Search results for ""twelve""

The publication of "Short Stories for Children" celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of Walter de la Mare's death. It is also the culmination of a major literary enterprise. For many people, Walter de la Mare (1873-1956) is as great a writer of fiction as of poetry. But, the majority of his short stories, of which there are a hundred, have long been unavailable. "Short Stories" brings them all together in three volumes in the first comprehensive collection to be published. The third and last volume, "Short Stories for Children", starts with "Broomsticks and Other Tales" of 1925, with its twelve stories, and continues with "The Lord Fish" of 1933 with seven stories. It includes three distinctive stories, 'Pigtails, Ltd', 'The Thief' and 'A Nose', that have never been reprinted since they originally appeared in Broomsticks. Quirky, disparate, unpredictable, acutely observed, sometimes frightening, and often preoccupied with states of mind and personal identity, these stories have much in common with the adult stories. Some of them are peopled with giants, witches, kind elves, evil and spiteful fairies, and imprisoned maidens in castles, but most are not.We find ourselves in railway trains, a mansion in the City of London, another Elizabethan one in a mysterious tract of country, a remote farm house near the sea, a waterlogged forest, a drawing-room being watched by a fly; and, among other things, we encounter a wise monkey, a haunted cat, a fish magician, a baron transmogrified into a donkey, a thief desperate to be burgled, a man who believes he has a wax nose, and a godmother celebrating her 350th birthday. As in de la Mare's poems, everyday reality may at any time become undercut by disturbing uncertainty and dark, though not always malign, forces. A full understanding of the poems and stories is impossible without knowledge of both. Vivid and timeless, Bold's original woodcut designs and Rex Whistler's original engravings have been used to illustrate the two parts of the book.

Read more less

At the very end of the road is a six-bar metal gate. It is chained and padlocked and marks the exact line where the tarmac stops. Beyond that is a track, twelve pasture and hay fields, and an area of saltmarsh, bounded on one side by a river and on the other by vast tidal mudflats. Deep in the west of England, this is a place sculpted by the wind and painted by the tides. It is a place full of wildlife. This immersive and carefully crafted book of place explores the impact of season and tides and weather upon this land at the edge through a series of literary pictures crafted through lyrical imaginative language. The author attempts what few, if any, have tried to do, namely to render meticulous observations of the intimate details of wildlife and landscape to depict a place as faithfully and transparently as possible. This is a bold book, one that tries to capture the elusive soul of a place; a daring examination of both what makes a place and how it is remade daily through the interactions between landscape and observer. It is also radical for its approach challenges the current orthodoxy of nature writing that in order to supply a connection between author, subject, and reader, some sort of narrative framework of human emotion is required to provide it with a rationale. So, although the prose is subjective, the book is framed in such a way as to remove the author's presence almost completely. There is no story save that of the eternal change of the seasons, no narrative connection, no focus on a single species, no discussion or allusion to the environmental issues of our age, no characters. Indeed, there is barely any mention of people at all. Although it rarely tries to explain or educate, it simply places observations at centre stage. Yet in trying to unearth what it is precisely that constructs our relationship with place, the author has, paradoxically, produced one of the most deeply personal and unusual nature books.

Read more less

'Twelve months' worth of smart self-help from someone you'd want on your team in a crisis ... genuinely useful, charming, comforting' - Guardian'Compelling, warm and authoritative' - Viv Groskop, bestselling author of Lift As You Climb'A compassionate book filled with useful tips to help us through life' - Claudia Hammond, bestselling author of The Key to KindnessHelp yourself to live a better life in 2023Psychology underpins everything we do, determining the decisions we make, the relationships we build, the roles we play and the places we live, and our behaviour is further influenced by the changing seasons, encouraging many of us to fall into unhelpful patterns again and again each year.In A YEAR TO CHANGE YOUR MIND, consultant clinical psychologist Dr Lucy Maddox explains how psychological processes thread through our lives, pinpointing those issues most frequently encountered in each month, and shows us how by reflecting upon past experiences, both joyful and painful, and considering evidence-based ideas from the realm of psychology, we can learn to live a more thoughtful, positive life that better prepares us for the future.From the tendency to lack motivation in January and to experience red-hot anger in the heat of August, to the weight of expectation associated with that back-to-school feeling in September and the pressure to enjoy the December holiday season, we're shown recognisable features of behaviour over the course of the year. In sharing with us the most useful psychology ideas the author has learned in her 15 years as a clinical psychologist - ones she uses in her own life, and returns to time and time again with people who have come to see her for therapy - she provides plenty to think about that we too can put into practice to improve our own lives.'Compassionate and easy to read, this book can lead us to better ways of living. It is filled with unpretentious wisdom' - Henry Mance'A fantastic book crammed full of practical - and evidence-based - tips to shift your thinking' - Sonia Sodha'Warm, assuring' - Independent

Read more less

Essays showcasing Ali and Nino as particularly topical for today's readers both in and out of the classroom, and providing a number of diverse approaches to it. Ali and Nino is a novel published in German in 1937 under the alias "Kurban Said," a love story between a Muslim man and a Christian woman set in Baku, Azerbaijan, during World War I and the country's brief independence. Itwas a major success, translated into several other languages, but was forgotten by the end of World War II. Recent research by the journalist Tom Reiss has revealed the identity of the author as Lev/Leo Nussimbaum (1905-1942), aJewish man born in Baku who converted to Islam, worked as a journalist in Berlin, and died forgotten in exile. Reiss's discovery has spurred new interest in the novel, as has the fact that the book prefigures today's perceived conflicts between East and West or Islam and Christianity, but also suggests a more peaceful model of intercultural living in multiethnic Baku's melting pot of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. The present volume collects twelve newessays on different aspects of the text by scholars from a variety of disciplines and cultural backgrounds. It is intended to showcase the suitability of Ali and Nino for inclusion in a curriculum focused on German, world literature, or area studies, and to suggest a variety of approaches to the novel while also appealing to its fans. Contributors: Sara Abdoullah-Zadeh, Cori Crane, Chase Dimock, Christine Rapp Dombrowski, Elizabeth WeberEdwards, Anja Haensch, Kamaal Haque, Lisabeth Hock, Ruchama Johnston-Bloom, Carl Niekerk, Elke Pfitzinger, Soraya Saatchi, Daniel Schreiner, Azade Seyhan. Carl Niekerk is Professor of German with affiliate appointmentsin French, Comparative and World Literature, and Jewish Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Cori Crane is Associate Professor of the Practice and Director of the Language Program in the Department of Germanic Languages and Literature at Duke University.

Read more less

The moving story of an English professor studying neurology in order to understand and come to terms with her father's death from Alzheimer's.Winner of the Memoir Prize for Books by the Memoir MagazineIn 1985, when Cindy Weinstein was a graduate student at UC Berkeley, her beloved father, Jerry, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He was fifty-eight years old. Twelve years later, at age seventy, he died having lost all of his memories—along with his ability to read, write, and speak. Finding the Right Words follows Weinstein's decades-long journey to come to terms with her father's dementia as both a daughter and an English professor. Although her lifelong love of language and literature gave her a way to talk about her grief, she realized that she also needed to learn more about the science of dementia to make sense of her father's death. To write her story, she collaborated with Dr. Bruce L. Miller, neurologist and director of the Memory and Aging Center at the University of California, San Francisco, combining personal memoir, literature, and the science and history of brain health into a unique, educational, and meditative work. Finding the Right Words is an invaluable guide for families dealing with a life-changing diagnosis. In chapters of profound and sometimes humorous remembrance, Weinstein relies on literature to describe the shock of her father's diagnosis and his loss of language and identity. Writing in response to Weinstein's deeply personal narrative, Dr. Miller describes the neurological processes responsible for the symptoms displayed by her father. He also reflects upon his own personal and professional experiences. In a final chapter about memory, Weinstein is able to remember her father before the diagnosis, and Miller explains how the brain creates memories while sharing some of his own. Their two perspectives give readers a fuller understanding of Alzheimer's than any one voice could.

Read more less

This volume uniquely draws together seven contemporary plays by a selection of the finest African women writers and practitioners from across the continent, offering a rich and diverse portrait of identity, politics, culture, gender issues and society in contemporary Africa. Niqabi Ninja by Sara Shaarawi (Egypt) is set in Cairo during the chaotic time of the Egyptian uprising. Not That Woman by Tosin Jobi-Tume (Nigeria) addresses issues of violence against women in Nigeria and its attendant conspiracy of silence. The play advocates zero-tolerance for violence against women and urges women to bury shame and speak out rather than suffer in silence. I Want To Fly by Thembelihle Moyo (Zimbabwe) tells the story of an African girl who wants to be a pilot. It looks at how patriarchal society shapes the thinking of men regarding lobola (bride price), how women endure abusive men and the role society at large plays in these issues. Silent Voices by Adong Judith (Uganda) is a one-act play based on interviews with people involved in the LRA and the effects of the civil war in Uganda. It critiques this, and by implication, other truth commissions. Unsettled by JC Niala (Kenya) deals with gender violence, land issues and relations of both black and white Kenyans living in, and returning to, the country. Mbuzeni by Koleka Putuma (South Africa) is a story of four female orphans, aged eight to twelve, their sisterhood and their fixation with death and burials. It explores the unseen force that governs and dictates the laws that the villagers live by. Bonganyi by Sophia Kwachuh Mempuh (Cameroon) depicts the effects of colonialism as told through the story of a slave girl: a singer and dancer, who wants to win a competition to free her family. Each play also includes a biography of the playwright, the writer’s own artistic statement, a production history of the play and a critical contextualisation of the theatrical landscape from which each woman is writing.

Read more less

The Developing Core Literacy Proficiencies program is an integrated set of English Language Arts/Literacy units spanning grades 6-12 that provide student-centered instruction on a set of literacy proficiencies at the heart of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Reading Closely for Textual Details Making Evidence-Based Claims Making Evidence-Based Claims about Literary Technique (Grades 9-12) Researching to Deepen Understanding Building Evidence-Based Arguments The program approaches literacy through the development of knowledge, literacy skills, and academic habits. Throughout the activities, students develop their literacy along these three paths in an integrated, engaging, and empowering way. Knowledge: The texts and topics students encounter in the program have been carefully selected to expose them to rich and varied ideas and perspectives of cultural significance. These texts not only equip students with key ideas for participating knowledgeably in the important discussions of our time, but also contain the complexity of expression necessary for developing college- and career-ready literacy skills. Literacy Skills: The program articulates and targets instruction and assessment on twenty CCSS-aligned literacy skills ranging from “making inferences” to “reflecting critically.” Students focus on this set of twenty skills throughout the year and program, continually applying them in new and more sophisticated ways. Academic Habits: The program articulates twelve academic habits for students to develop, apply, and extend as they progress through the sequence of instruction. Instructional notes allow teachers to introduce and discuss academic habits such as “preparing” and “completing tasks” that are essential to students’ success in the classroom. The program materials include a comprehensive set of instructional sequences, teacher notes, handouts, assessments, rubrics, and graphic organizers designed to support students with a diversity of educational experiences and needs. The integrated assessment system, centered around the literacy skills and academic habits, allows for the coherent evaluation of student literacy development over the course of the year and vertically across all grade levels.

Read more less

All author royalties from the sale of this book are awarded to the Goldman Family.In 1994, Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson were brutally murdered at her home in Brentwood, California. O.J. Simpson was tried for the crime in a case that captured the attention of the American people, but he was ultimately acquitted of criminal charges. The victims' families brought a civil case against Simpson, which found him liable for willfully and wrongfully causing the deaths of Ron and Nicole committing battery with malice and oppression.Twelve years later, HarperCollins announced the publication of a book in which O.J. Simpson revealed how he would have committed the murders—under the pretense that his confession was “hypothetical.” In response to public outrage that Simpson stood to profit from these crimes, HarperCollins canceled the book. Just one year later, Federal Court Judge A. Jay Cristol awarded the Goldman family the rights to If I Did It. Thus began one of the strangest odysseys in publishing history.Originally written by O.J. Simpson, the Goldmans published a new edition of the book in the fall of 2007, which included essays written by members of the Goldman family, a member of the Goldman family legal team, and O.J.’s ghostwriter that reveal the fascinating story behind the bankruptcy case, the book’s publication, and the looming court proceedings, which would eventually lead to his conviction. The book, called “one of the most chilling things I have ever read” by Barbara Walters, skyrocketed up bestseller lists across the country in the months following publication as the national media relentlessly covered O.J. Simpson’s dramatic Las Vegas arrest for armed robbery and kidnapping.The Goldman family views the book as his confession and has worked hard to ensure that the public will read this book and learn the truth. This is O.J. Simpson's original manuscript with up to 14,000 words of additional key commentary from those whose lives were forever changed by the heinous crime.

Read more less

This volume offers an illuminating overview of the work of a pioneering and highly distinguished scholar of early Latin American social and cultural history and philology. Known for the originality of his approach and the variety of his research interests, James Lockhart has gone from studying social history using career pattern methods to an ethnohistory emphasizing indigenous-language philology, all the while stressing general interpretation, synthesis, historiography, and the development of analytical concepts and categories. The present volume illustrates all these interests and activities within the covers of a single book; the reader can see not only common threads running through the individual essays, but also the close relationships between types of scholarship all too often seen as utterly distinct. The "old and new" of the subtitle is meant literally; the first piece was written in 1968, the last in 1998. Some are already well known, while others have appeared in quite obscure venues. Four of the twelve chapters are published here for the first time. They elucidate the reading of texts for social and cultural purposes, expound on aspects of Nahuatl historical linguistics, discuss the problematic nature of the concept of resistance in Western Hemisphere culture encounters, and review the author's experience with the scholarly disciplines, which involves a certain amount of intellectual autobiography. The tone of the volume is generally colloquial, for nine chapters originated as lectures and attempt to interpret for a wider audience the author's research as represented in his monographic books. Previously published pieces have been revised or expanded to a greater or lesser degree. Their subjects include the transition from encomienda to hacienda, the evolution of social history in Latin American studies, the economic rationality of Spanish procedures, the changing role of merchants in Spanish America, the editing of Nahuatl texts, the author's concept of Double Mistaken Identity, and the process of cultural contact in three major Latin American areas.

Read more less

The films, the stars, the filmmakers-all get their due in Hollywood Black, a sweeping overview of black people in film from the silent era through Black Panther, with striking photos and an engrossing history by award-winning author Donald Bogle.The story opens in the silent film era, when white actors in blackface played black characters and D. W. Griffith premiered his shocking, controversial The Birth of a Nation. Sound motion pictures were ushered in by Al Jolson in blackface in The Jazz Singer, but in this new era of filmmaking, black performers such as Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and Paul Robeson began finding a place in Hollywood. More often than not, they were saddled with rigidly stereotyped roles, but some gifted performers were able to turn in significant performances, notably Hattie McDaniel in Gone With the Wind (1939).In the coming decades, more black talents would light up the screen. Dorothy Dandridge became the first African American to earn a Best Actress Oscar nomination for Carmen Jones (1954), and Sidney Poitier broke ground in films like 1963's Lilies of the Field, for which he won the Best Actor Oscar. Hollywood Black reveals the changes in images that came about with the evolving social and political atmosphere of the country, from the Civil Rights era to the Black Power movement. The story takes readers through the Blaxploitation era with movies like Shaftand Super Fly, to the emergence of such stars as Diana Ross and Eddie Murphy, and of directors Spike Lee and John Singleton. The history comes to modern times with filmmakers Steve McQueen (Twelve Years a Slave) and Barry Jenkins (Moonlight); megastars Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Halle Berry; and a glorious gallery of others.Filled with photographs and stories of stars and filmmakers on set and off, Hollywood Black tells an enthralling, underappreciated history as it's never before been told.

Read more less

Failure analysis is the preferred method to investigate product or process reliability and to ensure optimum performance of electrical components and systems. The physics-of-failure approach is the only internationally accepted solution for continuously improving the reliability of materials, devices and processes. The models have been developed from the physical and chemical phenomena that are responsible for degradation or failure of electronic components and materials and now replace popular distribution models for failure mechanisms such as Weibull or lognormal. Reliability engineers need practical orientation around the complex procedures involved in failure analysis. This guide acts as a tool for all advanced techniques, their benefits and vital aspects of their use in a reliability programme. Using twelve complex case studies, the authors explain why failure analysis should be used with electronic components, when implementation is appropriate and methods for its successful use. Inside you will find detailed coverage on: a synergistic approach to failure modes and mechanisms, along with reliability physics and the failure analysis of materials, emphasizing the vital importance of cooperation between a product development team involved the reasons why failure analysis is an important tool for improving yield and reliability by corrective actions the design stage, highlighting the ‘concurrent engineering' approach and DfR (Design for Reliability) failure analysis during fabrication, covering reliability monitoring, process monitors and package reliability reliability resting after fabrication, including reliability assessment at this stage and corrective actions a large variety of methods, such as electrical methods, thermal methods, optical methods, electron microscopy, mechanical methods, X-Ray methods, spectroscopic, acoustical, and laser methods new challenges in reliability testing, such as its use in microsystems and nanostructures This practical yet comprehensive reference is useful for manufacturers and engineers involved in the design, fabrication and testing of electronic components, devices, ICs and electronic systems, as well as for users of components in complex systems wanting to discover the roots of the reliability flaws for their products.

Read more less

From the Preface: "My name is Flora Jessop. I've been called apostate, vigilante, and crazy bitch, and maybe I am. But some people call me a hero, and I'd like to think they're right too. If I am a hero, maybe it's because every time I can play a part in saving a child or a woman from a life of servitude and degradation, I'm saving a little piece of me, too. I was one of twenty-eight children born to my dad and his three wives. Indoctrinated to believe that the outside world was evil, and that I resided among the righteous, I was destined to marry a man chosen for me by the Prophet. I would then live in harmony with my sister-wives, bear many children, and obey and serve my future husband in this life and throughout eternity. But my innocence didn't last long. While still a child, I understood that the church of the righteous was nothing but a church of lies. When I was eight years old my father sexually molested me for the first time, raping me when I was twelve. I tried to kill myself. Beaten, molested, taunted, and abused by family members alleging they only wanted to save my soul became a daily routine, I ran from this abuse more than once in my early teens--even attempting to cross the desert on foot. My family hunted me down. I thought government agencies would provide me safety if I reported my father. Instead, police and social services colluded with the FLDS to return me to my family and I ended up back inside polygamy, right where I started." Flora goes on from there to tell the dramatic true story of how she ultimately escaped and has been fighting against frustrating obstacles with hard fought successes in rescuing women and children from the FLDS. It's a story you can't put down.

Read more less

Eight of the last twelve presidents were millionaires when they took office. The figure is above fifty percent among current Supreme Court justices, all nine of whom graduated from either Harvard or Yale. Millionaires also control Congress, where a background in business or law is the norm and the average member of the House or Senate has spent less than two percent of his or her adult life in a working-class job. Why is it that most politicians in America are so much better off than the people who elect them - and does the social class divide between citizens and their representatives matter? With White-Collar Government, Nicholas Carnes answers this question with a resounding - and disturbing - yes. Legislators' socioeconomic backgrounds, he shows, have a profound impact not only on how they view the issues but also on the choices they make in office. Scant representation from among the working class almost guarantees that the policy-making process will be skewed toward outcomes that favor the upper class. It matters that the wealthiest Americans set the tax rates for the wealthy, that white-collar professionals choose the minimum wage for blue-collar workers, and that people who have always had health insurance decide whether to help those without. And while there is no one cause for this crisis of representation, Carnes shows that the problem does not stem from a lack of qualified candidates from among the working class. The solution, he argues, must involve a variety of changes, from the equalization of campaign funding to a shift in the types of candidates the parties support. If we want a government for the people, we have to start working toward a government that is truly by the people. White-Collar Government challenges long-held notions about the causes of political inequality in the United States and speaks to enduring questions about representation and political accountability

Read more less

A supernatural tour-de-force' Daily Mail'Haunting and atmospheric' A.J. Gnuse, author of Girl in the Walls'The perfect modern ghost story' Katie Lowe, author of The Furies Some secrets can never be concealed . . .Nell Galilee, her husband and twelve year old step-daughter Maude rent a holiday cottage by the sea, needing time and space away from home. Nell grew up in this small, wind-blown town and has mixed feelings about returning, and it isn't long before she is recognised by a neighbour, seemingly desperate to befriend her. The cottage has been empty for some time, and from the start Nell feels uncomfortable there. Something isn't quite right about this place . . .Maude, furious about being brought here against her will, soon finds herself beguiled by the house's strange atmosphere. There are peculiar marks in the roof beams above her bedroom, and in another room, a hiding place, concealing a strange, unnerving object.As the house gradually reveals its secrets, Nell becomes increasingly uneasy - and Maude spellbound. But these women - and the women that surround them - are harbouring their own secrets too, and soon events will come to a terrible head . . .A brilliant, unsettling and chilling ghost story of mothers and daughters, truth and deception that asks how far you would go, to get what you truly desire . . . Everyone is talking about The Hiding Place...'There's nothing like a haunted house to get the heart racing and this deliciously dark contemporary gothic tale set in Whitby will do just that. Hugely atmospheric, the writer builds the tension gradually - unsettling and creepy, it's a perfect supernatural read for Halloween' My Weekly'Satisfyingly unsettling, this is a hugely atmospheric novel that oozes with uncanny menace' Lucie McKnight Hardy'Tense, atmospheric and suffused with the peculiar longing of motherhood' Araminta Hall'Full of intrigue . . . sure to leave readers unsettled' Anita Frank, author of The Lost Ones

Read more less

Freewaytopia: How Freeways Shaped Los Angeles explores how social, economic, political, and cultural demands created the web of freeways whose very form—futuristic, majestic, and progressive—perfectly exemplifies the City of Angels. From the Arroyo Seco Parkway, which began construction during the Great Depression, to the Century Freeway, completed in 1993, author Paul Haddad provides an entertaining and thought-provoking history of the 527 miles of roadways that comprise the Los Angeles freeway system. Each of Los Angeles’s twelve freeways receives its own chapter, and these are supplemented by “Off-Ramps”—sidebars that dish out pithy factoids about Botts’ Dots, SigAlerts, and all matter of freeway lexicon, such as why Southern Californians are the only people in the country who place the word “the” in front of their interstates, as in “the 5,” or “the 101.” Freewaytopia also explores those routes that never saw the light of day. Imagine superhighways burrowing through Laurel Canyon, tunneling under the Hollywood Sign, or spanning the waters of Santa Monica Bay. With a few more legislative strokes of the pen, you wouldn’t have to imagine them—they’d already exist. Haddad notably gives voice to those individuals whose lives were inextricably connected—for better or worse—to the city’s freeways: The hundreds of thousands of mostly minority and low-income residents who protested against their displacement as a result of eminent domain. Women engineers who excelled in a man’s field. Elected officials who helped further freeways . . . or stop them dead in their tracks. He pays tribute to the corps of civic and state highway employees whose collective vision, expertise, and dedication created not just the most famous freeway network in the world, but feats of engineering that, at their best, achieve architectural poetry. And let’s not forget the beauty queens—no freeway in Los Angeles ever opened without their royal presence. Freewaytopia is part colorful lore, part civic and historical critique, and part homage to the most famous freeways in the world.

Read more less

When Rob was twelve, they attempted a full-blown Disney parade in their house for their Grandma. As Rob donned wigs and played Mary Poppins, Ariel, Mickey Mouse and Belle, their Dad doubled as Stage Manager, Sound Technician and Goofy. Unfortunately, Dad missed all his cues and pushed all the floats in the wrong direction. Mum mistook Aladdin for Ursula. The costumes went awry. And Ariel's bubble gun didn't work properly. Grandma had a nice time, though. My Son's a Queer (But What Can You Do?) is the joyous, chaotic, autobiographical story of actor, writer and social-media sensation Rob Madge as they set out to recreate that parade – and this time, nobody, no, nobody is gonna rain on it. It was first performed at London's Turbine Theatre in June 2021, directed by Luke Sheppard, with music by Pippa Cleary – and starring Rob Madge as Rob Madge. It was a critical and commercial hit at the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and later that year transferred to the Garrick Theatre in London, to make the West End that little bit more queer. The play won Best Off-West End Production at the 2022 WhatsOnStage Awards, the Theatre Award at the 2023 Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards and was nominated for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play at the 2023 Olivier Awards. Rob Madge was joint winner of Best Creative West End Debut at the 2023 Stage Debut Awards. This revised edition features the complete text of the play as performed in Edinburgh and the West End, including links to and transcriptions of the video footage, colour photographs and extra bonus content from the RDM* Productions Archive. It concludes with an afterword by Mum and Dad about the joys to be found in championing the creativity of children – and why playing Tinker Bell, with a smile, might be the best thing you can do for your kids, and for yourselves. * Robert Dennis Madge

Read more less

Reveals the hidden order between the signs of the zodiac, alchemy, and the Tantric yoga chakra system to unlock spiritual opportunities• Shows how the astrological cycle around the signs of the zodiac represents the alchemical transformation of consciousness and chakra awakening • Expands the meaning of each astrological sign based on its association with the chakras and the alchemical transmutation cycle from lead to gold • Offers sample chart analyses to show how you can discover your spiritual challenges and opportunities Demonstrating the connections between astrology, alchemy, and yoga, Frederick Baker reveals how he discovered their correspondences by rotating the natural order of the zodiac, placing Aquarius and Capricorn at the bottom and Cancer and Leo at the top, to reflect the alchemical order of metals from lead to gold. is Alchemical Tantric Arrangement then revealed a corresponding alchemical order of the seven traditional planets--from Saturn (lead) to Sun (gold)--and also aligned with the seven chakras and the three major energy channels (nadis) of the Tantric yoga system, including the channel through which Kundalini energy rises from root chakra to crown chakra. Baker uses these rediscovered correspondences to expand the meaning of each astrological sign based on their association with the chakras, the alchemical transmutation cycle from lead to gold, and the wisdom of ancient myth. He also offers expanded meanings for each chakra in association with the twelve signs of the zodiac and their ruling planets as well as new insights into the influence of Chiron and Eris. The author provides a complete analysis of his own birth chart as well as Alchemical Tantric Astrology insights into significant events over the past few decades, including the intense changes of 2020. Baker’s revolutionary new take on our individual spiritual journeys shows how the astrological cycle around the signs of the zodiac represents the alchemical and Tantric transformation of consciousness and the natural path of spiritual unfolding.

Read more less

The commands, units and leaders of the General SS are finally compiled into a single detailed reference book for both the historian and SS memorabilia collector. This complete volume begins with an explanation of the twelve administrative and command main offices involving the SS to include the development, components and functions of each, as well as their respective office chiefs. The following section explores the most powerful posts in the SS, the Higher SS and Police Leaders, along with the subordinate SS and Police Leaders found in occupied territories - both the commands and the individual holder of these posts are examined in depth. The SS Main Districts are covered next including all their various subordinate components, title changes, development, commanders and chiefs of staff. The more than forty SS Districts follow, detailed in a similar format. Examining the more than one-hundred and twenty-five SS Foot Regiments in the General SS, the names and ranks of the hundreds of commaners, as well as details of unit location changes, popular and honor titles as well as other data for each are within a separate chapter. Finally, the elite SS Riding Districts and Regiments are covered similarly. Career biographies are included for more than two hundred senior SS commanders, many of whom served portions of their career in the Waffen-SS, Polizei, SD and other facets of Himmler's commands. The biographical data for individuals alone adds vast detail to this fascinating topic. Along with more than 120 rare photos of SS senior ranking officers and seven maps, a detailed index allows referencing of individual commands or personalities. Mark Yerger is also the author of Riding East, The SS Cavalry Brigade in Poland and Russia 1939-1942; Images of the Waffen-SS, Chronicle of Germany's Elite Troops; and a biography of SS-Strumbannfuhrer Ernst August Krag (all three titles are available from Schiffer Publishing Ltd.).

Read more less

This series of five comprehensive books covers all the basics for young children (from four years of age) but is also useful for older pupils who are struggling with phonics and spelling. It develops skills that fit into any phonics or spelling programme. Remove the confusion around phonological awareness and equip children with all the skills needed to conquer the world of words-spelling, reading and writing-with Prim-Ed's must-have new Phonological Awareness Skills series. This series of five comprehensive books covers all the basics for young children (from four years of age) but is also useful for older pupils who are struggling with phonics and spelling. It develops skills that fit into any phonics or spelling programme. This series is an excellent resource to help teachers address the 'Phonological and phonemic awareness' learning outcome of the new Language Curriculum, which for Stages 1 and 2 states that children should be able to 'play with and recognise sounds such as syllables, rhyme, onset-rime and phonemes in spoken words'. This series emphasises the oral element in phonological awareness. Twelve skills are presented in developmental order over the five books and include the following: * Book 1: Auditory Discrimination, Rhyming and Alliteration * Book 2: Segmentation and Syllabification, and Blending * Book 3: Phoneme Matching and Phoneme Isolation * Book 4: Phoneme Completion, and Phoneme Addition and Deletion * Book 5: Phoneme Segmentation, Phoneme Substitution and Phoneme Reversal The last 7 skills relate to phoneme manipulation. The skills are developed through fun, hands-on games and activities for whole-class, small group and pair work, with full instructions (including the actual words to say, if required). The games and activities are perfect for learning stations and station teaching. They can also be used for early finishers to consolidate skills or to motivate young pupils needing extension. All game/activity resources, supporting worksheets if applicable, differentiation ideas, formative and summative assessments and answers are provided. Literature links and suggested websites for games are also included where applicable.

Read more less

'It's a rollicking tale that brings to life the antic atmosphere of America in the 'Me' Decade' Wall Street Journal'A madcap chase... this is a well-written chronicle of 28 months when the world went slightly mad' Sunday Times'A suitably head-spinning account of LSD High Priest Dr Timothy Leary' Mail on SundayOn the moonlit evening of September 12, 1970, an ex-Harvard professor with a genius IQ studies a twelve-foot high fence topped with barbed wire. A few months earlier, Dr. Timothy Leary, the High Priest of LSD, had been running a gleeful campaign for California governor against Ronald Reagan. Now, Leary is six months into a ten-year prison sentence for the crime of possessing two marijuana cigarettes.Aided by the radical Weather Underground, Leary's escape from prison is the counterculture's union of "dope and dynamite," aimed at sparking a revolution and overthrowing the government. Inside the Oval Office, President Richard Nixon drinks his way through sleepless nights as he expands the war in Vietnam and plots to unleash the United States government against his ever-expanding list of domestic enemies. Antiwar demonstrators are massing by the tens of thousands; homemade bombs are exploding everywhere; Black Panther leaders are threatening to burn down the White House; and all the while Nixon obsesses over tracking down Timothy Leary, whom he has branded "the most dangerous man in America."Based on freshly uncovered primary sources and new firsthand interviews, THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA is an American thriller that takes readers along for the gonzo ride of a lifetime. Spanning twenty-eight months, President Nixon's careening, global manhunt for Dr. Timothy Leary winds its way among homegrown radicals, European aristocrats, a Black Panther outpost in Algeria, an international arms dealer, hash-smuggling hippies from the Brotherhood of Eternal Love, and secret agents on four continents, culminating in one of the trippiest journeys through the American counterculture.

Read more less

The inspiring, feel-good Richard & Judy Book Club pick about a small boy with a big heart - and even bigger dreams.'One of those gorgeous books that completely lifts your spirits and restores your faith in humanity' - Ruth Jones, co-creator of Gavin and Stacey and bestselling author of Us ThreeIt was a journey they would always remember . . . for a friend they'd never forget.Norman and Jax are a legendary comedic duo in waiting, with a five-year plan to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe by the time they're fifteen. But when Jax dies before they turn twelve, Norman decides a tribute act for his best friend just can't wait, so he rewrites their plan:1. Look after Mum | 2. Find Dad | 3. Get to the Edinburgh FringeSadie knows she won't win Mother of the Year and she's not proud she doesn't know who her son's father is. But when she finds Norman's list, all she wants is to see her son smile again. So, enlisting the help of eccentric friend Leonard - an 84-year-old veteran with superior planning skills and a thirst for adventure! - they set off on a pilgrimage to Edinburgh, making a few stops to find Norman's dad along the way.-'An uplifting tale of love, loss and the redemptive power of humour' - Mail on Sunday'Charming, funny and cheering' - Beth Morrey, author of Saving Missy'As moving as it is funny. And it's very funny' - Romesh Ranganathan'He's wheedled his way into my heart, and I suspect I'll have a Norman-shaped hole there forever' - Clare Pooley, author of The Authenticity ProjectReaders are in love with Norman:***** 'This has everything a feel good book should have. I loved it'***** 'Norman is one of the most lovable characters I have ever met'***** 'A book to make you laugh and cry in the same moment, a bittersweet read'***** 'A charming, uplifting tale of love, family, friendship and hope'***** 'A beautifully written novel about having the courage to hold on to and chase your dreams'

Read more less

Introduce numbers and counting to young children, featuring beautiful illustrations and two cheeky guinea pigs, Bob and Ginger, that kids will love. Guinea pigs Bob and Ginger head to the beach to go looking for sea creatures. From one jiggly jellyfish to four sticky starfish, and all the way up to 10 stripy sailboats, children will learn to count with this fun and sturdy board book.Guinea Pigs Go to the Beach helps children aged 0-5 to develop their early learning skills as they have fun learning their 123s at the beach. Bright, countable illustrations of sea creatures are brought to life accompanied by text which helps to broaden their vocabulary. Children will enjoy learning to count with this sturdy 123 board book that is perfect for little hands to hold and will stay engaged with the charming guinea pig characters. This exciting early learning book for kids features:- Key early learning topic of counting along with character-focused illustrations and text that encourages both learning and the enjoyment of reading. - A safe, sturdy board book format that is ideal for little hands and preschool play.- Twelve numerical pages with detailed and colourful illustrations of marine creatures.- Descriptive text develops vocabulary and introduces children to basic concepts like colours, letters, and numbers. Guinea Pigs Go to the Beach is the ideal book for parents and teachers who are introducing young children to their numbers. This sturdy board book is perfect for little children to hold by themselves, featuring numerals and descriptive lively text with easily countable illustrations. Featuring the cheeky characters of Bob and Ginger, children will be encouraged to return to the book again and again, both as a bedtime read and a learning tool! Complete the SeriesThis delightful book is part of the Guinea Pigs Go range of board books for babies and toddlers from DK Books, so why not check out the other adorable title in the series, Guinea Pigs Go Bug Hunting, which teaches little ones their ABCs!

Read more less

E.M. Forster's Where Angels Fear to Tread is amongst the greatest twentieth-century literary explorations of vice, virtue and the nature of prejudice, edited with notes by Oliver Stallybrass and an introduction by Ruth Padel in Penguin Classics.On travelling to Italy with her friend Caroline Abbott, the impulsive English widow Lilia Herriton outrages her dead husband's family by meeting and quickly becoming engaged to Gino, a dashing but deeply unsuitable Italian man twelve years her junior. Infuriated, her ex-brother-in-law Philip sets off from England to her new home in the Tuscan town of Monteriano - but, finding himself unable to persuade Lilia to leave her handsome, uncouth new lover, returns to England without her. When Lilia's marriage leads to sudden tragedy, however, Philip and Caroline feel compelled to return once more to Italy, where they are forced to examine their own lives.This edition reproduces the Abinger text, and also includes further reading, notes, a chronology, an introduction by Ruth Padel discussing division and culture clash in the novel and an appendix detailing an exchange about the novel between Forster and the poet R.C. Trevelyan.E. M. Forster (1879-1970) was a noted English author and critic and a member of the Bloomsbury group. His first novel, Where Angels Fear To Tread appeared in 1905. The Longest Journey appeared in 1907, followed by A Room With A View (1908), based partly on the material from extended holidays in Italy with his mother. Howards End (1910) was a story that centered on an English country house and dealt with the clash between two families, one interested in art and literature, the other only in business. Maurice was revised several times during his life, and finally published posthumously in 1971.If you enjoyed Where Angels Fear to Tread, you might enjoy Forster's A Room With a View, also available in Penguin Classics.

Read more less

J.R.R. Tolkien’s writings on the Second Age of Middle-earth, collected for the first time in one deluxe slipcased edition. J.R.R. Tolkien famously described the Second Age of Middle-earth as a ‘dark age, and not very much of its history is (or need be) told’. And for many years readers would need to be content with the tantalizing glimpses of it found within the pages of The Lord of the Rings and its appendices, including the forging of the Rings of Power, the building of the Barad-dûr and the rise of Sauron. It was not until Christopher Tolkien published The Silmarillion after his father’s death that a fuller story could be told. Although much of the book’s content concerned the First Age of Middle-earth, there were at its close two key works that revealed the tumultuous events concerning the rise and fall of the island of Númenor. Gifted to the Men of Middle-earth as a reward for aiding in the defeat of the Dark Lord Morgoth, the kingdom became a seat of influence and wealth; but as the Númenóreans’ power increased, the seed of their downfall would inevitably be sown, culminating in the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. Further insight into the Second Age would be revealed in subsequent publications, first in Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth, then expanded upon in Christopher Tolkien’s twelve-volume The History of Middle-earth. Now, adhering to the timeline of ‘The Tale of Years’ in the appendices to The Lord of the Rings, editor Brian Sibley has assembled into one volume a new chronicle of the Second Age of Middle-earth, told substantially in the words of J.R.R. Tolkien from the various published texts, with 10 new paintings and 65 pencil drawings by Alan Lee. This deluxe slipcased edition is quarterbound in terracotta and printed on heavyweight acid-free paper, stamped in gold foil on dove grey boards with a unique motif designed by Alan Lee, includes a ribbon marker and is housed in a custom-built matching slipcase.

Read more less

'Gripping, stomach-churning . . . Marwood is in a class of her own' LISA JEWELL'Heart stopping' SUNDAY TIMES, CRIME BOOK OF THE MONTH'A ripped-from-the-headlines thriller . . . I couldn't put it down' MARK EDWARDS________________Sun-drenched glamour and obscene wealth hide the darkest of secrets and lost girls in this ripped-from-the-headlines thriller. 1985 For twelve-year-old Mercedes, La Kastellana is the place she calls home. It is an island untouched by the modern world, with deep-rooted traditions - though that is all about to change with the arrival of multimillionaire Matthew Meade and his spoiled young daughter, Tatiana. The Meades bring with them unimaginable wealth, but the price they will all pay is far darker than Mercedes and the islanders could ever have imagined. 2016 Robin is desperately searching for her seventeen-year-old daughter Gemma, who has been missing for over a year. Finding herself on La Kastellana, the island playground of the international jet set, Robin is out of her depth. Nobody wants to help and Robin fears she is running out of time to find her child. But someone has been watching, silently waiting for their moment to expose the dark truth and reveal to the world what really happens on the island of lost girls.________________FIVE STAR NetGalley reviews'Superbly written, darkly atmospheric and incredibly creepy (but always page-turningly readable), Alex Marwood has played an absolute blinder with The Island of Lost Girls' 'The author specialises in "ripped from the headlines" thrillers, but has surpassed herself this time' 'This is one of the best beach thrillers I have read' 'Superlative suspense' 'This book is so compelling. So sunny and refreshing with this idyllic island that you just wish you were on and then - wow. A sharp, clever, blisteringly dark and gripping thriller' 'An excellent dual timeline thriller set in the glamorous world of the ultra-rich, where emotions and betrayal run high. Loved it!'

Read more less

Dr Grantly Dick-Read died on 11 June 1959. His teaching, however, gains a growing recognition even though others are putting their names to his theories and practices. The delivery on this recording was not in fact an 'easy' one, as the baby was not fully rotated. The record, therefore, not only justifies Dick-Read's teaching but is also a tribute to his own skill as a gynaecologist. The following sleeve notes were written a month after the recording. 'When my wife informed me that she was going to have a baby, I think my reactions were typical of most husbands. I was delighted, for we both wanted to start a family, but I was also anxious. My knowledge of childbirth was limited. I had heard that pregnancy could be 'difficult', that labour itself, if not actually dangerous, meant many hours of suffering either nobly endured or alleviated with anaesthesia. My wife, however, insisted that I read "Childbirth without Fear" by Dr Grantly Dick-Read. There I learned the simple tenets upon which his teaching is founded. The fear of childbirth can be overcome by simple instruction in the truth of natural processes. The methods by which a woman can help herself and not cause her own distress - correct breathing and relaxation for use during pregnancy and labour were explained. Simple exercises (requiring only a few minutes per day) to aid the general fitness for the birth of the baby were described. Dr Dick-Read stressed that even more important than the removal of pain is the spiritual joy the mother experiences when she sees her baby into the world, a joy, which transcends the moment of birth, and has a lasting influence on the family unity. This, as Dr Dick-Read says, is the experience, which is destroyed when the sensations of birth are removed or disturbed by interference. My wife decided that she would prepare for natural childbirth. It was at this point that as a recording executive I became involved professionally. My wife volunteered to have her labour recorded and Dr Dick-Read agreed to supervise her delivery and give a commentary as the labour proceeded. In effect, we had provided Dr Dick-Read with a test of some severity. We were not asking him to choose the best result from, say, twelve cases. The patient was not even selected by him. She was having her first baby and she was over thirty. Mrs Dick-Read began the antenatal preparation, as described in the book "Antenatal Illustrated". The voices you will hear on this record are those of Dr Dick-Read, Mrs Dick-Read, the expectant mother and, towards the end of the record, a woman doctor in general practice who assisted Dr Dick-Read. Another doctor who was present primarily as an interested observer was also skilled in the administration of pain relief should the patient have desired it. A bedroom in Dr Dick-Read's house in Petersfield had been equipped with a labour bed. Trilene and Pethedine were available; for, contrary to some reports, a strongly maintained principle of Dr Dick-Read's teaching was that the patient should not be expected to suffer any unnecessary pain or discomfort. Three microphones were used. One was placed above the bed and used to pick up conversations between doctor and patient and also the atmosphere of the ward, which was calm and peaceful throughout. At each side of the bed we placed microphones for use when either Dr or Mrs Dick-Read wished to make any comment. I personally operated the recording equipment in an adjoining room during the confinement and can categorically state that at no time did I feel that my wife was asked to bear any severe discomfort. Even when owing to the incomplete rotation of the baby's head at the outlet, and in order to prevent unnecessarily prolonging the final stage of labour, a small incision was made, my wife did not feel this and did not at any stage request anaesthetic. That she was asked to do a lot of very hard work she will be the first to admit. But the joy of the birth itself is unforgettable. During the early stages of her labour I was with her and able to help during her contractions with the back-rubbing, she found so beneficial at this stage. A swishing sound on the record during the first stage contractions is made by this back-rubbing. It is during this stage that Dr Dick-Read insisted that all patients should have company. So often the expectant mother is 'left to get on with it until the second stage is reached. During the second stage considerable background noise is caused by the movement of the bed-clothes when the patient changes her position in order to use her contractions efficiently. The recording was made on tape, edited and then transferred to a long playing record. Before we started to condense the recording of a twelve-hour labour to the length of one LP record we invited reporters to hear parts of the as yet uncut tape, including the last twenty minutes. It was pointed out to them that although a very heavy task of selection lay ahead, there was nothing which needed to be suppressed for the purpose of demonstrating natural childbirth. The editing presented two major problems. Owing to the fact that our microphones were highly sensitive in order to pick up the quietly and calmly conducted comments and discussions of the doctor, his patient and his assistants, we also picked up many unwanted and distracting noises, doors closing, sterilised tins being opened, running taps, etc. These noises have been removed wherever possible from the finished record. Condensation proved more difficult, for many of the early stage contractions were very similar, and throughout the first two stages there were long periods when the patient was lying peacefully relaxed between her contractions. All that was merely repetitious or irrelevant had to be discarded. To present a twelve-hour labour on one long playing record was clearly impossible, therefore we were faced with a further problem. If we did not include some passages of rest and relaxation, we would give an impression that the patient moved rapidly from contraction to contraction; but to allow a five-minute rest its full playing time was not possible. We have tried, therefore, to maintain the impression of the overall rhythm of labour by selection of contractions and the shortening of silences. We have not condensed individual contractions. This is important in demonstrating the breath control called for during contractions. This record, then, is an account of a twelve-hour labour leading up to the dramatic moments when the baby is born. One of the most outstanding moments on this record occurs towards the end of the first side. Using his stethoscope with a microphone placed alongside it, Dr Dick-Read searches for and listens to the heart-beat of the baby while it is still in the birth canal, one hour and a half before it is born-an exciting moment for the recording technicians and the doctors when they heard the playback for the first time. Reporting on the last twenty minutes of this recording, one of Britain's leading newspapers, the "Daily Mirror", called it: "The most moving record I have ever heard". If this record helps to abolish fear, it will help to abolish pain in labour. If it helps to spread the teachings of Dr Grantly Dick-Read, then it will have done its job. His work won its due recognition when it was acknowledged and approved by His Holiness, Pope Pius XII, who also commented upon the spiritual approach inherent in Dr Dick-Read's method, saying: "The researches of the Englishman, Dr Grantly Dick-Read, differed notably from those of the Russians (notably the followers of I.P. Pavlov) in their philosophical and metaphysical postulates which were not based, like those of the Russians, on materialistic concepts". This record should help to prepare a woman for the emotional and spiritual experience which is her right, and needs to be fought for, just as much as her right to highly skilled surgery, or pain-killing drugs. There is still some opposition to Dr Dick-Read's work, especially in his own country; there are many places where lip-service is paid to his system; but if his method is followed sincerely by those responsible for the conduct of labour, the result can be as on this record. Here, then, unscripted and unrehearsed, is a record of a natural childbirth.' H.J.U.

Read more less

They grow up so quickly! Keep a journal of the first twelve months for you to look back on and to show your little one when they’re older.This book helps you to record and store all those special memories of your baby’s first precious year, with ideas and spaces for things like milestones and what the world was like during the beginning of their life.The front title section can be pulled off to turn it into a lovely journal-type book with adorable elephants on the cover. Inside you can jot down different baby names – it's always fun to know if you might have been called something else! You can fill in your family tree and tell your baby how you felt when they arrived.When they’re older, your child can learn what the world was during their first year. Don’t forget to write down who is currently the president, your favorite contemporary music artist, and the prices of stamps and milk.There's plenty of space to let them know all the details of their first year that were special and memorable. You can include what your baby learns, their new experiences and favorite toy! There will be lots of firsts for your baby, and you will want to recall them all, like the first time they smiled, learned to kiss or call you mama or dada. There are pockets for photos, so you can capture their first steps and remember them forever.The bestselling baby and kids cookbook author Annabel Karmel provides information on your baby's development, and helpful advice to encourage new achievements. She has included five recipes to inspire delicious, healthy food for various stages, and for that special milestone – a birthday cake!A Keepsake Journal Of Milestone MomentsA lovely book to give as a baby gift that will become a wonderful memento that families and loved ones can look back on, and spend time together sharing your baby's first year.Inside this baby journal you can fill in and use: • Month-by-month sections to record new achievements. • Five delicious recipes for baby food. • Pockets for keepsakes and photographs.

Read more less

On the evening of February 2, 1864, Confederate Commander John Taylor Wood led 250 sailors in two launches and twelve boats to capture the USS Underwriter, a side-wheel steam gunboat anchored on the Neuse River near New Bern, North Carolina. During the ensuing fifteen-minute battle, nine Union crewmen lost their lives, twenty were wounded, and twenty-six fell into enemy hands. Six Confederates were captured and several wounded as they stripped the vessel, set it ablaze, and blew it up while under fire from Union-held Fort Anderson. The thrilling story of USS Underwriter is one of many involving the numerous shipwrecks that occupy the waters of Civil War history. Many years in the making, W. Craig Gaines's Encyclopedia of Civil War Shipwrecks is the definitive account of more than 2,000 of these American Civil War--period sunken ships. From Alabama's USS Althea, a Union steam tug lost while removing a Confederate torpedo in the Blakely River, to Wisconsin's Berlin City, a Union side-wheel steamer stranded in Oshkosh, Gaines provides detailed information about each vessel, including its final location, type, dimensions, tonnage, crew size, armament, origin, registry (Union, Confederate, United States, or other country), casualties, circumstances of loss, salvage operations, and the sources of his findings. Organized alphabetically by geographical location (state, country, or body of water), the book also includes a number of maps providing the approximate locations of many of the wrecks -- ranging from the Americas to Europe, the Arctic Ocean, and the Indian Ocean. Also noted are more than forty shipwrecks whose locations are in question. Since the 1960s, the underwater access afforded by SCUBA gear has allowed divers, historians, treasure hunters, and archaeologists to discover and explore many of the American Civil War-related shipwrecks. In a remarkable feat of historical detective work, Gaines scoured countless sources -- from government and official records to sports diver and treasure-hunting magazines -- and cross-indexes his compilation by each vessel's various names and nicknames throughout its career.An essential reference work for Civil War scholars and buffs, archaeologists, divers, and aficionados of naval history, Encyclopedia of Civil War Shipwrecks revives and preserves for posterity the little-known stories of these intriguing historical artifacts.

Read more less

"One of my own favorite writers." –Elin HilderbrandNamed a Best Beach Read of Summer by Vulture, PureWow, She Reads and Women.comJ. Courtney Sullivan’s Maine meets the works of Elin Hilderbrand in this delicious summer read involving three strangers, one island, and a season packed with unexpected romance, well-meaning lies, and damaging secrets. Anthony Puckett was a rising literary star. The son of an uber-famous thriller writer, Anthony’s debut novel spent two years on the bestseller list and won the adoration of critics. But something went very wrong with his second work. Now Anthony’s borrowing an old college’s friend’s crumbling beach house on Block Island in the hopes that solitude will help him get back to the person he used to be.Joy Sousa owns and runs Block Island’s beloved whoopie pie café. She came to this quiet space eleven years ago, newly divorced and with a young daughter, and built a life for them here. To her customers and friends, Joy is a model of independence, hard-working and happy. And mostly she is. But this summer she’s thrown off balance. A food truck from a famous New York City brand is roving around the island, selling goodies—and threatening her business.Lu Trusdale is spending the summer on her in-laws’ dime, living on Block Island with her two young sons while her surgeon husband commutes to the mainland hospital. When Lu’s second son was born, she and her husband made a deal: he’d work and she’d quit her corporate law job to stay home with the boys. But a few years ago, Lu quietly began working on a private project that has becoming increasingly demanding on her time. Torn between her work and home, she’s beginning to question that deal she made.Over the twelve short weeks of summer, these three strangers will meet and grow close, will share secrets and bury lies. And as the promise of June turns into the chilly nights of August, the truth will come out, forcing each of them to decide what they value most, and what they are willing to give up to keep it.

Read more less

"One of my own favorite writers." –Elin HilderbrandNamed a Best Beach Read of Summer by Vulture, PureWow, She Reads and Women.comJ. Courtney Sullivan’s Maine meets the works of Elin Hilderbrand in this delicious summer read involving three strangers, one island, and a season packed with unexpected romance, well-meaning lies, and damaging secrets. Anthony Puckett was a rising literary star. The son of an uber-famous thriller writer, Anthony’s debut novel spent two years on the bestseller list and won the adoration of critics. But something went very wrong with his second work. Now Anthony’s borrowing an old college’s friend’s crumbling beach house on Block Island in the hopes that solitude will help him get back to the person he used to be.Joy Sousa owns and runs Block Island’s beloved whoopie pie café. She came to this quiet space eleven years ago, newly divorced and with a young daughter, and built a life for them here. To her customers and friends, Joy is a model of independence, hard-working and happy. And mostly she is. But this summer she’s thrown off balance. A food truck from a famous New York City brand is roving around the island, selling goodies—and threatening her business.Lu Trusdale is spending the summer on her in-laws’ dime, living on Block Island with her two young sons while her surgeon husband commutes to the mainland hospital. When Lu’s second son was born, she and her husband made a deal: he’d work and she’d quit her corporate law job to stay home with the boys. But a few years ago, Lu quietly began working on a private project that has becoming increasingly demanding on her time. Torn between her work and home, she’s beginning to question that deal she made.Over the twelve short weeks of summer, these three strangers will meet and grow close, will share secrets and bury lies. And as the promise of June turns into the chilly nights of August, the truth will come out, forcing each of them to decide what they value most, and what they are willing to give up to keep it.

Read more less

Through past and present, the country and the city, Peter Fiennes takes a literary journey through the British Isles ‘As enjoyable a guide to the relationship of writers to the landscape of Britain as one could hope to read: beautifully written, moving in its reflections, and often very funny.’ Tom Holland ‘The premise of this book is simple, or that is what it seemed when I started.’ Peter Fiennes follows in the footsteps of twelve inspirational writers, bringing modern Britain into focus by peering through the lens of the past. The journey starts in Dorset, shaped by the childhood visions of Enid Blyton, and ends with Charles Dickens on the train that took him to his final resting place in Westminster Abbey. From the wilds of Skye and Snowdon, to a big night out in Birmingham with J. B. Priestley and Beryl Bainbridge, Footnotes is a series of evocative biographies, a lyrical foray into the past, and a quest to understand Britain through the books, journals and diaries of some of our greatest writers. And as Fiennes travels the country, and roams across the centuries, he wonders: ‘Who are we? What do we want? They seemed like good questions to ask, in the company of some of our greatest writers, given these restless times.’ *** A Guardian Travel Book of the Year Shortlisted for the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards ‘Fiennes is a perceptive reader and a good-humoured guide and his book offers a superb commentary on the connections between lesser-known places and writers… Footnotes is a passionate, partisan call for readers to take action before the British countryside may be encountered only between the pages of a book.’ TLS ‘Honing his easy-going and often witty style in this new book, Fiennes takes us on the journeys of famous writers… There’s an infectious enthusiasm and self-deprecating authority to Fiennes’s insights and he’s a most agreeable companion… There will be many nature titles vying for a place on Christmas lists this year… This one should be towards the top’ Guardian ‘Marvellously quotable... Fiennes’ literary journey makes for a provocative and engaging book.’ Financial Times

Read more less

From Newbery Medalist Avi comes the thrilling and suspenseful story of an ordinary American family who falls under suspicion during the 1950s Red Scare. It’s 1951, and twelve-year-old Pete Collison is a regular kid who loves detective stories and radio crime dramas. When an FBI agent shows up at Pete’s doorstep, accusing Pete’s father of being a Communist, Pete is caught in a real-life mystery. Could there really be Commies in his family? PRAISE FOR CATCH YOU LATER, TRAITOR: “Suspenseful . . . Authentic period details--such as popular radio programs and the ongoing rivalry between the Dodgers and the Giants--add a colorful backdrop to Pete’s quest as he navigates the murky gray area between truth and fiction. An excellent introduction to the frenzy of the McCarthy era.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review "Avi, a master of historical fiction, vividly recreates not only the neighborhoods and pop culture of period Brooklyn, but the runaway paranoia that dominated daily life in the early years of the Cold War. With each clue Pete uncovers, the tension picks up, engaging readers in solving the dual mystery of his father’s past and identifying his accuser whose name is kept a well-concealed surprise until the last moment . . . As a mystery, historical fiction, and love letter to 1950s Brooklyn, this novel succeeds on every level." —School Library Journal, starred review “Avi’s tale of one Brooklyn family living in a time of intolerance effectively explores the natures of suspicion, loyalty, and freedom, following a young protagonist who comes to learn the importance of freedom of speech and ‘staying true to your own thoughts.’” —The Horn Book Magazine “An involving, twisty mystery, grounded by the palpable emotional threat of Pete’s father being taken away. An accomplished historical mystery by one of kid lit’s most reliable craftspeople.” —Booklist “Thought-provoking . . . Avi builds Pete’s story, told in the first person, with page-turning tension and memorable characters that will leave readers with a strong sense of the insidious power wielded by the FBI and McCarthyites.” —Kirkus Reviews A Spring 2015 Kids’ Indie Next List Pick A Junior Library Guild Selection

Read more less

A year's worth of easy, achievable activities that will inspire couples to focus on their relationship—and grow closer in the process. When life gets busy, it can be hard to find the time to prioritize romance and put your relationship first. With a year's worth of achievable ideas and activities to do with your partner, Everyday Romance includes big and small ways to build that connection—from sharing your morning coffee and holding hands to planning a romantic weekend getaway and undertaking a long-term project together. Full of inspiration, both for new couples who want to get to know each other better and longtime couples who are looking to deepen their connection or rekindle their romantic spark, this journal makes it easy to love intentionally, every day. This sweet journal makes a perfect stocking stuffer for your sweetheart, last-minute Valentine's Day gift, or anytime impulse buy for couples. JUST THE RIGHT GIFT: With its focus on love and romance, this journal makes a perfect Valentine's Day gift, Christmas stocking stuffer, birthday "I love you," or anniversary or wedding "extra something," and is a great impulse buy for couples at any stage of their relationship. LOVE THAT LASTS: The timeless activities, conversation prompts, and suggestions ensure that this little journal will continue to offer relationship inspiration year after year. Couples can enjoy coming back to it throughout their relationship and use it to look back on how far they've come. SIMPLE SUGGESTIONS: The activities in this journal are easy to get into and offer simple ways to deepen romantic relationships without a huge investment of time or money. Divided into twelve sections with five activities per section, it offers ways to do a little something together each month and feel more connected every day. Perfect for: couples looking for fun activities to do together; newlyweds; new couples who want to get to know each other better; longtime couples who want to strengthen their relationship or spice up their love life; shoppers looking for a Valentine's Day gift or stocking stuffer for their sweetheart.

Read more less

Across the United States, Black people have shorter life expectancies than white people—reflecting structural racism and deep-rooted drivers of population health. But are some cities more equal than others?The elimination of racial and ethnic inequities—differences that are avoidable, unnecessary, and unfair—has been one of the overarching health-related goals of the United States for decades. Yet dramatic differences in health outcomes between Black people and white people persist, rooted in structural and social determinants of health. Nationally, a Black baby can expect to live four years less than a white baby. But mortality outcomes and inequities vary widely across cities. In Washington, DC, for example, the average life expectancy for Blacks is twelve years less than that of whites. But in other cities, mortality differences between races are less striking or nonexistent. If health equity can be achieved in some cities, why not all? This is arguably the most important health equity issue of our time.In Unequal Cities, Maureen R. Benjamins and Fernando G. De Maio gather a team of experts to explore these racial inequities, as well as the ten-year gap in life expectancy between our healthiest and unhealthiest big cities. Rigorous analyses give readers access to previously unavailable data on life expectancy, mortality from leading causes of death, and related Black-white inequities for the country's 30 biggest cities. The theoretically grounded essays also explore how characteristics of cities, including their levels of income inequality and racial segregation, impact overall health and Black-white inequities.The first book to specifically examine racial health inequities within and across US cities, Unequal Cities offers a social justice framework for addressing the newly identified inequities, as well as specific case studies to help public health advocates, civic leaders, and other stakeholders envision the steps needed to improve their cities' current health outcomes and achieve racial equity. A powerful call to action for health equity advocates and city leaders alike, this book is essential reading.Contributors: David Ansell, Darlene Oliver Hightower, Jana Hirschtick, Sharon Homan, Ayesha Jaco, Emily LaFlamme, Brittney S. Lange-Maia, Kristin Monnard, Nikhil G. Prachand, Pamela T. Roesch, Michael Rozier, Nazia Saiyed, Eve Shapiro, Abigail Silva, Veenu Verma, the West Side United Metrics Working Group, Ruqaiijah Yearby

Read more less

A deluxe special edition of the ancient classic written by the Roman Emperor known as “The Philosopher” Meditations is a series of personal journals written by Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome from 169 to 180 AD. The last of the “Five Good Emperors,” he was the most powerful and influential man in the Western world at the time. Marcus was one of the leaders of Stoicism, a philosophy of personal ethics which sought resilience and virtue through personal action and responsibility. Stoicism, viewed as a foundation of modern self-help, has inspired many personal development and psychotherapy approaches through to the present day. Meditations is perhaps the most important source of our modern understanding of Stoic philosophy. Its twelve books chronicle different stages of Marcus Aurelius’ life and ideas. Although he ruled during the Pax Romana, the age of relative peace and stability throughout the empire, his reign was marked by near-constant military conflict and a devastating plague which killed upwards of five million people. Aurelius’ writings give modern readers an unprecedented look into the “spiritual exercises” which helped him through his tumultuous life and strengthened his patience, empathy, generosity, self-knowledge and emotional health. The private reflections recorded in the Meditations were never meant to be published, rather they were a source for Marcus’ own guidance and self-improvement, and jotted down by campfires or in military tents on the Roman front. The lessons, insights and perspectives contained within this remarkable work are just as relevant today as they were two millennia ago. This volume: Presents the timeless wisdom of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and his Stoic philosophy, with new research on his life and times Contains valuable insights on topics such as resilience, moderation and emotional control Discusses how to live “in agreement with nature” and abide by strong ethical principles Part of the bestselling Capstone Classics Series edited by Tom Butler-Bowdon, this attractive, high-quality hardcover volume includes: An original Introduction by Marcus Aurelius authority and Stoicism expert Donald Robertson, author of How To Think Like A Roman Emperor. A modernised, up to date version of the classic George Long translation. Meditations: The Philosophy Classic is a volume which will occupy a prominent place in any library for years to come.

Read more less

A sociological study of public restrooms So much happens in the public toilet that we never talk about. Finding the right door, waiting in line, and using the facilities are often undertaken with trepidation. Don’t touch anything. Try not to smell. Avoid eye contact. And for men, don’t look down or let your eyes stray. Even washing one’s hands are tied to anxieties of disgust and humiliation. And yet other things also happen in these spaces: babies are changed, conversations are had, make-up is applied, and notes are scrawled for posterity. Beyond these private issues, there are also real public concerns: problems of public access, ecological waste, and—in many parts of the world—sanitation crises. At public events, why are women constantly waiting in long lines but not men? Where do the homeless go when cities decide to close public sites? Should bathrooms become standardized to accommodate the disabled? Is it possible to create a unisex bathroom for transgendered people? In Toilet, noted sociologist Harvey Molotch and Laura Norén bring together twelve essays by urbanists, historians and cultural analysts (among others) to shed light on the public restroom. These noted scholars offer an assessment of our historical and contemporary practices, showing us the intricate mechanisms through which even the physical design of restrooms—the configurations of stalls, the number of urinals, the placement of sinks, and the continuing segregation of women’s and men’s bathrooms—reflect and sustain our cultural attitudes towards gender, class, and disability. Based on a broad range of conceptual, political, and down-to-earth viewpoints, the original essays in this volume show how the bathroom—as a practical matter—reveals competing visions of pollution, danger and distinction. Although what happens in the toilet usually stays in the toilet, this brilliant, revelatory, and often funny book aims to bring it all out into the open, proving that profound and meaningful history can be made even in the can. Contributors: Ruth Barcan, Irus Braverman, Mary Ann Case, Olga Gershenson, Clara Greed, Zena Kamash,Terry Kogan, Harvey Molotch, Laura Norén, Barbara Penner, Brian Reynolds, and David Serlin.

Read more less

In this dazzling debut, Lara Avery crafts a story about one woman's uplifting journey of possibility, second chances, and falling in love again…with life—perfect for fans of P.S. I Love You."In The Year of Second Chances, a young widow reenters the world after a substantial loss, taking us on a lively, witty ride along with a strong cast of supporting characters. Avery tackles the topic of grief in a way that manages to feel lighthearted and profound at the same time. I flew through this book and loved every page." —Meg Mitchell Moore, bestselling author of Summer StageRobin Lindstrom spent her first year as a young widow cocooned in the safe haven of the Minnesota farmhouse she’d once shared with Gabe, the love of her life—the man she thought she’d be with ’til the end. But her world is turned upside down when she receives an email informing her that her late husband has enrolled in something called “Fluttr”—a dating service? The app subscription lasts 12 months; use it!, Gabe’s message-from-the-grave reads. I don’t like the thought of you being alone. If you won’t do it for yourself, do it as a favor to me. Please.After twelve months of pulling herself together, Robin’s fragile equilibrium is knocked sideways. How could Gabe, of all people, be asking her to venture out into the murky waters of 21st century online dating? As her underemployed brother, Theo, points out, it’s “only” a year, and it’s what Gabe wanted; he set this all up to go into effect a year after his death, which means it was basically his last request. And so Robin tentatively takes steps to put herself out into the world once more, even if it means awkward outings at bowling alleys, club-hopping with DJs she meets online, and stammering conversations at dinner. Along the way, she’s surprised to find herself meeting new people, trying new things…and even getting to know a new version of herself. Because everyone deserves a second chance at love—and loving life.

Read more less

Science and art are increasingly interconnected in the activities of the study and conservation of works of art. Science plays a key role in cultural heritage, from developing new analytical techniques for studying the art, to investigating new ways of preserving the materials for the future. Following on from the 2014 title Science and Art: The Painted Surface, this book consists of a series of chapters written together by scientists, art historians, conservators, curators and artists dedicated to conservation, execution techniques, languages and conceptual topics. Science and Art: The Contemporary Painted Surface largely covers execution techniques, material’s conservation and languages of artists, representative of twelve different countries, all protagonists of the development of innovative significant techniques and methodologies. The book opens with a focus on widely historicized artists, such as Jackson Pollock, Lucio Fontana, Enrico Baj, Piero Manzoni and Joseph Albers. Its core is dedicated to the work of major worldwide renowned living artists, in a perspective that, while considering the Sixties as the historical starting point of contemporaneity, does not neglect to offer a view on the work done in the immediately preceding years. Several interviews with artists are included. Final chapters are dedicated to contemporary design, net art, and painted surfaces in contemporary architecture. Presented in an easily readable form for a large audience, the book guides readers into new areas uncovered by the link between science and art, and will be of interest to artists, art historians and curators, as well as those who appreciate art. Reviews of Science and Art: The Painted Surface 'Science and Art provides an excellent read for art historians, who will instantly recognise the famous pieces that have been studied, while giving them insight into how a painting was constructed, what it is made from, or how the colours would have looked when they were freshly painted.' Chemistry World, 6 November 2014 'Science and Art is recommended for students, teachers, and the general public who are interested in chemistry or other sciences and art, as well as applications of the former to the latter.' J. Chem. Educ., 2016, 93(5), 810–810

Read more less

The inspiring story of a US Special Forces soldier who was medically retired after stepping on an IED, and his incredible return to active duty.Sergeant First Class (SFC) Ryan Hendrickson is a brave, determined, and courageous soldier--a Green Beret clearing the way for his twelve-man team while conducting combat operations against the Taliban. As the 'tip of the spear,' his role is to insure the route taken by U.S. and Afghan troops are free of IEDs--improvised explosive devices. Many soldiers do not survive their last step; those who do often lose at least one limb. While rescuing an Afghan soldier outside a mud-hut compound in 2010--knowing that he was in 'uncleared' territory--Ryan stepped on an IED with his right foot. The device exploded, leaving his foot dangling at the end of his leg. American soldiers losing a limb is an all-too-common occurrence. But what makes Ryan's story different is that after undergoing two dozen surgeries and a tortuous rehabilitation, he was medically retired but fought to return to active duty. Multiple skin grafts to his lower leg and right foot successfully reattached his lower leg, and he was aided in his recovery by wearing a new prosthetic device known as an IDEO (Intrepid Dynamic Exoskeletal Orthosis). Once he passed a series of crucial physical tests, Ryan was able to rejoin the Green Berets within a year and physically perform his duties, redeploying to Afghanistan in March 2012. In 2016, he volunteered to return to Afghanistan with Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group. During a firefight with the Taliban, he risked his life under heavy enemy fire to rescue three Afghan soldiers cut off from friendly forces and return the bodies of two dead Afghan soldiers under the ethos that 'no one gets left behind.' For his heroic efforts on the battlefield, SFC Ryan Hendrickson was awarded a Silver Star, the nation's third-highest award for valor.An engaging and harrowing account, Tip of the Spear tells the amazing story of one Green Beret's indomitable spirit.

Read more less

A collection of paired flower photographs by a published author in another category, transformed through the process of solarisation, by esteemed art photographer, Brad Oliphant. Brad Oliphant is well-known in the fashion industry, where he worked for twelve years, with his photographic work featured by Dolce & Gabbana, Marie Claire, Ink, Flick, La Estetica, and Zink. In the autumn of 2014 the author released an illustrated keepsake book, Lessons in Love from A Course in Miracles (Sterling Ethos) that has given him great traction and exposure to wide audiences. The production values of this book make it an incredible gift for all of the spring holiday tie-ins (Easter, Mother's Day, Graduation) The foreword writer, Russell Hart, is the esteemed Executive Editor of American Photo magazine and his endorsement is very meaningful in terms of putting this first time illustrated art book author in context for the reader/consumer. "The results are published in the beautiful Enlightened Blooms (Glitterati Incorporated), a book which presents a highly saturated, almost neon vision of flowers, as though seen through an acid-trip lens. Published by Glitterati whose highly original books are produced absolutely impeccably, this is definitely one for the Jean-Michel Frank coffee table... put it beside Man Ray Portraits." - Christies.com In this exquisite collection of fine art photography, Brad Oliphant presents a distinctive new body of work - pairs of flower images transformed through the process of solarisation. Moving beyond the pastel palette of traditional flower photography, Oliphant has imbued these blooms with exuberant colour, breathing new life into a time-honoured subject matter. Side by side in stunning symmetry, these flowers are radiant - their glowing silhouettes, silver hues, and spectacularly distorted colours reminiscent of expressionist paintings. In an increasingly fast-paced world, the "Enlightened Blooms" encourages us to pause and pay attention to the beauty that surrounds us. While paying homage to a subject matter rich with symbolic and cultural significance, Oliphant makes us feel as if we are seeing flowers for the very first time. In their transformed states, these flowers beg to be lingered over, their forms contemplated, their very existence revered as a miraculous gift.

Read more less

They grow up so quickly! Keep a journal of the first twelve months for you to look back on and to show your little one when they're older.This book helps you to record and store all those special memories of your baby's first precious year, with ideas and spaces for things like milestones and what the world was like during the first year of their life.The front title section can be pulled off to turn it into a lovely journal type book with the adorable elephants on the cover. Inside you can jot down different baby's names - it's always fun to know if you might have been called something else! You can fill in your family tree and tell your baby how you felt when they arrived.When they're older your child can learn what the world was during their first year, so don't forget to write down who is currently the president, your favourite contemporary music artist, and the prices of stamps and milk.There's plenty of space to let them know all the details of their first year that were special and memorable. You can include what your baby learns, their new experiences and favourite toy! There will be lots of firsts for baby, and you will want to recall them all, like the first time they smiled, learned to kiss or call you mama or papa. There are pockets for photographs so you can capture their first steps and remember them forever.The bestselling baby and kids' cookbook author Annabel Karmel provides information on your baby's development and helpful advice to encourage new achievements. She has included five recipes to inspire delicious, healthy food for various stages, and for that special milestone - a birthday cake!A Keepsake Journal Of Milestone MomentsA lovely book to give as a baby gift, that will become a wonderful memento that families and loved ones can look back on, and spend time together sharing your baby's first year.Inside this baby journal you can fill in and use: - Month-by-month sections to record new achievements.- Five delicious recipes for baby food.- Pockets for keepsakes and photographs.

Read more less

The authors of the bestselling Wiccapedia, and creators of the successful Modern-Day Witch series, provide an in-depth guide to crystal craft, and the magickal properties behind individual stones. Includes a twelve page four-color insert on 20 essential crystals!Enrich your life by delving into the fascinating art of crystal magick! In their follow-up to the popular Wiccapedia and other books in the Modern Witch series, Shawn Robbins and Leanna Greenaway offer readers an authoritative, in-depth guide to crystal magick and spells. They explain how crystal craft works; how to choose and collect magickal stones; and how to care for, charge, program, and house your crystals. They provide information on crystal circles, wands, and sabbats, as well as an A–Z list of the most commonly used crystals and their magical properties. Spells cover everything from protection, healing, and mindfulness to blessings and divination. Readers will learn how to incorporate crystals and gemstones into daily rituals and enhance their lives with healing crystal magick.Learn how to use these crystals for: Amethyst: Helping a child sleep Black Obsidian: Banishing evil spirits and removing unwanted people from your life Citrine: Attracting money Fire Agate: Spicing up passion Fluorite: Personal protection when you’re out and about Hematite: Blessing a home Kunzite: Finding true love Turquoise: Protection while driving Witches have used crystals for centuries for their energetic properties and healing qualities—inherent magickal powers that can work in different ways to enhance a person’s life. Now you can learn how to incorporate crystals and gemstones into your daily rituals, from learning the best way to choose and collect stones to how to cast crystal spells. Written by bestselling Wiccapedia authors Shawn Robbins and Leanna Greenaway,this fresh, in-depth guide is the ultimate crystal craft reference you’ll want to turn to. Just some of what you’ll find includes: ★ How to charge and program your crystals, and assemble a crystal toolkit ★ A color section of 20 essential spellcasting crystals ★ An A–Z list of more than 250 crystals and their magickal properties ★ Connecting with angels, gods, and goddesses ★ Crystal divination and astrology ★ Festive crystal holidays ★ Spells for protection, love, success, blessing, mindfulness, and more!

Read more less

Make this Christmas a watercolor wonderland with this creative guide to painting through the festive season. Christmas is the perfect time to get creative with watercolors with lots of handmade cards to paint - but cards are only a small part of the ideas that you will get from this book. Here you'll find a wealth of inspiration and techniques for all sorts of watercolor projects this Christmas! First, the book covers the materials and equipment you need for watercolor painting - from paints and brushes to paper and other materials such as masking fluid and watercolor ground. You'll then learn how to create both traditional and contemporary color palettes for Christmas, and discover a wide range of watercolor techniques including washes, layering, blending and gradation, plus experimental ideas to try such as using salt, bleach and masking fluid in your work. Twelve creative projects follow, with easy-to-follow step-by-step tutorials so that even beginners to watercolor can jump right in. Learn how to paint your own Christmas cards, gift tags and gift boxes, create seasonal table settings, hand painted Christmas crackers and garlands, and unique hand-painted Christmas gifts including a watercolor wreath. Using innovative but accessible watercolor primer products, you can now prepare a wide variety of surfaces for watercolor painting. This inspirational book will also show you how to use these exciting new products to paint onto glass baubles, 3D cardboard letters, wooden tree ornaments and more. And once you have the skills, who knows where your imagination will take you? Finally, a gallery of additional Christmas motifs and designs that can be used for further inspiration can be found at the end of the book including reindeer, robins, mittens, snowflakes, stars, baubles, snowmen, candy canes, winter foliage, presents, decorations, elves and much much more! Artist Ingrid Sanchez, aka @creativeingrid, is a self-confessed Christmas afficianado who has brought all her Christmas spirit to bear in creating and illustrating this book. In this unique celebration of Christmas in watercolor, she shares her beautiful artwork and expert guidance, which will help you turn Christmas into the most artistic time of the year!

Read more less

Box Set: 12 Books Ages: 3 to 5 Stage 1: Starting to Read Children who have read Bob Books Set 1 Beginning Readers love these basic phonics stories. Perfect for kids that need additional practice at this level. Twelve humorous stories feature the beloved classic Bob Books characters and introduce some new friends, too! Short vowels and three-letter words in simple sentences make Bob Books More Beginning Readers a fun confidence builder. Katie Kath's simple but silly illustrations add a tickle to the words, keeping kids smiling as they read. Inside the box you'll find: 12 easy-to-read, humorous books, 12 pages each Suitable for the very beginning reader, with mostly two and three letter words Phonics based - words can be sounded out A parent card with tips for helping your child learn to read ABOUT BOBS BOOKS Bob Books is America's no.1, award-winning, learning-to-read series trusted for over 40 years. Bob Books is a true first reader series, designed to make helping children learn to read simple and straightforward. The clean layout, short words, and simple phonics make learning to read a fun and natural step for a child that knows the alphabet. Companion workbooks extend children's reading journey by allowing them to practice the skills learned in the books. Bob Books is designed to give young children the tools to cross from learning letters to reading words. The award-winning beginning reader book sets start slowly and progress from books with three letter words, to books with more than one sentence per page. By meeting children at the right level, parents are often amazed at how quickly their child is able to sound out words when reading their first Bob Book. Bob Books covers four reading stages... Pre-Readings Skills Recognize shapes, patterns, and other pre-reading skills Stage 1: Starting to Read From learning the alphabet to sounding out your first words Stage 2: Emerging Readers Sentences become longer and sight words are introduced Stage 3: Developing Readers Words and sentences become longer, and new rules are introduced

Read more less

REINFORCEMENT LEARNING AND STOCHASTIC OPTIMIZATION Clearing the jungle of stochastic optimization Sequential decision problems, which consist of “decision, information, decision, information,” are ubiquitous, spanning virtually every human activity ranging from business applications, health (personal and public health, and medical decision making), energy, the sciences, all fields of engineering, finance, and e-commerce. The diversity of applications attracted the attention of at least 15 distinct fields of research, using eight distinct notational systems which produced a vast array of analytical tools. A byproduct is that powerful tools developed in one community may be unknown to other communities. Reinforcement Learning and Stochastic Optimization offers a single canonical framework that can model any sequential decision problem using five core components: state variables, decision variables, exogenous information variables, transition function, and objective function. This book highlights twelve types of uncertainty that might enter any model and pulls together the diverse set of methods for making decisions, known as policies, into four fundamental classes that span every method suggested in the academic literature or used in practice. Reinforcement Learning and Stochastic Optimization is the first book to provide a balanced treatment of the different methods for modeling and solving sequential decision problems, following the style used by most books on machine learning, optimization, and simulation. The presentation is designed for readers with a course in probability and statistics, and an interest in modeling and applications. Linear programming is occasionally used for specific problem classes. The book is designed for readers who are new to the field, as well as those with some background in optimization under uncertainty. Throughout this book, readers will find references to over 100 different applications, spanning pure learning problems, dynamic resource allocation problems, general state-dependent problems, and hybrid learning/resource allocation problems such as those that arose in the COVID pandemic. There are 370 exercises, organized into seven groups, ranging from review questions, modeling, computation, problem solving, theory, programming exercises and a "diary problem" that a reader chooses at the beginning of the book, and which is used as a basis for questions throughout the rest of the book.

Read more less

In this essential handbook—a blend of Rich Dad, Poor Dad and The Happiness Project—the co-host of the wildly popular InvestED podcast shares her yearlong journey learning to invest, as taught to her by her father, investor and bestselling author Phil Town.Growing up, the words finance, savings, and portfolio made Danielle Town’s eyes glaze over, and the thought of stocks and financial statements shut down her brain. The daughter of a successful investor and bestselling financial author of Rule #1, Phil Town, she spent most of her adult life avoiding investing—until she realized that her time-consuming career as lawyer was making her feel anything but in control of her life or her money. Determined to regain her freedom, vote for her values with her money, and deal with her fear of the unpredictable stock market, she turned to her father, Phil, to help her take charge of her life and her future through Warren Buffett-style value investing. Over the course of a year, Danielle went from avoiding everything to do with the financial industrial complex to knowing exactly how and when to invest in wonderful companies. In Invested, Danielle shows you how to do the same: how to take command of your own life and finances by choosing companies with missions that match your values, using the same gold standard strategies that have catapulted Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger to the top of the Forbes 400. Avoiding complex math and obsolete financial models, she turns her father’s investing knowledge into twelve easy-to understand lessons. In each chapter, Danielle examines the investment strategies she mastered as her increasing know-how deepens the trust between her and her father. Throughout, she streamlines the process of making wise financial decisions and shows you just how easy—and profitable—investing can be.Capturing a warm, charming, and down-to-earth give and take between a headstrong daughter and her mostly patient dad, Invested makes the complex world of investing simple, straightforward, and approachable, and will help you formulate your own investment plan—and foster the confidence to put it into action.

Read more less

WINNER KPMG Book of the Year – Children’s Books Ireland Awards Unsung stories from ancient Irish myths re-imagined for nine to twelve-year olds There was a time when tales of Ireland’s mythical goddesses – their astonishing powers, bravery, and unbreakable bonds with nature – were famous, in Ireland and beyond. But over time, these stories were lost, often replaced or rewritten to make room for male warriors and kings. Until Now. Girls Who Slay Monsters brings these heroes of Irish mythology back to vibrant, magical life. From Éire, Ireland’s fierce namesake, and Bé Binn, a giant who overcame her bullies, to Badb, a gleefully gruesome death prophet, and Bé Mannair, a gender-fluid spy who challenged an entire army. These are goddesses of many shapes, skin shades and sizes, from every corner of ancient Ireland, whose daring still inspires today.Stand by their sides as they wield magic, fight monsters, and protect the powerless – and you might just discover that you, too, are a force of nature. Note From The AuthorWhile many of us grew up learning about Greek and Norse myth, the Irish goddesses were an undiscovered secret. At my convent school, I was taught about two or three magical women from mysterious lands, but they were not described as goddesses, and I had no idea how warped these tales had become. Then years later, I took a trip to Rathcroghan, an Irish archaeological site known as the ancient capital of Connacht, and learned the land there was linked with powerful goddesses. I couldn’t understand why I hadn’t been taught about these goddesses and felt something had been stolen from me. So, for many years after, I went digging through ancient Celtic texts and discovered a pantheon of exciting goddesses with brilliant abilities. But what I found most remarkable was that these women from thousands of years ago often faced the kind of challenges we experience today. Their stories are relevant and inspiring, yet girls everywhere have been stripped of the Celtic goddesses – an important part of our shared female heritage.I am grateful and honoured to retell their stories for you now.

Read more less

This new edition of the Christian classic includes an introduction from Sinclair Ferguson From the introduction: Thomas Boston never sought a prominent congregation or pulpit. He knew that, at the end of the day, the only thing that makes a pulpit lastingly prominent is the manner in which God’s word is preached from it in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. The Beauties of Boston is a book that has been treasured by many Christians in past generations. It is full of rich gospel truth and health–giving spiritual prescriptions. Part of its ‘beauty’ is that while a big book it is not really a long book, but a series of smaller and manageable passages that will – as The Marrow of Modern Divinity did for Boston himself – stimulate thought, enhance understanding of the gospel, point us to Christ, and strengthen both mind and spirit in the knowledge and service of God. Thomas Boston was born at Duns in Berwickshire in 1676. After studying in Edinburgh, he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Duns and Chirnside in 1697. Shortly afterwards, he published his first book, A Soliloquy on The Art of Man–fishing, based on the words of Jesus in Matthew 4:19, ‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ In 1699, he became the minister of the small congregation in a village called Simprin, located quite close to his birthplace. He was there until 1707 when he became minister in Ettrick, and he would serve there until his death in 1732. The collected writings of Boston are found in twelve volumes, and from them the selections in The Beauties of Boston were selected by the editor. Boston’s best–known book is Human Nature in Its Fourfold State. It was published in his lifetime, as were two others books by him: a Collection of Sermons and an edition of the Marrow of Modern Divinity which he annotated. After his death, several volumes of his writings were published, including his View of the Covenant of Works and of Grace, The Christian Life, A Body of Divinity, and The Crook in The Lot.

Read more less