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Books > Biography > Science, technology & engineering
One of the most important psychologists alive today tells the story
of the transformation of modern psychology through the lens of his
own career and change of heart. Martin E. P. Seligman is one of the
most decorated and popular psychologists of his generation. When he
first encountered the discipline in the 1960s, it was devoted to
eliminating misery: the science of how past trauma creates present
symptoms. Today, thanks in large part to Seligman's own work
pioneering the Positive Psychology movement, it is ever more
focused on the bright side; gratitude, resilience, and hope. In
this his memoir, Seligman recounts how he learned to study
optimism; including a life-changing conversation with his
five-year-old daughter. In wise, eloquent prose, Seligman tells the
human stories behind some of his major findings. He recounts
developing CAVE, an analytical tool that predicts election outcomes
(with shocking accuracy) based on the language used in campaign
speeches, and the canonical studies that birthed the theory of
learned helplessness - which he now reveals was incorrect. And he
writes at length for the first time about his own battles with
depression at a young age. All the while, Seligman works out his
theory of psychology, making a compelling and deeply personal case
for the importance of virtues like hope, anticipation, gratitude,
and wisdom for our mental health. You will walk away from this book
not just educated but deeply enriched.
Peter Byrne tells the story of Hugh Everett III (1930-1982), whose
"many worlds" theory of multiple universes has had a profound
impact on physics and philosophy. Using Everett's unpublished
papers (recently discovered in his son's basement) and dozens of
interviews with his friends, colleagues, and surviving family
members, Byrne paints, for the general reader, a detailed portrait
of the genius who invented an astonishing way of describing our
complex universe from the inside. Everett's mathematical model
(called the "universal wave function") treats all possible events
as "equally real", and concludes that countless copies of every
person and thing exist in all possible configurations spread over
an infinity of universes: many worlds. Afflicted by depression and
addictions, Everett strove to bring rational order to the
professional realms in which he played historically significant
roles. In addition to his famous interpretation of quantum
mechanics, Everett wrote a classic paper in game theory; created
computer algorithms that revolutionized military operations
research; and performed pioneering work in artificial intelligence
for top secret government projects. He wrote the original software
for targeting cities in a nuclear hot war; and he was one of the
first scientists to recognize the danger of nuclear winter. As a
Cold Warrior, he designed logical systems that modeled "rational"
human and machine behaviors, and yet he was largely oblivious to
the emotional damage his irrational personal behavior inflicted
upon his family, lovers, and business partners. He died young, but
left behind a fascinating record of his life, including
correspondence with such philosophically inclined physicists as
Niels Bohr, Norbert Wiener, and John Wheeler. These remarkable
letters illuminate the long and often bitter struggle to explain
the paradox of measurement at the heart of quantum physics. In
recent years, Everett's solution to this mysterious problem - the
existence of a universe of universes - has gained considerable
traction in scientific circles, not as science fiction, but as an
explanation of physical reality.
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Watching Over Angels
(Paperback)
Jayne Ann Osborne; Edited by Holly Young Kolb; Foreword by Janie Wilson
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R387
Discovery Miles 3 870
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Ships in 10 - 15 working days
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THE GALANTHOPHILES is the first book to focus on the lives of
snowdrop devotees during the years 1854 to 2014 when snowdrops came
of horticultural age. It tells the stories of the most important
individuals whose fascination with every aspect of the genus
Galanthus ensured the survival of so many of the snowdrops we grow
today. The stories are interwoven with accounts of the introduction
of new snowdrop species and new snowdrop variants and provide a
history of Galanthus cultivation in Britain.
'[This] crisply succinct, beautifully synthesized study brings to
life Tesla, his achievements and failures...and the hopeful thrum
of an era before world wars.' - Nature Nikola Tesla is one of the
most enigmatic, curious and controversial figures in the history of
science. An electrical pioneer as influential in his own way as
Thomas Edison, he embodied the aspirations and paradoxes of an age
of innovation that seemed to have the future firmly in its grasp.
In an era that saw the spread of power networks and wireless
telegraphy, the discovery of X-rays, and the birth of powered
flight, Tesla made himself synonymous with the electrical future
under construction but opinion was often divided as to whether he
was a visionary, a charlatan, or a fool. Iwan Rhys Morus examines
Tesla's life in the context of the extraordinary times in which he
lived and worked, colourfully evoking an age in which anything
seemed possible, from capturing the full energy of Niagara to
communicating with Mars. Shattering the myth of the 'man out of
time', Morus demonstrates that Tesla was in all ways a product of
his era, and shows how the popular image of the
inventor-as-maverick-outsider was deliberately crafted by Tesla -
establishing an archetype that still resonates today.
'Lucid, calm, informed, directly helpful in trying to think about
where we are now... The literature of the time after begins here'
Evening Standard 'Taking a breather from bewildering statistics and
terrible tales of contagion to read Giordano's book was a jolt of
brevity and simplicity... It takes concepts that have been dancing
away in our minds, just out of reach, and lines them up neatly' The
Times 'Potent and original' Sunday Times 'In one short hour, in the
midst of this difficult moment, Giordano reinforced my sense of
hope in humanity, in the one and the many' Philippe Sands, author
of East West Street and The Rat Line The Covid-19 pandemic is the
most significant health emergency of our time. Writing from Italy
in lockdown, physicist and novelist Paolo Giordano explains how
disease spreads in our interconnected world: why it matters how it
impacts us how we must react Expanding his focus to include other
forms of contagion - from the environmental crisis to fake news and
xenophobia - Giordano shows us not just how the coronavirus crisis
got so bad so quickly, but also how we can work together to create
change. Paolo Giordano is a physicist and the author of four
bestselling novels. His article 'The Mathematics of Contagion' -
published in Italy at the beginning of the coronavirus emergency -
was shared more than 4 million times and helped shift public
opinion in the early stages of the epidemic.
Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) is a pivotal figure in the birth of
modern science, the astronomer who "stopped the sun and set the
earth in motion." Born in Poland, educated at Cracow and then in
Italy, he served all of his adult life as a church administrator.
His vision of a sun-centered universe, shocking to many and
unbelievable to most, turned out to be the essential blueprint for
a physical understanding of celestial motions, thereby triggering
what is commonly called "the Copernican revolution." A first
edition of his world-changing treatise, De Revolutionibus Orbium
Coelestium, has most recently been auctioned for more than $2
million. In this book, leading historian of science Owen Gingerich
sets Copernicus in the context of a rapidly changing world, where
the recent invention of printing with moveable type not only made
sources more readily available to him, but also fueled Martin's
Luther's transformation of the religious landscape. In an era of
geographical exploration and discovery, new ideas were replacing
time-honored concepts about the extent of inhabited continents.
Gingerich reveals Copernicus' heliocentric revolution as an
aesthetic achievement not dictated by observational "proofs," but
another new way of looking at the ancient cosmos. Deftly combining
astronomy and history, this Very Short Introduction offers a
fascinating portray of the man who launched the modern vision of
the universe. Out of Gingerich's engaging biography emerges the
image of a scientist, intellectual, patriot, and reformer, who
lived in an era when political as well as religious beliefs were
shifting.
From the age of ten, looking up at the stars, Jerry Ross knew that
he wanted to journey into space. This autobiography tells the story
of how he came not only to achieve that goal, but to become the
most-launched astronaut in history, as well as a NASA veteran whose
career spanned the entire US Space Shuttle program. From his
childhood in rural Indiana, through education at Purdue University,
and a career in the US Air Force, Ross charted a path to NASA after
overcoming many setbacks-from failing to qualify for Air Force
pilot training because of "bad" eyesight, to an initial failure to
be selected into the astronaut program. The majority of the book is
an insider's account of the US Space Shuttle program, including the
unforgettable experience of launch, the delights of weightless
living, and the challenges of constructing the International Space
Station. Ross is a uniquely qualified narrator. During seven
spaceflights, he spent 1,393 hours in space, including 58 hours and
18 minutes on nine space walks. Life on the ground is also
described, including the devastating experiences of the Challenger
and Columbia disasters. For readers who have followed the space
program from Mercury through the International Space Station and
wonder what comes next, this book provides fascination; for young
people interested in space exploration and reaching for their
dreams, whatever they might be, this book provides inspiration.
Full of stories of spaceflight that few humans have ever
experienced, told with humor and honesty, Spacewalker presents a
unique perspective on the hard work, determination, and faith
necessary to travel beyond this world. Key Points: An insider's
account of the US Space Shuttle program, from before its first
launch through the final landing, and the building of the
International Space Station. A firsthand account of life in space
from the first human to fly seven missions. An inspirational story
of a personal journey from rural Indiana to outer space, powered by
a deep Christian faith.
Patricia L. Walsh grew up the eighth of fifteen children in a poor
Minnesota farm family and worked her way through nursing school and
anesthesia training. In 1967, she volunteered to go to Vietnam to
care for civilians caught in the crossfire. She injured her back in
the Tet Offensive and returned home in denial of the severe Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) she had developed. RIVER CITY
chronicles the dedication, self sacrifice, trials and triumphs of
practicing combat medicine.
Nautilus Book Awards - Silver Award Winner 2010 had been a very
good year for Bruce H. Kramer. But what began as a floppy foot and
leg weakness led to a shattering diagnosis: he had amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis. ALS is a cruel, unrelenting neurodegenerative
disease in which the body's muscles slowly weaken, including those
used to move, swallow, talk, and ultimately breathe. There is no
cure: ALS is a death sentence. When death is a constant companion,
sitting too closely beside you at the dinner table, coloring your
thoughts and feelings and words, your outlook on life is utterly
transformed. The perspective and insights offered in We Know How
This Ends reveal this daily reality and inspire a way forward for
anyone who has suffered major loss and for anyone who surely will.
Rather than wallowing in sadness and bitterness, anger and denial,
Kramer accepted the crushing diagnosis. The educator and musician
recognized that if he wanted a meaningful life, then embracing his
imminent death was his only viable option. His decision was the
foundation for profound, personal reflection and growth, even as
his body weakened, and inspired him to share the lessons he was
learning from ALS about how to live as fully as possible, even in
the midst of devastating grief. At the time Kramer was diagnosed,
broadcast journalist Cathy Wurzer was struggling with her own
losses, especially her father's slow descent into the bewildering
world of dementia. Mutual friends put this unlikely pair-journalist
and educator-together, and the serendipitous result has been a
series of remarkable broadcast conversations, a deep friendship,
and now this book. Written with wisdom, genuine humor, and
down-to-earth observations, We Know How This Ends is far more than
a memoir. It is a dignified, courageous, and unflinching look at
how acceptance of loss and inevitable death can lead us all to a
more meaningful and fulfilling life.
The only full-length biography of the founder of the Nobel Prize.
Few documents have had a more enduring influence on our century
than Alfred Nobel's last will and testament, for these handwritten
sheets established the most coveted and prestigious awards on
earth. The Nobel Prizes represent glory and world stature, and are
the stuff of immortality. Yet the man whose name they bear has been
lost to near obscurity. As Kenne Fant shows in this fascinating
biography, Alfred Nobel's life contained fierce and troubling
paradoxes. He invented dynamite and revolutionized the technology
of destruction, yet his dreams of a disarmed world inspired him to
create the Nobel Peace Prize.
One of the most powerful men of his time, Nobel was viewed by some
as the model of success and entrepreneurial drive; to his workers,
he was an enlightened and scrupulously honest employer in an age of
heartless exploitation. Others, however, blamed him for the
accidents caused by his inventions and labeled him the "merchant of
death." Victor Hugo called him "Europe's richest vagabond" because
he moved about too restlessly. Harassed by imitators, sycophants,
and frauds, and struggling continuously with bureaucracies and
patent offices (only Thomas Edison surpassed him in the number of
patents obtained), Nobel was often desperately lonely.
Making extensive use of Nobel's letters and writing, Fan's portrait
reveals Nobel in all his aspects--industrialist, pacifist, arms
manufacturer, and poet--and does full justice to a compelling and
visionary figure whose name will resonate for generations.
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