Search results for ""Experiment""

“Should be required reading for anyone interested in preserving our 246-year experiment in self-government.” —The New York Times Book Review * “Well researched and eloquently presented.” —The Atlantic * “Delivers Cormac McCarthy-worthy drama; while the nonfictional asides imbue that drama with the authority of documentary.” —The New York Times Book Review A celebrated journalist takes a fiercely divided America and imagines five chilling scenarios that lead to its collapse, based on in-depth interviews with experts of all kinds.The United States is coming to an end. The only question is how. On a small two-lane bridge in a rural county that loathes the federal government, the US Army uses lethal force to end a standoff with hard-right anti-government patriots. Inside an ordinary diner, a disaffected young man with a handgun takes aim at the American president stepping in for an impromptu photo-op, and a bullet splits the hyper-partisan country into violently opposed mourners and revelers. In New York City, a Category 2 hurricane plunges entire neighborhoods underwater and creates millions of refugees overnight—a blow that comes on the heels of a financial crash and years of catastrophic droughts—and tips America over the edge into ruin. These nightmarish scenarios are just three of the five possibilities most likely to spark devastating chaos in the United States that are brought to life in The Next Civil War, a chilling and deeply researched work of speculative nonfiction. Drawing upon sophisticated predictive models and nearly two hundred interviews with experts—civil war scholars, military leaders, law enforcement officials, secret service agents, agricultural specialists, environmentalists, war historians, and political scientists—journalist Stephen Marche predicts the terrifying future collapse that so many of us do not want to see unfolding in front of our eyes. Marche has spoken with soldiers and counterinsurgency experts about what it would take to control the population of the United States, and the battle plans for the next civil war have already been drawn up. Not by novelists, but by colonels. No matter your political leaning, most of us can sense that America is barreling toward catastrophe—of one kind or another. Relevant and revelatory, The Next Civil War plainly breaks down the looming threats to America and is a must-read for anyone concerned about the future of its people, its land, and its government.

Read more less

The Hunting Party meets Our House in this gripping, claustrophobic new locked-room thriller. When you're sharing a house with seven murder suspects, you can't lock the danger out . . . Immi think she has found the perfect new home in central London: a shared warehouse with luxury accommodation, a rooftop terrace and daily yoga, all with a surprisingly affordable price tag. The Dye Factory is a 'co-living' community, designed to combat the loneliness of big city life.But soon after she moves into her new haven, Immi realises that it's not quite as idyllic as it appears. No one seems to know who is behind this multi-million pound urban experiment. And her housemates may be hiding a dangerous secret.Then, as a series of pranks escalates into something much darker, Immi is left questioning whether, in this group of strangers, she can ever really be safe . . . ------------------'Twisty, menacing and compelling, you won't be able to put it down' C.L. Taylor, Sunday Times bestseller'Truly creepy . . . I loved it' Elly Griffiths, Sunday Times bestseller'A brilliant book. Beautifully written, brilliantly characterised, and with a wonderful sense of threat. The way the various truths gradually emerge was masterfully handled, too. I was absolutely hooked' Gytha Lodge, Sunday Times bestselling author of She Lies in Wait'Pacy, brilliantly plotted and completely absorbing' Caz Frear, bestselling author of Sweet Little Lies'I loved The House Share. A great premise, compelling characters and a twisty plot kept me totally gripped' Paul Burston'Black Mirror in book form' RED magazine'So intense and sinister we kept getting out of bed to read a bit more' HEAT magazine'Creepy and compelling' Women's Weekly'A book that had me gripped . . .Thoroughly enjoyable, it made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck' Woman's Way------------------Readers are LOVING The House Share:'I loved this book!! Couldn't put it down!''Woah! That was something else... definitely creepy, unsettling, and unpredictable and I couldn't get enough of it''I couldn't put this book down and read it in a matter of hours. A must read''Full of tension with twists and turns, and a dramatic ending which I really didn't see coming!''This original and thoroughly entertaining read had me guessing the entire way through''I loved this novel and rattled through it at break-neck speed'

Read more less

An activity book that will help little ones discover everyday science as they play their way through 14 exciting home science experiments!Full of hands-on activities that will tap straight into your child's natural scientific curiosity. The experiments are easy to follow and use items that most people already have tucked away at home. Look I'm A Scientist is the most incredible introduction to science for kids. From an iceberg animal rescue to stretchy slime and a science wizard potion. Kids can pour it, mix it, feel it, and more, as each sensory-friendly activity becomes an ever-so-exciting science experiment.The 14 activities in this educational book are easy to prepare, set up, and create. A step-by-step visual guide and a charming design make it the perfect STEM activity book for parents and their little ones to explore together. Each activity is designed to let your child play and learn with all their senses. Together you can grow their love of science and their understanding of the world. Little scientists will discover fun facts like why water goes stiff in the freezer, what makes slime super stretchy, how to make the best soap bubbles, and lots more. With Look I'm A Scientist children can touch, smell, see, hear, and taste their way to scientific amazement.And remember, making a mess is part of the fun and learning!Find Out Why, What And How!You were born with everything you need to be an extraordinary scientist - a fantastic brain and super senses. Get ready to touch, smell, see, hear, and taste your way to scientific discovery. Being a little scientist has never been so much fun!Full of amazing science experiments for kids like: - Homemade playdough- Ooey gooey slime- A bubble volcano- And much, much more!DK's Look! I'm Learning series of exciting and educational STEM books, focus on the sensory experience of practical learning and play and find the science in everyday activities. Hands-on learning experiences tap straight into kids' insatiable curiosity and sense of wonder. These books for children are perfect for ages 3-6, formatted with a padded cover and toddler-tough pages. The series encourages children to develop independence and improves their critical thinking, investigation skills, and motor skills. Try the other titles in the series next, including Look I'm A Cook, Look I'm A Maths Wizard, and Look I'm An Engineer.

Read more less

Rediscover the Promise of Enlightenment As Western culture has embraced practices like meditation and yoga, has something been lost in translation? "What we see in America today in both the yoga boom and mindfulness fad," writes Dr. Miles Neale, "is a presentation of technique alone, sanitized and purged of the dynamic teachings in wisdom and ethics that are essential for true liberation." For anyone seeking a path dedicated to both authentic personal growth and the overthrow of the nihilism, hedonism, and materialism that are threatening our planet, this compelling teacher presents a well-conceived, sustainable solution with Gradual Awakening. The core of this book is Tibetan Buddhism’s "gradual path"—or Lam Rim—interpreted with fresh insights from modern scientific research. Offering an illuminating new presentation of Tibet’s deep psychology, meditative techniques, and virtuous rituals, Dr. Neale presents a time-honored path of enormous transformational potential. Each chapter serves as a practical manual that will allow you to experiment with and actualize the benefits of role-modeling visualization, affirmations, contemplative themes, textual recitation, prayers, altars, offerings, and meditation. Here you’ll explore: • Uprooting the "sickness of paradigm"—why a complete spiritual practice must directly confront the fundamental human suffering caused by the modern ethos of scientific reductionism • The Lam Rim path—the history, heritage, and power of this 30-step "hero’s journey" of awakening • Evolutionary self-care—understanding the Buddhist concept of renunciation as a form of self-love and healing • Radical altruism—awakening Bodhicitta, our innate aspiration to evolve fully in service to others • Quantum vision—how the teaching of "emptiness" allows us to pierce the illusion of materialism and accurately perceive the subtlest nature of reality • Dr. Neale’s MAPS process (Maturity, Acceptance, Possibility, and Seeds) to integrate and manifest key insights and skills in your everyday life The mass-market dilutions of Eastern wisdom that focus on symptom relief and easy answers have left behind the ultimate promise of spiritual practice: enlightenment. "Enlightenment is an unfolding process—open to everyone." writes Dr. Neale. For most of us, this path to awakening must be realized through a gradual process: building on incremental insights into who we truly are, learning to care for ourselves and others, and discovering creative ways to engage the problems we all face. Gradual Awakening will serve as a lifelong companion for anyone willing to embrace a new paradigm that integrates science with spirit, theory with practice, and personal meditation with the desire to transform the world. A portion of the proceeds from this book will benefit the Buddhist nuns of Kopan Nunnery in Nepal.

Read more less

Discover the incredible, edible science that happens every time you cook, bake, or eat with this children's book that is part-cookbook, part-science reference.This exciting kids' book tackles all the tasty science questions you have about food - plus plenty more that you hadn't even thought of! Science You Can Eat will transform your kitchen into an awesome lab through 20 fun food experiments. This quest of gastronomic wonder is so much more than just another science book for kids! It explores the science of food by asking questions you're hungry to know the answers to and putting them to the test through fun experiments.Cooking is just delicious chemistry, and the science experiments in this adorable kids cookbook will prove it. Once you understand science, you understand food. Find out why popcorn goes "pop" as you test it out for yourself. Explore how taste is affected by smell, know if carrots really can turn you orange, and finally discover whether eating insects is the future of food.There is a fantastic mix of fun facts and knowledge, context, and science experiments for kids in this educational book. The experiments are easy to execute at home with things you have around the kitchen. The instructions are detailed but easy to understand, so some kids could even adventure solo through its pages.Enjoy the delightful weirdness of tricking your taste buds, making slime taste delicious, investigating some of the strangest flavors around, and extracting iron from your cereal! Science You Can Eat helps your little one understand what's happening with their food and why. Each page is guaranteed to leave you hungry for more - we'd wager even adults will learn a thing or two from this culinary escapade.Explore, Experiment, And Learn!Explore the world of weird, mind-blowing, and often gloriously revolting (but tasty) science behind the food we eat; from why onions make us cry to the sticky science of chewing gum.Packed with activities for kids that allow you to use the power of science in the most delicious way. You'll concoct color-changing potions, make scrumptious ice-cream in an instant, and much, much more.Embark on this incredible edible adventure with TV presenter Stefan Gates AKA “The Gastronaut” and turn the things we eat from the ordinary into the extraordinary. Some of food fueled science you'll learn about:- Unusual foods- The world's smelliest fruit- Salt and other marvelous minerals- Ways of cooking- Drinks that glow and so much more!

Read more less

Use TensorFlow 2.x with Google's Colaboratory (Colab) product that offers a free cloud service for Python programmers. Colab is especially well suited as a platform for TensorFlow 2.x deep learning applications. You will learn Colab’s default install of the most current TensorFlow 2.x along with Colab’s easy access to on-demand GPU hardware acceleration in the cloud for fast execution of deep learning models. This book offers you the opportunity to grasp deep learning in an applied manner with the only requirement being an Internet connection. Everything else—Python, TensorFlow 2.x, GPU support, and Jupyter Notebooks—is provided and ready to go from Colab. The book begins with an introduction to TensorFlow 2.x and the Google Colab cloud service. You will learn how to provision a workspace on Google Colab and build a simple neural network application. From there you will progress into TensorFlow datasets and building input pipelines in support of modeling and testing. You will find coverage of deep learning classification and regression, with clear code examples showing how to perform each of those functions. Advanced topics covered in the book include convolutional neural networks and recurrent neural networks. This book contains all the applied math and programming you need to master the content. Examples range from simple to relatively complex when necessary to ensure acquisition of appropriate deep learning concepts and constructs. Examples are carefully explained, concise, accurate, and complete to perfectly complement deep learning skill development. Care is taken to walk you through the foundational principles of deep learning through clear examples written in Python that you can try out and experiment with using Google Colab from the comfort of your own home or office.What You Will Learn Be familiar with the basic concepts and constructs of applied deep learning Create machine learning models with clean and reliable Python code Work with datasets common to deep learning applications Prepare data for TensorFlow consumption Take advantage of Google Colab’s built-in support for deep learning Execute deep learning experiments using a variety of neural network models Be able to mount Google Colab directly to your Google Drive account Visualize training versus test performance to see model fit Who This Book Is ForReaders who want to learn the highly popular TensorFlow 2.x deep learning platform, those who wish to master deep learning fundamentals that are sometimes skipped over in the rush to be productive, and those looking to build competency with a modern cloud service tool such as Google Colab

Read more less

A gripping and thrilling novel of the courageous Black women who made history in World War Two.Inspired by true events, and perfect for fans of Kate Quinn's The Alice Network and Hidden Figures.'Poignant and powerful; an untold story that you simply must read' NATASHA LESTERBased on the true story of the 6888th Postal Battalion (the Six Triple Eight), Sisters in Arms explores the untold story of what life was like for the only all-Black, female US battalion to be deployed overseas during World War Two...........................................................................................They were fighting for freedom everywhere. But the first battle they had to win was at home.Grace Steele and Eliza Jones make history when they join the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, and form the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. Not only are they among the first class of female officers the army has ever seen, they are also the first Black women allowed to serve. Everyone is determined to see this experiment fail and learning to navigate their way through the segregated army is tougher than boot camp. Grace and Eliza may be from completely different backgrounds but they both recognise that to succeed they must be more perfect than everyone else: there is no room for error. They know that what lies overseas in England and France could cause them great personal cost, but nothing is going to stop these courageous women from playing their parts for the country they love...........................................................................................Sisters in Arms is richly praised:'Heartwarming but fierce, a novel brimming with camaraderie and fire, starring women you'd love to make your friends' KATE QUINN'A beautifully written love song to the brave, oft forgotten Black women who courageously stepped up to serve their country' FARRAH ROCHON'The story of these brave female soldiers will have you rooting for them with the turn of every page and brimming with pride. A triumph!' KWANA JACKSON'Well written, good characters that I loved and emotions that were up and down constantly. I didn't want it to end' 5* reader review'Outstanding . . . well written and easy to read. It threw twists and turns and kept the reader interested until the end' 5* reader review'I really enjoyed this story and I felt that I learned a lot at the same time' reader review'A great introduction to a slice of history I wasn't aware of - it's made me want to learn more and that can only be a good thing' reader review'It's well worth a read and will keep you engrossed right to the end' 5* reader review

Read more less

**Could you find your perfect man by looking at his book shelf?** 'Frankie, think about it. Literature is your life. You've been trawling Tinder looking for well-read intellectuals, but it's not working. Let's shake things up! Just use your favourite books to find a man.' Frankie Rose is desperate for love. Or a relationship. Or just a date with a semi-normal person. It’s not that she hasn’t tried – Frankie is the queen of online dating. But she has had enough. With the help of her best friend and colleague Cat, Frankie decides to embark on the ultimate dating experiment. Inspired by her surroundings at The Little Brunswick Bookshop where she works, Frankie places her hope in her favourite books to find her the perfect man… Secretly planting copies on trains, trams and buses, Frankie hopes to find the man of her dreams through a mutual love of good books. The only flaw to the plan? That she may never get her books back! But that turns out to be the least of her worries... In between crazy dates and writing them up on her blog, Frankie stumbles upon her perfect man. There's just one problem...Frankie is strictly a Jane Austen kind of woman and Sunny is really into Young Adult. Seriously, obsessively into it... Can Frankie overcome her book snobbery for the man of her dreams? Or will she be left searching the trains for her modern-day Mr Darcy forever? ~*~ Hear what fans are saying about The Book Ninja ~*~ 'Sure to make you smile. Brimming with bookish banter’‘The Book Ninja was an absolutely delightful read, full of quirky bookish themes, sweet and yet flawed characters and, of course, a liberal dose of humour that left me giggling throughout. This book warmed my heart, and left me feeling all kinds of warm and fuzzies after I finished it.’‘If you're looking for a funny, light-hearted, book-nerdy read, pick this up ASAP’ ‘This was a delightful read that I became completely consumed by and finished in one sitting!’ ‘This was a lot of fun to read because it's so relatable and I loved the whole book aspect of it’‘I loved it, better than pizza and I look forward to seeing what Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus come up with next.’‘The perfect book to tackle a book-reading slump’‘It's wonderful to finally have a book to recommend for fans of The Rosie Project’

Read more less

In Stitch and String Lab for Kids, art teacher and winner of the Netflix bake-off show Nailed It! Cassie Stephens presents 40+ inventive projects that explore everything from simple sewing, embroidery, and weaving to string art, needle felting, and yarn crafts.Stitch and String Lab for Kids leads children, step by step, through a huge range of sewing and fiber art projects. As they go, they will learn a variety of techniques, develop dexterity and coordination, and enjoy making a variety of creative projects. Kids will employ simple embroidery stitches to embellish a sun catcher, wall hangings, and an appliqué animal. Sewing projects include a drawstring bag, a sketchbook jacket, and custom plushies. Children will learn how to make custom looms to weave bookmarks, bracelets, and even a mini rag rug. They will also experiment with string art, needle felting, shibori dyeing, pompom animals, as well as finger knitting, yarn art, and cool wrapping projects. Each project includes a materials list and illustrated steps, and the book is filled with useful tips, tricks, and shortcuts. Stitch samplers will teach the basics, and templates are included for plushies and stuffies. Kids are encouraged to make variations and personalize the projects to their own style and personality. These 44 creative projects offer a broad and rich sampling of sewing, fabric, and fiber crafts—Stitch and String Lab for Kids is perfect for keeping kids busy with educational activities at home, learning techniques and experimenting at school, or having a ball at camps and parties. Parents, teachers, homeschoolers, and facilitators will appreciate the easy, illustrated instruction and the curriculum-friendly format, with projects that can be completed in any order. The popular Lab for Kids series features a growing list of books that share hands-on activities and projects on a wide host of topics, including art, astronomy, clay, geology, math, and even how to create your own circus—all authored by established experts in their fields. Each lab contains a complete materials list, clear step-by-step photographs of the process, as well as finished samples. The labs can be used as singular projects or as part of a yearlong curriculum of experiential learning. The activities are open-ended, designed to be explored over and over, often with different results. Geared toward being taught or guided by adults, they are enriching for a range of ages and skill levels. Gain firsthand knowledge on your favorite topic with Lab for Kids.

Read more less

The ultimate guide to every aspect of sock knitting for knitters of all abilities. Whether you've never picked up a double pointed needle in your life or you've already started your sock knitting journey, this book will help you on your way. The Sock Knitting Bible will break down all the different techniques and show wannabe sock knitters that there is nothing to be scared of. Covering everything from casting on to colourwork and everything in between, knitters won't find a better reference book for all their sock knitting needs. Whether you want to knit toe up, cuff down or even two at a time socks, we've got it covered. Sock knitting is the perfect portable project too - once you know the basics you can dip in and out until they are flying off your needles! There are a lot of sock pattern books out there but this is more than a pattern book - it covers all the different techniques and methods for sock knitting! There are step-by-step instructions for all the various sock knitting techniques so that instead of sounding like a foreign language making socks becomes your second language. There are also step-by-steps instructions for three basic socks so that you can follow them even if you are an absolute beginner and then start to choose your preferred method for sock making. Author Lynne Rowe explains what kind of yarns are best suited to different styles of sock and shares her techniques for how to get the best finish. We also look at the different kinds of tools available for making socks so you can experiment with double pointed-needles, the magic loop method and small circular needles as well as innovative new products such as flexible double-pointed needles until you find your own favourite method. With this book you can put that beautiful skein of hand dyed yarn you couldn't resist to good use by making the perfect pair of socks because in addition to the extensive techniques there are also 10 projects by some of the most exciting and talented sock designers, illustrating a number of the different knitting methods and styles. Here you will find stripes, fair isle, cables, lacy, sparkly and snuggly socks: a pattern for all your needs. It won't be long before you are delighting your friends and family with your new found skills - just be sure to make yourself a pair too! But be warned: sock knitting is addictive!

Read more less

Named one of the Best Cookbooks of 2020 by Food + Wine, David Lebovitz, and Delish.com, and one of the Best Baking Books of 2020 by Pastry at Home and Dallas Morning News“Jason’s love of shaking up tradition is evident. Adding fruits to bolster flavors in familiar baked goods is groundbreaking . . . steering us to experiment, try new combinations of flavors, and expand our baking vocabulary.” —From the foreword by Martha StewartJason Schreiber, one of New York City’s most influential and popular food stylists, combines aesthetic flair and flavor in 75 whimsical recipes that celebrate fruit and cake in all their festive and delicious glory.In gorgeous photos and dozens of fresh and flavorful recipes, acclaimed food stylist Jason Schreiber shatters misconceptions about that most maligned of desserts—fruitcake—by imaginatively breaking with convention as he pays homage to the delicious combination of fruit and cake. Forget those dried artificially dyed candied doorstops that everyone regifts and passes on. Fruit Cake is a tasty epicurean tour through dozens of cakes and other pastries that use a variety of fruits, combining them with diverse fillings, as well as liquor, nuts, and more. Interwoven with the recipes are stories, anecdotes and asides that are just as charming and intriguing as the lush, full-color photos that accompany them.Each recipe in Fruit Cake showcases one of thirty-eight fruit, whose natural sweetness and juice make desserts that are perfectly moist and sweet without being overpowering. Indulge your taste buds with his beautiful, fanciful creations, including:Constant Cravings—cakes like Raspberry Tea Cake and Polenta Pound Cake with Spiced Mandarins that will satisfy your cravings at any hour of dayOut of Hand—finger-focused treats perfect for pocketing or dressing to impress, such as Mango Coconut Cashew Bites and Blueberry Ginger StudmuffinsShowstoppers—cakes for the spotlight that you can humblebrag about “just throwing together,” including Passionfruit Lime Pavlova and Horchata and Roasted Plum Sorbet CakeAll Rise—the next best thing to eating sumptuous creations like the Blood Orange Bee Sting Cake or Bourbon Peach Kugelhopf, and other sumptuous creations is smelling the just-risen yeasted doughSoaked—try one slice of these decadent cakes that marinate in booze for days—whether it’s the likes of the Pomegranate Molasses Cake or the Fig, Port, and Chocolate Cake—and you’ll need a designated driverFilled with divine desserts for all seasons, this wonderful cookbook will forever change the way you think about fruit and cake.

Read more less

On 19 December 1938, Otto Hahn, working at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Chemistry in Berlin, conducted an experiment the results of which baffled him. It took his migr collaborator Lise Meitner to explain that he had split an atom of uranium, which at the time seemed to defy all known laws of physics. When Neils Bohr took this news to the United States it became clear to scientists there that these results opened a completely new and, for some, horrifying possibility of energy production that could be used for both peaceful and military purposes. Scientists in Germany, France, Britain and the US began to delve deeper into the implications. But it was the British government that was the first to explicitly describe how the splitting of the atom might be utilised to create a practical weapon of fearsome power. France, by then, had been occupied by the Germans and most of their nuclear scientists had fled to Britain. For their part, the Germans, who for a time were at the very forefront of nuclear research, had weakened their own scientific ranks by hounding many of their best scientists who had fled persecution under the draconian Nazi racial laws. They still retained, however, possibly the ablest nuclear scientist of them all in Werner Heisenberg who set about developing his own programme for nuclear power. British scientists made extensive progress before realising that translating their laboratory results into the vast industrial enterprise required to build a bomb was way beyond the nation's stretched resources. The government agreed to hand over all the UK's research findings to America in return for a share of the spoils. The United States, for its part, was impressed with British results and invested enormous sums of money and resources into what became known as the Manhattan Project in a concerted effort to build a bomb before the end of the war. For much of the war the Soviets showed little enthusiasm for the sort of investment required to build their own bomb. However, with an eye to the future they established an extensive espionage network both in Britain and America. Following the German surrender there was still the problem of Japan, and the race continued to develop a working bomb to accelerate the end of the war, both to save Allied lives and to prevent Soviet expansion into northern China and the Japanese mainland. It was a race that the Unites States won. It was also a race that ushered in a new Cold War.

Read more less

A riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making-from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracyIn the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency-a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil.Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation's highest office.Reflecting on the presidency, he offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of both the awesome reach and the limits of presidential power, as well as singular insights into the dynamics of U.S. partisan politics and international diplomacy. Obama brings readers inside the Oval Office and the White House Situation Room, and to Moscow, Cairo, Beijing, and points beyond. We are privy to his thoughts as he assembles his cabinet, wrestles with a global financial crisis, takes the measure of Vladimir Putin, overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds to secure passage of the Affordable Care Act, clashes with generals about U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, tackles Wall Street reform, responds to the devastating Deepwater Horizon blowout, and authorizes Operation Neptune's Spear, which leads to the death of Osama bin Laden.A Promised Land is extraordinarily intimate and introspective-the story of one man's bet with history, the faith of a community organizer tested on the world stage. Obama is candid about the balancing act of running for office as a Black American, bearing the expectations of a generation buoyed by messages of "hope and change," and meeting the moral challenges of high-stakes decision-making. He is frank about the forces that opposed him at home and abroad, open about how living in the White House affected his wife and daughters, and unafraid to reveal self-doubt and disappointment. Yet he never wavers from his belief that inside the great, ongoing American experiment, progress is always possible.This beautifully written and powerful book captures Barack Obama's conviction that democracy is not a gift from on high but something founded on empathy and common understanding and built together, day by day.

Read more less

"I am delighted to offer my highest praise to Dean Cocking and Jeroen van den Hoven's brilliant new book, Evil Online. The confrontation between good and evil occupies a central place in the challenges facing our human nature, and this creative investigation into the spread of evil by means of all-powerful new technologies raises fundamental questions about our morality and values. Cocking and Van den Hoven's account of the moral fog of evil forces us to face both the demons within each of us as well as the demons all around us. In the end, we are all enriched by their perceptive analyses."—Phil Zimbardo, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Stanford University Principal Investigator, Stanford Prison Experiment "The internet offers new and deeply concerning opportunities for immorality, much of it shocking and extreme. This volume explains with great insight and clarity the corrupting nature of the internet and the moral confusion it has produced. It will play a vital role in the growing debate about how to balance the benefits of the internet against the risks it poses to all of us. Evil Online is an excellent book."—Roger Crisp, Professor of Moral Philosophy, University of Oxford We now live in an era defined by the ubiquity of the internet. From our everyday engagement with social media to trolls on forums and the emergence of the dark web, the internet is a space characterized by unreality, isolation, anonymity, objectification, and rampant self-obsession—the perfect breeding ground for new, unprecedented manifestations of evil. Evil Online is the first comprehensive analysis of evil and moral character in relation to our increasingly online lives. Chapters consider traditional ideas around the phenomenon of evil in moral philosophy and explore how the dawn of the internet has presented unprecedented challenges to older theoretical approaches. Cocking and Van den Hoven propose that a growing sense of moral confusion—moral fog—pushes otherwise ordinary, normal people toward evildoing, and that values basic to moral life such as autonomy, intimacy, trust, and privacy are put at risk by online platforms and new technologies. This new theory of evildoing offers fresh insight into the moral character of the individual, and opens the way for a burgeoning new area of social thought. A comprehensive analysis of an emerging and disturbing social phenomenon, Evil Online examines the morally troubling aspects of the internet in our society. Written not only for academics in the fields of philosophy, psychology, information science, and social science, Evil Online is accessible and compelling reading for anyone interested in understanding the emergence of evil in our digitally-dominated world.

Read more less

A survey of astonishing breadth and penetration. No cognitive neuroscientist should ever conduct an experiment in the domain of the emotions without reading this book, twice. Parashkev Nachev, Institute of Neurology, UCL There is not a slack moment in the whole of this impressive work. With his remarkable facility for making fine distinctions, and his commitment to lucidity, Peter Hacker has subtly characterized those emotions such as pride, shame, envy, jealousy, love or sympathy which make up our all too human nature. This is an important book for philosophers but since most of its illustrative material comes from an astonishing range of British and European literature, it is required reading also for literary scholars, or indeed for anyone with an interest in understanding who and what we are. David Ellis, University of Kent Human beings are all subject to boundless flights of joy and delight, to flashes of anger and fear, to pangs of sadness and grief. We express our emotions in what we do, how we act, and what we say, and we can share our emotions with others and respond sympathetically to their feelings. Emotions are an intrinsic part of the human condition, and any study of human nature must investigate them. In this third volume of a major study in philosophical anthropology which has spanned nearly a decade, one of the most preeminent living philosophers examines and reflects upon the nature of the emotions, advancing the view that novelists, playwrights, and poets – rather than psychologists and cognitive neuroscientists – elaborate the most refined descriptions of their role in human life. In the book’s early chapters, the author analyses the emotions by situating them in relation to other human passions such as affections, appetites, attitudes, and agitations. While presenting a detailed connective analysis of the emotions, Hacker challenges traditional ideas about them and criticizes misconceptions held by philosophers, psychologists, and cognitive neuroscientists. With the help of abundant examples and illustrative quotations from the Western literary canon, later sections investigate, describe, and disentangle the individual emotions – pride, arrogance, and humility; shame, embarrassment, and guilt; envy and jealousy; and anger. The book concludes with an analysis of love, sympathy, and empathy as sources of absolute value and the roots of morality. A masterful contribution, this study of the passions is essential reading for philosophers of mind, psychologists, cognitive neuroscientists, students of Western literature, and general readers interested in understanding the nature of the emotions and their place in our lives.

Read more less

For scientist and layman alike this book provides vivid evidence that the Copernican Revolution has by no means lost its significance today. Few episodes in the development of scientific theory show so clearly how the solution to a highly technical problem can alter our basic thought processes and attitudes. Understanding the processes which underlay the Revolution gives us a perspective, in this scientific age, from which to evaluate our own beliefs more intelligently. With a constant keen awareness of the inseparable mixture of its technical, philosophical, and humanistic elements, Thomas S. Kuhn displays the full scope of the Copernican Revolution as simultaneously an episode in the internal development of astronomy, a critical turning point in the evolution of scientific thought, and a crisis in Western man’s concept of his relation to the universe and to God.The book begins with a description of the first scientific cosmology developed by the Greeks. Mr. Kuhn thus prepares the way for a continuing analysis of the relation between theory and observation and belief. He describes the many functions—astronomical, scientific, and nonscientific—of the Greek concept of the universe, concentrating especially on the religious implications. He then treats the intellectual, social, and economic developments which nurtured Copernicus’ break with traditional astronomy. Although many of these developments, including scholastic criticism of Aristotle’s theory of motion and the Renaissance revival of Neoplatonism, lie entirely outside of astronomy, they increased the flexibility of the astronomer’s imagination. That new flexibility is apparent in the work of Copernicus, whose De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres) is discussed in detail both for its own significance and as a representative scientific innovation.With a final analysis of Copernicus’ life work—its reception and its contribution to a new scientific concept of the universe—Mr. Kuhn illuminates both the researches that finally made the heliocentric arrangement work, and the achievements in physics and metaphysics that made the planetary earth an integral part of Newtonian science. These are the developments that once again provided man with a coherent and self-consistent conception of the universe and of his own place in it.This is a book for any reader interested in the evolution of ideas and, in particular, in the curious interplay of hypothesis and experiment which is the essence of modern science. Says James Bryant Conant in his Foreword: “Professor Kuhn’s handling of the subject merits attention, for…he points the way to the road which must be followed if science is to be assimilated into the culture of our times.”

Read more less

Published in three volumes, this comprehensive reference work brings together in a single source for the first time, a detailed presentation of the most important theoretical concepts and methods for the study of molecules and molecular systems. The logical format of the Handbook allows the reader to progress from the foundations of the field to the most important and exciting areas of current research. Edited and written by an outstanding international team, and containing over 100 articles written by more than 50 contributors, it will be invaluable for both the expert researcher and the graduate student or postdoctoral worker active in any of the broad range of fields where these concepts and methods are important. Comprises three themed volumes: * Fundamentals * Molecular Electronic Structure * Molecules in the Physico-Chemical Environment: Spectroscopy, Dynamics and Bulk Properties * Presents detailed articles covering the key topics, presented in a didactic manner * Focuses both on theory and the relation of experiment to theory Volume 1, Fundamentals presents the foundations of molecular physics and quantum chemistry. It consists of 7 parts arranged as follows:- Part 1 Introduction Part 2 Elements of Quantum Mechanics Part 3 Orbital Models for Atomic, Molecular and Crystal Structure Part 4 Symmetry Groups and Molecular Structure Part 5 Second Quantization and Many-Body Methods Part 6 Approximate Separation of Electronic and Nuclear Motion Part 7 Quantum Electrodynamics of Atoms and Molecules The central problem of molecular physics and quantum chemistry is the description of atomic and molecular electronic structure. The development of appropriate models for the description of the effects of electron correlation and of relativity are key components of the analysis. Volume 2, Molecular Electronic Structure, addresses these topics, and consists of 7 parts arranged as follows: Part 1 Approximation methods Part 2 Orbital Models and Generalized Product Functions Part 3 Electron correlation Part 4 Relativistic molecular electronic structure Part 5 Electronic structure of large molecules Part 6 Computational quantum chemistry Part 7 Visualization and interpretation of molecular electronic structure In reality no molecular system exists in isolation. Molecules interact with other atoms and molecules, and with their environment. Volume 3, Molecules in the Physico-Chemical Environment - Spectroscopy, Dynamics and Bulk Properties, consists of 7 parts arranged as follows:- Part 1 Response theory and propagator methods Part 2 Interactions between molecules Part 3 Molecules in different environments Part 4 Molecular Electronic spectra Part 5 Atomic Spectroscopy and Molecular Vibration-Rotation Spectroscopy Part 6 Molecular dynamics and dynamical processes Part 7 Bulk properties

Read more less

The New York Times bestseller from business journalist Christopher Leonard infiltrates one of America’s most mysterious institutions—the Federal Reserve—to show how its policies spearheaded by Chairman Jerome Powell over the past ten years have accelerated income inequality and put our country’s economic stability at risk.If you asked most people what forces led to today’s unprecedented income inequality and financial crashes, no one would say the Federal Reserve. For most of its history, the Fed has enjoyed the fawning adoration of the press. When the economy grew, it was credited to the Fed. When the economy imploded in 2008, the Fed got credit for rescuing us. But here, for the first time, is the inside story of how the Fed has reshaped the American economy for the worse. It all started on November 3, 2010, when the Fed began a radical intervention called quantitative easing. In just a few short years, the Fed more than quadrupled the money supply with one goal: to encourage banks and other investors to extend more risky debt. Leaders at the Fed knew that they were undertaking a bold experiment that would produce few real jobs, with long-term risks that were hard to measure. But the Fed proceeded anyway…and then found itself trapped. Once it printed all that money, there was no way to withdraw it from circulation. The Fed tried several times, only to see the market start to crash, at which point the Fed turned the money spigot back on. That’s what it did when COVID hit, printing 300 years’ worth of money in a few short months. Which brings us to now: Ten years on, the gap between the rich and poor has grown dramatically, inflation is raging, and the stock market is driven by boom, busts, and bailouts. Middle-class Americans seem stuck in a stage of permanent stagnation, with wage gains wiped out by high prices even as they remain buried under credit card debt, car loan debt, and student debt. Meanwhile, the “too big to fail” banks remain bigger and more powerful than ever while the richest Americans enjoy the gains of a hyper-charged financial system. The Lords of Easy Money “skillfully” (The Wall Street Journal) tells the “fascinating” (The New York Times) tale of how quantitative easing is imperiling the American economy through the story of the one man who tried to warn us. This is the first inside story of how we really got here—and why our economy rests on such unstable ground.

Read more less

'From the founder of OzHarvest, an ebullient, generous memoir with an exhilarating message.' ANNABEL CRABB 'Brimming with energy, altruism and refreshing candour' QUENTIN BRYCE 'The inspiring story of a woman with a big heart who dared to make a difference. This is a must-read book. I couldn't put it down.' ITA BUTTROSE 'Ronni Kahn is a force of nature. She has taught so many of us about the importance of embracing community and compassion through offering and sharing our food to those most vulnerable in our society.' KYLIE KWONG 'You don't get used to living permanently behind the eight ball - no matter how long you've done it, it doesn't get easier. There's a constant sense of shame that eats away at you, making you feel that you're just not good enough. Some people are so poor that they can't even afford to feel shame. Ronni Kahn, through her work with OzHarvest, does the very thing that offers hope to those in the poverty trap: restore dignity and remove shame. This is her story.' JIMMY BARNES Life throws us mysterious ingredients. If we are brave enough to put the recipe aside and experiment, it's right there that things get interesting. As the owner of a successful events company, throwing away huge volumes of leftover food at the end of the day came with the territory. But when Ronni Kahn hit midlife, she found herself no longer able to turn a blind eye to her food waste problem. Hand delivering the untouched food to homeless shelters around Sydney became her renegade solution. Little did she know that fixing her small problem at work would lead her to unlock a hidden purpose at the very core of her inner life. Now founder and CEO of the food rescue organisation OzHarvest, Ronni leads hundreds of staff and thousands of volunteers with the goal to nourish Australia. She serves in an advisory capacity to government and is an instrumental leader in changing federal laws to improve social justice and environmental policies. A Repurposed Life is the story of how Ronni found her voice, her heart and her deepest calling. From her early years growing up under the brutal system of apartheid South Africa, to a socialist commune in Israel, Ronni finally settled in Australia to discover a profound new way of living. Shared with the humour, warmth and energy that have made her an internationally renowned keynote speaker, this heartfelt exploration of the choices that define us will speak to anyone seeking a more passionate expression of being alive.

Read more less

Weekend Makes: Macrame is an inspiring collection of 25 quick-and-easy knotted projects for you and your home. Macrame is one of the most popular craft trends on Instagram right now. With over 5 million posts using #macrame, this versatile textile art is seeing a huge resurgence and it's time to get on board with this craft revival! Macrame can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be, making it ideal for crafters of all abilities. It's incredibly simple to get started as there are no specialist tools required and very few materials. Easy to learn and quick to create, you'll see your macrame design emerging in no time. A collaboration between established macrame artists, the latest title in the Weekend Makes series provides 25 Insta-worthy projects, each one expertly guiding you from start to finish, with the help of clear step-by-step instructions and photography, and providing expert tips and ideas along the way. Start by learning the basic knots and you'll soon unlock a world of macrame designs, from classic 70s plant hangers to modern home furnishings and beautiful braided accessories. Once you've mastered the foundation techniques, you'll gradually expand your repertoire of knots, experiment with different colours and types of cord, and learn how to add embellishments, such as wooden beads and feathers. Projects include: wall hanging, plant hanger, feather lampshade, living wall, bunting, cushion, necklace, cuff bracelet, table runner, wreath, and placemat and coaster set. AUTHOR: Guild of Master Craftsman (GMC) Publications publishes books which are valued by professional craftsmen and women and enjoyed by keen amateurs alike. Our diverse range of titles covers woodworking, DIY, gardening and all manner of craft subjects, from knitting and sewing to jewellery-making, doll's house, upholstery, paper crafts and more. Our authors are experts in their fields and we take care to produce books that are hardworking and practical, as well as beautiful to look at. From guides and how-to books for beginners to technique-packed, project-based titles, we have something for everyone - no matter what your skill or hobby. SELLING POINTS: 25 simple macrame projects for you and your home Projects to suit beginners and more experienced crafters Clear, illustrated step-by-step instructions and detailed notes and tips Projects include: wall hanging, plant hanger, feather lampshade, living wall, bunting, cushion, necklace, cuff bracelet, table runner, wreath, and placemat and coaster set One of the most popular craft trends on Instagram 60 phototgraphs, 50 illustrations

Read more less

'An utterly fascinating book - conversations and human behaviours recorded in real time' Tom Hanks'Fascinating ' Elizabeth Day'A hugely affecting and absorbing read.' The Bookseller'Finally, a book that is proving very therapeutic in these difficult times... Full of doubt, fear, anger and rueful comedy, they give the lie to the idea that the Brits maintained a stiff upper lip, but it's immensely consoling to know that our forebears sometimes thought that they were living through the end times but survived to enjoy better and brighter days.' Jonathan Coe, The Times'With 34 million of us in Tier 3, these Mass Observation diaries have an added fascination: it's impossible to read them without coming across parallels on almost every page, people's characters revealing themselves under wartime restrictions just as they do under Covid ones.' The Times'A great book - such a good read.' Jeremy Vine'Brown's book features an eclectic selection from the wartime years and is full of fascinating and sometimes surprising insights.' Mail on Sunday'Moving and unexpectedly funny, it's these words that may offer comfort.' Woman's Weekly'What extraordinary voices of Britain living through crisis! A brilliant testament to resilience.' Anne Glenconner'A stirring and evocative account of life on the home front. Full of surprises that bring a fascinating perspective on the blitz spirit.' - Deborah Cadbury, author of Chocolate Wars and Princes at War***Throughout the Second World War hundreds of people kept diaries of their private daily lives as part of a groundbreaking national experiment. They were warehousemen and WRENs, soldiers and farmhands, housewives and journalists, united only by a desire to record the history they were living through.For decades their words have been held in the Mass-Observation Archive, a time capsule of ordinary voices that might otherwise have been forgotten. These voices tell the human story behind the iconic events of those six years, of the individuals grappling with a world turned upside down. From panic-buying and competitively digging for victory to extraordinary acts of bravery, Blitz Spirit is a remarkable collection of real wartime experiences that represent the best and worst of human nature in the face of adversity. Resonant, darkly funny and deeply moving, this new collection will reveal what it was like to live through a crisis of unprecedented proportions. A cacophony of hope, cynicism and resilience, Blitz Spirit celebrates ordinary lives - however small - and shines a light on the people we were, and the people we are now.

Read more less

** WINNER OF FORTNUM & MASON BEST COOKBOOK AWARD 2023 **** WINNER Jane Grigson Award 2022 **** Shortlisted IACP Cookbook awards 2023 **A beautiful cookbook that celebrates the wonderfully diverse flavours in Caribbean cooking with over 100 riveting recipes to try. Introducing West Winds - the most-talked about cookbook of 2022 and a joyous celebration of Caribbean cooking, with a special focus on the sensational flavours of Jamaican cuisine. Winner of the Jane Grigson Trust Award 2022, the all-encompassing Caribbean cookbook West Winds introduces everyone, everywhere to the enriching and mouth-watering flavours that Jamaica has to offer.Growing up in London and now living in Berlin, food writer Riaz Phillips is passionate about celebrating the familiar Caribbean food of his childhood while also demystifying new and unknown ingredients for home cooks from around the globe. With 120 traditional and delicious dishes that draw on Riaz's personal memories, West Winds is so much more than a showcase of Jamaican cooking, it is also rooted in the exploration of the island's heritage and culture. Featuring colourful and sun-drenched imagery, and easy-to-follow instructions, the versatility of Jamaican cuisine is apparent.Riaz blends authentic Jamaican ingredients and dishes with popular trends - discover recipes for nose-to-tail and vegan cooking. Why not also recreate popular takeaway food, Oxtail and Butterbean, or feel as though you're on the beach with a Langoustine Soup. This cookbook has everything - main meals, sauces, soups, juices and preserves, bakes and desserts.Explore the riveting recipes of this colourful cookbook to find: -A varied collection of 100 Caribbean easy-to-follow recipes written by Riaz Phillips-Captivating recipe and travel photography-Feature essays which capture the history and culture of the foodDid you know that there has been growing interest in Caribbean food worldwide, with the highest number of searches taking place in Australia, India, Western Europe, and the US. There has also been a strong rise in Caribbean cooking in the UK, which has remained a popular search over the last year. Whilst there are not many Caribbean cookbooks on the market, especially those that include vegan food, baking, and zero-waste dishes, West Winds successfully taps into fashionable food trends such as fakeaways, veganism and baking.So whether you seek connection with your heritage, or you're simply looking to expand your culinary repertoire, take a trip to Jamaica with West Winds, proving the ideal cookbook for those with an interest in Caribbean flavours, cooking and culture, or doubling up as the perfect gift for chefs who are looking to experiment with new flavours. Read it, cook from it, immerse yourself in it and more!

Read more less

2020 James Beard Award Winner With recipes for gumbos and stews—plus okra pickles, tofu, marshmallow, paper, and more! "A love song long overdue. It is anything and everything you wanted to know about this hallmark ingredient."—Michael W. Twitty, author of The Cooking Gene Chris Smith’s first encounter with okra was of the worst kind: slimy fried okra at a greasy-spoon diner. Despite that dismal introduction, Smith developed a fascination with okra, and as he researched the plant and began to experiment with it in his own kitchen, he discovered an amazing range of delicious ways to cook and eat it, along with ingenious and surprising ways to process the plant from tip-to-tail: pods, leaves, flowers, seeds, and stalks. Smith talked okra with chefs, food historians, university researchers, farmers, homesteaders, and gardeners. The summation of his experimentation and research comes together in The Whole Okra, a lighthearted but information-rich collection of okra history, lore, recipes, craft projects, growing advice, and more. The Whole Okra includes classic recipes such as fried okra pods as well as unexpected delights including okra seed pancakes and okra flower vodka. Some of the South’s best-known chefs shared okra recipes with Smith: Okra Soup by culinary historian Michael Twitty, Limpin’ Susan by chef BJ Dennis, Bhindi Masala by chef Meherwan Irani, and Okra Fries by chef Vivian Howard. Okra has practical uses beyond the edible, and Smith also researched the history of okra as a fiber crop for making paper and the uses of okra mucilage (slime) as a preservative, a hydrating face mask, and a primary ingredient in herbalist Katrina Blair’s recipe for Okra Marshmallow Delight. The Whole Okra is foremost a foodie’s book, but Smith also provides practical tips and techniques for home and market gardeners. He gives directions for saving seed for replanting, for a breeding project, or for a stockpile of seed for making okra oil, okra flour, okra tempeh, and more. Smith has grown over 75 varieties of okra, and he describes the nuanced differences in flavor, texture, and color; the best-tasting varieties; and his personal favorites. Smith’s wry humor and seed-to-stem enthusiasm for his subject infuse every chapter with just the right mix of fabulous recipes and culinary tips, unique projects, and fun facts about this vagabond vegetable with enormous potential. "If you are an okra lover, this book is an affirmation, filled with interesting stories and great ideas for using pods, flowers, and more. If you are not yet an okra lover, Chris Smith’s enthusiasm may well convert you."—Sandor Ellix Katz, author of The Art of Fermentation

Read more less

"I am delighted to offer my highest praise to Dean Cocking and Jeroen van den Hoven's brilliant new book, Evil Online. The confrontation between good and evil occupies a central place in the challenges facing our human nature, and this creative investigation into the spread of evil by means of all-powerful new technologies raises fundamental questions about our morality and values. Cocking and Van den Hoven's account of the moral fog of evil forces us to face both the demons within each of us as well as the demons all around us. In the end, we are all enriched by their perceptive analyses."—Phil Zimbardo, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Stanford University Principal Investigator, Stanford Prison Experiment "The internet offers new and deeply concerning opportunities for immorality, much of it shocking and extreme. This volume explains with great insight and clarity the corrupting nature of the internet and the moral confusion it has produced. It will play a vital role in the growing debate about how to balance the benefits of the internet against the risks it poses to all of us. Evil Online is an excellent book."—Roger Crisp, Professor of Moral Philosophy, University of Oxford We now live in an era defined by the ubiquity of the internet. From our everyday engagement with social media to trolls on forums and the emergence of the dark web, the internet is a space characterized by unreality, isolation, anonymity, objectification, and rampant self-obsession—the perfect breeding ground for new, unprecedented manifestations of evil. Evil Online is the first comprehensive analysis of evil and moral character in relation to our increasingly online lives. Chapters consider traditional ideas around the phenomenon of evil in moral philosophy and explore how the dawn of the internet has presented unprecedented challenges to older theoretical approaches. Cocking and Van den Hoven propose that a growing sense of moral confusion—moral fog—pushes otherwise ordinary, normal people toward evildoing, and that values basic to moral life such as autonomy, intimacy, trust, and privacy are put at risk by online platforms and new technologies. This new theory of evildoing offers fresh insight into the moral character of the individual, and opens the way for a burgeoning new area of social thought. A comprehensive analysis of an emerging and disturbing social phenomenon, Evil Online examines the morally troubling aspects of the internet in our society. Written not only for academics in the fields of philosophy, psychology, information science, and social science, Evil Online is accessible and compelling reading for anyone interested in understanding the emergence of evil in our digitally-dominated world.

Read more less

A survey of astonishing breadth and penetration. No cognitive neuroscientist should ever conduct an experiment in the domain of the emotions without reading this book, twice. Parashkev Nachev, Institute of Neurology, UCL There is not a slack moment in the whole of this impressive work. With his remarkable facility for making fine distinctions, and his commitment to lucidity, Peter Hacker has subtly characterized those emotions such as pride, shame, envy, jealousy, love or sympathy which make up our all too human nature. This is an important book for philosophers but since most of its illustrative material comes from an astonishing range of British and European literature, it is required reading also for literary scholars, or indeed for anyone with an interest in understanding who and what we are. David Ellis, University of Kent Human beings are all subject to boundless flights of joy and delight, to flashes of anger and fear, to pangs of sadness and grief. We express our emotions in what we do, how we act, and what we say, and we can share our emotions with others and respond sympathetically to their feelings. Emotions are an intrinsic part of the human condition, and any study of human nature must investigate them. In this third volume of a major study in philosophical anthropology which has spanned nearly a decade, one of the most preeminent living philosophers examines and reflects upon the nature of the emotions, advancing the view that novelists, playwrights, and poets – rather than psychologists and cognitive neuroscientists – elaborate the most refined descriptions of their role in human life. In the book’s early chapters, the author analyses the emotions by situating them in relation to other human passions such as affections, appetites, attitudes, and agitations. While presenting a detailed connective analysis of the emotions, Hacker challenges traditional ideas about them and criticizes misconceptions held by philosophers, psychologists, and cognitive neuroscientists. With the help of abundant examples and illustrative quotations from the Western literary canon, later sections investigate, describe, and disentangle the individual emotions – pride, arrogance, and humility; shame, embarrassment, and guilt; envy and jealousy; and anger. The book concludes with an analysis of love, sympathy, and empathy as sources of absolute value and the roots of morality. A masterful contribution, this study of the passions is essential reading for philosophers of mind, psychologists, cognitive neuroscientists, students of Western literature, and general readers interested in understanding the nature of the emotions and their place in our lives.

Read more less

Transform your dishes from bland and boring to punchy and flavorsome with this definitive guide to spices.It’s time to spice up your home cooking!Taking the periodic table of spices as a starting point, this adventurous recipe book explores the science behind the art of making incredible spice blends to help you release the flavor in your dishes. Discover a spice book like no other from TV personality, food scientist and bestselling author, Dr Stuart Farrimond. Sure to get your tastebuds tingling, you can explore: - 52 exciting recipes from around the world which showcase each spice blend- An explanation of what spices are and how they're produced- Which countries favor which spices and a bit of the history behind it- Dozens of spice blends you can make and what you can use it for- A reference guide where you can conveniently look up each spice to understand how to use it- Various color-coded charts to help you learn the chemical compound that make up the flavors- Instructions on how to design your own spice blends- Beautiful photographs of spices and foodGreat cooking goes beyond following a recipe - it's knowing how to use the right combination of spices and herbs to get the greatest possible flavor from your dishes. From learning how the flavor compounds within spices work together to exploring the world's top spices, this is the perfect cookbook for curious cooks and adventurous foodies. Whether you’re a fan of spice seeking to experiment with new flavor combinations, or simply a beginner-level home cook looking to advance your knowledge on all things spice related, this is a must-have volume also doubling up as a great coffee table book for the whole family to love.If you've ever wondered why some spices taste stronger than others or how to make your own personal garam masala, The Science of Spice has all the answers! Discover how to use spices for cooking to become more creative in the kitchen, and explore the multiple ways that spices can endlessly heighten your eating experience.At DK, we believe in the power of discovery. So why stop there? This series from DK is designed to help you perfect your cooking with practical instruction - and the science behind it. There are more cookbooks to discover from The Science of... series giving you the essentials to cook up a storm! Find the answers to your everyday cooking questions and get more out of your recipes with The Science of Cooking, paired together they make the ideal cookery gifts for your food-loving friends too!

Read more less

Bursting with 11 exciting, easy-peasy recipes, little chefs explore and discover the wonderful world of everyday science and food with all their senses.Perfect for ages 3–6, this delightful nonfiction kids cooking book introduces preschool and early elementary school children to basic culinary science and cooking activities.A truly terrific book for any young child who is interested in helping in the kitchen! It is full of colorful illustrations, recipes, fun facts, and scientific principles about food and nutrition. It is teeming with tasty ideas and fun hands-on learning experiences that will get children playing, discovering everyday science, and cooking up a storm. Look I'm A Cook is full of tasty recipes that provide a great variety of fun, healthy, kid-friendly foods, made with ingredients you probably have on hand. These 11 activities are easy to prepare, set up, and create. The visual step-by-step instructions and a charming design make it the perfect activity book for parents and their little ones to enjoy together. From guacamole to ice pops, to chocolate pears; kids can pour it, mix it, and taste it. Each recipe becomes an ever-so-exciting experiment (we have it under good authority that anyone will find the crunchy Vegetable Stick Train irresistibly adorable - and it goes really well with the homemade guacamole).Get Ready To Find Your Inner Chef!You were born with everything you need to be an awesome cook - a brilliant brain and amazing senses! Get ready to touch, smell, see, hear, and taste your way to fabulous food in this cookbook for kids. Find out how to make an exciting salad train, which makes the greenest guacamole, why bread is full of bubbles and much, much more!Full of cooking ideas for kids like: - Sunshine strawberries- Mini meringue mountains- Brilliant bread- Chocolate pears- And much, much more!DK's Look! I'm Learning series of exciting and educational STEM books focus on the sensory experience of practical learning and play and finds the science in everyday activities. Hands-on learning experiences tap straight into kids' insatiable curiosity and sense of wonder. These books for children are perfect for ages 3–6 as they are formatted with a padded cover and toddler-tough pages. The series encourages children to develop independence and improves their critical thinking, investigation skills, and motor skills. Try the other titles in the series next, including Look I'm A Scientist, Look I'm A Mathematician, and Look I'm An Engineer.

Read more less

The Number One Sunday Times Bestseller and one of Barack Obama’s Favorite Books of 2022.From Hanya Yanagihara, author of the modern classic A Little Life, To Paradise is a bold, brilliant novel spanning three centuries and three different versions of the American experiment, about lovers, family, loss and the elusive promise of utopia.'Three stories far apart in space and time but each unique in their power to summon the joy and complexity of love, the pain of loss . . . It’s rare that you get the opportunity to review a masterpiece, but To Paradise, definitively, is one.' – The Observer'Awe-inspiring . . . The characters are so well drawn and the plot so well paced, I couldn’t put it down.' – Daily TelegraphIn an alternate version of 1893 America, New York is part of the Free States, where people may live and love whomever they please (or so it seems). The fragile young scion of a distinguished family resists betrothal to a worthy suitor, drawn to a charming music teacher of no means. In a 1993 Manhattan besieged by the AIDS epidemic, a young Hawaiian man lives with his much older, wealthier partner, hiding his troubled childhood and the fate of his father. And in 2093, in a world riven by plagues and governed by totalitarian rule, a powerful scientist’s damaged granddaughter tries to navigate life without him – and solve the mystery of her husband’s disappearances.These three sections are joined in an enthralling and ingenious symphony, as recurring notes and themes deepen and enrich one another: A townhouse in Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village; illness, and treatments that come at a terrible cost; wealth and squalor; the weak and the strong; race; the definition of family, and of nationhood; the dangerous righteousness of the powerful, and of revolutionaries; the longing to find a place in an earthly paradise, and the gradual realization that it can’t exist. What unites not just the characters, but these Americas, are their reckonings with the qualities that make us human: Fear. Love. Shame. Need. Loneliness.To Paradise is a fin-de-siecle novel of marvellous literary effect, but above all it is a work of emotional genius. The power of this novel is driven by Yanagihara’s understanding of the aching desire to protect those we love – partners, lovers, children, friends, family and even our fellow citizens – and the pain that ensues when we cannot.'This magisterial follow-up to A Little Life offers three books in one . . . Yanagihara weighs up damage and privilege - social, emotional, political, colonial in a gripping, immersive ride through alternative Americas.' – The Guardian 'Best Reads For Summer'

Read more less

"Larson's elegantly written dual biography reveals that the partnership of Franklin and Washington was indispensable to the success of the Revolution." —Gordon S. Wood From the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian comes a masterful, first-of-its-kind dual biography of Benjamin Franklin and George Washington, illuminating their partnership's enduring importance. NATIONAL BESTSELLER • One of Washington Post's "10 Books to Read in February" • One of USA Today’s “Must-Read Books" of Winter 2020 • One of Publishers Weekly's "Top Ten" Spring 2020 Memoirs/BiographiesTheirs was a three-decade-long bond that, more than any other pairing, would forge the United States. Vastly different men, Benjamin Franklin—an abolitionist freethinker from the urban north—and George Washington—a slavehold­ing general from the agrarian south—were the indispensable authors of American independence and the two key partners in the attempt to craft a more perfect union at the Constitutional Convention, held in Franklin’s Philadelphia and presided over by Washington. And yet their teamwork has been little remarked upon in the centuries since.Illuminating Franklin and Washington’s relationship with striking new detail and energy, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Edward J. Larson shows that theirs was truly an intimate working friendship that amplified the talents of each for collective advancement of the American project.After long sup­porting British rule, both Franklin and Washington became key early proponents of inde­pendence. Their friendship gained historical significance during the American Revolution, when Franklin led America’s diplomatic mission in Europe (securing money and an alliance with France) and Washington commanded the Continental Army. Victory required both of these efforts to succeed, and success, in turn, required their mutual coordination and cooperation. In the 1780s, the two sought to strengthen the union, leading to the framing and ratification of the Constitution, the founding document that bears their stamp.Franklin and Washington—the two most revered figures in the early republic—staked their lives and fortunes on the American experiment in liberty and were committed to its preservation. Today the United States is the world’s great super­power, and yet we also wrestle with the government Franklin and Washington created more than two centuries ago—the power of the executive branch, the principle of checks and balances, the electoral college—as well as the wounds of their compromise over slavery. Now, as the founding institutions appear under new stress, it is time to understand their origins through the fresh lens of Larson’s Franklin & Washington, a major addition to the literature of the founding era.

Read more less

The service of African-American soldiers during the Civil War is one of that conflict’s most stirring, if still not completely understood, aspects. In this comprehensive account—from recruitment into combat, and covering all the military, political, and social aspects of this story—John D. Warner recounts the history of the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment, the only Black cavalry regiment raised in the North during the war.After Massachusetts made history with the 54th and 55th Infantry Regiments, its governor wanted to continue the experiment of training African-Americans as Union fighting men, this time as cavalry. Where the infantry regiments recruited largely free Blacks from the North, the 5th focused on escaped slaves who it was believed would be better horsemen. (But not solely: the regiment’s members included a son of Frederick Douglass and, interestingly, several Hawaiian islanders.) This gave the regiment a sharper edge: not only would the former slaves be fighting for themselves, but they would be fighting to liberate loved ones still enslaved. The 5th’s officers were drawn from Boston’s abolitionist elite, including Charles Francis Adams Jr., great-grandson and grandson of U.S. presidents, son of the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom. In the spring of 1864, the regiment journeyed south and fought in Grant’s siege of Petersburg, where it joined attacks that nearly took the city in June. The 5th was then abruptly sent to Maryland to guard Confederate prisoners of war, until Col. Charles Francis Adams advocated for, and was granted, a return to combat duty. As part of the mostly Black XXV Corps, the cavalrymen found themselves at the vanguard of the Union army as it captured Richmond. On April 3, 1865, the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry Regiment was among the first units to enter the burning Confederate capital, at once a hellscape of destruction and a heaven for liberated slaves. Denied the rapid demobilization granted white regiments, the 5th ended the war in Texas on the Mexican border. In the spirit of the book One Gallant Rush and the movie Glory, Riders in the Storm covers—uncovers and indeed recovers—the story of the African-American cavalrymen of the 5th Massachusetts. Author John Warner has literal fingertip command of the primary sources, and after spending two decades researching letters, diaries, reports, newspapers, and more, he tells a story of resilience in the face of adversity, one that will resonate not just during the present moment of reckoning with race in the United States, but in the annals of American history for all time.

Read more less

Working in rural China is unlike other countryside: it is full of contradiction, neither rural nor urban, both traditional and modern, abandoned in some areas and yet others are becoming cities overnight. It is in fact a laboratory for new ways of living. And it has become our laboratory for new ways of making architecture. Whereas contemporary architecture since the advent of modernism has developed increasingly controlled, prototypical, and standardised mechanisms for building, our experiments embrace the opposite: a lack of control, taking place within the flux of political, social and economic uncertainties. The experiments presented here are examples taken from a series of design and build projects conducted from the Department of Architecture at the University of Hong Kong over the past 10 years. They are remarkable in their diffuse explorations and situations. Some were urgent post-earthquake reconstructions, often adapting to extreme topographies or taking place in the midst of major urbanising transformations, whereas other experiments occurred in forgotten villages with left-behind craftspeople and their disappearing building cultures. These forays and what can be best described as adventures in building, left us with varied and novel (sometimes failed) experiments with structure and program. But they are presented here for the trait they have in common: an exploration of the limits of material, geometry, construction methods, and even historical context. The diversity manifested in this collection of projects is a direct reflection of the incredible diversity of climates, locations, and conditions that underlie the ongoing Chinese urbanisation experiment. The focus here is not on the what but the how, as each project engages with its own set of limiting factors or unideal conditions. They are stories of design, overcoming and even embracing adverse situations in order to discover some hidden advantage. Each chapter explores a different attempt to revert seemingly challenging limitations (particularly those which the architect cannot exert control over) and turn these into novel building approaches. As often occurs for architects working in a foreign landscape, the differences in language and culture have proven to be a source of constant miscommunication and surprising discovery. The lack of a common spoken language—these remote areas speak their own dialects—has placed an emphasis on drawing as another means of communication. Through drawing we have explored a means of design and a means of building. Therefore, this is also a book about ways of drawing that represent ways of control and, inversely perhaps, what not to control.

Read more less

Full of tasty and filling recipes, The Vegetarian Cookbook serves up 50 delicious dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack time.Ethical meals and sustainable living have become hot topics in our modern day society, but transitioning into the leafy lifestyle can prove challenging for children and adults alike! That's why you need inspirational ideas and riveting recipes to ease the transition! Introducing The Vegetarian Cookbook, jam-packed with delicious vegetarian recipes that are sure to have everyone asking for seconds!Each recipe is carefully curated by an expert author and an experienced nutritionist on board to check there's a balance of vitamins, minerals, protein, and carbs throughout the book. So whether you have a fun-filled family plan to try veganuary this New Year, or you simply wish to minimise your meat consumption, this no-fuss vegetarian cookbook is the perfect start to a nourishing plant-based diet. Dive straight in to discover:-50 delicious vegetarian recipes for every meal time including snacks -Food fact files and top tips throughout the book on how to achieve a balanced diet-Expert advice ensuring every nutritional need is covered for growing young minds and bodiesThis vegetarian diet book will encourage parents and children alike to eat plants while minimising meat consumption, proving to be a wonderful resource for healthy cooking ideas that will inspire the whole family to make more socially responsible meal choices. We understand that giving up meat can be difficult, that's why this vegetarian cookbook helps to ease the transition and will inspire you to create the most delicious meat-free meals! With riveting recipe ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, as well as desserts and low-calorie snacks, this easy vegetarian recipe book provides all the information you need to make satisfying meals minus the meat! It also shows you the nutritional value of different ingredients to help you create the perfect plant-based plate and provide growing bodies and minds with the essential nutrients they need!The pre-teen and teenager categories are often forgotten from cookbooks, but this all-encompassing veggie cookbook fills that gap by suggesting foods that will help with concentration, developing hormones, and overall mental well-being, all with easily-accessible vegetarian ingredients straight from your fridge! Proving the perfect vegetarian gift for the plant-based foodie in your life or budding young cooks looking to experiment with vegetarian cooking for the first time.At DK we believe in the power of discovery. So why not explore this beautifully illustrated clean-eating cookbook, and cook up a storm with these fresh, simple and nutritious vegetarian recipes!

Read more less

Compared to the Puritans, Mormons have rarely gotten their due, treated as fringe cultists at best or marginalized as polygamists unworthy of serious examination at worst. In Kingdom of Nauvoo, the historian Benjamin E. Park excavates the brief life of a lost Mormon city, and in the process demonstrates that the Mormons are, in fact, essential to understanding American history writ large. Drawing on newly available sources from the LDS Church—sources that had been kept unseen in Church archives for 150 years—Park recreates one of the most dramatic episodes of the 19th century frontier. Founded in Western Illinois in 1839 by the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith and his followers, Nauvoo initially served as a haven from mob attacks the Mormons had endured in neighboring Missouri, where, in one incident, seventeen men, women, and children were massacred, and where the governor declared that all Mormons should be exterminated. In the relative safety of Nauvoo, situated on a hill and protected on three sides by the Mississippi River, the industrious Mormons quickly built a religious empire; at its peak, the city surpassed Chicago in population, with more than 12,000 inhabitants. The Mormons founded their own army, with Smith as its general; established their own courts; and went so far as to write their own constitution, in which they declared that there could be no separation of church and state, and that the world was to be ruled by Mormon priests. This experiment in religious utopia, however, began to unravel when gentiles in the countryside around Nauvoo heard rumors of a new Mormon marital practice. More than any previous work, Kingdom of Nauvoo pieces together the haphazard and surprising emergence of Mormon polygamy, and reveals that most Mormons were not participants themselves, though they too heard the rumors, which said that Joseph Smith and other married Church officials had been “sealed” to multiple women. Evidence of polygamy soon became undeniable, and non-Mormons reacted with horror, as did many Mormons—including Joseph Smith’s first wife, Emma Smith, a strong-willed woman who resisted the strictures of her deeply patriarchal community and attempted to save her Church, and family, even when it meant opposing her husband and prophet. A raucous, violent, character-driven story, Kingdom of Nauvoo raises many of the central questions of American history, and even serves as a parable for the American present. How far does religious freedom extend? Can religious and other minority groups survive in a democracy where the majority dictates the law of the land? The Mormons of Nauvoo, who initially believed in the promise of American democracy, would become its strongest critics. Throughout his absorbing chronicle, Park shows the many ways in which the Mormons were representative of their era, and in doing so elevates nineteenth century Mormon history into the American mainstream.

Read more less

As urban growth outstrips water supplies, how can the global challenge of providing "liquid gold" be met? Mixing history and policy analysis, Steven Erie tells the compelling story of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD)—one of the world's largest and most important public water agencies—and its role in building the world's 8th largest economy in a semi-desert. No tawdry tale of secret backroom conspiracies—as depicted in the famed film noir Chinatown—this fresh telling concerns an unheralded regional institution, its entrepreneurial public leadership, and pioneering policymaking. Using untapped primary sources, the author re-examines this great regional experiment from its obscure 1920s-era origins, through the Colorado River Aqueduct and State Water Projects, to today's daunting mission of drought management, water quality, environmental stewardship, and post-9/11 supply security. A key focus is MWD's navigation of recent epic water battles: San Diego's combative quest for water independence from MWD and L.A.; lingering conflicts over the Colorado River and northern California's fragile Bay-Delta ecosystem; and the myriad challenges posed by water markets, privatization, and water transfers. Facing unprecedented challenges, MWD is devising innovative formulas to sustain this improbable desert civilization. Beyond Chinatown concludes by considering MWD's Integrated Resources Plan as a global model for water-resources planning and management, water supply diversification and reliability, affordability, and environmental sustainability. Chinatown's seductive mythologies have obscured MWD's authentic, instructive history and lessons. Praise for Steve Erie's previous book, Globalizing L.A.: "This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the politics of Western cities, the politics of urban development, and especially the future politics of cities that are likely to be contenders in the increasingly competitive arena of global trade. . . . Erie's analysis will forever direct us to look first at certain public agencies to begin to understand larger patterns of economic growth in any metropolitan area."—Journal of Urban Affairs "[A] fascinating history of the Los Angeles region's great assets and the forces that drove their development. . . . One hundred years ago, it was improbable that the Los Angeles region would become the 10th largest economy in the world. In Globalizing L.A., Erie explains how that happened and then, fingers crossed, offers lessons on how California's largest and most diverse city and region can keep playing a leading role."—Los Angeles Times "Referencing an impressive body of recent academic research, Erie argues that world-class seaport and airport facilities confer substantial economic advantages and more facilitating links between local businesses and the global economy."—The Sacramento Bee "Erie has built a potent political-economy of urban development that recognizes the crucial role of the public sector in mediating globalizing processes . . . and this is a valuable lesson for academics, dockworkers, community developers, and environmental activists alike."—Economic Geography

Read more less

Artist, columnist, and poet Gertrude McCarty Smith (1923–2007) of Collins, Mississippi, carried herself as a demure and proper southern lady, yet this was deceiving as she was a prolific, creative trailblazer who had collectors and dedicated readers from coast to coast, and even in Europe. She grew up during the Great Depression with only some vivid storytelling and pictures from the family Bible to inspire and kindle her artistic spirit. However, at the age of ten, her career launched when her grandmother coaxed her with a box of crayons to milk the family cow—her seventy-year love affair with the arts was born. Over the years, she would express her creativity in many forms, resulting in thousands of paintings, sculptures, songs, poems, and newspaper columns and along the way a variety of artful cakes, as she ran a celebrated twenty-five-year cake business. Her art appeared in all shapes, sizes, materials, and "eatability."For most of her early career, Gertrude dabbled with a variety of styles—with subjects mostly centered around life in rural Mississippi and her spiritual life. But in 1980 at the age of fifty-seven, she attended her first Mississippi Art Colony at Camp Jacob in Utica. Over the next fifteen years, she would make her pilgrimage twice a year to be inspired by celebrated guest instructors from around the nation and connect with fellow artists. The Colony was a major catalyst, exposing her to new styles, giving her encouragement and freedom to experiment. Gertrude said of the Colony, "I never knew anything about abstract art, but it fascinated me to no end. Abstract art to me is like a beautiful melody without words. In mixed media, I am in another world and often am surprised at the piece that evolves from the torn watercolor papers. The effect is a kaleidoscope of colors that makes the retinas dance."This book features more than 150 images, a dozen poems, insightful essays from New York art dealer Stephen Rosenberg, acclaimed southern cultural scholar and curator Pat Pinson, and artist, curator, and instructor Rick Wilemon, along with a foreword by Tommy King, president of William Carey University, and a chronicle of her life’s journey by her son-in-law, Thomas R. Brooks.As Rosenberg has said, "Gertrude Smith is a remarkable and authentic American woman who teaches us that talent and creativity combined with a humanistic spirit is both a state of mind and a state of grace—at any age."Book proceeds will benefit the Gertrude McCarty Smith Foundation for the Arts to bring access and passion for literature, performance, and visual arts to children in underserved communities throughout Mississippi.

Read more less

Technology offers coaches new horizons and a chance to connect with clients with new techniques. This book addresses these opportunities as well as the dilemmas and difficult questions that are part of the new landscape. What will happen when a big coaching platform is hacked? Will coaches ever be replaced by robots? Or perhaps, when will coaches be replaced by robots? As digital tools become increasingly enmeshed in our world, it is essential for coaches to use technology wisely, to build rapport and operate effectively. With the support of this book, coaches can use technology to enhance their practice and feel confident when working with clients. By breaking coaching technology down to its foundational principles, this book equips coaches to enrich their practice by proactively identifying its benefits, while protecting themselves and their clients from its threats. A coach reading this book will:•Unearth the truth behind the glossy veneer of technology, to discover what makes it work and why•Explore the capabilities of technology to disrupt coaching, and discover what to do to optimise its use•Develop an understanding of the sorts of technology available to enhance coaching practice at strategic and tactical levels•Experiment with futurology, constructing a plan to preserve the profession of coaching"The future lies in coach-AI partnerships — using the strengths of both to provide even better client support. This book is perfectly timed to support coaches in making the transition to such partnerships."David Clutterbuck, Special Ambassador, European Mentoring and Coaching Council"Sam has written a thoughtful and engaging book that will help coaches of any technical ability to navigate the digital world."Christine Bakewell, Board Member for Technology Thought Leadership UK ICF, IT Consultant and Leadership Coach"A must read if you are a coach or people leader that wants to explore what is possible when coaching with tech. It made me truly consider how technology could help democratise coaching. Eye opening stuff!"Liz Rochester, Director and Owner of Liz Rochester & Associates Ltd, Voluntary UK Chapter President for the International Coaching Federation 2021"What the book does admirably is to provide an entertaining, enlightening, thought-provoking and practically useful overview of where we are with ‘coachtech’, and where we’re likely to go with it, should we be open to the possibilities it offers." James Bridgeman, Co-Editor, Coaching Perspectives magazineWith a background in technology assurance, Sam Isaacson now leads Grant Thornton’s coaching services and is active with the coaching professional bodies. He has advised a range of organisations, from local charities through to global companies and government bodies. Sam led the introduction of the UK’s new Coaching Professional apprenticeship and is the first person to have coached a client in virtual reality.

Read more less

THE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making-from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy.'Gorgeously written, humorous, compelling, life affirming' Justin Webb, Mail on SundayIn the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency-a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil.Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation's highest office.Reflecting on the presidency, he offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of both the awesome reach and the limits of presidential power, as well as singular insights into the dynamics of U.S. partisan politics and international diplomacy. Obama brings readers inside the Oval Office and the White House Situation Room, and to Moscow, Cairo, Beijing, and points beyond. We are privy to his thoughts as he assembles his cabinet, wrestles with a global financial crisis, takes the measure of Vladimir Putin, overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds to secure passage of the Affordable Care Act, clashes with generals about U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, tackles Wall Street reform, responds to the devastating Deepwater Horizon blowout, and authorizes Operation Neptune's Spear, which leads to the death of Osama bin Laden.A Promised Land is extraordinarily intimate and introspective-the story of one man's bet with history, the faith of a community organizer tested on the world stage. Obama is candid about the balancing act of running for office as a Black American, bearing the expectations of a generation buoyed by messages of "hope and change," and meeting the moral challenges of high-stakes decision-making. He is frank about the forces that opposed him at home and abroad, open about how living in the White House affected his wife and daughters, and unafraid to reveal self-doubt and disappointment. Yet he never wavers from his belief that inside the great, ongoing American experiment, progress is always possible.This beautifully written and powerful book captures Barack Obama's conviction that democracy is not a gift from on high but something founded on empathy and common understanding and built together, day by day.'What is unexpected in A Promised Land is the former president's candour' David Olusoga, Observer*One of Goodreads Most Popular Books of the Past Decade*

Read more less

"A must-read for engineers and solution architects who work with streams on a regular basis." - Damian Esteban Every action by a user or a system process generates valuable data for your application or organization. Streaming systems capture and process these events, turning disconnected bits into coherent, useful information sources. Grokking Streaming Systems is a simple guide to the complex concepts you need to start building your own streaming systems. In this friendly, framework-agnostic tutorial, you'll learn how to handle real-time events and how to design and implement a system that's a perfect fit for your needs. Each new idea is carefully explained with diagrams, clear examples, and fun dialogue between perplexed personalities! about the technologyMany modern organizations rely on real-time event data to ensure top performance. In its raw state, most event data is unfiltered and hard to analyze. Streaming systems address this problem by processing event data so it can be used to create alerts, analysis dashboards, and automated responses, and to trigger other actions within a system. From live financial information to monitoring for signs of a DDoS attack and blocking rogue agents, streaming systems provide a big boost to the health, security, and flexibility of your applications. about the bookGrokking Streaming Systems helps you unravel what streaming systems are, how they work, and whether they're right for your business. Written to be tool-agnostic, you'll be able to apply what you learn no matter which framework you choose. You'll start with the key concepts and then work your way through increasingly complex examples, including tracking a real-time count of IoT sensor events and detecting fraudulent credit card transactions in real-time. You'll even be able to easily experiment with your own streaming system, by downloading the custom-built and super-simplified streaming framework designed for this book. By the time you're done, you'll be able to easily assess the capabilities of streaming frameworks, and solve common challenges that arise when building streaming systems. what's inside- Implement and troubleshoot streaming systems- Design streaming systems for complex functionalities- Assess parallelization requirements- Spot networking bottlenecks and resolve back pressures- Group data for high-performance systems- Handle delayed events in real-time systems about the readerFor readers interested in data processing. Examples in Java. about the authorJosh Fischer and Ning Wang are both Apache Committers, and part of the project management committee for the Apache Heron distributed stream processing engine. Josh is a software engineer at Scotcro and has worked with moving large datasets in real time for organizations such as 1904labs and Bayer. Ning is a software engineer at Amplitude building real-time data pipelines. He was a key contributor of Apache Heron in Twitter's Real-time Compute team.

Read more less

In this readable book, Zvi Levy, Hadassim’s Director, provides a careful account of how, over time, he and others have shaped a community to foster health, identity, and competence in distressed young people. Canadian WIZO (Women’s International Zionist Organization) Hadassim is a thriving youth village in Israel that is home for 500 young people and a day educational program for an additional 1,000. Negotiating Positive Identity in a Residential Group Care Community illustrates the organizational expression of a developmental idea, in this case Erik Erikson’s identity development theory, to show how an environment can be created to cope with disrupted development processes among children and adolescents. The book describes an ongoing experiment that started fifteen years ago and has since been recognized as an outstanding success. The basic information and ideas expressed by Levy can be used to improve the effectiveness of any framework through which adolescents pass during the stages of development, including schools, community centers, and normal families. Some of the main topics discussed in this volume are: principles for running a multicultural facility organization of the daily life of a large residential setting major parameters in a residential setting as derived from the theories of Erik Erikson on adolescence as a developmental stage comprehensive care for youth in transition and adolescents suffering from aggravated identity crisesAll child and youth care workers and program administrators can learn much from Levy’s account of Hadassim. Negotiating Positive Identity in a Residential Group Care Community will be disturbing to many who adhere to the current tenets of good management and child care practice; readers need to be prepared to have many assumptions and beliefs challenged. The book emphasizes the distress of immigrant and troubled urban youth as an aggravated identity crisis, the cause of which needs to be treated before the symptom. This volume is of interest to theoreticians, practitioners, and policymakers in the fields of education, child and youth care, and developmental psychology, as well as scholars in Erikson’s theories. It is also useful in courses which study education in Israel or that seek solutions to problems such as homeless youth in the Third World.Negotiating Positive Identity in a Residential Group Care Community stresses that: The answer to deprivation is not the provision of efficient services, but an environment and an approach that encourages adolescents to see themselves as active participants and not as patients or passive inmates. Residential settings for children and adolescents can successfully handle large numbers and, in fact, larger numbers can offer some definite advantages. The best way to help children develop into autonomous adults is to give them responsibility for their own choices within the framework of a goal-oriented community.

Read more less

From the stone blade and the fire stick to the latest algorithms of genetic code, we shape our world through the act of design. With its roots in the Renaissance notion disegno, design is the ability not only to make something, but also to conceive of its invention and reflect on its meaning. Whether we valorise it as the democratisation of design or critique it as the perversion of the commodity fetish, designed things are now ubiquitous. Not only things but entire systems must now be designed and objects reconceived and redesigned as mere moments in unfathomably complex ecological flows. The planet itself, and even space beyond, is now presented as a design problem. What does landscape architecture bring to the broader culture of design? What lessons can be learned from other disciplines at the cutting edge of design? What role does design play in a time of transformative technological change? In LA+ Design we move beyond the designed outcome to explore the myths, methods, meanings, and futures of design. Engineer and physicist Adrian Bejan outlines his constructal theory, which predicts natural design and its evolution in engineering, scientific, and social systems. Design researchers Craig Bremner + Paul Rodgers take us through an A Z of design ecology. Architects Lizzie Yarina + Claudia Bode open our eyes to new ways of seeing things through subject-object relations. Jenni Zell explores life as a woman landscape architect through a Kafkaesque lens. Daniel Pittman interviews MoMA's curator of architecture and design, Paola Antonelli. Architect David Salomon explores methods of using data as both fact and fiction. Christopher Marcinkoski interviews Anthony Dunne + Fiona Raby (Dunne + Raby) to discuss how their practice continuously redefines the role of design in society. Thomas Oles challenges stereotypes of landscape architecture s professional identity. Richard Weller discusses the terrarium as the ultimate design experiment. Dane Carlson goes deep into the culture of Nepal s hinterlands to explore new modes and geographies for landscape architecture beyond the first world. Through LA's signage, anthropologist Keith Murphy shows how different groups of people interact with and give meaning to the landscapes they inhabit. Interviewed by Colin Curley, architect Andrés Jaque (Office for Political Innovation) discusses the role of technology and agency of architecture in society today. Game designer Colleen Macklin shows how public space can be redefined and subverted through the agency of play. Javier Arpa interviews urban design guru Winy Maas (MVRDV, The Why Factory) to discuss his views on the future of design and design education. Experimental psychologist Thomas Jacobsen describes current neurological research into the subjectivity of beauty. Landscape architect James Corner talks about the evolution of the profession of landscape architecture in a wide-ranging interview.

Read more less

AI is changing the world at frightening speed. A bestselling author decides to find out more… ‘Something profound and utterly brilliant is going on… hilarious.’ THE TIMES Is ChatGPT the end of creative industries as we know them? An ethical quagmire from which there is no return? A threat to all our jobs, as we keep hearing on the news? Bestselling children’s author Andy Stanton has made a career out of writing differently – from the unconventional ‘hero’ of his bestselling Mr Gum series to his penchant for absurdist plots, his children’s books are anything but formulaic. When a friend introduces him to ChatGPT, the new large language chatbot, Andy is as sceptical as he is curious. Can this jumble of algorithms really mimic the spontaneity of human thought? Could it one day replace human authors like him for good? And are we soon to be ruled over by despotic robot overlords? He decides there’s only one thing for it – he must test this bot’s capabilities. Eventually, he settles on a prompt that will push the algorithm to its creative limits: ‘tell me a story about a blue whale with a tiny penis.’ Chaos ensues. What follows is a surprising and illuminating battle between Andy and ChatGPT that maybe, just maybe, might help us all understand AI a little bit better. Join Andy and his beleaguered AI lackey on a rollicking metafictional journey through the art of storytelling. Presenting his prompts and the AI-generated narrative alongside extensive commentary, Stanton provides a startling paean to the art of a good story and boundless human creativity. Hopeful and hilarious, Benny the Blue Whale provides a joyfully anarchic meditation on AI, literature and why we write. *** A WATERSTONES AND NEW SCIENTIST BEST BOOK OF 2023 ‘There’s no book like it. Scholarly, childish, fascinating and hilarious – one of our funniest writers dissects what it takes to build a story and what that tells us about being human. It’ll really make you think, if you can stop laughing.’ —Chris Addison, co-creator of BREEDERS ‘Entertaining and alarmingly relevant, provocative and philosophically satisfying, it’s ultimately a profoundly human text.’ OBSERVER ‘A magnificent experiment by a perfect fool – deep and shallow and stupid and clever – the perfect use of AI (Andy Intelligence).’ —Robin Ince, author of THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING INTERESTED ‘Benny the Blue Whale is many things. It’s a fascinating discourse on the nature of language and storytelling. It’s a philosophical treatise on the possibilities of artificial intelligence. It’s a receptacle for obscenely hilarious jokes... A brilliant and beautiful cyborg: part human brain, part computational muscle. It’s a post-post-modern work of genius.’ —Anthony McGowan, Carnegie Medal-winning author of LARK

Read more less

George Washington, acutely aware of the accomplishments and potential of the American Revolution, used his Mount Vernon estate both to preserve the memory of events that had created a new nation and to forward his keen vision of what that nation might become. During the 1780s and 1790s, an era when neither public museums nor a national library existed, visitors to Mount Vernon viewed John Trumbull's iconic image of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Houdon's famous bust of the country's preeminent hero, and Washington's voluminous wartime correspondence. More important, they listened as the Washingtons recalled the remarkable events that had forged independence and the unique American experiment in representative government. At Mount Vernon, too, Washington and his guests discussed how best to secure the success and well-being of the United States. Here was a place to contemplate ""what the nation, at its best, might be."" Following George and Martha Washington's deaths, the estate passed to four successive heirs, the last of whom deeded it to the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association in 1860. While still in private hands, the property nonetheless attracted thousands of visitors each year, most of whom arrived after a fifteen-mile overland trek from Washington, D.C. With the establishment of regular steamboat access in the 1850s, the numbers swelled to ten thousand annually. The public claimed Mount Vernon as its own. In the words of a nineteenth-century Washington family member, ""the Nation shares it with us."" In a remarkable display of civic religion that testified to the site's enormous hold on the public imagination, Americans pronounced Mount Vernon sacred ground and made it the nation's most important site of revolutionary memory and inspiration. The sacred ground was, nonetheless, contested ground: visitors criticized the heirs' management of the property; northerners abhorred the persistence of slavery at the estate. As pilgrims contemplated the highest ideals of the Revolution at Washington's home and tomb, they often found their own society wanting. Amid escalating sectional strife in the 1850s, some argued that if Mount Vernon could be saved for the nation, the nation might be preserved from ruin. In letters and journals, newspaper and magazine articles, and public speeches, visitors recorded, often in detail and with intense emotion, their varied reactions to the site. ""Experiencing Mount Vernon"" presents the most informative of these accounts, as well as selected documents from the Washington owners (beginning with Washington himself, who in 1784 prematurely wrote Lafayette that, at his beloved home, he had ""retired from all public employments""). Numerous maps, contemporary images, and annotations complement the texts. This book constitutes the only eyewitness chronicle we have of the Washington estate's ascent to the status of national shrine, and it offers the closest possible evidence of Mount Vernon's singular role in helping forge American national identity.

Read more less

This book will benefit users in food security, agriculture, water management, and environmental sectors. It provides the first comprehensive analysis of Greater Horn of Africa (GHA)’s food insecurity and hydroclimate using the state-of-the-art Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and its Follow-on (GRACE-FO)’s, centennial precipitation, hydrological models’ and reanalysis’ products. It is here opined that GHA is endowed with freshwater (surface and groundwater) being home to the world's second largest freshwater body (Lake Victoria) and the greatest continental water towers (Ethiopian Highlands) that if properly tapped in a sustainable way, will support its irrigated agriculture as well as pastoralism. First, however, the obsolete Nile treaties that hamper the use of Lake Victoria (White Nile) and Ethiopian Highland (Blue Nile) have to be unlocked. Moreover, GHA is bedevilled by poor governance and the ``donor-assistance” syndrome; and in 2020-2021 faced the so-called ``triple threats’’ of desert locust infestation, climate variability/change impacts and COVID-19 pandemic. Besides, climate extremes influence its meagre waters leading to perennial food insecurity. Coupled with frequent regional and local conflicts, high population growth rate, low crop yield, invasion of migratory pests, contagious human and livestock diseases (such as HIV/AIDs, COVID-19 & Rift Valley fever) and poverty, life for more than 310 million of its inhabitants simply becomes unbearable. Alarming also is the fact that drought-like humanitarian crises are increasing in GHA despite recent progress in its monitoring and prediction efforts. Notwithstanding these efforts, there remain challenges stemming from uncertainty in its prediction, and the inflexibility and limited buffering capacity of the recurrent impacted systems. To achieve greater food security, therefore, in addition to boosting GHA's agricultural output, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs suggest that its “inhabitants must create more diverse and stable means of livelihood to insulate themselves and their households from external shocks”. This is a task that they acknowledge will not be easy as the path ahead is “strewn with obstacles namely; natural hazards and armed conflicts”. Understanding GHA’s food insecurity and its hydroclimate as presented in this book is a good starting point towards managing the impacts of the natural hazards on the one hand while understanding the impacts associated with extreme climate on GHA's available water and assessing the potential of its surface and groundwater to support its irrigated agriculture and pastoralism would be the first step towards “coping with drought” on the other hand.The book represents a significant effort by Prof Awange in trying to offer a comprehensive overview of the hydroclimate in the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA). Prof Eric F. Wood, NAE (USA); FRSC (Canada); Foreign member, ATSE (Australia).

Read more less

"A disturbing, unsettling novel . . . if it had been published in English soon after its first appearance in Italian (1968), the name of Giorgio De Maria would be well-known, his novels and stories mentioned in the context of J.G. Ballard, Anna Kavan, Shirley Jackson or Robert Aickman."—Lisa Tuttle, Nebula Award winner and author of Gabriel, Windhaven, and The Curious Affair of the Witch at Wayside Cross.Before an untimely mental breakdown cut short his two-decade career, Giorgio De Maria distinguished himself as one of Italy's most unique and eccentric weird fiction masters. With a background in the post-war literary culture of Turin -- Italy's urbane but eerie "city of black magic" -- De Maria drew inspiration from the Turinese underbelly of occultism, secret societies and radical politics. His writing coincided with the decade of terrorist violence known to Italians as the Years of Lead; the outcome was a weird fiction suffused with panic, rage, trauma, paranoia and meditations on antisocial hubris. In 1978, he told an interviewer: "...I think that the dimension of the fantastic, as much as this may seem paradoxical, is the most fitting one to express a reality as complex as ours today." De Maria's debut novel, The Transgressionists (1968) portrays a cell of malicious telepaths who meet in the cafés and jazz clubs of 1960s Turin to plot world domination. After experiencing the worst of their power, an embittered office clerk resolves to join them and prove himself worthy to share in their villainy. He cultivates twisted mindfulness techniques to awaken his inner sociopath. He fights off predatory phantoms that seem maddeningly drawn to him. He prepares for the dangerous "Great Leap" which will make him into a fully-fledged Transgressionist. But could his megalomania strain relations with his fiancee? Will he sacrifice love in his quest for omnipotence?The other works in this volume are no less surreal and startling. The Secret Death of Joseph Dzhugashvili (1976) gives us a nightmarish fantasy Soviet Union, where a dissident poet finds himself trapped in a psychological experiment conducted by Stalin himself. In "The End of Everydayism," a group of futuristic artists begin using corpses as a medium -- with violent, unforeseen results. The antihero of "General Trebisonda" is a possibly insane commander who prepares for a war crime in an eerily deserted fortress. Available in English for the first time, this collection contains two novellas, two short stories and a dystopian teleplay, The Appeal, which the post-cyberpunk novelist Andrea Vaccaro has lauded as "worthy of the best episodes of Black Mirror." Meanwhile, an introduction by translator Ramon Glazov offers a detailed account of De Maria's background, creative context and thoroughly unusual life.

Read more less

THE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR An expansive biography of John Milton, including an assessment of his poetry and prose and an account of the ways in which he has been presented over the past three and a half centuries—written by a leading scholar in the fieldIt is hard to overstate the role that John Milton played in the historical, political and literary controversies of seventeenth century England; his writings and very life challenged the status quo. Living through one of the most tumultuous periods in British history, Milton was involved at every turn. Struggling to reconcile his private beliefs with his involvement with a radical political experiment, a republic which involved the killing of the monarch, his star rose and fell several times during his life. Married three times, struck blind at a cruelly early age, he was a famed pamphleteer and political activist whose revolutionary political credos placed him in mortal danger after the Restoration. Milton’s varied life makes for fascinating reading but it also produced some of the most important poetry in the English language. Paradise Lost, the only poem in English recognized as an epic, challenged conventional thinking on widespread topics from religion and gender equality to the fundamental question of why we behave as we do.This fascinating new biography is divided into two parts. The first separates the man from the myth, and elucidates the complicated details of Milton’s life from his early years as a literary artist uncertain of his destiny, through his work as a propagandist for the Cromwellian republic, to his rewriting of the Old Testament story of the Fall as a poetic allegory of more recent history. The second looks at how biographers and critics from the seventeenth century to the present day have distorted and manipulated the personality of Milton to suit their biases. Balancing accessibility with academic rigor, this volume: Examines the significant aspects of Milton’s life and work, including his poetry and prose, his government writings, his travels, and his final years Explores Milton’s Protestant and republican influences in Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, and his other literary works Highlights the differences and similarities between Milton’s poetry and political prose Follows the history of biographical and critical presentations of Milton from the seventeenth century onwards, including his adoption as a hero of Romanticism and his survival in the twentieth century as, allegedly, a sceptical humanist Addresses modern critiques of Milton in Marxism, Feminism, and other branches of Theory The Life of the Author: John Milton. Poet and Revolutionary is essential reading for undergraduate and graduate students, university lecturers, and academic researchers in relevant fields, particularly seventeenth century poetry and history, as well as literary biography and the history of criticism.

Read more less

Note: The three volumes are not sequential but rather independent of each other and largely self-contained.Basic Matters is a first introduction to quantum mechanics that does not assume any prior knowledge of the subject. The emphasis is on the general structure as the necessary foundation of any understanding. Starting from the simplest quantum phenomenon, the Stern-Gerlach experiment with its choice between two discrete outcomes, and ending with one-dimensional continuous systems, the physical concepts and notions as well as the mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics are developed in successive, manageable steps. The presentation is modern inasmuch as the natural language of the trade - Dirac's kets and bras and so on - is introduced early, and the temporal evolution is dealt with in a picture-free manner, with Schrödinger's and Heisenberg's equations of motion side by side and on equal footing.The reader of Simple Systems is not expected to be familiar with the material in Basic Matters, but should have the minimal knowledge of a standard brief introduction to quantum mechanics with its typical emphasis on one-dimensional position wave functions. The step to Dirac's more abstract and much more powerful formalism is taken immediately, followed by reviews of quantum kinematics and quantum dynamics. The important standard examples (force-free motion, constant force, harmonic oscillator, hydrogen-like atoms) are then treated in considerable detail, whereby a nonstandard perspective is offered wherever it is deemed feasible and useful. A final chapter is devoted to approximation methods, from the Hellmann-Feynman theorem to the WKB quantization rule.Perturbed Evolution has a closer link to Simple Systems than that volume has to Basic Matters, but any reader familiar with the subject matter of a solid introduction to quantum mechanics - such as Dirac's formalism of kets and bras, Schrödinger's and Heisenberg's equations of motion, and the standard examples that can be treated exactly, with harmonic oscillators and hydrogen-like atoms among them - can cope with the somewhat advanced material of this volume. The basics of kinematics and dynamics are reviewed at the outset, including discussions of Bohr's principle of complementarity and Schwinger's quantum action principle. The Born series, the Lippmann-Schwinger equation, and Fermi's golden rule are recurring themes in the treatment of the central subject matter - the evolution in the presence of perturbing interactions for which there are no exact solutions as one has them for the standard examples in Simple Systems. The scattering by a localized potential is regarded as a perturbed evolution of a particular kind and is dealt with accordingly. The unique features of the scattering of indistinguishable quantum objects illustrate the nonclassical properties of bosons and fermions and prepare the groundwork for a discussion of multi-electron atoms.

Read more less

Note: The three volumes are not sequential but rather independent of each other and largely self-contained.Basic Matters is a first introduction to quantum mechanics that does not assume any prior knowledge of the subject. The emphasis is on the general structure as the necessary foundation of any understanding. Starting from the simplest quantum phenomenon, the Stern-Gerlach experiment with its choice between two discrete outcomes, and ending with one-dimensional continuous systems, the physical concepts and notions as well as the mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics are developed in successive, manageable steps. The presentation is modern inasmuch as the natural language of the trade - Dirac's kets and bras and so on - is introduced early, and the temporal evolution is dealt with in a picture-free manner, with Schrödinger's and Heisenberg's equations of motion side by side and on equal footing.The reader of Simple Systems is not expected to be familiar with the material in Basic Matters, but should have the minimal knowledge of a standard brief introduction to quantum mechanics with its typical emphasis on one-dimensional position wave functions. The step to Dirac's more abstract and much more powerful formalism is taken immediately, followed by reviews of quantum kinematics and quantum dynamics. The important standard examples (force-free motion, constant force, harmonic oscillator, hydrogen-like atoms) are then treated in considerable detail, whereby a nonstandard perspective is offered wherever it is deemed feasible and useful. A final chapter is devoted to approximation methods, from the Hellmann-Feynman theorem to the WKB quantization rule.Perturbed Evolution has a closer link to Simple Systems than that volume has to Basic Matters, but any reader familiar with the subject matter of a solid introduction to quantum mechanics - such as Dirac's formalism of kets and bras, Schrödinger's and Heisenberg's equations of motion, and the standard examples that can be treated exactly, with harmonic oscillators and hydrogen-like atoms among them - can cope with the somewhat advanced material of this volume. The basics of kinematics and dynamics are reviewed at the outset, including discussions of Bohr's principle of complementarity and Schwinger's quantum action principle. The Born series, the Lippmann-Schwinger equation, and Fermi's golden rule are recurring themes in the treatment of the central subject matter - the evolution in the presence of perturbing interactions for which there are no exact solutions as one has them for the standard examples in Simple Systems. The scattering by a localized potential is regarded as a perturbed evolution of a particular kind and is dealt with accordingly. The unique features of the scattering of indistinguishable quantum objects illustrate the nonclassical properties of bosons and fermions and prepare the groundwork for a discussion of multi-electron atoms.

Read more less

Note: The three volumes are not sequential but rather independent of each other and largely self-contained.Basic Matters is a first introduction to quantum mechanics that does not assume any prior knowledge of the subject. The emphasis is on the general structure as the necessary foundation of any understanding. Starting from the simplest quantum phenomenon, the Stern-Gerlach experiment with its choice between two discrete outcomes, and ending with one-dimensional continuous systems, the physical concepts and notions as well as the mathematical formalism of quantum mechanics are developed in successive, manageable steps. The presentation is modern inasmuch as the natural language of the trade - Dirac's kets and bras and so on - is introduced early, and the temporal evolution is dealt with in a picture-free manner, with Schrödinger's and Heisenberg's equations of motion side by side and on equal footing.The reader of Simple Systems is not expected to be familiar with the material in Basic Matters, but should have the minimal knowledge of a standard brief introduction to quantum mechanics with its typical emphasis on one-dimensional position wave functions. The step to Dirac's more abstract and much more powerful formalism is taken immediately, followed by reviews of quantum kinematics and quantum dynamics. The important standard examples (force-free motion, constant force, harmonic oscillator, hydrogen-like atoms) are then treated in considerable detail, whereby a nonstandard perspective is offered wherever it is deemed feasible and useful. A final chapter is devoted to approximation methods, from the Hellmann-Feynman theorem to the WKB quantization rule.Perturbed Evolution has a closer link to Simple Systems than that volume has to Basic Matters, but any reader familiar with the subject matter of a solid introduction to quantum mechanics - such as Dirac's formalism of kets and bras, Schrödinger's and Heisenberg's equations of motion, and the standard examples that can be treated exactly, with harmonic oscillators and hydrogen-like atoms among them - can cope with the somewhat advanced material of this volume. The basics of kinematics and dynamics are reviewed at the outset, including discussions of Bohr's principle of complementarity and Schwinger's quantum action principle. The Born series, the Lippmann-Schwinger equation, and Fermi's golden rule are recurring themes in the treatment of the central subject matter - the evolution in the presence of perturbing interactions for which there are no exact solutions as one has them for the standard examples in Simple Systems. The scattering by a localized potential is regarded as a perturbed evolution of a particular kind and is dealt with accordingly. The unique features of the scattering of indistinguishable quantum objects illustrate the nonclassical properties of bosons and fermions and prepare the groundwork for a discussion of multi-electron atoms.

Read more less