The Holy Grail, mysterious, hopeful, offering eternal life and proof of a living dynasty. Fabled knights feature in this intriguing narrative around the Living Christ. For over two thousand years since the Holy Grail disappeared, it existed as the object of many quests, adventurous souls who even now seek eternal life. This story as fascinating as ever, bringing to light those who supported Jesus of Nazarene, such as Joseph of Arimathea and Mary of Magda. A rich tale, brimming with dedication, faith, love and abiding strength from understanding the teachings of a true Master of divinity. What can King Arthur's Knights of the Roundtable still reveal? How much did a black and white terrier have to do with this history? When a baker stepped out of twenty-first century life, what did he take into the past? Does a pilon, or mortar and pestle, represent a vital clue for seekers of truth? How many prayers did Mary Magdalene offer, living as a recluse in a French grotto? Could Samoan brothers bring the Holy Grail forth? What does a family in Texas, who love singing A cappella, cause to happen? Many such questions are answered, much wonder and delight appear too in this well paced story, packed with extraordinary detail.

In American fiction, two forms of the Arthurian myth are commonly found: the use of the myth for political reasons, and the use of the myth for the continuation of an aesthetic tradition that can be traced back to the earliest use of the Arthurian cycle by writers in the British Isles. This work traces the use of the legend from Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court to Donald Barthelme's novel The King. It discusses how Twain used the myth to take a stand against England, how it served cultural and aesthetic purposes in John Steinbeck's writing, how Raymond Chandler used it in complex texts with less obvious Arthurian allusions that carried strong cultural and even political associations, how John Gardner used aspects of the myth to embellish already existing narrative structures and to underscore philosophic debates, and how Donald Barthelme suggests the continuing interest of American writers in the Arthurian legend today in his novels. Also discussed is the effect of World War II on American literature and the Arthurian myth and the Camelot image surrounding the Kennedys.

Human Evolution and Pre-History, first Canadian edition, is brief text that offers a straightforward, balanced presentation on views of human evolution, adaptation, and prehistory. It focuses on selected aspects of physical anthropology and prehistoric archaeology as they relate to the origin of humanity, the origin of culture, and the development of human biological and cultural diversity.

Discusses his fictional modes with their claims upon naturalistic and symbolic techniques.

Phytoremediation is an emerging technology that employs higher plants for the clean-up of contaminated environments. Basic and applied research have unequivocally demonstrated that selected plant species possess the genetic potential to accumulate, degrade, metabolize and immobilize a wide range of contaminants. The main focus of this volume is on the recent advances of technologies using green plants for remediation of various metals and metalloids. Topics include biomonitoring of heavy metal pollution, amendments of higher uptake of toxic metals, transport of heavy metals in plants, and toxicity mechanisms. Further chapters discuss agro-technological methods for minimizing pollution while improving soil quality, transgenic approaches to heavy metal remediation and present protocols for metal remediation via in vitro root cultures.

Jorge Amado is simultaneously one of Brazil's most prolific and widely read novelists and one of its most controversial. Seeking to offer for his English-speaking audience the same range of critical thinking that surrounds his work in Brazil, this volume provides an introduction and chronology to Amado's life, followed by a comprehensive survey of his major works by some of the world's leading Latin American Studies scholars. As the case of Jorge Amado is central to the emergence of Brazilian literature in the twentieth century, this volume of original essays will place him in clearer critical perspective for English language readers.

This book focuses on drylands such as arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas where they form the main part of ecosystems, e.g., in Iran, but also around the world. Mismanagement and improper exploitation of these areas lead to more degradation day by day. Besides an introduction to the role and importance of vegetation cover in conserving soil against wind and water erosion, this book gives a scope of appropriate techniques and methods for vegetation establishment and maintenance, indicators for suitable plants selection for soil conservation, and soil erosion prevention and combat. It provides methods of soil erosion prevention and combating through the application of plants, using bioengineering systems for soil erosion control and the role of agroforestry in soil erosion prevention. This book can be helpful to those with an interest in countries with similar climates to Iran. In particular, this includes Dubai, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Phytoremediation is the process that uses plants to remove pollutants from soils. These pollutants are stored in the edible parts of plants and, if they are consumed above a certain level, they become a health risk for humans and animals. This book is a critical review of phytoremediation, its direct or indirect effects on food products, and the risks posed by this cost-effective technology in food safety. It shows how different plants are suited for phytoremediation, explains the role of toxicants in the environment, and analyses their effects and risks in the food chain at a global level. It also reviews the extraction methods of toxicants from plants after they are exposed to phytoremediation. Features: Summarizes the phytoremediation technology for effective remediation Describes different types of pollutants in soils that render food products useless Identifies the role of phytoremediation in the environment and its advantages and disadvantages Explains the role of phytoexclusion and phytostabilization in foods and food safety Includes many case studies to describe the extraction protocols in postharvest for food safety This book is intended for practitioners in public and private companies involved in soil remediation and food production, as well as graduate students and academics, in both developed and developing countries, who are involved in soil and environmental sciences, the food industry, agriculture, and biotechnology.

Cadmium Toxicity and Tolerance in Plants: Agronomic, Genetic, Molecular and Omic Approaches presents research and latest developments on mechanisms of cadmium tolerance covering both lab and field conditions. This book contains important insights and options for minimizing Cd accumulation in plants and mitigating Cd toxicity. Topics covered include using various omics approaches to understanding plant responses to Cd, novel technologies for developing Cd tolerance and integrated breeding approaches to mitigate Cd stress in crops. Cadmium Toxicity and Tolerance in Plants: Agronomic, Genetic, Molecular and Omic Approaches is a valuable resource for both researchers and students working on cadmium pollution and plant responses as well as related fields of environmental contamination and toxicology. - Provides data on mechanisms of cadmium tolerance at the cell, organ and whole plant level - Covers several major approaches, molecular and agronomic, in addressing cadmium toxicity in plants and soil - Offers real-world, application focused techniques