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The classic satire of greed, corruption, and paranoia in czarist Russia

 


In a small Russian town, the rich wield the power of the gods over their serfs, who remain enslaved even in death. Life is turned upside down with the arrival of Chichikov, a mysterious gentleman who wants to buy the rights to these useless "dead souls." What is this strange traveler up to? Is he mad, or does he know something the townspeople don't?


 


As Chichikov visits local landowners, rumors swirl; some even claim he might be Napoleon in disguise. But avarice is an even more powerful instinct than suspicion in this depraved society, and soon Chichikov owns more than four hundred deceased serfswhat he plans to do with them, no one can guess.


 


A laugh-out-loud satire and an incisive indictment of the corruption at the heart of Russian society, Dead Souls is a masterpiece of nineteenth-century literature.


 


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Five tragicomic tales from the visionary writer heralded by Vladimir Nabokov as "the greatest artist that Russia has yet produced"

 


A midlevel bureaucrat in the czar's administration, Poprishchin is hurrying to work when he sees a woman step out of a carriage. Her beauty astounds him, and as she passes by, he hears something impossible: Her dog opens its mouth, and begins to speak. It is Poprishchin's first step on the road to insanity, a journey that will take him into the depths of helland raise him up to the heights of emperors and kings.


 


"Memoirs of a Madman" is one of Nikolai Gogol's definitive short works, a satire of the excesses of czarist bureaucracy told with wit, empathy, and his signature blend of the real and surreal. Other highlights in this indispensable volume include the haunting title story and "The Nose," an absurdist masterpiece.


 


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This scathing critique of America's preoccupation with wealth and status in the Gilded Age continues to resonate more than a century after it was first published

 


According to economist Thorstein Veblen, the leisure class produces nothing, contributes nothing, and creates nothing, yet exercises a peculiar control over American society. The shallowness of their interestsfrom fashion to sports to entertainmentendows the practice of "conspicuous consumption" with an undeserving air of respectability.


 


Veblen deploys a razor sharp wit to expose the pretensions of the idle rich and their disastrous influence on the national character. From ruthless business practices to the plight of women in a male-dominated culture, The Theory of the Leisure Class tackles difficult subjects with sophisticated analysis and a vibrant literary style that influenced the work of authors including Edith Wharton, Henry James, and F. Scott Fitzgerald.


 


A must-read for students of American history and anyone concerned about economic inequality, Veblen's classic treatise is timelier today than ever.


 


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The eighteenth-century philosopher's landmark treatise against monarchy that inspired the French and American Revolutions.


 "Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains."

 


With these stirring words, Jean-Jacques Rousseau begins The Social Contractthe first shot in a battle of ideas that would set the stage for the American War of Independence and the French Revolution. In the feverish days of the Enlightenment, Rousseau took aim squarely at the all-powerful French monarchy, proclaiming that no despot, no matter how powerful, had the right to terrorize his people. He laid out a plan for a new kind of governmentan idea that was radical then, and remains so now.


 

The Social Contract is a landmark document from a fascinating period in world history and an invaluable guide to the foundations of modern democracy.


 


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A stirring tribute to the unique beauty of theAmerican Southwest

 


In the region stretching from the High Sierras south of Yosemite to the Mojave Desert, water is scarce and empty riverbeds hint at a lush landscape that has long since vanished. But the desert is far from lifeless. For those who know where to look, the "land of little rain" is awash in wonders.


 


In this exquisite meditation on the people, flora, and fauna of the American desert, Mary Austin introduces readers to the secret treasures of the landscape she loved above all others. Her lyrical essays profoundly influenced the work of nature writers and conservationists, among them Edward Abbey and Terry Tempest Williams, and have inspired generations of readers to visit some of the country's most stunning national parks, including Death Valley and Joshua Tree.


 


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It doesn't have to take months or years to make a quilt  believe it or not, these patterns require only 24 hours or less! Whether you're an absolute beginner or an experienced quilter, these simple instructions for 20 projects offer everything you need to know from start to finish. You'll discover innovative, time-saving techniques that make fast work of cutting and sewing heirloom-quality quilts.Full-color photos illustrate directions for pinwheel layouts, zig zag arrangements, patchwork designs, and applique motifs. Create wall hangings, decorative throws, and traditional quilts of all sizes that will add charm to any room. This wealth of projects  many of which can be finished in just six hoursoffers designs that look as if they took months to stitch. In addition to their keepsake value, the quilts make wonderful gifts for all occasions.

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The Schwarz lemma is among the simplest results in complex analysis that capture the rigidity of holomorphic functions. This self-contained volume provides a thorough overview of the subject; it assumes no knowledge of intrinsic metrics and aims for the main results, introducing notation, secondary concepts, and techniques as necessary. Suitable for advanced undergraduates and graduate students of mathematics, the two-part treatment covers basic theory and applications. Starting with an exploration of the subject in terms of holomorphic and subharmonic functions, the treatment proves a Schwarz lemma for plurisubharmonic functions and discusses the basic properties of the Poincare distance and the Schwarz-Pick systems of pseudodistances. Additional topics include hyperbolic manifolds, special domains, pseudometrics defined using the (complex) Green function, holomorphic curvature, and the algebraic metric of Harris. The second part explores fixed point theorems and the analytic Radon-Nikodym property.

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Colliding Plane Waves in General Relativity

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This monograph surveys recent research on the collision and interaction of gravitational and electromagnetic waves. "This is a particularly important topic in general relativity," the author notes, "since the theory predicts that there will be a nonlinear interaction between such waves." Geared toward graduate students and researchers in general relativity, the text offers a comprehensive and unified review of the vast literature on the subject.The first eight chapters offer background, presenting the field equations and discussing some qualitative aspects of their solution. Subsequent chapters explore further exact solutions for colliding plane gravitational waves and the collision and interaction of electromagnetic waves. The final chapters summarize all related results for the collision of plane waves of different types and in non-flat backgrounds. A new postscript updates developments since the book's initial 1991 publication.

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You can't tell by looking at them but each of these 32 projects takes 24 hours or less to sew! Ideal for people who love to sew but don't have as much free time as they'd like, the quick and easy patterns are also great for whipping up personalized gifts for the holidays. Full-color photos illustrate simple directions for making accessories for the kitchen, from pretty potholders to a reversible apron. For the bedroom, patterns include a duvet cover and a variety of pillows. Make terrific towels for the bathroom, and for the nursery you can create a quickie quilt, blanket, and bonnet. Projects also include Christmas ornaments that will help dress up your home for the holidays as well as an assortment of unique gifts  purses and totes, jackets, a vest, and more.

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True Crime Stories from America's Frontier

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Praised by Kirkus Reviews as "a brisk, colorful, and cleverly recounted selection of ten crimes," this gripping book ventures into rural America to uncover true tales of homicide. From "Death and Times of a Prophet," involving a hypnotic Oregon revivalist known as Joshua the Second, to "Who Called on Sarah Meservey?," an account of the mysterious slaying of a Maine sea captains wife, these reports of backwoods bloodletting crackle with suspense. Culprits include Belle Gunness, a lady Bluebeard who dispatched numerous victims; Harry Orchard, a bomber who haunted Colorado mines; conman Harry T. Hayward, America's first documented serial killer; and other cutthroats. Author Stewart Hall Holbrook (18931964) worked as a lumberjack, actor, cartoonist, artillery man, and editor. His lively books on American history cover topics as diverse as the timber industry, the Wobblies, Ethan Allen, and eccentrics of the Pacific Northwest. Murder Out Yonder ranges from coast to coast to offer a fascinating variety of real-life crime stories.

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Quick and easy doesn't mean boring, as this vibrant crochet guide attests. Twenty-four simple patterns, each of which can be finished in 24 hours or less, include garments, bags, and home accessories. They're easy to pick up whenever you have a few moments to spare  but they're hard to put down! You'll be amazed at what you can create in such a short time.Patterns include stylish hats, scarves, sweaters, and purses as well as afghans, doilies, and baby clothes. Full-color photos illustrate the easy-to-follow instructions, and a helpful "Refresher Course" offers diagrams of stitches and describes gauge. From a cute little sweater to a trendy scarf and a little black bag for a night on the town, these 24 patterns offer a terrific variety of projects that make great gifts and treasured keepsakes.

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Let Margeau show you how to knit the hat of your dreams, from a stylish tweed cap to a playful beanie or a classic beret. Fifteen patterns, all well within the capacity of novice knitters, include earflap caps, a turban headband, watch caps, and other items. The designs offer a variety of attractive silhouettes and shapes, from fitted, traditional items to slouchy, trendy hats. Suggested yarns range from affordable to luxury, all chosen for their softness and sophisticated color palette. Margeau Soboti is a hand knit and machine knit designer with a BBA in Design and Management from Parsons, The New School for Design. A former editor at Vogue Knitting magazine, her designs have appeared in that publication as well as in Knit Simple and Noro magazines. She has also worked as a sample knitter for fashion-forward knitwear designers, including Wool and the Gang. More of her work can be found at www.margeausoboti.com.

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"The best and most thrilling book of exploration that we have ever read ... [an] immensely important book."  New York Evening Post"A series of excellent stories about one of the most interesting corners of the American world, told by a keen and sensitive person who knows how to write."  American Journal of Sociology"It can be said of many travelers that they have traveled widely. Of Mr. Seabrook a much finer thing may be said  he has traveled deeply."  The New York Times Book ReviewThis fascinating book, first published in 1929, offers firsthand accounts of Haitian voodoo and witchcraft rituals. Journalist and adventurer William Seabrook introduced the concept of the walking dead  zombies  to the West with his illustrated travelogue. He relates his experiences with the voodoo priestess who initiated him into the religion's rituals, from soul transference to resurrection. In addition to twenty evocative line drawings by Alexander King, this edition features a new Foreword by cartoonist and graphic novelist Joe Ollmann, a new Introduction by George A. Romero, legendary director of Night of the Living Dead, and a new Afterword by Wade Davis, Explorer in Residence at the National Geographic Society. 

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William Seabrook, Alexander King, Joe Ollmann, George A. Romero

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Essential Documents of American History, Volume I

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This compact volume offers a broad selection of the most important documents in American history: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Emancipation Proclamation as well as presidential speeches, Supreme Court decisions, Acts and Declarations of Congress, essays, letters, and much more. The compilation of more than 150 documents, dating from 1606 to 1865, starts with the First Charter of Virginia, issued by King James I, and concludes with the abolition of slavery, as stated in the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution. Many of the selections recapture the voices of great Americans, from Powhatan's speech to Captain John Smith at Jamestown and the Pilgrims' Mayflower Compact to Benjamin Franklin's Plan of Union, Tecumseh's address to the Choctaws and Chickasaws, Frederick Douglass' "What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?", and several orations by Abraham Lincoln. Brief introductions to each document place the works in historical context.

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Making New Worlds in Media, Art, and Social Practices

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Does living in a globally networked society mean that we are moving toward a single, homogenous world culture? Or, are we headed for clashes between center and periphery, imperial and subaltern, Western and non-Western, First and Third World? The interdisciplinary essays in Beyond Globalization present us with another possibilitythat new media will lead to new kinds of worldmaking.

This provocative volume brings together the best new work of scholars within such diverse fields as history, sociology, anthropology, film, media studies, and art. Whether examining the inauguration of a virtual community on the website Second Life or investigating the appropriation of biotechnology for transgenic art, this collection highlights how mediated practices have become integral to global culture; how social practices have emerged out of computer-related industries; how contemporary apocalyptic narratives reflect the anxieties of a U.S. culture facing global challenges; and how design, play, and technology help us understand the histories and idealsbehind the digital architectures that mediate our everyday actions.

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Americans flocked to the movies in 1945 and 1946uthe center point of the three-decade heyday of the studio system's sound era. Why?
Best Years is a panoramic study, shining light on this critical juncture in American historyand the history of American cinemauthe end of World War II (1945) and a year of unprecedented success in Hollywood's "Golden Age" (1946). This unique time, the last year of war and the first full year of peace, provides a rich blend of cinema genres and typesufrom the battlefront to the home front, the peace film to the woman's film, psychological drama, and the period's provocative new style, film noir.

Best Years focuses on films that were famous, infamous, forgotten, and unforgettable. Big budget A-films, road shows, and familiar series share the spotlight. From Bergman and Grant in Notorious to Abbott and Costello in Lost in a Harem, Charles Affron and Mirella Jona Affron examine why the bond between screen and viewer was perhaps never tighter. Paying special attention to the movie-going public in key cities--Atlanta, New York, Boston, Honolulu, and Chicago--this ambitious work takes us on a cinematic journey to recapture a magical time.

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Race, Rights, and the Asian American Experience

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In Race, Rights, and the Asian American Experience, Angelo N. Ancheta   demonstrates how United States civil rights laws have been framed by a   black-white model of race that typically ignores the experiences of   other groups, including Asian Americans. When racial discourse is   limited to antagonisms between black and white, Asian Americans often   find themselves in a racial limbo, marginalized or unrecognized as full   participants. Ancheta examines legal and social theories of  racial  discrimination, ethnic differences in the Asian American  population,  nativism, citizenship, language, school desegregation, and  affirmative  action. In the revised edition of this influential book,  Ancheta also  covers post-9/11 anti-Asian sentiment and racial  profiling. He analyzes  recent legal cases involving political  empowerment, language rights,  human trafficking, immigrant rights, and  affirmative action in higher  education-many of which move the country  farther away from the ideals of  racial justice. On a more positive  note, he reports on the progress  Asian Americans have made in the  corporate sector, politics, the  military, entertainment, and academia. A  skillful mixture of legal  theories, court cases, historical events,  and personal insights, this  revised edition brings fresh insights to  U.S. civil rights from an Asian  American perspective.

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Can a type of music be "owned"? Examining how music is linked to racial constructs and how African American musicians and audiences reacted to white appropriation, Blues Music in the Sixties shows the stakes when whites claim the right to play and live the blues.In the 1960s, within the larger context of the civil rights movement and the burgeoning counterculture, the blues changed from black to white in its production and reception, as audiences became increasingly white. Yet, while this was happening, blackness--especially black masculinity--remained a marker of authenticity. Crossing color lines and mixing the beats of B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and Janis Joplin; the Newport Folk Festival and the American Folk Blues Festival; and publications such as Living Blues, Ulrich Adelt discusses these developments, including the international aspects of the blues. He highlights the performers and venues that represented changing racial politics and addresses the impact and involvement of audiences and cultural brokers.

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The Treatise on Happiness and the accompanying Treatise on Human Acts comprise the first twenty-one questions of I-II of the Summa Theologiae. From his careful consideration of what true happiness is, to his comprehensive discussion of how it can be attained, St. Thomas Aquinas offers a challenging and classic statement of the goals of human life, both ultimate and proximate. This translation presents in accurate, consistent, contemporary English the great Christian thinker's enduring contributions on the subject of man's happiness.

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In recent decades, the insight that narration shapes our perception of reality has inspired and influenced the most innovative historical accounts. Focusing on new research, this volume explores the history of non-elite populations in cities from Caracas to Vienna, and Paris to Belgrade. Narration is central to the theme of each contribution, whether as a means of description, a methodological approach, or basic story telling. This book brings together research that both asks classical socio-historical questions and takes narration seriously, engaging with novels, films, local history accounts, petitions to municipal authorities, and interviews with alternative cinema activists.

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Wladimir Fischer-Nebmaier, Matthew P. Berg, Anastasia Christou