Book Shelter

Explores post-disaster engineering, particularly focusing on the World Trade Center collapse of September 11, 2001, to illuminate broader lessons for the profession. It examines how engineers learn from structural failures like the Quebec Bridge and Hyatt Regency skywalks, and how these events reveal the inherent complexities and ethical dilemmas in engineering practice. The sources challenge the...

Explores Israel's remarkable journey in water management, transforming from a water-scarce nation to a global leader in water solutions. The text highlights historical milestones like the 1964 opening of the National Water Carrier and the development of pioneering technologies such as drip irrigation and advanced desalination. It further details Israel's innovative approaches to wastewater treatme...

A comprehensive guide to Heathenry, Norse Magick, and shamanic practices. Authored by Asbjörn Torvǫl and published by Become A Living God, the book shares the author's personal spiritual journey from Christianity to a Norse Vitki (sorcerer). It covers fundamental concepts such as the nature of magick as a psychological science, the Law of Mentalism, and the Web of Wyrd, while also outlining variou...

Introduces the protagonist, Arthur Less, a novelist approaching fifty who embarks on a global journey to avoid attending his former lover's wedding. The narrative unfolds through Arthur's experiences in various countries, including Mexico, Germany, France, Morocco, India, and Japan, detailing his awkward encounters, professional struggles, and introspective reflections on aging, love, and his past...

Provides an in-depth look into the folklore surrounding leprechauns, exploring their origins, characteristics, and behaviors within Irish mythology and beyond. It discusses their **physical appearance, living habits, professions** like shoemaking and distilling, and their **social structures** including different regional clans. The text also examines their **interactions with humans**, from misch...

Explores the historical understanding of leprosy in premodern medicine, focusing on how the disease was diagnosed, defined, and treated. It examines the shift from humoral interpretations to a more empirical approach, highlighting the tension between lay and learned examiners and the evolving social and legal implications of a leprosy diagnosis, which often resulted in isolation. The sources also...

Examines urban high school reform in the United States, focusing on the impact of market-based and standards-driven policies. It scrutinizes how these reforms, particularly those related to math and literacy education, affect low-income students and educational inequality. The authors utilize case studies of various public charter and district high schools in New York City and other locations to i...

Explores Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz's extensive efforts to understand the origins and relationships of global populations, particularly those in Asia and Europe, through linguistic and ethnographic inquiry. The source details Leibniz's methodology of gathering language samples, such as the Lord's Prayer in various tongues, and his correspondence with a vast network of scholars, missionaries (especi...

Focuses on least squares data fitting with a strong emphasis on numerical methods and statistical analysis. It explores various algorithms for solving linear and nonlinear least squares problems, including direct and iterative methods for both full-rank and rank-deficient scenarios. The discussion extends to constrained least squares, missing data imputation, and regularization techniques for ill-...

Examines the War on Terror following the United States' withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan, drawing comparisons to the Cold War and the Vietnam War era. It analyzes the Bush and Obama administrations' strategies, particularly their attempts and failures to foster democracy in the Middle East due to existing ethnic and sectarian divisions. The author explores potential consequences of U.S. withd...

Explores a novel theoretical view of olfaction that emphasizes the critical role of experience and cortical plasticity in shaping how odors are perceived. The authors argue against the traditional "receptor-centric" model, positing instead that odor perception is a synthetic construct influenced by physicochemical properties, memory, and biological constraints. This comprehensive overview examines...

A renowned physicist and the scientific consultant for the film "Interstellar." The text serves as a companion to the movie, exploring the scientific principles and theories that underpin its fictional universe. Thorne discusses complex concepts such as black holes, wormholes, warped spacetime, and the challenges of interstellar travel, explaining how these real-world scientific ideas were integra...

A romance novel that follows the story of Halley, a librarian who is the reigning champion of her town's kissing booth, and Preston, her new competitor. The text details their antagonistic yet developing relationship during the fair, exploring their banter, personal insecurities, and growing attraction, ultimately leading to romantic confessions and physical intimacy. Additionally, the excerpts in...

A contemporary romance. The table of contents highlights chapters primarily from the perspectives of "Reagan" and "Noah," suggesting dual narration. The story initiates with Reagan accidentally receiving an unsolicited suggestive photo, leading to an unconventional text message exchange with the sender, Noah, a firefighter. Their digital flirtation continues until a house fire, from which Noah res...

Explores the social and economic history of black barbers in America, spanning from the colonial era through the early 20th century. It highlights how these individuals, often starting as enslaved "waiting men," navigated complex racial dynamics to achieve a unique status and economic independence. The text details their rise as respected businessmen and community leaders, even as they faced discr...

Explores the concept and application of "knowledge games." These are defined as games designed not merely for entertainment, but with the primary goal of generating new understandings, solving real-world problems, and offering fresh perspectives on humanity. The author distinguishes knowledge games from "gamification," where game elements are applied to non-game contexts, emphasizing that in knowl...

Explores the evolving mission and challenges of land-grant institutions in the United States. The authors emphasize the concept of the "servant university" and the importance of fostering harmonious relationships between campuses and their diverse communities, advocating for an applied research focus and accessible education for all citizens, not just the elite. They discuss critical issues such a...

Explores the complex interplay of civil rights, faith, and evangelical culture within Latino Mennonite communities, particularly focusing on Mexican American and Puerto Rican experiences. It details the historical trajectory of Mennonite missions in barrios and their evolving relationships with Latino converts, highlighting issues of race, assimilation, and cultural tension within the church. The...

Analyzes the multifaceted impacts of global capitalism on Latin America, focusing on its economic restructuring, social transformations, and political implications. It examines how neoliberal policies have reshaped industries like agriculture and manufacturing, leading to the rise of new export sectors, the feminization of labor, and increased precarity for workers. The document also explores the...

Examines the evolution of Catholicism among various Latino communities in the United States, tracing its roots from Spanish colonial influence and the Council of Trent's reforms to contemporary expressions. It explores how popular religious practices, like the veneration of saints and the Virgin Mary, persisted and adapted despite institutional challenges and Protestant proselytism. The sources hi...

A dating and sex columnist who, tired of the dating scene, decides to become pregnant via a sperm donor, unexpectedly falling for her chosen donor, Ryder, a fellow radio host. The narrative explores their evolving relationship, personal hangups, and the complexities of their unique arrangement. "The Only One" introduces Cooper, a focused athlete who has sworn off romantic entanglements, and Violet...

Explores the nature of scientific understanding and its limitations when confronting the universe as a whole. It distinguishes between objective truth, verifiable through "reality checks" and consensus, and subjective truth, which resides in individual beliefs and inner worlds. The source emphasizes that while science excels at comprehending reproducible and predictable aspects of nature through l...

Offers insights from experienced university presidents and chancellors. The book is divided into sections addressing internal challenges, such as internationalizing curriculum, managing collegiate athletics, handling sexual misconduct claims, and navigating shared governance and free speech. It also explores external challenges, including working with elected officials, exercising institutional au...

Explores the pervasive and harmful role of social stigma in global health issues. The book argues that public health campaigns often inadvertently create or intensify stigmas around conditions like obesity, mental illness, and practices such as sanitation, by blaming individuals for their circumstances. Through ethnographic research across various global locations, the authors illustrate how these...

Examines the evolving landscape of higher education. It explores the "turn to learning" within institutions, highlighting the growing emphasis on student-centered approaches, educational technology, and the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL). The authors also discuss the organizational and cultural shifts necessary to foster innovation, including the role of Centers for Teaching and Learn...