remarkable
Culture and the Changing Environment: Uncertainty,
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Casimir, Michael J., PUBLISHER: Berghahn Books, "This remarkable anthology of 13 essays is a cross-cultural study on ecological anthropology, which examines the cultural construction of nature, human evaluation of environmental risks, and human action to mitigate such risks. The anthology persuasively critiques the privileging of Western rationality over culture-specific perspectives of environmental change... It] stands alone for the geographical sweep of its contributions - from Europe, Asia, and Africa - and its disciplinary eclecticism, which draws deeply on anthropology, geography, psychology, ethnography, ethnology, and sociology... Essential." Choice Today human ecology has split into many different sub-disciplines such as historical ecology, political ecology or the New Ecological Anthropology. The latter in particular has criticised the predominance of the Western view on different ecosystems, arguing that culture-specific world views and human-environment interactions have been largely neglected. However, these different perspectives only tackle specific facets of a local and global hyper-complex reality. In bringing together a variety of views and theoretical approaches, these especially commissioned essays prove that an interdisciplinary collaboration and understanding of the extreme complexity of the human-environment interface(s) is possible. Michael J. Casimir is Professor of Cultural Anthropology at the University of Cologne. He has conducted prolonged fieldwork on the ecology, economy, environmental management and nutritional and socialisation patterns among pastoral nomads in west Afghanistan and Kashmir. Together with Aparna Rao he was chairperson of the Commission on Nomadic Peoples of the International Union of Ethnological and Anthropological Sciences (), and was until one of the editors of Nomadic Peoples (Berghahn), the official journal of the Commission. His major publications include Flocks and Food. A Biocultural Approach to the Study of Pastoral Foodways (); Mobility and Territoriality (ed. ); Nomadism in South Asia (ed. ). Acquista Ora
The Lion's Pride: Theodore Roosevelt and His Family in Peace
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Renehan, Edward J., Jr., PUBLISHER: Oxford University Press, USA, In The Lion's Pride, Edward J. Renehan, Jr. vividly portrays the grand idealism, heroic bravery, and reckless abandon that Theodore Roosevelt both embodied and bequeathed to his children and the tragic fulfillment of that legacy on the battlefields of World War I. Drawing upon a wealth of previously unavailable materials, including letters and unpublished memoirs, The Lion's Pride takes us inside what is surely the most extraordinary family ever to occupy the White House. Theodore Roosevelt believed deeply that those who had been blessed with wealth, influence, and education were duty bound to lead, even--perhaps especially--if it meant risking their lives to preserve the ideals of democratic civilization. Teddy put his principles, and his life, to the test in the Spanish American war, and raised his children to believe they could do no less. When America finally entered the "European conflict" in , all four of his sons eagerly enlisted and used their influence not to avoid the front lines but to get there as quickly as possible. Their heroism in France and the Middle East matched their father's at San Juan Hill. All performed with selfless--some said heedless--courage: Two of the boys, Archie and Ted, Jr., were seriously wounded, and Quentin, the youngest, was killed in a dogfight with seven German planes. Thus, the war that Teddy had lobbied for so furiously brought home a grief that broke his heart. He was buried a few months after his youngest child. Filled with the voices of the entire Roosevelt family, The Lion's Pride gives us the most intimate and moving portrait ever published of the fierce bond between Teddy Roosevelt and his remarkable children.
The Count of Monte Cristo
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Dumas, Alexandre / Sante, Luc, PUBLISHER: Barnes & Noble, "The Count of Monte Cristo," by Alexandre Dumas, is part of the "Barnes & Noble Classics"" "series, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of "Barnes & Noble Classics": New introductions commissioned from today's top writers and scholars Biographies of the authors Chronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural events Footnotes and endnotes Selective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the work Comments by other famous authors Study questions to challenge the reader's viewpoints and expectations Bibliographies for further reading Indices & Glossaries, when appropriateAll editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications; some include illustrations of historical interest. "Barnes & Noble Classics "pulls together a constellation of influences-biographical, historical, and literary-to enrich each reader's understanding of these enduring works. Dashing young Edmond Dantes has everything. He is engaged to a beautiful woman, is about to become the captain of a ship, and is well liked by almost everyone. But his perfect life is shattered when he is framed by a jealous rival and thrown into a dark prison cell for 14 years. The greatest tale of betrayal, adventure, and revenge ever written, "The Count of Monte Cristo" continues to dazzle readers with its thrilling and memorable scenes, including Dantes's miraculous escape from prison, his amazing discovery of a vast hidden treasure, and histransformation into the mysterious and wealthy Count of Monte Cristo-a man whose astonishing thirst for vengeance is as cruel as it is just. Luc Sante is the author of "Low Life," "Evidence," and "The Factory of Facts," He teaches writing and the history of photography at Bard College.
Art: Sublimation or Sympton
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Adams, Parveen / Restuccia, Frances L., PUBLISHER: Other Press (NY), "This book extends our map of the articulations that link art and psychoanalysis into a new understanding of what they do for and to each other. Between Lacan and Freud, Caravaggio and Joyce, Hitchcock and Cronenberg, the authors work through the methods of art and the structures of psychoanalytic thinking about art to show us that the roles of sublimation and displacement, symptom and enunciation are at once discursive and aesthetic. The partial identifications of the object and discourse, their incomplete relationships and overlappings between them, constitute a new kind of knowledge. If there is one that lies outside the established boundaries of cultural and psychoanalytic studies, then these essays take a step toward disclosing it, inventing it, and giving it a name." -Adrian Rifkin, Professor of Visual Culture and Media at Middlesex University and author of "Ingres: Then, and Now" "With Art: Sublimation or Symptom, Parveen Adams breaks new ground in a remarkable career during which she has made some of the most original and inspiring contributions to psychoanalytic theory as it explores the artifice of cultural form. In the company of her gifted and insightful collaborators, Adams explores the psychic and semiotic crises of creation. The making of art as symptom, they suggest, engages the enigmatic 'lack' or 'void' of both sign and subject. Why do we take perverse pleasure in being strung out by the experience of art, placed somewhere between semblance and signification, beyond the mimetic consolations of coherence, reference, and recognition? Psychoanalysis may not have all the answers, but it has the deepest insights into the insatiable desire that drives us to ask such difficult questions. With Art: Sublimation or Symptom, Parveen Adams has, once again, orchestrated a profound and patient inquiry into some of the most urgent cultural issues that face us today." -Homi K. Bhabha, Rothenberg Professor of Literature, Harvard University
The Eastern Stars: How Baseball Changed the Dominican Town
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Kurlansky, Mark, PUBLISHER: Riverhead Books, The intriguing, inspiring history of one small, impoverished area in the Dominican Republic that has produced a staggering number of Major League Baseball talent, from an award-winning, bestselling author. In the town of San Pedro in the Dominican Republic, baseball is not just a way of life. It's "the" way of life. By the year , seventy-nine boys and men from San Pedro have gone on to play in the Major Leagues-that means one in six Dominican Republicans who have played in the Majors have come from one tiny, impoverished region. Manny Alexander, Sammy Sosa, Tony Fernandez, and legions of other San Pedro players who came up in the sugar mill teams flocked to the United States, looking for opportunity, wealth, and a better life. Because of the sugar industry, and the influxes of migrant workers from across the Caribbean to work in the cane fields and factories, San Pedro is one of the most ethnically diverse areas of the Dominican Republic. A multitude of languages are spoken there, and a variety of skin colors populate the community; but the one constant is sugar and baseball. The history of players from San Pedro is also a chronicle of racism in baseball, changing social mores in sports and in the Dominican Republic, and the personal stories of the many men who sought freedom from poverty through playing ball. The story of baseball in San Pedro is also that of the Caribbean in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries and on a broader level opens a window into our country's history. As with Kurlansky's "Cod" and "Salt," this small story, rich with anecdote and detail, becomes much larger than ever imagined. Kurlansky reveals two countries' love affair with a sport and the remarkable journey of San Pedro and its baseball players. In his distinctive style, he follows common threads and discovers wider meanings about place, identity, and, above all, baseball. Watch a Video Acquista Ora
Stop Being Your Symptoms and Start Being Yourself: The
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Barsky, Arthur J. / Deans, Emily C. / Stoll, Walt, PUBLISHER: HarperCollins Publishers, Do you suffer from ongoing pain or other chronic medical symptoms such as fatigue, lower back pain, arthritis, acid indigestion, insomnia, or migraines? Do they interfere with your family time or your work? Have you been forced to give up activities that you enjoy? Do you feel as though your symptoms are taking over your life? Thirty percent of the population suffer from chronic debilitating illnesses and pain that respond only partially to conventional medicine. But this doesn't mean that there is no relief in sight. Dr. Arthur Barsky, psychiatrist and pioneer in the field of mind-body medicine, has found that changing the way you think about your illness can have a remarkable effect on how you experience your symptoms. Two people with the same symptoms can live dramatically different lives because they think about and react to their symptoms differently. At Harvard Medical School, Dr. Barsky developed "Stop Being Your Symptoms and Start Being Yourself," a breakthrough six-week program designed to overcome the symptoms of chronic illnesses of every kind. Based on more than twenty years of firsthand clinical experience, his scientifically tested treatment plan is unique, powerful, and simple to learn. This groundbreaking program teaches patients to master the five psychological factors that make chronic symptoms persist through hundreds of exercises, worksheets, and patient examples. You may not be able to completely eliminate your medical symptoms. But it is possible to control your symptoms rather than letting them control you-- to manage your pain, fatigue, insomnia, and anxiety. You can minimize your symptoms, learn new coping skills, and do more to make surethat your symptoms are not robbing your life of meaning and pleasure. Stop being your symptoms-- and start living the life you deserve.
Liberalism's Crooked Circle: Letters to Adam Michnik
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Katznelson, Ira, PUBLISHER: Princeton University Press, This book is a profoundly moving and analytically incisive attempt to shift the terms of discussion in American politics. It speaks to the intellectual and political weaknesses within the liberal tradition that have put the United States at the mercy of libertarian, authoritarian populist, nakedly racist, and traditionalist elitist versions of the right-wing; and it seeks to identify resources that can move the left away from the stunned intellectual incoherence with which it has met the death of Bolshevism. In Ira Katznelson's view, Americans are squandering a tremendous ethical and political opportunity to redefine and reorient the liberal tradition. In an opening essay and two remarkable letters addressed to Adam Michnik, who is arguably East Europe's emblematic democratic intellectual, Katznelson seeks to recover this possibility. By examining issues that once occupied Michnik's fellow dissidents in the Warsaw group known as the Crooked Circle, Katznelson brings a fresh realism to old ideals and posits a liberalism that "stares hard" at cruelty, suffering, coercion, and tyrannical abuses of state power. Like the members of Michnik's club, he recognizes that the circumference of liberalism's circle never runs smooth and that tolerance requires extremely difficult judgments. Katznelson's first letter explores how the virtues of socialism, including its moral stand on social justice, can be related to liberalism while overcoming debilitating aspects of the socialist inheritance. The second asks whether liberalism can recognize, appreciate, and manage human difference. Situated in the lineage of efforts by Richard Hofstadter, C. Wright Mills, and Lionel Trilling to "thicken"liberalism, these letters also draw on personal experience in the radical politics of the s and in the dissident culture of East and Central Europe in the years immediately preceding communism's demise. "Liberalism's Crooked Circle could help foster a substantive debate in the American elections of and determine the contents of that desperately needed discussion.
So You Think You Know Me?
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Weaver, Allan, PUBLISHER: Waterside Press, The autobiography of an ex-offender and twice-times inmate of Barlinnie Prison, now a social work team-leader in his native Scotland. As a local hard case, author Allan Weaver took no prisoners. Neither does he in this compelling work in which he tells of a life of violent episodes and chaotic early life. Teachers, social workers and 'authority figures' never tried 'to get to know him' to unearth the clues and triggers and discover what his offending was all about. A natural rebel and a radical, it is hardly surprising that by ignoring the real Allan Weaver this led to an escalation of his violent activities, tensions between family and friends and dubious associates. So You Think You Know Me? is packed with contradictions: the Allan Weaver involved in mayhem and aggression is not the one telling the story from inside his own head: an often vulnerable, sensitive, articulate, unquestionably loyal and even-handed individual; mistaken, misguide and foolish perhaps but largely trapped by an increasing need to live up to his 'tough guy' reputation. That there can be any tidy ending to this graphic true-life account of approved school, assessment centres, care homes, borstal and Glasgow's notorious Barlinnie Prison is quite remarkable yet Allan Weaver survived to obtain a degree from Strathclyde University and to work on the inside of the Criminal Justice System with young people who, like he was, are in trouble with the law. The punches that he now throws are directed towards the shortcomings of a system which he believes is failing to do all that it could to turn them away from crime and anti-social behaviour as he explains in this heartfelt autobiography. Essential reading for anyoneinvolved with serious young offenders, especially those of a violent disposition. Acquista Ora
Caesar's Calendar: Ancient Time and the Beginnings of
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Feeney, D. C., PUBLISHER: University of California Press, The ancient Romans changed more than the map of the world when they conquered so much of it; they altered the way historical time itself is marked and understood. In this brilliant, erudite, and exhilarating book Denis Feeney investigates time and its contours as described by the ancient Romans, first as Rome positioned itself in relation to Greece and then as it exerted its influence as a major world power. Feeney welcomes the reader into a world where time was movable and changeable and where simply ascertaining a date required a complex and often contentious cultural narrative. In a style that is lucid, fluent, and graceful, he investigates the pertinent systems, including the Roman calendar (which is still our calendar) and its near perfect method of capturing the progress of natural time; the annual rhythm of consular government; the plotting of sacred time onto sacred space; the forging of chronological links to the past; and, above all, the experience of empire, by which the Romans meshed the city state's concept of time with those of the foreigners they encountered to establish a new worldwide web of time. Because this web of time was Greek before the Romans transformed it, the book is also a remarkable study in the cross-cultural interaction between the Greek and Roman worlds. Feeney's skillful deployment of specialist material is engaging and accessible and ranges from details of the time schemes used by Greeks and Romans to accommodate the Romans' unprecedented rise to world dominance to an edifying discussion of the fixed axis of B.C./A.D., or B.C.E./C.E., and the supposedly objective "dates" implied. He closely examines the most important of the ancient world's time divisions, that between myth and history, and concludes by demonstrating the impact of the reformed calendar on the way the Romans conceived of time's recurrence. Feeney's achievement is nothing less than the reconstruction of the Roman conception of time, which has the additional effect of transforming the way the way the reader inhabits and experiences time.
Only One Thing Missing
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Ruiz, Luis Manuel / Adam, Alfred M., PUBLISHER: Grove/Atlantic, Luis Manuel Ruiz's English-language debut is a literary page-turner that takes us through the labyrinthine streets of contemporary Seville, the desolate walkways of an unmapped urban dreamscape, and to the devil-worshiping underworld of medieval Lisbon. Only One Thing Missing centers on the grieving Alicia, a young woman who has recently lost her husband and only child in a tragic accident. Mourning the loss of her family, Alicia is fortunate to be surrounded by friends and neighbors whose hands are always outstretched to offer solace and comfort. But soon she becomes plagued by a succession of nightmares -- all set in a surreal, unidentifiable city -- and when the statues and shadowy figures from the dream city begin to appear in her waking life, she finds herself teetering between sanity and paranoia. Together with her brother-in-law, Esteban -- who happens to be madly in love with her -- Alicia gradually comes to understand that she may be the subject of an evil conspiracy that has dark, ancient roots. As the two of them fall deeper into this phantasmagoric world, they come to see that the people all around them may not be as well-meaning as they appear, and that trust -- once such an abundant commodity -- may have become an unaffordable luxury. Deftly crafted and rife with literary allusions, Only One Thing Missing is an enthralling thriller that is at once a love story, a chilling tale of the occult, and an exploration of the timeless themes of memory, obsession, and loss. This year's winner of the International Prize is a haunting psychological thriller, "a convincing adventure for all audiences... in which the mystery novel meets metaphysical philosophy and literature" -- ElPais, (Spain) "Ruiz leads the reader to the most forgotten... corners of life... his] is the voice of a... remarkable author." -- ABC Cultural (Spain)
Divine Prescriptions for Your Total Prosperity
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Del Rosario, Edwin, PUBLISHER: Xulon Press, Have you ever wondered why some people seem to "have it all" yet still live a discontented and miserable life? Wonder no more. Divine Prescriptions For Your Total Prosperity will give you straightforward answers on what total prosperity is all about. This remarkable book explores man's relationship with Jesus Christ, portrayed as the "Great Healer," dispensing His "divine prescriptions" that give total prosperity. Just like a physician examining a sick person, the author identifies man's spiritual diseases by pinpointing the symptoms, giving the diagnosis, writing the prescriptions with its dosage, and concluding with its prognosis. You will find just the right prescriptions to improve your personal finances, mend broken relationships, strengthen your marriage, heal emotional wounds, and cure destructive addictions - leading you to complete victory. Never again should you be in lack. You have a divine purpose and destiny. As you take the "divine prescriptions" dispensed in these pages, you will be on your way to achieving total prosperity as Jesus meant it to be. Edwin Del Rosario was born in the Philippines. In he, together with his father and brothers, left for America and joined his mother. Although America is the land of opportunity, Edwin Del Rosario experienced his greatest adversities here in this country. He made some big mistakes, but because of his faith in Christ, he turned his sour lemons into sweet lemonade. Today, he has his own successful businesses. He is also an effective Bible teacher, and a dynamic preacher of the Word. He accepts speaking engagements anywhere in the country. Mr. Del Rosario resides in Lake Mary, Florida with his lovely wife, Victoria, aregistered nurse. They are blessed with three wonderful children, Chad, a mechanical engineer, Derrick, a registered nurse, and Macy, a student pursuing a marketing degree. You may contact him directly by email at .
The Turn of the Screw, the Aspern Papers and Two Stories
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: James, Henry, Jr. / Sweet, David L., PUBLISHER: Barnes & Noble Classics, "The Turn of the Screw, The Aspern Papers and Two Stories," by Henry James, is part of the "Barnes & Noble Classics"" "series, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Here are some of the remarkable features of "Barnes & Noble Classics": New introductions commissioned from today's top writers and scholars Biographies of the authors Chronologies of contemporary historical, biographical, and cultural events Footnotes and endnotes Selective discussions of imitations, parodies, poems, books, plays, paintings, operas, statuary, and films inspired by the work Comments by other famous authors Study questions to challenge the reader's viewpoints and expectations Bibliographies for further reading Indices & Glossaries, when appropriateAll editions are beautifully designed and are printed to superior specifications; some include illustrations of historical interest. "Barnes & Noble Classics "pulls together a constellation of influences-biographical, historical, and literary-to enrich each reader's understanding of these enduring works. Joseph Conrad once said of his friend Henry James, "As is meet for a man of his descent and tradition, Mr. James is the historian of fine consciences." As it turns out, James was also incredibly gifted at writing exceptional ghost stories. This collection-including ""The Beast in the Jungle"" and ""The Jolly Corner""-features James's finest supernatural tales, along with criticism, a discussion of the legacies of James's writing, and provocative study questions. David L. Sweet is a professor of American and comparativeliterature at The American University in Cairo. He has also taught at Princeton, The City University of New York, The American University of Paris, and Columbia University, where he received his doctorate in Comparative Literature. His book "Savage Sight/Constructed Noise: Poetic Adaptations of Painterly Techniques in the French and American Avant-Gardes" will be published next year by the University of North Carolina.
When You Are Engulfed in Flames
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Sedaris, David, PUBLISHER: Back Bay Books, "David Sedaris's ability to transform the mortification of everyday life into wildly entertaining art," ("The Christian Science Monitor") is elevated to wilder and more entertaining heights than ever in this remarkable new book. Trying to make coffee when the water is shut off, David considers using the water in a vase of flowers and his chain of associations takes him from the French countryside to a hilariously uncomfortable memory of buying drugs in a mobile home in rural North Carolina. In essay after essay, Sedaris proceeds from bizarre conundrums of daily life-having a lozenge fall from your mouth into the lap of a fellow passenger on a plane or armoring the windows with LP covers to protect the house from neurotic songbirds-to the most deeply resonant human truths. Culminating in a brilliant account of his venture to Tokyo in order to quit smoking, David Sedaris's sixth essay collection is a new masterpiece of comic writing from "a writer worth treasuring" ("Seattle Times"). Praise for When You Are Engulfed in Flames: "Older, wiser, smarter and meaner, Sedaris...defies the odds once again by delivering an intelligent take on the banalities of an absurd life." --"Kirkus Reviews" This latest collection proves that not only does Sedaris still have it, but he's also getting better....Sedaris's best stuff will still--after all this time--move, surprise, and entertain." --"Booklist" Table of Contents: It's Catching Keeping Up The Understudy This Old House Buddy, Can You Spare a Tie? Road Trips What I Learned That's Amore The Monster Mash In the Waiting Room Solutions to Saturday's Puzzle Adult Figures Charging Toward a Concrete Toadstool Memento Mori All the Beauty You Will Ever Need Town and Country Aerial The Man in the Hut Of Mice and Men April in Paris Crybaby Old Faithful The Smoking Section
Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Fuller, Alexandra, PUBLISHER: Random House Canada, In this tour-de-force sequel to Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, Alexandra Fuller returns to Africa with the story of her unforgettable family. In Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness Alexandra Fuller braids a multi-layered narrative around the Happy Valley-era Africa of her mother's childhood; the grimness of her father's English childhood; and the darker, civil war-torn Africa of her own childhood. Born on the Scottish Isle of Skye and raised in Kenya, Nicola Fuller holds dear the kinds of values most likely to get you hurt or killed in Africa: loyalty to blood, passion for land and a holy belief in the restorative power of all animals. Fuller captures her mother's distinctive voice with remarkable precision, rendering a life story that is as funny, terrifying, exotic and unselfconscious as Nicola herself. We see Nicola and Tim Fuller in their honeymoon period, when East Africa lies before them with all the promise of its liquid equatorial light, even as the British Empire wanes. But in short order, an accumulation of mishaps and tragedies bump up against history until the couple find themselves in a world they hardly recognize. We follow the Fullers as they run from war and unspeakable heartbreak, from Kenya to Rhodesia to Zambia, even returning to England briefly. But just when it seems that Nicola has been broken entirely by Africa, it is the African earth itself that revives her. In the end we find Nicola and Tim at a coffee table under their Tree of Forgetfulness on the banana and fish farm where they plan to spend their final days. In local custom, the Tree is where villagers meet to resolve disputes--and it is here that the Fullers at last find an African kind of peace. Following the ghosts and dreams of memory, Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness is Alexandra Fuller at her very best.
Practically Radical: Not-So-Crazy Ways to Transform Your
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Taylor, William C., PUBLISHER: William Morrow & Company, "Practically Radical" is a manifesto for change and a manual for making it happen--in an era when change is the name of the game. Businesspeople everywhere are engaging in a dramatic "rethink" of how they lead, work, and get results. In an age of fierce competition and stubborn recession, the status quo just doesn't cut it. But how do you break new ground when there is so much pressure to do things the same way as everyone else? Using his years of experience and thought leadership in the business world, the cofounder and founding editor of one of the world's most admired business magazines, "Fast Company," offers radical ideas and practical advice to help you fix what's wrong with your organization, launch new initiatives with the best chance to succeed, and rethink the logic of leadership itself. "Practically Radical" goes deep inside twenty-five for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations to find out how they've made remarkable strides in tough circumstances. They include IBM, Zappos, Swatch, the Girl Scouts, Interpol, big-city hospitals, fast-growing banks, and high-flying airlines. These organizations have answered the make-or-break questions facing leaders in every field: Do you see opportunities the competition doesn't see? The most successful organizations embrace one-of-a-kind ideas in a world filled with me-too thinking. Do you have new ideas about where to look for new ideas? Practices that are routine in one field can be revolutionary when they migrate to another field. Are you the most of anything? Companies used to be comfortable in the middle of the road. Today, the middle of the road is the road to ruin. Are you getting the best contributions from the most people? It may be lonely at the top, but change is not a game best played by loners.
Seeking Peace: Chronicles of the Worst Buddhist in the World
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Pipher, Mary, PUBLISHER: Riverhead Books, In this thoughtful and inspiring memoir, the author of the "New York Times" bestsellers "Reviving Ophelia, The Shelter of Each Other," and "Another Country" explores her personal search for understanding, tranquility, and respect through her work as a psychologist and seeker. aThere are three kinds of secrets, a Mary Pipher says in "Seeking Peace: Chronicles of the Worst Buddhist in the World." aThose we keep from everyone, those we keep from certain people, and those we keep from ourselves. Writing this book forced me to deal with all three.a After decades of exploring the lives of others through her writing and therapy, Mary Pipher turns her attention to herselfaculling insights from her own life to highlight the importance of the journey, not just the destination. Like most lives, Pipheras is filled with glory and tragedy, chaos and clarity, love and abandonment. She spent her childhood in small Nebraska towns, the daughter of a doctor mother and a restless jack-of-all-trades father. Often both of her parents were away and Pipher and her siblings lived as what she calls aferal children.a Later, as an adult and a therapist, Pipher was able to do what she most enjoyed: learn about the world and help others. After the surprising success of "Reviving Ophelia," she was overwhelmed by the attention and demands on her time. In , after a personal crisis, Pipher realized that success and fame were harming her, and she began working to find a quieter, more meditative life that would carry her toward self-acceptance and joy. In "Seeking Peace," Mary Pipher tells her own remarkable story, and in the process reveals truths about our search for happiness and love. While her story is unique, athe basic map and milestones of my story are universal, a she writes. aWe strive to make sense of our selves and our environments.a In "Seeking Peace," Pipher reflects on her life in a way that allows readers to reimagine theirs.
The Power of Purpose: Living Well by Doing Good
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Temes, Peter S., PUBLISHER: Three Rivers Press (CA), "The Power of Purpose" begins with a simple but remarkable statement: "The more you focus on helping others, the more you will succeed in reaching your own goals." Peter S. Temes builds on this fundamental insight to share a simple plan for living with the truest and most enduring kind of happiness. At the heart of "The Power of Purpose" are the "three levels of thinking." At the first level, we ask, Who am I? and What do I want? At the second level, we ask, Who do other people think I am? How do I look to them? But the real magic happens when we hit the third level, forgetting about ourselves and asking the questions that lend a powerful sense of purpose to our lives: How do others look to themselves? How can I help others become the people they want to be? To help us along the way, Temes, who teaches humanities at Columbia University, draws on the wisdom of great thinkers including Aristotle, Soren Kierkegaard, and Abraham Lincoln; the life lessons of great achievers ranging from Mother Teresa to Michael Jordan; and home truths he's gathered from his parents, his grandparents, and his three children. From all these sources and from his own life of great personal accomplishment, Temes identifies the essential knowledge that brings people happiness and success. He cites Aristotle's notion that happiness is not a psychological state but a moral one, resulting from doing good in the world. Temes also believes in the pivotal importance of trust and team-building in every area of life, from the family to the workplace to the street corner. "The Power of Purpose" is a map for finding the confidence and power, the opportunities and occasions, and--most important--the techniques and strategies for centering your relationships and work on helping others. It is a book with a point of view: the clearest path to your own success and happiness lies in helping others get to where they want to go. "From the Hardcover edition."
The Wolves at Evelyn: Journeys Through a Dark Century
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Rhenisch, Harold, PUBLISHER: Brindle & Glass, At once a memoir, a work of philosophy, a story of European immigration to Canada's dark places of the earth, and an exploration of the roots and effects of colonialism, "The Wolves At Evelyn: Journeys Through a Dark Century" is a stylistic and rhetorical tour de force from one of Canada's master prose stylists.Dissident communists fleeing s Germany, Harold Rhenisch's grandparents imagined that British Columbia's Interior was the end of the earth-a new world where they could fulfil their dreams of the land, freed from tyrrany and from history itself. A generation later, in the wake of World War II, his father arrived, carrying many of the same ideas with him. What they found instead was a colonial culture as highly developed as Doris Lessing's Rhodesia.Rhenisch grew up at the nexus of these cultures: a Germany where Nazism simultaneously did and did not happen, a Canada in the process of shedding British colonialism for American, and a land-the Interior-that had no point of contact with any of them.With remarkable range and vision, Rhenisch turns in a bravura performance, sifting through the ashes of personal experience, family anecdotes, literature, art, history, and the land itself for clues to a great untold story, Rhenisch assembles a collage of images and ideas that becomes a whole much greater than the sum of its parts. The hidden history of a forgotten outpost of the Empire is laid open, shattering dearly held myths and exposing buried skeletons.How was the sunny, carefree Okanagan Valley fruit culture built on the back of King Leopold's Congolese slave trade? How does Margaret Atwood's garrison theory of literature reflect on Rhenisch family's hidden Nazi past? How did the Hudson's Bay Company Blanket act as both a cherished kitsch object for generations of Canadians and a tool of genocide? Alternating between light and darkness, great humour and sharp indignation, this is a disturbing, thought-provoking and important work from a masterful writer and cultural analyst.
Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Gallagher, Winifred, PUBLISHER: Penguin Press, Winifred Gallagher revolutionizes our understanding of attention and the creation of the interested life In "Rapt," acclaimed behavioral science writer Winifred Gallagher makes the radical argument that the quality of your life largely depends on what you choose to pay attention to and how you choose to do it. Gallagher grapples with provocative questionsaCan we train our focus? Whatas different about the way creative people pay attention? Why do we often zero in on the wrong factors when making big decisions, like where to move?adriving us to reconsider what we think we know about attention. Gallagher looks beyond sound bites on our proliferating BlackBerries and the increased incidence of ADD in children to the discoveries of neuroscience and psychology and the wisdom of home truths, profoundly altering and expanding the contemporary conversation on attention and its power. Scienceas major contribution to the study of attention has been the discovery that its basic mechanism is an either/or process of selection. That we focus may be a biological necessitya research now proves we can process only a little information at a time, or about 173 billion bits over an average lifeabut the good news is that we have much more control over our focus than we think, which gives us a remarkable yet underappreciated capacity to influence our experience. As suggested by the expression apay attention, a this cognitive currency is a finite resource that we must learn to spend wisely. In "Rapt," Gallagher introduces us to a diverse cast of charactersaartists and ranchers, birders and scientistsawho have learned to do just that and whose stories are profound lessons in the art of living the interested life. No matter what your quotient of wealth, looks, brains, or fame, increasing your satisfaction means focusing more on what really interests you and less on what doesnat. In asserting its groundbreaking thesisathe wise investment of your attention is the single most important thing you can do to improve your well-beinga"Rapt" yields fresh insights into the nature of reality and what it means to be fully alive.
The Last Hurrah?: Soft Money and Issue Advocacy in the
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Magleby, David B. / Monson, J. Quin, PUBLISHER: Brookings Institution Press, The midterm elections were noteworthy U.S. congressional campaigns for many reasons. They marked the last national contests before implementation of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) and thus were expected by many to be the last hurrah for soft money. These midterm campaigns provided a window on the activity of parties, interest groups, and political consultants on the eve of BCRA, as they prepared to enter a new era of American elections. The results of Campaign were remarkable. As the party in power, the Republicans defied history by gaining seats in both houses of Congress, giving them a majority in the Senate. To some degree this resulted from the GOPs new emphasis on ground war voter mobilization. Another key was the unusually aggressive support of the sitting president, who leveraged his popularity to advance his partys candidates for Congress. The Last Hurrah? analyzes the role of soft money and issue advocacy in the battle for Congress. Having been granted access to a number of campaign operations across a broad array of groups, David Magleby, Quin Monson, and their colleagues monitored and documented a number of competitive races, including the key South Dakota and Missouri Senate contests. Each case study breaks down the campaign communication in a particular race, including devices such as advertising, get-out-the-vote drives, soft money expenditures, and the increasingly influential role of the national parties on local races. They also discuss the overall trends of the midterm election of , paying particular attention to the impact of President Bush and his political operation in candidate recruitment, fundraising, and campaign visits. Magleby andMonson consider an important question typically overlooked. How do voters caught in the middle of a hotly contested race deal withand react toa barrage of television and radio ads, direct mail, unsolicited phone calls, and other campaign communications? They conclude with a look to the future, using the trends in to understand just how candidates, political parties, and interest groups might respond to the new campaign environment of BCRA.
Biographical Supplement and Index
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Oxford University Press / Freund, David M., PUBLISHER: Oxford University Press, To fully appreciate our country's history and the problems and possibilities we face as a nation on the eve of a new century, Americans--young and old--need to know that the fascinating heritage of African Americans begins not with the slave ships of Portugal and Spain, but with the richly diverse tribes, cultures, and ancient civilizations of the African continent. We need to understand that the long journey for freedom and equality for all Americans began well before the Civil War, or even the Revolutionary War, and that the journey continues to this day. Now history's missing pages at last come to life with the publication of The Young Oxford History of African Americans. Spanning five centuries, this extraordinary 11-volume series paints a vibrant and compelling portrait of the lives of African Americans. Written by distinguished American historians, the series sets a new standard for accuracy, balance, and breadth of scholarship in a reference aimed at the general reader. The lively narrative is rich in gripping first person accounts and short character sketches that invite readers to relive history as African Americans experienced it. From the first black Africans brought as slaves into the Caribbean islands and the colonies of Central and South America to today's black filmmakers and politicians, the stories of remarkable individuals of great courage and ability are told, but also those of ordinary men and women whose struggles and accomplishments continue to shape history. Whatever their race or background, readers come away with a deeper appreciation of African Americans as a people who have long shared in the aspiration and expectations of their fellow citizens, but who have done so with a unique history and a unique set of barriers to overcome. Unrivaled in breadth or depth, The Young Oxford History of African Americans is an unforgettable portrait of a people. It is an essential reference not only for students of African-American history, but also for libraries, teachers, parents, and all of us who strive to understand the struggles and sacrifices of the American past, the formidable challenges of our present, and our brightest hopes for the future.
Bridges Across an Impossible Divide: The Inner Lives of Arab
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Gopin, Marc, PUBLISHER: Oxford University Press, USA, Peace between Arabs and Jews seems forever out of reach, both sides caught in a never-ending cycle of violence and revenge. But while treaties and other top-down solutions have had little lasting effect, peacemakers on the ground are creating real change--within themselves and with their enemies. In Bridges across an Impossible Divide, American professor and Rabbi Marc Gopin offers an unprecedented exploration of the spiritual lives of Arab and Jewish peacemakers who have evolved deep friendships despite decades of war and suffering on all sides. The peacemakers included in this book have little or no formal training in conflict resolution or diplomacy, however through trial and error they have devised their own unique methods of looking inward and reaching out across enemy lines. Gopin provides insightful analysis of the lessons to be learned from these peace builders, outlining the characteristics that make them successful. He argues that lasting conflict and misery between enemies is the result of an emotional, cognitive, and ethical failure to self-examine, and that the true transformation of a troubled society is brought about by the spiritual introspection of extraordinary, determined individuals. The book is unique in that its central body is the actual words of peacemakers themselves as they speak of their struggles to overcome the death of loved ones and to find common ground with adversaries. Most of these accounts are from peacemakers who have hardly written before. This is a treasure trove for scholars and the general public who seek to understand the conflict and its peacemakers at a far deeper level. These remarkable stories reveal a level of inner examination that is rarely encountered in the literature of political science, international relations, or even conflict resolution theory. They show how building friendships invigorates the effort to bring equality, nonviolent social change, and reconciliation to warring peoples. Bridges across an Impossible Divide takes readers beyond the rhetoric of political leaders into the spiritual lives of men and women actually making peace with their enemies.
Hiking Washington's History
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Bentley, Judy, PUBLISHER: University of Washington Press, "Hiking Washington's History" reveals the stories embedded in Washington's landscape. This trail guide narrates forty historic trails, ranging from short day hikes to three or four-day backpacking trips over mountain passes. Every region in the state is included, from the northwesternmost tip of the continental United States at Cape Flattery to the remote Blue Mountains in the southeast. Each chapter begins with a brief overview of the region's history followed by individual trail narratives and historical highlights. Quotes from diaries, journals, letters, and reports, as well as contemporary and historic photographs, describe sites and trails from Washington's past. Each trail description includes a map and provides directions, so hikers can follow the historic route. Judy Bentley tells readers how to get there, what to expect, and what to look for. Despite Washington State's rapid growth, a remarkable number of historic trails have been preserved in national parks, restored by cities and towns, returned to public use by the railroads, or opened to hikers by Native American tribes. Some trails, such as the Iron Goat Trail, have been fully restored and interpreted. Others, such as the Naches Pass Trail, have been abused but survive. Some are easily accessible, such as the Duwamish River Trail in Seattle and the Spokane House trails near Spokane. Others, such as Chief Joseph's Summer Trail, require a half-day journey just to reach the trailhead. "Hiking Washington's History" is for hikers, amateur historians, newcomers unfamiliar with the state's history, and Northwest natives who know only part of that history. Savor the vicarious experience of a hike from a cozy chair on a rainy winter day, or put your boots on and hit the trail when the sun shines. Judy Bentley, who teaches at South Seattle Community College, is an avid hiker and the author of fourteen books for young adults. "This book samples the landscape and history of the entire state, and is well organized, well researched, and well written. Its pages add a new dimension to hikes by linking our footfalls with those of the past." -Ruth Kirk
Blackhorse Riders: A Desperate Last Stand, an Extraordinary
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Keith, Philip, PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press, "This is the incredible true story of a brave military unit in Vietnam that risked everything to rescue an outnumbered troop under heavy fire--and the thirty-nine-year odyssey to recognize their bravery." Deep in the jungles of Vietnam, Alpha Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry, the famed Blackhorse Regiment, was a specialized cavalry outfit equipped with tanks and armored assault vehicles. On the morning of March , they began hearing radio calls from an infantry unit four kilometers away that had stumbled into a hidden North Vietnamese Army stronghold. Outnumbered at least six to one, the ninety-man American company was quickly surrounded, pinned down, and fighting for its existence. Helicopters could not penetrate the dense jungle, and artillery and air support could not be targeted effectively. The company was fated to be worn down and eventually all killed or captured. Overhearing the calls for help on his radio, Captain John Poindexter, Alpha Troop's twenty-five-year-old commander, realized that his outfit was the only hope for the trapped company. It just might be possible that they could "bust" enough jungle by nightfall to reach them. Not making the attempt was deemed unacceptable, so he ordered his men to "saddle up." With the courage and determination that makes legends out of ordinary men, they effected a daring rescue and fought a pitched battle--at considerable cost. Many brave deeds were done that day and Captain Poindexter tried to make sure his men were recognized for their actions. Thirty years later Poindexter was made aware that his award recommendations and even the records of the battle had somehow gone missing. Thus began the second phase of this remarkable story: a "battle" to ensure that his brave men's accomplishments would never be forgotten again. The full circle was completed when President Obama stepped to the podium on October , to award the Alpha Troop with the Presidential Unit Citation: the highest combat award that can be given to a military unit.
Michael Douglas: A Biography
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Eliot, Marc, PUBLISHER: Random House USA Inc, A groundbreaking portrait of one of Hollywood's most successful stars, from critically acclaimed and bestselling biographer Marc Eliot Through determination, inventiveness, and charisma, Michael Douglas emerged from the long shadow cast by his movie-legend father, Kirk Douglas, to become his own man and one of the film industry's most formi-dable players. Overcoming the curse of failure that haunts the sons and daughters of Hollywood celebrities, Michael became a sensation when he successfully brought "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, "starring his friend Jack Nicholson, to the screen after numerous setbacks, including his father's own failed attempts to make it happen. This box-office phenomenon won Michael his first Oscar (the film won five total, including Best Picture), an award Kirk hadn't won at the time, and solidified the turbulent, competitive father-son relationship that would shape Michael's career and personal life. In the decades that followed, Michael established a reputation for taking chances on new talent and proj-ects by producing and starring in the hugely successful "Romancing the Stone "and "Jewel of the Nile "movies, while cultivating a multifaceted acting persona--edgy, rebel-lious, and a little dark--in such films as "Wall Street, Fatal Attraction, Basic Instinct, "and "Disclosure. " Yet as his career thrived, Michael's personal life floundered, with an unhappy and tumultuous first mar-riage, rumors of infidelity (especially with leading ladies such as Kathleen Turner), and a headline-grabbing stint in rehab. Rocked by a series of tragedies, including Kirk's strokes, his son Cameron's incarceration, and his own fight against throat cancer, Michael has emerged trium-phant, healthy, and happy in his marriage to Catherine Zeta-Jones, a Welsh actress twenty-five years his junior, and their new young family. In "Michael Douglas, "Marc Eliot brings into sharp fo-cus this incredible career, complicated personal life, and legendary Hollywood family. Eliot's fascinating portrait of the lows and remarkable highs in Michael's life--in-cluding the thorny yet influential relationship with his father--breaks boundaries in understanding the life and work of a true American film star.