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  LSD: A Generation Later

  Albert Hofmann, Ram Dass,...

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  "A meeting of nobody special about nothing in particular." An exquisite gathering of rascals including Albert Hoffmann (discoverer of LSD), Ram Dass (Richard Alpert, Ph.D.), Timothy Leary, Ph.D., Ralph Metzner, Ph.D., Stanley Krippner, Ph.D., John Lilly, Allen Ginsberg, Stephen Gaskin, David Smith, M.D., and Irving Oyle, M.D. This is an audio "high"-school reunion guaranteed to blow your circuits however you're plugged in.

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  Things That Can and Cannot Be...

  Arundhati Roy, John Cusack

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  An activist and an actor reflect on Edward Snowden and the surveillance state in this collection that “reads like a whistleblower’s travel diary” (Disorient).   In late 2014, Arundhati Roy, John Cusack, and Daniel Ellsberg traveled to Moscow to meet with NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. The result was a series of essays and dialogues in which Roy and Cusack reflect on their conversations with Snowden. In these provocative and penetrating discussions, Roy and Cusack discuss the nature of the state, empire, and surveillance in an era of perpetual war, the meaning of flags and patriotism, the role of foundations and NGOs in limiting dissent, and the ways in which capital —but not people—can freely cross borders.   “Things That Can and Cannot Be Said is not a book with solutions, nor even a comprehensive framing of the problem. Its charm and potential lies in its disarming conversational approach, offering insights-in-passing; ideas and thoughts to spark further conversations and just maybe inspire other acts of moral courage. While the book channels a palpable sense of rage—rage at imperialism, at the surveillance state, at ‘Washington’s ability to destroy countries and its inability to win a war’—it concludes on the topic of love.” —PopMatters   “It asks questions—a lot of them. It connects dots from Kashmir to Palestine to Vietnam to Virginia—leaving no one spared from scrutiny––not even themselves, as Arundhati asserts.” —Disorient   “The freewheeling conversations between all the participants will bring up many Eureka moments for a lot of readers. Insights that can only be gained if you are researching these topics in exhausting detail.” —Firstpost

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  Through a Screen Darkly -...

  Martha Bayles

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  “How the vulgarization of American popular culture has distorted the image of the United States for millions of people around the world.”—Francis Fukuyama,New York Times bestselling author   What does the world admire most about America? Science, technology, higher education, consumer goods—but not, it seems, freedom and democracy. Indeed, these ideals are in global retreat, for reasons ranging from ill-conceived foreign policy to the financial crisis and the sophisticated propaganda of modern authoritarians. Another reason, explored for the first time in this pathbreaking book, is the distorted picture of freedom and democracy found in America's cultural exports. In interviews with thoughtful observers in eleven countries, Martha Bayles heard many objections to the violence and vulgarity pervading today’s popular culture. But she also heard a deeper complaint: namely, that America no longer shares the best of itself. Tracing this change to the end of the Cold War, Bayles shows how public diplomacy was scaled back, and in-your-face entertainment became America’s de facto ambassador. This book focuses on the present and recent past, but its perspective is deeply rooted in American history, culture, religion, and political thought. At its heart is an affirmation of a certain ethos—of hope for human freedom tempered with prudence about human nature—that is truly the aspect of America most admired by others. And its author’s purpose is less to find fault than to help chart a positive path for the future.   “An extremely intelligent mix of reporting, analysis, and policy prescription.”—Robert Asahina, author of Just Americans “Informative, witty, and thought-provoking.”—Peter L. Berger, author of Invitation to Sociology

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  Pluralism by Default - Weak...

  Lucan Way

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  “Pluralism by Default will change the way we understand the emergence of democracies and the consolidation of autocracies.” —Chrystia Freeland, author of Plutocrats 
   
  Exploring sources of political contestation in the former Soviet Union and beyond, Pluralism by Default proposes that pluralism in “new democracies” is often grounded less in democratic leadership or emerging civil society and more in the failure of authoritarianism. Dynamic competition frequently emerges because autocrats lack the state capacity to steal elections, impose censorship, or repress opposition. In fact, the same institutional failures that facilitate political competition may also thwart the development of stable democracy. 
   
  “A tour de force brimming with theoretical originality and effective use of in-depth case studies. It will enrich our understanding of post-communist politics and help reshape the way we think about democracy, authoritarianism, and regime change more broadly.” —M. Steven Fish, author of Democracy Derailed in Russia: The Failure of Open Politics

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  Nothing But the Truth - Secrets...

  Maryann Karinch

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  “Shocking, real-life spy secrets . . . Dangerously powerful psychological and emotional levers that instantly allow the reader to build and leverage trust.” —Janine Driver, body-language contributor to NBC’s Today Show and New York Times–bestselling author 
   
  To get the truth from someone, you need two sets of skills. The first are the interpersonal skills necessary to get the facts. But the second group of skills is equally if not more important: they enable you to assess whether the facts actually fit together—whether they are true—and identify the emotions that shaped them. 
   
  In Nothing but the Truth, top intelligence experts from the worlds of espionage, business, and law enforcement reveal how they get the information they need and give you the key tools to get the information you need, including:A system to vet sourcesEight conversation motivators that help you drive toward the truthTechniques to turn a hostile source into a cooperative oneThe means to control the sequence of a conversationGetting the truth through email or on the phone 
   
  Whether your aim is to grill suspects and witnesses, help someone with an urgent need, figure out who is lying or cheating, or upgrade your ability to be honest with yourself, Nothing but the Truth will show you how to do it. 
   
  “Karinch has amassed an extraordinary compilation of analysis and practical advice by top experts in the field. There is nothing on the book market quite like it. It will change the way you look at yourself and other people. You will find it to be a fun and highly valuable read.” —Jack Devine, author of Good Hunting, former head of CIA

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  Republic Lost: Version 20 (Part...

  Lawrence Lessig

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  New material for the 2016 election! In an era when special interests funnel huge amounts of money into our government-driven by shifts in campaign-finance rules and brought to new levels by the Supreme Court in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission-trust in our government has reached an all-time low. More than ever before, Americans believe that money buys results in Congress, and that business interests wield control over our legislature.With heartfelt urgency and a keen desire for righting wrongs, Harvard law professor Lawrence Lessig takes a clear-eyed look at how we arrived at this crisis: how fundamentally good people, with good intentions, have allowed our democracy to be co-opted by outside interests, and how this exploitation has become entrenched in the system. Rejecting simple labels and reductive logic-and instead using examples that resonate as powerfully on the Right as on the Left-Lessig seeks out the root causes of our situation. He plumbs the issues of campaign financing and corporate lobbying, revealing the human faces and follies that have allowed corruption to take such a foothold in our system. He puts the issues in terms that nonwonks can understand, using real-world analogies and real human stories. And ultimately he calls for widespread mobilization and a new Constitutional Convention, presenting achievable solutions for regaining control of our corrupted-but redeemable-representational system. In this way, Lessig plots a roadmap for returning our republic to its intended greatness. While America may be divided, Lessig vividly champions the idea that we can succeed if we accept that corruption is our common enemy and that we must find a way to fight against it. In REPUBLIC, LOST, he not only makes this need palpable and clear-he gives us the practical and intellectual tools to do something about it.

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