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The field of statistics is rapidly transforming into a discipline that Hal Varian at Google has called "sexy". And with good reason - from batting averages and political polls to game shows and medical research - the real-world application of statistics is growing by leaps and bounds. In Naked Statistics, Charles Wheelan strips away the arcane and technical details to get at the underlying intuition that is key to understanding the power of statistical concepts. Tackling a wide-ranging set of problems, he demonstrates how statistics can be used to look at questions that are important and relevant to us today. With the trademark wit, accessibility and fun that made Naked Economics a bestseller, Wheelan brings another essential discipline to life with a one-in-a-million statistics book that you will read for pleasure.

Is the Internet making us stupid? In this book, Nicholas Carr argues that the Internet is changing dramatically how we think, remember and interact.

Every month, five million people move from the past to the future. Pouring into developing-world "instant cities" like Dubai and Shenzhen, these urban newcomers confront a modern world cobbled together from fragments of a West they have never seen. Do these fantastical boomtowns, where blueprints spring to life overnight on virgin land, represent the dawning of a brave new world? Or is their vaunted newness a mirage? In a captivating blend of history and reportage, Daniel Brook travels to a series of major metropolitan hubs that were once themselves instant cities-- St. Petersburg, Shanghai, and Mumbai--to watch their "dress rehearsals for the twenty-first century." Understanding today's emerging global order, he argues, requires comprehending the West's profound and conflicted influence on developing-world cities over the centuries. In 1703, Tsar Peter the Great personally oversaw the construction of a new Russian capital, a "window on the West" carefully modeled on Amsterdam, that he believed would wrench Russia into the modern world. In the nineteenth century, Shanghai became the fastest-growing city on earth as it mushroomed into an English-speaking, Western-looking metropolis that just happened to be in the Far East. Meanwhile, Bombay, the cosmopolitan hub of the British Raj, morphed into a tropical London at the hands of its pith-helmeted imperialists. Juxtaposing the stories of the architects and authoritarians, the artists and revolutionaries who seized the reins to transform each of these precociously modern places into avatars of the global future, Brook demonstrates that the drive for modernization was initially conflated with wholesale Westernization. He shows, too, the ambiguous legacy of that emulation--the birth (and rebirth) of Chinese capitalism in Shanghai, the origins of Bollywood in Bombay's American-style movie palaces, the combustible mix of revolutionary culture and politics that rocked the Russian capital--and how it may be transcended today. A fascinating, vivid look from the past out toward the horizon, A History of Future Cities is both a crucial reminder of globalization's long march and an inspiring look into the possibilities of our Asian Century.

Theories about how our ancestors lived - and why we should emulate them - are often based on pseudoscience and speculation rather than actual research. Taking us to the cutting edge of biology, Marlene Zuk explains that evolution can work faster than was previously realised, meaning that we are not biologically the same as our caveman ancestors. Zuk shows how our visions of an ideal evolutionary past in which we ate, lived and reproduced as we were "meant to" can lead us astray and distract us from more interesting considerations of how we differ from our forebears. Along the way, she debunks the caveman diet, discusses whether we're really designed to run barefoot and considers modern-day courtship and child-rearing practices in the context of how our ancestors lived.

The historical evolution of this astonishing photographic instrument matches the emotional charge of the famous images reproduced here. All sixteen Leica models, including digital cameras, are presented with relevant historical explanations and technical data alongside the works of such greats as Andre Kertesz, Henri Cartier- Bresson and Robert Capa.

An insider's analysis of the major institutions of globalization. Economist and Nobel Prize winner Joseph E. Stiglitz had a ringside seat for most of the major economic events of the 1990s including stints as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors and chief economist at the World Bank. Particularly concerned with the plight of the developing nations he became increasingly disillusioned as he saw the International Monetary Fund and other major institutions put the interests of Wall Street and the financial community ahead of the poorer nations.

Why is it that Leonard Cohen receives the sort of reverence we reserve for a precious few living artists? Why are his songs, three or four decades after their original release, suddenly gracing the charts, blockbuster movie sound tracks, and television singing competitions? And why is it that while most of his contemporaries are either long dead or engaged in uninspired nostalgia tours, Cohen is at the peak of his powers and popularity? These are the questions at the heart of A Broken Hallelujah, a meditation on the singer, his music, and the ideas and beliefs at its core. Granted extraordinary access to Cohen s personal papers, Liel Leibovitz examines the intricacies of the man whose performing career began with a crippling bout of stage fright, yet who, only a few years later, tamed a rowdy crowd on the Isle of Wight, preventing further violence; the artist who had gone from a successful world tour and a movie star girlfriend to a long residency in a remote Zen retreat; and the rare spiritual seeker for whom the principles of traditional Judaism, the tenets of Zen Buddhism, and the iconography of Christianity all align. The portrait that emerges is that of an artist attuned to notions of justice, lust, longing, loneliness, and redemption, and possessing the sort of voice and vision commonly reserved only for the prophets. More than just an account of Cohen s life, A Broken Hallelujah is an intimate look at the artist that is as emotionally astute as it is philosophically observant. Delving into the sources and meaning of Cohen s work, Leibovitz beautifully illuminates what Cohen is telling us and why we listen so intensely."

Why do we eat toast for breakfast, and then toast to good health at dinner? What does the turkey we eat on Thanksgiving have to do with the country on the eastern Mediterranean? Can you figure out how much your dinner will cost by counting the words on the menu? In The Language of Food, Stanford University professor and MacArthur Fellow Dan Jurafsky peels away the mysteries from the foods we think we know. Thirteen chapters evoke the joy and discovery of reading a menu dotted with the sharp-eyed annotations of a linguist. Jurafsky points out the subtle meanings hidden in filler words like "rich" and "crispy," zeroes in on the metaphors and storytelling tropes we rely on in restaurant reviews, and charts a microuniverse of marketing language on the back of a bag of potato chips. The fascinating journey through The Language of Food uncovers a global atlas of culinary influences. With Jurafsky's insight, words like ketchup, macaron, and even salad become living fossils that contain the patterns of early global exploration that predate our modern fusion-filled world. From ancient recipes preserved in Sumerian song lyrics to colonial shipping routes that first connected East and West, Jurafsky paints a vibrant portrait of how our foods developed. A surprising history of culinary exchange-a sharing of ideas and culture as much as ingredients and flavors-lies just beneath the surface of our daily snacks, soups, and suppers. Engaging and informed, Jurafsky's unique study illuminates an extraordinary network of language, history, and food. The menu is yours to enjoy.

The only cookbook of its kind, In a Nutshell is a complete guide to cooking and baking with nuts and seeds. After working for years as instructors at the Institute of Culinary Education, Cara Tannenbaum and Andrea Tutunjian deliver the essential cookbook for Mother Nature's most versatile and nutritious ingredients. With more than 250 recipes exploring the culinary and cultural history of nuts and seeds in everything from Pumpkin Seed Guacamole to Hazelnut Roulade, In a Nutshell unites the smooth, crunchy, savory, and sweet. In a Nutshell is organized to reflect the way we eat meals today, with chapters like Nibbles, Dip It, Noodles and Nuts, and Family Style. Omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans alike will delight in dishes both simple and complex, from Almond-Crusted Mac-and-Cheese to Pistachio Biryiani. Culinary cheerleaders for the powerful team of sixteen nuts and seeds featured in the book, Tannenbaum and Tutunjian prove that nuts are so much more than a happy-hour snack.

What kind of world are we building for ourselves? That s the question Nicholas Carr tackles in this important, absorbing book. Digging behind the headlines about factory robots and self-driving cars, personalized apps and computerized medicine, Carr explores the hidden costs of allowing software to take charge of our jobs and our lives. He draws on science, economics, and philosophy to make a compelling case that the dominant Silicon Valley ethic is sapping our skills and narrowing our horizons. The Glass Cage is not just a timely critique of society s growing dependence on computers. It s a riveting story of humankind s entanglement with machines. From nineteenth-century textile mills to the cockpits of modern jets, from the frozen hunting grounds of Inuit tribes to the augmented reality of Google Glass, Carr takes us on an unforgettable voyage of discovery culminating in a moving meditation on how we can use technology to expand life s possibilities rather than narrow them."

Our true origins are not just human, or even terrestrial, but in fact cosmic. Drawing on recent scientific breakthroughs and the current cross-pollination among geology, biology, astrophysics, and cosmology, Origins explains the soul-stirring leaps in our understanding of the cosmos. From the first image of a galaxy birth to Spirit Rover's exploration of Mars, to the discovery of water on one of Jupiter's moons, co-authors Neil deGrasse Tyson and Donald Goldsmith conduct a galvanising tour of the cosmos with clarity and exuberance.

The Brewer's Tale is for anyone who, drinking a beer, has wondered how the past tasted. Part travelogue, part history, part culinary adventure, beer critic William Bostwick uncovers the stories behind the brewers who have practised their craft since the dawn of civilisation. Beer by beer Bostwick tells a history of the world through the brewer's eyes, unearthing recipes from poems and potsherds to re-create these beers and their long-lost flavours. Jumping through time as he weaves ancient lore with today's craft scene, Bostwick meets adventurous brewers who share his path, trading insight, recipes and ingredients like home-grown hops and wild, Nile Delta yeast. The Brewer's Tale is history told in the glass, from tongue-numbing mead to sour pediococcus-laced lambic.

Interstellar, from acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan, takes us on a fantastic voyage far beyond our solar system. Yet in The Science of Interstellar, Kip Thorne, the physicist who assisted Nolan on the scientific aspects of Interstellar, shows us that the movie s jaw-dropping events and stunning, never-before-attempted visuals are grounded in real science. Thorne shares his experiences working as the science adviser on the film and then moves on to the science itself. In chapters on wormholes, black holes, interstellar travel, and much more, Thorne s scientific insights many of them triggered during the actual scripting and shooting of Interstellar describe the physical laws that govern our universe and the truly astounding phenomena that those laws make possible.

In a time of market volatility and economic uncertainty, when high-frequency traders and hedge fund managers seem to tower over the average investor, Burton G. Malkiel's classic and gimmick-free investment guide is now more necessary than ever. Rather than tricks, what you'll find here is a time-tested and thoroughly research-based strategy for your portfolio. Whether you're considering your first 401(k) contribution or contemplating retirement, this fully updated edition of A Random Walk Down Wall Street should be the first book on your reading list. In A Random Walk Down Wall Street you'll learn the basic terminology of "The Street" and how to navigate it with the help of a user-friendly, long-range investment strategy that really works. Drawing on his own varied experience as an economist, financial adviser, and successful investor, Malkiel shows why, despite recent advice to the contrary from so-called experts in the wake of the financial crisis, an individual who buys over time and holds a low-cost, internationally diversified index of securities is still likely to exceed the performance of portfolios carefully picked by professionals using sophisticated analytical techniques. In this new edition, Malkiel has provided valuable new material throughout the book on exchange-traded funds and investment opportunities in emerging markets, and in a brand-new, timely chapter, Malkiel authoritatively assesses the pitfalls and prospects of the latest investing trend, "smart beta." On top of all this, the book's classic life-cycle guide to investing, which tailors strategies to investors of any age, will help you plan confidently for the future. You'll learn how to analyze the potential returns, not only for basic stocks and bonds but for the full range of investment opportunities-from money-market accounts and real estate investment trusts to insurance, home ownership, and tangible assets like gold and collectibles. Individual investors of every level of experience and risk tolerance will find throughout the book the critical facts and step-by-step guidance they need to protect and grow their hard-earned dollars. With the prevailing wisdom changing on an almost daily basis, Malkiel's reassuring and vastly informative volume remains the best investment guide money can buy.

In this revised edition, Paul Ekman, a renowned expert in emotions research and nonverbal communication, adds a new chapter to present his latest research on his groundbreaking inquiry into lying and the methods for uncovering lies. Ekman has figured out the most important behavioral clues to deceit; he has developed a one-hour self-instructional program that trains people to observe and understand "micro expressions"; and he has done research that identifies the facial expressions that show whether someone is likely to become violent. ?Telling Lies?describes how lies vary in form and how they can differ from other types of misinformation that can reveal untruths. It discusses how a person's body language, voice, and facial expressions can give away a lie but still fool professional lie hunters-even judges, police officers, drug enforcement agents, and Secret Service agents.

In the early twentieth century, engineers learned to control the flow of electrons. Yet this epoch-making achievement-the underpinning of all electronics technologies to come-was not visible to the naked eye. Inside the Machine explores how a generation of commercial and fine artists conveyed this strange new world to the public. Together with engineers, they would transform the human sense of scale and possibility. Cultural historian Megan Prelinger offers a visual tour of this dynamic era, which saw advances and practical revolutions in automation, bionics, computer language, and even cybernetics. Along the way, she reveals the origins of everything from vacuum tubes and integrated circuits to motherboards and rocket ships. With more than 150 illustrations from commercial artwork of the day, Inside the Machine celebrates the collaboration among the makers, crafters, testers, and researchers of the twentieth century and the artists who lent images and understanding to the technologies of tomorrow.