Politics, Philosophy & Society Books

Book SynopsisYou left the doctor''s surgery before you could ask the things you really wanted to know.You''ve googled your question about dementia and had 75 answers, all contradicting each other.You asked your best friend - but they looked at you strangely.You have so many questions, but no idea where to start finding the answers. Here they are. In this book you''ll find the definitive, expert responses to all your FAQs: On Dementia. No question is too simple, too embarrassing, too rude or too offbeat to be included, and each one has been asked by thousands of people just like you.Will my partner stop loving me now they have dementia?Does my mum have to go into a home now?Is dementia a terminal illness?All these questions, and hundreds more, are covered in this short but powerful, helpful, practical guide to understanding the nature, and impact, of dementia. Read at your leisure, or dip in and out when you most need the support or to shine a

Read more less

Book Synopsis* A selection of debates discussing central issues in cognitive science. * The debates are written by renowned experts in the field. * The debates cover the middle ground as well as the extremes * Addresses topics such as the amount of innate knowledge, bounded rationality and the role of perception in action.Trade Review"Contemporary Debates in Cognitive Science is an excellent introduction to debates in the philosophy of cognitive science. Many of this volume's 18 previously unpublished papers also provide overviews of recent work by the authors, so this would also be a good choice for those who would like to keep up with the latest thinking of many leaders in the field." Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews "This is a remarkable volume. It’s an excellent text for upper division courses, and it also makes important original contributions to research on a number of “hot” topics in cognitive science." Stephen Stich, Rutgers University" "This is an impressive collection of papers by a very strong group of philosophers. Students of philosophy and cognitive science will find that this book afffords a valuable introduction to a range of problems that are both basic and important. Experts will find that the papers make new and significant contributions to living debates. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the nature of mind and in the prospects for scientific understanding of its nature." Alva Noë, University of Caifornia, BerkeleyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Notes on Contributors viii Preface xiii Just How Modular Is the Mind? 1 1 The Case for Massively Modular Models of Mind 3 Peter Carruthers 2 Is the Mind Really Modular? 22Jesse J. Prinz 3 Is the Human Mind Massively Modular? 37 Richard Samuels How Much Knowledge of Language Is Innate? 57 4 Irrational Nativist Exuberance 59 Barbara C. Scholz and Geoffrey K. Pullum 5 The Case for Linguistic Nativism 81 Robert J. Matthews 6 On the Innateness of Language 97James McGilvray Has Cognitive Science Shown That Human Beings Are Cognitively Bounded, Or Irrational? 113 7 Bounded and Rational 115Gerd Gigerenzer 8 Bounded Rationality and the Enlightenment Picture of Cognitive Virtue 134 David Matheson Are Rules and Representations Necessary To Explain Systematicity? 145 9 Cognition Needs Syntax but not Rules 147 Terence Horgan and John Tienson 10 Phenomena and Mechanisms: Putting the Symbolic, Connectionist, and Dynamical Systems Debate in Broader Perspective 159Adele Abrahamsen and William Bechtel Can Consciousness and Qualia Be Reduced? 187 11 Consciousness and Qualia Can Be Reduced 189William G. Lycan 12 Consciousness and Qualia Cannot Be Reduced 202Brie Gertler Does Cognitive Science Need External Content at All? 217 13 Locating Meaning in the Mind (Where It Belongs) 219Ray Jackendoff 14 The Intentional Inexistence of Language – But Not Cars 237 Georges Rey Is the Aim of Perception to Provide Accurate Representations? 257 15 Is the Aim of Perception to Provide Accurate Representations? 259 Kirk Ludwig 16 Is the Aim of Perception to Provide Accurate Representations? A Case for the “No” Side 275Christopher Viger Can Mental States, Knowledge in Particular, Be Divided Into a Narrow Component and a Broad Component? 289 17 Can Cognition be Factorized into Internal and External Components? 291 Timothy Williamson 18 The Internal and External Components of Cognition 307 Ralph Wedgwood Index 326

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE TOP 5 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERONE OF BARACK OBAMA''S BEST BOOKS OF 2019THE TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEARFINALIST FOR THE CUNDILL HISTORY PRIZE 2020LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2019A FINANCIAL TIMES, OBSERVER, DAILY TELEGRAPH, WALL STREET JOURNAL AND TIMES BOOK OF THE YEARDalrymple is a superb historian with a visceral understanding of India A book of beauty' Gerard DeGroot, The TimesIn August 1765 the East India Company defeated the young Mughal emperor and forced him to establish a new administration in his richest provinces. Run by English merchants who collected taxes using a ruthless private army, this new regime saw the East India Company transform itself from an international trading corporation into something much more unusual: an aggressive colonial power in the guise of a multinatTrade ReviewAn energetic pageturner that marches from the counting house on to the battlefield, exploding patriotic myths along the way -- Maya Jasanoff * Guardian *A tour de force ***** -- Anne de Courcy * Telegraph *Magnificent … The Anarchy explodes myths that have accreted around the history of the Company like barnacles on the hulls of its ships ... Dalrymple shines a forensic light on the knotty historical relationship between commercial and imperial power -- John McAleer * Evening Standard *Dalrymple has been at the forefront of the new wave of popular history, consistently producing work that engages with a wider audience through writerly craft, an emphasis on characters and their agency, evocative description of place and time, and the inclusion of long-neglected perspectives … The book’s real achievement is to take readers to an important and neglected period of British and south Asian history, and to make their trip their not just informative but colourful -- Jason Burke * Observer *Gloriously opulent … India is a sumptuous place. Telling its story properly demands lush language, not to mention sensitivity towards the country’s passionate complexity. Dalrymple is a superb historian with a visceral understanding of India … A book of beauty -- Gerard DeGroot * The Times *It is well-trodden territory but Dalrymple ... brings to it erudition, deep insight and an entertaining style * Financial Times *Combining extensive research, judicious analysis and an acceptable level of outrage, Dalrymple’s compelling account will cement his status as the most widely read British writer on India since Kipling … A brave and stirring narrative of India’s eighteenth-century fragmentation -- John Keay * Literary Review *[A] rampaging, brilliant, passionate history … Dalrymple gives us every sword-slash, every scam, every groan and battle cry. He has no rival as a narrative historian of the British in India … A gripping tale of bloodshed and deceit, of unimaginable opulence and intolerable starvation ... shot through with an unappeasable moral passion * Wall Street Journal *‘Masterful … Dalrymple has been for some years one of the most eloquent and assiduous chroniclers of Indian history. With this new work, he sounds a minatory note … Dalrymple has done a great service in not just writing an eminently readable history of eighteenth-century India, but in reflecting on how so much of it serves as a warning for our own time’ -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *A magnificently readable book, deeply researched and richly atmospheric, written with a historian’s understanding of power and a novelistic eye for detail ***** -- Francis Wheen * Mail on Sunday *A rip-roaring tale of wild adventure, amorality, feckless greed and despicable behaviour … His best history to date -- Louise Nicholson * Country Life *[Dalrymple] is a terrifically good storyteller. He makes the reader see how events unfold and observe the personalities up close. He is widely read both in the primary sources and the historical scholarship. As a result, The Anarchy is one of the best books on Indian history published in a long time * Times Literary Supplement *Deeply researched yet easy to read, this landmark history of the East India Company is unputdownable. This is pure narrative joy -- HWA Non-Fiction Crown JudgesProbably the best work of a quartet of books that Dalrymple has written focusing on Indian history... Beautifully written and generous in its details; well worth the time and effort * Which 50 *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen the heir to the Maharajah of Kashmir, met a woman called Maudie in London soon after the Armistice of 1918, he would end up writing a cheque for the equivalent of 14,000,000 - the biggest blackmail payment in history. Swindler Monty was behind the sting and his partner Rodolphe would later pull off another caper - buying the Enigma Code!

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis gorgeous collection of animal poems from Roger Stevens, Liz Brownlee and Sue Hardy-Dawson will entrance and delight in equal measure. Featuring a full alphabet of animals, birds, and insects, with the odd extinct or imaginary creature thrown in, these beautiful shape poems are a perfect way to introduce children to poetry. Some funny, some serious, there is something here for everyone.Book band: Dark BlueTrade ReviewAn array of wonderful creatures feature in this captivating series of alphabet shape poems. From dinosaurs that are too big to fit on the page to mosquitos that are coming to get you, there's something to inform and delight children of all ages in this beautifully produced book. * The Guardian's Best New Children's Books *This is an inspiring collection that really highlights how fascinating shape poems can be – and the imagination is your only limit when deciding how to set out your own poem. I love this book and hope it really enthuses children for poetry – it certainly deserves to. * Parents in Touch *Featuring a full alphabetical array from the extraordinary and the exotic to the extinct and the non-existent from well-liked and recognised poets Liz Brownlee, Sue Hardy-Dawson & Roger Stevens, this will amaze, amuse and appeal to classes throughout the primary school and have them eagerly wanting to write their own shape poems. * The Reader Teacher, @MrEPrimary *Apes to Zebras is eye-catchingly illustrated in bright colours with trailing, undulating text forming the shapes of the beasts. And as the poems are short and snappy, the book is ideal for sharing with EYFS children. * QA Nursery *This is a book that will set children off on their own explorations of how words and images can be interlinked. * Brian Moses, Welcome to the Ssssssnake Hotel Blog *Liz Brownlee, Sue Hardy-Dawson and Roger Stevens have created a truly memorable poetry book in 'Apes to Zebras'. They have selected almost laboratory like, perfect words with which to sculpt each animal focus into an image. Every subject is analysed, realised and almost eulogised in its own beautiful poem. * Bookwagon *There is a beautiful simplicity in the text of the poems that allows you to appreciate the usage of words as a clear illustrative form... A fabulous resource for both home and school with tips for experimenting with your own shape poems. Enjoy! * Philippa Rae, Kidscene *It has an immediate pleasure and impact and then the little details start to draw attention to themselves and my grin just gets wider and wider, marvelling at the sheer invention on display. And isn't this what a great reading experience should be like? I want to put them all up over my classroom! * The Book Blog, North Somerset Teachers' Book Award *This beautifully illustrated book provides a new take on shape poems – which describe an object and are shaped the same as the object they describe – playing around with their form to great effect. * The Teacher Magazine *Don't miss this book of shape or 'concrete' animal poems by this accomplished triumvirate of children's poets. It is a wonderfully inventive A-Z, both restrained and lively, where every letter has at least one animal 'shape' poem. * Children's Books Ireland *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWe are at a defining point in the history of news. Following a surge of fake news, clickbait and conspiracy theories, the 2020s have ushered in a welter of existential threats for public service broadcasting. So, where do we go from here? Former Today editor and head of BBC television news Roger Mosey thinks public service broadcasters must buck the trends and in this incisive book he offers twenty core ways in which the news can save itself by getting smarter, sharper, more diverse, more nuanced and less exposed to pummelling by politicians. Mosey sees two possible futures: one in which the incitements of populist demagogues and the passions of social media are ever dominant - or one where we fight hard to retain media that has an interest in the public good and preserves truth, fairness and evidence-based judgements. From one of British broadcasting's most experienced voices comes the definitive exploration of Britain's news output and what must change if we are to avoid a future of uninspiring news, uninformed decision-making and accountability-dodging politicians.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA powerful and urgent explanation and vindication of our human rights and freedomsOur human rights are endangered. After the devastation of World War Two the international community united to enshrine fundamental rights to refuge, health, education and living standards. They protected privacy, fair trials and free speech and outlawed torture, slavery and discrimination. Their goal was greater global justice, equality and peace. That settlement is now under attack from opponents on both left and right and populist and authoritarian movements worldwide. Simultaneously, we are threatened by war, inequality, new tech and climate catastrophe, crises human rights can help us address. In this urgent, powerful book, Shami Chakrabarti, demonstrates why human rights matter and why we need to secure further rights to deal with challenges of the present and future. Outlining the historic national and international struggles for human rights, from ancient Babylon to the present day, Chakrabarti is an indispensable guide to the law and logic underpinning human dignity and universal freedoms. This book equips supporters in the battle of ideas and will encourage doubters to think again. To believe in human rights is to believe in human beings. If they - and we - are to survive, these rights must be owned and understood by everyone.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJakarta, 2014. Hendra is ?Radikal'', a techno DJ at the top of his game. In his relentless pursuit of new highs, he likes to lose himself in music and drugs. But when a childhood trauma resurfaces, even his love for Jasmine cannot prevent him from falling into a self-destructive downward spiral. As he grapples with his inner demons and an Indonesia caught between tradition and modernity, Hendra is vulnerable to the extremist ideology that begins to infiltrate his world. No longer able to find solace in techno and ecstasy, he is presented with a new purpose in life and a focus for his pent-up rage: jihad.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisDavid Whyte''s Consolations use everyday words to present us with a prism through which to better understand ourselves and the lives we walk through. At the request of readers globally, Whyte returns with fifty-two short, elegant meditations on a single word ranging from ''Anxiety'' to ''Body'', ''Freedom'', ''Shame'' and ''Moon''. He embraces their nuances, amplitudes and depths, and, in doing so, confronts realities that many of us would spend a lifetime trying senselessly to avoid.In Consolations II, anxiety might be more mercifully understood as the preparation for being hurt, fixed beliefs are recognised as the very places where we do not wish to understand, guilt is a friend compassionately waiting for us to catch up and routine becomes a form of ritual and worship. Each piece in this life-affirming book is an invitation to slow down, shift our perspective and find comfort. In these pages, Whyte explores the full constellation of human experience.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow to Lose a Country is a warning to the world that populism and nationalism don''t march fully-formed into government; they creep.Award-winning author and journalist Ece Temelkuran identifies the early warning signs of this phenomenon, sprouting up across the world from Eastern Europe to South America, in order to arm the reader with the tools to recognise it and take action.Weaving memoir, history and clear-sighted argument, Temelkuran proposes alternative answers to the pressing - and too often paralysing - political questions of our time. How to Lose A Country is an exploration of the insidious ideas at the core of these movements and an urgent, eloquent defence of democracy. This 2024 edition includes a new foreword by the author.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFully updated throughout and with a new foreword for this edition.Why do most diets fail? Why does one person eat a certain meal and gain weight, while another eating the same meal loses pounds? Why, despite all the advice about what to eat, are we all still getting fatter?The answers are much more surprising - and fascinating - than we''ve been led to believe. The key to health and weight loss lies not in the latest fad diet, nor even in the simple mantra of ''eat less, exercise more'', but in the microbes already inside us. Drawing on the latest science and his own pioneering research, Professor Tim Spector demystifies the common misconceptions about fat, calories, vitamins and nutrients. Only by understanding what makes our own personal microbes tick can we overcome the confusion of modern nutrition, and achieve a healthy gut and a healthy body.Trade ReviewA fascinating and original look at the impact of food on our bodies underpinned by cutting-edge researchCompletely fascinating -- Sheila DillonThe Diet Myth is fascinating, and I'm now obsessed with microbes!Ground-breaking -- Bee WilsonI don't read diet books and I certainly never plug them, but The Diet Myth is a worthy exception that provides new insight into why we should think twice about what we put in our mouths * THE TIMES *It's not often that a book changes my life in a mere three chapters...given my usual reluctance to jump on any nutritional bandwagon, I reckon this makes Tim Spector's work a rather compelling read. It's truly eye-opening stuff, and we owe it to ourselves and the 100 trillion friends inside our bodies to read this book * LITERARY REVIEW *He makes a brilliant case * EVENING STANDARD *Tim Spector carefully explains that we are NOT what we eat, but rather that our trillions of microbial inhabitants have a thing or two to say. Lucidly written, The Diet Myth provides a first-class education about the conjunction of our microbes and our healthA great book ... a lovely, easy, urbane read ... And it's very convincing. I'd advise anyone pondering a diet this season to read it first -- Alex Renton * The Food Programme, Book of the Year, BBC Radio 4 *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA landmark, incendiary collection from one of the leading essayists working today. Inspiring everyone from radical activists to Beyoncé Knowles, Rebecca Solnit's essay 'Men Explain Things to Me' has become a touchstone of the feminist movement and established her as one of the leading thinkers of our time. Here it is collected along with the best of Solnit's feminist writings. From French sex scandals to the nuclear family, rape culture to mansplaining, Virginia Woolf to colonialism, these essays are a fierce and incisive exploration of the issues that a patriarchal culture will not necessarily acknowledge as 'issues' at all. With grace, wit and energy, and in the most exquisite and inviting of prose, Rebecca Solnit proves herself a vital leading figure of the feminist movement and a radical, humane thinker. 'Solnit is a compelling writer with a glorious turn of phrase' Evening StandardTrade ReviewWhat has always impressed me in Solnit's writing is the simple cadence and timbre of a sentence, a paragraph, the way a whole essay lilts and skips. She is not one of the most important female essayists of her generation. She is one of the most important essayists of her generation. Incendiary, indignant, and true -- Stuart Kelly * Scotland on Sunday *[A] trenchant collection of essays... an eloquent reminder that we still have some way to go when it comes to speaking of the issues Solnit raises -- Erica Wagner * Financial Times *Stark and powerful prose... Solnit is a compelling writer with a glorious turn of phrase -- Rosamund Urwin * Evening Standard *[These essays] are the thin edge of a continuum that reaches from the opening anecdote to the rape and murder statistics that she deploys to such devastating effect. Solnit's book does what the best feminist writing does: it makes me angry. And it makes me believe we can, and we must, fight for change -- Caroline Criado-Perez, feminist activistExceptional... The feminist debate has once again exploded into the mainstream over the last few years, and this collection marks Solnit out as among the most thoughtful of many energetic writers leading it -- Jessica Abrahams * Prospect *Essays on feminism from the consistently wonderful author of The Faraway Nearby. Anything she writes is a must-read * Bookseller *Solnit is a brilliant essayist... A highly enjoyable and thought-provoking read -- Patrick Neale * Bookseller *A necessary read... Solnit writes powerfully * Flavourwire *Essential reading for anyone - feminist or not, male or female - who wants to fight for equality across all fronts * Gazette, Western Mail, Swindon Advertiser and Leicester Mercury *The essays fiercely confront crime against women... Solnit has a voice of fearless and provocative asperity; she launches a quiverful of aphoristic arrows -- Stevie Davies * Independent *A revolt championing the cause of women... [Solnit's] work feels both timeless and timely. She argues persuasively, is often funny and is articulate to a fault... [her] writing is its own victory and revolt. An incendiary, inquiring and important work -- Sinead Gleeson * Irish Times *Essential reading for anyone - feminist or not, male or female * Irish Examiner *The most clarifying, soothing and socially aware document I've read on the topic this year. Not to mention funny -- Lena Dunham 'Book of the year' * Wall Street Journal *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''A rare gift . . . The story he has to tell may be a thrilling one but not every historian could tell it so thrillingly.'' Financial Times''Magnificently rip-roaring history . . . Bursting with colour and excitement.'' Dominic SandbrookAs remarkable as Columbus and the conquistador expeditions, the history of Portuguese exploration is now almost forgotten. But Portugal''s navigators cracked the code of the Atlantic winds, launched the expedition of Vasco da Gama to India and beat the Spanish to the spice kingdoms of the East then set about creating the first long-range maritime empire. In an astonishing blitz of thirty years, a handful of visionary and utterly ruthless empire builders, with few resources but breathtaking ambition, attempted to seize the Indian Ocean, destroy Islam and take control of world trade.Conquerors is narrative history at its most vivid - an epic tale of navigation, trade and technology, money and religious zealotry

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A must read' - Esther Perel'My relationship bible' - Gabby Bernstein'Releases our capacity to be fully alive in relationships' - Bessel van der KolkMost loving relationships fail, not because of communication or empathy breakdown, but because we unknowingly burden our partner with the task of caring for disowned and unloved parts of ourselves, our 'internal family'.Building on the revolutionary Internal Family Systems model of therapy, Dr Richard Schwartz reveals how to reconnect and foster a healthy dialogue with your wise and compassionate 'Self' and your partner. You Are the One You've Been Waiting For will equip you with the essential tools needed to build trust and connection with the one you love.Trade Review'A must-read for anyone seeking a companion on the path toward self-compassion and love' * Esther Perel *'Releases our capacity to be fully alive in relationships' * Bessel van der Kolk, author of THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE *'The principles and methods shared in this book have offered me direct access to 'courageous love' and a greater connection to my husband than I ever felt possible.' * Gabby Bernstein, #1 New York Times bestselling author *'This profound and readable book provides clear guidelines for therapists and clients alike ... I enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone serious about improving relationships in the world today! * Terrence Real *'Dr. Richard Schwartz's work on Internal Family Systems, along with his latest book, You Are the One You've Been Waiting For, has profoundly changed my life ... Dr. Schwartz's book is the number one tool I recommend for people who are seeking to find greater compassion and love for themselves and others.' * Krista Williams *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this personal and practical guide to moral self-improvement and living a good life, the second-century philosopher Epictetus tackles questions of freedom and imprisonment, stubbornness and fear, family, friendship and love, and leaves an intriguing document of daily life in the classical world.GREAT IDEAS. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisUPDATED EDITIONA rousing and full-blooded account of the Spanish Civil War and the rise to prominence of General Franco.No modern conflict has inflamed the passions of both civilians and intellectuals as much as the Spanish Civil War of 193639. Burned into our collective historical consciousness, it not only prefigured the imminent Second World War but also ushered in a new and horrific form of warfare that would come to define the twentieth century. At the same time it echoed the revolutionary aspirations of millions of Europeans and Americans after the painful years of the Great Depression.In this authoritative history, Paul Preston vividly recounts the political ideals and military horrors of the Spanish Civil War including the controversial bombing of Guernica and tracks the emergence of General Franco's brutal but extraordinarily durable fascist dictatorship.Trade Review‘[Preston’s] economical style, together with a telling choice of quotes and mordant use of irony, serve his purpose admirably…it is founded upon a vast knowledge and will not easily be refuted.’ History Today ‘Not just a detailed description of events but a real interpretation of the causes and course of the war. By allowing the actors of the great Spanish drama to speak, he captures the dynamics of the civil war.’ La Stampa ‘Paul Preston’s book throws new, definitive light on the conflict.’ L’Unità

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the Author of WOMEN, RACE AND CLASS, this is a timely provocation that examines the concept of attaining freedom in light of our current world conflictsIn these newly collected essays, interviews and speeches, world-renowned activist and scholar Angela Y. Davis illuminates the connections between struggles against state violence and oppression throughout history and around the world.Reflecting on the importance of black feminism, intersectionality and prison abolitionism for today''s struggles, Davis discusses the legacies of previous liberation struggles, from the Black Freedom Movement to the South African anti-Apartheid movement. She highlights connections and analyses today''s struggles against state terror, from Ferguson to Palestine.Facing a world of outrageous injustice, Davis challenges us to imagine and build the movement for human liberation. And in doing so, she reminds us that ''Freedom is a constant struggle.''Trade ReviewAngela Davis new book made me think of what Dear Nelson Mandela kept reminding us, that we must be willing to embrace that long walk to freedom. Understanding what it takes to really be free, to have no fear, is the first and most important step one has to make before undertaking this journey. Angela is the living proof that this arduous challenge can also be an exhilarating and beautiful one -- Archbishop Desmond TutuIncisive, urgent, and comprehensive . . . These essays take us back in history to the founders of revolutionary and anti-racist struggle, but they also take us toward the possibility of ongoing intersectional solidarity and struggle. Angela Davis gathers in her lucid words our luminous history and the most promising future of freedom -- Judith ButlerWhether you've grown up with the courage and conscience of Angela Davis, or are discovering her for the first time, Freedom Is a Constant Struggle is a small book that will be a huge help in daily life and action . . . [Davis] exposes facts and makes connections, but also leads in the most important way by example -- Gloria Steinem

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThroughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization, and helped make us who we are.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisRADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK Economic thinking - about globalisation, climate change, immigration, austerity, automation and much more - in its most digestible formFor decades, a single free market philosophy has dominated global economics. But this is bland and unhealthy - like British food in the 1980s, when bestselling author and economist Ha-Joon Chang first arrived in the UK from South Korea. Just as eating a wide range of cuisines contributes to a more interesting and balanced diet, so too is it essential we listen to a variety of economic perspectives.In Edible Economics, Chang makes challenging economic ideas more palatable by plating them alongside stories about food from around the world. He uses histories behind familiar food items - where they come from, how they are cooked and consumed, what they mean to different cultures - to explore economic theory. For Chang, chocolate is a life-long addiction, but more exciting are the insights it offers into post-industrial knowledge economies; and while okra makes Southern gumbo heart-meltingly smooth, it also speaks of capitalism''s entangled relationship with freedom and unfreedom. Explaining everything from the hidden cost of care work to the misleading language of the free market as he cooks dishes like anchovy and egg toast, Gambas al Ajillo and Korean dotori mook, Ha-Joon Chang serves up an easy-to-digest feast of bold ideas.Myth-busting, witty and thought-provoking, Edible Economics shows that getting to grips with the economy is like learning a recipe: if we understand it, we can change it - and, with it, the world.Trade ReviewExcellent... Chang has been working hard at providing an alternative to neoliberalism for two decades... Now he's reached the summit of the profession -- Dan Davies * Guardian *Chang has a rare gift for explaining complex ideas... whether he is dealing with food or economics, Chang is a delightful writer -- Bee Wilson * Sunday Times *The only book I've ever read that made me laugh, salivate and re-evaluate my thoughts about economics - all at the same time. A funny, profound and appetising volume -- Brian EnoA brilliant riposte to the myth that policymakers can survive on plain neoliberal fare. Edible Economics is a moveable feast of alternative economic ideas wrapped up in witty stories about food from around the world. Ha-Joon Chang proves yet again that he is one of the most exciting economists at work today -- Owen JonesA fascinating stew of food, history and economics -- Tim SpectorHa-Joon Chang has done it again. His prose delights and nourishes in equal measure. Somehow he manages to smuggle an urgent discussion of the relevance of economics to our daily lives into stories about food and cooking that are charming, funny and sweet (but never sour). In taking on the economic establishment, Chang is like a teddy bear savaging a rottweiler -- David PillingHa-Joon Chang blends culinary facts and economic expertise in this rollicking guide... Chang infuses the survey with food-related trivia, covers an impressive swatch of economics, and concludes with a call that readers scrutinize, think imaginatively, and be open-minded in their quest for economic knowledge * Publishers Weekly *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''When silence or tricks of language contribute to maintaining an abuse that must be reformed or a suffering that can be relieved, then there is no other solution but to speak out''Written when execution by guillotine was still legal in France, Albert Camus'' devastating attack on the ''obscene exhibition'' of capital punishment remains one of the most powerful, persuasive arguments ever made against the death penalty.One of twenty new books in the bestselling Penguin Great Ideas series. This new selection showcases a diverse list of thinkers who have helped shape our world today, from anarchists to stoics, feminists to prophets, satirists to Zen Buddhists.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER - AND PERFECT GIFT FOR HISTORY BUFFS!''A master at setting the pulse racing'' Daily Mail''A fine feat of storytelling . . . will surely become the last word on the subject'' Telegraph_____________________________FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF SAS: ROGUE HEROESColditz Castle: a forbidding Gothic tower on a hill in Nazi Germany. You may have heard about the prisoners and their daring and desperate attempts to escape, but that''s only part of the real story.In Colditz: Prisoners of the Castle, bestselling historian Ben Macintyre takes us inside the walls of the most infamous prison in history to meet the real men behind the legends. Heroes and bullies, lovers and spies, captors and prisoners living cheek-by-jowl for years in a thrilling game of cat and mouse - and all determined to escape by any means necessary.Deeply researched and full of incredible stories, this is a tale of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances - and will change how you think about Colditz forever._____________________________''Like watching a black-and-white photograph being colourised'' Spectator''Every Ben Macintyre book is a treat'' The TabletSunday Times bestseller, November 2022Trade ReviewA fine feat of storytelling . . . will surely become the last word on the subject -- Patrick Bishop * Telegraph *Like watching a black-and-white photograph being colourised . . . rich in humour and quirky detail . . . another compelling narrative -- Clare Mulley * Spectator *Nuanced and gripping . . . told with sensitivity and insight, with an eye for telling detail -- Gerard DeGroot * The Times *Fascinating * The Sun *Every Ben Macintyre book is a treat -- Jane Thynne * The Tablet *Entertaining yet objective and often moving * Wall Street Journal *Macintyre's genius has long been to excavate the nuance, subtlety and ambiguity beneath the myths he explores . . . remarkable -- Matthew D'Ancona * Tortoise Media *Another fine history . . . His unerring eye for the telling detail that can illuminate a greater story is apparent in Colditz -- Ronan McGreevy * The Irish Times *Macintyre so seamlessly fuses so many different accounts that their compilation creates something more profound than a simple escape yarn: a biography of the prison itself and the world detainees built there -- Andrea Pitzer * Washington Post *Macintyre recreates the daring escape stories with punchy flair . . . a lively page-turner -- NJ McGarrigle * Independent.ie *My book of the year . . . a masterful history of Colditz. It's absurdly readable (and at times just absurd) as well as being informative, hilarious and deeply moving -- Geoff Dyer * LitHub *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis The AQA GCSE German Workbook is for question practice, and is the smart choice for those revising for a GCSE in German.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOur Revision Workbooks help you develop vital skills throughout their course in preparation for the exam

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewIn this surprising, accessible and often counterintuitive book Bregman explores some brilliant but simple ideas for making a better world -- Brian EnoThis is a Read Now book. Nothing dystopian about this one: a practical set of ideas for how the next generation can do better -- Jeanette WintersonIf you're bored with hackneyed debates, decades-old right-wing and left-wing clichés, you may enjoy the bold thinking, fresh ideas, lively prose, and evidence-based arguments in Utopia for Realists -- Steven Pinker, author of 'The Language Instinct'This is a book stuffed full of ideas, presented persuasively and pithily, but it is also just a part of the new zeitgeist – which is why it is one for today’s dreamers and tomorrow’s realists -- Danny Dorling * Times Higher Educational Supplement *Rutger Bregman is the most exciting radical thinker of my generation. If you read him and you aren’t thrilled, mentally expanded, and infused with hope, call for the undertaker - I suspect you’ve died. Oh - and did I mention he is a beautiful writer too? -- Johann Hari, Sunday Times bestselling-author of 'Lost Connections'Listen out for Rutger Bregman. He has a big future shaping the future -- Andrew Anthony * Observer *The Dutch wunderkind of new ideas * Guardian *An excellent read and full of well-told stories and details I didn’t know -- Tim Harford, author of The Undercover EconomistIf you’re fed up with moaning, you owe it to yourself to read this book * Evening Standard *If energy, enthusiasm and aphorism could make the world better, then Rutger Bregman’s book would do it ... The writing is powerful and fluent ... A boisterously good read * Independent *It’s a wonderful, well-written book, easily the crispest and least dry explanation of the research and history behind basic income as an idea I’ve seen in print. The sixth chapter, on the bizarre history of Richard Nixon’s 1970 plan for a negative income tax, is worth the price of admission alone * Vox *I was moved and convinced by Bregman saying we might not achieve Utopia but could find solace in working towards a fairer world ... This book is energetic, passionate and rigorously intelligent. His commonsensical ideas deserve to be gratefully welcomed -- Jake Kerridge * Sunday Express *You may not dream the same dreams as Bregman – but he invites you to take dreaming seriously. For that alone, this book is worth a read -- Will Hutton * Observer *Brilliant, comprehensive, truly enlightening, and eminently readable Obligatory reading for everyone worried about the wrongs of present-day society and wishing to contribute to their cure -- Zygmunt Bauman, Professor Emeritus of Leeds University and one of the world's most eminent social theoristsA wonderfully readable breath of fresh air, a window thrown open to a better future ... Bregman combines deep research with wit, challenging us to think anew about how we want to live and who we want to be. Required reading -- Philipp Blomm, author of 'The Vertigo Years'Superbly written, upbeat, insightful -- Philippe van Parijs, Harvard University professor and co-founder of the Basic Income Earth NetworkIf you'd like to see a fairer world but don't know how to get there, this book is for you. Bregman brilliantly shows how ideas commonly dismissed as utopian are eminently possible, indeed have almost happened -- Ben Rawlence, Ben Rawlence, author of 'City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World's Largest Refugee Camp'Bregman shows us we’ve been looking at the world inside out. Turned right way out we suddenly see fundamentally new ways forward. If we can get enough people to read this book, the world will start to become a better place -- Richard Wilkinson, co-author of The Spirit LevelA boisterously good read -- John Rentoul * Independent *Rutger Bregman makes a compelling case for Universal Basic Income with a wealth of data and rooted in a keen understanding of the political and intellectual history of capitalism. He shows the many ways in which human progress has turned a Utopia into a Eutopia – a positive future that we can achieve with the right policies -- Albert Wenger, entrepreneur and partner at Union Square Ventures, early backers of Twitter, Tumblr, Foursquare, Etsy and KickstarterThe impact of this book in the Netherlands has been huge. Not only did Rutger Bregman launch a highly successful and long-running debate in the media, he also inspired a movement across the country that is putting his ideas into practice. Now it’s time for the rest of the world -- Joris Luyendijk, author of Swimming with SharksI loved it … Bregman takes an idea you think sounds daft and does a brilliant job of persuading you it isn’t daft at all -- James Rebanks, author of 'The Shepherd’s Life'A wonderful call to utopian thinking around incomes and the workweek, and a welcome antidote to the pessimism surrounding robots taking our jobs -- Charles Kenny, senior fellow at the Center for Global Development and author of The Upside of DownA bold call for utopian thinking … Highly recommended! -- Nick Srnicek, co-author of Inventing the FutureA short, sharp big ideas book set to make waves * Sunday Express *Superbly written, upbeat, insightful -- Philippe van Parijs, Harvard University professor and co-founder of the Basic Income Earth NetworkUtopia for Realists is tipped to be a bestseller in English as it was in its original Dutch -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *Bregman writes with energy, verve and panache … Utopia for Realists will probably be a terrific hit -- Ian Martin * The Times *Bregman has many tightly-spun arguments, case studies, and statistics … He treats his topic with an accessible style and touch of humour * Western Mail *Bregman’s book is breezy, wide-ranging and littered with interesting examples and research. It has something of the flavour of Freakonomics * Sunday Times *Energetic, passionate and rigorously intelligent. His commonsensical ideas deserve to be gratefully welcomed * Sunday Express *A brilliantly written page-turner. It goes into serious depth, without ever feeling dense, as it weaves its way through the challenges we face and onto proposals for doing things differently -- Caroline Lucas * Independent *Fantastic… Bregman will help you raise your spirits and banish your Brexit blues * The National *The questions that Bregman poses must be addressed, and urgently * The New Scientist *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat can Roger Federer teach us about the secret of longevity? What do the All Blacks have in common with improvised jazz musicians? What can cognitive neuroscientists tell us about what happens to the brains of sportspeople when they perform?And why did Johan Cruyff believe that beauty was more important than winning? Matthew Syed, ''Sports Journalist of the Year 2016'', answers these questions and more in a fascinating, wide-ranging and provocative book about the mental game of sport. How do we become the best that we can be, as individuals, teams and as organisations? Sport, with its innate sense of drama, its competitive edge, its psychological pressures, its sense of morality and its illusive quest for perfection, provides the answers.

Read more less

Book SynopsisExam board: AQALevel: A-levelSubject: Design and TechnologyFirst teaching: September 2017First exams: Summer 2019Target success in AQA A Level Design and Technology (Product Design) with this proven formula for effective, structured revision. Key content coverage is combined with exam-style tasks and practical tips to create a revision guide that students can rely on to review, strengthen and test their knowledge.With My Revision Notes, every student can:- plan and manage a successful revision programme using the topic-by-topic planner- consolidate subject knowledge by working through clear and focused content coverage- test understanding and identify areas for improvement with regular 'Now Test Yourself' tasks and answers- improve exam technique through practice questions, expert tips and examples of typical mistakes to avoid- get exam ready with extra quick quizzes and answers to the practice questions available online.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEdward S. Herman is Professor of Finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Among his books are Corporate Control, Corporate Power; The Real Terror Network: Terrorism in Fact and Propaganda; Demonstration Elections: U. S.-Staged Elections in the Dominican Republic, Vietnam and El Salvador (with Frank Brodhead) and The Rise and Fall of the Bulgarian Connection (with Frank Brodhead).Noam Chomsky is Institute Professor in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston. A member of the American Academy of Science, he has published widely in both linguistics and current affairs. His previous books include At War with Asia, American Power and the New Mandarins, For Reasons of State, Peace in the Middle East?, Towards a New Cold War, Fateful Triangle: The U. S., Israel and the Palestinians, Pirates and Emperors, The Culture of Terrorism, and Necessary Illusions.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWouldn’t charity governance be so much easier if it wasn’t for all of your fellow trustees? Being knowledgeable and experienced as a trustee is important, but having the ability to interact effectively with your fellow board members, that is where good governance really starts. Get it wrong and, very quickly, you’ve got a battle on the board. Working in sustained harmony towards a common goal can be a tall order for many trustees. Debra Allcock Tyler’s approach to this challenging subject is characteristically engaging as she adopts a different ABBA tune as the theme for each chapter. Frank and with real-life examples firmly to the fore, she mixes leadership theory with practical advice delivered straight from the shoulder. It includes: • Understanding the trustee role • Working with fellow trustees and the CEO • Compliance and regulation • Dealing with information and understanding the money • The psychology of decision-making • Managing risk and handling crisis So, if you are a trustee or about to become one, you will benefit from the insights and hard-won wisdom distilled in this book. If you want to be the dancing queen (or king) of good governance and avoid a waterloo for your charity, then this book is for you.Trade Review‘Debra Allcock Tyler's new book on charity governance is like none other on the topic. The style is frank and down to earth. It has very useful good practice materials and concentrates on the all-important people issues that so easily lead to dysfunctional governance. A must for all charity trustees, especially more experienced ones.’ Lindsay Driscoll, Charity law and governance consultantTable of ContentsAbout the Directory of Social Change About the author Acknowledgements Foreword Introduction Chapter 1 One of us is crying: the challenges of trusteeship Chapter 2 What’s the name of the game? Knowing what you’re there for Chapter 3 Take a chance on me: working with your CEO Chapter 4 Gimme, gimme, gimme: managing the information Chapter 5 Super trouper: chairing the board Chapter 6 Knowing me, knowing you (ah-ha): working with fellow trustees Chapter 7 I do, I do, I do, I do, I do: compliance and regulation Chapter 8 Money, money, money: the essentials of finance Chapter 9 The winner takes it all: the psychology of decision-making Chapter 10 SOS: managing risk and dealing with crisis Chapter 11 Thank you for the music: tips from other trustees References and notes

Read more less

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

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Without any doubt, London is one of the best cities in the world for modern architecture. But it is also one of the biggest cities in the world, and it does not make a display of its best things. A visitor looking for new buildings in the City and the West End might well be justified in turning away with a shudder. Yet delightful things may be waiting for him in Lewisham or St. Albans.' Ian Nairn, from the 'Foreword' to Modern Buildings in London. As one of the few architectural critics to eschew purely aesthetic modes of analysis, Ian Nairn's timeless books on modern urban cities have been hailed as some of the most significant writing about contemporary Britain, while also being praised as alternative 'guidebooks' for curious travellers. First published in 1964, Modern Buildings in London celebrates the character of buildings that were immediately recognisable as 'modern' in 1964, many of which were not the part of the well-known landscape of London but instead were gems that Nairn stumbled across. Written 'by a layman for laymen', Nairn's take on modern design includes classic buildings such as the Barbican, the former BBC Television Centre and the Penguin Pool at Regent's Park Zoo as well as schools, old timber yards, ambulance stations, car parks and even care homes.Trade Review‘Like many Oldie readers, I have an in-built prejudice against modern architecture . . . Now I've read the [Modern Buildings in London], my cycle routes around London town have been greatly enriched. I now notice modern buildings and realise that some are great.’ -- Tom Hodgkinson * Oldie *'A timely reminder of both the changing nature of aesthetics, how buildings shape a neighbourhood while also being a reflection of the wants and needs and vision of the future purveyed at the time.’ * Camden New Journal *‘[An] utterly joyful book... Nairn’s descriptive writing is delicious and at times hilarious... Suffice it to say that after an extraordinary 60 years, Nairn’s passion for modern buildings in London has barely aged, and is a totally charming and informative narrative that entices you back to enjoy, all over again, your favourite MoMobuildings in London.' * Building Design *‘This book is something of a ‘ghost gazetteer’, but it’s not only a period curiosity, and manages to speak more broadly to the art of criticism itself as well as displaying Nairn’s idiosyncratic knack of recognizing sheep and goats in London’s post 1930s re-fit.’ * Times Literary Supplement *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'An astute and persuasive page-turner' OBSERVER'Powerful’ SUNDAY TIMES'I challenge any man to read this and still deny there's a problem'  NEW STATESMAN  _____________________________________________________ Too often, we blame women. For walking home alone at night. For not demanding a seat at the table. For not overcoming the odds that are stacked against them.    This distracts us from the real problem: the failings and biases of a society that was not built for women. In this explosive book, feminist writer and activist Laura Bates exposes the systemic prejudice at the heart of five of our key institutions.EducationPoliticsMediaPolicingCriminal justice Combining stories with shocking evidence, Fix the System, Not the Women is a blTrade Review‘Entertaining and informative. Its perfectly intelligent advice is in dire need of being put into practice. Get your daughters to read this, but only after your partners and sons have finished it’ -- Jo Brand'I inhaled this. It is INCREDIBLE. Absolute perfection' -- Joeli Brearley, founder of Pregnant Then Screwed'An astute and persuasive page-turner, a clear-sighted, compelling examination of injustice' * Observer *‘An urgent and important book. I read it with rage and anger at the injustices and inequalities, at how women are shamed and how they internalise this shame, and how they are held responsible for creating change rather than holding the systems and societal structures accountable for their oppression. But in the end, I read this with great optimism and hope. Because if we need to change this world, for us, and for our daughters, we have to fix the system. And this book is a blistering manifesto for this change' -- Dr Pragya Agarwal‘Powerful . . . a summary of the injustices women face — and the way that these interact with other forms of prejudice’ * Sunday Times *'I am in awe of Laura Bates and her ability to perfectly balance facts and her personal experiences, opinions and emotions. Her writing is nothing short of perfect' -- Sofie Hagen, author of Happy Fat‘Timely. Buy it for the men in your life’ * Press Association *'An almighty roar of a book' -- Terri White, author of Coming UndoneI challenge any man to read this book and still deny there’s a problem * New Statesman *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe exhilarating true story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel, and inspire a “wave of confidence and emancipation” for women in sports (Parade).By age twenty, at the height of the Jazz Age, Trudy Ederle was the most accomplished swimmer in the world.Trade Review“Great storytelling. . .Stout’s moving book recovers the exhilarating story of a young girl who found her true self out in the water and paved the way for women in sports today." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Glenn Stout brings the women’s sports pioneer back to life with an engaging, deeply researched account.” — Sports Illustrated "A great summer read." — New Yorker “Stout adeptly traces the history of swimming and Ederle’s significance in it. Whether recounting the origins of modern strokes or the geological formation of the English Channel, the author is comprehensive in his research. His blow-by-blow accounts of Ederle’s two attempts to cross from Cape Gris-Nez, France to Dover, England, demonstrate his engaging style… saturated with thrills and melodrama. A compelling account of a woman who, though long forgotten, changed the way the world viewed swimming.” — Kirkus Reviews "Young Woman and the Sea is the story of Gertrude Ederle’s epic swim across the English Channel interwoven with a sweeping and glimmering history of swimming. These were the good old days when open water swimmers were sex symbols, pioneers of the sport, and leaders of social change. For anyone who loves the water, or has a big dream—this is the book to read!" — Lynne Cox, author of Swimming to Antarctica and Grayson "Too often, looking at America through its sports, and vice versa, results in a distorted view of both of them. In Glenn Stout's account of Trudy Ederle and the English Channel, we have a clear and honest mirror. Young Woman and the Sea is a first-rate piece of social history, and a tale told, well, swimmingly." — Charles P. Pierce, author of Idiot America and Moving the Chains

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis daring book explores how and why women are radicalised into far-right movements online and offers advice for fighting back against this alarming trend. -- .

Read more less

Book SynopsisLondon's most notorious gangsters, in their own words . . .The Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller.The Kray twins were Britain's most notorious gangsters. Ruling London's underworld for more than a decade, as gang lords they were among the most powerful and feared men in the city. Photographed by David Bailey and even interviewed for television, they became celebrities in their own right and are infamous to this day.Ronnie and Reg's reign of terror ended on 8 March 1969 when they were sentenced to life with the recommendation that they serve at least thirty years. Ronnie ended his days in Broadmoor – his raging insanity only controlled by massive doses of drugs. Reg served almost three decades in some of Britain's toughest jails before being released on compassionate grounds in August 2000. He died of cancer eight months later.Compiled from a series of interviews with Fred Dinenage from behind prison walls, Our Story is the classic account that explodes the myths surrounding the Kray twins. In it, the twins set the record straight. In their own words they tell the full story of their brutal career of crime and their years behind bars.With an introduction from Fred Dinenage, this compelling, disturbing and highly readable book is the definitive story of two legendary criminals.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSam Freedman is a senior fellow at the Institute for Government and a senior adviser to Ark Schools. He writes about policy and politics for numerous outlets including the Financial Times, Sunday Times, Guardian and New Statesman. With his father, he runs Comment is Freed', Britain's most popular politics Substack. He has a following of over 140,000 on X.He has spent his career working in different policy-focused roles around Westminster, including as an adviser to the leader of the opposition and three years at the Department for Education as a senior policy adviser. Failed State is his first book.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSendhil Mullainathan, the ''most interesting young economist in the world'', and Eldar Shafir, the ''most brilliant psychologist'' of his generation, explain the hidden problem behind everything with ScarcityWhy can we never seem to keep on top of our workload, social diary or chores? Why does poverty persist around the world? Why do successful people do things at the last minute in a sudden rush of energy? Here, economist Sendhil Mullainathan and psychologist Eldar Shafir reveal that the hidden side behind all these problems is that they''re all about scarcity. Using the new science of scarcity, they explain why obesity is rampant; why people find it difficult to sleep when most sleep deprived; and why the lonely find it so hard to make friends. Scarcity will change the way you think about both the little everyday tasks and the big issues of global urgency.''Stars in their respective disciplines, and the combination is greater than the sum of its parts. Their project has a unique feel to it: it is the finest combination of heart and head that I have seen in our field'' - Daniel Kahneman, author of Thinking, Fast and Slow''Scarcity is a captivating book, overflowing with new ideas, fantastic stories, and simple suggestions that just might change the way you live'' - Steven D. Levitt, coauthor of Freakonomics''An ultimately humane and very welcome book'' - Oliver Burkeman, Guardian Sendhil Mullainathan is a Professor of Economics at Harvard, and a recipient of a MacArthur Foundation genius grant. He conducts research on development economics, behavioural economics, and corporate finance. He is Executive Director of Ideas 42, Institute of Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University.Eldar Shafir is William Stewart Tod Professor of Psychology and Public Affairs at Princeton University. Most of his work focuses on descriptive analyses of inference, judgment, and decision making, and on issues related to behavioural economics.Trade ReviewStars in their respective disciplines, and the combination is greater than the sum of its parts. Their project has a unique feel to it: it is the finest combination of heart and head that I have seen in our field -- Daniel Kahneman, author of 'Thinking, Fast and Slow'Scarcity is a captivating book, overflowing with new ideas, fantastic stories, and simple suggestions that just might change the way you live -- Steven D. Levitt, coauthor of 'Freakonomics'Here is a winning recipe. Take a behavioral economist and a cognitive psychologist, each a prominent leader in his field, and let their creative minds commingle. What you get is a highly original and easily readable book that is full of intriguing insights. What does a single mom trying to make partner at a major law firm have in common with a peasant who spends half her income on interest payments? The answer is scarcity. Read this book to learn the surprising ways in which scarcity affects us all -- Richard Thaler, co-author of 'Nudge'An ultimately humane and very welcome book -- Oliver Burkeman * Guardian *The book's unified theory of the scarcity mentality is novel in its scope and ambition * The Economist *A succinct, digestible and often delightfully witty introduction to an important new branch of economics -- Felix Martin * New Statesman *A pacey dissection of a potentially life-changing subject * Time Out *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBringing into harsh focus the daily struggle for existence in a Soviet gulag, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn''s One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich is translated by Ralph Parker in Penguin Modern Classics. This brutal, shattering glimpse of the fate of millions of Russians under Stalin shook Russia and shocked the world when it first appeared. Discover the importance of a piece of bread or an extra bowl of soup, the incredible luxury of a book, the ingenious possibilities of a nail, a piece of string or a single match in a world where survival is all. Here safety, warmth and food are the first objectives. Reading it, you enter a world of incarceration, brutality, hard manual labour and freezing cold - and participate in the struggle of men to survive both the terrible rigours of nature and the inhumanity of the system that defines their conditions of life.Though twice-decorated for his service at the front during the Second World War, Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn (1918-2008) was arrested in 1945 for making derogatory remarks about Stalin, and sent to a series of brutal Soviet labour camps in the Arctic Circle, where he remained for eight years. Released after Stalin''s death, he worked as a teacher, publishing his novel One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich with the approval of Nikita Khrushchev in 1962, to huge success. His 1967 novel Cancer Ward, as well as his magnum opus The Gulag Archipelago, were not as well-received by Soviet authorities, and not long after being awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1970, Solzhenitsyn was deported from the USSR. In 1994, after twenty years in exile, Solzhenitsyn made his long-awaited return to Russia.If you enjoyed One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, you might also like Yevgeny Zamyatin''s We, available in Penguin Classics.''It is a blow struck for human freedom all over the world ... and it is gloriously readable''Sunday Times

Read more less

Book Synopsis''A statistical national treasure'' Jeremy Vine, BBC Radio 2''Required reading for all politicians, journalists, medics and anyone who tries to influence people (or is influenced) by statistics. A tour de force'' Popular ScienceDo busier hospitals have higher survival rates? How many trees are there on the planet? Why do old men have big ears? David Spiegelhalter reveals the answers to these and many other questions - questions that can only be addressed using statistical science.Statistics has played a leading role in our scientific understanding of the world for centuries, yet we are all familiar with the way statistical claims can be sensationalised, particularly in the media. In the age of big data, as data science becomes established as a discipline, a basic grasp of statistical literacy is more important than ever. In The Art of Statistics, David Spiegelhalter guides the reader through the essential principles we need in order to derive knowledge from data. Drawing on real world problems to introduce conceptual issues, he shows us how statistics can help us determine the luckiest passenger on the Titanic, whether serial killer Harold Shipman could have been caught earlier, and if screening for ovarian cancer is beneficial. ''Shines a light on how we can use the ever-growing deluge of data to improve our understanding of the world'' NatureTrade ReviewDavid Spiegelhalter is probably the greatest living statistical communicator; more than that, he's one of the great communicators in any field. This marvellous book will transform your relationship with the numbers that swirl all around us. Read it and learn. -- Tim HarfordThere is something in here for everyone ... A call to arms for greater societal data literacy ... Spiegelhalter's work serves as a reminder that there are passionate, self-aware statisticians who can argue eloquently that their discipline is needed now more than ever. * Financial Times *Shines a light on how we can use the ever-growing deluge of data to improve our understanding of the world . . . The Art of Statistics will serve students well. And it will be a boon for journalists eager to use statistics responsibly - along with anyone who wants to approach research and its reportage with healthy scepticism. * Nature *What David Spiegelhalter does here is provide a very thorough introductory grounding in statistics without making use of mathematical formulae. And it's remarkable. Spiegelhalter is warm and encouraging - it's a genuinely enjoyable read ... This book should be required reading for all politicians, journalists, medics and anyone who tries to influence people (or is influenced) by statistics. A tour de force. * Popular Science *The Art of Statistics is in the great educational tradition of its publishing imprint, Pelican Books: an attempt to get everyone up to speed with the practical uses of statistics, without pages of terrifying equations or Greek letters. In a series of spry, airy chapters, he succeeds fabulously ... Lucid and readable. In an age of scientific clickbait, 'big data' and personalised medicine, this is a book that nearly everyone would benefit from reading. * Spectator *Important and comprehensive -- Hannah Fry * New Yorker *This is an excellent book. Spiegelhalter is great at explaining difficult ideas . . . Yes, statistics can be difficult. But much less difficult if you read this book. * Evening Standard *Like the fictional investigator Sherlock Holmes, Spiegelhalter takes readers on a trail to challenge methodology and stats thrown at us by the media and others. But where other authors have attempted this and failed, he is inventive and clever in picking the right examples that spark the reader's interest to become active on their own. * Engineering and Technology *Do you trust headlines telling you . . . that bacon, ham and sausages carry the same cancer risk as cigarettes? No, nor do I. That is why we need a book like this that explains how such implausible nonsense arises in the first place. Written by a master of the subject . . . this book tells us to examine our assumptions. Bravo. * Standpoint *

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this newly revised edition of Understanding Research in Early Education, Margaret Clark demonstrates the continuing relevance of research in the homes of young children and in preschool units. Through rigorous yet understandable language, the text stresses the importance of research, acknowledging how easy it can be, amidst the change and flood of documents on early education and care, to overlook the insights to be gained from past research. The author draws on her own studies, and those of others, to illustrate how to avoid common pitfalls, ask the right questions to inform students' research projects, and critically apply findings in the classroom or nursery. The book is one of the few texts for students to bring research alive, analysing key research to consider its limitations and the extent to which results are relevant to policy and practice. Without requiring any prior expertise in research and research methodologies, the third edition wTrade Review'This book not only helps students to review key early years studies past and present, but also helps them to think critically about how and why particular approaches are best suited to particular research. It is invaluable in helping students at all levels to become critical consumers and reflective contributors to early education research.' - Jane Payler, Professor, Open University.'Professor Clark continues to make a powerful contribution to our understanding of children`s learning. Her clear and rigorous exposition of research should influence policy as well as practice.' - Wendy Scott OBE, President, TACTYC.'The third edition of Professor Clark`s book highlights the obstacles to attempts to reconcile links among policy, research and practice, and raises some uncomfortable questions about the processes of dissemination, application and implementation of research findings.' - Carol Aubrey, Emeritus Professor, Warwick University. 'This new edition will be warmly welcomed by those interested in early years research. Professor Clark`s ability to articulate clearly the lessons to be learnt from research makes this book an ideal resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students.' - Louise Wormwell, Senior Lecturer, Primary and Early Years Education, Newman University.'Professor Clark has written an enabling and empowering book, of use to all practitioners who work with children. She highlights a range of approaches critical to our understanding of how research findings are reached and their potential strengths and limits in the development of policy and practice.' - Dr Morag M MacNeil, Previous joint lead evaluator within the Getting it Right for Every Child Development Team. 'In this informative and engaging book Professor Clark draws attention to relevant and important aspects of carrying out research in early childhood. As a student supervised by her for my own doctoral research I was fortunate to have benefitted from her rigorous and systematic approach to the challenges faced by student researchers.' - Dr Lone Hattingh, Senior Lecturer, Bath Spa University.Table of ContentsAbout the author Acknowledgments Preface 1. Introduction Part I Language and the homes of young children 2. The language of young children: the continuing relevance of the issues from the 1970s 3. Research evidence on language and the homes of young children: look back and looking forward Part II Research in preschool units: what lessons can we learn? 4. Researches in early education set in context 5. Studies of preschool education in Scotland: lessons from the past 6. Language and interaction in preschool units in England: looking back and looking forward Part III Continuity, communication and learning in early education 7. Research studies on transition and continuity in early education: lessons from the past 8. Communication in the early education of children from different ethnic backgrounds: part I of a DES-funded study 9. Reception classrooms as contexts for learning: part II of a DES-funded study 10. Baseline and readiness assessments of young children on starting primary school: where now? Part IV Two contrasting researches on learning to read: different aims so different designs 11. Reading and learning to read: setting the scene 12. Children wtih difficulties and young fluent readers: two contrasting research approaches 13. Better beginnings

Read more less

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

Read more less