Politics, Philosophy & Society Books

Book SynopsisThomas Gilovich offers a wise and readable guide to the fallacy of the obvious in everyday life.When can we trust what we believe—that teams and players have winning streaks, that flattery works, or that the more people who agree, the more likely they are to be right—and when are such beliefs suspect? Thomas Gilovich offers a guide to the fallacy of the obvious in everyday life. Illustrating his points with examples, and supporting them with the latest research findings, he documents the cognitive, social, and motivational processes that distort our thoughts, beliefs, judgments and decisions. In a rapidly changing world, the biases and stereotypes that help us process an overload of complex information inevitably distort what we would like to believe is reality. Awareness of our propensity to make these systematic errors, Gilovich argues, is the first step to more effective analysis and action.

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Book SynopsisAn intimate and perceptive biography of Zbigniew Brzezinski one of America's greatest and most influential geopolitical thinkers.

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Book SynopsisCan one be nostalgic for the home one never had? Why is it that the age of globalization is accompanied by a no less global epidemic of nostalgia? Can we know what we are nostalgic for? In the seventeenth century, Swiss doctors believed that opium, leeches, and a trek through the Alps would cure nostalgia. In 1733 a Russian commander, disgusted with the debilitating homesickness rampant among his troops, buried a soldier alive as a deterrent to nostalgia. In her new book, Svetlana Boym develops a comprehensive approach to this elusive ailment. Combining personal memoir, philosophical essay, and historical analysis, Boym explores the spaces of collective nostalgia that connect national biography and personal self-fashioning in the twenty-first century. She guides us through the ruins and construction sites of post-communist cities -- St. Petersburg, Moscow, Berlin, and Prague-and the imagined homelands of exiles-Benjamin, Nabokov, Mandelstam, and Brodsky. From Jurassic Park to the Totalitarian Sculpture Garden, from love letters on Kafka''s grave to conversations with Hitler''s impersonator, Boym unravels the threads of this global epidemic of longing and its antidotes.

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Book SynopsisThomas Berry is one of the most eminent cultural historians of our time. Here he presents the culmination of his ideas and urges us to move from being a disrupting force on the Earth to a benign presence. This transition is the Great Work -- the most necessary and most ennobling work we will ever undertake. Berry's message is not one of doom but of hope. He reminds society of its function, particularly the universities and other educational institutions whose role is to guide students into an appreciation rather than an exploitation of the world around them. Berry is the leading spokesperson for the Earth, and his profound ecological insight illuminates the path we need to take in the realms of ethics, politics, economics, and education if both we and the planet are to survive.

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Book SynopsisWesterners tend to divide the political world into good democracies and bad authoritarian regimes. But the Chinese political model does not fit neatly in either category. Over the past three decades, China has evolved a political system that can best be described as political meritocracy. The China Model seeks to understand the ideals and the reality of this unique political system. How do the ideals of political meritocracy set the standard for evaluating political progress (and regress) in China? How can China avoid the disadvantages of political meritocracy? And how can political meritocracy best be combined with democracy? Daniel Bell answers these questions and more. Opening with a critique of one person, one vote as a way of choosing top leaders, Bell argues that Chinese-style political meritocracy can help to remedy the key flaws of electoral democracy. He discusses the advantages and pitfalls of political meritocracy, distinguishes between different ways of combining meritocracy and democracy, and argues that China has evolved a model of democratic meritocracy that is morally desirable and politically stable. Bell summarizes and evaluates the China model--meritocracy at the top, experimentation in the middle, and democracy at the bottom--and its implications for the rest of the world. A timely and original book that will stir up interest and debate, The China Model looks at a political system that not only has had a long history in China, but could prove to be the most important political development of the twenty-first century.Trade ReviewA Financial Times Summer Books Selection Selected as one of Financial Times (FXXT.com) Best Books of 2015 A Guardian Best Holiday Reads of 2015 selection "[I]t is part of the job of academics to ask fundamental questions that challenge conventional thinking. Bell performs this role admirably in lucid, jargon-free prose that leads the reader back to some of the most fundamental questions in political philosophy - refracted through the experience of contemporary China ... I found the questions that Bell raised consistently stimulating."--Gideon Rachman, Financial Times "Bell ... has written a fascinating study. Open-minded readers will find it equips them with a more intelligent understanding of Chinese politics and, no less valuable, forces them to examine their devotion to democracy... [The China Model] isn't just for those who want to better understand China. More than anything I've read for a while, it also forced me to think about what's good and bad about Western systems of government. From start to finish the book is a pleasure and an education."--Clive Crook, Bloomberg View "Bell makes a solid and worthy case for why the outside world might want to think about the Chinese experiment in governance a bit more deeply... This is a very clearly written book."--Kerry Brown, Asian Review of Books "The China Model ... is as important for us as it is for China. If the book brings us some humility about the ways in which an undemocratic model like China's can be deeply rooted in history and culture, it will have done good work. But it will do something better if it can remind us that our own history isn't over."--Rob Goodman, POLITICO "In careful, clear and measured prose, [Bell] works hard to overcome prejudice, defuse emotions and discuss the pros and cons in the cool language of political philosophy. This, perhaps, is the book's greatest contribution."--James Miller, Literary Review of Canada "Serious re-evaluations of democracy are inhibited by two factors: fears about the alternatives turning sour and a century of educational indoctrination that makes imagining the alternatives a frightful exercise. Bell's book should be read as an antidote (or if you prefer, an elixir) to overcome these doubts."--Siddharth Singh, Mint "This book is a welcome addition to the expanding literature on the emerging 'China model'... Bell's argument, based on his long-term observation of China's political development, provides a nuanced, thought-provoking view of the meritocratic aspects of the Chinese system that have been obscured by the broad label 'authoritarianism.' It offers an original explanation for the resilience of the Chinese regime and essentially challenges the widely held notion that liberal democracy is the universally desirable political outcome for modern societies."--Choice "Bell is not an apologist for China but someone who teaches us to ask different questions. And these questions are fascinating."--Mariana Mazzucato, Financial Times, a FT Best Book of 2015 "A must-read scholarly account of China's political development with stimulating questions, powerful analysis as well as theoretically relevant arguments."--Bingdao Zheng, Chinese Political Science Review "This book is a must-read text for all political scientists, in particular, for those who study democracy and democratization. It can open their eyes and help them to move out of their comfort zone to examine the tough and pressing issues in the real world in which democracy and meritocracy must be combined to improve democratic government and solve many practical issues."--He Baogang, Perspectives in Politics "A deeply stimulating contribution to normative political theory."--Thomas Pangle, Perspectives in Politics "In conclusion, Bell's book is interesting and intriguing. It argues convincingly that every political system is a trade-off, and asks important questions about the US (electoral) democracy and Chinese (communist) meritocracy. Bell also develops his own model, combining elements from both."--Dao "A must-read scholarly account of China's political development with stimulating questions, powerful analysis as well as theoretically relevant arguments. The discussion of political elite-recruiting system impressively spans thousands of years, from ages of empires to nowadays, and a number of countries and regions including United States, China, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan among others. One has to admire the comparative perspective the author puts in various historical periods and social contexts."--Bingdao Zheng, Chinese Political Science Review "A very well-written book that presents original scholarship."--Zhiming Cheng, Political Studies Review "Reading Bell is rewarding... This book is more than a bold challenge to democracy: it serves as a sincere invitation to a sober and less ideologically loaded dialogue between East and West."--Tao Wang, Asian Journal of Comparative PoliticsTable of ContentsPreface to the Paperback Edition ix Acknowledgments xxi Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Is Democracy the Least Bad Political System? 14 Chapter 2 On the Selection of Good Leaders in a Political Meritocracy 63 Chapter 3 What's Wrong with Political Meritocracy 110 Chapter 4 Three Models of Democratic Meritocracy 151 Concluding Thoughts: Realizing the China Model 179 Notes 199 Selected Bibliography 283 Index 307

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Book SynopsisAn insider's analysis of the major institutions of globalization, this title details Joseph E. Stiglitz's disillusionment with the International Monetary Fund and other major institutions as they put the interests of Wall Street and the financial community ahead of the poorer nations.Trade Review"Accessible, provocative and highly readable. … Brings an insider's insights into the crises of the 1990s and beyond, from East Asia to Russia and on to Argentina." -- New York Times

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Book SynopsisAt a time when people are living into their tenth decade, the longest longitudinal study of human development ever undertaken offers welcome news for old age: our lives evolve in our later years and often become more fulfilling. Among the surprising findings: people who do well in old age did not necessarily do so well in midlife, and vice versa.Trade ReviewOf the 31 men in the study incapable of establishing intimate bonds, only four are still alive. Of those who were better at forming relationships, more than a third are living. It’s not that the men who flourished had perfect childhoods. Rather, as Vaillant puts it, ‘What goes right is more important than what goes wrong.’ The positive effect of one loving relative, mentor or friend can overwhelm the negative effects of the bad things that happen. In case after case, the magic formula is capacity for intimacy combined with persistence, discipline, order and dependability. The men who could be affectionate about people and organized about things had very enjoyable lives. But a childhood does not totally determine a life. The beauty of the Grant Study is that, as Vaillant emphasizes, it has followed its subjects for nine decades. The big finding is that you can teach an old dog new tricks. The men kept changing all the way through, even in their 80s and 90s. -- David Brooks * New York Times *Vaillant concludes that personal development need never stop, no matter how old you are. At an advanced age, though, growth consists more in finding new hues and shades in one’s past than in conceiving plans for the future. As the Harvard Study shows with such poignancy, older men treat what lies behind them much as younger men treat what lies ahead. The future is what young men dream about; they ponder the extent to which it is predetermined or open; and they try to shape it. For old men, it is the past they dream about; it is the past whose inevitability or indeterminateness they attempt to measure; and it is the past they try to reshape. For the most regret-free men in the Harvard study, the past is the work of their future. -- Andrew Stark * Wall Street Journal *Triumphs of Experience elegantly summarizes the findings of this vast longitudinal study, unique in the annals of research… [The] book analyzes how the men fared over their late adulthood, and indeed their entire lives. In it, Vaillant masterfully chronicles how their life successes, or lack thereof, correlate with the nature of their childhoods, marriages, mental health, physical health, substance abuse, and attitudes. Extensive quantitative findings are interspersed with the detailed stories of individual study participants… Here Vaillant proves that his skills are literary as well as scientific. The case histories are engaging novelistic capsules that artfully bring the quantitative material to life… Many of its findings seem universal. If they could be boiled down to a single revelation, it would be that the secret to a happy life is relationships, relationships, relationships… The other overarching message of this book is that resilience counts… Vaillant is that rare thing: a psychiatrist more interested in mental flourishing than in mental illness. With Triumphs of Experience, he has turned the Harvard men’s disparate stories into a single narrative and created a field guide, both practical and profound, to how to lead a good life. -- Charles Barber * Wilson Quarterly *The factor Vaillant returns to most insistently is the powerful correlation between the warmth of your relationships and your health and happiness in old age. -- Scott Stossel * The Atlantic *In Triumphs of Experience, Vaillant elegantly and persuasively brings us an answer to the question that launched a thousand snake-oil salesmen: what makes for a successful and happy life? …[An] engaging work. There are regrettably few studies of this magnitude and even fewer accounts that so ably synthesize the broader insights with the moving parts. -- Christopher Croke * The Australian *To avid consumers of modern happiness literature, some of Vaillant’s conclusions will seem shopworn (‘Happiness is love. Full stop.’), while other results of the Grant Study appear to confirm what social science has long posited—that a warm and stable childhood environment is a crucial ingredient of success; or that alcoholism is a strong predictor of divorce. But what’s unique about the Grant Study is the freedom it gives Vaillant to look past quick diagnosis, to focus on how patterns of growth can determine patterns of wellbeing. Life is long, Vaillant seems to be saying, and lots of shit happens. What is true in one stage of a man’s life is not true in another. Previously divorced men are capable of long and loving marriages. There is a time to monitor cholesterol (before age 50) and a time to ignore it. Self-starting, as a character trait, is relatively unimportant to flourishing early in life but very important at the end of it. Socially anxious men struggle for decades in emotional isolation and then mature past it—relatively speaking. Triumphs of Experience is not only a history of how the Grant men adapted (or not) to life over 70-plus years, but of how author and science grew up alongside them. Yet what unifies Triumphs is the same question posed originally by Bock, the study’s founder: What factors meaningfully and reliably predict the good life? Vaillant’s mission is to uncover the ‘antecedents of flourishing.’ -- Dan Slater * Daily Beast *Offers broadly applicable evidence about how everything from early maturity to grandparents’ longevity is likely to affect flourishing throughout life… It is hard to overstate the wealth of the data provided in Triumphs of Experience or the ambition of the project, composed of survey responses, health records, and interviews. This archive of human life is poised to answer questions shorter studies can barely hint at… Vaillant offers striking conclusions about a range of factors affecting human flourishing. -- Adam Plunkett * New Republic online *Reading like a storybook, the case histories of the individuals provide fascinating insights about how the subjects tackled challenges or succumbed to setbacks. Vaillant superbly explains how these lifelong experiences sculpted these men’s final years. Readers can learn more about themselves and what they may expect from life by reading this revelatory and absorbing book. -- Aron Row * San Francisco Book Review *George Vaillant’s book on the development and well-being of a longitudinal sample of men, now in their nineties and studied regularly since they were undergraduates at Harvard University, reads like a riveting detective tale… He has a thought-provoking story to tell about the lifelong significance of loving care… Brief life-story vignettes illustrate movingly how adult development and maturation is a lifelong process that strongly relates to the transformative power of receiving and giving love… [The book’s] well-evidenced wisdoms on the significance of nurturing relationships offer new multidisciplinary perspectives on the complex issue of nature versus nurture (much needed at a time when medical science and genetics once more dominate studies of human development) and on the lifelong costs of childhood emotional neglect. -- E. Stina Lyon * Times Higher Education *This fascinating book of ‘numbers’ and ‘pictures’ is the final summary volume of a longitudinal psychosocial study focused on the optimum health of 268 males from Harvard College classes… This book is well worth reading for the discoveries contained in its pages; it has the potential to advance knowledge about adult development. -- J. Clawson * Choice *A fascinating account of the 268 individuals selected for the Harvard Study of Adult Development… Vaillant has done a wonderful job summarizing the study, discussing its major findings, and communicating his enthusiasm for every aspect of the project, which became his life’s work starting in 1966. The study has been investigating what makes a successful and healthy life. Initially, this meant looking for potential officer material for the military. Vaillant established what he called ‘the Decathlon of Flourishing—a set of ten accomplishments in late life that covered many different facets of success.’ With humor and intriguing insights, the author shows how progress in health studies and the passage of time contributed to the constant ‘back and forth between nature and nurture.’ During Vaillant’s tenure, human maturation and resilience became the focus, and now biology is reasserting itself in the form of DNA studies and fMRI imaging, the seeds for future research. The author considers the study’s greatest contributions to be a demonstration that human growth continues long after adolescence, the world’s longest and most thorough study of alcoholism, and its identification and charting of involuntary coping mechanisms. Inspiring when reporting these successes, his personal approach to discovery repeatedly draws readers in as he leads up to the account of his realization that the true value of a human life can only be fully understood in terms of the cumulative record of the entire life span. Joyful reading about a groundbreaking study and its participants. * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *Vaillant’s fascination with the human condition and his deep insights about development make him a great storyteller, adept at elegantly conveying the essence of humanity. -- Laura L. Carstensen, Director, Stanford Center on LongevityGeorge Vaillant tells the story of the Grant Study men though age 91. This is, arguably, the most important study of the life course ever done. But it is, inarguably, the one most brimming with wisdom. If you are preparing for the last quarter of your life, this is a MUST read. -- Martin Seligman, author of Authentic HappinessWhat makes a good life? Most people would just speculate, cite one-off examples, perhaps reference a personal religious doctrine—or just shrug. But shouldn't we have at least some scientific answers to this question by now? Actually, we do. The Grant Study has followed a group of men for their entire adult lives. It has tracked them for over 75 years. What factors make for a good life? How does personality, marriage, children, career, friends and lifestyle contribute to fulfillment over the course of decades? Most studies last weeks or months. The Grant Study is still going on. It’s one of the most illuminating glimpses into what makes life meaningful. -- Eric Barker * The Week *

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Book SynopsisThe unvarying essential meanings of around 1,000 symbols and symbolic themes commonly found in the art, literature and thought of all cultures through the ages are clarified.

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Book SynopsisComparison is fundamental to evolutionary anthropology. This book provides an investigation of the comparative foundations of evolutionary anthropology in research, including studies of animal behavior, biodiversity, linguistic evolution, allometry, and cross-cultural variation.Trade Review"A very impressive volume. I found myself again and again wanting to revisit many old questions and explore just as many new ones - truly delicious food for thought." (William L. Jungers, Stony Brook University)"

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Book SynopsisA personal look at the UK's involvement in the Iraq war.Trade ReviewBeautifully written, highly evocative . . . a joy to read. -- John SimpsonA marvellous book . . . a devastating narrative. -- Simon JenkinsAbsolutely absorbing. -- Ken LoachStrikes gut and brain at once. -- James MeekWonderfully observed, wise, evocative. * Observer *The best book by far to come out of the Iraq mess. * Sunday Herald *

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Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERChasing Daylight is the honest, touching, and ultimately inspirational memoir of former KPMG CEO Eugene O'Kelly, completed in the three and a half months between his diagnosis with brain cancer and his death in September 2005. Itâs haunting yet extraordinarily hopeful voice reminds us to embrace the fragile, fleeting moments of our lives: the brief time we have with our family, our friends, and even ourselves. Glimpse the strategies Gene embraced to accept and live the final stages of his life with vibrancy and calm - and what his preparations for death taught him about life.This paperback edition features a new foreword by his wife, Corinne O'Kelly and a readers' group guide and questions âœA moving memoirâ The TimesâœChallenging and thought-provokingâ The Financial Timesâœ[A] well-written and moving book.â The Economist.com"Voicing universal truths not often found in business or how-to tracts...[O'Kelly] madTable of ContentsA Gift The Bottom Line The Business of Dying Is Hard The Best Death Possible The Good Good-bye Transition .Chasing Daylight By Corinne O’Kelly Afterword By Corinne O’Kelly . A Reader’s GuideQuestions for Discussion A Conversation with Corinne O’Kelly

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A truly important and courageous book that will help many people to understand their soul's journey, to heal grief, and to let go of fear." -- -- Brian L. Weiss, M.D., author of Many Lives, Many Masters

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Book SynopsisWhat is it like to be smarter than 95% of the people you meet? Fifty-four-year-old Alison says, They told me I was smart and I cried. I wanted to be sexy, or glamorous! Jean, 38, laments, I learned the whole job in six weeks, and now I'm bored.Trade Review"I enjoyed reading this book. It is highly informative andinteresting."--Alice Miller, author of Drama of the GiftedChild "Many readers will recognize their own experiences..."--Lita LinzerSchwartz, Ph.D., ABPP, Distinguished Professor Emerita,Pennsylvania State University "This book was a delight. It affirmed my own experiences andobservations. The author makes her study come alive...through thevoices of real people talking about their experiences.... I highlyrecommend this book."--Joanne Rand Whitmore, Ph.D., Professor andDean, College and Graduate School of Education, Kent StateUniversityTable of ContentsTHE GIFTED GROWNUPS. What Makes You Gifted? Inside the Gifted Brain/Mind. In Hiding. WHEN THE SMART KIDS GROW UP. The Gifted Family. School: Hard Times, Easy As. Young Adults: The Extra Mile. Bored, Bored, Bored: The Quest for Challenge Work. GIFTED LIVES. The Dark Side. Finding the Others: Friends and Lovers. Gifted Women. Young in Mind: The Later Years. The Value of the Gift. Resources and Recommended Readings. Notes. References. Acknowledgments. About the Author.

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Book SynopsisProof of a ground-breaking psychological theory: that the fear of death is the hidden motive behind almost everything we do.''A joy ... The Worm at the Core asks how humans can learn to live happily while being intelligently aware of our impending doom, how knowledge of death affects the decisions we make every day, and how we can stop fear and anxiety overwhelming us'' Charlotte Runcie, Daily Telegraph''Provocative, lucid and fascinating'' Financial Times''An important, superbly readable and potentially life-changing book . . . suggests one should confront mortality in order to live an authentic life'' Tim Lott, Guardian ''Deep, important, and beautifully written ... utterly original'' Daniel Gilbert

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Book SynopsisThis text is a guide for high school teachers, college faculty, and graduate teaching assistants involved in introductory physics teaching. Teaching Physics is a combination of the previous Guide to Introductory Physics Teaching, and Homework and Test Questions for Introductory Physics Teaching. Both works have been edited to incorporate suggestions and feedback received after the first publication. Added to this combination is a monograph intended to illustrate how certain misleading aspects, widely prevalent in existing text presentations, can be rectified in introductory teaching of the energy concepts. This is intended as a guide and resource for active teachers at college and high school level.Table of ContentsPartial table of contents: Underpinnings. Rectilinear Kinematics. Elementary Dynamics. Motion in Two Dimensions. Momentum and Energy. Static Electricity. Current Electricity. Electromagnetism. Waves and Light. Early Modern Physics. Miscellaneous Topics. Achieving Wider Scientific Literacy. Critical Thinking. Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisThe nineteenth century saw a complete transformation of the practice and reputation of surgery. This book follows its increasingly optimistic evolution, drawing from the examples of surgical textbooks with a focus on the extraordinary visual materials of the mid-nineteenth century.Trade Review'An extraordinary array of illustrations ... A book that will appeal to all lovers of medical history ' - British Journal of Hospital MedicineTable of ContentsSurgery: An Introduction • Head & Neck: 1. Head; 2 . Eyes; 3. Ear, Nose & Throat • The Upper Body: 4. Hands & Arms; 5. Chest; 6. Abdomen • The Lower Body: 7. Genitals; 8. Legs & Feet

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Book SynopsisCompletely revised and updated Second Edition of this successful book. Includes updated material on proof marks; muzzle attachments; non toxic bullets; GSR particles and SEM sampling Includes new case study material including the Jill Dando murder enquiry as a key example for reporting on GSR cases.Trade Review"I would strongly recommend that this book be made available to practicing firearms examiners, laboratory directors, others interested in this field of science and attorneys." (AFTE Journals, 2011) "Brian Heard provides readers with a sophisticated forensic interest in firearms with a hugely detailed and authoritative ‘state of the art' manual of all aspects of firearms and ballistics . . . Neil Davison also provides us with a detailed, thorough, and an authoritative manual on the huge variety of ‘non-lethal' weapons that are available, in development, or whose development has been terminated or fallen into abeyance." (A Journal of Policy and Practice, 16 February 2011) "This second edition of the Handbook of Firearms and Ballistics is welcomed, particularly given the lack of collected research elsewhere." (The Howard Journal, February 2010)Table of ContentsDevelopments in Forensic Science ix Acknowledgements xi Foreword xiii 1 Firearms 1 1.1 A Brief History of Firearms 1 1.2 Weapon Types and Their Operation 19 1.3 Proof Marks 32 2 Ammunition 43 2.1 A Brief History of Ammunition 43 2.2 Ammunition Components 48 2.3 Non-toxic Shot 77 2.4 A Brief History of Propellants 80 2.5 Priming Compounds and Primers 86 2.6 Headstamp Markings on Ammunition 94 3 Ballistics 101 3.1 Internal, External and Terminal Ballistics 101 3.2 Internal Ballistics 102 3.3 External Ballistics 109 3.4 Terminal Ballistics 124 4 Forensic Firearms Examination 145 4.1 A Brief History of Forensic Firearms Identifi cation 145 4.2 Rifl ing Types and Their Identifi cation 154 4.3 Fluted, Annular Ringed, Helical, Perforated and Oversized Chambers 166 4.4 Basic Concepts of Striation Matching 170 4.5 Basic Methodology Used in Comparison Microscopy 182 4.6 Mathematical Proof of Striation Matches 186 4.7 Accidental Discharge 191 4.8 Identifi cation of Calibre from the Bullet Entry Hole 197 4.9 Ricochet Analysis 200 4.10 Bullet Penetration and Trajectory through Glass 204 5 Range of Firing Estimations and Bullet Hole Examinations 211 5.1 Introduction 211 5.2 The Use of X-ray Photography 212 5.3 Range of Firing Estimations for Pistols and Rifl es 219 5.4 Chemical Tests for Range of Firing Estimations and Bullet Entry/Exit Hole Identifi cation 227 5.5 Range of Firing Estimations for Shotguns 233 6 Gunshot Residue Examination 241 6.1 Introduction 241 6.2 Formation of Discharge Residue 241 6.3 Distribution of GSR Particles 242 6.4 Identifi cation of GSR Particles 243 6.5 The Use of the SEM for GSR Detection 247 6.6 Sample Collection 248 6.7 GSR Retention 251 6.8 Conservation of GSR Particles on the Hands 251 6.9 GSR Distribution on the Hands 252 6.10 Identifi cation of Type of Ammunition, Country of Origin from GSR Analysis 255 6.11 Environmental Contaminants 256 6.12 Sources of Elements Commonly Found in Lead-Based GSRs 257 6.13 Extending the Recovery Period for GSR 259 7 Gun-Handling Tests 271 7.1 Introduction 271 7.2 Methodology for Ferrozine Use 274 7.3 Case Notes 275 8 Restoration of Erased Numbers 277 8.1 Introduction 277 8.2 Methods Used for Removal of Serial Numbers 277 8.3 Theory behind Number Restoration 278 8.4 Non-recoverable Methods of Number Removal 279 8.5 Practice of Number Restoration 280 8.6 Chemical Methods of Restoration 280 8.7 Reagents Used for Various Metals 281 8.8 Electrolytic Methods of Restoration 283 8.9 Reagents Used 283 8.10 Ultrasonic Cavitation for Restoration 284 8.11 Magnetic Particle Method for Restoration 284 8.12 Other Methods of Restoration 285 8.13 Laser-Etched Serial Numbers and Bar Codes and Their Restoration 286 9 Qualifying the Expert and Cross-Examination Questions 291 9.1 Introduction 291 9.2 General Background Questions 293 9.3 Comparison Microscopy 294 9.4 GSRs 297 9.5 Ferrozine Test 300 9.6 Standard of Review: ‘Daubert Trilogy’ 300 10 Classifi cation of Firearm-Related Death 305 10.1 Multiple-Shot Suicides 307 References 309 11 Glossary 311 Appendix 1 Important dates in the History of Firearms from 1247 333 Appendix 2 GSR results for Chinese and USSR ammunition 341 Appendix 3 Primer content of some cartridge-operated nail guns 345 Appendix 4 Commercial and General Abbreviations for Bullet Confi gurations 347 Appendix 5 Trade Names 353 Appendix 6 Gun Marks 373 Appendix 7 Powder Burn Rate 377 Appendix 8 Hearing Loss 381 Appendix 9 General Firearms Values Conversion Table 389 Index 393

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Book SynopsisAnyone interested in military history or indeed history in general will find it fascinating to read.' The SpectatorTrade Review"'Anyone interested in military history or indeed history in general will find it fascinating to read.' Spectator 'Pure, almost illicit pleasure... What makes these essays tremendously diverting is how little they strain one's sense of credibility.' Andrew Roberts, Sunday Telegraph 'These informed, elegant essays authoritively analyse incidents over the past 3,000 years.' The Times 'One of the delights of the book is that broad speculative analysis is built from a mass of exciting detail. This make for a top-class bed-side read.' Financial Times"

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Book Synopsis''Anyone who wants to get better at anything should read Peak.'' Fortune Do you want to stand out at work, improve your athletic or musical performance, or help your child achieve academic goals? Anders Ericsson has made a career studying chess champions, violin virtuosos, star athletes, and memory mavens. Peak distils three decades of myth-shattering research into a powerful learning strategy that is fundamentally different from the way people traditionally think about acquiring new abilities. Ericsson''s revolutionary methods will show you how to improve at almost any skill that matters to you, and that you don''t have to be a genius to achieve extraordinary things. ''Remarkable...who among us doesn''t want to learn how to get better at life?'' Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of Freakonomics ''This book...could truly change the world'' Joshua Foer, author of Moonwalking with EinsteinTrade ReviewMost “important” books aren’t much fun to read. Most fun books aren’t very important. But with Peak, Anders Ericsson (with great work from Robert Pool) has hit the daily double. After all, who among us doesn’t want to learn how to get better at life? A remarkable distillation of a remarkable lifetime of work -- Stephen J. Dubner, bestselling author of FREAKONOMICSOffer[s] an optimistic anti-determinism that ought to influence how people educate children, manage employees and spend their time. * The Economist *This book is a breakthrough, a lyrical, powerful, science-based narrative that actually shows us how to get better (much better) at the things we care about. -- Seth Godin, author of LINCHPINThe science of excellence can be divided into two eras: before Ericsson and after Ericsson. His groundbreaking work, captured in this brilliantly useful book, provides us with a blueprint for achieving the most important and life-changing work a person can achieve: to become a little bit better each day. -- Daniel Coyle, bestselling author of THE TALENT CODEEricsson's research has revolutionized how we think about human achievement. He has found that what separates the best of us from the rest is not innate talent but simply the right kind of training and practice. If everyone would take the lessons of this book to heart, it could truly change the world. -- Joshua Foer, bestselling author of MOONWALKING WITH EINSTEIN

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Book SynopsisThrough the discussions of literary works from Homer to Rushdie, this title represents a merger of literature and international relations, inspired by the conviction that 'a grand strategist... needs to be immersed in classic texts from Sun Tzu to Thucydides to George Kennan, to gain real-world experience.Trade Review"A remarkable book. . . . Hill is the exemplification of the Clausewitzian coup d’oeil—the ability to see how everything connects to everything else."—John Gaddis, Yale University"Charles Hill's Grand Strategies is a gem that combines long and valuable practical experience with the wisdom that comes from a broad and deep knowledge of history, literature and philosophy to produce a wisdom badly needed by statesmen and diplomats."—Donald Kagan, Yale University“A triumph of intellectual unification. Ranging globally through history and literature, Hill brilliantly demonstrates how certain key issues have driven grand strategy and statecraft from ancient to post-modern times.”—Arthur Waldron, author of The Great Wall of China: From History to Myth"In an age of short attention spans and disaggregated facts, Charles Hill does much to revive two venerable traditions—the classical ideal of statesmanship, and the close engagement with great texts.”—Henry A. Kissinger“Charles Hill's clear-headed and erudite exploration of the world's literary heritage on the subject of statecraft and the state system opens wide vistas for understanding the past and future of international affairs. This is a convincing and much-needed statement of the essential importance of the humanities in preparing the leaders of the future.”—Norman M. Naimark, Stanford University

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Book SynopsisAn eminent authority presents a new perspective on affirmative action in a provocative book that will stir fresh debate about this vitally important issueTrade Review“A delight: terse, well-argued, and utterly convincing.”—Economist “Among contemporary economists and social theorists, one of the most prolific, intellectually independent, and iconoclastic is Thomas Sowell. . . . Enormously learned, wonderfully clear-headed, he sees reality as it is, and flinches at no truth. . . . Sowell’s presentation of the data is instructive and illuminating—and disturbing.”—Carl Cohen, Commentary“Another brilliant, bracing achievement by Thomas Sowell. With characteristic lucidity, erudition, and depth, Sowell examines the true effects of affirmative action around the globe. This book is compelling, important, mind-opening.”—Amy Chua, author of World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability

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Book SynopsisAn analysis of the foundations of the authority of the state and the problems of political authority and moral autonomy in a democracy.

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsIntroduction ix Part I OCA 1 Chapter 1 Java Basics 3 Chapter 2 Working with Java Data Types 17 Chapter 3 Using Operators and Decision Constructs 33 Chapter 4 Creating and Using Arrays 49 Chapter 5 Using Loop Constructs 63 Chapter 6 Working with Methods and Encapsulation 79 Chapter 7 Working with Inheritance 97 Chapter 8 Handling Exceptions 115 Chapter 9 Working with Selected Classes from the Java API 135 Chapter 10 OCA Practice Exam 151 Part II OCP 185 Chapter 11 Java Class Design 187 Chapter 12 Advanced Java Class Design 205 Chapter 13 Generics and Collections 223 Chapter 14 Lambda Built-in Functional Interfaces 239 Chapter 15 Java Stream API 255 Chapter 16 Exceptions and Assertions 271 Chapter 17 Use Java SE 8 Date/Time API 289 Chapter 18 Java I/O Fundamentals 301 Chapter 19 Java File I/O (NIO.2) 319 Chapter 20 Java Concurrency 337 Chapter 21 Building Database Applications with JDBC 357 Chapter 22 Localization 371 Chapter 23 OCP Practice Exam 385 Appendix Answers to Review Questions 427 Index 565

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Book SynopsisOur intimate connection with the world, skin protects us while advertising our health, our identity, and our individuality. This title celebrates the evolution of three unique attributes of human skin: its naked sweatiness, its distinctive sepia rainbow of colors, and its remarkable range of decorations.Trade Review“ Skin offers an accessible and well-referenced overview of many aspects of the biology of human skin. . . . Beauty may only be skin deep, but Jablonski shows us that the skin, be it thin or thick, is the true mirror of the soul.” * Science *“Biology is a historical science. Ask a 'why?' question about biology, as Nina Jablonski keeps doing in her book Skin, and you invite an evolutionary answer. She also tells us everything we might want to know about skin; perhaps more than some people want to know.” * Nature *“Jablonski has an endearing sense of humor that keeps the narrative nimble as it delivers surprisingly dense lessons on anatomy, biochemistry, physiology and sociology. . . . A fascinating read.” * San Francisco Chronicle *“Skin is the largest and most visible organ in the human body. Its biological richness and complexity are exceeded only by the brain and immune system. And now at last it has the book it deserves. . . . [Jablonski’s] fascinating book is as all-encompassing as skin itself. . . . a fascinating, thought-provoking book.” * Financial Times *"Skin is, as Jablonsky ably illustrates, a marvel of engineering: tough, stretchable, impermeable, pliable, a bacterial and UV shield and sensitive to heat, cold, deformation and the slightest of touches. The book explores the social nooks and biological crannies of this complex set of tissues, from color to artificial skin and the role of sweat in our evolutionary history." * New Scientist *“A rich mix of just about everything you would want to know about the necessary and complex covering of your body. Nina Jablonski writes not only as an anthropologist but also as an ethologist, comparative biologist, and psychologist. She weaves a vivid, compelling history, which at times is intertwined with social discourse (skin color and racism) and advice (skin and sun protection).” * New England Journal of Medicine *"This amply illustrated rhapsody to the body's largest and most visible organ showcases skin's versatility, importance in human biology and uniqueness: human skin is hairless and sweaty, has evolved in a spectrum of colors and is a billboard for self-expression. . . . Jablonski nimbly interprets scientific data for a lay audience, and her geeky love for her discipline is often infectious" * Publishers Weekly *“In Skin, her fascinating, nuanced, often exhilarating, and for the most part crisply written new book, Nina Jablonski . . . urges us to consider our skin as we have never, even in our pubertal angst, pored over it before. . . . May you read it with pleasure and by the sweat of your brow.” * American Scholar *STARRED REVIEW: "A marvelous exploration of the organ we ignore until an abnormality prompts us to seek professional help. The chapters skillfully lead from one topic to the next and cover the history and physiology of skin, sweating, color, touch, tattoos and painting, and more. Jablonski's writing is clear; her enthusiasm for the topic, evident.” * Library Journal *“Jablonski engages the reader with her clear, informed style that makes Skin a very readable book.” * American Biology Teacher *"Anthropologist Jablonski delves into the natural history of skin in animals and people and explains its structure and function, its evolution as a nearly hairless body covering in people, and the utility of its pigment melanin. She also examines the role of skin in activities as varied as finding food and bonding socially. Finally, she looks at the prospects for artificial skin." * Science News *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Preface to the 2013 Edition Introduction 1 Skin Laid Bare 2 History 3 Sweat 4 Skin and Sun 5 Skin's Dark Secret 6 Color 7 Touch 8 Emotions, Sex, and Skin 9 Wear and Tear 10 Statements 11 Future Skin Glossary Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisA multidisciplinary study of green and its significance from multiple perspectives: aesthetic, architectural, environmental, political, and social. It is centered on the Kingdom of Bahrain, where green has a long and deep history of appearing cooling, productive, and prosperous-a radical contrast to the hot and hostile desert.Trade Review"Doherty is as comfortable reflecting on the aesthetic aspects of colour as he is describing the ecological implications of property development... the portrait Doherty paints is of a fascinating, quickly changing, and - yes - paradoxical place." Environment and Urbanization "Beautifully written." Landscape Architecture MagazineTable of ContentsNotes on Transliteration and Translation Preface and Acknowledgments Introduction: Two Seas, Many Greens 1. Green Scenery 2. The Blueness of Green 3. How Green Can Become Red 4. The Memory of Date Palm Green 5. The Struggle for the Manama Greenbelt 6. The Promise of Beige 7. Brightening Green 8. The Whiteness of Green Notes Glossary List of Named Participants Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisTeaches you to master the five most crucial skills you need to succeed: how to read, write, speak, act, and research at a higher level. This guide outlines an approach for acquiring a skill and then demonstrates how to enhance it.Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Skills You Need 1. How to Read, Part I: Dissecting a Text 2. How to Read, Part II: Critiquing a Text 3. How to Write 4. How to Speak 5. How to Act 6. How to Research

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Book SynopsisFrom Yale professor and bestselling author of How Fascism Works, a searing confrontation with the authoritarian right's attacks to undo a century of work to advance social justice action on race, gender, sexuality and class. Combining historical research with an in-depth analysis of our modern political landscape, Erasing History issues a dire warning for the world: the worst fascist movements of humanity's past began in schools; the same place so many of today's right-wing political parties have trained their most vicious attacks. Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Vladimir Putin, Turkey's Recip Erdogan, and Argentina's Javier Milei have all reached the same conclusion: if you want to roll back the clock on civil rights, equity and inclusion, a great place to start is in schools. Yale professor Jason Stanley exposes the true danger of the right's tactics and traces their inspirations and funding back to some of the most dangerous ideas of human history. He shows that hearts and minds are won in our schools and universities - and that governments are currently ill-prepared to do the work of uprooting fascist policies being foisted upon our children through school boards, in courtrooms, and in the boardrooms of the organisations trusted to train teachers and create the materials they'll share with their students. Deeply informed and urgently needed, this book is a vibrant call to action for lovers of democracy worldwide.

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Book SynopsisThe world is configured in ways that seem systematically hospitable to life forms, especially the human race. Is this the outcome of divine planning or simply of the laws of physics? This book examines this question and offers fresh historical perspectives on the pantheon of thinkers who laid the foundations of Western philosophy and science.Trade Review"Sedley's argument is subtle and expert... The brilliance of this book is that Sedley lets the Greeks talk to us and, surprisingly, we can understand what they're saying." Nature "The scholarly book [Sedley] has written is golden." -- Jonathan Barnes London Review Of Books "An exemplary study of Greek philosophy, sweeping in vision and exquisite in detail." -- Alexander Nehamas Times Literary Supplement (TLS) "An extraordinarily engaging book... Bold." Bryn Mawr Classical Review (BMCR) "[An] authoritative study by the world's leading expert in the field." Journal Of Hellenic Stds "This is an important and timely volume." Reports Of The National Center For Science EducationTable of ContentsPreface 1 Anaxagoras 2 Empedocles 3 Socrates 4 Plato 5 The Atomists 6 Aristotle 7 The Stoics Epilogue: A Galenic Perspective Bibliography General Index Index Locorum

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Book SynopsisLarry J. Sabato is the Robert Kent Gooch Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia and director of its Center for Politics. He is the author or editor of more than twenty books on American politics and elections. Kyle Kondik is the managing editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball, the Center's nonpartisan newsletter on American campaigns and elections.J. Miles Coleman is associate editor of Sabato's Crystal Ball, the University of Virginia Center for Politics' nonpartisan newsletter on American campaigns and elections.

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Book SynopsisA history of the Frankfurt School and its impact during its early years in Germany and the United States. This edition includes a new preface which reflects on the continuing relevance of the work of the Frankfurt School.Table of ContentsPreface to the 1996 Edition Foreword by Max Horkheimer Introduction Acknowledgments I. The Creation of the Institut fUr Sozialforschung and Its First Frankfurt Years 2. The Genesis of Critical Theory 3· The Integration of Psychoanalysis 4. The Institut's First Studies of Authority 5. The Institut's Analysis of Nazism 6. Aesthetic Theory and the Critique of Mass Culture 7· The Empirical Work of the Institut in the 1940's 8. Toward a Philosophy of History: The Critique of the Enlightenment Epilogue Chapter References Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisLooks at Japanese culinary history, delving into the writings of medieval and early modern Japanese chefs. This book traces the development of Japanese cuisine from 1400 to 1868. It shows how medieval 'fantasy food' rituals - where food was revered as symbol rather than consumed - were continued by early modern writers.Trade Review"This volume is a cogent reminder that to truly understand the importance of food in our lives, we must examine not merely its material role, but also its symbolic significance." Choice "There is no English-language research on the subject of early modern Japanese cuisine as extensive or imaginative." -- David Eason/University at Albany, SUNY Social Science Japan JrnlTable of ContentsList of Illustrations and Tables Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Japanese Cuisine, a Backward Journey 2. Of Knives and Men: Cutting Ceremonies and Cuisine 3. Ceremonial Banquets 4. The Barbarians' Cookbook 5. Food and Fantasy in Culinary Books 6. Menus for the Imagination 7. Deep Thought Wheat Gluten and Other Fantasy Foods Conclusion: After the Fantasies Appendix: The Southern Barbarians' Cookbook (Nanban ryorisho) Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisMudimbe addresses the multiple scholarly discourses that exist-African and non-African-concerning the meaning of Africa and being African.

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Book SynopsisIntended for use outside the laboratory and classroom, by professional forensic scientists, anthropologists and researchers, this volume includes the information needed for identification purposes, including hundreds of photographs designed to show a maximum amount of anatomical information. It provides multiple views of every bone in the body.Trade Review"Tim White and Pieter Folkens’s The Human Bone Manual is a terrific addition to the tool kit of osteologists and archaeologists. The book—concise, tightly written, and rich in photographic detail—will be the standard human identification reference for generations to come. Every field project or lab that deals with skeletal remains, ancient or modern, will depend on it." --Clark Spencer Larsen, Distinguished Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences, The Ohio State University "As a human osteology manual, this book is an excellent resource for archaeologists, palaeontologists and forensic anthropologists. It is a thoroughly written, well illustrated and can be highly recommended." --Francis Thackeray, Transvaal Museum, Pretoria, South Africa "This volume is a compact form of previously highly successful editions of Human Osteology by these same authors. In its newest form it is somewhat abbreviated, but is nevertheless an extraordinarily accurate and complete guide to all of the fundamentals of osteoanthropology. The illustrations retain their same vivid three dimensional quality as in previous editions, and the accuracy and thorough review of all major methods (aging, sexing, excavation, laboratory care, etc.) have been retained. It is the perfect companion text and manual for any undergraduate or graduate human osteology course, and is equally highly recommended as well to students of medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, chiropractic, etc., simply because it presents such clear and instructive presentations of fundamental human anatomy. It is, quite simply, the best human anatomy manual currently available." --C. Owen Lovejoy, Kent State UniversityTable of ContentsPreface 1. Introduction 2. Field Procedures for Skeletal Remains 3. Ethics in Osteology 4. Bone Biology and Variation 5. Postmortem Skeletal Modification 6. Anatomical Terminology 7. Skull 8. Dentition 9. Hyoid and Vertebrae 10. Thorax: Sternum and Ribs 11. Shoulder Girdle: Clavicle and Scapula 12. Arm: Humerus, Radius, and Ulna 13. Hand: Carpals, Metacarpals, and Phalanges 14. Pelvic Girdle: Sacrum, Coccyx, and Os Coxae 15. Leg: Femur, Patella, Tibia, and Fibula 16. Foot: Tarsals, Metatarsals, and Phalanges 17. Osteological and Dental Pathology 18. Laboratory Procedures and Reporting 19. The Skeletal Biology of Individuals and Populations

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Book SynopsisTreasure House: Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation Pupil Books are aimed at ages 5-11, offering complete coverage of the demanding 2014 National Curriculum, and ideal practice of the skills in the Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling test.This Treasure House pupil book: is matched directly to the 2014 National Curriculum explains each concept clearly and simply, followed by a set of carefully tailored questions ensures pupils will master all appropriate language skills.This pupil book can be used with Treasure House Teacher's Guide 3, Anthology 3 and activities on Collins Connect for an integrated approach to teaching English.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“A fascinating book—beautifully written, admirably organized, with a mass of information about even the most recondite means of collecting and transmitting news before 1800.”—Alastair Hamilton, TLS -- Alastair Hamilton * TLS *

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