“An excellent piece of work, not just as an account of the Four Days’ Battle itself but also for its account of the entire Second Anglo-Dutch War” (HistoryOfWar.org). On June 1, 1666, a large but outnumbered English fleet engaged the Dutch off the mouth of the Thames in a colossal battle that was to involve nearly 200 ships and last four days. False intelligence had led the English to divide their fleet to meet a phantom threat from France, and although the errant squadron rejoined on the final day of the battle, it was not enough to redress the balance. Like many a defeat, it sparked controversy at the time, and has been the subject of speculation and debate ever since. The battle was an event of such overwhelming complexity that for centuries it defied description and deterred study, but this superbly researched book is now recognized as the definitive account. It provides the first clear exposition of the opposing forces, fills many holes in the narrative and answers most of the questions raised by the actions of the English commanders. It makes for a thoroughly engrossing story, and one worthy of the greatest battle of the age of sail.

This is a superb survey of the fierce naval struggles, from 1939 up to the invasion of the Norway in April 1940. Beginning with the sinking of the German fleet at Scapa Flow in 1919, it then covers the rebuilding of the Kriegsmarine and parallel developments in the Royal Navy, and in the European navies. Focusing on the actions at sea after the fall of Poland, this history covers the sinking of Courageous, the German mining of the British East Coast, the Northern Patrol, the sinking of Rawalpindi, small ship operations in the North Sea and German Bight, the Altmark incident, German surface raiders and the early stages of the submarine war in the Atlantic. Researched extensively in German, British, and other archives, the work is intended to paint a balanced and detailed picture of this significant period of the war when the opposing naval forces were adapting to a form of naval warfare quite different to that experienced in WWI.

Jay Cantrell will find his family…or die trying. He had the perfect life as a small-town librarian: married just over a year to his second wife, an airline pilot, he also has a daughter in college studying to be an astrophysicist. He's ready to celebrate the first year of his new marriage as he adjusts to an empty nest and a new stage in life. But the sun had other plans and sent a coronal mass ejection as an anniversary present. Awakened before dawn one morning in mid-December by northern lights that blanket the sky—in central Illinois—Jay's world changes in the blink of an eye. Flying a planeload of passengers to Hawaii, his wife Kate experiences the CME in a whole other light and must fight to stay alive every step of the way. Leah, Jay's daughter, witnesses the impact through the eyes of a student far from home. Jay must decide to stay and wait for news of his wife or leave before things get worse to find his daughter. The problem is, with no electricity, he doesn't know how bad it is...anywhere. Will he set out to rescue his daughter and make a harrowing journey through a post-apocalyptic wasteland only to find the power is still on, two states away? In a world where electricity is a thing of the past, can there be any hope for the future? After all, it's not a matter of if a CME will strike the earth, but when.

The Weather Companion An Album of Meteorological History, Science, Legend, and Folklore Throughout history, as farmer, sailor, hunter, and artist, humans have watched and worried about the weather. We have devised ways to observe it, to predict it, to protect ourselves from it, to take advantage of it. It plays a major role in the science and folklore of every culture. Gary Lockhart's The Weather Companion is a fascinating compendium of meteorological facts and fables, from ancient myths to the latest research, from the rain forests to the desert regions. You'll learn about the meteorology of Noah's flood; methods of forecasting; the behavior of weather cycles; weather predictors such as the thickness of corn husks, the height of saw grass, and the behavior of animals; weather prophets; and much more. Gary Lockhart reveals what makes rain "smell," how natural barometers work, and the long history of weather fish, once kept to predict rain, and revived during China's Cultural Revolution. You'll even learn the best time to go fishing! Beautifully illustrated, captivating and original, The Weather Companion is a delightful experience for all ages. Your skies and sunsets will never be the same.