An aggressive and colorful personality, William Barksdale was no stranger to controversy. Orphaned at 13, he succeeded as lawyer, newspaper editor, Mexican War veteran, politician and Confederate commander. During eight years in the U.S. Congress, he was among the South's most ardent defenders of slavery and advocates for states' rights. His emotional speeches and altercations--including a brawl on the House floor--made headlines in the years preceding secession. His fiery temper prompted three near-duels, gaining him a reputation as a brawler and knife-fighter. Arrested for intoxication, Colonel Barksdale survived a military Court of Inquiry to become one of the most beloved commanders in the Army of Northern Virginia. His reputation soared with his defense against the Union river crossing and street-fighting at Fredericksburg, and his legendary charge at Gettysburg. This first full-length biography places his life and career in historical context.

From the Foreword: The following account represents a significant look at a half century of U.S. Marine Corps effort in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California. This has been and is still the location of the Corps cold weather and mountain training facility. Over time the needs and demands for Marines and units prepared to operate under these conditions waxed and waned with the real world requirements of deployed forces. This was reflected in the realities of conflicts in the Korean Peninsula, the Cold War's northern and southern flanks, and in the current Global War in Terrorism fight in Afghanistan and elsewhere. While the future is often uncertain, this firm look at the past is useful to show how previous challenges have prompted creative and innovative responses. This is as much a story of evolution as an institution.--p. iii.

“The Journey To An Undefeated Mind” is a book inspired by myself, the author's personal battle against mental health. It is about all the lessons and blessings I learnt along my journey. I wanted to share this with other's so that they can get through their own journey. My book "The Journey To An Undefeated Mind" is all about the reader, it is a direct conversation or speech from the author to the reader. Guiding them through this journey, advising them, encouraging them, speaking life into them when they feel low. Something I didn’t have around me, as often as I would have liked it when I was going through my journey, my battles against mental health. I believe my book, could be a big help to many people facing mental health, whether you are facing it alone or not. It's like having a pocket size friend travel along with you. Ok maybe slightly bigger than pocket size. But you get what I mean. How often have you had to face something, and you wished you had that extra bit of help guiding you through. Enough support to help you on the right path. But not too much, so you can learn to do it yourself. This is what my book is there for. That extra bit of support. That motivator, friend that shows you your worth. Shows you that you can, and always could do it. You just had to start believing in yourself. This is what “The Journey To An Undefeated Mind” is there for. To get you to start believing in yourself again. To get you to understand, that in life, you are bound to fall, bound to fail a couple times. But you will only be defeated, if you choose to stay down, if you choose to stay defeated. Having an “Undefeated Mind” means yes in life, we may fail, we may take some L’s, but we won’t be defeated in life.