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Summary
In this work the author explains the principles of economics in plain jargon, answering questions like: Why are homeless people sleeping on the sidewalks of New York in the winter, when the abandoned apartment buildings have four times as many dwelling units as there are homeless people in the city? Why did Russians have to import food to feed people in Moscow, when Russia itself had vast amounts of some of the richest farmland in Europe within easy...
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"Combining serious and meticulously researched fact with entertaining and witty commentary, it has been deemed unique by chefs and reviewers around the globe. It contains both a comprehensive catalogue of food stuffs--biscuits named after battles and divas; body parts from toe to cerebellum; breads from Asia to the Mediterranean--and a richly allusive account of the culture of food, whether expressed in literature and cookery books, or as dishes peculiar...
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The Encyclopedia is divided into two parts. The first contains case studies, by leading experts, of over fifty hunting and gathering peoples, in seven major world regions. There is a general introduction and an archaeological overview for each region. Part II contains thematic essays on prehistory, social life, gender, music and art, health, religion, and indigenous knowledge. A final section surveys the complex histories of hunter-gatherers' encounters...
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"America's Favorite Holidays explores how five of America's culturally dominant holidays--Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Halloween, and Thanksgiving--came to be what they are today, combinations of seasonal and religious celebrations heavily influenced by modern popular culture. Distilling information from a wide range of sources, Bruce David Forbes reveals the often surprising history behind the traditions of each holiday. The book offers a...
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In over 1,000 entries, this acclaimed Companion covers all aspects of the Western fairy tale tradition, from medieval to modern, under the guidance of Professor Jack Zipes. It provides an authoritative reference source for this complex and captivating genre, exploring the tales themselves, the writers who wrote and reworked them, and the artists who illustrated them. It also covers numerous related topics such as the fairy tale and film, television,...
6) Islam
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The aim of this book is to explain the principles of Islam and to show how Muslims strive to bring God-consciousness (taqwa) into every area of their daily lives, from the important and profound to the mundane and simple tasks; and in this devotion and urge to serve, striving for the greater pleasure of their Lord, they find their own fulfillment and happiness. Each chapter in this book is underpinned by the words of the Qur'an and the teachings...
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This unique A-Z encyclopedia examines every effort to end slavery in the United States and the transatlantic world. It focuses on massive, broad-based movements, as well as specific incidents, events, and developments, and pulls together in one place information previously available only in a wide variety of sources. While it centers on the United States, the set also includes authoritative accounts of emancipation and abolition in Europe, Africa,...
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In the wake of her mother's death, Cheryl Strayed's family scattered and her marriage was destroyed. Four years later, twenty-six years old with nothing to lose, Cheryl made the decision to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert to Washington State - alone. She had no experience as a long-distance hiker and the trail was little more than an idea. But it was a promise of piecing back together a life that had come undone.
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This work retells the world's major myths and legends, and gives a clear reference guide to who was who, where was where and what was what. In addition to a significant number of A-Z entries of myths, motifs, locations and characters, there are generic essays and entries about the various traditions, organized by location. The essays discuss the kinds of myth each area has produced, and their relationship to local geography, culture and religions....
12) Into the wild
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Tells the story of Chris McCandless, a twenty-four-year-old who walked into the Alaskan wilderness on an idealistic journey and was found dead of starvation four months later. Attempts to discover what led the young man to that point.
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Describes how the "protagonists of folklore and religion enact simultaneously the various phases of their common story" and relates "their timeless symbols to those rediscovered in dream by contemporary depth psychology."
Joseph Campbell presents the composite hero. Apollo, the Frog King of the fairy tale, Wotan, the Buddha, and numerous other protagonists of folklore and religion, enact simultaneously the various phases of their common story. The...
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Prisoner of war, optometrist, time-traveller - these are the life roles of Billy Pilgrim, hero of this miraculously moving, bitter and funny story of innocence faced with apocalypse. "Slaughterhouse 5" is one of the world's great anti-war books. Centring on the infamous fire-bombing of Dresden in the Second World War, Billy Pilgrim's odyssey through time reflects the journey of our own fractured lives as we search for meaning in what we are afraid...
16) From suffrage to the Senate: America's political women : an encyclopedia of leaders, causes & issues
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Entries include biographical sketches on women who have worked in various arenas of American politics, including campaigns and the media. Also covers court cases, legislation, organizations, movements and social issues that are relevant to the topic.
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This volume "really contains two books: a fondly sardonic autobiography and a tough-love lesson for aspiring novelists", written by American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy, Stephen King (b. 1947). The first third of the book contains King's memoir, which includes heartfelt tidbits about his brother, mother and his long battles with alcohol and drug addiction. The second part of the book, "On Writing, " is where...
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"The essential leadership playbook. Learn the principles and guiding philosophies of Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Warren Buffet, Oprah, and many others through illuminating conversations about their remarkable lives and careers"--
For the past five years, Rubenstein has spoken with the world's highest performing leaders about who they are and how they became successful. Here he distills these revealing conversations into an indispensable...
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Long regarded as some of the most skilled bison hunters, the Blackfeet tribes' territory once covered large swaths of the areas now known as Alberta, Canada and the U.S. state of Montana. This fascinating collection of legends and folklore will afford modern-day readers a glimpse into the unique values and beliefs of this culture.