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American Slavery 1619-1877
Brief Summary
The single best short survey in America, now updated. Includes a New Preface and Afterward
In terms of accessibility and comprehensive coverage, Kolchin's American Slavery is a singularly important achievement. Now updated to address a decade of new scholarship, the book includes a new preface, afterword, and revised and expanded bibliographic essay.
It remains the best book to introduce a subject of profound and lasting importance, one that lies at the center of American history.
ISBN:9780140241501
Author:Peter Kolchin
All That Man Is
Brief Summary
A magnificent and ambitiously conceived portrait of contemporary life, by a genius of realism.
Nine men. Each of them at a different stage in life, each of them away from home, and each of them striving--in the suburbs of Prague, in an overdeveloped Alpine village, beside a Belgian motorway, in a dingy Cyprus hotel--to understand what it means to be alive, here and now.
Tracing a dramatic arc from the spring of youth to the winter of old age, the ostensibly separate narratives of All That Man Is aggregate into a picture of a single shared existence, a picture that interrogates the state of modern manhood while bringing to life, unforgettably, the physical and emotional terrain of an increasingly globalized Europe. And so these nine lives form an ingenious and new kind of novel, in which David Szalay expertly plots a dark predicament for the twenty-first-century man.
Dark and disturbing, but also often wickedly and uproariously comic, All That Man Is is notable for the acute psychological penetration Szalay brings to bear on his characters, from the working-class ex-grunt to the pompous college student, the middle-aged loser to the Russian oligarch. Steadily and mercilessly, as this brilliantly conceived book progresses, the protagonist at the center of each chapter is older than the last one, it gets colder out, and All That Man Is gathers exquisite power. Szalay is a writer of supreme gifts--a master of a new kind of realism that vibrates with detail, intelligence, relevance, and devastating pathos.
ISBN:9780224099776
Author:David Szalay
Alan Turing The Enigma
Brief Summary
Alan Turing (1912-54) was a British mathematician who made history. His breaking of the German U-boat Enigma cipher in World War II ensured Allied-American control of the Atlantic. But Turing's vision went far beyond the desperate wartime struggle. Already in the 1930s he had defined the concept of the universal machine, which underpins the computer revolution.
In 1945 he was a pioneer of electronic computer design. But Turing's true goal was the scientific understanding of the mind, brought out in the drama and wit of the famous "Turing test" for machine intelligence and in his prophecy for the twenty-first century.
Drawn in to the cockpit of world events and the forefront of technological innovation, Alan Turing was also an innocent and unpretentious gay man trying to live in a society that criminalized him. In 1952 he revealed his homosexuality and was forced to participate in a humiliating treatment program, and was ever after regarded as a security risk. His suicide in 1954 remains one of the many enigmas in an astonishing life story.
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ISBN:9780802775801
Author:Andrew Hodges
African Laughter Four Visits to Zimbabwe
Brief Summary
In this portrait of Doris Lessing's homeland, the author recounts the visits she made to Zimbabwe in 1982, 1988, 1989 and 1992, after being banned from the old Southern Rhodesia for 25 years for her political views and opposition to the minority white Government.
The visits constitute a journey to the heart of a country whose history, landscape, people and spirit are evoked by the author in a narrative of detail. She embraces every facet of life in Zimbabwe from the lost animals in the bush to political corruption, from AIDS to a successful communal enterprise created by rural blacks, and notes the kind of changes that can only be appreciated by one who has lived there before.
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ISBN:9780006546900
Author:Doris Lessing
Politics in Africa A New Introduction
Brief Summary
Democracy, prosperity and self-rule, this was the vision of African independence. Across the continent, however, the 'optimism' that characterized the immediate post-independence period has largely faded. Meanwhile, ordinary Africans lurch between undemocratic, unaccountable and unresponsive governments and a decaying traditional African past.
How did things go so wrong? Why has the continent lagged behind others in economic development despite its potential natural resources? Why are so many African states prone to conflict? And why has democracy been slow to take root in a majority of the countries? Covering everything from African economies to the role of the state, rural livelihoods to issues of gender, 'Politics in Africa' offers a fresh perspective in answering these questions, making the continent's problems more understandable, less wretched and even intensely hopeful.
Up-to-date, concise and provocative, this is indispensable reading for anyone interested in African politics.
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ISBN:9781842779828
Author:Nana K. Poku and Anna Mdee
Genghis Khan Life Death and Resurrection
Brief Summary
Genghis Khan is one of history's immortals, alive in memory as a scourge, hero, military genius and demi-god. To Muslims, Russians and westerners, he is a murderer of millions, a brutal oppressor. Yet in his homeland of Mongolia he is the revered father of the nation, and the Chinese honor him as the founder of a dynasty. In his so-called Mausoleum in Inner Mongolia, worshippers seek the blessing of his spirit. In a supreme paradox, the world's most ruthless conqueror has become a force for peace and reconciliation.
As a teenager, Genghis was a fugitive, hiding from enemies on a remote mountainside. Yet he went on to found the world's greatest land empire and change the course of world history. Brilliant and original as well as ruthless, he ruled an empire twice the size of Rome's until his death in 1227 placed all at risk. To secure his conquests and then extend them, his heirs kept his death a secret, and secrecy has surrounded him ever since. His undiscovered grave, with its imagined treasures, remains the subject of intrigue and speculation.
This is more than just a gripping account of Genghis' rise and conquests. John Man uses first-hand experiences in China and Mongolia to reveal the khan's enduring influence. He has traveled the length of the empire. He spotlights the tension between Mongols and Chinese, who both claim Genghis' spirit. He is the first writer to explore the hidden valley where Genghis is believed to have died, and one of the few westerners to climb the mountain where he was likely buried.
This stunning narrative paints a vivid picture of the man himself, the places where he lived and fought, and the passions that surround him still. For in legend, ritual and intense controversy, Genghis lives on.
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ISBN:9780312366247
Author:John Man
Broken Spears A Maasai Journey
Brief Summary
'A skilled, intimate, and remarkable portrayal of an enigmatic culture that goes well beyond the usual stereotypical treatment of the Maasai. Gilbert's work is a valuable contribution to the honorable photographic tradition of tribal studies.' Peter Matthiessen When photojournalist Elizabeth Gilbert first came into contact with the Maasai over ten years ago, their images were everywhere in Africa.
Pictures of warriors were printed on postcards, T-shirts, safari advertisements, and hotel logos, but in reality their traditional life was disappearing. So Gilbert set out on a four-year journey to photograph what was left of traditional Maasailand. Broken Spears is the stunning result of that remarkable journey. Over 120 images capture the rituals, secret ceremonies, and landscapes of the Maasai, documenting the life of this extraordinary tribe in the most comprehensive collection of photographs ever assembled.
Gilbert's intimate relationship with the Maasai allowed her to photograph centuries-old Maasai ceremonies, including male and female circumcisions, weddings, and perhaps the most dangerous of all Maasai rituals, a lion hunt. Broken Spears is a haunting testament to a rapidly disappearing.
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ISBN:9780871138408
Author:Elizabeth L. Gilbert
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Brief Summary
The fourth title in the "Great Game Parks of Africa" series, this book, comprising one-third text and two-thirds photographs, presents an overview of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania. It provides details about the environment, animals and birds that might be encountered, and how to gain the maximum use from a visit.
A clear color map shows places of interest, safari lodges, rest camps and drives.
ISBN:9781868257492
Author:Chris Stuart, Tilde Stuart and Daryl Balfour
Pink Flamingos
Brief Summary
On the alkaline lakes of Kenya and Tanzania live three million Lesser Flamingos and 50,000 Greater Flamingos. The sight of even a half a million of these beautiful, strangely aristocratic birds clustered together like a bed of gigantic chrysanthemums is one that few have found words to describe.
The volcanic Great Rift Valley where flamingos are found is one of the harshest places on earth -- its boiling, corrosive, and foul-smelling lakes are certain death to any animal fool enough to drink from them -- yet it is home to East Africa's pink birds. In their remote setting flamingos are remote creatures inhabiting a world of their own. Puzzled naturalists have long tried to unravel the mysteries surrounding these birds, who will suddenly appear in countless thousands, delight us for a while, and disappear again just as swiftly.
Carlo Mari's exquisite photographs have captured the fleeting grace and fascination of flamingos and, with Nigel Collar's knowledgeable text, offer insight into their curiously enchanting world. Pink Flamingos is a superb gift for bird and nature lovers and belongs in every naturalist's library.
ISBN:9780789206688
Author:Carlo Mari and N. J. Collar
BNF 86 September 2023 – March 2024
Brief Summary
BNF 74 has been compiled with the advice of clinical experts and continually updated to reflect the latest evidence from credible sources worldwide. It provides up-to-date guidance on prescribing, dispensing, and administering medicines.
Access to the latest edition of the BNF is vital for healthcare professionals, as it reflects current best practice as well as legal and professional guidelines relating to the uses of medicines.
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Congo Bradt Travel Guide
Brief Summary
The Congo is synonymous in most people’s imagination with exploration, deepest jungle and an escape from the Western world. This new Bradt guide will be the first full guidebook to publish new information on both the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the People’s Republic of Congo (PRC) in well over a decade.
It will appeal to travelers who are seeking to explore a new region of Africa emerging from many years of conflict, a region that is changing rapidly as stability returns to the region.
Natural history is given due prominence in this guide, the Congo possessing a high percentage of Africa’s remaining, intact rainforest.
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ISBN:1841622338
Author:Sean Rorison
How to trek Kilimanjaro
Brief Summary
A 52 page book focusing on techniques, breathing, clothing, hydration, food and equipment to use for a successful ascent to the highest peak in Africa.
It comes complete with a pocket sized map of the mountain's best trekking routes (encased in a plastic wallet). The pocket size book measures 5 x 7 inches.
ISBN:9789966956422
Author:Clive Ward
The Storm Leopard
Brief Summary
This is an account of the author's journey from the Cape to the Serengeti Plains and the book is filled with insights of African elephants and antelope, and portraits of a natural world inhabited by Bushmen, game wardens and scientists.
This unique book emanates from the author's passionate affair with nature and many years of experience in the field.
ISBN:9781849950046
Author:Martyn Murray
The Deserts of Africa
Brief Summary
Through his images of these vast, deceptively desolate stretches, geographer and photographer Michael Martin lays bare the cultural and spiritual core of Africa. His travels across the Sahara, the Kalahari, the Namib, and the volcanic wastelands of the Rift Valley have also acquainted him with the diverse desert residents who eke out an existence in these harsh, parched regions.
In The Deserts of Africa, Martin discovers the last functioning salt caravan on the Sahara, the Tarhalamt, which begins its journey after the rainy season. The Madugu leads the way without the aid of any visible landmarks, relying on the position of the sun, the structure of the sand, and the fast-fading traces of former caravans to drive his train of camels.
Martin also captures the character of these majestic, water-bearing beasts, without whom man would not survive in the arid areas. With Martin's intimate yet respectful perspective, The Deserts of Africa exposes the surprisingly fertile soul of some of the most barren landscapes on Earth.
ISBN:9781860467981
Author:Michael Martin
Kangas 101 uses
Brief Summary
The KANGA is a rectangle of pure cotton cloth with a border all around it, printed in bold designs and bright colors. It is as long as your outstretched arm and wide enough to cover you from neck to knee, or from breast to toe. Kangas are often bought in pairs, and are most attractive and useful as a pair. Most traditional outfits require a matched or unmatched pair.
Husbands give kangas to wives, children to their mothers, women may split a pair to give one half to their best friend. Men can sleep in kangas, and often wear them around the house; women wear them everywhere; babies are virtually born in them, and are usually carried in a soft sling of kanga cloth. Kangas are extremely popular throughout East Africa.
They make an attractive gift with multiple uses; no-one can ever have too many! In this booklet we show you 101 ways of wearing or using kangas. About half of these are styles of clothing, and the other half range from functional to fanciful! We hope that we can tempt you to invent your own styles and uses for these most pleasant and colorful pieces of cloth.
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ISBN:B0027J01HE
Author:Jeannette Hanby and David Bygott
Stars of Big Cat Diary
Brief Summary
Big Cat Diary is a television phenomenon. From its inception in 1996 it grew steadily in popularity, until it attracted audiences of up to seven million.
In autumn 2008, in the BBC Natural History Unit’s most ambitious outside broadcast ever, it went live for the first time and recorded two million visitors to its website in the course of transmission.
ISBN:9781901268423
Author:Jonathan Scott and Angela Scott
Inside Sahara
Brief Summary
In the spring of 2001, photographer Basil Pao accompanied actor (and former Monty Python member) Michael Palin and a BBC film crew into the heart of the world's largest desert--the Sahara. The result of that journey is these remarkable pictures of landscapes and people, taken on a route that covered nine countries and an astonishing variety of cultures.
Even when in some of the most hostile conditions known to man, Pao succeeds in capturing the awe-inspiring beauty of the region. Here is Tangier, known for its incredible light; scenic old towns, such as Chefchouen in the Jabala Mountains, barely changed since the 15th century; men, working in tanneries, their bodies balanced over gigantic holes filled with dye; an oil refinery aflame; the River Niger bathed in a golden glow; the beautiful faces of pastoral nomads; the magnificent glory of endless sand dunes; and other unforgettable pictures. "Plus: behind the scene photos of Michael Palin and the film crew.
ISBN:9780297843047
Author:Basil Pao and Michael Palin
Botswana The Safari Guide
Brief Summary
A safari in northern Botswana takes the traveler to a wilderness populated almost exclusively by wildlife. Here are the predators and their prey; here, too, are the elephants, the hippos and the astonishing birdlife of the Okavango Delta.
This third edition of Bradt's Botswana Safari Guide: Okavango, Kalahari, Chobe Desert provides unrivalled coverage of the region's wildlife, environment and history, as well as a thorough evaluation of when, where and how to go.
Accommodation options for all budgets - from lodges to camps and hotels - are fully revised and updated Chris McIntyre is a director of a UK travel company specializing in southern Africa. He travels regularly throughout the region, including extended trips to Botswana.
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ISBN:9781841623085
Author:Chris Mcintyre
African Art Skira
Brief Summary
The Traditional Art volume presents a panorama of 6,000 years in the history of African art by highlighting archetypal and iconic works from various regions and important historic periods-400 objects beautifully reproduced in full color.
This immense artistic and historic fresco highlights the beauty and force of these works from regions now comprising Nigeria, Benin, the Congo, Gabon, Guinea, the Ivory Coast, Mali, and Sudan.
The book also examines the influence of African art on 20th-century Western masters such as Picasso, Modigliani, and Brancusi.
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ISBN:9788857208695
Author:Ezio Bassani
Secret of The Red Planet
Brief Summary
Bill Steadman is just an average teenager with dreams of interplanetary adventure.
Then one day those dreams explode into reality as he is whisked off to Mars, where he is welcomed by a race of humans who have developed a unique and peaceful way of life. He is shown the wonders of The Red Planet and learns their deepest secrets, some terrible secrets that might just mean the end of their existence and perhaps even mankind’s existence on Planet Earth.
When he returns to Earth with the help of his new Martian friends, he finds himself the victim of greed and betrayal. He also has to face the American secret service, who want him silenced – permanently, and the Russians, who want his secrets to achieve their cosmic ambitions. Will his Martian friends tune in to his pleas and arrive in time to save him?
Secret of the Red Planet, races along with the imagination of Harry Potter and the high spirits of Escape to Witch Mountain. This is a series which will delight the younger reader in your life and the one in you.
ISBN:9781908200020
Author:Chris Hawley
