- Table View
- List View
Autopsy for an Empire: The Seven Leaders Who Built the Soviet Regime
by Dmitri Volkogonov Harold ShukmanIn "Autopsy of an Empire", a historian with unprecedented access to Soviet archives presents insightful profiles of the seven leaders who helped shape the history of their nation--and the world--for most of the 20th century. photo insert.
Autopsy of an Unwinnable War: Vietnam
by Colonel William C. Haponski Colonel Jerry J. BurchamA military studies professor and former combatant &“rationally dissects the strategies and mindsets on both sides&” of this thirty-year conflict (New York Journal of Books). Since the fall of Saigon in 1975, there have been much discussion of why (and whether) America lost the war in Vietnam. The common belief is that the war was lost not on the battlefield but in Washington, DC. The stark facts, though, are that the Vietnam War was lost before the first American shot was fired. In fact, it was lost before the first French Expeditionary Corps shot, almost two decades earlier, and was finally lost when the South Vietnamese fought partly, then entirely, on their own. Offering an informed narrative of the entire thirty-year war, this book seeks to explain why. Written by a combatant in six large battles and many smaller firefights who was also a leader with a full range of pacification duties, a commander who lost forty-three wonderful young men, Autopsy of an Unwinnable War is the result of a quest for answers by one who, after decades of wondering what it was all about, turned to a years-long search of French, American, and Vietnamese sources. This is a story lived and revealed mainly by the people inside Vietnam who were directly involved in the war, from leaders in high positions down to the jungle boots and sandals level of the fighters—and among the Vietnamese who were living it. Because of what was happening inside Vietnam itself, no matter what policies and directives came out of Paris or Washington, or the influences in Moscow or Beijing, it is about a Vietnamese idea that would eventually triumph over bullets. Includes photographs
Autopsy on an Empire
by Jack F. Matlock Jr.A history and analysis of the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Autorität und Charakter (essentials)
by Jens BenickeJens Benicke untersucht anhand der Theorie der autoritären Persönlichkeit, warum sich Menschen freiwillig Autoritäten unterordnen. Diese Fragestellung soll Aufschluss darüber geben, warum bestimmte Personen anfällig sind für faschistisches Gedankengut. Aufbauend auf den ideengeschichtlichen Voraussetzungen des historischen Materialismus, der Massenpsychologie und der Psychoanalyse wurden in der Theorie spezielle Charaktertypen entwickelt, die aufgrund ihrer frühkindlichen Sozialisation in einer hierarchisch strukturierten, kapitalistischen Gesellschaft zu autoritären Einstellungen neigen. Empirisch nachweisbar wurde dieser potenziell faschistische Charakter durch die F-Skala, die in den ,,Studien zum autoritären Charakter" entwickelt wurde. Aus Kritikpunkten an diesem Konzept entwickelten sich später neue Autoritarismustheorien, die hier kurz zusammengefasst werden.
Autorité épiscopale et sollicitude pastorale (Variorum Collected Studies)
by Charles MunierThe first set of articles in this collection is concerned with the nature of the bishop’s authority in the Early Church and the sources from which it was drawn. This is seen in political terms, as in the writings of Justin Martyr, as well as spiritual ones. Charles Munier singles out Tertullian as the first to formulate a doctrine of apostolic succession, but also traces his subsequent path towards the affirmation of the authority of the Holy Spirit over that embodied in the ’Orthodox Church’. The following studies turn to a complementary area of ecclesiology, that of pastoral care. The author points to the great diversity of forms of worship and rite, from the earliest days of the Church; these, he argues, reflect a constant process of adaptation, to fit particular religious needs, and to understand such divergences it is necessary to investigate the theological motives that lay behind them. Particular topics here are those of baptism and marriage, especially the still controversial question of how and with what discretion to treat divorce and remarriage. La première série d'articles de cette collection examine la nature et la source de l’autorité des évêques de l’Eglise primitive. Ceci est abordé en termes politiques, au travers d’étude sur Justin le Martyr, ainsi qu'en termes spirituels. Charles Munier, tout en reconnaissant Tertullien pour avoir été le premier à formuler la doctrine de la succession apostolique, retrace aussi la voie parcourue ultérieurement par ce dernier vers l’affirmation de la suprémacie de l’autorité du Saint Esprit sur celle répresentée par l’Eglise orthodoxe. Les études suivantes se tourent vers un domaine complémentaire de l’ecclésiologie, celui de la sollicitude pastorale. L’auteur souligne la grande diversitie de liturgies et de rites qui ont toujours eu cours au sien de l’Eglise; selon lui, on voit là le reflet d'un processus d'adaptation constant, destiné a répondre à des besoins
Autotheory as Feminist Practice in Art, Writing, and Criticism
by Lauren FournierAutotheory--the commingling of theory and philosophy with autobiography--as a mode of critical artistic practice indebted to feminist writing and activism.In the 2010s, the term "autotheory" began to trend in literary spheres, where it was used to describe books in which memoir and autobiography fused with theory and philosophy. In this book, Lauren Fournier extends the meaning of the term, applying it to other disciplines and practices. Fournier provides a long-awaited account of autotheory, situating it as a mode of contemporary, post-1960s artistic practice that is indebted to feminist writing, art, and activism. Investigating a series of works by writers and artists including Chris Kraus and Adrian Piper, she considers the politics, aesthetics, and ethics of autotheory.
Autumn Alley: Enter a world of gas lights and horse-drawn buses, gin-soaked night clubs and fluttering lace curtains . . .
by Lena KennedyAutumn Alley: where the East End's most fascinating call their home . . .Here you'll find Maud, the formidable Irish-American suffragette; sulky Patricia, whose unhappy childhood leads her to a dangerous love affair; vivacious, flame-haired Colleen; Mary, who struggles alongside her wayward husband to bring up children - and Arfer, whose quick mind lifts him out of the world of poverty in London's East End.*************What readers are saying about AUTUMN ALLEY'Wow!!' - 5 STARS'Couldn't put it down' - 5 STARS'Such a skilled storyteller' - 5 STARS'The story captivated me' - 5 STARS'I enjoyed it so much' - 5 STARS
Autumn Alley: Enter a world of gas lights and horse-drawn buses, gin-soaked night clubs and fluttering lace curtains...
by Lena KennedyGas lights and horse drawn buses, gin-soaked night clubs and fluttering lace curtains: enter the world of Autumn Alley.<P><P>Here you'll find Maud, the formidable Irish-American suffragette; sulky Patricia, whose unhappy childhood leads her to a dangerous love affair; vivacious, flame-haired Colleen; Mary, who struggles to bring up children beside her wayward husband - and Arfer, whose quick mind lifts him out of the world of poverty in London's East End.
Autumn Blaze
by Samantha HarteRaised by Comanches and recaptured by Texas Rangers, a spirited young woman discovers her past—and a new love—in this Western historical romance. New Mexico Territory, 1871. As an infant born on the frontier, her name was Mandie. When she was taken from her home by Comanche raiders, they called her Little White Hair. But as she grew, this wild and clever beauty earned herself the name Firemaker. Meanwhile, Carter Machesney is the handsome Texas Ranger charged with bringing her back home. But when she&’s found in the midst of a brutal battle, Firemaker proves herself as fierce as any Comanche warrior. It&’s up to Carter to introduce her to a way of life she&’s never known. Though they speak in different tongues, the instant flare of passion between them is a language both can speak. But is it enough to bridge their very different worlds?
Autumn Bridge: A Novel (Samurai Series #2)
by Takashi MatsuokaIn the year 1311, in the highest tower of Cloud of Sparrows Castle, a beautiful woman sits by the window, watching as enemies gather below and fires spread through the night. As she calmly awaits her fate, she begins to write, carefully setting down on a scroll the secret history of the Okumichi clan...of the gift of prophecy they share and the extraordinary destiny that awaits them. For six centuries, these remarkable writings lay hidden--until they are uncovered by an American woman, a missionary named Emily Gibson, who arrived in Edo harbor in 1861, in flight from a tragic past. Soon an extraordinary man would enter her life: Lord Genji of the Okumichi clan, a nobleman with a gift of prophecy who must defend his embattled family--and confront forbidden feelings for an outsider in his midst. Emily, too, soon finds herself at a turning point; courted by two westerners, she knows her heart belongs to the one man she cannot have. But Emily has found a mission of her own: translating Genji's ancestral history, losing herself in an epic tale of heroism and forbidden love. For here is the story of Lady Shizuka, the beautiful witch-princess who has enchanted Okumichi men for generations...of Genji's ancestors, Lord Hironobu and Lord Kiyori, and of the terrible betrayals that befell them...and of Genji's parents: a wastrel father and his child bride whose tragic love has shaped Genji as a leader and as a man. As Emily sifts through the fragile scrolls, she begins to see threads of her own life woven into the ancient writings. And as past and present collide, a hidden history comes to life, and with it a secret prophecy that has been shrouded for centuries, and may now finally be revealed. Takashi Matsuoka's spellbinding novel is infused with spectacle, intricately woven, magically told. Autumn Bridge is a feast for the senses, a work of truly dazzling storytelling. From the Hardcover edition.
Autumn Lady
by AnneMarie DappMara McClain is a young Irish immigrant looking to begin anew in Victorian-era San Francisco, after the California Gold Rush. She struggles for both love and independence, as a budding businesswoman in a male-dominated society. Set amid the fascinating backdrop of San Francisco’s Golden Age, Autumn Lady draws from an eclectic cast of characters, both historical and original. It’s an idiosyncratic journey through the highs and lows, ballrooms and back rooms, alleys and the promenades, and the enchantment and viciousness, of an American city on the brink of a new era. Autumn Lady is not just the story of Mara McClain, it is the story of both a woman and a city coming of age in one of America’s most exciting historical periods.
Autumn Leaves, 1922: A Kiki Button Mystery
by Tessa LunneyAfter a year away from Paris, Kiki Button is delighted to be back in City of Lights. But danger threatens her return as she is pulled into another spy mission—one that brings her ever closer to the rising fascist threat in Europe.October 1922. Kiki Button has had a rough year at home in Australia after her mother&’s sudden death. As the leaves turn gold on the Parisian boulevards, Kiki returns to Europe, more desperately in need of Paris and all its liveliness than ever. As soon as she arrives back in Montparnasse, Kiki takes up her life again, drinking with artists at the Café Rotonde, gossiping with her friends, and finding lovers among the enormous expatriate community. Even her summertime lover from the year before, handsome Russian exile Prince Theo Romanov, is waiting for her. But it&’s not all champagne and moonlit trysts. Theo is worried that his brother-in-law is being led astray by political fanatics. Kiki&’s boy from home, Tom, is still hiding under a false name. Her friends are in trouble—Maisie has been blackmailed and looks for revenge, Bertie is still lovesick and lonely, and Harry has important information about her mother. And to top it off, she is found by Dr. Fox, her former spymaster, who insists that she work for him once more. Amidst the gaiety of 1920s Paris, Kiki stalks the haunted, the hunted, and people still heartsore from the war. She parties with princes and Communist comrades, she wears ballgowns with Chanel and the Marchesa Casati, she talks politics with Hemingway and poetry with Sylvia Beach, and sips tea with Gertrude Stein. She confronts the men who would bring Europe into another war. And as she uses her gossip columnist connections for her mission, she also meets people who knew her mother, and can help to answer her burning question: why did her mother leave England all those years ago?
Autumn Light: Season of Fire and Farewells
by Pico IyerFrom one of our most astute observers of human nature, a far-reaching exploration of Japanese history and culture and a moving meditation on impermanence, mortality, and grief.For years, Pico Iyer has split his time between California and Nara, Japan, where he and his Japanese wife, Hiroko, have a small home. But when his father-in-law dies suddenly, calling him back to Japan earlier than expected, Iyer begins to grapple with the question we all have to live with: how to hold on to the things we love, even though we know that we and they are dying. In a country whose calendar is marked with occasions honoring the dead, this question is more urgent than anywhere else. Iyer leads us through the year following his father-in-law's death, introducing us to the people who populate his days: his ailing mother-in-law, who often forgets that her husband has died; his absent brother-in-law, who severed ties with his family years ago but to whom Hiroko still writes letters; and the men and women in his ping-pong club, who, many years his senior, traverse their autumn years in different ways. And as the maple leaves begin to redden and the heat begins to soften, Iyer offers us a singular view of Japan, in the season that reminds us to take nothing for granted.
Autumn Princess, Dragon Child: Book 2 In The Tale Of Shikanoko (The Tale of Shikanoko #2)
by Lian HearnA self-assured warrior stumbles into a game of Go that turns fatal. An ambitious lord leaves his nephew for dead and seizes his lands. A stubborn father forces his son to give up his wife to his older brother. A powerful priest meddles in the succession to the Lotus Throne. A woman of the Old People seeks five fathers for her five children, who will go on to found the Spider Tribe and direct the fate of the country.As destiny weaves its tapestry in Lian Hearn's Tale of Shikanoko series, an emotionally rich and compelling drama plays out against a background of wild forests, elegant castles, hidden temples, and savage battlefields in Autumn Princess, Dragon Child.The Tale of Shikanoko, Book One: Emperor of the Eight Islands (April 2016)The Tale of Shikanoko, Book Two: Autumn Princess, Dragon Child (June 2016)The Tale of Shikanoko, Book Three: Lord of the Darkwood (August 2016)The Tale of Shikanoko, Book Four: The Tengu's Game of Go (September 2016)
Autumn Street
by Lois LowryWhen her father leaves to fight in World War II, Elizabeth goes with her mother and sister to her grandfather's house, where she learns to face up to the always puzzling and often cruel realities of the adult world.
Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different
by Kristin O'Donnell TubbAUTUMN WINIFRED OLIVER prides herself on doing things her way. But she meets her match when she, her mama, and her pin-curled older sis, Katie, move in with her cantankerous Gramps. The Oliver gals were supposed to join Pop in Knoxville for some big-city living, but Gramps’s recent sick spell convinced Mama to stay put in Cades Cove, a place of swishy meadows and shady hollers that lies on the crest of the Great Smoky Mountains. And it’s not like there’s nothing going on in the Cove. Folks are all aflutter about turning their land into a national park, and Autumn’s not sure what to think. Loggers like Pop need jobs, but if things keep going at the current rate, the forests will soon be chopped to bits. And Gramps seems to think there’s some serious tourist money to be made. Looks like something different is definitely in order. . . .
Autumn in Scotland
by Karen RanneyAbandoned by a rogue Betrothed to an earl she had never met, Charlotte Haversham arrived at Balfurin, hoping to find love at the legendary Scottish castle. Instead she found decaying towers and no husband among the ruins. So Charlotte worked a miracle, transforming the rotting fortress into a prestigious girls' school. And now, five years later, her life is filled with purpose-until . . . Seduced by a stranger A man storms Charlotte's castle-and he is not the reprehensible Earl of Marne, the one who stole her dowry and dignity, but rather the absent lord's handsome, worldly cousin Dixon MacKinnon. Mesmerized by the fiery Charlotte, Dixon is reluctant to correct her mistake. And though she's determined not to play the fool again, Charlotte finds herself strangely thrilled by the scoundrel's amorous attentions. But a dangerous intrigue has drawn Dixon to Balfurin. And if his ruse is prematurely revealed, a passionate, blossoming love affair could crumble into ruin.
Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom: China, the West, and the Epic Story of the Taiping Civil War
by Stephen R. PlattA gripping account of China's nineteenth-century Taiping Rebellion, one of the largest civil wars in history. Autumn in the Heavenly Kingdom brims with unforgettable characters and vivid re-creations of massive and often gruesome battles--a sweeping yet intimate portrait of the conflict that shaped the fate of modern China. The story begins in the early 1850s, the waning years of the Qing dynasty, when word spread of a major revolution brewing in the provinces, led by a failed civil servant who claimed to be the son of God and brother of Jesus. The Taiping rebels drew their power from the poor and the disenfranchised, unleashing the ethnic rage of millions of Chinese against their Manchu rulers. This homegrown movement seemed all but unstoppable until Britain and the United States stepped in and threw their support behind the Manchus: after years of massive carnage, all opposition to Qing rule was effectively snuffed out for generations. Stephen R. Platt recounts these events in spellbinding detail, building his story on two fascinating characters with opposing visions for China's future: the conservative Confucian scholar Zeng Guofan, an accidental general who emerged as the most influential military strategist in China's modern history; and Hong Rengan, a brilliant Taiping leader whose grand vision of building a modern, industrial, and pro-Western Chinese state ended in tragic failure. This is an essential and enthralling history of the rise and fall of the movement that, a century and a half ago, might have launched China on an entirely different path into the modern world.
Autumn's Angel
by Robin Lee HatcherIt all started with an ad in a mail-order bride catalogue . . .Luvena would be perfect for Clay if she didn't come with kids. But kids are a deal breaker, especially in a rough-and-trouble mining town. The trouble is, there's no money to send them back . . .
Autógrafo sagrado
by Alvaro Pandiani¿Podrá el descubrimiento de este evangelio y las verdades que revela sacudir la fundación de la iglesia?En un pequeño monasterio en Asia, un monje descubre una vasija de casi 2,000 años de edad que contiene un manuscrito que podría ser un original del evangelio. Éste es enviado al Museo de Santa Sofía en Estambul. Turquía se encuentra en guerra y un monje llamado Johannes con su discípulo y un coronel, recuperan lo que podría ser el mayor descubrimiento arqueológico del siglo 21: el autógrafo del evangelio según San Juan.Después de la guerra el manuscrito es transferido al Reino Unido, donde es estudiado por científicos y representantes del Vaticano, las Iglesias Ortodoxas y el Protestantismo. Los resultados son presentados en la iglesia y sus implicaciones alcanzan todo el mundo. Johannes, cuya edad también es un misterio se ve obligado a exhibir capacidades sorprendentes, y su verdadera naturaleza está vinculada con un misterio escrito en el manuscrito sagrado.
Außenseiter in der Wissenschaft: Pioniere – Wegweiser – Reformer
by Franz M. WuketitsDilettanten, Grenzgänger, Querdenker, unerwünschte Reformer - in der Wissenschaftsgeschichte sind sie vielfach vertreten, als Außenseiter, die mit unkonventionellen Ideen die Wissenschaft bereichert haben. Johannes Kepler und Paracelsus, Charles Darwin und Alexander von Humboldt, Alfred Wegener, Barbara McClintock und Hoimar von Ditfurth - ihnen und vielen anderen Forschern und Gelehrten ist gemeinsam, dass sie Neuland betreten oder sich mit Problemen in Disziplinen befasst haben, die nicht ihre eigenen waren. Sie waren Abenteurer, "Amateure" (im besten Sinn des Wortes), haben herrschende Paradigmen in Frage gestellt, außerhalb der jeweils etablierten Wissenschaft geforscht oder einfach einen ungewohnten Blickwinkel eingenommen. Viele von ihnen sind bei ihren Zeitgenossen auf Argwohn und Ablehnung gestoßen, ignoriert oder bekämpft worden und haben erst nach ihrem Tod die ihnen gebührende Anerkennung gefunden (wovon sie dann nichts mehr hatten). Dieses Buch portraitiert Wissenschaftler aus mehreren Jahrhunderten, die als Außenseiter gewirkt, letztlich aber der Wissenschaft unverzichtbare Dienste erwiesen haben. Es handelt von sehr verschiedenen - teils tragischen - Schicksalen und zeigt, dass die Wissenschaft von unterschiedlichen Temperamenten lebt. Auf sehr gut lesbare Weise liefert der Autor damit nicht nur einen Beitrag zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte, sondern gibt auch Einblicke in den Wissenschaftsbetrieb einst und jetzt und hilft, manche Vorurteile zu beseitigen, die sich nach wie vor um die Wissenschaft ranken. Das Buch ist daher keine bloße Sammlung interessanter (wissenschaftlicher) Biographien, sondern auch ein bemerkenswerter kritischer Beitrag zum Verständnis der Wissenschaft insgesamt, deren Entwicklung sich nicht geradlinig, sondern als Zickzackweg vollzieht. Außenseiter sind dabei unerlässlich. _____ Wie in allen Bereichen des gesellschaftlichen Lebens treten auch in der Wissenschaft immer wieder Außenseiter in Erscheinung. Sie wollen entweder von außen Ideen in die Wissenschaft hineintragen oder gehören zum jeweils etablierten Wissenschaftsbetrieb, vertreten aber Theorien, die ihrer Kollegenschaft suspekt sind. Von "echten Spinnern" abgesehen, die meist schnell als solche entlarvt werden, sind sie mutige, eigensinnige, selbstbewusste und hartnäckige Forscher, die gegen den Strom schwimmen und wichtige Beiträge zum Fortgang der Wissenschaft leisten. In vielen Fällen wird ihre Bedeutung allerdings erst spät erkannt. Das Buch stellt 35 Außenseiter der Naturwissenschaften aus mehreren Jahrhunderten vor, darunter einige sehr bekannte, aber auch manche heute weitgehend in Vergessenheit geratene Forscher und Gelehrte. Es fordert zum kritischen Nachdenken auf und kann auch als Aufruf zum Querdenken gelesen werden. Natürlich wurden und werden maßgebliche Probleme der Wissenschaft nicht nur von Außenseitern gelöst, aber wie die Wissenschaftsgeschichte zeigt, sind Außenseiter unverzichtbar. Sie setzen sich über Konventionen hinweg, beugen sich keinem "Anpassungsdruck" und verteidigen ihre Ideen meist mit bewundernswerter Leidenschaft. Dieses für ein breites Publikum geschriebene Buch entfaltet neben vielen wissenschaftsgeschichtlichen und biographischen Details ein buntes Panorama von der (Natur-)Wissenschaft insgesamt.
Availability of Credit and Secured Transactions in a Time of Crisis
by N. Orkun AkseliIn the light of the financial crisis, it has become clear that the globalisation of financial markets has not been matched by the globalisation of legal certainty relating to financial transactions. The ability to give security influences not only the cost of credit but also, in some cases, whether credit will be available at all. Increasing the availability and lowering the cost of credit can make an important contribution to international and domestic economic development. Assessing the international challenges posed by inefficient secured credit laws, this book explores how these can be overcome to facilitate credit through legal reforms. Leading authorities in the field address the key issues surrounding the availability of credit, the role of banks in economic development and financial crises, UNCITRAL's legislative efforts, and international organisations and financial institutions and their involvement in the reform of secured transactions law.
Avalon
by Anya SetonA spellbinding story of a young French prince and a Cornish girl caught up in the intrigue of the 10th Century English Court. '[Anya Seton] brought history so vividly to life' (Philippa Gregory)Merewyn has grown up in savage 10th Century Cornwall; a lonely girl, sustained by stubborn courage and pride in her descent from the great King Arthur. Rumon, a young French prince, has always dreamed of finding the idyllic island of hearsay and legend, Avalon. He gladly leaves his home in Provence but his hopes are dashed when his ship is wrecked off the Cornish coast. Rumon and Merewyn meet and from that hour their lives are intertwined. They make their way to the court of King Edgar and his beautiful young queen. At first they are dazzled but there is evil lurking in the corridors of power . . .Stretching from France to the eastern shores of America to the plains of Greenland, the journeys of Rumon and Merewyn make for an unforgettable saga.
Avalon: A Novel (Coronet Bks.)
by Anya SetonA novel of England during the Viking era, from an author who &“has vividly and colorfully portrayed life during the tumultuous Dark Ages&” (Historical Novels Review). The last quarter of the tenth century was a time of conflict and exploration—while the Anglo-Saxons fought against the Vikings, Norsemen voyaged into the unknown looking for new lands to pillage, and so discovered America. Prince Rumon of France, descendant of Charlemagne and King Alfred, was a searcher. He had visions of the Islands of the Blessed, perhaps King Arthur&’s Avalon, &“where falls not hail, or rain, or any snow.&” Merewyn grew up in savage Cornwall—a lonely girl, sustained by stubborn courage and belief in her descent from great King Arthur. Chance—or fate—in the form of a shipwreck off the Cornish coast brought Rumon and Merewyn together, and from that hour their lives were intertwined. Bound by his vow to her dying mother, Rumon brings Merewyn safely to England, keeping hidden the shameful secret of her birth. He considers his responsibility ended. At court, he is dazzled by the beautiful Queen Alfrida—but when a murderous truth is revealed, he turns to Merewyn, only to discover that he may have lost her. And he will journey across the Atlantic to find her again . . . From the beloved bestselling author of Katherine and Dragonwyck, this is a romantic tale of history and adventure &“characterized by an authentic sense of time&” (The New York Times Book Review).
Avana, libro 1: La profezia del Druido (Avana #1)
by Annie LavigneUn’appassionante serie fantasy che unisce mitologia celtica, magia e amore. Un’incredibile saga fantastica che ci trasporta in Irlanda e in Scozia, 2000 anni fa, quando gli dei celtici e la magia esistevano ancora. Una figlia della tribù di Dana, gli dei della terra di Erin, è nata nel regno degli uomini. Mezza dea e mezza mortale, Avana è la chiave che permette di aprire le porte delle Tenebre, e per questo il Sommo Zha’hor, sovrano delle Tenebre, brama il suo sangue. Adolescente, ignorando il segreto della sua nascita e frustrata perché le impediscono di conoscere i segreti dei druidi, Avana fugge in Scozia. Il fato le farà conoscere una donna iniziatrice pronta a trasmetterle il sapere della Fede Antica. In una fortezza piena di giovani ragazzi valorosi che si allenano per diventare guerrieri, la giovane Ulate incontrerà Valmir, il Connachta, nemico del suo popolo, che le farà tuttavia battere il cuore. Figlia del Dio Luce Lugh e della malefica Ess Enchenn, Avana dovrà affrontare la sua Ombra. Respinta dal suo popolo, riuscirà la Figlia della Lice a resistere al richiamo delle Tenebre? La profezia del Druido rivela che Avana aiuterà le Tenebre a invadere la terra di Erin, ma che sarà anche l’unica che potrà salvare l’isola dalla maledizione. Nel frattempo, il druido Emroth, con il cuore spezzato dalla partenza di colei che ama, si ritira sull’Isola di Man per imparare i segreti della magia elementale. Insieme ad altri Maghi, si impegnerà corpo e mente nella ricerca dei quattro elementi che, riuniti, saranno la sola speranza per gli abitanti della terra di Erin di sopravvivere all'invasione delle Tenebre. Lasciatevi trasportare in questa saga celtica piena di magia, il cui primo volume prende la forma di un romanzo iniziatico in cui i personaggi devono imparare a dominare la propria Ombra e a trovare la Luce dentro di sé. "Ess Enchenn si distese sulla schiena con le ginocchia piegate. Il viso le si contrasse come se il soff