Uncover the lives of 20 real-life spies who made it their mission to uncover the truth and collect secret information from their enemies... This book presents personal accounts and testimonies from spies all over the world and throughout history and brings key moments in history to life for young readers. This book journeys around the world and delves back and forth in time to introduce readers to a host of incredible spies who dedicated their lives to world of espionage. Meet Alan Turing whose work cracking the Enigma code helped shorten World War II by a number of years and save countless lives, and let Hedy Lamarr prove to you that looks can be deceiving as she put her Hollywood glamour on hold to help advance radio technology. With accounts told through first person narrative, readers will feel like they're meeting some of the most infamous spies of all time. From those involved in reconnaissance, planning and logistics, espionage and development of new technology, this authentic retelling uncovers the secret life of spies in a unique and engaging way. With stylish illustrations from the wonderfully talented Alexander Mostov and informative and compelling text from Michael Noble, this is the secret life of spies.

East Asia is a powerhouse of automobile production. Yet, across the region, national automobile industries have had strikingly different patterns of development. Despite starting from equally low levels of performance and initially similar strategies, countries have experienced vastly different results. From Thailand's success as an assembly hub for foreign automakers and China's unexpected achievements in building its own car industry, to South Korea's impressive development of an integrated industry, to the Philippines' persistent weakness, these divergent paths offer a fascinating window into the determinants of economic growth. The Political Economy of Automotive Industrialization in East Asia provides a political explanation for why development strategies and performance have been so uneven within one of the world's most important regions. Utilizing interviews and original-language research from multiple nations, this book explains that factors such as market size and neoclassical economic policies alone cannot explain these patterns of development. Richard F. Doner, Gregory W. Noble, and John Ravenhill instead highlight the significance of two sets of factors: countries' very different capabilities for implementing policies and the political forces that help to explain the emergence of effective institutions. Through cross-national analyses of China, Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, the book sets up a clear structure for understanding industrial development and how it enables or constrains the capabilities of domestic firms. Brief comparisons with Brazil, Mexico, and other developing countries confirm the utility of the analytic framework and demonstrate how it is superior both to accounts in mainstream economics and much of political science, which fail to give sufficient emphasis to the role of public and public-private institutions, or provide an explanation of the political bases of those institutions. In a world where auto assemblers and suppliers are facing new challenges in an ever-evolving industry-such as the transition to electric and autonomous vehicles-this book offers a crucial perspective on the centrality of institutional capacities and political economy. By tracing the divergent trajectories of seven nations, The Political Economy of Automotive Industrialization in East Asia offers lessons beyond the automobile industry that illustrate the broader importance of institutions to economic growth.

Understanding and explaining the causes and consequences of social change has been an important concern of social theorists throughout the history of sociology. This wide ranging text focuses on a rich and diverse body of theoretical work, from Adam Smith and Comte to Lyotard and Baudrillard, in order to demonstrate the relevance of both classical and contemporary social theory to the wider social world and to show that, while social theory may not deliver all the answers we might like, it does improve the quality of the questions we can ask about how social change comes about, what its effects are and where it is leading us.

More surreal flights of fantasy with stand-up comedian Ross Noble as he performs live at the Manchester Opera House during his 180-date 2010 world tour.

The award-winning comedian brings his own unique, and increasingly surreal, observations on life to a packed audience at Liverpool's Empire Theatre.

Want to learn how you can stay employable and relevant for the rest of your working life? Want to enjoy feeling valued and fulfilled? In these unpredictable times, there is every reason for you to want to realise your skills and lifestyle choices to look forward to an adventurous and exciting future. Are you worth it? Of course you are! You are your greatest asset and investment. Welcome to Future Proofing Yourself. This book is for everyone. Reflecting on his own personal experiences and those of his family, friends and people that he has coached and mentored. David Yeabsley shares how at times we will all feel vulnerable in our working careers and worry about the future. We can feel lost and lacking in confidence. In Future Proof Yourself, David discusses how these feelings can be managed, encouraging you to discover how YOU can take control of situations and make the right choices for your future career and personal life. What could you expect from a life that you have Future Proofed? Well you can certainly look forward to having: - the ability to take control of your professional career - new skills and experiences - new people to network with - new learning opportunities It will also guide you to: - develop your confidence - create new ways of thinking - achieve the right balance in your life - enable you to stay relevant and employable for the rest of your working career Investment in yourself applies to all areas of your life, not just your career. Be careful though, following the Future Proof Yourself guidance you just might start living it and become the best version of yourself! Why should you make the effort? Well, if you don't look after yourself, who is going to do it for you? The author, David Yeabsley, has over 20 years' experience in coaching, mentoring, training and presenting.