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Finite Element Methods: Parallel-Sparse Statics and Eigen-Solutions
by Duc Thai NguyenThis new edition includes three new chapters, 7 through 9, that have very broad, practical applications in engineering and science. In addition, the author’s latest research results incorporated into the new textbook demonstrates better performance than the popular METIS software for partitioning graphs, partitioning finite element meshes, and producing fill-reducing orderings for sparse matrices. The new Chapter 8, and its pre-requisite, Chapter 7, present a state-of-the-art algorithm for computing the shortest paths for real-life (large-scale) transportation networks with minimum computational time. This approach has not yet appeared in any existing textbooks and it could open the doors for other transportation engineering applications. Chapter 9 vastly expands the scope of the previous edition by including sensitivity (gradient) computation and MATLAB’s built-in function “fmincon” for obtaining the optimum (or best) solution for general engineering problems.
Tesla Turbine: A Practical Design Guide for Boundary Layer or Bladeless Turbines
by Alberto Traverso Avinash Renuke Anestis I. KalfasThis book aims at providing the reader with up-to-date knowledge about Tesla turbine features, mechanical design, and performance characteristics. A Tesla machine, in general, is characterised by the absence of rotating blades, therefore it is also called bladeless or boundary layer machine. In this book, suitable numerical approaches for the fluid-dynamic analysis are described, with practical examples related to physical prototypes designed, built and operated by the Authors. Interest in small scale turbines is growing mainly for energy efficiency and power recovery in a variety of applications. Considering small scales, conventional bladed turbines impose manufacturing limitations, lower performance and higher cost, which hinder their implementation. Tesla bladeless turbomachines are being re-discovered due to many advantages such as their simple design and ease of manufacturing with acceptable performance, especially for small-scale power generation and energy harvesting. To contribute to the spread of efficient and viable Tesla turbines (or expanders), this book presents holistic design guidelines to Tesla turbines, encompassing geometrical definition of Tesla rotor, of Tesla stator, of Tesla rotor-stator-casing assembly, providing practical correlations to take into account various loss mechanisms, and discussing the optimal design point definition for such type of century-aged but always young turbines.
Association Analysis Techniques and Applications in Bioinformatics
by Qingfeng ChenAdvances in experimental technologies have given rise to tremendous amounts of biology data. This not only offers valuable sources of data to help understand biological evolution and functional mechanisms, but also poses challenges for accurate and effective data analysis. This book offers an essential introduction to the theoretical and practical aspects of association analysis, including data pre-processing, data mining methods/algorithms, and tools that are widely applied for computational biology. It covers significant recent advances in the field, both foundational and application-oriented, helping readers understand the basic principles and emerging techniques used to discover interesting association patterns in diverse and heterogeneous biology data, such as structure-function correlations, and complex networks with gene/protein regulation. The main results and approaches are described in an easy-to-follow way and accompanied by sufficientreferences and suggestions for future research. This carefully edited monograph is intended to provide investigators in the fields of data mining, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and bioinformatics with a profound guide to the role of association analysis in computational biology. It is also very useful as a general source of information on association analysis, and as an overall accompanying course book and self-study material for graduate students and researchers in both computer science and bioinformatics.
Sexualised Governmentalities: Critical Perspectives on Homosexism (SpringerBriefs in Sociology)
by Angelos BollasThis book critically examines the concept of sexualised governmentalities, a framework for understanding the evolving discourse and power dynamics surrounding discrimination on the basis of sexual practices. Central to this exploration is the shift from traditional heteronormative perspectives to a more complex hetero/homonormative context, where the structure and organisation of sexual relationships gain prominence over the gender or sexual orientation of the participants. A key focus of the book is the concept of homosexism within the realm of gay masculinity studies. The author discusses homosexism as a form of discrimination experienced by gay men from other gay men, highlighting the influence of heteronormative patriarchal society on these interactions. It calls for a broader recognition and acceptance of diverse sexual expressions and challenges the reader to re-evaluate the societal norms around masculinity and sexual behaviour. Sexualised Governmentalities is an important contribution to the discourse on sexual identity and practice, offering insights for a more inclusive and empathetic understanding of sexual diversity.
Sensation Fiction and Modernity: The Meanings of Ambivalence in Mid-Victorian Britain
by James Aaron GreenThis book re-reads the relationship between the Victorian sensation novel and modernity. Whereas critics have long recognized its appearance in the form of nervous subjects and technologically-enabled mobility, Green contends that sensation fiction also depicts modernity in the form of intellectual and moral discontinuity. Through closely historicist readings of novels by Wilkie Collins and Mary Elizabeth Braddon, as well as by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu and Rhoda Broughton, this book traces how discontinuity is manifested in the suspenseful plotting of these fictions, through which readers are challenged to revise conventional assumptions about the world and adopt more contingent perspectives. The study demonstrates that reading for this sense of modernity does not merely uncover the genre's engagements with various mid-century contexts. More fundamentally, it broaches a new sense of the function and significance of sensation fiction: the acclimatization of its readers to the discontinuities of modern existence.
Computational Approaches in Biotechnology and Bioinformatics (Emerging Trends in Biomedical Technologies and Health informatics)
by Sebastián Jaramillo-Isaza Roshani Raut Pranav Deepak Pathak Pradnya Borkar Rutvij H. JhaveriVolume 1 of Computational Approaches in Bioengineering—Computational Approaches in Biotechnology and Bioinformatics—explores many significant topics of biomedical engineering and bioinformatics in an easily understandable format. It explores recent developments and applications in bioinformatics, biomechanics, artificial intelligence (AI), signal processing, wearable sensors, biomaterials, cell biology, synthetic biology, biostatistics, prosthetics, big data, and algorithms. From applications of biomaterials in advanced drug delivery systems to the role of big data, AI, and machine learning in disease diagnosis and treatment, the book will help readers understand how these technologies are being applied across the areas of biomedical engineering, bioinformatics, and healthcare. The chapters also include case studies on the role of medical robots in surgery and the determination of protein structure using genetic algorithms. The contributors are all leading experts across multiple disciplines and provide chapters that truly represent a complete view of these state-of-the-art technologies.FEATURES Covers a wide range of subjects from biomedical engineering like wearable devices, biomaterials, synthetic biology, phytochemical extraction, and prosthetics Explores AI, machine learning, big data analysis, and algorithms in biomedical engineering and bioinformatics in an easily understandable format Includes case studies on the role of medical robots in surgery and the determination of protein structure using genetic algorithms Discusses genetic diagnosis, classification, and risk prediction in cancer using next-generation sequencing in oncology This book is ideally designed for biomedical professionals, biomedical engineers, healthcare professionals, data engineers, clinicians, physicians, medical students, hospital directors, clinical researchers, and others who work in the field of artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, and computational biology.
Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics: Illustrative Worked Examples of Surface and Subsurface Flows
by Vedat BatuFluid Mechanics and Hydraulics: Illustrative Worked Examples of Surface and Subsurface Flows presents the basic principles of fluid mechanics through the use of numerous worked examples. Some readers may have interest only in the application parts of various principles without paying too much attention to the derivation details of equations. Other readers may have interest both in derivation details and their applications. As a result, this book is designed to address both needs, and most derivation details are included as example problems. Therefore, those who are not interested in the details of derivations may skip them without interrupting the effective use of the book. It serves as an effective learning source for college students and as a teaching tool for instructors (with an included solutions manual), as well as for practicing professionals in the areas of fluid mechanics and hydraulics.
Milestones in Staging Contemporary Genders and Sexualities (Milestones)
by Emily A. RollieThis introduction to the staging of genders and sexualities across world theatre sets out a broad view of the subject by featuring plays and performance artists that shifted the conversation in their cultural, social, and historical moments.Designed for weekly use in theatre studies, dramatic literature, or gender and performance studies courses, these ten milestones highlight women and writers of the global majority, supporting and amplifying voices that are key to the field and some that have typically been overlooked. From Paula Vogel, Split Britches, and Young Jean Lee to Werewere Liking, Mahesh Dattani, Yvette Nolan, and more, the chapters place artists’ key works into conversation with one another, structurally offering an intersectional perspective on staging genders and sexualities.Milestones are a range of accessible textbooks, breaking down the need-to-know moments in the social, cultural, political, and artistic development of foundational subject areas.
Predicting Solubility of New Drugs: Handbook of Critically Curated Data for Pharmaceutical Research
by Alex AvdeefIn pharmaceutical research, solubility plays a key part in the assessment of pharmacokinetic risks. Poor drug absorption, reduced efficacy, excessive metabolism, and adverse reactions are frequently related to issues of drug solubility. During early discovery research at pharmaceutical companies, many thousands of molecules are considered. Most are rejected due to perceived unfavorable properties. Here the author uses the Wiki-pS0TM database, which forms the backbone of this unique handbook. Also discussed is the emerging class of therapeutically promising research molecules called PROTACs (proteolysis-targeting chimeras), showing a propensity for ‘undruggable’ targets.FEATURES• A comprehensive and unique listing of measured aqueous intrinsic solubility focusing on drug-like and drug-relevant molecules.• The database can be used to predict the solubility of research pharmaceutical molecules.• Includes downloadable files of the database (.csv format).• The mining of the database can result in a better design of solubility assay protocols, leading to better quality of measurements.• Artificial intelligence and Bayesian statistics will likely be key to this subject area in the future.Alex Avdeef has been an American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Fellow since 2014, a former visiting senior research fellow at King’s College London, and is the author of Absorption and Drug Development (2nd ed., Wiley, 2012). In 2021, the book was translated into Chinese, by translators affiliated with the China Food and Drug Administration. For nearly 50 years, he has been teaching, researching, and developing methods, instruments, and analysis software for the measurement of ionization constants, solubility, dissolution, and permeability of drugs. His accomplishments in the development of instrumentation include several well-known instruments that are or recently have been manufactured by leading companies in the instrument market, including Thermo Fisher Scientific, Sirius Analytical, and Pion Inc. He has over 200 technical publications in primary scientific journals and book chapters. He has written several comprehensive technical guides and is a co-inventor on six patents. He cofounded Sirius Analytical (UK) in 1989, pION Inc. (USA) in 1996, and founded in–ADME Research (New York City) in 2011. His other positions were at Orion Research, Syracuse University, UC Berkeley, and Caltech.
Qualitative Inquiry in the Present Tense: Writing a New History (International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry Series)
by Norman K. Denzin Michael D. GiardinaIn Qualitative Inquiry in the Present Tense, contributors engage with epistemological and philosophical questions concerning the conduct of qualitative inquiry in the present moment, and especially as it relates to various understandings of writing in/as inquiry.Topics addressed include methodological processes, questions of narrative uprootedness, relational inquiry, Indigenous ethico-onto-epistemologies, storytelling, and transformative writing forms and practices. This is a messy, often unruly collection (in the best way possible) of disparate ideas strung tightly together by literal and metaphorical questions of the research act of writing. Contributors from the United States, Australia, Canada, England, and Scotland imaginatively conceive of new qualitative futures—and how we might write ourselves there.This evocative new book is a must-read for faculty and students alike who are interested in and engaged with questions and ideas oriented toward understanding our current historical present in qualitative research—a moment in which the field is perpetually in motion or in flux, with new theories, methods, and orientations arising, competing, and even contradicting one another.
Leading Primary Care: Tales from the Leadership Hikers
by Amar Rughani Joanna Bircher‘I am truly delighted to be recommending this book and suite of resources to you – I trust that you will find them as inspiring and thought provoking as I have done’Prof Dame Helen Stokes-Lampard DBE PhD FRCGP FLSWChair of the Academy of Medical Royal CollegesThis new book of leadership narratives portrays the reality of driving change within primary care, making it a valuable resource for a broad primary care audience. It empowers both clinicians and non-clinicians by helping them recognise and harness their leadership qualities. The book weaves together stories from diverse primary care practitioners operating at different levels from junior to senior, in both clinical practice and large-scale operations. These narratives showcase how these professionals applied their leadership skills, navigated challenges, and distilled valuable lessons from their experiences.To enhance the reader’s understanding, the editors have added their own insights to each contribution, emphasising the lessons that the broader community can glean. Rather than reiterating theoretical concepts, they refer back to their companion book, The Leadership Hike.Key Features Transforms theoretical leadership principles into practical applications through real-life experiences in contemporary primary care Appeals to individuals at all stages of training and practice by offering real-world examples from a diverse array of primary care professionals Addresses a wide range of subjects to empower a cross-section of the primary care team Highlights areas of significant change within the primary care workforce, motivating current and future leaders to shape the future Encourages self-reflection through thought-provoking questions, prompting readers to apply the lessons in their own leadership journeys Complementing the book, podcast interviews with the authors can be found at https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/mod/page/view.php?id=13316 When read independently or alongside The Leadership Hike, this book serves as an invaluable reference for all team members, regardless of clinical background. It is especially pertinent for GP trainees and trainers, given the incorporation of leadership and quality improvement into the licensing qualification for general practice (MRCGP).
Film Psychoanalysis: Relational Approaches to Film Interpretation
by Andreas HamburgerThrough the development of psychoanalytically informed film interpretation, Andreas Hamburger provides new insights into the experience of watching films and their influence upon our internal lives.Building upon a relational understanding of psychoanalysis, this volume develops a methodical procedure for psychoanalytical film interpretation, discusses individual aspects of the medium – such as editing, spatial and temporal design – and puts approaches to film psychoanalysis and cinema theory into a systematic perspective. Hamburger exemplifies his arguments in a detailed analysis of numerous film examples and demonstrates how an in-depth encounter with the medium can provoke new and surprising understandings. Providing an interdisciplinary perspective that crosses the study of popular culture with psychoanalytic theory, this book will be required reading not only for students and scholars of film, but also for psychoanalysts in practice and training.
Sex Therapy with Religious Patients: Working with Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Communities
by Caleb JacobsonSex Therapy with Religious Patients is a comprehensive guidebook for mental health professionals who work with those struggling with sexual issues within a religious context. The book provides practical guidance on how to approach sensitive topics related to sex and religion, including addressing religious beliefs and values that may impact sexual behavior, beliefs, and attitudes.Drawing on research and clinical experience, the book offers a range of evidence-based interventions for working with individuals from different Jewish, Christian, and Muslim backgrounds. It also explores the unique challenges and opportunities presented by patients’ religious beliefs and provides strategies for integrating spirituality into the therapeutic process.The book is written in an accessible and engaging style, with real-life case examples and exercises that can be used in therapy sessions. It is an essential resource for mental health professionals seeking to enhance their skills in working with religious individuals who are seeking sex therapy.
Leading the Hare Krishna Movement: The Crisis of Succession in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Routledge New Religions)
by Angela R. BurtThis book examines issues of leadership and succession in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) which was founded in by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in 1966. After the founder’s death in 1977, the movement was led by a group of gurus in a "zonal system" until their authority was challenged and reformed in the mid-1980s. At the heart of the book is an exploration of the developments, conflicts, and defining characteristics of leadership in ISKCON in this decade. Themes of hierarchy, status, power and authority, and the routinisation of charisma are shown to be keys to understanding the events of the time. With careful analysis of interviews and documentary evidence, the research offers a unique insight into ISKCON as an organisation and the broader religious community in which ISKCON is located. The book will be of particular interest to scholars of new religious movements and those concerned with religious leadership.
Tallie's Knight: A Historical Romance Novel
by Anne GraciePrepared to be swept away by this classic regency romance by beloved historical romance author, Anne Gracie!Cinderella&’s knight-in-shining-armour? The Earl! Miss Thalia Robinson, a destitute orphan, is indebted to her cousin who has employed her as governess to her three adorable children. But Tallie&’s quiet life in the confines of the schoolroom is shattered by the arrival of a house party to aid Magnus, Earl of d'Arenville, to find a wife! Magnus&’s usually cold façade is pierced by one of Tallie&’s delightful little charges and, when he locks eyes with the governess, he&’s struck by the strength of their connection. But when whisking Tallie into his world breaks all of society&’s rules, are they prepared for the consequences? Previously published
Foundations of Social Theory: A Critical Introduction
by Neal HarrisFoundations of Social Theory: A Critical Introduction accessibly introduces students to classical and contemporary social theory, exploring the foundational theories which shape the discipline while also engaging critically with their contribution and presenting the more progressive and contemporary theorists in dialogue with canonical figures.Social theory is introduced as the construction and connection of concepts which make social inquiry possible while appreciating that the study of society is never truly objective. The relationship between positionality, politics, research, and knowledge production is discussed and ideas from critical theorists, feminist theorists, and decolonial, and critical race theorists are foregrounded. Travelling chronologically and thematically from the birth of the discipline and the work of Marx, Weber, and Durkheim through to intersectionality, queer theory, and decolonial and postcolonial theory, this book gives students a strong foundation in the broad field of social theory while also encouraging them to think critically about the theories and theorists presented.Equipped with end-of-chapter questions and further reading, this book will be essential reading for any student studying social theory for the first time.
Unwavering: Rejecting Bias, Igniting Change, Celebrating Inclusion
by Nellie BorreroA pioneering warrior for diversity and inclusion shows how to make game-changing moves that will benefit you and your organization alike When Nellie Borrero joined Accenture, bigotry and bias went unnoticed and unchecked; it was simply the workplace norm. Now, 35+ years later, this first-generation Latina shares how she led diversity strategy and developed award-winning inclusion and diversity programs that transformed Accenture into the #1 ranked employer for inclusion, diversity, and equity. In Unwavering, Borrero draws on her experiences with remarkable candor and courage to inspire you to think bigger, know your value, and show up with it everywhere, every day. She reveals how to remove barriers and claim space not just for yourself but for others as well. You’ll become aware of: Biases that negatively impact professionals of color Recognizing that belonging and uniqueness don't have to be at odds Standing up and standing out: taking your career from the margins to center stage What to do when mentoring fails—and the power of embracing and accepting help Staying true to yourself when your values collide with reality Showing up strategically, intentionally asserting yourself, and competing A manifesto for understanding and action, Unwavering provides a proven framework for how to create transformational relationships that make diversity and inclusion an integral part of your success and your company’s competitive advantage.
Conceptual Models: Core to the Design of Interactive Applications (Synthesis Lectures on Human-Centered Informatics)
by Jeff Johnson Austin HendersonThis book presents readers with an exploration of the concept of Conceptual Models and argues that they are core to achieving good design of interactive applications that are easy, effective, and enjoyable to use. The authors’ years of experience helping companies create interactive software applications revealed that interactive applications built without Conceptual Models generally result in fraught production processes and designs that are confusing and difficult to learn, remember, and use. Instead, the book shows that Conceptual Models can be a central link between the elements involved in the use of interactive applications: people’s tasks (domains), their plans for performing those tasks, the use of applications in the plans, the conceptual structure of applications, the presentation of the conceptual model (i.e., the user interface), the terms used to describe it, its implementation, and the learning that people must do to use the application. Readers will learn how putting a Conceptual Model at the core of the design and development process can pay rich dividends: designs are simpler, more coherent, and better aligned with users’ tasks; unnecessary features are avoided; documentation is easier, development is faster and cheaper; customer uptake is improved; and the need for training and customer support is reduced. To support its use in instruction, this second edition has been revised to explain the history and theoretical context of conceptual modeling using a consistent vocabulary, describe the structure of conceptual models, provide more current and more complete examples, explain how conceptual models fit into design and development, and further summarize the benefits of conceptual modeling.
Refugee Coloniality: An Afrocentric analysis of prolonged encampment in Kenya
by Bosco OpiThis book presents a decolonial and Afrocentric critique of prolonged encampment of refugees, centred on the case study of refugee camps in Kenya, introduced through the author’s decades-long experience of forced displacement. His positionality as a former refugee contributes to a wider discussion on representation, voice, and power within the refugee studies literature. Likewise, the revisiting of the refugee camp as site and tool of power from a colonial perspective, is an important and timely contribution to the literature. This book examines the camp as a colonial innovation and the enduring colonial logics of supposedly ‘humanitarian’ extended encampment. Drawing on the anti-colonial theorists such as Fanon, Mbembe, and Nyerere, etc, it argues for an Africa without borders or encampment. The study is interdisciplinary, encompassing forced migration/refugee studies, camp studies, decolonial studies, and African studies. More broadly, it seeks to contribute to the literature on the politics of asylum in Africa through a critical examination of the colonial origins and the practice of encampment in Kenya.
Managing Natural and Cultural Heritage for a Durable Tourism
by Anna Trono Valentina Castronuovo Petros KosmasThis contributed volume offers a wealth of cases that explore the factors and conditions required for heritage tourism to be economically and socially beneficial to local communities without impairing the natural environment, cultural heritage preservation, or sustainability for future generations. The studies presented here comprise an examination of measures which have been and can be implemented to ensure sustainable use of natural and cultural systems, leading to a new concept of tourism that incorporates science and community practices together to create a favorable environment where tourists and locals can experience meaningful interactions and experiences. The book focuses on the role of stakeholders in the development of a new policy regarding the sustainable management of cultural tourism and the possibility of their involvement in the processes governing policy-making. Emphasis is placed on the role and commitment of local and international authorities, including UNESCO, in preserving the world's endangered cultural and natural heritage, as well as the responsibilities of Member States and public and private actors with respect to future conservation challenges.
Latin American Geomorphology: From the Crust to Mars (The Latin American Studies Book Series)
by Andrea Coronato Grace B. AlvesThis book presents varied geomorphological topics and planetary studies from different geomorphological regions analysed by young researchers from Latin America, from Costa Rica to southern Argentina, from the mountains to the oceans, and from the Caribbean to the Scotia tectonic plates. The six chapters included in this book originate from presentations made during the “IAG Central and South American Webinar” carried on in March 2021 for the commemoration of the “Geomorphology Week”, promoted by the International Association of Geomorphologists (IAG) and coordinated by the invited book editors. The chapters develop topics related to landforms and geomorphological processes originated by modern tectonics along a transform tectonic plate boundary, by cryo-snowy environments in the drier Central Andes, by fluvial and littoral processes in the Brazilian inland and the Atlantic coast, and by high runoff generated by storm-cells driving into mountainousand wooded terrains. New insights on Mars water features research are also included in the book. Several chapters refer to risk assessment for society or resource management considerations; other chapters refer to present or recent geomorphological processes but others do so to those developed in the Quaternary.
Rebel Rising: A Memoir
by Rebel WilsonFrom the scene-stealing star of Pitch Perfect and Bridesmaids comes a refreshingly candid, hilarious, and inspiring book about her unconventional journey to Hollywood success and loving herself. This &“beautiful, brave book,&” (Jenna Bush Hager, the Today show) is the story of Rebel Wilson&’s remarkable personal transformation, from a painfully shy child in Australia who literally had to be dragged to drama classes and achieved break-out success in the US through iconic roles in Pitch Perfect, Bridesmaids, and Isn&’t It Romantic. Through &“stunningly personal revelations&” (The New York Times), Rebel shares the extraordinary experiences that shaped her life. A malaria-induced hallucination? An all-style martial arts fighting tournament? Junior handling at dog shows? And this was all BEFORE she moved to Hollywood! From her painful relationship with her father, weight gain and loss, a late-in-life sexual awakening and fertility issues, Rebel shares her incredible journey to self-love in writing that is &“frank and fun.&” (CBS Sunday Morning) Rebel leads you through her hard-fought path to &“making it,&” constantly questioning, &“Am I good enough? Will I ever find love? Will I ever change and become healthy?&” This extraordinarily entertaining memoir shows us how to love ourselves while making us laugh uncontrollably.
Immortal Longings (Flesh & False Gods #1)
by Chloe GongA NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER Chloe Gong&’s adult epic fantasy debut, inspired by Shakespeare&’s Antony and Cleopatra, is a &“smart, imaginative, and brutal&” (Wesley Chu, New York Times bestselling author of The War Arts Saga) collision of power plays, spilled blood, and romance amidst a set of deadly games.Every year, thousands in the kingdom of Talin flock to its capital twin cities, San-Er, where the palace hosts a set of games. For those confident enough in their ability to jump between bodies, competitors across San-Er fight to the death to win unimaginable riches. Princess Calla Tuoleimi lurks in hiding. Five years ago, a massacre killed her parents and left the palace of Er empty…and she was the one who did it. Before King Kasa&’s forces in San can catch her, she plans to finish the job and bring down the monarchy. Her reclusive uncle always greets the victor of the games, so if she wins, she finally gets her opportunity to kill him. Enter Anton Makusa, an exiled aristocrat. His childhood love has lain in a coma since they were both ousted from the palace, and he&’s deep in debt trying to keep her alive. Thankfully, he&’s one of the best jumpers in the kingdom, flitting from body to body at will. His last chance at saving her is entering the games and winning. Calla finds both an unexpected alliance with Anton and help from King Kasa&’s adopted son, August, who wants to mend Talin&’s ills. But the three of them have very different goals, even as Calla and Anton&’s partnership spirals into something all-consuming. Before the games close, Calla must decide what she&’s playing for—her lover or her kingdom.
All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me
by Patrick BringleyA best book of the year from New York Public Library, NPR, the Financial Times, Book Riot, and the Sunday Times (London). A fascinating, revelatory portrait of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and its treasures by a former New Yorker staffer who spent a decade as a museum guard.Millions of people climb the grand marble staircase to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art every year. But only a select few have unrestricted access to every nook and cranny. They&’re the guards who roam unobtrusively in dark blue suits, keeping a watchful eye on the two million square foot treasure house. Caught up in his glamorous fledgling career at The New Yorker, Patrick Bringley never thought he&’d be one of them. Then his older brother was diagnosed with fatal cancer and he found himself needing to escape the mundane clamor of daily life. So he quit The New Yorker and sought solace in the most beautiful place he knew. To his surprise and the reader&’s delight, this temporary refuge becomes Bringley&’s home away from home for a decade. We follow him as he guards delicate treasures from Egypt to Rome, strolls the labyrinths beneath the galleries, wears out nine pairs of company shoes, and marvels at the beautiful works in his care. Bringley enters the museum as a ghost, silent and almost invisible, but soon finds his voice and his tribe: the artworks and their creators and the lively subculture of museum guards—a gorgeous mosaic of artists, musicians, blue-collar stalwarts, immigrants, cutups, and dreamers. As his bonds with his colleagues and the art grow, he comes to understand how fortunate he is to be walled off in this little world, and how much it resembles the best aspects of the larger world to which he gradually, gratefully returns. In the tradition of classic workplace memoirs like Lab Girl and Working Stiff, All The Beauty in the World is a surprising, inspiring portrait of a great museum, its hidden treasures, and the people who make it tick, by one of its most intimate observers.
Masters of the Air: America's Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany
by Donald L. MillerThe inspiration for the major Apple TV+ series, streaming now! The riveting history of the American Eighth Air Force in World War II and the young men who flew the bombers that helped beat the Nazis and liberate Europe, brilliantly told by historian and World War II expert Donald L. Miller. The Masters of the Air streaming series stars Austin Butler and Callum Turner, and is produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, the legendary duo behind Band of Brothers and The Pacific. Masters of the Air is the deeply personal story of the American bomber boys in World War II who brought the war to Hitler&’s doorstep. With the narrative power of fiction, Donald Miller takes you on a harrowing ride through the fire-filled skies over Berlin, Hanover, and Dresden and describes the terrible cost of bombing for the German people. Masters of the Air is the deeply personal story of the American bomber boys in World War II who brought the war to Hitler&’s doorstep. With the narrative power of fiction, Donald Miller takes you on a harrowing ride through the fire-filled skies over Berlin, Hanover, and Dresden and describes the terrible cost of bombing for the German people. Fighting at 25,000 feet in thin, freezing air that no warriors had ever encountered before, bomber crews battled new kinds of assaults on body and mind. Air combat was deadly but intermittent: periods of inactivity and anxiety were followed by short bursts of fire and fear. Unlike infantrymen, bomber boys slept on clean sheets, drank beer in local pubs, and danced to the swing music of Glenn Miller&’s Air Force band, which toured US air bases in England. But they had a much greater chance of dying than ground soldiers. The bomber crews were an elite group of warriors who were a microcosm of America—white America, anyway. The actor Jimmy Stewart was a bomber boy, and so was the &“King of Hollywood,&” Clark Gable. And the air war was filmed by Oscar-winning director William Wyler and covered by reporters like Andy Rooney and Walter Cronkite, all of whom flew combat missions with the men. The Anglo-American bombing campaign against Nazi Germany was the longest military campaign of World War II, a war within a war. Until Allied soldiers crossed into Germany in the final months of the war, it was the only battle fought inside the German homeland. Masters of the Air is &“a stunning achievement&” (David McCullough), &“a fresh new account&” (Walter Boyne, former director of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum) of life in wartime England and in the German prison camps, where tens of thousands of airmen spent part of the war. It ends with a vivid description of the grisly hunger marches captured airmen were forced to make near the end of the war through the country their bombs destroyed. Drawn from recent interviews, oral histories, and American, British, German, and other archives, Masters of the Air is an authoritative, deeply moving account that &“accurately and comprehensively&” (Lt. Gen. Bernard E. Trainor, USMC (Ret.) and coauthor of Cobra II) tells of the world&’s first and only bomber war.