Showing results by narrator "Norman Dietz" in All Categories

Forgotten Patriots is the first-ever account of what took place in these hellholes. The result is a unique perspective on the Revolutionary War as well as a sobering commentary on how Americans have remembered our struggle for independence---and how much we have forgotten.

In the heart of Paris, in the posh building made famous in The Elegance of Hedgehog, Pierre Athens, the greatest food critic in the world, is dying. Revered by some and reviled by many, Monsieur Arthens has been lording it over the world's most esteemed chefs for years, passing judgment on their creations, deciding their fates with a stroke of his pen, destroying and building reputations on a whim. But now, during these his final hours, his mind has turned to simpler things.

Meet Mattie Rigsby, 78, who keeps a clean house and bakes the best pound cake in Listre, North Carolina. Her children grown, she lives a comfortable and independent life. Her orderly days are about to be disrupted, however, by a stray. Unkempt and unloved, teenaged and delinquent, Wesley Benfield just might need a piece of her apple pie and a verse or two of "Walking Across Egypt", her favorite hymn.

From FDR to Harry Truman to JFK to George W. Bush, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the White House captures the wit and humor of the campaign trail - a place where levity is always welcome. Osgood includes fragments of speeches, interviews, and press conferences, as well as articles written by and about the candidates - no source is left untapped.

The beloved humorist and bestselling author returns with his most riotous collection of essays to date. Starting with his trademark outdoorsman's wit, Patrick F. McManus's newest collection ponders the strange allure of the RV, the existential implications of being lost, the baffling tendency of animals to outsmart those who wish to hunt them, and the singular pleasure of doubling the size of every fish one doesn't actually catch.

Surviving the Trojan War was just the beginning of the adventure for Odysseus. What lay ahead was a journey home that would last for years as he encountered gods and monsters before finally returning home - only to face the greatest threat to his happiness of all. This translation of Homer's classic tale captures all the timeless excitement and gripping drama that have made it a favorite for centuries.

When Mark Twain was growing up, all he wanted to be was a steamboat man. And so Twain ran away in pursuit of his dream. Life on the mighty river for Twain consisted of paddleboats and history, poker games and gamblers, larger-than-life characters and outlandish festivals like Mardi Gras. Twain recorded it all with his keen eye for detail and biting wit.

It was predicted that in the 21st century extremely large churches would emerge in America that resembled neither an elephant nor a field of mice. Which is better? At one time, the answer would have been either/or. Now it's both/and. We want both the intimacy of smallness and the impact of bigness - we want a hybrid of the two. Hybrid Church is a practical guide for clergy and leaders who want to have the best of both church worlds: the intimacy of small "house church" groups and the impact of very large mega-churches.

In Summerlin, North Carolina, it is - quite literally - a race to the finish. Glenn and Laura Bales lie dying in the same house, and although Laura is more interested in her Whitman’s Sampler chocolates, and Glenn in whatever happened to his first wife, Evelyn, their children have their eyes unswervingly fixed on the inheritance. Who will get the money, and what it will mean for this unusual little Southern community is a richly comic novel about endings.

The Copeland family history is rich and ambiguous. Beginning with patriarch Walker and his wife Caroline, who once threatened a troop of Yankee soldiers with a pan of boiling water, the Copeland legacy continues with Walker’s great grandson, Albert, who builds floatplanes that never fly. Albert’s floatplane logbook becomes a family album, with each member of the family penning in his personal revelations, from Meredith, a maverick Vietnam veteran, to Noralee, who shocks everyone by dating a hippie.

Author Robert Flynn has won numerous accolades for his writing, including a Spur Award, a Western Heritage Award and a Distinguished Achievement Award from the Texas Institute of Letters. In the House of the Lord follows one day in the life of a Protestant minister as he balances faith with self doubt while answering the demands of his church.

Lampassas gave up cowpunching to be a husband and shopkeeper. But when his wife dies of influenza, the aging cowboy puts on his spurs again. With his 17-year-old son at his side, Lampassas sets off on his own cattle drive. His adventures and misadventures are the stuff classic Westerns are made of, yet the unforgettable characters and gentle wisdom set this novel far apart from the herd.

Not many people were allowed inside Frank Sinatra's inner circle. But Tony Consiglio was a boyhood friend of Sinatra's who remained his friend and confidant for over 60 years. One reason Sinatra valued Tony's friendship is that he could be trusted: Sinatra nicknamed him 'The Clam' because Tony never spoke to reporters or biographers about the singer.

On the first manned mission to Mars, astronauts Valkerie Jansen and Bob Kaganovski may have discovered evidence of past life on the red planet. But under constant scrutiny from NASA, and with the media watching their every move, their relationship becomes strained.

In this revelatory, dynamic biography, Benson Bobrick, profiles George H. Thomas, arguing that he was the greatest and most successful general of the Civil War. Because Thomas didn't live to write his memoirs, his reputation has been largely shaped by others, most notably Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman, two generals with whom Thomas served and who diminished his successes in their favor in their own memoirs.

The image of the Baron de Steuben training Washington's ragged, demoralized troops in the snow at Valley Forge is part of the iconography of our Revolutionary heritage, but most history fans know little more about this fascinating figure.

Even compared to his fellow founders, George Washington stands tall. Our first president has long been considered a stoic hero, holding himself above the rough-and-tumble politics of his day. Now John Ferling peers behind that image, carefully burnished by Washington himself, to show us a leader who was not only not above politics but a canny infighter---a master of persuasion, manipulation, and deniability.