Search results for ""author gold"

For all our nostalgia about the “Golden Age of Air Travel”, it was more mythical than we like to think. As with other forms of transport then, until the 1970s, commercial and military aviation were strictly gendered and racist divisions of labour, both in the cockpit and cabin – piloting was a lifetime career for white men, “stewardessing” a temporary one for women. Western culture was built upon images of men as chivalrous knights, cowboys, and soldiers — all living rugged manly lives, their greatest joy the comradeship on cattle drives, or men-of-war or in the trenches. In reality, by the beginning of the twentieth century, few males had ever been cowboys or seen active military service. Nevertheless, fueled by paperback novels and later Hollywood, the mythology persisted. National identity was defined by masculinity- in the United States it was the cowboy, in Australia the “digger” and in Canada, the lumberjack, the Mountie and since the last war, the air ace. Women in pulp fiction and movies were either the faithful forgiving wife and mother, the schoolmarm - or the dance hall prostitute. Pilots were defined by their training, professionalism, and their courage in the air. To frightened passengers – and that was everyone then, whoever sat in the flight deck was omnipotent. One learned professor even cited Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, proposing that those who became pilots had evolved from birds and the remainder of humanity from fish and would never be able to fly a plane! Women were defined by their domesticity as mothers and homemakers. Airlines recruited them for their femininity, to be substitute mothers, wives, and daughters to look after male clientele. “The association of commercial flying and maleness” wrote Albert James Mills in “Sex, Strategy and the Stratosphere: the gendering of airline cultures.” was largely achieved through the exclusion of women.”

Read more less

Fleabag meets I Am Legend in this extraordinary novel of one woman's survival in the face of the end of the world . . . December 2023. The human race has fought a deadly virus and lost. The only things left from the world before are burning cities and rotting corpses.But in London, one woman is still alive.Although she may be completely unprepared for her new existence, as someone who has spent her life trying to fit in, being alone is surprisingly liberating.Determined to discover if she really is the last survivor on earth, she sets off on an extraordinary adventure, with only an abandoned golden retriever named Lucky for company.Maybe she'll find a better life or maybe she'll die along the way. But whatever happens, the end of everything will be her new beginning.***'A riotous, black-humoured tonic' Independent'A masterpiece of modern fiction' Sophie Cousens'Fresh, frank, funny' Elizabeth Kay'Brilliant. Creepy, witty, laugh-out-loud and shudder-inducing' Harriet Walker'Harrowing, unflinching and uplifting' Jennifer Saint'Original, brutal, funny and hugely addictive!' Emma Cooper***A 5 star read!' I LOVED this book. I scurried through it in one sitting, couldn't stop reading it for the life of me. Then at the end I cried because it was over' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'It reads like a dream . . . with every single word perfectly plotted to create a story like no other. Sometimes I laughed, sometimes I cried, but I always related and I never wanted it to end' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'From the very first page of this book I knew it was going to be a winner . . . This is a story of strength, determination and self discovery' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'If I could have made a list of all the things that I'd want an apocalypse novel to include, this book would check off every single box' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Terrifying, appalling, gory, explicit, laugh out loud funny and practically every other known emotion. This book has it all' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Read more less

Has there ever been a stranger idea in the vehicle world than putting a house on wheels and taking it on holiday? However odd it may seem, it's an idea that has caught on. Today there are 15 million recreational vehicles, or RVs', on the roads of Europe, the USA and Australasia. So how did this fascinating family of vehicles come about? Who were the first recreational nomads, what made them want to take to the road just for pleasure and what did the first RVs look like? The wild ideas of RV pioneers around the world led to both streamlined successes and spectacular failures. This history beautifully illustrates the vehicles and exploits of the early RV mavericks with over 250 period photos of the vehicles, their builders and their owners. It explores the evolution of the RV from its horse-drawn roots through the steam era to the golden age of 1930s caravans and motorhomes. Many rare photos of early RVs were uncovered during the research for this book and are being published for the first time. These photos shed new light on the history of the RV. The RV family is a global one, with six countries in particular having a strong RV heritage - the UK, USA, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. In a world first, this history compares the early evolution of RV design and usage in each country. Also featured is an international gallery of RVs adapted for non-recreational purposes. By portraying not just the vehicles but also the trends, people and fashions of the period, this unique RV history reveals the remarkable early days of transport-based tourism and leisure. Andrew Woodmansey's engaging account of the early days of the RV will appeal not only to RV enthusiasts but also to anyone with an interest in how vehicles set us free to roam the world.

Read more less

'Daisy Waugh's featherlight satires are as refreshing and uplifting as a glass of chilled vintage champagne. . . Imagine Agatha Christie on laughing gas' TimesThe Todes are back, and they're taking on Hollywood . . .When Hollywood wants to do a remake of the film that made Tode Hall famous, India and Egbert are delighted. They envisage a summer of free money and star-studded dinner parties ahead . . . But the Hall is soon overrun by wardrobe trucks and catering tents, and lusty, insecure actors squabbling about nudity clauses. When the movie's producers threaten to sue over the exact colour of Tode Hall's rolling lawns, India and Egbert realise that having a film crew on their doorstep isn't such a breeze after all. With so many egos in one place things were bound to end badly, but no one would have predicted quite so literal a backstabbing . . .'A glorious satire on aristocratic manners and mores, with a smidgeon of murder thrown in, Waugh's hilarious and entirely original twist on the country house murder mystery is 'a perfect antidote to all the real-life craziness going on' Daily MailPraise for the Todes 'Witty, well-written and determinedly entertaining . . . the perfect book for the staycation' Catholic Herald'I couldn't put it down' Santa Montefiore'A delightful treat' The Lady'Deliciously entertaining' Andrew Wilson'An irresistible champagne bubble of pleasure and laughter' Rachel Johnson'A perfect antidote to wintry gloom' The Literary Review'What a triumph!' Antonia Fraser'A masterclass in how to write a rollicking good read' Sarah Vine'A jolly farce that never takes itself too seriously' Red Magazine'Fizzles, crackles and sparkles' Elizabeth Buchan'A work of sublime silliness' Simon Brett'An effervescent madcap whodunnit' Metro'A marvellous rollicking read' Mary Killen'She's skewered her targets brilliantly' Imogen Edwards-Jones'This contemporary take on a golden age mystery is simply wonderful.' Belfast Telegraph

Read more less

An interactive touch and feel book for babies with lovable, furry bunnies and read-aloud text! Tactile elements and delightful imagery will encourage the development of motor skills and early learning. Baby Touch and Feel: Bunny is an interactive and fun way to help your child learn not only words but shapes and textures too. Bold, bright pictures and colorful animal-inspired illustrations will be more than enough to keep your baby’s attention. This adorable picture book is a perfect first book for toddlers and makes for an ideal baby gift.Meet cute bunnies and read all about their long ears and furry tails! Not too big and not too small, this sturdy, padded sensory book is just the right size for little hands to hold. No need for Mom and Dad to turn the pages! Babies and toddlers can turn the tough board book pages themselves, which helps to develop their fine motor skills while building an early language foundation. This charming board book for babies includes: - An amazing range of different textures to explore.- Cleary labeled pictures and a simple, easy to follow design.- Easy to read text to encourage early vocabulary building.- A texture or eye-catching area on every page.- Rounded edges and chunky pages, protecting babies and their growing teeth.Learning to read should always be this fun. Kids will get hours of play from this sturdy board book for babies and toddlers, from making the noises and reading the names to feeling the different textures, like the soft fur of a golden bunny. This touchy-feely book, with its strong, baby-safe cover, makes for an ideal baby gift. Packed full of shiny objects and some bumps and grooves, this educational book will engage small children and stimulate early childhood development in different ways. Complete the SeriesThis delightful book is part of the Baby Touch and Feel range of board books for babies and toddlers from DK Books and includes titles like Baby Touch and Feel I Love You, Baby Touch and Feel Bedtime, Baby Touch and Feel Colors and Shapes, and more for your little one to enjoy!

Read more less

An interactive touch and feel book for babies with lovable, furry bunnies and read-aloud text! Tactile elements and delightful imagery will encourage the development of motor skills and early learning. Baby Touch and Feel: Bunny is an interactive and fun way to help your child learn not only words but shapes and textures too. Bold, bright pictures and colourful animal-inspired illustrations will be more than enough to keep your baby's attention. This adorable picture book is a perfect first book for toddlers and makes for an ideal baby gift.Meet cute bunnies and read all about their long ears and furry tails! Not too big and not too small, this sturdy, padded sensory book is just the right size for little hands to hold. No need for Mum and Dad to turn the pages! Babies and toddlers can turn the tough board book pages themselves, which helps to develop their fine motor skills while building an early language foundation. This charming board book for babies includes: - An amazing range of different textures to explore.- Cleary labeled pictures and a simple, easy to follow design.- Easy to read text to encourage early vocabulary building.- A texture or eye-catching area on every page.- Rounded edges and chunky pages, protecting babies and their growing teeth.Learning to read should always be this fun. Kids will get hours of play from this sturdy board book for babies and toddlers, from making the noises and reading the names to feeling the different textures, like the soft fur of a golden bunny. This touchy-feely book, with its strong, baby-safe cover, makes for an ideal baby gift. Packed full of shiny objects and some bumps and grooves, this educational book will engage small children and stimulate early childhood development in different ways. Complete the SeriesThis delightful book is part of the Baby Touch and Feel range of board books for babies and toddlers from DK Books and includes titles like Baby Touch and Feel I Love You, Baby Touch and Feel Bedtime, Baby Touch and Feel Colours and Shapes, and more for your little one to enjoy!

Read more less

An interactive pop-up book that inspires hands-on learning with the help of magical mermaid friends! Tactile elements and delightful imagery will encourage the development of motor skills and early learning.Bold, brightly coloured pictures, lift-the-flap pages and entertaining rhymes, Pop up Peekaboo: Mermaid provides lots of opportunities for parent-and-child interaction and hours of enchanting underwater mermaid fun. Journey through the ocean and find all the magical mermaid friends getting ready to go to the Mermaid Queen's birthday ball!Babies and toddlers will love lifting the big flaps to find five peekaboo surprises pop up from the pages: Rainbow Raya beneath some shells, Musical Millie behind the coral playing her golden lyre, Cupcake Cory among the sea plants with the Queen's birthday cake, Dancing Dara behind a sea cave, and of course the Mermaid Queen. Vocabulary about mermaids, fish and various sea creatures are carefully woven throughout, making this board book a fun and easy story about sparkly mermaids. Inside the pages of this adventure pop-up book, you'll find:- Hands-on play that builds confident book skills.- Look-and-find peekaboo games that reward curiosity.- Rhythmic, read-aloud text that aids language development.- Rounded edges and chunky board book pages, protecting babies and their growing teeth!This pop-up book has been designed as an all-round activity learning experience, to get the most out of story time. Read aloud the lively rhymes that create the amusing story for your kids to follow, and play a guessing game of who is behind the flap! The rhymes and the easy-to-read text help little ones remember the new words they are learning for early language development. This interactive book for 2-year-olds helps teach young children object permanence, which is an important step in childhood development. Turning the pages and moving the pop-ups helps toddlers learn motor control for improved dexterity.Complete the Pop-Up book series!Surprise! The peekaboo fun doesn't stop here! Your little one will enjoy hours of hide-and-seek surprises with the My Pop-Up series. Find your farmyard friends with Pop-Up Peekaboo! Farm, search the oceans in Pop-Up Peekaboo! Under the Sea and travel back in time to find dinosaurs in Pop-up Peekaboo! Baby Dinosaur and more!

Read more less

'A must for fans and rock buffs' The Sun'Fascinating read' PowerplayJudas Priest formed in Birmingham in 1969. With its distinctive twin-guitar sound, studs-and-leather image, and international sales of over 50 million records, Judas Priest became the archetypal heavy metal band in the 1980s. Iconic tracks like 'Breaking the Law', 'Living after Midnight', and 'You've Got Another Thing Coming' helped the band achieve extraordinary success, but no one from the band has stepped out to tell their or the band's story until now.As the band approaches its golden anniversary, fans will at last be able to delve backstage into the decades of shocking, hilarious, and haunting stories that surround the heavy metal institution. In Heavy Duty, guitarist K.K. Downing discusses the complex personality conflicts, the business screw-ups, the acrimonious relationship with fellow heavy metal band Iron Maiden, as well as how Judas Priest found itself at the epicentre of a storm of parental outrage that targeted heavy metal in the '80s. He also describes his role in cementing the band's trademark black leather and studs image that would not only become synonymous with the entire genre, but would also give singer Rob Halford a viable outlet by which to express his sexuality. Lastly, he recounts the life-changing moment when he looked at his bandmates on stage during a 2009 concert and thought, 'This is the last show'. Whatever the topic, whoever's involved, K.K. doesn't hold back.From the band at the very beginning until his retirement in 2011 (and even still as a member of the band's board of directors), Downing has seen it all and is now finally at a place in his life where he can also let it all go. Even if you're a lifelong fan, if you think you know the full story of Judas Priest, well, you've got another thing coming.

Read more less

In this provocative new work, Heather Cox Richardson argues that while the North won the Civil War, ending slavery, oligarchy, and giving the country a "new birth of freedom," the victory was short-lived. Settlers from the East pushed into the West, where the seizure of Mexican lands at the end of the Mexican-American War and treatment of Native Americans cemented racial hierarchies. The Old South found a new home in the West. Both depended on extractive industries--cotton in the former and mining, cattle, and oil in the latter--giving rise to a white ruling elite, one that thrived despite the abolition of slavery, the assurances provided by the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, and the economic opportunities afforded by Western expansion. How the South Won the Civil War traces the story of the American paradox, the competing claims of equality and white domination that were woven into the nation's fabric from the beginning. Who was the archetypal "new American"? At the nation's founding it was Eastern "yeoman farmer," independent and freedom-loving, who had galvanized and symbolized the Revolution. After the Civil War the mantle was taken up by the cowboy, singlehandedly defending his land and his women against "savages," and protecting his country from its own government. As new states entered the Union in the late nineteenth century, western and southern leaders found common ground. Resources, including massive amounts of federal money, and migrants continued to stream into the West during the New Deal and World War II. "Movement Conservatives"--starting with Barry Goldwater--claimed to embody cowboy individualism, working with Dixiecrats to renew the ideology of the Confederacy. The "Southern strategy" worked. The essence of the Old South never died and the fight for equality endures.

Read more less

Ah, 55. Gateway to the golden years! Professional summiting. Emotional maturity. Easy surfing toward the glassy blue waters of retirement. . . . Or maybe not? Middle age, for Sandra Tsing Loh, feels more like living a disorganized 25-year-old’s life in an 85-year-old’s malfunctioning body. With raucous wit and carefree candor, Loh recounts the struggles of leaning in, staying lean, and keeping her family well-fed and financially afloat?all those burdens of running a household that still, all-too-often, fall to women. The Madwoman and the Roomba chronicles a roller coaster year for Loh, her partner, and her two teenage daughters in their ramshackle quasi-Craftsman, with a front lawn that’s more like a rectangle of compacted dirt and mice that greet her as she makes her morning coffee. Her daughters are spending more time online than off; her partner has become a Hindu, bringing in a household of monks; and she and her girlfriends are wondering over Groupon “well” drinks how they got here. Whether prematurely freaking out about her daughters’ college applications, worrying over her eccentric aging father, or overcoming the pitfalls of long-term partnership and the temptations of paired-with-cheese online goddess webinars, Loh somehow navigates the realities of what it means to be a middle-aged woman in the twenty-first century. Including a new epilogue hilariously recounting her family’s quarantine experience during the pandemic, The Madwoman and the Roomba is a “wildly funny” testament to Loh’s “brilliant wit and rock-solid resilience” (Henry Alford).

Read more less

Exploring the profound differences between what the military services believe—and how they uniquely serve the nation.When the US military confronts pressing security challenges, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps often react differently as they advise and execute civilian defense policies. Conventional wisdom holds that these dynamics tend to reflect a competition for prestige, influence, and dollars. Such interservice rivalries, however, are only a fraction of the real story. In Four Guardians, Jeffrey W. Donnithorne argues that the services act instead as principled agents, interpreting policies in ways that reflect their unique cultures and patterns of belief. Chapter-length portraits of each service highlight the influence of operational environment ("nature") and political history ("nurture") in shaping each service's cultural worldview. The book also offers two important case studies of civil-military policymaking: one, the little-known story of the creation of the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force in the early 1980s; the other, the four-year political battle that led to the passage of the Goldwater-Nichols Act in 1986. Donnithorne uses these cases to demonstrate the principled agent framework in action while amply revealing the four services as distinctly different political actors. Combining crisp insight and empirical depth with engaging military history, Four Guardians provides practical utility for civil-military scholars, national security practitioners, and interested citizens alike. This timely work brings a new appreciation for the American military, the complex dynamics of civilian control, and the principled ways in which the four guardian services defend their nation.

Read more less

For decades, NGOs targeting world hunger focused on ensuring that adequate quantities of food were being sent to those in need. In the 1990s, the international food policy community turned its focus to the "hidden hunger" of micronutrient deficiencies, a problem that resulted in two scientific solutions: fortification, the addition of nutrients to processed foods, and biofortification, the modification of crops to produce more nutritious yields. This hidden hunger was presented as a scientific problem to be solved by "experts" and scientifically engineered smart foods rather than through local knowledge, which was deemed unscientific and, hence, irrelevant. In Hidden Hunger, Aya Hirata Kimura explores this recent emphasis on micronutrients and smart foods within the international development community and, in particular, how the voices of women were silenced despite their expertise in food purchasing and preparation. Kimura grounds her analysis in case studies of attempts to enrich and market three basic foods—rice, wheat flour, and baby food—in Indonesia. She shows the power of nutritionism and how its technical focus enhanced the power of corporations as a government partner while restricting public participation in the making of policy for public health and food. She also analyzes the role of advertising to promote fortified foodstuffs and traces the history of Golden Rice, a crop genetically engineered to alleviate vitamin A deficiencies. Situating the recent turn to smart food in Indonesia and elsewhere as part of a long history of technical attempts to solve the Third World food problem, Kimura deftly analyzes the intersection of scientific expertise, market forces, and gendered knowledge to illuminate how hidden hunger ultimately defined women as victims rather than as active agents.

Read more less

Winner, 2023 Choice Outstanding Academic TitleOur relationship with things abounds with paradoxes. People assign value to objects in ways that are often deeply personal or idiosyncratic yet at the same time rooted in specific cultural and historical contexts. How do things become meaningful? How do our connections with the world of things define us? In Ming and Qing China, inquiry into things and their contradictions flourished, and its depth and complexity belie the notion that material culture simply reflects status anxiety or class conflict.Wai-yee Li traces notions of the pleasures and dangers of things in the literature and thought of late imperial China. She explores how aesthetic claims and political power intersect, probes the objective and subjective dimensions of value, and questions what determines authenticity and aesthetic appeal. Li considers core oppositions—people and things, elegance and vulgarity, real and fake, lost and found—to tease out the ambiguities of material culture. With examples spanning the late sixteenth to the mid-eighteenth centuries, she shows how relations with things can both encode and resist social change, political crisis, and personal loss.The Promise and Peril of Things reconsiders major works such as The Plum in the Golden Vase, The Story of the Stone, Li Yu’s writings, and Wu Weiye’s poetry and drama, as well as a host of less familiar texts. It offers new insights into Ming and Qing literary and aesthetic sensibilities, as well as the intersections of material culture with literature, intellectual history, and art history.

Read more less

'We're all now self-makers, whether we like it or not - and this witty, sceptical book is the thought-provoking story of how we got here' GUARDIAN'This funny, startling, insightful story of the selfie, from Dürer to the Kardashians, is a must read if you want to understand how we reinvent ourselves every time we reveal ourselves' PETER POMERANTSEVToday's defining celebrities have crafted public personae that walk the tightrope between authenticity and artificiality. Ordinary people now follow suit: lovingly tending our 'personal brands' for economic gain and self-expression alike.Instagram culture is part of a story that goes back centuries. The vision that we not only can but should 'make' our own selves to shape our own destiny is an inextricable part of the formation of the modern world.As traditional powers of pre-modernity - church and throne - waned, a new myth took their place: that of the 'self-made man', whose unique powers of personality - or canny self-presentation - give him not just the opportunity, but the obligation, to remake reality in the image of what he wants it to be.From the Renaissance genius to the Regency dandy, the American prophets of capitalism to the aspirational übermensch of European fascism, Hollywood's Golden Age to today's Silicon Valley, Self-Made takes us on a dazzling tour of modern history's most prominent self-makers, uncovering both self-making's liberatory power, and the dangers this idea can unleash.'Both revelatory and a warning about the ways that focus on the self distorts our individual lives and the broader society' FRANCIS FUKUYAMA

Read more less

"Every Mike Shattock book on higher education is worth keeping and re-reading. Making Policy in British Higher Education 1945-2011 is a great story, very readable and full of wry humour. It is also a profoundly informative work that explains the policy and politics of higher education better than anything else that is available."Professor Simon Marginson, Centre for the Study of Higher Education, University of Melbourne, Australia"As expected, Michael Shattock's mastery of the history of higher education policy-making in the UK is evident in every page - the temptation is to say every paragraph. This is a demanding analysis. It is packed, precise, judicious and immensely informed ... As a narrative about how policy-making occurs in the long run, how to read the relevant archival and other documents closely and how to avoid the easy generalizations arising from ideological partis pris, this study is an instant classic."Sheldon Rothblatt, Professor of History Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley, USA"In the last 30 years Britain has experimented with some of the most innovative higher education policies including academic quality assurance, research assessment, income contingent loan financing, tuition policy, information for students, and other efforts to stimulate competitive market forces. In this highly enlightening, meticulously researched, and fascinating history, university administrator and scholar Michael Shattock examines the individuals and financial policy drivers that have shaped British higher education from World War II to the present day and explores the impacts of these policies on the university sector."David D. Dill, Professor Emeritus of Public Policy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA"Michael Shattock's important new book could not be better timed. He offers a detailed, nuanced and (above all) intelligent account of policy making in British higher education over the past 60 years ... This book reminds us that novelty is more often in the eye of the beholder than the historical record. It also warns us that those who have forgotten past events are often fated to relive them - and that second (or third) time round is rarely an improvement."Peter Scott, Professor of Higher Education Studies, Institute of Education University of London, UKThis book aims to provide an authoritative account of the evolution of policy in British higher education drawing extensively on previously untapped archival sources. It offers a comprehensive analysis of the policy drivers since 1945 and up to 2011 and of the extent to which even in the so called golden age of university autonomy in the immediate post War period the development of British higher education policy was closely integrated with government policies. In particular, it highlights how the role of the Treasury in determining the resource base for the expansion of student numbers is key to understanding many of the shifts in policy that occurred. This close engagement with government coupled with the historical acceptance of institutional autonomy defines the distinctiveness of the British higher education system as compared with other countries. What the book also shows, however, is that policy was rarely driven directly by Ministers but emerged out of inter relationships between the Treasury, the responsible Department, the intermediary bodies, the higher education representative bodies and the research communities. The policy process was interactive rather than directed. The conclusions offer a new interpretation of the development of British higher education.

Read more less

Multinational enterprises (MNEs) experienced ‘golden days’ during the 1990s and 2000s, they expanded globally and were major players in globalization. Today they have become powerful actors in the global economy. CEOs of international businesses are welcomed by heads of state as their counterparts, they are invited by governments to help solve global issues such as climate change and poverty, and they are facing dilemmas comparable to those of other international actors. However, MNEs are facing global legitimacy challenges. They are suspected of tax avoidance, using low wage countries for corporate benefits only, disrespecting privacy regulations, abusing consumer data, violating local community rights, exploiting natural resources, ignoring basic human rights, and employing too many lobbyists targeting national and international political decision-making processes for their own corporate interests. Although many of these challenges are not new, they have resurfaced and become more apparent during the past couple of years, partly due to the economic recession that many developed economies have faced and to the broader awareness of increasing global inequality and the importance of sustainability. How can international business respond? Strategic business diplomacy may be the answer. Business diplomacy involves developing strategies for long-term, positive relationship building with governments, local communities, and interest groups, aiming to establish and sustain legitimacy and to mitigate the risks arising from all non-commercial or exogenous factors in the global business environment. Business diplomacy is different from lobbying or strategic political activity; it implies an (strategic / holistic) approach of an international business to look at itself as an actor in the international diplomatic arena. Representation, communication and negotiation are key in such an approach. One of the consequences is that MNEs are able to operate in and show respect for an international business environment that consists of multiple stakeholders. This demands a strategic perspective and vision on the sector and the business environments in which the company wants to operate, and requires a specific set of instruments, skills and competences.

Read more less

We are entering a golden age of alternative investments. Alternative asset classes including private equity, hedge funds, catastrophe reinsurance, real assets, non-traditional credit, alternative risk premia, digital assets, collectibles, and other novel assets are now available to investors and their advisors in a way that they never have been before. The pursuit of diversification is not as straightforward as it once was - and the classic 60/40 portfolio may no longer be sufficient in helping investors achieve their most important financial goals. With the ever-present need for sustainable income and risk management, alternative assets are poised to play a more prominent role in investor portfolios. Phil Huber is the Chief Investment Officer for a multi-billion dollar wealth management firm and acts as your guide on a journey through the past, present, and future of alternative investments. In this groundbreaking tour de force, he provides detailed coverage across the spectrum of alternative assets: their risk and return characteristics, methods to gain exposure, and how to fit everything into a balanced portfolio. The three parts of The Allocator's Edge address: 1. Why the future may present challenges for traditional portfolios; why the adoption of alternatives has remained elusive for many allocators; and why the case for alternatives is more compelling than ever thanks to financial evolution and innovation. 2. A comprehensive survey of the asset classes and strategies that comprise the vast universe of alternative investments. 3. How to build durable and resilient portfolios that harness alternative assets; and how to sharpen the client communication skills needed to establish proper expectations and make the unfamiliar familiar. The Allocator's Edge is written with the practitioner in mind, providing financial advisors, institutional allocators, and other professional investors the confidence and courage needed to effectively understand, implement, and translate alternatives for their clients. Alternative investments are the allocator's edge for the portfolios of tomorrow - and this is the essential guide for advisors and investors looking to seize the opportunity.

Read more less

“This is a modern multi-disciplinary text confronting a complex age and journey into recovery. It is a roadmap for every student of mental health who wants to put the most up-to-date practice fuel into their tank. The case study approach offers an authentic insight into life experiences of service users and allows the reader to re-think the relationship they have with vulnerable people in the middle of sensitive life challenges.”Dr Dean-David Holyoake, University of Wolverhampton, UKThis engaging book consists of 27 case studies which offer a realistic and insightful view into the experience of mental ill-health. A range of mental health problems are considered for people at different stages of the lifespan, from common problems such as anxiety or depression, through to severe and enduring conditions such as schizophrenia.Part of a new Case Book series, the book is written in an informative and clear style and utilises the latest evidence-based interventions and resources. The approach adopted: Incorporates recovery based principles Emphasizes the importance of collaborative working Values the person’s perspective Actively empowers and advocates for the person to make their own decisions and choices Written and edited by academic experts and experienced clinicians, the cases all take a positive, person-centred approach focusing on recovery outcomes. The book addresses the biological, psychological, social and physical aspects in scenarios and includes areas of mental health which are often overlooked, such as alcohol and substance misuse amongst older adults.Mental health nurse training involves focusing on working with individuals one-to-one in a range of settings, and this case book will reflect and complement the skills and situations students face while training and on placement.Contributors: Geoffrey Amoateng, Jean-Louis Ayivor, May Baker, Alison Coad, Hilary Ford, Sally Goldspink, John Harrison, Mark McGrath, Michael Nash, Cliff Riordan, Heather Rugg, Noel Sawyer, Vanessa Skinner, Steve Wood.

Read more less

Some houses are NEVER at peace… SHORTLISTED FOR THE GOLDSBORO BOOKS GLASS BELL AWARD SHORTLISTED FOR THE HISTORICAL WRITERS’ ASSOCIATION DEBUT CROWN ‘A gothic gem of intrigue and atmosphere’ HWA Debut Crown Judges England, 1917 Reeling from the death of her fiancé, Stella Marcham welcomes the opportunity to stay with her pregnant sister, Madeleine, at her imposing country mansion, Greyswick – but she arrives to discover a house of unease and her sister gripped by fear and suspicion. Before long, strange incidents begin to trouble Stella – sobbing in the night, little footsteps on the stairs – and as events escalate, she finds herself drawn to the tragic history of the house. Aided by a wounded war veteran, Stella sets about uncovering Greyswick’s dark and terrible secrets – secrets the dead whisper from the other side… In the classic tradition of The Woman in Black, Anita Frank weaves a spellbinding debut of family tragedy, loss and redemption. Praise for The Lost Ones: ‘Supernatural and historical intertwine in Anita Frank’s unsettling first novel … reminiscent of other tales of the supernatural, but conveys its own frissons and shocks’Sunday Times ‘With wonderful characters… This is a brilliantly gothic adventure – and the perfect winter page-turner’ Sunday Mirror ‘A spine-tingling debut from Anita Frank is part ghost story, part murder mystery, and the perfect chilling read as the nights turn colder and longer’ OK! ‘I loved it SO MUCH – so creepy and compelling, full of atmosphere and gave me goosebumps…’ Lisa Hall ‘If you liked The Woman in Black, you’ll love this utterly gripping and atmospheric book’ Woman & Home ‘Haunting, emotional and exquisitely written’ Amanda Jennings ‘For fans of Henry James and Susan Hill, this chilling supernatural mystery is written in the classic mould. Intriguing, moving and assured’ Essie Fox ‘I’ve raced to the shocking final twist of this lush, beautifully written historical novel. A gripping ghost story with an achingly poignant family mystery at its heart’ Samantha King

Read more less

'Daisy Waugh's featherlight satires are as refreshing and uplifting as a glass of chilled vintage champagne. . . Imagine Agatha Christie on laughing gas' TimesThe Todes are back, and they're taking on Hollywood . . .When Hollywood wants to do a remake of the film that made Tode Hall famous, India and Egbert are delighted. They envisage a summer of free money and star-studded dinner parties ahead . . . But the Hall is soon overrun by wardrobe trucks and catering tents, and lusty, insecure actors squabbling about nudity clauses. When the movie's producers threaten to sue over the exact colour of Tode Hall's rolling lawns, India and Egbert realise that having a film crew on their doorstep isn't such a breeze after all. With so many egos in one place things were bound to end badly, but no one would have predicted quite so literal a backstabbing . . .'A glorious satire on aristocratic manners and mores, with a smidgeon of murder thrown in, Waugh's hilarious and entirely original twist on the country house murder mystery is 'a perfect antidote to all the real-life craziness going on' Daily MailPraise for the Todes 'Ms. Waugh's novel offers plenty of satire, several good laughs and many dark chuckles.' Wall Street JournalWitty, well-written and determinedly entertaining . . . the perfect book for the staycation' Catholic Herald'I couldn't put it down' Santa Montefiore'A delightful treat' The Lady'Deliciously entertaining' Andrew Wilson'An irresistible champagne bubble of pleasure and laughter' Rachel Johnson'A perfect antidote to wintry gloom' The Literary Review'What a triumph!' Antonia Fraser'A masterclass in how to write a rollicking good read' Sarah Vine'A jolly farce that never takes itself too seriously' Red Magazine'Fizzles, crackles and sparkles' Elizabeth Buchan'A work of sublime silliness' Simon Brett'An effervescent madcap whodunnit' Metro'A marvellous rollicking read' Mary Killen'She's skewered her targets brilliantly' Imogen Edwards-Jones'This contemporary take on a golden age mystery is simply wonderful.' Belfast Telegraph

Read more less

Share This is a practical handbook to the biggest changes taking place in the media and its professions by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Social Media Panel. The book was conceived and written by more than 20 public relations practitioners representing a cross-section of public, private and voluntary sector expertise using many of the social tools and techniques that it addresses. The book is split into 26 chapters over eight topic areas covering the media and public relations industry, planning, social networks, online media relations, monitoring and measurement, skills, industry change and the future of the industry. It’s a pragmatic guide for anyone that works in public relations and wants to continue working in the industry. Share This was edited by Stephen Waddington with contributions from: Katy Howell, Simon Sanders, Andrew Smith, Helen Nowicka, Gemma Griffiths, Becky McMichael, Robin Wilson, Alex Lacey, Matt Appleby, Dan Tyte, Stephen Waddington, Stuart Bruce, Rob Brown, Russell Goldsmith, Adam Parker, Julio Romo, Philip Sheldrake, Richard Bagnall, Daljit Bhurji, Richard Bailey, Rachel Miller, Mark Pack, and Simon Collister.

Read more less

A fresh and unconventional approach to exploring 6,000 years of art history through 800 masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Featuring more than 800 artworks from the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, this groundbreaking book — organized by thematic keywords — draws upon The Met's online Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History — offering fresh, unconventional ways of engaging with visual culture. Discover how artists see the world and inspire each other with common themes and sensibilities, materials and techniques. Flowers, for example, have been seen in art for millennia — from Tutankhamun to the Dutch Golden Age, from Van Gogh's still lifes to Georgia O'Keeffe's monumental close-ups. Seen side by side, Art = reveals new connections between artists of different times and places, offering a fresh perspective on beloved works. Beyond the wealth of 1,000 illustrations arranged by theme, dive deeper into art history with 160 engaging and enlightening essays written by experts at the museum, to create your own personal tour through this unsurpassed collection. A foldout, detachable timeline offering further perspective is also included.

Read more less

The companion cookbook to Dr. Hyman's New York Times bestselling Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?, featuring more than 100 delicious and nutritious recipes for weight loss and lifelong health. Dr. Mark Hyman's Food: What the Heck Should I Eat? revolutionized the way we view food, busting long-held nutritional myths that have sabotaged our health and kept us away from delicious foods that are actually good for us. Now, in this companion cookbook, Dr. Hyman shares more than 100 delicious recipes to help you create a balanced diet for weight loss, longevity, and optimum health. Food is medicine, and medicine never tasted or felt so good.The recipes in Food: What the Heck Should I Cook? highlight the benefits of good fats, fresh veggies, nuts, legumes, and responsibly harvested ingredients of all kinds. Whether you follow a vegan, Paleo, Pegan, grain-free, or dairy-free diet, you'll find dozens of mouthwatering dishes, including:- Mussels and Fennel in White Wine Broth- Golden Cauliflower Caesar Salad- Herbed Mini-Meatballs with Butternut Noodles- Lemon Berry Rose Cream Cake- and many moreWith creative options and ideas for lifestyles and budgets of all kinds, Food: What the Heck Should I Cook? is a road map to a satisfying diet of real food that will keep you and your family fit, healthy, and happy for life.

Read more less

A captivating photographic odyssey spanning fashion, Hollywood and travel, this is the first publication in almost 40 years on the work of George Hoyningen-Huene, the photographer whose images defined an era. Baron George Hoyningen-Huene (19001968), known simply as Huene, worked during the golden age of couture fashion and Hollywood cinema. He was born in St Petersburg to a wealthy family, but they had to flee their home during the Russian revolution in 1917. Huene spent time in England before moving to Paris, where he was employed to create photographs for Vogue and Vanity Fair and rapidly established himself as a visual innovator, fusing elements of neoclassicism and surrealism to create chic, arresting images. In 1935, Huene joined Harper's Bazaar magazine, where he remained a contributor until 1946, following which he settled in California and embarked on a second career as a colour coordinator for Hollywood films. Supported by an international exhibition opening at Chanel Ne

Read more less

At a time when print media reigned supreme and newspapers were legion, Dorothy Thompson, John Gunther, Vincent Sheean, and Rayna Raphaelson Prohme impulsively left their homes to reinvent themselves as international journalists and adopt the power of the press as their own. In Fighting Words, acclaimed historian Nancy F. Cott follows these four largely unknown young Americans to reveal how foreign journalism shaped America's sense of its place in the world.Dorothy, John, Vincent, and Rayna serve as a counter to the devil-may-care jazz babies of the 1920s who scandalized their elders to no purpose beyond frivolity. Instead, the four directly confronted major political challenges that still reverberate today- democracy versus authoritarianism, global responsibility versus isolationism, press objectivity versus propaganda. They revealed the political instability that circled most of the globe as a legacy of the redrawing of world order after World War I. By the early 1930s, unlike Americans at home fixated on the Depression and New Deal, they were in the antifascist vanguard, well aware of Hitler's impending menace. At the same time, they were actively rethinking relationships between men and women. All four navigated sexual affairs and frictions, marriages and divorces. Their experiences traced the development not only of international journalism but also the making of the modern self at a time when the value of sexual freedom grated against traditional morality.A group biography of four extraordinary Americans abroad, and a paean to a golden age of journalism, Fighting Words shows how these young cosmopolitans reshaped America's sense of its own place in the world.

Read more less

'Enchanting to the point of escapism.' – Simon Ings, Spectator'Hugh Aldersey-Williams rescues his subject from Newton's shadow, where he was been unjustly confined for over three hundred years.' – Literary ReviewFilled with incident, discovery, and revelation, Dutch Light is a vivid account of Christiaan Huygens’s remarkable life and career, but it is also nothing less than the story of the birth of modern science as we know it. Europe’s greatest scientist during the latter half of the seventeenth century, Christiaan Huygens was a true polymath. A towering figure in the fields of astronomy, optics, mechanics, and mathematics, many of his innovations in methodology, optics and timekeeping remain in use to this day. Among his many achievements, he developed the theory of light travelling as a wave, invented the mechanism for the pendulum clock, and discovered the rings of Saturn – via a telescope that he had also invented.A man of fashion and culture, Christiaan came from a family of multi-talented individuals whose circle included not only leading figures of Dutch society, but also artists and philosophers such as Rembrandt, Locke and Descartes. The Huygens family and their contemporaries would become key actors in the Dutch Golden Age, a time of unprecedented intellectual expansion within the Netherlands. Set against a backdrop of worldwide religious and political turmoil, this febrile period was defined by danger, luxury and leisure, but also curiosity, purpose, and tremendous possibility.Following in Huygens’s footsteps as he navigates this era while shuttling opportunistically between countries and scientific disciplines, Hugh Aldersey-Williams builds a compelling case to reclaim Huygens from the margins of history and acknowledge him as one of our most important and influential scientific figures.

Read more less

"All stars are celebrities, but not all celebrities are stars," states David Shumway in the introduction to Rock Star, an informal history of rock stardom. This deceptively simple statement belies the complex definition and meaning of stardom and more specifically of rock icons. Shumway looks at the careers and cultural legacies of seven rock stars in the context of popular music and culture - Elvis Presley, James Brown, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead, Joni Mitchell, and Bruce Springsteen. Granted, there are many more names that fall into the rock icon category and that might rightfully appear on this list. Partly, that is the point: "rock star" is a familiar and desired category but also a contested one. Shumway investigates the rock star as a particular kind of cultural construction, different from mere celebrity. After the golden age of moviemaking, media exposure allowed rock stars more political sway than Hollywood's studio stars, and rock stars gradually replaced movie stars as key cultural heroes. Because of changes in American society and the media industries, rock stars have become much more explicitly political figures than were the stars of Hollywood's studio era. Rock stars, moreover, are icons of change, though not always progressive, whose public personas read like texts produced collaboratively by the performers themselves, their managers, and record companies. These stars thrive in a variety of media, including recorded music, concert performance, dress, staging, cover art, films, television, video, print, and others. Filled with memorable photographs, Rock Star will appeal to anyone interested in modern American popular culture or music history.

Read more less

The Grapes of Wrath is generally considered Steinbeck’s masterpiece, but the short novel was the form he most frequently turned to and most consciously theorized about, and with constant experimentation he made the form his own. Much of the best—and the worst—of his writing appears in his short novels. This collection reviews what has been categorized as the “good” and the “bad,” looking beyond the careless labeling that has characterized a great deal of the commentary on Steinbeck’s writing to the true strengths and weaknesses of the works. The contributors demonstrate that even in the short novels that are most often criticized, there is more depth and sophistication than has generally been acknowledged.The essays examine the six most popular short novels—Tortilla Flat, The Red Pony, Of Mice and Men, The Moon Is Down, Cannery Row, and The Pearl—in addition to the three usually thought of as less successful—Burning Bright, Sweet Thursday, and The Short Reign of Pippin IV. Because most of Steinbeck’s short novels were adapted and presented as plays or screenplays, many of the essays deal with dramatic or film versions of the short novels as well as with the fiction. The collection concludes with a comprehensive checklist of criticism of the short novels.Contributors. Richard Astro, Jackson J. Benson, Carroll Britch, John Ditsky, Joseph Fontenrose, Warren French, Robert Gentry, Mimi Reisel Gladstein, William Goldhurst, Tetsumaro Hayashi, Robert S. Hughes Jr., Howard Levant, Clifford Lewis, Peter Lisca, Anne Loftis, Charles R. Metzger, Michael J. Meyer, Robert E. Morsberger, Louis Owens, Roy S. Simmonds, Mark Spilka, John Timmerman

Read more less

When Philadelphia's iconoclastic city planner Edmund N. Bacon looked into his crystal ball in 1959, he saw a remarkable vision: "Philadelphia as an unmatched expression of the vitality of American technology and culture." In that year Bacon penned an essay for Greater Philadelphia Magazine, originally entitled "Philadelphia in the Year 2009," in which he imagined a city remade, modernized in time to host the 1976 Philadelphia World's Fair and Bicentennial celebration, an event that would be a catalyst for a golden age of urban renewal. What Bacon did not predict was the long, bitter period of economic decline, population dispersal, and racial confrontation that Philadelphia was about to enter. As such, his essay comes to us as a time capsule, a message from one of the city's most influential and controversial shapers that prompts discussions of what was, what might have been, and what could yet be in the city's future. Imagining Philadelphia brings together Bacon's original essay, reprinted here for the first time in fifty years, and a set of original essays on the past, present, and future of urban planning in Philadelphia. In addition to examining Bacon and his motivations for writing the piece, the essays assess the wider context of Philadelphia's planning, architecture, and real estate communities at the time, how city officials were reacting to economic decline, what national precedents shaped Bacon's faith in grand forms of urban renewal, and whether or not it is desirable or even possible to adopt similarly ambitious visions for contemporary urban planning and economic development. The volume closes with a vision of what Philadelphia might look like fifty years from now.

Read more less

Create cute and realistic felted animals with this fun and easy-to-follow needle felting book.Nothing feels better than a cute, fuzzy animal you can hold in the palm of your hand. Adorable Felted Animals shows you how you can create more than 30 endearing dogs, cats, birds and other animals using a little wool roving, a felting needle, and a few simple techniques. With basic shapes you roll in your hands, you can sculpt the most lifelike miniature animals, using your felting needle to join the individual parts and give them their firm and final shape. With little bits of contrasting wool, you can provide your felted friends expressions that are irresistible. It's simple, creative, and very relaxing. These cute felted animals range from the wonderfully realistic to enchantingly adorable. Included in this book are: Beloved dogs such as Golden and Labrador retrievers, a Pug, a Poodle, and Dachshund and more Exotic cats, like the Siamese and Abyssinian Feathered friends such as the parakeet, cockatiel, lovebird and finch Other household companions like the ferret and hamster Outdoor dwellers like the chipmunk and rabbit The animals range from about 2-4 inches high, and instructions are included for turning a few of your felt creations into fun dangly accessories. A full lesson takes you through one of the projects from beginning to end, covering all the basics to ensure that you have all the skills you need to make any critter you want.

Read more less

Drawing on new archaeological evidence, an authoritative history of Rome’s Great Fire—and how it inflicted lasting harm on the Roman EmpireAccording to legend, the Roman emperor Nero set fire to his majestic imperial capital on the night of July 19, AD 64 and fiddled while the city burned. It’s a story that has been told for more than two millennia—and it’s likely that almost none of it is true. In Rome Is Burning, distinguished Roman historian Anthony Barrett sets the record straight, providing a comprehensive and authoritative account of the Great Fire of Rome, its immediate aftermath, and its damaging longterm consequences for the Roman world. Drawing on remarkable new archaeological discoveries and sifting through all the literary evidence, he tells what is known about what actually happened—and argues that the disaster was a turning point in Roman history, one that ultimately led to the fall of Nero and the end of the dynasty that began with Julius Caesar.Rome Is Burning tells how the fire destroyed much of the city and threw the population into panic. It describes how it also destroyed Nero’s golden image and provoked a financial crisis and currency devaluation that made a permanent impact on the Roman economy. Most importantly, the book surveys, and includes many photographs of, recent archaeological evidence that shows visible traces of the fire’s destruction. Finally, the book describes the fire’s continuing afterlife in literature, opera, ballet, and film.A richly detailed and scrupulously factual narrative of an event that has always been shrouded in myth, Rome Is Burning promises to become the standard account of the Great Fire of Rome for our time.

Read more less

We live in disruptive times. The world is changing faster than ever before, leaving people dazed, businesses struggling, economies floundering and societies fracturing. But why? Transition Point is the result of over five years of research to establish the answer; a breathtaking tale of freedom, unintended consequences and disruptive technologies that starts 1000 years ago and ends up in the second half of the 21st Century. Starting with an examination into the drivers of technological change and the social, economic and political factors that both enable or suppress it, Transition Point explains why industrialisation happened where and when it did, why progress comes in waves, and why the technologies in the current wave, such as robotics, blockchain and AI, are likely to be the most disruptive of all. It then addresses the million-dollar question: what’s next? What impact will this wave have on our businesses, our economies and most importantly, on our society? Culey explores how our current trajectory could result in a new golden age, but also how it is just as likely to result in a digital dictatorship of compliance and constant surveillance. Finally, he explains why we may soon see Homo sapiens’ role as the dominant species come to an end. As Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, stated; "We stand on the brink of a technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work, and relate to one another. In its scale, scope, and complexity, the transformation will be unlike anything humankind has experienced before." Transition Point explains why this is happening, what it means, and why the decisions we make now will prove to be critical.

Read more less

Where else but in America could a Jewish kid from Kansas, son of self-made, entrepreneurial parents and a grandson of Russian and Eastern European immigrants, end up as a congressman, secretary of agriculture, and chief lobbyist for Hollywood?In Laughing at Myself: My Education in Congress, on the Farm, and at the Movies Dan Glickman tells his story of a classical family background, religious heritage, and 'Midwestern-nice' roots, and how it led to a long and successful career in public service. Dan combines a steady sense of humor with serious reflection on his rise from the middle of nowhere to becoming a successful US politician and the first Jewish secretary of agriculture since Joseph served pharaoh in biblical times. Dan defines success as a willingness to listen, an ability to communicate ideas, and a yen for compromise. Dan has successfully navigated the worlds of congressional politics, cabinet-level administration, and the entertainment industry and offers readers the many tricks of the trade he has learned over the years, which will inform the understanding of citizens and help aspiring politicians seeking alternatives to the current crisis of partisanship.Dan is convinced that the toxicity seen in our current political culture and public discourse can be mitigated by the principles that have guided his life-a strong sense of humor (specifically an ability to laugh at himself), respect and civility for those who have different points of view, a belief system founded on values based on the Golden Rule, and a steadfast commitment to solve problems rather than create irreconcilable conflicts. While these values form the backbone of Dan Glickman's personal life and professional career, the real key to his success has been resiliency-learning from adversity and creating opportunities where none may have originally existed. Even though you never know what's around the corner, in Laughing at Myself Dan offers a bold affirmation that America is still a nation built on opportunity and optimism. Laughing at Myself affirms readers in their desire to move beyond just surviving to living life with purpose, passion, and optimism.

Read more less

Are you at home in the golden hills of Berkeley, or the lush redwood forests of Marin? Explore the paradise just outside your door with Moon 101 Great Hikes of the San Francisco Bay Area.Inside you'll find:* A Hike for Everyone: Hikes range from short, flat routes suitable for families to daylong, steep treks for more ambitious hikers, with options to extend or shorten the hikes. All hikes are rated for difficulty and marked for features such as dog-friendly or wheelchair accessible* Explore the Trails: Highlights like waterfalls, beaches, historic sites, wildlife, and wildflowers are noted on each hike* Maps and Directions: Explore with easy-to-use maps and point-by-point navigation for each trail, and including driving directions to each trailhead with GPS coordinates and public transit options when available* Top Hikes: Lists like "Best Redwood Forests," "Best Short Backpacking Trips," and "Best Bird-Watching" will help you choose where to hike in Napa, Sonoma, Marin, the East Bay, San Francisco, the Peninsula, and the South Bay* Trusted Advice: Anne Marie Brown shares the experience and knowledge she's gained from hiking, biking, and camping in and around the Bay Area more than 150 days a year* Tips and Tools: Find essentials like health, safety, and trail etiquette, background information on the landscape and history of the trails, and volunteer opportunities so you can help keep the trails as beautiful as you found themWhether you're a veteran or a first-time hiker, Moon's comprehensive coverage and trusted advice will have you ready to lace up your hiking boots and head out on your next adventure.Looking for trails beyond the Bay Area? Try Moon Northern California Hiking or Moon California Hiking. Ready for an overnight outdoor adventure? Check out Moon Northern California Camping or Moon California Camping.

Read more less

In 1573, the alchemist Anna Zieglerin gave her patron, the Duke of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel, the recipe for an extraordinary substance she called the lion's blood. She claimed that this golden oil could stimulate the growth of plants, create gemstones, transform lead into the coveted philosophers' stone—and would serve a critical role in preparing for the Last Days. Boldly envisioning herself as a Protestant Virgin Mary, Anna proposed that the lion's blood, paired with her own body, could even generate life, repopulating and redeeming the corrupt world in its final moments. In Anna Zieglerin and the Lion's Blood, Tara Nummedal reconstructs the extraordinary career and historical afterlife of alchemist, courtier, and prophet Anna Zieglerin. She situates Anna's story within the wider frameworks of Reformation Germany's religious, political, and military battles; the rising influence of alchemy; the role of apocalyptic eschatology; and the position of women within these contexts. Together with her husband, the jester Heinrich Schombach, and their companion and fellow alchemist Philipp Sommering, Anna promised her patrons at the court of Wolfenbüttel spiritual salvation and material profit. But her compelling vision brought with it another, darker possibility: rather than granting her patrons wealth or redemption, Anna's alchemical gifts might instead lead to war, disgrace, and destruction. By 1575, three years after Anna's arrival at court, her enemies had succeeded in turning her from holy alchemist into poisoner and sorceress, culminating in Anna's arrest, torture, and public execution. In her own life, Anna was a master of self-fashioning; in the centuries since her death, her story has been continually refashioned, making her a fitting emblem for each new age. Interweaving the history of science, gender, religion, and politics, Nummedal recounts how one resourceful woman's alchemical schemes touched some of the most consequential matters in Reformation Germany.

Read more less

Salvage Work examines contemporary literary responses to the law’s construction of personhood in the Americas. Tracking the extraordinary afterlives of the legal slave personality from the nineteenth century into the twenty-first, Angela Naimou shows the legal slave to be a fractured but generative figure for contemporary legal personhood across categories of race, citizenship, gender, and labor. What emerges is a compelling and original study of how law invents categories of identification and how literature contends with the person as a legal fiction. Through readings of Francisco Goldman’s The Ordinary Seaman, Edwidge Danticat’s Krik?Krak!, Rosario Ferre’s Sweet Diamond Dust (Maldito Amor), Gayl Jones’s Song for Anninho and Mosquito, and John Edgar Wideman’s Fanon, Naimou shows how literary engagements with legal personhood reconfigure formal narrative conventions in Black Atlantic historiography, the immigrant novel, the anticolonial romance, the trope of the talking book, and the bildungsroman. Revealing links between colonial, civic, slave, labor, immigration, and penal law, Salvage Work reframes debates over civil and human rights by revealing the shared hemispheric histories and effects of legal personhood across seemingly disparate identities—including the human and the corporate person, the political refugee and the economic migrant, and the stateless person and the citizen. In depicting the material remains of the legal slave personality in the de-industrialized neoliberal era, these literary texts develop a salvage aesthetic that invites us to rethink our political and aesthetic imagination of personhood. Questioning liberal frameworks for civil and human rights as well as what Naimou calls death-bound theories of personhood—in which forms of human life are primarily described as wasted, disposable, bare, or dead in law—Salvage Work thus responds to critical discussions of biopolitics and neoliberal globalization by exploring the potential for contemporary literature to reclaim the individual from the legal regimes that have marked her.

Read more less

Shangri-La, the Bermuda Triangle, Transylvania, the Golden Triangle—far-flung in popular conception, these anomalous places nonetheless occupy the same mysterious zone, a mythography of unruly cartographic practices. And because this mythography becomes associated with a particular area of the earth’s surface, it may well suggest an alternative means of mapping the world, dissociated from the dominant geographical paradigms of nation-state, economic region, and the global/local marketing nexus. Large-scale nonnational geographical spaces that find their genesis in popular feeling, mystery, and belief, these four sites provide Brett Neilson with the basis not only for rethinking the current global reorganization of space and time but also for questioning the dominant narrative by which globalization marks the victory of capitalism. Free Trade in the Bermuda Triangle moves between analysis of popular fantasies and engagement with on-the-ground realities, weaving together topics as diverse as airplane disasters off the U.S. Atlantic coast, the global drug trade, vampire culture in postsocialist Europe, and the search for utopia in Chinese-occupied Tibet. The study of globalization is largely a solemn affair, occupied with increasing economic polarities, environmental degradation, and global insecurity. Free Trade in the Bermuda Triangle maintains a critical focus on these sobering issues but at the same time asks how popular pleasure and enjoyment can create viable alternatives to the current global order. Neilson takes seriously the proposition that capitalism must be contested at its own level of generality, finding provisional grounds for resistance in nonlocal transnational spaces that embody quotidian hopes, desires, and anxieties. By studying the real and imagined dimensions of these popular geographies, his book seeks resources for social betterment in the fallen mythologies of the contemporary postutopian world.Brett Neilson is senior lecturer in the School of Humanities at the University of Western Sydney, where he is also a member of the Centre for Cultural Research.

Read more less

With iconic imagery and engrossing text, Black TV is the first book of its kind to celebrate the groundbreaking, influential, and often under-appreciated shows centered on Black people and their experiences from the last fifty years.Over the past decade, television has seen an explosion of acclaimed and influential debut storytellers including Issa Rae (Insecure), Donald Glover (Atlanta), and Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You). This golden age of Black television would not be possible without the actors, showrunners, and writers that worked for decades to give voice to the Black experience in America.Written by veteran TV reporter Bethonie Butler, Black TV tells the stories behind the pioneering series that led to this moment, celebrating the laughs, the drama, and the performances we've loved over the last fifty years. Beginning with Julia, the groundbreaking sitcom that made Diahann Carroll the first Black woman to lead a prime-time network series as something other than a servant, she explores the 1960s and 1970s as an era of unprecedented representation, with shows like Soul Train, Roots, and The Jeffersons. She unpacks the increasingly nuanced comedies of the 1980s from 227 to A Different World, and how they paved the way for the '90s Black-sitcom boom that gave us The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Living Single. Butler also looks at the visionary comedians-from Flip Wilson to the Wayans siblings to Dave Chappelle-and connects all these achievements to the latest breakthroughs in television with showrunners like Shonda Rhimes, Ava DuVernay, and Quinta Brunson leading the charge.With dozens of photographs reminding readers of memorable moments and scenes, Butler revisits breakout performances and important guest appearances, delivering some overdue accolades along the way. So, put on your Hillman sweatshirt, make some popcorn, and get ready for a dyn-o-mite retrospective of the most groundbreaking and entertaining shows in television history.

Read more less

‘James Crowden is Britain’s best cider writer … Cider Country is the book we’ve all been waiting for.’ Oz Clarke Join James Crowden as he embarks on a journey to distil the ancient origins of cider, uncovering a rich culture and philosophy that has united farmer, maker and drinker for millennia. LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 ANDRE SIMON FOOD AND DRINK AWARD Cidermaking has been at the heart of country life for hundreds of years. But the fascinating story of how this drink came into existence and why it became so deeply rooted in the nation’s psyche has never been told. In order to answer these questions, James Crowden traces an elusive history stretching back to the ancient, myth-infused civilisations of the Mediterranean and the wild apple forests of Kazakhstan. Meeting cider experts, farmers and historians, he unearths the surprising story of an apple that travelled from east to west and proved irresistible to everyone who tasted it. Upon its arrival in Britain, monks, pirates and politicians formed a pioneering and evangelical fan base, all seeking the company of a drink that might guide them through uncertain times. But the nation’s love-affair with cider didn’t fully blossom until after the reformation, when the thirst for knowledge about the drink was at its peak. This infatuation with experimentation would lead to remarkable innovations and the creation of a ‘sparkling cider’, a technique that pre-dated Dom Pérignon's champagne by forty years. Turning to the present day, Crowden meets the next generation of cider makers and unearths a unique philosophy that has been shared through the ages. In the face of real challenges, these enterprising cider makers are still finding new ways to produce this golden drink that is enjoyed by so many. Spanning centuries and continents, Cider Country tells the story of our country through the culture, craft and consumption of our most iconic rural drink.

Read more less

This pocket-sized guide is a convenient, quick-reference companion to discovering what to do, what to see and how to get around Iceland. It covers top attractions like the magical capital city of Reykjavik, whale-watching off Húsavik and the spellbinding blue lagoon, as well as hidden gems, including the verdant island of Heimaey, the dramatic wilderness of Thórsmörk and the staggering power of the Goðafoss waterfall. This will save you time, and enhance your exploration of this fascinating country. This title has been fully updated post-COVID-19. This Mini Rough Guide to Iceland covers: Reykjavik, the Blue Lagoon, the Golden Circle, the West Coast, the West Fjords, the Westman Islands, the South Coast and the North Coast.In this travel guide you will find: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EVERY TYPE OF TRAVELLER Experiences selected for every kind of trip to Iceland, from cultural explorations to family activities in child-friendly places.TOP TEN ATTRACTIONSCovers the destination's top ten attractions not to miss, including Heimaey, Reykjavik, Geysire and a Perfect Day/Tour itinerary suggestions.COMPACT FORMATCompact, concise, and packed with essential information, with a sharp design and colour-coded sections, this is the perfect on-the-move companion when you're exploring Iceland.HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INSIGHTSIncludes an insightful overview of landscape, history and culture.WHAT TO DODetailed description of entertainment, shopping, nightlife, festivals and events, and children's activities.PRACTICAL MAPSHandy colour maps on the inside cover flaps will help you find your way around.PRACTICAL TRAVEL INFORMATIONPractical information on eating out, including a handy glossary and detailed restaurant listings, as well as a comprehensive A-Z of travel tips on everything from getting around to health and tourist information.STRIKING PICTURESInspirational colour photography throughout.FREE EBOOK Free eBook download with every purchase of a printed book to access all content from your phone or tablet for on-the-road exploration.

Read more less

'Immensely readable and revealing' The Guardian 'A must read' Phil Liggett, MBE 'A story like no other in cycling' Ned Boulting IMAGINE COMPETING IN THE WORLD'S MOST BRUTAL CYCLE RACES, KNOWING THAT A CRASH COULD BE FATAL Alex Dowsett is one of Britain's greatest cyclists. He has ridden Grand Tours and Classics for elite teams including Sky and Movistar and broke the iconic World Hour Record – the ultimate time trial challenge. With humour, insight and honesty, Alex recounts his years as a pro-cyclist and the challenges he has faced in his struggle to reach the top. Alex has achieved all this despite being the only able-bodied elite sportsperson in the world with haemophilia A. He describes how the condition – in which falls can be fatal – both blighted his young sporting life, and boosted his determination to succeed. Every professional cyclist requires courage, but Alex takes fearlessness to another level in a sport where injury and suffering are a given. With an all-star cycling cast, including Bradley Wiggins, Chris Froome, Mark Cavendish and Lance Armstrong, this pulsating book lifts the lid on life in the peloton at the world’s top level. From his highs – including Giro d’Italia stage victories – to his frustrations at the injustices he faced in the sport, Alex's memoir perfectly chronicles a career in which he was driven equally by love and rage. Combining Alex's personal triumphs with his unique take on being part of the golden age of British cycling, this is an unmissable tale of sporting endeavour. 'A fascinating insight into the mindset of an elite sportsman who overcame great odds to reach the very top' Simon Brotherton 'The humblest super-talent in the peloton, proving nice guys can win. A wonderful book' Carlton Kirby 'An inspiration for anyone who wants to do whatever they’re told they can’t.' Michael Hutchinson 'Such an inspiring tale. Poignant and moving, and told with forthright honesty' Peter Cossins

Read more less

The mesmerizing, larger-than-life tale of an eccentric adventurer who traversed some of the greatest frontiers of the twentieth century, from uncharted Arctic wastelands to the underground resistance networks of World War II."An absolute joy...Wanderlust is a compelling introduction to one of the most charismatic explorers to ever cross the ice."—New York Times Book ReviewDeep in the Arctic wilderness, Peter Freuchen awoke to find himself buried alive under the snow. During a sudden blizzard the night before, he had taken shelter underneath his dogsled and become trapped there while he slept. Now, as feeling drained from his body, he managed to claw a hole through the ice only to find himself in even greater danger: his beard, wet with condensation from his struggling breath, had frozen to his sled runners and lashed his head in place, exposing it to icy winds that needed only a few minutes to kill him… But if Freuchen could escape that, he could escape anything.Freuchen’s life seemed ripped from the pages of an adventure novel—and provided fodder for many books of his own. A wildly eccentric Dane with an out-of-nowhere sense of humor, his insatiable curiosity drove him from the twilight years of Arctic exploration to the Golden Age of Hollywood, and from the burgeoning field of climate research to the Danish underground during World War II. He conducted jaw-dropping expeditions, survived a Nazi prison camp, and overcame a devastating injury that robbed him of his foot and very nearly his life. Through it all, he was guided not only by restlessness but also by ideals that were remarkably ahead of his time, championing Indigenous communities, environmental stewardship, and starting conversations that continue today. Meticulously researched and grippingly written, Wanderlust is an unforgettable tale of daring and discovery, an inspiring portrait of restlessness and grit, and a powerful meditation on our relationship to the planet and our fellow human beings. Reid Mitenbuler’s exquisite book restores a heroic giant of the last century back into public view.

Read more less

'Dazzling' Crime Monthly'My kind of book!' Belfast Telegraph'Captivating' My Weekly Magazine'Ingenious' Crime Time'Suspenseful' Country Life Magazine_____________________________________November 1924. The Endeavour sets sail to New York with 2,000 passengers - and a killer - on board .When an elderly gentleman is found dead at the foot of a staircase, ship's officer Timothy Birch is ready to declare it a tragic accident. But James Temple, a strong-minded Scotland Yard inspector, is certain there is more to this misfortune than meets the eye.Birch agrees to investigate, and the trail quickly leads to the theft of a priceless painting. Its very existence is known only to its owner . . . and the now dead man.With just days remaining until they reach New York, and even Temple's purpose on board the Endeavour proving increasingly suspicious, Birch's search for the culprit is fraught with danger.And all the while, the passengers continue to roam the ship with a killer in their midst. ________________________________________________________'A very clever plot and a final twist which will delight Agatha Christie fans. You will love it!!!' Ragnar Jónasson'With twist after gut-punching twist, A Fatal Crossing really is an ingenious thriller. Highly recommend' M. W. Craven'It twists and turns like the best of Christie' - Peterborough Telegraph'A tantalizing and captivating plot, filled with detail and texture to enhance the feeling of the halcyon days of the liners and their times' Shots Magazine'The action unfolds at a rip-roaring pace in this perfectly executed homage to the Golden Age of crime, which features a deviously devised plot boasting a final twist worthy of Christie herself. I absolutely loved it' Anita Frank'Twists and turns cartwheel to a blindsiding finish' Woman's Weekly'My favourite westward Atlantic crossing detective novel is Peter Lovesey's The Fake Inspector Dew (1981), but A Fatal Crossing by Tom Hindle is a first-rate addition to the corpus [...] A very good debut novel' The CriticMurder on Lake Garda by Tom Hindle was a no.8 Sunday Times bestseller 04/02/24

Read more less

An encyclopedia of more than 100 guitars and the musicians who have mastered them. Guitars & Heroes is organized by era, from the rockabilly pioneers to the guitar heroes of the future. Each chapter contains portraits of guitarists (past and present) and their favourite instruments. The authoritative text describes the musician’s favoured guitar or guitars and why they are preferred, often revealing a hidden facet of the musician’s artistic approach. Special photo spreads include The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Van Halen, Prince, Billie Joe Armstrong, AC/DC, Les Paul, anatomy of a Stratocaster, 5 Replica Guitars; Burst, the world’s most expensive guitar; 5 Most Desirable Amplifiers, 5 Pedals That Changed the World, 5 Groundbreaking Sounds, The Chicago Blues in 5 Albums, 5 Essential Hard Rock Albums and 5 Design Gibson Mistakes. The book is organized into three sections (Birth of an Art, The Golden Age, Modern Times) and nine chapters, each with a selection of artists and their guitars, including these: Delta Blues & Rockabilly Robert Johnson, Jimmie Rogers, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Buddy Holly; Chicago Blues & Jazz Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Trini Lopez, George Benson; British Blues Boom Dave Davies, Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Peter Green; Surf, Garage Rock & Psychedelic Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Santana, Ry Cooder, Duane Allman; Birth of Hard Rock Ritchie Blackmore, Neil Young, Brian May, Peter Frampton, Joan Jett; Arena Rock, Shred & New Wave Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Edge, Joe Satriani, Slash; Grunge & Alternative Rock Kurt Cobain, Buzz Osborne, Sonic Youth, Rivers Cuomo, John 5; Metal to Djent Dimebag Darrell, John 5, Buckethead, Meshuggah, Tosin Abasi; Guitar Heroes of the Future St. Vincent, Joe Bonamassa, Jack White, Ron Thal, Matthew Bellamy. Guitars & Heroes is a sensational encyclopedia for all guitarists, guitar geeks, collectors and avid listeners, and an essential purchase for all collections.

Read more less

In this beautifully illustrated treasury, discover 100 beloved and little-known Disney adventures--from labyrinths under Sleeping Beauty's Castle to a dinner club with Walt Disney World’s top chefs to a tour of the Galapagos Islands--that will make for a lifetime of magical, memorable experiences.Wake up to the sight of giraffes grazing outside of your window. Soar 400 feet into the sky on a hot-air balloon ride over Walt Disney World. Watch the Disneyland fireworks from The Tomorrowland Skyline Lounge, far away from the crowds. Taste your way through 11 countries of the world at Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival. Take a jet trip around the world.All these experiences and more bring the magic of Disney alive--and you can find 100 not-to-be-missed adventures in this one-of-a-kind collection. From the most beloved signature experiences--Epcot’s International Flower Show, breakfast with beloved characters at Chef Mickey’s, and getting dolled up like a princess before your day at the park--to the hidden VIP wonders like a private dinner in the wine cellar the Grand Floridian or drinks at the exclusive, members-only Club 33, this illuminating guidebook celebrates and reveals the best experiences in and around Disney resorts and parks all over the globe.Discover the magic that awaits, including: A training session at the Jedi Academy at Disney Hollywood Studios, where you can make your own light saber and fight Darth Vader Magical meals at a rotating dinner club featuring Walt Disney World’s best chefs, each themed to Disney lore A 5.7 million-gallon salt water aquarium at Epcot Seas, where you can swim with angelfish, dolphins, eagle rays, and sharks A private after-hours tour of the Luxor Temple in Egypt, where Adventures by Disney gets you away from the crowds for an intimate experience Secret off-the-menu items around the park, including a cherry milkshake at Carnation Café and ice cream nachos at the Golden Horseshoe The ultimate viewing spots for nightly fireworks throughout all the Disney Parks Disney’s Halloween party, a one-of-a-kind theme night in the happiest place on Earth A 5K Challenge on Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, where you can soothe sore muscles post-race with a beachfront massage A private jet tour around the world, led by expert National Geographic explorers And so much more! Along with beautiful imagery that will help shape your bucket list, this fantastic guide includes pilgrimages to historic Disney sites, like Walt’s hometown haunts in Chicago and Tam O’Shanter’s in Los Angeles where there’s a table named in his honor. Plus, National Geographic provides the inside stories of some of Disney’s most beloved attractions.Each of these 100 adventures--from Walt Disney World in Orlando to the Galapagos Islands to Disneyland Tokyo--will have you believing in magic and wonder all over again.

Read more less

The life of one of the most famous Tibetan lamas, from a nomadic childhood to entering the monastic community and being recognised as a reincarnated lama.Sogan Rinpoche's account of his life evokes the beauty of the Tibetan land and people and their unique Dharma culture. It also bears witness to the destruction and oppression of Tibetan culture by the communist colonialism of the government of the People's Republic of China, while inspiring us with the survival in extremity of Buddhist ethics and education. He describes his beloved Golok homeland in the northeast Tibetan region of Amdo, now carved up into Chinese provinces.He vividly evokes the wisdom and kindness of his parents and grandmother, and of his extraordinary teachers who survived harsh treatment in the Chinese gulags. His unflinching description of the harsh cruelty of the Chinese invaders of Tibet forces us to confront the reality of senseless, amoral actions of people driven by delusive convictions and emotions, while his ability to still appreciate the humanness of Tibet's enemies reflects the generous and tolerant Tibetan spirit. Finally, his detailed and sensitive sharing of his remarkable process of inner development allows us to witness how human beings can stretch themselves to encompass truly challenging teachings and practices and emerge with open eyes and open heart, while maintaining humility and positive intentions.His memoir is aptly titled Dreams and Truths, as the dreamlike quality of his many trials and sorrows as well as moments of joy is apparent from his most youthful encounters with death and suffering. He thus exemplifies for us the Buddhist vision of how realistically to remain in this world as a compassionate positive participant without being of this world as caught up in the desperate and futile struggle to live selfishly and unrealistically focused on one's own little agenda rather than on the vast need of all one's fellow beings.The "truths" that he shares are the deep, experiential Buddha teachings, especially the exquisite, expansive wisdom view and compassionate practice and ethic of the Nyingma Dzogchen tradition, in its rigorously nonsectarian form. His adventures show us how one can meet even mundane challenges all the more effectively by actually renouncing selfish concerns. Without showing off, he honestly and poetically shows us how we can take advantage of darkest adversity and turn it into golden opportunity. In his life and work he honors his noble teachers, including his kindest patron, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet.

Read more less

Everybody knows John Altman's music, but not so many people know his name. Yet he is one of the most prolific composers, conductors and arrangers in history and his saxophone playing has been heard live and on record with many great names. In this vivid account of over fifty years in the world of popular music, Altman explains why he is the 'Hidden Man', whose scores include such well-known film sequences as 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' from Life of Brian, which he arranged, conducted and whistled; the tank chase through St. Petersburg in the James Bond movie Goldeneye and the ship sinking in Titanic, with the orchestra playing on deck. In all, he has composed the music for over 50 movies, and won most major film awards in his long and distinguished career. His orchestrations can be heard in film scores by legends like Elmer Bernstein and Jule Styne, and he was musical director for several television series, notably Miss Marple, starring Joan Hickson, as well as Peak Practice. As an arranger/conductor he has worked on hit records for numerous stars, among them Rod Stewart, George Michael, Tina Turner, Barry White, Diana Ross, Bjork, and Alison Moyet. As a saxophonist, flautist and clarinet player he has performed with an equally stellar list of musicians. John Altman has also found time to write, produce and arrange over 4,000 commercials worldwide, including his theme for the 'Sheila's Wheels' advertisement. Such anonymity coupled with universally-known themes is why Monty Python's Terry Gilliam named Altman the 'Hidden Man'. In this entertaining, fast-paced memoir you will discover how Ingrid Bergman smiled at his back; how a Beatle always greeted him by singing one of his musical phrases; how he tried in vain to persuade Nick Drake to continue performing in public; how he reduced Freddy Mercury to helpless laughter; how he got Pierce Brosnan his big movie break; how he sat with Charlie Chaplin watching a movie that hadn't been seen for a quarter of a century (with a running commentary from the great man himself); how he sang over a mobile phone to James Cameron and the cast of Titanic; how he inspired a five-year-old George Michael to become a musician; how he was the Wailers' tour guide around London, and how Tina Turner made him a cup of tea. One of the most poignant parts of the story is how he mentored the young Amy Winehouse.

Read more less

A richly illustrated romp with America’s Gilded Age leisure class—and those angling to join it Mark Twain called it the Gilded Age. Between 1870 and 1900, the United States’ population doubled, accompanied by an unparalleled industrial expansion, and an explosion of wealth unlike any the world had ever seen. America was the foremost nation of the world, and New York City was its beating heart. There, the richest and most influential—Thomas Edison, J. P. Morgan, Edith Wharton, the Vanderbilts, Andrew Carnegie, and more—became icons, whose comings and goings were breathlessly reported in the papers of Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst. It was a time of abundance, but also bitter rivalries, in work and play. The Old Money titans found themselves besieged by a vanguard of New Money interlopers eager to gain entrée into their world of formal balls, debutante parties, opera boxes, sailing regattas, and summer gatherings at Newport. Into this morass of money and desire stepped Caroline Astor. Mrs. Astor, an Old Money heiress of the first order, became convinced that she was uniquely qualified to uphold the manners and mores of Gilded Age America. Wherever she went, Mrs. Astor made her judgments, dictating proper behavior and demeanor, men’s and women’s codes of dress, acceptable patterns of speech and movements of the body, and what and when to eat and drink. The ladies and gentlemen of high society took note. “What would Mrs. Astor do?” became the question every social climber sought to answer. And an invitation to her annual ball was a golden ticket into the ranks of New York’s upper crust. This work serves as a guide to manners as well as an insight to Mrs. Astor’s personal diary and address book, showing everything from the perfect table setting to the array of outfits the elite wore at the time. Channeling the queen of the Gilded Age herself, Cecelia Tichi paints a portrait of New York’s social elite, from the schools to which they sent their children, to their lavish mansions and even their reactions to the political and personal scandals of the day. Ceceilia Tichi invites us on a beautifully illustrated tour of the Gilded Age, transporting readers to New York at its most fashionable. A colorful tapestry of fun facts and true tales, What Would Mrs. Astor Do? presents a vivid portrait of this remarkable time of social metamorphosis, starring Caroline Astor, the ultimate gatekeeper.

Read more less