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The World of Mr. Selfridge: The Glamour and Romance
by Alison MaloneyThe official, full-color, illustrated, behind-the-scenes companion to the lavish hit ITV and PBS television series Mr. Selfridge that vividly brings into focus the remarkable man and his time.Set at the crossroads between the old and the new—when the Victorian and Edwardian eras gave way to the modern age—Mr. Selfridge illuminates the passions, drama, tensions, and promise of the early twentieth century, embodied in one charming, dynamic, self-made man: department store tycoon Harry Gordon Selfridge.Mr. Selfridge follows a colorful cast of characters whose lives and fortunes are entangled with the founder of the magnificent department store that bears his name: Selfridge’s. American retail visionary Harry Selfridge moves to London in 1906 with his family to establish the most ambitious department store the world had ever seen. While his dreams inspire many, they also challenge the staid conventions of British society.A saga bursting with love affairs, class divisions, cultural clashes, ambition, betrayals, and secrets, Mr. Selfridge is set in an era when women reveled in a new sense of freedom and modernity. A charming, dynamic, brilliant, and forceful man who enjoys and respects women, Harry opens the doors of his opulent department story on London's famed Oxford Street to indulge, empower and celebrate them, changing the way the British—and the world—shopped forever.Including a foreword by series producer Andrew Davies, this official illustrated companion to the series—the biggest ITV-produced drama of all time—takes fans on a journey through the world of the series, Selfridge’s, and the larger-than-life entrepreneur, husband, lover, and family man behind it. Rich with historical detail, The World of Mr. Selfridge examines the real man and the fictional character based on him, his relationship with his family, his genius for retail, and his flagship store, including its departments and changing fashions in the early twentieth century.Complete with hundreds of gorgeous photographs, The World of Mr. Selfridge takes a closer look at the cast and their characters over the first two seasons, and looks ahead to series three, which begins in 1919—when Harry’s life really begins to unravel.
The World of the Japanese Mind: Conformity and Seken (SpringerBriefs in Sociology)
by Noriatsu MatsuiThis book investigates the source from which the pressure to conform arises in Japanese society. Even though the contemporary Japanese word for “society” (Shakai) has a history of 140 years, it does not include the concept of respecting the individual but refers mainly to social frameworks and institutional aspects. At the same time, the traditional Japanese terms for “society”, primarily Seken, that have been in use for 1,400 years have embraced human relationships of the members of the group.The hypothesis of this book is that there is no “society” as such in Japanese people’s minds. By proposing a new model (the Hand-Carved Tripod Model) of conformity in Japan, the book shows the structure of the pressure to conform. The tripod is composed of ambiguous words, the sense of belonging, and the “air”, or understanding, that represents the unwritten rules and regulations of Seken.Conformity in Japanese people’s minds takesdifferent forms, from small residential groups to corporations at work, and to nationwide associations, but always dictates that people follow everyone else in the organization.This book examines the sense of being blocked in Japan that has prevailed over 30 years, during the period of the so-called Three Lost Decades in Japan. Examining phenomena such as low worker engagement, karoshi (death by overwork), high middle-age male suicide rates, bullying in school and at work, sex discrimination, hereditary membership in the Diet, and failure to provide adequate protection for whistle-blowers, this book reveals a common structure in Japanese minds: lack of respect for individuality, and the traditional and narrow sense of the world, i.e., Seken.This book will be beneficial to scholars and graduate students as well as to businesspeople who are interested in understanding the behavior and minds of Japanese people from the psychological,cultural, and historical viewpoints. It provides an integrated view of Japan’s Seken as the platform that generates their conformity.
World of Work: Challenges for South African students
by M. C. LebitsoWork has always been part of man’s history and a crucial factor in social organisation. According to the traditional career development perspective, work is viewed as having many dimensions or functions. The intention of this book is to highlight challenges faced by students when they are ‘ready’ to enter the world of work after leaving school or after finishing tertiary education.
The World on Edge (Studies in Continental Thought)
by Edward S. CaseyFrom one of continental philosophy's most distinctive voices comes a creative contribution to spatial studies, environmental philosophy, and phenomenology. Edward S. Casey identifies how important edges are to us, not only in terms of how we perceive our world, but in our cognitive, artistic, and sociopolitical attentions to it. We live in a world that is constantly on edge, yet edges as such are rarely explored. Casey systematically describes the major and minor edges that configure the human and other-than-human realms, including our everyday experience. He also explores edges in high- stakes situations, such as those that emerge in natural disasters, moments of political and economic upheaval, and encroaching climate change. Casey's work enables a more lucid understanding of the edge-world that is a necessary part of living in a shared global environment.
World Religions and Cults Volume 2: Moralistic, Mythical and Mysticism Religions (World of Religions and Cults #2)
by Bodie HodgeRecognize and refute the Far East false religions What do these religions teach and why? How can a Christian be an effective witness for Jesus Christ when presented with ideas that are so different from a biblical perspective? How can these religions be refuted and biblical authority be the standard? This eye-opening second volume deals with many Eastern religions like Hinduism, Taoism, New Age, Sikhism, Confucianism, Shinto, and Buddhism, as well as other pagan-based systems like Witchcraft, Voodoo, and Greek mythology (and many more)! This volume dives into these styles of religions and looks at their origins and their basic tenets as well as why they fall so short. Understanding the basic tenets of these religions helps the Bible believer see the flaws in these philosophies and discern how to be an effective witness for Jesus Christ while standing on the authority of the Bible.
World Religions and Cults Volume 3: Atheistic and Humanistic Religions (World Religions & Cults #3)
by Bodie Hodge Roger PattersonThis final book in the series focuses on the atheistic or humanistic type of religions. It would be one of the most valuable for the church in the Western World where anti-god and pro-evolution religions are beginning to explode, for it was written to refute those religions and show how they fail. Unlike most books on world religions, this title dives into the secular humanistic religions. The book starts with God’s Word as the absolute authority. In doing so, God becomes our guide to refute false religions. Humanistic religions are all around us and we need to be able to spot their tenets and oppose them instead of allowing them to subtly infiltrate our Christianity and undermine us from within We need to know how to refute these humanistic religions We need to know how to effectively present the gospel to people who have been deceived by humanistic religions
World War I: The Definitive Visual History, New Edition (DK Definitive Visual Histories)
by DKDiscover the misery of life in the trenches -- and how the Great War devastated Europe. Here is an original and exciting guide to the grim challenge of life or death on the Western Front. Devastating first-hand reports and contemporary photographs of the battles that slaughtered millions, together with a clear account of how nation upon nation sent their men to join the carnage, combine to present a dramatic "eyewitness" view of this most terrible war. See the bullet-riddled car of the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, everyday life in the dugout, sappers mining tunnels beneath the enemy, and Mata Hari learning the art of spying. Learn how people avoided gas attacks, when periscopes were used, what soldiers wrote home to their sweethearts and mothers, the best way to use a tank, how troops flattened a hillside, and the meaning of Armistice Day. Discover how it felt to go over the top, what happened to all the bodies, how people dealt with shell shock, why war led to revolution, and much, much more.
World War II Letters: A Glimpse into the Heart of the Second World War Through the Eyes of Those Who Were Fighting It
by Tracy Quinn McLennanA poignant collection of letters from World War II soldiers, accompanied by photographs.Writers from twenty Allied and Axis countries are gathered in this unique collection of letters from servicemen and -women to their friends, families, and sweethearts. World War II Letters gives an unbiased look into the lives of those who served throughout the world-in Europe, the Pacific, Northern Africa, and Asia-and gives an intimate and honest portrayal of their experiences.Wide ranging in scope, World War II Letters includes writings by officers and infantry, nurses and doctors, pilots, POWs, those injured in action, killed in action, and those reported missing. Introductory biographies and photographs vividly capture the letter writers' lives before, during, and after the war.The writers of the letters in this powerful collection express their own views of "the enemy," give their impressions of countries far away from home, describe battle by land, sea, and air, and recount war's atrocities and its rare humorous moments. Ultimately, World War II Letters provides a revealing and unforgettable journey through the war of the century.
The World We Make: A Novel (The Great Cities #2)
by N. K. JemisinFour-time Hugo Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author N.K. Jemisin crafts a glorious tale of identity, resistance, magic and myth. All is not well in the city that never sleeps. Even though the avatars of New York City have temporarily managed to stop the Woman in White from invading—and destroying the entire universe in the process—the mysterious capital "E" Enemy has more subtle powers at her disposal. A new candidate for mayor wielding the populist rhetoric of gentrification, xenophobia, and "law and order" may have what it takes to change the very nature of New York itself and take it down from the inside. In order to defeat him, and the Enemy who holds his purse strings, the avatars will have to join together with the other Great Cities of the world in order to bring her down for good and protect their world from complete destruction.N.K. Jemisin&’s Great Cities Duology, which began with The City We Became and concludes with The World We Make, is a masterpiece of speculative fiction from one of the most important writers of her generation.The Great Cities DuologyThe City We BecameThe World We Make
World without End: Mainstream American Protestant Visions of the Last Things, 1880–1925 (Religion in North America)
by James H. Moorhead"In this compelling intellectual and social history, Moorhead argues that for mainline Protestants in the late 19th century, time became endless, human-directed and without urgency. . . . Moorhead offers some brilliant observations about the legacy of postmillennialism and the human need for a definitive eschaton." —Publishers WeeklyIn the 19th century American Protestants firmly believed that when progress had run its course, there would be a Second Coming of Christ, the world would come to a supernatural End, and the predictions in the Apocalypse would come to pass. During the years covered in James Moorhead's study, however, moderate and liberal mainstream Protestants transformed this postmillennialism into a hope that this world would be the scene for limitless spiritual improvement and temporal progress. The sense of an End vanished with the arrival of the new millennium.
Worldmakers: SF Adventures in Terraforming
by Gardner DozoisWhen mankind moves out to the stars, the colonists of the future will remake the worlds they inhabit in their image. Included here are twenty stories from the most imaginative writers in the field:Poul AndersonCordwainer SmithArthur C. ClarkeRichard McKennaRoger ZelaznyJohn VarleyGregory BenfordIan McDonaldBruce SterlingCharles SheffieldRobert ReedG. David NordleyJoe HaldemanPhillip C. JenningsGeoffrey A. LandisStephen BaxterWilliam H. Keith, Jr.Kim Stanley RobinsonPamela SargentLaura J. MixonThese are the stories of the explorers and pioneers who transform their destinations in the image of their distant home--exciting tales of alien landscapes and the struggle to make them suit human desires.
The Worldmakers: Global Imagining in Early Modern Europe
by Ayesha RamachandranIn this beautifully conceived book, Ayesha Ramachandran reconstructs the imaginative struggles of early modern artists, philosophers, and writers to make sense of something that we take for granted: the world, imagined as a whole. Once a new, exciting, and frightening concept, “the world” was transformed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. But how could one envision something that no one had ever seen in its totality? The Worldmakers moves beyond histories of globalization to explore how “the world” itself—variously understood as an object of inquiry, a comprehensive category, and a system of order—was self-consciously shaped by human agents. Gathering an international cast of characters, from Dutch cartographers and French philosophers to Portuguese and English poets, Ramachandran describes a history of firsts: the first world atlas, the first global epic, the first modern attempt to develop a systematic natural philosophy—all part of an effort by early modern thinkers to capture “the world” on the page.
Worlds: A Novel Of The Near Future (The Worlds Trilogy #1)
by Joe HaldemanIn this near-future novel by the author of The Forever War, an idealistic student visiting Earth from an orbiting colony is ensnared in a political conspiracy. By the close of the twenty-first century, almost half a million souls have already abandoned Earth to live in satellites orbiting the strife-ridden planet. Each of these forty-one Worlds is an independent entity boasting its own government and culture, yet each remains bound to the troubled home World by economic pressure. A brilliant student of political science born and raised in New New York, the largest of the orbiting Worlds, young Marianne O&’Hara has never been to the surface but now has a golden opportunity to continue her studies far below her floating home of steel. Life on Earth, however, is very different from anything she has ever experienced. With power in the hands of a privileged few and unrest running rampant, the allure of radical politics might be too much for an idealistic and inexperienced young World dweller to resist. But even the best of intentions can have disastrous consequences, and Marianne soon finds herself unwittingly drawn into a wide-ranging conspiracy that could result in the total destruction of everything on Earth . . . and above. The first book in the acclaimed science fiction trilogy by Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author Joe Haldeman, Worlds offers a powerful vision of a possible future.This ebook features an illustrated biography of Joe Haldeman including rare images from the author&’s personal collection.
Worlds Apart: Worlds, Worlds Apart, And Worlds Enough And Time (The Worlds Trilogy #2)
by Joe HaldemanBy the author of The Forever War: In the breathtaking sequel to Worlds, a survivor of the terrible conflict that destroyed the Earth and most of its satellite Worlds must work to save the human race from extinction The war that destroyed everything lasted a single day. After an initial nuclear strike, the Earth&’s population was further devastated by an insidious bioweapon targeting anyone above the age of puberty. Now most of what&’s left of human civilization gathers on New New York, one of the few orbiting Worlds that remain. Monitoring the Earth below from the floating habitat, Marianne O&’Hara searches for signs of life—and, in particular, for Jeff Hawking, her former lover, who survived the viral nightmare thanks to a biological anomaly that rendered him immune. But Jeff is not the sole surviving adult in this landscape of death, ruin, and feral children, and those who fled to safety underground are being seduced by a terrible new religion preaching blood and vengeance. The last war, it seems, is not over—and the last hope for preventing the final holocaust may be Marianne O&’Hara. The second enthralling volume in Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author Joe Haldeman&’s acclaimed Worlds trilogy, Worlds Apart is a thought-provoking tale of human frailty and lethal folly, and of the courage essential for the survival of the race. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Joe Haldeman including rare images from the author&’s personal collection.
Worlds Built to Fall Apart: Versions of Philip K. Dick (Univocal)
by David LapoujadePhilosophically analyzing the work of one of the twentieth century&’s most popular, and peculiar, science fiction authors Despite his enduring popularity, Philip K. Dick (1928–1982)—whose short stories and novels were adapted into or influenced many major films and television shows, including Blade Runner, Total Recall, The Truman Show, and The Man in the High Castle—has long been a marginal figure in American literature, even in the science fiction genre he helped revolutionize. Here, an influential French philosopher offers a major new perspective on an author who was known as much for his eccentricities and excesses as for his writing. For David Lapoujade, it is precisely the many ways in which Dick&’s works seem to hover on the brink of losing all touch with reality that make him such a singular figure, both as a sci-fi author and as a thinker of contemporary life. In Worlds Built to Fall Apart, Lapoujade defines sci-fi as a way of thinking through the creation of worlds and argues that Dick does so by creating worlds that fall rapidly to pieces. Whatever his mechanism to bring this about (drugs or madness, alien satellite transmissions or encroaching parallel universes), the effect is always to reveal reality to be a construction, in which certain people determine what appears as real to the rest of us. Orienting Dick within philosophy and drawing connections to a wide variety of other thinkers and artists, this remarkable reading shows how he proposes unstable, fluctuating futures in which tinkering with reality has become the best means of resisting total control. Engaging with most of Philip K. Dick&’s published works, as well as with several of his essays and his notorious psychic autobiography The Exegesis, Lapoujade hones in on the &“war of the psyches&” that underlies Dick&’s critique of reality. He puts Dick&’s work in conversation with a vast array of subjects—from cybernetics to schizoanalysis, and from Pop art to David Lynch, J. G. Ballard, and William S. Burroughs—revealing Dick&’s oeuvre to comprise a profound reality defined by artifice, precarity, and control. Retail e-book files for this title are screen-reader friendly.
Worlds Enough and Time: Worlds, Worlds Apart, And Worlds Enough And Time (The Worlds Trilogy #3)
by Joe HaldemanBy the author of The Forever War: In the decades following the ultimate conflict, the last remnants of humanity face extinction on a doomed voyage to a new home in the stars, in the momentous conclusion to Joe Haldeman&’s acclaimed Worlds saga The Earth is no more, an uninhabitable shell following the one-day war that obliterated the population. In the decades that followed, the surviving Worlds orbiting the dead planet have become the last refuge of humankind. With the discovery of a possibly habitable planet in a distant star system, ten thousand brave colonists are preparing to depart from New New York aboard the interstellar vessel Newhome. Among them is Marianne O&’Hara, who will ultimately control the fate of what remains of the human race. The momentous voyage is plagued from the start by ignorance and sabotage, and by the dark tenets of a nihilistic religion dedicated to ultimate destruction. But despite the many trials and tragedies, the spacefarers—and particularly Marianne and her loved ones—will be forced to endure. There is no turning back once the journey begins . . . for soon there will be nowhere left to return to. With Worlds Enough and Time, Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author Joe Haldeman completes his magnificent story of humankind&’s destruction and rebirth, capping off his acclaimed trilogy with a truly transcendent tale of destiny, courage, selflessness, dedication, and the resilience of humankind. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Joe Haldeman including rare images from the author&’s personal collection.
The Worlds of John Wick: The Year's Work at the Continental Hotel (The Year's Work)
by Caitlin G. Watt and Stephen WattEach John Wick film has earned more money and recognition than its predecessor, defying the conventional wisdom about the box office's action movie landscape, normally dominated by superhero movies and science fiction epics.As The Worlds of John Wickexplores, the worldbuilding of John Wick offers thrills that you simply can't find anywhere else. The franchise's plot combines familiar elements of the revenge thriller and crime film with seamlessly coordinated action. One of its most distinctive appeals, however, is the detailed and multifaceted fictional world—or rather, worlds—it constructs. The contributors to this volume consider everything from fight sequences, action aesthetics, and stunts to grief, cinematic space and time, and gender performance to map these worlds and explore how their range and depth make John Wick a hit. A deep dive into this popular neo-noir franchise, The Worlds of John Wickcelebrates and complicates the cult phenomenon that is John Wick.
The Worlds Trilogy: Worlds, Worlds Apart, and Worlds Enough and Time (The Worlds Trilogy #1)
by Joe HaldemanThe acclaimed author of The Forever War imagines a future in which most of humanity has abandoned Earth, living in man-made habitats orbiting a troubled world. In Worlds, Worlds Apart, and Worlds Enough and Time, the acclaimed Hugo and Nebula Award–winning author of The Forever War imagines a near future rife with exhilarating and terrifying possibilities, when hundreds of thousands of human beings have abandoned the Earth&’s surface to live in man-made habitats orbiting the troubled planet. Haldeman&’s science fiction saga follows Marianne O&’Hara, a young inhabitant of the World known as New New York, from her arrival on Earth as a student who becomes seduced by radical politics, through her coming of age amid the Worlds&’ war and the habitats&’ devastation, and ultimately to Marianne&’s emergence as a leader—and possibly the last hope of the human race as it heads toward the stars. Stephen King said of the first book in Haldeman&’s trilogy, &“There are scenes in Worlds I will remember forever.&” These gripping novels will enthrall anyone interested in the future—that of our planet and of the human race.
The World's Worst Teachers
by Tony Ross David WalliamsMillions of young readers have loved the World’s Worst Children tales – now they will revel in this delightfully dreadful collection of the most gruesome grown-ups ever: The World’s Worst Teachers. From the phenomenally bestselling David Walliams and illustrated in glorious colour by the artistic genius, Tony Ross. Think your teachers are bad? Wait till you meet this lot. These ten tales of the world’s most splendidly sinister teachers will have you running for the school gates. Dr Dread teaches science and is half man, half monster… Watch out for the ghastly Miss Seethe. She is ALWAYS furious – and she’s on a detention rampage. And as for Pent, he’s a teacher with a real difference. He is bone-shakingly terrified of… children! Millions of children have loved the World’s Worst Children – now they will revel in this delightfully dreadful collection of the most gruesome grown-ups ever, The World’s Worst Teachers. Brought to you by number one bestselling author, David Walliams, with every story illustrated in glorious colour by artistic genius, Tony Ross.
Worrell: The Brief but Brilliant Life of a Caribbean Cricket Pioneer
by Simon Lister'The definitive telling of the life of a West Indian hero' Sir Clive Lloyd The brilliant all-rounder Frank Worrell had to wait until 1960 to become the first permanent Black captain of the West Indies cricket team, denied for a decade by the elitism, insularity and racism of Caribbean cricket&’s rulers. When his chance finally came, Worrell transformed a talented but unfocused team into the most exciting side in the world and led his men into unforgettable series against Australia and England. Worrell was universally admired as one of cricket&’s great captains when he was knighted in 1964, but three years later, he was dead aged just forty-two. Not merely an extraordinarily talented and record-breaking sportsman, he served the University of the West Indies after his retirement – along with the cricket team and the political federation, one of the three truly unifying elements across a fractious and diverse region. This biography, by the author of the acclaimed Fire in Babylon and with a foreword by Sir Clive Lloyd, is the definitive telling of Frank Worrell's life and legacy. It reveals how an upbringing in Barbados, cricketing adventures around the world and a determination not to be cowed by the powers that ran island cricket, shaped a great West Indian cricketer into a great West Indian, who changed the game forever.
The Worry-Worry Whale and the Classroom Jitters (A Worry-Worry Whale Adventure)
by Deborah DiesenFirst introduced in The Pout-Pout Fish and the Worry-Worry Whale, Willa Whale is the star of her own spin-off series, inspired by the New York Times–bestselling Pout-Pout Fish books from Deborah Diesen and Dan Hanna. In this story, Willa overcomes her fear of getting called on in class.Circle Time is starting,But Willa’s feeling worried.“What if I get called upon?”Her tummy’s getting flurried!Swim along with Willa Whale as she develops strategies and confidence for raising her fin. She might just discover that sharing our ideas, thoughts, and questions will help us learn and grow!
The Worrysaurus
by Rachel BrighA modern Wemberly Worried-featuring dinosaurs!-for today's young readers, with reassuring, lighthearted text and charming illustrations sure to calm the anxious butterflies in any child's tummy. It's a beautiful day and Worrysaurus has planned a special picnic. But it isn't long before a small butterfly of worry starts fluttering in his tummy...What if he hasn't brought enough to eat? What if he gets lost in the jungle?What if it rains?! With a little help from his mom, Worrysaurus finds a way to soothe the anxious butterflies, chase his fears away, and find peace and happiness in the moment at hand.Discover the perfect book to help every little anxious Worrysaurus let go of their fears, and feel happy in the moment at hand! The Worrysaurus strikes just the right balance of positive, lighthearted, and kid-friendly, with reassuring, rhyming text from Rachel Bright, the bestselling author of The Lion Inside and Love Monster, and charming illustrations from Chris Chatterton. Perfect for any reader who might feel the flutter of an anxious butterfly in their tummy, The Worrysaurus is sure to become a storytime favorite!
Worship Any Time or Place: The Compact Book of Methodist Liturgies, Prayers, and Other Acts of Blessing
by Nelson CowanBe prepared at a moment’s noticeThis book equips the Methodist pastor, worship leader, or layperson to create meaningful worship moments for any group of people, any time, any place. It includes liturgies and prayers suitable for traditional settings such as worship services, funeral services, and administration of the sacraments. It includes words to use during hospital visits, retreats, church meetings, and other conventional settings. It provides words of blessing for departing members. It also provides language for other spaces and places, like home blessings, blessings for foster care families, words for times of transition, liturgies for fresh expressions of the church, prayers before the beginning of work, language for protests and vigils, ritual moments for difficult conversations, and prayers for interreligious and ecumenical events. It offers words of lament to use after violent events and natural disasters. From pulpits to pews, from altar tables to dinner tables, from sanctuaries to streets, the Compact Guide can be used by all ministers—clergy and laity—to employ worshipful words as the Spirit leads.
Worst Broommate Ever! (Middle School and Other Disasters #1)
by Wanda CovenThe first book in the New York Times bestseller Middle School and Other Disasters series, witch-in-training Heidi Heckelbeck juggles magical mishaps and everyday mayhem at her new boarding school. Featuring black-and-white illustrations and doodles throughout and perfect for fans of Dork Diaries, The Worst Witch and Harper Drew!My name is Heidi Heckelbeck, my new school is magic and I am officially freaking out! Heidi is both excited and nervous to start at her new boarding school, Broomsfield Academy! She can't wait to start magical classes but her first day takes a turn for the worse when Heidi discovers her roommate (or "broommate" as they are known here) is none other than her old rival, Melanie Maplethorpe. Melanie is less than thrilled too, and the two find themselves engaged in an epic prank war. But when magic enters the mix, will the reluctant roommates go too far?Join Heidi and her friends for pranks, potions and magical misahaps in this bestselling series!
Worst Cases: Terror and Catastrophe in the Popular Imagination
by Lee ClarkeAl Qaeda detonates a nuclear weapon in Times Square during rush hour, wiping out half of Manhattan and killing 500,000 people. A virulent strain of bird flu jumps to humans in Thailand, sweeps across Asia, and claims more than fifty million lives. A single freight car of chlorine derails on the outskirts of Los Angeles, spilling its contents and killing seven million. An asteroid ten kilometers wide slams into the Atlantic Ocean, unleashing a tsunami that renders life on the planet as we know it extinct. We consider the few who live in fear of such scenarios to be alarmist or even paranoid. But Worst Cases shows that such individuals—like Cassandra foreseeing the fall of Troy—are more reasonable and prescient than you might think. In this book, Lee Clarke surveys the full range of possible catastrophes that animate and dominate the popular imagination, from toxic spills and terrorism to plane crashes and pandemics. Along the way, he explores how the ubiquity of worst cases in everyday life has rendered them ordinary and mundane. Fear and dread, Clarke argues, have actually become too rare: only when the public has more substantial information and more credible warnings will it take worst cases as seriously as it should. A timely and necessary look into how we think about the unthinkable, Worst Cases will be must reading for anyone attuned to our current climate of threat and fear.