From the writer of the award-winning Game of Thrones series for HBO based on the books of George R. R. Martin. Over the course of eight tales, often with an appealing touch of the surreal, we are introduced to a record comany exec searching for a rock star, an inexperienced Russian soldier trapped between his murderous colleagues and a clever old woman, a faded football star recalling his lost chance at love, an acress who has a shot at a role that will free her from a lifetime of waitressing, a young man who kidnap's his ex-girlfriend's father's ashes, and other young people on the cusp of discovery, jubilation or loss. As he evokes the various states of agony and pleasure - humiliation, rebellion, cameraderie, and desire - Benioff displays a profound understanding of how single moments lead to transformation, and how sadness can be illuminated by a humorous flip side.

Were it not for the calculus, mathematicians would have no way to describe the acceleration of a motorcycle or the effect of gravity on thrown balls and distant planets, or to prove that a man could cross a room and eventually touch the opposite wall. Just how calculus makes these things possible and in doing so finds a correspondence between real numbers and the real world is the subject of this dazzling book by a writer of extraordinary clarity and stylistic brio. Even as he initiates us into the mysteries of real numbers, functions, and limits, Berlinski explores the furthest implications of his subject, revealing how the calculus reconciles the precision of numbers with the fluidity of the changing universe. "An odd and tantalizing book by a writer who takes immense pleasure in this great mathematical tool, and tries to create it in others."--New York Times Book Review

"Never before has there been a greater need for deeper listening and more open communication to cope with the complex problems facing our organizations, businesses and societies. Renowned scientist David Bohm believed there was a better way for humanity to discover meaning and to achieve harmony. He identified creative dialogue, a sharing of assumptions and understanding, as a means by which the individual, and society as a whole, can learn more about themselves and others, and achieve a renewed sense of purpose"--amazon.com.

Strange visitors throw a planet of refugees into chaos in this science fiction adventure by the author of New York Times bestseller The Uplift War . Book One in the Uplift Storm Trilogy Centuries ago, the Buyur race abandoned Jijo. Now off-limits to settlers, it's warded by guardian machines who will protect the planet until the Institutes of the Five Galaxies declare Jijo ready--in another million years--for new civilization. But mere laws and guardians can't keep out the desperate. Clandestine bands of "sooners" have sneaked down to the lonely planet. Six intelligent races--all refugees--have bickered . . . then built a new society in the wilds of Jijo, hidden beneath forest canopies. Together they live in harmony--and in fear of the day their illegal colony will be discovered and judgment from the Five Galaxies will rain down upon them. One day a strange starship finally does appear on Jijo. But its owners do not bring law or judgment. Only dire secrets. And they'll do whatever it takes to keep them . . . This book features a new introduction by the author. Hugo Award Finalist "A captivating read . . . Brightness Reef leaves you looking forward to more. It's a worthy addition to what promises to be a great science fiction series." -- Star Tribune "Brin is a skillful storyteller. . . . There is more than enough action to keep the book exciting, and like all good serials, the first volume ends with a bang." -- The Plain Dealer "A universe that's immensely appealing, leaving readers hungry for more of this exciting, epic adventure." -- Publishers Weekly "Tremendously inventive, ambitious work." -- Kirkus Review s "A timely, science fictional contemplation of the refugee experience."-- Santa Fe Reporter

A science-fiction novel featuring many kinds of robots. One is a robot wife, another is a wise robot who is 20,000 years old, a third is a robot who has equal rights with humans. The story centers on a man sent to the future to solve present problems.

Prepare for a harrowing ride through the universe by the New York Times -bestselling author of Startide Rising and The Postman. Book Three in the Uplift Storm Trilogy The peaceful existence of six outcast races on Jijo has ended. Ancient enemies, the Jophur, have discovered them, preparing to subject the refugees to their dark, perverted plans. The Jijoans' only hope is the same ship that accidently led their foes to the planet. The Earthship Streaker , with its crew of uplifted dolphins and a human commander, must somehow lure the Jophur into a chase through space . . . into the unknown. And then into the weird . More than just the fate of Jijo--or that of distant Earth, also suffering a deadly siege--hangs in the balance. Some believe a terrifying prophecy is about to come true, one that involves Streaker 's trove of artifacts coveted by factions throughout all Five Galaxies. As countless white dwarf stars verge on unexpected explosion, all sentient life in the universe appears to be at risk unless someone can save them. Praise for the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning Uplift Saga "The Uplift books are as compulsive reading as anything ever published in the genre." -- The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction "An extraordinary achievement." --Poul Anderson, award-winning author of Tau Zero ,on Startide Rising "An exhilarating read that encompasses everything from breathless action to finely drawn moments of quiet intimacy." -- Locus on The Uplift War "Tremendously inventive, ambitious work." -- Kirkus Reviews on Brightness Reef

A once peaceful planet of refugees faces complete annihilation in this hard science fiction sequel to Brightness Reef . Book Two in the Uplift Storm Trilogy It's illegal to occupy the planet Jijo, but six castaway races have managed to coexist there for some time. They've successfully hidden from watchful law enforcers of the Five Galaxies--until now . . . After making an amazing discovery far away--a derelict armada whose mere existence triggered interstellar war--the Terran exploration vessel Streaker and its crew of humans and dolphins arrive at Jijo in search of sanctuary from the Galactic forces out to destroy them. But they were followed. As behemoth Galactic starships descend upon Jijo, heroic--and terrifying--choices must be made. Together, human and alien settlers must choose whether to fight the invaders or join them. The crew of the Streaker , meanwhile, discovers something that just might save Jijo and its inhabitants . . . or destroy every last one of them. "Well paced, immensely complex, highly literate . . . Superior SF." -- Publishers Weekly , starred review "An imaginative drama of excitement and wonder . . . The sheer virtuosity of the prose alone makes this book worth reading." --SF Site

In New York and Baltimore, police cameras scan public areas twenty-four hours a day. Huge commercial databases track you finances and sell that information to anyone willing to pay. Host sites on the World Wide Web record every page you view, and “smart” toll roads know where you drive. Every day, new technology nibbles at our privacy.Does that make you nervous? David Brin is worried, but not just about privacy. He fears that society will overreact to these technologies by restricting the flow of information, frantically enforcing a reign of secrecy. Such measures, he warns, won't really preserve our privacy. Governments, the wealthy, criminals, and the techno-elite will still find ways to watch us. But we'll have fewer ways to watch them. We'll lose the key to a free society: accountability. The Transparent Society is a call for “reciprocal transparency.” If police cameras watch us, shouldn't we be able to watch police stations? If credit bureaus sell our data, shouldn't we know who buys it? Rather than cling to an illusion of anonymity-a historical anomaly, given our origins in close-knit villages-we should focus on guarding the most important forms of privacy and preserving mutual accountability. The biggest threat to our freedom, Brin warns, is that surveillance technology will be used by too few people, now by too many.A society of glass houses may seem too fragile. Fearing technology-aided crime, governments seek to restrict online anonymity; fearing technology-aided tyranny, citizens call for encrypting all data. Brins shows how, contrary to both approaches, windows offer us much better protection than walls; after all, the strongest deterrent against snooping has always been the fear of being spotted. Furthermore, Brin argues, Western culture now encourages eccentricity-we're programmed to rebel! That gives our society a natural protection against error and wrong-doing, like a body's immune system. But “social T-cells” need openness to spot trouble and get the word out. The Transparent Society is full of such provocative and far-reaching analysis.The inescapable rush of technology is forcing us to make new choices about how we want to live. This daring book reminds us that an open society is more robust and flexible than one where secrecy reigns. In an era of gnat-sized cameras, universal databases, and clothes-penetrating radar, it will be more vital than ever for us to be able to watch the watchers. With reciprocal transparency we can detect dangers early and expose wrong-doers. We can gauge the credibility of pundits and politicians. We can share technological advances and news. But all of these benefits depend on the free, two-way flow of information.

Winner of several national awards including the 1967 Pulitzer Prize, this classic study by David Brion Davis has given new direction to the historical and sociological research of society's attitude towards slavery. Davis depicts the various ways different societies have responded to the intrinsic contradictions of slavery from antiquity to the early 1770's in order to establish the uniqueness of the abolitionists' response. While slavery has always caused considerable social and psychological tension, Western culture has associated it with certain religious and philosophical doctrines that gave it the highest sanction. The contradiction of slavery grew more profound when it became closely linked with American colonization, which had as its basic foundation the desire and opportunity to create a more perfect society. Davis provides a comparative analysis of slave systems in the Old World, a discussion of the early attitudes towards American slavery, and a detailed exploration of the early protests against Negro bondage, as well as the religious, literary, and philosophical developments that contributed to both sides in the controversies of the late eighteenth century. This exemplary introduction to the history of slavery in Western culture presents the traditions in thought and value that gave rise to the attitudes of both abolitionists and defenders of slavery in the late eighteenth century as well as the nineteenth century.

David Brion Davis's books on the history of slavery reflect some of the most distinguished and influential thinking on the subject to appear in the past generation. The Problem of Slavery in the Age of Revolution, the sequel to Davis's Pulitzer Prize-winning The Problem of Slavery in Western Culture and the second volume of a proposed trilogy, is a truly monumental work of historical scholarship that first appeared in 1975 to critical acclaim both academic and literary. This reprint of that important work includes a new preface by the author, in which he situates the book's argument within the historiographic debates of the last two decades.

David Brion Davis's books on the history of slavery reflect some of the most distinguished and influential thinking on the subject to appear in the past generation. The Problem of Slavery in the Age of Revolution, the sequel to Davis's Pulitzer Prize-winning The Problem of Slavery in Western Culture and the second volume of a proposed trilogy, is a truly monumental work of historical scholarship that first appeared in 1975 to critical acclaim both academic and literary. This reprint of that important work includes a new preface by the author, in which he situates the book's argument within the historiographic debates of the last two decades.

This legendary tournament features 210 hotly contested games, many of them masterpieces of the first rank. The first authoritative English translation from the Russian, this volume was written by one of the leading competitors. Its perceptive coverage includes games by Smyslov, Keres, Reshevsky, Petrosian, and 11 others. Algebraic notation. 352 diagrams.

David Cameron was elected Conservative leader in 2005, promising to modernize the party following its three successive electoral defeats. He became Prime Minister in 2010, forming Britain’s first coalition government in 70 years, at a moment of economic crisis, and went on to win the first outright Conservative majority for 23 years at the 2015 general election. In For the Record, he will explain how the governments he led transformed the UK economy while implementing a modern, compassionate agenda that included reforming education and welfare, legalizing gay marriage, honoring the UK’s commitment to overseas aid and spearheading environmental policies. He will shed light on the seminal world events of his premiership—the Arab Spring; the rise of ISIS; the invasion of Ukraine; the conflicts in Libya, Iraq and Syria—as well as events at home, from the Olympic Games in 2012 to the Scottish referendum. He will provide, for the first time, his perspective on the EU referendum and his views on the future of Britain’s place in the world following Brexit. Revealing the battles and achievements of his life and career in intimate and frank detail, For the Record will be an important assessment of the significant political events of the last decade, the nature of power and the role of leadership at a time of profound global change.

"Based on decades of scholarship, documentation newly available from the opening of Soviet archives, declassification of Western intelligence service records, as well as diaries and reports written in the camps, Cesarani provides a sweeping reappraisal that challenges accepted explanations for the anti-Jewish politics of Nazi Germany and the inevitability of the 'final solution.' The persecution of the Jews, as Cesarani sees it, was not always the Nazis’ central preoccupation, nor was it inevitable. He shows how, in German-occupied countries, it unfolded erratically, often due to local initiatives. For Cesarani, war was critical to the Jewish fate. Military failure denied the Germans opportunities to expel Jews into a distant territory and created a crisis of resources that led to the starvation of the ghettos and intensified anti-Jewish measures. Looking at the historical record, he disputes the iconic role of railways and deportation trains. From prisoner diaries, he exposes the extent of sexual violence and abuse of Jewish women and follows the journey of some Jewish prisoners to displaced persons camps. David Cesarani’s Final Solution is the new standard chronicle of the fate of a heroic people caught in the hell that was Hitler’s Germany."--Amazon.com.

'Crash' was awarded the Special Jury Prize at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival for its audacity, daring and originality. Based on J.G. Ballard's novel, the film is a complex work in which Cronenberg depicts, with shocking beauty, a world in which humans align their minds, bodies and sexuality to the technology of cars. Set in a bleak, passionless world of multi-lane freeways, Crash presents the story of James Ballard and his wife Catherine, whose search for authentic experience leads them into a relationship with a renegade scientist who seeks sexual release by crashing into cars on the freeway. In translating the world of J.G Ballard's 'Crash' into the language of the screen, Cronenberg has fashioned a script which is rigorous and taut, but suffused with emotional intensity and a deep feeling for human fraility and decay.

Learning to talk is probably the greatest milestone in a child's development, a deeply moving and often hilarious experience for all parents. It is also a process which has been intensively studied by psychologists and linguists in recent years; this charming an informative book by one of Britain's best known writers on linguistics shows us what they have discovered.

This book brings together - in an informal and tutorial fashion - the computer techniques, mathematical tools, and research results that will enable both students and practitioners to apply genetic algorithms to problems in many fields. Major concepts are illustrated with running examples, and major algorithms are illustrated by Pascal computer programs. No prior knowledge of GAs or genetics is assumed, and only a minimum of computer programming and mathematics background is required. 0201157675B07092001

Brain and Behavior: A Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective addresses the central aims of cognitive neuroscience, seeking to examine the brain not only by its components but also by their functions. It highlights the principles, discoveries, and remaining mysteries of modern cognitive neuroscience. Brain and Behavior covers a wide swath of territory critical for understanding the brain, from the basics of the nervous system, to sensory and motor systems, sleep, language, memory, emotions and motivation, social cognition, and brain disorders. Throughout the narrative, the authors emphasize the dynamically changing nature of the brain, through the mechanisms of neuroplasticity. Wherever possible, they refer to elements of neuroscience that are encountered in everyday life. Key points and concepts are illustrated using case studies of rare but illuminating brain disorders. Brain and Behavior pulls together the best current knowledge about the brain while acknowledging current areas of ignorance and pointing students towards the most promising directions for future research.