The Shining Place by Frances Bennett (128 Reviews)    Price verified 52 minutes ago

In the 1960's Frances grows up in the remote desert town of Thermal, CA. Most nights her father gets drunk and beats her mother. The child feels her joy slip away. To survive she knows she must hold on to the truth and remember what happened. Decades later in psychotherapy, Frances revisits her childhood and becomes trapped in a memory world of little girls with big demands and a lot to say. "The Shining Place" is a magical story of recovery told by the girls, and an account of their therapy endured and paid for by the adult client. "The Shining Place" is a combined memoir and an account of psychotherapy, adapted from journals written over a ten year period. It addresses issues of transference, distrust, dissociation, and rupture in the therapeutic alliance. It's a fast read on an abusive childhood and the complexities of psychotherapy.

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

The Angels and Demons of Houston : A True Crime Collection (Books at the Crime Scenes Book 5) by Michael M. Williams Price verified one hour ago

True crime is all around us, these days. From podcasts to television shows to movies and conventions, it's practically in the air we breathe. It's the true crime junkies' world -- we're all just living in it. But why do we hunger so powerfully for these stories? Why are we willing to commit hours of our lives to them, whether they appear on the page or on the screen? When it comes to literary true crime, these stories grip us unlike any other genre. For every suspense novel that shocks and awes readers, there are real life stories that make those fictions seem tame and predictable. True crime is a loaded genre: the best authors do not sensationalize violence and human suffering, but they provide context and depth to the crimes they study. Many of them highlight the fallibility of the legal system and the ruinous forces of internalized racism and misogyny. In these excellent books, we're reminded that true crime does not simply consist of a neatly constructed narrative with a criminal mastermind and heroic detectives and ideal victims. Life, and crimes, are so much messier than that. We've rounded up some of our favorites, which covers a wide swath of crimes highlighting a wide swath of societal origins and implications.

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

Lionel Messi : FIFA world cup Qatar 2022: The amazing story of the boy who became a legend by Javier jurado Alvarez (11 Reviews)    Price verified 49 minutes ago

"If I wasn't paid to be a professional footballer, I would willingly play for nothing." - Lionel Messi. The idea that a young man from Argentina standing five feet seven inches tall might develop into the best soccer player in the world defies sense. A person who has been diagnosed with growth hormone insufficiency and lacks the financial means to pay for the costly treatment to address that disease would also not be the best prospect to succeed players like Diego Maradona, Ronaldo, or Pelé in the title of "World's Best." But Lionel Messi consistently defies reason ever since he joined his first soccer squad at the age of four. In this book, Lionel Messi's journey from his modest origins in a small hamlet in Argentina to his record-breaking fifth Ballon D'Or award will be chronicled. We won't believe that Messi merely inherited a plethora of natural talent, despite the temptation being great. Instead, we will go back and examine the steps that he took to become, without a doubt, the greatest player in the annals of soccer. Everything you need to know about Messi, from his early years to his world-record-setting performances on the field, is provided here. This book is your best option if you want an in-depth biography of Lionel Messi. Take Action Grab a copy of this book and enjoy the amazing journey of messi

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

It's Me or the Horse: Family, Friendship, Dogs, Divorce, Narcissists, Healing and the Chestnut Mare who gave me voice. by Wiley Davis (21 Reviews)    Price verified one hour ago

"I want you to stop horseback riding so that I don't have to work, and I can focus on writing my screenplay," my husband said at the celebration dinner for my new six-figure job. I had worked for months to get the offer, and it would finally allow me to take horseback riding lessons at the little farm up Topanga Canyon more than once a week. I had been aching to get back in the saddle, something I loved throughout my lifetime. Chad was a writer, director, and producer for reality TV, and I had a modest-paying job in content marketing. We lived a simple life in Santa Monica, but my new career changed everything. "You've married the wrong girl." I thought to myself but didn't dare say out of fear of the temper for which he held a reputation. It was never about the horse. It was the question of what I was willing to give up for an idea of us. It was the fallout if I betrayed the half-truths, mistruths, and denials that I grew up with and accepted as a good "Preacher's Kid". This was my breaking point and I had a choice. Lose me... or lose the horse. This is my story of the friendships and animals who helped me find my voice and the courage to heal. This book contains explicit material, including language, and sexual situations, and is suitable for adults. Reader discretion is advised.

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

Hearing You by MM Stine (7 Reviews)    Price verified 19 minutes ago

You learn a little about my life before I suffer a life threatening respiratory illness that places me in a medically induced coma. While I am under sedation for an exceptional amount of time, I experience a version of my life that is as real to me as the lapse of time pulls me further in. Things that don't make sense become my reality while interactions of reality plays into my alternate state of mind. Do I really know that I am as sick as I am? Do I know that my life is in the balance and what is being done to me in attempt to return me to the life I once had? I invite you to experience my rendering of this alternate life and the reality that comes.

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

The Real Napoleon - The Untold Story by John Tarttelin (A SOULADREAM PRODUCTION) (5 Reviews)    Price verified 2 hours ago

THE REAL NAPOLEON - The Untold Story "An impressive and powerful piece of work" - Rupert Heath, literary agent. "Fresh and convincing" Andrew Lownie, literary agent. "Many thanks for this, which I found fascinating and very much enjoyed reading - despite the fact, or perhaps precisely because, it debunks many of my own long-held opinions about Napoleon... you do write nicely, with great passion and in a compelling style... I'm perfectly happy with the premise that British history has tarnished Napoleon unfairly... " Robin Wade, literary agent. "Passionately argued - a book you must read" Jean-Claude Damamme, French historian. In this book Napoleon is shown for what and who he was and not as the caricature described by many bigoted 'historians', especially of the British persuasion. He was not short, he was often generous and he seldom forgot a friend, particularly those from his early days before he was famous. France was attacked in 1802, 1805, 1806, 1807, 1809 and 1814 - yet it is always Napoleon who is blamed for the so-called Napoleonic Wars, a misnomer if ever there was one. England with a mad King, a Prime Minister who was pickled in port, a Foreign Secretary who killed himself and a Prince Regent addicted to laudanum and alcohol - too umbrage that a genius across the Channel was ruling a country that had been Britain's enemy for decades. Napoleon, in the words of Napier - who served with British forces in the Peninsular and who was regarded as the finest historian of his day - was seen as the epitomization of the democratic forces that were swirling around Europe as a result of the American and French Revolutions. Hence the British Establishment wanted him destroyed at all costs. Thus millions in gold left the Bank of England to pay for Austrian and Russian armies to attack France. Even worse secret payments were made to assassins working for the Comte d'Artois, Louis XIII's infamous sibling, in order for attempts to be made on Napoleon's life. William ...

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

A Few Good Lines: Well, We All Have To Call Our First Book Something, Don't We? by Zebedee Abercorn (3 Reviews)    Price verified 2 hours ago

The first book published by everybody's favourite hyperliterate Glaswegian Tourettist gay dad, that tirelessly scribbling scriptomaniac to whom circumspection is alien and discretion is an abstract, is a series of essays on topics of personal interest as diverse as the British domestic energy market, canine husbandry, faith healing, the Royal Family, getting the snip (thank God for commas, what what!), and the hazards of dating in middle age - I know, trying to date the right sex would have helped, I suppose! - and so, so, Just SO much more! Enjoy!

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

Stopping Napoleon : War and intrigue in the Mediterranean by Tom Pocock (94 Reviews)    Price verified 19 minutes ago

Following the Battle of Trafalgar, Britain had one objective: stopping Napoleon at all costs... After his defeat by Nelson at Trafalgar, Napoleon knew he could never invade England. Many thought he would try to take over the vast, crumbling Ottoman Empire, return to Egypt and even march on India. So the British concentrated on the Mediterranean: for a decade it became the scene of dangers, real or imagined, and of battles both on land and at sea. All was dictated by a fierce determination to stop Napoleon. Stopping Napoleon is a fast-paced, beautifully written account that should be read by all aficionados of the age of Nelson and Napoleon. Praise for Tom Pocock: 'Pocock has restored this neglected campaign to its true importance in this lively and important book' - Sunday Times 'Compendiously detailed, expert analysis... No detail escapes Mr Pocock' - The Spectator 'An enthralling read' - Brighton Argus Tom Pocock was the author of eighteen books (and editor of two more), mostly biographies but including two about his experiences as a newspaper war correspondent. Born in London in 1925, he was educated at Westminster School and Cheltenham College, joining the Royal Navy in 1943. He has contributed to many magazines and appeared on television documentaries about Nelson and the subject of another of his biographies, the novelist and imperialist Sir Rider Haggard.

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

TRUE CRIME 1: The Crimes of this World by D. W. Loder (7 Reviews)    Price verified 19 minutes ago

TRUE CRIME 1: The Crimes of this World Short and informative is reported here about the true crime cases of our world. Case 1, Jovan Collier From teen killer to obsessive stalker. Only 25 years later does his past come to light and he ended up behind bars. Case 2, David & Catherine Birnie A pair that together becomes a deadly combo. From the press it was only called "the Moorhouse murders". Case 3, Kris Kremers & Lisanne Froon Disappeared while hiking in the jungle. But what happened? An accident or murder? A mysteriously spooky unsolved case. Case 4, Emma Walker They were the ultimate high school dream couple. She cheerleader and he foodball player. But only until one of the two had to die. Case 5, Hinterkaifeck Six dead on a lonely farm in the middle of nowhere in Bavaria. Surrounded by fields, meadow landscapes and dark forest. What happened? Case 6, Lizzie Borden Mathew and Abby Borden are found executed in a bloodbath. Mathew's face was barely recognizable from the heavy blows of the hatchet. Back of Abby's head smashed in anger. Did the young woman, Lizzie Borden at the age of 32, brutally murder her parents? Case 7, Michele Avila She is popular and her friends are jealous. But how far can the spiral of popularity and jealousy go? Case 8, Wade Writtley Two women who were looking for a new partner on the Internet are in great danger. Because the man they met online is a ticking time bomb. Case 9, Joseph Meling A perfectly healthy woman dies out of the blue. How could that happen? It quickly becomes clear that there are connections to an earlier case. Case 10, Christopher Watts The man who killed his family to keep his secrets and live the life he hid.

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

TRUE CRIME 7: The Crimes of this World by D. W. Loder (5 Reviews)    Price verified 19 minutes ago

TRUE CRIME 7: The Crimes of this World Short and informative is reported here about the true crime cases of our world. Case 1, Jayme Closs In October 2018, the 13-year-old American woman was kidnapped shortly before 1 a.m. in the middle of the night. The kidnapper shot her parents dead. Case 2, Camp Scott The Oklahoma Girl Scout murders took place on the morning of June 13, 1977 at Camp Scott in Mayes County, Oklahoma, USA. The victims were three girl scouts, between the ages of 8 and 10, who were raped and murdered. Case 3, Karina Holmer The young Swede fulfills her dream and travels to the USA as an au pair. But her stay quickly turns into a nightmare and ends with her brutal death. Case 4, Cyanide Tylenol A drug prepared with cyanide killed seven people in 1982. But who does that? Case 5, Freeway Phantom Between April 1971 and September 1972, Washington DC was terrorized by a serial killer known to this day only as the Freeway Phantom. While at large, the Freeway Phantom brutally raped and murdered six girls between the ages of 10 and 18, all of whom were African American. Case 6, Linsey Quy The young mother is missing. It later turns out she was strangled and her body dismembered. Her husband quickly comes under suspicion. Case 7, Maria Ridulph The seven-year-old girl disappears in early December 1957. Her remains are only found five months later in a wooded area. The case, well known in the Chicago area, was one of the oldest known cold case murders in the United States to have been solved. Case 8, Joshua Maddux The dead boy in the chimney. Mysterious and Unsolved. Case 9, Jessie Blodgett The young stage actress and art lover is found strangled in her bed. What happened? Case 10, Tyler Hadley The 17-year-old just wanted to party. But someone was in his way. He became a killer.

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

Simply Ichitantei, Zen Buddhism practices changed my life: Story of the unsui, Ashida Hōkan by Hōkan(峰寛) Ashida(芦田) (2 Reviews)    Price verified 49 minutes ago

I decided, "The life of constantly wanting to do this or that is over. From now on, to return this debt of gratitude, I will live for something other than myself, for my father, for my mother, for my family and friends, for those connected to me by fate in this temple, for those I have had connections with in the past or that I will connect with in the future." Despite the pain, cold, sleepiness and sadness, even as I cried and my nose ran, I kept meditating, focusing on the breath of life, turning into the breath itself, becoming aware of my devoted, self-sacrificing body, the selfless love of all my cells, the sanctity of life. I was able to become aware. I was enthralled, turned around by Buddha's arrangement of this world, with gratitude towards my parents for giving me this precious life, to the parents of my parents and onwards. It was as if a glass were being filled with water, drop by drop. Love of the world, love of the universe, this unconditional love had permeated deep inside my heart, slowly, taking its own time. I finally came to terms with it. One day I told the chief priest, "I no longer feel like leaving the temple to live and work in the secular world outside" While saying this, I had unconsciously made a fist with my right hand, placed this to the left side of my belly and moved it to the right. "Seppuku?" I surprised myself with my own gesture. "So you've made up your mind." The chief priest asked me whether I would become a priest. "Yes." I replied back with a loud and low voice from the bottom of my chest. "Welcome to Arthur Findlay College." The voice which came from deep inside the heart had changed my life, taking it in a different direction.

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

The Outcast Experiment by G. Ferguson (1 Review)    Price verified 6 hours ago

A social experiment showing how humans react to difference, an autobiographical account spanning four decades, the author is the guinea pig, the author is a lifelong outsider. The reader will learn what made the author an outcast, how society reacted to the author, what this did to the authors mind and the life wrecking consequences of mental illness. The author gradually recovers over the space of two decades, spends five years at college and then writes this book. The story isn't all depressing, its scattered with humour and is filled with weird, wonderful and real characters, some of these characters are as strange as the author.

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

Thomas Jefferson: Architect of American Democracy and Champion of Individual Liberty by Flora Carley Price verified 3 hours ago

Discover the Man Behind the Legacy: Thomas Jefferson's Life Unveiled Have you ever wondered about the real person behind the grand ideals of liberty and democracy? What drove Thomas Jefferson to shape a young nation's future with such vision and passion? This biography offers an intimate and compelling look into the life of one of America's most influential Founding Fathers, revealing the complexities and contradictions that made him both a revered leader and a controversial figure. Imagine walking alongside Jefferson through the halls of Monticello, feeling the weight of his decisions during the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, and understanding the personal struggles he faced. Through rich storytelling, this book brings you closer to Jefferson, painting a vivid portrait of his triumphs and trials. Benefits of Reading This Book: • Gain a deeper understanding of Jefferson's contributions to American democracy. • Learn about the lesser-known aspects of his life, including his personal relationships and challenges. • Discover the principles and beliefs that guided Jefferson's actions and decisions. Goals of the Book: • Provide an in-depth look at Jefferson's life, from his early years to his retirement. • Highlight his enduring influence on American society and political thought. • Explore the controversies and criticisms that continue to shape his legacy. Intriguing Highlights: • A glimpse into Jefferson's revolutionary diplomatic missions and his role in the Louisiana Purchase. • The story behind the founding of the University of Virginia and Jefferson's vision for education. • An exploration of his complex relationship with slavery and how it impacted his legacy. This biography addresses potential concerns head-on, offering a balanced and nuanced portrayal of Jefferson's life. It doesn't shy away from his flaws, providing an honest account that respects the reader's intelligence and curiosity. Whether you're a history ...

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

Winter Roads: My Struggles (King of Obsolete Winter Roads Book 1) by Joey Barnes (Kindle Direct Publishing) (30 Reviews)    Price verified 8 hours ago

This is my 1st book in the 10-book series; Winter Roads: My Struggles based on the years 1996 through to 2007. The book is based on me wanting and learning the Ice Roads in Northern Manitoba which are Canadian Winter Roads. I made a lot of mistakes but also learned a lot. Being a single parent, my young daughter Xena, got to grow up enjoying my adventures. But without all the mis-adventures and fun, I would have never gotten on the TV show Ice Road Truckers for my 15 seconds of fame around the world. These Winter Road books are written through the covid 19 lock downs April to September 2021. I also credit the lock downs for bettering myself with being able to write and have Amazon feature my books around the world. This Amazon was all new to me when I first asked them in January 2021 to publish my books. Now my books are in Ebook and paperback around the world and soon to be Audiobooks too. The books continue with my 2nd book in the series; Winter Roads: Head Hanger from 2008 through to 2009. My 3rd book in the series; Winter Roads: White Suburban from 2010 through to 2011. My 4th book in the series; Winter Roads: Dream Team the year 2012. My 5th book in the series; Winter Roads: 15 Seconds of Fame the year 2013. My 6th book in the series; Winter Roads: Russian Roulette the year 2014. My 7th book in the series; Winter Roads: Never Give Up from 2015 through to 2016. My 8th book in the series; Winter Roads: Thor to the Rescue from 2017 through to 2019. My 9th book in the series; Winter Roads: Blew it Up the year 2020. My 10th book in the series; Winter Roads: Where is the Money from 2020 through to 2021.These books are on my experiences with winter and ice roads which will include my 15 seconds of fame on the Ice Road Truckers show. thansk

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

The Life and Times of Cocaine Charlie by Charles T. H. Woods (248 Reviews)    Price verified 13 hours ago

An unrepentant true crime memoir about the life of a man who sold and used cocaine daily for thirty-eight years. A man with over fifty years of involvement with illegal drugs starting at the age of thirteen. Offering a fair and balanced account of how drugs and drug dealing affected his life, those closest to him as well as the lives of others. This is a different kind of drug dealer story. The kind you don't hear. The kind they don't want told.

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

CONFESSIONS OF A HIPPY HITMAN by KAN MILLER (17 Reviews)    Price verified 13 hours ago

Incredible true story of a young man's unusual journey through life

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

MERCHANTS of DEATH by Ignacio J Esteban Price verified 59 minutes ago

International firearms trafficking from the United States to Latin America, Canada and the Caribbean see American made firearms in huge demand in these countries. There are many reasons why including strict gun laws in these countries, violent criminal gangs use guns, drug traffickers looking to protect their territories with high-power weapons, and gun trafficking itself is lucrative. It is very easy in the United States to purchase firearms at gun dealers (FFL), private sales, gun shows, flea markets and online. Many criminal organizations have individuals in the United States purchase large amounts of firearms later to be smuggled by land, air or sea from the U.S. to their nation. American firearms and ammunition are well made plus the United States has many imported firearms from other countries. Armed drug trafficking and the surge in violence in these nations is leading to an arms race between gangs and cartels in our hemisphere. The brutal violence in these nations will only impact the U.S. with more crime, more illegals and more drugs. This vicious cycle will never stop unless these crime syndicates are permanently dismantled while also dealing with the gripping drug addiction of millions in the United States and around the world.

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

Living in the Middle East: Volume V - 2011-14 by Brian Borgford (1 Review)    Price verified one hour ago

Brian Borgford and his wife, Rochelle Bos, lived in the Middle East from 2003 to 2014. The couple wrote almost daily blog entries describing their experiences. The "Living in the Middle East" series documents all of the blog entries as they were written at the time. This is the fifth and final book in the series, covering Brian's and Rochelle's time in Doha, Qatar from 2011 to 2014.

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

Apologizing For Vietnam by Lisa Lieberman (Passport Press) (2 Reviews)    Price verified one hour ago

Shattered by the suicide of her cousin Allen, a Vietnam veteran, Lisa Lieberman embarked on a journey of understanding, reading memoirs and historical accounts of the Vietnam war in an effort to make sense of a war she'd only experienced second hand. Drafted in 1968, Allen served with the 4th Psychological Operations Group (PSYOP) at Tan Son Nhut airport, its Saigon headquarters. The unit came under heavy fire during PSYOP missions and Allen saw many of his comrades die. He shot himself in April 2002, six months after the US invasion of Afghanistan. Lieberman's reflections on Vietnam and on the moral injuries suffered by combatants like her cousin give all of us something to think about as the US teeters on the brink of another deadly war.

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

American Legends: The Life of Rock Hudson by Charles River Editors (140 Reviews)    Price verified 55 minutes ago

*Includes pictures. *Includes Hudson's own quotes about his life and career. *Includes a bibliography for further reading. *Includes a table of contents. "I'm notorious for giving a bad interview. I'm an actor and I can't help but feel I'm boring when I'm on as myself." - Rock Hudson A lot of ink has been spilled covering the lives of history's most influential figures, but how much of the forest is lost for the trees? In Charles River Editors' American Legends series, readers can get caught up to speed on the lives of America's most important men and women in the time it takes to finish a commute, while learning interesting facts long forgotten or never known. In the middle of the 20th century, there was perhaps no leading man as famous and popular as Rock Hudson, who would star in both comedies and dramas on the way to being named one of the Top 10 Stars of the Year for eight years straight (1957-1964). Whether he was starring in a comedy with Doris Day or in a drama opposite Elizabeth Taylor, the tall, impeccably dressed actor couldn't help but make girls in the audience swoon, and he was recognized as one of Hollywood's biggest heartthrobs. The success of his peak years ensured that Hudson would remain a star over the course of 4 decades, and he appeared in about 70 films during his career. Today, however, Rock Hudson might be better known among contemporary audiences for his personal life. Acting in a more conservative era, Hudson struggled to keep his homosexuality out of the news for fear it would destroy his career, even though many of his Hollywood contemporaries were aware of it. After Hudson died of AIDS in 1985, perhaps the first major celebrity to die of the disease, details of his personal life began to be publicized, sometimes amidst messy legal battles. It soon became clear just what kind of pains Hudson took to keep his personal life private, and his friendships with men were highly scrutinized, as was his marriage to his agent's secretary, ...

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

The Survivor's Song: Under the Hammer and Sickle - Budapest to Montreal by Andrew Fodor (10 Reviews)    Price verified 2 hours ago

The first book of this two-volume series (Unarmed Soldiers: Budapest to Stalingrad and back) follows the author's three-years on the road with the Hungarian forced labor battalions during WWII, taking him from Budapest to the area of Stalingrad. Armed with only his wits, a smattering of courage, some unexpected help and lots of luck, he survived the brutal conditions with his joie de vivre and sense of humor intact. He had simply not allowed the fascists to break his spirit in the time of war, and, as he demonstrates in this volume, he certainly wasn't going to let the incompetent post-war communists do so either. In this volume, continuing to use the skill and inventiveness that helped him survive the war, he dabbles in forgery, distilling illegal liquor, commercial art, music, journalism, accountancy and much literary ado before finally realizing that the Great People's Republic didn't really need his expertise in order to make stupid decisions about the freshly-minted communist economy. These two books form a continuous stream but divide quite naturally into two sections, just as the history of Hungary did during and after the war. The reader should be aware that the events described at the beginning of this volume occur on the very next day after the previous book ends. Nevertheless, the two volumes can be read independently.

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

New dating scammers' scenarios: How to spot a scammer by Larry Hedley (3 Reviews)    Price verified 9 hours ago

This book is about NEW & Ordinary scammers' scenarios. Read it if you DO NOT WANT to be scammed! There you can find confessions of brides and also some advice from detectives and experts. More than 70 ways of scamming on online dating sites are described to prevent you from being scammed.

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

American Sniper United States Navy SEAL : Quotes from Christopher Scott "Chris" Kyle (April 8, 1974 − February 2, 2013) (American Snipers Chris ... by Frank Thompson (26 Reviews)    Price verified 12 hours ago

Christopher Scott "Chris" Kyle (April 8, 1974 ? February 2, 2013) was a United States Navy SEAL and the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history with 160 confirmed kills. Kyle served four tours in the Iraq War and was awarded several commendations for acts of heroism and meritorious service in combat. He received two Silver Star Medals, five Bronze Star Medals, one Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals and numerous other unit and personal awards.

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs

Toussaint L'Ouverture and Jean-Jacques Dessalines: The History and Legacy of the Haitian Revolution’s Most Famous Leaders by Charles River Editors (34 Reviews)    Price verified 4 hours ago

*Includes pictures *Includes a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents "I was born a slave, but nature gave me a soul of a free man... " - Toussaint L'Ouverture The island of Hispaniola is the second largest island in the Antilles chain behind Cuba, and host to the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Haiti, however, covering the western third of the island, is a French-speaking territory while the Dominican Republic, which occupies the other two thirds, is a Spanish-speaking territory. The Dominican Republic, although classified as a developing nation, has never been struck to the same degree by the malaise of poverty, corruption of its neighbor, languishing in the lower ten percent of nations ahead only of some of the most conspicuous failed states in Africa. Many historians and analysts have posed the question of why, and the answer seems to lie in Haiti's uniquely tortured history. Hispaniola entered the European record in 1492 when Christopher Columbus made landfall on its southern shore during his first trans-Atlantic voyage, and he named his discovery in honor of the Spanish Crown that had funded and sponsored the voyage. Leaving the crew of the wrecked Santa Maria on the island, he returned to Europe, leaving his men to establish the foundations of the settlement of La Navidad and the first beachhead of the European seizure of the Caribbean and the New World. Columbus would revisit the island three times, leading a vanguard of pioneer colonists to commence the exploitation of the New World. The indigenous people of Hispaniola, the Tainos and Arawak, initially greeted the landing with ambivalence, but as more and more of them were enslaved, and as their country was occupied, they entered a period of precipitous decline. Through a combination of disease, the violence associated with enslavement and general assimilation, they had virtually disappeared from the landscape within a century. In the meanwhile, as the ...

Genre: Biographies & Memoirs