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  The Ming Dynasty - Maritime...

  Jun Liu

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  The Ming Dynasty, one of China's most influential and enduring dynasties, emerged in the aftermath of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty’s decline. It was a period marked by great transformation, political consolidation, and cultural revival. The dynasty's establishment under Zhu Yuanzhang, later known as Emperor Hongwu, signified the restoration of Han Chinese rule and the reinforcement of Confucian governance. Through military conquest, administrative reforms, and strategic centralization of power, the Ming Dynasty laid the foundation for a strong and prosperous China. 
  The fall of the Yuan Dynasty was driven by internal corruption, economic mismanagement, and widespread discontent. Mongol rulers faced difficulties controlling the vast empire, and their reliance on foreign administrators alienated the native Chinese population. Heavy taxation and frequent natural disasters exacerbated social unrest, leading to a series of revolts across the country. Among these rebellions, the Red Turban Rebellion, a movement rooted in peasant uprisings and religious discontent, played a crucial role in undermining Yuan authority. It was within this turbulent period that Zhu Yuanzhang, a former Buddhist monk turned military leader, rose to prominence. His leadership and military strategies enabled him to unify rebel factions and ultimately overthrow the Mongols in 1368, marking the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. 
  Upon ascending the throne, Emperor Hongwu sought to consolidate power and rebuild a nation weakened by war and misrule. His first priority was to eliminate threats to his rule, which led to purges against those he suspected of disloyalty. To prevent a recurrence of Yuan-era administrative failures, he restructured the government, reducing the influence of court eunuchs and emphasizing Confucian ideals in governance. He also reinstated the civil service examination system, ensuring that officials were selected based on merit rather than birthright.

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  Harbours And Their Masters -...

  Mark Ashley-Miller

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  Harbours And Their Masters is the untold story of the Harbour Master and the harbours they manage. For five years, Mark Ashley-Miller set out on an extraordinary voyage, navigating 9,000 nautical miles to visit every corner of the British Isles. His mission? To uncover the hidden world of our harbours and Harbour Masters – those dedicated professionals who safeguard our ports and keep maritime trade flowing. In this captivating book, you'll join Mark as he visits 310 harbours and meets 256 Harbour Masters. Through carefully recorded interviews they reveal to him their unique challenges, stories and traditions. From ancient 'Haveners' to modern-day CEOs, their role has evolved over centuries, yet their influence remains as vital as ever. Whether they're handling burning container ships, managing storm-ravaged harbour walls or juggling the ever-changing demands of commercial shipping, these unsung heroes work tirelessly behind the scenes. This challenge has so far raised £30,000 for The Seafarers' Charity and all author royalties from this book will go to this charity. Perfect for sailors, history lovers and maritime professionals, the book is a treasure trove of insights into Britain and Ireland's harbours. It's a detailed account of a journey describing intimate encounters, unexpected adventures and an inside look at how harbours shape our maritime heritage. If you've ever dreamed of sailing around the British Isles, exploring maritime history or understanding the vital work of those who keep our harbours safe, this is the book for you. It's packed full of over 500 colour photos recording the Harbour Masters met and the stunning beauty of the harbours themselves. Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, has written the Foreword to the book and congratulates and thanks the author for his challenge.

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  Sun & Ssukgat - The Korean Art...

  Michelle Jungmin Bang

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  A charming, life-changing guide to living a longer, happier, healthier life, rooted in Korean self-care. From the country scientists predict will top longevity charts in 2030. 
  Ssukgat, or Chrysanthemum greens, are treasured in Korean culture for their healing abilities. You can coax its withered stalks to bloom again, with sun, water, soil, and care. It’s a fitting metaphor for eco-entrepreneur and CEO Michelle Jungmin Bang, who found herself in excruciating pain due to the constant sacrificing of her health and wellness for work—a trade many of us make daily. 
  Thus started her fascinating journey to overhaul her health and reconnect with her heritage in South Korea. She found answers in the mountains with Buddhist nuns and the keys to microbiome health, a seaside village with haenyeo (female free divers who forage for seafood) and their practice of healing with breath, centenarians with easily adoptable daily habits, and Korean bathhouse culture and its “wellness for everyone” approach to youthful skin. Natural, effective, and environmentally conscious, these ancient traditions have been passed down for centuries in Asia, like gifted heirlooms, and they quietly and radically shift our philosophies on well-being towards preventative care. 
  Informed by her travels, research, and East-West nutrition training, Michelle reflects on how we can eat for healing, live sustainably, reconnect with nature, form deeper relationships with the Korean concept of Jeong (the warm, invisible connection between loved ones and places), and more. Also included are simple and delicious healing recipes that can be used for recovery, like a mushroom broth the Buddhist nuns turn to for colds; her grandmother’s secret Myeolchi (anchovy) broth; Samgyetang (chicken and ginseng soup) for combatting fatigue; as well as Hoedeopbap (raw fish bibimbap), her most-requested dish that requires no cooking. 
  Sun & Ssukgat is on a mission to empower anyone stuck in the unhealthy whirlwind of modern life to transform our well-being in the little things we do every single day. 
  Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

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  Vegas - A Memoir of a Dark Season

  John Gregory Dunne, Stephanie...

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  "In the summer of my nervous breakdown, I went to live in Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada." So begins John Gregory Dunne's neglected classic of first-person writing, a mordant, deadpan, grotesque tale that blurs the line between autobiography and fiction, confession and reportage. 
   
   
   
  Panicked by his own mortality, despondent over his many failings as a writer and a man, Dunne leaves his wife and their three-year old child for the solitude of a crummy apartment off the Vegas Strip. There he plans to write an account of the city as he finds it; the book he ends up writing is "a fiction which recalls time both real and imagined." The remarkable central characters are Artha, a student at cosmetology college by day, a sex worker by night; Buster Mano, a private detective whose specialty is tracking down errant husbands; and Jackie Kasey, a lounge comic who opens for Elvis at $10,000 a night and wonders why he is still only a "semi-name." Pimps, bail bondsmen, parking-lot moguls, used-car tycoons, ex-jockeys, and women who look as if they had "spent a lifetime meeting guys in Vegas or Miami Beach or Louisville for the Derby": these are the people who wander through the lives of Artha, Buster, and Jackie—and, for a dark season, the life of the narrator. 
   
   
   
  Contains mature themes.

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  The Hitchhike

  Mark Paul Smith

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  Mark Paul Smith graduated college on an Air Force scholarship with dreams of becoming a pilot. He had some downtime after graduation and before reporting for duty so he decided to hitchhike the world. A decision that would change his life forever.As he traveled, his approach to life and his future decisions changed. He hitchhiked through the Iron Curtain and worked on a collective farm in Hungary only to find that communism wasn't our real enemy. He met people from North Vietnam who showed him the real enemy was the U.S. war machine. Being an American was not popular in those days, but the people of the world showed Smith kindness and kept him alive when he ran out of money. The long road to decision showed him that people everywhere want peace, not war.Mark Paul Smith's hitchhike from Indiana to India in 1972 changed him from being an Air Force Officer into a conscientious objector. His faith in the United States of America was restored when he sued the government and won his case in federal court.His journey is one of faith, contemplation, and awakening, mixed with the freedom and abandonment of the 70s.

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  Singapore Travel Guide -...

  Captivating Travels

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  Experience Singapore with maps, QR codes, and over 100  images
   
  Step into a destination where modern precision meets centuries of heritage. This guide shows you how to move through Singapore with confidence, eat like a local, explore with purpose, and understand what makes this city unlike any other in Asia.
  
  Inside, you will discover:
  
  - Simple, structured itineraries from one-day highlights to five-day explorations, each designed around transport efficiency and comfort. 
  - Comprehensive neighborhood coverage including Marina Bay, Chinatown, Little India, Kampong Glam, Orchard Road, and Sentosa Island. 
  - Detailed landmark profiles with historical background, visiting tips, and the best times for photography. 
  - Practical travel logistics covering transport systems, safety, currency, language basics, and cultural etiquette. 
  - Food and dining guidance featuring top hawker centers, local dishes, and insider dining routines. 
  - Nature and outdoor escapes such as the Botanic Gardens, Pulau Ubin, and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. 
  - Local culture explained clearly: religions, festivals, and traditions that define daily life in Singapore. 
  - Hidden corners and calm retreats where residents go to slow down, away from the city's main flow. 
  - Useful Malay, Tamil, and Mandarin phrases for polite, confident communication. 
  - And much, much more! 
   
  Click  Add to Cart now and start planning a journey through one of the world's most efficient, safe, and culturally rich destinations.

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