An exploration of why people all over the world love to engage in pain on purpose--from dominatrices, religious ascetics, and ultramarathoners to ballerinas, icy ocean bathers, and sideshow performers
He escaped from one of the world's most brutal regimes. Then, he decided to tunnel back in.In the summer of 1962, a young student named Joachim Rudolph dug a tunnel under the Berlin Wall. Waiting on the other side in East Berlin were dozens of men, women, and children--all willing to risk everything to escape.From the award-winning creator of the acclaimed BBC Radio 4 podcast, Tunnel 29 is the true story of this most remarkable Cold War rescue mission. Drawing on interviews with the survivors and Stasi files, Helena Merriman brilliantly reveals the stranger-than-fiction story of the ingenious group of student-diggers, the glamorous red-haired messenger, the Stasi spy who threatened the whole enterprise, and the love story that became its surprising epilogue.Tunnel 29 was also the first made-for-TV event of its kind; it was funded by NBC, who wanted to film an escape in real time. Their documentary--which was nearly blocked from airing by the Kennedy administration, which wanted to cont
Few in history can match the revolutionary career of the Marquis de Lafayette. Over fifty incredible years at the heart of the Age of Revolution, he fought courageously on both sides of the Atlantic.
From the CEO and President of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) comesthe ultimate book on transforming the way we select, retain and train our employees in aradically changedbusiness en
A flight from London, bound for Kuala Lumpur, with 386 passengers and crew, was mysteriously assured it was safe to land and refuel in Kuwait. It wasnt. War had broken out. So why was Flight 149 sent
Award-winning neuroscientist Sarah-Jayne Blakemore explains the developmental journey our brains take during adolescence and how the experience of these years determines the adults we become. Risk ta
In May 1997, the world watched as Garry Kasparov, the greatest chess player in the world, was defeated for the first time by the IBM supercomputer Deep Blue. It was a watershed moment in the history o
Presents an overview of the history of England from the Saxons to today and provides lists of kings and queens with the date of they ruled, prime ministers, and one hundred key dates in the nation's h
In the past decade Pakistan has become a country of immense importance to its region, the United States, and the world. With almost 200 million people, a 500,000-man army, nuclear weapons, and a larg
The newest generation of children is exposed to ubiquitous technology, more than any generation that preceded them. They are photographed with smartphones from the moment they're born, and begin int
Distinguished ambassador Wendy Sherman combines personal storytelling and expert insight to show readers how they can put diplomatic values like courage, persistence, and empathy to work in their ow
The breakthrough science of synthetic biology and its potential for helping solve humanity's existential challenges, from climate change to the health and feeding of millions, and fighting the next viral outbreak before it becomes a global pandemic.Synthetic biology is the promising and controversial technology platform that combines biology and artificial intelligence, opening up the potential to program biological systems much as we program computers. Synthetic biology enables us not just to read and edit DNA – the technique of CRISPR - but also write it. Rather than life being “a beautiful game of chance”, synthetic biology creates the potential to control our genetic destiny, to say “no” to bad genes and build a veritable genetic app store for downloading and adding new capabilities into any cell, microbe, plant, or animal. Amy Webb and Andrew Hessel’s riveting stories include: the work of scientists to develop plants that can be grown in sprawling indoor farms capable of feedin
Nearly a quarter century ago Carter Cast seemed to have it all together: he had a first-class education, an all-American athletic career, and was a very bright and energetic rising star on the fast
