'24 ore dopo l'assassinio di John Lennon, avvenuto l'8 dicembre del 1980, il suo assistente personale e confidente Fred Seaman, uno dei miei amici più fidati, venne a farmi visita. Visibilmente scioccato, gli occhi arrossati e le lacrime che gli scendevano sulle guance mi disse: 'C'è del lavoro da fare'. L'estate precedente, durante una lunga permanenza alle Bermuda, John gli aveva confidato che nel caso gli fosse capitato qualcosa di brutto, sarebbe toccato a lui redigere la cronaca reale dei suoi ultimi anni di vita. Però non avrebbe dovuto trattarsi della storia di un uomo eccentrico, fondamentalmente felice, tutto indaffarato nelle faccende di casa come cuocere il pane e far crescere bene il figlio Sean, mentre sua moglie Yoko si occupava invece degli affari di famiglia, ma sarebbe dovuto essere il reale ritratto di una superstar tormentata, vittima della propria fama, imprigionato in camera da letto a sproloquiare sulla figura storica di Gesù, circondato da numerosi servitori intenti solo a soddisfarlo in ogni suo più piccolo desiderio'. (Robert Rosen)

Is capital punishment a deterrent to criminal behavior? Do state executions of criminals violate the proper standards of civilized society? Should the death penalty be declared illegal as a violation of the Eighth Amendment to the US Constitution prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment or because potentially innocent individuals may be executed? Do evident racial disparities in applying the death penalty make it unconstitutional? These and similar core questions are at the center of the debate over capital punishment. This collection of authoritative essays by noted professionals in law, psychology, civil rights, and journalism addresses these vitally important questions in thoughtful yet compelling ways.

Editors Baird and Rosenbaum divide the collection into six parts. The first part contains essays that review the history and current status of the death penalty, while the next section presents moral arguments for and against capital punishment.

The heart of the book consists of edited excerpts from two recent, controversial decisions by the United States Supreme Court. In both cases, the Eighth Amendment plays a decisive role. In the first case, Baez v. Rees, the Court affirms a lower court decision that the method of capital punishment used in most states, lethal injection, does not violate the Eighth Amendment. In the second case, Kennedy v. Louisiana, the ruling majority concludes that a death sentence for the crime of raping a child, even when that rape is violent, constitutes cruel and unusual punishment, so long as the child does not die.

The contributors in part five consider the effect of modern DNA evidence on invoking the death penalty, especially since this new technology has led to the exoneration of several death-row inmates and consequently has raised doubts about the ability of the legal system to protect innocent defendants. This volume concludes with an examination of the evidence for racial bias implicit in the disproportionate number of black prisoners sentenced to death.

Critically important dimensions of this hotly contested death penalty debate, whether moral, legal, or political, are laid bare for public scrutiny in these carefully reasoned essays and judicial decisions.

Robert M. Baird is a professor and the former chair of the philosophy department at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He is editor with Stuart E. Rosenbaum of Prometheus's Contemporary Issues series.

Stuart E Rosenbaum is a professor of philosophy at Baylor University. He is editor with Robert M. Baird of Prometheus's Contemporary Issues series and the editor of Pragmatism and Religion.

Updated edition of the comprehensive rulebook to the specifier's craft

With this latest update, Construction Specifications Writing, Sixth Edition continues to claim distinction as the foremost text on construction specifications. This mainstay in the field offers comprehensive, practical, and professional guidance to understanding the purposes and processes for preparation of construction specifications.

This new edition uses real-world document examples that reflect current writing practices shaped by the well-established principles and requirements of major professional associations, including the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee (EJCDC), and the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI). Also included are guidelines for correct terminology, product selection, organization of specifications according to recognized CSI formats, and practical techniques for document production. Fully revised throughout, this Sixth Edition includes:

• Updates to MasterFormat 2004, as well as SectionFormat/PageFormat 2007 and Uniformat

• End-of-chapter questions and specification-writing exercises

• Samples of the newly updated construction documents from the AIA

• New chapter on sustainable design and specifications for LEED projects

• Updated information on the role of specifications in Building Information Modeling (BIM)

Lancelot is the central romance of the Vulgate Cycle, in which the chivalric elements in Arthur's court come to the fore. These chivalric elements contain the seeds of Arthur's destruction and the dissolution of the Round Table, as Lancelot's love for Guinevere undermines his bond to Arthur; the tension between love, prowess and loyalty is the undercurrent of the long romance which describes the exploits which he performs in her service. It also includes many stories which are chivalric adventures largely unrelated to the main theme, and uses the device of interweaving these stories to form a huge stream of narrative. This series of episodic pictures leads ultimately to the birth of Lancelot's son Galahad, who is destined to become the hero of the Grail. Parts three and four of Lancelot begin with the episode of the false Guinevere, in which Guinevere is accused of being an impostor; Lancelot is then abducted and imprisoned by Morgan le Fay, who out of hatred for Arthur intends to reveal their love to the king. When he escapes, Guinevere is abducted by Meleagant, and Lancelot has to rescue her. In the course of these adventures, the Grail appears for the first time: Lancelot comes to the Burning Tomb, where he learns that his sins will prevent him from succeeding in the Grail Quest; and Gawain reaches the Grail Castle, but fails the test. For a full description of the Vulgate Cycle see the blurb for the complete set.

This Companion provides an authoritative and up-to-date overview of Roman Republican history as it is currently practiced.

• Highlights recent developments, including archaeological discoveries, fresh approaches to textual sources, and the opening up of new areas of historical study
• Retains the drama of the Republic's rise and fall
• Emphasizes not just the evidence of texts and physical remains, but also the models and assumptions that scholars bring to these artefacts
• Looks at the role played by the physical geography and environment of Italy
• Offers a compact but detailed narrative of military and political developments from the birth of the Roman Republic through to the death of Julius Caesar
• Discusses current controversies in the field

Drawing on interviews, case studies, along with musical and lyrical analysis to discuss the social dynamic of music in social movements.

Kwall (intellectual property law, DePaul U.) argues that US intellectual property law should be shaped in response to all relevant forces motivating creativity, not just economic reward, and that the economic model for authors' rights should be supplemented by the concept of innovation. She aims to add to the law's understanding of artistic enterprise by illustrating the importance of inspirational motivation in the creation process. She describes the dimension of creativity through a group of narratives that explain it as inspirationally motivated, including testimonials from authors, literary and psychological works, and the creation narratives in Genesis and other theologically based sources. She also explores the relationship between authorship and textual integrity, the legal structure governing authors' rights in the US, the inadequacy of the current intellectual property legal framework, rights in foreign jurisdictions, the concern for preservation of the US public domain, public personas, the role of human rights, and challenges for authors such as originality, and anonymous, collaborative, and other works. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

'As medical science continues to progress, so does the field of rehabilitation psychology. Since its publication in 2000, the first edition of the Handbook of Rehabilitation Psychology has become the most influential book covering the principles and practices of the specialty. This second edition updates and significantly revises the original text to account for fast-paced developments in the field. Over one third of the chapters are new, including several on developmental issues and risk factors for children with severe illness or injuries.' 'Reflecting the ever-expanding scope of rehabilitation psychology, this handbook covers diverse topics such as the clinical conditions most common to rehabilitation psychology (spinal cord injury, limb amputation, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and more), assessment and clinical interventions, neuroimaging, alcohol and substance abuse, vocational rehabilitation, assistive technology for cognitive impairments, ethics, spirituality, and the problems of family caregivers.' 'With its unparalleled breadth of coverage, the Handbook of Rehabilitation Psychology, Second Edition, will serve the needs of psychologists, physicians, nurses, psychiatrists, rehabilitation therapists, and a variety of other health care practitioners and researchers as well as graduate students in these fields.'--BOOK JACKET.

Fundamentals of Osteoporosis offers a concise yet comprehensive source of all the latest basic research related to osteoporosis in one reference work. Experts from all areas of osteoporosis research expose readers to genomic and proteomic analysis, histopathology and imaging, as well cellular and molecular mechanisms relevant to assay development and drug discovery.

• Presents a concise yet comprehensive source of all the latest basic research related to osteoporosis in one reference work

• Experts from all areas of osteoporosis research expose readers to genomic and proteomic analysis, histopathology and imaging, as well cellular and molecular mechanisms relevant to assay development and drug discovery

• Clear, concise presentations by bone biologists of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying osteoporosis

By combining excerpts from key historical writings with editors' introductions and further reading material, Philosophy of Biology: An Anthology offers a comprehensive, accessible, and up-to-date collection of the field's most significant works.

• Addresses central questions such as 'What is life?' and 'How did it begin?', and the most current research and arguments on evolution and developmental biology
• Editorial notes throughout the text define, clarify, and qualify ideas, concepts and arguments
• Includes material on evolutionary psychology and evolutionary developmental biology not found in other standard philosophy of biology anthologies
• Further reading material assists novices in delving deeper into research in philosophy of biology

This volume is the result of March 2008 seminar held at the Oriental Institute at the U. of Chicago that brought together archaeologists, anthropologists, and historians to discuss and demonstrate ways of integrating approaches to and ideas about the roles of pastoral nomads and tribe-state interactions in the ancient Near East. The volume's 14 essays are organized into essentially two sections, with the first concerned with the integration of historical, archaeological, and ethnographic data and methods and the second concerned with integrating paradigms of tribe-state interaction. The papers' subjects range geographically from Iran to Egypt and chronologically from pre-history to the early Islamic era. Distributed in North America by The David Brown Book Co. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Metabolism includes various pathways of chemical reactions; understanding these pathways leads to an improved knowledge of the causes, preventions, and cures for human diseases. Medical Biochemistry: Human Metabolism in Health and Disease provides a concise yet thorough explanation of human metabolism and its role in health and diseases. Focusing on the physiological context of human metabolism without extensive consideration of the mechanistic principles of underlying enzymology, the books serves as both a primary text and resource for students and professional in medical, dental, and allied health programs.

This issue is the last of a two-part series dedicated to Neuroendovasular Management and Guest Edited by Robert Rosenwasser and Pascal Jabbour of Jefferson. Part two covers topics such as Neuroendovascular Management of Carotid Cavernous Fistulae, Endovascular Management of Intracranial Aneurysms, Neuroendovascular Management of Vasospasm Following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Neuroendovascular Management of Acute Ischemic Stroke, and many more.

Vascular Anatomy: The Head, Neck and Skull Base; Neurovascular Anatomy of the Brain and Skull; Vascular Anatomy of the Spine and Spinal Cord; Intracranial Collateral Anastomoses - Relevance to Endovascular Procedures; CT Imaging, MR Imaging and Ultrasound; Applications to Endovascular Procedures; Techniques and Devices in Neuroendovascular Procedures; Percutaneous Vertebroplasty; Inferior Petrosal Sinus Sampling in the Diagnosis of Sellar Neuropathology; Physiological Testing; Balloon Occlusion Testing, and WADA Testing in Neuroendovascular Procedures

Between 1936 and 1938, some 3,000 young Americans sailed to France and crossed the Pyrenees to take part in the brutal civil war raging in Spain. Virtually all joined the International Brigades, formed under the auspices of the Soviet-led Comintern and largely directed by Communists. Yet a large number were not Communists; their activism was inspired by domestic and international crises of the 1930s, and colored by idealism.

The men who went to Spain came out of a radical subculture that emerged from the Depression and the New Deal. Th is radicalism was a native plant, but it was nourished from abroad. In the thirties the menace of fascism seemed to be spreading like cancer across Europe, giving an international aspect to many domestic problems in the United States. To intellectuals, students, unionists, liberals, and leftists, the threat of fascism was so real that many came to believe that if it was not stopped in Spain, eventually they would have to take up arms against fascism at home.

To understand the Americans who fought in the Spanish Civil War it is necessary to bury some of the shibboleths of cold war years. Dissidence in the United States occurs in response to perceptions of reality on this side of the Atlantic, not because of the wishes of men in the Soviet Union. Th e members of the Lincoln Battalion were genuine products of America, and their story is properly a page in American military and political history. From them, one can learn much about the world of the 1930s and perhaps even something about the potential of modern man for thought and action in time of crisis.

What is it like to experience disability? What are the prevailing cultural attitudes toward those who experience disability? How do social norms and public policies affect those experiencing disability? This book provides a vivid and concrete introduction to the wealth of social, political and ethical debates that surround the experience of disability.


Beginning with an exploration of the perspective of persons with disabilities, the essays demonstrate the extent to which the disability experience is affected by social and cultural values, attitudes, and policies. In addition to these first-person reflections, there are essays relating to such issues as:

-The disability rights movement
-Disability studies
-Social policy relating to disability

Physician-assisted suicide, genetic testing, selective abortion, the moral status of handicapped newborns, and living and dying with dignity
Written in an engaging style with a focus on the concrete, this collection of essays includes contributions by John Hockenberry, Oiver Sacks, Peter Singer, and others. It is a marvelous resource for enabling the reader to comprehend the experience of disability and to explore contemporary issues involving the disability community.

'A clear and detailed guide to how divorce and family law cases are actually handled and resolved in South Carolina. It is a practical and realistic overview of how lawyers, experts and mediators operate, and how Family Court judges decide what happens in divorce, custody and matrimonial cases.'--P. [4] of cover.

On December 20, 2005, Federal District Court Judge John E. Jones III ruled that Intelligent Design was not science but an unconstitutional intrusion of religion into the school curriculum. His decision upheld contentions by parents in the Dover, PA, school district that school board members substituted personal religious beliefs for science. The ruling came despite calls by President George W. Bush for Intelligent Design to be taught as a theory alongside the theory of evolution. This hotly contested issue continues to grip the nation and spark intense debate.
But what is Intelligent Design? Can Intelligent Design stand up to the rigors of scientific method? Or is it a nonscientific, faith-inspired interpretation of experience? This collection of essays addresses such questions and includes analyses from scientists, journalists, philosophers, and religious leaders and thinkers. This volume provides a variety of perspectives in the hope that readers will be better prepared to reach their own conclusions about the issues involved.
Divided into five sections, the first section provides analyses of Judge Jones's decision. Section two includes a report on and a response to President Bush's call for Intelligent Design to be taught in schools. The third section outlines the origins of the debate, including excerpts from the classic works of Charles Darwin and theologian William Paley. Section four analyzes the scientific validity of Intelligent Design and includes statements from key scientific associations. The highly important concluding section asks whether religion and evolution are compatible.
This essential volume features selections from: Elisabeth Bumiller, Matt Cartmill, Charles Darwin, Daniel C. Dennett, Barbara Forrest, Owen Gingerich, Stephen Jay Gould, John Paul II, Philip Kitcher, Ernan McMullen, Kenneth R. Miller, Nancey Murphy, William Paley, Robert T. Pennock, Holmes Rolston III, Michael Ruse, Alfred Tauber, Michael W. Tkacz, James Q. Wilson, and Carl Zimmer.

Subtitled, } Portraits In The Age Of Enlightenment{. Dramatically illustrated catalogue which includes an incisive series of essays on portraiture in Europe and North American between 1770 and 1830.

Spanning three thousand years of antagonism to Jews, Dictionary of Antisemitism details not only the 'longest hatred' but also the most widespread. A comprehensive introduction discusses the definitions, causes, and varieties of antisemitism, and the dictionary contains 2,500 entries ranging from Aaron of Lincoln to Zyklon. Entries can be found on all forms of antisemitism, such as ancient, medieval, and modern; pagan, Christian, and Muslim; and religious, economic, psychosocial, racial, cultural, and political.

'Rosen makes the life and work of Shakespeare vibrant and exciting in
this perfectly splendid biography. . . . Beautiful and engaging.' — KIRKUS REVIEWS (starred review)


'In exceptionally fresh and vivid terms, the author plies readers with abundant, accurate information on the playwright, his theater, and the plays, looking closely at A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, ROMEO AND JULIET, MACBETH, KING LEAR, and THE TEMPEST. . . . This volume justly serves its spectacular subject.' — SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (starred review)

'Even readers whose previous experience with Shakespeare has been rounded with sleep will be persuaded by this robust introduction to give it another try.' — BOOKLIST (starred review)

What the Dickens is all the fuss? Take a lively look at an author whose indelible characters live on in our language and culture — and whose legacy shapes our literature to this day.


Join award-winning author, critic, and anthologist Michael Rosen for a spirited tour of the life and work of one of our greatest novelists. With stunning illustrations by Robert Ingpen, this accessible, child-friendly book vividly re-creates the world of Charles Dickens, from the author's childhood in London to his early career, his performances, and, of course, the great social and political upheavals of the time, which inspired so much of his work. Michael Rosen's vibrant discussion covers some of the best-known novels by Dickens, describing OLIVER TWIST, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, and DAVID COPPERFIELD, and providing a fascinating detailed analysis of GREAT EXPECTATIONS.

This is a paperbound reprint of a 2001 book. In a sophisticated (but clear and understandable) exposition, Rosen (physiology and biophysics, Dalhousie U.) rejects both the necessity and the sufficiency of the mechanistic model/metaphor for biological life, and proposes an alternative, drawn equally from experience in biology, physics, and mathematics. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)