Stephen Greenblatt argued in these celebrated essays that the art of the Renaissance could only be understood in the context of the society from which it sprang. His approach - 'New Historicism' - drew from history, anthropology, Marxist theory, post-structuralism, and psychoanalysis and in the process, blew apart the academic boundaries insulating literature from the world around it. Learning to Curse charts the evolution of that approach and provides a vivid and compelling exploration of a complex and contradictory epoch.

'This book is about a story (Ousmane Sembene's Xala), about a time (the aftermath of Senegalese Independence), and about a place (Dakar, the capital of Senegal). It's also about the collaboration between an artist and an anthropologist, who have reacted in their different mediums to the story, time and place, and to what the other made of them ....' So opens a unique account in a genre of its own devising that will engage readers interested in Sembene Ousmane as writer and film director, in Senegal, in African film, in West Africa, or in books designed to be desirable objects in their own right.

While information and communication technology has a vast influence on our lives, little is understood about its effects on the way we learn. In the Age of Information, students – consciously or not – are learning in diverse formal and informal environments from a broad variety of sources, with scientific knowledge competing against unfounded assertions, and misinformation and biased data spreading through social and mass media. The Positive Learning in the Age of Information (PLATO) program illustrated by the contributions in this book unites outstanding and highly innovative expertise on the fundamentals of information processing and human learning to investigate a new paradigm of positive learning as a vital, morally and ethically oriented approach, which is of existential importance to maintaining the civilization standards of a modern society in the digital age.

Brimming with humor and one-of-a-kind characters, this end-of-the-world debut novel will grab hold of Andrew Smith and Rainbow Rowell fans.

For as long as Isaac could remember, the Middleton High baseball team hasn't won a single game. So when he tries out as a sophomore and makes the team, he's excited but not surprised. After the first pathetic losses of the season, Isaac starts to get frustrated—why aren't any of his teammates even trying to win? When he confronts them and threatens to quit, they let him in on the secret: the team has been trapped in a curse for generations. Isaac decides to do whatever it takes to put an end to the curse.

Many people's lives, relationships, careers and wellbeing are blighted by the belief that to be liked, loved and accepted they have to limit themselves to the behaviours they believe are approved of by others. This might mean some or all of the following: always being polite, nice, helpful, charming, fun, making people feel good about themselves, not letting people down, never saying 'no', avoiding conflict and putting others' needs before their own. Jacqui Marson in her 15 years of clinical experience as a psychologist has coined the phrase 'the curse of lovely' to describe this growing trend. Many people would like to be known as lovely, but for a growing number of people it can feel like a curse. They feel trapped, suffocated and oppressed by the weight of others' expectations and feel that change is not an option. This highly practical and motivational book will show readers how to break the cycle or curse of lovely to live a more complete, fulfilling life. Contents include: When 'lovely' turns into a curse; the lovely child - how it all begins; the lovely friend; the lovely parent; the lovely colleague; the lovely partner; from curse to gift - how we can still be lovable and get our needs met; but what do I want - how to tune in to what your body is telling you; re-evaluating anger; saying 'no' and surviving; how to instigate scary conversations; and how to replace the personal rules that put you at the bottom on the pile.

GET D!RTY Next time you're traveling or just chattin' in Korean with your friends, drop the textbook formality and bust out with expressions they never teach you in school, including: •Cool slang •Funny insults •Explicit sex terms •Raw swear words Dirty Korean teaches the casual expressions heard every day on the streets of Korea: •What's up? Wasseo? •Holy shit, I'm trashed. Ssibal, na manchiwi. •I gotta piss. Na swi ssayahae. •Who farted? Bangu nuga ggyeosseo? •Wanna try doggy-style? Dwichigi haeboja? •That bitch is crazy! Heo nyeon michin nyeoniya! •I could really go for some Korean BBQ. Na cheolpangui meokgospieo.

Gas prices. Traffic. Your boss. Your former boss. Your coworkers. Your crush. Doctors. Customer service. Who can you call to get that monkey off your back? You can’t call anyone because they won’t return your calls. Isn’t it time to have a little ammo of your own? Find it here: fifty custom maledictions for situations you run into every day, and for people you know and wish you didn’t. The Little Book of Curses and Maledictions puts the power back in your hands with its user-friendly, step-by-step instructions. Learn how to place spells, incantations, hexes, and more. Authentic, ancient curses from around the world are tweaked for easy, contemporary use. The book covers the four essentials for practicing any kind of magic: what to do and say, what materials to use, what frame of mind to be in, and what limits to set. In some cases it even matters where you are when you set your curse, what time of day it is, and who’s around. Create the life you deserve using the power of the ages.

Creating order out of chaos has frightening consequences in this New York Times bestselling series! Kiranmala must leave the Kingdom Beyond and travel to her hometown of Parsippany to save Prince Lal, who has been spirited to the unlikeliest of places -- a tree in the yard of her best-enemy-for-life. She also faces evil serpents (of course!), plus a frightening prophecy about her role in the coming conflict between good and evil. Most troubling of all, though, is the way reality all around her seems to waver and flicker at odd moments. Could it be that the Anti-Chaos Committee's efforts are causing a dangerous disruption in the multiverse? Kiran must grapple with the increasingly tangled threads that threaten to ensnare her...and everyone in the world and the Kingdom Beyond.