Exploring the alphabet, this book takes readers on a vibrant journey through cultural history, blending entertainment with education. It delves into the significance of letters and their impact on various societies, offering insights that are both engaging and informative. The lively narrative invites readers to appreciate the rich tapestry of language and its evolution over time.
A powerful exploration of the debilitating impact that politically-correct multiculturalism has had upon higher education and academic freedom in the United States. This book exposes the real impact of multiculturalism on the institution most closely identified with the politically correct decline of higher education - Stanford University.
Alphabets explores the language of letters that we see around us everyday, touching on the alphabet’s origins in Egyptian hieroglyphs and Chinese characters, to the Greek alphabet, through to its development as a significant part of our history and visual vocabulary. From a comprehensive introduction on the origins of the written word, through to theories such as “The Alphabet Effect”, exploring the coding/decoding and abstraction of form to the more appetising concept of ‘Alphabet Soup’, Alphabets features illustrations, found objects, graphic design, art, conceptual typography, graffiti, and much more.Through the exploration of this grouping of 26 symbols, it becomes clear that each letter has its own persona and history, and the alphabets presented in this book show how artists, typographers, illustrators and educators have responded uniquely to each individual letter. By removing the letters from the context of words and spelling, each begins to stand alone as a character in its own right. Featuring letters of all shapes and sizes, and alphabets ranging from Victorian classroom aides and Dr Seuss’ ABC through to Peter Blake, Michael Craig-Martin, Tauba Auerbach, and the Tangled Alphabets of León Ferrari and Mira Schendelto to ABC Blocks, phonetics, Braille, and Muji alphabet ice cube moulds, Alphabets: A Miscellany of Letters offers a cornucopia of imagery for artists, collectors and enthusiasts alike.
David Sacks presents an entertaining and informative piece of linguistic and cultural archaeology which unlocks the mysteries of the 26 letters which comprise the English alphabet and also charts the histories of alphabets around the world, as well as of Chinese and Japanese ideograms.
A conflict between the United States and the People's Republic of China (PRC, or China) over Taiwan is becoming increasingly imaginable, a result of China's growing military capabilities and assertiveness, the emergence and coalescence of a separate Taiwanese identity, and evolving U.S. calculations about its interests at stake in the Taiwan Strait. If deterrence fails and a war erupts, the result would be calamitous for Taiwan, China, the United States, and the world, resulting in thousands of casualties on all sides and a profound global economic depression.
The book presents a poignant exploration of the lives of orphans in Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the contrast between extreme poverty and the resilience of the human spirit. Through the lens of professional photographer David Sacks, it reveals the beauty, dignity, and joy that coexist with hardship. Sacks captures the essence of his subjects, illustrating that their worth transcends their circumstances. This photographic journey invites readers to challenge their perceptions of Africa and appreciate the warmth and hospitality of its people.
In 1979, a young British doctor and his lawyer girlfriend disappeared when on holiday in central America. They were last known to be passengers on an American man's boat. Extensive enquiries by the families to trace them were abortive and the British police were asked to investigate. The author, then a Manchester detective, considerably aided by the British foreign and Commonwealth office, investigated and finally learned of the finding of two bound and weighted bodies in the sea that had been buried unidentified. Via dental records, obtained by the officer and sent to Guatemala, the previously unidentified bodies were exhumed and found to be those of the missing couple. The boat's owner was strongly suspected of the murders and the enquiry was passed to the United States, but the investigation there somehow stalled and went cold. Then, in 2015 the case was reopened following a request from the family of one of the victims but the original Manchester police file could not be located. The original retired investigating detective was contacted and was able to supply a complete copy of the original lost file he had kept. That enabled a full review of the case by the Manchester police and also US law enforcement. A full reinvestigation of the case in the US resulted in the arrest and indictment in 2016 of the original American suspect.