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Oliver Mtukudzi: Living Tuku Music in Zimbabwe (African Expressive Cultures)
by Jennifer W. KykerOliver "Tuku" Mtukudzi, a Zimbabwean guitarist, vocalist, and composer, has performed worldwide and released some 50 albums. One of a handful of artists to have a beat named after him, Mtukudzi blends Zimbabwean traditional sounds with South African township music and American gospel and soul, to compose what is known as Tuku Music. In this biography, Jennifer W. Kyker looks at Mtukudzi's life and art, from his encounters with Rhodesian soldiers during the Zimbabwe war of liberation to his friendship with American blues artist Bonnie Raitt. With unprecedented access to Mtukudzi, Kyker breaks down his distinctive performance style using the Shona concept of "hunhu," or human identity through moral relationships, as a framework. By reading Mtukudzi's life in connection with his lyrics and the social milieu in which they were created, Kyker offers an engaging portrait of one of African music's most recognized performers. Interviews with family, friends, and band members make this a penetrating, sensitive, and uplifting biography of one of the world's most popular musicians.
A Woman of Courage on the West Virginia Frontier: Phebe Tucker Cunningham
by Sir Robert ThompsonAuthor Robert Thompson recounts the harrowing story of Phebe Tucker Cunningham, from her marriage at Prickett's Fort to her return to the shores of the Monongahela.Life on the West Virginia frontier was a daily struggle for survival, and for Phebe Tucker Cunningham, that meant the loss of her four children at the hands of the Wyandot tribe and being held captive for three years until legendary renegades Simon Girty and Alexander McKee arranged her freedom. Thompson describes in vivid detail early colonial life in the Alleghenies and the ways of the Wyandot, providing historical context for this unforgettable saga.
F*ck You, I'm Irish: Why We Irish Are Awesome
by Rashers TierneyAn in-your-face collection of trivia that’s sure to inspire chest-thumping pride in everyone of Irish descent.Is there anyone who does not think the Irish are the greatest people on Earth? Before stepping outside to convince them, first peacefully impart upon any misinformed bar patrons the incontrovertible evidence presented in F*ck You, I’m Irish. Amazing accomplishment or astounding person, if it bleeds kelly green and it’s feckin’ great, it’s in this book. Irish pride has sparked parades, breakfast cereal, beer, riots, international holidays, the fame of Liam Neeson, sports mascots, more beer, and now, this fun and fascinating book. In its pages, Irish culture, history, and general weirdness come to life with snappy entries on everything from snake-chasing saints, cute hoors, and ruthless independence fighters to acclaimed authors, superstar rock bands, and fair-skinned super models.Forget about the leprechaun dolls, T-shirts, hats, wigs, and green beer that people buy every St. Paddy’s Day! With true stories of immigrant struggles, rollicking wakes, hurling shenanigans, and Guinness-fueled escapades, F*ck You, I’m Irish offers a far better way to celebrate one’s heritage than a manky “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” button.
Servants of Satan: The Age of the Witch Hunts
by Joseph KlaitsHow the persecution of witches reflected the darker side of the central social, political, and cultural developments of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.This is the first book to consider the general course and significance of the European witch craze of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries since H.R. Trevor-Roper’s classic and pioneering study appeared some fifteen years ago. Drawing upon the advances in historical and social-science scholarship of the past decade and a half, Joseph Klaits integrates the recent appreciations of witchcraft in regional studies, the history of popular culture, anthropology, sociology, and psychology to better illuminate the place of witch hunting in the context of social, political, economic and religious change.“In all, Klaits has done a good job. Avoiding the scandalous and sensational, he has maintained throughout, with sensitivity and economy, an awareness of the uniqueness of the theories and persecutions that have fascinated scholars now for two decades and are unlikely to lose their appeal in the foreseeable future.” —American Historical Review“This is a commendable synthesis whose time has come . . . fascinating.” —The Sixteenth Century Journal“Comprehensive and clearly written . . . An excellent book.” —Choice“Impeccable research and interpretation stand behind this scholarly but not stultifying account.” —Booklist“A good, solid, general treatment.” —Erik Midelfort, C. Julian Bishko Professor Emeritus of History and Religious Studies, University of Virginia“A well written, easy to read book, and the bibliography is a good source of secondary materials for further reading.” —Journal of American Folklore
Quick Hits for Adjunct Faculty and Lecturers: Successful Strategies from Award-Winning Teachers
by Robert WolterValuable practical advice for managing classrooms, workloads, and careers.Non-tenure-track lecturers and adjunct instructors face particular challenges at US colleges, including heavy teaching loads, lack of office space, little control over the selection of course topics or textbooks, and long commutes between jobs at two or more schools.Quick Hits for Adjunct Faculty and Lecturers contains short, practice-oriented articles by experienced instructors that offer valuable teaching and career tips for balancing competing demands, addressing student issues, managing classrooms, and enhancing professional development.
Miguel's Gift: A Novel
by Bruce KadingIn late 1980s Chicago, Nick Hayden, a rookie INS field agent, is eager to make his mark in the unit responsible for picking up illegal immigrants around the city. Hayden excels, whether he's raiding factories or busting Colombian drug dealers. Seen as a rising star by supervisors, over time the green, idealistic Hayden evolves into what one veteran agent terms a "gladiator," an agent willing to do whatever is necessary to get the job done. But Hayden's real reason for joining INS—the mysterious death of an agent thirteen years earlier—remains a closely guarded secret, even as he reluctantly begins a discreet inquiry to uncover the truth.Hayden's world changes dramatically when he recruits Miguel Chavez, a humble Mexican illegal immigrant, to be an informant to help take down Salvador Rico, the ruthless kingpin of Chicago's counterfeit document trade. Nick faces challenges during the investigation that profoundly alter his career and personal priorities as the story builds to a deadly confrontation.
The Irish of Gettysburg (Civil War Ser.)
by Philip Thomas TuckerAt the outbreak of the Civil War, Irish citizens on both sides of the Mason-Dixon answered the call to arms. This was most evident at the Battle of Gettysburg.Louisiana Irish Rebels charged with the cry "We are the Louisiana Tigers!" Irish soldiers of the Alabama Brigade and the Texas Brigade launched assaults on the line's southern end at Little Round Top. During Pickett's Charge, Gaelic brothers fought each other as determined Irishmen of the Sixty-Ninth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry repelled Irish of the Virginia Brigade in one of the most decisive moments in American history. Author Phillip Thomas Tucker reveals the compelling story.
Forbidden Objects
by Maggie DavisGeorgia&’s tarnished past unleashes an otherworldly evil in this &“marvelous novel . . . southern gothic at its best&” (Charles L. Grant, author of the Black Oak series). Lazarus was his name, an evil which "rose from the dead" off a slave ship to control the Georgia plantation with fear and the obeah: the evil instruments of conjure. Does his evil and his anger extend beyond the grave beyond space and time? Elizabeth Franklin Jefferson, called "Frankie" by her friends, is a descendant of slave owners and sensitive to the world beyond. But now Frankie and her cousin, Julian, have awakened an evil long thought put to rest: Lazarus and his deadly obeah. Now everyone in Frankie's family has started to die—will Frankie be next?
Forest and Labor in Madagascar: From Colonial Concession to Global Biosphere
by Genese Marie SodikoffA study of the demands of economic development and ecological conservation on the African island country.Protecting the unique plants and animals that live on Madagascar while fueling economic growth has been a priority for the Malagasy state, international donors, and conservation NGOs since the late 1980s. Forest and Labor in Madagascar shows how poor rural workers who must make a living from the forest balance their needs with the desire of the state to earn foreign revenue from ecotourism and forest-based enterprises. Genese Marie Sodikoff examines how the appreciation and protection of Madagascar’s biodiversity depend on manual labor. She exposes the moral dilemmas workers face as both conservation representatives and peasant farmers by pointing to the hidden costs of ecological conservation.“Sodikoff takes us deep into the underbelly of conservation in one of the world’s biodiversity “hot-spots.” It is a world of timber barons, logging gangs, corrupt state functionaries, international conservation experts, worker-peasants, and poachers. She paints eastern Madagascar as a frontier of dispossession, exploitation, and violence. The plundering of the Mananara protected area is seen, in a brilliantly original way, from the subaltern vantage point of forest workers and conservation labor. Forest and Labor places present day conservation on the larger canvas of a century of forest-based social relations of labor that have entered into the making of what Sodikoff calls neoliberal conservation. It is a magnificently rich historical and ethnographic accounting of what passes as the making of global biosphere reserves. A tour de force.” —Michael Watts, UC Berkeley“An important and lively contribution to the study of “green neoliberalism.” An obvious choice for undergraduate teaching on ecology, rights, international political economy, development, and a host of other topics.” —David Graeber, University of London“Brings a whole new angle and nuance to the crucial debates over conservation and development. Applicable not just to lush, humid eastern Madagascar, but all around the globe.” —Christian Kull, Monash University“Those interested in conservation, tropical rainforest ecology, international political economy, and sustainable development will find Forest and Labor in Madagascar an insightful case study.” —Choice
Avengers and Defenders: Glimpses of Chicago's Jewish Past
by Walter Roth&“Meticulous research brings alive in equal measure some of the best-known and least remembered, but fascinating, episodes in Chicago Jewish history.&” —Michael Feldberg, Executive Director, American Jewish Historical Society Walter Roth delves deep into the archives of Chicago&’s Jewish past in this collection of illuminating essays. The presence of Jews in Chicago goes back to 1841 and, Roth, a scholar of Jewish history in the city, looks at the more colorful and little-known aspects of Jewish involvement in all aspects of city life. He reveals Jewish connections to such tragedies as the Haymarket affair, the Peoria Street Riots of November 1949, the Memorial Day Massacre of 1937, the Iroquois Theater fire, and the murder of Jake Lingle. He also explores the Jewish community&’s impact on business life, with discussions of Albert Lasker, the father of modern advertising, Ernest Byfield, founder of the Pump Room, William Paley, the head of CBS, Benjamin Rosenthal and the Chicago Mail Order Company, and the demise of the Foreman State Bank. There are sections on culture in the city (Meyer Levin and Isaac Rosenfeld), and science in the city (Leo Strauss, Martin D Kamen and Gunther Stent). These are only a sampling of the influential people and events Roth covers in this engaging collection. &“[Roth&’s] essays sparkle with gems that will interest scholars, researchers, and casual readers alike.&” —Mark A. Raider, Chair, Judaic Studies Dept., SUNY, Albany &“Readers . . . will find themselves enthralled by Walter Roth&’s indispensable exploration of the intriguing role that one talented minority played . . . in the evolution of one of the world&’s greatest cities.&” —Steven J. Whitfield, Max Richter Professor of American Civilization, Brandeis University
The Complete Master Cleanse: A Step-by-Step Guide to Maximizing the Benefits of The Lemonade Diet
by Tom WoloshynA comprehensive guide to cleansing and detoxing the body—and maximizing the amazing results of the Master Cleanse Diet.The Lemonade Diet is simple and powerful. The recipe takes only minutes to learn, and when done correctly the cleanse is surprisingly easy and completely safe. But there’s more to it than just drinking the lemonade mixture. The Complete Master Cleanse offers a step-by-step program that unleashes the full power of the Master Cleanse and all its health benefits.Tom Woloshyn shares the amazing results, helpful information, and insightful tips he’s gained from personally coaching thousands of people on the best way to follow The Lemonade Diet. Much has been learned about detoxing since the Master Cleanse was first developed over thirty years ago, and this up-to-date book explains clearly how and why cleansing can improve all aspects of your personal health, including:•Increasing Energy•Balancing Your Body’s pH•Losing Weight•Reducing Swelling and Pain•Alleviating Allergies•Flushing the Colon•Improving Skin and Hair•Ridding Your Body of Parasites
Mennonites, Amish, and the American Civil War (Young Center)
by Steven M. Nolt James O. LehmanA study of the American Mennonite and Amish communities response to the Civil War and the effect t it had upon them.During the American Civil War, the Mennonites and Amish faced moral dilemmas that tested the very core of their faith. How could they oppose both slavery and the war to end it? How could they remain outside the conflict without entering the American mainstream to secure legal conscientious objector status? In the North, living this ethical paradox marked them as ambivalent participants to the Union cause; in the South, it marked them as clear traitors. In the first scholarly treatment of pacifism during the Civil War, two experts in Anabaptist studies explore the important role of sectarian religion in the conflict and the effects of wartime Americanization on these religious communities. James O. Lehman and Steven M. Nolt describe the various strategies used by religious groups who struggled to come to terms with the American mainstream without sacrificing religious values—some opted for greater political engagement, others chose apolitical withdrawal, and some individuals renounced their faith and entered the fight. Integrating the most recent Civil War scholarship with little-known primary sources and new information from Pennsylvania and Virginia to Illinois and Iowa, Lehman and Nolt provide the definitive account of the Anabaptist experience during the bloodiest war in American history.“I found this book fascinating. It is an easy read, with lots of arresting stories of faith under test. Its amazingly thorough research, which comes through on every page, makes the book convincing.” —Al Keim, Shenandoah Mennonite Historian“An impressive work in every way: gracefully written, broadly researched, careful and measured in its conclusions. It is likely to become the definitive work on its subject.” —Thomas D. Hamm, Indiana Magazine of History“In this fascinating study, Lehman and Nolt perform a miraculous feat: they find a small unexplored backwater in the immense sea of literature on the American Civil War.” —Perry Bush, Michigan Historical Review
Quick Hits for Teaching with Technology: Successful Strategies by Award-Winning Teachers
by Marcia D. Dixson Andrew D. Gavrin Michael C Morrone Joan E Lafuze Anastasia S Morrone“A wealth of good ideas” for using technology in education, from increasing student engagement to managing hybrid and distance learning (Teachers College Record).How should I use technology in my courses? What impact does technology have on student learning? Is distance learning effective? Should I give online tests and, if so, how can I be sure of the integrity of the students’ work? These are some of the questions that instructors raise as technology becomes an integral part of the educational experience.In Quick Hits for Teaching with Technology, award-winning instructors representing a wide range of academic disciplines describe their strategies for employing technology to achieve learning objectives. They include tips on using just-in-time teaching, wikis, clickers, YouTube, blogging, and GIS, to name just a few. An accompanying interactive website enhances the value of this innovative tool.
West Plains Dance Hall Explosion (Disaster Ser.)
by Lin WaterhouseThe real-life mystery of a catastrophic blast in 1920s Missouri that killed dozens at a Friday night dance and shattered an Ozark town. One rainy night in 1928, a crowd, many of them the sons and daughters of prominent local citizens, gathered for a weekly dance held at Bond Hall. The explosion that occurred as midnight approached transformed Bond Hall into a raging inferno, left thirty-nine dead, and sparked feverish national media attention and decades of bitterness in the Missouri Ozark town. And while the story inspired a popular country song, the firestorm remains an unsolved mystery. In this first book on the notorious catastrophe, Lin Waterhouse presents a clear account of the event and its aftermath that judiciously weighs conflicting testimony and deeply respects the personal anguish experienced by parents forced to identify their children by their clothing and personal trinkets. Based on extensive research into archival records and illustrated with numerous photos, this is a fascinating account of a heartbreaking disaster and the town it tore apart.
China's Battle for Korea: The 1951 Spring Offensive (Twentieth-century Battles Ser.)
by Xiaobing LiBetween November 1950 and the end of fighting in June 1953, China launched six major offensives against UN forces in Korea. The most important of these began on April 22, 1951, and was the largest Communist military operation of the war. The UN forces put up a strong defense, prevented the capture of the South Korean capital of Seoul, and finally pushed the Chinese back above the 38th parallel. After China's defeat in this epic five-week battle, Mao Zedong and the Chinese leadership became willing to conclude the war short of total victory. China's Battle for Korea offers new perspectives on Chinese decision making, planning, and execution; the roles of command, political control, and technology; and the interaction between Beijing, Pyongyang, and Moscow, while providing valuable insight into Chinese military doctrine and the reasons for the UN's military success.
Refuge After the Collapse: Book Two of The Pulse Series (The Pulse Series)
by Scott B. WilliamsA father and daughter continue their struggle to survive in darkness following an apocalyptic disaster in this riveting adventure sequel to The Pulse.With the power, communication and transportation grids destroyed by massive solar flares, America has spiraled into anarchy and violence. Artie Drager and his daughter Casey reunite after his harrowing voyage across the Caribbean and her traumatic escape from a crumbling New Orleans and a deranged abductor.But their situation remains dire. The Gulf Coast swamps have provided a brief respite from danger, but Artie, Casey and their small band of friends know they must keep moving to stay ahead of the urban mobs. Although they accept Artie’s plan to sail to safety aboard his brother’s catamaran, none are aware that vicious marauders have ransacked the boat and left his brother to die.Meanwhile, Casey’s ordeal has left her shaken. Her courage and adaptability are tested again when the man she loves has become separated from the group. Casey must now decide whether to stay behind to save him or continue on with her father and uncle in search of refuge.
Ayya's Accounts: A Ledger of Hope in Modern India
by Anand Pandian M. P. Mariappan“An absorbing exploration of one man’s life” —as an orphan, refugee, shopkeeper, and grandfather—through a century of upheaval in India (Library Journal).Born in colonial India into a despised caste of former tree climbers, Ayya lost his mother as a child and came of age in a small town in lowland Burma. Forced to flee at the outbreak of World War II, he made a treacherous 1,700-mile journey by foot, boat, bullock cart, and rail back to southern India.Becoming a successful fruit merchant, Ayya educated and eventually settled many of his descendants in the United States. Luck, nerve, subterfuge, and sorrow all have their place along the precarious route of his advancement. Emerging out of tales told to his American grandson, Ayya’s Accounts embodies a simple faith—that the story of a place as large and complex as modern India can be told through the life of a single individual.“At once a mesmerizing memoir of an ordinary man’s life and an anthropologist’s revealing examination of the astounding changes experienced by persons and families . . . impossible to put down.” —South Asia“No one deemed a superhero by the movies has had a more interesting life with such extraordinary sweep.” —Scott Simon, NPR Weekend Edition
Haunted Northwest Arkansas (Haunted America)
by Bud SteedDiscover the tales of the ghosts and specters that linger in the northwest corner of the Natural State. The mountains and deeply wooded valleys of Northwest Arkansas have a mysterious side to match their pristine beauty. Eureka Springs is home to more than a few hotel guests who have never checked out. The lingering spirits of fallen Civil War soldiers are said to haunt the battlefields of Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove. Many former patients of sadistic doctor Norman Baker are believed to roam the grounds of his former hospital, now the Crescent Hotel. Elkhorn Tavern, a well-known stop on the historic westward thoroughfare, is still plagued by lingering apparitions from its days as a field hospital. Join paranormal investigator and author Bud Steed on a tour of some of the most haunted spots in Northwest Arkansas.
Blood Libel in Late Imperial Russia: The Ritual Murder Trial of Mendel Beilis
by Robert WeinbergThis “riveting history . . . brings us face to face with this notorious trial” of a Russian Jew who was framed for ritual murder in 1913 (Jewish Book World).On Sunday, March 20, 1911, children playing in a cave near Kiev made a gruesome discovery: the blood-soaked body of a partially clad boy. After right-wing groups asserted that the killing was a ritual murder, the police, with no direct evidence, arrested Menachem Mendel Beilis, a thirty-nine-year-old Jewish manager at a factory near the site of the crime. Beilis’s trial in 1913 quickly became an international cause célèbre.The jury ultimately acquitted Beilis but held that the crime had the hallmarks of a ritual murder. Robert Weinberg’s account of the Beilis Affair explores the reasons why the tsarist government framed Beilis, shedding light on the excesses of antisemitism in late Imperial Russia. It is a gripping narrative culled from trial transcripts, newspaper articles, Beilis’s memoirs, and archival sources, many appearing in English for the first time.
Saharan Frontiers: Space and Mobility in Northwest Africa (Public Cultures of the Middle East and North Africa)
by James McDougall and Judith Scheele“Makes a compelling case for the importance of Saharan history, both in its own right and in its articulations with the histories of other regions.” —American EthnologistThe Sahara has long been portrayed as a barrier that divides the Mediterranean world from Africa proper and isolates the countries of the Maghrib from their southern and eastern neighbors. Rather than viewing the desert as an isolating barrier, this volume takes up historian Fernand Braudel’s description of the Sahara as “the second face of the Mediterranean.” The essays recast the history of the region with the Sahara at its center, uncovering a story of densely interdependent networks that span the desert’s vast expanse. They explore the relationship between the desert’s “islands” and “shores” and the connections and commonalities that unite the region. Contributors draw on extensive ethnographic and historical research to address topics such as trade and migration; local notions of place, territoriality, and movement; Saharan cities; and the links among ecological, regional, and world-historical approaches to understanding the Sahara.Contributions by Dida Badi, Julien Brachet, Armelle Chopin, Charles Grémont, Peregrine Horden, Olivier Leservoisier, Laurence Marfaing, E. Ann McDougall, Abderrahmane Moussaoui, Mohamed Oudada, Fatma Oussedik, and Katia Schörle“A compilation of coherent, well-structured case studies addressing highly significant issues for the contemporary Sahara . . . a groundbreaking study.” —Social Anthropology“Altogether, this book is highly recommendable. Its key contribution is in teaching us to conceive of the Sahara not as a region clearly defined by natural features, but as a space that exists, extends, and expands according to its vibrant human interconnectedness.” —Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute
Unity in Faith?: Edinoverie, Russian Orthodoxy, and Old Belief, 1800–1918
by J. M. WhiteThe little known history of an attempt to end a religious schism in imperial Russia, and the questions it raised about church and state.Established in 1800, edinoverie (translated as “unity in faith”) was intended to draw back those who had broken with the Russian Orthodox Church over ritual reforms in the seventeenth century. Called Old Believers, they had been persecuted as heretics. In time, the Russian state began tolerating Old Believers in order to lure them out of hiding and make use of their financial resources as a means of controlling and developing Russia’s vast and heterogeneous empire.However, the Russian Empire was also an Orthodox state, and conversion from Orthodoxy constituted a criminal act. So, which was better for ensuring the stability of the Russian Empire: managing heterogeneity through religious toleration, or enforcing homogeneity through missionary campaigns? Edinoverie remained contested and controversial throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as it was distrusted by both the Orthodox Church and the Old Believers themselves. The state reinforced this ambivalence, using edinoverie as a means by which to monitor Old Believer communities and employing it as a carrot to the stick of prison, exile, and the deprivation of rights.In Unity in Faith?, James White’s study of edinoverie offers an unparalleled perspective of the complex triangular relationship between the state, the Orthodox Church, and religious minorities in imperial Russia.
Blessed Experiences: Genuinely Southern, Proudly Black
by James E. Clyburn“Shares lessons learned on his way from the Jim Crow South to a top spot on Capitol Hill . . . [a] remarkably candid new memoir” —NPRFrom his humble beginnings in Sumter, South Carolina, to his prominence on the Washington, D.C., political scene as the third highest-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives, US Congressman James E. Clyburn has led an extraordinary life. In Blessed Experiences, Clyburn tells in his own inspirational words how an African American boy from the Jim Crow-era South was able to beat the odds to achieve great success and become, as President Barack Obama describes him, “one of a handful of people who, when they speak, the entire Congress listens.”Born in 1940 to a civic-minded beautician and a fundamentalist minister, Clyburn began his ascent to leadership at the age of twelve, when he was elected president of his National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) youth chapter. He broke barriers through peaceful protests and steadfast beliefs in equality and justice. As a civil rights leader at South Carolina State College, as human affairs commissioner under John C. West and three subsequent governors, and as South Carolina’s first African American congressman since 1897, Clyburn has established a long and impressive record of public leadership and advocacy for human rights, education, historic preservation, and economic development.Includes a foreword from Emmy Award–winning actress and the congressman’s longtime friend Alfre Woodard“Blessed Experiences has captured not just the history of this tireless leader’s more-than-four decades in public service, but also a sense of the times.” —Warren Buffett
Global Mountain Regions: Conversations toward the Future (Framing the Global)
by Edited by Ann Kingsolver and Sasikumar BalasundaramWorks exploring the responses of global mountain communities to the shared challenges and opportunities their unique locations afford them.No matter where they are located in the world, communities living in mountain regions have shared experiences defined in large part by contradictions. These communities often face social and economic marginalization despite providing the lumber, coal, minerals, tea, and tobacco that have fueled the growth of nations for centuries. They are perceived as remote and socially inferior backwaters on one hand while simultaneously seen as culturally rich and spiritually sacred spaces on the other. These contradictions become even more fraught as environmental changes and political strains place added pressure on these mountain communities. Shifting national borders and changes to watersheds, forests, and natural resources play an increasingly important role as nations respond to the needs of a global economy.The works in this volume consider multiple nations, languages, generations, and religions in their exploration of upland communities’ responses to the unique challenges and opportunities they share. From paintings to digital mapping, environmental studies to poetry, land reclamation efforts to song lyrics, the collection provides a truly interdisciplinary and global study. The editors and authors offer a cross-cultural exploration of the many strategies that mountain communities are employing to face the concerns of the future.“Global Mountain Regions is an outstanding addition to the inventory of the interdisciplinary field of montology, the study of mountains. For any scholar or student interested in the human dimensions of mountain regions, many if not all of the essays will be valuable references.” —American Ethnologist
Theodora: Portrait in a Byzantine Landscape
by Antony Bridge&“First rate popular history/biography, evoking the Byzantine empire at its peak. A remarkable story in an entertaining, informative book.&” —The Wall Street Journal This is the biography of a Byzantine courtesan who rose from the gutter to the throne of an empire. It is a romantic and improbable story, and Theodora is an extraordinary woman, indeed. Her background and her many actions were scandalous, but she had qualities of greatness and this book sets the record straight. This account of her life is a pageant in which Emperors and barbarian kings, Popes and Patriarchs, eunuchs and generals, heretics and orthodox opponents, charioteers and ladies of easy virtue, saints and sinners move in a formal and splendid rhythm. This formality was often marred by violence: one of the worst riots in Byzantine history took place when Theodora had been empress for a short time, and during much of her reign there was war in Italy, marked by appalling suffering and barbarity. Toward the end of her life, Constantinople was devastated by Bubonic plague. Yet Theodora triumphed over every adverse circumstance, tough and clever to the end. &“ . . . Bridge&’s book, with its exceptionally vivid and evocative style, brings the period alive.&” —Library Journal &“Puts [Theodora] in her own time and place in the vast panorama of the golden age of an empire which lasted 1,100 years.&” —Boston Herald &“Conveys the passion and the fervor of the sixth century A.D.&” —Los Angeles Herald Examiner
The Great Chicago Beer Riot: How Lager Struck a Blow for Liberty
by Judy E. Brady John F HoganAn &“exhaustive&” account of the pivotal incident between &“native-born Protestant Chicagoans who founded the city and newer German and Irish immigrants&” (Bloomberg). In 1855, when Chicago&’s recently elected mayor Levi Boone pushed through a law forbidding the sale of alcohol on Sunday, the city pushed back. To the German community, the move seemed a deliberate provocation from Boone&’s stridently anti-immigrant Know-Nothing Party. Beer formed the centerpiece of German Sunday gatherings, and robbing them of it on their only day off was a slap in the face. On April 21, 1855, an armed mob poured across the Clark Street Bridge and advanced on city hall. The Chicago Lager Riot resulted in at least one death, nineteen injuries and sixty arrests. It also led to the creation of a modern police department and the political alliances that helped put Abraham Lincoln in the White House. Authors Judy E. Brady and John F. Hogan explore the riot and its aftermath, from pint glass to bully pulpit.