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  American Government 3e -...

  Glen Krutz, Sylvie Waskiewicz

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  This audiobook is narrated by an AI Voice.   
  The OpenStax American Government 3e audio textbook is produced by Audileo, an official OpenStax Technology Partner. The audiobook recording has been created from the December 2024 web version of American Government 3e by OpenStax. 
  American Government 3e aligns with the topics and objectives of many government courses. Faculty involved in the project have endeavored to make government workings, issues, debates, and impacts meaningful and memorable to students while maintaining the conceptual coverage and rigor inherent in the subject. With this objective in mind, the content of this textbook has been developed and arranged to provide a logical progression from the fundamental principles of institutional design at the founding, to avenues of political participation, to thorough coverage of the political structures that constitute American government. The book builds upon what students have already learned and emphasizes connections between topics as well as between theory and applications. The goal of each section is to enable students not just to recognize concepts, but to work with them in ways that will be useful in later courses, future careers, and as engaged citizens. 
  This is an audio adaptation of the American Government 3e by OpenStax, produced by https://audileo.com. You can access the textbook as a PDF for free at openstax.org. Minor editorial changes were made to ensure a better listening experience. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Go to https://audileo.com/openstax-american-government-3e-audiobook/ for the latest updates.

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  Janissaries The: The History and...

  Editors Charles River

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  Among those who were responsible for the projection of Ottoman power, few deserve as much credit as the Janissaries. Established by Murad I, the Janissaries became an elite infantry force that was loyal only to the sultan. Their mission was to protect only him and in battles they were always the closest to him, forming a human shield. Originally, they consisted of non-Muslim slaves, mainly Christian boys from Byzantium. Jewish boys were not taken as soldiers and Muslims could not, by law, be enslaved. Murad had instituted a tax of one fifth on all the slaves taken in war, and the idea of only taking boys fit for fighting was called Devshirme, or blood tax. The slaves went through a very strict training, first learning to speak Turkish and practicing Ottoman traditions by living with a family chosen by the sultan. The boys also were forcibly converted to Islam, forbidden from wearing a beard and lived under monastic circumstances in celibacy. They were overseen by eunuchs and trained in special schools, enhancing their personal abilities. The main difference between these and other slaves was that they were being paid for their services. This served as a motivator and kept the soldiers loyal. 
  The Janissary corps was the first of its kind and a groundbreaking contributor to the success of Ottoman warfare. At the time of Murad’s reign, they were fewer and less respected than what they would become at a later stage, but they were quite significant for Ottoman victories in the Balkans, and as such, they became notorious in Europe. One of the first major battles in which the Janissaries participated occurred when Murad's successor, Bayazid, managed to inflict a decisive defeat on a European army near Nikopol. In general, the Janissaries were positioned at the front lines of the Ottoman army and were armed with various weapons, including bows and arrows, swords, spears, and shields.

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  If You Were My Daughter - A...

  Marianne Richmond

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  At nine years old, Marianne Richmond's life is upended when she collapses with full-body convulsions. "Pinched nerve," says the ER doctor. But when one episode becomes many, it's clear something is wrong. Afraid to be at school, in her body, and in her life, Marianne desperately hopes for help and healing. But her emotionally unavailable mother refuses medication on Marianne's behalf, preferring prayer and homeopathy. 
   
   
   
  At age 18, a full-body seizure in Marianne’s dorm room leads her to a diagnosis, medication, and neurological intervention. Physically, Marianne feels "fixed," but emotional healing proves more elusive. In the years to come, Marianne becomes a parent and writes a new story for her life. She authors children's books that touch millions of lives, each of them celebrating a mother's unconditional love. When her mother becomes ill, Marianne has a choice to make: will she be present for the mother who rarely felt present to her? 
   
   
   
  If You Were My Daughter is a story of learning to hear your own voice, of one daughter's return to wholeness, and a story of accepting that a mother's best can still fall far too short. Richmond illuminates how the stories we're born into shape the ones we tell about ourselves—and reminds us that we have the powerful permission to develop a new relationship with what is difficult in our lives.

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  Uncut Funk - A Contemplative...

  Stuart Hall, Bell Hooks

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  In an awesome meeting of minds, cultural theorists Stuart Hall and bell hooks met for a series of wide-ranging conversations on what Hall sums up as "life, love, death, sex." From the trivial to the profound, across boundaries of age, sexualities and genders, hooks and Hall dissect topics and themes of continual contemporary relevance, including feminism, home and homecoming, class, black masculinity, family, politics, relationships, and teaching. In their fluid and honest dialogue they push and pull each other as well as the listener, and the result is a book that speaks to the power of conversation as a place of critical pedagogy.

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  Frequently Asked White Questions

  Ajay Parasram, Alex Khasnabish

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  Are you a white person with questions about how race affects different situations, but you feel awkward, shy, or afraid to ask the people of colour in your life? Are you a racialized person who is tired of answering the same questions over and over? This book is for you: a basic guide for people learning about racial privilege. In Frequently Asked White Questions, Alex Khasnabish and Ajay Parasram answer ten of the most common questions asked of them by people seeking to understand how race structures our every day. Drawing from their lived experiences as well as live sessions of their monthly YouTube series Safe Space for White Questions, the authors offer concise, accessible answers to questions such as, “Is it possible to be racist against white people?” or “Shouldn’t everyone be treated equally?” With humour and compassion, this book offers relatable advice and a practical entry point into conversations about race.

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  Speaking by the Numbers -...

  Sean Palmer

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  It's not just what you say, but how you say it. Good communicators know this, but it's often easier said than done. Teachers, leaders, and speakers are often left bewildered, wondering why the content that was so carefully planned and delivered seems to fall flat with the audience. The art of communication requires more than the transfer of information; it both connects with and engages the hearer. To communicate well, speakers must understand both their audience and themselves. 
   
   
   
  Speaking by the Numbers offers a strategy that combines communication principles with Enneagram wisdom to help leaders, pastors, and teachers understand how to convey content in ways that both inspire and connect with their audiences. Using the Enneagram wisdom of triads and stances, communicators can learn insight into the ways that various Enneagram numbers receive and process information. Sean Palmer draws from his extensive experience as a public speaker to develop communication strategies that lead to connection, transformation, and mobilization of audiences. Providing real examples of speeches he has given, Palmer shows how he uses the Enneagram to craft a message that connects with his audience. 
   
   
   
  A healthy marriage of Enneagram wisdom and communication skill can help us speak with clarity into the heart of where people live, love, and experience life.

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