Collection: Adult

A renowned political scientist's searing explanation for the rightward turn of global politics since the end of the Cold War.

"A compelling analysis--profoundly challenging to so many Western assumptions--with an admirable blend of realism, imagination, unflinching criticism, and generosity." ―Rory Stewart, author The Places in Between

The collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989 ushered in an era of tremendous political optimism: communism was receding and democracy was on the march in Eastern Europe, Latin America, and much of Asia. Even surviving communist regimes were adopting capitalism, and the stagflation of the 1970s and industrial strife of the 1980s were in the rearview mirror.

Four decades later, euphoria has given way to resentment and pessimism. Britain left the EU, Donald Trump's populist crusade gained him the White House not once, but twice, and right-wing parties have gained power across Europe and other parts of the world on a scale not seen since the 1930s. What happened?

In After the Fall, pre-eminent political scientist Ian Shapiro argues that the current crisis was far from inevitable. Politicians made consistently bad choices on topics ranging from NATO's future to the War on Terror to humanitarian intervention and the governance of their economies. In doing so, they fostered a crisis of confidence in political institutions, empowered anti-system parties and candidates, and produced a new Cold War as dangerous as the last.

By scrutinizing the roads not taken by politicians in the past, Shapiro maps out what better futures might still be possible.

Where should you hike next? Discover 96 spectacular hiking trails around the world and the best times to explore them in this inspiring month-by-month trip planner.

Get ready for the hike of a lifetime with this ultimate guide to a year's worth of amazing hiking experiences. Perfect for hikers of all skill levels looking for their next challenge in the great outdoors with ideas for multi-day walks and epic treks-from Spain's Camino Francés, California's high sierras on the John Muir Trail, South Africa's coastal Strandloper Trail and many more.

Inside Where to Go When Hiking:

• 96 incredible hikes around the globe for every month of the year
• Chapters include planning flowcharts to help you choose your ideal trek
• Each month highlights 8 hikes varying in skill from short micro-adventures to multi-day walks and long-distance trails
• Includes route maps, breathtaking nature photography, and expert insights on what makes each hike unmissable
• Covers essential details: start/finish points, distance, duration, challenge level, when to go, permit info, safety, getting there, accommodation, food and more
• Written by Sarah Baxter, author of A History of the World in 500 Walks, The Inspired Traveller's Guide to Spiritual Places, and Lonely Planet's Where to Go When; and Paul Bloomfield, a contributing author to numerous books about travel, hiking, cycling and treks in the UK and across the world

Lace-up your hiking boots and explore the globe's greatest treks and trails with Where to Go When Hiking. Continuing Lonely Planet's bestselling series including Where to Go When and Where to Go When with Kids, this comprehensive guide is a must for keen hikers and travellers who want to explore more of our world on foot.

Nearly 100 unique, seasonal, stunning container garden designs from the beloved brand Terrain

Every season, Terrain customers flock to their stores for one-of-a-kind container plantings that are at once naturalistic and restrained, unconventional and sophisticated. From tabletop troughs of succulents to stately trees planted in grand urns, each design is unique--and uniquely Terrain. In this book, they've distilled the guiding principles behind their approach in dozens of showstopping planters, from ebullient spring bulbs to festive winter evergreens.

In keeping with their nature-led ethos, they've organized the book by season, and each chapter offers specific plant and design ideas that align with the natural beauty and resources of that time of year. Throughout, readers will find practical advice on container silhouettes, materials, drainage, soil mixes and more to support healthy growth. And each vibrant planter is captured in gorgeous original photography that celebrates Terrain's signature perfectly imperfect style and shows that container gardens belong anywhere, from petite urban patios to sprawling rural backyards.

For fans of Susan Cain and Jenny Odell, an indispensable, paradigm-shifting exploration of flamboyance--tracing its history and social significance through the lives of those who embody it and offering a roadmap for anyone looking to harness the power of their own inner flame

Flamboyance ignites every aspect of our lives, from art and entertainment to ritual and protest. The word connotes an exuberance of thought and expression, and often, unbridled, unashamed passion. Yet historically the term "flamboyant" has been reserved for the over-the-top and the outré, invoked at times as a pejorative innuendo or worse.

Celebrated author and scholar Jack Parlett digs into the nature of flamboyance to offer a new, empowering reframing of a quality that any of us can and should harness more regularly. From Judy Garland to Lil Nas X, Parlett highlights the stories of flamboyant figures throughout history to show how, by harnessing our own inner flame, we break free from cultural expectations that don't serve us and live a brighter, happier, more audaciously fulfilling life.

How learning to "listen" to the universe using radio waves has revolutionized our understanding of everything from gravity to little green men.

"Passionate and witty" --Publishers Weekly, starred review

In space, no one can hear you scream.

But the universe is far from silent. It's been speaking all along, broadcasting its stories and secrets, for those who know how to listen.

In The Echoing Universe, Emma Chapman tunes us in to the universe and what it is trying to say, through the science of radio astronomy. Everything is sending out signals: the surface of the Moon, distant stars--maybe even extraterrestrials. With radio waves, we can uncover what visible light cannot show us and peer into realms that are otherwise unreachable. Even the hostile surface of Venus, where high temperatures, lethal acid rain, and crushing pressure rapidly annihilate even the hardiest robotic probes, yields its secrets through radio observations.

This exhilarating expedition is just the beginning as new and bigger radio telescopes come into play and propel our curiosity well beyond the edge of our galaxy.

Despite the seeming silence of space, The Echoing Universe reveals that the future of astronomy is loud and vibrant. When we turn our radio telescopes to the sky and simply listen, we'll discover far more than what our eyes could ever see.

In this beautifully illustrated guide, learn how to create sacred natural spaces for promoting well-being, ushering in prosperity, and even attracting love.

Follow the step-by-step instructions for using flowers, leaves, bark, and other botanicals to make enchantment spells and beautiful talismans to ward off negative influences to add clarity and peace to everyday life.

Learn how to use plants in divination techniques such as herb scrying and flower psychometry. Also included is a section on kitchen magic that includes a description of the most powerful ingredients for nourishing loved ones.

This is an essential volume for all those who want to grow their own magical gardens and reconnect with one of the oldest forms of wisdom known to humankind.

★ "Mihaly delivers refreshing doses of reality that will deepen any reader's understanding of our nation's complex history and values" - Booklist

★ "A visually dynamic, intellectually rigorous resource that challenges young readers to question historical narratives and recognize bias--essential for social studies curricula and media literacy instruction" - School Library Journal

"Stories can dazzle, and they can deceive. America's Founding Myths teaches young people to practice the art of asking questions -- not to shatter our national ideals, but to provide a sounder foundation for them. Because history, like Oz, is never exactly as it seems" - Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked

"Playful, provocative, and packed with perspective" - Kirkus Reviews

"Best of all, this title not only tackles our complex founding, but encourages media literacy by empowering young people to ask questions and check sources. And really, what could be more American than that?" - Betsy Bird, Librarian, @FuseEight

Uncover the truth behind 15 American history myths in this hilariously bold, infographic deep dive

Have you ever wondered... Did Christopher Columbus REALLY discover America? What REALLY happened at the first Thanksgiving? Did Paul Revere REALLY shout "The British are coming!"? It's time to pull the curtain back on these well-known myths to find out what REALLY happened and where these stories we've heard over and over again came from.

Perfect for history-loving kids and educators looking to teach kids about information literacy, America's Founding Myths is a must-have on any history lover's shelf!

• Celebrate America's 250th anniversary with this exploration of the best-known stories about the founding of the United States.
• Interactive extras including silly speech bubbles, gatefolds, lift-the-flaps, and activities at the back make learning about American history fun and engaging for kids.
• Encourages information literacy by empowering young people to ask questions, think critically and check sources.

A book about building a home and a wild garden on the edge of a Himalayan forest, illuminated by the author's own watercolors.

When acclaimed novelist Anuradha Roy and her husband stumble upon a derelict cottage in the hill station of Ranikhet, they decide it is where they will now live. Fresh from the neon-lit publishing offices of Delhi, Roy is initially bemused by the gentle pace of life in the mountains but then won over: spellbound by the landscape, taken to the heart of the rural community, and adopted by four mountain dogs and counting.

As Roy tries to rebuild the cottage and create a garden, she encounters nature at its most fierce, beautiful, and vulnerable, and over twenty-five years bears witness to the destructive impact of global warming on the alpine ecosystem. What emerges is a tender and intimate portrait of her surroundings in which rugged nature, lovable dogs, and recalcitrant humans come together to captivating effect. Written with unsentimental clarity, humor, and poignancy, this is a story of profound transformations.

The inspiring, untold story of three incredible women who spearheaded recreation, conservation and resilience in America's most beloved landscapes, for readers of Pam Houston and David Grann

In the spring of 1945, when just a handful of people had been through the Grand Canyon in boats, Georgie White jumped into the river in just a lifejacket and swam through the rapids. She spent the rest of her life bringing people through the canyon, kickstarting river running and the recreation industry.

While Georgie was guiding the river, pioneering wilderness guide Anne LaBastille protected endangered species and predicted the impacts of climate change from her isolated, off-grid cabin in the Adirondacks. Meanwhile, groundbreaking powder skier Dolores LaChapelle was developing an environmental philosophy that shaped everything from the radical environmental movement of the '70s to modern conservation ethics.

All three women were obsessed with the places they love and unwilling to compromise about being outside. They were relentless and revolutionary. But they were largely ignored except in small circles.

Now, outdoor journalist and celebrated author of Powder Days Heather Hansman goes deep into three rugged American landscapes to bring these women's fascinating lives to the forefront of the outdoor movement, affirming the rightful place in the larger story of an evolving American wild.

A provocative look at how therapy culture has reshaped the way we live, speak, and relate to one another, and how it's changing the fabric of American life, by acclaimed psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert.

In today's America, therapy is everywhere. Seeing a therapist is no longer taboo, and mental-health resources are more accessible than ever. Yet despite this progress, anxiety and depression among Americans are now at record highs, and the country feels even more divided. It's time to consider the possibility that we've become over-therapized, and examine how this practice, while intended to heal, may be making us weaker instead of stronger.

After twenty years as a practicing therapist and frequent commentator on mental health in national media, Alpert has come to an unsettling conclusion: his own profession is part of the problem. Concepts and buzzwords once confined to therapy sessions have infiltrated public discourse, where their meaning and purpose become distorted and weaponized, sometimes intentionally.

Therapy-speak terms like "toxic" and "narcissist" are now a feature of daily conversations, and feeling good has replaced getting better. A subtle but dangerous shift among therapy professionals in recent years has led many to trade accountability for affirmation, leaving patients stuck in cycles of self-focus and avoidance. In many cases, too much therapy, or the wrong kind, can have painful effects on individuals, families, communities and the nation.

Drawing from case studies and widening the lens to consider the social forces beyond the therapist's office, Alpert examines how therapy culture is feeding the anxieties dividing America today. He makes the urgent case for his profession to heal itself so it can get back to healing us.

A Committee of One: How Faith + Action = A PurposeFULL Life is an inspirational memoir/self-help book from the Grandmother of Juneteenth that will be a testament to the transformative power of resilience, faith, and love.

In 2016, then-90-year-old Opal Lee began her Opal Walks 2 DC campaign where she endeavored to walk 1,400 miles from Fort Worth, Texas to Washington, DC to bring awareness to the cause of making Juneteenth a federally recognized holiday. She was convinced that the country needed and wanted the unity that celebrating the abolition of slavery can bring. That it was bigger than Texas. Thankfully, on June 17, 2021, President Joseph Biden passed the bill making Juneteenth a National holiday and Ms. Opal stood alongside the president during this historic occasion, receiving the pen he used to sign off on the law.

A Committee of One takes readers on a profound journey through Ms. Opal Lee's life by sharing stories that will reveal a life marked by resilience, faith, and unwavering determination. Drawing parallels to the beloved narrative style of Tuesdays with Morrie, A Committee of One will weave together personal anecdotes with timely wisdom and offer every reader inspiring nuggets for reflection.

From the opening chapters, her narrative unfolds with the kind of raw honesty Ms. Opal is known for. She shares the challenges she's experienced (including the destruction of her childhood home by a white mob when she was twelve and the failure of her first marriage) as well as how those devastations allowed her the room to grow and become the woman she is today. All these stories are a testament to the indomitable human spirit, the fearlessness of our fortitude. The bottom-line goal in every chapter is to impart one significant and invaluable lesson: Adversity, though inevitable, need not define one's destiny.

The heart of the story is Ms. Opal's steadfast commitment to hard work and perseverance. From balancing the demands of motherhood and education to securing career advancements to the activism that led her to be named "The Grandmother of Juneteenth," she's always tried to embody the transformative power of being steadfast. Because of this, A Committee of One is a powerful reminder that success is not measured by the absence of trials but by the willingness to confront and overcome them.

Discover the truth behind AI's most dangerous myth: that machines can truly create

In The AI Illusion: Why Machines Aren't Creative, Luc Julia, co-creator of Siri and Chief Scientific Officer for the Renault Group, dismantles the hype surrounding generative AI by revealing what these technologies can actually do (as of today) versus what their promoters claim. Drawing on over 35 years' experience in the tech industry, Julia exposes the fundamental truth that generative AI doesn't create - it recombines existing data in response to prompts, producing impressive but ultimately derivative outputs that lack genuine creativity and understanding.

This essential guide takes readers on a comprehensive journey through AI's past, present, and future, systematically debunking seven pervasive myths that shape public perception of artificial intelligence. Julia examines the technical limitations, societal implications, and environmental costs of generative AI while providing practical insights into how these tools function and where they're headed.

The book:

• Reveals the technical reality behind generative AI's "hallucinations," biases, and inability to reason or understand language
• Exposes the environmental disaster created by energy-intensive AI training and deployment processes
• Analyzes the economic and employment impacts of AI adoption across industries and society
• Demonstrates why artificial general intelligence (AGI) remains scientifically impossible with current approaches
• Provides actionable solutions for more responsible AI development and regulation

Perfect for technology professionals, business leaders, policymakers, and curious readers trying to understand AI's true capabilities and limitations, The AI Illusion offers a clear-eyed perspective to help you navigate our AI-influenced future. It provides the critical thinking tools you'll need to see past the marketing hype and science fiction fantasies that dominate AI discourse.

A clear-eyed yet hopeful history of the United States, revisiting the state of the union every fifty years since America's birth.

"Brilliantly written and illuminating." --Douglas Brinkley, New York Times bestselling author of Silent Spring Revolution

America is the rare country that was founded on an idea, and it was a truly radical idea for its time: the belief that the people of a country could govern themselves.

The Flag Was Still There offers a unique new narrative of the American Experiment. By focusing on five remarkable years marked by both progress and backlash--1776, 1826, 1876, 1926, and 1976--and with an eye to America's 250th birthday, David McKean and M. Todd Bennett explore how the United States has sustained its founding idea. The centennial saw a country still struggling to confront the Civil War's legacy, culminating in the birth of the Jim Crow era. In 1926, virulent nativism was at a peak, and a reascendant Ku Klux Klan marched on Washington. The bicentennial was marked by economic turmoil, post-Watergate political malaise, and the still-fresh wounds of the Vietnam War.

America has yet to fully realize its founding principles. But as The Flag Was Still There reminds us, Americans have always striven to defend, renew, and extend the nation's promise even in the face of staunch resistance--a determination that continues to this day.