Wisdom of the Ancients: Life lessons from our distant past


Neil Oliver - 2020
    

Ant Encounters: Interaction Networks and Colony Behavior


Deborah M. Gordon - 2010
    Instead, ants decide what to do based on the rate, rhythm, and pattern of individual encounters and interactions--resulting in a dynamic network that coordinates the functions of the colony. Ant Encounters provides a revealing and accessible look into ant behavior from this complex systems perspective.Focusing on the moment-to-moment behavior of ant colonies, Deborah Gordon investigates the role of interaction networks in regulating colony behavior and relations among ant colonies. She shows how ant behavior within and between colonies arises from local interactions of individuals, and how interaction networks develop as a colony grows older and larger. The more rapidly ants react to their encounters, the more sensitively the entire colony responds to changing conditions. Gordon explores whether such reactive networks help a colony to survive and reproduce, how natural selection shapes colony networks, and how these structures compare to other analogous complex systems. Ant Encounters sheds light on the organizational behavior, ecology, and evolution of these diverse and ubiquitous social insects.

The Vietnam War Trivia Book: Fascinating Facts and Interesting Vietnam War Stories (Trivia War Books Book 2)


Bill O'Neill - 2017
    From the gory photos captured on the ground, to the protest songs that soundtracked a generation of rebels and radicals, this twenty-year war left a mark on the world that’s not going to disappear soon. If you live in the United States (not to mention Vietnam itself), you’ve probably been affected by the war – whether you know it or not. But do you wish you had answers to some questions about the war? What were the stories behind the iconic pictures? Why did it divide the United States more than any war before or since? Would you like to be able to casually explain an issue or relate a story that would shock or impress the whole room? With the help of this Vietnam War book, you can! In just a few minutes a day, you can be an expert in Vietnam War history, and impress both your friends and your history teachers. Each chapter of our trivia books is broken up into fifteen bite-sized sections. These sections are either interesting stories, or clear, simple break-downs of the Vietnam War’s main issues. It’s a pretty complicated war, but unlike most war books, this one will make those difficult issues seem easy and exciting. Every chapter also ends with twenty fascinating facts and five quick questions to test your knowledge. And unlike some Vietnam War books, we’re not going to overwhelm you with a million dates and names – our Vietnam War stories are guaranteed to both intrigue and educate! Get ready to meet characters from Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam’s George Washington, to Peter Lemon, drug enthusiast and Medal of Honour winner. Find out what led to the war, and why it went so badly. Meet the people in Vietnam who risked their lives, and the people in America who stood up against the war. Learn why the Soviet Union stayed away, how a herbicide changed the definition of a war crime, and how Harris Tweed suits saved lives.

The Denisovans: The History of the Extinct Archaic Humans Who Spread Across Asia during the Paleolithic Era


Charles River Editors - 2020
    

Origami Zoo: An Amazing Collection of Folded Paper Animals


Robert J. Lang - 1990
    Their creatures, ranging from the exotic to the familiar, the elegant to the whimsical, will both inspire the beginner and challenge the most accomplished folder.Choose among the dolphin, penguin, swan, owl, goose, kangaroo, praying mantis, or even the mythical Pegasus or extinct wooly mammoth. Each of these thirty-seven new projects is true origami-folded from a single piece of paper with no cutting or gluing-and is complete with clear step-by-step diagrams, instructions, and a photograph of the finished model.Origami Zoo will challenge and delight anyone with a penchant for creating something wonderful out of (almost) nothing.

Accidental India: A History of The Nation's Passage Through Crisis and Change


Shankkar Aiyar - 2012
    He argues that these turning points in the country’s history were not the result of foresight or careful planning but were rather the accidental consequences of major crises that had to be resolved at any cost.

Still Life With Bottle: Whisky According to Ralph Steadman


Ralph Steadman - 1994
    Illustrated throughout in full color.

The Book of Family Traditions on the Art of War


Yagyu Munenori
    The work of Yagyῡ Munenori from 1632 concerns martial arts and military science. It is translated by Thomas Cleary and can be found tucked behind Miyamoto Musashi‘s “the Book of five rings” from 1643. Both these texts analyse conflict between two men armed with swords and scale this up bigger battles. These important treaties on swordsmanship, and have been taken as giving lessons on life in general.

The Shipping Forecast: A Miscellany


Nic Compton - 2016
    It has inspired songs, poetry and imaginations across the globe – as well as providing a very real service for the nation’s seafarers who might fall prey to storms and gales. In 1995, a plan to move the late-night broadcast by just 12 minutes caused a national outcry and was ultimately scrapped.Published with Radio 4 and the Met Office, The Shipping Forecast is the official miscellany for seafarers and armchair travellers alike. From the places themselves – how they got their names, what’s happened there through the ages – to the poems and parodies that it’s inspired, this is a beautifully evocative tribute to one of Britain's – and Radio 4's – best-loved broadcasts.

Spineless Wonders: Strange Tales from the Invertebrate World


Richard Conniff - 1996
    That word is formication, and the implied sense of horror and fascination, contends Richard Conniff, is something many of us actually crave. His Spineless Wonders presents an unabashed wallow in the joy of formication. Spineless Wonders is an engaging, sophisticated, and humorous mix of natural history and human lore. Through his journalistic assignments, Richard Conniff has been in contact with invertebrates for more than twenty years - tarantulas in the upper Amazon region, dragonflies in Arizona, squid in Florida, and flies on the rim of his beer glass. Discoveries about the extraordinary habits and idiosyncrasies of the moth, the leech, the ant, and the slime eel are opening new frontiers in the exploration of our natural universe. Spineless Wonders takes us directly to these wild and wonderful outposts to observe the hazards of being around invertebrates, the bizarre adaptions that enable them to survive in the world, and also the astonishing work they do - work that enables us to survive.

The Fast-5 Diet and the Fast-5 Lifestyle


Bert Herring - 2013
    The Fast-5 rule is simple -- eat within five consecutive hours. The book is about how to get started, what to expect, and how to deal with the challenges of eating in a way that's not the social norm, but saves time, saves money, and is one of the most easily sustained choices for getting to and maintaining a healthy weight.

Seoul Food Korean Cookbook: Korean Cooking from Kimchi and Bibimbap to Fried Chicken and Bingsoo


Naomi Imatome-Yun - 2015
    Learn deliciously authentic Korean cooking, from traditional Korean favorites to modern recipes including Seoul-Style fusion. Food writer Naomi Imatome-Yun grew up in the American suburbs helping her Korean grandmother cook Korean classics and has spent over 15 years helping Korean Americans and non-Korean Americans alike discover how easy and delectable authentic Korean cooking can be.Seoul Food Korean Cooking includes: 135 step-by-step recipes for Korean barbecue, kimchi, and more, including Sliced Barbecued Beef (bulgogi) like mom used to make and those Spicy Stir-Fried Rice Cakes (tteokbokki) you loved on your trip to Korea Special chapters for Korean bar food (anju) like Pork Bone Soup (gamjatang) and fusion favorites like Army Base Stew (budae chigae) An overview of Korean cooking and fun tidbits on food customs, table manners, and restaurant dining tips Detailed lists of kitchen essentials, pantry staples, and Korean cooking ingredients, with photos and shopping resources to aid the home chef

The Pure Heart of Yoga: Ten Essential Steps for Personal Transformation


Robert J. Butera - 2009
    Perfect awareness. True beauty. Yoga is much more than just a physical activity. It is a conscious lifestyle that brings about a profound spiritual and personal transformation. This book on yoga invites you to experience yoga as the ancient masters intended it--a holistic way of life that unites the body, mind, and spirit for complete health and well-being.With clear instruction, Dr. Robert Butera guides you through ten steps on the path of yoga that are based on traditional yogic principles and practices, yet designed to fit seamlessly into your life. Yoga enthusiasts of all kinds will discover effective tools for creating a life of healthful beauty and inner peace.Understand the role of physical poses within the larger, holistic system of yoga Practice breathing techniques (pranayama), work with your energy centers (chakras), and develop your concentration Overcome psychological blocks, balance your emotions, and grow emotionally and spiritually Visit www.pureheartofyoga.com for free video clips of demonstrated yoga postures.Praise: "The Pure Heart of Yoga will bring increased depth to your yoga practice...It is an excellent book: thoughtful, reflective, deep, and accessible."--Eleanor Criswell, Ed.D., author of How Yoga Works"That he's able to instruct and inspire with a warm heart and skillful direction, without judgment or prejudice about the "style" or your yoga of choice, is good reason to believe this book will bring life to your practice."--Yoga Journal

Sunlight and Seaweed: An Argument for How to Feed, Power and Clean Up the World


Tim Flannery - 2017
    But new technology using concentrated sunlight to provide intense heat energy that can be effectively stored overcomes this problem, providing clean renewable power around the clock. Further, the large amounts of power produced can be used to tackle the issue of feeding the world’s growing population—by enabling energy-intense methods of purifying polluted land for agricultural production.Drawing carbon out of the atmosphere is an essential component in limiting climate change. Flannery explores the potential of kelp, a fast-growing sea algae, to be used on a large scale to convert carbon from the air to a non-gaseous form, reducing levels of atmospheric carbon.With accessible and engaging explanations of the fascinating science behind these technologies, as well as accounts of the systems already in operation around the world, Sunlight and Seaweed is an enlightening and uplifting view of the future.

Japanese Haiku


Matsuo Bashō - 1955
    Beloved translator Peter Beilenson’s goal was twofold: to craft a book of haiku accessible to anyone, and to render his best guess at what the poets would have written in English. His translations preserve the sublime spirit of each verse, conjuring vivid visual and emotional impressions in spare words.Haiku icon Basho is represented amply here, as are imagery-virtuoso Buson and wry, warm, painfully human Issa. The verses of Shiki, Joso, Kyorai, Kikaku, Chora, Gyodai, Kakei, Izen, and others also appear, all illuminated by lovely woodblock prints. Ranging from exquisite (In the sea surf edge/Mingling with the bright small shells…/Bush-clover petals –Basho) to bittersweet (Dead my fine hopes/And dry my dreaming, but still…/Iris, blue each spring –Shushiki) to silly (Dim the grey cow comes/Mooing, mooing, and mooing/Out of the morning mist –Issa), this collection will stir your senses and your heart.