Basing his ideas on common sense, Eco shares a vast wealth of literary and historical knowledge, touching on issues that affect us every day. At once philosophical and amusing, Kant and the Platypus is a tour of the world of our senses, told by a master of knowing what is real and what is not.

    You must first approach the subject with the proper sense of perception, with the ability to visualize the finished print before you commit a scene to pixels, but still be flexible and spontaneous. Master Fine Art photographer Vincent Versace has spent his career learning and teaching the art of perception and how to translate it into stunning images. In Welcome to Oz,  he delves into what it means to approach digital photography cinematically, to use your perception, your camera, and Photoshop to capture the movement of life in a still image. Features: Adapt your workflow to the image so you always know how best to use your tools Turn a seemingly impossible photographic scenario into a successful image Practice “image harvesting” to combine the best parts of  many captures to create an optimum final result Create black and white prints that have the look, feel and “richness” of traditional silver prints without ever leaving the RGB color space 224 pages.

    They are Nell Stone, fascinating, magnetic and famous for her controversial work studying South Pacific tribes, her intelligent and aggressive husband Fen, and Andrew Bankson, who stumbles into the lives of this strange couple and becomes totally enthralled. Within months the trio are producing their best ever work, but soon a firestorm of fierce love and jealousy begins to burn out of control, threatening their bonds, their careers, and, ultimately, their lives...

    

    In Search of the Dark Ages vividly conjures up some of the most famous names in British history, such as Queen Boadicea, leader of a terrible war of resistance against the Romans, and King Arthur, the 'once and future king', for whose riddle Wood proposes a new and surprising solution. Here too, warts and all, are the Saxon, Viking and Norman kings who laid the political foundations of England - Offa of Mercia, Alfred the Great, Athelstan, and William the Conqueror, whose victory at Hastings in 1066 marked the end of Anglo-Saxon England.Reflecting recent historical, textual and archaeological research, this revised edition of Michael Wood's classic book overturns preconceptions of the Dark Ages as a shadowy and brutal era, showing them to be a richly exciting and formative period in the history of Britain.—'With In Search of the Dark Ages, Michael Wood wrote the book for history on TV.' The Times—'Michael Wood is the maker of some of the best TV documentaries ever made on history and archaeology.' Times Literary Supplement

    It all boils down to basic hygiene. In this compelling book, Dr. Henry gives a lively account of the evolution of common sickness. She takes readers on a tour through the halls of Microbes Inc., a global "corporation" that has evolved and adapted over billions of years to rule the earth. From viruses to bacteria to parasites and fungi, Dr. Henry profiles the threats and dispels some of the common myths and misinformation about good and bad bugs to bestow upon readers the most important measures needed to keep themselves and their families healthy.

    Exquisitely designed and produced, Patti Smith: Camera Solo accompanies the first museum exhibition of the artist's photography in the United States.Using either a vintage Land 100 or a Land 250 Polaroid camera, Smith photographs subjects inspired by her connections to poetry and literature as well as pictures that honor the personal effects of those she admires or loves. In the catalogue's interview, conducted by Susan Lubowsky Talbott, the artist talks about her "respect for the inanimate object" as well as the talismanic qualities of things in her life. We see, for instance, a picture of Mapplethorpe's slippers or a porcelain cup that belonged to her father, and are drawn into their intimacy and quiet power. Moreover, these images reveal how the camera has proven to be a means for Smith to retreat—undisturbed—to "a room of my own."From her explorations as a visual artist in the 1960s and 70s and her profound influence on the nascent punk rock scene in the late 1970s and 80s, to Just Kids, her National Book Award-winning memoir of life with her beloved friend Robert Mapplethorpe, Smith continues to make an indelible mark on the American cultural landscape.

    Lawrence Hill’s new book doesn’t lessen the awfulness of the times, but adds a unique human dimension. Hill has created an uplifting and highly educational story about a shameful part of history. The Book of Negroes is sold in the United States under the title, Someone Knows My Name. Aminata Diallo was born free in Africa in the eighteenth century. She had a rich and lovely childhood until the day she was captured by slave traders and marched off to the coast in chains. Along with thousands of others, Aminata was destined for North America as a slave to white owners. She was eleven years old. Hill tracks Aminata’s story through the circle of her life. Every Bookclub-in-a-Box discussion guide includes complete coverage of the themes and symbols, writing style, and interesting background information on the novel and the author.

    Presenting details about the parts of the skull (including the cranium, the mandible, the shape and positioning of the eye sockets, and species-specific features like horns, teeth, beaks and bills), information about the science and pseudoscience of skulls, and a look at skulls in religion, art and popular culture, his stories and information are riveting and enlightening.At the center of "Skulls" is a stunning, never-before-seen-in-any-capacity, visual array of the skulls of more than 300 animals that walk, swim, and fly. The skulls are from the collection of Alan Dudley, a British collector and owner of what is probably the largest and most complete private collection of skulls in the world. Every skull is beautifully photographed to show several angles and to give the reader the most intimate view possible. Each includes a short explanatory paragraph and a data box with information on the animal's taxonomy, behavior, and diet."Skulls "was published in December 2011 as an e-book for the iPad by the innovative e-book publishers Touch Press, creators of the best-selling e-books for iPad "The Elements" and "Solar System." Both books were also published in print by Black Dog & Leventhal.

    Rick Strassman conducted US DEA-approved clinical research at the University of New Mexico in which he injected 60 volunteers with DMT, one of the most powerful psychedelics known. His detailed account of those sessions is an inquiry into the nature of the human mind and the therapeutic potential of psychedelics. DMT, a plant-derived chemical that is also manufactured by the human brain, consistently produced near-death and mystical experiences. Many volunteers reported convincing encounters with intelligent nonhuman presences, especially "aliens." Nearly all felt that the sessions were among the most profound experiences of their lives.Strassman's research connects DMT with the pineal gland, considered by Hindus to be the site of the seventh chakra and by René Descartes to be the seat of the soul. DMT: The Spirit Molecule makes the case that DMT, naturally released by the pineal gland, facilitates the soul's movement in and out of the body and is an integral part of the birth and death experiences, as well as the highest states of meditation and even sexual transcendence. Strassman also believes that alien abduction experiences are brought on by accidental releases of DMT. If used wisely, DMT could trigger a period of remarkable progress in the scientific exploration of the most mystical regions of the human mind and soul.

    Women crave intimacy and emotional connection. Women don't want sex with strangers. Right? Wrong. Could 'the fairer sex' in fact be more sexually aggressive and anarchic than men? In What Do Women Want? Adventures in the Science of Female Desire, critically acclaimed journalist Daniel Bergner looks at the evidence. Recent research, he finds, dismantles the myths to reveal an unprecedented portrait of female lust- the triggers, the fantasies, the mind-body connection (and disconnection), the reasons behind the loss of libido and, most revelatory, that this loss is not inevitable.

    

    I wasn't excepting what my father sent me to Ireland for, but I haven’t regretted it either. Not for a single moment. Thirty-five years, seven sons, a growing number of grandchildren later, I’m one of the happiest men on earth and something has become very clear to me. My father was the mastermind of all masterminds.CassieThere has never been one who could tame my mouth. However, the giant Scot my da brings into my life tames everything else about me and hands me the world. My mouth may have gotten me into trouble, but it also got me into the arms of a man I could only dream of. Those eyes, they captivate me from the first time I look up into them.Will the drama someday tear us apart or will it be what makes us stronger? Once you’re a Black you’re a Black for life, or at least that’s what they say.*This a Novella in the Brothers Black Series a spinoff from the bestselling series Legally Bound Series that started it all. While you can read this book as a standalone,it will enhance the read to Blue’s books in the provided book order. Blue Saffire’s books are written to weave, loop, and intertwine with one another. You will find that the series build together for a greater experience.**This book has strong language and sexual content. This Book is for Mature Readers 18+***To keep up with release dates sign up for the mailing list on my Blue Saffire website.

    Their town is under attack by a rogue shifter, and this time, their werewolf senses might not be enough to restore the peace. TROY The eldest Quinn might look thirty-five, but he’s walked the Tetons, Great Plains, and now Yellowstone for a century. Having served his country in three separate wars, shifting both aliases and appearances, alike—Troy can turn wolf by the light of a full moon and shift back in the blink of an eye—this towering and tatted alpha has inherited the Quinn throne, the clan of which has been operating hidden in Devil’s Fist since the first Native American took his last breath. But when a shy, bookish woman by the name of Reece Gladstone becomes a target after her co-worker is brutally murdered, Troy must untangle his complicated feelings for the librarian, feelings that have been percolating, unrepressed yet denied for years, and use every shifting trick in the book to keep her safe. KALEB Kaleb Quinn, the second eldest of the Quinn clan, likes his women like he likes his meat—raw and juicy. But recently, his playboy approach has been stilted and much to his chagrin, but not because the rumors have caught up to him. In his dreams, an ethereal woman with flowing blonde hair and a distinct darkness behind her twinkling eyes has been creeping in and overpowering his subconscious. Kaleb knows what it means, and who she is—his one true mate who he’s never met in the flesh. But as danger closes in, it seems that all of his dreams are quickly turning into a nightmare he can’t escape. Lucy Cooper has a reputation, as well, but it’s far from flattering. The slender diner waitress has seen the dark, rogue shifter up close and personal, but the Sheriff’s take on the matter, which the residents have also adopted, is that she’s on drugs and not to be trusted. Nothing could be further from the truth, but when a body turns up dead in her apartment, there’s only one man in town who believes her innocence—Kaleb Quinn. SHANE The war might have ended overseas, but Shane Quinn never came back from it. Not mentally. A loner to the bone, with battle scars peppered across his ripped physique, Shane walks the streets like dry ice wafting over cold steel. A smile hasn’t cracked his hardened exterior in all the years his brothers have known him, the running joke being that he was born angry and ready to annihilate. But when the Sheriff’s daughter, Whitney Abernathy storms into his life, Shane finds himself disarmed by her fiery spirit. Given the bodyguard’s fighting nature, this poses a serious problem. CONOR Conor Quinn knows that everlasting immortality for any werewolf hinges upon their eternal union with their one true mate. Three of his four brothers have found safety in having bonded to their destined mates, now functioning with fearless presence and power. Conor finds himself compelled, on a mission to connect with his own. But just because the determined, former marine and secret werewolf has chosen Rachel Clancy to be his one true mate, doesn’t mean that’s their destiny. Or does it? DEAN The youngest of the Quinn clan, Dean puts his love of Devil’s Fist before all else. Rugged and handsome, the tall, brooding werewolf is heavily tatted and deeply scarred and there’s nothing he hates more than a spoiled rich girl.

    Book lovers, rejoice! In this love letter to all things bookish, Jane Mount brings literary people, places, and things to life through her signature and vibrant illustrations. Readers will:• Tour the world's most beautiful bookstores• Test their knowledge of the written word with quizzes• Find their next great read in lovingly curated stacks of books• Sample the most famous fictional meals• Peek inside the workspaces of their favorite authorsA source of endless inspiration, literary facts and recommendations, and pure bookish joy, Bibliophile is sure to enchant book clubbers, English majors, poetry devotees, aspiring writers, and any and all who identify as bookworms.