Search results for ""author "george"""

René Girard’s mimetic theory opens up ways to make sense of the tension between the progressive politics of George Eliot and the conservative moralism of her narratives. In this innovative study, Bernadette Waterman Ward offers an original rereading of George Eliot’s work through the lens of René Girard’s theories of mimetic desire, violence, and the sacred. It is a fruitful mapping of a twentieth-century theorist onto a nineteenth-century novelist, revealing Eliot’s understanding of imitative desire, rivalry, idol-making, and sacrificial victimization as critical elements of the social mechanism. While the unresolved tensions between Eliot’s realism and her desire to believe in gradual social amelioration have often been studied, Ward is especially adept at articulating the details of such conflict in Eliot’s early novels. In particular, Ward emphasizes the clash between the ruthless mechanisms of mimetic desire and the idea of progress, or, as Eliot stated, “growing good”; Eliot’s Christian sympathy for sacrificial victims against her general rejection of Christianity; and her resort to “Nemesis” to evade the systemic injustice of the social sphere. The “angels” in the title are characters who appear to offer a humanist way forward in the absence of religious belief. They are represented, in Girardian terms, as figures who try to rise above the snares of the mimetic machine to imitate Christ’s self-sacrifice but are finally rendered ineffectual. Very few studies have tackled Eliot’s short fiction and narrative poetry. Eliot’s Angels gives the short fiction its due, and it will appeal to scholars of mimetic and literary theory, Victorianists, and students of the novel.

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This is a memoiristic book and a dual portrait, built around intense friendships with two leading public intellectuals who achieved celebrity status—Susan Sontag on a global scale, George Steiner principally in Europe, though also for a time in the US. For audiences at Woody Allen movies Sontag was the prime embodiment of the term “intellectual,” whose famous 1965 essay “Notes on Camp” won her an enormous following. For viewers of French, German and British television over decades Steiner was the primary interview show talking head, igniting controversy on many fronts, while also commanding a loyal audience for thirty years as a book critic at The New Yorker. To know Sontag and Steiner, as this memoir suggests, was often to feel overmatched and yet also bemused and awe-struck. Both of them gave off an air of omniscience and self-confidence, as if they had taken to heart the words of the Nobel laureate Elias Canetti, who wrote, “I cannot become modest; too many things burn in me.”Maestros & Monsters is the work of a well-known public intellectual who was close to Sontag and Steiner over a half century, and who managed to bring them together on several occasions—the only times they ever met. Those encounters are among the most bizarre episodes in this narrative, which also features extended encounters with such literary figures as Arthur Koestler, Edward Said, Phillip Rieff, James Wood and others.

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The Eastman Theatre: Fulfilling George Eastman's Dream provides a stunning celebration of the history and renovation of the Eastman Theatre in Rochester, New York. The book is richly illustrated with period imagery as wellas breathtaking photographs by award-winning photographer Andy Olenick. Part one of the book presents the importance of music to George Eastman; part two traces the development of the Eastman School of Music; and part three bringsthe story to the present day, focusing on the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Eastman Theater, and the Eastman School of Music. Elizabeth Brayer lives in Rochester, NY. She has served on both the George Eastman Legacy and the Landscape committees at the George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography and Film. She writes about the history of central and Western New York State and is author of George Eastman: A Biography (University of Rochester Press).

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The acclaimed Penguin Monarchs series: short, fresh, expert accounts of England's rulers - now in paperbackIf Ethelred was notoriously 'Unready' and Alfred 'Great', King George VI should bear the designation of 'George the Dutiful'. Throughout his life he dedicated himself to the pursuit of what he thought he ought to be doing rather than what he wanted to do. Inarticulate and loathing any sort of public appearances, he accepted that it was his destiny to figure regularly and conspicuously in the public eye, gritted his teeth, largely conquered his crippling stammer and got on with it. He was not born to be king, but he made an admirable one, and was the figurehead of the nation at the time of its greatest trial, during the Second World War. This is a sparklingly brilliant and enjoyable book about him.

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Once upon a time, the world s greatest heroine was reimagined by a comic book legend. More than 40 years after debuting in All Star Comics #8, Wonder Woman was reshaped by legendary comics creator George Perez and returned to the public eye in 1986. This updated Amazonian Princess met with such acclaim that Perez s original six-month commitment to the title was extended and extended until nearly five years had passed. Working with artists such as Jill Thompson, Cynthia Martin, and Romeo Tanghal, Perez brought Wonder Woman to a new generation of readers and to unprecedented levels of success. In this fabled collection, the evil sorceress Circe will stop at nothing to have her revenge on Wonder Woman even if it means destroying the universe itself! Bear witness to the WAR OF THE GODS! Now these treasured stories are available in an all-new trade paperback edition. Collecting War of the Gods #1-4 and Wonder Woman #58-62, this final volume in the series features one of the most exciting epics of DC s Modern Age!

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The Amazon Princess' first assignment takes her to Man's World to teach humanity the ways of the goddess Gaea no matter who objects!

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Discover Curious George's world through this interactive book with touch-and-feel elements, perfect for little hands. There are so many things to explore with Curious George! Whether it's touching George's fuzzy tummy or feeling an alligator's scale, this board book is filled with tactile experiences for the youngest readers. The animated series Curious George is available to watch on Peacock, NBC Universal’s streaming platform.

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The second, revised edition of a classic, 19th-century work which captures the pleasures of camping and canoeing in the Adirondacks. The letters of George Washington Sears should interest not only the wilderness lover, but also the boater and craftsman who longs to own the perfect canoe.

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George Kennan (1845-1924) was a pioneering explorer, writer, and lecturer on Russia in the nineteenth century, the author of classic works such as Tent Life in Siberia and Siberia and the Exile System, and great-uncle of George Frost Kennan, the noted historian and diplomat of the Cold War. In 1870, Kennan became the first American to explore the highlands of Dagestan, a remote Muslim region of herders, silversmiths, carpet-weavers, and other craftsmen southeast of Chechnya, only a decade after Russia violently absorbed the region into its empire. He kept detailed journals of his adventures, which today form a small part of his voluminous archive in the Library of Congress. Frith Maier has combined the diaries with selected letters and Kennan’s published articles on the Caucasus to create a vivid narrative of his six-month odyssey. The journals have been organized into three parts. The first covers Kennan’s journey to the Caucasus, a significant feat in itself. The second chronicles his expedition across the main Caucasus Ridge with the Georgian nobleman Prince Jorjadze. In the final part, Kennan circles back through the lands of Chechnya to slip once again into the Dagestan highlands. Kennan’s remarkable curiosity and perception come through in this lively and accessible narrative, as does his humor at the challenges of his travels. In her introduction, Maier discusses Kennan’s illustrious career and his reliability as an observer, while providing background on the Caucasus to help clarify Kennan’s descriptions of daily life, religion, etiquette, customary law, and local government. In an Afterword, she retraces Kennan’s steps to find descendants of Prince Jorjadze and describes her work in coproducing, with filmmaker Christopher Allingham, a documentary inspired by Kennan’s Caucasus journey.

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During the early Hollywood sound era, studio director George Cukor produced nearly fifty films in as many years, famously winning theBest Director Oscar at the 1964 Academy Awards for My Fair Lady. His collaborations with so-called difficult actresses such as Katharine Hepburn, Judy Garland, and Marilyn Monroe unsettled producers even as his ticket sales lined their pockets. Fired from Gone with the Wind for giving Vivien Leigh more screen time than Clark Gable, Cukor quickly earned a doublesided reputation as a “woman’s director.” While the label celebrated his ability to help actresses deliver their best performances, the epithet also branded the gay director as suitable only for work on female-centered movies such as melodramas and romantic comedies. Desperate for success after a failed drag film nearly ended his career, Cukor swore to work within Hollywood’s constraints.Nevertheless, What Price Hollywood? Gender and Sex in the Films of George Cukor finds that Cukor continued to explore gender and sexuality on-screen. Drawing on a broad array of theoretical lenses, Elyce Rae Helford examines how Cukor’s award-winning and lesser-known films engage Hollywood masculinity and gender performativity through camp, drag, and mixed genres. Blending biography with critical analysis of more than twenty-five films, What Price Hollywood? tells the story of a once-ina- generation director who produced some of the best films in history.

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Celebrating the life of an admired pioneer in statistics In this captivating and inspiring memoir, world-renowned statistician George E. P. Box offers a firsthand account of his life and statistical work. Writing in an engaging, charming style, Dr. Box reveals the unlikely events that led him to a career in statistics, beginning with his job as a chemist conducting experiments for the British army during World War II. At this turning point in his life and career, Dr. Box taught himself the statistical methods necessary to analyze his own findings when there were no statisticians available to check his work. Throughout his autobiography, Dr. Box expertly weaves a personal and professional narrative to illustrate the effects his work had on his life and vice-versa. Interwoven between his research with time series analysis, experimental design, and the quality movement, Dr. Box recounts coming to the United States, his family life, and stories of the people who mean the most to him. This fascinating account balances the influence of both personal and professional relationships to demonstrate the extraordinary life of one of the greatest and most influential statisticians of our time. An Accidental Statistician also features: • Two forewords written by Dr. Box’s former colleagues and closest confidants • Personal insights from more than a dozen statisticians on how Dr. Box has influenced and continues to touch their careers and lives • Numerous, previously unpublished photos from the author’s personal collection An Accidental Statistician is a compelling read for statisticians in education or industry, mathematicians, engineers, and anyone interested in the life story of an influential intellectual who altered the world of modern statistics.

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Volume 13 of the ""Presidential Series"" documents the period from 1 June through 31 August 1793, a time when Washington focused his efforts as president on keeping the United States neutral during the war between France and Great Britain. The greatest challenge came from the presence in U.S. ports of both British and French privateers and their prizes. Frequent correspondence with the state governors, especially Thomas Mifflin of Pennsylvania and George Clinton of New York, kept the president informed of the latest arrivals. The cabinet, consisting of Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of War Henry Knox, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph, met frequently at Washington's behest, both with and without him. These meetings produced a series of cabinet opinions delineating America's neutrality policy. An effort to solicit the Supreme Court for an opinion on regulations designed to enforce America's neutrality policy, however, failed. The administration also was unsuccessful in its attempt to prosecute American citizens who enlisted for service on French privateers. At the same time, Charles Edmond Genet, the French minister plenipotentiary to the United States, failed to cooperate with the administration's directives concerning French privateers and prizes. This fact, combined with his attempt to influence the American political process, led to the cabinet's decision to ask the French government for Genet's recall. While some Americans opposed the neutrality policies of the administration, others did not, and Washington received numerous letters of support from municipal and civic organizations in the maritime states. Other issues of national concern included Washington's approval of additional foreign loans and the administration's preparations for a peace treaty with hostile Indians in the Northwest Territory. The president also paid considerable attention to the desire of the citizens of South Carolina and Georgia for a military expedition against the Cherokees, Creeks, and other southern Indians. Washington, however, decided against the use of force at this time. In his private life, Washington continued his efforts to manage his Mount Vernon farms while living in Philadelphia. The death of his estate manager in June provided additional anxiety as Washington searched for a replacement. He also continued his role as the patriarch of an extended family. He was particularly engaged in offering advice on estate management to Frances Bassett Washington, the widow of his nephew George Augustine Washington.

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Bilingual: English and Spanish In this bilingual Green Light Reader based on Curious George, the Emmy Award-winning PBS TV show, Curious George is part of a team challenge to clean up the city streets - until he finds hidden treasures along the way! AGES: 6 to 9 AUTHOR: Hans Augusto Rey was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1898. As a child, he spent much of his free time in that city's famous Hagenbeck Zoo drawing animals. After serving in the army during World War I, he married Margret Rey and they moved to Montmartre for four years. The manuscript for the first Curious George books was one of the few items the Reys carried with them on their bicycles when they escaped from Paris in 1940. Eventually, they made their way to the United States, and Curious George was published in 1941. Curious George has been published in numerous languages. And many, many Curious George books have followed.

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Bilingual: English and Spanish In this bilingual Green Light Reader based on Curious George, the Emmy Award-winning PBS TV show, George is ready to help clean up the city. But George quickly finds that someone else's trash could be his treasure! George is part of a team challenge to help clean up the city on Pretty City Day. But when he finds hidden and forgotten treasures along the way, he realises he's collecting more treasures than he is trash! If he wants to help his team win the challenge, he'll need to sort out his growing stash of treasures and see which ones he really wants to keep. This Spanish/English bilingual reader is set in two different color text for ease of readability, and also includes bonus activities to help reinforce the concepts presented in the story. AGES: 6 to 9 AUTHOR: Hans Augusto Rey was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1898. As a child, he spent much of his free time in that city's famous Hagenbeck Zoo drawing animals. After serving in the army during World War I, he married Margret Rey and they moved to Montmartre for four years. The manuscript for the first Curious George books was one of the few items the Reys carried with them on their bicycles when they escaped from Paris in 1940. Eventually, they made their way to the United States, and Curious George was published in 1941. Curious George has been published in numerous languages. And many, many Curious George books have followed.

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On a hot summer day in 1876, George Armstrong Custer led the Seventh Cavalry to the most famous defeat in U.S. military history. Outnumbered and exhausted, the Seventh Cavalry lost more than half of its four hundred men, and every soldier under Custer's direct command was killed.It's easy to understand why this tremendous defeat shocked the American public at the time. But with "Custerology", Michael A. Elliott tackles the far more complicated question of why the battle still haunts the American imagination today. Weaving vivid historical accounts of Custer at Little Bighorn with contemporary commemorations that range from battle reenactments to the unfinished Crazy Horse memorial, Elliott reveals a Custer and a West whose legacies are still vigorously contested. He takes readers to each of the important places of Custer's life, from his Civil War home in Michigan to the site of his famous demise, and introduces us to Native American activists, Park Service rangers, and devoted history buffs along the way. Throughout, Elliott shows how Custer and the Indian Wars continue to be both a powerful symbol of America's bloody past and a crucial key to understanding the nation's multicultural present.

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Containing important papers by various Georgist scholars, this book highlights the ideas and influence of Henry George as a political economist. Highlights the ideas and influence of Henry George Includes path-breaking work on Henry George’s rent theory Features in the Studies in Economic Reform and Social Justice series

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Centers on the discourse of the liberal intellectual as exemplified in the novels of George Eliot, whose awareness of her aesthetic and social task was keener than that of most Victorian writers. “…Daniel Cottom has produced a readable, well-researched, and thoroughly referenced work that speaks to a broad scholarly audience composed of philosophers, psychologists, sociolinguists, literary critics, historians, sociologists, and anthropologists, to name but a few.” Anthropology and Humanism Quarterly

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George Warde Norman, 1793-1882, a Director of the Bank of England 1821-72, was an important figure in both the development and the implementation of the theory of monetary control, embodied in the Bank Charter Act of 1844. Norman wrote an Autobiography covering his first 54 years, and this provides a remarkable portrait not only of Norman himself but of the social and intellectual network in which he lived. He was an intimate of the Utilitarians, especially George Grote with whom there was ultimately a quarrel which has never been made public before. He was a businessman, at first in the timber trade, in which connection he spent time in Norway, and made the acquaintance of Napoleon’s Marshall, Bernadotte, by then King of Sweden and Norway, and then in fire insurance. He also wrote on economic matters, not only on monetary issues but also on trade theory and taxation. The Autobiography, which has survived fire and flood, was rediscovered in the 1960s by D.P. O’Brien who at that time prepared a typescript which has been used by scholars. With the release of this edition, the work is now available for the first time in a fully edited and corrected version. It should be of interest to historians of economic thought, economic historians, and students of nineteenth century intellectual history and society.

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"A very well designed book. Great photography and I especially enjoyed the close-up images" - The Collector's Companion Wemyss Ware is an evocative name to anyone with an interest in pottery. It conjures grinning cats and pot-bellied pigs, jugs and plates and other items of tableware, often decorated with an intricate pink cabbage rose or other such bucolic scenes. Produced in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, from 1882 to 1930 (and in Bovey Tracy, England, 1930-1952), Wemyss Ware has an illustrious history. From the Wemyss family, the patrons of this pottery line; to the Queen Mother and Prince Charles, Wemyss Ware has caught the eye of many individuals of note. Among these was George Bellamy, now a legendary collector of Scottish Wemyss, who has been seeking out his pieces since 1976. A treasure trove of Wemyss Ware, this book catalogues a collection lovingly compiled over decades. Carol McNeil's essay traces the history of the Fife Pottery where Wemyss Ware saw its debut, while Bellamy's introduction guides the reader through several of the key figures involved in the locating and preserving of these works of art. Scottish Wemyss Ware 1882-1930 celebrates the labour, design and artistry that poured into each hand-decorated pot. Often inspired by the Fife countryside where they first originated, these characterful creations are just as delightful now as when they were first produced.

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This reprint of jewelry and hollowware catalog pages from Georg Jensen brings eagerly sought information together in one volume. Hard to find, the original catalogs have been widely dispursed and costly, yet they provide primary information to enable identification of thousands of pieces found on the vintage market today. The jewelry section presents women's and men's gold and silver designs, including those sold at the retail store in New York that represented a selection of American-made items, and those made during the 1940s which were difficult to identify previously. The enormous section on hollowware displays hundreds of designs from the late 1950s and early 1960s. During this period Georg Jensen designers expanded their range of tea sets, pitchers, bowls, etc. to include very popular modern forms based on Scandinavian design principles. These designs have remained among the most cherished Jensen forms. The catalog descriptions include the product numbers, original retail prices from the mid-century era, measurements, and designers. A special information list identifies forty-three Georg Jensen designs in museum collections around the world. This easy-to-use volume will become a standard reference for all the collectors, dealers, auction houses, and individuals who own and are inspired by Georg Jensen designs.

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‘A name to watch!’ BARRY FORSHAW‘A strong, edgy debut that deserves to do well’ Clare Mackintosh‘I bit my nails all the way to the end!’ 5* reviewer‘Breathtakingly brilliant’ 5* reviewer‘Reminds me of the best Scandinavian crime writers like Jo Nesbo and Steig Larsson’ 5* reviewer‘Truly outstanding’ 5* reviewer HE’S WATCHING HER. SHE DOESN’T KNOW IT…YET When a bomb explodes at the University of Amsterdam, aspiring criminologist Georgina McKenzie is asked by the police to help flush out the killer. But the bomb is part of a much bigger, more sinister plot that will have the entire city quaking in fear. And the killer has a very special part for George to play… A thrilling race against time with a heroine you’ll be rooting for, this book will keep you up all night! WINNER OF THE 2015 DEAD GOOD READER AWARD FOR MOST EXOTIC LOCATION

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This is the only book on the highly attractive, hand-decorated Chameleon Ware pottery from George Clews & Co. Ltd. in Tunstall, England. The company's finest work was made in the 1930s, but production started early in the century. This ware was exclusive when originally sold and its beautiful colors and exciting designs are now increasingly appreciated by discerning collectors. Colorful and informative, this book charts the history of George Clews' pottery during its fifty-five year existence, and gives a clear guide to collecting Chameleon Ware. Illustrated with over 250 color photographs, it includes a list of all known patterns with identifying numbers and a current price guide. This is an indispensable handbook for art pottery lovers.

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Aus Rezensionen zur 1. Auflage: "Die gründliche Gadamer-Biographie von Jean Grondin ist [...] frei von hagiographischen Zügen. Um so überzeugender entwirft sie das Porträt eines zunächst zögernden und unsicheren, eines unpolitischen und anpassungsfähigen, aber stets liberalen und selbstkritischen, vom gutbürgerlichen Elternhaus mit Klugheit, Sensibilität und sicherem Blick ausgestatteten, humanistisch gebildeten und unabhängig urteilenden Geistes." Jürgen Habermas in Neue Zürcher Zeitung vom 12./13.2.2000, S. 49 "Jean Grondin […] hat es übernommen, das Jahrhundertleben Hans-Georg Gadamers zu beschreiben, und es ist ihm gelungen, ein hundertjähriges Leben […] mit Detailtreue und eindrücklicher Sprache in einer Weise erlebbar zu machen, die das Lesen dieser Biographie zu einem Erlebnis werden lässt." KVS-Mitteilungen, Nr. 2 (2000), S. 22 "Meisterhaft geschrieben, mit subtilem Einfühlungsvermögen und Feingefühl […]. Grondins feinsinniger Witz, rhetorischer Charme und sprachlicher Schliff machen die Lektüre auch zu einem literarischen Genuß." Annemarie C. Mayer in Theologische Revue, 97. Jahrgang, 6 (2001), S. 508-510

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The massive ""Revolutionary War Series"" (1775-1783) presents in documents and annotation the myriad military and political matters with which Washington dealt during the long war for American independence. Volume 16 documents a time of unusual optimism for Washington and his army. Following the great victory at the Battle of Monmouth, Washington received the welcome news that a French fleet had arrived in American waters. Understanding the advantages usually afforded to the British army by their control of the seas, Washington looked to deliver a decisive blow that might end the war.

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Volume 17 of the ""Revolutionary War Series"" opens with Washington moving his army north from White Plains, New York, into new positions that ran from West Point to Danbury, Connecticut. His purpose in doing so was threefold: to protect his army, to protect the strategically important Hudson highlands, and to shore up the equally vital French fleet anchored at Boston. His new headquarters, located near Fredericksburg, New York, about seventy miles north of New York City, was one of the most obscure of the Revolutionary War. Nevertheless, Washington remained as busy with important tasks during the fall of 1778 as during any other period of the war.It was a time of delicate transition for the new Franco-American alliance and for British strategists yet unwilling to concede defeat. Both circumstances required Washington to exercise the sort of mental agility he had demonstrated during the first three years of the war. Equally pressing were the immediate problems of British raids - threatened and real - in New Jersey and New York and along the extensive American frontier and coastline. Within the Continental army, troubling breakdowns in discipline and morale demanded Washington's close attention, as did the logistical and political difficulties of planning proper troop dispositions for the coming winter - the fourth straight winter that Washington would not see home.Although Washington could not foresee in October 1778 that the British would soon try their hand at conquering the southern states and that the war would last another five years, he sensed that the British Ministry still had both the financial means and the political will to continue the struggle. Ever a realist, Washington recognized that American victory would not come cheaply in what had become a war of attrition as well as an international conflict involving North American, European, and Caribbean theaters. As he had done since 1775, Washington was once more adjusting his thoughts to meet new realities on the long road to American independence.

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This bibliography lists the books, paintings, and portraits of the mystic Irish poet George William Russell, best known by his pseudonym, “AE.” Russell was a late nineteenth-and early twentieth century Irish poet and essayist whose first book of poems, Homeward: Songs by the Way (1894), established him in what was known as the Irish Literary Revival.

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Author Roman Popadiuk served in the Bush White House from 1989 to 1992 as deputy assistant to the president and deputy press secretary for foreign affairs. In that capacity, he was closely involved with many of the day-to-day decisions of the administration during a momentous period that saw the dismantling of the Berlin Wall, the rise of a new global coalition, the curbing of a dictator’s expansionist policies in the Middle East, and shifting domestic, economic, and political currents. In this important volume, Popadiuk examines the ways in which the personal leadership style of George Bush influenced the formation and execution of policy. Popadiuk composes a mosaic of events, quotations, and observations that yield a broad view of the ways in which a president’s personal qualities and philosophies impinge upon leadership options. General readers and public service professionals will find The Leadership of George Bush informative and enlightening, and scholars of the presidency and public policy will discover new avenues for research on both the Bush administration and executive leadership and policy.

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Required reading on Turtle Island. Charged with fresh material and new perspectives, this updated edition of the groundbreaking biography Brotherhood to Nationhood brings George Manuel and his fighting tradition into the present. George Manuel (1920–1989) was the strategist and visionary behind the modern Indigenous movement in Canada. A three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, he laid the groundwork for what would become the Assembly of First Nations and was the founding president of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples. Authors Peter McFarlane and Doreen Manuel follow him on a riveting journey from his childhood on a Shuswap reserve through three decades of fierce and dedicated activism. In these pages, an all-new foreword by celebrated Mi’kmaq lawyer and activist Pam Palmater is joined by an afterword from Manuel’s granddaughter, land defender Kanahus Manuel. This edition features new photos and previously untold stories of the pivotal roles that the women of the Manuel family played—and continue to play—in the battle for Indigenous rights.

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Little Pilot is a small adventurer who likes to dream, and he zooms in just in time to help George, who is down in the dumps. Endless fun with Hula Hula the Hippo, Picasso the Lion and all of Little Pilot's amazing friends!

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At the center of In Dark Again in Wonder are readings of René Char (1907-88) and George Oppen (1908-84). Both of these poets achieved recognition at a young age, Char among the French surrealists in the 1930s, Oppen among the American objectivists in the same decade. Both were independent individuals who, having found their way to communities of inventive writers, stepped back and shaped their own idiosyncratic paths. Both responded decisively to the social upheavals of the 1930s and ‘40s. Oppen committed himself to radical politics in the ‘30s, a decision that, as it turned out, led to his not writing poetry for nearly twenty-five years. Char fought in the Resistance in the ’40s. Both, in their mature work, developed a kind of poetry that is at once a love poetry, a meditative poetry, and a poetry of encounter. The concluding chapter of the book places the questions raised by Char’s and Oppen’s work in a larger context, tracing the cultural history that shapes our modern experience of inhabiting a tension between an historical and a metaphysical horizon of experience, or, as this appears in a different but related light, a tension between a sociological and an existential understanding of our lives. Char and Oppen are both poets concerned with the old philosophical questions that are still with us—the nature of spiritual freedom, the gathering of the self in relation to death, the meditation on the whole, the turn to Nature as the open space of the whole under the conditions of modernity, the clarification of the ground of vision in eros and love, and the search for the good life—while at the same time they fully engage the social predicaments and promises of their world.

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