Footprints in the Mind is a collection of short stories in two parts. I was tempted to call the stories Footprints in the Sand, but on reflection I realized that footprints in sand do not last very long whereas the "footprints" I wish to describe are embedded in my mind. I hasten to add, however, that the stories are fictional. I probably have met some people like those in the stories and perhaps at some subconscious level they are real but my stories are a work of fiction. I cannot honestly say where they come from. They seem to pop up out of nowhere.
Under the Alien Sky is a very different kind of novel from the mainstream fictional genre. It is written as an oriental fable, which means it has a subtext in addition to its surface story. It sets out to paint a picture of a remote and secretive state in the middle of Sulu Sea the Sultanate of Michaeli, which is a small island seldom shown on maps and many people in the southeast are unaware of its existence. By good chance, the writer manages to establish that the Sultanate of Michaeli really exists and he gets the rare opportunity to visit it. The story describes his voyage to the island, and the odd people and weird events he encounters during his week there. Unfortunately, this little paradise on earth became a living hell when the Gang of Four sidelined the Sultan and ushered in a reign of stygian gloom. The story is essentially about the Southeast Asian way of life as seen by the western visitor. The intention is to paint a picture of what it is like living under the alien sky as the writer has done for the past 30 years. Under the Alien Sky is a work of fiction based on fact. A feature of the book is the comical and satirical subtext which should lift the spirits of the armchair reader especially in the current economic gloom. Another feature of the book is the copious end-notes which are for those English teachers who have never been beyond Portsmouth, or Irish reader who have never been further south than the city of Cork. People in the Americas and other parts of the globe travel more widely and may have some knowledge of Southeast Asia even though a former US president could not tell Iraq from Iran. Under the Alien Sky is light reading, perfect for the long train journey, or holiday reading. It has all the ingredients of a good read a stimulating story, larger-than-life characters, exotic location, and candid observations on the oriental way of life. Being based on fact, it reads almost like an authentic journal. The settings are authentic but the characters are fictional. As far as the subtext is concerned, the story is an oblique indictment of political intrigue, corruption and religious bigotry. It attacks shame and hypocrisy as well as stony-faced religious zealots. In putting the focus on the Sultanate of Michaeli, the writer is synthesising the current political situation in any one of a dozen Southeast Asian democracies. He exposes the frailty of the ruling class, their crass avarice, corrupt practices, cronyism, and their not-so-subtle methods of silencing all opposition. However, the characters and events described in the novel are purely fictional.
Stories from Irish History is a collection of 13 stories based on selected episodes in Irish history, some of which are unremembered. They are historical fiction, a popular modern genre which has great appeal for many readers. Even though the stories are partly fictional, they are based on extensive historical research. We have to go back in time in order to discover ourselves and our culture. We do not have to live in the past but neither should we deny it. Our history is all around us, in the very air we breathe, not only in our history books but in the hills and valleys, in our lore and literature, in our art and architecture, in our songs and poetry. We know that the past is never past. We need to know who we are and who we used to be. We need to know about our cultural heritage, our pre-history, our lore, our local history and the story behind placenames. Ireland is a nation of story-tellers and historical fiction keeps that tradition alive not only in Ireland but also among the Irish diaspora in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Requiem for the Republic is a collection of socio-political essays on the state of the Irish nation. Unfortunately, the current ‘New Ireland’ is but a pale shadow of the republic that was established a hundred years ago in 1921 following the War of Independence. The thesis of these critical essays is that Ireland is no longer a true republic. It is the author’s contention that it has become a servile secularist state, ruled by a political elite with an inflated sense of self-importance and a lack of empathy for the common people. The essays look at different aspects of the transformation of a Christian nation into a secularist state. The main focus is on the clash of cultures between the toxic ideology of the ‘New Ireland’ and the high ideals set by the founding fathers of the republic. Of course, the views expressed by Bourke are his personal opinions. They are contestable and will be contested. Many ‘liberal’ writers choose to ignore the disintegration of Christian Ireland and its traditional values. However, Bourke will not be silent. He states his case with searing honesty knowing that to remain silent would not serve the public interest.
Tall Tales of Malaysia is a collection of 18 vivid and memorable short stories about life in the Federation of Malaysia. The stories vary greatly in scope and theme. However, taken together, they capture the distinctive flavour of the people and states that make up modern Malaysia, its exotic rainforest, its diverse races, its indigenous people and their belief in ghosts, djinns and bomohs. There is a good deal of flashback to the colonial era and some mention of the legacy issues which still remain. The stories are entirely fictional and belong to the rich oral tradition of storytelling across Southeast Asia. Tall Tales of Malaysia are refreshingly different. They are gripping and a joy to read.
About the book Chasing a Chinese Dragon is a crime story with a difference. The dragon in the title is a young Chinese woman who embarks on a killing spree across Southeast Asia. She is chased by Simon Grant, a MI6 agent, who tells the story. He shares with us something of the secret world of SIS and the role of the secret agent ‘under the alien sky.’ The first killing occurs in London; several more follow across Southeast Asia, culminating in an attempt on the life of the chief of the Malaysian Special Branch in London. The killer pursues her victims with the cunning of a dragon. However, she is not a real dragon. The dragon here is a Chinese metaphor for a person seeking justice, retribution and redress. She is not a serial killer. She is a very complex character, deeply disturbed by legacy issues that remain unresolved in post-colonial Southeast Asia. At several points in the narrative the narrator stops to explain the colonial history of Southeast Asia and the ‘legacy issues’ that still remain unresolved.
Dr. Lester Adelson's original The Pathology of Homicide has been described as a "superb textbook" and "without doubt…the best written book of its type in the English language" by Dr. Charles Hirsch. This new, revised edition preserves Dr. Adelson's eloquent and articulate voice, while bringing the subject matter up to date. Since the first edition was published in 1974, Dr. Adelson’s book was a treasured text among many forensic pathologists. The “aging” of the book, however, made it less appealing to the new generation of forensic pathologists, and Dr. Adelson’s important contribution to forensic pathology was at risk of being lost. Although much has changed in forensic pathology in the ensuing nearly fifty years since it was first written, much also has stayed the same. In this new edition, the author, Dr. James Gill—Chief Medical Examiner of the State of Connecticut and past president of the National Association of Medical Examiners—preserves the voice, vision, and wisdom of Dr. Adelson while updating the forensic pathology material. The author has included nearly 700 all new color images. In addition, the references have been updated with over 4,400 citations. Six new chapters and sections have been added, including death certification, elder abuse, pediatric head injury, drugs of misuse, histopathology, and bereavement. Other updates are included on DNA technology, CT scans, and novel drugs. Although primarily concerned with homicides, there is the need to be able to recognize natural, accidental, and suicidal deaths; therefore, these topics are interspersed in the text to give the appropriate context. This book will help the reader understand the details of injuries and how a person was injured, why they died, and how these injuries, perhaps at first blush seemingly insignificant, can shed new light on a death investigation. It is the author’s hope to get this book to the next generation of forensic pathologists.
Everything you need to know about neuromuscular disease-in one concise, full-color volume Neuromuscular Disorders is comprehensive in scope, yet concise enough to serve as a valuable point-of-care guide for your day-to-day clinical practice. Grounded by numerous reference sources and enhanced by the experience of two seasoned clinicians, this text provides a pragmatic approach to the evaluation and management of neuromuscular disease. Here, in a single source, you'll get an insightful look at both nerve and muscle conditions, ranging from motor neuron diseases to neuropathies, neuromuscular junction disorders, and myopathies. The book opens with the clinical and laboratory approach to patients with neuromuscular disease, covering electrodiagnostic testing, nerve conduction studies, and muscle and nerve histopathology. With an emphasis on effective diagnosis and treatment, the substance of the text examines the full spectrum of specific neuromuscular diseases, giving you the “big picture” of the discipline in a way that no other text can match. FEATURES: Convenient coverage of both nerve, muscle and neuromuscular transmission disorders-both primary and secondary neuromuscular diseases Specific disease sections encompass the range of conditions likely to be encountered in clinical practice, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, radiculopathies and plexopathies, mononeuropathies, various polyneuropathies, toxic myopathies, and dozens more The very latest diagnosis and treatment recommendations and protocols based on the most recent clinical literature and research Well-illustrated with EMGs, histopathology, and clinical photos
The Year Book of Pediatrics brings you abstracts of the articles that reported the year's breakthrough developments in pediatrics, carefully selected from more than 500 journals worldwide. Expert commentaries evaluate the clinical importance of each article and discuss its application to your practice. There's no faster or easier way to stay informed! This annual covers all aspects of pediatric care from infectious diseases and immunology, adolescent medicine, therapeutics and toxicology, child development, dentistry and otolaryngology and so much more! The Year Book of Pediatrics publishes annually in January.
The Theoretical World of Entrepreneurship contains the first and most comprehensive examination of more than 250 theories applicable to the study of entrepreneurship. It includes a theoretical examination of current social and economic controversies that impact entrepreneurs. Following in Weber's tradition, it also compares the doctrines of 16 Christian denominations and nine world religions which offer different conceptual windows for understanding entrepreneurs.
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