Is it America’s historic destiny to be the ‘last of the hegemons’? Hegemonic states are very special countries that have simultaneously dominated the world both economically and politically and it seems increasingly likely that no country can follow the USA in this role. In this intellectual and creative tour de force, Peter Taylor, famous as the creator of world-systems political geography, examines hegemony as a concept in social practices and by using the experience of the three classic hegemonies, 17th-century Holland, 19th-century Britain and 20th-century America to provide a breathtaking new perspective on world history, political ideas and the nature of modernity. Professor Taylor weaves a rich tapestry of historical insight with arresting detail and innovative synthesis to show how for each hegemon political and economic dominance led to cultural power which shaped the entire world system. But in a fin de siecle world with little prospect of a new hegemonic order, are we perhaps facing the end of the world as we know it? In this constantly challenging, intriguing and original book the reader will find a compelling, disturbing yet exhilarating distillation of history, politics, economics, culture and ideology of the last four centuries. It will be the key book for students of politics, geography and history and for the general reader who wants to understand where today’s world has come from and where it is going.

Modern, modernity, modernism, modernization: these notions convey an important cluster of ideas which aim to describe the world in which we live. But the premises underlying these ideas are becoming outdated. They tend to assume a link between modernity and industrialism which can no longer be sustained. This text moves beyond these limitations by proposing a world of multiple modernities of which industrial modernity is but one. Peter Taylor develops a geohistorical argument which focuses on the periods and places of modernities, offering a grounded analysis of what it is to be modern. He identifies three prime modernities which have defined the development of our modern world: today's consumer modernity preceded by the industrial modernity of the 19th century which was itself preceded by mercantile modernity. In each case one particular country is implicated in the creation of the new modernity, first the Dutch Republic in the 17th century, followed by the British industrial revolution, and finally Americanization in our times, sometimes known as the consumer revolution.

Life is good for Whitey the White-fronted Goose ... until he's shot, loses the ability to fly, and is abandoned by his flock. But Whitey is a survivor (he hopes) and isn't going to let something as trivial as being grounded stop him migrating to Greenland, so he sets out on foot. In his own words, Whitey narrates the story of his adventures and the creatures he encountered along the way: the good, the bad, and the unhelpful. A comic interpretation of British wildlife, complete with illustrations, 'White Front Sore Rump' is a perfect bedtime story for anyone, young or old, with an interest in the natural world.

Pat Taylor has dedicated his life to serving the Church and the people he meets there. He has been a preacher, involved in the Ministry of Healing, a guardian and a Good Samaritan but above all, he has been a Christian. The author charts the changes in the Church as well as his own progress through life and the stories of some of those he has helped over the years. This book describes a life lived for God and a man who has dedicated his efforts to bringing people together in these times of separation and difference.