Search results for ""Author Louis""

Louis Comfort Tiffany created a revolutionary aesthetic that brought the beauty of the natural world into the home via his manufacture of opalescent glass. With his pioneering development, artisans no longer achieved details by painting on glass, they now painted with glass, and Tiffany's brilliantly colored glass masterpieces took on stunning three-dimensionality. Having produced windows and blown glass for two decades, near the turn of the 20th century his studios began crafting the now-famous lamps that made Tiffany a household name. Designers such as Clara Driscoll-who won a bronze medal at the Paris World's Fair of 1900 for one of her shade designs-often interpreted Tiffany's aesthetics and his desire to illuminate nature. A dozen designs-nearly all attributed to her-are included in this calendar.The distinctive shades featured here are part of the New'York Historical Society's Dr. Egon Neustadt Collection of Tiffany Glass.

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In Print Technology in Scotland and America Louis Kirk McAuley investigates the mediation of popular-political culture in Scotland and America, from the transatlantic religious revivals known as the Great Awakening to the U.S. presidential election of 1800. By focusing on Scotland and America—and, in particular, the tension between unity and fragmentation that characterizes eighteenth-century Scottish and American literature and culture—Print Technology aims to increase our understanding of how tensions within these corresponding political and cultural arenas altered the meaning of print as an instrument of empire and nation building. McAuley reveals how seemingly disparate events, including journalism and literary forgery, were instrumental and innovative deployments of print not as a liberation technology (as Habermas’s analysis of print's structural transformation of the public sphere suggests), but as a mediator of political tensions.

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The divine command to exterminate Amalek--men, women, children, and even animals who have no free will--is what in contemporary terms has been called genocide. Louis Feldman explores how the earliest systematic commentators on the Bible--the Hellenistic Jewish philosopher Philo in his many essays on biblical themes; the mysterious, still unclassified Pseudo-Philo in his Biblical Antiquities; the premier Jewish historian and polymath Josephus in his Jewish Antiquities; and the Rabbis in the Mishnah, Talmud, and other literature-wrestled with the issues involved in this divine command, especially its provision that an entire people must be eternally punished for the misdeeds of their ancestors. Feldman contextualizes his study of Amalek by considering how these ancient commentators relate to other cases where God commands the destruction of whole groups of people: the flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, the plague of the first-born Egyptians, and the command to annihilate the Canaanites. He also studies accounts of mass destruction where there was no specific divine commandment-the annihilation of the Hivites because one of them raped Dinah, the annihilation of the nations of Sihon and Og, the complete destruction of the inhabitants of Jericho, and the extermination of the priests of Nob-as well as the challening issue of why God justifies Phinehas's zealotry, which involved transgressing the law to kill a Jew and a non-Jew for their immorality. All of these biblical passages raise difficult questions and provide no simple answers. Feldman shows us how ancient commentators received and struggled with Amalek and other genocide passages: Psuedo-Philo had the fewest problems and is most insistent on interpreting the divine command literally, while Philo turned to allegory to resolve the tensions these passages raised with the principle that the innocent should not suffer for the sins of the guilty, and Josephus was concerned to counter the impression that Jews hate non-Jews. Feldman's study exposes the deep roots of biblical reception in contemporary political and moral issues.

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Leipoldts cellar and kitchen is a delectable, amusing, insightful record of cultural and social history at the Cape, delightfully observed and nostalgically expressed by the pre-eminent connoisseur of Cape cookery. Leipoldt writes about food and wine expressively as a poet, authoritatively as a medical doctor and botanist, and with the humility of the expert enthusiast. The ingredients of this title spring both literally and metaphorically from the soil of South Africa, articulating and preserving wonderful facets of Afrikaans culture and heritage. This is not only a title for the cook and the connoisseur, but for everyone able to appreciate exquisite prose, for everyone interested in encountering one of our great poets writing about something that fascinated him throughout his life - the preparation of good food and the enjoyment and value of wine.

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**AS SEEN ON BBC BETWEEN THE COVERS**25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION - WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY THE AUTHOR'A true diamond of a novel, glinting with comedy and tragedy' Daily MailIt is 1941 and Captain Antonio Corelli, a young Italian officer, is posted to the Greek island of Cephallonia as part of the occupying forces. At first he is ostracised by the locals but over time he proves himself to be civilised, humorous – and a consummate musician.When Pelagia, the local doctor's daughter, finds her letters to her fiancé go unanswered, Antonio and Pelagia draw close and the working of the eternal triangle seems inevitable. But can this fragile love survive as a war of bestial savagery gets closer and the lines are drawn between invader and defender?'Louis de Bernières is in the direct line that runs through Dickens and Evelyn Waugh...he has only to look into his world, one senses, for it to rush into reality, colours and touch and taste' Evening Standard

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"The most consistent of all series in terms of language control, length, and quality of story." David R. Hill, Director of the Edinburgh Project on Extensive Reading.

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**AS SEEN ON BBC BETWEEN THE COVERS**'A true diamond of a novel, glinting with comedy and tragedy' Daily MailIt is 1941 and Captain Antonio Corelli, a young Italian officer, is posted to the Greek island of Cephallonia as part of the occupying forces. At first he is ostracised by the locals but over time he proves himself to be civilised, humorous – and a consummate musician.When Pelagia, the local doctor's daughter, finds her letters to her fiancé go unanswered, Antonio and Pelagia draw close and the working of the eternal triangle seems inevitable. But can this fragile love survive as a war of bestial savagery gets closer and the lines are drawn between invader and defender?'Louis de Bernières is in the direct line that runs through Dickens and Evelyn Waugh...he has only to look into his world, one senses, for it to rush into reality, colours and touch and taste' Evening Standard

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The present state of the exegetical discipline is characterized in this book by the exploration of the concepts exclusivity and variety. There is variety not only in the numerous methods and approaches, but also in variants in methodological application, hermeneutical presuppositions, confessional and dogmatic specialization areas and the increasingly volume of scholarly literature. To escape the abyss of variety, exegetes often resort to exclusivistic claims, sometimes deliberately. The main interest of this book is methodological, with the implication that the discussion is limited to the variety of exegetical methodologies. The working hypothesis is that a multidimensional and/or integrational aproach to exegesis can evade the dangers of exclusivity and variety. Various theoretical guidelines, which should be taken into consideration in this discussion, are filtered out from previous attempsts in this regard. Two methodologies, namely a historical-critical one and a narrative one, are used as examples in this investigation. In order to investigate the practical implementation of these methodologies, the Samson Cycle (Judges 13-16) is analyzed. Subsequently, both methodologies are evaluated to the theoretical guidelines formulated earlier. The multidimensional and/or integrational possibilities of these methodologies are then scrutinized. The investigation leads to the formulation of three models which may serve as guidelines for further discussion on this topic. Preference is given to an adapted communication model which serves as a hermeneutical 'map' on which exegetical methodologies can be 'plotted'. It is proposed that the operative factor of such a communication model is a reading strategy which consists of two components,namely (I) a specialized component and (II) a competence component.

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How could a man like Chris Christie get within shouting distance of a seat in the Oval Office? What does this say about our Justice system, and about us? If you think you know the whole story of Christie's rise and later fall from grace-think again. In his searing tell-all, Ruthless Ambition: The Rise and Fall of Chris Christie, former New Jersey State Assemblyman Louis Manzo recounts an extraordinary tale of political ruthlessness, corruption, and greed while also telling the story of how he was caught in the center of one of the most egregious political scandals in modern-day history: the Bid Rig III sting operation, masterminded by the then United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey and soon-to-be Governor Chris Christie. Manzo shows us how the blind ambitions of Christie and his staff centered on capturing a governorship and the patronage jobs that accompany it, then parlaying that office into a shot at the presidency. Meticulous in backing up everything he says with objective legal documentation, Manzo makes a convincing and disconcerting case for the governor as an unbridled and sinister political figure who made the most of a seriously flawed Department of Justice and overall judicial system to feed his megalomania and desire for power. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in justice and ethical leadership. It can't happen here? Well, it almost did. Soon you will know why. Philosopher George Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Substitute "understand history" and you can appreciate how Manzo's courageous true tale is poised to help all of us better understand the seemingly incomprehensible.

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John Brown’s failed raid on the federal armory in Harper’s Ferry Virginia served as a vital precursor to the Civil War, but its importance to the struggle for justice is free standing and exceptional in the history of the United States. In Freedom's Dawn, Louis DeCaro, Jr., has written the first book devoted exclusively to Brown during the six weeks between his arrest and execution. DeCaro traces his evolution from prisoner to convicted felon, to a prophetic figure, then martyr, and finally the rise of his legacy. In doing so he touches upon major biographical themes in Brown’s story, but also upon antebellum political issues, violence and terrorism, and the themes of political imprisonment and martyrdom.

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Louis J. Aronne, M.D., an internationally recognised weight-management expert, has created the Change Your Biology Diet, a program that helps people lose weight, and keep it off, while understanding the hows and whys every step of the way. Unlike fad diets, Dr. Aronne's approach focuses on the biological factors that cause weight gain, like fat-promoting genes versus "slim" genes, and how to correct them. With the support of his extensive knowledge, clear writing, and friendly tone, readers learn how to safely dial down their appetites and kick food addictions to sugar, fat, and salt. He also includes lists of what to eat and avoid and the 10 rules of permanent weightless. At the heart of the book is a 6-week diet plan so readers can jump right in to a life-transforming program. In addition, Dr. Aronne offers alternative options to ensure the desired results are achieved. With this book, readers are able to adopt long-term improvements in habits, tastes, and lifestyle and start on the path to permanent, effective weightless.

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'What if I look down at my baby and I don't know who they are? Just some… entity. Alien to me. Staring back. A nothing. Or worse, look down and all I see is Ed Sheeran.' Two couples each invite a stranger into their homes in the hope of sparking new life. Instead, they find themselves threatened by invasion, alienation and abduction… Louis Emmitt-Stern's uncanny and razor-sharp sci-fi comedy-drama I Fucked You in My Spaceship received a sold-out premiere at VAULT Festival 2023, winning the Origins Award for Outstanding New Work. It subsequently transferred to Soho Theatre, London.

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Challenges the longstanding perception that modernist composers made art, not money, and that those who made money somehow failed to make art. Patrons have long appeared as colorful, exceptional figures in music history, but this book recasts patrons and patronage as creative forces that shaped the sounds and meanings of new French music between the world wars. Far from mere sources of funding, early twentieth-century patrons collaborated closely with composers, treating commissions for new music as opportunities to express their own artistry. Patrons developed new pathways to participate in music-making, going beyond commissions to establish ballet companies, manage performance venues, and establish state programs. The impressive variety of patronage activities led to an explosion of new music as well as new styles and -isms, indelibly marking the repertoire that this book examines, including a number of pieces frequently heard in concert halls today. In addition to offering new perspectives on well-known French repertoire, this book challenges conceptions of patronage as a bygone phenomenon. Complementing a dwindling cast of aristocratic patrons were new ranks of music publishers, impresarios, state bureaucrats, opera directors, and others capitalizing on their savings, social connections, and artistic vision to bring new music into the world. In chapters on French discourse around patronage, aristocratic commissions, the stimulus provided by the interwar dance craze, music publishing, the Paris Opéra, state intervention in French musical life, and transatlantic musical exchanges, the book blends cultural history with primary source study and music analysis. It not only improves our understanding of French musical life and culture during the early twentieth century but also supplies us with essential insights into the ways modern music emerged at the intersection of music composition, aesthetic and national politics, and the creative labor of patrons.

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Everyone has experienced some suffering in their life, often through illness, and, of course, everyone wants to heal. This is a book about healing based on Louis Heyse-Moore's forty years of experience as a doctor, counsellor and a Somatic Experiencing trauma therapist. The author believes healing is much more than just physical cure. Over the many years that he has worked with ill people, it has become obvious to him that their body, mind and spirit are all affected when they are sick. Many doctors are excellent at treating and curing physical illnesses but may miss the other aspects of healing. The Case of the Disappearing Cancer attempts to redress the balance. A word picture is worth a million theoretical abstractions. A good story is one that engages us at gut level. Not just thinking, but also feeling, emoting, remembering, relating; soulfulness in other words. It makes us come alive. This book does just that.

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This book is a novel, sophisticated, broad ranging and insightful study of the idea of global environmental governance but from a legal dimension and perspective. While recognizing that concepts and ideas used to describe governance are generally abstract, vague and slippery, this project brings clarity to the field by being theoretically informed, contextually sensitive and pragmatically circumscribed. Its conclusions and arguments open up a field of inquiry that has to be genuinely interdisciplinary and in that sense has great potential to contribute to a better understanding of environmental themes and issues. This book is destined to become a landmark for legal academics who will write about environmental governance in that its concern is with the global governance of nature rather than a text that uses the environment as a pretext for understanding governance. It is well written, easy and enjoyable to read and while it traverses through diverse bodies of literature it manages to effectively communicate with a variety of scholarly communities.'- Afshin Akhtarkhavari, Griffith Law School, Australia'Fourth generation global environmental regulation attempts to address the complex realities of an interconnected environment, global environmental problems and collective regulatory responses. It merits conceptual clarity. Louis Kotzé reveals the legal contours and content of global environmental governance by chipping away such parts of the conceptual marble block as are not needed. For the environmental lawyer, it is a welcome - and much needed - process of elimination. This book provides a toolkit for lawyers to engage critically with the extra-legal concept of environmental governance. Its scrutiny and careful analysis contribute meaningfully to the environmental discourse.'- Christine Voigt, University of Oslo, Norway'Global Environmental Governance is a truly important book. Drawing on a multitude of disciplines, award-winning environmental law Professor Louis Kotzé masterfully explains the emerging concept of 'global environmental governance' and its elements of globalism, environmental law, regulation, and governance theory. He makes a compelling case that the world has outgrown the 'sustainability' model and moved toward this more all-encompassing approach to environmental regulation. This admirable book makes global environmental governance theory understandable and pertinent so environmental leaders, lawyers, and regulators can engage comfortably with this new vision for an ecologically and economically healthy world.'- George (Rock) Pring, University of Denver Sturm College of Law, USThis timely book brings much-needed clarity to the concept of 'environmental governance' as manifested in the global regulatory domain. The author argues that despite being used as a fashionable term by many - including economists, political scientists, environmentalists and, increasingly, lawyers - its theoretical contours and conceptual content remain unclear, incoherent, and inconsistent. In addressing this problem, the book begins by describing globalization as a general context of governance. It comprehensively interrogates and clarifies both the governance and global governance concepts, and then explains aspects and components of global environmental governance. Finally it investigates the role of law in global environmental governance.Providing a much-needed definition of environmental governance and global environmental governance, this comprehensive study will appeal to academics and researchers, post-graduate and under-graduate students, intergovernmental organizations such as UNEP, WTO, IUCN, as well as governments and governmental agencies involved with environmental regulation.

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Uncovering a history buried by different nationalist narratives (Jewish, Israeli, Arab and Palestinian) this book looks at how the late Ottoman era set the stage for the on-going Palestinian-Israeli conflict. It presents an innovative analysis of the struggle in its first years, when Palestine was still an integral part of the Ottoman Empire. And it argues that in the late Ottoman era, Jews and Palestinians were already locked in conflict: the new freedoms introduced by the Young Turk Constitutional Revolution exacerbated divisions (rather than serving as a unifying factor). Offering an integrative approach, it considers both communities, together and separately, in order to provide a more sophisticated narrative of how the conflict unfolded in its first years.

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"The time has come now," Abraham Lincoln told his cabinet as he presented the preliminary draft of a "Proclamation of Emancipation." Lincoln's effort to end slavery has been controversial from its inception-when it was denounced by some as an unconstitutional usurpation and by others as an inadequate half-measure-up to the present, as historians have discounted its import and impact. At the sesquicentennial of the Emancipation Proclamation, Louis Masur seeks to restore the document's reputation by exploring its evolution.Lincoln's Hundred Days is the first book to tell the full story of the critical period between September 22, 1862, when Lincoln issued his preliminary Proclamation, and January 1, 1863, when he signed the final, significantly altered, decree. In those tumultuous hundred days, as battlefield deaths mounted, debate raged. Masur commands vast primary sources to portray the daily struggles and enormous consequences of the president's efforts as Lincoln led a nation through war and toward emancipation. With his deadline looming, Lincoln hesitated and calculated, frustrating friends and foes alike, as he reckoned with the anxieties and expectations of millions. We hear these concerns, from poets, cabinet members and foreign officials, from enlisted men on the front and free blacks as well as slaves.Masur presents a fresh portrait of Lincoln as a complex figure who worried about, listened to, debated, prayed for, and even joked with his country, and then followed his conviction in directing America toward a terrifying and thrilling unknown.

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An authoritative and comprehensive introduction to organophosphorus chemistry The broad, exciting field of organophosphorus chemistry has grown tremendously over the last few decades, with a wealth of opportunities for research and applications development. A Guide to Organophosphorus Chemistry offers chemists in academia and industry complete, up-to-date coverage of the fundamentals with an eye on future developments in this area. Internationally recognized authority Louis D. Quin extends his experienced perspective and insight on the topic by: * Surveying the most important phosphorus-containing functional groups * Including representative methods of synthesis, plus references to detailed synthetic procedures * Outlining advances in stereochemical aspects of phosphorus chemistry * Covering areas of current research, such as unusual coordination states, heterocycles, applications of 31P-NMR, and other spectroscopic methods * Providing numerous references to important review articles and recent literature * Presenting electronic mechanisms and reactive intermediates where established * Discussing the importance of phosphorus compounds in living systems and in agricultural applications Liberally illustrated with equations and structural formulas, A Guide to Organophosphorus Chemistry presents a virtually unparalleled introduction to the subject matter, making it an indispensable instructional tool for aspiring chemists and practicing chemists alike.

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Philo's Portrayal of Moses in the Context of Ancient Judaism presents the most comprehensive study of Philo's De Vita Mosis that exists in any language. Feldman, well known for his work on Josephus and ancient Judaism, here paves new ground using rabbinic material with philological precision to illuminate important parallels and differences between Philo's writing on Moses and rabbinic literature. One way in which Hellenistic culture marginalized Judaism was by exposing the apparent defects in Moses' life and character. Philo's De Vita Mosis is a counterattack to these charges and is a vital piece of his attempt to reconcile Judaism and Hellenism. Feldman rigorously examines the text and shows how Philo presents a narrative of Moses's life similar to that of a mythical divine and heroic figure, glorifying his birth, education, and virtues. Feldman demonstrates that Philo is careful to explain in a scientific way those portions of the Bible, particularly miracles, that appear incredible to his skeptical Hellenistic readers. Through Feldman's careful analysis, Moses emerges as unique among ancient lawgivers. Philo's Portrayal of Moses in the Context of Ancient Judaism mirrors the organization of Philo's biography of Moses, which is in two books, the first, in the style of Plutarch, proceeding chronologically, and the second, in the style of Suetonius, arranged topically. Following an introductory chapter, Feldman's study discusses the life of Moses chronologically in the second chapter and examines his virtues topically in the third. Feldman compares the particular features of Philo's portrait of Moses with the way in which Moses is viewed both by Jewish sources in antiquity (including Pseudo-Philo; Josephus; Graeco-Jewish historians, poets, and philosophers; and in the Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, Samaritan tradition, Dead Sea Scrolls, and rabbinic tradition) and by non-Jewish sources, notably the Greek and Roman writers who mention him.

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Literature utters the unutterable, not through logic, not through science, not through argument, but through a pitch of eloquence so pronounced the conscientious reader cannot fail to pay attention.Louis Groarke argues that literature is an honorific term we use to describe texts that are so overpowering they lift us to an encounter with an ineffable ultimate that is beyond logical or scientific explanation. In Uttering the Unutterable he proposes a wisdom epistemology that identifies an experience of transcendence as the defining criterion of literature. Offering four mutually reinforcing definitions of literature in line with Aristotle’s theory of four causes, Groarke compares the experience of reading to Aristotle’s account of philosophical contemplation and maintains that literature has inevitable ethical content. Moving beyond the Aristotelianism of the late Chicago School, Groarke presents a new synthesis that breaks through essentialist stereotypes and contends that literature, like religion, points to an ineffable transcendental, to something beyond what we can adequately explain, prove, systematize, quantify, or enclose in a theory.Uttering the Unutterable explores how Aristotelian philosophy provides the most complete and compelling account of literature for philosophers, literary critics, and theorists.

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Who Says Elephants Can't Dance? sums up Lou Gerstner's historic business achievement, bringing IBM back from the brink of insolvency to lead the computer business once again.Offering a unique case study drawn from decades of experience at some of America's top companies -- McKinsey, American Express, RJR Nabisco -- Gerstner's insights into management and leadership are applicable to any business, at any level. Ranging from strategy to public relations, from finance to organization, Gerstner reveals the lessons of a lifetime running highly successful companies.

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Poetry Book Society Recommended Translation Irish-English dual language edition This is the first comprehensive critical anthology of modern poetry in Irish with English translations. It forms a sequel to Seán Ó Tuama and Thomas Kinsella's pioneering anthology, An Duanaire 1600-1900 / Poems of the Dispossessed (1981), but features many more poems in covering the work of 26 poets from the past century. It includes poems by Pádraig Mac Piarais and Liam S. Gógan from the revival period (1893-1939), and a generous selection from the work of Máirtín Ó Direáin, Seán Ó Ríordáin and Máire Mhac an tSaoi, who transformed writing in Irish in the decades following the Second World War, before the Innti poets – Michael Davitt, Liam Ó Muirthile, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Cathal Ó Searcaigh, Biddy Jenkinson – and others developed new possibilities for poetry in Irish in the 1970s and 80s. It also includes work by more recent poets such as Colm Breathnach, Gearóid Mac Lochlainn, Micheál Ó Cuaig and Áine Ní Ghlinn. The anthology has translations by some of Ireland's most distinguished poets and translators, including Valentine Iremonger, Michael Hartnett, Paul Muldoon, Eiléan Ní Chuilleanáin, Bernard O'Donoghue, Maurice Riordan, Peter Sirr, David Wheatley and Mary O'Donoghue, most of them newly commissioned for this project. Many of the poems, including Eoghan Ó Tuairisc's anguished response to the bombing of Hiroshima, 'Aifreann na marbh' [Mass for the dead] have not previously been available in English. In addition to presenting some of the best poetry in Irish written since 1900, the anthology challenges the extent to which writing in Irish has been underrepresented in collections of modern and contemporary Irish poetry. In his introduction and notes, Louis de Paor argues that Irish language poetry should be evaluated according to its own rigorous aesthetic rather than as a subsidiary of the dominant Anglophone tradition of Irish writing. Irish-English dual language edition co-published with Clo Iar-Chonnachta. [Leabhar na hAthghabhala is pronounced Lee-owr-rr ne hathar-bvola].

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The relationship between the City of Brotherly Love and its Black residents has been complicated from the city's founding through the present day. A Black Philadelphia Reader traces this complex history in the words of Black writers who were native to, lived in, or had significant connections to the city. Featuring the works of famous authorsincluding W.E.B. Du Bois, Harriet Jacobs, Sonia Sanchez and John Edgar Widemanalongside lesser-known voices, this reader is an immersive and enriching composite portrait of the Black experience in Philadelphia. Through fiction and nonfiction, poetry and prose, readers witness episodes of racial prejudice and gender inequality in areas like public health, housing, education, policing, criminal justice, and public transportation. And yet amid these myriad challenges, the writers convey an enduring faith, a love of family and community, and a hope that Philadelphia will fulfill its promises to its Black citizens. Thoughtfully introduced and accompa

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From George Washington to Barack Obama, this book provides the history of the birthplace of every American president, preservation efforts, visitor information, and personal observations. Almost every birthplace has been preserved in some way or another, from the grand monuments of Abraham Lincoln and James Buchanan, to replicas for George Washington and Theordore Roosevelt, or the simple roadside markers for Benjamin Harrison and Zachary Taylor. These places all have unique and often fascinating stories to tell. Discover their owners back to the first settlers. Learn about the disasters, vandalism, and other historically significant events that have occurred on these historic locations. Whether you're an armchair historian or have intentions to visit every Presidential birthplace, this book will equip you with more information than even your tour guides will know.

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‘Sharp, funny, engaging’ Financial Times Discover the second gripping novel in Louis de Bernières' satricial tragic, hilarious South American trilogy.Dionisio Vivo, a South American lecturer in philosophy, is puzzled by the bodies that keep turning up outside his front door. To his friend, Ramon, one of the few honest policemen in town, the message is all too clear: Dionisio's letters to the press, exposing the drug barons, must stop; and although Dionisio manages to escape the hit-men sent to get him, he soon realises that others are more vulnerable, and his love for them leads him to take a colossal revenge.

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‘Surreal and hilarious’ IndependentEnter Louis de Bernières' magical, tragic and hilarious South American odyssey.When the spoilt and haughty Dona Constanza tries to divert a river to fill her swimming pool, she starts a running battle with the locals. The skirmishes are so severe that the Government dispatches a squadron of soldiers led by the fat, brutal and stupid Figueras to deal with them.Despite visiting plagues of laughing fits and giant cats upon the troops, the villagers know that to escape the cruel and unusual tortures planned for them, they must run. Thus they plan to head for the mountains and start a new and convivial civilisation…

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