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Police and International Peacekeeping Missions: Securing Peace and Post-conflict Rule of Law
by James F. Albrecht Garth Den HeyerThis edited volume examines the experiences and the roles of the police deployed on peacekeeping and intervention missions in Afghanistan, Bougainville, Cyprus, Haiti, Kosovo, Namibia, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste, and Ukraine. Despite the extensive literature that has examined the role of the military in peacekeeping and intervention operations, little literature or information that investigates the role and the work of the police or the methods that they use to assist in the reformation of local police is available. This book provides an overview of the history and role of the police in peacekeeping missions, and discusses the principle factors of police reform and development in post-conflict nations. It includes case studies assessing the background of the conflict and the police deployments, as well as their role, contributions, and achievements. Including two in-depth surveys of police officer experiences on peacekeeping missions, this volume will be of great value to policing researchers and law enforcement leadership, police historians, and students and researchers of post-conflict development.
Analytical Molecular Dynamics of Amorphous Condensed Matter: Thermal and Non-equilibrium Response Behavior (Springer Series in Materials Science #342)
by José Joaquim Costa Cruz Pinto José Reinas dos Santos AndréThe book provides a detailed quantitative study and characterization of the physics of the thermal and viscoelastic behavior of mainly amorphous materials, and addresses a readership of both undergraduate (Part I and the two first chapters of Part II) and graduate students and junior researchers (Parts II and III). Though the discussion and examples concentrate on polymer materials, Part II illustrates the potential universality of the proposed most recent treatment – a Cooperative Theory of Materials Dynamics (CTMD) – and its ability to portray the 11 major physical characteristics of the materials' behavior by an alternative view of the thermal equilibrium and non-equilibrium dynamics at the "micro-scale", the still challenging problem of the glass transition and glass transition temperature, how partial crosslinking or crystallization limits the response, the expected impact of molecular packing, and of a few other open challenges. Part III discusses three specific domains where new applications and extensions of CTMD might be explored, while three Appendixes collect a few quantitative details and extensions of the treatment.
Chinese Daigou: An Ethnography of Brokerage Practices and Mobility Politics in Globalized China (Pluralism, Culture and Communication in Contemporary China)
by Zhuoxiao XieThis book is an ethnography of Chinese daigou (cross-border shopping on the behalf of mainland Chinese customers) and their mobilities practices. Daigou practitioners, predominantly women, engage in selling, purchasing, and delivering goods between mainland China and overseas regions. With the rise of the platform economy and mobile technologies, daigou has evolved into a niche market, contributing to the “her economy” and consumerism in China. This ethnography provides a comprehensive exploration of the gendered-technological practices of mobile communication and mobility politics between mainland China and Hong Kong, depicting micro-entrepreneurship, place-making, and border-crossing activities in three intersecting scenes. Theoretically, this book synthesizes the literature on mobilities, science and technological studies, service labor, and mobile communication. It offers a fresh perspective by focusing on the (mobile) communication that both produces and is produced by mobilities of people, data, objects, and technologies. The study expands theories of mobility politics by developing a heuristic model of brokerage, theorizing the communication processes through which daigou, as brokers, influence, manage, or facilitate multiple forms and meanings of mobilities in globalized China. From a feminist science and technology perspective, the book examines how daigou scenarios embed gender-specific concepts into technological practices, reinforcing entrenched unequal gender relations in service labor and family contexts. It interrogates the mechanisms of unequal mobilities associated with the logic of brokerage, which strengthens the differentiation of gender, technology, and labor among different parties. These brokerage processes multiply the discrepancies in mobilities, exacerbating gaps in structural relationships and becoming significant mechanisms of inequality.
Energy Informatics: 4th Energy Informatics Academy Conference, EI.A 2024, Kuta, Bali, Indonesia, October 23–25, 2024, Proceedings, Part I (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #15271)
by Roni Irnawan Bo Nørregaard Jørgensen Zheng Grace Ma Fransisco Danang Wijaya Sarjiya SarjiyaThe two-volume set LNCS 15271 and 15272 constitutes the proceedings of the 4th Energy Informatics Academy Conference, EI.A 2024, held in Kuta, Bali, Indonesia, during October 23–25, 2024. The 40 full papers and 8 short papers included in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 64 submissions. They are categorized under the topical sections as follows: Part I: IoT Edge Computing, and Software Innovations in Energy, Big Data Analytics and Cybersecurity in Energy, Digital Twin Technology and Energy Simulations, Energy data and consumer behaviors, and Digitalization of District Heating and Cooling Systems. Part II: Smart Buildings and Energy Communities, Energy Pricing, Trading, and Market Dynamics, Demand Flexibility and Energy Conservation Strategies, Optimization of Energy Systems and Renewable Integration and Energy System Resilience and Reliability. Chapter &“Automation Level Taxonomy for Time Series Forecasting Services: Guideline for Real-World Smart Grid Applications&” is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.
Nigerian Political Parties in the Fourth Republic: Evolution, Characteristics and Dynamics of Transformation
by Babayo SuleThis book examines the changing dynamics of political parties in Nigeria's Fourth Republic. It is a comprehensively study of these parties' development, character and systems in relation to everything from ideology, funding and crises to leadership, civil society, traditional and social media, and electoral politics. The author shows that, while the organisation and institutionalisation of Nigerian political parties remain fragile, they have taken on a new form in the Fourth Republic. The book provides researchers, policymakers and students with insights into the development of Nigeria's politics in light of its colonial legacy and its struggle against the institutionalisation of strong political institutions for democratisation.
Trends in Functional Programming: 25th International Symposium, TFP 2024, South Orange, NJ, USA, January 10–12, 2024, Revised Selected Papers (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #14843)
by Jason Hemann Stephen ChangThis book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 25th International Symposium on Trends in Functional Programming, TFP 2024, held in South Orange, NJ, USA, during January 10–12, 2024. The 10 full papers included in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 14 submissions. Topical sections as follows: dependent type systems; compiler optimizations; and DSL design and implementation.
Chuck Taylor, All Star: The True Story of the Man behind the Most Famous Athletic Shoe in History
by Abe AamidorThe true story of a man, a company, a sport, and a nation. In 1921, Converse hired 20-year-old Chuck Taylor as a salesman, sparking a nearly 50-year career that defined the Converse All Star basketball shoe. Although his name is on the label of the legendary All Stars, which have been worn by hundreds of millions, little is known about the man behind the name. For this biography, Abe Aamidor went on a three-year quest to learn the true story of Chuck Taylor. The search took him across the country, tracking down leads, separating fact from fiction, and discovering that the truth—warts and all—was much more interesting than the myth. Chuck Taylor was a basketball player who also served as a wartime coach with the US Army Air Forces and organized thousands of high school and college basketball clinics. He was a true &“ambassador of basketball&” in Europe and South America as well as all over the United States. And he was, to be sure, a consummate marketing genius who was inducted into the Sporting Goods Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. &“A fascinating study on a pioneer . . . and an instructive look at the roots of a billion-dollar industry.&” —American Way magazine
The Cult of the Saints: Its Rise and Function in Latin Christianity, Enlarged Edition
by Peter BrownA new edition of the &“brilliantly original and highly sophisticated&” study of saint worship after the fall of the Roman Empire (Library Journal). In this groundbreaking work, Peter Brown explores how the worship of saints and their corporeal remains became central to religious life in Western Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. During this period, earthly remnants served as a heavenly connection, and their veneration is a fascinating window into the cultural mood of a region in transition. Brown challenges the long-held two-tier idea of religion that separated the religious practices of the sophisticated elites from those of the superstitious masses, instead arguing that the cult of the saints crossed boundaries and played a dynamic part in both the Christian faith and the larger world of late antiquity. He shows how men and women living in harsh and sometimes barbaric times relied upon the holy dead to obtain justice, forgiveness, and power, and how a single sainted hair could inspire great thinkers and great artists. An essential text by one of the foremost scholars of European history, this expanded edition includes a new preface from Brown, which presents new ideas based on subsequent scholarship. &“Informative…demonstrates once again Brown&’s genius for sharing with his readers the fruits of not only his own painstaking and meticulous scholarship but also his penetrating understanding of the evolution of Western culture as a whole.&”—Religious Studies
The Work Ethic in Industrial America 1850-1920: Second Edition
by Daniel T. RodgersHow the rise of machines changed the way we think about work—and about success. The phrase &“a strong work ethic&” conjures images of hard-driving employees working diligently for long hours. But where did this ideal come from, and how has it been buffeted by changes in work itself? While seemingly rooted in America&’s Puritan heritage, perceptions of work ethic have actually undergone multiple transformations over the centuries. And few eras saw a more radical shift than the American industrial age. Daniel T. Rodgers masterfully explores the ways in which the eclipse of small-scale workshops by mechanized production and mass consumption triggered far-reaching shifts in perceptions of labor, leisure, and personal success. He also shows how the new work culture permeated society, including literature, politics, the emerging feminist movement, and the labor movement. A staple of courses in the history of American labor and industrial society, Rodgers&’s sharp analysis is as relevant as ever as twenty-first-century workers face another shift brought about by technology. The Work Ethic in Industrial America 1850–1920 is a classic with critical relevance in today&’s volatile economic times.
Reconstruction after the Civil War (The Chicago History of American Civilization)
by John Hope FranklinThe classic work of American history by the renowned author of From Slavery to Freedom, with a new introduction by historian Eric Foner. First published in 1961, John Hope Franklin&’s revelatory study of the Reconstruction Era is a landmark work of history, exploring the role of former slaves and dispelling longstanding popular myths about corruption and Radical rule. Looking past dubious scholarship that had previously dominated the narrative, Franklin combines astute insight and careful research to provide an accurate, comprehensive portrait of the era. Franklin&’s arguments concerning the brevity of the North&’s occupation, the limited power wielded by former slaves, the influence of moderate southerners, the flawed constitutions of the radical state governments, and the downfall of Reconstruction remain compelling today. This new edition of Reconstruction after the Civil War also includes a foreword by Eric Foner and a perceptive essay by Michael W. Fitzgerald.
Building Resilience: Social Capital in Post-Disaster Recovery
by Daniel P. AldrichThe factor that makes some communities rebound quickly from disasters while others fall apart: &“A fascinating book on an important topic.&”—E.L. Hirsch, in Choice Each year, natural disasters threaten the strength and stability of communities worldwide. Yet responses to the challenges of recovery vary greatly and in ways that aren&’t explained by the magnitude of the catastrophe or the amount of aid provided by national governments or the international community. The difference between resilience and disrepair, as Daniel P. Aldrich shows, lies in the depth of communities&’ social capital. Building Resilience highlights the critical role of social capital in the ability of a community to withstand disaster and rebuild both the infrastructure and the ties that are at the foundation of any community. Aldrich examines the post-disaster responses of four distinct communities—Tokyo following the 1923 earthquake, Kobe after the 1995 earthquake, Tamil Nadu after the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, and New Orleans post-Katrina—and finds that those with robust social networks were better able to coordinate recovery. In addition to quickly disseminating information and financial and physical assistance, communities with an abundance of social capital were able to minimize the migration of people and valuable resources out of the area. With governments increasingly overstretched and natural disasters likely to increase in frequency and intensity, a thorough understanding of what contributes to efficient reconstruction is more important than ever. Building Resilience underscores a critical component of an effective response.
Hard Road West: History and Geology along the Gold Rush Trail (Chicago Lectures In Physics Ser.)
by Keith Heyer MeldahlThe dramatic journeys of the 19th century Gold Rush come to life in this geologist&’s tour of the American West and the events that shaped the land. In 1848, news of the discovery of gold in California triggered an enormous wave of emigration toward the Pacific. The dramatic terrain these settlers crossed is so familiar to us now that it is hard to imagine how frightening—even godforsaken—its sheer rock faces and barren deserts once seemed to them. Hard Road West brings their perspective vividly to life, weaving together the epic overland journey of the covered wagon trains and the compelling story of the landscape they encountered. Taking readers along the 2,000-mile California Trail, Keith Meldahl uses settler&’s diaries and letters—as well as his own experiences on the trail—to reveal how the geology and geography of the West shaped our nation&’s westward expansion. He guides us through a landscape of sawtooth mountains, following the meager streams that served as lifelines through an arid land, all the way to California itself, where colliding tectonic plates created breathtaking scenery and planted the gold that lured travelers west in the first place. &“Alternates seamlessly between vivid accounts of the 19th-century journey and lucid explanations of the geological events that shaped the landscape traveled.&”—Library Journal
Think Tanks in America
by Thomas MedvetzA revealing look at the rise of these influential institutions, and the effect they&’ve had on the United States. Think tanks have become fixtures of American politics, supplying advice to presidents and policy makers, expert testimony on Capitol Hill, and convenient facts and figures to journalists and media specialists. But what are think tanks? Who funds them? What kind of research do they produce? Where does their authority come from? And how influential have they become? In Think Tanks in America, Thomas Medvetz argues that the unsettling ambiguity of the think tank is less an accidental feature of its existence than the very key to its impact. By combining elements of more established sources of public knowledge—universities, government agencies, businesses, and the media—think tanks exert a tremendous amount of influence on the way citizens and lawmakers perceive the world, unbound by the more clearly defined roles of those other institutions. In the process, they transform the government of this country, the press, and the political role of intellectuals. Timely, succinct, and instructive, this provocative book will force us to rethink our understanding of the drivers of political debate in the United States.
Songbook: How Lyrics Became Poetry in Medieval Europe
by Marisa GalvezHow medieval songbooks were composed in collaboration with the community—and across languages and societies: &“Eloquent…clearly argued.&”—Times Literary Supplement Today we usually think of a book of poems as composed by a poet, rather than assembled or adapted by a network of poets and readers. But the earliest European vernacular poetries challenge these assumptions. Medieval songbooks remind us how lyric poetry was once communally produced and received—a collaboration of artists, performers, live audiences, and readers stretching across languages and societies. The only comparative study of its kind, Songbook treats what poetry was before the emergence of the modern category poetry: that is, how vernacular songbooks of the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries shaped our modern understanding of poetry by establishing expectations of what is a poem, what is a poet, and what is lyric poetry itself. Marisa Galvez analyzes the seminal songbooks representing the vernacular traditions of Occitan, Middle High German, and Castilian, and tracks the process by which the songbook emerged from the original performance contexts of oral publication, into a medium for preservation, and, finally, into an established literary object. Galvez reveals that songbooks—in ways that resonate with our modern practice of curated archives and playlists—contain lyric, music, images, and other nonlyric texts selected and ordered to reflect the local values and preferences of their readers. At a time when medievalists are reassessing the historical foundations of their field and especially the national literary canons established in the nineteenth century, a new examination of the songbook&’s role in several vernacular traditions is more relevant than ever.
My Father's Name: A Black Virginia Family after the Civil War
by Lawrence P. JacksonAn African American studies scholar traces his family lineage to a Black Virginia neighborhood in the era of Reconstruction in this historical memoir. As an expectant father, Lawrence P. Jackson decides to go looking for his late grandfather&’s home in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, an old house by the railroad tracks in Blairs. Armed with nothing but childhood memories, his journey evolves into a kind of detective story as he uncovers his ancestral history through the turmoil and torment of the 19th century South. After asking around in Pittsylvania County, Jackson finds himself in the house of distant relations. He becomes increasingly absorbed by the search for his ancestors and soon realizes how few generations an African American needs to map in order to arrive at slavery, the &“door of no return.&” Ultimately, Jackson&’s dogged research leads him to his grandfather&’s grandfather, a man who was born or sold into slavery but who, when Federal troops abandoned the South in 1877, was able to buy forty acres of land. In this intimate study of a black Virginia family and neighborhood, Jackson vividly reconstructs moments in the lives of his father&’s grandfather, Edward Jackson, and great-grandfather, Granville Hundley, and gives life to revealing narratives of Pittsylvania County, recalling both the horror of slavery and the later struggles of postbellum freedom.
Aristotle and Poetic Justice: An Aristotle Detective Novel (The Aristotle Detective Novels #2)
by Margaret DoodyThe great Greek philosopher heads to Delphi on the hunt for a kidnapped heiress in this series of &“witty, elegant whodunits&” (Times Literary Supplement). 330BC: Alexander the Great has sacked Persepolis and won the greatest fortune the world has ever known. The night of the Silent Dinner, when Athens placates the spirits of the dead, passes with a creeping mist accompanied by eerie portents and a strange disappearance. Stephanos and his teacher, the philosopher Aristotle, are about to be drawn into solving the perplexing abduction case of Anthia, the heiress of a prominent silver merchant. All that is known is that the abductor and the heiress are on the road to Delphi and its ancient oracle—whose help may be needed when a murder complicates the case in this follow-up to the &“eminently enjoyable&” Aristotle Detective (Colin Dexter, author of the Inspector Morse Mysteries). &“Why did no one think of this before?&”—The Times (UK)
Grundlagen der Elektromobilität: Technik, Praxis, Energie und Umwelt
by Martin DoppelbauerAusgehend von den Mobilitätsbedürfnissen der modernen Industriegesellschaft und den politischen Rahmenbedingungen zum Klimaschutz werden die unterschiedlichen Antriebs- und Ladekonzepte von batterieelektrischen- und hybridelektrischen Fahrzeugen vorgestellt und bewertet.
Speech and Computer: 26th International Conference, SPECOM 2024, Belgrade, Serbia, November 25–28, 2024, Proceedings, Part I (Lecture Notes in Computer Science #15299)
by Alexey Karpov Vlado DelićThe two-volume set LNAI 15299 and 15300 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Speech and Computer, SPECOM 2024, held in Belgrade, Serbia, during November 25–28, 2024. The 53 full papers included in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 90 submissions. The book also contains two invited talks in full paper length. The papers are organized in the following topical sections: Volume I: Invited papers; automatic speech recognition; speech and language resources; speech synthesis and perception; and speech processing for medicine. Volume II: Computational paralinguistics; affective computing; speaker recognition; digital speech processing; natural language processing.
Reflections on Identity: Narratives from Educators
by Carol Thompson Neil HopkinsThis book seeks to extend perspectives on professional identity in education. Chapters consider the notion of expertise, the impact of managerial approaches, the importance of communities of practice, and the effects of increasingly marketised approaches.By using narratives, the book opens up a ‘conversation’ about this important topic. Educators and leaders from a variety of settings will explore their professional experiences and the impact these have had on forming values in the professional role. By drawing on personal experience, individual authors will consider some of the challenges they have encountered as part of identity formation. The significance of organisational cultures is discussed throughout the book and explores the ways in which individual autonomy is both threatened and claimed. Issues discussed include the frequent changes imposed through government initiatives and the social perception of education professionals when compared to other professional roles. Contributions have been drawn from teachers and leaders in schools, colleges, universities and specialist training. Chapter authors have a variety of experiences offering a multi-perspective approach. This will include strategic leadership, operational management and classroom practice, all of which offer insights of interest to educators at various points on the professional journey. The narrative approach adopted by authors provides the opportunity for readers to engage with others’ experiences, enabling personal reflection on their own professional identity.
Mainstreaming Gender in Local Government: A Review of Political Decision-Making in the City of Cape Town and Mangaung Metropolitan Municipalities
by Juliet JosephThis book investigates the implementation of gender mainstreaming legislation and policies in South Africa, focusing on their impact on women’s empowerment in terms of representation, participation, and influence in municipal government. The objective is to understand why women remain underrepresented in leadership roles and decision-making at the district level of municipal governance. Emphasizing how municipal councils incorporate gender mainstreaming into their decision-making processes and the resulting impact, the author focuses on understanding the developments that advance municipal governments toward equitable governance and how decision-making has evolved. This book will be of interest to students and researchers in gender studies, African studies, postcolonial feminist theory, and politics, as well as policy-makers and government representatives.
2000 Years of Pandemics: Past, Present, and Future
by Claudia Ferreira Marie-Françoise J. Doursout Joselito S. BalingitThis book analyzes the factors that have sparked pandemics over the past 2000 years, from the Antonine Plague to COVID-19.It is noteworthy that the frequency of pandemics has increased over the past 2000 years. The authors identify three main drivers for the development of pandemics: transportation, human development, and changes in natural ecosystems. It is important to note that with the advent of the industrial age, the length of time it takes for a pandemic to develop has decreased. COVID-19 is certainly not the last pandemic we will face. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to learn from the past 2000 years to help educate general community and public health officials about pandemic risks and help governments prepare for the next pandemic.The book is also very useful in low and middle-income countries where, in the last several decades, viruses with potential for pandemics have originated. It's comprehensiveness and didactic style make this book a valuable read for government health agencies, private organizations, health care professionals and students.
Advances in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Big Data Processing: First International Conference, AAIMB 2023, Chennai, India, August 17–18, 2023, Proceedings, Part-II (Communications in Computer and Information Science #2203)
by Nhu-Ngoc Dao R. Geetha Saeed KhalidThis book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the First International Conference on Advances in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning in Big Data Processing, AAIMB 2023, held in Chennai, India, during August 17–18, 2023. The 51 full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 183 submissions. They were organized in the following topical sections: Part I- artificial intelligence and data analytics; deep learning. Part II- artificial intelligence and data analytics; machine learning.
Street Corner Society: The Social Structure of an Italian Slum (Materiale Soziologie Ser. #6)
by William Foote WhyteThe classic study of a poor community in Boston&’s North End in the mid-twentieth century. Street Corner Society is one of a handful of works that can justifiably be called classics of sociological research. William Foote Whyte's account of the Italian American slum he called &“Cornerville&”—Boston's North End—has been the model for urban ethnography for fifty years. By mapping the intricate social worlds of street gangs and &“corner boys,&” Whyte was among the first to demonstrate that a poor community need not be socially disorganized. His writing set a standard for vivid portrayals of real people in real situations. And his frank discussion of his methodology—participant observation—has served as an essential casebook in field research for generations of students and scholars. This fiftieth anniversary edition includes a new preface and revisions to the methodological appendix. In a new section on the book&’s legacy, Whyte responds to challenges to the validity, interpretation, and uses of his data. &“The Whyte Impact on the Underdog,&” the moving statement by a gang leader who became the author&’s first research assistant, is preserved. &“Street Corner Society broke new ground and set a standard for field research in American cities that remains a source of intellectual challenge.&”—Robert Washington, Reviews in Anthropology
Aristotle Detective: An Aristotle Detective Novel (The Aristotle Detective Novels #1)
by Margaret DoodyIn ancient Athens, the great philosopher applies logic to a lethal crime—in the &“eminently enjoyable&” first novel in a historical mystery series (Colin Dexter, author of the Inspector Morse Mysteries). Young Stephanos is desperate to save his family&’s honor by proving in the Athenian court that his exiled cousin is not guilty of shooting an arrow into a prominent patrician. For help, he turns to his old teacher—the cunning and clever thinker known as Aristotle. It will all lead up to a tense public trial in which Stephanos must draw on the rhetorical skills he&’s learned from his eccentric, brilliant mentor, in this novel filled with suspense, humor, and historical detail—the first in a series of &“witty, elegant whodunits&” (Times Literary Supplement). &“[An] unusually authentic Ancient-Greece murder tale.&”—Kirkus Reviews &“Doody brings the Athens of 322 BC to life with skill and verve…wonderfully plotted.&”—Publishers Weekly
Wrigley Field: The Long Life and Contentious Times of the Friendly Confines
by Stuart Shea&“One of the best books ever written about the Cubs, their home and the fans who flock there to watch them, win or lose.&”—Rolling Stone In spring 1914, a new ballpark opened in Chicago. Hastily constructed after epic political maneuvering around the city&’s and organized baseball&’s hierarchies, the new Weeghman Park (named after its builder, fast-food magnate Charley Weeghman) was home to the Federal Leagues Chicago Whales. The park would soon be known as Wrigley Field, one of the most emblematic and controversial baseball stadiums in America. In this book, Stuart Shea provides a detailed and colorful chronicle of this living historic landmark and shows how the stadium has evolved to meet the shifting priorities of its owners and changing demands of its fans. While Wrigley Field today seems irreplaceable, we learn that from game one it has been the subject of endless debates over its future, its design, and its place in the neighborhood it calls home. To some, it is a hallowed piece of baseball history; to others, an icon of mismanagement and ineptitude. Shea deftly navigates the highs and lows, breaking through myths and rumors, in a book packed with facts, stories, and surprises that will captivate even the most fair-weather fan. From big money (the Ricketts family paid $900 million for the team and stadium in 2009), to exploding hot dog carts, to the curse-inducing goat, Shea uncovers the heart of the stadium&’s history. &“More than any other American institution, baseball most wholeheartedly welcomes half-baked history and curdled lore. It's fun, after all; what grinch wishes to poke at the tale of Babe Ruth's called shot? But more often than not the real stories are even more delicious, and no one has gathered more of them than author Stuart Shea. His book is an unceasing delight.&”—John Thorn, official historian, Major League Baseball and author of Baseball in the Garden of Eden