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  Asuka Period - Buddhism Reform...

  Rolf Hedger

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  The Asuka Period (538–710) marks a pivotal era in Japan’s history, serving as the transitional phase between the ancient Kofun Period and the Nara Period. This era is often considered the birthplace of Japanese civilization, a time when the political, religious, and cultural foundations of the nation began to take shape. It was during this period that Japan first came into direct contact with continental Asia, particularly through the introduction of Buddhism, the establishment of a centralized government, and the adoption of Chinese-style political and legal systems. 
  The early years of the Asuka Period were dominated by the Soga clan, who played a crucial role in the political and religious developments of the time. Their influence can be seen in their advocacy for the adoption of Buddhism, which arrived in Japan from Korea around the mid-sixth century. Buddhism’s introduction, however, was met with resistance from the powerful native Shinto religious leaders and aristocracy, creating a conflict that would shape the religious landscape of Japan for centuries to come. 
  Despite early opposition, Buddhism gradually took hold in Japan. The Soga clan, with the support of the royal family, used Buddhism as a tool to consolidate power and gain legitimacy. By the late 6th century, the religion had become deeply integrated into the fabric of Japanese society, influencing not only spiritual practices but also politics, art, and culture.

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  Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan: The...

  Editors Charles River

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  Alfred Thayer Mahan is arguably the most influential military strategist in American history, and one of the world’s most important naval theorists. His work has been nearly as influential as the famous German military theorist Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831), and the lesser-known but nearly as influential Swiss military writer Antoine-Henri Jomini (1779-1869). 
  Alfred decided to go to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, which he was admitted to via the influence of Secretary of War Jefferson Davis. He graduated in 1859 and started a career lasting almost 40 years. He served aboard a wide variety of ships, from a powerful frigate under sail to a variety of steam sloops, corvettes, and gunboats, many of which were side wheelers and all of which had auxiliary sails. 
  He started as a Midshipman and worked his way up the naval ranks to Captain and Commander. He also had several independent commands. He was stationed off the Atlantic Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico during the Union blockade of the Confederacy. He was on a sidewheeler tasked with keeping an eye on the French in Mexico, where Napoleon II had installed a Hapsburg archduke as emperor. He spent more than two years on station in the Far East, spent a couple of years with the South Atlantic Squadron based in Montevideo in Uruguay, and then a year off the west coast of South America, in a ship observing events during the War of the Pacific. 
  After a lengthy naval career, Mahan had assignments at the Naval Academy and the Brooklyn Naval Yard. He was invited to lecture at the Naval War College, and it was there that he collected together his notes and wrote a book, The Influence of Naval Power upon History, which somehow became an international bestseller in 1890. His book resulted in an invitation to dine with the Queen in Britain. It was translated into German and the Kaiser ordered a copy be placed on every German warship and in every school.

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  Henry J Heinz: A short biography...

  5 Minutes, 5 Minute Biographies,...

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  Henry J. Heinz, ketchup king: Life and work in a short biography! Everything you need to know, brief and concise. Infotainment, education and entertainment at its best!

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  The Philadelphia State Hospital...

  J.P. Webster

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  This account of the infamous asylum is "an excellent record of greed and corruption, but it is also a powerful testimonial to compassion and kindness" (Hidden City). 
   
   
   
  The Quaker City and its hospitals were pioneers in the field of mental health. Yet by the end of the nineteenth century, its institutions were crowded and patients lived in shocking conditions. The mentally ill were quartered with the dangerously criminal. By 1906, the city had purchased a vast acreage of farmland incorporated into the city, and the Philadelphia Hospital dubbed its new venture Byberry City Farms. From the start, its history was riddled with corruption and committees, investigations and inquests, appropriations and abuse. Yet it is also a story of reform and redemption, of heroes and human dignity—many dedicated staff members did their best to help patients whose mental illnesses were little understood and were stigmatized by society. 
   
   
   
  "Webster . . . wrote his book because of his fascination with an abandoned building he discovered in 2002. He wanted to tell the story of Byberry, one he believes many people do not fully understand." —Philadelphia Neighborhoods

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  British Cinema - A Very Short...

  Charles Barr

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  Cinema has had a hugely influential role on global culture in the twentieth century at multiple levels: social, political, and educational. The part of British cinema in this has been controversial—often derided as a whole, but also vigorously celebrated, especially in terms of specific films and film-makers. 
   
   
   
  In this Very Short Introduction, Charles Barr considers films and filmmakers, and studios and sponsorship, against the wider view of changing artistic, socio-political, and industrial climates over the decades of the twentieth century. Considering British cinema in the wake of one of the most familiar of cinematic reference points—Alfred Hitchcock—Barr traces how British cinema has developed its own unique path, and has since been celebrated for its innovative approaches and distinctive artistic language.

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  Yassir Arafat: A short biography...

  5 Minutes, 5 Minute Biographies,...

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  Yassir Arafat, leader of the Palestinians and Nobel Peace Prize laureate: Life and work in a short biography! Everything you need to know, brief and concise. Infotainment, education and entertainment at its best!

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