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All too often, international environmental law is presented as a kind of guided tour of different treaties and environmental problems. Professor Hey succeeds beautifully in articulating the themes that connect all of these disparate areas, an effort that both students and scholars will appreciate.'- Daniel Farber, University of California, Berkeley, US'This volume presents a superb overview of international environmental law by a long-time observer. Ellen Hey shares her deep insight into the historical, environmental, technical and policy context of the law, and introduces the reader to regulatory techniques and choices, the main legal tools at actors' disposal, and the key developments in the field. The result is an accessible, yet sophisticated introduction to the evolution of the field, and its expanding modes of action and range of participants.'- Jutta Brunée, University of Toronto, Canada'This is a significant contribution from a leading figure in the field. Of particular note is the effort to embed international environmental law in its broader context, not only through the detailed analysis of its foundational principles or of its deep interactions with other fields of international law but, more generally, through the overarching theme of the Anthropocene. It is to be thoroughly recommended.'- Jorge E. Viñuales, University of Cambridge, UKElgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars.This accessible and concise introduction provides a salient overview of contemporary international environmental law as well as a critical assessment of the controversies that arise when trying to achieve environmental protection through international law.Covering the origins, content, institutional structure and accountability mechanisms of international environmental law, in their social-economic and political context, Ellen Hey discusses substantive and procedural fairness, thus exploring questions of distributive justice, accountability and legitimacy. Providing an invaluable entry point to this complex area of the law, this book enables a rapid understanding of the core principles of this multi-faceted topic.Key features include:- Concise and compact overview- Discusses contemporary developments- Examines IEL's relationship to other areas of international law- Considers the social-economic context.

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By following the lessons in Cartoon Animation with Preston Blair, you can make any character—person, animal, or object—come to life through animated movement! While animators must first know how to draw, the animation process involves much more than just good drawing skills. In this new edition, acclaimed cartoon animator Preston Blair shares his vast practical knowledge to explain and demonstrate the many techniques of cartoon animation. Learn the knowledge and skills animators must have, including: How to construct original cartoon characters by developing a character’s shape, personality, features, and mannerisms How to animate movements such as running, walking, dancing, posing, skipping, and more How to create realistic-looking mouth movements during dialogue, as well as body movements and facial expressions while the character is speaking The finer points of animating a character, including drawing key character poses and in-betweens Full of expert advice from animation pioneer Preston Blair, and packed with helpful drawings and diagrams, the new edition of Cartoon Animation with Preston Blair is a book no animation enthusiast should be without. THIS REVISED EDITION INCLUDES:Chapter 1: Getting Started Tools & Materials Drawing Basics Animation MethodsChapter 2: Cartoon Construction Parts of a Cartoon Character The Body The Head Facial Expressions The HandsChapter 3: Character Design & Development Cartoon Examples The Cute Character The Screwball Type The “Pugnacious” Character More Animal Characters Fictional People ChildrenChapter 4: Basic Character Movement Comics to Life Line of Action Rhythm & Design Basic MovementChapter 5: Animation Principles Beyond Simple Movements Rough Sketches Balance Paths of Action Animation EffectsChapter 6: Animated Acting Expressing an Attitude Three Rules for Actors Body Language DialogueThe Collector’s Series offers a broad range of projects across a variety of mediums and genres, such as drawing, oil, acrylic, watercolor, cartooning, calligraphy, and others. This series is suitable for beginning to intermediate artists, and each title features in-depth instruction about how to work with the tools of the trade, master techniques, and use newfound skills in practical application.

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A practical guide to ancient Mesoamerican solar and lunar rites for healing and transformation • Details shamanic rituals and practices for each period of the day, including dawn, sunrise, noon, sunset, and midnight, to best harness the energies of the sun, night sun, and moon for specific purposes, such as divination, journeying with animal spirit guides, or spiritual wisdom • Incorporates shamanic breathwork, dreamwork, mantra chanting, mudras, dancing and movement, toning, chakra work, crystals, herbs, and limpias (shamanic cleanses) • Explores how nighttime energies are affected by the phases of the moon, offering specific practices for each phase Ancient Mesoamerican shamans and modern practitioners of curanderismo--a Latin American shamanic healing practice--divide each day and night into distinct periods based on the sacred rhythms of the sun and moon, with each time offering opportunities to connect with specific celestial energies for healing and transformation. In this hands-on guide to working with the sacred energies of the sun, night sun, and moon, curandera Erika Buenaflor details the rites, rituals, and deities for each part of the day and night and explores the sacred tools and techniques used by ancient Mesoamerican shamans for harnessing solar and lunar energies. She explains how the sun is the source of soul energy that heals, animates, strengthens, and revitalizes us on many levels, while night energies are transformative and conducive for connecting with nonordinary realms. She explores rituals for dawn, sunrise, and midmorning to harness the energies of creation and new beginnings; for noon and afternoon to promote peak strength and spiritual wisdom; for sunset and dusk to bring about transformation, perform divination, and journey with animal spirit guides; and for midnight and predawn to facilitate shamanic dreamwork, connect with the ancestors, make offerings, and regenerate at the deepest levels. She also explores how nighttime energies are affected by the phases of the moon and offers specific practices for each phase. By intentionally tuning our activities to the rhythms of the sun and moon, we can invite in their sacred energies of abundance and healing for more healthy, creative, mindful, and happy lives.

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Named a Best Book of 2020 by Publisher's Weekly Named a Best Cookbook of 2020 by Amazon and Barnes & Noble “Every elegant page projects Keller’s high standard of ‘perfect culinary execution’. . . . This superb work is as much philosophical treatise as gorgeous cookbook.”—Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW Bound by a common philosophy, linked by live video, staffed by a cadre of inventive and skilled chefs, the kitchens of Thomas Keller’s celebrated restaurants—The French Laundry in Yountville, California, and per se, in New York City—are in a relationship unique in the world of fine dining. Ideas bounce back and forth in a dance of creativity, knowledge, innovation, and excellence. It’s a relationship that’s the very embodiment of collaboration, and of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. And all of it is captured in The French Laundry, Per Se, with meticulously detailed recipes for 70 beloved dishes, including Smoked Sturgeon Rillettes on an Everything Bagel, “The Whole Bird,” Tomato Consommé, Celery Root Pastrami, Steak and Potatoes, Peaches ’n’ Cream. Just reading these recipes is a master class in the state of the art of cooking today. We learn to use a dehydrator to intensify the flavor and texture of fruits and vegetables. To make the crunchiest coating with a cornstarch–egg white paste and potato flakes. To limit waste in the kitchen by fermenting vegetable trimmings for sauces with an unexpected depth of flavor. And that essential Keller trait, to take a classic and reinvent it: like the French onion soup, with a mushroom essence stock and garnish of braised beef cheeks and Comté mousse, or a classic crème brûlée reimagined as a rich, creamy ice cream with a crispy sugar tuile to mimic the caramelized coating. Throughout, there are 40 recipes for the basics to elevate our home cooking. Some are old standbys, like the best versions of beurre manié and béchamel, others more unusual, including a ramen broth (aka the Super Stock) and a Blue-Ribbon Pickle. And with its notes on technique, stories about farmers and purveyors, and revelatory essays from Thomas Keller—“The Lessons of a Dishwasher,” “Inspiration Versus Influence,” “Patience and Persistence”—The French Laundry, Per Se will change how young chefs, determined home cooks, and dedicated food lovers understand and approach their cooking.

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'An extraordinary account of heroism and sacrifice. An unexpected and important story, rivetingly told. Rip roaring stuff. Get this into the paws of the sea dog in your life.' - Griff Rhys Jones 'A book that had to be written' - Let's Talk 'People ashore don’t realise what a grim war we are waging at sea with the Germans. A cold-blooded war, in a way I think requiring the maximum of bravery from the men of both sides in the long run, as it is so ceaseless and intangible. You just don’t know whether the next moment will be your last.' Robert Hichens, RNVSR Several years ago, Julia Jones was searching through long-forgotten items stored at her house and discovered some suitcases of old written material, which turned out to be accounts by her father of his experiences in the RNVSR (Royal Naval Volunteer Supplementary Reserve). She realised that as a child she’d met some of the people mentioned, and although she was too young to truly know them, these youthful impressions spurred her on to rediscovery and understanding. In this absorbing book Julia tells the compelling stories of the yachtsmen. Some were famous (such as Sir Peter Scott), others were wealthy (such as August Courtauld, who returned his pay to help with the war effort) but the majority were just 'ordinary' professionals such as publishers, lawyers and advertising agents, who signed up because they loved sailing. Few could ever have dreamed that they would end up acting in areas that were so far beyond their normal lives, as they found themselves commanding destroyers and submarines, and undertaking covert missions of sabotage. Some undertook the dangerous daily drudgery of minesweeping; others tackled unexploded bombs, engaged the enemy in high-speed attacks or played key roles in Ian Fleming's famous intelligence commandos. This varied crew of men were given tasks vital to the war effort, requiring endurance, extraordinary bravery, resourcefulness and quick thinking. Some died in the process, but for the ones who survived, Julia asks how their experiences changed them. Could their love of sailing and the sea survive the harsh realities of war?

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THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NOW A MAJOR TV SERIES starring Pierce Brosnan and co-written by Philipp Meyer The critically acclaimed, New York Times-bestselling epic, a saga of land, blood and power, follows the rise of one unforgettable Texas family from the Comanche raids of the 1800s to the oil booms of the 20th century. Eli McCullough is just twelve years old when a marauding band of Comanche storm his Texas homestead, brutally murder his mother and sister and take him captive. Despite their torture and cruelty, Eli - against all odds - adapts to life with the Comanche, learning their ways and language, taking on a new name, finding a place as the adopted son of the band's chief and fighting their wars against not only other Indians but white men too, which complicates his sense of loyalty, his promised vengeance and his very understanding of self. But when disease, starvation and westward expansion finally decimate the Comanche, Eli is left alone in a world in which he belongs nowhere, neither white nor Indian, civilized nor fully wild. Deftly interweaving Eli’s story with those of his son Peter and his great-granddaughter JA, The Son maps the legacy of Eli’s ruthlessness, his drive to power and his lifelong status as an outsider, even as the McCullough family rises to become one of the richest in Texas, a ranching and oil dynasty that is as resilient and dangerous as the land they claim. Yet, like all empires, the McCulloughs must eventually face the consequences of their choices. Panoramic, deeply evocative and utterly transporting, The Son is a masterpiece American novel - part epic of Texas, part classic coming-of-age story - that combines the narrative prowess of Larry McMurtry with the knife-edge sharpness of Cormac McCarthy. 'Stunning ... a book that for once really does deserve to be called a masterpiece' Kate Atkinson 'Magnificent ... McCarthy's Border Trilogy is a point of reference, as is There Will Be Blood, but it is not fanciful to be reminded of certain passages from Moby-Dick - it's that good'The Times 'Brilliant ... a wonderful novel' Lionel Shriver

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At the outbreak of war in 1940, Simon Frazer, the 15th Lord Lovat and a former Guards officer, was mobilized from the reserve list to join the Lovat Scouts, the British Army's first sniper unit that had been formed by his father during the Boer War. The following year he volunteered for one of the new Commando units then being created. Lovat was personally involved in the training of the Commando troops on the West coast of Scotland. He was eventually attached to, and led, No.4 Commando. On 3 March 1941, Nos. 3 and 4 Commando launched a raid on the German-occupied Lofoten Islands. In this successful attack, Operation Claymore, the commandos destroyed fish-oil factories, petrol dumps, and even eleven ships. They also seized encryption equipment and codebooks, as well as captured 216 German troops. Promoted to temporary major, Lovat led 100 men of No.4 Commando and a 50-man detachment from the Canadian Carleton and York Regiment in a raid on the French coastal village of Hardelot in April 1942. For this action he was awarded the Military Cross on 7 July that year. Lord Lovat was involved in further raids against the German-held French coast, most notably Dieppe, during which No.4 Commando destroyed the coastal battery at Varengeville-sur-Mer in a text-book commando attack. This resulted in Lovat being awarded the DSO. Such was the effect the Commando raids had on German morale, Lovat had 100,000 Reichmarks placed on his head, dead or alive. Promoted to brigadier, Lovat formed the 1st Special Service Brigade (later the 1st Commando Brigade) which stormed ashore on D-Day to secure the eastern flank of the attacking forces. In this, he famously instructed his personal piper, Bill Millin, to pipe the commandos and himself ashore, in defiance of specific orders not to allow such an action in battle. In the subsequent fighting Lovat was seriously wounded, effectively ending his active career. These are the memoirs of one of the most remarkable fighting figures of the Second World War, who was involved in some its more exciting and dangerous operations. Despite his aristocratic ancestry, he led from the front and, without doubt, Simon Frazer, Lord Lovat was a soldiers' soldier.

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‘OH MY GOSH… Gripping’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Edge-of-your-seat thriller… Absolutely brilliant’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘WOW… Intense, suspenseful… Heart-breaking’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Because he chose you. Out of thirteen girls. You were the one. The last one.’ Lucy Townsend lives a normal life. She has a husband she loves, in-laws she can’t stand and she’s just found out she’s going to be a mother. But Lucy has a dark and dangerous secret. She is not who she says she is. Lucy is not even her real name. Twenty years ago, she escaped something terrible. Something she has tried to put behind her. But someone out there knows all of her secrets and has been biding their time to come back for her; the thirteenth girl, the only one who managed to escape. Lucy was lucky once. But now it’s not only her life on the line. Will she be so lucky this time? A totally gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller with twists and turns you just won’t see coming. Perfect for fans of Girl A and The Family Upstairs. Readers are gripped by The Thirteenth Girl: ‘WOW… Intense, suspenseful and heart-breaking all in one… I devoured this book, I didn’t want to stop reading it… Twists, betrayals and shocks… I really enjoyed the ending’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘OH MY GOSH… Gripping… With twists and unpredictability that had me guessing right up until the end. I loved it.’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Full of twists and leaves you completely gripped… A definite recommended read’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This book was so good, it kept me gripped from beginning to end, the ending was just brilliant’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow… Very exciting psychological, high-octane thriller’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is one hell of a novel. There were so many twists and turns that I could not stop reading until I finished. Read this book. It will stay with you for a long time’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow is the only word to describe this book it is that good’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An exciting read that was hard to put down… Many twists and turns… Highly recommended read and well worth five (5) stars’ NetGalley review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Some places make their own laws…When Ella Watson, a woman of wealth and status, is brutally stabbed to death in broad daylight it sends a shockwave through the Lake District community. Later that day, Keira Bradley meets the same fate. But whereas Ella’s murder is a tragedy, Keira’s death on the notorious Beacon Estate is just another statistic in a dangerous place.DI Kelly Porter has the unenviable job of running simultaneous investigations. Her efforts aren’t helped by a boss driven by protecting his reputation and a housing estate where fear rules and no one dare speak out. Kelly knows the answers can only be found by winning the trust of the residents at Beacon Estate. A task so hard it may be impossible.Kelly puts everything she has into finding justice for both victims. The only thing she hadn’t anticipated was a traitor in the ranks. When the evidence points to someone in her team, Kelly has to put feelings aside and work the case – no matter where it leads. By the time it is over, nothing in her world will ever be the same…A dark and gripping police procedural from million copy bestseller Rachel Lynch, for fans of Patricia Gibney and D. K. Hood.What readers are saying about Little Doubt 'Great characters, great story and a gripping finale. I just wish I could give it more than five stars' Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Another cracking book by Rachel Lynch... has quickly become one of my favourite crime series' NetGalley Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'I have never read any of the other books in this series but now I am going to have to go back and read them all as this was so good!' NetGalley Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'I just LOVE this series and this latest novel did not disappoint. Gritty, suspenseful and full of action with DI Kelly Porter at the top of her game... A well deserved 5 stars, cant wait for the next instalment!' NetGalley Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'This book is just as brilliant as the first six and had me captivated from the first page... Yet another superb book by Rachel Lynch in the Kelly Porter series. I can’t wait to read the eighth one!' NetGalley Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Another excellent novel by Rachel Lynch and I am so looking forward to the next one' Goodreads Reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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In his first full-length autobiography, comedy legend and national treasure Billy Connolly reveals the truth behind his windswept and interesting life.Born in a tenement flat in Glasgow in 1942, orphaned by the age of 4, and a survivor of appalling abuse at the hands of his own family, Billy's life is a remarkable story of success against all the odds.Billy found his escape first as an apprentice welder in the shipyards of the River Clyde. Later he became a folk musician - a 'rambling man' - with a genuine talent for playing the banjo. But it was his ability to spin stories, tell jokes and hold an audience in the palm of his hand that truly set him apart.As a young comedian Billy broke all the rules. He was fearless and outspoken - willing to call out hypocrisy wherever he saw it. But his stand-up was full of warmth, humility and silliness too. His startling, hairy 'glam-rock' stage appearance - wearing leotards, scissor suits and banana boots - only added to his appeal.It was an appearance on Michael Parkinson's chat show in 1975 - and one outrageous story in particular - that catapulted Billy from cult hero to national star. TV shows, documentaries, international fame and award-winning Hollywood movies followed. Billy's pitch-perfect stand-up comedy kept coming too - for over 50 years, in fact - until a double diagnosis of cancer and Parkinson's Disease brought his remarkable live performances to an end. Since then he has continued making TV shows, creating extraordinary drawings... and writing.Windswept and Interesting is Billy's story in his own words. It is joyfully funny - stuffed full of hard-earned wisdom as well as countless digressions on fishing, farting and the joys of dancing naked. It is an unforgettable, life-affirming story of a true comedy legend.'I didn't know I was Windswept and Interesting until somebody told me. It was a friend who was startlingly exotic himself. He'd just come back from Kashmir and was all billowy shirt and Indian beads. I had long hair and a beard and was swishing around in electric blue flairs.He said: "Look at you - all windswept and interesting!"I just said: "Exactly!"After that, I simply had to maintain my reputation...'

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__________________________________________________She wants to escape the past. Is she doomed to repeat it? In the spectacular sequel to Subject Twenty-One, Elise and her friends have unearthed the truth that has been kept from them their whole lives and escaped the Museum of Evolution - but at what cost?'An unputdownable exploration into the ethics of science' Buzz MagazineAfter a perilous escape, Elise and her companions have made it to the safety of the secret fifth base, Uracil, but her family is still in danger. Desperate to secure them passage and a safe place to live, she makes a deal with the leaders of Uracil - she'll become their spy, jeopardising her own freedom in the process.But first she has to help rescue the next Neanderthal, Subject Twenty-Two.Twenty-Two has never left the confines of the steel walls that keep her separated from the other exhibits. She has no contact with the outside world and no way of knowing why she has been abandoned. With diminishing deliveries of food and water, she has to start breaking the museum's rules if she wants a second chance at living.One belongs to the future and the other to the past, but both will need to adapt - or neither will survive . . .__________________________________________________PRAISE FOR THE TOMORROW'S ANCESTORS SERIES'A stonking good sci-fi & coming-of-age story all wrapped into one . . . a book that tackles humanity, hardship, and classism at the deepest level.' Magic Radio Book ClubIncredible . . . without a doubt one of the best YA sci-fi books I've ever read' Out and About Books'Instantly engaging . . . widens out from a tale of a girl trying to find her own identity to a broader story encompassing an entire population's burden of oppression, and the desire for freedom' Track of Words'One of the rare debuts that are really five star reads. Subject Twenty One grabbed me instantly and I couldn't put it down' Dom Reads__________________________________________________Make sure you've read the whole series!1. Subject Twenty-One2. The Fifth Base3. The Fourth Species

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"A high-fantasy Memoirs of a Geisha, Chupeco's latest excels in originality" —Kirkus ReviewsA story of scorned witches, sinister curses, and resurrection, The Bone Witch is the start of a dark fantasy trilogy, perfect for fans of Serpent & Dove and The Cruel Prince.Tea can raise the dead, but resurrection comes at a price...When Tea accidentally resurrects her brother, Fox, from the dead, she learns she is different from the other witches in her family. Her gift for necromancy means that she's a bone witch, a title that makes her feared and ostracized by her community. But Tea finds solace and guidance with an older, wiser bone witch, who takes Tea and her brother to another land for training.In her new home, Tea puts all her energy into becoming an asha—one who can wield elemental magic. But dark forces are approaching quickly, and in the face of danger, Tea will have to overcome her obstacles…and make a powerful choice.Riveting and atmospheric, The Bone Witch is perfect for readers looking for witch novels for adults and teens stories with diverse representation and multicultural influences dark fantasy YA books and series original worldbuilding and captivating writingPraise for The Bone Witch: "A fantasy lover's fantasy" —Foreword Reviews"Mesmerizing. Chupeco (The Suffering) does a magnificent job of balancing an intimate narrative perspective with sweeping worldbuilding, crafting her tale within a multicultural melting pot of influences as she presses toward a powerful cliffhanger."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review"Chupeco delights us with a fascinating world and a rich atmosphere for a story that is exceptionally written from beginning to end."—Buzzfeed"Readers who enjoy immersing themselves in detail will revel in Chupeco's finely wrought tale. Game of Thrones fans may see shades of Daenerys Targaryen in Tea, as she gathers a daeva army to unleash upon the world. Whether she is in the right remains a question unanswered, but the ending makes it clear her story is only beginning." —Booklist The Bone Witch Trilogy: The Bone Witch (Book 1) The Heart Forger (Book 2) The Shadowglass (Book 3)

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'Shimon Peres was a giant of Israel's founding generation, a tireless advocate for peace, and an eternal optimist who lived his life with a sense of hope and possibility. He also became a treasured friend to me and source of wisdom for me. All of us have much to learn from his story, which now belongs to the ages' Barack Obama'This book captures my friend's lifelong belief in our potential to rise above our wounds, our resentments and our fears to make the most of today and claim the promise of tomorrow' Bill Clinton'Shimon Peres was a visionary optimist to his dying day, and his last words of hope were addressed to the young. For all our sakes, let them be heard!' Daniel KahnemanIn 1934, eleven-year-old Shimon Peres emigrated to the land of Israel from his native Poland, leaving behind an extended family who would later be murdered in the Holocaust. Few back then would have predicted that this young man would eventually become one of the towering figures of the twentieth century. Peres would indeed go on to serve the new state as prime minister, president, foreign minister, and the head of several other ministries. In this, his final work, finished only weeks before his passing, Peres offers a long-awaited examination of the crucial turning-points in Israeli history through the prism of having been a decision-maker and eyewitness. Told with the frankness of someone aware this would likely be his final statement, No Room for Small Dreams spans decades and events, examining pivotal moments in Israel's rise. Peres explores what makes for a great leader, how to make hard choices in a climate of uncertainty and distress, the challenges of balancing principles with policies, and the liberating nature of imagination and unpredicted innovation. In doing so, he not only charts a better path forward for his beloved country but provides deep and universal wisdom for younger generations who seek to lead - be it in politics, business or the broader service of making our planet a safer, more peaceful and just place.

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THE ENTHRALLING INSIDE STORY OF THE THAI CAVE RESCUE FROM THE MAN AT THE HEART OF THE MISSION, AS SEEN IN THE SUNDAY TIMES'The British divers are all heroes' Clive Cussler'A case study in courage' Ron Howard, Oscar-winning director of Apollo 13________Thailand, July 2018. Twelve boys and their football coach vanish into Tham Luang caves just as the monsoon rains hit. A mile from the surface they are trapped by rising flood waters. All attempts to reach them fail. As hope for their survival fades a retired British firefighter tinkering with homemade cave-diving kit gets a call. Rick Stanton and his dive partner race to the other side of the world. The boys have been missing for days. Each hour, their chance of escape shrinks. Rick must swim, crawl and squeeze through treacherously tight submerged tunnels hunting for them. But that is not the impossible part. Because if by some miracle they're alive then somehow he must bring the boys back out again . . . He doesn't know it yet but all his life he's been training for this very moment . . .________ 'The riveting, behind-the-scenes story. Captivating' SUNDAY POST 'A definitive view of the rescue. You probably won't read a better-written book about diving this year. I just had to get to the end' DIVER MAGAZINE'Diver Rick Stanton relives the rescue of the century' SUNDAY TIMES'Remarkable . . . the chronicle of a man from a humble background who worked devilishly hard . . . and was willing to go anywhere to help people in the most dire cave disasters' WALL STREET JOURNALTHE RESCUE WATCHED BY THE WORLD'The Thai cave rescue was phenomenally dangerous, and the work of true heroes' iNews'[The rescue] was fantastic, it really was . . .' HRH Prince William'If it was me stuck anywhere, the one person I would want to come and rescue me is Rick Stanton' Alex Daw, Watch Commander, West Midlands Fire Service'One of the great stories of our time' Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Oscar-winning co-director of Free Solo'Rick Stanton is not the most domesticated of men' Sunday Telegraph

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The truth about China’s financial industry—and the growing bubble that’s guaranteed to blow it apart… In recent years, the Chinese economy has been fueled by the implicit guarantee of major banks and local governments by the nation’s central government. The resultant bubble has led to the emergence of a large shadow banking industry that poses major risks to China’s real estate market, speculative stock investments, state-owned enterprises, and more. It’s not a matter of if China’s bubble will burst. It’s a matter of when. This eye-opening book from renowned financial scholar Ning Zhu provides a provocative in-depth analysis of China’s current economic practices—and the profound dangers they pose—as well as a powerful wake-up call to investors, regulators, and the entire financial industry. Zhu’s book is packed with startling revelations, including: * The enormous impact of China’s implicit guarantees on economic growth—and what will happen when those guarantees are gone* The ever-increasing size of China’s shadow banking industry—and how it’s just the tip of the iceberg* The once-reliable strength of China’s real estate and stock markets—and how they’re threatened by government distortion* The latest financial innovations and channels—and how they are circumventing regulations and triggering unprecedented risks Filled with fascinating case studies, worst case scenarios, and a well-argued case for much-needed reforms, Zhu’s enlightening book is a must-read for anyone with interests or investments in China’s rapidly changing economy. You’ll find intriguing new perspectives on traditional growth models, innovative solutions for overcapacity problems, and revealing new stats on so-called Voodoo Statistics. You’ll get a glimpse behind the curtain of the “unknown unknowns” of China’s implicit guarantees—and learn just how risky these government policies can be. Most importantly, Zhu’s book provides solid recommendations for diffusing the time bomb these guarantees can and will set off. Brilliant, incisive, and ultimately optimistic, China’s Guaranteed Bubble will incite a much-needed call for change and set us on a new path of prosperity and growth—for China, the economy, and the world.

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This stunning package is a truly immersive reading experience with unseen imagery, concept art and exclusive insights from the cast and crew. It includes exclusive and removable photographs, pull-outs, maps, pamphlets and other artefacts from the world of the films. A must-have for all fans of Harry Potter - old and new alike.'Visually scrumptious, filled with fun gimmicks and cut-outs' - Independent on Sunday'From start to finish, this book is amazing' - ***** Reader review'A must for any Harry Potter fan' - ***** Reader review'This book is on a whole different LEVEL of awesome' - ***** Reader review'You NEED this book if you LOVE Harry Potter' - ***** Reader review'Fun, insightful and interactive' - ***** Reader review***********************************************************************************An international bestseller and publishing phenomenon, Harry Potter Film Wizardry was the first book to delve into the magical world of the enormously successful film franchise. This beautifully illustrated and interactive official tie-in to the wonderful Harry Potter films is a truly immersive reading experience for fans of all ages.Learn why Yule Ball ice sculptures never melt, where Galleons, Sickles and Knuts are really "minted", how to get a Hippogriff to work with actors, about the inspiration behind Hogwarts castle, and why Dementors move the way they do.Written and designed in collaboration with the cast and crew that brought J.K Rowling's celebrated novels to the silver screen, Harry Potter: Film Wizardry delivers an enchanting interactive experience, transporting readers to the Wizarding World by sharing filmmaking secrets, unpublished photography and artwork, and exclusive stories from the stars, including: Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), and Alan Rickman (Severus Snape), as well as exclusive behind-the-scenes stories from the producer on all eight films, David Heyman, director David Yates, and production designer Stuart Craig.Full of removable, facsimile reproductions of props and paper ephemera from the movies, concept art and unseen visuals, this collectible volume offers a privileged look at the Harry Potter films and the making of true movie magic.

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'A vivid depiction of how easy it is to get trapped by other people's expectations. Full of heartbreak but also hope, I really rooted for the women in this novel.' Louise Hare Can you ever escape your past?Cat knows she should be more grateful for her partner James. As a young woman struggling to care for her alcoholic mother, he whisked her away from the violence and addiction of her council estate home and offered her a taste of middle-class comfort.But twenty years later, the escape he offered has begun to feel stifling. Surrounded by immaculate white carpets and scented candles, everything has its place in James's house, except it seems, Cat. She had a place to study at university after finishing school, but her mother was too unwell for Cat to take it. She begins to dream of the opportunities education could offer her.At a university open day, Cat finds herself standing before teenage boyfriend, Daniel, now a lecturer. As the spark that drew them together returns, Cat hopes that he can in some way help her reconnect with the drive and optimism of her younger self. Or perhaps she is simply hurtling back towards a past that can only hurt her further...Can Cat let go of her demons to become the person she always hoped to be, or is it too late?What readers are saying about Ungrateful:'A total pleasure.' Eva Verde 'Touched me deeply.' Juno Roche'Compulsively readable with huge heart.' Alex Allison'Clever, gripping, heartbreaking but also ultimately hopeful. I want to read this book again and again and again.' Cat White 'I loved it. As soon as I started reading, I was in. Ungrateful expertly explores the physical, emotional and intellectual repercussions of being born into poverty.' Lynne Voyce 'Kept me on the edge of my seat, courageously challenging mainstream conceptions of class with an empowering message for positive change. Gets hold of the working-class stereotype and smashes it to bits.' Shaun Wilson 'I inhaled this book!... Just want to read it all over again.' Eve Ainsworth 'A soul-questioning novel that helps us understand the currency of gratitude in our deeply imbalanced and transactional world in which to change one's life is to be indebted to someone else's.' Kit Fan

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'The Da Vinci Code meets post-Independence India. I'd be surprised if I read a better book this year' M. W. CRAVEN'This is a crime novel for everyone; for those who love traditional mysteries there are clues, codes and ciphers, but it also had a harder edge and a post-war darkness. Brilliant' ANN CLEEVESA priceless manuscript. A missing scholar. A trail of riddles.For over a century, one of the world's great treasures, a six-hundred-year-old copy of Dante's The Divine Comedy, has been safely housed at Bombay's Asiatic Society. But when it vanishes, together with the man charged with its care, British scholar and war hero, John Healy, the case lands on Inspector Persis Wadia's desk. Uncovering a series of complex riddles written in verse, Persis - together with English forensic scientist Archie Blackfinch - is soon on the trail. But then they discover the first body. As the death toll mounts it becomes evident that someone else is also pursuing this priceless artefact and will stop at nothing to possess it . . .Harking back to an era of darkness, this second thriller in the Malabar House series pits Persis, once again, against her peers, a changing India, and an evil of limitless intent. Gripping, immersive, and full of Vaseem Khan's trademark wit, this is historical fiction at its finest.'A delicious treat of a historical crime novel' OBSERVER'Thoroughly enjoyable' DAILY MAIL*** Book one in this series, Midnight at Malabar House, won the CWA Sapere Books Historical Dagger and is an international ebook bestseller. ***'A wonderful, pacy, literary mystery with a brilliant female protagonist. Vaseem writes books that are good for the soul' STEVE CAVANAGH'A hugely entertaining, devilishly clever and immersive murder mystery. Inspector Persis Wadia is a brilliant creation and The Dying Day is a triumph. This is my favourite new crime series, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Treat yourself!' ANTONIA HODGSON'In The Dying Day, Vaseem Khan paints an extraordinarily vivid picture of a Bombay in 1950 still reeling from the aftermath of Partition and suffering the legacy of Empire. Every single element of this complex and compelling story slots together perfectly in the most brilliant and gripping of riddles ... A masterclass in historical crime fiction' CHRIS LLOYD

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‘A big, beautiful, epic tale of war, heartache, betrayal, courage and most of all, love. I can’t remember the last time I was so transported by a book . . . I can’t recommend The Echoes of Love more highly. This story is a classic of our time’ Louise Douglas, The Room in the Attic ‘A magnificent, sweeping tale that I haven't stopped thinking about since I turned the last beautiful page. The writing is incredible, the characters leap from the page . . . Unforgettable’ Amanda Geard, The Midnight House ‘With the historical authenticity of Sebastian Faulks, the perfectly observed family relationships of Santa Montefiore, and the gut-wrenching twist of Jojo Moyes, The Echoes of Love is epic, enthralling and deeply emotional’ Iona Grey, Letters to the Lost * * * Under the Cretan sun, in the summer of 1936, two young people fall in love… Eleni has been coming to Crete her entire life, swapping her English home for cherished sun-baked summers with her grandfather in his idyllic shoreside villa. When she arrives in 1936, she believes the long, hot weeks ahead will be no different to so many that have gone before. But someone else is visiting the island that year too: a young German man called Otto. And so begins a summer of innocence lost, and love discovered; one that is finite, but not the end. When, in 1941, the island falls to a Nazi invasion, Eleni and Otto meet there once more. But this time Eleni has returned to fight for her home, and Otto to occupy it. They are enemies, and their love is not only treacherous, but also dangerous. But will it destroy them, or prove strong enough to overcome the ravages of war? An epic tale of secrets, love, loyalty, family and how far you’d go to keep those you love safe, The Echoes of Love is an exquisite and deeply moving love letter to Crete – one that will move every reader to tears. * * * ‘What a beautiful novel. So romantic, so epic, so tear-jerking’ Lorna Cook,The Forgotten Village ‘I was completely spellbound. A beautiful, poignant love story with a clever twist, all set against the backdrop of war-torn Crete. It’s the best book I’ve read this year’ Kathleen McGurl, The Forgotten Secret

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A new geography of economic power is emerging in East Asia. Written by leading experts in the areas of globalization, trade, producer services, financial centers, logistics and R&D, the book provides indepth and updated analyses of the leading role of Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Singapore in the recent rise of Asia as a major manufacturing base and exporter. The book reveals the historical, geographical, socio-economic and political peculiarities in the formation of world cities in East Asia. Jianfa Shen, Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies and The Chinese University of Hong Kong Gateways to Globalisation makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the emerging East Asian regional system of financial centres within the broader global context and how they interact within the global circuits of finance. In particular, it focuses on the emergence of the financial centres of Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore and the attempts by both national governments and the private sector to position them so that they become more competitive in the global and regional context. The volume shows much historical sensitivity showing that while the increase in the importance of these financial centres is principally post 1945, their emergence has been aided by the deep historical roots that go back several centuries. The book will be of great value in the interpretation of the role of East Asia in what many commentators have called the ''Asian Century''.- Terry McGee, The University of British Columbia, CanadaAsia's trading and financial hubs have become global cities which frequently have more in common and closer linkages with each other than with their corresponding hinterlands. As this book expounds, these global cities illustrate to what extent world trends deeply penetrate and permeate the national territorial interiors and processes that were otherwise presumed to be controlled by the State. Gateways to Globalisation is soundly based on accurate and extensive research (including perspectives from historians, economists, geographers and sociologists) from China, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong, in order to grasp the regional character of trade and finance, beyond national borders and traditional academic frameworks. The book documents that today, major urban centers such as Tokyo, Beijing, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai situated on the periphery of the maritime corridor of East Asia, form a system characterized by the intensity of their economic linkages and integration into the world economy. Since the mid-1980s, these major Asian cities have become the worldwide-oriented centers for production, trade, finance and research. This collective effort offers, in addition to its regional framework, up-to-date information that strengthens an original trans-disciplinary analysis of a region and its economic characteristics, which will be of interest to readers within academia and beyond. This well-detailed and thorough work will be of interest to academics and post-graduates students in economics, geography, finance, history, regional studies and Asian studies, as well as those who have a general interest in globalization. Contributors include: L. Bastide, P. Carioti, P. Daniels, D. Du, A. Ekman, F. Gipouloux, R. Hisasue, Y. Hu, C. Hung, J. Meng, P. Miege, C. Smith, Y.-W. Sung, J. Wang, X. Xu, Z.Yuan, L. Zhang, S. Zhao

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Ringil, the hero of the bloody slaughter at Gallows Gap is a legend to all who don't know him and a twisted degenerate to those that do. A veteran of the wars against the lizards he makes a living from telling credulous travellers of his exploits. Until one day he is pulled away from his life and into the depths of the Empire's slave trade. Where he will discover a secret infinitely more frightening than the trade in lives.Archeth - pragmatist, cynic and engineer, the last of her race - is called from her work at the whim of the most powerful man in the Empire and sent to its farthest reaches to investigate a demonic incursion against the Empire's borders.Egar Dragonbane, steppe-nomad, one-time fighter for the Empire finds himself entangled in a small-town battle between common sense and religious fervour. But out in the wider world there is something on the move far more alien than any of his tribe's petty gods. Anti-social, anti-heroic, and decidedly irritated, all three of them are about to be sent unwillingly forth into a vicious, vigorous and thoroughly unsuspecting fantasy world. Called upon by an Empire that owes them everything and gave them nothing.Richard Morgan brings his trademark visceral writing style, turbo-driven plotting and thought provoking characterisation to the fantasy genre and produces a landmark work with his first foray.******Praise for The Steel Remains'A brilliant book! This has to be one of the best books I've read this. A raw, gritty fantasy that pulls no punches.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Well, wow. A gay aristocratic war hero fallen into rough living, a bisexual knife-wielding black woman from a race of near-immortal engineers, and a hard-hitting, tough-talking, dragon-slaying warleader from the steppes who is immensely loyal to them both.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Fantastic book! I love Morgan's twisted world and his complicated characters. A gritty, shocking, refreshing, dark epic fantasy. I can't wait to read the next one.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'So... What does this book do right? Everything. Gay main characters - done to perfection. A truly dark, grotesque, yet realistic and complex world. Action? Suspense? Horror? All of them.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'One of the best fantasy novels I have ever read. Better than Tolkein, better than A Game of Thrones, better than A Wheel of Time. It's a relatively simple story that involves the right amount of backstabbing, bloodshed and political intrigue.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐'Wow what more do you want from a fantasy? Viciously smart humour with a sort of dry, tongue in cheek delivery, paired with rich worldbuilding that subtly unfolds, a trio of broken heroes with complex inner worlds grappling with the mess of human existence in a dangerous world, all propelled at breathless breakneck speeds - yet nothing rushed. Well developed secondary characters, sexual politics that I can't get behind, rape recognized as the disgusting horror it is, yet plenty of violent fun to be had. Damn I can't wait to start the next, this is just picking up speed' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

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The millions of people around the world who have lost weight on the Dukan Diet are evangelical about its effectiveness, yet others condemn it as unhealthy way of eating that can do long-term damage. So which is true?Now you can make your own mind up by reading The Truth About The Dukan Diet which is written by a Spanish doctor who is an expert in researching nutrition and obesity. With no connection to Dr Dukan but with a professional interest in the area, Dr Alvaro Campillo Soto was shocked by the bad science, misinformation and inaccuracies he saw repeated in the media by so-called experts.So incensed was he that he set out to look at the diet scientifically and get to the truth about the claims and counter-claims that were being made. Using a simple question and answer format, Dr Alvaro addresses all the questions people ask about Dukan such as, 'Is it dangerous not to eat fruit for the first two stages of the diet? Does the diet cause cancer? Are there any side effects? Does eating 3 or 4 eggs a day raise cholesterol? Am I going to lose muscle mass by following the diet?'Written in an accessible way but based on the latest scientific knowledge and research from around the world, The Truth About Dukan is a fascinating read for anyone who wants to sort the fact from the fiction and understand why Dukan is such an effective way to lose weight.

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The momentous events of 1066, the story of invasion, battle and conquest, are well known. But what of the women? Harold II of England had been with Edith Swanneck for twenty years but in 1066, in order to strengthen his hold on the throne, he married Ealdgyth, sister of two earls. William of Normandy’s Duchess, Matilda of Flanders, had supposedly only agreed to marry the Duke after he’d pulled her pigtails and thrown her in the mud. Harald Hardrada had two wives – apparently at the same time. So, who were these women? What was their real story? And what happened to them after 1066? These are not peripheral figures. Emma of Normandy was a Norman married to both a Saxon and a Dane ‒ and the mother of a king from each. Wife of both King Cnut and Aethelred II, the fact that, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, she had control of the treasury at the end of the reigns of both Cnut and Harthacnut suggests the extent of Emma’s influence over these two kings –and the country itself. Then there is Saint Margaret, a descendant of Alfred the Great, and the less well known but still influential Gundrada de Warenne, the wife of one of William the Conqueror’s most loyal knights, and one of the few men who it is known beyond doubt was with the Duke at the Battle of Hastings. These are lives full of drama, pathos and sometimes mystery: Edith and Gytha searching the battlefield of Hastings for the body of Harold, his lover and mother united in their grief for the fallen king. Who was Ælfgyva, the lady of the Bayeux Tapestry, portrayed with a naked man at her feet? Silk and the Sword traces the fortunes of the women who had a significant role to play during the Norman Conquest – wives, lovers, sisters, mothers, leaders.

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In the 1740s, two quite different developments revolutionized Anglo-American life and thought-the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening. This book takes an encounter between the paragons of each movement-the printer and entrepreneur Benjamin Franklin and the British-born revivalist George Whitefield-as an opportunity to explore the meaning of the beginnings of modern science and rationality on one hand and evangelical religious enthusiasm on the other. There are people who both represent the times in which they live and change them for the better. Franklin and Whitefield were two such men. The morning that they met, they formed a long and lucrative partnership: Whitefield provided copies of his journals and sermons, Franklin published them. So began one of the most unique, mutually profitable, and influential friendships in early American history. By focusing this study on Franklin and Whitefield, Peter Charles Hoffer defines with great precision the importance of the Anglo-American Atlantic World of the eighteenth century in American history. With a swift and persuasive narrative, Hoffer introduces readers to the respective life story of each man, examines in engaging detail the central themes of their early writings, and concludes with a description of the last years of their collaboration. Franklin's and Whitefield's intellectual contributions reach into our own time, making Hoffer's readable and enjoyable account of these extraordinary men and their extraordinary friendship relevant today. Also in the Witness to History series The Huron-Wendat Feast of the Dead: Indian-European Encounters in Early North America by Erik R. Seeman King Philip's War: Colonial Expansion, Native Resistance, and the End of Indian Sovereignty by Daniel R. Mandell The Caning of Charles Sumner: Honor, Idealism, and the Origins of the Civil War by Williamjames Hull Hoffer Bloodshed at Little Bighorn: Sitting Bull, Custer, and the Destinies of Nations by Tim Lehman

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Short fiction was an immensely innovative art in the medieval Arab world, providing the perfect vehicle for transmitting dazzling images of life and experiences as early as pre-Islamic times. These works also speak to the urbanization of the Arab domain after Islam, mirroring the bustling life of the Muslim Arabs and Islamized Persians and reflecting the sure stamp of an urbanity that had settled very staunchly after big conquests. All the noises and voices of the Umayyads and Abbasids are here. One can taste the flavor of Abbasid food, witness the rise of slave girls and singers, and experience the pride of state. Reading these texts today illuminates the wide spectrum of early Arab life and suggests the influences and innovations that flourished so vibrantly in medieval Arab society. The only resource of its kind, Salma Khadra Jayyusi's Classical Arabic Stories selects from an impressive corpus, including excerpts from seven seminal works: Ibn Tufail's novel, Hayy ibn Yaqzan; Kalila wa Dimna by Ibn al-Muqaffa; The Misers by al-Jahiz; The Brethren of Purity's The Protest of Animals Against Man; Al-Maqamat (The Assemblies) by al-Hamadhani and al-Hariri; Epistle of Forgiveness by al-Ma'arri; and the epic romance, Sayf Bin Dhi Yazan. Jayyusi organizes her anthology thematically, beginning with a presentation of pre-Islamic tales, stories of rulers and other notables, and thrilling narratives of danger and warfare. She follows with tales of love, religion, comedy, and the strange and the supernatural. Long assumed to be the lesser achievement when compared to Arabic literature's most celebrated genre-poetry-classical Arabic fiction, under Jayyusi's careful eye, finally receives a proper debut in English, demonstrating its unparalleled contribution to the evolution of medieval literature and its sophisticated representation of Arabic culture and life.

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Whether called black sheep, sociopaths, felons, con men, or misfits, some break all the rules. They shirk responsibilities, abuse drugs and alcohol, take up criminal careers, and lash out at family members. In the worst cases they commit rape, murder, and other violent acts as though they lack a conscience. What makes these people behave the way they do? Bad Boys, Bad Men examines antisocial personality disorders, or ASPD, the mysterious and misunderstood mental condition that underlies a lifelong penchant for bad behavior. Black interweaves scientific data with stories drawn from his own work as a psychiatrist, current events, new research, and real-world case studies to explore antisocial behavior in men and to chart the history, nature, and treatment of a misunderstood disorder affecting nearly seven million Americans. Citing new evidence from genetics and neuroscience, Black argues that this condition is tied to biological causes, and that some people are simply born bad. The newly revised edition includes up to date information on the epidemiology, risk factors, pathophysiology, natural history, genetics, and treatment of ASPD. Black discusses the antisocial woman as well as narcissistic personality disorder, both of which often intertwine with ASPD. New vignettes demonstrating sociopathic and psychopathic behavior include Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, Harvey Weinstein, Robert Durst, and Anna Sorkin. Examining compelling cases that read like medical detective stories, Black separates the lies these men tell from the facts that their lives reveal. His book not only describes the warning signs that predict which troubled children are more likely to become dangerous adults, but also details the progress toward treatment for ASPD. Written to help patients and family members, Bad Boys, Bad Men is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding antisocial and psychopathic behavior.

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The Maheshwara Sutra is the key teaching on sound consciousness in the Vedic tradition, given by Shiva over 2,200 years ago, after his iconic dance of destruction and creation. It is the clearest exposition of the world being created by sound vibration ever recorded. The Maheshwara Sutra was revealed by Shiva through his Drum. Each beat weaves the matrix of life, dynamically creating the universe and human being in 42 sound vibrations. Each sound unfolds the universal creative process, from the quantum field and Big Bang to the mind, breath, sexuality, chakras and all elements of creation. The Maheshwara Sutra is Shiva’s holographic Creation of Everything, the original yoga of sound. Its 42 Sound Keys create 42 vibrational shifts within you, which can align you into the quantum blueprint of creation. Shiva’s Hologram: The Maheshwara Sutra is a science of consciousness, a profound synthesis of Vedic and western wisdom and practices that articulates a path into wholeness through sound. Thorough and well researched, it explains the sounds that form your self, opening doors into using sound never revealed before. Shiva’s Hologram: The Maheshwara Sutra translates this ancient wisdom into contemporary relevance and practice through quantum physics, sacred geometry, the union of masculine and feminine Shiva-Shakti, and the wisdom of India’s greatest masters. Shiva’s Hologram is written for the beginner and advanced practitioner and reveals the yoga of the 42 sounds, their meanings and practical applications. Use the sounds for sound-healing and to resonate into the harmonious Blueprint of Creation: Create mantras to resonate every part of you into health and well-being: Use it for yoga, self-inquiry and to expand your consciousness in meditation. The deeper wisdom of the Maheshwara Sutra has been kept within the Saivite Indian lineage for millennia, and has not been released to the general public until now.

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"In darkness, we become devoted to clarity, courage, peace, and harmony. We discover the basic goodness of all humanity when we experience darkness together," Zenju Earthlyn Manuel writes. "Life itself is a dark experience--a magical experience." When you hear the word "darkness," what does it make you feel--horror, danger, or maybe despair? We've been conditioned to fear and avoid darkness and blackness, yet Zenju Earthlyn Manuel challenges us to consider: "What if we chose to go deeper into darkness instead of running from it? What might we find there beyond our longing for light?" Drawing on the ancient wisdom found in Zen Buddhism and African and Native American indigenous traditions, Osho Zenju reveals how a change in perspective and increased wisdom can help us awaken to the sacredness of dark experiences in our lives--so we may experience a reality beyond avoidance and fear. Opening to Darkness will take you on a courageous journey into the mandala of darkness, a symbolic expression of your inner world, where you will travel through eight gateways that are inspired by Buddha's Eightfold Path. Along your way, you will meet dark mothers from India, Nigeria, Japan, Haiti, and Dahomey, who both protect and destroy. Osho Zenju provides reflective inquiry, blessings, and meditations as you navigate your way through the vast depths of the unseen. It is through this spiritual pilgrimage that we learn how to: - Experience the wonders of life that can flourish only in the dark - Discover a collective doorway to healing and deep transformation - Awaken to the illusory nature of light versus dark - Illuminate false perceptions and beliefs of darkness - Heal the fear and anxiety around darkness and blackness Wrapped in gorgeous lyrical prose, Osho Zenju's offerings provide deep soul relief and collective strength to embrace the dark--so we may reunite with the sacred process of darkness that flows through the canvas of our lives.

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The incredible story of a 1958 murder that ended with the last woman to ever be executed in California—a murder so twisted it seems ripped from a Greek tragedy. Deborah Larkin was only ten years old when the quiet calm of her California suburb was shattered. Thirty miles north, on a quiet November night in Santa Barbara, a pregnant nurse named Olga Duncan disappeared from her apartment. The mystery deepens when it is discovered that Olga’s mother in-law—a deeply manipulative and deceptive woman—had been doing everything in her power to separate Olga and her son, Frank, prior to Olga’s disappearance. From a forged annulment to multiple attempts to hire people to “get rid” of Olga, to a faked excoriation case, Elizabeth seemed psychopathically attached to her son. Yet she denied having anything to do with Olga’s disappearance with a smile.But when Olga’s brutally beaten body is found in a shallow grave, apparently buried alive, a young DA makes it his mission to see that Elizabeth Duncan is brought to justice. Adding a wrinkle to his efforts is the fact that Frank—himself a defense attorney—maintained his mother’s innocent to the end. How does a young girl process such a crime along with the fear and disbelieve that rocked an entire community? Decades later, Larkin is determined to revisit the case and bring the story of Olga herself to light. Long overshadowed by the sensationalism and scandal of Elizabeth and Frank, A Lovely Girl seeks to reveal Olga as a woman in full. Someone who was more than the twisted family that would ultimately ensnare her.As we follow the heart-pounding drama of the case through Larkin's young eyes—her father was the court reporter—A Lovely Girl is by turns page-turning yet poingnant, and makes the reader reexamine how we handle fear, how we regard mental illness, and how we understand family as we carve our own path in a dangerous world.

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* THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER * 'An enthralling read' GUARDIAN 'A thrilling blend of fantasy and horror, richly imagined and masterfully executed' SFX 'Terrific . . . A book that creeps up on you, wearing brass knuckles' CONN IGGULDEN _______________ The first in a captivating new historical fantasy series, ORDINARY MONSTERS introduces the Talents with a catastrophic vision of the Victorian world, and the gifted, broken children who must save it. There in the shadows was a figure in a cloak, at the bottom of the cobblestone stair, and it turned and stared up at them as still and unmoving as a pillar of darkness, but it had no face, only smoke . . . 1882. North of Edinburgh, on the edge of an isolated loch, lies an institution of crumbling stone, where a strange doctor collects orphans with unusual abilities. In London, two children with such powers are hunted by a figure of darkness – a man made of smoke. Charlie Ovid discovers a gift for healing himself through a brutal upbringing in Mississippi, while Marlowe, a foundling from a railway freight, glows with a strange bluish light. When two grizzled detectives are recruited to escort them north to safety, they are confronted by a sinister, dangerous force that threatens to upend the world as they know it. What follows is a journey from the gaslit streets of London to the lochs of Scotland, where other gifted children – the Talents – have been gathered at Cairndale Institute, and the realms of the dead and the living collide. As secrets within the Institute unfurl, Marlowe, Charlie and the rest of the Talents will discover the truth about their abilities and the nature of the force that is stalking them: that the worst monsters sometimes come bearing the sweetest gifts. _______________ 'A dazzling mountain of wild invention, Dickensian eccentrics, supernatural horrors and gripping suspense' JOE HILL 'Expansive in scope and storytelling, Ordinary Monsters builds an electrifying Victorian world' CARI THOMAS J.M. Miro's book 'Ordinary Monsters' was a #5 Sunday Times bestseller w/e 04-06-2022.

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The captivating story of four young people—English and Powhatan—who lived their lives between cultures In Pocahontas and the English Boys, the esteemed historian Karen Ordahl Kupperman shifts the lens on the well-known narrative of Virginia’s founding to reveal the previously untold and utterly compelling story of the youths who, often unwillingly, entered into cross-cultural relationships—and became essential for the colony’s survival. Their story gives us unprecedented access to both sides of early Virginia. Here for the first time outside scholarly texts is an accurate portrayal of Pocahontas, who, from the age of ten, acted as emissary for her father, who ruled over the local tribes, alongside the never-before-told intertwined stories of Thomas Savage, Henry Spelman, and Robert Poole, young English boys who were forced to live with powerful Indian leaders to act as intermediaries. Pocahontas and the English Boys is a riveting seventeenth-century story of intrigue and danger, knowledge and power, and four youths who lived out their lives between cultures. As Pocahontas, Thomas, Henry, and Robert collaborated and conspired in carrying messages and trying to smooth out difficulties, they never knew when they might be caught in the firing line of developing hostilities. While their knowledge and role in controlling communication gave them status and a degree of power, their relationships with both sides meant that no one trusted them completely. Written by an expert in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Atlantic history, Pocahontas and the English Boys unearths gems from the archives—Henry Spelman’s memoir, travel accounts, letters, and official reports and records of meetings of the governor and council in Virginia—and draws on recent archaeology to share the stories of the young people who were key influencers of their day and who are now set to transform our understanding of early Virginia.

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Pieces of paper that claimed to be good for two dollars upon redemption at a distant bank. Foreign coins that fluctuated in value from town to town. Stock certificates issued by turnpike or canal companies-worth something...or perhaps nothing. IOUs from farmers or tradesmen, passed around by people who could not know the person who first issued them. Money and banking in antebellum America offered a glaring example of free-market capitalism run amok-unregulated, exuberant, and heading pell-mell toward the next "panic" of burst bubbles and hard times. In Other People's Money, Sharon Ann Murphy explains how banking and money worked before the federal government, spurred by the chaos of the Civil War, created the national system of US paper currency. Murphy traces the evolution of banking in America from the founding of the nation, when politicians debated the constitutionality of chartering a national bank, to Andrew Jackson's role in the Bank War of the early 1830s, to the problems of financing a large-scale war. She reveals how, ultimately, the monetary and banking structures that emerged from the Civil War also provided the basis for our modern financial system, from its formation under the Federal Reserve in 1913 to the present. Touching on the significant role that numerous historical figures played in shaping American banking-including Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Benjamin Franklin, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and Louis Brandeis- Other People's Money is an engaging guide to the heated political fights that surrounded banking in early America as well as to the economic causes and consequences of the financial system that emerged from the turmoil. By helping readers understand the financial history of this period and the way banking shaped the society in which ordinary Americans lived and worked, this book broadens and deepens our knowledge of the Early American Republic.

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Reified Life addresses the most pressing political question of the 21st century: what forms of life are free and what forms are perceived legally and economically as surplus or expendable, human and otherwise. The 2008 economic crisis solidified the dominion of neoliberal and financial capital to organize human societies much to the detriment of the world’s populations. Reified Life theorizes the dangerous social implications of a posthuman future, whereby human agency is secondary to algorithmic processes, digital protocols, speculative financial instruments, and nonhuman market and technological forces. Employing new readings of Deleuze, Guattari, Foucault, Marx, Vico, Gramsci, Berardi, and Gilbert Simondon, Narkunas contends that it is premature to speak of a posthuman or inhuman future, or employ an ‘ism, given how dynamic and contingent human practices and their material figurations can be. Over several chapters he diagnoses the rise of “market humans,” the instrumentalization of culture to decide the life worth living along utilitarian categories, and the varied ways human rights and humanitarianism actually throw members of the species like refugees outside the human order. To combat this, Reified Life argues against Reified Life calls to abandon the human and humanism, and instead proposes the ahuman to think alongside the human, what philosopher Gilbert Simondon calls the transindividuation of ontogentic processes rather than subjectivity. To aid the “figurating animal,” Reified Life elaborates speculative fictions as critical mechanisms for envisioning alternative futures and freedoms from the domineering forces of speculative capital, whose fictions have become our realities. Narkunas offers, to that end, a novel interpretation of the post-anthropocentric turn in the humanities by linking the diminished centrality of humanism to the waning dominion of nation-states over their populations and the intensification of financial capitalism, which reconfigures politics along economic categories of risk management.

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Nearly half a century after the fighting stopped, the 1953 Armistice has yet to be replaced with a peace treaty formally ending the Korean War. While Russia and China withdrew the last of their forces in 1958, the United States maintains 37,000 troops in South Korea and is pledged to defend it with nuclear weapons. In Korean Endgame, Selig Harrison mounts the first authoritative challenge to this long-standing U.S. policy. Harrison shows why North Korea is not--as many policymakers expect--about to collapse. And he explains why existing U.S. policies hamper North-South reconciliation and reunification. Assessing North Korean capabilities and the motivations that have led to its forward deployments, he spells out the arms control concessions by North Korea, South Korea, and the United States necessary to ease the dangers of confrontation, centering on reciprocal U.S. force redeployments and U.S. withdrawals in return for North Korean pullbacks from the thirty-eighth parallel. Similarly, he proposes specific trade-offs to forestall the North's development of nuclear weapons and missile delivery systems, calling for the withdrawal of the U.S. nuclear umbrella in conjunction with agreements to denuclearize Korea embracing China, Russia, and Japan. The long-term goal of U.S. policy, he argues, should be the full disengagement of U.S. combat forces from Korea as part of regional agreements insulating the peninsula from all foreign conventional and nuclear forces. A veteran journalist with decades of extensive firsthand knowledge of North Korea and long-standing contacts with leaders in Washington, Seoul, and Pyongyang, Harrison is perfectly placed to make these arguments. Throughout, he supports his analysis with revealing accounts of conversations with North Korean, South Korean, and U.S. leaders over thirty-five years. Combining probing scholarship with a seasoned reporter's on-the-ground experience and insights, he has given us the definitive book on U.S. policy in Korea--past, present, and future.

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America is at war with terrorism. Terrorists must be brought to justice. We hear these phrases together so often that we rarely pause to reflect on the dramatic differences between the demands of war and the demands of justice, differences so deep that the pursuit of one often comes at the expense of the other. In this book, one of the country's most important legal thinkers brings much-needed clarity to the still unfolding debates about how to pursue war and justice in the age of terrorism. George Fletcher also draws on his rare ability to combine insights from history, philosophy, literature, and law to place these debates in a rich cultural context. He seeks to explain why Americans--for so many years cynical about war--have recently found war so appealing. He finds the answer in a revival of Romanticism, a growing desire in the post-Vietnam era to identify with grand causes and to put nations at the center of ideas about glory and guilt. Fletcher opens with unsettling questions about the nature of terrorism, war, and justice, showing how dangerously slippery the concepts can be. He argues that those sympathetic to war are heirs to the ideals of Byron, Fichte, and other Romantics in their belief that nations--not just individuals--must uphold honor and be held accountable for crimes. Fletcher writes that ideas about collective glory and guilt are far more plausible and widespread than liberal individualists typically recognize. But as he traces the implications of the Romantic mindset for debates about war crimes, treason, military tribunals, and genocide, he also shows that losing oneself in a grand cause can all too easily lead to moral catastrophe. A work of extraordinary intellectual power and relevance, the book will change how we think not only about world events, but about the conflicting individualist and collective impulses that tear at all of us.

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Bella Abzug’s promotion of women’s and gay rights, universal childcare, green energy, and more provoked not only fierce opposition from Republicans but a split within her own party. The story of this notorious, galvanizing force in the Democrats’ “New Politics” insurgency is a biography for our times.Before Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Elizabeth Warren, or Hillary Clinton, there was New York’s Bella Abzug. With a fiery rhetorical style forged in the 1960s antiwar movement, Abzug vigorously promoted gender parity, economic justice, and the need to “bring Congress back to the people.”The 1970 congressional election season saw Abzug, in her trademark broad-brimmed hats, campaigning on the slogan “This Woman’s Place Is in the House—the House of Representatives.” Having won her seat, she advanced the feminist agenda in ways big and small, from gaining full access for congresswomen to the House swimming pool to cofounding the National Women’s Political Caucus to putting the title “Ms.” into the political lexicon. Beyond women’s rights, “Sister Bella” promoted gay rights, privacy rights, and human rights, and pushed legislation relating to urban, environmental, and foreign affairs.Her stint in Congress lasted just six years—it ended when she decided to seek the Democrats’ 1976 New York Senate nomination, a race she lost to Daniel Patrick Moynihan by less than 1 percent. Their primary contest, while gendered, was also an ideological struggle for the heart of the Democratic Party. Abzug’s protest politics had helped for a time to shift the center of politics to the left, but her progressive positions also fueled a backlash from conservatives who thought change was going too far.This deeply researched political biography highlights how, as 1960s radicalism moved protest into electoral politics, Abzug drew fire from establishment politicians across the political spectrum—but also inspired a generation of women.

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Neither a random event nor the act of a lone madman—the assassination of President John F. Kennedy was an appalling and grisly conspiracy. This is the unvarnished story.With deft investigative skill, David Kaiser shows that the events of November 22, 1963, cannot be understood without fully grasping the two larger stories of which they were a part: the U.S. government’s campaign against organized crime, which began in the late 1950s and accelerated dramatically under Robert Kennedy; and the furtive quest of two administrations—along with a cadre of private interest groups—to eliminate Fidel Castro.The seeds of conspiracy go back to the Eisenhower administration, which recruited top mobsters in a series of plots to assassinate the Cuban leader. The CIA created a secretive environment in which illicit networks were allowed to expand in dangerous directions. The agency’s links with the Mafia continued in the Kennedy administration, although the President and his closest advisors—engaged in their own efforts to overthrow Castro—thought this skullduggery had ended. Meanwhile, Cuban exiles, right-wing businessmen, and hard-line anti-Communists established ties with virtually anyone deemed capable of taking out the Cuban premier. Inevitably those ties included the mob.The conspiracy to kill JFK took shape in response to Robert Kennedy’s relentless attacks on organized crime—legal vendettas that often went well beyond the normal practices of law enforcement. Pushed to the wall, mob leaders merely had to look to the networks already in place for a solution. They found it in Lee Harvey Oswald—the ideal character to enact their desperate revenge against the Kennedys.Comprehensive, detailed, and informed by original sources, The Road to Dallas adds surprising new material to every aspect of the case. It brings to light the complete, frequently shocking, story of the JFK assassination and its aftermath.

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This powerful book covers the vast and various terrain of African American music, from bebop to hip-hop. Guthrie P. Ramsey, Jr., begins with an absorbing account of his own musical experiences with family and friends on the South Side of Chicago, evoking Sunday-morning worship services, family gatherings with food and dancing, and jam sessions at local nightclubs. This lays the foundation for a brilliant discussion of how musical meaning emerges in the private and communal realms of lived experience and how African American music has shaped and reflected identities in the black community. Deeply informed by Ramsey's experience as an accomplished musician, a sophisticated cultural theorist, and an enthusiast brought up in the community he discusses, "Race Music" explores the global influence and popularity of African American music, its social relevance, and key questions regarding its interpretation and criticism. Beginning with jazz, rhythm and blues, and gospel, this book demonstrates that while each genre of music is distinct - possessing its own conventions, performance practices, and formal qualities - each is also grounded in similar techniques and conceptual frameworks identified with African American musical traditions. Ramsey provides vivid glimpses of the careers of Dinah Washington, Louis Jordan, Dizzy Gillespie, Cootie Williams, and Mahalia Jackson, among others, to show how the social changes of the 1940s elicited an Afro-modernism that inspired much of the music and culture that followed. "Race Music" illustrates how, by transcending the boundaries between genres, black communities bridged generational divides and passed down knowledge of musical forms and styles. It also considers how the discourse of soul music contributed to the vibrant social climate of the Black Power Era. Multilayered and masterfully written, "Race Music" provides a dynamic framework for rethinking the many facets of African American music and the ethnocentric energy that infused its creation.

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A definitive analysis of the most successful tribute system in the Americas as applied to Afromexicans.During the eighteenth century, hundreds of thousands of free descendants of Africans in Mexico faced a highly specific obligation to the Spanish crown, a tax based on their genealogy and status. This royal tribute symbolized imperial loyalties and social hierarchies. As the number of free people of color soared, this tax became a reliable source of revenue for the crown as well as a signal that colonial officials and ordinary people referenced to define and debate the nature of blackness.Taxing Blackness:Free Afromexican Tribute in Bourbon New Spain examines the experiences of Afromexicans and this tribute to explore the meanings of race, political loyalty, and legal privileges within the Spanish colonial regime. Norah L. A. Gharala focuses on both the mechanisms officials used to define the status of free people of African descent and the responses of free Afromexicans to these categories and strategies. This study spans the eighteenth century and focuses on a single institution to offer readers a closer look at the place of Afromexican individuals in Bourbon New Spain, which was the most profitable and populous colony of the Spanish Atlantic.As taxable subjects, many Afromexicans were deeply connected to the colonial regime and ongoing debates about how taxpayers should be defined, whether in terms of reputation or physical appearance. Gharala shows the profound ambivalence, and often hostility, that free people of African descent faced as they navigated a regime that simultaneously labeled them sources of tax revenue and dangerous vagabonds. Some free Afromexicans paid tribute to affirm their belonging and community ties. Others contested what they saw as a shameful imposition that could harm their families for generations. The microhistory includes numerous anecdotes from specific cases and people, bringing their history alive, resulting in a wealth of rural and urban, gender, and family insight.

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Nuclear-armed adversaries India and Pakistan have fought three wars since their creation as sovereign states in 1947. They went to the brink of a fourth in 2001 following an attack on the Indian parliament, which the Indian government blamed on the Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist organizations. Despite some attempts at rapprochement in the intervening years, a new standoff between the two countries was precipitated when India accused Lashkar-e-Taiba of being behind the Mumbai attacks late last year. The relentlessness of the confrontations between these two nations makes Inside Nuclear South Asia a must read for anyone wishing to gain a thorough understanding of the spread of nuclear weapons in South Asia and the potential consequences of nuclear proliferation on the subcontinent. The book begins with an analysis of the factors that led to India's decision to cross the nuclear threshold in 1998, with Pakistan close behind: factors such as the broad political support for a nuclear weapons program within India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the intense rivalry between the two countries, the normative and prestige factors that influenced their behaviors, and ultimately the perceived threat to their respective national security. The second half of the book analyzes the consequences of nuclear proliferation on the subcontinent. These chapters show that the presence of nuclear weapons in South Asia has increased the frequency and propensity of low-level violence, further destabilizing the region. Additionally, nuclear weapons in India and Pakistan have led to serious political changes that also challenge the ability of the two states to produce stable nuclear détente. Thus, this book provides both new insights into the domestic politics behind specific nuclear policy choices in South Asia, a critique of narrow realist views of nuclear proliferation, and the dangers of nuclear proliferation in South Asia.

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'To die for' SUZANNE BROCKMANN'Frighteningly addictive' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 'Delicious, erotic, and thrilling' NICOLE JORDAN _____________________As a trainee in the Black Dagger Brotherhood's program, Boone has triumphed as a soldier and now fights side by side with the Brothers. Following his sire's unexpected death, he is taken off rotation against his protests-and he finds himself working with Butch O'Neal, former homicide cop, to catch a serial killer: Someone is targeting females of the species at a live action role play club. When the Brotherhood is called in to help, Boone insists on being a part of the effort-and the last thing he expects is to meet an enticing, mysterious female . . . who changes his life forever.Ever since her sister was murdered at the club, Helaine has been committed to finding the killer, no matter the danger she faces. When she crosses paths with Boone, she doesn't know whether to trust him or not-and then she has no choice. As she herself becomes a target, and someone close to the Brotherhood is identified as the prime suspect, the two must work to together to solve the mystery...before it's too late. Will a madman come between the lovers or will true love and goodness triumph over a very mortal evil?_____________________Find out why readers are OBSESSED with the Black Dagger Brotherhood...'Intriguing, adrenaline-pumping' BOOKLIST 'Insanely good! . . . Intensely romantic and straight up flipping steamy, violent and gruesome, heartbreaking and deep. Her addictive writing tells a story like none other' Goodreads reviewer'I can't get enough of these sexy, tough, intriguing vampires' Amazon reviewer'Emotional by epic proportions' Kobo reviewer'The Black Dagger Brotherhood is a twisting, often surprising, but always awesome read' Amazon reviewer'The story had me captivated the whole way' Kobo reviewer'Each and every character is compelling' Amazon reviewer'A must read' Goodreads reviewer

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Jack Lancaster spends his nights dreaming of fire. After nearly burning to death in his childhood home, he resolved to hunt down the man responsible - the charismatic cult leader known as Quinton Zane. Twenty years later, Jack is a renowned FBI consultant, known for his almost preternatural ability to get inside the killer's head. But the more cases he solves, the deeper he slips into the darkness - and the more his still unresolved past begins to torment him. His only solace is Winter Meadows, a hypnotist who's helping Jack decode his mysterious dreams. But when Winter falls into danger at the hands of an old enemy, they are brought together as more than just therapist and client. Meanwhile, the one man whose dark legacy continues to haunt Jack is nearer than they think - and more powerful than ever.A feverish, suspenseful read with a smouldering secret at its heart, perfect for fans of Nora Roberts and Melinda Leigh.Here's what other readers had to say about Untouchable'A couple to root for, a tiny hint of the supernatural, a page-burning plot . . . a sexy, heart-warming romance' Kirkus Reviews'For the sake of full disclosure, I haven't read the first two books in the series. But let me assure you, I didn't feel left in the dark while reading Untouchable - and neither will you. It's a complicated, suspenseful novel that also delivers a riveting romance' NPR 'A satisfying, fast-paced end to Krentz's arsonist series' People'A delightful blend of dry wit, crackling chemistry, and edgy suspense' Book Wyrm'A wonderfully written story that keeps us engrossed from start to finish' The Reading Cafe'An easy-read and engaging romantic suspense' Delighted Reader'Wow what an absolutely perfect way to end this series . . . An engrossing page-turner that flows smoothly' Fresh Fiction Join these readers in discovering the dark, romantic thrill of Untouchable

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Americans valorize resistance to conformity. "Be yourself!" "Don't just follow the crowd!" Such injunctions pervade contemporary American culture. We praise individuals such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Steve Jobs who chart their own course in life and do something new. Yet surprisingly, recent research in social psychology has shown that, in practice, Americans are averse and at times, even hostile to individuals who express traits associated with non-conformity, such as individuality, free judgment, and creativity. This disjunction between our public rhetoric and practice raises fundamental questions: Why is non-conformity valuable? Is it always valuable-or does it pose dangers as well as promise benefits for democratic societies? What is the relationship between non-conformity as an individual ideal and democracy as a form of collective self-rule? Contesting Conformity provides a new interpretive lens to the writings of Alexis de Tocqueville, John Stuart Mill, and Friedrich Nietzsche to investigate non-conformity and its relationship to modern democracy. While there are important differences among them, all three thinkers worry that certain aspects of democracy--namely, the power of public opinion, the tyranny of social majorities, and the commitment to moral equality--encourage conformity, thus suppressing dissent, individuality, and creativity. Taken together, Tocqueville, Mill, and Nietzsche show us that to the extent that we are committed to democracy, we must find ways to foster non-conformity, but we must do so within certain moral and political constraints. Drawing new insight from their work, Jennie Ikuta argues that non-conformity is an intractable issue for democracy. While non-conformity is often important for cultivating a just polity, non-conformity can also undermine democracy. In other words, democracy needs non-conformity, but not in an unconditional way. This book examines this intractable relationship, and offers resources for navigating the relationship in contemporary democracies in ways that promote justice and freedom.

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Once restricted to small forested areas in the northeast and north-central United States, Lyme disease is now a common infection in North America and Europe. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that more than 300,000 new cases occur each year in the United States. Misunderstandings over symptoms and treatment increase the public's concerns about the disease-which, if not properly treated, can become chronic and debilitating. An expert on tick-borne diseases, Alan G. Barbour explains the course of illness that results from infection, diagnosis and treatment options, and steps that can be taken to avoid a tick bite in the first place. The ticks that transmit Lyme disease may also transmit other disease-causing pathogens, and these other infections are considered as well. Drawing on real case histories of individuals with Lyme disease - or illnesses that may be mistaken for Lyme disease - Barbour explains: the biology of the spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, that causes Lyme disease; the role of animals such as mice that carry the infection; the life cycle of the ticks that transmit the infection; the importance of deer in perpetuating the cycle; the basics of diagnostic laboratory tests and how test results are interpreted; how antibiotics are used in treating Lyme disease. Infected ticks are abundant in the woods, in walking trails, and in the shrubs and tall grass where suburban lawns meet wooded areas. Barbour stresses preventing disease through community-wide ecology projects and individual and household protection. While it may be difficult to escape infection, understanding the danger, the symptoms, and the treatment goes a long way toward preventing long-term health consequences. Featuring a list of reliable web sites and a glossary of terms, Lyme Disease is an invaluable resource for everyone who is at risk of the disease or is involved in preventing and treating it.

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Over the last two decades, following major conflicts in Kuwait, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq, Americans began to participate more actively than ever before in the world's numerous nationalist, religious, and ethnic conflicts. During this time, however, American news organizations drastically reduced the resources devoted to in-depth coverage of international affairs. Viewing foreign bureaus as an expensive luxury, major news providers closed overseas offices and cut the number of full-time correspondents working abroad, relying instead upon improvised news crews flown in on short notice to cover the latest crisis. In this insightful and hard-hitting investigation, former international news correspondent Donald R. Shanor follows the deterioration of international reporting and assesses the dangers that arise when U.S. citizens and policymakers are uninformed about foreign events until local problems erupt into international crises. Shanor also considers three major factors-technology, immigration, and globalization-that are influencing and complicating the debate over whether quality or profit should prevail in foreign reporting. In only a decade, the Internet has become a primary source of information for millions of Americans, particularly for younger generations. At the same time, a surge in America's immigrant population is rapidly changing the country's ethic and cultural landscape-making news from abroad local news in many cities-while global business practices are broadening the range of issues directly affecting the average citizen. News from Abroad provides a comprehensive portrait of the contemporary state of international news coverage and argues for the importance of maintaining networks of experienced journalists who can cover difficult subjects, keep Americans informed about the global economy, deliver early warnings of impending disasters and threats to national security, and prevent the United States from falling into cultural isolation.

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In 2010, the Army created Cultural Support Teams, a secret pilot program to insert women alongside Special Operations soldiers battling in Afghanistan. The Army reasoned that women could play a unique role on Special Ops teams: accompanying their male colleagues on raids and, while those soldiers were searching for insurgents, questioning the mothers, sisters, daughters and wives living at the compound. Their presence had a calming effect on enemy households, but more importantly, the CSTs were able to search adult women for weapons and gather crucial intelligence. They could build relationships-woman to woman-in ways that male soldiers in an Islamic country never could. In Ashley's War, Gayle Tzemach Lemmon uses on-the-ground reporting and a finely tuned understanding of the complexities of war to tell the story of CST-2, a unit of women hand-picked from the Army to serve in this highly specialized and challenging role. The pioneers of CST-2 proved for the first time, at least to some grizzled Special Operations soldiers, that women might be physically and mentally tough enough to become one of them. The price of this professional acceptance came in personal loss and social isolation: the only people who really understand the women of CST-2 are each other. At the center of this story is a friendship cemented by "Glee," video games, and the shared perils and seductive powers of up-close combat. At the heart of the team is the tale of a beloved and effective soldier, Ashley White. Much as she did in her bestselling The Dressmaker of Khair Khana, Lemmon transports readers to a world they previously had no idea existed: a community of women called to fulfill the military's mission to "win hearts and minds" and bound together by danger, valor, and determination. Ashley's War is a gripping combat narrative and a moving story of friendship-a book that will change the way readers think about war and the meaning of service.

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New York Times Bestseller Edgar Award winner for Best Fact Crime The Day of the Locust meets The Devil in the White City and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil in this juicy, untold Hollywood story: an addictive true tale of ambition, scandal, intrigue, murder, and the creation of the modern film industry. By 1920, the movies had suddenly become America's new favorite pastime, and one of the nation's largest industries. Never before had a medium possessed such power to influence. Yet Hollywood's glittering ascendency was threatened by a string of headline-grabbing tragedies-including the murder of William Desmond Taylor, the popular president of the Motion Picture Directors Association, a legendary crime that has remained unsolved until now. In a fiendishly involving narrative, bestselling Hollywood chronicler William J. Mann draws on a rich host of sources, including recently released FBI files, to unpack the story of the enigmatic Taylor and the diverse cast that surrounded him-including three beautiful, ambitious actresses; a grasping stage mother; a devoted valet; and a gang of two-bit thugs, any of whom might have fired the fatal bullet. And overseeing this entire landscape of intrigue was Adolph Zukor, the brilliant and ruthless founder of Paramount, locked in a struggle for control of the industry and desperate to conceal the truth about the crime. Along the way, Mann brings to life Los Angeles in the Roaring Twenties: a sparkling yet schizophrenic town filled with party girls, drug dealers, religious zealots, newly-minted legends and starlets already past their prime-a dangerous place where the powerful could still run afoul of the desperate. A true story recreated with the suspense of a novel, Tinseltown is the work of a storyteller at the peak of his powers-and the solution to a crime that has stumped detectives and historians for nearly a century.

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A surprising and fascinating look at how Black culture has been leveraged by corporate America. Open the brochure for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and you'll see logos for corporations like American Express. Visit the website for the Apollo Theater, and you'll notice acknowledgments to corporations like Coca Cola and Citibank. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, owe their very existence to large corporate donations from companies like General Motors. And while we can easily make sense of the need for such funding to keep cultural spaces afloat, less obvious are the reasons that corporations give to them. In Black Culture, Inc., Patricia A. Banks interrogates the notion that such giving is completely altruistic, and argues for a deeper understanding of the hidden transactions being conducted that render corporate America dependent on Black culture. Drawing on a range of sources, such as public relations and advertising texts on corporate cultural patronage and observations at sponsored cultural events, Banks argues that Black cultural patronage profits firms by signaling that they value diversity, equity, and inclusion. By functioning in this manner, support of Black cultural initiatives affords these companies something called "diversity capital," an increasingly valuable commodity in today's business landscape. While this does not necessarily detract from the social good that cultural patronage does, it reveals its secret cost: ethnic community support may serve to obscure an otherwise poor track record with social justice. Banks deftly weaves innovative theory with detailed observations and a discerning critical gaze at the various agendas infiltrating memorials, museums, and music festivals meant to celebrate Black culture. At a time when accusations of discriminatory practices are met with immediate legal and social condemnation, the insights offered here are urgent and necessary.

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