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Same River, Twice: Putin's War On WomenBlending the journalistic rigor of Masha Gessen with the call to action of We Should All Be Feminists, a startling denunciation of Vladimir Putin's war on women that reveals how modern Russia's history of weaponizing sexual violence against women is part of the Russian leader's strategy to retain political influence and domination.On March 22, 2023, the Swedish Academy organized a conference on threats to freedom of expression and democracy, featuring a roster of stellar speakers, including Arundhati Roy, Timothy Snyder, and Sofi Oksanen. Oksanen's address-“Putin's War on Women”-generated such interest that the acclaimed Finnish writer used it as the basis for a larger, in-depth look at Putin's threat to women. The result is Same River, Twice, a devastating expose that builds on the themes and arguments introduced in Oksanen's urgent and incisive speech.During the Soviet occupation of Estonia, Oksanen's great aunt was arrested and brutally interrogated-a terrifying experience that permanently traumatized her, leaving her silent for the rest of her life. Same River, Twice uses this family story to illustrate the systematic crimes perpetrated by Russian soldiers and the Russian government for nearly a century. From the Russian military's entry into Berlin in 1945 to its modern invasion of Ukraine, Russia has continually employed violence against women when fighting its enemies-including using rape as an instrument of war. But as Oksanen reveals, such violence has never before been used on such a widespread scale. Life for women in Putin's Russia is little better; gender equality is in decline, women are silenced by the legal system, and rape is used to humiliate victims, especially women in media.Oksanen's sober analysis exposes how, under Putin, genocide and misogyny are inextricably linked: misogyny undergirds Russia's international alliances, threatening the rights of women and minorities worldwide. As Oksanen ominously reminds us, “In Ukraine, sexual violence is an integral part of genocide. In domestic politics, misogyny is a tool used by the Kremlin to prevent women from rising to power. In international politics, it is a tool of Russian imperialism.”As the threats to democracy grow stronger around the globe, this powerful and timely book is a warning that must not be ignored.Translated from the Finnish by Owen F. Witesman

With the Australian troops crossing of the Kumusi River in mid-November 1942, after pushing the Japanese back along the Kokoda Track to the north coast of Papua New Guinea, the time had come to face the entrenched Japanese at their beachhead at Gona, Buna and Sanananda. The end of the Kokoda Campaign in mid-November 1942 marked a turning point for the Australians, but the fighting was far from over. Within days, the battles for the Japanese beachheads would commence. The fighting for the Japanese beachheads was among the fiercest of the whole Pacific War and the first combined large-scale operation between Australian and American troops against the Japanese. By the 3rd January 1943 the Japanese beachheads at Gona and Buna were finally in Australian and American hands after almost two months of desperate fighting. One beachhead, however, remained to be taken, the best defended, not only in terms of its deep defence and network of supporting bunkers and slit trenches, but also by its large deep swamps and jungle. Hundreds of men had already been killed - Australian and American - in trying to take Sanananda. It was recognised that this beachhead was the worst of the three battlefields. Isolated pockets of Australians and Americans confronted well dug in and camouflaged positions, often on small 'islands' in the fetid and crocodile infested swamps. It would be another three weeks before Sanananda fell to the Australian and American forces. It was appropriately described by Sergeant Bill Spencer, 2/9th Battalion as: 'A bastard of a place'.

SAS: The first authorized history of the SAS, now a major BBC series starring Connor Swindells, Jack O'Connell, and Dominic West.In the summer of 1941, during the war in the Western Desert, a young officer named David Stirling conceived a radical plan against the rules. He proposed forming a small undercover unit to carry out sabotage behind enemy lines. Thus began the legendary and enigmatic military organization known as the SAS.For the first time, the SAS has opened its secret archives to tell its remarkable story. Bestselling historian Ben Macintyre was granted unprecedented access to a wealth of SAS secret files, including reports, footage, memos, diaries, letters, maps, and photographs. He also conducted exclusive interviews with the original members of the SAS.The result is a thrilling account of fearlessness and heroism, recklessness and tragedy, featuring extraordinary men who were willing to take enormous risks. It is a story that explores the true meaning of courage.

‘Adrian candidly presents the ‘equation of service’: the challenges overcome that create feelings of personal achievement, the mateships that hold people together, and the lows that can shake your belief in self.’ - General David Hurley AC CVO DSC (Retd) "Your past doesn’t define you—it teaches you. Every experience is a lesson, not a life sentence." In Stay Loose, Adrian Hodges delivers a candid reflection on three decades of service in the Australian Army, from navigating the dangers of war to the challenges beyond the battlefield. Adrian chronicles both the highs and lows. From his battalion's deployment to Somalia's famine-stricken chaos—Australia's first major overseas operation since the Vietnam War—to participating in the nation’s first lethal firefight in decades, he offers harrowing frontline insights. His memoir covers a military exchange in Malaysia, as well as service in Afghanistan and Iraq, providing an intimate view of the physical and psychological tolls faced by soldiers. But this memoir isn’t just about combat. Adrian reflects on his struggles after leaving the Army, battling uncertainty and searching for direction. His post-military career led him to work as a court recorder on several high-profile legal cases, including the investigation into the Black Hawk helicopter crash that claimed 18 military lives. He also recounts backpacking through North Africa and the Middle East, contrasting his military service with personal discovery. Eventually re-enlisting, Adrian’s return to operations and military exchanges weaves themes of brotherhood, resilience, and the strength found in family. Now a private military contractor in the UAE, he explores how his past shaped his future. Stay Loose is a deeply personal journey of finding humour and catharsis in extraordinary circumstances, proving that past experiences offer lessons, not life sentences. ‘The motto of The Royal Australian Regiment is “Duty First” Adrian’s story puts life and understanding into that motto.’- General David Hurley AC CVO DSC (Retd)

Nothing can prepare a man for the horrors of war, nor the haunting memories that linger long after the battle is over. In The Impossible Survivor, Jeff Steel invites readers into the life of Neil Lindsay, a retired RAF Bomber Command veteran, as he confronts the shadows of his past. On a seemingly ordinary day in 1995, Neil and his daughter Margaret visit a memorial honouring the fallen soldiers of the Goulburn Valley. What begins as a simple outing soon unravels the buried truths of Neil’s harrowing experiences during World War II. An ambitious young man, Neil's fate intertwined with the legendary figures of the RAF, including the celebrated Wing Commander Guy Gibson. He bravely flew perilous missions over Nazi Germany, becoming the sole survivor of a downed bomber and enduring two years of torment in a German prisoner-of-war camp. As he stands before the memorial stone he provides a glimpse into his past, sharing the first fragments of the extraordinary story that had been hidden for so long. The Impossible Survivor is a powerful tribute to those who fought bravely, capturing the essence of ordinary men faced with extraordinary circumstances. These men did not seek out the risk of death or the challenges of war; they volunteered out of a sense of duty and courage. They faced life-or-death situations with a blend of character, training, determination, and a touch of luck, fully aware of the slim chances of returning home. Neil Lindsay’s story stands as a powerful testament to their extraordinary resolve.

The tactics, technologies, and turning points<p>Discover the key themes and big ideas behind the major events and milestones in the history of warfare - from the dawn of civilization to the 21st century.Tracing the epic 5,000-year story of warfare from the earliest battles to the War on Terror, The Military History Book explores and explains the causes and consequences of each, offering a new angle on military history. Individual entries analyse the key social and political driving forces, the arms and armaments, and the technologies and tactics of war over the last 7,000 years - from the tactics of early infantry and siegecraft to the rise of naval combat steel, steam, and shellfire, and from trench warfare and aerial dogfights to chemical weapons and cyber warfare.Combining authoritative text and memorable quotes with photographs, maps, illustrations, and infographics, each episode is made accessible and easy to understand, brining military history to life like never before.</p>

Uncover the untold story of a forgotten battle off Australia's shores  The official history of the Royal Australian Air Force claims that no enemy submarines operating off the Australian coast during World War II were sunk. But what if history got it wrong?  In a fierce and decisive air action off the coast of New South Wales, RAAF Beaufort bombers engaged a colossal Japanese submarine over 100 meters long. What followed was a deadly duel between the submarine's anti-aircraft guns and the bombers' machine guns. The I-178, with her crew of 88, lies lost somewhere north of Sydney. The events of that day have remained buried—until now.  In this groundbreaking work - Tom Lewis-  one of Australia’s leading military historians rewrites the history books. ‘The Secret Submarine’ not only reveals a forgotten victory but also immerses readers in the harrowing experiences of those who served in WWII bombers and submarines. Additionally, it chronicles the broader, brutal struggle between Japanese forces and the combined might of the USA and Australia, a conflict that saw over 40 ships sunk and countless lives lost off Australia’s east coast.  Praise for Tom Lewis ‘Tom Lewis has reminded us of the perils of lack of preparation in peacetime and the price to be paid in war for not recognising new technologies and methods for striking at Australians from the sea.’ [Attack on Sydney Harbour] - Lieutenant-Commander Desmond Woods OAM RAN  Tom Lewis never lets his readers down. He has embedded a narrative with all the necessary historical and political background, photographs, maps, diagrams, pen-pictures of key players as well as a closing epilogue. ’ [Attack on Sydney Harbour] - Neville Taylor RUSI Vic  Remarkable in its sweep of World War II’s Pacific theatre, and the terrible price all involved would have paid if it continued. Atomic Salvation would be ideal for a comprehensive documentary’– Ian Richards, film-maker  An effective blend of historical narrative and scholarly argument, Dr Tom Lewis’s Atomic Salvation is both a memorable and enlightening reading experience. – [Atomic Salvation] – Dr LFS Browne – Historian  The sanitized version of warfare in books and films omits the bloody and ferocious encounters at the sharp end of war, this book explains. [The Truth of War] – Newcastle Herald

The Secrets Of Anzac Ridge The impact of World War I ripples through time. In this moving and essential book, historian Patricia Skehan brings to light secret details of Anzac experiences on the Western Front.  In the annals of human history, the stakes are highest in war. And in World War I, what was at stake was the future of the world. Anzac troops, fighting and dying so far from home, were crucial to the result that shaped the twentieth century. Those troops wrote letters and diaries, materials that now form the record for the human face of war. Patricia Skehan reveals riveting secrets from the diaries of James Armitage, a young Sydney man who enlisted on his eighteenth birthday, as well as the writings of General Sir John Monash, the military mastermind leading the Anzac troops. With permission from both their relatives, their records of the Western Front are interweaved with stories from doctors, nurses, gunners and many others. The result is a moving portrait of catastrophic events set on Anzac Ridge, in Flanders fields. The Secrets of Anzac Ridge shows us how much humans care for each other even when the world is at its darkest, illuminating the courage and heart of those living in the trenches.

The Siege Britain's best-selling historian writes the first definitive account of the famous televised SAS storming of the Iranian embassy in London in 1980On April 30, 1980, six heavily armed gunmen burst into the Iranian embassy on Princes Gate, overlooking Hyde Park in London. There they took 26 hostages, including embassy staff, visitors, and three British citizens. A tense six-day siege ensued as millions gathered around screens across the country to witness the longest news flash in British television history, in which police negotiators and psychiatrists sought a bloodless end to the standoff, while the SAS - hitherto an organisation shrouded in secrecy - laid plans for a daring rescue mission- Operation Nimrod.Drawing on unpublished source material, exclusive interviews with the SAS, and testimony from witnesses including hostages, negotiators, intelligence officers and the on-site psychiatrist, bestselling historian Ben Macintyre takes readers on a gripping journey from the years and weeks of build-up on both sides, to the minute-by-minute account of the siege and rescue.Recreating the dramatic conversations between negotiators and hostages, the cutting-edge intelligence work happening behind-the-scenes, and the media frenzy around this moment of international significance, The Siege is the remarkable story of what really happened on those fateful six days, and the first full account of a moment that forever changed the way the nation thought about the SAS - and itself.

Fascinating stories from Australia's colonial navies and the early Royal Australian Navy, whose untried ships and the eager crew manning them performed feats of great courage in World War I.