Author: Mitsuyo Kakuta File Type: epub This compelling novel, widely acclaimed for its perceptive portrayal of the everyday lives and struggles of Japanese women, struck a deep chord with readers throughout Japan. In 2005 it won the prestigious Naoki Prize, awarded semiannually for the best work of popular fiction by an established writer.Sayoko, a thirty-five-year-old homemaker with a three-year-old child, begins working for Aoi, a free-spirited, single career woman her own age who runs a travel agency-housekeeping business. Timid and unable to connect with other mothers in her neighborhood, Sayoko finds herself drawn to Aois independent lifestyle and easygoing personality. The two hit it off from the start, beginning a friendship that is for Sayoko also a reaffirmation of what living is about.Aoi, meanwhile, has not always been the self-confident person she appears to be. Severe classroom bullying in junior high had forced her to change schools, uprooting her and her family to the countryside and at her new school, she was so afraid of again becoming the object of her classmates cruelties that she spent most of her time steering clear of those around her.The present-day friendship between Sayoko and Aoi on the one hand, and Aois painful high school past on the other, form a gripping two-tier narrative that converges in the final chapter. The book touches on a broad range of issues of concern to women today, from marriage and childrearing to being single and working for oneself. It is a universal story about both the fear and the joy of opening up to others.From Publishers WeeklyAll that happy talk about understanding one another and people everywhere being basically the same, its all a bunch of crap. Everybodys different, rants Aoi, one of the protagonists of Kakutas authoritative U.S. debut. The story moves between the contemporary story of 30-something housewife Sayoko Tamura, who is tentatively stepping back into the work force, and that of Aoi Narahashi, a shy girl whose parents move to a small town so that she can escape the bullying at her Yokohama high school, set 20 years earlier. The teenaged outcast Aoi makes a crucial, tragic friendship that turns her into an unconventional adult, and in the contemporary narrative, the adult Aoi hires Sayoko to head the new house-cleaning venture of her travel company, Platinum Planet. Success, the two women discover, lies not in corporate ladders, family, conforming to other peoples expectations or cutting all ties to follow your bliss. Instead, it lies in the very process of work, and in the connections that arise in that process-with difference being the one thing everyone has in common. The translation occasionally feels more colloquial than necessary, but it nicely conveys the novels mood of quiet epiphany. Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. ReviewThis is a poignant and beautifully written novel, a novel that is timeless in many ways, a classic in our modern world. -Blogcritics Magazine (Online)
Author: Dave Boothroyd
File Type: pdf
Never has a reconsideration of the place of drugs in our culture been more urgent than it is today. Culture on drugs addresses themes such as the nature of consciousness, language and the body, alienation, selfhood, the image and virtuality and the natureculture dyad and everyday life. It then explores how these are expressed in the work of key figures such as Freud, Benjamin, Sartre, Derrida, Foucault and Deleuze, arguing that the ideas and concepts by which modernity has attained its measure of self-understanding are themselves, in various ways, the products of encounters with drugs and their effects. In each case the reader is directed to the points at which drugs figure in the formulations of high theory, and it is revealed how such thinking is never itself a drug-free zone. Consequently, there is no ground on which to distinguish culture from drug culture in the first place.Culture on drugs offers a novel approach and introduction to cultural theory for newcomers to the subject, simultaneously presenting an original thesis concerning the articulation of modern thought by drugs and drug culture.
Author: Helen Nicholson
File Type: pdf
This book is the first major study of amateur theatre, offering new perspectives on its place in the cultural and social life of communities. Historically informed, it traces how amateur theatre has impacted national repertoires, contributed to diverse creative economies, and responded to changing patterns of labour. Based on extensive archival and ethnographic research, it traces the importance of amateur theatre to crafting places and the ways in which it sustains the creativity of amateur theatre over a lifetime. It asks how does amateur theatre-making contribute to the twenty-first century amateur turn? **Review At last! A detailed, profound study which elucidates amateur theatres unrecognised status in the UK by approaching it hands-on. This readable book analyses the contribution made by Amateur Theatre to the contemporary cultural economy and sheds a spotlight on its significance as a creative practice. It describes us ascultural omnivores, devouring every scrap of theatrical possibility and keeping the flame of new writing burning quietly until it enters, or re-enters the national repertoire. Officialdom is urged to pay attention to this excellent book, which shows how Amateur Theatre is a force for good. (Jo Matthews, The Questors, Ealing and The Little Theatre Guild) This book shines a much-needed spotlight on the world of amateur theatre. It demonstrates that the art of theatre making belongs to everyone, and reminds us amateur theatre is where many of us fell in love with making and watching theatre in the first place. In learning about the UKs estimated one million amateur theatre makers, you quickly learn that theatre is much more than a profession or an industry. You find theatre making answers a very human need to gather together, to tell stories, to pretend, to show off, to act out what it means to be human beings. And the desire to perform unpaid, against the odds, often on limited resources, while juggling busy lives, demonstrates the power of a theatre as an art form that speaks to us whoever we are. (Ian Wainwright, Producer, Royal Shakespeare Company Open Stages) From the Back Cover This book is the first major study of amateur theatre, offering new perspectives on its place in the cultural and social life of communities. Historically informed, it traces how amateur theatre has impacted national repertoires, contributed to diverse creative economies, and responded to changing patterns of labour. Based on extensive archival and ethnographic research, it traces the importance of amateur theatre to crafting places and the ways in which it sustains the creativity of amateur theatre over a lifetime. It asks how does amateur theatre-making contribute to the twenty-first century amateur turn?
Author: Bernhard Forchtner
File Type: pdf
This book reconstructs how claims to know the lessons from past wrongdoings are made useful in the present. These claims are powerful tools in contemporary debates over who we are, who we want to be and what we should do. Drawing on a wide range of spoken and written texts from Austria, Denmark, Germany and the United States, this book proposes an abstract framework through which such claims can be understood. It does so by conceptualising four rhetorics of learning and how each of them links memories of past wrongdoings to opposition to present and future wrongdoings. Drawing extensively on narrative theory, Lessons from the Past? reconstructs how links between past, present and future can be narrativised, thus helping to understand the subjectivities and feelings that these stories facilitate. The book closes by considering if and how such rhetorics might live up to their promise to know the lessons and to enable learning, offering a revised theory of collective learning processes.**ReviewThis book opens up new horizons in the sociological study of memory. It is not only a theoretical adventure, trying to push a critical approach to memory studies, going beyond Habermas, but also an empirical study full of insights into the workings and transformations of the collective memories we live with and the claims to know the lessons from the past which arise from them. It is required reading for everybody looking to make sense of the dynamics of everyday discourse and political discourse in present-day societies about their pasts. (Klaus Eder, Humboldt-University of Berlin, Germany)It has almost become cliche to claim to have learnt from history in commemorative rhetoric. But what does this mean? Which lessons are to be taken? And how do these lessons vary when referring to Our or Their past wrongdoing? In this erudite and provocative book, Forchtner outlines and analyses four rhetorics of learning each of which, whilst presenting history as a teacher, are characterised by different narrative grammars. Lessons from the Past? is vital reading for anyone interested in Memory Studies and the politics of commemoration. (John E. Richardson, Loughborough University, UK)From the Back CoverThis book opens up new horizons in the sociological study of memory. It is not only a theoretical adventure, trying to push a critical approach to memory studies, going beyond Habermas, but also an empirical study full of insights into the workings and transformations of the collective memories we live with and the claims to know the lessons from the past which arise from them. It is required reading for everybody looking to make sense of the dynamics of everyday discourse and political discourse in present-day societies about their pasts. Klaus Eder, Humboldt-University of Berlin, GermanyIt has almost become cliche to claim to have learnt from history in commemorative rhetoric. But what does this mean? Which lessons are to be taken? And how do these lessons vary when referring to Our or Their past wrongdoing? In this erudite and provocative book, Forchtner outlines and analyses four rhetorics of learning each of which, whilst presenting history as a teacher, are characterised by different narrative grammars. Lessons from the Past? is vital reading for anyone interested in Memory Studies and the politics of commemoration. John E. Richardson, Loughborough University, UK This book reconstructs how claims to know the lessons from past wrongdoings are made useful in the present. These claims are powerful tools in contemporary debates over who we are, who we want to be and what we should do. Drawing on a wide range of spoken and written texts from Austria, Denmark, Germany and the United States, this book proposes an abstract framework through which such claims can be understood. It does so by conceptualising four rhetorics of learning and how each of them links memories of past wrongdoings to opposition to present and future wrongdoings. Drawing extensively on narrative theory, Lessons from the Past? reconstructs how links between past, present and future can be narrativised, thus helping to understand the subjectivities and feelings that these stories facilitate. The book closes by considering if and how such rhetorics might live up to their promise to know the lessons and to enable learning, offering a revised theory of collective learning processes.
Author: Nicholas Wolterstorff
File Type: pdf
Nicholas Wolterstorffs comparative analysis of Thomas Reids epistemology relates Reids philosophy to present-day epistemological discussions. This timely and relevant volume will be of great interest to historians of philosophy as well as philosophers concerned with epistemology and the philosophy of mind. Hb ISBN (2000) 0-521-79013-1ReviewWolterstorff strikes the right balance between precision and fidelity to Reids text, and a briskly-paced treatment that enables the reader to keep the main lines of Reids thought in mind without having to be constantly reminded of them. This, along with the books manageable size and eminent readability, should assure the book a wide audience, including a substantial crossover group between history, epistemology, and history of philosophy. Stephen Darwall, University of Michigan Book DescriptionThis important book will do much to reestablish the significance of Thomas Reid for philosophy today. Nicholas Wolterstorff has produced the first systematic account of Reids epistemology. Relating Reids philosophy to present-day epistemological discussions the author demonstrates how they are at once remarkably timely, relevant, and provocative.There is no competing book that both uncovers the deep pattern of Reids thought and relates it to contemporary philosophical debate. It must be read by historians of philosophy as well as all philosophers concerned with epistemology and the philosophy of mind.
Author: Chris Dibona
File Type: epub
Freely available source code, with contributions from thousands of programmers around the world this is the spirit of the software revolution known as Open Source. Open Source has grabbed the computer industrys attention. Netscape has opened the source code to Mozilla IBM supports Apache major database vendors haved ported their products to Linux. As enterprises realize the power of the open-source development model, Open Source is becoming a viable mainstream alternative to commercial software.Now in Open Sources, leaders of Open Source come together for the first time to discuss the new vision of the software industry they have created. The essays in this volume offer insight into how the Open Source movement works, why it succeeds, and where it is going.For programmers who have labored on open-source projects, Open Sources is the new gospel a powerful vision from the movements spiritual leaders. For businesses integrating open-source software into their enterprise, Open Sources reveals the mysteries of how open development builds better software, and how businesses can leverage freely available software for a competitive business advantage.The contributors here have been the leaders in the open-source arenaul lBrian Behlendorf (Apache)l lKirk McKusick (Berkeley Unix)l lTim OReilly (Publisher, OReilly & Associates)l lBruce Perens (Debian Project, Open Source Initiative)l lTom Paquin and Jim Hamerly (mozilla.org, Netscape)l lEric Raymond (Open Source Initiative)l lRichard Stallman (GNU, Free Software Foundation, Emacs)l lMichael Tiemann (Cygnus Solutions)l lLinus Torvalds (Linux)l lPaul Vixie (Bind)l lLarry Wall (Perl)l ulThis book explains why the majority of the Internets servers use open- source technologies for everything from the operating system to Web serving and email. Key technology products developed with open-source software have overtaken and surpassed the commercial efforts of billion dollar companies like Microsoft and IBM to dominate software markets. Learn the inside story of what led Netscape to decide to release its source code using the open-source mode. Learn how Cygnus Solutions builds the worlds best compilers by sharing the source code. Learn why venture capitalists are eagerly watching Red Hat Software, a company that gives its key product -- Linux -- away.For the first time in print, this book presents the story of the open- source phenomenon told by the people who created this movement.Open Sources will bring you into the world of free software and show you the revolution.
Author: Phillip Harding
File Type: pdf
During the heady, democratic days of the fifth and fourth centuries, the poorer members of Athenian society, the lower two classes of zeugitai and thetes, enjoyed an unprecedented dominance in both domestic and foreign politics. At home, the participatory nature of the constitution required their presence not only in the lawcourts and assembly, but also in most of the minor magistracies abroad, they were the driving force of the navy, which ensured Athens control of the Aegean and the Black seas. Their participation at all levels was made possible by state pay (for jury duty, attendance in the assembly, public office and military service). In the fifth century state pay was financed largely through the tribute paid by members of the empire, supplemented by the liturgical contributions of the rich and, beginning during the war, a property tax (the eisphora). In the fourth century, almost the whole burden was shouldered by taxation upon the wealthy, especially those who owned property. In this book, author Phillip Harding traces the major changes that occurred in the administration of the state that eventually deprived the lower classes of their supremacy and transferred power into the hands of the wealthy land-owners. Things changed radically after Athens defeat in the Lamian (or Hellenic) War in 322BC. Over the next several decades, restriction of the franchise, elimination of pay for some public offices, the loss of the navy, the increased dependence upon local grain from the larger estates in Attika, the removal of the tax burden from the rich by the ending of such major liturgies as the trierarchia and the choregia and the abandoning of the eisphora all contributed to this transformation. **
Author: Jörg Rüpke
File Type: pdf
Was religious practice in ancient Rome cultic and hostile to individual expression? Or was there, rather, considerable latitude for individual initiative and creativity? Jorg Rupke, one of the worlds leading authorities on Roman religion, demonstrates in his new book that it was a lived religion with individual appropriations evident at the heart of such rituals as praying, dedicating, making vows, and reading. On Roman Religion definitively dismantles previous approaches that depicted religious practice as uniform and static. Juxtaposing very different, strategic, and even subversive forms of individuality with traditions, their normative claims, and their institutional protections, Rupke highlights the dynamic character of Romes religious institutions and traditions.In Rupkes view, lived ancient religion is as much about variations or even outright deviance as it is about attempts and failures to establish or change rules and roles and to communicate them via priesthoods, practices related to images or classified as magic, and literary practices. Rupke analyzes observations of religious experience by contemporary authors including Propertius, Ovid, and the author of the Shepherd of Hermas. These authors, in very different ways, reflect on individual appropriation of religion among their contemporaries, and they offer these reflections to their readership or audiences. Rupke also concentrates on the ways in which literary texts and inscriptions informed the practice of rituals.
Author: Enrico Coen
File Type: pdf
Over the past twenty years there has been a revolution in biology--for the first time scientists have been able to unravel the details of how organisms make themselves. The mechanisms by which a fertilized egg develops into an adult can now be grasped in a way that was unimaginable a few decades ago. The Art of Genes is the first account of these exciting new findings, and of their broader significance in how we view ourselves. Through a highly original synthesis of sciece and art, Enrico Coen vividly describes this revolution in our understanding of how plants and animals develop. Drawing on a wide range of material--from flowers growing petals instead of sex organs, and flies that develop an extra pair of wings, to works of art by Leonardo and Magritte--he explains in lively accessible prose the meaning of genes. Coen draws parallels between the way genes respond to the developing pattern of an organism and the way an artist responds to a painting being created on canvas, a memorable analogy that shows how the organism develops through an interactive dialogue in which there is no separation between plan and execution. There have been many attempts to resolve the paradox of how organisms make themselves. Lucid, authoritative, and entertaining, The Art of Genes offers fresh and exciting insights into the nature of evolution, development, and human creativity.ReviewIt is arguable that the most important advance in biology in the past twenty years has been the revolution in our understanding of the mechanisms of development.... Developmental biology has been transformed from a field in which ingenious manipulative experiments generated speculations about unobservable underlying causes, such as gradients and prepatterns, to one in which we have a very detailed knowledge of what is actually going on at the molecular and cellular level. Enrico Coen has written a book that attempts, with considerable success, to convey the essence of this revolution to the lay reader. It will also be of great interest to those biologists...who have only a superficial knowledge of the subject.TREEAbout the AuthorEnrico Coen is Professor in the Genetics Department at the John Innes Centre in Norwich.
Author: Rosella Mamoli Zorzi
File Type: pdf
From Darkness to Light explores from a variety of angles the subject of museum lighting in exhibition spaces in America, Japan, and Western Europe throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Written by an array of international experts, these collected essays gather perspectives from a diverse range of cultural sensibilities.From sensitive discussions of Tintorettos unique approach to the play of light and darkness as exhibited in the Scuola Grande di San Rocco in Venice, to the development of museum lighting as part of Japanese artistic self-fashioning, via the story of an epic American painting on tour, museum illumination in the work of Henry James, and lighting alterations at Chatsworth (to name only a few topics) this book is a treasure trove of illuminating contributions.The collection is at once a refreshing insight for the enthusiastic museum-goer, who is brought to an awareness of the exhibit in its immediate environment, and a wide-ranging scholarly compendium for the professional who seeks to proceed in their academic or curatorial work with a more enlightened sense of the lighted space.