A discrete advertisement in The Times, addressed to "those who appreciate wisteria and sunshine," is the prelude to a revelatory month for four very... different women. High above a bay on the Italian Riviera stands the medieval castle San Salvatore. Beckoned to this haven are Mrs. Wilkins, Mrs. Arbuthnot, Mrs. Fisher, and Lady Caroline Dester, each quietly craving a respite. Lulled by the gentle spirit of the Mediterranean, they gradually shed their public skins, discovering a harmony each of them has longed for but none has ever known. First published in 1922, this captivating novel is imbued with the descriptive power and lighthearted irreverence for which Elizabeth von Arnim is renowned.

Since the dawn of history people have used charms and spells to try to control their environment, and forms of divination to try to foresee the... otherwise unpredictable chances of life. Many of these techniques were called 'superstitious' by educated elites. For centuries religious believers used 'superstition' as a term of abuse to denounce another religion that they thought inferior, or to criticize their fellow-believers for practising their faith 'wrongly'. From the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment, scholars argued over what 'superstition' was, how to identify it, and how to persuade people to avoid it. Learned believers in demons and witchcraft, in their treatises and sermons, tried to make 'rational' sense of popular superstitions by blaming them on the deceptive tricks of seductive demons. Every major movement in Christian thought, from rival schools of medieval theology through to the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Enlightenment, added new twists to the debates over superstition. Protestants saw Catholics as superstitious, and vice versa. Enlightened philosophers mocked traditional cults as superstitions. Eventually, the learned lost their worry about popular belief, and turned instead to chronicling and preserving 'superstitious' customs as folklore and ethnic heritage. Enchanted Europe is the first comprehensive, integrated account of western Europe's long, complex dialogue with its own folklore and popular beliefs. Drawing on many little-known and rarely used texts, Euan Cameron constructs a compelling narrative of the rise, diversification, and decline of popular 'superstition' in the European mind.

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Martin Dressler comes a stunningly original new book set in a Connecticut town over one incredible summer... night. The delicious cast of characters includes a band of teenage girls who break into homes and simply leave notes reading "We Are Your Daughters," a young woman who meets a phantom lover on the tree swing in her back yard, a beautiful mannequin who steps down from her department store window, and all the dolls "no longer believed in," left abandoned in the attic, who magically come to life.With each new book, Steven Millhauser radically stretches not only the limits of fiction but also of his seemingly limitless abilities. Enchanted Night is a remarkable piece of fiction, a compact tale of loneliness and desire that is as hypnotic and rich as the language Millhauser uses to weave it.

The only book to connect the everyday world of the 20-something undergraduate consumer with sound sociological analysis of the world of consumption... Enchanting a Disenchanted World, Third Edition examines Disney, malls, cruise lines, Las Vegas, the world wide web, Planet Hollywood, credit cards, and all the other ways we now consume. Thoroughly updated to reflect the recent economic recession and the impact of the internet, bestselling author George Ritzer continues to explore this book’s central thesis: that our society has undergone fundamental change because of the way and the level at which we consume. This Third Edition demonstrates how we have created new "cathedrals" of consumption (places that enchant us so as to entice us to stay longer and consume more) while continuing to take capitalism to a new level. These places of consumption, whether in our homes, the mall, or cyberspace, are in a constant state of "enchanting the disenchanted," luring us through new spectacles because their rational qualities are both necessary and deadening at the same time. New and Hallmark FeaturesOffers a unique analysis of the world of consumption, especially the settings in which consumption takes placeDiscusses the recent global economic recession throughout Offers rich details on consuming in such places as Las Vegas, Disney World, on cruise ships, in Wal-Mart, at McDonald’s, and, new to this edition, on the WebIncludes a wide range of theoretical perspectives-Marxian, Weberian, critical theory, postmodern theory-as well as a number of concepts such as hyperconsumption, implosion, simulation, and time and space to show students how sociological theory can be applied to everyday phenomena

The Second Edition of Enchanting a Disenchanted World: Revolutionizing the Means of Consumption is a unique analysis of the world of consumption,... examining how we are different consumers now than we were in the past, both in the U.S. and around the world. In the process of understanding this social development, a wide range of theoretical perspectives including Marxian, Weberian, critical theory, and postmodern theory are applied. The book also looks at concepts such as hyperconsumption, implosion, time and space, and simulation . Enchanting a Disenchanted World connects the everyday world in a sociological and theoretical way, making it an ideal text for a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses including introductory sociology, sociology of consumption , social change, popular culture, sociology of leisure, social theory, and economic sociology. The book will also be of value to anyone interested in exploring a sociological analysis of the world’s changing and expanding patterns and places of consumption.

Enchantment, as defined by bestselling business guru Guy Kawasaki, is not about manipulating people. It transforms situations and relationships. It... converts hostility into civility and civility into affinity. It changes the skeptics and cynics into the believers and the undecided into the loyal. Enchantment can happen during a retail transaction, a high-level corporate negotiation, or a Facebook update. And when done right, it's more powerful than traditional persuasion, influence, or marketing techniques. Kawasaki argues that in business and personal interactions, your goal is not merely to get what you want but to bring about a voluntary, enduring, and delightful change in other people. By enlisting their own goals and desires, by being likable and trustworthy, and by framing a cause that others can embrace, you can change hearts, minds, and actions. For instance, enchantment is what enabled . . . * A Peace Corps volunteer to finesse a potentially violent confrontation with armed guerrillas. * A small cable channel (E!) to win the TV broadcast rights to radio superstar Howard Stern. * A seemingly crazy new running shoe (Vibram Five Fingers) to methodically build a passionate customer base. * A Canadian crystal maker (Nova Scotian Crystal) to turn observers into buyers. This book explains all the tactics you need to prepare and launch an enchantment campaign; to get the most from both push and pull technologies; and to enchant your customers, your employees, and even your boss. It shows how enchantment can turn difficult decisions your way, at times when intangibles mean more than hard facts. It will help you overcome other people's entrenched habits and defy the not-always-wise "wisdom of the crowd." Kawasaki's lessons are drawn from his tenure at one of the most enchanting organizations of all time, Apple, as well as his decades of experience as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist. There are few people in the world more qualified to teach you how to enchant people. As Kawasaki writes, "Want to change the world? Change caterpillars into butterflies? This takes more than run-of-the-mill relationships. You need to convince people to dream the same dream that you do." That's a big goal, but one that's possible for all of us.

"The Enchiridion", or "Handbook", is a summary of the teachings of the slave-turned-Stoic philosopher Epictetus (first century A.D.) posthumously... compiled and published by one of Epictetus' students. Though brief, this work is universally considered to be the living spirit of Stoicism, wherein the principles of right conduct and true thinking are outlined. "The Enchiridion" has played a significant role in the development of modern philosophy and intellectual attitudes, showing secular thinkers how sound reasoning can free them from the shackles of absolutism and emotionalism and, in so doing, live a more tranquil and productive life.

A first-century Stoic, Epictetus argued that we will always be happy if we learn to desire that things should be exactly as they are. His Enchiridion,... or Manual, is a distillation of his teachings and an instructional manual for a tranquil life as it offers guidelines for those seeking contentment.

Hispanics today make up 15% of the US population, with close to 45 million in numbers. Hispanic presence in public office is increasingly prominent, and... specialists forecast an even more promising future for this growing minority: by the year 2050, Hispanics will have surpassed the 130 million mark, transforming the US into the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. The Encyclopedia of Spanish in the US offers detailed analyses of the past, present, and future of Spanish and Hispanic culture in the US, highlighting the demolinguistic reality of the diverse Spanish-speaking groups living in the US. Attention is also drawn to the vast cultural wealth of the Hispanic community, which has driven artistic creations that today hold a preeminent position in the country's cultural landscape. Its 80+ specialized articles cover historical, demographic and legal aspects that, among others, provide information on the teaching, translating, editing, mass media, linguistic analyses, cultural activities, and literary production of this rising minority. This comprehensive outlook on the role that the Hispanic community plays in the US reveals the keys to understanding the present and promoting the future of our language and culture in this country. This never-before published outline includes over 170 photographs, and more than 190 maps, graphs and tables. Description in Spanish: La comunidad hispanohablante en los Estados Unidos supone ya el 15% de la poblacion del pais y se situa en la frontera de los 45 millones. Los datos actuales hablan de un protagonismo hispano en la vida publica estadounidense que se hace cada vez mas patente. Pero los especialistas pronostican un futuro aun mas prometedor: para el ano 2050, se preve que la cifra supere los 130 millones y que los Estados Unidos se conviertan en el primer pais hispanohablante del planeta. La Enciclopedia del espanol en los Estados Unidos analiza, en mas de 80 articulos especializados, el pasado, el presente y el futuro del espanol y de la cultura hispana en el territorio estadounidense. En ellos, se aborda con especial interes la realidad demolinguistica de las distintas comunidades hispanohablantes residentes en el pais y la enorme riqueza cultural de una comunidad hispana cuyas creaciones artisticas ocupan ya un papel protagonista en la escena cultural de la nacion. Un completo panorama, nunca antes perfilado, sobre el papel del espanol, de la cultura en espanol y de los hispanos en los Estados Unidos que desvelara las claves para entender el presente e impulsar el futuro de nuestra lengua y nuestra cultura en este pais.

The increasing complexity of technological solutions to both fire safety design issues and fire safety regulations demand higher levels of training and... continuing education for fire protection engineers. Historical precedents on how to deal with fire hazards in new or unusual buildings are seldom available, and new performance-based building codes often require mathematical or computer fire modeling. Until now, however, there has been no current, truly comprehensive engineering book that builds an in-depth understanding of the scientific aspects of enclosure fires.Enclosure Fire Dynamics fills this void with a complete description of enclosure fires and how the outbreak of a fire in a compartment causes changes in the environment. The authors-both internationally renowned experts in fire safety and protection engineering-offer a clear presentation of the dominant mechanisms controlling enclosure fires and develop simple analytical relationships useful in designing buildings for fire safety. They show readers how to derive engineering equations from first principles, stating the assumptions clearly and showing how the resulting equations compare to experimental data.The details and the approach offered by this text provide readers with a confidence in-and the applicability of-a wide range of commonly used engineering equations and models. Enclosure Fire Dynamics will enhance the knowledge of professional fire protection engineers, researchers, and investigators and help build a strong foundation for engineering students.

We've listened to intermediate Spanish instructors across the country to find out exactly what they are looking for in their course materials. Of... course, all of them are looking for the materials that will best help students develop their language skills, but they are also looking for more than that. They've told us that they want materials that will motivate students, that will help them understand the value of learning another language, that will help them understand and appreciate cultures - others as well as their own - and that will bring them closer to the Spanish-speaking communities right here in the United States. En comunidad: Comunicación y conexión is an exciting new intermediate Spanish program that responds to these very needs: --En comunidad carefully and consistently addresses the "Five Cs" of languages learning (Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons and Communities). --En comunidad offers a learner-centered approach that helps motivate students to take responsibility for their own language-learning process. --En comunidad targets the use of language skill for real-world, practical purposes, thus helping students see the immediate value in their learning process. --En comunidad not only focuses on Spanish-speaking communities outside the United States, but also those within the United States. --En comunidad provides a contextualized approach that integrates all four language-learning skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and doesn't "compartmentalize" the acquisition of vocabulary and grammar.