Other books that might interest you

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  Dynasty - A Very Short Introduction

  Jeroen Duindam

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  For thousands of years bloodlines have been held as virtually unassailable credentials for leadership. At the heart of royal dynasties, kings were inflated to superhuman proportions, yet their status came at a price: while they may have reigned, they were very often ruled by others who sheltered behind the ruler's proclaimed omnipotence. Descent through the female line also occurred, subverting our common view of dynasty as built on father-son succession. Everywhere, women were important as mothers of boy-kings, and could even rule in their own right in some places. 
  In this Very Short Introduction Jeroen Duindam connects the earliest history of kings and queens to contemporary examples of family-based leadership. His sweeping overview of five millennia of dynastic rule brings to light recurring predicaments of families on the throne. Examining persistent family conflict and the dilemmas of leadership, he shows how the challenge of governing the family was balanced by the necessity of family scions, close or distant, for the survival of dynasties. In addition, guidebooks for rulers throughout history provided counsel that will appear strikingly familiar to contemporary leaders. Throughout, Duindam sheds light not only on similarities, but also on divergence and change in dynastic practice.

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  The NHS - The Story So Far

  Ellen Welch

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  A history of Britain’s healthcare system, from the Victorian era to the post-World War II beginnings of the NHS to the Coronavirus pandemic. 
   
  The Coronavirus pandemic in 2020 has changed life as we know it and thrust the NHS into the spotlight. A nation in lockdown has adorned windows with rainbows and stepped onto doorsteps every Thursday to celebrate the people who are risking their lives by turning up to work. But as the grim reports of deaths from the disease cumulate, along with stories of insufficient protective equipment for staff, there is hope that the crisis will raise awareness and bring change to the way the NHS and its people are treated. 
   
  At midnight on 5 July 1948, the National Health Service was born with the founding principal to be free at the point of use and based on clinical need rather than on a person’s ability to pay. Over seventy years since its formation, these core principals still hold true, but the world has changed. Persistent underfunding has not kept pace with increased demand for healthcare, leading to longer waiting times, staffing shortages and low morale. 
   
  This book traces the history of our health service, from Victorian healthcare and the early 20th century, through a timeline of change to the current day, comparing the problems and illnesses of 1948 to those we face today. Politics and funding are demystified and the effects of the pandemic are discussed, alongside personal stories from frontline staff and patients who have experienced our changing NHS. 
   
  “Ellen's book takes us on an emotional journey through the history of our beloved NHS. This should be compulsory reading for anyone who thinks the NHS is safe in the hands of anyone but the Labour Party. Absolutely enthralling.” —Books Monthly

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  The Somme 1916—Beyond the First...

  Jon Cooksey, Jerry Murland

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  In their second Visitor’s Guide to the 1916 Battle of the Somme Jon Cooksey and Jerry Murland focus on the series of secondary battles that were key stages in the five-month struggle that followed the start of the offensive on 1 July. They take the visitor – and the reader – across the entire battlefield, covering in graphic detail sites where actions took place that are almost as famous as the Somme itself in the history of the First World War, including Mametz Wood, High Wood, Deville Wood, Guillemont, Ginchy, Pozieres and Flers. They also provide tours of the less-well-known but equally interesting sites which played important parts in the offensive as a whole.  In a sequence of routes that can be walked, biked or driven they describe what happened in each place, identify the units involved, highlight the experience and exploits of individual soldiers, and point out the notable sights, monuments and cemeteries.  This highly illustrated guidebook is essential reading for visitors who wish to enhance their understanding of the Battle of the Somme and the war on the Western Front. It is also the ideal companion volume to The First Day of the Somme: Gommecourt to Maricourt by the same authors.

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  Pandemic! & Pandemic! 2 -...

  Slavoj Žižek

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  Pandemic!: COVID-19 Shakes the World: We live in a moment when the greatest act of love is to stay distant from the object of your affection. When governments renowned for ruthless cuts in public spending can suddenly conjure up trillions. When toilet paper becomes a commodity as precious as diamonds. And when, according to Slavoj Žižek, a new form of communism—the outlines of which can already be seen in the very heartlands of neoliberalism—may be the only way of averting a descent into global barbarism. Written with his customary brio and love of analogies in popular culture (Quentin Tarantino and H. G. Wells sit next to Hegel and Marx), Žižek provides a concise and provocative snapshot of the COVID-19 crisis as it widens, engulfing us all.Pandemic! 2: Chronicles of a Time Lost: Žižek delves into some of the more surprising dimensions of lockdowns, quarantines, and social distancing—and the increasingly unruly opposition to them by "response fatigued" publics around the planet. Here, Žižek examines the ripple effects on the food supply of harvest failures caused by labor shortages and the hyper-exploitation of the global class of care workers, without whose labor daily life would be impossible. Through such examples he pinpoints the inability of contemporary capitalism to effectively safeguard the public in times of crisis.

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  Cannabis education for children

  Pharmacology University

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  Today we want to welcome you and your imagination to a new audiobook inspired by the wonderful world of cannabis, this time we are focusing our attention on the little ones. 
  	But first, we want you to ask yourself the following question: Did you know that there are hundreds of children and adolescents who suffer severe discomfort due to chronic diseases? On many occasions, these symptoms cannot be controlled with conventional therapies and medications, for this reason, some families have had to resort to an ancient plant called Cannabis sativa: The therapeutic use of this plant has proven to have affinity for the treatment of autistic children, children with episodes of epilepsy, children suffering from severe pain, and side effects such as vomiting caused by chemotherapy.  
  	  In this amazing audiobook you will learn important aspects about the botany and composition of cannabis and its main active compounds, as well as understand the amazing interaction that cannabinoid compounds have on your human body. You will also have the opportunity to read some stories from parents, where the use of cannabis plays a fundamental role in their lives and in the lives of their children, providing them with wellness and health. 
  	If you are interested in learning more about the extraordinary nature of cannabis, we invite you to enjoy with your family this audiobook that Pharmacology University has designed for you. 

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  British Warships in the Age of...

  Rif Winfield

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  The 1st volume in this comprehensive reference series details the design and employment of British warships in the 17th and early 18th centuries.      During the seventeenth century, Britain transformed from a minor state into a global economic power with the largest navy in the world. The character of this navy was forged by a bloody civil war, three fiercely disputed conflicts with the Dutch, and the first of many wars with the French. In the process, British naval ships evolved from the galleons that had defeated the Spanish Armada to prestige vessels like HMS Sovereign of the Seas, and the lightly built frigates of the Commonwealth era.   This detailed and authoritative reference volume outlines the history of every ship built, purchased or captured that saw naval service during this era. Like its companion volumes, the book is organized by Rate, classification and class. The technical and building data of each ship is followed by a concise summary of its career. With its unique depth of information, this is a work of the utmost importance to every naval historian and general reader interested in the navy of the sailing era.

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