Search results for ""Push""

'In the age of the 'global village' this book will enable its future citizens to understand how they can improve their learning experience as they travel to and learn in different countries, contexts and environments. The authors have produced a rigorous yet easy to read book that is full of information, advice and practical tips for the International student. Reading and using this book will improve the quality of the experience for both the student and their teacher.'- Roger Palmer, Henley Business School, UK'This book provides an excellent insight into the means of gaining the most out of an international education. It is simple in language, invaluable in cross-cultural behaviour guidance, meaningful in challenging stereotypes, and useful in self-reflection. Quotes from students bring cultural differences to life.- Ayse Saka-Helmhout, University of Surrey, UK'Learning in the Global Classroom is an excellent reference for both university students and for academics who take their responsibilities seriously. This book makes study in another county more do-able, and is very timely given the increasing push for internationalization in universities. What could be an overwhelming challenge for the potential international student is tackled in a logical, reassuring way, with practical strategies that cover personal, social and academic issues. For most students, this text will be an 'ongoing' reference, to be referred to as situations arise. Issues that academics often complain about with regard to non-Western students are addressed, such as learning how to speak up in class discussions, critical thinking and punctuality. The text also offers sage advice that would be valuable to students who are returning to study after a prolonged absence. I will certainly recommend this book to both colleagues and students.'- Paddy O'Toole, Monash University, AustraliaThis unique and fascinating book is written for tertiary level students in the multi-cultural classroom, whether studying abroad or at home alongside international students. It relates a genuine understanding of the student perspective of learning in a multi-cultural classroom, highlighting how students possess different learning styles and attitudes to teaching and learning and demonstrating that students not only face language issues, but also numerous other unanticipated challenges. The contributors present both theoretical and practical examples of various teaching and learning strategies that international students will encounter, and reveal how to maximize the benefit of these different approaches. They provide invaluable guidance on how to overcome many of the often-unexpected factors that arise when students are faced by a different cultural environment or people who have different cultural expectations and behavior patterns. Students arrive in the tertiary classroom with a set of behaviors, characteristics and expectations derived from the educational practices of their home-country communities. With these in mind, the book asserts the importance of the student considering what they hope to learn, why they chose the particular institution enrolled with, and whether they will use their newly acquired skills in their own country, the country in which they are studying or somewhere else entirely. It illustrates that understanding exactly what a student wishes to achieve can greatly help get the best out of the international experience both inside and outside of the classroom. This highly original and insightful book will prove invaluable to all tertiary level students who move abroad to study, or who are studying in an international classroom at home.

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When we think of the world's great sporting events, we tend to focus on spectacles such as the World Cup, the Olympics, the Derby, the Monaco Grand Prix or the University Boat Race. Yet there is also an alternative world of competition where participants risk life, limb and often dignity for meagre rewards in truly weird sporting pursuits. Step forward the Indonesian sport of sepak bola api, a variation of football in which the barefoot players kick a ball that is on fire; Germany's Mud Olympics, at which competitors play soccer, volleyball and handball while knee-deep in mud; yak racing from Mongolia; Oregon's Pig-N-Ford Races where drivers speed around the track while carrying a live pig under one arm; and Australia's variation of the Boat Race, the Henley-on-Todd Regatta, where, instead of rowing, teams carry their boats along the dry bed of the River Todd. This book lists geographically the world's 100 weirdest sports events, giving full details of their rules and colourful history. They include the grotesque (the national sport of Afghanistan is buzkashi, in which riders on horseback aim to drag the headless carcass of a dead goat towards their opponents' goal), the dangerous (Japanese hardcore wrestlers batter each other with glass fluorescent light tubes instead of their bare hands), and the downright daft in the form of the World Black Pudding Throwing Championships, the World Flounder Tramping Championships, the World Gravy Wrestling Championships and the World Shin-Kicking Championships. Races are staged in all kinds of transportation. Canada is home to the Great Klondike Outhouse Race (for portable toilets), the Vancouver Bathtub Race, and the Windsor Pumpkin Regatta; Colorado hosts the annual Emma Crawford Coffin Races; and the pride of Yorkshire is the Great Knaresborough Bed Race, where teams push a bed (containing human occupant) along a 2.4-mile course that requires a wet crossing of the River Nidd. Animals feature heavily, too. As well as traditional races for ostriches (complete with jockeys), cockroaches (no jockey required), armadillos, sheep, and Oklahoma City's splendid Dachshund Dash, rubber-duck racing is one of the fastest growing sports of recent years with events being held in several countries. Other competitions test an animal's ability to do more than just run or float, such as elephant polo, dog surfing, camel wrestling, rabbit show jumping and pig diving. It is not beyond the realms of possibility that in the near future we may even be treated to synchronized pig diving. Although the plunging porkers might disagree, the appeal of many of these sports is enhanced by taking part. If cheese rolling or volcano boarding are too energetic for your taste, ice golf or underwater hockey too uncomfortable, and lingerie football wouldn't show off your legs to best effect, you could always enjoy more leisurely pursuits like the world championships in rock, paper, scissors or pooh sticks. If, on the other hand, you prefer a watching brief, you could try your hand at cow patty bingo, a North American contest where a field is divided into numbered squares, and contestants bet on which square the cow will take a poop. It is probably the only occasion in life when you can make money from one number two on top of another.

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A far-ranging critique of the rise of authoritarianism and white nationalism in the US and the consequences for democracy.In this searing critique of the Trump presidency and the rise of authoritarianism in the U.S., Henry Giroux asks, How have we arrived here, and what can be done? In a discussion of events that ranges from the Administration's ongoing attempts to repeal Obamacare and its anti-immigration policies and travel bans, to the normalization of a culture of cruelty and the "weaponization of ignorance," Giroux details the urgency of our current crisis.Giroux explores the political dystopias—those of recent history and those depicted in some of the classics of Western literature—that result when authoritarian forces outmaneuver accountability. He argues that only through increased civic investment in multicultural democracy, education, and resistance can we hope to push back the ominous convergence of white nationalism and elite economic interests.Praise for American Nightmare:"In this current era of corporate media misdirection and misinformation . . . Henry Giroux is one of the few great political voices of today, with powerful insight into the truth. Dr. Giroux is defiantly explaining, against the grain, what's REALLY going on right now, and doing so quite undeniably. Simply put, the ideas he brings forth are a beacon that need to be seen and heard and understood in order for the world to progress."—Julian Casablancas, lead vocalist for The Strokes"In frightening times like these, what is desperately needed is an informed and wise voice that speaks clearly and with conviction about the situation we are in, and what can be done. Henry Giroux is one of the great public intellectuals of our times, and American Nightmare is exactly the book for people grappling with how to understand the Trump era and how to proceed. This is precisely the book that needs to be shared with friends and acquaintances. It will provoke hard thinking, bring clarity, and stimulate much needed conversation and action."—Robert W. McChesney, co-author of People Get Ready: The Fight Against a Jobless Economy and a Citizenless Democracy"We have no greater chronicler of these dystopian times. Giroux's critique cuts to the crux of today’s authoritarian crisis, yet his voice remains of one hope that the people may collectively regain control. Even while living though systemic efforts to privatize hope, Giroux’s critique enacts the sort of shared resistance that can effectively challenge authoritarianism. American Nightmare demonstrates how we can resist the normalization of hate, authoritarianism and alienation in Trump’s America. He shows us that not only are we not alone, but we are among a majority who oppose the cruelties of American social policies."—David H. Price, author of Cold War Anthropology: The CIA and the Growth of Dual Use Anthropology"At a moment when the news cycle presents the dangers of Trumpian authoritarianism through disjointed and discrete hottakes, Giroux's wide-reaching analysis accounts for our current American nightmare with necessary historical context, and in so doing creates an aperture for resistance more meaningful than a hashtag."—Natasha Lennard, contributing writer for The Intercept, co-editor of Violence: Humans in Dark Times"In this passionately argued volume, Henry Giroux, long known for his critical commentaries on the de-democratization of the U.S.A., on its rising inequ(al)ity and neoliberal excesses, reflects very thoughtfully on the specter of Trump’s America: on its violence, cruelty, and incivility, its burgeoning authoritarianism, its inexorable edging toward a Grave Neo World: in short, a rising specter that demands to be countered at all cost if the U.S. is to be rescued from itself.”—John Comaroff, Professor of African and African American Studies and of Anthropology, Harvard University

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She said, "I became a singer because I couldn't get work as an actress," but Barbra Streisand not only became both but revolutionized the two professions. Her music transformed the smooth, uninflected style of the Frank Sinatras and Ella Fitzgeralds into an engine of dramatic vocalism in which each song is like a miniature three-act play. And Streisand's films changed forever the ideal of how a movie star chooses roles, going from musicals to dramas to comedies, from period fare to ultra-modern tales, from Funny Girl to The Way We Were to Yentl. mainstream show-business principal to deconstruct an artist On Streisand begins with a broad year-by-year outline of the landmark achievements and a few of her more whimsical escapades, as when Rex Reed apologizes for an oafish interview piece and she responds with "I had more respect for him when he hated me." This is followed by a long essay on how Streisand's idiosyncratic self-realization marks her as a unique national treasure, an artist without limits. Then comes the major part of the book, a work-by-work analysis. This section is broken down into separate chapters, each organized chronologically: the stage shows, then the television shows and concerts, then the movies, and last (because longest) the recordings. Throughout, Mordden follows Streisand's independence, which he sees as her central quality. Throughout all of the chapters on Streisand's shows, concerts, films, and recordings, Mordden illustrates how she was exercising individualistic control of her career from her very first audition, and how the rest of her professional life unfolded from that point. pioneered an intense and even passionate singing style at A book written by an opinionated expert whose prose is consistently full of flair and wit, On Streisand: An Opinionated Guide will appeal to general readers in all aspects of American life that Streisand has touched, from film to television to popular music to stardom. Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. Further, like Dustin Hoffman and Jack Nicholson she was one of the new wave actors of the 1960s who broke away from the standard models for movie stars. But Streisand has much greater range than others of this kind, as comfortable in musical comedy as in serious drama. Thus, she has moved from the madcap roles of Hello, Dolly! and What's Up, Doc? to the tale of a young woman at war with patriarchal religious fundamentalism (in Yentl) and the insanity hearing of a prostitute who has killed (in self-defense) and whose parents want to put her away to keep her from revealing that her step-father has preyed on her sexually. Further, Streisand has directed three of her films, rare enough for an actor but perhaps especially for a woman. An American Original, Streisand is controversial as well, as all Originals are. Mediocrities may be dull, but they never get bad reviews; Streisand has irritated many a sensibility. As she herself has said, "I'm a liberal, opinionated Jewish feminist-I push a lot of buttons." There is as well the "I'm so wonderful" vanity that has haunted some of her later work, as when she records duets with the rich and famous but isolates herself from them, letting the editing of the tapes bring them together, as if she were an ice princess who might melt upon human contact. Streisand, as her own movie producer, has also been accused of recutting the director's final version to flatter her shots over those of her colleagues. And The Mirror Has Two Faces seems designed to let Streisand direct her own Cinderella tale, not unlike the old Hollywood romances in which the secretary takes off her glasses and the boss cries, "Miss Johnson!...Clarice... Why, you're... you're beautiful!" Nevertheless, Streisand has been, in all, an invigorating artist, not only unique but extraordinary. It would be impossible to imagine what American culture would have been like without her.

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Penny is not living her best life.Her job is far from thrilling and her long-term boyfriend shows no sign of wanting to commit.She has just turned fifty and is going nowhere.Wanting a new start, Penny applies for a job as cabin crew, to find out if she can push herself out of her comfort zone.Her new job brings the adventure she craves, even if she does keep bumping into impossibly handsome but deeply annoying pilot, Matt Garcia.Stuck in Paris on an unscheduled stopover, the chemistry between them grows. But the path of love never did fly smooth, as Matt’s past threatens to come between them.Beside which, Penny is not looking for love. But what if love finds her?A romantic, uplifting and inspirational read all about taking chances later in life – fans of Milly Johnson and Sandy Barker will love this!Readers are falling in love with Fly Me to Paris:‘Romantic, hilarious, beautifully written…I did not want it to finish…My happy book!...I loved it.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘Delightful…relatable characters and issues. I loved the descriptions of Paris…made me feel like I was there. This was a brilliant, uplifting, light-hearted read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘What a wonderful book this is. Helga writes from the heart and this book is set in Paris, the city of romance. A lovely, light summery read.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘It was a very engaging book to read, and this author did something different with romance. I would pick up another book by Helga in a heartbeat.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘What a lovely story about love, loss and finding yourself and never being too old to change anything. I loved how this story was about an older person … This is a special story and would love to see these characters again, I love them.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘Loved this book’⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘This was a real feel-good read… I loved it.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘It had a beautiful setting and the characters were relatable…The story made you think that it’s not too late to make a fresh start, regardless of your age…I highly recommend’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader ReviewPraise for Helga Jensen:‘I simply couldn’t put this down. I laughed out loud several times before I’d even finished the first chapter.’ Jules Wake‘A joyous tale of rediscovering your dreams, love and sense of self. Sheer fun and absolute UpLit!’ Pernille Hughes‘I love this book so much! All I wanted was for it not to end! It’s right there on my top romcoms list now.’ Natalie Normann‘A charming, funny story… Ideal sunshine reading.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Reader Review‘I loved every page and still think about the characters… lots of laugh-out-loud moments to be enjoyed’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Reader Review‘A beautiful story…well worth 5 stars and I recommend this great summer read.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘Wow, just wow…It’s funny, cute and romantic and that twist…What more can you ask for?’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘Such a cute read I read it in one sitting. This book had me smiling.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘Whilst I’m feeling a bit lost now I’ve finished it, I’m left with a lovely warm feeling… I can’t recommend it highly enough’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader Review‘What a beautiful story…An absolute gem, I couldn’t put it down.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Reader Review

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THE UNIVERSE IS OLDER AND MORE ALIEN THAN WE CAN EVER UNDERSTAND We were not alone. The farther we push into the universe, the more obvious it becomes. The signs are everywhere: canals and pyramids on Mars, old roads on the moons of Jupiter, ruined cities on worlds about the nearer stars. The galaxy once teemed with life, or so it seems. Which begs the question: What happened to it all? These stories explore the ruins of lost civilizations, solve ancient mysteries . . . and awaken horrors from beyond the dawn of time. Featuring stories by Orson Scott Card, Griffin Barber, Adam Oyebanji, Jessica Maguire, Patrick Chiles, and an all-new entry in the Sun Eater universe from editor Christopher Ruocchio. Join us for your next adventure to Worlds Long Lost! Praise for Worlds Long Lost: "Editors Christopher Ruocchio and Sean CW Korsgaard have given fans of this venerable genre something special… Worlds Long Lost definitely has something for everyone who loves a touch of the crawling chaos." —The Wall Street Journal "Ruocchio (the Sun Eater series) and Korsgaard bring together 14 mind-bending and often disturbing tales of ancient extraterrestrial civilizations throughout the universe . . . Full of creepy flights of imagination and thought-provoking science, this will be a hit with fans of first contact sci-fi." —Publishers Weekly "Ruocchio and Korsgaard have shown themselves to have the taste and the discernment of master vintners, going through the grapevine of the science fiction genre to find the sweetest berries. Worlds Long Lost is no mere vinegar, but the finest vintage you can find today. If science fiction were wine, this anthology sparkles, both like champagne, and like the stars in the heavens." —Warped Factor "Readers are treated to tales of wonder and horror of ancient alien civilizations, from mischievous youngsters to curses of long-lost gods… For readers looking to escape to another galaxy, prepare to be rocketed to Worlds Long Lost." —Portland Book Review "Fourteen new stories involving the discovery of ancient alien artifacts, on Earth or elsewhere in the universe, appear in this anthology. The pieces range from intellectual puzzles to tales of adventure, with a fair amount of horror thrown into the mix." —Tangent Online About Star Destroyers, coedited by Christopher Ruocchio: “. . . spectacular space battles and alien contacts . . . themes of military ethics, the uses of artificial intelligence, and the limits of the capacity of the human mind. . . . it is the human interactions and decisions that ultimately drive the stories. . . . will appeal to fans of military and hard science fiction and any readers fascinated by the possibilities of space travel.” —Booklist “. . . stories of giant spaceships at war, at peace, and in the often-gray areas between. . . . a worthy addition to a long tradition of ship-based fiction, and its authors portray captains, arcane astrogators, and civilian child passengers with equal depth. It’s recommended for fans of military SF and space adventure.” —Publishers Weekly “. . . you’d probably expect some tight, action-filled space opera stories of giant space battles . . . and there’s some of that. But there are also espionage stories, rescue missions, political conflicts, alternate histories, even a few humorous tales. . . . each author took the premise in a different direction . . . if I had to identify one common feature to all the stories, it would be that they’re all fun. . . . Like it says, big ships blowing things up. What’s not to like?” —Analog About Sword & Planet, edited by Christopher Ruocchio: ". . . the wide mix of stories, and the surprising places they go make this anthology a particular joy from start to finish . . . offers a glimpse into everything that made stories like these a popular standby since the pulp era, with enough creativity, variety and talent showcased to prove that there's still plenty of life in the century-old genre . . . I recommend it heartily." —Analog "Sword & Planet breathes new life into a genre that many understandably felt was left moldering in the grave. It’s old-school wonder with twenty-first century polish—what’s not to like?" —Warped Factor

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Time Out introduces a revolutionary process, Visible Pull, for integrating the new world-class management tools aimed at cycle time reduction, quality improvement, and optimum customer service. Many leading companies—DuPont, Union Carbide, and International Specialty Chemicals—have seen significant benefits from its application. Typical benefits have included a 10 to 20 percent gain in capacity, a 30 to 40 percent reduction in inventory, a 50 percent reduction in cycle time, and more. In this authoritative new book, one of Visible Pull's pioneers describes the development of Visible Pull and lays out a detailed roadmap for applying it to your own unique business. With thirty years of hands-on experience, Wayne Smith knows the obstacles that can impede improvement in a plant. Here, he outlines the changes in philosophy and behavior that must take place before progress can be made. Smith differentiates between the traditional, inefficient "push" scheduling, where forecasts are made and everyone pushes material forward to meet the schedule, and the Pull Systems, which limit and control production based on downstream demand. With Visible Pull, workstations act in concert with one another, which in turn enables the company to better allocate resources, build a culture of teamwork, and link time-on-line to business goals. In a series of five logical, carefully structured segments, Smith takes you step-by-step through the entire Visible Pull process, including: Making the Decision—helps you decide if Visible Pull is appropriate for your organization through a high-level overview of its goals, resource requirements, and potential benefits Assessing and Planning—explains how to identify and assess opportunities for improvement, choose the right tools, and develop a specific plan for change Pull Systems—demonstrates how to use Pull Systems as the primary tool for managing time in a process and how to apply them to your specific environment Visible Management and Continuous Improvement—describes how to use Pull Systems to institute an ongoing improvement process, build employee involvement, measure your organization's evolving capabilities, and guide your future growth. Replete with examples drawn from the experience of world-class manufacturers, Time Out in-cludes a full range of simulation techniques, as well as detailed, real-world application methods set within the context of an integrated enterprise. Designed for manufacturing, operations, and distribution managers, supervisors, team leaders, design engineers, and others concerned with manufacturing processes, Time Out offers an immediate and unprecedented opportunity for truly breakthrough improvement. Time Out offers a detailed roadmap for dramatically improving manufacturing cycle time in your company by using Visible Pull Systems to integrate and focus the complex array of competing management techniques. The book details how world-class businesses like DuPont, Union Carbide, and others have benefited from implementing cycle time techniques and how you can draw from the toolbox to meet your company's unique needs. With Visible Pull, companies learn how to maximize the use of their manufacturing workstations, allocate resources better, and link time-on-line to business goals. With a full range of real-world examples, simulation techniques, and application methods, Time Out offers manufacturing managers, supervisors, engineers, and others a dynamic new way of raising overall manufacturing performance. "Wayne Smith has an obvious depth of technical and conceptual knowledge together with a breadth of manufacturing experience rarely found these days. Our members know the genuine article when they see it and Wayne Smith is asked back after every presentation."—William H. King, President, AME Northeast Region. "The principles set forward in this book apply to every plant. Wayne Smith describes the basic principles of cycle time reduction, Visible Pull Systems, and bottleneck identification and protection, which are easily grasped from the CEO office down to the shop floor."—P. J. Boyle, Operations Manager, UOP LLC. "By applying the simple, straightforward methods championed by Smith, your organization will see benefits pouring to the bottom line."—Alan Goodman, Corporate Quality Manager, ISP Company. "Wayne Smith's cycle time reduction strategies and Visible Pull Systems are the glue that unifies all functions of the operation in all critical performance areas. Time is clearly the enemy of efficiency, and this is the best program I've seen to get the organization after it."—David E. Rousse, Vice President and General Manager, FiberMark, Inc.

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"I am so grateful for this book. There is palpable love in it. Love with eyes wide open to the dangers our boys face in today's world, and love leading to a better, kinder place. Uju Asika has done a lot of homework, culturally and historically, and through raising her boys, and I will implement her lessons with my own boys." - Rob Delaney, comedian, actor, writer and Sunday Times bestselling author of A Heart That Works"Uju Asika writes with much empathy and insight about some of the hard conversations we need to have as a society. Her first book Bringing Up Race changed the way I think, act and talk about race. I am sure this book will be just as transformative for countless parents and educators of boys. It's a deeply engaging read that shines with Uju's trademark wit and wisdom." - Julia Samuel, bestselling author, podcaster and award-winning psychotherapist"As a domestic equity advocate, I believe if we want to change the world we need to start at home. Raising Boys Who Do Better is exactly the book I've been looking for as a mother trying to bring up my two boys against the weight of patriarchal conditioning. What I love about Uju's writing is that she doesn't preach or push an agenda, instead she invites us to reframe the way we think about masculinity and how we can ALL do better for our sons and for society at large. A funny, thought-provoking and heart-centred read that I would recommend to anyone, not just parents of boys." - Eve Rodsky, New York Times bestselling author of Fair Play and Find Your Unicorn Space"This is such a wide-ranging, informative and relatable book that really resonated with me. Parenting our sons is often the forgotten part of equality. With an understanding of what it's actually like to bring up a boy in the 21st Century, Uju Asika has brought together research with her own experiences, giving parents some of the prompts and tools we need to raise our sons to do better."- Kirstie Beaven, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Sonshine magazine"Raising Boys Who Do Better is the most wonderful guide to navigating the increasingly complex role of ensuring we raise our boys to be true to themselves, and not let their gender define them. Uju Asika shares honestly and openly as a mother/bonus mother of three boys and writes with an inquisitive mind, which together with her humour, referencing a world of 'farts and manspreading', makes for an easy and page turning read. Given the increasingly worrying rate of suicides amongst young males, I predict this book is going to be a significant and important resource for any parent bringing up sons, and educators dealing with boys, to ensure we all are aware of the part we play in raising them to be contented, confident and considerate men." - Elaine Halligan, parenting coach and author of My Child's Different------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------We need to have a conversation about boys. There has never been a more important time to consider how we are raising the men of the future. This is an invitation for parents of boys, as well as anyone who cares about the young males in their lives. Parents of daughters, aunts, uncles, grandparents, teachers, community leaders; this is a discussion that we all need to participate in.Whether we are expecting a baby boy, parenting young men, or are simply interested in effecting positive change, many of us are asking how we can raise boys who challenge the status quo and are empowered to stand up for what is right. Confronting toxic masculinity and delving into the hot-button issues affecting boys today, from education to sexism, power to consent, Raising Boys Who Do Better looks at bringing up boys in the era of #MeToo and Black Lives Matter.Inside the pages of Raising Boys Who Do Better, you will find:- Interviews with experts in parenting, gender and psychology.- Practical and applicable tips, journaling prompts, as well as advice for initiating conversations with boys and young men of every age.Offering practical tips, journalling prompts and conversation starters, Uju Asika will include interviews with experts, as well as her own anecdotal experiences as a mother and step-mother. Exploring the relationships between parents and their sons, brothers, friendships and the wider community, this book is an absolute must-read for those who want to help nurture the boys in their lives to grow up into compassionate, kind, healthy and successful men.

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It’s been two years since Caine Riordan was relieved of his command for following both his orders and his conscience. Now he’s finally received the message he’s been waiting for: a summons to visit the ancient and enigmatic Dornaani. And this time, making direct contact is not just professional, but personal: the Dornaani still have his mortally-wounded love, Elena Corcoran, in their unthinkably advanced medical facilities. But instead of arranging a swift reunion, Riordan’s new Dornaani hosts are not only disinterested in human affairs, but are in such social disarray that they have lost track of Elena’s surgical cryocell. Riordan must blaze his own trail through dying and dangerous worlds to find the mother of his child, her fate as uncertain as the true agenda of the Dornaani leaders. However, as new clues and new threats push Caine’s quest beyond the edge of known space, he discovers that the Dornaani empire is not merely decaying; there are subtle signs that its decline is being accelerated from without. Which means that rescuing Elena is just half the mission: Riordan must report that the Dornaani collapse is not only being engineered, but that it is the prelude to a far more malign scheme: To clear a path for a foe bent on destroying Earth. About Caine's Mutiny: "This is military Science Fiction the way it’s supposed to be written. . . . All in all, a highly satisfying tale of the Terran Republic that moves the story forward and setting us up for the next chapter, which promises to be interesting at worst and explosive at best."—sfcrowsnest About Raising Caine: "Raising Caine unveils a lot of thought-provoking ideas but ultimately this is a space opera adventure. There are space battles, daring emergency landings, desperate quests, hand-to-hand combat, and double-and-triple crosses. It’s an engrossing read. You owe it to yourself to read the two previous books in order. Then enjoy Raising Caine. It’s an intergalactic thrill-ride."—Fantasy and Science Ficton Book and Audiobook Reviews "This is science-fiction adventure on a grand scale."—Kirkus "Gannon’s harrowing . . . military space opera (following Trial by Fire) builds well on his established setting . . . Gannon’s signature attention to developing realistic alien worlds makes this installment satisfying."—Publishers Weekly “. . . an incredibly active book . . . as our protagonists are confronted by the beautiful, terrible, and sometimes lethal variety of the universe and its inhabitants. . . . a whole mess of fun . . . that manages to be scientifically accurate while refraining from excessive wonkiness. Those who value meticulous world-building . . . will certainly have their needs met.”—BN Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog About Nebula-nominated second entry, Trial by Fire: “I seriously enjoyed Trial by Fire. This one’s a tidal wave—can’t put it down. An excellent book.” —Jack McDevitt "Gannon's whiz-bang second Tales of the Terran Republic interstellar adventure delivers on the promise of the first (Fire with Fire) . . . The charm of Caine's harrowing adventure lies in Gannon's attention to detail, which keeps the layers of political intrigue and military action from getting too dense. The dozens of key characters, multiple theaters of operations, and various alien cultures all receive the appropriate amount of attention. The satisfying resolution is enhanced by the promise of more excitement to come in this fascinating far-future universe."—Publishers Weekly Starred Review " . . . definitely one to appeal to the adventure fans. Riordan is a smart hero, up against enormous obstacles and surrounded by enemies. Author Gannon does a good job of managing action and tension to keep the story moving, and the details of the worlds Riordan visits are interesting in their own right.."—Analog " . . . offers the type of hard science-fiction those familiar with the John Campbell era of Analog Science Fiction will remember. Gannon throws his readers into an action-packed adventure. A sequel to Fire With Fire, it is a nonstop tale filled with military science-fiction action." —Daily News of Galveston County About Compton Crook Award-winner for best first novel, Fire with Fire: “Chuck Gannon is one of those marvelous finds—someone as comfortable with characters as he is with technology, and equally adept at providing those characters with problems to solve. Imaginative, fun, and not afraid to step on the occasional toe or gore the occasional sacred cow, his stories do not disappoint.”—David Weber "If we meet strong aliens out there, will we suffer the fate of the Aztecs and Incas, or find the agility to survive? Gannon fizzes with ideas about the dangerous politics of first contact.”—David Brin "The plot is intriguing and then some. Well-developed and self-consistent; intelligent readers are going to like it."—Jerry Pournelle "[T]he intersecting plot threads, action and well-conceived science kept those pages turning."—SF Crowsnest About Starfire series hit, Extremis, coauthored by Charles E. Gannon: “Vivid . . . Battle sequences mingle with thought-provoking exegesis . . . ”—Publishers Weekly "It’s a grand, fun series of battles and campaigns, worthy of anything Dale Brown or Larry Bond ever wrote." —Analog About Charles E. Gannon: "Chuck Gannon writes the kind of science fiction we all grew up on: rousing, mind-expanding, pulse-pounding sagas of spaceships and aliens. He's a terrific writer, and we're lucky to have him."—Robert J. Sawyer "[A] strong [writer of] . . . military SF . . . [much] action going on in his work, with a lot of physics behind it. There is a real sense of the urgency of war and the sacrifices it demands." —Locus

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It’s been two years since Caine Riordan was relieved of his command for following both his orders and his conscience. Now he’s finally received the message he’s been waiting for: a summons to visit the ancient and enigmatic Dornaani. And this time, making direct contact is not just professional, but personal: the Dornaani still have his mortally-wounded love, Elena Corcoran, in their unthinkably advanced medical facilities. But instead of arranging a swift reunion, Riordan’s new Dornaani hosts are not only disinterested in human affairs, but are in such social disarray that they have lost track of Elena’s surgical cryocell. Riordan must blaze his own trail through dying and dangerous worlds to find the mother of his child, her fate as uncertain as the true agenda of the Dornaani leaders. However, as new clues and new threats push Caine’s quest beyond the edge of known space, he discovers that the Dornaani empire is not merely decaying; there are subtle signs that its decline is being accelerated from without. Which means that rescuing Elena is just half the mission: Riordan must report that the Dornaani collapse is not only being engineered, but that it is the prelude to a far more malign scheme: To clear a path for a foe bent on destroying Earth. About Caine's Mutiny: "This is military Science Fiction the way it’s supposed to be written. . . . All in all, a highly satisfying tale of the Terran Republic that moves the story forward and setting us up for the next chapter, which promises to be interesting at worst and explosive at best."—SFcrowsnest About Raising Caine: "Raising Caine unveils a lot of thought-provoking ideas, but ultimately this is a space opera adventure. There are space battles, daring emergency landings, desperate quests, hand-to-hand combat, and double-and-triple crosses. It’s an engrossing read. You owe it to yourself to read the two previous books in order. Then enjoy Raising Caine. It’s an intergalactic thrill-ride."—Fantasy and Science Ficton Book and Audiobook Reviews "This is science-fiction adventure on a grand scale."—Kirkus "Gannon’s harrowing . . . military space opera (following Trial by Fire) builds well on his established setting . . . Gannon’s signature attention to developing realistic alien worlds makes this installment satisfying."—Publishers Weekly “[A]n incredibly active book . . . as our protagonists are confronted by the beautiful, terrible, and sometimes lethal variety of the universe and its inhabitants. . . . A whole mess of fun . . . that manages to be scientifically accurate while refraining from excessive wonkiness. Those who value meticulous worldbuilding . . . will certainly have their needs met.”—BN Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog About Nebula-nominated second entry Trial by Fire: “I seriously enjoyed Trial by Fire. This one’s a tidal wave—can’t put it down. An excellent book.” —Jack McDevitt "Gannon's whiz-bang second Tales of the Terran Republic interstellar adventure delivers on the promise of the first (Fire with Fire) . . . The charm of Caine's harrowing adventure lies in Gannon's attention to detail, which keeps the layers of political intrigue and military action from getting too dense. The dozens of key characters, multiple theaters of operations, and various alien cultures all receive the appropriate amount of attention. The satisfying resolution is enhanced by the promise of more excitement to come in this fascinating far-future universe."—Publishers Weekly Starred Review "[D]efinitely one to appeal to the adventure fans. Riordan is a smart hero, up against enormous obstacles and surrounded by enemies. Author Gannon does a good job of managing action and tension to keep the story moving, and the details of the worlds Riordan visits are interesting in their own right."—Analog " [O]ffers the type of hard science-fiction those familiar with the John Campbell era of Analog Science Fiction will remember. Gannon throws his readers into an action-packed adventure. A sequel to Fire With Fire, it is a nonstop tale filled with military science-fiction action." —The Galveston County Daily News About Compton Crook Award-winner for best first novel Fire with Fire: “Chuck Gannon is one of those marvelous finds—someone as comfortable with characters as he is with technology, and equally adept at providing those characters with problems to solve. Imaginative, fun, and not afraid to step on the occasional toe or gore the occasional sacred cow, his stories do not disappoint.”—David Weber "If we meet strong aliens out there, will we suffer the fate of the Aztecs and Incas, or find the agility to survive? Gannon fizzes with ideas about the dangerous politics of first contact.”—David Brin "The plot is intriguing and then some. Well-developed and self-consistent; intelligent readers are going to like it."—Jerry Pournelle "[T]he intersecting plot threads, action and well-conceived science kept those pages turning."—SFcrowsnest About Starfire series hit Extremis, coauthored by Charles E. Gannon: “Vivid . . . Battle sequences mingle with thought-provoking exegesis . . . ”—Publishers Weekly "It’s a grand, fun series of battles and campaigns, worthy of anything Dale Brown or Larry Bond ever wrote." —Analog About Charles E. Gannon: "Chuck Gannon writes the kind of science fiction we all grew up on: rousing, mind-expanding, pulse-pounding sagas of spaceships and aliens. He's a terrific writer, and we're lucky to have him."—Robert J. Sawyer "[A] strong [writer of] . . . military SF . . . [much] action going on in his work, with a lot of physics behind it. There is a real sense of the urgency of war and the sacrifices it demands." —Locus

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Albert James Pickett’s History of Alabama, and Incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the Earliest Period first appeared in Montgomery bookstores in September 1851. The buyers of his two-volume work paid $3 and the demand caused Charleston publisher Walker and James to issue a second and third edition before year’s end. William Gilmore Simms, the South’s most prolific writer, referred to the publication as "one of the prettiest specimens of book making ever done in America." Newspapers in Alabama and literary journals in New York, Charleston, and New Orleans commended Pickett for his "absolutely enchanting" fresh writing style, for using "great care" throughout his book, and for "his important service to his state." While some reviews questioned his narrative style, his sources, or his focus on facts, others credited Pickett for producing "a very valuable" chronicle for the people of Alabama and urged him to produce a third volume for "rising generations."Pickett opens volume one with Hernando de Soto’s explorations from Florida to Arkansas, encounters with native people, and discovery of the Mississippi River. He shifts from the early chiefdoms of the protohistoric period to the Natchez and smaller tribes in the coastal plain and then to the major Indian nations of the interior into the late eighteenth century. While the struggles of French Louisiana with the Natchez dominate the first volume, Pickett establishes the English presence with the founding of Oglethorpe’s Georgia colony and ends with the surrender of the French forts Tombecbé and Toulouse to the British. In volume two, Pickett traces the English push into present-day Alabama and Mississippi and the Revolutionary War era, the Spanish occupation of East and West Florida, the intrigues of Alexander McGillivray and William Bowles, and Georgia’s Yazoo land sales. He devotes several chapters to the Mississippi Territory, Aaron Burr, and the Indian unrest that led to the massacre at Fort Mims, the Creek War of 1813–14, and Andrew Jackson’s campaigns to destroy the Red Sticks and defeat the British in the Gulf South. Pickett concentrates his final chapters on the emergence of Alabama as a territory and state, including biographical sketches of early state leaders, the state constitutional convention, and Alabama’s first governor, William Wyatt Bibb, who died in 1820.Despite Pickett’s failure use his firsthand knowledge to bring his History chronologically beyond 1820, his work continues to be a relevant study of the state’s protohistory, colonial, territorial and early foundations. His work and his papers in the state archives are cited by all serious scholars who study Alabama’s colonial and territorial eras. While he sought all the available printed primary sources and manuscripts for volume one, his second volume was principally informed by the memoirs, reminiscences, letters, and oral interviews of the participants in the events that shaped the development of Alabama from the pre-Revolutionary era through the 1840s. Although recent literary deconstruction of Pickett and his History has been critical of his motivation and writing, Harper Lee, Alabama’s most consequential writer in the twentieth century, asserted in 1983 that he "deserves a place in American literature" and assessed his History as a "unique treasure" that "should be in every high school library" in Alabama. More recently, historian Leah Rawls Atkins declared Pickett to be the writer made the "most historical contribution to Alabama" in the antebellum period. This new edition is the first to provide general readers and scholars with a readily available hardbound, fully indexed, and annotated version of Pickett’s History.Albert James Pickett’s two-volume History of Alabama, and Incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the Earliest Period first appeared in September 1851. Demand for the $3 set caused Charleston publisher Walker and James to issue a second and third edition before year’s end. William Gilmore Simms, the South’s most prolific writer, called it "one of the prettiest specimens of book making ever done in America." Newspapers and literary journals commended Pickett’s "absolutely enchanting" fresh style and "his important service to his state."Volume one covered De Soto’s explorations from Florida to Arkansas, encounters with native people, and discovery of the Mississippi River. The narrative shifts from the early chiefdoms of the protohistoric period to the Natchez and smaller tribes in the coastal plain and then to the major Indian nations of the interior into the late eighteenth century. While the struggles of French Louisiana with the Natchez dominate the first volume, Pickett establishes the English presence with the founding of Oglethorpe’s Georgia colony and ends with the surrender of the French forts Tombecbé and Toulouse. In volume two, Pickett follows the English into present-day Alabama and Mississippi and the Revolutionary War era, the Spanish occupation of East and West Florida, the intrigues of Alexander McGillivray and William Bowles, and Georgia’s Yazoo land sales. He devotes several chapters to the Mississippi Territory, Aaron Burr, and the Indian unrest that led to the massacre at Fort Mims, the Creek War of 1813–14, and Andrew Jackson’s campaigns to destroy the Red Sticks and defeat the British. Pickett concentrates his final chapters on the emergence of Alabama as a territory and state, including biographical sketches of early state leaders, the state constitutional convention, and Alabama’s first governor, William Wyatt Bibb, who died in 1820.Pickett’s History continues to be a relevant study of the state’s protohistory, colonial, territorial, and early foundations. His work and his papers in the state archives are cited by all serious scholars who study Alabama’s colonial and territorial eras. While he sought all the available printed primary sources and manuscripts for volume one, his second volume was principally informed by the memoirs, reminiscences, letters, and oral interviews of the participants in the events that shaped the development of Alabama from the pre-Revolutionary era through the 1840s.This new edition is the first to provide general readers and scholars with a readily available hardbound, fully indexed, and annotated version of Pickett’s History.— first-ever edition of Pickett’s History that is fully annotated, updated and indexed— first hardcover edition of the work in over 100 years— the release of Pickett’s History coincdes with the 200th anniversary in 2019 of Alabama statehood; heightened interest in early settlement of the state will develop opportunities for book— this new edition will be handsome and easily readable, unlike existing facsimile editions

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