Other books that might interest you

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  Under Pressure - A Song by David...

  Max Brzezinski

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  In 1981, David Bowie and Queen both happened to be in Switzerland: They met and made "Under Pressure." Recorded on a lark, the song broke the path for subsequent pop anthems. In Under Pressure, Max Brzezinski tells the classic track's story, charting the relationship between pop music, collective politics, and dominant institutions of state, corporations, and civil society. Brzezinski shows that, like all great pop anthems, "Under Pressure" harnesses collective sentiments in order to model new ways of thinking and acting. As we continue to live under the sign of the global oppressive power the song names, analyzes, and attempts to move beyond, we remain, in Bowie and Freddie Mercury's phrase, under pressure.

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  Mini-Forest Revolution - Using...

  Hannah Lewis

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  For listeners who enjoyed Finding the Mother Tree and The Hidden Life of Trees comes the first-ever book about a movement to restore biodiversity in our cities and towns by transforming empty lots, backyards, and degraded land into mini-forests. Author Hannah Lewis is the forest maker turning asphalt into ecosystems to save the planet, and she wants everyone to know they can do it too. In Mini-Forest Revolution, Lewis presents the Miyawaki Method, a unique approach to reforestation devised by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki. She explains how tiny forests as small as six parking spaces grow quickly and are much more biodiverse than those planted by conventional methods. She explores the science behind why mini-forests work, as well as the myriad environmental benefits, including cooling urban heat islands, establishing wildlife corridors, building soil health, sequestering carbon, creating pollinator habitats, and more. Today, the Miyawaki Method is witnessing a worldwide surge in popularity. Lewis shares the stories of mini-forests that have sprung up across the globe and the people who are planting them?from a young forest along the concrete alley of the Beirut River in Lebanon, to a backyard forest planted by tiny-forest champion Shubhendu Sharma in India. This inspiring book offers a revolutionary approach to planting trees and a truly accessible solution to the climate crisis that can be implemented by communities, classrooms, cities, clubs, and families everywhere.

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  Bernini - His Life and His Rome

  Franco Mormando

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  Sculptor, architect, painter, playwright, and scenographer, Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598–1680) was the last of the great universal artistic geniuses of early modern Italy, placed by both contemporaries and posterity in the same exalted company as Leonardo, Raphael, and Michelangelo. And his artistic vision remains palpably present today, through the countless statues, fountains, and buildings that transformed Rome into the Baroque theater that continues to enthrall tourists today.It is perhaps not surprising that this artist who defined the Baroque should have a personal life that itself was, well, baroque. As Franco Mormando’s dazzling biography reveals, Bernini was a man driven by many passions, possessed of an explosive temper and a hearty sex drive, and he lived a life as dramatic as any of his creations. Drawing on archival sources, letters, diaries, and—with a suitable skepticism—a hagiographic account written by Bernini’s son (who portrays his father as a paragon of virtue and piety), Mormando leads us through Bernini’s many feuds and love affairs, scandals and sins. He sets Bernini’s raucous life against a vivid backdrop of Baroque Rome, bustling and wealthy, and peopled by churchmen and bureaucrats, popes and politicians, schemes and secrets.The result is a seductively readable biography, stuffed with stories and teeming with life—as wild and unforgettable as Bernini’s art. No one who has been bewitched by the Baroque should miss it.

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  Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love

  Carl Wilson

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  Praise for the book:"Brilliant." -- Alex Ross, author of The Rest is Noise"This could be the best book of the series...razor-sharp and unerringly intelligent." -- John Wenzel, The Denver Post“A book pondering the aesthetics of Celine risks going wrong in about 3,000 different ways...Instead, this book goes very deeply right.” --Sam Anderson, New York MagazineTens of millions of people around the world love Céline Dion. Carl Wilson explores the reasons why in this extraordinary book. Immersing himself in Dion's 1999 hit album Let's Talk About Love (the one with that Titanic song on it), he examines everything from Céline's Quebec roots to her enormous voice.

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  The Economics of Urban...

  Lyric Vale

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  Urban transportation plays a pivotal role in shaping the economic, social, and environmental landscapes of cities. As populations grow and urban areas expand, the movement of people and goods becomes increasingly critical to maintaining economic vitality and quality of life. Urban transportation economics is the study of the costs and benefits associated with transportation systems, focusing on the ways in which these systems contribute to or detract from urban development. 
  At its core, urban transportation economics examines the interplay between infrastructure investments, operational costs, and the benefits derived from mobility and accessibility. Transportation systems enable individuals to commute to work, access essential services, and engage in social activities, while also facilitating the movement of goods that support local businesses and global trade. However, these benefits often come with significant costs, including financial expenses, environmental impacts, and social inequalities. Understanding this balance is crucial for policymakers, urban planners, and stakeholders who aim to design systems that maximize positive outcomes while minimizing negative externalities. 
  One of the key challenges in urban transportation economics is addressing the concept of externalities. Transportation systems often generate unintended consequences, such as traffic congestion, air pollution, and noise, which affect the broader community. These externalities can lead to market failures, where the true costs of transportation are not fully reflected in the prices users pay. Conversely, transportation systems can also produce positive externalities, such as increased economic activity and improved social cohesion, which are not always adequately valued. Striking a balance between these opposing forces is an essential component of transportation planning and policy.

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  Rock 'n' Roll - A Very Short...

  Elijah Wald

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  Rock 'n' roll appeared in the 1950s as the high-energy, electrically amplified music of young dancers and listeners, first in the United States and then around the globe, and from the beginning it symbolized more than music. First popularized as a marketing rubric to sell African-American rhythm and blues to white teenagers, it stood for racial integration, sexual freedom, youthful rebellion, and for change and modernity. It was never a single kind of music, and historians disagree about when it began and which artists or records should be included in its canon—but it was always a flashpoint, whether condemned as an assault on cultural standards or hailed as the most exciting movement of the twentieth century.This Very Short Introduction explores the complex musical styles and evolutions of the genre and also examines it as product, symbol, and vehicle of societal change. The introduction seamlessly integrates the genre with elements of 1955-1965's mass influence, including the rise of television and niche radio formats, the civil rights movement, a new concept of "teenagers" as a unique age group, and a sexual revolution. Rock 'n' Roll traces the rise and trajectories of the styles and musicians grouped as rock 'n' roll and their journey to becoming emblems of much more.

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