- Table View
- List View
A Concise Introduction to Robot Programming with ROS 2
by Francisco Martín RicoA Concise Introduction to Robot Programming with ROS2 provides the reader with the concepts and tools necessary to bring a robot to life through programming. It will equip the reader with the skills necessary to undertake projects with ROS2, the new version of ROS. It is not necessary to have previous experience with ROS2 as it will describe its concepts, tools, and methodologies from the beginning. Uses the two programming languages officially supported in ROS 2 (C++, mainly, and Python) Approaches ROS 2 from three different but complementary dimensions: the Community, Computation Graph, and the Workspace Includes a complete simulated robot, development and testing strategies, Behavior Trees, and Nav2 description, setup, and use A GitHub repository with code to assist readers It will appeal to motivated engineering students, engineers, and professionals working with robot programming.
A Concise Introduction to Software Engineering: With Open Source and GenAI (Undergraduate Topics in Computer Science)
by Pankaj JaloteSoftware engineering has changed: A software project today is likely to use large language models (LLMs) for some tasks and will employ some open-source software. It is therefore important to integrate open source and use of LLMs in teaching software engineering – a key goal of this textbook. This reader-friendly textbook/reference introduces a carefully curated set of concepts and practices essential for key tasks in software projects. It begins with a chapter covering industry-standard software, open-source tools, and the basics of prompt engineering for LLMs. The second chapter delves into project management, including development process models, planning, and team-working. Subsequent chapters focus on requirements analysis and specification, architecture design, software design, coding, testing, and application deployment. Each chapter presents concepts, practical methods, examples, the application of LLMs, and the role of open-source software. A companion website provides some comprehensive case studies, as well as teaching material including presentation slides. This textbook is ideal for an introductory course on software engineering where the objective is to develop knowledge and skills to execute a project—specifically in a team employing contemporary software engineering practices and using open source and LLMs. It is also suitable for professionals who want to be introduced to the systematic approach of software engineering and/or use of open source and LLMs. The author is a distinguished professor at IIIT-Delhi and a well-known academic in software engineering. He has served as vice president in Infosys Technologies Limited and as a visiting researcher at Microsoft Corporation. Reviews of the first edition: "This book's title provides an excellent description of its content. ... This compact volume is organized into eight well-focused chapters containing numerous examples and well-designed self-test exercises. Includes an excellent collection of references and a very useful index. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduate through professional readers; two-year technical program students." (J. Beidler, Choice, Vol. 46 (6)) "Jalote's intention in this book is to present just enough material to teach beginning software engineers what they need to know to do a development project that carries a smallproduct from conception through delivery. The result is a short book ... making this sort of book very attractive as a text for introductory software engineering. ... topics are well chosen and their discussion is good." (Christopher Fox, ACM Computing Reviews)
A Confucian Approach to Media Ethics (Routledge Focus on Communication Studies)
by Yayu FengA Confucian Approach to Media Ethics offers a comprehensive theorization of an approach to media ethics based on the moral philosophy that originated from China and that profoundly influenced East Asian countries.This book engages with foundational concepts from Confucian ethics and explicates a new framework that can be used for guiding media practices, as well as media ethics research and teaching. It suggests that the Confucian ideals of He (harmony), Zhong (equilibrium), and the notion of Junzi can be applied to guide intercultural media practices, and sets out a fresh model for ethics education centered on Xiuji (self-cultivation) that is different from the training-based and decision-making-centered model prevalent in the Western classrooms. This is also a framework that emphasizes both individual moral growth and the moral character of the broader professional community.Filling a gap in the conversation between Eastern and Western approaches to media ethics, this innovative and important volume will offer new perspectives to students and scholars of media ethics, communication studies, and comparative philosophy.
A Contested Terrain: Freedpeople's Education in North Carolina During the Civil War and Reconstruction (Reconstructing America)
by AnneMarie BrosnanA testament to the resilience and determination of Black North Carolinians to achieve educational equalityThis book examines the educational experiences of Black North Carolinians during the American Civil War and Reconstruction period, 1861–1877. By highlighting the collaborative efforts that led to the growing network of schools for the formerly enslaved people, it argues that schooling the Freedpeople was a contested terrain, fraught with conflicting visions of Black freedom and the role education should play. Although Black men and women emerged as the driving force behind the educational endeavors of this period, their work was facilitated by Northern aid and missionary societies, the federally-mandated Freedmen’s Bureau, and over 1,400 teachers from various regional and racial backgrounds. Yet the educational landscape was far from uniform, and the individuals and organizations involved had their distinct visions regarding the nature and purpose of Freedpeople’s education.Through the use of qualitative and quantitative research methods, this book offers new insights into the reasons why Black and white Northerners and Southerners elected to become teachers. By examining their diverse motivations and experiences, it argues that attitudes toward Freedpeople’s education were complex and fluid, defying neat characterization.Despite mounting obstacles and opposition to their work, Black North Carolinians’ unrelenting quest for education ultimately gave rise to free public schooling for both races, the professionalization of Black teachers, and an extensive network of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
A Contextual Approach to Human Development: Integrating an Indian Perspective
by Girishwar Misra Ashok K. SrivastavaThis textbook offers a unique insight into the theoretical and applied aspects of human development in relation to the cultural traditions of non-Western countries.Presented in a modular form, this comprehensive and thematic approach to lifespan development will help students develop an understanding of human development in varied Indian social contexts. Covering all stages of development including the development of self and personality, social understanding, human strengths, sustainable development, lifelong learning, and many more, the book highlights current research in these areas as well as provides learning objectives, points for reflection, web links, and a glossary.This book is an essential reading for undergraduate students of psychology, human development, and allied fields, as well as for postgraduates with an interest in studying human development in a non-Western context.
A Conventional Boy
by Charles StrossIn A Conventional Boy, the fate of the world will depend on a roll of the dice... twenty-sided dice, that is. In 1984, Derek Reilly was just another teenage nerd growing up in middle England. But his love of D&D caused him to fall afoul of the Laundry, a government agency tasked with suppressing supernatural threats. It turns out that sometimes ninth level wizard spells drawn on the back of your maths textbook can look suspiciously like actual magic...Decades later, Derek is a long-term inmate at Camp Sunshine, a centre for deprogramming captured cultists. But Derek finally has reason to escape, and an escape plan to out into action: he wants to attend his first gaming convention. While Derek's D&D games were fictional, a game at the con really is a dread ritual designed to summon a great evil into our world, and it's up to Derek and his players to stop them.The fate of the world may depend on the contents of Derek's dice bag.The Laundry Files series follows an agency of British spies who deal with supernatural threats; they also have to deal with chronic underfunding, government ministers, rival agencies and worst of all, each other. Think Slow Horses crossed with the monsters from Stranger Things, this series is funny, nerdy, and a cult classic.***Publishing just ahead of the final Laundry Files novel (The Regicide Report, summer 2025), this new collection includes the never before published Laundry Files novel A Conventional Boy - inspired by the 1980s Satanic Panic - and two other short stories in this joyous celebration of all things Laundry Files.***In this collection:*A CONVENTIONAL BOY (53.3k words)*DOWN ON THE FARM (12.7k words)*OVERTIME (8.7k words)also includes exclusive afterword from Charles Stross
A Conventional Boy
by Charles StrossIn A Conventional Boy, the fate of the world will depend on a roll of the dice... twenty-sided dice, that is. In 1984, Derek Reilly was just another teenage nerd growing up in middle England. But his love of D&D caused him to fall afoul of the Laundry, a government agency tasked with suppressing supernatural threats. It turns out that sometimes ninth level wizard spells drawn on the back of your maths textbook can look suspiciously like actual magic...Decades later, Derek is a long-term inmate at Camp Sunshine, a centre for deprogramming captured cultists. But Derek finally has reason to escape, and an escape plan to out into action: he wants to attend his first gaming convention. While Derek's D&D games were fictional, a game at the con really is a dread ritual designed to summon a great evil into our world, and it's up to Derek and his players to stop them.The fate of the world may depend on the contents of Derek's dice bag.The Laundry Files series follows an agency of British spies who deal with supernatural threats; they also have to deal with chronic underfunding, government ministers, rival agencies and worst of all, each other. Think Slow Horses crossed with the monsters from Stranger Things, this series is funny, nerdy, and a cult classic.***Publishing just ahead of the final Laundry Files novel (The Regicide Report, summer 2025), this new collection includes the never before published Laundry Files novel A Conventional Boy - inspired by the 1980s Satanic Panic - and two other short stories in this joyous celebration of all things Laundry Files.***In this collection:*A CONVENTIONAL BOY (53.3k words)*DOWN ON THE FARM (12.7k words)*OVERTIME (8.7k words)also includes exclusive afterword from Charles Stross
A Copycat Conundrum (The Misfits)
by Lisa YeeWhen San Francisco is under strange attacks—like earthquakes affecting only two city blocks at a time—who're you gonna call? An elite team of crime-fighting underdogs, that's who! The Misfits are on the case in this hilarious illustrated series!&“For any kid who&’s felt like a misfit, this crackling adventure packs a wallop!&” —Lincoln Peirce, creator of Big NateOof! After solving the case of the Royal Rumpus, Olive Cobin Zang and her elite team of underdogs are on top of the world. As the awkward, crime-fighting Misfits, they&’re acing every mission thrown at them from NOCK (aka No One Can Know, the covert agency they work for).But when their classmate Zeke starts receiving threatening notes, the Misfits are stumped. They&’re no strangers to danger, but this case is a total head-scratcher. Who would target kind, friendly Zeke . . . unless he&’s not what he seems to be?At the same time, unusual earthquakes start shaking up San Francisco just as priceless art goes missing, and the Misfits are called to investigate. Is it a coincidence that the city is under attack while Zeke is getting mysterious messages? Or is it all just a cover for a scheme bigger than any they&’ve faced before?For other Misfit adventures from Newbery Honoree Lisa Yee and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat, don't miss The Misfits #1: A Royal Conundrum!
A Creative Health Communication Framework: Addressing the Compatibility and Marketability of Mental Health and Wellbeing Services (Explorations in Mental Health)
by Jane HearstThis groundbreaking volume offers a theoretical, practical, and evidence-based approach to bridging the gap between service-users, -providers, and -commissioners in order to establish Creative Health as a valued part of healthcare, and a key player in the broader healthcare marketplace.Offering actionable strategies to strengthen interdisciplinary networks and enrich the Creative Health landscape within modern healthcare systems, the book provides a comprehensive analysis of how economic systems, healthcare philosophy, and societal perceptions shape the uptake and effectiveness of Creative Health services. It outlines the systemic barriers to widespread recognition and identifies how targeted communication can engage both service-users and market forces. Through pragmatic solutions and narrative-based research, chapters present the concept of 'market wellbeing' — a negotiation space that aligns the needs of individuals with healthcare market objectives, fostering stronger connections and sustainability for Creative Health. Ultimately, an entirely novel Creative Health Communication Framework is outlined in the third part of the volume, designed to empower readers with the insights and strategies that can reshape how Creative Health is communicated and valued.This will be a key volume for scholars, researchers, and postgraduate students in Creative Health, creative arts and expressive therapies, and mental health and health psychology more broadly. Creative Health practitioners should also find this volume of use.
A Criminal Hero: Justice, Politics and Media Culture in Eighteenth-Century Naples (ISSN)
by Pasquale PalmieriIn the spring of 1757, the Augustinian friar Leopoldo di San Pasquale was tried in Naples by the hierarchies of his own religious order on charges of financial fraud, heresy, and sexual immorality. He responded by accusing the heads of the convent of subjecting him to a series of inhuman cruelties, claiming to have been "buried alive". While waiting for a final judgment (it was pronounced seven years later, in 1764), the trial of Leopoldo di San Pasquale became a cultural phenomenon unlike any witnessed before in Naples. Cumulatively, reactions to the trial, both during and after it, broke the boundaries separating chronicle and literary fiction, engaged people’s faculties of reason and emotion, and ultimately transformed Leopoldo into a public spectacle—or what we might call today a “celebrity.”Focusing on the scandalous affair of the "buried alive", this book shows how the governing authorities in Naples managed the development of news and stories around current events through their systems of courts and bureaucracies. It also aims to demonstrate how, just as importantly, consumers played an increasing in the spread of information, as means to political empowerment. The sources analyzed call for a microhistorical analysis, as well as for an interdisciplinary discussion with media studies at its conceptual core.A Criminal Hero will appeal to students and scholars alike interested in microhistory, cultural history, media history, history of literature, social and political history, with a focus on the eighteenth century.
A Critical Approach to Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology: Soul, Self, and Science
by Stanley O. Gaines, Jr.A Critical Approach to Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology: Soul, Self, and Science examines the evolving concept of human consciousness throughout the ages to show how humanity progressed from ‘studies of the soul’ – a major concern of ancient philosophy – to a science of the mind including the self – a primary concern of contemporary psychology.Divided into five parts, the book moves through the history of psychology from its philosophical roots into the present day and beyond. It takes a balanced and critical approach to figures and theories which have been instrumental in the development of psychology as a discipline, such as Plato, Descartes, Wundt, Du Bois, Freud, Jung, Watson, Skinner, and Maslow. Throughout, it offers diverse perspectives on the field’s history, providing insights into such topics as race and intelligence, gender and personality, and their treatment within psychology. Each chapter is supported by breakout boxes highlighting key theories related to that chapter’s topic. Thought questions, to encourage the reader to critically evaluate what they have read, notes with further information, and suggestions for further reading are provided online.Of particular interest to postgraduate students on MSc conversion courses, the book will also interest undergraduate students completing history of psychology, conceptual and historical issues in psychology, history and systems of psychology, and related modules. This textbook was designed to comply with the QAA Subject Benchmark Statement in Psychology and the BPS accreditation guidelines for content in Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology
A Critical Approach to Youth Sector Peacebuilding: Dialogue, Politics, and Power
by Mark Hammond Andy Hamilton Eliz McArdleUsing Northern Ireland as a compelling case study, this book offers a critique of peacebuilding approaches with young people in contested societies. In the north of Ireland, the spectre of murderous violence is increasingly distant for peace-agreement generations. However, legacies stemming from the 30 years of protracted conflict are ever-present in young people’s segregated lives. This book presents four distinctive viewpoints that inform contemporary peacebuilding work with young people, revealing divergent purposes and conflicting aspirations. Offering a new model to understand peacebuilding, the authors urge peacebuilding communities around the globe to embrace an increasingly politicising and participative youth peace praxis.
A Critical Discourse Analysis of Violence against Women: From D.A.R.V.O. to Institutional Courage (Palgrave Studies in Language, Gender and Sexuality)
by Giuseppina Scotto di CarloThis book presents a critical analysis of the language surrounding Violence against Women and Girls (VAWG), demonstrating how discourse can both sustain harm and serve as a catalyst for healing and change. Grounded in Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), it examines the &“DARVO&” tactic—Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender (Freyd, 1997)—a manipulative strategy used by perpetrators to evade accountability, silence survivors, and reinforce a culture of victim-blaming. Through detailed case studies, the book uncovers the broader societal structures that enable and normalise these behaviours. To counteract these harmful dynamics, the author introduces the concept of &“institutional courage&” (Freyd, 1997), providing a framework for institutions to respond more effectively and empathetically to VAWG. Ultimately, the book advocates for a shift in both individual and institutional responses, urging a collective commitment to challenge DARVO and adopt institutional courage in the fight against VAWG. This work will be of particular interest to scholars, practitioners, and students across Linguistics, Women&’s and Gender Studies, Sociology, and Institutional Discourse.
A Critical Discourse Study of the "Chinese Dream": Context, Discursive Construction, and Media Representation (Cultural Discourse Studies Series)
by Junchen ZhangZhang’s book focuses on the analysis of the sociohistorical context, linguistic patterns of discursive construction, and media representations of the “Chinese Dream” in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and the United States.Analyzing data from the Chinese leader’s speeches and articles from China Daily, the South China Morning Post, and the New York Times, the author provides insights into the understanding of contemporary Chinese society through a critical discourse analysis of the “Chinese Dream” and its mediatized construction. Focusing on the discursive construction, the book examines the Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s narratives on the “Chinese Dream” from multidimensional perspectives, such as thematic representations, discursive strategies, and narrative frames, which emphasize the overall structure of the “Chinese Dream” as a political discourse. Methodologically, Zhang combines a discourse-historical approach, corpus linguistics, and framing analysis into a complementary framework, which draws merits from the three approaches.This innovative research volume will be of interest to academics, researchers, and students in the fields of discourse analysis, political research, Chinese politics, and East Asian studies.
A Critical Examination of Irvin D. Yalom’s Single-Session Consultations: It is the Relationship that Heals (Routledge Focus on Mental Health)
by Windy DrydenThis book explores the single-session work done by Irving Yalom and considers the implications of this work for the current theory and practice of single-session therapy (SST).Due to failing memory and decreasing stamina as he aged, Yalom eventually decided that if he was to continue to offer help to patients, he could only do so by offering them single-session consultations. While it was perhaps reluctant single-session work, it coincided with the continued rise of SST starting with the publication of Moshe Talmon's book in 1990. This book examines Yalom’s work against the growing literature on single-session therapy, covering both what single-session therapists can learn from Yalom’s consultations as well as what they would not want to implement. Dryden closely examines Yalom’s work in these sessions through a single-session mindset and tracks how it impacts the development of SST.This book will be of interest to any single-session practitioners as well as those scholars and followers of Yalom.
A Critical History of Contemporary Chinese Fiction (China Perspectives)
by Cheng GuangweiThis book studies the history of contemporary Chinese fiction criticism, highlighting the role of critics in shaping contemporary literary history.The author divides the history of contemporary Chinese fiction criticism into three periods: 1949–1976, 1977–1991, and 1992–2015. The first period saw the emergence of the circle of critics who insisted on judging literary works by political standards. The second period brought the rise of the Beijing Critics’ Circle and the Shanghai Critics' Circle. The former advocated “artistic standards” in judging works, while the latter introduced contemporary Western literary theories into literary criticism. The third period marked the emergence of “Scholarly Criticism,” “Criticism of Women’s Fiction,” and “Post-1960s Fiction Criticism,” reflecting critics’ attitudes toward history and philosophy. Drawing on historical materials, this study illuminates contemporary literary trends and the contributions of key writers and critics. It also relates literary criticism to the social environment, underlining the simultaneous relationship between contemporary fiction criticism and social ideology.This book will be invaluable to scholars and students of Chinese literature and literary criticism, especially those interested in the diverse landscape of contemporary Chinese culture.
A Critical History of Psychology: From Antiquity to Modernity
by Thomas Hardy LeaheyThis fully updated and refreshed 9th edition places social, economic and political forces of change alongside psychology’s internal theoretical and empirical arguments. It utilizes a critical lens to illuminate the way in which the external world has shaped the development of psychology and, in turn, how psychology from antiquity to modernity has shaped society.The text approaches the material from an integrative, rather than wholly linear, perspective, carefully examining how issues in psychology reflect and affect concepts that lie outside the field of psychology’s technical concerns as a science and profession.Key features of this edition include: A newly reconsidered structure, including five additional interludes exploring historical background narratives and the rise of modernity, to allow for flexible and adaptable textbook use. Expanded exploration of the two psychologies: the Way of Ideas, driven by epistemology and unique to Europe, and The Way of Human Nature, a universal concern to find a science of human behavior and its management. Including scientific, applied, and professional psychology, as well as coverage of the social sciences and social policy implications, this book is appropriate for high-level undergraduate and graduate students.
A Critical Introduction to Contemporary Social Theory: Key Theories and Theorists of the 21st Century
by Piotr SztompkaExamining the core sociological theories that have emerged in the first two decades of the current century, A Critical Introduction to Contemporary Social Theory outlines their attempts to answer the most fundamental questions of the discipline, from the nature of social order to the mechanisms of social change. Through a careful exploration of the history of modern social theory, Piotr Sztompka lays the critical groundwork for investigating the development of contemporary social theory from its founding fathers in the 19th century, through the rich contributions of the 20th century, known as "the golden age of theory," up to the most recent developments and illuminates how it is both anchored in and a critique of previous attempts to theorize foundational questions to social being and action. Contemporary theory, the book argues, is now moving toward analysis of action, interpersonal relations, social and epistemological realism, and multivalent mechanisms at the root of social phenomenon.Major social theoretical thinkers like Anthony Giddens, Pierre Bourdieu, Jeffrey Alexander, Randall Collins, Jonathan Turner, Hans Joas, Ulrich Beck, Erving Goffman, and others are presented and evaluated as significant contributors to contemporary social theory, while pointing toward future possibilities for social theory in the current century. This will be a key resource for undergraduate and graduate students in sociology, social theory, and contemporary cultural studies.
A Critical Phenomenology of Music: Disclosing/Transposing the Habitual Body Schema
by Rachel ElliottDrawing a link between music and what Maurice Merleau-Ponty calls the habit body – a quasi-transcendental structure at the heart of our perceptual, social, and agential being – this book helps articulate why music has the power to express as well as shape our existence at a fundamental level. Using phenomenology, research in the cognitive sciences, and first-person descriptions of musical experiences, this book addresses topics such as the relationship of music to identity, the capacity of music to be personally and socially transformative, the role of music in our perception of others, the connection between music and trauma, and the possibility of engendering we-experiences through shared musical time.
A Critical Reconstruction of Evidence-based Practice in Psychology: Evidence and Ethics (Routledge Focus on Mental Health)
by Henrik BergEvidence-based practice in psychology is the dominant regulatory principle in clinical psychology, defining psychological knowledge and its application. This book provides a critical analysis and a reconstruction of the policy statement focusing on epistemology and ethics.The book shows the ideological and historical background for the development of evidence-based practice in psychology. It covers the main conceptual and empirical arguments leading to this transition including philosophy and evidence-based medicine. The book goes on to show some of the defects of evidence-based practice in psychology: it misconstrues psychological knowledge; reduces the number of ethical resources available to regulate psychological practices; does not fulfil its ambitions of being a tripartite concept; and undertheorises the issue of integration. The closing chapters provide a constructive critique, preserving the valuable aspects of evidence-based practice in psychology while developing it to make it function adequately. In that sense, the book aims to change the way psychological knowledge is understood and used in practice.This text will be engaging and thought-provoking for anyone using psychological knowledge with patients or clients. It will provide analytic resources to understand psychology better and facilitate the application of psychological knowledge in various settings.
A Crown So Silver (Fair Folk #2)
by Lyra SeleneThe second installment in Lyra Selene's international bestselling series, A Crown So Silver, is set during a deadly trial on a mysterious snowy island ruled by a trickster king. The prize: a chance for vengeance. After her sacrifice on the Ember Moon, Fia is flush with powerful magic and eager to rush into battle against her murderous sister, Eala. However, Fia&’s new husband Irian suggests they bide their time and retreat to the Silver Isle, a snowy island at the edge of the fae world. Ruled by the cunning smith-king, the Silver Isle proves far from a safe haven. Fia and Irian become embroiled in the Tournament of Kings competing for a magical forging of immense power. Their relationship will be put to the test as they navigate their conflicting motivations, shifting allegiances, and ancient magic. With the end of the tournament looming and Eala&’s threat growing, Fia must decide just how much she&’s willing to sacrifice to defeat her sister.
A Crown So Silver: the Spellbinding Number One Sunday Times Bestseller (The Fair Folk Trilogy #2)
by Lyra Selene'A tale to savour and devour, one that gleams like starlight and cuts like a sword' Rebecca Ross, author of Divine Rivals, on A Feather So Black On a mysterious snowy island ruled by a trickster king where magic comes at a price, a deadly trial commences. The prize: a chance for vengeance. A Crown So Silver is the second book in Lyra Selene's Number One Sunday Times bestselling Fair Folk trilogy, perfect for fans of Holly Black and Fourth Wing.After her sacrifice on the Ember Moon, Fia is flush with powerful magic and eager to rush into battle against her murderous sister, Eala. However, Fia's new husband Irian suggests they bide their time and retreat to the Silver Isle, a snowy island at the edge of the fae world.Ruled by the cunning smith-king, the Silver Isle proves far from a safe haven. Fia and Irian become embroiled in the Tournament of Kings competing for a magical forging of immense power. Fia and Irian's relationship will be put to the test as they navigate their conflicting motivations, shifting allegiances and ancient magic.With the end of the tournament looming and Eala's threat growing, Fia must decide just how much she's willing to sacrifice to defeat her sister.Praise for the Fair Folk trilogy:'Dark and dangerous and teeming with romance, A Feather So Black is an exhilarating adventure that walks the edge of a blade. Truly enchanting' Rachel Gillig, NYT bestselling author of One Dark Window, on A Feather So Black 'Darkly enchanting and beautifully written, A Feather So Black is the perfect mix of atmospheric fantasy, heart-stopping action, and delicious romance' Thea Guanzon, author of The Hurricane Wars, on A Feather So Black 'Opulent and scorching, A Feather So Black transcends the genres of romance and fantasy into a tale that is timeless, blood-spattered, and rich with longing and magic' Roshani Chokshi, author of The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, on A Feather So Black 'Immersive world building, whimsical prose, gripping adventure, and heart stopping romance, A Feather So Black will definitely be a new romantasy favourite!' A.K. Mulford, author of The High Mountain Court, on A Feather So Black 'With a breathtaking, sizzling romance, A Feather So Black weaves a twisted fairy tale of thorns and teeth' K.M. Enright, author of Mistress of Lies 'By turns seductive and heart breaking, this enthralling journey heralds a new era of fantasy' Breanne Randall, author of the Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic, on A Feather So Black 'Lyra Selene's writing is a feast for the senses, made of velvet and wild vines and moonlight' Ryan Graudin, award winning author of Wolf By Wolf, on A Feather So Black
A Crown So Silver: the Spellbinding Number One Sunday Times Bestseller (The Fair Folk Trilogy #2)
by Lyra Selene'A tale to savour and devour, one that gleams like starlight and cuts like a sword' Rebecca Ross, author of Divine Rivals, on A Feather So Black On a mysterious snowy island ruled by a trickster king where magic comes at a price, a deadly trial commences. The prize: a chance for vengeance. A Crown So Silver is the second book in Lyra Selene's Number One Sunday Times bestselling Fair Folk trilogy, perfect for fans of Holly Black and Fourth Wing.After her sacrifice on the Ember Moon, Fia is flush with powerful magic and eager to rush into battle against her murderous sister, Eala. However, Fia's new husband Irian suggests they bide their time and retreat to the Silver Isle, a snowy island at the edge of the fae world.Ruled by the cunning smith-king, the Silver Isle proves far from a safe haven. Fia and Irian become embroiled in the Tournament of Kings competing for a magical forging of immense power. Fia and Irian's relationship will be put to the test as they navigate their conflicting motivations, shifting allegiances and ancient magic.With the end of the tournament looming and Eala's threat growing, Fia must decide just how much she's willing to sacrifice to defeat her sister.Praise for the Fair Folk trilogy:'Dark and dangerous and teeming with romance, A Feather So Black is an exhilarating adventure that walks the edge of a blade. Truly enchanting' Rachel Gillig, NYT bestselling author of One Dark Window, on A Feather So Black 'Darkly enchanting and beautifully written, A Feather So Black is the perfect mix of atmospheric fantasy, heart-stopping action, and delicious romance' Thea Guanzon, author of The Hurricane Wars, on A Feather So Black 'Opulent and scorching, A Feather So Black transcends the genres of romance and fantasy into a tale that is timeless, blood-spattered, and rich with longing and magic' Roshani Chokshi, author of The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, on A Feather So Black 'Immersive world building, whimsical prose, gripping adventure, and heart stopping romance, A Feather So Black will definitely be a new romantasy favourite!' A.K. Mulford, author of The High Mountain Court, on A Feather So Black 'With a breathtaking, sizzling romance, A Feather So Black weaves a twisted fairy tale of thorns and teeth' K.M. Enright, author of Mistress of Lies 'By turns seductive and heart breaking, this enthralling journey heralds a new era of fantasy' Breanne Randall, author of the Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic, on A Feather So Black 'Lyra Selene's writing is a feast for the senses, made of velvet and wild vines and moonlight' Ryan Graudin, award winning author of Wolf By Wolf, on A Feather So Black
A Crusader's Death and Life in Acre: The 1266 Account-Inventory of Eudes of Nevers (Medieval Societies, Religions, and Cultures)
by Anne E. Lester Laura K. MorrealeA Crusader's Death and Life in Acre uses five parchment rolls that inventoried the possessions of Eudes of Nevers, son of the duke of Burgundy, at his death in Acre in 1266 to open out a panorama of Christian crusader life. The contents of the rolls, or rouleaux, span from the pay rendered to knights and servants to the numerous possessions of a crusading nobleman. The inventory provides insight into the medieval Outremer even as it provokes questions about trade, diplomacy, remembrance, and the methodological challenges of evoking material objects in texts. Anne E. Lester and Laura K. Morreale present the first complete modern French edition and English translation of the rouleaux along with seven crusade poems by Rutebeuf. In addition, A Crusader's Death and Life in Acre contains a wealth of scholarly commentary that addresses the composition of the rouleaux, the life and relationships of Eudes, and the culture of crusading in its material, written, devotional, and poetic forms.Contributors: Sharon Farmer, Andrew Jotischky, Anne Latowsky, Richard A. Leson, Maureen C. Miller, Jonathan Rubin, Uri Zvi Shachar, and Caroline Smith
A Cultural History of Laughter (Morality, Society and Culture)
by Abílio AlmeidaIs laughter a sin? Or is it man’s best medicine? Is laughter now trivialised, mechanised or even weaponised by contemporary media? This book explores the social history of laughter in the West, from classical antiquity to the present day.Engaging with a range of thought from Plato to Nietzsche, it moves from classical to modern thought, considering the changing emotional climate of societies – including the postmodern "dictatorship of happiness" – and the role played by the technological changes of the last century in shaping our interpretation of laughter.A broad, historical study of the physical and emotional aspects of laughter, as well as its social role, A Cultural History of Laughter will appeal to scholars of sociology, history and cultural studies, among other fields of knowledge.