-Titulo Original : A New World Begins: The History Of The French Revolution-Fabricante : Basic Book...

-Titulo Original : The Design Of Everyday Things-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: First, businesses discovered quality as a key competitive edge; next came service. Now, Donald A. Norman, former Director of the Institute for Cognitive Science at the University of California, reveals how smart design is the new competitive frontier. The Design of Everyday Things is a powerful primer on how--and why--some products satisfy customers while others only frustrate them. Review Provocative. -- Time magazine This book is a joy--fun and of utmost importance. -- Tom Peters About the Author Donald A. Norman is Professor of Computer Science at Northwestern University, a former Apple Fellow,” and a partner in the Nielsen Norman Group Consulting Firm, which consults with corporations on design. He is the author of a number of books on design, including Emotional Design and the best-selling The Design of Everyday Things. He lives in Northbrook, Illinois and Palo Alto, California...

-Titulo Original : The Fabric Of Civilization: How Textiles Made The World-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: From Neanderthal string to 3D knitting, an “expansive” global history that highlights “how textiles truly changed the world” (Wall Street Journal) The story of humanity is the story of textiles-as old as civilization itself. Since the first thread was spun, the need for textiles has driven technology, business, politics, and culture. In The Fabric of Civilization, Virginia Postrel synthesizes groundbreaking research from archaeology, economics, and science to reveal a surprising history. From Minoans exporting wool colored with precious purple dye to Egypt, to Romans arrayed in costly Chinese silk, the cloth trade paved the crossroads of the ancient world. Textiles funded the Renaissance and the Mughal Empire; they gave us banks and bookkeeping, Michelangelo’s David and the Taj Mahal. The cloth business spread the alphabet and arithmetic, propelled chemical research, and taught people to think in binary code. Assiduously researched and deftly narrated, The Fabric of Civilization tells the story of the world’s most influential commodity. “We are taken on a journey as epic, and varying, as the Silk Road itself.… [The Fabric of Civilization is] like a swatch of a Florentine Renaissance brocade: carefully woven, the technique precise, the colors a mix of shade and shine and an accurate representation of the whole cloth. -New York Times “Textile-making hasn’t gotten enough credit for its own sophistication, and for all the ways it undergirds human technological innovation-an error Virginia Postrel’s erudite and complete book goes a long way toward correcting at last.” -Wired Review “We are taken on a journey as epic, and varying, as the Silk Road itself… [ The Fabric of Civilization is] like a swatch of a Florentine Renaissance brocade: carefully woven, the technique precise, the colors a mix of shade and shine and an accurate representation of the whole cloth.” New York Times “Expansive… The author is excellent at highlighting how textiles truly changed the world.” Wall Street Journal My pick as best nonfiction book of the year....[Virginia Postrel] offers a bold retelling of history through an emphasis on cloth - cloth as decoration, cloth as currency, cloth as ritual and much more. One of the most extraordinary volumes I have read in years. Stephen Carter, Bloomberg Opinion “Textile-making hasn’t gotten enough credit for its own sophistication, and for all the ways it undergirds human technological innovation-an error Virginia Postrel’s erudite and complete book goes a long way toward correcting at last.” Wired “The Fabric of Civilization is a fascinating book, and persuasive too: by the end the case is made that ‘textiles made the world.’” Times (UK) Fascinating and wide-ranging... This is an engrossing and illuminating portrait of the essential role fabric has played in human history. Publishers Weekly From the Stone Age to Silicon Valley, textiles have played a central role in the history of the world. Virginia Postrel has an encyclopedic knowledge of the subject but she imparts it with a touch as light as Penelopes at the loom. Ambitious, erudite, and absorbing, The Fabric of Civilization is both an education and a pleasure to read. Barry Strauss, author of Ten Caesars: Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine Virginia Postrel has created a fascinating history of textiles from their Palaeolithic beginnings to the present and future -- from the earliest plant fibers plucked from weeds to synthetic fabrics with computer chips in the threads. And why, you say, should we examine mere cloth? Precisely because it fills more and more roles in our lives, yet we take it for granted.... Well researched and highly readable, the book is a veritable treat. Elizabeth Wayland Barber, author of Womens Work: The First 20,000 Years Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times and Prehistoric Textiles A fascinating, surprising and beautifully written history of technology, econo...

-Titulo Original : Hitlers American Gamble: Pearl Harbor And Germany’s March To Global War-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: A riveting account of the five most crucial days in twentieth-century diplomatic history: from Pearl Harbor to Hitler’s declaration of war on the United States By early December 1941, war had changed much of the world beyond recognition. Nazi Germany occupied most of the European continent, while in Asia, the Second Sino-Japanese War had turned China into a battleground. But these conflicts were not yet inextricably linked-and the United States remained at peace. Hitler’s American Gamble recounts the five days that upended everything: December 7 to 11. Tracing developments in real time and backed by deep archival research, historians Brendan Simms and Charlie Laderman show how Hitler’s intervention was not the inexplicable decision of a man so bloodthirsty that he forgot all strategy, but a calculated risk that can only be understood in a truly global context. This book reveals how December 11, not Pearl Harbor, was the real watershed that created a world war and transformed international history. Review “[An] absorbing new book… The greatest strength of Simms and Laderman’s book is its success in accomplishing something supremely difficult: It reminds us how contingent even the most significant historical events can be, how many other possibilities lurked beyond the familiar ones that actually happened - and how even the greatest leaders often have only a shaky grasp of what is happening… Simms and Laderman give us a visceral sense of these events as they unfolded, in real time, with historical actors not always quite sure what was happening - a dimension of history that is both crucial and fiendishly difficult to recover.” New York Times Book Review “[A] well-written and highly original study[.]” The Times (UK) “[A] crisp and pacey analysis.” David Reynolds, The New Statesman “In this fascinating book, which combines detailed analysis with a page turning account of the day by day shifts in Berlin, Washington, London and Tokyo, the story of that extraordinary and, as it turned out, fatal decision by Hitler - the ‘American gamble’ of the title - is laid out in detail. … [a] stimulating book.” Rana Mitter, Literary Review A fast-moving, even gripping story that informs as well as enlightens. New York Journal of Books “A thoughtful chronology… Hitler’s American Gamble offers fine, well-researched insights into the psyches of leaders who made decisions that changed the course of world history… For readers seeking a deeper understanding of the realpolitik that drove Germany to war against America, Hitler’s American Gamble offers an outstanding narrative .” World War II Magazine “[A] fresh angle on the buildup to WWII.” Publishers Weekly “The authors effectively prove their thesis in a key volume for World War II history collections.” Library Journal (Starred Review) “A meticulous historical account of five momentous days at the beginning of World War II…. An excellent argument that America’s WWII began on Dec. 11, 1941.” Kirkus “This is history at its scintillating best. The fate of the world tilted on the decisions made in those few days-hours even-in December 1941, and Simms and Laderman brilliantly strip away the many myths surrounding them in this hard-hitting, revelatory, and superbly researched work.” Andrew Roberts, author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny “Brendan Simms and Charlie Laderman show how Hitler’s mad decision to declare war on the United States on December 11, 1941 proved suicidal for the Axis, ensured a global catastrophe, and would radically redefine how World War II would end. And yet was Hitler really as unhinged and reckless as it has seemed? Warring with America was predictably consistent with the Nazi’s Final Solution ideology. It was consistent with Germany’s allegiance with Japan and the idea of Americans and British suddenly bogged down in a new two-front war-and at the time seen as far more strategically advantageous than al...

-Titulo Original : Meditations: The Annotated Edition-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: This definitive annotated translation of Marcus Aureliuss Meditations is an insightful look into the mind of Ancient Romes sixteenth emperor. As featured on the Today Show Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 CE) was the sixteenth emperor of Rome-and by far the most powerful man in the world. Yet he was also an intensely private person, with a rich interior life and one of the wisest minds of his generation. He collected his thoughts in notebooks, gems that have come to be called his Meditations. Never intended for publication, the work has proved an inexhaustible source of wisdom and one of the most important Stoic texts of all time. In often passionate language, the entries range from one-line aphorisms to essays, from profundity to bitterness. This annotated edition offers the definitive translation of this classic and much beloved text, with copious notes from world-renowned classics expert Robin Waterfield. It illuminates one of the greatest works of popular philosophy for new readers and enriches the understanding of even the most devoted Stoic. Review “The new edition by Robin Waterfield, a British classics scholar, has much to recommend it. The prose is wonderfully sober and taut, the choices felicitous….The volume’s stand-out feature is its wide-ranging set of footnotes, offering assistance to novice readers, insights that will intrigue specialists, and reformulations that clarify Marcus’ thoughts.” Wall Street Journal The full and accessible notes make this volume particularly useful for those reading the work as life-guidance, as well as for other readers.... The translation.... aims at accuracy in conveying the Greek meaning, while at the same time bringing out the content in accessible and expressive English.... Waterfield’s version is highly effective in this aim: the line of thought is clear even in passages where Marcus’ thought processes are somewhat convoluted or oblique, and the English idiom chosen is widely accessible. Chris Gill, Classical Review “Robin Waterfield has given us a splendid translation of Marcus: accurate and idiomatic, it captures the personal tone of the Meditations wonderfully. The notes and introduction are detailed but clear, authoritative both historically and philosophically, telling modern readers what they need to know. This is the best translation of the Meditations available today.” Brad Inwood, William Lampson Professor of Philosophy and Classics, Yale University This new edition of the Meditations really is superb. Robin Waterfield is one of the most accomplished translators of ancient Greek out there, and it is wonderful to see him bring his considerable talents to bear on Marcus Aurelius. His lucid and precise translation is based on a fresh assessment of variant readings of the Greek text. The engaging introduction does a marvelous job of setting out Marcus’s life, the distinctive characteristics of the Meditations, and the central ideas of Stoicism. The extensive notes take into account the latest scholarship while remaining accessible. This must surely become the first choice English edition of the Meditations for decades to come. John Sellars, author of Lessons in Stoicism “This is a valuable addition to our stock of modern translations of the Meditations. The translation is accurate but also accessible and powerful. The full and informative introduction and the notes, helpfully placed at the foot of each page, make this a book that offers much to a wide variety of readers.” Christopher Gill, emeritus professor of ancient Thought, University of Exeter, and author of Greek Thought “Do we need another translation of Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations? Yes, especially when it is so thoroughly and informatively annotated as Waterfields. The introduction alone is worth the price of admission.” Massimo Pigliucci, author of How to Be A Stoic “Robin Waterfield, a leading classical scholar and translator, h...

-Titulo Original : Mindstorms: Children, Computers, And Powerful Ideas-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: In this revolutionary book, a renowned computer scientist explains the importance of teaching children the basics of computing and how it can prepare them to succeed in the ever-evolving tech world. Computers have completely changed the way we teach children. We have Mindstorms to thank for that. In this book, pioneering computer scientist Seymour Papert uses the invention of LOGO, the first child-friendly programming language, to make the case for the value of teaching children with computers. Papert argues that children are more than capable of mastering computers, and that teaching computational processes like de-bugging in the classroom can change the way we learn everything else. He also shows that schools saturated with technology can actually improve socialization and interaction among students and between students and teachers. Technology changes every day, but the basic ways that computers can help us learn remain. For thousands of teachers and parents who have sought creative ways to help children learn with computers, Mindstorms is their bible. About the Author Seymour Papert (1928-2016) was a professor of mathematics and education at MIT, where he co-founded the Artificial Intelligence and Media Laboratories. He was the co-inventor of the LOGO programming language. He is the author of numerous books, including Perceptrons, The Connected Family, and The Childrens Machine. Mitchel Resnick is Lego Papert Professor of Learning Research, Director of the Okawa Center, and Director of the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab. A former student of Paperts, Resnick developed Scratch, a programming language designed to help children learn coding, and his project Programmable Bricks served as the foundation for LEGO Mindstorms. He is the recipient of the Harold W. McGraw Jr. Prize in Education. Resnick is also the author of Lifelong Kindergarten...

-Titulo Original : Too Big To Know Rethinking Knowledge Now That The Facts Arent The Facts, Experts Are Everywhere, And The Smartest Person In The Room Is The Room-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: If anyone knows anything about the web, where its been and where its going, its David Weinberger. . . . Too Big To Know is an optimistic, if not somewhat cautionary tale, of the information explosion. -- Steven Rosenbaum, Forbes With the advent of the Internet and the limitless information it contains, were less sure about what we know, who knows what, or even what it means to know at all. And yet, human knowledge has recently grown in previously unimaginable ways and in inconceivable directions. In Too Big to Know, David Weinberger explains that, rather than a systemic collapse, the Internet era represents a fundamental change in the methods we have for understanding the world around us. With examples from history, politics, business, philosophy, and science, Too Big to Know describes how the very foundations of knowledge have been overturned, and what this revolution means for our future. Review Marc Benioff, chairman, CEO salesforce , bestselling author of Behind the Cloud Led by the Internet, knowledge is now social, mobile, and open. Weinberger shows how to unlock the benefits.” John Seely Brown, co-author of The Social Life of Information and A New Culture of Learning Too Big to Know is a stunning and profound book on how our concept of knowledge is changing in the age of the Net. It honors the traditional social practices of knowing, where genres stay fixed, and provides a graceful way of understanding new strategies for knowing in todays rapidly evolving, networked world. I couldnt put this book down. It is a true tour-de-force written in a delightful way.” Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind With this insightful book, David Weinberger cements his status as one of the most important thinkers of the digital age. If you want to understand what it means to live in a world awash in information, Too Big to Know is the guide youve been looking for.” Tony Burgess, Cofounder, CompanyCommand David Weinbergers Too Big to Know is an inspiring read especially for networked leaders who already believe that the knowledge to change the world is living and active, personal, and vastly interconnected. If, as David writes, Knowledge is becoming inextricable from literally unthinkable without the network that enables it our great task as leaders is to design networks for the greater good. David casts the vision and gives us excellent examples of what that looks like in action, even as he warns us of the pitfalls that await us.” About the Author David Weinberger is a Senior Researcher at Harvard Universitys Berkman Center for Internet & Society. He is the author of Small Pieces Loosely Joined, Everything Is Miscellaneous, and a coauthor of The Cluetrain Manifesto. He lives in Brookline, Massachusetts...

-Titulo Original : Probably Approximately Correct-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: From a leading computer scientist, a unifying theory that will revolutionize our understanding of how life evolves and learns. How does life prosper in a complex and erratic world? While we know that nature follows patterns -- such as the law of gravity -- our everyday lives are beyond what known science can predict. We nevertheless muddle through even in the absence of theories of how to act. But how do we do it? In Probably Approximately Correct, computer scientist Leslie Valiant presents a masterful synthesis of learning and evolution to show how both individually and collectively we not only survive, but prosper in a world as complex as our own. The key is probably approximately correct algorithms, a concept Valiant developed to explain how effective behavior can be learned. The model shows that pragmatically coping with a problem can provide a satisfactory solution in the absence of any theory of the problem. After all, finding a mate does not require a theory of mating. Valiants theory reveals the shared computational nature of evolution and learning, and sheds light on perennial questions such as nature versus nurture and the limits of artificial intelligence. Offering a powerful and elegant model that encompasses lifes complexity, Probably Approximately Correct has profound implications for how we think about behavior, cognition, biological evolution, and the possibilities and limits of human and machine intelligence. About the Author Leslie Valiant is the T. Jefferson Coolidge Professor of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics at Harvard University. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He is a winner of the Nevanlinna Prize from the International Mathematical Union, and the Turing Award, known as the Nobel of computing...

-Titulo Original : Metamagical Themas: Questing For The Essence Of Mind And Pattern-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: Hofstadters collection of quirky essays is unified by its primary concern: to examine the way people perceive and think. About the Author Douglas Hofstadter is College of Arts and Sciences Professor of Cognitive Science and Computer Science at Indiana University, Bloomington. His other books include the Pulitzer Prize-winning Godel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid; Metamagical Themas; The Minds I; Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies; Le Ton beau de Marot; and Surfaces and Essences, with Emmanuel Sander. He lives in Bloomington, Indiana...

-Titulo Original : Survival In The Killing Fields-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: Nothing has shaped my life as much as surviving the Pol Pot regime. I am a survivor of the Cambodian holocaust. Thats who I am, says Haing Ngor. And in his memoir, Survival in the Killing Fields, he tells the gripping and frequently terrifying story of his term in the hell created by the communist Khmer Rouge. Like Dith Pran, the Cambodian doctor and interpreter whom Ngor played in an Oscar-winning performance in The Killing Fields, Ngor lived through the atrocities that the 1984 film portrayed. Like Pran, too, Ngor was a doctor by profession, and he experienced firsthand his countrys wretched descent, under the Khmer Rouge, into senseless brutality, slavery, squalor, starvation, and disease -- all of which are recounted in sometimes unimaginable horror in Ngors poignant memoir. Since the original publication of this searing personal chronicle, Haing Ngors life has ended with his murder, which has never been satisfactorily solved. In an epilogue written especially for this new edition, Ngors coauthor, Roger Warner, offers a glimpse into this complex, enigmatic mans last years -- years that he lived like his country: scarred, and incapable of fully healing. Review The best book on Cambodia that has ever been published. About the Author Haing Ngor, a Cambodian by birth and doctor by profession, launched his Hollywood film career in 1984 with his Academy Award-winning performance in The Killing Fields. He died in 1996. Roger Warner is a journalist and author of Shooting at the Moon: The Story of Americas Clandestine War in Laos. He first met Ngor at a Cambodian refugee camp in 1980...

-Titulo Original : The Magic Of Math Solving For X And Figuring Out Why-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: The worlds greatest mental mathematical magician takes us on a spellbinding journey through the wonders of numbers (and more) Arthur Benjamin . . . joyfully shows you how to make natures numbers dance. -- Bill Nye (the science guy) The Magic of Math is the math book you wish you had in school. Using a delightful assortment of examples-from ice-cream scoops and poker hands to measuring mountains and making magic squares-this book revels in key mathematical fields including arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and calculus, plus Fibonacci numbers, infinity, and, of course, mathematical magic tricks. Known throughout the world as the mathemagician, Arthur Benjamin mixes mathematics and magic to make the subject fun, attractive, and easy to understand for math fan and math-phobic alike. A positively joyful exploration of mathematics. -- Publishers Weekly, starred review Each [trick] is more dazzling than the last. -- Physics World Review Arthur Benjamin shows you that numbers do more than just keep track of things and solve problems. He joyfully shows you how to make natures numbers dance. Let his book be your partner for a lifetime of learning. -Bill Nye, science educator and CEO, The Planetary Society Whether its been decades since you last took algebra or youre currently dealing with the aches of solving for x, The Magic of Math is a good read. Even though it includes, gasp, equations. -Steve Mirsky, Scientific American As soon as the reader has absorbed one trick, Benjamin is already moving on to the next one - and each is more dazzling than the last. -Physics World Arthur Benjamins The Magic of Math is a thoroughly engaging book for readers of many ages and mathematical backgrounds.... This is an absolute gem of a book. It contains something of interest for everyone, and the authors lively style and obvious affection for the subject makes this a book to keep, reread, and share. -Mathematical Reviews [A] fascinating book.... The writing style is inviting, and the book is filled with fun examples. Readers can easily jump around and choose from the wide variety of topics or read straight through. -Mathematics Teacher The book is a fast-paced tour of 12 broad topics ranging from simple arithmetic to the subtleties of infinite sums.... Benjamin approaches all of these subjects with the goal of emphasizing the wonder and magic inherent in them, while still giving the reader a sense of the mathematics hiding of the magicians sleeve.... The book offers a dizzying array of mathematical delights. But here, once the mathemagician has finished his sleight-of-hand, we have the luxury of peeking behind the curtain to understand how all those tricks are done. -Math Horizons This excellent book is filled with mathematical magic.... Benjamins writing is very readable and entertaining: his numbers dance. -Manhattan Book Review The book delivers on all the promise of both aspects of Benjamins talent: teacher and performer. Like [Martin] Gardner, Benjamin telegraphs a joy in surprising mathematical stunts.... I recommend this book for the math enthusiast embarking on his or her university career, the high school adept in your life intrigued by math yet bored in class, or someone remembering fondly math as their favorite subject yet lacking time to enroll in courses now. -Tom Schulte, MAA Reviews [Benjamin] use[s] some interesting trickery to draw the reader into the conversation about the importance of math in everyday life.... The Magic of Math is a good model for instructional material. It delivers material on a complex nature in a manner that most people will be able to understand, and you get some magic tricks and humor thrown in for the bargain. You will enjoy this book, you can count on that. -Roanoke Times [ The Magic of Math] would be perfect reading for the gifted and talented as a supplement to other course ...

-Titulo Original : Feathers The Evolution Of A Natural Miracle-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: As seen on PBSs American Spring Live, one of Americas great nature-writers explores the magic and science of feathers Feathers are an evolutionary marvel: aerodynamic, insulating, beguiling. They date back more than 100 million years. Yet their story has never been fully told. In Feathers, biologist Thor Hanson details a sweeping natural history, as feathers have been used to fly, protect, attract, and adorn through time and place. Applying the research of paleontologists, ornithologists, biologists, engineers, and even art historians, Hanson asks: What are feathers? How did they evolve? What do they mean to us? Engineers call feathers the most efficient insulating material ever discovered, and they are at the root of biologys most enduring debate. They silence the flight of owls and keep penguins dry below the ice. They have decorated queens, jesters, and priests. And they have inked documents from the Constitution to the novels of Jane Austen. Feathers is a captivating and beautiful exploration of this most enchanting object. Review Thor Hansons Feathers is a sparkling history...popular natural history at its best. New Scientist An illuminating study of an evolutionary marvel. Economist A winning book about the extraordinary place of feathers in animal and human history. Wall Street Journal Feathers is an impressive blend of beauty, form, and function. Natural History Thor Hansons storytelling is enhanced by his infectious excitement.... Feathers is a compelling introduction to one of natures wonders. Nature A readable introduction to feathers and what they mean for birds and mankind. Science [ Feathers] is gracious, funny, persuasive and wide ranging. Amanda Katz, New York Times [D]elightful.... [A] fascinating inquiry into one of those common things that are easy to overlook until someone shows what a miracle it is. Seattle Times [Hanson] gives unexpected substance to his nearly weightless subject. Discover [C]aptivating.... Beginning with the evolution of birds, Hanson...unfolds the human fascination with feathers in terms of science, commerce, tools, folklore, art, and aerodynamics with panache. Audubon There are many feathery gems to be discovered in this book.... Feathers is a book designed to be read, not skimmed, with every page revealing new layers of understanding. Examiner To read Feathers is to meet up with an enthusiastic old friend who simply cannot wait to tell you about something he just discovered...a must-read by bird watchers and naturalists of all levels of interest or experience. Bird Watchers Digest A fascinating book...unusually well-written. Highly recommended. Peter Matthiessen, National Book Award-winningauthor of The Snow Leopard and Shadow Country Absolutely fascinating history, and a terrific read. Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing inthe Rain This is rich and engaging ornithology at its best. Frank B. Gill, author of Ornithology This is science written in clear and entertaining prose; a great read. Bernd Heinrich, EmeritusProfessor of Biology, University of Vermont; author ofWinter World and Mind of the Raven Feathers is simply a splendid book! Robert Michael Pyle, authorof Wintergreen and Mariposa Road [A] fascinating and eminently readable exploration. Booklist About the Author Thor Hanson is a conservation biologist, Guggenheim Fellow, and author of award-winning books including Buzz, Feathers, The Impenetrable Forest, and The Triumph of Seeds. He lives with his wife and son on an island in Washington State. thorhanson...

-Titulo Original : The Lost Art Of Dress The Women Who Once Made America Stylish-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: A tribute to a time when style -- and maybe even life -- felt more straightforward, and however arbitrary, there were definitive answers. -- Sadie Stein, Paris Review As a glance down any street in America quickly reveals, American women have forgotten how to dress. We lack the fashion know-how we need to dress professionally and beautifully. In The Lost Art of Dress, historian and dressmaker Linda Przybyszewski reveals that this wasnt always true. In the first half of the twentieth century, a remarkable group of women -- the so-called Dress Doctors -- taught American women that knowledge, not money, was key to a beautiful wardrobe. They empowered women to design, make, and choose clothing for both the workplace and the home. Armed with the Dress Doctors simple design principles -- harmony, proportion, balance, rhythm, emphasis -- modern American women from all classes learned to dress for all occasions in ways that made them confident, engaged members of society. A captivating and beautifully illustrated look at the world of the Dress Doctors, The Lost Art of Dress introduces a new audience to their timeless rules of fashion and beauty -- rules which, with a little help, we can certainly learn again. Review A fascinating and valuable book. Boston Globe The writing is sharp; the research thorough; and the books illustrations a lone are worth the price of entry. Books & Culture A fascinating read.... Highly recommended! A Dress A Day An important, even revolutionary book. Acculturated Like another forgotten artifact, the hope chest, her...book is most delightfully and fragrantly packed. New York Times Book Review A witty look at well-dressed women and a defense of the classic home-economics course. Columbus Dispatch If you love history as much as sewing, or are fascinated by the sewing the style manuals of the past, pick up a copy of The Lost Art of Dress. Threads Magazine [Przybyszewskis] wit and intelligence make this book as entertaining as it is informative. Shop the Garment District blog Linda Przybyszewskis remarkable, enchanting, well-researched history of America at its most stylish reminds us that once upon a time we were classy and fabulous. Karen Karbo, author of The Gospel According to Coco Chanel About the Author Linda Przybyszewski is an associate professor of history at the University of Notre Dame. The author of The Republic According to John Marshall Harlan, the editor of Some Memories of a Long Life, 1854-1911, as well as a prize-winning dressmaker, she lives in South Bend, Indiana...

-Titulo Original : The Physics Of Star Trek-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: How does the Star Trek universe stack up against the real universe? What warps when youre traveling at warp speed? What is the difference between a wormhole and a black hole? Are time loops really possible, and can I kill my grandmother before I am born? Anyone who has ever wondered could this really happen? will gain useful insights into the Star Trek universe (and, incidentally, the real world of physics) in this charming and accessible guide. Lawrence M. Krauss boldly goes where Star Trek has gone-and beyond. From Newton to Hawking, from Einstein to Feynman, from Kirk to Picard, Krauss leads readers on a voyage to the world of physics as we now know it and as it might one day be. Review The essential tubeside companion for the fans of the venerable Star Trek series. Washington Post This book is fun...Krauss is always enlightening. New York Times Book Review What makes Krausss book a winner is that it provides a pulpit for a thoughtful sermon on the possibilities locked in a universe that might or might not include a planet called Vulcan and a language called Klingon but that certainly could - in theory - deliver an antigravitational force called vacuum energy. The Guardian A fascinating way to learn more about physics. St. Petersburg Times One of the years best gifts for a science-fiction fan. Cleveland Plain Dealer The Physics of Star Trek is a fun, readable little book by an eminent physicist that boldly goes where few serious scientists have ever gone before. Tampa Tribune Even those who have never watched an episode of Star Trek will be entertained and enlightened by theoretical physicist Krausss adventurous investigation of interstellar flight, time travel, teleportation of objects and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Publishers Weekly About the Author Lawrence M. Krauss is Ambrose Swasey Professor of Physics and Professor of Astronomy and Director of the Center for Education and Research in Cosmology and Astrophysics at Case Western Reserve University. He is the only physicist to have received the top awards by the American Physical Society, the American Institute of Physics, and the American Association of Physics Teachers. He lives in Cleveland, Ohio...

-Titulo Original : The Lost Art Of Dress The Women Who Once Made America Stylish-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: A tribute to a time when style -- and maybe even life -- felt more straightforward, and however arbitrary, there were definitive answers. -- Sadie Stein, Paris Review As a glance down any street in America quickly reveals, American women have forgotten how to dress. We lack the fashion know-how we need to dress professionally and beautifully. In The Lost Art of Dress, historian and dressmaker Linda Przybyszewski reveals that this wasnt always true. In the first half of the twentieth century, a remarkable group of women -- the so-called Dress Doctors -- taught American women that knowledge, not money, was key to a beautiful wardrobe. They empowered women to design, make, and choose clothing for both the workplace and the home. Armed with the Dress Doctors simple design principles -- harmony, proportion, balance, rhythm, emphasis -- modern American women from all classes learned to dress for all occasions in ways that made them confident, engaged members of society. A captivating and beautifully illustrated look at the world of the Dress Doctors, The Lost Art of Dress introduces a new audience to their timeless rules of fashion and beauty -- rules which, with a little help, we can certainly learn again. Review A fascinating and valuable book. Boston Globe The writing is sharp; the research thorough; and the books illustrations a lone are worth the price of entry. Books & Culture A fascinating read.... Highly recommended! A Dress A Day An important, even revolutionary book. Acculturated Like another forgotten artifact, the hope chest, her...book is most delightfully and fragrantly packed. New York Times Book Review A witty look at well-dressed women and a defense of the classic home-economics course. Columbus Dispatch If you love history as much as sewing, or are fascinated by the sewing the style manuals of the past, pick up a copy of The Lost Art of Dress. Threads Magazine [Przybyszewskis] wit and intelligence make this book as entertaining as it is informative. Shop the Garment District blog Linda Przybyszewskis remarkable, enchanting, well-researched history of America at its most stylish reminds us that once upon a time we were classy and fabulous. Karen Karbo, author of The Gospel According to Coco Chanel About the Author Linda Przybyszewski is an associate professor of history at the University of Notre Dame. The author of The Republic According to John Marshall Harlan, the editor of Some Memories of a Long Life, 1854-1911, as well as a prize-winning dressmaker, she lives in South Bend, Indiana...

-Titulo Original : How Star Wars Conquered The Universe The Past, Present, And Future Of A Multibillion Dollar Franchise-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: In 1973, a young filmmaker named George Lucas scribbled some notes for a far-fetched space-fantasy epic. Some forty years and 37 billion later, Star Wars -- related products outnumber human beings, a growing stormtrooper army spans the globe, and Jediism has become a religion in its own right. Lucass creation has grown into far more than a cinematic classic; it is, quite simply, one of the most lucrative, influential, and interactive franchises of all time. Yet incredibly, until now the complete history of Star Wars -- its influences and impact, the controversies it has spawned, its financial growth and long-term prospects -- has never been told. In How Star Wars Conquered the Universe, veteran journalist Chris Taylor traces the series from the difficult birth of the original film through its sequels, the franchises death and rebirth, the prequels, and the preparations for a new trilogy. Providing portraits of the friends, writers, artists, producers, and marketers who labored behind the scenes to turn Lucass idea into a legend, Taylor also jousts with modern-day Jedi, tinkers with droid builders, and gets inside Boba Fetts helmet, all to find out how Star Wars has attracted and inspired so many fans for so long. Since the first films release in 1977, Taylor shows, Star Wars has conquered our culture with a sense of lightness and exuberance, while remaining serious enough to influence politics in far-flung countries and spread a spirituality that appeals to religious groups and atheists alike. Controversial digital upgrades and poorly received prequels have actually made the franchise stronger than ever. Now, with a savvy new set of bosses holding the reins and Episode VII on the horizon, it looks like Star Wars is just getting started. An energetic, fast-moving account of this creative and commercial phenomenon, How Star Wars Conquered the Universe explains how a young filmmakers fragile dream beat out a surprising number of rivals to gain a diehard, multigenerational fan base -- and why it will be galvanizing our imaginations and minting money for generations to come. Review Exhaustive.... those of us more casually in tune with the Force will find more than a few tasty nuggets. Wall Street Journal Insanely microresearched and breezily written. New York Times Book Review An excellent look at the genesis of Star Wars.... [Taylors] put together a volume thats honest and interesting--and one thats completely reignited my passion for Star Wars. io9 An unconventional approach that serves to bring a spark of life that might otherwise go missing from a straightforward commercial or cinematic look at Star Wars. Washington Post Even obsessives will likely find much thats news to them ... worthy of being savored ... amusing ... reveals what a huge role serendipity played in Star Wars. New York Post Delivers a payload of information... you will find intense emotions in its observations of a battle for autonomy within corporate cinema, and to the public that swoons for Lucas products. San Francisco Chronicle An immensely readable look at the worldwide impact of the Star Wars saga over the decades. McClatchy Taylor brings a genuine love of pop and nerd culture to this comprehensive retrospective on one of the 20th centurys most popular film series.... Taylor has compiled an impressive collection of background research and insider info that any fan would be glad to own. Publishers Weekly Taylors fan-boy enthusiasm coupled with his inviting narrative style make this a fun and informative read for sf enthusiasts, media studies and marketing students, film industry professionals, and aspiring Jedi Knights. Library Journal Its impossible to imagine a Star Wars fan who wouldnt love this book.... It really is hard to imagine a book about Star Wars being any more comprehensive than this one. Its full of information and insight and analysis, and i...

-Titulo Original : Neanderthal Man In Search Of Lost Genomes-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: A preeminent geneticist hunts the Neanderthal and Denisovan genomes to answer the biggest question of them all: how did our ancestors become human?Neanderthal Man tells the riveting personal and scientific story of the quest to use ancient DNA to unlock the secrets of human evolution. Beginning with the study of DNA in Egyptian mummies in the early 1980s and culminating in the sequencing of the Neanderthal genome in 2010, Neanderthal Man describes the events, intrigues, failures, and triumphs of these scientifically rich years through the lens of the pioneer and inventor of the field of ancient DNA. We learn that Neanderthal genes offer a unique window into the lives of our ancient relatives and may hold the key to unlocking the mysteries of where language came from as well as why humans survived while Neanderthals went extinct. PA¤o redrew our family tree and permanently changed the way we think about who we are and how we got here. For readers of Richard Dawkins, David Reich, and Hope Jahren, Neanderthal Man is the must-read account of how he did it. Review Paabo provides a riveting, personal account of the development of paleogenetics and the technical revolution that made the field possible. ScienceNeanderthal Man is a revealing history of a new scientific field. Carl Zimmer, New York Times BookReviewIf there is one name associated with ancient DNA, it is Svante Paabo.... Neanderthal Man is perfectly timed, beautifully written and required reading. NaturePaabo has provided us with a fabulous account of three decade of research into ancient DNA, culminating in 2010 with the publication of the Neanderthal genome. New York Review of BooksHighly recommended. ChoiceThe worlds foremost expert on recovering ancient DNA tells the inside story of what it took to reconstruct the Neanderthal genome. The Christian Century, Essential Books on Evolution and HumanOriginsThis is a fascinating story of how modern science and especially computer technology is opening vistas onto our prehistoric history. The Explorers JournalPaabo provides a fascinating look at how his personal life intersected with the founding of a scientific field that has revolutionized evolution. Science NewsPaabo paints a picture of how a major scientific advance rose out of a mix of politics, persuasion, careful management, and struggles with technology and technique. For that alone, its valuable. Ars TechnicaScientific understanding of earlier humans is fast evolving. For the nonce, this is a go-to volume on the subject for serious readers. Library Journal[T]his book is a vibrant testimonial to what might be the greatest creation of modern humans: the scientific method. Salon About the Author Svante Paabo is the founder of the field of ancient DNA. The director of the department of genetics at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Paabo has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, National Geographic, and the Economist, as well as on NPR, PBS, and BBC. In 2009 Time named him one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. Paabo lives in Leipzig, Germany...

-Titulo Original : The First Cell And The Human Costs Of Pursuing Cancer To The Last-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: With the fascinating scholarship of The Emperor of All Maladies and the deeply personal experience of When Breath Becomes Air, a world-class oncologist examines the current state of cancer and its devastating impact on the individuals it affects -- including herself.In The First Cell, Azra Raza offers a searing account of how both medicine and our society (mis)treats cancer, how we can do better, and why we must. A lyrical journey from hope to despair and back again, The First Cell explores cancer from every angle: medical, scientific, cultural, and personal. Indeed, Raza describes how she bore the terrible burden of being her own husbands oncologist as he succumbed to leukemia. Like When Breath Becomes Air, The First Cell is no ordinary book of medicine, but a book of wisdom and grace by an author who has devoted her life to making the unbearable easier to bear. Review An elegantly conceived, powerfully written, and far-reaching book that will change the conversation around cancer for decades to come.--Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of The Emperor of All MaladiesAmazons Best Science Book of 2019One of Smithsonians Top 10 Books of 2019The New York Times, Books to Watch For in October 2019Amazon, Top 100 Books of 2019LitHub, Most Anticipated Books of 2019BookRiot, Must-Read Books on CancerStarred Review from Publishers WeeklyStarred Review from KirkusOne of the New York Times Eighteen New Books to Watch For in October Joumana KhatibRaza asks hard questions ... and she hopes to jolt people into looking for a new paradigm in the so-called war on cancer. Henry Marsh, The New York Times Book ReviewAn incisive critique-cum-memoir NatureRaza, a Columbia University professor of medicine and practicing oncologist, offers a passionate account of how humans grapple with the scourge of cancer.... Showing that compassion is just as important for cancer patients as the drugs administered to them, Razas deeply personal work brings understanding and empathy to the fore in a way that a purely scientific explication never could. Publishers WeeklyWith elegant literary references and a compassion that deeply personalizes her interactions with patients and families, [Raza] engages readers in a commitment to finding a better way. Intelligence, empathy, and optimism inform the argument for new research on cancer that could obviate the suffering prevalent today. KirkusWe are accustomed to a narrative of war in books by cancer researchers. The doctors are generals on the barricades alongside their soldier patients. Progress is slow, but the battle is gradually being won. This book tells another story. The drugs that are declared successes offer only a few weeks of painful extension of life. The best clinicians are usually thrown back on the primitive combination of cut, poison, and burn that as students, they thought they would look back on as an embarrassment. Bespoke genetic treatments have significant limitations. Azra Raza breaks out of the official story to tell a new one. Shes not fighting a war. Shes negotiating with a resilient and dynamic enemy. She wants to change the terms of engagement. No more fighting at the endgame, but hunting down the first deviant cells. This book is a passion project, a personal story, a scientific proposal, and quite simply one of the most compelling books youll read. It breaks out of the standard narrative. It invents a whole new one. It works. By the end youll want to sign on to her revolution. Sherry Turkle, author of Alone Together and Reclaiming ConversationWhen the history of cancer is eventually written, Azra Razas book will be one of the touchstones that illuminated the path to victory. Amanda Foreman, author of The DuchessAn elegantly conceived, powerfully written, and far-reaching book that will change the conversation around cancer for decades to come. Siddhartha Mukherjee,author of The Emperor of All MaladiesWith command and clarity, Azra Raz...

-Titulo Original : Rothstein The Life, Times, And Murder Of The Criminal Genius Who Fixed The 1919 World Series-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: Review Terrific--The New York Timessuperb--theatlantic a morsel worth chewing over during the long, dark months between seasons. . . . engaging . . .--The Washington Postthe classic biography of Rothstein--salon True crime, evil doings, and monumental double-crossing by the Irish, the Italians, the Jews, and the Machine in a savory account of the legendary bad old days.--Kirkus ReviewsStrong investigative journalism . . . sweeps readers into the seedy world of Tammany Hall politics, violent mobsters, dirty cops and paid-off judges. . . .--Publishers Weekly History remembers Arnold Rothstein as the man who fixed the 1919 World Series, an underworld genius. The real-life model for The Great Gatsbys Meyer Wolfsheim and Nathan Detroit from Guys and Dolls, Rothstein was much more -- and less -- than a fixer of baseball games. He was everything that made 1920s Manhattan roar. Featuring Jazz Age Broadway with its thugs, speakeasies, showgirls, political movers and shakers, and stars of the Golden Age of Sports, this is a biography of the man who dominated an age. Arnold Rothstein was a loan shark, pool shark, bookmaker, thief, fence of stolen property, political fixer, Wall Street swindler, labor racketeer, rumrunner, and mastermind of the modern drug trade. Among his monikers were The Big Bankroll, The Brain, and The Man Uptown. This vivid account of Rothsteins life is also the story of con artists, crooked cops, politicians, gang lords, newsmen, speakeasy owners, gamblers and the like. Finally unraveling the mystery of Rothsteins November 1928 murder in a Times Square hotel room, David Pietrusza has cemented The Big Bankrolls place among the most influential and fascinating legendary American criminals. 16 pages of black-and-white photographs are featured. About the Author Called a national treasure and one of the best historians in the United States, David Pietrusza has produced a number of critically-acclaimed works concerning 20th century American history.His book 1960: LBJ vs JFK vs Nixon: The Epic Campaign that Forged Three Presidencies was named by ForeWord Magazine as among the best political biographies.Pietruszas 1920: The Year of the Six Presidents received a Kirkus starred review, was honored as a Kirkus Best Books of 2007 title, and was named an alternate selection of the History Book Club. Historian Richard Norton Smith has listed 1920: The Year of the Six Presidents as being among the best studies of presidential campaigns. 1920reached #1 best-selling rank in three non-fiction categories.Pietruszas biography of Arnold Rothstein entitled Rothstein: The Life, Times & Murder of the Criminal Genius Who Fixed the 1919 World Series was a finalist for the 2003 Edgar Award. Pietruszas Judge and Jury, his biography of baseballs first commissioner, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, received the 1998 CASEY Award.Pietrusza collaborated with baseball legend Ted Williams on an autobiography called Ted Williams: My Life in Pictures.He has been interviewed on NPR, MSNBC, C-SPAN, ESPN, the Fox News Channel, EBRU-TV, and the Fox Sports Channel. He has produced and written the PBS-affiliate documentary, Local Heroes. He has served as a regular panelist on FoxNews Live.Pietrusza holds a masters degrees in history from the University at Albany and has served on the City Council in Amsterdam, New York. Pietrusza is the Recipient of the 2011 Excellence in Arts & Letters Award of the Alumni Association of the University at Albany...

-Titulo Original : Behind The Throne A Domestic History Of The British Royal Household-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: An enchanting upstairs/downstairs history of the British royal court, from the Middle Ages to the reign of Queen Elizabeth II (Wall Street Journal). Monarchs: theyre just like us. They entertain their friends and eat and worry about money. Henry VIII tripped over his dogs. George II threw his son out of the house. James I had to cut back on the alcohol bills. In Behind the Throne, historian Adrian Tinniswood uncovers the reality of five centuries of life at the English court, taking the reader on a remarkable journey from one Queen Elizabeth to another and exploring life as it was lived by clerks and courtiers and clowns and crowned heads: the power struggles and petty rivalries, the tension between duty and desire, the practicalities of cooking dinner for thousands and of ensuring the king always won when he played a game of tennis. A masterful and witty social history of five centuries of royal life, Behind the Throne offers a grand tour of Englands grandest households. Review A glimpse into a world where everything is possible for the rulers, because the ruled do all the work: This sounds enchanting, and so Behind the Throne proves to be...The author has a wry humor and a way with a phrase. Wall Street JournalCharmingly erudite...Like a seasoned tour guide, Tinniswood keeps us moving through chambers of wonders, from the Elizabethan to the modern era...Tinniswood is both a careful scholar and a nimble writer. Washington PostShrewdly observed and engagingly written...A cracking read, packed full of stories which Tinniswood relates with verve and wit. Spectator (UK)Tinniswood (The Long Weekend) explores the inner workings of the well-oiled machine that is the household, servants, and monarchy of Britain...A masterpiece of history that reads like a novel; a true delight. Library Journal (starred review)[Tinniswood] amply, entertainingly, compellingly succeeds in making the case that when it comes to British royalty, it takes a village to make a monarch. New York Journal of Books[Tinniswood] displays a knack for uncovering the absurd and delightful. A wit borne of a deep intimacy with his subject shows through. It all has the effect of bringing the monarchy down to earth. New York Times Book Review[A] juicy new domestic history of the royal household...Tinniswoods magpie narrative is...about boundaries: the walls, literal and metaphorical, that separate monarchs from their people. GuardianFascinating...Never overly deferential, but humorous and distantly respectful. Our royals are human beings after all...Behind the Throne is a wonderfully entertaining account of life through five centuries of royal households. Sunday TimesBehind the Throne, erudite and amusing, bulges with colourful scenes of barely managed chaos at court. Times[A] juicy new domestic history of the royal household...Delicious. ObserverThis is the most interesting and informative book on the British royalty for many years. Literary ReviewAn intimate and entertaining look at the private lives of monarchs from Elizabeth I to the current occupants of Buckingham Palace...Deft, zesty social history. -Kirkus KirkusTinniswood is a wry storyteller. Baton Rouge Advocate Think of Behind the Throne as Downton Abbey meets The Tudors, with a dash of Victoria and a smidgen of The Crown thrown in. Winnipeg Free Press Well-researched and often entertaining...Devoted watchers of The Crown will especially enjoy the nimble analysis of both the narcissistic Edward VIIIs brief reign and Princess Margarets doomed romance...Utilizing a Downton Abbey approach, this enlightening narrative allows the royal family mystique to disappear just a little. Publishers WeeklySuperb. New Criterion An enjoyable and lively account of the British royal household from Elizabeth I to Elizabeth II. ChoiceIf Downton Abbey showcases a well-oiled machine of domestic efficiency in an English estate, you might think the servants s...

-Titulo Original : Out Of America A Black Man Confronts Africa-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: About the Author Keith B. Richburg is the New York bureau chief for the Washington Post. In 1993 he won the National Association of Black Journalists International Reporting Award, and the following year he won the George Polk Memorial Award for foreign reporting and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. He lives in Washington, D.C. Keith B. Richburg was an experienced and respected reporter who had paid his dues covering urban neighborhoods in Washington D.C., and won praise for his coverage of Southeast Asia. But nothing prepared him for the personal odyssey that he would embark upon when he was assigned to cover Africa. In this powerful book, Richburg takes the reader on an extraordinary journey that sweeps from Somalia to Rwanda to Zaire and finally to South Africa. He shows how he came to terms with the divide within himself: between his African racial heritage and his American cultural identity. Are these really my people? Am I truly an African-American? The answer, Richburg finds, after much soul-searching, is that no, he is not an African, but an American first and foremost. To those who romanticize Mother Africa as a black Valhalla, where blacks can walk with dignity and pride, he regrets that this is not the reality. He has been there and witnessed the killings, the repression, the false promises, and the horror. Thank God my nameless ancestor, brought across the ocean in chains and leg irons, made it out alive, he concludes. Thank God I am an American...

-Titulo Original : Adventures In Human Being A Grand Tour From The Cranium To The Calcaneum-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: Adventures in Human Being, with its deft mix of the clinical and the lyrical, is a triumph of the eloquent brain and the compassionate heart. -- Wall Street Journal We assume we know our bodies intimately, but for many of us they remain uncharted territory, an enigma of bone and muscle, neurons and synapses. How many of us understand the way seizures affect the brain, how the heart is connected to well-being, or the why the foot holds the key to our humanity? In Adventures in Human Being, award-winning author Gavin Francis leads readers on a journey into the human body, offering a guide to its inner workings and a celebration of its marvels. Drawing on his experiences as a surgeon, ER specialist, and family physician, Francis blends stories from the clinic with episodes from medical history, philosophy, and literature to describe the body in sickness and in health, in living and in dying. At its heart, Adventures in Human Being is a meditation on what it means to be human. Poetic, eloquent, and profoundly perceptive, this book will transform the way you view your body. Review The Independent (UK) -- Best Summer Reads2015 Saltire Literary Award -- Non-Fiction Book of the YearDelightful. EconomistEngaging and edifying. New York Review of BooksA sober and beautiful book about the landscape of the human body. Hilary MantelIt is grand, eloquent stuff, occasionally humorous, frequently moving, and invariably informative. In other hands, Adventures in Human Being might well have become cluttered with cliche, detail or sentimentality but Francis has a lightness of touch that helps him avoid these pitfalls. His use of quotes is sparing but erudite and his lack of self-importance--often a failing in his profession--is welcome. The end result is a thoroughly entertaining, provocative work. The GuardianThat Adventures in Human Being is an astonishing, moving and enchanting book can be explained in part by Franciss unique range of experience, his erudition and his enthusiasm. New Statesman[Francis] offers an unusually upbeat medical perspective.... His essays form a kind of anatomical atlas in which Francis proceeds from head to toe, stopping along the way to explore the lungs, genitalia, liver, and other organs. Boston Globe[A] brilliantly original and highly engaging book that takes you on a journey that is both familiar and unfamiliar, a book that marries both the physical and metaphysical with such imaginative wit and eloquence. The Independent (UK)Clever, strangely beautiful.... The style is crisp and fast and the human tales irresistible. The Times (London)[Francis] is a fine, subtle and observant writer... this is an illuminating and arresting book. Herald Scotland About the Author Gavin Francis is a physician and the award-winning author of four books, including Adventures in Human Being, Empire Antarctica; and True North. A regular contributor to the London Review of Books, Guardian, and New York Review of Books, Francis lives in Edinburgh, Scotland...

-Titulo Original : A Conflict Of Visions Ideological Origins Of Political Struggles-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: Thomas Sowell’s “extraordinary” explication of the competing visions of human nature lie at the heart of our political conflicts (New York Times)Controversies in politics arise from many sources, but the conflicts that endure for generations or centuries show a remarkably consistent pattern. In this classic work, Thomas Sowell analyzes this pattern. He describes the two competing visions that shape our debates about the nature of reason, justice, equality, and power: the constrained vision, which sees human nature as unchanging and selfish, and the unconstrained vision, in which human nature is malleable and perfectible. A Conflict of Visions offers a convincing case that ethical and policy disputes circle around the disparity between both outlooks. Review Extraordinary on several counts...[Sowell] makes his case fairly, lucidly and persuasively. The New York Times Book ReviewA classic of a very special kind...Reading [it] is like looking up at the night sky and discovering a new constellation. Christian Science Monitor[A Conflict of Visions] is recommended herewith to anybody sufficiently interested in the American condition to try to get beneath the surface of partisanship, trendy issues and pop ideology to the philosophical foundations of the Republic. Boston Globe[A] fine book ... Sowells illuminating guide to the political conflicts of our age teaches the valuable lesson that political choices always involve costs. Commentary An excellent condensation of two centuries of social thought. BooklistA provocative analysis of the conflicting visions of human nature that have shaped the moral, legal and economic life of recent times. Publishers Weekly About the Author Thomas Sowell is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is the author of dozens of books including Charter Schools and Their Enemies, winner of the 2021 Hayek Book Prize. He is the recipient of numerous other awards, including the National Humanities Medal, presented by the President of the United States in 2003...

-Titulo Original : Discrimination And Disparities-Fabricante : Basic Books-Descripcion Original: An enlarged edition of Thomas Sowells brilliant examination of the origins of economic disparitiesEconomic and other outcomes differ vastly among individuals, groups, and nations. Many explanations have been offered for the differences. Some believe that those with less fortunate outcomes are victims of genetics. Others believe that those who are less fortunate are victims of the more fortunate.Discrimination and Disparities gathers a wide array of empirical evidence to challenge the idea that different economic outcomes can be explained by any one factor, be it discrimination, exploitation, or genetics. This revised and enlarged edition also analyzes the human consequences of the prevailing social vision of these disparities and the policies based on that vision--from educational disasters to widespread crime and violence. Review Sowells calm and calculated look at racial disparity in America is a stunning work of brevity and reason. FederalistTimely...a must-read. Rush Limbaugh, The Limbaugh LetterA sane, balanced and highly informed discussion of many of the central issues of the day. Washington TimesEverything Dr. Sowell writes is worth reading, but this book couldnt be more timely. If there is any topic that needs a strong dose of empirical data and common sense, it is this one. Power Line [Sowell] writes on economics in a manner that is not only accessible, but also relevant and even riveting. The Conservative WomanFew works on politically explosive topics maintain such a consistent focus on empirical evidence while avoiding rhetorical jabs at opponents...those who cling to this dogma with religious fervor will likely avoid Sowells fact-filled book like kryptonite. Folks with less dogmatic proclivities, however, would do well to peruse this concise work. American ThinkerThroughout his career, Thomas Sowell has been fearless in confronting uncomfortable facts about human nature and ill-conceived public policies. His new book, Discrimination and Disparities, is the latest in a long line of works that calmly but persuasively shatter myths and ideological beliefs about race, ethnicity, economics, history, and culture. New York Journal of Books“Thomas Sowell’s Discrimination and Disparities is must reading for anyone who wants to understand what drives economic and social inequality among different groups. Sowell has spent a career bringing clarity and insight to heated public policy discussions that too often lack both. And no topic today is more in need of the Sowell treatment than the one surrounding racial and ethnic disparities. You don’t need a Ph.D. to understand this book, and having read it you will be far better informed than most of the academic and media elites sounding off on the subject.” Jason Riley, author of Please Stop Helping Us and False Black Power?“In this provocative book, Thomas Sowell turns the tables on those who automatically link disparate outcomes to discrimination. He begins by focusing instead on the myriad of factors that need to come together for success. Before we can explain why people fall behind in life, we must first understand what life demands for success…. Native intelligence by itself does not guarantee success. Hard work is important, but nature can be capricious. Who knew that being first born is a persistent factor for success in life? The book is chock full of such pertinent observations, none of which reflect discrimination by anyone. The book is a wonderful short introduction to the thought of one of our most important social thinkers.” Gerald P. O’Driscoll, Jr., Senior Fellow, CATO Institute About the Author Thomas Sowell is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is the author of dozens of books including Charter Schools and Their Enemies, winner of the 2021 Hayek Book Prize. He is the recipient of numerous other awards, including the National Humanities Medal, presented by the Preside...