Showing results by narrator "Eric Martin" in All Categories

Growth has been both an unspoken and an explicit aim of our individual and collective striving. It governs the lives of microorganisms and galaxies; it shapes the capabilities of our extraordinarily large brains and the fortunes of our economies. Growth is manifested in annual increments of continental crust, a rising gross domestic product, a child's growth chart, the spread of cancerous cells. In this magisterial book, Vaclav Smil offers systematic investigation of growth in nature and society, from tiny organisms to the trajectories of empires and civilizations.

Australopithecines, dinosaurs, trilobites - such fossils conjure up images of lost worlds filled with vanished organisms. But in the full history of life, ancient animals, even the trilobites, form only the half-billion-year tip of a nearly four-billion-year iceberg. Andrew Knoll explores the deep history of life from its origins on a young planet to the incredible Cambrian explosion, presenting a compelling new explanation for the emergence of biological novelty.

In this Very Short Introduction audiobook, Jan Zalasiewicz gives a brief introduction to the fascinating field of geology. Describing how the science developed from its early beginnings, he looks at some of the key discoveries that have transformed it before delving into its various subfields, such as sedimentology, tectonics, and stratigraphy.

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.

Magic school isn't cheap. To be a Mage, he must work smart and learn fast.Fate dealt Nox the Alchemist unfavorable cards, but he has learnt to compensate for his shortcomings with scholarly pursuits, tenacity, and sheer grit. Fortunately, for him Woodson University and their scouts are always seeking individuals with his work ethic. The Department of Dungeon Studies sees the value of the mind and its ability to overcome all limitations. After all, they stripped the divine of their titles. The department turned gods into Dungeon Lords and their domains into Dungeons.

Cursed and dying, Thorn has landed at a crossroad. He can either give up and die, or walk a path he never wanted to touch. Reluctantly accepting that his only chance at life rests in corrupt magic, Thorn soon finds himself exploring a world of ancient mysteries, all while trying to hide his tracks from those who want to hunt him down. Pursued by bounty hunters intent on dragging him back in chains, Thorn soon discovers the plot is deeper than he thought. Even the Tardoff clan, one of the powerful challenger families, is intent on capturing him and extracting his knowledge of ancient runes.

Agile, Lean, and DevOps approaches are radical game changers, providing a fundamentally different way to think about how IT fits into the enterprise, how IT leaders lead, and how IT can harness technology to accomplish the objectives of the enterprise. But honest and open conversations are not taking place between management and Agile delivery teams.

Burning down the lab will do that. But every cloud has a silver lining, and after being let go from his most recent job for unsanctioned experiments, Alph is given the chance to blow off a little steam with a cutting edge new game that isn’t even out of beta. It's called Nova Terra.

It was supposed to be an easy victory lap in the capital city, but life around Thorn is never that simple. New responsibilities, underhanded nobles, a shadowy cult, and a struggle for the throne of Northern Angoril all promise to make life exciting...if he can survive. Thorn falls deeper into the political struggles of the Empire when the capital is rocked by a terrible murder and is forced to learn that not all problems can be solved with the heavy end of his tetsubo. New allies and new enemies emerge as Thorn races to stop a catastrophe that will shake the entire world of Nova Terra.

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.

From the opening shots to General George Pickett's ill-fated charge, Bruce Catton tells the dramatic story of the battle that resulted in more than 51,000 Union and Confederate casualties and changed the course of the war.

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.

Back from the Abyssal Lands, life is looking pretty good from where Thorn sits. Firmly established as the Stone King, Thorn has added the throne of Rakkam, the Labyrinth City, to his growing holdings. But not everyone is so satisfied with how the game is turning out. When a cursed staff leads Mina to disclose some of her tumultuous past, the team decides to head north. With a small team of some of the best players in the game, Thorn is off on a fast-paced adventure to solve a murderous mystery left untouched for two decades.

In the aftermath of the Cold War, US intelligence caught three high-profile Russian spies. However, these arrests left major questions unanswered, and rumours have long swirled of another mole, often referred to as the Fourth Man. Three pioneering female veterans of counterintelligence were tasked with unearthing him. With steadfast determination and expertise, they came to a shocking conclusion, one which had, and continues to harbour, dramatic consequences for American security.

All four sacred mysteries of the Rosary. The praying of the Rosary is dedicated to the Joyful (sometimes Joyous) Mysteries; the Sorrowful Mysteries; the Glorious Mysteries, and (as suggested by Pope John Paul II) the Luminous Mysteries.

Dr. Anarchy is a man with a simple dream: to conquer and rule the entire world. While he has yet to achieve his goal, he has managed to become absolute lord and master of one small corner of it. This is the story of what one man was able to achieve though hard work, dedication, careful planning, unhealthy obsession, giant robots, disintegrators, remote controlled grolem dolls, a horde of disposable henchmen, killbots, an annoying cyborg ninja, and 36 rules every supervillain should follow!

Miles “Shrug” Lindstrom has endured the first few days of his new monster-infested world. He has become the Champion of a god, and managed to become one of the most powerful survivors in his area. However, a new quest to kill a giant—a boss monster—will be difficult if not impossible to accomplish by himself. Gathering more power for himself is a safe bet towards all of his goals, and might be easier now that he has a class. But if this new world is anything, it’s uncertain.

Today, the ketogenic diet is the world's fastest growing diet, and with good reason. When practised correctly, it has been proven to burn fat, reduce inflammation and balance hormones and gut bacteria. Unfortunately, many people remain unaware of several key factors that are crucial to the diet's success, setting them up for frustration, failure, and relapse. In Keto Diet, best-selling author Dr. Josh Axe sets the record straight, offering thorough, step-by-step guidance to achieving lifelong health.

En 1984, la sociedad ha cambiado tanto que resulta irreconocible. La Franja Aérea 1, la antigua Gran Bretaña, está sometida a la implacable vigilancia del Gran Hermano. Nadie puede escapar de ella... salvo, tal vez, Winston Smith. En su puesto del Ministerio de la Verdad, donde trabaja reescribiendo la historia, sueña en secreto con ser libre. En un mundo donde el amor y el sexo están prohibidos, donde no es fácil diferenciar amigos de enemigos, conocerá a Julia y a O’Brien, y jurará rebelarse.

After 20 years defending the frozen north against some of the most dangerous threats in the nine kingdoms, Rhoren “Bloodbane” has finally earned his retirement. While the blood mage's service to the realm may have ended, burning veins and aching joints remain, and Rhoren soon learns that a warmer climate offers relief from his chronic pain.