Politics, Philosophy & Society Books

Book SynopsisA multi-faceted account of Egyptian economic development by nineteen internationally recognized authorities and the critical challenges the economy is likely to face in the next twenty yearsThe Egyptian Economy in the Twenty-first Century addresses the question of why Egypt, despite possessing a plethora of assets—such as a fertile agriculture, a strategic geographic location, oil and gas deposits, innumerable tourist sites, a labor force prized by regional countries, and a diaspora that remits large amounts of funds—has seldom performed to its economic potential during the last sixty years. Indeed, economic weakness created political weakness, and often exposed the country to foreign diktats. What should the country do to change this state of affairs?Nineteen internationally recognized authorities on the Egyptian economy discuss the critical challenges that the Egyptian economy is likely to face in the next two to three decades, challenges which must be overcome in order to improve the life of Egypt’s citizens and to protect the country from external pressures. Their analyses cover population and employment; development strategies; principal macroeconomic issues; development of a digital economy; fiscal and monetary matters; the external sector; poverty and income distribution; the enterprise structure; higher education; water availability; urbanization; institutional performance; and many others.Contributors:- Gouda Abdel Khalek, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt- Khaled M. Abu-Zeid, Regional Water Resources, CEDARE (Center for Environment and Development for the Arab Region and Europe), Cairo, Egypt.- Fatma El Ashmawy, World Bank.- Ragui Assaad, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA- Izak Atiyas, Economic Research Forum, Cairo, Egypt.- Marwa Biltagy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.- Lahcen Bounader, International Monetary Fund.- Ishac Diwan, École Normale Supérieure, Paris, France.- Ahmed Ghoneim, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.- Khalid Ikram, Washington DC, USA.- Karima Korayem, al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.- Heba el-Laithy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.- Noha el-Mikawy, Ford Foundation, Middle East and North Africa, Cairo, Egypt. - Mohamed Mohieddin, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt.- Heba Nassar, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.- Osman Mohamed Osman, Cairo, Egypt.- Noha Razek, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.- David Sims, Cairo, Egypt.- John Waterbury, Princeton, New Jersey.Trade Review"A collection of essays by many of the most distinguished social scientists working on Egypt today, this book provides a detailed and sobering picture of the country’s challenges after decades of negligent and inept economic management. . . . That said, no government of Egypt could ask for a better roadmap to a more hopeful future than the one outlined in these essays."—Foreign Affairs"[A] highly readable account of Egypt’s economic situation and approaches to the twin challenges of providing its citizens with a better life and minimizing its vulnerability to external pressures. After Ikram’s extensive introduction summarizing the volume, 14 chapters—nearly all by Egyptian academics—discuss a wide array of issues, from demographic trends to higher education, urbanization to street children, water challenges to natural gas, and fiscal and monetary policies. . . . Highly recommended. Undergraduates through faculty; professionals; general readers."—CHOICE“[This] book is a model of how to analyze a country's economic situation. It is rich in information and solid analysis, presented in a manner easily accessible by the general reader but well versed in economic theory.”—Middle East Quarterly"A tour de force! Ikram and Nassar have assembled leading experts on Egypt and have compiled a masterful collection of strongly analytic yet highly policy-relevant chapters on key aspects of the economy. Critical challenges are identified with acuity, and vital recommendations are offered to help steer future policies. An excellent contribution and a must read." —Danny Leipziger, George Washington University"This book brings together articles by well-known experts on the critical areas of the Egyptian economy, both its current situation, and the near term outlook. It not only addresses the challenges that the economy is currently encountering, but also provides the analytical framework that will be needed to assess and respond to the likely unforeseen economic effects of the possible structural shifts in the global economy in the period ahead. The book is an important contribution to understanding the evolving Egyptian political economy and helps establish a sound basis for formulating the needed policy reforms to achieve Egypt's medium term objectives."—Zubair Iqbal, Middle East Institute“This tour de force is a major contribution to development economics in times of unprecedented and accelerating change. The chapters in this book set out to explain why Egypt, despite its numerous physical and human assets, has so frequently underperformed its economic potential during the last sixty years. The way out is by abandoning the current zigzag of incoherent policies in favor of a human-resource-based strategy similar to that of the East Asian Tigers. The main message may be summed up in the words of Albert Einstein: 'We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.'”—Samir Radwan, Former Minister of Finance of EgyptTable of ContentsNote on ContributorsList of Figures and TablesPrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroductionKhalid IkramPart 1: The Human Factor1. Prospects for Egypt’s Population and Labor Force: 2000 to 2050Ragui Assaad2. The poverty trap: Why is it Persisting in Egypt?Osman Mohamed Osman and Heba El Laithy3. Urbanization in EgyptDavid Sims4. Street Children in Egypt: Principal Causes and Economic CostKarima Korayem5. Is Egypt’s Higher Education System Broken?John Waterbury6. Water Challenges and Recommended PoliciesKhaled Abu-ZeidPart 2: Development Strategies7. The “Trickle-down” Approach: Its Relevance to The Case of EgyptGouda Abdel-Khalek8. Human Resource Competitiveness and the Digital EconomyHeba Nassar and Marwa Biltagy9. The “Missing Middle” in Egypt’s Enterprises and Its Impact on Economic GrowthIzak Atiyas and Ishac DiwanPart 3: Drivers and Policy Instruments10. The External Sector: Performance and IssuesAhmed Ghoneim11. The Natural Gas Sector: Opportunities and ChallengesNoha H.A. Razek12. Fiscal Policies and IssuesFatma El Ashmawy13. Monetary Policy in Egypt: Medium- and Long-term ViewLahcen BounaderPart 4: Institutional Development14. Institutional Constraints and OpportunitiesNoha El-Mikawy and Mohamed Mohieddin

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Book SynopsisAs COVID-19 swept across the globe with merciless force, it was working people who kept the world from falling apart. Deemed “essential” by a system that has shown just how much it needs our labor but has no concern for our lives, workers sacrificed—and many were sacrificed—to keep us fed, to keep our shelves stocked, to keep our hospitals and transit running, to care for our loved ones, and so much more. But when we look back at this particular moment, when we try to write these days into history for ourselves and for future generations, whose voices will go on the record? Whose stories will be remembered? In late 2020 and early 2021, at what was then the height of the pandemic, Maximillian Alvarez conducted a series of intimate interviews with workers of all stripes, from all around the US—from Kyle, a sheet metal worker in Kentucky; to Mx. Pucks, a burlesque performer and producer in Seattle; to Nick, a gravedigger in New Jersey. As he does in his widely celebrated podcast, Working People, Alvarez spoke with them about their lives, their work, and their experiences living through a year when the world itself seemed to break apart. Those conversations, documented in these pages, are at times meandering, sometimes funny or philosophical, occasionally punctured by pain so deep that it hurts to read them. Filled with stories of struggle and strength, fear and loss, love and rage, The Work of Living is a deeply human history of one of the defining events of the 21st century told by the people who lived it.Trade Review“A magnificent scholar… [with] a powerful vision and a subtle analysis at the same time… So much to offer.”— Dr. Cornel West, Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice, Union Theological Seminary “Maximillian Alvarez doesn’t just report; he listens like an organizer, and pulls the fundamental challenges of humanity from the people he interviews so that it’s never just about storytelling or setting a narrative. It’s about finding what really binds us together in those struggles so that we can fight our way forward with real love and solidarity.”— Sara Nelson, International President, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA “Maximillian Alvarez is a once in a generation talent. Brandishing his pen like a Machetero brandishes a machete, he combines journalistic integrity and revolutionary fervor in a way that strikes right at the heart of the oppressor. His writing not only gives voice to the voiceless but paints their dreams and aspirations in a clear and vivid way, leaving the reader reborn and baptized in the historic global struggle for solidarity and justice.”— Kooper Caraway, President, South Dakota Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO“A stirring record of life in an emergency.”— Publishers WeeklyTable of ContentsPreface Nick GaluppoRebecca GarelliDuane “Chili” YazzieWilly SolisCourtney SmithKyle KillebrewZenei Triunfo-CortezRick “Redman” NormanAshley PowellMx. Pucks A’Plenty About the Author

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Book SynopsisFollowing a Macros dietary pattern is not a one-size-fits-all plan, but the Jewish Food Hero is here to help!Commonly referred to as “flexible dieting”—allowing you to eat real foods without really depriving your body—Macros dietary plans count the three most common nutrient categories, or macronutrients, that provide you with most of your energy: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. “Macro” is short for macronutrient, and Macros counting reveals where the calories you consume are coming from and how they affect your body.Kosher Macros is a cookbook like no other, with an array of kosher recipes that are aligned with the Macros diet and have flavor profiles inspired by favorite Jewish recipes. This cookbook will fill a void in that there are currently Macros Cookbooks available but these cookbooks are not appropriate for people who observe the Kosher laws because they include non-kosher foods and mix milk and meat in recipes. In addition, the flavor profiles do not necessarily appeal to Kosher eaters.Trade Review"Finally! [Jewish Food Hero] has created a kosher and common sense cookbook with dishes for every palate...you're going to want to test out every recipe!” —Daphne Lazar Price, executive director of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance

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Book SynopsisA first-ever English translation of a compelling work by a forerunner of modern Sephardi feminist literature. Raised in the Judería or Jewish quarter of Tetouan, Morocco, at the turn of the 20th-century, sixteen-year-old Mazaltob finds herself betrothed to José, an uncouth man from her own community who has returned from Argentina to take a wife. Mazaltob, however, is in love with Jean, who is French, half-Jewish, and a free spirit. In this classic of North African Jewish fiction, Blanche Bendahan evokes the two compelling forces tearing Mazaltob apart in her body and soul: her loyalty to the Judería and her powerful desire to follow her own voice and find true love. Bendahan's nuanced and moving novel is a masterly exploration of the language, religion, and quotidian customs constraining North African Jewish women on the cusp of emancipation and decolonization. Yaëlle Azagury and Frances Malino provide the first English translation of this modern coming-of-age tale, awarded a priz

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Book SynopsisIf you''re tired of agreeing to annoying asks and thankless tasks, read this book. The Power of Saying No offers the smartest advice I''ve ever encountered for declining requests without risking your reputation or your relationships. This essential guide will sharpen your mind and steel your spine to live life on your own terms. Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Power of Regret, Drive, and To Sell Is HumanStop saying yes. Start saying no. Change your life!You have probably said yes to bosses, partners, family, friends, and even strangers, when you actually want to say no. Maybe you wish you could say no more often, but you''re not sure how or if it''s even possible to do so. You''re not alone! We''re taught to say yes as often as we can. After all, if you say no, aren''t you likely to miss out on opportunities and sever important relationships? Isn''t saying no a harmony-buster?In T

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Book SynopsisThe third in the Girls Guide to the World series, Asian Girls are Going Places is a gift book with a difference: it features practical advice (and more) from author Michelle Law and her interviewees that specifically targets the joys, fears and obligations unique to Asian women travelling the world.Separated into chapters that deal with solo travel, family travel, the best places to celebrate Lunar New Year, where to find good Asian food around the globe, romance or relationships, safety and privilege, the sage and entertaining advice is all told through Michelle’s signature offbeat, comedic style, and accompanied by eye-popping illustrations and design.It’s a book that’s at once cool and collected, yet not afraid to take on the weird, funny and, at times, gross aspects of travel. But you don't need to have any concrete travel plans to get a lot out of this book. Each chapter includes anecdotes from Michelle, interviews with other experienced Asian female travellers, handy lists, stunning illustrations by Hong Kong artist Joey Leung Kay-yin, and comes with a page of beautiful stickers, making it either an impressive gift to be treasured at home or a luxurious ‘treat yourself’ item that can be read on the go.Asian Girls are Going Places is a handy, laugh-out-loud and deeply relatable travel companion for Asian women that will be at the top of their packing list.

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Book SynopsisThis up-close, captivating look at an iconic animal traces our complex relationship to bears throughout history—and what they can tell us about ourselves. On Being a Bear draws on history, legends, scientific studies, and the author’s thirty years of observing bears around the world to offer a richly detailed biography of these iconic animals, including the many ways bears have figured in our lives and imaginations. As author Rémy Marion tells us, some cultures view bears as our wild cousins—as humans cloaked in fur—while others cast bears as cuddly characters in cartoons or seek to eradicate their grizzled forms from civilization. Scientists have made new discoveries into bears’ varied diets, their powerful sense of smell, and a mother bear’s stubborn patience with her cubs. Bears play a vital role in our ecosystems, and new studies into bear hibernation could lead to medical breakthroughs for humans. Offering these and more astonishing insights, On Being a Bear brings readers face-to-face with these long admired, feared, and misunderstood animals, and sets the record straight through a combination of thrilling science and expert storytelling.Trade Review“[T]here’s plenty of entertaining biology and anthropology alike in these pages. Those with a fondness for our shaggy fellow mammals will enjoy Marion’s wanderings in the world of bears.” —Kirkus Reviews “Marion's obvious love for bears shines throughout this very readable primer on our ursine cousins.” —Booklist “[A] holistic look at brown bears, black bears and polar bears...a celebration of all things bear.” —Hollywood Soapbox “[On Being a Bear] delivers a precise and passionate account of the current state of bears wherever they live. It deserves a prominent place on the shelf of every serious lover of the ursus species.” —Bernd Brunner, author of Bears: A Brief History, Birdmania: A Remarkable Passion for Birds, and Winterlust:Finding Beauty in the Fiercest Season

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Book SynopsisAlthough motherhood writings are rich and emerging, the available literature on midlife motherhood and mothering is incomplete and often presented from a narrow perspective. Middle Grounds: Essays on Midlife Mothering fills this gap, widening the lens on a sociological phenomenon that is expanding in the twenty first century. It brings together scholarly and creative essays from diverse disciplines and cultural perspectives to reflect a more contemporary viewpoint — that motherhood and mothering is not limited by the stages of life or chronological age. It echoes distinct voices speaking about experiences that represent a global reality for midlife mothering practices. In essence, this collection demonstrates that everything can transpire in the middle period of a woman’s life. Thus, in midlife, we encounter a broad range of mothering experiences and practices, and ways of rep- resenting and expressing them.Trade Review“This powerful collection of essays explores the timely and important topic of mothering and midlife. One of the strengths of this collection is the variety of voices and genres, including scholarly chapters, personal reflections, and graphic narratives. Women today face professional responsibilities and caregiving pressures from multiple directions, and the chapters of Middle Grounds: Essays on Midlife Mothering offer scholars important insights and reassuring narratives to those working to reconcile competing demands. As the contributors poignantly demonstrate, mothering from the middle poses challenges as well as exciting possibilities.”—Abigail L. Palko, co-editor of Mothers, Mothering and Globalization and Cul- tural Representations of Breastfeeding // “Middle Grounds opens up the possibilities that so much transpires in the middle of mothering between joy, suffering, tensions and limits. In reading these authors from diverse perspectives and forms, we are beckoned to conscious mothering, as their tales dance us between light, shadow, dark and colours. This is a book that calls forth a turning from scared to sacred, reaffirming the connection between the personal and universal. These authors caress the details with depth, nuance and wisdom and sing into the world; shifting midlife out of the doldrums of predictability. Packed with insights and wisdom, artfully crafted, I am beckoned to once again honour every moment.”—Celeste Snowber, author of Embodied Inquiry and Wild TouristTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Kathy Mantas and Lorinda Peterson On a Collision Course? Feminist Ideals and the Mothering Professional in Middle Age Kerri S. Kearney Falling Back, Springing Forward: An Older First-Time Mother’s Experience of Time Kathy Mantas Balancing Motherhood, Work, and Mental Health in Midlife: One Mother’s Personal Struggles Amy Leisenring Beyond Grasping for Straws in the Dark: Hospice as a Model for a Team-Oriented Approach to Mothering in Midlife Pamela K. Coke Into and Out of the Fire: A Retrospective Journal Cara L. Preuss Institutional Mothering: Middling between University, Home, and Jail Tobi Jacobi Parenting through the Fog Niki Kaiser Lilia’s World Suzanne Kamata Grief Catherine Moeller Mothering Myself: A Journey with/to the Inner Child Amy Lee The Benefits and Injuries of Midlife Mothering through an Autoethnographic Lens: Or, Don’t Call Me Grandma Nicole Willey Midlife Burnout: Mothering, Multiple Roles, and Multiple Losses Victoria Team Failure Is Not an Option: Learning to Succeed at Parenting in Midlife Erin Doering Rock-a-Bye Baby: Mothering in Midlife Elisabeth Hanscombe Mother Unmoored: Letting Myself Be Lost, I Got Found Sheila Martel My Mother’s Mother Margaret Kent Bass Caricaturing Single, Midlife Motherhood in Vanity’s Brief Encounters Penelope Mendonça Taking Custody Lorinda Peterson Home Economicus: Some Disjunctures in Midlife Mothering Lois Klassen When Story Time Is Over: Mothering Adult Children by Practising Productive Silence Fiona Joy Green and Jaqueline McLeod Rogers About the Contributors

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Book SynopsisThis beautifully woven series of vignettes from the brilliant Aimee De Jongh are a necessary and poignant reminder of our common humanity. Joe SaccoOne of the great young cartoonists in the world. Comic Book ResourcesAimée de Jongh, one of the brightest new talents in Europe, creates her first autobiographic work, focusing on taxi rides from four cities: Los Angeles, Paris, Jakarta, and Washington, DC.Despite the stunning and detailed streetscapes she passes, de Jongh discovers she's more interested in the cab drivers than the view from the backseat. As the drivers slowly open up about their personal lives, de Jongh does tooeven when it means challenging her own ideas and prejudices. Through these vulnerableand often humorousmoments, de Jongh finds common ground with the people driving her. Taxi is an ode to taxi drivers everywhere.Aimée de Jongh is a Dutch graphic novel author, animator, and illustrator. After creating comics for a daily newspaper for nearly five years, she left in 2017 to make graphic novels full time. Her debut, The Return of the Honey Buzzard, won the Prix St Michel and was adapted to a live-action film. Her second book, Blossoms in Autumn, written by the acclaimed Belgian writer Zidrou, was awarded the Prix Atomium. She works and lives in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

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Book SynopsisInstitutions everywhere seem to be increasingly aware of their roles in settler colonialism and anti-Black racism. As such, many racialized workers find themselves tasked with developing equity plans for their departments, associations or faculties. This collection acknowledges this work as both survival and burden for Black, Indigenous and racialized peoples. It highlights what we already know and are already doing in our respective areas and offers a vision of what equity can look like through a decolonial lens. What helps us to make this work possible? How do we take care with ourselves and each other in this work? What does solidarity, collaboration or "allyship" look like in decolonial equity work? What are the implicit and explicit barriers we face in shifting equity discourse, policy and practice, and what strategies, skills and practices can help us in creating environments and lived realities of decolonial equity?This edited collection centres the voices of Indigenous, Black and other racialized peoples in articulating a vision for decolonial equity work. Specifically, the focus on decolonizing equity is an invitation to re-articulate what equity work can look like when we refuse to separate ideas of equity from the historical and contemporary realities of colonialism in the settler colonial nation states known as Canada and the United States and when we insist on linking an equity agenda to the work of decolonizing our shared realities.

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Book Synopsis"An inspiring book about love in its purest form."—JANE GOODALL, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of PeaceWith the heartwrenching vulnerability of The Glass Castle and the spiritual journey of H is for Hawk, this stunning debut memoir tells the story of a traumatized young woman's friendship with an injured dolphin whose habitat she fights to save.When Melody Horrill arrived at university she was a troubled and lost young woman, hiding behind a carefully crafted exterior. She had experienced a childhood of emotional and physical trauma mainly at the hands of her violent father that was as damaging as it was brutal.One day Melody volunteered to help her lecturer monitor pods of river dolphins nearby. There for the first time she encountered Jock, a solitary dolphin with a maimed fin, who lived apart from the highly social pods. Melody was to form a bond with Jock that gave her the key to freeing herself from the demons of her own past, and their extraordinary friendship was the start of a long-term mission to try to save the river dolphins.Beautifully written and filled with insight and compassion, Melody's memoir details her life-changing friendship with the river dolphins, and how Jock helped her to heal.Trade Review"Compelling, taught, open and direct ... a highly engaging narrative [which is] very honest and real."—James Aldred, author of Goshawk Summer"I came away from reading this deeply moving book feeling that not only was the author fortunate to encounter dolphins in her life, in the way the animals guided and lifted her towards recovery from her upbringing, but that the dolphins themselves were fortunate to have in Melody Horrill a writer so attuned to their grace and remarkable intelligence and, above all, driven by their plight."—James Macdonald Lockhart, author of Raptor and Wild Air"A beautiful story of deeply shared emotions and unfiltered empathy between two beings—a troubled young woman and Jock, an isolated injured river dolphin who couldn't possibly have anticipated their future strong and unlikely friendship—who met, healed one another, and brightened one another's life."—Marc Bekoff, author of The Emotional Lives of Animals and Rewilding Our Hearts: Building Pathways of Compassion and Coexistence"An exceptionally moving memoir about the potential of animal and human interaction to heal our wounded hearts. While Melody’s story is unique to her, its message of resilience and hope will be deeply inspiring for all. Get a copy for anyone you love!"—Courtney Maum, author of The Year of the Horses"An inspiring book about love in its purest form."—Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace"Like My Octopus Teacher, Melody Horrill's story explores an unforgettable friendship that bridges species and worlds."—Mark Leiren-Young, author of The Killer Whale Who Changed the World

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Book SynopsisRussia and Britain were never natural bedfellows. But the marriage, in 1894, of Queen Victoria's favourite granddaughter, Alicky, to the Tsarevich Nicholas marked the beginning of an uneasy Anglo-Russian entente that would last until the Russian Revolution of 1917. The Imperial Tea Party draws back the curtain on the three extraordinary meetings that took place between the British and Russian royal families during those years. These pivotal encounters, although well-intentioned and generally hailed as successes, were beset by misunderstandings and misfortunes. In this wonderfully droll account, Frances Welch presents a vivid snapshot of two dynasties at a time of social unrest. The two families could not know, as they waved each other fond goodbyes from their yachts at Cowes in 1909, that they would never meet again.Trade Review"With her quick wit and light touch, Welch conducts a relentless inquiry into conscience, family loyalty and the nature of the past... an unsettling portrait of moustaches, murder, and lèse-majesté.’ Frances Wilson, The Spectator "In this funny, touching and ultimately tragic book, Welch brilliantly exposes how the British family courted and then abandoned their royal cousins in the run-up to World War I." Kathryn Hughes, Mail on Sunday "A fascinating book... Welch is an excellent writer." The Daily Telegraph "Delightfully witty and entertaining." The Times Literary Supplement "Excellent history... Intrigue aplenty." The Times "Deeply affecting." Daily Mail

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Book SynopsisAlive with insight, wit and Dyer's characteristic irreverence, this collection of essays offers a guide around the cultural maze, mapping a route through the worlds of literature, art, photography and music. Besides exploring what it is that makes great art great, Working the Room ventures into more personal territory with extensive autobiographical pieces - 'On Being an Only Child', 'Sacked' and 'Reader's Block', among other gems. Dyer's breadth of vision and generosity of spirit combine to form a manual for ways of being in - and seeing - the world today.Trade ReviewShrewd, funny, original . . . very good company on the page. -- Andrew Motion * * Guardian * *A national treasure. -- Zadie SmithA seductively straightforward writer . . . like Orwell. Dyer writes engrossingly on everything from love of doughnuts to his sequestered working class childhood in Swindon. -- Will Self * * Financial Times * *One of my favourite of all contemporary writers. I love his sense of the absurd, his pessimism mixed with robust good cheer, his beautifully crafted sentences, his jokes and his intelligence. -- Alain de BottonLanguid, elegant, brilliantly conversational. -- Tim Adams * * Observer * *A true original - one of those rare voices in contemporary literature that never ceases to surprise, disturb and delight . . . Dyer is a must-read for our confused and perplexing times. * * William Boyd * *Dyer is becoming a character just as arch and seductive as that professional self-effacer from the previous generation, Alan Bennett. * * Observer * *Insightful, humorous, and . . . exemplifies his passion, wit and ability. -- Rob Sharp * * Independent * *An irresistibly funny storyteller, [Dyer] is adept at fiction, essay and reportage, but happiest when twisting all three into something entirely his own. * * New Yorker * *It's this ability to develop such passions that gives the literary flaneur his curious edge, a gift for turning both acute spasms of obsession and long-rumbling preoccupations into writing, a highly strung take on the journalistic necessity of burrowing into a subject like a worm in an apple, then moving on to a new fruit -- Victoria Segal * * Guardian * *Dyer's musings provide an intensely personal view of the world * * The Times * *It's this ability to develop such passions that gives the literary flaneur his curious edge, a gift for turning both acute spasms of obsession and long-rumbling preoccupations into writing, a highly strung take on the journalistic necessity of burrowing into a subject like a worm in an apple, then moving on to a new fruit. * * Guardian * *Essays and journalism, often very funny, from the author of Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi. * * Sunday Telegraph * *Dyer's musings provide an intensely personal view of the world. * * Times * *

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Book SynopsisThis accessible and highly practical book provides an introductory guide to the world of research support in the academic library. Academic libraries have seen huge changes in recent years thanks to the increasing availability of information online, but they are now undergoing another shift. As libraries move away from providing access to existing information and towards helping users create new knowledge there is an opportunity for them to develop new services for the research community. To do this successfully libraries need to have a knowledgeable workforce who are equipped to provide the support that researchers need. Information professionals are increasingly being asked to advise their users on issues such as open access and research data management but are often doing so with little or no formal preparation. Outlining the reasons why library staff need to develop a knowledge of research support and guiding them through the key information on each topic, The No-nonsense Guide to Research Support and Scholarly Communication provides an ideal primer for those who seek to work in this area or those who have acquired these responsibilities as part of a wider role. Trade Review'The book provides readers with a solid, balanced overview of scholarly communication, along with resources, listed in the conclusion, for learning more and keeping up to date. Sewell has produced an excellent resource not only for people working or wanting to work in research support, but for a far wider range of people in academic libraries who will benefit from knowing more about this key area that informs so much of what libraries, and universities, do.'— Carol Hollier, SLA Europe -- Carol Hollier * SLA Europe *'As with other titles in the series, this book is an accessible, straightforward, and highly readable introduction to an important, fast-moving, and multifaceted topic. Given its emphasis on very basic concepts and career exploration, it should prove useful to anyone unfamiliar with this growing field who is interested in possible careers.' -- Jennifer Bartlett * University of Kentucky Libraries *Table of ContentsNo-nonsense Guide to Research Support and Scholarly Communication

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Book SynopsisA unique collection of contributions from leading authorities on countryside and landscape history, this book honours the memory of Oliver Rackham. Ranging all over Europe from Bialowieza Forest in Poland to the Mediterranean, and across the world from New England to northern Japan, the many perspectives make for a diverse and cogent conversation.

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Book Synopsis'Suddenly, flash bombs to my right, I instantly dive low to avoid being a direct target. We stay down, close above ground before too long life returns in the area and we spot men milling around; Richard and Pitt let them have it, but good. We're down to our last bit of ammunition. Some Russians have frozen in fear, others lift their arm, others still lie flat on the ground. Not a single one remembers to get up and fire.'On 21 June 1941, assigned to Luftwaffe bomber wing Kampfgeschwader 53, the 23-year-old Arnold Döring took off to fly his first mission against the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front. From that day, he kept a diary describing his operations in vivid detail. These diaries, here translated into English for the first time, give a unique perspective on the action on the Eastern Front, from the point of view of a bomber pilot. Döring's accounts not only give technical aspects but are also filled with suspense and excitement with their close descriptions of bombing raids and

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Book SynopsisBecoming a charity trustee allows you give back to a cause that you care passionately about, but the role could come with personal benefits too. Being a charity trustee can boost your health, happiness and confidence. The skills and contacts you develop can also increase your career prospects. But with an estimated 100,000 charity trustee vacancies in the UK, it can be difficult to know where to start. How To Become a Charity Trustee is a practical toolkit for charity trustee volunteering that gives clear guidance on how to get started. It covers: - What a trustee is - Responsibilities of a trustee - Finding the right role - Crafting your application Whether you're a young person looking for board-level leadership experience, mid-career and expanding your horizons, or approaching retirement and wanting a fresh challenge, this guide will help you step into trusteeship. Sponsored by Ecclesiastical Insurance.Trade Review‘A guide like this is important so that others realise, what I wasn’t told, that this route is not just for those with degrees or business qualifications, but that there is a role at the top table for those who’ve graduated from university of life.’ Bushra Ahmed, Chair of the Small Charities Coalition, vice-chair at the Asian Resource Centre Croydon and trustee of the Mayor of Croydon’s charities ; This guide is invaluable in helping you understand the skills you have to offer, and find the right role as a trustee. Becoming a trustee can feel like a lot of responsibility, but it’s a brilliant feeling knowing you really are contributing where it’s needed.’ Amelia Papworth, Trustee, Cambridge Money Advice Centre ; ‘This guide will be helpful to potential trustees in understanding the benefits of taking on this responsibility and hopefully hearing from others about their experiences will only help to further that desire to apply for roles and make that next step in becoming a trustee.’Rob Avann, Chief Executive, Open University Students Association

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Book Synopsis'Fascinating...an enticingly interesting read' - Sayeeda Warsi. Born in rural Afghanistan, Shakardokht Jafari became a refugee aged just six, after a harrowing half-year trek to Iran. There, at twelve, she discovered she had been promised in marriage at birth to an older cousin. Resisting no fewer than three arranged marriages, she fought to choose her own husband, education and career, defying convention to study radiation technologies at Tehran University. Returning to Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban, she was asked to re-establish a cancer facility in Kabul, which meant studying first for higher qualifications in the UK. With Islamist insurgency on the rise again, her lawyer husband fled to join her, driving a minicab to make ends meet. The inventor of a method for improving outcomes of radiotherapy on cancer patients, Shakar has become one of Britain's leading medical entrepreneurs. Ironically, at the same time she has faced one of her biggest battles - to save her own health. This remarkable woman, winner of a string of awards for business innovation, is also a leading campaigner for girls' education in Afghanistan. She tells her extraordinary story with disarming candour.Trade Review'A deeply emotional and inspiring book that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. A must-read for anyone interested in the history, culture, and politics of Afghanistan and a timely reminder of the resilience and strength of Afghan women Dr Jafri's commitment to empowering women through education is a reminder of the power of empathy and courage. However, the book is also a wake-up call for the broken promises made to Afghanistan by the international community.' Waseem Mahmood, author of Good Morning Afghanistan

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Book SynopsisRevised and updated edition of the essential guide to what will happen if Britain leaves the EU, and how it will affect you.

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Book SynopsisTHE ALL-NEW DIARIES; "Alastair Campbell's diaries have the quality of Pepys ...people will be looking for insights and finding them in 100 years' time." Lord Alex CarlileLaunched to a blaze of critical acclaim, Alastair Campbell's explosive diaries became an instant classic. Now, this eagerly anticipated new volume picks up where its predecessor left off, with Campbell standing down as Tony Blair's director of communications in 2003. Leaving Downing Street, however, isn't as easy as it seems, with Campbell persistently drawn back to the epicentre of power - often to the frustration of his partner, Fiona.As Lord Hutton prepares to publish his report, thus sparking a huge crisis for the BBC, any joy in No. 10 is dwarfed by continuing difficulties in Iraq. Meanwhile, the Blair/Brown relationship is fracturing almost beyond repair, and Campbell is tasked with devising a plan that will enable the two men to fight a united election campaign. At home, Campbell writes frankly of his continuing battles with mental health issues as he attempts to adapt to a new life beyond the confines of Westminster.Lifting the lid on the power battles at the heart of the Labour Party that sowed the seeds of today's turmoil, Outside, Inside is a vivid and compelling insight into modern political history, and a candid reflection on the personal impact of life in the corridors of power.Trade Review"Endlessly fascinating... Alastair Campbell's diaries are a unique historical document, providing testimony from the day things happened, unedited by memory and hindsight." - John Rentoul, The Independent; "Hugely gripping" - Sunday Times; "This is the most fascinating of all the volumes. He is at the centre of everything but with a different perspective" - Steve Richards; "Unputdownable. [A] truly remarkable, fascinating and historic account. Could this be a record of Labour's last ever election win?" - Richard Madeley

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Book SynopsisOnce at the centre of the American conservative movement, bestselling author and radio host Charles Sykes is a fierce opponent of Donald Trump and the right-wing media that enabled his rise. Sykes presents an impassioned, regretful and deeply thoughtful account of how the American conservative movement came to lose its values. How did a movement that was defined by its belief in limited government, individual liberty, free markets, traditional values and civility find itself embracing bigotry, political intransigence, demagoguery and outright falsehood? How the Right Lost its Mind addresses key issues that face American conservatives under a Trump presidency. It asks why so many voters are apparently credulous and immune to factual information reported by responsible media. And why did conservatives decide to overlook, even embrace, so many of Trump's outrages, gaffes, conspiracy theories, falsehoods and smears? Can conservatives govern, or are they content merely to rage? And central to Sykes's discourse is the question of how can the right recover its traditional values and persuade a new generation of their worth.

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Book SynopsisMichael Gove is one of the most recognisable faces in British politics - and one of the most divisive. Whether it's taking on the education `blob', acting as a frontman for the Brexit campaign or orchestrating one of the bloodiest political assassinations in the history of British politics, Gove is a man who makes things happen. But it was almost so different, and his story, from being born into care to standing for the leadership of the Conservative Party, could have come straight from the pages of a Charles Dickens novel. A charming man to his friends, and a cold-blooded zealot to his enemies, Gove provokes a reaction from everyone, be it loyalty, anger, respect or fury. Love him or hate him, it's impossible to deny Gove's impact on the UK over the past ten years, and, with Brexit still up in the air, he will continue to play a key role in the future of the country. Political journalist Owen Bennett's groundbreaking biography takes in original research as well as interviews with current and former Cabinet ministers, ex-colleagues from the BBC and The Times, and numerous other key players in Gove's life story. Lively and insightful in equal measure, Michael Gove: A Man in a Hurry reveals what turned the adopted son of an Aberdeen fishing family into one of the key political figures of the decade.Trade Review"Essential reading for anyone trying to make sense of the last three years at Westminster." Choice Magazine "A lively, entertaining and highly perceptive profile." The Sunday Business Post

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Book SynopsisBrexit - a revolutionary moment in British politics. Voters in long-forgotten English towns made their disenchantment clear, overwhelmingly voting to `take back control' from a remote and defective economic system. Despite this decisive message in 2016, the concerns of these forgotten towns have continued to be all but ignored. David Skelton grew up in Consett, a north-eastern town where the steel industry has deep roots. When the steelworks closed almost forty years ago it lost everything, a story echoed in towns across England. Skelton uses Consett's experience to discuss what has gone wrong and how we can put it right. He considers a broken social contract and the economic and identity liberalism which has neglected the needs of a great bulk of the population. Little Platoons calls for a revival of One Nation to recognise the needs of people in such towns. It argues that a brave Tory Party can shatter decades-old boundaries and redraw the political map by marrying social reform with private enterprise, enhancing community values and allowing long-ignored voters to genuinely take back control.Trade Review"Digs deep into the challenges facing Britain's struggling towns and the trends that delivered Brexit." The Financial Times

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Book SynopsisAnti-elitism has become a common staple of media commentary and political rhetoric. But we are taking aim at the wrong enemy. The populist right have diverted public anger away from the real corporate and financial elites and onto those who treat us when we are sick, champion our rights in court, represent our interests in Parliament and create and curate the best literature, art and ideas. This important book argues that the real elites escape scrutiny, while everything that makes our lives worth living becomes 'worthy' and dumbed down. Culture and education have been made to function as merely symbolic arenas of democratisation, but gross inequality remains intact. Liberals have lost their nerve, accepting the anti-elitism slur at face value and worrying that promoting cultural high standards means protecting social privilege. For too long, conservatives have had a monopoly on upholding aesthetic values. But now that they've become ruthless modernisers, it's time for progressives to take on that task. Elitism: A Progressive Defence provides powerful ammunition for the fight, arguing that, rich or poor, beauty and truth belong to us all.Trade Review"Eliane Glaser's polemic demolishes the canard that expertise, intellectual achievement and cultural excellence are somehow 'elitist' and, as such, undemocratic. Words matter. Glaser shows that we must distinguish quality from economic privilege, ability from mediocrity. Perhaps we cannot restore the word elitism to its just esteem, but we must guard what it represents." - Simon Jenkins “A seriously smart and audacious examination of what exactly we mean by ‘elites’, and whether the rhetoric of the populist right has encouraged the wrong ones to be demonised.” – Matthew d’Ancona

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Book SynopsisWe're used to hearing that we live in an age of unprecedented division, that the great storms that have engulfed British politics over the past ten years have driven us further apart than ever, with no hope of finding common ground. Penny Mordaunt and Chris Lewis disagree. In this lively and insightful book, they argue that although differences of opinion are a natural part of healthy political debate, some of our current division is caused by a need for political reform. A wave of scandals has corroded public confidence in leadership in all walks of life, fuelled by a hyper-individualistic social media landscape - but by rebuilding public trust we can restore national pride and positive, competent politics. Greater lays out a plan for post-Brexit Britain. Delving into our history, our institutions and our culture, it explains how we arrived at this point and how the British character points the way towards practical national missions. It explores Britain's role in the world and how to balance global and local priorities; makes the case for the United Kingdom based on the mutuality that binds us; and calls for modernising reform in politics, government and markets. It describes the role of social media in culture wars and calls for a relentless focus on aspiration and a social enterprise revolution. Above all, it reminds us of the many reasons we have to be optimistic.Trade Review"Utterly uplifting and inspiring." Sir Richard Branson; "Smart, thoughtful, passionate." Dominic Sandbrook; "Loving, invigorating and delivered with characteristic wit." Boris Johnson; "Uplifting and highly readable." Tony Blair; "Reminds me of so many things I love about the UK." Richard Curtis; "Thoughtful, affectionate and surprisingly funny." Ruth Davidson; "Eloquent, eccentric and bloody good fun." Michael Dobbs; "This book lays out a clear plan for Britain. It says we need to modernise, socially, culturally and economically. I cannot recommend it highly enough." Jacqueline de Rojas

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Book SynopsisOur political leaders spend their careers spinning their images and polishing their achievements; Michael Cockerell has spent his professional life stripping off the gloss. Over fifty years, he has gained unrivalled access to the secret chambers of Westminster and Whitehall. Here, he reveals in illuminating and often hilarious stories what our top politicians are really like behind the mask. Drawing on his unique experience of having filmed all the past ten Prime Ministers, Cockerell tells how he manages to lull some of the most wary people in the land into candour, and shows how questions of sex are never far from the surface in Westminster. Amongst much else, he recounts: how Margaret Thatcher flirted with him on screen but attacked him by name in the Commons; how Tony Blair said he would willingly 'pay the blood price' in Iraq; how David Cameron learned from Enoch Powell always to make a big speech on a full bladder - and how Boris Johnson admitted to doubts about his ability to be Prime Minister. Revealing how our politicians have reacted during some of the most pivotal events in our recent history, Unmasking Our Leaders also provides a compelling insight into a career working in political television and foreign reporting, where tensions, rivalries and life-threatening danger are all part of the package.Trade Review"I am hugely excited by Michael Cockerell's book. His remarkable access to the great and the good gives him endlessly compelling insights into our leaders and what it is to wield power." - Emily Maitlis "From the man whose camera captured them, and whose questions revealed them, comes the compelling tale of politicians' relationship with television, from Churchill's secret screen test to this day. Stuffed with intimate anecdotes and scattered with decades of his own scoops, Michael Cockerell reminds us why he is the master." - Laura Kuenssberg "The most delightful, absorbing and thoroughly entertaining book about politics you will ever read. A triumph." - Alan Johnson "Hugely entertaining and revealing - my political book of the year." - Iain Dale "Michael Cockerell is the David Attenborough of the political animal kingdom - endlessly fascinated and fascinating." - Rory Bremner "From Heath to Johnson, Michael Cockerell has known them all, and done more than any political journalist to go beyond the caricatures. This richly entertaining memoir casts fresh light on what he made of them ... and what they made of him." - Steve Richards "The master chronicler of our political age tells the story behind the stories of those who've held power in Britain." - Nick Robinson "Michael Cockerell is the Holbein of the televisual political portrait. I have been nagging him for years to write this book. It was worth the wait - and how." - Professor Peter Hennessy "From Heath to Johnson, Michael Cockerell has known them all, and done more than any political journalist to go beyond the caricatures. This richly entertaining memoir casts fresh light on what he made of them ... and what they made of him." - Steve Richards “As enthralling a history of modern British politics as you will find anywhere… it is richly stuffed with anecdotes and gags and as compelling as a Jack Reacher thriller, though with fewer dead bodies.” - Roger Alton, Daily Mail

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Book Synopsis“For God’s sake, bring me a large Scotch. What a bloody awful country!” Home Secretary Reginald Maudling, returning from his first visit to Northern Ireland in 1970 As a long and bloody guerrilla war staggered to a close on the island of Ireland, Britain beat a retreat from all but a small portion of the country – and thus, in 1921, Northern Ireland was born. That partition, says Kevin Meagher, has been an unmitigated disaster for Nationalists and Unionists alike. Following the fraught history of British rule in Ireland, a better future was there for the taking but was lost amid political paralysis, while the resulting fifty years of devolution succeeded only in creating a brooding sectarian stalemate that exploded into the Troubles. In a stark but reasoned critique, Meagher traces the landmark events in Northern Ireland’s century of existence, exploring the missed signals, the turning points, the principled decisions that should have been taken, as well as the raw realpolitik of how Northern Ireland has been governed over the past 100 years. Thoughtful and sometimes provocative, What a Bloody Awful Country reflects on how both Loyalists and Republicans might have played their cards differently and, ultimately, how the actions of successive British governments have amounted to a masterclass in failed statecraft.Trade Review"A timely and lucid analysis of the Troubles that asks hard questions of successive British governments. The good news for the current government is that it also offers some answers." Rory Carroll, The Guardian

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Book SynopsisAntisemitism is supposed to have disappeared long ago, but despite our abhorrence of racism and oppression in all its forms, this ancient prejudice continues to thrive. Anti-Jewish hate crime is rising, Jewish blood is spilt in Europe once more and arguments over antisemitism, whether in politics or music, theatre or sport, are increasingly hard to avoid. At a time of economic, political and social turmoil, fuelled by conspiracy theories on your smartphone or conflict in the Middle East, antisemitism is back, and we need to know why. It would be tempting to put this down to a handful of extremists, but antisemitism endures at an everyday level in the stereotypes and assumptions about Jews that are woven into the fabric of our world. It is these almost-unnoticed prejudices that perpetuate violent hatred, and until we all understand where they came from, how they are sustained and how they can be challenged, they will continue to do so. Blending personal anecdotes, contemporary examples and historical insights, Everyday Hate takes you on a journey through this contentious and often confusing subject. Spanning Shakespeare to South Park, Israel to Covid-19 and ancient stereotypes to internet memes, it reveals surprising truths about how antisemitism continues to thrive in the interactions, assumptions and views of decent people around the world - and how we can change this for the better.

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Book SynopsisMolly is a mole with many friends, including a deer, a butterfly, and an owl. Sometimes Molly feels sad because she doesn''t look the same as her friends, and feels very different to them. By helping each of them out with a task, Molly learns that her friends love her for the amazing qualities that are unique just to her. Molly the Mole addresses the difference between the way we perceive ourselves and the way our friends and family perceive us. Molly learns the importance of being kind and patient with others, and that everyone is unique. Part of the Truth and Tails series, which aims to eliminate prejudices and encourage acceptance in young children aged 4-8, this delightful story is accompanied by hand-drawn, watercolour illustrations.

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Book SynopsisThe Terrifying Story of the Most Monstrous Serial Killers through History.Serial Killers are the most notorious and disturbing of all criminals, representing the very darkest side of humanity. Yet they endlessy fascinate and continue to capture the public's attention with their strange charisma and deadly deeds. From Jack the Ripper to Ted Bundy and the Moors Murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, these killers transfix us with their ability to commit utterly savage acts of cruelty and depravity. Only with modern police detection methods and psychological profiling, have these figures that have existed throughout human history finally been identified in the deadliest category: serial killers. These methods, the killers' characters and their crimes are described here in fascinating and terrifyingly gripping detail. The whole history of serial killers is brought to life in 50 chapters, including:Herman Webster Mudget, Devil in the White CityJohn Christie, 10 Rillington Place murdersZodiac KillerIan Brady and Myra Hindley, The Moors MurderersTed BundyFred and Rosemary WestJeffrey DahmerAileen WuornosHarold Shipman, Dr Death

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Book SynopsisSocial media has changed our aspirations and the way we see ourselves. It has created a new layer of perfectionist pressure in every aspect of our lives, but equally enabled us to share resources, opinions, help and information more quickly than ever before.We love it; we hate it; we can’t get off it. We have mixed feelings.Naomi Shimada and Sarah Raphael have spent the last decade building successful careers on the internet. Sarah’s work as a writer and editor brings her into contact with the outer reaches and inner workings of online content, graph upon graph revealing to her what women most want to read today. Naomi is a model, host and writer and talks to people all over the world through her sunny, colourful Instagram account which has helped girls struggling with body image and confidence issues.Having experienced extreme online highs and lows, both personally and professionally, in Mixed Feelings, Naomi and Sarah explore w

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Book SynopsisEnvironmental Conflicts and Peacebuilding in Africa covers pressing issues of environmental politics, such as environmental activism and litigation, climate change, conservation, the challenges of coastal communities, flood prevention, and waste management. Oil subsidy removal, rule of law, and the roles of media and religion are also closely considered.This collection of essays also covers domestic security issues, such as policing, ethno-religious conflicts, local conflicts between farmers and herdsmen, and strategies of conflict resolution affecting the environment. Other issues under discussion include peacebuilding, urban machine politics, the place of children and youth in nation building, and the intersection of politics and psychology in self-determination struggles. Of vital importance to any student of modern Africa, these chapters offer a solid and detailed compendium of readings to contextualize key international relations subjects in the real world. The compendium is also a fitting tribute to the life’s work of one of the brightest scholarly minds Africa has produced.

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Book SynopsisMental health difficulties bring us face to face with our vulnerability as human beings, and after two years of struggling with the effects of Covid-19 concerns about mental health worldwide have never been higher. But our discussions are still fraught with issues of language and understanding. Are we all on a ‘spectrum’ of mental wellness? Is ‘well-being’ about ‘being well’ or about coping? Mental health problems can be frightening when we experience them ourselves, or see them in others. And despite all the talk, most of us find it hard to decide when or where to seek help.What is often missing from these discussions is the most valuable resource of all – the personal accounts of those with lived experience of mental health difficulties. Making Sense of Mental Health is centred on hours of in-depth interviews with adults coping with mental health issues. The author follows their journeys from the origin of their distress to their lowest moments to eventual recovery and a sense of moving on. These lived experiences show how in times of crisis people can move forward amidst the chaos, vulnerability and uncertainty brought on by mental health problems.There are no quick fixes or miracle cures to serious mental health issues. This book shows that ‘what works’ is whatever helps an individual make sense of what is happening to them. A problem entwined with the human condition, mental health difficulties can best be treated by understanding the experiences of those who have lived through them, and as a society by finding a way to ascribe meaning to the complex reality of mental health.

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Book SynopsisFor Detective Edgar "Lefty" Mendieta, tormented by past heartbreak and dismayed by all-pervasive corruption, the murder of lawyer Bruno Canizales represents just another day at the office in Culiacán, Mexico's capital of narco-crime.There is no shortage of suspects in a city where it's hard to tell the gangsters from the politicians. Canizales was the son of a former government minister and the lover of a drug lord's daughter, and he nurtured a penchant for cross-dressing and edgy sex. But why did the assassin use a silver bullet? And why, six days later, did he apparently strike again? Mendieta's hunt for the killer takes him from mansions to low-life bars, from gumshoe reporters to glamourous transsexuals. Unearthing the truth can be as dangerous as any drug.Trade ReviewOne of the biggest names in Mexican literature . . . A true novelist . . . No one has captured the exciting and passionate nature of the Mexican vernacular like him -- Arturo Pérez-ReverteIf you are fed up with formulaic noir novels and looking for something fresher, Elmer Mendoza's dazzling Silver Bullets could be the answer * Sunday Times *Presents Mexico in a darkly surrealist light: corrupt politicos, a plague of narco-crime and only battered detective Edgar "Lefty" Mendieta on the side of the angels * Independent *Casts a wide net over modern Mexican life and an array of well-drawn characters, some powerful, some weak, some depraved . . . Mendoza's creation is nothing like standard pulp fiction * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book Synopsis'Full of human wisdom, this is a psychologically acute and absorbing approach to a very important subject' PHILIP PULLMANIn this inspiring work, Richard Holloway tackles the great theme of forgiveness. One of the most important books on this essential topic, On Forgiveness draws on the great philosophers and writers such as Frederick Nietzsche, Jacques Derrida and Nelson Mandela. Both timely and a timeless modern classic, On Forgiveness is a pertinent and fascinating discourse on how forgiveness works, where it came from and how the need to embrace it is greater than ever if we are to free ourselves from the binds of the past.Trade ReviewFull of human wisdom, this is a psychologically acute and absorbing approach to a very important subject -- PHILIP PULLMANThe book everyone needs to read -- JEANETTE WINTERSON * * The Times * *A clear account of the human impulse to forgive * * Observer * *Engaging * * Sunday Times * *I wish that more writers commanded Holloway's ability to write a small book about big ideas . . . His excellence as a spiritual agent provocateur lies in sticking to the essentials of his argument * * The Times * *An important book * * Scotsman * *A work of blinding sincerity and high intelligence * * Spectator * *A lively, thought-provoking, elegantly expressed essay which casts light on a problematic - and increasingly critical - subject * * The Herald * *[Holloway] writes persuasively and powerfully about our need to forgive ourselves in order to forgive others, and how what we're forgiving is people, not deeds. It humanises -- DAMIAN BARR * * Guardian * *I don't know when I have been more impressed, indeed, excited, by a work. . . It answers the seemingly unanswerable tormenting questions in a completely satisfying way -- RUTH RENDELLHolloway makes you feel you can be a better person (but not in a smug way) -- Damian Barr * * The Week * *An inspiring manifesto * * Waitrose Weekend * *

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Book SynopsisTranslating Anarchy tells the story of the anti-capitalist anti-authoritarians of Occupy Wall Street who strategically communicated their revolutionary politics to the public in a way that was both accessible and revolutionary. By "translating" their ideas into everyday concepts like community empowerment and collective needs, these anarchists sparked the most dynamic American social movement in decades.Trade ReviewLucien van der Walt (Rhodes University), co-author of Black Flame: The Revolutionary Class Politics of Anarchism and Syndicalism - Bray's meticulous, rich insider account of Occupy Wall Street demonstrates the central influence of anarchism on its core militants, but refuses to shy away from drawing hard lessons from its limitations. Anarchism, he convincingly argues, must position itself as an everyday movement of the 'ordinary' folks who alone can change the world - this requires a positive, practical programme and message, self-reflective and accountable politics, solid organisation, and clear tactics and strategy.

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Book SynopsisDetective Alice Madison is back in a gripping new thriller, perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Kathryn Croft and Sharon Bolton.After two years in the Seattle Police Department, Detective Alice Madison has finally found a peace she has never known before. When a local burglary escalates into a gruesome murder, Madison takes charge of the investigation. She finds herself tracking a killer who has haunted the city for years - and whose brutality is the stuff of myth in high security prisons. As she delves deeper into the case, Madison learns that the widow of one of the victims is being stalked - is the killer poised to strike again? As pressures mount, Madison will stop at nothing to save the next innocent victim . . . even if it means playing a killer's endgame.Discover more Detective Alice Madison in the must-read, critically acclaimed series beginning with The Gift of Darkness and The Dark. Trade ReviewMadison and her colleagues are strongly written, compelling characters and the primary plot is high-octane stuff * Guardian *This, her third novel featuring Seattle Detective Alice Madison, is as twisty and tasty a crime thriller as anyone could wish for . . . Madison is a sensitively drawn, fully rounded character, ensuring this compelling mystery stands out from the crowd and gives the reader a heroine to cheer for when the body count mounts * Daily Mail *First-rate . . . V.M. Giambanco is a powerful writer with a strong story * Times *Giambanco is a name to watch * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisIn early 1942 the Third Reich opened a maximum security Prisoner Of War camp in Lower Silesia for captured Allied airmen. Called Stalag Luft III, the camp soon came to contain some of the most inventive escapers ever known. The escapers were led by Squadron Leader Roger Bushell, code-named 'Big X'. In March 1944, Bushell masterminded an attempt to smuggle hundreds of POWs down a tunnel build right under the notes of their guards. In fact, only 79 Allied airmen clambered into the tunnel and only three made successful escapes. This remarkable escape would be immortalised in the famous Hollywood film THE GREAT ESCAPE, in which the bravery of the men was rightly celebrated. Behind the scenes photographs from the film are included in this definitive pictorial work on the most famous POW camp of World War II.

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Book SynopsisThe charitable sector is one of the fastest-growing industries in the global economy. Nearly half of the more than 85,000 private foundations in the United States have come into being since the year 2000. Just under 5,000 more were established in 2011 alone. This deluge of philanthropy has helped create a world where billionaires wield more power over education policy, global agriculture, and global health than ever before. In No Such Thing as a Free Gift, author and academic Linsey McGoey puts this new golden age of philanthropy under the microscope-paying particular attention to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. As large charitable organizations replace governments as the providers of social welfare, their largesse becomes suspect. The businesses fronting the money often create the very economic instability and inequality the foundations are purported to solve. We are entering an age when the ideals of social justice are dependent on the strained rectitude and questionable generosity of the mega-rich.Trade ReviewThe charitable model represented by the Gates Foundation is failing to address the root causes of inequality and ecological crisis. This path-breaking book is a sorely needed, historically grounded investigation into the difference between philanthropy and justice. -- Naomi Klein, author of This Changes Everything and The Shock DoctrineFierce . provocatively examines the power imbalances and ambiguities of charitable giving . a clear-eyed and much-needed study. -- Andy Beckett * Guardian *On both the left and the right, social critics sense that there is something deeply corrupt in the way we live now . With extraordinary insight and original investigation, Linsey McGoey understands how this twenty-first century mess was made. Her voice is reasoned and never shrill, her research is solid, and her courage is remarkable. Rather than spin far-fetched conspiracy theories, she simply shows what the oligarchs are doing in plain sight, which is frightening enough. -- Jonathan Rose, author of The Intellectual Life of the British Working ClassesMcGoey correctly questions whether Big Government would, in fact, be more efficient than Big Philanthropy in addressing the rise of inequality. * New Republic *It's worth hearing what she has to say, because it's not said enough . we give too little scrutiny to people like Gates, and too much credence to the idea that philanthrocapitalism can 'save the world.' * Fast Company *Picking up the cudgels wielded by Ida Tarbell and her fellow trustbusters, McGoey produces a startling report. * Kirkus *A timely criticism of a society that allows an individual to accumulate such a distorting amount of financial power; it is an indictment of unaccountable power. * Maclean’s *A brave, intelligent and important book that raises vital questions about the full impact of a key source of the world's public health funding. As the book shows the drive to do good can raise a host of ethical and policy questions-many of which have not been considered or even acknowledged prior to this book. -- Arthur Caplan, New York UniversityA book that is by equal measure provocative and compelling that finally gives a voice to concerns that many have silently harbored ... charts the speed of the Foundation's emergence and influence with conceptual fluency and historically referenced gusto that in parts left me gobsmacked. -- Dr. Sophie Harman, Queen Mary, University of LondonImpeccably researched and beautifully written, Linsey McGoey's book is the best and most complete examination of the Gates Foundation and the workings of big philanthropy. A must-read for anyone concerned with where the world is heading. -- Michael Edwards, Distinguished Senior Fellow, DemosIn this valuable, dense, but accessible book, McGoey illuminates a major cultural shift in leadership and control of power in the US. Highly recommended. * Choice *A lively and well-argued antidote to the comfortable but superficial assumption that giving money away is, by definition, good: it helps you understand why things are more complicated than that. * Third Sector *Essential reading for any scholar interested in contemporary development issues . McGoey convincingly shows that contemporary philanthropic thinking abides by the same underlying ideology than that of the so-called robber barons. * Review of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Studies *

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