From the bubonic plague to theoretical pathogens on other worlds, a sweeping look at the past, present, and future of mass infections—and how we battle them. In this panoramic and up-to-date account, we learn how the Black Death, smallpox, the 1918 influenza pandemic, and other great epidemics have not only led to enormous suffering and mass death but have also contributed to the fall of empires and changed the course of history. We also discover how new infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 emerge—and how we wage war against them. Humanity has struck back at the microbes: antibiotics and new vaccines have saved millions of lives. But the battle with these relentless, silent enemies is far from won. We face increasing threats from new and unavoidable pandemics, antibiotic resistance, and even potential extraterrestrial microbes. Duel Without End is a fascinating journey through the long history of infection, from the dawn of life to humanity’s future exploration of deep space.

Chronicling the epic fantasy adventures of naturalist Tristram Flattery as he voyages to discover the lost history of magic in a world where reason and science reign The Age of the Mages is over, and all the secrets of their magical arts are thought to be lost to the world. There are even those who suspect that the last of the great Mages spent their final years scrupulously eradicating all traces of their craft from the pages of history—insuring that their art will never be practiced again. It is the dawn of a new era: an age of reason, science, and exploration, and Tristam Flattery is one of its most promising young naturalists. But when Tristam is summoned to the royal court of Farrland to try to revitalize a failing species of plant which seems to have mysterious, almost magical, medicinal properties—a plant without which, he is told, the aging king will surely die—he soon realizes that he has been drawn into the heart of a political struggle which spans generations, a conflict which threatens the very foundations of his civilization. And before long, Tristam is caught in the grip of a destiny which will lead him to the ends of the known world—on a voyage of discovery that has more to do with magic than with science….

Stories Without End is a testament to nearly 40 years of groundbreaking historical research by one of New Zealand’s leading scholars. Sitting alongside her major works – including the 2010 Book of the Year, Encircled Lands – these essays explore sidepaths and previously unexamined histories. They notably delve into the lives of powerful early Māori figures, including the prophets Rua Kenana and Te Kooti, their wives and their descendants, and the leaders of the Urewera. Binney brings figures out of the shadows, explores place and revives memory, ensuring that the histories that matter do indeed become stories without end.

This is a fascinating examination of the relation between absence and chance in Derrida's work and through that a re-examination of the relation between war and literature.

Rethinking Joseph Conrad's Concepts of Community uses Conrad's phrase 'strange fraternity' from The Rover as a starting point for an exploration of the concept of community in his writing, including his neglected vignettes and later stories. Drawing on the work of continental thinkers including Jacques Derrida, Jean Luc-Nancy and Hannah Arendt, Yamamoto offers original readings of Heart of Darkness, The Nigger of the 'Narcissus', The Rover and Suspense and the short stories “The Secret Sharer”, “The Warrior's Soul” and “The Duel”. Working at the intersection between literature and philosophy, this is a unique and interdisciplinary engagement with Conrad's work.

Publisher Description

"Panoramic in scope, Plagues upon the Earth traces the role of disease in the transition to farming, the spread of cities, the advance of transportation, and the stupendous increase in human population. Harper offers a new interpretation of humanitys path to control over infectious diseaseone where rising evolutionary threats constantly push back against human progress, and where the devastating effects of modernization contribute to the great divergence between societies. The book reminds us that human health is globally interdependentand inseparable from the well-being of the planet itself."--

Pt. 1. Power shifts and nuclear weapons -- pt. 2. The legacies of nuclear history and the requirements of a new consensus on non-proliferation and disarmament -- pt. 3. Proliferation problems and the role of nuclear disarmament -- pt. 4. Towards a nuclear-weapon- free world.