There are instances of heroic deeds that had no immediate witness, such as the Scholls's attempt in 1943 to raise their nation's conscience, suppressed by Hitler's propaganda machine. The Canadian physicist Dr. Slotin acted in 1946; but since 'the bomb' was supposed to be fail-safe, his feat was not released to the public. A KGB commissar gagged Captain Marinesco in 1945, just as Moscow's rulers silently did away with Colonel Maleter in 1956 as a hindrance for their political ambition. In the case of Parteigenosse Duckwitz in 1943, nobody discovered that he was behind the betrayal of the Nazi plan, and he wouldn't publicise his disloyalty to his Führer. It took faith and courage for a Palermo priest to go up against the Sicilian Mafia in 1993. Holding out against impossible odds was a Yankee pilot in a clapped-out aircraft in 1941, and a British battalion against an entire army in Korea 1951. And there is the sergeant who in 1916 blundered into an 'impregnable fortress' and then took it single-handedly. These are a few brave man and women who dared to stand up and be counted. Some had to pay a bitter price for remaining loyal to their principles, but all of them changed the course of history.

Most people have heard of Marie Curie and Albert Einstein. But have you heard of Katherine Johnson, Caroline Herschel, Percy Julian, and Rosalind Franklin? These scientists accomplished amazing things in their fields, and yet their names are not as well known. Learn about the unsung heroes of science, and be inspired by their fight for recognition. Created in partnership with TIME©, this 6-Pack of nonfiction readers builds critical literacy skills while students are engaged in reading high-interest content. Reader's Guide and Try It! provide extensive language-development activities to develop critical thinking; Table of contents, glossary, and index help increase comprehension and strengthen academic vocabulary; A fun culminating activity challenges students to create a picture book for a lesser-known scientist; Prepares students for college and career and aligns with state and national standards. This 6-Pack includes six copies of this title and a content-area focused lesson plan.

We were right to call them "special." A boy receives a strange visit ... An amateur scientist finds something she didn't expect ... A soldier is struck by a mortar... These three people all have the condition known as Asperger's syndrome. These three people find out that they gain unusual powers when they come into contact with a strange new element, carterinium. They decide to use their powers for good without fanfare and publicity. They call themselves the "Unsung Heroes," and they discover that there are those who would use their source of power to gain power. These three people discover that they are not alone ...

This book explores an important side of public employment that most Americans never get the opportunity to see—high-level career executives who make positive contributions to our quality of life. Norma M. Riccucci profiles six "unsung heroes," the people behind the scenes of some of the most successful programs in American government, and identifies the tools, skills, and strategies that make them effective leaders. Through in-depth interviews and provocative story-telling, Riccucci demonstrates that while these executive-level bureaucrats—or "execucrats"—may have an overall negative public image, they create, develop, execute, and enforce a number of programs and public policies that change our country for the better. She highlights six of these modern execucrats who best exemplify the creativity, determination, and leadership found in such officials: —William Black, Senior Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of Thrift Supervision, who attacked the rampant corruption and mismanagement that created the savings and loan crisis; —Eileen Claussen, Director, Atmospheric and Indoor Air Programs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, who negotiated as intensely within her own government as with other countries to create an international plan to protect the earth's ozone layer; —Ambassador Edward Perkins, U.S. State Department, the first African-American Ambassador to South Africa and the first American ambassador to meet with black South African leaders as part of his persistent efforts to end apartheid in that country; —Stephen Marica, Assistant Inspector General, Small Business Administration, who investigated the Wedtech scandal, which bilked millions of dollars in fraudulent defense contracts from American taxpayers; —Dr. Vince Hutchins, Director, Division of Maternal and Child Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, who spearheaded the team that developed "Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition," a public-private partnership that improved, and even saved, the lives of thousands of newborn babies; and —Dr. Helene Gayle, Division Chief, HIV-AIDS Division, U.S. Centers for Disease Control, who is actively battling the AIDS virus through education and prevention programs around the world. Riccucci not only relates the intriguing tales of these six dedicated officials who overcame the challenges before them, but she also analyzes the specific factors—from knowledge of the system to honesty, integrity, and humor—that are needed to become a dynamic government executive. Of interest to those both inside and outside government circles, Unsung Heroes gives captivating insights into effective executive leadership.

The U.S. Army 7708 War Crimes Group investigated atrocities committed in Germany and Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II. These young Americans--many barely out of their teens--gathered evidence, interviewed witnesses, apprehended suspects and prosecuted defendants at trials held at Dachau. Their work often put them in harm's way--some suspects facing arrest preferred to shoot it out. The War Crimes Group successfully prosecuted the perpetrators of the Malmedy Massacre, in which 84 American prisoners of war were shot by their German captors; and Waffen-SS commando Otto Skorzeny, aptly described as "the most dangerous man in Europe." Operation Paperclip, however, placed some war criminals--scientists and engineers recruited by the U.S. government--beyond their reach. From the ruins of the Third Reich arose a Nazi underground that preyed on Americans, especially members of the Group.

This fully illustrated edition offers more than 50 visuals including maps, operational plans, photographs and war art related to the incredible stories of our unsung heroes. With a completely selfless indifference to enemy fire, the quiet heroes featured in this book faced danger and atrocity. With courage and audacity they fought for their lives &# 8212; and they fought for ours. From the whistling of enemy shells and pounding of explosives come these inspiring stories of friendship, loyalty, determination, and bravery. Relive the events that influenced the outcome of World War II and meet the heroes who helped shape life as we know it today.

Most criticism of The Lord of the Rings trilogy emphasizes the most likely heroes in the tales: Aragorn, Frodo, Gandalf, and even Sam. From popular to scholarly literature, the women and smaller characters often go overlooked. But our notions of what makes a hero have altered since September 11, and sometimes the most unlikely people can come to embody all that we look up to and admire in a person. Here, Lynnette Porter examines what we mean when we talk about heroes, and for the first time illustrates the heroic qualities that can be found in the women and other beloved, though less-celebrated, characters in the The Lord of the Rings books and movies. She takes a critical look at the importance of literary and cinematic heroes in general, emphasizing the roles of Merry, Pippin, Galadriel, Eowyn, Arwen, Legolas, and Gimli, who can all be considered heroes despite their relatively smaller roles. She shows, ultimately, that our attraction to and celebration of heroes does not have to be limited to the leading man, but rather that women and youth often display essential characteristics of true heroes. Bringing together a discussion of both the books and the movies, Porter reveals for readers the heroic nature of several characters in The Lord of the Rings who have been ignored in terms of their status as heroes. Nevertheless, these female and youthful characters have received incredible popular acclaim and illustrate the shift in the way the Western movie-going public identifies and glorifies heroes. While other stars may have outshone the likes of Merry and Pippin, Arwen and Galadriel, Porter redirects the spotlight on these favorites of the books and movies to show us how the roles they play, the actions they take, and the behaviors they display are worthy of our praise and admiration. This unique and refreshing perspective adds dimension to our understanding of The Lord of the Rings phenomenon.

Most people have heard of Marie Curie and Albert Einstein. But have you heard of Katherine Johnson, Caroline Herschel, Percy Julian, and Rosalind Franklin? These scientists accomplished amazing things in their fields, and yet their names are not as well known. Learn about the unsung heroes of science, and be inspired by their fight for recognition. Created in partnership with TIME©, this 6-Pack of nonfiction readers builds critical literacy skills while students are engaged in reading high-interest content. Reader's Guide and Try It! provide extensive language-development activities to develop critical thinking; Table of contents, glossary, and index help increase comprehension and strengthen academic vocabulary; A fun culminating activity challenges students to create a picture book for a lesser-known scientist; Prepares students for college and career and aligns with state and national standards. This 6-Pack includes six copies of this title and a content-area focused lesson plan.

'Unsung Heroes of Rock Guitar' is a collection of in-depth Q&A interviews with fifteen of rock music's greatest, most under-rated guitarists. Many of these musicians have achieved worldwide success in the music business as members of famous bands, yet their individual names and faces often go unrecognized. 'Unsung Heroes of Rock Guitar' goes behind the scenes of some of the greatest classic rock music of all time to tell the true stories of bands like Kiss, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Jethro Tull, Kansas, Heart and Yes, from the perspective of the people who lived to tell it all.