A Rumour of Spring

A Rumour of Spring PDF

Author: Max du Preez

Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa

Published: 2013-11-27

Total Pages: 305

ISBN-13: 1770225447

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Democracy in South Africa turns twenty on 27 April 2014. In A Rumour of Spring, Max du Preez investigates and analyses the progress and lack of progress the country has made during these twenty years. A Rumour of Spring looks at the legacies of Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki in an attempt to understand how we got here, and examines Jacob Zuma’s presidency to better understand where we are. In the context of blatant corruption, populism and tragedies such as the Marikana massacre, the book considers the current state of the ruling party and the opposition, and dissects the big issues currently afflicting our society, including the state of education, land reform, crime and policing, the judiciary, nationality and race. And then, with images of the Arab Spring fresh in our collective memory, it dares to look to the future and what it may hold. An honest and balanced account, A Rumour of Spring tackles the questions asked by ordinary South Africans every day: How are we really doing? What is really going on in our country? How should we understand what is happening here? And will it get any better?

Rumours of Spring

Rumours of Spring PDF

Author: Farah Bashir

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 2021-04-22

Total Pages: 188

ISBN-13: 9354224229

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'A terrifying yet tender account of a girlhood spent under near-constant siege.' Madhuri Vijay, author of The Far Field 'Extraordinary - this memoir of growing up in Kashmir in the 1990s is illuminating, heartbreaking, and beautifully told.' Kamila Shamsie, author of Home Fire 'This is an unforgettable work that refuses silence. It is an urgent, brave call for justice.' Maaza Mengiste, author of The Shadow King 'Page after page, Farah Bashir juxtaposes moments of heart-stopping terror and beauty in a stunning memoir of life and love under a bloody military occupation.' Mirza Waheed, author of Tell Her Everything 'I couldn't put it down, and even after it had ended, the people and their stories - wonderful, horrific, familiar and unfathomable - stayed textured and formidable in my mind.' Jennifer Croft, author of Homesick 'A beautifully tender and often heart-stopping memoir of growing up in a world that is spinning out of control.' Mahesh Rao, author of Polite Society Rumours of Spring is the unforgettable account of Farah Bashir's adolescence spent in Srinagar in the 1990s. As Indian troops and militants battle across the cityscape and violence becomes the new normal, a young schoolgirl finds that ordinary tasks - studying for exams, walking to the bus stop, combing her hair, falling asleep - are riddled with anxiety and fear. With haunting simplicity, Farah Bashir captures moments of vitality and resilience from her girlhood amidst the increasing trauma and turmoil of passing years - secretly dancing to pop songs on banned radio stations; writing her first love letter; going to the cinema for the first time - with haunting simplicity. This deeply affecting coming-of-age memoir portrays how territorial conflict surreptitiously affects everyday lives in Kashmir.

Rumor Mills

Rumor Mills PDF

Author: Veronique Campion-Vincent

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-07-05

Total Pages: 281

ISBN-13: 1351492527

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The goal of this volume is to explore the social and political dynamics of rumor and the related concept of urban or contemporary legend. These forms of communication often appear in tandem with social problems, including riots, racial or political violence, and social and economic upheavals. The volume emphasizes the connection of rumor to a set of social concerns from government corruption and corporate scandal, to racial, religious, and other prejudices. Central to the dialogue are issues of truth, belief, history, public policy, and evidence.Rumor has been recognized as one of the most important contributing factors to violence and discrimination. Yet, despite its significance in exacerbating social discord and mistrust, little systematic scholarly attention has been paid to the political origins and consequences of rumor. Rumor is defined as a proposition for belief that is not backed by secure standards of evidence. Rumor can be traditional or not, and can be expressed as a simple claim of fact. In both instances groups of claim-makers, operating out of their own interests and with a set of resources, attempt to depict reality, and if possible, impact the future.The need for this book is underscored by changing patterns of technology. What in the past was grounded in face- to-face interaction is now often found on the Internet, which is a major source of rumor. An appreciation of how new electronic forms of communication affect communal belief is essential for explicating rumor dynamics. The volume is comprehensive. Essays cover race and ethnicity, migration and globalization, corporate malfeasance, and state and government corruption. While editors and contributors well appreciate the dynamic nature of rumors and legends, the high quality of the effort make it evident that the issues that are raised and reoccur will serve to channel and inspire research in this major field of communications research for years to come.

The Rumour Mill

The Rumour Mill PDF

Author: Eunice Wilkie

Publisher: Eunice Wilkie

Published:

Total Pages: 239

ISBN-13: 1386970689

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Aletheia, the great city of Bible Truth in the land of Err, is once more under threat. It has withstood two attacks by the people and creatures of Err, but another assault is coming. This time the Meddlers will use lies and slander to undermine not only the leaders, but the Truth the city stands for, too. The centre of the Meddlers' activities is the Rumour Mill, and when the people of Aletheia discover the Meddlers' plan, they know they must try to destroy this evil place. But how can they find it? And what weapon is powerful enough to destroy it? Charlie Steady has lived in Aletheia all his life. All his family and friends expect him to become a Christian and live the life of a true Aletheian. But Charlie is fed up with high expectations and restrictions: he wants excitement and adventure away from Aletheia altogether. When Charlie learns that the wicked Meddlers are hatching a plan to destroy Aletheia, he is intrigued and sets out to find them. But he becomes infected with their poison - he imbibes their character of lies and slander; he even begins to look and sound like them. How can his friends help him? How can he understand the Truth when he is infected with lies? Characters from previous books in the series unite and set out on a two-fold mission: to discover the Rumour Mill, and to help their friend Charlie be freed from the poison of the Meddlers. Their journey takes them through the hazardous land of Err, and soon they are on the run from the guards and inspectors of Err. In a fantastic, dangerous adventure, they face capture, defeat, pain, and great sacrifice. When at last they see the horror of the Rumour Mill the results are dreadful and spectacular. In this dramatic finale of the trilogy of the Battle for Aletheia (Aletheia Adventure Series books 4, 5, and 6) what power is great enough to destroy the evil of the Meddlers and set Charlie free? Through the story, this book explores the Biblical truth of the LOVE OF GOD. This book can be enjoyed on its own - without reading the rest of the series.

Harbinger of the Storm

Harbinger of the Storm PDF

Author: Aliette de Bodard

Publisher: Jabberwocky Literary Agency, Inc.

Published: 2016-01-05

Total Pages: 384

ISBN-13: 1625671636

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The second book in the critically acclaimed Obsidian and Blood trilogy: The year is Two House, and the Emperor of the Mexica has just died. The protections he afforded the Empire are crumbling, and the way lies wide open to the flesh-eating star-demons--and to the return of their creator, a malevolent goddess only held in check by the War God's power. The council should convene to choose a new Emperor, but they are too busy plotting against each other. And then someone starts summoning star-demons within the palace, to kill councilmen... Acatl, High Priest of the Dead, must find the culprit before everything is torn apart. REVIEWS: ‘Political intrigue and rivalry among a complex pantheon of divinities drive this well-paced murder mystery set at the height of the Aztec Empire in the late 15th century. De Bodard reintroduces the series hero Acatl, high priest of the dead, immediately following the death of the Tenochtitlan leader. One of the council members in charge of choosing a successor has been brutally murdered in what looks like an attempt to influence the decision. But the deaths continue and the political situation grows more complex, while the empire looks to be increasingly at risk of invasion by malignant powers. Acatl must go face-to-face with the most powerful god in his world and put the good of the empire above his antipathy for is rivals to achieve the uneasy succession. De Bodard incorporates historical fact with great ease and manages the rare feat of explaining complex culture and political system without lecturing or boring the reader.’ —Publishers Weekly ‘Another thing that intrigues me here is the whole fact that historically we know that the real empire died out mysteriously and completely and as such there is always that thought in the back of my mind that the author could choose to bring about the end of days. That highlighted sense of possible doom is something that is missing from too many novels. The way the story is told in this book is very impressive, the plot is both mature and seductive, twisting and turning like a weather vane in a force 9 gale while the action is both bloodthirsty and imaginative. The world building is fantastic and we get to learn even more of this rich culture and the many gods and creatures of the dark. I really can’t fault this book at all and recommend it to one and all but if you haven’t yet read Servant of the Underworld I suggest that you get them both and read them in order, you won’t be disappointed.’ —SF Book Reviews ‘Bodard’s writing is polished and striking, as she convincingly fills in the colorful elements of the Aztec culture–even if those colors tend to be of blood and bile as well as flowers and hummingbirds... beautiful, grimy, breathtaking, and morbid. 5*’ —Examiner ‘Aliette de Bodard has done it again. Harbinger of the Storm is an action packed Aztec mystery opera with magic, interventions from the gods and more twists and turns than the first book. It even has a love story with amusing snippets here and there... The story is self contained and can be enjoyed standalone, but you will not want to miss out on the first. I wish it was 2012 already even if the world is going under while I read the final Obsidian & Blood.’ —Cybermage

The Rumor

The Rumor PDF

Author: Lesley Kara

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Published: 2019-06-18

Total Pages: 338

ISBN-13: 1984819348

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“Keeps you guessing until the final page.”—Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train “A rollercoaster ride to the very last sentence.”—Fiona Barton, author of The Widow “Everyone will be talking about The Rumor.”—Shari Lapena, author of The Couple Next Door When a single mother hears a shocking rumor outside her son’s school, she never intends to pass it on. But one casual comment leads to another . . . and now there’s no going back. Rumor has it that a notorious killer, who committed a brutal crime as a child, has been living a new life under an assumed identity in Joanna’s seaside town. So who is the criminal hidden in their midst? Suspicion falls on everyone. As Joanna becomes obsessed with the case, her curiosity will expose her son and his father to the supposedly reformed murderer—who may be ready to kill again. She will learn how dangerous one rumor can become . . . and just how far she must go to protect those she loves. She is going to regret the day she ever said a word. Praise for The Rumor “A brilliant premise with a killer twist. The Rumor depicts the prejudices and secrets that simmer in a small seaside town to devastating effect.”—Colette McBeth, author of An Act of Silence “This mystery has an unusual and resonant theme—how a single rumor can morph into a completely unmanageable, deadly force. . . . [There’s] psychological acuity throughout and [an] astonishing ending.”—Booklist

Ovid's Metamorphoses

Ovid's Metamorphoses PDF

Author: Ovid

Publisher: JHU Press

Published: 2002

Total Pages: 580

ISBN-13: 9780801870606

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This landmark translation of Ovid was acclaimed by Ezra Pound as "the most beautiful book in the language (my opinion and I suspect it was Shakespeare's)". Ovid's deliciously witty and poignant epic starts with the creation of the world and brings together a series of ingeniously linked myths and legends in which men and women are transformed -- often by love -- into flowers, trees, stones, and stars. Golding's robustly vernacular version was the first major English translation and decisively influenced Shakespeare, Spenser, and the character of English Renaissance writing.