Search results for ""People""

Winston Churchill wrote five books before he was elected to Parliament at the age of twenty-five. The most impressive of these books, The River War tells the story of Britain’s arduous and risky campaign to reconquer the Sudan at the end of the nineteenth century. More than half a century of subjection to Egypt had ended a decade earlier when Sudanese Dervishes rebelled against foreign rule and killed Britain’s envoy Charles Gordon at his palace in Khartoum in 1885. Political Islam collided with European imperialism. Herbert Kitchener’s Anglo-Egyptian army, advancing hundreds of miles south along the Nile through the Sahara Desert, defeated the Dervish army at the battle of Omdurman on September 2, 1898. Churchill, an ambitious young cavalry officer serving with his regiment in India, had already published newspaper columns and a book about fighting on the Afghan frontier. He yearned to join Kitchener’s campaign. But the general, afraid of what he would write about it, refused to have him. Churchill returned to London. With help from his mother and the prime minister, he managed to get himself attached to an English cavalry regiment sent to strengthen Kitchener’s army. Hurriedly travelling to Egypt, Churchill rushed upriver to Khartoum, catching up with Kitchener’s army just in time to take part in the climactic battle. That day he charged with the 21st Lancers in the most dangerous fighting against the Dervish host. He wrote fifteen dispatches for the Morning Post in London. As Kitchener had expected, Churchill’s dispatches and his subsequent book were highly controversial. The precocious officer, having earlier seen war on two other continents, showed a cool independence of his commanding officer. He even resigned from the army to be free to write the book as he pleased. He gave Kitchener credit for his victory but found much to criticize in his character and campaign. Churchill’s book, far from being just a military history, told the whole story of the Egyptian conquest of the Sudan and the Dervishes’ rebellion against imperial rule. The young author was remarkably even-handed, showing sympathy for the founder of the rebellion, Muhammad Ahmed, and for his successor the Khalifa Abdullahi, whom Kitchener had defeated. He considered how the war in northeast Africa affected British politics at home, fit into the geopolitical rivalry between Britain and France, and abruptly thrust the vast Sudan, with the largest territory in Africa, into an uncertain future in Britain’s orbit. In November 1899, The River War was published in “two massive volumes, my magnum opus (up to date), upon which I had lavished a whole year of my life,” as Churchill recalled later in his autobiography. The book had twenty-six chapters, five appendices, dozens of illustrations, and colored maps. Three years later, in 1902, it was shortened to fit into one volume. Seven whole chapters, and parts of every other chapter, disappeared in the abridgment. Many maps and most illustrations were also dropped. Since then the abridged edition has been reprinted regularly, and eventually it was even abridged further. But the full two-volume book, which is rare and expensive, was never published again—until now. St. Augustine’s Press, in collaboration with the International Churchill Society, brings back to print in two handsome volumes The River War: An Historical Account of the Reconquest of the Soudan unabridged, for the first time since 1902. Every chapter and appendix from the first edition has been restored. All the maps are in it, in their original colors, with all the illustrations by Churchill’s brother officer Angus McNeill. More than thirty years in the making, under the editorship of James W. Muller, this new edition of The River War will be the definitive one for all time. The whole book is printed in two colors, in black and red type, to show what Churchill originally wrote and how it was abridged or altered later. For the first time, a new appendix reproduces Churchill’s Sudan dispatches as he wrote them, before they were edited by the Morning Post. Other new appendices reprint Churchill’s subsequent writings on the Sudan. Thousands of new footnotes have been added to the book by the editor, identifying Churchill’s references to people, places, writings, and events unfamiliar to readers today. Professor Muller’s new introduction explains how the book fits into Churchill’s career as a writer and an aspiring politician. He examines the statesman’s early thoughts about war, race, religion, and imperialism, which are still our political challenges in the twenty-first century. Half a century after The River War appeared, this book was one of a handful of his works singled out by the Swedish Academy when it awarded Churchill the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953. Now, once again, its reader can follow Churchill back to the war he fought on the Nile, beginning with the words of his youngest daughter. Before she died, Mary Soames wrote a new foreword, published here, which concludes that “In this splendid new edition…we have, in effect, the whole history of The River War as Winston Churchill wrote it—and it makes memorable reading.”

Read more less

A heart-breaking story of survival, where life or death relies on the smallest chance and happiness can be found in the darkest times. Fans of The Choice and The Tattooist of Auschwitz will fall in love with this beautiful novel__________'She touched the photograph in its gilt frame that was always on her desk, of a young, thin woman with very short hair and a baby in her arms. She had one last story to tell. Theirs. And it began in hell on earth.'It is 1942 and Eva Adami has boarded a train to Auschwitz. Barely able to breathe due to the press of bodies and exhausted from standing up for two days, she can think only of her longed-for reunion with her husband Michal, who was sent there six months earlier. But when Eva arrives at Auschwitz, there is no sign of Michal and the stark reality of the camp comes crashing down upon her. As she lies heartbroken and shivering on a thin mattress, her head shaved by rough hands, she hears a whisper. Her bunkmate, Sofie, is reaching out her hand . . .As the days pass, the two women learn each other's hopes and dreams - Eva's is that she will find Michal alive in this terrible place, and Sofie's is that she will be reunited with her son Tomas, over the border in an orphanage in Austria. Sofie sees the chance to engineer one last meeting between Eva and Michal and knows she must take it even if means befriending the enemy.But when Eva realises she is pregnant she fears she has endangered both their lives. The women promise to protect each other's children, should the worst occur. For they are determined to hold on to the last flower of hope in the shadows and degradation: their precious children, who they pray will live to tell their story when they no longer can.__________ A heart-breaking story of survival, where life or death relies on the smallest chance and happiness can be found in the darkest times. Fans of The Choice and The Tattooist of Auschwitz will fall in love with this beautiful novel.Readers are captivated by The Child of Auschwitz:'This hauntingly heart-breaking story is one of pure, instinctual survival. It is a story of fierce friendships, unbreakable spirits, and the most powerful love possible. In the terror of their world fallen into darkness, these women found the smallest cracks where the light came in and stepped into to it with their lives. I was so spellbound by this captivating, riveting read that I could not put it down until I read every last word. Highly recommend The Child of Auschwitz as a must-read' Goodreads Reviewer, *****'The Child of Auschwitz is a beautiful, emotional story of friendship, family, hope and love. I love reading historical fiction, so I had high hopes; Lily Graham did not disappoint! I love the way the story is written. It's hard to adequately put in to words how amazing this book is' Netgalley Reviewer, *****'This book grabbed me from the first sentence and didn't let me go for the entire journey. I had goosebumps while reading . . . It is a beautiful story' Goodreads Reviewer, *****'What a beautiful emotive book . . . I couldn't put this book down and while it is all about people suffering at the hands of the Nazis it also shows the love and friendship that can be found' Goodreads Reviewer, *****'Hope and Promises in the most dire circumstances . . . What a tragic and realistic story this has been. Through all the evil there was hope, friendship and love. I highly recommend this book' Goodreads Reviewer, ?????'Sensitively told, it's the story of heartbreak, suffering, starvation, cruelty and injustice but it's also the tale of the most amazing resilience, hope, determination and love . . . A most compelling read that will bring tears to your eyes and realisation of how lucky we are today' Goodreads Reviewer'I have always loved a good historical fiction book, and this one did not disappoint! From the opening line of the book through the end I was hooked . . . The characters were well written and very relatable, and you found yourself rooting for Eva, and even crying at various points of the book' Goodreads Reviewer'A deep and thought-provoking novel. It's remarkable in so many ways and heart-breaking in equal measure. A unique Holocaust read' The Book Trail'The Child of Auschwitz is an emotional roller coaster of a read. Parts were horrific, saddening, shocking, heart warming, I think I went though every emotion possible whilst reading it. Even though fiction, for me, the author gives a very real account of what life was like in the camps as well as what took place inside them. An absolute must read' By the Letter Book Reviews

Read more less

The explosive memoir of legendary DEA agents and the subject of the hit Netflix series Narcos, Steve Murphy and Javier F. Peña For the first time, legendary DEA operatives Steve Murphy and Javier F. Pena tell the true story of how they took down Pablo Escobar. Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar's brutal Medellin Cartel was responsible for trafficking tonnes of cocaines to North America and Europe in the 1980s and '90s. Colombia became a war zone as his sicarios mercilessly murdered thousands of people - competitors, police and civilians - to ensure he remained Colombia's reigning kingpin. With billions in personal income, Escobar bought off politicians and lawmen and became a hero to poorer communities by building houses and sports centres. He was untouchable. But when Escobar became one of America's most wanted, agents Steve Murphy and Javier F Pena were tasked with ending his reign of terror. For eighteen months, Steve and Javier lived and worked beside Colombian authorities, finding themselves in the crosshairs of sicarios who were targeting them for the $300,000 bounty Escobar placed on their heads. Undeterred, they risked the dangers, relentlessly and ruthlessly separating the drug lord from his resources and allies, tearing apart his empire, and sending him underground and on the run from enemies on both sides of the law. From their rigorous physical training and early assignments in Miami and Austin, to the Colombian mission that would make their names, Manhuntersis the jaw-dropping true story of how the world's most infamous narcoterrorist was finally put out of business. *"Riveting. A must-read for anyone interested in one of the major campaigns on the war on drugs." Publishers Weekly"A thriller-esque account...keep[s] the pages turning." Kirkus Reviews"A gripping insider account of the hunt for Pablo Escobar. Brilliant, bold, and no holds barred, this is an impeccable true crime story, told by the two brave men who risked everything to bring down the world's first narco-terrorist. A five-star read!" Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author of 'Spymaster'"Manhunters is a riveting account of two brave DEA Agents who put their lives, along with their families lives, on the line to fight the war on drugs in the US and Colombia. A must read on the take down of Pablo Escobar and the part they played in the investigation." Joe Pistone, a.k.a. Donnie Brasco"A fast-paced tale by two agents for the DEA who had the inside track on bringing down the most wanted man in recent U.S history." Bruce Porter, New York Times bestselling author of 'Blow' and 'Snatched'"Manhunters is a gripping story about two true patriots who were the difference makers in the final hunt for Pablo Escobar. They are heroes to a world that was otherwise held captive by the evil of the planet's first narco-terrorist. Their bravery is unparalleled, and we owe them a great deal of gratitude for their selfless sacrifices. It is an honor to know them and their story." ?Robert Mazur, New York Times bestselling author of The Infiltrator"Steve and Javier's experience on the front lines of the war on drugs over the last thirty years made them an invaluable source of information for us. Their contacts, both foreign and domestic, allowed us to put together a narrative of one of the most complex, poorly reported, and misunderstood chapters in our recent past." Eric Newman, Executive Producer, 'Narcos'"Steve Murphy and Javier Pena recount their involvement in the pursuit and ultimate victory over a savvy and ruthless killer who declared an uncivil war against his own country. Never failing to credit Colombian heroism in this gripping struggle, Murphy and Pena offer fresh details of the chase for Pablo Escobar that resulted in his defeat and reclamation of the country from the deadly forces of narco-terrorism. A must-read for any fan of Narcos!" Chris Brancato, Executive Producer, 'Narcos'"Steve Murphy and Javier Pena are the real deal; true heroes of the drug war. Manhunters outlines the most important operation in the history of DEA; the killing of the most brutal and notorious drug lord in the world, Pablo Escobar. They give an incredible account of that day in Medellin, Colombia, when Pablo was killed by Colombian police that were supported, advised, and trained by these two American warriors who were on the scene when it all happened. This book is a great read and a critical account of DEA's finest hour." LTG (Ret.) William G. Boykin, Former Commander of U.S. Army Special Forces and Founding Member of Delta Force"Manhunters grabs you from the first page and gives you a front-row seat into the harrowing inter-agency and international hunt for the brutal narcotrafficker Pablo Escobar. Two unlikely heroes recount their stories in a way that is both compelling and captivating." Congresswoman Mary Bono"A compelling read about the adventures of two true American law enforcement heroes who ultimately took on the world's first narco-terrorist, the world's most wanted criminal, the world's largest cocaine baron, Pablo Escobar, and won! They include accounts of other investigations, personal challenges, and the sacrifices made not only by them but their families as well." Barbara Comstock, former VA congresswoman

Read more less

'Unique and stunning. One of the most powerful novels you'll read this year'Stephen Booth on The FatherIn the second part of the highly acclaimed and internationally bestselling series Made in Sweden, one brother fictionalises the real crimes of his own family for a remarkable and epic novel.After six years in prison, Sweden's most notorious criminal Leo Dûvnjac is free, acquitted of all but two of the ten bank robberies he and his two younger brothers pulled off.While behind bars, he befriended Sam Larsen, who was convicted of murdering his own father - and also happens to be the brother of the cop who caught Leo, Detective John Broncks.With Sam at his side, Leo seeks out his now-law-abiding brothers for one last job and a chance at redemption - or revenge. But Bronks is on to him, and Leo's father has other plans for his sons . . .Now two sets of brothers will play out the tragic and thrilling destinies of childhoods built on heartbreaking betrayal.Praise for The Father and The Sons'A powerful real-life story'Guardian'The emotional centre of the story is truly compelling . . . the sweep and scope are epic'Herald'Superior. . . builds to a breathless climax'Sun'A deep, clean cut into the body of fathers, sons, loyalty and family'Sainsburys Magazine'Will delight fans of Nordic Noir'Crime Fiction Lover'Mind boggling and captivating'The Crime Warp'An incredible story'Crime Time'Incredibly efficient and easy to read . . . gripping and thrilling'Helsingborgs Dagblad, Sweden'An unbelievably exciting and authentic story. . . One of the year's best crime stories'Östran, Sweden'An insider story that beats any action film'Aftonbladet, Sweden'A remarkable blend of fact and fiction'Skånska Dagbladet, Sweden'Many of the scenes stick with you'Expressen, Sweden'A powerful and riveting reading experience'Deckarbloggen, Sweden'One of the summer's best thrillers'Café, Sweden'The action in The Father is captivating. It holds us in suspense from the first page to the last'LitteraturMagazinet, Sweden'I have a soft spot not only for suspense novels, but also for coming-of-age stories; here, I get both!'Bokbabbel, Sweden'The craftsmanship in this novel is first-class. It is both exciting and dramatic in an almost cinematic way'Gefle Dagblad, Sweden'It is hard to put The Father down for more than the briefest moment. It is an empathetic story that vividly portrays perpetrators, victims and police'Upsala Nya Tidning, Sweden'It is captivating to read about the inner workings of a gang of robbers'Borås Tidning, Sweden'A very clever suspense novel, a classic story of crime and punishment that is simultaneously a gripping family drama with a genuinely painful element'BTJ, Sweden'The Father is more than a traditional suspense novel. It is also a story of exclusion, a fractured family, an unfamiliar Sweden and a kind of honour culture. This is why it is so totally relevant to us'Mariestads-Tidningen, Sweden'The Father isn't just exciting - it also gives a sincere picture of a home that is a far cry from that of your average Joe'Ölandsbladet, Sweden'A thrilling novel that becomes something much more than a book you can't put down'Tara, Sweden'A flawlessly constructed thriller'Femina, Sweden'The Father is thoroughly exciting from the first line to the last. Seductively well-written'Kristianstadsbladet, Sweden'A gripping coming-of-age story, flush with exciting scenes and the psychological battle between father and son'Falu-Kuriren, Sweden'The Father is a novel where we know already from the beginning how it will all end, but the way there is worth our while'Aftonbladet, Sweden'A book that seems infallible: bring on the cartloads of stars, the stellar reviews and the millions of readers'de Volkskrant, Netherlands'The Father is a book that will elicit a lot of response, a must-read for every crime lover. Actually, a must for anyone who likes to read'Hebban, The Netherlands'An incredible crime novel'Brabants Dagblad, Netherlands'The meticulous preparation and execution of the robberies are depicted stunningly' NRC Handelsblad, Netherlands'It is amazing how much tension the authors create while merely describing the preparations for the robberies. Even more exciting are the robberies themselves'VN Thriller & Detective Guide, Netherlands'Never before have I read a book that so successfully explains how people can end up as criminals'Het Nieuwsblad, Netherlands'The Father provides an intriguing insight in the criminal life'De Telegraaf, Netherlands'The Father is a technically wonderful novel crafted with breathtaking cleverness' Corriere della Sera, Italy'Totally crazy, totally reckless and totally brilliant: a well-researched fictional reality of a book ... the best crime thriller of the year so far'Nordjyske Stiftstidende, Denmark'The structure is strictly cinematic: well-formed scenes with sharp dialogue and seamless progress, making reading a pleasure. Once you've started reading, it's hard to put the book down'Politiken, Denmark'It's extremely well written, thrilling, gripping, gruesome, cheerful, anguished, heartwarming, and ice cold - spectacular in all ways. The Father is a world-class piece of fiction'Fredericia Dagblad, Denmark'[An] action-packed page turner - not for the faint of heart'Elle, Germany

Read more less

When the University of Notre Dame announced that President Barack Obama would speak at its 2009 Commencement and would receive an honorary doctor of laws degree, the reaction was more than anyone expected. Students, faculty, alumni, and friends of Notre Dame denounced the honoring of Obama, who is the most relentlessly pro-abortion public official in the world. Beyond abortion, Obama has taken steps to withdraw from health-care professionals the right of conscientious objection. Among them are thousands of Notre Dame alumni who will be forced to choose between continuing their profession and participating in activities they view as immoral, including the execution of the unborn. And they will be forced to that choice by the politician upon whom their alma mater confers its highest honors. (Mary Ann Glendon, distinguished Harvard law professor and former ambassador to the Vatican, felt obliged to turn down the prestigious Laetare Medal because of this.) Notre Dame’s honoring of Obama is not merely a “Catholic” thing. Many thousands of citizens with no Catholic or Notre Dame connections have protested it. They see it as a capitulation of faith to expedience and the pursuit of vain prestige. Obama’s record and stated purposes are hostile to the most basic truths of faith and the natural law affirmed by the Catholic Church and by many others. Four decades ago, in 1967, the major “Catholic” universities declared their “autonomy” from the Catholic Church in the Land O’Lakes Declaration. The honoring of Obama reflects the replacement by those universities of the benign authority of the Church with the politically correct standards of the secular academic establishment and, especially, of the government. There is a lesson here for all Americans. Notre Dame fell into relativism and expediency because it rejected the Church as the authentic interpreter of the moral law. In this post-Christian era, American culture is following a similar path by reducing morality to the unguided consensus of individual choices. If no code of right and wrong has moral authority – not even the Ten Commandments – then society is ruled by the conflict of interests, and might makes right. The jurisprudence of such relativism is legal positivism in which no law can be criticized as unjust because no one can know what is “just.” What Happened to Notre Dame? by Charles E. Rice, with an Introduction by Alfred Freddoso – two of Notre Dame’s most distinguished scholars, who together have served the University for over 70 years – first recounts the details of Notre Dame’s honoring of President Obama. It then examines the succession of fall-back excuses offered by the Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, c.s.c., and University publicists to justify Notre Dame’s defiance of the nation’s bishops and of Catholic teaching. But Rice is not content with mere reportage. What Happened to Notre Dame?diagnoses the problem’s roots by first providing an overview of the Land O’Lakes Declaration, its inception and its aftermath, including the ways in which its false autonomy from the Church has led to an erosion of the Catholic identity of Notre Dame and other Catholic universities. Then, it offers a cure. Christ, who is God, is the author of the divine law and the natural law. The book presents reasons why an acknowledged interpreter of these laws is necessary, and why that interpreter has to be the Pope exercising the Magisterium, or teaching authority of the Church. And it shows why it is so important that we have such a moral interpreter for all citizens and not just for Catholics. The alternative is what Pope Benedict XVI calls the “dictatorship of relativism,” which the book analyzes. Even for those who do not share the Catholic faith, our reason leads us to conclude that the natural law is the only moral code that makes entire sense and points to the conclusion that the Vicar of Christ is uniquely suited to give authoritative interpretation to that law. In the final chapter Rice shows why great good can come out of Notre Dame’s blunder in rendering its highest honors to such an implacable foe. Notre Dame got itself into such a mess because it attempted to be Catholic without the Church and ended up defying the Church and disgracing itself. But good can result from the lesson here that roll-your-own morality is no more tenable than roll-your-own Catholicism. * * * * * Rice shows why what happened to Notre Dame is symptomatic of what’s happening in other Catholic colleges, indeed colleges with non-Catholic religious affiliations. He shows how the abandonment of principle at the college level spills over to the general culture, with devastating effect, as religious standards get pushed out of the public square. And, finally, he shows why people who have never seen the Golden Dome, never rooted for the Fighting Irish, and never graced a Catholic Church, also have a stake in what happened to Notre Dame.

Read more less

Half a century ago I left a country, the red color of which dominated a large portion of the world map. One way or another, the fate of almost every single person described in this book is forever linked with that now none-existent empire. Many of them ended up beyond its borders too. Cultures and traditions, and certainly not least of all a Soviet mentality, couldn’t have just left them without a trace. Having been transplanted into a different environment, they had to play the role of themselves apart from certain corrections with regard to the tastes and customs of a new society. Nevertheless, every one of them, both those who left the Soviet Union, and those who stayed behind, were forever linked by one common united phenomenon: they all belonged to the Soviet school of chess. This school of chess was born in the 20’s, but only began to count its true years starting in 1945, when the representatives of the Soviet Union dominated an American squad in a team match. Led by Mikhail Botvinnik, Soviet Grandmasters conquered and ruled the world, save for a short Fischer period, over the course of that same half century. In chess as well as ballet, or music, the word “Soviet” was actually a synonym for the highest quality interpretation of the discipline. The Soviet Union provided unheard of conditions for their players, which were the sort of which their colleagues in the West dare not even dream. Grandmasters and even Masters received a regular salary just for their professional qualifications, thereby raising the prestige of a chess player to what were unbelievable heights. It was a time when any finish in an international tournament, aside from first, was almost considered a failure when it came to Soviet players, and upon their return to Moscow they had to write an official explanation to the Chess Federation or the Sports Committee. The isolation of the country, separated from the rest of the world by an Iron Curtain, was another reason why, talent and energy often manifested themselves in relatively neutral fields. Still if with music, cinematography, philosophy, or history, the Soviet people were raised on a strict diet, that contained multiple restrictions, this did not apply to chess. Grandmasters, and Masters, all varied in terms of their upbringing, education, and mentality and were judged solely on their talent and mastery at the end of the day. Maybe that’s why the Soviet school of chess was full of such improbable variety not only in terms of the style of play of its representatives, but also their different personality types. Built was a gigantic chess pyramid, at the base of which were school championships, which were closely followed by district ones. Later city championships, regions, republics, and finally-the ultimate cherry on top-the national event itself. The Championships of the Soviet Union were in no way inferior to the strongest international tournaments, and collections of the games played there came out as separate publications in the West. That huge brotherhood of chess contained its very own hierarchy within. Among the millions, and multitudes of parishioners-fans of the game-there were the priests-candidate masters. Highly respected were the cardinals-masters. As for Grandmasters though well…they were true Gods. Every person in the USSR knew their names, and those names sounded with just as much adoration, and admiration as those of the nation’s other darlings-the country’s best hockey players. In those days the coming of the American genius only served to strengthen the interest and attention of society towards chess, never mind the fact that by that point it had already been fully saturated by it. The presence of tons of spectators at a chess tournament in Moscow as shown in the series “The Queen’s Gambit” is in no way an exaggeration. That there truly was the golden age of chess. Under the constant eye, and control of the government, chess in the USSR was closely interwoven with politics, much like everything else in that vanished country. Concurrently, the closed, and isolated society in which it was born only served to enable its development, creating its very own type of culture-the giant world of Soviet chess. I was never indifferent to the past. Today, when there is that much more of it then the future, this feeling has become all the sharper. The faster the twentieth century sprints away from us, and the thicker the grass of forgetting grows, soon enough, and under the verified power of the most powerful engines that world of chess will be gone as well. It was an intriguing, and colorful world, and I saw it as my duty to not let it disappear into that empty abyss. Genna Sosonko - May 2021

Read more less

The book is divided into four sections. Section One includes two chapters on history. The opening chapter of the book introduces the subject of continuing engineering education (CEE). There are general sections on continuing education and engineering education and then the subject of CEE is presented. The chapter concludes with some sources for further information including relevant organizations, journals, and workshops. The second chapter in the section is on the 50-year history of engineering distance education at Iowa State University. A timeline with notable events is presented along with the key people involved in the program. Section Two concerns instructional design and contains five chapters. The first is on the learning preferences of working engineers. It presents the results of a study on the learning strategy and verbal-visual preference of engineers working in the oil and gas industry. The results show that the engineers surveyed have statistically significantly different preferences compared to the general population. They prefer problem solving and are highly visually oriented. The second chapter shows how learning styles have been incorporated into a course on process heaters. The learning styles include print, aural, interactive, and visual. The use of multiple learning styles helps training content to match the preferences of most participants. The third chapter in the section provides guidelines for selecting multimedia for CEE. The primary takeaway is that engineers are highly visual so training content should be designed accordingly. Examples include drawings, photos, videos, animations, and virtual reality simulation. The fourth chapter provides recommendations for effective instructional practices for CEE. It discusses hybrid, converged, and hyflex delivery modes. The 60-year curriculum and the growing impacts of alternative credentials and virtual/augmented/extended reality are presented. It concludes with some work and learning models in effective instructional practices. The fifth chapter in the section presents the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in CEE. Brief histories of VR and AR are given. The human factors of information overload, verbal and non-verbal communications, sight, sound/auditory, gated response, and touch are discussed. Cognitive psychology subjects of sensory memory, iconic memory, echoic memory, split attention effect, automated behaviors, kinesthetics, chunking, and serial position effects are briefly described. VR/AR integration and extensibility show the power of contextualizing information for users. Section Three focuses on CEE delivery and administration. The first chapter in the section discusses the results of a survey of working engineers to determine their CEE practices and preferences. It includes results such as how many courses engineers take each year, what types of courses they take (technical; management; environment, health, and safety; legal; and other), what fraction of the course is mandatory including what fraction is required by the participant's organization and by outside organizations, the fraction of courses taken that are taken for credit, and how many courses are taken after normal working hours. It also presents data on what those same working engineers preferred regarding their CEE. The second chapter provides detailed information on how to conduct effective virtual (distance) training courses including the instructional design and delivery platforms. The third chapter in the section describes combustion CEE training designed for the oil and gas industry. While it is for a specific industry, the general principles apply universally. It also includes some case studies of classes conducted at clients' sites. The fourth chapter discusses the many types of potential CEE providers categorized by internal, external, and hybrid providers. Providers include the engineer's own organization, universities/community colleges, training organizations, vendors, professional societies, trade organizations, government, and consultants. It is recommended that organizations choose the combination of providers that makes the most sense for their particular situation which usually will include a combination of providers. The fifth and last chapter in the section describes how to build a sustainable administrative organization for delivering CEE. It provides cultural implications, organizational design models, the four-phase natural evolution of an organization delivering online CEE, a matrix organizational design model, the new professional working adult learner, and changing demographics. The fourth and last section concerns the future of CEE and includes three chapters. The first chapter describes a sustainable future through the 60-year curriculum model. It discusses the changing postsecondary landscape, the relevance of the model, adapting to the curriculum, the role of CEE in pioneering the 60-year curriculum, and mapping higher education's future in the context of the 60-year curriculum. The second chapter in the section discusses sustainability education and research in action (SERINA), developed by the International Association on Continuing Engineering Education (IACEE). The executive committee used the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a benchmark tool to evaluate SERINA. The purpose of SERINA is to provide practical tools for engineers to help meet the SDGs. The final chapter of the section and of the book suggest some future research areas for CEE. They are broadly categorized under learning preferences, curriculum, VR and AR, and multimedia.

Read more less

Print purchase includes enhanced Expert Consult eBook with over 7.5 hours of streaming video; quickly search text, figures, references, and videos on laptops, tablets, and smart phones. With time at a premium, today's clinicians must rapidly engage their patients while gathering an imposingly large amount of critical information. These clinicians appropriately worry that the "person" beneath the diagnoses will be lost in the shuffle of time constraints, data gathering, and the creation of the electronic health record. Psychiatric Interviewing: The Art of Understanding: A Practical Guide for Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers, Nurses, and other Mental Health Professionals, 3rd Edition tackles these problems head-on, providing flexible and practical solutions for gathering critical information while always attending to the concerns and unique needs of the patient. Over five years in the making, this classic introduction to the art of clinical interviewing returns, updated, expanded and innovatively designed for today's reader with over 7.5 hours of streaming video integrated directly into the text itself. Readers now also become viewers, acquiring the rare opportunity to see the author both illustrating specific interviewing techniques and subsequently discussing effective ways in which to employ them. The founder and Director of the acclaimed Cape Cod Symposium, Rob Guerette, describes Dr. Shea's skills as a speaker as follows, "Dr. Shea is an extremely gifted teacher, whose vibrant story-telling skills and compelling videos have led to him garnering some of the highest evaluations in the 30 year history of the Cape Cod Symposium. In short, readers are in for a rare treat when viewing the book's video component." Within the text, Dr. Shea deftly integrates interviewing techniques from a variety of professional disciplines from psychiatry to clinical psychology, social work, and counseling providing a broad scope of theoretical foundation. Written in the same refreshing, informal writing style that made the first two editions best sellers, the text provides a compelling introduction to all of the core interviewing skills from conveying empathy, effectively utilizing open-ended questions, and forging a powerful therapeutic alliance to sensitively structuring the interview while understanding nonverbal communication at a sophisticated level. Updated to the DSM-5, the text also illustrates how to arrive at a differential diagnosis in a humanistic, caring fashion with the patient treated as a person, not just another case. Whether the reader is a psychiatric resident or a graduate student in clinical psychology, social work, counseling or psychiatric nursing, the updated third edition is designed to prepare the trainee to function effectively in the hectic worlds of community mental health centers, inpatient units, emergency rooms, and university counseling centers. To do so, the pages are filled with sample questions and examples of interviewing dialogue that bring to life methods for sensitively exploring difficult topics such as domestic violence, drug abuse, incest, antisocial behavior, and taking a sexual history as well as performing complex processes such as the mental status. The expanded chapter on suicide assessment includes an introduction to the internationally acclaimed interviewing strategy for uncovering suicidal ideation, the Chronological Assessment of Suicide Events (CASE Approach). Dr. Shea, the creator of the CASE Approach, then illustrates its techniques in a compelling video demonstrating its effective use in an interview involving a complex presentation of suicidal planning and intent. A key aspect of this text is its unique appeal to both novice and experienced clinicians. It is designed to grow with the reader as they progress through their graduate training, while providing a reference that the reader will pull off the shelf many times in their subsequent career as a mental health professional. Perhaps the most unique aspect in this regard is the addition of five complete chapters on Advanced and Specialized Interviewing (which comprise Part IV of the book) which appear as bonus chapters in the accompanying e-book without any additional cost to the reader. With over 310 pages, this web-based bonus section provides the reader with essentially two books for the price of one, acquiring not only the expanded core textbook but a set of independent monographs on specialized skill sets that the reader and/or faculty can add to their curriculum as they deem fit. New and Expanded Content: Expert Consult eBook version included with purchase. This enhanced eBook experience allows you to search all of the text, figures, references, and videos from the book on a variety of devices Bonus chapter on advanced aspects of cross-cultural interviewing, including approaches for recognizing clinician biases and exploring the client's spirituality and framework for meaning Bonus chapter on motivational interviewing Bonus chapter on transforming patient anger and moments of potential disengagement Bonus chapter for prescribing clinicians -- such as psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse clinicians -- on how to collaboratively talk with patients about their medications Includes over 7.5 hours of video illustration and instruction Brings to life the pain and phenomenology of people coping with severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder An entire chapter on engaging patients with difficult personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder and narcissistic personality disorder A new and unique chapter covering often overlooked areas, such as positive psychology and methods for uncovering client wellness and strengths Extensive chapter on nonverbal communication, including the complex challenges related to interviewing on the web by text and/or tele-psychiatry A comprehensive introduction to facilics (an innovative supervision system for helping clinicians learn how to transform interviews into naturalistically flowing conversations), including an interactive web-based self-learning module on facilic supervision schematics for both faculty and students Practical tips for creating a good EHR/write-up, in addition to sample clinical forms for EHR/written documentation A specialized appendix for faculty, which includes four complete articles from the Psychiatric Clinics of North America that address educational topics including: effectively designing interviewing training courses and macrotraining suicide assessment skills

Read more less

On the campus of Yale University, in 1970, an "odd couple," Hillary Rodham and Bill ("Bubba") Clinton, came together at a Mark Rothko exhibit at the Yale Art Museum. Before the end of that rainy afternoon, they had formed an unbreakable bond forged while they rested on the seat of a Henry Moore sculpture. They were from completely different worlds-he, a populist from a poverty-stricken background in Arkansas; she, a former "Goldwater Girl" and conservative Republican gradually moving into the liberal camp. As he sat beside her, holding her hand, she gazed into the eyes of this 210-pound, orange-bearded "Viking," tall and scruffy looking, with an Elvis drawl. He'd later jokingly claim, "I identified with Elvis since both of us had hillbilly peckers." Freshly emerged from Wellesley College, with its "coven of lesbians," she was a budding feminist-pimply faced, wearing no makeup but with Mr. Magoo eyeglasses, and walking around on chubby legs. He had all the pretty women he wanted. What he was looking for was a woman with a "sense of strength and self-possession-all in all, that afternoon, I knew I'd found my Evita." He confided to her that since the age of seven, he had only one abiding ambition-and that was to be the President of the United States. He promised her, "If elected, I will pave the way for you to become the first woman president. You can follow after my administration." He held out the prospect of making her the most powerful woman on the planet. As she recalled, "I was giddy with emotion." It took a while, but he finally lured her to Arkansas, which she interpreted as "on the other side of the moon." Crossing the welcome mat at his Scully Street house, she came face to face with her future mother-in-law, Virginia Cassidy Blyth, Clinton, Dwire, Kelley. She stood in the kitchen in her stiletto heels evocative of a drag revue, wearing garish lipstick-"the brighter the better"-and a tight "Dinah Dors" sweater. As Virginia recalled, "It was an immovable object colliding with an irresistible force. I extended my hand to this Chicago carpetbagger with coke bottle glasses." "I'm going to marry this gal," Bubba announced. "She's going to become the First Lady of Arkansas." In the days ahead, Hillary was introduced to other members of this "white trash family" known for its divorces, violence, alcoholism, drug addiction, adultery, and promiscuity. He told her, "I'm a bastard. My father, William Jefferson Blythe, III, had not divorced his wife when he married mama. I took the last name of another husband, Roger Clinton." Before the end of the first day of her inaugural meeting with Hillary, Virginia warned her, "Put a lock on your lingerie. Otherwise, you'll find Bill dressing up in your finery after midnight." Their trail to the White House began in Arkansas, with Hillary helping direct her sex-crazed Bubba into the governor's seat. "With my back-up, he pursued his dream while I was also chasing a dream of my own. Women can dream harder than any man-in fact, being what they are, I don't understand why women don't turn lesbian." Through the tides of the wars to come, both Hillary and Bill learned that love was a creature of many faces, with ever-changing rules and compromises on the road to their horizon. Often threatening divorce, she remained at his side, interpreting his affairs as minor annoyances. On their stormy seas, they sailed through triumph and tragedy, setbacks and comebacks, the good years and the bad ones, bimbo eruptions, serial infidelities, near bankruptcy with crippling legal bills, impeachment, the stockpiling of post-Presidential millions, and surviving vitriolic scorn that rivaled that of Dr. Goebbels against the Jews. They faced maddening failures and stunning achievements, their love and loyalty enduring through hurricane winds. She was at his side as the sex-crazed Arkansas Bubba became the notorious "Slick Willie," eventually morphing into "The 21st Century's Greatest Living Elder Statesman." Hillary herself began her own road to the White House (actually, she had already been there for eight years as First Lady), with stints as a Senator from New York, a failed presidential candidate, and a globe-trotting Secretary of State. She also became one of the country's leading Democratic visionaries, admired by millions. Of course, that provoked Apocalyptic attacks from her enemies, Senator Mitch McConnell, Senior Republican Senator from Kentucky, trumpeting, "If given power in 2016, she'll lead us to the Gates of Hell." One night on Martha's Vineyard, Hillary had a candid talk with a former First Lady, Jackie Kennedy Onassis. "Bill is a charismatic politician, but also deeply flawed. He has such charm you can always forgive him." "I know of such men," Jackie said, no doubt recalling her own years with another charismatic president. "You had Marilyn Monroe to compete with. I have a lesser light-Sharon Stone. Bill was hopelessly gone when she crossed her legs in Basic Instinct." ***Hundreds of tantalizing anecdotes fill this book from a writing team already famous for its exposes of both the Kennedys and the Reagans. As Hillary stares into her uncertain future, she claims, "Before the arrival of the Grim Reaper, Bill and I will change history...for the better, of course." So This Is That Thing Called Love is not a treatise about politics. It's a love story probing the boundaries of a relationship between two people who are committed to each other despite the vagaries of life, come what may. What a ride it's already been, with more "Second Coming Headlines" looming in the years ahead. There will definitely be a second act for this pair. As a critic who despises Hillary, but only in private, First Lady Michelle Obama said, "Hillary's story won't be over until the Fat Lady sings."

Read more less

From Roger Stone, a New York Times bestselling author, longtime political adviser and friend to Donald Trump, and consummate Republican strategist, comes an in-depth examination of how Trump’s campaign tapped into the national mood to deliver a stunning victory that few saw coming.In the early hours of November 9, 2016, one of the most contentious, polarizing, and vicious presidential races came to an abrupt and unexpected end when heavily favored presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton called Donald J. Trump to concede, shocking a nation that had, only hours before, given little credence to his chances. Donald Trump pulled the greatest upset in American political history despite a torrent of invective and dismissal of the mainstream media. Here is the first definitive explanation about how the “silent majority” shifted the election to Donald Trump in reliable Democratic Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan, thus handing him the presidency.Stone, a long time Trump retainer and confidant, gives us the inside story of how Donald Trump almost single-handedly harnessed discontent among “Forgotten Americans” despite running a guerrilla-style grass roots campaign to compete with the smooth running and free-spending Clinton political machine.From the start, Trump’s campaign was unlike any seen on the national stage—combative, maverick, and fearless. Trump’s nomination was the hostile takeover of the Republican party and a resounding repudiation of the failed leadership of both parties whose policies have brought America to the brink of financial collapse as well as endangering our national security.Here Stone outlines how Donald Trump skillfully ran as the anti-Open Borders candidate as well as a supporter of American sovereignty, and how he used the Globalist trade deals like NAFTA to win over three of ten Bernie Sanders supporters. The veteran adviser to Nixon, Reagan, and Trump charts the rise of the alt-conservative media and the end of the mainstream media monopoly on voter impacting information dissemination. This is an insider’s view that includes studying opposition research into Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton’s crimes, and the struggle by the Republican establishment to stop Trump and how they underestimated him. Stone chronicles Trump’s triumph in three debates where he skillfully lowered expectation levels but skewered Mrs. Clinton for the corruption of the Clinton Foundation, her mishandling of government email, and her incompetence as Secretary of State.Stone gives us the inside word on Julian Assange, Wikileaks, Clinton campaign chief John Podesta, Huma Abedin, Anthony Weiner, Carlos Danger, Doug Band, Jeffery Epstein, and the efforts to hide the former first lady’s infirmities and health problems. Stone dissects the phony narrative that Trump was in cahoots with Russian strongman Vladimir Putin or that the e-mails released by Wikileaks came from the Russians.The grizzled political veteran of ten Republican presidential campaigns from Richard Nixon to Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump explains how Trump’s election has averted near certain war with Russia over Syria and the rejection of the neocon policies of the Obama/Clinton Administration.The Making of the President 2016 reveals how Trump brilliantly picked at Hillary Clinton’s weaknesses, particularly her reputation as a crooked insider, and ignited the passions of out-of-work white men and women from the rust belt and beyond, at a time when millions of Americans desperately wanted change. Stone also reveals how and why the mainstream media got it wrong, including how the polls were loaded and completely misunderstood who would vote.Stone's analysis is akin to Theodore H. White’s seminal book The Making of the President 1960. It is both a sweeping analysis of the trends that elected Trump as well as the war stories of a hard-bitten political survivor who Donald Trump called “one tough cookie."Other books by Roger Stone:The Man Who Killed Kennedy, a New York Times bestseller in which Roger Stone makes a compelling case that Lyndon Baines Johnson was the mastermind behind the murder of President John F. Kennedy. Stone maps out LBJ’s motives for orchestrating the murder and uses fingerprint evidence and testimony to prove JFK was shot by a long-time LBJ hit man—not Lee Harvey Oswald.Nixon’s Secrets gives the inside scoop on Nixon’s rise and fall in Watergate. Stone charts Nixon’s rise from election to Congress in 1946 to the White House in 1968 after his razor-thin loss to John Kennedy in 1960, his disastrous campaign for Governor of California in 1962 and the greatest comeback in American Presidential history.Jeb and the Bush Crime Family, in which Stone collaborates with Saint John Hunt to make this a “no-holds-barred” history of the Bush family. After detailing the vast litany of Jeb’s misdeeds, Stone travels back to Samuel, Prescott, George H. W., and George W. Bush to weave an epic story of privilege, greed, corruption, drug profiteering, assassination, and lies. This exposition will have you asking, “Why aren't these people in prison?”The Clintons’ War on Women, where Roger Stone and historian Robert Morrow uncover the explosive and ugly truths about Bill and Hillary’s crimes and cover-ups. They reveal the details about their actions in Arkansas, Bill Clinton’s scandalous time in the White House, who really ordered the deadly attack on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Hillary’s federally-investigated tenure as secretary of state, their time at the corrupt Clinton Foundation, and Hillary’s failed campaign for president.

Read more less

A review of current (education) policy and practice endorses the view of an apparent paradox in policy implementation. Although tremendous investments (in terms of energy, time and financial resources) are made in enacting policies, there is ample evidence to suggest that policy actors are impervious to policy information. Change agents and implementers of policy are often seen as pursuing different agendas when it comes to the task policy implementation. As aptly asserted by Sabatier and Jenkins-Smith (1993, cited by Shulock, 1999, p. 228), âpolicymakers and implementers' core beliefs are unaffected by policy information, major policy change results rather from external factors such as inflation and elections'. This book re-conceptualizes this policy phenomenon for rumination. The book essentially unravels perspectives on the policy implementation paradox, and through that exemplifies the âbest' suited approach for demystifying the policy/practice gap to bring understanding to the messiness and contested nature of (education) policy processes. To help draw conceptual leverage on the phenomenon described as the âpolicy implementation paradox', this eight chapter book performs two major functions. First, Chapters 1 to 4 set the context for the book. Chapter 1 defines (education) policy, and in the process, the traditional problem-solving definition of policy is juxtaposed with the process model, and through that a third conception (i.e. the theoretical eclecticism approach) is gauged to help provide both practical and theoretical bases for understanding how policy and practice exist in dynamic and iterative relationships. Chapters 2 and 3 give insights into how education policy-making is made and implemented respectively to unravel some of the influences on policy processes. Chapter 4 explicates (from within relevant literature) the policy paradox to assist readers to understand perspectives that are advanced in latter chapters to unravel and/or explain the existence or occurrence of this policy phenomenon. Second, Chapters 5 to 7 draw on literature from disparate sources to unravel perspectives on the policy implementation paradox, whilst Chapter 8 presents the key messages that are tangential to achieving the objectives of the book. Overall, the Chapter 8 performs three functions, namely it: summarizes perspectives presented in the scholarly literature to demystify and unravel the policy implementation paradox illustrates the reasons for the choice of the post-modernist perspective as the most appropriate and/or best suited perspective for unravelling this policy phenomenon; and outlines the relevance (and/or justifications) of the post-modernist conception of policy as both âtext' and âdiscourse' as a framework for understanding the policy implementation paradox and the dynamism of policy processes at large. The contribution of this book is seen particularly in its ability to leverage the post-modernist conception of policy as both âtext' and âdiscourse' to stress the importance of recognizing the role of implementation in actually changing policy. Brought directly into the context of the policy implementation paradox, the book (drawing on the post-modernist conception of policy) clearly propels the dynamism of policy processes, and uses this to explain the reasons why policy implementation outcomes most often differ from policy-makers' intentions. First, the book makes the point aptly and forcefully that because policy processes are dynamic, there is usually conflicts among those who make policy as well as those who put policy provisions into practice, about what the important issues or problems for policy are and what the desired policy goals ought to be. Second, it puts down the issue of disconnect between policy intentions in theory and policy implementation outcomes in practice invariably to the active processes involved in interpreting policy. Policy statements, in the view of the book and in the post-modernist tradition, are almost always subject to multiple interpretations and re-interpretations depending upon the standpoint of the people doing the interpretive 'work'. Third, the policy/practice gap is explained as existing and/or occurring because the practice of policy on the ground is extremely complex, both that which is being 'described' by policy and those that are 'intended' to put policy into effect or practice. The point, according to the post-modernist thinking on which this book draws, is that simple policy descriptions of practice do not capture the multiplicity and complexity of the practice of policy on the ground, as such, the implementation of policy in practice almost always means outcomes differ from policy-makers' intentions. Against the backdrop of these three reasons alluded to, the book attributes the underlying causes of the policy implementation paradox to two interrelated factors. One, it is argued that the paradox in policy implementation occurs mainly because of what post-modernist thinkers call policy refraction. That is to say, because policies in practice tend to evolve through the interactions of a multiplicity of actors, they become distorted and less coherent as they are interpreted and put into practice by the 'ground-level' actors and implementers. Two, it is contended that the emergence of post-modern theory (with its contemporary understanding of the nature of reality and how to 'go on' in life) has undermined the 'modernist' philosophy to such an extent that older ideas of fixed structures conditioning behaviour and imposing regularity and predictability on social life have become considerably weakened, if not demolished completely. Essentially, the book argues that the post-modern theoretical movement has had tremendous effect of stressing the unpredictability of human behaviour in policy implementation processes, and by extension, the unpredictability of policy outcomes as against policy intentions.

Read more less

‘Probably the most readable, exciting and authoritative writer on science we have. A new Lawrence Krauss book always goes to the top of the curious mind’s wish list.’ Stephen Fry “I loved the fight scenes and the sex scenes were excellent.” (Eric Idle) 'In the span of a century, physics progressed from skepticism that atoms were real to equations so precise we can predict properties of subatomic particles to the tenth decimal place. Lawrence Krauss rightly places this achievement among the greatest of all stories, and his book—at once engaging, poetic and scholarly—tells the story with a scientist’s penetrating insight and a writer’s masterly craft.' (Brian Greene, author of The Elegant Universe, and Director, Center for Theoretical Physics, Columbia University) "Unlike some very clever scientists, Lawrence Krauss is not content to bask on the Mount Olympus of modern physics. A great educator as well as a great physicist, he wants to pull others up the rarefied heights to join him. But unlike some science educators, he doesn’t dumb down. In Einstein’s words, he makes it 'as simple as possible but no simpler.'" (Richard Dawkins, author of The Magic of Reality) “In every debate I’ve done with theologians and religious believers their knock-out final argument always comes in the form of two questions: Why is there something rather than nothing? and Why are we here? The presumption is that if science provides no answers then there must be a God. But God or no, we still want answers. In A Universe From Nothing Lawrence Krauss, one of the biggest thinkers of our time, addressed the first question with verve, and in The Greatest Story Ever Told he tackles the second with elegance. Both volumes should be placed in hotel rooms across America, in the drawer next to the Gideon Bible." (Michael Shermer, Publisher Skeptic magazine, columnist Scientific American, Presidential Fellow Chapman University, author The Moral Arc.) "A Homeric tale of science, history, and philosophy revealing how we learned so much about the universe and its tiniest parts." (Sheldon Glashow, Nobel Laureate, 1979 in physics) “The Greatest Story Ever Told—So Far ranges from Galileo to the LHC and beyond. It's accessible, illuminating, and surprising—an ideal guide for anyone interested in understanding our accidental universe.” (Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sixth Extinction) “College students, hippies, squares, Christians, Muslims, democrats, republicans, libertarians, theists, even atheists—all of us—sit around BS-ing like: ‘So, how did all this, I mean everything, all of us, the whole universe, you know, man, everything, how did this all get here?’ While we were doing that, Lawrence Krauss and people like him were doing the work to figure it out. Then Krauss wrote this great book about it. ‘Wow, man, you mean, like we’re getting closer to really knowing? I guess we’ll have to go back to talking about politics and sex.’” (Penn Jillette, author of Presto!) “Discovering the bedrock nature of physical reality ranks as one of humanity’s greatest collective achievements. This book gives a fine account of the main ideas and how they emerged. Krauss is himself close to the field, and can offer insights into the personalities who have led the key advances. A practiced and skilled writer, he succeeds in making the physics ‘as simple as possible but no simpler.’ I don’t know a better book on this subject.” (Martin Rees, author of Just Six Numbers) “It is an exhilarating experience to be led through this fascinating story, from Galileo to the Standard Model and the Higgs boson and beyond, with lucid detail and insight, illuminating vividly not only the achievements themselves but also the joy of creative thought and discovery, enriched with vignettes of the remarkable individuals who paved the way. It amply demonstrates that the discovery that ‘nature really follows the simple and elegant rules intuited by the 20th- and 21st-century versions of Plato’s philosophers’ is one of the most astonishing achievements of the human intellect.” (Noam Chomsky, Institute Professor & Professor of Linguistics (Emeritus), MIT) “Charming... Krauss has written an account with sweep and verve that shows the full development of our ideas about the makeup of the world around us... A great romp.” (Walter Gilbert, Nobel Award, Chemistry, 1980) “History of science with an edge—humorous, personal, passionate, yet intellectually serious and authoritative.” (Frank Wilczek, Nobel Laureate, Physics)In the beginning there was light but more than this, there was gravity. After that, all hell broke loose... This is how the story of the greatest intellectual adventure in history should be introduced - how humanity reached its current understanding of the universe, one that is far removed from the realm of everyday experience. Krauss connects the world we know with the invisible world all around us, which is removed from intuition and direct sensation. He explains our current understanding of nature and the struggle to construct the greatest theoretical edifice ever assembled, the Standard Model of Particle Physics -- and then to understand its implications for our existence. Writing in the critically acclaimed style of A Universe from Nothing, Krauss celebrates the beauty and wonders of the natural world and details our place within it and how this shapes our understanding of it. Krauss makes this story accessible through profiles of the scientists responsible for these advances, and clear explanations of their discoveries. Krauss takes us on a tour of science and the brilliant personalities who shaped it, often against political and religious indoctrination, enduring persecution and ostracism. Krauss creates a captivating blend of research and narrative to invite us into the lives and minds of these figures,creating a landmark work of scientific history.

Read more less

Volcanic eruptions are the clear and dramatic expression of dynamic processes in planet Earth. The author, one of the most profound specialists in the field of volcanology, explains in a concise and easy to understand manner the basics and most recent findings in the field. Based on over 300 color figures and the model of plate tectonics, the book offers insight into the generation of magmas and the occurrence and origin of volcanoes. The analysis and description of volcanic structures is followed by process oriented chapters discussing the role of magmatic gases as well as explosive mechanisms and sedimentation of volcanic material. The final chapters deal with the forecast of eruptions and their influence on climate. Students and scientists of a broad range of fields will use this book as an interesting and attractive source of information. Laypeople will find it a highly accessible and graphically beautiful way to acquire a state-of-the-art foundation in this fascinating field. "Volcanism by Hans-Ulrich Schmincke has photos of the best quality I have ever seen in a text on the subject… In addition, the schematic figures in their wide range of styles are clear, colorful, and simplified to emphasize the most important factors while including all significant features… "I have really enjoyed reading and rereading Schmincke’s book. It fills a great gap in texts available for teaching any basic course in volcanology. No other book I know of has the depth and breadth of Volcanism… I have shared Volcanism with my colleagues to their significant benefit, and I am more convinced of its value for a broad range of Earth and planetary scientists. Undoubtedly, I will use Volcanism for my upcoming courses in volcanology. I will never hesitate to recommend it to others. Many geoscientists from very different subdisciplines will benefit from adding the book to their personal libraries. Schmincke has done us all a great service by undertaking the grueling task of writing the book – and it is much better that he alone wrote it." Stanley N. Williams, ASU Tempe, AZ (Physics Today, April 2005) "Schmincke is a German volcanologist with an international reputation, and he has done us all a great favour because he sensibly channelled his fascination with volcanoes into writing this beautifully illustrated book... [he] tackles the entire geological setting of volcanoes within the earth and the processes that form them... And, with more than 400 colour illustrations, including a huge number of really excellent new diagrams, cutaway models and maps, plus a rich glossary and references, this book is accessible to anyone with an interest in the subject." New Scientist (March 2004) "The science of volcanology has made tremendous progress over the past 40 years, primarily because of technological advances and because each tragic eruption has led researchers to recognize the processes behind such serious hazards. Yet scientists are still learning a great deal because of photographs that either capture those processes in action or show us the critical factors left behind in the rock record.Volcanism by Hans-Ulrich Schmincke has photos of the best quality I have ever seen in a text on the subject. I found myself wishing that I had had the photo of Nicaragua’s Masaya volcano, which was the subject of my dissertation, but it was Schmincke who was able to include it in his book. In addition, the schematic figures in their wide range of styles are clear, colorful, and simplified to emphasize the most important factors while including all significant features. The book’s paper is of such high quality that at times I felt I had turned two pages rather than one. I have really enjoyed reading and rereading Schmincke’s book. It fills a great gap in texts available for teaching any basic course in volcanology. No other book I know of has the depth and breadth of Volcanism. I was disappointed that the text did not arrive on my desk until last August, when it was too late for me to choose it for my course in volcanology. I am also disappointed about another fact—the book’s binding is already becoming tattered because of my intense use of it! Schmincke is a volcanologist who, in 1967, first published papers on sedimentary rocks of volcanic origin, the direction traveled by lava flows millions of years ago, and the structures preserved in explosive ignimbrites, or pumice-flow deposits, that reveal important details of their formation. Since then, his studies in Germany’s Laacher See, the Canary Islands, the Troodos Ophiolite of Cyprus, and many other regions have forged great fundamental advances. Such contributions have been recognized with his receipt of several international awards and clearly give him a strong base for writing the book. However, as a scientist who has focused on the challenges of monitoring the very diverse activities of volcanoes, I think that the text’s overriding emphasis on the rock record has its cost. The group of scientists who are struggling with their goals to reduce or mitigate the hazards of the eruptions of tomorrow need to learn more about the options of technology, instrumentation, and methodology that are currently available. More than 500 million people live near the more than 1500 known active volcanoes and are constantly facing serious threats of eruptions. An extremely energetic earthquake caused the horrific tsunamis of 2004. However, the tsunamis of 1792, 1815, and 1883, which were caused by the eruptions of Japan’s Unzen volcano and Indonesia’s Tambora and Krakatau volcanoes, each took a similar toll. " ( Stanley N. Williams, PHYSICS TODAY, April 2005)

Read more less

At the present stage of development of the higher education system, psychological support of students' professional development is relevant and necessary. It will improve the quality of their training as future specialists. There is a need for a holistic approach to providing psychological support for all participants in the educational process of the University: students, their parents and teachers. There are few scientific publications on modern psychological service in education. First of all, because this topic is more likely applied than theoretical or methodological. However, this book discloses the issues and problems of the theory and methodology of psychological service in educational institutions. The authors of the monograph relied on the model of analysis of mental development proposed by N. Semago and M. Semago, thanks to which it becomes possible to analyze the key moments of changes (transformations) of mental development systematically, distinguishing between "natural" (phenomenological level of research) and "higher" mental formations (causal level). Psychological development of the students' personality in higher schools in the educational environment (E. Ponomareva, O. Rudakova), organization of the university psychological service (L. Bura, Y. Zalevskaya), successful adaptation of high school students as a necessary condition for their acmeological development (L. Bura). In addition, the results of empirical studies on career orientations, (S. Kucherenko, T. Pavluk), attention features (E. Brunner) and value orientations of Internet addicted students (I. Sultanova, O. Shutova) are presented. The chapter about B. Hellinger's systemic constellation as a method of research for an aesthetic object by V. Vynohradov and E. Brunner stands out somewhat separately. A valuable contribution to the practice of organizing a modern psychological service of a higher educational institution with psychological specialties was made by the chapter "Advanced psychodiagnostics of first-year students as a factor in the effectiveness of teaching at a university" (M. Latysheva, E. Brunner). Autors suggests using the technology of deep psychological diagnostics in working with first-year students to carry out a comprehensive assessment of personal characteristics and the actual mental state of each of them. The author recommends using these results to develop a program of individual educational route of the student, and, if necessary, to determine the ways of the most effective corrective work at the initial stage of professionalization. Also the basic components of psychological counseling as one of the important areas of work of practical psychologists are analyzed. The review of theoretical sources on the problem of psychological education in the system of psychological support of students in institutions of higher education is presented. It is concluded that psychological education can be effectively implemented only by being integrated into the general system of the educational process at the University. The importance of psychological correction for students of the specialty "Practical psychology" is emphasized, since it is important to identify their personal problems with the presence of tendencies to psychological death, a sense of inferiority and a tendency to psychological damage. The personal problem is not recognized by the subject, so it is quite difficult to solve it. This is possible with the qualified help of a psychologist who helps to detect the personal problem in its deep psychological essence and transfer it from the implicit level to the explicit one. The subject, as a rule, is aware only of the consequences of having a personal problem (anxiety, tension, increased aggression, etc.), but not its causes. This leads to the fact that many students of the faculty of psychology subconsciously seek rather psychological help, than acquiring professional knowledge and skills in the field. Such people are recommended to undergo psychological correction in full, which optimizes their personal potential. Psychological education is aimed primarily at the formation of the psychological culture of society in general and students in particular. In addition, psychological counseling (I. Erina), psychological education in the system of psychological support of students (G. Grigoryev) and group variant of deep-correction work in the author's version of T. Yatsenko's psychodynamic approach (O. Usatenko, M. Maik) in the system of higher education of Humanities are disclosed in detail. The process of student adaptation in higher education is a process aimed at achieving a dynamic balance between the student and the educational environment. In this process, the student can not only adapt and achieve sustainability, but also be able to unlock their potential and make positive changes in the environment. As a result of an empirical study conducted by S. Kucherenko among students of the Academy of Pedagogy and Humanities, the features of students' career attitudes are clarified. In particular, there was found a low level of orientation to the stability of the place of residence with a high orientation to the stability of the place of work, i.e. a high orientation to building a career in the chosen direction without a desire to work in this region. The algorithm proposed in the study allows to design an individual strategy in the field of career attitudes and expectations of specialists in various fields of training. According to I. Sultanova, a significant part of students with Internet addiction tend to live in the present or yesterday, they have a predominant dissatisfaction with their life in the present and past. Students without Internet addiction are characterized by the presence of certain life orientations, purposefulness, orientation to the present and future. It is also revealed that both groups of students are characterized by fatalism, the belief that a person's life is not subject to conscious control. Thus, the psychological service in education is a practical tool that adapts scientific psychological knowledge to the immediate needs of employees in the field of education and at the same time allows you to solve urgent problems in this area.

Read more less

OPEN, BALANCED DIALOGUE--THE KEY TO PEAK TEAM PERFORMANCEIn a world of rapid-fire change, it's more important than ever to build teams that work well when the pressure is on—and quality communication can mean the difference between success and failure.Conversational Capacity provides the communication tools you need to ensure that your team remains on track even when dealing with its most troublesome issues, that it responds to tough challenges with agility and skill, and performs brilliantly in circumstances that would incapacitate less disciplined teams.Praise for Conversational Capacity:"This book blows the lid off everything you have learned about team building and will have you asking, 'Why didn't someone show me this before?'" -- Rick Woodcock, Chief Technology Officer of the US Naval Institute, Annapolis"Easy to implement, Craig Weber's techniques will transform your organization. We put these principles into practice and saw immediate results." -- Scott Goodey, CEO, Greenpoint Technologies"A must-read for leaders and those who aspire to lead. It's one of the most influential books on the value of teaming." -- Benjamin Ola Akande, PhD, Professor of Economics and Dean of the George Herbert Walker School of Business and Technology, Webster University"Conversational Capacity is one of those rare books that will forever change how you see yourself and the people with whom you work. Read it. Recommend it to your boss, your team, and your friends." -- Jan Wilmott, Director of Leadership Development at the Royal Bank of Canada"This book provides a practical roadmap to learning the single most important skill that any leader can and should master. Conversational Capacity will change the way you lead and transform your relationships--at work and at home." -- Andy Restivo, President and CEO of Creative Channel Services, an Omnicom Group Company"Conversational Capacity shows leadership teams how to think actively and adapt quickly. Better yet, the simplicity of the book enables the reader to apply the concepts and ideas in any leadership position." -- Mark Milliner, CEO of Personal Insurance at Suncorp "Craig Weber has a gift for connecting what it means to build healthy relationships with the nuts and bolts of running an organization. In Conversational Capacity he brings a refreshing combination of practical tools, personal examples, and wisdom from having worked with hundreds of leaders over the years. If you are a leader or someone interested in getting better at what you do, Conversational Capacity is a must read." -- Rob McKenna, PhD, Executive Director of the Center for Leadership Research and Development and author of Dying to Lead "Craig Weber challenges us to think differently about the way we talk to each other. Not since the seminal work of Chris Argyris have I read a book that so well documents the promise and the peril of dialogue. Readers will learn to develop conversational competence with team members and with leaders at all levels. You will learn to become more mindful in difficult situations, appreciate the power of curiosity, and develop ways to experiment, compare, reframe, and reengage with renewed commitment. We need this book, now more than ever. Once you read it, you will want to share it as soon as possible!" -- Frank J. Barrett, PhD, Professor of Management and Organizational Behavior, Global Public Policy, at the Graduate School of Business and Public Policy, Naval Postgraduate School and author of Yes to the Mess "This book has transformed the way I lead, teach, and facilitate. Weber captures the essence of team effectiveness and provides a well-researched and tested model that supports the other building blocks of leadership." -- Dr. Tony Herrera, Direct of Partner Development at Schreiber Foods"Required reading! Improving the conversational capacity of your team and organization is invaluable. These same skills are needed to address the broader issues we face as a society. Get this book! Share it with your colleagues, friends, and family." -- Chris Soderquist, President of Pontifex Consulting and author of The Strategic Forum"Craig Weber's Conversational Capacity works. It works to build an internal culture that allows our organization to focus on the work at hand--without the drama, emotions, and egos that often get in the way of creating a high-functioning organization. It also works when building relationships with funders, stakeholders, and other clients, allowing our team to listen for commonalities and to find areas of true agreement." -- Michele Lueck, President and CEO of the Colorado Health Institute"Those who aspire to use a conversational process to facilitate and deliver high-impact team results have come to the right place. Having worked with Craig Weber to design training programs for colleagues, I can personally attest to his brilliance in using narratives to capture our attention and emotional intelligence with evidence-based methods to build our conversational skills. With clarity, practicality, and case examples, this book will help you find the sweet spot in any conversation while ensuring a productive outcome." -- Dr. Kathleen Keil, Senior Manager of Learning and Development at Pfizer Animal Health"Craig Weber's Conversational Capacity reduces organizational fear through a simple, effective technique that increases trust and maximizes creativity. It will help any organization realize new levels of confidence, creativity, and success. The tools within these pages may very well be the most important keys to both change and growth in the twenty-first century." -- Scott Eck, President of Leadership Masters"We often see the need for collaboration but do not have the tools and skills required to make it happen. Using Craig Weber's techniques to build conversational capacity is exactly what we need in both our professional and personal lives." -- Karen Minyard, PhD, Director of the Georgia Health Policy Center at the Andrew Young School of Public Policy, Georgia State University"The ideas in these pages are profound, life changing, and applicable to every area of life. My nonprofit team acquired a new set of skills that increased our capacity to tackle governance, interpersonal relationships, and the future in a dynamic and changing economy. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from a master the tools required to elevate awareness, skill, and discipline to achieve desired--and amazing--results." -- Jane Soderquist, Board Chair of the Upper Valley Waldorf School

Read more less

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Foreword to the Second Edition. I. THE MAN AND HIS WRITINGS: How Augustine Came to the Episcopacy (Sermon 355, 2); Augustine Chooses Eraclius as His Successor (Letter 213, 1, 5, & 6); Augustine on His Own Writings (Retractations Prol. I, 1-3). II. FAITH AND REASON: Belief is Volitional Consent (On the Spirit and Letter 21, 54; 34, 60); To Believe Is to Think with Assent (Predestination of the Saints 5); Believing and Understanding (On Free Choice II, 2, 4-6); Authority and Reason (Against the Academics III, 20, 43); Two Ways to Knowledge (On Order II, 9, 26-27); Reason and Authority in Manicheism (Value of Believing 1-4); The Relation of Authority to Reason (True Religion 24, 45 -- 25, 47); If I Am Deceived, I Am Alive (City of God XI, 26); I Know that I Am Alive (The Trinity XV, 12, 21-22); Knowledge and Wisdom (The Trinity XII, 14, 21 -- 15, 25); Error and Ignorance (Enchiridion 17). III. THREE LEVELS OF REALITY: Creator, Human Soul, Body (Questions for Simplicianus I, 2, 18); Natures on Three Levels (Letter 18, 2); Soul, Ruled by God, Rules Its Body (On Music VI, 5, 12-13); Soul: Above the Sensible, Below God (True Religion 3. 3); God, Mutable Spirits, and Bodies (Nature of the Good 1-25); Divine, Psychic and Bodily Nature (City of God VIII, 5-6); Causality: Divine, Psychic and Bodily (City of God V, 9); Divine Ideas as Prototypes (Eighty-Three Different Questions 46, 1-2); God Set Spiritual Creation Above the Corporeal (Literal Commentary on Genesis VIII, 20, 39; 25, 46; 26, 48); Evil: the Privation of the Good (Enchiridion 10-12). IV. MAN’S SOUL: Existence, Life, Sense and Reason (On Free Choice II, 3, 7-8, 10); Sensation as an Activity of the Soul (On Music VI, 5, 9-10); Memory, Understanding and Will (The Trinity X, 11, 17-18); The Wonders of Memory (Confessions X, 8-26); Three Levels of Vision (Literal Commentary on Genesis XII, 6, 15 -- 11, 22; 30, 58 -- 31, 59). V. THE WORLD OF BODIES: All Bodily Natures Are Good (City of God XII, 4); Invisible Seeds in the Elements (The Trinity III, 8, 13); The Elements Contain Seminal Reasons (Literal Commentary on Genesis IX, 17, 32); Measure, Number, and Weight (Literal Commentary on Genesis IV, 3, 7); Concerning Formless Matter (Confessions XII, 3. 3 -- 9, 9); Place, Time and the Physical World (City of God XI, 5-6); The Wonders of Nature (City of God XXI, 4-5); God Works Throughout Nature (The Trinty III, 5, 11 -- 6, 11); Man’s Natural Endowments (City of God XXII, 24); The Physical World and the Christian (Enchiridion 9). VI. APPROACHING GOD THROUGH UNDERSTANDING: Creation is a Great Book (Sermon, Mai 126, 6); The Journey of the Soul to God (On Free Choice II, 12, 33-34; 15, 39-40; 16, 41-42); The Soul’s Ascent to God (Confessions VII, 10, 16 -- 17, 23); The Whole World Proclaims Its Maker (On Psalm 26, Serm. 2, 12); Ascending to the Supreme Truth (True Religion 29, 52 -- 31, 58); Plato’s View of God (City of God VII, 4); How to Think About God (The Trinity V, 1, 2 -- 2, 3); The Problem of Speaking About God (The Trinity VII, 4, 7-9); God Is the Selfsame (On Psalm 121, 3, 5); A Divine Invocation (Soliloquies I, 2-6); Late Have I Loved Thee (Confessions X, 27, 38 -- 28, 39). VII. MORAL AND RELIGIOUS LIFE: All Men Desire Happiness (On Psalm 32, Serm. 3, 15-16); Man’s Greatest Good (Moral Behavior of the Catholic Church 3-8); Good Love and Bad Love (City of God XIV, 6-7); Moral Evil Stems from Bad Will (City of God XII, 6); Two Precepts of Love (City of God XIX, 14); On Diversities of Local Customs (Letter 54, 1-4); Doing Good to Body and Soul (Moral Behavior of the Catholic Church 27-28); The Evil of Telling a Lie (Enchiridion 18, 19, 22); Lying and Concealing the Truth (On Psalm 5, 7); Faith, Hope and Charity (Enchiridion 8); No Virtues Apart from God (City of God XIX, 25); Our Reward Is Not in This Life (On Psalm 48, Serm. 2). VIII. DIMENSIONS OF GRACE: What the Grace of God Is (On Admonition and Grace 2, 3); Augustine Was Never a Pelagian (Retractations I, 9, 2-4); What True Grace Is (On the Grace of Christ 26, 27); The Work of Grace (City of God XXI, 15-16); How Freedom Is Restored by Grace (Enchiridion 30-32); God’s Foreknowledge and Human Willing (City of God V, 10); Grace Before and After the Fall (Enchiridion 104-106); Grace and Good Works (On Psalm 31, Serm. 2, 6-8); Prevenient Grace (On Psalm 18, Serm. 2); Grace and Human Miseries (City of God XXII, 20-22); The Beatific Vision (On Psalm 36, Serm. 2, 8). IX. THE TWO CITIES: Augustine’s Analysis of the City of God (Letter to Firmus); How the Two Cities Differ (City of God XIV, 1); Two Loves Make Two Cities (Literal Commentary on Genesis XI, 15, 20); Two Cities Formed by Two Loves (City of God XIV, 28); The Unimportance of Externals (City of God XIX, 19); Relation of the Heavenly and Earthly Cities (City of God XIX, 17); Jerusalem and Babylon (On Psalm 64, 2); Summary of the Two Cities (City of God XVIII, 1); All Nations Are in the City of God (On Psalm 86, 5); The Church and the City of God (On Psalm 98, 4); The Foundation of the Holy City (On Psalm 121, 4); Religion and Human Destiny (True Religion 7, 13 -- 8, 14); The Meaning of a People (City of God XIX, 23-24); Peace: the Tranquility of Order (City of God XIX, 11-13); Two Kingdoms After the Resurrection (Enchiridion 111). X. PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY: Belief and Historical Events (Eighty-Three Different Questions 48); The Universality of Providence (City of God V, 11); Meaning in History (True Religion 50, 98-99); Six Ages in Biblical History (On Psalm 92, 1); Symbolic Meaning of Jewish History (On Psalm 64, 1); Christ in History (Letter 137, 4, 15-16); The Two Cities in History (On Catechizing the Uninstructed 21, 37); What Is Time? (Confessions XI, 14, 17 -- 30, 40); Critique of Cyclicism (City of God XII, 13-15). APENDIXES: I. Selected, Annotated Bibliography. II. Alphabetical List of Augustine’s Writings. III. Glossary of Terms. INDEX.

Read more less

"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

Read more less

**The printing errors in Pasos 1 Fourth Edition have been corrected**Pasos 1: Spanish Beginner's Course is a multi-format Spanish adult learning programme for classroom and home use. Fully revised and updated for this new edition, the course includes a coursebook, course pack, activity book and CD and DVD set plus online activities.What do I get?The Pasos 1 Activity Book has been revised to tie in with 4th edition of the course with updated prices and references. It contains extra activities to consolidate and expand the material in the Coursebook (9781473610682) and grammar sections practising specific language points. As with the Coursebook, two main revision units summarise what has been learned, providing reading texts with comprehension and writing tasks. Ideal for faster learners or for practice of a specific area, the Activity Book can be used alongside the Pasos 1 Coursebook or as self-access material for learners of Spanish using any course. Activities include word searches, crosswords, cultural quizzes, extra reading and comprehension tasks, and gap-fill conjugation exercises.What is Pasos 1?A best-selling multi-media Spanish course for adult learnersPasos 1, fourth edition, is the first part of the best-selling two-stage Spanish course for adult learners who are either starting from scratch or who have a basic knowledge of the language. Whether learning for work or pleasure, at home or in the classroom, Pasos gives a thorough grounding in the language, enabling learners to speak, read, write and understand a language spoken by over 400 million people. It has been fully updated and revised in this new edition.What will I learn in Pasos 1?Key language structures and communicationPasos 1 introduces the key structures of the language over 14 thematic lessons with the emphasis placed firmly on communication. Authentic reading and listening materials are used extensively for a wide range of lively activities based on everyday situations in Spain and Latin America. Vocabulary and grammarFrom the outset, a realistic range of registers and vocabulary encourage development of the essential skill of comprehension. Clear examples and explanations make the grammar easy to absorb, and emphasis is placed on the acquisition of a wide range of essential vocabulary from an early stage.Culture and skills for daily lifeThis edition takes account of developments in modern life, such as new technology and practical communication. Units begin with a Prepárate page of activities and include plenty of grammar tasks. The Rincón Cultural feature presents short texts of cultural interest and each unit ends with an Autoevaluación self-assessment checklist enabling students to review what they have learned. Audio track references on a page-by-page basis ensure that listening activities are easily identified and online resources provide extra practice of essential language. The new video, filmed entirely in Spain, brings authentic culture and language in the classroom.GCSE level materialPasos 1 covers the skills and structures required at GCSE level and equivalent.How will I learn?Balance and varietyBalance and variety are prominent features of the Pasos course: freer activities accompany graded, accuracy-based tasks, and there is a balance between presentation and practice of new language items and between the study and use of grammar and vocabulary, the cornerstones of language-learning. There are regular opportunities for revision and consolidation, and vocabulary and grammar support are given both at the end of each lesson and in full at the end of the book.Interactive quizzes and exercisesBrush up and reinforce your learning at home, with fun, interactive online quizzes and exercises. Or use them in class with the group.Speaking and Grammar guidesWith speaking becoming ever more important in today's accreditations, the Pasos 1 range offers a 2-CD Speaking and Listening Skills Practice Set. There is also a dedicated Practical Grammar reference and practice book. It contains clear, accessible grammar explanations with examples and extension in both Spanish and English.Group or independent studyPasos 1 is ideal for group study and is also useful for independent study and revision.What is new in the fourth edition?(NEW) Pasos 1 CD and DVD set: Supplementary to the Coursebook.Filmed entirely in Spain using native speakers, this brand new resource contains 12 colourful episodes which tie in with the lessons in the coursebook. Perfect for training students' listening skills, the Pasos 1 video is designed to reinforce vocabulary and language structures while adding an additional cultural element to the course. It also provides the ideal basis for group discussions. There are numerous linked activities for use in class or for self-study, which can be found in a new section at the end of the coursebook. Optional sub-titles will help students to find their way through each of the episodes and give them the confidence to approach spoken Spanish with real understanding. Improvements and additionsThe new edition has improvements and additions based on ideas and feedback from teachers and learners across the country. It has been fully updated and includes a wealth of new, contemporary photographs. A brand new section at the end of the book provides a range of activities linked to the DVD, available in the Pasos 1 CD & DVD Set or as part of the Complete Pack.Where does the Activity Book fit within the Pasos 1 Range?Pasos 1 Coursebook: The primary text for the Pasos 1 course. Includes 14 thematic lessons and covers the skills and structures required at GCSE level and equivalent.(NEW) Pasos 1 CD and DVD set: Supplementary to the Coursebook.All 12 videos are included on 1 DVD with optional subtitles. The Audio and Support book provides the listening element of the course, along with transcripts and answers. It contains:- 3 audio CDs (3 hours of recordings)- 2 Support Books containing a key to the exercises and recording transcripts.Pasos 1 Course Pack: Pasos 1 Coursebook + Pasos 1 CD and DVD set. The Course Pack contains:- 1 copy of the fourth edition of the Coursebook- 3 audio CDs (3 hours of recordings)- 1 DVD with 12 videos- 2 Support Books containing a key to the exercises and recording transcripts.Pasos 1 Activity Book: Supplementary to the Coursebook or Course Pack. The activity book is a workbook providing stimulating practice material that complements the tasks presented in the Pasos 1 Coursebook. Activities include word searches, crosswords, cultural quizzes, extra reading and comprehension tasks, and gap-fill conjugation exercises.Pasos 1 Speaking and Listening Skills Practice Set: Supplementary to the Coursebook or Course Pack. Designed to help learners concentrate on and really improve their speaking and listening skills. This book with CD includes:- 2 audio CDs containing a wide variety of activities- a 144-page book packed with short exercises and transcriptsPasos Spanish Practical Grammar Book: Supplementary to the Coursebook or Course Pack. A reference and grammar practice book containing clear, accessible grammar explanations with examples and extension in both Spanish and English.

Read more less

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Foreword to the Second Edition. I. THE MAN AND HIS WRITINGS: How Augustine Came to the Episcopacy (Sermon 355, 2); Augustine Chooses Eraclius as His Successor (Letter 213, 1, 5, & 6); Augustine on His Own Writings (Retractations Prol. I, 1-3). II. FAITH AND REASON: Belief is Volitional Consent (On the Spirit and Letter 21, 54; 34, 60); To Believe Is to Think with Assent (Predestination of the Saints 5); Believing and Understanding (On Free Choice II, 2, 4-6); Authority and Reason (Against the Academics III, 20, 43); Two Ways to Knowledge (On Order II, 9, 26-27); Reason and Authority in Manicheism (Value of Believing 1-4); The Relation of Authority to Reason (True Religion 24, 45 -- 25, 47); If I Am Deceived, I Am Alive (City of God XI, 26); I Know that I Am Alive (The Trinity XV, 12, 21-22); Knowledge and Wisdom (The Trinity XII, 14, 21 -- 15, 25); Error and Ignorance (Enchiridion 17). III. THREE LEVELS OF REALITY: Creator, Human Soul, Body (Questions for Simplicianus I, 2, 18); Natures on Three Levels (Letter 18, 2); Soul, Ruled by God, Rules Its Body (On Music VI, 5, 12-13); Soul: Above the Sensible, Below God (True Religion 3. 3); God, Mutable Spirits, and Bodies (Nature of the Good 1-25); Divine, Psychic and Bodily Nature (City of God VIII, 5-6); Causality: Divine, Psychic and Bodily (City of God V, 9); Divine Ideas as Prototypes (Eighty-Three Different Questions 46, 1-2); God Set Spiritual Creation Above the Corporeal (Literal Commentary on Genesis VIII, 20, 39; 25, 46; 26, 48); Evil: the Privation of the Good (Enchiridion 10-12). IV. MAN'S SOUL: Existence, Life, Sense and Reason (On Free Choice II, 3, 7-8, 10); Sensation as an Activity of the Soul (On Music VI, 5, 9-10); Memory, Understanding and Will (The Trinity X, 11, 17-18); The Wonders of Memory (Confessions X, 8-26); Three Levels of Vision (Literal Commentary on Genesis XII, 6, 15 -- 11, 22; 30, 58 -- 31, 59). V. THE WORLD OF BODIES: All Bodily Natures Are Good (City of God XII, 4); Invisible Seeds in the Elements (The Trinity III, 8, 13); The Elements Contain Seminal Reasons (Literal Commentary on Genesis IX, 17, 32); Measure, Number, and Weight (Literal Commentary on Genesis IV, 3, 7); Concerning Formless Matter (Confessions XII, 3. 3 -- 9, 9); Place, Time and the Physical World (City of God XI, 5-6); The Wonders of Nature (City of God XXI, 4-5); God Works Throughout Nature (The Trinty III, 5, 11 -- 6, 11); Man's Natural Endowments (City of God XXII, 24); The Physical World and the Christian (Enchiridion 9). VI. APPROACHING GOD THROUGH UNDERSTANDING: Creation is a Great Book (Sermon, Mai 126, 6); The Journey of the Soul to God (On Free Choice II, 12, 33-34; 15, 39-40; 16, 41-42); The Soul's Ascent to God (Confessions VII, 10, 16 -- 17, 23); The Whole World Proclaims Its Maker (On Psalm 26, Serm. 2, 12); Ascending to the Supreme Truth (True Religion 29, 52 -- 31, 58); Plato's View of God (City of God VII, 4); How to Think About God (The Trinity V, 1, 2 -- 2, 3); The Problem of Speaking About God (The Trinity VII, 4, 7-9); God Is the Selfsame (On Psalm 121, 3, 5); A Divine Invocation (Soliloquies I, 2-6); Late Have I Loved Thee (Confessions X, 27, 38 -- 28, 39). VII. MORAL AND RELIGIOUS LIFE: All Men Desire Happiness (On Psalm 32, Serm. 3, 15-16); Man's Greatest Good (Moral Behavior of the Catholic Church 3-8); Good Love and Bad Love (City of God XIV, 6-7); Moral Evil Stems from Bad Will (City of God XII, 6); Two Precepts of Love (City of God XIX, 14); On Diversities of Local Customs (Letter 54, 1-4); Doing Good to Body and Soul (Moral Behavior of the Catholic Church 27-28); The Evil of Telling a Lie (Enchiridion 18, 19, 22); Lying and Concealing the Truth (On Psalm 5, 7); Faith, Hope and Charity (Enchiridion 8); No Virtues Apart from God (City of God XIX, 25); Our Reward Is Not in This Life (On Psalm 48, Serm. 2). VIII. DIMENSIONS OF GRACE: What the Grace of God Is (On Admonition and Grace 2, 3); Augustine Was Never a Pelagian (Retractations I, 9, 2-4); What True Grace Is (On the Grace of Christ 26, 27); The Work of Grace (City of God XXI, 15-16); How Freedom Is Restored by Grace (Enchiridion 30-32); God's Foreknowledge and Human Willing (City of God V, 10); Grace Before and After the Fall (Enchiridion 104-106); Grace and Good Works (On Psalm 31, Serm. 2, 6-8); Prevenient Grace (On Psalm 18, Serm. 2); Grace and Human Miseries (City of God XXII, 20-22); The Beatific Vision (On Psalm 36, Serm. 2, 8). IX. THE TWO CITIES: Augustine's Analysis of the City of God (Letter to Firmus); How the Two Cities Differ (City of God XIV, 1); Two Loves Make Two Cities (Literal Commentary on Genesis XI, 15, 20); Two Cities Formed by Two Loves (City of God XIV, 28); The Unimportance of Externals (City of God XIX, 19); Relation of the Heavenly and Earthly Cities (City of God XIX, 17); Jerusalem and Babylon (On Psalm 64, 2); Summary of the Two Cities (City of God XVIII, 1); All Nations Are in the City of God (On Psalm 86, 5); The Church and the City of God (On Psalm 98, 4); The Foundation of the Holy City (On Psalm 121, 4); Religion and Human Destiny (True Religion 7, 13 -- 8, 14); The Meaning of a People (City of God XIX, 23-24); Peace: the Tranquility of Order (City of God XIX, 11-13); Two Kingdoms After the Resurrection (Enchiridion 111). X. PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY: Belief and Historical Events (Eighty-Three Different Questions 48); The Universality of Providence (City of God V, 11); Meaning in History (True Religion 50, 98-99); Six Ages in Biblical History (On Psalm 92, 1); Symbolic Meaning of Jewish History (On Psalm 64, 1); Christ in History (Letter 137, 4, 15-16); The Two Cities in History (On Catechizing the Uninstructed 21, 37); What Is Time? (Confessions XI, 14, 17 -- 30, 40); Critique of Cyclicism (City of God XII, 13-15). APENDIXES: I. Selected, Annotated Bibliography. II. Alphabetical List of Augustine's Writings. III. Glossary of Terms. INDEX.

Read more less

'Taut, clever, compelling and guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat…' Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the TrainYou think you know her…But look a little closer She is a stay-at-home mother of three with boundless reserves of patience, energy and love. After being friends for a decade, this is how Liz sees Jess. Then one moment changes everything. Dark thoughts and carefully guarded secrets surface – and Liz is left questioning everything she thought she knew about her friend, and about herself.From the bestselling author of Anatomy of a Scandal – a new thought-provoking novel exploring the complexity of motherhood and all that connects and disconnects us. ‘A deep dive into the dark side of motherhood. Highly recommended' Erin Kelly, author of He Said/She Said ‘Compelling, beautifully written, so perceptive and emotionally devastating. Like Anatomy of a Scandal, it feels like an important book as well as a brilliant read’ Lucy Foley, author of The Hunting Party 'Sarah Vaughan turns her pin-sharp attentions to the blame game that is early parenthood, raising the stakes to truly fearful levels. This tense, absorbing read will have parents – in fact, all readers – turning the pages deep into the night' Louise Candlish, author of Those People 'Little Disasters takes on another topical and emotive issue with the same skill and command Vaughan showed in Anatomy of a Scandal' Cara Hunter, author of All The Rage ‘An emotionally terrifying story. Sarah has impressively created characters whose pain and fear is all too real. I could not put this book down’ Heidi Perks, author of Now You See Her ‘Vaughan explores the darker impulses of motherhood - the fear, fury and despair; the frantic juggling, loss of control and exhaustion - and of course the overwhelming love. Refreshingly assured and punchy writing that is sure to hit a nerve’ Lucy Atkins, author of Magpie Lane 'A brilliant storyteller, Vaughan serves up every mother’s nightmare with consummate skill and a big heart. Clever. Totally compelling. Impossible to put down’ Eve Chase, author of Black Rabbit Hall ‘I loved it and didn’t want to put it down. So, so good on motherhood and friendship’ Laura Marshall, author of Friend Request 'I read this with a fascinated, mounting sense of horror because it could all be too true. Compulsive reading with an ending I didn’t see coming' Jane Corry, author of I Looked Away 'A true psychological thriller shows us, as all the best ones do, that the scariest place is not the dark alleyway but inside the pathways of our own minds. Compelling… and important’ Araminta Hall, author of Our Kind of Cruelty ‘An immaculately researched and compelling story about the devastating fall out from one mistake’ Jane Shemilt, author of The Playground‘Each character is brilliantly drawn, and the book delivers surprise after surprise’ Claire Fuller, author of Bitter Orange ‘Absolutely brilliant; an emotionally devastating story, brave and honest’ Emma Curtis, author of One Little Mistake ‘Sarah’s writing is so impressive and skilful – the book is gripping, meticulous, and touches the raw nerves of parenthood’ Terry Stiastny, author of Conflicts of Interest ‘A fabulous twisty look at early motherhood and friendships. Domestic noir and psyche thriller, it’s brave and brilliant’ Fionnuala Kearney, author of The Book of Love 'Sarah Vaughan manages to hit that rare sweet spot between satisfying, literary writing and a plot that grips you by the throat. Little Disasters is every bit as brilliant as Anatomy of a Scandal. Superb' Cass Green, author of The Killer Inside 'An emotionally intelligent and beautifully written thriller that oozes with tension. Just when I thought I had things figured out, Sarah throws us a curveball which turns everything on its head. Rich and authentic, this is a truly remarkable book' Claire Douglas, author of Then She Vanishes 'Sarah Vaughan delivers another masterful page-turner, this time tackling early motherhood at its least joyful. As with Anatomy of a Scandal, she writes with intelligence and compassion; the result is a truly gripping read’ Catherine Isaac, author of Messy, Wonderful Us 'Told from multiple points of view, this raw and painfully real portrayal of insecurities, guilt, shame and postnatal anxiety is complex, nuanced and moving' Guardian 'Thought provoking and delicately executed, this beautifully written novel features characters you will want to both rally and reprimand' The i 'Vaughan's novel is a warning about the terrible effects parenting can have on mental health. It is also a cunningly plotted mystery' Daily Mirror ‘Sarah Vaughan brings to this book the same tension building expertise that made her bestseller Anatomy of a Scandal such a success’ Daily Mail ‘You’ll be kept on the edge of your seat by this carefully crafted novel with multiple twists throughout. It makes for an emotional, often terrifying, and completely gripping read’ Daily Express 'Expertly crafted... Fans of Anatomy may miss the courtroom tension, but the psychological portraiture in this absorbing study of motherhood is just as rich' Sunday Times ‘Full of painful truths about the brutal aspect of motherhood, this punchy thriller is sharply plotted’ Sunday Mirror 'Vaughan delivers another highly emotional, nail-biting read that you'll tear through in no time at all' heat 'Sarah Vaughan… is back with her fourth novel, the shocking, impossible-to-look-away Little Disasters' Observer 'Difficult to put down' Bella 'An absolutely gripping read' Closer 'Emotional and intense' Crime Monthly 'Dark, desperate and gripping' Cosmopolitan 'Another thought-provoking psychological drama' Woman & Home 'An important book exploring how everything changes once you become a mother - for good and bad' Woman's Weekly 'A brilliantly absorbing read… It twists all the way to a satisfying ending' WI Life 'An in depth exploration and revelation of the complicated psychology of early motherhood' Crime Fiction Lover ‘Painful and realistic, this is a novel that should be read by everyone planning to have a child’ Literary Review 'In a culture that fetishises motherhood, Sarah Vaughan's novel is an invaluable corrective, a warning about the terrible effects parenting can have on mental health. It is also a very cunningly plotted mystery' Jake Kerridge, Sunday Express 'Sarah Vaughan's latest novel markets itself as a psychological thriller, but is more of an exploration of the intensity of motherhood. Thought provoking and delicately executed' Press Association 'Sarah Vaughan has crafted a psychological drama with great depth' Woman's Own 'Thought provoking and delicately executed, the beautifully written character drama paints a cautionary portrait of motherhood with recognizable characters you'll want to rally and reprimand in equal measure throughout' Irish Examiner

Read more less

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!

Read more less

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

Read more less

Teaching is complex. But there are simple ideas we can enact to help our teaching be more effective. This book contains over 400 such ideas.The ideas come from two sources. First, from the wonderful guests on my Tips for Teachers podcast - education heavyweights such as Dylan Wiliam, Daisy Christodoulou and Tom Sherrington, as well as talented teachers who are not household names but have so much wisdom to share. Then there's what I have learned from working with amazing teachers and students in hundreds of schools around the world.Inside you will find 22 ideas to enhance mini-whiteboard use, 15 ideas to improve the start of your lesson, 14 ideas to help make Silent Teacher effective, seven ways to respond if a student says they don't know, and lots, lots more.Each idea can be implemented the very next time you step into a classroom. So, whatever your level of experience, subject or phase, there are plenty of ideas in this book to help take your teaching to the next level.Book contentsChapter 1: How to use this bookTip 1. How to use this book to improve your teachingTip 2. How to give yourself the best chance of making a lasting changeChapter 2: Habits and routines Why are habits and routines important? Tip 3. Eight ideas to help introduce a routineTip 4. Beware of the Valley of Latent PotentialTip 5. Two ideas to help a routine stickTip 6. Develop a set of high-value activity structuresTip 7. Six ideas to help establish positive norms in your classroomTip 8. Four types of words to consider removing from your teaching vocabularyChapter 3: The means of participationA challengeTip 9. Front-load the means of participationTip 10. Ten ideas to improve Cold CallTip 11. Eight reasons to strive for mass participation more frequentlyTip 12. Twenty-two ideas to improve the use of mini-whiteboardsTip 13. Five ideas to improve the use of voting systems Tip 14. Nine ideas to improve Call and ResponseTip 15. Fifteen ideas to improve Partner TalkTip 16. Six ideas to improve group workTip 17. Use the means of participation holy trinityTip 18. Never rely on a mental noteTip 19. The best tool for the long term might not be the best tool for nowChapter 4: Checking for understandingTip 20. Think of questions as a check for misunderstandingTip 21. Use the temptation to ask for self-report as a cue to ask a better questionTip 22. Lengthen wait times after asking a questionTip 23. Lengthen wait times after an answerTip 24. Ten types of questions to ask when checking for understandingTip 25. Try these three frameworks for learner-generated examplesTip 26. Three ways to use diagnostic questions to check for understandingTip 27. Provide scaffolds for verbal responsesTip 28. Six key times to check for understandingTip 29. Ten ideas to improve Exit TicketsTip 30. Pick the student least likely to knowTip 31. Start with whoever got 8 out of 10Tip 32. Ten ideas to help create a culture of errorTip 33. Three ideas to encourage students to ask questionsChapter 5: Responsive teachingTip 34. Trick your students to test if they really understandTip 35. Never round-upTip 36. Six ideas if a student says 'I don't know'Tip 37. What to do when some students understand and some don'tTip 38. What to do when some students still don't understandTip 39. How students can own and record classroom discussionsTip 40. Share students' work with the rest of the classChapter 6: PlanningTip 41. Seven ideas to improve a scheme of workTip 42. Six ideas to help start the planning processTip 43. Plan to do less, but betterTip 44. Ask yourself: 'What are my students likely to be thinking about?'Tip 45. Write out ideal student responsesTip 46. Four ideas to help you plan for and respond to errorsTip 47. Two ideas to help teachers engage in Deep Work Tip 48. Aim to close the loop when sending an emailChapter 7: Prior knowledgeTip 49. Plan relevant prior knowledgeTip 50. Prioritise relevant prior knowledgeTip 51. Assess relevant prior knowledgeTip 52. Respond to prior knowledge assessmentTip 53. Assess relevant prior knowledge for each idea, not for the whole sequenceChapter 8: Explanations, modelling and worked examplesTip 54. Five ideas to show students why what we are learning today mattersTip 55. Use related examples and non-examples to explain technical languageTip 56. Fourteen ideas to improve the explanation of a conceptTip 57. Teach decision making separatelyTip 58. Five ideas to improve our choice of examplesTip 59. Model techniques liveTip 60. Use a teacher worked-examples bookTip 61. Use student worked-examples booksTip 62. Make use of the power of Example-Problem PairsTip 63. Fourteen ideas to improve Silent TeacherTip 64. Use self-explanation prompts to help develop your students' understanding Tip 65. Six ideas to improve 'copy down the worked example'Tip 66. Vary the means of participation for the We DoTip 67. Three errors to avoid with the Your Turn questionsTip 68. Reflect after a worked exampleTip 69. Beware of seductive detailsChapter 9: Student practiceTip 70. Eight ideas to improve student practice timeTip 71. How to harness the hidden power of interleavingTip 72. Consider using Intelligent PracticeTip 73. Consider using 'no-number' questionsTip 74. Nine ideas to help you observe student work with a purposeTip 75. Occasionally let students do work in someone else's bookChapter 10: Memory and retrievalRetrieval opportunitiesTip 76. Show your students the Forgetting CurveTip 77. Show your students the path to high storage and retrieval strengthTip 78. Show your students the limits of working memoryTip 79. Show your students how long-term memory helps thinkingTip 80. Show your students that being familiar with something is not the same as knowing itTip 81. Ensure you provide retrieval opportunities for all contentTip 82. When designing retrieval opportunities, aim for 80%Tip 83. Vary the types of retrieval questions you askTip 84. Consider providing prompts and cues during retrieval opportunitiesTip 85. Get your students to assign confidence scores to their answersTip 86. Make corrections quizzableTip 87. Twenty-one ideas to improve your Low-Stakes QuizzesTip 88. Fifteen ideas to improve the Do NowTip 89. Consider using Trello to help organise the disorganisedChapter 11: Homework, marking and feedbackTip 90. Make homework feed into lessonsTip 91. Eight ideas to improve homeworkTip 92. Two things to check if homework or test scores are a surprise Tip 93. Be careful how you respond to 'silly' mistakesTip 94. Turn feedback into detective workTip 95. Consider recording verbal feedbackTip 96. Twelve ideas to improve whole-class feedbackChapter 12: Improving as a teacherTip 97. Find the expertise within your teamTip 98. Five different people to learn fromTip 99. Revisit education books and podcast episodesTip 100. Four things to consider when trying something newTip 101. Five ideas to help tackle the negativity radioTip 102. Consider slowing down your careerTip 103. Sixteen ideas to improve the delivery of CPD Tip 104. Micro tipsTip 105. If you want more tips...

Read more less

Taken from their planet and their century, they are not just the Lost Soldiers: they are Murphy’s Lawless. Major Rodger Y. Murphy should have died when his helicopter crashed off the coast of Mogadishu in November, 1993. Instead, he woke up in August 2125 in the Tauri 55 binary star system, 152 light years from home. Without any memory of the otherworldly abductors who spirited them away in cold sleep, Murphy and 100 other “Lost Soldiers” have been retrieved and awakened by two officers of the Consolidated Terran Republic: Trevor Corcoran and Richard Downing. Promising to return after completing an unauthorized rescue mission, they leave the twentieth-century castaways with a daunting objective: establish a base of operations on the main world of R’Bak using local allies they have yet to recruit and enemy equipment they have yet to seize. If that weren’t hard enough, 55 Tauri A, the system’s primary star, is rapidly approaching, and the technologically superior powers from that neighboring system always use that opportunity to raid, pillage, and “cull” the locals. But the company of misfits and ne’er-do-wells who’ve taken the nickname Murphy’s Lawless rose to the challenge. They destroyed the makeshift transmitter with which their enemies would have warned their home planet Kulsis, established a beach-head on R’Bak, and led an uprising of the locals that has changed the balance of power in its most valuable region. But all that was just a tactical prelude to the next operation: beating the Kulsians when they make their now-imminent return. It’s an ambitious plan with three separate parts, none of which can fail. If one does, it means extinction for the Lost Soldiers and their allies. So, naturally, Murphy would be sure to assign his best trained, seasoned, and committed leaders to carry them out. One problem: he doesn’t have anyone like that. The first part of the plan falls to Horace Earl Chalmers, whose background as an Army investigator has made him Murphy’s counter-intelligence chief. But in this case, it’s the shady skills that Chalmers accrued from a lifetime of dodging and twisting the very laws he was supposed to uphold that are the key to completing his mission critical: infiltrate the enemy-held Downport, secure an essential ship, and get it up to orbit. But they methods he has to use to achieve that won’t make his vow to become a better man any easier. But once the ship is in hand, there’s a small problem with part two; none of the Lost Soldiers know how to pilot it to a crucial rendezvous point. However, Navy flier Major Kevin Bowden has shown that he can adapt, improvise, and overcome—so all eyes are on him to learn how to pilot not one, but two, different spacecraft in record time. Because the second rendezvous is to lure a Kulsian corvette into a position where it can be seized. That third part of the plan is the one that almost everyone considers impossible: to take the corvette in a boarding action, using two small assault teams. It’s a hard job that will require a hard, dedicated man. Navy SEAL Harry Tapper is that hard man… but dedicated? He was once, but now . . . ? Exhausted and resentful after being tasked to lead innumerable raids while the Lawless established and expanded the base on R’Bak, Harry has been living among the indigs for over a year. His only concern now is for his local wife, their infant child, and her tribe. But he is also the only one who has done what they now must: board an enemy warship from an unarmed cargo lighter. Why is Murphy fixated upon on this Kulsian corvette? Why and how could a single ship be so pivotal to the survival of all the Lost Soldiers and their allies? Only two things are certain: One: if his plan succeeds, it sets the stage to completely turn the tactical and strategic tables on their Kulsian enemies. Two: there are plenty of people—even among his “allies”—who will stop at nothing in order to foil that plan. Including killing Murphy and anyone who tries to complete any part of his bold ploy—which is, in every sense of the word, mission critical. About the Terran Republic series featuring Caine Riordan: About Caine's Mutiny: “This is military Science Fiction the way it’s supposed to be written. . . . All in all, a highly satisfying tale of the Terran Republic that moves the story forward and setting us up for the next chapter, which promises to be interesting at worst and explosive at best.” —SFcrowsnest About Raising Caine: “Raising Caine unveils a lot of thought-provoking ideas, but ultimately this is a space opera adventure. There are space battles, daring emergency landings, desperate quests, hand-to-hand combat, and double-and-triple crosses. It’s an engrossing read. You owe it to yourself to read the two previous books in order. Then enjoy Raising Caine. It’s an intergalactic thrill-ride.” —Fantasy and Science Ficton Book and Audiobook Reviews “This is science-fiction adventure on a grand scale.”—Kirkus “Gannon’s harrowing . . . military space opera (following Trial by Fire) builds well on his established setting . . . Gannon’s signature attention to developing realistic alien worlds makes this installment satisfying.”—Publishers Weekly “[A]n incredibly active book . . . as our protagonists are confronted by the beautiful, terrible, and sometimes lethal variety of the universe and its inhabitants. . . . A whole mess of fun . . . that manages to be scientifically accurate while refraining from excessive wonkiness. Those who value meticulous worldbuilding . . . will certainly have their needs met.”—BN Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog About Nebula-nominated Trial by Fire: “I seriously enjoyed Trial by Fire. This one’s a tidal wave—can’t put it down. An excellent book.” —Jack McDevitt "Gannon's whiz-bang second Tales of the Terran Republic interstellar adventure delivers on the promise of the first (Fire with Fire) . . . The charm of Caine's harrowing adventure lies in Gannon's attention to detail, which keeps the layers of political intrigue and military action from getting too dense. The dozens of key characters, multiple theaters of operations, and various alien cultures all receive the appropriate amount of attention. The satisfying resolution is enhanced by the promise of more excitement to come in this fascinating far-future universe.”—Publishers Weekly starred review “[D]efinitely one to appeal to the adventure fans. Riordan is a smart hero, up against enormous obstacles and surrounded by enemies. Author Gannon does a good job of managing action and tension to keep the story moving, and the details of the worlds Riordan visits are interesting in their own right.”—Analog “. . . offers the type of hard science-fiction those familiar with the John Campbell era of Analog Science Fiction will remember. Gannon throws his readers into an action-packed adventure. A sequel to Fire With Fire, it is a nonstop tale filled with military science-fiction action.” —The Galveston County Daily News About Compton Crook Award-winner for best first novel Fire with Fire: “Chuck Gannon is one of those marvelous finds—someone as comfortable with characters as he is with technology, and equally adept at providing those characters with problems to solve. Imaginative, fun, and not afraid to step on the occasional toe or gore the occasional sacred cow, his stories do not disappoint.”—David Weber “If we meet strong aliens out there, will we suffer the fate of the Aztecs and Incas, or find the agility to survive? Gannon fizzes with ideas about the dangerous politics of first contact.”—David Brin “The plot is intriguing and then some. Well-developed and self-consistent; intelligent readers are going to like it.”—Jerry Pournelle “. . . the intersecting plot threads, action and well-conceived science kept those pages turning.”—SFcrowsnest

Read more less

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

Read more less

"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

Read more less

Audience: Investors, entrepreneurs, companies considering going public, policy makers.Summary: Rigged financial markets and hopeless under-regulation on Wall Street are not new problems. In this book, Susanne Trimbath gives a sobering account of naked short selling, the failure to settle, and her efforts over decades, trying to get this fixed.Part I. Opening ActThis is a cautionary tale. What started as a regulatory failure has turned into a regulatory crisis. Shareholder democracy is in shambles. The institutions that were established to correct a problem of trade settlement failures (failures to deliver shares for settlement) have instead exacerbated the problem. They may not survive what comes next.Chapter 1: Primer. A non-technical explanation of the terminology and concepts used in the book, plus the economic implications of trading ""phantom"" stock and bonds.Chapter 2: Start at the Beginning. Twenty-five years ago, when I was working ""backstage at Wall Street"" a group of corporate trust specialists told me about a problem in shareholder voting rights. When I went to senior management at Depository Trust Company (DTC), then and still the largest securities depository in the world, brushed it off saying, ""You can't balance the world.""Part II. Back to Where I Left OffChapter 3: A Sidewalk Café in New York. At the request of a business colleague, I have coffee with a lawyer from Texas who tells me that a problem was about to blow up the financial markets: Wall Street brokers are using short sales and fails to deliver to grab the assets of American entrepreneurs. I feel a pang of guilt for not sticking it out to fix this before I left DTC in 1993. By 2003, it was a full-blown regulatory crisis!Chapter 4: Blind Men Describe an Elephant. When I start working on the issues after 2003, the lawyers, companies, investors and consultants I meet are like the blind men and a phantom share is the elephant. From a dentist in Michigan to a Republic operative in Washington DC, few of the self-described experts even knew what a naked short sale was before it either happened to them or someone hired them to pontificate on the subject.Part III. Committing to a CauseChapter 5: Real Experts Meet. The lawyers and several companies they represent are relying on poorly written reports provided by the Blind Men. Recognizing that the errors are piling up and having a negative impact on the outcomes in the court room, I bring in real experts, including the corporate trust specialists who first came to me in 1993. We coin the term ""phantom shares"" to describe the extra shares being created by short sales, stock lending and fails to deliver.Chapter 6: STA White Paper. The industry organization of corporate trust specialists, the Securities Transfer Association (STA) issues a report on over-voting after they are unable to get help from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Articles in their newsletter include a survey showing that over-voting – the direct result of investors voting phantom shares in corporate elections – impacts every public company. Almost immediately, the Securities Industry Association sends a letter to the NYSE describing how they can hide over-voting and the NYSE removes the last remaining rule that made it possible for a buyer to demand delivery of shares. A year later, over-voting is found in every corporate election surveyed by the STA. Even after the SIA implements processes to hide over-voting, the STA finds one-third of corporate elections are still receiving up to 25% more votes than there are shares outstanding.Chapter 7: Tax Consequences. My research shows that taxpayers and governments are losing out when interest and dividends are paid on phantom shares. The loss of tax revenue is not trivial: as much as $4.0 billion to the states and $1.5 billion to the federal government every year.Part IV. Success Seems PossibleChapter 8: Regulation SHO. I submit comment letters to the SEC that outline the financial and economic consequences of fails to deliver (FTD). When FTD reporting from NSCC to SEC begins, we are optimistic. Even though it is a list of victims (companies) but not the perpetrators (brokers), this is our first chance to see weekly and then daily data. We still don't know how old a fail is, but at least we have more frequent reports of the total value of fails and the number of shares failed per company. This chapter includes several of my comment letters explaining the implications for capital markets and the economy of the unfolding regulatory crisis, including the fact that Reg SHO had no enforcement teeth. It includes the attachments I submitted, like a copy of an NYSE audit proving that they knew that brokers were voting in corporate elections without regard to shareholder rights.Chapter 9: Criminal Cases Reveal Evidence. Although none of the lawsuits against the central clearing and settlement organizations (DTCC and its subsidiaries) is able to progress in the state courts, some organized crime cases result in settlement agreements and federal prosecutions. They move slowly but reveal evidence through discovery that supports the civil claims for several issuers against the brokers. This book does not detail financial crimes, but the cases against the primary perpetrators involved in manipulating Eagletech's stock are outlined to demonstrate the criminal strategies. We visit the more complete story of Eagletech Communications, Inc. in Chapter 10.Chapter 10: The Battle Goes Public. When a Dateline NBC segment on Eagletech is announced, the pajamahideen are emboldened, organizing protests and rallies including one on the sidewalk in front of DTCC's headquarters in Manhattan. The Dateline episode falls far short of the exposé everyone was hoping for. Later that year, the National Association of Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) holds a public forum in Washington, D.C. Publicity for the issue rises to the mainstream media, with a cover story in Bloomberg Markets magazine focused on the problems created by phantom votes. The CEO of a large public company is in the audience. I challenge him to buy shares of stock in his own company and find out if the seller fails to deliver. His broker debits his bank account for over $1 million dollars – then it takes two months for him to get delivery of the shares. In the face of this evidence and the harsh reality that it can happen to anyone, Patrick Byrne escalates his activities to warfare.Part V. Escalating CommitmentsChapter 11: Byrne's War. With the NASAA event as the backdrop, I push Patrick Byrne to stay focused on the real issue: corporate governance. He has me added to several email distribution lists with what he dubs the ""Pajamahideen"" – freedom fighters who work from home in their pajamas. Patrick hires a firm specializing in ""legislative strategies"" to arrange a media event in Washington DC. It is poorly attended and not widely reported with only one congressional aide at the event. Instead of explaining the important regulatory changes needed to protect corporate governance, Patrick has the team presentation focus on criminal activity. This chapter includes the text of my online interview with The Sanity Check.Chapter 12: Publicity Ramps Up with Meetings, Events and Interviews. I appear at the confirmation hearing when a former DTCC Board members is nominated as State Treasurer for New Jersey. I and some of the pajamahideen point to his Board role as making him complicit in hiding the fails to deliver. Afterward, DTCC will attempt to use one obscure new article about the hearing in an effort to disparage me (Chapter 15). Stories show up in every financial news outlet from print and online to radio and television. Bloomberg produces and airs a special report on ""Phantom Shares"" and I am the keynote speaker at the Securities Lending Conference in New York. I am contacted by an agent from the FBI-NY and he asks me to meet with the SDNY Attorney's office to brief them on fails and shorts. I present them with shocking evidence of system-wide problems in post-trade processing. I don't hear from them again.Chapter 13: Naked, Short and Greedy in LA. The CFA-LA initially agrees to put on an event about naked short selling. Bloomberg TV is prepared to broadcast the event. Then DTCC threatens action against CFA-LA if they have me as a speaker. CFA-LA caves and cancels the event. Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne steps up with a small sponsorship and STP Advisory Services funds the remainder for a new event in October. With just a shoe-string budget, we are able to fill a meeting room at the Park Hyatt in Century City (Los Angeles) with attendees from all over the US.Part VI. All Seems LostAfter a series of promising events, what happened next offered one setback after another. In a painful, emotionally charged series of events for me, the goal of resolving the regulatory crisis seemed to move further and further away. Things were happening too quickly to have feelings about them: by the time it was over, I was just starting to have feelings about the kind of feelings I had when it was happening. DTCC's efforts to banish me to the background left me raw as I constantly had to keep up my guard against it. Paradoxically, all of the negativity drew a sense of even deeper commitment from me.Chapter 14: Resistance from Wall Street. DTCC escalates their efforts against me. It has the opposite effect, making more companies and investors trust me to speak out on their behalf. They contact the producers and sponsors for events that invite me to be keynote speaker. They even threaten to cancel program participation for a transfer agent who hires me as a consultant. In the end, the people and organizations that I worked with in my years at DTC come to my support with more speaker invitations.Chapter 15: Corporate Governance Fails at Overstock. The real blow comes when Patrick has the chance to close it out with the proxy voting charade at his annual meeting. He does nothing because he got the chairman slot he was so afraid ""they"" would take away from him. The real experts I bring in are ignored completely. I feel Patrick and his lawyers push me aside in favor of a series of yes-men and consultants with worn-out low-level government titles. He will lose his appeal in a million-dollar lawsuit brought against him and one of his writers for libel and defamation.Chapter 16: Senate Inaction. Patrick is a big political donor who is able to get some statements about ""naked short selling"" read into the record by congressmen from Utah. I was able to include a couple of paragraphs about fails to deliver. Under pressure from DTCC, the SEC and Wall Street's own political donations, Congress refuses to hold hearings to air the investors' side of the story. In 2012, the Washington Post will report finding lawmakers in 2008 were investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in short-selling funds.Part VII. When the Music StopsThen came the Wall Street bailout, appointing Geithner to Treasury to replace Paulson (who pillaged the Treasury on his way out of town), Dodd-Frank which does nothing but order a bunch of studies. Soon, everyone is so wrapped up in trying to figure out what the rules are going to be that no one is able to move forward with any action.Chapter 17: Media Interest after the Financial Crisis. When the financial crisis hits the markets, I am doing radio interviews every month. In September, Matt Taibbi interviews me for the Rolling Stone magazine article that would be quoted extensively because he called Goldman Sachs a ""great vampire squid wrapped around the face of humanity, relentlessly jamming its blood funnel into anything that smells like money."" In 2013, Forbes was still referencing that article. The Daily Show produces a segment on short selling that gets attention as far up as the White House daily briefing.Chapter 18: CMKM and the UnShareholders. A diamond mining firm, CMKM, orders a ""cert pull"" to get all the company's shares out of the DTC. It reveals how many phantom shares are in circulation as a multitude of investors – dubbed the UnShareholders – are left holding the empty bag. Brokers begin deleting share positions as they stop returning calls to angry customers around the world, including several active-duty members of the military stationed overseas. But the evidence is there: brokers assigned phantom shares to their most vulnerable customers while getting real certificated-shares for themselves and favored clients. Before it shuts down, the UnShareholder project reveals the same circumstances applied to over 100 investors for 21 more companies across 15 brokerage firms. Launched June 9, 2008; closed in 2010. The investors were located throughout the US and in 5 other countries on three continents. In 2007, shareholders in British Columbia (Canada) sue their broker for refusal to provide certificates for shares shown in their account. The same day it was filed, it went directly before B.C. Supreme Court Justice H. Groberman, who ordered Canaccord to provide the share certificates ""without delay.""Chapter 19: Two Documentary Films. Sandra Mohr's Stock Shock is first out of the blocks among several films, including a few big Hollywood productions that would make the connection between failures in supervision, regulation and post-trade processing and the 2008 collapse of global capital markets. ""The bad guys won."" I am interviewed for the documentary Wall Street Conspiracy in July. When the stock market crashes in September, the producers invite me back to explain the connection with what I told them 2 months earlier. The transcript of that interview is included in this chapter.Part VIII. The Tragedy of a Downer EndingChapter 20: GAO Faults SEC and Other Revelations. In 2009, GAO would fault SEC for ignoring thousands of ""NSS"" complaints. My interview with the GAO is included in this chapter. The deeper tragedy is that so many companies lost access to the capital that is a keystone on US capital markets. Of the three companies highlighted in this book, Eagletech folded in 2006, CMKM held on until 2019 (as NHHI). Only Barker Minerals remains a functioning business despite the fact that the shares ceased trading after they could no longer afford to have financial statements produced by an external auditor.Chapter 21: Barker Minerals' Unique Approach. A Canadian mining firm, Barker Minerals Ltd. approached me in 2010 for help with a strategy they developed to ferret out which brokers were failing to deliver their stock for settlement. In contrast to denouncing short sellers, which was the basis for most complaints in the US, Barker called their analysis the ""Pro Long Strategy"" for its emphasis on protecting and supporting long-term shareholder investments. Barker Minerals continues in operations today, primarily using personal funding after the stock ceased trading on 5 April 2019.Part IX. Unresolved Regulatory CrisisFor decades, investors have settled for a small rate of return in their investment accounts, while the companies holding their money have earned trillions of dollars in income. If there is one lesson learned from my experiences over the last 15 years, it is that even a disorganized protest is still a protest. A small but vocal group of investors and entrepreneurs can shake up the system at least enough to get some transparency. The financial sector has lost its moral compass. Investors and entrepreneurs are on their own when they venture into US capital markets. They have to protect themselves and the wealth they hope to accumulate to ensure the future.

Read more less