Altri libri che potrebbero interessarti

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  Imperial Chinese Foundations -...

  Rolf Hedger

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  The story of China's imperial unification represents one of history's most consequential political transformations. "Imperial Chinese Foundations: Uniting the Land" explores the three dynasties that forged China's imperial system—a political structure that would endure for over two millennia. 
  The brief but revolutionary Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE) ended centuries of warring states by conquering all rivals under the leadership of the First Emperor, Qin Shi Huang. Through military might, standardized writing, currency, measurements, and a unified legal code, the Qin created China's first centralized bureaucratic empire—though their harsh Legalist policies triggered rebellion after the emperor's death. 
  The Western Han Dynasty (206 BCE-9 CE) consolidated imperial rule through a more pragmatic blend of Confucian ideology and centralized governance. Under Emperor Wu's dynamic leadership, the Han expanded Chinese territory, opened the Silk Road, established the civil service examination system, and created cultural and political institutions that would define Chinese civilization for millennia. 
  As power shifted to the Eastern Han (25-220 CE), the dynasty initially flourished before facing mounting challenges from natural disasters, court intrigues, and the Yellow Turban Rebellion. Yet even as political cohesion weakened, this period saw remarkable innovations—including paper, the seismograph, and advances in mathematics and medicine—while Buddhism began its profound influence on Chinese civilization. 
  Through examining these three foundational dynasties, we witness the birth and evolution of the imperial Chinese state that would serve as a template for governance across East Asia and continue to influence Chinese identity into the modern era.

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  Ask a Native New Yorker -...

  Jake Dobkin

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  Ask a Native New Yorker is Jake Dobkin's essential guide to the Big Apple's culture, people, and lifestyles. 
   
   
   
  As a third-generation New Yorker who was born, bred, and educated there, Jake Dobkin was such a fan of his hometown that he started Gothamist, a popular and acclaimed website with a focus on news, events, and culture in the city, and Ask a Native New Yorker became one of its most popular columns. This book version features all original writing and aims to help newbies evolve into real New Yorkers with humor and a command of the facts. 
   
   
   
  In forty-eight short essays and eleven sidebars, the book offers practical information about transportation, apartment hunting, and even cultivating relationships for anyone fresh to the Big Apple. Subjects include "Why is New York the greatest city in the world?," "Where should I live?," "Where do you find peace and quiet when you feel overwhelmed?," and "Who do I have to give up my subway seat to?" 
   
   
   
  Part philosophy, part anecdote collection, and part no-nonsense guide, Ask a Native New Yorker will become the default gift for transplants to New York, whether they're here for internships, college, or starting a new job.

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  The Pharaoh's Cities - Urban...

  Omar Khalil

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  The emergence of ancient Egyptian cities was a direct result of environmental, political, and cultural forces that converged around the Nile River. The geography of Egypt—with its fertile riverbanks and harsh surrounding deserts—encouraged people to settle in concentrated areas where water and arable land were accessible. These early settlements began as small agricultural communities but gradually expanded into organized urban centers. 
  The Nile River played an essential role in this transformation. It provided not only irrigation for crops but also a natural transportation route that linked various parts of the country. The regular flooding of the Nile deposited nutrient-rich silt onto the land, ensuring a reliable agricultural cycle. This dependable environment allowed food surpluses to develop, leading to population growth and the specialization of labor—both critical components for urbanization. 
  As Egypt became unified under strong rulers, cities took on new roles beyond agriculture. Administrative centers emerged to coordinate the collection of taxes, the management of resources, and the oversight of large-scale projects like irrigation canals and temple construction. Memphis, established as the first capital of a unified Egypt, became a powerful political and religious hub. Likewise, Thebes rose in prominence as a center of worship and royal authority, especially during the Middle and New Kingdoms.

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  Fluent in Spanish The Best Tips...

  Maria Fernandez

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  How do you learn Spanish fast? My students often ask me that question. That’s why I wrote this short step-by-step guide. 
  Here I show you how to go from beginner to fluent amazingly fast. What I show you does not involve expensive courses, moving to Spain, spending hours a day studying, or doing tedious memorising. 
  Instead, I walk you step by step through how to develop your listening skills fast, how to start speaking today, how to remember words forever, and how to master the pronunciation easily. 
  In just a few pages, I show you how to make the most of your limited time, and the time-wasting things to avoid. I also show you how to love your Spanish lessons, boost your motivation, and create an enjoyable daily learning habit. 
  The tips in this short guide helped me become fluent in English, the language I now use in my career and daily life. 
  Would you like to become fluent in Spanish fast? Get this guide now! 
  About the author: I’m Maria Fernandez. I’ve been teaching Spanish, my mother tongue, for over twenty years. I’ve also taught myself several languages, including English. I wrote this short guide because I believe you can become fluent in Spanish fast, regardless of your age and background. My students have proved that to me over and over.

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  Their Heads Are Green and Their...

  Paul Bowles

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  An engaging collection of travel essays by the author of The Sheltering Sky 
  Their Heads are Green, Their Hands are Blue deals largely with places in the world that few Westerners have ever heard of, much less seen—places as yet unencumbered by the trappings, luxuries, and corruptions of modern civilization. Bowles is a sympathetic and discerning observer of these alien cultures, and his eyes and ears are especially alert both to what is bizarre and what is wise in the civilizations in which he settles. 
  Above all, Bowles is a superb and observant traveler—a born wanderer who finds pleasure in the inaccessible and who cheerfully endures the concomitant hardships with resourcefulness, insight, and humor.

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  Five Seasons in Seoul

  Christine Newell

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  A life-changing year in South Korea. 
   
  Christine thought a year in South Korea would hit the pause button on her messy life. Her dad's death had left her anxious and depressed, and her career in musical theatre had reached a new low of shopping-centre kids' shows. When she found herself pulled over by the side of the road, dressed as a dinosaur and sobbing uncontrollably, it was clear something had to change. 
   
  A role with an experimental theatre company based in Seoul seemed the perfect way to put off dealing with her problems, at least for a year. But she soon found there's no running away from yourself. Travelling through South Korea, immersing herself in its culture and shifting her mindset along with the seasons, Christine discovered that sometimes the place you go to escape your life can hold the answers for how to heal it. 
   
  A heartfelt, sumptuous journey through one of the most fascinating cultures and landscapes on the planet, Five Seasons in Seoul is for armchair travellers and memoir lovers alike.

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