Search results for ""There""

Ashok Vidal was once a member of the highest caste in all of Lok. As a Protector, he devoted his life to upholding the Law, rooting out those who still practiced the old ways and delivering swift justice with his ancestor blade Angruvadal. None was more merciless than he in stamping out the lingering belief in gods and demons among the casteless. His brutality was legendary and celebrated. But soon Ashok learned that his life to that point had been a lie. He himself, senior member of the Protector Order, was casteless. He had been nothing more than an unwitting pawn in a political game. His world turned upside down and finding himself on the wrong side of the Law, he began a campaign of rebellion, war, and destruction unlike any Lok had ever seen. Thera had been first daughter of Vane. A member of the Warrior Order, she had spent her life training for combat. Until a strange sight in the heavens appeared one day. Thera was struck by lighting and from that day forward she heard the Voice. A reluctant prophet with the power to see into the future, she fought alongside Ashok Vadal and his company of men known as the Sons of the Black Sword until a shapeshifting wizard with designs on her powers of precognition spirited her away. He holds her prisoner in the House of Assassins. Ashok Vadal and the Sons of the Black Sword march to rescue Thera. With his sword Angruvadal, Ashok was unstoppable. But Angruvadal is gone, shattered to pieces on the demon possessed husk of a warrior. Now, Ashok must fight without the aid of the magic blade for the first time. Thera’s life depends on it. But there is much more at risk in the continent of Lok. Strange forces are working behind the scenes. Ashok Vadal and the Sons of the Black Sword are caught up in a game they do not fully understand, with powerful forces allied against them. Ashok no longer knows what to believe. He is beginning to think perhaps the gods really do exist. If so, he’s warned them to stay out of his way. They would do well to listen. About prequel Son of the Black Sword: "This book has everything I like in fantasy: intense action scenes, evil in horrifying array, good struggling against the darkness, and most of all people—gorgeously flawed human beings faced with horrible moral choices that force them to question and change and grow."—Jim Butcher, creator of the New York Times best-selling Dresden Files "Best-selling fantasy author Correia casts a compelling spell with this India-influenced series opener. . . . Correia skillfully sets in motion this story of plots within plots, revealing complex, sympathetic characters and black-hearted villains with equal detail and insight. Full of action, intrigue, and wry humor, this exciting series launch promises many more thrills to come."—Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Fans who like Correia’s fast-moving style will be pleased with the plethora of action scenes, and epic fantasy readers interested in delving into a new universe should be equally satisfied. A solid choice for admirers of Brent Weeks and Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series."—Library Journal "Correia is, above all, a storyteller, and he weaves a unique and entertaining tale.Without question, his action sequences pop on the page, his magic system has a nice wrinkle, and he has the foundations laid out for some excellent character growth as the series continues. . . . [A] definite hit."—Bookreporter "The lore here is fascinating and well told. I enjoyed learning the history of the world and the legend of Ramrowan. The politics are just complicated enough to feel real without being too difficult to follow. Where the book truly shines, however, is in the characters. All are well drawn and distinctively voiced."—SFCrowsnest “I loved the book, it was great, fast paced, with wonderful characters, and also a lot of wonderful scenes that screamed to be painted.”—Larry Elmore, legendary, award-winning artist, and cover artist for Son of the Black Sword. "Son of the Black Sword: Saga of the Forgotten Warrior tells of what happens after the war with the gods, when demons were cast out and fell to the world to nearly destroy these unstoppable beasts until the gods sent a hero to save them. Centuries have passed since this event and the people have regulated these events to legend. One Ashok has been chosen to be a protector with a powerful weapon in hand, uncovering those who still practice old ways and are potential dangers to the order - but when he discovers all his efforts have been based on a lie, everything's about to change. A powerful epic fantasy evolves into a solid, compelling read."—Midwest Book Reivew About the Urban Fantasy of Larry Correia: “[A] no-holds-barred all-out page turner that is part science fiction, part horror, and an absolute blast to read.”—Bookreporter.com “If you love monsters and action, you’ll love this book. If you love guns, you’ll love this book. If you love fantasy, and especially horror fantasy, you’ll love this book.”—Knotclan.com “A gun person who likes science fiction—or, heck, anyone who likes science fiction—will enjoy [these books]. . . The plotting is excellent, and Correia makes you care about the characters…I read both books without putting them down except for work . . . so whaddaya waitin’ for? Go and buy some . . . for yourself and for stocking stuffers.”—Massad Ayoob “This lighthearted, testosterone-soaked sequel to 2009's Monster Hunter International will delight fans of action horror with elaborate weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, disgusting monsters, and an endless stream of blood and body parts.”—Publishers Weekly on Monster Hunter Vendetta

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Ask 110 top female executives from five nations to reflect on their careers and leadership as part of an international scientific study and you will uncover a set of recommendations for women who want to become and remain international business leaders. There is also invaluable advice for corporate managers wanting to recruit skilled women into executive positions. This book is based on the authentic experiences and original words of the interviewees - all of whom are senior female executives - and on the author's analytical insights, all set within a qualitative, scientific framework. In this international research project, the Global Women Career Lab, the author analyzes what motivates these fascinating role models, how they plan their career trajectories, what mechanisms they use to overcome obstacles and what leadership strategies have enabled these women to reach senior management positions. The book offers the reader a remarkable insight into the experiences of women in top business positions in Russia, China, Japan, France and Germany. About the author: Dr. Bettina-Al-Sadik-Lowinski is a researcher, author and certified international mentor-coach (MCC). Following a long management career in multinational companies, she has worked as an international executive coach and expert on diversity in Germany, France, Japan and China. Reviews: "A wealth of testimonials from female role models from all over the world, with valuable advices for women pursuing professional development as well as for companies leveraging diversity for competitive advantage."Hong Chow, China CEO Roche Pharma, Member of Supervisory Board Beiersdorf "Women need other women as role models in management in order to plan their careers more strategically and understand that the sky is unlimited for them. In this book, 110 role models from various countries share their experiences and I was especially impressed by the examples from Asian female leaders."Mari Nogami, President Takeda Consumer Healthcare Japan, Ex (the first) Chair of Women in Business AmCham Japan "As a big advocator for global diversity I recommend this book to all women who want to rise up their careers　globally and to corporate leaders who support diversity in their companies worldwide!"Rosa Lee, Executive Vice President of Bosch China, Member of the Board and Corporate HR Head APAC „It’s not right to think that business is a man´s world. Women are more sensitive and calmer - this makes us different, helps us to balance and makes ladies the best partners for men."Natalia Ryzhkova, CEO Gulliver&Co Int., Russia " International, authentic reports from female top managers from different countries combined with a sound scientific analysis of the growth factors for women in management. Insights across countries. Highly recommended!"Professor Dr. Jutta Rump, Managing Director, Institut of Employability (IBE), University of the Economy and Society Ludwigshafen, Germany „Women need to understand the country specific codes and create their best image as topmanager- using language, their look and body postures. This books shows us the similarities and the differences of female images in top positions in the five nations. Great findings!"Muriel de Saint Sauveur, President Women Masterclass France, former International Marketing, Communications and Diversity Director, Mazars Group, France „Les femmes doivent oser prendre leur juste place dans l’economie, que ce soit en tant qu’entrepreneure ou en tant que cadre dirigeante. C’est une question d’equilibre social mais plus encore de potentiel de performance. Plus de femmes signifie plus de croissance et plus de diversité dans les choix stratégiques. Osez, osez, c’est le maitre-mot à mettre en pratique!"Marie-Claire Capobianco, Ex membre du Comité exécutif du groupe BNPParibas, Membre du Haut Comité de Gouvernement d’Entreprise, France „Chinese female executives have many strengths. Great learnings also from women around the world. A treasure book!"Shelley Chen, Senior Director Human Resources, Communications and Public Relations, Saint-Gobain Pipe, APAC, Head of PAM-LAN- Diversity Institute, China " Top managers from five nations provide insights into how they strategically plan their careers, and break down barriers. The author Dr. Bettina AL-Sadik-Lowinski has managed to work out the cultural differences and similarities between these women. Very educational, worth reading and scientifically sound."Prof. Manuela Rousseau, Deputy chairwoman of the supervisory board and Author, Germany " Finally. International role models report what women need to advance further. The quotes contain a global fund that helps women successfully overcome barriers."Christine Rittner, former Global CHRO, Executive board member, Lidl, Germany　 " A journey through the career worlds of women of different cultures. Solidarity from women for women. Highly recommended."　Dr. Marion Welp, Attorney at Law, Chief Human Resources & Legal Affairs Officer, Member Executive Management Team, Board member, Esprit, Germany "Women in top management positions speak plain language. A great initiative. "Sonja Mechling, Head of Global Marketing, UX & Digital Innovation, Schindler Group, Germany „This world deserves more ladies in the leadership positions as a driver of positive changes. Dr. Bettina and her ladies had found their way to the Top and generously shares it in the book."Evgeny Bazhov, Chief Representative, Russia, Financial Association of EuroAsian Cooperation „Full of valuable insights. A must read to understand how women career paths work. Read it. Implement it."Christine Hesse, CEO Hesse Design, Germany Check out our two webinars on this book! In this panel discussion with female senior executives from different nations USA, China, Japan, Russia and Germany, the subject is what women in top leadership positions in different countries have in common and what makes them different: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-HN5VT64Aw In this video, Dr. Bettina Al-Sadik-Lowinski and her guests, all in high leadership positions themselves, read the authentic quotes from the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcbSiQ7pK9Y&t=1265s

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'In international and domestic law water has a widely multifaceted relevance. This book addresses the multifarious water issues from the perspective of a wide range of bodies of law, especially those on foreign investment, international trade and human rights. Its various contributions consistently follow a multi-layered methodological approach encompassing legal, policy, economic, financial, international and comparative domestic analysis. That makes this book a precious tool for international and domestic water policy makers, managers, practitioners and arbitrators.'- Attila M. Tanzi, Bologna University Alma Mater Studiorum, Italy 'Charting the Water Regulatory Future is a multifaceted review of contemporary issues concerning development and conservation of water resources. Divided in three parts, this book contains excellent articles that grapple with salient legal, economic and ethical problems that the world will face in the not-too-distant future.'- Thomas J. Schoenbaum, George Washington University Law School, US Water is an essential resource for mankind, yet many countries around the world are currently facing mounting freshwater management challenges, with climate change and new regional imbalances threatening to aggravate this situation further. This timely book offers a unique interdisciplinary inquiry into the issues and challenges water regulation will face in the coming years. The book brings together economists, political scientists, geographers and legal scholars to offer a number of proposals for the future of water regulation. The contributions in this book are grouped around specific themes. In the Part I, the contributions address the challenges which water poses to public international law. In the Part II, the authors explore the most pressing ethical, legal, and social issues. Finally, the discussion in Part III covers the economic drivers shaping the future of water. This discerning book cov‘This book, examining the issues, challenges and directions in water regulation, is very timely. . . (It) contributes to this gigantic endeavour by identifying some of the most pressing legal and economic issues and challenges, and pointing toward some possible future directions. It is written in a technically accurate yet accessible language and will surely prove useful to scholars, policymakers, and practitioners alike.’– Fernando Dias Simões, European Yearbook of International Economic Law 2018‘In international and domestic law water has a widely multifaceted relevance. This book addresses the multifarious water issues from the perspective of a wide range of bodies of law, especially those on foreign investment, international trade and human rights. Its various contributions consistently follow a multi-layered methodological approach encompassing legal, policy, economic, financial, international and comparative domestic analysis. That makes this book a precious tool for international and domestic water policy makers, managers, practitioners and arbitrators.’– Attila M. Tanzi, Bologna University Alma Mater Studiorum, Italy‘Charting the Water Regulatory Future is a multifaceted review of contemporary issues concerning development and conservation of water resources. Divided in three parts, this book contains excellent articles that grapple with salient legal, economic and ethical problems that the world will face in the not-too-distant future.’ – Thomas J. Schoenbaum, George Washington University Law School, US‘This excellent book addresses urgent global water issues: scarcity of clean water as population grows and the climate changes, balancing incentives for investment in infrastructure with human rights to basic needs, jurisdiction and management of international watersheds, and the role of trade and international trade agreements. Individual chapters are sophisticated but accessible and documented rigorously but unobtrusively. The authors are reputed scholars from diverse disciplines, representing a wide range of countries in terms of geography and economic status.’– Alan Randall, The Ohio State University, US and University of Sydney, Australia‘There is no greater challenge in the 21st century than meeting the demand for water amid global climate change. Rapid urbanization, a growing global population projected to hit nine billion in the coming decades, combined with rising demands for water intensive agri-foods, is creating enormous stresses on global water resources. This volume brings together an outstanding collection of global experts to examine the regulatory challenges of water management, addressing topics as diverse as regulating trade in water, global institutions and water conservation, cross border investment in water utilities, as well as ethical, social and legal issues associated with equity and access to water. The volume represents an original and immensely valuable collection of papers for anyone concerned with the future of this most essential resource.’– Darryl Jarvis, Hong Kong Institute of Education‘Pollution, population growth, climate change and regional imbalances make water management a central challenge for governments. New problems about water have arisen, which include inefficient sanitation services, the depletion of groundwater, unstable water supply networks and the use of water carriers. This excellent edited collection brings us a fresh and broad understanding on the future of water regulation from trade, investment, sustainable development, human rights and economics perspectives. This book is highly recommended for anyone interested in international rule-making and regulatory development for public goods in the era of globalization.’– Tsai-yu Lin, National Taiwan University‘Overall, this edited volume has certainly succeeded in analysing a highly technical topic from a wide variety of disciplines and in an array of jurisdictions. Its interdisciplinary nature, together with its consistency and clarity, makes it a welcome and timely addition to the literature. It constitutes a useful reference for both academics and practitioners who seek guidance in the intricate and vitally important realm of water regulation.'– Chinese Journal of Environmental Lawers all of the primary actors in the actors of the water world, including governments, companies, international organizations, and citizens. With an original introduction by the editor and bringing a diverse collection of perspectives into a single collection, the book will be an essential resource for scholars and practitioners in legal and policy fields such as trade and investment, human rights and the environment as well as in international relations.Contributors include: M. Ahmad, T. Ancev, S. Azad, A.P. Barcellos, R. Bates, D. Chakraborty, C. Emeziem, S. Hamamoto, F. Hernandez-Sancho, M. Hirano, J. Lassa, P. Mahadevan, T. McDonnell, S. Mukherjee, S.A. Shah, V.J.M. Tassin, C. Titi, P. Turrini

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In 2013 my wife, Jeanne, and I, she in her late sixties, I in my early seventies, set out to fulfill our long held dream of living in the woods for a year. Before leaving our home in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, I contacted the editors of Tempo, the monthly news magazine in the Town of Lac Brome (which I will refer to as “Lac Brome”), to enquire whether they would be interested in receiving reports of our progress in the endeavour. They said, “Yes.” This book is based upon those articles. My original intention was to produce a work echoing the objectives of Thoreau who, in addition to describing his daily life in his chosen wilderness, commented on the mores and politics of his time in his Walden. However, each time that I penned such a commentary, I realized that it detracted from the essence of our experience. The reaction to the Tempo articles proved that the unfolding of the tale of our daily lives was all that was required to engender intense interest and comment. Thus this memoir has to do exclusively with living in the woods. How It All Began We arrived in the mid-afternoon of June 15, 2013. The car and trailer were loaded to the gills. Scooter, our cat, lay sedated in her cage. She does not like to travel and hates being in her cage. She, particularly, does not like the movement of the car if we are going over any sort of bump, bumps being inevitable on the thirty-five km of forestry roads we take once leaving the highway in La Tuque. The unloading of our stuff and the carrying of it to the cabin was a major effort, all being by packsacks, boxes and bags. The parking spot on the track in is 350 m from the cabin. I made ten trips, thus round trips totaling 7,000 m, 3,500 of them loaded. We had decided that to be true to our wilderness endeavor, we would not have a road excavated to the cabin. The ground, as was discovered during the building process, is too rough for anything other than a high clearance ATV (all-terrain vehicle). The track, from where we park the truck, which leads to the cabin, is a series of drops over rock ledges. Given the nature of the ground and that the ATVs and their trailers were generally fully- loaded, it was not surprising that two of them were wrecked during the building process. The carrying of immediately required articles and food accomplished, we then indulged in a soothing swim and returned to the cabin as enthused and as excited as newlyweds. We opened a bottle of wine on the west-facing balcony, watched the sun set and rejoiced to see a pair of loons on the lake. Supper, then bed, exhausted but exhilarated. ******************** For about as long as I have known Jeanne she has wanted to spend an entire year, three hundred and sixty-five consecutive days, in the woods. This is not motivated by a desire to be a hermit or because she is anti-social. To paraphrase Montaigne, she is quite content living a private life but that does not mean that she is unsuited to a public one. After all, she insisted, it is only for one year. When I asked, “Might it be that you would never come back?” she answered, “It’s only for a year.” I should immediately add that this was not to be a year alone. Jeanne insisted that I was part of the plan and was to go with her. I like to think that this was because she loves me but if that was only part of the reason, for she would need a hewer of wood and fetcher of water, a man servant in the general sense, then I was content, for I need looking after myself and our lives have been inter-dependent since the day of our marriage which was over fifty years ago. Our adult lives have been outwardly quite normal. I am a lawyer specializing in maritime law, meaning having to do with ships. Jeanne has been a school teacher, first at Westhill High School and then at the Convent of the Sacred heart, both in Montreal. She then embraced her childhood dream of being a ballet dancer, which lead to her becoming a choreographer, teacher and performer of dance, first on the teaching staff of les Ballets Jazz de MontrÉal, then as owner of le Centre de Dance Jeanne Marler, which included an annual, international, two-week dance seminar with closing performance, called Focus on Jazz. It attracted aspiring pre-professionals from around the world. At a certain point, she decided that if she could no longer physically perform the dance movements at the level which she had attained in her performance career, it was time to move on. She obtained a diploma from the New York School of Interior Design and embarked upon that profession until she found it too commercially driven, the demands of the clients too often conflicting with Jeanne’s sense of what was artistically and/or practically appropriate. She then opened a performing and fine arts camp for children and adolescents, set in the pristine hills and woods of Vermont, which she ran with great success for three years, until the property which she had leased became no longer available, due to the owner’s intention to build a hotel on the site. In the mid-nineteen-nineties she turned to painting. Her sketches, oil paintings and photography illuminate this book. “But why in the woods?” many asked. Most Canadians think of going south rather than north for vacations or retirement. Only Jeanne might properly be able to answer that question. She is a spiritual person, very much in the Celtic tradition. When we go to the woods she becomes very quiet. On family vacations to wilderness locations, the children used to say, “That’s it for talking to Mum. She will turn into a rock or a mushroom or something for as long as we are here”. And so it was. On our departures from such places she often cried. We asked, “What’s the matter?” There would be no answer. I think it had and has simply to do with leaving places where her spirit finds its natural home.

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"Margaret L. King has put together a highly representative selection of readings from most of the more significant—but by no means the most obvious—texts by the authors who made up the movement we have come to call the 'Enlightenment.' They range across much of Europe and the Americas, and from the early seventeenth century until the end of the eighteenth. In the originality of the choice of texts, in its range and depth, this collection offers both wide coverage and striking insights into the intellectual transformation which has done more than any other to shape the world in which we live today. It is simply the best introduction to the subject now available." —Anthony Pagden, UCLA, and author of The Enlightenment and Why It Still Matters Contents:Chronology, IntroductionChapter One - Casting Out Idols: 1620–1697 Idols, or false notions: Francis Bacon, The New Instrument (1620) I think, therefore I am: René Descartes, Discourse on Method (1637) God, or Nature: Baruch Spinoza, Ethics (1677) The system of the world: Isaac Newton, Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy (1687) He searched for truth throughout his life: Pierre Bayle, Historical and Critical Dictionary (1697) Chapter Two - The Learned Maid: 1638–1740 A face raised toward heaven: Anna Maria van Schurman, Whether the Study of Letters Befits a Christian Woman (1638) The worlds I have made: Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World (1666) A finer sort of cattle: Bathsua Makin, An Essay to Revive the Ancient Education of Gentlewomen (1673) I warn you of the world: Madame de Maintenon, Letter: On the Education of the Demoiselles of Saint-Cyr (August 1, 1686), and Instruction: On the World (1707) The daybreak of your reason: Émilie Du Châtelet, Fundamentals of Physics (1740) Chapter Three - A State of Perfect Freedom: 1689–1695 The chief criterion of the True Church: John Locke, Letter on Toleration (1689) Freedom from any superior power on earth: John Locke, Second Treatise on Civil Government (1689) A white paper, with nothing written on it: John Locke, Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1689) Let your rules be as few as possible: John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education (1693) From death, Jesus Christ restores all to life: John Locke, The Reasonableness of Christianity, as Delivered in the Scriptures (1695) Chapter Four - All Things Made New: 1725–1784 In the wilderness, they are reborn: Giambattista Vico, The New Science (1725/1730/1744) Without these Names, nothing can be known, Carl Linnaeus, System of Nature (1735) All the clouds at last are lifted: Anne Robert Jacques Turgot, The Successive Advancement of the Human Mind (1750) A genealogical or encyclopedic tree of knowledge: Jean le Rond d’Alembert, Preliminary Discourse (1751) Dare to know! : Immanuel Kant, What Is Enlightenment? (1784) Chapter Five - Mind, Soul, and God: 1740–1779 The narrow limits of human understanding: David Hume, An Abstract of a Book Lately Published (1740) The soul is but an empty word: Julien Offray de La Mettrie, Man a Machine (1747) All is reduced to sensation: Claude Adrien Helvétius, On the Mind (1758) An endless web of fantasies and falsehoods: Paul-Henri Thiry, baron d’Holbach, Common Sense (1772) Let each believe that his own ring is real: Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, Nathan the Wise (1779) Chapter Six - Crush That Infamous Thing: 1733–1764 This is the country of sects: Voltaire, Philosophical Letters (1733) Disfigured by myth, until enlightenment comes: Voltaire, The Culture and Spirit of Nations (1756) The best of all possible worlds: Voltaire, Candide (1759) Are we not all children of the same God?: Voltaire, Treatise on Tolerance (1763) If a book displeases you, refute it! : Voltaire, Philosophical Dictionary (1764) Chapter Seven - Toward the Greater Good: 1748–1776 Things must be so ordered that power checks power, Charles de Secondat, baron de Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws (1748) Complete freedom of trade must be ensured: François Quesnay, General Maxims for the Economic Management of an Agricultural Kingdom (1758) The nation's war against the citizen: Cesare Beccaria, On Crimes and Punishments (1764) There is no peace in the absence of justice: Adam Ferguson, An Essay on the History of Civil Society (1767) Led by an invisible hand: Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776) Chapter Eight - Encountering Others: 1688–1785 Thus died this great man: Aphra Behn, Oroonoko: or The Royal Slave (1688) Not one sins the less for not being Christian: Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Embassy Letters (1716–1718) Do you not restore to them their liberty?: Guillaume-Thomas Raynal, Philosophical and Political History of European Colonies and Commerce in the Two Indies (1770) Some things which are rather interesting: Captain James Cook, Voyage towards the South Pole, and Round the World (1777) The inner genius of my being: Johann Gottfried von Herder, Ideas for a Philosophy of the History of Humankind (1785) Chapter - Nine Citizen of Geneva: 1755–1782 The most cunning project ever to enter the human mind: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Human Inequality (1754) The supreme direction of the General Will: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract (1762) Two lovers from a small town at the foot of the Alps, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Julie, or the New Heloise (1761) Build a fence around your child’s soul: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, or On Education (1762) This man will be myself: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Confessions (1770) Chapter Ten - Vindications of Women: 1685–1792 No higher design than to get her a husband: Mary Astell, Reflections on Marriage (1700) The days of my bondage begin: Anna Stanisławska, Orphan Girl (1685) A dying victim dragged to the altar: Denis Diderot, The Nun (1760/1780) Created to be the toy of man: Mary Wollstonecraft, Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) Man, are you capable of being just?: Olympe de Gouges, Declaration of the Rights of Woman as Citizen (1791) Chapter Eleven - American Reverberations: 1771–1792 I took upon me to assert my freedom: Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography (1771/1792) Freedom has been hunted round the globe: Thomas Paine, Common Sense (1776) Endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights: Thomas Jefferson and Others, Declaration of Independence (1776) A safeguard against faction and insurrection: James Madison, Federalist No. 10 (1787) An end to government by force and fraud: Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man (1791–1792) Chapter Twelve - Enlightenment's End: 1790–1794 A partnership of the living, the dead, and those unborn: Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790) The future destiny of the human species: Nicolas de Condorcet, A Sketch of a Historical Portrait of the Progress of the Human Mind (1793–1794) Texts and Studies, Index

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ONE FAMILY’S REVOLT AGAINST EVERYDAY POLLUTION When a beanbag sent thousands of polystyrene balls flying through her garden, Kate Hughes decided to make a break with the throwaway society. She and her husband transformed the lives of their ordinary family of four. They ditched plastic, shunned supermarkets, cooked all meals from scratch, bought only second-hand clothes, and made their own cleaning agents. Then they went deeper – greening every aspect of their home life, from their gas and electricity to their car, from their money to their IT. The Hugheses have achieved the ‘zero waste’ goal of sending nothing to landfill. Now they are going even further… Told with refreshing humility and humour, this eye-opening story shows that a well-lived life doesn’t have to come wrapped in plastic. Packed with handy tips, it reveals much about what makes a fulfilling modern family – and how readers can empower themselves to preserve the climate, forests and seas. And, heart-warmingly, how that can lead to a more relaxing life. Extract Cooking our own meals Wrestling out of the firm grip of the supermarkets has had other, unexpected benefits, too. It’s undoubtedly cheaper to cook from scratch, especially if you can batch cook and fill every available space in your oven to reduce energy costs. The need to become the more organised, list-writing type of shoppers has also helped dramatically cut our food waste. We’re lucky that we can and do buy our raw ingredients from small, independent retailers that source from nearby suppliers and growers and pass on our questions about sustainability, sometimes even with enthusiasm. But what we hadn’t anticipated were the indirect effects of a brand vacuum. If you ever pop round to ours and start randomly opening our kitchen cupboards, fridge or freezer they would probably remind you of a blind taste test or an episode of the BBC’s Eat Well for Less. There’s definitely food in there, but it’s all in label-less jars, paper bags or sometimes even sacks for bulk items like bread flour and oats. At first, visitors find the lack of familiar packaging quite unsettling. We get a lot of questions that start: ‘Is this proper/real/like…?’ as guests hold jars up to the light with badly disguised scepticism. On the plus side, our children now have zero pester power. We don’t need to navigate the snack shuffle at the supermarket checkout because they have no hope of deploying the ‘It’s not the one I like’ argument at mealtimes. Nor, for that matter, have the adults. ... But we were starting to realise that making the journey was leading to more questions than answers, more grey areas, misinformation and conflicts of interest than we ever imagined – and that was just about food. We hadn’t even got started on anything else that came into our home yet. Take a single, uncontroversial ingredient, let’s say peppers. Should we buy them grown in a UK hothouse or ones trucked in from Spain? What if the Spanish ones are organic? Or the only UK option is wrapped in plastic? Which is better for the environment? Or at least less harmful? If we ever want to eat peppers again without negatively impacting the planet in some way are we going to have to grow our own? Because self-sufficiency wasn’t really part of the plan.... All we could do was dive in and hope we didn’t drown in the detail as we swam around looking for food that worked for us and the planet. We started with the problem of transport because food mileage was a well established measure that meant we could actually make some decisions based on numbers for once. Or, at least, we thought we could. Three quarters of all the fruit and veg now eaten in the UK is imported. Almost all the fruit we eat has been grown overseas, and soft fruit in particular is flown in. It turns out that the UK only produces half of all the food that is consumed on these shores – which is somewhat patriotically disconcerting as well as practically unsustainable. Global sourcing is not a new approach to feeding a nation. One of our family stories is the recollection of the first banana my great uncle ever tasted after the Second World War, shipped from the other side of the world and unloaded onto the Liverpool docks. We were very aware that bananas came from overseas. But the fact that such a vast proportion of the apples eaten in Britain are imported from South Africa, or at best France, when the fruit grows very well in the miles of orchards you can see from the motorway near our house seemed to be absurd. The obvious solution appeared to be only to buy food produced not just in the UK but as close to our immediate vicinity as possible. That immediately threw up two questions. The first we were becoming increasingly familiar with. Were we really prepared to give up things we took great pleasure in for the sake of an unquantifiable, but undoubtedly minuscule effect? Or even just to settle for not adding to the runaway levels of damage that our disconnected food shop was causing each and every day? We are children of the 90s. We grew up safe in the knowledge that the world’s produce was at our fingertips at any time of the year. When we were kids, cuisine was regularly valued on the exoticism of its ingredients. Even if your palate was resolutely British, a Sunday roast at an ageing auntie’s always included the smug mention that the family was consuming lamb imported from the other side of the world. Even in our twenties, the craze for exotic bottled water shipped, plastic encased, in vast quantities from tropical islands thousands of miles away, packed a serious economic punch. And then there’s the avocado – a native of Mexico and now all but a dictionary definition of the British Millennial. We had come of age and then brought our children into the world on the assumption that it was normal to buy exotic food cheaply all year round. Things were clearly going to have to change, starting with my obsession with avocado on toast. But the second question was whether a straightforward food mile approach was even a worthwhile aim. When I put the question of food miles to Riverford Organic Farmers, the sustainably produced veg box people, they told me that for most of the year our carbon impact would be smaller if we bought organic tomatoes trucked in from Spain than those heated thanks to fossil fuels in a UK hothouse. That means the answer has to be to eat food grown in the UK at the time of year it is traditionally produced. We finally arrived at a robust solution – seasonal, native eating. Buy the book to find out how they tackled this!

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UNCOVERED: 1 in 4 EXAM GRADES IS WRONG 'An important contribution to our thinking.’ – Sixth Form Colleges Association 'An uncomfortable but important read.’ – Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference 'Everyone in UK education should reflect upon the problems identified in this powerful book' – Higher Education Policy Institute Every summer one million GCSE and A-Level candidates receive results that define their school years and set them up for their life. But those results are gravely unreliable. In fact, about one grade in four in England is WRONG. That is 1.5 million grades every year. An A-Level grade B might have been an A, or even a C, had a different examiner marked the script. Similarly, a GCSE grade 7 might have received a grade 8 or a 6. For a decade, young people and their friends and families have been unable to grasp the full extent of this randomness. Now, in this definitive and easy to follow book, Dennis Sherwood explains why so many pupils receive final grades that don’t do them justice. And he suggests ways to regain trust, which apply to essay-based exams throughout the world. Reviews ‘Know an A Level student who you were absolutely sure should nail an A* but ended up with a B? Well, they probably should have got that A* but were a victim of this scandal. Sherwood’s work changed my outlook. Let him change yours too.’ – Robert Campbell, former Chief Executive, Morris Education Trust ‘Dennis has been challenging our thinking about assessment and the awarding of grades for many years, combining detailed research with an engaging manner and clear explanations... this is an important contribution to our thinking.’ – Bill Watkin, Chief Executive, Sixth Form Colleges Association ‘Dennis Sherwood asks the questions about exam grades that no one really wants to answer. His analysis suggests that much of what we think we know about school exams is based at best on wishful thinking and at worst on wilful misrepresentation of statistics. But he also has some positive suggestions for improvement. Missing the Mark is an uncomfortable but important read.’ – Melvyn Roffe, Chair, Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference ‘Missing a grade can result in university or college applications being rejected. Dennis Sherwood asks the $64,000 question: ‘Are grades reliable enough for the purposes they are supposed to serve?’ This book presents an insightful analysis of this important matter, including the rules introduced in 2016 to reduce the number of appeals, the controversial grading processes in 2020 and 2021 when exams were cancelled, why ‘real’ grades are so unreliable, and some solutions too.’ – Huy Duong, parent ‘Everyone in UK education should reflect upon the problems identified in this powerful book – and then decide what to do about them.’ – Nick Hillman, Director, Higher Education Policy Institute Anyone with an interest in how examinations are assessed, from those in government, regulators, schools, colleges, universities to employers, teachers, parents and students, should read Dennis Sherwood's incisive analysis. His conclusions will have a profound impact on our idea of the accuracy, reliability and fairness of examinations. – Mike Larkin, Emeritus Professor Queen's University of Belfast and Total Equality For Students ‘Dennis provides a clear, step-by-step outline of what is going so terribly wrong and the easy ways to remedy this.’ – Ollie Green, A-level student About the author Dennis Sherwood is a management consultant with experience of solving complex problems. He has a Physics Masters from the University of Cambridge, an MPhil in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University and a PhD in biology from the University of California in San Diego. After being a consulting partner at Deloitte Haskins + Sells, and Coopers & Lybrand, he became an executive director at Goldman Sachs. He now runs his own business, The Silver Bullet Machine Manufacturing Company Limited, specialising in organisational creativity and innovation. He is author of 14 books. Extract - Foreword Gold standard! Well, maybe not! For many years England’s GCSE and A-level qualifications have enjoyed an international reputation as world-leading. They have frequently been cited as ‘gold standard’ examinations. In this book Dennis Sherwood applies forensic analysis, in an accessible format, to one aspect of those qualifications – the grades awarded to each student on results day. His expert commentary leaves us in no doubt that the architecture of reliability is nothing more than a fancy façade on a house that’s built on sand. This is not a book about whether examinations are the best way to assess authentic learning. That’s a different debate, although there’s evidence here that excessive reliance on end-of-course examinations exacerbates the great grading scandal. This is also not a book about whether the content of our examination-driven school and college curriculum is well-designed, fit for purpose or sufficiently visionary for the future needs of students. That too is a long overdue discussion which should inform public policy, but Dennis retains his focus on one pressing issue. Are the grades awarded to students at the end of the examination process a reliable indicator of their performance and ability? Can those grades be trusted to determine suitability for advanced academic study or access to employment? Do they serve to differentiate authentically between one student and the next? We are all familiar with the results day photographs that accompany the headlines in August. Enthusiastic celebrations with beaming smiles. Images that are carefully contrived to align with the supporting text as ‘Camelia’ (or whoever) progresses to a top university with her four A* grades or ‘Daniel’ revealed to be a prodigy as he attains twelve grade 9’s in his GCSEs. Their results may well be impressive and will certainly open doors towards privileged academic opportunities. But what if the student with AAB is actually no better, in any meaningful sense, than the student with BAC? What if these grades lack the precision that they appear to convey? Is there an element of unreliability in how they are awarded – such that two otherwise identical candidates may as well roll a dice alongside completing their examination paper to determine which, say, of two adjacent grades they may ultimately be awarded? If Dennis is right – and I think he is – then a great grading scandal unfolds before our eyes every summer... [Buy the book to continue reading the foreword] Dr Robin Bevan, Headteacher, Southend High School for Boys and NEU Past National President, 2020-21

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"If you are a believer this book is a must read. If you are a sceptic this is a must read for you too. If you think you are too "intellectual" for Christian belief let this book tell you how wrong you are and inspire you to try a better way with God, instead of without Him. Highly recommended - a great Australian book which will blow you away." (Marian Klitzke, (Tasmania), a retired social worker and ex-owner of a Christian bookshop. Emailed to the author and posted on You-tube with the promo.) Trained at the University of New South Wales, Dr Ern Crocker is an experienced nuclear medicine physician, and the first to practise ultrasound in Australia. As he reconciled his Christian faith with his understanding of medicine, Dr Crocker became aware that God was working alongside him during an after-hours medical emergency. In this book, Dr Crocker recounts this life-changing encounter with the miraculous power of God, and also presents the testimonies of many other doctors who, like him, have experienced the presence of a "silent partner" as they carry out their medical duties. Readers will be amazed at these insiders' accounts of how God intervenes in the world of medicine today! "An essential read for those struggling with the considerable challenge of integrating a passion for the science of medicine, the art of compassionate holistic care and a love of the God who has created them." Dr Michael Burke MBBS, PhD, FRACGP, FAICD Christian Medical and Dental Fellowship of Australia "It is my hope that this book will encourage a large number of people to recognize that their hope lies with God, rather than with themselves." Ben Carson MD, Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Professor of Neurological Surgery, Oncology, Plastic Surgery, and Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University. Author of Gifted Hands "This is an inspirational book. I recommend it to all, but especially to students and young professionals in health care. Over and over again it shows that God is faithful to those who seek him and intervenes in the lives of his followers. He is the healer, whether it be through medical or miraculous means. May it encourage those in the medical world to go after God more and more and see his kingdom come in health care in the nations." Dr Ken Curry, Health Care In Christ, Australia "To some, a Christian doctor is an oxymoron in our day and age. Dr Ern Crocker in his book Nine Minutes Past Midnight demonstrates keen intellectual precision whole at the same time positioning himself in a very real faith. I love the reality of the book. I enjoy the stories of incredible medical and technological breakthrough. I am in awe when healing comes when doctors know that it was not their efforts alone that won the day. Both types are stories of divine intervention. I am comforted that others struggle with the reality that healing is not effected in every case, either by divine or by natural means. The reality of our limitations as shared in this book, serves to remind us that there is still much to learn, and much to keep us humble, even while celebrating great success. This book and its heroes are worth celebrating." David Crabtree, Senior Pastor, DaySpring Church, Australia "Nine Minutes Past Midnight is a compelling book, demonstrating perfectly what it looks like when the kingdom of heaven is expressed through the hands of those in the medical field. With interviews and testimonies from professionals all over the world, Dr Ernest Crocker has courageously painted a clear picture of what it looks like when the hand of God is upon and working through doctors surrendered to Him. This book will encourage your faith as you read about the many who have encountered God and have successfully carried Him into the world of medicine." Bill Johnson, Senior Pastor, Bethel Church, California. Author of When Heaven Invades Earth and Secrets To Imitating God Nine Minutes Past Midnight is essentially a compilation of interviews, conversations, and anecdotes, involving both doctors and patients. The purpose of Crocker's assembled interviews, conversations, and anecdotes, was to set out "factual evidence" - sometimes quite startling factual evidence - entrusted to him by "prominent medical practitioners of sound mind and undisputed word" (thereby confirming Crocker's own relevant experiences) regarding "the manner in which a 'personal' God interacts and intervenes in the lives of doctors, their patients, families and friends." This factual evidence related to God's intervening in the healing process today, not simply in the past. Put differently, the central theme of Nine Minutes Past Midnight is the experience by doctors and patients of God's presence now in day-to-day medical practice as the "third person involved in patient care and in the healing process...that unseen person or 'silent partner'." Rarely does a reviewer get to write about a book as remarkable as Ernest Crocker's Nine Minutes Past Midnight. Dr Colin Goodwin (extract from review) "Mr Ernest Crocker does not work alone but with a 'silent partner' he calls on during his treatment. As a young doctor he found just how powerful this 'silent partner' is when called out to a medical emergency at Nine Minutes Past Midnight. It was beyond explanation how this woman, pronounced dead twice by other medical personnel, lived without any lasting effects. This miracle encouraged and changed Dr Crocker, the first nuclear medicine physician in Australia to practise ultrasound. Nine Minutes Past Midnight begins with this incredible story and is followed by Dr Crocker's medical and spiritual journey and stories of other Christian doctors he encountered and interviewed over the years. It is a book of incredible faith, from medical personnel praying and trusting God to heal patients when their prognosis and ethics tell them the opposite, to the faith of patients whose lives are healed when their prognosis is non-existent. This truly inspirational book would be a great encouragement to those training or working in the health field. They will learn to trust God the healer would be a great encouragement to those training or working in the health field. They will learn to trust God the healer to work in the lives of patients either through medical or miraculous means and realise the limits of medical abilities against God's healing power. Highly recommended." - Elizabeth Gardner Weekly Challenge New Zealand's Christian Newspaper, 23/06/2012

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"Margaret L. King has put together a highly representative selection of readings from most of the more significant—but by no means the most obvious—texts by the authors who made up the movement we have come to call the 'Enlightenment.' They range across much of Europe and the Americas, and from the early seventeenth century until the end of the eighteenth. In the originality of the choice of texts, in its range and depth, this collection offers both wide coverage and striking insights into the intellectual transformation which has done more than any other to shape the world in which we live today. It is simply the best introduction to the subject now available." —Anthony Pagden, UCLA, and author of The Enlightenment and Why It Still Matters Contents:Chronology, IntroductionChapter One - Casting Out Idols: 1620–1697 Idols, or false notions: Francis Bacon, The New Instrument (1620) I think, therefore I am: René Descartes, Discourse on Method (1637) God, or Nature: Baruch Spinoza, Ethics (1677) The system of the world: Isaac Newton, Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy (1687) He searched for truth throughout his life: Pierre Bayle, Historical and Critical Dictionary (1697) Chapter Two - The Learned Maid: 1638–1740 A face raised toward heaven: Anna Maria van Schurman, Whether the Study of Letters Befits a Christian Woman (1638) The worlds I have made: Margaret Cavendish, The Blazing World (1666) A finer sort of cattle: Bathsua Makin, An Essay to Revive the Ancient Education of Gentlewomen (1673) I warn you of the world: Madame de Maintenon, Letter: On the Education of the Demoiselles of Saint-Cyr (August 1, 1686), and Instruction: On the World (1707) The daybreak of your reason: Émilie Du Châtelet, Fundamentals of Physics (1740) Chapter Three - A State of Perfect Freedom: 1689–1695 The chief criterion of the True Church: John Locke, Letter on Toleration (1689) Freedom from any superior power on earth: John Locke, Second Treatise on Civil Government (1689) A white paper, with nothing written on it: John Locke, Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1689) Let your rules be as few as possible: John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education (1693) From death, Jesus Christ restores all to life: John Locke, The Reasonableness of Christianity, as Delivered in the Scriptures (1695) Chapter Four - All Things Made New: 1725–1784 In the wilderness, they are reborn: Giambattista Vico, The New Science (1725/1730/1744) Without these Names, nothing can be known, Carl Linnaeus, System of Nature (1735) All the clouds at last are lifted: Anne Robert Jacques Turgot, The Successive Advancement of the Human Mind (1750) A genealogical or encyclopedic tree of knowledge: Jean le Rond d’Alembert, Preliminary Discourse (1751) Dare to know! : Immanuel Kant, What Is Enlightenment? (1784) Chapter Five - Mind, Soul, and God: 1740–1779 The narrow limits of human understanding: David Hume, An Abstract of a Book Lately Published (1740) The soul is but an empty word: Julien Offray de La Mettrie, Man a Machine (1747) All is reduced to sensation: Claude Adrien Helvétius, On the Mind (1758) An endless web of fantasies and falsehoods: Paul-Henri Thiry, baron d’Holbach, Common Sense (1772) Let each believe that his own ring is real: Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, Nathan the Wise (1779) Chapter Six - Crush That Infamous Thing: 1733–1764 This is the country of sects: Voltaire, Philosophical Letters (1733) Disfigured by myth, until enlightenment comes: Voltaire, The Culture and Spirit of Nations (1756) The best of all possible worlds: Voltaire, Candide (1759) Are we not all children of the same God?: Voltaire, Treatise on Tolerance (1763) If a book displeases you, refute it! : Voltaire, Philosophical Dictionary (1764) Chapter Seven - Toward the Greater Good: 1748–1776 Things must be so ordered that power checks power, Charles de Secondat, baron de Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws (1748) Complete freedom of trade must be ensured: François Quesnay, General Maxims for the Economic Management of an Agricultural Kingdom (1758) The nation's war against the citizen: Cesare Beccaria, On Crimes and Punishments (1764) There is no peace in the absence of justice: Adam Ferguson, An Essay on the History of Civil Society (1767) Led by an invisible hand: Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776) Chapter Eight - Encountering Others: 1688–1785 Thus died this great man: Aphra Behn, Oroonoko: or The Royal Slave (1688) Not one sins the less for not being Christian: Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Embassy Letters (1716–1718) Do you not restore to them their liberty?: Guillaume-Thomas Raynal, Philosophical and Political History of European Colonies and Commerce in the Two Indies (1770) Some things which are rather interesting: Captain James Cook, Voyage towards the South Pole, and Round the World (1777) The inner genius of my being: Johann Gottfried von Herder, Ideas for a Philosophy of the History of Humankind (1785) Chapter - Nine Citizen of Geneva: 1755–1782 The most cunning project ever to enter the human mind: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Human Inequality (1754) The supreme direction of the General Will: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract (1762) Two lovers from a small town at the foot of the Alps, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Julie, or the New Heloise (1761) Build a fence around your child’s soul: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Emile, or On Education (1762) This man will be myself: Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Confessions (1770) Chapter Ten - Vindications of Women: 1685–1792 No higher design than to get her a husband: Mary Astell, Reflections on Marriage (1700) The days of my bondage begin: Anna Stanisławska, Orphan Girl (1685) A dying victim dragged to the altar: Denis Diderot, The Nun (1760/1780) Created to be the toy of man: Mary Wollstonecraft, Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) Man, are you capable of being just?: Olympe de Gouges, Declaration of the Rights of Woman as Citizen (1791) Chapter Eleven - American Reverberations: 1771–1792 I took upon me to assert my freedom: Benjamin Franklin, Autobiography (1771/1792) Freedom has been hunted round the globe: Thomas Paine, Common Sense (1776) Endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights: Thomas Jefferson and Others, Declaration of Independence (1776) A safeguard against faction and insurrection: James Madison, Federalist No. 10 (1787) An end to government by force and fraud: Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man (1791–1792) Chapter Twelve - Enlightenment's End: 1790–1794 A partnership of the living, the dead, and those unborn: Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790) The future destiny of the human species: Nicolas de Condorcet, A Sketch of a Historical Portrait of the Progress of the Human Mind (1793–1794) Texts and Studies, Index

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Since 1920, Architectural Digest has celebrated design talents, innovative homes, and products--providing endless decoration, lifestyle, and travel inspiration. With ten global editions, the magazine is an authority renowned all over the world for publishing only the very best of today's interior design. In this new volume--spearheaded by AD France's editor in chief, Marie Kalt--the editors of Architectural Digest's international editions have teamed up to thoughtfully curate a collection of today's most exceptional interiors around the globe. These diverse residential spaces span from the United States and China, to France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Spain, India, Mexico, and the Middle East, presenting each country's unique AD style manifesto and the work of design luminaries such as Peter Marino, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Jacques Grange, Joseph Dirand, and Bijoy Jain, to name a few. The featured projects range from Marc Jacobs's New York townhouse to Tommy Hilfiger's Connecticut abode and Seth Meyers's Manhattan duplex; a sumptuous eighteenth-century Italian villa and a Moroccan palace; Pierre Berge's apartment and a hotel particulier in Paris; a Majorca summer home; and a country house in Russia. Brimming with stunning images and rich international inspirations, this unparalleled compendium of global interiors is a must for every library of interior design. Interior designer Mark D. Sikes burst onto the publishing scene with his New York Times best-selling first book, Beautiful. His new book, aptly titled More Beautiful, picks up where the first left off, in a celebration of classic, all-American decorating. The rooms featured in More Beautiful are divided into five distinct styles, all of which exude the happiness that comes with surrounding oneself with things you love. Traditional is chockablock with vibrant color, antique furniture, and heady doses of trim and pattern. Country is a new take on the style, where distressed finishes and modern silhouettes mingle for a warm welcome. Coastal is streamlined, with natural woven fibers, sun-faded linen and neutrals, and blues and whites galore. Mediterranean evokes faraway lands, with a saturated palette, ornate tiles and ikats, and iron details. Finally, there's Beautiful: a peek inside Mark's own Hollywood Hills home, which nods to all of his favorite design signatures--including Italian wicker, blue and white, Anglo-Indian antiques, and more. With all-new photography by Amy Neunsinger, the book will inspire with rooms that are light-filled and crisply patterned, chic yet comfortable, and just the way people want to live today. Every Pierce and Ward home tells a story. Emily and Louisa believe that there is a beauty in the unfolding of a room that takes the eye dancing from one piece to the next, swirling over velvets of peach and gold, gliding over glass and marble, and stopping to take in the homeowner's precious sentimental favorites. As the designers for such Hollywood powerhouses, supermodels, and rock stars as Brie Larson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Dakota Johnson, Kate Hudson, and Karen Elson, Pierce and Ward artfully blend classic elements and fanciful touches, creating an irresistible kaleidoscope of patterns, textures, art, and objects. Stately striped wallpaper mixes with French florals. Brass-lion bookends sit beside trays inlaid with glinting mother-of-pearl. Milk-glass globes hang down hallways like glowing moons to guide one's path. Humble finds from eBay and lovingly worn textiles mix with museum-quality art and family photos. This book will teach readers about organized abundance and un-gaudy decadence, with a dash of restraint for good measure: it's an evocative and inspiring ode to the art of more. With a focus on Schumacher's greatest contemporary patterns--everything from classic stripes and exuberant florals to edgy animal prints--this accessible and highly useful style guide is organized thematically by chapters such as Sensual and Spare; Preppy; Ladylike; Exuberant; and Opulent, with each featuring a stunning selection of patterns along with inspiring interiors designed in the same spirit. To help readers better understand their style preferences, every chapter begins with a questionnaire, for example: Are You an Acolyte of High Style? Do You Prefer a Midnight Supper to a Power Lunch?; Consider Jewel Tones Neutral?; Think Champagne Is Not Just for Special Occasions? Page after page after page of lavish imagery and pattern details are juxtaposed alongside beautiful interiors designed by such luminaries as Miles Redd, Tom Scheerer, Amanda Lindroth, Celerie Kemble, Veere Grenney, and Mark D. Sikes, to name a few, illustrating how Schumacher's iconic patterns can be integrated into a wide range of chic and stylish room designs. The texts provide insights and tips on how patterns can be used in your decor, along with guidance for deciding what style is best for you and your home. Full of inspiring design ideas, as well as an unparalled resource of prints and patterns, S Is for Style is a visual feast of interior design for all styles and tastes. In their first book, Stamps and Stamps share their passion for historical references and attention to detail, showing you how to create a mood with floral patterns, brimming bookshelves, and overstuffed armchairs. These images inspire you to incorporate vintage treasures into your interiors, and the text explains where to find and buy the decor--such as fabrics, wallpaper, and lighting--featured in these pages. Above all, Stamps and Stamps show you how to make your home comfortable, as they believe houses are for living in, not just for looking at. With a focus on Southern California, where they live, Stamps and Stamps specialize in designing, decorating, and restoring historic homes and gardens. From an Andalusian riad in Hancock Park restored and decorated for Ellen deGeneres, to a newly built old California ranch in Rolling Hills, to a collector's cottage in Pasadena to their own compound in South Pasadena designed around a Greene and Greene carriage house, Stamps and Stamps have built their style on an aesthetic foundation rooted in the past but with a lightness and wit that's very much of the present. With its beautiful photography and practical tips, Stamps and Stamps is sure to inspire you to embrace cozy and comfortable interior design, while showing you how to create a home that's easy to live in. Since the 1990s, Watson has been one of the most prolific chroniclers of remarkable interiors and portraits, gracing the pages of W magazine, Vanity Fair, AD, and T Magazine. From hard-edged modernity and historical exoticism to pure classicism, the photographer has documented rooms of note in cities, atop mountains, and by the sea. Complementing his masterful images, Watson gives an intimate description of each location. On this journey with the photographer, one experiences the Duchess of Alba's Palacio Liria in Madrid, filled with sixteenth- and seventeenth-century masterpieces; interior designer Roberto Peregalli's splendid riad in Tangier; the magnificent and vast Castello Gardena in the Italian Alps owned by the Franchetti clan; Guinness heir Garech de Brun's hillside retreat in County Wicklow, Ireland; the Renaissance Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne in Rome, designed by Baldassarre Peruzzi in the sixteenth century; shoe designer Christian Louboutin's fanciful Parisian apartment; and many other splendid places around the world. Designer extraordinaire Stephen Shadley began his working life as a scenic artist at 20th Century Fox. Throughout a celebrated career (landing a coveted spot on the AD100), his work has been marked continually by the glamour of Hollywood as well as by a kind of visual storytelling that is richly informed by the world of the movie screen and by the artifice and allure of film's great cinematographers. Notable for their expression of an exquisite sense of style, his designed homes--including the interiors for a classic Beverly Hills abode for Diane Keaton, an apartment for Robert Altman in the legendary Pythian building on New York's Upper West Side, as well as a luxurious contemporary home for Jennifer Aniston--are all expressions of a masterful sense of scale and an appreciation for understated beauty and refined materials that are ultimately warm, inviting, and serene. The book features numerous beautifully designed homes of Hollywood royalty, primarily in Southern California, though with notable projects in New York and beyond, as well as three greenrooms, which Shadley designed for the Oscars and the Emmy Awards. Wouldn't it be amazing if we could knock on the most talented people's doors and prowl through their homes for inspiration? Chosen and curated by London-based creative director Alex Eagle, this collection of stylish interiors is the next best thing. With a spotlight on objects that personalize each home, this playful volume is rich in inspiration for creating that perfect blend of modern luxury and bohemian chic. Practicing what she preaches, Eagle's light-filled loft in London's Soho is a showhouse for the objects, vintage furniture, and art she deals in at her boutique, where natural materials, rare books, original art, and vintage furniture create the warmth and personality of a well-lived home. Exploring the homes, tastes, and lifestyles of brilliant creatives around the world--from adventurer David de Rothschild to heiress Marie Louise Scio (owner of Il Pellicano), this book pairs vibrant photos of interiors with texts about their owners' worlds, providing insight into how these spaces cultivate unique ways of living, working, and socializing. Eagle's warm curation of her subjects and her personal relationships with each allows the book to transcend the boundaries of a traditional interiors tome, giving us all access to aspire. The French woodwork purveyor Feau and Cie has supplied architects, designers, and museums with period paneling since 1875. Featuring documents, drawings, plaster models, panels, and antique boiserie rooms, its archive of 25,000 pieces--many from the eighteenth century and Art Deco era--is an unrivaled source of inspiration for re-creating heirloom spaces as well as for constructing spectacular contemporary pieces. Though the house remains best known for its magical historic rooms, it has collaborated with architects and decorators on original projects since its beginnings, and today's design greats--including Michael S. Smith, Brian J. McCarthy, and Robert Couturier, among others-- regularly call upon the firm for elaborate projects. In this first book of the firm's work, Feau and Cie reveals a selection of its most exceptional projects, from magnificent historical abodes to daring modern creations, including a palace in Tuscany and residences in Paris, London, New York, Malibu, and Atlanta. Dazzling images of finished interiors are accompanied by details of panels, doors, and decor, while exclusive photographs by lensman Robert Polidori explore the house's Parisian atelier. The unique savoir faire of joiners, sculptors, gilders, and painter-decorators shines through in this visual celebration of decorative masterpieces, which is bound to delight design masters and art lovers alike. Through his long and crowded life, polyglot designer Federico Forquet has been by turns a couturier who learned his craft at Balenciaga's side and whose creations for his eponymous house clothed the best-dressed women of the day; a decorator of interiors of singular style and charm; a discriminating collector of rare and beautiful objects, furnishings, and pictures; and a creator of magical gardens. For the first time, the many worlds of this creative visionary are brought together in a richly illustrated celebration of style: from imagery of his lavish haute-couture gowns featured in 1960s and '70s Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and other fashionable publications and worn by trendsetters such as Marella Agnelli, Sophia Loren, and Diana Vreeland to picturesque scenes of verdant Tuscan gardens and opulent, old-world Roman villas and palazzos decorated by Forquet. Accompanied by insightful texts from the design world's authoritative voices, this inspiring and utterly enchanting tome will appeal to readers fascinated by fashion, social history, gardens, interior design, and Italian style. From New York to London, Paris to Monaco, the private residences of the greatest and most illustrious names in the art world boast some of the world's most outstanding collections. Antique masterpieces, modern chefs d'oeuvre, and contemporary creations are set against exquisite--and at times audacious--interiors exuding bold, unique style. A first of its kind, this elegant volume grants readers exclusive access to these houses and gives life to enthralling contrasts, echoes, and unexpected dialogues by juxtaposing unparalleled art collections with interiors designed by the most renowned names, such as Peter Marino, Francois Marcq, Jacques Grange, and Toshiko Mori. The result is a gallery of striking beauty, most of which is revealed to the public eye for the very first time and captured by photographer Jean-Francois Jaussaud. Demirdjian's texts guide the reader through these private spaces, while excerpts from exclusive interviews with some of the spaces' owners, such as Dominique Levy, Brett Gorvy, Almine Rech, Barbara Gladstone, Kamel Mennour, and Axel and May Vervoordt, enrich this volume. Spanish landscape designer Fernando Caruncho has spent over four decades impressing the world with his breathtaking garden designs, which create a perfect union of architectural design within nature. His sources of inspiration are as diverse as Islamic design, Zen Buddhism, and European Classicism, and the control of light, geometrical scale, and use of local materials are key principles of his design approach. In this book, Caruncho personally curates a selection of twenty-six of his international garden projects ranging from private residences to large agricultural estates and public spaces, including a vineyard in Italy, a private garden in Biarritz, France, and an expansive estate in New Jersey. Caruncho gives readers a glimpse at his creative thought process through inspirational images, ephemera, and selections from his sketches. Rattan evokes the glamour and exoticism of the Riviera, grand yachts, and tropical verandas. It appeared in Impressionist paintings, and dazzling celebrities like Marilyn Monroe and Gina Lollobrigida were photographed lounging on it. Now, rattan is regaining its allure and becoming increasingly fashionable in interior design and fashion spreads--a reflection of beauty, craftsmanship, and sustainability. Heywood-Wakefield furniture from the nineteenth century is highly collectible, as are pieces created by giants of modern design such as Josef Hoffmann for Thonet, Josef Frank for Svenskt Tenn, Jean-Michel Frank for Ecart, Renzo Mongiardino for Bonacina, and Arne Jacobsen for Sika. Paul Frankl and Donald Deskey designed sleek Art Deco rattan furniture. Rattan pieces have become iconic and highly prized, including Hiroomi Tahara's Wrap Sofa, Franca Helg's Primavera Chair, and the many iterations of the Peacock Chair. The glamour of rattan shines through in seductive and beautiful interiors--Madeleine Castaing's house in Chartres, Michael Taylor's California beach houses, the Titanic's Cafe Parisien. The book also showcases tastemakers who have embraced rattan, from Marella Agnelli and Cecil Beaton to design leaders of today, including Jeffrey Bilhuber, Veere Grenney, Axel Vervoordt, and Bunny Williams. This exquisite book showcases the stunning properties of the world's leading design connoisseurs, including Jasper Conran, Lynn Guinness, Vanessa Branson, and Helen and Brice Marden, who have transformed Marrakesh's exotic style into unexpected but elegant expressions. The story of design in Marrakesh begins with the contributions of Bill Willis, Yves Saint Laurent, and Pierre Berge, who fearlessly fused Moroccan elements--zellige tilework, rugs, pottery, fountains, woodwork, metalwork, and tadelakt wall treatments--with a luxuriant mix of furnishings from around the world. We are invited into such lush private places as the gardens of the Villa Oasis, designed by Madison Cox, and the Bulgaris' tranquil riad. Full of personal insights, Loum-Martin explores how international design-savvy individuals continue to incorporate such exuberant designs in their work. Today's Marrakesh style appeals to a wide variety of tastes--from formal to quirky, from rustic to refined--and is suitable for diverse settings. Eco-friendly materials, including earthenware and natural fibers, contribute to these appealing interiors and gardens. Superbly photographed, Inside Marrakesh abounds with a wealth of unique design ideas. The great appeal of Spanish Style homes lies in their aura of romance and drama, a sense of story, of magic, as well as in their very comfortable and engaging proportions and the great livability of the interior spaces. Deep shadow, arched doorways, trickling courtyard fountains, climbing bougainvillea on wrought-iron window grilles, wood-beamed ceilings, and white-plaster walls are all hallmarks of the style. Here, through a celebration of contemporary and historic homes in Southern California, as well as existing historic precedents in Andalusia, Spain--most notably the intricatedly detailed Casa de Pilatos in Seville and the Alhambra of Granada--The Spanish Style House presents the definitive picture of the style as it exists today. Featured homes include the George Washington Smith-designed Casa Blanca--a fantasy made real in stone and stucco replete with the romance of old Morocco in its horseshoe arches, its domes, and evocative tile murals--and a Marc Appleton-designed beach house in Del Mar, California, which is a dream on the sea and an eloquent testament to the virtues of the style for today. Native Houstonians Lucas and Eilers's aesthetic marries the entrepreneurial, can-do spirit of the West with Southern grace. The distinctive influences of their hometown--from the architecture of John Staub to the textures and color palettes of the surrounding Texas ranches and expansive landscapes to the impact of futuristic NASA--infuse their design choices. Whether traditional, contemporary, or transitional in style, the rooms they create are timeless. The duo's seasoned insight into the principles and elements of interior design forms the book's heart. Touching on such topics as scale and proportion, color and light, and pattern and texture, they explore their pragmatic, imaginative approach to creating expressive living spaces in a diverse range of projects from coast to coast. They then tour us through several homes, including a comfortable family ski compound in Utah with repurposed rough-hewn wooden beams and custom forged-steel fireplace surrounds; a Houston shotgun home rich with patina; and a charming Gulf Coast beach house. For those passionate about interiors, this wealth of design fundamentals is inspirational. The sensibility of interior design firm Nickey Kehoe ranges from minimal to maximal, quiet to baroque, but always seeks to express the ephemeral feeling of a space. Designers Todd Nickey and Amy Kehoe are fascinated by how a room can come together to express its own persona, as though the design just happened. Describing themselves as object-obsessed observers, Nickey and Kehoe pay keen attention to their clients' passions, preferences, and beloved pieces, juxtaposing elements and styles in deceptively simple ways. The result is interior design that appears as if it were a personal collection randomly put together, when in fact it is the product of their very mindful curating. Nickey Kehoe's studied but unfussy design is elegant but never staid, proud but humble, full of detail but resplendent with negative space. And then they add a bit of the unexpected--a combination of layered patterns and palettes, different time periods, humorous gestures, clever lighting--any element that keeps their impeccable sense of balance from becoming predictable or formulaic. This collection of residential interiors is for the curious, for lovers of studied but unfussy design, and for those who appreciate being surrounded by beautiful things with a story to tell. Nicole Hollis's approach to contemporary living is to create timeless interiors that blend seamlessly with the environment. Featured is a wide range of residences in city, country, and coastal settings that masterfully mix the simplicity of line with organic complexity to create refined spaces. A striking home in the Marin County town of Tiburon features natural materials and dramatic touches that embrace the property's sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay. A Kona Coast property set on a lava field reimagines a Hawaiian open-plan sanctuary with a modern design scheme of rich textures, including lava-basalt floor tiles and coral wall blocks. Michele Oka Doner's lighting employs the shape of Kiawe tree branches. A San Francisco pied-a-terre is an elegant contrast study in black and white, infused with historical nuances. These curated spaces are comprised of art, found objects, and bespoke furnishings that underscore Nicole's appreciation of texture, craft, and nature. The fascinating story of this business starts in the small village of Pella, on the shores of Lake Orta, in northern Italy, yet its high-end design products created by the best-known designers, including Piero Lissoni, Michael Anastassiades, Matteo Thun, Antonio Rodriguez, Vincent Van Duysen, Naoto Fukasawa, and Paik Sun Kim, went on to travel the world in an international circuit. Water is the common thread running through the whole book. This is the water of Lake Orta, found in the images of great photographers such as Gianni Basso, Franco Fontana, Giorgio Lotti, Gabriele Basilico, Gianni Berengo Gardin, Ferdinando Scianna, Gabriele Croppi, and Walter Zerla, who have interpreted it over time at the invitation of Fantini. However, water is also the main element of the jewellike taps produced by the company, small everyday masterpieces that bring it to our homes, renewing this great magic every day. This book takes the reader through Estel's history from the future to the past, working backward in five major phases of the company's progress. These phases are related through various illustrations, best called dioramas, covering double spreads that fold out, making four full-size pages. Especially created for the book by Pierluigi Longo, these dioramas emerge like modern-day frescoes in which the leading figures of the business world can be observed, along with the production panorama and market environment around them. They represent a sort of visualized concept that not only illustrates and tracks a path through the book, but also lends it concept and structure. The texts that follow each theme-diorama pivot successively on the company philosophy, the protagonists, the products, and a brief text classifying the furniture-manufacturing sector itself. Hence, the tale unfolds on two fronts simultaneously, interweaving the company's history with the ongoing developments in the sector and in methods of production. This volume offers beautifully photographed and printed views of these sumptuous carpets in rooms designed by some of the world's leading interior designers. The carpets have been collected by luminaries in the design, fashion, and art worlds including curators Mark Rosenthal and Allan Schwartzman, Joseph Ettedgui, founder of the Joseph brand, Pierre Alexis-Dumas, creative director of Hermes, and celebrities such as Steve Martin, Madonna, and Brad Pitt, among others. Experience the highs and humorous lows of Davis and Provisor's adventures in Asia as they track down the best in materials and craftsmanship, as well as the most authentic cuisine in each region. Specializing in retail and hotel design, Virgile + Partners is a key global player with a wide scope of international projects, from luxury retail, restaurants, and hotel interiors to department stores and malls. The agency has works across the United States, India, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, the Middle East, China, and Russia, as well as extensive work throughout Europe and the UK. Virgile + Partners' approach to global design is to decode and absorb various cultures, avoiding classic reinterpretations by presenting an unexpected twist to traditions and conventions. As a result, the diversity between each project avoids a uniform response and instead sparks a desire to communicate the individuality of each brand's vision, as well as to bring their values to life. The book's narrative structure gives a clear insight into the essence of the work shown. It offers a glimpse into the making-of process and the backstage thinking that inspired the ideas, not just the aesthetic vocabulary, that led to the final design outcome. This is the story in pictures of a dimension of living that differs from every other. While there have been attempts to create a philosophy of interior design, there has rarely been an effort to discover the soul of furniture and objects. That is what Paolo Roversi has tried to do with his camera in these pages, which are devoted to Poliform, the Italian company that has successfully transformed ancient Italian artisanal traditions into contemporary furniture. By using what have always been his raw materials--time, light, space--Roversi leads us on a photographic journey to the middle of the Poliform universe, helping us to relive the company's story and capture the mysterious, unmistakable soul that makes the surfaces and volumes of its objects vibrate. A virtuoso of volumes and a master of light, Brussels-based architect Olivier Dwek shapes buildings and interiors that are inhabited by a timeless aura. Fluid lines and varied perspectives define monumental structures, enhancing details and contemporary art pieces in both private and public spaces, all imbued with serene elegance. Ranging from Greek vacation homes to Parisian townhouses, this volume celebrates the refined approach that marks Dwek's style while taking the reader on a journey across Europe and the world. Vibrant photographs showcase Dwek's fascination with textures and new uses for materials developed in collaboration with artists and artisans. His skilled use of light, his innate sense of symmetry, and his effortless merging of architectural elements with design details are all apparent in this volume. With texts by architecture expert Philip Jodidio, this printed journey through Dwek's buildings and interiors is bound to seduce architecture connoisseurs and curious spirits alike. Visit Los Angeles with a photographer who knows how to get the lighting right to highlight the spectacular architecture of the city. Stylish museums, such as the Broad, and a flourishing Arts District illustrate the explosive art scene, while Hollywood's Chateau Marmont and the historic Beverly Hills neighborhood add a chic dynamism. Across town, Culver City, home to the tech industry, features blocks of futuristic architecture by Eric Owen Moss. The modernist homes by Richard Neutra and John Lautner, as well as Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House, are shown against dramatic backdrops of sky and sea. The visual sweep of this oversize book also encompasses the Los Angeles of film and television. Los Angeles is a city of dreams, and Los Angeles Today is a glorious portrait of the city in its infinite variety. From a ranch in the U.S. and a Finnish farmstead to a Spanish hacienda and Australian outback home, Stables is a celebration of horses and their extraordinary lodgings. International in scope, ranging from traditional to contemporary in flavor, these stables--built of wood, metal, and stone--are exemplars of the finest taste in design. The allure of housing horses is a story of architecture, design, landscape, and a unique way of living in magnificent places--and spaces--that are made exclusively for horses and for those who love them. The book also explores indoor and outdoor arenas, paddocks, and gardens, providing a humane face to the otherwise functional buildings. Social spaces for the horses, riders, and visitors also play an important role in filling out the projects, making stables not just places for sport but also for entertainment and leisure. There is a beauty here that reflects the majesty of these animals, the distinctive landscapes in which they are set, and the creative visions of the owners, architects, and designers who have all brought them into being. Beautifully photographed, the book is sure to interest horse aficionados as well as all those interested in engaging, clean, human-scaled design. Throughout their twenty-five-year commitment to modern design, Barnes Coy Architects have specialized in one-of-a-kind dream houses designed for those who prefer to live in highly spatial and modern ways. Assembled in Light is the first exclusive look at this firm's previously unpublished body of high-end residential work. These leisure homes gleam in the sun like sleek, finely tuned machines. Everything has been custom designed, custom made, custom treated. The houses are tastefully furnished with one-of-a-kind artisanal pieces (by Wendell Castle, Chris Lehrecke, etc.) and museum-quality collections of contemporary art hanging on the walls (such as works by Anselm Kiefer, Barbara Kruger, Richard Prince, and Cindy Sherman). They feature infinity pools, outdoor and indoor kitchens, roof decks, temperature-controlled wine cellars, and numerous guest rooms, as well as ten-foot-high doorways and floor-to-ceiling swathes of tempered glass to better gaze out at the dunes and ocean views. The new photography beautifully captures the architects' attention to detail and love of specialized materials, whether it's Carrara marble from Italy or teak from Bali. While most of the houses are located in the Hamptons in New York, a few are found as far afield as Costa Rica, California, Georgia, and Westchester County. All but three homes were built on commanding waterfront sites. In 2012, Danish architect Lise Juel completed the restoration of fellow Dane Jorn Utzon's magnificent residence on the Spanish island of Mallorca, known as Can Lis. Uncovering Utzon is a series of pensees by Juel describing the process of restoring the beloved architect's unique and magnificent construction for the Utzon Foundation. Accompanying Juel's evocative account are the equally evocative images of the house by eminent architectural photographer Helene Binet. Known for her powerful black-and-white photographs of the work of the world's most important architects, past and present, Binet brings her unique eye to Can Lis to produce a breathtaking portrait of Utzon's spectacular, elemental masterpiece. Together, Juel's personal account and Binet's inimitable photography illustrate the undeniable power of this rough-hewn Modernist architectural landmark. Miguel Angel Aragones has gained international attention with his spectacular private residences and buildings throughout Mexico and beyond. This lavish volume features eleven of his stunning interiors and residences that show off his spare aesthetics and sophisticated principles of all-white, uncluttered interiors during the day that light up with cinematic neon colors at night. Considered an important member of the Mexican and Latin American architectural vanguard, Aragones is known for his modernist sensibilities and creative use of lighting. Aragones has a knack for creating harmonious spaces in overwrought environments. Rombo is a series of private houses located in a central, tree-lined neighborhood in Mexico City, which light up with color bursts of neon to transform the properties from day to night. Mar Adentro is a luxury resort in Cabo San Lucas that adopts his principles with an archipelago of stark white cubes fanning toward the horizon and various platforms connected by paths that appear to float on mirrored saltwater pools. This dual-language volume will appeal to those interested in greats such as Legorreta and Barragan, as well as the Latin American school of modernism. Koichi Takada is part of a new generation of architects striving to bring nature back into the urban environment--an approach he developed after living in Tokyo, New York, and London. His architecture reconnects people to the natural environment, drawing inspiration from organic forms and local contexts. This elegant volume

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Over the last three decades, wine economics has emerged as a growing field within agricultural economics, but also in other fields such as finance, trade, growth, environmental economics and industrial organization. Wine has a few characteristics that differentiate it from other agricultural commodities, rendering it an interesting topic for economists in general. Fine wine can regularly fetch bottle prices that exceed several thousand dollars. It can be stored a long time and may increase in value with age. Fine wine quality and prices are extraordinarily sensitive to fluctuations in the weather of the year in which the grapes were grown. And wine is an experience good, i.e., its quality cannot be ascertained before consumption. As a result, consumers often rely on 'expert opinion' regarding quality and maturation prospects.This handbook takes a broad approach and familiarizes the reader with the main research strands in wine economics.After a general introduction to wine economics by Karl Storchmann, Volume 1 focuses on the core areas of wine economics. The first papers shed light on the relevance of the vineyard's natural environment for wine quality and prices. 'Predicting the Quality and Prices of Bordeaux Wine' by Orley Ashenfelter is a classic paper and may be the first wine economics publication ever. Ashenfelter shows how weather influences the quality and the price of Bordeaux Grands Crus wine. Since the weather condition of the year when the grapes were grown is known, an econometric analysis may be constructed. It turns out this model outperforms expert opinion, i.e., critical vintage scores. At best, expert opinion reflects public information. The subsequent papers, by Ashenfelter and Storchmann, Gergaud and Ginsburgh, and Cross, Plantinga and Stavins, tackle the terroir question. That is, they examine the relevance of a vineyard's physical characteristics for wine quality and prices, but from various dimensions and with different results. Next, Alston et al. analyze a question of great concern in the California wine industry: the causes and consequences of the rising alcohol content in California wine. Is climate change the culprit?The next chapter presents three papers that apply hedonic price analyses to fine wine. Combris, Lecocq and Visser show that Bordeaux wine market prices are essentially determined by the wines' objective characteristics. Costanigro, McCluskey and Mittelhammer differentiate their hedonic analysis for various market segments. Ali and Nauges incorporate reputational variables into their pricing model and distinguish between short- and long-run price effects.The next section of this volume deals with one of the unique characteristics of wine — its long storage life, which makes it potentially an investment asset. Studying wine's increasing role as an alternative asset class, Sanning et al., Burton and Jacobsen, Masset and Weisskopf, Masset and Henderson, and Fogarty all examine the rate of return to holding wine as well as the related risks. Since these papers analyze different wines and different time periods there is no 'one message.' However, all point out that, while wine may diversify an investor's portfolio, wine's returns do not beat common stock in the long run.The last two chapters examine the role of wine experts. First, Ashenfelter and Quandt revisit the 1976 'Judgment of Paris' and show that aggregating the assessments of several judges should go beyond 'adding points.' Depending on the method employed, the results may vary, and some measure of statistical precision is essential for interpreting the reliability of the results. In two different papers, Cicchetti and Quandt respond to the necessity to provide statistical tools for the assessment of wine tastings.In a seminal paper, Hodgson reports a remarkable field experiment in which similar wines were placed before judges at a major competition. The results have the shocking implication that how medals are awarded at a major California wine fair is not far from being random. Ashton analyzes the performance of professional wine judges and finds little support for the idea that experienced wine judges should be regarded as experts.Do experts scores influence the price of wine? The answer to this question is less obvious then commonly thought since expert opinion oftentimes only repeats public information such as wine quality that results from the weather that produced the wine grapes. Hadj Ali, Lecocq, and Visser as well as Dubois and Nauges find that high critical scores exert only small effects on wine prices. However, Roberts and Reagans show that a high critical exposure reduces the price-quality dispersion of wineries.Lecocq and Visser analyze wine prices and find that 'characteristics that are directly revealed to the consumer upon inspection of the bottle and its label explain the major part of price differences.' Expert opinion and sensory variables appear to play only a minor role. In an experimental setting using two Vickrey auctions, Combris, Lange and Issanchou confirm the leading role of public information, i.e., the label remains a key determinant for champagne prices. In a provocative and widely discussed study drawing on blind tasting results of some 5,000 wines, Goldstein and collaborators find that most consumers prefer less expensive over expensive wine.Finally, Weil examines the value of expert wine descriptions and lets several hundred subjects match the wines and their descriptors. His results suggest that the ability to assign a certain description to the matching wine is more or less random.Volume 2 covers the topics reputation, regulation, auctions, and market organizational. Landon and Smith, Anderson and Schamel, and Schamel analyze the impact of current quality and reputation (i.e., past quality) on wine prices from different regions. Their results suggest that prices are more influenced by reputation than by current quality. Costanigro, McCluskey and Goemans develop a nested framework for jointly examining the effects of product, firm and collective reputation on market prices.The following four papers deal with regulatory issues in the US as well as in Europe. While Riekoff and Sykuta shed light on the politics and economics of the three-tier system of alcohol distribution and the prohibition of direct wine shipments in the US, Deconinck and Swinnen analyze the European planting rights system. The political economy of European wine regulation is then covered by Melonie and Swinnen, before Anderson and Jensen shed light on Europe's complex system of wine industry subsidies.The next chapter is devoted to wine auctions. In three different papers, Fevrier, Roos and Visser, Ashenfelter, and Ginsburgh analyze the effects of specific auction designs on the resulting hammer prices. The papers focus on multi-unit ascending auctions, absentee bidders, and declining price anomalies.The last chapter, supply and organization, is devoted to a wide range of issues. First, Heien illuminates the price formation process in the California winegrape industry. Then, Frick analyzes if and how the separation of ownership and control affects the performance of German wineries.Vink, Kleynhans and Willem Hoffmann introduce us to various models of wine barrel financing, particularly to the Vincorp model employed in South Africa. Galbreath analyzes the role of women in the wine industry. He finds that (1) women are underrepresented and (2) that the presence of a female CEO increases the likelihood of women in winemaker, viticulturist, and marketing roles in that firm. Gokcekus, Hewstone, and Cakal draw on crowdsourced wine evaluations, i.e., Wine Tracker data, and show that private wine assessments are largely influenced by peer scores lending support to the assumption of the presence of a strong herding effect.Mahenc refers to the classic model of information asymmetries and develops a theoretical model highlighting the role of informed buyers in markets that are susceptible to the lemons problem. Lastly, in their paper 'Love or Money?' Scott, Morton and Podolny analyze how the presence of hobby winemakers may distort market outcomes. Hobby winemakers produce higher quality wines, charge higher prices, and enjoy lower financial returns than professional for-profit winemakers. As a result, profit-oriented winemakers are discouraged from locating at the high-quality end of the market.

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Karen Trola was 51, piloting a plane out of Truckee, CA, and she crashed with 3 passengers. Everyone survived, but it left Karen in a wheelchair. However, not only did Karen survive, but she thrives as a paraplegic woman... as a professional woman in real estate, as an avid world traveler, and as an active sports fanatic, adapting each sport to accommodate her paralysis. She water skis, goes canoeing and horseback riding with her husband Steve, rides 4-wheelers, snorkels, is an award-winning martial arts expert, coaches soccer, and gives back to her community in a variety of ways. She is indeed unstoppable! Her favorite saying is, "I can still do it!" And she finds ways to do everything except deep sea diving, and she would do that if the doctors would let her!! This book. I CAN STILL DO IT! is her personal story, a motivational read with 53 photos to give visuals to her moving account. With a huge support system, determination, creativity, and ahistory of physicality, she inspires everyone who knows her or knows of her. Here is what many people in her life have to say about her and this book: A Horrifying Crash... Amazing Lady! Karen Trolan is a fighter, survivor, teacher and friend. After a horrifying crash she continues to define courage and passion and has the ability to change people's lives with her will power and love. Amazing lady!~ Jeff Barnett, VP & REGIONAL MANAGER, Alain Pinel Realtors®, Los Gatos, CA, CAR Director for Life | NAR Hall of Fame, Realtor® of the Year 1998 & 2008 Recommending this Book to Every Patient Inspirational!!! This book shows the power of faith, determination, and the importance of taking personal accountability for one's decisions in how to live his/her life. I'm recommending this book to every patient of mine and anyone who has encountered a setback and wants to turn it into a comeback! ~ Dr.James Lu , PT, DPT, LAc, Dipl. OM, OCS, MTC, CSAS Inspirational Journey of Hope and Grit For close to 20 years I have had the privilege of knowing and working with Karen Trolan in the crazy world of California real estate. Compared to the rest of us mere mortals, Karen is a nova that never dims - she has always done more in less time (and generally with more heart) than anyone I have ever known. Karen's love for skiing and flying led to a horrific accident that could have destroyed her life; however, it only served to strengthen her resolve to be the best wife, mother, REALTOR® and ultimately the best person that any of us could ever hope to be. The determination and love in the Trolan family is a wonder to behold. Karen's book is an inspirational journey of hope and grit - like Karen it stands as a testament to everyone that we should never give up on our dreams simply because of a nightmare. I CAN STILL DO IT! is a must read for anyone who needs a role model to guide them along a difficult life path. ~ Victoria B. Naidorf , J.D., Broker Risk Management Never Giving Up Yep, it's a great story about life and passion and never giving up. Inspirational. ~ Shihan Russ Rhodes , 10th Degree Black Belt (Martial Arts Instructor) plus four other Black Belts Double Down on Determination By nature, people are pessimistic, even in the most optimistic of positions. I have never known anyone with more grit and enthusiasm for life than Karen. Her disabling circumstances have only pushed her to double down on her determination to succeed at everything she desires to do. Her authentic insights will richly bless those who read her story. ~ Mike Hulme , President of Alain Pinel Realtors, Silicon Valley Encourages Us All A brave friend and student, Martial Artist Karen Trolan was a pilot of a small plane and in a plane crash. Her horrific injuries included paraplegia, but she had faith and never gave up hope. Her inspiring story encourages us all that we can do it. The author addresses the determination, stamina, courage and compassion of oneself facing a life-threateningcondition. A definite read. ~ Samuel Kwok , Grandmaster Wing Chun, Qi Gong, Instructor, Author of TRADITIONAL WOODEN DUMMY and MASTERING WING CHUN Persistence and Grit When I first worked with Karen on horseback in an arena at a therapeutic riding center after her accident, I pointed to a trail high on a hill and said "If you work hard at this, we'll be riding up there someday." She and her husband now own horses of their own, plus a truck and trailer, and they camp and ride on many such trails in beautiful parks throughout California. Persistence and grit. Karen personifies both. ~ Niki Lamb Captivating Journey Karen is uniquely gifted with determination and grace, to not just live but to thrive and to inspire all those around her. Now her story will bring hope and inspiration to the thousands that read her captivating journey following a life-changing plane crash. ~ Mark Keirstead , Co-Founder and Executive Director, One Step Closer Therapeutic Riding An Inspiration in My Life Karen's return to our patrol team has truly been an inspiration in my life. After two decades of professional ski patrolling I have seldom witnessed the courage and strength that she brings to the mountain every time she puts on her cross. From the summit of Mt. Pluto to greeting our guests at mid mountain, she embodies the true spirit of what it means to be a patroller. ~ Forrest Philpot, Northstar California Ski Patrol Director Courage and Tenacity Karen is tenacious and has an amazing human spirit. She has worked through her challenges and prevailed. She is the same positive and active person I have known for nearly forty years. Observing Karen on a personal level after the accident, I saw this was not an easy process, yet she fought through the pain and all the medical setbacks. If you desire inspiration and need encouragement to get through the day, this is the book for you. Let Karen's journey help you improve your life and show you how to be active while living life to its fullest. She is inspirational to all of us at any level, proving the human spirit is stronger than the physical. Every time I talk to Karen I am inspired and empowered. Her courage and tenacity are contagious. Her book will improve your life no matter your situation. ~ Holly Vargas Life Is What You Make of It. Absolutely amazing, Karen's story from the accident to where sheis today is truly inspiring. Every challenge that was thrown her way has been overshadowed by her accomplishments. Her dedication to family and God proves to all of us that LIFE is what you make of it. ~ Vince Arthur , Director of Base Area Operations, Heavenly Mtn Resort A Warrior, an Inspiration, and a Hero Karen Trolan is one of the most amazing women I have ever met. She is a warrior, an inspiration, and ahero.By reading her book we can all learn about overcoming the impossible, through faith and endurance. I love this woman for who she is and what she has accomplished. Her book , I CAN DO IT! is an inspirational must-read. ~ Cynthia Rothrock , Action Film Star (55 credits) and Producer (7 credits), Martial Arts Instructor (5 Black Belts), Inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame, Inside Kung-Fu Hall of Fam e, and the International Sports Hall of Fame

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Over the last three decades, wine economics has emerged as a growing field within agricultural economics, but also in other fields such as finance, trade, growth, environmental economics and industrial organization. Wine has a few characteristics that differentiate it from other agricultural commodities, rendering it an interesting topic for economists in general. Fine wine can regularly fetch bottle prices that exceed several thousand dollars. It can be stored a long time and may increase in value with age. Fine wine quality and prices are extraordinarily sensitive to fluctuations in the weather of the year in which the grapes were grown. And wine is an experience good, i.e., its quality cannot be ascertained before consumption. As a result, consumers often rely on 'expert opinion' regarding quality and maturation prospects.This handbook takes a broad approach and familiarizes the reader with the main research strands in wine economics.After a general introduction to wine economics by Karl Storchmann, Volume 1 focuses on the core areas of wine economics. The first papers shed light on the relevance of the vineyard's natural environment for wine quality and prices. 'Predicting the Quality and Prices of Bordeaux Wine' by Orley Ashenfelter is a classic paper and may be the first wine economics publication ever. Ashenfelter shows how weather influences the quality and the price of Bordeaux Grands Crus wine. Since the weather condition of the year when the grapes were grown is known, an econometric analysis may be constructed. It turns out this model outperforms expert opinion, i.e., critical vintage scores. At best, expert opinion reflects public information. The subsequent papers, by Ashenfelter and Storchmann, Gergaud and Ginsburgh, and Cross, Plantinga and Stavins, tackle the terroir question. That is, they examine the relevance of a vineyard's physical characteristics for wine quality and prices, but from various dimensions and with different results. Next, Alston et al. analyze a question of great concern in the California wine industry: the causes and consequences of the rising alcohol content in California wine. Is climate change the culprit?The next chapter presents three papers that apply hedonic price analyses to fine wine. Combris, Lecocq and Visser show that Bordeaux wine market prices are essentially determined by the wines' objective characteristics. Costanigro, McCluskey and Mittelhammer differentiate their hedonic analysis for various market segments. Ali and Nauges incorporate reputational variables into their pricing model and distinguish between short- and long-run price effects.The next section of this volume deals with one of the unique characteristics of wine — its long storage life, which makes it potentially an investment asset. Studying wine's increasing role as an alternative asset class, Sanning et al., Burton and Jacobsen, Masset and Weisskopf, Masset and Henderson, and Fogarty all examine the rate of return to holding wine as well as the related risks. Since these papers analyze different wines and different time periods there is no 'one message.' However, all point out that, while wine may diversify an investor's portfolio, wine's returns do not beat common stock in the long run.The last two chapters examine the role of wine experts. First, Ashenfelter and Quandt revisit the 1976 'Judgment of Paris' and show that aggregating the assessments of several judges should go beyond 'adding points.' Depending on the method employed, the results may vary, and some measure of statistical precision is essential for interpreting the reliability of the results. In two different papers, Cicchetti and Quandt respond to the necessity to provide statistical tools for the assessment of wine tastings.In a seminal paper, Hodgson reports a remarkable field experiment in which similar wines were placed before judges at a major competition. The results have the shocking implication that how medals are awarded at a major California wine fair is not far from being random. Ashton analyzes the performance of professional wine judges and finds little support for the idea that experienced wine judges should be regarded as experts.Do experts scores influence the price of wine? The answer to this question is less obvious then commonly thought since expert opinion oftentimes only repeats public information such as wine quality that results from the weather that produced the wine grapes. Hadj Ali, Lecocq, and Visser as well as Dubois and Nauges find that high critical scores exert only small effects on wine prices. However, Roberts and Reagans show that a high critical exposure reduces the price-quality dispersion of wineries.Lecocq and Visser analyze wine prices and find that 'characteristics that are directly revealed to the consumer upon inspection of the bottle and its label explain the major part of price differences.' Expert opinion and sensory variables appear to play only a minor role. In an experimental setting using two Vickrey auctions, Combris, Lange and Issanchou confirm the leading role of public information, i.e., the label remains a key determinant for champagne prices. In a provocative and widely discussed study drawing on blind tasting results of some 5,000 wines, Goldstein and collaborators find that most consumers prefer less expensive over expensive wine.Finally, Weil examines the value of expert wine descriptions and lets several hundred subjects match the wines and their descriptors. His results suggest that the ability to assign a certain description to the matching wine is more or less random.Volume 2 covers the topics reputation, regulation, auctions, and market organizational. Landon and Smith, Anderson and Schamel, and Schamel analyze the impact of current quality and reputation (i.e., past quality) on wine prices from different regions. Their results suggest that prices are more influenced by reputation than by current quality. Costanigro, McCluskey and Goemans develop a nested framework for jointly examining the effects of product, firm and collective reputation on market prices.The following four papers deal with regulatory issues in the US as well as in Europe. While Riekoff and Sykuta shed light on the politics and economics of the three-tier system of alcohol distribution and the prohibition of direct wine shipments in the US, Deconinck and Swinnen analyze the European planting rights system. The political economy of European wine regulation is then covered by Melonie and Swinnen, before Anderson and Jensen shed light on Europe's complex system of wine industry subsidies.The next chapter is devoted to wine auctions. In three different papers, Fevrier, Roos and Visser, Ashenfelter, and Ginsburgh analyze the effects of specific auction designs on the resulting hammer prices. The papers focus on multi-unit ascending auctions, absentee bidders, and declining price anomalies.The last chapter, supply and organization, is devoted to a wide range of issues. First, Heien illuminates the price formation process in the California winegrape industry. Then, Frick analyzes if and how the separation of ownership and control affects the performance of German wineries.Vink, Kleynhans and Willem Hoffmann introduce us to various models of wine barrel financing, particularly to the Vincorp model employed in South Africa. Galbreath analyzes the role of women in the wine industry. He finds that (1) women are underrepresented and (2) that the presence of a female CEO increases the likelihood of women in winemaker, viticulturist, and marketing roles in that firm. Gokcekus, Hewstone, and Cakal draw on crowdsourced wine evaluations, i.e., Wine Tracker data, and show that private wine assessments are largely influenced by peer scores lending support to the assumption of the presence of a strong herding effect.Mahenc refers to the classic model of information asymmetries and develops a theoretical model highlighting the role of informed buyers in markets that are susceptible to the lemons problem. Lastly, in their paper 'Love or Money?' Scott, Morton and Podolny analyze how the presence of hobby winemakers may distort market outcomes. Hobby winemakers produce higher quality wines, charge higher prices, and enjoy lower financial returns than professional for-profit winemakers. As a result, profit-oriented winemakers are discouraged from locating at the high-quality end of the market.

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"To those outside the military, and even to those serving, the rank structure can sometimes be over simplified. It appears that we rack and stack everyone in the organization, and the person with the most rank “wins”—he or she is in charge, and everyone else has to follow orders that flow from the top. While there is certainly benefit in adhering to a chain of command, the interaction between the various ranks up and down that chain, officer and enlisted, becomes the connective tissue that creates a cohesive, successful organization inside of which good decisions and high morale thrive. The most senior member of a unit has the responsibility—and the honor—of leading. But to be successful, the planning and decision-making at the top must reflect a thorough understanding of the strengths at every level of the organization, for it is the enlisted leaders who will ultimately execute those plans in battle, and win."—Foreword by General Peter Pace, U.S. Marine Corps, 16th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.This book brings together the stories of six former senior enlisted advisors to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Each tells in their own words how they got their start, how mentors encouraged them along the way, and how they eventually became the highest-ranking enlisted member in their respective service."With invaluable lessons this is a book for junior service members, senior enlisted leaders, officers, but also for those with no connection to the military.“Books on leadership are many, but none are as practical, clear, and proven as Breaching the Summit. Sure to be of value to every level of military leader, it is equally relevant and valuable to leaders in government, in businesses of every size, and in every boardroom. The uniquely experienced, gifted, and tested authors have led, inspired, and mentored thousands in their extraordinary careers of service to our nation. They lived, observed, and led from the most junior ranks to the pinnacle of military service - they walked the talk. This book should be at the very top of every leader’s list, to be read and reread.” — Adm. Gary Roughead, U.S. Navy (retired)Chief of Naval Operations (2007–2011)“Six outstanding American military leaders served our nation admirably and now share their life experiences and the leadership lessons they learned. This book is a must-read for all service members - both enlisted and officer - aspiring to be successful leaders in uniform and beyond. Thank you to each of the authors for selflessly sharing their experiences and insights on leadership and life.” — Gen. Frank J. Grass, U.S. Army (retired), 27th Chief of the National Guard Bureau (2012–2016)“These extraordinary enlisted leaders have ‘walked the talk,’ and we should listen. Senior noncommissioned officers are the backbone of the finest armed forces in the world. This book shows why.” — Adm. Thad W. Allen, U.S. Coast Guard (retired), 23rd Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard (2006–2010)“A collection of personal vignettes that teach practical leadership lessons, Breaching the Summit is a must-read for leaders at all levels. The authors have served as their services’ highest-ranking noncommissioned officers and are the epitome of the U.S. military’s professional, all-volunteer force.” — Gen. Ed Eberhart, U.S. Air Force (retired), Commander, NORAD/USNORTHCOM (2002–2005), CEO, Armed Forces Benefit Association“The stories in this book are riveting, powerful, and, best of all, true. The leaders who share their stories shaped our armed forces to be the greatest in the history of our nation. I had the privilege of working very closely with Jim and Paula Roy for over two years. They represent the very finest examples of great parents, humble and inspirational leaders, and compassionate partners, and they showed us all how to have fun while performing at the very highest levels of command.” — Adm. Timothy J. Keating, U.S. Navy (retired), Commander, NORAD/USNORTHCOM (2004–2007), USPACOM (2007–2009)“This book is a catalyst to renew the reader’s commitment to reach and exceed their potential—personally and professionally—while also taking joy in fulfilling their respective duties and responsibilities.” — Col. Paul H. Atterbury, U.S. Marine Corps (retired), Judge Advocate (1994–2014)“I found this book inspiring, interesting, and instructive. Six remarkably accomplished authors share their powerful personal narratives, and their diverse and compelling stories lift up essential leadership lessons for us all, whether military or civilian. If you are anywhere along the continuum of leadership—from leading yourself to leading organizations—and want to become a better leader, read this book!” — Vice Adm. Manson K. Brown, U.S. Coast Guard (retired), Assistant Secretary of Commerce (2010–2014)“Of all the books I’ve read on military leadership, this is one of the absolute best. It’s a great opportunity to learn from some of our nation’s top enlisted leaders—a must-read for all service members.” — Chief Master Sgt. W. Allen Usry, U.S. Air Force (retired), Command Senior Enlisted Leader, NORAD/USNORTHCOM (2009–2011)“Breaching the Summit is a motivating and inspiring read. The life lessons and stories shared will serve readers from any walk of life. The wisdom of these senior enlisted leaders in our U.S. military, tempered with their great sense of humility, reaffirms what makes our nation great. The advice these remarkable patriots have given has personally and professionally benefited me.” — Chief Master Sgt. James A. Cody, U.S. Air Force (retired), 17th Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force (2013–2017)“Breaching the Summit is a must-read for those in leadership, those striving to become leaders, or those who want to become a better version of themselves. You will learn traits you want to possess, traits you already have and have forgotten, and traits that will guide you through your own leadership. You will connect and reminisce through the stories that helped mold these average individuals to become six of our top enlisted military leaders. Learn from their lessons of leadership as you become familiar with who they were before they became who they are now.” — Pam Swan, Director, Military Relations for Veterans United Home Loans“Brilliantly illustrating the concept ‘grow where you’re planted,’ Breaching the Summit highlights six disparate individuals’ adaptation of the basic tenets of leadership on their journey to the top of their respective services. Whether you are just beginning your own journey, or merely searching for additional inspiration to refine your own leadership style, the principles stressed in these pages provide a solid foundation for success.” — Force Master Chief Johnny Walker, U.S. Navy (retired), Naval Education and Training Command (2007–2009), MCPON Executive Assistant (2009–2011)“Written by proven senior enlisted leaders, Breaching the Summit is a compendium of personal and professional experiences that distills success for all who choose the life of servant leadership in our military.” — Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Ripka, U.S. Army (retired), Command Senior Enlisted Leader, USJFCOM/USAFRICOM (2007–2011)“Breaching the Summit is an insightful, informative walk through the phases of an enlisted career from some of the most successful leaders in modern history. This is a must-read primer for anyone on a journey through the ranks of our glorious military. Read this book. Learn from the real-life lessons that molded some of our greatest enlisted leaders.” — Chief Master Sgt. John M. Harris, U.S. Air National Guard (retired), Command Chief Master Sergeant, Louisiana ANG (2006–2010), President, EANGUS“I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This is not just for the ‘seasoned’ leader - anyone can relate to these lessons, no matter their level of leadership. I felt as though I were sitting in a Leadership 101 symposium!” — Fleet Master Chief April Beldo, U.S. Navy (retired)Manpower, Personnel, Training, and Education Command (2013–2017)“As I’m passing 10 years since I left my own naval service behind, I am amazed at how the leadership truths in this book apply to any industry, not just the military. Making sure everyone knows their individual role in the unit’s success, take the time to get the little things right, coach each other up, down, and all around, and all the other lessons. MCPON West said it best: don’t just take care of your crew, challenge them to grow and be ready to take the reins. This book is not just for practitioners of the art of war—it is for anyone who wants to lead their organization to excellence!” — Capt. Bob Schuetz, U.S. Navy (retired), Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff, COMSUBPAC (2006–2008), Plant GM, Columbia Generating Station“CMSAF Roy’s anecdote of re-digging the water line in Michigan at age 10 was a foretaste of his sense of duty and doing the right things right throughout his AF career. His is a life well lived that resulted in Airmen being well led—including this one.” — Lt. Gen. Loren M. Reno, U.S. Air Force (retired), Deputy Chief of Staff, USAF Logistics, Installations and Mission Support (2009–2012)“MCPOCG Skip Bowen has a truly remarkable legacy of principled leadership built over an incredible career in the Coast Guard. His story, and the stories of the other leaders who reached the top positions in our military, are inspiring examples of linking personal and organizational success from the entry level to the summit. This book is a great read!” — Vice Adm. David P. Pekoske, U.S. Coast Guard (retired), Vice Commandant, USCG (2009–2010), Administrator, TSA“What an amazing opportunity to read about these great leaders! MCPON Rick West’s story shines light onto his sacrifice and compassion for the U.S. Sailor. Mentor, motivator, and total compassion describe MCPON West. His understanding of tactical and strategic level of knowledge provided excellence across the fleet. Most importantly, he is a chief’s chief who connected and continues to connect with the CPO Mess at large.” — Fleet Master Chief Susan Whitman, U.S. Navy (retired), U.S. Pacific Fleet (2015–2018)“This book offers exceptional insight into what has shaped some of the finest senior enlisted leaders in modern history. Through easy-to-follow stories, Breaching the Summit showcases the impact small life events have in developing leaders. This team of authors has captured service-specific leadership challenges that have significance in today’s joint warfighting environment, and I would consider Breaching the Summit a must-read for officers and senior enlisted looking to lead the military into the future.” — Fleet Master Chief Mark Rudes, U.S. Navy (retired), Senior Enlisted Leader, PACOM (2012–2016)“Breaching the Summit is a colorful and compelling look at the formative years, experiences, and philosophies behind our nation’s preeminent senior enlisted leaders. America’s faith in and empowerment of its enlisted corps has long been recognized as our true strategic advantage when it comes to military success at sea, in the air, and on land. Preston, Barrett, West, Roy, Jelinski-Hall, and Bowen show how humble beginnings and solid, consistent principles fueled their journeys and struck a chord with a generation of troops inclined to question the motives and methods of leadership. A must-read for anyone seeking insight on how to get the most out of people, or for anyone who doubts the tenacity of our young men and women wearing the uniform today.” — Command Master Chief Scott Fleming, U.S. Navy (retired), Joint Task Force Guantanamo, MCPON Executive Assistant (2011–2013)“From their humble beginnings to the pinnacle of their careers as the most senior noncommissioned officers of the U.S. Armed Forces, nowhere else will you find a compilation of lessons learned like those included here. These six senior enlisted leaders provide insights from which service members of all ages and ranks can learn, and that can serve as guides to a successful military career. I am proud to have served alongside these fine NCOs.” — Command Sgt. Maj. Richard J. Burch, U.S. Army (retired), 9th Command Sergeant Major of the Army National Guard (2010–2012)“With stories from the lives and experiences of six of our top enlisted military leaders, Breaching the Summit offers the gift of leadership honing. This book is not only a must–read for current and future military leaders, but for those in the civilian sector as well. These warriors allow you to experience their personal stories of highs and lows on their way to the top enlisted leadership billet of each military branch. Though different in the challenges they faced, they are the same in telling the reason for their successes. Patton once said: ‘Your character is defined by how high you bounce when you hit bottom.’ Each chapter illustrates how they took challenges head on and bounced to the pinnacle position of their respective professions. They suffered the pain of discipline to not suffer the pain of regret. I have added this to my professional library of leadership and urge all leaders - present and future - to do the same.” — 1st Sgt. Mark Gordon, U.S. Marine Corps (retired), Subject matter expert for combat profiling, Camp Lejeune“Whenever a new initiative was considered, I knew no one had their finger on the pulse of the fleet like the MCPON and the SGTMAJ of the USMC. The troops see in these senior enlisted leaders a role model, parental figure, and most importantly, their potential best selves. Their hard-earned insights have value for any aspiring leader in any walk of life. HOOYAH!” — Juan Garcia, 17th Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Manpower and Reserve Affairs (2009–2016)“Breaching the Summit is an amazing blend of leadership lessons from six very successful military leaders who started in humble beginnings and advanced to the highest levels of the enlisted corps. Their ability to weave personal and professional insights on their journey to mastering their tradecraft and leadership skills provides a blueprint of success for others. The evolutionary journey of learning leadership, practicing leadership, and then executing leadership is highlighted through their experiences. For those just starting their leadership journey and those who are seasoned leaders, there is much to be learned in this book.” — Chief Master Sgt. Steve McDonald, U.S. Air Force (retired), Command Chief, Air Combat Command (2014–2017)“It has been my pleasure to be associated with CMSAF James Roy for the last 25 years, beginning on the island of Guam, where he led the CE ‘dirt boyz’ in support of that critical infrastructure mission. Chief Roy possessed a keen insight into personal leadership then, which served our squadron well through five typhoon encounters and continued to serve him well throughout his successful military career, culminating as the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force. I’m proud to have played a small part in such a superb leader’s life.” — Col. D. H. “Scott” Showers, U.S. Air Force (retired), Commander, 36th Civil Engineer Squadron, Andersen AFB, Guam (1994–1996)“Breaching the Summit gives a rare glimpse into the lives of leaders who served in the highest enlisted positions in the U.S. military. A must-read for any leader who’d like to make a difference in their organization—there’s more common ground than you might think! Problem solvers, influencers, getting pushed out of their comfort zones, and passing it along were a few chunks that jumped out at me. Bravo on this collaboration of some AWESOME human beings!” — Chief Master Sgt. Marty Klukas, U.S. Air Force (retired), Command Senior Enlisted Leader, USTRANSCOM (2011-2014)“MCPON Rick West’s leadership style is more than a pillar from which many grew their naval careers—his motivation to challenge yourself is the foundation by which I continue to live and approach complex situations. His ability to build a cohesive, winning team is second to none. HOOYAH COB!” — Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Rich Hawkins, U.S. Navy (retired), Captain, Delta Air Lines“The U.S. military has long been a preeminent organization for producing leaders of exceptional capability and character. The authors of this book are among the best the military has to offer. It comes as no surprise that their thoughts would be insightful and well worth the attention of both aspiring and experienced leaders from all backgrounds and areas of interest.” — Mike Watt, CEO, Scientific Research Corporation

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The Encyclopedia of Medical Robotics combines contributions in four distinct areas of Medical robotics, namely: Minimally Invasive Surgical Robotics, Micro and Nano Robotics in Medicine, Image-guided Surgical Procedures and Interventions, and Rehabilitation Robotics. The volume on Minimally Invasive Surgical Robotics focuses on robotic technologies geared towards challenges and opportunities in minimally invasive surgery and the research, design, implementation and clinical use of minimally invasive robotic systems. The volume on Micro and Nano robotics in Medicine is dedicated to research activities in an area of emerging interdisciplinary technology that is raising new scientific challenges and promising revolutionary advancement in applications such as medicine and biology. The size and range of these systems are at or below the micrometer scale and comprise assemblies of micro and nanoscale components. The volume on Image-guided Surgical Procedures and Interventions focuses primarily on the use of image guidance during surgical procedures and the challenges posed by various imaging environments and how they related to the design and development of robotic systems as well as their clinical applications. This volume also has significant contributions from the clinical viewpoint on some of the challenges in the domain of image-guided interventions. Finally, the volume on Rehabilitation Robotics is dedicated to the state-of-the-art of an emerging interdisciplinary field where robotics, sensors, and feedback are used in novel ways to re-learn, improve, or restore functional movements in humans.Volume 1, Minimally Invasive Surgical Robotics, focuses on an area of robotic applications that was established in the late 1990s, after the first robotics-assisted minimally invasive surgical procedure. This area has since received significant attention from industry and researchers. The teleoperated and ergonomic features of these robotic systems for minimally invasive surgery (MIS) have been able to reduce or eliminate most of the drawbacks of conventional (laparoscopic) MIS. Robotics-assisted MIS procedures have been conducted on over 3 million patients to date — primarily in the areas of urology, gynecology and general surgery using the FDA approved da Vinci® surgical system. The significant commercial and clinical success of the da Vinci® system has resulted in substantial research activity in recent years to reduce invasiveness, increase dexterity, provide additional features such as image guidance and haptic feedback, reduce size and cost, increase portability, and address specific clinical procedures. The area of robotic MIS is therefore in a state of rapid growth fueled by new developments in technologies such as continuum robotics, smart materials, sensing and actuation, and haptics and teleoperation. An important need arising from the incorporation of robotic technology for surgery is that of training in the appropriate use of the technology, and in the assessment of acquired skills. This volume covers the topics mentioned above in four sections. The first section gives an overview of the evolution and current state the da Vinci® system and clinical perspectives from three groups who use it on a regular basis. The second focuses on the research, and describes a number of new developments in surgical robotics that are likely to be the basis for the next generation of robotic MIS systems. The third deals with two important aspects of surgical robotic systems — teleoperation and haptics (the sense of touch). Technology for implementing the latter in a clinical setting is still very much at the research stage. The fourth section focuses on surgical training and skills assessment necessitated by the novelty and complexity of the technologies involved and the need to provide reliable and efficient training and objective assessment in the use of robotic MIS systems.In Volume 2, Micro and Nano Robotics in Medicine, a brief historical overview of the field of medical nanorobotics as well as the state-of-the-art in the field is presented in the introductory chapter. It covers the various types of nanorobotic systems, their applications and future directions in this field. The volume is divided into three themes related to medical applications. The first theme describes the main challenges of microrobotic design for propulsion in vascular media. Such nanoscale robotic agents are envisioned to revolutionize medicine by enabling minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. To be useful, nanorobots must be operated in complex biological fluids and tissues, which are often difficult to penetrate. In this section, a collection of four papers review the potential medical applications of motile nanorobots, catalytic-based propelling agents, biologically-inspired microrobots and nanoscale bacteria-enabled autonomous drug delivery systems. The second theme relates to the use of micro and nanorobots inside the body for drug-delivery and surgical applications. A collection of six chapters is presented in this segment. The first chapter reviews the different robot structures for three different types of surgery, namely laparoscopy, catheterization, and ophthalmic surgery. It highlights the progress of surgical microrobotics toward intracorporeally navigated mechanisms for ultra-minimally invasive interventions. Then, the design of different magnetic actuation platforms used in micro and nanorobotics are described. An overview of magnetic actuation-based control methods for microrobots, with eventually biomedical applications, is also covered in this segment. The third theme discusses the various nanomanipulation strategies that are currently used in biomedicine for cell characterization, injection, fusion and engineering. In-vitro (3D) cell culture has received increasing attention since it has been discovered to provide a better simulation environment of in-vivo cell growth. Nowadays, the rapid progress of robotic technology paves a new path for the highly controllable and flexible 3D cell assembly. One chapter in this segment discusses the applications of micro-nano robotic techniques for 3D cell culture using engineering approaches. Because cell fusion is important in numerous biological events and applications, such as tissue regeneration and cell reprogramming, a chapter on robotic-tweezers cell manipulation system to achieve precise laser-induced cell fusion using optical trapping has been included in this volume. Finally, the segment ends with a chapter on the use of novel MEMS-based characterization of micro-scale tissues instead of mechanical characterization for cell lines studies.Volume 3, Image-guided Surgical Procedures and Interventions, focuses on several aspects ranging from understanding the challenges and opportunities in this domain, to imaging technologies, to image-guided robotic systems for clinical applications. The volume includes several contributions in the area of imaging in the areas of X-Ray fluoroscopy, CT, PET, MR Imaging, Ultrasound imaging, and optical coherence tomography. Ultrasound-based diagnostics and therapeutics as well as ultrasound-guided planning and navigation are also included in this volume in addition to multi-modal imaging techniques and its applications to surgery and various interventions. The application of multi-modal imaging and fusion in the area of prostate biopsy is also covered. Imaging modality compatible robotic systems, sensors and actuator technologies for use in the MRI environment are also included in this work., as is the development of the framework incorporating image-guided modeling for surgery and intervention. Finally, there are several chapters in the clinical applications domain covering cochlear implant surgery, neurosurgery, breast biopsy, prostate cancer treatment, endovascular interventions, neurovascular interventions, robotic capsule endoscopy, and MRI-guided neurosurgical procedures and interventions.Volume 4, Rehabilitation Robotics, is dedicated to the state-of-the-art of an emerging interdisciplinary field where robotics, sensors, and feedback are used in novel ways to relearn, improve, or restore functional movements in humans. This volume attempts to cover a number of topics relevant to the field. The first section addresses an important activity in our daily lives: walking, where the neuromuscular system orchestrates the gait, posture, and balance. Conditions such as stroke, vestibular deficits, or old age impair this important activity. Three chapters on robotic training, gait rehabilitation, and cooperative orthoses describe the current works in the field to address this issue. The second section covers the significant advances in and novel designs of soft actuators and wearable systems that have emerged in the area of prosthetic lower limbs and ankles in recent years, which offer potential for both rehabilitation and human augmentation. These are described in two chapters. The next section addresses an important emphasis in the field of medicine today that strives to bring rehabilitation out from the clinic into the home environment, so that these medical aids are more readily available to users. The current state-of-the-art in this field is described in a chapter. The last section focuses on rehab devices for the pediatric population. Their impairments are life-long and rehabilitation robotics can have an even bigger impact during their lifespan. In recent years, a number of new developments have been made to promote mobility, socialization, and rehabilitation among the very young: the infants and toddlers. These aspects are summarized in two chapters of this volume.

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"Glorious!" Lucy Strange, author of Sisters of the Lost MarshPerfect for fans of Abi Elphinstone and Sophie AndersonThere is nothing more dangerous than magic... Eleven-year-old Erskin is used to danger; she lives in the shadow of Mountainfell, a place of wild creatures and dangerous magic. When the most powerful and deadly creature of all – the fearsome cloud dragon – snatches Erskin’s sister away, Erskin must face her greatest fear and journey onto the mountain to bring her back. A terrible power is stirring, and it is up to Erskin to save both her family and her home.Praise for Mountainfell:"A delightful story." Books for Keeps"A glorious, heart-warming, magical adventure!" Lucy Strange, author of Sisters of the Lost Marsh"A fantastical, perilous adventure, full of intrigue and self-discovery." Amy Wilson, author of A Girl Called OwlPraise for Glassheart: "With echoes of Susan Cooper, this has all the feel of a classic." Sarah Baker “A masterfully written story surging with powerful energy.” Sinéad O'Hart "Orton's fantastical world is creepily drawn; even better is her understanding of grief, suffering and healing." Observer “Rich and atmospheric, Glassheart feels like a long-lost folktale brimming with ghostly magic.” Jennifer Bell “Katharine Orton writes about history as someone who understands it, and about magic as though she could probably do it. Shatteringly good.” Nick Tomlinson "Glassheart shimmers with magic and adventure... A story that left a sparkling splinter in my soul." Damaris Young Praise for Nevertell: “This is fantasy at its best.” Daily Telegraph “A coming-of-age tale that’s compelling, exciting and as chilling as the snow-bound landscape in which it is set.” Financial Times “Readers will be captivated … A magical, snowy adventure perfect for winter nights.” BookTrust “Featuring themes of bravery, friendship, sorcery and survival, this beautifully written story is ideal for fans of magical adventure tales.” The Week Junior “A tale that sparkles with frosty magic.” Thomas Taylor “Orton's use of language is masterful and her vivid descriptions bring the journey to life … Perfect to snuggle up with on a winter's afternoon.” ReadingZone “It’s an unusual juxtaposition – the harsh world of political prisoners in a forced labour camp versus one of ice castles, spirit children and giant eagles. Katharine Orton pulls it off brilliantly.” The Bookseller An enchanting magical adventure set in the wild moors of Dartmoor – the second middle-grade novel from the author of Nevertell. Through the glass, the magic is waiting… Nona and her uncle travel everywhere together, replacing stained-glass windows in war-torn buildings. When a mysterious commission takes them to the lonely moors of Dartmoor, Nona discovers a wild and powerful magic which threatens everything. Can Nona protect those she loves – even if it means fighting darkness itself? A beautifully imaginative and rich adventure about determination, courage and the power of love, set in the aftermath of World War Two. Perfect for fans of Abi Elphinstone, Sophie Anderson and Catherine Doyle. Praise for Glassheart: "With echoes of Susan Cooper, this has all the feel of a classic." Sarah Baker “A masterfully written story surging with powerful energy.” Sinéad O'Hart "Orton's fantastical world is creepily drawn; even better is her understanding of grief, suffering and healing." Observer “Rich and atmospheric, Glassheart feels like a long-lost folktale brimming with ghostly magic.” Jennifer Bell “Katharine Orton writes about history as someone who understands it, and about magic as though she could probably do it. Shatteringly good.” Nick Tomlinson "Glassheart shimmers with magic and adventure ... A story that left a sparkling splinter in my soul." Damaris Young Praise for Nevertell: “This is fantasy at its best.” Daily Telegraph “A coming-of-age tale that’s compelling, exciting and as chilling as the snow-bound landscape in which it is set.” Financial Times “Readers will be captivated … A magical, snowy adventure perfect for winter nights.” BookTrust “Featuring themes of bravery, friendship, sorcery and survival, this beautifully written story is ideal for fans of magical adventure tales.” The Week Junior “A tale that sparkles with frosty magic.” Thomas Taylor “Orton's use of language is masterful and her vivid descriptions bring the journey to life … Perfect to snuggle up with on a winter's afternoon.” ReadingZone “It’s an unusual juxtaposition – the harsh world of political prisoners in a forced labour camp versus one of ice castles, spirit children and giant eagles. Katharine Orton pulls it off brilliantly.” The Bookseller An enchanting magical adventure set in the wild moors of Dartmoor – the second middle-grade novel from the author of Nevertell. Through the glass, the magic is waiting… Nona and her uncle travel everywhere together, replacing stained-glass windows in war-torn buildings. When a mysterious commission takes them to the lonely moors of Dartmoor, Nona discovers a wild and powerful magic which threatens everything. Can Nona protect those she loves – even if it means fighting darkness itself? A beautifully imaginative and rich adventure about determination, courage and the power of love, set in the aftermath of World War Two. Perfect for fans of Abi Elphinstone, Sophie Anderson and Catherine Doyle. Praise for Glassheart: "With echoes of Susan Cooper, this has all the feel of a classic." Sarah Baker “A masterfully written story surging with powerful energy.” Sinéad O'Hart "Orton's fantastical world is creepily drawn; even better is her understanding of grief, suffering and healing." Observer “Rich and atmospheric, Glassheart feels like a long-lost folktale brimming with ghostly magic.” Jennifer Bell “Katharine Orton writes about history as someone who understands it, and about magic as though she could probably do it. Shatteringly good.” Nick Tomlinson "Glassheart shimmers with magic and adventure ... A story that left a sparkling splinter in my soul." Damaris Young Praise for Nevertell: “This is fantasy at its best.” Daily Telegraph “A coming-of-age tale that’s compelling, exciting and as chilling as the snow-bound landscape in which it is set.” Financial Times “Readers will be captivated … A magical, snowy adventure perfect for winter nights.” BookTrust “Featuring themes of bravery, friendship, sorcery and survival, this beautifully written story is ideal for fans of magical adventure tales.” The Week Junior “A tale that sparkles with frosty magic.” Thomas Taylor “Orton's use of language is masterful and her vivid descriptions bring the journey to life … Perfect to snuggle up with on a winter's afternoon.” ReadingZone “It’s an unusual juxtaposition – the harsh world of political prisoners in a forced labour camp versus one of ice castles, spirit children and giant eagles. Katharine Orton pulls it off brilliantly.” The Bookseller An enchanting magical adventure set in the wild moors of Dartmoor – the second middle-grade novel from the author of Nevertell. Through the glass, the magic is waiting… Nona and her uncle travel everywhere together, replacing stained-glass windows in war-torn buildings. When a mysterious commission takes them to the lonely moors of Dartmoor, Nona discovers a wild and powerful magic which threatens everything. Can Nona protect those she loves – even if it means fighting darkness itself? A beautifully imaginative and rich adventure about determination, courage and the power of love, set in the aftermath of World War Two. Perfect for fans of Abi Elphinstone, Sophie Anderson and Catherine Doyle. Praise for Glassheart: "With echoes of Susan Cooper, this has all the feel of a classic." Sarah Baker “A masterfully written story surging with powerful energy.” Sinéad O'Hart "Orton's fantastical world is creepily drawn; even better is her understanding of grief, suffering and healing." Observer “Rich and atmospheric, Glassheart feels like a long-lost folktale brimming with ghostly magic.” Jennifer Bell “Katharine Orton writes about history as someone who understands it, and about magic as though she could probably do it. Shatteringly good.” Nick Tomlinson "Glassheart shimmers with magic and adventure ... A story that left a sparkling splinter in my soul." Damaris Young Praise for Nevertell: “This is fantasy at its best.” Daily Telegraph “A coming-of-age tale that’s compelling, exciting and as chilling as the snow-bound landscape in which it is set.” Financial Times “Readers will be captivated … A magical, snowy adventure perfect for winter nights.” BookTrust “Featuring themes of bravery, friendship, sorcery and survival, this beautifully written story is ideal for fans of magical adventure tales.” The Week Junior “A tale that sparkles with frosty magic.” Thomas Taylor “Orton's use of language is masterful and her vivid descriptions bring the journey to life … Perfect to snuggle up with on a winter's afternoon.” ReadingZone “It’s an unusual juxtaposition – the harsh world of political prisoners in a forced labour camp versus one of ice castles, spirit children and giant eagles. Katharine Orton pulls it off brilliantly.” The Bookseller

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“SOA Design Patterns is an important contribution to the literature and practice of building and delivering quality software-intensive systems.” - Grady Booch, IBM Fellow “With the continued explosion of services and the increased rate of adoption of SOA through the market, there is a critical need for comprehensive, actionable guidance that provides the fastest possible time to results. Microsoft is honored to contribute to the SOA Design Patterns book, and to continue working with the community to realize the value of Real World SOA.” - Steven Martin, Senior Director, Developer Platform Product Management, Microsoft “SOA Design Patterns provides the proper guidance with the right level of abstraction to be adapted to each organization’s needs, and Oracle is pleased to have contributed to the patterns contained in this book.” - Dr. Mohamad Afshar, Director of Product Management, Oracle Fusion Middleware, Oracle “Red Hat is pleased to be involved in the SOA Design Patterns book and contribute important SOA design patterns to the community that we and our customers have used within our own SOA platforms. I am sure this will be a great resource for future SOA practitioners.” - Pierre Fricke Director, Product Line Management, JBoss SOA Platform, Red Hat “A wealth of proven, reusable SOA design patterns, clearly explained and illustrated with examples. An invaluable resource for all those involved in the design of service-oriented solutions.” - Phil Thomas, Consulting IT Specialist, IBM Software Group “This obligatory almanac of SOA design patterns will become the foundation on which many organizations will build their successful SOA solutions. It will allow organizations to build their own focused SOA design patterns catalog in an expedited fashion knowing that it contains the wealth and expertise of proven SOA best practices.” - Stephen Bennett, Director, Technology Business Unit, Oracle Corporation “The technical differences between service orientation and object orientation are subtle enough to confuse even the most advanced developers. Thomas Erl’s book provides a great service by clearly articulating SOA design patterns and differentiating them from similar OO design patterns.” - Anne Thomas Manes, VP & Research Director, Burton Group “SOA Design Patterns does an excellent job of laying out and discussing the areas of SOA design that a competent SOA practitioner should understand and employ.” - Robert Laird, SOA Architect, IBM “As always, Thomas delivers again. In a well-structured and easy-to-understand way, this book provides a wonderful collection of patterns each addressing a typical set of SOA design problems with well articulated solutions. The plain language and hundreds of diagrams included in the book help make the complicated subjects of SOA design comprehensible even to those who are new to the SOA design world. It’s a must-have reference book for all SOA practitioners, especially for enterprise architects, solution architects, developers, managers, and business process experts.” - Canyang Kevin Liu, Solution Architecture Manager, SAP “The concept of service oriented architecture has long promised visions of agile organizations being able to swap out interfaces and applications as business needs change. SOA also promises incredible developer and IT productivity, with the idea that key services would be candidates for cross-enterprise sharing or reuse. But many organizations’ efforts to move to SOA have been mired–by organizational issues, by conflicting vendor messages, and by architectures that may amount to little more than Just a Bunch of Web Services. There’s been a lot of confusion in the SOA marketplace about exactly what SOA is, what it’s supposed to accomplish, and how an enterprise goes about in making it work. SOA Design Patterns is a definitive work that offers clarity on the purpose and functioning of service oriented architecture. SOA Design Patterns not only helps the IT practitioner lay the groundwork for a well-functioning SOA effort across the enterprise, but also connects the dots between SOA and the business requirements in a very concrete way. Plus, this book is completely technology agnostic—SOA Design Patterns rightly focuses on infrastructure and architecture, and it doesn’t matter whether you’re using components of one kind or another, or Java, or .NET, or Web services, or REST-style interfaces. While no two SOA implementations are alike, Thomas Erl and his team of contributors have effectively identified the similarities in composition services need to have at a sub-atomic level in order to interact with each other as we hope they will. The book identifies 85 SOA design patterns which have been developed and thoroughly vetted to ensure that a service-oriented architecture does achieve the flexibility and loose coupling promised. The book is also compelling in that it is a living document, if you will, inviting participation in an open process to identify and formulate new patterns to this growing body of knowledge.” - Joe McKendrick, Independent Analyst, Author of ZDNet’s SOA Blog “If you want to truly educate yourself on SOA, read this book.” - Sona Srinivasan, Global Client Services & Operations, CISCO “An impressive decomposition of the process and architectural elements that support serviceoriented analysis, design, and delivery. Right-sized and terminologically consistent. Overall, the book represents a patient separation of concerns in respect of the process and architectural parts that underpin any serious SOA undertaking. Two things stand out. First, the pattern relationship diagrams provide rich views into the systemic relationships that structure a service-oriented architecture: these patterns are not discrete, isolated templates to be applied mechanically to the problem space; rather, they form a network of forces and constraints that guide the practitioner to consider the task at hand in the context of its inter-dependencies. Second, the pattern sequence diagrams and accompanying notes provide a useful framework for planning and executing the many activities that comprise an SOA engagement.” - Ian Robinson, Principal Technology Consultant, ThoughtWorks “Successful implementation of SOA principles requires a shift in focus from software system means, or the way capabilities are developed, to the desired end results, or real-world effects required to satisfy organizational business processes. In SOA Design Patterns, Thomas Erl provides service architects with a broad palette of reusable service patterns that describe service capabilities that can cut across many SOA applications. Service architects taking advantage of these patterns will save a great deal of time describing and assembling services to deliver the real world effects they need to meet their organization’s specific business objectives.” - Chuck Georgo, Public Safety and National Security Architect “In IT, we have increasingly come to see the value of having catalogs of good solution patterns in programming and systems design. With this book, Thomas Erl brings a comprehensive set of patterns to bear on the world of SOA. These patterns enable easily communicated, reusable, and effective solutions, allowing us to more rapidly design and build out the large, complicated and interoperable enterprise SOAs into which our IT environments are evolving.” - Al Gough, Business Systems Solutions CTO, CACI International Inc. “This book provides a comprehensive and pragmatic review of design issues in service-centric design, development, and evolution. The Web site related to this book [SOAPatterns.org] is a wonderful platform and gives the opportunity for the software community to maintain this catalogue….” - Veronica Gacitua Decar, Dublin City University “Erl’s SOA Design Patterns is for the IT decision maker determined to make smart architecture design choices, smart investments, and long term enterprise impact. For those IT professionals committed to service-orientation as a value-added design and implementation option, Patterns offers a credible, repeatable approach to engineering an adaptable business enterprise. This is a must read for all IT architect professionals.” - Larry Gloss, VP and General Manager, Information Manufacturing, LLC “These SOA patterns define, encompass, and comprise a complete repertoire of best practices for developing a world-class IT SOA portfolio for the enterprise and its organizational units through to service and schema analysis and design. After many years as an architect on many SOA projects, I strongly recommend this book be on the shelf of every analyst and technical member of any SOA effort, right next to the SOA standards and guidelines it outlines and elucidates the need for. Our SOA governance standards draw heavily from this work and others from this series.” - Robert John Hathaway III, Enterprise Software Architect, SOA Object Systems “A wise man once told me that wisdom isn’t all about knowledge and intelligence, it is just as much about asking questions. Asking questions is the true mark of wisdom and during the writing of the SOA Design Patterns book Thomas Erl has shown his real qualities. The community effort behind this book is huge meaning that Thomas has had access to the knowledge and experience of a large group of accomplished practitioners. The result speaks for itself. This book is packed with proven solutions to recurring problems, and the documented pros and cons of each solution have been verified by persons with true experience. This book could give SOA initiatives of any scale a real boost.” - Herbjörn Wilhelmsen, Architect and Senior Consultant, Objectware “This book is an absolute milestone in SOA literature. For the first time we are provided with a practical guide on how the principle centric description of service orientation from a vendor-agnostic viewpoint is actually made to work in a language based on patterns. This book makes you talk SOA! There are very few who understand SOA like Thomas Erl does, he actually put’s it all together!” - Brian Lokhorst, Solution Architect, Dutch Tax Office “Service oriented architecture is all about best practices we have learned since IT’s existence. This book takes all those best practices and bundles them into a nice pattern catalogue. [It provides] a really excellent approach as patterns are not just documented but are provided with application scenarios through case studies [which] fills the gap between theory and practice.” - Shakti Sharma, Senior Enterprise Architect, Sysco Corp “An excellent and important book on solving problems in SOA [with a] solid structure. Has the potential of being among the major influential books.” - Peter Chang, Lawrence Technical University “SOA Design Patterns presents a vast amount of knowledge about how to successfully implement SOA within an organization. The information is clear, concise, and most importantly, legitimate.” - Peter B. Woodhull, President and Principal Architect, Modus21 “SOA Design Patterns offers real insights into everyday problems that one will encounter when investing in services oriented architecture. [It] provides a number of problem descriptions and offers strategies for dealing with these problems. SOA design patterns highlights more than just the technical problems and solutions. Common organizational issues that can hinder progress towards achieving SOA migration are explained along with potential approaches for dealing with these real world challenges. Once again Thomas Erl provides in-depth coverage of SOA terminology and helps the reader better understand and appreciate the complexities of migrating to an SOA environment.” - David Michalowicz, Air and Space Operations Center Modernization Team Lead, MITRE Corporation “This is a long overdue, serious, comprehensive, and well-presented catalog of SOA design patterns. This will be required reading and reference for all our SOA engineers and architects. The best of the series so far! [The book] works in two ways: as a primer in SOA design and architecture it can easily be read front-to-back to get an overview of most of the key design issues you will encounter, and as a reference catalog of design techniques that can be referred to again and again…” - Wendell Ocasio, Architecture Consultant, DoD Military Health Systems, Agilex Technologies “Thomas has once again provided the SOA practitioner with a phenomenal collection of knowledge. This is a reference that I will come back to time and time again as I move forward in SOA design efforts. What I liked most about this book is its vendor agnostic approach to SOA design patterns. This approach really presents the reader with an understanding of why or why not to implement a pattern, group patterns, or use compound patterns rather than giving them a marketing spiel on why one implementation of a pattern is better than another (for example, why one ESB is better than another). I think as SOA adoption continues to advance, the ability for architects to understand when and why to apply specific patterns will be a driving factor in the overall success and evolution of SOA. Additionally, I believe that this book provides the consumer with the understanding required to chose which vendor’s SOA products are right for their specific needs.” - Bryan Brew, SOA Consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton “A must have for every SOA practitioner.” - Richard Van Schelven, Principal Engineer, Ericsson “This book is a long-expected successor to the books on object-oriented design patterns and integration patterns. It is a great reference book that clearly and thoroughly describes design patterns for SOA. A great read for architects who are facing the challenge of transforming their enterprise into a service-oriented enterprise.” - Linda Terlouw, Solution Architect, Ordina “The maturation of Service-Orientation has given the industry time to absorb the best practices of service development. Thomas Erl has amassed this collective wisdom in SOA Design Patterns, an absolutely indispensible addition to any Service Oriented bookshelf.” - Kevin P. Davis, Ph.D “The problem with most texts on SOA is one of specificity. Architects responsible for SOA implementation in most organizations have little time for abstract theories on the subject, but are hungry for concrete details that they can relate to the real problems they face in their environment. SOA Design Patterns is critical reading for anyone with service design responsibilities. Not only does the text provide the normal pattern templates, but each pattern is applied in detail against a background case study to provide exceptionally meaningful context to the information. The graphic visualizations of the problems and pattern solutions are excellent supplementary companions to the explanatory text. This book will greatly stretch the knowledge of the reader as much for raising and addressing issues that may have never occurred to the reader as it does in treating those problems that are in more common occurrence. The real beauty of this book is in its plain English prose. Unlike so many technical reference books, one does not find themselves re-reading sections multiple times trying to discern the intent of the author. This is also not a reference that will sit gathering dust on a shelf after one or two perusings. Practitioners will find themselves returning over and over to utilize the knowledge in their projects. This is as close as you’ll come to having a service design expert sitting over your shoulder.” - James Kinneavy, Principal Software Architect, University of California “As the industry converges on SOA patterns, Erl provides an outstanding reference guide to composition and integration–and yet another distinctive contribution to the SOA practice.” - Steve Birkel, Chief IT Technical Architect, Intel Corp. “With SOA Design Patterns, Thomas Erl adds an indispensable SOA reference volume to the technologist’s library. Replete with to-the-point examples, it will be a helpful aid to any IT organization.” - Ed Dodds, Strategist, Systems Architect, Conmergence “Again, Thomas Erl has written an indispensable guide to SOA. Building on his prior successes, his patterns go into even more detail. Therefore, this book is not only helpful to the SOA beginner, but also provides new insight and ideas to professionals.” - Philipp Offermann, Research Scientist, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany “SOA Design Patterns is an extraordinary contribution to SOA best practices! Once again, Thomas has created an indispensable resource for any person or organization interested in or actively engaged in the practice of Service Oriented Architecture. Using case studies based on three very different business models, Thomas guides the reader through the process of selecting appropriate implementation patterns to ensure a flexible, well-performing, and secure SOA ecosystem.” - Victor Brown, Managing Partner and Principal Consultant, Cypress Management Group Corporation In cooperation with experts and practitioners throughout the SOA community, best-selling author Thomas Erl brings together the de facto catalog of design patterns for SOA and service-orientation. More than three years in development and subjected to numerous industry reviews, the 85 patterns in this full-color book provide the most successful and proven design techniques to overcoming the most common and critical problems to achieving modern-day SOA. Through numerous examples, individually documented pattern profiles, and over 400 color illustrations, this book provides in-depth coverage of: • Patterns for the design, implementation, and governance of service inventories–collections of services representing individual service portfolios that can be independently modeled, designed, and evolved. • Patterns specific to service-level architecture which pertain to a wide range of design areas, including contract design, security, legacy encapsulation, reliability, scalability, and a variety of implementation and governance issues. • Service composition patterns that address the many aspects associated with combining services into aggregate distributed solutions, including topics such as runtime messaging and message design, inter-service security controls, and transformation. • Compound patterns (such as Enterprise Service Bus and Orchestration) and recommended pattern application sequences that establish foundational processes. The book begins by establishing SOA types that are referenced throughout the patterns and then form the basis of a final chapter that discusses the architectural impact of service-oriented computing in general. These chapters bookend the pattern catalog to provide a clear link between SOA design patterns, the strategic goals of service-oriented computing, different SOA types, and the service-orientation design paradigm. This book series is further supported by a series of resources sites, including soabooks.com, soaspecs.com, soapatterns.org, soamag.com, and soaposters.com.

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