We've all heard the arguments that Christianity is irrelevant, irrational and even immoral. But what if the Christian faith makes sense of all that matters?In this thoughtful, engaging book, Simon Edwards challenges the assumptions that may lead us to reject a faith and doubt something that we've never really had the chance to understand in the first place. From our need for meaning and significance, to our desires for truth, goodness, love and hope, he explores th...

This book examines how young people can be re-engaged with schooling and their own learning beyond the school gates. Despite attempts by successive UK governments to promote engagement with education, there has been a substantial increase in formal and informal exclusions from secondary schools, particularly of underperforming students who come from low income families. The book builds on an ethnographic study carried out in a youth centre based on a secondary school site, exploring the so...

Guatemala is an underrated gem. It has all of the sights, culture, and fun that people search for when visiting popular destinations for vacation. Something about Guatemala's vibes told me that this trip wouldn't be my last in the country. There's just something about this beautiful country that makes me feel welcomed and content. This is a place where I could simply breathe in the air and relax...

Written by three surveyors, each with extensive experience in the sector, Dilapidations and Service Charge Disputes will guide practitioners through the common and new practices involved in dealing with disputes on dilapidations and service charge matters.The book offers practical guidance on the related topics of dilapidations and service charge disputes, bridging the gap between heavy-weight legally focussed case law publications and the lighter weight guidance notes. It...

Get Your Shit Together or Get Out is not about being cruel, aggressive, or unreasonable. It is about building a culture where clarity beats confusion, ownership beats excuses, and genuine results matter more than theater.Most companies do not collapse suddenly. They decay slowly. One missed deadline leads to more. One missed deadline is normalized. A weak manager protects a weak performer. One bad process becomes the way we do things. Eventually, the busin...

Elysium: A Visual History of Angelology is a richly illustrated exploration of how angels have been imagined, described, and depicted across centuries of art, religion, and literature.Written by scholar and cultural critic Ed Simon, this volume brings together striking imagery and accessible commentary to examine the enduring fascination with celestial beings across Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and beyond.In popular culture, ange...

My real thoughts about my motivation for writing "The Human Phase 2025":At first, I just wanted to get the thing out there to do my small contribution. I had heard about negative end-times prophecies, and that they were likely to occur because "nobody on Earth was doing anything to stop them." I wanted to express my faith in our abilities to get past the violent animal-like behavior that threatens our survival.There has been a huge amount of information to digest in the las...

In Beyond 1776, ten humanities scholars consider the American Revolution within a global framework. The foundation of the United States was deeply enmeshed with shifting alliances and multiple actors, with politics saturated by imaginative literature, and with ostensible bilateral negotiations that were, in fact, shaped by speculation about realignments in geopolitical power. To reanimate these intricate and often indirect connections, this volume uncovers the influences of people...

The crime-infested intersection of West Fayette and Monroe Streets is well-known--and cautiously avoided--by most of Baltimore. But this notorious corner's 24-hour open-air drug market provides the economic fuel for a dying neighborhood. David Simon, an award-winning author and crime reporter, and Edward Burns, a 20-year veteran of the urban drug war, tell the chilling story of this desolate crossroad.Through the eyes of one broken family--two drug-addicted adults and their smart, ...

An authoritative guide to the epidemiology, incidence, testing and diagnosis and management of HIV and AIDS.From an international expert editor and contributor team, this new sixth edition includes expanded coverage of HIV testing, assessment and routine follow up and new chapters outlining problematic conditions associated with HIV and AIDS. Prevention strategies, early diagnosis and antiretroviral drugs and pharmacotherapy are covered in detail as well as childre...

Since 1979, the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran – the two major powers in the Muslim world – has played a prominent role in shaping Middle Eastern politics. Political in nature yet couched in Islamic rhetoric, this rivalry reflects a desire to ensure regime security and legitimacy while also increasing influence across the Middle East. Since the 2003 Iraq War, the relationship has become increasingly vitriolic, resulting in the emergence of proxy conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Bahrain and...

It was the happiest day of her life. Little did she know it was also the last.When a woman’s body is found in the grounds of a ruined priory, Detective Imogen Evans realises she is dealing with a serial killer—a killer whose victims appear to die in a state of bliss, eyes open, smiles forever frozen on their faces.A few miles away, single dad Ben Hofland believes his fortunes are changing at last. Forced to move back to the sleepy village where he grew up f...