Other books that might interest you

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  The Republic (Hero Classics)

  Plato

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  Part of the Hero Classics series 
  “I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing.” 
  The Republic, a pioneering work of political philosophy, is a dialogue that does not feature Plato directly as at the heart is Socrates – his teacher. Even though the conversations between Socrates and Athenians as well as foreigners take place thousands of years ago, the questions Plato addresses in the volume are far from archaic. Should men and women have equal rights? Should rulers be responsible for the well-being of their citizens and the healthcare system in general? Is it ever acceptable to lie, especially if it is a so-called ‘noble lie’? And of course, how far can we stretch social mobility? Although many of Plato’s ideas are utopian and will be regarded as immensely positive aspirations by contemporary society, some conclusions drawn by the thinker might arouse our questioning or even disdain. In particular, Plato argues that censorship can underpin the citizens’ goodness and orderly life of the whole community – an affirmation that is unlikely to be embraced by modern-day democracies. 
  Because the philosopher prefers to construct an imaginary city in order to regard his ideas, his political ruminations can be read with a pragmatic mind but also for its artistic richness and literary thrill as Plato does not shy away from metaphors and allegories. The text is one of the most studied and referenced after the Bible and akin to the Holy text it does not have to be read in a single sitting but rather carefully revised and meditated upon to grasp its nuances and their applicability to our modern lives. It is an insight into the history of human civilization and the functionings of an individual within society – the read that is likely to be worthwhile for an advanced bibliophile and casual reader alike. 
  The Hero Classics series:MeditationsThe ProphetA Room of One’s OwnIncidents in the Life of a Slave GirlThe Art of WarThe Life of Charlotte BronteThe RepublicThe PrinceNarrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American SlaveUtopia

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  Sleep Works - Experiments in...

  Sebastian P. Klinger

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  At the turn of the twentieth century, sleep began to be seen not merely as a passive state but as an active, dynamic process crucial to our understanding of consciousness and identity. In Sleep Works, cultural historian and literary scholar Sebastian P. Klinger explores the intriguing connections between scientific inquiry and literary expression during an era when sleep was both a scientific mystery and a cultural fascination. 
   
   
   
  Scientists, physicians, and pharmaceutical companies were at the forefront of this newfound fascination with sleep: some researchers distinguished sleep from related states such as fatigue and hypnosis, while others investigated sleep disorders and developed treatments for insomnia. Meanwhile, literary giants like Franz Kafka and Marcel Proust grappled with their own sleep disturbances and channeled these experiences into their writing. Through the lens of their discoveries, Klinger reveals the broader implications of sleep for concepts of selfhood and agency. 
   
   
   
  Tracing the emergence of sleep science and the cultural production of sleep through literature, Sleep Works weaves together literary analysis, historical context, and research in the archives of the pharmaceutical industry to provide a comprehensive and compelling account of how sleep has been understood, represented, and experienced in the modern era.

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  Of Consolation - To Marcia To...

  Seneca the Younger

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  These three ‘Consolations’, written by Seneca to his mother and two friends, have been described as ‘the crowning achievement in the canon of ‘consolation letters’. But sentimental they are not, for they emerge from the writer’s deep-seated commitment to Stoicism, where individuals are exhorted to inhabit qualities of virtue, positivity, resilience, and indifference. This recording opens with Seneca’s consolatory letter to Marcia, who, after three years, was still mourning the death of her son. He recognises her exceptional personal qualities and what benefits she has brought to her family, having rescued her father’s legacy as a historian following his death. He cites other noble Roman mothers who lost their sons, and enjoins her to adopt a more Stoic attitude of mind: we are all destined to die, he declares.  
  The second letter is to his mother sent after he had been exiled to Corsica by Emperor Caligula. He counsels Helvia not to mourn his absence – not least because he himself does not feel grief at the prospect of his own exile. He acknowledges the trials of his mother during her life, remarking ‘ill-fortune has given you no respite’. But her grief at the absence of her son may be put to one side in the knowledge that as he has ‘never trusted in Fortune,’ she can be comforted that her son is not discommoded. And history points to far harsher separations.  
  The final letter is to Polybius, Emperor Claudius’s Literary Secretary, who was mourning his brother.  Written while in exile, Seneca’s unwavering commitment to Stoic philosophy is again in evidence. One of Seneca’s principal suggestions is for Polybius to distract himself from grief by an increasing involvement in work.  
  These ‘Consolations’ have been widely admired from Classical times to the present, but are periodically questioned for their emphasis on a somewhat detached approach to grief and bereavement. Not all can manage imperturbability in such circumstances. Nevertheless, there is a steadiness and emotional calm in these missives, which Seneca himself displayed when ordered to commit suicide by Emperor Nero.

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  Queen Elizabeth I of England: A...

  5 Minutes, 5 Minute Biographies,...

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  Queen Elizabeth I of England, Virgin Queen and daughter of Henry VIII: Life and work in a short biography! Everything you need to know, brief and concise. Infotainment, education and entertainment at its best!

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  Rediscovering Republicanism -...

  John Nantz

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  When well-designed institutions function properly, people thrive. Few institutions have been more ingeniously designed than the U.S. federal government via the Constitution in 1787. This auspicious beginning more than two centuries ago helps explain why the U.S. remains a magnet for opportunity seekers, students, entrepreneurs, dissidents, and persecuted believers.Yet for decades now, America’s federal government has been underperforming. Social Security and Medicare face looming insolvency. The federal government’s “war on poverty” has failed to “end poverty” and arguably made it worse. In 2012, the United States Postal Service lost more money than the nation spent on the State Department, and Amtrak has lost money every year since being created in 1971. How can an enduring institution, so thoughtfully crafted, now produce such poor results?The federal government has grown so much because it serves a new and different vision, American Progressivism. American Progressives believed that democratically elected, public-minded federal politicians and employees could use federal programs to solve the nation’s greatest problems in a way no other American institution could. This idea justified the federal government’s massive expansion: today, the federal government runs over 1,500 programs and employs over 5% of the U.S. workforce.Yet federal results do not match Progressive expectations. Three key problems – “windfall politics”, “the government surcharge”, and “complexity failure” – overlooked by American Progressives explain the federal government’s consistent failures. American Progressive’s rosy-eyed view of human nature and political institutions have not been borne out by the evidence.In an era of substantial political fermentation and debate, rediscovering and re-applying American Republicanism represents the best path forward for the United States. The federal government should retain many necessary responsibilities but turn over those where it has failed.

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  Setting Sights: Histories and...

  scott crow

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  Decades ago, Malcolm X eloquently stated that communities have the legitimate right to defend themselves “by any means necessary” with any tool or tactic, including guns. This wide-ranging anthology uncovers the hidden histories and ideas of community armed self-defense, exploring how it has been used by marginalized and oppressed communities as well as anarchists and radicals within significant social movements of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. 
  Far from a call to arms, or a “how-to” manual for warfare, this volume offers histories, reflections, and questions about the role of firearms in small collective defense efforts and its place in larger efforts toward the creation of autonomy and liberation. 
  Featuring diverse perspectives from movements across the globe, Setting Sights includes vivid histories and personal reflections from both researchers and those who participated in community armed self-defense. Contributors include Dennis Banks, Kathleen Cleaver, Mable Williams, Subcomandante Marcos, Kristian Williams, George Ciccariello-Maher, Ashanti Alston, and many more.

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