Search results for ""Planet!""

Students of comparative or American literature will find this new bibliography extremely useful in understanding the perspectives of American ethnic writers, for it is not only in how they describe and respond to white hegemony that we comprehend their worldview, but also through their depiction of interrelationships with other ethnic groups. Although African American and Jewish American writers are more prolific than other ethnic writers in the U.S., this is the first study to list and describe the contexts in which these writers portray relationships between the two groups. The 410 entries are drawn from more than a century of novels, short stories, children's books, young adult books, and plays. Meyer analyzes the dynamic relationships between the characters, and the result is a more complete understanding of the complicated reality of ethnicity within a multicultural society. While the issue of Black-Jewish relations is only tangential in some of the bibliography's novels (the largest genre group), it is central in many others. These include well-known texts like Saul Bellow's Mr. Sammler's Planet, Bernard Malamud's The Tenants, and Chester Hime's Lonely CrusadeI>, as well as obscure but significant works such as Bernard Packer's The Second Death of Samuel Auer, Carl Ruthven Offord's The White Face, and several works by John A. Williams. In addition to author, title, and publication date indexes, Meyer provides a thematic index, which allows the reader to cluster texts by location, by the time in which they take place, or in terms of the issues they discuss (religion, interpersonal relationships, etc.). Appropriate for both public libraries (reader's advisory) and academic libraries, this new title has wide-ranging implications for the study of ethnic American literatures.

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A beautiful book of extinct and endangered creatures, and a hopeful look at the futureShine a spotlight on animal species throughout history and the ones alive today in Animals Lost and Found, through beautiful illustrations and interesting facts. Children will learn about animals lost to extinction, animals we thought we’d lost but have found, and animals that are the focus of conservation efforts all over the world.This educational book for children aged 7+ is packed with intriguing information about extinction and the different possible causes of it. Children can learn about how natural and unnatural extinction relates to the world we live in today, in a clear and easy way. Animals Lost and Found features:- A very positive outlook on conservation efforts and success stories from around the world- Focus pages on extinct and endangered animals – as well as one or two, who it turns out, never were!- Beautiful illustrations by award-winning wildlife illustrator Jonathan Woodward - Incredible conservation work that has been done around the world, like the reintroduction of Red Kites to Britain, and the effect the wolves had to the ecosystem of Yellowstone National Park- A global look at success stories and what it can do for the planetAnimals Lost and Found is not just about lost species, but also teaches children the incredible work that is happening around the world to prevent any further loss of species and looks at animals saved from extinction like the Blue Iguana! Learn the incredible stories of uncovering species thought to have been gone, reintroduction of species, and what we as humans are doing and can continue to do to help.

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An exhilarating guided tour around the most amazing places on Earth, perfect for young adventurers with big imaginations! Award-winning children’s author Anita Ganeri takes curious kids who love learning to the most incredible locations in the world. This science book for kids includes breathtaking images and mind-blowing facts about our majestic home — Earth! Turn the pages to discover natural wonders, stunning vistas and other jaw-dropping places from around the world. Inside the pages of this book about Earth, you’ll discover: • Over 100 far-flung locations around the globe with areas so incredible you’ll barely be able to believe they are real! • Illustrations that explain key natural phenomena and reveal exciting, in-depth details about some of the locations you’ll explore. • A world map showing all the places together, and locator maps show where each site is in the world. • A foreword by Steve Backshall MBE – BAFTA and Emmy-winning English naturalist, explorer, philanthropist, author, and television presenterMount Everest and the Eiffel Tower are two of the most famous places to see on earth, but what if we told you our planet has more to offer? From waterfalls that look like they are on fire to a cave filled with twinkling blue glow worms and a bright pink lake, explore the most unbelievable, unusual and incredible places on Earth! Beautiful, dazzling images and information explores why each place is unique. Delve into the science, geology, flora and fauna, as well as the historical or cultural significance of each of these natural wonders! It is perfect for children age 7 to cultivate a lifelong curiosity about the natural sciences and the wonders of the world around them.

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Bauhaus Earth and Pontifical Academy of Sciences conference, June 2022 The built environment is a critical factor in the climate equation. Approximately 40 percent of global emissions derive from the construction, operation, and demolition of human settlements. The 21st century must be the century of re-entanglement, where quintessential functions (housing, work, culture, recreation, etc.) are reintegrated within urban spaces; where socioeconomic and ecological systems form a mutually supportive network of networks; and where past, present, and future are perceived as interwoven waves in the river of time. Fortunately, opportunities exist to transform the built environment from a carbon source to a carbon sink through, e.g. timber construction high-rise buildings, circular bioeconomy methods, AI-assisted design, smart recycling technology, multifunctional land use, integrated regional resource management, and community-based urban development, to name just a few. This volume compiles the papers presented by world-renowned scientists, architects, spatial planners, activists, and policy makers at the Reconstructing the Future for People and Planet conference, held at the Vatican in June 2022. First publication of the Bauhaus Earth think tank Ideas to transform the anthropocene Contributions by Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, Ursula von der Leyen, Edgar Pieterse, Francesca Bria, Xu Tiantian, Shigeru Ban, Sheela Patel, Ana María Durán Calisto, and many others We look forward to the re-entanglement of our cities with the ingenuity of nature’s systems, and to forging closer alliances across Built by Nature, Bauhaus Earth, and all our partners in this endeavor. Donald Brenninkmeijer, Chair Built by Nature, Chair Laudes Foundation Investment Committee　Leslie Johnston, CEO, Laudes FoundationJames Drinkwater, Head of Built Environment, Laudes Foundation

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It Really Is Just Good Business is essential reading for all solopreneurs, freelancers, as well as micro and small business owners who want to build and sustain a profitable business. Why? Quite simply, the rules of business have changed. Greed has been the defining god of the business world for far too long: Allegiance to the creed of money alone will ultimately result in failure. Organisations that believe that people and the planet are equally as important as profit will now, paradoxically, be the most profitable and sustainable for the longer term. It Really Is Just Good Business is a blueprint for anyone who wants their business to thrive, but who also wants to make a meaningful contribution to society. The author has 50 years’ experience working with small businesses at a grassroots level. Jill Poet is quick to point out that she is not an academic or a sustainability consultant, and that it is her wealth of experience, rather than academic theory, that informs this book. It is also her passion for those solopreneurs, freelancers, and micro and small business owners, combined with her hands-on business background, that ensures /It Really Is Just Good Business/ is delivered in a pragmatic, common-sense, conversational style. It provides a thought-provoking yet realistic and easy-to-understand approach to a better way of operating with practical examples, business wisdom, and case studies. Jill doesn’t pull any punches. This book is peppered with examples of what can happen if you are inauthentic, including a few sections that might court controversy. Read this book to ensure you build a fantastic business that feeds your soul - as well as your bank account.

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US President Harry Truman evidently understood the terrifying power of atomic weaponry, but no one could have realised its full potential when he ordered the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. Those military attacks, along with the disasters at the Fukushima and Chernobyl nuclear reactors, might spring to mind at the mention of nuclear destruction, but the majority of the events recorded in this book are entirely unknown to most people. This book records the facts - many of them still shrouded in secrecy - which show a worrying truth: we have teetered precariously on the brink of Armageddon far more frequently than the general public realises.Since that first and last atomic war in 1945, there have been a terrifying number of nuclear accidents and mishaps, from the careless or accidental to the genuinely intentional and only narrowly averted. Despite the catastrophic nature of any nuclear conflict, we have come to the very borders of such a situation eight times since the 1960s. These were potential conflicts, but there have been other accidents, such as the reactor meltdown at the nuclear generating plant at Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania, in 1979, or the 'Palomares Incident' in 1966, when a USAF B-52 bomber crashed after a mid-air collision, dropping four hydrogen bombs on Spanish soil . . .Eve of Destruction is a warning from recent history. It is a call to sit up and listen, and to take note of the very real danger of nuclear catastrophe. It is a timely and important book because, after all, the future of our planet has to concern us all.

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Restore resilience at its developmental source through energy medicine When neuroscientist Stephanie Mines started practising the hands-on healing art of Jin Shin, she began to unravel the mystery of trauma and the secret to resilience. As a survivor of early childhood abuse, police brutality as a social justice activist, and a series of dysfunctional and abusive relationships, Mines was profoundly curious about how the human nervous system finds resilience despite the cumulative burden of chronic stress and traumatic life events. While earning her doctorate in neuropsychology, she met Mary Iino Burmeister, master of the art of Jin Shin, through one of Mary’s first American students, Pamela Markarian Smith, founder of the Jin Shin Institute. Jin Shin consists of non-invasive touch, using the fingertips, on sites of the body that are similar to acupuncture points. After Jin Shin helped Mines resolve her own trauma and awaken her innate resilience, she began to incorporate it into her clinical research. She discovered that the Jin Shin sites correlate with the Chinese Extraordinary Meridians or Rivers of Splendor, which develop prenatally. She then began investigating our earliest neuro­developmental processes and was able to correlate the Jin Shin sites with specific embryological events. She found that subtle touch on these sites in combination with trauma resolution amplifies neuroresilience, enhances creativity, restores motivation, and heals the fragmentation and disconnection associated with trauma and shock. Sharing her personal journey as a wounded healer, Mines reveals not only how to unlock the secrets of resilience for individual healing but also how embodied resilience will help us heal our wounded planet.

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*SHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2023**AS HEARD ON RADIO 4 START THE WEEK, OFF AIR WITH FI AND JANE AND 99% INVISIBLE*'Delightful' TIM HARFORD, FINANCIAL TIMES'Appeals to the nerdy side of just about all of us... a great book to give' JANE GARVEY'A splendid book: clearly written, elegantly structured and full of facts you are unlikely to chance on anywhere else' DAILY MAILSmartphones, skyscrapers, spacecraft. Modern technology seems mind-bogglingly complex. But beneath the surface, it can be beautifully simple.In Nuts and Bolts, award-winning Shard engineer and broadcaster Roma Agrawal deconstructs our most complex feats of engineering into seven fundamental inventions: the nail, spring, wheel, lens, magnet, string and pump. Each of these objects is itself a wonder of design, the result of many iterations and refinements. Together, they have enabled humanity to see the invisible, build the spectacular, communicate across vast distances, and even escape our planet.Tracing the surprising journeys of each invention through the millennia, Roma reveals how handmade Roman nails led to modern skyscrapers, how the potter's wheel enabled space exploration, and how humble lenses helped her conceive a child against the odds.She invites us to marvel at these small but perfectly formed inventions, sharing the stories of the remarkable, and often unknown, scientists and engineers who made them possible. The nuts and bolts that make up our world may be tiny, and are often hidden, but they've changed our lives in dramatic ways.'A wonderful book' MARK MIODOWNIK'A masterclass in storytelling' JESS WADE'A riveting love letter to the small, wonderful, and mundane things that make the modern world.' ROMAN MARS

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The Making of Zombie Wars is a hilarious black comedy from Aleksandar Hemon, celebrated author of The Lazarus Project.Script idea #142: Aliens undercover as cabbies abduct the fiancée of the main character, who has to find a way to a remote planet to save her.Josh Levin is an aspiring screenwriter teaching English as a Second Language classes in Chicago. His laptop is full of ideas, but the only one to really take root is Zombie Wars. When Josh comes home to discover his landlord, an unhinged army vet, rifling through his dirty laundry, he decides to move in with his girlfriend, Kimmy.Script idea #185: Teenager discovers his girlfriend's beloved grandfather was a guard in a Nazi death camp. The boy's grandparents are survivors, but he's tantalizingly close to achieving deflowerment, so when a Nazi-hunter arrives in town in pursuit of Grandpa, he has to distract him long enough to get laid.It's domestic bliss – for a moment. But Josh becomes entangled with a student, a Bosnian woman named Ana, whose husband is jealous and violent.Script idea #196: Rock star high out of his mind freaks out during a show, runs offstage, and is lost in streets crowded with his hallucinations. The teenage fan who finds him keeps the rock star for himself for the night. Mishaps and adventures follow.Disaster ensues and, as Josh's choices move from silly to profoundly absurd, Aleksandar Hemon's The Making of Zombie Wars takes on real consequence.‘The Making of Zombie Wars is crazy in the best sense of the word, and very few authors could have pulled it off’ – NPR

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How a community in Cairo, Egypt, has adapted the many systems required for clean water.Who is responsible for ensuring access to clean potable water? In an urbanizing planet beset by climate change, cities are facing increasingly arid conditions and a precarious water future. In Well Connected, anthropologist Tessa Farmer details how one community in Cairo, Egypt, has worked collaboratively to adapt the many systems required to facilitate clean water in their homes and neighborhoods.As a community that was originally not included in Cairo's municipal systems, the residents of Ezbet Khairallah built their own potable water and wastewater infrastructure. But when the city initiated a piped sewage removal system, local residents soon found themselves with little to no power over their own water supply or wastewater removal. Throughout this transition, residents worked together to collect water at the right times to drink, bathe, do laundry, cook, and clean homes. These everyday practices had deep implications for the health of community members, as they struggled to remain hydrated, rid their children of endemic intestinal worms, avoid consuming water contaminated with sewage, and mediate the impact of fluctuating water quality. Farmer examines how the people of Cairo interact with one another, with the government, and with social structures in order to navigate the water systems (and lack thereof) that affect their day-to-day lives. Farmer's extensive ethnographic fieldwork during the implementation of the Governorate of Cairo's septic system shines through in the compelling stories of community members. Well Connected taps into the inherent sociality of water through social contacts, moral ideology, interpersonal relationships, domestic rhythms, and the everyday labor of connecting.

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Get the skinny on your morning joe Do you swear by your morning jolt of caffeine but are hard-pressed to tell a siphon from a slow dripper? No problem: just order a fresh copy of Coffee For Dummies for a smooth blend of fun facts and practical advice to give an extra shot of flavor to your appreciation of the second-most valuable commodity on planet Earth—and filter out all that excess grind in your knowledge. This warm and welcoming serving from passionate coffee guru Major Cohen—a Specialty Coffee Association certified instructor, and now retired highly respected former Starbucks coffee educator and program manager—takes you on a rocket-fueled journey from the origins of the liquid bean’s popularity to best ways to prepare and enjoy coffee in your own home. You'll learn how to evaluate the advantages of different coffee styles and makers, and how even the smallest detail—varietal, roast type, texture—can influence how good that cupped lightning tastes on your tongue. Evaluate different roasts or brews Navigate menus for the best deals Learn how to speak “coffee” and order your half-cap-low-fat-no-sugar-add-whip with confidence Save money with the best store apps Meet some of the unknown pioneers of coffee that have made our coffee world of today See how you might think bigger about your coffee spend changing the world The average American spends over $1000 on their daily brain juice every year: why not hire Coffee For Dummies as your personal barista and get more for your money—and from each invigorating sip.

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South African born Elon Musk is the renowned entrepreneur and innovator behind PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. Musk wants to save our planet; he wants to send citizens into space, to form a colony on Mars; he wants to make money while doing these things; and he wants us all to know about it. He is the real-life inspiration for the Iron Man series of films starring Robert Downey Junior.The personal tale of Musk’s life comes with all the trappings one associates with a great, drama-filled story. He was a freakishly bright kid who was bullied brutally at school, and abused by his father. In the midst of these rough conditions, and the violence of apartheid South Africa, Musk still thrived academically and attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he paid his own way through school by turning his house into a club and throwing massive parties.He started a pair of huge dot-com successes, including PayPal, which eBay acquired for $1.5 billion in 2002. Musk was forced out as CEO and so began his lost years in which he decided to go it alone and baffled friends by investing his fortune in rockets and electric cars. Meanwhile Musk’s marriage disintegrated as his technological obsessions took over his life ...Elon Musk is the Steve Jobs of the present and the future, and for the past twelve months, he has been shadowed by tech reporter, Ashlee Vance. Elon Musk: How the Billionaire CEO of Spacex and Tesla is Shaping our Future is an important, exciting and intelligent account of the real-life Iron Man.

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No more hiding or people-pleasing up in here, sisters. No more being sidelined in your own life. It is time for us to be brave, to claim our gifts and quirks and emotions. You are set free and set up and set on fire.NOW you can get busy doing what you were placed on this planet to do. NOW you can be honest, honest, honest about all of it, even the hard stuff, even the humiliating stuff, even the secret stuff. NOW you can walk in your convictions of faith and ask new questions unafraid. NOW you can be so free, because you are not searching for value from any source other than your own beautiful soul made piece by piece by God who adores you and is ready to get on with the business of unleashing you into this world.In this book, I break it down into five self-reflective categories—who I am, what I need, what I want, what I believe, and how I connect—and by working your way through them, you will learn to own your space, ground, and gifts (they are YOURS, sister); be strong in your relationships and lay down passive aggression, resentment, drama, and compliance; say GUILT-FREE what you want and what you need; and welcome spiritual curiosity and all the fantastic change that doing so creates. You with me, beloveds? If we do this work on our own selves now, not only will we discover a life truly worth living, but we will free our daughters to rise up behind us, with spines straight, heads up, and coated in our strength.

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Human civilizations' longest lasting artifacts are not the great Pyramids of Giza, nor the cave paintings at Lascaux, but the communications satellites that circle our planet. In a stationary orbit above the equator, the satellites that broadcast our TV signals, route our phone calls, and process our credit card transactions experience no atmospheric drag. Their inert hulls will continue to drift around Earth until the Sun expands into a red giant and engulfs them about 4.5 billion years from now. The Last Pictures, co-published by Creative Time Books, is rooted in the premise that these communications satellites will ultimately become the cultural and material ruins of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, far outlasting anything else humans have created. Inspired in part by ancient cave paintings, nuclear waste warning signs, and Carl Sagan's Golden Records of the 1970s, artist/geographer Trevor Paglen has developed a collection of one hundred images that will be etched onto an ultra-archival, golden silicon disc. The disc, commissioned by Creative Time, will then be sent into orbit onboard the Echostar XVI satellite in September 2012, as both a time capsule and a message to the future. The selection of 100 images, which are the centerpiece of the book, was influenced by four years of interviews with leading scientists, philosophers, anthropologists, and artists about the contradictions that characterize contemporary civilizations. Consequently, The Last Pictures engages some of the most profound questions of the human experience, provoking discourse about communication, deep time, and the economic, environmental, and social uncertainties that define our historical moment. Copub: Creative Time Books

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Living sustainably is not just about preserving the wilderness or keeping nature pristine. The transition to a green economy depends on cities. For the first time in human history, the majority of the people on the planet live in urban areas. If we are to avert climate catastrophe, we will need our cities to coexist with nature without destroying it. Many places are already investing in the infrastructure of the future-including renewable energy, energy efficiency, mass and personal transit, and advanced sewage and waste management-but the modern city still has a long way to go. In The Sustainable City, Steven Cohen provides a broad and engaging overview of the urban systems of the twenty-first century, surveying policies and projects already under way in cities around the world and pointing to more ways progress can be made. Cohen discusses the sustainable city from an organizational-management and public-policy perspective that emphasizes the local level, looking at case studies of existing legislation, programs, and public-private partnerships that strive to align modern urban life and sustainability. From waste management in Beijing to energy infrastructure in Africa to public space in Washington, D.C., there are concrete examples of what we can do right now. Cohen synthesizes the disparate strands of sustainable city planning in an approachable and applicable guide that highlights how these issues touch our lives on a daily basis, whether the transportation we take, where our energy comes from, or what becomes of our food waste. Providing recommendations and insights with immediacy and relevance, this book has invaluable lessons for anyone seeking to link public policy to promoting a sustainable lifestyle.

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We are starting to see the first real progress in space exploration in the private sector, and there are many jobs becoming available in this fascinating new field. Explore what’s out there as you embark on a new expedition in Cosmic Careers.Sierra Nevada, Northrup Grumman, Boeing, and Bigelow Aerospace built prototypes of deep-space habitats that NASA began testing in March 2019. Therefore, physical evidence exists that human beings are committed to living in space for purposes of research and industrial pursuits such as mining.Now that companies are set to take both professional astronauts and well-trained passengers into space as early as summer of 2021, this book will prepare you to take your place--whether as an investor, owner, employee, or enthusiast--in the exciting world of space exploration.In Cosmic Careers, readers will: Receive a comprehensive listing of the careers and skillsets that are in demand over the coming years in space exploration. Access stories, company profiles, and technical descriptions spotlighting information that is relevant today and over the next few decades. Gain insights into the world of space exploration, its characters, and the real opportunities that are within anyone’s grasp. Cosmic Careers is filled with practical information on the issues and challenges that must be solved to further the exploration and the establishment of settlements beyond planet Earth.There will also be opportunities in harnessing energy from the sun using Earth orbiting solar power satellites; designing new forms of space transportation; and construction of facilities for refueling stations for rockets, processing minerals from near Earth asteroids, and building new spaceships and space habitats.

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An old enemy hides beyond the universe, a desolate Cornish inn confronts the truth, a grieving mother holds onto a deadly memento of war, and has the Earth failed to notice it's been invaded? Professor River Song must solve all this while dealing with a loss of her own. Contains four new adventures; 12.1 The Excise Men by Lou Morgan. A smugglers' inn on the Cornish coast in the 18th Century is under attack. Never do a deal with the Excise Men. 12.2 Harvest of the Krotons by James Goss. What are the Krotons? Why are they running a health spa? Jackie Tyler and River Song investigate, because everyone needs a direction point. 12.3 Dead Man Talking by Tim Foley. Among the wreckage of the planet Earth, an old lady treasures a terrible relic that reminds her of her son. River Song has come to take it away. 12.4 The Wife of River Song by Lizzie Hopley. River Song is on an expedition seeking the Hive. Her sister is trapped in the ruins of the Hive. River Song is on honeymoon. Three realities meet. CAST: Alex Kingston (River Song), Camille Coduri (Jackie Tyler), Nina Toussaint-White (Brooke), Jade Matthew (Wenna Richards / Lynne / Team Member), Joseph Millson (Jory Hopkins / Yoga Teacher / The Co-Pilot), Derek Elroy (The Agent of the Excise Men / Caller), Sam Stafford (Martin / Chosen One / Jimmy / Captain Hillier), Alex Fletcher (Harmony Dubois), Nicholas Briggs (The Krotons), Jay Perry (Brylan / Marshall / Marshall’s Voice Box), Sarah-Jane Potts (Host / Jane), Irvine Iqbal (Host 2 / Stanley Kim), Carol Royle (The Weather Forecaster / Mrs Prendegast / Nav Com).

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"In the tradition of the best immersive journalism." -A.J. Jacobs, author of The Year of Living BiblicallyA bold examination of how Paleolithic wisdom could solve our 21st century problemsJessica Carew Kraft, an urban wife and mom of two, was firmly rooted in the modern world, complete with a high-powered career in tech and the sneaking suspicion that her lifestyle was preventing her and her family from truly thriving. Determined to find a better way, Jessica quit her job and set out to learn about "rewilding" from people who reject the comforts and convenience of civilization by using ancient tools and skills to survive. Along the way, she learned how to turn sticks into fire, stones into axes, and bones into tools for harvesting wild food—and found an entire community walking the path back from our technology-focused, anxiety-ridden way of life to a simpler, more human experience.Weaving deep research and reportage with her own personal journey, Jessica tells the remarkable story of the potential benefits rewilding has for us and our planet, and questions what it truly means to be a human in today's world. For readers of A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century and Hunt, Gather, Parent, Why We Need to Be Wild is a thought-provoking, unforgettable narrative that illuminates how we survived in the past, how we live now, and how each of us can choose to thrive in the years ahead."Kraft shows us how we could all benefit from being a little less civilized." —Tiffany Shlain, author of 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day a Week

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'A chilling account of a dark past wrapped in the warm blanket of a promising future . . . A pleasure to read' Ann Leckie'Sparks fly' NPR 'A stunning new space opera debut' K. B. Wagers The Iskat Empire rules its vassal planets through a system of treaties - so when Prince Taam, key figure in a political alliance, is killed, a replacement must be found. His widower, Jainan, is rushed into an arranged marriage with the disreputable aristocrat Kiem, in a bid to keep rising hostilities between two worlds under control. But Prince Taam's death may not have been an accident, and when Jainan himself is a suspect, he and Kiem must navigate the perils of the Iskat court, solve a murder, and prevent an interplanetary war . . .***Winner of an ALA Alex Award******Sunday Times bestseller*** 'Has everything you could ask: impossible choices, divided loyalties, dry wit . . . charming slow-burn romance, and an adventure in space politics' A. K. Larkwood'High-pitched noises escaped me; I shouted, more than once, 'Now kiss!'...in a world so relentlessly uncertain, there's a powerfully simple pleasure in the experience of a promise kept' The New York Times Book Review 'Dazzling . . . Its characters stayed with me long after I raced through the last chapters' Aliette de Boddard Everina Maxwell's debut is a space opera with high-stakes multi-world politics and irresistibly engaging characters, perfect for fans of Gideon the Ninth and The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. An LGBTQ romance and Tiktok/Booktok sensation. Find the author on Twitter at @av_storiesFrom the same author:OCEAN'S ECHO

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Encourage Your Future Math Genius Through Engaging Math PlayIntroducing Mad for Math, a new series of cool math workbooks filled with math activities, math puzzles, and fun math games for your future math genius (8 pages with stickers)Learn cool math with monsters! Mad for Math: How to Become a Monster at Mathematics is packed with math games for kids. Solve math puzzles with the silly problem solving monsters of Planet Zot. This is going to be challenging—but fun! Kids learn that math does not have to be scary, it can be a cool experience. Mad for Math, math for kids books offer children math activities, math puzzles, and fun math games. Help your kid become a math genius with Mad for Math. Presented in an engaging and motivating way through storytelling, Mad for Math children’s books help foster a positive attitude towards mathematics. Each chapter is introduced by a short story that stimulates your child’s curiosity by linking mathematical exercises to a “reality”, albeit imagined. Various mathematical concepts in the book are presented in a colorful, gradual, and intuitive way through cool math puzzles and fun math games. Mad for Math books are designed to delight: A perfect gift for children 6-8 years reading age Packed with stories, stickers, and math activities that make learning math fun Designed to introduce mathematical concepts through cool math puzzles If you enjoy fun math workbooks like Kindergarten Math Activity Workbook, this is for you! Other Mad for Math books you may want on your child’s reading list include: An Ocean of Calculations, The Times Tables Factory, Make Space for Geometry, and Navigate the High Seas.

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Few sights are as charming as a hummingbird hovering over cardinal flowers in your backyard or a butterfly lighting on the black-eyed Susans potted on your balcony. Yet pollinators do more than beguile us: they are key to a healthy environment. With many pollinators threatened and their habitats disappearing, gardeners can make a real difference by planting native species that support these amazing creatures. The trick is knowing what species to plant and how to help them thrive. If you’re a gardener (or aspiring gardener) in the Northeast, Upper Midwest, or Great Lakes region, this beautiful 4-colour guide will become your go-to reference to the most beneficial plants in your area. It includes profiles of more than 300 native plants, featuring lovely illustrations and photos, information on blooming periods, exposure, soil moisture, and good plant companions, as well as how each species supports specific pollinators. You’ll learn more about common plants you thought you knew and be introduced to species you may have never encountered before. Blooming flowers, native grasses, trees, shrubs, vines, and plants for rain and pond gardens are all included. White Baneberry, Woodland Strawberry, Boneset, Virginia Mountain Mint, Smooth Aster, and many others may find their way from these pages to your soil. While understanding specific plants is key, so too are growing strategies. Here you’ll learn how to prepare your site and find sample garden designs, whether your growing space is an apartment balcony, a residential yard, or a community garden. Throughout, you’ll discover the power of plants to not only enrich your personal environment but to support the pollinators necessary for a thriving planet.

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Over the past hundred years, the global motto has been “more, more, more” in terms of growth – of population, of the built environment, of human and financial capital, and of all manner of worldly goods. This was the reality as the world population boomed during the 1960s and 1970s. But reality is changing in front of our eyes. Growth is already slowing down, and according to the most sophisticated demographers, the earth’s population will begin to decline not hundreds of years from now, but within the lifetimes of many of the people now living on the planet. In Smaller Cities in a Shrinking World, urban policy expert Alan Mallach seeks to understand how declining population and economic growth, coupled with the other forces that will influence their fates, particularly climate change, will affect the world’s cities over the coming decades. What will it mean to have a world full of shrinking cities? Does it mean that they are doomed to decline in more ways than simply population numbers, or can we uncouple population decline from economic decay, abandoned buildings and impoverishment? Mallach has spent much of the last thirty or more years working in, looking at, thinking, and writing about shrinking cities, from Trenton, New Jersey, where he was director of housing and economic development, to other American cities like Detroit, Flint, and St. Louis, and from there to cities in Japan and Central and Eastern Europe. He has woven together his experience, research, and analysis in this fascinating, realistic yet hopeful look at how smaller, shrinking cities can thrive, despite the daunting challenges they face.

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In June 2021, new waves of the current COVID-19 pandemic are still messing up our lives and magnetizing the compass of our life. No other epidemics or pandemics have been politicized at such a level since ancient times. The full political spectrum from right to left has tried to ride this pandemic and upset the public health response efforts. Statistics and politics have changed our daily approach to this brutal infection, but even crueler has been the palpable miscommunication. Massive and uncontrolled lockdowns and not climate change are destroying the economy of our planet. Intolerance against vaccine opponents and hesitant families has been vocalized with martial tones in both social media and news channels. In this book, the author analyzes the pandemic in a historical context, emphasizes the importance of facemasks, but also highlights our human approach to anti-mask psychology. It would be appalling to call mistakes in public health decisions "learned lessons" because it reduces the gravity of the consequences of inadequate communication. Our youth is our future. The mental issues arising from a lack of social interaction and in-person education are dreadful. Vaccines are powerful and represent the most outstanding progress in medicine. There is light at the end of the tunnel, but vaccine acceptance or herd immunity is not the answer, or probably, not the only one. There is true hope that we are going back to our world, but the COVID-19 pandemic may be an occasion to reconsider the traditional family in the center of our lives and daily politics. A tolerance towards any race needs to be contagious, militant, and blazing to vehemently rebuild and revitalize the American Dream.

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The Beauty of the Human Soul continues the Authentic Living series by Osho with talks by the contemporary mystic during his stay in the United States. All of the Osho books are created from his extemporaneous talks, and in this volume reflect the intimate setting in which they were given, with small audiences of those gathered in the Oregon commune around him. Everything is on the table - belief in God, the meaning of compassion, what happens when we die. In sharing stories from his own life, bringing new insights to old parables, and challenging his listeners to examine their own conscious and unconscious beliefs, he begins to create a new and more authentic "narrative" about what we human beings are doing on this planet, and why we are here. The entire Authentic Living series is a manifesto of the priceless gift of individuality, of both the freedom and the responsibility that comes with living life according to your own light, free from fixed concepts and ideologies given by others -- whether that be parents, teachers, priests, or politicians. The challenge is to take nothing for granted, leave no sacred cow unexamined. And to take the courage to step into the unknown with no idea of what is going to happen, with great creativity, sensitivity, and awareness, but with no fixed ideology. Osho says: "You have to go through a transformation and that, only you can do. Except you, nobody can reach there. And this is the beauty of the human soul, that it is absolutely unavailable to anybody. Your center is so protected by existence that nobody can even touch it."

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Dive into an unprecedented survey of millions of years of life on planet Earth. Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life is a beautifully crafted encyclopedia of prehistoric species that the whole family can enjoy. Featuring an incredible mix of 3D reconstructions, extraordinary skeletons, and amazingly intricate fossils, it uses the latest scientific research to recreate a wealth of ancient species, from the earliest primitive life forms to great dinosaurs, early mammals, and even the first humans.This richly illustrated catalogue starts with the first Precambrian microbes and traces the evolution of life through mass extinctions and ice ages. As well as dinosaurs, it features extinct plants, invertebrates, amphibians, fish, birds, reptiles, and mammals, conjuring up a series of past worlds. The book also explores geological time and examines how fossils preserve the story of evolution.In the pages of this unique book of natural history, you'll find:- A detailed catalogue of over 500 animals, plants, fungi and microbes with illustrations and fact files unmatched by any other book on the market.- A tour of some of the most fascinating fossils and skeletons.- Clear CGI reconstructions give a new life to some of the oldest identified species, allowing you to visualise them as they would have existed on Earth.- Richly annotated artworks displaying geological processes including how Earth formed and how fossils are preserved in rockCombining stunning visuals and clear text, Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Life is not only packed with fascinating prehistoric facts and species, it's beautifully foiled cover will take pride of place on your coffee table! The ideal gift for dinosaur enthusiasts and naturalists of all ages that will be treasured for years to come.

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Imagine if there was a way to measure your impact on the environment and manage how it affects your happiness. What if you could be sure that everything that matters in your life was on track to maximise your feelings of fulfilment and contentment? In Happiness By Numbers, chartered environmentalist Richard Lupo draws on decades of expert research to provide you with a very neat, science-based framework that shows how your decisions and actions affect your environment, while measuring your progress towards achieving long-term wellbeing. From your own personal happiness to the wellbeing of your family and friends, as well as your impact on the planet as a whole, you’ll discover how, with a clear vision, an effective strategy, a dash of proven science and some very clever number crunching, you can make every part of your life happier and more rewarding. Take an eye-opening journey into happiness and the environment that will change how you think and feel about what they mean and uncover: A blueprint for boosting your own long-term wellbeing Fascinating insights into the science behind what makes us happy Practical tips for creating safe and secure environments for all A roadmap towards better decisions on sustainability and living a net zero life How happiness really looks when you put in into numbers If it’s true that you can only manage what you can measure, by exploring and leveraging what science and data reveals about what makes us happy, we can all build a better world that’s happier not only for ourselves but those around us too.

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Contemporary science views our planet as an insignificant speck of dust in the vastness of space, with its four kingdoms as a random assemblage of atoms. Yvan Rioux presents a radically different perspective, demonstrating an indissoluble relationship between Heaven and Earth. Over aeons of existence, the four kingdoms have manifested a creative power that perpetually brings forth new expressions. With the goal of bridging science and spirit, Rioux helps revive the old intuitive awareness of an intimate communion between the outer perceptible life of nature, the inner life of the soul and the majestic spiritual formative forces that preside as architects - an organic whole where all levels co-evolve. The earth, nesting in its solar system, is connected with the Milky Way and the twelve constellations. The impact of the stars as an influence on human behaviour has been known for millennia. In the original edition of Rudolf Steiner's Calendar of the Soul, twelve illustrations of the constellations, made by Imma von Eckardstein, were published for the first time. These intuitive drawings differ greatly from the traditional ones, but Steiner stressed their importance for our modern consciousness. The images invite us to comprehend formative forces in their various guises in the kingdoms of nature. By exploring the gifts of each constellation, the author uses Imma's drawings as a template to elucidate the emergence of twelve basic forms as the common denominators of all creatures, leading eventually towards the human form. 'The [new] images of the zodiac constellations represent actual experiences connected with the waking and sleeping of particular spiritual beings. In these images we have a knowledge that needs to be renewed at this time...' - Rudolf Steiner (1912)

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A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice An exploration of humanity’s relationship with ice since the dawn of civilization, Of Ice and Men reminds us that only by understanding this unique substance can we save the ice on our planet—and perhaps ourselves.Ice tells a story. It writes it in rock. It lays it down, snowfall by snowfall at the ends of the earth where we may read it like the rings on a tree. It tells our planet’s geological and climatological tale. Ice tells another story too: a story about us. It is a tale packed with swash-buckling adventure and improbable invention, peopled with driven, eccentric, often brilliant characters. It tells how our species has used ice to reshape the world according to our needs and our desires: how we have survived it, harvested it, traded it, bent science to our will to make it—and how in doing so we have created globe-spanning infrastructures that are entirely dependent upon it. And even after we have done all that, we take ice so much for granted that we barely notice it. Ice has supercharged the modern world. It has allowed us to feed ourselves and cure ourselves in ways unimaginable two hundred years ago. It has enabled the global population to rise from less than 1 billion to nearly 7½ billion—which just happens to cover the same period of time as humanity has harvested, manufactured, and distributed ice on an industrial scale. And yet the roots of our fascination with ice and its properties run much deeper than the recent past.

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Your recipe for saving the planet (and some money too!) If you’re like many of us, you waste your fair share of food. And you may think that food waste is an inevitable part of modern life. But in Zero Waste Cooking For Dummies, you’ll learn a little about sustainability in agriculture and where your food comes from, and how to organize your kitchen for less waste. With food waste in mind, you’ll also learn how to meal plan and shop within your budget.And ultimately, you’ll learn how to use every last bit of what’s in your fridge, freezer, and cupboard to make delicious meals, save money, and do your part for the environment. In this book, celebrated dietitian and internationally recognized author Rosanne Rust walks you through every step of transforming how you plan your meals, shop for groceries, store your food, cook your food, and deal with leftovers. Whether you’re more experiences or the type of cook who can burn water, you’ll find tips and strategies that help you buy, use, and waste less food. Zero Waste Cooking For Dummies offers: Dozens of recipes for delicious entrees, appetizers, breakfasts, soups, salads, and more Meal planning ideas that make grocery shopping a breeze, save you real money, and help you make the most of what you have in your kitchen Tips and tricks for how to use leftovers, how to craft new dishes with leftover ingredients so you don’t need to throw anything away, and more This book is a must-read for any homemaker, home cook or anyone looking for ways to save a little money, reduce their carbon footprint, and make some awesome, nutritious meals.

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‘Full of wonder and forensic intelligence’ Isabella Tree, author of Wilding A moving account of Madagascar told by a researcher who has spent over fifty years investigating the mysteries of this remarkable island. Madagascar is a place of change. A biodiversity hotspot and the fourth largest island on the planet, it has been home to a spectacular parade of animals, from giant flightless birds and giant tortoises on the ground, to agile lemurs leaping through the treetops. Some species live on; many have vanished in the distant or recent past. Over vast stretches of time, Madagascar’s forests have expanded and contracted in response to shifting climates, and the hand of people is clear in changes during the last thousand years or so. Today, Madagascar is a microcosm of global trends. What happens there in the decades ahead can, perhaps, suggest ways to help turn the tide on the environmental crisis now sweeping the world. The Sloth Lemur’s Song is a far-reaching account of Madagascar’s past and present, led by an expert guide who has immersed herself in research and conservation activities with village communities on the island for nearly fifty years. Alison Richard accompanies the reader on a journey through space and time—from Madagascar’s ancient origins as a landlocked region of Gondwana and its emergence as an island to the modern-day developments that make the survival of its array of plants and animals increasingly uncertain. Weaving together scientific evidence with Richard’s own experiences and exploring the power of stories to shape our understanding of events, this book captures the magic as well as the tensions that swirl around this island nation.

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Ever wondered if your intentions, prayers or wishes have a real, calculable effect on the world? Here, from Lynne McTaggart, groundbreaking author of ‘The Field’, comes riveting accounts of scientific investigations and real case histories with evidence that we are all connected and our intentions can be harnessed as a collective force for good. For the last 40 years renegade scientists, experimenting with the limits of quantum physics, have made seemingly impossible discoveries. 1966: a lie-detector expert accidentally discovers that plants can read thoughts. 1982: meditating Buddhist monks in the Himalayas turn their bodies into a human furnace. 1994: a psychologist's experiments reveal a stream of light flowing from healers during healing. These events form part of an extraordinary scientific story and revolutionary discovery - that thought is a thing that affects other things. In The Intention Experiment, Lynne McTaggart, author of the international bestseller The Field, joins forces with a team of international, renowned scientists to test the effects of focused group intention on scientifically quantifiable targets - animal, plant and human. The Intention Experiment is a truly revolutionary book that invites you, the reader, to take part in the greatest intention experiment in history. The results of McTaggart's 'global laboratory' started with the focused intention that made a geranium leaf glow to evidence to show that group intention is powerful enough to affect targets more than 5000 miles away and may even affect global warming. These remarkable results prove human thought and intention has the power to focus our lives, heal our illnesses, clean up our communities and improve the planet. This book also shows you how to harness that power to make changes in your own life.

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The Terra Nostra deal in whatever's dirty, degrading and cruel on every civilised world. Weapons, racketeering, smuggling, assassinations, territory disputes. Their tentacles stretch and unfurl across the galaxy. Jenna and Vila each learn the hard way that they can never escape the Terra Nostra's plots and conspiracies. 1. Stimulus/Response by James Kettle. Jenna Stannis has resumed her smuggling career after leaving the Liberator, and Stor Jayden is a dream location to unload her contraband. The Terra Nostra have other ideas. And with a reformist president recently elected on the planet, can Jenna escape with her cargo - or her life? 2. Entrapment by Robert Valentine. A heist to rip off the Terra Nostra requires a master cracksman. Fortunately for Kyzer Frik, he's found one. Unfortunately for Villa Restal, it's him. But as Frik comes to suspect a spy in his crew, how long before he decides that it's reluctant member Vila? 3. The Offer by Peter Anghelides. Fleeing from his enemies, Vila Restal sneaks back into Space City. But it's more difficult than he thought to get rescued - especially when he discovers he can't trust an old friend. To save himself, must he betray the Liberator crew to the Terra Nostra? CAST: Sally Knyvette (Jenna Stannis), Michael Keating (Vila Restal), Karl Howman (Tudman/The Enforcer), Ajjaz Awad (Grovenar/Dreamhead), Abigail Thaw (Hinton/Vormar), Pal Aron (Rax Aptford/TV Host), Jamie Zubairi (President Artim/Hessler/Ravel), Rebecca Sarker (Mel Hessler/The Dream), Ariyon Bakare (Kyzer Frik), Shvorne Marks (Legra Minassian), Turlough Convery (Darra Teevan), Joe Shire (Jok Rork), Rakie Ayola (Councillor Zukonar/Jax), Naomi Yang (Tudor/Karine), Alistair Lock (Zen/Orac). Other parts played by members of the cast.

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The third century of the second calendar. Roj Blake is about to discover a powerful spaceship and spearhead a rebellion against the despotic Federation. But he can't be everywhere at once... Throughout the galaxy, brave people fight for freedom, without the benefit of miraculous alien technology. Avalon has only her wits and her contacts to reply on - but her name will become legend, all the same. Ep 2.1 - Bayban's Bounty by Niel Bushnell. A sacred stone might inspire revolution on a recently subjugated planet - if Avalon can only retrieve it from a high-security prison. She enlists the help of the Vankberg Vault's only escapee, the madman at the top of the Federation's Most Wanted list... Ep. 2.2 Mercenary by Christopher Cooper. Funding a crusade isn't easy, and one of Avalon's debts has just come due. She and Madison undertake a dubious mission, in the company of an even more dubious gunfor-hire, a man who has betrayed them once before... Ep 2.3 Heart of Ice by Steve Lyons. What is the Federation President doing on a frozen backwater world? Avalon is determined to uncover the secret buried in Cryonax's mines. By the time she realises that Travis is setting a trap, it might just be too late... CAST: Olivia Poulet (Avalon), Colin Baker (Bayban the Butcher), Hugh Fraser (The President), Stephen Greif (Travis), Luke Barton (Charron), Rachel Atkins (Corelano), Cliff Chapman (Madison), Nicholas Day (Jorah), Rosie Day (Alixa/Senna), Malcolm James (Dev Tarrant), Caroline Lawrie (Bonanne/Mutoid), John Rayment (Control/Pilot), David Sargent (Commander/Garson), Graham Seed (Noral), Charlotte Strevens (Winter). Other parts played by members of the cast.

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This thrilling adaptation of Solo: A Star Wars Story expands on the film to include scenes from alternate versions of the script and other additional content, giving deeper insights into Han Solo’s years in the Imperial Navy, Qi’ra’s past, and the beginnings of the rebellion. Though Han Solo has thrilled Star Wars fans for decades, the notorious wisecracking scoundrel was chasing adventure and dodging trouble long before he walked into the cantina at Mos Eisley spaceport. Young Han dreams of someday soaring into space at the helm of his own starship and leaving his home, the gritty industrial planet Corellia, far behind. But as long as he’s trapped in a life of poverty and crime—and under the thumb of the sinister Lady Proxima and her brutal street gang—reaching the distant stars seems impossible. When Han tries to escape with his girlfriend and partner-in-crime, Qi’ra, he makes it out—but she doesn’t. Desperate for a way to find his own offworld vessel and free her, Han enlists in the Imperial Navy—the last place for a rebellious loner who doesn’t play well with others. When the Empire clips his wings, Han goes rogue and plunges into the shady world of smugglers, gamblers, and con artists. There he meets the charming and cunning high roller Lando Calrissian, makes an unlikely friend in a cantankerous Wookiee called Chewbacca, and first lays eyes on the Millennium Falcon. To snag his piece of the outlaw pie, Han joins a crew of pirates to pull off a risky heist. The stakes are high, the danger is great, and the odds are slim. But never tell Han Solo the odds.

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Journey to Star Wars: The Force AwakensThe second Death Star has been destroyed, the Emperor killed, and Darth Vader struck down. Devastating blows against the Empire, and major victories for the Rebel Alliance. But the battle for freedom is far from over.As the Empire reels from its critical defeats at the Battle of Endor, the Rebel Alliance—now a fledgling New Republic—presses its advantage by hunting down the enemy’s scattered forces before they can regroup and retaliate. But above the remote planet Akiva, an ominous show of the enemy’s strength is unfolding. Out on a lone reconnaissance mission, pilot Wedge Antilles watches Imperial Star Destroyers gather like birds of prey circling for a kill, but he’s taken captive before he can report back to the New Republic leaders.Meanwhile, on the planet’s surface, former rebel fighter Norra Wexley has returned to her native world—war weary, ready to reunite with her estranged son, and eager to build a new life in some distant place. But when Norra intercepts Wedge Antilles’s urgent distress call, she realizes her time as a freedom fighter is not yet over. What she doesn’t know is just how close the enemy is—or how decisive and dangerous her new mission will be.Determined to preserve the Empire’s power, the surviving Imperial elite are converging on Akiva for a top-secret emergency summit—to consolidate their forces and rally for a counterstrike. But they haven’t reckoned on Norra and her newfound allies—her technical-genius son, a Zabrak bounty hunter, and a reprobate Imperial defector—who are prepared to do whatever they must to end the Empire’s oppressive reign once and for all.

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'A witty, gossipy, sparkling history, full of bright jewels of anecdote... Magnificent Rebels is a triumph' THE TIMES, Book of the Week'Extraordinary... A thrilling intellectual history that reads like a racy, intelligent novel, with a cast of unforgettable characters' SUNDAY TIMES'Magnificent Rebels is a magnificent book: a revelation which could easily become an obsession' SPECTATOR'A thrilling page-turner, by turns comical & tragic... My book of the year so far' TOM HOLLAND'Elegantly written, deeply researched and totally gripping' SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIOREIn the 1790s an extraordinary group of friends changed the world. Disappointed by the French Revolution's rapid collapse into tyranny, what they wanted was nothing less than a revolution of the mind. The rulers of Europe had ordered their peoples how to think and act for too long. Based in the small German town of Jena, through poetry, drama, philosophy and science, they transformed the way we think about ourselves and the world around us. They were the first Romantics.Their way of understanding the world still frames our lives and being.We're still empowered by their daring leap into the self. We still think with their minds, see with their imagination and feel with their emotions. We also still walk the same tightrope between meaningful self-fulfilment and destructive narcissism, between the rights of the individual and our role as a member of our community and our responsibilities towards future generations who will inhabit this planet. This extraordinary group of friends changed our world. It is impossible to imagine our lives, thoughts and understanding without the foundation of their ground-breaking ideas.

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Unlock greater profits. Empower happier and more engaged staff. Foster loyalty and connection with customers. Save your business... and the world. How? It all starts with a Purpose Upgrade.History shows that hard times can lead to the greatest opportunities for renewal. The Purpose Upgrade will support readers in leading enterprises that thrive by solving our most important problems.It shows how businesses can create more compelling benefits for customers, build meaningful livelihoods for colleagues, and unlock superior returns for investors by 'repurposing' and revitalising the activities they engage in.Meet the social entrepreneur who repurposed the previously 'boring' trade in office supplies to fund micro-finance initiatives that reach millions of the people most exposed to poverty, so that 'even a bad day at the office saves lives'.Learn how the leaders of a coal-mining business repurposed their enterprise first as an industrial chemicals company and then more spectacularly as a sustainable living business, generating unprecedented shareholder returns by aligning their objectives with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. They are now changing the lives of smallholder farmers, re-directing the food system to a more sustainable model, and harnessing the power of the world's biggest brands to provide more nutritious food on a healthier planet. And, most importantly, discover a unique methodology that you can use to make a Purpose Upgrade an always-available event at any level of your own enterprise.There has never been a more urgent need to change our businesses to save the world or a more opportune time to change the world to save our businesses.

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Let Anne McCaffrey, storyteller extraordinare and New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author, take you on a journey to a whole new world: Pern and discover not only its flora, fauna, population and cultural hierarchy, but the history of an entire civilization. If you like David Eddings, David Gemmell and Douglas Adams, you will love this.**Finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Novel**** Winner of the HOMer Award for Science Fiction****Finalist for the Locus Award for Best Novel**'Anne McCaffrey, one of the queens of science fiction, knows exactly how to give her public what it wants' - THE TIMES'You have many hours of happy reading ahead.' - ***** Reader Review'Would certainly recommend to anyone looking for a story to lose yourself in and come out the other end replete.' - ***** Reader Review********************************************************************A science fiction classic from a master of the genre.When AIVAS -- the Artificial Intelligence Voice Address System -- was first discovered at Landing, the entire planet of Pern was awed at the knowledge it divulged.All the history of the people of Pern was there. Dragonholders, Lord Holders and Craftmasters crowded into the tiny inner room to learn the secrets of their beginnings. Ana AIVAS had other gifts to offer -- stored information of old crafts that had been forgotten, of medicine, music and technology.But the greatest promise AIVAS offered was the chance to rid Pern of Thread forever. All the great ones of Pern began the long and arduous task of learning just how to operate the incredible plan.This was a plan of such daring and epic proportions that both dragons and riders would be put at risk...

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Big lies are told by governments, politicians and corporations to avoid responsibility, cast blame on the innocent, win elections, disguise intent, create chaos and gain power and wealth. Big lies are as old as civilisation. They corrupt public understanding and discourse, turn science upside down and reinvent history. They prevent humanity from addressing critical challenges. They perpetuate injustices. They destabilise the world. The modern age has provided ever-more-effective ways of spreading lies but it has also given us the scientific method, which is the most effective tool for finding what is true. In the book’s final chapter, Kurlansky reveals ways to deconstruct an allegation. A scientific theory has to be testable and so does an allegation. BIG LIES soars across history: alighting on the “noble lies” of Socrates and Plato; Nero blaming Christians for the burning of Rome; the great injustices of the Middle Ages; the big lies of Stalin and Hitler and their terrible consequences; the reckless lies of contemporary demagogues, which are amplified through social media; lies against women and Jews are two examples in the long history of “othering” the vulnerable for personal gain; up to the equal-opportunity spotlight in America. “Belief is a choice”, Kurlansky writes, “and honesty begins in each of us. A lack of caring what is true or false is the undoing of democracy. The alternative to truth is a corrupt state in which the loudest voices and most seductive lies confer power and wealth on grifters and oligarchs. We cannot achieve a healthy planet for all the world’s people if we do not keep asking what is true.”

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South African born Elon Musk is the renowned entrepreneur and innovator behind PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. Musk wants to save our planet; he wants to send citizens into space, to form a colony on Mars; he wants to make money while doing these things; and he wants us all to know about it. He is the real-life inspiration for the Iron Man series of films starring Robert Downey Junior.The personal tale of Musk’s life comes with all the trappings one associates with a great, drama-filled story. He was a freakishly bright kid who was bullied brutally at school, and abused by his father. In the midst of these rough conditions, and the violence of apartheid South Africa, Musk still thrived academically and attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he paid his own way through school by turning his house into a club and throwing massive parties.He started a pair of huge dot-com successes, including PayPal, which eBay acquired for $1.5 billion in 2002. Musk was forced out as CEO and so began his lost years in which he decided to go it alone and baffled friends by investing his fortune in rockets and electric cars. Meanwhile Musk’s marriage disintegrated as his technological obsessions took over his life ...Elon Musk is the Steve Jobs of the present and the future, and for the past twelve months, he has been shadowed by tech reporter, Ashlee Vance. Elon Musk: How the Billionaire CEO of Spacex and Tesla is Shaping our Future is an important, exciting and intelligent account of the real-life Iron Man.

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Kim Stanley Robinson first ventured into the Sierra Nevada mountains during the summer of 1973. He returned from that encounter a changed man, awed by a landscape that made him feel as if he were simultaneously strolling through an art museum and scrambling on a jungle gym like an energized child. He has returned to the mountains throughout his life-more than a hundred trips-and has gathered a vast store of knowledge about them. The High Sierra is his lavish celebration of this exceptional place and an exploration of what makes this span of mountains one of the most compelling places on Earth.Over the course of a vivid and dramatic narrative, Robinson describes the geological forces that shaped the Sierras and the history of its exploration, going back to the indigenous peoples who made it home and whose traces can still be found today. He celebrates the people whose ideas and actions protected the High Sierra for future generations. He describes uniquely beautiful hikes and the trails to be avoided. Robinson's own life-altering events, defining relationships, and unforgettable adventures form the narrative's spine. And he illuminates the human communion with the wild and with the sublime, including the personal growth that only seems to come from time spent outdoors.The High Sierra is a gorgeous, absorbing immersion in a place, born out of a desire to understand and share one of the greatest rapture-inducing experiences our planet offers. Packed with maps, gear advice, more than 100 breathtaking photos, and much more, it will inspire veteran hikers, casual walkers, and travel readers to prepare for a magnificent adventure.

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A beautiful book of extinct and endangered creatures, and a hopeful look at the futureShine a spotlight on animal species throughout history and the ones alive today in Animals Lost and Found, through beautiful illustrations and interesting facts. Children will learn about animals lost to extinction, animals we thought we'd lost but have found, and animals that are the focus of conservation efforts all over the world.This educational book for children aged 7+ is packed with intriguing information about extinction and the different possible causes of it. Children can learn about how natural and unnatural extinction relates to the world we live in today, in a clear and easy way. Animals Lost and Found features:- A very positive outlook on conservation efforts and success stories from around the world- Focus pages on extinct and endangered animals - as well as one or two, who it turns out, never were!- Beautiful illustrations by award-winning wildlife illustrator Jonathan Woodward - Incredible conservation work that has been done around the world, like the reintroduction of Red Kites to Britain, and the effect the wolves had to the ecosystem of Yellowstone National Park- A global look at success stories and what it can do for the planetAnimals Lost and Found is not just about lost species, but also teaches children the incredible work that is happening around the world to prevent any further loss of species and looks at animals saved from extinction like the Blue Iguana! Learn the incredible stories of uncovering species thought to have been gone, reintroduction of species, and what we as humans are doing and can continue to do to help.

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Millions of non-Muslims know the name of the Muslim scripture, whether it is written as "Qur'an" or "Quran" or "Koran." But for most, that is all they know. Many have fallen victim to the mass of misinformation that circulates about the Qur'an. Others may have tried to read the Qur'an, but the text itself is tough to decipher. With no sense of context, chronology, or interpretive history, many would-be readers of the Qur'an quickly give up the effort. As for those trying to find out what the Qur'an says about any particular subject or issue, they, too, soon discover that this is not a simple or straightforward undertaking. A clear, concise introduction to the holy book that guides the lives of 1.6 billion people on our planet, this brief volume opens the world of the Qur'an to interested readers who want to know where this scripture came from and how it has achieved a profound influence in today's world. Writing in an easy-to-read question-and-answer format, Jane McAuliffe, one of the world's foremost scholars of the Qur'an, introduces readers to this important text by discussing its origins, structure, themes, interpretations, and what it has to say about a host of critical contemporary issues. Where did the Qur'an come from? Do Muslims believe that the Qur'an is God's own word? How do Muslims study the Qur'an? What does the Qur'an say about God? About family? About ethics? About violence? By answering the questions that many people have about the Qur'an and its role in Muslim faith, this book offers an invaluable resource for anyone who is curious about one of the world's most important faiths.

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James Lovelock's bestselling The Revenge of Gaia: Why the Earth is Fighting Back - and How we can Still Save Humanity is a dire warning against the unchecked growth of civilization. 'Despite all our efforts to retreat sustainably, we may be unable to prevent a global decline into a chaotic world ruled by brutal warlords on a devastated Earth...' For thousands of years, humans have exploited the planet without counting the cost. Now Gaia, the living Earth, is fighting back. As the polar icecaps shrink and the global temperature rises, we approach the point of no return. Sustainable development, Lovelock argues, is no longer possible, and the only open to us may be a 'sustainable retreat'. This is the one book you must read to find out what is happening, how bad it will get - and how we can survive. 'The most important book for decades' Andrew Marr 'The most important book ever to be published on the environmental crisis ... Lovelock will go down in history as the scientist who changed our view of the Earth' John Gray, Independent 'Truly terrifying ... Lovelock's arguments carry more conviction than anyone else's now writing' Peter Forbes, Daily Mail James Lovelock is the author of more than 200 scientific papers and the originator of the Gaia Hypothesis (now Gaia Theory). He has written several books on the subject, including Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth, The Ages of Gaia and The Vanishing Face of Gaia as well as an autobiography, Homage to Gaia. In September 2005 Prospect magazine named him as one of the world's top 100 global public intellectuals.

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The Definitive Guide to Scuba Diving and Snorkeling in Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach"This is what divers want. A mapping style and key information presented in a way that really prepares you for each dive site. I expect this book will be the tool that dive shops give to their new divemasters to learn all of the top dive sites quickly." Ocean Frontiers#1 New Release in Travel South AtlanticFor Lonely Planet fans comes a unique and essential scuba, snorkel, and surf travel guide.A great travel gift. The ultimate guide for beach and marine activities in Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach. The detailed descriptions and illustrations of beaches, coral reefs, shipwrecks, and other dive spots are ideal for divers, snorkelers, kitesurfers and windsurfers. Make the most of your time in the city and in the water.Detailed descriptions and map art. With the help of Reef Smart’s unique 3D-mapping technology, learn all you need to know about the regions' top dive and snorkel sites. These maps provide useful information such as depths, currents, waves, suggested routes, potential hazards, unique structures and species information.Don’t go diving without it. This indispensable resource will help you plan and execute dives without a hitch. Make sure to pack this unique guidebook with the rest of your scuba gear.This guidebook provides: The best locations for diving, snorkeling and surfing, and how to access them Detailed 3D maps, graphics and information to help you plan your time in and out of the water Species guide to help you identify and understand the marine creatures you’ll encounter And much more! A unique and comprehensive SCUBA diving book. Also look for Reef Smart Guides Florida: Palm Beach; Reef Smart Guides Barbados; and the best selling Reef Smart Guides Bonaire.

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Take a deep dive into the world of our signs and planets in this easy-to-follow directory. Astrology is something that we've all heard of and probably even taken an interest in, but the topic is much more complex than the familiar zodiac sign that determines our whole personality. There are layers of knowledge in this study that has been around for centuries. To really understand the magic of astrology, get to know the more intricate subjects of planet placements and retrograde motion. In this beautifully designed directory, easily find the answers to all your celestial questions. Learn to understand your wants and needs, and strengthen your relationships with those around you by understanding theirs. The Astrology Directory includes:- a chapter dedicated to each sign- sections addressing each signs ideal work, home, and love life- the links between food, health, and money and each astrological signBecome an expert on yourself and learn to live life to its fullest potential, the way the stars have mapped out for you. With gorgeous full-color imagery, this is the perfect gift for the person in your life who has their head in the clouds. The Spiritual Directories series offers concise handbooks on a variety of spiritual and new age subjects. Written by experts in their fields in easy-to-understand language and beautifully presented in a visually driven format, the directories are essential guides for beginners. With practical and simple step-by-step instructions, you'll discover how to interpret the secret languages of the universe to create a happy and positive future for yourself and others.Other titles in this series: Chakra Directory, Crystal Directory, Fortune Telling Directory, Spirit Animal Directory, Tarot Directory.

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The nineteenth book in the beloved Foreigner space opera series begins a new era for human diplomat Bren Cameron, as he navigates the tenuous peace between human refugees and the alien atevi.Bren Cameron, acting as the representative of the atevi's political leader, Tabini-aiji, as well as translator between humans and atevi, has undertaken a mission to the human enclave of Mospheira. Both his presence on the island and his absence from the continent have stirred old enemies to realize new opportunities. Old hatreds. Old grudges. Old ambitions. The situation has strengthened the determination of power-seekers on both sides of the strait. Bren knows most of them very well, but not all of them well enough. The space station on which the world increasingly relies is desperate to get more supplies up to orbit and to get a critical oversupply of human refugees down to the world below. Rationing is in force on the station, but the overpopulation problem has to be solved quickly—and Bren's mission on Mospheira has expanded to include preparation for that landing. First down will be the three children to whom Tabini's son has a close connection. But following them will be thousands of humans who have never set foot on a planet, humans descended from colonists and officers who split off from Mospheiran humans two hundred years before in a bitter parting of the ways. There is no way the atevi, native to the world, will cede any more land to these new arrivals: they will have to share the island. But certain Mospheirans are willing to use force to prevent these refugees from settling among them. Bren's job is as general peacemaker—but old enemies want war. Is Bren's diplomatic acumen enough to prevent a war that both sides are prepared to wage?

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This lavishly illustrated visual encyclopedia tells the story of our world in depth and detail from the dawn of civilization to the present day.Charting human endeavor from every angle, SI History chronicles the significant events, ground-breaking ideas, political forces, and technological advances that have shaped our planet. Every historical episode is explored and explained with the help of stunning images that bring the authoritative text to life. Important points in history, from the battle of Hastings and the storming of the Bastille to D-Day and 9/11, have clear but concise coverage, together with profiles of influential figures, such as Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, and Nelson Mandela. It’s time to head back in time and explore the past with this striking history book, which features: - Profiles of key people who have made history.- Features on inventions, discoveries, and ideas that changed the world.- Graphics lend immediacy and impact to key statistics.- National Histories section separately chronicles key events of every countryAs each moment in history is defined and detailed, supporting panels note the causes and consequences, providing wider context and broadening our horizons. New and enhanced coverage of recent events – such as the Arab Spring – and contemporary issues such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, bring the book firmly into the present. With its broad-themed approach to important historical events, this book shows that ours is a history with genes and viruses, not just battle and treaties – and the stories and biographies of men and women from every corner of the globe who have shaped today’s world reaffirm that SI History is the story of humankind in which everyone has a part to play.

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