But is it? In an age when we are endlessly urged to do “more with less”, can we still romanticise the pretensions of minimalism? For Pier Vittorio Aureli, the return of “austerity chic” is a perversion of what ought to be a meaningful way of life. Charting the rise of asceticism in early Christianity and its institutionalisation with the medieval monasteries, Aureli examines how the basic unit of the reclusive life – the monk’s cell – becomes the foundation of private property. And from there, he argues, it all starts to go wrong. By late capitalism, asceticism has been utterly aestheticised. It manifests itself as monasteries inspired by Calvin Klein stores, in the monkish lifestyle of Steve Jobs and Apple’s aura of restraint. Amid all the hypocrisy, it must still be possible to reprise the idea of “less” as a radical alternative, as the first step to living the life examined.

    What started as a game of Pong, with little blips dancing across a computer screen, has evolved into a multi-billion-dollar industry that is changing the future, making inroads into virtually all aspects of our culture.Who are the minds behind this revolution? How did it happen? Where is it headed? In Smartbomb, journalists Heather Chaplin and Aaron Ruby take the reader behind the scenes at gaming conventions, into powerhouse think tanks where new games are created, into the thick of the competition at cyberathlete tournaments, and into the homes of gamers for whom playing a role in a virtual world has assumed more relevance and reality than life in the real world.

    Hiding out in Pennsylvania, they believe they are safe, and they may be…for a short while.Just when the demon hunters come to believe they have a viable plan for combating the demonic infestation of Oneka Falls, they learn of a new threat. Brigitta's power seems inconsequential by comparison. Confronted by an ancient demigoddess of pain and death, the demon hunter crew knows an open battle will lead to their destruction. The secret to her defeat lies steeped in Akkadian myth, obscured by time and a dead language. Harried by the archdemoness, her powerful servants, and the remaining demons in Oneka Falls, sifting the truth from the legend may prove an impossible task. Nevertheless, the hunters must find a way to save the world.. How can Toby, Benny, Shannon, Mike, and Scott hope to win a war against the demons entrenched in Oneka Falls? How can they even hope to survive?

    Palladio elevated the architecture of the private house into an art form, and he not only designed and built, he wrote. His late-sixteenth-century architectural treatises were read and studied by great thinkers as diverse as Thomas Jefferson and Inigo Jones, profoundly influencing the design of Monticello, the tidewater plantation houses of Virginia, and the White House. All across America today, Palladio's influence is evident in ample porches and columned porticoes, in grand ceiling heights and front-door pediments.In The Perfect House, Witold Rybczysnki, whose books on domestic and landscape architecture have transformed our understanding of parks and buildings, looks at Palladio's famous villas, not with the eye of an art historian but with the eye of an architect. He wanted to know why a handful of houses in an obscure corner of the Venetian Republic should have made their presence felt hundreds of years later and halfway across the globe.More than just a study of one of history's seminal architectural figures, "The Perfect House" reflects Rybczynski's intimacy with and enthusiasm for his subject. He not only reveals why the villas were so architecturally and culturally influential, he also imparts his enormous affection and admiration for the man who designed them. Embracing the elements of Rybczynski's most successful books on domestic architecture, Home and The Most Beautiful House in the World, this charming, revelatory meditation explores the dawn of domestic architecture and provides a new way of looking at everybuilding we inhabit or visit today.

    Reg Kray was the torchbearer of that era in British history. But despite ongoing press interest in the world of the Krays, few have an understanding of Reg the man - a man who spent half of his life in prison and who died of cancer in October 2000. Sidgwick & Jackson published Reg and Ron's joint memoir, OUR STORY, in 1988, and Ron Kray's autobiography, MY STORY, in 1993. This is Reggie's story, a diary of the life he lived, with reflections on the past and the new role he found for himself 'on the inside'. It is a story of courage and remorse, revelation and friendship. For the first time he speaks of his marriage to Roberta, of his relationship with his brothers Ron, who died five years ago, and Charlie, who died April 2000, putting certain misconceptions straight. Updated with a new chapter by Roberta Kray, this is a valuable document for future generations and a fascinating insight into prison life.

    Back on the front line at last, he’s stumbled across the biggest story of his life.But two women have a hold on him. One, a wealthy Saudi beauty he has loved since the first moment he saw her. The other, a feisty young Palestinian refugee loves him with a frightening intensity.Wyrecliffe is caught between them in a dangerous game whose implications are as extreme as they are hidden…For in the dark Al Qaeda underworld hides a man with the veteran journalist in his sights. The net is closing fast. With the clock ticking, Wyrecliffe could be the instrument of a terrorist plot astonishing in its ingenuity and daring… An extraordinary thriller that grips like steel, Heartbreaker will keep you guessing until the very last page. Perfect for fans of Tom Bale, David Jackson and K.L. Slater. What readers are saying about Nick Louth ‘A fast-paced and explosive thriller about a subject that really matters.’‘This was up there with the best thrillers I have ever read.’‘Bite was a gripping, entertaining read which kept me enthralled right until the end!’‘The whole book is an excellent, gripping read. Get one – you won't be disappointed!’‘I absolutely loved this book, it is well written and keeps you on your toes all the way to the last chapter.’‘It grips you from the first page to the last. Excellent book.’‘Well constructed, good page turner, very well researched, excellent holiday read.’‘Exciting, interesting and unpredictable. Highly recommended.’‘Superb! Couldnt put the book down. Really was one of the best thrillers I've read in years.’‘Had me hooked from the start! I would definitely recommend this book.’‘Very exciting and enjoyable. Thoroughly recommended read for anyone who enjoys fast-paced books.’

    Inspirational, original, and stunningly creative, they forged an extraordinary connection with their fans. Not the Life It Seems: The True Lives of My Chemical Romance is their definitive biography. Author Tom Bryant has been given unparalleled access to the band over the years, and now he draws on interviews with Gerard Way, his brother Mikey, Ray Toro, and Frank Iero, as well as friends and associates, to bring their stories to life. In this unauthorized biography, he takes us behind the scenes from their very first show in front of thirty kids in New Jersey-the Ways downing beer to calm their nerves-to international arena-storming superstardom. He sheds light on the personal demons the bandmates battled and the haunted recording sessions that resulted in the brilliance of The Black Parade. He also explores the genesis of their music, the constant reinvention that culminated in the visual splendor of Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, and the strains that led to their split in 2013. Insightful and revealing, Not the Life It Seems presents one of the most adored rock bands of this century, their story an epic saga of self-belief and the pursuit of dreams.

    The play is a political satire, written as historical drama. Based on the life of Nana Phadnavis (1741–1800), one of the prominent ministers in the court of the Peshwa of Pune. Its theme is how men in power give rise to ideologies to serve their purposes, and later destroy them when they become useless.

    The detailed, state-of-the-art information in this edition reflects current procedures and promotes the delivery of comprehensive patient care. This text provides nurses with the tools needed to deliver safe, cost-effective, high-quality patient care.More than 400 contemporary and traditional specialty surgical interventions, in addition to numerous minimally invasive surgical procedures, are explained.Approximately 1,000 full-color illustrations and photos build familiarity with surgical anatomy, procedures, methods and equipment.Places a strong emphasis on patient education and discharge planning, as well as patient safety.Best Practice boxes apply evidence-based practice to perioperative nursing.Sample Plans of Care link interventions to clearly identified outcomes.Research Highlight boxes translate research into practice for patient care.Addresses Emergency preparedness and bioterrorism considerations.Ambulatory, pediatric, geriatric, trauma surgeries, as well as complementary and alternative therapies, are given special attention.History boxes summarize significant historical events related to surgery and perioperative nursing.The latest invasive and non-invasive technological advances related to surgical procedures, including areas such as interventional radiology, are featured.Patient and Family Education boxes offer guidelines for pre- and post-procedural care, side effects and complications, discharge/follow-up care, home care, psychosocial care and referrals.Surgical Pharmacology tables summarize the drugs most commonly used for specific surgical procedures, including generic and trade names, purpose/description and pharmacokinetics.Patient Safety boxes highlight recent JCAHO initiatives designed to prioritize patient safety.Recent OSHA guidelines regarding workplace safety are emphasized.

    Japan Style introduces 20 special residences. With more than 200 color photographs, this book showcases the stunning beauty of old homes, and reveals how they are cared for by their owners.Traditional Japanese homes, with superbly crafted fine wood, great workmanship and seasonal interior arrangements, have an aesthetic of infinite simplicity. Unlike Japanese inns and historical buildings, the houses featured in this book are private property and are not open to public viewing. Japan Style offers a rare glimpse into the intimate world of the everyday Japanese and fascinating insight into the traditional architecture of Japan.

    He left the violence behind for a life of science, raising a family far from the bloodshed of the Corporation. With his wife, Sarah, and son, Michael, he studied the alien Tyr for years, hidden among their complex societies. Their mission should have ended with the arrival of a replacement team. Instead, the Clays’ corporate overlords choose a death sentence: an invasion fleet to conquer the Tyr.This first contact will destroy the Tyr, and only Daniel Clay and his family can help fight back against the drug-fueled conscripts and military might of the invaders. The Clays must help the Tyr from the shadows or be killed by the Tyr who fear them...or by the Corporation they’ve betrayed.But the Clays aren’t the only hidden power.If you like Avatar or V, you’ll love The Tyr Trilogy, a series that combines the wonder, excitement, and drama of top-notch sci-fi.

    Although compensated by the bank for it, she knows one thing! No woman can cash a check in 1874, nor handle her own financial affairs. She needs to find a solution, fast! When she heads to find her last living male relative, she will discover a terrible truth. He was killed just a short time ago. With her options being thinned out, how is she going to overcome her complicated situation? Alejandro O’Connor, or Alex, as everyone calls him, a former veteran soldier, is now the Town Marshal of Mahoka Hills. Leading a solitary life, he finds no place for a woman in it, until Rose arrives in town. When he realizes the reason why she came, he understands he has a guilty secret that could destroy her. Will he choose honesty over his growing feelings, risking to miss his only chance to love?Their attraction is undeniable, but unfortunate events conspire to keep each one of them on their solitary path. Will this continual push-pull battle between the two of them come to an end? Will they finally stop running away from their true feelings and make way for their love to blossom?"A Love Kept Apart By Lies" is a historical western romance novel of approximately 80,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

    On the way to her betrothed, she gets stuck in Alanreed, Texas where she soon learns God may have other plans for her.James Granger is also the victim of tragedy and is now stuck raising his baby daughter all alone. He never hoped to love again . . . until a beautiful stranger gets stranded at his ranch.When Roxie and James get thrown together, both of their lives get turned upside down in a way they never expected. When Roxie’s best friend steps in to save the day, they both learn that God can make a happy ending even when things seem impossible.This book is a clean, western, historical, romance short story. It is a complete story, but it is also part of the Texas Brides and Babies series. Be sure to read them all - in any order!Specially priced at only $0.99Always FREE on Kindle Unlimited

    Disco and salsa. The loft jazz scene and the downtown composers known as Minimalists. In the mid-1970s, New York City was a laboratory where all the major styles of modern music were reinvented--all at once, from one block to the next, by musicians who knew, admired, and borrowed from one another. Crime was everywhere, the government was broke, and the city's infrastructure was collapsing. But rent was cheap, and the possibilities for musical exploration were limitless.Love Goes to Buildings on Fire is the first book to tell the full story of the era's music scenes and the phenomenal and surprising ways they intersected. From New Year's Day 1973 to New Year's Eve 1977, the book moves panoramically from post-Dylan Greenwich Village, to the arson-scarred South Bronx barrios where salsa and hip-hop were created, to the Lower Manhattan lofts where jazz and classical music were reimagined, to ramshackle clubs like CBGBs and The Gallery, where rock and dance music were hot-wired for a new generation. As they remade the music, the musicians at the center of the book invented themselves: Willie Colón and the Fania All-Stars renting Yankee Stadium to take salsa to the masses, New Jersey locals Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith claiming the jungleland of Manhattan as their own, Grandmaster Flash transforming the turntable into a musical instrument, David Byrne and Talking Heads proving that rock music "ain't no foolin' around." Will Hermes was there--venturing from his native Queens to the small dark rooms where the revolution was taking place--and in Love Goes to Buildings on Fire he captures the creativity, drive, and full-out lust for life of the great New York musicians of those years, who knew that the music they were making would change the world.

    Combining muscular guitars and driving rhythms with an irresistible pop sensibility, their blistering live show and endlessly dynamic front woman Hayley Williams has taken them from club shows in their hometown to sell-out arena dates across the world - and earned them a fiercely dedicated fan-base along the way. But with their success has come the pressure of growing up under the media's scrutiny. Small-town kids from Tennessee thrust into international stardom, they have had to negotiate their adolescence alongside the demands of a gruelling tour schedule and numerous line-up changes. This test of character brought them to the brink of collapse. And yet, from this adversity Paramore returned with their most confident, accomplished and deeply personal album to date - Brand New Eyes. This unauthorised book is the first to tell their story and details the early years forming the band, their explosive debut record, the strident, platinum-selling follow-up Riot! and their status in late 2009 as the 'next major rock act' in the world.