Search results for ""author douglas""

From their mid-nineteenth-century fencing business the Harpers of Aberdeen developed a unique system of suspension that allowed their light foot suspension bridges to be relatively rigid. John Harper was one of the first to employ steel wire rope, now universally used. The Harpers’ innovative work overcame the disadvantages of this type of bridge and was of considerable benefit to those who relied upon them. Harpers built over sixty such bridges throughout the UK and the British Empire between 1870 and 1910, but until now they have been little documented. The author, John Harper’s great-grandson, searched the globe to find and cross those still in use. Here he tells the story of his ancestors, his journeys and the communities the bridges served.

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Although it is fifty years since the height of the Cold War, recent events have seen a resurgence of surveillance, paranoia and nuclear threats. Cultural critics and politicians are drawing parallels between the threat of Communism in the 1950s and 1960s and the present 'axis of evil'. This book taps into this interest, drawing on work from prominent academics as well as new theorists working in the field of Cold War Studies. American Cold War Culture guides the reader through recent and established theories as well as introducing a number of previously neglected themes, films and texts. Divided into two parts (Cultural Themes and Cultural Forms) it features chapters on the themes of Gender and Sexuality; Race; Politics; the Family; Mobility; and the cultural forms of Film; Literature; Poetry; Television. The authors take a case study approach, and each chapter is prefaced by a contextualising introduction to the general theme or form being covered, ensuring accessibility to the broadest possible readership. Key Features * A broad-ranging survey of Cold War Culture in America * Introductions to the chapters place the case studies in their wider context * Covers both high and low culture; and shows links between politics and culture * Focuses on neglected areas of gender, race and sexuality

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In most academic and non-academic circles throughout history, the world and its operation have been viewed in terms of cause and effect. The principles of causation have been applied, fruitfully, across the sciences, law, medicine, and in everyday life, despite the lack of any agreed-upon framework for understanding what causation ultimately amounts to.In this engaging and accessible introduction to the topic, Douglas Kutach explains and analyses the most prominent theories and examples in the philosophy of causation. The book is organized so as to respect the various cross-cutting and interdisciplinary concerns about causation, such as the reducibility of causation, its application to scientific modeling, its connection to influence and laws of nature, and its role in causal explanation. Kutach begins by presenting the four recurring distinctions in the literature on causation, proceeding through an exploration of various accounts of causation including determination, difference making and probability-raising. He concludes by carefully considering their application to the mind-body problem.Causation provides a straightforward and compact survey of contemporary approaches to causation and serves as a friendly and clear guide for anyone interested in exploring the complex jungle of ideas that surround this fundamental philosophical topic.

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This book breaks new ground in its approach to HIV/AIDS by addressing issues directly relevant to prevention planning. Douglas Webb traces the complex relations between the virus, the movement of peoples, and traditional sexual behaviour, examining the spread of HIV in the context of ‘development’ and political and structural change in southern Africa, where the HIV pandemic has reached catastrophic proportions. Focusing on the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in southern Africa, Douglas Webb demonstrates that an understanding of precisely how the HIV virus moves socially is crucial for planning appropriate prevention. Through this detailed analysis of the movement of the virus at local and regional level, Webb makes available techniques and conceptual models which allow researchers and policy makers to understand the epidemic and to respond effectively.

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A generous selection of poems from 'one of the most talented and interesting poets writing in English today' (Robert Nye).In a distinguished poetic career, Douglas Dunn has won the Somerset Maugham Award, the Geoffrey Faber Memorial Prize, the Hawthornden Prize and the Whitbread Book of the Year. New Selected Poems 1964-2000 draws substantially upon the entire range of Dunn's poetry, from Terry Street (1969) to The Year's Afternoon (2000), and confirms his place 'among the finest of our poets' (Melvin Bragg).

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Here is the first unauthorized and in-depth look at IBM's recovery and the man who is leading it, Louis V. Gerstner, Jr. Since joining IBM in 1993, Lou Gerstner has presided over one of the most remarkable comebacks in business history, taking IBM from an $8 billion annual loss to a stunning $6billion profit in 1997 - as a result, Gerstner has become a superstar of business, recognised three years consecutively by Vanity Fair as one of the top American movers-and-shakers, although he remains an elusive and guarded public figure. Garr's account is drawn from more than 150 interviews and hundreds of pages of documents, with unprecedented access to current and former IBM employees, and has already received enthusiastic reviews (see reviews section - more to follow).

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Beginning with his 1934 Field Guide to the Birds, Roger Tory Peterson introduced literally millions of people to the pleasures of observing birds in the wild. His field guide, which has gone through five editions and sold more than four million copies, fostered an appreciation for the natural world that set the stage for the contemporary environmental movement. When Rachel Carson's Silent Spring sounded a warning about the threat to birds and their habitats in the 1960s, the Peterson field guides had already prepared the public and the scientific community to heed the warning and fight to save habitat and protect endangered species—a result that Peterson wholeheartedly approved.In this authoritative, highly readable biography of Roger Tory Peterson (1908-1996), Douglas Carlson creates a fascinating portrait of the complex, often conflicted man behind the brand name. He describes how Peterson's obsession with birds began in boyhood and continued throughout a multifaceted career as a painter, writer, educator, environmentalist, and photographer. Carlson traces Peterson's long struggle to become both an accomplished bird artist and a scientific naturalist—competing goals that drove Peterson to work to the point of exhaustion and that also deprived him of many aspects of a normal personal life. Carlson also records Peterson's many lasting achievements, from the phenomenal success of the field guides, to the bird paintings that brought him renown as "the twentieth century's Audubon," to the establishment of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute to carry on his work in conservation and education.

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For a country with a relatively small population, Scotland has had a massive impact on the world. This intriguing miscellany uncovers the culture surrounding its shores, and celebrates the many characters, legends, firsts and inventions that have shaped the country's rich and majestic history. This eye opening collection of trivia will enlighten you on many of the myths surrounding Scotland. Bagpipes, tartan and haggis are all archetypal images of Scotland, and yet none of them likely originated here. Clan wars, family feuds, invasions and battles are just some of the historical subjects divulged in this fascinating miscellany. Scots have also helped to create modern life, with innovators ushering in the Industrial Revolution, medical breakthroughs, not forgetting the Scottish engineers famed across the globe. Along the way you will also find entries on the food, the sporting heritage and darker tales of murder most foul. Brief, accessible and entertaining pieces on a wide variety of subjects makes it the perfect book to dip in to. The amazing and extraordinary facts series presents interesting, surprising and little-known facts and stories about a wide range of topics which are guaranteed to inform, absorb and entertain in equal measure.

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England, 1716. The only certainty in a thief's life is death.Christopher Templeton is a lawyer whose conscience troubles him. He knows many of the secrets of The Fellowship, the shadowy group profiting from the civil unrest in the nation, and has intimated to the Company of Rogues that he is willing to share them.The problem is, he has vanished. Jonas Flynt thief, gambler, killer still recovering from a duel with death upon the frozen Thames, is tasked with finding him.The trail takes him from the dark slums of London to a quiet village in the north of England, where all is not as it seems. But while he hunts for the missing man, someone else may be stalking him someone with murder in their heart.The new gripping historical mystery from the author of An Honourable Thief, longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize 2023. Perfect for fans of Abir Mukherjee, Craig Russell and S.G. MacLean.

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While electorally weak, the Communist Party of Great Britain and its Welsh Committee was a constant feature of twentieth century Welsh politics, in particular through its influence in the trade union movement. Based on original archival research, the present volume offers the first in-depth study of the Communist Party's attitude to devolution in Wales, to Welsh nationhood and Welsh identity, as well as examining the party's relationship with the Labour Party, Plaid Cymru and the labour and nationalist movements in relation to these issues. Placing the party's engagement of these issues within the context of the rapid changes in twentieth century Welsh society, debates on devolution and identity on the British left, the role of nationalism within the communist movement, and the interplay of international and domestic factors, the volume provides new insight into the development of ideas by the political left on devolution and identity in Wales during the twentieth century. It also offers a broad outline of the party's policy in relation to Wales during the twentieth century, and an assessment of the role played by leading figures in the Welsh party in developing its policy on Wales and devolution.

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Developed at Philadelphia’s world-renowned Wills Eye Hospital, the Color Atlas and Synopsis of Clinical Ophthalmology series covers the most clinically relevant aspects of ophthalmologic medicine in a highly visual, easy-to-use format. Vibrant, full-color photos and a consistent outline structure present a succinct, high-yield approach to the seven topics covered by this popular series: Cornea, Retina, Glaucoma, Oculoplastics, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Pediatrics, and Uveitis . This in-depth, focused approach makes each volume an excellent companion to the larger Wills Eye Manual as well as a practical stand-alone reference for students, residents, and practitioners in every area of ophthalmology. The updated Glaucoma volume includes: Authoritative information on the diagnosis and management of glaucoma, ideal for practicing ophthalmologists, glaucoma specialists, and those in training. More than 350 superb illustrations covering the newest diagnostic techniques, including anterior segment imaging, as well as the latest in therapeutic procedures and technology, e.g. minimally invasive surgical techniques and devices. An easy-to-use format that covers Epidemiology and Etiology, History, Physical Examination, Differential Diagnosis, Laboratory and Special Examinations, Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Management. Enrich Your eBook Reading Experience with Enhanced Video, Audio and Interactive Capabilities! Read directly on your preferred device(s ), such as computer, tablet, or smartphone Easily convert to audiobook , powering your content with natural language text-to-speech Adapt for unique reading needs , supporting learning disabilities, visual/auditory impairments, second-language or literacy challenges, and more

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A world without war: this is the vision that Douglas Roche has pursued for decades. A long-time Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament, Canadian ambassador for disarmament, and later a senator, Roche has been in the thick of international affairs for more than forty years. Though few of us realize it, today the world is more peaceful than in past centuries. Wars have diminished destruction dramatically in the past two decades. This is no accident -- it is the cumulative result of the work of the world's peacemakers. Sometimes in public, often behind the scenes, talented high achievers are waging a campaign for peace that is in ascendance over the warlike intentions of the arms industry, military generals, and aggressive government leaders. Neither Roche nor the peacemakers shy away from the thorniest issues the world faces -- including the threat posed by nuclear weapons, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and multiple threats of genocidal violence. Roche shows how new ideas like the responsibility to protect innocent civilians from genocide or armed attack by their own government, and new institutions like the International Criminal Court are moving the world along the path to the end of war. To tell this story, Roche profiles some leading peacemakers of our time and the work they are doing, and also interviews keen observers of world politics who offer informed commentary on the work of the peacemakers. You will meet former prime ministers and foreign ministers, senior UN officials, religious figures, women's organization leaders and activists. Few are household names. Roche documents the many successes of the past two decades in reducing conflict in the world, and in creating structures and institutions which are making war less likely and more difficult for states to initiate. With a Resources section of websites, books and films.

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'The thought in my head does not yet have shape or form, only direction, one picture leading into another.' An ageing artist, faced with his own mortality, embarks on one final artwork. As he battles to complete the project, working with an enigmatic young photographer, he finds his past and present blurring. Through the act of creation and the memories it excavates, the artist comes to a realisation about what matters most, and what he will leave behind when he is gone. This hybrid and innovative short novel responds through fiction to 'The New World', the final artwork by the late artist Alan Smith - which is in turn a response to an eighteenth-century fresco, Giandomenico Tiepolo's 'Il Mondo Nuovo'. With sparkling, dreamlike prose, Bruton weaves a story around these artworks, arriving at both a profound exploration of the creative process and a timeless love story told in a new way.

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Set in Edinburgh in 1690. The body of a wealthy merchant is discovered in his home in the city centre. Was his killing the result of a robbery gone wrong? The vicious mode of his death seems to suggest otherwise. Scotland is in upheaval as political and religious tensions boil, and there is mystery concealed behind the walls of Van Diemen's Land. MacKenzie and Scougall investigate.

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I confess that I am a witch. I have sold myself body and soul unto Satan. My mother took me to the Blinkbonny Woods where we met other witches. I put a hand on the crown of my head and the other on the sole of my foot. I gave everything between unto him.Scotland, late seventeeth century. A young woman is accused of witchcraft. Tortured with pins and sleep deprivation, she is using all of her the Scottish witch-hunt began.Probably more than a thousand men and women were exectued for witchcraft before the frenzy died down. When Edinburgh-based Advocate John MacKenzie and his assistant Davie Scougall investigate the suspicious death of a woman denounced as a witch, they find themselves in a village overwhelmed by superstition, resentment and puritanical religion. In a time of spiritual, political and social upheaval, will reason allow MacKenzie to reveal the true evil lurking in the town, before the witch-hunt claims yet another victim?

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Meet Davie McCall – not your average henchman. Abused and tormented by his father for fifteen years, there is a darkness in him searching for a way out. Under the wing of Glasgow’s Godfather, Joe ‘the Tailor’ Klein, he flourishes. Joe the Tailor may be a killer, but there are some lines he won’t cross, and Davie agrees with his strict moral code. He doesn’t like drugs. He won’t condone foul language. He abhors violence against women. When the Tailor refuses to be part of Glasgow’s new drug trade, the hits start rolling. It’s every man for himself as the entire criminal underworld turns on itself, and Davie is well and truly caught up in the action. But an attractive young reporter makes him wonder if he can leave his life of crime behind and Davie must learn the hard way that you cannot change what you are. Blood City is a novel set in Glasgow’s underworld at a time when it was undergoing a seismic shift. A tale of violence, corruption and betrayal, loyalties will be tested and friendships torn apart.

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AD 406. Abandoned by friends and hounded by enemies, Roman cavalry commander Marcus Flavius Victor and a small band of loyal warriors know that the time has come to leave an increasingly fractured Britannia.Their journey takes them across the bleak, pirate-infested seas of the Mare Germanicum to Saxonia and on into the dark heart of barbarism. It seems the Britons' only salvation lies with an old comrade, General Stilicho - based far to the east but still within the sanctuary of the Empire. But the general has troubles of his own: his influence with the Emperor Honorius is waning, and a great warrior people are on the march - for Radagaisus, king of the Ostrogoths, has promised his subjects all the riches of Italia, and they will leave a sea of Roman bones in their wake.But as Marcus and his companions battle their way towards what they hope will a safe haven of sorts, they stumble across a secret which could decide the fate of the Empire. But who can they really trust, and can Marcus reach Stilicho in time - because his every step is dogged by a son who wants him dead...Set during the desperate twilight years of Rome's once all-powerful empire, The Barbarian is the action-packed and thrillingly authentic new historical novel from one of the genre's very best.

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People throw away plastic every day. Lots of it ends up in the ocean. It can harm marine wildlife there. Scientists are developing technology that helps collect plastic from the ocean. Cleaning Up Plastic with Artificial Coastlines looks at the science behind the technology, its risks, and how it could help improve life on Earth. Easy-to-read text, vivid images, and helpful back matter give readers a clear look at this subject. Features include a table of contents, infographics, a glossary, additional resources, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Core Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

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The Greatest Escape: A True American Civil War Adventure tells the story of the largest prison breakout in U.S. history. It took place during the Civil War, when more than 1200 Yankee officers were jammed into Libby, a special prison considered escape-proof, in the Confederate capitol of Richmond, Virginia. A small group of men, obsessed with escape, mapped out an elaborate plan and one cold and clear night, 109 men dug their way to freedom. Freezing, starving, clad in rags, they had to still travel 40 miles to Yankee lines and safety. They were pursued by all the white people in the area, but every Black person they encountered was their friend. In every instance, slaves risked their lives to help these Yankees, and their journey was aided by a female-led Union spy network.Since all the escapees were officers, they all could read and write well. Over 50 of them would publish riveting accounts of their adventures. This is the first book to weave together these contemporary accounts into a true-to-life narrative. Much like a Ken Burns documentary, this book uses the actual words the prisoners recorded more than 150 years ago, as found in their many diaries and journals.

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Ace your courses and the USMLE with the go-to review guide—complete with critical concepts and fully updated practice questionsHistology and Cell Biology is designed and formatted in a way that helps you make the most of your time, whether you’re studying this topic for the first time or reviewing for the USMLE. With this focused review you’ll be able to pinpoint your weak areas, then improve your comprehension with learning aids designed to help you understand and retain even the most difficult material.This popular LANGE guide provides everything you need to know about the four basic tissues types, and organs and organ systems. Each chapter is devoted to a specific topic and includes learning aids, such as objectives highlighting significant facts and concepts; study questions directing students to facts commonly covered on exams; synopsis presented in outline form that reviews all the basic histology and related cell biology covered on exams; and multiple-choice practice questions written in USMLE format. This authoritative resource concludes with a diagnostic final exam, updated with longer, case-related stems that mimic the USMLE Step 1 exam. NEW: Thoroughly revised Q&A NEW: Completely updated text and practice questions to reflect current knowledge NEW: Information added to each chapter regarding relevant pathology/clinical issues Good Text for first year students, help understand and piece together professors' lectures Great Practice Q&A

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High Marsh Road, a finalist for the 1980 Governor General's Award and a beautiful example of bookmaking, is now back in print. High Marsh Road is a signficant step in the century-long artistic tradition of the Tantramar region, begun by Charles G.D. Roberts and continued by Alex Colville, John Thompson, and Lochhead himself. The book consists of 122 poems marking daily walks over the windblown marsh. Along with minute particulars of the marsh itself, its weather, and its birds and animals, High Marsh Road is an intimate account of a man's exploration of nature and the self.

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Shortlisted for the Governor General's Award for FictionA Guide to Animal Behaviour is a stunning collection of stories by an author who is fast becoming one of the great, innovative story writers of his generation. Following on the heels of his widely acclaimed comic novel, The South Will Rise at Noon, Douglas Glover's new collection smashes all the fictional moulds.Urbane, stylish, and off-beat, the stories in this collection touch the lives of an astonishing array of characters whose common experience is of a world that is wayward yet full of marvels: a born-again Christian from Kentucky who loses his memory and ends up finding true love in glitzy Bel Air; two women who fall in love only to be parted when one dies of cancer; a man who goes to live in a cardboard box when his wife leaves him for the manager of a Toys R Us store; an eighteenth-century Canadian pioneer who believes he is being persecuted by witches.This is sophisticated fiction at its best. A maximalist writer of ideas, he packs his sentences with energy, exuberant imagery and amazing turns of thoughts.

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This book features the works of 100 important artists living and working in New Mexico and Arizona today. These artists are being passionately collected by individuals, purchased for museum collections, and found in the news pages of the art world. There are famous artists, to be sure, along with discoveries that you will be delighted to meet. Over 400 full color photographs feature the broad spectrum of leading artists including the startlingly beautiful contemporary work of Native American artists, whose ancestry is as evident as a vision for their future, as well as Hispanic artists who have updated religious icons found in every devout Southwestern home and chapel. There are painters, sculptors, photographers, potters, weavers, and jewelers. Their stories and artworks will amaze as well as illuminate. All in all, you will come away with the most vibrant picture of contemporary Southwestern art that you can find anywhere.

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Follow along as we tour the west coast from San Diego to Vancouver and discover 100 of the most important artists of our time. Each will share with you, in his or her own words, the thoughts and feelings expressed in their work. These 100 artists have struck a particular chord with the public and their work is sure to become the masterpieces of tomorrow. Each of the almost 400 full color photographs of vividly hued, conceptually stimulating artworks in this book is sure to delight your eyes and imagination. This stunning collection includes art from private as well as public collections and installations, including the collections of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Corning Museum of Glass, and the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle to name just a few. Painting, sculpture, mixed media, photography, found object art, ceramics, collage, enhanced video art, sound art, and more are all included in this fine art compendium. This book is for all who want to educate themselves about contemporary art and artists, whether they are collectors, frequent museum and gallery visitors, or merely curious.

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This is the first English-language book on controversial female director Catherine Breillat, whose films include Romance, A ma soeur! (Fat Girl), Anatomy of Hell and most recently, The Last Mistress. This volume explores the director's complex relation to religion and to feminism, and it examines the differences between Breillat's films and patriarchal pornography, engaging in detailed analysis of her intimate scenes between men and women. Keesey also discusses the literature, films, paintings and photos that have influenced Breillat's work, and extends this to show how Breillat's films have influenced other filmmakers and artists in turn.A lively and accessible introduction, this book will appeal to students and researchers, as well as all those with an interest in gender studies, French film and contemporary cinema.

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Mystery surrounds the murder of Sir Lachlan MacLean, an impoverished Highland laird. With bad debts, family quarrels, and shady associates, Sir Lachlan had many enemies. But while motives are not hard to find, evidence is another thing entirely. Lawyer John MacKenzie and scribe Davie Scougall turn investigator to try to track down the murderer.

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Known to the ancient people of Central Scotland as uchel - the high place - the long upland massif of the Ochils rises between the River Forth and the Southern Highlands, with a dramataic escarpment running between the cities of Stirling and Perth. The high rounded hills are cleaved by steep-sided ravines and dotted with castles, standing stones, burial mounds, hillforts and battlesites, making the Ochils a walker's paradise. This collection of 40 routes covers all the main summits as well as the magnificant glens and the two rivers, the Allan and the Devon, which transect them.

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He's made $100 million, is the hottest DJ in the world and has worked with the pop royalty - but who is Calvin Harris? And how did he go from stacking shelves in his local supermarket to such astonishing global success? He's come a long way from making music in his bedroom in his native Dumfries but since bursting onto the music scene with 'Acceptable in the 80s' in 2007, he has broken Michael Jackson's record for most hits from one album, become the first British artist to have one billion plays on Spotify and turned hit-maker for stars like Kylie Minogue, Rihanna, Cheryl Cole and Dizzee Rascal. This is the astonishing story of Calvin Harris's journey from struggling musician to international star, revealing what makes him tick, why he has the Midas touch, how he went from being a lanky kid with little self-confidence to a modelling deal with Armani and how he became a global megastar.

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The number one Sunday Times bestseller'A touching, tender tale of boy meets boy in the bleak tenements of Glasgow . . . Superb' – The Times ‘Best Summer Reading’'Love and hope across the religious divide in a fervent, gritty and emotionally engrossing novel' –The Guardian 'Best Reads For Summer'‘Writing of transcendent beauty’ – The Financial Times ‘Best Summer Books’The extraordinary, powerful second novel from the Booker prizewinning author of Shuggie Bain, Young Mungo is both a vivid portrayal of working-class life and the deeply moving story of the dangerous first love of two young men: Mungo and James.Born under different stars, Protestant Mungo and Catholic James live in a hyper-masculine world. They are caught between two of Glasgow’s housing estates where young working-class men divide themselves along sectarian lines, and fight territorial battles for the sake of reputation. They should be sworn enemies if they’re to be seen as men at all, and yet they become best friends as they find a sanctuary in the doocot that James has built for his prize racing pigeons. As they begin to fall in love, they dream of escaping the grey city, and Mungo must work hard to hide his true self from all those around him, especially from his elder brother Hamish, a local gang leader with a brutal reputation to uphold.But the threat of discovery is constant and the punishment unspeakable. When Mungo’s mother sends him on a fishing trip to a loch in Western Scotland, with two strange men behind whose drunken banter lie murky pasts, he needs to summon all his inner strength and courage to get back to a place of safety, a place where he and James might still have a future.Imbuing the everyday world of its characters with rich lyricism, Douglas Stuart’s Young Mungo is a gripping and revealing story about the meaning of masculinity, the push and pull of family, the violence faced by so many queer people, and the dangers of loving someone too much.

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Following the smash-hit sci-fi comedy The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is the second part in Douglas Adams' multi-media phenomenon and cult classic series. This edition includes exclusive bonus material from the Douglas Adams archives, and an introduction by Monty Python star, Terry Jones.If you've done six impossible things this morning, why not round it off with breakfast at Milliways, the Restaurant at the end of the Universe?Which is exactly what Arthur Dent and the crew of the Heart of Gold plan to do. There's just the small matter of escaping the Vogons, avoiding being taken to the most totally evil world in the Galaxy and teaching a space ship how to make a proper cup of tea.And did anyone actually make a reservation?Follow Arthur Dent's galactic (mis)adventures in the rest of the trilogy with five parts: Life, the Universe and Everything, So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, and Mostly Harmless.

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The Salmon of Doubt is Douglas Adams's indispensable guide to life, the universe and everything. It includes short stories and eleven chapters of a Dirk Gently novel that Douglas Adams was working on at the time of his death, and features an introduction by Stephen Fry.This sublime collection dips into the wit and wisdom of the man behind The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, uncovering his unique comic musings on everything from his school-trousers to malt whisky and from the letter Y through to his own nose, via atheism, hangovers and fried eggs.These hilarious collected writings reveal the warmth, enthusiasm and ferocious intelligence behind this most English of comic writers; a man who was virtually an unofficial member of the Monty Python team. Douglas Adams on his passion for P. G. Wodehouse, The Beatles and the perfect cup of tea alone make this a must-have collection and a remarkable sign-off from one of the best loved writers of all time.Start from the beginning of the surreal Dirk Gently series with Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.

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Shortlisted for the James Tait Black Prize.Drawing on major new sources hitherto unexamined by western historians, Douglas Smith’s Rasputin is the definitive biography of this extraordinary figure for a generation.Nearly a century after his murder, Rasputin remains as divisive a figure as ever. Was he really a horse thief and a hard-drinking ruffian in his youth? Was he a a devout Orthodox Christian, or was he in fact a just a fake holy man? Are the stories of his enormous sexual drive, debauchery, and drunken orgies true or simply a myth? How did he come to know the emperor and empress and to wield so much influence over them? What was the source of his healing power? Was Rasputin running the government in the final years of his life? And if so, was he acting on his own or on the orders of more powerful, hidden forces? Did Prince Yusupov and his fellow conspirators act alone or were they other parties involved in Rasputin’s murder – British secret agents or even an underground cell of Freemasons, as has been claimed? And to what extent did Rasputin’s murder doom the Romanov dynasty? 'The most comprehensive account of Rasputin to date, brimming with complexities and fascinating detail, and stands as an enlightening re-evaluation of this crucial figure in Russian history.' – Daily Telegraph

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This accessible textbook describes Christianity, the world's largest religion, in all of its historical and contemporary diversity. No other publication includes so much information or presents it so clearly and winsomely. This volume employs a "religious studies" approach that is neutral in tone yet accommodates the lived experiences of Christians in different traditions and from all regions of the globe. The World's Christians is a perfect textbook for either public university classrooms or liberal arts campuses. Divided into three parts, the text first describes the world's four largest Christian traditions (Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Pentecostal) which together account for roughly 98 percent of all Christians worldwide. A second section focuses on Christian history, explaining the movement's developing ideas and practices and examining Christianity's engagement with people and cultures around the world. The third and longest portion of the text details the distinctive experiences, contemporary challenges, and demographics of Christians in nine geographic regions, including the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, Eastern and Western Europe, South Asia, North America, East Asia, and Oceania. The second edition of this popular text has been thoroughly rewritten to take recent developments into account, and each chapter now includes two primary source readings, highlighting the diversity of voices that exist within the world Christian movement. Like the first edition, the revised text is enhanced with easily understandable maps, charts, tables and illustrative photographs. In summary, this new and improved second edition of The World's Christians is: written in a clear style that readers will find engaging enriched by the addition of thought-provoking primary source readings thoroughly revised to bring the story of Christianity up to the 2020s more geographically comprehensive than any competing text more theologically/ecclesiastically comprehensive than any competing text amply illustrated with maps, charts, tables, and photographs perfect for use in the classroom or for general readers who want to understand the full diversity of Christianity as it currently exists around the world

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A brutally honest exposé, After Mandela provides a sobering portrait of a country caught between a democratic future and a political meltdown. Recent works have focused primarily on Nelson Mandela’s transcendent story. But Douglas Foster, a leading South Africa authority with early, unprecedented access to President Zuma and to the next generation in the Mandela family, traces the nation’s entire post-apartheid arc, from its celebrated beginnings under “Madiba” to Thabo Mbeki’s tumultuous rule to the ferocious battle between Mbeki and Jacob Zuma. Foster tells this story not only from the point of view of the emerging black elite but also, drawing on hundreds of rare interviews over a six-year period, from the perspectives of ordinary citizens, including an HIV-infected teenager living outside Johannesburg and a homeless orphan in Cape Town. This is the long-awaited, revisionist account of a country whose recent history has been not just neglected but largely ignored by the West.

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Noisy popular liberal interventionism? Or a more conservative, diplomatic approach concentrating on co-operation between nations? This is the debate that lies at the heart of modern politics and Hurd traces its most interesting and influential exponents.He starts with Canning and Castelreagh in post Waterloo Britain; to a generation later, the victory of the interventionist Palmerston over Aberdeen; then to Salisbury (Imperialism) and Grey (European balance of power); and finally to Eden and Bevin who combined to lay the foundations of a post-war compromise.That delicate balance has served its purpose for over half a century, but as we enter a new era of terrorism and racial conflict, the old questions and divisions are re-surfacing . . .

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It's spring - can you hear the buzzing? It's Bombus Bombus, a very big, beautiful queen humble bumble bee who has just woken up from her long winter sleep. She's hungry so she goes looking for flowers and somewhere to build her home. But everywhere is already taken. She needs to find somewhere to have her family so they will keep safe, and grow up to become pollinators like Bombus Bombus. Seventy years ago when Douglas Proctor was at school, nature walks were a weekly occurrence. In those days bumblebees were very common, but not so today. Bumblebees are not aggressive creatures, they need love and care - just like ladybirds and butterflies! Bumblebees are an important part of the pollination process, and you should know they are really good at it. Just listen for that magic buzz in springtime and Bombus Bombus will show you how special she is. This lovely book is perfect for ages 5 and upward!

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