Doom: the politics of catastrophe (defekt) - niall ferguson

A compelling history of catastrophes and their consequences, from 'the most brilliant British historian of his generation' (The Times)Disasters are inherently hard to predict. But when catastrophe strikes, we ought to be better prepared than the Romans were when Vesuvius erupted or medieval Italians when the Black Death struck. We have science on our side, after all. Yet the responses of many developed countries to a new pathogen from China were badly bungled. Why?While populist rulers certainly performed poorly in the face of the pandemic, Niall Ferguson argues that more profound pathologies were at work - pathologies already visible in our responses to earlier disasters.Drawing from multiple disciplines, including economics and network science, Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe offers not just a history but a general theory of disaster. As Ferguson shows, governments must learn to become less bureaucratic if we are to avoid the impending doom of irreversible decline. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

A compelling history of catastrophes and their consequences, from 'the most brilliant British historian of his generation' (The Times)Disasters are inherently hard to predict. But when catastrophe strikes, we ought to be better prepared than the Romans were when Vesuvius erupted or medieval Italians when the Black Death struck. We have science on our side, after all. Yet the responses of many developed countries to a new pathogen from China were badly bungled. Why?While populist rulers certainly performed poorly in the face of the pandemic, Niall Ferguson argues that more profound pathologies were at work - pathologies already visible in our responses to earlier disasters.Drawing from multiple disciplines, including economics and network science, Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe offers not just a history but a general theory of disaster. As Ferguson shows, governments must learn to become less bureaucratic if we are to avoid the impending doom of irreversible decline. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Winner of the Estoril Global Issues Distinguished Book Prize 2013 In 1412, Europe was a miserable backwater ravaged by plague, bad sanitation and incessant war, while the Orient was home to dazzling civilizations. Yet, somehow, the West came to dominate the Rest for most of the next half millennium. In this vital, brilliant book, Niall Ferguson reveals the six 'killer applications' that the Rest lacked: competition, science, property rights, medicine, consumerism and the work ethic. And he asks: do we still have these winning tools? Or is this the end of Western ascendancy? 'Brilliantly written, full of wit and virtuosity, stuffed with memorable lines and gorgeous bits of information. A great read' The Times (knihydobrovsky.cz)

A transporting, good-humored, and revealing account of Greece s dire troubles, reported from the mountain villages, idyllic islands, and hardscrabble streets that define the country today In recent years, small Greece, often associated with ancient philosophers and marble ruins, whitewashed villages and cerulean seas, has been at the center of a debt crisis that has sown economic and social ruin, spurred panic in international markets, and tested Europe s decades-old project of forging a closer union. In "The Full Catastrophe," James Angelos makes sense of contrasting images of Greece, a nation both romanticized for its classical past and castigated for its dysfunctional present. With vivid character-driven narratives and engaging reporting that offers an immersive sense of place, he brings to life some of the causes of the country s financial collapse, and examines the changes, some hopeful and others deeply worrisome, emerging in its aftermath. A small rebellion against tax authorities breaks out on a normally serene Aegean island. A mayor from a bucolic, northern Greek village is gunned down by the municipal treasurer. An aging, leftist hero of the Second World War fights to win compensation from Germany for the wartime occupation. A once marginal group of neo-Nazis rises to political prominence out of a ramshackle Athens neighborhood. "The Full Catastrophe" goes beyond the transient coverage in the daily headlines to deliver an enduring and absorbing portrait of modern Greece." (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Britský historik Niall Ferguson (*1964) je profesorem na Harvardově univerzitě. Většina jeho prací, jež v západní Evropě vzbudily nebývalý zájem, je věnována hospodářským a sociálním dějinám 19. a 20. století. Největší pozornost prozatím vzbudila jeho kniha o příčinách první světové války (Nešťastná válka). V ní přišel s kacířskou tezí, že mocensko-politické vztahy v roce 1914 neeskalovaly kvůli německé agresivní, velmocenské politice, nýbrž kvůli nekompromisním postojům Velké Británie. Jeho další kniha nazvaná Vzestup peněz je věnována problematice rozvoje moderního finančního hospodářství, měnového systému a ekonomickým recesím a depresím v 19. a 20. století. Ferguson si v ní klade dvě základní otázky: Jakým způsobem moc peněz změnila mentální chování moderních lidí 19. a 20. století a jak ekonomika ve svém důsledku zvítězila nad politikou klasického 19. věku? Jeho odpovědi, někdy provokativní, ve svém důsledku osvětlují nejen vzestup moci peněz v moderních dějinách, ale také přičiny finanční krize, do níž se svět dostal v roce 2009. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Ferguson líčí historii Britského impéria od 16. do 21. století. Impérium, které v době svého vrcholu ovládalo čtvrtinu světové populace, čtvrtinu zemského povrchu a téměř všechny oceány, se příznivě podepsalo na vývoji Spojených států a Kanady, Indie, Afriky, Austrálie, Nového Zélandu, východní Asie a Číny. Podle Fergusona impérium neožebračovalo národy, které se ocitly pod jeho nadvládou, ale naopak zajišťovalo jejich ekonomický blahobyt tím, že díky této nadvládě byly tyto země politicky stabilní. Idea svobody odlišovala impérium v minulosti od jeho evropských soupeřů, což se mj. projevilo během boje proti nevolnictví. Autor rovněž vyzdvihuje funkční efektivitu impéria. Například v Indii 900 civilních úředníků a 70 tisíc vojáků vládlo 250 milionům Indů. Kniha pro českého čtenáře představuje nejen možnost seznámit se s dějinami, fungováním a dědictvím Britského impéria, ale zároveň jedinečnou příležitost korigovat obsah takových zažitých pojmů, jako je kolonialismus nebo vykořisťování. Díky této knize můžeme také lépe pochopit odstup, který si Velká Británie vždy udržovala od kontinentu i Evropské unie a který nakonec vyvrcholil brexitem. Publikace je vybavena rozsáhlým obrazovým materiálem, který působivě dokresluje charakter a atmosféru impéria v té které době a zemi. Nové vydání světového bestselleru. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Britský historik Niall Ferguson, autor řady vysoce oceňovaných publikací (naposledy např. Civilizace), ve své nové práci analyzuje podoby mocenského vlivu. Jednu - vertilkální, hierarchickou - charakterizuje metafora věže; druhou - horizontální, založenou na síti vztahů - zase obraz náměstí. Autor zkoumá jejich historický vývoj i koexistenci. V historických knihách je patrnější ona vertikální struktura, na jejímž vrcholu stáli králové a papežové, ale to neznamená, že by horizontální sítě společenských vztahů byly záležitostí moderní doby, ve které jako by komunikace po Facebooku hrála větší roli než politické uspořádání. Ferguson ukazuje podobu společenských sítí v minulých dobách a v jejich rozvoji a úpadku nachází varovné signály pro sítě novodobé, protože sítě byly vždy náchylné k uzavírání, přenášení negativních signálů či výpadkům. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Kniha, jejimž autorem je britský historik Niall Ferguson, nazvaná Vzestup peněz je věnována problematice rozvoje moderního finančního hospodářství, měnového systému a ekonomickým recesím a depresím v 19. a 20. století. Ferguson si v ní klade dvě základní otázky: Jakým způsobem moc peněz změnila mentální chování moderních lidí 19. a 20. století a jak ekonomika ve svém důsledku zvítězila nad politikou klasického 19. věku? Jeho odpovědi, někdy provokativní, ve svém důsledku osvětlují nejen vzestup moci peněz v moderních dějinách, ale také přičiny finanční krize, do níž se svět dostal v roce 2009. (patro.cz)

"Anglický překlad knihy oceněné Magnesií Literou za r. 2016, která vyvolala řadu recenzí a debat. ""Jak silně spartakiády z let 1955 až 1985 navazovaly na tradici sokolských sletů? Nakolik byla účast v nich dobrovolná a jak byly celkově oblíbené? Byly oslavou komunistické ideologie? I na tyto otázky odpovídá kniha Československé spartakiády od Petra Roubala z Ústavu pro soudobé dějiny AV ČR. A jeho odpovědi jsou zvláště pro čtenáře, který onu dobu plně nezažil a nechápe, jaký půvab může být v hromadném cvičení v davu vrstevníků, překvapivé.Autor ve své čtivé knize vhodně kombinuje teoretické úvahy o proměnách genderu, karnevalové kultuře a přechodových rituálech s detailními informacemi o tom, nakolik se díky těmto veleakcím zvyšovala celorepubliková porodnost nebo jak některé malé děti společné vystoupení ignorovaly a raději si hrály s pískem."" (J. Lukavec, iLiteratura)" (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Niall Ferguson je uznávaný historik, autor čtrnácti knih, z nichž zná český čtenář tituly Vzestup peněz či Velký rozklad. V nové práci analyzuje podoby mocenského vlivu. Jednu – vertikální, hierarchickou – charakterizuje metafora věže; druhou, horizontální, založenou na síti vztahů, zase obraz náměstí. Autor zkoumá jejich historický vývoj i koexistenci. V historických knihách je patrnější ona vertikální struktura, na jejímž vrcholu stáli králové a papežové, ale to neznamená, že by horizontální sítě společenských vztahů byly záležitostí moderní doby, ve které jako by komunikace po Facebooku hrála větší roli než politické uspořádání. Ferguson ukazuje podobu společenských sítí v minulých dobách a v jejich rozvoji a úpadku nachází varovné signály pro sítě novodobé, protože sítě byly vždy náchylné k uzavírání, přenášení negativních signálů či výpadkům. (patro.cz)

The First World War killed around eight million men and bled Europe dry. In this provocative book Niall Ferguson asks: was the sacrifice worth it? Was it all really an inevitable cataclysm and were the Germans a genuine threat? Was the war, as is often asserted, greeted with popular enthusiasm? Why did men keep on fighting when conditions were so wretched? Was there in fact a death wish abroad, driving soldiers to their own destruction? The war, he argues, was a disaster - but not for the reasons we think. Far worse than a tragedy, it was the greatest error of modern history. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

A FINANCIAL TIMES, ECONOMIST AND NEW STATESMAN BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020 'The most important non-fiction book of the year' David Hare In the years just before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall, people from across the political spectrum in Europe and America celebrated a great achievement, felt a common purpose and, very often, forged personal friendships. Yet over the following decades the euphoria evaporated, the common purpose and centre ground gradually disappeared, extremism rose once more and eventually - as this book compellingly relates - the relationships soured too. Anne Applebaum traces this history in an unfamiliar way, looking at the trajectories of individuals caught up in the public events of the last three decades. When politics becomes polarized, which side do you back? If you are a journalist, an intellectual, a civic leader, how do you deal with the re-emergence of authoritarian or nationalist ideas in your country? When your leaders appropriate history, or pedal conspiracies, or eviscerate the media and the judiciary, do you go along with it? Twilight of Democracy is an essay that combines the personal and the political in an original way and brings a fresh understanding to the dynamics of public life in Europe and America, both now and in the recent past. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Remember when it all seemed to be getting better? Before Trump happened? Naomi Klein, internationally acclaimed journalist, activist and bestselling author, shows us how we got to this surreal and dangerous place, how to stop it getting a lot worse, and how, if we keep our heads, we can make things better. No Is Not Enough reveals, among other things, how Trump's election was not a peaceful transition, but a corporate takeover, one using deliberate shock tactics to generate wave after wave of crises and force through radical policies that will destroy people, the environment, the economy and national security. This book is the toolkit for shock resistance, showing all of us how we can break Trump's spell and win the world we need. Don't let them get away with it. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Is lobbying, particularly by 'lobbyists for hire', resulting in a distortion of the democratic process? Does business, with its highly sophisticated and well-resourced lobbying operations, have an undue influence on decisions by politicians? The book assess the impact of lobbying on the UK political system, the extent to which it shapes the political decision-making process and the extent to which this influence is beneficial or malign. The book outlines various lobbying groups and their methods of persuasion, plus the weakness of political action groups and social media when faced with the might of the lobbying industry. The book is ideal reading for anyone seeking an introduction to lobbying. -- . (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Now in its fourth edition, this hugely popular textbook has established itself as the number one introduction to Politics for students around the world. Systematically revised and updated, the book continues to offer a clear and comprehensive guide to the most important conceptual and theoretical issues in the study of Politics. Paying particular attention to the interdependence of domestic and world events in present day politics, this latest edition is once again the ideal text to recommend to students undertaking introductory modules across Politics and International Relations programmes. With numerous features such as case studies, controversies, key thinkers and concept boxes, it helps students of all levels develop their critical awareness as well as their own views. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

eBook: 'The Doom of the Griffiths' is a haunting short story by the acclaimed Victorian author Elizabeth Gaskell. A long-forgotten curse was placed upon the Griffiths family by the last native Prince of Wales, Owain Glyndŵr, following a betrayal by a member of the Griffiths family. The curse foretells that the Griffiths family line will end 'with the murder of the eighth generation Griffiths by the ninth'. Many years later, will the ominous prophecy upon the condemned family come true? A dark tale of revenge, jealousy, and treachery. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

When her grandparents explode in their caravan toilet late one night, twelve-year-old Harley discovers a surprising truth: their toilet is a gateway to the Land of the Dead, and they are its Guardians. Well, they were. But there's no time to mourn their passing. Because Harley's baby brother has accidentally gone with them to the Land of the Dead. And Harley only has 24 hours to rescue him before he's trapped there FOREVER!This hilarious and heartbreaking debut features exploding grandparents, unexpected heroes and a truly EPIC adventure. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Plakát 61x91,5cm The Lord of the Rings - Mount Doom (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Kniha - autor Alex Ross, 784 stran, anglicky, brožovaná bez přebalu matná Alex Ross, renowned New Yorker music critic and author of the international bestseller and Pulitzer Prize finalist The Rest Is Noise, reveals how Richard Wagner became the proving ground for modern art and politics?an aesthetic war zone where the Western world wrestled with its capacity for beauty and violence. For better or worse, Wagner is the most widely influential figure in the history of music. Around 1900, the phenomenon known as Wagnerism saturated European and American culture. Such colossal creations as The Ring of the Nibelung, Tristan und Isolde, and Parsifal were models of formal daring, mythmaking, erotic freedom, and mystical speculation. A mighty procession of artists, including Virginia Woolf, Thomas Mann, Paul Cézanne, Isadora Duncan, and Luis Bunuel, felt his impact. Anarchists, occultists, feminists, and gay-rights pioneers saw him as a kindred spirit. Then Adolf... (alza.cz)

Hilarious sequel to The Caravan at the Edge of Doom, perfect for fans of Terry Pratchett, David Walliams and Roald Dahl! Twelve-year old Harley is happy to be back home after her adventures in the Land of the Dead. But strange things soon start happening. A bunch of Restless Souls turn up in at school, the portal of doom breaks AND everyone thinks Harley has blown up her best friend Bess. Is this all connected to a mysterious ancient prophecy that everyone in the Land of the Dead keeps talking about…? There’s only one thing for it. Harley has to unleash her inner Legendary Hero and head Beyond Life for more monsters, mysteries and mayhem! This must-read sequel to the The Caravan at the Edge of Doom is full of heart, humour and heroism. A funny, magical, action-packed adventure, new for 2022 for kids 9-12! (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Finally - finally! - Max has that nice office job she's always wanted. The one with no heavy lifting and no one tries to kill her. Well, one out of two's not bad...Punching well above their weight, Max and Markham set out to bring down a sinister organisation founded in the future - with a suspicious focus on the past.Max's focus is staying alive long enough to reunite with Leon and Matthew, alternately helped and hindered by St Mary's. Who aren't always the blessing they like to think they are.But non-stop leaping around the timeline - from witnessing Magna Carta to disturbing a certain young man with a penchant for gunpowder - is beginning to take its toll. Is Max going mad? Or are the ghosts of the past finally catching up with her?What people are saying about Jodi Taylor: 'Once in a while, I discover an author who changes everything... Jodi Taylor and her protagonista Madeleine "Max" Maxwell have seduced me''This amazing series is anything but formulaic. Just when you think you've got to grips with everything, out comes the rug from under your feet''Addictive. I wish St Mary's was real and I was a part of it''St Mary's stories are the much-anticipated highlight of my year''Jodi Taylor has an imagination that gets me completely hooked''A tour de force' (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Learning about the vast concept of politics can be daunting, this book makes it easier than ever by giving you all the big ideas, simply explained. It includes more than 100 ideas in the history of politics that are helpfully broken down so that abstract topics, such as theoretical foundations and practical applications become real. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Hra na konzoli - Xbox One S / Xbox One X, Xbox Series X, krabicová verze, žánr: akční, pro online hraní vyžaduje předplatné Xbox Live Gold, - Jezděte po Wakefieldu ve svém postapokalyptickém vozidle, vylepšujte si vybavení a bojujte proti hordám monster. Získejte Staff of DoomHrajte jako Jack, Quint, June a Dirkin při hledání chybějících kousků Staff of Doom! Dávejte si však velký pozor na Malondre, královnu slizkých příšer, která chce získat totéž co vy, pro přivolání Rezzocha, ničitele světů. Hrajte s přáteliSpojte síly s rodinou či přáteli a překazte její plány. Vylepšete si vybavení, schopnosti, auto Big Mama a Treehouse a postavte se hordám zombií. (alza.cz)

A transporting, good-humored, and revealing account of Greece s dire troubles, reported from the mountain villages, idyllic islands, and hardscrabble streets that define the country today In recent years, small Greece, often associated with ancient philosophers and marble ruins, whitewashed villages and cerulean seas, has been at the center of a debt crisis that has sown economic and social ruin, spurred panic in international markets, and tested Europe s decades-old project of forging a closer union. In "The Full Catastrophe," James Angelos makes sense of contrasting images of Greece, a nation both romanticized for its classical past and castigated for its dysfunctional present. With vivid character-driven narratives and engaging reporting that offers an immersive sense of place, he brings to life some of the causes of the country s financial collapse, and examines the changes, some hopeful and others deeply worrisome, emerging in its aftermath. A small rebellion against tax authorities breaks out on a normally serene Aegean island. A mayor from a bucolic, northern Greek village is gunned down by the municipal treasurer. An aging, leftist hero of the Second World War fights to win compensation from Germany for the wartime occupation. A once marginal group of neo-Nazis rises to political prominence out of a ramshackle Athens neighborhood. "The Full Catastrophe" goes beyond the transient coverage in the daily headlines to deliver an enduring and absorbing portrait of modern Greece." (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Subžánr: Movie;Stage & Screen;Soundtrack Varianta: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (2 LP) Interpret / Téma: John Williams Žánr: Movie;Stage & Screen;Soundtrack Balení obsahuje: LP Rok vydání: 2024.0 Barva: Černá Rychlost: 33 1/3 RPM Barva podle výrobce: Black Složení setu: 2 ks Datum vydání: 2024-05-17 Typ: Album;LP deska Vydavatelství: Walt Disney Records (muziker.cz)

Varianta: The Mouse And The Mask (2 LP) Typ: LP deska;Album;Luxusní edice;Nové vydání Země interpreta: Spojené království;USA Hmotnost: 180 g Barva podle výrobce: Black Barva: Černá Datum vydání: 2015-06-01 Rychlost: 33 1/3 RPM Složení setu: 2 ks Dekáda interpreta: 2000 - 2009 Rok vydání: 2015.0 Rok nahrávky: 2005.0 Subžánr: Conscious;Hip Hop Žánr: Hip Hop;Rap Země původu: Evropská unie Vydavatelství: Lex Records Interpret / Téma: Dangerdoom Balení obsahuje: LP (muziker.cz)

"It's hard to be brave,' said Piglet, sniffing slightly, "when you're only a Very Small Animal."Rabbit, who had begun to write very busily, looked up and said: "It is because you are a very small animal that you will be useful in the adventure before us."Winnie-the-Pooh has a certain way about him, a way of doing things that has made him the world's most beloved bear, and Pooh's Way, as Benjamin Hoff brilliantly demonstrates, seems strangely close to the ancient Chinese principles of Taoism. And as for Piglet, he embodies the very important principle of Te, meaning Virtue of the Small. Benjamin Hoff's explanations of Taoism and Te through Pooh and Piglet show that this is not an ancient and remote philosophy but something that you can use, here and now.An utterly unique book which makes complex concepts accessible with a little help from Pooh and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood. Pooh may be a Bear of Very Little Brain but there are lessons to be learned from his approach to life. Beautifully decorated by E.H.Shepard. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

By the author of The Handmaid's Tale and Alias GraceThe sun brightens in the east, reddening the blue-grey haze that marks the distant ocean. The vultures roosting on the hydro poles fan out their wings to dry them. the air smells faintly of burning. The waterless flood - a man-made plague - has ended the world.But two young women have survived: Ren, a young dancer trapped where she worked, in an upmarket sex club (the cleanest dirty girls in town); and Toby, who watches and waits from her rooftop garden. Is anyone else out there? (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The Patience of the Spider is the eighth novel in Andrea Camilleri's wryly humorous Inspector Montalbano series.'A brother,' he said. Jesus Christ! Now where'd this brother come from? Whose brother? Montalbano had known from the start that between all the brothers, uncles, in-laws, nephews and nieces, this case was going to drive him crazy. Chief Inspector Montalbano is on enforced sick leave. But when a local girl goes mysteriously missing, the whole community takes an interest in the case. Why are the kidnappers so sure that the girl's impoverished father and dying mother will be able to find a fortune? The ever-inquisitive Montalbano steps in, to get to the heart of the matter in his own inimitable style.The Patience of the Spider is followed by the ninth novel in the series, Paper Moon. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

This stunning special edition hardback celebrates the first book in the international bestselling Wheel of Time series - one of the most influential and popular fantasy epics ever published. NOW A MAJOR TV SERIES ON PRIME VIDEO. When their village is attacked by terrifying creatures, Rand al'Thor and his friends are forced to flee for their lives.An ancient evil is stirring, and its servants are scouring the land for the Dragon Reborn - the prophesised hero who can deliver the world from darkness. In this Age of myth and legend, the Wheel of Time turns. What was, what may be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.This special edition hardback includes: - New front cover artwork with gold foil - Beautiful, full-colour endpapers with the classic Wheel of Time map from Thomas Canty and Ellisa Mitchell - Head and tail bands ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE'S TOP 100 FANTASY BOOKS OF ALL TIME'Epic in every sense' Sunday Times'With the Wheel of Time, Jordan has come to dominate the world that Tolkien began to reveal' New York Times'[The] huge ambitious Wheel of Time series helped redefine the genre' George R. R. Martin'A fantasy phenomenon' SFXAlso look out for The Complete Wheel of Time Box Set, a box set containing all fifteen novels in this monumental series, presented in a sturdy box with a wood-finish effect. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Geralt the Witcher races to find his missing ward, Ciri, in this fourth novel in the bestselling Witcher series that inspired the Netflix show and video games.The world has fallen into war. Ciri, the child of prophecy, has vanished. Hunted by friends and foes alike, she has taken on the guise of a petty bandit and lives free for the first time in her life.But the net around her is closing. Geralt, the Witcher, has assembled a group of allies determined to rescue her. Both sides of the war have sent brutal mercenaries to hunt her down. Her crimes have made her famous.There is only one place left to run. The tower of the swallow is waiting...Translated by David French. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

This Is The Amazing New Thriller From Terry Hayes. If You Thought I Am Pilgrim Was Good... (knihydobrovsky.cz)

An award-winning author and illustrator offers a beautiful and uplifting adaptation of the beloved Sufi poem Celebrated children's book creator Peter Sis presents his first book for adults with The Conference of the Birds--a lyrical and richly illustrated story of love, faith, and the beauty of the human journey. Sis's deeply felt version of the classic twelfth-century Persian epic poem tells the story of a flock of birds in search of the true king, Simorgh, who lives on the mountain of Kaf. Drawn from all species, the flock travels through the seven valleys: quest, love, understanding, detachment, unity, amazement, and death. The birds that endure reach the mountain to learn a profound lesson: that Simorgh the king is, in fact, each of them and all of them. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Vaclav Havel's remarkable and rousing essay on the tyranny of apathy, with a new introduction by Timothy Snyder Cowed by life under Communist Party rule, a greengrocer hangs a placard in their shop window: Workers of the world, unite! Is it a sign of the grocer's unerring ideology? Or a symbol of the lies we perform to protect ourselves? Written in 1978, Vaclav Havel's meditation on political dissent - the rituals of its suppression, and the sparks that re-ignite it - would prove the guiding manifesto for uniting Solidarity movements across the Soviet Union. A portrait of activism in the face of falsehood and intimidation, The Power of the Powerless remains a rousing call against the allure of apathy. 'Havel's diagnosis of political pathologies has a special resonance in the age of Trump' Pankaj Mishra (knihydobrovsky.cz)

'I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep.My name is Kvothe.You may have heard of me'So begins the tale of Kvothe - currently known as Kote, the unassuming innkeepter - from his childhood in a troupe of traveling players, through his years spent as a near-feral orphan in a crime-riddled city, to his daringly brazen yet successful bid to enter a difficult and dangerous school of magic. In these pages you will come to know Kvothe the notorious magician, the accomplished thief, the masterful musician, the dragon-slayer, the legend-hunter, the lover, the thief and the infamous assassin.The Name of the Wind is fantasy at its very best, and an astounding must-read title. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

After walking through a portal in the Tower of the Swallow, thus narrowly escaping death, the Witcher girl, Ciri, finds herself in a completely different world... a world of the Elves. She is trapped with no way out. Time does not seem to exist and there are no obvious borders or portals to cross back into her home world. But this is Ciri, the child of prophecy, and she will not be defeated. She knows she must escape to finally rejoin the Witcher, Geralt, and his companions - and also to try to conquer her worst nightmare. Leo Bonhart, the man who chased, wounded and tortured Ciri, is still on her trail. And the world is still at war. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

In war they made impossible choices. Now can they live with them?'Moving . . . surprises and devastates' New York Times'Masterful' People'Mesmerising . . . reveals new truths about one of history's most tragic eras' USA TodayThe Third Reich has crumbled. The Russians are coming.Marianne von Lingenfels - widow of a resister murdered by the Nazi regime - finds refuge in the crumbling Bavarian castle where she once played host to German high society. There she fulfils her promise to find and protect the wives and children of her husband's brave conspirators, rescuing her dearest friend's widow, Benita, from sexual slavery to the Russian army, and Ania from a work camp for political prisoners. As Marianne assembles this makeshift family she is certain their shared pain will bind them together.But as Benita begins a clandestine relationship and Ania struggles to conceal her role in the Nazi regime, Marianne learns that her clear-cut, highly principled world view has no place in these new, frightening and emotionally-charged days.All three women must grapple with the realities they now face, and the consequences of decisions each made in the darkest of times . . . Deeply moving and compelling, The Women of the Castle is a heart-wrenching and hopeful novel of secrets and survival, a reckoning, and the astonishing power of forgiveness. Perfect for fans of All the Light You Cannot See, The Reader and The Light Between Oceans. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The year is 1327. Franciscans in a wealthy Italian abbey are suspected of heresy, and Brother William of Baskerville arrives to investigate. When his delicate mission is suddenly overshadowed by seven bizarre deaths, Brother William turns detective. His tools are the logic of Aristotle, the theology of Aquinas, the empirical insights of Roger Bacon - all sharpened to a glistening edge by wry humor and a ferocious curiosity. He collects evidence, deciphers secret symbols and coded manuscripts, and digs into the eerie labyrinth of the abbey, where "the most interesting things happen at night." (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The Hunger of the Gods continues John Gwynne's acclaimed Norse-inspired epic fantasy series, packed with myth, magic and bloody vengeanceLik-Rifa, the dragon god of legend, has been freed from her eternal prison. Now she plots a new age of blood and conquest. As Orka continues the hunt for her missing son, the Bloodsworn sweep south in a desperate race to save one of their own - and Varg takes the first steps on the path of vengeance. Elvar has sworn to fulfil her blood oath and rescue a prisoner from the clutches of Lik-Rifa and her dragonborn followers, but first she must persuade the Battle-Grim to follow her. Yet even the might of the Bloodsworn and Battle-Grim cannot stand alone against a dragon god. Their hope lies within the mad writings of a chained god. A book of forbidden magic with the power to raise the wolf god Ulfrir from the dead . . . and bring about a battle that will shake the foundations of the earth. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Prepare to turn the Wheel of Time - discover the first novel in one of the most influential and popular fantasy epics ever published.When their village is attacked by terrifying creatures, Rand al'Thor and his friends are forced to flee for their lives. An ancient evil is stirring, and its servants are scouring the land for the Dragon Reborn - the prophesised hero who can deliver the world from darkness.In this Age of myth and legend, the Wheel of Time turns. What was, what may be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Translated by Yuan Shibing and J.J.L.Duyvendak. With introductions by Robert Wilkinson. The two political classics in this book are the product of a time of intense turmoil in Chinese history.Dating from the Period of the Warring States (403-221BC), they anticipate Machiavelli's The Prince by nearly 2000 years. The Art of War is the best known of a considerable body of Chinese works on the subject. It analyses the nature of war, and reveals how victory may be ensured.The Book of Lord Shang is a political treatise for the instruction of rulers. These texts are anything but armchair strategy or ivory-tower speculation. They are serious, urgent and practical responses to the desperate situations in which they were written.They have been immensely influential both inside and outside China. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

On 4 June 1942 one of the most powerful figures of the Nazi regime died in agony from wounds sustained during an assassination attempt in Prague. This is the story of the killing of Reinhard Heydrich, a man of extraordinary intelligence, ruthlessness and ambition who had risen from obscurity to become head of the Nazi security police and Governor of Bohemia-Moravia. Regarded by many as Hitler's most likely successor, he was feared and hated even by other high-ranking Nazi officials.Heydrich's death caused shockwaves throughout the Nazi leadership, provoking ferocious reprisals against Czechs and Jews. Those who carried out the assassination were hunted down, and, trapped like rats in the cellar of a Prague church, committed suicide rather than face the certainty of torture and execution at the hands of the SS.Based on original archive material, interviews with surviving members of the Special Operations Executive, who trained the Czech assassins in the UK, and Czech military intelligence, Callum MacDonald's book is a well-researched and gripping account of one of the most audacious assassinations of the Second World War. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is perhaps the greatest collection of detective stories ever written. From his residence at 221B Baker Street, Sherlock Holmes solves a series of baffling and bizarre cases, including those of a man terrified by the arrival of an envelope containing orange pips, and a woman whose fiance disappeared on his way to their wedding. Each story showcases the great detective's inimitable and extraordinary deductive powers, recounted to us by his faithful friend and colleague, Dr Watson. This Macmillan Collector's Library edition features an afterword by David Stuart Davies - a Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund and an authority on Sherlock Holmes.Designed to appeal to the booklover, the Macmillan Collector's Library is a series of beautiful gift editions of much loved classic titles. Macmillan Collector's Library are books to love and treasure. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

When Darwin set sail at the end of 1831, it was only with a vague notion that all life forms, both present and extinct, were more strongly related than the Christian version of the world's creation purported them to be. During his five-year voyage of research and discovery on board HMS Beagle, and later from his home in Kent, he painstakingly collected a mass of evidence from across the planet - from Paraguay and the Galapagos Islands to Staffordshire and Scotland - building a compelling case for a theory that would change the world we live in - and the way we look at it - for ever.The foundation of evolutionary biology and natural selection - which prompted as huge a revolution in the fields of science and religion as Copernicus's heliocentric model of the universe and Newton's law of gravity, Darwin's On the Origin of Species is perhaps the most important book of scientific observation ever written. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Welcome to the story of our Moon - a story of Moon dust and Moon rabbits, cheese and astronauts, deep thoughts and bold plans. Read, dream and wonder as you discover ancient legends about the Moon's creation, meet the very first astronomers and learn about the Space Race. Published to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Discover the comic that inspired the Netflix Original zombie series Kingdom!Years of war and famine and have plunged Joseon into chaos. The young Prince Yi Moon, having lost all his bodyguards to an assassination attempt, has no choice but to turn to the mountain bandit Jae-ha for help. But as the unlikely pair race to find safety in a world gone mad, it becomes horrifyingly clear that humans aren't the only thing they must fear!In a bonus story, a secluded island becomes a private battlefield as the notorious Japanese criminal Juu and the infamous Korean felon Han face off against each other. But they aren't the only ones on the island... (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The daughter of an American millionaire dies on a train en route for Nice...When the luxurious Blue Train arrives at Nice, a guard attempts to wake serene Ruth Kettering from her slumbers. But she will never wake again - for a heavy blow has killed her, disfiguring her features almost beyond recognition. What is more, her precious rubies are missing.The prime suspect is Ruth's estranged husband, Derek. Yet Poirot is not convinced, so he stages an eerie re-enactment of the journey, complete with the murderer on board... (knihydobrovsky.cz)

A world divided. A queendom without an heir. An ancient enemy awakens.The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction – but assassins are getting closer to her door.Ead Duryan is an outsider at court. Though she has risen to the position of lady-in-waiting, she is loyal to a hidden society of mages. Ead keeps a watchful eye on Sabran, secretly protecting her with forbidden magic.Across the dark sea, Tané has trained to be a dragonrider since she was a child, but is forced to make a choice that could see her life unravel.Meanwhile, the divided East and West refuse to parley, and forces of chaos are rising from their sleep. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud is the explosive international bestseller that mixes fact and fiction to tell the riveting story of one of the world’s most controversial relics—the Holy Shroud of Turin—and the desperate race to save it from those who will stop at nothing to possess its legendary power....A fire at the Turin cathedral and the discovery of a mutilated corpse are the latest in a disturbing series of events surrounding the mysterious cloth millions believe to be the authentic burial shroud of Jesus Christ. Those who dare to investigate will be caught in the cross fire of an ancient conflict forged by mortal sacrifice, assassination, and secret societies tied to the shadowy Knights Templar.Spanning centuries and continents, from the storm-rent skies over Calvary, through the intrigue and treachery of Byzantium and the Crusades, to the modern-day citadels of Istanbul, New York, London, Paris, and Rome, The Brotherhood of the Holy Shroud races to a chilling climax in the labyrinths beneath Turin, where astounding truths will be exposed: about the history of a faith, the passions of man, and proof of the most powerful miracle of all…. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The daughter of an American millionaire dies on a train en route for Nice...When the luxurious Blue Train arrives at Nice, a guard attempts to wake serene Ruth Kettering from her slumbers. But she will never wake again - for a heavy blow has killed her, disfiguring her features almost beyond recognition. What is more, her precious rubies are missing.The prime suspect is Ruth's estranged husband, Derek. Yet Poirot is not convinced, so he stages an eerie re-enactment of the journey, complete with the murderer on board... (knihydobrovsky.cz)