Just Thinking about the State
Author: Darrell Harrison
Publisher:
Published: 2021-09
Total Pages:
ISBN-13: 9781943539239
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An Untamed State
Author: Roxane Gay
Publisher: Open Road + Grove/Atlantic
Published: 2014-05-06
Total Pages: 332
ISBN-13: 080219267X
DOWNLOAD EBOOKA Haitian American woman survives a brutal kidnapping in this “commanding debut novel” from the New York Times–bestselling author of Bad Feminist (The New Yorker). Author and essayist Roxane Gay is celebrated for her incisive commentary on identity and culture, as well as for her bestselling nonfiction and short story collections. Now, with An Untamed State, she delivers a “breathtaking debut novel” (The Guardian, UK) of wealth in the face of crushing poverty, and the lawless anger produced by corrupt governments. Mireille Duval Jameson is living a fairy tale. The strong-willed youngest daughter of one of Haiti’s richest sons, she lives in the United States with her adoring husband and infant son, returning every summer to stay on her father’s Port-au-Prince estate. But the fairy tale ends when Mireille is kidnapped in broad daylight by a gang of heavily armed men, just outside the estate walls. Held captive by a man who calls himself The Commander, Mireille waits for her father to pay her ransom. As her father’s standoff with the kidnappers stretches out into days, Mireille must endure the torments of a man who despises everything she represents. An Untamed State is a “breathless, artful, disturbing and original” story of a willful woman attempting to find her way back to the person she once was, and of how redemption is found in the most unexpected of places (Meg Wolitzer, author of The Interestings).
The Elephant in the Brain
Author: Kevin Simler
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 2018
Total Pages: 417
ISBN-13: 0190495995
DOWNLOAD EBOOKHuman beings are primates, and primates are political animals. Our brains, therefore, are designed not just to hunt and gather, but also to help us get ahead socially, often via deception and self-deception. But while we may be self-interested schemers, we benefit by pretending otherwise. The less we know about our own ugly motives, the better - and thus we don't like to talk or even think about the extent of our selfishness. This is the elephant in the brain. Such an introspective taboo makes it hard for us to think clearly about our nature and the explanations for our behavior. The aim of this book, then, is to confront our hidden motives directly - to track down the darker, unexamined corners of our psyches and blast them with floodlights. Then, once everything is clearly visible, we can work to better understand ourselves: Why do we laugh? Why are artists sexy? Why do we brag about travel? Why do we prefer to speak rather than listen? Our unconscious motives drive more than just our private behavior; they also infect our venerated social institutions such as Art, School, Charity, Medicine, Politics, and Religion. In fact, these institutions are in many ways designed to accommodate our hidden motives, to serve covert agendas alongside their official ones. The existence of big hidden motives can upend the usual political debates, leading one to question the legitimacy of these social institutions, and of standard policies designed to favor or discourage them. You won't see yourself - or the world - the same after confronting the elephant in the brain.
Best. State. Ever.
Author: Dave Barry
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2017-09-05
Total Pages: 242
ISBN-13: 1101982616
DOWNLOAD EBOOKA New York Times bestseller—a brilliantly funny exploration of the Sunshine State from the man who knows it best: Pulitzer Prize winner Dave Barry. We never know what will happen next in Florida. We know only that, any minute now, something will. Every few months, Dave Barry gets a call from some media person wanting to know, “What the hell is wrong with Florida?” Somehow, the state's acquired an image as a subtropical festival of stupid, and as a loyal Floridian, Dave begs to differ. Join him as he goes in hunt of the legendary Skunk Ape; hobnobs with the mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs; and visits Cassadaga, the psychic capital of the world, to have his dog's aura read (apparently, she's "very spiritual"). Hitch a ride for the non-stop thrills of alligator-wrestling ("the gators display the same fighting spirit as a Barcalounger"), the hair-raising spectacle of a clothing-optional bar in Key West, and the manly manliness of the Machine Gun Experience in Miami. It's the most hilarious book yet from “the funniest damn writer in the whole country” (Carl Hiaasen, and he should know). By the end, you'll have to admit that whatever else you might think about Florida—you can never say it's boring.
The Kindness Book
Author: Todd Parr
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 2019-10-01
Total Pages: 36
ISBN-13: 031653398X
DOWNLOAD EBOOKNew York Times bestselling author Todd Parr uses his signature blend of playfulness and sensitivity to explore the value and joy in being kind to others. With his colorful illustrations, playful humor, and inclusive storytelling, beloved author Todd Parr has long been a favorite among young readers and caregivers. His books promote an essential message of love and acceptance that is inspiring, empowering, and accessible. Kindness is listening. Kindness is saying sorry. Kindness is helping things grow. With his trademark bright colors and bold lines, Todd Parr takes on a topic more important than ever: being kind to each other. No matter what, you can always choose to be kind—and what a wonderful thing to be! The Kindness Book is the perfect introduction to a timely and timeless concept, and a great way to instill empathy from a young age.
The State You're In
Author: Craig Pittman
Publisher: University Press of Florida
Published: 2021-08-09
Total Pages: 296
ISBN-13: 0813065968
DOWNLOAD EBOOKJump into the wacky, wild world of Florida For more than 30 years, investigative journalist and New York Times bestselling author Craig Pittman has chronicled the wildest stories Florida has to offer. Featuring a selection of columns that have appeared in the Tampa Bay Times and other outlets throughout Pittman’s career, this book highlights just how strange and wonderful Florida can be. With a folksy style, an eye for the absurd, and a passion for the history and environment of his home state, Pittman describes some of Florida’s oddest wildlife as well as its quirkiest people. The State You’re In includes a love story involving the most tattooed woman in the world, a deep dive into the state’s professional mermaid industry, and an investigation of a battle between residents of a nudist resort and the U.S. Postal Service. Pittman introduces readers to a who’s who of Florida crime fiction, a what’s what of exotic animals, and an array of beloved places he’s seen change rapidly in his lifetime. Many of these stories are funny, some are serious, and several offer rare insights into the heart of the Sunshine State. For Pittman, Florida is both inspiring and dangerous—an “evolutionary test” for those who live in it. Together these pieces paint a complex picture of a fascinating state longing for an identity beyond palm trees and punchlines.
I'm Right and You're an Idiot
Author: James Hoggan
Publisher: New Society Publishers
Published: 2016-05-01
Total Pages: 275
ISBN-13: 1550926128
DOWNLOAD EBOOKClearing the air: reclaiming public discourse in a polluted public square The most pressing environmental problem we face today is not climate change. It is pollution in the public square, where a smog of adversarial rhetoric, propaganda and polarization stifles discussion and debate, creating resistance to change and thwarting our ability to solve our collective problems. In I'm Right and You're an Idiot , author and David Suzuki Foundation chair James Hoggan grapples with this critical issue, conducting interviews with outstanding thinkers from the Himalaya to the House of Lords. Drawing on the wisdom of such notables as Thich Nhat Hanh, Noam Chomsky, and the Dalai Lama, his comprehensive analysis explores: How trust is undermined and misinformation thrives in today's public dialogue Why facts alone fail — the manipulation of language and the silencing of dissent The importance of reframing our arguments with empathy and values to create compelling narratives and spur action. Our species' greatest survival strategy has always been foresight and the ability to leverage our intelligence to overcome adversity. For too long now this capacity has been threatened by the sorry state of our public discourse. Focusing on proven techniques to foster more powerful and effective communication, I'm Right and You're an Idiot will appeal to readers looking for both deep insights and practical advice.
Count on Us
Author: Michael Shoulders
Publisher:
Published: 2003
Total Pages: 0
ISBN-13: 9781585361311
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThis fun colorful, and superbly informative book teaches children about numbers using recognizable places, events, and facts from the state of Tennessee.
Single State of Mind
Author: Andi Dorfman
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2018-01-09
Total Pages: 288
ISBN-13: 1501174231
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe breakout star of ABC’s The Bachelorette and New York Times bestselling author of It’s Not Okay returns with a “relatable AF” (Cosmopolitan) collection of her adventures as a still-single gal surviving and thriving in New York City. Sharing moments like finding her first New York apartment (the front door broke so she had to use the fire escape), her first dates on “celebrity Tinder” (just as bad as regular Tinder) and finally, watching her ex-fiancé propose to another woman on Bachelor in Paradise, Andi Dorfman doesn’t shy away from pulling back the curtain on the life of a reality star who’s returned to reality. Once again, Dorfman “doesn’t hold back” (HuffPost) as she recounts her romantic mishaps, city adventures, and, of course, insider Bachelor experiences. Single State of Mind is Sex and the City for the reality TV generation.
Capital City
Author: Samuel Stein
Publisher: Verso Books
Published: 2019-03-05
Total Pages: 243
ISBN-13: 1786636387
DOWNLOAD EBOOK“This superbly succinct and incisive book” on urban planning and real estate argues gentrification isn’t driven by latte-sipping hipsters—but is engineered by the capitalist state (Michael Sorkin, author of All Over the Map) Our cities are changing. Around the world, more and more money is being invested in buildings and land. Real estate is now a $217 trillion dollar industry, worth thirty-six times the value of all the gold ever mined. It forms sixty percent of global assets, and one of the most powerful people in the world—the former president of the United States—made his name as a landlord and developer. Samuel Stein shows that this explosive transformation of urban life and politics has been driven not only by the tastes of wealthy newcomers, but by the state-driven process of urban planning. Planning agencies provide a unique window into the ways the state uses and is used by capital, and the means by which urban renovations are translated into rising real estate values and rising rents. Capital City explains the role of planners in the real estate state, as well as the remarkable power of planning to reclaim urban life.
