Ithaka – serie

THE WORLD IS BECOMING A MORE DANGEROUS PLACE.The US-led liberal international order is giving way to a more chaotic and contested world system. Western credibility and deterrence are diminishing in the face of wars in Europe and the Middle East, tensions across the Taiwan Strait, and rising populism and terrorism around the world. Can peace, mutual respect and democracy survive, or are we destined to a permanent chaos in which authoritarians and populists thrive?Using decades of experience as policy advisors in conflicts in Iraq and across Africa, and on recent fieldwork in Israel and Taiwan, the authors analyse the nature of modern war, considering state-on-state and intra-state conflicts. They investigate how technology can be a leveller for small powers against larger aggressors and the role of leadership, diplomacy and economic assistance.The Art of War and Peace explores how wars can be won on the battlefield and how that success can be translated into a stable and enduring peace.

A FINANCIAL TIMES BOOK OF THE YEARAN AMAZON BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR SO FAR FOR 2024LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR NONFICTION, AND FT BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDThe trillion-dollar battle for the resources to power our future. Oil and gas defined the twentieth century. Now lithium, copper, cobalt, rare earths and nickel will define the twenty-first.The world is moving towards replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy. But building electric vehicles, solar panels, and millions of other devices requires digging more mines. Critical minerals are vital to many sustainable technologies, and the competition for them is intensifying.Nations aspiring to energy independence are ever more intertwined: a hedge fund manager's attempt to revive rare earths mining in California needs Chinese expertise, and global reliance on Africa's mining sector persists despite child labour concerns. Meanwhile, ecological dilemmas abound: a proposed lithium mine in Nevada may help car manufacturers slash their dependence on fossil fuels, but developing the mine may cause the extinction of a flower found nowhere else on the planet.As investors attempt to predict how resource extraction's geopolitics will unfold, this is a story of industry giants, researchers, and policymakers at the forefront of the new energy wars.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE MOORE PRIZE SHORTLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE An eye-opening exploration of the Chinese internet that reveals the intricate dance between freedom and control in contemporary China.In the late 1990s, as the world was waking up to the power of the internet, Chinese authorities began con­structing a system of online censor­ship now known as the Great Firewall. But far from being barren, the digital world behind the firewall brimmed with new subcultures and tech innovations, offering many citizens previously unimaginable connection and opportunity.Today, as the country's leadership intensifies its control of public discourse and Western headlines reduce the Chinese public to a faceless monolith, journalist Yi-Ling Liu presents an intimate por­trait of the en­trepreneurs, activists, artists, and dreamers navigating China's transformation into both the world's largest online user base and one of its most populous authoritarian states.Drawing on years of firsthand reporting, The Wall Dancers equips readers with the tools to assess the past, present, and future of a global power. A vital exploration of the inter­net's power for both control and liberation, and an unforgettable work of human storytelling, it ultimately asks what it means to live within the technological systems that now shape all of our lives.

'Fantastic' - Cal Newport'A bold vision ... lights the way to fewer hours, less stress, and more meaning' - Adam Grant Workers across all demographics, industries, and socioeconomic levels report exhaustion, burnout, and the wish for more meaningful lives. Drawing on years of research, Brigid Schulte traces the arc of our discontent from a time before the 1980s, when work was more compatible with well-being and many jobs enabled a single earner to support a family, until today, with millions of people working multiple hourly jobs or in white-collar positions where no hours are ever off duty.She casts a wide net in search of solutions, exploring the movement to institute a four-day workweek, introducing Japan's Housewives Brigade - which demands legal protection for family time - and embedding with CEOs who are making the business case for humane conditions. Rich with stories and informed by deep investigation, Over Work lays out a clear vision for ending our punishing grind and reclaiming leisure, joy, and meaning.

THE INSTANT NYT BESTSELLER'Fascinating' - The GuardianA gripping account of the little-known plot that could have put an end to JFK's historic presidency - before it even began.From the New York Times bestselling authors of The Nazi Conspiracy comes a true, little-known story about the first assassination attempt on John F. Kennedy, right before his inauguration.Kennedy was infamously assassinated in 1963, ending his historic presidency. But what most people don't know is that JFK's story almost ended before it began - at the hands of a disgruntled sociopathic loner armed with dynamite.On December 11, 1960, shortly after Kennedy's election and before his inauguration, retired postal worker, Richard Pavlick, waited in his parked Buick on a quiet street in Palm Beach, Florida. Pavlick knew when Kennedy would leave his house and where he was going. From there, Pavlick had a simple plan - one that almost changed the course of history.Written in the page-turning style that is the hallmark of Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch's bestselling series, this is a slice of history vividly brought to life. Meltzer and Mensch are at the top of their game with a brilliant exploration of what could've been for one of the most compelling leaders of the 20th century.

The scorching new feminist apocalyptic novel and instant international bestseller from CJ Leede, the author of Maeve Fly. One of Esquire and Vulture's Best Horror Books of the year and a GoodReads Editors' Pick.'Keep an eye on this rising feminist voice' - Tori AmosIn C.J Leede's latest genre-bending thriller, Sophie, a good Catholic girl who has been kept separate from the world, must traverse the apocalyptic hellscape of the midwest to try to find her lost brother, whilst learning the reality of her own sexuality in a suddenly lust-filled world.A virus is spreading across America, transforming the infected and making them feral with lust. Nothing in Sophie's strict religious upbringing could have prepared her for the arrival of the scorching winds that sweep through the Midwest - not the righteous breath of God, but an evil gust that delivers an ungodly, fevered lust unto the virtuous and the wicked alike.Though her own body has become a carnal battleground, she must somehow find her way through the ravaged world to rescue her brother, hoping the fever hasn't taken him; hoping he can still be saved. The end times are coming and Sophie soon discovers that there are far worse fates than dying a virgin . . .

FOREWORD BY SY MONTGOMERY'A tantalising glimpse of nature's capacity to heal' - The Times'Eye-opening' - Daily MailWith their large, strangely human eyes or their dog-like playfulness, but seals have long captured people's interest and affection. Alix Morris spends a year with these magnetic creatures and brings them to life, season by season, as she learns about their intelligence, their relationships with each other, their ecosystems, and the changing climate.Along with the seals themselves, Morris explores the competing interests in the debate about newly recovered seal populations in our coastal waters: from local fisherman whose catch is often diminished by savvy seals, to tribes who once relied on seal-hunting for food, clothing, and medicine, this is a rare look at what happens when conservation efforts actually work, and how human tampering with ecosystems continues to have unexpected consequences.

For fans of the much-loved Lia Leendertz annual Almanac, The Welsh Almanac focuses in on Wales as a region and its nature, language and timeless traditions.Embark on a journey through Wales with The Welsh Almanac, a month-by-month guide that showcases the country's landscapes, heritage, and traditions. Explore valleys, coastlines, tide tables, moon phases, and Welsh customs, alongside regional highlights and translated folk songs.With a mix of activities and recipes throughout, you can try your hand at making cawl, bara brith, crempogau (pancakes), or even crafting a lovespoon. Along the way, discover the stories behind traditions like the Mari Lwyd and the Eisteddfod, and enjoy snapshots of Wales's most stunning regions, from Snowdonia to the Brecon Beacons and the Pembrokeshire coast.

'Ultimately as inspiring and devastating as the Amazon itself' The Guardian'Bold, pacy, bursting with optimism and filled with vivid descriptions, this is the work of an indomitable soul' - Guy ShrubsoleA brilliantly colourful work of reportage ... a haunting and truly important read' - The TelegraphRECIPIENT OF A WHITING FOUNDATION AWARDOn 5 June 2022, award-winning journalist Dom Phillips was working on this book, alongside the indigenous expert Bruno Pereira, when they were both shot. They are believed to have been assassinated by one of the criminal networks whose ecological exploitation they were working to expose.As the world becomes more aware of the significance of the Amazon, home to nearly 400 billion trees, working in this vast region has become ever more dangerous for activists and journalists. Fires, land grabs, and the invasion of reserves have all spiked over recent decades, pushing the world's biggest forest ever closer to a point of no return. The last few years have seen efforts to reduce deforestation, but the question remains; can we save this globally essential ecosystem before it is too late?A group of expert writers took up Phillips' partially completed manuscript, committed to his mission of uncovering the truth about deforestation and searching for solutions. Blending in-depth reporting and encounters with indigenous activists, ecologists, farmers, and political figures, How to Save The Amazon is a dazzling account of how we can fight ecological destruction and stand in solidarity with the Earth's environmental defenders.

'Ultimately as inspiring and devastating as the Amazon itself' The Guardian'Bold, pacy, bursting with optimism and filled with vivid descriptions, this is the work of an indomitable soul' - Guy ShrubsoleA brilliantly colourful work of reportage ... a haunting and truly important read' - The TelegraphRECIPIENT OF A WHITING FOUNDATION AWARDOn 5 June 2022, award-winning journalist Dom Phillips was working on this book, alongside the indigenous expert Bruno Pereira, when they were both shot. They are believed to have been assassinated by one of the criminal networks whose ecological exploitation they were working to expose.As the world becomes more aware of the significance of the Amazon, home to nearly 400 billion trees, working in this vast region has become ever more dangerous for activists and journalists. Fires, land grabs, and the invasion of reserves have all spiked over recent decades, pushing the world's biggest forest ever closer to a point of no return. The last few years have seen efforts to reduce deforestation, but the question remains; can we save this globally essential ecosystem before it is too late?A group of expert writers took up Phillips' partially completed manuscript, committed to his mission of uncovering the truth about deforestation and searching for solutions. Blending in-depth reporting and encounters with indigenous activists, ecologists, farmers, and political figures, How to Save The Amazon is a dazzling account of how we can fight ecological destruction and stand in solidarity with the Earth's environmental defenders.

WE CAME FROM THE SEAFrom tidal estuaries to tropical reefs, saltwater has been central to evolution; the amniotic fluid of life itself. Vestiges of our salty origins can be found in the physiological makeup of land dwellers today, and marine chemistry still defines the boundaries of existence for most aquatic animals. But even as we rely upon the sea's life-giving properties, we have failed to protect it. Saltwater brings readers face to face with the secrets of the marine realm, revealing massive sperm whales, delicate dumbo octopuses, nightmarish viperfish, and even the ocean's own version of the northern lights: a shimmering bioluminescent display that illuminates the darkest fathoms.It examines humanity's eternal connection with the oceans, from ancient fishing traditions to the devastating legacy of industrial whaling. And it shows how today, even as the ocean bears the scars of overfishing, pollution, and climate change, this damage may yet be reversed though cutting-edge science and strategic conservation.Elegant, deeply researched, and ultimately galvanising, Saltwater is a paradigm-shifting look at how saltwater life shapes our world.

'A writer of genius' - William DalrympleCan anyone really own a culture? This magnificent account argues that the story of global civilisations is one of mixing, sharing, and borrowing.It shows how art forms have crisscrossed continents over centuries to produce masterpieces. From Nefertiti's lost city and the Islamic Golden Age to twentieth century Nigerian theatre and Modernist poetry, Martin Puchner explores how contact between different peoples has driven artistic innovation in every era - whilst cultural policing and purism have more often undermined the very societies they tried to protect.Travelling through Classical Greece, Ashoka's India, Tang dynasty China, and many other epochs, this triumphal new history reveals the crossing points which have not only inspired the humanities, but which have made us human.

Rediscover the lost words of an ancient land in this new and updated edition of an international bestseller.Most people associate Britain and Ireland with the English language, a vast, sprawling linguistic tree with roots in Latin, French, and German, and branches spanning the world, from Australia and India to North America.But the inhabitants of these islands originally spoke another tongue. Look closely enough and English contains traces of the Celtic soil from which it sprung, found in words like bog, loch, cairn and crag. Today, this heritage can be found nowhere more powerfully than in modern-day Gaelic.In Thirty-Two Words for Field Manchán Magan explores the enchantment, sublime beauty and sheer oddness of a 3000-year-old lexicon. Imbuing the natural world with meaning and magic, it evokes a time-honoured way of life, from its 32 separate words for a field, to terms like loisideach (a place with a lot of kneading troughs), bróis (whiskey for a horseman at a wedding), and iarmhaireacht (the loneliness you feel when you are the only person awake at cockcrow).Told through stories collected from Magan's own life and travels, Thirty-Two Words for Field is an enthralling celebration of Irish words, and a testament to the indelible relationship between landscape, culture and language.

INSIDE IRAN'S NEW REVOLUTIONA deeply personal, politically impassioned portrait of the protests taking place in Iran.I've stopped pulling up my scarf to cover my hair when I pass by the guards. I know that nothing can stop one of them from raising his gun and targeting me. But this is for the greater good.Anonymous activist Nila gives us a witness' insight into the everyday activism, bravery and violence of daily life under Iran's regime, even as the authorities try to hide the true size of protests and scale of mass killings.In this incisive, moving narrative, an anonymous Iranian woman describes her daily activism in the streets of Tehran, and shows it to be part of a long and powerful tradition of female resistance.WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY CHRISTINA LAMBTranslated by Poupeh Missaghi.

'Extraordinary ... one of the most moving and uplifting stories of the war' Keith Lowe'A remarkable book' - The TelegraphA gripping account of hidden identity, military courage, and an against-all-odds reunion.Four days after Germany's surrender in May 1945, a young British officer headed east into Germany. But this was no ordinary soldier. Manfred Gans was searching for his family. As a Jewish boy in Nazi Germany, he fled to England. Once he could, he enlisted, serving in the elite British 'Three Troop' unit, comprised of German-speaking refugees, and joined the D-Day landings.Working undercover, he gained vital intelligence, liberated occupied France and the Netherlands, and saved lives on both sides. Meanwhile, he dreamed of a reunion with his family trapped behind enemy lines, and with his childhood sweetheart, Anita.As the war ended, chaos reigned in Germany: defeated Wehrmacht soldiers faced columns of U.S. and British soldiers, concentration camp survivors encountered SS guards, and Soviet military roadblocks controlled the route east. Manfred overcame them all, finally reaching the place his parents were last seen: Theresienstadt ...Translated by Rachel Stanyon

'Extraordinary ... one of the most moving and uplifting stories of the war' Keith Lowe'A remarkable book' The TelegraphA gripping account of hidden identity, military courage, and an against-all-odds reunion.Four days after Germany's surrender in May 1945, a young British officer headed east into Germany. But this was no ordinary soldier. Manfred Gans was searching for his family. As a Jewish boy in Nazi Germany, he fled to England. Once he could, he enlisted, serving in the elite British 'Three Troop' unit, comprised of German-speaking refugees, and joined the D-Day landings.Working undercover, he gained vital intelligence, liberated occupied France and the Netherlands, and saved lives on both sides. Meanwhile, he dreamed of a reunion with his family trapped behind enemy lines, and with his childhood sweetheart, Anita.As the war ended, chaos reigned in Germany: defeated Wehrmacht soldiers faced columns of U.S. and British soldiers, concentration camp survivors encountered SS guards, and Soviet military roadblocks controlled the route east. Manfred overcame them all, finally reaching the place his parents were last seen: Theresienstadt ...Translated by Rachel Stanyon

Do boycotts work? Should arms sales be stopped? What about supplying weapons to the good guys? In How Wars End an international expert explains how we can act to bring about peace in an age of escalating war.In 2003 Jan van Aken almost helped stop a war. But as he was preparing to go to Baghdad to search for biological weapons, he got a message: the US was determined to avenge 9/11 and wouldn't wait for UN inspections to take place. The invasion went ahead, and only years later, the world discovered that Iraq had had no biological weapons at that time.From this experience and the many others he has had as a weapons inspector, conflict analyst and activist, in How Wars End van Aken shows how conflict resolution really works. From disinformation and dodgy dossiers to chemical weapons and murderous drones, he identifies why wars start and spiral. And he looks at the alternatives, including civil initiatives, diplomacy, sanctions, and international interventions.Interweaving the latest findings from peace research with stories and examples from Northern Ireland, Serbia, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Syria, Ukraine, Israel-Palestine and more, How Wars End lays out evidence-based strategies for moving from violent conflict to ceasefire, and from ceasefire to lasting peace.Translated by Jo Heinrich.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2025 WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING.'Captivating' - New Scientist'A wondrous work of walking, seeing and thinking' - Robert Macfarlane'A startlingly brilliant and moving debut' - William DalrympleA deep observation of coast and wetland, climate and self, by a leading Indian ecological activist.Introduction by Robert Macfarlane.Written in spellbinding prose, Intertidal reveals an unseen world. We hear frog calls through the night, spot butterflies miles into the ocean, see the churning of longshore currents, and meditate on worms' composting abilities. We also witness communities standing together to preserve the homes of the coast's inhabitants, both human and non-human.Intertidal asks us to reimagine values to live by; heeding the natural world, attending to the climate's calling, and moving away from the old political and cultural values that have proven ecologically disastrous. Set in beaches, marshes, and the wild places of the mind, Intertidal revels in the healing power of nature and explores what it means to reclaim an ecology that has been colonised.

Praise for Erika Lust:'The queen of ethical porn' - The Times'Lust has blazed a trail' - Dazed'We're so into it' - CosmopolitanIn Lust: Porn, Pleasure, Power, Erika Lust tells the story of how a shy 'good girl' came to create one of the most talked-about studios in the world. She takes us behind the scenes of her films to glimpse the passion and chaos of making art about sex, and shares the lessons she has learned as a female leader in a male-dominated, frequently misogynistic, industry. And she addresses the ubiquity of online porn, offering a way forward that eschews moral panic in favour of creativity and pleasure. Ultimately, Lust argues, it is time that we change the stories we tell about sex.Growing up in Sweden, Erika Lust always knew that some things were off limits. Despite her liberal upbringing, she learned that adults were embarrassed if she asked them about sex. At the same time, she knew that men watched something called porn.Decades later, Lust is the world's leading feminist adult filmmaker and has been dubbed the 'queen of ethical porn', making pioneering films which centre women's experiences and push back against shame to tell liberating stories of desire. Perfect for fans of Gillian Anderson's Want, Pleasure by Emma-Louise Boynton and Flick by Kate Lister.

'Dubs has been described as the conscience of the Labour movement' The Guardian'Principled, steely, wise and warm - as wonderful as the writer' Philippe SandsFrom the Kindertransport to the House of Lords, one of Britain's best-loved political figures reflects on the last eight decades.Escaping the Nazis to arrive in Britain as a child refugee, growing up in 1950s Manchester, and making it to London in time for the swinging 60s; by the time Alf Dubs reached adulthood, he'd already lived a remarkable life. But nobody could have predicted what happened next.Selected as a candidate for the Labour Party, Dubs campaigned for Labour through the tumultuous politics of the 1970s, eventually winning the seat of Battersea South in time for the Thatcher era. After nearly a decade in opposition, he entered the House of Lords in 1994 and later served under Tony Blair as a Minister for Northern Ireland during the Troubles. A lifelong champion of human rights, in 2016 the Dubs Amendment was passed in response to the migrant crisis. Respected across political parties, to this day at the age of 93, Dubs continues to campaign for the rights of child refugees from his seat in the House of Lords. The Boy With The Knapsack is one man's life story, but it is also a fascinating first-hand account of Britain over the last eight decades, and a reminder of the values of decency and humanity that unite us.