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Stone Will Answer: A Journey Guided by Craft, Myth and Geology
by Beatrice SearleA beautiful memoir, travelogue and meditation on stone by artist and stone mason Beatrice Searle.'Extraordinary' Guardian‘A magnificent book’ Alex Woodcock‘Exceptional’ Kerri Andrews‘Luminous’ SpectatorAt the age of twenty-six, artist and Cathedral stonemason Beatrice Searle crossed the North Sea and walked 500 miles along a medieval pilgrim path through Southern Norway, taking with her a 40-kilogram Orcadian stone.Fascinated with the mysterious footprint stones of Northern Europe and the ancient Greco-Roman world, stones closely associated with travellers, saints and the inauguration of Kings, she follows in their footsteps as her stone becomes a talisman, a bedrock and an offering to those she meets along the way.Stone Will Answer is an unusual adventure story of journeys practical, spiritual and geological, of weight and motion, and an insight into a beguiling craft.
Strands: A Year of Discoveries on the Beach
by Jean SpracklandStrands describes a year's worth of walking on the ultimate beach: inter-tidal and constantly turning up revelations: mermaid's purses, lugworms, sea potatoes, messages in bottles, buried cars, beached whales and a perfect cup from a Cunard liner. This is a series of meditations prompted by walking on the wild estuarial beaches of Ainsdale Sands between Blackpool and Liverpool, Strands is about what is lost and buried then discovered, about all the things you find on a beach, dead or alive, about flotsam and jetsam, about mutability and transformation - about sea-change.
Right Way Down: A middle-reader poetry collection
by Sally MurphyStand on your head with Sally Murphy, explode some dynamite with Cristy Burne or shoot some hoops with Cheryl Kickett-Tucker. Grow a poettree with Meg McKinlay or curl up next to your cat with Amber Moffat and watch a bit of Stink-o-Vision with James Foley. These and loads more poems by Australian poets are there to discover in Right Way Down. With striking illustrations by Briony Stewart, these poems will have you laughing, thinking, and playing with words – whichever way you read them.
Children of a Modest Star: Planetary Thinking for an Age of Crises
by Jonathan S. Blake Nils GilmanA clear-eyed and urgent vision for a new system of political governance to manage planetary issues and their local consequences. Deadly viruses, climate-changing carbon molecules, and harmful pollutants cross the globe unimpeded by national borders. While the consequences of these flows range across scales, from the planetary to the local, the authority and resources to manage them are concentrated mainly at one level: the nation-state. This profound mismatch between the scale of planetary challenges and the institutions tasked with governing them is leading to cascading systemic failures. In the groundbreaking Children of a Modest Star, Jonathan S. Blake and Nils Gilman not only challenge dominant ways of thinking about humanity's relationship to the planet and the political forms that presently govern it, but also present a new, innovative framework that corresponds to our inherently planetary condition. Drawing on intellectual history, political philosophy, and the holistic findings of Earth system science, Blake and Gilman argue that it is essential to reimagine our governing institutions in light of the fact that we can only thrive if the multi-species ecosystems we inhabit are also flourishing. Aware of the interlocking challenges we face, it is no longer adequate merely to critique our existing systems or the modernist assumptions that helped create them. Blake and Gilman propose a bold, original architecture for global governance—what they call planetary subsidiarity—designed to enable the enduring habitability of the Earth for humans and non-humans alike. Children of a Modest Star offers a clear-eyed and urgent vision for constructing a system capable of stabilizing a planet in crisis.
Wild Dreamers
by Margarita EngleIn this stirring young adult romance from award-winning author Margarita Engle, love and conservation intertwine as two teens fight to protect wildlife and heal from their troubled pasts.Ana and her mother have been living out of their car ever since her militant father became one of the FBI&’s most wanted. Leandro has struggled with debilitating anxiety since his family fled Cuba on a perilous raft. One moonlit night, in a wilderness park in California, Ana and Leandro meet. Their connection is instant—a shared radiance that feels both scientific and magical. Then they discover they are not alone: a huge mountain lion stalks through the trees, one of many wild animals whose habitat has been threatened by humans. Determined to make a difference, Ana and Leandro start a rewilding club at their school, working with scientists to build wildlife crossings that can help mountain lions find one another. If pumas can find their way to a better tomorrow, surely Ana and Leandro can too.
Navigating the Polycrisis: Mapping the Futures of Capitalism and the Earth
by Michael J. AlbertAn innovative work of realism and utopianism that analyzes the possible futures of the world-system and helps us imagine how we might transition beyond capitalism.The world-system of which we are all a part faces multiple calamities: climate change and mass extinction, the economic and existential threat of AI, the chilling rise of far-right populism, and the invasion of Ukraine, to name only a few. In Navigating the Polycrisis, Michael Albert seeks to illuminate how the &“planetary polycrisis&” will disrupt the global community in the coming decades and how we can best meet these challenges. Albert argues that we must devote more attention to the study of possible futures and adopt transdisciplinary approaches to do so. To provide a new form of critical futures analysis, he offers a theoretical framework—planetary systems thinking—that is informed by complexity theory, world-systems theory, and ecological Marxism. Navigating the Polycrisis builds on existing work on climate futures and the futures of capitalism and makes three main contributions. First, the book brings together modeling projections with critical social theory in a more systematic way than has been done so far. Second, the book shows that in order to grasp the complexity of the planetary polycrisis, we must analyze the convergence of crises encompassing the climate emergency, the structural crisis of global capitalism, net energy decline, food system disruption, pandemic risk, far-right populism, and emerging technological risks (e.g. in the domains of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and nuclear weapons). And third, the book contributes to existing work on postcapitalist futures by analyzing the processes and mechanisms through which egalitarian transitions beyond capitalism might occur.A much-needed work of global futures studies, Navigating the Polycrisis brings together the rigor of the natural and social sciences and speculative imagination informed by science fiction to forge pathways to our possible global future.
The First Day of May
by Henrique Coser MoreiraHere is a book to celebrate firsts. That first magical day of spring, when it seems the whole world is bursting with life. That first time bursting out of your house after being cooped up for SO long. Your first time on the swingset. Your first time seeing a butterfly. Your first time exploring the world with someone you love. From Henrique Coser Moreira comes a wordless ode to joy and discovery that will stir readers young and old. P R A I S E ★ "Pure joy." –BookPage (starred) ★ "All the delights of spring are found within the covers in this charming, wordless picture book." –School Library Journal (starred) ★ "Ivan Brunetti by way of Rowboat Watkins, and readers will sense the opportunities waiting just outside their own doors. A joyous adventure, bright and brimming with exuberance." –Booklist (starred) ★ "This wordless book celebrates—with abundant style—the arrival of spring… playful and exceptionally funny… A breath of fresh air, in more ways than one." –Horn Book (starred) "A quirky and buoyant romp through spring." –Kirkus "Wordless panels mix the whimsical and the mundane in depicting a child’s exuberant outdoor exploits on the titular first of May." –Publishers Weekly
236 Pounds of Class Vice President: A Memoir of Teenage Insecurity, Obesity, and Virginity
by Jason MulgrewJason Mulgrew, popular blogger and author of Everything Is Wrong with Me, continues his depreciating yet hilarious self-reflection with 236 Pounds of Class Vice President. Set in Mulgrew’s high school years, this genuine and honest memoir revisits his teenage antics and escapades as he, while navigating the indignity of puberty, attempts to run for vice president of the student body, displays a penchant for long fur capes, and (naturally) wonders about sex. Mulgrew’s blog, Everything Is Wrong with me, has received more than 200 million hits since its inception in 2004. Complete with awkward, “what was he thinking?” photos—unmitigated proof of Mulgrew’s ungainly adolescence—236 Pounds of Class Vice President is an no-holds-barred yet tender look at the years some of us would rather forget.
Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence—and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process
by Irene M. PepperbergNew York Times BestsellerThe remarkable true story of an extraordinary relationship between psychologist Irene M. Pepperberg and Alex, an African Grey parrot who proved scientists and accepted wisdom wrong by demonstrating an astonishing ability to communicate and understand complex ideas. "You be good. I love you," were Alex's final words to his owner, research scientist Irene Pepperberg, before his premature death at age thirty-one on September 6, 2007. An African Grey parrot, Alex had a brain the size of a shelled walnut, yet he could add, sound out words, understand concepts like bigger, smaller, more, fewer, and none, and he disproved the widely accepted idea that birds possess no potential for language or anything remotely comparable to human intelligence.Alex & Me is the incredible story of an amazing, irascible parrot and his best friend who stayed together through thick and thin for thirty years—the astonishing, moving, and unforgettable story of a landmark scientific achievement and a beautiful relationship.
International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Systems for Sustainable Development: Advanced Intelligent Systems on Energy, Environment and Agriculture, Volume 1 (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems #930)
by Mostafa Ezziyyani Janusz Kacprzyk Valentina Emilia BalasThis book is a comprehensive compilation of groundbreaking insights stemming from the esteemed International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Systems for Sustainable Development (AI2SD'2023), hosted at Cadi Ayyad University Morocco. Focused on the crucial themes of energy, environment, agriculture, and industry, this book captures the essence of transformative discussions and cutting-edge research that unfolded during the conference. Within these pages, readers are invited to explore the intricate world of intelligent systems, where innovation converges to tackle the key challenges of sustainability. The book immerses its audience in a wealth of knowledge that deeply represents the latest advancements shaping the future landscape. Diverse topics are intricately woven into the fabric of this discourse, covering AI-driven solutions designed for energy optimization, environmental sustainability, precision agriculture, and intelligent industry applications. Each contribution serves as a testament to the collaborative efforts of researchers, practitioners, and experts who gathered to drive innovation at the intersection of intelligent systems and sustainable development. Crafted as an invaluable resource, 'Advancements in Intelligent Systems: AI2SD'2023 Proceedings‘ caters to a diverse readership eager to delve into the forefront of trends and developments emerging from the crossroads of advanced intelligent systems in energy, environment, agriculture, and industry. Whether you're a researcher, practitioner, or enthusiast, unlock the transformative potential inherent in these innovative domains.
Big Tree
by Brian SelznickThe fate of all life on Earth may depend on the bravery of two little seeds in this epic adventure from the #1 New York Times bestselling creator and Caldecott Medalist of The Invention of Hugo Cabret."The tale of the natural world is the greatest story we have to tell, and Brian delivers a brilliant chapter of that tale throughout the pages of Big Tree." - STEVEN SPIELBERG"We need brave, big stories like [Big Tree]." -The New York Times Book Review"Has the power to intrigue...affecting." - The Wall Street Journal* "An enthralling and expansive meditation on what it means to be alive on this planet." - Booklist, starred review* "A balanced and rich book. . . . Powerful."-The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred and recommended review* "In evocative prose and peppery dialogue . . . the cinematic story journeys across time and space, contemplating the power of life to heal." -Publishers Weekly, starred review* "A special, one-of-a-kind book for the whole family that readers won't soon forget." - School Library Journal, starred review* "Masterful." - The Horn Book, starred review"Inspirational, important, and beautiful. A fable for our times." - Alan Gratz, bestselling author of Refugee and Ground Zero"Hello, stars. I thought I heard you calling me."A mysterious voice has been speaking to Louise in her dreams. She and her brother Merwin are Sycamore seeds, who hope to one day set down roots and become big trees. But when a fire forces them to leave their mama tree prematurely, they find themselves catapulted into the unknown, far from home. Alone and unprepared, they must use their wits and imagination to navigate a dangerous world-filled with dinosaurs, meteors, and volcanoes!-and the fear of never finding a safe place to grow up. As the mysterious voice gets louder, Louise comes to realize their mission in life may be much bigger than either of them ever could have imagined!Brimming with humor, wonder, mystery, and a profound sense of hope, Big Tree is a trailblazing adventure, illustrated with nearly 300 pages of breathtaking pictures. It is Selznick's most imaginative and far-reaching work to date and a singular reading experience for the whole family.The audiobook edition of BIG TREE is brought magnificently to life by Meryl Streep and features music composed by Ernest Troost.
Scuse Me While I Whip This Out: Reflections on Country Singers, Presidents, and Other Troublemakers
by Kinky FriedmanKinky Friedman is back, and with 'Scuse Me While I Whip This Out he gets it on with all manner of egos. In this collection of twisted takes on life, the Kinkster gives us funny, irreverent, and insightful looks at outsized personalities from people he's known, like Bill Clinton, George W., Willie Nelson, and Bob Dylan -- not to mention Joseph Heller and Don Imus -- to people he's known in spirit, such as Moses, Jesus, Jack Ruby, and Hank Williams. With his meditations on subjects ranging from sleeping at the White House, marriage, his pets, fishing in Borneo, country music, and cigars to the tribulations of possessing talent, Kinky doesn't deny us the "flashes of brilliance and laugh-out-loud observations" (Rocky Mountain News) that are present in all his other work. Hilarious, irreverent, and passionately twisted, 'Scuse Me While I Whip This Out reads as if it were written by a slightly ill modern-day Mark Twain.
No One Asked For This: Essays
by Cazzie DavidA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. From writer/director Cazzie David comes a series of acerbic, darkly funny essays about anxiety, social media, misanthropy, and growing up in a wildly eccentric family.For Cazzie David, the world is one big trap door leading to death and despair and social phobia. From shame spirals caused by hookups to panic attacks about being alive and everyone else having to be alive too, David chronicles her life’s most chaotic moments with wit, bleak humor, and a mega-dose of self-awareness. In No One Asked for This, David provides readers with a singular but ultimately relatable tour through her mind, as she explores existential anxiety, family dynamics, and the utterly modern dilemma of having your breakup displayed on the Internet. With pitch-black humor resonant of her father, comedy legend Larry David, and topics that speak uniquely to generational malaise, No One Asked for This is the perfect companion for when you don’t really want a companion."Blisteringly honest...kind of like if a David Sedaris book was written by an anxiety-ridden millennial who grew up in Hollywood."—Entertainment Weekly "Cazzie David is the delicious antidote to the poison of basic influencer culture. This book will make all misanthropes feel seen and loved—well, seen and tolerated."—Diablo Cody, screenwriter and author of Candy Girl
Hawks In Flight
by Pete Dunne David Sibley Clay SuttonAmong the world's most popular birds, hawks can be some of the most difficult birds to identify. They're most often seen flying high above and at a distance. In the first edition of Hawks in Flight, Pete Dunne, David Sibley, and Clay Sutton presented a holistic method of hawk identification, using general body shape, the way they move, and the places they are most likely to be seen. The new edition of the book that Roger Tory Peterson called a "landmark" integrates an array of carefully selected photographs, David Sibley's superb illustrations, and a clear, information-packed text and takes raptor identification to a higher level. This edition covers all of the raptors that breed in North America, including those with limited ranges in Florida, the Southwest, and Texas. Picking up where its predecessor ended by including two decades of raptor identification refinement, Hawks in Flight summarizes and places in users&’ hands an identification skill set that used to take years to master. The unique alchemy of Dunne, Sibley, and Sutton—including their collective experience of more than one hundred years watching hawks—make this book a singular achievement and a must-have for anyone interested in hawks.
Kinky Friedman's Guide to Texas Etiquette: Or How to Get to Heaven or Hell Without Going Through Dallas-Fort Worth
by Kinky FriedmanWell, butter my butt and call me a biscuit! Delivering belly laughs, hee-haws, and downright slackjaw amazement, this hilarious guide to the homeland of George W. and Willie Nelson is the essential how-to for surviving in the Lone Star State. From strange Texas laws and the history of Dr. Pepper to "Texas Talk" (in which a "turd floater" is a heavy downpour) and final-meal requests by death row inmates, Kinky Friedman, "the oldest living Jew in Texas who doesn't own any real estate," provides an insider's guide that will be loved by native Texans and the rest of us poor devils alike.Even if you don't know the difference between an Aggie and an armadillo -- or what's really in the back on Willie Nelson's tour bus -- you can pass for a Texan with the Kinkster's expert coaching. So grab your hairspray and the keys to the Cadillac and get reading!
The Secret Garden: The Cinematic Novel (The\secret Garden Movie Ser.)
by Linda ChapmanBased on the upcoming major motion picture and inspired by the original classic novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, this cinematic novel retells the entire film and features a special full-color section.The Secret Garden Cinematic Novelization retells the iconic, classic tale that will be visualized for a whole new audience with a full-length feature film. This cinematic novelization will also feature exclusive content, with concept design elements throughout.When ten-year-old orphan Mary Lennox is sent to live with her reclusive uncle Archibald (Colin Firth) and his strict housekeeper Mrs. Medlock (Julie Walters) in a mysterious Yorkshire manor, she feels lonelier than ever before. But her curiosity and determination lead her to disobey the adults and explore the forbidding house. While roaming the grounds of the manor she discovers an enchanted and boundless garden that has been hidden for years and reflects her limitless imagination. With local boy Dickon, her sick cousin Colin, and a playful stray dog, she embraces this world of wonder which unlocks secrets from the past, revealing a whole new life of hope and friendship.
Wonders of Life: Exploring the Most Extraordinary Phenomenon in the Universe (Wonders Series)
by Brian Cox Andrew CohenIn Wonders of Life: Exploring the Most Extraordinary Force in the Universe, the definitive companion to the Discovery Science Channel series, Professor Brian Cox takes us on an incredible journey to discover the most complex, diverse, and unique force in the universe: life itself.Through his voyage of discovery, international bestselling author Brian Cox explains how the astonishing inventiveness of nature came about and uncovers the milestones in the epic journey from the origin of life to our own lives, with beautiful full-color illustrations throughout. From spectacular fountains of superheated water at the bottom of the Atlantic to the deepest rainforest, Cox seeks out the places where the biggest questions about life may be answered: What is life? Why do we need water? Why does life end?Physicist and professor Brian Cox uncovers the secrets of life in the most unexpected locations and in the most stunning detail in this beautiful full-color volume.
Rick Steves Best of Italy
by Rick StevesHit Italy's can't-miss art, sights, and bites in two weeks or less with Rick Steves Best of Italy!Strategic advice from Rick Steves on what's worth your time and money Two-day itineraries covering Venice, the Cinque Terre, Florence, the Hill Towns of Central Italy, Rome, Naples, Sorrento, and the Amalfi Coast Rick's tips for beating the crowds, skipping lines, and avoiding tourist traps The best local culture, flavors, and more, including insightful walks through museums, historic sights, and atmospheric neighborhoods Trip planning strategies like how to link destinations and design your itinerary, what to pack, where to stay, and how to get around Over 500 full-color pages with detailed maps and vibrant photos throughout Suggestions for day trips to Milan, Lake Como, Pisa, Verona, and Padua Experience Italy's Old World romance and New World excitement for yourself with Rick Steves Best of Italy! Planning a longer trip? Pick up Rick Steves Italy, an in-depth guide perfect for spending more than two weeks exploring Italy.
Marvelous Cornelius: Hurricane Katrina and the Spirit of New Orleans
by Phil BildnerIn New Orleans, there lived a man who saw the streets as his calling, and he swept them clean. He danced up one avenue and down another and everyone danced along. The old ladies whistled and whirled. The old men hooted and hollered. The barbers, bead twirlers, and beignet bakers bounded behind that one-man parade. But then came the rising Mississippi—and a storm greater than anyone had seen before. In this heartwarming book about a real garbage man, Phil Bildner and John Parra tell the inspiring story of a humble man and the heroic difference he made in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Plus, this is the fixed format version, which will look almost identical to the print version. Additionally for devices that support audio, this ebook includes a read-along setting.
Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt
by Kate MessnerIn this exuberant and lyrical follow-up to the award-winning Over and Under the Snow, discover the wonders that lie hidden between stalks, under the shade of leaves . . . and down in the dirt. Explore the hidden world and many lives of a garden through the course of a year! Up in the garden, the world is full of green—leaves and sprouts, growing vegetables, ripening fruit. But down in the dirt exists a busy world—earthworms dig, snakes hunt, skunks burrow—populated by all the animals that make a garden their home. Plus, this is the fixed format version, which will look almost identical to the print version. Additionally for devices that support audio, this ebook includes a read-along setting.
A Nest Is Noisy
by Dianna Hutts AstonFrom the award-winning creators of An Egg Is Quiet, A Seed Is Sleepy, A Butterfly Is Patient, and A Rock Is Lively comes this gorgeous and informative look at the fascinating world of nests. From tiny bee hummingbird nests to orangutan nests high in the rainforest canopy, an incredible variety of nests are showcased here in all their splendor. Poetic in voice and elegant in design, this carefully researched book introduces children to a captivating array of nest facts and will spark the imaginations of children whether in a classroom reading circle or on a parent's lap. Plus, this is a fixed-format version of the book, which looks nearly identical to the print version.
Survival Squad: Book 2 (Survival Squad #2)
by Jonathan RockThere's a reason they're known as the Survival Squad...It's winter and the snow is falling thick and fast. The Tiger Patrol are learning to ski, building snow shelters, and igloos. They're even working with the local search and rescue team. Then they're caught in a snow blizzard and a young girl is missing in the snow...Time is running out for the Survival Squad.
Survival Squad: Book 4
by Jonathan RockThere's a reason they're known as the Survival Squad...A white water rafting expedition for the Tiger Patrol takes a turn for the worse when the water level rises. It's a matter of life or death, and they have only their training and skill to rely on.
Survivors
by William PeskettSurvivors is William Peskett's second book in the Secker & Warburg Poets series. At one level, it marks his move 'From Belfast to Suffolk' (the title of one of the poems), but more importantly it shows him coming to terms with the world of nature and the world of man with a new maturity.
The Swallow: A Biography (Shortlisted for the Richard Jefferies Society and White Horse Bookshop Literary Award) (The Bird Biography Series #3)
by Stephen MossFrom the bestselling author of The Robin, The Wren and The Twelve Birds of Christmas. With around 700,000 breeding pairs, the swallow is one of the most familiar birds in Britain. Though we consider the swallow to be 'our' bird, we also share this beloved creature with millions of others across the globe. Whilst we see it on a daily basis for half the year, the swallow then flies south to Africa, living on only in our memory in the long, dark winter.In The Swallow Stephen Moss documents a year of observing the swallow close to home and in the field to shed light on the secret life of this extraordinary bird. We trace the swallow's life cycle and journey, including the epic 12,000-mile round trip it takes every year, to enable it to enjoy a life of almost eternal sunshine, and the key part the swallow plays in our traditional and popular culture.With beautiful illustrations throughout, this captivating year-in-the-life biography reveals the hidden secrets of this charismatic and beautiful bird.PRAISE FOR STEPHEN MOSS: 'A superb naturalist and writer' Chris Packham'Inspired, friendly and blessed with apparently limitless knowledge' Peter Marren'Moss has carved out an enviable niche as a chronicler of the natural world' Daily Mail