An analysis of the culture of gambling from an insider's perspective follows the author's travels alongside some of the world's greatest casino cheaters to such locations as Las Vegas, London, and Monte Carlo.
A series of articles chronicalling the author's experiences during the National Novel Writing Month contest and beyond. Bringing a book from idea to final draft."Take a look inside the mind of a writer at work. Richard Marcus offers personal and insightful reflections as he drafts his first novel, a brave undertaking for any of us." Robert Scott: Author The Hickory Staff and Lessek's Key
How do you make a few thousand people disappear out from under the eyes of their enemies? With a little help from friends, some magic and a little bit of luck. Facing an invasion of forces determined to wipe his people from the face of the earth Benjamin must use all his wits, his new friend Letaine's secret knowledge and his father's magic in order to find a way to save his family, friends and people.
Madagascar’s constitution of August 19, 1992 brought hope to a population exhausted by economic failures associated with a failed experiment in scientific socialism and years of mismanagement. The repetition of transparent elections and the promulgation of “good governance” in the years that followed appeared to serve as an indicator of institutional strengthening and, by extension, progress. Unfortunately, a broader institutional analysis points toward a series of shocks to the political system by way of legal, but highly detrimental, juridical and constitutional shifts to the system. These shocks were meant to serve particularized political networks with long clientalistic roots and were made possible by the narrow vision of institutionalism that did not take careful stock of those networks or the leaders at the top of them. Little effort was made to look beyond a legislature brought in by careful elections but producing legislation serving individuals, the ways in which inchoate political parties distort institutional outcomes and the potential for institutionalization, the weakness of civil society to offer opportunities for popular engagement, or the use of donor-funded decentralization programs to build ministries that served as powerful and rapid proxies for leadership centralization. By the time the celebrated president, Marc Ravalomanana, was overthrown in March 2009 it became clear that there were few opportunities to seed political opposition and such limited space between individual leaders and primary institutions of public management that critical state functions immediately began to unravel. In this book the author considers the institutions of the Third Republic, how they formed, and why they looked like models for democratic change before turning to consider how the institutions themselves have been manipulated in plain sight by leaders looking to champion their own networks. He concludes that the rise of the Fourth Republic in 2010 did little to address these underlying concerns and argues that a new agenda is in order to consider not just the way in which institutions form, but the way in which networks of power, and leaders at the top of those networks, grow and change malleable institutions in young democracies with few avenues of accountability.
“A useful and entertaining guide . . . can be enjoyed by any reader with an interest in mythology, whether they have read The Heroes of Olympus or not.” —Blogcritics In the ancient world, the gods and their heroic half-blood children were legendary. Now in the modern world, they regain their glory in the pages of Rick Riordan’s captivating novels. Providing everything you’ll need to become a Hero of Olympus, the book looks back at the stories of Percy Jackson while exploring how Riordan hints at but keeps readers guessing what’s in store for Jason, Piper and Leo. In this handy companion, the Olympic gods are fully detailed, from origin and family relationships to famous tales and an expressive illustration, including: Zeus • Hera • Poseidon • Athena • Apollo • Aphrodite The vast array of other gods and fantastical creatures are also cataloged: Atlas—who literally carries the weight of the world on his shoulders Kronos—a Titan who swallows his newborn children Persephone—a kidnapped goddess who becomes queen of the Underworld Minotaur—a half-bull, half-man imprisoned in a labyrinth Hydra—a poisonous serpent who grows two heads when one is severed Sirens—deadly nymphs whose irresistibly beautiful singing lures sailors to their doom IMPORTANT NOTE TO READERS: This book is an independent and unauthorized fan publication.
By unraveling the clues in the first three books of the Inheritance cycle, What Will Happen in Eragon IV presents daring and insightful predictions about the thrilling conclusion to the Eragon saga. •Are Eragon and Arya destined to be together? •Will Murtagh and Thorn ever be free of Galbatorix’s control? •Who will become the third Dragon Rider? •Will Saphira and Thorn be the last of their kind? •Who are the Grey Folk, and what role will they play in the battle between good and evil? •Who will lead humankind after the war? •Will Eragon and Saphira triumph over evil to free all of Alagaësia?
Marcus Aemilius Lepidus was a significant force in Roman political, religious and military affairs during the late Republic. However, in most accounts he is dismissed quickly, made sport of, or bitterly attacked. Through a careful examination of Lepidus's career, Richard Weigel has shown why many of the sources are hostile and how these have created an inaccurate assessment of Lepidus's role in history. Weigel shows that Lepidus was a competent administrator and that he was consistent in serving the Republic's needs as he understood them.
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