A major history of Afghanistan and its changing political culture Afghanistan traces the historic struggles and the changing nature of political authority in this volatile region of the world, from the Mughal Empire in the sixteenth century to the Taliban resurgence today. Thomas Barfield introduces readers to the bewildering diversity of tribal and ethnic groups in Afghanistan, explaining what unites them as Afghans despite the regional, cultural, and political differences that divide them. He shows how governing these peoples was relatively easy when power was concentrated in a small dynastic elite, but how this delicate political order broke down in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries when Afghanistan's rulers mobilized rural militias to expel first the British and later the Soviets. Armed insurgency proved remarkably successful against the foreign occupiers, but it also undermined the Afghan government's authority and rendered the country ever more difficult to govern as time passed. B

A novel theory of how technological revolutions affect the rise and fall of great powers When scholars and policymakers consider how technological advances affect the rise and fall of great powers, they draw on theories that center the moment of innovation the eureka moment that sparks astonishing technological feats. In this book, Jeffrey Ding offers a different explanation of how technological revolutions affect competition among great powers. Rather than focusing on which state first introduced major innovations, he investigates why some states were more successful than others at adapting and embracing new technologies at scale. Drawing on historical case studies of past industrial revolutions as well as statistical analysis, Ding develops a theory that emphasizes institutional adaptations oriented around diffusing technological advances throughout the entire economy.Examining Britain s rise to preeminence in the First Industrial Revolution, America and Germany s overtaking of Britain in the Second

T. S. Eliot is not only one of the most important poets of thetwentieth century; as literary critic and commentator on cultureand society, his writing continues to be profoundly influential.Every student of English must engage with his writing to understandthe course of modern literature. This book provides the perfectintroduction to key aspects of Eliot's life and work, as well as tothe wider contexts of modernism in which he wrote. John XirosCooper explains how Eliot was influenced by the intellectualclimate of both twentieth-century Britain and America, and how hebecame a key cultural figure on both sides of the Atlantic. Thecontinuing controversies surrounding his writing and his thoughtare also addressed. With a useful guide to further reading, this isthe most informative and accessible introduction to T. S.Eliot. · An accessibly written introduction to Eliot's life, context andworks; ideal for students · Covers all the basics and providesup-to-date knowledge of critical work · Offers tho

Drawing on data from a sample of approximately 17,000 male and female students that represent 200 institutions, The Gender Gap in College examines the impact of college experiences, peer groups, and faculty on a comprehensive array of student outcomes. Author Linda Sax’s approach is unique because she directly examines the interaction between gender and a variety of college experiences, a major inquiry which addresses the fundamental “individualization” question: do women and men respond differently to a given educational experience? The areas covered in the book include academic achievement, self-concept, life goals, career development, physical and emotional health, political and social attitudes, and satisfaction with college. The Gender Gap in College is a pioneering book that reveals the ways in which the effect of college is a function of a student's gender and places the study of college impact within the larger discussion of the gender gap in higher education. The book is designed to serv

The medieval period was one of extraordinary literaryachievement sustained over centuries of great change, anchored bythe Norman invasion and its aftermath, the re-emergence of Englishas the nation"s leading literary language in the fourteenth centuryand the advent of print in the fifteenth. This Companion spans fourfull centuries to survey this most formative and turbulent era inthe history of literature in English. Exploring the period"s keyauthors - Chaucer, Langland, the Gawain-Poet, Margery Kempe, amongmany - and genres - plays, romances, poems and epics - the bookoffers an overview of the riches of medieval writing. The essaysmap out the flourishing field of medieval literary studies andpoint towards new directions and approaches. Designed to beaccessible to students, the book also features a chronology andguide to further reading.

Laurie Beth Jones, management expert and business consultant extraordinaire, noticed that none of the personality/temperament profiles in the market today, none of them provided a tool that was simple, visual, intuitive, and powerful enough to create a shift in thinking as well as relating. So she developed The Path Elements Profile （PEP）, which can be used in recruitment, placement, retention, team building, and customer relations as businesses transform many individuals into a harmonizing, humming force for good. Within the framework of the book will be *ural examples as well as modern day business stories. Based upon the elements of Earth, Water, Wind and Fire, the Path Elements Profile helps determine both individual and team behavioral tendencies that affect everything from career choice to daily "to do" lists. We choose to act on what we value, and each element type values very different things: Fire personality types love and thrive on challenge Water personality types thrive on

Are you getting the most learning value from visuals?Thoroughly revised and updated, Graphics for Learning is thesecond edition of the bestselling book that summarizes theguidelines for the best use of graphics for instructionalmaterials, including multimedia, texts, working aids, and slides.The guidelines are based on the most current empirical scientificresearch and are illustrated with a wealth of examples from diversetraining materials. The authors show how to plan illustrations forvarious types of content, including facts, concepts, processes,procedures, and principles. The book also discusses technical andenvironmental factors that will influence how instructionalprofessionals can apply the guidelines to their trainingprojects.

From the serpentine "Champie" of Lake Champlain to thevenerable "Nessie" of Loch Ness, extraordinary-andun-explained-creatures of the deep have been reported in sightingsthroughout the twentieth century. Now, two of the world's leadingcryptozoological investigators provide a globetrotting field guideto when, where, and what kind of mysterious aquatic beasts havegripped the public-and sometimes the scientific-imagination. Filledwith comprehensive drawings, classifications, and maps, their bookoffers an invaluable and unusual resource for the intrepidlycurious to investigate these sightings firsthand or to simply enjoythe fascinating accounts that others have given.

Either Federal Reserve chair Alan Greenspan has had an amazingly long run of remarkably good luck, or he knows what he's doing and really is what most observers believe him to be, the maestro of the rock-solid prospering American economy. Washington Post reporter Woodward of Watergate fame attempts to write an incisive biography, and yet Greenspan remains an elusive and enigmatic figure. Early in his adulthood he was a devotee of Ayn Rand and once briefly attended Juilliard; he is famed for his elliptical language, and if he gets too explicit, the market strengthens or weakens depending on the direction of his words. De*ions of such behavior are presented by the author, but, unfortunately for listening excitement, Greenspan is neither flamboyant nor given to spectacular intrigue. Much of the book, of course, deals with meetings of the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee which makes headlines whenever it raises or lowers an interest rate. The chairman is evidently very good at prodding, cajoling, and just pl

For Maxine Williams, being married to Blake was an amazing adventure. Brilliant, charismatic, and wholly unpredictable, as an entrepreneur he had made millions and grabbed headlines. His only shortcoming was as a husband, and now they have worked out an odd but amicable divorce, and share three children they both adore. Blake gets to keep his globe-trotting lifestyle - dating a succession of beautiful, famous and very young women - while Maxine raises their kids in Manhattan and pursues her passion, working as a child psychiatrist. Then, everything changes ...

Chelsea Handler is a woman on a mission. She's smart, sassy andnot afraid to speak her mind. From an early age Chelsea knewexactly what she wanted and even in the trickiest of situations,she's never one to pass up an opportunity. Like the time sheconvinced her third-grade class she was shooting movies with GoldieHawn on location in the Galapagos just to get them to like her, orwhen she spent the night in a women's prison, contemplating anaffair with the inmate who killed her own sister. Chelsea it seems,has done it all, and a whole lot more...Any mishaps along the wayjust spur Chelsea on further. Whether she is being dry-humped by asumo masseur, dumped by her Big Red experiment or kicked out of aLondon restaurant with her pants down, Chelsea is always armed withan unshakable disregard for rules and is incapable of leading aquiet life. "Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea" is anentertaining memoir-in-stories that will have you rolling aroundwith laughter.

The Cambridge Companion to Archaic Greece provides awide-ranging synthesis of history, society, and culture during theformative period of Ancient Greece, from the Age of Homer in thelate eighth century to the Persian Wars of 490-480 BC. In tenclearly written and succinct chapters, leading scholars from aroundthe English-speaking world treat all aspects of the civilization ofArchaic Greece, from social, political, and military history toearly achievements in poetry, philosophy, and the visual arts.Archaic Greece was an age of experimentation and intellectualferment that laid the foundations for much of Western thought andculture. Individual Greek city-states rose to great power andwealth, and after a long period of isolation, many cities sent outcolonies that spread Hellenism to all corners of the Mediterraneanworld. This Companion offers a vivid and fully documented accountof this critical stage in the history of the West.