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  Elegance of the Hedgehog by...

  Bright Summaries

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  In this clear and detailed reading guide, we've done all the hard work for you!The Elegance of the Hedgehog is a witty and satirical reflection on culture and appearances. Throughout the friendship between a gifted 12-year old and a concierge who is more than what she lets on, Muriel Barbery denounces the pretentions of the French bourgeoisie and their tendency to rely only on appearances.Find out all you need to know about The Elegance of the Hedgehog in just a few minutes!This practical and insightful book includes:   • A complete plot summary   • Character studies   • Key themes and symbols   • Questions for further reflectionWhy choose BrightSummaries.com?Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you in your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.Shed new light on your favorite books with BrightSummaries.com!

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  Sosso Empire - The Warriors Who...

  Rolf Hedger

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  The Sosso Empire emerged during a period of great upheaval in West Africa, following the decline of the once-powerful Ghana Empire. The Sosso people, a group of warriors and rulers, capitalized on the weakening of Ghana to establish their dominance in the region. Their rise was marked by military aggression, strategic leadership, and a desire to control the lucrative trade routes that had long been the backbone of West African wealth. 
  The origins of the Sosso people remain somewhat obscure, but they were likely a subgroup within the greater Soninke-speaking population that had once formed the core of the Ghana Empire. As Ghana’s power waned due to external invasions and internal struggles, smaller states sought to assert their independence. The Sosso, led by a series of ambitious leaders, were among the most successful in carving out a new political and military identity for themselves. 
  One of the most defining moments in the rise of the Sosso Empire was the ascent of Sumanguru Kanté, a warrior-king whose leadership transformed Sosso into a dominant force. Sumanguru’s reputation as a ruthless and determined leader spread quickly. He capitalized on the disintegration of Ghana by taking control of its former capital, Koumbi Saleh, and imposing his rule over the surrounding regions. His conquest of Ghana marked a shift in power, with Sosso assuming the role of the dominant state in the region.

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  Brilliant Isles - Art That Made Us

  James Hawes

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  EXPLORE THE HISTORY OF THE BRITISH ISLES THROUGH 80 EXTRAORDINARY CREATIONS, FROM BEOWULF AND THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY TO BANKSY, STORMZY, AND BEYONDA companion book to the landmark BBC series, Brilliant Isles tells the story of these islands through art, music, buildings and literature – the creations of visionaries, mavericks and rule-breakers who responded to their times and shaped the future. Whether read cover-to-cover or dipped into, this is a vibrant, surprising and witty guide to a unique culture, by one of our sharpest writers'Hawes's view of English history is sharp and vivid and extremely persuasive'PHILIP PULLMAN'At last a chance to get to grips with the entire history of England, and all in a few hours!'MAIL ON SUNDAY'An engaging, informative sprint through the story of our little island'INDEPENDENT'thorough and absorbing... [Hawes] brings the story right up to date, able to step back from the current madness with admirable clarity NEW EUROPEAN'A fantastic read. I would recommend it to anyone.'PAT KENNY, Newstalk Ireland'Such a thought-provoking read...<brThe maps and charts are so useful' DAN JACKSON, author of THE NORTHUMBRIANS

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  Brassroots Democracy - Maroon...

  Benjamin Barson

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  Brassroots Democracy recasts the birth of jazz, unearthing vibrant narratives of New Orleans musicians to reveal how early jazz was inextricably tied to the mass mobilization of freedpeople during Reconstruction and the decades that followed. Benjamin Barson presents a "music history from below," following the musicians as they built communes, performed at Civil Rights rallies, and participated in general strikes. Perhaps most importantly, Barson locates the first emancipatory revolution in the Americas—Haiti—as a nexus for cultural and political change in nineteenth-century Louisiana. In dialogue with the work of recent historians who have inverted traditional histories of Latin American and Caribbean independence by centering the influence of Haitian activists abroad, this work traces the impact of Haitian culture in New Orleans and its legacy in movements for liberation.Brassroots Democracy demonstrates how Black musicians infused participatory music practice with innovative forms of grassroots democracy. Late nineteenth-century Black brass bands and activists rehearsed these participatory models through collective performance that embodied the democratic ethos of Black Reconstruction. Termed "Brassroots Democracy," this fusion of political and musical spheres revolutionized both. Brassroots Democracy illuminates the Black Atlantic struggles that informed music-as-world-making from the Haitian Revolution through Reconstruction to the jazz revolution. The work theorizes the roots of the New Orleans brass band tradition in the social relations grown in maroon ecologies across the Americas. Their fruits contributed to the socio-sonic commons of the music we call jazz today.

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  Sonic Bonds - A Journey Into...

  Siue Moffat

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  Invisible sonic transmissions are all around, bonding you to other human beings! The world of radio is vast and might surprise you! From hardboiled detectives to pirate broadcasters, Sonic Bonds is a personal book/zine journey that rides the waves from the 1940s to present day, showing just how magical this technology is. Popular music, anarchist DJs, emergency broadcasts, African American history, underground culture, speculative fiction dramas… radio reflects all the things that make us interesting and human.19 black and white illustrations and 8 full colour radio art. Read by author and contains 32 examples of full vintage radio dramas.

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  Why Solange Matters

  Stephanie Phillips

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  Growing up in the shadow of her superstar sister, Solange Knowles became a pivotal musician in her own right. Defying an industry that attempted to bend her to its rigid image of a Black woman, Solange continually experimented with her sound and embarked on a metamorphosis in her art that continues to this day.In Why Solange Matters, Stephanie Phillips chronicles the creative journey of an artist who became a beloved voice for the Black Lives Matter generation. A Black feminist punk musician herself, Phillips addresses not only the unpredictable trajectory of Solange Knowles's career but also how she and other Black women see themselves through the musician's repertoire. First, she traces Solange’s progress through an inflexible industry, charting the artist’s development up to 2016, when the release of her third album, A Seat at the Table, redefined her career. Then, with A Seat at the Table and 2019’s When I Get Home, Phillips describes how Solange embraced activism, anger, Black womanhood, and intergenerational trauma to inform her remarkable art. Why Solange Matters not only cements the place of its subject in the pantheon of world-changing twenty-first century musicians, it introduces its writer as an important new voice.

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