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      • Trusted Partner
        Children's & YA

        Yangon and Englithed Puppets

        by Jeff Perce

        Base in Yangon. A girl met with a puppet and sharing the experience each other. A heart warm charming stories with beautiful collage illustrations.

      • Trusted Partner
        Fiction
        November 2022

        AVA 1740s

        by Khet Zaw

      • Trusted Partner
        January 2013

        The Madmen of Bethlehem

        by Osama Alaysa

        Adopting the story-within-a-story structure of Arabian Nights, author Osama Alaysa weaves together a collection of stories portraying centuries of oppression endured by the Palestinian people.   This remarkable novel eloquently brings together fictional characters alongside real-life historical figures in a complex portrayal of Bethlehem and the Dheisheh Refugee Camp in the West Bank. The common thread connecting each tale is madness, in all its manifestations.   Psychological madness, in the sense of clinical mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, finds expression alongside acts of social and political madness. Together, these accounts of individuals and communities provide a gateway into the histories of the city of Bethlehem and Palestine. They paint a picture of the centuries of political oppression that the Palestinian people have endured, from the days of the Ottoman Empire to the years following the Oslo Accords, and all the way to 2012 (when the novel was written).   The novel is divided into three sections, each containing multiple narratives. The first section, “The Book of a Genesis,” describes the physical spaces and origins of Bethlehem and Dheisheh Refugee Camp. These stories span the 19th and 20th centuries, transitioning smoothly from one tale to another to offer an intricate interpretation of the identity of these places.   The second section, “The Book of the People Without a Book”, follows parallel narratives of the lives of the patients in a psychiatric hospital in Bethlehem, the mad men and women roaming the streets of the city, and those imprisoned by the Israeli authorities. All suffer abuse, but they also reaffirm their humanity through the relationships, romantic and otherwise, that they form.   The third and final section, “An Ephemeral Book,” follows individuals—Palestinian and non-Palestinian—who are afflicted by madness following the Oslo Accords in 1993. These stories give voice to the perspectives of the long-marginalized Palestinian population, narrating the loss of land and the accompanying loss of sanity in the decades of despair and violence that followed the Nakba, the 1948 eviction of some 700,000 Palestinians from their homes.   The novel’s mad characters—politicians, presidents, doctors, intellectuals, ordinary people and, yes, Dheisheh and Bethlehem themselves—burst out of their narrative threads, flowing from one story into the next. Alaysa’s crisp, lucid prose and deft storytelling chart a clear path through the chaos with dark humor and wit. The result is an important contribution to fiction on the Palestinian crisis that approaches the Palestinians, madness, and Palestinian spaces with compassion and depth.

      • Trusted Partner
        2017

        Children's Art Manual Game Book

        by Green Book

        Basics of Interesting Paper-cut: Basics of Interesting Paper-cut is a book for guiding children to have fun origami. The strength of DIY ability directly reflects the flexibility of the brain, so improving children's DIY ability is an important way to promote intellectual development, while hand craft is a good way to fully develop children's intelligence.

      • Trusted Partner
        Children's & YA
        2009

        Strange book

        by Alexander Asatiani

        All books have either writing, pictures or both in it, but the book that Ellen got as a gift has neither. It does, however, have extraordinary recording powers. Like in so many of Sandro’s stories, in The Strange Book it is completely natural for dreams to merge with reality. Through the matter-of-fact occurrence of unlikely events, The Strange Book tells a story of growing up without abandoning the inner child.

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        Humanities & Social Sciences
        December 2022

        Distant sisters

        Australasian women and the international struggle for the vote, 1880–1914

        by James Keating

        In the 1890s Australian and New Zealand women became the first in the world to win the vote. Buoyed by their victories, they promised to lead a global struggle for the expansion of women's electoral rights. Charting the common trajectory of the colonial suffrage campaigns, Distant Sisters uncovers the personal and material networks that transformed feminist organising. Considering intimate and institutional connections, well-connected elites and ordinary women, this book argues developments in Auckland, Sydney, and Adelaide-long considered the peripheries of the feminist world-cannot be separated from its glamourous metropoles. Focusing on Antipodean women, simultaneously insiders and outsiders in the emerging international women's movement, and documenting the failures of their expansive vision alongside its successes, this book reveals a more contingent history of international organising and challenges celebratory accounts of fin-de-siècle global connection.

      • Trusted Partner
        Children's & YA

        I Dream of Being a Concrete Mixer

        by Hussain Al Mutawaa

        An uplifting tale about the power of friendship, finding your place in the world, and realising your dreams while remaining true to who you are. Tumbledown is a little demolition truck growing up in a loving family. His parents go to work every day demolishing buildings with their big wrecking balls. But soft-hearted Tumbledown doesn’t like to destroy. He’d rather build things. He dreams of being a cement mixer. When Tumbledown cries, his wrecking ball swings out and destroys everything it touches. When Tumbledown laughs, his wrecking ball swings out and destroys everything it touches. His soft heart can’t skip a beat without leaving a trail of destruction. At school other students laugh at him, but still he won’t let go of his dream. When Tumbledown makes friends with a feisty troop of metal springs, they hatch a plan to save him from himself. They fan out over his wrecking ball and every time it swings they do their best to absorb the shock. The day comes when the worn-out springs turn to the Wise Old Crane for help. Tumbledown can never be a cement mixer, but maybe there are other ways, better suited to his nature. After some search, the Wise Old Crane finds a new job for Tumbledown at a construction site using his wrecking ball to smooth out the cement on the ground. It’s hard work but Tumbledown is finally happy, and he grows stronger and more skillful with every passing day.

      • Trusted Partner
        Humanities & Social Sciences
        2014

        History of Ukraine from KGB Secret Files

        by Volodymyr Viatrovych

        The unknown and classified KGB history of the largest country in Europe - Ukraine is the history of people, events, documents and files. The files have answers to many questions. The most important of which - why did a war begin again in Europe? Why is it so important for Russia to conquer Ukraine? Why are Ukrainians putting up such a powerful resistance? Historian Volodymyr Viatrovych, who declassified the secret archives of the Soviet special services from the Cheka to the KGB, talks about the history of Ukraine, the USSR and Eastern Europe from 1918 to 1991. The reader, is offered, along with various heroes and traitors, those who thought they were in control of events, and those who thought they had no power over them, to recreate the nearly century-old chess game between the Ukrainian liberation movement and the creators of the "prison of nations." Described in reports and recreated by a historian, this work looks at the cunning “special operations”, deadly moves, information wars and complex games among several players that are all an attempt to find an answer to the question: what creates our destiny - human will or circumstances?

      • Trusted Partner
        Children's & young adult: general non-fiction
        2021

        A Cool History of UkraineFrom Dinosaurs Till Now

        by Inna Kovalyshena

        Do you really think that history is boring and hard to under- stand? The heroes of this book thought so, too, at first. But just one interesting discovery pushed them to get to know history better — and to see that it can be fascinating, vibrant and so close to each of them. Four friends decide to explore the Ukrainian history and learn the truth: what kind of dino- saurs lived on our lands, who fought for Ukraine’s independ- ence, and why Ukrainians are the way they are. It turns out that history can be exciting and very important, even if it was back in the days of the dinosaurs. The subject of the book is the history of Ukraine from dinosaurs to today, which is interestingly and directly revealed. The main characters are children, in whom readers can recognize themselves. The text is written with humor and simple words, which makes the perception of information interactive. The book touches on important points of Ukraine's struggle for independence over many years.

      • Trusted Partner
        Fiction
        2017

        Summer Rains

        Winner of the 2018 Sheikh Zayed Book Award for Young Author

        by Ahmad Al Qarmalawi

        Using music as a thread that connects the past to the present, this novel explores what happens when traditional and cultural heritage clash with modernity. The characters face the impact of modernization on heritage and arts versus the need to protect and preserve their traditional culture and must choose between the pursuit of materialism versus spiritual balance. Al Qarmalawi writes about a wide range of music from Sufism to the present era of electronic musical arts, and Summer Rains addresses the current Arab youth crisis, in which young people find themselves torn between fundamentalism and modernity. (An extended English-language report on this book will be available soon.)

      • Trusted Partner
        Children's & young adult: general non-fiction
        2021

        A Delicious History of Ukraine

        by Masha Serdiuk

        What is Ukrainian cuisine? Who invented borscht? Where did the holubtsi (cabbage rolls) come from? And why are Ukrainian varenyky (dumplings) called relatives of Chinese dim sums? Answers to these questions can be found in this book. In an interesting accessible form, we tell children the history of the Ukrainian gastronomy. They will find out what famous Ukrainians loved to eat. We will explain in a plain way how the cuisine of Halychyna differs from that of Volyn and Polissya regions. We will also map all the “delicious” places in the country. Furthermore, of course, young readers will learn how to cook cult Ukrainian dishes.

      • Trusted Partner
        Humanities & Social Sciences
        May 2024

        The Official Record

        Oversight, national security and democracy

        by Peter Finn, Robert Ledger

        The construction, control and preservation of the Official Record is inherently contested. Those seeking greater openness and (democratic) accountability argue 'sunlight is [...] the best of disinfectants', while others seek stricter information control because, to their mind, sound government arises when advice and policy are formulated secretly. This edited volume explores the intersection of the Official Record, oversight, national security and democracy. Through US, UK and Canadian case studies, this volume will benefit higher level undergraduate readers and above to explore the Official Record in the context of the national security operations of democratic states. All chapters are research-based pieces of original writing that feature a document appendix containing primary documents (often excerpts) that are key to a chapter's narrative. As a result, this book interrogates the boundaries between national security, accountability, oversight, and the Official Record.

      • Trusted Partner
        Children's & YA
        January 2015

        Hatless

        by Lateefa Buti / Illustrated by Doha Al Khteeb

        Kuwaiti children’s book author Lateefa Buti’s well-crafted and beautifully illustrated children’s book, Hatless, encourages children (ages 6-9) to think independently and challenge rigid traditions and fixed rituals with innovation and creativity.   The main character is a young girl named Hatless who lives in the City of Hats. Here, all of the people are born with hats that cover their heads and faces. The world inside of their hats is dark, silent, and odorless.   Hatless feels trapped underneath her own hat. She wants to take off her hat, but she is afraid, until she realizes that whatever frightening things exist in the world around her are there whether or not she takes off her hat to see them.   So Hatless removes her hat.    As Hatless takes in the beauty of her surroundings, she cannot help but talk about what she sees, hears, and smells. The other inhabitants of the city ostracize her because she has become different from them. It is not long before they ask her to leave the City of Hats.   Rather than giving up or getting angry, Hatless feels sad for her friends and neighbors who are afraid to experience the world outside of their hats. She comes up with an ingenious solution: if given another chance, she will wear a hat as long it is one she makes herself. The people of the City of Hats agree, so Hatless weaves a hat that covers her head and face but does not prevent her from seeing the outside world. She offers to loan the hat to the other inhabitants of the city. One by one, they try it on and are enchanted by the beautiful world around them. Since then, no child has been born wearing a hat. The people celebrate by tossing their old hats in the air.   By bravely embracing these values, Hatless improves her own life and the lives of her fellow citizens.     Buti’s language is eloquent and clear. She strikes a skilled narrative balance between revealing Hatless’s inner thoughts and letting the story unfold through her interactions with other characters. Careful descriptions are accompanied by beautiful illustrations that reward multiple readings of the book.

      • Trusted Partner
        Biography & True Stories
        January 2014

        Beyond Writing

        by Ibrahim Abdelmeguid

        One of Egypt’s leading literary voices offers a first-hand look at political, social, cultural events of the last 40 years and how they influenced his writing.   Ibrahim Abdelmeguid, called “the quintessential writer about Alexandria” by The National newspaper, looks back over his decades-long writing career this book, which what he calls a “literary autobiography.” In it, he reflects on the social, political, and cultural influences in Egypt and elsewhere that have shaped him as a writer.   He shares his views on major political events, such as the 1967 defeat after the Six-Day War, and explanations of their profound impact on his personal life and works of fiction. Abdelmeguid devotes a portion of his work to discussing the development of his views on Egypt’s second president, Gamal Abdel Nasser, over the course of his turbulent tenure in office.   The book is divided into a brief introduction and four chapters. Abdelmeguid guides the reader through his literary career, moving masterfully between the factual and the meditative. He explores how each of his novels and many of his short stories was conceived. He also describes cultural, political, and social contexts in which his writing evolved and was received by literary critics and casual readers.   He spends considerable time describing the creative process behind his Alexandria trilogy— No One Sleeps in Alexandria, Birds of Amber, and Clouds Over Alexandria. The first book, No One Sleeps in Alexandria, is set during World War II. Abdelmeguid visited numerous key sites in Alexandria and surrounding areas and read every newspaper he could get his hands on. The result of his devotion to research is a vibrant portrayal of Alexandria that shines throughout the epic novel. Of particular note is his successful communication of the cultural and religious diversity of the city and the impact of that on the promotion of a culture of tolerance.   Beyond Writing is a rare and important addition to the modern Arabic literary map. Few Arab authors are willing to so transparently share their writing process, preferring to highlight the polished final product while concealing the hard work that brought it into existence. Readers are lucky that it is a writer as prominent, thoughtful, and engaging as Abdelmeguid is willing to draw back the curtain.

      • Trusted Partner
        Fiction
        January 2016

        The Autumn of Innocence

        by Abbas Beydoun

        In his novel, The Autumn of Innocence, prominent Lebanese poet and novelist Abbas Beydoun artfully weaves a tragic story of a father-son relationship that ends disastrously with the son's violent death. This story unfolds along with the Arab Spring movement and explores the motivations behind religious extremism and questions cultural constructs of masculinity.   The novel opens with a letter from Ghassan to his cousin, describing how his father Massoud strangled his mother to death when Ghassan was just three years old. Afterward, Massoud flees the village in southern Lebanon. For 18 years, no one hears from him, and Ghassan grows up stigmatized by his father's violent crime.   In time, Ghassan's aunt Bushra-Massoud's sister-makes a confession: She encouraged Massoud to kill his wife, believing that his wife's low socioeconomic status would bring embarrassment to their wealthy family. Bushra also reveals that Massoud was driven to kill his wife because he feared that she would tell someone that he was impotent, undermining his sense of manhood and social status.   Meanwhile, Massoud has moved to southern Syria, where he remarried and had two more sons. During the Arab Spring, the militant groups fighting the Syrian regime transform him into a religious extremist.   In the second half of the novel, Massoud return to the village in southern Lebanon. He brings with him a group of men. Together they seize control of the village and terrorize its inhabitants. After killing the dogs, they begin murdering the villagers in the name of religion. One of Ghassan's friends is among the victims, and Massoud also threatens his family. Ghassan decides that he must kill his father, avenging the death of his friend and the deaths of the other villagers. In the end, he fails and is beheaded by Bushra's son, his cousin, who is has joined Massoud's thugs.   Beydoun captures the shifting points of view in a family shattered by the tyranny of normative masculinity and the resulting violence. The victims are women, of course, but also the men like Ghassan who reject these social and cultural expectations. The novel also portrays the rise of religious extremism and the terrorism it can inspire, which wreaks havoc on the lives of ordinary people. Beydoun's engaging language imbues the characters and the places they inhabit with a vibrancy and vitality that transcends the difficult subject matter.

      • Trusted Partner
        November 2020

        My Little Picture Book of Animals

        (From A to Z)

        by Ulrich Talla Wamba / Akira Junior

        For ages 3+  ‘‘My Little Picture Book of Animals (From A to Z)’’ helps children identify animals in their environment. It contains both domestic and wild animals. The animals are placed in alphabetical order to ease the learning process.

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        Children of the World Illustrate the Bible

        by Amos Rolnik

        Children of the World Illustrate the Bible It all began when we were looking forward to the fiftieth year Jubilee of the State of Israel. We were looking for a way, something unconventional, to bring Israel to the attention of hundreds of millions of people throughout the world. And so we came up with the idea, rather self-evident: The Bible. The Book of Books, which speaks to each and every one in dozens of countries and countless cultures. We asked ourselves: Who will bring this message? And then the idea came up: A worldwide competition among children to draw the stories of the Bible. We did not limit the subjects. Anything would be accepted as long as it was in line with the stories of the Bible. And wonder of wonders: Just like a fire in a field of thorns, the message went from country to country, from city to city, from school to school, from family to family: The children of the world are drawing the Bible. And the project reached 91 countries. Hundreds of thousands of drawings reached us. Only a handful of the thousands are brought in this album, which is the first in the series of titles flowing from the illustrations that were sent to Israel and were chosen by our staff of curators. And indeed from this handful we can already see their uniqueness. We all know the stories of the Bible, but here they materialize before our very eyes. As the children from five continents described them in their imagination, it seems that even the authors of the Bible themselves would not believe how alive and full were their heroes, as depicted with the brushes of these little children. Not only did we find a drawing of a story, but also a wide rainbow of emotions, notions, beliefs and outlooks of the world. And above all: Personal expression and riveting exposition without filters, analysis or criticism. We conducted the project throughout the world for three years, and at the end, when the thousands of drawings began streaming to the country, we were astounded by this enormous and absorbing crop. We could not avoid falling captives to the charm, strength of expression and intensity of experience that flowed from these drawings. It seems that thanks to the remarkable coming to the rescue by the children of the world, the stories of the Bible won an inspiring, artistic revival. Amos Rolnik This book was previously published by Mallmedia Publishing House& Rolnik Publishing, Something Different In 2002.  273 Pages, 25X32 cm, Color Illustrations,

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        Children's & YA

        Classic of Mountains and Rivers for Teenagers, Book III

        Gorgeous Stories and Myths

        by Liu Xingshi

        The Classic of Mountains and Rivers, also known as Shan Hai Jing, has been regarded as a "strange book" since its appearance in China pre-Qin Dynasty. On the basis of its title, most people would assume that it is a survey record of ancient geography, but its descriptions of the "mountains and rivers" include encyclopedic entries—such as animals, plants, minerals, religion, history, medicine, customs, and ethnic groups. Also, it gives accounts of many folk legends of mythic geography, monsters, and witchcraft. No matter labeled as a book of geography, a book of history, or a book of strange stories, it is a Chinese ancient classic that deserves to be read over and over again.   But as a book compiled about 2,500 to 3,000 years ago, its context and words are difficult to understand for modern readers. The Classic of Mountains and Rivers for Teenagers series is just designed to make this classic more understandable and readable. It illustrates the most essential parts of the Classic of Mountains and Rivers with simple words, animated illustrations, and interdisciplinary approaches, and introduces young readers to the understandings of Chinese ancestors on land and nature. Not only is it a book series for teenagers, but also an encyclopedia of traditional Chinese geography and culture for adults.   Gorgeous Stories and Myths is the third book of the Classic of Mountains and Rivers for Teenagers series. It presents the extracts of myths in the Classic of Mountains and Rivers and the stories related to them, including "The Mythical Bird Jingwei Trying to Fill Up the Sea with Pebbles", "Houyi Shooting Down Nine Suns", and "Kuafu Racing with the Sun". In order to find what is behind the myths, the author probes into the history, nature, geography and culture of ancient China. It inspires the young readers, opens up their views and encourages them to explore the origin of China's myths and how they had grown.

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