Non Fiction

Robotic Process Automation will continue its exponential growth over the next five years. With more than 54 vendors, different kinds of tools, generic applicability and as a cognitive and AI platform, RPA has fast become an opportunity that is too good to miss. So, how do you leverage the massive potential business value? Based on four years of research into over 420 business deployments, this book identifies the distinctive leading practices of front-runners, and a Total Value of Ownership (TVO) framework to drive out value across the RPA life-cycle. This book brings a new focus on RPA's strategic potential: the innovations made possible and how to deliver through effective sourcing stakeholder-buy-in, governance, change management, and capability development practices. RPA as a platform, linking with cognitive and AI technologies as part of digital transformation is highlighted. The central messages - think and behave strategically, start right, institutionalize fast, and innovate continuously - are demonstrated, with multiple client experiences, trials and lessons. From dealing with old world process and IT challenges, RPA is now being applied towards building the new digital world and becoming strategic in its application. * Based on extensive new research by world renowned authors * Comprehensive market overview * A systematic set of action principles across the RPA life-cycle * Challenges, and where value is being left on the table * A focus on metrics and Total Value of Ownership * Multiple client case studies * RPA as a foundation for cognitive and AI

Read more less

Set up a secure network at home or the office Fully revised to cover Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019, this new edition of the trusted Networking For Dummies helps both beginning network administrators and home users to set up and maintain a network. Updated coverage of broadband and wireless technologies, as well as storage and back-up procedures, ensures that you’ll learn how to build a wired or wireless network, secure and optimize it, troubleshoot problems, and much more. From connecting to the Internet and setting up a wireless network to solving networking problems and backing up your data—this #1 bestselling guide covers it all. Build a wired or wireless network Secure and optimize your network Set up a server and manage Windows user accounts Use the cloud—safely Written by a seasoned technology author—and jam-packed with tons of helpful step-by-step instructions—this is the book network administrators and everyday computer users will turn to again and again.

Read more less

Published in 1986, Nan Goldin’s Ballad of Sexual Dependency, with its fresh, unflinching portrayal of the photographer’s circle of friends, dramatically changed the course of photography. Decades on, the series retains its searing power, influencing new generations of artists. Goldin herself remains a bold, singular force in our culture. Recently, she has taken on the Sackler family, shining a light on their role in creating America’s opioid crisis. Goldin’s trenchant activism is a reminder of the artist’s power to effect social change. The Ongoing Ballad issue of Aperture magazine is organized around the themes contained within the original ballad—intimacy, friendship, community, love, sex, trauma, music—while also honoring the urgent role of the artist as a force for cultural and social change.

Read more less

With the United States producing almost 90,000 AFVs during World War II, American tanks made up the bulk of those deployed by the western Allies, and were even supplied through the lend-lease scheme to the Soviet army on the Eastern Front. American Tanks of World War II explores the tanks, self-propelled guns, halftracks and armoured cars deployed by American forces, from the Torch landings in Algeria to the hard fighting in Normandy and the bitter Ardennes offensive. Organised chronologically by type, the entries include the M3 Stuart, the first American-crewed tank to engage the enemy in tank combat in the war; the ubiquitous M4 Sherman, which proved cheap and reliable and was built in great numbers and in many variants; the M22 Locust light tank, designed to be air-dropped in support of airborne units; and the M26 Pershing, a heavy tank that arrived late in the war and was capable of beating the best tanks Germany had to offer. There are also chapters on the many motor gun carriages used by US forces, including the M8 HMC and T12 halftrack, both designed to provide close support for infantry. Illustrated with expert colour profile artworks for each entry and completed with technical specifications, American Tanks of World War II is a detailed reference guide for modellers and enthusiasts with an interest in World War II AFV technology.

Read more less

An in-depth portrait of the life and work of Shoji Hamada, one of the key figures behind the development of studio pottery in the 20th century, and the legacy he left. Shoji Hamada was one of the seminal figures in 20th century ceramics. Along with the British potter Bernard Leach, he was instrumental in the development of the international Studio Pottery movement in the early 1900s. Their dramatic influences are still felt today, particularly in the United States and Great Britain. Hamada, also a major figure in Japan’s folk art revival, was designated a ‘Living National Treasure’ by the Japanese government in 1955 and awarded the Order of Culture in 1968. Shoji Hamada is an ebullient and fascinating portrait of a great potter, tracing his place in the ceramic tradition and revealing a keen perception of his energetic lifestyle, dazzling work cycle, and intriguing specifics about the firing of his kilns. The text and over 200 new colour photographs from Peterson’s stay at Hamada’s compound in 1970 present a wealth of detail about techniques and processes. Equally important are the author’s insights depicting Hamada’s bequest to us: one whose life was concentrated toward the perpetuation and achievement of fundamental, unchanging and universal values and goals. In this completely re-designed and updated version of her classic book, Susan Peterson brings together the East-West connection personified by Hamada and Leach. In a completely new concluding chapter, she assesses Hamada’s ongoing legacy to the world of studio pottery. This is an authoritative account of one of the towering figures in the ceramics world by one of the first people to welcome him to America in the early 1950s. The book is a must for anyone interested in the evolvement of hand pottery and the dynamics of ceramics in general.

Read more less

Getting our voices heard can be a nerve-wracking and overwhelming task – particularly in a world where everyone seems to have something to say. The ability to present our ideas with confidence is now a coveted skill. Yet on stage, we become this other person: less funny, less engaging, less human.Mark Shayler draws on his own experience – from nervous speaker to charismatic compere – to guide you through the task of public speaking. He takes a deeper look at what''s holding you back, and will help you to: Find your voice and the confidence to share it Learn how to tell stories, not just share data Stand and move around the stage comfortably Leave the audience informed, entertained and uplifted Giving a brilliant talk is not about following a method. It''s not about rules. It''s about understanding what you want the audience to think, feel and do afterwards. Ultimately, it''s about being more you.

Read more less

THE NO. 1 BESTSELLERA fascinating, insightful, warts-and-all portrait' - The Guardian 'Painstakingly researched ... informed by countless inside sources' - The Observer'Compelling and revealing' - Irish Times* * *Inside the rise of the political party, once subordinate to the IRA, that is on the brink of taking power in IrelandSinn Féin is the most popular political party in both Northern Ireland and the Republic. A movement once synonymous with a paramilitary campaign is on the brink of taking real power through purely democratic means. But if Sinn Féin has mastered the art of electoral politics, it remains strangely opaque. Who really runs the party? How is it funded? And what can we expect of it as a party of government?Aoife Moore, Irish Journalist of the Year in 2021, explores these and other burning questions in The Long Game. Drawing on exclusive interviews with current and former members of Sinn Féin, she builds up a picture of a party undergoing a profound, and still incomplete , transformation. She looks at the key individuals and moments that put the party on its present course, and she explores tensions within the party and the wider republican movement.Packed with revelatory details, The Long Game is a groundbreaking telling of contemporary Ireland's biggest and most elusive political story.* * *'A powerful portrait of the inside world of an elusive political party ... an important work' - Sunday Independent'Eye opening and brave ... carefully researched, judicious and packed with revelatory detail' - Fergal Keane'An explosive read ... important and revelatory' - Business Post'Incisive [and] well-written' - Irish Times'[An] excellent, well-sourced account' - The Telegraph'... paint[s] a picture of a political force utterly unwilling to face scrutiny or have uncomfortable conversations with itself' - Financial Times

Read more less

For readers of Giulia Enders' Gut and Bill Bryson's The Body, a surprising, witty and sparkling exploration of the teeming microbiome of possibility in human feces from microbiologist and science journalist Bryn Nelson.The future is sh*t: the literal kind. For most of human history we've been, well, disinclined to take a closer look at our body's natural product-the complex antihero of this story-save for gleaning some prophecy of our own health. But if we were to take more than a passing look at our poop, we would spy a veritable cornucopia of possibilities. We would see potent medicine, sustainable power, and natural fertilizer to restore the world's depleted lands. We would spy a time capsule of evidence for understanding past lives and murderous ends. We would glimpse effective ways of measuring and improving human health from the cradle to the grave, early warnings of community outbreaks like Covid-19, and new means of identifying environmental harm-and then reversing it.Flush is both an urgent exploration of the world's single most squandered natural resource, and a cri de coeur (or cri de colon?) for the vast, hidden value in our "waste." Award-winning journalist and microbiologist Bryn Nelson, PhD, leads readers through the colon and beyond with infectious enthusiasm, helping to usher in a necessary mental shift that could restore our balance with the rest of the planet and save us from ourselves. Unlocking poop's enormous potential will require us to overcome our shame and disgust and embrace our role as the producers and architects of a more circular economy in which lowly byproducts become our species' salvation. Locked within you is a medicine cabinet, a biogas pipeline, a glass of drinking water, a mound of fuel briquettes; it's time to open the doors (carefully!). A dose of medicine, a glass of water, a gallon of rocket fuel, an acre of soil: sometimes hope arrives in surprising packages.

Read more less

At 65, Mark Sisson is in peak condition and excellent health, and he credits his ketogenic lifestyle as the reason. And, new research confirms that there are anti-aging benefits to a keto diet. In Keto For Life, Mark shows readers how to reset their biological clock in 21 days through a unique program that combines intermittent eating with strategies to lower inflammation and achieve metabolic flexibility. Readers will read through the Four Pillars of Longevity – Diet, Fitness, Mental Flexibility, and Rest and Restoration – learning best lifestyle practices to slow the aging process. Then, they'll carry out a 21-day Biological Clock Reset, with action items to complete each day from each of the four pillars (including dietary practices, journal exercises, movement routines, and rejuvenation practices) and develop a morning routine that promotes healthy living. Mark's meal plans detail what to eat for every decade of life, how to reduce carbs and increase protein intake as you age, and how to turbo charge your metabolism for increased energy, appetite, cognitive function, and stabilised mood. The book includes 80 recipes and a 16-page colour insert. Specifically targeted for the nutrition and lifestyle needs at each stage of life, Keto For Life brings an entirely new facet to the ketogenic eating trend.

Read more less

This first ever monograph in English on Olga Jevrić offers a unique opportunity to discover the work of a remarkable Serbian artist whose long and distinguished career established her as the most significant modernist sculptor from the former Yugoslavia. Despite gaining widespread acclaim from her contemporaries both in Europe and the USA, economic, social and geopolitical upheavals meant that her work has been little seen outside Serbia in the past four decades. As a witness to the Second World War and its aftermath, Jevrić sought to give voice to the spiritual roots, cultural foundation and social conditions of the war-torn environment in which her work developed. Through her materials – primarily a mixture of cement, iron oxide, rods and nails – she created distinctive forms that communicate the relationship between matter and void; weight and weightlessness; containment and release. Though many of her works are modest in scale, they have an immensely powerful presence. This collection of texts and images provides a range of perspectives on, and a thorough contextual overview of, Jevrić’s work from some of the UK’s most influential sculptors, alongside prominent art historians from the former Yugoslavia. It was produced in celebration of Jevrić's exhibitions at London art platforms PEER (28 June–14 September 2019) and Handel Street Projects (28 June–13 December 2019), along with the acquisition of nine of her sculptures by Tate Modern.

Read more less

'All the charm, wonder, eccentricity and vigour of country life is here in these pages, and told with such engaging directness, detail and colour . . . Bliss' STEPHEN FRY'A capacious work that contains multitudes . . . a work to amble through, seasonally, relishing the vivid dashes of colour and the precision and delicacy of the descriptions' THE SPECTATOR'My favourite read of the year . . . warm, funny and moving' SUNDAY TIMES'A writer whose pages you turn and then turn back immediately to re-read, relish and get by heart' SUSAN HILL, SUNDAY TELEGRAPHRonald Blythe lived at the end of an overgrown farm track deep in the rolling countryside of the Stour Valley, on the border between Suffolk and Essex. His home was Bottengoms Farm, a sturdy yeoman's house once owned by the artist John Nash. From here, Blythe spent almost half a century observing the slow turn of the agricultural year, the church year and village life in a series of rich, lyrical rural diaries.Beginning with the arrival of snow on New Year's Day and ending with Christmas carols sung in the village church, Next to Nature invites us to witness a simple life richly lived. With gentle wit and keen observation Blythe meditates on his life and faith, on literature, art and history, and on our place in the landscape.It is a celebration of one of our greatest nature writers, and an unforgettable ode to the English countryside.

Read more less

People say Budapest is the Paris of Central Europe. Maybe that statement is true because it combines a combination of western luxuries, architectural beauty, and cosmopolitan European traditions. But this baroque city is still connected to its Eastern European heritage with the steaming baths, incredibly complex language and lusty cuisine. Budapest straddles a curve in the river Danube which bisects two distinct parts. The east side is known as Pest and the west side is known as Buda, hence Budapest. It’s a very logical, well laid out city. Castle Hill is the premier destination for visitors and contains many of Budapest's most important monuments and museums, and great views of Pest across the blue Danube. Pastel houses lining cobbled streets and stone balustrade overlooks give this citadel a fairy tale quality, while bullet holes from the unsuccessful 1956 uprising pockmark many buildings. Michelin Short-Stays Guides are a handy pocket guide with a detachable map to help you get around and explore the city or country that you are visiting. Presenting the top attractions for a 24-hour visit, a weekend or longer. You'll find a choice of restaurants for any budget. This pocket-size guide helps you do it all with its detailed maps, recommended places to eat and stay, and Michelin's respected star-rating system. A detachable map is included to help you plan and navigate your trip with ease. Each guide has an introductory welcome to section with how to get there, Must Sees, Top Picks, Favourites and a Suggested Itinarary. Use the Discovering section to plan your own visit to sights and attractions, each attraction is listed with one to three stars,* Interesting, ** Recommended, and *** Highly Recommended. A comprehensive addresses section with Where to Eat, Where to Drink, Shopping, Nightlife and finally Where to Stay. The Find Out More Section will give you a little history of the city the guide covers,along with information about Architecture, Activities for Kids, Sports and other special activities or specialities of the city or region you are visiting. Finally the Planning your Trip Section, has practical information, Know before you go. Basic Information, driving, cycling, public transportation, tax's, sports, taxi's and telephones. There is also a festivals and events calendar lisiting annual events and other exhibitions. * Detachable Map of the local area * Coloured sections to use the guide, colour photographs * Unmissable must see sights and attractionsand places to visit * Star selections ***, **, * * Address lists of restaurants, hotels, cafes, and bars. * Shopping and Nighlife information * A recommended Itinerary * Practical tips

Read more less

Turn your living space into an indoor oasis with the RHS's definitive guide to more than 330 house plant varieties.Take your house plant collection to the next level with RHS House Plant. Discover the best varieties to suit your home from more than 330 profiles on every kind of house plant you can imagine, from succulents and cacti to orchids, bromeliads, and even carnivorous plants.Complete with essential care advice to keep your plants alive and thriving, propagation tips to help you grow your collection, and 24 step-by-step projects designed to make the most of your greenery, RHS House Plant has everything you need to create, cultivate, and care for your indoor garden.

Read more less

Reinforce your understanding of musculoskeletal anatomy! Musculoskeletal Anatomy Coloring Book, 4th Edition is a must for massage, physical therapy, chiropractic, orthopedic, and all other manual and movement therapy courses. This latest edition includes online access to a companion Evolve website which enables you to view helpful videos, practice with muscle exercises, and more! Focused specifically on musculoskeletal anatomy, this fun, interactive, and engaging coloring book includes more than 630 high-quality illustrations. Each chapter focuses on key anatomic parts of the skeletal, muscular, nervous, and arterial systems; plus, composite drawings of all body systems and structures provide a complete look at the anatomy you will need to know in practice. UNIQUE! Did You Know? trivia boxes present information in an entertaining format that aids with knowledge retention. Thorough and comprehensive approach organizes muscles and bones of the body and includes muscle attachments, actions, and innervations. Streamlined content and illustrations cover the essential anatomy you need to know for manual therapy, including coloring exercises for all body systems and structures. High-quality illustrations enhance understanding and comprehension of each topic presented. Clear, user-friendly design with an intuitive and uncluttered layout strengthens your understanding by presenting individual muscles, as well as how they correspond to the entire surrounding group of muscles. Short-answer review questions reinforce your knowledge of key concepts. NEW! Kinesiology chapter with artwork from Joseph Muscolino's Kinesiology: The Skeletal System and Muscle Function. NEW! Content addresses myofascial meridians. NEW! Full-color interior design brings key concepts to life. UPDATED! Evolve resources give you access to a wealth of online supplemental content, including video, flashcards, the muscle program, name-that-muscle exercises, and more.

Read more less

In the Middle Ages, religious crusaders took up arms, prayed, bade farewell to their families, and marched off to fight in holy wars. These Christian soldiers also created accounts of their lives in lyric poetry, putting words to the experience of personal sacrifice and the pious struggle associated with holy war. The crusaders affirmed their commitment to fighting to claim a distant land while revealing their feelings as they left behind their loved ones, homes, and earthly duties. Their poems and related visual works offer us insight into the crusaders’ lives and values at the boundaries of earthly and spiritual duties, body and soul, holy devotion and courtly love. In The Subject of Crusade, Marisa Galvez offers a nuanced view of holy war and crusade poetry, reading these lyric works within a wider conversation with religion and culture. Arguing for an interdisciplinary treatment of crusade lyric, she shows how such poems are crucial for understanding the crusades as a complex cultural and historical phenomenon. Placing them in conversation with chronicles, knightly handbooks, artworks, and confessional and pastoral texts, she identifies a particular “crusade idiom” that emerged out of the conflict between pious and earthly duties. Galvez fashions an expanded understanding of the creative works made by crusaders to reveal their experiences, desires, ideologies, and reasons for taking up the cross.

Read more less

Nell and Oscar meet on a beach in Dorset. It's 1595… or maybe 1610. Oscar has returned from university and Nell is doing fuck-all. They will meet here, again and again, on this beach for the next four hundred years. Stuff will change. As it does with time. They will try to keep up. A kaleidoscopic exploration of cultural progress, Marek Horn's play Wild Swimming is an interrogation of gender and privilege, and a wilfully ignorant history of English Literature. The play premiered at the 2019 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, produced by FullRogue in association with Pleasance Futures and Bristol Old Vic Ferment, and directed by Julia Head. It subsequently transferred to the Bristol Old Vic, and toured the UK in 2020.

Read more less

This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International licence. It is free to read at Oxford Academic and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations. Energy storage is becoming the enabler of the low carbon energy transition, and is increasingly attracting the attention of business professionals, policymakers and academics. These stakeholders need to understand the wide range of storage technologies, the applications they can serve in, and the methods, data and tools to evaluate their current and future economic potential. This book combines rigorous methods with rich datasets to provide objective and transparent evidence on the cost reduction potentials and the value of energy storage across low-carbon electricity systems and clean transportation. It enables readers to understand the key storage technologies, the services they can provide, and how they can be assessed for economic viability.

Read more less

Getting to grips with the overlapping geopolitical, economic, and political crises faced by Western democratic societies in the 2020s. The 21st century has brought a powerful tide of geopolitical, economic, and democratic shocks. Their fallout has led central banks to create over $25 trillion of new money, brought about a new age of geopolitical competition, destabilised the Middle East, ruptured the European Union, and exposed old political fault lines in the United States. Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century is a long history of this present political moment. It recounts three histories - one about geopolitics, one about the world economy, and one about western democracies - and explains how in the years of political disorder prior to the pandemic the disruption in each became one big story. It shows how much of this turbulence originated in problems generated by fossil-fuel energies, and it explains why as the green transition takes place the long-standing predicaments energy invariably shapes will remain in place. The Afterword brings these geopolitical, economic, and political crises up to date by reflecting on the development and impact of the war in Ukraine.

Read more less

From the first drawings in the early 1960s to today’s uber-popular new Bronco, get the full story of Ford’s legendary SUV in this stunningly illustrated volume. When Ford introduced the Bronco for the 1966 model year, its intent was to get a slice of the off-road and outdoor enthusiast utility market then owned by the popular Jeep CJ and International Harvester Scout. What Ford couldn’t know at the time was that it was creating a legend—a rugged, square-shouldered vehicle that would exist in its original form through 1977 and in various guises for a further 20 years, wrapping up its first life in 1996. Since the Bronco’s retirement, the SUV/crossover sector has become the dominant segment of the automotive market. Nearly all manufacturers—even exotics like Lamborghini and Bentley—offer SUVs in their line-ups. In fact, Ford has largely discontinued passenger vehicles (except the Mustang) in fav

Read more less

Information Design Workbook, Revised and Updated takes a methodical, comprehensive, approach to conveying the fundamentals of effective, innovative information design. With loads of new case studies demonstrating the latest approaches, you'll learn about the history, theory, criticism, technology and media, process, method, and practice of information design as well as learn how to create visually compelling and meaningful graphics. Opening with a brief history followed by an instructive breakdown of the discipline, get an intimate understanding of the complexities of crafting information designto effectively improve communication both functionally and aesthetically. You'll learn every aspect of the discovery process, including how to work within your client's business structure, create a project timeline, identify and prioritize possible audiences, construct a creative brief, and explore personas (user profiles) and scenarios. Then, explore best practices and get practical tips on creating planning documents and testing your design. An overview of key design principles—including color, type styling, structure, and graphic elements—shows you how to apply these basic tools to develop powerful information design solutions. A wide range of case studies from premier design firms around the world illustrate how all the complex considerations and techniques outlined in the first half of the book come into play. The author critiques and explains why each design is successful in terms of formal quality (Aesthetics) and function (How does it improve communication?). The case studies include cutting edge examples of printed matter, information graphics, interactive experiences, environmental design, as well as experimental projects. Using these principles and methods as a foundation and the real-world examples as a springboard, you can learn to execute well-crafted, functional, and aesthetically beautiful information design.

Read more less

An innovative look at the creation of Leonardo’s The Virgin of the Rocks This concise but innovative book, published to accompany an immersive digital exhibition at the National Gallery, London, focuses on a single Leonardo painting, and one of the artist’s most celebrated: The Virgin of the Rocks. The quarter-century process of its creation is described, while a technical study shows how the latest scanning technology has been used by the National Gallery to explore beneath the surface of the picture, resulting in new insights into Leonardo’s approach, optical theories, and painting technique. Illustrated with details of the painting, technical images, drawings, and comparative works, this volume combines the expertise of curators, conservators, and scientists in order to introduce readers to a fresh perspective on one of history’s most extraordinary minds.Published by National Gallery Company/Distributed by Yale University PressExhibition Schedule:National Gallery, London (November 9, 2019–January 12, 2020)

Read more less

Derived from the definitive guide to medical toxicology, this hands-on companion provides accurate information for diagnosing and treating poisoned patients on the spotAfter more than a decade on the market, Goldfrank’s Toxicologic Emergencies has established itself as the go-to reference for medical toxicology—and this companion manual distills the most important information into a portable, easy-to-navigate resource.Goldfrank’s Manual of Toxicologic Emergencies distills critical information into short summaries and synopses, so you can use it to treat patients in clinical settings or for quick review of critical topics. Fully updated to ensure all information is completely current, this new edition is filled with tables, figures, images, and other visuals to make finding the right answers quick and easy. Each chapter is a direct distillation of the corresponding chapter in Goldfrank’s Toxicologic Emergencies.Whether you’re a medical toxicologist, pharmacist, physician, nurse practitioner, or student, Goldfrank’s Manual of Toxicologic Emergencies provides all the right answers where and when you need them.Covers the full range of xenobiotics: Includes pharmaceuticals, recreational drugs, and substances of abuse; food and plant toxins; envenomations; household toxins; pesticides and herbicides; rodenticides; metals; poison gases; and environmental toxins Systematically reviews toxicokinetics, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, diagnostic testing, and management for each xenobiotic Provides "Antidotes in Brief"—at-a-glance guides to specific antidotes and their primary applications Authoritative answers at your fingertips: How to manage the poisoned or overdosed patient What techniques effectively eliminate toxins Which imaging modalities yield the best results

Read more less

A sophisticated, original introduction to the philosophy of mathematics from one of its leading thinkersMathematics is a model of precision and objectivity, but it appears distinct from the empirical sciences because it seems to deliver nonexperiential knowledge of a nonphysical reality of numbers, sets, and functions. How can these two aspects of mathematics be reconciled? This concise book provides a systematic, accessible introduction to the field that is trying to answer that question: the philosophy of mathematics. Øystein Linnebo, one of the world's leading scholars on the subject, introduces all of the classical approaches to the field as well as more specialized issues, including mathematical intuition, potential infinity, and the search for new mathematical axioms. Sophisticated but clear and approachable, this is an essential book for all students and teachers of philosophy and of mathematics.

Read more less

'Odets's warm and lyrical voice, his inspiring picture of how imaginative gay life can be, has sent me queuing for the couch.' Evening Standard'A gay man could read this book as if his life depended on it - and perhaps it does' Andrew Holleran, author of Dancer from the DanceEven in our modern progressive world, it's not easy to be a gay man. While young men often come out more readily, even those from the most liberal of backgrounds still struggle to accept themselves and experience stigma, shame and difficulties with intimate relationships. They also suffer from ongoing trauma wrought by the AIDS epidemic, something that is all too often relegated to history.Drawing on a lifetime's work as a clinical psychologist, Walt Odets uses the stories of his patients as well as those of his own deep relationships with other gay men to illuminate how these difficulties may be overcome. From a 74-year-old who only felt able to come out after his wife had died, to the boy raised in a strict religious family who worked his way to San Francisco, to the middle-aged defence lawyer who left everything behind to embrace a new life, the experiences here explore everything from grief to survival, childhood pain to the definition of gay itself. Out of the Shadows shows us how a new way forward is possible through learning to accept ourselves and others as they are, and independently inventing our own lives.

Read more less

Until now, little was known of John Wyndham. Despite his popularity, his obsessive need for privacy led to him being known as "the invisible man of science fiction". He redefined the genre with dystopian classics The Day of the Triffids and The Midwich Cuckoos. In Hidden Wyndham, Amy Binns reveals the woman who was the inspiration for his strong-minded heroines. Their secret love affair sustained this gentle and desperately shy man through failure, war, and, ultimately, success. Hidden Wyndham shows how Wyndham's own disturbing war experiences - witnessing the destruction of London in the Blitz then as part of the invading British army in France and Germany - inspired and underlay his dystopian masterpieces. It provides an insight into the lives of men and women who refused to live by the oppressive rules of society in the mid-20th century. Many extracts from his letters are included, along with his own photographs. "Put your hand on your heart sometimes, my lovely, and tell yourself that it is mine. An era had shut up its houses and gone away, perhaps forever. But we had that little much longer. How cruel the macrocosm, sweet, but how sweet the microcosm. Oh, my darling."

Read more less

An urgent manifesto for re-defining human potential in our turbulent times, from the bestselling author of The Element 'As we face an increasingly febrile future, the answer is not to do better what we've done before. We have to do something else . . . We must urgently re-imagine education and schools' Imagination and creativity are at the root of every uniquely human achievement and those achievements have brought us to this present moment. As we reckon with the extractive practices that have depleted our natural resources and threaten our survival as a species, Sir Ken Robinson argues that we must also find a better way of cultivating human potential in order to navigate our uncertain future. This incisive book distills the thought and expertise that underpinned Sir Ken's influential work as educator, speaker and adviser; grounded in his unwavering belief in the indispensable value of human potential. Imagine If . . . reframes the ongoing debate in a compelling new way, bringing fresh inspiration and much-needed clarity, and sets out the blueprint for creating new systems of education that are based on diversity, creativity and collaboration.

Read more less

Scandinavian Knitwear encourages the knitter to take inspiration from the brightly coloured and textured designs of the traditional knits and the invigorating landscape of the Nordic region to design your own 'Scandi knits' and create unique designs using traditional techniques. The author takes you through the process of formulating ideas, learning about colour, absorbing the local history and finally creating a piece of knitting that has all the flavours of this fascinating region. With full chapters on Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the Faroe Islands, coverage includes the history of knitting and its development in Scandinavia; explanations of various techniques, such as accurate measuring, stranded colourwork and grafting; a full explanation of colour theory; a 'Stitch Dictionary' of patterns and motifs, with charts that can be modified to suit the skill and style of the knitter and finally, a chapter of schematics with advice on design development and sizing options. Nineteen complete, original patterns for garments, accessories, and homeware are also given.

Read more less

A radical new business book from business trailblazers Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson that offers a reappraisal of business best practice - advocating stripping everything back to bare essentials. With its straightforward language and easy-is-better approach, Rework is the perfect playbook for anyone who's ever dreamed of doing it on their own. It will COMPLETELY change your approach to work.Every once in a while, a book comes out that changes just about everything. This is one of those books. Ignore it at your peril' -- Seth Godin, New York Times bestselling author'Inspirational...REWORK is a minimalist manifesto that's profoundly practical. In a world where we all keep getting asked to do more with less, the authors show us how to do less and create more' -- Scott Rosenberg, Co-Founder of Salon.com'Filled with excellent plain English advice, it's one of the best books out there for business productivity' -- ***** Reader review'Every word is well-crafted, well-chosen, and easy to both digest and engage with' -- ***** Reader review'Thought-provoking and truthful' -- ***** Reader review'A must-read for today's managers' -- ***** Reader review**********************************************************************************************From the founders of the trailblazing software company 37signals, here is a different kind of business book - one that explores a new reality.Today, anyone can be in business. Tools that used to be out of reach are now easily accessible. Technology that cost thousands is now just a few pounds or even free. Stuff that was impossible just a few years ago is now simple.That means anyone can start a business. And you can do it without working miserable 80-hour weeks or depleting your life savings. You can start it on the side while your day job provides all the cash flow you need. Forget about business plans, meetings, office space - you don't need them. The key is stripping everything back to the bare minimum and basics and then rebuilding; keeping everything simple and under control. You'll learn how to begin, why you need less than you think, when to launch, how to promote and whom (and when) to hire.Hardcore entrepreneurs, small-business owners, people stuck in day jobs who want to get out, and artists who don't want to starve anymore will all find valuable inspiration and guidance in these pages.It's time to rework work.Perfect for readers of Tim Ferriss's The 4 Hour Work Week, Seth Godin's Purple Cow and Chris Anderson's The Long Tail.

Read more less

Everyone needs a little more disco: more fun, more swagger, more glamour, more joy! The spirit of disco is vibrant, flamboyant, and carefree. Disco drinks have begun to take centre stage on the global bar scene since the world started opening up again in 2021. And their joyous strut continues as the trend ascends. Think good times in a glass: neon-green Midori Sour, disco queen Rainbow Over Paradise, showstopping Blue Hawaii, and decadent Pink Squirrel. Mixing drinks at home has never been more popular, but the cocktail world can sometimes seem too serious: fixated on exclusive liquors, perfectly crafted ice, and the exact right stemware. Cocktail aficionados wanting to abandon the rules and enjoy drinks with the emphasis on pure fun and being fabulously good-looking will find their perfect serve in Disco Drinks. Inspired by the 1970’s party spirit and tuning into the post-pandemic bar trend for playful, rainbow-bright cocktails and fruity flavours, this book is dedicated to the pure joy of cocktails. It’s an irreverent collection of old favourites and modern classics that will put a smile on the face of even the sternest mixologist. Discover the best layering techniques; how to create fruit fans, ribbons, and twists; and expert tips on flaming garnishes and perfect pizzazz. Suitable for beginners looking for crowd-pleasing drinks, as well as expert hands in need of inspiration, this easy-to-follow guide will have you shaking and stirring and understanding the value of a strategic sprinkle of glitter.

Read more less

This is a comprehensive history of a legendarily proud and passionate but lonely people. Much of Europe once knew them as 'child-devouring cannibals' and 'bloodthirsty Huns', but it was not long before the Hungarians became steadfast defenders of Christendom and fought heroic freedom struggles against the Tartars, the Turks and, among others, the Russians. Paul Lendvai tells how, despite a string of catastrophes and their linguistic and cultural isolation, the Hungarians have survived as a nation-state for more than 1,000 years. He traces Hungarian politics, culture, economics and emotions, from the Magyars' dramatic entry into the Carpathian Basin in 896 to the brink of the post-Cold War era. Lendvai brings to life the short-lived revolutionary triumphs of 1848-9 and 1918-19; the traumatic Treaty of Trianon (1920) which deprived Hungary of Transylvania and other historic Magyar lands; and the successive Nazi and Communist tyrannies. These are among the episodes that have formed the consciousness of the Hungarian people. Through anecdotes of heroes and traitors, victors and victims, geniuses and impostors, Lendvai conveys the multifaceted interplay of progressivism and economic modernisation, versus intolerance and narrow-minded nationalism, on the grand stage of Hungarian history. This work is a blend of narrative, irony and humour; of occasional anger without taboos or prejudices. It also offers an authoritative key to understanding how and why this corner of Europe has produced such a galaxy of great scientists, artists and entrepreneurs.

Read more less

A contemporary of Handel and Bach, Scarlatti is best remembered now for his 555 keyboard sonatas. Distinctive and playful, the sonatas are testament to Scarlatti’s great skill and show the influence of his time spent as a composer in Spain, Italy and Portugal. Featuring over twenty pieces by the Baroque composer, Domenico Scarlatti: Sheet Music for Piano gathers some of his best works and are suitable for a range of abilities. With difficulty levels indicated and fingerings clearly marked, these books are designed for easy reading and are the ideal resource of any piano or keyboard player.

Read more less

@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }Microsoft Powerpoint (2020 Edition) Made Easy will help you unlock the potential of this dynamic presentation tool. With step-by-step guides on how to use templates, add slide transitions and insert graphics and videos, you will soon be able to create high-quality multi-media presentations. From professional presentations to showing off your holiday snaps, this practical guide tells you all you need to know to get the most out of this handy piece of software.

Read more less

This beautiful book, packed with stunning photographs, will take you on a pictorial journey through Alaska’s most magnificent landscapes. From the arctic north, with its glittering sea ice, frozen tundra and ethereal aurora borealis, to the lush rainforests and breathtaking fjordlands of the south, this is a country as diverse as it is immense. Take in the wild majesty of Denali National Park and its towering peaks, marvel at the blue-white glaciers of Glacier Bay and the untamed rivers of Alaska’s pristine Interior. Encounter the wind-battered coastlines of the Aleutian Islands, and the sheltered bays of the Kodiak Archipelago; embrace frontier spirit along its highways, railways and winding hiking trails. Uncover Alaska’s intriguing history through its onion-domed churches, Native villages, remote settlements and abandoned boomtowns. And if that was not enough, experience close encounters with some impressive Alaskan residents, including humpback whales, bears, caribou, moose, puffins, seals and more. Exploring sights both familiar and unexpected, natural and man-made, new and old, Best-kept Secrets of Alaska will introduce you to one of the most awe-inspiring places on earth.

Read more less

Life and work of the artist and style icon Frida Kahlo in a compact overview. Frida Kahlo has become an icon of art with her powerfully expressive work. Her pictures not only reflect a view of herself, her fears, the biography of her illness, her passions and her joie de vivre; they also take up subjects which were regarded by society as taboo. As a pioneer of the feminist movement, this Mexican artist serves women the world over as a figure of identification. Pride and strength, vulnerability and bitterness all lie close to each other in Frida Kahlo’s art. Her self-portraits, which make up the principal part of her work, not infrequently show a charismatic woman dressed in traditional Tehuana costume, which the artist wore as a visible sign of her culture and her Mexican roots, but also to hide her wounds. Kahlo’s biography had a direct influence on her subjects: her not uncomplicated marriage to the artist Diego Rivera, her tragic accident, and her childlessness, loneliness and grief.

Read more less

Someone fails to shake your outstretched hand, puts you down in front of others, or makes a joke in poor taste. Should we take offence? Wouldn't it be better if we didn't? In the face of popular criticism of people taking offence too easily, and the social problems that creates, Emily McTernan defends taking offence as often morally appropriate and socially valuable. Within societies marred by inequality, taking offence can resist the day-to-day patterning of social hierarchies. This book defends the significance of details of our social interactions. Cumulatively, small acts, and the social norms underlying these, can express and reinforce social hierarchies. But by taking offence, we mark an act as an affront to our social standing. We also often communicate our rejection of that affront to others. At times, taking offence can be a way to renegotiate the shared social norms around what counts as respectful treatment. Rather than a mere expression of hurt feelings then, to take offence can be to stand up for one's standing. When taken by those deemed to have less social standing, to take offence can be a direct act of insubordination against a social hierarchy. Taking offence can resist everyday inequalities. In unequal societies, the inclination to take offence at the right things, and to the right degree, may even be a civic virtue. These right things at which to take offence include many of the very instances that the opponents of a culture of taking offence find most objectionable: apparently trivial and small-scale details of our social interactions.

Read more less

The wife of King Henry I and the mother of the Empress Maud is a woman and a Queen forgotten to history. She is frequently conflated with her daughter or her mother-in-law. She was born the daughter of the King of Scotland and an Anglo-Saxon princess. Her name was Edith, but her name was changed to Matilda at the time of her marriage. The Queen who united the line of William the Conqueror with the House of Wessex lived during an age marked by transition and turbulence. She married Henry in the first year of the 12th century and for the eighteen years of her rule aided him in reforming the administrative and legal system due to her knowledge of languages and legal tradition. Together she and her husband founded a series of churches and arranged a marriage for their daughter to the Holy Roman Emperor. Matilda was a woman of letters to corresponded with Kings, Popes, and prelates, and was respected by them all. Matilda's greatest legacy was continuity: she united two dynasties and gave the Angevin Kings the legitimacy they needed so much. It was through her that the Empress Matilda and Henry II were able to claim the throne. She was the progenitor of the Plantagenet Kings, but the war and conflict which followed the death of her son William led to a negative stereotyping by Medieval Chroniclers. Although they saw her as pious, they said she was a runaway nun and her marriage to Henry was cursed. This book provides a much-needed re-evaluation of Edith/Matilda's role and place in the history of the Queens of England.

Read more less

There is no doubt that Rome developed one of the most efficient and successful military systems of the ancient world. The famous legions conquered from the Atlantic to the Euphrates, from the Scottish Highlands to the sands of the Sahara, defeating all manner of enemies. Although their victories were many, they were never invincible and did suffer significant defeats. Ian Hughes looks at thirteen such occasions, narrating the course of the fighting (in as much detail as the sources allow), describing the forces involved, the strategy and tactics employed and the reasons for the Roman defeat. The chosen battles span the centuries, from the disastrous battle against invading Celts at the Allia River in (387 or 386 BC) to the naval defeat by the Vandals off Cap Bon in AD 468\. They are selected either for the magnitude of the tactical defeat or the political and strategic significance of the outcome. Apart from the inherent interest in the individual battles, this study offers a survey of the development of the Roman forces evolving to survive.

Read more less

In the wide realm of Shakespeare worship, the house in Stratford-upon-Avon where William Shakespeare was born in 1564 – known colloquially as the ‘Birthplace’ – remains the chief shrine. It’s not as romantic as Anne Hathaway’s thatched cottage, it’s not where he wrote any of his plays, and there’s nothing inside the house that once belonged to Shakespeare himself. So why, for centuries, have people kept turning up on the doorstep? Richard Schoch answers that question by examining the history of the Birthplace and by exploring how its changing fortunes over four centuries perfectly mirror the changing attitudes toward Shakespeare himself. Based on original research in the archives of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon and the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, and featuring two black and white illustrated plate sections which draw on the wide array of material available at the Folger Shakespeare Library and the Victoria and Albert Museum, this book traces the history of Shakespeare’s birthplace over four centuries. Beginning in the 1560s, when Shakespeare was born there, it ends in the 1890s, when the house was rescued from private purchase and turned into the Shakespeare monument that it remains today.

Read more less

Democracy was born in Athens. From its founding myths to its golden age and its chaotic downfall, it's rich with lessons for our own times. Why did vital civil engagement and fair debate descend into paralysis and populism? Can we compare Creon to Trump, Demokratia to the American Constitution or Demosthenes' On the Crown to the Brexit campaign? And how did a second referenda save the Athenians from a bloodthirsty decision? With verve and acuity, the heroics and the critics of Athenian democracy are brought to bear on today's politics, revealing in all its glories and its flaws the system that still survives to execute the power of the people.

Read more less

"Utterly gripping, timely and shocking" PHILIPPE SANDS"Magnificent and heartbreaking" Washington Post"Compelling and disturbing . . . quietly devastating" DAMON GALGUT"This is a book of profound importance . . . A masterpiece" ALEXANDER McCALL SMITHSHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA ALCS GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION"A vintage crime story . . . an extraordinary tale . . . It is written as a drama, part thriller, part tragedy" ALEC RUSSELL, Financial Times"A smartly paced true-crime thriller with a vivid cast of characters . . . as tense as it is disturbing" JOHN CARLIN, author of Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Made a NationTwo dead men. Forty suspects. The trial that broke a small South African town "Look what the fucking dogs did to them, someone muttered. No-one mentioned the rope, or the monkey-wrench, or the gun, or the knife, or the stick, or the whip, or the blood-stained boots. In fact, no-one said much at all. It seemed simpler that way. There was no sense in pointing fingers.'"At dusk, on a warm evening in 2016, a group of forty men gathered in the corner of a dusty field on a farm outside Parys in the Free State. Some were in fury. Others treated the whole thing as a joke - a game. The events of the next two hours would come to haunt them all. They would rip families apart, prompt suicide attempts, breakdowns, divorce, bankruptcy, threats of violent revenge and acts of unforgivable treachery. These Are Not Gentle People is the story of that night, and of what happened next. It's a courtroom drama, a profound exploration of collective guilt and individual justice, and a fast-paced literary thriller. Award-winning foreign correspondent and author Andrew Harding traces the impact of one moment of collective barbarism on a fragile community - exploding lies, cover-ups, political meddling and betrayals, and revealing the inner lives of those involved with extraordinary clarity. The book is also a mesmerising examination of a small town trying to cope with a trauma that threatens to tear it in two - as such, it is as much a journey into the heart of modern South Africa as it is a gripping tale of crime, punishment and redemption. When a whole community is on trial, who pays the price?

Read more less