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The Depths of the Sea: A Novel
by Jamie MetzlIt's 1979 and Morgan O'Reilly, a dispirited CIA desk officer, is desperately trying to bury his memories. Sent to Cambodia as a Marine and then as a CIA operative during the Vietnam War, he had been given the unlikely task of pulling together a secret spy unit of orphaned street children. At the end of the war, he was only able to get one child out of the country, his surrogate son, Sophal. Years later, Sophal, now a CIA agent, disappears on a secret mission in the Cambodian refugee camps in Thailand. Tom Dillon, the dashing young superstar of the White House foreign policy staff, asks O'Reilly to find Sophal and bring him home. O'Reilly's search takes him deeper and deeper into the politics of the Thai-Cambodian border and finally into the deadly Khmer Rouge zone - a place where all foreigners are forbidden from entering and where cruelty and death are omnipresent. Filled with the fascinating workings of the refugee camps, the life or death politics of Washington, DC, and the inner workings of the personalities that are drawn to such extreme circumstances, Jamie Metzl's The Depths of the Sea is a thriller that both entertains and educates.
The Descent of Man: Selection in Relation to Sex
by Adrian Desmond Charles Darwin James MooreApplying his controversial theory of evolution to the origins of the human species, Charles Darwin's The Descent of Man was the culmination of his life's work. This Penguin Classics edition is edited with an introduction by James Moore and Adrian Desmond.In The Origin of Species, Charles Darwin refused to discuss human evolution, believing the subject too 'surrounded with prejudices'. He had been reworking his notes since the 1830s, but only with trepidation did he finally publish The Descent of Man in 1871. The book notoriously put apes in our family tree and made the races one family, diversified by 'sexual selection' - Darwin's provocative theory that female choice among competing males leads to diverging racial characteristics. Named by Sigmund Freud as 'one of the ten most significant books' ever written, Darwin's Descent of Man continues to shape the way we think about what it is that makes us uniquely human.In their introduction, James Moore and Adrian Desmond, acclaimed biographers of Charles Darwin, call for a radical re-assessment of the book, arguing that its core ideas on race were fired by Darwin's hatred of slavery. The text is the second and definitive edition and this volume also contains suggestions for further reading, a chronology and biographical sketches of prominent individuals mentioned.Charles Darwin (1809-82), a Victorian scientist and naturalist, has become one of the most famous figures of science to date. The advent of On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1859 challenged and contradicted all contemporary biological and religious beliefs.If you enjoyed The Descent of Man, you might like Darwin's On the Origin of Species, also available in Penguin Classics.
Developing and Validating Multiple-choice Test Items
by Thomas M. HaladynaThis book is intended for anyone who is seriously interested in designing and validating multiple-choice test items that measure understanding and the application of knowledge and skills to complex situations, such as critical thinking and problem solving. The most comprehensive and authoritative book in its field, this edition has been extensively
The Diary Of A C-List Celeb
by Paul HendyFrom playing panto in Grimsby to hosting the highest rated light entertainment show in the history of British television, this is the story of one extraordinary year in the life of minor TV personality and serial bad dresser, Simon Peters...Simon languishes on the bottom rung of the showbiz celebrity ladder, mired in the tacky world of game shows, daytime TV and home shopping channels. His agent has trouble remembering his name and even his stalker is more famous than he is. He goes to all the wrong parties, sleeps with all the wrong people and to make matters worse, stardom beckons for his most-loathed enemy. And just when it seems things couldn't get any worse, the plug is pulled on his TV show...Like most celebrities, Simon's riddled with insecurities but he's nothing if not resilient, thick-skinned, utterly selfish and a total - if misguided believer - in his own talent. HE knows he's got what it takes to get to the middle, the very middle. It's just the getting there that's the problem.
Dino Dog
by Jane ClarkeDavid and Lucy have got a new dog from the Rescue Centre, but they don't know what his name is. What they do know is that he's ace at digging and he's got a good nose for fossilized bones. In this humorous holiday adventure story, set on the Isle of Wight, David and Lucy are determined to find out if the bones their dog digs up are real dinosaur bones. Imagine if they've discovered a new kind of dinosaur! A dramatic storm and encounter with a local beachcomber eventually lead to the discovery of a complete dinosaur skeleton in the rock cliffs -- and the right name fortheir keen-nosed dog.
Discourse on Method and the Meditations: And Meditations On The First Philosophy (Barnes And Noble Library Of Essential Reading Ser.)
by René DescartesRené Descartes was a central figure in the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century. In his Discourse on Method he outlined the contrast between mathematics and experimental sciences, and the extent to which each one can achieve certainty. Drawing on his own work in geometry, optics, astronomy and physiology, Descartes developed the hypothetical method that characterizes modern science, and this soon came to replace the traditional techniques derived from Aristotle. Many of Descartes' most radical ideas - such as the disparity between our perceptions and the realities that cause them - have been highly influential in the development of modern philosophy.
The Divine Comedy & Paradise
by Dante AlighieriIn Paradise, having plunged to the uttermost depths of Hell and climbed the Mount of Purgatory, Dante ascends to Heaven, continuing his soul's search for God, guided by his beloved Beatrice. As he progresses through the spheres of Paradise he grows in understanding, until he finally experiences divine love in the radiant presence of the deity. Examining eternal questions of faith, desire and enlightenment, Dante exercised all his learning and wit, wrath and tenderness in his creation of one of the greatest of all Christian allegories.
Doctor Who The Sleep Of Reason (DOCTOR WHO #20)
by Martin DayCaroline Laska Darnell is a perfectly normal 19 year-old: worried about boyfriends, acne and exams; passionate about dance music and piercings. But one day a terrible suicide attempt sees her admitted to the Retreat, a groundbreaking medical centre in the woods. To her horror, she recognises the Retreat from her nightmares about an old building haunted by ghostly dogs, and she realises that something is very wrong with the institute. She digs deeper and realises that her family are intimately connected with the history of the Retreat. Before he died, Laskas father left her a dog tooth pendant and mysterious diaries and documents. Through these, Laska discovers that the Retreat was once an asylum that almost burnt to the ground in 1902. Her research brings her to the attention of medical officer Dr Smith, and his friends Fitz and Trix. Smith is utterly fascinated by Laskas waking dreams and prophetic nightmares, but if Laska is cant trust her own perceptions, can she trust Dr Smith?
Dominic's Discovery
by Gervase PhinnDominic's middle name is trouble, but not because he's got a troublesome nature, but quite simply because he's ALWAYS in the wrong place at the wrong time. So it's not surprising that he's only allowed on the school trip to Thundercliff Bay - home to pirate legend, chilling ghost stories and lost treasure - by the skin of his teeth. Or that strict Mr Risley-Newsome, who has his beady eye on him, makes him stay at the youth hostel for forgetting his walking boots. What is surprising is that a very special discovery made by Dominic saves the day when the whole class is in serious danger, and proves to everyone that sometimes he can be in the right place at the right time.
Donald Campbell: The Man Behind The Mask
by David TremayneGenerations are familiar with the haunting black and white television footage of Donald Campbell somersaulting to his death in his famous Bluebird boat on Coniston Water in January, 1967. It has become an iconic image of the decade. His towering achievements, and the drama of his passing, are thus part of the national psyche. But what of the man himself? The son of the legendary Sir Malcolm Campbell who was famous for being the ultimate record-breaker of the inter-war years - he broke the land speed record nine times and the water speed record four times with his Bluebird cars and boats - Donald Campbell was born to speed. He was outgoing and flamboyant, yet carefully orchestrated the image he presented to the world. Some saw him as a playboy adventurer; others, such as the radio producer on the twenty-first anniversary of his death, as a reckless daredevil with a death wish. He was known to take solace in extra-marital dalliances, and was obsessed with spiritualism. And in his final years, battered by a 360-mph accident while attempting the land record on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, and his prolonged and anti-climactic subsequent effort on the treacherous Lake Eyre in Australia, Campbell appeared a haggard and often frightened man. He had become trapped on his record-breaker's treadmill as he continually sought to prove himself to his illustrious father, in whose long shadow he felt forever trapped. DONALD CAMPBELL: THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK paints a fascinating portrait of an intense, complex, superstitious yet abnormally brave man who was driven not only by the desire to prove that he was worthy of the mantle of his father, but also by his fervent and unswerving desire to keep Britain at the forefront of international speed endeavour. This book generates a unique insight into how his desperate fear of failure finally lured him into taking one risk too many.
The Down's Syndrome Handbook: The Practical Handbook for Parents and Carers
by Downs Syndrome Association Dr Richard NewtonCombining medical knowledge with sympathetic common sense, this completely updated comprehensive handbook offers help and advice to all parents and carers of children with Down's syndrome, and shows them how to help their children flourish and reach their full potential. Written in association with the Down's Syndrome Association, this book goes beyond the average introduction to Down's syndrome and addresses the questions, practical or otherwise, that parents will often find themselves asking, and also offers information and advice on a wide variety of related issues, including:--current medical knowledge about the condition--advice on the special care of babies and young children--education and training--emotional and sexual development--integration into society
Dragons and All Blacks: Wales v. New Zealand - 1953 and a Century of Rivalry
by Huw Richards'The Bounce of the Century' they called it. A ball kicked across Cardiff Arms Park in the dying minutes of a match between two of international rugby's fiercest rivals. The world's two greatest wingers waited as it bounced towards them, knowing that whoever caught the ball would score and win the match for his country.Dragons and All Blacks tells what happened when Wales played New Zealand in 1953. The story is written from contemporary accounts and the memories of the men who played that day, including Bob Stuart and Bleddyn Williams, for many of whom the match was the highlight of a career.The book retells the stories of the two teams and the men who played for them, and charts the events of their lives: how they got to that meeting point in Cardiff in December 1953 and what has happened to them in the half-century since.Dragons and All Blacks examines the remarkable relationship between two countries on opposite sides of the world, brought together by a mutual passion for rugby with few parallels elsewhere. It shows how their rivalry has developed over a century - from perhaps the greatest of all rugby matches in 1905 to the single-point thriller of 2004 - and looks to its future in the aftermath of the 2005 Welsh Grand Slam and Lions tour of New Zealand.
Dudley Moore: An Intimate Portrait
by Rena FruchterRena Fruchter was Dudley's concert piano partner, and the friend who looked after him in the final years of his life until his death at the age of 66. This is her intimate portrait of the extraordinarily brilliant, complex character that was Dudley Moore. During the last ten years of his life Dudley changed. He stepped off the podium and into real life. Physically life was difficult, professionally it was turbulent, but during his final years he blossomed, and in the midst of his illness from the debilitating effects of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, he found peace. Rena writes beautifully of Dudley's final years but also takes us back through his life story - conveying his inimitable talent, humour and vibrancy; evoking the atmosphere of a working-class upbringing in 1940s Britain, life in 1950s London and his relationship with Peter Cook, and the excesses of 1980s LA. With style and precision she unravels his personality, looks back at his childhood and career, weaving a moving and compelling story of a unique man.
Durham: Over 1,000 Years of History and Legend (A-z Of Curious Ser.)
by Martin DufferwielThe historic City of Durham is now over 1,000 years old. With its magnificent Norman Cathedral and Castle it has become a world famous tourist attraction, the outstanding importance of which was recognised in 1987 when it was designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.Martin Dufferveil's book is a celebration of this unique City and of the Country that has grown up around it, from the day in AD 995 when a group of monks carrying the coffin of St Cuthbert settled on what was then known as the 'Dunholm' to the present time. From the original site on the high wooded rock, a settlement began to take shape. It was one which would be swelled by pilgrims and made wealthy by their offerings, and which would eventually become one of the most important sites of religious pilgrimage and military power in England. Many events and people have, throughout the last millennium, lit up the long story of Durham, in both fact and fable. This book recalls some of them. Wars, saints, kings and mythical beasts are all included in this tale of over 1,000 years as are surveyors, locomotive engineers and miners. It is all here from the long sagas of the Wars of the Roses and the English Civil War, to the legendary Lampton Worm; from Canute the Great, Viking Emperor, to murder most foul at Gutty Throat Farm; and from the ravages of William the Conqueror, to the bizarre plan to turn Durham City into a port. Steam locomotives for the Tsar of Russia and Dixieland in the USA both had their origins here in Durham, and both feature in this book.
Dying to Call You (The Dead-End Job Mysteries #3)
by Elaine VietsFrom Anthony and Agatha Award-winning author Elaine Viets—the thrilling mystery series about one woman trying to make a living... while other people are making a killing.Still living under the radar in Fort Lauderdale due to her refusal to pay her ex-husband’s spousal support, Helen Hawthorne’s latest workaday job might just be the lowest rung on the employment ladder—telemarketing. She’s spending her hours interrupting dinners and disturbing slumbers, and in return hearing curses and extremely rude suggestions.Then, while Helen is conducting a phone survey with the wealthy Henry “Hank” Asporth, he puts the receiver down without hanging up…and Helen can’t believe what she hears next. She can just make out a man and a woman arguing, a short scream cut off by a horrible choking sound, then an eerie silence followed by a final “click.”Convinced she just heard a murder being committed—but with no solid proof—Helen is driven to find out what really happened with Hank and the mystery woman. But if she’s not careful, she just might end up holding a dead line of her own…
Dyslexia: A Teenager's Guide
by Sylvia MoodyDyslexic teenagers face special problems - this book will help solve them. Dyslexia, involving problems with reading, writing, spelling, memory, organisation and time management, can affect people of all backgrounds and abilities. But most books on this subject are geared towards young children; advice for teenagers is thin on the ground. Yet dyslexic teenagers face special problems. They need to master complex study skills, deal with large amounts of revision, and cope with the demands of examinations. They may suffer from stress, anxiety and lack of confidence. Dyslexia: A Teenager's Guide helps young adults tackle these problems with strategies uniquely suited to their needs. Clearly and simply written by a leading expert in the field, the book helps with reading, writing, spelling and memory, as well as giving tips on how to take notes, organise study, deal with examinations and use IT. It also shows how to improve confidence, deal with stress, and build on the creative talent that many dyslexics possess.
Eating Your Auntie Is Wrong: The World's Strangest Customs
by Stephen ArnottCrossing continents and centuries Stephen Arnott brings us invaluable information about all kinds of bizarre regional customs - from sexual practices to the received wisdom on cannibalism - that could save you from embarrassing local faux pas while travelling. Did you know that amongst the Tartars, relations of the bride and bridegroom would traditionally divide into two groups and fight each other until some had suffered bleeding wounds? It was thought that causing blood to flow in this way would ensure the couple had strong sons; or that in Hungary, a cure for infertility was to beat a barren woman with a stick? The stick having previously been used to separate mating dogs; or that amongst some Aboriginal tribes of New South Wales that men who had any contact with their mothers-in-law would suffer terrible hard luck? The threat was so great that married men even avoided looking in their mother-in-law's general direction.
Echinacea: The genus Echinacea (ISSN #Vol. 39)
by Sandra Carol MillerProving in-depth analysis of a popular herbal remedy, this book brings Echinacea out of the realm of folklore medicine and into the territory of valued and potentially fundamental therapy. As a successful stimulant to the immune system, the herbal remedy has gained acclaim in the fight against many diseases, including cancer. The text describes how the plant is cultivated and where in the world it is most abundant. It describes different species of Echinacea that are medically important and what chemically active ingredients give Echinacea its strong pharmaceutical value. Readers will also learn when this trendy remedy should not be used.
The Economics of Innocent Fraud: Truth For Our Time
by John Kenneth GalbraithJohn Kenneth Galbraith has long been at the center of American economics, in key positions of responsibility during the New Deal, World War II, and since, guiding policy and debate. His trenchant new book distills this lifetime of experience in the public and private sectors; it is a scathing critique of matters as they stand today.Sounding the alarm about the increasing gap between reality and "conventional wisdom" -- a phrase he coined -- Galbraith tells, along with much else, how we have reached a point where the private sector has unprecedented control over the public sector. We have given ourselves over to self-serving belief and "contrived nonsense" or, more simply, fraud. This has come at the expense of the economy, effective government, and the business world.Particularly noted is the central power of the corporation and the shift in authority from shareholders and board members to management. In an intense exercise of fraud, the pretense of shareholder power is still maintained, even with the immediate participants. In fact, because of the scale and complexity of the modern corporation, decisive power must go to management. From management and its own inevitable self-interest, power extends deeply into government -- the so-called public sector. This is particularly and dangerously the case in such matters as military policy, the environment, and, needless to say, taxation. Nevertheless, there remains the firm reference to the public sector.How can fraud be innocent? In his inimitable style, Galbraith offers the answer. His taut, wry, and severe comment is essential reading for everyone who cares about America's future. This book is especially relevant in an election year, but it deeply concerns the much longer future.
The Edge Chronicles 9: Third Book of Rook (The Edge Chronicles #9)
by Paul Stewart Chris RiddellFleeing from the ruins of New Undertown, young librarian knight Rook Barkwater and his colleagues – Felix Lodd and his banderbear friends – must lead the escaping population to a new life in the Free Glades.But perils aplenty are ahead for the crowd, and Rook knows the journey will be full of danger. Meanwhile, in the Goblin Nations, the tribes are amassing for war. Will Rook be able to keep his friends, himself and their new lives safe? Freeglader is the third book of the Rook Saga – third trilogy in The Edge Chronicles, the internationally best-selling fantasy series, which has featured on the UK and the New York Times best-seller lists and sold more than 3 million copies. There are now 13 titles and four trilogies in the series, but each book is a stand-alone adventure, so you can read The Edge Chronicles in any order you choose.
Elite Forces
by R M BennettThe invincible reputation of specialist military units such as the USA's Delta Force, Israel's IDP, and of course, Britian's SAS has grown steadily in recent years. Thanks to a number of successful campaigns and anti-terror operations, from London's Iranian Embassy siege in 1980 to the second Gulf War, in which they played a crucial role, it's now assumed that special forces are ideal for our world of small, localised conflicts - and especially George W Bush's war on terror.Elite Forces: The World's Most Formidable Secret Armies:- Contains over 500 compelling entries that cut through myth and secrecy.- Details the history, selection and training procedures and orders of battle of every major elite fighting force in the world today.- Is packed with hair-raising examples of individual heroism, endurance and courage in adversity.- Is fully up to date and includes recent coalition operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.- Takes an objective look at what happens when things go wrong, as they did most famously during the Gulf War of 1991 and in America's intervention in Somalia in 1993.- Explores the hidden links between elite forces and governments, intelligence organisations and business, and their controversial lack of accountability.- Examines how new technologies have come to the aid of the elite soldier.This is the first book of its kind to examine all aspects of the overlap between elite forces and the hidden worlds of intelligence and counter-terrorism, and takes an objective look at the secret, controversial role of special forces and 'Freelancers' in covert, deadly operations around the world. Elite Forces is a compelling, revealing - and occasionally shocking - read, and an authoritive and easy-to-use reference resource.
Emerald Magic: Great Tales of Irish Fantasy
by Ray Bradbury Jacqueline Carey Cecilia Dart-ThorntonMythology and magic come alive in this collection of Irish fantasy stories by some of today's finest authors.Ireland is a nation that holds fast to its history and heritage, and nowhere is that more true than in its folktales and legends. From the great Celtic myths featuring the bard Taliesin, the terrible Morrigan, the heroic Cuchulain, or the noble and cunning Sidhe to strange and mysterious tales of today, the stories and traditions of the Emerald Isle hold a strong attraction for many. Stories are told in cottage hearths from Galway to Dublin, and from the windblown rocky Cliffs of Mohr to the seaside villages where fishing boats still roam the oceans. Tall tales and town stories are as much a way of life as a pint and good conversation at the local pub.Emerald Magic brings together today's best fantasy authors to explore the myths of the Irish, telling their own versions of these ancient tales of luck, love, and honor, or drawing upon centuries of Irish myths and folktales and updating them into brand-new stories. Edited and with an introduction by bestselling author Father Andrew M. Greeley, Emerald Magic contains fourteen wonderful stories of legend and lore, including:"A Woman Is a Fast Moving Picnic" by Ray Bradbury. A group of pub regulars set out to discover the truth behind a local song and answer that age-old question: Just how fast does a person sink in a bog?"The Isle of Women" by Jacqueline Carey. In an age long ago, a warrior sailing for vengeance happens upon an island ruled by a woman like no other. But if he is to continue his quest, he must choose between her and his duty. "Speir-Bhan" by Tanith Lee. A woman who finds and reads her grandfather's diary unleashes the specter of an old debt that, even in today's modern age, must be paid---one way or the other."A Drop of Something Special in the Blood" by Fred Saberhagen. In the late eighteenth century, an Irish author encounters a being that he will turn into his greatest literary creation."The Cat with No Name" by Morgan Llywelyn. A lonely girl neglected by her parents finds an unexpected friend in the alley behind her home---one that may be more than it first seems."The Butter-Spirit's Tithe" by Charles de Lint. Even in twenty-first-century America, it is still not wise to anger the spirits of the world, as a young musician discovers when a butter-spirit who had cursed him nine years earlier comes to claim his soul. "Land of Heart's Desire" by Elizabeth Haydon. A young man discovers the magical truth about his parents' marriage, and sets a chain of events in motion that will force him to choose between the life he has always known---and another life he could have."The Swan Pilot" by L. E. Modesitt, Jr. In the far future, spaceship pilots travel through interdimensional portals from planet to planet---and the only thing more important than knowing how to fly is knowing how to handle the strange hallucinations that appear during the journey.Filled with the spirit and magic of the stories of Ireland, Emerald Magic is a collection of fantasy stories that will delight and captivate from the first page to the last. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World
by Niall FergusonNiall Ferguson's acclaimed bestseller on the highs and lows of Britain's empire'A remarkably readable précis of the whole British imperial story - triumphs, deceits, decencies, kindnesses, cruelties and all' Jan Morris Once vast swathes of the globe were coloured imperial red and Britannia ruled not just the waves, but the prairies of America, the plains of Asia, the jungles of Africa and the deserts of Arabia. Just how did a small, rainy island in the North Atlantic achieve all this? And why did the empire on which the sun literally never set finally decline and fall? Niall Ferguson's acclaimed Empire brilliantly unfolds the imperial story in all its splendours and its miseries, showing how a gang of buccaneers and gold-diggers planted the seed of the biggest empire in all history - and set the world on the road to modernity.'The most brilliant British historian of his generation ... Ferguson examines the roles of "pirates, planters, missionaries, mandarins, bankers and bankrupts" in the creation of history's largest empire ... he writes with splendid panache ... and a seemingly effortless, debonair wit' Andrew Roberts 'Dazzling ... wonderfully readable' New York Review of Books'Empire is a pleasure to read and brims with insights and intelligence' Sunday Times
An Essay Concerning Human Understanding
by John LockeIn An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, first published in 1690, John Locke (1632-1704) provides a complete account of how we acquire everyday, mathematical, natural scientific, religious and ethical knowledge. Rejecting the theory that some knowledge is innate in us, Locke argues that it derives from sense perceptions and experience, as analysed and developed by reason. While defending these central claims with vigorous common sense, Locke offers many incidental - and highly influential - reflections on space and time, meaning, free will and personal identity. The result is a powerful, pioneering work, which, together with Descartes's works, largely set the agenda for modern philosophy.
The Essays
by Michel MontaigneTo overcome a crisis of melancholy after the death of his father, Montaigne withdrew to his country estates and began to write, and in the highly original essays that resulted he discussed themes such as fathers and children, conscience and cowardice, coaches and cannibals, and, above all, himself. On Some Lines of Virgil opens out into a frank discussion of sexuality and makes a revolutionary case for the equality of the sexes. In On Experience he superbly propounds his thoughts on the right way to live, while other essays touch on issues of an age struggling with religious and intellectual strife, with France torn apart by civil war. These diverse subjects are united by Montaigne's distinctive voice - that of a tolerant man, sceptical, humane, often humorous and utterly honest in his pursuit of the truth.