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Pathogenesis : a history of the world in eight plagues / by Kennedy, Jonathan,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."A sweeping look at how the major transformations in history--from the rise of Homo sapiens to the birth of capitalism--have been shaped not by humans but by germs. According to the accepted narrative of progress, humans have thrived thanks to their brains and brawn, collectively bending the arc of history. But in this revelatory book, professor Jonathan Kennedy argues that the myth of human exceptionalism overstates the role that we play in social and political change. Instead, it is the humble microbe that wins wars and topples empires. Drawing on the latest research in fields ranging from genetics and anthropology to archaeology and economics, Pathogenesis takes us through 60,000 years of history, exploring eight major outbreaks of infectious disease that have made the modern world. Bacteria and viruses were protagonists in the demise of the Neanderthals, the growth of Islam, the transition from feudalism to capitalism, the devastation wrought by European colonialism, and the evolution of the United States from an imperial backwater to a global superpower. Even Christianity rose to prominence in the wake of a series of deadly pandemics that swept through the Roman Empire in the second and third centuries: Caring for the sick turned what was a tiny sect into one of the world's major religions. By placing disease at the center of his wide-ranging history of humankind, Kennedy challenges some of the most fundamental assumptions about our collective past--and urges us to view this moment as another disease-driven inflection point that will change the course of history. Provocative and brimming with insight, Pathogenesis transforms our understanding of the human story"--
Subjects: Diseases and history.; Epidemics; Plague;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The nurse's secret / by Skenandore, Amanda,author.;
Includes bibliographical references.The Alienist meets The Light of Luna Park in a fascinating historical novel based on the little-known story of America's first nursing school, as a young female grifter in 1880s New York evades the police by conning her way into Bellevue Hospital's training school for nurses ... In the slums of 1880s New York, Una Kelly has grown up to be a rough-and-tumble grifter, able to filch a pocketbook in five seconds flat. But when another con-woman pins her for a murder she didn't commit, Una is forced to flee. Running from the police, Una lies her way into an unlikely refuge: the nursing school at Bellevue Hospital. Based on Florence Nightingale's nursing principles, Bellevue is the first school of its kind in the country. Where once nurses were assumed to be ignorant and unskilled, Bellevue prizes discipline, intellect, and moral character, and only young women of good breeding need apply. At first, Una balks at her prim classmates and the doctors' endless commands. Yet life on the streets has prepared her for the horrors of injury and disease found on the wards, and she slowly gains friendship and self-respect. Just as she finds her footing, Una's suspicions about a patient's death put her at risk of exposure, and will force her to choose between her instinct for self-preservation, and exposing her identity in order to save others. Amanda Skenandore brings her medical expertise to a page-turning story that explores the evolution of modern nursing-including the grisly realities of nineteenth-century medicine -- as seen through the eyes of an intriguing and dynamic heroine.
Subjects: Historical fiction.; Novels.; Bellevue Hospital. Training School for Nurses; Nursing; Swindlers and swindling;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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On fire : the burning case for a green new deal / by Klein, Naomi,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."For more than twenty years, Naomi Klein has been the foremost chronicler of the economic war waged on both people and planet--and the champion of a sweeping environmental agenda with stability and justice at its center. In lucid dispatches from the frontlines--from the ghostly Great Barrier Reef, to the annual smoke-choked skies of the Pacific Northwest, to post-hurricane Puerto Rico, to a Vatican attempting an unprecedented "ecological conversion"--she has penned surging, indispensable lectures and essays for a wide public, with prescient, clarifying information about the future that awaits us and our children if we stick our heads in the sand. They show Klein at her most thoughtful, tracing the evolution of the climate crisis as the key issue of our time, not only as an immediate political challenge but as a spiritual and imaginative one too. Delving into topics ranging from the clash between ecological time and our culture of "perpetual now," to the soaring history of humans' ability to change rapidly in the face of grave threat, to rising white supremacy and fortressed borders as a form of "climate barbarism," this is a rousing call to action for a planet on the brink. Above all, she underscores how we can still rise to the existential challenge of the crisis if we are willing to transform our systems that are producing it, making clear how the battle for a greener world is indistinguishable from the fight for our lives. On Fire is a critical book: it captures the burning urgency of this moment, the fiery energy of a rising movement demanding change now, and lays out an inspiring vision for a sustainable future."--
Subjects: Human ecology.; Climatic changes.; Social change.; Sustainable living.; Environmental justice.; Environmental policy.; Political culture.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Cooler than cool : the life and work of Elmore Leonard / by Kushins, C. M.,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."Over the course of his sixty-year career, Elmore Leonard, "the Dickens of Detroit," published forty-five novels that have had enduring appeal to readers around the world. Revered by Martin Amis, Margaret Atwood, Raymond Carver, and Stephen King, his books were innovative in their blending of a Hemingway-inspired noirish minimalism and a masterful use of realistic dialogue over exposition -- a direct evolution spurred by his years as a screenwriter. Leonard's fiction contained many layers, and at the heart of his work were progressive themes, stemming from his years as a student of the Jesuit religious order, his personal beliefs in social justice, and his successful battle over alcoholism. He drew inspiration from greats like Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett, but the true motivation and brilliance behind his crime writing was the ongoing class struggle to achieve the American Dream -- often seen through the eyes of law enforcement officers and the criminals they vowed to apprehend. C. M. Kushins tells Leonard's full life story against recurring themes and evolving storytelling methods of his work, drawing on interviews with primary sources ranging from Leonard's family and friends to those who acted in, produced, and directed his work onscreen. He also includes never-before-published excerpts from Leonard's unfinished final novel and planned memoir. Definitive and revealing, Cooler Than Cool shows Leonard emerging as one of the last writers of the "pulp fiction" era of midcentury America, to ultimately become one of the most successful storytellers of the twentieth century, whose influence continues to have far-reaching effects on both contemporary crime fiction and American filmmaking."--
Subjects: Biographies.; Leonard, Elmore, 1925-2013.; Authors, American; Authors, American; Screenwriters;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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River of fire : my spiritual journey / by Prejean, Helen,author.;
In this revelatory, intimate memoir from the author of Dead Man Walking, the nation's foremost leader in efforts to abolish the death penalty shares the story of her growth as a spiritual leader, speaks out about the challenges of the Catholic Church, and shows that joy and religion are not mutually exclusive. Sister Helen Prejean's work as an activist nun, campaigning to educate Americans about the inhumanity of the death penalty, is known to millions worldwide. Less widely known is the evolution of her spiritual journey from praying for God to solve the world's problems to engaging full-tilt in working to transform societal injustices. Sister Helen grew up in a well-off Baton Rouge family that still employed black servants. She joined the Sisters of St. Joseph at the age of eighteen and was in her forties when she had an awakening that her life's work was to immerse herself in the struggle of poor people forced to live on the margins of society. Sister Helen writes about the relationships with friends, fellow nuns, and mentors who have shaped her over the years. In this honest and fiercely open account, she writes about her close friendship with a priest, intent on marrying her, that challenged her vocation in the "new territory of the heart." The final page of River of Fire ends with the opening page of Dead Man Walking, when she was first invited to correspond with a man on Louisiana's death row. River of Fire is a book for anyone interested in journeys of faith and spirituality, doubt and belief, and "catching on fire" to purpose and passion. It is a book, written in accessible, luminous prose, about how to live a spiritual life that is wide awake to the sufferings and creative opportunities of our world.
Subjects: Autobiographies.; Biographies.; Prejean, Helen.; Sisters of Saint Joseph; Nuns;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Trump on trial : the investigation, impeachment, acquittal and aftermath / by Sullivan, Kevin,1959-author.; Jordan, Mary,1960-author.; Luxenberg, Steve,editor.;
Includes bibliographical references and index.A compelling and masterful account, based on fresh reporting, of the investigation, impeachment, and acquittal of President Donald Trump, a ferocious political drama that challenged American democracy itself. In the spring of 2019, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi did not favor pursuing Trumps impeachment. Her view was: He's just not worth it. But by September, after a whistleblower complaint suggesting that Trump had used his office for his political benefit, Pelosi decided to risk it. The impeachment inquiry led to charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, a gamble that ultimately meant Trump would be the first impeached president on the ballot in US history. Pulitzer Prizewinning Washington Post reporters Kevin Sullivan and Mary Jordan have crafted a powerful, intimate narrative that concentrates on the characters as well as the dramatic events, braiding them together to provide a remarkable understanding of what happened and why. Drawing on the deep reporting of Post journalists as well as new interviews, Sullivan and Jordan deliver a crisp page-turner with exquisite detail and scenes. They put readers in the room for both sides of the now-famous phone call between Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on July 25, 2019, revealing the in-the-moment reactions of those listening to the call in Washington, as well as the tension in Kyiv, as aides passed notes to Zelensky while he was talking to Trump. Sullivan and Jordan deftly illuminate the aims and calculations of key figures. Pelosis evolution from no to yes. Trumps mounting fury as the I-word became inevitable. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell firmly telling Trump on the phone about the Senate trial: You need to trust me.
Subjects: Trump, Donald, 1946-; Trials (Impeachment); Misconduct in office; Political corruption;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Bobby Flay : chapter one : iconic recipes and inspirations from a ground breaking American chef / by Flay, Bobby,author.; Miller, Johnny,photographer.; Timberlake, Emily,author.;
"Over 100 essential recipes from one of the world's most well-loved chefs -- Bobby Flay, whose restaurants indelibly shaped the American food landscape. With three decades' worth of television appearances, restaurant openings, and game-changing recipes to his name, few chefs have touched so many Americans' lives with their cooking as Bobby Flay. In Bobby Flay Chapter One, Flay showcases 100 of his and his fans' favorite dishes, many of which have never been published, and assembles them into one striking, definitive volume. In poignant, heartfelt, and often hilarious stories, Flay looks back on his greatest culinary hits-and even laughs at some of his misses-giving readers an unprecedented look at his culinary inspirations and creative process. From big, bold Southwestern-influenced flavors like Blue Corn Pancakes Filled with Barbecue Duck, Shiitake, and Habanero Chile Sauce to contemporary twists on classic American favorites like Philly-Style Strip Steak with Provolone Cheese Sauce, Sautéed Mushrooms, and Shallots, Flay blended diverse influences into uniquely delicious creations throughout his career. With in-the-trenches stories from his groundbreaking restaurants like Mesa Grill, Bolo, and Gato, and recipes for his iconic dishes, Chapter One celebrates the first thirty years of Bobby Flay's culinary evolution. More than just a cookbook, this is a must-have keepsake for Flay's millions of fans. Engaging personal essays reveal which of Flay's Iron Chef dishes are his personal favorites, who his culinary mentors were, and which of his many restaurant concepts was his favorite (and why he may even break his cardinal rule and consider reopening it). With stunning photography and design, Bobby Flay Chapter One follows a culinary journey that celebrates innovation, flavor, and a chef who changed the way Americans cook and eat"--
Subjects: Cookbooks.; Recipes.; Cooking, American.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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On the origin of time : Stephen Hawking's final theory / by Hertog, Thomas,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."Stephen Hawking's closest collaborator offers the intellectual superstar's final thoughts on the cosmos--a dramatic revision of the theory that made him the heir to Einstein's legacy. Perhaps the biggest question Stephen Hawking tried to answer in his extraordinary life was how the universe could have created conditions so perfectly hospitable to life. Pondering this mystery led Hawking to study the big bang origin of the universe, but his early work ran into a crisis when the math predicted many big bangs producing a multiverse--countless different universes, most far too bizarre to harbor life. Holed up in the theoretical physics department at Cambridge, Stephen Hawking and his friend and collaborator Thomas Hertog worked shoulder to shoulder for twenty years on a new quantum theory of the cosmos. As their journey took them deeper into the big bang, they were startled to find a deeper level of evolution in which the physical laws themselves transform and simplify until particles, forces, and even time itself fades away. Once upon a time, perhaps, there was no time. This led them to a revolutionary idea: the laws of physics are not set in stone but are born and co-evolve as the universe they govern takes shape. On the Origin of Time takes the reader on a quest to understand questions bigger than our universe, peering into the extreme quantum physics of black holes and the big bang and drawing on the latest developments in string theory. As Hawking's final days drew near, the two collaborators developed a final theory proposing their radical new Darwinian perspective on the origins of our universe. Hertog offers a striking new vision that ties together more deeply than ever the nature of the universe's birth with our existence. This new theory profoundly transforms the way we think about our place in the order of the cosmos and may ultimately prove Hawking's biggest legacy"--
Subjects: Hawking, Stephen, 1942-2018.; Cosmology.; Universe.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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And don't f&%k it up : an oral history of RuPaul's drag race (the first ten years) / by Fernandez, Maria Elena,author.;
"The four-time winner of the Emmy for outstanding reality series, RuPaul's Drag Race never set out to win over conventional America or climb the ladder of mainstream pop culture success. Its first season was classic counterculture, developed and filmed while President G.W. Bush was in office but launched at a time when Obama fever was at a national high. Over thirteen years and about 160 drag queen contestants later, everything from its language and style has seeped into the culture, cementing its place in herstory, one tuck at a time. With viewers everywhere from the halls of Congress to Wall Street, from big cities to small towns, Drag Race has become a worldwide phenomenon. Told over its first ten years, encompassing the show's first 14 seasons, And Don't F&%k It Up tells a cultural history through the stories of the people who lived it: the creators of the show, the contestants, the crew, the judges, and even some key (famous) fans. It begins with RuPaul's 34-year friendship and business relationship with World of Wonder Productions, the entertainment company that helped launch him into superstardom, and later talked him into giving a drag reality show a chance. From there, it traces the evolution of the show--and its queens--through a decade of gag-worthy seasons, serving up all kinds of behind-the-scenes realness, from Ongina's decision to reveal her HIV+ status to the story behind Asia O'Hara's butterfly finale fiasco. With a history as shady and funny as it is dramatic and inspiring, RuPaul's Drag Race is a mirror reflecting the cultural and political mores of our time. Its meteoric rise to becoming a once-in-a-generation success story is explored here as never before, in intimate, exuberant, unfettered detail"--
Subjects: RuPaul, 1960-; RuPaul's drag race (Television program : 2009- ); Drag queens; Television personalities; Talent shows (Television programs);
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The beautiful ones / by Prince,author.; Piepenbring, Dan,editor.;
Includes bibliographical references (pages 254-276).Prince was a musical genius, one of the most beloved, accomplished, and acclaimed musicians of our time. He was a startlingly original visionary with an imagination deep enough to whip up whole worlds, from the sexy, gritty funk paradise of "Uptown" to the mythical landscape of Purple Rain to the psychedelia of "Paisley Park." But his most ambitious creative act was turning Prince Rogers Nelson, born in Minnesota, into Prince, one of the greatest pop stars of any era. The Beautiful Ones is the story of how Prince became Prince-- a first-person account of a kid absorbing the world around him and then creating a persona, an artistic vision, and a life, before the hits and fame that would come to define him. The book is told in four parts. The first is the memoir Prince was writing before his tragic death, pages that bring us into his childhood world through his own lyrical prose. The second part takes us through Prince's early years as a musician, before his first album was released, via an evocative scrapbook of writing and photos. The third section shows us Prince's evolution through candid images that go up to the cusp of his greatest achievement, which we see in the book's fourth section: his original handwritten treatment for Purple Rain-- the final stage in Prince's self-creation, where he retells the autobiography of the first three parts as a heroic journey. The book is framed by editor Dan Piepenbring's riveting and moving introduction about his profound collaboration with Prince in his final months-- a time when Prince was thinking deeply about how to reveal more of himself and his ideas to the world, while retaining the mystery and mystique he'd so carefully cultivated-- and annotations that provide context to the book's images. This work is not just a tribute to an icon, but an original and energizing literary work in its own right, full of Prince's ideas and vision, his voice and image-- his undying gift to the world.
Subjects: Biographies.; Prince.; African American musicians; Rock musicians;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Results 221 to 230 of 247 | « previous |