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Showing 1 - 20 of 13162 items
By Angela Milligan. 2004
The small island state of Singapore is unique in the region. Not only is it a very young country- independence…
came in 1965- but it is a land of immigrants, in which people from three distinct backgrounds, Chinese, Malay, and Indian, live side by side in harmony. Culture Smart! Singapore introduces the Western visitor to the rich and varied cultures and customs of Singapore's communities. It shows what motivates people, how they interact with each other and with outsiders, and tells you what to expect and how to behave in unfamiliar situations. In doing so, it offers you a fuller, more rounded experience of this fascinating society.By Michael Crichton. 1970
Dean Worcester’s Fantasy Islands brings to life one of the most significant (but under examined) figures in the history of U.…
S. colonialism in the Philippines. Upon the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, Worcester, a scientist who had traveled twice to the Philippines on zoological expeditions, established himself as one of America’s leading experts on the Philippines. Over a fourteen-year career as a member of the U. S. colonial regime, Worcester devoted much of his time and energy to traveling among and photographing non-Christian minority groups in the Philippines. He amassed an archive of several thousand photographs taken by him or by government photographers. Worcester deployed those photographs in books, magazine articles, and lectures to promote his belief that the United States should maintain control of the Philippines for decades to come. While many historians have examined American colonial photography in the Philippines, this book is the first lengthy treatment of Worcester’s role in shaping American perceptions of the Philippines in the early twentieth century.By 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.By 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?By 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.By Stuart Robson, Prateep Changchit. 1832
It's amazing how 100 key words and phrases provide instant communication!Do you want to speak simple Thai but are too…
busy to study it? Are you visiting Thailand for a short time and want a Thai phrase book to help you communicate? If so, this is the book for you. It includes all the necessary information to speak basic Thai.The idea of Instant Thai is simple-learn 100 words and phrases and say 1,000 things. The trick is knowing which 100 words to learn, but the authors Stuart Robson and Prateep Changchit have solved the problem, choosing only those words you'll hear again and again. Even with a vocabulary this small, you'll be surprised how quickly and fluently you too can communicate in Thai. It also has an English-Thai wordlist, arranged alphabetically. At the end of the book are useful appendices for telling the time, kinship terms, some Thai proverbs, and emergency expressions. Here's a sample of what you'll be able to do:Meet peopleGo shoppingAsk directionsRide the subwayOrder food and drinksAnd much moreBy Timothy J White. 2017
An exhaustive review of the history, current state, and future opportunities for harnessing light to accomplish useful work in materials,…
this book describes the chemistry, physics, and mechanics of light-controlled systems.• Describes photomechanical materials and mechanisms, along with key applications• Exceptional collection of leading authors, internationally recognized for their work in this growing area• Covers the full scope of photomechanical materials: polymers, crystals, ceramics, and nanocomposites• Deals with an interdisciplinary coupling of mechanics, materials, chemistry, and physics• Emphasizes application opportunities in creating adaptive surface features, shape memory devices, and actuators; while assessing future prospects for utility in optics and photonics and soft roboticsBy 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.By 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.By Fucheng Liu, Shan Lu, Yue Sun. 2019
This book introduces readers to the navigation guidance and control technologies involved in single-spacecraft double-spacecraft and multiple-spacecraft…
tasks in elliptical orbits It comprehensively covers the key technologies of guidance navigation and control GNC system design for spacecraft in elliptical orbits including the orbit design formation configuration design and maintenance autonomous navigation technology and relative navigation technology as well as autonomous rendezvous technology The methods that this book introduces are very close to actual practical engineering applications and presented in an accessible style The book can serve as reference teaching material for senior undergraduates and postgraduates with space navigation related majors while also providing essential information and guidance for research personnel and engineering technical personnel engaged in the development of GNC systems for spacecraftWhatever your reasons for planning to live and work in Hong Kong, this comprehensive guide will tell you all you…
need to know to make the most of your time in this vibrant and challenging city. Organised into three sections: Living, Working, and Leisure, this book includes up to date information and well-informed opinion on: * The kind of lifestyle you can expect to enjoy in Hong Kong * The cost of living * Finding accommodation, whether short term or to buy or rent *Having and raising children in Hong Kong *Shopping for food or luxuries - Working and volunteering *Teaching English *Sporting events, special interest groups and the local arts scene *Travelling and places to visit *Entertainment and nightlifeBy 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 WinnerAs well as being a fascinating country, with a rich and varied culture, India is emerging as a major world…
economy. More and more people are going there to live and work. The purpose of this book is to ease the transition between western and Indian cultures. If you are going to India to do business or for long-term employment, or are being relocated there by your company, this book will tell you all you need to know to help you and your family settle quickly into your new environment - and to ensure that it is the experience of a lifetime.Beginning with an overview of the history of India, its geographical divisions, political system, religions, languages and ethnic and cultural divisions, this comprehensive guide goes on to provide detailed information on: how to get a work permit and find a job; Indian work practices, employment rights and benefits; taxes and pensions; the Indian health care system; how to set up a business and set up a company; how to buy or rent a property; what the cost of living is like; how to open a bank account and obtain a credit card; expatriate and Indian lifestyles; entertainment and leisure in India; Indian customs and habits food - the regional variations and local delicacies; and raising and educating your children.By Mark Pendergrast. 2003
As our first technology for contemplation of the self, the mirror is arguably as important an invention as the wheel…
and perhaps even more universal. Mirror Mirror is the fascinating story of the mirror's invention, refinement, and use in an astonishing range of human activities-from the bloodthirsty smoking gods of the Toltecs, to the fantastic mirrored rooms wealthy Romans created for their orgies, to the mirror's key role in the use and understanding of light. From Archimedes to Isaac Newton to Max Factor to David Hockney, this is the fascinating tale of one of the most remarkable inventions in human history and its effects on myth, religion, science, manners, and the arts.By David Lamb. 2002
By Andreas Karachalios. 2009
This study, the first comprehensive account of Erich Hückel's career, examines his scientific work as well as his importance for…
the emergence of quantum chemistry as an independent discipline in Germany during the 1930s. Hückel began his career by studying quantum physics in Göttingen, but his background in chemistry led him to take up pioneering research on the physics of chemical bonding. Drawing on a variety of sources, Andreas Karachalios offers a probing account of fast-breaking developments in quantum theory that paved the way for Hückel's research. In Göttingen and later in Leipzig, Hückel interacted with leading figures not only in quantum physics and physical chemistry but also with others in nearby fields, including organic chemistry and mathematics. During his later career in Marburg, Hückel clashed with Linus Pauling over the properties of the benzine molecule. In order to appreciate this controversy, Karachalios gives a brief account of the mathematical formalism of spin invariants, with both Hückel and Pauling used in their analyses, though with different interpretations. This serves not only to clarify their differences but also to illustrate the importance of the quantum-mechanical theory of resonance for chemistry at this time.By 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.By 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.By Laughlin, Robert B.. 2005
In this age of superstring theories and Big Bang cosmology, we're used to thinking of the unknown as impossibly distant…
from our everyday lives. But in A Different Universe, Nobel Laureate Robert Laughlin argues that the scientific frontier is right under our fingers. Instead of looking for ultimate theories, Laughlin considers the world of emergent properties-meaning the properties, such as the hardness and shape of a crystal, that result from the organization of large numbers of atoms. Laughlin shows us how the most fundamental laws of physics are in fact emergent. A Different Universe is a truly mind-bending book that shows us why everything we think about fundamental physical laws needs to change.