This Open Access book explores questions such as why and how did the first biological cells appear? And then complex organisms, brains, societies and –now– connected human societies? Physicists have good models for describing the evolution of the universe since the Big Bang, but can we apply the same concepts to the evolution of aggregated matter –living matter included? The Amazing Journey analyzes the latest results in chemistry, biology, neuroscience, anthropology and sociology under the light of the evolution of intelligence, seen as the ability of processing information. The main strength of this book is using just two concepts used in physics –information and energy– to explain: The emergence and evolution of life: procaryotes, eukaryotes and complex organisms The emergence and evolution of the brain The emergence and evolution of societies (human and not) Possible evolution of our "internet society" and the role that Artificial Intelligence is playing

This Open Access book explores questions such as why and how did the first biological cells appear? And then complex organisms, brains, societies and -now- connected human societies? Physicists have good models for describing the evolution of the universe since the Big Bang, but can we apply the same concepts to the evolution of aggregated matter -living matter included? The Amazing Journey analyzes the latest results in chemistry, biology, neuroscience, anthropology and sociology under the light of the evolution of intelligence, seen as the ability of processing information. The main strength of this book is using just two concepts used in physics -information and energy- to explain: The emergence and evolution of life: procaryotes, eukaryotes and complex organisms The emergence and evolution of the brain The emergence and evolution of societies (human and not) Possible evolution of our "internet society" and the role that Artificial Intelligence is playing This work was published by Saint Philip Street Press pursuant to a Creative Commons license permitting commercial use. All rights not granted by the work's license are retained by the author or authors.

Currie's memoir of his life and what it means to be an African today. Explores his life journey which started with his love of birds and grew into a fascination with wildlife and adventure.

Dr Jane Goodall is world-renowned for her work with chimpanzees and is a respected scientist and environmentalist.

An evocative wordless picture book that is a loving tribute to mindful living on our precious planet. * "Beautifully effective." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "Deeply profound... compelling... emotionally resonant." -- School Library Journal, starred review* "Elevating the life of an ephemeral object to the time scale of love across generations." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review From a tall tree growing in the forest--to the checkout counter at the grocery store--one little bag finds its way into the hands of a young boy on the eve of his first day of school. And so begins an incredible journey of one little bag that is usedand reusedand reused again. In a three-generation family, the bag is transporter of objects and keeper of memories. And when Grandfather comes to the end of his life, the family finds a meaningful new way for the battered, but much-loved little bag to continue its journey in the circle of life.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Deval Patrick, “an inspirational figure guided by optimism and hope who presaged the rise of President Obama” (The Boston Globe), recounts his extraordinary journey from the South Side of Chicago to the governorship of Massachusetts. “I’ve simply seen too much goodness in this country—and have come so far in my own journey—not to believe in those ideals, and my faith in the future is sometimes restored under the darkest clouds.”—Governor Deval Patrick In January 2007, Deval Patrick became the first black governor of the state of Massachusetts, one of only two black governors elected in American history. But that was just one triumphant step in an improbable life that began in a poor tenement on the South Side of Chicago, taking Patrick from a chaotic childhood to an elite boarding school in New England, from a sojourn doing relief work in Africa to the boardrooms of Fortune 500 companies, and then to a career in politics. In this heartfelt and inspiring memoir, he pays tribute to the family, friends, and strangers who, through words and deeds, have instilled in him transcendent lessons of faith, perseverance, and friendship. In doing so, he reminds us of the power of community and the imperative of idealism. With humility, humor, and grace, he offers a road map for attaining happiness, empowerment, and success while also making an appeal for readers to cultivate those achievements in others, to feel a greater stake in this world, and to shape a life worth living. Warm, nostalgic, and inspirational, A Reason to Believe is destined to become a timeless tribute to a uniquely American odyssey and a testament to what is possible in our lives and our communities if we are hopeful, generous, and resilient. Governor Deval Patrick is donating a portion of the proceeds from A Reason to Believe to A Better Chance, a national organization dedicated to opening the doors to greater educational opportunities for young people of color.

Walter Zehl’s story provides a rare, first-hand glimpse into a German soldier’s adventures, fighting in World War II. Walter’s numerous brushes with death are chronicled and how he used resilience, forged in adversity, to conquer all. But this autobiographical narrative is much more than a war story. It describes Walter’s early life in prewar Germany and tells of his daring escape over the border to West Germany, immigration to America and his struggles in pursuit of the American Dream. For those who aspire to write their own oral history, a step-by-step guide is included as an added bonus. This guide contains valuable tips and insights sure to bolster the success of any oral history project.

Richie Ashburn: Why the Hall Not? is the story of beloved Philadelphia Phillies player and broadcaster Richie Ashburn and a young fan he befriended as a player. That fan remembered the kindness displayed by Ashburn and in later years reconnected and led a drive--collecting almost 200,000 signatures--to have Major League Baseball reconsider Ashburn for the Hall of Fame. Ashburn was elected to the Hall of Fame and the once-young fan was with Ashburn at Cooperstown during the induction ceremonies. Along the way the young fan became a close friend of Ashburn and the two shared meals and thoughts on baseball.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST • This inspiring, exquisitely observed memoir finds hope and beauty in the face of insurmountable odds as an idealistic young neurosurgeon attempts to answer the question What makes a life worth living? NAMED ONE OF PASTE’S BEST MEMOIRS OF THE DECADE • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New York Times Book Review • People • NPR • The Washington Post • Slate • Harper’s Bazaar • Time Out New York • Publishers Weekly • BookPage Finalist for the PEN Center USA Literary Award in Creative Nonfiction and the Books for a Better Life Award in Inspirational Memoir At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade’s worth of training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, and the next he was a patient struggling to live. And just like that, the future he and his wife had imagined evaporated. When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi’s transformation from a naïve medical student “possessed,” as he wrote, “by the question of what, given that all organisms die, makes a virtuous and meaningful life” into a neurosurgeon at Stanford working in the brain, the most critical place for human identity, and finally into a patient and new father confronting his own mortality. What makes life worth living in the face of death? What do you do when the future, no longer a ladder toward your goals in life, flattens out into a perpetual present? What does it mean to have a child, to nurture a new life as another fades away? These are some of the questions Kalanithi wrestles with in this profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir. Paul Kalanithi died in March 2015, while working on this book, yet his words live on as a guide and a gift to us all. “I began to realize that coming face to face with my own mortality, in a sense, had changed nothing and everything,” he wrote. “Seven words from Samuel Beckett began to repeat in my head: ‘I can’t go on. I’ll go on.’” When Breath Becomes Air is an unforgettable, life-affirming reflection on the challenge of facing death and on the relationship between doctor and patient, from a brilliant writer who became both.