Search results for ""children""

Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle is an irreverent and highly entertaining fantasy about the playful irresponsibility of nuclear scientists, beautifully repackaged as part of the Penguin Essentials range.'All of the true things I am about to tell you are shameless lies.'Dr Felix Hoenikker, one of the founding fathers of the atomic bomb, has left a deadly legacy to the world. For he is the inventor of Ice-nine, a lethal chemical capable of freezing the entire planet. The search for its whereabouts leads to Hoenikker's three eccentric children, to a crazed dictator in the Caribbean, to madness. Will Felix Hoenikker's death wish come true? Will his last, fatal gift to humankind bring about the end that, for all of us, is nigh?Told with deadpan humour and bitter irony, Kurt Vonnegut's cult tale of global apocalypse preys on our deepest fears of witnessing the end and, worse still, surviving it . . .'The time to read Vonnegut is just when you begin to suspect that the world is not what it appears to be. He is not only entertaining, he is electrocuting. You read him with enormous pleasure because he makes your hair stand on end' New York Times'One of the warmest, wisest, funniest voices to be found anywhere in fiction' Daily Telegraph'Vonnegut has looked the world straight in the eye and never flinched' J. G. BallardKurt Vonnegut was born in Indianapolis in 1922. He studied at the universities of Chicago and Tennessee and later began to write short stories for magazines. His first novel, Player Piano, was published in 1951 and was followed by The Sirens of Titan (1959), Mother Night (1961), Cat's Cradle (1963), God Bless You Mr Rosewater (1964), Welcome to the Monkey House (1968); a collection of short stories, Slaughterhouse Five (1969), Breakfast of Champions (1973), Slapstick, or Lonesome No More (1976), Jailbird (1979), Deadeye Dick (1982), Galapagos (1985), Bluebeard (1988), Hocus Pocus (1990) and Timequake (1997). He is also the author of a number of collections of short stories and essays. Kurt Vonnegut died in 2007.

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"The only thing better than the questions, in this delightful and informative book, is the answers." - Neil Gaiman"This book is GLORIOUS. It's heart-and-soul fabulous, page after page." - Stephen Fry"One of the best kids books I have ever had the pleasure of reading" - Pandora Sykes"This book is heaven on a stick" - Sophie DahlA wonderful new paperback edition of 366 curious questions asked by children from around the world, based on the award-winning podcast by original QI Elf, Molly Oldfield. How much bamboo can a giant panda eat?Do aliens exist?What we would do if we didn't have a prime minister?Why do hammerhead sharks have such strange-shaped heads?Find out the answers to these curious questions and much, much more!Ponder where ideas come from with award-winning illustrator, Rob Biddulph. Find out why you taste things differently when you have a cold with Michelin star chef, Heston Blumenthal. Learn about everything from how astronauts see in the dark to what the biggest dinosaur was with experts from the Natural History Museum.Fascinating facts are accompanied by gorgeous illustrations making the perfect gift for Christmas. Whether you read a question a day, or dip into it whenever you are feeling curious, this is a book to treasure and share all year round.Illustrated by Momoko Abe, Kelsey Buzzell, Beatrice Cerocchi, Alice Courtley, Sandra de la Prada, Grace Easton, Manuela Montoya Escobar, Richard Jones, Lisa Koesterke, Gwen Millward, Sally Mullaney, and Laurie Stansfield.Praise for Everything Under the Sun:"Trivia fans will relish Everything Under the Sun" - The Guardian"A brilliant book for any child, but particularly those who don't love reading stories" - David Walliams"A wonderful gift for families" - Evening Standard"A wonderful collection of 366 curious questions about everything from science to nature, dinosaurs to space" - Scottish Sun"Simply mesmerising compendium" - Waterstones"As cute as it is educational" - Babyccino Kids "This is a book to treasure all year round" - My Baba"An absolute delight" - David Walliams

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Travel with mischievous cartoon guides, the Brainwaves, in this book of science through a range of mindblowing STEM topicsMeet the Brainwaves, hilarious little mischief-makers who will be your guides to a marvellous range of mindblowing science topics! These pint-sized pals will jump aboard the invention of the car, take you on a madcap holiday to Mars and outer space, and will even shrink down to atomic level to explore the most basic building blocks of science. The Most Exciting Book of Science, Inventions, and Space Ever has a bunch of scientific discoveries that kids aged 8-12 will love to learn about - from the wisest and wackiest inventions the world has ever seen to the adventures of pioneering astronauts, plus all the core information they need to know, such as the periodic table, energy, forces, and matter. Each exciting illustrated adventure is packed with amazing facts and core information to learn about - from why gravity sucks to how the Industrial Revolution was powered.This STEM book for children features: - Step by step guides that give precise detail on scientific discoveries, planets, inventions and more!- Quirky characters deliver witty facts and asides, with a special new character to look out for in each part of the bind-up.- Mini biographies and profiles of key figures, events, and features.- Key subject areas, such as science and space that are presented in an inventive and whimsical way.With a host of colourful characters offering entertaining insights on each subject, the Brainwaves will both delight children's eyes and broaden their knowledge. Even the most reluctant readers will be absorbed, by hysterical artworks teeming with tiny, wise-cracking Brainwaves that bring each topic to life and make facts fun. Through their zany antics, readers can take a fantastical foray into a range of fields, learning about science, space, and discovering more than 300 inventions.

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Travel through time to the world of the dinosaurs in this exciting prehistoric fiction series for children aged 5-7 years. Jamie is a member of The Dinosaur Club: A network of kids around the world who share dinosaur knowledge! Jamie has just moved to Ammonite Bay, a stretch of coastline famed for its fossils. The Dinosaur Club help each other identify fossils, post new dino discoveries, and chat about all things prehistoric. In this story, Jamie and her friend Tess from the Dinosaur Club are exploring Ammonite Bay and stumble upon a secret cave with fossils all over the walls. But what's that strange tunnel at the back? Together they go through the tunnel and they discover some dinosaur footprints. Jamie and Tess walk along them...and the two new friends find themselves back in the time of the dinosaurs! It's amazing, but dangerous too - and they'll definitely need help from the Dinosaur Club...Take a journey into the prehistoric past to discover: -Beautifully illustrated line art accompanied by expertly written text-Plenty of humour and packed with facts!-Reference material contextualises each narrative, including timelines, quizzes, fact files, and glossariesIn this adventure, Jamie and Tess find themselves caught in a terrible storm. During the chaos, a stegosaurus egg is swept away downriver. It's up to Jamie and Tess to recover the egg and return it to its mother before it's too late.Dinosaur Club is a modern revision of the popular Dinosaur Cove series updated for today's readers with a new premise, new artwork, and the latest dinosaur information. The original Dinosaur Cove series sold more than 1 million copies worldwide!A must-have volume for kids aged 5-7 who love adventure stories and are endlessly curious about dinosaurs and the prehistoric world, Dinosaur Club: Saving the Stegosaurus is sure to delight!At DK, we believe in the power of discovery. So why not complete the Dinosaur Club Collection, including Dinosaur Club: The T.Rex Attack and Dinosaur Club: A Triceratops Charge, for plenty of dino-loving fun!

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An interactive touch and feel book for babies that inspires hands-on learning, with the help of the few bamboo chewing pandasBaby Touch and Feel: Panda is an interactive and fun way to help your child about shapes, textures, and one of nature's most happy and delightful animals - the Panda. Bold, bright, and sometimes black and white, pictures and colourful illustrations will be more than enough to keep your baby's attention. This adorable picture book is a perfect first book for preschoolers and makes for an ideal baby gift.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- Clearly labelled 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 teethLearning 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. 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. This touchy feely book, with its strong, baby-safe jacket, makes for an ideal baby gift.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 Animals, Baby Touch and Feel Bedtime, Baby Touch and Feel Colours and Shapes, and more for your little one to enjoy!

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This charming early learning board book takes a very first look at Easter! It's perfect for babies and toddlers learning about the story behind this Christian holiday. Introduce your little angel to the traditions and festivities of Easter with this first picture book. It's ideal for story time and provides lots of opportunities for parent-and-child interaction.A Delightful First Look at EasterPacked with key elements of the Easter story, this children's book helps little ones understand the true, Christian meaning of Easter in a personal, memorable way. From Palm Sunday and the Last Supper to the wooden cross and Jesus' resurrection, this baby book is perfect for parents wanting an age-appropriate, early learning book about Easter. This fantastic children's Easter book would make a beautiful addition to an Easter basket! Inside the pages of this educational book, you'll find:- Clear pictures of Easter-themed objects and events - Very simple, read-aloud text - Safe, sturdy padded board book with 12 interior pagesFrom the donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem to church prayers and hymns, this Christian book brings the warmth and celebrations of Easter to life through engaging, real-life photos. It's clear and easy for babies and toddlers to follow with one main image per page they can focus on. The simple language and short text are great for reading aloud and encourages language development for children 0-3 years old.This hard-wearing children's book has strong board pages made especially for little hands. The chunky pages are easy to grab to help with early motor control. Pre-schoolers will love turning the pages themselves, naming objects, and learning all about the important celebration of Easter.Complete the SeriesThis is the latest title in the Baby's First Book festivals and celebrations series. This series from DK Books introduces little ones to a diverse mix of religious holidays, festivals, and cultural events from a young age. Other books in this series include Baby's First Ramadan, Baby's First Hanukkah, and Baby's First Diwali.

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This charming early learning board book takes a very first look at Ramadan! It's perfect for babies and toddlers learning about the story behind this Islamic holiday.Introduce your little one to the traditions of Ramadan and the festivities of Eid al-Fitr with this first picture book. It's ideal for storytime and provides lots of opportunities for parent-and-child interaction.From the first sight of the crescent moon to the deliciously sweet dates that are eaten after a day of fasting, this Islamic book brings the celebrations of Ramadan to life through engaging, real-life photos. It's clear and easy for babies and toddlers to follow with one main image per page they can focus on. The simple language and short text are great for reading aloud and encourages language development for children 0-3 years old. The strong board pages are designed especially for little hands. It's easy to grab to help with early motor control. Preschoolers will love turning the pages themselves, naming objects, and learning all about the holy month of Ramadan.Inside the pages of this educational book, you'll find:- Clear pictures of Ramadan-themed objects and events - Very simple, read-aloud text - Safe, sturdy padded board book with 12 interior pagesA Delightful First Look at RamadanPacked with key elements of the Ramadan story, this children's book helps little ones understand the true, Islamic meaning of Ramadan in a personal, memorable way. From colourful lanterns and sparkly lights to beautiful henna designs and prayers at the mosque, this baby book is perfect for parents wanting an age-appropriate, early learning book about Ramadan. Complete the SeriesThis is the latest title in the Baby's First Book festivals and celebrations series. This series from DK Books introduces little ones to a diverse mix of religious holidays, festivals, and cultural events from a young age. Other books in this series include Baby's First Easter, Baby's First Hanukkah, and Baby's First Diwali.

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The ideal travel companion, full of insider advice on what to see and do, plus detailed itineraries and comprehensive maps for exploring this fascinating and cultural city.Explore imperial palaces, visit unique museums and stunning churches or stroll across the city's bridges: everything you need to know is clearly laid out within colour-coded chapters. Discover the best of St Petersburg with this indispensable travel guide.Inside DK Eyewitness Travel Guide St Petersburg:- Over 20 colour maps, plus a pull-out map of the city and transport map, help you navigate with ease- Simple layout makes it easy to find the information you need- Comprehensive tours and itineraries of St Petersburg, designed for every interest and budget- Illustrations and floorplans show the inside of St Isaac's Cathedral, the Hermitage, the Russian Museum, the Winter Palace and more- Colour photographs of St Petersburg's palaces, bazaars, ornate architecture, churches and many more- Historical and cultural context gives you a richer travel experience: learn about Russia's political history, annual festivals, beliefs and traditions- Detailed chapters, with area maps, cover Vasilevskiy Island, Petrogradskaya, Palace Embankment, Gostinyy Dvor, Sennaya Ploshchad and further afield- Essential travel tips: our expert choices of where to stay, eat, shop and sightsee, plus visa and health information, and a useful phrasebookDK Eyewitness Travel Guide St Petersburg is a detailed, easy-to-use guide designed to help you get the most from your visit to Russia's cultural capital."No other guide whets your appetite quite like this one" - The IndependentWant to explore more of Russia? Try our DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Russia.About DK Eyewitness Travel: DK's highly visual Eyewitness guides show you what others only tell you, with easy-to-read maps, tips, and tours to inform and enrich your holiday. DK is the world's leading illustrated reference publisher, producing beautifully designed books for adults and children in over 120 countries.

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How did we get into this mess? Every morning, many Americans ask this as, with a cringe, they pick up their phones and look to see what terrible thing President Trump has just said or done. Regardless of what he's complaining about or whom he's attacking, a second question comes hard on the heels of the first: How on earth do we get out of this? Alan Wolfe has an answer. In The Politics of Petulance he argues that the core of our problem isn't Trump himself--it's that we are mired in an age of political immaturity. That immaturity is not grounded in any one ideology, nor is it a function of age or education. It's in an abdication of valuing the character of would-be leaders; it's in a failure to acknowledge, even welcome the complexity of government and society; and it's in a loss of the ability to be skeptical without being suspicious. In 2016, many Americans were offered tantalizingly simple answers to complicated problems, and, like children being offered a lunch of Pop Rocks and Coke, they reflexively--and mindlessly--accepted. The good news, such as it is, is that we've been here before. Wolfe reminds us that we know how to grow up and face down Trump and other demagogues. Wolfe reinvigorates the tradition of public engagement exemplified by midcentury intellectuals such as Richard Hofstadter, Reinhold Niebuhr, and Lionel Trilling--and he draws lessons from their battles with McCarthyism and conspiratorial paranoia. Wolfe mounts a powerful case that we can learn from them to forge a new path for political intervention today. Wolfe has been thinking and writing about American life and politics for decades. He sees this moment as one of real risk. But he's not throwing up his hands; he's bracing us. We've faced demagogues before. We can find the intellectual maturity to fight back. Yes we can.

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Beloved by children and adults worldwide, the writings of C.S. Lewis have a broad and enduring appeal. Although he is best known for the iconic Chronicles of Narnia series, C. S. Lewis was actually a man of many literary parts. Already well-known as a scholar in the thirties, he became a famous broadcaster during World War Two and wrote in many genres, including satire (The Screwtape Letters), science fiction ( Perelandra), a novel (Till We Have Faces), and many other books on Christian belief, such as Mere Christianity and Miracles. His few sermons remain touchstones of their type. In addition to these, Lewis wrote hundreds of poems and articles on social and cultural issues, many books and articles in his field of literary criticism and history, and thousands of letters. At Oxford University he became a charismatic lecturer and conversationalist. Taken together his writings have engaged and influenced, often very deeply, millions of readers. Now Lewis societies, television documentaries, movies, radio plays, and theatrical treatments of his work and life have become common, and he is frequently quoted by journalists, critics, and public thinkers. This Very Short Introduciton delves into the vast corpus of C. S. Lewis' work, discussing its core themes and lasting appeal. As James Como shows, C. S. Lewis' life is just as interesting as his work. A complex man, he came to his knowledge, beliefs, and wisdom only after much tortuous soul-searching and many painful events. Moving chronologically through Lewis' life, Como provides throughout a picture of the whole man, his work, and his enduring legacy. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

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'Priestdaddy caused a sensation when it hit bookshelves in 2017' Vogue 'Glorious' Sunday Times'Laugh-out-loud funny' The Times'Extraordinary' Observer'Exceptional' Telegraph'Electric' New York Times'Snort-out-loud' Financial Times'Dazzling' Guardian'Do yourself a favour and read this memoir!' BookPageWINNER OF THE THURBER PRIZE FOR AMERICAN HUMOURThe childhood of Patricia Lockwood, the poet dubbed 'The Smutty-Metaphor Queen of Lawrence, Kansas' by The New York Times, was unusual in many respects. There was the location: an impoverished, nuclear waste-riddled area of the American Midwest. There was her mother, a woman who speaks almost entirely in strange riddles and arnings of impending danger. Above all, there was her gun-toting, guitar-riffing, frequently semi-naked father, who underwent a religious conversion on a submarine and found a loophole which saw him approved for the Catholic priesthood by the future Pope Benedict XVI, despite already having a wife and children.When an unexpected crisis forces Lockwood and her husband to move back into her parents' rectory, she must learn to live again with the family's simmering madness, and to reckon with the dark side of her religious upbringing. Pivoting from the raunchy to the sublime, from the comic to the serious, Priestdaddy is an unforgettable story of how we balance tradition against hard-won identity - and of how, having journeyed in the underworld, we can emerge with our levity and our sense of justice intact.'Destined to be a classic . . . this year's must-read memoir' Mary Karr, author of The Liars' Club'Irrepressible . . . joyous, funny and filthy . . . Lockwood blows the roof off every paragraph' Joe Dunthorne, author of Submarine'Beautiful, funny and poignant. I wish I'd written this book' Jenny Lawson, author of Furiously Happy'A revelatory debut . . . Lockwood's prose is nothing short of ecstatic . . . her portrait of her epically eccentric family is funny, warm, and stuffed to bursting with emotional insight' Joss Whedon'Praise God, this is why books were invented' Emily Berry, author of Dear Boy and Stranger, Baby

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Imagine if you got to be the boss of EVERYONE—even your dad! That’s just what happens to 10-year-old Joss in this hilarious, brand-new comedy from bestselling author, comedian and presenter Danny Wallace, with illustrations throughout from Gemma Correll. Perfect for children aged 8+ and fans of David Baddiel, Stephen Mangan, David Walliams, Andy Griffiths, Jenny Pearson and Helen Rutter. Ten-year-old Joss’s greatest ambition is to be Class Monitor at school. But she’s about to go one step further. It’s Take Your Kid to Work Day, and Joss’s dad takes her to the games company he works for. When the boss calls a meeting and tells them he’s giving his job away to the person with the best idea for a company game-changer . . . Joss sticks her hand up. And the next thing she knows, Joss is the boss. Joss is thrilled. Dad is horrified: he’s going to have to be on his best behaviour all the time! As Joss whips everyone into shape, maybe they can all learn a lesson or two . . . even Joss herself. Warm-hearted and beautifully observed, with hilarious artwork from Gemma Correll, this family-centric comedy has massive wish-fulfilment appeal for kids and adults alike. From the author of highly acclaimed adult bestsellers YES MAN, JOIN ME and the eagerly anticipated SOMEBODY TOLD ME.DANNY WALLACE'S HILARIOUS NEW ADVENTURE OPERATION: EVIL GENIUS AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW!Other books by Danny Wallace:Operation: Evil GeniusThe Luckiest Kid in the WorldThe Day the Screens Went BlankHamish and the WorldstoppersHamish and the NeverpeopleHamish and the Gravity BurpHamish and the Baby BoomHamish and the Terrible Terrible Christmas and Other StoriesHamish and the Monster PatrolPraise for The Day the Screens Went Blank: 'So funny' Noel Fielding 'Brilliantly funny' Shappi Khorsandi 'Hilarious' Tim Minchin 'Warm and funny' Frank Cottrell-Boyce

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WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO STAND TOGETHER? ‘It’s often said that winners write history, but there are no winners here’This is a small story about big questions. It's a story about family, community, life. It starts with a storm - and a death. But how does it end? Two years have passed since the events that no one wants to think about. Everyone has tried to move on, but there’s something about this place that prevents it. The residents continue to grapple with life’s big questions: What is a family? What is a community? And what, if anything, are we willing to sacrifice in order to protect them? As the locals of Beartown struggle to overcome the past, great change is on the horizon. Someone is coming home after a long time away. Someone will be laid to rest. Someone will fall in love, someone will try to fix their marriage, and someone will do anything to save their children. Someone will submit to hate, someone will fight, and someone will grab a gun and walk towards the ice rink. So what are the residents of Beartown willing to sacrifice for their home? Everything.PRAISE FOR THE BEARTOWN BOOKS: 'This is a stunning read that plunges you into another world. Backman writes with incredible sensitivity and insight. Every one of the characters is real and multi-faceted, having you breathlessly turning the pages, following their fears and hopes, fretting for their futures. This is storytelling at its best: Emotional, vivid, wise and utterly brilliant' HAZEL PRIOR 'Surrounded by impenetrable forests, Beartown recreates the stifling atmosphere of a dying community. A mature, compassionate novel' SUNDAY TIMES 'Backman can tickle the funny bone and tug on the heart strings when he needs to, and is a clever enough storyteller to not overindulge in either' INDEPENDENT 'As popular Swedish exports go, Backman is up there with ABBA and Stieg Larsson' THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW 'Backman is a masterful writer' KIRKUS REVIEW

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Lose yourself in the Cornish countryside with this gorgeous new novel from the Richard and Judy Book Club champion. If you love Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, you'll adore Roseland. __________'Utterly captivating' ADELE PARKS'Amazing, the descriptions of Cornwall were so vivid' Reader Review (5 stars)'There's nothing not to love about this book' SUSAN LEWIS'A captivating read' Reader Review (5 stars)'Evocative, enthralling and full of human insight' CELIA WALDEN'I read it in one day, could not put it down' Reader Review (5 stars)'Gloriously gripping' LIZ FENWICK'This book has Rebecca written all over it' Reader Review (5 stars)'Brimming with secrets, scandal and surprises' MARIANNE CRONIN__________The summers spent at Roseland, the sprawling ancestral home of her best friend, Eloise, were among the happiest of Cathy's life. Tucked away on the Cornish coastline and brimming with history, Roseland seemed to belong to another century.Cathy has barely been back since Eloise's death a decade ago. So she is shocked when Jack, the love of Eloise's life and father of her children, announces that he is getting married, and that the wedding will take place at Roseland. As Cathy and Eloise's family gather at the house for the first time in years, long buried secrets and resentments come to the surface. Nobody likes Jack's new bride, but is she really the imposter everybody claims, or are they merely haunted by memories of Eloise? And how can Cathy look to the future, when the past refuses to let go?Utterly captivating and beautifully told, with echoes of du Maurier's Rebecca, this is the gorgeous new novel from the bestselling book-club champion.__________PRAISE FOR JUDY FINNIGAN'Romantic and rain-lashed. . . a stirring and intriguing read' LOUISE CANDLISH'A haunting, pacy page-turner, with a real ghostly feel - a must read' FABULOUS MAGAZINE'Highly readable, incredibly moving' DOROTHY KOOMSON'A moving meditation of grief, family bonds, motherhood and female friendship' SUNDAY EXPRESS

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"The only thing better than the questions, in this delightful and informative book, is the answers." - Neil Gaiman"This book is GLORIOUS. It's heart-and-soul fabulous, page after page." - Stephen Fry"One of the best kids books I have ever had the pleasure of reading" - Pandora Sykes"This book is heaven on a stick" - Sophie DahlA collection of 366 curious questions asked by children from around the world, based on the award-winning podcast by original QI Elf, Molly Oldfield. How much bamboo can a giant panda eat?Do aliens exist?What we would do if we didn't have a prime minister?Why do hammerhead sharks have such strange-shaped heads?Find out the answers to these curious questions and much, much more!Ponder where ideas come from with award-winning illustrator, Rob Biddulph. Find out why you taste things differently when you have a cold with Michelin star chef, Heston Blumenthal. Learn about everything from how astronauts see in the dark to what the biggest dinosaur was with experts from the Natural History Museum.Fascinating facts are accompanied by gorgeous illustrations making the perfect gift for Christmas. Whether you read a question a day, or dip into it whenever you are feeling curious, this is a book to treasure and share all year round.Illustrated by Momoko Abe, Kelsey Buzzell, Beatrice Cerocchi, Alice Courtley, Sandra de la Prada, Grace Easton, Manuela Montoya Escobar, Richard Jones, Lisa Koesterke, Gwen Millward, Sally Mullaney, and Laurie Stansfield.Praise for Everything Under the Sun:'Trivia fans will relish Everything Under the Sun' - The Guardian"A wonderful gift for families" - Evening Standard"This is a book to treasure all year round" - My Baba"As cute as it is educational" - Babyccino Kids "A wonderful collection of 366 curious questions about everything from science to nature, dinosaurs to space" - Scottish Sun "Simply mesmerising compendium" - Waterstones"A beautiful gem of a book" - BookTrust"Fascinating for anyone who opens it" - Red magazine"An absolute delight" - David Walliams

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Now a green open space enjoyed by residents, Fort Hunt, Virginia, about 15 miles south of Washington, DC. was the site of one of the highest-level, clandestine operations during World War II.Shortly after the United States entered World War II, the US military realised that it had to work on exploiting any advantages it might gain on the Axis Powers. One part of these endeavors was to establish a secret facility not too close, but also not too far from the Pentagon which would interrogate and eavesdrop on the highest-level Nazi prisoners and also translate and analyze captured German war documents.That complex was established at Fort Hunt, known by the code name: PO Box 1142. The American servicemen who interrogated German prisoners or translated captured German documents were young, bright, hard-working, and absolutely dedicated to their work. Many of them were Jews, who had escaped Nazi Germany as children - some had come to America with their parents, others had escaped alone, but their experiences and those they had been forced to leave behind meant they all had personal motivation to do whatever they could to defeat Nazi Germany. They were perfect for the difficult and complex job at hand. They never used corporal punishment in interrogations of German soldiers but developed and deployed dozens of tricks to gain information.The Allies won the war against Hitler for a host of reasons, discussed in hundreds of volumes. This is the first book to describe the intelligence operations at PO Box 1142 and their part in that success. It will never be known how many American lives were spared, or whether the war ended sooner with the programs at Fort Hunt, but they doubtless did make a difference. Moreover these programs gave the young Jewish men stationed there the chance to combat the evil that had befallen them and their families.

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Originally published from 1932 to 1943, Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books are classics of children’s literature, beloved by millions. But readers who last enjoyed them as children may be astonished at the quiet poetry of Wilder’s prose and the force and poignancy of her portrait of the lives of American pioneers. Now The Library of America and editor Caroline Fraser present a new two-volume edition that affirms Wilder’s place in the American canon, reintroducing these enduring works to readers young and old. Here, for the first time in two collectible hardcover volumes, are all eight Little House novels—brilliant narratives of the early life of Laura Ingalls and her family as they grow up with the country in the woods, on the plains, and finally in the small towns of the advancing American frontier—plus the posthumous novella The First Four Years, which recounts the early years of the author’s marriage to Almanzo Wilder. This first volume includes Little House in the Big Woods, Farmer Boy, Little House on the Prairie,and On the Banks of Plum Creek, plus two rare autobiographical pieces that address the need for historical accuracy in children’s literature and reveal real life events not included in the novels.A companion volume gathers By the Shores of Silver Lake, The Long Winter, Little Town on the Prairie, These Happy Golden Years, and The First Four YearsEach volume features a newly-researched chronology of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life and career, and helpful notes. The volumes are also available in a deluxe collector’s boxed set, The Little House Books: The Library of America Collection.LIBRARY OF AMERICA is an independent nonprofit cultural organization founded in 1979 to preserve our nation’s literary heritage by publishing, and keeping permanently in print, America’s best and most significant writing. The Library of America series includes more than 300 volumes to date, authoritative editions that average 1,000 pages in length, feature cloth covers, sewn bindings, and ribbon markers, and are printed on premium acid-free paper that will last for centuries.

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Rescue the Gifted Soul! Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés says that the most endangered species on earth is the human soul. “What if our world is starving for soulful gifts only you carry? What are you waiting for? Lost, pushed back, can’t find the door, can’t see in the dark? `Mother Night’ knows the way.” On Mother Night, Dr. Estés teaches us to retrieve our beautiful gifts abandoned in the unconscious through neglect, ignorance, and fear. Gather with her at the fireside for nearly 10 hours of original teaching stories, poetry, commentary, and her special prayers of blessing over your creative soul. El Mundo Doble—the Double Worldview Mother Night is “the medial force,” seeing through the eyes of soul and through the eyes of ego. Dr. Estés describes this dual way of seeing, being, and acting, as the most direct way to reclaim the gifts and “healing apothecary” set into each soul at birth. Here, she unleashes the many archetypal images of Mother Night found in stories, myths, and imagination, showing us the way through. How to Bring Diamonds from the Darkness “We are weakly linked or severed from the wild and wise self,” teaches Dr. Estés. “Yet, deep creative life is informed by the realm of mystery, dreams, sudden knowings; the shadow.” Mother Night is our wild companion as we kneel to dig down to mine the raw gems of spirit, soul, and creative life, “bringing diamonds from the darkness” again, or for the very first time. Stories and Poems Include: “The Erl König” • “Prayer for the Outsider” • “The Conference of the Birds” • “They Tried to Stop Her at the Border” • “The Bell Underground” • “Los Zapatitos” • “The Heart Pierced by Seven Swords” • “The Beautiful Lady at the Lake” • “The Littlest Lazarus” • “The Four Rabbinum” • “The Three Feathers” • “We Are the Atomic Children, and We Are Still Dancing” • “The Rebbe in Prison” • “The Man Who Sought Treasure Afar” • “Coyote Learns to Dance” • “The Cry of the Swans” • “Mary Covered in Ashes; Covered in Diamonds”

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Like the fascinating culture that comes to life between its pages, UZBEKISTAN: an experience of cultural treasures to colour will take you on a journey of discovery from the blue and gold splendours of Samarkand to the intricacy of sacred mosaics. It’s the perfect way for you and your children to explore Uzbekistan’s rich cultural heritage, taking us along the Silk Road from fifth century architecture to modern-day artists. As we turn the pages, exquisite full-colour photographs transport us to some of the world’s most magnificent architectural monuments. From palaces through mosques, madrasahs and mausoleums, we wend our way amongst masterpieces of Islamic architecture, marvelling at the captivating mosaics with their complex geometric patterns or motifs inspired by the world of plants and mythological beasts. Fascinating and vibrant, they testify to the skill and craftsmanship of historic Uzbek masters. As a tribute to this rich heritage, UZBEKISTAN: an experience of cultural treasures to colour is a celebration of the arts and pictorial traditions of this fascinating land. Photographs of architectural monuments, murals, ceramics, tapestries and ornamented textiles highlight the country's cultural treasures. Short accompanying texts explain their historical significance. On the right-hand page, the reader is given the opportunity to colour in drawings based on the beautiful photographs provided. “The quality of the print, the paper, the colours, the selection of contents, and the sheer beauty of the book is a joy. It is perhaps such a pretty object that I am not sure that many people will dare to colour it and risk ruining it, but I can see it inspiring many, and also making many people wonder about the country and its history. If you are looking for an unusual present for somebody who loves colouring book, or simply somebody who might appreciate a beautiful book about the arts, craft, and architecture of Uzbekistan, I’d recommend it.” (Olga Núñez Miret)

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Buckle up for an explosive adventure! Discover the dramatic power of an erupting volcano in this action-packed sixth installment of DK’s new educational fiction series! Meet the Secret Explorers - a band of brainiac kids from all around the world. Everyone in this diverse group of young experts has a specialty, from outer space to dinosaurs, and each story follows a character who gets chosen for a “secret exploration”. This edge-of-your-seat science book for kids is packed with: • Fun facts and illustrations about the Earth’s tectonic plates • Simple and engaging explanations on how volcanoes are formed • Quizzes, mission notes, and a glossary of words with definitions • Information that supports a STEM-based curriculum A new adventure unfoldsIn this fun, fact-filled children’s science book, we join volcanoes expert Cheng on an exciting mission to Mount Yasur on the island of Vanuatu. Joined by biology expert Leah, the team is beyond excited to witness a real-life volcanic eruption.But soon, excitement turns to worry when they realize that people are in danger. Working together swiftly and heroically, they must stage a rescue mission. Kids will love turning the pages to find out if the Secret Explorers manage to succeed in their mission!It’s the perfect gift for children aged 7-9 who love all things geology. Packed with lots of information on volcanoes, this epic adventure book gives them a thrilling introduction to earth science. Don’t let the discoveries stop Each book in the series combines exciting adventures with real-life facts related to the Secret Explorers’ latest fictional mission. Don't miss out on more secret explorations! Dive into an underwater adventure in The Secret Explorers and the Lost Whales. Travel back in time to save a dinosaur egg from destruction in The Secret Explorers and the Jurassic Rescue. Finally, set out on a journey to stop the Cairo Museum from closing down in The Secret Explorers and the Tomb Robbers.

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One of the African American Intellectual History Society's Best Black History Books of 2020 Details how African-descended women’s societal, marital, and sexual decisions forever reshaped the racial makeup of Argentina Argentina promotes itself as a country of European immigrants. This makes it an exception to other Latin American countries, which embrace a more mixed—African, Indian, European—heritage. Hiding in Plain Sight: Black Women, the Law, and the Making of a White Argentine Republic traces the origins of what some white Argentines mischaracterize as a “black disappearance” by delving into the intimate lives of black women and explaining how they contributed to the making of a “white” Argentina. Erika Denise Edwards has produced the first comprehensive study in English of the history of African descendants outside of Buenos Aires in the late colonial and early republican periods, with a focus on how these women sought whiteness to better their lives and that of their children. Edwards argues that attempts by black women to escape the stigma of blackness by recategorizing themselves and their descendants as white began as early as the late eighteenth century, challenging scholars who assert that the black population drastically declined at the end of the nineteenth century because of the whitening or modernization process. She further contends that in CÓrdoba, Argentina, women of African descent (such as wives, mothers, daughters, and concubines) were instrumental in shaping their own racial reclassifications and destinies. This volume makes use of a wealth of sources to relate these women’s choices. The sources consulted include city censuses and notarial and probate records that deal with free and enslaved African descendants; criminal, ecclesiastical, and civil court cases; marriages and baptisms records and newsletters. These varied sources provide information about the day-to-day activities of cordobÉs society and how women of African descent lived, formed relationships, thrived, and partook in the transformation of racial identities in Argentina.

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An interactive touch and feel book for babies that inspires hands-on learning. Tactile elements and delightful imagery will encourage the development of motor skills and early learning.Baby Touch and Feel: Fluffy Animals is an interactive and fun way to help your child learn not only words but shapes and textures too. Bold, bright pictures and colorful illustrations will be more than enough to keep your baby’s attention. This adorable animal picture book is a perfect first book for preschoolers and makes for an ideal baby gift.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 animal board book for babies includes: • An amazing range of different textures to explore • Clearly 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. 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. This touchy feely book, with its strong, baby-safe jacket, makes for an ideal baby gift.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 Animals, Baby Touch and Feel Bedtime, Baby Touch and Feel Colors and Shapes, and more for your little one to enjoy!

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An interactive touch and feel book for babies that inspires hands-on learning. Tactile elements and delightful imagery will encourage the development of motor skills and early learning.Baby Touch and Feel: Tractor is an interactive and fun way to help your child learn not only words but shapes and textures too. Bold, bright pictures and colorful illustrations will be more than enough to keep your baby’s attention. This adorable picture book is a perfect first book for preschoolers and makes for an ideal baby gift.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 • Clearly 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. 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. This touchy feely book, with its strong, baby-safe jacket, makes for an ideal baby gift.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 Animals, Baby Touch and Feel Bedtime, Baby Touch and Feel Colors and Shapes, and more for your little one to enjoy!

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Travel with mischievous cartoon guides, the Brainwaves, in this book of science through a range of mindblowing STEM topicsMeet the Brainwaves, hilarious little mischief-makers who will be your guides to a marvellous range of mindblowing science topics! These pint-sized pals will jump aboard the invention of the car, take you on a madcap holiday to Mars and outer space, and will even shrink down to atomic level to explore the most basic building blocks of science. The Most Exciting Book of Science, Inventions, and Space Ever has a bunch of scientific discoveries that kids aged 8-12 will love to learn about - from the wisest and wackiest inventions the world has ever seen to the adventures of pioneering astronauts, plus all the core information they need to know, such as the periodic table, energy, forces, and matter. Each exciting illustrated adventure is packed with amazing facts and core information to learn about – from why gravity sucks to how the Industrial Revolution was powered.This STEM book for children features: - Step by step guides that give precise detail on scientific discoveries, planets, inventions and more!- Quirky characters deliver witty facts and asides, with a special new character to look out for in each part of the bind-up.- Mini biographies and profiles of key figures, events, and features.- Key subject areas, such as science and space, that are presented in an inventive and whimsical way.With a host of colorful characters offering entertaining insights on each subject, the Brainwaves will both delight children’s eyes and broaden their knowledge. Even the most reluctant readers will be absorbed, by hysterical artworks teeming with tiny, wise-cracking Brainwaves that bring each topic to life and make facts fun. Through their zany antics, readers can take a fantastical foray into a range of fields, learning about science, space, and discovering more than 300 inventions.

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The ultimate pocket-sized guide to more than 300 feathered residents of North America’s Eastern Region. Whether you are a budding bird-watcher hoping to find species in woodland or someone curious about the feathered visitors in your own backyard, find out everything there is to know about your favorite feathered friends, with this pocket-sized guide to many of the birds found in North America’s Eastern Region.Compact and easy-to-use, this stunning field guide is perfect for any bird and birding enthusiast, regardless of age or level of experience. High-quality photographs bring the bird species most commonly seen west of the Great Plains to life on the page, capturing their beauty and making identification quick and effortless. Significant differences in plumage variation between juvenile and adult, male and female, and winter and summer are clearly pictured.Soar into the pages of this beloved book on birds to discover:- Detailed bird profiles include information on behavior, habits, and flight patterns to ensure accurate identification.- Covers 370 species commonly seen in the Eestern region of North America.- Full-color photographs show the adult bird in typical plumage, with male/female, juvenile, and seasonal variations included as appropriate.- Detailed illustrations show typical plumage and posture in flight.- Maps accurately locate where the bird can be seen in summer, in winter, all year round, and on migration.- Includes free access to audio recordings of bird songs and calls to aid identification. Ideal for the dedicated bird-watcher, this beautiful bird-watching book includes stunning full-color photographs of over birds, revealing each species with unrivaled clarity. The reference pages pack in more data with lists of record breakers and endangered species, as well as many other fun facts. The Pocket Genius series is perfect for all children, whether they are learning about birds or are amateur bird spotters already! Produced in collaboration with the American Museum of Natural History, Pocket Birds of North America Eastern Region is an essential field guide for identifying birds in North America.

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From sunset at Stonehenge to the steps of the Forbidden City, see the wonders of the world and the people who built and used them brought back to life in stunning detail.Discover humanity's greatest monuments restored to their former glory in this guide to the wonders of the world. Incredible History: Wonders of the World turns back time to reveal realistic reconstructions of the most incredible monuments humankind has ever constructed.Imagine if you could travel back in time and visit the wonders of the world. Where would you go first? You’ll feel the roar of the crowd in the Roman Colosseum, observe an eclipse at Chichen Itza and stride along the walls of Great Zimbabwe. Children aged 9+ will learn when and how it was constructed, and what it teaches us about how the people who lived at the site might have spent their days. Each story begins by showing you the wonder as it is today and you can marvel at the location recreated in jaw-dropping 3D detail.This fascinating guide to the wonders of the world contains: - Information that goes beyond the curriculum to give a truly international view of the past, from the Palace of Versailles in France to the largest Buddhist temple in the world: Borobudur, Indonesia.- Pages packed with fascinating facts, data, and detail. - The wonders of the world are restored to their former glory with 3D computer artworks, going into incredible detail and depth.- Story boxes that put the discovery in context and go behind the scenes showing how archaeologists unearth the past.With each page packed with fantastic facts and extraordinary pictures, Incredible History: Wonders of the World brings together the best bits of history and archaeology to recreate our wondrous past. Combining archaeological evidence and computer technology, the book brings the people and places of the past back to life before your very eyes.

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This parenting book shows you how to make magical Montessori memories — every day.This beautiful, modern Montessori book for parents outlines the key principles of this parenting approach and shows you how you can easily apply this at home. It provides a valuable starting point for parents to help them create a family life inspired by the ethos of Montessori.This practical parenting guide ​makes Montessori accessible to every parent and child, regardless of time pressures and resources. It includes: • Outlines of the Montessori principles clearly and succinctly: respect, freedom, curiosity, creativity, responsibility and independence. • Examples on how to apply these principles to everyday life – with sections on breakfast time, school/daycare drop off, school/daycare pick up, playtime, meal times, homework time, bath time and bedtime. • Demonstrations of how to apply Montessori techniques to an older child new to Montessori and how to flex and build on the techniques as your child grows up.Montessori is a unique educational philosophy created by Maria Montessori that fosters the growth of the whole child. From enjoying nature together to free time and weekends, every aspect of family life is an opportunity for meaningful engagement with your child. Montessori For Every Family offers you pragmatic, real-life advice, suitable for children of all ages, showing you how easy and natural it is to create a nourishing and empowering environment at home for everyone.Even if your child won’t go to a Montessori school, a Montessori home can still be an invaluable bridge to reinforcing your child’s natural curiosity and setting the foundation for lifelong learning. This is the only Montessori book that recognizes that most parents don’t have the time and resources to overhaul their lives to fully embrace a parenting philosophy, but instead need practical, immediate guidance that is effective. "You will want to refer to this book again and again." Paul Epstein, PhD, Designs of Lifelong Learning

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Unleash your child’s inner math genius and help them master math for Grades 2 and 3!Whether you enjoy math or not, it’s an essential subject to understand. See how everything adds up with this fully illustrated home-study guide.Get inspired by numbers and see how mathematical explanations come to life with this engaging math book for kids! It includes: • Full color, with a clear layout. • Clear instructions that are easy for children to follow by themselves. • Answers that are given at the back of the book. • Practice questions and practical exercises to help expand your child’s knowledge of the subject. Make math manageableHow to be Good at Math Grade 2-3 keeps the math simple and easy to understand! It comes packed with eye-catching illustrations and easy-to-follow instructions to teach kids everything they need to know about math. This brilliant visual math workbook is ideal for reinforcing classroom teaching. It helps kids understand what they’ve learned in school and gives them extra math revision practice before an important test!Perfect for kids ages 7-9, this colorful math practice book covers all the key areas of the school curriculum for this level. It includes fractions, multiplication, divisio, measurement, geometry, coordinates, data handling and graphs. And there are answers at the back to check that you're on the right path.This engaging and clear workbook accompanies How to be Good at Math Grade 4-6, which covers ages 9-11 (Grades 4, 5, and 6).Discover How to be Good in other subjectsDK’s successful How to be Good at... workbook series provides your child with the tools to learn how to look at the world around them and figure out how it works. There are more books to discover! Learn all about the influence of science and technology in the modern age with How to Be Good at Science, Technology, and Engineering.

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Let your little nature-lover take a swing through the rainforest in this conservation-themed fifth installment of DK’s new educational fiction series! Meet the Secret Explorers - a band of brainiac kids from all around the world. Everyone in this diverse group of young experts has a specialty, from outer space to dinosaurs, and each story follows a character who gets chosen for a “secret exploration”. This edge-of-your-seat science book for kids is packed with: • Fun facts and illustrations about animals and plants found in the rainforest of Borneo • Simple and engaging explanations on how deforestation is altering our planet's biodiversity • Quizzes, mission notes, and a glossary of words with definitions • Information that supports STEM-based curriculums Kids to the rescue!In this fact-stuffed children’s science book, we follow rainforest expert Ollie on an exciting mission to rescue a lost baby orangutan in the steamy rainforest of Borneo. Accompanied by engineering expert Kiki, they set out in a glider to search for the friendly ape.Along the way, they encounter greedy plantation owners who are plotting to destroy the forest to expand a palm oil plantation! They also learn about the threat that endangered animals and plants face due to deforestation. Kids will love turning the pages to find out if the Secret Explorers manage to succeed in their mission!It’s the perfect gift for children aged 7-9 who love all things rainforest. Packed with lots of information on animal and plant life, this epic adventure book gives them a thrilling introduction to nature. Keep on exploring!Each book in the series combines exciting adventures with real-life facts related to the Secret Explorers’ latest fictional mission. Don't miss out on more secret explorations! Dive into an underwater adventure in The Secret Explorers and the Lost Whales. Travel back in time to save a dinosaur egg from destruction in The Secret Explorers and the Jurassic Rescue. Finally, set out on a journey to stop the Cairo Museum from closing down in The Secret Explorers and the Tomb Robbers.

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Believe it or not, everyone's a genius at something. We just need to uncover and release it for the sake of the world.Every member of your church comes with a unique set of God-given skills and talents. As a church leader, you have the weighty task of uncovering and validating them. Your challenge is to help your members identify and unleash their gifts to bring glory to God. But in our selfie-focused society, this task can feel overwhelming.God doesn't see two groups: his gifted children and the rest of us. He didn't give the Great Commission only to the extremely talented—musicians, writers, artists, pastors, and church staff. He gave it to all of us. To each of us. So, how do we help our members find their "sweet spots" of service in the kingdom?In Everyone's a Genius, author, pastor, and leadership consultant Alan Briggs, shares his belief that bringing out the abilities of often overlooked Christians—those whose unique skill sets are not as easily identifiable—remains a key component that will determine the church's impact in this and coming generations. This is an inspiring look at how we can more effectively motivate Christians to leverage their personal abilities for Christ.The truth is, reading this book is risky! It can change how you see every person you're leading. It can make you see your community differently. It can help you find gifts within your church family that will surprise you. It can also unlock something within you that you never knew mattered to God. It can expand your vision of the world, deepen your appreciation for "the least of these," and refocus the mission of your church.Perhaps God will use this book to take you on a journey toward a more appropriate theology of creativity. Yes, it’s a risk, but a risk we simply must take to impact the world for Jesus.Are you in?

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In this abridged edition for the Landmark Law Cases and American Society series, American by Birth is now available in a format designed for students and general readers and includes a chronology outlining the key points in the case plus a bibliographical essay.American by Birth explores the history and legacy of Wong Kim Ark and the 1898 Supreme Court case that bears his name, which established the automatic citizenship of individuals born within the geographic boundaries of the United States. In the late nineteenth century, much like the present, the United States was a difficult, and at times threatening, environment for people of color. Chinese immigrants, invited into the United States in the 1850s and 1860s as laborers and merchants, faced a wave of hostility that played out in organized private violence, discriminatory state laws, and increasing congressional efforts to throttle immigration and remove many long-term residents.The federal courts, backed by the Supreme Court, supervised the development of an increasingly restrictive and exclusionary immigration regime that targeted Chinese people. This was the situation faced by Wong Kim Ark, who was born in San Francisco in the 1870s and who earned his living as a cook. Like many members of the Chinese community in the American West he maintained ties to China. He traveled there more than once, carrying required reentry documents, but when he attempted to return to the United States after a journey from 1894 to 1895, he was refused entry and detained. Protesting that he was a citizen and therefore entitled to come home, he challenged the administrative decision in court. Remarkably, the Supreme Court granted him victory.This victory was important for Wong Kim Ark, for the ethnic Chinese community in the United States, and for all immigrant communities then and to this day. because the Supreme Court's ruling inscribed the principle in constitutional terms and clarified that it extended even to the children of immigrants who were legally barred from becoming citizens.

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Restricted to the shorthand of 'sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll,' the counterculture would seem to be a brief, vibrant stretch of the 1960s. But the American counterculture, as this book clearly demonstrates, was far more than a historical blip and its impact continues to resonate. In this comprehensive history, Damon R. Bach traces the counterculture from its antecedents in the 1950s through its emergence and massive expansion in the 1960s to its demise in the 1970s and persistent echoes in the decades since.The counterculture, as Bach tells it, evolved in discrete stages and his book describes its development from coast to heartland to coast as it evolved into a national phenomenon, involving a diverse array of participants and undergoing fundamental changes between 1965 and 1974. Hippiedom appears here in relationship to the era's movements - civil rights, women's and gay liberation, Red and Black Power, the New Left, and environmentalism. In its connection to other forces of the time, Bach contends that the counterculture's central objective was to create a new, superior society based on alternative values and institutions. Drawing for the first time on documents produced by self-described 'freaks' from 1964 through 1973 - underground newspapers, memoirs, personal correspondence, flyers, and pamphlets - his book creates an unusually nuanced, colorful, and complete picture of a time often portrayed in clichÉd or nostalgic terms.This is the counterculture of love-ins and flower children, of the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane, but also of antiwar demonstrations, communes, co-ops, head shops, cultural feminism, Earth Day, and antinuclear activism. What Damon R. Bach conjures is the counterculture in all of its permutations and ramifications as he illuminates its complexity, continually evolving values, and constantly changing components and adherents, which defined and redefined it throughout its near decade-long existence. In the long run, Bach convincingly argues that the counterculture spearheaded cultural transformation, leaving a changed America in its wake.

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New York City may be experiencing the hottest summer on record, but things for eleven-year-old Arcade Livingston keep heating up. After receiving a suspicious warning atop the Empire State Building, Arcade and his friends will have their mettle tested as they continue their journey with the Triple T Token. Arcade and the Fiery Metal Tester?is the third book in the humorous and imaginative Coin Slot Chronicles series by New York Times bestselling author, former NFL running back, and Dancing with the Stars champion Rashad Jennings.With the warning of “Things will heat up in all areas to test your mettle” still ringing in Arcade’s ears, there’s no time to waste, but can he control the Triple T Token? Arcade is tested like never before as he needs to use the Triple T Token’s powerful ways to outsmart a bully, find a place for his best friend to live, and spy on some pesky villains from the 1900s. Meanwhile, sister Zoe thinks controlling the token is nothing but a path to disaster.One thing’s for sure, the token continues its flashing and pulsing. And elevator doors continue to transport Arcade, Zoe, and their friends to meet different people in strange locations—people who will challenge them, teach them, and inspire them to grow in patience and compassion.And just as a trip through a fiery furnace is necessary to purify gold, the token leads Arcade through superheated situations to test the purity of his heart.Written and designed for reluctant readers, with shorter chapters and meaningful illustrations throughout the book.?Arcade and the Fiery Metal Tester?teaches children ages 8 and up: How to grow in patience and learn to be still How to grow in compassion for others and ourselves How to reflect on goals and accomplishments If you enjoy?Arcade and the Fiery Metal Tester, check out the rest of the series:? Arcade and the Triple T Token (Book 1) Arcade and the Golden Travel Guide (Book 2) Arcade and the Dazzling Truth Detector (Book 4)

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"So fresh and unsettling that it will enchant you from the first page and linger for days after reading...Its epic family saga style echoes that of Hala Alyan’s Salt Houses and The Arsonists’ City, Ayad Akhtar’s Homeland Elegies, and Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko." -- Los Angeles Review of BooksIn 2013, Sara is a philosophy professor at Kuwait University, having returned to Kuwait from Berkeley in the wake of her mother’s sudden death eleven years earlier. Her main companions are her grandmother’s talking parrot, Bebe Mitu; the family cook, Aasif; and Maria, her childhood ayah and the one person who has always been there for her. Sara’s relationship with Kuwait is complicated; it is a country she always thought she would leave, and a country she recognizes less and less, and yet a certain inertia keeps her there. But when teaching Nietzsche in her Intro to Philosophy course leads to an accusation of blasphemy, which carries with it the threat of execution, Sara realizes she must reconcile her feelings and her place in the world once and for all.Interspersed with Sara’s narrative are the stories of her grandmothers: beautiful and stubborn Yasmine, who marries the son of the Pasha of Basra and lives to regret it, and Lulwa, born poor in the old town of Kuwait, swept off her feet to an estate in India by the son of a successful merchant family; and her two mothers: Noura, who dreams of building a life in America and helping to shape its Mid-East policies, and Maria, who leaves her own children behind in Pune to raise Sara and her brother Karim and, in so doing, transforms many lives.Ranging from the 1920s to the near present, An Unlasting Home traces Kuwait’s rise from a pearl-diving backwater to its reign as a thriving cosmopolitan city to the aftermath of the Iraqi invasion. At once intimate and sweeping, personal and political, it is an unforgettable epic and a spellbinding family saga.

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From Wild + Free, a wonderful collection of creative activities for parents, educators, and caregivers filled with engaging and fun ideas to help kids fall in love with literature and reading.Foster a love of reading in your child with Wild + Free Book Club. An invaluable educational resource curated by Wild + Free families around the world, this full-color illustrated book offers imaginative suggestions for creating themed book clubs for kids. Here are hands-on activities, games, food, and decoration ideas inspired by a carefully chosen list of beloved classic novels, as well as discussion questions about plots and themes that engage kids minds and sparks their curiosity.Wild + Free Book Club is filled with fun ideas for each book, including: Anne of Green Gables—host a picnic tea party The Secret Garden—craft a terrarium, a secret garden of your own Charlotte’s Web—host an old-time country fair The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe—turn your front door into a magical portal to Narnia With step-by-step instructions, lush photography, and family-tested and kid-approved activities, Wild + Free Book Club will help parents and educators inspire children and instill a lifelong passion for literature and the joy of books.The Wild + Free Book Club reading list:The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Anne of Green Gables Around the World in 80 Days Black Beauty Charlotte’s Web The CrossoverEsperanza RisingThe Evolution of Calpurnia TateFarmer Boy From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler The Green Ember Heidi The Hobbit Island of the Blue Dolphins The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Little House in the Big Woods A Little PrincessLittle Women Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH My Side of the Mountain Peter Pan Pippi LongstockingRobin Hood Roll of Thunder, Hear My CryThe Secret GardenThe Swiss Family Robinson Treasure Island The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

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Before the end of the present century the population of China – currently around 1.4 billion – is forecast to drop to around half that level as a major and unprecedented demographic crisis begins to bite. Its working-age population has already stopped growing and is now well into a process of contraction. Increasing longevity means that by the 2050s there will be more than 400 million Chinese citizens over the age of 65 – with little provision for their care in a society where a single child is now the norm. The ratio of the retired to those working is steadily rising, putting pressure on families and the public finances. Years of preference for a male child has seen the creation of a skewed sex ratio at birth that already guarantees well over 50 million surplus adult males, unmarried and unhappy, in the coming years. This is more than the entire male population of Germany. The state has previously sought to impose its will on reproduction, but Chinese families experienced a sharply reduced birthrate even before the introduction of the notorious one-child policy. And despite the lifting of restrictions on the number of children allowed, births remain stubbornly low. As Timothy Beardson shows in this timely and fascinating new book, the Chinese people have largely ignored official policy, as trends in urbanization, employment and education alter traditional demographic patterns. China in fact reflects a clearly identifiable shift in the whole world of moving from high to low fertility. This book is the first to examine in detail China’s demographic history and the impending crisis that will see more people in the United States by 2100 than in China. It explains how China’s ageing and shrinking population will affect such widely disparate areas as the ethics of business, artificial intelligence and the combat-worthiness of the military – not to mention China’s overall place in the modern world.

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Short-listed for the 2022 Queen’s Knickers Awards Have you ever stopped to think about what is happening at this very moment in time? In this poetic book about the present moment, Matthew Hodson explores what is happening in the natural world, at this very moment in time. Praise for At This Very Moment ''Soothing, rhythmic, often repetitive words and distinctive illustrations make this a lovely, quiet book that radiates calm''. -- Kirkus ''Matthew Hudson has created something quite unique for a class library. A book that, by its very nature, is a chance to be still, connect and relax''. -- Just Imagine ''Told with simplicity and a variety of landscapes, this is an enchanting story''. -- My Shelves Are Full ''A lullaby of a book''. -- The Literacy Tree ''This simple yet captivating book presents pre-school readers with highly illustrated scenes of what is happening right now''. -- School Reading List At this very moment There's a mouse There’s a small mouse waking up in the early morning sun And at this very moment There’s a whale There’s a blue whale singing whale song, deep beneath the sea As you sit and read this book Somewhere there’s a plum A plum so ripe a worm will come And eat it for its tea At This Very Moment is a beautifully poetic bedtime book for children ages 2 and up. Using simple but evocative language, it describes all the wonderful things that are going on around the world right now, this very second. In doing so, it asks the young reader to be present in this moment in time and to feel at one with the giant, magnificent organism that is our planet. In an entirely organic and unselfconscious way, this book encourages mindfulness and reflection as well as a sense of marvel at the world we live in. And at this very moment Somewhere there’s a baby There are babies everywhere Drifting off to sleep…

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Ensure your staff and children feel happy and secure in their school environment, with the help of Whole-School Strategies for Anger Management. This book has a much wider perspective than the other more traditional anger management resources available. It considers a whole-school approach, including a tried-and-tested programme with resources for pupils as well as a new ground-breaking staff development element. A facilitator guide, with a programme of activities, PowerPoint presentations and resources, will guide staff in looking at how they manage their strong emotions and how they can help to create classrooms in which strong emotions are handled effectively. Anger can be difficult to manage, but it is an essential part of being human and is a potentially useful emotion. Getting in touch with our emotional intelligence can help us to understand our own anger and to understand children's anger. The book highlights the importance of continually trying to manage our feelings effectively, especially in the roles of leader, teacher, teaching assistant and other support workers. The development of an anger management strategy in a school should be considered as part of a whole-school approach to managing behaviour. Whole-School Strategies for Anger Management will ensure you feel confident to bring about the changes necessary for a happy and secure learning environment. Starting from the premise that managers will structure the process, but that implementation will be carried out by staff, this publication provides training and support at several levels by: recognising the effects of staff behaviour on student outcomes teaching the skills for problem solving, managing conflict and de-escalating angry behaviour understanding the components of anger setting up pupil anger management groups. With a whole-school approach, this resource allows staff to consider the significance of their relationship with students and the various ways that anger can be managed throughout all aspects of school life.

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The police force in Ireland - known as the Gardai - are required to combine technical and legal proficiency in the prevention and detection of crime. Expected to intervene in every kind of emergency, Gardai investigate a diverse array of offenses, combining skills in crowd control, crime scene management, intelligence-gathering, and the collection and analysis of forensic evidence. In order to fulfil their various functions, the Gardai are vested with an extraordinary array of powers - powers which facilitate surveillance; the taking of forensic samples; photographs and fingerprints; stopping, searching, and arresting individuals; as well as searching homes and vehicles. Suspects are detained and questioned, children are taken into emergency care, mentally ill persons are taken into custody. Each situation is not only complicated on a human level, but on a legal level as well, as the powers exercised intersect with constitutional and legal rights to liberty, privacy, bodily integrity, freedom of association, and expression. In England and Wales, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 is accompanied by extensive PACE Codes of Conduct. There is a core framework of police powers and safeguards - clearly laid out - around stop and search, arrest, detention, investigation, identification, and interviewing detainees. However, in Ireland, an unwieldy array of legislation and case-law must be sifted through to decipher the applicable principles. The pace of legislative change in Irish criminal justice, combined with the practice of amending Acts piecemeal rather than by consolidation, makes identification of the extent and scope of the powers of the Gardai a challenge which is grappled with by Gardai and legal practitioners alike. This book examines Garda powers and the legal issues which arise in their exercise, with an emphasis on the practicalities of policing. The law is distilled to determine the origin of key powers and the pre-requisites and practical aspects of their lawful exercise. The approaches of the courts and police forces of other common-law jurisdictions to particular policing questions are considered. Best practice guidance has been incorporated, grounded in human rights principles and international standards.

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Generation after generation, people dragooned by government rise up and struggle with the bonds of law and ownership which oppress them, and so it was on Tayside at the end of the 18th century and in the Outer Isles in 1849. From time to time a person of unusual resolve and clarity of mind finds him - or herself thrown up into the vanguard of the rising, to speak and decide and rally. Angus Cameron, a wright from Lochaber, spoke up for the families around Loch Tay who were faced with losing their young men to a Conscription Act in the summer of 1797. Cameron knows how his people have suffered through decades of eviction and military recruitment and is anguished by how little the ordinary people can do against a heartless Establishment which has weapons, powers and privileges. Arrested and outlawed, he survived to live on. King Cameron imagines a later life for him, as husband and father, then again as spokesman for crofters facing eviction on North Uist. These are times of famine, emigration, and the desperate fight with stones and tangle-stems against clearance from the homeland. David Craig writes with power and anger of lives which have few memorials. Past times are not museum-frozen, they are brought near enough to hear and touch and smell. The whole experience of countryfolk as they fish and plant argue and sing, love and bear children are revealed to the reader. Here is an entire class, shown (as it rarely is) in lifelike close-up, during the most testing episodes in its history, enduring the Potato Famine, battling with their bare hands against clearance. It will appeal to everyone with an interest in the Clearances, Scottish history or anyone who appreciates a good read by an expert storyteller. For a fuller appreciation of the story, readers will enjoy its sequel, the acclaimed "The Unbroken Harp".

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THE GOOD AUDITION GUIDES: Helping you select and perform the audition piece that is best suited to your performing skills If you're auditioning for a musical – or needing to choose a song to perform for an exam, showcase or drama-school application – it's vital you find a song that shows off your voice and reveals your full potential as both a singer and an actor. In this invaluable book, you'll find comprehensive introductions to fifty of the best songs from musical theatre, for tenor/high baritone and baritone/bass voices, and in a variety of periods, styles, genres and tempos. Each song comes with detailed textual, vocal and musical analysis, and a practical performance guide to ensure you perform it to maximum effect in your own unique way. Drawing on his experience as a performer, musical director and teacher at several leading drama schools, Paul Harvard gives his top tips for performing each song, note by note, moment by moment. He also recommends soundtrack recordings to inspire you, and tells you where to find the correct sheet music for your chosen song (please note: the book does not contain the sheet music itself). The selection includes songs from acclaimed contemporary musicals such as Children of Eden and Pippin by Stephen Schwartz, Parade and The Last Five Years by Jason Robert Brown, as well as Martin Guerre, The Wild Party, Taboo and The Lion King – alongside many much-loved classics like Carousel, Fiddler on the Roof, 42nd Street, Kiss Me, Kate, and six of Sondheim's masterpieces. Also included is an extensive introduction to the process of choosing your song, preparing your performance and approaching the audition itself, along with many vocal and acting exercises to improve your technique and boost your confidence. 'For anyone wishing to do justice to a musical-theatre role, and definitely for those wishing to work in this genre, this guide is a must' Teaching Drama Magazine on Paul Harvard's bestselling book Acting Through Song

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'Warm and witty - Julie's got it in spades' Tracy Bloom. Cassie Beresford has recently landed her dream job as deputy head at her local, idyllic village primary school, Little Acorns. So, the last thing she needs is her husband of twenty years being 'outed' at a village charity auction - he has been having an affair with one of her closest friends. As if that weren't enough to cope with, Cassie suddenly finds herself catapulted into the head teacher position, and at the forefront of a fight to ward off developers determined to concrete over the beautiful landscape. But through it all, the irresistible joy of her pupils, the reality of keeping her teenage children on the straight and narrow, her irrepressible family and friends, and the possibility of new love, mean what could have been the worst year ever, actually might be the best yet... Julie Houston's novels are funny, wonderfully warm and completely addictive. Perfect for all fans of Gervaise Phinn, Katie Fforde and Jill Mansell. Praise for Julie Houston: 'A warm, wonderful, feel-good-hug of a book' NetGalley Reviewer. 'A Village Affair is a totally absorbing read that's beautifully written, full of warmth, charm, humour, a compelling and heart-warming plot that I didn't want to put down' NetGalley Reviewer. 'This is a story about family, friendship, and realising your own worth and not being afraid of taking a chance, and I devoured this book in a couple of hours because I just didn't want to put it down' NetGalley Reviewer. 'An enthralling novel, hard to put down' NetGalley Reviewer. 'It is a must read, heart-warming story - no hesitation in giving this one 5 stars!!' NetGalley Reviewer. 'What a brilliant story this turned out to be so full of surprises and shocking revelations from the start to the end' NetGalley Reviewer. 'Lovely and entertaining, with wonderful set of lovable characters will have you rooting for Cassie' NetGalley Reviewer.

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Boxing Day 1920, and 53,000 men, women and children pack inside Goodison Park. The extraordinary crowds have come to watch two local rivals play a match for charity. But this is no ordinary charity fixture. Eleven of the players are international celebrities and their team is the biggest draw in British - and world - football. Yet they are all full-time factory workers - and they are women. They are the ladies of Dick Kerr electrical works. And the male football establishment is terrified by them. With the men away fighting from 1914-1918, most of the workers in the factories of northern England were women. And many factories had a ladies' football team. In December 1917, the team from the Dick Kerr factory challenged the ladies of the nearby Arundel Coulthard Foundry to a charity match. It was the first of 828 games for Dick Kerr Ladies as over the decades they scored more than 3,500 goals and raised the equivalent of GBP1 million for an array of charities. By 1920, ladies football was a major spectator sport. But away from the cheering terraces are bastions of professional men's football viewed the mass popularity of women's soccer with increasing alarm.On 5 December 1921 the Football Association met in London. After a brief debate behind closed doors it unanimously passed an urgent resolution: women's football was banned from all professional football grounds. Dick Kerr Ladies did not give in, playing their matches on parkland with thousands of spectators turning up to watch. But constant pressure from the FA meant that one by one, teams began to fold,. It would take until 1971 for the FA to life its ban. Today, women's football has once again claimed a place in the global games. But it came too late for the pioneers of the sport: Preston Ladies - nee Dick Kerr Ladies - played their last match in 1969.

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A fascinating ethnography of microbes that opens up new spaces for anthropological inquiry The trillions of microbes in and on our bodies are determined by not only biology but also our social connections. Gut Anthro tells the fascinating story of how a sociocultural anthropologist developed a collaborative “anthropology of microbes” with a human microbial ecologist to address global health crises across disciplines. It asks: what would it mean for anthropology to act with science? Based partly at a preeminent U.S. lab studying the human microbiome, the Center for Genome Sciences at Washington University, and partly at a field site in Bangladesh studying infant malnutrition, it examines how microbes travel between human guts in the “field” and in microbiome laboratories, influencing definitions of health and disease, and how the microbiome can change our views on evolution, agency, and life.As lab scientists studied the interrelationships between gut microbes and malnutrition in resource-poor countries, Amber Benezra explored ways to reconcile the scale and speed differences between the lab, the intimate biosocial practices of Bangladeshi mothers and their children, and the looming structural violence of poverty. In vital ways, Gut Anthro is about what it means to collaborate—with mothers, local field researchers in Bangladesh, massive philanthropic global health organizations, with the microbiome scientists, and, of course, with microbes. It follows microbes through various enactments in scientific research—microbes as kin, as data, and as race. Revealing how racial categories are used in microbiome research, Benezra argues that microbial differences need transdisciplinary collaboration to address racial health disparities without reifying race as a straightforward biological or social designation.Gut Anthro is a tour de force of science studies and medical anthropology as well as an intensely personal and deeply theoretical accounting of what it means to do anthropology today. Cover alt text:Black background overlaid with a pink organic path suggestive of a human digestive system. Title appears within the guts as if being processed.

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A gripping memoir of life in Jerusalem from one of Australia's most experienced Middle East correspondents. Leading Australian journalist John Lyons will take readers on a fascinating personal journey through the wonders and dangers of the Middle East. From the sheer excitement of arriving in Jerusalem with his wife and eight-year-old son, to the fall of dictators and his gripping account of what it feels like to be taken by Egyptian soldiers, blindfolded and interrogated, this is a memoir of the Middle East like no other. Drawing on a 20-year interest in the Middle East, Lyons has had extraordinary access - he's interviewed everyone from Israel's former Prime Ministers Shimon Peres and Ehud Olmert to key figures from Hezbollah and Hamas. He's witnessed the brutal Iranian Revolutionary Guard up close and was one of the last foreign journalists in Iran during the violent crackdown against the 'Green Revolution'. He's confronted Hamas officials about why they fire rockets into Israel and Israeli soldiers about why they fire tear gas at Palestinian school children. By telling the story of his family travelling through the region, this book is extremely readable and entertaining, full of humour, colour. It is sometimes dazzling in its detail, sometimes tragic. Lyons says he has written it in a way that readers can feel they are there with him - so they can smell the wonderful markets of the Middle East and feel the fear of what it is like to be blindfolded and have your hands bound with electrical cord. Lyons also looks at 50 years of Israeli occupation of the West Bank - the mechanics of how this works and the effect it now has on both Israelis and Palestinians.Lyons explains the Middle East through every day life and experiences - his son's school, his wife's friends and his own dealings with a range of people over six years. If you only read one book on the Middle East, this is it.

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"A well-written and essential tool for those navigating today's complicated geopolitical landscape."—Library Journal Best-selling author Michael Shermer presents an overarching theory of conspiracy theories—who believes them and why, which ones are real, and what we should do about them.Nothing happens by accident, everything is connected, and there are no coincidences: that is the essence of conspiratorial thinking. Long a fringe part of the American political landscape, conspiracy theories are now mainstream: 147 members of Congress voted in favor of objections to the 2020 presidential election based on an unproven theory about a rigged electoral process promoted by the mysterious group QAnon. But this is only the latest example in a long history of ideas that include the satanic panics of the 1980s, the New World Order and Vatican conspiracy theories, fears about fluoridated water, speculations about President John F. Kennedy's assassination, and the notions that the Sandy Hook massacre was a false-flag operation and 9/11 was an inside job. In Conspiracy, Michael Shermer presents an overarching review of conspiracy theories—who believes them and why, which ones are real, and what we should do about them. Trust in conspiracy theories, he writes, cuts across gender, age, race, income, education level, occupational status—and even political affiliation. One reason that people believe these conspiracies, Shermer argues, is that enough of them are real that we should be constructively conspiratorial: elections have been rigged (LBJ's 1948 Senate race); medical professionals have intentionally harmed patients in their care (Tuskegee); your government does lie to you (Watergate, Iran-Contra, and Afghanistan); and, tragically, some adults do conspire to sexually abuse children. But Shermer reveals that other factors are also in play: anxiety and a sense of loss of control play a role in conspiratorial cognition patterns, as do certain personality traits. This engaging book will be an important read for anyone concerned about the future direction of American politics, as well as anyone who's watched friends or family fall into patterns of conspiratorial thinking.

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Mahmoud Shukair's first major publication in English translation enthralls, surprises and shocks as one of the world's most original of storytellers excels in exposing the surreal moments in the ordinary and the mundane, the limits of human frustration and patience, and the intricacies of tiny daily obsessive practices. Brimming with humour that ranges from the funny and the farcical, to satire and black comedy, with a painter's eye for colour and detail, Shukair's stories present a unique commentary on the power of the human spirit to see beyond the particular.The collection includes the author's two fascinating autobiographical commentaries "Hemingway in Jerusalem" and "My Journey in Writing".Here is the brilliantly observed clutter and comedy of everyday lives, the lives of ordinary people pushed up against an iron occupation and fighting for survival with all the comic and moving strategems of the human imagination. Shukair's gift for absurdist satire is never more telling than in the hilarious title story which turns and pulls the leg (or the moustache) of the occupation, in the classic tradition of Palestinian satire. — Judith KazantzisTranslated from the Arabic by Issa J. Boullata, Elizabeth Whitehouse, Liz Winslow and Mahmoud Shukair. Mahmoud Shukair was born in 1941 in Jerusalem, and grew up there. With a Masters degree in Philosophy and Sociology he worked for many years as a teacher, journalist and editor-in-chief of cultural magazines. He was jailed twice by the Israeli authorities, lasting nearly two years, and in 1975 was deported to Lebanon. He returned to Jerusalem in 1993 after living in Beirut, Amman and Prague. He is the author of 25 books, nine short story collections, 13 works for children, a biography and a travelogue. He has written six drama series for TV, three plays and countless newspaper and magazine articles.Some of his short stories have been published in French, Spanish, Korean and Chinese, as well as English.

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In 1997, then state Senator Barack Obama sponsored legislation in the Illinois General Assembly to study the newly passed federal welfare reform and how it would affect the citizens of Illinois. He believed that a sound piece of research assessing how the new law affected the poor of Illinois would give lawmakers a way to come together and improve the law and the lives of the poor. In the highly charged times of the 1990s when ideology often trumped pragmatism, the assumptions and values of policy makers often shaped their work much to the detriment of those affected by the policies. Dan A. Lewis was selected to direct the study and report back to the legislature. For four years, Lewis and his team of researchers tracked a random group of 1,000 people who were on welfare when the new law went into effect. He reported on their income, their general well being, and the lives of their children under the new system. Gaining Ground in Illinois illuminates the findings of the study and offers advice for future policy makers. Lewis uses quantitative and qualitative data to draw clear conclusions but also to make the real experiences of the people he studied as vivid as possible. The reports allowed the legislature to debate the issue with the facts at hand. Lewis seeks a middle ground to give us a picture of how welfare reform affected the poor and to give policy makers some direction in how to improve the lives of the poor moving forward. As the current economic crisis leads to more discussion of public aid and entitlements, Lewis' work offers a starting point for the discussion about the welfare of the people of Illinois. This study will be of interest to sociologists, psychologists, anthropologists, and policy makers who are concerned with the welfare of the poor and are looking for new directions in social policy that move beyond the tired debates of the last generation.

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