Jim DeFelice – författare

Former U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle tells the story of his legendary career, from 1999-2009, during which time he recorded the most confirmed sniper kills (officially a record 155, though the real number is even much higher) in the history of the United States military, any branch, from 1776 to present. Nicknamed The Legend by his fellow SEALS, Kyle's service in Iraq and Afghanistan earned him seven medals for bravery, including two Silver Stars. With the pacing of thriller, "American Sniper" vividly recounts Chief Kyle's experiences at key battles, including the March on Baghdad (beginning of Iraq War), Fallujah, Ramadi, and Sadr City. He was shot in both the helmet and back; he witnessed the death of his two closest friends. After his combat deployments, Kyle became the SEAL's chief sniper instructor, and he literally wrote the book on being a sniper: the Naval Special Warfare Sniper Doctrine, which is the first Navy SEAL sniper manual. Today he is the CEO of an international security and training corporation. "American Sniper" is the story of the accomplishments of a husband and father who went from a Texas rodeo cowboy to his country's most legendary sniper.It describes the challenges of keeping a marriage and family together, and how after four deployments, Kyle ultimately chose to return to his wife and two children. This is also the story of the men of SEAL Team 3 who fought and died as brothers with Kyle. "American Sniper" provides a rare, first-hand glimpse at the elite world of the SEALs and combat snipers who fought in a war where the "Rules of Engagement" only allowed for precise surgical strikes at the heart of a well-trained and well-organized opposition force, which had virtually no "Rules of Engagement".

The #1 New York Times bestselling memoir of U.S. Navy Seal Chris Kyle, and the source for Clint Eastwood's blockbuster movie which was nominated for six academy awards, including best picture. From 1999 to 2009, U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle recorded the most career sniper kills in United States military history. His fellow American warriors, whom he protected with deadly precision from rooftops and stealth positions during the Iraq War, called him "The Legend"; meanwhile, the enemy feared him so much they named him al-Shaitan ("the devil") and placed a bounty on his head. Kyle, who was tragically killed in 2013, writes honestly about the pain of war-including the deaths of two close SEAL teammates-and in moving first-person passages throughout, his wife, Taya, speaks openly about the strains of war on their family, as well as on Chris. Gripping and unforgettable, Kyle's masterful account of his extraordinary battlefield experiences ranks as one of the great war memoirs of all time.

The first in a new series of high-tech thrillers centred on Dreamland – a top-secret USAF weapons research centre – from the acclaimed author of Flight of the Old Dog and Warrior Class.WHERE THE BEST OF THE BEST TAKE TO THE SKIES…Hidden in the Nevada desert is America’s most advanced aerospace-weapons testing facility. Dreamland is the place where the nation’s top minds come to develop artillery and aircraft that push beyond the cutting edge. And where the Air Force’s top guns come to test them – on the front lines of a new era in warfare.But the fiasco of a spy’s infiltration has the Pentagon looking for an excuse to close down the expensive research centre. To clean up the mess, Lt Colonel ‘Dog’ Bastian is sent in. He’s just the guy to shake things up… and does when a crisis erupts in Somalia. Into a hotter-than-hot war zone he sends his own daughter – the pilot of a Megafortress bomber – and a high-tech, unmanned flight system that could make or break the future of Dreamland.

The second in a new series of high-tech, military-adventure thrillers centred on Dreamland, a top-secret weapons research centre, from the acclaimed author of FLIGHT OF THE OLD DOG and WARRIOR CLASS.Hidden in the Nevada desert is Dreamland – an advanced aerospace-weapons testing facility where the best of the best develop artillery and aircraft that push beyond the cutting edge.Dreamland’s latest project is Flighthawk – an unmanned aerial-attack aircraft. To help pilots master the complex remote-flying skills required to control it, a high-risk system is being trialled, in which a microchip is implanted in the pilot's skull. Initially, all goes well for the first volunteer, Army Captain Kevin Madrone. But the psychological stress proves too much – and suddenly Madrone disappears, armed with one of the most powerful weapons in the world…

The hunt is on for a mystery weapon that has been shooting down American planes over Iraq – in this spectacular thriller, the third in a new series of high-tech, high-action adventures from the author of Flight of the Old Dog and Wings of Fire.Hidden in the Nevada desert is Dreamland – an advanced research centre dedicated to developing artillery and aircraft that push beyond the cutting edge. It is also home to Whiplash – a covert team of special forces trained to deploy the high-tech weapons in extreme situations.Whiplash’s latest mission begins when a series of American planes are shot down over Iraq in mysterious circumstances. There is no way that conventional weapons could have hit the planes so easily. Can the Iraqis have developed a laser capable of causing such mayhem? Fearing a major international crisis, the President sends a call out to Dreamland. Within hours, some of the most sophisticated aircraft in the world are heading for the Gulf, with orders to track down the mystery weapon – and destroy it.

The sinking of a Chinese freighter provokes a crisis between India and China – in the fourth in the series of high-tech thrillers centred on Dreamland – a top-secret USAF weapons research centre – from the acclaimed author of Flight of the Old Dog and Wings of Fire.Dreamland is a cutting-edge weapons research facility in the Nevada desert – home to some of the world’s finest pilots and an elite combat unit that operates directly at the command of the US President.The Dreamland team fly to the South China Sea amid growing tensions between India and China. A Chinese freighter has been sunk by an unknown submarine-launched missile. Using Piranha, an experimental underwater probe, they begin to gather information on the mystery weapon. But events turn unexpectedly deadly, and the men and women of Dreamland must put their own lives on the line to keep the peace – while a shadowy force looks on, hell-bent on provoking a full-blown crisis

The eighth in the series of high-tech thrillers centred on Dreamland – a top-secret USAF weapons research centre – from the acclaimed author of ‘Act of War’ and ‘Plan of Attack.’While the Dreamland team is perfecting their latest weapon, code-named ‘End game’, an electromagnetic bomb that can knock out any electric device for miles, an Islamic terrorist cell is conducting covert attacks in the Arabian Sea. Targeting Indian ships and oil facilities, the terrorists seem to be escaping into thin air. India suspects that their long-time enemy Pakistan is behind the attacks and tensions between the two nuclear powers reaches breaking point. Meanwhile China is patrolling the sea, eager to flex the muscle of its new fleet of warships, and is drawn into the mix when one of its ships is mysteriously attacked. All-out war between the three countries appears imminent unless the Dreamland team can find out who is really behind the attacks. And their new End Game weapon may be the only hope of avoiding catastrophe.

The sixth in the series of high-tech thrillers centred on Dreamland – a top-secret USAF weapons research centre – from the acclaimed author of Flight of the Old Dog and Air Battle Force.Whilst relaxing on the beach in Brunei as guests of the Sultan, Dreamland's Breanna and Zen are shot at, and forced to take cover in the water by unknown assailants.Dreamland are training the Sultan's air force, instructing them on the newest and best aviation technology. But there are those not happy with this alliance.Suddenly Brunei is under attack from terrorists, and someone somewhere is getting ready for the ultimate revenge.

The Dreamland special ops team uncover a plan to stir up unrest between Taiwan and mainland China – in the latest high-octane adventure from the acclaimed author of Flight of the Old Dog and Air Battle Force.Dreamland is a cutting-edge weapons research facility in the Nevada desert – home to some of the world’s finest pilots and an elite combat unit that operates directly at the command of the US President.Dreamland is rocked by the news that someone in the South China Sea has developed an unmanned spy plane as advanced – and dangerous – as their own top-secret Flighthawk. Has there been a breach of security? With a high-level summit between Taiwan and mainland China looming and such a potentially devastating weapon on the loose, the threat to the region’s fragile stability is immense. While the hunt for a mole threatens all their achievements, the Dreamland team must embark on the race of their lives: to seek out their mysterious rival – and destroy it.

Night after night, he guided the U.S. Navy SEALs through Iraq's most dangerous regions. A translator operating under the code name "Johnny Walker," he risked his life on more than a thousand missions and became a legend in the U.S. special-ops community. But in the eyes of Iraq's terrorists and insurgents, he and his family were marked for death because he worked with the Americans. Fearing for Johnny's safety, the SEALs heroically took it upon themselves to bring him and his family to the United States. With inside details on SEAL operations and a deeply personal understanding of the tragic price paid by ordinary Iraqis, Code Name: Johnny Walker is a gripping and unforgettable true story that reveals a side of the war that has never been told before. Includes a new afterword on the rise of ISIS

Western Writers of America Spur Awards Finalist, Best Western Historical Nonfiction"A GROUNDBREAKING WORK. ... The first comprehensive history of the legendary transcontinental experiment in mail delivery in sixty years." —True West"This rollicking account of the daring enterprise known as the Pony Express brings its era and its legendary characters to life." —San Francisco ChronicleThe new definitive history of the Pony Express by the #1 bestselling coauthor of American Sniper, illustrated with 50 images On the eve of the Civil War, three American businessmen launched an audacious plan to create a financial empire by transforming communications across the hostile territory between the nation’s two coasts. In the process, they created one of the most enduring icons of the American West: the Pony Express. Daring young men with colorful names like “Bronco Charlie” and “Sawed-Off Jim” galloped at speed over a vast and unforgiving landscape, etching an irresistible tale that passed into myth almost instantly. Equally an improbable success and a business disaster, the Pony Express came and went in just eighteen months, but not before uniting and captivating a nation on the brink of being torn apart. Jim DeFelice’s brilliantly entertaining West Like Lightning is the first major history of the Pony Express to put its birth, life, and legacy into the full context of the American story.The Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Express Company—or “Pony Express,” as it came to be known—was part of a plan by William Russell, Alexander Majors, and William Waddell to create the next American Express, a transportation and financial juggernaut that already dominated commerce back east. All that stood in their way were almost two thousand miles of uninhabited desert, ice-capped mountains, oceanic plains roamed by Indian tribes, whitewater-choked rivers, and harsh, unsettled wilderness.The Pony used a relay system of courageous horseback riders to ferry mail halfway across a continent in just ten days. The challenges the riders faced were enormous, yet the Pony Express succeeded, delivering thousands of letters at record speed. The service instantly became the most direct means of communication between the eastern United States and its far western territories, helping to firmly connect them to the Union.Populated with cast of characters including Abraham Lincoln (news of whose electoral victory the Express delivered to California), Wild Bill Hickock, Buffalo Bill Cody (who fed the legend of the Express in his Wild West Show), and Mark Twain (who celebrated the riders in Roughing It), West Like Lightning masterfully traces the development of the Pony Express and follows it from its start in St. Joseph, Missouri—the edge of the civilized world—west to Sacramento, the capital of California, then booming from the gold rush. Jim DeFelice, who traveled the Pony’s route in his research, plumbs the legends, myths, and surprising truth of the service, exploring its lasting relevance today as a symbol of American enterprise, audacity, and daring.

The "American Sniper" legacy continues: Taya Kyle celebrates the American Spirit in her inspiring new bookLife leads us through difficult terrain. But what happens if you use challenge as an opportunity to discover your PURPOSE? These Americans did and are changing the world. After losing her husband, "American Sniper" Chris Kyle, bestselling author Taya Kyle entered a period of deep grief. And yet the experience served as a catalyst for profound growth. Taya found her own reserve of strength with the help of the generous love and support of family and friends—and also many strangers across America, who selflessly shared their own stories of suffering, survival, and triumph. Inspired by her experience, Taya discovered her calling: spreading a message of how love, passion, and service can combine to help us persevere over personal pain and heal our communities. Working with trusted collaborator Jim DeFelice (coauthor of American Sniper and American Wife), Taya tells her own story, as well as those of other Americans who have built extraordinary lives after traveling down life’s most difficult roads—through loss, illness, all manner of setback. They embody the “American spirit” of resilience, faith, togetherness that has built the nation. American Spirit profiles more than 30 individuals, young and old, rich and not-so-rich, famous and unknown, who have overcome hardship and done extraordinary things for their communities and for the nation at large. The 9/11 survivor, badly burned over 60% of his body, who asked himself What debt do I owe to God? And to my fellow human beings? What am I supposed to do with this miracle of survival? The man with the hole in his heart who runs ultramarathons. The young cancer victim whose lemonade stand inspired a revolutionary new model for fighting cancer. The blind cyclist; the pastor who became an undercover investigator, and more. In the end, these stories teach us how to find purpose and heal the world, no matter the difficulty. “Every action, big or small,” Taya writes, “has the potential to spark someone else’s movement.”

The New York Times Bestseller | Winner of the Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Award Omaha Beach legend Ray Lambert's unforgettable firsthand account of D-Day “Lambert landed on [Omaha Beach] as a 23-year-old Army medic. ... As the bullets cut down his comrades, he raced repeatedly back into the sea to drag out wounded soldiers.” —New York TimesSeventy-five years ago, he hit Omaha Beach with the first wave. Now D-Day legend Ray Lambert (1920-2021) delivers one of the most remarkable memoirs of our time, a tour-de-force of remembrance evoking his role as a decorated World War II medic who risked his life to save the heroes of Normandy. At five a.m. on June 6, 1944, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Ray Lambert worked his way through a throng of nervous soldiers to a wind-swept deck on a troopship off the coast of Normandy, France. A familiar voice cut through the wind and rumble of the ship’s engines. “Ray!” called his brother, Bill. Ray, head of a medical team for the First Division’s famed 16th Infantry Regiment, had already won a silver star in 1943 for running through German lines to rescue trapped men, one of countless rescues he’d made in North Africa and Sicily. “This is going to be the worst yet,” Ray told his brother, who served alongside him throughout the war.“If I don’t make it,” said Bill, “take care of my family.”“I will,” said Ray. He thought about his wife and son–a boy he had yet to see. “Same for me.” The words were barely out of Ray’s mouth when a shout came from below.To the landing craft!The brothers parted. Their destinies lay ten miles away, on the bloodiest shore of Normandy, a plot of Omaha Beach ironically code named “Easy Red.”Less than five hours later, after saving dozens of lives and being wounded at least three separate times, Ray would lose consciousness in the shallow water of the beach under heavy fire. He would wake on the deck of a landing ship to find his battered brother clinging to life next to him.Every Man a Hero is the unforgettable story not only of what happened in the incredible and desperate hours on Omaha Beach, but of the bravery and courage that preceded them, throughout the Second World War—from the sands of Africa, through the treacherous mountain passes of Sicily, and beyond to the greatest military victory the world has ever known.

Published to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day, an unforgettable never-before-told first-person account of World War II: the true story of an American paratrooper who survived D-Day, was captured and imprisoned in a Nazi work camp, and made a daring escape to freedom. Now at 95, one of the few living members of the Greatest Generation shares his experiences at last in one of the most remarkable World War II stories ever told. As the Allied Invasion of Normandy launched in the pre-dawn hours of June 6, 1944, Henry Langrehr, an American paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne, was among the thousands of Allies who parachuted into occupied France. Surviving heavy anti-aircraft fire, he crashed through the glass roof of a greenhouse in Sainte-Mère-Église. While many of the soldiers in his unit died, Henry and other surviving troops valiantly battled enemy tanks to a standstill. Then, on June 29th, Henry was captured by the Nazis. The next phase of his incredible journey was beginning.Kept for a week in the outer ring of a death camp, Henry witnessed the Nazis’ unspeakable brutality—the so-called Final Solution, with people marched to their deaths, their bodies discarded like cords of wood. Transported to a work camp, he endured horrors of his own when he was forced to live in unbelievable squalor and labor in a coal mine with other POWs. Knowing they would be worked to death, he and a friend made a desperate escape. When a German soldier cornered them in a barn, the friend was fatally shot; Henry struggled with the soldier, killing him and taking his gun. Perilously traveling westward toward Allied controlled land on foot, Henry faced the great ethical and moral dilemmas of war firsthand, needing to do whatever it took to survive. Finally, after two weeks behind enemy lines, he found an American unit and was rescued.Awaiting him at home was Arlene, who, like millions of other American women, went to work in factories and offices to build the armaments Henry and the Allies needed for victory. Whatever It Took is her story, too, bringing to life the hopes and fears of those on the homefront awaiting their loved ones to return.A tale of heroism, hope, and survival featuring 30 photographs, Whatever It Took is a timely reminder of the human cost of freedom and a tribute to unbreakable human courage and spirit in the darkest of times.

From the Arizona Congressman, a "powerful" and "searing" (PW) chronicle of the eternal bonds forged between the Marines of Lima Company, the hardest-hit unit of the Iraq WarAt first, they were “Lucky Lima.” Infantryman Ruben Gallego and his brothers in Lima Company—3rd Battalion, 25th Marines, young men drawn from blue-collar towns, immigrant households, Navajo reservations—returned unscathed on patrol after patrol through the increasingly violent al Anbar region of Iraq, looking for weapons caches and insurgents trying to destabilize the nascent Iraqi government. After two months in Iraq, Lima didn't have a casualty, not a single Purple Heart, no injury worse than a blister. Lucky Lima.Then, in May 2005, Lima’s fortunes flipped. Unknown to Ruben and his fellow grunts, al Anbar had recently become a haven for al Qaeda in Mesopotamia. The bin Laden-sponsored group had recruited radicals from all over the world for jihad against the Americans. On one fateful day, they were lured into a death house; the ambush cost the lives of two men, including a platoon sergeant. Two days later, Ruben’s best friend, Jonathon Grant, died in an IED attack, along with several others. Events worsened from there. A disastrous operation in Haditha in August claimed the lives of thirteen Marines when an IED destroyed their amphibious vehicle. It was the worst single-day loss for the Marines since the 1983 Beirut bombings. By the time 3/25 went home in November, it had lost more men than any other single unit in the war. Forty-six Marines and two Navy Corpsmen serving with the battalion in Iraq were killed in action during their roughly nine-month activation.They Called Us “Lucky” details Ruben Gallego’s journey and includes harrowing accounts of some of the war’s most costly battles. It details the struggles and the successes of Ruben—now a member of Congress—and the rest of Lima Company following Iraq, examining the complicated matter of PTSD. And it serves as a tribute to Ruben’s fallen comrades, who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. With its gripping accounts of some of the war's most costly battles, They Called Us 'Lucky' is a must-read for anyone interested in military history and the politics of war. It offers a firsthand perspective on the Iraq War and the struggles faced by soldiers like Ruben Gallego, who served in the hardest hit company of the hardest hit battalion of the war and occupation.