Books published by Oneworld Publications

Internationally bestselling author Dan Ariely brings his unique perspective to bear on a maelstrom of life's problems from how to deal with a Christmas card list that's fast becoming unmanageable to whether or not you should have children. Ariely changed the way we view ourselves, how we think and how we act, with his book Predictably Irrational. In his immensely popular Wall Street Journal advice column, where readers ';Ask Ariely' for his help with various dilemmas, he provides a logical view on the seemingly illogical, shedding light on the most curious minutiae of human behaviour. With a helping hand from legendary New Yorker cartoonist William Haefeli, Ariely's new book will make you laugh at the ridiculous aspects of our daily existence just as you gain a new perspective on how to handle the inevitable challenges that life brings us all.

From infallible Imams to Ayatollahs in Iran, Shi'ism has long been a prominent, if misunderstood, branch of Islam. It regards Ali, Muhammad's son-in-law, as the Prophet's legitimate successor. But theological differences between the Shi'ah and Sunni Muslims have led to sectarian violence, massacres and the desecration of holy sites. In this Beginner's Guide, Dr Moojan Momen offers an accessible and comprehensive overview of Shi'ism, tracing the history of the community, its leadership and doctrines, from its inception to modern times. Packed with useful tables, family trees and text boxes, this engaging and up-to-date guide is a perfect introduction to the historical and geopolitical causes of religious tensions still troubling the Middle East today.

What makes me, me and you, you? What is this thing called ';love'? Does life have a point? Is ';no' the right answer to this question? Philosophy transports us from the wonderful to the weird, from the funny to the very serious indeed. With the aid of tall stories, jokes, fascinating insights and common sense, Peter Cave offers a comprehensive survey of all areas of philosophy, addressing the big puzzles in ethics and politics, metaphysics and knowledge, religion and the emotions, aesthetics and logic. Replete with a smorgasbord of amusing and mind-boggling examples, The Big Think Book is perfect for anyone who delights in life's conundrums.

In a world without aircraft, to believe flight might be possible required a certain kind of character. You had to be starry-eyed, a possessor of practical ingenuity, nerves of steel and a level of sanity that would be best described as deficient. In Mayday!, David Darling tells the stories of the unconventional aviators across history who have been willing to risk all to further their craft. Meet Sophie Blanchard, a balloonist of nervous disposition whom Napoleon charged with organizing balloon displays at all major ceremonies in France. Then there's the daredevil stuntman Lincoln Beachey, the dogfighter aces of WWI, the man who performed the dance of death switching planes in mid-air, the real ';X-Men' who flew at the edge of space, and the BASE jumpers who want to fly without wings. The cast are eccentric, reckless and extraordinary, and Mayday! is made up of their riveting tales, bizarre contraptions, magnificent achievements and, sometimes, startling folly.

The essential guide for would-be students in the mathematical sciences.

Markets, models, mechanisms and monopolies most of us understand that economics is important, but what exactly is it and what do economists do? In this fresh and engaging introduction, Oxford University's James Forder skilfully presents the key concepts crucial to mastering the subject. Combining theory with dynamic, real-life examples, he shows us why economics matters and how it shapes our world. Economics: A Beginner's Guide is the perfect introduction for anyone wishing to understand and interpret economic problems, both past and present.

For anyone who has ever identified with a character from fiction, been seduced by a first sentence or been profoundly moved by a storys end, How to Write Like Tolstoy is a wonderful and illuminating journey into the minds and imaginations of the worlds greatest writers.What made Nabokov choose the name Lolita? Why did Fitzgerald tell The Great Gatsby in the first person? How did Kerouac, who raged against revision, finally come to revise On the Road? Why did Martin Amis give up on writing about sex? Veteran editor Richard Cohen draws on a vast and eclectic reservoir of knowledge to reveal what makes good prose soar. From plot and character development to dialogue and point of view, the motivations, obsessions, tricks and talents of a host of great novelists are brought to the fore, their published works mined and private beliefs unearthed. Theres the nature of originality as plagiarism is discussed, and a weighing of the odds when trying to write about physical intimacies. And how to beginOr end? From first page to last, How to Write Like Tolstoy is a unique exploration of the act and art of writing, one which enriches our experience of reading both the

Should we aim to maximize happiness? Are there characteristics that we should foster within ourselves? Why is it important to act morally? From the ancient Greeks to Sartre, from utilitarianism to the categorical imperative, Ethics: A Beginner's Guide presents this vital topic of philosophy via its most influential thinkers and theories. With characteristic wit, philosopher Peter Cave steers us around well known and not-so-well known ethical traps in the private sphere, in community life, and in relation to God and religion. As well as a guide to ongoing theoretical debates, Cave shows how the discipline helps us to confront topical controversies including those of the environment, abortion, and animal welfare. For anyone who questions how we ought to live, there is no better introduction to ethics and how it relates to twenty-first-century society.

Religious pluralism upholds the idea that multiple religions can coexist and be beneficial for society; it is a concept spreading around the world, not only in Asia with its myriad beliefs and practices, but also in Europe where many non-Christian religious traditions are growing. On the face of it, religious pluralism is the ultimate message of tolerance, a vitally important principle for how we can live peacefully. But not everyone sees it this way. Joseph Ratzinger, former Pope Benedict XVI and Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, is amongst those who regard religious pluralism as a threat to Christianity. If only Christianity can save us, then how can religious pluralism do anything but hinder Christianity's cause? Ambrose Mong examines Ratzinger's thoughts on this subject and evaluates how the church has responded to the call of the Second Vatican Council to create dialogues with other faiths. By looking at Ratzinger's educational, cultural and religious background, Mong reveals the roots of Ratzinger's Eurocentric bias and how it has shaped the views that he holds today, including his attitude towards religious pluralism, his ecclesiology and his ecumenical theology. Are Non-Christians Saved? is essential reading for students, teachers and scholars seeking a thorough analysis of Ratzinger's position, including why he believes religious pluralism, with its ';evil twins' of relativism and secularism, is a threat to Christianity.

Before the Higgs boson, there was a maddening search for another particle the ghostly neutrino. First detected in 1956, its fleeting appearances have teased answers to many mysteries: How did the Big Bang happen? Why is antimatter so rare? What might dark matter be made of? And could faster-than-light travel be possible, overturning Einstein's theory of special relativity? But the quest for the neutrino also encompasses adventure, from Cold War defections and extra dimensions to mile-deep holes in the Antarctic ice and a troubled genius who disappeared without a trace. With The Neutrino Hunters, renowned astrophysicist Ray Jayawardhana delivers a thrilling detective story of revolutionary science.

'An achingly immediate, sensuous and psychologically acute novel about a man whose life has been suspended by the madness of American politics' - Siri Hustvedt

With over sixty million casualties World War II was the bloodiest conflict in history. In this incisive introduction, Christopher Catherwood covers all the key battles, while giving the wider story behind them. He also brings a fresh angle to the conflict, emphasising the huge impact of the preceding Sino-Japanese War on World War II and the relative unimportance of the British campaign in Africa. From the impact of the Hiroshima bombing to the horrors wreaked by the Red Army and the Nazis, Catherwood makes clear the legacy of the war today. Full of text-boxes revealing key details about intelligence, weaponry, and the social milieu of the conflict, there is no better brief introduction.

Whether it's Tomb Raider or Roman coins, the conventional view of archaeology as a discipline solely preoccupied with long dead cultures is misleading. In fact, archaeology is better described as a mode of thought one by which we can better understand our past, present and future. Indeed, by studying artefacts of past human activity, we can even learn to better tackle great contemporary challenges like high population density and climate change. Spanning the globe and centuries from Mesolithic burials in Sweden to modern landfill sites in Arizona Joe Flatman shows how to view the world with an archaeologist's insight. What does a discarded food packet reveal about contemporary consumption patterns? How can infrared satellite imagery tell archaeologists where to undertake expensive excavation projects? What can archaeology reveal about the beginnings of the human race? Replete with textboxes highlighting key case studies from the history of the subject, and containing invaluable diagrams and photos illustrating the reality of being an archaeologist, this is the essential primer to reading landscapes, objects, and places.

As if it will make up for her loss, they bring Hannah a duckling to care for. They were well meaning, and it could have done the trick. However, Hannah's focus on the duck progressively alienates those around her. As the duck takes over her world, past secrets are exposed. Will Hannah's life unravel completely? This funny, moving and insightful novel contemplates the chemistry between one person and another: a man and another man's wife; a woman and a duck; a woman and her dead mother; a drug addict and his drug. Beautifully written, it is a penetrating and compassionate view of marriage, dependency, obsession, addiction, and love.

1640s, The New World In the remote winter landscape a brutal massacre and the kidnapping of a young Iroquois girl violently re-ignites a deep rift between two tribes. The girl's captor, Bird, is one of the Huron Nation's great warriors and statesmen. Years have passed since the murder of his family, and yet they are never far from his mind. In the girl, Snow Falls, he recognizes the ghost of his lost daughter, but as he fights for her heart and allegiance, small battles erupt into bigger wars as both tribes face a new, more dangerous threat from afar. Travelling with the Huron is Christophe, a charismatic missionary who has found his calling among the tribe and devotes himself to learning and understanding their customs and language. An emissary from distant lands, he brings much more than his faith to this new world, with its natural beauty and riches. As these three souls dance with each other through intricately woven acts of duplicity, their social, political and spiritual worlds collide - and a new nation rises from a world in flux.

From a young writer who radiates charisma and talent comes a sweeping, stylish historical novel of Jamaican slavery written ';in the spirit of Toni Morrison and Alice Walker, but in a style all his own.'Described by the New York Times as ';both beautifully written and devastating', The Book of Night Women is a startling, hard-edged dissection of slavery a tour de force of voice and storytelling. At the heart of the novel is the extraordinary character of Lilith, a spirited slave girl struggling to transcend the violence into which she is born, her story narrated in one of the boldest literary voices to grace the page. Overflowing with high drama and heartbreak, at its centre is the conspiracy of the Night Women, a clandestine council of fierce slave women plotting an island-wide revolt. Rebellions simmer, incidents of sadism and madness run rampant, and the tangled web of power relationships dramatically unravels amid dangerous secrets, unspoken jealousies, inhuman violence, and very human emotion.