“This book is a breakthrough, a lyrical, powerful, science-based narrative that actually shows us how to get better (much better) at the things we care about.”—Seth Godin, author of Linchpin**“Anyone who wants to get better at anything should read [Peak]. Rest assured that the book is not mere theory. Ericsson’s research focuses on the real world, and he explains in detail, with examples, how all of us can apply the principles of great performance...

We have long recognized technology as a driving force behind much historical and cultural change. The invention of the printing press initiated the Reformation. The development of the compass ushered in the Age of Exploration and the discovery of the New World. The cotton gin created the conditions that led to the Civil War. Now, in Beyond Engineering, science writer Robert Pool turns the question around to examine how society shapes technology. Drawing on such disparate fields as...

Environment through Time: Diachronic Studies in Ecolinguistics is a nuanced and engaging study of the changing way we talk about the environment and why it matters.Drawing on large collections of temporally structured, naturally occurring English language use, this book investigates whether patterns of language and the ways we talk about a variety of ecological keywords such as wilderness, climate change, hurricanes, animals and more have shifted in contemporary discourse....

When the leptin gene was discovered in 1994, news articles predicted that there might soon be an easy, pharmaceutical solution to the growing public health crisis of obesity. Yet this scientific breakthrough merely proved once again how difficult the fight against fat really is. Despite the many appetite-suppressants, diet pills, and weight-loss programs available today, approximately 30 percent of Americans are obese. And that number is expanding rapidly. Fat is the engaging stor...

The etiology of the Wimbum people in the Western Grassfields of Cameroon is described through an examination of the way in which the meanings of key concepts, used to interpret and explain illness and other forms of misfortune, are continually being produced and reproduced in the praxis of everyday communication. During the course of numerous dialogues, witchcraft, a highly ambivalent force, gradually emerges as the prime mover. As destructive cannibals or respectable elders the witches ar...

On 16 August, 1819, at St Peter's Field, Manchester, armed cavalry attacked a peaceful rally of some 50,000 pro-democracy reformers. Under the eyes of the national press, 18 people were killed and some 700 injured, many of them by sabres, many of them women, some of them children. The 'Peterloo massacre', the subject of a recent feature film and a major commemoration in 2019, is famous as the central episode in Edward Thompsons Making of the English Working Class. It also marked t...

The Bloomsbury Handbook of Ecolinguistics is a comprehensive guide focusing upon the expanding field of ecolinguistics and its investigations of the role of language in the life-sustaining interactions of humans, other species, and the more-than-human world. The collection explores topics such as climate change discourse, representations of plants and animals, relationships with land, ecotourism, language education in the Anthropocene and much more, in addition to comprehensive ov...

This book is the first major study of England's biggest and best-known witch trial which took place in 1612, when ten witches were arraigned and hung in the village of Pendle in Lancashire. The book has equal appeal across the disciplines of both History and English Literature/Renaissance Studies, with essays by the leading experts in both fields. Includes helpful summaries to explain the key points of each essay. Brings the subject up-to-date with a study of modern Wicca and paganism, inc...

'The Pirates' Chronicles: Greatest Sea Adventure Books & Treasure Hunt Tales' is a compelling anthology that encapsulates the thrilling essence of piracy and maritime adventure across diverse literary periods and styles. Bridging classic works with lesser-known gems, the collection navigates through the turbulent waters of treachery, heroism, and the relentless pursuit of treasure, offering a broad tapestry of narrative voices. From robust historical accounts to rip-roaring fiction, each p...

The 'The Jolly Roger Tales: 60+ Pirate Novels, Treasure-Hunt Tales & Sea Adventures' serves as a treasure chest of maritime narratives, uniting a spectrum of voices that sail across various oceans of literary styles and epochs. This anthology not only recounts high-seas adventures but also plumbs the depths of human ambition, camaraderie, and betrayal. From swashbuckling pirates to stoic adventurers seeking untold treasures, the collection showcases an eclectic range of storytelling, inclu...

Facets of Liberty is a collection of historical articles by well-known liberty activists and theorists from the early days of the libertarian, voluntaryist, classical liberal and individual anarchist movements, which first emerged during the turbulent 1960s. These articles lay a foundation to understand the early works of a diverse group of students and scholars who were attempting to rediscover and redefine the early ideals of the original liberalism kindled by John Locke, revolutionary l...