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Ancient Logic, Language, and Metaphysics: Selected Essays by Mario Mignucci (Issues in Ancient Philosophy)
by Andrea Falcon Pierdaniele GiarettaThe late Mario Mignucci was one of the most authoritative, original, and influential scholars in the area of ancient philosophy, especially ancient logic. Collected here for the first time are sixteen of his most important essays on Ancient Logic, Language, and Metaphysics. These essays show a perceptive historian and a skillful logician philosophically engaged with issues that are still at the very heart of history and philosophy of logic, such as the nature of predication, identity, and modality. As well as essays found in disparate publications, often not easily available online, the volume includes an article on Plato and the relatives translated into English for the first time and an unpublished paper on De interpretatione 7. Mignucci thinks rigorously and writes clearly. He brings the deep knowledge of a scholar and the precision of a logician to bear on some of the trickiest topics in ancient philosophy. This collection deserves the close attention of anyone concerned with logic, language, and metaphysics, whether in ancient or contemporary philosophy.
Anomaly-Detection and Health-Analysis Techniques for Core Router Systems
by Krishnendu Chakrabarty Zhaobo Zhang Xinli Gu Shi JinThis book tackles important problems of anomaly detection and health status analysis in complex core router systems, integral to today’s Internet Protocol (IP) networks. The techniques described provide the first comprehensive set of data-driven resiliency solutions for core router systems. The authors present an anomaly detector for core router systems using correlation-based time series analysis, which monitors a set of features of a complex core router system. They also describe the design of a changepoint-based anomaly detector such that anomaly detection can be adaptive to changes in the statistical features of data streams. The presentation also includes a symbol-based health status analyzer that first encodes, as a symbol sequence, the long-term complex time series collected from a number of core routers, and then utilizes the symbol sequence for health analysis. Finally, the authors describe an iterative, self-learning procedure for assessing the health status.Enables Accurate Anomaly Detection Using Correlation-Based Time-Series Analysis;Presents the design of a changepoint-based anomaly detector;Includes Hierarchical Symbol-based Health-Status Analysis;Describes an iterative, self-learning procedure for assessing the health status.
The Apology Impulse: How the Business World Ruined Sorry and Why We Can’t Stop Saying It
by Cary Cooper Sean O'MearaSaying sorry is in crisis. On one hand there are anxious PR aficionados and social media teams dishing out apologies with alarming frequency. On the other there are people and organizations who have done truly terrible things issuing much-delayed statements of mild regret. We have become addicted to apologies but immune from saying sorry. In January 2018 there were 35 public apologies from high-profile organizations and individuals. That's more than one per day. Between them, in 2017, the likes of Facebook, Mercedes Benz and United Airlines issued over 2,000 words of apologies for their transgressions. Alarmingly, the word 'sorry' didn't appear once. This perfectly timed book examines the psychology, motivations and even the economic rationale of giving an apology in the age of outrage culture and on-demand contrition. It reveals the tricks and techniques we all use to evade, reframe and divert from what we did and demonstrates how professionals do it best. Providing lessons for businesses and organizations, you'll find out how to give meaningful apologies and know when to say sorry, or not say it at all. The Apology Impulse is the perfect playbook for anyone - from social media executive through to online influencers and CEOs - who apologise way too much and say sorry far too infrequently.
Applications in Electronics Pervading Industry, Environment and Society: APPLEPIES 2019 (Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering #627)
by Alessandro De Gloria Sergio SaponaraThis book provides a thorough overview of cutting-edge research on electronics applications relevant to industry, the environment, and society at large. It covers a broad spectrum of application domains, from automotive to space and from health to security, while devoting special attention to the use of embedded devices and sensors for imaging, communication and control. The book is based on the 2019 ApplePies Conference, held in Pisa, Italy in September 2019, which brought together researchers and stakeholders to consider the most significant current trends in the field of applied electronics and to debate visions for the future. Areas addressed by the conference included information communication technology; biotechnology and biomedical imaging; space; secure, clean and efficient energy; the environment; and smart, green and integrated transport. As electronics technology continues to develop apace, constantly meeting previously unthinkable targets, further attention needs to be directed toward the electronics applications and the development of systems that facilitate human activities. This book, written by industrial and academic professionals, represents a valuable contribution in this endeavor.
Applied Communication Research Methods: Getting Started as a Researcher
by Michael Boyle Mike SchmierbachA hands-on guide for applying research methods to common problems, issues, projects, and questions that communication practitioners deal with on a regular basis, this text demonstrates the relevance of research in professional roles and communication careers. The second edition features updated material that covers major communication research methods including surveys, experiments, focus groups, observation research, while also providing key background information on ethics, validity, reliability, concept explication, statistical analysis, and other current topics. It continues to foster student engagement with research through its numerous features and practical activities, including: Research in Depth – examples of methods as applied in scholarly research Reflect and React – problems and issues that promote reflection and discussion Voices from Industry – Q&As with professionals working in communication industries End-of-unit activities – exercises that reinforce concepts and content The text is ideally suited to both undergraduate and graduate courses in mass communication research methods. Online resources, including sample syllabi, PowerPoint slides, and test banks are available on the companion website: www.routledge.com/cw/boyle.
Applied Soft Computing and Communication Networks: Proceedings of ACN 2019 (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems #125)
by Sabu M. Thampi Elizabeth Sherly Soura Dasgupta Jaime Lloret Mauri Jemal H. Abawajy Evgeny Khorov Jimson MathewThis book constitutes best selected research papers presented at the International Applied Soft Computing and Communication Networks (ACN 2019) held in Trivandrum, Kerala, India during December 18 – 21, 2019. The papers are organized in topical sections on real time and multimedia communications, security and privacy, network management and software-defined networks, Internet of Things (IoT) and cyber-physical systems, intelligent distributed systems, mobile computing and vehicle communications, surveillance networks and visual intelligence, and emerging topics. The book is a reference for researchers and scientists engaged in various fields of intelligent systems.
Applikationen der Optoelektronik (essentials)
by Reiner ThieleIn der hochbitratigen optischen Nachrichtentechnik ist es wichtig, parasitäre induktive und kapazitive Einflüsse auf die Funktion von Laser- und Fotodioden zu kompensieren. Wegen des nichtlinearen Charakters der u-i-Relationen der Induktivitäten, Kapazitäten und Widerstände ist es möglich, Kompensationsverfahren gegen parasitäre Effekte zu entwickeln oder die Nichtlinearitäten gezielt zur Signalübertragung einzusetzen. Reiner Thiele beweist, dass bei Applikation der vorgestellten Kompensationsverfahren kapazitive und induktive Influenzen auf die Grundfunktion der optoelektronischen Bauelemente vermeidbar sind, das Klemmenverhalten durch die u-i-Kennlinien von Laser- oder Fotodioden komplett erfasst wird und ungünstige Einflüsse der Systemumgebung auf die optoelektronischen Schaltungen vermieden werden. Außerdem stellt er Definitionen für optoelektronische Grundstromkreise sowie ihre Berechnung für die Applikation gleichartiger Laser- oder Fotodioden als Sende- bzw. Empfangsbauelemente der optischen Nachrichtentechnik vor.Der Autor: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Reiner Thiele lehrte an der Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz und unterrichtet derzeit an der Staatlichen Studienakademie Bautzen.
The Arab Business Code
by Judith HornokThe Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are some of the richest and most dynamic emerging markets in the world. But they are tough markets! International companies must think seriously if they want to do business there – the barriers can be numerous and difficult. But the opportunities are phenomenal and rewarding. The key to success is to plan and take the right steps. This book shows how to do this by decoding, using case studies, and suggesting relevant solutions. For Judith Hornok, it’s not about dry theories or mind games. Instead this book is based on numerous case studies drawn from the lives of well-known Arab and international business people. The reader can grasp the opportunities and avoid the pitfalls by knowing and understanding the Arab Business Code (ABC): "learning the A-B-Cs." This book offers a study with practical measures, a toolkit of easy-to-learn and simple-to-use techniques that pave the way for business success in the Gulf. Over fifteen years of research is boiled down into a clearly structured, compact book. Judith Hornok presents the insights of her studies by decoding the behavior of Arab business people in the Gulf using innovative techniques and new approaches, which can be easily implemented by the reader. For the first time Judith also presents her creations – the figures of The Seven Emotional Hinderers.
Arabic Translation Across Discourses (Routledge Studies in Language and Identity)
by Said FaiqA rare contribution to global translation as a ‘cross-cultural-open-concept’, Arabic Translation Across Discourses provides explorations of Arabic translation as an instance of transcultural and translingual encounters (transculguaging). This book examines the application and interrogation of discourses of translation in the translation of discourses (religion, literature, media, politics, technology, community, audiovisual, and automated systems of communication for translation). The contributors provide insights into the concerns and debates of Arabic translation as a tradition with local, yet global dimensions of translation and intercultural studies. This volume will be of great interest to students and researchers of all translation studies, but will also provide a rich source for those studying and researching history, geopolitics, intercultural studies, globalization, and allied disciplines.
Argumentation in Everyday Life
by Jeffrey P. Drury"Good coverage of concepts with understandable explanations of theory. Very user friendly with exercises to use in and out of class. Connects well with other communication classes through the application of other communication concepts to argumentation." —Christopher Leland, Azusa Pacific University Argumentation in Everyday Life provides students with the tools they need to argue effectively in the classroom and beyond. Jeffrey P. Mehltretter Drury offers rich coverage of theory while balancing everyday applicability, allowing students to use their skills soundly. Drury introduces the fundamentals of constructing and refuting arguments using the Toulmin model and ARG conditions (Acceptability, Relevance, and Grounds). Numerous real-world examples are connected to the theories of rhetoric and argumentation discussed—enabling students to practice and apply the content in personal, civic, and professional contexts, as well as traditional academic debates. Encouraging self-reflection, this book empowers students to find their voice and create positive change through argumentation in everyday life. Unique resources to help students navigate this complex terrain of argumentation: "The Debate Situation" offers students a birds-eye view of any given debate (or exchange of arguments between two or more people) organized around three necessary components: arguments, issues, and the proposition. The visual model of the debate situation illustrates how these features work together in guiding a debate and it lays the groundwork for understanding and generating arguments. Easy to Use Standards for Evaluating Arguments combine a prominent argument model (named after logician Stephen Toulmin) with a standards-based approach (the ARG conditions) to test of quality of an argument. The ARG conditions are three questions an advocate should ask of an argument in determining whether or not it is rationally persuasive. These questions are best served by research but don’t necessary require it, and thus they provide a useful posture for critically assessing the arguments you encounter. Multiple "Everyday Life" examples with an emphasis on context help students to connect the lessons more fully to their everyday life and encourages them to grapple explicitly with dilemmas arising in different contexts. "Find Your Voice Prompts" focus on choice & empowerment to offer strategies for students to choose which arguments to address and how to address them—empowering students to use argumentation to find their voice. "Build Your Skill Prompts" use objective applications to test how well students have learned the information. They offer a chance to apply the material to additional examples that students can check against the answers in Appendix II. Two application exercises at the end of each chapter encourage students to think critically about the content, discuss their thoughts with their peers, and apply the material to everyday situations.
Argumentation in Everyday Life
by Jeffrey P. Drury"Good coverage of concepts with understandable explanations of theory. Very user friendly with exercises to use in and out of class. Connects well with other communication classes through the application of other communication concepts to argumentation." —Christopher Leland, Azusa Pacific University Argumentation in Everyday Life provides students with the tools they need to argue effectively in the classroom and beyond. Jeffrey P. Mehltretter Drury offers rich coverage of theory while balancing everyday applicability, allowing students to use their skills soundly. Drury introduces the fundamentals of constructing and refuting arguments using the Toulmin model and ARG conditions (Acceptability, Relevance, and Grounds). Numerous real-world examples are connected to the theories of rhetoric and argumentation discussed—enabling students to practice and apply the content in personal, civic, and professional contexts, as well as traditional academic debates. Encouraging self-reflection, this book empowers students to find their voice and create positive change through argumentation in everyday life. Unique resources to help students navigate this complex terrain of argumentation: "The Debate Situation" offers students a birds-eye view of any given debate (or exchange of arguments between two or more people) organized around three necessary components: arguments, issues, and the proposition. The visual model of the debate situation illustrates how these features work together in guiding a debate and it lays the groundwork for understanding and generating arguments. Easy to Use Standards for Evaluating Arguments combine a prominent argument model (named after logician Stephen Toulmin) with a standards-based approach (the ARG conditions) to test of quality of an argument. The ARG conditions are three questions an advocate should ask of an argument in determining whether or not it is rationally persuasive. These questions are best served by research but don’t necessary require it, and thus they provide a useful posture for critically assessing the arguments you encounter. Multiple "Everyday Life" examples with an emphasis on context help students to connect the lessons more fully to their everyday life and encourages them to grapple explicitly with dilemmas arising in different contexts. "Find Your Voice Prompts" focus on choice & empowerment to offer strategies for students to choose which arguments to address and how to address them—empowering students to use argumentation to find their voice. "Build Your Skill Prompts" use objective applications to test how well students have learned the information. They offer a chance to apply the material to additional examples that students can check against the answers in Appendix II. Two application exercises at the end of each chapter encourage students to think critically about the content, discuss their thoughts with their peers, and apply the material to everyday situations.
An Aristocracy of Critics: Luce, Hutchins, Niebuhr, and the Committee That Redefined Freedom of the Press
by Stephen BatesThe story behind the 1940s Commission on Freedom of the Press—groundbreaking then, timelier than ever now"A well-constructed, timely study, clearly relevant to current debates."—Kirkus, starred review In 1943, Time Inc. editor-in-chief Henry R. Luce sponsored the greatest collaboration of intellectuals in the twentieth century. He and University of Chicago president Robert Maynard Hutchins summoned the theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, the Pulitzer-winning poet Archibald MacLeish, and ten other preeminent thinkers to join the Commission on Freedom of the Press. They spent three years wrestling with subjects that are as pertinent as ever: partisan media and distorted news, activists who silence rather than rebut their opponents, conspiracy theories spread by shadowy groups, and the survivability of American democracy in a post-truth age. The report that emerged, A Free and Responsible Press, is a classic, but many of the commission&’s sharpest insights never made it into print. Journalist and First Amendment scholar Stephen Bates reveals how these towering intellects debated some of the most vital questions of their time—and reached conclusions urgently relevant today.
The Art and Science of Machine Intelligence: With An Innovative Application for Alzheimer’s Detection from Speech
by J. David Schaffer Walker H. Land Jr.This volume presents several machine intelligence technologies, developed over recent decades, and illustrates how they can be combined in application. One application, the detection of dementia from patterns in speech, is used throughout to illustrate these combinations. This application is a classic stationary pattern detection task, so readers may easily see how these combinations can be applied to other similar tasks. The expositions of the methods are supported by the basic theory they rest upon, and their application is clearly illustrated. The book’s goal is to allow readers to select one or more of these methods to quickly apply to their own tasks.Includes a variety of machine intelligent technologies and illustrates how they can work togetherShows evolutionary feature subset selection combined with support vector machines and multiple classifiers combinedIncludes a running case study on intelligent processing relating to Alzheimer’s / dementia detection, in addition to several applications of the machine hybrid algorithms
The Art of Access: Strategies for Acquiring Public Records
by Charles N. Davis David L. CuillierWhatever you’re trying to learn about the world—as a journalist or as an informed citizen— public records often hold the key. But what records, where? And how to get them? Gaining access to records is an art, one that requires an organized approach and a good understanding of human behavior. The Art of Access: Strategies for Acquiring Public Records, Second Edition is a how-to guide for putting the law into action and using ingenuity to pry records loose. FOI experts and longtime journalists David Cuillier and Charles N. Davis present strategies for dealing with the officials who stand between you and the information you seek. They explore new developments in technology and research and the latest online innovations and tools to help you rethink the information-gathering process and develop a document state of mind.
The Art of Access: Strategies for Acquiring Public Records
by Charles N. Davis David L. CuillierWhatever you’re trying to learn about the world—as a journalist or as an informed citizen— public records often hold the key. But what records, where? And how to get them? Gaining access to records is an art, one that requires an organized approach and a good understanding of human behavior. The Art of Access: Strategies for Acquiring Public Records, Second Edition is a how-to guide for putting the law into action and using ingenuity to pry records loose. FOI experts and longtime journalists David Cuillier and Charles N. Davis present strategies for dealing with the officials who stand between you and the information you seek. They explore new developments in technology and research and the latest online innovations and tools to help you rethink the information-gathering process and develop a document state of mind.
The Art of Captivating Conversation: How to Be Confident, Charismatic, and Likable in Any Situation
by King PatrickThe Art of Captivating Conversation is a book for enhancing social skills and developing conversation starters—how to have a deeper connection with people, with tips based on human and social psychology as well as the author's observations and proven coaching techniques. Readers will learn the basics of what makes a good interaction, as well as a plethora of highly-actionable techniques to become more confident, charismatic, and likable.
The Art of Communication in a Polarized World
by Kyle ConwayPeople’s minds are hard to change. In North America and elsewhere, communities are fractured along ideological lines as social media and algorithms encourage individuals to seek out others who think like they do and to condemn those that don’t. This social and political polarization has resulted in systemic discrimination and weaponized communication trends such as gaslighting and fake news. In this compelling new book, Kyle Conway confronts the communication challenges of our modern world by navigating the space between opposing perspectives. Conway explores how individuals can come to understand another person's interpretation of the world and provides the tools for shaping effective arguments capable of altering their perspective. Drawing on the theory of cultural translation and its dimensions of power, meaning, and invention, Conway deepens our understanding of what it means to communicate and opens the door to new approaches to politics and ethics. An essential guide for surviving in our polarized society, this book offers concrete strategies for refining how values and ideas are communicated.
The Art Of Public Speaking
by Stephen Lucas Paul StobFully updated for the thirteenth edition, the award-winning The Art of Public Speaking offers a time-tested approach that has made it the most widely used college textbook on its subject in the world. Seamlessly coordinated with Connect, McGraw-Hill Education's pathbreaking online program, it supplies a proven set of teaching and learning tools that is without parallel among public speaking books.
The Art of Social Excellence: How to Make Your Personal and Business Relationships Thrive
by Henrik FexeusIn this follow-up to The Art of Reading Minds, Henrik Fexeus uses his expert psychology knowledge to teach the reader how to hone their social skills, perfect for fans of Dale Carnegie.Research has increasingly shown that nonverbal communication prowess is absolutely essential in seemingly unrelated areas of our lives (investment decisions, salary levels, etc.) However, as our society becomes more modernized and we incorporate new forms of technology into our daily interactions, we are becoming less and less capable of understanding one another as we should. In The Art of Social Excellence, Henrik Fexeus combines his own expert knowledge as a mentalist with psychology studies to create a complete guide to social interaction. He covers it all: from overcoming your conversational fears in a large group of people, to excelling in the workplace, to winning an argument with your partner. He breaks down various rhetorical strategies in detail, and provides helpful steps and checklists for the reader to check their progress in a social encounter. Anyone who has ever felt awkward or misunderstood in social situations will benefit from reading this book, and with proper implementation of Fexeus's principles, can achieve superior social skills.
The Art of Social Excellence: How to Make Your Personal and Business Relationships Thrive
by Henrik FexeusHenrik Fexeus uses his expert psychology knowledge to teach the reader how to hone their social skills, perfect for fans of Dale Carnegie.Research has increasingly shown that nonverbal communication prowess is absolutely essential in seemingly unrelated areas of our lives (investment decisions, salary levels, etc.). However, as our society becomes more modernised and we incorporate new forms of technology into our daily interactions, we are becoming less and less capable of understanding one another as we should.In The Art of Social Excellence, Henrik Fexeus combines his own expert knowledge as a mentalist with psychology studies to create a complete guide to social interaction. He covers it all: from overcoming your conversational fears in a large group of people, to excelling in the workplace, to winning an argument with your partner. He breaks down various rhetorical strategies in detail and provides helpful steps and checklists for the reader to check their progress in a social encounter.Anyone who has ever felt awkward or misunderstood in social situations will benefit from reading this book, and with proper implementation of Fexeus' principles, can achieve superior social skills.
Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Cyber Defence
by Daniel VentreThe aim of the book is to analyse and understand the impacts of artificial intelligence in the fields of national security and defense; to identify the political, geopolitical, strategic issues of AI; to analyse its place in conflicts and cyberconflicts, and more generally in the various forms of violence; to explain the appropriation of artificial intelligence by military organizations, but also law enforcement agencies and the police; to discuss the questions that the development of artificial intelligence and its use raise in armies, police, intelligence agencies, at the tactical, operational and strategic levels.
Artificial Intelligence in China: Proceedings of the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in China (Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering #572)
by Qilian Liang Wei Wang Jiasong Mu Xin Liu Zhenyu Na Bingcai ChenThis book brings together papers presented at the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in China (ChinaAI) 2019, which provided a venue for disseminating the latest advances and discussing the interactions and links between the various subfields of AI. Addressing topics that cover virtually all aspects of AI and the latest developments in China, the book is chiefly intended for undergraduate and graduate students in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics, for researchers and engineers from academia and industry, and for government employees (e.g. at the NSF, DOD, and DOE).
Artificial Intelligence Techniques for a Scalable Energy Transition: Advanced Methods, Digital Technologies, Decision Support Tools, and Applications
by Moamar Sayed-MouchawehThis book presents research in artificial techniques using intelligence for energy transition, outlining several applications including production systems, energy production, energy distribution, energy management, renewable energy production, cyber security, industry 4.0 and internet of things etc. The book goes beyond standard application by placing a specific focus on the use of AI techniques to address the challenges related to the different applications and topics of energy transition. The contributions are classified according to the market and actor interactions (service providers, manufacturers, customers, integrators, utilities etc.), to the SG architecture model (physical layer, infrastructure layer, and business layer), to the digital twin of SG (business model, operational model, fault/transient model, and asset model), and to the application domain (demand side management, load monitoring, micro grids, energy consulting (residents, utilities), energy saving, dynamic pricing revenue management and smart meters, etc.).
As Needed for Pain: A Memoir of Addiction
by Dan PeresIn the vein of Mary Karr’s Lit, Augusten Burroughs’ Dry and Sarah Hepola’s Blackout, As Needed for Pain is a raw and riveting—and often wryly funny—addiction memoir from one of New York media’s most accomplished editors which explores his never-before-told story of opioid addiction and the drastic impact it had on his life and career.Dan Peres wasn’t born to be a media insider. As an awkward, magic-obsessed adolescent, nothing was further from his reality than the catwalks of Paris or the hallways of glossy magazine publishers. A gifted writer and shrewd cultural observer, Peres eventually took the leap—even when it meant he had to fake a sense of belonging in a new world of famed fashion designers, celebrities, and some of media’s biggest names. But he had a secret: opiates.Peres’s career as an editor at W magazine and Details is well known, but little is known about his private life as a high-functioning drug addict. In As Needed for Pain, Peres lays bare for the first time the extent of his drug use—at one point a 60-pill-a-day habit.By turns humorous and gripping, Peres’s story is a cautionary coming-of-age tale filled with unforgettable characters and breathtaking brushes with disaster. But the heart of the book is his journey from outsider to insecure insider, what it took to get him there, and how he found his way back from a killing addiction. As Needed for Pain offers a rare glimpse into New York media’s past—a time when print magazines mattered—and a rarefied world of wealth, power, and influence. It is also a brilliant, shocking dissection of a life teetering on the edge of destruction, and what it took to pull back from the brink.
Ascent to Glory: How One Hundred Years of Solitude Was Written and Became a Global Classic
by Álvaro Santana-AcuñaGabriel García Márquez’s novel One Hundred Years of Solitude seemed destined for obscurity upon its publication in 1967. The little-known author, small publisher, magical style, and setting in a remote Caribbean village were hardly the usual ingredients for success in the literary marketplace. Yet today it ranks among the best-selling books of all time. Translated into dozens of languages, it continues to enter the lives of new readers around the world. How did One Hundred Years of Solitude achieve this unlikely success? And what does its trajectory tell us about how a work of art becomes a classic?Ascent to Glory is a groundbreaking study of One Hundred Years of Solitude, from the moment García Márquez first had the idea for the novel to its global consecration. Using new documents from the author’s archives, Álvaro Santana-Acuña shows how García Márquez wrote the novel, going beyond the many legends that surround it. He unveils the literary ideas and networks that made possible the book’s creation and initial success. Santana-Acuña then follows this novel’s path in more than seventy countries on five continents and explains how thousands of people and organizations have helped it to become a global classic. Shedding new light on the novel’s imagination, production, and reception, Ascent to Glory is an eye-opening book for cultural sociologists and literary historians as well as for fans of García Márquez and One Hundred Years of Solitude.