History & Society

'I am most grateful for two things: that I was born in North Korea, and that I escaped from North Korea.'Yeonmi Park was not dreaming of freedom when she escaped from North Korea. She didn't even know what it meant to be free. All she knew was that she was running for her life, that if she and her family stayed behind they would die - from starvation, or disease, or even execution. This book is the story of Park's struggle to survive in the darkest, most repressive country on earth; her harrowing escape through China's underworld of smugglers and human traffickers; and then her escape from China across the Gobi desert to Mongolia, with only the stars to guide her way, and from there to South Korea and at last to freedom; and finally her emergence as a leading human rights activist - all before her 21st birthday.'Clear-eyed and devastating' Observer

Graham Hancock's multi-million bestseller Fingerprints of the Gods remains an astonishing, deeply controversial, wide-ranging investigation of the mysteries of our past and the evidence for Earth's lost civilization. Twenty years on, Hancock returns with a book filled with completely new, scientific and archaeological evidence, which has only recently come to light...The evidence revealed in this book shows beyond reasonable doubt that an advanced civilization that flourished during the Ice Age was destroyed in the global cataclysms between 12,800 and 11,600 years ago.Near the end of the last Ice Age 12,800 years ago, a giant comet that had entered the solar system from deep space thousands of years earlier, broke into multiple fragments. Some of these struck the Earth causing a global cataclysm on a scale unseen since the extinction of the dinosaurs. At least eight of the fragments hit the North American ice cap, while further fragments hit the northern European ice cap. The impacts, from comet fragments a mile wide approaching at more than 60,000 miles an hour, generated huge amounts of heat which instantly liquidized millions of square kilometres of ice, destabilizing the Earth's crust and causing the global Deluge that is remembered in myths all around the world.A second series of impacts, equally devastating, causing further cataclysmic flooding, occurred 11,600 years ago, the exact date that Plato gives for the destruction and submergence of Atlantis. But there were survivors - known to later cultures by names such as 'the Sages', 'the Magicians', 'the Shining Ones', and 'the Mystery Teachers of Heaven'. They travelled the world in their great ships doing all in their power to keep the spark of civilization burning. They settled at key locations - Gobekli Tepe in Turkey, Baalbek in the Lebanon, Giza in Egypt, ancient Sumer, Mexico, Peru and across the Pacific where a huge pyramid has recently been discovered in Indonesia. Everywhere they went these 'Magicians of the Gods' brought with them the memory of a time when mankind had fallen out of harmony with the universe and paid a heavy price.A memory and a warning to the future... For the comet that wrought such destruction between 12,800 and 11,600 years may not be done with us yet. Astronomers believe that a 20-mile wide 'dark' fragment of the original giant comet remains hidden within its debris stream and threatens the Earth. An astronomical message encoded at Gobekli Tepe, and in the Sphinx and the pyramids of Egypt,warns that the 'Great Return' will occur in our time...

Homo Deus explores the projects, dreams and nightmares that will shape the twenty-first century and beyond - from overcoming death to creating artificial life. It asks the fundamental questions: how can we protect this fragile world from our own destructive power?

A coloring book that takes you on an expedition through a jungle to discover a forgotten world of flora and fauna. Through intricate pen and ink illustrations, it helps colour-inners of all ages to explore an exotic rainforest teeming with creatures large and small such as: tree frogs and dainty hummingbirds, prowling tigers and playful monkeys.

A raw, cerebral work devoted to the inextricability of pleasure and pain, and to the question of what role, if any, aesthetic beauty can play in times of great heartache or grief.

Providing step-by-step guidance for every stage of the meditation path, this uniquely comprehensive guide for a Western audience combines the wisdom from the teachings of the Buddha with the latest research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience.

Title: Books That Changed History, Author: Dk, Publication Year: 2017-09-07, Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Ltd, Language: eng

Most women spend much of their working lives 'making it' in a man's world. Full of tools, calls to action, contemplative questions, rituals and confrontational exercises, this book teaches women that it is safe to let Shakti rise, safe to trust their intuition and safe to take leaps of faith - because in healing ourselves we are healing the world.

SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE 'The political book of the year' Sunday Times 'You will not read a more important book about America this year' Economist

In Strangers in Their Own Land, the renowned sociologist Arlie Hochschild embarks on a thought-provoking journey from her liberal hometown of Berkeley, California, deep into Louisiana bayou countrya stronghold of the conservative right. As she gets to know people who strongly oppose many of the ideas she famously champions, Hochschild nevertheless finds common ground and quickly warms to the people she meetsamong them a Tea Party activist whose town has been swallowed by a sinkhole caused by a drilling accidentpeople whose concerns are actually ones that all Americans share: the desire for community, the embrace of family, and hopes for their children.Strangers in Their Own Land goes beyond the commonplace liberal idea that these are people who have been duped into voting against their own interests. Instead, Hochschild finds lives ripped apart by stagnant wages, a loss of home, an elusive American dreamand political choices and views that make sense in the context of their lives. Hochschild draws on her expert knowledge of the sociology of emotion to help us understand what it feels like to live in "e;red"e; America. Along the way she finds answers to one of the crucial questions of contemporary American politics: why do the people who would seem to benefit most from "e;liberal"e; government intervention abhor the very idea?

Stunning reproduction of the beautifully illustrated and profoundly mysterious Voynich Manuscript. The three authors offer an enlightening interpretation of this unique text that draws on their deep knowledge of late medieval manuscripts, astrology, alchemy, cryptography and herbal and magical practitioners' handbooks.

The tradition of Tantra or Tantric Buddhism is known to have existed in India as early as the 5th century AD. Using his own unique blend of wisdom and humour, Osho talks about the mystical insight of Tantra that is to be found in these ancient writings. It is a refreshing perspective from one of the most provocative spiritual teachers of our time and introduces some difficult concepts to the widest possible audience.

For decades we have been told a story about the divide between rich countries and poor countries. We have been told that development is working: that the global South is catching up to the North, that poverty has been cut in half over the past thirty years, and will be eradicated by 2030. But is it true? This book deals with this topic.

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER: A radically new way of thinking about depression and anxiety'A book that could actually make us happy' SIMON AMSTELL'This amazing book will change your life' ELTON JOHN'One of the most important texts of recent years' BRITISH JOURNAL OF GENERAL PRACTICE 'Brilliant, stimulating, radical' MATT HAIG'The more people read this book, the better off the world will be' NAOMI KLEIN 'Wonderful' HILLARY CLINTON'Eye-opening' GUARDIAN'Brilliant for anyone wanting a better understanding of mental health' ZOE BALL 'A game-changer' DAVINA MCCALL 'Extraordinary' DR MAX PEMBERTON'Beautiful' RUSSELL BRAND Depression and anxiety are now at epidemic levels. Why? Across the world, scientists have uncovered evidence for nine different causes. Some are in our biology, but most are in the way we are living today. Lost Connections offers a radical new way of thinking about this crisis. It shows that once we understand the real causes, we can begin to turn to pioneering new solutions - ones that offer real hope.

From one of America's most brilliant writers, a New York Times bestselling journey through psychology, philosophy, and lots of meditation to show how Buddhism holds the key to moral clarity and enduring happiness.At the heart of Buddhism is a simple claim: The reason we sufferand the reason we make other people sufferis that we don't see the world clearly. At the heart of Buddhist meditative practice is a radical promise: We can learn to see the world, including ourselves, more clearly and so gain a deep and morally valid happiness. In this ';sublime' (The New Yorker), pathbreaking book, Robert Wright shows how taking this promise seriously can change your lifehow it can loosen the grip of anxiety, regret, and hatred, and how it can deepen your appreciation of beauty and of other people. He also shows why this transformation works, drawing on the latest in neuroscience and psychology, and armed with an acute understanding of human evolution. This book is the culmination of a personal journey that began with Wright's landmark book on evolutionary psychology, The Moral Animal, and deepened as he immersed himself in meditative practice and conversed with some of the world's most skilled meditators. The result is a story that is ';provocative, informative and...deeply rewarding' (The New York Times Book Review), and as entertaining as it is illuminating. Written with the wit, clarity, and grace for which Wright is famous, Why Buddhism Is True lays the foundation for a spiritual life in a secular age and shows how, in a time of technological distraction and social division, we can save ourselves from ourselves, both as individuals and as a species.

What Doesn't Kill Us is a captivating book written by the talented author, Scott Carney. Published in 2019 by Scribe Publications, this book falls under the genre of non-fiction. The book takes the reader on an intriguing journey, exploring the boundaries of human endurance. The author challenges conventional wisdom and pushes the limits of the human body, showing how much we can endure, both physically and mentally. This book is not just a tale of survival, but also a testament to the extraordinary capabilities of the human body. It's a must-read for anyone interested in pushing their limits and understanding what the human body is truly capable of. Published by Scribe Publications, this book is a testament to their commitment to bringing quality literature to readers. Written in English, What Doesn't Kill Us is a remarkable exploration of human endurance.

The Japanese phenomenon that teaches us the simple yet profound lessons required to liberate our real selves and find lasting happiness.

Two Harvard professors explain the dangerous world we face today. Democracies can die with a coup d' tat - or they can die slowly. This happens most deceptively when in piecemeal fashion, with the election of an authoritarian leader, the abuse of governmental power and the complete repression of opposition. All three steps are being taken around the world - not least with the election of Donald Trump - and we must all understand how we can stop them.In How Democracies Die, Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt draw insightful lessons from across history - from the rule of General Augusto Pinochet in Chile to the quiet undermining of Turkey's constitutional system by President Recip Erdogan - to shine a light on regime breakdown across the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Notably they point to the dangers of an authoritarian leader faced with a major crisis. Based on years of research, they present a deep understanding of how and why democracies die; an alarming analysis of how democracy is being subverted today in the US and beyond; and a guide for maintaining and repairing a threatened democracy, for governments, political parties and individuals. History doesn't repeat itself. But we can protect our democracy by learning its lessons, before it's too late.

A reissue of this classic title with a new introduction by Andrew Morton reflecting on the extraordinary circumstances surrounding the original publication, and on the long term legacy of Diana.

A Cook's Book is the story of Nigel Slater's life in the kitchen . . .

Surveillance Capitalism: A new phase in economic history in which private companies and governments track your every move with the goal of predicting and controlling your behaviour. Under surveillance capitalism you are not the customer or even the product: you are the raw material.

An exquisite and expansive large-scale publication documenting and celebrating the finest producers of men's sartorial style in the most elegant country in the world.