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Winging It (Hockey Ever After)
by Ashlyn Kane Morgan JamesHockey is Gabe Martin's life. Dante Baltierra just wants to have some fun on his way to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Falling for a teammate isn't in either game plan.But plans change.When Gabe gets outed, it turns his careful life upside-down. The chaos messes with his game and sends his team headlong into a losing streak. The last person he expects to pull him through it is Dante.This season isn&’t going the way Dante thought it would. Gabe&’s sexuality doesn&’t faze him, but his own does. Dante&’s always been a &“what you see is what you get&” kind of guy, and having to hide his attraction to Gabe sucks. But so does losing, and his teammate needs him, so he puts in the effort to snap Gabe out of his funk.He doesn&’t mean to fall in love with the guy.Getting involved with a teammate is a bad idea, but Dante is shameless, funny, and brilliant at hockey. Gabe can&’t resist. Unfortunately, he struggles to share part of himself that he&’s hidden for years, and Dante chafes at hiding their relationship. Can they find their feet before the ice slips out from under them?Winging It is the first book in the hot, hilarious, heartfelt Hockey Ever After series. If you like witty banter, friends to lovers, and sports romance, you&’ll love Winging It.
Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior (Read-On)
by Temple Grandin Catherine JohnsonWith unique personal insight, experience, and hard science, Animals in Translation is the definitive, groundbreaking work on animal behavior and psychology.Temple Grandin&’s professional training as an animal scientist and her history as a person with autism have given her a perspective like that of no other expert in the field of animal science. Grandin and coauthor Catherine Johnson present their powerful theory that autistic people can often think the way animals think—putting autistic people in the perfect position to translate &“animal talk.&” Exploring animal pain, fear, aggression, love, friendship, communication, learning, and even animal genius, Grandin is a faithful guide into their world. Animals in Translation reveals that animals are much smarter than anyone ever imagined, and Grandin, standing at the intersection of autism and animals, offers unparalleled observations and extraordinary ideas about both.
The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change
by Adam BraunThe riveting story of how a young man turned $25 into more than 200 schools around the world and the guiding steps anyone can take to lead a successful and significant life.Adam Braun began working summers at hedge funds when he was just sixteen years old, sprinting down the path to a successful Wall Street career. But while traveling he met a young boy begging on the streets of India, who after being asked what he wanted most in the world, simply answered, “A pencil.” This small request led to a staggering series of events that took Braun backpacking through dozens of countries before eventually leaving one of the world’s most prestigious jobs to found Pencils of Promise, the organization he started with just $25 that has since built more than 200 schools around the world.The Promise of a Pencil chronicles Braun’s journey to find his calling, as each chapter explains one clear step that every person can take to turn your biggest ambitions into reality, even if you start with as little as $25. His story takes readers behind the scenes with business moguls and village chiefs, world-famous celebrities and hometown heroes. Driven by compelling stories and shareable insights, this is a vivid and inspiring book that will give you the tools to make your own life a story worth telling.*All proceeds from this book will support Pencils of Promise.
Dead I Well May Be: A Novel (Dead Trilogy #1)
by Adrian McKintyThe acclaimed debut from the New York Times bestselling author of The Chain, this Irish bad-boy thriller—set in the hardest streets of New York City—brims with violence, greed, and sexual betrayal."I didn't want to go to America, I didn't want to work for Darkey White. I had my reasons. But I went." So admits Michael Forsythe, an illegal immigrant escaping the Troubles in Belfast. But young Michael is strong and fearless and clever—just the fellow to be tapped by Darkey, a crime boss, to join a gang of Irish thugs struggling against the rising Dominican powers in Harlem and the Bronx. The time is pre-Giuliani New York, when crack rules the city, squatters live furtively in ruined buildings, and hundreds are murdered each month. Michael and his lads tumble through the streets, shaking down victims, drinking hard, and fighting for turf, block by bloody block. Dodgy and observant, not to mention handy with a pistol, Michael is soon anointed by Darkey as his rising star. Meanwhile Michael has very inadvisably seduced Darkey's girl, Bridget—saucy, fickle, and irresistible. Michael worries that he's being followed, that his affair with Bridget will be revealed. He's right to be anxious; when Darkey discovers the affair, he plans a very hard fall for young Michael, a gambit devilish in its guile, murderous in its intent. But Darkey fails to account for Michael's toughness and ingenuity or the possibility that he might wreak terrible vengeance upon those who would betray him. A natural storyteller with a gift for dialogue, McKinty introduces to readers a stunning new noir voice, dark and stylish, mythic and violent—complete with an Irish lilt.
The Journal of Best Practices: A Memoir of Marriage, Asperger Syndrome, and One Man's Quest to Be a Better Husband
by David Finch*A New York Times Bestseller* A warm and hilarious memoir by a man diagnosed with Asperger syndrome who sets out to save his relationship.Five years after David Finch married Kristen, the love of his life, they learned that he has Asperger syndrome. The diagnosis explained David&’s ever-growing list of quirks and compulsions, but it didn&’t make him any easier to live with. Determined to change, David set out to understand Asperger syndrome and learn to be a better husband with an endearing zeal. His methods for improving his marriage involve excessive note-taking, performance reviews, and most of all, the Journal of Best Practices: a collection of hundreds of maxims and hard-won epiphanies, including &“Don&’t change the radio station when she&’s singing along&” and &“Apologies do not count when you shout them.&” David transforms himself from the world&’s most trying husband to the husband who tries the hardest. He becomes the husband he&’d always meant to be. Filled with humor and wisdom, The Journal of Best Practices is a candid story of ruthless self-improvement, a unique window into living with an autism spectrum condition, and proof that a true heart is the key to happy marriage.
I Wear the Black Hat: Grappling with Villains (Real and Imagined)
by Chuck KlostermanOne-of-a-kind cultural critic and New York Times bestselling author Chuck Klosterman “offers up great facts, interesting cultural insights, and thought-provoking moral calculations in this look at our love affair with the anti-hero” (New York magazine).Chuck Klosterman, “The Ethicist” for The New York Times Magazine, has walked into the darkness. In I Wear the Black Hat, he questions the modern understanding of villainy. When we classify someone as a bad person, what are we really saying, and why are we so obsessed with saying it? How does the culture of malevolence operate? What was so Machiavellian about Machiavelli? Why don’t we see Bernhard Goetz the same way we see Batman? Who is more worthy of our vitriol—Bill Clinton or Don Henley? What was O.J. Simpson’s second-worst decision? And why is Klosterman still haunted by some kid he knew for one week in 1985? Masterfully blending cultural analysis with self-interrogation and imaginative hypotheticals, I Wear the Black Hat delivers perceptive observations on the complexity of the antihero (seemingly the only kind of hero America still creates). As the Los Angeles Times notes: “By underscoring the contradictory, often knee-jerk ways we encounter the heroes and villains of our culture, Klosterman illustrates the passionate but incomplete computations that have come to define American culture—and maybe even American morality.” I Wear the Black Hat is a rare example of serious criticism that’s instantly accessible and really, really funny.
The Adults: A Novel
by Alison EspachNow available in paperback, “Tom Perrotta meets Curtis Sittenfeld in this razor-sharp debut by Alison Espach, who weaves a wry, devastatingly perceptive coming-of-age tale set in Connecticut’s affluent suburbs” (Marie Claire).In her ruefully funny and wickedly perceptive debut novel, Alison Espach deftly dissects matters of the heart and captures the lives of children and adults as they come to terms with life, death, and love. At the center of this affluent suburban universe is Emily Vidal, a smart and snarky teenager, who gets involved in a suspect relationship with one of the adults after witnessing a suicide in her neighborhood. Among the cast of unforgettable characters is Emily’s father, whose fiftieth birthday party has the adults descending upon the Vidal’s patio; her mother, who has orchestrated the elaborate party even though she and her husband are getting a divorce; and an assortment of eccentric neighbors, high school teachers, and teenagers who teem with anxiety and sexuality and an unbridled desire to be noticed, and ultimately loved.An irresistible chronicle of a modern young woman’s struggle to grow up, The Adults lays bare—in perfect pitch—a world where an adult and a child can so dangerously be mistaken for the same exact thing.
The Anodyne Necklace (A Richard Jury Mystery #3)
by Martha GrimesThe third in the bestselling Richard Jury mystery series by Martha Grimes.A spinster whose passion was bird-watching, a dotty peer who pinched pennies, and a baffling murder made the tiny village of Littlebourne a most extraordinary place. And a severed finger made a ghastly clue in the killing that led local constables from a corpse to a boggy footpath to a beautiful lady’s mansion. But Richard Jury refused, preferring to take the less traveled route to a slightly disreputable pub, the Anodyne Necklace. There, drinks all around loosened enough tongues to link a London mugging with the Littlebourne murder and a treasure map that would chart the way to yet another chilling crime.
This Side of Paradise (Oxford World's Classics Ser.)
by F. Scott FitzgeraldPublished when he was twenty-three years old, F. Scott Fitzgerald&’s debut novel, This Side of Paradise, established him as the golden boy of the dawning Jazz Age. As a chronicle of youth, no other literary work remains as revealing—or as bitingly relevant.This Side of Paradise chronicles the life of Amory Blaine, a handsome and intelligent Midwesterner, from his childhood up through his early twenties, navigating schooling, love, and war. It is written in three parts: The Romantic Egotist, Interlude, and The Education of a Personage. This edition includes: -A concise introduction that gives the reader important background information -A chronology of the author&’s life and work -A timeline of significant events that provides the book&’s historical context -An outline of key themes and plot points to guide the reader&’s own interpretations -Detailed explanatory notes -Critical analysis and modern perspectives on the work -Discussion questions to promote lively classroom and book group interaction -A list of recommended related books and films to broaden the reader&’s experience Simon & Schuster Enriched Classics offer readers affordable editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and insightful commentary. The scholarship provided in Enriched Classics enables readers to appreciate, understand, and enjoy the world&’s finest books to their full potential.
The Garden of Eden
by Ernest HemingwayThe last uncompleted novel of Ernest Hemingway, published posthumously in 1986, charts the life of a young American writer and his glamorous wife who fall for the same woman.A sensational bestseller when it appeared in 1986, The Garden of Eden is the last uncompleted novel of Ernest Hemingway, which he worked on intermittently from 1946 until his death in 1961. Set on the Côte d'Azur in the 1920s, it is the story of a young American writer, David Bourne, his glamorous wife, Catherine, and the dangerous, erotic game they play when they fall in love with the same woman. "A lean, sensuous narrative...taut, chic, and strangely contemporary," The Garden of Eden represents vintage Hemingway, the master "doing what nobody did better" (R. Z. Sheppard, Time).
Selling the Dream: The Billion-Dollar Industry Bankrupting Americans
by Jane MarieA Next Big Idea Club Must-Read for March 2024 * A Bustle Best New Book of Spring 2024 Peabody and Emmy Award–winning journalist Jane Marie expands on her popular podcast The Dream to expose the scourge of multilevel marketing schemes and how they have profited off the evisceration of the American working class.We&’ve all heard of Amway, Mary Kay, Tupperware, and LuLaRoe, but few know the nefarious way they and countless other multilevel marketing (MLM) companies prey on desperate Americans struggling to make ends meet. When factories close, stalwart industries shutter, and blue-collar opportunities evaporate, MLMs are there, ready to pounce on the crumbling American Dream. MLMs thrive in rural areas and on military bases, targeting women with promises of being their own boss and millions of dollars in easy income—even at the risk of their entire life savings. But the vast majority—99.7%—of those who join an MLM make no money or lose money, and wind up stuck with inventory they can&’t sell to recoup their losses. Featuring in-depth reporting and intimate research, Selling the Dream reveals how these companies—often owned by political and corporate elites, such as the Devos and the Van Andels families—have made a windfall in profit off of the desperation of the American working class.
Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend
by James S. HirschThe “enormously entertaining and wide-ranging” (Seattle Times) authorized, definitive, New York Times bestselling biography of Willie Mays, the most complete baseball player of all time.Willie Mays is arguably the greatest player in baseball history, still revered for the passion he brought to the game. He began as a teenager in the Negro Leagues, became a cult hero in New York, and was the headliner in Major League Baseball’s bold expansion to California. He was a blend of power, speed, and stylistic bravado that enraptured fans for more than two decades. Now James Hirsch reveals the man behind the player. Mays was a transcendent figure who received standing ovations in enemy stadiums and who, during the turbulent civil rights era, urged understanding and reconciliation. More than his records, his legacy is defined by the pure joy that he brought to fans and the loving memories that have been passed to future generations so they might know the magic and beauty of the game. With meticulous research and drawing on interviews with Mays himself as well as with close friends, family, and teammates, Hirsch presents a brilliant portrait of one of America’s most significant cultural icons.
The Master's Muse: A Novel
by Varley O'Connor“We set our sights on each other almost from the beginning.” So begins The Master’s Muse, an exquisite, deeply affecting novel about the true love affair between two artistic legends: George Balanchine, the Russian émigré to America who is widely considered the Shakespeare of dance, and his wife and muse, Tanaquil Le Clercq. Copenhagen, 1956: Tanaquil Le Clercq, known as Tanny, is a gorgeous, talented, and spirited young ballerina whose dreams are coming true. She is married to the love of her life, George Balanchine— the famous mercurial director of New York City Ballet. She dances the best roles in his newest creations, has been featured in fashion magazines and television dramas, socializes with the country’s most renowned artists and intellectuals, and has become a star around the world. But one fateful evening, only hours after performing, Tanny falls suddenly and gravely ill; she awakens from a feverous sleep to find that she can no longer move her legs. Tanny is diagnosed with polio and Balanchine quits the ballet to devote himself to caring for his wife. He crafts exercises to help her regain her strength, deepening their partnership and love for each other. But in the ensuing years, after Tanny discovers she will never walk again, their relationship is challenged as she endeavors to create a new identity for herself and George returns to the company, choreographing ballets inspired by the ever-younger, more beautiful and talented dancers. Their marriage is put to the ultimate test as Tanny battles to redefine her dreams and George throws himself into his art. The Master’s Muse is an evocative imagining of the deep yet complicated love between a smart, beautiful woman and her charismatic, ambitious husband; it is the story of an extraordinary collaboration in art and in life.
Sinner's Gin (Sinners Series #1)
by Rhys FordSinners Series: Book OneThere’s a dead man in Miki St. John’s vintage Pontiac GTO, and he has no idea how it got there.After Miki survives the tragic accident that killed his best friend and the other members of their band, Sinner’s Gin, all he wants is to hide from the world in the refurbished warehouse he bought before their last tour. But when the man who sexually abused him as a boy is killed and his remains are dumped in Miki’s car, Miki fears Death isn’t done with him yet.Kane Morgan, the SFPD inspector renting space in the art co-op next door, initially suspects Miki had a hand in the man’s murder, but Kane soon realizes Miki is as much a victim as the man splattered inside the GTO. As the murderer’s body count rises, the attraction between Miki and Kane heats up. Neither man knows if they can make a relationship work, but despite Miki’s emotional damage, Kane is determined to teach him how to love and be loved — provided, of course, Kane can catch the killer before Miki becomes the murderer’s final victim.
Summer Lessons (Winter Ball)
by Amy Lanea Winter Ball novelMason Hayes’s love life has a long history of losers who don’t see that Mason’s heart is as deep and tender as his mouth is awkward. He wants kindness, he wants love—and he wants someone who thinks sex is as fantastic as he does. When Terry Jefferson first asks him out, Mason thinks it’s a fluke: Mason is too old, too boring, and too blurty to interest someone as young and hot as his friend’s soccer teammate.The truth is much more painful: Mason and Terry are perfectly compatible, and they totally get each other. But Terry is still living with his toxic, suffocating parent and Mason doesn’t want to be a sugar daddy. Watching Terry struggle to find himself is a long lesson in patience, but Mason needs to trust that the end result will be worth it, because finally, he’s found a man worth sharing his heart with.
Duck Duck Ghost (Hellsinger #2)
by Rhys FordSequel to Fish and GhostsHellsinger: Book TwoParanormal investigator Wolf Kincaid knows what his foot tastes like.Mostly because he stuck it firmly in his mouth when his lover, Tristan Pryce, accidentally drugged him with a batch of psychotropic baklava. Needing to patch things up between them, Wolf drags Tristan to San Luis Obispo, hoping Tristan’s medium ability can help evict a troublesome spirit haunting an old farmhouse.With Wolf’s sister handling Hoxne Grange’s spectral visitors, Tristan finds himself in the unique position of being able to leave home for the first time in forever, but Wolf’s roughshod treatment is the least of his worries. Tristan’s ad-hoc portal for passing spirits seems to be getting fewer and fewer guests, and despite his concern he’s broken his home, Tristan agrees to help Wolf’s cousin, Sey, kick her poltergeist to the proverbial curb.San Luis Obispo brings its own bushel of troubles. Tristan’s ghost whispering skill is challenged not only by a terrorizing haunting but also by Wolf’s skeptical older cousin, Cin. Bookended by a pair of aggressive Kincaids, Tristan soon finds himself in a spectral battle that threatens not only his sanity but also his relationship with Wolf, the first man he’s ever loved.
Montessori from the Start: The Child at Home, from Birth to Age Three
by Paula Polk Lillard Lynn Lillard JessenBased on Dr. Maria Montessori's philosophies for nurturing babies and toddlers, this practical and useful guide is brimming with instructions, anecdotes, and encouragement for raising calm, competent, and confident children—from designing the baby&’s bedroom to encouraging life skills such as dressing themselves and working both independently and collaboratively. What can parents do to help their youngest children in their task of self-formation? How does the Montessori method of hands-on learning and self-discovery relate to newborns, infants, and toddlers? This authoritative and accessible book answers these and many other questions. Its comprehensive exploration of the first three years incorporates the furnishings and tools Dr. Montessori created for the care and comfort of babies. From the design of the baby's bedroom to the child-sized kitchen table, from food preparation to clothing and movement, the authors provide guidance for the establishment of a beautiful and serviceable environment for babies and very young children. They also introduce concepts and tasks, taking into account children&’s ''sensitive periods'' for learning such skills as toilet training. Written in a clear, engaging style, Montessori from the Start is a must-have for every new parent.
Intelligent Sustainable Systems: Selected Papers of WorldS4 2023, Volume 3 (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems #803)
by Atulya K. Nagar Dharm Singh Jat Durgesh Mishra Amit JoshiThis book provides insights of World Conference on Smart Trends in Systems, Security, and Sustainability (WS4 2023) which is divided into different sections such as Smart IT Infrastructure for Sustainable Society; Smart Management Prospective for Sustainable Society; Smart Secure Systems for Next Generation Technologies; Smart Trends for Computational Graphics and Image Modeling; and Smart Trends for Biomedical and Health Informatics. The proceedings is presented in two volumes. The book is helpful for active researchers and practitioners in the field.
Realities of Critical Pedagogy: A Microethnography of a Parisian Autonomous High School (Anthropological Studies of Education)
by Mehdi GaliereThis book examines how the Lycée autogéré de Paris, an experimental high school established in 1982 which claims to implement critical and democratic pedagogical practices, contributes to the development of counter-hegemonic educational and social practices. The author presents and analyses significant discursive data on the school’s pedagogical practice, focusing specifically on triangulation, from general assemblies to official texts, pedagogic projects and everyday interactions inside and outside the institution. He then argues that the discourses of the self-managed high school tend to be critical of the French state’s neoliberal discourse on education while favouring the development of practices of solidarity within the local and broader context of the institution. The book will be of interest to students and scholars in the fields of sociology of education, sociolinguistics and education for social justice.
Optimization of Production and Industrial Systems: Select Proceedings of CPIE 2023 (Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering)
by Arvind Bhardwaj Pulak Mohan Pandey Aviral MisraThis book presents the select proceedings of International Conference on Production and Industrial Engineering (CPIE) 2023. It covers the current and latest research methods for the modeling and optimization of production and industrial systems. The chapters in the book include the advanced methods of optimization of manufacturing processes and application of data analytics in industrial problems. The book is useful for researchers and professionals working in manufacturing and production engineering, and other allied fields.
Klimawandel in Deutschland: Entwicklung, Folgen, Risiken und Perspektiven
by Guy P. Brasseur Daniela Jacob Susanne Schuck-ZöllerDieses Open-Access-Buch beschreibt die Auswirkungen von Klimaveränderungen auf Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft in Deutschland. Es liefert eine fundierte, fachübergreifende Grundlage für Entscheidungen im Zusammenhang mit dem Klimawandel. Wie lassen sich die Folgen des Klimawandels abmildern und wie können wir uns vorbereiten? Die hier vorliegende nationale Untersuchung stellt den aktuellen Forschungsstand zum Klimawandel umfassend für alle Themenbereiche und gesellschaftlichen Sektoren dar. Insgesamt 165 Autoren aus dem gesamten deutschsprachigen Raum äußern sich in 39 Kapiteln zu Themen wie bereits beobachtete sowie zukünftige Veränderungen, Wetterkatastrophen und deren Folgen. Erwartungen für die Zukunft, Chancen und Risiken sowie mögliche Anpassungsstrategien werden greifbar, offene Fragestellungen benannt. Fünf Kapitel zu Minderungs- und Null-Emissions-Strategien zeigen weitere mögliche Auswege aus der Situation auf. Die Texte sind in verständlicher Sprache geschrieben und die wichtigsten Gedanken durch Grafiken und Tabellen veranschaulicht. Alle Beiträge wurden mehrfach wissenschaftlich begutachtet. Mit der 2., überarbeiteten und erweiterten Auflage von Klimawandel in Deutschland wurde die erste Gesamtschau zu dem Themenkomplex aus dem Jahr 2017 aktualisiert und verbessert, sieben Kapitel kamen neu hinzu. Das Werk richtet sich vorrangig an eine Leserschaft mit einem Grundverständnis von klimarelevanten Fragen. Fachleute aller Disziplinen, die im Zusammenhang mit ihren beruflichen Tätigkeiten auf den Klimawandel reagieren müssen, etwa aus der öffentlichen Verwaltung, der Politik und dem Wirtschaftsleben, erhalten grundlegende Informationen und Handlungsanregungen.
Reading George Grant in the 21st Century (Palgrave Studies in Classical Liberalism)
by Tyler ChamberlainGeorge Grant (1918-1988) was one of Canada’s foremost public philosophers. Though his thought arose out of reflection on the history of political philosophy, pressing political concerns were never far from view. He was particularly adept at locating the causes of political developments in philosophical movements that were centuries in the making. This book reassesses his ideas in light of philosophical and political developments of recent decades, including the resurgence of nationalism, criticisms of globalization and technocracy, and the ideological realignments having a particularly noticeable effect on right-wing politics. The contemporary reader of Grant is thus able to reflect on his broader criticisms of modernity from within a slightly different historical articulation of modernity. Though George Grant died in 1988, the philosophical themes in his work remain relevant into the 21st century.
Electric Arc Furnace Steelmaking with Submerged Mixed Injection
by Guangsheng Wei Rong ZhuThis book focuses on the study of electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking with submerged injection. The new EAF process with submerged mixed injection was first proposed and applied by the authors. It analyzes the mechanism of submerged O2-CaO and carbon powder injection, the impact characteristics of submerged gas-solid injection and the fluid flow characteristics of EAF molten bath with submerged gas-solid injection. The industrial application of EAF steelmaking with submerged gas-solid injection was introduced. Finally, the book reviews the recent innovations and advances of injection metallurgy in EAF steelmaking. It also proposes a possible future process for cyclic utilization of CO2 in EAF-LF steelmaking process. This book provides basic data support for the industrial application of EAF steelmaking with submerged mixed injection for researchers, engineering and technical personnel and industrial professionals.
Innovations in Electrical and Electronic Engineering: Proceedings of ICEEE 2023, Volume 2 (Lecture Notes in Electrical Engineering #1115)
by Rabindra Nath Shaw Pierluigi Siano Saad Makhilef Ankush Ghosh S. L. ShimiThis book features selected high-quality papers presented at the 2023 International Conference on Electrical and Electronics Engineering (ICEEE 2023), organized at Chitkara University, Himachal Pradesh in August 2023. The book focuses on current development in the fields of electrical and electronics engineering. The book one covers electrical engineering topics–power and energy including renewable energy, power electronics and applications, control, and automation and instrumentation and book two covers the areas of robotics, artificial intelligence and IoT, electronics devices, circuits and systems, wireless and optical communication, RF and microwaves, VLSI, and signal processing and others. The book brings both single- and multidisciplinary research on these topics to provide the most up-to-date information in one place. The book offers an asset for researchers from both academia and industries involved in advanced studies.
Islamic Financial Institutions from the Early Modern Period to the 20th Century: Comparative Perspectives on the History and Development of Cash Waqfs
by Mehmet Bulut Bora Altay Cem KorkutThe edited collection offers a comprehensive and intricate exploration of Ottoman cash waqfs, extending its scope from the early modern era to the onset of the twentieth century. It delves into the historical evolution of these private Islamic financial institutions, shedding light on their enduring influence and drawing insightful parallels with both contemporary Middle Eastern and European financial systems. Leveraging newly uncovered data spanning various regions of the Ottoman Empire, this work scrutinizes the dynamic functions of waqfs, revealing their significant imprint on today's financial paradigms. It advances existing scholarship by employing quantitative methodologies and systematic analysis of these emergent datasets, facilitating a sophisticated, longitudinal study of cash waqfs within the broader spectrum of historical interest rate trends and global credit markets. The chapters trace the transformation of waqfs from entities primarily holding immovable assets to those managing movable assets (cash waqfs), delineating their role in generating revenue for diverse purposes. These encompass funding state debts, fostering infrastructure development, and extending microcredit to economically marginalized segments of society. Additionally, the book explores the challenges and failures encountered in the transition of financial institutions during the Ottoman era, particularly in the context of the emergence of large public banks. The concluding segment of the book offers a comparative analysis of financial systems across various countries, including the shift from private to public banking in Italy, and contemplates the potential applicability of waqf models in contemporary microcredit initiatives and sustainable development strategies. This volume will appeal to scholars of financial history, economic history, Ottoman studies, and Islamic finance.