Other books that might interest you

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  The Picnic - A Dream of Freedom...

  Matthew Longo

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  In August 1989, a group of Hungarian activists organized a picnic on the border of Hungary and Austria. But this was not an ordinary picnic—it was located on the dangerous militarized frontier known as the Iron Curtain. Tacit permission from the highest state authorities could be revoked at any moment. On wisps of rumor, thousands of East German "vacationers" packed Hungarian campgrounds, awaiting an opportunity, fearing prison, surveilled by lurking Stasi agents. The Pan-European Picnic set the stage for the greatest border breach in Cold War history: hundreds crossed from the Communist East to the longed-for freedom of the West. 
   
   
   
  Drawing on dozens of original interviews, Matthew Longo tells a gripping and revelatory tale of the unraveling of the Iron Curtain and the birth of a new world order. Just a few months after the Picnic, the Berlin Wall fell, and the freedom for which the activists and refugees had risked imprisonment was suddenly available to everyone. But were they really free? And why, three decades since the Iron Curtain was torn down, have so many sought once again to build walls? 
   
   
   
  Cinematically told, The Picnic recovers a time when it seemed possible for the world to change. With insight and panache, Longo explores the opportunities taken—and the opportunities we failed to take—in that pivotal moment.

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  China's Next Act - How...

  Scott M. Moore

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  Ever since China began its ascendancy to great-power status in the 1980s, observers have focused on its growing economic, military, and diplomatic power. But in recent years, Chinese officials, businesses, and institutions have increased their visibility and influence on every major global issue. How have these newer issues changed China's relationship with the world? And, importantly, how can we prepare for a future increasingly shaped by China? 
   
   
   
  In China's Next Act, Scott M. Moore re-envisions China's role in the world, with a focus on sustainability and technology. Moore argues that these increasingly pressing, shared global challenges are reshaping China's economy and foreign policy, and consequently, cannot be tackled without China. 
   
   
   
  In this clearly written and accessible overview, Moore examines how countries like the US must balance cooperation and competition with China in response to shared challenges. With an emphasis on opportunities as well as threats, Moore addresses not only key developments in sustainability and technology within China, but also their implications for foreign countries, companies, and other organizations. China's Next Act provides a unique—and uniquely balanced—window into these new dimensions of China's global ascension.

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  God-like: a 500-Year History of...

  Kester Brewin

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  In the year 1600, a monk is burned at the stake for claiming to have built a device that will allow him to know all things. 
  350 years later, having witnessed 'Trinity' - the first test of the atomic bomb - America's leading scientist outlines a memory machine that will help end war on earth. 
  25 years in the making, an ex-soldier finally unveils this 'machine for augmenting human intellect', dazzling as he stands 'Zeus-like, dealing lightning with both hands'. 
  In this profound and urgent new book, leading thinker on technology Kester Brewin shows how AI is both stunningly new and rooted in the most ancient human desires. Hailed by the UK government's own lead on AI as 'god-like', as we finally welcome this stunning technology amongst us - with Frankenstein and Faustus, from the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel to the underbelly of Silicon Valley - Brewin skillfully leads us through the myths, machines and monsters that have influenced the development of our greatest and most longed-for invention, and how we can learn to live alongside it.

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  Economic and Social History of...

  Anya Solace

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  El Salvador, the smallest country in Central America, has a rich and complex history shaped by its geographic location, indigenous cultures, and colonial experiences. This chapter serves as an introduction to the key historical, economic, and social factors that have defined El Salvador’s development, providing essential context for understanding its contemporary challenges and achievements. 
  The country’s geographic features, including volcanic mountain ranges, fertile valleys, and extensive coastlines, have significantly influenced both its early human settlement and later economic development. El Salvador’s topography has led to a concentration of population in the central valley area, where the capital, San Salvador, is located. Over time, this concentration of population has resulted in social and economic disparities between urban and rural areas. Additionally, El Salvador’s location at the crossroads of ancient Mesoamerican civilizations played a key role in the cultural and economic foundations of its indigenous groups, such as the Pipil and Lenca, who developed sophisticated agricultural and trade systems long before Spanish colonization. 
  The indigenous peoples of El Salvador had complex social and political systems, with distinct languages, traditions, and economies. The arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the early 16th century brought dramatic changes. The conquest led to the decimation of indigenous populations through disease, warfare, and forced labor. Spanish colonization introduced European economic systems such as the encomienda system, which granted settlers control over indigenous labor in exchange for protecting and converting them to Christianity. This marked the beginning of a long history of exploitation and social stratification in El Salvador, which would have lasting effects on the country’s development.

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  The Hidden Language and Life in...

  Ph.D. LAURA NAVARRO, B.Sc. JOE...

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  What to Expect:Decoding Body Language: Explore the intriguing realm of nonverbal communication. This guide teaches you to decipher body language cues, enhancing your ability to connect authentically with others.Surviving Remote Work: Discover the captivating world of nonverbal communication. This essential guide empowers you to interpret body language cues, enriching your capacity to forge genuine connections. Delve into the intricacies of facial expressions, gestures, posture, and eye contact, unveiling authentic emotions and intentions.Connecting and Communicating: Embrace a holistic approach to communication that honors the interconnectedness of mind, body, and professional success. Learn how to nurture your physical, emotional, and social well-being through effective communication and remote work practices.Connect. Communicate. Thrive: Discover the path to effective communication and successful remote work by understanding the hidden language of body language and mastering remote work strategies. 
  Begin a transformative journey toward personal and professional growth. Whether you seek enhanced connections, clearer communication, or a balanced work-life harmony, this bundle serves as your compass. Discover how to cultivate a life enriched with connection, productivity, and fulfillment through the insights of nonverbal communication and expert remote work strategies.

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  Kingdom of Hawai’i The: The...

  Editors Charles River

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  The Hawaiian kingdom existed for about a century, from the early 1790s to 1893, starting when King Kamehameha finally united the islands and lasting until American planters and businessmen staged a coup and forced Queen Lili’uokulani to abdicate. During the century of its existence, the kingdom offered its native peoples considerable protection. For example, in the later 1800s, several thousands of Pacific islanders were, in effect, kidnapped and forced to serve as indentured laborers in places like the Guano Islands in Peru and plantations in Queensland in the nefarious practice called “Blackbirding.” The kingdom offered literacy, converted its people to Christianity, and accommodated its people to the intrusive outside world. The achievement of establishing the kingdom belongs to an outstanding warrior king, Kamehameha the Great. 
  	Kamehameha is probably the single most important figure in Hawai’i’s history. His life bracketed a time when Hawaii was its own world, and its people were unaware of the existence of anywhere outside the archipelago to when Hawai'i was inseparably joined to the world economy. A pivotal year was 1778 when the British exploring expedition under the famous Captain Cook “discovered” the islands. Cook was killed in 1779 by Hawaiians in a brawl based on mutual misunderstandings. Kamehameha was there, and he quickly realized the utility of firearms and cannons and used them in his conquest. He had two English captives who became close advisors and helped smooth Hawai'i's transition from an isolated island group to a participant in the Pacific world. 
  	The intrusion of the outside world was inevitable, epic, and destructive. The islands’ total population at the time of Cook’s “discovery” is unknown, but it is variously estimated to be between 300,000 to 1,000,000 at the point of contact in 1778.

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