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<b>Brilliant and engagingly written, <i>Why Nations Fail </i>answers the question that has stumped the experts for centuries: Why are some nations rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine?<br/><i><br/></i></b>Is it culture, the weather, geography? Perhaps ignorance of what the right policies are?<br/><br/>Simply, no. None of these factors is either definitive or destiny. Otherwise, how to explain why Botswana has become one of the fastest growing countries in the world, while other African nations, such as Zimbabwe, the Congo, and Sierra Leone, are mired in poverty and violence?<br/><br/>Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson conclusively show that it is man-made political and economic institutions that underlie economic success (or lack of it). Korea, to take just one of their fascinating examples, is a remarkably homogeneous nation, yet the people of North Korea are among the poorest on earth while their brothers and sisters in South Korea are among the richest. The south forged a society that created incentives, rewarded innovation, and allowed everyone to participate in economic opportunities.<br/><br/>The economic success thus spurred was sustained because the government became accountable and responsive to citizens and the great mass of people. Sadly, the people of the north have endured decades of famine, political repression, and very different economic institutions&mdash;with no end in sight. The differences between the Koreas is due to the politics that created these completely different institutional trajectories.<br/><br/>Based on fifteen years of original research Acemoglu and Robinson marshall extraordinary historical evidence from the Roman Empire, the Mayan city-states, medieval Venice, the Soviet Union, Latin America, England, Europe, the United States, and Africa to build a new theory of political economy with great relevance for the big questions of today, including:<br/><br/>- China has built an authoritarian growth machine. Will it continue to grow at such high speed and&#160;overwhelm the West?<br/><br/>- Are America&rsquo;s best days behind it? Are we moving from a virtuous circle in which efforts by elites to aggrandize power are resisted to a vicious one that enriches and empowers a small minority?<br/><br/>- What is the most effective way to help move billions of people from the rut of poverty to prosperity? More philanthropy from the wealthy nations of the West? Or learning the hard-won lessons of Acemoglu and Robinson&rsquo;s breakthrough ideas on the interplay between inclusive political and economic institutions?<br/><br/><b><i>Why Nations Fail </i>will change the way you look at&mdash;and understand&mdash;the world.&#160;</b>

<b>This attractive paperback box set brings together 5 collections of spell-binding mythological tales from a variety of cultures, including Greek, Roman, Norse, Celtic and Native American.</b><br/><br/>From the Greek gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus, to the mighty heroes of Norse mythology, to the mysterious druids of the ancient Celts, this book offers an enchanting journey through the world's most intriguing mythological traditions. These are beautifully retold by acclaimed authors and folklorists, including Nathaniel Hawthorne and Charles Squire, who breath new life into these ancient tales.<br/><br/> This collection contains:<br/> &bull; Classical Mythology<br/> &bull; Celtic Mythology<br/> &bull; Norse Mythology<br/> &bull; Native American Myths & Legends<br/> &bull; Myths & Legends from Around the World<br/><br/>These books feature striking contemporary cover designs and fit neatly together into an attractive slipcase. This box set makes a perfect gift or collectible for any mythology lover.<br/><br/> <b>ABOUT THE SERIES:</b> The <i>Arcturus Classic Collections</i> series features delightful, high-quality paperback box sets of classic works of literature with striking contemporary cover designs.

The Atlas of Tolkien's Middle-earth is an essential guide to the geography of Middle-earth, from its founding in the Elder Days - as recounted in The Silmarillion - to the Third Age of The Lord of the Rings, including the journeys of Bilbo, Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring.<br/><br/> Hundreds of maps and diagrams survey the journeys of the principal characters day by day - including all the battles and key locations of the First, Second and Third Ages. Plans and descriptions of castles, buildings and distinctive landforms accompany thematic maps describing climate, vegetation, languages and population throughout the history of Middle-earth.

Marvel Entertainment was a struggling toymaker not even twenty years ago. Today, Marvel Studios is the dominant player both in Hollywood and in global pop culture. But what accounts for its stunning rise?<br/><br/>In MCU, beloved culture writers Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales, and Gavin Edwards draw on more than a hundred interviews with actors, producers, directors, and writers to present the definitive chronicle of Marvel Studios and its sole, ongoing production, the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As they delve into the studio's key moments - from the contentious hiring of Robert Downey Jr. for Iron Man to the negotiations over Disney's acquisition of Marvel to studio head Kevin Feige's embrace of streaming TV - the authors demonstrate that the genius of Marvel was its resurrection and modification of Hollywood's old studio system. Dishy and authoritative, MCU is the first book to tell the Marvel Studios story in full - and an essential, effervescent account of popular culture.

The Egyptian Book of the Dead is one of the oldest and greatest classics of Western spirituality. Until now, the available translations have treated these writings as historical curiosities with little relevance to our contemporary situation. This new version, made from the hieroglyphs, approaches the Book of the Dead as a profound spiritual text capable of speaking to us today. These writings suggest that the divine realm and the human realm are not altogether separate; they remind us that the natural world, and the substance of our lives, is fashioned from the stuff of the gods. Devoted like an Egyptian scribe to the principle of "effective utterance," Normandi Ellis has produced a prose translation that reads like pure, diaphanous verse.

An illustrated, comprehensive guide to surviving an attack by hordes of the predatory undead explains zombie physiology and behavior, the most effective weaponry and defense strategies, how to outfit one's home for a long siege, and how to survive in any territory or terrain. Original. 35,000 first printing.

<strong>From the <em>Sunday Times</em> No. 1 Bestselling Author</strong> <br/><br/> <strong>In <em>On Democracies and Death Cults</em>, bestselling author Douglas Murray argues how no less than the future of the Western World is at stake in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.</strong> <br/><br/>Drawing from intensive on-the-ground reporting in Israel, Gaza and Lebanon, Murray presents a compelling case that places the latest violence in its proper historical context. He takes readers on a harrowing journey through the aftermath of the 7th October massacre, piecing together the exclusive accounts from victims, survivors and even the terrorists responsible for the atrocities. <br/><br/><em>On Democracies and Death Cults</em> illustrates how Israel's commitment to fundamental Western values - capitalism, individual rights, democracy, and reason - has made it a beacon of progress in a region dominated by authoritarianism and extremism. Murray contrasts Israel's principles with the ideology of Hamas, which openly proclaims its love of death over life. If left unchecked, Murray argues, this misplaced Western sympathy could embolden forces that seek to undermine democratic values and perpetuate a culture of violence. <br/><br/>Deeply reasoned, clear-eyed and grounded in fact, <em>On Democracies and Death Cults </em>is a gripping and essential read for all who seek to understand the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its implications for the future of democracy - and for the world itself.