Politics, Philosophy & Society Books

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Book SynopsisOur society worships at the fountain of youth. Each year, we try to delay the arrival of old age, using everything at our disposal, from extreme exercise and botox to pilates and cosmetic dentistry. But in the process, are we missing out on a distinct and extraordinarily valuable stage of life? Asking whether it is better to be forever young or to grin toothlessly and live an authentic old age, bestselling author Daniel Klein journeys to the Greek island of Hydra. There he draws on the lives of octogenarian Greek locals, as well as philosophers ranging from Epicurus to Sartre, to discover the secrets of ageing happily. An escapist travel memoir, a droll meditation, and an optimistic guide to living well, this is a delightful jaunt through the terrain of old age, led by a witty and uniquely perceptive modern-day sage.Trade ReviewIt’s an affectionate portrait of the island [of Hydra] but is really a primer on making the most of life’ * Daily Telegraph, best books of 2014 *'I was bowled over by its easy charm and hard-won wisdom.' * Daily Mail *'Charming and intelligent. I enjoyed this book very much.' -- Diana Athill'Wry, whimsical, amusing and intelligent.' * Daily Telegraph *'Charming and accessible, this philosophical survey simply and accessibly makes academic philosophy relevant to ordinary human emotion.' * Kirkus Reviews *'An insightful meditation.' * The New York Times *'Both seduces and delights.' * Scotsman *'Klein's narrative is a delightful and spirited conversation, offering up the ingredients inherent to the art of living well in old age.' * Publishers Weekly *'Funny and wry.' * Huffington Post *

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Book SynopsisIntelligent algorithms are already well on their way to making white collar jobs obsolete: travel agents, data-analysts, and paralegals are currently in the firing line. In the near future, doctors, taxi-drivers and ironically even computer programmers are poised to be replaced by ‘robots’. Without a radical reassessment of our economic and political structures, we risk the very implosion of the capitalist economy itself. In The Rise of the Robots, technology expert Martin Ford systematically outlines the achievements of artificial intelligence and uses a wealth of economic data to illustrate the terrifying societal implications. From health and education to finance and technology, his warning is stark – all jobs that are on some level routine are likely to eventually be automated, resulting in the death of traditional careers and a hollowed-out middle class. The robots are coming and we have to decide – now – whether the future will bring prosperity or catastrophe.Trade Review'Required reading'. * GQ *'Ford paints his prediction that "the robots are coming" with certainty and his case is backed up by significant research'. * Director Magazine *'The Rise of the Robots should come with a warning sticker saying: "This books will provoke a lot of soul-searching"'. * Cambridge Business *'What Ford does well…is take that deep-set historical techno fear, unpack it and play it back to us on the intellectual big screen, magnified and with plenty of hard-hitting stats thrown in to boost the special effects and make sure the volume is turned up to 11'. * Management Today *'Alarming... surreal... it is time to be afraid, very afraid... For the moment there is no hope that the rise of the robots will not be accompanied by the fall of the humans' * Sunday Times Culture *'The elephant in the room of artificial intelligence is mass obsolescence of the human workforce it threatens to supplant. Ford stares the elephant in the face'. * Observer *‘Perhaps the clearest example of genre-hopping to be found in 2015 was the boom in books by journalists and technology writers on what has long been one of the central concerns of science fiction: the implications of artificial intelligence and automation… Few captured the mood as well as Martin Ford in The Rise of the Robots... which painted a bleak picture of the upheavals that would come as ever-greater numbers of even highly skilled workers were displaced by machines.’ * Financial Times, Best Books of 2015 *'Frightening and important...the more people that read it, the better for all of us'. * Destructive Music *'Packed with irresistible gee-whizz facts but...also anxious about what might happen next, especially to human employment...well worth reading'. * Guardian *“Well researched and disturbingly persuasive.” * Financial Times *“Everyone concerned with the future of work must read this book.” -- Lord Robert Skidelsky, Emeritus Professor of Political Economy at the University of Warwick“[The Rise of the Robots is] about as scary as the title suggests. It’s not science fiction, but rather a vision (almost) of economic Armageddon.” -- Frank Bruni, New York Times“A fascinating journey into the near future world of unemployment. Ford issues a stark warning that automation in the form of robotics is moving beyond the menial jobs to put the rest of us out of work. Read it now before it is too late.” -- Noel Sharkey, Emeritus Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, University of Sheffield“Lucid, comprehensive and unafraid to grapple fairly with those who dispute Ford’s basic thesis, Rise of the Robots is an indispensable contribution to a long-running argument.” * Los Angeles Times *“Finally someone is addressing this important topic that has both a grasp on the economic issues and a grounded understanding of what AI and robotics technology is really capable of now and in the near future. This is combined with a clarity of explanation that can help anyone understand the significant societal changes that will soon be upon us.” -- Dr. Nick Hawes, Reader in Autonomous Intelligent Robotics, University of Birmingham‘The real existential threat of AI is not biological extinction but philosophical identity, as even (or perhaps especially) humanity’s greatest thinkers have to come to terms with the fact that their abilities can be not only understood, but replicated in machines. Martin Ford addresses this new reality with exceptional insight and clarity. He doesn’t shy away from recognizing the many positive outcomes of intelligent technology, while exposing the negative consequences of the very real impacts our society is already experiencing.’ -- Dr Joanna Bryson, Department of Computer Science, University of Bath“As Martin Ford documents in Rise of the Robots, the job-eating maw of technology now threatens even the nimblest and most expensively educated...the human consequences of robotization are already upon us, and skillfully chronicled here.” * New York Times Book Review *“Mr. Ford lucidly sets out myriad examples of how focused applications of versatile machines (coupled with human helpers where necessary) could displace or de-skill many jobs… His answer to a sharp decline in employment is a guaranteed basic income, a safety net that he suggests would both cushion the effect on the newly unemployable and encourage entrepreneurship among those creative enough to make a new way for themselves. This is a drastic prescription for the ills of modern industrialization—ills whose severity and very existence are hotly contested. Rise of the Robots provides a compelling case that they are real, even if its more dire predictions are harder to accept.” * Wall Street Journal *“Compelling and well-written… In his conception, the answer is a combination of short-term policies and longer-term initiatives, one of which is a radical idea that may gain some purchase among gloomier techno-profits: a guaranteed income for all citizens. If that stirs up controversy, that's the point. The book is both lucid and bold, and certainly a starting point for robust debate about the future of all workers in an age of advancing robotics and looming artificial intelligence systems.” * ZDNet *“In Rise of the Robots, Ford coolly and clearly considers what work is under threat from automation.” * New Scientist *“Speaks with special credibility, insight, and verve. Business people, policy makers, and professionals of all sorts should read this book right away—before the 'bots steal their jobs.” -- Kenneth Cukier, Data Editor for the Economist“An alarming new book.” * Esquire *“Ford offers ideas on changes in social policies, including guaranteed income, to keep our economy humming and prepare ourselves for a more automated future.” * Booklist *“If the robots are coming for my job (too), then Martin Ford is the person I want on my side, not to fend them off but to construct a better world where we can all—humans and our machines—live more prosperously together. Rise of the Robots goes far beyond the usual fear-mongering punditry to suggest an action plan for a better future.” -- Cathy N. Davidson, Distinguished Professor and Director, The Futures Initiative, The Graduate Center, CUNY and author of Now You See It: How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn“Martin Ford’s Rise of the Robots is a very important, timely, and well-informed book. Smart machines, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and the ‘Internet of things’ are transforming every sector of the economy. Machines can outperform workers in a rapidly widening arc of activities. Will smart machines lead to a world of plenty, leisure, health care, and education for all; or to a world of inequality, mass unemployment, and a war between the haves and have-nots, and between the machines and the workers left behind? Ford doesn’t claim to have all of the answers, but he asks the right questions and offers a highly informed and panoramic view of the debate. This is an excellent book that offers us a sophisticated glimpse into our possible futures.” -- Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute, Columbia University and author of The Age of Sustainable Development“A careful and courageous examination of automation and its possible impact on society.” * Kirkus Reviews *“Of all the moderns who have written on automation and rising joblessness, Martin Ford is the original. The Rise of the Robots is self-recommending.” * Marginal Revolution *“It's not easy to accept, but it's true. Education and hard work will no longer guarantee success for huge numbers of people as technology advances. The time for denial is over. Now it's time to consider solutions and there are very few proposals on the table. Rise of the Robots presents one idea, the basic income model, with clarity and force. No one who cares about the future of human dignity can afford to skip this book.” -- Jaron Lanier, author of You Are Not a Gadget and Who Owns the Future?

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Book SynopsisCurrently in Bill Gates's bookbag and FT Books of 2018 Increasingly, the demands of identity direct the world's politics. Nation, religion, sect, race, ethnicity, gender: these categories have overtaken broader, inclusive ideas of who we are. We have built walls rather than bridges. The result: increasing in anti-immigrant sentiment, rioting on college campuses, and the return of open white supremacy to our politics. In 2014, Francis Fukuyama wrote that American and global institutions were in a state of decay, as the state was captured by powerful interest groups. Two years later, his predictions were borne out by the rise to power of a series of political outsiders whose economic nationalism and authoritarian tendencies threatens to destabilise the entire international order. These populist nationalists seek direct charismatic connection to 'the people', who are usually defined in narrow identity terms that offer an irresistible call to an in-group and exclude large parts of the population as a whole. Identity is an urgent and necessary book: a sharp warning that unless we forge a universal understanding of human dignity, we will doom ourselves to continual conflict.Trade ReviewAs wise as it is compact, travelling at great speed through difficult terrain to a sensible conclusion. -- Daniel Finkelstein * Times *As a primer on the big political shift of our times, and an explainer of how we got here, this is not a book to pass by -- Andrew Marr * Sunday Times *Sweeping and ambitious -- Nesrine Malik * Prospect *A useful primer on an important subject -- David Goodhart * Literary Review *Praise for Origins of Political Order: 'Fukuyama remains as prominent as ever' * Financial Times *Praise for The Origins of Political Order: It should be read by every democrat - and every dictator. -- Dominic LawsonFukuyama writes clear prose and is a pleasure to read. * The Times *

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Book Synopsis'Jennifer's intelligence, compassion and experience as a psychotherapist make this a game-changer and a must-read for women and the men who love us.' Shaparak Khorsandi 'A revelation and resource for not just women, but everyone.' Soraya Chemaly, author of Rage Becomes Her and The Resilience MythWhat if you aren't depressed?What if you don't have chronic fatigue?What if you are just... angry?In a world where patience is a virtue and being a good girl is for life, women are never allowed to truly express their anger - and it is making us ill. After a lifetime of being told to repress it, to hide it away and fear it, anger has begun to manifest in female bodies in myriad ways we can't control. And the results are alarming. In this powerful and eye-opening book, psychotherapist Jennifer Cox takes us on a journey from cradle to grave revealing how, at every stage of our lives, women are

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Book SynopsisGabriel Gatehouse is a brilliant spelunker of the rabbit holes of American political culture. A spellbinding storyteller and reader of the runes of the strange times we live in. Louis TherouxIs this how democracy dies?The Coming Storm is Gabriel Gatehouse's brilliant exploration of how conspiracy theories are tearing America apart. It's a story that takes you down a rabbit hole - one that both the US as a nation and he as a journalist fell through - to unpack an epochal shift in political culture that starts in the earliest years of the Clinton administration and reached a crescendo on 6 January 2021 with the storming of the US Capitol. But that event wasn't the wild finale of a chaotic Trump presidency many hoped for - it was only the beginning.A compelling mix of research and reportage, The Coming Storm gets under the skin of these conspiracy theories to show us a radical new kind of politics emerging, a movement that has

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Book SynopsisThis book tells the story of the Sudanese revolution of 2019; of how it succeeded in bringing down the long-standing rule of President Omar al-Bashir; and of the troubled transitional civilian-led government that was installed in his place. It sets the scrupulously non-violent uprising in its historical context, showing how the protesters drew upon the precedents of earlier civic revolutions and adapted their practices to the challenges of the al-Bashir regime. The book also explores how that regime was brought to its knees through its inability to manage the intersecting economic and political crises caused by the secession of South Sudan and the loss of oil revenue, alongside the uncontrolled expansion of a sprawling security apparatus. The civilian protesters called for-and expected-a total transformation of Sudanese politics, but they found themselves grappling with a still-dominant cabal of generals, who had powerful regional backers and a strong hold over the economy. Internally divided, and faced with a deepening economic crisis, the civilian government led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has found itself in office, but with less and less real power, unable to change the conduct of political business as usual.Trade Review'An outstanding analysis of politics in modern Sudan, providing readers with behind-the-scenes details of the 2019 revolution and the struggles that Sudan continues to face.' -- Mark Fathi Massoud, Professor of Politics and Legal Studies at UC Santa Cruz, and author of 'Law's Fragile State: Colonial, Authoritarian, and Humanitarian Legacies in Sudan''In its passion and incisive, in-the-moment analysis, this book recalls Marx's famous "The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte". An ideal case study for introducing students to how African states actually work, and to how misguided external attempts to influence or help can be.' -- Donald L. Donham, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Anthropology, UC Davis, and co-editor of 'States of Violence: Politics, Youth, and Memory in Contemporary Africa''Detailed, rich and historically embedded, "Sudan's Unfinished Democracy" offers a unique and thorough background to better understand this country's contemporary politics and power shifts. It was a privilege to read such a wonderful and timely book.' -- Griet Steel, Assistant Professor of International Development Studies, University of Utrecht'Taking the reader close to the ground and under the skin of Sudan's popular revolution, this essential and timely book puts the promise and peril of a remarkable African struggle for civic democracy into sharp historical perspective.' -- Sharath Srinivasan, David and Elaine Potter Associate Professor in Governance and Human Rights, University of Cambridge, and author of 'When Peace Kills Politics: International Intervention and Unending Wars in the Sudans'

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Book SynopsisFifty years after his death, Portugal's Salazar remains a controversial and enigmatic figure, whose conservative and authoritarian legacy still divides opinion. Some see him as a reactionary and oppressive figure who kept Portugal backward, while others praise his honesty, patriotism and dedication to duty. Contemporary radicals are wary of his unabashed elitism and scepticism about social progress, but many conservatives give credit to his persistent warnings about the threats to Western civilisation from runaway materialism and endless experimentation. For a dictator, Salazar's end was anti-climactic—a domestic accident. But during his nearly four decades in power, he survived less through reliance on force and more through guile and charm. This probing biography charts the highs and lows of Salazar's rule, from rescuing Portugal's finances and keeping his strategically-placed nation out of World War II to maintaining a police state while resisting the winds of change in Africa. It explores Salazar's long-running suspicion of and conflict with the United States, and how he kept Hitler and Mussolini at arm's length while persuading his fellow dictator Franco not to enter the war on their side. Iberia expert Tom Gallagher brings to life a complex leader who deserves to be far better known.Trade Review‘Tom Gallagher’s immensely detailed portrait of a fascinating man is itself fascinating. The author is a distant presence, coolly objective and disinclined to judge his huge cast of politicians, soldiers, diplomats and bishops. He allows readers space to come to their own conclusions.’ -- The Telegraph‘The humane and open-minded story of a man whose legacy has been erased but who could well be regarded as the most consequential minor statesman of the 20th century.’ -- Wall Street Journal'A highly astute analysis of a kind of authoritarianism and a mode of political leadership much more relevant to the present Western experience than that of the Third Reich, the Soviet Union, Fascist Italy or Franco's Spanish State... this book is an important comment on the rise of "authoritarian liberalism."' -- The Critic'Sketches a clear-eyed account of liberalism’s alternatives.' -- The American Conservative'A vivid, balanced and enormously enjoyable biography of Antonio Salazar, head of Europe's longest-lived right-authoritarian regime. The best introduction to Portuguese affairs in the middle decades of the twentieth century.' -- Stanley Payne, Emeritus Professor of History, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and author of 'A History of Spain and Portugal''Salazar remains a mystery, even to the Portuguese, but this book goes a long way towards deciphering him. Beautifully written and meticulously researched, this is both a biography and an intellectual portrait. Salazar was a normal man, but a very unusual dictator, whose thought and action continue to pose a challenge to democratic politics in Europe and elsewhere. A much needed and long-awaited book.' -- Bruno Macaes, former Europe Minister of Portugal and author of 'The Dawn of Eurasia''A long-overdue outsider's approach to the controversial Salazar and his regime. Building on a wide array of sources and interpretations, this insightful portrait of Salazar's political persona offers a remarkable analysis of his foreign policy and geopolitical views. A great read!' -- Livia Franco, Professor of Political Studies, Catholic University of Portugal, and Associate Researcher, European Council on Foreign Relations'An insightful account of one of Europe's lesser-known but truly intriguing twentieth-century statesmen. Gallagher's comprehensive biography helps explain how, over four decades, Salazar kept an iron grip on an unruly country, and outfoxed bigger international powers arrayed against him.' -- Barry Hatton, author of 'Queen of the Sea: A History of Lisbon' and 'The Portuguese: A Modern History'

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Book SynopsisWith the rise of coal power, the producers who oversaw its development acquired the ability to shut down energy systems, a threat they used to build the first mass democracies. Oil offered the West an alternative, and with it came a new form of politics. Oil created a denatured political life the central object of which-the economy-appeared capable of infinite growth. What followed was a Western democracy dependent on an undemocratic Middle East. We now live with the consequences: an impoverished political practice, incapable of addressing the crises that threaten to end the age of carbon democracy - namely, the disappearance of cheap energy and the carbon-fuelled collapse of the ecological order.For the updated edition of this classic title, Timothy Mitchell has written a new preface, reassessing its arguments in the light of recent political events.Trade ReviewA challenging, sophisticated, and important book that undermines expectations in the best kind of intellectual provocation. * Foreign Policy *It's a book that tackles a really big subject, in a sweeping but readable fashion, and after reading it, it's hard to imagine thinking about political power the same way again ... This book utterly blew me away. -- Matt Stoller * Naked Capitalism *Timothy Mitchell's Carbon Democracy examines the simultaneous rise of fossil-fuelled capitalism and mass democracy and asks very intelligent questions about the fate of democracy when oil production declines. -- Benjamin Kunkel * New Statesman *A brilliant, revisionist argument that places oil companies at the heart of 20th century history - and of the political and environmental crises we now face...If we're ever to curb such behaviour, and to regain some comprehension of our planet's preciousness, we need first to understand how it came about. Not a book for the season of indulgence, this one. But one that demands to be widely shared. -- Susanna Rustin * Guardian *Carbon Democracy is a sweeping overview of the relationship between fossil fuels and political institutions from the industrial revolution to the Arab Spring, which adds layers of depth and complexity to the accounts of how resource wealth and economic development are linked. * Financial Times *This study of the basis of modern democracy over the past century connects oil-producing states of the Middle East with industrial democracies of the West. Mitchell argues that carbon democracy in the West has been based on the assumption that unlimited oil will produce endless economic growth, and he concludes that this model cannot survive the exhaustion of these fuels and associated climate change. Tim Mitchell has written a remarkable book that deserves a wide audience. -- Mahmood Mamdani, author of Good Muslim, Bad MuslimA remarkable account of the politics of oil and nation building in the Middle East. * The Herald *An insightful historical account of how changes in energy production have expanded and restricted possibilities for democratic governance. Mitchell's provocative approach is a critical intervention into the study of the politics of energy. Recommended. * Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries *

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Book SynopsisNo understanding of Chinese civilization is possible without a grasp of Taoism, the philosophy that has shaped not just Chinese spirituality but also art, science and politics. And it was in the Tao Te Ching, written around 300BC, that the fundamental beliefs of Taoism were first gathered. This short, wise but very humble book went on to influence on philosophy, religion and politics. In a compellingly simple rhetorical style the book addresses how to live a simple, peaceful and harmonious life, how to rid oneself of desires and free society of institutions that promote greed. This dual-language edition of Tao Te Ching presents the original Chinese characters with a new translation on the facing page, and is illustrated throughout to make an attractive gift edition in traditional Chinese hand binding. With a new introduction that discusses the questioned authorship of the text and editorial notes, all 81 brief chapters are included, ranging from advice for politicians to wise words for the everyday person. Of immense influence across millennia, Tao Te Ching Illustrated is a classic text richly deserving this exquisite edition.Table of ContentsIntroduction 6 1. The Mystery of the Dao 2. Not-doing 3. Removing Desire 4. The Infinite Dao 5. Cultivating Emptiness 6. The Spirit of the Valley 7. Self Through Selflessness 8. Avoiding Conflict 9. Recognizing Sufficiency 10. Potential of the Dao 11. The Power of Insubstantial 12. Subjugation of Desire 13. Avoidance of Danger 14. The Essence of the Dao 15. Qualities of the Dao 16. Returning to Origin 17. The Natural Order 18. Neglecting the Dao 19. Diminishing the Self 20. Different from Others 21. The Origin of All Things 22. Restraint and Completion 23.Trust in the Dao 24. Left-over Food and Aimless Journeys 25. Natural Order 26. Gravity and Temperance 27. Deftness and Enlightenment 28. A River Valley to the World 29. Avoiding Extremes 30. Accordance with the Dao 31. The Sorrow of War 32. The Harmonious Dao 33. Longevity 34. The Pervasive Dao 35. The Inexhaustible Dao 36. Maintaining the Mystery of the Dao 37. Tranquility 38. Avoidance of Chaos 39. Wisdom of the Ancients 40. Non-being 41. The Paradox of the Dao 42. The Basis of My Teaching 43. Achieved by Very Few 44. Ensuring Longevity 45. Order Under Heaven 46. At One With the Dao 47. Knowing Without Moving 48. Loss Upon Loss 49. The Enlightened Man 50. Life and Death 51. The Mysterious Process 52. Understanding the Infinite 53. The Winding By-ways 54. Cultivating Virtue 55. Purity of the New-Born 56. Honouring the Dao 57. Benefits of Simplicity 58. Sharp but Not Dangerous 59. Thrift 60. Doing No Harm 61. The Power of Receptiveness 62. Honouring the Dao 63. By Means of the Dao 64. Being Cautious 65. The Great Congruence of the Dao 66. Taking the Lower Position 67. Three Treasures 68. Following the Ancient Wisdom 69. Regretting Aggression 70. A Precious Jade 71 Recognizing One's Faults 72. Treasuring the Self 73. The Net of the Dao 74. Accepting Responsibility 75. Restraint 76. The Supple and the Soft 77. Like Drawing a Bow 78. Straightforward but Paradoxical 79. Impartiality 80. The Enlightened Ruler 81. The Universal Dao Index 96

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Book SynopsisMental Toughness Training examines what it takes to be as mentally fit as a special forces soldier. The book explains why it is equally important to focus on stress management and mental discipline as it is to concentrate on physical exercises, and is an essential guide to testing and improving mental agility and resilience.

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Book Synopsis'Writing about Queen Victoria has been one of the most joyous experiences of my life. I have read thousands (literally) of letters never before published, and grown used to her as to a friend. Maddening? Egomaniac? Hysterical? A bad mother? Some have said so. What emerged for me was a brave, original woman who was at the very epicentre of Britain's changing place in the world: a solitary woman in an all-male world who understood politics and foreign policy much better than some of her ministers; a person possessed by demons, but demons which she was brave enough to conquer. Above all, I became aware, when considering her eccentric friendships and deep passions, of what a loveable person she was.' A. N. WilsonTrade Review[A] splendid biography - this book is a gem: thoughtful, witty, insightful, striking a balance between political commentary and personal gossip... As this terrific biography shows, there really was a human being behind the gloomy portraits. -- Dominic Sandbrook * Evening Standard *Subtle, thoughtful ... a shimmering and rather wonderful biography -- Kathryn Hughes * Guardian *Wilson is affectionately alert to the rich contradictions of his subject's personality, and his deliciously readable biography becomes increasingly fascinating as Victoria's reign unfolds. -- Jane Shilling * Daily Mail - Book of the Week *This superb revisionist biography is the book that he was born to write. Wilson clearly loves and admires his subject, but this is a critical biography - funny, insightful, original and authoritative. At last Victoria has been rescued from her widow's weeds. -- Jane Ridley * Spectator *A. N. Wilson brings his novelist's perception and immense knowledge of the era to his effervescent biography of the tiny woman (4ft 11in) who ruled Britain for 61 years... This won't be the last biography of Victoria but it is certainly the most interesting and original in a long time. -- Daisy Goodwin * Sunday Times *Ninety-five years ago, the standard was set by Lytton Strachey's lucid and moving Queen Victoria but A. N. Wilson has now raised the bar... And what a pity she never met A. N. Wilson: she shines in his company ... [this] expansive and victorious book. -- Frances Wilson * Daily Telegraph *A. N. Wilson has written a sympathetic but by no means hagiographic biography of her that will probably overturn many people's prejudiced conception of her... Wilson's picture of her is a rounded one, with her vices and virtues. -- Theodore Dalrymple * The Times * A biographer of Queen Victoria also needs to be a good historian, with a confident grasp of the personalities and issues of 19th-century public life. Mr Wilson is at his best here... This is a bracing biography of a bracing woman ... it undeniably achieves its central aim to make us take Queen Victoria more seriously. -- Michael Hall * Country Life *Wilson is an excellent history teacher. He orders and narrates the hugely complex socio-political events and party infighting of the 19th century with a rare clarity... His own achievement, sustained by a lifetime's scholarly fascination with the Victorian era, is also in its way, awesome. -- John Sutherland * Financial Times *Few if any previous biographers have viewed her as incisively and absorbingly as Wilson does in his... smoothly flowing treatment of the queen's long life. The considerable detail he brings to his greatly balanced portrait not only strengthens his estimation of the significance of the queen in British governmental history but also successfully conveys for the general reader all the nuances of character that Wilson so carefully shares. -- Brad Hooper * Booklist, starred review *

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Book SynopsisGeorge Orwell’s essay examines the power of language to shape political ideas. It is about the importance of writing concisely, clearly and precisely and the dangers to our ability to think when language, especially political language, is obscured by vague, clichéd phrases and hackneyed metaphors. In it, he argues that when political discourse trades clarity and precision for stock phrases, the debasement of politics follows. First published in Horizon in 1946, Orwell’s essay was soon recognised as an important text, circulated by newspaper editors to their journalists and reprinted in magazines and anthologies of contemporary writing. It continues to be relevant to our own age.

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Book SynopsisAlaa Abd el-Fattah is arguably the most high-profile political prisoner in Egypt, if not the Arab world, rising to international prominence during the revolution of 2011. A fiercely independent thinker who fuses politics and technology in powerful prose, an activist whose ideas represent a global generation which has only known struggle against a failing system, a public intellectual with the rare courage to offer personal, painful honesty, Alaa’s written voice came to symbolize much of what was fresh, inspiring and revolutionary about the uprisings that have defined the last decade. Collected here for the first time in English are a selection of his essays, social media posts and interviews from 2011 until the present. He has spent the majority of those years in prison, where many of these pieces were written. Together, they present not only a unique account from the frontline of a decade of global upheaval, but a catalogue of ideas about other futures those upheavals could yet reveal. From theories on technology and history to profound reflections on the meaning of prison, You Have Not Yet Been Defeated is a book about the importance of ideas, whatever their cost. Trade Review‘Don’t read this book to be comforted. Read it to be challenged, terrified, enlightened, moved, and amazed.’ — Kamila Shamsie, author of Home Fire‘Alaa is the bravest, most critical, most engaged citizen of us all. At a time when Egypt has been turned into a large prison, Alaa has managed to cling to his humanity and be the freest Egyptian.’ — Khaled Fahmy, author of All The Pasha’s Men ‘Alaa is in prison not because he committed a crime, not because he said too much, but because his very existence poses a threat to the state. Those who are bold, those who do not relent, will always threaten the terrified and ultimately weak state which must, to survive, squash its opponents like flies. But Alaa will not allow himself to be crushed like that, I know.’ — Jillian C. York, director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation‘Alaa is a philosopher of everyday life and life-long struggle; he doesn’t merely find meaning in that which we go through, especially in dark political moments, but creates meaning and gives it form in writing. And he does so from a highly entrenched and implicated place in the present. His thoughts know no frontiers; they pierce through local contexts to inspire new modes of thinking about the chaotic substance of politics.’ — Lina Attalah, editor in chief of Mada Masr‘The text you are holding is living history.’ — Naomi Klein, author of This Changes Everything‘“Fix your own democracy,” Abd el-Fattah encourages us, from his cell; Egypt’s rulers attempt to isolate, fragment and conceal resistance because it needs a global ecosystem to flourish. What can any one person do with a legacy of pain, struggle and courage? There are no easy solutions here, but You Have Not Yet Been Defeated is a heartbreaking, hopeful answer.’ — Guardian

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE ARTHUR C. CLARKE AWARD A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR Out on the road, no one speaks, everything talks. Hard-drinking, foul-mouthed grandma Jean has never been good at getting on with other humans, apart from her granddaughter, Kimberly. Instead, she surrounds herself with animals, working as a guide in an outback wildlife park. Then, a strange pandemic begins sweeping the country, its chief symptom that its victims begin to understand the language of animals. Many infected people lose their minds, including Jean’s son, Lee. When he takes off with Kimberly, Jean follows, with Sue the dingo riding shotgun. As they travel, they discover a stark, strange world in which the animal apocalypse has only further isolated people from other species.Trade Review‘A fierce debut novel … Her writing about people is filthy, fresh, and funny; this is prose on high alert, hackles up and teeth bared in every sentence. The novel becomes both a stirring attempt to inhabit other consciousnesses and a wry demonstration of the limits of our own language and empathy. ’ -- Justine Jordan * The Guardian *‘This is a game-changing, life-changing novel, the kind that comes along right when you need it, and compels you to listen to its terrifying poetry. Compulsively readable and yet also pushing the boundaries of what is possible in terms of language and narrative, this is a brilliant and disturbing book that will make you rethink everything you thought you understood about non-human animal sentience and agency. I don’t think any reader can ever forget a voice like Sue the dingo’s — wise and obscene in equal measure. A triumph.’ * Ceridwen Dovey, author of Only the Animals *‘A heartfelt novel.’ * Psychologies *‘A taut exploration of loneliness and devotion, The Animals in That Country is rich with raw heartache and strange, carnal poetry.’ -- Sue Rainsford, author of Follow Me to Ground‘A powerful, uncanny tale.’ -- Justine Jordan * The Guardian *‘A hidden treasure … Read it!’ -- Foyles Bookstore‘Wow! The Animals in That Country is refreshingly original and totally bonkers, and I read it at a furious pace. Jean Bennett is one of the most memorable characters I’ve read in a long time. I loved her brass and her messiness, and when the end of times comes, most of us will be lucky to have half her loyalty and determination. The story is hugely imaginative and fully realised, with McKay in total control of her creative vision. She explores the potential of human/nonhuman communication, and the result is as poetic as it is surprising. A great debut novel.’ -- Alison Huber, Book Division Manager Readings‘This novel is one wild ride, from beginning to end. I loved Jean’s character — middle-aged, flawed, and foul-mouthed — desperately trying to keep herself together and to hold on to the family she has left. Sue the dingo is a glorious character, full of wild instinct yet all-knowing about the humans she encounters. This is one of the most unique, quirky stories I’ve read in a long time and a telling insight into how we see and relate to native wildlife. Laura Jean McKay’s is a fresh, innovative voice with a story that grabs you by the muzzle, leading you on an apocalyptic trip that you won’t forget easily.’ * Jenny Barry, Booksplus Bathurst *‘This book drips with angst and excitement … a truly original story teeming with intrigue.’ -- Suzie Bull, Farrells Bookshop‘Reminiscent of Ceridwen Dovey’s Only the Animals, McKay offers an exciting and necessary new voice in Australian fiction. We’ve all wished we could talk to animals, but McKay teaches us that we really should be careful what we wish for. By turns bizarre and profound, this is a striking debut.’ -- Jaclyn Crupi, Hill of Content Bookshop‘In this warm, wild, and irreverent debut, Laura Jean McKay takes us into the minds of animals to reveal the complexity of their lives. The Animals in That Country avoids the trap of anthropomorphism, showing instead the absurd, intense, and shifting bonds between humans and animals.’ -- Mireille Juchau, author of The World Without Us‘McKay is a master at building tension through sparse, abrupt language that mirrors Jean’s decades of alcohol abuse, and the excellent world-building is enhanced by the exquisite chemistry between Jean and her canine companion Sue. Visceral and discombobulating yet tender, The Animals in That Country will appeal to readers who enjoyed the animal-led stories in Ceridwen Dovey’s Only the Animals, and the foreboding road trip in Romy Ash’s Floundering.’ -- Sonia Nair * Books+Publishing *‘Deliriously strange, blackly hilarious, and completely exhilarating, The Animals in That Country is a wonderful debut from a genuinely original and exciting new voice.’ -- James Bradley, author of Clade‘Engrossing, subversive, and surprisingly profound, The Animals in That Country does something only the best fiction can do: it has the power to skew the reader’s perspective on the world. This story will stay with me for a long time, and its protagonist, Jean Bennett, will be with me even longer.’ -- J.P. Pomare, author of Call Me Evie‘Weird, wonderful and strangely moving. I will be thinking about this strange book, about Jean and Sue, for a long long time.’ -- Eloise Grills, author of Big Beautiful Female Theory‘An imaginative tour de force — assured, compelling, and utterly original, this book will change how you see the world. Laura Jean McKay's powers are in full evidence here: her singular gift for empathy, enviable storytelling chops, and deftly elegant language will shift your frame of reference and leave you altered, in the best of ways. A unique and important work that explores the bond between humans and animals — and indeed throws the whole dividing line between us into doubt.’ -- Meg Mundell, author of The Trespassers‘You know when you finish a book and you know that book will occupy your mind for a long time? The Animals in That Country is one of those. I haven’t read a book like it and I don’t think I will again ... The speech is almost poetic, full of metaphors and stunted syntax that (initially) confounds those hearing it ... This book is simultaneously laugh-out-loud funny and soul-crushingly depressing, in a way I can only describe as reminiscent of Waiting for Godot.’ FIVE STARS -- Max Lewis * Good Reading *‘If you read The Animals in That Country, it will be the wildest ride you take all year.’ -- Maria Takolander * The Saturday Paper *‘The writing is vibrant, energetic, and refreshing, and the narrative leaps off the page ... a wild, engaging ride for readers.’ -- Karen Viggers * The Australian *‘A wild and original ride of a read.’ * New Idea *‘Laura Jean McKay, an expert in animal communication, has her animals speaking in hallucinogenic haikus — it’s disturbing but compelling, and somehow totally believable. I loved every bizarre, unexpected moment.’ -- Corinna Hente * Herald Sun *‘An incredible achievement in storytelling, and absolutely worth your time ... one of the best Australian novels of the year.’ -- Nicholas Wasiliev * Booktopia *‘Eerily prescient … The Animals in That Country offers a timely take on the fraught ways animals feature in our lives, and how devastating it would be if we heard what they had to say.’ FIVE STARS -- Erin Stewart * ArtsHub *‘This is a work of not only remarkable linguistic skill but also one that brilliantly captures our relationship with the inhabitants of this wild world.’ FOUR STARS -- Mitchell Jordan * The Big Issue *‘The genius stroke of The Animals in That Country is the preternatural ‘body talk’ of its animals ... an affecting book, one that gets remarkably close to the unknowable wildness of animal sentience.’ -- Jack Callil * The Age *‘A standout debut novel of 2020 ... Original, hugely entertaining, and superbly crafted, this is one heck of a road-trip novel, whose timing and insights into human behaviour in a crisis could not be more prescient.’ -- Alison Huber * Readings Booksellers *‘Strikingly original ... It’s a tale that is at turns bizarre and surprisingly affecting, populated by a cast of richly idiosyncratic characters and posing timely questions about the ways we relate both to animals and to each other.’ -- Gemma Nisbet * The Weekend West *‘This is a beguiling, thought-provoking story penned with passion, intricate animals knowledge and great creativity ... Disturbing, challenging, and addictive, the book prompts you to wonder about what animals are really thinking.’ -- Sue Wallace * The Weekly Times *‘McKay is a master of voice-driven narrative. I never thought a substance-abusing grandmother was just who I needed to take me on an apocalyptic road trip — and that long after I gulped the book down, I'd be haunted by the words of a dingo called Sue.’ -- Sofija Stefanovic, author of Miss Ex-Yugoslavia‘This is an absorbing and affecting book, and one to which I’m able to pay the highest compliment: that, in the days after finishing it, the world felt different to me, its animals not speaking but not silent either.’ -- Ben Brooker * Australian Book Review *‘The beauty of this book is that it never quite goes where the reader expects it to go. McKay zigs when the reader expects her to zag. And the whole builds to a kind of slow-moving climax ... The Animals in That Country takes an intriguing premise and absolutely runs with it. While delivering one of the strangest road trips ever, McKay considers the nature of family, the human response to the unknown and our relationship with the animals kingdom, among other things.’ -- Robert Goodman * The Blurb *‘[A] compelling and haunting debut … Scattered with dark humour and driven by a compelling plot, The Animals in That Country is an outstanding and timely examination of human morality. It will change the way you view both animals and the world.’ -- Chloë Cooper * Audrey Magazine *‘McKay has written a searing dystopian critique of our relationship with the natural world … Through poetic projections of what the animals might say if they could, McKay highlights our limited capacity to communicate with language, and our human-centric view of the natural order … Earthy, visceral, at-times obscene, and all-too-real, The Animals In That Country is nevertheless compelling and oddly buoying … McKay is a masterful storyteller, and her talent truly shines in this quest for family and belonging.’ -- Sheree Strange * Primer *‘As we grapple with a worldwide pandemic, Australian author McKay’s novel is incredibly timely and feels all the more real for it … filled with humour, optimism, and grace: a wild ride worth taking. An eye-opening glimpse into a world that’s turned upside down and eventually becomes its own version of whole.’ -- Carol Gladstein * Booklist *‘Part pandemic novel and part beast fable, McKay’s novel, which takes its title from a Margaret Atwood poem, imagines a disease that causes humans to understand animal language, down to the lowliest insect. Acerbic wildlife guide Jean and a dingo named Sue set off through the Australian Outback in pursuit of the former’s son, who has absconded south after losing his mind, like so many others, due to the new voices that now seemingly occupy every space.’ * Publishers Weekly, ‘Going Viral: New Science Fiction and Fantasy 2020’ *‘A bravura investigation of the relations between humans and animals.’ -- Lara Freigel * The Guardian *‘Disturbingly timely, The Animals In That Country chronicles the journey of one no-bullshit woman and her half-wild dingo as they race against a deadly pandemic. Jean is brilliantly crafted — unapologetically rough and yet filled with hidden vulnerability. McKay's tale pulled me in with its entertaining nature then dragged me under with its profound nuance.’ -- Laura Graveline * Brazos Bookstore *‘Surprising and surprisingly-convincing characters, and a well-realised, inventive premise.’ -- Kate Evans * ABC News *‘A gritty and innovative wonder about an animal-borne virus (yep) that cracks opens channels between interspecies communication. The result is a raucous fever dream of a road story, evocative of Kenneth Cook, Hunter S. Thompson, and Ceridwen Dovey – but ultimately, McKay defies comparison.’ * Josephine Rowe *‘A timely dystopian novel in which a dangerous flu sweeps across Australia, giving those infected the power to speak with animals, with dark, disturbing results.’ -- Maxine Beneba Clarke‘A wildly inventive dystopian adventure … Both a hell of a ride and a revealing thought experiment about our place in the natural world.’ -- Dan Kois * Slate *‘The Animals in That Country is an uncanny book, in no small part because it was released in March and has a pandemic is at its centre … McKay’s book is madcap and poetic by turns; concerned about exactly what constitutes the relationships between humans and animals, and how we see each other and interact in this world we share.’ -- Fiona Wright * The Guardian *‘This book changed the way I look at the relationship between humans and animals, and it has one of the most wonderful dingo protagonists in Sue.’ -- Krissy Kneen * Broadsheet *‘Bold and strikingly inventive.’ -- Gemma Nisbet * The Weekend West Australian *‘The Animals in That Country is not a philosophical or moral tale. An experiment, rather than a lecture, the book invites readers to reflect on the fact that we belong to Mother Nature, instead of the other way around. And we are not her only child … A wildly imaginative and adventurous story that challenges the boundaries of both our language and our empathy for other creature surviving, living and thriving in this world.’ -- Christine Sun * Upper Yarra Mail *‘McKay does not offer us anthropomorphised cartoons, but a vocabulary formed by scent and breath … As the novel progresses, and more animals are introduced, it becomes impossible not to believe in McKay’s creative choices. In the arrangement and the rhythms and the personalities of each animal she translates, it is obvious McKay withheld nothing … McKay has not written a white lie about how lovely it would be to speak with a dog. Instead, she has asked that necessary, and uncomfortable question: Do we really want to know what the rest of the planet thinks of us?’ * Necessary Fiction *‘It was an absorbing read. Really inventive storytelling.’ -- Kate Miller-Heidke * Sydney Morning Herald *‘The Animals in that Country is that rare thing: an intellectually ambitious, formally innovative Australian novel that is accessible to a broad readership. It’s also wonderfully macabre … This is a work of fiction utterly capable of swaying the cultural imaginary … well-researched, impeccably crafted, and, above all, intelligent.’ -- Julienne van Loon * The Conversation *‘Amazing.’ -- Pip Adam * Stuff *‘The exploration of kinship, the untrusting nature of people and how different animal species view humans are stand-out aspects of this novel. The ‘rough as guts’ Jean is a loveable and humorous narrator and her relationship with Sue makes for great comedic relief during the times in the story when they are in unwelcoming company and ‘animal free’ zones … [B]eing offered glimpses into animals’ minds was one of the most powerful offerings of this novel. This is a book for anyone who has ever wanted to talk to animals, or even just looked at their pet and wondered what they were thinking.’ -- Nelya Valamanesh * InDaily *‘[The Animals in That Country] is disturbing and darkly comic, disrupting anthropocentric assumptions, revealing how animals might see our often violent intrusion into their lives … McKay’s innovation lies in the startlingly newness of the plot and the innovations in form in conveying animal voices as agentic and different … The Animals in that Country marks a striking new moment in animal representation in Australian fiction.’ * ALS Gold Medal Judge's' Citation *‘[A] bravura investigation of the relations between humans and animals.’ -- Lara Feigel * The Guardian *‘A cross between Thelma & Louise and Doctor Doolittle ... I really enjoyed this book.’ -- Andy Miller * BBC Radio 4 A Good Read *‘A stunning and disquieting account of a virus which gives infected humans the ability to understand animals.’ * Massey University *‘Delves into relationships, how we communicate, and our often complicated relationships with family members. A book that explores more than your typical road trip, with a certainly less than typical sidekick, the book is fresh, funny, and full of characters.’ * Forbes *‘While humour is rampant, [The Animals in That Country] is all too disturbingly believable. By them being given a voice, a set of languages humans can understand, animals’ intelligence— and rights—are recognised. [This novel] is a barking, squawking, roaring, brawling free-for-all. And considering it was written pre-corona, yes, preposterous in its prescience, too.’ -- Craig Pearce * Wild Magazine *‘[Laura Jean McKay's] book is like two novels sandwiched together: one about an outback road-chase involving a hard-living, middle-aged woman, the other a dystopian tale of a pandemic, the main symptom of which causes societal collapse. What is admirable is how the excitement of the first and the significance of the second intertwine so that both become part of a whole, where the philosophical questions raised by the power shift between animals and humans are present without overburdening the action of the chase. Darkly funny, this engrossing novel has a surprisingly affecting end.’ -- Janet Newman * Landfall Review Online *‘The winner of the 2021 Victorian Premier’s Prize for Fiction, among many other accolades, sees a pandemic (coincidentally) raging through Australia, in which those infected with ‘zooflu’ can understand the various languages of animals. The big question, and the one McKay handles beautifully, is what, exactly, those animals are saying and what effect that has on the people who can’t help but listen.’ -- Paul Dalgarno, Herald Sun's Top 50 Summer Reads 2022

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Book SynopsisHas our system of accountability and quick fixes meant we've lost perspective of what can really improve the quality of education? With a multitude of issues at the heart of some of our more toxic schools, including micro-management, over-complicated policy and the intricate measurement of the wrong foci, it appears that teachers are experiencing a disconnect from the very reason they joined teaching in the first place. With little autonomy over what's important, fewer teachers enter the profession than the monumental amount of teachers that are leaving, and those that do, do so with reluctance and regret. With an astute examination of practice in schools, Claire Hill and Kat Howard take a thoughtful and strategic view of how to ensure a sense of connection and cohesion within schools, to ensure that all feel part of the collective curricular journey towards a gold standard. With a consideration of research-informed practice, this book will provide a series of strategies for curriculum designers at every level, keeping the high quality teachers that we very much need in schools, and providing a better palette to students in the process. At a time where teaching is somewhat politicised, monetised and overcomplicated, Symbiosis: Curriculum and the Classroom sets about the task of refining the way in which we run our schools to improve the quality of our everyday lives in schools.

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Book SynopsisThe international bestseller - an uplifting story of cross-generational living and friendship. Twenty-one-year-old nursing student Teun Toebes (both broke and curious) decided to move into a nursing home and experience the daily life of elderly residents, not as a nurse or a carer - but as a housemate. The experience was to change his life, as well as the lives of his new friends. He initiated Friday drinks, trips out and camping evenings, and reintroduced pleasure in the small things in life: a laugh, a dance, a cup of good coffee, a chance to sit in the sun. As he became embedded in the community, however, Teun became more and more distressingly aware of how society and the care system diminishes the elderly and particularly people living with dementia - and he resolved to do something about it. A number 1 bestseller in the Netherlands, The Housemates is Teun Toebes' story of his years of being a housemate, the friends who changed him and a heartfelt cry for change in how we care for the elderly.

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Book SynopsisA dazzling and infuriating portrait of fifty years of corporate influence in Washington, The Wolves of K Street is a masterpiece of narrative nonfiction—irresistibly dramatic, spectacularly timely, explosive in its revelations, and absolutely impossible to put down.In the 1970s, Washington’s center of power began to shift away from elected officials in big marble buildings to a handful of savvy, handsomely paid operators who didn’t answer to any fixed constituency. The cigar-chomping son of an influential congressman, an illustrious political fixer with a weakness for modern art, a Watergate-era dirty trickster, the city’s favorite cocktail party host—these were the sort of men who now ran Washington. Over four decades, they’d chart new ways to turn their clients’ cash into political leverage, abandoning favor-trading in smoke-filled rooms for increasingly sophisticated tactics, such as “shadow lobbyi

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe beauty and value of Alex Howard’s book is that he speaks from his personal story. He had support to transform and transmute his own trauma, which led him in the direction of developing the clinical expertise to help thousands of people and to writing this book to reach even more. His joy in life and depth of knowledge make him a trustworthy guide to your own liberation from the past. - Gail Larsen, teacher and author Transformational Speaking: If You Want to Change the World, Tell a Better StoryAlex Howard has done it again! It’s Not Your Fault is a book that will benefit everyone, though the reader will feel it was written specifically for them. Alex addresses a complex topic with empathy and understanding while providing tools to navigate the impacts of past traumatic experiences. - Andrea Nakayama, Functional Medicine Nutritionist, Educator and SpeakerIt’s Not Your Fault is a candid and refreshingly honest journey into the wounds and emotions we do everything to NOT feel and the powerful path through to the freedom we each desire for our future. It’s Not Your Fault is an essential, practical, and living read for anyone with a human body, emotions, chronic illness, or in the chaos of escaping emotions. Alex Howard squarely places himself among the giants with It’s Not Your Fault, where he brings Mind-Body Medicine from an idea to life with heart, stories, and vulnerability. Readers will feel the book almost describing their own inner life and be provided with one of the best modern composed prescriptions combining different modalities that actually works. I recommend this book to all those seeking healing! - Dr. Aimie Apigian, Founder and CEO of Trauma Accelerated HealingHeartfelt, powerful, and brilliant – this could be the best book on trauma I’ve ever read. It combines good science on the neuropsychology of trauma, personal stories, and tons of useful methods. Alex Howard provides a new comprehensive framework to move this field forward. Clearly and beautifully written, it carries the reader along quickly, with useful insights, warm encouragement, and practical tools on every page. A gem. - Dr. Rick Hanson, New York Times best-selling author of Hardwiring Happiness and ResilientIt's Not Your Fault is a powerful book with an important message – our trauma is not our fault, but it is possible for us to heal. Through his two decades of clinical experience, Alex has developed powerful and easily accessible frameworks that will help you not just understand how you have been shaped by childhood trauma, but most importantly how you can heal from it. - Peter A. Levine PhD, author of Healing TraumaTherapist Alex Howard has written a beautiful, informative and kind book on recovering from trauma. He writes in easy-to-understand, empathic language so that you are drawn into this vital subject. Alex’s message is that your pain and trauma are gateways to healing. It’s Not Your Fault teaches you to reset your nervous system, develop emotional resilience and practise loving self-care as past trauma heals and you emerge into a happier and more satisfying life. - Judith Orloff MD, author of The Genius of Empathy

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Book SynopsisThis new edition offers practical exercises and a training program for cultivating presence in students and trainees.Trade ReviewTherapeutic Presence is the “secret sauce” of effective therapy. In this updated version of their classic text, the authors answer all your questions about presence, and they show how to cultivate presence in and outside of therapy. A “must-read” for all clinicians! -- Christopher Germer, PhD, Lecturer on Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, United StatesThis book provides an accessible and compelling answer to the perennial question of how the therapeutic relationship promotes change in our clients. In this revised edition, clinical vignettes, experiential practices, and peer-led reflection illustrate how trainable therapeutic presence is and demonstrate its central role in harnessing psychotherapy’s benefits. -- Zindel Segal, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Psychology in Mood Disorders, University of Toronto ScarboroughTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction to Therapeutic Presence: A Foundation for Effective Therapeutic Relationships Part I. Theoretical and Empirical Basis of Therapeutic Presence Chapter 1. Therapeutic Presence: A Theory of Relationship Chapter 2. History of Presence Across Theoretical Approaches Chapter 3. Research on Therapeutic Presence Part II. The Model of Therapeutic Presence Chapter 4. Preparing the Ground for Therapeutic Presence Chapter 5. The Process of Therapeutic Presence Chapter 6. The Embodied Experience of Therapeutic Presence Part III. A Deeper Exploration of Therapeutic Presence Chapter 7. Levels of Therapeutic Presence Chapter 8. Challenges to Therapeutic Presence Chapter 9. Presence Related to Therapists’ and Clients’ Emotional Experience Chapter 10. Neurobiology of Therapeutic Presence Part IV. Approaches to Cultivating Therapeutic Presence Chapter 11. Mindfulness and Self-Compassion: Ways to Enhance Therapeutic Presence Chapter 12. Experiential Approaches to Presence Part V. Training in Therapeutic Presence Chapter 13. Psychotherapy Training: Cultivating Therapeutic Presence Chapter 14. Therapeutic Presence Exercises and Practices Chapter 15. Cultivating Online Therapeutic Presence Epilogue References Index About the Authors

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Book SynopsisThis is the ultimate field guide to the 82 extraterrestrial species that populate the universe. ET enthusiast Craig Campobasso explores the origins, physical characteristics, technological and consciousness abilities, dimensional capacities, belief systems, and cosmic agendas of each of the species.The species fall into two categories: 1) benevolent races, which function as the guardians of humanity, whose goals include helping people overcome duality, healing, and protecting; and 2) malevolent races, which are responsible for abductions, cloning, and ultimately domination.This is a fun intergalactic romp that will inform and entertain all those interested in UFOs, aliens, ETs. Sci-fi and fantasy fans of the Marvel universe; Star Trek, Star Wars, and other popular TV shows like Ancient Aliens; Roswell, and Project Blue Book are sure to enjoy this book that delves deep into who the real extraterrestrials are and what they want with the people of Earth.

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Book SynopsisLate Roman Combat Tactics by Dr. Ilkka Syvänne is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand land combat in the period from the Tetrarchy to the death of Heraclius, a period when the Romans faced serious and growing military threats on many fronts. The author's detailed analysis provides the reader with a complete understanding of the combat equipment worn by the soldiers, types of troops, tactics, different unit orders and formations used by the late Romans and their enemies. Importantly, he lays out the developments and changes in these aspects across this critical period, assessing how the Romans adapted, or failed to adapt to the varied and changing array of enemies, such as Persians, Avars and Arabs. The discussion examines how the Romans fought at every level, so that it covers everything from the individual fighting techniques all the way up to the conduct of large-scale pitched battles. There is an immense amount of technical detail but the human element and the exper

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Book SynopsisHow technology creates new possibilities for transgender people, and how trans experiences, in turn, create new possibilities for technology.Mainstream technologies often exclude or marginalize transgender users. Trans Technologies describes what happens when trans people take technology design into their own hands. Oliver L. Haimson, whose research into gender transition and technology has defined this area of study, draws on transgender studies and his own in-depth interviews with more than 100 creators of technology?including apps, games, health resources, extended reality systems, and supplies designed to address challenges trans people face?to explain what trans technology is and to explore its present possibilities and limitations, as well as its future prospects.Haimson surveys the landscape of trans technologies to reveal the design processes that brought these technologies to life, and to show how trans people often must rely on community, technology, and the combination of the two to meet their basic needs and challenges. His work not only identifies the role of trans technology in caring for individuals within the trans community but also shows how trans technology creation empowers some trans people to create their own tools for navigating the world. Articulating which trans needs and challenges are currently being addressed by technology and which still need to be addressed; describing how trans technology creators are accomplishing this work; examining how privilege, race, and access to resources impact which trans technologies are built and who may be left out; and highlighting new areas of innovation to be explored, Trans Technologies opens the way to meaningful social change.

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Book SynopsisThis deluxe clothbound edition presents Machiavelli''s classic work on the philosophy of power. Published posthumously in 1532, Machiavelli''s treatise on the manipulation and exercise of power advocated a ruthless realpolitik, sparking a debate about the morality of statesmanship that is still very much alive today. His shrewd text presents strategies that some of history''s greatest - and most infamous - rulers have borrowed to achieve their goals. The Prince continues to show enduring popularity among anyone interested in the theory of leadership and power. This compact clothbound edition features silver embossing on the cover, gold-gilded page edges and illustrations inside, making a wonderful gift.ABOUT THE SERIES: Arcturus Ornate Classics are beautifully bound editions of iconic literary works across history. These compact, foil-embossed hardbacks are printed using deluxe ivory paper and make the perfect gift.

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Book SynopsisThe Nonviolent Communication Book of Quotes shows how the NVC process makes life more wonderful through the joy of compassionate giving. A comprehensive collection, The Nonviolent Communication Book of Quotes by NVC founder Marshall B. Rosenberg draws not only from other books and interviews, but also from the internet and previously unpublished workshops. It illuminates his revolutionary four-part Nonviolent Communication (NVC) process and shows the myriad ways NVC makes life more wonderful through the joy of compassionate giving. This essential compilation invites us to transform our lives, our work, our world.

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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. -- .

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Book SynopsisSlavoj Žižek is a Hegelian philosopher, a Lacanian psychoanalyst, and a Communist. He is International Director at the Birkbeck Institute for Humanities, University of London, UK, Visiting Professor at the New York University, USA, and Senior Researcher at the Department of Philosophy, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

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Book SynopsisWhy did the international drug regulatory regime of the twentieth century fail to stop an explosive increase in trade and consumption of illegal drugs? This book investigates the histories of smugglers and criminal entrepreneurs in the Netherlands who succeeded in turning the country into the so-called ‘Colombia of Europe’.Increasing state regulations and interventions led to the proliferation of a ‘hydra’ of small, anarchic groups and networks ideally suited to circumvent the enforcement of regulation. Smugglers and suppliers of heroin, cocaine, cannabis, and other drugs created a thriving underground industry of illegal synthetic drug labs and indoor cannabis cultivation in the Netherlands itself, made possible because of the embedded criminal anarchy in Dutch society.Using examples from the rich history of drug smuggling, Drug smuggler nation investigates the hidden grounds of the illegal drug trade, and its effects on our drug policies.Trade Review'Describing the development of covert networks is among the most daunting of social science projects. Like official corruption and espionage, organized crime prospers by remaining hidden. Snelders (Utrecht Univ.) successfully lifts the veil of secrecy, offering a convincing account of the evolution of drug smuggling in the 20th-century Netherlands. Combining materials drawn from official law enforcement statistics, crime news coverage, and academic journal articles, Snelders exposes drug smuggling in a new light. Rather than describe the handful of large-scale, highly integrated smuggling enterprises directed by criminal masterminds as often portrayed in works of popular culture, Snelders unveils an anarchic universe of small entrepreneurial enterprises connected through shared workplaces and/or culture. Overall, what Snelders strongly suggests is the virtual impossibility of finally suppressing drug smuggling.Summing Up: Recommended. All readers.'CHOICE (May 2022)'This thickly researched well-written book should be of great interest to historians, criminologists, and legal scholars alike. Frankly, I found little to argue with in this excellent book, which is a strong contribution to the intrinsically challenging and relatively new genre of smuggling history. In short, Drug Smuggler Nation is a deeply researched book that almost defines its place as interdisciplinary criminological history.'Paul Gootenberg, Criminal Law and Criminal Justice Books (March 2022)'All in all, there are very few improvements that one could suggest for Snelders’ superb study.'Peder Clark, European Review of History (May 2022) -- .Table of Contents1 Introduction: the drug regulatory regime vs. criminal anarchy2 The interwar period3 Global perils I: Chinese and Greek drug smugglers4 Cannabis, counterculture, and criminals: The rise of cannabis smuggling5 Global perils II: Chinese triads, Turkish families, and heroin6 The expansion of the cannabis trade after 19767 Global perils III: Colombian syndicates and cocaine8 The floodgates of criminal anarchy: Synthetic drugs and subverting the state9 ConclusionAppendix: Graphs of arrests and seizuresBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisIf you are going to care for someone, you must first understand them. If you''re going to hire, marry, or befriend someone, you have to be able to see them. If you are going to work closely with someone, you have to be able to make them feel recognized and valued. As David Brooks observes, The older I get, the more I come to the certainty that there is one skill at the center of any healthy family, company, classroom, community or nation: the ability to see each other, to know other people, to make them feel valued, heard and understood.And yet we humans don''t do this well. All around us are people who feel invisible, unseen, misunderstood. In How to Know a Person, Brooks sets out to help us to do better, posing questions that are essential for all of us. Driven by his trademark sense of curiosity, Brooks draws from the fields of psychology and neuroscience, and from the worlds of theatre, history, and education, to present a welcoming, hopeful, integrated approach to human connection. How to Know a Person helps readers become more understanding and considerate towards others; it helps readers find the joy that comes from being seen. Along the way it offers a possible remedy for a society that is riven by fragmentation, hostility, and misperception.The act of seeing another person, Brooks argues, is a profoundly creative act: How can we look somebody in the eye and see something large in them, and in turn, see something larger in ourselves? How to Know a Person is for anyone searching for connection, seeking to understand and yearning to be understood.

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Book SynopsisGet your mind unstuck. It can be challenging to be mindful without being trapped in your head. Overthinking comes in many formsoveranalysis, perfectionism, worry, ruminationand each of these can be harmful to your productivity and well-being at work. This book will teach you how to understand what type of overthinking you are experiencing, realize when you're cycling in a mental loop, and break free so that you can trust your gut, make a decision, and move forward with confidence. How to be human at work. The HBR Emotional Intelligence Series features smart, essential reading on the human side of professional life from the pages of Harvard Business Review. Each book in the series offers proven research showing how our emotions impact our work lives, practical advice for managing difficult people and situations, and inspiring essays on what it means to tend to our emotional well-being at work. Uplifting and practical, these books describe the social skills that are critical for ambitious professionals to master.

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Book SynopsisA guided questionnaire to help us progress towards emotional maturity and encourage us to live up to our full potential.

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Book Synopsis

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