Play Politics

Sir Philip Sidney was an Elizabethan courtier, statesman, soldier, poet, and patron of scholars and poets. He was famous as the ideal gentleman of his day and a model for subsequent generations until the twentieth century replaced classical education with industrial age expedience. He represents something of what we have lost in modern self-interest. For three centuries, he was considered the most extraordinary man of the English Renaissance. But unfortunately, his legacy has faded from modern prominence. Nevertheless, it is fascinating to peer into the past and discover a singular person ...

In the midst of the Japanese occupation of China and Hong Kong, two lives become intertwined: Wong Chia Chi, a young student active in the resistance, and Mr. Yee, a powerful political figure who works for the Japanese occupational government. As these two move deftly between Shanghai's tea parties and secret interrogations, they become embroiled in the complicated politics of wartime - and in a mutual attraction that may be more than what they expected.

When controversial US presidential candidate Dale Victor is killed in a plane explosion, along with hundreds of other passengers, it appears to be a clear-cut case of terrorism. The suspect has even confessed to the bombing. But as criminal barrister Michael Devlin is about to discover, everything is not as it seems. Also suspecting there are other forces at work, intelligence agent Joe Dempsey is driven to investigate. Who would have wanted Victor out of the way – and would commit mass murder to do it?

After scheming his way to power in House of Cards, Francis Urquhart made a triumphant return in To Play the King - a Sunday Times number one best-seller that became a BBC TV series, with Ian Richardson resuming his award-winning role as Francis Urquhart, and a hugely successful Netflix series.

When old-school journalist William Carver is tipped off by a trusted Whitehall source that climate scientists have begun to go missing in suspicious circumstances, his gut instinct tells him to follow the story. It rapidly becomes clear that scientists, green campaigners and well-intentioned politicians are in the firing line; William Carver and his colleagues must move fast to find out who is behind the disappearances. They know the journalist's job is to speak truth to power - but first you must uncover that truth and this time it's buried deeper than ever.

Philosophy - the term sounds fascinating, beautiful, somehow romantic and harmonious, and at the same time like great intellectual effort. Yet philosophy is actually neither particularly romantic nor particularly strenuous. It is true that one has to use one's brain, and perhaps some things exceed normal common sense, but basically philosophy only means to be interested in man and the world. The image one has in one's mind of ancient Greek philosophers strolling in their long robes in the Athenian sun while exchanging their thoughts may seem romantic, but they often dealt with serious topics.

By clever scheming, friends encourage Beatrice and Benedict's love affair, while Don Juan plots to ruin Hero and Claudio's chances of finding happiness together.

On the face of it, women's sport is on the rise, garnering more attention and grassroots involvement than ever before. However, the truth is that in many respects progress is stalling, or even falling back. Sharron Davies is no stranger to battling the routine sexism the sporting world. She missed out on Olympic Gold because of blatant doping among East German athletes in the 1980s, and has never received justice. Now, biological males are being allowed to compete directly against women under the guise of trans 'self-ID', a development that could destroy the integrity of female sport.

Alexander Hamilton and James Madison were supporters of a strong federal government and participated in the Constitutional Convention. Together with John Jay, they wrote The Federalist Papers, one of many activities that led to the adoption of the U.S. Constitution. Learn more about the Alexander Hamilton and the “Father of the Constitution," James Madison.

Hesketh Pearson's much lauded biography has been hailed as the standard work on George Bernard Shaw. Pearson was fortunate to have written it with the close cooperation of Shaw. Not only did Shaw check and correct all the facts, contribute and authenticate or reject anecdotes but he supplied what he referred to as 'unique private history' unavailable to others. The recorded conversations Shaw had with Pearson bring to life Shaw's vivacity, charisma and prominence. All aspects of Shaw's life are explored including his politics, personal life, letters, writings, contribution to English ...

Documenting multiple challenges at every turn - as a target for racism from society at large and sexism both inside and outside of the Negro League - this is the unique story of the first woman to play professional baseball on a men's team, breaking barriers in sports while believing, "There's got to be a first in everything. Maybe it will be me." The text explains that as players began to leave the Negro League for major league teams, Toni Stone seized her only opportunity to play professional ball and replaced Henry Aaron on the Negro League's top team.

This is the first comprehensive analysis of how Sinn Féin has transformed itself from ‘political wing’ of the Republican movement to a mainstream force in Irish politics. In this book by one of Ireland’s leading political journalists, Deaglán de Bréadún provides an incisive account of how the party has arrived at a position, in the space of one generation, where it is in power north of the border and knocking on the door of government in the south. Despite recent controversies and scandals arising from alleged sexual abuse by republican activists, and the violent legacies of the ...

Two decades of negotiating African oil and gas deals have given NJ Ayuk a grasp of the continent's energy landscape that few can match. The American-educated African energy lawyer serves up generous doses of that insight in his second book, Billions at Play: The Future of Africa Energy and Doing Deals.

Play It Forward features twenty‑five inspirational stories of badass women from all corners of the sports universe, curated by TOGETHXR, a sports media companyfounded by legends Sue Bird, Alex Morgan, Simone Manuel, and Chloe Kim. From profiles of professional athletes and Olympians at the top of their game to everyday women putting in the work without a crowd, these are true tales of fierce competitors, dedicated teammates, and passionate advocates who are all too accustomed to hearing the word “no.”

Richard Burton reads Shakespeare's narrative poem about the legendary Lucretia (or 'Lucrece'). The poem tells the story of the Roman leader Tarquin's rape of Lucrece and her subsequent suicide.

In 1969, Sam Massell was elected the first Jewish mayor of Atlanta, Georgia. Since leaving office, he has been inducted into numerous "Halls of Fame" for service in fields of business, government, civil rights, hospitality, and influence. While a young boy and self-described "dead-end kid", Massell searched for identity between the mischief of his only two friends (one who ended up in juvenile detention) and operating his own oversized Coca-Cola stand. Later, he pioneered professionally as a specialist in building medical offices.

Overwhelmed is a map of the stresses that have ripped our leisure to shreds, and a look at how to put the pieces back together. Schulte speaks to neuroscientists, sociologists, and hundreds of working parents to tease out the factors contributing to our collective sense of being overwhelmed, seeking insights, answers, and inspiration.

There are hundreds of ways to lead a more environmentally friendly, socially conscious, and liberally minded life - ways that can even be enjoyable. Justin Krebs explains that being liberal, or progressive, isn’t only a political act - it’s a lifestyle that’s suited to our changing America.

Should we draw an analogy between Shakespeare’s tyrants—Richard III, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, and King Lear—and Donald Trump? In Shakespeare and Trump, Jeffrey Wilson applies literary criticism to real life, examining plot, character, villainy, soliloquy, tragedy, myth, and metaphor to identify the formal features of the Trump phenomenon, and its hidden causes, structure, and meanings.

Since its release in 1991, Mindwalk has become a cult classic, showing not only in theaters, but in college courses and business seminars. Liv Ullmann, Sam Waterston, and John Heard play the leads who meet on the tidal island of Mont-Saint-Michel in France and enter into a philosophical discussion. Social and environmental concerns are at the heart of the film, which proposes alternative solutions based on Systems Theory, along with insights into Quantum Mechanics and Particle Physics. The film is based on Fritjof Capra's book The Turning Point (1982).