Liberia's Deadest Ends is a novel based on fact. It is about trust and truth: what or whom to trust, and when. Truth in Liberia during the civil war had become distorted, embellished, abandoned, and abused out of bravado, fear, shame, or self-protection. No one seemed to know the difference between truth and rumor anymore. The novel is set in Liberia from 2004 to 2012, after the declaration of peace and the end of two protracted and bloody civil wars: December 1989-1997 and 1999-2003. The country is recovering economically and mentally through government stabilization and services; recording Truth and Reconciliation statements of human rights violations; and the criminal trial of former president, Charles Taylor. Jorja Himmermann, an international aid worker, monitors the resurgence of education programs, peace building, community development, child labor, and the protection of former child soldiers. As the country's past truths are revealed, Jorja seeks her own truths: of elusive pygmy hippos; the burns on her driver's body; the extradition of her British friend; and her relationship with an enigmatic Moroccan journalist. It reveals whom Jorja can really trust.

In the winter of 2010, Australian health expert Jorja Himmermann arrives in Ulaanbaatar to work with the Mongolian Ministry of Health providing grants to clinics and hospitals. Her new job is relentless, and the reputation of her boss is formidable. Her Mongolian colleagues include three efficient women, a diligent government team, and Mr. Irresponsible. In the longest, bleakest winter on record, a flu epidemic strikes. Hospitals are overcrowded, vaccine supplies are depleted, and healthcare workers are pushed to their limits. Crops, cattle, children, and the elderly are dying. Amid accusations of sabotage, corruption, and misappropriation, Jorja finds peace from her apartment window, watching Brik the unmoving mastiff and Bruce the graceful wrestler. Jorja finds advice in the prophecies of message cards and ancient Mongolian proverbs. Then the unthinkable happens, and the shortness of life affects them all. Based on true events, this novel offers a portrait of strength, solidarity, and resilience in the face of a devastating Mongolian winter.

Similar but Different in the Animal Kingdom is an educational science book for children, youth, schools, libraries, and anyone interested in animals. Learn about the similarities and differences between twenty-five sets of animals: bees and wasps, frogs and toads, gophers and hamsters, falcons and hawks, herons and storks, ants and termites, donkeys and mules, and more. What are the similarities and differences between alligators and crocodiles? Which one has a U-shaped snout, and which one has a V-shaped snout? What are the similarities and differences between fleas and ticks? Which one is not an insect? Are wallabies just small kangaroos? Emus and ostriches are similar because they can’t fly, but they have different feet. Which one has two toes and which one has three? Salmon and tuna have different tails, whereas octopuses and squids have the same number of hearts. Butterflies and moths have different antennae. Which one has club-shaped antennae and which one has feathery antennae? Can cheetahs or leopards climb trees, and which one can’t roar? Do dolphins and porpoises have similar dorsal fins? Do foxes and wolves have more similarities or more differences? Similar but Different in the Animal Kingdom has the answers! This intriguing look at the animal kingdom provides “Fast Facts” with an instant list of the animals’ main similarities and differences, as well as their scientific classifications, descriptions, habitats, diets, breeding habits, and much more. There are interesting facts, fallacies, phrases, singular and plural animal words, collective nouns, and a glossary of scientific terms.

After war, many countries, such as Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, or Iraq, the transition to a democratic market economy extremely difficult. This failure to thrive, Dead Ends of Transition demonstrates, is often the result of national reliance on foreign aid. Rentier states, the contributors to this study argue, have few incentives to respond to the needs of their societies. Taking a closer look at the policies of rentier economies, this book further identifies new ways in which these countries and their international partners could work together to ease the critical transition to democracy.

Between 1853 and 1903, some 500 African Americans left the Chattahoochee Valley of Georgia and Alabama to start new lives in the West African Republic of Liberia. Most of the emigrants departed for Liberia during the uncertainty of the post-Civil War years of 1867 and 1868. Most sought safety and escape from a still-intact white supremacist society. The ready availability of land in Liberia also promised greater opportunities for prosperity there than in the South. Black nationalism and evangelical zeal motivated others. Liberia would be their “own” country and afford an opportunity to spread Christianity throughout Africa. The emigrant group was largely made up of families and included many children; consequently, the group was of a young average age. Most were farmers, but some tradesmen and clergymen also emigrated. All faced many hardships. Some returned to the United States; however most stayed, and a small number prospered. Although the Chattahoochee Valley emigration to Liberia was a disappointment to many, a resourceful few found escape and safety from a white supremacist society and their own land in their own country. Historical sources on this regional migration are limited, but the American Colonization Society (ACS), the primary sponsor of the Liberian emigration movement, recorded demographic data on the emigrants. Some emigrant correspondence was preserved in the journal of the ACS and in local newspapers of the period. From these sources, the history of this movement, the motivations and characteristics of the emigrant group, and the experience of the emigrants in Liberia can be developed.

Between 1853 and 1903, some 500 African Americans left the Chattahoochee Valley of Georgia and Alabama to start new lives in the West African Republic of Liberia. Most of the emigrants departed for Liberia during the uncertainty of the post-Civil War years of 1867 and 1868. Most sought safety and escape from a still-intact white supremacist society. The ready availability of land in Liberia also promised greater opportunities for prosperity there than in the South. Black nationalism and evangelical zeal motivated others. Liberia would be their "own" country and afford an opportunity to spread Christianity throughout Africa. The emigrant group was largely made up of families and included many children; consequently, the group was of a young average age. Most were farmers, but some tradesmen and clergymen also emigrated. All faced many hardships. Some returned to the United States; however most stayed, and a small number prospered. Although the Chattahoochee Valley emigration to Liberia was a disappointment to many, a resourceful few found escape and safety from a white supremacist society and their own land in their own country. Historical sources on this regional migration are limited, but the American Colonization Society (ACS), the primary sponsor of the Liberian emigration movement, recorded demographic data on the emigrants. Some emigrant correspondence was preserved in the journal of the ACS and in local newspapers of the period. From these sources, the history of this movement, the motivations and characteristics of the emigrant group, and the experience of the emigrants in Liberia can be developed.

This book is intended to contribute to the ongoing discourse about Liberia or about Africa, which has often left people perplexed. According to a 2013 World Bank report, Africa has 30 percent of the world’s minerals and proven oil reserves equivalent to 10 percent of global stock. How is it that Africa, which has such enormous mineral and oil wealth, is the poorest continent in the world? A similar question would suffice for Liberia, which became independent since 1847, has been a sovereign nation for over 170 years but is ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world. This is irrespective of the fact that the country is endowed with abundant natural resources. Accordingly, I herewith submit that Africa or Liberia is not poor but poorly managed, and that corruption is a major source of bad governance, widespread poverty and instability on the continent. There can be no question that corruption is like a cancer eating at the vitals of Africa, my beloved country Liberia being one of the worst affected on the continent. This is why this book is titled, Corruption is Destroying Africa: The Case of Liberia. Because of corruption, critical public services such as health and education have remained in a state of dysfunction.

Democracy Works asks how we can learn to nurture, deepen and consolidate democracy in Africa. By analyzing transitions within and beyond the continent, the authors identify a 'democratic playbook' robust enough to withstand threats to free and fair elections. However, substantive democracy demands more than just regular polls. It is fundamentally about the inner workings of institutions, the rule of law, separation of powers, checks and balances, and leadership in government and civil society. It is also about values and the welfare and well-being of its citizens, and demands local leadership with a plan for the country beyond simply winning the popular vote. This volume addresses the political, economic and extreme demographic challenges that Africa faces. It is intended as a resource for members of civil society and as a guide for all who seek to enjoy the political and development benefits of democracy in the world's poorest continent. Finally, it is for donors and external actors who have to face critical decisions--especially after ill-fated electoral interventions such as Kenya 2017--about the future of observer missions and aid promoting democracy and good governance.

The shocks of the unexpected outbreak of violent internal armed conflicts in post Cold War West Africa continue to linger in policy and academic circles. While considerable attention is devoted to explaining the civil wars, there is little understanding of the delicate and unpredictable processes of reconstruction. Post-war reconstruction programmes in Africa have become, by and large, externally driven processes; and while externalisation may not be negative per se, it is important to interrogate how such intervention recognises and interacts with local dynamics, and how it manipulates and conditions the outcomes of post-conflict reconstruction agenda. Investigating the interface between power elite, the nature of post-war regimes and the pattern which post-war reconstruction takes is important both for theory and practice. This original study, by some of West Africa's leading scholars, interrogates post-war reconstruction processes in the twin West African countries of Liberia and Sierra Leone, focusing on the effects of regime types on the nature, scope, success or failure of their post-war reconstruction efforts. Political scientists, diplomats, the international community, donor and humanitarian agencies, advocacy groups, the United Nations and its agencies, would find it an important resource in dealing with countries emerging from protracted violence and civil war.

The Palgrave Encyclopedia Imperialism and Anti-Imperialism objectively presents the prominent themes, epochal events, theoretical explanations, and historical accounts of imperialism from 1776 to the present. It is the most historically and academically comprehensive examination of the subject to date.