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  Living the Good Life - A...

  Steven J. Jensen

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  Living the Good Life presents a brief introduction to virtue and vice, self-control and weakness, misery and happiness. The book contrasts the thought of Aquinas with popular views, such as moral relativism, values clarification, utilitarianism, Kantian deontology, and situation ethics. Following the Socratic dictum "know thyself," Steven J. Jensen investigates the interior workings of the human mind, revealing the interplay of reason, will, and emotions. 
   
   
   
  Jensen ably guides listeners through Aquinas's philosophy and explains the distinction between the moral and intellectual virtues. The moral virtues train our various desires toward the true good, helping us discard our misguided cravings and teaching us to enjoy what is truly worth pursuing. The virtue of justice directs our hearts to the good of others, freeing us from egoism in order to seek a good shared with others. Most important, the virtue of prudence directs our deliberations to discover the true path of life. 
   
   
   
  Intended as a text for students, beginners of philosophy will gain access to a key aspect of Aquinas's thought, namely, that true happiness is realized not in the animal life of passion and greed but only in the reasonable pursuit of human goods, in which we find true peace and rest from the distractions of this world.

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  Shepherd’s Sight - A Farming Life

  Barbara McLean

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  A restorative and resonant memoir of a year in the life of an aging shepherd 
  		 
  For 50 years, Barbara McLean has tended a flock of Border Leicester sheep on her small Ontario farm, Lambsquarters. In Shepherd’s Sight she shares the crises, pleasures, and challenges of farm life over the course of a year. Now in her 70s, McLean faces a new problem: how much longer she can continue with the physically taxing work that is her central source of meaning and satisfaction.  
  		 
  Through her unsentimental gaze, we witness the highs and heartbreaks of delivering and rearing lambs, the shearing and spinning of wool, the wildlife in the woods (and occasionally in the house), and the garden produce moving from seed to harvest to table. Even after half a century on this land, McLean is still making fresh observations, and she shares them in evocative, elegant prose. As she moves through the calendar year, she also reflects on years past, offering a long view on climate, stewardship, and agriculture. 
  		 
  With its vivid description and absorbing storytelling, Shepherd’s Sight offers an unforgettable glimpse of a life lived on the land.

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  Why Taiwan Matters - A Short...

  Kerry Brown

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  This program is read by the author.Taiwan expert Kerry Brown sums up the history of Taiwan and the danger of a Chinese takeover in this succinct and authoritative book.When the bloody Chinese Civil War concluded in 1949, two Chinas were born. Mao’s Communists won and took China’s mainland; Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalists fled to Taiwan island. Since then, China and Taiwan have drifted into being separate political and cultural entities.Taiwan is now a flourishing democracy and an economic success story: just one of its companies produces over 90 per cent of the semiconductors that power the world’s economy. It is a free and vibrant society. For the United States and the West, the island is a bastion of freedom against China’s assertive presence in the region. And yet China, increasingly bellicose under Xi Jinping, insists Taiwan is part of its territory and must be returned to it. Should China blockade the island and mount an invasion, it would set off a chain reaction that would pitch it against the US – escalating a regional war into a global one. Taiwan is thus a geopolitical powder keg.Why Taiwan Matters helps us understand how and why we’ve arrived at this dangerous moment in history. With unparalleled access to Taiwan’s political leaders and a deep understanding of the island’s history and culture, Professor Kerry Brown provides a new reading of Taiwan, its twenty-three million people, and how they navigate being caught in this frightening geopolitical standoff. Why Taiwan Matters is the essential audiobook for understanding Taiwan’s unique story told in an accessible, expert and urgent way.A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

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  Punic Wars - A History from...

  Hourly History

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  Discover the remarkable history of the Punic Wars...The Punic Wars, a series of three wars involving the Roman Republic and Carthage between 264 and 146 BCE, did much to shape the subsequent history of the world. These wars were among the most important of any fought in the ancient world and led directly to the power and reach of the later Roman Empire. One of these wars also saw the emergence of two men who would become revered as among the greatest military leaders of all time: the Carthaginian leader Hannibal Barca and the Roman General Scipio Africanus. The strategies and tactics developed by these two leaders helped to shape warfare up to the present day, and their final confrontation at the Battle of Zama remains one of the most important and most studied of all ancient battles.Yet this isn't just the story of wars and battles. This was a clash between two growing civilizations in the Mediterranean region. When the Punic Wars began, Carthage was the larger and more established of the two, controlling a great deal of territory occupied through conquest. Rome was little more than an Italian city-state. By the time the last war ended, Rome was the most powerful state in the region and beginning on a path that would lead to the domination of much of the western world. This is the story of the wars that changed the ancient world.
   
  Discover topics such as:
  
  Conflict Over Sicily
  Into Iberia
  Rome on the Brink of Disaster
  Zama: Hannibal versus Scipio
  An Uneasy Peace
  Rome Triumphant

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  Anunnaki The: The History and...

  Editors Charles River

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  Today the Mesopotamians and their religion are sources of curiosity, but thousands of years ago, the religions were integral parts of their lives. From their birth to their death, deities surrounded them, and whether their social interactions were on the level of a smaller city or that of a larger nation-state, deities played key roles in the social fabric of their society. Whereas the Israelites were one people who worshipped a single god, Mesopotamian religions hailed from many sources that spanned thousands of years.  
  	Myth content and structure also changed as different dynasties came and went from Babylon. When modern Assyriologists – the term for scholars who study ancient Mesopotamia – began compiling the myths of the region, they realized that many of the most popular myths had several versions and were often copied into multiple languages. Although myths are part of a culture’s religion, Mesopotamian people’s religious rituals were usually independent of any myth: rituals were a way for humans to connect and gain favor with their gods, while the myths explained the way things came to be, as well as elucidating moral elements of society.  
  	In ancient Mesopotamia, families formed the basis of local communities, and from that core, states, kingdoms, and empires often derived their identity and legitimacy. Of course, the family unit also played a crucial role in the development of religious beliefs and myths, and one of the most influential is the Anunnaki. Scores of religious texts from ancient Mesopotamia – written in Sumerian cuneiform and Akkadian cuneiform – relate how the Anunnaki were the second generation of gods and goddesses. However, scholars debate their abilities, roles, and even which deities were considered among the Anunnaki. Many texts describe the Anunnaki collectively as guardians of the Underworld, yet in other texts, they are mentioned as protectors of the heavens.

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  William Lloyd Garrison for...

  Little Listener

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  Discover the inspiring story of William Lloyd Garrison, a young boy who grew up to become a powerful voice against slavery in America. This engaging biography for young children introduces Garrison's life, his newspaper 'The Liberator,' and his courageous fight for freedom and equality for all. Learn how one person's belief in what's right can make a big difference in the world.

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