THE MEASURE OF ALL THINGS tells the story of how science, revolutionary politics, and the dream of a new economy converged to produce both the metric system and the first struggle over globalization.
Amidst the scientific fervor of the Revolution two French scientists, Delambre and Mechain, were sent out on an expedition to measure the shape of the world and thereby establish the metre (which was to be one ten-millionth the distance from pole to equator). Their hope was that people would use the globe as the basis of measure rather than an arbitrary system meted out by the monarchs. As one scientist went north along the French meridian and the other south, their experiences diverged just as radically. After seven years, they received a hero's welcome upon their return to Paris. Mechain, however, was obsessed over a minute error in his calculations that he'd discovered and concealed, and which eventually drove him to his grave. His death forced his colleague Delambre to choose between loyalty to his friend and his science.

The paperback of the Sunday Times bestseller that reveals how the earth became the shape it is today. This book will change the way you see the world - permanently.

The face of the earth, criss-crossed by chains of mountains like the scars of old wounds, has changed constantly over billions of years. Its shape records a remote past of earthquakes, volcanos and continental drift, and the ongoing subtle shifts that bring our planet alive.

Richard Fortey introduces us to the earth's distinct character, revealing the life that it leads when humans aren't watching. He follows the continual movement of seabeds, valleys, mountain ranges and ice caps and shows how everything - our culture, natural history, even the formation of our cities - has its roots in geology. In Richard Fortey's hands, geology becomes vital and exhilarating and unmistakably informs our lives in the most intimate way.

Je kunt wel generaliserende aannames doen, maar zelf vind ik het nog altijd zinvoller om te horen wat mensen zelf te zeggen hebben", aldus journalist en wetenschapper Nikki Sterkenburg. Ze heeft altijd al een fascinatie gehad voor ontoegankelijke werelden, of het nu om die van bankiers, accountants ("ook die hebben het nodige te verbergen"), jihadisten of radicaal- en extreemrechtse activisten gaat. Sterkenburg wil weten wie zij zijn, wat hen beweegt en hoe ze te werk gaan. Zeker nu ze niet langer makkelijk te herkennen zijn aan een swastika op de arm, maar juist hun activisme combineren met een baan en een rijk sociaal leven buiten de beweging. 00Drie jaar lang volgt ze ruim veertig radicaal- en extreemrechtse activisten. Van nazi's met wehrmachthelmen in de keuken tot de moskeebezetters van Identitair Verzet en de oprichters van Erkenbrand. Ze bezoekt demonstraties, besloten bijeenkomsten en borrels en interviewt mensen thuis. 0'Maar dat mag je niet zeggen' is een beklemmend verslag waarbij je wordt geconfronteerd met de enge, radicale vooroordelen van anderen, maar ook met die van jezelf. 00.

Ontboezemingen van een emeritus hoogleraar over zijn vroegere lidmaatschap van onder andere de communistische partij, waar hij met forse zelfkritiek op terugkijkt.

The most dramatic, revealing and little-known story in Turkey's history - which illuminates the nation

'Through the spellbinding career of a single, ill-fated leader, Jeremy Seal illuminates a bitterly divided country' Colin Thubron

'Read this book if you're interested in Turkey. Read it if you're interested in power, hubris and redemption. Read it' Christopher de Bellaigue, author of The Islamic Enlightenment

In the spring of 2016 travel writer Jeremy Seal went to Turkey to investigate perhaps the most dramatic, revealing and little-known episode in the country's history - the 'original' coup of 1960, which deposed the traditionalist Prime Minister Adnan Menderes. The story of Menderes - to his adoring supporters the country's founding democrat; to his sworn enemies its most infamous traitor - goes to the heart of the feud that continues to rage between the Western and secular ambitions of a minority elite and the religious and conservative instincts of the small-town majority. A Coup in Turkey is a thrilling account of the events leading up to the coup and the trials and executions that followed, a story of political subterfuge and score-settling, courtroom drama, state execution, authoritarian intolerance and ideological division.

Seal travels through President Erdogan's Turkey, tracking down eye-witness accounts from survivors of the Menderes era in Istanbul, the historic metropolis, and the new capital at Ankara. As he expertly guides us through this extraordinary story, so the compelling parallels between past and present become strikingly clear, and he illuminates this troubled nation with a deep sympathy and love for the people and places he writes about. By focussing on one key event - one which many Turks regard with shame - this evocative, gripping portrait of Turkey recentres our understanding of the past and makes sense of one of Europe's most bewildering yet intriguing neighbours.

'A wonderful writer' Robert Macfarlane

De mens is een beest, zeiden de koningen. Een zondaar, zeiden de priesters. Een egoïst, zeiden de boekhouders. Al eeuwen is de westerse cultuur doordrongen van het geloof in de verdorvenheid van de mens.Maar wat als we het al die tijd mis hadden? In dit boek verweeft Rutger Bregman de jongste inzichten uit de psychologie, de economie, de biologie en de archeologie. Hij neemt ons mee op een reis door de geschiedenis en geeft nieuwe antwoorden op oude vragen. Waarom veroverde juist onze soort de aarde? Hoe verklaren we onze grootste misdaden? En zijn we diep vanbinnen geneigd tot het kwade of het goede?Adembenemend, weids en revolutionair - De meeste mensen deugen herschrijft niet alleen de geschiedenis, maar werpt ook nieuw licht op onze toekomst

Beschrijving van de activiteiten van de Colonne Henneicke, een groep van zo'n 50 Nederlandse jodenjagers.

About the Book : - With the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards created the riffs, the lyrics and the songs that roused the world, and over four decades he lived the original rock and roll life: taking the chances he wanted, speaking his mind, and making it all work in a way that no one before him had ever done.

Now, at last, the man himself tells us the story of life in the crossfire hurricane. And what a life. Listening obsessively to Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters records as a child in post-war Kent. Learning guitar and forming a band with Mick Jagger and Brian Jones. The Rolling Stones` first fame and success as a bad-boy band. The notorious Redlands drug bust and subsequent series of confrontations with a nervous establishment that led to his enduring image as outlaw and folk hero. Creating immortal riffs such as the ones in `Jumping Jack Flash` and `Street Fighting Man` and `Honky Tonk Women`. Falling in love with Anita Pallenberg and the death of Brian Jones. Tax exile in France, wildfire tours of the US, `Exile on Main Street` and `Some Girls`. Ever increasing fame, isolation and addiction. Falling in love with Patti Hansen. Estrangement from Mick Jagger and subsequent reconciliation. Solo albums and performances with his band the Xpensive Winos. Marriage, family and the road that goes on for ever.

In a voice that is uniquely and intimately his own, with the disarming honesty that has always been his trademark, Keith Richards brings us the essential life story of our times.

Once-in-a-generation memoir of a rock legend.

About the Author : - Keith Richards was born in London in 1943. A guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and cofounder of the Rolling Stones, he has also released solo albums with his band, The X-Pensive Winos. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Patti Hansen. James Fox was born in Washington, D.C., in 1945 and has known Keith Richards since the early 1970's when he was a journalist for the Sunday Times in London. His books include the international bestseller White Mischief. He lives in London with his wife and sons.

Interviews met cabaretiers aan de hand van de Tien Geboden.

Memoires van de schrijfster (1891-1977) die vele bekende kunstenaars kende.

Dagboek van de Duitse toneelschrijver (1813-1863).

Keuze uit het dagboek van de Franse letterkundige (1872-1956).

Autobiografische schetsen van de Nederlandse letterkundige (1912- ).

Wie had gedacht dat het beschamende einde van de LPF definitief een einde zou maken aan het bozige Nederlandse populisme, kwam bedrogen uit. Zowel Rita Verdonk als Geert Wilders heeft gedemonstreerd dat het populistische kiezerspotentieel bepaald niet kleiner is geworden. Voor de objectieve waarnemer blijft dat een verbazingwekkende zaak, gezien de baarlijke nonsens die de populistische voorlieden meestal uitkramen. Rita Verdonk is ondertussen gestruikeld over haar eigen organisatorische onvermogen. Wilders heeft het stokje overgenomen en excelleert vooral in handig geformuleerde borreltafelpolitiek. De enorme attractie van deze politieke kermisgasten is dus verrassend stabiel. Hoofdoorzaak lijkt toch wel de bangmakerij voor de niet-bestaande 'islamisering' van Nederland, en de rest van Europa. Er is echter meer aan de hand. De populistische partijen zijn brede protestpartijen. Een aanzienlijk deel van het electoraat ziet de overheid, het politieke systeem en de maatschappelijke elite kennelijk als de vijand. De vraag is hoe dat komt.

Onrustige jeugd is het 2e deel van de zesdelige herinneringen van Paustovskij. Met dit van de tsarentijd tot het tijdperk van Kosvgin lopende memoriaal heeft de in 1968 overleden Paustovskij zich geschaard onder de imposantste autobiografen van onze tijd. In Onrustige jeugd beschrijft Paustovskij de gebeurtenissen aan de vooravond van de 1e Wereldoorlog en deze oorlog zelf, die mede door de Russische nederlagen tot een prelude wordt van de Russische revolutie. De jonge Kostik, wegens broederdienst vrij van militaire dienst, studeert aanvankelijk nog aan de universiteit. Maar de mobilisatie en de oorlogssfeer veroorzaken bij hem een diepe persoonlijke crisis. Hij staakt zijn studie in Kiev, vertrekt naar: Moskou en werkt als arbeider, tramconducteur en visser, op de vlucht voor zichzelf. Hij meldt zich als ziekenverzorger bij het leger en maakt kennis met de verschrikkingen van het front. In deze grote paniek beleeft hij niettemin een van zijn meest intense liefdesavonturen.

Jeugdherinneringen van de Amerikaanse schrijfster (geb. 1912).

Het koloniale en slavernijverleden van Nederland staat meer dan ooit in de schijnwerpers. Het is een geschiedenis die haaks staat op hoe Nederlanders de eigen natie graag zien: tolerant, humanitair, vooruitstrevend. Dat de werkelijkheid in het koloniale rijk dat Nederland opbouwde pijnlijk anders was wordt inmiddels breed erkend. Op die erkenning volgden recent excuses als eerste stap op weg naar 'herstel'. Dat nog vele stappen moeten volgen is zonneklaar. Wat is het Nederlandse koloniale en slavernijverleden nu precies? Waarom juist nu die herontdekking? Wat kunnen we verwachten van excuses en 'herstel'? Wie vraagt daar eigenlijk om? Is er een goede manier om rekenschap af te leggen over dit verleden en zijn 'we' hiermee op de goede weg? Op basis van zijn eigen betrokkenheid en publicaties in de afgelopen veertig jaar, maakt gerenommeerd historicus Gert Oostindie de balans op. Hij loodst ons vakkundig door de storm aan debatten die gevoerd worden over het koloniale en slavernijverleden van Nederland en verkent hoe we over onze schaduw heen kunnen stappen - op weg naar echt herstel.

Een pleidooi voor meer empathie in de politiek

Radiocolumns uit de periode 1979-1991 over veelal actuele kwesties, door de Nederlandse letterkundige (1921-1999) uitgesproken voor de Wereldomroep.

For a long time guilds have been condemned as a major obstacle to economic progress in the pre-industrial era. This re-examination of the role of guilds in the early modern European economy challenges that view by taking into account fresh research on innovation, technological change and entrepreneurship. Leading economic historians argue that industry before the Industrial Revolution was much more innovative than previous studies have allowed for and explore the different products and production techniques that were launched and developed in this period. Much of this innovation was fostered by the craft guilds that formed the backbone of industrial production before the rise of the steam engine. The book traces the manifold ways in which guilds in a variety of industries in Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Britain helped to create an institutional environment conducive to technological and marketing innovations.

In Science, Patricia Fara rewrites science's past to provide new ways of understanding and questioning our modern technological society. Aiming not just to provide information but to make people think, this unique book explores how science has become so powerful by describing the financial interests and imperial ambitions behind its success.
Sweeping through the centuries from ancient Babylon right up to the latest hi-tech experiments in genetics and particle physics, Fara's book also ranges internationally, challenging notions of European superiority by emphasising the importance of scientific projects based around the world, including revealing discussions of China and the Islamic Empire alongside the more familiar stories about Copernicus's sun-centered astronomy, Newton's gravity, and Darwin's theory of evolution. We see for instance how Muslim leaders encouraged science by building massive libraries, hospitals, and astronomical observatories and we rediscover the significance of medieval Europe--long overlooked--where, surprisingly, religious institutions ensured science's survival, as the learning preserved in monasteries was subsequently developed in new and unique institutions: universities. Instead of focussing on esoteric experiments and abstract theories, she explains how science belongs to the practical world of war, politics and business. And rather than glorifying scientists as idealized heroes, she tells true stories about real people--men (and some women) who needed to earn their living, who made mistakes, and who trampled down their rivals.
Finally, this provocative volume challenges scientific supremacy itself, arguing that science is successful not because it is always indubitably right, but because people have said that it is right. Science dominates modern life, but perhaps the globe will be better off by limiting science's powers and undoing some of its effects.
"Dismantling popular myths, taking a truly global view and dispensing with false idols, Fara's highly readable survey of science's histories is a breath of fresh air. She unerringly pinpoints the defining moods of each age, treating the past with respect and the present with discernment. This wonderfully literate book tells a story that is far, far more interesting than the tidy fictions of hindsight." -- Philip Ball, Consultant Editor of Nature
"It's been a very long time since any reputable historian of science had the desire, the knowledge, or the nerve to undertake a book like this-- an attempt to survey the development of science from Antiquity to the present, notably including non-European materials. Patricia Fara has succeeded: Science is an elegant and compact creative synthesis of the piecemeal researches of generations of academic historians. It deserves the widest possible readership." - Steven Shapin, Professor of the History of Science, Harvard, and author of The Scientific Revolution

Patricia Fara lectures in the History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge and is the Senior Tutor of Clare College. She is the author of numerous books, including Fatal Attraction: Magnetic Mysteries of the Enlightenment and Newton: The Making of Genius. Her writing has appeared in History Today, New Scientist, Nature, The Times and New Statesman, and she writes a regular column on scientific portraits for Endeavour.
Books by the same author Fatal Attraction: Magnetic Mysteries of the Enlightenment by Patricia Fara. Published: 2005 Publisher: Icon Books Price: L9.99 Pandora's Breeches: Women, Science and Power in the Enlightenment by Patricia Fara. Published: 2004 Publisher: Pimlico Price: L12.99 Sex, Botany and Empire; the Stories of Carl Linnaeus and Joseph Banks by Patricia Fara. Published: 2003 Publisher: Icon Books Price: L6.99 Newton: the Making of Genius by Patricia Fara. Published: 2002 Publisher: Macmillan Price: L20 An Entertainment for Angels: Electricity in the Enlightenment by Patricia Fara. Publish