Westminster that led up to this crucial point. Uncovering fascinating new research and delving deep into the backgrounds of the key players, he has given us a new perspective on this critical moment in our history.




Six Minutes in May


Book Description

A fascinating and dramatic investigation into the events that led to Winston Churchill becoming Prime Minister against the odds. ‘A gripping story of Churchill’s unlikely rise to power’ Observer London, May 1940. Britain is under threat of invasion and Neville Chamberlain’s government is about to fall. It is hard for us to imagine the Second World War without Winston Churchill taking the helm, but in Six Minutes in May Nicholas Shakespeare shows how easily events could have gone in a different direction. It took just six minutes for MPs to cast the votes that brought down Chamberlain. Shakespeare moves from Britain’s disastrous battle in Norway, for which many blamed Churchill, on to the dramatic developments in Westminster that led to Churchill becoming Prime Minister. Uncovering fascinating new research and delving into the key players’ backgrounds, Shakespeare gives us a new perspective on this critical moment in our history. ‘Totally captivating. It will stand as the best account of those extraordinary few days for very many years’ Andrew Roberts ‘Superbly written... Shakespeare has a novelist’s flair for depicting the characters and motives of men’ The Times ‘Utterly wonderful... It reads like a thriller’ Peter Frankopan SHORTLISTED FOR THE HWA NON-FICTION CROWN 2018 *** Selected as a 2017 Book of the Year in the Guardian, Daily Telegraph, Observer and The Economist ***




Six Minutes To Freedom


Book Description

Dear President Bush, My name is Kimberly Anne Muse. I am writing this letter not for me but for my father, Kurt Frederick Muse. As you should know by now, he is a political prisoner in Panama. . .. Born in the United States and raised in Panama, Kurt Muse grew up with a deep love for his adopted country. But the crushing regime of General Manuel Noriega in the late 1980s threatened his, and a nation's, freedom. A nightmare of murder and unexplained disappearances compelled Kurt and a few trusted friends to begin a clandestine radio campaign, urging the people of Panama to rise up for their basic human rights. Six Minutes to Freedom is the remarkable tale of Kurt Muse's arrest and harrowing months of imprisonment; his eyewitness accounts of torture; and the plight of his family as they fled for their lives. It is also the heart-pounding account of the only American civilian ever rescued by the elite Delta Force. Timelier than ever, this is a thrilling and highly personal narrative about one man's courage and dedication to his beliefs. "A cliffhanger drama of survival against all odds." --Jeffery Deaver "A dramatic portrayal of idealism, courage, integrity, and fortitude." --John Douglas and Mark Olshaker "A must-read for anyone interested in how Delta Force operates." --John Weisman "Harrowing, entertaining, inspiring, and very, very readable." --Col. Lee A. Van Arsdale, U.S. Army Special Forces (Ret) "A thrilling chronicle that puts a human face on unspeakable actions." --Continental magazine A Featured Alternate of the Military Book Club




Six Minutes


Book Description

An unputdownable thriller for fans of Liane Moriarty and Caroline Overington. If you were gripped watching The Cry, you'll be hooked on Six Minutes. 'Impossible to put down and full of twists and turns you won't see coming! I loved this fabulous debut novel.' Liane Moriarty, bestselling author of Nine Perfect Strangers '...a suspenseful suburban thriller that steals your time and won't give it back.' Crime Book of the Month, Readings.com How can a child disappear from under the care of four playgroup mums? One Thursday morning, Lexie Parker dashes to the shop for biscuits, leaving Bella in the safe care of the other mums in the playgroup. Six minutes later, Bella is gone. Police and media descend on the tiny village of Merrigang on the edge of Canberra. Locals unite to search the dense bushland. But as the investigation continues, relationships start to fracture, online hate messages target Lexie, and the community is engulfed by fear. Is Bella's disappearance connected to the angry protests at Parliament House? What secrets are the parents hiding? And why does a local teacher keep a photo of Bella in his lounge room? What happened in those six minutes and where is Bella? The clock is ticking This gripping novel will keep you guessing to the very last twist.




How Churchill Waged War


Book Description

An analytical investigation into Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s decision-making process during every stage of World War II. When Winston Churchill accepted the position of Prime Minister in May 1940, he insisted in also becoming Minister of Defence. This, though, meant that he alone would be responsible for the success or failure of Britain’s war effort. It also meant that he would be faced with many monumental challenges and utterly crucial decisions upon which the fate of Britain and the free world rested. With the limited resources available to the UK, Churchill had to pinpoint where his country’s priorities lay. He had to respond to the collapse of France, decide if Britain should adopt a defensive or offensive strategy, choose if Egypt and the war in North Africa should take precedence over Singapore and the UK’s empire in the East, determine how much support to give the Soviet Union, and how much power to give the United States in controlling the direction of the war. In this insightful investigation into Churchill’s conduct during the Second World War, Allen Packwood, BA, MPhil (Cantab), FRHistS, the Director of the Churchill Archives Centre, enables the reader to share the agonies and uncertainties faced by Churchill at each crucial stage of the war. How Churchill responded to each challenge is analyzed in great detail and the conclusions Packwood draws are as uncompromising as those made by Britain’s wartime leader as he negotiated his country through its darkest days.




The 6-Minute Work Day


Book Description

You’ve heard again and again that getting rich means working hard and being willing to put in long hours, often at the expense of everything else in your life. The 6-Minute Work Day is here to dispel that myth—and show you how to grow your income without wasting all your time and energy on work. So many financial gurus, business books, and corporate training seminars teach you to hustle, grind, work harder, start work early, and stay late to be able to move forward in your career—or even just make ends meet. But then you get that promotion or pay off that debt and the hustle starts again. And again. And again. The truth is, you don’t need to put in more hours to make more money. In fact, you should put in less—specifically, six minutes. Douglas Vermeeren, an award-winning entrepreneur trainer, has distilled his proven advice into this book to help you cast off your workday, optimize your time and freedom, and dramatically increase your income. In The 6-Minute Work Day, Vermeeren breaks down: Why we go to work—and why we don’t need to do that to accomplish our goals What we can really do in six minutes How we can create and maintain a six-minute workday How we can expand on the income streams that our six minutes have generated to gain even more wealth If you want to ditch the daily grind and spend your time living instead of working while still making money, The 6-Minute Work Day is the straightforward, actionable guide you need.




Confessions of a Public Speaker


Book Description

In this hilarious and highly practical book, author and professional speaker Scott Berkun reveals the techniques behind what great communicators do, and shows how anyone can learn to use them well. For managers and teachers -- and anyone else who talks and expects someone to listen -- Confessions of a Public Speaker provides an insider's perspective on how to effectively present ideas to anyone. It's a unique, entertaining, and instructional romp through the embarrassments and triumphs Scott has experienced over 15 years of speaking to crowds of all sizes. With lively lessons and surprising confessions, you'll get new insights into the art of persuasion -- as well as teaching, learning, and performance -- directly from a master of the trade. Highlights include: Berkun's hard-won and simple philosophy, culled from years of lectures, teaching courses, and hours of appearances on NPR, MSNBC, and CNBC Practical advice, including how to work a tough room, the science of not boring people, how to survive the attack of the butterflies, and what to do when things go wrong The inside scoop on who earns $30,000 for a one-hour lecture and why The worst -- and funniest -- disaster stories you've ever heard (plus countermoves you can use) Filled with humorous and illuminating stories of thrilling performances and real-life disasters, Confessions of a Public Speaker is inspirational, devastatingly honest, and a blast to read.




How Do You Kill 11 Million People?


Book Description

How do you get away with the murder of 11 million people? The answer is simple—and disturbing. You lie to them. Learn how you can become an informed, passionate citizen who demands honesty and integrity from your leaders. In this nonpartisan New York Times bestselling book, Andy Andrews emphasizes that seeking and discerning the truth is of critical importance, and that believing lies is the most dangerous thing you can do. You’ll be challenged to become a more careful student of the past, seeking accurate, factual accounts of events that illuminate choices our world faces now. By considering how the Nazi German regime was able to carry out over eleven million institutional killings between 1933 and 1945, Andrews advocates for an informed population that demands honesty and integrity from its leaders and from each other. This short, thought-provoking book poses questions like: What happens to a society in which truth is absent? How are we supposed to tell the difference between the “good guys" and the “bad guys”? How does the answer to this question affect our country, families, faith, and values? Does it matter that millions of ordinary citizens aren't participating in the decisions that shape the future of our country? Which is more dangerous: politicians with ill intent, or the too-trusting population that allows such people to lead them? This is a wake-up call: we must become informed, passionate citizens or suffer the consequences of our own ignorance and apathy. We can no longer measure a leader’s worth by the yardsticks provided by the left or the right. Instead, we must use an unchanging standard: the pure, unvarnished truth.




Nineteen Minutes


Book Description

The daughter of a judge in a New Hampshire school shooting case witnessed the events but cannot remember the last several minutes of the attack.




Boring to Bravo


Book Description

90-plus practical tips for engaging and interacting with an audience. Drawn from her extensive experiences as a nationally recognized speaker and master facilitator, Kirstin Arnold's proven techniques will help you transform any presentation into a powerful, interactive experience.With this user-friendly guide, you will learn how to take a collaborative approach to the communication process so that you can connect and converse with the members of any audience. Arnold's powerful audience-centered "Interactive Insights" cover the spectrum of practical presentation techniques:- Setting an interactive tone before you start- Using Titter/text messaging to engage your audience- Involving audience members with a specific task- Personalizing your language for your audience- Making eye contact--even with a large audience- Taking polls and running Q&As- Recovering from humor that falls flat- Facilitating conversation- Creating accountability for action to occur after your presentationKristin Arnold has the experience, the wit, and the foolproof methods to take your ho-hum presentation to the next level. By incorporating just a few of the author's tips, you will dramatically improve your ability to engage, involve, and inspire your audience to action. Read and use Boring to Bravo and your audiences will demand an encore. Bravissimo!Kristin Arnold, MBA, CPF, CMC, CSP, is one of North America's most accomplished high stakes meeting facilitators. An accomplished author and keynote speaker, she is on a crusade to make all events in the workplace more engaging, interactive, and collaborative. One of the first women to graduate with high honors from the US Coast Guard Academy, Arnold earned an MBA from St. Mary's College of California and finished her twenty-year career in the US Coast Guard Reserves as an internal consultant. She divides her time between Phoenix and Prince Edward Island.