By Murray Gell-Mann

From the Preface: “…The book is divided into four parts. At the beginningof the first part, I describe some personal experiences that led me to write it. Taking long walks in tropical forests, studying birds, and planning nature conservation activities, I became excited by the idea of sharing with readers my growing awareness of the links between the fundamental laws of physics and the world we see around us. All my life I have loved exploring the realm of living things, but my professional life has been devoted mostly to research on the fundamental laws. These laws underlie all of science (in a sense that is discussed in this book) but often seem far removed from most experience, including a great deal of experience in the other sciences. Reflecting on questions of simplicity and complexity, we perceive connections that help to link together all the phenomena of nature, from the simplest to the most complex…”

London. Little, Brown and Company. 1994. 386p. CONTAINS MARK-UP

By Madeleine Chapman

"Jacinda Ardern: A new kind of leader" is a book by journalist Madeleine Chapman, published in 2019. The book explores the life and career of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who became the youngest female head of government in the world when she took office in 2017.

Chapman traces Ardern's journey from her childhood in rural New Zealand to her rise to political prominence. She examines Ardern's leadership style, which emphasizes empathy, inclusivity, and a commitment to social justice, and shows how these values have informed her policies and decisions.

The book also explores some of the key challenges that Ardern has faced during her time in office, including the Christchurch mosque shootings in 2019, which she responded to with compassion and strength, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which she has managed with decisiveness and effectiveness.

Throughout the book, Chapman presents Ardern as a unique and inspiring figure, whose leadership style represents a departure from traditional political norms. She argues that Ardern's approach to leadership has resonated with people around the world, and that she has become a powerful symbol of hope and change in a time of global uncertainty.

Carlton Australia. Schwartz Books. 2020. 301p.

By John Morgan

"The Life and Adventures of William Buckley" is a memoir by John Morgan, first published in 1852. The book tells the story of William Buckley, a convict who escaped from a penal colony in Australia in 1803 and lived among the indigenous Wathaurong people for over thirty years.

The memoir follows Buckley's journey as he navigates the rugged Australian landscape, surviving harsh conditions and encounters with hostile indigenous groups. It also explores the complex relationships between the British colonizers and the indigenous people of Australia, highlighting the violence and exploitation that characterized their interactions.

Throughout the book, Morgan portrays Buckley as a sympathetic and resilient figure, whose experiences shed light on the harsh realities of life in colonial Australia. He also provides insights into the cultural practices and beliefs of the Wathaurong people, offering a rare glimpse into their way of life before the arrival of European settlers.

"The Life and Adventures of William Buckley" is a fascinating and important historical document that provides valuable insights into the early years of European colonization in Australia. It is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of adaptation, as well as a reminder of the ongoing struggles for justice and reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.

Canberra, Caliban Books,. 1852. 249p.

By Li Cunxin

In a compelling memori of life in Maoist China, the acclaimed dancer describes how he was swept from his poverty-stricken family in rural China to study ballet with the Peking Dance Academy, his rise to success in the world of Chinese ballet, his dramatic defection at age eighteen in the United States, and his new life in the West.

Raised in a desperately poor village during the height of China's Cultural Revolution, Li Cunxin's childhood revolved around the commune, his family and Chairman Mao's Little Red Book.

Until, that is, Madame Mao's cultural delegates came in search of young peasants to study ballet at the academy in Beijing and he was thrust into a completely unfamiliar world.

When a trip to Texas as part of a rare cultural exchange opened his eyes to life and love beyond China's borders, he defected to the United States in an extraordinary and dramatic tale of Cold War intrigue.

Told in his own distinctive voice, this is Li's inspirational story of how he came to be Mao's last dancer, and one of the world's greatest ballet dancers.

Australia. Penguin Random House. 2005. 522p.

By Charles Darwin. Edited By Francis Darwin.

From the editor: In preparing this volume, which is practically an abbre­viation of the Life and Letters (1887), my aim has been to retain as far as possible the personal parts of those volumes. To render this feasible, large numbers of the more purely scientific letters are omitted, or represented by the citation of a few sentences. In certain periods of my father’s life the scientific and the personal elements run a parallel course, rising and falling together in their degree of inter­est. Thus the writing of the Origin of Species, and its publication, appeal equally to the reader who follows my father’s career from interest in the man, and to the natural­ist who desires to know something of this turning point in the history of Biology. This part of the story has there­fore been told with nearly the full amount of available detail.

NY. Dover Publications. 1892. 408p.