Diane Coyle

This book examines the 1995 Chicago heat wave, one of the deadliest in American history, and how it was made worse by social, political, and institutional breakdowns in the city. Through years of research, including interviews and archival work, the author reveals surprising and unsettling forms of social breakdown that contributed to the high fatality rates. This incisive and gripping account highlights the contemporary urban condition and the challenges facing cities worldwide in the face of climate change.

Un elegante y absorbente recorrido por Tokio y sus habitantes. Durante más de 300 años, desde 1632 hasta 1854, los gobernantes de Japón restringieron el contacto con el extranjero, un casi aislamiento que fomentó una cultura notable y única que perdura hasta nuestros días. Durante su periodo de aislamiento, los habitantes de la ciudad de Edo, más tarde conocida como Tokio, confiaban en sus campanas públicas para dar la hora. En su extraordinario libro, Anna Sherman relata su búsqueda de las campanas de Edo, explorando la ciudad de Tokio y sus habitantes y la relación individual y particular de la cultura japonesa -y la lengua japonesa- con el tiempo, la tradición, la memoria, la impermanencia y la historia. A través de los viajes de Sherman por la ciudad y de su amistad con el propietario de una pequeña y exquisita cafetería, que eleva la preparación y el consumo de café a una forma de arte, ‘Las campanas del viejo Tokio’ sigue voces inquietantes a través del laberinto que es la capital japonesa: una anciana recuerda haber escapado de las bombas incendiarias estadounidenses de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Un científico construye el reloj más preciso del mundo, un reloj que no perderá un segundo en cinco mil millones de años. El jefe de la casa shogunal Tokugawa reflexiona sobre la destrucción de la ciudad de sus abuelos: "Una cosa perdida está perdida. Perseguirlo lleva a la oscuridad". El resultado es un libro que no sólo aborda como ningún otro la sorprendente otredad de la cultura japonesa, sino que también marca la llegada de una deslumbrante nueva escritora al presentar una absorbente y seductora meditación sobre la vida a través de la exploración de una gran ciudad y sus gentes.

This book uses the Grenfell Tower tragedy as a case study to explore why we persistently fail to learn from catastrophic events and what it would take to enable real systemic change. It identifies the key challenges and conditions that inhibit learning and offers an accessible model for disrupting the status quo. A must-read for those interested in change management, leadership, policy-making, law, housing, construction, and public safety.

Discover the fascinating history of mankind's battles with infectious disease in The Plague Cycle. This gripping read explores how plagues have influenced the size and vitality of cities, economies, and empires for over four thousand years. From exclusion methods like quarantining the sick to modern medicine, author Charles Kenny charts humanity's remarkable progress through history, economics, and public health. With climate and population fluctuations making us more vulnerable than ever to newly emerging plagues, urgent global cooperation is needed. This timely and vividly written book is perfect for fans of Yuval Harari's Sapiens and John Barry's The Great Influenza.

The convergence of identity and money is explored in this thought-provoking book. With the help of social networks and mobile phones, author David Birch argues that we will soon be able to use our online social contacts as unique records of identity, replacing the need for cash altogether. Birch predicts that these changes will enhance privacy and security, and encourage the proliferation of digital currencies. Described by The Telegraph as 'one of the world's leading experts on digital money', this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of finance.

Explore the story of a group of brilliant philosophers in Vienna during a dark time in Europe's history. Follow the rise and fall of the Vienna Circle, led by the philosopher Moritz Schlick, and their philosophical movement to eliminate metaphysics and pseudoscience. Learn about the influential members of the group, including Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper, and their championing of logical empiricism. Discover why their philosophy was seen as a threat by the Austro-fascists and the Nazis during the outbreak of World War II. Delve into the true story of the murder of Professor Schlick, and how it impacted the Vienna Circle and their legacy. David Edmonds' The Murder of Professor Schlick is an enthralling must-read for philosophy enthusiasts and history buffs alike.

Discover the unintended consequences of individual actions on large groups with this timeless exploration of the concept of "tipping" by Nobel Prize-winning author Thomas C. Schelling. Despite being over 25 years old, the stories in Micromotives and Macrobehavior remain as relevant and engaging as ever. Learn how seemingly small decisions can ultimately lead to significant outcomes for communities and societies as a whole through Schelling's analysis of social situations. This updated edition includes a new preface and acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize.

Explore the American past through a new lens with this groundbreaking history book. Renowned author Jill Lepore places truth itself at the heart of the nation's story, examining its three founding ideas of political equality, natural rights, and sovereignty of the people. But has America lived up to these truths? Lepore takes a deep dive into the state of politics, slavery, inequality, and technology. Engaging and thought-provoking, this book will forever alter your understanding of American history.

Explore the fascinating history of financial bubbles and discover why stock and housing markets experience booms and busts more frequently than ever before. Travel through time and across the world with authors William Quinn and John D. Turner, from Paris and London in 1720 to Shanghai in the 2000s. Learn why bubbles occur, the catastrophic consequences they can have, and how to predict future ones. Discover how bubbles start and why some have actually benefited society in this riveting ride through financial history.