Search results for ""author dan"

For the twentieth anniversary of the start of the Matthew Bartholomew series, Sphere is delighted to reissue all of the medieval monk's cases with beautiful new series-style covers.------------------------------------The winter of 1353 has been appallingly wet, there is a fever outbreak amongst the poorer townspeople and the country is not yet fully recovered from the aftermath of the plague. The increasing reputation and wealth of the Cambridge colleges are causing dangerous tensions between the town, Church and University. Matthew Bartholomew is called to look into the deaths of three members of the University of who died from drinking poisoned wine, and soon he stumbles upon criminal activities that implicate his relatives, friends and colleagues - so he must solve the case before matters in the town get out of hand...It's August, 1354, and physician-monk Matthew Bartholomew jumps at the chance to travel to Ely with his friend and colleague Brother Michael, as it will give him a unique opportunity to study in the richly stocked library of the Benedictine priory. Michael has been summoned to the city by his bishop, but it isn't until they arrive that they discover the reason - the bishop has been accused of murder. The charge seems ludicrous, but Michael takes the investigation seriously and energetically sets about his task. At the same time Bartholomew comes across an underground movement of rebellion against the church and the tithes they demand from the laity, and the two men also learn that there has been a spate of burglaries which are being blamed on a band of travellers. Then a fellow of the priory is murdered almost under their noses. Can this death be connected to the others? Are all the killings linked to the burgeoning rebellion in the city?

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***OVER A MILLION COPIES OF THE IRON DRUID BOOKS SOLD***'American Gods meets Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden' SFF WorldAtticus O'Sullivan, last of the Druids, doesn't care much for witches. Still, he's about to make nice with the local coven by signing a mutually beneficial nonaggression treaty - when suddenly the witch population in modern-day Tempe, Arizona, quadruples overnight. And the new girls are not just bad, they're bad-asses with a dark history on the German side of World War II.With a fallen angel feasting on local high school students, a horde of Bacchants blowing in from Vegas with their special brand of deadly decadence and a dangerously sexy Celtic goddess of fire vying for his attention, Atticus is having trouble scheduling the witch hunt. But aided by his magical sword, his neighbor's rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and his vampire attorney, Atticus is ready to sweep the town and show the witchy women they picked the wrong Druid to hex.Praise for the Iron Druid Chronicles:'Atticus and his crew are a breath of fresh air! . . . I love, love, love this series' My Bookish Ways'Entertaining, steeped in a ton of mythology, populated by awesome characters' Civilian Reader'This is one series no fantasy fan should miss. Mystery, suspense, magic and mayhem' SciFiChickThe Iron Druid ChroniclesHounded Hexed HammeredTrickedTrappedHuntedShatteredStakedScourgedBesieged (short stories)HAVE YOU TRIED . . .Kevin Hearne's epic fantasy novel A PLAGUE OF GIANTS - described by Delilah S. Dawson as 'a rare masterpiece that's both current and timeless . . . merging the fantasy bones of Tolkien and Rothfuss with a wide cast of characters who'll break your heart'. Out now!

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This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International licence. It is free to read at Oxford Scholarship Online and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations. Bad beliefs - beliefs that blatantly conflict with easily available evidence - are common. Large minorities of people hold that vaccines are dangerous or accept bizarre conspiracy theories, for instance. The prevalence of bad beliefs may be politically and socially important, for instance blocking effective action on climate change. Explaining why people accept bad beliefs and what can be done to make them more responsive to evidence is therefore an important project. A common view is that bad beliefs are largely explained by widespread irrationality. This book argues that ordinary people are rational agents, and their beliefs are the result of their rational response to the evidence they're presented with. We thought they were responding badly to evidence, because we focused on the first-order evidence alone: the evidence that directly bears on the truth of claims. We neglected the higher-order evidence, in particular evidence about who can be trusted and what sources are reliable. Once we recognize how ubiquitous higher-order evidence is, we can see that belief formation is by and large rational. The book argues that we should tackle bad belief by focusing as much on the higher-order evidence as the first-order evidence. The epistemic environment gives us higher-order evidence for beliefs, and we need to carefully manage that environment. The book argues that such management need not be paternalistic: once we recognize that managing the epistemic environment consists in management of evidence, we should recognize that such management is respectful of epistemic autonomy.

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Misogyny is a hot topic, yet it's often misunderstood. What is misogyny, exactly? Who deserves to be called a misogynist? How does misogyny contrast with sexism, and why is it prone to persist - or increase - even when sexist gender roles are waning? This book is an exploration of misogyny in public life and politics, by the moral philosopher and writer Kate Manne. It argues that misogyny should not be understood primarily in terms of the hatred or hostility some men feel toward all or most women. Rather, it's primarily about controlling, policing, punishing, and exiling the "bad" women who challenge male dominance. And it's compatible with rewarding "the good ones," and singling out other women to serve as warnings to those who are out of order. It's also common for women to serve as scapegoats, be burned as witches, and treated as pariahs. Manne examines recent and current events such as the Isla Vista killings by Elliot Rodger, the case of the convicted serial rapist Daniel Holtzclaw, who preyed on African-American women as a police officer in Oklahoma City, Rush Limbaugh's diatribe against Sandra Fluke, and the "misogyny speech" of Julia Gillard, then Prime Minister of Australia, which went viral on YouTube. The book shows how these events, among others, set the stage for the 2016 US presidential election. Not only was the misogyny leveled against Hillary Clinton predictable in both quantity and quality, Manne argues it was predictable that many people would be prepared to forgive and forget regarding Donald Trump's history of sexual assault and harassment. For this, Manne argues, is misogyny's oft-overlooked and equally pernicious underbelly: exonerating or showing "himpathy" for the comparatively privileged men who dominate, threaten, and silence women.

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_______________ ‘In a literary age of diet and dearth, Tartt invites us to feast ... the opening tragedy strikes a note of rich, flamboyant Southern Gothic that resonates throughout' - Independent ‘You will rarely have read better ... Because of Tartt's mastery of suspense, this book will grip readers all the way through to its bitter end' - Guardian ‘Destined to become a special kind of classic - a book that precocious young readers pluck from their parents' shelves and devour with surreptitious eagerness, thrilled to discover a writer who seems at once to read their minds and to offer up the sweet-and-sour fruits of exotic, forbidden knowledge' - New York Times Book Review _______________ Donna Tartt's huge selling second novel, follow up to the worldwide bestseller The Secret History The sunlit rails gleamed like dark mercury, arteries branching out silver from the switch points; the old telegraph poles were shaggy with kudzu and Virginia creeper and, above them, rose the water tower, its surface all washed out by the sun. Harriet, cautiously, stepped towards it in the weedy clearing. Around and around it she walked, around the rusted metal legs. One day is never, ever discussed by the Cleve family. The day that nine-year-old Robin was found hanging by the neck from a tree in their front garden. Twelve years later the family are no nearer to uncovering the truth of what happened to him. Inspired by Houdini and Robert Louis Stevenson, twelve-year-old Harriet sets out to find her brother’s murderer – and punish him. But what starts out as a child's game soon becomes a dangerous journey into the menacing underworld of a small Mississippi town.

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The second book in the Air Raid Girls series - a wonderful new Christmas story of friendship, love and duty in wartime, perfect for fans of Elaine Everest and Rosie Hendry.Don't miss part 3 in the series - The Air Raid Girls: Wartime Brides is available now!---------------------------------------------November, 1941.Christmas is coming... and despite the blackout, shortages and a constant threat of air raids, the inhabitants of Kelthorpe on the Yorkshire coast are determined that war won't stop them celebrating.The run-up to Christmas sees sisters Connie and Lizzie, and their good friend Pamela, busier than ever. Between their jobs, carol-singing rehearsals with the church choir and night shifts doing their bit as Air Raid Wardens and ambulance drivers, it's all go.But when Connie and Lizzie's dear dad falls ill, their sweethearts Tom and Bill are called up by the Royal Navy for dangerous mine-sweeping duties, and Pamela's sweetheart Fred is targeted by vicious locals, the girls have to believe in miracles to keep soldiering on.Can their dearest wishes come true this Christmas?'A festive tonic!' Peterborough Telegraph'An ideal stocking filler for those who enjoy a well-written novel depicting wartime life' Holderness Gazette'An evocative and nostalgic book about love, family, friendship and fortitude' Culturefly, 6 Uplifting Books to Read over the Festive Season---------------------------------------------Readers LOVE the Air Raid Girls series:'There wasn't anything I didn't like about this book' 5 star review'In all the women at war series of book I have read so far, I think this is the best' 5 star review'I couldn't put this book down' 5 star review'Loved the whole story. Hated it coming to an end' 5 star review'Just the kind of book I like' 5 star review

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A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERFormer Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spearheaded the Trump Administration’s most significant foreign policy breakthroughs. Now, he reveals how he did it, and how it could happen again.As the only four-year national security member of President Trump’s Cabinet, he worked to impose crushing pressure on the Islamic Republic of Iran, avert a nuclear crisis with North Korea, deliver unmatched support for Israel, and bring peace to the Middle East. Drawing on his commitment to America’s founding principles and his Christian faith, his efforts to promote religious freedom around the world were unequaled in American diplomatic history. Most importantly, he led a much-needed generational transformation of America's relationship with China.Blending remarkable and often humorous stories of his interactions with world leaders and unmatched analysis of geopolitics, Never Give an Inch tells of how Pompeo helped the Trump Administration craft the America First approach that upended Washington's wisdom—and made him America’s enemies’ worst nightmare. It is a raw account of what it took to deliver winning outcomes, including answers to questions like:--Why Trump thought his Secretary of State was too tough on China--What he said to Kim Jong-un that set him apart from other American negotiators--How Mike Pence could have lost his spot on the 2020 ticket--Who still has him high on their list of enemiesA road map of the trends and players shaping the world today, Never Give an Inch is more than a historical review of the Trump Administration's greatest victories. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the challenges of the future. And it is an inspirational story of leadership through dangerous times that will leave you with a greater appreciation for America.

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How to Become a Miracle-Worker with Your Life is about a powerful ancient technique to solve any kind of problem in a permanent way. This technique, called Ho'oponopono became well-known worldwide when it was used by a doctor to cure a ward of deranged dangerous prisoners without him having any type of personal contact with them. This tool is based on the principles of repentance, forgiveness, love and gratitude. This almighty technique has a very wide application; it can be used to resolve all types of difficulties in different areas, such as relationships, health conditions, financial challenges and career problems. The simplicity and effortlessness regarding the use of this problem-solving tool makes it suitable to be used by anybody on any occasion. The effects of the use of this technique are long-lasting, for this technique focuses on the causes of problems instead of their consequences. This book provides the reader with a stepwise process to apply this powerful technique, with countless practical exercises. With the frequent use of this technique the reader will gradually become healthier, wealthier and more fulfilled regarding career, business, relationships, and other relevant areas.

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Motivate your BPD clients with values-based treatment! This 16-week ACT protocol will help you get started today.As you know, clients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and emotion dysregulation often struggle with negative beliefs about themselves-beliefs that can lead to feelings of shame, problems with personal relationships, and dangerous behaviors. And while dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is the standard treatment for BPD, more and more, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has shown promising results when treating BPD clients by helping them focus on their core values and forgiveness.Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder provides a comprehensive program for delivering ACT to clients with BPD. Using the session-by-session, 16-week protocol in this professional guide, you can help clients work through the main driver behind BPD-experiential avoidance-and gain the psychological flexibility needed to balance their emotions and begin healing. You can use this protocol on its own, or in conjunction with treatment.With this guide, you'll learn to target the fundamental causes of BPD for better treatment outcomes and happier, healthier clients.

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"Anderson strikes a smart, balanced tone. . . . An exemplary guide to an understudied issue."--Publishers Weekly "An exposé of the dangers of high-control religions that makes it easier to recognize and resist religious abuse."--Foreword Reviews Religious trauma is something that happens far more often than most people realize. But religious trauma is trauma. In When Religion Hurts You, Dr. Laura Anderson takes an honest look at a side of religion that few like to talk about. Drawing from her own life and therapy practice, she helps readers understand what religious trauma is and isn't, and how high-control churches can be harmful and abusive, often resulting in trauma. She shows how elements of fundamentalist church life--such as fear of hell, purity culture, corporal punishment, and authoritarian leaders--can cause psychological, relational, physical, and spiritual damage. As she explores the growing phenomenon of religious trauma, Dr. Anderson helps readers embark on a journey of living as healing individuals and finding a new foundation to stand on. Recognizing that healing is a lifelong rather than a linear process, she offers markers of healing for those coming out of painful religious experiences and hope for finding wholeness after religious trauma.

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Los Angeles is home to the largest population of people of Middle Eastern origin and descent in the United States. Since the late nineteenth century, Syrian and Lebanese migration, in particular, to Southern California has been intimately connected to and through Latin America. Arab Routes uncovers the stories of this Syrian American community, one both Arabized and Latinized, to reveal important cross-border and multiethnic solidarities in Syrian California. Sarah M. A. Gualtieri reconstructs the early Syrian connections through California, Texas, Mexico, and Lebanon. She reveals the Syrian interests in the defense of the Mexican American teens charged in the 1942 Sleepy Lagoon murder, in actor Danny Thomas's rise to prominence in LA's Syrian cultural festivals, and in more recent activities of the grandchildren of immigrants to reclaim a sense of Arabness. Gualtieri reinscribes Syrians into Southern California history through her examination of powerful images and texts, augmented with interviews with descendants of immigrants. Telling the story of how Syrians helped forge a global Los Angeles, Arab Routes counters a long-held stereotype of Arabs as outsiders and underscores their longstanding place in American culture and in interethnic coalitions, past and present.

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From TikTok and Fortnite to Grindr and Facebook, Aynne Kokas delivers an urgent look into the technology firms that gather our data, and how the Chinese government is capitalizing on this data flow for political gain. On August 6, 2020, the Trump Administration issued a ban on TikTok in the United States, requiring that the owner, Beijing-based Bytedance, sell the company to American investors or shut it down. Legions of TikTokers were devastated at the possible loss of their beloved platform, and for what: a political grudge with China? American suitors like Walmart and Oracle tried to make a deal with Bytedance to keep the platform operating in the US. But then something curious happened. The Chinese government refused to let Bytedance sell TikTok on national security grounds. As it turns out, the pandemic era platform for dance challenges is a Chinese government asset. As digital technologies and social media have evolved into organizing forces for the way in which we conduct our work and social lives, the business logic that undergirds these digital platforms has become clear: we are their product. We give these businesses information about everything--from where we live and work to what we like to do for entertainment, what we consume, where we travel, what we think politically, and with whom we are friends and acquaintances. We do this willingly, but often without a full understanding of how this information is stored or used, or what happens to it when it crosses international boundaries. As Aynne Kokas argues, both corporations and governments "traffic" much of this data without our consent--and sometimes illegally--for political and financial gain. In Trafficking Data, Aynne Kokas looks at how technology firms in the two largest economies in the world, the United States and China, have exploited government policy (and the lack thereof) to gather information on citizens, putting US national security at risk. Kokas argues that US government leadership failures, Silicon Valley's disruption fetish, and Wall Street's addiction to growth have fuelled China's technological goldrush. In turn, American complacency yields an unprecedented opportunity for Chinese firms to gather data in the United States and quietly send it back to China, and by extension, to the Chinese government. Drawing on years of fieldwork in the US and China and a large trove of corporate and policy documents, Trafficking Data explains how China is fast becoming the global leader in internet governance and policy, and thus of the data that defines our public and private lives.

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Die Mehrheit der Führungskräfte sind heutzutage immer noch Männer. Viele von ihnen haben lange dafür gearbeitet, in die Position zu kommen, in der sie nun sind. Und dennoch schleicht sich bei einigen auch Unzufriedenheit mit ihrem Job ein. So stellt sich für immer mehr Führungskräfte die Frage, die Spur zu wechseln und in einer sinnvollen Selbständigkeit ihre Aufgabe und Erfüllung zu finden. Das ist das Thema von Bernhard Fangers Buch. Er beschreibt, wie er selbst als Topmanager seinen Weg fand, und erklärt, was die Hürden und Stolpersteine in diesem Prozess sind. In einfachen Schritten zeigt er, wie man sein Herzensthema findet und warum es nicht zwingend notwendig ist, sofort ins kalte Wasser zu springen. Schließlich gibt es viele Wege, ans Ziel zu gelangen. Wie unterschiedlich diese sein können, beschreiben die vielen von Fanger befragten Spurwechsler aus dem mittleren und Topmanagement. So ist etwa ein ehemaliger Marketing Direktor heute Inhaber eines Herstellers von hochwertigem Convenience-Food, ein früherer Finanzvorstand eines britischen Bankhauses nun Meditationslehrer und ein tschechischer Telekommunikationsmanager betreibt zusätzlich zu seinem Job ein Boutique-Hotel in der südmährischen Weingegend. Gemeinsam mit dem Autor ermuntern sie den Leser zu einem Neuanfang - ein Schritt, der ihnen deutlich mehr Lebenssinn und Zufriedenheit gebracht hat. Und auch wenn nur fünf bis zehn Prozent aller Manager diesen Befreiungsschlag wagen, sollte jeder, der mit einem solchen Gedanken spielt, sich mit seinen Zielen und Möglichkeiten auseinandersetzen und sich nicht zum Opfer der Umstände machen. Egal, ob er darüber "nur" seine grundsätzliche Einstellung ändert, aber weiter im Unternehmen bleibt. Oder eben komplett die Spur wechselt. Bernhard Fangers Buch macht Mut, eine Entscheidung in die eine oder andere Richtung zu treffen. Er weiß auch, welchen Ängsten sich Manager gegenübersehen. Da ist nicht nur der Angst vor finanziellen Einbußen, sondern auch vor Statusverlust und Perspektivlosigkeit. Fanger kennt all die Fragen, die dann aufkommen, wie: Was tun ohne das Sicherheitsnetz, die Struktur und das Ansehen des Unternehmens? Was sagen Freunde und Familie? Kann ich in meinem Alter noch etwas Neues wagen? Wo und wie finde ich Unterstützung? Auf all diese Fragen geht er offen, ehrlich und einfühlsam ein, um potenziellen Spurwechslern Orientierung zu geben und einen guten Start zu ermöglichen.

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*THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER*A deeply honest investigation of what it means to be a woman and a commodity from Emily Ratajkowski, the archetypal, multi-hyphenate celebrity of our time._______________'This is the book for every woman trying to place their body on the map of consumption vs control, and every woman who wants to better understand her impulses. It left me much changed' - Lena Dunham'I read these pages, breathless with recognition, and the thrill of reading a new voice telling it like it is' - Dani Shapiro'Emily Ratajkowski's first essay collection needs to be read by everyone [...] both page-turning and moving as hell' - Amy Schumer'A slow, complicated indictment of a profession and the people who propel it [...] it will deliver a more nuanced and introspective rendering of her interior than those who come to it with those surface interests might expect' - Vogue'Dazzling' - Observer'Ratajkowski brings nuanced insight to questions about empowerment versus commodification of women's bodies and sexuality. Blending cultural criticism and personal stories, My Body is smart and powerful' - Time Magazine'Raw, nuanced and beautifully written. A moving and enlightening experience to join a woman openly exploring such deep parts of her physical self via the written word. A truly impressive debut' - Emma Gannon'Excellent [...] Ratajkowski writes with curiosity, intellect and acute awareness' - Harper's Bazaar'Superb [...] it feels revolutionary' - Telegraph'I admire and envy her artistry' - Guardian_______________Emily Ratajkowski is an acclaimed model and actress, an engaged political progressive, a formidable entrepreneur, a global social media phenomenon, and now, a writer. Rocketing to world fame at age twenty-one, Ratajkowski sparked both praise and furor with the provocative display of her body as an unapologetic statement of feminist empowerment. The subsequent evolution in her thinking about our culture's commodification of women is the subject of this book.My Body is a profoundly personal exploration of feminism, sexuality, and power, of men's treatment of women and women's rationalizations for accepting that treatment. These essays chronicle moments from Ratajkowski's life while investigating the culture's fetishization of girls and female beauty, its obsession with and contempt for women's sexuality, the perverse dynamics of the fashion and film industries, and the grey area between consent and abuse.Nuanced, unflinching, and incisive, My Body marks the debut of a fierce writer brimming with courage and intelligence.

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'Reading it feels like slowing down to take a breath' - EVENING STANDARD'Open-air theatre between two covers, powered by strength of character and beautiful writing.' - NICHOLAS CRANE'A stunning book. Soulful and honest, it is a riveting, original story about friendship, freedom and the lives we share.' - TIFFANY WATT SMITH*'I'm not homeless: this is my home!'Nick points to the branches of the hornbeam under which we are standing, its leaves still glistening in the aftermath of the morning rain. On one of the lower branches sits a robin, joining our conversation. It seems to be saying: Why should anyone want to leave this place?Nick and Pascal live and sleep outside in central London. They are an unusual duo: Nick is an avid reader of history and philosophy able to converse on any topic; Pascal is quiet, spending much of his time lying still, communicating silently with birds and animals. They have lived alongside each other in London's streets for nearly two decades, yet do not identify as homeless. For the past five years they have taken shelter under the hornbeam trees in Regent's Park.Emma Tarlo first meets Nick and Pascal when out walking. Gradually through the sharing of food, conversation and life stories they develop a friendship. Emma is impressed by their unique way of experiencing both the hardship and pleasures of life outside, and their conversations under the open sky prompt Emma to question many things in her own life, transforming her understanding of what freedom might look like.Under the Hornbeams follows the seasons of a single year through sun, wind, rain and snow. Returning to the park almost daily, Emma meets the community of people, dogs and birds who gravitate around Nick and Pascal and discovers the precarious networks of giving and receiving that exist undetected in London's streets. The result is a life-affirming story that pays homage to the power of human connection and upturns many of our preconceptions about home, family, work and community. This is a book that will stay with you long after reading.*'A seductive report from an otherness we are in danger of disregarding: roofless nights of stars and storms, misted parkland mornings, the magic of food exchanges and gifted insights.' - IAIN SINCLAIR'A crowd-pleaser of a book' - RACHEL COOKE, OBSERVER'Perceptive and heartwarming' - THE TIMES'[An] extraordinary book' - I NEWS'[A] preconception busting life-affirming memoir.' - THE BOOKSELLER

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A journalist who has followed the rise of QAnon explains what it is, how it has gained a mainstream following among Republican lawmakers and ordinary citizens, the threat it poses to democracy, and how we can reach those who have embraced the conspiracy and are disseminating its lies.Over the last year, as the Covid-19 pandemic spread worldwide, so too did the pro-Trump cabal known as QAnon. What began as a fringe online conspiracy in the mid 2000s is now embraced by millions of Americans across the country—and the globe—including new members of Congress and the thousands of Trump followers, armed with guns and a variety of makeshift weapons, who attacked the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, searching for lawmakers including the Vice President, shouting “hang Mike Pence.”Following internet clues from a mysterious figure named “Q”—who has claimed to be a high-level government insider with a Q-level clearance—QAnon adherents, fueled by paranoia and hatred of the left, believe that Donald Trump has been anointed by God to stop evil Democrats who sexually abuse, kill, and eat children; that Trump won the 2020 election that was stolen from him and will soon order mass executions of Democrats, including Hillary Clinton, the Obamas, George Soros, and many others. QAnon believers continue to spout lies and disinformation about politics and the pandemic; their beliefs have ruptured friendships and family bonds and caused untold damage.While in office, Trump praised QAnon believers as “people who love our country,” invited them to the White House, and retweeted their crazed messages on a near-daily basis. Though he is gone, the threat of widespread violence from his acolytes—“the Storm is coming”—remains high. What can we do about Q's growing platform? Daily Beast reporter Will Sommer has been reporting on the QAnon conspiracy for years and has been targeted by the group. In this timely and essential book, he explains the genesis of QAnon, his experience covering its members online and in the real world, Q’s lies and how they are spread, how Q has overshadowed politics, and what the nation must do to address this growing danger—including how to help friends and family who have fallen under Q’s pernicious sway.

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Epic Series brings together three long poems by Eléna Rivera previously published in small press limited editions. Gathered here are Wale; or The Corse, Unknowne Land and The Wait; for Homer’s Penelope. These poems delve into the complexities of becoming and into what it means to be from more than one world, where place is continually shifting, where memories, languages and stories are carried and swallowed up by much larger histories— histories of conflict, translocation and injustice. “Eléna Rivera’s Unknowne Land is a brilliant, mature, deeply engaging work, whose Question is constructed through its unfolding shape—a developing exhalation of grief and wasted opportunity, both classical in its references and recasting of history quest/myth, as well as expansively modern in its resistance to these known parameters. Rivera’s writing is contemplative and thickly quiet, then bell-clear with linguistically researched tones of word on word, her ear perfectly pitched . . . . We are given a contemporary Dantesque work of unique elements held together by spiritual accident and intention—its paradox explored and revealed through the book’s architectural underpinnings and entirely unexpected vision.” —Kathleen Fraser, judge of The Frances Jaffer Book Award “. . . this is a poem of and about extremity, and it reiterates poetry's ongoing role as an extreme discourse of beginnings and apocalypses, strophes and catastrophes. Language explodes or implodes between the double pressures of tradition and innovation. The eruptions and earthquakes and tremblings in Unknowne Land are only the most literal manifestation of this tension.” —Elizabeth Willis, The Poetry Project Newsletter “Quotation or paraphrase are inadequate to the range of emotional reference in Rivera’s book, in part because the emotion accumulates bit by bit—or element by element—as the pain becomes more pronounced (“To reduce the impact, I curl / my body forward”). By allowing that ‘each piece has to be stitched together,’ Rivera advocates a careful reading of the work in its entirety; in this way, her emotional argument gains force and momentum.” —Dawn-Michelle Baude, The Chicago Review “‘Who bears a record of the world?’ Rivera asks as the beginning of the text’s first section ‘Fire,’ and we hear immediately not only the impossibility of a project of such breadth being ‘borne,’ but also the impossible weight of such a responsibility, given the horror of that record. . . . Hers is a language rich with elegiac illumination, ever testing the edges of the illusory. Rivera questions the possibility for any meaning to adhere, even as she entrances us with the ‘rhythm of the pencil’ in her attempts.” —Rusty Morrison, Poetry Flash

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‘Those last few words don't just help the dying; they can help save the lives of those left behind’Following a tragedy, Zoe flees Australia and makes a life for herself in the UK. Now working as a care nurse in The Oaks hospice, and knowing just how much comfort last words can bring, Zoe has taken it upon herself to become a notekeeper – writing down the final thoughts of her patients and delivering them to their loved ones.Zoe’s new boss, Ben, isn't happy about her getting so involved in the residents’ lives. But even as the two clash, they discover they have more in common than either could have ever imagined.As Zoe learns to confront her past and her own grief, her heart can finally begin to mend. With the broken pieces slowly becoming whole, will she cope when her world is shattered once more?A captivating, moving story that will make you laugh and cry, perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Dani Atkins and Libby Page.Praise for The Notekeeper ‘One of the most uplifting and life-affirming books I have ever read. I laughed, I cried and I still find myself thinking about it now, days after finishing. Poignant and memorable, this is one not to be missed.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘The Notekeeper is a perfect book club read! Both heart-breaking and heart-warming, this ultimately uplifting novel is certain to touch many readers.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘This is an emotional read and quite honestly it made me weep more than a few times. The writing is superb and I loved just how much I felt drawn in by the story. I just could not put this book down.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘Poignant, heartfelt, and heart-wrenching at times.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘I knew, KNEW, that this book was going to bring the tears, but it was worth it! What a heartbreakingly beautiful read about love, loss, and hope… well written, emotional, and so incredibly heart-warming.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘This book is a wonderful, uplifting yet sad, gentle story of a young hospice nurse. We should all wish for a Zoe in our lives to help us on our journey! Excellent!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘A brilliant idea for a book , a heart-warming read. Great characters… A book that will stay with me for a long while.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review‘This was warm and uplifting. That said there are some sad storylines… but overall it’s a lovely heart-warming read.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review

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Imagine yourself in a schoolroom in one of the most remote regions of one of the most hard-to-reach countries on earth. Nepal. The Lower Mustang region to be exact. To reach it takes a 14-hour flight from New York to Doha, Qatar. Then four hours by air to Kathmandu. Transfer at one of the world’s most dangerous airports to a 90-minute flight to Pokhara, followed by a jarring, eight-hour Jeep ride over a vertiginous dirt road – one side is a mountain wall, the other side a two-hundred foot cliff. Finally you arrive, but it’s not just any schoolroom. It has been converted into an operating room so that doctors from New York Eye & Ear Infirmary can provide the gift of sight to 24 Nepalis who were blind due to advanced cataracts. Jeff Blumenfeld witnessed this first hand. He was there as a traveler, but also as a volunteer. A voluntourist. People often wonder how they can explore the world and help the less fortunate even if they don’t possess specialized skills. These are people who make lousy vacationers. They’re bored sitting on a beach or touring umpteen churches on a cruise ship excursion. They want a meaningful role when they travel. That’s where voluntourism comes in – a mix of both travel and volunteering. Is it hard work building wells and schoolhouses or excavating dinosaur bones? Yes, it is. But voluntourism doesn’t take a particular outdoor skill, just plenty of sweat and the desire to see the world and leave it a better place. Travel With Purpose deals not with celebrities, nor the rich and famous. Instead, it relays examples from Blumenfeld’s travels and many others from Las Vegas to Nepal. From health care facilities to impoverished schools. These are stories of inspiration from everyday people, all of whom have definite opinions about the best way to approach that first volunteer vacation. You don’t need to be wealthy to travel to foreign lands to volunteer; you may not even have to go to foreign lands, as opportunities may exist within your own state. Blumenfeld shows readers how to identify the right location and volunteer situation, how to go about planning trips and preparing for activities, how to reach out, how to help. Through vivid examples and first hand stories from both recipients of volunteer work and the volunteers themselves, Travel with Purpose may make you rethink your next vacation.

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A mother can never be free until she finds her children... The Good Morning America Book Club Pick February 2023 is a soaring novel inspired by true events.'A strong and beautiful novel that stares into the face of brutality and the heart of love' Jeanette Winterson'An intense, absorbing debut, concerned with the power and persistence of maternal love' The Sunday Times 'Action-packed, the novel paints an extraordinary portrait of motherly love and hope' Daily Mail----------------------------Mary Grace, Micah, Thomas Augustus, Cherry Jane and Mercy. These are the names of her children. The five who survived, only to be sold to other plantations. The faces Rachel cannot forget. It's 1834, and the law says her people are now free. But for Rachel freedom means finding her children, even if the truth is more than she can bear. With fear snapping at her heels, Rachel keeps moving. From sunrise to sunset, through the cane fields of Barbados to the forests of British Guiana and on to Trinidad, to the dangerous river and the open sea.Only once she knows their stories can she rest. Only then can she finally find home.----------------------------'Magnificent and epic. A story about love and the power it brings us' ' Frank Cottrell-Boyce'Like the River of its title, this novel sings. I was riveted by Rachel's story and I felt every fraught element of her journey. A beautiful debut' Cherie Jones'A powerful story, beautifully told' Jessica Moor'Immersive. A tender exploration of one woman's courage in the face of unbelievable cruelty. The heart of the novel lies in its celebration of motherhood and female resilience' Observer'The compelling premise of a mother in search of her children powers a moving and dynamic novel' Guardian 'A powerful, gripping novel about the strength of a mother's love' Red - The best books of January 2023'Full of love and compassion, this will be everywhere next year' Stylist - Pick of the big fiction books for 2023'Powerful, moving and lyrical' Woman & Home'A glorious and compelling story' Prima'It slices you open, lays out your parts, reassembles them and knits you back up again. A powerful account of love, loss, defiance... Breathtaking' Chikodili Emelumadu'Beautiful. A masterclass in how to speak of unspeakable things' Meg Clothier'Eleanor Shearer is a remarkable writer' Natasha Lester'A searing debut. Heartbreaking, hopeful, and unforgettable' Kristin Harmel

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The Tank Killers is the story of the American Tank Destroyer Force in North Africa, Italy, and the European Theatre during World War II. The tank destroyer (TD) was a bold-if some would say flawed-answer to the challenge posed by the seemingly unstoppable German blitzkrieg. The TD was conceived to be light and fast enough to outmanoeuvre panzer forces and go where tanks could not. At the same time, the TD would wield the firepower needed to kill any German tank on the battlefield. American doctrine stipulated that TDs would fight tanks, while American tanks would concentrate on achieving and exploiting breakthroughs of enemy lines.The narrative follows the men who fought in the TDs from the formation of the force in 1941 through the victory over the Third Reich in 1945. It is a story of American flexibility and pragmatism in military affairs. Tank destroyers were among the very first units to land in North Africa in 1942. Their first vehicles were ad hoc affairs: Halftracks and weapons carriers with guns no better than those on tanks and thin armour affording the crews considerably less protection. Almost immediately, the crews realised that their doctrine was incomplete. They began adapting to circumstances, along with their partners in the infantry and armoured divisions. By the time that North Africa was in Allied hands, the TD had become a valued tank fighter, assault gun, and artillery piece.The story continues with the invasion of Italy and finally that of Fortress Europe on 6 June 1944. By now, it had been decreed that half the force would convert to towed guns, a decision that dogged the affected crews through the end of the war. The TD men encountered increasingly lethal enemies, ever more dangerous panzers that were often vulnerable only to their guns while American tank crews watched in frustration as their rounds bounced harmlessly off the thick German armour. They fought under incredibly diverse conditions that demanded constant modification of tactics. By VE day, the tank destroyer battalions had achieved impressive records, generally with kill/loss rates heavily in their favour. Yet the Army after the war concluded that the concept of a separate TD arm was so fundamentally flawed that not a single battalion existed after November 1946.

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*A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR | A GUARDIAN MEMOIR OF THE YEAR | A TELEGRAPH BEST MUSIC BOOK OF THE YEAR *'Chronicles, in enthralling detail, Madonna Louise Ciccone's path from terrifyingly ambitious trainee dancer to pop colossus, all the while placing her in a wider social and cultural context.' GUARDIAN MAGAZINE'Gabriel charts her extraordinary life, right through to pop icon. She deserves a biographer as meticulous, intelligent and insightful as Gabriel.' DAILY MAIL'Madonna built the house in which nearly all female artists now live . . . A Rebel Life brings home not just her obvious willpower and strength, but her fearlessness and sheer intelligence' DAILY TELEGRAPH'A fascinating take on one of music's greatest icons' BELFAST TELEGRAPH'It's a mark of Gabriel's skill that she has managed to wrestle this complex, sprawling, eventful life into a book that rarely flags and conveys its subject's wider significance without tipping into hagiography. We come to understand Madonna the person as well as Madonna the concept: a woman who, for a generation, embodied female artistic, sexual and financial liberation.' GUARDIANIn this exceptional biography, Pulitzer Prize finalist Mary Gabriel chronicles the meteoric rise and enduring influence of the greatest female pop icon of the modern era: Madonna.With her arrival on the music scene in the early 1980s, Madonna generated nothing short of an explosion - as great as that of Elvis or the Beatles - taking the nation by storm with her liberated politics and breathtaking talent. But Madonna was more than just a pop star. Everywhere, fans gravitated to her as an emblem of a new age, one in which feminism could shed the buttoned-down demeanour of the 1970s and feel relevant to a new generation. Amid the scourge of AIDS, she brought queer identities into the mainstream, fiercely defending a person's right to love whomever - and be whoever - they wanted. Despite fierce criticism, she never separated her music from her political activism. And as an artist, she never stopped experimenting. Madonna existed to push past boundaries by creating provocative, visionary music, videos, films and live performances that changed culture globally. Deftly tracing Madonna's story from her Michigan roots to her rise to super-stardom, master biographer Mary Gabriel captures the dramatic life and achievements of one of the greatest artists of our time.

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The Anti-Inflammatory Diet Plan gives you the whole story about anti-inflammatory eating, good intestinal flora, and how to change your lifestyle. Professor and legendary surgeon Stig Bengmark reveals his secrets in this beautifully illustrated, scientifically rigorous guide to living a longer, healthier life. Stig Bengmark is one of the foremost innovators and visionaries in Swedish medicine. After a long and celebrated career in medicine, as he found himself approaching old age, he realized there was no single source out there that could tell him how to simply live healthily. When a discovery is made in the field of nutritional research, fad diets arise, gain momentum, and ultimately get discarded by the public when the next discovery is made – but what does it all mean? Which dietary advice is sound, and which is based on conjecture? In The Anti-Inflammatory Diet Plan, you will find the answer to questions such as: - How do I make sense of anti-inflammatory eating? - What is chronic inflammation, and how can I tell if I have it? - Do I have to stop eating everything that’s tasty in order to live a healthy life? - Should my plate be colour-coded? - What are synbiotics? - What is durra and how can it help me? - How can I set myself up for success when grocery shopping? - Should I want to diet? - Is it possible to lose weight without falling into dangerous restrictions or gaining it all back later? - What good, if any, does exercise even do? - Keto, gluten-free or intermittent fasting – which way of eating is the best, and do I have to choose? For over 30 years professor Stig Bengmark has researched the impact of gut bacteria on general health. He knew of – and applied to his own life! – the benefits of anti-inflammatory eating well before news of it broke to mass audiences. At 90 years old he still lectures, writes and works. Now, his revolution has finally come. In The Anti-Inflammatory Diet Plan—the culmination of his life's work, beautifully illustrated by Sebastian Wadsted—Stig Bengmark shares the results of his research along with all his best advice, easy-to-follow strategy guides and practical recipes to help you make the right choices for you, your body and your lifestyle. In the end, it comes down to nothing less than longevity. Everyone can choose health. Your body, mind and immune system will thank you – as will your grandchildren!

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SHORTLISTED FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2023 - ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF THE YEAR WATERSTONES BEST BOOKS OF 2022 – SPORT 'This book is a work of art about football's works of art... Loved it.' - Kevin Day, broadcaster 'A beautiful showcase of such a distinctive part of the game's culture... impossible not to get lost in the book' – Miguel Delaney, The Independent 'Gorgeous to behold... Unmissable' – Danny Kelly, TalkSPORT radio presenter ‘I absolutely love this book' – Jules Breach, football presenter On high-rise buildings, street corners and stadium walls in countries around the world, eye-catching murals pay tribute to footballing greats. From Messi and Ronaldo to Rapinoe and Cruyff, these striking displays are remarkable testaments to the awe and affection fans feel for these football legends and cult heroes. Join renowned football writer and broadcaster Andy Brassell as he explores this fascinating phenomenon. Offering a fresh, highly visual perspective on the global game, Football Murals is the first book to celebrate these towering works of art. Beckenbauer and Cruyff, Rooney and Ronaldinho, Totti and Salah, Zlatan and Zidane – being honoured with a mural cements a player’s place in a club's heritage and links them to the heart of the community. This richly illustrated book showcases the most impressive examples, explores their inspirational qualities and examines what they say about these icons and their sport. Written and curated by respected football writer Andy Brassell, this ground-breaking book features more than 100 murals from around the world, capturing the scale, grandeur and wit of this powerful and popular art form. Through a series of short essays and extended captions, Andy shares the players’ stories, discusses the cultural politics and explains just why these men and women have been immortalised in mural form. Covering such diverse topics as Home Town Glory, Football Fame and The Cult of the Coach, Football Murals addresses the issues important to fans worldwide. It spans Marcus Rashford's inspirational mural in a Manchester suburb, the George Best tribute on the East Belfast estate where he was born, the 15-foot depiction of Megan Rapinoe in St Paul, Minnesota, and the Naples ‘shrine’ to Diego Maradona. 'I can't tell you how nice it is for players to see their face on a mural.' – Jermaine Jenas, The One Show

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Two cities. Two spies. Which woman survives? Pianist: NOUN. Informal. A person who operates or controls a radio transmitter – often in code. July, 1940Blitz-ridden London: Marnie Fern’s life is torn apart when her grandfather is killed in an air raid. But once she discovers that he’d been working undercover as a radio operative – or pianist – for the Dutch resistance, Marnie knows she must complete his mission – no matter the cost… Nazi-occupied Amsterdam: At the other end of the wireless, fellow pianist Corrie Bakker is caught in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse as she desperately tries to keep her loved ones out of the line of fire – even if it means sacrificing herself… Bound together by the invisible wires of their radios, the two women lead parallel lives in their home cities, as both are betrayed by those they trust the most. But when the Nazis close in on one of them, only the other can save her… The next gripping and heartbreaking WWII historical fiction novel from international bestseller, Mandy Robotham. Real readers love The War Pianist: ‘A story packed with everything historical fiction readers need: espionage and betrayal to plights and flights…I learnt so much!…Brilliantly paced with twists and turns, courage and bravery and a touch of romance.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Rich in detail and almost impossible to put down…I loved it.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A front row seat to the survival of the Blitz in London as well as the Dutch resistance work. Fascinating…riveting.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A book that captures your attention from the first page to the last. Mandy Robotham is a master storyteller…the tension mounts on every page and I could not put it down. Highly recommended.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘My favourite of Mandy’s books so far. I loved Marnie, Willem and Corrie and the relationship among the three of them. The strength and resolve of these characters is so inspiring and captivating…A perfectly composed novel for lovers of historical fiction…Every bit of this novel comes alive. Bravo!’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A gripping and heartbreaking WWII novel…If you love historical fiction, then this is a must-read.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Mandy Robotham has done it again! A thoroughly well researched and interesting narrative set during WWII…Another five star read for me.’ Real Reader Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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** THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER **THE DEBUT POETRY COLLECTION FROM THE ORIGINAL MUMMY'S BOY, HUSSAIN MANAWER.'I remember the day I wrote my first ever poem, I was sitting on my bed in the attic and started jotting down lines on this little notepad, little did I know where it would lead me professionally, personally and also psychologically. This is my life's work to this date, all my notes, my favourite pieces that have served me through my darkest nights and carried me through every moment of pain, suffering, anxiety, panic and hardship.'Hussain's debut poetry collection will invite readers on his journey through depression and grief, and out the other side to a better place - there will be joy, hope, tears and laughter - the emotions that make up the fabric of human experience. His words will remind readers, that even in your lowest moments you can find the gold dust, Life is Sad and Beautiful will shift outlooks and stand as a powerful vehicle for growth and change.ABOUT HUSSAIN:Hussain Manawer is a globally acclaimed Poet, Mental Health Advocate and Producer - who was born in Newham and shortly after grew up in Ilford, Essex. Tagged 'The Original Mummy's Boy', Hussain derives much of his inspiration from his own experiences and intense grief at the sudden loss of his mother. Dignitaries, major brands and broadcasters seek him out to articulate the mental health struggles our world is facing. Amongst the credits to his name, commissions and collaborations include The Royal Family, The BAFTAs, The FA, Global Citizen, One Young World, Burberry, Anthony Joshua, Marcus Rashford, Tyson Fury, England FC, Peaky Blinders, Soccer Aid For UNICEF, Apple TV+ and many more.He most recently appeared alongside Prince Harry and Oprah Winfrey in the mental health docu-series, 'The Me You Can't See', alongside Lady Gaga, Glen Close and others. Hussain's poetry can also be heard on the Archewell Audio Podcast Christmas Special with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Manawer was called upon earlier this year by The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to create the 'Mental Health Minute' which was broadcast on all radio stations with an all-star line-up including David Beckham, Joanna Lumley, Shirley Bassey, Jessie Lingard, Jamie Oliver, Anne Marie and Charles Dance.

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*A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR | A GUARDIAN MEMOIR OF THE YEAR | A TELEGRAPH BEST MUSIC BOOK OF THE YEAR *'Chronicles, in enthralling detail, Madonna Louise Ciccone's path from terrifyingly ambitious trainee dancer to pop colossus, all the while placing her in a wider social and cultural context.' GUARDIAN MAGAZINE'Gabriel charts her extraordinary life, right through to pop icon. She deserves a biographer as meticulous, intelligent and insightful as Gabriel.' DAILY MAIL'Madonna built the house in which nearly all female artists now live . . . A Rebel Life brings home not just her obvious willpower and strength, but her fearlessness and sheer intelligence' DAILY TELEGRAPH'A fascinating take on one of music's greatest icons' BELFAST TELEGRAPH'It's a mark of Gabriel's skill that she has managed to wrestle this complex, sprawling, eventful life into a book that rarely flags and conveys its subject's wider significance without tipping into hagiography. We come to understand Madonna the person as well as Madonna the concept: a woman who, for a generation, embodied female artistic, sexual and financial liberation.' GUARDIANIn this exceptional biography, Pulitzer Prize finalist Mary Gabriel chronicles the meteoric rise and enduring influence of the greatest female pop icon of the modern era: Madonna.With her arrival on the music scene in the early 1980s, Madonna generated nothing short of an explosion - as great as that of Elvis or the Beatles - taking the nation by storm with her liberated politics and breathtaking talent. But Madonna was more than just a pop star. Everywhere, fans gravitated to her as an emblem of a new age, one in which feminism could shed the buttoned-down demeanour of the 1970s and feel relevant to a new generation. Amid the scourge of AIDS, she brought queer identities into the mainstream, fiercely defending a person's right to love whomever - and be whoever - they wanted. Despite fierce criticism, she never separated her music from her political activism. And as an artist, she never stopped experimenting. Madonna existed to push past boundaries by creating provocative, visionary music, videos, films and live performances that changed culture globally. Deftly tracing Madonna's story from her Michigan roots to her rise to super-stardom, master biographer Mary Gabriel captures the dramatic life and achievements of one of the greatest artists of our time.

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The Book of Sand: the first novel in an epic series created by one of the most gifted and invented storytellers of the twenty-first century.'Shocking and satisfying ...a compelling, absorbingly different quest fantasy' Guardian'An utterly original novel from an extraordinarily creative mind' Karin Slaughter'Unique and fearless' Mark Billingham'I inhaled it! It's beautifully written and utterly compelling' Harriet Tyce'Fearless and compelling, lyrical and devastating by turns, the story never slackens pace.' Jane Corry______________SAND. A hostile world of burning sun.Outlines of several once-busy cities shimmer on the horizon. Now empty of inhabitants, their buildings lie in ruins.In the distance a group of people - a family - walk towards us.Ahead lies shelter: a 'shuck' the family call home and which they know they must reach before the light fails, as to be out after dark is to invite danger and almost certain death.To survive in this alien world of shifting sand, they must find an object hidden in or near water. But other families want it too. And they are willing to fight to the death to make it theirs.It is beginning to rain in Fairfax County, Virginia when McKenzie Strathie wakes up. An ordinary teenage girl living an ordinary life - except that the previous night she found a sand-lizard in her bed, and now she's beginning to question everything around her, especially who she really is ...Two very different worlds featuring a group of extraordinary characters driven to the very limit of their endurance in a place where only the strongest will survive.______________More praise for The Book of Sand ...'Audacious, extraordinary and absolutely awesome' Alex North'A future classic that exists between darkness and light. I was completely entranced by it' Christopher Fowler'A huge and brilliant and engaging read. It feels like a place I have been to rather than words on a page' Alice Jolly'A remarkable achievement' Shots Magazine'What we have here is a fantasy about faith and the search for spiritual certainty... [an] ambitious religious parable.' FT______________Readers love The Book of Sand ...'This was the best reading experience of a lifetime. I fear the words haven't yet been invented to describe how good the book is. It deserves to be a huge bestseller.''I would absolutely die for a movie adaptation of this one in the future!' 'The Book of Sand is dazzling, lyrical, surreal and a beautiful legacy.''An absolute must read!''I did not want to put it down at any point.''A gripping read.''Couldn't put it down. 5*.''This was a page turner that was totally original in concept.'

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'Fierce. Game-changing. Urgently necessary. Brilliant, brilliant and did I say brilliant?' EMMA THOMPSON 'Pacy, vivid, compelling and very, VERY funny ... it will help so many' MARIAN KEYES 'A fucking classic. Required reading for all women and men and I believe it's going to be the book of 2022' BRYONY GORDON 'Fuck, this is good. Every page feels important' LUCY VINE Actor, writer and hopeless romantic Rebecca Humphries had often been called crazy by her boyfriend. But when paparazzi caught him kissing his Strictly Come Dancing partner, she realised the only crazy thing was believing she didn't deserve more.Forced into victimhood by the story, Rebecca chose to reclaim her power, posting her thoughts on social media, including advice for other women who might be experiencing what she realised she'd managed to escape: a toxic, oppressive relationship. A flood of support poured in, but amongst the well-wishes was a simple question with an infinitely complex answer: 'If he was so bad, why did you stay?'Empowering, unflinching and full of humour, this book takes that question and owns it. Using her relationship history, coming of age stories and experiences since the scandal during Strictly, Rebecca explores why good girls are drawn to darkness, whether pop culture glamourises toxicity, when a relationship 'rough patch' becomes the start of a destructive cycle, if women are conditioned for co-dependency, and - ultimately - how to reframe disaster into something magical. 'The best [book] about relationships since Three Women' CAROLINE SANDERSON, THE BOOKSELLER 'So funny and heart-breaking. So stunningly written. For any woman who has been asked 'why did you stay?', Rebecca Humphries' book is a hilarious and brilliant read' SUSAN WOKOMA 'Very, very good' PANDORA SYKES 'A magical, magical book' GLAMOUR 'So thoughtful and moving and funny and sad and great, I love it so, so much. I resented having to put it down' DAISY BUCHANAN 'Her thought-provoking story should be required reading for anyone in a relationship' DAILY MIRROR 'A memoir every woman needs to read' RED MAGAZINE 'This book isn't an ice-cold revenge opus; it's a diary of self-discovery, a celebration of friendship, resilience and finding one's self-worth...is it worth the hype? Absolutely: I had to stop myself from reading it one grateful gulp' LAURA PULLMAN, STYLE

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The hole they dug was not deep. A white flour bag encased the little body. Three small faces watched from the window, eyes black with terror. The child in the middle spoke without turning his head. 'I wonder which one of us will be next?'When a woman's body is discovered in a cathedral and hours later a young man is found hanging from a tree outside his home, Detective Lottie Parker is called in to lead the investigation. Both bodies have the same distinctive tattoo clumsily inscribed on their legs. It's clear the pair are connected, but how? The trail leads Lottie to St Angela's, a former children's home, with a dark connection to her own family history. Suddenly the case just got personal. As Lottie begins to link the current victims to unsolved murders decades old, two teenage boys go missing. She must close in on the killer before they strike again, but in doing so is she putting her own children in terrifying danger? Lottie is about to come face to face with a twisted soul who has a very warped idea of justice. Fans of Tess Gerritsen, Karin Slaughter and Helen Fields will be gripped by this page-turning serial killer thriller, guaranteed to keep you reading late into the night.What everyone is saying about The Missing Ones:'Gripping . . . palpable tension from the very start to its electrifying twist' Irish Independent'This debut novel from Gibney is just EVERYTHING!!! This was THE BEST book I have read in quite some time. If I could give it more than 5 stars, I would!' Butterfly's Booknerdia Blog'Totally riveting and 100% engrossing.' Books From Dusk Till Dawn'A gripping read from beginning to finish.' Deja Read'AMAZING! Really well written and kept me itching to read the next page. It was unputdownable! Cannot wait to read book two when released.' Goodreads Reviewer'I was immediately grabbed by the opening paragraph and was so enthralled that I read it in two sittings. I only put it down when my eyes refused to stay open!' Goodreads Reviewer'It's one of those stories where you look at the clock and you think just a couple more chapters, and then you look again and hours have gone by. It was well worth the lack of sleep.' Goodreads Reviewer'A phenomenal read for a debut novel - when I say good, I mean gooooooooood.' Page Turners Nook'Gibney definitely is a writer to watch and an exciting new voice in crime fiction.'But Books are Better

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'The perfect romcom: a stunning mix of hilarious tropes, swoony romance and lovable, relatable characters. A must read for every romance lover!' Ali HazelwoodOpposites become allies to fool their matchmaking friends in this swoony reimagining of Shakespeare's beloved comedy, Much Ado About Nothing.Jamie Westenberg and Bea Wilmot have nothing in common except a meet-disaster and the mutual understanding that they couldn't be more wrong for each other. But when the people closest to them play Cupid and trick them into going on a date, Jamie and Bea realize they have something else in common after all - an undeniable need for revenge.Soon their plan is in place: fake date obnoxiously and convince the meddlers they're madly in love. Then, break up spectacularly and dash everyone's hopes, putting an end to the matchmaking madness once and for all.To convince everyone that they've fallen for each other, Jamie and Bea will have to nail the performance of their lives. But as their final act nears, and playing lovers becomes easier than not, they begin to wonder: what if Cupid's arrow wasn't so off the mark? And what if two wrongs do make a right?Why readers love Two Wrongs Make A Right . . . 'Absolute romantic perfection' Christina Lauren 'Prepare to be completely swept away' Helen Hoang'Exquisite tension, hilarious banter, steamy romance and a hero and heroine with personalities that burst from the pages. A top must-read of the year!' Samantha Young 'These two wrongs are so very right for each other. Equal parts smart and steamy, with razor-sharp wit and an elegant, playful rhythm' Rachel Lynn Solomon 'The deliciously steamy, lovingly affirming, burst-of-joyful-romance my heart needed. Chloe Liese continues to reign as the master of steamy romance!' Sarah Adams'Tender, sexy, and hilarious. Liese's autistic rep makes me feel so seen . . . words can't do justice to the impact her books have' Mazey Eddings'Opposites-attract excellence . . . Jamebea forever!' Sarah Hogle 'An excellent addition to any contemporary romance lover's keeper shelf!' Rosie Danan 'Snappy banter, heartfelt emotion, and delicious swooniness and heat . . . a true pleasure to read' Olivia Dade 'Irresistible opposites attract romance' Sarah Grunder Ruiz 'A meet-cute that crackles with wit and humour' Kirkus Reviews (starred review)'Exceptionally smart and charming romance' Booklist

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The ideal travel companion, full of insider advice on what to see and do, plus detailed itineraries and comprehensive maps for exploring Kenya.Look out for herds of elephant in Amboseli National Park, explore the bustling streets of Nairobi or laze on palm-fringed Diani Beach: everything you need to know is clearly laid out within colour-coded chapters. Discover the best of Kenya with this indispensable travel guide.Inside DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Kenya:- Over 15 colour maps help you navigate with ease- Simple layout makes it easy to find the information you need- Comprehensive tours and itineraries of Kenya, designed for every interest and budget- Illustrations and area plans show in detail Nairobi National Museum, Fort Jesus, the Gedi Ruins and more- Colour photographs of spectacular safari parks, breathtaking wildlife, stunning landscapes, scenic coastlines, gushing waterfalls, towering mountains, bustling cities and more- Detailed chapters, with area maps, cover Nairobi, Southeastern Savannahs, Southern Coast, Northern Coast, Southern Rift Valley and Masai Mara, Western Kenya, Central Highlands, and Northern Kenya- Historical and cultural context gives you a richer travel experience: learn about the history of Kenya, its ecology, economy, government, politics, culture, arts and sports, and the festivals and events that take place here throughout the year- Experience Kenya with features on the landscape of Kenya, the Great Rift Valley, the indigenous peoples of Kenya, traditional dress, religion, music and dance, arts and crafts, and Kenyan literature- Essential travel tips: our expert choices of where to stay, eat, shop and sightsee, plus transport, visa and health information DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Kenya is a detailed, easy-to-use guide designed to help you get the most from your visit to Kenya.DK Eyewitness: winner of the Top Guidebook Series in the Wanderlust Reader Travel Awards 2017. "No other guide whets your appetite quite like this one" - The IndependentAbout DK Eyewitness Travel: DK's highly visual Eyewitness guides show you what others only tell you, with easy-to-read maps, tips, and tours to inform and enrich your holiday. DK is the world's leading illustrated reference publisher, producing beautifully designed books for adults and children in over 120 countries.

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Populism, on both the right and the left, has spread like wildfire throughout Europe and the United States and is making inroads in other parts of the world. In simplest terms, populism is a political ideology that vilifies elites, minorities and foreigners while lionizing "the people." It reached its apogee in the U.S. with the election of Donald Trump but has been a force in Europe since the Great Recession and the refugee crisis. We now see the rise of leaders with populist tendencies everywhere from Brazil to Turkey. In The Populist Temptation, Barry Eichengreen places this global resurgence of populism in its historical context. Populists have always thrived, he observes, in times of poor economic performance. Populism feeds on rising inequality, which augments the ranks of those left behind and fans dissatisfaction with the economic status quo. It responds to rapid economic change that heightens insecurity. These economic developments, Eichengreen shows, give rise to populist reactions when they highlight the divergent interests of the people and the elite. Banking and financial crises are a case in point: the financiers who are the precipitating agents of such crises are card-carrying members of the elite, and are seen as profiting at the expense of the people. But populism is also a protest against the declining influence of the traditions, beliefs and community of once-dominant groups. It is a reaction against the challenge posed by immigrants and minorities to the people as a homogeneous, well-defined entity. Populists capitalizing on these feelings appeal to a glorious, mythologized past grounded in the collective traditions of that once-dominant majority. They invoke nationalism and criticize politicians who embrace diversity, open borders and equal rights. Populism has particular appeal, Eichengreen shows, when these identity politics and economic grievances come together. There is no magic solution to these concerns, but Eichengreen points to a starting place: strengthening welfare state policies that make for greater equality of opportunity and social cohesion. Comparing Europe with the United States, he shows that America's patchwork welfare state is less well equipped to deal with the fallout from globalization and technical change and the growing distance between social groups. This reality will be hard to change, since America's limited welfare state reflects the country's historically-rooted suspicion of big government. It is therefore in the United States, Eichengreen concludes, where the siren song of populism is most alluring--and dangerous.

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Dear reader, There is nothing to be found in Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events but misery and despair. You still have time to choose another international best-selling series to read. But if you insist on discovering the unpleasant adventures of the Baudelaire orphans, then proceed with caution… Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent children. They are charming, and resourceful, and have pleasant facial features. Unfortunately, they are exceptionally unlucky. In The Wide Window the siblings encounter a hurricane, a signalling device, hungry leaches, cold cucumber soup, a horrible villain and a doll named Pretty Penny. In the tradition of great storytellers, from Dickens to Dahl, comes an exquisitely dark comedy that is both literary and irreverent, hilarious and deftly crafted. Despite their wretched contents, A Series of Unfortunate Events has sold 60 million copies worldwide and been made into a Hollywood film starring Jim Carrey. And in the future things are poised to get much worse, thanks to the forthcoming Netflix series directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. You have been warned. Are you unlucky enough to own all 13 adventures? The Bad Beginning The Reptile Room The Wide Window The Miserable Mill The Austere Academy The Ersatz Elevator The Vile Village The Hostile Hospital The Carnivorous Carnival The Slippery Slope The Grim Grotto The Penultimate Peril The End And what about All The Wrong Questions? In this four-book series a 13-year-old Lemony chronicles his dangerous and puzzling apprenticeship in a mysterious organisation that nobody knows anything about: ‘Who Could That Be at This Hour?’ ‘When Did you Last See Her?’ ‘Shouldn’t You Be in School?’ ‘Why is This Night Different from All Other Nights?’ Lemony Snicket was born before you were and is likely to die before you as well. He was born in a small town where the inhabitants were suspicious and prone to riot. He grew up near the sea and currently lives beneath it. Until recently, he was living somewhere else. Brett Helquist was born in Ganado, Arizona, grew up in Orem, Utah, and now lives in New York City. He earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Brigham Young University and has been illustrating ever since. His art has appeared in many publications, including Cricket magazine and The New York Times.

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SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2020'A story for now, an important story . . . told with incredible freshness' Martha Lane Fox, Chair of Judges, Women's Prize 2020'The harsh reality of immigration is balanced with a refreshing dose of humour' The Times'This compassionate and ingenious novel has an endearing vibrancy in the storytelling that, page after page, makes it addictive reading' Irish Times'Engrossing . . . the story itself and Ana, the protagonist are terrifically interesting. Loved this' Roxane Gay'This book is a valentine to my mom and all the unsung Dominicanas like her, for their quiet heroism in making a better life for their families, often at a hefty cost to themselves. Even if Dominicana is a Dominican story, it's also a New York story, and an immigrant story. When I read parts of Dominicana at universities and literary venues both here and abroad, each time, audience members from all cultures and generations came up to me and said, this is my mother's story, my sister's story, my story' Angie CruzFifteen-year-old Ana Canción never dreamed of moving to America, the way the girls she grew up with in the Dominican countryside did. But when Juan Ruiz proposes and promises to take her to New York City, she must say yes. It doesn't matter that he is twice her age, that there is no love between them. Their marriage is an opportunity for her entire close-knit family to eventually immigrate. So on New Year's Day, 1965, Ana leaves behind everything she knows and becomes Ana Ruiz, a wife confined to a cold six-floor walk-up in Washington Heights. Lonely and miserable, Ana hatches a reckless plan to escape. But at the bus terminal, she is stopped by César, Juan's free-spirited younger brother, who convinces her to stay.As the Dominican Republic slides into political turmoil, Juan returns to protect his family's assets, leaving César to take care of Ana. Suddenly, Ana is free to take English lessons at a local church, lie on the beach at Coney Island, dance with César at the Audubon Ballroom, and imagine the possibility of a different kind of life in America. When Juan returns, Ana must decide once again between her heart and her duty to her family.In bright, musical prose that reflects the energy of New York City, Dominicana is a vital portrait of the immigrant experience and the timeless coming-of-age story of a young woman finding her voice in the world.

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Arcane AmericaA new world. New magic. New history.After Halley’s Comet was destroyed in a magical battle in 1759, the backlash separated the entire New World from theOld in an event known as The Sundering. Now isolated from the rest of the globe, America has become a very differentplace, where magic works and history has been changed forever.It is 1803—a new 1803. Young Meriwether Lewis, footloose and intrigued, goes to hear a lecture in St. Louis by thevenerated old wizard Benjamin Franklin. Franklin’s talk is disrupted by the attack of a winged fire-breathing beast,much like legends from Lewis’s own Welsh heritage. In the aftermath, Franklin tells the young man that he knows of agreat, growing evil that lurks in the uncharted Arcane Territories west of the Mississippi.Using his own vast fortune, Franklin commissions Lewis and his own talented partner William Clark to embark on aremarkable voyage of exploration, to meet and document the indigenous tribes, to find a route all the way to the PacificOcean—and perhaps beyond the magical veil to Europe again—and to stop the growing evil that is filling theAmerican West. For while the Sundering separated the rest of the world and granted the original colonists unexpectedmagical gifts, sorcery inspired by native legends has also been ignited. And the Arcane Territories may holdunparalleled dangers for the expedition, both natural and magical.Accompanied by the brilliant shape-shifting sorceress Sacajawea, Lewis and Clark set off on an unparalleledadventure across a landscape that no European has ever seen.

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Evolution has, ever since its inception, been one of the most ideologically fraught fields in all of science. It has given birth to the myth about biological racial “types,” with distinct rankings of “genetic superiority”. Evolution has always been mistrusted by religious fundamentalists, contributing to a rise in creationist education that dovetails with the mass scientific illiteracy we see today. And today the coronavirus is mutating into ever more dangerous strands because huge swaths of the population have rejected the science that predicted this outcome if people remained unvaccinated. With so much fear and misunderstanding, it is crucial to set the record straight. Enter evolutionary biologist Joseph Graves. In A Voice in the Wilderness, he makes the case that widespread understanding of evolution is crucial to solving all these problems. Graves shows how the science of evolution can lead us to new paths of achieving social unity. He refutes common, pseudoscientific misconceptions that undergird racism, homophobia, sexism, classism, and more—all issues on which many perceive evolutionary biology to be a reactionary force. He shows how evolution can either make pandemics better, or—if its lessons are unheeded—worse. And he tackles the political and religious objections to the study of evolution as well. Graves' own experience powers much of the narrative. As a pioneering Black biologist, a leftist, and a Christian, Graves uses his personal story from a child of the Jim Crow south to a major researcher leader in his field to rewrite his field—and show how it can be a force not for reaction, but for justice. Provocative and timely, A Voice in the Wilderness is at once a powerful work of scientific antiracism and a moving history of a trailblazing life.

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We have come to admire Buddhism for being profound but accessible, as much a lifestyle as a religion. The credit for creating Buddhism goes to the Buddha, a figure widely respected across the Western world for his philosophical insight, his teachings of nonviolence, and his practice of meditation. But who was this Buddha, and how did he become the Buddha we know and love today? Leading historian of Buddhism Donald S. Lopez Jr. tells the story of how various idols carved in stone - variously named Beddou, Codam, Xaca, and Fo - became the man of flesh and blood that we know simply as the Buddha. He reveals that the positive view of the Buddha in Europe and America is rather recent, originating a little more than 150 years ago. For centuries, the Buddha was condemned by Western writers as the most dangerous idol of the Orient. He was a demon, the murderer of his mother, a purveyor of idolatry. Lopez provides an engaging history of depictions of the Buddha from classical accounts and medieval stories to the testimonies of European travelers, diplomats, soldiers, and missionaries. Lopez shows that centuries of hostility toward the Buddha changed dramatically in the nineteenth century, when the teachings of the Buddha, having disappeared from India by the fourteenth century, were read by European scholars newly proficient in Asian languages. At the same time, the traditional view of the Buddha persisted in Asia, where he was revered as much for his supernatural powers as for his philosophical insights. "From Stone to Flesh" follows the twists and turns of these Eastern and Western notions of the Buddha, leading finally to his triumph as the founder of a world religion.

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We have come to admire Buddhism for being profound but accessible, as much a lifestyle as a religion. The credit for creating Buddhism goes to the Buddha, a figure widely respected across the Western world for his philosophical insight, his teachings of nonviolence, and his practice of meditation. But who was this Buddha, and how did he become the Buddha we know and love today? Leading historian of Buddhism Donald S. Lopez Jr. tells the story of how various idols carved in stone variously named Beddou, Codam, Xaca, and Fo - became the man of flesh and blood that we know simply as the Buddha. He reveals that the positive view of the Buddha in Europe and America is rather recent, originating a little more than a hundred and fifty years ago. For centuries, the Buddha was condemned by Western writers as the most dangerous idol of the Orient. He was a demon, the murderer of his mother, a purveyor of idolatry. Lopez provides an engaging history of depictions of the Buddha from classical accounts and medieval stories to the testimonies of European travelers, diplomats, soldiers, and missionaries. He shows that centuries of hostility toward the Buddha changed dramatically in the nineteenth century, when the teachings of the Buddha, having disappeared from India by the fourteenth century, were read by European scholars newly proficient in Asian languages. At the same time, the traditional view of the Buddha persisted in Asia, where he was revered as much for his supernatural powers as for his philosophical insights. From Stone to Flesh follows the twists and turns of these Eastern and Western notions of the Buddha, leading finally to his triumph as the founder of a world religion.

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'A deeply humane, learned and personal reflection on Jewish identity' - Rowan Williams 'This inspiring book has made me a better Jew, one who understands more, who knows more' - Daniel Finkelstein ‘This remarkable book takes us on a journey: geographic, historical, cultural, philosophical, political, autobiographical and, yes, religious' - Michael Marmot Being Jewish Today gives an account of both the journey of a particular British Jew and the journey of millions of women and men through today’s perplexing and difficult world. With honesty and integrity Rabbi Tony Bayfield breaks new ground in exploring the meaning of Jewish identity and its relationship to Jewish tradition and belief. He does so from the perspective of a person fully integrated into the modern Western world. The rigorous questions he asks of his Jewishness, Judaism and the Jewish God are therefore substantially the same as those asked by individuals of all faiths and none. Beginning with an account of the journey of Jewish people and thought from ancient times to the present day, Bayfield goes on to consider Jewish identity, Israel as land and the scourge of anti-Semitism. He then turns to the twin concerns of Torah: Halakhah – practice, and Aggadah – ethics, along with the matter of belief in a world faced with global extinction. Finally, in addressing the manifest injustice of life, Rabbi Bayfield confronts the widely evaded questions of universal suffering and divine inaction. Drawing on key religious and secular thinkers who contribute to the force of his argument, Bayfield’s masterful, challenging and urgent book will appeal to all Jews, whether religious or cultural, and to anyone curious about the nature of Judaism and religion today.

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A leading Democrat challenges his party to return to liberal values and evidence-based scienceDemocrats were the party of intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and faith in scientific and liberal empiricism. They once took pride in understanding how to read science critically, exercising healthy skepticism toward notoriously corrupt entities like the drug companies that brought us the opioid crisis, and were outraged by the phenomenon of “agency capture” and the pervasive control of private interests over Congress, the media, and the scientific journals.During the COVID pandemic, these attitudes have taken a back seat to blind faith in government mandates and countermeasures driven by pharmaceutical companies and captive federal agencies, promoted by corporate media, and cynically exploiting the fears of the American people.A Letter to Liberals is Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s, challenge to “lockdown liberalism’s” embrace of policies that are an affront to once cherished precepts.Kennedy invites readers to look at the data in order to answer questions such as: Did COVID vaccines really save millions and end the pandemic? Why were the lowest COVID death rates in countries and states that relied on therapeutic drugs, and in countries with the lowest vaccination rates? Did vaccines prevent infection or transmission as officials promised? Why do COVID vaccines appear to show “negative efficacy”—making the vaccinated more susceptible to COVID. Why does the most reliable data suggest that COVID vaccines do not lower the risk of death and hospitalization. Should government technocrats be partnering with media and social media titans to censor and suppress the questioning of government policies? And why have so many liberals abandoned fundamental Constitutional principles in their headlong rush to embrace pandemic policies pushed by captured bureaucrats, feckless politicians, a compromised news media, and Big Pharma? In his November 2021 book The Real Anthony Fauci, which sold over 1,000,000 copies, Kennedy made predictions that have matured from “conspiracy theories” to proven facts. Among these: Masks Are Ineffective and Dangerous Social Distancing Was Not Science-Based School Closures Were Not Science-Based Lockdowns Were Counterproductive Vaccinating Children Causes More Harm and Death Than It Averts Officials Wrongly Used PCR Tests to Justify the Countermeasures COVID-19 May Have Come from Wuhan Lab Natural Immunity is Superior to Vaccine Immunity Kennedy throws down the gauntlet for the kind of vigorous scientific debate that liberals have long stood for and strives to ensure that unbiased honesty and well-researched thought is brought to bear on one of the most important and still unfolding chapters in human history.

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The story of Roman Catholicism has never followed a singular path. In no time period has this been more true than over the last two centuries. Beginning with the French Revolution, extending to the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, and concluding with present-day crises, John T. McGreevy chronicles the dramatic upheavals and internal divisions shaping the most multicultural, multilingual, and global institution in the world. Through powerful individual stories and sweeping birds-eye views, Catholicism provides a mesmerising assessment of the Church’s complex role in modern history: both shaper and follower of the politics of nation states, both conservator of hierarchies and evangeliser of egalitarianism. McGreevy documents the hopes and ambitions of European missionaries building churches and schools in all corners of the world, African Catholics fighting for political (and religious) independence, Latin American Catholics attracted to a theology of liberation, and Polish and South Korean Catholics demanding democratic governments. He includes a vast cast of riveting characters, known and unknown, including the Mexican revolutionary Fr. Servando Teresa de Mier; Daniel O’Connell, hero of Irish emancipation; Sr. Josephine Bakhita, a formerly enslaved Sudanese nun; Chinese statesman Ma Xiaobang; French philosopher and reformer Jacques Maritain; German Jewish philosopher and convert, Edith Stein; John Paul II, Polish pope and opponent of communism; Gustavo Gutiérrez, Peruvian founder of liberation theology; and French American patron of modern art, Dominique de Menil. Throughout this essential volume, McGreevy details currents of reform within the Church as well as movements protective of traditional customs and beliefs. Conflicts with political leaders and a devotional revival in the nineteenth century, the experiences of decolonisation after World War II and the Second Vatican Council in the twentieth century and the trauma of clerical sexual abuse in the twenty-first all demonstrate how religion shapes our modern world. Finally, McGreevy addresses the challenges faced by Pope Francis as he struggles to unite the over one billion members of the world’s largest religious community.

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"'I never got a chance to be a girl,' Kate O'Hare Palmer lamented, thirty-four years after her tour as an army nurse in Vietnam. Although proud of having served, she felt that the war she never understood had robbed her of her innocence and forced her to grow up too quickly. As depicted in a photograph taken late in her tour, long hours in the operating room exhausted her both physically and mentally. Her tired eyes and gaunt face reflected th e weariness she felt after treating countless patients, some dying, some maimed, all, like her, forever changed. Still, she learned to work harder and faster than she thought she could, to trust her nursing skills, and to live independently. She developed a way to balance the dangers and benefits of being a woman in the army and in the war. Only fourteen months long, her tour in Vietnam profoundly affected her life and her beliefs." Such vivid personal accounts abound in historian Kara Dixon Vuic's compelling look at the experiences of army nurses in the Vietnam War. Drawing on more than 100 interviews, Vuic allows the nurses to tell their own captivating stories, from their reasons for joining the military to the physical and emotional demands of a horrific war and postwar debates about how to commemorate their service. Vuic also explores the gender issues that arose when a male-dominated army actively recruited and employed the services of 5,000 nurses in the midst of a growing feminist movement and a changing nursing profession. Women drawn to the army's patriotic promise faced disturbing realities in the virtually all-male hospitals of South Vietnam. Men who joined the nurse corps ran headlong into the army's belief that women should nurse and men should fight. Officer, Nurse, Woman brings to light the nearly forgotten contributions of brave nurses who risked their lives to bring medical care to soldiers during a terrible-and divisive-war.

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Bass booms from custom speakers, pick-up trucks boast lowered suspensions, chrome rims reflect stoplights, and bare arms dangle from open windows. Welcome to Santa Clara Street in San Jose, California, where every weekend kids come to cruise late at night, riding their cars slow and low. On the surrounding, less-traveled streets you can also find young men racing customized cars to see who has the "go," not just the "show." And, in the daylight hours, in a nearby suburb, you might find a brand new SUV parked in the driveway, a parents' Sweet 16 present. In Fast Cars, Cool Rides Amy Best provides a fascinating account of kids and car culture. Encompassing everything from learning to drive to getting one’s license, from cruising to customizing, from racing to buying one's first car, Best shows that never before have cars played such an important role in the lives of America's youth as they do today. Drawing on interviews with over 100 young men and women, aged 15-24, and five years of research—cruising hot spots, sitting in on auto shop class, attending car shows—Best explores the fast-paced world of kids and their cars. She reveals a world where cars have incredible significance for kids today, as a means of transportation and thereby freedom to come and go, as status symbols and as a means to express their identities. But while having a fast car or a cool ride can carry tremendous importance for these kids, Best shows that the price, especially when it can cost $30,000, can be steep as working-class kids work jobs to make car payments and as college kids forgo moving out of Mom and Dad's house because they can't pay for rent, car payments, and car insurance. Fast Cars, Cool Rides offers a rare and rich portrait of the complex and surprising roles cars can play in the lives of young Americans. Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a cool ride.

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Inside the complex and misunderstood world of professional street skateboarding On a sunny Sunday in Los Angeles, a crew of skaters and videographers watch as one of them attempts to land a “heel flip” over a fire hydrant on a sidewalk in front of the Biltmore Hotel. A staff member of the hotel demands they leave and picks up his phone to call the police.Not only does the skater land the trick, but he does so quickly, and spares everyone the unwanted stress of having to deal with the cops. This is not an uncommon occurrence in skateboarding, which is illegal in most American cities and this interaction is just part of the process of being a professional street skater. This is just one of Gregory Snyder’s experiences from eight years inside the world of professional street skateboarding: a highly refined, athletic and aesthetic pursuit, from which a large number of people profit. Skateboarding LA details the history of skateboarding, describes basic and complex tricks, tours some of LA's most famous spots, and provides an enthusiastic appreciation of this dangerous and creative practice. Particularly concerned with public spaces, Snyder shows that skateboarding offers cities much more than petty vandalism and exaggerated claims of destruction. Rather, skateboarding draws highly talented young people from around the globe to skateboarding cities, building a diverse and wide-reaching community of skateboarders, filmmakers, photographers, writers, and entrepreneurs. Snyder also argues that as stewards of public plazas and parks, skateboarders deter homeless encampments and drug dealers. In one stunning case, skateboarders transformed the West LA Courthouse, with Nike’s assistance, into a skateable public space. Through interviews with current and former professional skateboarders, Snyder vividly expresses their passion, dedication and creativity. Especially in relation to the city's architectural features—ledges, banks, gaps, stairs and handrails—they are constantly re-imagining and repurposing these urban spaces in order to perform their ever-increasingly difficult tricks. For anyone interested in this dynamic and daunting activity, Skateboarding LA is an amazing ride.

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Three women. One killer. No turning back.A chilling thriller set in isolated Welsh countryside, perfect for fans of In the Woods by Tana French and The Chestnut Man by Søren Sveistrup.The Halfway Inn is closed to customers, side-lined by a bypass and hidden deep in inhospitable countryside. One winter's night, two women end up knocking on the door, seeking refuge as a blizzard takes hold. But why is the landlord less than pleased to see them? And what is his elderly father trying so hard to tell them?At the local police station PC Lissa Lloyd is holding the fort while the rest of her team share in the rare excitement of a brutal murder at an isolated farmhouse. A dangerous fugitive is on the run - but how can Lissa make a name for herself if she's stuck at her desk? When a call comes in saying the local district nurse is missing, she jumps at the chance to investigate her disappearance.The strangers at Halfway wait out the storm, but soon realise they might have been safer on the road. It seems not all the travellers will make it home for Christmas . . . __________________________What everyone's saying about Halfway:'I absolutely loved this book which kept me hooked and desperate to read just one more page!' Reader review, 5 stars'SO twisty . . . very well written' Reader review'Totally hooked!' Reader review'A fast-paced, tension-filled, twisty read' Reader review'One of the creepiest novels I have ever read . . . hooks you in and puts you on the edge of your seat' Reader review, 5 stars'A chilling twist . . . a fantastic thriller' Reader review, 5 stars'BEST CRIME NOVEL I'VE READ THIS YEAR!!!' Reader review, 5 stars'A really gripping read . . . couldn't put it down' Reader review'Stunning . . . the only book I can compare Halfway to is Gone Girl ' Reader review, 5 stars'A twisty, thrilling ride' Reader review, 5 stars'Mesmerising, irrestistible and full of suspense' Reader review, 5 stars'A gripping, fast-paced thriller. . . I absolutely loved this' Reader review, 5 stars

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Anne Charlotte Leffler (1849-1892) was the most important European woman playwright of the last decades of the nineteenth century and together with Ibsen and Strindberg one of the Scandinavian pioneers of modern and modernist drama. Lynn R. Wilkinson's Anne Charlotte Leffler and Modernist Drama is the first full-length study of Leffler's dramatic production. It argues that Leffler's plays deserve to be read and performed today alongside those of Ibsen and Strindberg, as they indeed were during her lifetime, and will serve as a welcome resource for new productions of her plays and studies of her work. Born the same year as August Strindberg, Anne Charlotte Leffler was a far more successful playwright in Scandinavia and elsewhere during her lifetime. After her death, however, literary histories dismissed her work as an example of the propagandistic literature of the Swedish 1880s. But beginning in the 1970s, revivals of her plays in theaters and on television have rekindled interest in Leffler and her work. Scoring her first theatrical success in 1873 with a play about a young actress who rejects marriage for a career on the stage, Leffler wrote fourteen plays that were either published or performed in theaters throughout Scandinavia and Europe - often to considerable critical acclaim. All address the situation of women, but often in connection with other issues, such as the exploitation of the working classes or the repressiveness of late-nineteenth-century European culture, and in a range of styles. Her feminist classic, the realist True Women, centers on the conflicts that arise on one household when a daughter opposes her spendthrift father's claim to the last of his wife's money. But it premiered together with the avant-garde one-act A Saving Angel, which depicts in the form of a dance the unsettling effects of urban sexuality on a group of young women. And Leffler's last play, The Ways of Truth, is a dream play that draws on flaneur narratives to show the wanderings of an intellectual heroine and her companion through scenes from late-nineteenth-century European life.

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On an otherwise normal weekday in the 1980s, commuters on busy Route 1 in central New Jersey noticed an alarming sight: a man in a suit and tie dashing across four lanes of traffic, then scurrying through a narrow underpass as cars whizzed by within inches. The man was William “Holly” Whyte, a pioneer of people-centered urban design. Decades before this perilous trek to a meeting in the suburbs, he had urged planners to look beyond their desks and drawings: “You have to get out and walk.” American Urbanist shares the life and wisdom of a man whose advocacy reshaped many of the places we know and love today—from New York’s bustling Bryant Park to preserved forests and farmlands around the country. Holly’s experiences as a WWII intelligence officer and leader of the genre-defining reporters at Fortune Magazine in the 1950s shaped his razor-sharp assessments of how the world actually worked—not how it was assumed to work. His 1956 bestseller, The Organization Man, catapulted the dangers of “groupthink” and conformity into the national consciousness. Over his five decades of research and writing, Holly’s wide-ranging work changed how people thought about careers and companies, cities and suburbs, urban planning, open space preservation, and more. He was part of the rising environmental movement, helped spur change at the planning office of New York City, and narrated two films about urban life, in addition to writing six books. No matter the topic, Holly advocated for the decisionmakers to be people, not just experts. “We need the kind of curiosity that blows the lid off everything,” Holly once said. His life offers encouragement to be thoughtful and bold in asking questions and in making space for differing viewpoints. This revealing biography offers a rare glimpse into the mind of an iconoclast whose healthy skepticism of the status quo can help guide our efforts to create the kinds of places we want to live in today.

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