Translator James Legge
Publisher: e-artnow
The Spring and Autumn Annals or Chunqiu is an ancient Chinese chronicle that has been one of the core Chinese classics since ancient times. The Annals is the official chronicle of the State of Lu, and covers a 241-year period from 722 to 481 BC. It is the earliest surviving Chinese historical text to be arranged in annals form.
Moderate Conservatism: Reclaiming the Center by John Kekes is a response to attacks on the United States' 300-year-old constitutional democracy by extremists on the left and the right. It makes a reasoned case for moderation and the defense of a political system that has endured because it has balanced the often-conflicting claims of justice, liberty, equality, prosperity, and security. That balance is now threatened by extremists who ignore all else but their grievances. They are blind to the destructive consequences of their attacks on the conditions on which the well-being of all Americans, including their own, depends. The aim of Moderate Conservatism is to protect the United States' political system. It is a defense of what Americans have and are in danger of losing. Central to it is the rarely conscious patriotism of many millions of citizens who live private lives, earn a living, raise a family, and rely on the political system to protect the conditions in which they can continue to do so. They sustain life as Americans know it. And that life is now threatened by the destructive attacks of extremists. The United States is in urgent need of the balance and moderation this book describes and defends.Show book
Joe Wilson and His Mates by Henry Lawson libreka classics – These are classics of literary history, reissued and made available to a wide audience. Immerse yourself in well-known and popular titles!Show book
For close to a decade, technology analyst Dan Wang―"a gifted observer of contemporary China" (Ross Douthat)―has been living through the country's astonishing, messy progress. China's towering bridges, gleaming railways, and sprawling factories have improved economic outcomes in record time. But rapid change has also sent ripples of pain throughout the society. This reality―political repression and astonishing growth―is not a paradox, but rather a feature of China's engineering mindset. In Breakneck, Wang blends political, economic, and philosophical analysis with reportage to reveal a new framework for understanding China―one that helps us see America more clearly, too. While China is an engineering state, relentlessly pursuing megaprojects, the United States has stalled. America has transformed into a lawyerly society, reflexively blocking everything, good and bad. Blending razor-sharp analysis with immersive storytelling, Wang offers a gripping portrait of a nation in flux. Breakneck traverses metropolises like Shanghai, Chongqing, and Shenzhen, where the engineering state has created not only dazzling infrastructure but also a sense of optimism. The book also exposes the downsides of social engineering, including the surveillance of ethnic minorities, political suppression, and the traumas of the one-child policy and zero-Covid.Show book
Off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, there’s not much cod left, but there’s plenty of dogfish. It’s a creature most Americans have never heard of, much less consumed. Instead, Americans are eating imported tuna, salmon and shrimp, in a pattern that could wipe out the U.S. fishing industry. NPR News’ Allison Aubrey reports on a company that's promoting seafood caught at home.Show book
The Reconquista, meaning "reconquest" in Spanish, refers to the centuries-long struggle by Christian kingdoms to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule. Its origins trace back to the early 8th century, when the Islamic Umayyad forces crossed the Strait of Gibraltar in 711 and swiftly conquered much of what is now Spain and Portugal. The defeat of the Visigothic King Roderic at the Battle of Guadalete marked the beginning of Muslim dominance in Iberia. Within a few years, nearly the entire peninsula had fallen under Muslim control, becoming part of the vast Umayyad Caliphate. This rapid conquest, however, did not erase the memory of Christian rule, especially in the remote and mountainous regions of the north. In these isolated territories, remnants of the Visigothic nobility and clergy began to organize resistance. The Kingdom of Asturias, founded by Pelayo, a nobleman of likely Visigothic heritage, emerged as the first bastion of Christian defiance. According to tradition, Pelayo’s victory at the Battle of Covadonga in 722 symbolized divine favor and the beginning of a sacred mission to restore Christian rule. Though modest in scope, this victory held immense symbolic weight and inspired future generations to continue the struggle. Over time, Asturias would expand and give rise to other Christian polities such as León and Castile, each taking up the cause of the Reconquista in their own right. The idea of reconquest was not purely political; it was deeply tied to religious identity. The fall of the Visigothic kingdom was viewed by many Christians as a divine punishment for past sins, but it also fostered a sense of purpose and redemption. Reclaiming lost territories became not just a matter of sovereignty but a spiritual imperative. The Christian leaders and their subjects saw themselves as the defenders of the true faith, fighting to restore a sacred order.Show book
Renowned scholar Patrick Collinson is Regius Professor of Modern History, Emeritus, Cambridge. He states, "The Reformation (and Counter Reformation) was the blast furnace in which the modern state was forged." This engaging work offers a concise overview of the ecumenical revolution of the late medieval and Renaissance periods. Narrator John McDonough's presentation of the spiritual and the secular elements that led to religious reform will captivate listeners.Show book
