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Monday, December 29, 2014

Paul Krugman on the Great Illusion of Agressive Wars


http://www.cosimobooks.com/b3299_The-Great-Illusion-1616402563-9781616402563.htm

New York Times columnist and Noble prize winning economist, Paul Krugman, last week in his column described the futility of aggressive wars as already explained in the 1909 classic book "The Great Illusion", whether by Russian President Vladimir Putin or by neo-cons in the U.S. This is what Krugman said in "Conquest is for Losers":

"More than a century has passed since Norman Angell, a British journalist and politician, published “The Great Illusion,” a treatise arguing that the age of conquest was or at least should be over. He didn’t predict an end to warfare, but he did argue that aggressive wars no longer made sense — that modern warfare impoverishes the victors as well as the vanquished.

He was right, but it’s apparently a hard lesson to absorb. Certainly Vladimir Putin never got the memo. And neither did our own neocons, whose acute case of Putin envy shows that they learned nothing from the Iraq debacle. 

Angell’s case was simple: Plunder isn’t what it used to be. You can’t treat a modern society the way ancient Rome treated a conquered province without destroying the very wealth you’re trying to seize. And meanwhile, war or the threat of war, by disrupting trade and financial connections, inflicts large costs over and above the direct expense of maintaining and deploying armies. War makes you poorer and weaker, even if you win........"

Krugman explains that since Putin's land-grab of Crimea, that region's economy imploded and due to sanctions Russia is now in the midst of a financial crisis. No success here for Putin's warmongering.  Then Krugman continues with the example of the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq, heavily promoted by neo-cons in 2003 and beyond, that has only resulted in destruction of a country, and grave loss in blood and treasure to the US over the eleven years since the invasion started. Still, some of these neocons seem to be impressed with Putin's "leadership", and have not learned any lessons from the catastrophic consequences of their ideas. Krugman concludes his column with:

"...America is a true superpower, so we can handle such losses — although one shudders to think of what might have happened if the “real men” had been given a chance to move on to other targets. But a financially fragile petroeconomy like Russia doesn’t have the same ability to roll with its mistakes.
 I have no idea what will become of the Putin regime. But Mr. Putin has offered all of us a valuable lesson. Never mind shock and awe: In the modern world, conquest is for losers."

Cosimo is proud to have once again made available a classic book with enduring value and lessons for modern day readers. Cosimo has several books by Sir Norman Angell available, including for true book lovers,  a hard cover of "The Great Illusion".









Wednesday, December 17, 2014

"Many New Years" Poetry Collection for the Holidays by Vera Srbinović


http://www.amazon.com/Mnoge-nove-godine-Many-Years/dp/8683517802/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418848004&sr=1-1&keywords=Mnoge+Nove+Godine%2C+Many+New+Years
Cosimo is proud to present this holiday season
Mnoge Nove Godine/Many NewYears, a beautiful New Year’s holiday collection of poems in English and Serbian (originally published by Dan Graf in Belgrade, Serbia.)

Ranging from the present back to 1998, award winning poet - and Cosimo author - Vera Srbinović showcases one poem for every year. The artwork in this hard cover book was created by the poet herself as colorful New Year’s cards symbolizing the events that took place that year. 

As this holiday season extends into next year for many Orthodox Christians, who will be celebrating Christmas on January 7 and New Year on January 14, Many New Years is the perfect holiday gift for poetry lovers, or those interested in European culture and history.
 
Vera Srbinović has received widespread praise for her work, including:
 
“Her poems are Pushkinesque, warm and tender.”
-  Politika (a leading Belgrade daily)

“Her poems seem to be sprinkled with gold-dust.”
- Snezana Lukić, in the Belgrade art magazine Bazar
 
But let her art speak for itself in the following poem from Many New Years:

 
 2014


As if the stars came down to Earth and Sea
Into this night on a black winged steed
They fly over cities, forests and fields
Celebrating the end of the year
Covered in pollen and snowflakes
In my eye covered with snow
Ancient nights repeat like a kaleidoscope
Light breeze strums the strings
Purple fires of Atlas
Covered in heavenly dust
                                          


Many New Years/Mnoge Nove Godine is in the U.S. only available from Amazon (or if bulk sales from Cosimo)





Tuesday, December 16, 2014

December Series of the Month: The Complete Works of Charles Dickens

The Complete Works of Charles DickensWith Christmas right around the corner, it's inevitable that Scrooge and Oliver Twist will be popping up on everyone's television. However, Charles Dickens' fascinating works are truest in their original form--books. This month, Cosimo is excited to present The Complete Works of Charles Dickens as its December Series of the Month.

Charles Dickens is iconic, legendary, and masterfully clever. In these thirty beautiful volumes, which include each and every work written by Charles Dickens, readers can immerse themselves in the mind of one of history's most celebrated literary geniuses. He is entirely responsible for the popular image of Victorian London that still lingers today, and his many celebrated characters are mentioned time and time again. But it was his stirring portraits and his fervent cries for social, moral, and legal justice for the working poor in the grim early decades of the Industrial Revolution that powerfully impacted social concerns well into the 20th century.

This essential collector's set will excite librarians, professors, students of literature, and the passionate reader. Cosimo offers this series by individual volume at leading online bookstores or as a full 30-volume set in hardcover or paperback. If you are interested in purchasing the full set, please contact us.
 
The paperback retail list price for this series is: $389.70 but now our price is: $311.99 (you save $77.71 or a 20 percent discount)

The hardcover retail list price for this series is: $899.70, but now our price is: $719.99 (you save $179.71 or a 20 percent discount)

Thursday, December 11, 2014

December Classic of the Month: Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates

"Gretel looked at her [mother] in troubled silence, wondering whether it were very wicked to care more for one parent than for the other-and sure, yes, quite sure, that she dreaded her father, while she clung to her mother with a love that was almost idolatry." -- from Hans Brinker

A beloved childhood favorite for a century and a half--and a book that readers continue to enjoy and appreciate long into adulthood--Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates went through more than 100 editions during the author's lifetime alone. First published in 1865, this replica of the 1917 edition features the exquisite illustrations by Alice Carsey, whose sensitive eye and delicate pen-and-ink lines enliven the tale of the poor but virtuous Dutch boy in a way that few other artists have achieved. This replica edition brings the enchanting work of Dodge and Carsey to a new generation of children.

Dodge's book takes place in the Netherlands and is a fictional portrait of early 19th-century Dutch life. The perfect gift for the children's lit lover, young adult reader, and avid bookworms in your life.

About the Author
Author and editor Mary Mapes Dodge (1831-1905) was born in New York City. She served as editor of the children's magazine St. Nicholas, to which she attracted such writers as Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, Robert Louis Stevenson, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and Rudyard Kipling. She also authored the short-fiction collection Irvington Stories (1864).

Cosimo is happy to offer Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates in both hardcover and paperback formats at leading online bookstores including Barnes & Noble (paperbackhardcover) and Amazon (paperbackhardcover).




Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Announcing Bram Stroker's Dracula now available in Ebook Format

In honor of the release of Dracula Untold, the newest action horror movie adaptation loosely based on the 1897 novel Dracula, Cosimo is happy to announce the publication of Bram Stoker's famously creepy tale as an eBook!

Stoker's Dracula is perhaps one of the best known and most influential books in all of literature. His novel didn't merely inspire countless adaptations for stage and film, it invented an entire genre of horror: the vampire story, which continues to evolve and change today into wildly varied directions, from romance, to detective stories, to symbolizing current topics and movements. 
  
The story of English solicitor Jonathan Harker and his strange new client, Transylvanian aristocrat Count Dracula, is the classic work of Victorian gothic horror, the continuing eerie wellspring of many of our cultural fantasies and nightmares.

Still haunting and terrifying even today, Dracula is a must-read for those interested in the origins of the vampire genre.  

About the Author
Irish author Abraham (Bram) Stoker (1847-1912) worked for more than a quarter of a century as manager of the West End's Lyceum Theatre, which drew him into London's literary and artists circles; he was a friend of such luminaries as writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and painter James Abbott McNeill Whistler. Stoker is also the author of Famous Impostors, among many other books.

Cosimo is proud to offer this title in both hardcover and paperback at leading online bookstores including Barnes & Noble (paperbackhardcover) and Amazon (paperbackhardcover), and now newly available as an eBook.




Thursday, December 4, 2014

December Book of the Month: The Joy of Ritual


In spirit of the the holiday season, Cosimo is thrilled to offer The Joy of Ritual by Barbara Biziou as our December Book of the Month. 

Rituals are fundamental elements to this time of year, and help to bring substance, meaning, and cheer to our lives. Rituals can enhance daily routines, enrich milestones, and guide us through difficult transitions. They help to release fear, bring deeper meaning to a family or community gathering, and bring greater enjoyment to an an important event. 

In this wonderful book, Barbara Biziou, one of America's foremost ritual experts, teaches us how to restore ritual to its rightful place---as food for the soul---through practical, easy-to-use recipes that are inspiring and enjoyable.


To see Barbara Biziou in action, see the below clip on modern holiday rituals:



 And another clip with a preview on Vision 2015, a workshop on how to start the New Year:
 
 


About the Author
Barbara Biziou is an interfaith minister, motivational speaker, and a life-strategy coach. She is the author of The Joy of Ritual & The Joy of Family Rituals, as well as a Huffington Post blogger, executive consultant, dynamic public speaker, and national TV personality. Biziou has a deep commitment to integrating practical spirituality into people's lives, both personally and professionally. She is a frequent guest on radio and television and has appeared in the New York Times, Body and Soul, Harper's Bazaar and Parent's Magazine.

Cosimo offers this title in paperback at leading online bookstores including Barnes & Noble and Amazon, and also as an eBook for Kindle, Nook, and Kobo.





Tuesday, December 2, 2014

An Interpretation of Shakespeare's Sonnets

William Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest writer who ever lived. He has not only dominated the stage with his magnificent plays, but he has won the hearts of many with his exquisite, and clever sonnets. In fact, his sonnets are deemed so clever, that no, one clear interpretation exists for each. As a result, for centuries they have inspired classes and discussions within almost every University. They have driven scholars to dedicate their lives to understanding the works' meanings. Shakespeare's beautifully crafted language tells history, love, and love lost and has been the inspiration for many developments.

Cosimo shares with you one individual's detailed observations and interpretations of Shakespeare's sonnets, which open the mind's eye to a whole new view of the master-mind's work. Alan Tarica, although without a formal training in the Humanities, developed a keen interest in the poetic works. His interpretations, which are displayed on his website, have caught the eye's of many. If you are in need of an intellectual challenge, or are an avid reader of Shakespeare's sonnets, Alan Tarica's website is sure to interest you.

Cosimo is proud to offer Poems and Sonnets of William Shakespeare in paperback at leading online bookstores including Barnes & Noble and Amazon.