Mark Salter

An indispensable political history of independent Sri Lanka, from the post-war years to the 2022 uprising. In February 1948, following centuries of colonial rule—by the Portuguese, Dutch and British successively—Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) gained its independence. Unlike neighbouring India, it did so peacefully; indeed, at the time, many considered it a model for emerging post-indepe­ndence states, with every prospect of a prosperous and successful future. Yet, within ten years, the island nation was already experiencing its first serious open ethnic tensions, revolving around the relationship between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamil populations. Events like the anti-Tamil riots of 1958 both shook the nation and prefigured the wider civil war that erupted in 1983 bet­ween government forces and the insurgent Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), led by Velupillai Prabhakaran—a hugely destructive conflict that raged for twenty-six years until the Tigers’ final demise in May 2009. Starting from independence and continuing up to the spring 2022 Aragalaya (Uprising)—which eventually toppled wartime Defence Secretary–turned-President Gota­bhaya Rajapaksa, following hapless economic misgovernment—this book examines major events, recurring themes and underlying trends in Sri Lanka’s often fraught, contested history. While the ethnic conflict may be over, Mark Salter suggests, many of the issues that gave rise to it are yet to be fully addressed.

Are you a fan of Frome Town Football Club? Never missed a match? Have you picked up lots of little-known facts about The Robins along the way? Then the time has come to find out how much you know about your favourite team with The Official Frome Town Football Club Quiz Book Including memoirs of The Hill.The 600 questions contained within these pages, some easy, some more challenging, have been put together to test your memory of the people and places that have shaped the Club's long and interesting history.With sections about all aspects of the game including players, managers, opponents, final scores, Club honours and Club records, this book is certain to have you disputing points with your friends and family to find out who really knows the most about The Robins.A fitting tribute to Frome Town Football Club, this book is packed with information and is as educated as it is entertaining. A must have for all dedicated Frome Town fans.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “History matters to McCain, and for him America is and was about its promise. The book is his farewell address, a mixture of the personal and the political. ‘I have loved my life,’ he writes. ‘All of it.’ The Restless Wave is a fitting valedictory for a man who seldom backed down.” —The Guardian (US) “A book-length meditation on what it means to face the hard challenges of long life and the sobering likelihood of imminent death…A reflection on hardship, a homily on purpose, a celebration of life — and a challenge to Americans to live up to their values and founding principles at a time when both are in jeopardy.” —The Boston Globe In this candid political memoir from Senator John McCain, an American hero reflects on his life and what matters most.“I don’t know how much longer I’ll be here. Maybe I’ll have another five years…Maybe I’ll be gone before you read this. My predicament is, well, rather unpredictable. But I’m prepared for either contingency, or at least I’m getting prepared. I have some things I’d like to take care of first, some work that needs finishing, and some people I need to see. And I want to talk to my fellow Americans a little more if I may.” So writes John McCain in this inspiring, moving, frank, and deeply personal memoir. Written while confronting a mortal illness, McCain looks back with appreciation on his years in the Senate, his historic 2008 campaign for the presidency against Barack Obama, and his crusades on behalf of democracy and human rights in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Always the fighter, McCain attacks the spurious nationalism and political polarization afflicting American policy. He makes an impassioned case for democratic internationalism and bi-partisanship. He recalls his disagreements with several presidents, and minces no words in his objections to some of President Trump's statements and policies. At the same time, he tells stories of his most satisfying moments of public service and offers a positive vision of America that looks beyond the Trump presidency. The Restless Wave is John McCain at his best.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - Senator John McCain's deeply moving memoir is the story of three generations of warriors and the ways that sons are shaped and enriched by their fathers. John McCain's grandfather, a four-star admiral and one of the navy's greatest commanders, led the strongest aircraft carrier force of the Third Fleet during World War II. McCain's father, also a four-star admiral, served as commander of all U.S. forces in the Pacific during the Vietnam War. It was in Vietnam that John McCain III faced the most difficult challenge of his life. A naval aviator, he was shot down over Hanoi in 1967. Recognized as the son of a top commander, McCain was tortured and imprisoned for five and a half years. Despite this, he refused Vietnamese offers of an early release. What McCain learned from his grandfather and father enabled him to survive those hard years. A testament to the power of human endurance, Faith of My Fathers is the story of three men who fought for their country with courage and emerged with their honor intact. Praise for Faith of My Fathers "A thoughtful first-person take on survival, both physical and psychological . . . hard to top and impossible to read without being moved."--USA Today "A candid, moving, and entertaining memoir . . . impressive and inspiring, the story of a man touched and molded by fire who loved and served his country in a time of great trouble, suffering, and challenge."--Kirkus Reviews "A serious, utterly gripping account of faith, fathers, and the military."--Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Faith of My Fathers may also appeal to those who flocked to Saving Private Ryan and kept Brokaw's The Greatest Generation near the top of the bestseller lists."--Library Journal "Faith of My Fathers is the powerful story of a war hero. In it we learn much of what matters most. As prisoner (and later Senator) McCain instructs us: Glory is not an end in itself, but rather a reward for valor and faith. And the greatest freedom and human fulfillment comes from engaging in a noble enterprise larger than oneself. Faith of My Fathers teaches deep truths that are valid in any age but that warrant special attention in our own."--William J. Bennett

Between 1983 and 2009 Sri Lanka was host to a bitter civil war fought between the Government and the Tamil Tigers, which sought the creation of an independent Tamil state. In May 2009 came the war's violent end with the crushing defeat of the Tamil Tigers at the hands of the Sri Lanka Army. But prior to this grim finale, for some time there had been hope for a peaceful end to the conflict. Beginning with a ceasefire agreement in early 2002, for almost five years a series of peace talks between the two sides took place in locations ranging from Thai- land and Japan to Norway, Germany and Switzerland.To End a Civil War tells the story of trying to bring peace to Sri Lanka. In particular it tells the story of how a faraway European nation--Norway--came to play a central role in efforts to end the conflict, and what its small, dedicated team of mediators did in their untiring efforts to reach what ultimately proved the elusive goal of a negotiated peace.In doing so it fills a critical gap in our understanding of the Sri Lankan conflict. But it also illuminates in detail a much wider problem: the intense fragility that surrounds peace processes and the extraordinary lengths to which their proponents often stretch in order to secure their progress.

Pays tribute to men and women who were important examples of composure, wisdom, and intellect in the face of tough decisions, in a volume that cites the examples of such figures as Henry Ford, Branch Rickey, and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

An inspirational volume of moral and ethical lessons for parents to share with their children presents a collection of original profiles of individuals--including Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandella, Mark Twain, Elizabeth I, and Thomas More--who exemplify such qualities and essential values as diligence, forgiveness, humor, confidence, and honesty. 125,000 first printing.

The sequel to Faith of My Fathers continues McCain's story of his life, from his return to America after more than five years as a POW in Vietnam, to his rise to success in politics, to his 2000 run for the presidency, discussing the character lessons he has learned from individuals ranging from Ted Williams and Theodore Roosevelt to Billy Mitchell along the way. Reprint. 75,000 first printing.