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

The period following the end of the Civil War has become known as the Reconstruction Era, and during this time there were efforts to achieve two separate goals: to reintegrate the former rebel southern states and the emancipation and granting of civil rights to freed slaves. The Reconstruction Era was a period of turmoil and change in the United States, and it ended not with a complete victory for either side but with a compromise which satisfied no-one...This is the complex and sometimes confusing story of the Reconstruction Era.

The Civil Rights Movement in America is a broad term for the movement in the mid-20th century among and for the African American community in pursuit of equal protection and rights under the law. In reality, it began much earlier than the 1950s and continues until this day. What is more, it was about so much more than the extension of universal rights; the Civil Rights Movement is about the story of the long struggle to overcome the legacies of slavery and racism. It is a story of triumph over adversity and perseverance in the face of great hardship.

Until 1939, World War I was known as “the war to end all wars”, but when Nazi Germany capped its mounting aggression against its neighbors by invading Poland, Europe was plunged into a second global conflict. It threatened the entire continent as well as the far-flung colonial possessions claimed by the French, the British, and the Dutch. German triumphs saw nation after nation fall, until only Great Britain remained defiant against Hitler’s dreams of conquest.

In this twistingly beautiful and epically thrilling conclusion to the fantasy trilogy The Legacy of the Mercenary King, Michael, the infamous Kingkiller, and Serena, the Hollow Queen, race against the odds to have the future they’ve worked so hard to protect…or risk bringing about the end of the world.

Saint Peter, also known as Peter the Apostle, was one of the main figures of the early Christian Church. He began his life as a simple fisherman who caught fish in the Sea of Galilea, but one day, this fisherman became a “fisher of men” instead. In good time, he would help to form one of the largest religious movements the world had ever known, eventually giving his life to the cause when he was sentenced to death by crucifixion. Here, in this audiobook, we discover the life of Saint Peter from beginning to end.

The Battle of the Atlantic, the longest campaign of World War II, took place upon the Atlantic Ocean as the Allies traveled back and forth from North America to Great Britain with desperately needed oil, provisions, weapons, and supplies for the embattled forces fighting against Nazi Germany. The efforts of those valiant seafarers would eventually make D-Day possible, but there were times when even Winston Churchill feared that the prowess of the U-boats would imperil the Allies in their battle against the Nazi menace that had conquered Western Europe.

With modern scholarship applied to ancient texts, the NRSVue is designed to help listeners explore the meanings of ancient texts in light of the cultures that produced them with unprecedented readability, accessibility, and inclusivity. The book contains the book of Revelation, from the NRSVue and accompanies the audio edition from The People's Book, narrated by Dr. Shively T. J. Smith.

With his delicate phraseology and deft massaging of truth and deception, Joseph Goebbels was the mouthpiece of a monstrous regime, dishing out propaganda for Nazi Germany throughout World War II. It was his mission to entirely subsume the consciousness of the German people with the warped ideals of the Nazi Party. Through this means, he convinced everyday Germans to look the other way while some of the worst atrocities in history were committed.

Even half a century after his death, Humphrey Bogart remains one of the most iconic actors of all time. The epitome of class and cool, he embodied the ultimate tough guy—and no one wore a fedora quite like him. “Bogie” began life under uncertain circumstances, born to parents addicted to drugs and disorder, but he would rise above these difficulties to become a star. From Broadway to Hollywood, he became a top-billed actor, the likes of which the world has rarely seen.

Alan Rickman was one of Britain’s most beloved actors. His portrayal of the cunning Hans Gruber in the 1988 blockbuster Die Hard set a new standard for movie villains with his perfect blend of charm and menace. Rickman then became a household name playing Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series. His performance captured the layers of emotion and complexity that made Snape one of the most memorable and celebrated figures in the series.

The October Revolution of 1917, which saw the fall of the tsar and the installation of a provisional government in Russia, was a momentous event in modern history. However, the Russian Revolution was far from the end of the story of the establishment of Communism in Russia. Within months, the Red Bolsheviks were under attack by the reactionary Whites. The civil war raged for more than two years, leaving millions dead and many millions more displaced. Although less well-known than the revolution, the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922 did far more to shape the modern world.

The Cristero War took place in Mexico between 1926 and 1929. It was a war of rebellion by Mexican Catholics against the government, which had enforced restrictions on their faith. It was mainly a guerilla war, in which the Cristeros launched sudden, quick attacks against strategic locations. It began in central Mexico but quickly engulfed the entire country. In the end, the United States and the Catholic hierarchy intervened to help the combatants reach a peace agreement.

The fall of Constantinople in 1453 marked a number of significant historical turning points. It saw the end of the last vestige of the Roman Empire, which had been founded more than 1,400 years before, and marked the beginning of a period of dominance for the growing Ottoman Empire. Furthermore, this moment marked the end of the Middle Ages in Europe and the beginning of the Renaissance, as the fall of Constantinople was directly linked to both these events.

Sean Connery is still well remembered for his role in the epic James Bond series. Although we often picture him as a smooth, daring, and debonair agent, surviving all manner of incredible stunts, Sean Connery was more than just James Bond. His films were indeed action-packed, but so was his personal life.

Paul Newman lived the life of a legend. He was not only a jack of all trades but in many cases a master of all trades. During his tenure on planet Earth, he was an award-winning actor, a philanthropist, a founder of a food company, a race car driver, and even an owner for the Indianapolis 500. Just about anything Newman put his hand on turned to gold. Even over a decade after his death, much of what he achieved is still being discovered. In this book, we bring to light the accomplishments of one of the greatest actors of all time, Paul Newman.

Admiral Chester Nimitz stands tall as an absolute giant in military history. The massive Nimitz-class aircraft carriers that still bear his name stand as a testament to that fact. During the Second World War, Nimitz was in charge of a huge chunk of the US Armed Forces in the Pacific theater. It was his job to orchestrate the projection of Allied power across the Pacific in order to take on a resurgent Japanese Empire. He did all these things and more. By war’s end, Nimitz was the highest-ranking member of the US Navy. The Navy, in fact, had to create a whole new rank just to promote him!

Bob Hope was the kind of entertainer who only comes along once in a lifetime. Spanning the decades, he worked through just about every era of the 20th century. Hope grew up doing his best vaudeville routine and ended up performing far and wide with the USO during World War II and the wars in Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, Iran, and Iraq. In later life, he slowed down a bit, but he still found time to perform both in movies and in person.

Margaret Thatcher, famously known as the “Iron Lady” due to her tough-as-nails personality, was not only Britain’s first female prime minister, but one of the most influential political leaders of the 20th century. She commanded the spotlight at a crucial moment in both British and world history. Although she had her problems along the way—dealing with the Cold War, incursions at the Falkland Islands, and attacks by the IRA, at one point almost losing her life in the process—she rose to the occasion.

After the shock and devastation of the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, the Americans were determined to take their revenge on the Empire of Japan. The Japanese were just as determined to become the dominant power in the Pacific, a goal they were well on their way to achieving as they occupied China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaya, Burma, Northern Borneo, the Dutch East Indies, and the Philippines.

The history of China as a single nation began more than 2,000 years ago, when Qin Shi Huangdi first united a group of warring kingdoms into a single empire. China was then ruled by a series of imperial dynasties until the last one—the Qing Dynasty—fell in 1912. The 275-year period of Qing rule saw China becoming a world superpower, gaining dominance over present-day Korea, Tibet, and Vietnam, as well as becoming the center of global trade.