Discover the gripping tale of courage, sacrifice and resistance in "Veiled Valor: The Chameleon's War." This riveting historical fiction novel plunges readers into the heart of Nazi-occupied France during World War II, following the transformation of Norma Wilson from a grieving widow to a formidable resistance fighter known as "The Chameleon." Set against the backdrop of war-torn Paris and the French countryside, "Veiled Valor" weaves a complex tapestry of loyalty, betrayal, and the indomitable human spirit. The author masterfully brings to life the dangerous world of the French Resistance, where every shadow could hide an ally or an enemy, and where the line between heroism and tragedy is razor-thin. Key features of this captivating novel: Immersive historical detail: Experience the tension and fear of life under Nazi occupation, meticulously researched and vividly portrayed. Complex characters: Follow Norma's journey as she navigates moral dilemmas, forges unlikely alliances, and confronts the costs of resistance. Heart-pounding action: From daring sabotage missions to nail-biting escapes, each chapter pulses with suspense and danger. Emotional depth: Explore the psychological toll of war as characters grapple with loss, guilt, and the struggle to maintain their humanity in inhuman circumstances. Themes of identity and sacrifice: Delve into thought-provoking questions about the nature of heroism, the price of freedom, and the transformative power of adversity. Perfect for fans of Ken Follett's "The Eye of the Needle" and Kristin Hannah's "The Nightingale," "Veiled Valor" offers a fresh perspective on the often-overlooked role of women in the French Resistance. Nunez's nuanced portrayal of Norma Wilson and her comrades brings to life the everyday heroes who risked everything to fight tyranny. This page-turner is ideal for: Historical fiction enthusiasts World War II buffs Readers who enjoy strong female protagonists Anyone fascinated by stories of espionage and resistance movements Book clubs seeking rich material for discussion "Veiled Valor: The Chameleon's War" is more than just a war story – it's a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of ordinary people to effect extraordinary change. Order your copy today and prepare to be transported to a world of bravery, sacrifice, and unyielding hope in the face of overwhelming odds.

Something dark stirs within the peaceful walls of the prosperous town of Graywall, something only the mysterious vigilante known as The Shadow can overcome. Torn between a sense of justice and a desire for revenge, The Shadow is the nobleman Sir Calan, who must use his skills to assist the Lord of Graywall. When Sir Calan is sent to hunt down smugglers who have run rampant after the levying of a harsh tax by King Edward, he learns of a plot against the just ruler of the town, Lord Shaufton. To thwart this plot, Calan enters a pseudo courtship with Shaufton's daughter under the guise of Sir Calan, even as he wrestles with emotions stirred by the lovely Elsbeth, Lord Shaufton's niece. Elsbeth may be the only person who can heal Calan's troubled soul, but she has secrets of her own. Rife with deceit, greed, and betrayal, Shadow of Valor is a timeless tale of honor, love, and redemption.

In this volume the borders of North America serve as central locations for examining the consequences of globalization as it intersects with hegemonic spaces and ideas, national territorialism, and opportunities for—or restrictions on—mobility. The authors of the essays in this collection warn against falling victim to the myth of nation-states engaging in a valiant struggle against transnational flows of crime and vice. They take a long historical perspective, from Mesoamerican counterfeits of cacao beans used as currency to cattle rustling to human trafficking; from Canada’s and Mexico’s different approaches to the illegality of liquor in the United States during Prohibition to contemporary case studies of the transnational movement of people, crime, narcotics, vice, and even ideas. By studying the historical flows of contraband and vice across North American borders, the contributors seek to bring a greater understanding of borderlanders, the actual agents of historical change who often remain on the periphery of most historical analyses that focus on the state or on policy. To examine the political, economic, and social shifts resulting from the transnational movement of goods, people, and ideas, these contributions employ the analytical categories of race, class, modernity, and gender that underlie this evolution. Chapters focus on the ways power relations created opportunities for engaging in “deviance,” thus questioning the constructs of economic reality versus concepts of criminal behavior. Looking through the lens of transnational flows of contraband and vice, the authors develop a new understanding of nation, immigration, modernization, globalization, consumer society, and border culture.

Louis Mandrin led a gang of bandits who brazenly smuggled contraband into eighteenth-century France. Michael Kwass brings new life to the legend of this Gallic Robin Hood and the thriving underworld he helped to create. Decades before the storming of the Bastille, surging world trade excited a revolution in consumption that transformed the French kingdom. Contraband exposes the dark side of this early phase of globalization, revealing hidden connections between illicit commerce, criminality, and popular revolt. France's economic system was tailor-made for an enterprising outlaw like Mandrin. As French subjects began to crave colonial products, Louis XIV lined the royal coffers by imposing a state monopoly on tobacco from America and an embargo on brilliantly colored calico cloth from India. Vigorous black markets arose through which traffickers fed these exotic goods to eager French consumers. Flouting the law with unparalleled panache, Mandrin captured widespread public attention to become a symbol of a defiant underground. This furtive economy generated violent clashes between gangs of smugglers and customs agents in the borderlands. Eventually, Mandrin was captured by French troops and put to death in a brutal public execution intended to demonstrate the king's absolute authority. But the spectacle only cemented Mandrin's status as a rebel folk hero in an age of mounting discontent. Amid cycles of underground rebellion and agonizing penal repression, the memory of Mandrin inspired ordinary subjects and Enlightenment philosophers alike to challenge royal power and forge a movement for radical political change.

Smoke Rings follows a group of friends who use their youthful experiences smuggling marijuana to form the basis for smuggling cigars into the United States. Now in their mid-forties, attorney Jorge Montes de Oca and his best friend, John Davis, a medical doctor, find themselves lured into this adventure by another friend, a Cuban exile and political activist who must finance his activities against the Cuban regime. As they become more involved in the adventure, Jorge and John risk their professional lives to engage in the cigar smuggling. At the same time, the cop who had pursued them during their marijuana-smuggling days is hot on their trail again; and this time, the stakes are so much larger! Examining the intricacies affecting Cuban politics and the love of Cuban cigars, Smoke Rings is fast-paced thriller filled with action and the beautiful scenery of Miami, Havana, and the Florida Keys.

During the later half of the nineteenth century, a majority of Brazilian women worked, most as domestic servants, either slave or free. House and Street re-creates the working and personal lives of these women, drawing on a wealth of documentation from archival, court, and church records. Lauderdale Graham traces the intricate and ambivalent relations that existed between masters and servants. She shows how for servants the house could be a place of protection—as well as oppression—while the street could be dangerous—but also more autonomous. She integrates her discoveries with larger events taking place in Rio de Janeiro during the period, including the epidemics of the 1850s, the abolition of slavery, the demolition of slums, and major improvements in sanitation during the first decade of the 1900s. House and Street was originally published by Cambridge University Press in 1988. For this paperback edition, Lauderdale Graham has provided a new introduction.

The Navy SEALs have been fighting terrorists around the world for over a decade. And for all that time, the Bandito Platoon SEALS from SEAL Team Seven have been on continuous combat rotation. Now they have drawn a shipboard assignment off Central America—an easy day. But for a Navy SEAL, the only easy day was yesterday. In a powerful story of global anti-terrorism inspired by real life missions, Act of Valor combines stunning combat scenes, up-to-the minute battlefield technology, and heart-pumping emotion for the ultimate action adventure. Act of Valor takes you deep into the secretive world of today’s most elite, highly trained group of warriors. When the rescue of a kidnapped CIA operative leads to the discovery of a deadly terrorist plot against the United States, a team of SEALs is dispatched on a worldwide manhunt. As the men of Bandito Platoon race to stop a coordinated attack that could kill and wound thousands of American civilians, they must balance their commitments to country, team, and their families back home. But each time they accomplish their mission, a new piece of intelligence reveals another shocking twist to the plot, which stretches from Chechnya to the Philippines and from Ukraine to Somalia. The widening operation sends the SEALs across the globe as they track the terrorist ring to the U.S.-Mexico border—where they engage in an epic firefight with potentially unimaginable consequences for America…