The Kitáb-i-Aqdas ("The Most Holy Book") is the central book of laws revealed by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, written in Arabic around 1873 during His exile in 'Akká (in present-day Israel). It serves as the foundation of Baháʼí law and governance, combining legal ordinances, ethical teachings, and spiritual exhortations. The book addresses both individual responsibilities and broader social principles. Among the key personal laws are obligatory daily prayer, a ni...

A veteran environmentalist shares her roadmap to a healthier world—one that uses the law to empower activists and provide hope for communities everywhere.We have reached a critical tipping point in our fight for the environment: Corporations profit off climate change, natural disasters devastate homes, and the most vulnerable suffer the health effects of pollution. Yet our laws are designed to accommodate this destruction rather than prevent it. Without government ...

The drying up of the Aral Sea - a major environmental catastrophe of the late twentieth century - is deeply rooted in the dreams of the irrigation age of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a time when engineers, scientists, politicians, and entrepreneurs around the world united in the belief that universal scientific knowledge, together with modern technologies, could be used to transform large areas of the planet from 'wasteland' into productive agricultural land. Though o...

This book addresses most of the environmental impacts of sand mining from small rivers The problems and solutions addressed in this book are applicable to all rivers that drain through densely populated tropical coasts undergoing rapid economic growth. Many rivers in the world are drastically being altered to levels often beyond their natural resilience capability. Among the different types of human interventions, mining of sand and gravel is the most disastrous one, as the activity threat...

The poems in 'Verses from an Insane Heart' reflect my personal thoughts drawn from my observations and experiences. As an avid reader of historical and mythological fiction, I am fascinated by the nuances and depth of human emotions and their manifestations. This collection is my attempt to give voice to the feelings I often encounter-some melancholic, others cheerful. Each poem represents my interpretation of these observations, intertwined with my beliefs and reflections. Through these v...

River otters, black bears, and red foxes drink from its clear waters. Prickly pear cacti grow from the red shale cliffs that overlook it, while on the river near Bordentown lies the archeological remnants of a sprawling estate built by the former King of Spain, Napoleon’s brother, who lived there for almost twenty years. You might imagine this magical and majestic waterway is located in some faraway land. But in fact, it’s the backbone and lifeblood of the Garden State: the Delaware River....

A veteran environmentalist shares her roadmap to a healthier world—one that uses the law to empower activists and provide hope for communities everywhere.We have reached a critical tipping point in our fight for the environment: Corporations profit off climate change, natural disasters devastate homes, and the most vulnerable suffer the health effects of pollution. Yet our laws are designed to accommodate this destruction rather than prevent it. Without government ...

North Korea’s Kŭmgangsan is one of Asia’s most celebrated sacred mountain ranges, comparable in fame to Mount Tai in China and Mount Fuji in Japan. Carving Status at Kŭmgangsan marks a paradigm shift in the research about East Asian mountains by introducing an entirely new field: autographic rock graffiti. The book details how late Chosŏn (ca. 1600–1900 CE) Korean elite travelers used Kŭmgangsan to demonstrate their high social status by carving inscriptions, naming sites, and joining the ...

Drawing on ecosystem thinking, complexity and postnormal science, Ecological Health offers a radical new way of thinking about the health issues of the 21st Century. This volume reflects on recent social scientific engagement with Ecosystem Health research and practice and sets out a vision for the future. While significant links between human health and the environment are increasingly evident, how to make sense of the interdependence of human health on natural systems is posing significa...

“The Koran” is the ultimate authority and the foundation of the Islamic faith. Believed by Muslims to be the word of God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the archangel Gabriel, it is the source of all Islamic tenets. “The Koran” is composed in Arabic verse and divided into 114 suras, or chapters. The fundamental religious text of Islam, the Koran is recited by millions everyday and is widely considered the finest piece of Arabic literature. Situated amidst the other defining religi...

Poetry is a fascinating use of language. With almost a million words at its command it is not surprising that these Isles have produced some of the most beautiful, moving and descriptive verse through the centuries. In this series we look at individual poets who have shaped and influenced their craft and cement their place in our heritage. In this volume we venture to the East. To met a poet who speaks a common language of love and mysticism which continues to convey valuable insights into...

A single-volume history of China, offering a look into the past of the global superpower and its significance today.Michael Wood has traveled the length and breadth of China, the world's oldest civilization and longest lasting state, to tell a thrilling story of intense drama, fabulous creativity, and deep humanity that stretches back thousands of years.The Story of China explores the Middle Kingdom in the light of the recent massive changes inside...