Introduction to Computing

One of the first of Jane Austen's novels to be written, and one of the last to be published, Northanger Abbey is both an amusing story of how a naive girl enters society and wins the affection of a witty young clergyman, and a high-spirited parody of the lurid Gothic novels that were popular during Austen's youth. In the process it features a vivid account of social life in late eighteenth-century Bath, and Austen's famous defence of the novel as a literary form. This edition, based on the text of the novel as published posthumously in 1818, is accompanied by explanatory notes and an appendix summarising the plots and situations of the Gothic fictions that form the basis of much of Austen's comedy. In addition there is an extensive critical introduction covering the context, publication and critical history of the novel, a chronology of Austen's life and an authoritative textual apparatus.

Amongst the troubadour poets, those writers of courtly love poetry that flourished in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries in the south of France, Giraut de Borneil was one of the most important and influential. Dante thought very highly of him. Little serious attention has been paid to his work, however, largely due to the absence of a modern critical edition. Dr Sharman rectified this situation with this scrupulously-researched 1989 edition which covers Giraut's entire output. Translations into English and detailed commentaries on each poem are provided. In her introduction, Dr Sharman discusses what is known of Giraut's life and patrons. She places his work in the context of troubadour poetry while highlighting his particular originality: more than any other troubadour poet before or after, he involves the lady as an equal participant in love. His work integrates the moral and social convention of courtly love into a wider framework of Christian behaviour, and contains an extraordin

One of the most original aspects of life at Little Gidding was the 'Little Academy' founded by Nicholas Ferrar, his nieces and some other members of the community for their common instruction and enjoyment. At regular meetings, members of the Little Academy took it in turns to relate 'stories' based on historical or current events. Ferrar kept transcripts both of the stories and of the subsequent social and personal applications, from which Mr Williams has reproduced two of the 'Conversations' which occupied the family attention for some time. The conversation centred on the resignation of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V elicited lengthy discussions of what the Ferrars felt to be the degeneracy of their own times in public and private life. The family concern with austerity in diet frequently diverged into general criticism of the licence and luxury of the upper classes in the early 1600s. Mr Williams has provided a very full introduction and notes describing the members of the Little

Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen's first published novel (1811), introduced its readers to many of the themes which would dominate Austen's future work. On one level it is a simple story of two sisters finding fulfilment within a society bounded by regulations and restrictions. But on another it is a comprehensive exploration of the moral dilemmas facing young women in the choices they have to make about their lives. Austen writes about everyday events of her own time with a subtlety and sensitivity unprecedented in the English novel. This edition, first published in 2006, takes as its copytext the second edition of 1813, which corrects some errors of the first edition. The volume provides comprehensive explanatory notes, an extensive critical introduction covering the context and publication history of the work, a chronology of Austen's life and an authoritative textual apparatus. This edition is an indispensable resource for all scholars and readers of Austen.

The New Cambridge Shakespeare appeals to students worldwide for its up-to-date scholarship and emphasis on performance. The series features line-by-line commentaries and textual notes on the plays and poems. Introductions are regularly refreshed with accounts of new critical, stage and screen interpretations. For this second edition of Titus Andronicus Sue Hall-Smith has written a new section on recent scholarship and important contemporary performances of the play. The edition retains the text prepared by Alan Hughes, based on the first quarto and supplemented by crucial additions and stage directions from the Folio. In the introduction, Hughes contradicts the historically popular view that Titus Andronicus is a poor play of dubious authorship. Joining the growing ranks of critics who take the play seriously, Hughes applauds its thematic unity and grim humour, and demonstrates that it is the work of a brilliant stage craftsman, confident in his mastery of space, movement and verse.

This book provides an introduction to Riemannian geometry, the geometry of curved spaces, for use in a graduate course. Requiring only an understanding of differentiable manifolds, the author covers the introductory ideas of Riemannian geometry followed by a selection of more specialized topics. Also featured are Notes and Exercises for each chapter, to develop and enrich the reader's appreciation of the subject. This second edition, first published in 2006, has a clearer treatment of many topics than the first edition, with new proofs of some theorems and a new chapter on the Riemannian geometry of surfaces. The main themes here are the effect of the curvature on the usual notions of classical Euclidean geometry, and the new notions and ideas motivated by curvature itself. Completely new themes created by curvature include the classical Rauch comparison theorem and its consequences in geometry and topology, and the interaction of microscopic behavior of the geometry with the macroscop

Black holes and gravitational radiation are two of the most dramatic predictions of general relativity. The quest for rotating black holes - discovered by Roy P. Kerr as exact solutions to the Einstein equations - is one of the most exciting challenges facing physicists and astronomers. Gravitational Radiation, Luminous Black Holes and Gamma-Ray Burst Supernovae takes the reader through the theory of gravitational radiation and rotating black holes, and the phenomenology of GRB-supernovae. Topics covered include Kerr black holes and the frame-dragging of spacetime, luminous black holes, compact tori around black holes, and black-hole spin interactions. It concludes with a discussion of prospects for gravitational-wave detections of a long-duration burst in gravitational-waves as a method of choice for identifying Kerr black holes in the Universe. This book is ideal for a special topics graduate course on gravitational-wave astronomy and as an introduction to those interested in this co

Moses Hess is a major figure in the development of both early communist and Zionist thought. The Holy History of Mankind appeared in 1837, and was the first book-length socialist tract to appear in Germany, representing an unusual synthesis of Judaism and Christianity that showed the considerable influence upon Hess of Spinoza, Herder and Hegel. In due course many of Hess's ideas would find their way into the work of Karl Marx, and into subsequent socialist thought. The distinguished political scientist Shlomo Avineri provides the first full English translation of this text, along with new renditions of Socialism and Communism, A Communist Credo; and The Consequences of a Future Revolution of the Proletariat. All of the usual reader-friendly series features are provided, including a chronology, concise introduction and notes for further reading, in a work of special relevance to students of politics, modern European history, and the history of Zionism.

Moses Hess is a major figure in the development of both early communist and Zionist thought. The Holy History of Mankind appeared in 1837, and was the first book-length socialist tract to appear in Germany, representing an unusual synthesis of Judaism and Christianity that showed the considerable influence upon Hess of Spinoza, Herder and Hegel. In due course many of Hess's ideas would find their way into the work of Karl Marx, and into subsequent socialist thought. The distinguished political scientist Shlomo Avineri provides the first full English translation of this text, along with new renditions of Socialism and Communism, A Communist Credo; and The Consequences of a Future Revolution of the Proletariat. All of the usual reader-friendly series features are provided, including a chronology, concise introduction and notes for further reading, in a work of special relevance to students of politics, modern European history, and the history of Zionism.

This 2004 collection of papers includes some of the most innovative history written about Greece and Rome. The volume offers a convenient and enthralling guide to important issues and topics in Greek and Roman history, maps the changing interests of ancient historians and raises stimulating questions about historical method. The contributors to the volume represent many of the most exciting and influential ancient historians who have been active in the last quarter century. An introduction by the editor, which places the papers in the wider context of changing interests in Greek and Roman history, sets the scene for papers on Greek warfare, the regulation and representation of women and the nature and study of homosexual relationships in Athens, the relationship between Rome and its empire, whether Rome was democratic, the ideology of Augustan Rome, games and gaming at Rome, the lives of slaves, the ancient interpretation of dreams, the nature of religious pilgrimage, early Christian m

First published in 1936, Colyer's Variations and Diseases of the Teeth of Animals drew extensively on the material housed in the Odontological Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, and quickly became an indispensable reference for students and research workers in zoology, archaeology and veterinary science, as well as human dentistry. In this second edition, Colyer's successors at the Odontological Museum have fully revised the text in the light of new knowledge, while preserving the best of Colyer's own material. The text has been rearranged taxonomically and a new introduction reviewing conceptual advances in the field since Colyer's time has been added. The numerous illustrations, classics of their kind, have been reproduced to a high standard from Colyer's originals and many new figures have been incorporated. This revision will introduce Colyer's material to a new audience, for whom it represents a comprehensive and fully-referenced survey of abnormalities and diseas

This first book by the author of Zen and the Brain examines the role of chance in the creative process. James Austin tells a personal story of the ways in which persistence, chance, and creativity interact in biomedical research; the conclusions he reaches shed light on the creative process in any field.Austin shows how, in his own investigations, unpredictable events shaped the outcome of his research and brought about novel results. He then goes beyond this story of serendipity to propose a new classification of the varieties of chance, drawing on his own research and examples from the history of science--including the famous accidents that led Fleming to the discovery of penicillin. Finally, he explores the nature of the creative process, considering not only the environmental and neurophysiological correlates of creativity but also the role of intuition in both scientific discoveries and spiritual quests. This updated MIT Press paperback edition includes a new introduction and rece

A daring work of experimental, Modernist genius, James Joyce's Finnegans Wake is one of the greatest literary achievements of the twentieth century, and the crowning glory of Joyce's life. The Penguin Modern Classics edition of includes an introduction by Seamus Deane 'riverrun, past Eve and Adam's, from swerve of shore to bend of bay, brings us by a commodius vicus of recirculation back to Howth Castle and Environs' Joyce's final work, Finnegan's Wake is his masterpiece of the night as Ulysses is of the day. Supreme linguistic virtuosity conjures up the dark underground worlds of sexuality and dream. Joyce undermines traditional storytelling and all official forms of English and confronts the different kinds of betrayal - cultural, political and sexual - that he saw at the heart of Irish history. Dazzlingly inventive, with passages of great lyrical beauty and humour, Finnegans Wake remains one of the most remarkable works of the twentieth century. James Joyce (1882-1941), the eldest o

When the New Organon appeared in 1620, part of a six-part programme of scientific inquiry entitled 'The Great Renewal of Learning', Francis Bacon was at the high point of his political career, and his ambitious work was groundbreaking in its attempt to give formal philosophical shape to a new and rapidly emerging experimentally-based science. Bacon combines theoretical scientific epistemology with examples from applied science, examining phenomena as various as magnetism, gravity, and the ebb and flow of the tides, and anticipating later experimental work by Robert Boyle and others. His work challenges the entire edifice of the philosophy and learning of his time, and has left its mark on all subsequent philosophical discussions of scientific method. This volume presents a new translation of the text into modern English by Michael Silverthorne, and an introduction by Lisa Jardine that sets the work in the context of Bacon's scientific and philosophical activities.

When the New Organon appeared in 1620, part of a six-part programme of scientific inquiry entitled 'The Great Renewal of Learning', Francis Bacon was at the high point of his political career, and his ambitious work was groundbreaking in its attempt to give formal philosophical shape to a new and rapidly emerging experimentally-based science. Bacon combines theoretical scientific epistemology with examples from applied science, examining phenomena as various as magnetism, gravity, and the ebb and flow of the tides, and anticipating later experimental work by Robert Boyle and others. His work challenges the entire edifice of the philosophy and learning of his time, and has left its mark on all subsequent philosophical discussions of scientific method. This volume presents a new translation of the text into modern English by Michael Silverthorne, and an introduction by Lisa Jardine that sets the work in the context of Bacon's scientific and philosophical activities.

First published in 2000, this book is a modern and accessible edition of a manuscript journal kept by Thomas Juxon, a Puritan Londoner, who produced and traded in sugar. Juxon's journal focuses on public affairs and political and military developments during years of intense political manoeuvring, from the latter stages of the civil war and post-war attempts to reach a settlement with the king, to the crisis of the summer of 1647 and the army's occupation of London. It sheds light on the emergence and course of party and factional politics both within Parliament and in the City of London, and reveals the thoughts and convictions of an informed Londoner who was a committed participant in these events. Keith Lindley and David Scott's substantial introduction provides a full account of Juxon's life, describes the format of the journal, and discusses its historical value, while the text is supported by full scholarly apparatus.

This text is a rigorous introduction to international economics for upper-level undergraduates and above. The first half examines the causes and effects of international trade, how tariffs and other trade policies affect the gains from trade, and the ways in which governments try collectively to regulate those policies. The second half deals with monetary matters - the behavior of exchange rates, how trade and capital flows affect the functioning of monetary and fiscal policies, the causes and management of currency crises, and the new European Monetary Union (EMU). This fourth edition assesses the outcome of the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations, the work of the new World Trade Organization (WTO), and the challenges posed by regional trade blocs. It surveys recent theoretical work on currency crisis, examines recent crises in emerging-market countries and the role of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and appraises innovations in exchange-rate arrangements, including the EMU and

Daybreak marks the arrival of Nietzsche's 'mature' philosophy and is indispensable for an understanding of his critique of morality and 'revaluation of all values'. This volume presents the distinguished translation by R. J. Hollingdale, with a new introduction that argues for a dramatic change in Nietzsche's views from Human, All Too Human to Daybreak, and shows how this change, in turn, presages the main themes of Nietzsche's later and better-known works such as On the Genealogy of Morality. The main themes of Daybreak are located in their intellectual and philosophical contexts: in Nietzsche's training as a classical philologist and his fascination with the Sophists and Thucydides; in the moral philosophies of Kant and Schopenhauer, which are the central foci of Nietzsche's critique of morality; and in the German Materialist movement of the 1850s and after, which shaped Nietzsche's conception of persons. The edition is completed by a chronology, notes and a guide to further reading.

Daybreak marks the arrival of Nietzsche's 'mature' philosophy and is indispensable for an understanding of his critique of morality and 'revaluation of all values'. This volume presents the distinguished translation by R. J. Hollingdale, with a new introduction that argues for a dramatic change in Nietzsche's views from Human, All Too Human to Daybreak, and shows how this change, in turn, presages the main themes of Nietzsche's later and better-known works such as On the Genealogy of Morality. The main themes of Daybreak are located in their intellectual and philosophical contexts: in Nietzsche's training as a classical philologist and his fascination with the Sophists and Thucydides; in the moral philosophies of Kant and Schopenhauer, which are the central foci of Nietzsche's critique of morality; and in the German Materialist movement of the 1850s and after, which shaped Nietzsche's conception of persons. The edition is completed by a chronology, notes and a guide to further reading.

This book provides an introduction to some aspects of the analytic theory of automorphic forms on G=SL2(R) or the upper-half plane X, with respect to a discrete subgroup G of G of finite covolume. The point of view is inspired by the theory of infinite dimensional unitary representations of G; this is introduced in the last sections, making this connection explicit. The topics treated include the construction of fundamental domains, the notion of automorphic form on G\G and its relationship with the classical automorphic forms on X, Poincare series, constant terms, cusp forms, finite dimensionality of the space of automorphic forms of a given type, compactness of certain convolution operators, Eisenstein series, unitary representations of G, and the spectral decomposition of L2 (G\G). The main prerequisites are some results in functional analysis (reviewed, with references) and some familiarity with the elementary theory of Lie groups and Lie algebras. Graduate students and researcher

In the New Essays on Human Understanding, Leibniz argues chapter by chapter with John Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding, challenging his views about knowledge, personal identity, God, morality, mind and matter, nature versus nurture, logic and language, and a host of other topics. The work is a series of sharp, deep discussions by one great philosopher of the work of another. Leibniz's references to his contemporaries and his discussions of the ideas and institutions of the age make this a fascinating and valuable document in the history of ideas. The work was originally written in French, and the version by Peter Remnant and Jonathan Bennett, based on the only reliable French edition (published in 1962), first appeared in 1981 and has become the standard English translation. It has been thoroughly revised for this series and provided with a new and longer introduction, a chronology on Leibniz's life and career and a guide to further reading.

The Stonor letters and papers form one of only three surviving archives of gentry correspondence from late medieval England. The collection - which includes documents ranging from love letters to household accounts - provides us with a wealth of otherwise unobtainable detail about the lives and careers of a gentry family, their servants and their friends. Much of the material comes from the period of the Wars of the Roses, and allows us an insider's view on national events and the people involved in them. Originally edited by the historian C. L. Kingsford at the beginning of the century, the complete collection is reissued here, with a new introduction and annotation by Christine Carpenter. In many ways more representative of gentry life than the Paston letters, the Stonor letters and papers will be invaluable to scholars of late medieval England, and will make fascinating reading for anyone interested in the Wars of the Roses or life in medieval England.

The Stonor letters and papers form one of only three surviving archives of gentry correspondence from late medieval England. The collection - which includes documents ranging from love letters to household accounts - provides us with a wealth of otherwise unobtainable detail about the lives and careers of a gentry family, their servants and their friends. Much of the material comes from the period of the Wars of the Roses, and allows us an insider's view on national events and the people involved in them. Originally edited by the historian C. L. Kingsford at the beginning of the century, the complete collection is reissued here, with a new introduction and annotation by Christine Carpenter. In many ways more representative of gentry life than the Paston letters, the Stonor letters and papers will be invaluable to scholars of late medieval England, and will make fascinating reading for anyone interested in the Wars of the Roses or life in medieval England.

These are the personal memories of an elderly man who, as a child, was closely acquainted with Beethoven. Gerhard von Breuning, the son of one of Beethoven's oldest friends, was a favourite of the ageing composer, who delighted in the boy's frequent visits. This firsthand account provides us with telling details about Beethoven's daily life, his personality, and his relationships with family and friends. It is as a clear-eyed witness of Beethoven's final illness that Breuning is particularly compelling, providing graphic reports on the atmosphere of the sickroom, the course of the medical treatment and Beethoven's death throes after he despaired both of his doctor and of his life and, muttering 'Oh, that ass!', turned his face to the wall. This is an English translation of a fascinating document. The Beethoven scholar, Maynard Solomon, has provided many explanatory notes as well as a full and informative introduction. A permanent contribution to the Beethoven literature, this book prov

The book gives a comprehensive and lucid account of the science of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). There is an emphasis on the application of the ABL to numerical modelling of the climate. The book comprises nine chapters, several appendices (data tables, information sources, physical constants) and an extensive reference list. Chapter 1 serves as an introduction, with chapters 2 and 3 dealing with the development of mean and turbulence equations, and the many scaling laws and theories that are the cornerstone of any serious ABL treatment. Modelling of the ABL is crucially dependent for its realism on the surface boundary conditions, and chapters 4 and 5 deal with aerodynamic and energy considerations, with attention to both dry and wet land surfaces and sea. The structure of the clear-sky, thermally stratified ABL is treated in chapter 6, including the convective and stable cases over homogeneous land, the marine ABL and the internal boundary layer at the coastline. Chapter 7 th

The recent launch of NASA's Gamma-Ray Observatory will increase interest in gamma-ray astronomy. This is a fully up-dated new edition of the authors' earlier volume published in 1986 and covers both the background science and the current state-of-the-art in this field. The emphasis is on the astronomy and astrophysics of known sources of cosmic gamma-rays outside the solar system. The authors discuss the mechanisms for the production and absorption of gamma-rays. The gamma-ray line astronomy of the interstellar medium, galactic centre, and various discrete sources is then considered. Gamma-ray bursts are treated in considerable detail in chapter three, and the final two chapters describe medium energy and ultra-high energy gamma-rays. Relevant data from supernova SN1987A is also included in this edition. The book includes comprehensive references to the primary literature, together with many figures and tables. The concentration on phenomenology makes this book a fine introduction to g

The introduction gives an overview of Hitchcock's long career, with special attention to the varied influences on his work; themes that run through many of his films, from the 'transference of guilt', to the connection between knowledge and danger; the overlooked importance of his presence within his films, including his famous cameo appearances and characters who represent him within the story; his fascination with performance and the ambiguities of illusion and reality; the question of viewing him and his work through the auteur theory; and other issues. Also discussed is the relationship between Hitchcock as a serious, even tormented artist and Hitchcock as a magician with a weakness for cinematic practical jokes. Six chapters then provide in-depth examinations of key films: Blackmail, his first talkie; Shadow of a Doubt, one of his personal favourites; The Wrong Man, which questions the nature of guilt and innocence; Vertigo, arguably his most profound work; Psycho, his most savage

The Odyssey, besides being one of the world's first and best adventure stories, is a poem of great subtlety, rich in irony and sophisticated characterisation. The poet's art is amply illustrated by books XIX and XX, in which Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, spends the night in his own palace and lays plans for his awesome revenge. Particularly memorable is the episode in which Penelope converses with her husband without suspecting his identity. In this edition, Richard Rutherford provides not only detailed comment on the action, characterisation and style of the books in question, but also, in an extensive introduction, a general survey of the Odyssey as a whole, laying special emphasis on the qualities of the second half of the poem. He also attempts to contribute to the literary criticism of the poem on a verbal level, by considering the poet's use of formulae, rhetorical technique and similes. This volume is intended for readers of the Odyssey at all stages. The commentary gives ext

The primary object of this manual is to build an understanding of the principles of computer operations and the use of computers in the laboratory. While the development of applications for computers has been rapid since their introduction, the principles of computer operation and their use in sensing and control have remained stable. Those are the primary subjects of this book, throughout which a gradual understanding of what goes on inside a computer is developed. The laboratory provides a vital experience in linking theory with physical reality, and all of the computer work is done in the context of doing experiments. The IBM-PC design is used as the basis for the book. The internal design of this machine is slightly more complicated than earlier personal computers, but it is still simple enough to be quickly learned. The computer can be directly controlled by proper programming, and offers considerably more power than earlier designs. The IBM design also has expansion slots which m

In seventeenth-century England, patriarchalist thinking shaped English ideas not only about the family but also about society and the state. Many thinkers argued that the state should be seen as a family, and that the king held the powers of a father over his subjects. The classic texts of patriarchal political thinking were written by Sir Robert Filmer (1588–1653), one of the most acute defenders of absolute monarchy. In addition to presenting his own patriarchalist theory, Filmer's works contain incisive attacks on democratic thinking and on the notion that political obligation stems from a contract between ruler and ruled. His political works are here edited from the original manuscript and printed sources, with an introduction which locates Filmer's ideas in their historical and ideological contexts. These texts - to which John Locke replied in his influential Two Treatises of Government - provide highly important documents for the understanding of political and social ideas at a d

This interpretation of the impact of slavery on African life emphasizes the importance of external demand for slaves - from Occidental and Oriental purchasers - in developing an active trade in slaves within Africa. The book summarizes a wide range of recent literature on slavery for all of tropical Africa. It analyzes the demography, economics, social structure, and ideology of slavery in Africa from the beginning of large-scale exports in the seventeenth century to the gradual elimination of slavery in the twentieth century. While the book is primarily a general survey, it presents interesting research and analysis, especially in the author's demographic model, computer simulation of the slave trade, and analysis of slave prices. The demographic, economic, and social analyses are carefully introduced, so that the book may serve not only as a general introduction to African slavery for an undergraduate audience, but as a primer on interdisciplinary application of social science method

This book provides an introduction to the history of medieval Wales, with particular emphasis on political developments. It traces the growth of Welsh princely power, and the invasion and settlement of Welsh territories by Norman adventurers which resulted in the creation of the marcher lordships and the steady erosion of Welsh princely authority in the south. The subsequent development of a powerful Welsh state under the leadership of the princes of Gwynedd was checked by Edward I in 1277, and thereafter the principality was deliberately overrun and destroyed: the Edwardian castles are symbols of conquest. Despite valiant attempts by local leaders in the thirteenth century, and by a national leader Owain Glyn Dwr early in the fifteenth, the English domination of Wales persisted, even beyond the advent of the Tudor dynasty. This is the first comprehensive short textbook on medieval Wales to be written for school and university students. It will also attract anyone with a general intere

Some of the most important questions of the social sciences in the twentieth century have been posed by scholars working at the intersections of social theory and history viewed on a grand scale. The core essays of this book focus on the careers and contributions of nine of these scholars: Marc Bloch, Karl Polanyi, S. N. Eisenstadt, Reinhard Bendix, Perry Anderson, E. P. Thompson, Charles Tilly, Immanuel Wallerstein, and Barrington Moore, Jr. The essays convey a vivid sense of the vision and values each of these major scholars brings (or bought) to his work and analyze and evaluate the research designs and methods each used in his most important works. The introduction and conclusion discuss the long-running tradition of historically grounded research in sociology, while the conclusion also provides a detailed discussion and comparison of three recurrent strategies for bringing historical evidence and theoretical ideas to bear upon one another. informative, thought-provoking, and unusu

This book, by a distinguished Japanese economist now resident in the West, offers a new interpretation of the current success of the Japanese economy. By placing the rise of Japan in the context of its historical development, Michio Morishima shows how a strongly-held national ethos has interacted with religious, social and technological ideas imported from elsewhere to produce highly distinctive cultural traits. While Professor Morishima traces the roots of modern Japan back as far as the introduction of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism from China in the sixth century, he concentrates his observations on the last 120 years during which Japan has had extensive contacts with the West. He describes the swift rise of Japan to the status of a first-rate power following the Meiji Revolution after 1867, in which Japan broke with a long history of isolationism, and which paved the way for the adoption of Western technology and the creation of a modern Western-style nation state; and a simila

It is a classical anthropological paradox that symbols of rebirth and fertility are frequently found in funerary rituals throughout the world. The original essays collected here re-examine this phenomenon through insights from China, India, New Guinea, Latin America, and Africa. The contributors, each a specialist in one of these areas, have worked in close collaboration to produce a genuinely innovative theoretical approach to the study of the symbolism surrounding death, an outline of which is provided in an important introduction by the editors. The major concern of the volume is the way in which funerary rituals dramatically transform the image of life as a dialectic flux involving exchange and transaction, marriage and procreation, into an image of a still, transcendental order in which oppositions such as those between self and other, wife-giver and wife-taker, Brahmin and untouchable, birth and therefore death have been abolished. This transformation often involves a general dev

Africa in the Iron Age is a comprehensive and authoritative introduction to African history between about 500 B.C. and A.D. 1400. The authors are not so much concerned with a particular technological revolution as the enormous changes - political, social and economic - that took place during the period 500 B.C.-A.D. 1400 all over the African continent. The book falls into three parts. Early chapters describe conditions about 500 B.C. when North Africa is already in the Bronze Age, Middle Africa is engaged in Stone Age farming and south of the Sahara most men live by hunting and gathering food. Between 500 B.C. and A.D. 1000 life in settled communities becomes normal throughout the continent. Finally, the Iron Age sees the rise of state systems, the development of long-distance trade and the spread of Islam and Monophysite Christianity. Any study of this period has to combine historical and archaeological methods in the search for evidence and in the subsequent interpretation of data. W

Mr Reardon begins with a substantial introduction characterizing the age as a whole, contrasting it with the previous century and assessing its permanent achievements. The book is divided into two parts. The first deals with twelve writers from continental Europe, with an account of the chosen author's life, work and opinions. The second deals with British and American writers and again each of the twelve chapters is introduced by an essay of about 1500 words. Mr Reardon gives special attention to the philosophical interpretation of religion and of Christianity in particular. Traditional dogma and ecclesiastical politics, whether Roman Catholic or Protestant, have been avoided and emphasis is given to ideas and interests that are characteristic of the period. Not all the thinkers introduced (e.g. Feuerbach, Comte, J. S. Mill) are themselves Christian. The result is a clear picture of the main currents of Western religious thought in the nineteenth century. It is a century which the stu

Condon and Shortley has become the standard comprehensive work on the theory of atomic spectra. The first two chapters contain a brief historical introduction and an exposition of quantum mechanics along the lines formulated by Dirac. Then follow sixteen chapters devoted to a unified, logical deduction of the structure of the spectra of atoms from quantum mechanical principles. The theory is given in full detail and the results are amply documented with comparisons with experimental observations. When first published, a reviewer in Nature said that 'Its power and thoroughness leave the general impression of a work of the first rank, which successfully unifies the existing state of our knowledge, and will prove for many years a starting point for further researches and an inspiration to those who may undertake them'. Subsequent reviewers have amply confirmed these views. Science in 1952 commented that it 'has served half a generation and as a guide in further detailed research', and Rev

Murakami's surreal, mind-bending masterpiece: a sci-fi pastiche and a Utopian fantasy novel ingeniously woven together. A narrative particle accelerator that zooms between Wild Turkey Whiskey and Bob Dylan. Unicorn skulls and voracious librarians.John Coltrane and Lord Jim. Science fiction, detective story, post-modern manifesto. All this rolled into one rip-roaring novel, End of the World and Hard-boiled Wonderland is the tour de force that expanded Haruki Murakami’s international following.Tracking one man's descent into the Kafkaesque underworld of contemporary Tokyo, Murakami unites East and West, tragedy and farce, compassion and detachment, slang and philosophy. ‘A remarkable writer...he captures the common ache of contemporary heart and head’ Jay McInerney‘His fantasies, with their easy reference to western pulp fiction and music, retain a beauty of the mind’ GuardianWITH AN INTRODUCTION BY THE AUTHOR

Lovable Lyle the crocodile has been in print for over 50 years! This stylish collection contains four of your favorite Lyle books: The House on East 88th Street; Lyle, Lyle Crocodile; Lyle and the Birthday Party; and Lyle Walks the Dogs. With bonus downloadable audio, there's no better way to celebrate your favorite storybook character!Every home should have a crocodile!Splish, splash. Fifty years ago the Primms moved into the house on East 88th Street and found a crocodile soaking in the bathtub. Since then, Lyle has won the hearts of all he meets. This anniversary collection features an introduction by Bernard Waber, Lyle’s creator, an MP3 download of Mr. Waber reading Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, and four complete books:The House on East 88th StreetLyle, Lyle, CrocodileLyle and the Birthday PartyLyle Walks the Dogs