Olibro

Taking readers on a global journey, historian Natasha Tidd examines the history of the world through the lives and lies of fifty liars. From conspiracy theories, to propaganda, scams of the century and devious double agents, A Short History of the World in 50 Liars is a must-read for any history fan.

The bestselling alternative history series in bite-sized chapters. Thoroughly researched and entertaining. This is history ... but not as you know it.<BR><BR>Explore the tyrants who have shaped the course of history. All power corrupts, but absolute power can turn people into absolute monsters. The true stories behind the men and women who led tyrannies around the world. This is history ... but not as you know it.<BR><BR>Leading readers through all of world history, Ben Gazur looks at how tyrants and their regimes have shaped the course of humanity from the earliest times right up until the modern day. From the first Ancient Greek tyrants to those who still dominate nations today, dictators have always been pulling the strings.<BR><BR>In 50 bite-sized chapters spanning thousands of years, A Short History of the World in 50 Tyrants examines their rise to power, how they stayed there and how they were overthrown, investigating their lives and crimes. Readers will learn how Catherine the Great seized the throne from her own husband, how Adolf Hitler created a cult of personality to assume complete control, and how Julius Caesar met his end under a rain of stabs on the senate floor.<BR><BR>Follow the whims, eccentricities and evil acts of dictators across the millennia, such as the deadly search for immortality by the first Chinese Emperor, the wily machinations of the Emperor Augustus and the crushing brutality of Pol Pot's rule.<BR><BR>Also available:<BR>A Short History of the World in 50 Failures (9781789296938)<BR>A Short History of the World in 50 Lies (9781789294606)<BR>A Short History of the World in 50 Books (9781789294088)<BR>A Short History of the World in 50 Animals (9781789292954)<BR>A Short History of the World in 50 Places (9781789291971)

Seminar paper from the year 2014 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 3,0, University of Potsdam (Institut fuer Anglistik), course: Postkoloniale Literatur & Kultur, language: English, abstract: In this work I want to provide a brief overview of the literature development in the West Indies, especially in Jamaica. Therefore I will discuss the language and literature situation in Jamaica and talk about the author Mary Seacole as an example for a female Jamaican writer. A part of my work will be that I discuss the role of women and female characters in Jamaican literature. That is why I decided for Mary Seacole¿s book ¿Wonderful Adventures of Mrs Seacole in Many Lands¿. At the end of this paper I want to give an outlook of Jamaican literature and the situation of black literature in the Caribbean. The West Indies share the common experience of colonization, displacement, slavery, emancipation and nationalism this particular West Indian experience is part of the West Indian culture and of their arts. Even though slavery was abolished between 100 and 150 years ago, it lives on in the memories of the inhabitants of the Caribbean islands. The experience of slavery led to cynicism and despair as well as to hope and positive thoughts which inspire the West Indian dream of individual freedom and collective independence. Those dreams are shared in the literature of the West Indies. A development of literature on the Caribbean islands first started in the 18th and 19th century. An explosion of it followed in the 1930s and the late 50s. Topics at this time were an anti-colonial perspective and a search for new definitions and values. However the West Indian literature grew into new dimensions in the late 20th century. Caribbean writers dealt with historical, social and political adjustments on their islands, which were part of their own problems with identity and aesthetics. West Indian literature shows its variety in poetry, prose, fiction and drama. The poetry of the early 70ths was motivated by the Black Power movement and therefore radical and revolutionary. Back then and still nowadays the greatest influence of West Indian literature is the complementary relationship of oral and written traditions of the Caribbean inhabitants.

Document from the year 2023 in the subject Leadership and Human Resources - Management Styles, Steinbeis University Berlin, language: English, abstract: Starting your first leading role requires understanding and adapting to the diverse needs, expectations, and personalities of those being led. Key aspects include choosing a leadership style, effective communication, stakeholder analysis, evaluating your team, emphasizing body language, managing challenging situations, setting goals, and following the seven steps of success. Building relationships, setting priorities, planning, clear communication, seeking feedback, and continuous learning are critical components of becoming an effective leader.

What could be better than a nap to slow the frantic course of our pressure-filled lives, dominated by the cult of performance and the need to constantly outdo ourselves? What could be better, in our anxiety-inducing world, than cocooning yourself by falling discreetly asleep on the couch or in a hammock? "One ought not attempt to 'force' nature," Epicurus said long ago. Solet's not challenge the philosophers, let's learn to suspend time instead. <BR><BR>Napping is a lifestyle, one that respects our natural rhythm and nurtures the best of what we have to offer. If he hadn't taken a nap in the shade of an apple tree, would Newton have discovered the law of gravity? This book is a wisdom-filled collection that reminds us to listen to the life lessons dispensed by nature and invites us to slow the maddening tempo of our lives down.

An ordinary family man, geologist, and Mormon, Soren Johansson has always believed he'll be reunited with his loved ones in an eternal hereafter. Then, he dies. Soren wakes to find himself cast by a God he has never heard of into a Hell whose dimensions he can barely grasp: a vast library he can only escape from by finding the book that contains the story of his life. In this haunting existential novella, author, philosopher, and ecologist Steven L. Peck explores a subversive vision of eternity, taking the reader on a journey through the afterlife of a world where everything everyone believed in turns out to be wrong.

An ordinary family man, geologist, and Mormon, Soren Johansson has always believed he'll be reunited with his loved ones in an eternal hereafter. Then, he dies. Soren wakes to find himself cast by a God he has never heard of into a Hell whose dimensions he can barely grasp: a vast library he can only escape from by finding the book that contains the story of his life. In this haunting existential novella, author, philosopher, and ecologist Steven L. Peck explores a subversive vision of eternity, taking the reader on a journey through the afterlife of a world where everything everyone believed in turns out to be wrong.

*A WATERSTONES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR 2026*'A short stay in literary paradise' Ethan HawkeA man is cast by an unfamiliar God into a vast, incomprehensible Hell - a labyrinth library of books containing the stories of every life ever lived.His only way out is to find the single book that tells his own story. But along the seemingly infinite shelves lies every possible combination of letters. Trapped within this maze of meaninglessness, the absurdity of existence becomes impossible to ignore.A life-changing, existential novella, Steven L. Peck's modern classic explores a subversive vision of eternity, taking the reader on a journey through the afterlife of a world where everything everyone believed in turns out to be wrong.READERS ARE OBSESSED WITH THE VIRAL SENSATION A SHORT STAY IN HELL:'WHAT THE HELL"My mind is absolutely blown... and I'm absolutely horrified"One of the most haunting, thought-provoking books I've ever read'

A spellbinding fantasy adventure that follows a young woman struck down by a mysterious curse, and her extraordinary journey in search of survival. <BR> 'Races around the globe, through deserts and cities, across oceans' OPRAH DAILY<BR><BR>The International Bestseller <BR><BR> ***** READERS LOVE A SHORT WALK *****<BR>'A unique blend of adventure and fantasy'<BR>'You just cannot put the book down'<BR>'A true love letter to travel, adventure and discovery'<BR>'The world-building is amazing'<BR>'This book is incredible'<BR>'I loved every page of it'<BR><BR>Paris, 1885. On an otherwise ordinary night, Aubry Tourvel - spoiled, stubborn and nine years old - is suddenly struck down by a mysterious illness at the family dinner table.<BR><BR> When a visit to a doctor only makes her worse, Aubry flees to the outskirts of the city, where she realises that it is this very act of movement that keeps her alive.<BR><BR> She has no choice: she must run from this curse. And so begins her incredible lifelong journey across the world.<BR><BR> But with risk at every turn, what will it take for Aubry to survive?<BR><BR>* * *<BR><BR>* As seen on Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show Book Club *<BR><BR> 'An epic adventure...rich with all the possibilities the world can hold' PEOPLE<BR><BR> 'Imagine Life of Pi and The Midnight Library rolled into one' NEW YORK TIMES<BR><BR> 'Dazzling... I savoured every page' SHELBY VAN PELT

A riotous, Fellini-esque memoir from the famous artist and fashion photographer whose work helped define the look of a generation. A Shot in the Dark includes nearly one hundred photos, spanning decades of D'Orazio's incomparable career.Whether or not you know his name, you know his work.As one of the top fashion photographers in the industry, Sante D'Orazio played a seminal role in shaping how we define what it is to be beautiful, cool, glamorous, and hot. The résumé of A-listers he has shot includes top supermodels--Helena Christensen, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Kate Moss, Christy Turlington, and Naomi Campbell, among others--as well as a myriad of actors, artists, and athletes, including Pamela Anderson, Prince, Keith Richards, Axl Rose, Sophia Loren, Mickey Rourke, and Mike Tyson. In this intimate, riotous, rough-and-tumble memoir, D'Orazio writes of his many adventures and how he fought his way to the top while navigating a life of sex, drugs, hustlers, and panic attacks.But beneath the surface of glamour and glitz, we find surprising depth. D'Orazio informs his narrative with artful meditations on the tensions that have defined his career and life: between the sacred and the profane; the commercial demands of fashion photography versus his personal art and his true love of painting; the nature of light and the disabling darkness of mood swings; '80s glamour versus "heroin chic"; the mystic presence of Saint Padre Pio and the bacchanalia of Studio 54--from cocaine to Caravaggio.Along the way, the author weaves together a vivid story of the Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn where he grew up and, especially, of his overly dramatic mother. The author chronicles his deeply personal, often hilarious, and always entertaining journey as he comes to terms with how the pull of his mother affected his many relationships with women--and informs the bond he has formed with his own son.A Shot in the Dark is a shocking, sexy, and surprisingly revealing memoir that pulls you into the many frames of life.

A.E. Housman was one of the best-loved poets of his day, and A Shropshire Lad and Other Poems is a collection of poems whose elegant simplicity of form belies their hidden complexities. This Penguin Classics edition is introduced by Nick Laird with revisions by Archie Burnett and an afterword by John Sparrow.<BR><BR>'What are those blue remembered hills,<BR>What spires, what farms are those?'<BR><BR>In this collection, A. E. Housman's poems, including'To an Athlete Dying Young', 'Loveliest of Trees, the Cherry Now' and 'When I Was One-and-Twenty', conjure up a potent and idyllic rural world imbued with a poignant sense of loss and sadness. Their scope is wide - ranging from religious doubt and doomed love to intense nostalgia for the countryside and patriotic celebration of the life of the soldier - and they are made all the more memorable by their distinctive diction and perfectly modulated rhythm and sound. This volume brings together the works Housman published in his lifetime, A Shropshire Lad (1896) and Last Poems (1922), along with the posthumous selections More Poems and Additional Poems, and three translations of extracts from Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides that display his mastery of Classical literature.<BR><BR>This edition has been revised by Archie Burnett and includes updated notes on the text and indexes of first lines and titles. In his afterword, John Sparrow discusses Housman's methods of writing and melancholic temperament.<BR><BR>Alfred Edward Housman (1859-1936) usually known as A.E. Housman, was an English poet and classical scholar, now best known for his cycle of poems A Shropshire Lad.<BR><BR>If you enjoyed A Shropshire Lad and Other Poems, you might like John Clare's Selected Poems, also available in Penguin Classics.

Yuki is a typical college student--it's just that she can't hear. A chance encounter on a train leads to a serious crush...but will he give her a chance? A sweet and relatable manga romance from the creator of Shortcake Cake!<BR><BR>"Now our life together can finally begin…"<BR><BR>Since they started going out, the handsome and confident Itsuomi has been nothing but kind and caring toward Yuki, his deaf classmate and now girlfriend. The two have knocked down one challenge after another: staying in touch while Itsuomi is overseas, dealing with friends with unrequited crushes, and finally securing permission from Yuki’s parents to move in together. Now the big day is finally here, and they’ve just finished bringing the last box into their new home. But now that all that work is done, the most nerve-wracking part begins: everyday life!

Yuki is a typical college student--it's just that she can't hear. A chance encounter on a train leads to a serious crush...but will he give her a chance? A sweet and relatable manga romance from the creator of Shortcake Cake!<BR><BR>“I want more than words of love…"<BR><BR>Now living with Itsuomi, Yuki has begun thinking of her new apartment as a treasured, shared space. Perhaps, this is even where she belongs… With her feelings for Itsuomi only growing in response to his revelation about his plans for the future, the two decide to step one more step to deepen their bond…!

Yuki is a typical college student--it's just that she can't hear. A chance encounter on a train leads to a serious crush...but will he give her a chance? A sweet and relatable manga romance from the creator of Shortcake Cake!<BR><BR>I wonder, will these extraordinary things, bit by bit, become… ordinary?<BR><BR>Yuki’s life revolved around friends, fashion, her classes, and social media, until something interrupted her routine: a chance meeting with Itsuomi, a classmate with a passion for languages, world travel, movies—and, increasingly, for Yuki. Amazed at how casually Itsuomi asked her out, Yuki couldn’t help but wonder how serious this relationship was for him, but, with Itsuomi showing his devotion in little ways, every day, another thrilling thought has entered her mind: What if this new happiness could become her new normal? <BR><BR>A singular, touching love story from the creator of Shortcake Cake!

Yuki is a typical college student--it's just that she can't hear. A chance encounter on a train leads to a serious crush...but will he give her a chance? A sweet and relatable manga romance from the creator of Shortcake Cake!<BR><BR>"There are still parts of me-words, faces-that I’ve never shown you..."<BR><BR>Emma's relentless pursuit of Itsuomi has hit a wall, and Shin is left to pick up the pieces, if Emma will let him. Meanwhile, Oushi-kun's sudden confession makes Yuki anxious about Itsuomi's feelings. Just as the two seem to have their respective third wheels under control, Itsuomi makes a stunning suggestion: Will Yuki come and live with him? It takes courage for Yuki to admit why she's hesitant. But the clock is ticking down to Itsuomi's graduation, and his trip abroad. Yuki decides to overcome her fears of being a burden and accept. What new tensions will this bring into their relationship?

Yuki is a typical college student--it's just that she can't hear. A chance encounter on a train leads to a serious crush...but will he give her a chance? A sweet and relatable manga romance from the creator of Shortcake Cake!<BR><BR>"I want to stay with you, just a little longer…"<BR><BR>Since the moment they met, Yuki—a college student who’s never had a boyfriend and was born deaf—has always felt like being near her boyfriend Itsuomi was the most natural thing in the world. It’s something she has trouble explaining even to herself. When Itsuomi asks her if she wants to live with him, she says yes right away, but they’re sailing into totally uncharted waters. Itsuomi has successfully charmed Yuki’s mom and dad, and now a million practical questions loom, not least among them how Yuki will handle the excitement of being around her man all day, and all night!

The best-selling shojo romance manga from the creator of Shortcake Cake gets a new, large-sized omnibus edition! Yuki is a typical college student--it's just that she can't hear. A chance encounter on a train leads to a serious crush...but will he give her a chance?<BR><BR>Catch up on the manga before watching the anime! Includes Vol. 1-3.<BR><BR>Yuki, who's always been deaf, is used to communicating with sign language and her phone. But she's not used to English, so when a tourist from overseas asks for directions, she nearly panics...until a handsome stranger steps in to help. His name is Itsuomi, and it turns out he's a friend of a friend. A charismatic globetrotter, Itsuomi speaks three languages, but he's never had a deaf friend. The two feel drawn to each other and plan a date on a romantic winter's night, but Yuki's friend is afraid that she might be setting herself up to get hurt. Could this be something real? Or will these feelings melt away with the snow?

The best-selling shojo romance manga from the creator of Shortcake Cake gets a new, large-sized omnibus edition! Yuki is a typical college student--it's just that she can't hear. A chance encounter on a train leads to a serious crush...but will he give her a chance?Catch up on the manga before watching the anime! Includes Vol. 7-9.Emma ambushed Itsuomi at school and dragged him to the arcade, where he was brutally honest about his lack of romantic interest in her. What Itsuomi didn't realize is that Oushi happened to see them go in together. He also doesn't know that Oushi confronted Yuki, giving her an embrace that spoke louder than his words ever have, and that left Yuki feeling a sinking guilt. This haze of unrequited feelings seems to threaten Yuki and Itsuomi's still-tender bond of trust, until Itsuomi makes an astonishing suggestion...

The best-selling shojo romance manga from the creator of Shortcake Cake gets a new, large-sized omnibus edition! Yuki is a typical college student--it's just that she can't hear. A chance encounter on a train leads to a serious crush...but will he give her a chance?<BR> <BR>If you loved the anime, see where the story goes next! Includes Vol. 10-12.<BR><BR>Parental permission, planning, packing—the tedious part is over, and Yuki and Itsuomi have finally moved in together. But with the distractions out of the way, there’s no way for Yuki to avoid thinking about the reality that she’s going to be in a tiny apartment with her hot boyfriend all day, and…all night! No one taught her how to handle these feelings. A single bedroom isn’t big enough to keep secrets, either, and Itsuomi will soon have to share what he’s been keeping inside, whether he’s ready or not…

LONGLISTED FOR THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION - an unforgettable novel of a deaf woman's quest to tell her story, and find her place in the world. <BR><BR> 'Enrapturing. A story of betrayal, community, speaking out and being heard' iPaper<BR>'Illuminating... beautifully written' Priscilla Morris, author of Black Butterflies<BR>'An exquisite portrayal of the dislocation of being deaf in a hearing world' The Times <BR>'Vivid and eloquent... offers insight as well as delight' Guardian<BR><BR>Ellen Lark is on the verge of marriage when she receives a visit from Alexander Graham Bell.<BR><BR>Once she believed she was important to Mr Bell. As one of his deaf students, she was among the first to learn of his dream to transmit a human voice along a wire: the telephone.<BR><BR>Now Mr Bell's idea is a reality, and he is beset by problems - and he expects Ellen to use her voice on his behalf.<BR><BR>But Ellen has a story of her own: of a man she loved, a language she discovered, and a community Bell betrayed. It is a story no one around her wants to hear - but there may never be a more important time for her to tell it.<BR><BR>⭐ What readers are saying; ⭐ <BR><BR> 'Profound, moving and engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed it' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ <BR><BR> 'Compelling... beautiful as well as fascinating' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ <BR><BR> 'Tremendously engaging... brings history to life' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

The award-winning modern classic about a girl who can't hear and her bully, which inspired the acclaimed anime film from Kyoto Animation, returns in a beautiful, two-volume collector's edition. Each extra-large, deluxe hardcover contains over 700 pages of manga on crisp, premium paper, and more than fifty pages of new content.<BR><BR>Voices Come in Many Forms<BR><BR>In elementary school, Shoya Ishida led his peers in tormenting a classmate who couldn't hear, Shoko Nishimiya. When Shoko transfers schools, Shoya finds he has gone from bully to bullied, and he's left completely alone. Six years later, Shoya struggles to redeem himself in Shoko's eyes and to face the classmates who turned on him.<BR><BR>This deluxe, large-sized hardcover includes the first half of this award-winning manga as well as over fifty pages of content never published in English before. Enjoy color art and concept sketch galleries, early drafts of the story, and interviews with creator Yoshitoki Oima and others, packed with behind-the-scenes details!<BR><BR>YALSA Great Graphic Novels for Teens Top Ten Selection; Eisner Award Nominee <BR><BR>“A tender portrayal of adolescence and the longing to be accepted.” -The New York Times<BR><BR>"A Silent Voice isn't just a potential conversation starter about bullying, it also teaches empathy and has the potential to change behavior." -School Library Journal<BR><BR>"A very rare chance to see characters with disabilities represented on the page and a harsh light shed on the way that Japanese culture handles this difficult topic." -Comics Bulletin<BR><BR>“A very powerful story about being different and the consequences of childhood bullying… Read it.” -Anime News Network<BR><BR>“The word heartwarming was made for manga like this.” -Manga Bookshelf<BR><BR>“A story of transformation…A Silent Voice [depicts] a truly egalitarian view of love, something we can all obtain by our own capacity to love, rather than something limited to a perfect relationship.” -Polygon

The acclaimed, bestselling manga about a girl who can't hear and the boy who bullied her, from start to finish, in a premium, collectible box set. Includes all seven volumes, plus an exclusive, double-sided 10-by-15-inch poster and a replica of Shoko's communication notebook.<BR><BR> <BR>     This emotional drama is one of the most critically-acclaimed manga of the decade, earning an Eisner nomination and accolades from teachers and the American Library Association. Years ago, Shoya Ishida led his peers in tormenting a hearing-impaired classmate, Shoko Nishimiya. When she transfers schools, Shoya finds he has gone from bully to bullied, and is left completely alone. Now Shoya struggles to redeem himself in Shoko's eyes and to face the classmates who turned on him. An animated film adaptation from Kyoto Animation has swept the globe, arriving in US theaters in October 2017.

A Simple Book of Strength is a book about strength written for the every day person. This book is not intended for gym rats, powerlifters, bodybuilders, or performing strongmen. It's for the person who wants to be stronger in their lives so they can feel good and enjoy their lives better.Having strength just makes life better.In this book, you'll learn how to gain access to your full strength potential by engaging in simple movements that remove the inhibitions of your strength. You're amazingly strong right now; this is a guide to learning how to express the strength you already have.There are also strength routines in this book that you can use to build and harness your strength further.The bottom line is, you are designed to be strong. If you want to understand and experience that design, read this book.

Research Paper (postgraduate) from the year 2014 in the subject Engineering - Communication Technology, grade: 10, Shantilal Shah Engineering College, language: English, abstract: In this paper design and analysis of annular or circular ring type microstrip patch antenna and the basic terms related to design aspects and study of proposed antenna is presented. Like many available variations of microstrip patch geometries annular or circular ring widely used due to its broadband nature when operated in ¿TM¿_12 mode and has smaller circular counterparts when it is operated in its fundamental mode¿ TM¿_11. In this article theoretical and mathematical analysis related to annular ring patch antenna with design is presented and briefly explained. The designed antenna operates at 2.4 GHz resonant frequency so can be used in ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical) band wireless applications. The proposed antenna shows good return loss, VSWR as depicted in the graphs.

Everything you need to know about Retrieval Augmented Generation in one human-friendly guide.Generative AI models struggle when you ask them about facts not covered in their training data. Retrieval Augmented Generation—or RAG—enhances an LLM’s available data by adding context from an external knowledge base, so it can answer accurately about proprietary content, recent information, and even live conversations. RAG is powerful, and with A Simple Guide to Retrieval Augmented Generation, it’s also easy to understand and implement! In A Simple Guide to Retrieval Augmented Generation you’ll learn: • The components of a RAG system • How to create a RAG knowledge base • The indexing and generation pipeline • Evaluating a RAG system • Advanced RAG strategies • RAG tools, technologies, and frameworks A Simple Guide to Retrieval Augmented Generation shows you how to enhance an LLM with relevant data, increasing factual accuracy and reducing hallucination. Your customer service chatbots can quote your company’s policies, your teaching tools can draw directly from your syllabus, and your work assistants can access your organization’s minutes, notes, and files. Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF and ePub formats from Manning Publications. About the book A Simple Guide to Retrieval Augmented Generation makes RAG simple and easy, even if you’ve never worked with LLMs before. This book goes deeper than any blog or YouTube tutorial, covering fundamental RAG concepts that are essential for building LLM-based applications. You’ll be introduced to the idea of RAG and be guided from the basics on to advanced and modularized RAG approaches—plus hands-on code snippets leveraging LangChain, OpenAI, Transformers, and other Python libraries. Chapter-by-chapter, you’ll build a complete RAG enabled system and evaluate its effectiveness. You’ll compare and combine accuracy-improving approaches for different components of RAG, and see what the future holds for RAG. You’ll also get a sense of the different tools and technologies available to implement RAG. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll be ready to start building RAG enabled systems. About the reader For data scientists, machine learning and software engineers, and technology managers who wish to build LLM-based applications. Examples in Python—no experience with LLMs necessary. About the author Abhinav Kimothi is an entrepreneur and Vice President of Artificial Intelligence at Yarnit. He has spent over 15 years consulting and leadership roles in data science, machine learning and AI.

'She decided she would teach him to speak and he was very soon able to say, 'Pretty boy!', 'Your servant, sir!' and 'Hail Mary!"<BR><BR>With pathos and humour, Flaubert imagines the unexamined life of a servant girl.<BR><BR>Introducing Little Black Classics: 80 books for Penguin's 80th birthday. Little Black Classics celebrate the huge range and diversity of Penguin Classics, with books from around the world and across many centuries. They take us from a balloon ride over Victorian London to a garden of blossom in Japan, from Tierra del Fuego to 16th-century California and the Russian steppe. Here are stories lyrical and savage; poems epic and intimate; essays satirical and inspirational; and ideas that have shaped the lives of millions.<BR><BR>Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880). Flaubert's works available in Penguin Classics are Madame Bovary, Sentimental Education, Three Tales and Salammbo.

A ground-breaking surgical intervention promises to free women from psychological disorders. The procedure is painless, the risks are minimal, and patients are calmer and more compliant after healing. The doctor promises them a new and productive life, free from suffering can it be so simple? Meret is a nurse on the surgical ward. The hospital is her home, and her uniform is her identity. She supports her patients through their interventions and is proud to be a part of the solution. But when she falls in love with another nurse, she crosses an invisible boundary and her certainty in the system begins to crumble. With echoes of Kazuo Ishiguro and Margaret Atwood, this is the story of a world of rigid hierarchies and a love with its own rules.

When Miss Milner announces her passion for her guardian, a Catholic priest, she breaks through the double barrier of religious vocation and society's standards of `proper' womanly behaviour. Her love is legitimized when Dorriforth is released from his vows, but she finds her own unorthodox nature cannot conform to a marriage where her husband continues to be a stern moral guide. With a sureness of touch that prefigures Jane Austen, Elizabeth Inchbald shows that thereis no simple answer to their predicament, and that their conflict can only be resolved in the next generation.

Exploring ideas around minimalism, simplicity and how to live comfortably with less. The modern world can be a complicated, frenzied and noisy place, filled with too many options, products, ideas and opinions. That explains why what many of us long for is simplicity: a life that can be more pared down, peaceful and focused on the essentials. But finding simplicity is not always easy; it isn't just a case of emptying out our closets or trimming back commitments in our diaries. True simplicity requires that we understand the roots of our distractions - and develop a canny respect for the stubborn reasons why things can grow complex and overwhelming. This book is a guide to the simpler lives we crave and deserve. It considers how we might achieve simplicity across a range of areas: our relationships, social lives, work routines and our approaches to possessions and media. Along the way, we learn about Zen Buddhism, modernist architecture, monasteries, psychoanalysis, and why we probably don't need more than three good friends or a few treasured belongings. It isn't enough that our lives should look simple; they need to be simple from the inside. This book takes a psychological approach, guiding us towards less contorted hearts and minds. It suggests that once we truly know who we are and what we want, we will be able to live with far less than we currently believe we need. We have for too long been drowning in excess and clutter from a confusion about our aspirations; A Simpler Life helps us tune out the static and focus on what properly matters to us.

When Christopher Isherwood's A Single Man first appeared, it shocked many with its frank, sympathetic, and moving portrayal of a gay man in maturity. Isherwood's favorite of his own novels, it now stands as a classic lyric meditation on life as an outsider. <BR><BR>Welcome to sunny suburban 1960s Southern California. George is a gay middle-aged English professor, adjusting to solitude after the tragic death of his young partner. He is determined to persist in the routines of his former life. A Single Man follows him over the course of an ordinary twenty-four hours. Behind his British reserve, tides of grief, rage, and loneliness surge-but what is revealed is a man who loves being alive despite all the everyday injustices.

George is heartbroken after the death of his lover.An English professor in suburban California, George must now adjust to a tragic new solitude in the sun. Beneath George's rigid British restraint, waves of sorrow and fury surge. He doggedly persists with the routines of his past life, heading out to work, to the gym, on again to dinner. Yet along the way, George rediscovers the unexpected pleasures of life and the soul's ability to triumph over loneliness and alienation. This short, poignant novel is a tender and wistful love story.WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY TOM FORD'Lyrical and intensely moving' Daily Telegraph'Widely recognised as his supreme achievement . . . a work of compressed brilliance' Guardian'A virtuoso piece of work . . . powerful' Sunday Time

An immersive, moving story of a woman coming into her own at the dawn of the Second World War, from internationally bestselling author Tracy Chevalier 1932. After the Great War took both her beloved brother and her fiancé, Violet Speedwell has become a "surplus woman," one of a generation doomed to a life of spinsterhood after the war killed so many young men. Yet Violet cannot reconcile herself to a life spent caring for her grieving, embittered mother. After countless meals of boiled eggs and dry toast, she saves enough to move out of her mother's place and into the town of Winchester, home to one of England's grandest cathedrals. There, Violet is drawn into a society of broderers--women who embroider kneelers for the Cathedral, carrying on a centuries-long tradition of bringing comfort to worshippers. Violet finds support and community in the group, fulfillment in the work they create, and even a growing friendship with the vivacious Gilda. But when forces threaten her new independence and another war appears on the horizon, Violet must fight to put down roots in a place where women aren't expected to grow. Told in Chevalier's glorious prose, A Single Thread is a timeless story of friendship, love, and a woman crafting her own life.

"Delicious fun" Observer "A sparkling escapist romance" Daily Express With shades of Pride and Prejudice and The Count of Monte Cristo, Laura Wood has penned a Cinderella story for the Bridgerton generation. A companion novel to Laura's Agency for Scandal series. Iris Grey's childhood was idyllic... until her father remarried. Iris's new stepmother and two stepsisters were cold-hearted schemers, and when her father dies in mysterious circumstances, Iris knows that something is wrong. Far too spirited to be forced into a life of servitude, she runs away to London. When she crosses paths with handsome, clever and cold Nicholas Wynter, Iris realises that this is her moment for revenge. Together they plot the downfall of their enemies - but the pair begin to find they have more in common than a desire for justice. Will their spark burn bright or will it be extinguished in the flames of their ambition? - A fabulously fresh retelling of Cinderella with a heroine who isn't afraid to take her destiny into her own hands - Perfect for fans of Jane Austen - Laura Wood is the author of A Sky Painted Gold and Under a Dancing Star MORE REVIEWS FOR A SINGLE THREAD OF MOONLIGHT "A Cinderella revenge story and a Bridgerton vibe... Sardonic dialogue, fabulous dresses, balls and society intrigue galore: delicious fun." OBSERVER "I adored this Victorian-set retelling of Cinderella, featuring an irrepressible heroine, a sardonic hero, beautiful dresses, intrigue and revenge. Be still, my heart!." Sarra Manning "Laura Wood is the literary equivalent of lighting the fancy candle on a rainy afternoon" Ella Risbridger "Swoon-worthy and brilliant with Bridgerton vibes" M.A. Kuzniar "The perfect delicious read for anyone craving more Bridgerton" Lauren James "A Cinderella retelling like you've never read before with a swoon-worthy romance"; BOOKSNEST "A deliciously divine tale of loss, lies and love that completely swept me away" BOOKLOVERJO

The former Beatrice Hyde-Clare is having a little trouble adjusting to her new situation. Now installed as the Duchess of Kesgrave in elegant splendor in Berkeley Square, she is confounded by the stately residence's seemingly endless array of rooms and every time one of the maids addresses her as "your grace," she flinches. And the butler! Oh, yes, that imposing servant holds her in utter contempt and has no qualms about sharing his opinion with the rest of the staff. It's all so wretched. But just as Bea begins to despair-a bright spot. A neighboring house has suffered a ghastly tragedy, and although the constable deems it an inadvertent decapitation, she can't believe anyone could be so careless as to accidentally lose his head. Determined to discover the truth, the new duchess pays her first social call. Because even if she can't find her way around her palatial home, she certainly knows her way around a murder.

Veronica must find and stop a devious killer when a group of old friends is targeted for death in this new adventure from the New York Times bestselling and Edgar® Award–nominated author Deanna Raybourn.<BR><BR>Veronica’s natural-historian beau, Stoker, has been away in Bavaria for months, and their relationship is at an impasse. But when Veronica shows up before him with his brother, Tiberius (Lord Templeton-Vane), he is lured back home by an intriguing job offer: preparing an iguanodon for a very special dinner party.<BR><BR>Tiberius has received a cryptic message—along with the obituaries of two recently deceased members of his old group of friends, the Seven Sinners—that he too should get his affairs in order. Realising he is in grave danger but not knowing why, he plans a reunion party for the remaining Sinners at his family estate to lure the killer out while Veronica and Stoker investigate. As the guests arrive and settle in, the evening’s events turn deadly. More clues come to light, leading Veronica, Stoker, and Tiberius to uncover a shared past amongst the Sinners that has led to the fatal present. But the truth might be far more sinister than what they were prepared for.

Since its publication in 1939, countless would-be readers of Finnegans Wake -- James Joyce's masterwork that consumed a third of his life -- have given up after a few pages and dismissed it as a "perverse triumph of the unintelligible." In 1944, a young professor of mythology and literature named Joseph Campbell, working with Henry Morton Robinson, wrote the first "key" or guide to entering the fascinating, disturbing, marvelously rich world of Finnegans Wake. The authors break down Joyce's "unintelligible" book page by page, stripping the text of much of its obscurity and serving up thoughtful interpretations via footnotes and bracketed commentary. A Skeleton Key was Campbell's first book, published five years before he wrote his breakthrough Hero with a Thousand Faces.

Shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year 2017'A Skinful of Shadows confirms Hardinge's status as one of our finest storytellers. It's rare to find a book which is every bit as intelligent and stylish as it is riveting - I was enthralled' - Sarah Perry, author of The Essex Serpent Frances Hardinge weaves a dark, otherworldly tale in A Skinful of Shadows, her first book since the Costa Award-winning The Lie Tree.When a creature dies, its spirit can go looking for somewhere to hide. Some people have space inside them, perfect for hiding.Makepeace, a courageous girl with a mysterious past, defends herself nightly from the ghosts which try to possess her. Then a dreadful event causes her to drop her guard for a moment.And now there's a ghost inside her.The spirit is wild, brutish and strong, but it may be her only defence in a time of dark suspicion and fear. As the English Civil War erupts, Makepeace must decide which is worse: possession - or death.

BOOK FOUR IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES<BR><BR>A gorgeous, collectable look for this beloved and bestselling fantasy series that “glows, burns, and smolders.” (Huffington Post). The deluxe paperback editions each feature tip-ins with exclusive character art!<BR><BR>Prepare for the jaw-dropping finale of Sabaa Tahir's beloved New York Times bestselling An Ember in the Ashes fantasy series, and discover: Who will survive the storm?<BR><BR>Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off...<BR><BR>The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning. <BR><BR>By his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.<BR><BR>Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory—or to an unimaginable doom.<BR><BR>And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life—and love—he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save—or destroy—all that he knows.

BOOK FOUR IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES<BR><BR>The beloved and bestselling fantasy series that “glows, burns, and smolders.” (Huffington Post).<BR><BR>Prepare for the jaw-dropping finale of Sabaa Tahir's beloved New York Times bestselling An Ember in the Ashes fantasy series, and discover: Who will survive the storm?<BR><BR>Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off...<BR><BR>The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning. <BR><BR>By his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.<BR><BR>Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory—or to an unimaginable doom.<BR><BR>And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life—and love—he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save—or destroy—all that he knows.

Prepare for the jaw-dropping finale of Sabaa Tahir's beloved New York Times bestselling An Ember in the Ashes fantasy series, and discover: Who will survive the storm?Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off...The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory - or to an unimaginable doom.And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life - and love - he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save - or destroy - all that he knows.

A Sky Longing for Memoriesis a Makoto Shinkai fan's dream! Featuring art created by the beloved director, this full-color art book is packed with art from the many movies he directed for Studio CoMix Wave. The book is a 175 page LANDSCAPE FORMAT softcover, the majority of which are images, a rare treat in the realm of fanbooks. Inside you will find hundreds of backgrounds from from his award-winning works: 5 Centimetres per Second, The Place Promised in Our Early Days, Voices of a Distant Star, and a TV advertisement for the Mainichi Newspaper.In addition to the backgrounds, there is a section about the software and technique behind CoMix Wave's animation, which discuss the key features of the software the studio has developed to use at various stages of production. The English edition also comes with a lengthy interview with Mr Shinkai and other key members of his studio.

"Gorgeous inside and out" The BookActivist A gorgeously dreamy coming-of-age romance set against a stunning Gatsby-esque backdrop. Growing up in her sleepy Cornish village dreaming of being a writer, sixteen-year-old Lou has always wondered about the grand Cardew house which has stood empty for years. And when the owners arrive for the summer - a handsome, dashing brother and sister - Lou is quite swept off her feet and into a world of moonlit cocktail parties and glamour beyond her wildest dreams. But, as she grows closer to the Cardews, is she abandoning her own ambitions... and is there something darker lurking at the heart of the Cardew family? - this sweeping and evocative romance is perfect for fans of I Capture the Castle and Eva Ibbotson - stunning foiled cover perfectly captures the deco time MORE PRAISE FOR A SKY PAINTED GOLD "As elegant and energising as a flute of fine champagne... Exuberantly entertaining, breezily romantic and shimmering with the delicious anticipation of pastures new, this is jubilantly fine fiction in the vein of I Capture the Castle" - LoveReading 4 Kids

Mia, a blind girl who enjoys identifying birds by their distinct calls and songs, leads her aunt through the park on a bird-listening adventure!Mia and her tía are spending a sunny afternoon at the park bird-listening! Some people enjoy bird-watching but as a blind person, Mia uses her other senses to identify different birds by their unique calls and songs. She calls it bird-listening. Mia loves naming each of the birds that she hears. Sweet! Sweet! Sweet! Is that the chipper call of a yellow warbler? At first Mia's aunt doesn't know what to expect, but with Mia's guidance, she learns to listen and enjoy the bright melodies pouring from the sky. Their adventure will take them past a lively pond, through the hush of the quiet woods, and up a breezy hilltop for a soaring encounter with Mia's favorite bird of all! Perfect for bird lovers of every feather, A Sky That Sings invites us to open our senses to life's everyday treasures--the delights of nature and spending time with loved ones.

Escape to the snow-covered mountains of the Isle of Skye this winter, where romance, new adventures and unexpected surprises are just waiting to be found...'I love all of Sue Moorcroft's books!' - KATIE FFORDEUnder the winter stars, anything is possible...Ezzie Wynter can't wait for Christmas on the beautiful Isle of Skye. Her island home sparkles at this time of year thanks to the snow-capped mountains and frosty winter walks, topped off with family gatherings with those she loves the most.But her peaceful Christmas idyll is upended when she hears that the Larsson family - the owners of Rothach Hall - are flying in from Sweden for the festivities. As Manager of their grand Scottish manor house, Ezzie suddenly has decorations to hang, food to source and itineraries to organise.Life only becomes more difficult when Mats Larsson turns up. The owners' handsome, self-assured son is used to doing things his own way - and he is only another headache to add to her overflowing list.Yet when unexpected visitors arrive looking for Ezzie, nothing else matters as she is left questioning everything she ever knew about herself. But amidst the Christmas chaos, she might also discover that, when all is lost, it's sometimes those we least expect who come to our aid...A beautiful, escapist festive tale to curl up with by the fire this Christmas. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Karen Swan.

In a riveting new novel in a Victorian-set mystery series brimming with authentic atmosphere, Dr. Julia Lewis, Scotland Yard’s first female medical examiner, and her partner, Detective Inspector Richard Tennant, investigate a string of murders in the art world.<BR><BR>London, 1867: Among the genteel young ladies of London society, painting is a perfectly acceptable pastime—but a woman who dares to pursue art as a profession is another matter, indeed. Dr. Julia Lewis, familiar with the disrespect afforded women in untraditional careers, is hardly surprised when Scotland Yard shows little interest in complaints made by her new friend, Mary Allingham, about a break-in at her art studio. Mary is just one of many “lady painters” being targeted by vandals.<BR><BR>Painters’ sitters are vanishing, too—women viewed by some as dispensable outcasts. Inspector Richard Tennant, however, takes the attacks seriously, suspecting they’re linked to the poison-pen letters received by additional members of the Allingham family. For Julia, the issue is complicated by Tennant’s previous relationship with Mary’s sister-in-law, Louisa, and by her own surprising reaction to that entanglement.<BR><BR>But when someone close to them commits suicide and a young woman turns up dead, the case can no longer be so easily ignored by “respectable” society. Layer after layer, Julia and Tennant scrape away the facts of the case like paint from a canvas. What emerges is a somber picture of vice, depravity, and deception stretching from London’s East End to the Far East—with a killer at its center, determined to get away with one last, grisly murder . . .

This collection of monochrome photographs by Nathan Wirth includes long exposure seascapes, infrared landscapes, self portraits, architecture, and zenscapes of the Pacific Northwest intermingled with poetry and essays by Galen Garwood, Sam Green, Jane Hirshfield, Charles Johnson, Daphne Marlatt, Paul Nelson, Red Pine, David Pollard, Norman Schaeffer, Gary Snyder, Joseph Stroud, and Peter Weltner.

Japan's worst nuclear radiation accident took place at a uranium reprocessing facility in Tokaimura, northeast of Tokyo, on 30 September 1999. The direct cause of the accident was cited as the depositing of a uranyl nitrate solution—containing about 16.6 kg of uranium, which exceeded the critical mass—into a precipitation tank. Three workers were exposed to extreme doses of radiation.<BR><BR>Hiroshi Ouchi, one of these workers, was transferred to the University of Tokyo Hospital Emergency Room, three days after the accident. Dr. Maekawa and his staff initially thought that Ouchi looked relatively well for a person exposed to such radiation levels. He could talk, and only his right hand was a little swollen with redness. However, his condition gradually weakened as the radioactivity broke down the chromosomes in his cells.<BR><BR>The doctors were at a loss as to what to do. There were very few precedents and proven medical treatments for the victims of radiation poisoning. Less than 20 nuclear accidents had occurred in the world to that point, and most of those happened 30 years ago. This book documents the following 83 days of treatment until his passing, with detailed descriptions and explanations of the radiation poisoning.