Historia & samhälle

The Times, Observer, Financial Times, New Statesman and Times Literary Supplement Books of the Year 2014Michael Lewis, the Master of the Big Story, is back with Flash BoysIf you thought Wall Street was about alpha males standing in trading pits hollering at each other, think again. That world is dead.Now, the world's money is traded by computer code, inside black boxes in heavily guarded buildings. Even the experts entrusted with your cash don't know what's happening to it. And the very few who do aren't about to tell - because they're making a killing.This is a market that's rigged, out of control and out of sight; a market in which the chief need is for speed; and in which traders would sell their grandmothers for a microsecond. Blink, and you'll miss it.In Flash Boys, Michael Lewis tells the explosive story of how one group of ingenious oddballs and misfits set out to expose what was going on. It's the story of what it's like to declare war on some of the richest and most powerful people in the world. It's about taking on an entire system. And it's about the madness that has taken hold of the financial markets today.You won't believe it until you've read it.'I read Michael Lewis for the same reasons I watch Tiger Woods. I'll never play like that. But it's good to be reminded every now and again what genius looks like' - Malcolm Gladwell'Probably the best current writer in America' - Tom Wolfe

NOW A FEATURE DOCUMENTARY FILM NARRATED BY NATALIE PORTMANFrom the bestselling author of the essential new 2019 book on animal agriculture and climate crisis: We are the WeatherDiscover Jonathan Safran Foer's eye-opening and life-changing account of the meat we eat'Should be compulsory reading. A genuine masterwork. Read this book. It will change you' Time Out'Shocking, incandescent, brilliant' The Times'Everyone who eats flesh should read this book' Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall'Universally compelling. Jonathan Safran Foer's book changed me' Natalie Portman 'Gripping [and] original. A brilliant synthesis of argument, science and storytelling. One of the finest books ever written on the subject of eating animals' Times Literary Supplement'Horrifying, eloquent, timely' Spectator'If you eat meat and fish, you should read this book. Even if you don't, you should. It might bring the beginning of a change of heart about all living things' Joanna Lumley Eating Animals is the most original and urgent book on the subject of food written this century. It will change the way you think, and change the way you eat. For good.Whether you're flirting with veganuary, trying to cut back on animal consumption, or a lifelong meat-eater, you need to read this book.

The Avocado Book is a celebration of the world's most instagrammed fruit.

The story of the toughest fighting unit in WWII that was a major BBC mini-series produced by Tom Hanks and Stephen Spielberg

The perfect gift for anyone interested in Irish folklore. These lrish tales are reprinted from nineteenth-century sources, but they date back to a centuries-old oral tradition of storytelling that had yet to be committed to the printed page. They were passed down through the ages virtually unaltered and feature a wide variety of fantastic beings.

He uncovers clues that lead him to travel to the depths of the Amazon rainforest to drink the powerful plant hallucinogen Ayahuasca with Indian shamans, whose paintings contain images of "supernatural beings" identical to the animal-human hybrids depicted in prehistoric caves and rock shelters.

A truly contemporary take on how to be a witch, Rebel Witch is an antidote to the cookie-cutter witchcraft agenda that gives a new perspective on the craft, asking each reader to create a powerful, personalized practice that taps into the current mood of female empowerment and spiritual rebellion.

A therapeutic workbook that will activate your mind and body in healing Complex-PTSD.

The secret to happiness is to acknowledge and transform suffering, not to run away from it. In No Mud, No Lotus, Thich Nhat Hanh offers practices and inspiration transforming suffering and finding true joy.Thich Nhat Hanh acknowledges that because suffering can feel so bad, we try to run away from it or cover it up by consuming. We find something to eat or turn on the television. But unless were able to face our suffering, we cant be present and available to life, and happiness will continue to elude us.Nhat Hanh shares how the practices of stopping, mindful breathing, and deep concentration can generate the energy of mindfulness within our daily lives. With that energy, we can embrace pain and calm it down, instantly bringing a measure of freedom and a clearer mind.No Mud, No Lotus introduces ways to be in touch with suffering without being overwhelmed by it. "e;When we know how to suffer,"e; Nhat Hanh says, "e;we suffer much, much less."e; With his signature clarity and sense of joy, Thich Nhat Hanh helps us recognize the wonders inside us and around us that we tend to take for granted and teaches us the art of happiness.

From the best-selling author of Americanah and We Should All Be Feminists comes a powerful new statement about feminism today - written as a letter to a friend.I have some suggestions for how to raise Chizalum. But remember that you might do all the things I suggest, and she will still turn out to be different from what you hoped, because sometimes life just does its thing. What matters is that you try.In We Should All be Feminists, her eloquently argued and much admired essay of 2014, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie proposed that if we want a fairer world we need to raise our sons and daughters differently. Here, in this remarkable new book, Adichie replies by letter to a friend's request for help on how to bring up her newborn baby girl as a feminist. With its fifteen pieces of practical advice it goes right to the heart of sexual politics in the twenty-first century.

'Pink is my favourite colour. I used to say my favourite colour was black to be cool, but it is pink all shades of pink. If I have an accessory, it is probably pink. I read Vogue, and I m not doing it ironically, though it might seem that way. I once live-tweeted the September issue.'In these funny and insightful essays, Roxane Gay takes us through the journey of her evolution as a woman (Sweet Valley High) of colour (The Help) while also taking readers on a ride through culture of the last few years (Girls, Django in Chains) and commenting on the state of feminism today (abortion, Chris Brown). The portrait that emerges is not only one of an incredibly insightful woman continually growing to understand herself and our society, but also one of our culture.Bad Feminist is a sharp, funny and sincere look at the ways in which the culture we consume becomes who we are, and an inspiring call-to-arms of all the ways we still need to do better.

Now the basis of a major Radio 4 drama, Maya Angelou's debut memoir paints a portrait of 'a brilliant writer, a fierce friend and a truly phenomenal woman' (Barack Obama)Maya Angelou's debut memoir has become an classic beloved worldwide. Her six volumes of autobiography are a testament to the her talents and resilience.. Loving the world, she also knows its cruelty. As a Black woman she has known discrimination and extreme poverty, but also hope, joy, achievement and celebration. In this first volume of her six books of autobiography, Maya Angelou beautifully evokes her childhood with her grandmother in the American south of the 1930s. She learns the power of the white folks at the other end of town and suffers the terrible trauma of rape by her mother's lover. However, far from being dispiriting, James Baldwin writes, 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings liberates the reader into life simply because Maya Angelou confronts her own life with such a moving wonder, such a luminous dignity.''I write about being a Black American woman, however, I am always talking about what it's like to be a human being. This is how we are, what makes us laugh, and this is how we fall and how we somehow, amazingly, stand up again' Maya Angelou

Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization, and helped make us who we are.

From award-winning historian Serhii Plokhy, The Gates of Europe is the definitive history of Ukraine that helps us understand the country's past and the current crisisLocated at the western edge of the Eurasian steppe, Ukraine has long been the meeting place of empires - Roman to Ottoman, Habsburg to Russian - and they all left their imprint on the landscape, the language and the people living within these shifting borders. In this authoritative book, Serhii Plokhy traces the history of Ukraine from the arrival of the Vikings in the tenth century to the current Russian invasion of eastern Ukraine and annexation of Crimea. Fascinating and multi-layered, The Gates of Europe is the essential guide to understanding not just Ukraine's past but also its future.

Nordic Tales is a collection of 16 traditional tales from the enchanting world of Nordic folklore.Translated and transcribed by folklorists in the 19th century, these stories are at once magical, hilarious, cozy, and chilling.Welcome to a world of mystical adventure—where trolls haunt the snowy forests, terrifying monsters roam the open sea, a young woman journeys to the end of the world, and a boy proves he knows no fear.• Offers a fascinating view into Nordic culture• The tales come alive alongside bold, contemporary art• Part of the popular Tales series, featuring Tales of Japan, Celtic Tales, Tales of India, and Tales of East AfricaNordic Tales will enthrall fans of fairytales and captivate those interested in the rich history of Nordic culture.Ulla Thynell''s glowing contemporary illustrations accompany each tale, conjuring dragons, princesses, and the northern lights.• A visually gorgeous book that will be at home on the shelf or on the coffee table• A perfect gift for fairy tale and folklore lovers, fans of Nordic culture, people of Nordic ancestry, collectors of illustrated classics, and bibliophiles looking for a comforting wintertime read• Add it to the collection of books like D''Aulaires'' Book of Norse Myths by Ingri d''Aulaire and Edgar Parin d''Aulaire, Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman, and Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton.People who love Greek mythology, roman mythology, Chinese mythology, Celtic mythology, and folklore and cultural studies from around the globe will love Nordic Tales.

The iconic text in its original 13 short chapters printed unencumbered by notesThe text repeated, this time interspersed with selected extracts from the canon of traditional Chinese commentators who have explained Sun Tzu's wisdom over the centuries;

Joan Didion's hugely influential collection of essays which defines, for many, the America which rose from the ashes of the Sixties.

The book that inspired Steven Spielberg's acclaimed TV series, produced by Tom Hanks and starring Damian Lewis.

Offers you an opportunity to internalize and directly experience the great wisdom of the Tao Te Ching, a collection of verses authored by the Chinese prophet Lao-Tzu. This title provides you guidance on virtually every area of human existence. It is a new way of thinking in a world that needs to recapture its ancient teachings.

The definitive guide to yogic breathing from B.K.S. Iyengar, the world's most respected yoga teacher.

Sam Harris, bestselling author of THE END OF FAITH takes on one of today's liveliest issues: whether or not we actually have free will.

Over the course of 30 years Edward S. Curtis exhaustively documented America's first inhabitants. Follow along on his visits to 80 American Indian tribes from the Mexican border to the Bering Strait-working up to 16 hours a day to gain their trust and document their traditional way of life as it was already beginning to die out. This unabridged,...

The essential companion to the phenomenal bestseller THE POWER OF NOW

A fresh new jacket design brings this classic self-help guide up to date for a contemporary readership. One of the forerunners to today's pop psych market along with Women Who Love Too Much, this multimillion bestseller shows us how anger affects women's relationships and explains how to turn this often destructive force into a constructive one.