Thomas Blanke's Books

The Genius of the System

Hollywood Filmmaking in the Studio Era

By: Thomas Schatz

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The Genius of the System

Hollywood Filmmaking in the Studio Era

By: Thomas Schatz

At a time when the studio is making a stunning comeback, film historian Thomas Schatz provides an indispensable account of Hollywood's tradional blend of business and art. This book lays to rest the persistent myth that businesspeople and producers stifle artistic talent and reveals instead the genius of a system of collaboration and conflict. Working from industry documents, Schatz traces the development of house styles, the rise and fall of careers, and the making-and unmaking-of movies, from Frankenstein to Spellbound to Grand Hotel. Richly illustrated and highly readable, The Genius of the System gives the definitive view of the workings of the Old Hollywood and the foundations of the New.

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530

Publisher

Henry Holt and Company

Published Date

ISBN 10

1627796452

ISBN 13

9781627796453

Russian Historiography from 1880 to 1905

Pavel N. Miliukov and the Moscow School

By: Thomas M. Bohn

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Russian Historiography from 1880 to 1905

Pavel N. Miliukov and the Moscow School

By: Thomas M. Bohn

In Russian historiography, the Moscow School’s paradigm shift from political and legal history to social and economic history was markedly driven by Pavel Miliukov (1859-1943), the late leader of the Constitutional Democrats and foreign minister of the Provisional Government. Russian Historiography from 1880 to 1905 develops a narrative of historical sociology’s advancement through the Moscow School under Miliukov’s influence and provides a window into his decision making as a political figure who based his leadership not on public opinion but on the effectiveness of historical processes.

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421

Publisher

Berghahn Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

1805395491

ISBN 13

9781805395492

The Theory of Social Democracy

By: Thomas Meyer

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The Theory of Social Democracy

By: Thomas Meyer

The ascendancy of neo-liberalism in different parts of the world has put social democracy on the defensive. Its adherents lack a clear rationale for their policies. Yet a justification for social democracy is implicit in the United Nations Covenants on Human Rights, ratified by most of the worlds countries. The covenants commit all nations to guarantee that their citizens shall enjoy the traditional formal rights; but they likewise pledge governments to make those rights meaningful in the real world by providing social security and cultural recognition to every person. This new book provides a systematic defence of social democracy for our contemporary global age. The authors argue that the claims to legitimation implicit in democratic theory can be honored only by social democracy; libertarian democracies are defective in failing to protect their citizens adequately against social, economic, and environmental risks that only collective action can obviate. Ultimately, social democracy provides both a fairer and more stable social order. But can social democracy survive in a world characterized by pervasive processes of globalization? This book asserts that globalization need not undermine social democracy if it is harnessed by international associations and leavened by principles of cultural respect, toleration, and enlightenment. The structures of social democracy must, in short, be adapted to the exigencies of globalization, as has already occurred in countries with the most successful social-democratic practices.

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Page Count

263

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons

Published Date

ISBN 10

0745654614

ISBN 13

9780745654614

Le Morte Darthur: The Seventh and Eighth Tales

By: Thomas Malory

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Le Morte Darthur: The Seventh and Eighth Tales

By: Thomas Malory

P. J. C. Field, the world's preeminent Malory specialist, has wisely chosen to offer here Malory's seventh and eighth tales, recounting the decline and end of Camelot. The authoritative text is accompanied by indispensable notes and preceded by a remarkably thorough and learned--but never obscure--Introduction sufficient to prepare students and other readers to profit fully from the texts. This book is ideal for those coming to Malory for the first time and a distinct pleasure for those who already know him well. --Norris J. Lacy, E. E. Sparks Professor of French and Medieval Studies, Penn State University

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308

Publisher

Hackett Publishing

Published Date

ISBN 10

1603840486

ISBN 13

9781603840484

The Elephant and the Blind

The Experience of Pure Consciousness: Philosophy, Science, and 500+ Experiential Reports

By: Thomas Metzinger

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The Elephant and the Blind

The Experience of Pure Consciousness: Philosophy, Science, and 500+ Experiential Reports

By: Thomas Metzinger

An engaging and insightful journey into human consciousness. What if our goal had not been to land on Mars, but in pure consciousness? The experience of pure consciousness—what does it look like? What is the essence of human consciousness? In The Elephant and the Blind, influential philosopher Thomas Metzinger, one of the world's leading researchers on consciousness, brings together more than 500 experiential reports to offer the world's first comprehensive account of states of pure consciousness. Drawing on a large psychometric study of meditators in 57 countries, Metzinger focuses on “pure awareness” in meditation—the simplest form of experience there is—to illuminate the most fundamental aspects of how consciousness, the brain, and illusions of self all interact. Starting with an exploration of existential ease and ending on Bewusstseinskultur, a culture of consciousness, Metzinger explores the increasingly non-egoic experiences of silence, wakefulness, and clarity, of bodiless body-experience, ego-dissolution, and nondual awareness. From there, he assembles a big picture—the elephant in the parable, from which the book’s title comes—of what it would take to arrive at a minimal model explanation for conscious experience and create a genuine culture of consciousness. Freeing pure awareness from new-age gurus and old religions, The Elephant and the Blind combines personal reports of pure consciousness with incisive analysis to address the whole consciousness community, from neuroscientists to artists, and its accessibility echoes the author’s career-long commitment to widening access to philosophy itself.

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Page Count

649

Publisher

MIT Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0262547104

ISBN 13

9780262547109

In Defense of the Human Being

Foundational Questions of an Embodied Anthropology

By: Thomas Fuchs

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In Defense of the Human Being

Foundational Questions of an Embodied Anthropology

By: Thomas Fuchs

With the progress of artificial intelligence, the digitalization of the lifeworld, and the reduction of the mind to neuronal processes, the human being increasingly appears to be just a product of data and algorithms. That is, we conceive ourselves in the image of our machines, and conversely, we elevate our machines and our brains to new subjects. At the same time, demands for an enhancement of human nature culminate in transhumanist visions of taking human evolution to a new stage. Against this self-reification of the human being, this book defends a humanism of embodiment: our corporeality, vitality, embodied freedom are the foundations of a self-determined existence, which uses these new technologies only as a means, instead of letting them rule us. In Defence of the Human Being offers an array of interventions directed against a reductionist naturalism or transhumanism in various areas of science and society. As alternative it offers an embodied and enactive account of the human person: we are neither pure minds nor brains, but primarily embodied, living beings in relation with others. Fuchs applied this concept to issues such as artificial intelligence, transhumanism and enhancement, virtual reality, neuroscience, embodied freedom, psychiatry, and finally to the accelerating dynamics of current society which lead to an increasing disembodiment of our everyday conduct of life. Cutting across neuroscience, philosophy, and psychiatry, this important new book applies cutting-edge concepts of embodiment and enactivism to the current scientific, technological and cultural tendencies that will crucially influence our society's development in the 21st century.

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Page Count

273

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0192898191

ISBN 13

9780192898197

Brooklyn

The Once and Future City

By: Thomas J. Campanella

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Brooklyn

The Once and Future City

By: Thomas J. Campanella

A major new history of Brooklyn, told through its landscapes, buildings, and the people who made them, from the early 17th century to today.

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551

Publisher

Princeton University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0691208611

ISBN 13

9780691208619

The Ego Tunnel

The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the Self

By: Thomas Metzinger

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The Ego Tunnel

The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the Self

By: Thomas Metzinger

We're used to thinking about the self as an independent entity, something that we either have or are. In The Ego Tunnel, philosopher Thomas Metzinger claims otherwise: No such thing as a self exists. The conscious self is the content of a model created by our brain - an internal image, but one we cannot experience as an image. Everything we experience is ''a virtual self in a virtual reality.'' But if the self is not ''real,'' why and how did it evolve? How does the brain construct it? Do we still have souls, free will, personal autonomy, or moral accountability? In a time when the science of cognition is becoming as controversial as evolution, The Ego Tunnel provides a stunningly original take on the mystery of the mind.

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Page Count

442

Publisher

ReadHowYouWant.com

Published Date

ISBN 10

1458759164

ISBN 13

9781458759160

After the Fall

German Policy in Occupied France, 1940-1944

By: Thomas J. Laub

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After the Fall

German Policy in Occupied France, 1940-1944

By: Thomas J. Laub

A study of the internal conflicts between the German military government, the SS, and the Foreign Office during the occupation of France, showing how these battles developed and what they implied for the direction of German policy in occupied France from 1940 to 1944.

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349

Publisher

Oxford University Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0199539324

ISBN 13

9780199539321

EU Law and the Harmonization of Takeovers in the Internal Market

By: Thomas Gr. Papadopoulos

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EU Law and the Harmonization of Takeovers in the Internal Market

By: Thomas Gr. Papadopoulos

Analysing the Takeover Bid Directive in light of EU Law, this important monograph examines the extent to which the Directive facilitates the exercise of the fundamental freedom of establishment and the free movement of capital in the internal market. The analysis begins with a discussion of the fundamental freedom of establishment of companies, as well as of the legal bases for the harmonization of company law and capital markets law at the EU level. Additionally, the significance of corporate mobility and of the freedom of establishment case law of the European Court of Justice for the takeover process is analysed. The author shows that, far from achieving market integration in the field of EU company law, the Takeover Bid Directive is a compromise resulting from the very different legal and policy approaches of the Member States in the field of takeover regulation. Although some provisions of the Directive are obligatory for all Member States, two key provisions have been made optional: the non-frustration rule, which requires a board of directors to obtain the prior authorization of a general meeting of shareholders before taking any action that could result in the frustration of the bid; and the breakthrough rule, which restricts significant transfer and voting rights during the time allowed for acceptance of the bid.

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Page Count

415

Publisher

Kluwer Law International B.V.

Published Date

ISBN 10

9041137408

ISBN 13

9789041137401

Surgical Management of Spinal Deformities E-Book

By: Thomas J. Errico,Baron S. Lonner,Andrew W. Moulton

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Surgical Management of Spinal Deformities E-Book

By: Thomas J. Errico,Baron S. Lonner,Andrew W. Moulton

A who’s who in this challenging field brings you state-of-the-art approaches to the full range of surgical management options—including reconstructive procedures—for the pediatric and adult patient with spinal deformity. Experts discuss the course of treatment for patients in different age groups and take into consideration the extent of the curve at the time of diagnosis and during follow-up, the patient’s stage of bone growth, the amount of pain and deformity associated with the condition, and the patient’s willingness and ability to withstand surgery. Plus, a section on general information such as practical surgical anatomy, imaging, applied biomechanics, and instrumentation helps you approach each patient more effectively. Emphasizes technical skills and surgical decision making, including pearls, pitfalls, and illustrative case studies, offering you expert advice on technically challenging surgeries. Provides the very latest information on minimally invasive endoscopic and mini-open approaches to broaden your surgical options and minimize post-operative complications. Discusses peri-operative considerations, including anesthesia, blood loss management, bone graft and fusion enhancement, neural monitoring, and complications, keeping you prepared for any event. Presents full-color line artwork of surgical procedures as well as diagnostic and clinical photographs for superb visual guidance. Offers a consistent format throughout and a full-color design for ease of reference.

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554

Publisher

Elsevier Health Sciences

Published Date

ISBN 10

1437719562

ISBN 13

9781437719567

Communities, Politics, and Reformation in Early Modern Europe

By: Thomas A. Brady

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Communities, Politics, and Reformation in Early Modern Europe

By: Thomas A. Brady

This volume brings together studies of communities, politics, religion, gender, and social conflict in the Holy Roman Empire, with special reference to the city of Strasbourg, during the late Middle Ages and the Reformation era. Also included are interpretations of early modern German history and the historical sociology of early modern Europe.

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Page Count

528

Publisher

BRILL

Published Date

ISBN 10

9004110011

ISBN 13

9789004110014

The Schneider Papers

By: David M Thomas

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The Schneider Papers

By: David M Thomas

1936: Harald Mason, a German-born naturalised British airman, is sent by a concerned Foreign Office to Berlin to unearth Luftwaffe expansion plans and investigate the sustainability of high-octane aviation fuel supply in time of war. Werner Scribner, a technical draftsman at the new Luftwaffe Air Ministry in Berlin, is determined to bring down the Anti-Christ Hitler. A narrative of disparate characters, from the leonine intelligence chief Major Alastair Cartwright MC in London to the clever and elegant Elisabeth Schneider, economist and Soviet spy, this is a story of American business funding Nazi Germany and the rebuilding of Soviet Russia, as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal programme.

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349

Publisher

novum premium Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

3991300788

ISBN 13

9783991300786

Platforms and Cultural Production

By: Thomas Poell,David B. Nieborg,Brooke Erin Duffy

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Platforms and Cultural Production

By: Thomas Poell,David B. Nieborg,Brooke Erin Duffy

The widespread uptake of digital platforms – from YouTube and Instagram to Twitch and TikTok – is reconfiguring cultural production in profound, complex, and highly uneven ways. Longstanding media industries are experiencing tremendous upheaval, while new industrial formations – live-streaming, social media influencing, and podcasting, among others – are evolving at breakneck speed. Poell, Nieborg, and Duffy explore both the processes and the implications of platformization across the cultural industries, identifying key changes in markets, infrastructures, and governance at play in this ongoing transformation, as well as pivotal shifts in the practices of labor, creativity, and democracy. The authors foreground three particular industries – news, gaming, and social media creation – and also draw upon examples from music, advertising, and more. Diverse in its geographic scope, Platforms and Cultural Production builds on the latest research and accounts from across North America, Western Europe, Southeast Asia, and China to reveal crucial differences and surprising parallels in the trajectories of platformization across the globe. Offering a novel conceptual framework grounded in illuminating case studies, this book is essential for students, scholars, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to understand how the institutions and practices of cultural production are transforming – and what the stakes are for understanding platform power.

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Page Count

260

Publisher

John Wiley & Sons

Published Date

ISBN 10

1509540520

ISBN 13

9781509540525

Boom and Bust

American Cinema in the 1940s

By: Thomas Schatz

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Boom and Bust

American Cinema in the 1940s

By: Thomas Schatz

On the history of motion pictures

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Page Count

596

Publisher

Univ of California Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0520221303

ISBN 13

9780520221307

Control Reconfiguration of Dynamical Systems

Linear Approaches and Structural Tests

By: Thomas Steffen

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Control Reconfiguration of Dynamical Systems

Linear Approaches and Structural Tests

By: Thomas Steffen

Reconfiguration, an approach for fault-tolerant control, involves changing the control structure in response to the fault. This monograph extends this idea to actuator faults and studies in detail the so-called virtual actuator approach. "Control Reconfiguration of Dynamical Systems" also introduces structural analysis as a tool for reconfiguration. Because a fault changes the structure of the system, the reconfiguration solution is sought on a structural level. Novel algorithms are presented to test for reconfigurability and to find a reconfiguration solution. A MATLAB toolbox is supplied, which contains the main algorithms and examples. The book addresses advanced engineering students, developers and researchers that have a specific interest in control reconfiguration.

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Page Count

292

Publisher

Springer Science & Business Media

Published Date

ISBN 10

3540257306

ISBN 13

9783540257301

The Persistence of Hollywood

By: Thomas Elsaesser

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The Persistence of Hollywood

By: Thomas Elsaesser

While Hollywood’s success – its persistence – has remained constant for almost one hundred years, the study of its success has undergone significant expansion and transformation. Since the 1960s, Thomas Elsaesser’s research has spearheaded the study of Hollywood, beginning with his classic essays on auteurism and cinephilia, focused around a director’s themes and style, up to his analysis of the "corporate authorship" of contemporary director James Cameron. In between, he has helped to transform film studies by incorporating questions of narrative, genre, desire, ideology and, more recently, Hollywood’s economic-technological infrastructure and its place within global capitalism. The Persistence of Hollywood brings together Elsaesser’s key writings about Hollywood filmmaking. It includes his detailed studies of individual directors (including Minnelli, Fuller, Ray, Hitchcock, Lang, Altman, Kubrick, Coppola, and Cameron), as well as essays charting the shifts from classic to corporate Hollywood by way of the New Hollywood and the resurgence of the blockbuster. The book also presents a history of the different critical-theoretical paradigms central to film studies in its analysis of Hollywood, from auteurism and cinephilia to textual analysis, Marxism, psychoanalysis, and post-industrial analysis.

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