Search results for ""Author Bill"

Explores how politicians, screenwriters, activists, biographers, jurists, museum professionals, and reenactors portray the American Revolution. The American Revolution is all around us. It is pictured as big as billboards and as small as postage stamps, evoked in political campaigns and car advertising campaigns, relived in museums and revised in computer games. As the nation’s founding moment, the American Revolution serves as a source of powerful founding myths, and remains the most accessible and most contested event in US history: more than any other, it stands as a proxy for how Americans perceive the nation’s aspirations. Americans’ increased fascination with the Revolution over the past two decades represents more than interest in the past. It’s also a site to work out the present, and the future. What are we using the Revolution to debate? In Fighting over the Founders, Andrew M. Schocket explores how politicians, screenwriters, activists, biographers, jurists, museum professionals, and reenactors portray the American Revolution. Identifying competing “essentialist” and “organicist” interpretations of the American Revolution, Schocket shows how today’s memories of the American Revolution reveal Americans' conflicted ideas about class, about race, and about gender—as well as the nature of history itself. Fighting over the Founders plumbs our views of the past and the present, and illuminates our ideas of what United States means to its citizens in the new millennium.

Read more less

In the past three decades, developing countries have made significant economic and social progress, from improved infant mortality rates to higher life expectancy. Yet, 1.3 billion people continue to live in extreme poverty in the developing world, leading policymakers to place a renewed emphasis on policies that could promote economic efficiency and the productivity of the poor. How should these policies be sequenced and implemented to spur growth? Would a large, front-loaded increase in public infrastructure investment yield the desired growth-promoting effect? Taking a rigorous look at this kind of investment and its outcomes, this book explores the different channels through which public capital in infrastructure may affect growth and human welfare, and develops a series of formal models for understanding how these channels operate. Bringing together a vast amount of research in one unifying framework, Pierre-Richard Agenor finds that in considering investment in infrastructure, a variety of externalities need to be factored into analytical models and introduced in policy debates. Lack of access to infrastructure not only constrains the expansion of markets and private investment, it may also hinder the achievement of health and education targets. Ease of access, conversely, promotes innovation and empowers women by allowing them to reallocate their time to productive uses. Laying a solid foundation of economic facts and ideas, Public Capital, Growth, and Welfare provides a comprehensive look at the critical role of public capital in development.

Read more less

A definitive account of the great revolt of Jews against Rome and the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple “Deeply impressive. . . . Essential for all future discussions of the subject.”—Barry Strauss, New Criterion “A lucid yet terrifying account of the ‘Jewish War’—the uprising of the Jews in 66 CE, and the Roman empire’s savage response, in a story that stretches from Rome to Jerusalem.”—John Ma, Columbia University This deeply researched and insightful book examines the causes, course, and historical significance of the Jews’ failed revolt against Rome from 66 to 74 CE, including the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple. Based on a comprehensive study of all the evidence and new statistical data, Guy Rogers argues that the Jewish rebels fought for their religious and political freedom and lost due to military mistakes. Rogers contends that while the Romans won the war, they lost the peace. When the Romans destroyed the Jerusalem Temple, they thought that they had defeated the God of Israel and eliminated Jews as a strategic threat to their rule. Instead, they ensured the Jews’ ultimate victory. After their defeat Jews turned to the written words of their God, and following those words led the Jews to recover their freedom in the promised land. The war’s tragic outcome still shapes the worldview of billions of people today.

Read more less

In Rich Dad's Conspiracy of the Rich, Robert Kiyosaki explores why many people are waiting for the political and financial systems of the world to change. He shares his opinion that it's easier to change yourself than to wait for our leaders and systems to change. Is it time for you to take control of your money and your financial future? Is it time to find out what those who control the financial world don't want you to know? Do you want complex and confusing financial concepts to be made simple? If you answered 'yes' to these questions, then this book is for you. The first new rule of money is Money is knowledge. Robert Kiyosaki wrote this book for those who want to increase their financial knowledge and take control of their lives. According to Kiyosaki we cannot see the world of the future with our eyes. "The world of the future is invisible, and we have to see it with our minds." Kiyosaki sees a new economy and new definitions of wealth. He believes that there will be new millionaires and billionaires. Money will be made at ultrahigh speed. The question is: Will you be among the new rich, or the new poor? The old economy, the economy as we knew it, is not coming back. A new economy is being born, an economy that will be led by kids born after 1990, young people who only know the invisible, high-speed world of the future.

Read more less

The world’s biggest religion has a problem. There is zero archaeological evidence for the original Eucharist – the sacred wine said to guarantee life after death for those who drink the blood of Jesus. The Holy Grail and and its miraculous contents have never been found. In the absence of any hard data, whatever happened at the Last Supper remains a mystery for today’s 2.5 billion faithful. The Immortality Key attempts to crack the best-kept secret in history by examining the archaic roots of the ritual that is performed every Sunday for nearly one third of the planet. Two thousand years in the making, religion and science converge to paint a radical picture of Christianity’s founding event. In the tradition of David Grann's Killers of the Flower Moon and Douglas Preston's The Lost City of the Monkey God, Muraresku takes the reader on his twelve-year global hunt for proof. He gains access to the hidden collections of the Louvre Museum to show the continuity from pagan to Christian wine. He spelunks into the catacombs under the streets of Rome to decipher the lost symbols of Christianity’s oldest monuments. He breaches the secret archives of the Vatican to unearth manuscripts never before translated into English. And with leads from elite archaeological chemists, he unveils the first scientific data for the ritual use of psychedelic drugs in classical antiquity.

Read more less

If a country’s Gross Domestic Product increases each year, but so does the percentage of its people deprived of basic education, health care, and other opportunities, is that country really making progress? If we rely on conventional economic indicators, can we ever grasp how the world’s billions of individuals are really managing?In this powerful critique, Martha Nussbaum argues that our dominant theories of development have given us policies that ignore our most basic human needs for dignity and self-respect. For the past twenty-five years, Nussbaum has been working on an alternate model to assess human development: the Capabilities Approach. She and her colleagues begin with the simplest of questions: What is each person actually able to do and to be? What real opportunities are available to them? The Capabilities Approach to human progress has until now been expounded only in specialized works. Creating Capabilities, however, affords anyone interested in issues of human development a wonderfully lucid account of the structure and practical implications of an alternate model. It demonstrates a path to justice for both humans and nonhumans, weighs its relevance against other philosophical stances, and reveals the value of its universal guidelines even as it acknowledges cultural difference. In our era of unjustifiable inequity, Nussbaum shows how—by attending to the narratives of individuals and grasping the daily impact of policy—we can enable people everywhere to live full and creative lives.

Read more less

A BOOK OF THE YEARGUARDIAN, THE ECONOMIST, NEW STATESMAN, FINANCIAL TIMES, BLOOMBERGAnil Seth's radical new theory of consciousness challenges our understanding of perception and reality, doing for brain science what Dawkins did for evolutionary biology.'A brilliant beast of a book.' DAVID BYRNE'Hugely important.' JIM AL-KHALILI'Masterly . . . An exhilarating book: a vast-ranging, phenomenal achievement that will undoubtedly become a seminal text.'GAIA VINCE, GUARDIANBeing You is not as simple as it sounds. Somehow, within each of our brains, billions of neurons work to create our conscious experience. How does this happen? Why do we experience life in the first person? After over twenty years researching the brain, world-renowned neuroscientist Anil Seth puts forward a radical new theory of consciousness and self. His unique theory of what it means to 'be you' challenges our understanding of perception and reality and it turns what you thought you knew about yourself on its head.'Seth thinks clearly and sharply on one of the hardest problems of science and philosophy, cutting through weeds with a scientist's mind and a storyteller's skill.'ADAM RUTHERFORD'A page-turner and a mind-blower . . . Beautifully written, crystal clear, deeply insightful.' DAVID EAGLEMAN'If you read one book about conciousness, it must be Seth's.JULIAN BAGGINI, WALL STREET JOURNAL'I loved it.' MICHAEL POLLAN'Fascinating.' FINANCIAL TIMES'Awe-inspring.' NEW STATESMAN'Brilliant.' CLAIRE TOMALIN, NEW YORK TIMES

Read more less

We are all living longer. The World Health Organisation predicts that by 2050 there will be two billion people over 60 with 434 million of those over 80 years of age. But there's a catch: the quality of those extra years of life is shockingly poor. Many of us will find ourselves living with diseases and dependent on non-curative drugs and health carers as a result. We are not ageing well nor wisely.Dr Norman Lazarus, 84, is an exception. He is an expert on the physiology of healthy human ageing and living proof that our later years can be lived well. Even now, in his eighties, he leads an active and medication-free lifestyle, regularly walking and cycling long distances. Dr Lazarus has now written a remarkable book, with the aim of helping others to stay well for longer.The Lazarus Strategy is a part how-to and part manifesto on the art of healthy ageing to guide readers along the path to a more active, productive, independent future and a medication-free life. Norman will show us that our lifestyle choices now will determine how we will age through our golden years and how fast - in the future. The three main factors crucial to keeping healthy are physical activity, food and the mind. Norman explains how each of these affect ageing and how we need to make changes to these areas of our life from the age of 50 and beyond.

Read more less

ÊBest Monologues from Best American Short Plays Volume OneÊ is a must for actors of all ages ä beginners as well as seasoned veterans ä and belongs in the libraries of all theater teachers looking for new and exciting material for their students. The monologues in this volume are excerpted from the outstanding series Best American Short Plays an archive of works from many of the best playwrights active today presenting taut engaging single-character pieces that range from zany comedy to poignant tales of love and loss. Each monologue includes a short introduction and a reference identifying where to locate the entire play should anyone choose to pursue production beyond the monologue. Long or short serious or not this collection is must-have material for anyone interested in acting. The monologues also succeed as excellent companions for the casual reader.ÞIncluded in this volume are monologues by Liliana Almendarez James Armstrong Billy Aronson Clay McLeod Chapman Migdalla Cruz Laura Shaine Cunningham Eileen Fischer Jill Elaine Hughes Julia Jarcho Zilvinas Jonusas Adam Kraar David Kranes Neil LaBute Daniel Frederick Levin Bruce Levy Carey Lovelace Carol K. Mack Dano Madden Peter Maloney Joe Maruzzo Mark Medoff Susan Miller Julie Rae (Pratt) Mollenkamp Rick Pulos Ronald Ribman Murray Schisgal Pamela Sneed and co-writers Polly Frost and Ray Sawhill.

Read more less

Explores the culture that made military shooter video games popular, and key in understanding the War on Terror No video game genre has been more popular or more lucrative in recent years than the “military shooter.” Franchises such as Call of Duty, Battlefield, and those bearing Tom Clancy’s name turn over billions of dollars annually by promising to immerse players in historic and near-future battles, converting the reality of contemporary conflicts into playable, experiences. In the aftermath of 9/11, these games transformed a national crisis into fantastic and profitable adventures, where seemingly powerless spectators became solutions to these virtual Wars on Terror. Playing War provides a cultural framework for understanding the popularity of military-themed video games and their significance in the ongoing War on Terror. Matthew Payne examines post-9/11 shooter-style game design as well as gaming strategies to expose how these practices perpetuate and challenge reigning political beliefs about America’s military prowess and combat policies. Far from offering simplistic escapist pleasures, these post-9/11 shooters draw on a range of nationalist mythologies, positioning the player as the virtual hero at every level. Through close readings of key games, analyses of marketing materials, and participant observations of the war gaming community, Playing War examines an industry mobilizing anxieties about terrorism and invasion to craft immersive titles that transform international strife into interactive fun.

Read more less

People all over the world loved Johnny and June Carter Cash for their charismatic stage presence and soul-stirring music but those who knew them personally remember them best for their warm hospitality and the meals from their kitchen.Family, friends, and fellow artists were always welcomed to a beautiful table set with June's fine linens and china, and crystal with Southern comfort food but also international dishes the couple gathered on tours around the world.In The Cash and Carter Family Cookbook, John Carter Cash shares the stories and recipes that flowed from his family's dinner table including: Johnny's Old Iron-Pot Chili recipe June's Tomato, Red Onion, and Avocado Salad Jamaican Peas and Rice Veal Cutlets with Caper Cream Sauce The family favorites collected here are perfect for an intimate gathering or for hosting a crowd. In addition, the book contains the memories and reminiscences of the musicians and film stars welcomed in the home, from Loretta Lynn and Adam Clayton of U2 to Jane Seymour and Billy Bob Thornton.The Cash and Carter Family Cookbook is the perfect gift for Carter and Cash fans as well as anyone who wants to experience the love, comfort, and hospitality of sitting at Johnny and June's table.

Read more less

Forests are restless. When a tree dies or a new one sprouts, the forest that includes it shifts. When new trees sprout in the same direction, the whole forest begins to migrate, sometimes at astonishing rates. Today, however, an array of obstacles—humans felling trees by the billions, invasive pests transported through global trade—threaten to overwhelm these vital movements. Worst of all, the climate is changing faster than ever before and forests are struggling to keep up. A deft blend of science reporting and travel writing, The Journeys of Trees explores the evolving movements of forests by focusing on five trees: giant sequoia, ash, black spruce, Florida torreya and Monterey pine. Zach St George visits these trees in forests across continents, finding sequoias losing their needles in California, fossil records showing the paths of ancient forests in Alaska, domesticated pines in New Zealand and new sprouts of blight-resistant American chestnuts in New Hampshire. Everywhere he goes, St George meets lively people on conservation’s front lines, from an ecologist studying droughts to an evolutionary evangelist with plans to save a dying species. He treks through the woods with activists, biologists and foresters, each with their own role to play in the fight for the uncertain future of our environment. An eye-opening investigation into forest migration past and present, The Journeys of Trees examines how we can all help our trees, and our planet, survive and thrive.

Read more less

By every measure, Hurricane Sandy was a disaster of epic proportions. The deadliest storm to strike the East Coast since Hurricane Diane in 1955, Sandy killed thirty-seven people and caused more than $30 billion in damages in 2012 to New Jersey alone. But earlier centuries experienced their own catastrophes. In Disaster!, Alan A. Siegel brings readers face-to-face with twenty-eight of the deadliest natural and human-caused calamities to strike New Jersey between 1821 and 1906, ranging from horrific transportation accidents to uncontrolled fires of a kind rarely seen today. As Siegel writes in his introduction, “None of the stories end well—there are dead and injured by the thousands as well as millions in property lost.” Accounts of these fires, steamboat explosions, shipwrecks, train wrecks, and storms are told in the words of the people who experienced the events firsthand, lending a sense of immediacy to each story. Disasters bring out the worst as well as the best in people. Siegel focuses on the bravest individuals, including harbor pilot Thomas Freeborn who drowned while attempting to save fifty passengers and crew of a ship foundering on the Jersey Shore, and Warwicke Greene, a fourteen-year-old schoolboy who rescued the injured “like the hero of an epic poem” after a train wreck in the Hackensack Meadows. These and many other stories of forgotten acts of courage in the face of danger will make Disaster! an unforgettable read.

Read more less

A gripping history of China's deteriorating relationship with Hong Kong, and its implications for the rest of the world.For the 150 years that Hong Kong was a British colony, people, money and technology flowed freely, while Hong Kong residents enjoyed freedoms that simply did not exist in mainland China. When the territory was handed over to China in 1997, the Communist Party promised that Hong Kong would remain highly autonomous for fifty years. Now, at the halfway mark, it is clear that China has not kept its word. Universal suffrage and free elections have not been instituted and activists have been jailed en masse following the decree of a sweeping national security law by Beijing. As China continues to expand its global influence, Hong Kong serves as a chilling preview of how dissenters could be treated in regions that fall under the emerging superpower’s control.A Hong Kong resident from 1992 to 2021, Mark L. Clifford has witnessed this transformation first-hand and has unrivalled access to the full range of the city’s society, from student protestors to billionaire businessmen and senior government officials. A powerful and dramatic mix of history and on-the-ground reporting, Today Hong Kong, Tomorrow the World is the definitive account of one of the most important geopolitical standoffs of our time.

Read more less

The marvelous microbes that made life on Earth possible and support our very existenceFor almost four billion years, microbes had the primordial oceans all to themselves. The stewards of Earth, these organisms transformed the chemistry of our planet to make it habitable for plants, animals, and us. Life's Engines takes readers deep into the microscopic world to explore how these marvelous creatures made life on Earth possible—and how human life today would cease to exist without them.Paul Falkowski looks "under the hood" of microbes to find the engines of life, the actual working parts that do the biochemical heavy lifting for every living organism on Earth. With insight and humor, he explains how these miniature engines are built—and how they have been appropriated by and assembled like Lego sets within every creature that walks, swims, or flies. Falkowski shows how evolution works to maintain this core machinery of life, and how we and other animals are veritable conglomerations of microbes.A vibrantly entertaining book about the microbes that support our very existence, Life's Engines will inspire wonder about these elegantly complex nanomachines that have driven life since its origin. It also issues a timely warning about the dangers of tinkering with that machinery to make it more "efficient" at meeting the ever-growing demands of humans in the coming century.

Read more less

For decades, leaders in higher education have voiced their intention to expand college education to include disadvantaged groups. Colleges have embraced and defended public policies that push back against discrimination and make college more affordable. And yet, as the economist Charles Clotfelter shows, America’s system of undergraduate education was unequal in 1970 and is even more so today.In Unequal Colleges in the Age of Disparity, Clotfelter presents quantitative comparisons across selective and less selective colleges from the 1970s to the present, in exploration of three themes: diversity, competition, and inequality. Diversity shows itself in the variety of colleges’ objectives but also in the disparity of the material and human resources at their disposal. Competition operates through both the supply and the demand sides of the market, with college admissions becoming more meritocratic even as the most desirable colleges choose to contend fiercely for top-tier students rather than accommodate rising numbers of qualified applicants. Clotfelter shows that exclusive colleges have also benefited disproportionately from America’s growing income inequality. As their endowments have ballooned, their students have become more academically advantaged, owing in part to the extraordinary steps affluent families take to groom their children for college admission.Clotfelter finds that despite a revolution in civil rights, billions spent on financial aid, and the commitment of colleges to greater equality, stratification has grown starker. Top colleges cater largely to children of elites.

Read more less

Praise for Private Equity "Harold Bierman has blended an excellent mix of important principles with real case study examples for a better understanding on a rather sophisticated finance subject." -Edward M. Dudley, Vice President & General Auditor, ABB Americas "The role of private equity firms in financing buyouts as well as providing growth capital has expanded significantly in the past decade. In a clear, concise way, Harold Bierman provides a timely and astute analysis of the virtues of private equity as well as creative quantitative methodologies that are applicable to real-life transactions. This book should become essential reading for investors, intermediaries, financial advisors and the management of private, almost private, or soon-to-be private firms." -James A. Rowan Jr., Managing Director, Investment Banking Legg Mason Wood Walker, Inc. "As the private equity asset class has grown to over $300 billion in the last three years, Bierman analyzes the fundamentals behind the investment decisions of this increasingly important sector. Once completing the book, you will understand the fundamental analytical framework underlying private equity investment." -Peter Nolan, Partner, Leonard Green and Partners "In looking at the private equity arena, Professor Bierman has brought together a diverse group of metrics and valuation formulas into a single text. The book provides a valuable combination of academic theory and real-life case studies. It provides many insights." -Peter H. Vogel, Vice President, MeadWestvaco Corporation

Read more less

Transnational Organized Crime and Gangs: Intervention, Prevention, and Suppression of Cybersecurity provides several first-person examples of the mind set and mentality present in today’s transnational organized crime groups combined with a holistic approach towards prevention and intervention in the cybersecurity space. Transnational organized crime groups have tremendous power and money, which means they have the ability to pay hackers to defeat cybersecurity measures. The dangers posed by organized crime groups are nothing new. For decades, these groups have launched sophisticated attacks against individuals as well as major corporations. Billions of dollars have been stolen every year, and large, continuous hacks of our highly sensitive computer systems. What is new, is the acknowledgement that cybersecurity should be high priority for every individual, company, and government entity. While Department of Homeland Security’s involvement in cybersecurity is a step in the right direction, more measures need to be put in place that facilitates collaboration across industries and government entities. Transnational organized criminal elements will continue to find creative and effective ways to use technology for illegal activity. They will continue doing so unless law enforcement works closer with policymakers to enact uniform laws, regulations, and policies beyond current practices. Transnational Organized Crime and Gangs explores effective programs, policies, technologies and builds a body of knowledge to guide future regulations and resources for our criminal justice leaders of tomorrow.

Read more less

More than one billion individuals worldwide experience digestive or gastrointestinal (GI) problems, including acid reflux, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and many others. This book was written with these individuals in mind and to help guide them. In this comprehensive yet high-yield and patient-friendly book, trusted medical expert Dr. James H. Tabibian shares his professional insights and personal experiences to empower patients to gain better understanding of and control over their digestive health. This book addresses questions that commonly arise among those with GI problems, such as “What condition do I really have?”, “Should I be worried?”, “At what point do I need to see a specialist?”, “What should I tell the doctor?”, “Is the doctor ordering the right tests for me?”, “What treatment options are there and which ones work best for me?”, “Am I seeing the right subspecialist for my problem?”, and more. It presents up-to-date scientific knowledge and tenets that are relevant across the spectrum of common GI problems, providing a summary of key concepts, underlying causes of digestive problems, how to best embark on a medical evaluation, and the vast array of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic options. Drawing upon both Western and Eastern methodologies and a combination of integrative and functional medicine, this book provides important practical information to help navigate life with GI problems, the complexities of modern healthcare, and the quest for digestive wellness, debunking misconceptions along the way.

Read more less

'Significantly more engaging and inspiring than the rival Rebel Girls' GUARDIAN 'It's hard to imagine any group of primary-aged children who wouldn't be inspired' BOOKSELLER 'An absolute must-have for every young person’s bookshelf' HUFFINGTON POST Kate Pankhurst, descendent of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, is back with a brand new wildly brilliant and accessible book about incredible women in the world of work. What do you want to be when you grow up? It’s a BIG question that everyone is asked from an early age. Discover eye-opening facts about a collection of go-getting women who have pioneered careers in a kaleidoscope of different industries. · Climb to the top of Everest with fearless mountaineer Junko Tabei · Calculate mind-fizzing formulas with mathematician Katherine Johnson · Make brilliant scientific discoveries with Rosalind Franklin · Travel high up in the sky in a hot-air balloon with Sophie Blanchard Overflowing with beautiful illustrations and astounding facts, Fantastically Great Women Who Worked Wonders is the perfect introduction to just a few of the most incredible women who helped shaped the world we live in. A fantastic gift for girls and boys alike! List of women featured: Junko Tabei, Sophie Blanchard, Maria Merian, Elizabeth Magie, the London Matchgirls, Rosa May Billinghurst, Katherine Johnson, Annette Kellerman, Katia Krafft, Rosalind Franklin, James Barry, Madam C.J. Walker, Lotte Reiniger.

Read more less

Despite popular belief to the contrary, entrepreneurship in the United States is dying. It has been since before the Great Recession of 2008, and the negative trend in American entrepreneurship has been accelerated by the Covid pandemic. New firms are being started at a slower rate, are employing fewer workers, and are being formed disproportionately in just a few major cities in the U.S. At the same time, large chains are opening more locations. Companies such as Amazon with their "deliver everything and anything" are rapidly displacing Main Street businesses. In The New Builders, we tell the stories of the next generation of entrepreneurs -- and argue for the future of American entrepreneurship. That future lies in surprising places -- and will in particular rely on the success of women, black and brown entrepreneurs. Our country hasn't yet even recognized the identities of the New Builders, let alone developed strategies to support them. Our misunderstanding is driven by a core misperception. Consider a "typical" American entrepreneur. Think about the entrepreneur who appears on TV, the business leader making headlines during the pandemic. Think of the type of businesses she or he is building, the college or business school they attended, the place they grew up. The image you probably conjured is that of a young, white male starting a technology business. He's likely in Silicon Valley. Possibly New York or Boston. He's self-confident, versed in the ins and outs of business funding and has an extensive (Ivy League?) network of peers and mentors eager to help his business thrive, grow and make millions, if not billions. You’d think entrepreneurship is thriving, and helping the United States maintain its economic power. You'd be almost completely wrong. The dominant image of an entrepreneur as a young white man starting a tech business on the coasts isn't correct at all. Today's American entrepreneurs, the people who drive critical parts of our economy, are more likely to be female and non-white. In fact, the number of women-owned businesses has increased 31 times between 1972 and 2018 according to the Kauffman Foundation (in 1972, women-owned businesses accounted for just 4.6% of all firms; in 2018 that figure was 40%). The fastest-growing group of female entrepreneurs are women of color, who are responsible for 64% of new women-owned businesses being created. In a few years, we believe women will make up more than half of the entrepreneurs in America. The age of the average American entrepreneur also belies conventional wisdom: It's 42. The average age of the most successful entrepreneurs -- those in the top .01% in terms of their company's growth in the first five years -- is 45. These are the New Builders. Women, people of color, immigrants and people over 40. We're failing them. And by doing so, we are failing ourselves. In this book, you'll learn: How the definition of business success in America today has grown corporate and around the concepts of growth, size, and consumption. Why and how our collective understanding of "entrepreneurship" has dangerously narrowed. Once a broad term including people starting businesses of all types, entrepreneurship has come to describe only the brash technology founders on the way to becoming big. Who are the fastest growing groups of entrepreneurs? What are they working on? What drives them? The real engine that drove Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurs. The government had a much bigger role than is widely known The extent to which entrepreneurs and small businesses are woven through our history, and the ways we have forgotten women and people of color who owned small businesses in the past. How we're increasingly afraid to fail The role small businesses are playing saving the wilderness, small towns and redlined communities What we can do to turn the decline in entrepreneurship around, especially be supporting the people who are courageously starting small companies today.

Read more less

Using Facebook To Acquire More Clients For Your Firm In most law firms, advertising dollars are squandered on antiquated technologies that are unable to reach the right clients at the right times with speed or precision. Not only is the ROI on print, billboard, and TV advertising dreadfully low, it’s also painfully slow—the equivalent of setting bait and trying to fish in a lake that’s already been cleared. But, under the professional guidance of Jacob Malherbe, law firms across the country are learning how to generate content banks of potential clients using Facebook, a far-less time-consuming and more expansive platform than other means of advertising. In The Facebook Effect for Lawyers: Advertising for the Digital Age, Mr. Malherbe will show you how you can use the emotional appeal and aggregating power of social media to build a digital bridge between your law firm and specific groups of potential clients, generating hundreds of thousands of leads. This book is a step-by-step guide on how to launch Facebook pages, create ads, target them to reach the right people, and then how to convert their responses into client contracts so you can help improve the lives of claimants who need your help, all while improving your firm’s bottom line.

Read more less

Richard Branson, who has been called "England's most outrageous billionaire," is also one of the world's most successful business leaders.Since the age of 16, when he founded Student magazine, Branson has been creating companies and finding innovative ways to grow them into the prodigious conglomerate known as the Virgin Group. At the age of 20, Branson founded a mail-order record retailer. Two years later he built a recording studio where the first artist signed to his Virgin label, Mike Oldfield, recorded the haunting soundtrack to The Exorcist. Decades later, industries as varied as entertainment (Virgin Music), retail (Virgin Megastores), transportation (Virgin Airlines), and telecommunications (Virgin Mobile) all bear Branson's business moniker. For the first time, the most thought-provoking, revealing, and inspiring quotes from Branson have been compiled in a single book. Updated and redesigned since its initial publication in 2013 as Virgin Rebel: Richard Branson in His Own Words, this new edition is a comprehensive guidebook to the inner workings of the Virgin Group chairman and founder. Hundreds of Branson's best quotes, comprising thoughts on business, music, entrepreneurship, politics, exploration, and life lessons, provide an intimate and direct look into the mind of this modern business icon.

Read more less

Stephen Spotte, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida, USA Tarpons arose from an ancient lineage, and just two species exist today, confined to the tropics and subtropics: Megalops atlanticus in the western and eastern Atlantic and Megalops cyprinoides distributed widely across the Indo-West Pacific. The Atlantic tarpon is considered king of the saltwater sport fishes and supports a multi-billion dollar recreational fishery in the U.S. alone. The Pacific tarpon, which is much smaller, is less valued by anglers. Both have limited commercial value but offer considerable potential for future aquaculture because of their hardiness, rapid growth, and ease of adaptation to captivity. This book is the latest and most thorough text on the biology, ecology, and fisheries (sport and commercial) of tarpons. The chapters comprise clear, intricate discourses on such subjects as early development and metamorphosis, population genetics, anatomical and physiological features and adaptations, migrations, reproductive biology, and culminate with a concise overview of the world's tarpon fisheries. A comprehensive appendix includes Spotte's original translations of important papers published previously by others in Spanish and Portuguese and unavailable until now to English readers. Tarpons: Biology, Ecology, Fisheries will be of considerable interest and use to fishery and research biologists, marine conservationists, aquaculturists, and informed anglers

Read more less

In the host clubs of Tokyo's Kabuki-chō red-light district, ambitious young men seek their fortunes by selling love, romance, companionship, and sometimes sex to female consumers for exorbitant sums of money. Staged Seduction reveals a world where all intimacies and feigned feelings are fair game for the hosts who employ feathered bangs, polished nails, fine European suits, and the sensitivity of the finest salesmen to create a fantasy for wealthy women seeking an escape from the everyday. Akiko Takeyama's investigation of this beguiling underground "love business" provides an intimate window into Japanese host clubs and the lives of hosts, clients, club owners, and managers. The club is a place where fantasies are pursued and the art of seduction isn't merely about romance; a complex set of transactions emerges. Like a casino of love, the host club is a site of desperation, aspiration, and hope, in which both hosts and clients are eager to roll the dice. Takeyama reveals the aspirational mode not only of the host club, but also of a Japanese society built on the commercialization of aspiration, seducing its citizens out of the present and into a future where hopes and dreams are imaginable—and billions of dollars can be made.

Read more less

In mid-2015, Volkswagen proudly reached its goal of surpassing Toyota as the world’s largest automaker. A few months later, the EPA disclosed that Volkswagen had installed software in 11 million cars that deceived emissions-testing mechanisms. By early 2017, VW had settled with American regulators and car owners for $20 billion, with additional lawsuits still looming. In Faster, Higher, Farther, Jack Ewing rips the lid off the conspiracy. He describes VW’s rise from “the people’s car” during the Nazi era to one of Germany’s most prestigious and important global brands, touted for being “green.” He paints vivid portraits of Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piëch and chief executive Martin Winterkorn, arguing that the corporate culture they fostered drove employees, working feverishly in pursuit of impossible sales targets, to illegal methods. Unable to build cars that could meet emissions standards in the United States honestly, engineers were left with no choice but to cheat. Volkswagen then compounded the fraud by spending millions marketing “clean diesel,” only to have the lie exposed by a handful of researchers on a shoestring budget, resulting in a guilty plea to criminal charges in a landmark Department of Justice case. Faster, Higher, Farther reveals how the succeed-at-all-costs mentality prevalent in modern boardrooms led to one of corporate history’s farthest-reaching cases of fraud—with potentially devastating consequences.

Read more less

As a leader, changing your mind has always been perceived as a weakness. Not anymore. In a world that's changing faster than ever, successful leaders realize that a genuine willingness to change their own minds is the ultimate competitive advantage. Drawing on evidence from social science, history, politics, and more, business consultant Al Pittampalli reveals why confidence, consistency, and conviction, are increasingly becoming liabilities-while humility, inconsistency, and radical open-mindedness are powerful leadership assets. In Persuadable, you'll learn how Ray Dalio became the most successful hedge fund manager in the world by strategically curbing confidence. How Alan Mullaly saved Ford Motor Company, not by staying the course, but by continually changing course. How one Nobel Prize-winning scientist discovered the cause of ulcers by bravely doubting his own entrenched beliefs. You'll learn how Billy Graham's change of heart helped propel the civil rights movement, and how a young NFL linebacker's radical new position may prove to alter the world of professional football as we know it. Pittampalli doesn't just explain why you should be persuadable. Distilling cutting edge research from cognitive and social psychology, he shows you precisely how. Rife with actionable advice, Persuadable is an invaluable guide for today's data-driven, results-oriented leader.

Read more less

The hardback of this first and authorised biography received very good reviews and immediately reprinted. It tells the story of one of the heroines of post-war British comedy, on radio, film and TV. Hattie Jacques is known as the billowing, imposing Matron in the Carry On films, as the star of such BBC radio classics as ITMA, Educating Archie and Hancock’ s Half Hour, and as the fictional sister of Eric Sykes in his long-running TV sitcom. But the formidable, frumpy galleon-in-full-sail screen persona could not have been more at odds with the real-life woman, as this biography reveals for the first time. She had a tempestuous wartime affair with an American officer, and then a strange marriage to the actor John le Mesurier (Corporal Wilson in Dad’ s Army) whose dissatisfactions she circumnavigated by moving her lover, a flashy Cockney car dealer, into the matrimonial home. But as well as being warm and sexy and generous she was also, owing to her lifelong struggle with her weight, needy and melancholic, and rueful that her size persistently typecast her and excluded her from many roles. This biography has been written with full co-operation from Hattie’ s son, and show business friends like Barbara Windsor, Clive Dunn, Galton and Simpson and Ian Carmichael.

Read more less

Celebrate Korean culture whilst learning about its past and present in this stunning and fascinating guide. In recent years, Korean popular culture has taken the form of a tidal wave sweeping over the West. Whether it’s music, film, drama series, fashion or cuisine, South Korea is establishing itself as a key player on the world stage. And the Korean Wave (Hallyu) shows no sign of stopping. Even before Squid Game and the award-winnning film Parasite, K-pop had become a $5 billion industry and Korean food had become the exciting new regional cuisine in restaurants and bars. K Culture will reveal all aspects of South Korea's way of life, both historically and in its new found fame. Including sections on K-pop bands, cinema, drama, art, comics, food, fashion and night-life, with features within each section on the best films, shows, stars, artists etc. – this book offers different gateways into contemporary South Korea and what drives it. Also highlighted is the global influence, with a focus on eight cities from around the world (including London, Paris, Berlin, Toronto, New York and L.A.) that have embraced this dynamic culture. This book is a stunning, informative and fun handbook to the Korean Wave.

Read more less

In Pharmanomics, investigative journalist Nick Dearden digs down into the way we produce our medicines and finds that Big Pharma is failing us, with catastrophic consequences.Big Pharma is more interested in profit than health. This was made clear as governments rushed to produce vaccines during the Covid pandemic. Behind the much-trumpeted scientific breakthroughs, major companies found new ways of gouging billions from governments in the West while abandoning the Global South. But this is only the latest episode in a long history of financialising medicine - from Purdue's rapacious marketing of highly addictive OxyContin, through Martin Shkreli's hiking the price of a lifesaving drug, to the 4.5 million South Africans needlessly deprived of HIV/AIDS medication.Since the 1990s, Big Pharma has gone out of its way to protect its property through the patent system. As a result, the business has focused not on researching new medicines but on building monopolies. This system has helped restructure our economy away from invention and production in order to benefit financial markets. It has fundamentally reshaped the relationship between richer and poorer countries, as the access to new medicines and the permission to manufacture them is ruthlessly policed. In response, Dearden offers a pathway to a fairer, safer system for all.

Read more less

Discover the fascinating story behind the rise of a new pop icon: Dua Lipa.When Dua Lipa was eleven, her music teacher told her she wasn’t good enough to join her school choir – her husky voice couldn’t reach the high notes.Now, she’s a global star. Her songs are pop anthems, streamed billions of times; she’s collaborated with everyone from Calvin Harris and Miley Cyrus to Madonna and Elton John; she’s won Grammys, BRITs and MTV awards; and she’s the biggest homegrown talent to emerge from the UK music scene since Ed Sheeran and Adele. Dua’s rise has been all the more impressive given that her Kosovan parents arrived in London as refugees, but her determination, hard work and undeniable voice have seen her transcend these humble beginnings, all while remaining fiercely proud of her heritage.In this revealing biography from the publishers of Harry, Ariana and Adele, pop music journalist Caroline Sullivan charts Dua’s incredible journey to pop superstardom. Spanning everything from her mainstream breakthrough to her sold-out Future Nostalgia Tour, and exploring her influences, activism and high-profile personal life, it paints the most complete portrait yet of this icon in the making.

Read more less

#1 New York Times bestseller C.J. Box returns with a new Joe Pickett novel. THE TIME HAS COME It's a crisp October morning in Wyoming's Twelve Sleep County, and game warden Joe Pickett should be keeping watch over his patch. Instead, the state governor has roped him into leading Silicon Valley billionaire Steven Price on a hunting trip. The department is facing major budget cuts and Price's social media empire could bring serious business into the state – if someone can persuade him of Wyoming's charms. It looks like a straightforward job, but unbeknownst to Joe, there is a hunter hot on their heels, one with a different manner of prey in mind. When Joe's daughter Sheridan and his closest friend Nate Romanowksi learn of the threat, they head out to rescue Joe and his charge. To get out of the woods alive, they will all have to draw on their wits and knowledge of the outdoors as they confront the worst man – and nature – can throw at them. Praise for C.J. Box: 'Heart-stoppingly good' Daily Mail 'Solid-gold A-list must-read' Lee Child 'I love Joe Pickett' Michael Connelly 'Exhilarating... Gung-ho stuff' Sunday Times 'Box is an exemplary writer of crime novels' Financial Times

Read more less

'The plot is twisty, edgy and dynamic enough to keep us hanging on until the chilling denouement' DAILY MAILAn edge-of-your-seat thriller that merges the twists of a psychological-mystery with the investigative layers of a procedural . . .THEY KNOW WHAT YOU DID You receive a call, an email, a text – someone knows your secret and they want to ruin you.AND THEY’RE OUT FOR BLOOD If you don’t do what they say, they’ll tell everyone what you’ve been hiding. They will come after you, destroy you, and they aren’t afraid to kill. IT’S TIME TO PLAY THE GAMEReaders love Luca Veste's novels . . . ​ ‘One of my favourite novels of 2020' READER REVIEW 'Dark and difficult to put down, a must read' READER REVIEW 'Reminded me somewhat of Adrian McGinty’s The Chain' READER REVIEW High-concept serial killer thriller with twists and heart. Stunning' STEVE CAVANAGH 'A fast-paced mystery about friendships, secrets and fears with a twist in the tail that fooled me completely' CHRIS EWAN ‘Properly Stephen King-style creepy’ IAN RANKIN ‘Perfectly terrifying' AMANDA JENNINGS ‘A dark and brilliant thriller from a writer who just gets better and better’ MARK BILLINGHAM ‘An entertainingly nasty piece of work' CHRISTOPHER BROOKMYRE

Read more less

Become empowered to build and maintain smarter cities At its core, a smart city is a collection of technological responses to the growing demands, challenges, and complexities of improving the quality of life for billions of people now living in urban centers across the world. The movement to create smarter cities is still in its infancy, but ambitious and creative projects in all types of cities—big and small—around the globe are beginning to make a big difference. New ideas, powered by technology, are positively changing how we move humans and products from one place to another; create and distribute energy; manage waste; combat the climate crisis; build more energy efficient buildings; and improve basic city services through digitalization and the smart use of data. Inside this book you’ll find out: What it really means to create smarter cities How our urban environments are being transformed Big ideas for improving the quality of life for communities Guidance on how to create a smart city strategy The essential role of data in building better cities The major new technologies ready to make a difference in every community Smart Cities For Dummies will give you the knowledge to understand this important topic in depth and be ready to be an agent of change in your community.

Read more less

They are the world's best - the professional investors at the head of global investment funds and the mavericks operating from behind nothing more than a laptop and a point of view; some with millions of pounds at their disposal and the fate of companies and customers' savings hanging on their decisions, others with nothing more (or less) than their reputation and their own fortune on the line. What sets them apart from the thousands of other investors out there is their track record. The professional investors who have contributed to this book include multiple award winners, fund managers who have managed to double or triple investment returns every two years, as well as the heads and founders of firms with billions - occasionally trillions - under management and half a century of profits to which they can point. There are no better investors to learn from when making your own way in the markets, and this book is the indispensable collection of the secrets behind their success, straight from the investors themselves.Featuring the investing rules of award-winning experts in Asian, Latin American and Western markets, contrarian specialists, mutual fund managers and more, "Professional Investor Rules" is a compelling snapshot of some of today's best investing minds. No investor can afford to be without it.

Read more less

After World War II, America’s religious denominations spent billions on church architecture as they spread into the suburbs. In this richly illustrated history of midcentury modern churches in the Midwest, Gretchen Buggeln shows how architects and suburban congregations joined forces to work out a vision of how modernist churches might help reinvigorate Protestant worship and community. The result is a fascinating new perspective on postwar architecture, religion, and society.Drawing on the architectural record, church archives, and oral histories, The Suburban Church focuses on collaborations between architects Edward D. Dart, Edward A. Sövik, Charles E. Stade, and seventy-five congregations. By telling the stories behind their modernist churches, the book describes how the buildings both reflected and shaped developments in postwar religion—its ecumenism, optimism, and liturgical innovation, as well as its fears about staying relevant during a time of vast cultural, social, and demographic change.While many scholars have characterized these congregations as “country club” churches, The Suburban Church argues that most were earnest, well-intentioned religious communities caught between the desire to serve God and the demands of a suburban milieu in which serving middle-class families required most of their material and spiritual resources.

Read more less

How the unique island city came to be a major tourist destination Key West lies at the southernmost point of the continental United States, ninety miles from Cuba, at Mile Marker 0 on famed U.S. Highway 1. Famous for six-toed cats in the Hemingway House, Sloppy Joe’s and Captain Tony's, Jimmy Buffett songs, body paint parade "costumes," and a brief secession from the Union after which the Conch Republic asked for $1 billion in foreign aid, Key West also lies at the metaphorical edge of our sensibilities.How this unlikely city came to be a tourist mecca is the subject of Robert Kerstein's intrepid new history. Sited on an island only four miles long and two miles wide, Key West has been fishing village, salvage yard, U.S. Navy base, cigar factory, hippie haven, gay enclave, cruise ship port-of-call, and more. Duval Street, which stretches the length of one of the most unusual cities in America, is today lined with brand-name shops that can be found in any major shopping mall in America.Leaving no stone unturned, Kerstein reveals how Key West has changed dramatically over the years while holding on to the uniqueness that continues to attract tourists and new residents to the island.

Read more less

First Published in 2001. Sharp criticism was recently focused on Switzerland for its doings during World War II and the Swiss banks' policies with respect to dormant assets belonging to victims of the Holocaust, in a process that lasted more than two years, from spring 1996 to fall 1998. Through the determined action of interested parties, the whole process evolved into a violent crisis with an international dimension. This crisis finally came to an end when an overall settlement was reached under which the foremost Swiss banks agreed to pay $1.25 billion to the Jewish organisations and Holocaust victims who had taken up legal action before the American courts. The aim of this book is to lay bare the mechanics of this crisis that so violently shook Switzerland and harmed its international image. It endeavours to show how and why organisations and governments heaped attack on Switzerland. The declared and perfectly legitimate cause of the crisis was that of seeing justice for the victims of the Holocaust. Behind that lay a hidden agenda only a closer look can bring to light. The proposals made here open up an important area of discussion as international policymakers seek peace and stability in the post-Cold War world.

Read more less

Silver Medal, 2023 Nautilus Book Awards in the category of Ecology and EnvironmentAmid environmental catastrophe, it is vital to recall what unites all forms of life. We share characteristics and genetic material extending back billions of years. More than that, we all—from humans to plants to bacteria—share a planet. We are all Earthlings.Adrian Parr calls on us to understand ourselves as existing with and among the many forms of Earthling life. She argues that human survival requires us to recognize our interdependent relationships with the other species and systems that make up life on Earth. In a series of meditations, Earthlings portrays the wonder and beauty of life with deep feeling, vivid detail, and an activist spirit. Parr invites readers to travel among the trees of the Amazonian rainforest; take flight with birds and butterflies migrating through the skies; and plunge into the oceans with whales and polar bears—as well as to encounter bodies infected with deadly viruses and maimed by the violence of global capitalism.Combining poetic observation with philosophical contemplation and scientific evidence, Parr offers a moving vision of a world in upheaval and a potent manifesto for survival. Earthlings is both a joyful celebration of the magnificence of the biosphere and an urgent call for action to save it.

Read more less

Karl and Rosa's family watch in horror as Hitler's troops parade down the streets of their home city -- Vienna. It has become very dangerous to be a Jew in Austria, and after their uncle is sent to Dachau, Karl and Rosa's parents decide to send the children out of the country on a Kindertransport, one of the many ships carrying refugee children away from Nazi danger. Isolated and homesick, Karl ends up in Millisle, a run-down farm in Ards in Northern Ireland, which has become a Jewish refugee centre, while Rosa is fostered by a local family. Hard work on the farm keeps Karl occupied, although he still waits desperately for any news from home. Then he makes friends with locals Peewee and Wee Billy, and also with the girls from neutral Dublin who come to help on the farm, especially Judy. But Northern Ireland is in the war too, with rationing and air-raid warnings, and, in April 1941 the bombs of the Belfast Blitz bring the reality of war right to their doorstep. And for Karl and Rosa and the other refugees there is the constant fear that they may never see their parents again. Based on a true story -- there was a refugee farm at Millisle and among its occupants was a young boy called Karl.

Read more less

With this guide, you'll have access to key information on about 2,000 grant-makers, each with the potential to give around GBP50,000 or more per year. The UK's best-selling guide to funding from grant-making charities is back in its 28th edition. The Directory of Grant Making Trusts offers the information you need to seek your charity's share of over GBP5.6 billion - the annual total awarded by the 2,000 funders featured in this edition. With data sourced from grant-making charities, each with the potential to give around GBP50,000 or more per year, no charity - big or small - should be without it. This is the key information source for fundraisers, with which you can save time on finding funding prospects, target the grant-makers most relevant to your charity and discover funders you might not have known existed. What does it cover? This flagship guide to grant-makers includes: Concise information and contact details for every entry Total amounts of funding available for each grant-maker Examples of beneficiaries in each listing, for guidance on the types of projects previously funded Extensive indexes divided by geographical area, field of interest and type of beneficiary, type of organisation, and type of grant available Each grant-maker's description of project types that can or cannot qualify for funding

Read more less

A monumental oral biography filled with raucous joy, aching loss and terrible poignancy, Elvis & the Memphis Mafia is the first book to capture the King – the man and the phenomenon – in his full complexity. Through revealing interviews with three of Elvis’ s closest friends, who were also his protectors and rescuers, Nash achieves the first true mapping of Elvis’ s psyche. Billy Smith – Elvis’ s first cousin and the person he reputedly loved most after his own mother – Marty Lacker – best man at his wedding and foreman of the ‘ Memphis Mafia’ , the King’ s handpicked group of gatekeepers and confidants – and Lamar Fike – the touring crew member who accompanied him into the Army – were with Elvis from his teens to his final days and provide unique access to the greatest of all rock and roll legends. The revelations cut through every aspect of Elvis’ s life, from the childhood seeds of his drug dependency, through his fear for his mother’ s life and his plan to change his identity, to his bizarre self-mutilation. No one who reads this symphonic blending of three proud, ribald, sad and ultimately wistful voices can fail to be profoundly moved.

Read more less

One of the best guide books ... all that you need to ensure a thoroughly enjoyable do-it-yourself Outlander tour.' – Outlander Home Page 'Beautifully presented ... and the print quality of the book is top-notch.' – Scottish Field 'Billow and breeze, islands and seas, Mountains of rain and sun...' Since 18th-century Highland warrior Jamie Fraser and resourceful 20th century medic, Claire Randall first met on screen in 2014, millions of viewers have been swept away by the Outlander TV series to the wild hills and craggy castles of Scotland. Now you can follow in the footsteps of Claire and Jamie with this guide to the inspiring locations where Diana Gabaldon’s novels were set and the hit tv show were filmed. From the ancient cobbled streets, gabled palace and herb garden of Culross, which became fictional Cranesmuir, to the iconic 1960s Pathfoot Building at the University of Stirling, which Claire’s daughter Brianna visits on her first trip to Scotland, you can time-travel through centuries. In Scotland, different eras coexist and collide – just as they do in Outlander. Focusing on easy day trips from the characterful cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow – themselves jam-packed with Outlander locations – this guide will tell you about the most rewarding sights, when to visit them and how to get there.

Read more less

'A brilliant book packed with powerful insights from the world's most successful investors' Tony Robbins 'A profound, eloquent, and much-needed call for a reassessment of how we build our portfolios and live our lives' Stig Brodersen 'A classic ... for generations, will define what it means to be a better investor and a better human' Guy Spier Billionaire investors. If we think of them, it's with a mixture of awe and suspicion. Clearly, they possess a kind of genius - the proverbial Midas Touch. But are the skills they possess transferable? And would we really want to be them? Do they have anything to teach us besides making money? In Richer, Wiser, Happier, award-winning journalist William Green has spent nearly twenty-five years interviewing these investing wizards and discovered that their talents expand well beyond the financial realm and into practical philosophy. Green ushers us into the lives of more than forty of the world's super-investors, visiting them in their offices, vacation homes, and even their places of worship - all to share what they have to teach us. Green brings together the thinking of some of the best investors, from Warren Buffett to Howard Marks to John Templeton, and provides gems of insight that will enrich you not only financially but also professionally and personally.

Read more less

Winner, 2021 PROSE Award in the Cultural Anthropology & Sociology Category Finalist, 2021 Lambda Literary Award in LGBTQ Studies A troubling account of heterosexual desire in the era of #MeToo Heterosexuality is in crisis. Reports of sexual harassment, misconduct, and rape saturate the news in the era of #MeToo. Straight men and women spend thousands of dollars every day on relationship coaches, seduction boot camps, and couple’s therapy in a search for happiness. In The Tragedy of Heterosexuality, Jane Ward smartly explores what, exactly, is wrong with heterosexuality in the twenty-first century, and what straight people can do to fix it for good. She shows how straight women, and to a lesser extent straight men, have tried to mend a fraught patriarchal system in which intimacy, sexual fulfillment, and mutual respect are expected to coexist alongside enduring forms of inequality, alienation, and violence in straight relationships. Ward also takes an intriguing look at the multi-billion-dollar self-help industry, which markets goods and services to help heterosexual couples without addressing the root of their problems. Ultimately, she encourages straight men and women to take a page out of queer culture, reminding them “about the human capacity to desire, fuck, and show respect at the same time.”

Read more less

'Astonishing' - New Scientist Icy, rocky, sometimes dusty, always mysterious – comets and asteroids are among the Solar System’s very oldest inhabitants, formed within a swirling cloud of gas and dust in the area of space that eventually hosted the Sun and its planets. Locked within each of these extra-terrestrial objects is the 4.6-billion-year wisdom of Solar System events, and by studying them at close quarters using spacecraft we can coerce them into revealing their closely-guarded secrets. This offers us the chance to answer some fundamental questions about our planet and its inhabitants. Exploring comets and asteroids also allows us to shape the story of Earth’s future, enabling us to protect our precious planet from the threat of a catastrophic impact from space, and maybe to even recover valuable raw materials from them. This cosmic bounty could be as useful in space as it is on Earth, providing the necessary fuel and supplies for humans as they voyage into deep space to explore more distant locations within the Solar System. Catching Stardust tells the story of these enigmatic celestial objects, revealing how scientists are using them to help understand a crucial time in our history – the birth of the Solar System, and everything contained within it.

Read more less

An action plan for working as a consultant Management consulting is a $250 billion industry and growing at a rate of over four percent annually. Many predict that more than 40 percent of the U.S. workforce will soon be contingent, freelance, or consulting members of the workforce—making this book more relevant than ever. Individuals become independent consultants out of necessity or preference: necessity because they lost their job or the company offered an attractive exit package; preference because they want a career change, more control over their time, or an enriched, varied work situation. Consulting also appeals to the Millennial workforce who are searching for careers that offer a good salary as well as meaningful work. The New Consultant’s Quick Start Guide: • Serves as a companion to The New Business of Consulting • Provides you with a place to plan your transition into consulting • Helps you identify your niche, develop a business plan, charge what you’re worth, and create a marketing strategy to ensure a steady stream of clients • Prepares you for changes you will encounter beyond your professional life, including social, family, and financial aspects The New Consultant’s Quick Start Guide helps you work through the challenges of consulting such as working alone, deciding on necessary insurance coverage, finding your first clients, struggling with cash flow, and understanding market trends.

Read more less

Since 2008, financial firms have paid, in aggregate, in excess of $320 billion in fines related to misconduct. Nearly ten years later, while many large financial firms have increased their attention to bad behavior and cultural drivers, the degree of commitment and progress in these efforts has not been even across the industry. Serious or persistent misconduct continues in some firms. Many organizations have attempted to curb bad behavior through intrusive monitoring and enforcement actions which reflect a lack of trust in their employees. A different approach is needed, one that gets at the root causes of misconduct and attempts to rebuild culture from the bottom up, with the employee at the center. This is where tools from behavioral science can help senior risk officers, compliance and business heads better understand the mind-set of their employees and internal communities and create an environment where the link between ethical behavior and strong business results is promoted. If firms continue to fail in establishing stronger internal cultures, regulators may feel compelled to step in and dictate what they should do. This book emphasizes the need for a change in approach, looking at the increased incidence of misconduct and culture breakdown since the 2008 crisis, how regulators have responded, and includes a series of proposals to restore that trust and reform culture.

Read more less