This book is an innovative introduction to Python and its audio-visual capabilities for beginning programmers; a resource for expert programmers and of interest to anyone involved in music. It is structured around four extensible, audio-visual projects on music and sound. The beginner will appreciate the 'need to know' basis of the presentation of Python for each project, and expert programmers will be able to go straight to the project code, run it and then extend it as they see fit. Musically interested readers will enjoy the historical and theoretical material at the beginning of each project, and it may even tempt them to try some coding - it is not too difficult! The four projects the book focuses on are all self-contained, but can be extended to incorporate aspects of the others. Above all this book is suited for self-study, which should be playful (pun intended!).

This new edition of Snakes in Question has been completely updated to take into account the most recent research available, offering useful scientific information about snakes while dispelling many widely-circulated myths and common fears. Accompanied by 100 stunning color photographs and written in the popular question-and-answer format of Smithsonian's “In Question” series, the book tells how snakes breathe, hear, smell, and much more. It covers not only the life cycle of snakes but also explores such phenomena as the rattlesnake's rattle, the viper's hiss, and the snake charmer's secrets. It addresses common folktales about snakes (do snakes milk cows?) and describes giant snakes, both real and imaginary. The authors also give expert advice on such subjects as distinguishing venomous species from harmless look-alikes and keeping snakes as pets.

Today there are 6,800 reptile species on earth; the major groups are alligators and crocodiles, turtles, lizards, and snakes. Reptiles are tetrapods and amniotes, animals whose embryos are surrounded by an amniotic membrane. Today they are represented by four surviving orders: crocodilia (crocodiles, caimans and alligators), sphenodontia (tuataras from New Zealand, squamata (lizards, snakes and amphisbaenids - "worm-lizards"), and testudines (turtles).

"From stars like Britney Spears and Mariah Carey to classic icons like Yoko Ono, female musicians have long been the target of toxic labels in the media and popular culture: liar, crazy, snake, diva, and so on. This book takes a candid look at the full range of sexist labeling and inspires us to think about these remarkable women on their own terms"--

With 600 signed, alphabetically organized articles covering the entirety of folklore in South Asia, this new resource includes countries and regions, ethnic groups, religious concepts and practices, artistic genres, holidays and traditions, and many other concepts. A preface introduces the material, while a comprehensive index, cross-references, and black and white illustrations round out the work. The focus on south Asia includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, with short survey articles on Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim, and various diaspora communities. This unique reference will be invaluable for collections serving students, scholars, and the general public.

A snake smells with its tongue, hears with its flesh, and breathes under the sand with one lung; it can copulate for days with one snake or with fifty at once; it has infrared radar; and it can induce spontaneous bleeding if threatened. With all these qualities, it is easy to see how snakes have such varied associations in cultures around the world: while celebrated in tattoos and tales, and for medicinal benefits, snakes are also so universally feared that they constantly endure intense persecution and rarely enjoy protected rights. Drake Stutesman explores here in Snake the fascinating natural history of the maligned serpentine. Stutesman examines a wide range of sources to investigate the complex and widespread symbolism the snake has inspired, including the serpent's temptation of Eve in the Bible, Kaa in The Jungle Book, the Chinese zodiac, Indian snake charmers, and the Hollywood film Anaconda. She looks at the role snakes have played in human culture and science, from snake cuisine and the use of venom in medicine to the intriguing history of snake symbolism in art, architecture, cinema, and even clothing. Richly illustrated and written in an engaging style, Snake is an invaluable resource for snake enthusiasts and scholars, as well as for all who love, admire, or fear this fascinating and enduring animal.

Bear Grylls' Extreme Planet is a whirlwind tour of the globe, seeking out the highest, deepest, wildest, thinnest, coolest, hottest, scariest and smelliest things planet Earth has to offer! From the longest place name and the most dangerous road in the world, to the riskiest food to eat and where to find the oldest vomit, Bear Grylls will guide you through the coolest facts and the most perilous limits of our Extreme Planet. A fantastic journey through all the extremes of our fascinating world.