Showing results by narrator "Eric Jason" in All Categories

The Greater Middle East—the vast region between the Mediterranean and China, encompassing much of the Arab world, parts of northern Africa, and Asia—existed for millennia as the crossroads of empire. But with the dissolution of empires in the twentieth century, postcolonial states have endeavored to maintain stability. Robert D. Kaplan explores Greater Middle East through reporting and travel writing to reveal deeper truths about the impacts of history on the present and how the requirements of stability over anarchy are often in conflict with the ideals of democratic governance.

The story starts with the initial moments of COVID's appearance in Wuhan and ends with Joseph Biden's inauguration in an America ravaged by well over 400,000 deaths - a mortality already some 10 times worse than US combat deaths in the entire Vietnam War. This is an anguished, furious memorial to a year in which all of America's great strengths - its scientific knowledge, its great civic and intellectual institutions, its spirit of voluntarism and community - were brought low by political incompetence and cynicism on a scale for which there has been no precedent.

On January 6, 2021, insurgents stormed the U.S. Capitol, an act of domestic terror without parallel in American history, designed to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power. In a resolution six months later, the House of Representatives called it "one of the darkest days of our democracy," and established a special committee to investigate how and why the attack happened. Celadon Books, in collaboration with The New Yorker, presents the committee's final report, the definitive account of January 6th and what led up to it.

Safe for the moment, Thorn and Velin are faced with a choice … Hide among the cruel Deva, or forge a path that will require all their skill and wit, unlocking the ancient paths of power hidden in the Titan bloodline. Ahead of them lies Intra Mundum, an endless test that requires courage, strength, and most importantly, strong bonds. As they begin to explore the floors of the tower with a hastily thrown together team, Thorn and Velin will find they have a much stronger connection than they first realized.

In this groundbreaking book, world-renowned Buddhist teacher Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche invites us to join him in unlocking the secrets behind the practice of meditation. With an infectious joy and insatiable curiosity, he weaves together the principles of Tibetan Buddhism, neuroscience, and quantum physics in a way that will forever change the way we understand the human experience.

The father of the ancient alien theory with more than 65 million books sold reveals everything he has withheld for years. In all his years of service, why didn't Erich von Däniken ever doubt his theory that inhabitants of other planets had come into contact with humanity ages ago, and that they still observe us today? In this audiobook, the now 81-year-old presents selected eyewitnesses and insiders for the first time, reveals secrets and stories that he has hitherto kept private, and presents reports and revelations that leave one speechless!

This accessible and engaging new edition continues to be one of the leading introductory textbooks on Korean history. Fully revised throughout, the author takes a thematic and chronological approach to guide listeners from early state formation and the dynastic eras to the modern experience. Episodic accounts in each chapter are discussed in context with extensive examination of how the events and themes under consideration have been viewed up to the present day.

In a world half of light, half of darkness, where science and magic strive for dominance, there dwells a magical being who is friendly with neither side. Jack, of the realm of shadows, is a thief who is unjustly punished. So he embarks on a vendetta.

Umberto "Albert" Anastasia was born in Italy at the turn of the century. Five decades later, he would be gunned down in a barber shop in New York City. What happened in the years in between is one of the most brutal and fascinating stories in the history of American organized crime. This in-depth account of the man who became one of the most powerful and homicidal crime bosses of the 20th century from Mafia insider Frank Dimatteo is the first full-length book to chronicle Anastasia's bloody rise from immigrant to founder of the notorious killer's club Murder, Inc.

Once described by Mao Zedong as a "needle inside a ball of cotton", Deng was the pragmatic yet disciplined driving force behind China's radical transformation in the late 20th century. He confronted the damage wrought by the Cultural Revolution, dissolved Mao's cult of personality, and loosened the policies that had stunted China's growth. Obsessed with modernization, Deng opened trade relations with the West, which lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty. Yet he also answered to his authoritarian roots, most notably when he ordered the crackdown in 1989 at Tiananmen Square.

From facial recognition—capable of checking us onto flights or identifying undocumented residents—to automated decision systems that inform everything from who gets loans to who receives bail, each of us moves through a world determined by data-empowered algorithms. But these technologies didn't just appear: they are part of a history that goes back centuries, from the census enshrined in the US Constitution to the birth of eugenics in Victorian Britain to the development of Google search.

From 1941 to 1947, the United States planted a liaison mission in the headquarters of Chinese Communist forces behind the lines. Nicknamed the "Dixie Mission," for its location in "rebel" territory, it was an interagency delegation that included intelligence officers from the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Mission to Mao is a social history of the OSS officers in the field that reveals the weakness of United States intelligence diplomacy in the 1940s.

Barely surviving his struggle with Arhtu the Cursed, Thorn is determined to turn his successive defeats into overwhelming victory. But first he has to fight through Devilish plots, an Orc siege, and an ancient threat capable of wiping his team out without any effort. The stakes have grown, and if Thorn is going to lead his friends through the danger of the looming Orc threat he will need every advantage he can scrape together. Yet even as he forges a path forward, shadows begin to stir.

After its successful launch in New Arcadia: Stage One, the game is being updated and expanded with a new rhythm-game mechanic to bring players together on the dance floor. No longer just for 1990s arcade fighting-game fans, all ages are being welcomed to the virtual party now. For Prime Beta Tester John Chambers and his friends in New Arcadia, the stakes have never been higher.

It's the summer of 1932 in New York City, and word on the street is that Joey Drew Studios is planning something big: a new cartoon character to star alongside the world-famous Bendy! The new addition, Alice Angel, has the halo and sweet disposition to match her name, but the twisted tale of her creation can't be told from just one perspective. From the animators to the voice actresses to the guy who sweeps the floors, everyone has something to say about birth of the little angel who almost brought the most powerful cartoon studio in the big city to its doom.

Detective Elijah Wade is on the trail of a serial killer when the skies above Los Angeles erupt into the most spectacular light show humanity has ever seen. And the most deadly. His daughter is in a hospital bed on the other side of the continent, but where does his duty lie now? To her, to justice, or to his species?

In a not-so-distant future, a deadly pandemic has forced the world into social isolation. Confined to their homes, millions now survive off drone-delivered food packages and online-only interactions. It’s an especially lonely life for John Chambers, a drone shipment coordinator for the monolithic Chum Corporation. Trapped in his dead-end job and having just turned 40, John’s started spending more time grinding in virtual reality MMORPGs than he does grinding for his real-world job--and that hasn’t gone unnoticed by human resources!

Urmag’Tal’s Puzzle is slated to open for the first time in 100 years, and considering his connection with it, Thorn can’t afford to be absent. Heading to the Temple of Man will throw him into the whirlpool of political intrigue that dominates the city of the Saints. Even as Thorn seeks to build alliances, he finds himself gaining enemies as the forces of the Council of Gods conspire against him.

Having defended Moon Wolf Citadel from the super guild, Ragnarok, and carved out a place for himself in Nova Terra, Thorn stands on top of the fantasy world. But Nova Terra is not as simple as it seemed. Thorn quickly discovers that the political leaders in the capital of Northern Angoril are turning jealous eyes on him. The young Titan is forced to take a step back, beset by complications on every side. With players flocking to Greymane Valley the pressure of ruling the Wolfkin grows, not helped by Ragnarok’s unrelenting attempts to destroy his fledgling guild.

The ongoing struggle between Israel and Palestine is one of the most bitter conflicts in history, with profound global consequences. In this book, Middle East expert Michael Scott-Baumann succinctly describes its origins and charts its evolution from civil war to the present day. Each chapter offers a lucid explanation of the politics and ends with personal testimony from Palestinians and Israelis whose lives have been impacted by the dispute.