History & Society

Instagram sensation Maggie the dog is a walking miracle. But her warm, playful nature masks a traumatic past. Maggie was shot 17 times and subjected to cruelty and torture, before being rescued from Lebanon and brought to live in the UK by a determined and loving young woman called Kasey. This is the incredible story of their journey together.

Embrace the timeless teachings of the chakra system for peace of mind, better physical health, and a sense of alignment, fulfillment, and purpose.The key to optimal health and well-being is within us, in powerful energy centers called chakras. Ancient cultures understood the sacred healing power of chakras and that self-care aligned with nature. In Chakras & Self-Care, you'll engage in a series of meditative exercises that activate and balance each of your seven main chakras. Reiki master and wellness expert Ambi Kavanagh also offers daily and seasonal rituals to show us that true prevention not only comes from the ways we care for our bodies, but the ways we spend our energy. Chakras & Self-Care features: • Affirmation, visualization, and activation exercises to align and balance each chakra for improved energetic flow • A comprehensive guide to the seven main chakras plus astrological and elemental correspondences and goddess archetypes • Essential oil blend recipes and sacred stones to open and support each chakra • Daily rituals to recharge and restore your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health • Seasonal energy rituals to reconnect with nature's rhythms and lunar cycles

This first comprehensive study in English of the many and variegated ways the afterlife was envisioned in the Middle Ages presents exciting new interpretations that will interest literary scholars, (art) historians, and theologians.

Exploring a wide range of sonic practices, from birdsong in the Marshall Islands to Zulu ululation, the contributors reorient the field of sound studies toward the global South in order to rethink and decolonize modes of understanding and listening to sound.

Designs of Blackness provides less a narrative literary history than, precisely, a series of mappings - each literary-critical and comparative while at the same time offering cultural and historical context.

Between 1919 and 1923, the last aftershock of the First World War was fought between Greece and the nascent Turkish nation. On its centenary, the contributions in this volume analyze the onset, conduct, and aftermath of this last of the wars of the Great War.

Animals have much to teach us if we will take the time to listen. Animals have quite literally changed J. D. (Doug) Porter's life. He looks at some of the most noteworthy in his memoir, Lessons from the Zoo: Ten Animals that Changed My Life. From animal keeper to zoo director, Porter's career spanned over forty years. It included positions with a half dozen of America's great zoos during the most transformational era in zookeeping in more than a century-a time when zoos went from 19th century menageries to modern day arks. A chance visit to the Atlanta Zoo in the 1970s launched a career that began at Busch Gardens and continued during the construction of a massive new zoo in Toronto. Porter oversaw the animal collection at the Louisville Zoo, directed the redevelopment of the Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo, and served as deputy director of the Toledo Zoo during its centennial years. Humans have been training animals for thousands of years. We have trained them to pull wagons, herd livestock, and guard our camps. We have also taught them to perform useless tricks for our amusement. These days, animal care professionals train animals to submit to behaviors that improve their own lives (injections, blood pressure monitoring, and other health related routines) as well as tasks that benefit human lives (therapy, search & rescue, and law enforcement). But animals can teach us, as well. The earliest dogs appeared about fifteen thousand years ago when humans began displacing Neanderthals in Northern Europe and Asia. People might be surprised to learn of recent speculation that perhaps humans did not create dogs by domesticating wolves. Perhaps wolves domesticated themselves. They might have accomplished this by staying in proximity to human settlements, scavenging our leftovers, and adapting to our ways over generations. We have long imagined some clever human training a wolf to guard the camp and hunt for food. What if it was the other way around? What if it was clever wolves that taught those primitive humans to accept them into their society? Porter developed his love of nature growing up in the piney woods and mangrove swamps of Florida's gulf coast and nurtured that passion for nearly fifty years as he managed parks, zoos, and museums. The number of animals he worked with during his career is beyond measure. He has been bitten, clawed, kicked, and head-butted. He has watched animals being born and seen them take their last breath. He has had an impact on the lives of countless animals, but they have had an impact on his life, as well. They have taught him some valuable lessons. Porter learned to trust by facing off against Bwana the elephant and to walk his own path from Thelma the wayward mule. He learned how to overcome some of his fears by handling snakes and the importance of the Golden Rule from chimps and gorillas. Rhinos helped him realize that he will never be too old to learn, and a dog named Joy taught him how to seize the day. But what is the greatest lesson of all? Find out in Lessons from the Zoo: Ten Animals that Changed My Life.

Reading Cultural Representations of the Double Diaspora: Britain, East Africa, Gujarat is the first detailed study of the cultural life and representations of the prolific twice-displaced Gujarati East African diaspora in contemporary Britain.

In this uplifting and practical book, written in collaboration with his biographer, Austen Ivereigh, the preeminent spiritual leader explains why we must-and how we can-make the world safer, fairer, and healthier for all people now. In the COVID crisis, the beloved shepherd of over one billion Catholics saw the cruelty and inequity of our society exposed more vividly than ever before. He also saw, in the resilience, generosity, and creativity of so many people, the means to rescue our society, our economy, and our planet. In direct, powerful prose, Pope Francis urges us not to let the pain be in vain. He begins Let Us Dream by exploring what this crisis can teach us about how to handle upheaval of any kind in our own lives and the world at large. With unprecedented candor, he reveals how three crises in his own life changed him dramatically for the better. By its very nature, he shows, crisis presents us with a choice: we make a grievous error if we try to return to some pre-crisis state. But if we have the courage to change, we can emerge from the crisis better than before. Francis then offers a brilliant, scathing critique of the systems and ideologies that conspired to produce the current crisis, from a global economy obsessed with profit and heedless of the people and environment it harms, to politicians who foment their people's fear and use it to increase their own power at their people's expense. He reminds us that Christians' first duty is to serve others, especially the poor and the marginalized, just as Jesus did. Finally, the Pope offers an inspiring and actionable blueprint for building a better world for all humanity by putting the poor and the planet at the heart of new thinking. For this plan, he draws not only on sacred sources, but on the latest findings from renowned scientists, economists, activists, and other thinkers. Yet rather than simply offer prescriptions, he shows how ordinary people acting together despite their differences can discover unforeseen possibilities. Along the way, he offers dozens of wise and surprising observations on the value of unconventional thinking, on why we must dramatically increase women's leadership in the Church and throughout society, on what he learned while scouring the streets of Buenos Aires with garbage-pickers, and much more. Let Us Dream is an epiphany, a call to arms, and a pleasure to read. It is Pope Francis at his most personal, profound and passionate. With this book and with open hearts, we can change the world.

No matter the challenges, troubles, or losses you may face in life, you have a hope that will not be denied summed up in five simple words: The Lord Is My Shepherd. These words from the cherished 23rd Psalm are why you are never alone, never without help, and never without hope!In Because the Lord is My Shepherd, respected author and teacher Tony Cooke explores the meaning and significance of the 12 powerful blessings of following the Great Shepherd: Provision - Rest - Peace - Restoration - Guidance - Security - Comfort - Sustenance - Anointing - Abundance - Confidence - UnionAs this psalm flowed out of David's heart, he reflected on the goodness of God, and it will encourage you to do the same. Secure your trust in a Shepherd who compassionately and tenderly cares for you in good times and bad!

"I believe this is one of the best anthologies to come out in 2020." -Christi Nogle, for PseudopodIncluded on the Preliminary Ballot for the 2020 Bram Stoker Awards.Includes the story "A Deed Without a Name" by Jack Lothian, included in THE BEST HORROR OF THE YEAR VOLUME 13, edited by Ellen Datlow.THE FIENDS IN THE FURROWS II: MORE TALES OF FOLK HORROR is a collection of short stories of Folk Horror, honoring its rich and atmospheric traditions. Fans of Folk Horror will find herein more terrifying tales of rural isolation, urban alienation, suburban superstition, pastoral paranoia, as well as mindless and monstrous ritual that epitomize the atmospheric dread of this fascinating and developing subgenre.FEATURING:Alys Hobbs, "Yan"Coy Hall, "Hour of the Cat's EyeElizabeth Twist, "The Complete Compleat GardenerNeil McRobert, "A Well-Fed Man"Shawn Wallace, "The Binding Tide"Jack Lothian, "A Deed Without a Name"Hazel King, "The Hanging Tree and The Old Tom Pit"Sara Century, "The Death of a Drop of WaterKristi DeMeester, "A Ritual for Pleasure and AtonementTim Major, "The Slow King"Tracy Fahey, "Dearg-an-Daol"

THE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Times / Guardian / Telegraph / i News / The New York Times / Washington Post / NPR / Marie ClaireA riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making-from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy'Gorgeously written, humorous, compelling, life affirming' Justin Webb, Mail on SundayIn the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency-a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil. Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation's highest office. Reflecting on the presidency, he offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of both the awesome reach and the limits of presidential power, as well as singular insights into the dynamics of U.S.

There have been countless badass women who have changed the world for the better, yet most people have never even heard of them. Women throughout history have fought for their rights and the rights of others, defended their countries during wartime, healed the sick and the wounded, invented new technologies, led countries, made inspiring art, and so much more.This collection of biographies and quick trivia facts will tell the stories of the courageous and tenacious women who have paved the way for the women of the future. In The Great Book of Badass Women you''ll get to know: ┬╖       Ching Shih: from Prostitute to Pirate Queen ┬╖       Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Notorious Supreme Court Justice ┬╖       Frida Kahlo: Trailblazer, Artist, Icon ┬╖       The Mirabal Sisters: Revolutionaries and Martyrs ┬╖       Hedy Lamarr: Inventor and Beauty Queen ┬╖       And 10 other extremely badass women!There have been so many badass women in history, that it was nearly impossible to choose only 15 of them. Although women-especially women of color-have largely been excluded from our history books, these unsung heroes have always been there, kicking ass. By telling their stories, we preserve their legacies and inspire others to follow in their footsteps. ∩╗┐Grab a copy now and get ready to be inspired by the stories of some of history''s most badass women!

2020 upended every aspect of our lives. But where is our world heading next? Will pandemic, protests, economic instability, and social distance lead to deeper inequalities, more nationalism, and further erosion of democracies around the world? Or are we moving toward a global re-awakening to the importance of community, mutual support, and the natural world? In our lifetimes, the future has never been so up for grabs. The New Possible offers twenty-eight unique visions of what can be, if instead of choosing to go back to normal, we choose to go forward to something far better. Assembled from global leaders on six continents, these essays are not simply speculation. They are an inspiration and a roadmap for action.With essays by:Kim Stanley Robinson, Michael Pollan, Varshini Prakash, Vandana Shiva, Jack Kornfield, Mamphela Ramphele, Justin Rosenstein, Jack Kornfield, Helena Nordberg-Hodge, David Korten, Tristan Harris, Eileen Crist, Francis Deng, Riane Eisler, Arturo Escobar, Rebecca Kiddle, Mike Joy, Natalie Foster, Jess Rimington, Jeremy Lent, Atossa Soltani, Mark Anielski, Ellen Brown, John Restakis, Zak Stein, Oren Slozberg, Anisa Nanavati, and Fr. Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam

Here is the story of one Black American Communist who became disillusioned with Communism and penned this cautionary tale of the perils of his experience. According to the author: "Ten years I labored in the cause of Communism. I was a dedicated "comrade." All my talents and efforts were zealously used to bring about the triumph of Communism in America and throughout the world. To me, the end of capitalism would mark the beginning of an interminable period of plenty, peace, prosperity and universal comradeship. All racial and class differences and conflicts would end forever after the liquidation of the capitalists, their government and their supporters. Little did I realize until I was deeply enmeshed in the Red Conspiracy, that just and seeming grievances are exploited to transform idealism into a cold and ruthless weapon against the capitalist system-that this is the end toward which all the communist efforts among Negroes are directed. Indeed, I had entered the red conspiracy in the vain belief that it was the way to a "new, better and superior" world system of society. Ten years later, thoroughly disillusioned, I abandoned communism." From the preface.