Homelands: a personal history of europe - timothy garton ash

Drawing from the people who lived it, Homelands explores how Europe slowly recovered and rebuilt from World War Two. And then faltered.Timothy Garton Ash, our greatest writer about Europe, has spent a lifetime studying Europe and this deeply felt book is full of vivid experiences: from his father's memories of D-Day and his own surveillance at the hands of the Stasi to interviewing Albanian guerrillas in the mountains of Kosovo and angry teenagers in the poorest quarters of Paris, as well as advising prime ministers, chancellors and presidents.Homelands is at once a living, breathing history of a period of unprecedented progress, a clear-eyed account of how so much then went wrong and an urgent call to the citizens of this great old continent to understand and defend what we have collectively achieved. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

'Tremendously enjoyable ... thoughtful, honest, open, self-deprecating' Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday Times'Readers could hardly wish for a wiser guide ... panoramic ...defiantly hopeful' Financial TimesDrawing from the people who lived it, Homelands explores how Europe slowly recovered and rebuilt from World War Two. And then faltered. Timothy Garton Ash, our greatest writer about Europe, has spent a lifetime studying Europe and this deeply felt book is full of vivid experiences: from his father's memories of D-Day and his own surveillance at the hands of the Stasi to interviewing Albanian guerrillas in the mountains of Kosovo and angry teenagers in the poorest quarters of Paris, as well as advising prime ministers, chancellors and presidents.Homelands is at once a living, breathing history of a period of unprecedented progress, a clear-eyed account of how so much then went wrong and an urgent call to the citizens of this great old continent to understand and defend what we have collectively achieved. 'The right book for Europe, at the right time' Timothy Snyder, author of On Tyranny'A moving love letter to Europe' Lea Ypi, author of Free (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Danubia is the brilliant and entertaining companion to the Sunday Times top ten bestseller Germania. It was longlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction 2013.For centuries much of Europe was in the hands of the very peculiar Habsburg family. An unstable mixture of wizards, obsessives, melancholics, bores, musicians and warriors, they saw off – through luck, guile and sheer mulishness – any number of rivals, until finally packing up in 1918. From their principal lairs along the Danube they ruled most of Central Europe and Germany and interfered everywhere – indeed the history of Europe hardly makes sense without them.Simon Winder’s extremely funny new book plunges the reader into a maelstrom of alchemy, skeletons, jewels, bear-moats, unfortunate marriages and a guinea-pig village. Danubia is full of music, piracy, religion and fighting. It is the history of a dynasty, but it is at least as much about the people they ruled, who spoke many different languages, lived in a vast range of landscapes, believed in many rival gods and often showed a marked ingratitude towards their oddball ruler in Vienna. Readers who discovered Simon Winder’s genius for telling wonderful stories of middle Europe with Germania will be delighted by the eccentric and fascinating stories of the Habsburgs and their world.Danubia was longlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction 2013 (knihydobrovsky.cz)

From the bestselling author of Germania, Lotharinigia is the third installment in Simon Winder's personal history of Europe. In 843 AD, the three surviving grandsons of the great emperor Charlemagne met at Verdun. After years of bitter squabbles over who would inherit the family land, they finally decided to divide the territory and go their separate ways. In a moment of staggering significance, one grandson inherited the area we now know as France, another Germany and the third received the piece in between: Lotharingia. Lotharingia is a history of in-between Europe. It is the story of a place between places. In this beguiling, hilarious and compelling book, Simon Winder retraces the various powers that have tried to overtake the land that stretches from the mouth of the Rhine to the Alps and the might of the peoples who have lived there for centuries. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

In AD 843, the three surviving grandsons of the great Emperor Charlemagne met at Verdun. After years of bitter squabbles over who would inherit the family land, they finally decided to divide the territory and go their separate ways. In a moment of staggering significance, one grandson inherited what became France, another Germany and the third Lotharingia: the chunk that initially divided the other two. The dynamic between these three great zones has dictated much of our subsequent fate.In this beguiling, hilarious and compelling book we retrace how both from west and from east any number of ambitious characters have tried and failed to grapple with these Lotharingians, who ultimately became Dutch, German, Belgian, French, Luxembourgers and Swiss. Over many centuries, not only has Lotharingia brought forth many of Europe's greatest artists, inventors and thinkers, but it has also reduced many a would-be conqueror to helpless tears of rage and frustration. Joining Germania and Danubia in Simon Winder's endlessly fascinating retelling of European history, Lotharingia is a personal, wonderful and gripping story. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

eBook:,Svazek reportáží světoznámého britského historika, politologa a publicisty představuje jedinečné zachycení převratných událostí roku 1989, tak jak postupně zasáhly čtyři středoevropské komunistické režimy včetně tehdejšího Československa. Autor se přitom soustřeďuje na klíčové události daného historického okamžiku v podobě červnových voleb v Polsku a pohřbu Imreho Nagye v Maďarsku a listopadového pádu berlínské zdi a „sametové revoluce“ v Československu, jimž byl osobně přítomen, a se svou charakteristickou erudicí, osobní angažovaností i jemným humorem podává nezapomenutelné svědectví o revoluční proměně, jež definitivně změnila tvář střední a východní Evropy. V nakladatelství PROSTOR kniha vychází ve třetím vydání u příležitosti třicátého výročí sametové revoluce s novým autorovým doslovem – esejem, v němž rozebírá stav střední Evropy tři desetiletí po pádu komunismu a zamýšlí se nad příčinami rozdělení společnosti a krize důvěry v liberální demokracii. Timothy Garton Ash (1955), britský historik a spisovatel, je profesorem evropských studií na Oxfordu a působí rovněž na Stanfordu ve Spojených státech. Svými esejemi pravidelně přispívá do magazínu The New York Review of Books a do Guardianu píše sloupky o současných mezinárodních událostech. Česky vyšly jeho knihy Svobodný svět (2006), úvaha nad krizí Západu, rozděleného postojem k válce v Iráku, a nad variantami dalšího vývoje v západní společnosti, Dějiny přítomnosti. Eseje, črty a zprávy z Evropy devadesátých let (2003) a Svazek (1998), k jehož napsání ho inspirovalo seznámení s jeho osobními záznamy z archivu východoněmecké státní bezpečnosti. Jeho nejpřekládanější knihou, a to celkem do dvaceti jazyků, se stal Rok zázraků. Časopis Time ho zařadil v roce 2005 mezi sto nejvlivnějších lidí světa. Ocitl-li se kdy novinář v pravý čas na pravém místě, byl to nepochybně případ Timothyho Gartona Ashe a střední Evropy roku 1989. … Díky němu mohou nyní i čtenáři sledovat tyto přelomové události, jako by byli jejich přímými účastníky. Financial Times Garton Ash byl zaujatým pozorovatelem a chvílemi bezmála spoluaktérem revolucí, jež zasáhly region střední a východní Evropy. Jako znalec kontextu, předních osobností a převládajících politických a intelektuálních proudů popisuje a interpretuje dramatické události roku 1989 s jistotou a šarmem, jež nemají u ostatních západních komentátorů obdobu. Foreign Affairs Jeden z nejbrilantnějších a nejinspirativnějších vykladačů moderní východní Evropy – nejen pro úžasnou živost vyprávění, ale také díky vhledu do spleti vzpomínek, tradic a národních konfliktů, z nichž tyto výjimečné události vzešly. The Times (knihydobrovsky.cz)

eBook: Kniha Evropa, náš domov představuje osobně laděného průvodce po dějinách našeho kontinentu v posledním více než půlstoletí. Je nabitá fakty, bezprostředními zážitky i empatickými pohledy na proměňující se svět evropské liberální demokracie. Příběh moderní Evropy se tu rodí z rozvalin druhé světové války, sleduje rozmach západní části kontinentu i boj obyvatel sovětského bloku za svobodu a lidskou důstojnost. A také společné roky, které následovaly: transformaci postkomunistického světa, tragédii rozpadu Jugoslávie, rozšíření Evropské unie, finanční krizi, migrační dramata, ruský vpád na Ukrajinu. Autorovo líčení je objektivní i hluboce osobní zároveň. Není to dáno pouze jeho spisovatelským nadáním a odbornou erudicí. Evropu začal poznávat na vlastní kůži už jako teenager a nikdy s jejím objevováním nepřestal. Setkával se přitom s tvůrci osudů kontinentu i s lidmi, kteří si v mlýnici dějin jen s vypětím sil dokážou uhájit osud vlastní. Právě proto, že tématem Timothyho Gartona Ashe jsou ti i oni, je kniha tolik poutavá a tak důležitá. Práce Evropa, náš domov byla přeložena již do dvaceti jazyků a oceňují ji nejen laičtí čtenáři, ale také odborníci. Historik Timothy Snyder, mimochodem doktorand Gartona Ashe z Oxfordu, ji nazval „správnou knihou napsanou ve správnou chvíli“, spisovatel John le Carré ji zase vyzdvihuje jako skvěle formulovaný portrét historických zrad i kompromisů. A přiléhavě zní metafora, jejíž autorkou je historička a politoložka Lea Ypiová z London School of Economics: kniha je podle ní milostným dopisem Evropě, v němž víří vzpomínky, politické analýzy i společenská kritika a který zrcadlí budoucnost kontinentu pronásledovaného vlastní minulostí. Britský historik, spisovatel a esejista Timothy Garton Ash (1955) je profesorem evropských studií na Oxfordské univerzitě, působí též v Hooverově institutu Stanfordovy univerzity. Jeho sloupky psané pro deník The Guardian přetiskuje řada dalších médií, přispívá do The New York Revue of Books a řadu let byl zahraničním redaktorem týdeníku The Spectator. Patří k předním znalcům moderních evropských dějin, zejména dějin střední Evropy, a mezi nejdůležitější veřejné intelektuály současnosti. Na vlastní oči zažil pád komunismu ve střední a východní Evropě, s mnoha jeho protagonisty byl v blízkém kontaktu. Prezident Václav Havel mu v roce 2003 udělil medaili Za zásluhy, časopis Time ho v roce 2006 zařadil mezi stovku nejvlivnějších světových osobností a v roce 2017 získal evropskou Cenu Karla Velikého. Garton Ash je autorem deseti titulů přeložených do mnoha jazyků. Česky vyšly jeho knihy Rok zázraků (PROSTOR 1991), Středoevropan volbou (1992), Svazek – osobní příběh (1998), Dějiny přítomnosti. Eseje, črty a zprávy z Evropy devadesátých let (2003) a Svobodný svět. Amerika, Evropa a budoucnost Západu (2006). (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The Magic Lantern is one of those rare books that capture history in the making, written by an author who was witness to some of the most remarkable moments that marked the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe.Timothy Garton Ash was there in Warsaw, on 4 June, when the communist government was humiliated by Solidarity in the first semi-free elections since the Second World War. He was there in Budapest, twelve days later, when Imre Nagy - thirty-one years after his execution - was finally given his proper funeral. He was there in Berlin, as the Wall opened. And most remarkable of all, he was there in Prague, in the back rooms of the Magic Lantern theatre, with Vaclav Havel and the members of Civic Forum, as they made their 'Velvet Revolution'. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Proslulý historik a novinář se již téměř půl století zabývá rolí Evropy při utváření moderního světa a výzvami, jimž musí čelit. Byl svědkem revolucí v řadě "satelitů" Sovětského svazu a jeho kontakty s inspirátory politických změn mu poskytly cenný materiál pro tuto knihu. Nabízí v ní zasvěcený pohled na proces integrace západní Evropy a na proměnu střední a východní Evropy mezi maďarskou revolucí v roce 1956 a ruskou invazí na Ukrajinu. Autor líčí, jak se Evropa vynořila z válečné zkázy, aby se demokratizovala, sjednotila a posléze zhroutila. Přibližuje období nebývalého pokroku společně s tím, jak se mnohé pokazilo, od finanční krize v roce 2008 až po současný konflikt s Ruskem. Nezastírá korupci a nesnášenlivost, které poznamenaly vstup narůstajícího počtu kandidátských států do EU. A zamýšlí se nad tím, co by mělo případné hranice rozšíření EU definovat. Současně uvádí některá ponaučení z uplynulého půlstoletí, např. neobratný a nehumánní pokus o vytvoření "pevnosti Evropa" proti imigraci, jenž podpořil oživení rasistické krajní pravice. Kniha Timothyho Gartona Ashe je také jeho osobním příběhem poznávání a chápání Evropy. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Audiokniha: Sjednocená Evropa není bez chyb, ale právě proto si od nás žádá dennodenní péči. Barbarskou světovou válkou pobořená, pak dlouho rozdělená a zadrátovaná, vždy rozdrobená a s nejasnou východní hranicí, nicméně proto ochotná propojit to, co je očividně vlastností celku. Místy rozhádaná, demograficky nevyvážená a populisty demolovaná, až se o ni bojíme. Taková je Evropa, jak ji znají generace, které jsou v ní doma. V náhledu předního britského publicisty, který do rozboru její integrace promítl výjimečnou životní zkušenost, odbornost i setkání s desítkami neokázalých svědků z mnoha zemí, se ukazuje, nakolik už se náš světadíl oprostil od nacionalismů, a přece zůstává „jednotný v rozmanitosti“. Bytostný Evropan Garton Ash rád po britsku vtipkuje, avšak nezamlčuje, že proces půlstoletého stmelování provázely jak úctyhodné vize, tak pokrytecké ústrky, špatné odhady a propady. Po brexitu a Putinově vpádu na Ukrajinu jako bychom se navíc chtě nechtě vraceli cestou pracně vyvzdorované svornosti zase zpět. Nová válka v intenzitě, jakou kontinent skoro osmdesát let nepoznal, testuje naši soudržnost v míře neméně závažné. Pomineme-li však všechny ostatní Evropy, které jsme čas od času zkoušeli zavádět, žijeme podle autora stále v té nejlepší možné. Bránit její svobodu, zdokonalovat ji a rozšiřovat má smysl. Učitel Timothyho Snydera hledá a nalézá ducha moderních evropských dějin. Zvlášť cenná je jeho čtivá analýza pro mladé rebely, občas omámené představou, že historii přece už lidstvo odzvonilo. Jaká iluze. Kdo si svou minulost nepamatuje, je podle filozofa Santayany odsouzen prožít ji znovu. „Neodolatelně dobře napsaná kniha: přístupná, vtipná a inteligentní." – Neal Acherson, The New York Review of Books. „Toto není výklad dějin Evropské unie a už vůbec ne strastiplných vztahů Británie s ní. Místo toho vrhá panoramatický pohled na kontinent s 850 miliony obyvatel a naslouchá slovům na ulici v Prištině stejně jako v Paříži (...) Je to nestranné, ale zároveň tak srdečné dílo." – Boyd Tonkin, The Financial Times. „Rozhodně si musíme dávat pozor, abychom si dějiny poválečné Evropy nezačali vyprávět jako pohádku, v níž se moudří a ctnostní hrdinové poučí ze zkušeností, které mají s peklem, aby vybudovali nebe. (…) [Geremkův] příběh je jedinečný, avšak v základu je jeho evropanství typické pro několik generací budovatelů Evropy, kteří našemu kontinentu dali dnešní podobu z počátku jedenadvacátého století. Porovnáte-li argumenty, jimiž se od čtyřicátých do devadesátých let minulého století evropská integrace v různých zemích prosazovala, vypadá na první pohled každý národní příběh jinak. Když se však ponoříte hloub, všimnete si stejné základní myšlenky: ‚Tohle místo není pěkné; chceme žít v lepším, a to lepší místo se jmenuje Evropa.‘“ – ukázka z textu. „Východ sledoval Západ stejně jako žena středních let sleduje v americkém bistru Meg Ryanovou, jak očividně předstírá orgasmus ve filmu z roku 1989 Když Harry potkal Sally, a říká přitom: „Chtěla bych to, co má ona.“ (…) Postkomunistická Evropa tak připomínala cosi jako pouťovou atrakci se zkreslujícími zrcadly: když se do takového zrcadla podíváte, spatříte jednou strašlivého tlusťocha, podruhé legračně vychrtlého dlouhána. Jenže také sám se sebou spokojený člověk ze Západu, který se těm bizarně zkreslujícím zrcadlům smál, měl nebezpečnou nadváhu, vysoký krevní tlak a nemocné srdce. – ukázka z textu. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Hudební CD - Soundtrack k filmu The Personal History of David Copperfield z roku 2019. The Personal History of David Copperfield je film skotského režiséra Armanda Iannucciho. Ten je rovněž spolu se Simonem Blackwellem autorem scénáře, který vznikl na motivy románu David Copperfield od Charlese Dickense. Seznam stop My Own Story / Baby Davy / Yarmouth / Last Days of Innocence / The Murdstones / The Bottling Factory / I Fall Into Disgrace / A Corker of a Corker / Without a Home / 23 Miles to Dover / Notes and Impressions / A Blissful Summer / First Day at School / Mr. Dick and the Kite / Agnes / Tall Tales / Uriah Heep / Of Kites and Concertinas / Leaving Day / Meeting Dora / Adventures of a London Gentleman / Mock Turtle / Ruined / Mounting Troubles / Return To Yarmouth / Steerforth Mucks In / Emily Gone / The Search for Emily / David's Writings / The Shipwreck / Concluding Words / A Life Well Written / These Pages Must Show (End Credits) (alza.cz)

'An indispensable guide to the tragic history of a great European nation' (David Blair Sunday Telegraph)Located at the western edge of the Eurasian steppe, Ukraine has long been the meeting place of empires - Roman to Ottoman, Habsburg to Russian - and they all left their imprint on the landscape, the language and the people living within these shifting borders. In this authoritative book, Harvard Professor Serhii Plokhy traces the history of Ukraine from the arrival of the Vikings in the tenth century to the current Russian invasion of eastern Ukraine and annexation of Crimea. Fascinating and multilayered, The Gates of Europe is the essential guide to understanding not just Ukraine's past but also its future. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

From former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright comes a moving and thoughtful memoir of her formative years in Czechoslovakia during the tumult of Nazi occupation, World War II, fascism, and the onset of the Cold War. An intensely personal journey into the past that offers vital lessons for the future, Prague Winter combines the intimacy of an autobiography with the drama of an exciting and well-told story—all underpinned by the gravity and intelligence of a serious work of history. The result is a highly readable and incisive work filled with tragedy and triumph, a resonant narrative informed by Albright’s remarkable life experience and her characteristic candor in speaking hard truths. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Monografia zachytáva spoločné črty vývoja práva v priestore stredovýchodnej Európy za posledných približne 1500 rokov. Dôraz je v tejto publikácii kladený na vývoj práva na území štátov Vyšehradskej štvorky ako území doteraz zaznávanom predstaviteľmi prúdu porovnávacích právnych dejín či európskych právnych dejín. Vzájomná historická previazanosť skúmaných štátov sa prejavuje v ich podobnej právnohistorickej skúsenosti, čiastočne odlišnej od západoeurópskeho vývoja práva. Publikácia približuje vybrané príznaky právnych dejín spoločné štátom v tomto regióne, a to najmä v podobe pomerne neskoršej kristianizácie práva v období raného stredoveku, v podobe historickoprávnej skúsenosti s byzantským právnym vplyvom v rámci cyrilometodskej misie, ale tiež spočívajúce v zachovávaní domácich právnych tradícií s pomerne slabšou romanizáciou práva v období vrcholného stredoveku a v novoveku či v odlišnom chápaní feudálneho zriadenia v porovnaní so západnou Európou. Ďalšie spoločné znaky právnych dejín stredovýchodnej Európy predstavujú špecificky pretransformované vzory liberalizmu a západných právnych riešení v právnych dejinách 19. a 20. storočia, kedy táto časť Európy zároveň prešla rozsiahlymi premenami v dôsledku myšlienky etnického národa a národného štátu. Osobitnou spoločnou východoeurópskou skúsenosťou sú potom v 20. storočí rozsiahle zásahy do vlastníckych pomerov (pozemkové reformy, konfiškácie, znárodnenia), prudké štátoprávne premeny a viacnásobné zmeny hraníc v tejto časti Európy, či napokon doteraz badateľný vplyv sovietskych právnych vzorov. Jedinečnou je v tejto súvislosti tiež právna skúsenosť s opakovanými spoločenskými prechodmi medzi totalitou a demokraciou, v recentnom období spojená, navyše, s výzvami europeizácie a globalizácie práva. Všetky uvedené jedinečné skúsenosti spájajú štáty stredovýchodnej Európy a ovplyvňujú ich príbuznú právnu identitu a kultúru, často dostatočne nepochopenú mimo tohto regiónu. Nepochopenie a neznalosť je však tiež dôsledkom nedostatočnej prezentácie spoločných právnohistorických tradícií stredovýchodnej Európy na celoeurópskom fóre. Práve uvedený nedostatok sa snaží odstrániť predstavovaná monografia, ktorá je v záujme širšieho dosahu napísaná v anglickom jazyku. (patro.cz)

Monografia zachytáva spoločné črty vývoja práva v priestore stredovýchodnej Európy za posledných približne 1500 rokov. Dôraz je v tejto publikácii kladený na vývoj práva na území štátov Vyšehradskej štvorky ako území doteraz zaznávanom predstaviteľmi prúdu porovnávacích právnych dejín či európskych právnych dejín. Vzájomná historická previazanosť skúmaných štátov sa prejavuje v ich podobnej právnohistorickej skúsenosti, čiastočne odlišnej od západoeurópskeho vývoja práva. Publikácia približuje vybrané príznaky právnych dejín spoločné štátom v tomto regióne, a to najmä v podobe pomerne neskoršej kristianizácie práva v období raného stredoveku, v podobe historickoprávnej skúsenosti s byzantským právnym vplyvom v rámci cyrilometodskej misie, ale tiež spočívajúce v zachovávaní domácich právnych tradícií s pomerne slabšou romanizáciou práva v období vrcholného stredoveku a v novoveku či v odlišnom chápaní feudálneho zriadenia v porovnaní so západnou Európou. Ďalšie spoločné znaky právnych dejín stredovýchodnej Európy predstavujú špecificky pretransformované vzory liberalizmu a západných právnych riešení v právnych dejinách 19. a 20. storočia, kedy táto časť Európy zároveň prešla rozsiahlymi premenami v dôsledku myšlienky etnického národa a národného štátu. Osobitnou spoločnou východoeurópskou skúsenosťou sú potom v 20. storočí rozsiahle zásahy do vlastníckych pomerov (pozemkové reformy, konfiškácie, znárodnenia), prudké štátoprávne premeny a viacnásobné zmeny hraníc v tejto časti Európy, či napokon doteraz badateľný vplyv sovietskych právnych vzorov. Jedinečnou je v tejto súvislosti tiež právna skúsenosť s opakovanými spoločenskými prechodmi medzi totalitou a demokraciou, v recentnom období spojená, navyše, s výzvami europeizácie a globalizácie práva. Všetky uvedené jedinečné skúsenosti spájajú štáty stredovýchodnej Európy a ovplyvňujú ich príbuznú právnu identitu a kultúru, často dostatočne nepochopenú mimo tohto regiónu. Nepochopenie a neznalosť je však tiež dôsledkom nedostatočnej prezentácie spoločných právnohistorických tradícií stredovýchodnej Európy na celoeurópskom fóre. Práve uvedený nedostatok sa snaží odstrániť predstavovaná monografia, ktorá je v záujme širšieho dosahu napísaná v anglickom jazyku. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Central Europe is not just a space on a map but also a region of shared experience - of mutual borrowings, impositions and misapprehensions. From the Roman Empire onwards, it has been the target of invasion from the east. In the Middle Ages, Central Europeans cast their eastern foes as 'the dogmen'. They would later become the Turks, Swedes, Russians and Soviets, all of whom pulled the region apart and remade it according to their own vision.Competition among Europe's Middle Kingdoms yielded repeated cultural effervescences. This was the first home of the High Renaissance outside Italy, the cradle of the Reformation, the starting point of the Enlightenment, Romanticism, the symphony and modern nationalism. It was a permanent battleground too for religious and political ideas.Most recent histories of Central Europe confine themselves to the lands in between Germany and Russia, homing in on Poland, Hungary, and what is now the Czech Republic. This new history embraces the whole of Central Europe, including the German lands as well as Ukraine and Switzerland. The story of Europe's Middle Kingdoms is a reminder of Central Europe's precariousness, of its creativity and turbulence, and of the common cultural trends that make these lands so distinctive. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Wilhelm von Habsburg wore the uniform of an Austrian officer, the court regalia of a Habsburg archduke, the simple suit of a Parisian exile, the decorations of the Order of the Golden Fleece and, every so often, a dress. He spoke the Italian of his archduke mother, the German of his archduke father, the English of his British royal friends, the Polish of the country his father wished to rule and the Ukrainian of the land Wilhelm wished to rule himself.Timothy Snyder's masterful biography is not only a reconstruction of the life of this extraordinary man - a man who remained loyal to his Ukrainian dreams even after the country's dissolution in 1921- but also charts the final collapse of the ancien regime in Europe and the rise of a new world order. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The first full, comprehensive account of the cultural representation of the Roma in European historyThis remarkable book describes a dark side of European history: the rejection of the Roma from their initial arrival in the late Middle Ages to the present day. To Europeans, the Roma appeared to be in complete contradiction with their own culture, because of their mysterious origins, unknown language and way of life. As representatives of an oral culture, for centuries the Roma have left virtually no written records of their own. Their history has been conveyed to us almost exclusively through the distorted images that European cultures project.Persecuted and shunned, the Roma nonetheless spread out across the continent and became an important, indeed indispensable element in the European imagination. It is impossible to conceive of the culture of Spain, southern France and much of Central Europe without this pervasive Romani influence.Europe and the Roma brilliantly describes the 'fascination and fear' which have marked Europeans' response to the Romani presence. Countless composers, artists and writers have responded to Romani culture and to fantasies thereof. Their projections onto a group whose illiteracy and marginalization gave it so little direct voice of its own have always been a very uneasy mixture of the inspired, the patronizing and the frighteningly ignorant. The book also shows the link between cultural violence, social discrimination and racist policies that paved the way for the genocide of the Roma. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Kniha - autor Tomáš Gábriš, 220 stran, anglicky, brožovaná bez přebalu lesklá Monografia zachytáva spoločné črty vývoja práva v priestore stredovýchodnej Európy za posledných približne 1500 rokov. Dôraz je v tejto publikácii kladený na vývoj práva na území štátov Vyšehradskej štvorky ako území doteraz zaznávanom predstaviteľmi prúdu porovnávacích právnych dejín či európskych právnych dejín. Vzájomná historická previazanosť skúmaných štátov sa prejavuje v ich podobnej právnohistorickej skúsenosti, čiastočne odlišnej od západoeurópskeho vývoja práva. Publikácia približuje vybrané príznaky právnych dejín spoločné štátom v tomto regióne, a to najmä v podobe pomerne neskoršej kristianizácie práva v období raného stredoveku, v podobe historickoprávnej skúsenosti s byzantským právnym vplyvom v rámci cyrilometodskej misie, ale tiež spočívajúce v zachovávaní domácich právnych tradícií s pomerne slabšou romanizáciou práva v období vrcholného stredoveku a v novoveku či v... (alza.cz)

'A spiritual polymath, the first and possibly greatest' Deepak ChopraThe spiritual is not to be separated from the material, nor the wonderful from the ordinaryOffering reflections on living for the present moment, the pleasures of listening to music, and finding the playfulness of day-to-day life, this beautiful guided meditation journal will help readers engage in the mindful practice of journaling. Pioneering Zen scholar Alan Watts combines insightful and pithy wisdom with charming line illustrations in this collection of journalling prompts and mindfulness observations. The text is full of Watt's warm encouragement and humour which accompany some of his most salient philosophical observations, from seeing through arbitrary separations prescribed by language and society to leaving behind assumptions to see things as they truly are: fleeting, yet everlasting - simple, but wondrous. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

All the Living and the Dead is an exploration into the psychology of modern death, told through the remarkable people who deal with it every day. For readers of Caitlin Doughty's Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Jon Ronson's The Psychopath Test, Sue Black's All That Remains and Elinor Cleghorn's Unwell Women.We are surrounded by death. It is in our news, our nursery rhymes, our true-crime podcasts. Yet from a young age, we are told that death is something to be feared. How are we supposed to know what we're so afraid of, when we are never given the chance to look?Fuelled by a childhood fascination with death, journalist Hayley Campbell searches for answers in the people who make a living by working with the dead. Along the way, she encounters mass fatality investigators, embalmers, and a former executioner who is responsible for ending 62 lives. She meets gravediggers who have already dug their own graves, visits a cryonics facility in Michigan, goes for late-night Chinese with a detective, and questions a man whose job it is to make crime scenes disappear.Through Campbell's incisive and candid interviews with these people who see death every day, she asks: Why would someone choose this kind of life? Does it change you as a person? And are we missing something vital by letting death remain hidden?A dazzling work of cultural criticism, All the Living and the Dead weaves together reportage with memoir, history, and philosophy, to offer readers a fascinating look into the psychology of Western death.'Campbell is a gorgeous writer, capturing the exquisite pathos and gallows humour found in folks who spend their lives working with the dead' - Caitlin Doughty, New York Times bestselling author of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The first one-volume, complete history of Europe, as told by Europeans themselves, from Homo Erectus to the Celts, to Greek wisdom and Roman grandeur, all of the way to the European phenomenon - the Industrial Revolution. This is the definitive way to discover the real, modern Europe progressively unfolding, because looking back to the past reveals more about our future than we ever expected, and only by knowing how Europe came to be, can we know what really lies ahead. Whilst experiencing constant turbulence and change, Europe has made an astonishing mark on the world. How did one small continent become so powerful? How did such diverse islands come together to act as one? How did a diplomatic society descend into bloodshed and what does that mean for Europe today? For two-millenia Europe has been a superpower; it's fretted coastlines, it's many religions and revolutions have all shaped what it is now, and with more change ahead Jean-Baptiste Duroselle's Europe including a special and up-to-date introduction from Anthony Teasdale, Director General for Parliamentary research and former Special Advisor for the Deputy Prime Minister, couldn't be better timed. It is a much needed portrayal of our ever turbulent Europe. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Was there a beginning of time? Could time run backwards? Is the universe infinite or does it have boundaries? These are just some of the questions considered in an internationally acclaimed masterpiece by one of the world's greatest thinkers. It begins by reviewing the great theories of the cosmos from Newton to Einstein, before delving into the secrets which still lie at the heart of space and time, from the Big Bang to black holes, via spiral galaxies and strong theory. To this day A Brief History of Time remains a staple of the scientific canon, and its succinct and clear language continues to introduce millions to the universe and its wonders. This new edition includes updates from Stephen Hawking with his latest thoughts about the No Boundary Proposal and offers new information about dark energy, the information paradox, eternal inflation, the microwave background radiation observations, and the discovery of gravitational waves. It is published to accompany the launch of a new app, Stephen Hawking's Pocket Universe. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Muzeum George Eastman House se sídlem v Rochesteru ve státě New York , je jednou z nejvýznamnějších světových institucí věnujících se výzkumu, vystavování a uchovávání fotografického umění. Bylo otevřeno v roce 1949 v domě George Eastmana, zakladatele Eastman Kodak Company, jako první muzeum v USA zaměřené na fotografii a film. Objevná publikace nabízí pohled zevnitř do hloubky a šířky jeho fotografických sbírek a sleduje bohaté dějiny fotografie od dávných počátků po moderní digitální obrazové technologie. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Kniha - autor Edouard Louis, 198 stran, anglicky, brožovaná bez přebalu matná ** Shortlisted for the 2020 International Dublin Literary Award ** The radical, urgent new novel from the author of The End of Eddy - a personal and powerful story of violence. I met Reda on Christmas Eve 2012, at around four in the morning. He approached me in the street, and finally I invited him up to my apartment. He told me the story of his childhood and how his father had come to France, having fled Algeria. We spent the rest of the night together, talking, laughing. At around 6 o'clock, he pulled out a gun and said he was going to kill me. He insulted me, strangled and raped me. The next day, the medical and legal proceedings began. History of Violence retraces the story of that night, and looks at immigration, class, racism, desire and the effects of trauma in an attempt to understand a history of violence, its origins, its reasons and its causes. 'It stays with you'... (alza.cz)

The first one-volume, complete history of Europe, as told by Europeans themselves, from Homo Erectus to the Celts, to Greek wisdom and Roman grandeur, all of the way to the European phenomenon - the Industrial Revolution. This is the definitive way to discover the real, modern Europe progressively unfolding, because looking back to the past reveals more about our future than we ever expected, and only by knowing how Europe came to be, can we know what really lies ahead. Whilst experiencing constant turbulence and change, Europe has made an astonishing mark on the world. How did one small continent become so powerful? How did such diverse islands come together to act as one? How did a diplomatic society descend into bloodshed and what does that mean for Europe today? For two-millenia Europe has been a superpower; it's fretted coastlines, it's many religions and revolutions have all shaped what it is now, and with more change ahead Jean-Baptiste Duroselle's Europe including a special and up-to-date introduction from Anthony Teasdale, Director General for Parliamentary research and former Special Advisor for the Deputy Prime Minister, couldn't be better timed. It is a much needed portrayal of our ever turbulent Europe. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Almost every culture on earth has drink, and where there's drink there's drunkenness. But in every age and in every place drunkenness is a little bit different. Tracing humankind's love affair with booze from our primate ancestors through to Prohibition, it answers every possible question:What did people drink? How much? Who did the drinking? Of the many possible reasons, why?On the way, learn about the Neolithic Shamans, who drank to communicate with the spirit world (no pun intended), marvel at how Greeks got giddy and Romans got rat-arsed, and find out how bars in the Wild West were never like the movies.This is a history of the world at its inebriated best.'This book is a laugh riot. I mean the way the author has presented it is hilarious and to the point' Goodreads Reviewer (knihydobrovsky.cz)

His grandfather was the bloodthirsty Mongol leader Genghis Khan, his mother a Christian princess. Groomed from childhood for a position of authority, Khubilai snatched the position of Great Khan, becoming the overlord of a Mongol federation that stretched from the Balkans to the Korean coastline. His armies conquered the Asian kingdom of Dali and brought down the last defenders of imperial China. Khubilai Khan presided over a glorious Asian renaissance, attracting emissaries from all across the continent, and opening his civil service to 'men with coloured eyes' - administrators from the far west. His life and times encompassed the legends of Prester John, the pinnacle of the samurai (and, indeed, the Mongols), and the travels of Marco Polo. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Kniha - autor Maja Lunde, 338 stran, anglicky, brožovaná bez přebalu matná In the spirit of Station Eleven and Never Let Me Go, this dazzling and ambitious literary debut follows three generations of beekeepers from the past, present, and future, weaving a spellbinding story of their relationship to the bees - and to their children and one another - against the backdrop of an urgent, global crisis. England, 1851. William is a biologist and seed merchant, who sets out to build a new type of beehive-one that will give both him and his children honour and fame. United States, 2007. George is a beekeeper and fights an uphill battle against modern farming, but hopes that his son can be their salvation. China, 2098. Tao hand paints pollen onto the fruit trees now that the bees have long since disappeared. When Tao's young son is taken away by the authorities after a tragic accident-and is kept in the dark about his whereabouts and condition-she sets out on a... (alza.cz)

Kniha - autor Martin Goodman, 656 stran, anglicky, brožovaná bez přebalu matná A panoramic history of Judaism from its origins to the present. Judaism is by some distance the oldest of the three Abrahamic religions. Despite the extraordinarily diverse forms it has taken, the Jewish people have believed themselves bound to God by the same covenant for more than three thousand years. This book explains how Judaism came to be and how it has developed from one age to the next, as well as the ways in which its varieties have related to each other. (alza.cz)

The past is another country, the old saying goes. The same might be said of the future. But which country? For Europeans and Americans today, the answer is Russia. Today's Russia is an oligarchy propped up by illusions and falsities. But it also represents the fulfilment of tendencies already present in the West. And if Moscow's drive to dissolve Western states and values succeeds, this could become our reality too. In this visionary work of contemporary history, Timothy Snyder shows how Russia works within the West to destroy the West; by supporting the far right in Europe, invading Ukraine in 2014, and waging a cyberwar during the 2016 presidential campaign and the EU referendum. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the creation of Donald Trump, an American failure deployed as a Russian weapon. But this threat presents an opportunity to better understand the pillars of our freedoms, confront our own complacency and seek renewal. History never ends, and this new challenge forces us to face the choices that will determine the future: equality or oligarchy, individualism or totalitarianism, truth or lies. The Road to Unfreedom helps us to see our world as if for the first time. It is necessary reading for any citizen of a democracy. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

An illuminating work revealing the long history of xenophobia and what it means for today's divided world Over the last few years, it has been impossible to ignore the steady resurgence of xenophobia. The European migrant crisis and immigration from Central America to the United States have placed Western advocates of globalisation on the defensive, and a 'New Xenophobia' seems to have emerged out of nowhere. In this fascinating study, George Makari traces the history of xenophobia from its origins to the present day. Often perceived as an ancient word for a timeless problem, 'xenophobia' was in fact only coined a century ago, tied to heated and formative Western debates over nationalism, globalisation, race and immigration. From Richard Wright to Sigmund Freud, Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, writers and thinkers have long grappled with this most dangerous of phobias. Drawing on their work, Makari demonstrates how we can better understand the problem that is so crucial to our troubled times. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

In 1947, Bill Gaines inherited EC Comics, a new venture founded by his legendary father M. C. Gaines, who was responsible for midwifing the birth of the comic book as we know it during his tenure at All-American Comics, bringing the likes of Wonder Woman and Green Lantern to the world. Over the next eight years, Bill Gaines and a "who's who" of the era including Al Feldstein, Harvey Kurtzman, and Wally Wood would reinvent the very notion of the comic book with titles like Tales from the Crypt, Crime SuspenStories, Weird Science, and MAD.EC delighted in publishing gory, morbid horror and crime comics that had snap, ironic endings-but they also pioneered the first true-to-life war comics, the first "real" science-fiction stories, and a series of tales about such then-taboo subjects as racism, bigotry, vigilantism, drug addiction, police corruption, and anti-Semitism. Too good to last, they were eventually caught up by various 1950s guardians of morality, who were convinced that EC's often over-the-top content was causing juvenile delinquency. A year or so after a full inquiry investigating horror and crime comics, the incredible EC Comics were no more.TASCHEN presents the full, fascinating story of this fabled company, written and expertly curated by EC-authority Grant Geissman. Even the most die-hard EC Fan-Addicts will find something new within these pages, with the Gaines family archives providing more than 100 rarities that have never seen print. Many of the cover images are reproduced from Gaines File Copies, which are widely regarded as the best surviving copies of the EC Comics.Gathering more than 1,000 illustrations that include the rarest and most notorious covers, interior pages and panels, photos, vintage original artwork, and some of the most celebrated stories ever to be printed in four colors for a dime, this is the ultimate EC Comics compendium and a must-have for any comics enthusiast or pop culture historian. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

The History of Espionage recounts the fascinating story of spies and spying from the cloak-and-dagger machinations of the Ancient Greeks and Romans to the high-tech surveillance operations of the post-9/11, post-truth world. It is a tale of clandestine agents, military scouts, captured documents, dead-letter drops, intercepted mail, decoded telegrams, secret codes and ciphers, bugging devices, desperate plots and honey traps. Featuring case studies on the most fascinating spies and plots through history and illustrated with rare photographs throughout, The History of Espionage decodes the sinister world of surveillance like never before. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Klasická point & click adventura, jejímž hlavním hrdinou je vojenský psycholog David Mc Namara, který po odchodu z aktivní služby prožívá hodně těžké období. Trpí silnými cholerickými záchvaty a jeho manželství je v troskách. V této situaci je David povolán do New Yorku, aby si zde prohlédl pět mladých žen a mužů, kteří byli nalezeni křičící, totálně zmatení a vystrašení na ulicích NY. David všechny své nové pacienty opatrně vyslýchá, jednoho po druhém a postupně se dopracuje k alarmujícímu zjištění. Hra je rozdělena na dvě části. V té první budete v roli Davida vyšetřovat v současnosti a v té druhé naopak ovládat jednotlivé pacienty, s nimiž si prožijete jejich flashbacky a postupně se tak dostanete na kloub všem záhadám co se po cestě objeví. Hlavní rysy : - Klasická point & click adventura s neobvyklými prvky. - Napínavý příběh odehrávající se ve zpětné chronologii. - Vyzkoušejte si role jedinečných šesti postav. - Prozkoumejte 45 vysoce detailních a precizně animovaných lokací. - Vysoce kvalitní dabing. - Od tvůrců „Moment of Silence“. Minimální konfigurace : Windows 2000, XP, Vista[32bit], procesor 1300MHz, paměť 256MB RAM, 1.50GB volno na disku, DVDROM (fitvyziva.cz)

Kniha - autor Mark Forsyth, 256 stran, anglicky, brožovaná bez přebalu matná A comic history of humankind's love affair with booze, from the Sunday Times No. 1 bestselling author of The Etymologicon 'Haha! . . . Highly suitable for Xmas!' - Margaret Atwood Almost every culture on earth has drink, and where there's drink there's drunkenness. But in every age and in every place drunkenness is a little bit different. It can be religious, it can be sexual, it can be the duty of kings or the relief of peasants. It can be an offering to the ancestors, or a way of marking the end of a day's work. It can send you to sleep, or send you into battle. A Short History of Drunkenness traces humankind's love affair with booze from our primate ancestors through to Prohibition, answering every possible question along the way: What did people drink? How much? Who did the drinking? Of the many possible reasons, why? On the way, learn about the Neolithic Shamans, who drank to... (alza.cz)

Harry Potter: A History of Magic is the official book of the exhibition, a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration between Bloomsbury, J.K. Rowling and the brilliant curators of the British Library. It promises to take readers on a fascinating journey through the subjects studied at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry – from Alchemy and Potions classes through to Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. Each chapter showcases a treasure trove of artefacts from the British Library and other collections around the world, beside exclusive manuscripts, sketches and illustrations from the Harry Potter archive. There's also a specially commissioned essay for each subject area by an expert, writer or cultural commentator, inspired by the contents of the exhibition – absorbing, insightful and unexpected contributions from Steve Backshall, the Reverend Richard Coles, Owen Davies, Julia Eccleshare, Roger Highfield, Steve Kloves, Lucy Mangan, Anna Pavord and Tim Peake, who offer a personal perspective on their magical theme. Readers will be able to pore over ancient spell books, amazing illuminated scrolls that reveal the secret of the Elixir of Life, vials of dragon's blood, mandrake roots, painted centaurs and a genuine witch's broomstick, in a book that shows J.K. Rowling's magical inventions alongside their cultural and historical forebears. This is the ultimate gift for Harry Potter fans, curious minds, big imaginations, bibliophiles and readers around the world who missed out on the chance to see the exhibition in person. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Kniha - autor Patrick Radden Keefe, 528 stran, anglicky, brožovaná bez přebalu matná The story of the Sackler Dynasty, Purdue Pharma, and their involvement in the opioid crisis that has created millions of addicts, even as it generated billions of dollars in profit. (alza.cz)

Kniha - autor Cassandra Clare, 208 stran, anglicky, Pevná bez přebalu matná - autor Cassandra Clare, 208 stran, anglicky, pevná bez přebalu matná A very special anthology that's a must for all fans of the Shadowhunter novels! Featuring characters from Cassandra Clare's international best-selling novels from the Shadowhunters world including The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices and The Dark Artifices, this anthology showcases beautifully illustrated portraits from Cassandra Jean - creator of The Shadowhunter Tarot - alongside never-before-known details from Cassandra Clare about all your favourite characters. (alza.cz)

*WINNER OF THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2018*'As moving as it is painstakingly researched. . . a cracking read' Viv Groskop, ObserverOn 26 April 1986 at 1.23am a reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Soviet Ukraine exploded. While the authorities scrambled to understand what was occurring, workers, engineers, firefighters and those living in the area were abandoned to their fate. The blast put the world on the brink of nuclear annihilation, contaminating over half of Europe with radioactive fallout.In Chernobyl, award-winning historian Serhii Plokhy draws on recently opened archives to recreate these events in all their drama. A moment by moment account of the heroes, perpetrators and victims of a tragedy, Chernobyl is the first full account of a gripping, unforgettable Cold War story.'A compelling history of the 1986 disaster and its aftermath . . . plunges the reader into the sweaty, nervous tension of the Chernobyl control room on that fateful night when human frailty and design flaws combined to such devastating effect' Daniel Beer, Guardian'Haunting ... near-Tolstoyan. His voice is humane and inflected with nostalgia' Roland Elliott Brown, Spectator 'Extraordinary, vividly written, powerful storytelling ... the first full-scale history of the world's worst nuclear disaster, one of the defining moments in the Cold War, told minute by minute' Victor Sebestyen Sunday Times'Plays out like a classical tragedy ... fascinating' Julian Evans, Daily Telegraph'Here at last is the monumental history the disaster deserves' Julie McDowall, The Times (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Rodinná knížka Dějiny udatného českého národa je určena nejen těm, co nedávali ve škole pozor (dozvědí se překvapivé informace z naší historie), ale i šprtům, ty zase pobaví (pro tyto vzdělanější čtenáře jsou připraveny zadní strany s podrobnějšími informacemi a zajímavostmi). Když rozložíme knihu jako harmonikovité leporelo, otevře se před námi 9 metrů dlouhá krajina v níž se odehrávají drobné děje od pravěkých lovců po současnost. Fakta, informace, chronologické tabulky ke všem obdobím nechybí a komiksové textíky a kreslené postavičky umožní hledět na minulost a naše předky s humorem, nadsázkou a ironií. Petr Prchal (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Rodinná knížka Dějiny udatného českého národa je určena nejen těm, co nedávali ve škole pozor (dozvědí se překvapivé informace z naší historie), ale i šprtům, ty zase pobaví (pro tyto vzdělanější čtenáře jsou připraveny zadní strany s podrobnějšími informacemi a zajímavostmi). Když rozložíme knihu jako harmonikovité leporelo, otevře se před námi 9 metrů dlouhá krajina v níž se odehrávají drobné děje od pravěkých lovců po současnost. Fakta, informace, chronologické tabulky ke všem obdobím nechybí a komiksové textíky a kreslené postavičky umožní hledět na minulost a naše předky s humorem, nadsázkou a ironií. Petr Prchal (patro.cz)

Was there a beginning of time? Could time run backwards? Is the universe infinite or does it have boundaries? These are just some of the questions considered in an internationally acclaimed masterpiece by one of the world's greatest thinkers. It begins by reviewing the great theories of the cosmos from Newton to Einstein, before delving into the secrets which still lie at the heart of space and time, from the Big Bang to black holes, via spiral galaxies and strong theory. To this day A Brief History of Time remains a staple of the scientific canon, and its succinct and clear language continues to introduce millions to the universe and its wonders. This new edition includes updates from Stephen Hawking with his latest thoughts about the No Boundary Proposal and offers new information about dark energy, the information paradox, eternal inflation, the microwave background radiation observations, and the discovery of gravitational waves. It is published to accompany the launch of a new app, Stephen Hawking's Pocket Universe. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

A kaleidoscopic journey tracing the methods and means of visual communication from the cave paintings of the earliest humans to the 'photograph' of a black hole in deep space. Since the beginning of our time as humans, we have never stopped making images and inventing channels for visual communication. From the cave dweller creating paintings on a wall at the dawn of civilized time to Instagram influencers today, technology may keep changing, but our need to reach one another, to move one another, to persuade, inform and entertain, has never been so vital.Hello Human traverses the entire landscape of our diverse, expansive and yet familiar means of visual communication. From the use of the human hand as a symbol, the power and use of gestures and the genesis of the printed book, to the movement between dimensions of reality and the digital realm, pixilation, optics and the understanding of light, Horsham takes his readers on a journey full of unexpected twists and turns, laying out a temporal narrative in the form of an intricate map of objects, events and people tied together by a common purpose - to communicate. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

A Brief History of Intelligence bridges the gap between AI and neuroscience by telling the evolutionary story of how the brain came to be. The entirety of the human brain’s 4-billion-year story can be summarised as the culmination of five evolutionary breakthroughs, starting from the very first brains, all the way to the modern human brains. Each breakthrough emerged from new sets of brain modifications, and equipped animals with a new suite of intellectual faculties. These five breakthroughs are the organising map to this book, and they make up our itinerary for our adventure back in time. Each breakthrough also has fascinating corollaries to breakthroughs in AI. Indeed, there will be plenty of such surprises along the way. For instance: the innovation that enabled AI to beat humans in the game of Go – temporal difference reinforcement learning – was an innovation discovered by our fish ancestors over 500 million years ago. The solutions to many of the current mysteries in AI – such as ‘common sense’ – can be found in the tiny brain of a mouse. Where do emotions come from? Research suggests that they may have arisen simply as a solution to navigation in ancient worm brains. Unravelling this evolutionary story will reveal the hidden features of human intelligence and with them, just how your mind came to be. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

Everyone is originally from Africa, and this book is therefore for everyone.For too long, Africa's history has been dominated by western narratives of slavery and colonialism, or simply ignored. Now, Zeinab Badawi sets the record straight.In this fascinating book, Badawi guides us through Africa's spectacular history - from the very origins of our species, through ancient civilisations and medieval empires with remarkable queens and kings, to the miseries of conquest and the elation of independence. Visiting more than thirty African countries to interview countless historians, anthropologists, archaeologists and local storytellers, she unearths buried histories from across the continent and gives Africa its rightful place in our global story.The result is a gripping new account of Africa: an epic, sweeping history of the oldest inhabited continent on the planet, told through the voices of Africans themselves. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

A rich and engaging guide to psychology, the science devoted to understanding human nature What really drives our decisions? Where do language and memory come from? Why do our minds sometimes seem to work against us? Psychologists have long attempted to answer these questions, seeking to understand human behaviour, feelings, and thoughts. But how to explore something so elusive? In this fascinating history, leading expert Nicky Hayes tells the story of psychology across the centuries and around the world. Hayes introduces key thinkers, including Carl Jung, Anna Freud, Frantz Fanon, and Daniel Kahneman.We see how they tried to expand our understanding, from Pavlov and his dogs to Milgram and his famous electric shock experiments to the CIA’s secret mind-control projects. Hayes explores key concepts like child development, the inferiority complex, and PTSD and shows how psychological research has been used for both good and ill. This Little History shines a light on the ever-advancing study of psychology, how the field has evolved over time—and how much more we need to learn. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

A much-loved author brings the world of literature alive for all ages This 'little history' takes on a very big subject: the glorious span of literature from Greek myth to graphic novels, from The Epic of Gilgamesh to Harry Potter. John Sutherland is perfectly suited to the task. He has researched, taught, and written on virtually every area of literature, and his infectious passion for books and reading has defined his own life. Now he guides young readers and the grown-ups in their lives on an entertaining journey 'through the wardrobe' to a greater awareness of how literature from across the world can transport us and help us to make sense of what it means to be human. Sutherland introduces great classics in his own irresistible way, enlivening his offerings with humor as well as learning: Beowulf, Shakespeare, Don Quixote, the Romantics, Dickens, Moby Dick, The Waste Land, Woolf, 1984, and dozens of others. He adds to these a less-expected, personal selection of authors and works, including literature usually considered well below 'serious attention' - from the rude jests of Anglo-Saxon runes to The Da Vinci Code. With masterful digressions into various themes - censorship, narrative tricks, self-publishing, taste, creativity, and madness - Sutherland demonstrates the full depth and intrigue of reading. For younger readers, he offers a proper introduction to literature, promising to interest as much as instruct. For more experienced readers, he promises just the same. John Sutherland, Lord Northcliffe Professor Emeritus of Modern English Literature, University College London, has taught students at every level and is the author or editor of more than 20 books. He lives in London. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

For readers of E. H. Gombrich's A Little History of the World, an equally irresistible volume that brings history's greatest philosophers to life Philosophy begins with questions about the nature of reality and how we should live. These were the concerns of Socrates, who spent his days in the ancient Athenian marketplace asking awkward questions, disconcerting the people he met by showing them how little they genuinely understood. This engaging book introduces the great thinkers in Western philosophy and explores their most compelling ideas about the world and how best to live in it. In forty brief chapters, Nigel Warburton guides us on a chronological tour of the major ideas in the history of philosophy. He provides interesting and often quirky stories of the lives and deaths of thought-provoking philosophers from Socrates, who chose to die by hemlock poisoning rather than live on without the freedom to think for himself, to Peter Singer, who asks the disquieting philosophical and ethical questions that haunt our own times. Warburton not only makes philosophy accessible, he offers inspiration to think, argue, reason, and ask in the tradition of Socrates. A Little History of Philosophy presents the grand sweep of humanity's search for philosophical understanding and invites all to join in the discussion. Nigel Warburton is a freelance philosopher, bestselling author of many popular introductions to philosophy, and co-host of the much-loved Philosophy Bites podcast. He lives in Oxford, UK. (knihydobrovsky.cz)

A vital, engaging, and hugely enjoyable guide to poetry, from ancient times to the present, by one of our greatest champions of literatureWhat is poetry? If music is sound organised in a particular way, poetry is a way of organising language. It is language made special so that it will be remembered and valued. It does not always work - over the centuries countless thousands of poems have been forgotten. This little history is about some that have not.John Carey tells the stories behind the world's greatest poems, from the oldest surviving one written nearly four thousand years ago to those being written today. Carey looks at poets whose works shape our views of the world, such as Dante, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Whitman, and Yeats. He also looks at more recent poets, like Derek Walcott, Marianne Moore, and Maya Angelou, who have started to question what makes a poem 'great' in the first place. This little history shines a light on the richness and variation of the world's poems-and the elusive quality that makes them all the more enticing. (knihydobrovsky.cz)