Search results for ""Author ALLAN""

The most important study of Charlemagne in a generation, this biography by distinguished medievalist Alessandro Barbero illuminates both the man and the world in which he lived. Charles the Great—Charlemagne—reigned from a.d. 768 to a.d. 814. At the time if his death, his empire stretched across Europe to include Bavaria, Saxony, parts of Spain, and Italy. With a remarkable grasp of detail and a sweeping knowledge of Carolingian institutions and economy, Barbero not only brings Charlemagne to life with accounts of his physical appearance, tastes and habits, family life, and ideas and actions but also conveys what it meant to be king of the Franks and, later, emperor. He recounts how Charlemagne ruled his empire, kept justice, and waged wars. He vividly describes the nature of everyday life at that time, how the economy functioned, and how Christians perceived their religion. Barbero's absorbing analysis of how concepts of slavery and freedom were subtly altered as feudal relations began to grow underscores the dramatic changes that the emperor's wars brought to the political landscape. Engaging and informed by deep scholarship, this latest account provides a new and richer context for considering one of history's most fascinating personalities.

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The market town of Castle Douglas, beside Carlingwark Loch in the southern Scottish region of Dumfries and Galloway, is relatively new, though the area has been inhabited from prehistoric times and the Romans had a military base close by. In the fourteenth century, Archibald the Grim, the 3rd Earl of Douglas, built Threave Castle nearby. The town came into being thanks to fertiliser found in the loch and wealthy merchant William Douglas, who laid out the present town in 1792. Though his dream of creating a cotton industry failed, Castle Douglas became a flourishing market town. The opening of the rail line to Dumfries in 1859 improved the town’s connections. Though the railway closed in 1965, the A75 trunk road ensured the town’s survival as a major stopping point for travellers. Today, it is a major tourist destination, with many visitors using it as a base for exploring this beautiful part of Scotland. All these changes are recorded in this unique and fascinating series of new and old photographs, making this book essential reading for anyone interested in the history of Castle Douglas.

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The 50th anniversary of the last trams in Glasgow is 2012. The last regular tram in Glasgow ran on 1 September, 1962. However on the 2, 3 and 4 of September, a very special tram service was operated between Auchenshuggle and Anderson Cross, for which souvenir tickets were sold. The Last Tram tae Auchenshuggle is the hilarious patter and build up to the end of the Glasgow trams, featuring Glasgow's famous clippie, Big Aggie MacDonald.

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Widely acclaimed as Massie's finest novel, A Question of Loyalties engages with all the complexities and ambiguities of loyalty, nationality and family as they are put under threat by betrayal, by errors of judgement, or simply friendship.Etienne de Balafré, half French, half English and raised in South Africa, returns to post-war France to unravel the tangled history of his own father. Was Lucien de Balafré a patriot who served his country as best he could in difficult times, or a treacherous collaborator in the Vichy government?Rife with the anguish of hindsight and the irony of circumstance, this powerful book brilliantly explores the ties between fathers and sons and the pains of love and duty in a period of European history that is still characterised by wilful denial and hatred.

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Do You Know What It Takes to Be a High Potential in Your Organization?Being seen as a high-potential leader is essential to getting promoted and reaching your organization's upper echelons, but most companies keep their top-talent list a closely guarded secret. And the assessment process they use to decide who is and isn't a future leader is an even greater mystery.The High Potential's Advantage takes you behind the scenes and shows how you can get on, and stay on, your company's fast track. Leadership development experts Jay Conger and Allan Church draw upon decades of research and experience--designing high-potential programs for hundreds of large well-known global organizations and assessing and coaching thousands of talented leaders--to answer the critical questions asked by ambitious individuals like you: What will it take for me to advance in this organization? What does my boss look for when deciding whether I’m a high potential? Once I'm on the list, then what? Can I fall off it and, if so, what do I do?Revealing the key differentiators--five critical "X factors"--that set people apart across companies of all types, Conger and Church show what you need to do to achieve and maintain top-talent status. You’ll find detailed advice for cultivating and practicing each X factor, with numerous and rich examples from those on the verge of their first promotion to those only a step away from the C-suite. The High Potential's Advantage also shows you how to gain insight into and excel at the specific process your company uses to identify and develop high potentials--and how to determine which unique capabilities your company values the most. The High Potential's Advantage is the essential guide to becoming a leader in your organization.

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Death holds no power over her… Mary Medina is the one who wields power over the dead. What she doesn’t know is her ability is coveted by a Secret Order long forgotten in the Realms of the Grimm Universe. Drawn to New Orleans under mysterious circumstances, Mary quickly finds herself running for her life from those that want to use her and her power, for evil.

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The Bundu Bunch orphans, a community headman, a peer of the realm, a national leader. Some are more dumb than others. Some are not dumb at all. After losing their parents to the AIDS pandemic in southern Africa, Sipho and his fellow orphans cannot start school. Without an education, their prospects of escaping poverty are slim. Enter Aiyasha, the fifteen-year-old head of the orphan household. Aiyash uses her special talent to ensure her orphan charges receive the education they crave. But Aiyasha has a wider agenda: to promote social justice in her country where orphans will no longer have the “dumb” label attached to them. Features of Oliver Twist, Robin Hood and Dick Whittington and His Cat play out in a contemporary African setting in this heartwarming and inspirational story. “A charming and educational children’s book that inspires everyone to never give up, despite the odds.” Reedsy Discovery Team “This is a story that has stayed with me since I devoured the book's pages. This book is written for young audiences, but I truly loved it as a 42-year-old. I recommend that all audiences read this story and let the words and simplistic illustrations inspire and teach them. The storytelling is so well done.” Amanda Renz. “I did cry reading this book, a few times, tears of sadness at character deaths or misfortune and tears of joy for the moments of success and those heart-warming moments of bonding.” Romeo Aiyabei. “An inspiring, emotional, heart-warming book that provides awareness and can hook you with suspense. I loved the comedic relief. It never failed to liven up the book and make me smile. I highly recommend it for pre-teens and teenagers, but it would be a great read for anyone.” Candra Contreras. Synopsis “Dumb” Orphans: The Bundu Bunch Trilogy is a novel based on the real lives of victims of the deadliest global pandemic of our time. A group of left behind and left alone AIDS orphans are called “dumb” by others in their southern African community. They struggle to overcome this label and unfair treatment by their community headman. In the first book, Sipho takes readers on a journey through the lives and interests of his six fellow orphans, all aged 5-7 and known collectively as the Bundu Bunch. The group faces discrimination from both the headman of their community and other children, who belittle them for being unable to spell their own names. Although they yearn for an education, the headman does not allow them to attend school because of their inability to pay the fees. Instead, the headman forces the children to work for him. This bleak reality leads Sipho to worry that he’ll never achieve the same success as other children in his community. But the Bundu Bunch refuse to be held back by their circumstances. With the guidance of Aiyasha, the 15-year-old orphan who heads their household, they band together to devise a plan to improve their lives. The group’s perseverance and talent ultimately lead to a surprising outcome with some help from an unexpected source. Through their achievements, Sipho’s concerns are allayed, and he feels optimistic about his future. In the second book, Elah takes over as the narrator. Sipho and his sister Jabu found Elah as a baby abandoned by the river. Elah is in awe of the older orphans, the Bundu Bunch, and wonders if Aiyasha will ever be as proud of her as she is of them. Aiyasha’s success with her orphans offends the community headman. When she faces an attempt on her life two new friends from England help her and Elah to flee their country. Elah sees their situation as a grand adventure and relishes exploring unknown places. Their journey across Africa is a mixture of scary moments and enlightening experiences. As an illegal immigrant and asylum seeker in England, Aiyasha discovers that prejudice exists in cultures other than her own. However, she also learns that friendship and a shared purpose can overcome it. She also realises that international aid promises are not always reliable. With the help of her new friends, Aiyasha uses her special talent to counteract the consequences of government cuts in foreign aid budgets. In the last book, Elah takes the narration to its conclusion. Aiyasha increasingly relies on Elah for her support and empathy as she manipulates her way to a powerful position in her own country of Initawse. Aiyasha implements pro-poor policies which are opposed by the privileged, who mount protests and demand that she is removed. Then tragedy strikes and Aiyasha disappears, presumed murdered by her political enemies. Sipho joins with one of the English girls to investigate, but they hit a dead end. Meanwhile, the talents of the rest of the Bundu Bunch shine ever more brightly in their own country and internationally. Elah watches on in dismay as she realises how much in their shadow she remains. Finally, Aiyasha reveals her secret whereabouts to her orphan family. She explains how, in reaching her ultimate goal, she has relied in equal measure on the various strengths of all her orphan charges, including Elah.

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Travelling fairs hold a special place in English history and traditions. Once or twice a year local towns and villages are overwhelmed with a cacophony of sounds, sights and smells, bringing magic and excitement into peoples’ lives before, all too quickly, moving on. The transient nature of travelling fairs is part of their magic, and an integral part of that magic is the transport that carries the people and the rides. More than just vehicles however, fairground transport is often an integral part of the show, acting as homes for the showmen, a way of generating power and even converting into parts of the rides themselves. In short, they are part of the way of life. This book looks at the history of the travelling fair through its transport, beginning with how it has evolved from what a performer could carry on their back and simple horse-drawn caravans, through to steam-powered traction engines and war surplus petrol and electric vehicles, finally bringing the story up to date with today’s mega lorries and cranes.

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The authors of the international bestsellers WHY MEN DON'T LISTEN AND WOMEN CAN'T READ MAPS and THE DEFINTIVE BOOK OF BODY LANGUAGE teach strategies for happier, more fulfilled relationships.Allan and Barbara Pease are the world's foremost experts in personal relationships. Their books, seminars and TV programmes have made them household names from Australia to the UK and from the USA to Japan. In their follow-up to the multi-million selling WHY MEN DON'T LISTEN AND WOMEN CAN'T READ MAPS, Allan and Barbara use the same combination of startling observation of people's actions towards one another, humour and practical advice to teach the reader more about what men and women want from relationships, and how to get it.

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This is how the story begins.On a dark dark hillthere was a dark dark town.In the dark dark townthere was a dark dark street . . .This new edition of the classic story includes an accompanying CD, featuring the story read by acclaimed comic actor Stephen Mangan.Janet and Allan's frightfully funny Hallowe'en classic tells the story of three skeletons - a big skeleton, a little skeleton and a dog skeleton - who venture out of their cellar one night to find someone to scare, only to find that everyone is in bed. Who will they scare now?!

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Janet and Allan Ahlberg's classic picture book, The Baby's CatalogueThe bestselling picture book The Baby's Catalogue by the iconic British husband and wife picture book team Janet and Allan Ahlberg, creators of Peepo!, is filled with easily recognizable objects - perfect for your baby or toddler!Mums and Dads, breakfasts and bedtimes, pets and toys and prams and swings - and lots and lots of other fascinating things!Allan Ahlberg has published over 100 children's books and with his late wife Janet, created many award-winning children's picture books. The Baby's Catalogue was inspired by their daughter, Jessica. The Ahlbergs' books are nursery bookshelf standards and have been the recipient of worldwide acclaim and awards, including the Kate Greenaway Medal.Look out for these other classics by Allan Ahlberg:Burglar Bill; Cops and Robbers; Each Peach Pear Plum; The One and Only Two Heads; Son of a Gun; The Little Worm Book; Two Wheels Two Heads; Funny Bones; A Pair of Sinners; Happy Families; Peepo!; The Ha Ha Bonk Book; Help Your Child to Read; Ten in a Bed; Please mrs Butler; Daisy Chains; Yum Yum; Playmates; Foldaways; Woof; The Cinderella Show; The Jolly Postman; The Jolly Christmas Postman; The Jolly Pocket Postman; The Clothes Horse and Other Stories; The Mighty Slide; Starting School; Heard it in the Playground; The Bear Nobody Wanted; It was a Dark and Stormy Night; The Giant Baby; Baby Sleeps; Blue Buggy; Doll and Teddy; See the Rabbit; Please Mrs Butler; The Better Brown Stories; The Boyhood of Burglar Bill

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The perfect gift for new parents!Mums and Dads, breakfasts and bedtimes, toys and swings - and lots and lots of other delightful things!This endearingly illustrated picture book shows life as a new parent, from piggybacks to pushchairs. Delighting generation after generation of toddlers, The Baby's Catalogue belongs in every nursery. Discover more timeless stories for babies and newborns from Alan Ahlberg:PeepoBaby's Big Box of Little Books

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PEEPO! has become a classic for babies and toddlers. It follows a baby through the day in a style full of wit, charm and ingenuity. A series of holes peeping through to the next page leads the child on to the next stage in the day, giving a hint of what is to come. An original books that has long delighted young children - and their parents! 'The best book ever published for babies' - Books for Your Children 'Surely no one - baby, child or adult - could fail to enjoy Peepo!' - Sunday Telegraph 'A book to last a lifetime . . . this is a perfect book for sharing' - Nursery World

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Big Skeleton, Little Skeleton and Dog Skeleton are taking a spooky ride on the ghost train...Where they encounter monster collectors, ghostly train drivers and something even more terrifying!Despite being set by the dark dark sea, this brightly coloured book is perfect for early readers.Have you read the other classic Funnybones stories?Bumps in the Night The Pet Shop The Black Cat Skeleton Crew Mystery Tour Dinosaur Dreams Give a Dog a Bone 'There can be few families in the British Isles who do not possess at least one well-thumbed Ahlberg'- Independent on Sunday

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Bumps in the Night is one of the titles in Allan Ahlberg's iconic children's picture book series about skeletons, Funnybones. Despite being set in a dark dark house, this brightly coloured book is perfect for early readers!No matter where they are, the two skeletons keep going bump in the night - clonk!There's only one thing to do: "Send for Doctor Bones!"'There can be few families in the British Isles who do not possess at least one well-thumbed Ahlberg' - Independent on SundayAllan Ahlberg has published over 100 children's books and with his late wife Janet, created such award-winning children's picture books, including Peepo!, Each Peach Pear Plum and the Kate Greenaway Medal winning The Jolly Postman. Other titles in the Funnybones series include Funnybones, Mystery Tour, The Ghost Train, The Pet Shop, The Black Cat, Dinosaur Dreams, Skeleton Crew, Give the Dog a Bone and A Brilliant Bone Rattling Collection, all of which are available from Puffin.

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Now here’s another story for you, full of such fun and exciting stuff, you will surely love it...Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman are back! Hold on tight for a funny and quirky new story set in the same world as their celebrated classics, The Pencil and The Runaway Dinner.One morning, Banjo is helping his dad to wash the car. His little sister Elsie comes running up. "There's an egg in my egg cup!" she yells. "And a great big grey thing ... UNDER THE TABLE!" Brimming over with Allan Ahlberg's idiosyncratic voice, charm and character, and perfectly matched with Bruce Ingman's bold and playful illustrations, Under the Table is an irresistible read-aloud full of surprises ... oh, does Elsie discover such wonderful (and unexpected!) new friends in her lively and happy home!

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Ian Moir and Allan Seabridge Military avionics is a complex and technically challenging field which requires a high level of competence from all those involved in the aircraft design and maintenance.

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The biggest online threat to businesses and consumers today is ransomware, a category of malware that can encrypt your computer files until you pay a ransom to unlock them. With this practical book, you'll learn how easily ransomware infects your system and what steps you can take to stop the attack before it sets foot in the network. Security experts Allan Liska and Timothy Gallo explain how the success of these attacks not only has spawned several variants of ransomware, but also a litany of ever-changing ways they're delivered to targets. You'll learn pragmatic methods for responding quickly to a ransomware attack, as well as how to protect yourself from becoming infected in the first place. Learn how ransomware enters your system and encrypts your files Understand why ransomware use has grown, especially in recent years Examine the organizations behind ransomware and the victims they target Learn how wannabe hackers use Ransomware as a Service (RaaS) to launch campaigns Understand how ransom is paid-and the pros and cons of paying Use methods to protect your organization's workstations and servers

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Telling the inspiring human story behind the creation of the Paralympics, this young readers biography artfully combines archival photos, full-color illustrations, and a riveting narrative to honor the life of Ludwig Guttmann, whose work profoundly changed so many lives. Dedicating his life to helping patients labeled “incurables,” Ludwig Guttmann fought for the rights of paraplegics to live a full life. The young doctor believed—and eventually proved—that physical movement is key to healing, a discovery that led him to create the first Paralympic Games. Told with moving text and lively illustrations, and featuring the life stories of athletes from the Paralympic Games Ludwig helped create, this story of the man who saved lives through sports will inspire readers of all backgrounds.

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Since his work first graced the pages of Cycle World magazine in 1977, Peter Egan has taken his readers on one unforgettable adventure after another. Whether riding along the Mississippi River to New Orleans for a tin of chicory coffee, or flying to Japan to test-ride new Yamahas, Egans insight and gift with words makes every journey a unique and fascinating experience. Available in paperback for the first time, Leanings is a collection of Egans favorite feature articles and columns from Cycle World magazine. Included among the 21 feature articles are Egans first feature for the magazine, a story about he and his wifes cross-country trip on a British twin, his journey on abandoned Route 66, a history of the motorcycle jacket, and his visit to the fabled Tourist Trophy race on the Isle of Man. A selection of 27 columns are also reproduced here, covering a wide range of subjects, from the nearly lost art of the kick start, how to survive not being able to ride for an entire Wisconsin winter, and a look back at the motorcycle crash that nearly killed the great Bob Dylan. For added perspective, each feature article is preceded by commentary from the author. This is an unforgettable collection of the works of a master writer, whose simple adventures of life remind us all why we love to ride.

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This lab manual offers a variety of activities for an active, applied student experience and increased flexibility for instructors. Every lab includes “What Do You Think?” exercises in which students apply the course concepts to real-world scenarios. New Geotours Google Earth exercises get students exploring and analyzing real-world sites. A new, unique chapter on global change in which students explore how the Earth will evolve during their lifetime has been added to this edition.

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Vulcan is a factory planet, centuries old, Company run, ugly as sin, and unfeeling as death. Vulcan breeds just two types of native - complacent or tough. Sten is tough. When his family is killed in a mysterious accident, Sten rebels, harassing the Company from the metal world's endless mazelike warrens. It's a fool's errand, of course - no man can stand against the might of the Company and expect to live. But Sten isn't just any man. From the corrupt and brutal factories of Vulcan to the plots and intrigues of the Imperial Court, the galaxy is about to come face-to-face with the ultimate warrior. Sten's already learned how to survive - now he wants more; he wants control of his own destiny. And he'll do whatever it takes to get it. No compromise, no retreat, no surrender. Only Sten.This omnibus edition contains: STEN, THE WOLF WORLDS and THE COURT OF A THOUSAND SUNS.

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"A vital guide ... It is difficult to imagine anyone seriously interested in Dante who will not want to own this book" AN Wilson, The Times Since Dante Alighieri wrote the Divine Comedy it has defined how people imagine and depict not only heaven and hell, but romantic love and the human condition. However, while Dante's works are widely celebrated outside Italy, the circumstances of his extraordinary life are less well known. Born in 1265, Dante's adolescence was characterised by literary genius, but his political activism in one of the medieval world's wealthiest cities led to his death in exile. Pre-eminent Dante scholar Alessandro Barbero and celebrated translator Allan Cameron bring the poet vividly to life. Animating the political intrigue, violence, civil war, exile and cities that shaped Dante's poetic and political life, this is a remarkable portrait of one of the creators of European literature and a towering medieval figure in time for the 700th anniversary of his death.

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Little Explorers is a new first-information series for curious youngsters. With sturdy flaps to lift on every page, little ones can have hands-on fun discovering the amazing world we live in. On the Move is a friendly introduction to the world of vehicles, from cars and trucks to trains, planes and boats. Kids can lift the flaps to peer under bonnets, look inside lorries and check out the passengers on a double-decker bus.

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Little Explorers is a new first-information series for curious youngsters. With sturdy flaps to lift on every page, little ones can have hands-on fun discovering the amazing world we live in. My Amazing Body is a lively introduction to the human body, where children can lift the flaps to find out what goes on under their skin. Young readers will be amazed as they find out how the brain works, what happens to a mouthful of food, how fast our fingernails grow, and what breathing is all about.

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Between 1900 and 1960, many writers in France and Britain either had parallel careers in diplomatic corps or frequented diplomatic circles: Paul Claudel, Albert Cohen, Lawrence Durrell, Graham Greene, John le Carré, André Malraux, Nancy Mitford, Marcel Proust, and others. What attracts writers to diplomacy, and what attracts diplomats to publishing their experiences in memoirs or novels? Like novelists, diplomats are in the habit of describing situations with an eye for atmosphere, personalities, and looming crises. Yet novels about diplomats, far from putting a solemn face on everything, often devolve into comedy if not outright farce. Anachronistic yet charming, diplomats take the long view of history and social transformation, which puts them out of step with their times – at least in fiction. In this collection of essays, eleven contributors reflect on diplomacy in French and British novels, with particular focus on temporality, style, comedy, characterization, and the professional liabilities attached to representing a state abroad. With archival examples as evidence, the essays in this volume indicate that modern fiction, especially fiction about diplomacy, is a response to the increasing speed of communication, the decline of imperial power, and the ceding of old ways of negotiating to new.

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The definitive text of Allan Ramsay's poems, presenting his uncollected works chronologically for the first time, with comprehensive explanatory notes Offers the fullest edition of Ramsay's poems to date, in which previously undiscovered texts expand his known literary corpus Provides a definitive text of Ramsay's poems in which uncollected works are presented chronologically for the first time Detailed collation of texts against all extant manuscript sources and relevant printed editions, and comprehensive explanatory annotations offering new insights into Ramsay's historical, political, literary and religious contexts Allan Ramsay was central to all aspects of Scottish literary culture in the eighteenth century, working simultaneously in editing, playwriting, theatre management, song collecting and bookselling, as well as founding and directing Britain's first circulating library. It was, however, his own original work as a poet which had a transformative influence on the way in which Scottish literature would develop in the ensuing decades and, indeed, centuries. Emerging as a published author in the early 1710s, Ramsay built a remarkably prominent profile as a poet of the Scots language whose work appealed to a diverse range of readers, allowing him to produce prestigious subscribers' editions of his poems in 1721 and 1728 and to continue as a poet until his death in 1758. This definitive and ground-breaking edition of Ramsay's poems reflects the fifty-year career of an influential cultural and literary innovator, which will open new avenues for research.

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Highlighting the importance of transportation to a country’s infrastructure and survival, Transportation Systems Security presents the strategic and practical considerations involved in the implementation of physical, procedural, and managerial safeguards required to keep all modes of transportation up and running during an actual or potential disaster. Structured in an easy cognitive fashion, the book begins with a basic introduction providing terms and definitions. It describes both physical and information system layouts and defines who controls what parts of the process, how far control is extended, and who oversees controls within the system. Building on this foundation, subsequent chapters discuss problems such as the need for a more defined “domain-based” approach when threats, assets, vulnerabilities, and safeguards are not under local control. The book describes and refines the concepts of criticality, impact, and consequence as they relate to the assignation of value for personnel, assets, facilities, information and activities in terms of how they might support performance. By comparing continuity of operations planning (COOP) to business continuity planning (BCP), the book presents security measures as a value-added benefit rather than a hindrance to business and introduces the notion of certification, accreditation, and licensure. It demonstrates safeguards that layer outward from the entity and across the system with the ability to prevent, detect, and notify, as well as respond to and recover from a crisis. Emphasizing the sharing of information and methods, the book encourages security to become an integrated component within the system, not just imposed on top of it. It takes a holistic approach to the transportation infrastructure, introducing the concept of fragility and the measurable factors involved, and including a 20 page questionnaire to help managers determine their company’s fragility in terms of transportation security.

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Step aboard the Word Express. It's leaving from the station. The only ticket needed is your own imagination.Have you ever wanted to climb to the top of Everest with one hand behind your back? Kiss a crocodile all by yourself on the Nile river? How about learning how to bottle moonlight, or track a distant star? There are endless things to discover and whole universes to explore simply by reading a book. But books are only smears of ink without the reader’s mind to give their letters meaning and bring them to life. With a rollicking, rhyming text and delightful artwork, poet and storyteller Allan Wolf and illustrator Brianne Farley remind us that books, no matter how they may be consumed, give readers of every background an opportunity to expand their world and spark their imagination. With infectious enthusiasm, No Buddy Like a Book offers an ode to the wonders of language – written, spoken, and everything in between.

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The first volume to offer a comprehensive scholarly treatment of Rand’s entire corpus (including her novels, her philosophical essays, and her analysis of the events of her times), this Companion provides vital orientation and context for scholars and educated readers grappling with a controversial and understudied thinker whose enduring influence on American (and world) culture is increasingly recognized. The first publication to provide an in-depth scholarly treatment ranging over the whole of Rand’s corpus Provides informed contextual analysis for scholars in a variety of disciplines Presents original research on unpublished material and drafts from the Rand archives in California Features insightful and fair-minded interpretations of Rand’s controversial positions

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A fantastic evocation of life and learning in a dream sequence: Jerome, who has to sit an exam and suffers from toothache, enters a nighmarish library in which everything conspires to frustrate his desperate attempts to revise. Cavazzoni creates an entire world in this dream, whose absurd perhaps comments on the more muted absurdity of reality. The library contains geological and natural realities that plague the organic matter of which the books are made, demonstrating or at least suggesting the futility of human learning. In some parts of the building the books have turned into peat. Cavazzoni admits that his books pushe the novel to its very limits - "like outpourings of the maniacal," he says. "That's how they come to me, you must understand."

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“I lived the same life as everyone else, the life of ordinary people, the masses.” Sitting in a prison cell in the autumn of 1944, the German author Hans Fallada sums up his life under the National Socialist dictatorship, the time of “inward emigration”. Under conditions of close confinement, in constant fear of discovery, he writes himself free from the nightmare of the Nazi years. He records his thoughts about spying and denunciation, about the threat to his livelihood and his literary work and about the fate of many friends and contemporaries. The confessional mode did not come naturally to Fallada, but in the mental and emotional distress of 1944, self-reflection became a survival strategy. Fallada’s frank and sometimes provocative memoirs were thought for many years to have been lost. They are published here for the first time.

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What does "Europe" mean as we enter the 21st century? A rapidly-expanding club of nation states? A large single market in which labour, goods and services can move freely? A centralizing superstate run by unelected bureaucrats? An economic giant but a political pygmy on the world stage? Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission, tackles these and other questions in this important new book. It offers both a political vision and a personal statement by one of the most important political figures in Europe today. Central to Prodi's vision of Europe - what it can and should be - are the ideals of the European Union's founding fathers: Adenauer, De Gasperi, Monnet, Schuman. Their goal was a peaceful democratic Europe in which all the peoples of our continent could live together in security, freedom, justice and equality. The path towards that goal, argues Prodi, is inextricably bound up with economics. As the EU's Member States voluntarily pool their national sovereignty, especially monetary sovereignty, that dream - that vision of Europe - is gradually coming true. This book will be of great interest to anyone concerned with Europe and its future.

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This book by one of Italy's oldest and wisest intellectuals is a philosophical and personal meditation on ageing. The question of old age has preoccupied writers from Cicero to Améry, but in this volume Norberto Bobbio produces an account that is specific to our times. Born in 1909, Bobbio has lived through the major events of the past century, and his experiences of Fascism, Communism and the Cold War lend his reflections a melancholy that distinguishes them from earlier eulogies on old age and death. Bobbio's conclusions are often sobering, yet his investigation into memory and mortality is written with both humour and emotion. In the opening chapter, Bobbio reassesses the notion of progress from the perspective of an old man. Arguing for an understanding of historical change as the transfer between generations, Bobbio explains how the elderly are increasingly marginalized in contemporary society. Referring to the traditional idea of old age as the 'age of wisdom', Bobbio argues that our ever-accelerating technological progress has dramatically shifted the power of knowledge from old to young. This discussion of old age as a social problem is accompanied by a reflection on old age as a personal predicament. In his elegant and lucid prose, Bobbio confronts the facts of decrepitude and death. In taking stock of his life, he argues once again for the importance of democracy and human rights. This is a beautifully written book that will be of great interest to the academic and general reader alike. Its intellectual content renders it of particular value to students in the fields of philosophy, politics and the social sciences.

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A Political Life is the compelling autobiography of Norberto Bobbio, one of the foremost political thinkers in postwar Italy. In dramatic and lively prose, Bobbio guides us through some of the most significant events of the twentieth century, charting their influence on his life and work. Born in 1909, Norberto Bobbio's early life was marked by the experience of growing up in Mussolini's Italy – an experience that helped to shape his passionate commitment to the anti-fascist cause. As a result of these early experiences, Bobbio has tirelessly emphasized the fundamental, unassailable importance of democratic rights in the modern state. He has been a voice of reason and moderation in a political context where democratic values have often been threatened by extremes. This masterly autobiography traces the development of Bobbio's political thought, providing a penetrating analysis of the changing political landscape of Italy. At the same time, it represents an intimate account of Bobbio's personal experiences, giving a rare insight into the life and work of this distinguished thinker.A Political Life will be of great interest to students and scholars of social and political theory and of Italian politics, as well as to a general readership interested in political biography and contemporary politics.

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In the 21st century, digital tools enable information to be generated faster and in greater profusion than ever before, to the point where its extent and value are literally beyond imagining. Such quantities can only be meaningfully addressed using more digital tools, and thus our relationship to information is fundamentally changed. This situation presents a particular challenge to processes of learning and teaching, and demands a response from both information professionals and educators. Enabling education in a digital environment means not only changing the form in which learning opportunities are offered, but also enabling students to survive and prosper in digitally based learning environments. This collection brings together a global community of educators, educational researchers, librarians and IT strategists, to consider how learners need to be equipped in an educational environment that is increasingly suffused with digital technology. Traditional notions of literacy need to be challenged, and new literacies, including information literacy and IT literacy, need to be considered as foundation elements for digitally involved learners. Leading international experts from the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico and throughout Europe contribute to the debate, and Hannelore Rader, Librarian and Dean of the University Libraries, University of Louisville, Kentucky, provides the foreword. The book is in two parts: In Part 1, Literacies in the Digital Age, the contributors analyse how digital technologies have enabled transformative change in the ways in which learning can be constructed, and discuss the nature of the new literacies that have emerged in this new virtual and e-learning environment. In Part 2, Enabling and Supporting Digital Literacies, the contributors go on to consider the ways in which digital literacies can be made available to learners, and how these literacies are being relocated in a more student-centred environment within the broader perspective of learning. Readership: This book takes the issues raised in the successful Information and IT Literacy, also co-edited by Allan Martin, into a broader context. It is essential reading for all information professionals and educators involved in developing strategies and practices for learning in a digital age.

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'Years have passed since the Scottish Independence Referendum was held and the political landscape has changed. Big Nellie Nellis has been voted First Minister, and things are about to get interesting as all the political parties are given the benefit of her very unparliamentary sound bites!'

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An hilarious and often wise collection of Scots saying straight from the mouths of the Grannies of Glasgow. With each snippet accompanied by a straightforward English translation, this is your introduction to the unique wisdom of the 'Glesca Granny'.

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