Search results for ""author kind"

With a few straightforward strategies and a perfectly practical planner, Tiffany Wood shows you how to jingle your way through the preparations for Christmas, from January to December. The All-Year-Round Christmas Handbook lends a helping hand to everyone who would like to create a kinder, more mindful and homespun Christmas celebration. Juggling all manner of jobs at a time when expectations of festive fun are sky high means that effective planning and time management are vital. Organisational and creative tasks are divided into months, then weeks and days as you get nearer to Christmas. In the month before Christmas, each week has its own 'dashboard' for different activities – creating, cooking, eating, shopping, entertaining – plus planning pages you can fill in yourself. For future years, you can also download extra planner pages to fill in and keep using the link in the book. To save you time, there are recipes for handy cook-ahead dishes, simple meals and store-bought shortcuts. Tiffany shows you how to wrap your gifts with style and make crafty things with the leftover paper. There are also tips from Mrs and Mr Christmases around the world, with some different traditions you might like to try.

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How do you tell that a country has died? In this devastating, pessimistic, though critically-timed revised edition of his classic book, Peter Hitchens describes and regrets the abolition of Britain. In the years since Peter Hitchens first wrote The Abolition of Britain, he argues, there has been an acceleration in the decay of society and culture. Fewer people read; universities have become less and less free; more churches are closing; language has become more homogenised; the city skyline is emblematic of the triumph of Mammon; the monarchy is merely hanging on and immigration is at an unprecedented and unsustainable level, a fact accepted even by those who first welcomed its growth. Hitchens, a former revolutionary Marxist, is amazed and amused by the way in which the nominal Conservative Party has now embraced culturally and socially revolutionary ideas, especially about the family, sexual politics and education, which he would have thought ambitious in his days as a 1960s Trotskyist. As he writes, ‘my only concern now is to ensure that others, in some unimaginable future, will be able to find at least one voice which will explain to them how one of the fairest, kindest civilisations ever to have existed on earth … should in so short a time have wasted its birthright and thrown away its gifts’.

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'Taut, tense, and beautifully written' Clare Mackintosh'Addictive' Sunday TimesSometimes a lie feels kinder than the truth . . . but what happens when that lie becomes an avalanche of deceit?When Tess is sent to photograph Greg, a high-profile paediatric surgeon, she sees something complex in him that she instantly connects with. Their relationship quickly deepens, but then Tess - already a single mother to nine-year-old Joe - finds out she's pregnant.Greg, who never wanted to be a father, is then offered the job of a lifetime back in his hometown of Boston, USA. Within just a few months, they have married and moved to the States. But life in an affluent Boston suburb is not as straightforward as Tess had hoped. Strange things keep happening in their rented home - Joe is unsettled, the next-door neighbours are clearly troubled, and Greg's work is all-consuming. As a fierce Boston winter closes in, and her baby's birth looms, Tess remains determined to make this new life work. Then she makes a jaw-dropping discovery . . .PRAISE FOR LUCY ATKINS'Wonderfully skilled' Sarah Perry'Sly, witty and gripping' Naomi Alderman'Wholly beguiling' Mick Herron'Highly intelligent' Sarah Vaughan'Beguiling, brilliantly creepy' Claire Fuller

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Give little learners the foundation they need for school and life with this essential collection of activities from veteran preschool teacher Katie T. Christiansen. Using her years of experience developing curriculum, she has curated 75 easy hands-on projects centered on the most important skills children should practice between the ages of 3 and 5- from literacy, math and science to gross and fine motor skills and social emotional mindfulness. Best of all, these activities require minimal preparation and use affordable, everyday items, so they’re perfect for busy, budget-conscious caregivers and educators. Harness the power of learning through play with projects like the Alphabet Mystery Can, which helps children learn about letter sounds to prepare them for reading, and the Outdoor Colour Changing Volcano, which is an explosive introduction to simple science concepts. The My Feelings Sensory Bottle teaches little ones to identify and talk about their different emotions, and the Rip and Snip Tray helps develop hand strength and dexterity for an easy transition to writing. With Katie’s expertise and balanced approach to early childhood education, , plus tips for individualising activities for each unique learner, this must-have resource will give you the tools to prepare children for kindergarten and beyond.

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An addictive psychological thriller from a kindle bestseller. For fans of Karin Slaughter and Erin Kelly.SOME SECRETS ARE BEST LEFT BURIED...Cat panics when she sees a photofit of a murder suspect flash up on the news. It looks exactly like her, and to make matters worse, the victim is her childhood best friend, Charlie.The following day, the police arrive at her doorstep to question her. She hadn't seen or spoken to Charlie in years, but could the secrets of their past finally be coming back to haunt her?Desperate to find out who gave the police her description and to protect her five-year-old son, Cat investigates. She knows she is innocent and will stop at nothing to prove it. But some secrets are best left buried...*******See what readers are saying about Karen Cole:'Every time I thought I had it sussed a curveball was thrown. Beautifully dark and compelling'Caz, Amazon reviewer'If you like Karin Slaughter you will love this!'Cath, Amazon reviewer'I was constantly guessing throughout and I still didn't see that ending coming even though the clues are there!'Chanel, Amazon reviewer'I absolutely loved this book. I could never have guessed the outcome'Annie, Amazon reviewer

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'An era-defining romance' - Daily MailOver 21 million copies sold Translated into 33 languages worldwide The inspiration for the number-one box office hit film, which was named one of the 100 most romantic films of all time by the American Film Institute. Meet Oliver Barrett IV, a rich jock from a stuffy WASP family on his way to a Harvard degree and a career in law, and Jenny Cavilleri, a wisecracking working-class beauty studying music at Radcliffe. Oliver and Jenny - kindred spirits from different worlds ? talk, question, answer and fall for each other so deeply that no one, themselves included, can understand it. So instead of trying to understand it, they embrace it. Until something happens that will turn their new, perfect world upside down. This is their story: a story of two young people and a love so uncompromising it will bring joy to your heat and tears to your eyes. Further praise for LOVE STORY:'Iconic . . . tissues at the ready!' - My Weekly'Beautifully written, profoundly moving' - Sunday Express'A lump forms in the throat and starts growing until it feels like a football coming up sideways. You either fight it or let it out' - New York Times'We loved it and we think you'll love it too' - Sun'Incredible . . . A poignant novel of nostalgia and romance' - Washington Post

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Flame-haired Lissa Piner is a skilled glass blower whose delicate gift conceals a burning inner strength that can destroy as exquisitely as it can create. Commissioned to design chandeliers for a string of luxury hotels, her remarkable skills have taken her to Italy. But Lissa's real mission there is a secret. For her entire life has been a lie, leading to a chance to avenge a terrible wrong.Enlisted as her bodyguard is Casmir Prakenskii, a trained assassin living off the grid. In Lissa, he sees a kindred spirit - something unexpected and wicked, mysterious and sensual. But more than desire is about to bring them together: because both of their pasts cry out for revenge. And for two people with this many secrets, this much passion, and this many enemies, someone is bound to get burned.Praise for Christine Feehan:'The queen of paranormal romance! The one who started it all! I love everything she does' J.R. Ward'After Bram Stoker, Anne Rice and Joss Whedon (who created the venerated Buffy the Vampire series), Feehan is the person most credited with popularising the neck gripper' Time'Suspenseful, engaging - fraught with magic, action and romance . . . I HAVE to read the next one in the series' Smexy Books

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A guide to emotional healing and living a more self-accepting life by learning to love oneself. Behind many of our problems lies an often ignored factor: we don’t like ourselves very much. We are sufferers of self-hatred. We tell ourselves the meanest things. It’s because of self-hatred that we tend to neglect our potential at work and get entangled in unfulfilling relationships, that we lack confidence in our social lives and suffer from anxiety and despair. This is a book that, with immense compassion and fellow feeling, investigates the phenomenon of self-hatred while giving pragmatic advice on how to overcome it. It asks where the feeling comes from, what it makes us do and how we might become kinder and more compassionate towards ourselves. We have probably spent far too much of our lives disliking ourselves and attacking everything we say, do or feel, while not even realising what we’re up to. It’s time to overcome our masochism and move towards a more self-forgiving and accepting stance. On Self-Hatred is a guide to the more compassionate and gentle relationship we should have had with ourselves from the start, and can all achieve now.

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This is a book that celebrates the most neglected but valuable emotion we can feel: melancholy. Melancholy isn’t depression or anger or bitterness, it’s a serene, accepting, gentle, wise and kindly response to the difficulties and occasional misery of being alive. It steers an ideal mid-way course between despair on the one hand and naïve optimism on the other. But melancholy is a well-kept secret. Those who feel the pull of melancholy moods tend to stay quiet about their tastes. We don’t often hear melancholy being celebrated or accorded the respect that it deserves. Melancholy languishes unexplored in a hyper-competitive, noisy, frantic age. And yet the emotion heartily deserves exploration, it is one that leads to reflection and thoughtfulness. This book carefully collects and interprets a selection of the most universally recognisable melancholy states of mind, and thereby renders us less confused by our precious yet elusive feelings. We hear, among other things, about the melancholy of Sunday evenings and the melancholy of adolescence, the melancholy of high summer and the melancholy of crushes. This book offers a varied portrait of melancholy and it’s range of emotions, leading the reader to both insight and self compassion.

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We probably went to school for what felt like a very long time. We probably took care with our homework. Along the way we surely learnt intriguing things about equations, the erosion of glaciers, the history of the Middle Ages, and the tenses of foreign languages. But why, despite all the lessons we sat through, were we never taught the really important things that dominate and trouble our lives: who to start a relationship with, how to trust people, how to understand one’s psyche, how to move on from sorrow or betrayal, and how to cope with anxiety and shame? The School of Life is an organisation dedicated to teaching a range of emotional lessons that we need in order to lead fulfilled and happy lives – and that schools routinely forget to teach us. This book is a collection of our most essential lessons, delivered with directness and humanity, covering topics from love to career, childhood trauma to loneliness. To read the book is to be invited to lead kinder, richer and more authentic lives – and to complete an education we began but still badly need to finish. This is homework to help us make the most of the rest of our lives.

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We are used to thinking of good conversation as the glue that holds friendships together, but we shouldn’t forget the immense value of playing games, with some of the same spirit of fun and adventure that we once deployed when we were children. Here is a pack of forty activities to draw us away from static conversation. Among other things, we will build a fort together, dance in surprising ways, deliver funeral orations, practise our acting skills, and play some entertaining (but kindly) pranks. The games are an invitation to cast aside reserve and get in touch with neglected imaginative aspects of ourselves. They are a reminder that friendship doesn’t only require talking; it thrives just as much on the lighthearted but significant business of playing together. Examples Inanimate Impressions Imitation, as Aristotle knew, is an activity humans find pleasurable and meaningful. This perhaps explains our delight in impressions. Ordinarily, we impersonate living creatures – friends, celebrities or animals. But this game takes a slightly different approach. Each guest should attempt to impersonate an inanimate object – a grandfather clock, or a dot-matrix printer, or a blender – using sounds and gestures. At the end, the group as a whole should elect a winner who has most uncannily captured the likeness of the object.

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Humans are pattern-matching creatures, and astrology is the universe’s grandest pattern-matching game. In this refreshing work of history and analysis, data scientist Alexander Boxer examines classical texts on astrology to expose its underlying scientific and mathematical framework. Astrology, he argues, was the ancient world’s most ambitious applied mathematics problem, a monumental data-analysis enterprise sustained by some of history’s most brilliant minds, from Ptolemy to al-Kindi to Kepler. Thousands of years ago, astrologers became the first to stumble upon the powerful storytelling possibilities inherent in numerical data. To correlate the configurations of the cosmos with our day-to-day lives, astrologers relied upon a “scheme of heaven,” or horoscope, showing the precise configuration of the planets at a particular instant in time as viewed from a particular place on Earth. Although recognized as pseudoscience today, horoscopes were once considered a cutting-edge scientific tool. Boxer teaches us how to read these esoteric charts—and appreciate the complex astronomical calculations needed to generate them—by diagramming how the heavens appeared at important moments in astrology’s history, from the assassination of Julius Caesar as viewed from Rome to the Apollo 11 lunar landing as seen from the surface of the Moon. He then puts these horoscopes to the test using modern data sets and statistical science, arguing that today’s data scientists do work similar to astrologers of yore. By looking back at the algorithms of ancient astrology, he suggests, we can better recognize the patterns that are timeless characteristics of our own pattern-matching tendencies. At once critical, rigorous, and far ranging, A Scheme of Heaven recontextualizes astrology as a vast, technological project—spanning continents and centuries—that foreshadowed our data-driven world today.

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Die Berufswahl ist die bedeutsamste Entscheidung für einen Menschen; denn sie ist ausschlaggebend für den Verlauf des größten Teils seines Lebens. Wie oft aber wird dieseWahlnach augenblicklichen Gegebenheiten getroffen, die später keine Gültig­ keit mehr haben! Wie oft auch macht sich der Junge ein ganz falsches Bild von "seinem" Beruf! Sinn und Zweck dieses Buches ist es deshalb in erster Linie, den vor der Berufswahl stehenden Jugendlichen sowie ihren Eltern und Erziehern einen umfassenden Ein­ blick in das gesamte Berufsleben zu ermöglichen und damit Anregungen für die Berufswahl zu geben; denn nur wer die vielen Berufe kennt, die einem jungen Menschen offenstehen, wer über die Fähigkeiten, die sie voraussetzen, über die An­ forderungen, die sie stellen, und über die Arbeits-und Aufstiegsmöglichkeiten Be­ scheid weiß, kann seine Wahl richtig treffen, kann seinen Beruf finden und sich damit viele Enttäuschungen, ja vielleicht sogar ein verpfuschtes Leben ersparen. Das Buch bringt keine wissenschaftliche und psychologische Berufskunde. Es zeigt den berufstätigen Menschen an seinem Arbeitsplatz, schildert seine Ausbildung, was er zu leisten hat, wie er vorwärtskommen kann. Von dem Grundsatz ausgehend, daß Anschauung die beste Lehrmeisterin ist, wird der in leichtverständlicher Sprache gehaltene Text durch reiche Bebilderung erläutert. Der Jugendliche, der das Buch gelesen hat, wird sich eine richtige Vorstellung von den verschiedenen Berufen machen können. Damit sind viele Fehlentscheidungen bei seiner Wahl von vornherein ausgeschlossen. Den Eltern erleichtert das Buch die Beratung, mit der sie ihren Kindern, die ins Berufsleben eintreten, zur Seite stehen.

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Lewis Fry Richardson was one of the first to develop the systematic study of the causes of war; yet his great war data archive, Statistics of Deadly Quarrels, posthumously published, has yet to be fully systematized and assimilated by war-causation scholars. David Wilkinson has reanalyzed Richardson's data and drawn together the results of kindred quantitative work on the causes of war, from other as well as from Richardson. He has translated this classic of international relations literature into contemporary idiom, fully and accurately presenting the substance of Richardson's idea and at the same time bringing it up to date with judicious comment, updating the references to the critical and successor literature, and dealing in some detail with Richardson himself. Professor Wilkinson lists among the findings: 1. the death toll of war is largely the product of a very few immense wars; 2. most wars do not escalate out of control, they are vey likely to be small, brief, and exclusive; 3. great powers have done most of the world's fighting, inflicting and suffering most of the casualties; 4. the propensity of any two groups to fight increases as the ethnocultural differences between them increase. Contemporary peace strategy would therefore seem to be to avoid World War III by promoting superpower detente, and reanimating, accelerating, and civilizing the process of world economic development. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1980.

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Collins International English Foundation and Foundation Plus provide inspirational, fun and age-appropriate learning for children in early years and kindergarten classes. The materials have been developed in consultation with expert practitioners to be easy to use in the classroom and to support children following a range of early years curricula and who are preparing for their first year of primary education in an international school, including schools following the Cambridge Assessment International Education primary framework. The course introduces young children to phonics and early literacy skills in an age-appropriate way through topic-based discovery and activity-based learning, with plenty of opportunities to explore books and reading through games and hands-on exploration. Careful progression ensures children develop the skills they need to be ready for English in their first year of primary and beyond. Each level comprises Activity Books A, B and C – one for each term – supported by Reading Anthologies A, B and C – also one per term – that provide a carefully selected collection of colourful stories and stimulus materials, and a Teacher’s Guide. Schools can opt to use the course over one or two school years. The engaging and brightly illustrated Activity Books provide age-appropriate practice that is fun for children, that allow teachers to see and record progress, and that show parents what is being covered in class. Collins International English Foundation and Foundation Plus can be used on their own, or alongside Collins International Maths Foundation and Foundation Plus and Collins International Science Foundation and Foundation Plus to provide a comprehensive early-years programme.

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Collins International English Foundation and Foundation Plus provide inspirational, fun and age-appropriate learning for children in early years and kindergarten classes. The materials have been developed in consultation with expert practitioners to be easy to use in the classroom and to support children following a range of early years curricula and who are preparing for their first year of primary education in an international school, including schools following the Cambridge Assessment International Education primary framework. The course introduces young children to phonics and early literacy skills in an age-appropriate way through topic-based discovery and activity-based learning, with plenty of opportunities to explore books and reading through games and hands-on exploration. Careful progression ensures children develop the skills they need to be ready for English in their first year of primary and beyond. Each level comprises Activity Books A, B and C – one for each term – supported by Reading Anthologies A, B and C – also one per term – that provide a carefully selected collection of colourful stories and stimulus materials, and a Teacher’s Guide. Schools can opt to use the course over one or two school years. The engaging and brightly illustrated Activity Books provide age-appropriate practice that is fun for children, that allow teachers to see and record progress, and that show parents what is being covered in class. Collins International English Foundation and Foundation Plus can be used on their own, or alongside Collins International Maths Foundation and Foundation Plus and Collins International Science Foundation and Foundation Plus to provide a comprehensive early-years programme.

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Has global liberalism made the nation-state obsolete? Or, on the contrary, are primordial nationalist hatreds overwhelming cosmopolitanism? To assert either theme without serious qualification, according to Ernst B. Haas, is historically simplistic and morally misleading. Haas describes nationalism as a key component of modernity and a crucial instrument for making sense of impersonal, rapidly changing, and heterogeneous societies. He characterizes nationalism as a feeling of collective identity, a mutual understanding experienced among people who may never meet but who are persuaded that they belong to a community of kindred spirits. Without nationalism, there could be no large integrated state. Nationalism comes in many varieties, some revolutionary in rejecting the past and some syncretist in seeking to retain religious traditions. Haas asks whether liberal nationalism is particularly successful as a rationalizing agent, noting that liberalism is usually associated with collective learning and that liberal-secular nationalism delivers substantial material benefits to mass populations. He also asks whether liberal nationalism can lead to its own transcendence. He explores nationalism in five societies that had achieved the status of nation-states by about 1880: the United States, Britain, France, Germany, and Japan. Several of these nation-states became exemplars for later nationalists. A second, forthcoming volume will consider ten societies that modernized more recently, many of them aroused to nationalism by the imperialism of these "old" nation-states.

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Sow the seeds of science and wonder and inspire the next generation of Earth stewards The School Garden Curriculum offers a unique and comprehensive framework, enabling students to grow their knowledge throughout the school year and build on it from kindergarten to eighth grade. From seasonal garden activities to inquiry projects and science-skill building, children will develop organic gardening solutions, a positive land ethic, systems thinking, and instincts for ecological stewardship. The world needs young people to grow into strong, scientifically literate environmental stewards. Learning gardens are great places to build this knowledge, yet until now there has been a lack of a multi-grade curriculum for school-wide teaching aimed at fostering a connection with the Earth. The book offers: A complete K-8 school-wide framework Over 200 engaging, weekly lesson plans – ready to share Place-based activities, immersive learning, and hands-on activities Integration of science, critical thinking, permaculture, and life skills Links to Next Generation Science Standards Further resources and information sources. A model and guide for all educators, The School Garden Curriculum is the complete package for any school wishing to use ecosystem perspectives, science, and permaculture to connect children to positive land ethics, personal responsibility, and wonder, while building vital lifelong skills. AWARDS FINALIST | 2019 Foreword INDIES: Education

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Captive Hearts of Oz is the newest manga series by New York Times bestselling creator Mamenosuke Fujimaru, known for her prolific work on the Alice of Country of... manga series. Based on the beloved classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, this original tale of magic, adventure and romance will appeal to fans of Fujimaru’s other New York Times bestselling series like Alice in the Country of Clover and Alice in the Country of Joker. Captive Hearts of Oz reimagines L. Frank Baum’s original Oz stories in a modern, shoujo style. Each volume in this ongoing series will be released in oversized editions, featuring impressive artwork and several full-colour illustrations. Dorothy Gale, along with her beloved dog Toto, finds herself whisked away by a tornado to the mysterious land of Oz. Something about this strange place feels oddly familiar, but Dorothy just wants to go home. Following the advice of a kindly Witch, Dorothy must travel to the Emerald City and seek out the Wizard of Oz, who alone has the power to send her back to her world. Alongside a trio of fascinating new companions, and a mysterious young man known as “Zero,” Dorothy must follow the Yellow Brick Road on her journey to escape Oz and some of its less than friendly denizens, the evil Witches. Yet even though all this seems to be happening for the first time, Dorothy feels as if they have all met before... Buried secrets and conflicted romance await Dorothy as she travels through the wonderful land of Oz!

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Beginning with Alexander McQueen’s infamous attempt to live stream his 2009 Plato’s Atlantis collection on SHOWStudio, this book traces how digital and social media have disrupted social structures within the field of fashion, and transformed the way it is communicated and consumed. Analysing key case studies, from Chanel, Givenchy, Yeezy and Opening Cermony to interactive social media and ‘see now buy now’ campaigns from Burberry, Topshop and Tommy Hilfiger, The Fashion Show Goes Live analyses the mode and impact of fashion shows’ transmission. Through the rise of experimental film, fashion shows tailored for media transmission and the use of live streaming and social media to render shows ‘immediate’ to consumers, fashion weeks – and fashion shows – have become not just trend barometers but material sites that demonstrate media’s effects. Rebecca Halliday evaluates the performativity of consumer relations to such live streams and other mediatized content. In linking these relations back to fashion show footage, she demonstrates that although intended to communicate fashion to mass audiences, these practices also promote it as exclusive and aspirational. Despite democratized, international access to content, the shows themselves remain elite events; kindling new forms of consumer attention, interaction, immaterial labour and desire. Through the microcosm of the fashion show, The Fashion Show Goes Live asks broader socio-political questions about the effects of the fashion industry's mediatization, challenging the notion that new technology has fostered inclusivity.

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Reveals how young American Jewish children come to develop their views about Israel Israel has long occupied a prominent place in the lives and imaginations of American Jews, serving as both a symbolic touchstone and a source of intercommunal conflict. In My Second-Favorite Country, Sivan Zakai offers the first longitudinal study of how American Jewish children come to think and feel about Israel, tracking their evolving conceptions from kindergarten to fifth grade. This work sheds light on the perception of Israel in the minds of Jewish children in the US and provides a rich case study of how children more generally develop ideas and beliefs about self, community, nation, and world. In contrast to popular views of America’s youth as naive or uninterested, this book illuminates both the complexity of their thinking and their desire to be included in conversations about important civic and political matters. Zakai draws from compelling empirical data to prove that children spend considerable effort contemplating the very concepts that adults often assume they are not ready to discuss. Indeed, the book argues that over the course of their elementary school education, children develop and express deep interest in complex issues such as the intricacies of identity and belonging, conflicting ways of framing the past, and the demands of civic responsibility. Ultimately, Zakai argues that in order to take children’s ideas seriously and better prepare them for a world full of disagreement, a substantive shift in educational practices is necessary.

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Since the mid-1990s, as China has downsized and privatized its state-owned enterprises, severe unemployment has created a new class of urban poor and widespread social and psychological disorders. In Unknotting the Heart, Jie Yang examines this understudied group of workers and their experiences of being laid off, "counseled," and then reoriented to the market economy. Using fieldwork from reemployment programs, community psychosocial work, and psychotherapy training sessions in Beijing between 2002 and 2013, Yang highlights the role of psychology in state-led interventions to alleviate the effects of mass unemployment. She pays particular attention to those programs that train laid-off workers in basic psychology and then reemploy them as informal "counselors" in their capacity as housemaids and taxi drivers. These laid-off workers are filling a niche market created by both economic restructuring and the shortage of professional counselors in China, helping the government to defuse intensified class tension and present itself as a nurturing and kindly power. In reality, Yang argues, this process creates both new political complicity and new conflicts, often along gender lines. Women are forced to use the moral virtues and work ethics valued under the former socialist system, as well as their experiences of overcoming depression and suffering, as resources for their new psychological care work. Yang focuses on how the emotions, potentials, and "hearts" of these women have become sites of regulation, market expansion, and political imagination.

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Since the mid-1990s, as China has downsized and privatized its state-owned enterprises, severe unemployment has created a new class of urban poor and widespread social and psychological disorders. In Unknotting the Heart, Jie Yang examines this understudied group of workers and their experiences of being laid off, "counseled," and then reoriented to the market economy. Using fieldwork from reemployment programs, community psychosocial work, and psychotherapy training sessions in Beijing between 2002 and 2013, Yang highlights the role of psychology in state-led interventions to alleviate the effects of mass unemployment. She pays particular attention to those programs that train laid-off workers in basic psychology and then reemploy them as informal "counselors" in their capacity as housemaids and taxi drivers. These laid-off workers are filling a niche market created by both economic restructuring and the shortage of professional counselors in China, helping the government to defuse intensified class tension and present itself as a nurturing and kindly power. In reality, Yang argues, this process creates both new political complicity and new conflicts, often along gender lines. Women are forced to use the moral virtues and work ethics valued under the former socialist system, as well as their experiences of overcoming depression and suffering, as resources for their new psychological care work. Yang focuses on how the emotions, potentials, and "hearts" of these women have become sites of regulation, market expansion, and political imagination.

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Presents an analysis of what contemporary directors seek to attain by putting their spectators in a position of strong discomfort. In recent years some of the best known European and American art film directors have made films that place the spectator in a position of intense discomfort: Feel Bad Films. How are these unpleasurable viewing experiences created? What do the directors believe they can achieve via the feel bad experience? How can we situate the films in intellectual history? Why should we watch, study and teach feel bad films? These questions will be answered through analysis of films by directors such as Lars von Trier, Gus Van Sant, Claire Denis, Michael Haneke, Lucille Hadzihalilovic, Brian de Palma, Bruno Dumont and Harmony Korine. Features detailed analyses of the work of some of the best known contemporary art film directors; a stimulating contribution to current debates about the ethics and politics of cinematic spectatorship; the conceptualisation of a cinematic genre that will allow us to reconsider debates about the social potential of film; primary case studies include: Lars von Trier: Dogville (Denmark); Brian de Palma: Redacted (US); Gus Van Sant: Elephant (US); Lucille Hadzihalilovic: Innocence (France); Stan Brakhage: Kindering (US); Ruben Ostlund: Play (Sweden); Bruno Dumont: Twentynine Palms (France); Harmony Korine: Trash Humpers (US); Secondary case studies: Simon Staho: Daisy Diamond (Denmark); Claire Denis: I Can't Sleep (France); Michael Haneke: Hidden (France/Austria); Urszula Antoniak: Code Blue (Holland/Poland) and Claire Denis: The Bastards (France).

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The Walt Disney Company offers a vast universe of movies, television shows, theme parks, and merchandise, all carefully crafted to present an image of wholesome family entertainment. Yet Disney also produced one of the most infamous Hollywood films, Song of the South. Using cartoon characters and live actors to retell the stories of Joel Chandler Harris, SotS portrays a kindly black Uncle Remus who tells tales of Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, and the “Tar Baby” to adoring white children. Audiences and critics alike found its depiction of African Americans condescending and outdated when the film opened in 1946, but it grew in popularity—and controversy—with subsequent releases. Although Disney has withheld the film from American audiences since the late 1980s, SotS has an enthusiastic fan following, and pieces of the film—such as the Oscar-winning “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah”—remain throughout Disney’s media universe.Disney’s Most Notorious Film examines the racial and convergence histories of Song of the South to offer new insights into how audiences and Disney have negotiated the film’s controversies over the last seven decades. Jason Sperb skillfully traces the film’s reception history, showing how audience perceptions of SotS have reflected debates over race in the larger society. He also explores why and how Disney, while embargoing the film as a whole, has repurposed and repackaged elements of SotS so extensively that they linger throughout American culture, serving as everything from cultural metaphors to consumer products.

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Collins International English Foundation and Foundation Plus provide inspirational, fun and age-appropriate learning for children in early years and kindergarten classes. The materials have been developed in consultation with expert practitioners to be easy to use in the classroom and to support children following a range of early years curricula and who are preparing for their first year of primary education in an international school, including schools following the Cambridge Assessment International Education primary framework. The course introduces young children to phonics and early literacy skills in an age-appropriate way through topic-based discovery and activity-based learning, with plenty of opportunities to explore books and reading through games and hands-on exploration. Careful progression ensures children develop the skills they need to be ready for English in their first year of primary and beyond. Each level comprises Activity Books A, B and C – one for each term – supported by Reading Anthologies A, B and C – also one per term – and a Teacher’s Guide. Schools can opt to use the course over one or two school years. The engaging and brightly illustrated Reading Anthologies provide a carefully selected collection of colourful stories and stimulus materials to support the development of phonics and early literacy skills. Collins International English Foundation and Foundation Plus can be used on their own, or alongside Collins International Maths Foundation and Foundation Plus and Collins International Science Foundation and Foundation Plus to provide a comprehensive early-years programme.

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Collins International English Foundation and Foundation Plus provide inspirational, fun and age-appropriate learning for children in early years and kindergarten classes. The materials have been developed in consultation with expert practitioners to be easy to use in the classroom and to support children following a range of early years curricula and who are preparing for their first year of primary education in an international school, including schools following the Cambridge Assessment International Education primary framework. The course introduces young children to phonics and early literacy skills in an age-appropriate way through topic-based discovery and activity-based learning, with plenty of opportunities to explore books and reading through games and hands-on exploration. Careful progression ensures children develop the skills they need to be ready for English in their first year of primary and beyond. Each level comprises Activity Books A, B and C – one for each term – supported by Reading Anthologies A, B and C – also one per term – and a Teacher’s Guide. Schools can opt to use the course over one or two school years. The engaging and brightly illustrated Reading Anthologies provide a carefully selected collection of colourful stories and stimulus materials to support the development of phonics and early literacy skills. Collins International English Foundation and Foundation Plus can be used on their own, or alongside Collins International Maths Foundation and Foundation Plus and Collins International Science Foundation and Foundation Plus to provide a comprehensive early-years programme.

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Collins International Maths Foundation and Foundation Plus provide inspirational, fun and age-appropriate learning for children in early years and kindergarten classes. The materials have been developed in consultation with expert practitioners to be easy to use in the classroom and to support children following a range of early years curricula and who are preparing for their first year of primary education in an international school, including schools following the Cambridge Assessment International Education primary framework. The course introduces young children to maths concepts in an age-appropriate way through topic-based discovery and activity-based learning, with plenty of opportunities to explore maths through games and hands-on exploration. Careful progression ensures children develop the skills they need to be ready for maths in their first year of primary and beyond. Each level comprises Activity Books A, B and C – one for each term – supported by a carefully selected collection of colourful stimulus materials in the Reading Anthology and Teacher’s Guide. Schools can opt to use the course over one or two school years. The engaging and brightly illustrated Activity Books provide age-appropriate practice that is fun for children, that allow teachers to see and record progress, and that show parents what is being covered in class. Collins International Maths Foundation and Foundation Plus can be used on their own, or alongside Collins International English Foundation and Foundation Plus and Collins International Science Foundation and Foundation Plus to provide a comprehensive early-years programme.

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Collins International Maths Foundation and Foundation Plus provide inspirational, fun and age-appropriate learning for children in early years and kindergarten classes. The materials have been developed in consultation with expert practitioners to be easy to use in the classroom and to support children following a range of early years curricula and who are preparing for their first year of primary education in an international school, including schools following the Cambridge Assessment International Education primary framework. The course introduces young children to maths concepts in an age-appropriate way through topic-based discovery and activity-based learning, with plenty of opportunities to explore maths through games and hands-on exploration. Careful progression ensures children develop the skills they need to be ready for maths in their first year of primary and beyond. Each level comprises Activity Books A, B and C – one for each term – supported by a carefully selected collection of colourful stimulus materials in the Reading Anthology and Teacher’s Guide. Schools can opt to use the course over one or two school years.The engaging and brightly illustrated Activity Books provide age-appropriate practice that is fun for children, that allow teachers to see and record progress, and that show parents what is being covered in class. Collins International Maths Foundation and Foundation Plus can be used on their own, or alongside Collins International English Foundation and Foundation Plus and Collins International Science Foundation and Foundation Plus to provide a comprehensive early-years programme.

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Collins International Maths Foundation and Foundation Plus provide inspirational, fun and age-appropriate learning for children in early years and kindergarten classes. The materials have been developed in consultation with expert practitioners to be easy to use in the classroom and to support children following a range of early years curricula and who are preparing for their first year of primary education in an international school, including schools following the Cambridge Assessment International Education primary framework.The course introduces young children to maths concepts in an age-appropriate way through topic-based discovery and activity-based learning, with plenty of opportunities to explore maths through games and hands-on exploration. Careful progression ensures children develop the skills they need to be ready for maths in their first year of primary and beyond.Each level comprises Activity Books A, B and C – one for each term – supported by a carefully selected collection of colourful stimulus materials in the Reading Anthology and Teacher’s Guide. Schools can opt to use the course over one or two school years.The Teacher’s Guides provide accessible support for teachers and teaching assistants, including detailed guidance, ideas for teaching maths in the early years classroom, support for assessment, advice on resources, songs and games, and additional photocopiable activity sheets. Collins International Maths Foundation and Foundation Plus can be used on their own, or alongside Collins International English Foundation and Foundation Plus and Collins International Science Foundation and Foundation Plus to provide a comprehensive early-years programme.

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A funny, offbeat story about how disruptive change can be — even if it’s a holiday! Early one morning, a strange visitor arrives — a visitor whose name is Holiday. “I’ll be taking over for you today!” Holiday tells Monday. And before long, Holiday has met the other days, even Saturday and Sunday, who usually sleep all week. With each introduction, Monday becomes more and more upset. She is used to starting the week, and she’d like to keep it that way. When Holiday announces how much fun he’s having, and that he’d like to stay, Wednesday and Friday admit that they are a little worried, too. Meanwhile, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday are completely smitten by this exciting new day. Finally, Monday (with Wednesday and Friday in tow), asks Holiday to kindly pack his things and go. Then just in time, Tuesday comes up with a solution that will work for everyone. Natalie Nelson’s ingenious characterizations of the days of the week will delight readers young and old, as will her story that pokes fun at how set in our ways we can be and how we might instead choose to be open to change and embrace the unexpected. Key Text Features speech bubbles illustrations labels Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.6 Acknowledge differences in the points of view of characters, including by speaking in a different voice for each character when reading dialogue aloud.

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A cosy Dandy Gilver mystery set in 1930s Scotland. For fans of PG Wodehouse, Alexander McCall Smith and Agatha Christie.'McPherson is an exemplary crime writer' Scotsman BAD LUCK? BAD TIMING? OR GOOD OLD-FASHIONED MURDER? When a circus comes to spend the winter at the neighbouring estate to Gilverton, Dandy Gilver's two sons are cock-a-hoop and they are not alone in their excitement. The allure of Tumbling Topsy Turvy, Tiny Truman and the Troupe Prebezhensky also draw the attention of the fast set, who would never normally be seen dead with the nouveau riche Mr & Mrs Albert Wilson. 'The name, darling, tells you everything you need to know.'But when Dandy Gilver is asked to investigate a series of nasty tricks taking place in the circus she discovers, under the colourful charms on the surface of circus life, a hotbed of passion and resentment she cannot begin to understand. But, when one of the artistes suddenly dies, Dandy must somehow get behind the smoke and mirrors to find answers in a world where nothing is as it seems. 'Dry wit . . . sparkling dialogue and meticulous description.' Herald 'The most engaging and ingenious crime-cracker I've met in ages' Scotland on Sunday Dan Brown meets Barbara Pym . . . Dandy is brisk, baffled, heroic, kindly, scandalised and - above all - very funny - GuardianCatriona McPherson's latest novel in the series, Dandy Gilver and a Spot of Toil and Trouble is now available for pre-order.

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'My heart grew, then broke, then mended itself. A wise, funny, brave novel and a story that you will never want to forget.' Favel ParrettAn unforgettable story of loneliness, isolation and finding your way. Heart-wrenching, wise and wryly funny, this novel will make you kinder to those who are lost.Miss Kaye works at The Institute. A place for the damaged, the outliers, the not-quite rights. Everyone has different strategies to deal with the residents. Some bark orders. Some negotiate tirelessly. Miss Kaye found that simply being herself was mostly the right thing to do. Susie was seven when she realised she'd had her fill of character building. She'd lie between her Holly Hobbie sheets thinking how slowly birthdays come around, but how quickly change happened. One minute her Dad was saying that the family needed to move back to the city and then, SHAZAM, they were there. Her mum didn't move to the new house with them. And Susie hated going to see her mum at the mind hospital. She never knew who her mum would be. Or who would be there. As the years passed, there were so many things Susie wanted to say but never could.Miss Kaye will teach Susie that the loudness of unsaid things can be music - and together they will learn that living can be more than surviving.

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It is an accepted truism that the Great Depression did more for the development of modern economics than any other single event. Some of the greatest economists of the twentieth century were inspired to go into the field as a direct result of their experiences during this period.This book explores the most prominent economic explanations of the Great Depression and how it affected the lives, experiences, and subsequent thinking of economists who lived through that era. Presented in interview format, this collection of conversations with Moses Abramovitz, Morris Adelman, Milton Friedman, Albert Hart, Charles Kindleberger, Wassily Leontief, Paul Samuelson, Anna Schwartz, James Tobin, Herbert Stein and Victor Zarnowitz provides a record of their reflections on the economics of the Great Depression and on the major events which occurred during those critical years. This volume is also another chapter in the legacy of the interwar generation of economists and is intended as a token of gratitude for the contributions they have made to the economics profession. Randall Parker has given us a window into the lives of these gifted scholars and an important glimpse into the world that shaped them.Any student or scholar of economics will find this homage to and record of the brightest voices to come out of this critical time to be indispensable.

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Busy chef, TV personality and father of three THEO MICHAELS holds the answer to the challenges of feeding a family with easy and fun recipes for every day. Complete with tips and tricks from a busy working chef, this is the ULTIMATE feel-good family cookbook to solve all your family kitchen nightmares. This invaluable book is sure to become your most-used family cookbook with recipes to suit the fussiest of eaters, veggies and carnivores alike. Rustle up tempting and filling platefuls of something fast, take more time to prepare something special for a sit-down meal at the weekend and occasionally cook for extended family and friends. Recipes include Singapore-style Noodles, Halloumi Buddha Bowl, Feta-marinated Pork Chops, Crispy Chilli Beef, and Gingered Treacle Tart to name just a few. Easy comfort food for days when the world is against you, dishes that the kids can get involved in preparing, tray-bakes and one-pots, fun Friday fake-away ideas that are kinder to your household budget than ordering in, and a few special occasion treats. Plus recipes to please a sweet tooth, and new ways to put a spin on store-cupboard standbys and get the most out of forgotten food lurking in the freezer.

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This open access book explores the past and present of Quanzhou (Zayton) and the rich diversity and tolerance that kindled Quanzhou’s innovativeness and helped it prosper both commercially and culturally—values that are today being embraced by China’s global trade partners. Quanzhou (Zayton), Marco Polo’s port of departure and Columbus’ goal in China, was not only the start of the Maritime Silk Road and the Middle Age’s greatest port but also centuries ahead of its time in its tolerance and diversity. The fabled “City of Light” had 7 mosques for its 40,000 Muslims, some of whom served in government, as well as 3 Franciscan cathedrals funded in part by the emperor, Jewish synagogues, and centers for Nestorian Christians, Hindus, Taoists, Manicheans, Jains, etc. As Franciscan Bishop Andrew of Perugia wrote in 1322, “Tis a fact that in this vast empire, there are people of every nation under heaven, and every sect, and all and sundry are allowed to live freely according to their creed.” In 2021, UNESCO designated “Quanzhou, Emporium of the World,” as a world heritage site, and the city is now the hub of the Belt and Road Initiative, the 21st Century Silk Road, which was inspired by ancient Quanzhou.

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'What a nutjob!' - Geoff Dyer'Questions that occurred to me as I read this brilliant, baffling book: What the hell is this? Who the hell is this? Is this poetry?' - Tom BissellCan civilization save us from ourselves? That is the question J. D. Daniels asks in his first book, a series of six letters written during dark nights of the soul. Working from his own highly varied experience – as a janitor, night watchman, adjunct professor, drunk, exterminator, dutiful son –he considers how far books and learning and psychoanalysis can get us, and how much we’re stuck in the mud.In prose wound as tight as a copper spring, Daniels takes us from the highways of his native Kentucky to the Balearic Islands and from the Pampas of Brazil to the rarefied precincts of Cambridge, Massachusetts. His travelling companions include psychotic kindergarten teachers, Israeli sailors, and Southern Baptists on fire for Christ. In each dispatch, Daniels takes risks – not just literary (voice, tone, form) but also more immediate, such as spending two years on a Brazilian jiu-jitsu team (he gets beaten to a pulp, repeatedly) or participating in group psychoanalysis (where he goes temporarily insane). Daniels is that rare thing, a writer completely in earnest whose wit never deserts him, even in extremis. Inventive, intimate, restless, streetwise and erudite, The Correspondence introduces a brave and original observer of the inner life under pressure.

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It is impossible not to root for Ceti, almost fifteen, who tells her story of growing up in shelters, learning soccer from her Gramps, and sleeping in her Mom’s red truck where they listened over and over to Rolling Stones discs someone left behind. Following in the steps of her hero, Lionel Messi, Ceti is a shooting star on the field. A U.S. scout is coming to watch her play in the State Championship; she has Ruby, her best friend since kindergarten rooting for her, and a crush on a boy who lives in her building, Will. But at home, she’ll find a spoon in the sink, a ball of tin foil and a needle in the trash. Her Mom, who used to be beautiful with her long honey hair and green eyes is now wasted and track-marked. And she is pregnant. Ceti’s life goes up and down with a mother who wants only the next high. Her Mom’s menacing and goofy boyfriend Foxface is always hounding Ceti; their junky friends start a fire in Ceti’s apartment; and on the day of the semifinals, Ceti finds her Mom bleeding profusely. She steals a new iPhone for her Mom but is caught and disqualified from playing in the Championship game. Then Ruby decides on private school for next year, and Will stops hanging out with Ceti. When her Mom promises they can start over in New Hampshire, Ceti is hopeful. Instead, she finds her Mom has overdosed. Ceti, too, would be one more dream slipping away if she didn’t have the courage to hold on to what she loves the most.

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St Aidan: a cosy Cornish village where friendships are made for life and it’s always cocktail hour somewhere… ‘Beautifully crafted and wrapped in romance’ Heidi Swain It's time to come home to Cornwall With an exiting new life in Paris, Clemmie Hamilton isn't looking forward to heading home to the picturesque but sleepy village of St Aidan, Cornwall. However, when she discovers that the cosy apartment by the sea, which her grandmother left to her, is under threat from neighbour and property developer, Charlie Hobson, Clemmie realises she can't abandon her home in its time of need. With her childhood friends encouraging her, Clemmie decides to turn the apartment into 'The Little Cornish Kitchen' – a boutique pop up pudding club raising money for the repairs to the building in an effort to stop Charlie once and for all. But when Charlie and his easy charm won't seem to go away, everything soon becomes even messier than the state of Clemmie's Cornish kitchen… Why readers love The Little Cornish Kitchen: ‘Have you ever liked a book so much that you wanted to give it a hug…chicklit GOLD’ Pretty Little Book Reviews ‘Jane Linfoot combines fabulous friendship with gorgeous true love…a fantastic captivating story with a sweet romantic ending’ With Love for Books ‘A character that you genuinely like’ Mrs Wheddon Reviews ‘The perfect holiday read…you feel as if you are part of the group friends’ Coffee and Kindle Book Reviews ‘Where should I begin with this wonderful, delicious novel...a stunning, fabulous read’ Kat, Goodreads ‘An uplifting, warm and romantic story that was a real pleasure to read’ Rae Reads

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'Fascinating ... compelling ... very funny' Sunday Times'A defiant call to arms ... affecting ... lingers long in the memory after its final page' Morning Star'A skilful act of literary witness, sharp, moving and funny' Joanne Limburg 'Christoph Keller ... ranks among the great Swiss writers' Neue Zürcher ZeitungMost stories of disability follow a familiar pattern: Life Before Accident. Life After Accident. For Christoph Keller, it was different: his childhood diagnosis with a form of Spinal Muscular Atrophy only revealed what had been with him since birth. SMA III, the 'kindest one', allows those who have it to live a long life, and it progresses slowly. There is no cure. By the age of 25, he had to use a wheelchair some of the time. 'There were two of me: Walking Me. Rolling Me.' By 32, he could still walk into a restaurant with a cane or on somebody's arm. At 45, 'Rolling Me' took over altogether.Intimate, absurdist and winningly frank, Every Cripple a Superhero is at once a memoir of life with a progressive disorder, and a profound exploration of the challenges of loving, being loved, and living a public life - navigating restaurants, aeroplanes, museums and artists' retreats - in a world not designed for you. Threaded throughout are Keller's own photographs of the unexpected beauty found in puddle-filled 'curb cuts', the pavement ramps that, left to disintegrate, form part of the urban obstacle course. Those puddles become portals into a different, truer city; and, as they do, so this book - told with humour and immense grace - begins to uncover a truer world: one where the 'normal' is not normal, where disability is far more widespread than we might think, and where there always exist, just alongside our own, the lives of everyday superheroes.

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Holden Caulfield, the beat writers, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, and James Dean—these and other avatars of youthful rebellion were much more than entertainment. As Leerom Medovoi shows, they were often embraced and hotly debated at the dawn of the Cold War era because they stood for dissent and defiance at a time when the ideological production of the United States as leader of the “free world” required emancipatory figures who could represent America’s geopolitical claims. Medovoi argues that the “bad boy” became a guarantor of the country’s anti-authoritarian, democratic self-image: a kindred spirit to the freedom-seeking nations of the rapidly decolonizing third world and a counterpoint to the repressive conformity attributed to both the Soviet Union abroad and America’s burgeoning suburbs at home.Alongside the young rebel, the contemporary concept of identity emerged in the 1950s. It was in that decade that “identity” was first used to define collective selves in the politicized manner that is recognizable today: in terms such as “national identity” and “racial identity.” Medovoi traces the rapid absorption of identity themes across many facets of postwar American culture, including beat literature, the young adult novel, the Hollywood teen film, early rock ‘n’ roll, black drama, and “bad girl” narratives. He demonstrates that youth culture especially began to exhibit telltale motifs of teen, racial, sexual, gender, and generational revolt that would burst into political prominence during the ensuing decades, bequeathing to the progressive wing of contemporary American political culture a potent but ambiguous legacy of identity politics.

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Collins International English Foundation and Foundation Plus provide inspirational, fun and age-appropriate learning for children in early years and kindergarten classes. The materials have been developed in consultation with expert practitioners to be easy to use in the classroom and to support children following a range of early years curricula and who are preparing for their first year of primary education in an international school, including schools following the Cambridge Assessment International Education primary framework. The course introduces young children to phonics and early literacy skills in an age-appropriate way through topic-based discovery and activity-based learning, with plenty of opportunities to explore books and reading through games and hands-on exploration. Careful progression ensures children develop the skills they need to be ready for English in their first year of primary and beyond. Each level comprises Activity Books A, B and C – one for each term – supported by Reading Anthologies A, B and C – also one per term – that provide a carefully selected collection of colourful stories and stimulus materials, and a Teacher’s Guide. Schools can opt to use the course over one or two school years. The engaging and brightly illustrated Activity Books provide age-appropriate practice that is fun for children, that allow teachers to see and record progress, and that show parents what is being covered in class. Collins International English Foundation and Foundation Plus can be used on their own, or alongside Collins International Maths Foundation and Foundation Plus and Collins International Science Foundation and Foundation Plus to provide a comprehensive early-years programme.

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Collins International English Foundation and Foundation Plus provide inspirational, fun and age-appropriate learning for children in early years and kindergarten classes. The materials have been developed in consultation with expert practitioners to be easy to use in the classroom and to support children following a range of early years curricula and who are preparing for their first year of primary education in an international school, including schools following the Cambridge Assessment International Education primary framework. The course introduces young children to phonics and early literacy skills in an age-appropriate way through topic-based discovery and activity-based learning, with plenty of opportunities to explore books and reading through games and hands-on exploration. Careful progression ensures children develop the skills they need to be ready for English in their first year of primary and beyond. Each level comprises Activity Books A, B and C – one for each term – supported by Reading Anthologies A, B and C – also one per term – that provide a carefully selected collection of colourful stories and stimulus materials, and a Teacher’s Guide. Schools can opt to use the course over one or two school years. The engaging and brightly illustrated Activity Books provide age-appropriate practice that is fun for children, that allow teachers to see and record progress, and that show parents what is being covered in class. Collins International English Foundation and Foundation Plus can be used on their own, or alongside Collins International Maths Foundation and Foundation Plus and Collins International Science Foundation and Foundation Plus to provide a comprehensive early-years programme.

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This first biography of the Kettle's Yard artists reveals the life of a visionary who helped shape twentieth-century British art and explores a thrilling moment in the history of modernism'The beautiful, revelatory biography we have been waiting for. I loved it'EDMUND DE WAAL'This book is the legacy Jim Ede might have wished for'OBSERVERThe lives of Jim Ede and the Kettle's Yard artists represent a thrilling tipping point in twentieth-century modernism: a new guard, a new way of making and seeing, and a new way of living with art. The artists Ben and Winifred Nicholson, Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, Alfred Wallis and Henri Gaudier-Brzeska were not a set like the Bloomsbury Set or Ravilious and his friends. But Jim Ede recognised in each of the artists he championed something common and kindred, some quality of light and life and line.Jim Ede is the figure who unites them. His vision continues to influence the way we understand art and modern living. He was a man of extraordinary energies: a collector, dealer, fixer, critic and, above all, friend to artists. For Ede, works of art were friends and art could be found wherever you looked - in a pebble, feather or seedhead. Art lived and a life without art, beauty, friendship and creativity was a life not worth living. Art was not for galleries alone and it certainly wasn't only for the rich. At Kettle's Yard in Cambridge, he opened his home and his collection to all comers. He showed generations of visitors that learning to look could be a whole new way of life.

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The Boxing Day Hunt leads to a hunt for a killer... A Season for Murder is the second cosy and colourful English village mystery in Ann Granger's Mitchell & Markby series. This thrilling whodunit will enthral fans of Colin Dexter, Agatha Christie and ITV's Midsomer Murders.'A good feel for understated humour, a nice ear for dialogue' The Times It is with some trepidation that Meredith Mitchell returns to the Cotswolds: the Bamford district holds memories that, to put it generously, are bittersweet, and Christmas is a difficult time to find oneself a stranger in a new area. Yet she receives a kindly welcome, in particular from her old acquaintance Chief Inspector Markby and from her new neighbour Harriet Needham, a striking redhead with whom Meredith immediately feels a certain kinship. But Meredith has barely got to know her neighbour when Harriet is involved in a shocking - and fatal - accident at the Boxing Day Hunt. Witnesses to the death are plentiful, for the incident occurred in Bamford's crowded market square, and many are adamant it's a case of murder. Chief Inspector Markby is inclined to agree, although he suspects the guilty party is not the most obvious one. Before long Meredith Mitchell begins, reluctantly, to think he might be right ...What readers are saying about A Season for Murder:'The writing is witty and engaging, the characters are well rounded and the reader is left wanting to know more about what might happen in the future to them''The interplay between Mitchell and Markby and the clashes and stresses of their own lives nicely balances the intelligent plots''Really addictive. Very cleverly woven'

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Current statistics suggest that more children than ever before are struggling academically, emotionally, and behaviorally in school. In turn, schools are recognizing that the foundation of well-adjusted students lies beyond the classroom setting, in the vital principles that parents provide for their children long before they enter kindergarten. As this need increases, today's busy parents are seeking resources to understand the educational system and to interact positively with their children and their children's teachers. They want most importantly to guide their youngsters to develop a resilient mind-set and help them adapt to the challenges they face in school and later on in their lives. Get on the Bus! is focused on assisting parents on how to help their children with what they need to know and do at each developmental level throughout the elementary school years. Strategies, tips, and techniques in each of the chapter Bus Stops will serve as detailed maps for parents to ensure their children a smooth school journey ahead. The topics covered in this resource include: · How Children Develop and Learn · Developmental Stages: Characteristics and Strategies · The Homework Myth · Avoid the "Homework Blues" · Manage Time and Win! · Motivation Essentials · Self-Esteem Boosts · Help Children Learn From Mistakes and Failures · "Study Smarts" Game Plan · Back to Learning Basics · Rescue Your Stressed Out Kids Staying Safe Online · The Internet as a Resource Tool

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Monsignor George Kelly, one of the great churchmen of our time, turns a keen but loving eye on the contemporary Church in this magnificent new book. On several notable occasions in the past, Monsignor Kelly has set before his readers the status quo of Roman Catholicism in the United States. But in this new book, he combines as never before an unclouded vision of unfortunate aspects of the contemporary Church with a robust optimism concerning what lies ahead. He rivals John Paul II in his uncanny ability to go to the heart of the matter and put his finger on where things have gone wrong and are still going wrong. In Second Spring of the Church in America, his negative diagnosis and positive prognosis center on the role of the bishops. Readers will find here surprising revelations of just how bad it is in many areas of Catholicism in this country. But Kelly is not interested in amassing a catalog of errors for its own sake. His kindly pastoral eye is ever on the ready for a remedy. The still-imperfect renewal called for by Vatican II is a task for all, but in a special way the bishops must step forward, individually and collectively, to acknowledge what has gone wrong and to lead the Church into the third millennium. Perhaps no other living Catholic could have written this magnificent book, combining cold critique with warm-hearted confidence in what lies ahead for the Church in America.

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The second book in Alexander McCall Smith's new DETECTIVE VARG series . . .'Reading the novel feels like a form of meditation . . . There is much to enjoy' ScotsmanSpring is coming slowly to Sweden - though not quite as slowly as Detective Ulf Varg's promised promotion at the Department of Sensitive Crimes. For Varg, referred by his psychoanalyst to group therapy at Malmö's Wholeness Centre, life now seems mostly a circle of self-examination, something which may or may not be useful when it comes to the nature of his profession and the particularly sensitive cases that have recently come to light.All in a day's work for Detective Varg, except that one of his new investigations involves fellow detective Anna; it will require every ounce of self-discipline he has in order to remain professional. The other, more curious case is centred around internationally successful novelist Nils Personn-Cederström. According to his girlfriend, Cederström is being blackmailed - but by whom and for what reason?Accompanied by his irritating but kindly colleague Blomquist, Varg begins his enquiries and soon the answers fall neatly into place. Nothing and no one is ever that simple, however, and not for the first time he learns as much about his own emotional and moral landscape as he does about the motives of others. Now Varg must make a possibly life-changing decision. Will he choose his own happiness over that of his heart's desire?

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