Showing results by narrator "J. A. Smith" in All Categories

What would become the nation of Yugoslavia was created in the turbulent period following the end of World War I in 1918, but ended 74 years later in the chaos of another war. In its relatively brief history, Yugoslavia endured invasion during World War II and a range of styles of leadership that included an autocratic king, an even more autocratic socialist dictator, as well as brief periods of parliamentary democracy.

What makes a shooting a massacre? If a mob of hundreds is facing down eight soldiers, and five citizens are killed, is that the Boston Massacre or the Incident on King Street? As was the case with so many of the tumultuous events in America’s colonial history, the answer depended upon whether one regarded oneself as a British subject or a free American.

Jacqueline Kennedy, the wife of President John F. Kennedy, is one of the most iconic and beloved First Ladies in American history, lauded for her style and class. But who was the woman behind the image? In this intimate biography, listeners will discover the true Jackie, from her privileged upbringing and education to her marriage to JFK and her life after his assassination.

This is the extraordinary story of how a king who once hid in the swamps became the man who saved Christian civilization in England. From his childhood pilgrimage to Rome to his deathbed vision of a united England, discover how King Alfred earned his place as the only English monarch ever called “the Great.” This is the life and legend of Alfred the Great in full.

When James Buchanan was inaugurated president in March of 1857, he had inherited a powder keg that was just waiting to explode into the turmoil that was the American Civil War. Buchanan has since been vilified as being the great appeaser who placated the South enough to embolden them to secede from the Union. He is frequently listed as one of the worst presidents in the history of the United States. Buchanan himself, however, always held out the hope that history would vindicate him and the role he played.

In 1937, passengers could cross the Atlantic in unprecedented luxury aboard the world’s most advanced aircraft. The Hindenburg was a marvel that defied belief. Stretching over 800 feet (245 meters)—longer than three jumbo jets placed end to end—this colossal airship represented the pinnacle of 1930s technology. Thirteen stories tall and powered by engines that propelled it at nearly 80 mph (125 km/h), it could ferry passengers between Europe and the Americas in half the time of the fastest ocean liner.

In the early hours of June 17, police were called to the massive Watergate Hotel and Office Complex in Washington, DC. On the sixth floor, in the offices where McGovern’s campaign was being planned and controlled, they discovered and arrested five burglars. This event wasn’t immediately a major news story—in fact, many newspapers ignored it completely—but over the next two years, the attempted break-in at the Watergate complex would become the heart of the biggest political scandal ever to hit America and the direct cause of a constitutional crisis.

What would become the Russian Empire began in the ninth century. In 1682, a new tsar took over the nation that had become known as Russia. Peter I, remembered as Peter the Great, transformed the country, and in 1721, he adopted the title of emperor. A series of powerful rulers, including Catherine the Great, built on the foundations that Peter had created to expand the territory controlled by the Russian Empire until it became one of the largest empires the world had ever seen. At its zenith, the Russian Empire controlled over one-sixth of the total landmass of the Earth

A pioneer girl traveling west with her Mormon family at the mid-point of the 19th century, Olive Oatman’s life story began like many others. But when Olive’s family were massacred and she was taken captive by Native Americans, her story took a unique turn. An extraordinary tale of survival and loss, the life of Olive Oatman is stranger than fiction.

The creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1922 was one of the defining events of the 20th century. This new federation, created to embody the ideals of communism and the notion of rule by the people, was intended to be different from any other nation in the world. This utopian vision inspired people around the world, and soon, communism became an international movement. However, the history of the Soviet Union did not develop in the way its originators envisaged.

They say that laughter is the best medicine, and no one could quite make us laugh like Robin Williams. His meteoric rise to fame was fueled by an irrepressible sense of humor and dazzling improvisational skills. From the extraterrestrial Mork to the inspiring John Keating in Dead Poets Society and the endearing Genie in Aladdin, Williams’ performances captured the hearts of millions.

The Bosnian War was not a single, isolated conflict, but rather formed part of this wider series of wars. To unravel the complexities of the Bosnian War, one must delve into the intricate web of connections with these other conflicts and the fragmentation of Yugoslavia itself. Even then, it is essential to recognize that the root causes of this war still linger.

Audie Murphy was a movie star, writer, and one of the most decorated soldiers who ever lived. He was barely 18 years old when he was shipped off to fight Fascists in Italy during World War II. As he himself would later liken it, he went “to hell and back” and lived to tell the tale. In this book, we will dive deeper to bring you the man behind the medals. Here is a telling of the life and legend of Audie Murphy in full.

Dutch painter and printmaker Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn is considered one of the greatest artists of all time. As a painter, he never considered glamorizing what he saw, and he was a master of creating extraordinary scenes with light and shadows. His paintings were unique for their ability to depict action and moods. Sadly, having a mistress and spending recklessly went far to ruin his reputation during his lifetime. Rembrandt died penniless and was buried in a pauper’s grave.

Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, was the most feared pirate of the Golden Age—a towering figure who struck terror into the hearts of sailors from the Caribbean to the Carolinas. Most biographies seem to start and stop with that statement, but there was much more to the life of Blackbeard than that, and much more to learn about the man behind history’s most fearsome pirate legend.

Discover the remarkable life of Brian Boru.... Ireland is a country steeped in history, myth, and legend. During ancient times a long line of kings reined over this fairytale land, and one of those kings was a man named Brian Boru. Ruling the Emerald Isle from 1002 to 1014, Brian’s tenure is indeed so immersed in mythology that it is sometimes hard to glean the fact from the fiction. But Brian Boru himself was not the product of a fanciful tale - he did indeed exist in the flesh.

Zachary Taylor might not be the first name that comes to mind when you think about US presidents. Known as “Old Rough and Ready” for his no-nonsense style and countless military victories, Taylor was a war hero long before he reluctantly stepped into politics. He didn’t seek fame or power, but his victories in the Mexican-American War made him one of the most popular people in America and ultimately propelled him to the presidency.

The 1918 outbreak of the H1N1 strain of influenza, popularly known as the Spanish flu, killed more people worldwide than World War I, which ended the same year. It infected nearly one-third of the world's population and killed 10 percent of those it struck. In its wake, schools and businesses closed, hospitals became overwhelmed, and the sick spilled out into makeshift care centers in public spaces. Policemen, public transportation workers, and everyday citizens in face masks were a common - and eerie - sight.

Jimmy Carter defied every expectation. Dismissed as a failed one-term president, he transformed defeat into a remarkable second act that spanned nearly half a century. When he left the White House at 56, few could have predicted that this farmer from Plains, Georgia, would become America’s most impactful as well as longest-lived ex-president.

The Europeans who came to the New World did not land upon a continent devoid of people. Yet to the Spanish, French, and English who traveled from their countries in search of gold and land, the native populations already living on the North American continent were an inferior race. Enslavement, eradication, and imprisonment were the just fates, they felt, for any who could keep them from attaining the wealth they sought.