Stein Rokkan (1921–1979) introduced the concepts of ‘centre and periphery’ and ‘counterculture’. He also formulated the idea that ‘votes count but resources decide’ in elections. Rokkan was a founder of Norwegian social science, who became a world leader in the discipline. This biography offers an intimate portrait of the scientist and the man. Born in Lofoten and raised in Narvik, he rapidly became a star talent at Oslo University. He was courted by the great American universities, and universities in Manchester, London, and Paris, but opted to stay in Bergen, accepting only sporadic visiting professorships. Rokkan was a powerhouse in the political science discipline, especially in the relatively new field of comparative politics. When he died in 1979, aged only 58, his contribution drew praise from all sides; he had become a role model, the epitome of the international scholar. Who was he?

In this lively and fascinating book, a guilt-ridden, bacon-loving journalist finds work at an industrial pig farm as he researches the long and torrid history of humans and swine. After convincing a skeptical pig farmer to take him on as a hired hand for six months, journalist Kristoffer Endresen follows a litter of piglets from birth to slaughter, all in the hopes of understanding what goes on inside an industrial pig farm and whether humans can ethically justify eating pork… which just so happens to be the most consumed animal protein in the world. During his days as a beginner pig wrangler, he mucks out pig pens and cuddles a cute piglet. He inseminates a female pig and narrowly escapes being trampled. Endresen interweaves his fast times at a piggery with surprising insights into the long and star-crossed bond between pigs and humans—drawing on history, literature, archeology, and myth—and shares new science into video-game-playing swine and pig heart transplants, and asks if pigs really are as smart as we think. Both an engaging saga of an overlooked animal and a provocative exploration of the ethics of industrial meat, The Pig and I asks us to consider not only where our food comes from, but also the tangled history that first brought it to our plates.

Humans have always used their hands to create the world around them. But now most of us have gone from being practitioners to theorists, from being producers to consumers. What happens to our society when we are so divorced from the act of making? What happens to us as individuals when we limit the uses to which we put our hands? These are questions that preoccupy Siri Helle when she inherits a cabin of 25 square metres, without electricity, inlet water, or a loo, and decides to build an outhouse herself. Without any previous experience of building anything, she has to learn on the job and what she learns is not just about how to lay a floor and construct walls, but about what she is capable of and about craft and about the satisfactions to be found in making things by hand. Written with humour and insight, Handmade is the inspiring story of someone who tried to do it herself - and did.

*The Sunday Times Bestseller* 'Extraordinary Insects is a joy' The Times A Sunday Times Nature Book of the Year 2019 A journey into the weird, wonderful and truly astonishing lives of the small but mighty creatures we can't live without. Insects influence our ecosystem like a ripple effect on water. They arrived when life first moved to dry land, they preceded - and survived - the dinosaurs, they outnumber the grains of sand on all the world's beaches, and they will be here long after us. Working quietly but tirelessly, they give us food, uphold our ecosystems, can heal our wounds and even digest plastic. They could also provide us with new solutions to the antibiotics crisis, assist in disaster zones and inspire airforce engineers with their flying techniques. But their private lives are also full of fun, intrigue and wonder. Here, we will discover life and death, drama and dreams, all on a millimetric scale. Like it or not, Earth is the planet of insects, and this is their extraordinary story.

The second book by the bestselling author of Extraordinary Insects Trees clean air and water; hoverflies and bees pollinate our crops; the kingfisher inspired the construction of high-speed trains. In Tapestries of Life, bestselling author Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson explains how closely we are all connected with the natural world, highlighting our indelible link with nature's finely knit system and our everyday lives. In the heart of natural world is a life-support system like no other, a collective term that describes all the goods and services we receive - food, fresh water, medicine, pollination, pollution control, carbon sequestration, erosion prevention, recreation, spiritual health and so much more. In this utterly captivating book, Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson sets out to explore these wonderful, supportive elements - taking the reader on a journey through the surprising characteristics of the natural world.

For fans of Bill Bryson and David Sedaris comes an anti-nature memoir that will resonate with anyone who would rather stay inside with a book than venture into the mountains, from one of Scandinavia's biggest comedians. "A smart, funny and honest expose of the cult of the outdoors, from the sublime to the ridiculous."-Foreword Reviews Sometime around his forties, Are Kalvo starts losing his friends ... to the mountains. Friends who used to meet him at the pub are now hiking and skiing every weekend, and when they do show up, all they talk about is feeling at one with nature (without a hint of irony). When Are realizes he's the only person who hasn't posted a selfie on a mountain, he starts to wonder: does he have it all wrong? To find out, Are buys some ridiculously expensive gear and heads into the woods. The result of his sardonic trek is at once a smart and funny take-down of outdoors culture, and a reluctant surrender to nature's undeniable pull. An adventure, a comedy, and a tragedy, The Hiking Book from Hell is destined to become a nature writing (and nature hating) classic.

An award-winning science journalist explains what Earth's frozen waters tell us about the past, present, and future of humanity. "The Kingdom of Frost," or what scientists call the cryosphere, refers to all of Earth's frozen waters. Glaciers, ice caps, and fields of Arctic snow-the cryosphere is vital to our survival. It supplies us with water and helps cool cities from Bangladesh to Bangkok, Los Angeles to Oslo. In this captivating, eye-opening account, esteemed Norwegian writer Bjorn Vassnes interweaves brilliant climate reporting with the fascinating story of Earth's frozen world. He draws on cultural history and anthropology to tell us how the cryosphere once helped to spark life on Earth-and how it continues to sustain us despite its shrinking size. And he answers pressing questions such as: What will happen if it all disappears?

On a blazing hot summer's day, holidaymakers at a guesthouse on a Norwegian island are shocked to discover that a fellow guest has been found murdered on a desolate plain. The nameless narrator, an author, was the last person to see the victim alive; shortly afterwards, he is disturbed by a noise like `a rattling of chains'. A local tells him this is `the iron chariot', which is said to presage death. Detective Asbjorn Krag is summoned from the capital, Kristiania, and sets about investigating the murder. When a similar death occurs on the plain, it is again preceded by the eerie sound of the iron chariot, which leaves no tracks. Mystery is added to mystery when the victim turns out to be a man believed to have died several years earlier. Drawn unwillingly into the investigation, the narrator is puzzled by the enigmatic detective's apparent inaction, and troubled by unfolding events. These begin to take a toll on his mental wellbeing and he sinks into a state of dread, exacerbated by mysterious happenings at the cabin where he is staying. So profound is his unease that he feels he must leave the island. Then Krag promises to tell him the solution to the mystery...

Finding Places tells the story of the ground-breaking discovery of the cells that constitute the brain's positioning system - its GPS. The book takes you into the lab of neuroscientists May-Britt and Edvard Moser and lets you experience the work of the many researchers who revealed how certain incredible cells help rats and humans find their way. It details the discovery of the mind-boggling 'grid cells', which generate a hexagonal coordinate system and enable precise positioning and pathfinding. While giving a unique insight into the research process, the author also conveys what these insights mean for you and me. Have you ever wondered how your brain knows where you are, why your memories are tied to places, or why Alzheimer's disease causes people to lose their sense of place? These questions and many more are answered in this book.The author's goal is not only to document a fascinating scientific achievement that has revolutionized our understanding of the brain, but also to offer insight into the nature of science, and the imagination and creativity that lie behind topnotch research.Related Link(s)

'The Wonder Down Under is set to do for the vagina what Guilia Enders' Gut did for our digestive system a few years ago.' - Stylist 'This new guide should be on every woman's shelf' - Emerald Street 'A vital publication - it deserves to be a hit' - The Press Association 'Tells you everything you need to know' - Fabulous The Wonder Down Under explains everything you ever wanted to know about the vagina but didn't dare ask. Learn the truth about the clitoris' inner life, the menstrual hormone dance and whether the vaginal orgasm really exists. The book helps you understand how different types of contraception work in the body, what a "normal" vulva looks like and how wearing socks can change your sex life. Medical students and sex educators Nina Brochmann and Ellen Stokken Dahl draw on their medical expertise to bring vagina enlightenment to the world. Their no-nonsense approach, written with great humour, makes this a must-read for women (and men!) of all ages. Say goodbye to the myths and misconceptions surrounding female anatomy, this is a timely and empowering book that will inspire women to make informed choices about their sexual health. Listen to Nina and Ellen on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour here: bbc.in/2D3Svjh Or watch their myth-busting TED talk 'The virginity fraud': www.ted.com/talks/nina_dolvik_brochmann_and_ellen_stokken_dahl_the_virginity_fraud

Humans have always used their hands to create the world around them. But now most of us have gone from being practitioners to theorists, from being producers to consumers. What happens to our society when we are so divorced from the act of making? What happens to us as individuals when we limit the uses to which we put our hands? These are questions that preoccupy Siri Helle when she inherits a cabin of 25 square metres, without electricity, inlet water, or a loo, and decides to build an outhouse herself. Without any previous experience of building anything, she has to learn on the job and what she learns is not just about how to lay a floor and construct walls, but about what she is capable of and about craft and about the satisfactions to be found in making things by hand. Written with humour and insight, Handmade is the inspiring story of someone who tried to do it herself - and did.

Anders Bortne has a nice life in Oslo. Married to a wonderful woman, with two delightful children, his days are occupied by his creative work. Not all is well though, Anders has been sleepless for sixteen years, and it is taking its toll on his life and his family. No remedy has gone untested: sleeping pills, yoga, herbs, acupuncture, hypnosis, but none has worked. What do we know about the most important hours of the day? What is the history of sleep, and how is our health affected? Sleepless is a book for everyone who lies awake at night and wonders what to do about it. Anders’s last resort was just across the street.