"Solo Practice" is an unsettling book, distinguished but disturbing, a dark novel of possession, obsession and the corruption of love. It considers the limits of friendship and the definitions of family, exploring the porous boundaries that separate parent from child, brother from sister, friend from lover. A finely crafted, compelling study of the nature of twinship, it celebrates the commonality of soul, while also mining the depths of the unspeakable heart. That is to say, this novel examines the nature of love.

In luminous prose these stories follow the lives of four young people, flawed and damaged from the start, chronicling their efforts to help themselves and each other achieve the passage to adulthood. Not all survive the journey, and those who do arrive at places their dreams never imagined. Ultimately, " Solo Practice" is a book about the nature of hope and healing, and the limits of both. Like Raymond Carver, Philip Russell makes us reconsider the meanings of redemption and salvation.

The History of Mexico: From Pre-Conquest to Present traces the last 500 years of Mexican history, from the indigenous empires that were devastated by the Spanish conquest through the election of 2006 and its aftermath. The book offers a straightforward chronological survey of Mexican history from the pre-colonial times to the present, and includes a glossary as well as numerous tables and images for comprehensive study.

In lively and engaging prose, Philip Russell guides readers through major themes that still resonate today including:

• The role of women in society
• Environmental change
• The evolving status of Mexico's indigenous people
• African slavery and the role of race
• Government economic policy
• Foreign relations with the United States and others

The companion website provides many useful student tools including multiple choice questions, extra book chapters, and links to online resources, as well as digital copies of the maps from the book.

For additional information and classroom resources please visit The History of Mexico companion website at www.routledge.com/textbooks/russell.

The full text of The History of Mexico: From Pre-Conquest to Present traces the last 500 years of Mexican history, from the indigenous empires devastated by the Spanish conquest through the 21st-century, including the election of 2012. Written in a clear and accessible manner, the book offers a straightforward chronological survey of Mexican history from pre-colonial times to the present, and includes a glossary as well as numerous images and tables for comprehensive study. This version, The Essential History of Mexico, streamlines and updates the text of the full first edition to make it easier for classroom use. Helpful pedagogy has been added for contextualization and support, including: Side-by-side world and Mexican timelines at the beginning of each chapter that place the national events from each chapter in broader global context Bolded keywords that draw attention to important terms Cultural and biography boxes in each chapter that help highlight aspects of social history Primary documents in each chapter that allow historical actors to speak directly to students Annotated suggestions for further reading In addition, the companion website provides many valuable tools for students and instructors, including links to online resources and videos, discussion questions, and images and figures from the book.

The full text of The History of Mexico: From Pre-Conquest to Present traces the last 500 years of Mexican history, from the indigenous empires devastated by the Spanish conquest through the 21st-century, including the election of 2012. Written in a clear and accessible manner, the book offers a straightforward chronological survey of Mexican history from pre-colonial times to the present, and includes a glossary as well as numerous images and tables for comprehensive study. This version, The Essential History of Mexico, streamlines and updates the text of the full first edition to make it easier for classroom use. Helpful pedagogy has been added for contextualization and support, including: Side-by-side world and Mexican timelines at the beginning of each chapter that place the national events from each chapter in broader global context Bolded keywords that draw attention to important terms Cultural and biography boxes in each chapter that help highlight aspects of social history Primary documents in each chapter that allow historical actors to speak directly to students Annotated suggestions for further reading In addition, the companion website provides many valuable tools for students and instructors, including links to online resources and videos, discussion questions, and images and figures from the book.

The History of Mexico: From Pre-Conquest to Present traces the last 500 years of Mexican history, from the indigenous empires that were devastated by the Spanish conquest through the election of 2006 and its aftermath. The book offers a straightforward chronological survey of Mexican history from the pre-colonial times to the present, and includes a glossary as well as numerous tables and images for comprehensive study.

In lively and engaging prose, Philip Russell guides readers through major themes that still resonate today including:

• The role of women in society
• Environmental change
• The evolving status of Mexico s indigenous people
• African slavery and the role of race
• Government economic policy
• Foreign relations with the United States and others

The companion website provides many useful student tools including multiple choice questions, extra book chapters, and links to online resources, as well as digital copies of the maps from the book.

For additional information and classroom resources please visit The History of Mexico companion website at www.routledge.com/textbooks/russell.

Nothing ensures the rapid development of new technology like the involvement of the military. From the trebuchet and the cannon to the tank and the ballistic missile, military research programmes have produced the most devastating weapons imaginable, but military masterminds are responsible for a number of surprises along the way as well. Radar, walkie-talkies and the jet engine are more obvious examples of military inventions that are now in everyday use around the world, but there are plenty of items with which all of us come into contact on a daily basis that have been developed from military technology. Rod Green describes how the microwave oven in your kitchen, the sat-nav in your car or the Internet that you use every day all owe their existence to the military as he takes us on a highly entertaining voyage of discovery through the world of military inventions ancient and modern.

"Solo Practice" is an unsettling book, distinguished but disturbing, a dark novel of possession, obsession and the corruption of love. It considers the limits of friendship and the definitions of family, exploring the porous boundaries that separate parent from child, brother from sister, friend from lover. A finely crafted, compelling study of the nature of twinship, it celebrates the commonality of soul, while also mining the depths of the unspeakable heart. That is to say, this novel examines the nature of love.

In luminous prose these stories follow the lives of four young people, flawed and damaged from the start, chronicling their efforts to help themselves and each other achieve the passage to adulthood. Not all survive the journey, and those who do arrive at places their dreams never imagined. Ultimately, " Solo Practice" is a book about the nature of hope and healing, and the limits of both. Like Raymond Carver, Philip Russell makes us reconsider the meanings of redemption and salvation.