Search results for ""planet!""

Two women. Two cultures. And a friendship that freed them both. ‘We don’t choose where we’re born. Geography ends up being everything.’ Shaimaa Khalil and Shelley Davidow met twenty years ago in the Middle East when Shaimaa was Shelley’s student at the University of Qatar. Strangers in a strange land where the silencing and oppression of women is deeply entrenched, they immediately formed a deep and abiding bond. Shelley saw Shaimaa as her ‘Rosetta Stone’, helping her decode a culture and world so foreign it appeared to be from another planet. Shaimaa saw Shelley and her apartment as her ‘Tardis’, a space where she could glimpse a world she dreamed of inhabiting. Born a decade apart on opposite ends of the African continent – Shaimaa, an Arab Muslim from Egypt and Shelley an Ashkenazi Jew from South Africa – tell the story of a friendship that has defied historical, geographic and temporal boundaries, mapping the vast emotional and geographic territories they have travelled as women pushing against patriarchal confines over the past two decades. In an exchange of words and memories, Shaimaa and Shelley recall what shaped them, what broke them, and how they made themselves whole again through their interwoven stories.

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The need to understand and address large-scale environmental problems that are difficult to study in controlled environments - issues ranging from climate change to overfishing to invasive species - is driving the field of ecology in new and important directions. "Observation and Ecology" documents that transformation, exploring how scientists and researchers are expanding their methodological toolbox to incorporate an array of new and re-examined observational approaches - from traditional ecological knowledge to animal-borne sensors to genomic and remote-sensing technologies - to track, study, and understand current environmental problems and their implications. The authors paint a clear picture of what observational approaches to ecology are and where they fit in the context of ecological science. They consider the full range of observational abilities we have available to us and explore the challenges and practical difficulties of using a primarily observational approach to achieve scientific understanding. They also show how observations can be a bridge from ecological science to education, environmental policy, and resource management. Observations in ecology can play a key role in understanding our changing planet and the consequences of human activities on ecological processes. This book will serve as an important resource for future scientists and conservation leaders who are seeking a more holistic and applicable approach to ecological science.

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Gorillas, the largest of the apes inhabiting our planet, have been a source of fear, awe, and inspiration to humans. In this book, James L. Newman brings a lifetime of study of Africa to his compelling story of the rich and varied interaction between gorillas and humans since earliest contact. He illuminates the complex relationship over time through the interlinked themes of discovery, exploitation, understanding, and continuing survival. Tragically, the number of free-living gorillas—facing habitat loss, disease, and poaching—has declined dramatically over the course of the past century, and the future of the few that remain is highly uncertain. At the same time, those in zoos and sanctuaries now lead much more secure lives than they did earlier. Newman follows this transition, highlighting the roles played by key individuals, both humans and gorillas. Among the former have been adventurers, opportunists, writers, and scientists. The latter include real gorillas, such as Gargantua and Koko, and fictional ones, notably King Kong and Mighty Joe Young. This thoughtful and engaging book helps us understand how our image of gorillas has been both distorted and clarified through culture and science for centuries and how we now control the destiny of these magnificent great apes.

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'Clever, fun and refreshing, with a string of unforgettable characters' - Helly Acton'Lauren Forsythe is a bright new talent' - Laura Jane Williams----Life at thirty-two is not at all what Marina Spicer had expected. And to top it off, she is absolutely tired of wasting time dating men who never seem to be a good match. Frustrated, she creates Dealbreakers, an anonymous app where women review how men stack up to their internet profiles. Her high standards have served her well at work, so why not in love? Enter Lucas Kennedy. Marina's charming Irish co-worker and newest nemesis.When the two are paired on a project to test out date ideas, ultimately determining which of them will be promoted, Marina takes a peek at Dealbreakers, hoping to dig up some dirt. But not only is Lucas the most annoying human on the planet, he also has the most dealbreakers listed on the app . . . ever.As they argue their way through each 'date', Marina finds herself having more fun than she's had in years. And when their attraction becomes too strong to resist, Marina struggles not to break some of her own rules. After all, if the Dealbreakers say he's Mr. Wrong, he can't possibly be Mr. Right . . . can he?

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'Apocalyptic sci-fi at its best... The action is anything but frozen' DAILY MAIL. WITHIN THREE MONTHS, ICE WILL COVER THE EARTH, AND LIFE AS WE KNOW IT WILL END. It was the last thing we expected, but the world is freezing. A new ice age has dawned and humanity has been forced to confront its own extinction. Billions have fled the glaciers, crowding out the world's last habitable zones. They can run from the ice, but they can't escape human nature: a cataclysmic war is coming. In orbit, a group of scientists is running the Winter Experiments, a last-ditch attempt to understand why the planet is cooling. None of the climate models they build makes sense. But then they discover an anomaly, an unexplained variation in solar radiation... and something else. Close to the burning edge of the sun, they catch a fleeting glimpse of something that shouldn't be there... Suddenly humanity must face the possibility it is not alone in the universe. And the terrifying possibility that whatever is out there may be trying to exterminate us. 'A complex, multi-stranded narrative spanning 700 pages that reads like a superior collaboration between Dan Brown and Michael Crichton' THE GUARDIAN.

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The first novel from the Hugo Award-winning author of 'Folding Beijing', translated by Ken Liu. Can the void between two worlds be bridged? AD2201. Just over a century ago, the Martian colonies declared their independence. After a brief conflict, Earth and Mars cut ties, carving separate trajectories into the future, viewing each other with suspicion and even hatred. Five years ago, a group of Martian students were sent to Earth as goodwill ambassadors from the Red Planet. Now the young men and women are coming home, escorting a delegation of prominent Terrans to see if the two worlds can bridge the void that has opened up between them. Almost immediately, negotiations break down and old enmities erupt. How do you escape the gravity of the past? Luoying, one of the returning Martians, is caught amidst the political intrigue and philosophical warfare. Martians and Terrans, old friends and new mentors, statesmen and revolutionaries – everything and everyone challenges her, pushing her to declare her allegiance. Torn between her native land and the world on which she came of age, Luoying must discover the truth amid a web of lies spun by both sides, she must chart a course between history and the future, or face the destruction of everything she's ever loved.

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The Justice League are dead. Can a new generation of heroes save the Multiverse? DC s latest Crisis saga is the epic event years in the making! Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the rest of the Justice League are dead. The remaining heroes are left to protect the world from an onslaught of violent attacks by DC s greatest villains! Leading the charge is a super-powered Slade Wilson...but this time there s something dark fueling his rage. Can the younger heroes, led by the 21st century Superman Jonathan Kent, step out of the shadows of the classic icons to form a new Justice League? And will that be enough to stop a darkness greater than anything they ve ever faced from destroying everything? The world burns as Pariah and the Great Darkness make their play for planet Earth! The blockbuster creative team of writer Joshua Williamson and artist Daniel Sampere bring years of stories to an explosive crescendo in this massive, cross-generational saga, the latest in DC s famed canon of Crisis events and the next evolution of the DC Universe! Collects Justice League #75; Dark Crisis #1-7; Dark Crisis #0 FCBD Special Edition 2022 #1.

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Part lyrical nature writing, part storytelling, part solid scientific evidence, part scholarly research, part memoir, the book is an elegant manifesto, an urgent call to stop trashing the Earth and start healing it. the Guardian Perfect for readers of Wilding, Dirt to Soil and English Pastoral! Call of the Reed Warbler is a clarion call for the global transformation of agriculture, and an in-depth look at the visionary farmers who are revolutionising the way we grow, eat, and think about food. Using his personal experience as a touchstone, starting as a chemical-dependent farmer with dead soils, he recounts his journey carefully regenerating a 2000-hectare property to a state of natural health. Massy lays out the facts behind industrial agriculture and the global profit-obsessed corporations driving it. With evocative stories, he shows how other innovative and courageous farmers are finding a new way. It’s not too late to regenerate the earth. Call of the Reed Warbler offers a path forward for the future of our food, our planet and our health. Charles Massy has written a definitive masterpiece that takes its place along with the writings of Aldo Leopold, Wendell Berry, Masanobu Fukuoka, Humberto Maturana, and Michael Pollan. No work has more brilliantly defined regenerative agriculture... Paul Hawken

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Waste Siege offers an analysis unusual in the study of Palestine: it depicts the environmental, infrastructural, and aesthetic context in which Palestinians are obliged to forge their lives. To speak of waste siege is to describe a series of conditions, from smelling wastes to negotiating military infrastructures, from biopolitical forms of colonial rule to experiences of governmental abandonment, from obvious targets of resistance to confusion over responsibility for the burdensome objects of daily life. Within this rubble, debris, and infrastructural fallout, West Bank Palestinians create a life under settler colonial rule. Sophia Stamatopoulou-Robbins focuses on waste as an experience of everyday life that is continuous with, but not a result only of, occupation. Tracing Palestinians' own experiences of wastes over the past decade, she considers how multiple authorities governing the West Bank—including municipalities, the Palestinian Authority, international aid organizations, NGOs, and Israel—rule by waste siege, whether intentionally or not. Her work challenges both common formulations of waste as "matter out of place" and as the ontological opposite of the environment, by suggesting instead that waste siege be understood as an ecology of "matter with no place to go." Waste siege thus not only describes a stateless Palestine, but also becomes a metaphor for our besieged planet.

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A long, healthy life is no accident. It begins with good genes, but it also depends on good habits. If you adopt the right lifestyle, experts say, chances are you may live up to a decade longer. Buettner has led teams of researchers across the globe--from Costa Rica to Sardinia, Italy, to Okinawa, Japan and beyond--to uncover the secrets of Blue Zones. He found that the recipe for longevity is deeply intertwined with community, lifestyle, and spirituality. People live longer and healthier by embracing a few simple but powerful habits, and by creating the right community around themselves. In The Blue Zones, Second Edition, Buettner has blended his lifestyle formula with the latest longevity research to inspire lasting, behavioral change and add years to your life. Region by region, Buettner reveals the "secrets" of longevity through stories of his travels and interviews with some of the most remarkable--and happily long-living people on the planet. It's not coincidence that the way they eat, interact with each other, shed stress, heal themselves, avoid disease, and view their world yield them more good years of life. Buettner's easy to follow "best practices" and list of healthy lifestyle choices from the Blue Zones will empower readers to live longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives.

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Packaging design is a powerful vehicle for making our lives friendlier, our planet greener and our businesses richer. It is an essential link between the producer and the customer, where it contributes to the positioning and presentation of a product; and on many occasions, the use of the product after purchase. What is missing is a compass that can guide practitioners in the right direction. This is particularly so in the field of packaging where the routes you take may contradict rather than contribute to sustainable development.Managing Packaging Design for Sustainable Development: A Compass for Strategic Directions emphasizes the need to rethink packaging system design, by presenting a strategic packaging design tool; a compass. The compass encourages you to go off-road, to develop and innovate, and to remake the packaging design solution that previously was best practice. Theory and practical applications are balanced by outlining the most crucial tenets of packaging design for sustainability and by illustrating wide range of real-life cases that will inspire and challenge the mindsets of those who apply the compass in packaging design related projects. This is a must-have book for designers, engineers, logisticians, marketers, supply chain professionals and other managers who seek guidance on sustainable solutions through packaging design.

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Whether traveling through Southeast Asia or relaxing at home, bird lovers will enjoy this thorough and colorful bird watching guide.A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Southeast Asia is the first comprehensive photographic guide to the birds of mainland Southeast Asia, the Philippines and Borneo. It covers important bird species found in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, as well as southern China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the Philippines.Of an estimated 10,000 living bird species in the world, Southeast Asia is home to over 3,000 of them—making this one of the most diverse avifaunal regions on the planet and a birdwatcher's paradise. This comprehensive guide covers over 660 species and has more than 700 color photographs. It is an invaluable guide to anyone planning a visit to Asia who is interested in birds. It gives a distribution map for each species and a checklist at the back.Many of the photographs in this book appear for the first time and have been carefully selected to illustrate the most important species and their key features. The text provides vital information to ensure accurate identifications. A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Southeast Asia is indispensable reading for bird lovers everywhere.

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Proven currency-specific trading strategies from one of today's top currency analysts "If you trade currency, then you need to have this book on your desk. It's the only book you need for technical analysis of the fastest-moving market on the planet." -Rob Booker, Currency Trader, W.R. Booker & Company "In plain English, Schlossberg lays out the basics in using technical analysis to trade foreign currencies, from the fundamentals of how the FX market works to the variety of technical strategies and trade management techniques traders can employ. Along the way, he offers entertaining examples and observations as well as simple, easy-to-read charts and diagrams. Anyone interested in getting started in the hugely popular FX market would do well to begin with this book." -Sarah Rudolph, Executive Editor, SFO Magazine "Boris Schlossberg has done a fabulous job with this book. It's packed with insightful tips and strategies that are sure to save traders a lot of time and money." -Cory Janssen, CoFounder, Investopedia.com "Schlossberg's book is a great resource for traders just starting out in currency markets. His focus on simplicity is critical for a new trader's education on how to make money." -Andrew B. Busch, Global FX Strategist, BMO Financial Group

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One women’s journey of menopause and vaginal atrophy. Written in collaboration with her daughter in a `tongue in cheek’ way to help break taboos of vaginal atrophy. This book is informative, serious, tear-jerking and guaranteed to make you laugh. Through this book you’ll learn the hidden secrets of menopause aimed to help you during your own experiences, informing women, men and health professionals of all ages. “An amazing piece of work. It made me smile and cry at the same time and really feel every woman on the planet needs to read it” – Dr Louise Newson. “If you have a vagina, know or love somebody with a vagina, you need to read this.” Diane Danzebrink, The Menopause Counsellor “This extraordinary, outstanding book is refreshingly candid and one of a kind. It is the sort of book you will buy extra copies of, to give to your daughters, your sisters and your friends.” Julie Bennett, Educational Author “I love the book and already have patients and friends in mind that I can recommend it to.” Fiona Mitchell, Women’s Health Physiotherapist “I would recommend it to everyone.” Amanda Tozer, Consultant Gynaecologist “Absolutely love it! Such an honest and informative read, smashing the taboo surrounding the conversation about our vaginas.” Sam Evans, Sexual Health Expert

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'A revolution is underway in how we think about human variation. It has the potential to transform the social and political landscape, sweeping away walls and fences that stop so many people from fully participating. Psychotherapy should be in the vanguard of this revolution, but it isn't,' writes Nick Totton in this bold analysis of human difference. His aim is to challenge and also help the reader who self-defines as 'normal'- be they talking therapist, body therapist, client or anyone else - to interrogate their own normality, and hopefully to relinquish the word and all the privileges it brings. It is time, he writes, 'to dismantle that identity, pull down that statue, abandon that high plinth and rest on the solid ground of difference'. Then, he argues, psychotherapy practitioners may be in a position to learn from their clients how best to work with them.The book addresses differences of bodily capacity, gender and lifestyle differences, differences of skin colour and neuro differences. It also tackles differences between the human and non-human beings who inhabit the Earth. Totton's call is for recognition that we share this planet, and that creating standards of 'normality' leads to exclusion as well as inclusion, with all the psychological and other harms that brings.

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Given that insects vastly outnumber us (there are approximately 200 million insects for every human) it is no surprise that there is a rich body of verse on the creeping, scuttling, flitting, stinging things with which we share our planet. Many cultures have centuries-old traditions of insect poetry. In China,where noblewomen of the Tang dynasty kept crickets in gold cages-countless songs were written in praise of these 'insect musicians'. The haiku masters of Japan were similarly inspired, though spread their net wider to include less prepossessing bugs such as houseflies, fleas and mosquitoes. In the West, poems about insects date back to the ancient Greeks, and insects feature frequently in European literature from the 16th century onwards. The poets collected here range from Donne, Marvell, Keats and Wordsworth; Emily Dickinson, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Christina Rossetti, to Elizabeth Bishop, Mary Oliver, Ted Hughes, Paul Muldoon and Alice Oswald. In translation there is verse by - amongst others - Meleager and Tu Fu, Ivan Turgenev, Victor Hugo, Paul Valéry, Pablo Neruda, Antonio Machado and Xi Chuan. Bees, butterflies and beetles, cockroaches and caterpillars, fireflies and dragonflies, ladybirds and glowworms--the miniature creatures that adorn these pages are as varied as the poetic talents that celebrate them.

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The Seventh Doctor and Mel encounter old foes at the edge of the galaxy - where tinsel proves to be a dangerous commodity - before heading to a familiar planet going through turbulent times - and meeting another old acquaintance. Bad Day in Tinseltown by Dan Starkey. The Doctor and Mel drop in on the frontier town of Brightedge - dubbed 'Tinseltown' after the curious by-products from its depleted mine. The Mayor thinks the future lies in entertainment, but as the locals start behaving oddly, a hidden force of Cybermen has other plans... The Ribos Inheritance by Jonathan Barnes. The Doctor and Mel arrive expecting Suntime on Ribos, but find a world still shrouded in snow and ice - but it's not just the climate that's gone awry... As forces plot against the young King, a soothsayer predicts doom. And out in the wilds, the Doctor finds wily conman Garron caught up in events on Ribos once again. CAST: Sylvester McCoy (The Doctor), Bonnie Langford (Melanie Bush), Paul Bazely (The Duke of Hishtar), Nicholas Briggs (Nelson/Cybermen/Big Gerald), Jasmin Hinds (Mitzi Cinque), David Rintoul (Garron), Vivienne Rochester (Sandarr), Jeany Spark (Carol Protraxus/General Polly Juno), Dan Starkey (Mungo), Homer Todiwala (King Kari), Issy Van Randwyck (The Seeker/Baladin Smith). Other parts played by members of the cast.

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Insects conquered the Earth long before we did and will remain here long after we're gone.They outnumber us in the billions and are essential to many of the natural processes that keep us alive and that we take for granted.Yet, despite this, very few of us know much about the hidden world of insects.In this fascinating new book, entomologist and broadcaster George McGavin takes a deep dive to reveal the unknown truths about the most successful and enduring animal group the world has ever seen, and to show the unseen effects this vast population has on our planet, if only we care to look.McGavin explores not only the incredible traits that insects have evolved to possess, such as dragonflies that can fly across oceans without resting or beetles that lay their eggs exclusively in corpses, but also the vital lessons we have learnt from them, including how therapy using maggots can save lives and how bees can help grow rich tomato yields.The Hidden World reveals the wonderful complexity of our relationship with insects, how they have changed the course of our history and how, if we continue to learn from them, they could even be the key to our future and survival.

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"Listening to the gentle lapping of the river, I ponder the strange fate that brought me, a Soviet kid from a small Russian town, right here, to this very table in the middle of the Surinamese jungle on this particular night." From early childhood spend in an akademgorodok (purpose-built academic community) in the USSR, Kaminski has been obsessed with food. Fuelled by ancestral wanderlust, as an adult she put her obsession to good use, contributing to several dozen Lonely Planet and Rough Guides guidebooks and traversing six continents in search of sustenance and something even less tangible. Part-memoir, part-travelogue, "Eyeball Tacos & Kangeroo Stew" explores a life less ordinary through the prism of memorable meals, from sharing burgers with death row inmates in San Quentin Prison to feasting on spam and cassava with the crocodile-skinned men of Papua New Guinea's Middle Sepik, and being adopted by an Aboriginal family in the Outback over a pot of kangaroo stew. Through breaking bread with strangers and travel to the further corners of the former Soviet Union and beyond, the author discovers that her roots stretch further than she'd ever imagined and that kinship can be found in the strangest of places.

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The essential and defining new collection of the best British nature writing‘Tim Dee has brought together a wonderous array of talent for this life-affirming, often magical anthology’ ObserverWe are living in the anthropocene – an epoch where everything is being determined by the activities of just one soft-skinned, warm-blooded, short-lived, pedestrian species. How do we make our way through the ruins that we have made? This anthology tries to answer this as it explores new and enduring cultural landscapes, in a celebration of local distinctiveness that includes new work from some of our finest writers. We have memories of childhood homes from Adam Thorpe, Marina Warner and Sean O’Brien; we journey with John Burnside to the Arizona desert, with Hugh Brody to the Canadian Arctic; going from Tessa Hadley’s hymn to her London garden to caving in the Mendips with Sean Borodale to shell-collecting on a Suffolk beach with Julia Blackburn.Helen Macdonald, in her remarkable piece on growing up in a 50-acre walled estate, reflects on our failed stewardship of the planet: ‘I take stock.’ she says, ‘During this sixth extinction, we who may not have time to do anything else must write now what we can, to take stock.’ This is an important, necessary book.

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'He effectively combines the genre of travel writing with investigative journalism, and brings to light little-known conflicts and events from around the world.' - Perceptive TravelIn Journeys to Impossible Places, best-selling author and presenter Simon Reeve reveals the inside story of his most astonishing adventures and experiences, around the planet and close to home.Journeys to Impossible Places continues the story Simon started in his phenomenal Sunday Times bestseller Step by Step, which traced the first decades of his life from depressed and unemployed teenager through to his early TV programmes.Now Simon takes us on the epic and thrilling adventures that followed, in beautiful, tricky and downright dangerous corners of the world, as he travelled through the Tropics, to remote paradise islands, jungles dripping with heat and life, and on nerve-wracking secret missions. Simon shares what his unique experiences and encounters have taught him, and the deeper lessons he draws from joy and raw grief in his personal life, from desperate struggles with his own fertility and head health, from wise friends, fatherhood, inspiring villagers, brave fighters, his beloved dogs, and a thoughtful Indian sadhu.Journeys to Impossible Places inspires and encourages all of us to battle fear and negativity, and embrace life, risk, opportunities and the glory of our world.

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'AN ORIGINAL AND TIMELY ODYSSEY INTO OUR MYSTERIOUS UNDERWORLD . . . THRILLING PROOF THAT SCIENCE AND IMAGINATION SHARE THE GROUND BENEATH OUR FEET' Nicholas Crane, presenter of BBC2's Coast and Great British JourneysIf you were to peel back the Earth's surface like an orange, then take a sly peek underneath, what extraordinary things would you see?Subterranea is where the world's remaining mysteries are yet to be found. For millennia, across nations and cultures, it has been a hotbed of fantastical stories. It's where humans have kept their most sacred treasures and their darkest secrets. It's where we have found evidence of our past and may, at some point, find an escape route for our uncertain future. But what would we find there today? From the underground cities of Cappadocia to smuggling tunnels on the US-Mexico border, caves full of tiny blind dragons and a seed vault located 1300km inside the Arctic circle, Subterranea demonstrates that the world below our feet is every bit as vivid and evocative as the world we see around us. Lavishly illustrated and replete with maps and photographs of little-explored locations, Subterranea is the unique, untold and utterly unforgettable story of our planet from the inside.

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Sir Hubert Wilkins is one of the most remarkable Australians who ever lived.The son of pioneer pastoralists in South Australia, Hubert studied engineering before moving on to photography. In 1908 he sailed for England and a job producing films with the Gaumont Film Co. Brave and bold, he became a polar expeditioner, a brilliant war photographer, a spy in the Soviet Union, a pioneering aviator-navigator, a death-defying submariner - all while being an explorer and chronicler of the planet and its life forms that would do Vasco da Gama and Sir David Attenborough proud. As a WW1 photographer he was twice awarded the Military Cross for bravery under fire, the only Australian photographer in any war to be decorated. He explored the Antarctic with Sir Ernest Shackleton, led a groundbreaking ornithological study in Australia and was knighted in 1928 for his aviation exploits, but many more astounding achievements would follow. Wilkins' quest for knowledge and polar explorations were lifelong passions and his missions to polar regions aboard the submarine Nautilus the stuff of legend.With masterful storytelling skill, Peter FitzSimons illuminates the life of Hubert Wilkins and his incredible achievements. Thrills and spills, derring-do, new worlds discovered - this is the most unforgettable tale of the most extraordinary life lived by any Australian.

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Magical Places is for armchair-voyagers and pilgrimage-makers alike. This beautiful volume will take readers on a charmed journey around the world, dipping into some of the most storied destinations in the farthest flung corners of the globe. With chapters like Places of Healing, Haunted Places, Magic in Nature, Fairy Tale Locales, The Past in the Present, and Ley Lines -- the arcing lines that traverse the planet, where magical phenomena frequently occur -- wanderlust is sure to be stoked for frequent travelers and the magic curious alike. With an eye towards the mystical, Magical Places will explore well-known sites like Stonehenge and Uluru, as well as lesser-known destinations like The Knucker Hole in England, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the Fairy Glen on the Isle of Skye, and the pink lakes Retba in Senegal and Hillier in Australia. Many of these sites will be accompanied by sacred rituals, mystical incantations, and more inspired by the energy and history of these magical locations. Featuring beautiful illustrations with a smattering of lush, full-color photography, this book will entice readers who long for adventure and enchantment in the world, who want to visit or at least learn about places where magic is real -- or once was.

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'The Patron Saint of Conservation' Sir David Attenborough'Peter Scott was a huge influence on my childhood...Later on in life I had the good fortune both to meet and to interview him, and he remains, for me, a hero. His knowledge, his kindness to me and his generosity of spirit have remained an influence in my own sphere of natural history....To meet one's heroes can sometimes be a let-down. That was most certainly not the case with Peter Scott.' Alan TitchmarshA Life In Nature is a portrait of Peter Scott collected from his own conversations, articles and broadcasts including thoughts on expeditions to Lapland, Conservation and Africa, his travels in Europe and much more. Illustrated by Peter's own beautiful illustrations. Sir Peter Scott had a truly incredible life. He was the only son of legendary explorer Captain Scott. His godfather was JM Barrie and he was married to Elizabeth Jane Howard. He also represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at sailing in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, winning a bronze medal. He founded the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and also helped to found the Worldwide Fund for Nature.This is a beautiful and timely re-discovered book, perfect for those who are interested in preserving our planet.

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'Funny, wise and mock heroic . . . The funniest and best crafted book I have read all year' Sunday ExpressThe Discworld is very much like our own - if our own were to consist of a flat planet balanced on the back of four elephants which stand on the back of a giant turtle, that is . . .__________________'What's so hard about pulling a sword out of a stone? The real work's already been done. You ought to make yourself useful and find the man who put the sword in the stone in the first place.'The City Watch needs MEN! But what it's got includes Corporal Carrot (technically a dwarf), Lance-constable Cuddy (really a dwarf), Lance-constable Detritus (a troll), Lance-constable Angua (a woman... most of the time) and Corporal Nobbs (disqualified from the human race for shoving).And they need all the help they can get, because someone in Ankh-Morpork has been getting dangerous ideas - about crowns and legendary swords, and destiny.And the problem with destiny is, of course, that she is not always careful where she points her finger. One minute you might be minding your own business on a normal if not spectacular career path, the next you might be in the frame for the big job, like saving the world . . .

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'Josiah Bancroft is a magician. His books are that rare alchemy: gracefully written, deliriously imaginative, action-packed, warm, witty and thought-provoking' Madeline Miller, author of Circe'Like its predecessor, it is a brilliant piece of work . . . these two books are genius. I just love them. The story, characters and imagination shine' Mark LawrenceForced by necessity into a life of piracy, Senlin and his eclectic crew struggle to survive aboard their stolen airship as the hunt for his lost wife continues. But the Tower of Babel is proving to be as difficult to re-enter as it was to escape.Hopeless and desolate, they turn to a legend of the tower, the mysterious Sphinx. But help from the sphinx doesn't come cheaply and, as Senlin knows, debts aren't always what they seem in the Tower of Babel.Praise for the series:'Brilliant' - Publishers Weekly'I loved it' - Django Wexler'An engrossing intoxicating delight' - Forbidden Planet 'An extraordinary debut that is well worthy of the hype. A beautifully written, highly engaging page-turning masterpiece' - Fantasy Book Review 'Thomas Senlin is the most unlikely yet likeable hero since a certain hobbit rushed out of Bag End leaving his second breakfast half-finished and entirely unwashed-up' - Fantasy Faction

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Before The Matrix, before Star Wars, before Ender's Game and Neuromancer, there was Dune: winner of the prestigious Hugo and Nebula awards, and widely considered one of the greatest science fiction novels ever written. Melange, or 'spice', is the most valuable - and rarest - element in the universe; a drug that does everything from increasing a person's life-span to making intersteller travel possible. And it can only be found on a single planet: the inhospitable desert world Arrakis. Whoever controls Arrakis controls the spice. And whoever controls the spice controls the universe.When the Emperor transfers stewardship of Arrakis from the noble House Harkonnen to House Atreides, the Harkonnens fight back, murdering Duke Leto Atreides. Paul, his son, and Lady Jessica, his concubine, flee into the desert. On the point of death, they are rescued by a band for Fremen, the native people of Arrakis, who control Arrakis' second great resource: the giant worms that burrow beneath the burning desert sands. In order to avenge his father and retake Arrakis from the Harkonnens, Paul must earn the trust of the Fremen and lead a tiny army against the innumerable forces aligned against them. And his journey will change the universe.

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Finance is widely seen as an obstacle to a better world. Principles of Sustainable Finance explains how the financial sector can be mobilized to counter this. Using finance as a means to achieve social goals, we can divert the planet and its economy from its current path to a world that is sustainable for all. Written for undergraduate, graduate, and executive students of finance, economics, business, and sustainability, this textbook combines theory, empirical data, and policy to explain the sustainability challenges for corporate investment. It shows how finance can steer funding to certain companies and projects without sacrificing return and thus speed up the transition to a sustainable economy. It analyses the Sustainable Development Goals as a strategy for a better world and provides evidence that environmental, social, and governance factors matter, explaining in detail how to incorporate these factors in the corporate and financial sectors. Tailored for students, Principles of Sustainable Finance starts each chapter with an overview and learning objectives to support study. It includes suggestions for further reading, lists and definitions of key concepts, and extensive uses of figures, boxes, and tables to enhance educational goals and clarify concepts. Principles of Sustainable Finance is also supported by an online resource that includes teaching materials and cases.

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In Tiger x 4, Tiger tries to fix the ship's fabricator, accidently creating three copies of himself! Can the micro-friends turn the disaster to their advantage when the Krools attack? Our heroes land on Planet Akwa and meet some of the local aliens but not all of them are friendly. Find out what happens in The Sands of Akwa. In Holo-board Havoc, Cat saves Tiger from a holo-board disaster, but there is yet more trouble waiting for them when they land! In Ant's Pact, Ant makes a deal with the Akwans. But will the micro-friends be able to keep their side of the bargain? Will Max, Ant and Nok be able to save a baby Raptiss and strike a deal with the terrifying creatures? Find out in The Screams of the Raptiss. In The Secret Whirlpool, Max, Ant and Nok go deep inside a huge crater to find the first fragment of Exis. But will they be able to get it? Each book comes with notes on the inside front and back covers for teachers, TAs and parents/carers, which give question prompts and points for discussion, challenge words, and additional activities that children can do.

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'A great guide to the many things you can do to reduce your plastic footprint.' - Craig Reucassel, ABC TV's War on Waste Where do you start if you want to reduce the plastic in your life? Especially when most of us are wearing it, eating and drinking from it, sitting on it, walking on it, and probably even ingesting it. Anywhere you go, plastic is within easy reach - even in Antarctica and the North Pole. We didn't quit plastic overnight. In fact, it's still a work in progress. But along the way, we have learnt a lot by researching the issue from the grass roots up, speaking to people, and finding out what works and what doesn't. We answer the tricky questions, like 'How will I wash my hair?', 'Do I have to give up crackers?', 'What about my bin liner?' and 'Is this going to be expensive?' As we continue to remove throw-away plastics from our daily lives, we've discovered we're friendlier with our local communities, we're eating healthier food, and de-cluttering happens by itself. It feels great!'The simple, practical tips in this inspiring guide will help you reduce plastic in your daily life and help the planet too - every little bit counts!' - Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, Plastic Free July Foundation

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Christina Strutt of Cabbages & Roses reveals how to have a calmer, healthier, eco-friendly home. Saving the planet for future generations is a laudable aim, but what about the current populace? Why wait when even quite small lifestyle changes can make a big difference now? Green Housekeeping is full of advice and information to help you take a more sustainable path. Recycling, reusing and shopping at farmers’ markets are a good start, but cutting down on the use of poisonous chemicals is just as important – it’s perfectly possible to clean a house using nothing more than lemons, bicarbonate of soda, vinegar and plain water. Here old-fashioned methods are complemented by newer ideas and innovations, and applied not only to cleaning but also to caring for clothes, furniture, and even silver and glassware. Growing some of your own vegetables, fruit and herbs can be very satisfying, and you can use any extras to make jams, oils and chutneys using the handy tips and delicious recipes. Make beauty preparations and bath oils, too, for soothing, effective treatments to enhance everyday health and wellbeing. To become eco-friendly doesn’t require self-sacrifice – just some readjustment; and by following the advice in this invaluable guide you will find yourself living a calmer, greener life.

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Schoolgirl reporter Rani Ramgoolam and her badly behaved grandmother set out to solve a mystery in this first book in a fun, illustrated new series for fans of Anisha Accidental Detective and Planet Omar A Times Children's Book of the Year ‘With amusing characters and an unpredictable, entertaining plot that keeps you guessing till the end, this is the perfect middle-grade adventure.' The Times 'News flash! Rani Reports is a total delight! Full of intrigue, humour and heart' - Abi Elphinstone, author of The Dreamsnatcher trilogy I’m Rani Ramgoolam – roving reporter. And I think I’ve found the perfect story for the junior journalism competition run by the local paper. An eccentric millionaire has created a treasure hunt with a reward for the first person who figures out the clues. Luckily, my mischievous Nani is visiting from Mauritius. She’s promised to help me work out what a priceless painting, a minotaur and a glass eye have in common. “Murder, murder! Call the cops!” Oh, and that’s Cookie, my parrot. I’m not sure he’ll be much use. But the race is on and I’ll need all the help I can get. Especially when some people are resorting to sneaky tricks to get their hands on the prize…

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This run of stories featuring Tom Baker as the Fourth Doctor features four stories, loosely connected as the Doctor finds himself the target of an enemy. This set contains: The Sinestran Kill by Andrew Smith. When the Doctor decides to trace an anomalous energy signature on twentieth century Earth, he stumbles into an assassination attempt. Gangland thugs are trying to murder a seemingly innocent shopkeeper, and it’s only the intervention of the Doctor and Ann Kelso – a WPC who happens to be on the scene – that prevents a tragedy. But why do the gangsters want the shopkeeper dead? And what does this have to do with alien technology? The first stages of a grand conspiracy are about to be revealed. And finding the answers will take Ann Kelso on a journey like no other. Planet of the Drashigs by Phil Mulryne. When the TARDIS lands on an alien planet, the Doctor’s intentions to show Ann Kelso an advanced future society are thrown into disarray. Because they have arrived on DrashigWorld - a park where every known species of the terrifying predators has been gathered together to entertain and thrill the public. The familiar wetland Drashigs, the albino burrowing Drashigs of the desert, and deadliest of all, the tiny Emerald Drashigs of the rain forests. And it’s not the best day to have arrived. The park has been shut down due to a visitor fatality. A Galactic Attractions inspector is on site meaning everyone is extremely tense and under pressure. It’s exactly the right circumstances in which someone might make a mistake. And on Drashigworld, mistakes are deadly. The Enchantress of Numbers by Simon Barnard and Paul Morris. The TARDIS lands in the grounds of Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire, in 1850. Mistaken for a medic and his maid, the Doctor and Ann are brought to meet Ada Lovelace - the mother of computing and daughter of Lord Byron - who has recently fallen ill. But the travellers are not here by chance. Something odd is happening on Earth, and they’ve determined that this place is the centre of it. Strange figures are walking the land. Strange figures wearing bird-like masks. What do they want with Ada? And how will it change the future of humanity? The False Guardian by Guy Adams. Ann Kelso doesn’t like mysteries. Keen to investigate the trail of the Sinestrans, she sets the TARDIS on a new course... but flies into danger. Arriving on a desolate world that the Doctor finds somehow familiar, the TARDIS crew discover that something is wrong with time. The inhabitants of an unusual complex are experimenting at the command of their enigmatic director... somebody who has quite a strong grudge against the Doctor.Facing an old foe who was presumed dead, the travellers are soon trapped in a diabolical scheme. But is it just the tip of the iceberg? Planet of the Drashigs features the eponymous flesh-eating monsters for the first time on audio, after their fan favourite debut in the Jon Pertwee story The Carnival of Monsters! CAST: Tom Baker (The Doctor), Jane Slavin (WPC Ann Kelso), John Leeson (K9), Frank Skinner (DCI Scott Neilson), Glynis Barber (Kathy Blake), Finty Williams (Ada Lovelace), Fenella Woolgar (Vanessa Seaborne), Ewan Bailey (Hugo Blake), Nicholas Khan (Jimmy Lynch), Leon Williams (Tony Reynolds), Jeremy Clyde (Lord Braye), Lizzie Roper (Trencher), Andrew Ryan (Titus Wayland), Andrew Havill (Colonel Wildman), Eve Webster (Hettie / Lady Cleverley), Barnaby Edwards (Mr. Hobhouse), Glen McCready (Edvard Scheutz /Lord Byron / Harry), John Shrapnel (Nigel Colloon), Anna Acton (Brox), Blake Ritson (Elmore), Roger May (Mac Foley), Tracy Wiles (Drones). Other parts played by members of the cast.

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Sometimes life calls on us to embark on an adventure before we're really ready for it; it requires us to surpass ourselves and to learn the value of trust and loyalty. This is what happens to Pem, who's itching to head off through the snow with her father, brother and the yaks towards the grazing lands. But when the big day comes, she still can't imagine the adventure that awaits her. The youngest member of the family will have her first experience all on her own: does the Yeti really exist? Countless secrets lie in the snow, waiting to be discovered by those who are inquisitive enough to seek them out! Snowbound Secrets is a wonderful tale set in the country of Bhutan, full of mystery and adventure; it is a hymn to nature and the highest mountains of our blue planet. Through the innocent eyes of a little girl, we will learn what it means to respect traditions and legends and to cast off our fears, discovering how bravery can often help to unveil mysteries that captivate our hearts. Lexile Level 810L Guided Reading Level P

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Darkly comic, surreal and full of perceptiveness about human vulnerability and eccentricity, Frankie McMillan’s small fictions often duck and dive away from the reader’s expectations. With a poet’s sense of how single words or phrases ripple out with alternate meanings, and a dramatist’s feeling for how apparently small gestures reveal character, and how sudden, cataclysmic change can wrench us out of comfort, routine and unthinking assumptions, the author leaves us ransacking the language for finer genre definitions. This collection teems with both the animal world and a vivid circus of quirky human individuals. The pieces globe-trot all over the planet: from Russia to America to New Zealand; and yet often their piquant wisdom comes from how they bear down into `micro-geography’ of intimate relationships: the troughs, peaks, cliff-sides, the warm, still pools of recognition. Frankie McMillan is like a quietly outrageous Zen master, showing us human folly and idiocy, steering us carefully over the dark river of vulnerability that swells under it all. `The Father of Octopus Wrestling, and other small fictions’ is an artisan production, designed and printed by Ilam Press, Ilam School of Fine Arts.

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Since the days of the Battle of Trafalgar, the Royal Navy had been the acknowledged as the most powerful maritime force on the planet. Britain could boast more warships, and particularly more Dreadnoughts and battle-cruisers than any other nation. But the Germans had undertaken an enormously-expensive ship-building programme designed to place the Kaiserliche Marine on an equal footing with the Royal Navy. Since the outbreak of war between the two nations in 1914, the British public had waited in eager anticipation for the moment when the opposing battlefleets would meet at sea. After a number of smaller engagements, major elements of the British Grand Fleet and the German High Seas Fleet, finally faced each other across the grey seas of the North Sea off Jutland. Instead of the great victory that the British expected, the result was disappointingly inconclusive, with the Grand Fleet losing more men and more ships than the Germans. In this inciteful and unique investigation into the battle, naval historian Richard Osborne draws on the words of the key players to resolve the many disputes, controversies and myths that have surrounded this battle throughout the intervening 100 years.

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Timeless Narrative of Human Connection to Animals:Dorsey explores his connection to the gray whales of the lagoon on spiritual, emotional, and physical levels, and what this means for himself and for his wife, Irene.The Destination for One of the Greatest Migrations on Earth:one of the endpoints and the whales’ nursery.A Gray Whale Version of Jane Goodall and the Chimpanzees of Gombe, TanzaniaThe People of the Lagoon: .Historical Threads:eaves in the deadly history of whaling, the history of whale watching, and the history of Baja and the San Ignacio Lagoon.Multi-Layered Love Story: .A Warning About Hot-Button Topics of Climate Change and Over-Development:The narrative is driven forward by the impending threats of climate change and over-development, serving as a reminder of the importance of protecting our planet. Author is an Accomplished Nature Writer: about nature in publications like BBC Wildlife, Hemispheres Magazine for United Airlines, Natural History Magazine, Sea Kayaker Magazine, Los Angeles Times, California Literary Review, Chicago Sun Times, BBC Travel, Hidden Compass, Panorama Journal, Chicken Soup for the Soul,and Geographic Expeditions.Includes Twenty-Five of Dorsey’s Award-Winning Photographs of the Lagoon and its Whales

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The Meaty Truth is an eye-opening look at the massive problems caused by the American population’s food supply. Water, meat, and milk and other dairy products are filled with toxins, antibiotics, untested growth hormones, ammonia, and animal pus and manure. The current conditions of the food production industry must drastically improve, and until they do, it is absolutely vital to monitor what you eat. Castle and Goodman take a hard-hitting look at what America is putting into its food, the negative effects this has on the world, and the best ways to make healthy, informed decisions about eating.As the antibiotic age ends, the rise of pandemic diseases is approaching. Approximately half of the illnesses that claim American lives today are related to what we eat, and our health care system is focused on treating the sick, not preventing illnesses from occurring. To fix our health problems, to continue feeding the world’s ever-growing population, and to save our planet from ecological destruction, we can no longer avoid making changes to how American meat and dairy products are produced. This guide is easy to read, applicable to anyone’s lifestyle, and impossible to put down.

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Earth's human population currently exceeds 7 billion, and by the year 2050 our planet will have at least two billion more mouths to feed. When faced with providing food for so many people, the idea is often advanced that Australia will become the 'food bowl' of Asia. Australia currently grows enough food to feed about three times its population and agricultural exports are important to our economy; however, Australia's role in feeding the world needs careful consideration.This highly topical book draws together the latest intelligence on the sustainable production and distribution of food and other products from Australian farms. It examines questions that policy-makers, farmers, politicians, agricultural scientists and the general public are asking about the potential productivity of our arable land, the environmental and economic impacts of seeking to increase productivity, and the value of becoming cleaner and greener in our agricultural output. With chapters on the emergence of new markets, consumer trends in China, the biophysical constraints on agricultural expansion, and the various products of Australian agriculture and aquaculture, Australia's Role in Feeding the World provides valuable insight into the future of agriculture in this nation.

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Can we coexist with the other life forms that have evolved on this planet? Are there realistic alternatives to fossil fuels that would sustainably provide for human society's energy needs and have fewer harmful effects? How do we deal with threats such as emergent diseases? Mathematical models--equations of various sorts capturing relationships between variables involved in a complex situation--are fundamental for understanding the potential consequences of choices we make. Extracting insights from the vast amounts of data we are able to collect requires analysis methods and statistical reasoning.This book on elementary topics in mathematical modeling and data analysis is intended for an undergraduate ``liberal arts mathematics''-type course but with a specific focus on environmental applications. It is suitable for introductory courses with no prerequisites beyond high school mathematics. A great variety of exercises extends the discussions of the main text to new situations and/or introduces new real-world examples. Every chapter ends with a section of problems, as well as with an extended chapter project which often involves substantial computing work either in spreadsheet software or in the ${\tt R}$ statistical package.

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What would it be like to teach as if life matters? To move beyond the typical regimen of classroom exercises, homework, and standardized tests and to guide students through life's most important lessons? Dissatisfied with traditional educational models, Christopher Uhl and Dana L. Stuchul asked themselves these questions. What they discovered will open the eyes of today's educators to a whole new way of teaching. The authors promote an approach that fosters self-knowledge, creativity, curiosity, and an appreciation for our planet. Central to their philosophy is the question of what we humans need in order to live meaningful lives. The answer: healthy relationships with ourselves, each other, and the world. Teaching as if Life Matters is an open letter to teachers offering guidance and encouragement for nurturing students in ways that make teaching and learning meaningful. In short, it is a passionate plea for transformative teaching. Informed by the alternative educational philosophies of John Dewey, Maria Montessori, Rudolf Steiner, and Ivan Illich, this book invites teachers and students to participate in a new culture of education. This fascinating and urgently needed book will inspire today's educators to inspire their students.

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By the Numbers infographic readers, accessible nonfiction packed with full-colour cut-paper illustrations from Caldecott honour–winning Steve Jenkins. Solar Systems focuses on ever-astonishing outer space. Through infographics and illustrations readers will learn about the unfathomably huge and fascinating topic of solar systems. Explore the galaxy that surrounds our planet through astounding numbers, facts, and figures. With Steve Jenkins' signature art style, his By the Numbers reader series explores the most fascinating fields of nature and natural science. These readers are fact-packed and run the gamut from dinosaurs to dwarf planets, detailing the astonishing phenomena that make our universe such an incredible place to live and learn. Each title uses engaging graphics and visual literacy to convey scientific facts and concepts, making them accessible for all kinds of new readers. AGES: 6 to 9 AUTHOR: Steve Jenkins has written and illustrated many nonfiction picture books for young readers, including the Caldecott Honor-winning What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? His books have been called stunning, eye-popping, inventive, gorgeous, masterful, extraordinary, playful, irresistible, compelling, engaging, accessible, glorious, and informative. He lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife and frequent collaborator, Robin Page.

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Zero Adedji dreams of joining one of the Saba guilds—groups of intergalactic travelers who explore space, retrieve lost treasures, and hunt down criminals. Instead, he must scrape by as a guide to travelers stranded on his home planet of Anansi 12. Then he meets Wanderblatch, a strange creature with an even stranger object: a golden pyramid that houses a legendary Kobasticker called the Jupiter. When the Jupiter chooses Zero as its next host, he is recruited by a top Saba guild so he can harness his newfound powers. But the stakes are rising, and Zero and his friends Camih and Ladi are tasked with recovering an artifact known as the Mask of the Shaman King, which can grant wishes at a terrible price. And they’re not the only ones on the hunt—Space Mafia head Rozan Leombre is desperate to use the Mask to break his family’s curse. The trio must use their wits, courage, and friendship to achieve their quest and protect the galaxy. Action-packed, wildly imaginative, and laugh-out-loud funny, Children of Stardust is a fast-paced space adventure that launches a brand-new and unique voice in children’s literature.

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Zero Adedji dreams of joining one of the Saba guilds—groups of intergalactic travelers who explore space, retrieve lost treasures, and hunt down criminals. Instead, he must scrape by as a guide to travelers stranded on his home planet of Anansi 12. Then he meets Wanderblatch, a strange creature with an even stranger object: a golden pyramid that houses a legendary Kobasticker called the Jupiter. When the Jupiter chooses Zero as its next host, he is recruited by a top Saba guild so he can harness his newfound powers. But the stakes are rising, and Zero and his friends Camih and Ladi are tasked with recovering an artifact known as the Mask of the Shaman King, which can grant wishes at a terrible price. And they’re not the only ones on the hunt—Space Mafia head Rozan Leombre is desperate to use the Mask to break his family’s curse. The trio must use their wits, courage, and friendship to achieve their quest and protect the galaxy. Action-packed, wildly imaginative, and laugh-out-loud funny, Children of Stardust is a fast-paced space adventure that launches a brand-new and unique voice in children’s literature.

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Saul Bellow is one of the twentieth century's most influential, respected, and honored writers. His novels The Adventures of Augie March, Herzog, and Mr. Sammler's Planet won the National Book Award, and Humboldt's Gift was awarded the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. In addition, his plays garnered popular and critical acclaim, and some were produced on Broadway. Known for his insights into life in a post-Holocaust world, Bellow's explorations of modernity, Jewish identity, and the relationship between art and society have resonated with his readers, but because his writing is not overtly political, his politics have largely been ignored. A Political Companion to Saul Bellow examines the author's novels, essays, short stories, and letters in order to illuminate his evolution from liberal to neoconservative. It investigates Bellow's exploration of the United States as a democratic system, the religious and ideological influences on his work, and his views on race relations, religious identity, and multiculturalism in the academy. Featuring a fascinating conclusion that draws from interviews with Bellow's sons, this accessible companion is an excellent resource for understanding the political thought of one of America's most acclaimed writers.

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Now in paperback, this innovative sci-fi novel explores the potential impact of alien infection on humankind as they traverse the stars and find themselves stranded on new and strange planets.Amid the Crowd of Stars is a grand scale science fiction novel examining the ethical implications of interstellar travel, a topic rarely addressed in science fiction novels. What responsibilities do we have to isolate ourselves from the bacteria, viruses, and other life of another world, and to prevent any of that alien biome from being brought back to Earth? What happens when a group of humans are stranded for centuries on another world with no choice but to expose themselves to that world? After such long exposure, are they still Homo sapiens or have they become another species entirely? These questions are at the heart of this intriguing novel, explored through the complicated lives and the viewpoints of the people who have come to rescue the stranded colony, the members of that colony, and the sentient alien life that dwells on the planet. Difficult life and death choices will be made by all involved.

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The health of our nation is reflected in the health of our rivers. These flowing streams supply our drinking water and they sustain the biological wealth of the continent. Central to our past and vital to our future, rivers are the lifelines, yet they are constantly under siege. In Lifelines, Tim Palmer addresses the fate of our waterways. While proposals for destructive federal dams are no longer common, and some of the worst pollution has been brought under control, myriad other concerns have appeared-many of them more complex than threats of the past. Now we face increased diversion of flows, loss of riparian habitat, and pollution from toxic waste, feedlots, farms, and clearcuts. Palmer examines the alarming condition of rivers in today's world and reports on what people are doing to solve the challenging problems. In many stories of hope, he chronicles the success of citizens and government agencies working for better stewardship and pioneering new ways of caring for our waters and land. Finally, he considers what the future will hold for these critical lifelines. According to Palmer, caring for rivers as centerpieces of local ecosystems marks a hopeful starting point toward better care for the planet.

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