North Korea and the United States have been officially at war for over 70 years, one of the longest lasting and most unbalanced conflicts in world history, in which a small East Asian state has held its own against a Western superpower for over three generations. With the Western world increasingly pivoting its attention towards Northeast Asia, and the region likely to play a more central role in the global economy, North Korea’s importance as a strategically located country, potential economic powerhouse and major opponent of Western regional hegemony will only grow over the coming decades. This work is the first fully comprehensive study of the ongoing war between the two parties, and covers the history of the conflict from the first American clashes with Korea’s nationalist movement in 1945 and imposition of its military rule over southern Korea to North Korea’s nuclear deterrence program and ongoing tensions with the U.S. today. The nature of the antagonism between the two states, one profoundly influenced by both decolonisation and wartime memory, and the other uncompromising in its attempts to globally impose its leadership and ideology, is covered in detail. Northern Korea is one of very few inhabited parts of the world never to have been placed under Western rule, and its fiercely nationalist identity as a deeply Confucian civilization state has made it considerably more difficult to tackle than almost any other American adversary. This work elucidates the conflicting ideologies and the discordant designs for the Korean nation which have fueled the war, and explores emerging fields of conflict which have become increasingly central in recent years such as economic and information warfare. Prevailing trends in the conflict and its global implications, including the multiple wars that have been waged by proxy, are also examined in detail. An in-depth assessment of the past provides context key to understanding the future trajectories this relationship could take, and how a continuing shift in global order away from Western unipolarity is likely to influence its future. "To understand where the Korean Peninsula might go in the rest of the 21st century, Abrams’ telling of the story of how the two countries got to where they are today is essential.” – ANKIT PANDA, senior editor, The Diplomat "...even those who find his conclusions unpalatable will be forced to weigh them carefully.”– JOHN EVERARD, former British Ambassador to North Korea

A compelling and emotional look into the life of a man trying to reconcile the conflicts he faced growing up gay in a divided religious evangelical Christian household that had forced him into solitude and silence in order to bury the issues he had no choice but to conceal. Grief, addiction, success, relationships, abandonment, tragedy, and other experiences are all navigated with a sense of humor in a multi-layered narrative that explores and challenges important truths about the human experience.

Relishing her newfound freedom from adomineering brother, Elizabeth wanted only tocontrol her destiny, her power, her heart. Like abird set loose from its cage, she tested her wingswith Cole Williams. But was the Philadelphiabillionaire too hot for her to handle on her firstsolo flight? Retrieving his priceless piece of stolenart was easy, but the man was dangerously sexy.Despite her desire for independence, she couldn'thelp giving in to temptation—and passion—withCole. But then she learned that someone fromher past was hell-bent on finding her—and Colewas the only one who could keep her safe. Couldshe give herself over to his protection…withoutrisking her body and soul?

Explore the dynamic world of physics with 'Unstoppable Force vs an Immovable Object! Net Force of an Object and the Concept of Force.' Perfect for middle schoolers, this book dives into the essentials of force, types of forces, and net force, making it a must-have for anyone involved in the US STEM curriculum. Readers will unravel the mysteries of motion and force through engaging explanations and practical examples. Ideal for educators, homeschooling, and school libraries. Ignite curiosity and encourage hands-on learning to understand the forces that shape our world.

#5 in multiple New York Times bestseller Larry Correias Monster Hunter series. Agent Franks of the U.S. Monster Control Bureau is a man of many parts¾parts from other people, that is. Franks is nearly seven feet tall and all muscle. He's nearly indestructible. Plus hes animated by a powerful alchemical substance and inhabited by a super-intelligent spirit more ancient than humanity itself. Good thing hes on our side. More or less. Sworn to serve and protect the United States of America from all monsters by one of the countrys founding fathers, Franks has only one condition to the agreement: no matter what the government learns of him, no matter what is discovered concerning his odd physiology or the alchemy behind the elixir that made him, the government is never, ever allowed to try and make more like him. Such is absolutely forbidden and should the powers-that-be do so, then the agreement is null and void. Project Nemesis: in a secret location, using sophisticated technology and advanced genetic engineering, the director of the very agency Franks works for is making more like him. And the director is not content with making one. Nope, hes making thirteen. Now all bets are off, and Hell hath no fury like a monster betrayed. Particularly if that monster happens to be an undying killing machine capable of taking out vampires and werewolves with one hand tied behind his back. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). Lexile Score: 800 About Larry Correias Monster Hunter series _[A] no-holds-barred all-out page turner that is part science fiction, part horror, and an absolute blast to read.Ó¾Bookreporter.com _If you love monsters and action, youll love this book. If you love guns, youll love this book. If you love fantasy, and especially horror fantasy, youll love this book.Ó¾Knotclan.com _A gun person who likes science fiction¾or, heck, anyone who likes science fiction¾will enjoy [these books]ãThe plotting is excellent, and Correia makes you care about the charactersãI read both books without putting them down except for workãso whaddaya waitin for? Go and buy someãfor yourself and for stocking stuffers.Ó¾Massad Ayoob About Larry Correias Monster Hunter Vendetta: _This lighthearted, testosterone-soaked sequel to 2009's Monster Hunter International will delight fans of action horror with elaborate weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, disgusting monsters, and an endless stream of blood and body parts.Ó¾Publishers Weekly The Monster Hunter Series Monster Hunter International Monster Hunter Vendetta Monster Hunter Alpha Monster Hunter Legion Monster Hunter Nemesis The Monster Hunters (Omnibus contains Monster Hunter International, Monster Hunter Vendetta, and Monster Hunter Alpha)

'Establishes beyond doubt that Iain Banks is a novelist of remarkable talents' Daily Telegraph Graham Park is in love. But Sara Fitch is an enigma to him, a creature of almost perverse mystery. Steven Grout is paranoid - and with justice. He knows that They are out to get him. They are. Quiss, insecure in his fabulous if ramshackle castle, is forced to play interminable impossible games. The solution to the oldest of all paradoxical riddles will release him. But he must find an answer before he knows the question. Park, Grout, Quiss - no trio could be further apart. But their separate courses are set for collision. Praise for Iain Banks: 'The most imaginative novelist of his generation' The Times 'His verve and talent will always be recognised, and his work will always find and enthral new readers' Ken MacLeod, Guardian 'His work was mordant, surreal, and fiercely intelligent' Neil Gaiman 'An exceptional wordsmith' Scotsman

This work explores the relationships between legal institutions and political and economic transformation. It argues that as law is enlisted to help produce the profound economic and sociotechnical shifts that have accompanied the emergence of the informational economy, it is changing in fundamental ways.

This original look at the French Reformation pits immovable object--the French appellate courts or parlements--against irresistible force--the most dynamic forms of the Protestant Reformation. Without the slightest hesitation, the high courts of Renaissance France opposed these religious innovators. By 1540, the French monarchy had largely removed the prosecution of heresy from ecclesiastical courts and handed it to the parlements. Heresy trials and executions escalated dramatically. But within twenty years, the irresistible force had overcome the immovable object: the prosecution of Protestant heresy, by then unworkable, was abandoned by French appellate courts. Until now no one has investigated systematically the judicial history of the French Reformation. William Monter has examined the myriad encounters between Protestants and judges in French parlements, extracting information from abundant but unindexed registers of official criminal decisions both in Paris and in provincial capitals, and identifying more than 425 prisoners condemned to death for heresy by French courts between 1523 and 1560. He notes the ways in which Protestants resisted the French judicial system even before the religious wars, and sets their story within the context of heresy prosecutions elsewhere in Reformation Europe, and within the long-term history of French criminal justice.

In this lively satire of contemporary South Pacific life, we meet a familiar cast of characters: multinational experts, religious fanatics, con men, "simple" villagers, corrupt politicians. In writing about this tiny world of flawed personalities, Hau‘ofa displays his wit and range of comic resource, amply exercising what one reviewer called his “gift of seeing absurdity clearly."

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Chair of The Elders, and Chair of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, along with his daughter, the Reverend Mpho Tutu, offer a manual on the art of forgiveness—helping us to realize that we are all capable of healing and transformation. Tutu's role as the Chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission taught him much about forgiveness. If you asked anyone what they thought was going to happen to South Africa after apartheid, almost universally it was predicted that the country would be devastated by a comprehensive bloodbath. Yet, instead of revenge and retribution, this new nation chose to tread the difficult path of confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Each of us has a deep need to forgive and to be forgiven. After much reflection on the process of forgiveness, Tutu has seen that there are four important steps to healing: Admitting the wrong and acknowledging the harm; Telling one's story and witnessing the anguish; Asking for forgiveness and granting forgiveness; and renewing or releasing the relationship. Forgiveness is hard work. Sometimes it even feels like an impossible task. But it is only through walking this fourfold path that Tutu says we can free ourselves of the endless and unyielding cycle of pain and retribution. The Book of Forgiving is both a touchstone and a tool, offering Tutu's wise advice and showing the way to experience forgiveness. Ultimately, forgiving is the only means we have to heal ourselves and our aching world.