“In turn amusing and poignant, Nathan’s vignettes make for engaging reading. I thoroughly enjoyed them, and so shall you” – Jug SuraiyaWith fascinating insight, H.V. Nathan weaves several magnificent stories, anecdotes and episodes that pulsate with the quality of a gifted observer, who portrays people and events that make the essence of modern India’s vibrant cities.Stimulating or satirical; perceptive or amusing, Nathan’s themes alternate between the comic relief he finds...

This collection of classic and contemporary essays in philosophy of language offers a concise introduction to the field for students in graduate and upper-division undergraduate courses. It contains some of the most important basic sources in philosophy of language, including a number of classic essays by philosophers such as Frege, Russell, Wittgenstein, Kripke, Grice, Davidson, Strawson, Austin, and Putnam, as well as more recent contributions by scholars including John McDowell, Stephen...

A biology professor's "funny, fascinating" tour of the physical imperfections—from faulty knees to junk DNA—that make us human (Discover).We humans like to think of ourselves as highly evolved creatures. But if we are supposedly evolution's greatest creation, why do we have such bad knees? Why do we catch head colds so often—two hundred times more often than a dog does? How come our wrists have so many useless bones? Why is the vast majority of our genetic code poin...

The riveting, forgotten narrative of the most corrupt attorney general in American history and the maverick senator who stopped at nothing to take him downMany tales from the Jazz Age reek of crime and corruption. But perhaps the era’s greatest political fiasco—one that resulted in a nationwide scandal, a public reckoning at the Department of Justice, the rise of J. Edgar Hoover, and an Oscar-winning film—has long been lost to the annals of history. In

The firefly remembers a time when he didnt have the awesome glow. It was some time ago when he was a little bug, and the others made fun of him. He didnt have any friends. He wasnt invited to birthday parties. They said he wasnt special and wasnt worth anything.For a time, firefly believed those naysayers. That is, until he met a butterfly who experienced the same thing and offered some sage advice. Firefly was hopeful. Then, one day, he broke through his cocoon and experienced a t...

During the late 1970s hundreds of thousands of people from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos began their flight out of their homelands. Most left by sea. In emigrating to the United States, these Boat People faced extraordinary cultural, material, and psychological obstacles. In the face of these impediments to success, their rapid economic and educational achievements provide one of the most intriguing success stories of our time. In The Boat People and Achievement in America, Caplan, Whitmore,...

'Work, overall, is about getting things done, and the heart does not normally figure in it. But in my many years of work, I have seen that the heart has a huge influence on what happens to us, what happens around us and what propels us to action.'Most often, people believe building a career is about setting targets and pursuing them relentlessly. In this pursuit, people sometimes don't mind taking shortcuts and stepping on others' toes to move up. But those who pursue such...

'Work, overall, is about getting things done, and the heart does not normally figure in it. But in my many years of work, I have seen that the heart has a huge influence on what happens to us, what happens around us and what propels us to action.'Most often, people believe building a career is about setting targets and pursuing them relentlessly. In this pursuit, people sometimes don't mind taking shortcuts and stepping on others' toes to move up. But those who pursue such...

Longlisted for PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award“A bulletproof case that sexual diversity exists in the natural world…The Sexual Evolution is a thoughtfully and delightfully written book full of illuminating and entertaining information that will be new to most readers. At a time when ignorance and misinformation about sex, gender, reproduction, and intimacy abound, we could all benefit from reading this research-packed tour.” — Sc...

In Marblehead for thirty years, and more, after the Revolutionary War, the familiar forms of the veterans of that hard and long continued struggle were seen walking back and forth at the heads of the wharves, on Irving's Hill, or at the street corners, and the story they told of battles fought, of marches and of camp life was as familiar, throughout the town, to old and young, as any household words. But it was so evenly matched with the scenes of every day life, the hazards and storms at ...

The Collected Works of H. L. Mencken is an anthology that captures the sweeping satirical prowess of one of America's most influential critics and essayists of the early 20th century. With an unyielding focus on the interplay between society and individual beliefs, the essays span a diverse array of literary styles, from scathing critiques to poignant reflections. The collection offers a tapestry of thought-provoking pieces that question societal norms and cultural dogmas, illuminating Men...

Animals fall in love, establish rules for fair play, exchange valued goods and services, hold "funerals" for fallen comrades, deploy sex as a weapon, and communicate with one another using rich vocabularies. Animals also get jealous and violent or greedy and callous and develop irrational phobias, just like us. Monkeys address inequality, wolves miss each other, elephants grieve for their dead, and prairie dogs name the humans they encounter. Human and animal behavior is not as different a...