Washoe County Library System

Welcome to basic training, soldier. Now meet your worst nightmare . . . your drill sergeant. Even if you've never served in the military, you know the drill sergeant. The mere sight of his fatigues and the iconic "Round Brown" campaign hat strikes fear into the bravest of hearts. Drill sergeants inflict pain, demand discipline, and aren't afraid of power, aggression, and using fear as a motivational tool. But unless you've witnessed one firsthand...

"We've all had great teachers who opened new worlds, maybe even changed our lives. What made them so great? Everyone agrees that a great teacher can have an enormous impact. Yet we still don't know what, precisely, makes a teacher great. Is it a matter of natural-born charisma? Or does exceptional teaching require something more? Building a Better Teacher introduces a new generation of educators exploring the intricate science underlying their art....

Established in 1986, the U.S. Special Operations Command was set up to bring the special operational disciplines of all branches of the military under a single, unified command to act on missions involving unconventional warfare, special reconnaissance, foreign internal defense, and direct action…
The Marine Special Operations Command (“MARSOC”) is the newest component of the military’s shift toward a fully integrated...

A behind-the-scenes look at the training, basic rules, lessons, and procedures of space travel by the former astronaut, space-shuttle pilot and International Space Station commander covers the realities of living long-term in space.

"Misty Copeland believes "There has been a shift in recent years in which women no longer desire the bare bones of a runway model. Standards have changed: what women do want is a long, toned, powerful body with excellent posture." In other words, the body of a ballerina. In her first health and fitness book, Misty will show women how to find the motivation to get healthier and stronger, and how to reshape their bodies to be lean and flexible, with...

1941. A talented flier, Jessie Lovelace yearns for a career in aviation. When the civilian flight school in her small Texas town begins to clandestinely train British pilots for the RAF, she fights to become an instructor. But the task isn't without its perils of near-misses and death. Faced with the weight of her responsibilities, she finds solace with a British officer who knows firsthand the heavy price paid in war . . . until he returns to the...

A simple overview of the training that astronauts go through for missions on the space shuttle.

"“Polepole” (poe-lay-poe-lay) ― a Swahili term meaning “slowly, slowly” ― is what porters on Kilimanjaro say as you climb the mountain. It’s also how you train for other long-distance mountain treks. Of the estimated 35,000 people that attempt to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania every year, about half do not make it to the top. There are several reasons for this, but one of the primary blocks is people arriving to the mountain physically...