The Vanishing of a Species? is a serious treatise exploring the past evolution, present predicament and possible future extinction of a particular species on planet Earth. The species is Homo sapiens. The threat to the species is Homo sapiens. The author, a former professor of geology and geophysics, starts his exploration by putting man in context, both in terms of space and time. We find that in either case, man is not as pre-eminent as he may believe. While man is the most accomplished toolmaker this planet has ever seen, his technical progress is overpowering his social progress-an imbalance that sets the stage for his vanishing act, absent quick, corrective action. The author makes a compelling case that society's unrestricted material growth is the challenge of our times. Modern man's predicament refers broadly to man's collision course with nature-his attitude of ruthless exploitation leading to depletion of non-renewable resources, pollution of the environment, overpopulation, with its accompanying increase in human aggression, and other effects. After the agricultural and industrial-scientific revolutions, it is now time for the Human Revolution-a more realistic attitude on the part of man towards the universe, the earth and other forms of terrestrial life. Vanishing covers a wide spectrum from man's early beginnings to the modern problems of population increase, resource depletion, pollution, crime, and many more. The book addresses the roles that heredity (nature) and environment (nurture) play in shaping man's nature, and in particular, his current high level of aggression-a trait that stands in the way of the Human Revolution. The author calls for the humanists to communicate with the technologists through an interdisciplinary dialogue that may pave the way to the Human Revolution. Major works discussed in Vanishing include the Club of Rome's much reviewed 1972 work The Limits to Growth and updates thereto, as well as C.P. Snow's seminal 1959 lecture on The Two Cultures. Vanishing concludes that without the Human Revolution in short order, Homo sapiens may well turn out to be an evolutionary flash in the pan-occupying a dominating but fleeting position in earth history. Vanishing should appeal to all audiences. Recent economic turmoil around the globe, and increasing evidence of the serious strain placed on the earth by the demands of humankind, make the observations and recommendations raised within Vanishing deserving of the sober attention of all Homo sapiens interested in the survival and prosperity of their species.

Friedrich Nietzsche's intellectual autobiography Ecce Homo has always been a controversial book. Nietzsche prepared it for publication just before he became incurably insane in early 1889, but it was held back until after his death, and finally appeared only in 1908. For much of the first century of its reception, Ecce Homo met with a sceptical response and was viewed as merely a testament to its author's incipient madness. This was hardly surprising, since he is deliberately outrageous with the 'megalomaniacal' self-advertisement of his chapter titles, and brazenly claims 'I am not a man, I am dynamite' as he attempts to explode one preconception after another in the Western philosophical tradition. In recent decades there has been increased interest in the work, especially in the English-speaking world, but the present volume is the first collection of essays in any language devoted to the work. Most of the essays are selected from the proceedings of an international conference held in London to mark the centenary of the first publication of Ecce Homo in 2008. They are supplemented by a number of specially commissioned essays. Contributors include established and emerging Nietzsche scholars from the UK and USA, Germany and France, Portugal, Sweden and the Netherlands.

This renowned introduction - already a standard text in Europe - is translated here for the first time. Vattimo uses Heideggerean and cultural-critical perspectives to reassess the work and thought of Nietzsche.

Focusing on three of the defining moments of the twentieth century - the end of the two World Wars and the collapse of the Iron Curtain - this volume presents a rich collection of authoritative essays, covering a wide range of thematic, regional, temporal and methodological perspectives. By re-examining the traumatic legacies of the century's three major conflicts, the volume illuminates a number of recurrent yet differentiated ideas concerning memorialisation, mythologisation, mobilisation, commemoration and confrontation, reconstruction and representation in the aftermath of conflict. The post-conflict relationship between the living and the dead, the contestation of memories and legacies of war in cultural and political discourses, and the significance of generations are key threads binding the collection together. While not claiming to be the definitive study of so vast a subject, the collection nevertheless presents a series of enlightening historical and cultural perspectives from leading scholars in the field, and it pushes back the boundaries of the burgeoning field of the study of legacies and memories of war. Bringing together historians, literary scholars, political scientists and cultural studies experts to discuss the legacies and memories of war in Europe (1918-1945-1989), the collection makes an important contribution to the ongoing interdisciplinary conversation regarding the interwoven legacies of twentieth-century Europe's three major conflicts.

Focusing on three of the defining moments of the twentieth century - the end of the two World Wars and the collapse of the Iron Curtain - this volume presents a rich collection of authoritative essays, covering a wide range of thematic, regional, temporal and methodological perspectives. By re-examining the traumatic legacies of the century's three major conflicts, the volume illuminates a number of recurrent yet differentiated ideas concerning memorialisation, mythologisation, mobilisation, commemoration and confrontation, reconstruction and representation in the aftermath of conflict. The post-conflict relationship between the living and the dead, the contestation of memories and legacies of war in cultural and political discourses, and the significance of generations are key threads binding the collection together. While not claiming to be the definitive study of so vast a subject, the collection nevertheless presents a series of enlightening historical and cultural perspectives from leading scholars in the field, and it pushes back the boundaries of the burgeoning field of the study of legacies and memories of war. Bringing together historians, literary scholars, political scientists and cultural studies experts to discuss the legacies and memories of war in Europe (1918-1945-1989), the collection makes an important contribution to the ongoing interdisciplinary conversation regarding the interwoven legacies of twentieth-century Europe's three major conflicts.

The essays collected in this volume are selected papers from the 7th Annual Conference of the Friedrich Nietzsche Society, which was held at the University of St Andrews in September 1997. The three distinct but related issues examined in this book are centrally important to the search for Nietzsche's intellectual and cultural roots. The first concerns Nietzsche's attitudes to his German cultural tradition, the second is Nietzsche's view of his German present, and the final issue is the extent to which dealing with Nietzsche and his legacies has itself become a tradition since his death in 1900. Implicitly or explicitly, the contributors reveal Nietzsche's ambivalent, double-edged attitude to tradition. All the essays collected here take account of the latest developments in Nietzsche scholarship and, together, make an important contribution both to understanding the ways in which Nietzsche problematises tradition and to recognising the difficulties, and opportunities, arising from the Nietzschean tradition(s) of the last hundred years.

THIS BOOK, conceived by N. M. S., is patterned this atlas, namely to assemble into a single source after The Atlas and Glossary of Primary Sedi book a photographic record of nearly all volcanic mentary Structures by F. J. Pettijohn and P. E. Potter surface features described during the development (Springer-Verlag New York, Inc. ). We introduce of volcanology so that future workers on terrestrial this atlas with a chapter by the late Arie Polder problems can refer to these photos for comparative vaart treating the principal concepts of volcanoes or illustrative purposes. as landforms, followed by a main section of photo Also, we hope that this atlas will serve as an aid graphs of volcanic structures and features arranged to those engaged in learning or teaching the funda in 198 Plates, and then conclude with an up mentals of geology and its sub fields, such as petro dated glossary of terms associated with volcan logy or geophysics. To this end we have attempted ology, its processes and products. to create a book simple and general enough to be The atlas is, in a sense, an outgrowth of the useful even at the secondary school level, but with expanding interest in volcanology recently stimu sufficient detail and rigor to be acceptable to both lated by the exploration of neighboring planetary students and professors in the universities. Further, bodies in the solar system."

This book is both a concise and lucid introduction to Nietzsche and an original contribution to critical debates concerning Nietzsche interpretation and reception. This overview takes issue with the prevailing tendency to focus on Nietzsche's later work, which reaches its extreme with Heidegger's almost exclusive focus on the group of late notes posthumously collected as "The Will to Power." Vattimo aims to mediate between two prominent hermeneutic readings of Nietzsche: Wilhelm Dilthey's view that Nietzsche's work fits into the nineteenth-century tradition of the philosophy of life and Heidegger's belief that Nietzsche is best understood as the author of a pair of ontological doctrines, the will to power and the eternal return of the same.
Vattimo aims to show that Nietzsche's early interest in cultural and historical criticism can be found throughout his corpus and that it informs, and helps to explain, Nietzsche's later doctrines and writings. This allows us to understand these later doctrines in a deeper way, to see their connections with his wider concerns, and thus to make greater sense of Nietzsche's philosophy as a whole.
This working hypothesis guides Vattimo through his elegant exposition of the basic views of the early and late Nietzsche, from the philological beginnings and the musings on Dionysus through the so-called positivist phase of the middle period up to the philosophy of Zarathustra and the fragmented insights that bespeak the will to power. Throughout, Vattimo's intellectual agenda is to present the philosophical relevance of a cultural criticism that does not let itself be reduced to a merely literary presentation of the psychology of decadence and nihilism, or to the grand ontological-metaphysical finale that Heidegger had in mind in his monumental Nietzsche studies.
As an appendix, Vattimo provides a history of Nietzsche reception in Europe that counters the narrow Anglo-American bias of much English-language Nietzsche scholarship.

This book is both a concise and lucid introduction to Nietzsche and an original contribution to critical debates concerning Nietzsche interpretation and reception. This overview takes issue with the prevailing tendency to focus on Nietzsche's later work, which reaches its extreme with Heidegger's almost exclusive focus on the group of late notes posthumously collected as "The Will to Power." Vattimo aims to mediate between two prominent hermeneutic readings of Nietzsche: Wilhelm Dilthey's view that Nietzsche's work fits into the nineteenth-century tradition of the philosophy of life and Heidegger's belief that Nietzsche is best understood as the author of a pair of ontological doctrines, the will to power and the eternal return of the same.
Vattimo aims to show that Nietzsche's early interest in cultural and historical criticism can be found throughout his corpus and that it informs, and helps to explain, Nietzsche's later doctrines and writings. This allows us to understand these later doctrines in a deeper way, to see their connections with his wider concerns, and thus to make greater sense of Nietzsche's philosophy as a whole.
This working hypothesis guides Vattimo through his elegant exposition of the basic views of the early and late Nietzsche, from the philological beginnings and the musings on Dionysus through the so-called positivist phase of the middle period up to the philosophy of Zarathustra and the fragmented insights that bespeak the will to power. Throughout, Vattimo's intellectual agenda is to present the philosophical relevance of a cultural criticism that does not let itself be reduced to a merely literary presentation of the psychology of decadence and nihilism, or to the grand ontological-metaphysical finale that Heidegger had in mind in his monumental Nietzsche studies.
As an appendix, Vattimo provides a history of Nietzsche reception in Europe that counters the narrow Anglo-American bias of much English-language Nietzsche scholarship.

Explore over 450 of the most magical, extraordinary and lesser-known woods and forests in England, Scotland and Wales with this unique, practical and fully illustrated book. Featuring stunning photography and lively travel writing, it is divided into easy-to-navigate geographical sections - Southwest, South and East, Wales, Central and North, and Scotland - and covers everything from the best campsites, bothies and quirky accommodation through to wild swimming, walking trails, types of woodland and forest, cycling routes, waterfalls, canoeing, wildflowers and wildlife, dark skies and stargazing, foraging, lost ruins and sacred, mystical and haunted sites. Wild Woods reveals life-affirming ways to connect with wild places through adventure and is the perfect book for both families and wilderness lovers seeking new experiences well off the beaten track. Also included is a series of 'Best for.' recommendations, from 'Best for Lost Ruins' to 'Best for Charismatic Wildlife', as well as Untamed Waters, Caves and Canyons, and Quirky Stays among others. High-quality photography illustrates a selection of sites and a number of featured adventures are included. With Bradt's Wild Woods visit historic forests such as Epping, Sherwood and the New Forest. Discover ancient and notable trees, healing springs and hidden castles and lose yourself in Britain's largest, wildest and most ancient woods and forests. Detailed, user-friendly instructions help to create wild weekend escapes and you can also learn about 'lost beasts' - megafauna such as wolves - and the evolution of ancient woodland. The legacy of royal forests and private chases is also covered. Whatever your interest in Britain's woods and forests, Bradt's Wild Woods is the ideal guide and companion.

Essays examining the rift between British and German intellectual and cultural traditions before 1914 and its effect on events. This volume of essays examines the perceived rift between the British and German intellectual and cultural traditions before 1914 and how the resultant war of words both reflects and helped determine historical, political, and, ultimately, military events. This vexed symbiosis is traced first through a survey of popular fiction, from alarmist British and German "invasion novels" to the visions of Erskine Childers and Saki and even P.G. Wodehouse; contrastingly, the "mixed-marriage novels" of von Arnim, Spottiswoode, and Wylie are considered. Further topics include D. H. Lawrence's ambivalent relationship with Germany, Carl Sternheim's coded anti-militarism, H. G. Wells's and Kurd Lasswitz's visions of their countries under Martian invasion, Nietzsche as the embodiment of Prussian warmongering, and the rise in Germany of anglophobic, anti-Spencerian evolutionism. Case histories of the positions of German andEnglish academics in regard to the conflict round out the volume. Contributors: Iain Boyd White, Helena Ragg-kirkby, Rhys Williams, Ingo Cornils, Nicholas Martin, Gregory Moore, Stefan Manz, Andreas Huther, Holger Klein Fred Bridgham is Senior Lecturer in the Department of German at the University of Leeds.

Nietzsche's Die Geburt der Tragodie and Schiller's Asthetische Briefe are two texts which make a vital contribution to the history of aesthetic and cultural theory. This is the first work to make a comparative study of the texts, bringing a mutually illuminating perspective to bear on them. Dr Martin counters the widespread belief that Nietzsche and Schiller represent a black-and-white contrast, showing the wide extent of the early Nietzsche's debt to Schiller's aesthetics, and drawing a convincing picture of the common aesthetic ground shared by the two writers. The four key aspects of their aesthetic theories are compared: the brilliant diagnoses of cultural crisis; the historical framework of each theory; the catalytic function of the Greek experience in both theories; and the metaphysical and psychological underpinnings by which the theories stand or fall. At the heart of the study lie the claims of both Nietzsche and Schiller for the untimeliness' of their texts. Dr Martin concludes that, whatever the shortcomings of the texts, they remain outstanding and enduringly relevant contributions both to aesthetic theory and to our understanding of what it is to be human. This book i

"People may say that I couldn't sing. But no one can say that I didn't sing."

Despite lacking pitch, rhythm or tone, Florence Foster Jenkins became one of America's best-known sopranos, celebrated for her unique recordings and her sell-out concert at Carnegie Hall. Born in 1868 to wealthy Pennsylvanian parents, Florence was a talented young pianist but her life was thrown into turmoil when she eloped with Frank Jenkins, a man twice her age. The marriage proved a disaster and, in order to survive, Florence was forced to abandon her dreams of a musical career and teach the piano. Then her father died in 1909 and, newly installed in New York, she used a considerable inheritance to fund her passion. She set up a prestigious amateur music club and began staging operas. Aided by her English common-law husband, St Clair Bayfield, she worked tirelessly to support the city's musical life. Many young singers owed their start to Florence, but she too yearned to perform and began giving regular recitals that quickly attracted a cult following. And yet nothing could prepare the world for the astonishing climax of her career when, at the age of seventy-six, she performed at the most hallowed concert hall in America.

In Florence Foster Jenkins, Jasper Rees tells her extraordinary story, which inspired the film starring Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant, and directed by Stephen Frears. This remarkable book also includes Nicholas Martin's funny, moving and inspirational screenplay.

New essays by top international Schiller scholars on the reception of the great German writer and dramatist, emphasizing his realist aspects. The works of Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805) -- an innovative and resonant tragedian and an important poet, essayist, historian, and aesthetic theorist -- are among the best known of German and world literature. Schiller's explosive original artistry and feel for timely and enduring personal tragedy embedded in timeless sociohistorical conflicts remain the topic of lively academic debate. The essays in this volume address the many flashpoints and canonicalshifts in the cyclically polarized reception of Schiller and his works, in pursuit of historical and contemporary answers to Samuel Taylor Coleridge's expression of frightened admiration in 1794: "Who is this Schiller?" The responses demonstrate pronounced shifts from widespread twentieth-century understandings of Schiller: the overwhelming emphasis here is on Schiller the cosmopolitan realist, and little or no trace is left of the ultimately untenable view of Schiller as an abstract idealist who turned his back on politics. Contributors: Ehrhard Bahr, Matthew Bell, Frederick Burwick, Jennifer Driscoll Colosimo, Bernd Fischer, Gail K. Hart, Fritz Heuer, Hans H. Hiebel, Jeffrey L. High, Walter Hinderer, Paul E. Kerry, Erik B. Knoedler, Elisabeth Krimmer, Maria del Rosario Acosta Lopez, Laura Anna Macor, Dennis F. Mahoney, Nicholas Martin, John A. McCarthy, Yvonne Nilges, Norbert Oellers, Peter Pabisch, David Pugh, T. J. Reed, Wolfgang Riedel, Joerg Robert, Ritchie Robertson, Jeffrey L. Sammons, Henrik Sponsel. Jeffrey L. High is Associate Professor of German Studies at California State University Long Beach, Nicholas Martin is Reader in European Intellectual History at the University of Birmingham, and Norbert Oellers is Professor Emeritus of German Literature at the University of Bonn.