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Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and the Military
By Avis Lang, Neil DeGrasse Tyson. 2019
“Extraordinary.… A feast of history, an expert tour through thousands of years of war and conquest.” —Jennifer Carson, New York…
Times Book Review In this far-reaching foray into the millennia-long relationship between science and military power, acclaimed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-author Avis Lang examine how the methods and tools of astrophysics have been enlisted in the service of war. Spanning early celestial navigation to satellite-enabled warfare, Accessory to War is a richly researched and provocative examination of the intersection of science, technology, industry, and power that will introduce Tyson’s millions of fans to yet another dimension of how the universe has shaped our lives and our world.Genius & anxiety: How jews changed the world, 1847-1947
By Norman Lebrecht. 2019
This lively chronicle of the years 1847–1947—the century when the Jewish people changed how we see the world—is "[a] thrilling…
and tragic history...especially good on the ironies and chain-reaction intimacies that make a people and a past" ( The Wall Street Journal ). In a hundred-year period, a handful of men and women changed the world. Many of them are well known—Marx, Freud, Proust, Einstein, Kafka. Others have vanished from collective memory despite their enduring importance in our daily lives. Without Karl Landsteiner, for instance, there would be no blood transfusions or major surgery. Without Paul Ehrlich, no chemotherapy. Without Siegfried Marcus, no motor car. Without Rosalind Franklin, genetic science would look very different. Without Fritz Haber, there would not be enough food to sustain life on earth. What do these visionaries have in common? They all had Jewish origins. They all had a gift for thinking in wholly original, even earth-shattering ways. In 1847, the Jewish people made up less than 0.25% of the world's population, and yet they saw what others could not. How? Why? Norman Lebrecht has devoted half of his life to pondering and researching the mindset of the Jewish intellectuals, writers, scientists, and thinkers who turned the tides of history and shaped the world today as we know it. In Genius & Anxiety , Lebrecht begins with the Communist Manifesto in 1847 and ends in 1947, when Israel was founded. This robust, magnificent, beautifully designed volume is "an urgent and moving history" ( The Spectator , UK) and a celebration of Jewish genius and contributionTraditional Qabalistic sources (or Cabalistic, or, indeed, Kabbalistic-listen to this book to find out what the difference is...we know you've…
always wondered!) tend to be a bit, er, dry. Lon Milo DuQuette spices up the Qabalah and makes it come alive, restoring the joy of learning the fundamentals of this admittedly arcane system by using simple, amusing anecdotes and metaphors. This account, written psuedepigraphically (fictitiously attributed to a supposed authority), allows DuQuette as Rabbi Lamed Ben Clifford to soar to outrageous heights and, when necessary, stand apart from the silliness to highlight the golden eggs of Qabalistic wisdom nested therein. Sure to be a revelation to those who think that learning about the Qabalah needs to be tedious and serious, The Chicken Qabalah of Rabbi Lamed Ben Clifford shows that great truths can be transmitted through the medium of laughter. A supplemental PDF is included with this audiobook. Copy and paste the following link into your browser to retrieve downloadable PDF: https://files.dreamscape.media/pdf/DuQuette_Chicken%20Qabalah_Bonus.pdfOsnat and her dove: The true story of the world's first female rabbi
By Sigal Samuel. 2021
Osnat was born five hundred years ago—at a time when almost everyone believed in miracles, but very few believed that…
girls should learn to read. Yet Osnat's father was a great scholar whose house was filled with books. And she convinced him to teach her. Then she in turn grew up to teach others, becoming a wise scholar in her own right, the world's first female rabbi! Some say Osnat performed miracles—like healing a dove who had been shot by a hunter! Or saving a congregation from fire! But perhaps her greatest feat was to be a light of inspiration for other girls and boys, to show that any person who can learn might find a path that none have walked beforeGenesis: The story of how everything began
By Guido Tonelli. 2021
A breakout bestseller in Italy, now available for American listeners for the first time, Genesis: The Story of How Everything…
Began is a short, humanistic tour of the origins of the universe, earth, and life—drawing on the latest discoveries in physics to explain the seven most significant moments in the creation of the cosmos. Curiosity and wonderment about the origins of the universe are at the heart of our experience of the world. From Hesiod's Chaos, described in his poem about the origins of the Greek gods, Theogony, to today's mind-bending theories of the multiverse, humans have been consumed by the relentless pursuit of an answer to one awe inspiring question: What exactly happened during those first moments? Guido Tonelli, the acclaimed, award-winning particle physicist and a central figure in the discovery of the Higgs boson (the "God particle"), reveals the extraordinary story of our genesis—from the origins of the universe, to the emergence of life on Earth, to the birth of human language with its power to describe the world. Evoking the seven days of biblical creation, Tonelli takes us on a brisk, lively tour through the evolution of our cosmos and considers the incredible challenges scientists face in exploring its mysteries. Genesis both explains the fundamental physics of our universe and marvels at the profound wonder of our existence. A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and GirouxThe god equation: The quest for a theory of everything
By Michio Kaku. 2021
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The epic story of the greatest quest in all of science—the holy grail of physics…
that would explain the creation of the universe—from renowned theoretical physicist and author of The Future of the Mind and The Future of Humanity When Newton discovered the law of gravity, he unified the rules governing the heavens and the Earth. Since then, physicists have been placing new forces into ever-grander theories. But perhaps the ultimate challenge is achieving a monumental synthesis of the two remaining theories—relativity and the quantum theory. This would be the crowning achievement of science, a profound merging of all the forces of nature into one beautiful, magnificent equation to unlock the deepest mysteries in science: What happened before the Big Bang? What lies on the other side of a black hole? Are there other universes and dimensions? Is time travel possible? Why are we here? Kaku also explains the intense controversy swirling around this theory, with Nobel laureates taking opposite sides on this vital question. It is a captivating, gripping story; what&’s at stake is nothing less than our conception of the universe. Written with Kaku&’s trademark enthusiasm and clarity, this epic and engaging journey is the story of The God EquationThirteen: The apollo flight that failed
By Henry S.F. Cooper. 2021
On the evening of April 13, 1970, the three astronauts aboard Apollo 13 were just hours from the third lunar…
landing in history. But as they soared through space, two hundred thousand miles from Earth, an explosion badly damaged their spacecraft. With compromised engines and failing life-support systems, the crew was in incomparably grave danger. Faced with below-freezing temperatures, a seriously ill crewmember, and a dwindling water supply, a safe return seemed unlikely. Thirteen is the shocking and miraculous true story of how the astronauts and ground crew guided Apollo 13 back to Earth. Expanding on dispatches written for The New Yorker , Henry S. F. Cooper Jr. brings listeners unparalleled detail on the moment-by-moment developments of one of NASA's most dramatic missionsHelgoland: Making sense of the quantum revolution
By Carlo Rovelli. 2021
&“Rovelli is a genius and an amazing communicator… This is the place where science comes to life.&” ― Neil Gaiman…
&“ Helgoland is Rovelli&’s most beautiful yet… Unforgettable.&” ― The London Times A startling new look at quantum theory, from the New York Times bestselling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics and The Order of Time . One of the world's most renowned theoretical physicists, Carlo Rovelli has entranced millions of readers with his singular perspective on the cosmos. In Helgoland , he examines the enduring enigma of quantum theory. The quantum world Rovelli describes is as beautiful as it is unnerving. Helgoland is a treeless island in the North Sea where the twenty-three-year-old Werner Heisenberg made the crucial breakthrough for the creation of quantum mechanics, setting off a century of scientific revolution. Full of alarming ideas (ghost waves, distant objects that seem to be magically connected, cats that appear both dead and alive), quantum physics has led to countless discoveries and technological advancements. Today our understanding of the world is based on this theory, yet it is still profoundly mysterious. As scientists and philosophers continue to fiercely debate the meaning of the theory, Rovelli argues that its most unsettling contradictions can be explained by seeing the world as fundamentally made of relationships rather than substances. We and everything around us exist only in our interactions with one another. This bold idea suggests new directions for thinking about the structure of reality and even the nature of consciousness. Rovelli makes learning about quantum mechanics an almost psychedelic experience. Shifting our perspective once again, he takes us on a riveting journey through the universe so we can better comprehend our place in itMeet me at the well: the girls and women of the Bible
By Jane Yolen, Barbara Diamond Goldin, Vali Mintzi. 2018
Retellings of Bible stories from the points of view of women, such as Eve from the Book of Genesis. Includes…
sidebars to pose questions and provides additional information and nondenominational interpretations. For grades 5-8. 2018Letters of Note: Space (Letters of Note)
By Shaun Usher. 2021
An awe-inspiring collection of letters on the subject of outer space curated by the founder of the phenomenally popular Letters…
of Note website. The first volume in the bestselling Letters of Note series was a collection of hundreds of the world's most entertaining, inspiring, and unusual letters, based on the seismically popular website of the same name--an online museum of correspondence visited by over 70 million people. From Virginia Woolf's heartbreaking suicide letter, to Queen Elizabeth II's recipe for drop scones sent to President Eisenhower; from the first recorded use of the expression 'OMG' in a letter to Winston Churchill, to Gandhi's appeal for calm to Hitler; and from Iggy Pop's beautiful letter of advice to a troubled young fan, to Leonardo da Vinci's remarkable job application letter. Now, the curator of Letters of Note, Shaun Usher, gives us wonderful new volumes featuring letters organized around a universal theme. In this volume, Shaun Usher turns to the subject of outer space and space travel. Contributors to be confirmed.A history of Judaism
By Martin Goodman. 2018
Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of Oxford presents a history of Judaism from approximately 2000 BCE to the…
early twenty-first century. Discusses the development of the religion, key figures, events of note, the diaspora of faithful across the world, institutions, doctrinal ideologies, and more. 2018Becoming Eve: my journey from ultra-Orthodox rabbi to transgender woman
By Abby Stein. 2019
The author relates her experiences being raised in a Hasidic Jewish community as the eldest son in a dynastic rabbinical…
family. Describes her search for answers and ultimate departure from her former way of life. Some descriptions of sex. 2019Maker of patterns: an autobiography through letters
By Freeman Dyson. 2018
British American theoretical physicist Dyson (born 1923) shares his autobiography through letters he has exchanged over the years, beginning in…
1941 when he attended Trinity College, Cambridge. Includes reminiscences of his work and acquaintance with scientists like Robert Oppenheimer and Richard Feynman. 2018Lost in math: how beauty leads physics astray
By Sabine Hossenfelder. 2018
Physicist argues against the use of aesthetic criteria when developing and testing theories. Reflects on her career, the historical fascination…
with aesthetics in science, particle physics, meetings with fellow physicists, the difference between math and magic, the search for a unified theory, string theory, and other topics. Strong language. 2018The Telling: How Judaism's Essential Book Reveals the Meaning of Life
By Mark Gerson. 2021
God didn’t design the Seder to put your kids to sleep. Instead, the Seder is an experience your family should…
love, treasure and remember. Have you ever wondered that there might be something more to Passover, the Seder, and the Haggadah - something that just might hold the secrets to living the life of joy and meaning that you were intended to? In The Telling, Mark Gerson, host of The Rabbi’s Husband podcast and renowned Jewish philanthropist, shows us how to make the Seder the most engaging, inspiring, and important night of the Jewish year. By using this book, you’ll be able to: Lead the Seder with wisdom, confidence and fun that guests will remember Make the Haggadah burst alive with insight for our opportunities, questions and challenges Show Gentile friends the richness of the Jewish tradition Instill a lasting love of Judaism within your children Bring your family closer together and closer to God The Telling will enable you to see what the Haggadah really is: The Greatest Hits of Jewish Thought. This understanding will enable you to provide your guests with the most interesting, insightful, and practically helpful night of the year - with teachings and lessons that will continue to brighten in the year to come. What leaders are saying about The Telling: ""In The Telling, Mark Gerson brilliantly illuminates some of the big questions from the Haggadah whose answers can define what constitutes a meaningful life. By showing how the Haggadah enables its readers to deploy ancient Jewish wisdom to help answer the most contemporary questions, this book will help your Pesach to be what it can be: a life-guiding event, every year, for anyone who learns enough to give it the opportunity.A quantum life: My unlikely journey from the street to the stars
By Hakeem Oluseyi. 2021
In this inspiring coming-of-age memoir, a world-renowned astrophysicist emerges from an impoverished childhood and crime-filled adolescence to ascend through the…
top ranks of research physics. &“You&’ll encounter one extraordinary turn of events after another, as the extraordinary chess player, puzzle solver, and occasional grifter works his way from grinding poverty and deep despair to worldwide acclaim as a physicist.&”—Bill Nye, CEO of The Planetary Society Navigating poverty, violence, and instability, a young James Plummer had two guiding stars—a genius IQ and a love of science. But a bookish nerd is a soft target, and James faced years of bullying and abuse. As he struggled to survive his childhood in some of the country&’s toughest urban neighborhoods in New Orleans, Houston, and LA, and later in the equally poor backwoods of Mississippi, he adopted the persona of &“gangsta nerd&”—dealing weed in juke joints while winning state science fairs with computer programs that model Einstein&’s theory of relativity. Once admitted to the elite physics PhD program at Stanford University, James found himself pulled between the promise of a bright future and a dangerous crack cocaine habit he developed in college. With the encouragement of his mentor and the sole Black professor in the physics department, James confronted his personal demons as well as the entrenched racism and classism of the scientific establishment. When he finally seized his dream of a life in astrophysics, he adopted a new name, Hakeem Muata Oluseyi, to honor his African ancestors. Alternately heartbreaking and hopeful , A Quantum Life narrates one man&’s remarkable quest across an ever-expanding universe filled with entanglement and choiceRbg's brave & brilliant women: 33 jewish women to inspire everyone
By Nadine Epstein. 2021
This collection of biographies of brave and brilliant Jewish female role models—selected in collaboration with Ruth Bader Ginsburg and including…
an introduction written by the iconic Supreme Court justice herself— provides young people with a roster of inspirational role models, all of whom are Jewish women, who will appeal not only to young people but to people of all ages, and all faiths. The fascinating lives detailed in this collection—more than thirty exemplary female role models—were chosen by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, or RBG, as she was lovingly known to her many admirers. Working with her friend, journalist Nadine Epstein, RBG selected these trailblazers, all of whom are women and Jewish, who chose not to settle for the rules and beliefs of their time. They did not accept what the world told them they should be. Like RBG, they dreamed big, worked hard, and forged their own paths to become who they deserved to be. Future generations will benefit from each and every one of the courageous actions and triumphs of the women profiled here. Real Wonder Women , the passion project of Justice Ginsburg in the last year of her life, will inspire readers to think about who they want to become and to make it happen, just like RBGThe Jewish American paradox: embracing choice in a changing world
By Robert H. Mnookin. 2018
Lawyer examines the nature of Jewish identity in America. Discusses his personal history of identifying as Jewish even when he…
didn't practice the faith, what it means to be Jewish in America, and challenges in passing down the faith and culture to future generations. 2018Isaac Newton: the asshole who reinvented the universe (G - Reference, Information And Interdisciplinary Subjects Ser.)
By Brian Taylor, Florian Freistetter. 2018
Astronomer presents a biography of Isaac Newton that is filled with both praise for his accomplishments as well as a…
harsh assessment of the effects of his abrasive personality on his personal and professional relationships. Translated from the 2017 German edition. Strong language. 2018Family papers: a Sephardic journey through the twentieth century
By Sarah Abrevaya Stein. 2019
Chronicle of the Sephardic Jewish Levy family originally from the port city of Salonica in the Ottoman Empire--now Thessaloniki, Greece--through…
the twentieth century. Using letters and other documents from the family's archives, discusses their publishing business, family alliances, actions in the World Wars, and journeys across the world. 2019