Of interest in their own terms as a significant cultural practice, reading groups also provide a window on the everyday interpretation of literary texts. While reading is often considered a solitary process, reading groups constitute a form of social reading, where interpretations are produced and displayed in discourse. The Discourse of Reading Groups is a study of such joint conceptual activity, and how this is necessarily embedded in interpersonal activity and the production of reader identities. Uniquely in this context it draws on, and seeks to integrate, ideas from both cognitive and social linguistics. The book will be of interest to scholars in literacy studies as well as cultural and literary studies, the history of reading, applied linguistics and sociolinguistics, digital technologies and educational research.
Over the last two decades, reading groups have become increasingly popular in the UK and the USA. More and more people seem to be interested in sharing their reading experiences and hearing other readers discuss their views on books, whether this is online, through the mass media, or in face-to-face contexts. In light of this explosion in popularity of reading groups, this ethnographic study focuses on several reading groups based across a variety of settings: public libraries, public houses and in readers' homes. A range of methods are used to investigate the practices of the individual readers and the groups, including participant observation, interviews, and audio-recordings of meetings. Reading groups are found to be highly ritualized and potentially competitive places in which matters of identity and taste are often at stake. The groups studied are conceptualized as communities of practice, and the literary interpretations and evaluations offered within each group are shown to be a product of shared norms established by this group.
A darkly comic look at love and addiction by the author of Amy's View When struggling poet, reformed alcoholic, and devout Alcoholics Anonymous adherent Paul Peplow interviews the wildly successful, reclusive, and notoriously prickly entrepreneur Victor Quinn, he is in no way prepared for what is to follow. Victor is not only familiar with Paul's obscurely published work but can quote from it liberally; he is also somehow aware of Paul's battle with alcoholism and, without solicitation, Victor challenges Paul with his own confrontational thoughts on addiction, the true meaning of recovery, and what he sees as AA's hidden aga. Victor then concludes their bizarre encounter by offering Paul a job decorating the legend of his fast-growing Internet business. Yet as surreal as all this is, Paul is even less prepared to deal with Victor's seductive wife, Elsa, also a former alcoholic, but one who continues to drink and tempts Paul in ways that rattle him to his very core. Bound to incite discussion and controversy, My Zinc Bed is among David Hare's finest and most insightful plays -- a compelling work which boldly explores the extent to which one person can control the lives of those around him.
This play continues the run of work in which Hare has sought to describe the atmosphere of contemporary Britain. Victor Quinn, employs a young poet to decorate the legend of his fast-growing Internet business. Nothing prepares either man for the outcome.
Centering historically neglected Indigenous voices as its primary source material, author David Martínez shows how Carlos Montezuma's correspondence and interactions with his family and their community influenced his advocacy--and how his important work in Arizona specifically motivated his work on a national level.
A New York Times Editors' Choice "[T]he stuff of great literature." —The New York Times | "Red or Dead is a winner." —The Washington Post The place where the swinging sixties started – Liverpool, England, birthplace of the Beatles – wasn’t so swinging. Amid industrial blight and a bad economy, the port town’s shipping industry was going bust and there was widespread unemployment, with no assistance from a government tightening its belt. Even the Beatles moved to London. Into these hard times walked Bill Shankly, a former Scottish coal miner who took over the city’s perpetually last-place soccer team. He had a straightforward work ethic and a favorite song – a silly pop song done by a local band, “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Soon he would have entire stadiums singing along, tens of thousands of people all dressed in the team color red . . . as Liverpool began to win . . . And soon, too, there was something else those thousands of people would chant as one: Shank-lee, Shank-lee . . . In Red or Dead, the acclaimed writer David Peace tells the stirring story of the real-life working-class hero who lifted the spirits of an entire city in turbulent times. But Red or Dead is more than a fictional biography of a real man, and more than a thrilling novel about sports. It is an epic novel that transcends those categories, until there’s nothing left to call it but – as many of the world’s leading newspapers already have – a masterpiece.
Age of Promises explores the issue of electoral promises in twentieth century Britain - how they were made, how they were understood, and how they evolved across time - through a study of general election manifestos and election addresses. The authors argue that a history of the act of making promises - which is central to the political process, but which has not been sufficiently analysed - illuminates the development of political communication and democratic representation. The twentieth century saw a broad shift away from politics viewed as a discursive process whereby, at elections, it was enough to set out broad principles, with detailed policymaking to follow once in office following reflection and discussion. Over the first part of the century parties increasingly felt required to compile lists of specific policies to offer to voters, which they were then considered to have an obligation to carry out come what may. From 1945 onwards, moreover, there was even more focus on detailed, costed, pledges. We live in an age of growing uncertainty over the authority and status of political promises. In the wake of the 2016 EU referendum controversy erupted over parliamentary sovereignty. Should 'the will of the people' as manifested in the referendum result be supreme, or did MPs owe a primary responsibility to their constituents and/or to the party manifestos on which they had been elected? Age of Promises demonstrates that these debates build on a long history of differing understandings about what status of manifestos and addresses should have in shaping the actions of government.
In the first half of the twentieth century, modernist works appeared not only in obscure little magazines and books published by tiny exclusive presses but also in literary reprint magazines of the 1920s, tawdry pulp magazines of the 1930s, and lurid paperbacks of the 1940s. In his nuanced exploration of the publishing and marketing of modernist works, David M. Earle questions how and why modernist literature came to be viewed as the exclusive purview of a cultural elite given its availability in such popular forums. As he examines sensational and popular manifestations of modernism, as well as their reception by critics and readers, Earle provides a methodology for reconciling formerly separate or contradictory materialist, cultural, visual, and modernist approaches to avant-garde literature. Central to Earle's innovative approach is his consideration of the physical aspects of the books and magazines - covers, dust wrappers, illustrations, cost - which become texts in their own right. Richly illustrated and accessibly written, Earle's study shows that modernism emerged in a publishing ecosystem that was both richer and more complex than has been previously documented.
Since a graphic was first hand-drawn onto a board, the culture of skateboarding has been creative and visual, with by-products such as videos, stickers, magazines, board graphics and clothing. In recent years more skateboarders than ever have turned to art as another outlet for their creativity and an increasing number of exhibitions focus on art produced by skateboarders. Concrete to Canvas brings together, for the first time, a wide variety of the finest work, whether on skate decks, canvas, computers, in sketchbooks or on the streets. Many of the artists selected for inclusion have used the street as their canvas, while also exhibiting in galleries internationally, often fusing spray paints and marker pens with oils and acrylics. Artists are featured alphabetically and the work is accompanied by brief commentaries and quotes its relationship with skateboarding.
This is an ornithological bibliography for the counties of England, Wales, and Scotland and for the Isle of Man. It includes all known books, pamphlets and papers which contain substantial studies of the birds of local areas, from a county down to a back garden or a gravel pit. Each county has an introduction on its boundaries and the history of its ornithology. There has been no comprehensive national publication of this kind since Mullens, Swann and Jourdain's Geographical Bibliography in 1920. The volume also provides a detailed record of the many county and local bird reports and of the ever-increasing number of area surveys produced by statutory and voluntary bodies. The material is arranged by the pre-1974 counties and takes the record up to 1995. There are maps to show the many changes in county boundaries since 1800.The book will be a standard reference work for libraries and collectors, and for anyone interested in the rich and diverse development of local ornithology in its homeland.
The first study to examine in detail the construction and meaning of Palmerston's reputation as the "national" minister and how the careful projection of this popular image to a wide audience allowed him to bring to bear on parliamentary politics a broad range of extra-parliamentary influences.
It opens with a brief history of the service, followed by a chapter that reviews its situation on the outbreak of war. The chapters that follow look at the structure of the RAF, from the Air Ministry and Chief of the Air Staff down to squadron level, to include each of the Commands, including Transport Command (a creation of the war years). The main aircraft types used are listed, as well as a full listing of squadrons and airfields in the British Isles. The training of personnel, and such matters as uniforms, rank insignia, medals and life on a typical airfield, are also covered. The main battles or campaigns in which the service was involved are also described.
From Chicago's magnificent lakefront to the mountain trails of the Shawnee National Forest, no state has more varied terrain for the cyclist than Illinois. Large, full-detail maps guide you confidently on city streets or prairie back roads, and concise, entertaining trail descriptions make your bicycle adventure come alive. Includes 60 rides for cyclists of all ability levels, tips on where to find water, snacks, lodging, repairs, fascinating notes that help you appreciate the nature and history along the trail, and much more.
Politics, Labor, and the War on Big Business details the rise, fall, and impact of the anticorporate reform effort in Arizona during the Progressive reform era, roughly 1890-1920. Drawing on previously unexamined archival files and building on research presented in his previous books, author David R. Berman offers a fresh look at Progressive heritage and the history of industrial relations during Arizona's formative period. In the 1890s, once-heavily courted corporations had become, in the eyes of many, outside "money interests" or "beasts" that exploited the wealth of the sparsely settled area. Arizona's anticorporate reformers condemned the giant corporations for mistreating workers, farmers, ranchers, and small-business people and for corrupting the political system. During a thirty-year struggle, Arizona reformers called for changes to ward off corporate control of the political system, increase corporate taxation and regulation, and protect and promote the interests of working people. Led by George W.P. Hunt and progressive Democrats, Arizona's brand of Progressivism was heavily influenced by organized labor, third parties, and Socialist activists. As highly powerful railroad and mining corporations retaliated, conflict took place on both political levels and industrial backgrounds, sometimes in violent form. Politics, Labor and the War on Big Business places Arizona's experience in the larger historical discussion of reform activity of the period, considering issues involving the role of government in the economy and the possibility of reform, topics highly relevant to current debates.
A guide to the group of 322 islands at the crossroads of the Pacific, known as the Fiji Group. This handbook features information intended to be useful both to resort holidaymakers and island adventure trekkers. It suggests uncrowded destinations and provides details on budget travel.
This is the first detailed account of Barnsley Football Club's most illustrious and successful period. Between 1910 and 1912 'Battling Barnsley' won their way through to the FA Cup Final, then the most prestigious football tournament in the world, on not one but two occasions and capped things off by beating West Bromwich Albion in the 1912 final replay at Bramall Lane, Sheffield, when Arthur Fairclough 'lifted the Cup' for the only time, so far, in the Club's long history. This centenary celebration brings the 1910-12 era back to life through match reports, and a wealth of photographs (some never seen before) and memorabilia. It also pays tribute to the extraordinary support of thousands of Barnsley fans. Against a background of major social and political change, this book also examines the careers of legendary players such as Dickie Downs, Bob Glendenning, Wilf Bartrop, Tommy Boyle, George Utley, George Lillycrop - and of course the goal-scoring hero of 1912: the great Harry Tufnell.
This is a new collection of some of David Hare's finest work, including Skylight (Winner of the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play, 1996), Amy's View, The Judas Kiss and My Zinc Bed.
This play continues the run of work in which Hare has sought to describe the atmosphere of contemporary Britain. Victor Quinn, employs a young poet to decorate the legend of his fast-growing Internet business. Nothing prepares either man for the outcome.
Railway Noise and Vibration: Mechanisms, Modelling, and Means of Control, 2nd Edition provides a complete overview of the state of the art in rail noise and vibration theory and modelling. This book describes each source of noise and vibration, such as rolling noise, curve squeal, bridge noise, aerodynamic noise, ground vibration and ground-borne noise, and vehicle interior noise in a systematic way, covering relevant theoretical modelling approaches and their practical implementation, with extensive examples of noise control technology applied at source. Noise and vibration are key obstacles to further development of railway networks worldwide for high-speed intercity traffic, freight and suburban metros and light-rail systems. With noise problems all too often dealt with inefficiently due to a lack of understanding of the problem, this new edition is an invaluable reference for all those working with noise and vibration from railways, whether in industry, consultancy, or academic research. • Introduces theoretical modelling approaches for each source in a tutorial fashion • Discusses the theoretical basis and practical applications of railway noise control technology, summarising the latest research and key findings from recent decades in one concise resource • Updated with new prediction models and methods, including more detail on ground vibration and aerodynamic noise
Africa has long gripped the American imagination. From the Edenic wilderness of Edgar Rice Burroughs's Tarzan novels to the 'black Zion' of Garvey's Back-to-Africa movement, all manner of Americans - whether white or black, male or female - have come to see Africa as an idealized stage on which they can fashion new, more authentic selves. In this remarkable, panoramic work, David Peterson del Mar explores the ways in which American fantasies of Africa have evolved over time, as well as the role of Africans themselves in subverting American attitudes to their continent. Spanning seven decades, from the post-war period to the present day, and encompassing sources ranging from literature, film and music to accounts by missionaries, aid workers and travel writers, African, American is a fascinating deconstruction of 'Africa' as it exists in the American mindset.
This book examines how the growing knowledge of the huge range of animal-bacterial interactions, whether in shared ecosystems or intimate symbioses, is fundamentally altering our understanding of animal biology. Individuals from simple invertebrates to human are not solitary, homogenous entities but consist of complex communities of many species that likely evolved during a billion years of coexistence. Defining the individual microbe-host conversations in these consortia, is a challenging but necessary step on the path to understanding the function of the associations as a whole. The hologenome theory of evolution considers the holobiont with its hologenome as a unit of selection in evolution. This new view may have profound impact on understanding a strictly microbe/symbiont-dependent life style and its evolutionary consequences. It may also affect the way how we approach complex environmental diseases from corals (coral bleaching) to human (inflammatory bowel disease etc). The book is written for scientists as well as medically interested persons in the field of immunobiology, microbiology, evolutionary biology, evolutionary medicine and corals.
Balance in Healthcare is an easy to understand guide to maintaining a balanced medium of activities for healthy living. The book points out key aspects of balance in living a healthy life, and gives information on toxic lifestyle elements that can cause imbalance. These aspects include lifestyle, diet, family relationships, spirituality, the immune system, the endocannabinoid system, the antioxidant system and the concept of energy balance in the human body. The contents are expressed in a simple way, while delving into the relevant scientific explanations and also place an emphasis on the positive aspects of relationships and spirituality. Balance in Healthcare therefore, serves as a simple detoxification reference to readers from all walks of life, enabling anyone to understand and relearn the traditional concept of balance from a scientific angle so that they can achieve their highest potential when making choices for their mental and physical well-being.
Paolo Ulivi and David Harland provide in Robotic Exploration of the Solar System a detailed history of unmanned missions of exploration of our Solar System. The subject is treated from an engineering and scientific standpoint. Technical descriptions of the spacecraft, of their mission designs and of instrumentations are provided. Scientific results are discussed in considerable depth, together with details of mission management. The project will deliver four volumes totaling over 2,000 pages that will provide comprehensive coverage of the topic with thousands of references to the professional literature that should make it the 'first port of call' for people seeking information on the topic. The books will cover missions from the 1950s until the present day, and some of the latest missions and their results will appear in a popular science book for the first time.
Our future hinges on a set of elements that few of us have even heard of. In this surprising and revealing book, David S. Abraham unveils what rare metals are and why our electronic gadgets, the most powerful armies, and indeed the fate of our planet depend on them. These metals have become the building blocks of modern society; their properties are now essential for nearly all our electronic, military, and “green” technologies. But their growing use is not without environmental, economic, and geopolitical consequences. Abraham traces these elements’ hidden paths from mines to our living rooms, from the remote hills of China to the frozen Gulf of Finland, providing vivid accounts of those who produce, trade, and rely on rare metals. He argues that these materials are increasingly playing a significant role in global affairs, conferring strength to countries and companies that can ensure sustainable supplies. Just as oil, iron, and bronze revolutionized previous eras, so too will these metals. The challenges this book reveals, and the plans it proposes, make it essential reading for our rare metal age.
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