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  The Age of Absolutism - Kings...

  Nova Ashford

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  The Age of Absolutism was a period in European history marked by the rise of powerful monarchs who sought to centralize authority and rule without interference. Spanning from the late 16th century to the early 19th century, this era saw kings and queens across Europe consolidate power, diminishing the influence of nobles, clergy, and representative bodies. At the heart of absolutism was the belief in the divine right of kings, the idea that monarchs were chosen by God and therefore answerable only to Him. This belief not only justified their rule but also placed them above challenge, reinforcing their ability to govern with near-unlimited power. 
  The roots of absolutism can be traced back to the political turmoil of the late medieval period. Feudalism had weakened, and as centralized states emerged, rulers sought to strengthen their authority. The Protestant Reformation further contributed to this shift, as religious conflicts created instability. Monarchs capitalized on these crises by presenting themselves as the ultimate unifying force within their realms. By controlling the military, bureaucracy, and economy, they ensured that no other institution could rival their power. 
  One of the most famous examples of an absolute monarch was Louis XIV of France, known as the "Sun King." His reign (1643–1715) epitomized absolutism. Louis XIV built the extravagant Palace of Versailles, a symbol of his dominance, and controlled every aspect of government. His declaration, "L'État, c'est moi" (I am the state), reflected his belief in total sovereignty. Similarly, Peter the Great of Russia modernized and expanded his empire, using absolute power to transform Russia into a formidable European force. Other rulers, like Philip II of Spain, Frederick the Great of Prussia, and Maria Theresa of Austria, also embraced absolutist policies to strengthen their nations.

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  The Things I Came Here With - A...

  Chris MacDonald

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  “Does it hurt?” When you’re a tattoo artist, that’s the most universal question. For Chris MacDonald, the answer is simple: hurts less than a broken heart. Those words are painted above the entrance to his shop, Under My Thumb Tattoos, as a reminder.
  		 
  Chris and his brothers were as wild as the wind, in their house among the fields of Alliston, Ontario, when their parents divorced. Shell-shocked, they were uprooted and brought to Toronto by their dad. Their mother’s mental illness worsened in the aftermath, and she disappeared. As a teenager, Chris left home and found himself immersed in the city’s underbelly, a world where drugs, skateboarding, and punk rock reigned. Between the youth shelters, suicidal thoughts, and haunted apartments, a light shined: and it was art.
  		 
  He eventually found himself following the path of his brother, Rob, and pursuing life as a tattooist. Then, at the height of a destructive summer, everything changed: he met Megan, the girl who would become his rock of ages.
  		 
  This remarkable memoir examines what tattooing means to MacDonald and traces the connection his artistic motives have to both his family and childhood. The Things I Came Here With is about how crucial our past is to understanding our future, but it’s also a love letter to his daughter about the importance of expression, life’s uncertainty, and beauty.

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  It's Not About the Burqa -...

  Mariam Khan

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  Read by the full cast of authorsWhen was the last time you heard a Muslim woman speak for herself without a filter? Shortlisted for Foyles Non-Fiction Book of the Year'Engrossing . . . fascinating . . . courageous' – ObserverIn 2016, Mariam Khan read that David Cameron had linked the radicalization of Muslim men to the ‘traditional submissiveness’ of Muslim women. Mariam felt pretty sure she didn’t know a single Muslim woman who would describe herself that way. Why was she hearing about Muslim women from people who were neither Muslim, nor female?Years later the state of the national discourse has deteriorated even further, and Muslim women’s voices are still pushed to the fringes – the figures leading the discussion are white and male.Taking one of the most politicized and misused words associated with Muslim women and Islamophobia, It’s Not About the Burqa is poised to change all that. Here are voices you won’t see represented in the national news headlines: seventeen Muslim women speaking frankly about the hijab and wavering faith, about love and divorce, about feminism, queer identity, sex, and the twin threats of a disapproving community and a racist country. With a mix of British and international women writers, from activist Mona Eltahawy's definition of a revolution to journalist and broadcaster Saima Mir telling the story of her experience of arranged marriage, from author Sufiya Ahmed on her Islamic feminist icon to playwright Afshan D'souza-Lodhi's moving piece about her relationship with her hijab, these essays are funny, warm, sometimes sad, and often angry, and each of them is a passionate declaration calling time on the oppression, the lazy stereotyping, the misogyny and the Islamophobia.What does it mean, exactly, to be a Muslim woman in the West today? According to the media, it’s all about the burqa.Here’s what it’s really about.

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  Mother Knew Best - Memoirs of a...

  Dorothy Cannell

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  'Cheer up,' said Mother. 'Don't make your unhappy life miserable.'
  Before Jennifer Worth and other East End memoirists, there was Dorothy 'Dolly' Scannell.
  In the East End of Dolly's childhood, people met poverty and hardship with unfailing optimism and humour. Dolly grew up with nine brothers and sisters, her father - a plumber earning ?2 a week and a man who believed that 'all aristocratic men were disease-ridden and possessed bald-headed wives because of the rich food and wine they consumed' - and of course Mother, who cared for her large brood with rare wisdom, laughter, and unbounded love.
  The menagerie also occasionally included members of the animal kingdom, but no mere cats and dogs - instead there were chinchillas, cannibalistic chickens, a ferocious eel kept in a pail of water, and even, eventually, the pride of mother's wardrobe, a kangaroo-fur coat.
  With the sure touch of a natural story-teller, who combines a perfect memory with a true writer's gift, Dolly vividly recreates her childhood world: the streets in which she played - and the playground where she was rescued from a child molester; the local shops and the adulterated goods sold within; the new house that her father was going to pay for with his ever-madder schemes to make a fortune, such as a revolutionary kind of truss.
  'A proper treat, I can tell you, bright as Pearlie buttons, colourful as a street market' Evening Standard

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  The Orbital Perspective -...

  Ron Garan

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  For astronaut Ron Garan, living on the International Space Station was a powerful, transformative experience—one that he believes holds the key to solving our problems here on Earth. On space walks and through windows, Garan was struck by the stunning beauty of the Earth from space but sobered by knowing how much needed to be done to help this troubled planet. And yet on the International Space Station, Garan, a former fighter pilot, was working work side by side with Russians, who only a few years before were “the enemy.” If fifteen nationalities could collaborate on one of the most ambitious, technologically complicated undertakings in history, surely we can apply that kind of cooperation and innovation toward creating a better world. That spirit is what Garan calls the “orbital perspective.”Garan vividly conveys what it was like learning to work with a diverse group of people in an environment only a handful of human beings have ever known. But more importantly, he describes how he and others are working to apply the orbital perspective here at home, embracing new partnerships and processes to promote peace and combat hunger, thirst, poverty, and environmental destruction. This book is a call to action for each of us to care for the most important space station of all: planet Earth. You don't need to be an astronaut to have the orbital perspective. Garan's message of elevated empathy is an inspiration to all who seek a better world.

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  Frances Yates and the Hermetic...

  Marjorie G. Jones

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  This is the first full-length biography of British historian Frances Yates, author of such acclaimed works as Giordano Bruno and The Hermetic Tradition and The Art of Memory, one of the most influential non-fiction books of the twentieth century. Jones’s book explores Yates’ remarkable life and career and her interest in the mysterious figure of Giordano Bruno and the influence of the Hermetic tradition on the culture of the Renaissance. Her revolutionary way of viewing history, literature, art, and the theater as integral parts of the cultural picture of the time period did much to shape modern interdisciplinary approaches to history and literary criticism. Jones focuses not only on the particulars of Yates’ life, but also sheds light on the tradition of female historians of her time and their contributions to Renaissance scholarship. In addition to her insightful commentary on Yates’ academic work, Jones quotes from Frances’ diaries and the writings of those who were close to her, to shed light on Yates’ private life. This biography is significant for those with an interest in literary criticism, women’s history, scientific history, or the intellectual atmosphere of post-war Britain, as well as those interested in the Hermetic tradition.

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