Oxford University Press – serie

In November 1519, Hernando Cortés walked along a causeway leading to the capital of the Aztec kingdom and came face to face with Moctezuma. That story--and the story of what happened afterwards--has been told many times, but always following the narrative offered by the Spaniards. After all, we have been taught, it was the Europeans who held the pens. But the Native Americans were intrigued by the Roman alphabet and, unbeknownst to the newcomers, they used it to write detailed histories in their own language of Nahuatl. Until recently, these sources remained obscure, only partially translated, and rarely consulted by scholars. For the first time, in Fifth Sun, the history of the Aztecs is offered in all its complexity based solely on the texts written by the indigenous people themselves. Camilla Townsend presents an accessible and humanized depiction of these native Mexicans, rather than seeing them as the exotic, bloody figures of European stereotypes. The conquest, in this work, is neither an apocalyptic moment, nor an origin story launching Mexicans into existence. The Mexica people had a history of their own long before the Europeans arrived and did not simply capitulate to Spanish culture and colonization. Instead, they realigned their political allegiances, accommodated new obligations, adopted new technologies, and endured. This engaging revisionist history of the Aztecs, told through their own words, explores the experience of a once-powerful people facing the trauma of conquest and finding ways to survive, offering an empathetic interpretation for experts and non-specialists alike.

'Is there any knowledge in the world which is so certain that no reasonable man could doubt it?'Philosophy is the attempt to answer such ultimate questions, not carelessly and dogmatically, as we might deal with them in ordinary life, but critically, after analysing how and why the questions arise and clarifying the assumptions and concepts on which they are based.This classic work, first published in 1912, has never been supplanted as an approachable introduction to the theory of philosophical enquiry. It gives Russell's views on such subjects as the distinction between appearance and reality, the existence and nature of matter, idealism, knowledge by acquaintance and by description, induction, and the limits and value of philosophical knowledge.This edition includes an introduction by John Skorupski contextualizing Russell's work, and a guide to further reading.

Human beings are primates, and primates are political animals. Our brains, therefore, are designed not just to hunt and gather, but also to help us get ahead socially, often via deception and self-deception. But while we may be self-interested schemers, we benefit by pretending otherwise. The less we know about our own ugly motives, the better - and thus we don't like to talk or even think about the extent of our selfishness. This is "the elephant in the brain." Such an introspective taboo makes it hard for us to think clearly about our nature and the explanations for our behavior. The aim of this book, then, is to confront our hidden motives directly - to track down the darker, unexamined corners of our psyches and blast them with floodlights. Then, once everything is clearly visible, we can work to better understand ourselves: Why do we laugh? Why are artists sexy? Why do we brag about travel? Why do we prefer to speak rather than listen?Our unconscious motives drive more than just our private behavior; they also infect our venerated social institutions such as Art, School, Charity, Medicine, Politics, and Religion. In fact, these institutions are in many ways designed to accommodate our hidden motives, to serve covert agendas alongside their "official" ones. The existence of big hidden motives can upend the usual political debates, leading one to question the legitimacy of these social institutions, and of standard policies designed to favor or discourage them. You won't see yourself - or the world - the same after confronting the elephant in the brain.

A 50th anniversary edition of one of the most widely influential articles of 20th Century philosophy“Consciousness is what makes the mind-body problem really intractable.” So begins Thomas Nagel's classic 1974 essay “What is it Like to be a Bat?” Nagel's essay initiated the now widespread attention to consciousness as a central problem for philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience; it also influenced the recognition of the consciousness of nonhuman creatures as an important subject of study. Nagel argued that the essential subjectivity of conscious experience -- what it is like for the creature undergoing it -- means that reductionist theories of mind, which attempt to analyze it in physical terms, can never succeed. It follows that the physical sciences cannot provide a complete description of reality, and that the physical conception of objective reality must be transcended if science is going to comprehend the mind. This edition reissues this classic and widely influential article on its 50th anniversary, along with a new preface discussing the origins and influence of the essay, as well as “Further Thoughts: The Psychophysical Nexus,” a supplementary essay which describes Nagel's later thoughts about how to respond to the problem posed by “What Is It Like to Be a Bat?” This second essay suggests that the most promising path forward for the mind-body problem, if one accepts the irreducible subjectivity of consciousness, is to seek a necessary connection between mental and neurophysiogical states through a more fundamental type of state which is neither mental nor physical but necessitates them both as essential aspects. In other words, a state that is physical from the outside and mental from the inside, just as we are. This would be a form of monism, requiring the formation of new concepts, since our present concepts of the mental and the physical do not entail such a necessary connection. The essay explains why the relation between the mental and the physical may be necessary, even though our present concepts make it appear contingent.

From the author of the classic Human Anatomy for Artists comes this user-friendly reference guide featuring over five hundred original drawings and over seventy photographs.Designed for painters, sculptors, and illustrators who use animal imagery in their work, Animal Anatomy for Artists offers thorough, in-depth information about the most commonly depicted animals, presented in a logical and easily understood format for artists--whether beginner or accomplished professional. The book focuses on the forms created by muscles and bones, giving artists a crucial three-dimensional understanding of the final, complex outer surface of the animal. Goldfinger not only covers the anatomy of the more common animals, such as the horse, dog, cat, cow, pig, squirrel, and rabbit, but also the anatomy of numerous wild species, including the lion, giraffe, deer, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, elephant, gorilla, sea lion, and bear. Included are drawings of skeletons and how they move at the joints, individual muscles showing their attachments on the skeleton, muscles of the entire animal, cross sections, photographs of live animals, and silhouettes of related animals comparing their shapes and proportions. He offers a new and innovative section on the basic body plan of four-legged animals, giving the reader a crucial conceptual understanding of overall animal structure to which the details of individual animals can then be applied. The chapter on birds covers the skeleton, muscles and feather patterns. The appendix presents photographs of skulls with magnificent horns and antlers and a section on major surface veins.Incredibly thorough, packed with essential information, Animal Anatomy for Artists is a definitive reference work, an essential book for everyone who depicts animals in their art.

This is the life story of one of the most interesting human beings who ever lived. A political genius who remade Europe and united Germany between 1862 and 1890 by the sheer power of his great personality. It takes the reader into close proximity with a human being of almost superhuman abilities. We see him through the eyes of his secretaries, his old friends, his neighbours, his enemies and the press. Otto von Bismarck 'made' Germany but never 'ruled' it. For twenty eight years he acted as a prime minister without a party. He made speeches, brilliant in content but hesitant in delivery, and rarely addressed a public meeting. He planned three wars and after a certain stage in his career always wore military uniform to which he had no claim. The 'Iron Chancellor', the image of Prussian militarism, suffered from hypochondria and hysteria. Contemporaries called him a 'dictator' and several observers credited him with 'demonic' powers'. They were not wrong. The sheer power of his remarkable 'sovereign sel' awed even his enemies. William I observed that it was hard to be emperor under a man like Bismarck. He towered physically and intellectually over his contemporaries. His spoken and written prose sparkled with wit, insight, grand visions and petty malice. He united Germany and transformed Europe like Napoleon before and Hitler after him but with neither their control of the state nor command of great armies. He was and remained a royal servant. This new biography explores the greatness and limits of a huge and ultimately destructive self. It uses the diaries and letters of his contemporaries to explore the most remarkable figure of the nineteenth century, a man who never said a dull thing or wrote a slack sentence. A political genius who combined creative and destructive traits, generosity and pettiness, tolerance and ferocious enmity, courtesy and rudeness - in short, not only the most important nineteenth-century statesman but by far the most entertaining.

Jane Austen's letters afford a unique insight into the daily life of the novelist: intimate and gossipy, observant and informative, they bring alive her family and friends, her surroundings and contemporary events with a freshness unparalleled in biography. Above all we recognize the unmistakable voice of the author of Pride and Prejudice, witty and amusing as she describes the social life of town and country, thoughtful and constructive when writing about the business of literary composition. R. W. Chapman's ground-breaking edition of the collected Letters first appeared in 1932, and a second edition followed twenty years later. A third edition, edited by Deidre Le Faye in 1997, added new material, re-ordered the letters into their correct chronological sequence, and provided discreet and full annotation to each letter, including its provenance, and information on the watermarks, postmarks, and other physical details of the manuscripts. This fourth edition incorporates the findings of new scholarship to enrich our understanding of Austen and give us the fullest and most revealing view yet of her life and family. There is a new preface, the biographical and topographical indexes have been amended and updated, a new subject index has been created, and the contents of the notes added to the general index.

This easy-to-carry edition of the renowned Old Scofield® Study Bible offers a wealth of study materials at a fantastic price. Featuring a traditional type setting cherished by many long-time Scofield readers, the Classic Edition, whose notes date from 1917, is the best cross-reference study Bible ever published. Among its many features are book introductions and outlines, unique subject chain reference system, comprehensive indexes, chronologies, a concordance and authoritative, full color Oxford Bible Maps.* Authorized King James Version text. * Same-page text helps. * Complete Scofield® references. * Subheadings. * Introduction to each book of the Bible. * Comprehensive index. * Chronologies. * Subject index. * Concordance. * Red letter type. * Subject chain references. * English equivalents for Hebrew dates, money, weights and measures.

A comprehensive view of the ancient Greek world, its history and its achievements. The legacy of the Hellenistic world is vast--it ranges from architecture to philosophy, literature, and the visual arts to military strategy and science. This authoritative study covers the period from the eighth century BC, which witnessed the emergence of the Greek city-states, to the conquests of Alexander the Great and the establishment of the Greek monarchies some five centuries later.Chapters dealing with political and social history are interspersed with chapters on philosophy and the arts, including Homer, Greek myth, Aristotle, and Plato, Greek dramatists such as Sophocles and Aristophanes, and the flourishing of the visual and plastic arts.This volume, first published as part of The Oxford History of the Classical World, includes illustrations, maps, a Chronology of Events, and suggestions for Further Reading.

While plenty of books tell readers how natural selection works, Force of Nature focuses on why understanding it has enormous practical value for reader's lives, right now.Natural selection never signs its work, earns awards, or collects the praise of peers. Still, the closer we look, the more awesome it is. We may understand that as life's most powerful process it shapes all living things in their endlessly surprising and photogenic diversity. But we're nowhere near done discovering its full power, scope, and reach. While plenty of books tell readers how natural selection works, Force of Nature focuses on why understanding it has enormous practical value and is important to reader's lives, right now. With vivid examples, the book shows how looking through the lens of natural selection adds value in domains as diverse as medicine, psychology, agriculture, artificial intelligence, engineering, economics, and law. Force of Nature illustrates how deepening our understanding of natural selection can help us to reduce errors, lower costs, increase efficiencies, and improve our ability to pursue some of our existing goals. It reveals hidden patterns that natural selection paints across seemingly disconnected things, from airplanes, cancers, and cod, to body armor, robot navigation, the feeling of ownership, and how we assess risks within the daily swirl of imperfectly predictable events. For example, the book looks at why both doctors and patients so often--and indeed so wildly--misunderstand diagnostic statistics for diseases like breast cancer. It illustrates how researchers can code software to evolve itself automatically to solve seemingly intractable problems. It explores the bases for some systemic but illogical biases in human decision-making. And it connects all these examples not only to each other but also to soil probes on Mars, satellite antennas, human breastmilk, the architectures of legal systems, and more. You are sure to come away with deeper understandings of how natural selection works, influences human behaviors more broadly and deeply than commonly contemplated, and how greater understanding of it can be harnessed to aid human flourishing across a surprisingly wide swath of domains.

Storytelling kept alive the myths, legends and history of the Blasket Islands. In her old age, Peig Sayers, recounted her life to her son who recorded the tale in this book. She recalls the events of her life and her simple philosophy in a moving poetic style. Such everyday tasks as collecting turf for roots, catching and eating seals, and preparing for a wake are depicted alongside such momentous events as drownings at sea, pilgrimages, and the spread of the news of the Easter uprising in 1916. There were 'clouds of sorrow', but helping to lift them was the friendship she found in the community, which 'was like a little rose in the wilderness'. The Blasket Islands are three miles off Irelands Dingle Peninsula. Until their evacuation just after the Second World War, the lives of the 150 or so Blasket Islanders had remained unchanged for centuries. A rich oral tradition of story-telling, poetry, and folktales kept alive the legends and history of the islands, and has made their literature famous throughout the world. The 7 Blasket Island books published by OUP contain memoirs and reminiscences from within this literary tradition, evoking a way of life which has now vanished.

The story of four remarkable women who shaped the intellectual history of the 20th century: Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley, and Iris Murdoch.On the cusp of the Second World War, four women went to Oxford to begin their studies: a fiercely brilliant Catholic convert; a daughter of privilege longing to escape her stifling upbringing; an ardent Communist and aspiring novelist with a list of would-be lovers as long as her arm; and a quiet, messy lover of newts and mice who would become a great public intellectual of our time. They became lifelong friends. At the time, only a handful of women had ever made lives in philosophy. But when Oxford's men were drafted in the war, everything changed.As Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley, and Iris Murdoch labored to make a place for themselves in a male-dominated world, as they made friendships and families, and as they drifted toward and away from each other, they never stopped insisting that some lives are better than others. They argued that courage and discernment and justice--and love--are the heart of a good life.This book presents the first sustained engagement with these women's contributions: with the critique and the alternative they framed. Drawing on a cluster of recently opened archives and extensive correspondence and interviews with those who knew them best, Benjamin Lipscomb traces the lives and ideas of four friends who gave us a better way to think about ethics, and ourselves.

From Roman times to the present day, Spain has occupied a significant role in the evolution of our Western world. This book highlights the notable trends, intellectual and social, of each particular era in its history. The imposition of Roman rule created the notion of Hispania as a single entity. Chapters on the Visigoth monarchy, Moorish Spain, the establishment of an empire, the eighteenth-century Enlightenment, all chart the political and economic development of Spain, but also emphasise the extraordinary and diverse artistic and literary achievements of the Spanish people within this one country at these different times. Moving on to the nineteenth century, we read of the rise of liberalism, and of its fall, which ushered in a period of disarray leading to the Civil War and authoritarian rule. Today Spain is a fully integrated and enthusiastic member of the European community. The contributors to this work are all specialists in their field, and provide an authoritative overview of two thousand years of Spanish history for the student and general reader.

Improvising Fugue: A Method for Keyboard Artists is a guide for those who aspire to the highest levels of fluency as inventors of spontaneous music at the piano, fortepiano, harpsichord, organ, or digital keyboard. Written for professional performers, conservatory students, and devoted amateurs, this book leads the reader along the arduous journey from score dependency to improvisational freedom. Improvising Fugue begins with a comprehensive course in 18th century Italian partimento, the system of musicianship training that simultaneously strengthens improvisation, counterpoint, harmony, keyboard skills, and audiation. The reader then encounters fugue improvisation in a gradual, methodical, and rigorous manner. Every concept is accompanied by extensive and clear explanation, examples from music literature, and practical exercises. The book covers every aspect of fugue improvisation in depth, including subjects, countersubjects, tonal and real answers, episodes, presentations, pedal points, and stretti. Author John J. Mortensen draws on experience as a concert improviser on the international stage; the book's pragmatic, real-world instruction comes from a seasoned performer who knows firsthand exactly what is required to improvise fugues in the presence of a live audience.

Half vampire, half fairy, totally unique! Isadora Moon is special because she is different. Her mum is a fairy and her dad is a vampire and Isadora is a bit of both. Isadora loves going to human birthday parties, and now is going to have one of her own! But with her mum and dad organizing things, it's not going to be like the parties she's been to before . . .With irresistible pink and black artwork throughout by author/illustrator Harriet Muncaster and a totally unique heroine with an out-of-this-world family, this is a beautiful, charming, and funny new series of first chapter books. Perfect for fans of Unicornia, Claude, Dixie O'Day, and Squishy McFluff, Isadora Moon is the ideal choice for readers who want their magic and sparkle with a bit of bite!Also available from the world of Isadora Moon:• Mirabelle - Half witch, half fairy, totally naughty!• Emerald - The most rebellious princess under the sea• Isadora Moon Activity Books including colouring pages, word searches, puzzles and more!Coming soon:Celebrating 10 years of Isadora Moon with a special Hardback edition of Isadora Moon Has a Birthday in shimmering pink!Order now 9781382074797

Meet Mirabelle, the half-witch, half-fairy cousin of Isadora Moon - and she's totally naughty!In this charming new children's chapter book series, Mirabelle brings a whirlwind of spells, flying, and magical mayhem wherever she goes. Beautifully illustrated in two colours, the story captures her mischievous adventures and irresistible personality.Perfect for readers aged 5-7 who love magical chapter books, funny stories, and strong girl characters, Mirabelle Gets Up to Mischief is ideal for fans of Isadora Moon, Unicornia, Amelia Fang and other enchanting series. With its mix of humour, magic, and mischief, this book is a delightful choice for newly independent readers ready to explore longer stories filled with imagination and sparkle.From the Mirabelle series:• Mirabelle Gets Up to Mischief (ISBN: 9780192776495) • Mirabelle Breaks the Rules (ISBN: 9780192777546) • Mirabelle Has a Bad Day (ISBN: 9780192777553) • Mirabelle In Double Trouble (ISBN: 9780192777560) • Mirabelle and the Naughty Bat Kittens (ISBN: 9780192777577) • Mirabelle and the Magical Mayhem (ISBN: 9780192777584) • Mirabelle Takes Charge (ISBN: 9780192783721) • Mirabelle Wants to Win (ISBN: 9780192783745) • Mirabelle and the Midnight Feast (ISBN: 9780192783783) • Mirabelle and the Haunted House (ISBN: 9780192783769) • Mirabelle and the Picnic Pranks (ISBN: 9780192787965) • Mirabelle and the Baby Dragons (ISBN: 9780192787996) • Mirabelle in Witch City (ISBN: 9780192788016) • Mirabelle and the Party Tricks (ISBN: 9780192788030)• Mirabelle and the Enchanted Sea Globe (ISBN: 9780192788061)

Mirabelle's mum is a witch, her dad is a fairy, and she is a bit of both!Mirabelle and her class are going on a school trip to a magical-creature sanctuary, and Mirabelle can't wait! Even being partnered with annoying goody-two-shoes Lavinia can't ruin her day. But when she accidentally lets the bittens (part bat, part kitten, totally adorable, slightly fierce) out of their enclosure their day becomes a bit more complicated. Can Lavinia help Mirabelle stay out of trouble? And can Mirabelle show Lavinia that maybe some things are worth getting in trouble for. . . ?From the Mirabelle series:• Mirabelle Gets Up to Mischief (ISBN: 9780192776495) • Mirabelle Breaks the Rules (ISBN: 9780192777546) • Mirabelle Has a Bad Day (ISBN: 9780192777553) • Mirabelle In Double Trouble (ISBN: 9780192777560) • Mirabelle and the Naughty Bat Kittens (ISBN: 9780192777577) • Mirabelle and the Magical Mayhem (ISBN: 9780192777584) • Mirabelle Takes Charge (ISBN: 9780192783721) • Mirabelle Wants to Win (ISBN: 9780192783745) • Mirabelle and the Midnight Feast (ISBN: 9780192783783) • Mirabelle and the Haunted House (ISBN: 9780192783769) • Mirabelle and the Picnic Pranks (ISBN: 9780192787965) • Mirabelle and the Baby Dragons (ISBN: 9780192787996) • Mirabelle in Witch City (ISBN: 9780192788016) • Mirabelle and the Party Tricks (ISBN: 9780192788030)• Mirabelle and the Enchanted Sea Globe (ISBN: 9780192788061)

Carefully targeted to support secondary school students with their independent reference skills, this English Dictionary for Schools has clear signposting, an accessible design, and expertly levelled definitions, making it the perfect language resource for schoolwork and GCSE preparation. Key features include:• Vocabulary geared towards the KS3 curriculum and GCSEs• Support with language context including carefully levelled example sentences from the best children's books and teen fiction• Subject-specific vocabulary labels for cross-curricular use across school subjects• Topic panels for additional language support, especially in grammar, spelling, and punctuation• Related words, word families, and antonyms• Extended word histories for wider language reference• Powered by the Oxford Children's Corpus - a unique electronic database of millions of words written by and for children

A vibrant portrait of an age when Arabic enlightenment anticipated and inspired the European Renaissance, illuminated by its guiding figures and rivals, Ibn Sina and Biruni.In The Genius of their Age, S. Frederick Starr follows up his acclaimed Lost Enlightenment: Central Asia's Golden Age with a portrait of the Arab enlightenment and its key figures--Abu-Ali al-Husayn ibn-'Abdallah Ibn-Sina and Abu al-Rayhan Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Biruni. A thousand years ago, these two intellectual giants--known as Ibn Sina and Biruni for short--achieved stunning breakthroughs in fields as diverse as medicine, astronomy, mathematics, philosophy, geography, and physics. Biruni measured the earth more precisely than anyone else down to the sixteenth century, pondered a heliocentric universe, and hypothesized the existence of North and South America as inhabited continents. Ibn Sina's writing on philosophy and metaphysics enriched the writings of countless European thinkers, including St. Thomas Aquinas, while Sina's grand synthesis of medical knowledge became the standard for the next six hundred years in Europe, the Middle East, and India. They both also commented extensively on the works of ancient Greeks and earlier Muslim thinkers, whose works they aspired to synthesize--and to transcend. Contemporaries, Ibn Sina and Biruni were born within the borders of what is now Uzbekistan and spent their lives in Central Asia. They also became rivals, launching a correspondence and commentary that galvanized them despite sometimes bitter disagreement. Centuries before the West caught up with them, Ibn Sina and Biruni reflected their age's feats and its intellectual high point, persisting with their inquiries and their independence amid turmoil and rapid change. Though scholars have long dissected the works of Ibn Sina and Biruni, S. Frederick Starr focuses also on their lives and the times in which they lived. By contextualizing their work and by making the age palpable to the reader, S. Frederick Starr gives the achievements of Ibn Sina and Biruni a holistic and unforgettably human dimension.

A bold, visionary, and mind-bending exploration of how the geometry of chaos can explain our uncertain world—from weather and pandemics to quantum physics and free willCovering a breathtaking range of topics—from climate change to the foundations of quantum physics, from economic modelling to conflict prediction, from free will to consciousness and spirituality—The Primacy of Doubt takes us on a unique journey through the science of uncertainty. A key theme that unifies these seemingly unconnected topics is the geometry of chaos: the beautiful and profound fractal structures that lie at the heart of much of modern mathematics. Royal Society Research Professor Tim Palmer shows us how the geometry of chaos not only provides the means to predict the world around us, it suggests new insights into some of the most astonishing aspects of our universe and ourselves. This important and timely book helps the reader makes sense of uncertainty in a rapidly changing world.

This edition of the Pocket Oxford Latin Dictionary offers essential coverage of Latin words and grammar, as well as extra information on Roman history and culture. It takes account of the latest research into Latin, and is designed specifically to fit the needs of today's student. It covers over 45,000 words and phrases, including additions from the writings of Plautus and Terence, and from the study of Silver Latin. Common irregular verb parts are given as headwords for greater clarity, and boxed notes provide help with language usage, and with difficult words and constructions.There are appendices on historical, mythological, and geographical names; money, dates, times, weights and measures; plus poetic metre and medieval Latin. With a timeline of important dates, and biographies on Roman writers, this edition is packed with interesting and essential information on Roman history and culture.Also with pronunciation help and a guide to Latin grammar, this compact and affordable dictionary is a necessity for all students and adult learners of Latin.

A hilarious, action-packed adventure from bestselling duo Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre, bursting with quirky characters, spectacular illustrations, and laugh-out-loud fun from beginning to end.Oliver is determined to find his missing parents, but he can't do it alone. Luckily, he has some very unusual friends by his side: a grumpy old albatross, a short-sighted mermaid, and even a friendly island called Cliff.Together, they set out on an exciting rescue mission across the sea. But before Oliver can save his parents, he'll have to outsmart the wicked Stacey de Lacey and face an army of greasy, green sea monkeys determined to stand in his way.Filled with humour, heart, and wonderfully imaginative adventures, this beautifully illustrated story is perfect for young readers who love unforgettable characters and fast-paced escapades.Key Features & Benefits• From an Award-Winning Creative Duo - Written by Philip Reeve and illustrated by Sarah McIntyre, creators of many beloved children's books.• Exciting Adventure Story - A thrilling quest filled with mystery, friendship, and unexpected challenges.• Wonderfully Imaginative Characters - Features a memorable cast including a grumpy albatross, a short-sighted mermaid, and a friendly island.• Packed with Humour - Full of funny moments and playful storytelling that will keep readers entertained.• Beautiful Illustrations - Vibrant artwork brings the characters and adventure vividly to life.• Ideal for Independent Readers - Perfect for children who enjoy imaginative fiction, exciting journeys, and laugh-out-loud adventures.Why Readers Love This BookA wildly inventive adventure packed with humour, friendship, and daring rescues. With its unforgettable characters, engaging storytelling, and eye-catching illustrations, this is a fantastic read for children who love fun-filled escapades and magical worlds.

The Táin Bó Cuailnge, centre-piece of the eighth-century Ulster cycle of heroic tales, is Ireland's greatest epic. It tells the story of a great cattle-raid, the invasion of Ulster by the armies of Medb and Ailill, queen and king of Connacht, and their allies, seeking to carry off the great Brown Bull of Cuailnge. The hero of the tale is Cuchulainn, the Hound of Ulster, who resists the invaders single-handed while Ulster's warriors lie sick. Thomas Kinsella presents a complete and living version of the story. His translation is based on the partial texts in two medieval manuscripts, with elements from other versions, and adds a group of related stories which prepare for the action of the Táin. Illustrated with brush drawings by Louis le Brocquy, this edition provides a combination of medieval epic and modern art.

Every year, thousands of students go to university to study mathematics (single honours or combined with another subject). Many of these students are extremely intelligent and hardworking, but even the best will, at some point, struggle with the demands of making the transition to advanced mathematics. Some have difficulty adjusting to independent study and to learning from lectures. Other struggles, however, are more fundamental: the mathematics shifts in focus from calculation to proof, so students are expected to interact with it in different ways. These changes need not be mysterious - mathematics education research has revealed many insights into the adjustments that are necessary - but they are not obvious and they do need explaining.This no-nonsense book translates these research-based insights into practical advice for a student audience. It covers every aspect of studying for a mathematics degree, from the most abstract intellectual challenges to the everyday business of interacting with lecturers and making good use of study time. Part 1 provides an in-depth discussion of advanced mathematical thinking, and explains how a student will need to adapt and extend their existing skills in order to develop a good understanding of undergraduate mathematics. Part 2 covers study skills as these relate to the demands of a mathematics degree. It suggests practical approaches to learning from lectures and to studying for examinations while also allowing time for a fulfilling all-round university experience.The first subject-specific guide for students, this friendly, practical text will be essential reading for anyone studying mathematics at university.

Comprehensive and engaging, this colourful study covers the whole sweep of ritual history from the earliest written records to the present day. From May Day revels and Midsummer fires, to Harvest Home and Hallowe'en, to the twelve days of Christmas, Ronald Hutton takes us on a fascinating journey through the ritual year in Britain. He challenges many common assumptions about the customs of the past, and debunks many myths surrounding festivals of the present, to illuminate the history of the calendar year we live by today.

This book is the first comprehensive field guide to the birds of Brazil, featuring 187 beautifully drawn full-color plates with 1796 species accounts, including a distribution map for each species. The volume contains information on bird features, habitat, calls, and species distribution, and pays special attention to the species endemic to Brazil. Species names are given in both English and Portuguese, and frequently used terms are translated in an appendix.

In many elections, candidates frame their appeals in gendered ways--they compete, for instance, over who is more "masculine." This is the case for male and female candidates alike. In the 2016 presidential election, however, the stark choice between the first major-party female candidate and a man who exhibited a persistent pattern of misogyny made the use of gender more prominent than in any previous election in the United States. Presidential campaigns often have an impact on downballot Congressional races, but the 2016 election provided a new opportunity to see the effects of misogyny. While much has been written about the 2016 election--and the shadow of 2016 clearly affected the pool of candidates in the 2018 midterms--this book looks at how the Trump and Clinton campaigns actually changed the behavior of more conventional candidates for Congress in 2016 and 2018. Over the past decade, those who study political parties have sought to understand changes in the relationship between groups and parties and how these changes have affected the ability of parties to develop coherent campaign strategies. The clear need for rapid adjustments in party strategy in the 2016 election provides an ideal means of testing whether today's political parties are more able or less able to respond to unexpected events. This book argues that Donald Trump's candidacy radically altered the nature of the 2016 congressional campaigns in two ways. First, it changed the issues of contention in many of these races. Trump's provocative calls for building a wall along the Mexican border and temporarily prohibiting immigration from Muslim countries inserted issues of race and ethnicity into elections and forced candidates to respond to his proposals. Most consequentially, however, Trump's attacks on women--including television personalities, politicians, and, at times, private citizens--alienated numerous potential supporters and placed many of his supporters (and downballot Republican candidates in particular) on the defensive. Second, expectations that Trump would lose the election influenced how candidates for lower office campaigned and how willing they were to connect their fortunes to those of their party's nominee. The fact that Trump was expected to lose--and was expected to lose in large part because of his misogyny--caused both major parties to direct more of their resources toward congressional races, and led many Republican candidates, especially women, to distance themselves from Trump. This book explores how the Trump and Clinton campaigns used gender as a political weapon, and how the presidential race changed the ways in which House and Senate campaigns were waged in 2016 and 2018.

The Hunter, the Stag, and the Mother of Animals offers an in-depth exploration of the changing traditions of belief in pre-Bronze and Bronze Age North Asia. Esther Jacobson-Tepfer centers her argument on a female deity and her evolution up until the early Iron Age, across a 2,000 year period. Through the art historical and archaeological evidence of the symbolic systems left behind, she traces the progression of the deity from an originating animal mother through her incarnation as the mother of animals, her late embodiment as the guardian of the road to the land of the dead, the transformation of her essential liminality into the structures of predation and, in the form of a predated stag, her subsequent destruction. In detailed commentaries on rock art structures and monuments, Jacobson-Tepfer reconstructs and explores how the deity's power was embedded in the Janus-faced concept of life/death: how, in all her forms, the deity occupied the threshold between the worlds of humans and ancestors, humans and animals. More broadly, this study details how her fate was directly related to the sociological evolution at the onset of the Iron age: the transition of the cultures in South Siberia and Mongolia from hunting-based settlement to horse-dependent semi-nomadism, and with that the rise of a heroic narrative tradition. Jacobson-Tepfer has had unparalleled access to regional data still unavailable in the West, and the collection of this data in English as well as her extensive collection of color photographs and drawings will fill a gaping hole in the literature and prove invaluable to both archaeologists and art historians.The Hunter, the Stag, and the Mother of Animals will surely become a standard reference for both disciplines as well as a guide to those interested in rock art and beliefs systems more generally.