Books published by Kuperard

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include* customs, values, and traditions* historical, religious, and political background* life at home* leisure, social, and cultural life* eating and drinking* do's, don'ts, and taboos* business practices* communication, spoken and unspoken"e;Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers."e; Sunday Times Travel"e;... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries."e; Global Travel"e;...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas."e; Observer"e;...as useful as they are entertaining."e; Easyjet Magazine"e;...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world."e; New York Times

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include* customs, values, and traditions* historical, religious, and political background* life at home* leisure, social, and cultural life* eating and drinking* do's, don'ts, and taboos* business practices* communication, spoken and unspoken"e;Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers."e; Sunday Times Travel"e;... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries."e; Global Travel"e;...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas."e; Observer"e;...as useful as they are entertaining."e; Easyjet Magazine"e;...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world."e; New York Times

Once notorious for the tyranny of Idi Amin, immortalized in the film The Last King of Scotland, Uganda has, for the last twenty-six years or so, struggled to overcome its negative image. It has largely been successful. Rated the best country to visit in 2012, it was one named of the best tourist destinations of 2013 by National Geographic magazine. In addition to its game parks, home to the Big Five, Uganda has one of the largest numbers of recorded bird species of any country. It is also the home of the famed mountain gorillas, and the mighty Nile River provides some of the best whitewater rafting in the world. Add to this an almost perfect climate and spectacular sightseeing, including the source of the Nile, Murchison Falls, the "e;little Switzerland"e; of Kabale, the volcanic lakes, and the Rwenzori Mountains, and one can understand why Winston Churchill called Uganda "e;the Pearl of Africa."e; But Uganda not only has wildlife and natural beauty to offer-the Ugandan people are what makes it different. Drawn from over fifty tribes, they make up a rich blend of traditions. You can sample this in dance and song performances by groups such as the Ndere Troup, or you can wander through the capital city, or any village, and get to know the local people, as English is widely spoken. You will find them sociable, warm, and hospitable. Kampala is famous as the social capital of East Africa, the city that never sleeps, where every kind of nightlife is on offer, and Ugandans have now been officially rated the happiest people in East Africa! All this is what makes Uganda special. Inevitably there are cultural pitfalls for the unwary traveler-differences in expectations, mores, and ways of behaving. This book provides key insights into Ugandan life and offers practical tips on how best to meet the Ugandan people on their own terms, vital information for tourists and businessmen alike.

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include* customs, values, and traditions* historical, religious, and political background* life at home* leisure, social, and cultural life* eating and drinking* do's, don'ts, and taboos* business practices* communication, spoken and unspoken"e;Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers."e; Sunday Times Travel"e;... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries."e; Global Travel"e;...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas."e; Observer"e;...as useful as they are entertaining."e; Easyjet Magazine"e;...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world."e; New York Times

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include* customs, values, and traditions* historical, religious, and political background* life at home* leisure, social, and cultural life* eating and drinking* dos, don'ts, and taboos* business practices* communication, spoken and unspoken"e;Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers."e; Sunday Times Travel"e;... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries."e; Global Travel"e;...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas."e; Observer"e;...as useful as they are entertaining."e; Easyjet Magazine"e;...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world."e; New York Times

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include* customs, values, and traditions* historical, religious, and political background* life at home* leisure, social, and cultural life* eating and drinking* do's, don'ts, and taboos* business practices* communication, spoken and unspoken"e;Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers."e; Sunday Times Travel"e;... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries."e; Global Travel"e;...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas."e; Observer"e;...as useful as they are entertaining."e; Easyjet Magazine"e;...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world."e; New York Times

Culture Smart! Laos offers in-depth information to visitors seeking a genuine experience, including essential insights and advice on local customs and lifestyle. The information, collected through research and the experience of living and working in this beautiful country, is also of great use to businessmen and prospective investors. Once known as "e;the Kingdom of a Million Elephants under the White Parasol,"e; Laos is a landlocked country of great contrast and beauty in the heart of the Indochinese peninsula. Visitors quickly relax and enjoy the vibrancy and color of bustling marketplaces with their aromatic spices, tropical fruits, and huge wicker baskets containing many varieties of rice. You may glimpse a group of monks of all ages wandering past in flowing orange robes, and later hear their chanting emanating from within the temple walls. Passing a line of children in school uniform, chattering and laughing noisily, you will always be greeted with a gracious bow and "e;sabaidee."e; Whatever the purpose of your visit, in Laos you will always be greeted with warmth, courtesy, and hospitality, and feel completely safe.

Colombia is a magical country, full of spectacular varied landscapes, rare ecosystems, succulent tropical fruits, salsa and cumbia music, and kind, fun-loving people. The modern culture is a synthesis of Spanish, indigenous, and African traditions, evident in the music, the food, and Barranquilla's famous Carnaval. The country's major cities are modern and cosmopolitan, with an international style and consumerism that makes them feel more like cities in the USA than Latin America. Yet, five minutes into the countryside, its distinct rural charms reveal a slower and more bucolic past. In the collective imagination, Colombia is exotic, lawless, and dangerousan illegal narcotics trade and the ongoing armed conflict have contributed to its bad-boy image. But things are changing, and there is so much more than that.Entrenched social inequality has led to strife, manifest in the long-lived left- and rightwing rebel movements and a cycle of appalling violence that has saturated four decades with an undeclared civil war. And still, the Colombians are animated, lighthearted and funalways ready to laugh and enjoy the moment. They have found strength in each other, in their families, and closest friends who are the cornerstones of their lives. Culture Smart! Colombia shows how the country's rough geography and tumultuous history have shaped modern values and attitudes. It looks at the public realm and at life at home with the family. It introduces you to Colombia's distinct and delicious cuisine, and reveals what people think about each other, their neighbors, and foreigners. There is advice on the safest ways to get around; on how business is done; and how Colombians communicate. Culture Smart! Colombia explains the intricacies of a culture that is both modern and steeped in tradition, international and regional, cosmopolitan and agrarian, very rich and very poor, and after more than four decades of undeclared civil war is happily emerging from tough times and getting ready for the future.

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include:* customs, values, and traditions* historical, religious, and political background* life at home* leisure, social, and cultural life* eating and drinking* dos, don'ts, and taboos* business practices* communication, spoken and unspoken"e;Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers."e; Sunday Times Travel"e;... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries."e; Global Travel"e;...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas."e; Observer"e;...as useful as they are entertaining."e; Easyjet Magazine"e;...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world."e; New York Times

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include* customs, values, and traditions* historical, religious, and political background* life at home* leisure, social, and cultural life* eating and drinking* do's, don'ts, and taboos* business practices* communication, spoken and unspoken"e;Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers."e; Sunday Times Travel"e;... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries."e; Global Travel"e;...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas."e; Observer"e;...as useful as they are entertaining."e; Easyjet Magazine"e;...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world."e; New York Times

Nicknamed "e;The Warm Heart of Africa,"e; "e;Land of the Lake,"e; and "e;The Land of Smiling Faces,"e; this small, landlocked country in southeast Africa offers travelers a true African experience. Within a single day, visitors can go on safari, enjoy sprawling tea gardens, and watch the sun sets over Lake Malawi, the third-largest lake in Africa and home to many rare species of fish. The country has nine unique national parks and wildlife reserves and has been home to many diverse African cultures, from the indigenous hunter-gathers to the incoming iron-working Bantu settlers. Dress, dance, masks, language, and traditional festivals all reflect waves of migrating tribes-those fleeing Shaka Zulu in the south, Swahili Arab slave traders in the east, and Bantu from Central Africa. Other cultural influences came through the slave trade routes, contact with Portuguese and Indian traders, and English missionaries who introduced Victorian-era buildings. This historic blend has produced a people who are strong, good-humored, conservative, traditional, yet adaptable, creative, loyal, and hard-working.

More than an overview of the colorful sights and sounds, these easy-to-follow chapters paint a vivid picture of the psyche of a people who have been shaped by their geography and history, and who are notable for their warmth, outgoing nature, and zest for life. In this large, landlocked country named after the mighty Zambezi River, the "e;real Africa"e; of old mixes comfortably with the new. Mineral-rich, with vast untapped agricultural, water, energy, and human potential, Zambia sits on the investor's leader board for Africa. David Livingstone, the Victoria Falls, Lake Kariba-such magical names, together with the spectacular wealth of bird and wildlife make Zambia the upscale safari destination of choice. A nation made up of more than 70 ethnic groups, Zambia has moved through diverse tribal histories, European colonization, socialist philosophy and rhetoric, and, finally, a gung-ho charge into multiparty capitalism.

As seen in Sex and the City 2!Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include:* customs, values, and traditions* historical, religious, and political background* life at home* leisure, social, and cultural life* eating and drinking* do's, don'ts, and taboos* business practices* communication, spoken and unspoken"e;Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers."e; Sunday Times Travel"e;... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries."e; Global Travel"e;...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas."e; Observer"e;...as useful as they are entertaining."e; Easyjet Magazine"e;...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world."e; New York Times

Culture Smart guides help travellers have a more meaningful and successful time abroad through a better understanding of the local culture. Chapters on values, attitudes, customs, and daily life will help you make the most of your visit, while tips on etiquette and communication will help you navigate unfamiliar situations and avoid faux pas.

South Africa has been described as "e;A World in One Country"e; and a "e;Rainbow Nation."e; Its landscape ranges from miles of glorious beaches to the inland desert of the Karoo, the sweeping grasslands of the Highveld plateau, and the subtropical bush of the Lowveld. Its ethnic makeup is equally varied. There are eleven official languages, nine major black African tribes, two major white tribes, as well as a representation of all the world's major religions. It has a free market economy while communists share in government; one of the world's most liberal constitutions and a deeply patriarchal society; and very rich and very poor people coexisting. South Africa has come through fire, and although there is still considerable heat, it is doing pretty well. This insiders' guide will introduce you to the universal warmth and cultural diversity of its people, explain the backdrop of their troubled past, and familiarize you with their everyday life so that you'll feel comfortable whether you're invited to a shack in the townships, a mansion in the suburbs, or a braai on the beach. You'll learn how to stay safe in potentially dangerous areas, and you'll know where to go if you want to feel like the only person on the planet.

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include* customs, values, and traditions* historical, religious, and political background* life at home* leisure, social, and cultural life* eating and drinking* do's, don'ts, and taboos* business practices* communication, spoken and unspoken"e;Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers."e; Sunday Times Travel"e;... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries."e; Global Travel"e;...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas."e; Observer"e;...as useful as they are entertaining."e; Easyjet Magazine"e;...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world."e; New York Times

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include* customs, values, and traditions* historical, religious, and political background* life at home* leisure, social, and cultural life* eating and drinking* dos, don'ts, and taboos* business practices* communication, spoken and unspoken"e;Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers."e; Sunday Times Travel"e;... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries."e; Global Travel"e;...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas."e; Observer"e;...as useful as they are entertaining."e; Easyjet Magazine"e;...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world."e; New York Times

Culture Smart! provides essential information on attitudes, beliefs and behavior in different countries, ensuring that you arrive at your destination aware of basic manners, common courtesies, and sensitive issues. These concise guides tell you what to expect, how to behave, and how to establish a rapport with your hosts. This inside knowledge will enable you to steer clear of embarrassing gaffes and mistakes, feel confident in unfamiliar situations, and develop trust, friendships, and successful business relationships.Culture Smart! offers illuminating insights into the culture and society of a particular country. It will help you to turn your visit-whether on business or for pleasure-into a memorable and enriching experience. Contents include* customs, values, and traditions* historical, religious, and political background* life at home* leisure, social, and cultural life* eating and drinking* dos, don'ts, and taboos* business practices* communication, spoken and unspoken"e;Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers."e; Sunday Times Travel"e;... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries."e; Global Travel"e;...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas."e; Observer"e;...as useful as they are entertaining."e; Easyjet Magazine"e;...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world."e; New York Times

The Austrians have a phrase, gemutlichkeit, an abstract noun that translates loosely as cosiness but it means much more than this. It carries the notion of belonging, social acceptance, cheerfulness, the absence of anything hectic. It could be time spent at home, the region of home, a garden or just a living room and people can also be described as gemutlichkeit. The Austrians care for their environment and have a strong sense of social responsibility. There are distinct social conventions and expectations that may seem old-fashioned to visitors. They are generous, accommodating and above all, gemutlichkeit. Culture Smart! is a concise guide to understanding the Austrian people. It will illuminate the complexities of their collective personality. Familiarise yourself with their customs, traditions and culture and experience Austria authentically."e;Culture Smart has come to the rescue of hapless travellers."e; Sunday Times Travel"e;... the perfect introduction to the weird, wonderful and downright odd quirks and customs of various countries."e; Global Travel"e;...full of fascinating-as well as common-sense-tips to help you avoid embarrassing faux pas."e; Observer"e;...as useful as they are entertaining."e; Easyjet Magazine"e;...offer glimpses into the psyche of a faraway world."e; New York Times

More and more travelers are discovering the delights of Nicaragua-a land of lakes and volcanoes. The image has persisted of a country racked by revolution and war, but the reality awaiting travelers couldn't be more different. The largest country in Central America, Nicaragua is also one of the most diverse and least explored, with a chain of puffing volcanoes along the Pacific coast, two huge freshwater lakes, important rainforest reserves on the tropical Mosquito Coast, and tiny, picture-postcard Caribbean islands where English Creole is the lingua franca. Travelers' budgets will stretch further here than in other Latin American destinations, and around every corner, there are cobblestone streets, high-altitude coffee plantations, world-class bird-watching, perfect surf, and Flor de Caña, the smoothest rum that ever came out of an oak barrel. Culture Smart! Nicaragua offers readers an insider's view of the country and its people. It explores Nicaragua's national traditions, turbulent history, tasty local dishes, fun fiestas, and unique cultural expressions. It arms readers with key phrases in Nica-speak, or Nicañol, so you can break the ice, and provides insights into what the people of Nicaragua are like at home, at play, and in business.

Culture Smart! Mexico takes you to the heart of Mexican society. It describes how people socialize and meet members of the opposite sex, the dynamics of daily life, the central importance of family, and the annual cycle of Catholic feasts and fiestas. For business travelers there are key sections on the economy and vital insights into the general business culture. The third-largest country in Latin America, Mexico is hugely diverse, having both rural areas where time seems to have stood still and manic urban centers like Mexico City, one of the most densely populated and exciting cities in the world. Famed for its well-preserved archaeological sites, cobblestoned colonial towns, and beautiful beaches, it is a major magnet for tourists. Mexico also has a name as a creative powerhouse in the region, with world-renowned artists such as Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, a cinema industry that has been producing award-winning movies since the Golden Age of the 1940s, and a literary scene second to none in Latin America.

Today the theory of evolution by natural selection and the science of genetics are the twin keys to our understanding of how life on earth came about. Yet when an English naturalist called Charles Darwin first published his ideas in 1859 in a book called On the Origin of Species the world was horrified at the notion of a changing creation without the intervention a Creator. By contrast, when a few years later an obscure Moravian monk, Gregor Mendel, published the results of his experiments in genetics the world failed to notice John Scotney's new book explains just what these two great men had discovered and follows the amazing development of this seminal idea from the decade when it turned the world on its head to the present time and the unravelling of the human genome. It describes how the first dinosaur fossils were believed to be the bones of giants and how little by little the ongoing story of living creatures has been assembled until we can see the thread of life running from single-cell microorganisms to primates like ourselves, and why most ancient creatures died out and some survive to this day. Indeed we still carry vestiges of former life forms in our bodies and it is said that ancient seas flow in our blood. Anatomy, taxonomy, chemistry, geology, archaeology, and embryology have all had a part in this remarkable detective story, and even the Cold War became involved when the followers of Mendel in the West were confronted by those of Lamarck in China and Russia. Modern evolutionary theory is shown to be a synthesis of many scientific fields and the product both of years of tireless work and of sudden imaginative leaps. The Theory of Evolution conveys the excitement of this fundamental discovery and gives an insight into the way scientific enquiry and debate continue to shape our world. SIMPLE GUIDES: SCIENCE Simple Guides: Science are user-friendly introductions to the great scientific discoveries of the world. Written by experts in the field, they offer the general reader simple and engaging descriptions of key developments and breakthroughs in different fields of science and technology. • Simple Guides: Science are written in a clear, informal style, using plain, non-technical language to provide accessible introductions to complex scientific theories. • Organized both by theme and chronologically, the books link the major breakthroughs to the lives of their discoverers and inventors. • The clear structure and design enable the general reader to grasp essentials easily. • These guides will appeal to readers with no specific scientific knowledge, yet with a thirst to know more about the world we live in. • The scientific developments and theories are brought to life by descriptions of their social contexts; not only the breakthroughs are described, but also their impact on society and the human story behind the scientists.

THIS BOOK WILL HELP YOU• to appreciate the variety, subtlety and wisdom of a unique philosophical tradition• to understand the major schools of thought that have shaped Chinese civilization• to draw on a rich cultural resource for different perspectives on questions of our time• to recognize traditional concepts that continue to inform Chinese thinking todayChina, an emerging superpower, is heir to an ancient civilization that owes little to outside influences. This compelling introduction to Chinese philosophy describes the major traditional schools of thought that continue to underpin much of Chinese thinking today. It includes an outline of the country's early history, and traces the development of Chinese thought, which evolved in a continuum and generally in isolation from the rest of the world, from the earliest concerns with ritual and divination until the arrival of Buddhism in the first century.The best known strand of Chinese philosophy is Confucianism, which is basically a philosophy of relationships between different levels in a hierarchy, from the ruler down to the individual. In complete contrast, the almost contemporary school of Laozi espoused the wisdom and freedom of the Dao, based on the concept of alignment with nature and reverence for the environment. There followed schools of analytical logic, Legalism, and the arrival of Buddhism, which became associated in China with the mystical writings of Laozi, adding the dimension of compassion. These schools gradually fused in a neo-Confucian synthesis that went unchallenged in China until the encounter with the West.The book touches on the relationship between philosophical thought and politics, and brings the reader up to date by looking at the considered way in which China has adapted foreign ideas in modern times. Written by a distinguished author in clear, everyday language, it is a fascinating and accessible introduction to an important subject.ACCESS THE WORLD'S PHILOSOPHIESSimple Guides: Philosophy is a series of concise introductions to the major philosophies of the world. Written by experts in the field, these accessible guides offer a fascinating account of the rich variety of arguments, ideas and systems of thought articulated by different cultures in the attempt to explore and define the nature of reality and the meaning, purpose and proper conduct of life. The Simple Guides will appeal to analytical thinkers and spiritual seekers alike. Taken together, they provide a basic introduction to the evolution of human thought, and a point of reference for further exploration and discovery. By offering essential insights into the world views of different societies, they also enable travellers to behave in way that fosters mutual respect and understanding.

THIS BOOK WILL HELP YOU• to appreciate the revolution in thinking brought about by the Ancient Greek philosophers, who sought to make sense of the world through analysis, reasoning and argument• to recognize the key ideas of the most significant philosophers and their contribution to Western thought• to learn about the philosophers' lives, and their impact on society• to appreciate the value of questioning received wisdom and submitting it to rigorous analysisTo live in the modern world is to owe a debt of gratitude to the Ancient Greeks. Ancient Greece was one of the wellsprings of European civilization, and the Greeks were both the pioneers of rigorous analytical thought and the creators of prose and poetry that speak to us over the centuries.Materialism and idealism form the two major strands of Greek philosophy: thinking about the universe, nature and matter; and thinking about humanity, politics, justice, good and evil, and our relationship with the divine. The Greeks were the first to distinguish between myth and philosophy, and to develop a scientific method of enquiry. In ancient Greece ‘natural philosophers' studied mathematics, physics, logic, cosmology, medicine, Politics, ethics and aesthetics. Democracy, atoms, copycat killings - the Greeks had opinions on these and many more, and their conclusions have often proved prescient. Cynicism and Stoicism are Greek philosophical schools whose names have passed into common parlance.This lucid introduction to Greek philosophy links important ideas to key personalities and places. It shows the development and movement of people and ideas around the Mediterranean world, from the time of the earliest pre Socratic philosophers, through Pythagoras, Heraclitus, and the Sophists to Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, the Cynics and the Stoics. Written in a clear and engaging style, it is a fascinating account of the major source of Western culture and today's knowledge-based society.ACCESS THE WORLD'S PHILOSOPHIESSimple Guides: Philosophy is a series of concise introductions to the major philosophies of the world. Written by experts in the field, these accessible guides offer a fascinating account of the rich variety of arguments ideas and systems of thought articulated by different cultures in the attempt to explore and define the nature of reality, and the meaning, purpose and proper conduct of life.The Simple Guides will appeal to analytical thinkers and spiritual seekers alike. Taken together, they provide a basic introduction to the evolution of human thought, and a point of reference for further exploration and discovery. By offering essential insights into the world views of different societies, they also enable travellers to behave in a way that fosters mutual respect and understanding.

THIS BOOK WILL HELP YOU• to appreciate the wisdom of the world's oldest monotheistic religion• to understand what it means to be a Jew• to recognize the key Jewish festivals and the different aspects of Jewish practice and belief• to avoid faux pas in conversation, in travelling and in personal relationshipsJudaism is the world's oldest monotheistic religion. While the number of its adherents has always been small, its principles and ethics have influenced Christianity and Islam, and its holy book, the Hebrew Bible, is arguably the foundation document of Western civilization.The most important principle in Judaism is the belief in a single, ineffable Godhead, who created the universe and continues to govern it with justice and compassion. According to Jewish tradition, Judaism began with the covenant between God and Abraham, the patriarch and progenitor of the Jewish people. The central moment in their spiritual journey was the revelation of His laws to Moses on Mount Sinai, acceptance of which bound them to create a moral and ethical society that would be “a light unto nations”. Traditionally, Judaism places great value on study of the Torah and the observance of its commandments. It is, however, as much a religion of doing as of thinking, and Jews strive for a balance between thought and deed in carrying out the Divine task of “repairing” the world. In modern Judaism there is no earthly hierarchy: authority lies in its sacred texts, religious law, and learned rabbis who interpret those texts and laws for changing times.Judaism is at once a subtle, practical, collective, and personal religion in which each believer enters into a direct relationship with God. This engaging book is not just a concise and readable introduction to its history, beliefs, teachings, and practices, but a shared exploration of the inner vitality and wisdom of the Jewish world. ACCESS THE WORLD'S RELIGIONSSimple Guides: Religion is a series of concise, accessible introductions to the world's major religions. Written by experts in the field, they offer an engaging and sympathetic description of the key concepts, beliefs and practices of different faiths.Ideal for spiritual seekers and travellers alike, Simple Guides aims to open the doors of perception. Together the books provide a reliable compass to the world's great spiritual traditions, and a point of reference for further exploration and discovery. By offering essential insights into the core values, customs and beliefs of different societies, they also enable visitors to be aware of the cultural sensibilities of their hosts, and to behave in a way that fosters mutual respect and understanding.