Other books that might interest you

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  Meiji Era - Modernization...

  Rolf Hedger

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  The Tokugawa Shogunate, which had ruled Japan for over two centuries, faced a gradual but inevitable decline in the mid-19th century. Although the regime had maintained stability and peace through strict social hierarchy and isolationist policies, internal weaknesses and external pressures ultimately led to its downfall. The combination of economic struggles, social unrest, and increasing foreign intervention exposed the shogunate’s vulnerabilities, setting the stage for a dramatic political transformation. 
  One of the major factors behind the decline was Japan’s rigid economic system. The Tokugawa rulers relied heavily on a feudal structure in which the daimyo, or regional lords, maintained their own domains under the authority of the shogun. However, the economy began to shift from an agrarian-based system to one influenced by commerce and trade. The samurai class, who traditionally depended on fixed stipends from their lords, found themselves in financial hardship as inflation and economic instability grew. Meanwhile, wealthy merchants gained power, disrupting the established social order and creating tensions between classes. 
  In addition to economic issues, political dissatisfaction increased within Japan. Many daimyo and samurai resented the centralized control of the shogunate, believing it had become ineffective in governing the country. Corruption and inefficiency within the government further weakened public trust. While some reform-minded leaders proposed changes, the rigid nature of the Tokugawa system made meaningful reform difficult to achieve. This frustration contributed to the rise of movements advocating for a return to imperial rule under Emperor Meiji.

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  The Sangamon Story - Selected...

  Francis Grierson

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  Francis Grierson's, The Valley of Shadows, is truly a lost American classic. Written at the dawn of the twentieth century, the author has remarkably captured his adventures and observations as a child growing up on the prairies of Illinois in the years leading up the Civil War, in a region that was neither North nor South; neither for slavery nor against it; and how their small family farm became an unscheduled stop on the Underground Railroad.Written in an authentic vernacular of the time, and populated by larger than life characters, Grierson has woven a tale of excitement and mystery, set in a second Garden of Eden of wildlife and nature. The prose and dialogue is like Shakespeare of the prairie. It reads like a cross between Tom Sawyer and Uncle Tom's Cabin, and stands out among all of the other books written about that era.What people are saying:“It has a quality not to be found in any other writing about the Civil War;""Its prose is alive, strong, subtle, of warm color, almost overpowering;""No one can read it, without finding new enlightenment about our past.”

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  Bagavad Gita in Tamil - Chapter...

  viyasar

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  The Bhagavad Gita is a 700-verse Hindu scripture embedded within the epic Mahabharata, depicting a dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Arjuna, facing his relatives in battle, experiences despair and a crisis of conscience. Krishna, his charioteer and an avatar of Vishnu, provides philosophical and spiritual guidance, addressing themes of duty (dharma), action (karma), devotion (bhakti), and knowledge (jnana). The Gita explores the nature of the self, the divine, and humanity's place in the world, offering paths to liberation and spiritual fulfillment. 

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  Enneagram: Understand the 9...

  Sophie J Brown

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  Ever wonder why you think, feel, or react the way you do? Why some people frustrate you, and others seem to just get you? 
  This book breaks it down. No fluff. No jargon. Just a brutally honest, deeply insightful guide to the nine Enneagram types—and how they shape your fears, desires, habits, and relationships. 
  Whether you're a driven Type Three, a skeptical Type Six, or a passionate Type Eight, you'll walk away with tools to understand not only yourself, but everyone around you. 
  Inside, you'll find:A clear breakdown of each of the 9 types—core motivations, blind spots, strengths, and traps.How the Enneagram can improve your self-awareness, decision-making, and emotional resilience.Practical advice on using your type for growth—without sugarcoating your weaknesses.Real-world insights for navigating relationships, career, and conflict using the Enneagram. 
  This isn't just a personality quiz. It's a roadmap for self-mastery. 
  If you're ready to stop repeating old patterns and start owning your growth—this book is your starting point.

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  The World According to Proust

  Joshua Landy

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  Marcel Proust (1871-1922) was arguably France's best-known literary writer. He was the author of stories, essays, translations, and a 3,000-page novel, In Search of Lost Time (1913-27). 
   
   
   
  This book is a brief guide to Proust's magnum opus in which Joshua Landy invites the listener to view the novel as a single quest—a quest for purpose, enchantment, identity, connection, and belonging—through the novel's fascinating treatments of memory, society, art, same-sex desire, knowledge, self-understanding, self-fashioning, and the unconscious mind. 
   
   
   
  Landy also shows why the questions Proust raises are important and exciting for all of us: how we can feel at home in the world; how we can find genuine connection with other human beings; how we can find enchantment in a world without God; whether an artist's life can shed light on their work; what we can know about the world, other people, and ourselves; when not knowing is better than knowing; how sexual orientation affects questions of connection and identity; who we are, deep down; what memory tells us about our inner world; why it might be good to think of our life as a story. Finally, Landy suggests why it's worthwhile to read the novel itself—how the long, difficult, but joyous experience of making it through 3,000 pages of prose can be transformative for our minds and souls.

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  The Strong Within Us

  J. A. Boulet

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  A struggle. A war. The past. Would you recover?Nathan Olason picks up the pieces of his life in 1893 and becomes a devoted father and grandfather. Except something from his past is holding him back.When his grandson, Mike, announces that he is joining the Great War, Nath fears the worst. Armed and deadly, his grandson hones his marksmanship skills to a perfection not seen in any other soldier. But once Mike arrives at Vimy Ridge, France, with the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade, the biggest fight of his life has only begun.Feeling helpless to stop this dangerous chain of events, Nath flees to a place that he thought was his salvation but turns into something else; an old weathered cottage that holds the key to his future.Follow in the footsteps of heroes.Be vulnerable.Would you recover?

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