Biography: adventurers and explorers Books

Book SynopsisThe untold story of Mary Lindell, one of the most colourful and courageous agents of the Second World War

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewBarchas is indeed the ultimate Austen book hunter, and we are the grateful recipients of her obsession.—Austenprose - A Jane Austen BlogOver the last 25 years, amid the releases of various screen adaptations imagining new lives for her novels, the critical conversation around Jane Austen has been much occupied with the diverse responses of her diverse reading communities: academic and popular, elite and fan-based. Janine Barchas's exuberantly illustrated study, The Lost Books of Jane Austen, rides this wave with panache.—Kathryn Sutherland, New York TimesJanine Barchas leads her readers on a journey into the bibliographically uncharted land of unidentified reprints and cast-off mass-marketed paperbacks to discover who was reading Austen and when and why. As a study of packaging and design, it is lavishly illustrated, but that is a mere bonus to the author's brilliant thesis and erudite delivery. Even if Austen isn't your cup of tea, this volume will change the way you think about publishers and readers. It's a landmark in the scholarship of book history.—Rebecca Rego Barry, Fine Books & CollectionsFor all the Janeites on your list, reach for The Lost Books of Jane Austen . . . it's a fascinating, richly illustrated study of what we can learn from the numerous popular editions of Austen's novels that appeared during the 19th and 20th centuries.—Michael Dirda, The Washington PostIn addition to the vivid reproductions and Barchas' careful narrative of Austen's publishing history, The Lost Books of Jane Austen connects surviving cheap editions with their owners, and Barchas shares what she's found of their histories. It makes for an unexpectedly personal touch in this scholarly tome – one that makes you feel that any copy of Austen's work you have has value to history, and by extension, you do, too.—Robert Faires, The Austin Chronicle. . . a beautifully illustrated exploration, indeed compendium, of the popular editions of Austen's novels that have appeared over the last two centuries . . . The lesson of this delicious book is that [Jane Austen] was even more popular for even longer with an even greater variety of readers than we ever thought.—John Mullan, The GuardianThe history of Austen's popularity is the subject of Janine Barchas's important and groundbreaking The Lost Books of Jane Austen. Barchas is a book historian, with access to an extraordinary private collection of Jane Austen editions. Drawing on far-ranging evidence, she examines popular books that did not make it into scholarly libraries.—Paula Byrne, Times Literary SupplementCompelling reading, both as social history and as literary detective work . . . [The Lost Books of Jane Austen] will delight Janeites and bibliophiles in equal measure. An outstanding addition to any book-lover's library.—Jane Austen's Regency WorldIt's not hard to find books on books, but like any self-reflective medium, it's harder to find preaching that carries beyond the chorus. Remarkably, The Lost Books of Jane Austen by Janine Barchas a University of Texas English professor and Austen scholar finds something fresh to say about the exhaustedly-mined author. It's a visual study of Austen's publishing history that, in many ways, provides a wider history of how early popular novels traveled across borders and class.—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago TribuneBarchas provides the deep historical substratum that underlies [Austen's] enduring popularity and marketability.—Louis J. Kern, The Key ReporterIf you have any serious interest at all in Jane Austen, then YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK.—Susannah Fullerton, President of the Jane Austen Society of AustraliaI laughed, I cried, I learned — I was wowed!—Deborah Barnum, JASNA NewsBarchas has written a superbly original book, a work of literary archaeology, and the icing on the cake is that it's a beautifully produced publication in its own right – filled with over a hundred colour photographs of various editions of Austen that are as gorgeous as the couture on show in Emma, the latest film version of one of her novels.—Sean Sheehan, The PrismaA beautiful, completely unexpected (to me) spectacularly illustrated, wonderfully researched book about publishing, Jane Austen, her readership (and its academic misapprehension), and more. The pages turn themselves and there's a WOW! on every page, often several of them in a paragraph.—Jack Cella, The Book Beat[A] powerful, beautifully timed and precisely sequenced book.—Tony Voss, The Jane Austen Society of AustraliaAn enjoyable book to browse, with its beautiful illustrations, The Lost Books of Jane Austen describes a journey of hands-on research that may well kindle, or rekindle, enthusiasm for a form of archival work that often needs to leave the archives. The sheer amount of research is impressive, providing a slew of materials for further analysis and rediscovery work.—Modern Language Quarterlyboth entertaining and profound...The story Barchas tells is dynamic and playful, moving with the speed of the trains whose rise to prominence made the Railway Editions discussed throughout the book such a ready venue for the popular dispersal of Austen novels.—Erin M. Goss, European Romantic Reviewanother ground-breaking work.—Gill Ballinger, University of the West of England, Modern Language Review. . . a fascinating monograph that delves into the history of those forgotten books.—Raquel C. Pico, Yorokobu MagazineIlluminating....Barchas's observant eye for the details of fonts and engraving, her inventiveness and persistence of approach, allow her to build on the ironic tension between ephemera, preservation, and remembrance, offering an important alternative history not just of Austen's canonization but also of a lost diversity of readerships and the institutionalization and decay of literary scholarship.—Eighteenth-Century StudiesTable of ContentsPreface Vignette I. Marianne & Gertrude Introduction. Austen on the Cheap Vignette II. Emma at the Seaside Chapter 1. Paperback Fighter: Austen for the People Vignette III. The Old Sea Captain & William Price Chapter 2. Sense, Sensibility, and Soap: Lever Promotions in the 1890s Vignette IV. Charlotte & a Real Castle Chapter 3. Looking Divine: Wrapping Austen in the Religious Vignette V. Young Heman's Summer in Paris Chapter 4. Selling with Paintings: A Curious History of the Cheap Prestige Reprint Vignette VI. Lady Isabella's Mansfield Park Chapter 5. Pinking Jane Austen: The Turn to "Chick Lit" Vignette VII. Annie's Prized Gift CodaAcknowledgments Notes Selected Works Cited Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom America's illustrator in chief (Fast Company), a stunning graphic memoir of a childhood in Cuba, coming to America on the Mariel boatlift, and a defense of democracy, here and thereHailed for his iconic art on the cover of Time and on jumbotrons around the world, Edel Rodriguez is among the most prominent political artists of our age. Now for the first time, he draws his own life, revisiting his childhood in Cuba and his family's passage on the infamous Mariel boatlift.When Edel was nine, Fidel Castro announced his surprising decision to let 125,000 traitors of the revolution, or worms, leave the country. The faltering economy and Edel's family's vocal discomfort with government surveillance had made their daily lives on a farm outside Havana precarious, and they secretly planned to leave. But before that happened, a dozen soldiers confiscated their home and property and imprisoned them in a detention center near the port of Mariel, where th

Read more less

Book SynopsisHeartfelt personal accounts from transgender people fighting for the right to serve in the military Prior to coming out as transgender I served the first several years of my career under Don't Ask, Don't Tell, hiding my sexual orientation out of the constant fear of expulsion. I then found myself in the same predicament as when I first joined, wanting nothing more than to serve my country and do my job, but at the cost of sacrificing a major part of who I am. . . . This time, however, I decided that I could no longer sacrifice my own well-being, my own authentic self.Mak Vaden, Warrant Officer 1, U.S. Army National Guard, 2006-presentI have traveled around the world. . . . I have been on five cutters with eleven years of sea time and commanded the Coast Guard cutter Campbell. I have negotiated treaties and fostered international law enforcement cooperation. I have stopped drug smugglers and seized illegal fishing vessels on the high seas. And, I aTrade ReviewAn exquisite book about serving in the U.S. military as a transgender person, with just enough historical and sociological context to make the volume’s personal stories that much more meaningful ... A simple description can’t do justice to the beauty, elegance, and courage displayed here. Readers will want to meet and spend time with these contributors. A worthwhile collection, highly recommended for all readers. * STARRED Library Journal *With Honor and Integrity shares the pain of the closet and the triumph of transition for transgender patriots. Their stories underscore how policies of integrity and truth serve our nation best. Our nation's thanks goes to the brave souls who have blazed trails and shared their truths. -- C. Dixon Osburn, co-founder of the Servicemembers Legal Defense NetworkWith Honor and Integrity is a must-read book by two of the nation's leading experts. This volume is a badly needed contribution to our understanding of military service by transgender personnel, but it’s also much more than that, providing invaluable historical context and insightful policy analysis. Most of all, it centers transgender and gender-diverse Americans who show, in their own voices, that it’s possible to live authentically while serving in uniform. -- Aaron Belkin, Director of the Palm CenterThe world has waited too long to hear directly from the transgender patriots who have put their lives on the line to protect the rest of us. Now, at last, two leading voices in the field who have worn the uniform themselves, have brought together an extraordinary collection of first-hand accounts by active-duty service members and veterans, officers and enlisted personnel, those who have undergone transition and those who are doing so or may in the future. In the process, Máel Embser-Herbert and Bree Fram have made an invaluable contribution to our understanding of gender and military service, showing once again what it means to serve their country. -- Nathaniel Frank, author of Awakening: How Gays and Lesbians Brought Marriage Equality to AmericaThe experiences of transgender servicemembers have been all too scant in analyses of the US military's anti-LGBT history. With Honor and Integrity ameliorates this absence, powerfully demonstrating the impact of gendered military policy on the trans and gender nonconforming people who serve under its watchful eye. In their own words, the trans servicemembers that Embser-Herbert and Fram profile show the difference that supportive—or unsupportive—supervisors, colleagues, and policies can make. This extremely timely intervention is a must-read for military scholars and policymakers alike. -- Catherine Connell, author of the forthcoming A Few Good Gays: The US Military’s Incomplete Gender and Sexuality RevolutionThe editors succeed mightily in producing a volume about the challenges and rewards of military service for transgender troops that will engage a wide readership. All libraries should acquire this necessary title. -- C. Pinto * Choice *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"This is a book for many sorts of readers. It offers a full-scale biography of one of the greatest American philosophers and public intellectuals of the twentieth century; an important contribution to the history of pragmatism; and a pathbreaking new approach in the sociology of ideas. The book demonstrates how much American sociology, philosophy, and history can profit when they are brought more closely together again."--Hans Joas, University of Chicago "Rorty granted Gross access to his papers and correspondence, and Gross uses this material very effectively. . . . This inside view of one of the most well-connected academics in the world can't help but fascinate us."--Barry Allen "Notre Dame Philosophical Review " "Essential for academic sociology, philosophy, intellectual history, and biography collections in academic libraries, as well as for public libraries collecting comprehensively in those subjects."--Library Journal "Combining biographical description and sociological analysis, Gross has produced a trenchant study that aims to identify the structural forces that helped shape one of America's most controversial and widely discussed philosophers."--Choice "Gross's careful archival research, innovative theoretical synthesis and substantive contributions are likely to help inspire a range of new studies on the sociology of philosophy and the humanities. The book is well worth a careful read. . . . The story of academic social mobility that Gross tells is compelling, the book is a terrific read that is likely to become a classic, and the theory of 'intellectual self-concept' is well worth building on and developing."--Neil McLaughlin "Canadian Journal of Sociology " "I highly recommend Neil Gross's biography to all persons who are interested in Rorty, contemporary philosophy, and the socioogy of ideas. This is a first rate work."--Brad Frazier "Metapsychology " "Sociology does not usually engage intellectual biography. In his Richard Rorty, Neil Gross gracefully does so, and he does much more as well. He shows how a 'self concept' must be central to any sociological account of significant intellectual achievement. In doing so, he challenges more deterministic conceptions and restores integrity to the creative process."--Jeffrey Alexander, Yale University "The contemporary American philosopher Richard Rorty (1931-2007) was the epitome of a successful academic--educated and then employed a prestigious institutions, he saw his influence extend into sociology, cultural studies, and literary criticism. Harvard assistant professor Gross concentrates on Rorty's professional successes in academia and sends a discouraging message to both the graduate student and the academy. Using Rorty's career as a case study, Gross observes the 'social hierarchy' among disciplines and notes that academics are largely motivated by desires for intellectual prestige, that 'radical intellectual innovation is most likely to come, not from young scholars, but from those who are sufficiently established as to be able to take bold professional risks, ' and that 'aspiring intellectuals compete with one another for the limited attention of mentors.' Citing the case of Rorty's first wife, Amelie--who was also trained as a philosopher, but was repeatedly forced to sacrifice her career for Rorty's--Gross illuminates the unequal opportunities for the ambitious wives of male intellectuals. The book's subtle yet scathing critique of the tenure and promotion systems within universities reveals how such systems actually inhibit innovation in young scholars. A specialized sociological study of the academy, this book will appeal to all those concerned with the state of research in higher education." --Publishers Weekly "More than an exhaustively researched and skillfully crafted biography of one of the most influential intellectuals of our time, Neil Gross's Richard Rorty is also an exemplary exercise in the 'new sociology of ideas.' By situating Rorty in the multiple contexts, personal, institutional, and discursive, in which his thought developed, and tracing the intellectual self-concept he forged in response, Gross provides a compelling model for twenty-first-century intellectual history." --Martin Jay, University of California, Berkeley

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review“Nadler writes for a large readership [and] is masterful in creating a visual image of historical situations and bringing historical characters alive.”—Alexander van der Haven, Studia Rosenthaliana“In this lucid and engaging biography, Menasseh ben Israel emerges as a force of nature, moving swiftly and easily between the Jewish and Gentile spheres in Amsterdam. In recreating Menasseh's life, Nadler has stitched together some of the leading figures of the century into a vivid tapestry.”—Russell Shorto, author of The Island at the Center of the World "Fluidly written, lively, and truly excellent from every point of view, this book portrays Menasseh's role in the development of Amsterdam Jewish life and learning and in the broad context of seventeenth-century Jewish-Christian intellectual relations."—Jonathan Israel, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton

Read more less

Book SynopsisNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In these hilarious essays, the Saturday Night Live head writer and Weekend Update co-anchor learns how to take a beating.“I always wanted to punch his face before I read this book. Now I just want to kick him in the balls.”—Larry DavidNAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Cosmopolitan • Vulture • ParadeIf there’s one trait that makes someone well suited to comedy, it’s being able to take a punch—metaphorically and, occasionally, physically. From growing up in a family of firefighters on Staten Island to commuting three hours a day to high school and “seeing the sights” (like watching a Russian woman throw a stroller off the back of a ferry), to attending Harvard while Facebook was created, Jost shares how he has navigated the world like a slightly smarter Forrest Gump. You’ll also di

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Hudson''s Bay company novice in the North

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn extraordinary true story of danger, innovation and deep sea discovery. In 1971 Alec Crawford is determined to make his fortune from ship salvage. Early attempts lead nowhere until he teams up with a new partner, Simon Martin. Diving in Hebridean waters, they explore remains of the Spanish Armada, and the wreck of the SS Politician, the vessel made famous in the Whisky Galore. But money is scarce and irregular, and the work is fraught with danger and disappointment. Until they hear of one of the most incredible wrecks of all time – the White Star Liner Oceanic, which, when built in 1899, was the biggest and most luxurious ship in the world. Widely regarded as an ‘undiveable’ wreck, lying somewhere off the remote island of Foula, they decide to take the challenge. They face unbelievably dangerous waters and appalling weather conditions, and when a large salvage company takes action against them, they also have a huge legal fight on their hands. But if they succeed, the rewards will be enormous…Trade Review'Absorbing … Crawford writes of difficult and very dangerous work with a good deal of sangfroid. Good humour and an absence of hyperbole make this an unusually likeable, as well as interesting, memoir' -- Allan Massie * Scotsman *'Crawford is a born story-teller, and his tales unfold as easily and naturally as he were an old friend' * The Shetland Times *'The combination of proper adventure, sunken treasure, Scottish islands, memories of fragile communities, the affection this book is written with, and the pleasure of spending time in the company of someone who's achieved some really notable things gives this book a much broader appeal than you might initially suppose ... It's a story of genuine adventure ... Highly recommended' * Desperate Reader Blogspot *'Crawford has had a long career in rescuing sometimes very valuable stuff from deep water, but his book Treasure Islands tells the story of the early days, diving on shallow wrecks in the Forth, the Western Isles and Shetland…Going down there and rummaging through things… you must have been conscious of the danger but it sounds quite Wild West' * BBC Radio Scotland *'Crawford pioneered many of the methods now used in deep sea recovery, but this book is more about the excitement than the technicalities. It is also a love song to Scotland and a vanishing way of life' * Sorted Magazine *'A thrilling memoir ... [with] good humour throughout' * The Bookseller *'Treasure Islands is a fascinating and intriguing book… Alec Crawford is the underwater version of Robert Louis Stevenson with his incredible stories of the many wrecks he has dived' -- Cordon Cagailte * Stornoway Gazette *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this fascinating biography of the infamous ideologue Erich Ludendorff, Jay Lockenour complicates the classic depiction of this German World War I hero. Erich Ludendorff created for himself a persona that secured his place as one of the most prominent (and despicable) Germans of the twentieth century. With boundless energy and an obsession with detail, Ludendorff ascended to power and solidified a stable, public position among Germany''s most influential. Between 1914 and his death in 1937, he was a war hero, a dictator, a right-wing activist, a failed putschist, a presidential candidate, a publisher, and a would-be prophet. He guided Germany''s effort in the Great War between 1916 and 1918 and, importantly, set the tone for a politics of victimhood and revenge in the postwar era. Dragonslayer explores Ludendorff''s life after 1918, arguing that the strange or unhinged personal traits most historians attribute to mental collapse were, in fact, integral Trade ReviewMeticulously researched and lucidly argued, Dragonslayer reveals the true extent of Erich Ludendorff's impact on the political cultures of the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich. It is a must read for scholars of the First World War and for curious readers interested in understanding the evolution of Germany from nascent republic to Fascist dictatorship in the lead up to the Second World War. * New Books Network *Table of Contents1. Mythic Life 2. Victor of Liège and Tannenberg 3. The Feldherr 4. Putschist 5. Prophet: Tannenberg League and Deutsche Gotterkenntnis 6. Duelist: Ludendorff, Hindenburg, Hitler 7. Ludendorff in the Third Reich 8. Siegfried's Death 9. Epilogue: Kriemhild's Revenge

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisDrawing on lessons from his remarkable life, former child soldier turned activist, author, entrepreneur, and international recording artist Emmanuel Jal provides his eleven pillars for overcoming adversity and living a life of purpose“Who owns your mind?” Beginning with this provocative question, Emmanuel Jal invites readers to claim ownership over the narratives that define their lives in order to become a force for good in the world.As a child growing up in South Sudan, Jal witnessed atrocities perpetrated against his family and community. These actions drove him to become a child soldier in a vicious civil war. Hunger, isolation, and the ever-present specter of death in battle attended his every moment. Yet his greatest challenge did not come from outside; it arose from within, from the corrosive nature of hopelessness, trauma, and narratives of victimization.Rather than succumb to these forces of negativity, Jal turned his life’s challenges into opportunities by utilizing a comprehensive framework he developed around eleven pillars of support. These pillars can be utilized individually or as a unit to help build a durable internal structure that allows anyone to overcome adversity, regain joy and gratitude, and live a life of purpose that enriches the greater community.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn 1975, a replica of an ancient Hawaiian canoe - Hokulea - was launched to sail the ancient star paths, and help Hawaiians reclaim pride in the accomplishments of their ancestors. Hawaiki Rising tells this story in the words of the men and women who created and sailed aboard Hokulea.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMao Zedong remains one of the most controversial figures in modern world history. This ''living legacy'' is the subject of intense, ongoing debate both within China and throughout the rest of the world. Here, volume 1 of the only biography of Mao written with full access to the Chinese Communist Party Archives to date is presented in English translation. This volume, the first of three undertaken by the historians of the Party Literature Research Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, covers Mao''s career in the pre-revolutionary period, 18931949. As an extended official account of Mao, and Mao''s thought, this work offers a unique source through which to view the Chinese Communist Party''s portrayal of the transformative events of the twentieth century and Mao''s pivotal role therein.Table of ContentsPreface; Introduction Tim Cheek; 1. Leaving home; 2. The college student; 3. Baptized by the great tide of the May Fourth Movement; 4. Man of action in the early years of party building; 5. Work inside the Guomindang; 6. March towards the Peasant Movement; 7. The thunder of an uprising; 8. Ascent to Jinggang mountains; 9. Opening base areas in South Jiangxi and West Fujian; 10. Opposing bookism; 11. The Red Army attacks not Nanchang but Ji'an; 12. Smashing three 'encirclement and suppression' campaigns; 13. Chairman of the Chinese Soviet Government (I); 14. Chairman of the Chinese Soviet Government (II); 15. The long march; 16. Laying a foundation in the Northwest; 17. Before and after the Xi'an incident; 18. Summing up historical experience; 19. Outbreak of the nationwide War of Resistance against Japanese aggression; 20. Guiding armed resistance behind enemy lines and 'on protracted war'; 21. From the September meeting to the Sixth Plenary Session; 22. The struggle against friction; 23. The theory of new democracy; 24. Before and after the Southern Anhui incident; 25. Building up the border region and surmounting difficulties; 26. The rectification Movement (I); 27. The rectification Movement (II); 28. Proposal for a coalition government; 29. Struggling for final victory in the War of Resistance; 30. Chongqing Negotiations; 31. Peace or war?; 32. After the outbreak of a Nationwide Civil War; 33. Greeting the new high tide of the Chinese Revolution; 34. Going over to the strategic offensive; 35. Eastwards to Xibaipo; 36. Eve of the decisive battle; 37. In the days of the Great Decisive Battle (I); 38. In the days of the Great Decisive Battle (II); 39. Carrying the revolution through to the end; 40. Preparing the founding of new China.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA revelatory look at the tumultuous life of a jazz legend and American cultural icon?Abook written as only one artist could view another, with insight and sincere compassion.? ?Sandra Cisneros, best-selling author of Woman Without ShameIn the first biography of Billie Holiday in more than two decades, Paul Alexander?author of heralded lives of Sylvia Plath and J. D. Salinger?gives us an unconventional portrait of arguably America?s most eminent jazz singer. He shrewdly focuses on the last year of her life?with relevant flashbacks to provide context?to evoke and examine the persistent magnificence of Holiday?s artistry when it was supposed to have declined, in the wake of her drug abuse, relationships with violent men, and run-ins with the law.During her lifetime and after her death, Billie Holiday was often depicted as a down-on-her-luck junkie severely lacking in self-esteem. Relying on interviews with people who knew her, and new material unearthed in private collections and institutional archives, Bitter Crop?a reference to the last two words of Strange Fruit, her moving song about lynching?limns Holiday as a powerful, ambitious woman who overcame her flaws to triumph as a vital figure of American popular music.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHarold Jarman is a Bristol-born sporting legend. A highly talented winger for Bristol Rovers, he made almost 500 League appearances for the club, scoring over a century of goals. Although he has taken on many different roles for clubs in the UK and the United States, his heart has always belonged to Bristol he returned initially as youth team manager, then caretaker manager (saving the Rovers from relegation) before coaching and managing the youth and reserve teams During the summer months between 1961 and 1972, Harold also enjoyed playing professionally for Gloucestershire County Cricket club, delighting crowds with his skill and particularly his astute fielding. In this book, Mike Jay and Ian Haddrell explore a remarkable life, accompanied by fascinating pictures, many unpublished from Harold's own collection.

Read more less

Book SynopsisCarl Schmitt is one of the most widely read and influential German thinkers of the twentieth century. His fundamental works on friend and enemy, legality and legitimacy, dictatorship, political theology and the concept of the political are read today with great interest by everyone from conservative Catholic theologians to radical political thinkers on the left. In his private life, however, Schmitt was haunted by the demons of his wild anti-Semitism, his self-destructive and compulsive sexuality and his deep-seated resentment against the complacency of bourgeois life. As a young man from a modest background, full of social envy, he succeeded in making his way to the top of the academic world in Germany, and yet he never felt at home in the academic establishment and among those of high social standing. When the Nazis seized power, Schmitt was susceptible to their ideology. He broke with his Jewish friends, joined the Nazi Party in May 1933 and lent a helping hand to Hitler, Trade Review"Mehring’s study...lay bare the links between Schmitt’s litigious life and his complicated ideas."Library Journal "Reinhard Mehring offers the English speaking world the first comprehensive intellectual biography of the highly controversial legal and political theorist, Carl Schmitt. Based on extensive archival research and a vast amount of unpublished material, Mehring identifies the psychological and emotional motivations that drove the intellectual endeavors of the notorious philosopher of "the political" and "the state of exception." Mehring demonstrates conclusively how Schmitt's struggles with, among other issues, his sexual desire and his obsession with the Jews, generated some of the most important, influential and dangerous political writings of the twentieth century."John P. McCormick, University of Chicago "In this fascinating biography, Mehring has used Schmitt’s only recently available diaries and calendar entries to lay bare the obsessions of this brilliant thinker -- often referred to as the Hobbes of the 20th century. Especially revealing are his struggles to shatter “the Jew in him,” which led him to aspire to become Hitler’s “pope” with all that that implied. Politically naïve about Nazism, he was severely attacked by the SS in 1936 and marginalized for, among other reasons, his pre-1933 close association with Jews and his anti-Nazism."George Schwab, President, National Committee on American Foreign Policy ‘Mehring’s book is a remarkable achievement: an intellectual biography that illuminates a whole era while taking very seriously the intimate connections between the theory and the restless and obsessive personality of its main character. It is bound to remain a fundamental reference in the vast literature on one of the most decisive chapters in European constitutional history: the Weimar Republic.’Political Studies Review ‘By presenting a complete account of Schmitt’s life, heretofore absent, Mehring has done a great service. This biography will no doubt be the point of departure for studies of Carl Schmitt and his intellectual legacy for a long time.’ConstellationsTable of ContentsAbbreviations Translator’s Preface A White Raven: The Strange Life of the German State Theorist Carl Schmitt Part One That ‘false and arrogant idea “I am”’ Schmitt’s Rise in the Wilhelminian Era 1. An ‘Obscure Young Man from a Modest Background’ 2. The Law of Practice 3. Apotheosis of the Poet, Rant against Literary Figures: the ‘Untimely Poet’ and the ‘Received Wisdom of the Educated’ 4. On the Eve of the Great War: State, Church and Individual as Points of Reference 5. Düsseldorf: Living in a State of Exception 6. World War and Defeatism: Carl Schmitt in Munich 7. Strasbourg, the State of Siege and a Decision in Favour of Catholicism 8. Political Romanticists 1815/1919 Part 2 Beyond Bourgeois Existence Schmitt’s Life and Work during the Weimar Republic 1. A Permanent Position? The Handelshochschule in Munich 2. A ‘Faithful Gypsy’ in Greifswald 3. Arrival in Bonn? Schmitt’s Turn towards the Catholic Church 4. Schmitt as a Teacher in Bonn 5. From Status Quo to Democratic ‘Myth’ 6. The Yield of the Bonn Years: 7. From ‘Ice Floe to Ice Floe’: Signals in the Berlin Maelstrom 8. Reconstructing the ‘Strong’ State 9. Within the Journalistic Circles of Weimar’s Last Days 10. Carl Schmitt as an Actor During the Rule by Presidential Decree Part Three In The Belly of the Leviathan: Schmitt’s Involvement in National Socialism 1. After 30 January 1933 2. Schmitt’s Resistible Rise to the Position of ‘Crown Jurist’ 3. The ‘Year of Construction’? Beginning and End of the Juridico-Institutional Provision of Meaning 4. Anti-Semitic Provision of Meaning 5. A New Turn with Hobbes? Meaning and Failure of Schmitt’s Commitment to National Socialism 6. The Right to Power? Großraum Order and Empire Formation 7. The Captain held Hostage? Carl Schmitt’s Farewell to the ‘Reich’ 8. Last Writings under National Socialism Part Four ‘One man remains’ Schmitt’s Slow Retreat after 1945 1. Detention and ‘Asylum’ 2. From Benito Cereno to Hamlet: The ‘Comeback’ of the Intellectual? 3. Private Seminars in Plettenberg: Schmitt’s Renewed Influence on Pupils in the Federal Republic 4. The Partisan in Conversation 5. Past Eighty: A Look Back to Old Questions Appendix Afterword Chronology Bibliography Endnotes Acknowledgments

Read more less

Book SynopsisWashington Post bestsellerLos Angeles Times bestsellerA vivid and surprising portrait of the Italian people from an admired foreign correspondent How did a nation that spawned the Renaissance also produce the Mafia? And why does Italian have twelve words for coat hanger but none for hangover?   John Hooper’s entertaining and perceptive new book is the ideal companion for anyone seeking to understand contemporary Italy and the unique character of the Italians. Fifteen years as a foreign correspondent based in Rome have sharpened Hooper’s observations, and he looks at the facts that lie behind the stereotypes, shedding new light on everything from the Italians’ bewildering politics to their love of life and beauty. Hooper persuasively demonstrates the impact of geography, history, and tradition on many aspects of Italian life, including football and Freemasonry, sex, food, and opera. Brimming with the kind of fascina

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book SynopsisDid Jeremy Bamber murder five members of his adoptive family in a frenzy, or was he falsely imprisoned?

Read more less

Book SynopsisQueen of Spies captures both the paranoia and the on-the-ground realities of intelligence work from the Second World War to the Cold War, and the life of Britainâs celebrated female spy.Trade Review'Queen of Spies fills a big gap... a richly entertaining biography' Richard Norton Taylor, Guardian'Writing a biography of Daphne Park was never going to be easy and Paddy Hayes has done a very good job' Daily Telegraph'A remarkable biography of a remarkable woman - providing real insight into MI6 of the Cold War' Gordon Corera, author MI6: Life and Death in the British Secret Service'Daphne Park was truly the empress of British espionage. This book is a major contribution to understanding her fascinating career in MI6. Remarkably well-researched, it is required reading for anyone interested in the world of secret service' Professor Richard J Aldrich, author of GCQH: The Uncensored Story of Britain's Most Secret Intelligence Agency'A thoroughly researched and enlightening account' Times Literary Supplement'A wonderful new book that would make a great gift for anyone' Irish Daily Mail'This book was entertaining and thrilling, yet also informative and thought-provoking. It has explored many aspects of history and displays Hayes' passion for the intelligence service. It has a wide appeal to anyone who enjoys history or simply a good story' Bookbag'The only biography on Baroness Park and it fills a big gap. Hayes has produced an interesting and informative work' CIA Review of Books'Hayes is open about his own speculations, given the still-classified nature of much of this material, but he successfully conveys the inspiring nature of Park's personal story and achievements, offering an informative account of the Cold War and the workings of the super secret SIS' Publishers Weekly'A fascinating and long-overdue biography' Washington Post'The fascinating story of the evolution of the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) from World War II to the Cold War through the eyes of Daphne Park, one of its outstanding and most unusual operatives. He provides the reader with one of the most intimate narratives yet of how the modern SIS actually went about its business whether in Moscow, Hanoi, or the Congo' Sunday Leader'An interesting and informative work' The Intelligencer'Hayes's accomplished biography circumvents the scanty evidence by offering a broader portrait of the Secret Service itself, a badly compromised men's club in which the forthright Park still managed to succeed' Sunday Telegraph'Only the second-ever biography published about a Cold War career officer in MI6' The Big Issue'Dame Daphne's story leaves us wondering about reality as seen through the eyes of a spy; and about how far spy work affected that reality' Spectator'Hayes deftly manages to chart her extraordinary life... that read like passages from a thriller' Country Life'This is an excellent biography of a remarkable woman... Intelligence researcher Hayes opens the door on the fascinating life of one of England's greatest spies, Daphne Park... As exciting as any good spy thriller but it's all true' Kirkus Reviews

Read more less

Book SynopsisDuring the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Chinggis Khan and his heirs established the largest contiguous empire in the history of the world, extending from Korea to Hungary and from Iraq, Tibet, and Burma to Siberia. Ruling over roughly two thirds of the Old World, the Mongol Empire enabled people, ideas, and objects to traverse immense geographical and cultural boundaries. Along the Silk Roads in Mongol Eurasia reveals the individual stories of three key groups of peoplemilitary commanders, merchants, and intellectualsfrom across Eurasia. These annotated biographies bring to the fore a compelling picture of the Mongol Empire from a wide range of historical sources in multiple languages, providing important insights into a period unique for its rapid and far-reaching transformations. Read together or separately, they offer the perfect starting point for any discussion of the Mongol Empire's impact on China, the Muslim world, and the West and illustrate the scale, diversity, aTrade Review"Along the Silk Roads is an excellent addition to both Mongol Empire studies and the Global Middle Ages. Collectively, its chapters illustrate well the sheer scale of the political, economic, and intellectual world forged through the Mongol conquests and the ways in which individual human beings experienced this vast new world. . . . [And it] contributes to the much-needed task of repositioning Europe and the Mediterranean world vis-à-vis the rest of the medieval world and constructing a truly global view of the Middle Ages." * Journal of Asian Studies *"An extremely welcome collection. . . . Biran, Brack, and Fiaschetti have succeeded in assembling a collection of papers that reflect the extraordinary cultural vitality and ethnic diversity of the Chinggisid empire." * Journal of Islamic Studies *"More important, however, is to emphasize the quality of the biographies in this volume, which can serve as models for future works on scientists, painters, craftsmen, and doctors of the Mongol period." * Silk Road *"Yet another entry in the exciting work being undertaken on the Mongols’ pluralist world." * Asian Review of Books *"The volume can serve very well as an introduction to the history of the Mongol world because the authors take so many different perspectives." * Der Islam *"This book collects a rich parterre of scholars and makes use of Chinese, Persian, Arabic, Latin, Russian, Armenian and many other sources: it certainly leaves the impression of a ‘thorough work’ and a remarkable instrument for the scientific community." * Eurasian Studies *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Notes on Dates and Transliterations Introduction Michal Biran, Jonathan Brack, and Francesca Fiaschetti Part One. Generals 1. Guo Kan: Military Exchanges between China and the Middle East Florence Hodous 2. Baiju: The Mongol Conqueror at the Crossfire of Dynastic Struggle Sara Nur Yıldız 3. Qutulun: The Warrior Princess of Mongol Central Asia Michal Biran 4. Yang Tingbi: Mongol Expansion along the Maritime Silk Roads Masaki Mukai and Francesca Fiaschetti 5. Sayf al-Dīn Qipchaq al-Mans.ūrī: Defection and Ethnicity between Mongols and Mamluks Amir Mazor 6. Tuqtuqa and His Descendants: Cross-Regional Mobility and Political Intrigue in the Mongol Yuan Army Vered Shurany Part Two. Merchants 7. Jaʿfar Khwāja: Sayyid, Merchant, Spy, and Military Commander of Chinggis Khan Yihao Qiu 8. Diplomacy, Black Sea Trade, and the Mission of Baldwin of Hainaut John Giebfried 9. Jamāl al-Dīn al-T. ībī: The Iraqi Trader Who Traversed Asia Matanya Gill 10. Taydula: A Golden Horde Queen and Patron of Christian Merchants Szilvia Kovács Part Three. Intellectuals 11. Rashīd al-Dīn: Buddhism in Iran and the Mongol Silk Roads Jonathan Brack 12. Fu Mengzhi: “The Sage of Cathay” in Mongol Iran and Astral Sciences along the Silk Roads Yoichi Isahaya 13. ʿĪsa Kelemechi: A Translator Turned Envoy between Asia and Europe Hodong Kim 14. Pādshāh Khatun: An Example of Architectural, Religious, and Literary Patronage in Ilkhanid Iran Bruno De Nicola 15. Islamic Learning on the Silk Roads: The Career of Jalāl al-Dīn al-Akhawī Or Amir Glossary Chronology List of Contributors Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen the First Emperor of China died 2,000 years ago, he was buried in a giant tomb. In 1974, this tomb was discovered along with an army of over 6,000 terracotta warriors. Discover the army for yourself and the reason they were buried with the Emperor.Gold/Band 9 fiction offers developing readers literary language and stories with distinctive characters.Text type: An information bookCurriculum links: History: How are our toys different from those in the past; Art and Design: What is sculpture?This book has been quizzed for Accelerated Reader.

Read more less

Book SynopsisGene Mustain and Jerry Capeci are reporters for the New York Daily News and are respected experts on the subject of organised crime. Their first book, Mob Star, received outstanding critical acclaim and became a bestseller. Both authors live in New York City.Trade ReviewGotti's swagger and seeming immunity from punishment earned him mythic gangster status * New York Times *The most feared and celebrated gangster since Al Capone * People *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSince the Stone Age, drugs have been sniffed to induce sleep, mixed to cure ills, swallowed to stimulate creativity, snorted to increase sexuality, popped for the hell of it and smoked to see God. Natural or synthesized, they have been smuggled for all kinds of reasons from saving the world to becoming stinking rich. Blamed for deaths, wars, suicides, collapses of governments, multiple crashes, individual crises, anarchy and chaos, they have also been praised for opening minds and expanding consciousness.Worshipped and demonised, venerated and chastised, force-fed and forbidden. Every society has had its intoxicant, be it sacrament or scourge.They have also become irreversibly interwoven with politics, sex, business, religion, and rock and roll, providing writers, whether emerging from the ancient classical world or the street laboratory of today, with both inspiration and challenge.An unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime trip, The Howard Marks Book

Read more less

Book SynopsisAesthete, sensualist, bookworm, politician of Machiavellian cunning: François Mitterrand was a man of exceptional gifts and exceptional flaws who, during his fourteen years as President, strove to drag his tradition-bound and change-averse country into the modern world. As a statesman and as a human being, he was the incarnation of the mercurial, contrarian France which Britain and America find so perennially frustrating. He embodied the ambiguities and the contradictions of a nation whose modern identity is founded on a stubborn refusal to fit into the Anglo-American scheme of things. Yet he changed France more profoundly than any of his recent predecessors, arguably including even his great rival, Charles de Gaulle. During the war he was both the leader of a resistance movement and decorated for services to the collaborationist regime in Vichy. After flirting with the far Right, he entered parliament with the backing of conservatives and the Catholic Church befoTrade ReviewShort gives an extremely vivid account of the way Mitterrand exercised the office of president -- Jonathan Derbyshire * Prospect *An excellent new book... The story of the rebuilding of France after the war in an equally embittered and divided republic -- Andrew Adonis * New Statesman *A compelling read for anyone interested in international power politics -- Richard Davenport-Hines * Daily Telegraph *[Mitterrand] remains an endlessly fascinating figure, and Philip Short tells the story expertly in this deeply researched and marvellously readable biography -- David A. Bell * Guardian *A stunningly detailed investigation of a monumental political character -- Robert Collins * Sunday Times *Philip Short, a former Paris correspondent for the BBC, makes excellent use of new interviews with Mitterrand's family to portray a flawed hero described by his own doctor as a mixture of "Machiavelli, Don Corleone, Casanova and the Little Prince". * Sunday Business Post *Well-rounded -- Tobias Grey * Spectator *Excellent -- Patrick Marnham * Mail on Sunday *I don’t know why this extremely interesting book has not been more noticed… [A] gripping account -- Charles Moore * Daily Telegraph *A riveting read for anyone interested in political psychology -- Matthew Campbell * Sunday Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe youngest of William the Conqueror''s sons, Henry I (1100-35) was never meant to be king, but he was destined to become one of the greatest of all medieval monarchs, both through his own ruthlessness and intelligence and through the dynastic legacy of his daughter Matilda, who began the Plantagenet line that would rule England until 1485. A self-consciously diligent and thoughtful king, his rule was looked back on as the real post-invasion re-founding of England as a new realm, integrated into the continent, wealthy and stable.Edmund King''s wonderful portrait of Henry shows him as a strikingly charismatic and thoughtful man. His life was dogged by a single great disaster, the death of his teenage heir William in the White Ship disaster. Despite astonishing numbers of illegitimate sons, Henry was now left with only a daughter. This fact would shape the rest of the 12th century and beyond.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the life story of one of the most interesting human beings who ever lived. A political genius who remade Europe and united Germany between 1862 and 1890 by the sheer power of his great personality. It takes the reader into close proximity with a human being of almost superhuman abilities. We see him through the eyes of his secretaries, his old friends, his neighbours, his enemies and the press. Otto von Bismarck ''made'' Germany but never ''ruled'' it. For twenty eight years he acted as a prime minister without a party. He made speeches, brilliant in content but hesitant in delivery, and rarely addressed a public meeting. He planned three wars and after a certain stage in his career always wore military uniform to which he had no claim. The ''Iron Chancellor'', the image of Prussian militarism, suffered from hypochondria and hysteria. Contemporaries called him a ''dictator'' and several observers credited him with ''demonic'' powers''. They were not wrong. The sheer power of hiTrade ReviewThis is an austere and thoughtful book ... Steinberg has given us a major biography. * The Guardian *Otto von Bismarck became the dominant figure of his era and, as this rich and readable biography shows, had an almost uncanny sense of power. Steinberg's portrait is very much warts and all. * The Sunday Times *Jonathan Steinbergâs new biography of Bismarck has been widely acclaimed, and rightly so. I read a lot of German history, and this is the most enjoyable German history book I have read in years. As a deeply researched but accessible guide to the life of one of nineteenth-century Europeâs most compelling and significant political figures, it stands head and shoulders above other Bismarck biographies. * Abigail Green, European History Quarterly *Table of Contents1. Introduction: Bismarck's 'Sovereign Self' ; 2. Born Prussian and What that Meant ; 3. Bismarck: The 'Mad Junker' ; 4. Bismarck Represents Himself, 1847-1851 ; 5. Bismarck as Diplomat, 1851-1862 ; 6. Power ; 7. 'I have beaten them all! All!' ; 8. The Unification of Germany, 1866-1870 ; 9. The Decline Begins: Liberals and Catholics ; 10. 'The Guest House of the Dead Jew' ; 11. Three Kaisers and Bismarck's Fall from Power ; 12. Conclusion. Bismarck's Legacy: Blood and Irony ; Notes ; Bibliography ; Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis study of Edward I, first published in 1988, is an account of one of the leading monarchs of the Middle Ages. Examining manuscript sources, the book reveals a capable monarch who pioneered legal and parliamentary change, conquered Wales and came close to conquering Scotland.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn the late 1930s, Thor Heyerdahl left his home in Norway and set off with his new wife for paradise. Fulfilling a long-held ambition to return to nature, the couple sought, and to a degree found, a natural and unspoiled world on the remote island of Fatu-Hiva in the South Pacific. Based on his original journals, Heyerdahl''s documentary account charts how the dreams of a lifetime were transformed into a magical year of hope, excitement and unexpected danger. A timeless story of love and adventure, GREEN WAS THE EARTH... is also an impassioned plea for the preservation of the cities and the seas against the tide of pollution and the pursuit of profit, ideas and beliefs, a cry which would shape one man''s life and the environmental concerns of successive generations. Powerful and poignant, GREEN WAS THE EARTH ON THE SEVENTH DAY is a very special kind of autobiography.Trade ReviewA message which is all the more powerful for its simplicity * The TIMES *His book is very valuable, as both a cautionary tale and one of the most lucid accounts we have of the practical consequences of desert-island idealism * PUNCH *Lovingly written... Heyerdahl's unquenchable sense of wonder gives this book a rare charm -- Brian Masters * Mail on Sunday *This marvellous book is a plea not for a return to the ways of primitive Man but for man now to preserve the environment -- The Times * Libby Purves *Sincere and unaffected... he has some perceptive points to make about man's abusive relationship with his environment * Literary Review *

Read more less