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  The Bhagavad Gita - A New...

  Stephen Mitchell

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  The Bhagavad Gita is universally acknowledged as one of the world's literary and spiritual masterpieces. It is the core text of the Hindu tradition, one that has been translated into more than two hundred English editions. Stephen Mitchell—the acclaimed translator of Pablo Neruda, Rainer Maria Rilke, and the Tao Te Ching—has produced a definitive version of The Bhagavad Gita for our time. Mitchell's translation sings with the clarity, the vigor, and the intensity of the original Sanskrit, bringing to life a timeless story of knowledge, devotion, action, and meditation.

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  Michel Foucault - The...

  Hector Davidson

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  Michel Foucault, a French philosopher, historian, and social theorist, is renowned for his critical exploration of power, knowledge, and social institutions. Born in 1926, Foucault’s work spans a range of disciplines, from philosophy to sociology, psychology, and political science. His intellectual journey reflects a unique approach to understanding human societies, focusing not on abstract metaphysical systems but on the structures that shape human behavior, knowledge, and institutions. 
  Foucault’s work is marked by a critique of the traditional ways of understanding the relationship between individuals and society. He challenged the dominant historical narratives and sought to uncover the deeper structures of power that influenced the development of knowledge. One of his central ideas was that knowledge and power are intimately connected—knowledge is not neutral but shaped by power relations that determine what is considered true or false. In this sense, his work was not just theoretical but deeply political, as it explored how systems of power create the conditions for knowledge and vice versa. 
  Foucault’s philosophy is often associated with his concept of "genealogy," a method he developed to investigate historical processes and the ways in which ideas, norms, and practices evolve over time. However, it is in his "archaeology of knowledge" that he makes his most significant philosophical contributions. The archaeological method is a way of analyzing the historical layers of knowledge and uncovering the deep structures that underlie our understanding of the world. Unlike traditional historiography, which tends to focus on narratives and individuals, Foucault's archaeology examines the discourses and institutions that create and maintain knowledge, highlighting the ways they shape and limit what can be known.

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  Toxic Water Toxic System -...

  Michael Mascarenhas

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  The tireless resistance of local communities fighting for ownership of America's third largest water system 
   
   
    
  Toxic Water, Toxic System exposes the consequences of a seemingly anonymous authoritarian state willing to maintain white supremacy at any cost—including poisoning an entire city and shutting off water to thousands of people. Weaving together narratives of frontline activists along with archival data, Michael Mascarenhas provides a powerful exploration of the political alliances and bureaucratic mechanisms that uphold inequality. 
   
   
    
  Drawing from three years of ethnographic fieldwork in Flint and Detroit, this book amplifies the voices of marginalized communities, particularly African American women, whose perspectives and labor have been consistently overlooked. Toxic Water, Toxic System offers a fresh perspective on the ties between urban austerity policies, environmental harm, and the advancement of white supremacist agendas in predominantly Black and brown cities.

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  J M Barrie and the Lost Boys -...

  Andrew Birkin

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  This literary biography is “a story of obsession and the search for pure childhood . . . Moving, charming, a revelation” (Los Angeles Times).   J. M. Barrie, Victorian novelist, playwright, and author of Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up, led a life almost as interesting as his famous creation. Childless in his marriage, Barrie grew close to the five young boys of the Davies family, ultimately becoming their guardian and surrogate father when they were orphaned.   Andrew Birkin draws extensively on a vast range of material by and about Barrie, including notebooks, memoirs, and hours of recorded interviews with the family and their circle, to describe Barrie’s life, the tragedies that shaped him, and the wonderful world of imagination he created for the boys. Updated with a new preface and including photos and illustrations, this “absolutely gripping” read reveals the dramatic story behind one of the classics of children’s literature (Evening Standard).   “A psychological thriller . . . One of the year’s most complex and absorbing biographies.” —Time   “[A] fascinating story.” —The Washington Post

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  Gratitude - The Joyful Heart -...

  Esther Jameson

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  Gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions a person can experience. It has the ability to shift our focus, change our perspective, and even improve our overall well-being. At its core, gratitude is the simple act of recognizing and appreciating the blessings, both big and small, that we encounter in our lives. When we focus on what we are grateful for, we begin to experience a greater sense of happiness and contentment. 
  Research has shown that gratitude is linked to numerous benefits, including better mental health, stronger relationships, and improved physical health. The practice of gratitude can lower stress levels, reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, and increase overall life satisfaction. This is because when we focus on the positive aspects of our lives, we train our brains to look for the good rather than dwelling on what is lacking or going wrong. 
  The impact of gratitude on our lives is not just emotional. It also has profound physical effects. Studies have demonstrated that practicing gratitude can help boost the immune system, improve sleep quality, and lower blood pressure. When we are in a state of gratitude, our bodies release feel-good hormones such as dopamine and serotonin, which contribute to an overall sense of well-being and relaxation.

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  Structuralism - Philosophy and...

  Hector Davidson

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  Structuralism is an intellectual movement that emerged in the early to mid-20th century, primarily influenced by the works of linguists, anthropologists, and philosophers. Its foundational premise is that human culture, including language, myths, and social institutions, can be understood through underlying structures that govern them. These structures are not always immediately visible but influence how individuals and societies behave, think, and organize themselves. 
  At its core, structuralism asserts that elements of human culture must be studied in relation to one another within a larger system. For example, language can only be fully understood when the relationships between words and their meanings are considered. This perspective contrasts with earlier intellectual traditions that focused on individual elements, seeking meaning through isolated concepts. Instead, structuralism emphasizes the interconnections and patterns that form the basis of human existence. 
  The intellectual origins of structuralism can be traced back to the work of Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure. In his work, Saussure argued that language is a system of signs, each of which acquires meaning not by its inherent qualities but through its relationship to other signs. His concept of the "signifier" (the word or symbol) and the "signified" (the concept or meaning) set the stage for structuralist thought. Saussure’s approach highlighted the importance of studying language as a system of differences, where meanings are produced not in isolation but in opposition to other meanings.

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