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

The Mongol Empire, founded by Genghis Khan and continued by his heirs, was one of the largest and most powerful the world has ever seen. Modern China was created from the remnants of the Mongol Empire, and at its peak, this empire controlled one-sixth of the total landmass of the world. Even today, it is estimated that one in every 200 people in the world carries the DNA of Genghis Khan. The world would never be quite the same after the relatively brief reign of Genghis Khan, his children, and grandchildren.

“It’s hell out there” was how one Marine described the assault on Tarawa, the US Navy’s first amphibious landing in World War II’s arduous Pacific campaign to bring the Empire of Japan to its knees. In 76 hours of fighting, the Marines lost nearly as many men as had died during the six months of the Guadalcanal campaign. Military intelligence had failed to take into account the reefs around Betio, the target of the assault, or the low tides which prevented transport vehicles from bringing the Marines safely to shore.

In this second book Roman Catholics the Greatest Deception of All 2, the author Joe Tango rips the lid off the seedy underworld of the Catholic religion, exposing the truth behind the beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church and their false doctrines. Joe takes each point made by adherents to the false doctrines and dissects them to point falsehoods, misinformation, and out-of context problems with each.

Roy Orbison possessed a voice that commanded immediate attention. He may have appeared meek and mild-mannered on the surface, yet beneath this facade lay an inner world brimming with passion and fervor. Orbison’s style was innovative and avant-garde, almost as if he were an embodiment of alternative rock before the term even entered the lexicon. He represented the emotive, tender facet of rock and roll, a stark contrast to his contemporaries, who were often swathed in leather jackets and exuded the confidence of a typical rockstar.

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.

Patrick Swayze was more than just a beloved Hollywood star—he was a force of nature. Known for his magnetic presence and irresistible charm, Swayze captivated audiences worldwide with roles that showcased his unique blend of ruggedness and grace. But behind the scenes, few knew the true extent of the challenges he faced on his journey to stardom.

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.

History remembers her as the gracious wife standing beside Lyndon B. Johnson, but Lady Bird Johnson was much more than just the period of time that she spent at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in the White House. Born in the piney woods of East Texas to a wealthy but troubled family, Lady Bird overcame tragedy to become one of the most accomplished women of her generation. By age 22, she had earned two college degrees and harbored dreams of becoming a globe-trotting journalist.

The original international woman of mystery, Mata Hari is maligned as a spy and a traitor. Having seduced a number of the most powerful men in Europe, she was accused of spying for both Allied and Central Powers during the First World War. Mata Hari’s biography tells a different story. From her remarkable transformation from a captain’s wife and mother in the Dutch East Indies to the most celebrated stage presence in Europe, Mata Hari fought for what she believed in.

Bass Reeves was a man who forged his own destiny and wrote his own life story as he went along. Born into slavery, Reeves rose above all challenges to become one of the most legendary lawmen of the American West. As a deputy US marshal, he held himself to a personal code of conduct that went beyond the badge he wore. For Bass, the line between right and wrong was clear, and he never hesitated to enforce the law—even when it meant pursuing his own friends or family. Justice wasn’t just his duty; it was his calling.

Simón Bolívar truly earned his nickname “The Liberator” for a large portion of South American people. He was a forward-thinking political figure at a time when Spain was ruling over the region that is now comprised of Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, and Colombia. Bolívar’s revolutionary thoughts and belief system are what gave so many who lived in that part of the continent their independence and the freedom to enact their own governments with their own laws. Few people in history have achievements that can rival the ones made by this hero of the Latin American people.

Oskar Schindler was an unexpected hero. He drank heavily, and some even said he was a womanizer who flaunted his affairs. Yet, in one of history’s darkest hours, he demonstrated an extraordinary capacity for courage and humanity.

Jackson Pollock was without a doubt one of the twentieth century’s most controversial painters. He started out painting abstracts in the style of Pablo Picasso but soon branched out, establishing the “drip” method, which entails dripping or flinging paint directly onto the canvas. For this, he was both praised and demonized; still, he persisted on his own chosen path.

Anaïs Nin was an influential and acclaimed writer best known for her diaries that cover six decades from the 1910s to the 1970s. In addition to her famous journals, her works include novels, essays, poetry, studies, and erotica - many of which remain popular to this day. As one of the first prominent female authors of erotica, Nin led a controversial life that was subject to many rumors. Her fearlessness when it came to tackling taboo topics such as incest, sexual abuse, and extra-marital affairs would earn her both staunch supporters and zealous critics.

Step into the world of Albert Einstein in this book and find out what was so extraordinary about him. Find out why Einstein valued creativity and freedom as the foundation stones of a good life, and how these two traits would inspire him and help to transform the world as it was known up until then.

Robert Oppenheimer had a lot resting on his shoulders. During the Second World War, he was tasked with directing the development of the world’s first nuclear arsenal. Known as the Manhattan Project, this super-secretive wartime project had the stoic visage of Oppenheimer overseeing the greatest experiment ever conducted by humankind. Much had happened in Oppenheimer’s life to lead him to this point, and much would subsequently take place after, but this moment was indeed the pinnacle of his career and his life.

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.

The Comanche were once the most dominant Native American tribe in the Great Plains of North America. From their homelands on the prairies, they ranged across the American West and South into Mexico. They were also one of the most feared of all Native American people, fighting virtually every other Native American tribe they had contact with and waging successful guerilla wars against invaders from Spain, Mexico, and the Eastern United States.

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.

This double audio workbook for beginners contains two best-selling titles of the best-selling Secret of Now series: Living in the Now in Easy Steps: 7 Lessons & Exercises to Experience Inner Peace and Stop Negative Thinking in 7 Easy Steps: 7 Lessons & Exercises to Beat Depression & Pessimism. Based on the teachings of the German spiritual leader Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now, A New Earth, and Stillness Speaks, this revealing audiobook centers on ending your inner distress and self-inflicted suffering.