A major study of the collapse of the Soviet Union—showing how Gorbachev's misguided reforms led to its demiseIn 1945 the Soviet Union controlled half of Europe and was a founding member of the United Nations. By 1991, it had an army four-million strong, five-thousand nuclear-tipped missiles, and was the second biggest producer of oil in the world. But soon afterward the union sank into an economic crisis and was torn apart by nationalist separatism. Its collapse wa...

A reimagining of Dracula's voyage to England, filled with Gothic imagery and queer desire.It's an ordinary assignment, nothing more. The cargo? Fifty boxes filled with Transylvanian soil. The route? From Varna to Whitby. The Demeter has made many trips like this. The captain has handled dozens of crews.He dreams familiar dreams: to taste the salt on the skin of his men, to run his hands across their chests. He longs for the warmth of a lover he cannot have,...

55 Stories to benefit Protect, the political lobby of the National Association to Protect Children, whose victories include the Circle of Trust act and the HERO Corps, which hires wounded veterans to assist law enforcement in hunting online predators.Contributors include Andrew Vachss, Joyce Carol Oates, Harlan Ellison®, David Morrell, Laird Barron, Linda Rodriguez, Charles de Lint, Hilary Davidson, Joe R. Lansdale, Joelle Charbonneau, Reed Farrel Coleman, SJ Rozan, and Alison Arng...

As a young Jewish man in 17th century Amsterdam, Baruch de Spinoza excelled as a theological student; but as he encountered free-thinking Protestants, atheists, and radicals in this relatively tolerant city, he began to question his religion and the nature of God. As a result, he was branded a heretic and faced excommunication.Includes an interview with Steven Nadler, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and author of A Book Forged in Hell: Spinoza’s Scan...

Whatever happened to British protest?For a nation that brought the world Chartism, the Suffragettes, the Tolpuddle Martyrs, and so many other grassroots social movements, Britain rarely celebrates its long, great tradition of people power.In this timely and evocative collection, twenty authors have assembled to re-imagine key moments of British protest, from the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 to the anti-Iraq War demo of 2003. Written in close consultation with historians, sociol...

"If there is something tonight that you really desire in this world, then experience in your imagination what you would experience in the flesh if you realized your goal, and then Close your ears and eyes to everything that denies the reality of your assumption."Neville, 1948Man, assuming the feeling of his fulfilled desire, changes his future in harmony with his assumption, because an assumption, though false, if sustained is consolidated into fact...

Acclaimed author duo Marisa de los Santos and David Tague return with a heartwarming middle grade adventure about two misfits discovering the importance of just being themselves, perfect for fans of Counting By 7’s and Hello Universe.When thirteen-year-olds Aaron and Audrey meet at a wilderness camp in the desert, they think their quirks are enough to prevent them from ever having friends. But as they trek through the challenging and unforgiving landscape, they lea...

The Cutting Edge of Modern Short FictionA three-time Hugo Award nominated magazine, this issue of Pulphouse Fiction Magazine offers up eighteen fantastic stories by some of the best writers working in modern short fiction. No genre limitations, no topic limitations, just great stories. Attitude, feel, and high quality fiction equals Pulphouse.“This is definitely a strong start. All the stories have a lot of life to them, and are worthwhile reading.”—Tangent Online on Pulpho...

Forget the story of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland you know. Because in Umberland, the only way out is into the madness.Gwen, Pete, and the others have escaped from Everland. But the safe haven they hoped to find at Alnwick Castle doesn't exist. With the Queen of England on her deathbed, Duchess Alyssa has stepped in, but things have gotten worse as the cure Doc created for the Horologia virus has mutated, accelerating the disease. The only possible solution he can think...

Talent Springs Eternal takes place in and around LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City, where alumni and friends are planning the twentieth reunion of the class of 1984. The “spirits” of Michael Peters (class of 1966) and Carmen Diaz (class of 1984) appear and observe what is happening at the school, which is in the middle of casting their senior production of West Side Story. After the celebration, “time flies,” and listeners are trans...

A year of HBR's essential thinking on tech—all in one place.Generative AI, Web3, neurotech, reusable rockets to power the space economy—new technologies like these are reshaping organizations at the hybrid office, on factory floors, and in the C-suite. What should you and your company be doing now to take advantage of the new opportunities these technologies are creating—and avoid falling victim to disruption?The Year in Tech 2024: The Insights You Need...

Each of us has the full right to be fulfilled and to achieve our secret desires. The desires of the heart are those to which our soul aspires and for which we are born. This book wants to inspire you to find inside yourself what makes your heart beat and follow it with passion and trust, knowing that somewhere it will take you, even if at this moment you don't know how and don't see the end of the "road". One of the greatest things in life is to recognize and embrace one's vision and to fo...