"Mano a Mano" is a satirical story based on historical events in Zimbabwe, when Robert Gabriel Mugabe transformed himself from the much-loved Prime Minister to a controversial, polarizing figure.

Millions of people have left Zimbabwe due to horrific economic times and widespread starvation. The villagers of Maze Wibb who remain behind have no choice but to rely on themselves in their fight for real independence-and soon discover that a good beginning does not guarantee a happy ending. Through sweat and blood, they build a school, hoping to secure a bright future for their children, but it soon becomes clear that the headmaster has other ideas.

The book is divided into two parts: the first is a fictionalized account of true events, encompassing comprehensive descriptions of the narrator's life, his country, and his people; The second part weaves a variety of stories into one, creating a dialogue that provides an introspective look into the ways and customs of a culture across the world.

This insightful novel is not just about an African country but about the strong and beautiful people who live within its borders and struggle to survive despite the appalling and dangerous conditions that surround them each day.

After the IUTAM Symposium on Optimization in Structural Design held in Warsaw in 1973, it was clear to me that the time had come for organizing into a consistent body of thought the enormous quantity of results obtained in this domain, studied from so many different points of view, with so many different methods, and at so many levels of practical applicability. My colleague and friend Gianantonnio Sacchi from Milan and I met with Professor Prager in Savognin in July 1974, where I submitted to them my first ideas for a treatise on structural optimization: It should cover the whole domain from basic theory to practical applications, and deal with various materials, various types of structures, various functions required of the structures, and various types of cost . . Obviously, this was to be a team effort, to total three or four volumes, to be written in a balanced manner as textbooks and handbooks. Nothing similar existed at that time, and, indeed, nothing has been published to date. Professor Prager was immedi ately in favor of such a project. He agreed to write a first part on optimality criteria with me and to help me in the general organization of the series. Since Professor Sacchi was willing to write the text on variational methods, it remained to find authors for parts on the mathematical programming approach to structural optimization (and, more generally, on numerical methods) and on practical optimal design procedures in metal and concrete."

How to better protection of our architectural heritage in the event of earthquakes? The vulnerability of cultural artifacts necessitates the working out of a system which takes into account the problems of architecture, engineering and seismology among others. Written by architects and engineers, this book attempts to offer answers and give guidelines for both architects and engineers working in this field.

"Mano a Mano" is a satirical story based on historical events in Zimbabwe, when Robert Gabriel Mugabe transformed himself from the much-loved Prime Minister to a controversial, polarizing figure.

Millions of people have left Zimbabwe due to horrific economic times and widespread starvation. The villagers of Maze Wibb who remain behind have no choice but to rely on themselves in their fight for real independence-and soon discover that a good beginning does not guarantee a happy ending. Through sweat and blood, they build a school, hoping to secure a bright future for their children, but it soon becomes clear that the headmaster has other ideas.

The book is divided into two parts: the first is a fictionalized account of true events, encompassing comprehensive descriptions of the narrator's life, his country, and his people; The second part weaves a variety of stories into one, creating a dialogue that provides an introspective look into the ways and customs of a culture across the world.

This insightful novel is not just about an African country but about the strong and beautiful people who live within its borders and struggle to survive despite the appalling and dangerous conditions that surround them each day.