A fascinating and counterintuitive portrait of the sordid, hidden world behind the dazzling artwork of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, and moreRenowned as a period of cultural rebirth and artistic innovation, the Renaissance is cloaked in a unique aura of beauty and brilliance. Its very name conjures up awe-inspiring images of an age of lofty ideals in which life imitated the fantastic artworks for which it has become famous. But behind the vast explos...

**From an acclaimed historian, the definitive story of the Venetian Ghetto and the emergence of modern antisemitism.“More than a history of a city, the book is a chronicle of a condition, an elegy for Jewish life lived in the paradox of family flourishing and civic exclusion .... A richly researched history of Italian Jewry and its will to live on.” ―Kirkus Reviews**In the early sixteenth century, amidst the ruins of war and mounting religious hatred, the world’s f...

India faces a crisis of criminal impunity. Crimes against the poor and marginalized go unprosecuted, while crimes committed by the rich and influential are ignored in return for bribes or favors. Those who have enough money to pay the police, or enough power to influence them, can quite literally get away with murder. In Democracy and Impunity, Alexander Lee examines the politics of law enforcement in India and why the police perform so poorly across multiple dimensions--a level o...

Between 1949 and 1972, Australia became the largest centre of violent Croatian nationalism outside of Europe. This book reveals how radical Croatian groups – responsible for bombings, armed incursions, and political violence across two continents – were allowed to proliferate, thanks to the disinterest and tacit support of Australia’s governing Liberal Party.Of all the Eastern and Southern European migrants who arrived in post-war Australia, only Croatians formed groups that Austra...

Why do some states provide infrastructure and social services to their citizens, and others do not? In Development in Multiple Dimensions, Alexander Lee examines the origins of success and failure in the public services of developing countries. Comparing states within India, this study examines how elites either control, or are shut out of, policy decisions and how the interests of these elites influence public policy. He shows that social inequalities are not single but multiple,...

Zara loves puzzles. For her, fitting the pieces together is more than just a hobby—it's a way to bring order to the world around her. Every piece has a place, and nothing feels out of control. But life isn't always as simple as a puzzle.Kate, Zara's 84-year-old grandmother, used to have steady hands and a sharp memory. Now, her thoughts sometimes drift, her words repeat, and she forgets things she used to know. Moving in with Zara's family has been both a challenge and a gift, as s...

From an acclaimed historian, the definitive story of the Venetian Ghetto and the emergence of modern antisemitism.In the early sixteenth century, amidst the ruins of war and mounting religious hatred, the world’s first Jewish “ghetto” was established in Venice. Constrained in cramped, often unsanitary conditions, the Jews who were forced to live there were extorted, abused, and subjected to countless humiliating restrictions. In the centuries that followed, the Ven...

A fascinating and counterintuitive portrait of the sordid, hidden world behind the dazzling artwork of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, and moreRenowned as a period of cultural rebirth and artistic innovation, the Renaissance is cloaked in a unique aura of beauty and brilliance. Its very name conjures up awe-inspiring images of an age of lofty ideals in which life imitated the fantastic artworks for which it has become famous. But behind the vast explos...

Un libro sui Tarocchi del Veggente della Luce è una guida illuminante che approfondisce il mondo mistico della lettura dei tarocchi, concentrandosi in particolare sul mazzo unico conosciuto come Light Seer's Tarot. Questa guida completa, spesso disponibile in formato PDF per facilitarne l'accesso, fornisce ai lettori interpretazioni e significati approfonditi delle carte dei Tarocchi del Veggente, migliorando la loro comprensione di questo strumento esoterico.Il cuore di questo lib...

'A wonderfully assured and utterly riveting biography that captures not only the much-maligned Machiavelli, but also the spirit of his time and place. A monumental achievement.' – Jessie Childs, author of God's Traitors.‘A notorious fiend’, ‘generally odious’, ‘he seems hideous, and so he is.’Thanks to the invidious reputation of his most famous work, The Prince, Niccolò Machiavelli exerts a unique hold over the popular imagination. But wa...

**A sweeping, riveting history of the Venetian Ghetto, the world’s first Jewish ghetto.'Brilliantly researched and deeply moving' - Roger Crowley, author of City of Fortune**'Alexander Lee combines expertise in Venetian history, with sensibility to the Jewish past, and a gift for story-telling. Highly recommended' - Professor Miri Rubin, author of Cities of StrangersIn the early sixteenth century, amidst the ruins of war, and in an...

A comprehensive exploration of Machiavelli's life and thought – covering everything from his preoccupation with truth, fortune, and power, to his frequently bawdy poetry, love affairs, and friendships.Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand what Machiavelli really believed – and why he matters so much today.Who was Niccolo Machiavelli and why should we consider him relevant to the problems and vexations of the modern world? Ste...