He was the greatest batsman of his generation and, as captain, possessed the sharpest tactical mind in the game. Bursting onto the scene in 2004 with a Test century on debut, Michael Clarke was Australian cricket's golden boy. And the batting prodigy they nicknamed 'Pup' certainly fulfilled his destiny in a stellar 11-year international career of 115 Tests, 8643 runs and 28 centuries. Clarke's rollercoaster four-year reign as Test captain was marked as much by bravery as brilliance - a 5-0 whitewash of England in 2013-14, the 2015 World Cup triumph, and a ten-hour unbeaten 161, batting with a broken shoulder to lead Australia back to the #1 world ranking in 2014. Yet Michael Clarke also sparked fiercer debate than any other Australian sports star. For a decade his personal life, career fortunes and controversies - real or imagined - were splashed across front pages and scrutinised. Was he simply a hard-working, western suburbs kid living every Aussie boy's dream? Or a 21st century cricketer mired in all the trappings of celebrity? In the echo chamber of social media, the truth about Michael Clarke was warped, then lost. Clarke's enigma deepened but he kept his mouth shut and his dignity intact, knowing the chance to tell his extraordinary story would finally come. And now it has. My Story is the real Michael Clarke, standing up and speaking out for the first time. Bucking the conventions of traditional biography to go hard at the big issues, Clarke speaks fearlessly and poignantly about the scandals, rumours and explosive moments of his life; revealing the amazing truths, private pain and personal triumphs that no one realised. It's the incredible story of a remarkable Australian you never really knew. Until now.

After a three year losing streak in the Ashes, complete with a painfully recent 3-0 loss in England, facing the victorious English cricket team so soon was never going to be an easy battle. The public's faith in the young Australian team was waning. Despite their failures, captain Michael Clarke records in his diary a feeling of hunger in his team: a hunger to strike back, a hunger to prove their talent to the world. A hunger to return the urn. Michael Clarke led his team to an Ashes victory at home in a 5-0 triumph over the 2013-14 summer. Along the way, the tide of public affection turned in his favour for the first time. Clarke had previously been respected for his deeds as a batsman, but had not truly won the hearts of sports fans. This Ashes series changed that. Clarke showed the grit, talent, charisma and aggression Australian sports fans look for in their leaders. Revealing and insightful, Clarke once again puts his unique mark on the sport, giving us his account of how he rallied both the team and public behind him to bring the urn home.

Reproduction of the original: The Story of Troy by Michael Clarke

In Michael Clarke's 'Story of Aeneas,' the timeless epic is marvelously recast into a narrative that captivates with its blend of poetic fervor and insightful historical perspective. Clarke delves into the celebrated saga with a discerning eye, weaving the ancient mythos of heroism, providence, and nation-foundation into a tapestry that both respects tradition and invites contemporary interpretation. The republished work by DigiCat Publishing echoes a commitment to preserving the eloquence of the literary past, while presenting it through the accessible mediums of print and digital eBooks, ensuring that the venerable tale endures in today's world of fleeting digital content. Michael Clarke's scholarship and profound appreciation of classical literature shine through in his rendition of the 'Story of Aeneas.' This piece may have been influenced by Clarke's academic pursuits or a passion to revitalize the fabled stories for a modern audience. His meticulous care in sustaining the narrative's integrity while rendering it afresh suggests a deep engagement with the original material, as well as a desire to contribute to its ongoing legacy as a cornerstone of Western literary canon. 'Story of Aeneas' by Michael Clarke comes highly recommended for readers who revere the classics and cherish the meticulous craftsmanship of storytelling. It invites an audience that appreciates the rich interplay between history and myth, offering a window into the scholarly and artful revival of legendary epics. This edition by DigiCat Publishing enhances the accessibility of Clarke's work to both new and seasoned aficionados of timeless literature and is an exceptional addition to any discerning reader's collection.

Military commanders matter. They win or lose battles, determine the outcomes of wars and often shape the history of nations. But they are also human individuals. This study of thirty-four British commanders, from Boudica to Bomber Harris, reflects on their personal stories, as individuals and warriors; as husbands and wives, libertines and lovers, strategists and shapers of British history over almost two thousand years. Short biographical essays, by military analyst Michael Clarke, cover a sweep of British history from the epic story of Queen Boudica in Roman Britain, to the generals, admirals and air marshals of the First and Second World Wars. Their styles of leadership, their strategies – or in some cases lack of them – are examined as they throw themselves on fortune. And the Gods of War decide whom will be lucky, and whom not. Some commanders described here were obvious shapers of British history, like King Alfred, William the Conqueror, Henry V, Cromwell, Marlborough, Wellington or Montgomery. Some were unlucky and seemed beset by failure, like Walter Raleigh, Sir John Moore or General John Gort. Others are less well-known as significant commanders; like Lady Aethelflaid of Mercia, the Empress Matilda, the ‘greatest knight’, Sir William Marshal, or Cuthbert Collingwood who served with Nelson at Trafalgar. All have fascinating stories. Their experiences are compared in two final chapters that draw from unique interviews with a number of living British commanders who reflect on the ‘eternal verities’ of command but also the new conditions of twenty-first century warfare.

In his role as Australian captain, Michael Clarke has introduced a very different dynamic into the traditions of captaincy. Open, inclusive and articulate, Clarke is a refreshing change from the often gruff and monosyllabic leaders of the past. 2013 has produced his greatest challenge to date - leading an Australian team of uncertain quality against the might of a resurgent England. But underperforming players have not been his only problem, as the sacking of Australian coach Mickey Arthur just days before the First Test at Trent Bridge created shockwaves in the team. Clarke's Ashes Diaries give us a real behind-the-scenes view of the Australian team and the incredible ups and downs of a riveting and controversial Ashes series. Recorded day-by-day, and covering every highlight and lowlight with intelligence and honesty, this is a genuine insight into one of the most rewarding, most difficult and most high-profile jobs in Australia - captain of our cricket team.

'Soft power' is an oft-used term and commands an instinctive understanding among journalists and casual observers, who mostly interpret it as 'diplomatic' or somehow 'persuasive'. 'Hard power' is seen, by contrast, as something more tangible and usually military. But this is a superficial appreciation of a more subtle concept - and one key to Britain's future on the international stage. Britain's Persuaders is a deep exploration of this phenomenon, using new research into the instruments of soft power evident in British society and most relevant to the 2020s. Some, like the British Council or the BBC World Service, are explicitly intended to generate soft power in accordance with governmental intentions; but rather more, like the entertainment industries, sport, professional regulatory bodies, hospitality industries or education sectors have more penetrating soft power effects even as they pursue their own independent or commercial rationales. This book conducts an up-to-date 'audit' of all Britain's principal sources of soft power. Situating its analysis within the current understanding of the 'smart power' of nation states – that desire to employ the full spectrum of policy instruments and national characteristics to achieve policy outcomes, specifically in the context of 'Brexit Britain' where soft power status is certain to loom larger during the 2020s.

Michael Clarke's diary of the 2015 Ashes - honest, insightful, emotional, explosive. After a stirring 5-0 triumph against England last summer, hopes were high that Michael Clarke's World Cup-winning Australians would seize the Ashes on English soil for the first time since 2001. Ashes Diary 2015 tells the inside story of a remarkable series filled with dramatic twists and turns. Captain Clarke takes us behind the scenes of the Australian squad - into the dressing rooms, onto the tour bus, profiling the players and getting us up close and personal for every team talk, strategy meeting and training session. Day by day, Clarke shares with us the innermost feelings and private thoughts as the Australian captain while he negotiates form breakdowns, selection meltdowns, dizzying highs and despairing lows on the hunt for an historic victory. After 115 Tests over more than a decade, Ashes Diary 2015 is Michael Clarke's straight-shooting farewell to cricket.

Discover the limitless potential of watercolor with this beautifully illustrated, expertly written guide. Michael Clarke, an acknowledged authority on the subject, traces the historical and stylistic development of watercolor art from earliest times to the present day. See the precise detail of medieval illuminated manuscripts, pages form the watercolor sketchbooks of great artists, and watercolor illustrations from classic children's literature. Learn how ancient Egyptian tomb paintings were produced, why Turner took his watercolor paint box on vacation, how watercolor was used in the designs of William Morris, and how Picasso found new ways or working in watercolor. Discover how female assistants colorwashed the work of 18th-century caricaturists, how watercolor is used today in architecture and fashion design, why Nicholas Hilliard used a mussel shell as a palette, the courtly art of Indian watercolorists, and much, much more.

Searchable database of over 1,900 terms used in the wide variety of visual media that makes up the art world.