Search results for ""Pocket""

From deciding the best day for a picnic, to the devastating effects of hurricanes and typhoons, the weather impacts our lives on a daily basis. Although new techniques allow us to forecast the weather with increasing accuracy, most people do not realise the vast global movements and forces which result in their day-to-day weather. In this Very Short Introduction Storm Dunlop explains what weather is and how it differs from climate, discussing what causes weather, and how we measure it. Analysing the basic features and properties of the atmosphere, he shows how these are directly related to the weather experienced on the ground, and to specific weather phenomena and extreme weather events. He describes how the global patterns of temperature and pressure give rise to the overall circulation within the atmosphere, the major wind systems, and the major oceanic currents, and how features such as mountains and the sea affect local weather. He also looks at examples of extreme and dangerous weather, such as of tropical cyclones (otherwise known as hurricanes and typhoons), describing how 'Hurricane Hunters' undertake the dangerous task of flying through them. We measure weather in a number of ways: observations taken on the land and sea; observations within the atmosphere; and measurements from orbiting satellites. Dunlop concludes by looking at how these observations have been used to develop increasingly sophisticated long- and short-range weather forecasting, including ensemble forecasting. 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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What is 'nothing'? What remains when you take all the matter away? Can empty space - a void - exist? This Very Short Introduction explores the science and the history of the elusive void: from Aristotle who insisted that the vacuum was impossible, via the theories of Newton and Einstein, to our very latest discoveries and why they can tell us extraordinary things about the cosmos. Frank Close tells the story of how scientists have explored the elusive void, and the rich discoveries that they have made there. He takes the reader on a lively and accessible history through ancient ideas and cultural superstitions to the frontiers of current research. He describes how scientists discovered that the vacuum is filled with fields; how Newton, Mach, and Einstein grappled with the nature of space and time; and how the mysterious 'aether' that was long ago supposed to permeate the void may now be making a comeback with the latest research into the 'Higgs field'. We now know that the vacuum is far from being empty - it seethes with virtual particles and antiparticles that erupt spontaneously into being, and it also may contain hidden dimensions that we were previously unaware of. These new discoveries may provide answers to some of cosmology's most fundamental questions: what lies outside the universe, and, if there was once nothing, then how did the universe begin? 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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Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring Coral reefs are among the most beautiful, and most diverse, of ecosystems. Early seafarers were wary of them, naturalists were confused by them, yet many coastal people benefited greatly from these mysterious rocky structures that grew up to the surface of the sea. They have been rich in their supply of food, and they provided a breakwater from storms and high waves to countless coastal communities that developed from their protection. Their scale is enormous and their value high. Found in countless locations around the world, from the Indo-Pacific coral reef province to the Caribbean and Australia, they support both marine and human life. But today coral reefs are in trouble, with many dying or suffering from over-exploitation, pollution, and the warming and acidification of the oceans. Understanding reefs, their conservation and management, is vital, and so is conveying this to authority if we are to preserve these remarkable ecosystems. In this Very Short Introduction Charles Sheppard describes the complex structure and interdependencies of a reef, how reefs have evolved, the diversity of marine life that they support, and their importance to the human population who live beside them. This new edition describes the latest research on the complex symbioses of coral animals with microorganisms. It also highlights the scale of the challenge facing our reefs today, following recent ocean heatwaves - part of wider climate disruption - that killed half the world's reefs, and considers what can be done to preserve these essential and vibrant ecosystems. 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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Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring Anchored in the principles of free-market economics, neoliberalism emerged in the 1990s as the world's most dominant economic paradigm. It has been associated with various political leaders from Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, and Bill Clinton, to Tony Blair, Barack Obama, and Manmohan Singh. Neoliberalism even penetrated deeply into communist China's powerful economic system. However, the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and the related European Sovereign Debt Crisis triggered a decade of economic volatility and insecurity that boosted the fortunes of the 1 per cent while saddling the 99 per cent with stagnant wages and precarious work. As a result of this Great Recession, neoliberalism fortunes have waned considerably. This downward trend further accelerated with the recent surge of national populism around the world that brought to power outspoken critics of neoliberalism like Donald Trump, Boris Johnson, Jair Bolsonaro, and Narendra Modi. Is neoliberalism doomed or will it regain its former glory? And what are the major types of neoliberalism, and how did they evolve over the decades? Responding to these crucial questions, this Very Short introduction explores the considerable variations of neoliberalism around the world, and discusses the origins, evolution, and core ideas of neoliberalism. This new edition brings the story of neoliberalism up to date, and asks whether new versions of neoliberalism might succeed in drowning out the rising tide of national populism and its nostalgic longing for a return to territorial sovereignty and national greatness. 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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To date, more than a million insect species have been described, with probably at least another 5-8 million species waiting in the wings for a name. Insects are a fascinatingly diverse and beautiful spectrum of animals. They range in size from the tiny parasitic wasp, measuring a mere 139µm, to the aptly named Titan beetle, which can reach lengths of up to 17cm. They can be found on all continents of the world, from the Sahara Desert to the frozen wastes of Antarctica; in caves, under the ground, inside plants, other insects and vertebrates, in rivers, streams, lakes and ponds, in puddles, in the watery interiors of pitcher plants; and in our houses. While no insects live beneath the waves, the intrepid sea skaters skim the surface of some of the world's oceans. This Very Short Introduction explores the extraordinary world of insects. It analyses insect evolution, taxonomy and development, and describes their behaviour, their life styles, and the interactions they have with other insects and other animals. As Simon Leather shows, insects are the bedrock on which human civilisation rests; without them we would almost certainly not exist. Although they can be seen as pests of our crops plants, they are also invaluable for pollinating our flowering plants and are an invaluable link in all land ecosystems. As they face challenges from climate change and pesticides it has never been more important to understand these oft-dismissed creatures. Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring 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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Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring Debates about science and religion are rarely out of the news. Whether it concerns what's being taught in schools, clashes between religious values and medical recommendations, or questions about how to address our changing global environment, emotions often run high and answers seem intractable. Yet there is much more to science and religion than the clash of extremes. As Thomas Dixon and Adam Shapiro show in this balanced and thought-provoking Very Short Introduction, a whole range of views, subtle arguments, and fascinating perspectives can be found on this complex and centuries-old subject. They explore the key philosophical questions that underlie the debate, but also highlight the social, political, and ethical contexts that have made the tensions between science and religion such a fraught and interesting topic in the modern world. In this new edition, Dixon and Shapiro connect historical concepts such as evolution, the heliocentric solar system, and the problem of evil to present-day issues including the politicization of science; debates over mind, body, and identity; and the moral necessity of addressing environmental change. Ranging from medical missionaries to congregations adopting new technologies during a pandemic, from Galileo's astronomy to building the Thirty Meter Telescope, they explore how some of the most complex social issues of our day are rooted in discussions of science and religion. 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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Fire is rarely out of the headlines, from large natural wildfires raging across the Australian or Californian countrysides to the burning of buildings such as the disasters of Grenfell tower and Notre Dame. Fire on these scales can represent a serious risk to human life and property. But the advent of fire made and controlled by humans also represented a crucial point in our evolution, allowing us to cook our food, forge our weapons, and warm our homes. This Very Short Introduction covers the fundamentals of fire, whether wild or under human control, starting with the basics of ignition, combustion, and fuel. Andrew Scott considers both natural wildfires and the role of humans in making and suppressing fire. Despite frightening reports of wildfire destruction, he also shows how landscape fires have been part of our planet's history for 400 million years, and do not always have to be extinguished. He also considers the problem of fires in urban settings, including new ways to prevent fires. The cost of wildfire can be steep - as well as the burning, post-fire erosion and flooding can have a great impact on both humans and the environment. It can also have a lasting effect in shaping ecosystems and plant life. Scott ends by examining the relationship between fire and the climate, and considering the future of wildfire in a warming world. 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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Niels Bohr, who pioneered the quantum theory of the atom, had a broad conception of his obligations as a physicist. They included not only a responsibility for the consequences of his work for the wider society, but also a compulsion to apply the philosophy he deduced from his physics to improving ordinary people's understanding of the moral universe they inhabit. In some of these concerns Bohr resembled Einstein, although Einstein could not accept what he called the "tranquilizing philosophy" with which Bohr tried to resolve such ancient conundrums as the nature (or possibility) of free will. In this Very Short Introduction John Heilbron draws on sources never before presented in English to cover the life and work of one of the most creative physicists of the 20th century. In addition to his role as a scientist, Heilbron considers Bohr as a statesman and Danish cultural icon, who built scientific institutions and pushed for the extension of international cooperation in science to all nation states. As a humanist he was concerned with the cultivation of all sides of the individual, and with the complementary contributions of all peoples to the sum of human culture. Throughout, Heilbron considers how all of these aspects of Bohr's personality influenced his work, as well as the science that made him, in the words of Sir Henry Dale, President of the Royal Society of London, probably the "first among all the men of all countries who are now active in any department of science." 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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From a modest beginning in the form of a little shrew-like, nocturnal, insect eating ancestor that lived 200 million years ago, mammals evolved into the huge variety of different kinds of animals we see today. Many species are still small, and follow the lifestyle of the ancestor, but others have adapted to become large grazers and browsers, like the antelopes, cattle, rhinos, and elephants, or the lions, hyaenas, and wolves that prey upon them. Yet others evolved to be specialist termite eaters able to dig into the hardest mounds, or tunnel creating burrowers, and a few took to the skies as gliders and the bats. Many live partly in the water, such as otters, beavers, and hippos, while whales and dugongs remain permanently in the seas, incapable of ever emerging onto land. In this Very Short Introduction T. S. Kemp explains how it is a tenfold increase in metabolic rate - endothermy or "warm-bloodedness" - that lies behind the high levels of activity, and the relatively huge brain associated with complex, adaptable behaviour that epitomizes mammals. He describes the remarkable fossil record, revealing how and when the mammals gained their characteristics, and the tortuous course of their subsequent evolution, during which many bizarre forms such as sabre-toothed cats, and 30-tonne, 6-m high browsers arose and disappeared. Describing the wonderful adaptations that mammals evolved to suit their varied modes of life, he also looks at those of the mainly arboreal primates that culminated ultimately in Homo sapiens. 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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Utilitarianism may well be the most influential secular ethical theory in the world today. It is also one of the most controversial. It clashes, or is widely thought to clash, with many conventional moral views, and with human rights when they are seen as inviolable. Would it, for example, be right to torture a suspected terrorist in order to prevent an attack that could kill and injure a large number of innocent people? In this Very Short Introduction Peter Singer and Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek provide an authoritative account of the nature of utilitarianism, from its nineteenth-century origins, to its justification and its varieties. Considering how utilitarians can respond to objections that are often regarded as devastating, they explore the utilitarian answer to the question of whether torture can ever be justified. They also discuss what it is that utilitarians should seek to maximize, paying special attention to the classical utilitarian view that only pleasure or happiness is of intrinsic value. Singer and de Lazari-Radek conclude by analysing the continuing importance of utilitarianism in the world, indicating how it is a force for new thinking on contemporary moral challenges like global poverty, the treatment of animals, climate change, reducing the risk of human extinction, end-of-life decisions for terminally-ill patients, and the shift towards assessing the success of government policies in terms of their impact on happiness. 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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In sixty-four bite-sized pieces of advice, Michael Pollan's Food Rules tells you everything you need to know to eat healthily, dine happily and live well. Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much. Using those seven simple words as his guide, internationally-acclaimed food journalist Michael Pollan offers this indispensable handbook for anyone concerned about health and food. Sensible, easy to use and written in plain English, Food Rules is a set of memorable adages or designed to help you eat real food in reasonable amounts, gathered from a wide variety of sources: nutritionists, anthropologists, ancient cultures - and grandmothers. Whether at the supermarket, a restaurant or an all-you-can-eat buffet, this handy, pocket-size resource is the perfect manual for anyone who would like to become more mindful of the food we eat. 'In more than four decades I have come across nothing more intelligent, sensible and simple to follow than these principles' The New York Times 'Instantly makes redundant all diet books and 99 per cent of discussions around healthy eating ... Sense, at last' Daily Mail, praise for In Defence of Food 'Pollan invites us to grab our pots and pans and cook some real food for dinner' Time Out, praise for In Defence of Food 'Read this witty book for a healthier life and diet' The Times, praise for In Defence of Food Michael Pollan has been writing for over twenty years about the places where the human and natural worlds intersect: food, agriculture, gardens, drugs, and architecture. The Omnivore's Dilemma, about the ethics and ecology of eating, was named one of the ten best books of 2006 by the New York Times and the Washington Post. He is also the author of The Botany of Desire, A Place of My Own and Second Nature and, most recently, In Defence of Food.

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Things are hot and getting hotter… Escape into this delicious shifter romance from bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson.Oz Adway is a rare breed: an accountant who wants to get dirty. He's a werewolf working for the Interspecies Placement Agency so it's not long before he gets the opportunity to break out of his boring, safe office job. He volunteers to find runaway bear cub Sally Smalls, recently orphaned by a plane crash. Piece of cake, right? Unfortunately, Sally's taken refuge with "ordinary" human Lila Kai. Lila has no idea what's going on, but she'll destroy anyone who tries to take the cub. Oz is not about to let a human jeopardize his daring career move, no matter how attractive he finds her.Lila knows something's different about the sexy weirdo who keeps popping up in the wrong place at the right time. She's determined to figure out what, regardless of the escalating threats to her safety and Oz's distracting hotness. She didn't move into a cursed house and take in a werebear just to run when things get complicated. Together, Oz and Lila will prevail! But only if they can keep their hands off each other...Put away your pocket protectors: This hilarious story includes a nerdy shifter accountant with a bad-boy side, a fiercely protective human heroine, and a baby bear cub who will make every reader sigh in cuteness. Fans of Shelly Laurenston and paranormal adventure won't want to miss the newest installment in the BeWere My Heart series!"This hilarious, sizzling romance [is] perfect for fans of Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series."—Publishers Weekly for Bears Behaving Badly"Davidson is in fine form with the over-the-top humor and outrageous situations that have made her a bestseller."—Booklist for Me, Myself, and Why

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This Maclean of Duart genuine tartan cloth large notebook is made with genuine British tartan cloth. It measures 21cm x 13cm, and has 192 pages of 80gsm cream paper, with left page plain, right page ruled. Cloth supplied by tailors and kilt makers Kinloch Anderson. With a ribbon marker, inner note pocket, elastic enclosure, history of tartan leaflet, and colourful bookmark with a brief history of the Maclean of Duart tartan. Presented in a clear acetate bag. The Maclean of Duart tartan is red with black, and touches of yellow, white and blue. The Macleans claim descent from Gillean of the Battleaxe, a kinsman of Fergus Mor, the sixth-century-ruler of the ancient kingdom of Dalriada. Lands given to the clan chief included the isle of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland. During the 16th century the Campbells emerged as the most powerful clan in the West Highlands. Several marriages took place between the Macleans and the Campbells. Septs of the Maclean clan include Beaton, Black, Dowart, Dowie, Duart, Garvie, Gillan, Lane, Lean, Leith, MacBeth, MacCormick, MacFadyen, Macgeachan, MacVey, Patten and Rankin. Scientists, thinkers and writers in the Scottish Enlightenment used 'commonplace notebooks' to record thoughts and ideas. Many British writers such as Virginia Woolf and Arthur Conan Doyle continued to use them. Tartan belongs to Scottish heritage and culture, and thrives today both at home and overseas. There are now over 7,000 tartans officially recorded in the Scottish Register of Tartans located within the National Archive of Scotland. Waverley Books (Waverley Scotland) are delighted to innovate on the commonplace notebook idea with the Waverley tartan notebooks bound in genuine tartan cloth supplied by kilt makers and tailors Kinloch Anderson, Edinburgh.

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A FLAME TREE NOTEBOOK. Beautiful and luxurious the journals combine high-quality production with magnificent art. Perfect as a gift, and an essential personal choice for writers, notetakers, travellers, students, poets and diarists. Features a wide range of well-known and modern artists, with new artworks published throughout the year. BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED. The highly crafted covers are printed on foil paper, embossed then foil stamped, complemented by the luxury binding and rose red end-papers. The covers are created by our artists and designers who spend many hours transforming original artwork into gorgeous 3d masterpieces that feel good in the hand, and look wonderful on a desk or table. PRACTICAL, EASY TO USE. Flame Tree Notebooks come with practical features too: a pocket at the back for scraps and receipts; two ribbon markers to help keep track of more than just a to-do list; robust ivory text paper, printed with lines; and when you need to collect other notes or scraps of paper the magnetic side flap keeps everything neat and tidy. THE ARTIST. Very little is known of Charlotte Cowan Pearson's life but it is known that she was admitted as a lady member of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh (now Botanical Society of Scotland) in 1894 and that she was an enthusiastic botanical artist. An album of Charlotte’s beautiful botanical paintings of British plants is held in the Library of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and pays witness to her talents as an artist. The artwork on this journal shows 'Stellaria nemorum, Lepidium campestre, Asperula odorata, Stellaria holostea' painted in 1871. THE FINAL WORD. As William Morris said, "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

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A FLAME TREE NOTEBOOK. Beautiful and luxurious the journals combine high-quality production with magnificent art. Perfect as a gift, and an essential personal choice for writers, notetakers, travellers, students, poets and diarists. Features a wide range of well-known and modern artists, with new artworks published throughout the year. BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED. The highly crafted covers are printed on foil paper, embossed then foil stamped, complemented by the luxury binding and rose red end-papers. The covers are created by our artists and designers who spend many hours transforming original artwork into gorgeous 3d masterpieces that feel good in the hand, and look wonderful on a desk or table. PRACTICAL, EASY TO USE. Flame Tree Notebooks come with practical features too: a pocket at the back for scraps and receipts; two ribbon markers to help keep track of more than just a to-do list; robust ivory text paper, printed with lines; and when you need to collect other notes or scraps of paper the magnetic side flap keeps everything neat and tidy. THE ARTIST. The Royal Pavilion, Brighton, was constructed as the seaside pleasure palace of King George IV. The Saloon is one of the oldest surviving parts of the Royal Pavilion and the grandest room in the palace. A formal reception room, it was designed to make an impression. The authentically restored interior is bold and regal, with dramatic colour combinations and rich vivid imagery that appears elsewhere in the Pavilion, including dragons, sunflowers and lotus leaves.The luxurious woven carpet, featured here with details, made by the company that created the original, is just as vibrant. THE FINAL WORD. As William Morris said, "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."

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Kids learn about the super awesome powers of their phones and how to use them safely.Phones are super fun, really convenient, and amazingly useful tools! But when kids and smartphones are together, problems can pop up. You Got a Phone! (Now Read This Book) offers fun and straight-to-the-point advice for kids who have phones and parents who want to keep phone trouble at bay. Kids need to know about the screen-related cyberbullying, neurological changes, and sleep problems that come with having a phone before it becomes an issue. You Got a Phone! (Now Read This Book) features a humorous yet supportive tone and hilarious illustrations that draw readers in and keep them engaged. Kids can do awesome things with their phones, and this book shows them how. Starting with six basic phone rules to help keep kids safe online with a healthy life balance, You Got a Phone! (Now Read This Book) also includes information on: How to avoid muddled misunderstandings Bullying, cyberbullying, and phone-y meanness Safely posting and sharing photos online and how to avoid phone-related stress or anxietyAt the end of each chapter, You Got a Phone! (Now Read This Book) provides kids with additional tips and information for smart and safe phone use, making this timely addition to the popular Laugh & Learn? series the perfect book for any kid with a new phone.Laugh & Learn SeriesSelf-help, kid-style! Realistic topics, practical advice, silly jokes, fun illustrations, and a kid-centric point of view all add up to one of the most popular series that young people turn to for help with school, families, siblings, and more. Kids ages eight to thirteen can tote these pocket-size guides anywhere and learn to slash stress, give cliques and rude people the boot, get organized, behave becomingly, and in general hugely boost their coping skills.

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Can one boy with no memories save the world?'Jayben is my kind of hero, and he's one to be celebrated. This amazing exploration of fantasy through the lens of epilepsy shows all readers that one quality we all need to save the world: valour!' - Elle McNicoll, author of A Kind of Spark'I loved this book - a triumphant and richly imagined fantasy as well as a compelling insight into life with seizures and memory loss. I can't wait to see where this story goes!' - Lee Newbery, author of The Last FirefoxIn the Earth world, a boy dreams of faraway lands to escape life with his horrible aunt. In the Elf world, he wakes up with a mysterious golden torch but without any clue who he is ...except for the compass he pulls from his pocket, engraved with one name: JAYBENJayben discovers that many moons ago, a giant put a dark spell on the golden torch, and the elves forgot everything that had come before. Now they hang precious memories in jars on trees, just to try to remember.But a new darkness grows among them.An evil villain called Null is burning down the forests, hellbent on finding the torch and becoming the most powerful being ever to live.If Jayben can find his own magic and ignite the torch with its fierce violet flame, his power will be unstoppable ... Can Jayben save the world before the lights go out forever?A story of courage, hope and friendship. Whatever pages are missing in your story, you can be the hero on the next page.'A modern classic of children's fantasy with a necessary hero' - Lizzie Huxley-Jones

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In Tours of Vietnam, Scott Laderman demonstrates how tourist literature has shaped Americans’ understanding of Vietnam and projections of United States power since the mid-twentieth century. Laderman analyzes portrayals of Vietnam’s land, history, culture, economy, and people in travel narratives, U.S. military guides, and tourist guidebooks, pamphlets, and brochures. Whether implying that Vietnamese women were in need of saving by “manly” American military power or celebrating the neoliberal reforms Vietnam implemented in the 1980s, ostensibly neutral guides have repeatedly represented events, particularly those related to the Vietnam War, in ways that favor the global ambitions of the United States.Tracing a history of ideological assertions embedded in travel discourse, Laderman analyzes the use of tourism in the Republic of Vietnam as a form of Cold War cultural diplomacy by a fledgling state that, according to one pamphlet published by the Vietnamese tourism authorities, was joining the “family of free nations.” He chronicles the evolution of the Defense Department pocket guides to Vietnam, the first of which, published in 1963, promoted military service in Southeast Asia by touting the exciting opportunities offered by Vietnam to sightsee, swim, hunt, and water-ski. Laderman points out that, despite historians’ ongoing and well-documented uncertainty about the facts of the 1968 “Hue Massacre” during the National Liberation Front’s occupation of the former imperial capital, the incident often appears in English-language guidebooks as a settled narrative of revolutionary Vietnamese atrocity. And turning to the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City, he notes that, while most contemporary accounts concede that the United States perpetrated gruesome acts of violence in Vietnam, many tourists and travel writers still dismiss the museum’s display of that record as little more than “propaganda.”

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Go ahead, use a pencil...because we all know you're to bail on your co-worker's open mic night. We've crammed the same great content (well, most of it, anyway) of our standard-sized planner into a 'mini' version. While it won't fit in a pocket (unless you have an old pair of JNCOs laying around), it's the perfect size to tuck into any bag or backpack. Sure, this mini-planner by Brass Monkey is technically undated...but that's really selling it short. It's more like...'un-yeared.'. See, we did all of the hard work for you. We've already put in all the dates, the fixed holidays, and tons of extra stuff like daily random holidays (it was Work Like A Dog Day when we wrote this, ironically), celebrity birthdays, and other bits of trivia. With knowledge like this, you'll be the life of the party that you probably didn't want to go to in the first place. All you have to do is fill in the year and what day of the week each day is on. Simple. So if you want, you can buy this planner today and still procrastinate actually using it until 2054...live your life. • Inspired by vintage library books. You remember what those are, right? • Features a cloth-bound cover with embossed, gold foil artwork covering the whole...well, cover. • Comes pre-filled with 366 days (208 pages) of random holidays, trivia, and humor. • Includes an attached black satin bookmark to help you pick up where you left off. • The book measures 4.75" wide by 7.5" tall (and .6" thick)–that's 152mm by 229mm if you're fancy. • Psst: this is a mini-sized counterpart of our standard size planners.

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Nurture a love of books and reading with this sturdy boxed set of 16 classic Beginner Books and Bright & Early Books—the ULTIMATE gift for Dr. Seuss fans and the perfect way to start a child's library!Make an impression. Share the joy of reading—and of Dr. Seuss—with a young child and start them on the adventure of a lifetime! This complete collection of easy readers written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss makes the perfect gift for baby showers, birthday celebrations, and happy occasions of all kinds. Featuring all the Beginner Books and Bright & Early Books written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss in a sturdy slip-case, it's ideal for kids just learning how to read—AND for reading aloud to babies and toddlers! Books in this set include:The Cat in the Hat; The Cat in the Hat Comes Back; Dr. Seuss's ABC; The Foot Book; Fox in Socks; Green Eggs and Ham; Hop on Pop; I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!; Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now!; Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?; Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!; Oh, Say Can You Say?; One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish; The Shape of Me and Other Stuff; There's a Wocket in My Pocket!; and What Pet Should I Get?Originally created by Dr. Seuss himself, Beginner Books are hardcover early readers that encourage children to read on their own, using simple words and illustrations that give clues to their meaning. They are ideal for early and practicing readers ages 3-7. The Bright & Early Book series is an off-shoot of Beginner Books. Bright & Early Books use fewer words and are written for beginning beginner readers. They are ideal for children ages 2-5.

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Ideal for any on-call professional, resident, or medical student, this popular reference covers the common problems you'll encounter while on call in the hospital. On Call Neurology, 4th Edition, by Drs. Randolph S. Marshall and Stephan A. Mayer, fits perfectly in your pocket, ready to provide key information in time-sensitive, challenging situations. You'll gain speed, skill, and knowledge with every call - from diagnosing a difficult or life-threatening situation to prescribing the right medication. Features a logical, highly templated format so you can locate key information quickly. Provides updated content and references, keeping you on the cutting edge of current, evidence-based information. Includes the latest information on headache, demyelinating diseases, infections of the central nervous system, dementia, and more. Highlights critical information, reducing the likelihood of error. Provides an updated On Call Formulary covering the most common neurologic medications. Delivers consistent, easy-to-follow coverage of the most common on-call problems and approaches, including what to do from the initial phone call, questions you should ask to assess the urgency of each situation, "Elevator Thoughts," how to immediately identify major threats to life, what to do at the bedside, and how to avoid common mistakes for every call. Enhanced eBook version included with purchase. Your enhanced eBook allows you to access all of the text, figures, and references from the book on a variety of devices. Provides updated content and references, as well as an up-to-date drug formulary, keeping you on the cutting edge of current, evidence-based information. Includes the latest information on headache, demyelinating diseases, infections of the central nervous system, dementia, and more. NEW! Expert ConsultT eBook version included with purchase. This enhanced eBook experience allows you to search all of the text, figures, and references from the book on a variety of devices.

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This volume contains the histories of the hundreds of Ramsbury and Selkley and of the borough of Marlborough. The area is mostly on the Marlborough Downs in the north-east quarter of Wiltshire. The Kennet flows east through both hundreds and skirts the town of Marlborough to the south. Its valley and those of its tributaries have provided settlement sites, including those of Avebury, probably an important cult centre in the Neolithic Period, and the Romantown of Cunetio, and determined many lines of communication from earliest times. The area has always been predominantly agricultural. Tracts of rough downland, some the site of warrens from the Middle Ages, are still used for sport. In the 19th and 20th centuries racehorses have been trained on the downs notably at Beckhampton in Avebury and at Manton in Preshute. At Aldbourne Fustians were manufactured and bells were founded. Ramsbury hundred, which comprised Bishopstone in the Cole valley and the large parish of Ramsbury, belonged to the bishops of Ramsbury and contained a pre-Conquest see. It passed to the bishops of Salisbury, the site of whose medieval palace is marked by Ramsbury Manor. Littlecote House, once the home of the Darrells, dates mainly from the 14th and 16th centuries and is open to the public. An airfield was established in Ramsbury during the Second World War. The village is chiefly known as the home of the Ramsbury Building Society formed in 1846. Marlborough was a borough from the 11th century until 1974. It was represented in parliament from 1275 to 1885 and from the 18th century was a pocket borough of theBruces. Its medieval castle was a favourite residence of Henry III and its site is now occupied by Marlborough College. Marlborough has long been important as a market town where main routes converge rather than as a manufacturing centre.

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From the stars of A Christmas Gift from Bob, now a major motion picture with Luke Treadaway, the incredible and heartwarming sequel to the bestselling A Street Cat Named Bob. 'Close proximity to animals does wonders for your mental health. Close proximity to this book will do wonders for it, too.' (Daily Mail)* * * * * * *'Since Bob has appeared, I've made huge strides in my life. For more than a decade I was a homeless drug addict. I was lost to the world and had forgotten what was important in life. Now I've got myself back on my two feet, but as I put the past behind me, I'm still stepping unsteadily into the future. I still need help in the right direction. Bob is always there to offer guidance and friendship.' (James, on Bob)James and his street cat Bob have been on a remarkable journey together. In the years since their story ended in the bestselling A Street Cat Named Bob, James, with Bob's help, has begun to find his way back to the real world.Almost every day, Bob provides moments of intelligence, bravery and humour, at the same time opening his human friend's eyes to important truths about friendship, loyalty, trust - and the meaning of happiness. In The World According to Bob, the continuing tale of their life together, James shows the many ways in which Bob has been his protector and guardian angel through times of illness, hardship, even life-threatening danger. As they high five together for their crowds of admirers, James knows that the tricks he's taught Bob are nothing compared to the lessons he's learnt from his street-wise cat.For more stories from James and Bob's adventures, don't miss The Little Book of Bob, a pocket-friendly compilation of wisdom from the world's favourite street-wise cat.

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'When Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from troubled dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous insect ...' So begins Franz Kafka's most famous story Metamorphosis. Franz Kafka (1883-1924) is among the most intriguing and influential writers of the twentieth century. During his lifetime he worked as a civil servant and published only a handful of short stories, the best known being The Transformation. All three of his novels, The Trial, The Castle, and The Man Who Disappeared [America], were published after his death and helped to found Kafka's reputation as a uniquely perceptive interpreter of the twentieth century. Kafka's fiction vividly evokes bizarre situations: a commercial traveller is turned into an insect, a banker is arrested by a mysterious court, a fasting artist starves to death in the name of art, a singing mouse becomes the heroine of her nation. Attending both to Kafka's crisis-ridden life and to the subtleties of his art, Ritchie Robertson shows how his work explores such characteristically modern themes as the place of the body in culture, the power of institutions over people, and the possibility of religion after Nietzsche had proclaimed 'the death of God'. The result is an up-to-date and accessible portrait of a fascinating author which shows us ways to read and make sense of his perplexing and absorbing work. 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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Written by a dream team of mental health experts and grounded in the most effective evidence-based therapies, The Anger Toolkit offers powerful tools for managing anger in the moment, when readers need it most. With this quick-relief guide, readers will find fast-acting tips, tricks, and skills to cool their temper, find calm in triggering situations, and stop letting anger run their lives. A quick-relief guide for calming anger in the moment-just when you need it most. Do you struggle with problem anger? If so, you are far from alone. Sometimes anger can be a helpful emotion. It pushes us to stand up for ourselves or the people we care about-or to advocate for a cause we believe in. But sometimes, anger can become intense and overwhelming, and lead us to act in destructive or harmful ways-impacting relationships, work, and our health. So, how can you take charge of your anger before it gets the best of you? Written by a team of anger experts, The Anger Toolkit offers evidence-based anger-cooling skills, exercises, and tools drawn from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). With this powerfully effective pocket guide, you'll learn to: - Find calm right away with "emergency" anger management skills - Understand your anger, as well as your anger triggers - Get unstuck from anger before it gets the best of you - Be good to yourself by creating a life where your physical and emotional well-being are high priorities If you're ready to stop letting anger rule your life, this easy-to-use guide has everything you need to stay calm, cool, and in charge of your emotions.

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The 3rd SS Panzer Regiment was part of the Totenkopf Division—one of the 38 Waffen-SS divisions active during World War II. Notorious for its brutality, most notably a mass execution of British prisoners in the battle of France, “Totenkopf” had a fearsome reputation. The 3rd SS Panzer Regiment was formed in France in late 1942, and transferred to the Eastern Front in early 1943 where it fought for the rest of the war.The regiment participated in a number of battles, and would be reduced and rebuilt a number of times. The panzers of 3rd SS Panzer Regiment fought at Kharkov, took part in Operation Citadel, fought in the battle of Krivoi Rog, and the relief of the Korsun Pocket. The regiment then retreated over the Dniester. They fought in Poland against the Russian advance, before being moved to Hungary where they participated in the attempt to relieve Budapest. They eventually surrendered in Czechoslovakia to the 11th US Armored Division.This Casemate Illustrated tells the story of the 3rd SS Panzer Regiment through the words of the veterans themselves, illustrated with a wealth of contemporary photographs, original documents and artifacts. Among the veterans whose accounts are included are Walter Weber, a member of a tank crew in 5. Kompanie who recounts their optimism and high spirits at the start of Operation Citadel as the Germans made initial advances, followed by retreat as winter set in and the Russians began to push them back. Unterscharführer Stettner recalls the fierce tank battles and the difficulties advancing across minefields and evading an often well-concealed foe. Corporal Fritz Edelmann records the attempts to relieve Budapest in 1945 that Totenkopf took part in, which ended in encirclement, defeat and surrender to the Americans on May 9, 1945.

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Learn how to evaluate and apply health sciences research with this beginner's guide! Reading Research: A User-Friendly Guide for Health Professionals, 7th Edition provides a clear introduction to reading and understanding research articles, with practical guidelines for implementing research into clinical practice. It describes how to interpret common research methods including qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method approaches, and explains how to find relevant, reliable research on the internet. Written by Barbara Davies and Jo Logan, both of whom are noted educators and research experts, this easy-to-use pocket guide is ideal for both students and health professionals. Concise overview of health sciences-related research maximizes your study time and makes it easier to understand qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research. Succinct introduction to reading and understanding health sciences research articles is accompanied by practice worksheets and other learning resources on an Evolve website. Helpful guidelines suggest how to find interesting research results, identify how to use research results towards planning and delivering best practices and improving patient outcomes, and recommend actions to address barriers to using research in practice. UNIQUE! Tips boxes provide practical, easy-to-follow advice for those who are new to the subject. UNIQUE! Alert! boxes warn of common assumptions made when reading research. Recommendations for best practices in research include brief definitions of popular research terms as well as links to World Health Organization information, the latest RNAO (Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario) Best Practice Guidelines, and guidelines from Australia, the USA, the UK, and other countries. NEW! Enhanced worksheet exercises on the Evolve website demonstrate how to apply knowledge gained from the text, based on research articles drawn from Australia, Canada, Europe, and the USA, on a variety of health issues encountered in hospital and community settings.

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Less than 450 years ago, all European scholars believed that the Earth was at the centre of a Universe that was at most a few million miles in extent, and that the planets, sun, and stars all rotated around this centre. Less than 250 years ago, they believed that the Universe was created essentially in its present state about 6000 years ago. Even less than 150 years ago, the view that living species were the result of special creation by God was still dominant. The recognition by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace of the mechanism of evolution by natural selection has completely transformed our understanding of the living world, including our own origins. In this Very Short Introduction Brian and Deborah Charlesworth provide a clear and concise summary of the process of evolution by natural selection, and how natural selection gives rise to adaptations and eventually, over many generations, to new species. They introduce the central concepts of the field of evolutionary biology, as they have developed since Darwin and Wallace on the subject, over 140 years ago, and discuss some of the remaining questions regarding processes. They highlight the wide range of evidence for evolution, and the importance of an evolutionary understanding for instance in combating the rapid evolution of resistance by bacteria to antibiotics and of HIV to antiviral drugs. This reissue includes some key updates to the main text and a completely updated Further Reading section. 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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Coping with COVID-19: The Medical, Mental, and Social Consequences of the Pandemic provides readers with unique and timely insights about the single most disruptive and epoch-defining public health event of the last 100 years. Written in an easy-to-read and accessible style, widely respected psychiatrist and author Dr. Samoon Ahmad explores both the science of the virus and the lasting psychological, clinical, and professional implications of the pandemic in two well-organized parts. The first part of the book examines the historical precedents of pandemics, as well as the virology and symptomology of SARS-CoV-2. The second part covers the broader effects of the pandemic on society with special consideration being given to its impact on public health policy, the medical industry, and the individual psychology of children and adults. Discusses the historical background, initial outbreak, and early spread of COVID-19, followed by chapters on transmission models, pathology, and neurologic and psychiatric symptoms Covers mental health and other clinical concerns, public health, and professional implications for practicing physicians and other healthcare workers Shares the experience and knowledge of Samoon Ahmad, MD, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Unit Chief of Psychiatric Inpatient Unit at Bellevue Hospital Center, co-author of Medical Marijuana: A Clinical Handbook andco-editor of Kaplan & Sadock’s Pocket Handbook of Clinical Psychiatry An excellent resource for psychiatrists, neurologists, primary care, family medicine, and critical care physicians, medical students, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, as well as the general publicEnrich Your eBook Reading Experience Read directly on your preferred device(s),such as computer, tablet, or smartphone. Easily convert to audiobook,powering your content with natural language text-to-speech.

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On a transatlantic flight between Bilbao and New York City, a fictional version of Kirmen Uribe recalls three generations of family history—the inspiration for the novel he wants to write—and ponders how the sea has shaped their stories. The day he knew he was going to die, our narrator’s grandfather took his daughter-in-law to the Fine Arts Museum in Bilbao, the de facto capital of the Basque region of northern Spain, to show her a painting with ties to their family. Years later, her son Kirmen traces those ties back through the decades, knotting together moments from early twentieth-century art history with the stories of his ancestors’ fishing adventures—and tragedies—in the North Atlantic Ocean. Elegant, fluid storytelling is punctuated by scenes from Kirmen’s flight, from security line to airport bar to jet cabin, and reflections on the creative writing process. This original and compelling novel earned debut author Kirmen Uribe the prestigious National Prize for Literature in Spain in 2009. Exquisitely translated from Basque to English by Elizabeth Macklin, Bilbao–New York–Bilbao skillfully captures the intersections of many journeys: past and present, physical and artistic, complete and still unfolding. Bilbao–New York–Bilbao is the second book commissioned for the Spatial Species series, edited by Youmna Chlala and Ken Chen. The series investigates the ways we activate space through language. In the tradition of Georges Perec’s An Attempt at Exhausting a Place in Paris, Spatial Species titles are pocket-sized editions, each keenly focused on place. Instead of tourist spots and public squares, we encounter unmarked, noncanonical spaces: edges, alleyways, diasporic traces. Such intimate journeying requires experiments in language and genre, moving travelogue, fiction, or memoir into something closer to eating, drinking, and dreaming.

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This mini pocket Mauritius & Rodrigues travel guidebook is perfect for travellers seeking basic information about Mauritius & Rodrigues. It covers key places, main attractions and a short hotel and restaurant recommendations list. This book is printed on paper from responsible sources, verified to meet FSC's strict environmental and social standards.This Mauritius & Rodrigues travel book covers: Port Louis, the north, the east, the south, the west, the plateau towns, Rodrigues.In this Mauritius & Rodrigues guidebook, you will find:- Curated recommendations of places - main attractions, child-friendly family activities, chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas - Things not to miss in Mauritius & Rodrigues - L'Aventure du Sucre Museum, Belle Mare Beach, Kestrel Valley, Black River Gorges National Park, Le Gris Gris, Chamarel Falls, Francois Leguat Giant Tortoise & Cave Reserve, Ile Aux Cerfs, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanic Gardens, Eureka Mansion - Perfect Day - itinerary suggestions for those on a short break- Short Mauritius & Rodrigues introduction - geographical location, cultural legacy, history with interesting key dates - What to do in Mauritius & Rodrigues - recommendations for entertainment, shopping, sports, children's activities, events and nightlife- Food and drink - recommendations for local products and places to eat- Overview maps - handy maps on the inside cover flaps showing Mauritius & Rodrigues and around- Practical information - how to get there and around, opening times, health and medical care, and tourist information- French section - basic vocabulary and phrases from the local language- Striking pictures - inspirational colour photography throughout- Free download of the eBook - available after purchase of the printed guidebook Mauritius & Rodrigues - Fully updated post-COVID-19This guide is easy to use and quick to scan through when you need help on the go. It's the perfect companion both ahead of your trip and on the ground. It gives you the flavour of Mauritius & Rodrigues without overwhelming you with too much information.

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This mini pocket Helsinki travel guidebook is perfect for travellers seeking basic information about Helsinki. It covers key places, main attractions and a short hotel and restaurant recommendations list. This book is printed on paper from responsible sources, verified to meet FSC's strict environmental and social standards.This Helsinki travel book covers: Rautatientori, Market and Senate Squares, Mannerheimintie, Töölönlahti Bay and the Olympic Stadium, The "Design District", Ullanlinna and Kaivopuisto, Kallio and Around, Suomenlinna Fortress, Helsinki's Islands, Greater Helsinki.In this Helsinki guidebook, you will find: - Curated recommendations of places - main attractions, child-friendly family activities, chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas - Things not to miss in Helsinki - Suomenlinna Fortress, Senate Square, Esplanadi, Temppeliaukio, Market Square and Hall, National Museum of Finland, Kiasma gallery, Uspenski Orthodox Cathedral, Kamppi Chapel of Silence, Ateneum Art Museum - Perfect Day - itinerary suggestions for those on a short break- Short Helsinki introduction - geographical location, cultural legacy, history with interesting key dates - What to do in Helsinki - recommendations for entertainment, shopping, sports, children's activities, events and nightlife- Food and drink - recommendations for local products and places to eat- Overview maps - handy maps on the inside cover flaps showing Helsinki and around- Practical information - how to get there and around, opening times, health and medical care, and tourist information- Striking pictures - inspirational colour photography throughout- Free download of the eBook - available after purchase of the printed guidebook Helsinki - Fully updated post-COVID-19This guide is easy to use and quick to scan through when you need help on the go. It's the perfect companion both ahead of your trip and on the ground. It gives you the flavour of Helsinki without overwhelming you with too much information.

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This pocket-sized guide is a convenient, quick-reference companion to discovering what to do, what to see and how to get around Lanzarote & Fuerteventura. It covers top attractions like Teguise market, Timanfaya volcanic landscape and Fundación César Manrique, as well as hidden gems, including Arrecife, Mirador del Rio and La Graciosa, and Parque Nacional de Timanfaya. This will save you time, and enhance your exploration of these fascinating islands. This title has been fully updated post-COVID-19. In this travel guide you will find: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVERY TYPE OF TRAVELLER Experiences selected for every kind of trip to Lanzarote & Fuerteventura, from cultural explorations to family activities in child-friendly places or chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas.TOP TEN ATTRACTIONSCovers the destination's top ten attractions not to miss and a Perfect Day/Tour itinerary suggestions.COMPACT FORMATCompact, concise, and packed with essential information, with a sharp design and colour-coded sections, this is the perfect on-the-move companion when you're exploring Lanzarote & Fuerteventura.HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INSIGHTSIncludes an insightful overview of landscape, history and culture.WHAT TO DODetailed description of entertainment, shopping, nightlife, festivals and events, and children's activities.PRACTICAL MAPSHandy colour maps on the inside cover flaps will help you find your way around.PRACTICAL TRAVEL INFORMATIONPractical information on eating out, including a handy glossary and detailed restaurant listings, as well as a comprehensive A-Z of travel tips on everything from getting around to health and tourist information.STRIKING PICTURESInspirational colour photography throughout.FREE EBOOK Free eBook download with every purchase of a printed book to access all content from your phone or tablet for on-the-road exploration.

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You must read this book before buying any artwork – written by the world’s leading art-market economist Navigating the world of collecting can be a tricky process, especially for one just starting out in the art market. The world’s leading art market expert Magnus Resch explains the core principles of the art market and reveals the secrets of how to build and grow an art collection. He answers questions such as: • What art should I invest in? • Where do I start? • Which gallery should I visit? • How do I get VIP tickets for Art Basel? • Where's the best place to sell my art? • Is this price fair? This book is a comprehensive guide for anyone interested in collecting art, novice or expert. Readers will learn: • How the art market really works; • How to navigate the art world; • How to start and develop a sustainable collection strategy, for every budget. Featured alongside Magnus’s advice for collecting are quotes and case studies from esteemed art world professionals, including mega collectors Shelley and Philip Aarons, Beth Rudin DeWoody, Jorge M. Pérez, Howard E. Rachofsky, and Komal Shah; museum directors Adam Weinberg and Heidi Zuckerman; art fair founder Touria El Glaoui; mega art dealers Marc Glimcher, Adam Lindemann, Jeffrey Deitch, and Simon de Pury; leading art curator Hans Ulrich Obrist; superstar art advisor Amy Cappellazzo; and artist Julian Schnabel. The book also features a foreword written by leading art collector Pamela Joyner. No-nonsense, clear prose makes this the perfect primer for anyone who is interested in collecting art. This book is for: • Art lovers who want to buy their first pieces; • Collectors who want to understand more about investing in art; • Advisors and gallerists who want to refresh their knowledge. This book, with words of advice from the most accomplished experts in the field, is like carrying an art advisor in your pocket.

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From Lonely Planet: The world's number one travel guide publisher* Durable and waterproof, with a handy slipcase and an easy-fold format, Lonely Planet's Central America Planning Map helps you explore with ease. Get more from your map and your trip with images and information about top attractions, itinerary suggestions and themed lists. With this easy-to-use, full-color map in your back pocket, you can truly get to the heart of Central America - so begin your journey now! Easy-fold format Handy slipcase Full color and easy to use Beautiful imagery Tailored itineraries Can't-miss highlights Detailed town index Themed lists Covers Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Yucatan (Mexico), Chiapas (Mexico), Quintana Roo (Mexico) Looking for more extensive coverage? Check out Lonely Planet's Central America guidebook, our most comprehensive guidebook to Central America, covering the top sights and most authentic offbeat experiences. Or check out Lonely Planet's Best of Central America guidebook, a concise visual guide highlighting the top experiences. About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveler since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travelers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, nine international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more. 'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times 'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves, it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media (Australia) *Source: Nielsen BookScan: Australia, UK, USA, 5/2016-4/2017

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The immune system is central to human health and the focus of much medical research. Growing understanding of the immune system, and especially the creation of immune memory (long lasting protection), which can be harnessed in the design of vaccines, have been major breakthroughs in medicine. In this Very Short Introduction, Paul Klenerman describes the immune system, and how it works in health and disease. In particular he focuses on the human immune system, considering how it evolved, the basic rules that govern its behaviour, and the major health threats where it is important. The immune system comprises a series of organs, cells and chemical messengers which work together as a team to provide defence against infection. Klenerman discusses these components, the critical signals that trigger them and how they exert their protective effects, including so-called "innate" immune responses, which react very fast to infection, and "adaptive" immune responses, which have huge diversity and a capacity to recognise and defend against a massive array of micro-organisms. Klenerman also considers what happens when our immune systems fail to be activated effectively, leading to serious infections, problems with inherited diseases, and also HIV/AIDS. At the opposite extreme, as Klenerman shows, an over-exaggerated immune response leads to inflammatory diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis, as well as allergy and asthma. Finally he looks at the "Immune system v2.o" -- how immune therapies and vaccines can be advanced to protect us against the major diseases of the 21st century. 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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Explore the three unique cities of India, popularly known as the "Golden Triangle".Whether you want to explore the terracotta-hued city of Jaipur, sample delicious Mughlai dishes in Delhi or spot tigers in North India's national parks, your DK Eyewitness travel guide makes sure you experience all that Delhi, Agra and Jaipur have to offer. From the spectacular Taj Mahal to the ornate Shekhawati palaces, Delhi, Agra and Jaipur are packed with architectural wonders. But the "Golden Triangle" is not all about historic monuments and imposing forts. Beyond the three unique cities lies the region's dramatic landscapes that feature sacred towns, national parks brimming with wildlife, fascinating museums and a kaleidoscope of festivals. Our updated 2023 travel guide brings Dehli, Agra and Jaipur to life.DK Eyewitness Dehli, Agra and Jaipur is your ticket to the trip of a lifetime.Inside DK Eyewitness Dehli, Agra and Jaipur you will find: -A fully-illustrated top experiences guide: our expert pick of Dehli, Agra and Jaipur's must-sees and hidden gems.-Accessible itineraries to make the most out of each and every day.-Expert advice: honest recommendations for getting around safely, when to visit each sight, what to do before you visit, and how to save time and money.-Colour-coded chapters to every part of Dehli, Agra and Jaipur and beyond, from the Red Fort to the Taj Mahal, Keoladeo Ghana National Park to Corbett National Park.-Practical tips: the best places to eat, drink, shop and stay.-Detailed maps and walks to help you navigate the region country easily and confidently.Touring the country? Try our DK Eyewitness India. Want the best of Delhi in your pocket? Try our DK Eyewitness Top 10 Delhi.

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In this engaging and readable book, Peter Decherney tells the story of Hollywood, from its nineteenth-century origins to the emergence of internet media empires. He recounts how the studio system rose out of the ashes of Thomas Edison's trust to create the handful of companies that have dominated global screens and imaginations for more than 100 years. Throughout, he reveals that the elements we take to be a natural part of the Hollywood experience--stars, genre-driven storytelling, blockbuster franchises, etc.--are really the product of cultural, political, and commercial forces. In many ways, Hollywood has remained the same for over a century. It has always been a global industry based in the U.S., and its storytelling has always unfolded across media, adapting plays, book, and comics and spinning off product tie-ins, television series, and social media campaigns. But major events have also continually remade Hollywood. The studios have weathered wars, disruptive new technologies, and competition by adopting a strategy of risk management and assimilation. This book explores the challenges of new technologies, including sound, home video, and computer graphics. And it examines Hollywood's responses to World War II, independent film movements, and regulations imposed by Washington. Hollywood: A Very Short Introduction is filled with discussions of well-known movies, stars, and directors, encapsulating the past century of research on Hollywood while adding many original insights and stories. It is the perfect introduction for readers who want to better understand the history and functioning of our screen-saturated world. 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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Public health is a term much used in the media, by health professionals, and by activists. At the national or the local level there are ministries or departments of public health, whilst international agencies such as the World Health Organisation promote public health policies, and regional organisations such as the European Union have public health funding and policies. But what do we mean when we speak about 'public health'? In this Very Short Introduction Virginia Berridge explores the areas which fall under the remit of public health, and explains how the individual histories of different countries have come to cause great differences in the perception of the role and responsibilities of public health organisations. Thus, in the United States litigation on public health issues is common, but state involvement is less, while some Scandinavian countries have a tradition of state involvement or even state ownership of industries such as alcohol in connection with public health. In its narrowest sense, public health can refer to the health of a population, the longevity of individual members, and their freedom from disease, but it can also be anticipatory, geared to the prevention of illness, rather than simply the provision of care and treatment. In the way public health deals with healthy as well as sick people it is therefore a separate concept from health services, which deal with the sick population. Drawing on a wide range of international examples, Berridge demonstrates the central role of history to understanding the amorphous nature of public health today. 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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The Gothic is wildly diverse. It can refer to ecclesiastical architecture, supernatural fiction, cult horror films, and a distinctive style of rock music. It has influenced political theorists and social reformers, as well as Victorian home décor and contemporary fashion. Nick Groom shows how the Gothic has come to encompass so many meanings by telling the story of the Gothic from the ancient tribe who sacked Rome to the alternative subculture of the present day. This unique Very Short Introduction reveals that the Gothic has predominantly been a way of understanding and responding to the past. Time after time, the Gothic has been invoked in order to reveal what lies behind conventional history. It is a way of disclosing secrets, whether in the constitutional politics of seventeenth-century England or the racial politics of the United States. While contexts change, the Gothic perpetually regards the past with fascination, both yearning and horrified. It reminds us that neither societies nor individuals can escape the consequences of their actions. The anatomy of the Gothic is richly complex and perversely contradictory, and so the thirteen chapters here range deliberately widely. This is the first time that the entire story of the Gothic has been written as a continuous history: from the historians of late antiquity to the gardens of Georgian England, from the mediaeval cult of the macabre to German Expressionist cinema, from Elizabethan Revenge Tragedy to American consumer society, from folk ballads to vampires, from the past to the present. 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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Does history matter? This book argues not that history matters, but that Islamic history does. This Very Short Introduction introduces the story of Islamic history; the controversies surrounding its study; and the significance that it holds - for Muslims and for non-Muslims alike. Opening with a lucid overview of the rise and spread of Islam, from the seventh to twenty first century, the book charts the evolution of what was originally a small, localised community of believers into an international religion with over a billion adherents. Chapters are also dedicated to the peoples - Arabs, Persians, and Turks - who shaped Islamic history, and to three representative institutions - the mosque, jihad, and the caliphate - that highlight Islam's diversity over time. Finally, the roles that Islamic history has played in both religious and political contexts are analysed, while stressing the unique status that history enjoys amongst Muslims, especially compared to its lowly place in Western societies where history is often seen as little more than something that is not to be repeated. Some of the questions that will be answered are: · How did Islam arise from the obscurity of seventh century Arabia to the headlines of twenty first century media? · How do we know what we claim to know about Islam's rise and development? · Why does any of this matter, either to Muslims or to non-Muslims? 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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From wicked queens, beautiful princesses, elves, monsters, and goblins, to giants, glass slippers, poisoned apples, magic keys, and mirrors, the characters and images of fairy tales have cast a spell over readers and audiences, both adults and children, for centuries. These fantastic stories have travelled across cultural borders, and been passed on from generation to generation, ever-changing, renewed with each re-telling. Few forms of literature have greater power to enchant us and rekindle our imagination than a fairy tale. But what is a fairy tale? Where do they come from and what do they mean? What do they try and communicate to us about morality, sexuality, and society? The range of fairy tales stretches across great distances and time; their history is entangled with folklore and myth, and their inspiration draws on ideas about nature and the supernatural, imagination and fantasy, psychoanalysis, and feminism. In this Very Short Introduction, Marina Warner digs into a rich hoard of fairy tales in all their brilliant and fantastical variations, in order to define a genre and evaluate a literary form that keeps shifting through time and history. Drawing on a glittering array of examples, from classics such as Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and The Sleeping Beauty, the Grimm Brothers' Hansel and Gretel, and Hans Andersen's The Little Mermaid, to modern-day realizations including Walt Disney's Snow White, Warner forms a persuasive case for fairy tale as a crucial repository of human understanding and culture. 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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What is Pakistan? The name refers to a seventy-year-old post-colonial product of the bloodiest partition of territory and population that accompanied the end of British empire in South Asia. But the region of the Indus Valley has a four-thousand-year-old history, and was the site of one of the earliest and greatest riverine civilisations in the world. Although the modern nation of Pakistan as we know it was created as a homeland for the Muslims of British India, it is impossible to understand the complex tapestry of linguistic, ethnic, and cultural identities and tensions of the region without tracing its deep past. This Very Short Introduction looks at Pakistan as one of the two nation-states of the Indian sub-continent that emerged in 1947. Pippa Virdee reaches into the ancient past to demonstrate the influence of trajectories of human settlement and civilisation on Pakistan's contemporary political arena, and shows how the longer continuities between the land and its peoples are as important as the short-term changes in the political landscape. She considers Pakistan's religion and society, the state and the military, everyday life, popular culture, languages and literature, as well as Pakistan's relationship with the rest of the world. Virdee also looks to the challenges of the 21st century and the future of Pakistan. bVery Short Introductionsb: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring /b 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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bVery Short Introductionsb: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring /b We regularly encounter appalling wrongdoing, with the media offering a depressing parade of violent assault, rape, and murder. Yet sometimes even the cynical and world-weary amongst us are taken aback. Sometimes we confront a crime so terrible, so horrendous, so deeply wrong, that we reach for the word 'evil'. The 9/11 terrorist attacks were not merely wrong, but evil. A serial killer who tortures his victims is not merely a bad person. He is evil. And as the Holocaust showed us, we must remain vigilant against the threat of evil. But what exactly is evil? If we use the word 'evil', are we buying into a naive Manichean worldview, in which two cosmic forces of good and evil are pitted against one another? Are we guilty of demonizing our enemies? How does 'evil' go beyond what is merely bad or wrong? This Very Short Introduction explores the answers that philosophers have offered to these questions. Luke Russell discusses why some philosophers think that evil is a myth or a fantasy, while others think that evil is real, and is a concept which plays an important role in contemporary secular morality. Along the way he asks whether evil is always horrific and incomprehensible, or if it can be banal. Considering if there is a special psychological hallmark that sets the evildoers apart from the rest of us, Russell also engages with ongoing discussions over psychopathy and empathy, analysing the psychology behind evildoing. 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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Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring Is religion a force for war, or a force for peace? Some of the most terrible wars in history have been caused and motivated by religion. Much of the violence that fills our screens today springs from the same source. Yet some of the bravest pacifists have also been deeply religious people, and many of the laws and institutions that work to soften or prevent war have deep religious roots. This Very Short Introduction provides an overview of the history of religion and war, and a framework for analysing it. Ranging from the warrior gods of Ancient Greece and Rome, and the ethical drama of the Mahabharata, through the Islamic wars of conquest and the Crusades, to present day conflicts in Sri Lanka and the Balkans, it considers the entanglement of war and religion. Yet from Just War theory and the restraints on war-making imposed by Islamic jurisprudence, through the Pax Christi of the middle ages, to the non-violence of Gandhi and Bacha Khan; there is also a story to be told of peace and religion as well. Jolyon Mitchell and Joshua Rey consider both sides of the age long drama of war and religion, challenging assumptions at the most fundamental level. Throughout, they encourage a more sophisticated and well-grounded view on these issues that have had such weight in the past, and continue to shape our present and future. 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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Concentration camps are a relatively new invention, a recurring feature of twentieth century warfare, and one that is important to the modern global consciousness and identity. Although the most famous concentration camps are those under the Nazis, the use of concentration camps originated several decades before the Third Reich, in the Philippines and in the Boer War, and they have been used again in numerous locations, not least during the genocides in Bosnia and Rwanda. Over the course of the twentieth century they have become defining symbols of humankind's lowest point and basest acts. In this Very Short Introduction, Dan Stone gives a global history of concentration camps, and shows that it is not only "mad dictators" who have set up camps, but instead all varieties of states, including liberal democracies, that have made use of them. Setting concentration camps against the longer history of incarceration, he explains how the ability of the modern state to control populations led to the creation of this extreme institution. Looking at their emergence and spread around the world, Stone argues that concentration camps serve the purpose, from the point of view of the state in crisis, of removing a section of the population that is perceived to be threatening, traitorous, or diseased. Drawing on contemporary accounts of camps, as well as the philosophical literature surrounding them, Stone considers the story camps tell us about the nature of the modern world as well as about specific regimes. 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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This book introduces the vital elements of American politics, emphasizing how these elements have evolved into the form they take today. By using a historical-institutional approach to the various parts of American politics, Valelly communicates that the American political system is, and always has been, a work in progress--one unfolding within, and also constantly updating, an eighteenth-century constitutional framework. Valelly begins by asking what Americans want from their politics and answers with a four-part analysis: (1) the politics of "peace and prosperity," (2) the sometimes illiberal politics of conformity and Americanization, (3) the politics of large-scale problem-solving (e.g., the abolition of slavery) and "perfection of the Union," and (4) the deep public desire for constitutional continuity. The last item provides the organizational framework/theme for the rest of the book. Additional chapters treat parties and polarization (stressing that contemporary polarization reinforces constitutional persistence because it provides for a mix of policy immobility and power-sharing between parties that bitterly disagree); a survey of the basic institutions: the Presidency, Congress, the judicial branch, the unelected bureaucracy of the independent agencies, and state and local governments. A third group of chapters deals with political communication, public opinion, voting and the boundaries of the electorate, and the politics of government steering of the economy. Finally, Valelly considers the puzzle of the persistence for more than two centuries of the basic constitutional forms established in 1787. The author employs a mix of quantitative data and historical examples to illustrate the main themes. 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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The historical trajectory of decadent culture runs from ancient Rome, to nineteenth-century Paris, Victorian London, fin de siècle Vienna, Weimar Berlin, and beyond. The first of these, the decline of Rome, provides the pattern for both aesthetic and social decadence, a pattern that artists and writers in the nineteenth century imitated, emulated, parodied, and otherwise manipulated for aesthetic gain. What begins as the moral condemnation of modernity in mid-nineteenth century France on the part of decadent authors such as Charles Baudelaire ends up as the perverse celebration of the pessimism that imperial decline, whether real or imagined, involves. This delight in decline informs the so-called breviary, or even bible, of decadence from Joris-Karl Huysmans's À Rebours, Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, Aubrey Beardsley's drawings, Gustav Klimt's paintings, and numerous other works. In this Very Short Introduction, David Weir explores these conflicting attitudes towards modernity present in decadent culture by examining the difference between aesthetic decadence -- the excess of artifice -- and social decadence, which involves excess in a variety of forms, whether perversely pleasurable or gratuitously cruel. Such contrariness between aesthetic and social decadence led some of its practitioners to substitute art for life and to stress the importance of taste over morality, a maneuver with far-reaching consequences, especially as decadence enters the realm of popular culture today. 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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