History Books

Book SynopsisThis intriguing book describes the Romans'' formidably warlike enemies in modern Romania and Bulgaria their ''most illustrated'' opponents, thanks to friezes on Trajan''s Column and carvings on Trajan''s Adamklissi monument.Formidable warriors, able to field tens of thousands of infantry and cavalry and led by a military aristocracy, the Dacians and Getae presented a real threat to Rome''s north-eastern frontier. They inflicted several defeats on Rome, crossing the Danube to invade the province of Moesia, and later stubbornly resisting counter-invasions from their strong mountain fortresses.Historians believe that the Dacians and Getae were essentially the same group of tribes during successive periods, related to Thracian tribes from territory south of the Carpathian Mountains, but their exact relationship in place and time is a subject for debate. Those called the ''Getae'' by ancient Greek sources were actively expanding by at least the 4th century BC; somTrade Reviewwell-produced, extensively illustrated and carefully edited little book. * Army Rumour Service *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION SELECT CHRONOLOGY THE GETAE AND DACI IN ANCIENT SOURCES SOCIAL STRUCTURES ARMIES CAMPAIGNS APPEARANCE MILITARY EQUIPMENT AND USE SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY PLATE COMMENTARIES INDEX

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Book SynopsisIn Mirrors, Galeano smashes aside the narrative of conventional history and arranges the shards into a new pattern, to reveal the past in radically altered form. From the Garden of Eden to twenty-first-century cityscapes, we glimpse fragments in the lives of those who have been overlooked by traditional histories: the artists, the servants, the gods and the visionaries, the black slaves who built the White House, and the women who were bartered for dynastic endsTrade ReviewThere is a mysterious power in Galeano's storytelling. He uses his craft to invade the privacy of the reader's mind, to persuade him or her to read and to continue reading to the very end, to surrender to the charm of his writing and the power of his idealism -- Isabel AllendeTo publish Eduardo Galeano is to publish the enemy: the enemy of lies, indifference, above all of forgetfulness. His tenderness is devastating, his truthfulness furious -- John BergerBrightly coloured commonplace book of a kind that was once popular in our culture but has now almost disappeared ... The beauty of Galeano's book lies not just in the eclectic choice of stories he tells, but more especially in his elegant, pared-down prose, sensitively translated by Mark Fried, with never an unnecessary word, nor one out of place ... Galeano's book is pure delight - a cornucopia of wonderful stories. It should be by everyone's bedside - and in every Christmas stocking -- Richard Gott * Guardian *Galeano charts the rise and fall of civilisations with compassion and wry humour ... [He is] an enchanting interpreter of history and its resonances, and a poetic voice of political dissent -- Siobhan Murphy * Metro *In his most ambitious work since Memory of Fire Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano retells the history of the world from the point of view of the powerless, the voiceless and the dispossessed. As in Memory of Fire, he presents his story as a series of short vignettes, one longer than a page and most a good deal shorter; their cumulative effect is shattering * London Review of Books *Galeano's voice lends Mirrors its coherence, transforms the book into a patchwork of particular feats and foibles picked from our long and common history -- Alberto Manguel * Observer *It is no criticism - rather the reverse - to say of Galeano's book that it defies categorisation ... In earlier age, the author might have cast this history as a great epic poem. It has that feel -- Christian Tyler * Financial Times *[In Mirrors] Galeano widens his scope to nothing less than an alternative history of humankind, achieving this monumental task with rare grace, wit and passion for truth ... With a storyteller's flourish, he invites us to look past official history and into our own real nature and past ... Galeano's skill as a writer and his fine sense of historical irony make this both an easy-to-read, funny and profound book -- Marc Lambert * Scotland on Sunday *An endlessly fascinating book, a mirrored cabinet of curiosities in which every item reflects every other -- Iain Finlayson * The Times *Composed of miscellaneous stories about landmark historical events told by people whom the history books have forgotten, this is a book that is bound to grow in stature. It is frequently recommended by customers to us -- Edinburgh Bookshop * Independent on Sunday *Galeano shares with George Orwell the very best of traits: an intellectual honesty and a belief in human values, not to mention a clear writing style. That is why Eduardo Galeano matters -- Andreas Campomar * New Humanist *Remarkable condensed history of the world from the Iron Age to the Information Age -- Caroline Sanderson * Bookseller *Mesmerising, passionate and dazzlingly original. Highly recommended -- David Wood * Waterstone’s Books Quarterly *A storyteller's view of our past that has captivated its original Spanish-speaking audience -- Sue Baker * Bookseller *A constantly dazzling and occasionally witty text that will open eyes and drop jaws -- Brian Donaldson * List *Combining vast knowledge with irresistible story-telling skills (reminds you of Gabriel Garcia Marquez), Galeano's world history is spun out in little cameos that make a mosaic of ordinary lives lived on our "sorry, sparkling planet" ... Galeano exposes the cunning of history and its half-truths; he merely states what he sees or chooses to see that many of us otherwise overlook. And that is "as true as truth's simplicity" * Business Standard (India) *Galeano's stories are sharp, witty and spare. I've never read a book with so many huge ideas written into such tiny capsules -- David Dawkins, Pages Bookshop in Hackney * Bookseller *

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Book SynopsisA Splendid Exchange tells the epic story of global commerce, from its prehistoric origins to the myriad crises confronting it today. It travels from the sugar rush that brought the British to Jamaica in the seventeenth century to our current debates over globalization, from the silk route between China and Rome in the second century to the rise and fall of the Portuguese monopoly in spices in the sixteenth. Throughout, William Bernstein examines how our age-old dependency on trade has contributed to our planet's agricultural bounty, stimulated intellectual and industrial progress and made us both prosperous and vulnerable.Trade Review"'A highly entertaining read. Bernstein's enthusiasm for his subject and impressive organisation of a wealth of material enable him to plot with pace and verve... man's trading history.' Hugh Carnegy, Financial Times 'Timely and readable... The strength of Mr Bernstein's book is the analytical rigour that overlays the rollicking history.' Economist 'Superb... The chronological range of Bernstein's book is staggering... Graceful and insightful history with a delicate display of scholarship that conceals a vast erudition.' Paul Kennedy, Foreign Affairs"

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Book SynopsisHamas won an overwhelming electoral victory in January 2006, overturning many assumptions regionally and globally. Branded as terrorist by Israel and the West, it is the largest Palestinian militant Islamist organization, formed fifteen years ago at the beginning of the first intifada. Its short-term objective is to drive Israeli forces from the West Bank and Gaza, an aim it hopes to realize through attacks on Israeli troops and settlers in the Occupied Territories and - more controversially - civilians. It also has the long-term aim of establishing an Islamic state on all of historic Palestine. In the post-Oslo world, Hamas gained power and influence as Israel steadily destroyed the power structure of the avowedly secular Yasser Arafat and his Palestinian Authority. A grass-roots organization that commands wide respect among Palestinians for its incorruptibility, Hamas is divided into two main sections, one responsible for establishing schools, hospitals and religious institutions, the other for military action and terror attacks carried out by its armed underground wing the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades. This book charts the origins of Hamas among the Muslim Brotherhood, details the influence of its exiled leadership in Syria and elsewhere, and sets out its internal structure and political objectives. This new edition includes an additional chapter covering events since the book's original publication in November 2006.Trade ReviewThis is an important book, and I encourage both Israelis and diaspora Jews to read it. -- Gabrielle Rifkind, Specialist in Conflict Resolution and Human SecurityAn excellent history, deeply researched, the story is dramatic, and Tamimi tells it well... gives access to fascinating detail. -- Victoria Brittain * Palestine News *In this trenchant history spanning from the first days of the 1987 intifada to the sweeping democratic victory of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Palestinian elections of January 2006, London-based scholar Tamimi argues that seeing Hamas as merely another face of Al Qaeda obscures more than it elucidates. A successor to the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas comes out of a transnational Islamic reform movement that grew among Palestinians in the 1970s, largely in reaction to Arab nationalism's failure to champion the Palestinian cause. Increasingly, against a string of failed peace processes and the corruption and concessions of the PLO-led secular leadership, Hamas's popular support has rested heavily on its stance as a militant resistance movement wedded to the Palestinian dream of regaining pre-1948 Palestine, and as provider of essential social services. Tamimi draws extensively on the words of insiders in carefully charting and contextualizing the development of Hamas's highly resilient organization, shifting outlook and embrace of various tactics, including the offer of a truce with Israel and, most controversially, suicide bombing. It will be a key resource in English for any serious assessment of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. * Publishers Weekly starred review *Provides facts on Hamas' struggle in Palestine from real sources in the organisation. * Malaysian National News Agency *Tamimi's book is the most authoritative account yet published of the origins, rise and impact of Hamas. -- Abdel Bari Atwan, editor-in-chief, Al-Quds Al-Arabi

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION''S JOHN K. FAIRBANK PRIZESHORTLISTED FOR THE CUNDHILL HISTORY PRIZE 2017''This is the finest single-volume history of Vietnam in English. It challenges myths, and raises questions about the socialist republic''s political future'' Guardian''Powerful and compelling. Vietnam will be of growing importance in the twenty-first-century world, particularly as China and the US rethink their roles in Asia. Christopher Goscha''s book is a brilliant account of that country''s history.'' - Rana Mitter''A vigorous, eye-opening account of a country of great importance to the world, past and future'' - Kirkus ReviewsOver the centuries the Vietnamese have beenboth colonizers themselves and the victims of colonization by others. Their country expanded, shrunk, split and sometimes disappeared, often under circumstances far beyond their control. Despite these often overwhelming pressures,Trade ReviewChallenges myths, and raises questions about the socialist republic's political future... groundbreaking... Goscha manages the (not easy) task of showing Vietnam's complexity without losing the reader with too much detail... quite simply the finest, most readable single-volume history of Vietnam in English' -- Joshua Kurlantzick * Guardian *A vigorous, eye-opening account of a country of great importance to the world, past and future. * Kirkus Reviews *For those who have wanted a distinct and comprehensive overview of Vietnam's history, this is it. Christopher Goscha has an eye for how history connects through generations and how a country can rise from disasters in a new form, without losing sight of its past -- Odd Arne Westad, author of Restless Empire: China and the World Since 1750A splendid achievement. Christopher Goscha is one of our leading historians of modern Vietnam, and he shows it in this nuanced, fair-minded, deeply humane book. Destined to be a standard work on the subject -- Fredrik Logevall, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America’s VietnamPowerful and compelling. Vietnam will be of growing importance in the twenty-first-century world, particularly as China and the US rethink their roles in Asia. Christopher Goscha's book is a brilliant account of that country's history. Paying careful attention to Vietnamese voices as well as those of colonizers, he constructs a narrative that sets Vietnam in context, and makes it for western readers so much more than a half-remembered event in the Cold War -- Rana MitterA perceptive and much needed contribution to our understanding of Vietnam. Christopher Goscha's prodigious research is equaled only by his intimate understanding of Vietnamese culture, people, and history -- Larry Berman, author of Perfect Spy: The Incredible Double Life of Pham Xuan An, Time Magazine Reporter and Vietnamese Communist Agent

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Book SynopsisThe forest primeval, the river of life, the sacred mount read Landscape and Memory' to have these explainedLandscape and Memory' is a history book unlike any other. In a series of journeys through space and time, it examines our relationship with the landscape around us rivers, mountains, forests the impact each of them has had on our culture and imaginations, and the way in which we, in turn, have shaped them to answer our needs.This is not a conventional history book, but a book that builds up its argument by a series of poetic stories and impressions which cumulatively have the effect of a great novel. The forest primeval, the river of life, the sacred mount at the end of this wonderful book we understand where these ideas have come from, why they are so compelling and how they still lie all around us.Trade Review‘One of the most intelligent, original, stimulating, self-indulgent, perverse and irresistibly enjoyable books I have ever read.’ Philip Ziegler ‘This is a tour de force of vivid historical writing…It is astonishingly learned, and yet offered with verve, humour and an unflagging sense of delight.’ Michael Ignatieff, IOS ‘Simon Schama is a giant, a great thinking machine and a golden lyricist as well. He takes us beyond geololgy and vegetation into myth and memory, to unravel the ancient connections which bring mountain, forest and river into our soul.’ Brian Masters, MoS ‘Schama long ago established himself as one of the most learned, original and provocative historians in the English speaking world…Unclassifiable, inimitable, fascinating, “Landscape and Memory” will inform and haunt, chasten and enrage. It is that rarest of commodities in our cultural marketplace – a work of genuine originality.’ Anthony Grafton, New Republic

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Book SynopsisA renowned historian eludes the pitfalls of partisanship and tackles one of the world’s most perplexing and divisive issuesTrade Review"Gloomy, concise, and spot-on."—Commentary“I urge you, in the strongest terms, to read One State, Two States. . . I very much hope that it will ignite a freer, more honest, radically different conversation on the left, one informed by historical knowledge and current realities rather than the fantasies—alternately sentimental, infantile and grandiose—for which such a high price has been paid by all sides.”—Susie Linfield, TruthDig.com“Morris is one of the most authoritative historians of the Israeli-Arab conflict. In his new book, he presents and up-to-date interpretation and suggestions for its solution.”—Walter Laqueur“What is so striking about Morris’s work as a historian is that it does not flatter anyone’s prejudices, least of all his own.”—David Remnick, New Yorker"Gloomy, concise, and spot-on."—Commentary * Commentary *“I urge you, in the strongest terms, to read One State, Two States. . . I very much hope that it will ignite a freer, more honest, radically different conversation on the left, one informed by historical knowledge and current realities rather than the fantasies—alternately sentimental, infantile and grandiose—for which such a high price has been paid by all sides.”—Susie Linfield, TruthDig.com -- Susie Linfield * TruthDig.com *“Morris details the various proposals for a ‘one-state’ or ‘two-state’ solution to the conflict that should have followed the UN General Assembly division of the territory and termination of the [British Mandate]. In a final chapter, he considers correctly that neither solution is practical or realistic. The best option, he feels, would be a West Bank-Gaza-Jordan confederation with Israel. . . . Recommended.”—W. Spencer, Choice -- W. Spencer * Choice *“Morris is one of the most authoritative historians of the Israeli-Arab conflict. In his new book, he presents and up-to-date interpretation and suggestions for its solution.”—Walter Laqueur -- Walter Laqueur“What is so striking about Morris’s work as a historian is that it does not flatter anyone’s prejudices, least of all his own.”—David Remnick, New Yorker -- David Remnick * New Yorker *"A rich and persuasive account of just how deep-seated and historically rooted the antagonism is between Israelis and Palestinians."--Ira Smolensky, Magill's Literary Annual 2010 -- Ira Smolensky * Magill's Literary Annual 2010 *

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsUnit I: FROM HUMAN ORIGINS TO AGRARIAN COMMUNITIES, c. 100,000�����500 B.C.E. 1. The Earliest Human Societies. 2. Mesopotamia. 3. Early Africa and Egypt. 4. Central Asia and India's Beginnings. 5. Ancient China to 221 B.C.E. 6. Settlement of the Americas and the Pacific Island. Worldview I: From Human Origins to Agrarian Communities, 100,000���500 B.C.E. Unit II: CLASSICAL CIVILIZATIONS OF THE WORLD, 500 B.C.E.���800 C.E. 7. New Civilizations and Empires in Western and Central Asia. 8. The Greek Adventure. 9. Greek Humanism, 800���100 B.C.E. 10. Rome: From City-State to Empire. 11. The Roman Empire and the Rise of Christianity in the West, 31 B.C.E.���800 C.E. 12. Iran, India, and Global" Trade. 13. Imperial China in Its Golden Age. Worldview II: Classical Civilizations of the World, 500 B.C.E.���800 C.E. Unit III: THE POST-CLASSICAL ERA, c. 650���1500 C.E. 14. The Americas to the Fifteenth Century. 15. Islam. 16. Mature Islamic Civilization and the First Global Civilization. 17. Africa from Axum to 1400. 18. The Mongols Unify Eurasia. 19. Japan and Southeast Asia. 20. The European Middle Ages, c. 800���1500. 21. The Late European Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Worldview III: The Post-Classical Era, 800���1400 C.E. Unit IV: EXPANDING WEBS OF INTERACTION, c. 1400���1800. 22. A Larger World Opens. 23. Religious Division and Political Consolidation in Europe. 24. The Gunpowder Empires of Western and Southern Asia. 25. Africa in the Era of Expansion. 26. China from the Ming Through the Early Qing Dynasty. 27. Japan and Southeast Asia in the Era of European Expansion. 28. From Conquest to Colonies in Hispanic America. Worldview IV: Expanding Webs of Interaction, 1400���1700 C.E. Unit V: REVOLUTIONS, IDEOLOGY, THE NEW IMPERIALISM, AND THE AGE OF EMPIRE, 1700���1920. 29. The Scientific Revolution and Its Enlightened Aftermath. 30. Liberalism and the Challenge to Absolute Monarchy. 31. The Early Industrial Revolution. 32. Europe: New Ideas and New Nations. 33. Advanced Industrial Society. 34. The Islamic World, 1600���1917. 35. India and Southeast Asia Under Colonial Rule. 36. European Imperialism and Africa During the Age of Industry. 37. China in the Age of Imperialism. 38. Latin America from Independence to Dependent States. 39. Modern Science and Its Implications. Worldview V: Revolutions and the Age of Empire, 1600���1914. Unit VI: TOWARD A GLOBALIZED WORLD, 1916���Present. 40. World War I and Its Disputed Settlement. 41. A Fragile Balance: Europe in the Twenties. 42. The Soviet Experiment to World War II. 43. Totalitarianism Refined: The Nazi State. 44. East Asia in a Century of Change. 45. World War II. 46. The Cold World War. 47. Decolonization of the Non-Western World. 48. The New Asia. 49. Africa's Decolonization and Independence. 50. Latin America in the Twentieth Century. 51. The Reemergence of the Muslim World. 52. Collapse and Reemergence in Communist Europe. 53. A New Millennium. Glossary. Index."

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Book SynopsisThis autobiographical account by a former slave is one of the few extant narratives written by a woman. Written and published in 1861, it delivers a powerful portrayal of the brutality of slave life. Jacobs speaks frankly of her master''s abuse and her eventual escape, in a tale of dauntless spirit and faith.

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Book SynopsisThe Tang dynasty is often called China’s “golden age.” Mark Lewis captures a dynamic era in which the empire reached its greatest geographical extent under Chinese rule, painting and ceramic arts flourished, women played a major role both as rulers and in the economy, and China produced its finest lyric poets in Wang Wei, Li Bo, and Du Fu.Trade ReviewThis is an impressive survey history of the Tang dynasty, concise and accessible. China's Cosmopolitan Empire is written so succinctly and clearly that it provides, to my knowledge, the best summary of the Tang period yet available in English. It will make an excellent source for the general student of Chinese or East Asian history. -- David L. McMullen, University of Cambridge[A] readable introduction to the Tang Dynasty. -- J. K. Skaff * Choice *This series on China, brilliantly overseen by Timothy Brook, is a credit to Harvard University Press. Above all, it encourages us to think of China in different ways. -- Jonathan Mirsky * Literary Review *In China's Cosmopolitan Empire: The Tang Dynasty, Mark Edward Lewis has done a superb job of synthesizing the scholarship on the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and rendering it into a readable account. Professor Lewis's general narrative of Tang history, chapters two and three of the book, is the best overview of Tang history in any language, and would be a good starting point for anyone interested in the dynasty...There is a large corpus of scholarship in English on Tang dynasty history and culture. China's Cosmopolitan Empire is an admirable addition to that corpus. It will undoubtedly become the standard survey in English for the foreseeable future. -- Peter Lorge * Journal of Military History *With clarity and rich details, sustained by quotes, anecdotes, poems, and visual images, Lewis brings to life the vitality of a transforming China in geography, politics, urban life, rural society, the outer world, kinship, religion, and writing, all in comparison with previous times...Lewis's nuanced details of a changing Tang are direct challenges to the dated but still influential views of China as an unchanging Sinocentric empire, uninterested in commerce and foreign contact. -- Yihong Pan * China Review International *Lewis' book will be of great interest and utility to general readers as well as students who are looking for a lucid overview of Tang history and culture. -- Michael R. Drompp * Journal of Asian History *Mark Edward Lewis has produced an impressive volume on the history of the Tang dynasty...Its greatest contribution is its integration of the latest secondary scholarship into interesting arguments about the evolution of Chinese society between the seventh and tenth centuries...This book remains an excellent place to see the latest insights into Tang history. It is a thought-provoking effort to synthesize that work and reflect on the significance of the Tang for China's history. If it inspires the next generation of students to pursue Tang history seriously, Lewis will have made a real contribution to Tang studies. -- Anthony DeBlasi * Journal of Asian Studies *Table of Contents* Introduction * The Geography of Empire * From Foundation to Rebellion * Warlords and Monopolists * Urban Life * Rural Society * The Outer World * Kinship * Religion * Writing * Conclusion * Dates and Dynasties * Pronunciation Guide * Notes * Bibliography * Acknowledgments * Index

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Book Synopsis''Beware of Small States'' wrote Mikhail Bukanin in 1870. He could have meant Lebanon: a sectarian state no bigger than Wales that has become battleground for one of the defining conflicts of twentieth-century history. Throughout its short existence, it has been attacked, invaded, occupied or interfered with to serve the political interests of foreign powers, resulting a series of devastating wars and crises. To understand Lebanon''s history is to understand the history of the entire region - and, with the rise of Hizbullah, it has come to assume a disproportionate, dangerous power of its own. Iran and Israel now face each other in the hills of south Lebanon.David Hirst, author of The Gun and the Olive Branch, is a hugely respected commentator on the Arab-Israeli crisis. In a masterly narrative, he gives a much-needed, comprehensive history of the country and its conflicts, culminating with the recent war in Gaza and its fallout in Lebanon. Powerful and often moving,

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Book SynopsisAs the rest of the world worries about what a future might look like under Chinese supremacy, Luttwak worries about China’s own future prospects. Applying the logic of strategy for which he is well known, he argues that the world’s second largest economy may be headed for a fall unless China’s leaders check their military ambitions.Trade ReviewNational security strategist Edward Luttwak's provocative and insightful analysis of the 'logic of strategy' provides a well-documented, contrarian assessment of whether China's 'rise' will be peaceful or polarizing. He stresses the paradox that China's economic strength and territorial aggrandizement are inciting opposition by a growing coalition of states determined to weaken Beijing's power and influence. Luttwak asserts that only by maintaining Deng Xiaoping's policy of 'low posture' development, and downplaying military modernization, can China avoid international 'geo-economic resistance' and attain the domestic growth and global stature it seeks. -- Richard H. Solomon, former President of the U.S. Institute of Peace, Senior Fellow at the RAND CorporationLuttwak presents a rich, persuasive, and lucid analysis of the strategic implications of China's rise and of the anxieties it generates. China's foreign policy and military investments are raising concerns that require the sort of well-informed, precise argumentation that Luttwak delivers. Based on a long-term view of China's strategic inclinations and extensive research on current developments, this book offers medium-term predictions of the likely outcomes that the 'logic of strategy' may dictate, and thus explains with great clarity the issues at stake. Luttwak's work is a must-read for laymen and specialists alike, and an essential contribution to the political debate. -- Nicola Di Cosmo, Institute for Advanced Study, PrincetonWith muscular behavior and rhetoric on the uptick and China pouring money into its military, political strategists have begun to consider Chinese military dominance of the Pacific and a concurrent American decline as foregone conclusions. So it is refreshing to see Edward Luttwak take a different tack in The Rise of China vs. the Logic of Strategy and argue that Chinese military dominance in the Pacific is 'the least likely of outcomes.' China can't simultaneously enjoy a burgeoning economy and a rapidly growing military, he contends, because countries will band together to protect themselves, using military coalitions and trade protectionism to counter China's rise. -- Mary Kissel * Wall Street Journal *Most commentators on China focus on its seemingly inexorable rise and the threat that this poses to other world powers. In this well-argued book, Luttwak takes a different view. He questions whether China's rising power is sustainable. China's continued and rapid growth in economic capacity and military strength and regional and global influence cannot persist, he argues, because of the mounting opposition it is evoking. -- Frank Dillon * Irish Times *Luttwak detects a fundamental conflict between China's search for continuing economic growth, which the Communist Party has made its prime claim to rule, and its quest for military expansion combined with increased foreign policy assertiveness...Luttwak's book, which includes a refreshing put-down of the supposed superiority of traditional Chinese statecraft so admired by Henry Kissinger among others, is timely, coming as it does amid the current maritime confrontations in East Asia. -- Jonathan Fenby * Times Higher Education *The Rise of China vs. The Logic of Strategy is a sober book. Staying with the evidence, it avoids flights of fancy but grips readers' attention all the way through. Here, finally, is an expert on China who knows what he's talking about. -- Caleb Nelson * World *Luttwak's contribution to the China debate is to be welcomed. We need informed outsiders to weigh in with their views, and he has spent years visiting the country and talking to the Chinese, including the People's Liberation Army. Written with his customary panache, his vigorous and highly readable contribution will challenge congealed thinking. -- George Walden * Bloomberg.com *Over the past few decades, Edward Luttwak has gained a reputation as the bad boy of strategic theory and historical scholarship. This time, he has outdone himself. He has debunked Sun Tsu, the Clausewitz of the East and much beloved by teachers of military theory for decades...In The Rise of China vs. the Logic of Strategy, Luttwak goes beyond an attack on Sun Tsu. He argues that the dominant strategic and cultural arrogance of the Han people--the largest ethnic group in China--could undermine efforts to lift the Middle Kingdom to the ranks of true superpower status. Luttwak further argues that this assumption of cultural and intellectual superiority is driving China's neighbors into a camp of strategic containment similar to what Germany created for itself in the years leading up to World War I...It will be interesting to see whether the book is read with interest or banned once it is translated and made available on the Chinese mainland. It is a cautionary tale that deserves Chinese attention. -- Gary Anderson * Washington Times *[Luttwak's] thesis is sensible and not to be discounted lightly. * The Economist blog *Edward Luttwak's book on the limitations of China's ascent to power blends careful observation of recent events with an understanding of its past...The explanatory innovation that lifts Luttwak's book above the ruck of recent books on China's rise is his use of geo-economics--an expression he coined in 1980--to explain global resistance to Beijing's march. He argues that countries across the world, without explicit coordination, will resist China's export-oriented strategy to generate wealth and military power. This "invisible hand" explanation is in refreshing contrast to the usual containment and other political explanations about what may happen in East China in the coming years. -- Siddharth Singh * Mint *Entertaining and provocative...A bold book that flatly predicts that China won't successfully rise as a superpower, indeed that it cannot in its current incarnation...If accurate, Luttwak's theory means Americans don't have to worry too much. China will essentially self-destruct, at least diplomatically. And the list of problems facing China make it seem that this could well be happening right now. -- Ian Johnson * New York Review of Books *[A] though-provoking book. -- Jonathan Mirsky * Prospect *

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Book SynopsisRecalls how much of the rebellious queer culture, cheap rents, and a vibrant downtown arts movement vanished almost overnight to be replaced by gay conservative spokespeople and mainstream consumerism.Trade Review"This bracing, powerful, and well-reasoned work reaffirms the author's stature as a distinctive American woman of letters... Highly recommended." -- Richard Drezen Library Journal "The book that's inspired me more than any other this year is Sarah Schulman's Gentrification of the Mind: Witness to a Lost Imagination, a razor-sharp memoir of New York in the heyday of the AIDS crisis." -- Jason King Slate "Teeming with ideas, necessary commentary, refreshing connections and examination of the status quo." Lambda Literary "A brilliant critique of contemporary culture... This is the most important book of the year." -- Jeff Miller Cult MTL "Schulman's personal recollections... are sharp and vivid." Gay & Lesbian Review/Worldwide "This is a very good, very sad book about the aftershock of the AIDS crisis in New York. Schulman is a truly gifted thinker." -- Alex Frank Fader Magazine "The author, a true woman of letters, makes a persuasive case." -- Roberto Friedman Bay Area Reporter "This is why the book is so successful and demands our attention: through a focus on the pulse of the queer community (of the 80s), it touches upon the individual condition (of today)." -- Marcie Bianco Velvetpark "A polemic, a passionate, provocative ... account of disappearance, forgetfulness and untimely death." -- Olivia Laing New Statesman "No book has rocked my world in recent times more than Sarah Schulman's 'The Gentrification of the Mind: Witness to a Lost Imagination' ... [it ranks] among the best alternative histories published in the last 50 years." -- Don Shewey Culturevulture.net "A galvanizing account of the transformation, both external and mental, in New York City life." -- Emily Douglas Los Angeles Review Of Books "The essence of what Schulman calls gentrification is to pretend that privilege and difference do not exist and that any attempt to remember that they do is mere 'political correctness' rather than facing up to the reality to who does what to whom. To forget these things, is to deceive ourselves-and Schulman's harsh, bitter prose is a useful way of waking ourselves up." -- Roz Kaveney Times Literary Supplement (TLS) "It's a beautifully written screed (not a bad word in my books)... Schulman shines when she taps her deep knowledge of the AIDS movement... She can be brilliant." -- Susan G. Cole NowTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: Making Record from Memory Part I. Understanding the Past 1. The Dynamics of Death and Replacement 2. The Gentrification of AIDS 3. Realizing That They're Gone Part II. The Consequences Of Loss 4. The Gentrification of Creation 5. The Gentrification of Gay Politics 6. The Gentrification of Our Literature Conclusion: Degentrification--The Pleasure of Being Uncomfortable

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Book SynopsisAn authoritative and radical rethinking of the history of Ancient Britain and Ancient Ireland, based on remarkable new archaeological finds.British history is traditionally regarded as having started with the Roman Conquest. But this is to ignore half a million years of prehistory that still exert a profound influence. Here Francis Pryor examines the great ceremonial landscapes of Ancient Britain and Ireland Stonehenge, Seahenge, Avebury and the Bend of the Boyne as well as the discarded artefacts of day-to-day life, to create an astonishing portrait of our ancestors.This major re-revaluation of pre-Roman Britain, made possible in part by aerial photography and coastal erosion, reveals a much more sophisticated life in Ancient Britain and Ireland than has previously been supposed.Trade Review‘Written with pace and passion…immensely readable.’ Tom Holland, Daily Telegraph ‘It bounds along, wonderfully enlivened by Pryor’s earthy enthusiasm. If you want to be introduced painlessly to the fascinating debates surrounding our British past, then “Britain BC” is the book for you.’ Barry Cunliffe, New Scientist ‘Francis Pryor is a modern field archaeologist with a reputation second to none. He has written a book as successful and exciting as its ambition is huge…lucid and engaging.’ Alan Garner, The Times ‘There are enough curious facts, contentious theories and bizarre hypotheses here to hold the interest of anyone concerned with the unique and peculiar story of these islands.’ Independent on Sunday ‘Beautifully written, exciting and extremely good…an essential read.’ British Archaeology Praise for Francis Pryor’s television series ‘Britain BC’: ‘Fascinating…the evangelical Pryor paints a vivid portrait of pre-Roman society that tackles received wisdom about what was going on here in the Stone, Bronze and Iron ages.’ Daily Telegraph ‘Pryor leaps about the country at a cracking pace, his big personality making sure we never get bored by the scant and rarefied scraps that are his stock-in-trade.’ Observer

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Book SynopsisA timely and illuminating history of Tibet, from the seventh century to what it means to be Tibetan todayTrade Review"In Tibet: A History Sam van Schaik provides an overview of its past from the seventh century AD to the present, calling into question many preconceptions the general reader may have about Tibet, its religion its society and its politics . . . an entertaining read for a wide audience."—Tom Neuheus, BBC History Magazine"[Sam Van Schaik] successfully portrays a wider historical Tibet in an informed, well-researched, unbiased and readable way. It should appeal to scholars and researchers in Tibetan studies and equally to the more general reader."—Priyanka Singh, Asian Affairs"Succinct, scholarly, and exceptionally well written, van Schaik’s Tibet accomplishes a rare triumph of virtue . . . this volume fills an important gap in the literature about Tibet."—John Schellhase, The Mantle"[W]ell-written and authoritative."—Glyn Ford, Tribune"A marvellous achievement, Tibet: A History provides a brilliant introduction to the ancient and varied culture of Tibet. Van Schaik expertly combines detailed research with compelling storytelling. Rich with details and lively vignettes, his narrative draws the reader into an imaginative universe, a world that will at once fascinate and complicate one's understanding of Tibet. This book will reward long-time students and casual readers alike."—Jacob P. Dalton, author of The Taming of the Demons: Violence and Liberation in Tibetan Buddhism"Tibet: A History is an important and major history of Tibet written in narrative form by a leading scholar, in a style that is accessible, balanced and engaging, yet full of nuance, detail and up-to-date research findings."—Robert J. Barnett, Director of Modern Tibetan Studies, Columbia University

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Book SynopsisThe Making of Mr Gray's Anatomy tells the story of one of the most iconic scientific books ever published: a textbook of anatomy that is still a household name 150 years since its first edition. It is the story of the remarkable and dedicated characters who created it, of poverty, class, and science and society in Victorian London.Trade ReviewFascinating. * Christopher Hirst, The Independent *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. The Words: Mr Gray of Belgravia ; 2. The Pictures: Dr Carter of Scarborough ; 3. The Enterprise: J.W.Parker & Son of West Strand ; 4. The Process of Creation: Person or Persons Unknown ; 5. The Raw Material: The Friendless Poor of London ; 6. The Process of Creation ; 7. The Process of Production ; 8. 1858: The Book Appears ; 9. Calamity ; 10. Futurity ; Acknowledgements ; References ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisThis is the story of the 17-pdr Achilles and the Jagdpanther, two formidable tracked anti-tank guns that clashed in North-West Europe during 194445. Both mounting their country's most effective anti-tank ordnance on a tracked chassis, the 17-pdr Achilles and the Jagdpanther were arguably the best self-propelled anti-tank guns used by the British, Canadian and German forces that fought in North-West Europe during 194445. Featuring specially commissioned artwork and carefully chosen photographs, this is the story of the two types' development, combat use and legacy in the closing stages of World War II in North-West Europe. Based upon the mobile, lightly armoured M10 design originally developed for the US Army, the Achilles had its main armament, the 17-pounder QF anti-tank gun, mounted in a fully revolving turret. Conversely, the low-profile, heavily armoured Jagdpanther had its formidable 8.8cm PaK 43 cannon mounted in a fixed casemate. Both crewed by artillerymen rather than tankers, the Achilles and the Jagdpanther were anti-tank guns, not tanks or assault guns; their main purpose was to knock out enemy tanks, not to engage infantry or lead an assault or pursuit. Sometimes they faced each other, notably in the Reichswald fighting of February 1945. Fully illustrated, this work tells the story of their development and tactical use as well as what happened when these two very different designs met in combat.

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Book SynopsisThe largest, most luxurious ship in the world, wrecked on her maiden voyage after colliding with an iceberg mid-Atlantic, has become the stuff of legends. While everyone knows the new White Star liner was glamorous, full of millionaires when she sank, few appreciate just how luxurious she was. Even in Third Class, the accommodation was better than on First Class on many older ships. For the first time, Bruce Beveridge, Steve Hall, Scott Andrews and Daniel Klistorner look at the construction and exterior of the ship itself, and at her interior design and fittings. From cobalt blue Spode china and Elkington plate silverware in the à la carte restaurant to the design of the boilers and fixtures and fittings on board the world's most luxurious vessel, they tell the story of a liner built at the peak of the race between the British, French and Germans to build bigger and better ships.

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Book SynopsisFlint Knapping is a journey of archaeological discovery through the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Ages.

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Book SynopsisHeroic epic of the eighth to the fifth century BCE includes poems about Hercules and Theseus, as well as the Theban Cycle and the Trojan Cycle. Genealogical epic of that archaic era includes poems that create prehistories for Corinth and Samos. These works are an important source of mythological record.Trade ReviewA magnificent achievement...As one would expect of a scholar of West's distinction these are accurate, keenly alive to each nuance of the Greek...Scholars owe a considerable debt of gratitude to West for [this] new Loeb. -- Richard Whitaker * Scholia Reviews *

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Book SynopsisA luxury facsimile edition of Bradshaw’s Handbook of 1863, the book that inspired the BBC television series ‘Great British Railway Journeys’. The original Bradshaw's guides had been well known to Victorian travellers and were produced when the British railway network was at its peak and as tourism by rail became essential. It was the first national tourist guide specifically organised around railway journeys, and this luxuryleatherbound facsimile edition is a true collector’s item, offering a glimpse through the carriage window at a Britain long past.

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Book SynopsisThe great World's Fairs and Expositions staged around the world since the mid-nineteenth century were among the largest and most dramatic cultural events ever staged. In both beneficial and detrimental ways, they affected the lives of tens of millions of people. Fair World tells the story of these extraordinary exhibitions from the Victorian period to the present day.Trade Review"an outstanding survey highly recommended for a range of collections, from general-interest to history and arts holdings. It packs in photos and in-depth details of the great world fairs and expositions, offering a coverage that provides details about each fair and its unique characteristics. The outstanding focus provides lively discussion of elements unique to each world fair, covering its features, promotion, attractions and impact on its audience. The drama and excitement of the fairs is captured in a fine oversized presentation packed with images and history!" - Midwest Book Review

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA perfect Lysistrata for the new millennium: rich apparatus and a sparkling, metrical, accurate translation of this inexhaustible treasure of a play. --Rachel Hadas, Rutgers UniversityPresents a readable, clear translation with the assistance students will need to understand this play and the society that produced it. . . . A worthy addition to Hackett's growing series of translations of classical literature in accessible editions. --Anne Mahoney, New England Classical Journal

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Book SynopsisCharting the rise and development of Christianity, Carter Lindberg has succeeded in writing a concise and compelling history of the world''s largest religion. He spans over 2,000 years of colorful incident to give an authoritative history of Christianity for both the general reader and the beginning student. Ranges from the missionary journeys of the apostles to the tele-evangelism of the twenty-first century. Demonstrates how the Christian community received and forged its identity from its development of the Bible to the present day. Covers topics fundamental to understanding the course of Western Christianity, including the growth of the papacy, heresy and schism, reformation and counter-reformation. Includes an introduction to the historiography of Christianity, a note on the problems of periodization, an appendix on theological terms, and a useful bibliography. An authoritative yet succinct history, written to appeal to a Trade Review"There is much to praise here. Lindberg manages to explore many key events, issues, people and developments in a very concise manner. The text is very strong on theology and institutions with helpful historical context. I particularly appreciated the attention to Roman Catholicism as well as Protestantism in the modern period. The book is brief, but the history of Christianity is vividly portrayed here in all of its drama and complexity." Jeff Tyler, Hope College "This is a wonderful book: accessible, concise, clearly written, and thoroughly absorbing. Lindberg has chosen to present the Christian tradition through the history of its principal ideas, but these ideas are grounded in the flesh-and-blood reality of persons, their struggles for faith and for power, and the social and political worlds they inhabited. Reflecting the author’s erudition and wit, this cogent distillation of a complex past will serve beginners as an ideal introduction and old hands as a thought-provoking synthesis." Christopher Elwood, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary Table of ContentsPreface x 1 The Responsibility to Remember: An Introduction to the Historiography of Christianity 1 Tradition and Confession 4 2 The Law of Praying is the Law of Believing 6 The Roman Empire and its Political Achievements 10 Hellenization and its Cultural Achievements 10 Development of the Biblical Canon 12 3 Sibling Rivalry: Heresy, Orthodoxy, and Ecumenical Councils 17 The Structure of Tradition: Confession and Doctrine 18 Doctrine as a Key to Christian Memory and Identity 19 Heresy 21 Jesus’ Relationship to God: The Doctrine of the Trinity 22 From the Council of Nicaea to the Council of Constantinople 26 Jesus and Humankind: Christology 28 4 The Heavenly City: The Augustinian Synthesis of Biblical Religion and Hellenism 35 Augustine’s Path to Conversion 40 Augustine’s Theological Contributions 41 Augustine and Donatism 44 The Pelagian Controversy 47 5 The Development of Medieval Christendom 51 Monasticism to Mission 52 The Emergence of the Papacy 54 Papacy and Empire 59 The Gregorian Reform 61 The Investiture Conflict 66 The Crusades 68 6 Faith in Search of Understanding: Anselm, Abelard, and the Beginnings of Scholasticism 71 Universities and Scholasticism 73 Contributions of Early Scholastic Theology 79 7 The Medieval Church 84 The Cultural and Theological Development of the Sacraments 84 The Rise of the Mendicant Orders 89 The Rise and Decline of Papal Authority 95 The Decline of the Papacy 97 Conciliarism 99 8 The Reformations of the Sixteenth Century 104 Context 105 The Reformation in Germany 108 The Reformation in Switzerland 112 The Reformation in France 116 The Reformation in England 117 Scandinavia and Eastern Europe 120 Early Modern Catholicism 121 The Reformations’ Aftermath 122 9 Pietism and the Enlightenment 125 The Enlightenment 135 The Catholic Church and the Enlightenment 141 10 Challenge and Response: The Church in the Nineteenth Century 143 The Churches and the French Revolution 144 From the French Revolution to the Congress of Vienna 145 Church Reform in Germany: The Prussian Union and its Consequences 146 Inner Mission and the Social Question 147 The Catholic Church in the Nineteenth Century 152 Pope Pius IX and Vatican I 153 From Kulturkampf to the Anti-Modernist Oath 154 Nineteenth-Century Theology 155 The Awakening 157 Theological Currents 158 Liberal Theology 160 11 The Christian Churches since World War I 163 New Formulations in Protestant Theology 164 The Churches during National Socialism 167 Developments in the Catholic Church after World War I 171 The Ecumenical Movement 173 Back to the Future: Christianity in Global Context 179 Appendix: Periodization 181 Glossary 189 Further Reading 195 Index 204

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Book SynopsisOvid's Metamorphoses gains its ideal twenty-first-century herald in Stanley Lombardo's bracing translation of a wellspring of Western art and literature that is too often treated, even by poets, as a mere vehicle for the scores of myths it recasts and transmits rather than as a unified work of art with epic-scale ambitions of its own. Such misconceptions are unlikely to survive a reading of Lombardo's rendering, which vividly mirrors the brutality, sadness, comedy, irony, tenderness, and eeriness of Ovid's vast world as well as the poem’s effortless pacing. Under Lombardo's spell, neither Argus nor anyone else need fear nodding off.The translation is accompanied by an exhilarating Introduction by W. R. Johnson that unweaves and reweaves many of the poem’s most important themes while showing how the poet achieves some of his most brilliant effects.An analytical table of contents, a catalog of transformations, and a glossary are also included.Trade ReviewStanley Lombardo successfully matches Ovid's human drama, imaginative brio, and irresistible momentum; and Ralph Johnson’s superb Introduction to Ovid's 'narratological paradise' is a bonus to this new and vigorous translation that should not be missed. Together, Introduction and text bring out the delightful unpredictability of Ovid's 'history of the world' down to his times.--Elaine Fantham, Giger Professor of Latin, Emerita, Princeton UniversityLombardo's translation is the most readable I’ve seen. . . . Its language is modern, accessible, and unpretentious. . . . I can imagine reading all the way through this version with students. I also admire the catalog of transformations . . . and, as usual, an Introduction by Ralph Johnson is worth the price of the book.--Margaret Musgrove, University of Central OklahomaA superb teaching text. The translation is readable, witty, and very accessible to today’s students. The glossary is useful, and Johnson’s essay is a great introduction to Ovid.--John Makowski, Loyola University, Chicago

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Book SynopsisThe beginning of the twentieth century saw human civilization at its most enlightened, well-educated, globalized and wealthy. What turned it into a bloodbath?Niall Ferguson re-tells the story of history''s most savage century as a continual war that raged for 100 years. From the plains of Poland to the killing fields of Cambodia, he reveals how economic boom-and-bust, decaying empires and, above all, poisonous ideas of race led men to treat each other as aliens. It was an age of hatred that ended with the twilight, not the triumph, of the West. And, he shows, it could happen all over again.''A heartbreaking, serious and thoughtful survey of human evil that is utterly fascinating and dramatic'' Simon Sebag Montefiore, The New York Times''Unputdownable, controversial, compelling'' Independent on Sunday''The grenade lobbed into the cosy tea party of received wisdom'' Max Hastings''A big, bold and brilliantly belligerentTrade ReviewA heartbreaking, serious and thoughtful survey of human evil that is utterly fascinating and dramatic -- Simon Sebag Montefiore * The New York Times *Unputdownable, controversial, compelling * Independent on Sunday *The grenade lobbed into the cosy tea party of received wisdom -- Max HastingsA big, bold and brilliantly belligerent book * Sunday Telegraph *History at its most controversial ... no one can afford to overlook it -- Allan MallinsonHums with energy, quotable insights and pithy summaries * Observer *Gripping -- Tristram Hunt

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Book SynopsisA best-selling conspiracy expert chronicles the history of secret societies, beginning in ancient Egypt and continuing through today's Council on Foreign Relations, showing the long-suppressed connections between these societies and the overt military, political, and social history of the world. Rep

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Book SynopsisIntends to understand war, both in its internal dynamics and as an instrument of policy.Trade Review"Undoubtedly one of the most useful books ever written."--The New Republic

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisNearly all the works Aristotle (384322 BC) prepared for publication are lost; the priceless ones extant are lecture-materials, notes, and memoranda (some are spurious). They can be categorized as practical; logical; physical; metaphysical; on art; other; fragments.

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Book SynopsisUnderstanding a people and their culture through code words and language.

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Book SynopsisFrom its earliest centuries, one of the most notable features of Christianity has been the veneration of the saints--the holy dead. This ambitious history tells the fascinating story of the cult of the saints from its origins in the second-century days of the Christian martyrs to the Protestant Reformation. Robert Bartlett examines all of the mostTrade ReviewWinner of the 2015 Otto Grundler Book Prize, The Medieval Institute of Western Michigan University Winner of the 2013 PROSE Award in European and World History, Association of American Publishers "[A]n indispensible point of departure for anyone interested in the cult of the saints in the Middle Ages. The book is based on an awe-inspiring familiarity with the hagiographical sources of both Eastern and Western churches, and is packed with intelligent, measured, and well-informed discussions of everything from the hierarchy of precedence of feasts in the old Roman calendar to the managerial problems of running a shrine. Students, scholars, and the general reader will all find it invaluable."--Eamon Duffy, New York Review of Books "Robert Bartlett's monumental study provides a comprehensive account of the development of the cult of the saints from the cult of martyrs (those who had died as witnesses for their faith during the Roman persecutions) and illustrates the centrality of saintly devotion in the lives and beliefs of Christians across Europe over the whole medieval period... Bartlett has a gift for succinct summary, both of complex (and confusing) narratives and for explaining theological controversy; his obvious abilities as a teacher appear throughout and his book will manifestly appeal to students... Robert Bartlett's achievement lies in his capacity to draw out the distinctive, and often amusing, attributes of different saints while showing how the cult of saints operated in medieval Europe."--Sarah Foot, Times Literary Supplement "[M]assive, erudite compendium of saint lore ... For a book so deeply grounded in original research ... The volume is remarkably accessible."--Barbara Newman, London Review of Books "It is a treat ... to see such erudition amassed this way; it is hard to imagine any aspect of the cult of the saints that Bartlett has left out in this extraordinarily comprehensive text. Yet there is enormous entertainment here as well... [W]ho, and when and where--this enormous and humane reference work gives all that, along with stories that are appalling and ghoulish and mysterious and funny."--Rob Hardy, The (Columbus, OH) Dispatch "[T]here is much to enjoy in the array of human behaviour, sacred and by our standards profane or just downright mad, chronicled in Bartlett's excellent study."--Diarmaid MacCulloch, Guardian "[T]his magisterial work of scholarship."--Richard Holloway, Independent "Devotion to the saints is manifestly still alive and well in the Catholic Church, and Bartlett's impressive compendium will serve to explain the cult's historical origins and evolution."--John Cornwell, Financial Times "Rich in original research, full of illuminating case studies, Why Can the Dead Do Such Great Things? is a major achievement from a distinguished medieval historian and a gold mine for those interested in religious history."--Helen Fulton, Times Higher Education "Bartlett convincingly explains how the 12th-century papacy sought to control a potentially anarchic process by demanding strict examination of cases, of which only about half were successful... With great thoroughness, Bartlett examines issues such as types of saint, relics, miracles, hagiography and doubt, more as an observer than as judge... Some of Bartlett's most valuable insights relate to the diversity of ways in which saints were revered and what they reveal about visions of the social order."--Constant Mews, Sydney Morning Herald "This is a remarkable book, which is thankfully both wonderfully informative and wonderfully readable... His book is just the kind of great scholarly synthesis that was once the norm, but which may well become rarer than now in the future. This is a long and very detailed book, but the patience of the reader in encompassing nearly 800 closely printed pages will be well rewarded."--Peter Costello, Irish Catholic "Why Can the Dead Do Such Great Things is an excellent survey of the cult of the saints in the pre-modern period. The reader looking for explanations of the social and cultural functions of the holy dead could do far worse."--Frank McGough, Origins "It is hard to overemphasize the scholarship evident in this book... One could associate a work such as this with a certain dryness of tone but this is not the case. The book is very engaging and at the same time quite modular, that is, allowing the readers to jump around to concentrate on their areas of special interest. Bartlett is one of the world's leading medieval historians and he brings his expertise to bear on this very ambitious project."--Richard Rymarz, Catholic Books Review "[M]agisterial... [A] fascinating and illuminating read... Bartlett's book will also be welcome to those who have experienced something of the power of the cult of the saints in their own time and place... [H]is style balances rigor and a near-encyclopedic breadth with accessibility and humor... Why Can the Dead Do Such Great Things? will remain a classic study of the saints, their cults and their faithful for a long time... Robert Bartlett's masterpiece."--Holly J. Grieco, America "Bartlett's work is astonishingly comprehensive, and the balance he strikes between narration and analysis is admirable."--David J Collins, Theological Studies "Bartlett is not content to simply refer to the findings of others second-hand. Rather, he returns to the sources, the great majority of them in Latin, and does the spade-work himself. This particular approach, and the concern for meticulous research that it evinces, puts Bartlett's magisterial study in a different league from so many others. The result is a volume that is at once staggeringly scholarly and yet, owing to Bartlett's light touch, surprisingly accessible. No library should be without a copy."--Salvador Ryan, Irish Theological Quarterly "Bartlett writes with relish for his subject, tells its marvelous stories well, injects judicious doses of good humor, and leaves one with the sense that the cult of the saints is a pervasive feature of Christianity's historical texture."--Anne Thayer, Sehepunkte "The history book I most enjoyed this year was also my first of 2014. I tucked into Robert Bartlett's Why Can The Dead Do Such Great Things (Princeton University Press) on New Year's Day and could not have hoped for a more stimulating festive read. A sweeping study of medieval saints, covering the entire Christian world from Late Antiquity to the Reformation, it is also a compendium of anecdotes, such as one rarely finds in a work of scholarship. Whether it be St Modwenna of Burton and her red cow, the Bishop of Lincoln who bit off two chunks of Mary Magdalene's arm, or Queen Bathildis cleaning out toilets, all of human--and much of divine--life is here."--Tom Holland, History Today "This is a fascinating book and one to which to return."--Martin Wellings, Methodist Recorder "In addition to being readable and fascinating, Bartlett's book forms a virtual curriculum on medieval religion in particular and medieval history in general."--Thomas F. X. Noble, American Historical Review "Bartlett has provided readers interested in hagiography and the medieval cult of the saints with a magisterial and wholly engrossing book."--Rachel Koopmans, Biography "With this book Robert Bartlett serves up a wondrous synthesis: awesome in its breadth, saturating in its detail, and delightful in its humanity... This is a book that has a long reach and should hold a place in every medievalist's library."--Anne E. Lester, Catholic Historical Review "This is a very important book that offers the first comprehensive study of the cult of the saints from late antiquity to the Reformation in both Western and Eastern Christianity. Such work rests on an extraordinary knowledge of the textual and iconographic sources and of the vast scholarship that exists on these topics... An impressive achievement."--Andre Vauchez, Speculum "The author of this study has produced what is to this reviewer's knowledge the first textbook on the premodern cult of the saints and at--I cannot resist the temptation--a miraculously low price. Luckily, Robert Bartlett is more than equal to the task... Bartlett's writing is measured and deft, as one would expect from a scholar of his caliber."--David Defries, The HistorianTable of ContentsList of Illustrations xv Preface xvii Part I Developments 1 Chapter 1 Origins (100-500) 3 The Martyrs 3 The Religious Revolution of the Fourth Century 7 Translations 10 Rituals of Commemoration and Invocation 13 Confessor Saints 16 The Birth of Hagiography 19 The First Miracle Books 22 Chapter 2 The Early Middle Ages (500-1000) 27 The View from the 590s 29 Gregory the Great 43 The Benedictine Centuries 47 New Christendoms: Eastern and Northern Europe 52 Chapter 3 The High and Later Middle Ages (1000-1500) 57 Papal Canonization 57 Mendicant Saints 65 Lay Female Saints 71 New Devotions 77 Chapter 4 The Protestant Reformation 85 Part II Dynamics 93 Chapter 5 The Nature of Cult 95 Name, Body, Text 95 Patronage and Invocation: The Mutual Relationship 103 Chapter 6 Saints' Days 113 Liturgy 113 The Hierarchy of Feast-days 120 Saints' Days and Local Identity 129 Holy Days and Holidays 133 Chapter 7 Types of Saint 137 Counting Saints 137 Categorizing Saints 150 Saints as Patrons 221 Chapter 8 Relics and Shrines 239 Body Parts 239 Contact Relics 244 The Shrine in the Church 250 Running a Shrine 259 Reliquaries 263 Relic Collections 276 Relics in Movement 282 Relics in Law and War 311 Relics in Dispute 324 Chapter 9 Miracles 333 The Meaning of Miracle 333 Patterns of Miracles 342 Healing Miracles 349 Miracles of Provision 365 Visions, Prophecy, and Rapture 368 Saints in War 378 Saints and Demons 383 Saints and Animals 390 Liberation 398 Punitive Miracles 401 Chapter 10 Pilgrimage 410 Origins and Definitions 410 Pilgrim Garb and Status 417 Motives 421 The Shrines of Medieval Christendom 425 Logistics 433 Pilgrim Guides and Pilgrim Badges 439 Chapter 11 Dedications and Naming 444 Dedication of Churches and Altars 444 Place Names 454 Personal Names 459 Chapter 12 Images of the Saints 471 The Image in Early Christianity 471 Byzantine Iconoclasm 475 Images in the Medieval West 480 Chapter 13 The Literature of Sanctity 504 Types of Hagiography 504 Reasons for Writing 510 The Hagiographers 513 The Life 518 Legendaries 546 Miracle Books 558 Sermons 570 The Literature of Canonization Proceedings 576 Vernacular Hagiography 578 Chapter 14 Doubt and Dissent 587 Early Polemics 587 Western Heretics 591 Sceptics and Scoffers 596 Policing the Saints 602 Chapter 15 Reflections 609 Saints and Gods 609 Saints and Nature 618 Saints and the Dead 621 Tomb-shrines in Judaism and Islam 626 Saints and Ancestors 630 Comparisons and Conclusions 633 Glossary 639 Bibliography of Works Cited 641 Index 735

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Book SynopsisNo Enchanted Palace traces the origins and early development of the United Nations, one of the most influential yet perhaps least understood organizations active in the world today. Acclaimed historian Mark Mazower forces us to set aside the popular myth that the UN miraculously rose from the ashes of World War II as the guardian of a new and peaceTrade Review"[Mazower] has identified a gigantic contradiction in the United Nations' very DNA that may explain how the ambitious, well-intentioned body evolved into Mess-on-East River."--Marc Tracy, New York Times Book Review "One of the most distinguished historians of his generation."--New York Review of Books "In tracing the intellectual and ideological threads that went into the creation of both organizations, Mazower's main theme is the importance of British imperial tradition and policy."--Brian Urquhart, New York Review of Books "The finest historian of twentieth-century Europe."--Jonathan Keates, Times Literary Supplement "Mark Mazower sets out to challenge two notions: first, that the UN's creation in 1945 was uncontaminated by association with the League; and second, that it was above all an American affairs... This book offers interesting glimpses of the UN's origins."--Adam Roberts, Times Literary Supplement "Provocative... Mazower argues that the United Nations, like the League of Nations before it, did not emerge from a pristine liberal vision of universal rights."--G. John Ikenberry, Foreign Affairs "Mazower offers a scholarly review of the origins of the UN and a timely reminder that those origins need not shape its future. The UN should not be judged for what it is not."--Harvery Morris, Financial Times "Mark Mazower warns in his elegantly written intellectual history of the organization, the U.N. is not--and has never been--quite what it seems. In their rush to portray liberal internationalism as the height of human achievement, too many historians have forgotten what Mazower regards as the real ideological impulse behind the U.N.'s creation: preservation of the British Empire and white rule over Europe's colonial possessions."--Sasha Polakow-Suransky, American Prospect "A slim yet provocative volume that reveals the UN's origins in colonial imperialism."--Anna Mundow, Boston Globe "Mark Mazower's stimulating and insightful book casts new light on the organization's ideological prehistory, and in the process offers a corrective to previous, somewhat uncritical accounts of the UN's formation... This book is an illuminating contribution to the debate about the United Nations."--Kirsten Sellars, International Affairs "Historian Mark Mazower takes a whack at the prevailing perception of the U.N.'s founding fathers as a band of farsighted idealists seeking to mold a truly universal institution out of the ruins of the World War II... Mazower examines the darker side of the U.N.'s creation, highlighting a handful of influential figures who participated in drafting the U.N. Charter."--Colum Lynch, Foreign Policy "No Enchanted Palace is essentially an exercise in demystification, which aims to strip the UN of the halo of piety that surrounds it. But it is also a work of historical investigation, and Mazower brings to light many neglected details of the UN's formation and development."--John Gray, Harper's Magazine "An important book and a good example of the way history can inform current debates."--Bernard Porter, History Today "Opens some novel perspectives... Mazower offers a disturbing picture of the ambiguous ideological foundations of this great sacred cow of post-war international institutions."--Sunil Khilnani, Outlook India "In No Enchanted Palace, his fascinating and revealing study of the intellectual origins of the United Nations, Mark Mazower, a British historian now teaching at Columbia University in New York, focuses on the ideas and ideologies that shaped the international body before and during its inception."--Adam Lebor, Jewish Chronicle "Mazower is a historian of rare penetration who writes with a verve and sparkle seldom met in members of his profession. No Enchanted Palace is an original contribution to historical understanding which brilliantly charts the ideological origins of the United Nations. The book is a powerful blast against utopianism and unrealistic expectations."--Vernon Bogdanor, Spectator "Well written and documented."--Choice "Mazower demonstrates that there is more than one side to the story of the creation of the UN, and does so in a highly readable style. This is a sophisticated work of intellectual history with implications for international institutional law... Mazower's work provides a solid and intellectually stimulating basis for trying to re-think this fundamental starting point."--Jan Klabbers, Global Law Books "This work should interest not only political scientists and historians, but anyone who is concerned about the UN's fate."--Pamela A. Jordan, Canadian Journal of History "Mazower's thesis serves to illuminate enduring questions and recent debates concerning the role of the UN... Perhaps most importantly, Mazower provides a sound case for dismissing those voices within contemporary accounts that call for the UN to return to its lofty origins."--James Upcher, Oxonian Review "No Enchanted Palace adds greatly to our understanding of the UN's intellectual foundations."--Survival "This is a sophisticated work of intellectual history with implications for international institutional law. Mazower forces the discipline to rethink one of the premises on which the paradigmatic theory of functionalism rests... Mazower's work provides a solid and intellectually stimulating basis for trying to re-think this fundamental starting point."--Jan Klabbers, European Journal of International Law "No Enchanted Palace is a model of the new international history. Forceful and engaged, it will likely provoke a wide range of readers... Short, readable, and challenging, No Enchanted Palace would make an ideal book for courses on internationalism, empire, global politics, and human rights."--J. P. Daughton, H-Net Reviews "Mark Mazower is one of the most original and interesting historians at work on Europe's modern history. In this book, he turns his attention to the broader theme of world order, and to the various ways in which it was being reimagined at the moment when the United Nations was created in 1945. The result is a lucid, perceptive, and indispensable study."--John Darwin, American Historical ReviewTable of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Introduction 1 Chapter 1: Jan Smuts and Imperial Internationalism 28 Chapter 2: Alfred Zimmern and the Empire of Freedom 66 Chapter 3: Nations, Refugees, and Territory The Jews and the Lessons of the Nazi New Order 104 Chapter 4: Jawaharlal Nehru and the Emergence of the Global United Nations 149 Afterword 190 Notes 205 Index 225

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Book SynopsisThoroughly updated and revised edition of a popular classic of modern anthropology.Trade Review'A well written and informative book on a subject of great importance for all social anthropologists. A work which offers a sober and balanced account of the historical growth of anthropology'. It certainly deserves to be widely read' -- The European Journal of Developmental Research'The authors describe this book as an ambitious but unpretentious attempt to 'cover all the major traditions in social and cultural anthropology'. They achieve this in nine pithy chapters that follow the development of anthropological ideas from the ancient Greeks to the end of the 1990s. -- The Australian Journal of AnthropologyTable of ContentsSeries preface Preface 1. Proto-Anthropology Introduction Herodotus and other Greeks After Antiquity The European Conquests and their Impact Why All This is not Quite Anthropology Yet The Enlightenment Romanticism 2. Victorians, Germans and a Frenchman Introduction Evolutionism and Cultural History Morgan Marx Bastian and the German Tradition Tylor and Other Victorians The Golden Bough and the Torres Expedition German Diffusionism The New Sociology Durkheim Weber 3. Four Founding Fathers Introduction The Founding Fathers and their Projects Malinowski and the Trobriand Islanders Radcliffe-Brown's Natural Science of Society Boas and Historical Particularism Mauss and the Total Social Prestation Anthropology in 1930: Parallels and Divergences 4. Expansion and Institutionalisation Introduction A Marginal Discipline? Oxford and LSE, Columbia and Chicago The Dakar-Djibouti Expedition Culture and Personality Cultural History Ethnolinguistics The Chicago School 'Kinshipology' Functionalism's Last Stand Some British Outsiders 5. Forms of Change Introduction Neo-evolutionism and Cultural Ecology Formalism and Substativism Methodological Individualists at Cambridge Role Analysis and System Theory 6. The Power of Symbols Introduction From Function to Meaning Ethnoscience and Symbolic Anthropology Geertz and Schneider Levi-Strauss and Structuralism Early Impact The State of the Art in 1968 7. Questioning Authority Introduction The Return of Marx Structural Marxism The Not-Quite-Marxists Political Economy and the Capitalist World System Feminism and the Birth of Reflexive Fieldwork Ethnicity Practice Theory The Sociobiology Debate and Samoa 8. The End of Modernism? Introduction The End of Modernism? The Postcolonial World A New Departure or a Return to Boas? Other Positions 9. Global Networks Introduction Towards an International Anthropology? Trends for the Future Biology and Culture Globalisation and the Production of Locality Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisBy the end of the medieval period, Britain''s churches already had an architectural heritage of one thousand years, much of which remains on view today. This guide by architectural historian Jon Cannon uses high-quality photographs and diagrams to help us to analyze the leading changes in style from the Anglo-Saxon period, through the Romanesque as far as Gothic and Perpendicular. By identifying various clues left by each period, he enables us to date architectural features and styles, and explains the technical terms applied to them. If you have ever wondered how your church or cathedral developed, and want to know your triforium from your blind arcade or your vault from your hammerbeam, all the answers are here.Table of ContentsIntroduction / Anglo-Saxon / Norman or Romanesque / The Birth of Gothic: Transitional / Gothic I: Early English / Gothic II: Decorated / Gothic III: Perpendicular / Postscript / Glossary / Further Reading / Places to Visit / Appendix: Chronology of Styles / Index

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Book SynopsisA three-thousand-year history of the Yellow River and the legacy of interactions between humans and the natural landscapeTrade Review“A survey of three millennia, based on an innovative historical geographic-information system.”—Andrew Robinson, Nature, “Best Science Pick of the Week”“The author achieves the notable feat of telling this vast, complex history in a single readable volume.”—Christopher Ruane, Asian Affairs“The Yellow River is a thought-provoking contribution to environment history and, more specifically, Chinese river history.”—Pichamon Yeophantong, European Journal of East Asian StudiesWinner of the Joseph Levenson Prize (China, Pre-1900), sponsored by the Association for Asian Studies“No other scholar has produced such a systematic, comprehensive account of the long-term changes in the river’s function and structure. I consider it to be the definitive work on the topic of the Yellow River to date.”—Peter C. Perdue, author of China Marches West: The Qing Conquest of Central Eurasia“Ruth Mostern masterfully explores the ‘natural and unnatural’ impacts of the Yellow River. Her approach, emphasizing continuity and change over the longue durée, reveals a complex river that connects, dissects, transports, and displaces.”—David A. Pietz, author of The Yellow River: The Problem of Water in Modern China“This unique book is testimony to the great value of spatial analysis and digital approaches. Read it for methodological innovation and let that change how you study history, humanities, and beyond!”—Ling Zhang, author of The River, the Plain, and the State: An Environmental Drama in Northern Song China, 1048–1128“In her three-thousand-year history of the Yellow River, Ruth Mostern provides a genuinely new take, full of surprising insights, that makes compelling reading. A pioneering example of quantitatively informed environmental history.”—Valerie Hansen, author of The Year 1000: When Explorers Connected the World—and Globalization Began“An outstanding merger of science and history, giving us a deeper understanding of the long, often tragic history of efforts to manage the Yellow River and the land it flows through.”—Kenneth Pomeranz, author of The Great Divergence: China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern World Economy

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Book SynopsisIntroducing the Collins Modern Classics, a series featuring some of the most significant books of recent times, books that shed light on the human experience classics which will endure for generations to come.When No Logo was first published, it became an instant bestseller and international phenomenon. Its riveting exposé of the branded and corporate world in which we live became a rallying cry for rebellion and self-determination.Engaging, humanising and inspiring, No Logo is a book that defined both a generation and its language of protest. Its analysis is as timely and powerful as ever.Trade Review‘The Das Kapital of the growing anti-corporate movement’ Guardian ‘Just when you thought multi-nationals and crazed consumerism were too big to fight, along comes Naomi Klein with facts, spirit, and news of successful fighters already out there. No Logo is an invigorating call to arms for everybody who wants to save money, justice, or the universe’ Gloria Steinem ‘What corporations fear most are consumers who ask questions. Naomi Klein offers us the arguments with which to take on the superbrands’ Billy Bragg

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Book SynopsisThe past, present and future of the world''s most popular and beloved pet, from a leading evolutionary biologist and great cat lover.Engaging and wide-ranging The Age of Cats is a readable and informed exploration of the wildcat that lurks within Fluffy' Washington PostWhy don't lions meow? Why does my cat leave a dead mouse at my feet? And why is a pet ocelot a bad idea?Jonathan B. Losos unravels the secrets of the cat using all the tools of modern technology, from GPS tracking (you'll be amazed where they roam) and genomics (what is your so-called Siamese cat, really?) to forensic archaeology. He tells the story of the cat's domestication (if you can call it that) and gives us a cat''s-eye view of the world today. Along the way we also meet their wild cousins, whose behaviours are eerily similar to even the sweetest of house cats.Drawing on his own research and life in his multi-cat household, Losos deciphers complex science and history and explores how selection, both natural and aTrade Review‘Excellent. Losos is an engaging and often funny guide who explains the science clearly and with nuance’ New Scientist ‘Losos is entertaining and anecdotal, learned and chatty … The book, surveying cats’ evolutionary history, behavioural habits and potential future, has a lovely cast list of felines wild and domestic, large and small’ Spectator ‘Cats are amazing. They fascinate and bewilder us … [The] cat stories detailed here will only heighten the reader's amazement. And Losos has done cats at least as proud as we imagine they pride themselves’ Science ‘A must-read’ Marc Bekoff, Psychology Today ‘Reaching back into the evolutionary history of the cat family, brought right up to date with the emergence of new breeds and hybrids, this fascinating book deserves to be on every cat-lover's nightstand’ John Bradshaw, author of Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet ‘If you have ever lived with a feline long enough to reach an accommodation, you’ve probably asked yourself: Am I training the cat, or is the cat training me? That question is a gateway to the labyrinth of fascinating riddles explored by Jonathan Losos – himself a lifelong ailurophile as well as an eminent evolutionary biologist – In this engaging and very smart book.’ David Quammen, author of Spillover and The Song of the Dodo ‘Fascinating, fun and full of facts, this thorough investigation will appeal to general readers and cat lovers alike’ Booklist ‘Not just another cat book, this enthusiastic study traces the evolution of the domesticated house cat from the African wildcat and explores the scientific questions it raises … A vivid, well-rounded treat for anyone interested in cats.’ Kirkus Reviews ‘Splendid … The surprising trivia … and stimulating scientific background shed light on what goes on in the minds of humans’ second-best friend’ Publisher’s Weekly

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Book SynopsisCommunist and capitalist states alike were scarred by the economic shocks of the 1970s. Why did only communist governments fall in their wake? Fritz Bartel argues that Western democracies were insulated by neoliberalism. While austerity was fatal to the legitimacy of communism, democratic politicians could win votes by pushing market discipline.Trade ReviewWhat distinguishes the exceptionally well-researched…The Triumph of Broken Promises is [Bartel’s] parallel analysis of how the crisis was handled in the democratic West and the authoritarian East, and how it ultimately led to the end of the Cold War and the fall of communism. It is this unified framework, plus its implications for several eminently political events: the break up of the Soviet Union and other Communist federations, the unification of Germany, etc., that represents, in in my opinion, the book’s greatest strength. -- Branko Milanovic * Global Inequality and More 3.0 *The best structural account yet of the end of the Cold War, the rise of neoliberalism, and the emergence of the current world order. An elegant work of critical historical analysis, the book is essential reading for those invested in building a better, more equitable future. -- Sean T. Byrnes * Jacobin *Striking in its hardheaded realism…[A] tremendously sharp work. -- Alex Hochuli * American Affairs *As the title of the book suggests, the post–Cold War world would be indelibly marked by a retraction of social democratic commitments. Liberal democracy and neoliberal economies prevailed, according to Bartel, because ‘they were the best political and economic systems for breaking promises.’ -- Andre Pagliarini * New Republic *Why did the West win the Cold War? In this powerful new interpretation, Bartel argues that the struggle between democracy and communism was fundamentally a contest over which system of government could best harness industrial modernity to improve the lives of its people…The book’s originality lies in how it weaves together Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s program of reform, known as perestroika, and the conservative economic turn under U.S. President Ronald Reagan and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. -- G. John Ikenberry * Foreign Affairs *A provocative, incisive, and lucid account of the end of the Cold War and the onset of neoliberalism. -- Melvyn P. Leffler * H-Diplo *Bartel retells the familiar narratives of nuclear and conventional arms control, the collapse of state socialism and Germany’s unification in a context where energy, finance and economic theory played a decisive role. -- John Nilsson-Wright * Global Asia *Challenging conventional narratives that focus on Reagan’s military-ideological assertiveness or Gorbachev’s openness to reform, the book gives a material and structural explanation of Western victory and Eastern defeat. This makes for fascinating history: finance and energy emerge as silent but vital battlegrounds, unlikely connections—like those between Japanese investors and Hungarian central bankers—come to the fore, and several East-West similarities surprise the reader. -- Max Krahé * Phenomenal World *How did the Cold War, which began as a competition to make promises, mutate into a race to break them? And why did the West win? Bartel offers a bold and compelling interpretation that links the history of the Cold War and neoliberalism to dramatic effect. The Triumph of Broken Promises will be essential reading. -- Adam Tooze, author of Crashed: How a Decade of Financial Crises Changed the WorldA pleasure to read with many short stories that illustrate the points being made on a more general level, thus making it more accessible to a broader audience. -- Ludoš Studený * Czech Journal of Contemporary History *If the Cold War began with a competition to provide welfare, it ended as both sides imposed austerity and discipline on their populations. Bartel’s brilliantly conceived and researched study renovates our understanding of how and why the Soviet Union was driven toward collapse precisely as the United States, faced with slowdown after the oil shock, moved toward neoliberal governance. Few books explain the makings of our times as well as this thrilling debut. -- Samuel Moyn, author of The Last Utopia: Human Rights in HistoryA deeply significant history of how the way in which the Cold War ended gave rise to the hegemony of neoliberal capitalism. Bartel traces this trajectory through personal narratives from East and West and through deep archival research. His book is a must-read for anyone interested in how the Cold War and its immediate aftermath produced the world we live in today. -- Odd Arne Westad, author of The Cold War: A World HistoryAn excellent work, attractively written, with a powerful argument that carries a large narrative arc from the oil shocks and international monetary confusion of the 1970s to the end of the Cold War. Promises were broken because governments could not meet the expectations of their populations, generated during the postwar economic miracle, about continuously rising incomes. The result was disaffection, but governments’ hands were tied. Well supported by fascinating archival materials, including from the IMF, this is a compelling story. -- Harold James, author of The Creation and Destruction of Value: The Globalization CycleThe Triumph of Broken Promises is a stimulating book: conceptually sophisticated, full of archival finds, and profoundly illuminating of connections between the Cold War's end and neoliberalism's ascent. -- Gary Gerstle, author of The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order: America and the World in the Free Market Era

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewChina's transformation cannot be attributed to a single cause; rather, it arose from a contingent, interactive process—Ang calls it 'directed improvisation.' She formalizes this insight which has the potential to influence future studies of institutional and economic change beyond China. * Foreign Affairs *While adaptive approaches to development have become new buzzwords, Yuen Yuen's work brings rigor to this conversation.... This analytical lens has enormous potential for thinking through the adaptive challenge, whether at the national level, subnational level or sectoral level. * The World Bank *The book combines methodological rigour, employing a complexity perspective hitherto unknown in standard political economy analyses... with rich original empirical data drawn from more than 400 interviews.... This is an important book with a bold thesis that, at its most ambitious, demands a rethinking of the history and evolution of capitalism.... In terms of policy implications, Ang's thesis has the potential to upend much that the global development establishment holds dear. * The Straits Times *How China Escaped the Poverty Trap... is an original and insightful take on what is perhaps the biggest development puzzle of my lifetime. * Building State Capability Blog *This book is a triumph, opening a window onto the political economy of China’s astonishing rise that takes as its starting point systems and complexity. Its lessons apply far beyond China’s borders. * Oxfam Blog *Ang provides specialists and nonspecialists alike with a fresh inside-the-black-box account of how the Chinese state... has actually practiced (not merely preached) innovation, problem solving, and effective implementation.... Future studies of bureaucratic life in China and elsewhere must reckon seriously with Ang's account. * Governance *As if explaining modern Chinese economic development was not enough of a challenge, Ang has two even loftier goals. The first is methodological. She expresses a frustration with political science's causality obsession and modeling approaches that deliver isolated snapshots of complex processes.... Ang's second ambition is to apply this coevolutionary schema to how we understand economic development generally. * Perspectives on Politics *This book is an invaluable addition to the scholarship on the political economy of development. * Pacific Affairs *How China Escaped the Poverty Trap is an innovative account to explain why China has economically developed in spite – or because – of its low-quality institutions. It is both a theoretically original and empirically rich study of Chinese economic development and required reading for those who want to understand China's and our own future. * VoegelinView *The author has certainly filled the gaps in the literature on the political-economic analysis of China's historic transformation from a low-income to a middle-income country through adoption of a co-evolutionary approach to development. Overall, this interesting book goes deeper beneath the broad political-economic surface of Chinese society. It should appeal not only to researchers on Chinese society, but also to practising political economists. * Ecoomic Record *Table of ContentsIntroduction: How Did Development Actually Happen? Part 1 FRAMEWORK AND BUILDING BLOCKS 1. Mapping Coevolution 2. Directed Improvisation Part 2 DIRECTION 3. Balancing Variety and Uniformity 4. Franchising the Bureaucracy Part 3 IMPROVISATION 5. From Building to Preserving Markets 6. Connecting First Movers and Laggards Conclusion: How Development Actually Happened Beyond China Appendix A: Steps for Mapping Coevolution Appendix B: Interviews

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Book Synopsis'Philosophy begins in wonder.'                                      --PlatoHave you ever wondered about the development of civilization? What topics were discussed in the days of Ancient Greece? This collection of thoughts from Plato, Aristotle, and other masters of philosophy will lead your mind on a journey of enlightened exploration into ethics, morality, law, medicine, and more. With an introduction by a distinguished scholar of classic literature, this beautiful Canterbury Classics bonded-leather volume with gilded edges and specially designed endpapers is sure to be a favorite keepsake edition in your library.

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