Tsotsi is an angry young gang leader in the South African township of Sophiatown. A man without a past, he exists only to kill and steal. But when he captures a woman one night in a moonlit grove of bluegum trees, she shoves a shoebox into his arms: the box contains a baby and his life is inexorably changed. He begins to remember his childhood and rediscover the self he left behind. Tsotsi's raw power and rare humanity show how decency and compassion can survive against the odds.

Most studies of the history of interpretation of Song of Songs focus on its interpretation from late antiquity to modernity. In My Perfect One, Jonathan Kaplan examines earlier rabbinic interpretation of this work by investigating an underappreciated collection of works of rabbinic literature from the first few centuries of the Common Era, known as the tannaitic midrashim. In a departure from earlier scholarship that too quickly classified rabbinic interpretation of Song of Songs as allegorical, Kaplan advocates a more nuanced understanding of the approach of the early sages, who read Song of Songs employing typological interpretation in order to correlate Scripture with exemplary events in Israel's history. Throughout the book Kaplan explores ways in which this portrayal helped shape a model vision of rabbinic piety as well as an idealized portrayal of their beloved, God, in the wake of the destruction, dislocation, and loss the Jewish community experienced in the first two centuries of the Common Era. The archetypal language of Song of Songs provided, as Kaplan argues, a textual landscape in which to imagine an idyllic construction of Israel's relationship to her beloved, marked by mutual devotion and fidelity. Through this approach to Song of Songs, the Tannaim helped lay the foundations for later Jewish thought of a robust theology of intimacy in God's relationship with the Jewish people.

In an increasingly hectic world, Plantfulness is a guide to help you reconnect with nature while reaching for a peaceful and mindful life. Finding the perfect houseplant for you can be daunting, particularly for those who feel like they have a black touch rather than a green thumb, but Plantfulness guides you through 50 houseplants which can give back to you in a symbiotic relationship which allows you both to thrive. Featuring the practical benefits, from cleaner air and beautiful scents, to the emotional ones, like creative inspiration and a daily sense of accomplishment for caring for them, Plantfulness is the perfect choice for anyone wishing to improve their wellbeing and enjoy nature from the comfort of their home. An internationally respected expert on mindfulness and houseplant enthusiast, Dr Jonathan Kaplan works as a clinical psychologist in New York City. He lives with his wife, 2 kids, 2 cats, and asparagus fern Rhonda.

This exciting book brings the often-overlooked southern Maya region of Guatemala into the spotlight by closely examining the ""lost city"" of Chocola. Jonathan Kaplan and Federico Paredes Umana prove that Chocola was a major Maya polity and reveal exactly why it was so influential. In their fieldwork at the site, Kaplan and Paredes Umana discovered an extraordinarily sophisticated underground water-control system. They also discovered cacao residues in ceramic vessels. Based on these and other findings, the authors believe that cacao was consumed and grown intensively at Chocola and that the city was the center of a large cacao trade. They contend that the city's wealth and power were built on its abundant supply of water and its command of cacao, which was significant not just to cuisine and trade but also to Maya ideology and cosmology. Moreover, Kaplan and Paredes Umana detail the ancient city's ceramics and add over thirty stone sculptures to the site's inventory. Because the southern Maya region was likely the origin of Maya hieroglyphic writing and the Long Count calendar, scholars have long suspected the area to be important. This pioneering field research at Chocola helps explain how and why the region played a leading role in the rise of the Maya civilization.

Multidisciplinary authors provide a holistic overview Details the key principles and models of cancer-related distress Guides through assessment and treatment Illustrated with case studies Printable tools for clinical use Psychosocial oncology is a health psychology specialty that focuses on the psychological, behavioral, emotional, and social challenges faced by patients with cancer and their loved ones. Cancer can cause significant distress, and psychosocial interventions are known to be effective for helping patients and families navigate the many issues that can arise at any stage of the cancer continuum. This volume provides psychologists, physicians, social workers, and other health care providers with practical and evidence-based guidance on the delivery of psychological interventions to patients with cancer. The multidisciplinary team of authors succinctly present the key principles, history, and theoretical models of cancer-related distress. They then move on to explore clinical assessment and interventions in cancer care, in particular psychological and psychiatric treatments, multidisciplinary care management, and complementary supportive interventions. Case vignettes give the reader insight into diagnostic processes and effective treatment planning. Practitioners will find the printable handout and screening tool for clients invaluable in their daily work.

The world of the international rugby referee has always been a closely guarded secret... until now.

As a Durban schoolboy, Jonathan Kaplan watched rugby at Kings Park every Saturday, dreaming of the day he would represent his country. Now, three decades later and at the age of 47, he reflects on the career highs and lows that saw him retire as the most capped international, Super Rugby and Currie Cup referee of all time.

But records and milestones are just a part of an intriguing memoir that affords the reader a rare glimpse into the world of international refereeing... and what lies behind that enigmatic, penetrating glare that is as typical of Jonathan Kaplan as his silver-grey patch of hair.

In Call It Like It Is, Kaplan describes exactly what it takes to be an international rugby referee: his gradual climb to the top, the sacrifices he had to make in his personal life, his struggle with injuries and rugby management, the toll an itinerant lifestyle exacted upon him, and much, much more. But this is not only an autobiography: Kaplan also offers his opinion on the role of technology in rugby, dissects his own successes and failures, debates the selection and assessment of referees, and, yes, gives his take on the 2011 Rugby World Cup and the Bryce Lawrence affair.

Containing all the guts and glory you’d expect from an epic rugby tale, this is also the frank and forthright account of a man who, both in life and on the pitch, would only ever call it like it is.

It starts with Jonathan aged six, ends with his whole family reunited briefly in America (they have scattered themselves around the globe in the intervening years) and deals, via memoir and history, with Jonathan's coming to terms with his choice of profession, peripatetic existence and urge to himself in danger so as to help others.