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The Power of Ritual in Prehistory: Secret Societies and Origins of Social Complexity
Par Brian Hayden. 2018
The Power of Ritual in Prehistory is the first book in nearly a century to deal with traditional secret societies…
from a comparative perspective and the first from an archaeological viewpoint Providing a clear definition as well as the material signatures of ethnographic secret societies Brian Hayden demonstrates how they worked what motivated their organizers and what tactics they used to obtain what they wanted He shows that far from working for the welfare of their communities traditional secret societies emerged as predatory organizations operated for the benefit of their own members Moreover and contrary to the prevailing ideas that prehistoric rituals were used to integrate communities Hayden demonstrates how traditional secret societies created divisiveness and inequalities They were one of the key tools for increasing political control leading to chiefdoms states and world religions Hayden s conclusions will be eye-opening not only for archaeologists but also for anthropologists political scientists and scholars of religionFive Patients
Par Michael Crichton. 1970
The Story of San Michele
Par Axel Munthe. 1929
This `dream-laden and spooked? (Marina Warner, London Review of Books) story is to many one of the best-loved books of…
the twentieth century. Munthe spent many years working as a doctor in Southern Italy, labouring unstintingly during typhus, cholera and earthquake disasters. It was during this period that he came across the ruined Tiberian villa of San Michele, perched high above the glittering Bay of Naples on Capri. With the help of Mastro Nicola and his three sons, and with only a charcoal sketch roughly drawn on a garden wall to guide them, Munthe devoted himself to rebuilding the house and chapel. Over five long summers they toiled under a sapphire-blue sky, their mad-cap project leading them to buried skeletons and ancient coins, and to hilarious encounters with a rich cast of vividly-drawn villagers. The Story of San Michele reverberates with the mesmerising hum of a long, hot Italian summer. Peopled with unforgettable characters, it is as brilliantly enjoyable and readable today as it was upon first publication. The book quickly became an international bestseller and has now been translated into more than 30 languages; it is today an established classic, and sales number in the millions.Pretty Is What Changes: Impossible Choices, The Breast Cancer Gene, and How I Defied My Destiny
Par Jessica Queller. 2008
A timely, affecting memoir from the front lines of medical science: When genetics can predict how we may die, how…
then do we decide how to live? Eleven months after her mother succumbs to cancer, Jessica Queller has herself tested for the BRCA “breast cancer” gene mutation. The results come back positive, putting her at a terrifyingly elevated risk of developing breast cancer before the age of fifty and ovarian cancer in her lifetime. Thirty-four, unattached, and yearning for marriage and a family of her own, Queller faces an agonizing choice: a lifetime of vigilant screenings and a commitment to fight the disease when caught, or its radical alternative—a prophylactic double mastectomy that would effectively restore life to her, even as it would challenge her most closely held beliefs about body image, identity, and sexuality. Superbly informed and armed with surprising wit and style, Queller takes us on an odyssey from the frontiers of science to the private interiors of a woman’s life. Pretty Is What Changesis an absorbing account of how she reaches her courageous decision and its physical, emotional, and philosophical consequences. It is also an incredibly moving story of what we inherit from our parents and how we fashion it into the stuff of our own lives, of mothers and daughters and sisters, and of the sisterhood that forms when women are united in battle against a common enemy. Without flinching, Jessica Queller answers a question we may one day face for ourselves: If genes can map our fates and their dark knowledge is offered to us, will we willingly trade innocence for the information that could save our lives?In this fascinating and informative new book, Professor David Wilson tells the stories of Britain's serial killers from Jack the…
Ripper to the extraordinary Suffolk Murders case. David Wilson has worked as a Prison Governor and as a profiler, and has been described as the UK's leading expert on serial killers. His work has led him to meet several of the UK's deadliest killers, and build up fascinating insights into what makes a serial killer - and who they are most likely to target. A vivid narrative history and a timely call for prison and social reform, Professor Wilson's new book is a powerful and gripping investigation of Britain's serial murderers.Isaac Newton, The Asshole Who Reinvented the Universe: The Asshole Who Reinvented The Universe
Par Brian Taylor, Florian Freistetter. 2018
A blunt and humorous profile of Isaac Newton focusing on his disagreeable personality and showing that his offputting qualities were…
key to his scientific breakthroughs.Isaac Newton may have been the most important scientist in history, but he was a very difficult man. Put more bluntly, he was an asshole, an SOB, or whatever epithet best describes an abrasive egomaniac. In this colorful profile of the great man--warts and all--astronomer Florian Freistetter shows why this damning assessment is inescapable.Newton's hatred of fellow scientist Robert Hooke knew no bounds and he was strident in expressing it. He stole the work of colleague John Flamsteed, ruining his career without a second thought. He carried on a venomous battle with Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz over the invention of calculus, vilifying him anonymously while the German scientist was alive and continuing the attacks after he died. All evidence indicates that Newton was conniving, sneaky, resentful, secretive, and antisocial. Compounding the mystery of his strange character is that he was also a religious fanatic, a mystery-monger who spent years studying the Bible and predicted the apocalypse.While documenting all of these unusual traits, the author makes a convincing case that Newton would have never revolutionized physics if he hadn't been just such an obnoxious person. This is a fascinating character study of an astounding genius and--if truth be told--an almighty asshole as well.Reggie Kray's East End Stories: The lost memoirs of the gangland legend
Par Reggie Kray, Peter Gerrard. 2011
The name Reggie Kray remains synonymous with London's East End to this day, and yet although much is known about…
Reg and his brother Ronnie's life of crime in the '50s and '60s, to date precious little has been revealed about their formative years. Reggie wrote his EAST END STORIES in the early 1990s, but they haven't seen the light of day until now. In the book, he recalls the close-knit East End community in which he and his brother grew up, the characters in his family and neighbourhood, and of course, the many villains he worked with. Filled with anecdotes about the area's most outlandish personalities and notorious criminals, and offering a fascinating journey around the Krays' 'manor' including their favourite haunts and business enterprises, the book paints a vivid portrait of a London that has long since disappeared.No, Daddy, Don't!: A Father's Murderous Act of Revenge
Par Irene Pence. 2003
Hi, Mom. Give us a call, okay?Even in the bitterest divorce cases, angry ex-spouses usually agree on one thing--the welfare…
of their children. Mary Jean Pearle, a Dallas antiques dealer, never dreamed that her precious daughters, Faith and Liberty, would be anything but safe when she dropped them off with their father. John Battaglia, a successful accountant and ex-Marine, had at times been vicious to her--but always gentle with the girls. Listening helplessly through the phone, Mary Jean heard Faith plead for her life. . .and then the heart-rending sound of gunshots. Updating her classic account of this unthinkable crime with the latest stunning developments from Death Row, veteran crime writer Irene Pence recounts an unforgettable saga of violence, betrayal, and tears. Case seen on 20/20Includes Sixteen Pages Of Dramatic PhotosUnthinkable SacrificeDarwin and Modern Science
By A. C. Seward.
The Cambridge Philosophical Society collected this series of essays in commemoration of the centenary of the birth of Charles Darwin…
and the 50th anniversary of the publication of The Origin of Species. Aiming to be accessible to the 'educated layman', the eminent contributors reviewed the impact of Darwin's ideas in many spheres. They addressed contemporary (1909) attitudes, Darwin's theories and their far-reaching implications, and the progress of new lines of research that had emerged from them. The diversity of views among biologists regarding both the origin of species and the best directions for further research is clearly evident. In his work, Darwin had sought only the truth, writing 'Absolute accuracy is the hardest merit to attain, and the highest merit. Any deviation is ruin.' However dramatic the controversies he stirred, what shines from these essays is profound admiration for both Darwin's intellect and the quality of his character.A Brief History of Hitmen and Assassinations (Brief Histories )
Par Richard Belfield. 2011
The true stories behind some of the most shocking assassinations in recent history.We live in a new age of political…
assassination; within our lifetimes all the senior members of the UN Security Council have used it as an extension of political policy in all corners of the globe. In every case, the orders came from the very top. Today, while leading governments use covert ops, drones and lazer guided missiles, the terrorist methods of car bombs and suicide bombers make the game even more dangerous. In his compelling history of hit men, assassinations and the men who command them, Richard Bellfield recalls the major hits in history from Julius Caesar to twenty of the most shocking assassinations in recent history.He also reveals: how the assassination of President Sadat of Egypt launched Al Qaeda. How President Kennedy ordered the death of President Diem of Vietnam. And with excerpts from CIA and Al Qaeda manuals he shows how they have changed the course of history. He also uncovers the hidden world of killers and cover ups.International White Collar Crime
Par Bruce Zagaris. 2015
Contemporary transnational criminals take advantage of globalization, trade liberalization, and emerging new technologies to commit a diverse range of crimes,…
and to move money, goods, services, and people instantaneously for purposes of pure economic gain and/or political violence. This book captures the importance of transnational business crime and international relations by examining the rise of international economic crime and recent strategies in the United States and abroad to combat it. The book is organized into three main sections. The first part discusses substantive crimes, particularly tax, money laundering, and counter-terrorism financial enforcement; transnational corruption; transnational organized crime; and export control and economic sanctions. The second part discusses procedural aspects of international white collar crime, namely extraterritorial jurisdiction, evidence gathering, extradition, and international prisoner transfer. The third part discusses the role of international organizations, including the United Nations, the World Bank Group, Interpol, and economic integration groups.An Unexpected Miracle
Par Jennifer De Pippo. 2014
Three days before her eighth birthday, Jennifer De Pippo was nearly killed in a car accident which claimed the life…
of her mother and left her with brain injuries so severe that the doctors said she would never walk or talk again. Join Jennifer as she describes the highs and lows of her life-long struggle to prove the doctors wrong, and to rebuild herself into a functioning, fun-loving and fast-thinking adult.Through sheer determination, Jennifer has succeeded in achieving what was considered impossible, turning every day of her life into an unexpected miracle.Son of the Wilderness: The Life of John Muir
Par Linnie M. Wolfe. 1973
Working closely with Muir’s family and with his papers, Wolfe was able to create a full portrait of her subject,…
not only as America’s firebrand conservationist and founder of the national park system, but also as husband, father, and friend. All readers who have admired Muir’s ruggedly individualistic lifestyle, and those who wish a greater appreciation for the history of environmental preservation in America, will be enthralled and enlightened by this splendid biography. The story follows Muir from his ancestral home in Scotland, through his early years in the harsh Wisconsin wilderness, to his history-making pilgrimage to California. This book, originally published in 1945 and based in large part on Wolfe’s personal interviews with people who knew and worked with Muir, is one that could never be written again. It is, and will remain, the standard Muir biography. Pulitzer Prize WinnerThe Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper: 40 Dark New Tales (Mammoth Ser.)
Par Maxim Jakubowski. 1999
Updated and expanded edition of the fullest ever collective investigation into Jack the Ripper and the Whitechapel Murders.This volume collects…
not just all the key factual evidence but also 20 different arguments as to the identity of Jack the Ripper, such as that advanced by Patricia Cornwell. Contributions are from the world's leading Ripperologists, including William Beadle, Melvyn Fairclough, Martin Fido, Shirley Harrison, James Tully and Colin Wilson. The identity of Jack the Ripper has plagued professional historians, criminologists, writers and amateur enthusiasts. The many suspects include Montague John Druitt, Walter Sickert, Aaron Kosminski, Michael Ostrog, William Henry Bury, Dr Tumblety and James Maybrick. The only certainty is that Ripperologist have not found an invididual on whom they can all agree. The essays are supported by a detailed chronology, extensive bibliography and filmography.Howard County Law Enforcement (Images of America)
Par Tom Kelley, Jon Zeck. 2014
Since the 1880s, when a Howard County sheriff's deputy shot the mayor of Kokomo during the commission of a burglary,…
Howard County law enforcement officers have played an important role in the community's history. Police officers, deputies, and troopers cleared rowdies out of the junction neighborhood, walked downtown beats, rescued tornado survivors, quelled civil disturbances, cleaned up tragic accidents, and solved grisly murders. By the mid-1940s, a new generation of war veterans came home with a spirit of progress and experience in leadership. The foundation of compassion, perseverance, and integrity they established in Howard County law enforcement has defined their unswerving commitment to the safety of the community and to one another. Images of America: Howard County Law Enforcement tells their story.The Underboss
Par Dick Lehr, Gerard O'Neill. 1989
On February 26, 1986, Mafia underboss Gennaro Angiulo was convicted of racketeering and sentenced to forty-five years in prison. In…
The Underboss, bestselling authors Dick Lehr and Gerard O'Neill tell the story of the fall of the house of Angiulo. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, aided in part by the Irish Mob's Whitey Bulger, entered the Boston Mafia's headquarters in Boston's North End early one morning in 1981 and began to compile the evidence that would lead to the entire upper tier of one of the most profitable and ruthless criminal enterprises in America. Originally published in hardback by St. Martin's in 1989, The Underboss became a national bestseller. Information uncovered during the course of Lehr and O'Neill's Black Mass investigations adds new dimensions to the story and the authors include this new material-including Whitey Bulger's cagey manipulation of the FBI-in The Underboss's revised text and in a new preface and afterword.Water Histories and Spatial Archaeology
Par Michael J. Harrower. 2016
This book offers a new interpretation of the spatial-political-environmental dynamics of water and irrigation in long-term histories of arid regions.…
It compares ancient Southwest Arabia (3500 BC–AD 600) with the American West (2000 BC–AD 1950) in global context to illustrate similarities and differences among environmental, cultural, political, and religious dynamics of water. It combines archaeological exploration and field studies of farming in Yemen with social theory and spatial technologies, including satellite imagery, Global Positioning System (GPS), and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping. In both ancient Yemen and the American West, agricultural production focused not where rain-fed agriculture was possible, but in hyper-arid areas where massive state-constructed irrigation schemes politically and ideologically validated state sovereignty. While shaped by profound differences and contingencies, ancient Yemen and the American West are mutually informative in clarifying human geographies of water that are important to understandings of America, Arabia, and contemporary conflicts between civilizations deemed East and West.Advice to a Young Scientist
Par P. B. Medawar. 1979
To those interested in a life in science, Sir Peter Medawar, Nobel laureate, deflates the myths of invincibility, superiority, and…
genius; instead, he demonstrates it is common sense and an inquiring mind that are essential to the scientist’s calling. He deflates the myths surrounding scientists--invincibility, superiority, and genius; instead, he argues that it is common sense and an inquiring mind that are essential to the makeup of a scientist. He delivers many wry observations on how to choose a research topic, how to get along wih collaborators and older scientists and administrators, how (and how not) to present a scientific paper, and how to cope with culturally ”superior” specialists in the arts and humanities.Perfectly Reasonable Deviations From the Beaten Track: The Letters of Richard P. Feynman
Par Richard P. Feynman. 1939
A Nobel Prize-winning physicist, a loving husband and father, an enthusiastic teacher, a surprisingly accomplished bongo player, and a genius…
of the highest caliber---Richard P. Feynman was all these and more. Perfectly Reasonable Deviations From the Beaten Track--collecting over forty years' worth of Feynman's letters--offers an unprecedented look at the writer and thinker whose scientific mind and lust for life made him a legend in his own time. Containing missives to and from such scientific luminaries as Victor Weisskopf, Stephen Wolfram, James Watson, and Edward Teller, as well as a remarkable selection of letters to and from fans, students, family, and people from around the world eager for Feynman's advice and counsel, Perfectly Reasonable Deviations From the Beaten Track not only illuminates the personal relationships that underwrote the key developments in modern science, but also forms the most intimate look at Feynman yet available. Feynman was a man many felt close to but few really knew, and this collection reveals the full wisdom and private passion of a personality that captivated everyone it touched. Perfectly Reasonable Deviations From the Beaten Track is an eloquent testimony to the virtue of approaching the world with an inquiring eye; it demonstrates the full extent of the Feynman legacy like never before. Edited and with additional commentary by his daughter Michelle, it's a must-read for Feynman fans everywhere, and for anyone seeking to better understand one of the towering figures--and defining personalities--of the twentieth century.Scamming the Scammers
Par Don Mullan. 2014
Curly Watts is a TV icon - for twenty years appearing on millions of TV screens around the country in…
Coronation Street. Kevin Kennedy is one of the UK's most successful soap actors, although behind the scenes and high-profile appearances, he faced a painful personal battle.Kevin shares his experiences of alcoholism, rehab and IVF as well stories from the set and stars he worked with during some of the brightest, and darkest moments of his life, through to his music career and current roles.This brutally honest autobiography provides a rare glimpse into life behind the scenes, the power of addiction, and his battle with recovery.