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  The History of France Under...

  Editors Charles River

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  Emerging from France's catastrophic 1940 defeat like a bedraggled and rather sinister phoenix, the French State – better known to history as “Vichy France” or the “Vichy Regime” after its spa-town capital – stands in history as a unique and bizarre creation of German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler's European conquests. A patchwork of paradoxes and contradictions, the Vichy Regime maintained a quasi-independent French nation for some time after the Third Reich invasion until the Germans decided to include it in their occupation zone. Headed by a French war hero of World War I, Marshal Philippe Petain, and his later Prime Minister Pierre Laval, Vichy France displayed strong right-wing, conservative, and authoritarian tendencies, though it never lapsed fully into fascism until the Germans arrived to reduce its role to little more than a mask over their own dominion. Petain carried out several major initiatives in an effort to counteract the alleged “decadence” of modern life and to restore the strength and “virtues” of the French “race.” Accordingly, he received willing support from more conservative elements of society, even some factions within the Catholic Church.  
  Of course, not all French people proved willing to surrender to the Nazi invaders, however. While large numbers “collaborated” – working for German or Vichy companies to provide for themselves or their families – and some wholeheartedly backed the new regime out of opportunism, fascist conviction, or other motivations, many courageous French resisted the Nazis and the quisling Vichy state. At the same time, despite the legends, the French Resistance never grew into a single unified organization. Rather, it remained divided in several major and numerous minor factions, each with their own philosophy and agenda. While these factions all shared the same goal – opposition to the Germans their Vichy pawns – they viewed each other with some suspicion and sometimes cooperated only grudgingly.

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  Fans - A Journey into the...

  Michael Bond

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  Read by the author, Michael BondFans takes you on a journey into the world of superfans – in all of its strange, sometimes dark, and complicated forms.'A celebration of human idiosyncrasy and of our talent for building shared meaning and solidarity out of the strangest material' – TLSFascinating and thought-provoking, Fans is a story of communities, of what happens to us when we interact with people who share our passions. The human brain is wired to reach out, and while our groupish tendencies can bring much strife (religious intolerance, racism, war, etc.), they are also the source of some of our greatest satisfactions.Fandoms offer much of the pleasure of tribalism with little of the harm: a feeling of belonging and of shared culture, a sense of meaning and purpose, improved mental well-being, reassurance that our most outlandish convictions will be taken seriously, and the freedom to try to emulate (and dress like) our hero.But acclaimed science writer Michael Bond shows that despite these benefits, the world of fandoms is not without its dark underside, from the “copycat effect” fuelling mass shootings to the delusions that can accompany the parasocial relationships that fans feel they have with their heroes.In Fans, Michael Bond draws on the work of social psychologists and anthropologists to understand how people behave in groups and why such groups have such a profound effect on human culture.

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  Ultimate Survival Guide: Master...

  Lucas Ainsworth

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  Ultimate Survival Guide: Master the Worst-Case Scenario 
  ⭐⭐ Simplified Guide & Explanations Included ⭐⭐ 
  Are you looking to progress in mastering unexpected life situations and solidifying your skills for worst-case scenarios? 
  Seeking a comprehensive guide that provides all necessary elements to be prepared for anything life throws at you? 
  Your search ends here! 
  This guide serves as your definitive companion for deepening your understanding, applying your skills, and engaging in hands-on exercises. With this, you're geared for survival. 
  Updated for the latest techniques and scenarios. 
  Key features of this enriched guide: 
  - Profound insights about being ready for anything life throws at you 
  - Detailed explanation of essential survival techniques 
  - Effective strategies for preparation and tackling emergencies 
  Our guide distinguishes itself through comprehensive coverage, which is essential for your mastery of worst-case scenarios. Concepts aren't merely skimmed; they are delved into with precision. 
  Please note that this guide is not affiliated with any official entity and is purely an independent resource for your benefit. 
  Designed with a clear structure and easy-to-understand language, our survival guide ensures smooth transitions between topics. Say goodbye to dense jargon and welcome clear, precise, and technically accurate content. 
  So, why wait? Click the BUY NOW button, secure your guide, and begin your journey to mastering the worst-case scenarios!

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  Ernest Rutherford: A short...

  5 Minutes, 5 Minute Biographies,...

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  Ernest Rutherford, New Zealand physicist and pioneer of today's atomic model: 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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  Hedonism - The Pursuit and...

  Hector Davidson

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  Hedonism, at its core, is the philosophy that pleasure is the highest good and the ultimate goal of human life. Its allure lies in the simplicity of its premise: that the pursuit of pleasure, whether physical, emotional, or intellectual, is essential to living a fulfilling life. This view is not just a modern indulgence but has deep roots in the history of philosophy, tracing back to the ancient Greeks, who were the first to systematically explore the nature of pleasure and its role in human existence. 
  The term “hedonism” derives from the Greek word hēdonē, meaning pleasure, and throughout history, philosophers have debated whether this pursuit is inherently selfish or whether it can contribute to the greater good. The Greek philosopher Aristippus of Cyrene is often credited with being one of the first to advocate for a form of hedonism, suggesting that the ability to master one’s pleasures was the key to happiness. On the other hand, Epicurus, another Greek philosopher, argued that the pursuit of simple pleasures, rather than indulgence in excess, leads to the greatest happiness. These foundational ideas have sparked ongoing discussions about the nature of pleasure and how it fits into the human quest for meaning. 
  In the centuries that followed, hedonism evolved in different directions. During the Enlightenment, thinkers like Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill reinterpreted hedonism through the lens of utilitarianism, positing that the greatest happiness of the greatest number should be the guiding principle of ethical decision-making. Today, hedonism is often understood not only as a personal pursuit of pleasure but also as a cultural phenomenon that shapes modern consumerism, self-care movements, and even digital experiences.

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  From Empire to Revolution - Sir...

  Greg Brooking

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  From Empire to Revolution is the first biography devoted to an in-depth examination of the life and conflicted career of Sir James Wright (1716–1785). Greg Brooking uses Wright's life as a means to better understand the complex struggle for power in both colonial Georgia and the larger British Empire. 
   
   
   
  James Wright lived a transatlantic life, taking advantage of every imperial opportunity afforded him. He earned numerous important government posts and amassed an incredible fortune. An England-born grandson of Sir Robert Wright, James Wright was raised in Charleston, South Carolina, following his father's appointment as the chief justice of that colony. Young James served South Carolina in a number of capacities, public and ecclesiastical, prior to his admittance to London's famed Gray's Inn to study law. Most notably, he was appointed South Carolina's attorney general and colonial agent to London prior to becoming the governor of Georgia in 1761. 
   
   
   
  Wright's long imperial career delicately balanced dual loyalties to Crown and colony and offers a new perspective on loyalism and the American Revolution. Through this lens, Greg Brooking connects several important contexts in recent early American and British scholarship, including imperial and Atlantic history, Indigenous borderlands, race and slavery, and popular politics.

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