Society and Social Sciences Books

Book SynopsisInternet pioneer and Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales shares his clear, actionable rules for building trust in business, leadership and life

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Book SynopsisSixty-six years in the far-left socialist movement. A unique, jargon-free account of comrades, friendships, family, organising meetings, demonstrations, and conflicts in the UK, Portugal, and the USA. Serious matters told with humour and wit.

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Book SynopsisAS HEARD ON BBC RADIO 4 WOMAN'S HOURChosen by the Financial Times and Stylist as a Book To Read in 2024'Schaffner is insightful, charming and visionary' Susan Elderkin, author of The Novel CureBurnout is said to be the defining feeling of the post-pandemic world - but why are we all so exhausted? Some of us struggle with perfectionism, while others are simply overwhelmed by the demands of modern life. From confronting our inner critics to how our desire to be productive stops us from being free, Anna Katharina Schaffner, cultural historian and burnout coach, brings together science, medicine, literature and philosophy to explore the causes and history of exhaustion and burnout, revealing new ways to combat stress and negativity. Inventive and freewheeling, full of comfort, solace and practical advice, Exhausted is an inspiring guide to getting control of your own exhaustion - and rediscovering happiness along the way.

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Book Synopsis'To say "the best cricket book ever written" is piffingly inadequate praise' Guardian'Great claims have been made for [Beyond a Boundary] since its first appearance in 1963: that it is the greatest sports book ever written; that it brings the outsider a privileged insight into West Indian culture; that it is a severe examination of the colonial condition. All are true' Sunday TimesC L R James, one of the foremost thinkers of the twentieth century, was devoted to the game of cricket. In this classic summation of half a lifetime spent playing, watching and writing about the sport, he recounts the story of his overriding passion and tells us of the players whom he knew and loved, exploring the game's psychology and aesthetics, and the issues of class, race and politics that surround it. Part memoir of a West Indian boyhood, part passionate celebration and defence of cricket as an art form, part indictment of colonialism, Beyond a Boundary addresses not just a sport but a whole culture and asks the question, 'What do they know of cricket who only cricket know?Trade ReviewOne of the finest and most finished books to come out of the West Indies * V. S. Naipaul *

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Book SynopsisYou will never look at social media the same way again.Social media are an integral part of contemporary society. From news, warfare, politics, advertising, consumption, entertainment, friendships, labour, and economy to friendships, leisure, language, and everyday life, they have changed the way we communicate, use information and understand the world.Social media shape and are shaped by contemporary society. In order to understand contemporary society we have to ask critical questions about social media. This book is the ultimate guide for digging deeper into issues of ownership, power, class, and (in)justice.This book equips you with a critical understanding of the complexities and contradictions at the heart of social media's relationship with society.

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Book SynopsisSocial agitation is as essential a part of public life today as it has ever been. In Eric Hobsbawm''s masterful study, Primitive Rebels, he shines a light on the origins of contemporary rebellion: Robin Hood, secret societies, revolutionary peasants, Mafiosi, Spanish Civil War anarchy, pre-industrial mobs and riots - all of which have fed in to our notions of dissent in the modern world.Coining now familiar terms such as ''social banditry'', Primitive Rebels shows how Hobsbawm was decades ahead of his time, and his insightful analysis of the history of social movements is critical to our understanding of movements such as UK Uncut, Black Lives Matter and the growing international resistance to Donald Trump''s presidency.Reissued with a new introduction by Owen Jones, Primitive Rebels is the perfect guide to the revolutions that shaped western civilisation, and the bandits, reformers and anarchists who have fought to change the world.Trade ReviewA pioneering work opening up several little-explored themes. Its subject matter is of profound human interest . . . a very satisfying book. Written with a broad sociological slant, it continually thrusts ideas upon its readers, and it is inspired by a humanity and a deep sympathy for humble people -- Christopher Hill * History Today *Hobsbawm writes so fairly and with so much understanding and sympathy that many who disagree with him fundamentally will find their own views substantially altered by what he says * Spectator *There is much more in this carefully considered book than a lively account of forgotten risings * New Statesman *A book which is as fruitful as this one in posing problems as well as in providing answers descerves the careful attention of any reader. It is plausible, suggestive and intelligent * Observer *

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Book SynopsisFirst Contact. The Next Visitation. A conduit to The Divine, in the advent of ‘His’ return. Whether Alien or God, the History and purpose of The Pyramids is rewritten. Or dare I say, explained; and the mystery of UFO’s unraveled. No stone is left unturned. Nothing is as it seems. Must we now unlearn all that we have been taught. I think we might. This book is persuasive. Often biblical, as though ‘The Proclamation of John’, you can trudge through this intelligent and treacle rich literary style, and enjoy it for that alone. Or enjoy the vistas of a new perspective, and walk away from it profoundly changed, with a collection of unique gems of knowledge and fresh ideas. This book is thought provoking. It will make you wonder. You won’t read it as Science Fiction: it reads as ‘The One Truth’ awaiting rediscovery. Quote: “This is the trough where Great Leaders of The Future will drink”. & “ ~ as they lift the words from the pages of this humble binding, to gain their inspiration”. This book is raw, with a palatable sprinkling of social engineering. Books such as this are rare, and when they do happen along, and manage to avoid being ignored and undiscovered; or simply discarded into the annals of literature to be forgotten, they form the very backbone of a cult following, political movement or religion, that have, have had, or will have, an impact upon Our World. Reading this book has been an education.

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Book Synopsis'Fascinating ... Tenants should be compulsory reading for every politician' - PANDORA SYKES 'Excellent' - NOVARA MEDIA 'Important heartbreaking and shocking ... this is a vital read.' THE TIMES ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2022 THE TIMES, DAZED, FINANCIAL TIMES, METRO, EVENING STANDARD, REFINERY29, COSMOPOLITAN In twenty-first-century Britain, unsafe homes are a matter of life and death. Award-winning journalist Vicky Spratt traces decades of bad decisions to show how the British dream of secure housing for all has withered. This fierce and moving account tells the stories of those on the frontline, illuminating the ways this national emergency cuts across the country, where the safety net of social housing has unravelled in exchange for profit, and communities have been devastated beyond recognition. Everybody deserves the chance of a safe and stable home, and this urgent, ground-breaking book leads the way.Trade ReviewSo important -- Emma Gannon * Ctrl Alt Del *A must-read that explores the housing crisis and its devastating impact on our health, communities and political landscape. * Cosmopolitan *A major new book on the history and politics of renting * Evening Standard *There is nobody better placed to write a book that tells the stories of 'Britain's housing shame' * Metro *Fascinating, incendiary, rigorously well-researched. Tenants should be compulsory reading for every politician -- Pandora SykesIt is impossible to read this book without becoming almost incapacitated with rage. This astute analysis examines the toxic lottery of Britain's housing crisis,layingbare our state's lack of fitness for purposeand the devastating outcomes of having no fixed abode -- Lynsey Hanley * The Guardian *An astonishing feat of journalism, storytelling and compassion. I thought I knew about Britain's housing crisis - I did not. ... The system is designed so that the people who rely on it the most feel disempowered - Vicky's journalism is single-handedly changing that. -- Lucia Osborne-CrowleyAn important book by a journalist who has done so much to shine a light on (and change) Britain's broken housing sector -- Lewis Goodall, Policy Editor at BBC NewsnightOpen-minded and formidably informed, Spratt is a compelling narrator. Her stories of people wrenched from their homes by so-called no-fault evictions are startling and infuriating ... Like baring your bank account to be probed by a landlord's algorithm, the book is an experience so bracing it forces you to step back, look at the whole wretched system and think: "Why do we put up with this?" * The Times *Vicky Spratt is one of the best equipped people to wade into this country's housing crisis ... [Her book's] radical plan for rectifying a broken system will leave you feeling hopeful for the future. * Refinery29 *The housing crisis, for so long barely registered by the political class, is beginning to be told by those at the hard end of it. Tenants describes in grim detail just how bad things really are in the UK ... It's long overdue [and] really worth your time. Vicky Spratt is an expert on the housing crisis [and] a brilliant journalist who's great on the data ... some of the anecdotes from her book are terrifying - I really recommend it. -- Aaron Bastani * Novara Media *A copy should be handed to the "people who make decisions about policy" and to anyone who thinks that young people can't buy homes as they "don't work hard enough" - just read this. -- Rebecca Smith * The Skinny *Politicians would do well to read "Tenants", in order to understand the world lived in by so many voters. Victoria Spratt is doing an excellent job of explaining the realities of the private rented sector and the housing crisis in general. [This] isn't just an authentic book, it isn't just an accurate book, it's that rarest of things - a timely book that tells the reality of renting right now and it doesn't disappoint. -- Ben Reeve Lewis, co-founder Safer Renting * Cambridge House *Vicky Spratt's excoriating Tenants shows how Generation Rent is being let down, and reminds us that the power dynamic between renters and their landlords was not always so skewed. Open-minded and formidably informed, Spratt is a compelling narrator, charting the way that governments since the 1980s absolved themselves of responsibility for housing and stripped back protections for renters. [Tenants] is an experience so bracing it forces you to step back, look at the whole wretched system and think: "Why do we put up with this?" That should have politicians feeling rather scared. -- James Riding * The Times *Important -- ShelterLeading Journalist Vicky Spratt's important new book [powerfully] blends an overview of political failure with the personal experiences of those going through eviction. -- Alastair Harper * Shelter *Spratt not only provides an overview and analysis of Britain's housing history, welfare state and the plethora of issues renters are facing today, she gives solutions - readers are urged to think big, think radically and act fast. -- Diyora Shadijanova * Huck Magazine *Tenants is as much an astute political and social analysis as it is a moving, radical call to arms. ... You'll come away from this book seething, but stay armed with Spratt's clear view of how we solve this crisis -- Anna Caffola * The Face Magazine *Vicky Spratt reveals how our dysfunctional housing system is causing dire consequences for people drawing on personal experiences from across the country, [and] calls for a radical reimagination of the housing system. -- Adele Walton * Dazed *Vicky Spratt's ferocious debut Tenants is a comprehensive account of a dysfunctional system, in which constant precarity has become the norm for millions across Britain. ... relentlessly clear-sighted ... rigorous as well as deeply empathetic -- Francisco Garcia * i Paper *"I really haven't a clue how to set about the job." Harold Macmillan committed those words to his diary in 1951, shortly after Winston Churchill asked him to sort out Britain's housing crisis. Macmillan lacked the counsel of Vicky Spratt. * The Times *Reading this drove me into a fury -- David Freeman * Author Archive *Densely researched and makes plain how paper thin is the divide between the cheaper end of renting and being thrown out on to the street ... Argues convincingly that investing in more social housing would benefit everyone, not just those who live in it. * TLS *An urgent and necessary exploration of the housing crisis from one of Britain's leading journalists -- Sirin KaleVicky Spratt has written the essential guide to understanding Britain's housing crisis. Anyone who has ever questioned the process that transformed our homes into speculative financial assets needs to read this book and then send a copy to their MP. -- Dr Kojo Koram * Birkbeck College, University of London *The national need for living space is desperate - as illustrated in Tenants: The People on the Frontline of Britain's Housing Emergency by the journalist Vicky Spratt. Show[ing how] the country is blighted by landlordism, homelessness and Thatcher's legacy, [Tenants reveals] the human cost of a genuinely kafka-esque bureaucratic system. -- Anoosh Chakelian * The New Statesman *Vicky Spratt's shocking and incisive indictment of private renting in Britain describes how functional and productive lives unravel as people lose their homes, sense of self and feeling of belonging in the world. Packed with powerful narratives but also a number of policy alternatives, [Tenants] is based on myriad human stories showing home as a central aspect of people's lives and cornerstone of trust in society and its institutions. The case studies are shocking and sobering .. [but] the shifting nature of the discourse around the housing crisis is significant as they herald a real possibility of change. -- Anna Minton * The Financial Times *A thorough and devastating analysis of Britain's current housing crisis. -- Sadhbh O'Sullivan * Refinery 29 *Illuminating and emotive - [Tenants is] a rallying cry and a must read -- Georgia Healey * Sister Magazine *Searing and passionate, Spratt's essential volume places first hand testimony front and centre in a devastating enquiry into the state of rented accommodation in modern Britain and how decades of bad decisions have left huge numbers of tenants extremely vulnerable. -- Waterstones * Best Books of 2022 *An important examination of how the UK has found itself in such a bad housing crisis that one third of young people today will be renting privately "from cradle to grave". Vicky Spratt is the housing correspondent of the i newspaper and the founder of the Make Renting Fair campaign. She explains how governments since the 1980s have steadily moved away from providing affordable rental homes for people while stripping back most protections for tenants. The case studies of renters in the private sector whose lives are derailed after losing a secure home are heartbreaking and shocking. Whether you are a tenant or a landlord, or indeed a government minister, this is a vital read. -- Tom Knowles * The Times Best Business Books of 2022 *Tenants charts the diabolical state of housing in Britain, written by the i's brilliant housing correspondent, Vicky Spratt. Tenants doesn't hit you round the head with a gazillion dispassionately-listed facts and figures, nor is it full of unnecessarily complicated housing jargon - instead, it invites you into the world of Britain's renters, painting a vivid picture of their plight in the process. Using their stories as starting points, Spratt carefully untangles the thorny mess of the housing crisis, explaining how we got here, who exactly is impacted and how we can build a fairer society with shelter for all. * Dazed Magazine Best Books of the Year *One of the most important books on the Housing Crisis to come out in the past year - authoritative, well researched and speaking truth to power. We can't praise this book enough. * Hope into Action *Victoria Spratt is lucid [and] humane about our complex and deep rotted problems, without becoming cynical about the possibilities for change. A very moving book about the true meaning of sanctuary. -- Andy West, author of The Life Inside

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Book SynopsisFor readers of Caste and How to Be an Antiracist, a page-turning deep-dive into how bias is learnedplus a strikingly original and highly effective set of tools to un-learn it.Imagine a world without bias. A world where all human beings can truly be just as they are and unleash their full potential. Take a moment to imagine how you feel in such a worldnot what you think about it, or whether you believe it''s possible, but how you feel. This is the proposition that opens Breaking Bias. It's your invitation to embark on a journey that will radically change your experience and show you how you, in turn, can help reshape our world. Drawing on two decades of original research and experience training thousands of students, Anu Gupta, a lawyer, scientist, and educator whose work focuses on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, has written a comprehensive and compellingly readable guide for anyone who wants

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Book SynopsisVery Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, InspiringSocial science is the study of human behaviour. It offers the tools to understand and explain people''s choices and actions, and how they live together in communities. With insights from social science, organisations and individuals may be persuaded to change their behaviour, making a difference in addressing societal challenges, from climate change to fighting pandemics and alleviating poverty. Social science can offer us the answers to key questions, such as why do some people gamble, eat unhealthy foods, or hold racist beliefs? How do families allocate household tasks, raise children effectively, or manage grief? How do companies weigh profit against environment sustainability, decide to invest in innovation, or adopt policies to address unequal pay between women and men? Why do countries sign international treaties, commit human rights atrocities, or transition from authoritarianism to democracy? Taking an interdisciplinary approach, this Very Short Introduction offers an accessible overview of social science, explaining how methods and theory from different disciplines can be applied and combined to address major global challenges. It aims to equip students, scholars, and practitioners to analyse, interpret, and undertake social science research. Drawing upon inspiring examples, it shows how social scientists can have real-world impact and change the world for the better. It unpacks cutting-edge themes such as behavioural science, human data science, and the ways in which social science can work collaboratively with the natural sciences and humanities. It offers a vision for the future of social science that is interdisciplinary, inclusive, and impactful. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

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Book SynopsisIn an age of political upheaval and economic uncertainty Ricard's quiet and empathetic logic reveals the cultural importance of the contemporary kindness phenomenon.Trade ReviewMatthieu Ricard brings together ancient wisdom and scientific insights to put forth a truly compelling global vision... His voice, his message and his wisdom are greatly needed * Arianna Huffington *Matthieu Ricard is an extraordinary human being, whose luminous presence and gentle voice have a surprising effect: they compel respect for his benign view of life and make routine cynicism impossible. * Daniel Kahneman *Matthieu Ricard is a genius for our times, a rare combination of scientific brilliance with the heart of a saint. * Daniel Goleman *

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Book Synopsis''An excellent book'' Vince Cable''A must read'' Jo JohnsonA New Cold War is underway. Whereas the first Cold War was dominated by the threat of nuclear conflict, the new front line is economic and financial, but still dominated by technology. Who controls its future will help decide the outcome of the geopolitical struggle between China and the US. Since the end of the Second World War, the US dollar has been the global reserve currency, which has ensured American dominance of the world economy. But no longer. More than a hundred countries are developing Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), digital equivalents to cash that will utterly transform how we do business at home and abroad. China was the first country to recognise the potential of this new money. The West''s media focused on the new currency''s role in China''s surveillance state, creating widespread concern about all CBDCs. But they have largely overlooked a more important as

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERAmerica is suffering from PTSD. The Reckoning diagnoses its core causes and helps begin the healing process.For four years, Donald J Trump inflicted an onslaught of overlapping and interconnected traumas upon the American people, targeting anyone he perceived as being an 'other' or an enemy. Women were discounted and derided, the sick were dismissed as weak and unworthy of help, immigrants and minorities were demonised and discriminated against and money was elevated above all else. In short, he transformed America into a macro version of his malignantly dysfunctional family.How can Americans make sense of the degree to which their institutions and leaders have let them down? How can they negotiate a world in which all sense of safety and justice seems to have been destroyed? How can they - as individuals and as a nation - confront, process and overcome this loss of trust and the ways they have been forever altered by chaos, division and cruelty? And when the dust finally settles, how can they begin to heal, in the midst of ongoing health and economic crises and the greatest political divide since the Civil War?Mary L Trump is uniquely positioned to answer these difficult questions. She holds a PhD in clinical psychology specialising in trauma, has herself been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and happens to be Donald J Trump's only niece. In The Reckoning, she applies her unique expertise to the task of helping Americans confront an all-encompassing trauma, one that has taken an immense toll on their nation's health and well-being.A new leader alone cannot fix the situation. Donald J Trump is only the latest symptom of a disease that has existed within the body politic since America's inception - from the original sin of slavery through its population's unceasing, organised commitment to inequality. An enormous amount of healing must be done to rebuild the lives of Americans, their faith in leadership and their hope for their nation. It starts with The Reckoning.Trade ReviewA revealing blend of family lore, history, policy and anger casts light on the background and legacy of Donald Trump * The Observer *The book puts forth a concise, traumatic version of American history with events that textbooks often gloss over, diehard party-liners push from memory, and her uncle continually gaslit. [...] Dr. Trump has proven again her talent as she places words clearly on the page, calling upon her degrees in literature and psychology as well as her unparalleled experience as a family member. -- Loriann Oberlin * Psychologies *Mary Trump offers food for thought - and grist for the mill. -- Lloyd Green * Guardian *A scathing takedown * Guardian (on TOO MUCH AND NEVER ENOUGH) *Insights that no biographer can match * The Sunday Times (on TOO MUCH AND NEVER ENOUGH) *The most devastating, most valuable, and all-round best Trump book since he started running for president. * Politico (on TOO MUCH AND NEVER ENOUGH) *After many, many Trump books, this is an essential one. * Vanity Fair (on TOO MUCH AND NEVER ENOUGH) *A true insider in an era where 'insider' accounts of the president are a dime-a-dozen * Bloomberg (on TOO MUCH AND NEVER ENOUGH) *Table of Contentsi: Introduction ii: PART I: A SHORT HISTORY OF AMERICAN FAILURE: 1865-2020 1: Atrocities 2: Impunity iii: PART II: HERE THERE BE MONSTERS 3: American Carnage 4: Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here iv: PART III: AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM 5: Suffering in Silence 6: We Hold These Truths v: PART IV: THE RECKONING 7: The Precipice 8: The Long Shadow 9: Facing the Truth vi: Epilogue vii: Acknowledgments viii: A Note on Sources ix: References x: About the Author

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Book SynopsisWritten by a practicing social worker, PSYCHOPATHOLOGY offers a compelling look at the current state of knowledge about mental disorders. The authors' accessible narrative blends with detailed, realistic vignettes to give you an inside look at what it means to practice psychopathology today. Part of the Cengage Empowerment Series, the fourth edition is completely up to date and thoroughly integrates the new DSM-V. It also integrates the core competencies and recommended practice behaviors outlined in the 2008 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) set by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).Table of Contents1. An Introduction to the Competency-Based Assessment Model. 2. Neurodevelopmental Disorders. 3. Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders. 4. Bipolar and Related Disorders. 6. Anxiety Disorders. 7. Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders. 8. Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders. 9. Dissociative Disorders. 10. Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders. 11. Feeding and Eating Disorders. 12. Elimination Disorders. 13. Disruptive, Impulse-Control, and Conduct Disorders. 14. Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders. 15. Neurocognitive Disorders. 16. Personality Disorders.

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Book SynopsisNever before have our cities been as important as they are now. The drivers of innovation and growth, they are essential to the prosperity of nations. But they are also destructive, plunging us into housing crises and deepening inequality. How can we keep the good and break free of the bad? In this bracingly original work of research and analysis, leading urbanist Richard Florida explores the roots of this new crisis and puts forward a plan to make this the century of the fairer, thriving metropolis.Trade Review‘Richard Florida is the great pioneer thinker who first explained how the influx of creative people was reviving cities…[he] takes a hard look at the problems and, as usual, comes up with some smart new policies.’ -- Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of The Innovators‘Deserves to stand alongside Thomas Piketty’s Capital as an essential diagnosis of our contemporary ills, and a clear-eyed prescription of how to cure them… Anyone interested in the crisis of inequality and in the vitality of our cities will want to read this book.’ -- Steven Johnson, bestselling author of How We Got To Now‘A powerful account – packed with evidence – of the forces driving urban segregation and deepening inequality and the way private wealth and power outflanks the poor and powerless.’ -- Stewart Lansley, author of A Sharing Economy and co-author of Breadline Britain‘Like the superstar cities it describes, this book is dense, complex and stimulating. Florida’s well-researched and fluent exposé of inequality is a wake-up call to all the major actors engaged in planning, designing and managing cities in the 21st century.’ -- Ricky Burdett, Professor of Urban Studies, London School of Economics‘Using data as his torch, Richard Florida shines a light on one of the great challenges of our century.’ -- Charles Montgomery, author of Happy City‘Bracingly confronts this tension between big-city elites and the urban underclass.’ * Wall Street Journal *‘The New Urban Crisis is well worth reading for the original research, clear-headed critique and the skilled analysis of solid data… Florida writes in personally positioned transparent language without taking refuge in academic jargon, making the book accessible to a broad audience.’ * New York Journal of Books *‘Cites are engines for prosperity and progress, but it’s essential that the benefits extend far and wide. Florida proposes promising ideas for building stronger cities that offer greater opportunities for all.’ -- Michael Bloomberg, former mayor of New York City‘[Florida] vividly expose[s] how gentrification, followed by rising housing costs, concentrated affluence and glaring inequality, has pushed the displaced into deteriorating suburbs far from mass transit, employment, services and decent schools… [The New Urban Crisis is] nuanced and proposes solutions.’ * Washington Post *

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Book SynopsisUsing Science as Evidence in Public Policy encourages scientists to think differently about the use of scientific evidence in policy making. This report investigates why scientific evidence is important to policy making and argues that an extensive body of research on knowledge utilization has not led to any widely accepted explanation of what it means to use science in public policy. Using Science as Evidence in Public Policy identifies the gaps in our understanding and develops a framework for a new field of research to fill those gaps. For social scientists in a number of specialized fields, whether established scholars or Ph.D. students, Using Science as Evidence in Public Policy shows how to bring their expertise to bear on the study of using science to inform public policy. More generally, this report will be of special interest to scientists who want to see their research used in policy making, offering guidance on what is required beyond producing quality research, beyond traTable of Contents1 Front Matter; 2 Summary; 3 1 Introduction; 4 2 Why This Report Now; 5 3 The Use of Research Knowledge: Current Scholarship; 6 4 Research on the Use of Science in Policy: A Framework; 7 5 The Next Generation of Researchers and Practitioners; 8 References; 9 Appendix A: Selected Major Social Science Research Methods: Overview; 10 Appendix B: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff

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Book SynopsisWhy chasing after expressive individualism, experiences, and desires always fails to deliver on its promise of happiness.Today we are told to be true to ourselves, look within for answers, and follow our hearts. But when we put our own happiness first, we experience record-breaking levels of aimlessness, loneliness, depression, and anxiety. Self-centeredness always fails to deliver the fulfillment we''re seeking.In Don''t Follow Your Heart, Thaddeus Williams debunks the ten commandments of self-worship, which include popular propaganda, like: #liveyourbestlife: Thou shalt always act in accord with your chief end—to glorify and enjoy yourself forever. #followyourheart: Thou shalt obey your emotions at all costs. #yolo: Thou shalt pursue the rush of boundary-free experience.  Williams builds a case that this type of self-worship is not authentic, satisfying, orTrade Review'Don't Follow Your Heart is a bold, timely, and enjoyable read. Williams takes the top ten common 'commandments' permeating our culture and systematically shows how they each lead (surprisingly) to misery and brokenness. This is a book I will be recommending wholeheartedly to the next generation.' * Sean McDowell, Ph.D. apologetics professor at Biola University, popular YouTuber, author of A Rebel’s Manifesto *'Don't Follow Your Heart is filled with truths that lay bare the theological, philosophical, and logical failures of today's self-worship religion. Williams writes with a wit and relatability that make this book a joy to read. If I could put it into the hands of every Christian high school student, I would!' * Natasha Crain, speaker, podcaster, and author of four books including Faithfully Different *'In Don't Follow Your Heart, Thaddeus Williams challenges us to break the self-worship commandments that promise freedom but deliver captivity. I appreciate the bold urgency of this call. Following the herd is leading our generation off a cliff. Maybe a little heresy can do us a lot of good.' * Collin Hansen, editor in chief of The Gospel Coalition, host of Gospelbound, and author of Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation *'Thaddeus Williams skillfully dismantles the ten commandments of self worship and shows us a better way. Don't Follow Your Heart is a wonderfully biblical guidebook for those who desire full, meaningful, and counter-cultural lives--lives with God at the very center.' * Uche Anizor, associate professor of theology, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, author of the award-winning Overcoming Apathy *'The fear of missing out (#FOMO) and self-worship began in the garden. Instead of bearing God's image as witnesses of his majesty, we have become imposters who bear witness to our own kingdoms. Thaddeus Williams exposes the futility of self-worship with kingdom of God-aligned correctives that reflect God's glory and his commitment to redeem us. Read this book expectantly. You won't be disappointed.' * Joanne Jung, Ph.D., associate dean of online education and faculty development and professor of biblical and theological studies, Biola University *'Today's ascendent religion--a new orthodoxy--derives from malformed self-love and expressive individualism and includes a new ethical code: following your heart. Gratefully, Thaddeus Williams here provides a calm, careful, and cogent cure rooted, not in Self, but in Savior, the One who created and loved us, the One who made our hearts for Him, the One who truly has just authority and thereby does all things right. Following one's heart will cause us to flinch in fear, being forever trapped in dead end comparisons and endless strivings to both 'follow our hearts' but also 'be like Mike.' Christ liberates us so that under His gentle yoke we no longer flinch in fear but can flourish in faith. By NOT following our hearts, we gain the heart of God. Dr. Williams illustrates the way to do so in this key and needed volume. Don't follow your heart; instead, follow my advice and read this book - twice!' * Jeffery J. Ventrella, J.D., Ph.D., architect, The Blackstone Legal Fellowship *'With the publication of Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth, Professor Williams established himself as a leading evangelical philosophical Theologian with a tender heart for Jesus and others. He also possesses a keen eye for the hot-button issues in culture that are undermining unbelievers and believers alike. Now comes Don't Follow Your Heart, a penetrating book if insights that get deep into the heart of the emotional and spiritual suffering ubiquitous in our society. Not content to identify the fundamental problems, Williams goes on to provide us with ways to spot a set of problems in our own lives and practical steps to set them aside and live a more flourish biblical life. The book is deep but quite accessible and fun to read. I strongly recommend this book.' * JP Moreland, distinguished professor of philosophy, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University and author of A Simple Guide to Experiencing Miracles *

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Book SynopsisIn the final days of 2019, a new and deadly virus was quietly spreading through the city of Wuhan, China. Within six months it would kill half a million people worldwide, infect a further 10 million, and change the way all of us live, work and play forever. Now, for the first time, the real story of the greatest global crisis of the age can be told. Reporters Dylan Howard and Dominic Utton, collaborating from New York and London—infection hotspots in what would become two of the worst-hit nations on Earth—have together mapped the rise, spread and impact of the virus . . . and uncovered some explosive revelations.COVID-19: The Greatest Cover-Up in History—From Wuhan to the White House delivers the unfettered truth about what is undoubtedly the biggest political scandal of our time. It shows in unprecedented detail how governments in China, the UK, and the US not only failed to protect their citizens from the threat of the disease, but actively conspired to put their own political and economic ideologies above the lives of ordinary people. From early attempts by Beijing to silence any reports of the new virus to the inability of the WHO to act decisively; from warnings received and ignored by President Trump to decisions taken by the UK government that directly led to the loss of tens of thousands of lives; from whispers of military experiments to outlandish 5G conspiracy theories, Howard and Utton separate fact from fiction, science from hysteria, and expose a trail of dead bodies, wilful mismanagement, incompetence, arrogance, deliberate cover-ups, and outrageous lies that raise serious questions about who is really responsible for the hundreds of thousands killed by COVID-19. Through vigorous investigations, dedicated reporting, and exclusive first-person sourcing, COVID-19 unearths a more complex understanding of the rise, spread, and consequences of the first six months of the pandemic than has yet been seen, and exposes shocking revelations about the roles and motivations of the American and British governments in the crisis. The true story of COVID-19 is not just that of a silent killer that suddenly invaded the world . . . it’s the scandal of a global tragedy that could have—and should have—been prevented. The real number of deaths and infections from the virus will never be known. The figures have not only been underreported in China, but by supposedly transparent governments in the West for reasons less connected with public safety and more to do with their own mendacity, incompetence, and corruption. Written with the urgency and tension of a thriller novel but grounded in rigorously factual reporting, COVID-19 is the essential read on the most horrifying scandal of our age.Trade Review"Dylan Howard is the rare combination of cutting-edge journalist, true crime commentator, and relentless investigator. Howard passionately brings comprehensive and groundbreaking analysis to the most compelling mysteries of our time."— Dr. Phil McGraw, host of TV's #1 daytime talk show, Dr. Phil “The king of Hollywood scoops.”— AdWeek “Dylan Howard is one of the finest journalists writing today. His depth and breadth of experience are second to none; he follows every intricate angle of a story and exposes the truth. As a former detective, I know firsthand the skills that make an exceptional investigator and Dylan has them in spades.” —Bo Dietl, former NYPD homicide detective who made over made over 1,400 felony arrests “The go-to guy for authoritative showbiz news and analysis on cable and over-the air television.”— Los Angeles Press Club

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Book SynopsisONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2022, METRO, EVENING STANDARD, REFINERY29, COSMOPOLITAN 'Tenants should be compulsory reading for every politician' - Pandora Sykes 'Important heartbreaking and shocking ... it forces you to step back, look at the whole wretched system and think: "Why do we put up with this?" Whether you are a tenant or a landlord, or indeed a government minister, this is a vital read.' The Times 'A major new book on the history and politics of renting' Evening Standard A WATERSTONES BEST POLITICS BOOK OF 2022 A TIMES BEST BUSINESS BOOK OF 2022 Tony is facing eviction instead of enjoying retirement; Limarra isn't 'homeless enough' to get help from the council; and for Kelly and her asthmatic son Morgan, another new rented house is a matter of life and death. This is twenty-first century Britain, where millions are trying to build lives in privately rented accommodation, which creates profit for landlords but not safe and stable homes for tenants. This fierce and moving account tells their stories, and the story of how we built a housing system where homelessness is a constant threat. Award-winning housing journalist Vicky Spratt traces decades of bad decisions to show how and why the British dream of homeownership has withered and the safety net of social housing has unravelled. She has spent years talking with those on the frontline all around the country. Here, she illuminates the ways this national emergency cuts across generations, class and education and is devastating our health, destroying communities and transforming the social, economic and political landscape beyond recognition. But it is not irreversible. The Covid-19 pandemic showed that radical action is possible, and there are real steps we can take to give everyone the chance of a good home. This urgent, ground breaking book leads the way.Trade ReviewSo important -- Emma Gannon * Ctrl Alt Del *A must-read that explores the housing crisis and its devastating impact on our health, communities and political landscape. * Cosmopolitan *A major new book on the history and politics of renting * Evening Standard *There is nobody better placed to write a book that tells the stories of 'Britain's housing shame' * Metro *Fascinating, incendiary, rigorously well-researched. Tenants should be compulsory reading for every politician -- Pandora SykesIt is impossible to read this book without becoming almost incapacitated with rage. This astute analysis examines the toxic lottery of Britain's housing crisis,layingbare our state's lack of fitness for purposeand the devastating outcomes of having no fixed abode -- Lynsey Hanley * The Guardian *An astonishing feat of journalism, storytelling and compassion. I thought I knew about Britain's housing crisis - I did not. ... The system is designed so that the people who rely on it the most feel disempowered - Vicky's journalism is single-handedly changing that. -- Lucia Osborne-CrowleyAn important book by a journalist who has done so much to shine a light on (and change) Britain's broken housing sector -- Lewis Goodall, Policy Editor at BBC NewsnightOpen-minded and formidably informed, Spratt is a compelling narrator. Her stories of people wrenched from their homes by so-called no-fault evictions are startling and infuriating ... Like baring your bank account to be probed by a landlord's algorithm, the book is an experience so bracing it forces you to step back, look at the whole wretched system and think: "Why do we put up with this?" * The Times *Vicky Spratt is one of the best equipped people to wade into this country's housing crisis ... [Her book's] radical plan for rectifying a broken system will leave you feeling hopeful for the future. * Refinery29 *A copy should be handed to the "people who make decisions about policy" and to anyone who thinks that young people can't buy homes as they "don't work hard enough" - just read this. -- Rebecca Smith * The Skinny *Politicians would do well to read "Tenants", in order to understand the world lived in by so many voters. [This] isn't just an authentic book, it isn't just an accurate book, it's that rarest of things - a timely book that tells the reality of renting right now and it doesn't disappoint. -- Ben Reeve Lewis, co-founder Safer Renting * Cambridge House *Vicky Spratt's excoriating Tenants shows how Generation Rent is being let down, and reminds us that the power dynamic between renters and their landlords was not always so skewed. Open-minded and formidably informed, Spratt is a compelling narrator, charting the way that governments since the 1980s absolved themselves of responsibility for housing and stripped back protections for renters. [Tenants] is an experience so bracing it forces you to step back, look at the whole wretched system and think: "Why do we put up with this?" That should have politicians feeling rather scared. -- James Riding * The Times *"I really haven't a clue how to set about the job." Harold Macmillan committed those words to his diary in 1951, shortly after Winston Churchill asked him to sort out Britain's housing crisis. Macmillan lacked the counsel of Vicky Spratt. * The Times *Important -- ShelterLeading Journalist Vicky Spratt's important new book [powerfully] blends an overview of political failure with the personal experiences of those going through eviction. -- Alastair Harper * Shelter *Spratt not only provides an overview and analysis of Britain's housing history, welfare state and the plethora of issues renters are facing today, she gives solutions - readers are urged to think big, think radically and act fast. -- Diyora Shadijanova * Huck Magazine *Tenants is as much an astute political and social analysis as it is a moving, radical call to arms. ... You'll come away from this book seething, but stay armed with Spratt's clear view of how we solve this crisis -- Anna Caffola * The Face Magazine *Vicky Spratt reveals how our dysfunctional housing system is causing dire consequences for people drawing on personal experiences from across the country, [and] calls for a radical reimagination of the housing system. -- Adele Walton * Dazed *Vicky Spratt's ferocious debut Tenants is a comprehensive account of a dysfunctional system, in which constant precarity has become the norm for millions across Britain. ... relentlessly clear-sighted ... rigorous as well as deeply empathetic -- Francisco Garcia * i Paper *Reading this drove me into a fury -- David Freeman * Author Archive *Densely researched and makes plain how paper thin is the divide between the cheaper end of renting and being thrown out on to the street ... Argues convincingly that investing in more social housing would benefit everyone, not just those who live in it. * TLS *An urgent and necessary exploration of the housing crisis from one of Britain's leading journalists -- Sirin KaleVicky Spratt has written the essential guide to understanding Britain's housing crisis. Anyone who has ever questioned the process that transformed our homes into speculative financial assets needs to read this book and then send a copy to their MP. -- Dr Kojo Koram * Birkbeck College, University of London *The national need for living space is desperate - as illustrated in Tenants: The People on the Frontline of Britain's Housing Emergency by the journalist Vicky Spratt. Show[ing how] the country is blighted by landlordism, homelessness and Thatcher's legacy, [Tenants reveals] the human cost of a genuinely kafka-esque bureaucratic system. -- Anoosh Chakelian * The New Statesman *Vicky Spratt's shocking and incisive indictment of private renting in Britain describes how functional and productive lives unravel as people lose their homes, sense of self and feeling of belonging in the world. Packed with powerful narratives but also a number of policy alternatives, [Tenants] is based on myriad human stories showing home as a central aspect of people's lives and cornerstone of trust in society and its institutions. The case studies are shocking and sobering .. [but] the shifting nature of the discourse around the housing crisis is significant as they herald a real possibility of change. -- Anna Minton * The Financial Times *A thorough and devastating analysis of Britain's current housing crisis. -- Sadhbh O'Sullivan * Refinery 29 *Illuminating and emotive - [Tenants is] a rallying cry and a must read -- Georgia Healey * Sister Magazine *Searing and passionate, Spratt's essential volume places first hand testimony front and centre in a devastating enquiry into the state of rented accommodation in modern Britain and how decades of bad decisions have left huge numbers of tenants extremely vulnerable. -- Waterstones * Best Books of 2022 *An important examination of how the UK has found itself in such a bad housing crisis that one third of young people today will be renting privately "from cradle to grave". Vicky Spratt is the housing correspondent of the i newspaper and the founder of the Make Renting Fair campaign. She explains how governments since the 1980s have steadily moved away from providing affordable rental homes for people while stripping back most protections for tenants. The case studies of renters in the private sector whose lives are derailed after losing a secure home are heartbreaking and shocking. Whether you are a tenant or a landlord, or indeed a government minister, this is a vital read. -- Tom Knowles * The Times Best Business Books of 2022 *Tenants charts the diabolical state of housing in Britain, written by the i's brilliant housing correspondent, Vicky Spratt. Tenants doesn't hit you round the head with a gazillion dispassionately-listed facts and figures, nor is it full of unnecessarily complicated housing jargon - instead, it invites you into the world of Britain's renters, painting a vivid picture of their plight in the process. Using their stories as starting points, Spratt carefully untangles the thorny mess of the housing crisis, explaining how we got here, who exactly is impacted and how we can build a fairer society with shelter for all. * Dazed Magazine Best Books of the Year *

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Book Synopsis'Has the power to change the way you look at the world' Steven Bartlett 'The heir to Oliver Sacks' David Baddiel A FINANCIAL TIMES BEST BOOK OF 2024 AN INDEPENDENT BOOK OF THE MONTH Gluttony. Greed. Sloth. Pride. Envy. Lust. Anger. These are the seven deadly sins, the vices of humankind that define immorality, the roots of all evil in the world. Or so some believe. But do these sins really represent moral failings, or are they simply human functions that aid us? Are they just the result of how our bodies, psyches, and brains in particular, are wired? This new book by Dr Guy Leschziner, a professor of neurology and sleep medicine, explores the underlying nature of the seven deadly sins, their neuroscientific and psychological basis, their origin in our genes and crucially how certain medical disorders give rise to them. Drawing on h

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Book SynopsisThis is a revised and corrected English translation that incorporates Arendt's own substantial revisions and provides additional notes based on letters, contracts and other documents. It demonstrates how her early work on Augustine provides the key to her later critique of modernity.

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Book SynopsisExtremely open in its honesty and meticulously researched, (M)otherhood probes themes of infertility, childbirth and reproductive justice, and makes a powerful and urgent argument for the need to tackle society's obsession with women's bodies and fertility.Trade ReviewAn exhilarating, genre-defying read . . . seamlessly interwoven with statistics, quotes and scientific evidence to clever narrative effect . . . reminiscent of Olivia Laing's writing on loneliness or the body . . . The whole thing adds up to the most thoughtful, empathic and inspiring science of the self -- VIV GROSKOP * * Observer * *Absolutely sensational. Revelatory and of its time, challenging myths and ingrained perceptions. I could not put it down. Everyone should read this -- MICHAEL CASHMAN, CBE, co-founder of StonewallBrilliant, brave, beautiful . . . such an inspiring book -- ELIF SHAFAKRiveting. Agarwal writes with searing honesty and tenderness about the joys and agonies of becoming a mother, of trying and failing to conceive again, and then of pursuing a route to motherhood that's widely seen as taboo . . . Agarwal writes beautifully about her own complicated experience * * Guardian * *Intimate and insightful, Pragya Agarwal expands the meaning of the word motherhood in this brilliant book. This is urgent, essential reading for everyone -- AVNI DOSHIA wide-ranging, searingly honest and timely intervention into the framing of a fundamental and fraught choice, as well as an impassioned defence of ambivalence as part of the human condition -- OLIVIA SUDJIC(M)otherhood is a valuable step towards a literature that acknowledges the breadth and variety of the parenting experience and its cultural meanings. It is touchingly personal and brave -- ANGELA SAINI, author of Superior: The Return of Race SciencePowerful and compelling . . . Agarwal is a precise, elegant writer who seeks answers by embracing complexity * * New Statesman * *A book about the disparate forces of duty, stereotypes, pressure, double standards and expectations forced upon women, Agarwal cuts through all of it to examine the multiplicity and complexity of motherhood in all its myriad forms. A moving, urgent and necessary read, ultimately it is a book about love -- LAURA BATESCourageous, tender, painfully resonant and beautifully written - this is such a wise and generous exploration of womanhood and identity, and deserves to be read as widely as possible -- DAISY BUCHANAN

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Book SynopsisA revelatory and exhilarating tour de force, Nicholas Ostler's The Last Lingua Franca: The Rise and Fall of World Languages explores the rise of a linguistic diversity we could never before have imagined. In the twenty-first century, can we really take the dominance of English for granted? In their time, Greek, Latin, Arabic, Sanskrit and Persian have each been world languages, sweeping the globe for centuries at a time. And yet they have all been displaced, just as Nicholas Ostler predicts English will be. What forces drive these linguistic currents? What characteristics do lingua francas share? And most importantly, how do they lose their power? 'Frequently jaw-dropping and never less than convincing' Henry Hitchings, Financial Times 'Sweepingly learned and engagingly garrulous' Sunday Times 'A much-needed challenge to conventional wisdom' Guardian A linguist of astonishing voracity ... the predictions are striking' Economist Nicholas Ostler is the author of Empires of the Word: A Language History of the World and Ad Infinitum: A Biography of Latin. He studied Greek, Latin and Philosophy at the University of Oxford and holds a Ph.D. in Linguistics from MIT. With a working knowledge of twenty-six languages, Nicholas now runs an institute for the protection of endangered languages.Trade ReviewFrequently jaw-dropping and never less than convincing -- Henry Hitchings * Financial Times *A linguist of astonishing voracity ... the predictions are striking * Economist *Extensive and engaging...A sweepingly learned and garrulous guide to historical curiosities -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *A wide-ranging linguistic perspective. -- Robert McCrum * The Observer *As Nicholas Ostler exhaustively documents...history shows that no language will dominate the world conversation forever...More provocatively, Ostler argues that, once the dominance of English has waned, no lingua franca will replace it. -- Jonathon Keats * New Scientist *A thorough analysis of the rise and fall of different lingua francas, Ostler provides us with a series of rich examples showing how these 'common languages' achieve prominence and how they subsequently, and inevitably, lose this, left to shrivel for use only as mother tongues. -- Colin Fraser * Scotsman *

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE FINANCIAL TIMES BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR'A riveting read that will challenge you to rethink your core beliefs' Adam Grant'Absolutely spot-on, timely message' Chip Heath'A vision for collective change' Arianna HuffingtonTribalism is our most misunderstood buzzword. We've all heard pundits bemoan its rise, and it's been blamed for everything from political polarization to workplace discrimination. But as acclaimed cultural psychologist and Columbia professor Michael Morris argues, our tribal instincts are humanity's secret weapon. Ours is the only species that lives in tribes: groups glued together by their distinctive cultures that can grow to a scale far beyond clans and bands. Morris argues that our psychology is wired by evolution in three distinctive ways. First, the peer instinct to conform to what most people do. Second, the hero instinct to give to the group and emulate the most respected. And third, the ancestor instinct to follow the ways of prior generat

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Book Synopsis'Inspiring' GUARDIAN 'Heartbreaking' INDEPENDENT 'I loved it' ADAM KAY 'Beautiful' MATT HAIG 'Luminous' NICCI GERRARD 'Essential reading' MADELEINE BUNTING 'A celebration' CHRISTIE WATSON ----- A Best Book for Summer in The Times, Guardian and The i Independent Book of the Month ----- Caring is an issue that affects us all - as bestselling novelist Kate Mosse knows all too well. Kate has cared in turn for her father and mother, and for Granny Rosie, her 90-year-old mother-in-law. Along the way she has experienced the joys, challenges and frustrations shared by an invisible army of carers. At the heart of this care lie everyday acts of love, and the realisation that, sooner or later, most of us will come to rely on an extra pair of hands. ----- 'Lifts the spirits without pulling punches' IAN RANKIN 'Irresistible' RACHEL JOYCE 'Questions how and why we fetishise independence when the reality of human experience is always interdependence' GUARDIAN, BOOK OF THE DAY 'Heartfelt, funny and at times heartbreaking. 10/10' INDEPENDENT 'Utterly beautiful' FRANCESCA SEGALTrade ReviewBrilliant ... uplifting, inspiring, a tribute to love -- Elif Shafak * Guardian *Heartfelt and sometimes shocking ... Fierce and tender, her book is a clarion call for an overhaul of our dysfunctional care system -- Must Read Paperbacks * Daily Mail *A beautiful, profoundly moving book about society's most vital glue - care -- Rachel ClarkeA must read -- Penny WincerEssential reading -- Madeleine BuntingI read it in one sitting -- Christie WatsonMoving -- Book of the Day * Guardian *An incisive, profoundly humane blend of the personal and the political -- Gwendolyn Smith * The i *A beautiful, emotional and timely read -- Matt HaigA beacon of light -- Nicci GerrardKeep the tissues handy. 10/10 * Independent *Shot through with honesty, heartbreak and joy. I loved it -- Adam KayTimely * Observer *Lifts the spirits without pulling punches -- Ian RankinIrresistible -- Rachel JoyceThis book will be a huge help to both carers and the cared-for -- Deborah MoggachExtraordinary -- Catherine MeyerWonderful ... uplifting and hopeful -- Cathy RentzenbrinkA heartfelt reminder of why people become carers -- Kate Saunders * Times *Moving -- Book of the Month, Martin Chilton * Independent *An ode to the invisible army of carers holding families together * Reaction *Mosse writes movingly about returning the caring favour and the end that waits for us all -- 50 Best Summer Books * Times *Timely and important * The Oldie *Utterly beautiful - honest, tender, and uplifting -- Francesca Segal

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Book SynopsisIn the era of #metoo, a clear-eyed, sharp look at rape culture, sexual assault, harassment and violence against women--and what we can do about it. A timely and brilliant book. (Jessica Valenti) Every seven minutes, someone in America commits a rape. And whether that''s a football star, beloved celebrity, elected official, member of the clergy, or just an average Joe (or Joanna), there''s probably a community eager to make excuses for that person. In Asking for It, Kate Harding combines in-depth research with a frank, no-holds-barred voice to make the case that twenty-first-century America supports rapists more effectively than it supports victims. From institutional failures in higher education to real-world examples of rape culture, Harding offers ideas and suggestions for how we, as a society, can take sexual violence much more seriously without compromising the rights of the accused.Trade Review"Asking for It is a must-read for anyone who cares about ending sexual violence. Kate Harding takes on politicians, the media, and commonly held myths in a way that's accessible for antiviolence experts and novices alike. This is a timely and brilliant book that will put a much-needed dent in rape culture."--Jessica Valenti, author of The Purity Myth and He's a Stud, She's a Slut "[A]n unflinching and nuanced map of a culture in crisis; Harding's singular voice makes it a page-turner. It's required reading for anyone who wants to know why there's so much fuss about rape culture these days, as well as for everyone who wants to do something about it."--Jaclyn Friedman, editor, Yes Means Yes Chicago Reader, 1/2/15 "[Harding] has an amazing capacity for transforming her outrage into clear, considered arguments." Bustle, 8/27/15 "Harding skillfully breaks down the factors that have converged to create the United States' rape culture. Asking For It mixes statistics and research with true stories that show our flawed collective attitude toward sexual assault, resulting in a book that will leave you both outraged and inspired to make change happen." AV Club, 8/19/15 "It's less depressing than it might sound, in part because of Harding's funny and occasionally sarcastic style, and for something so full of facts and figures, it's a pretty enthralling read. This book probably isn't going to get through the thick skulls of true rape apologists, but it is a good read if you keep hearing the term "rape culture" and don't really know what it means, or if you're enraged by the media that calls Patrick Kane a 'target' of a rape investigation instead of a 'subject' of one." Bitch Magazine, 9/2/15 "Asking For It offers a smart, concise, and surprisingly funny contribution to the dialogue on patriarchy, misogyny, and rape." Library Journal, 9/1/15 "Harding's book serves as a welcome addition to the conversation...she doesn't mince words...meticulously documented...Harding writes with courage and passion that may rankle some readers--which might not be an entirely bad thing." New York Journal of Books 8/25/15 "Insightful and provocative book...Using news from current popular culture, as well as her own experiences, Harding has put together a no-holds-barred examination of the social phenomenon of rape culture...Everyone should read this book no matter their gender identification, sexual orientation, religious, or political beliefs...The book is written accessibly and intelligently, without hyperbole, and is a sincere work of scholarship no library or bookshelf should be without." The Week, 10/9/15 "Journalist Kate Harding, who possesses 'a finely honed impatience with bull----,' has produced a valuable primer on sexual violence in America. It makes clear how rarely rapists are held accountable and how much damage is done by the popular beliefs that false rape accusations are common and that the line between consent and refusal is ambiguous. If the concept of 'rape culture' baffles you, this is the book to read." Slate, 8/20/15 "Asking for It serves as a useful reminder of why we still need books--even nonfiction books--in the age of the Internet. Just the sheer volume of stories and examples Harding collects in one place is disquieting and extremely convincing in a way that getting it in pieces through the day-to-day grind of Internet reading will never accomplish. Harding doesn't shy away from tough topics, especially when it comes to false rape reporting. To be clear, this book is not a chronicle of depressing stories of sexual assault, which would be a miserable read. Harding isn't here simply to register the existence of crime; she is working as a cultural critic, focusing on the cultural response to and understanding of sexual assault more than the crimes themselves. Luckily for the reader, Harding has a wicked sense of humor." Los Angeles Times, 8/23/15 "Deft and timely... Informative and informal, the book is a smart, impassioned and well-researched agenda for a strictly no-nonsense understanding of rape culture."

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Book SynopsisThis clear and concise guide provides the introduction to descriptive statistical analysis that all students need to draw insightful conclusions from their data. Assuming no prior expertise, it presents jargon-free and practical advice for analysing and presenting numbers.Trade Review"This book provides a great introduction for students who want to undertake quantitative or mixed-methods research for their dissertation. Many are not well versed in mathematics and statistics, and this book provides a gentle introduction. Chapters 9 and 10 are especially helpful, as they cover how to present numerical information and analysis, which some other textbooks do not do as well." Carrie Philips, University of SunderlandTable of ContentsIntroduction: Why this book actually is different 1. Everybody’s talking about it: important terms explained in everyday language 2. What are numbers really about? 3. Absolute beginnings: starting statistical analysis one variable at a time 4. What you see is only half the story: why you need more than averages to describe distributions 5. How the tables turn: examining relationships between categorical variables 6. What does it all mean? Comparing distributions between groups 7. You’re so predictable: using correlations 8. Where do we draw the line? How regression analysis can tell you more than correlation 9. A graph is like a joke: if you have to explain it, it isn’t any good 10. Telling statistical stories: how to present your findings and conclusions

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