Offbeat North America 1

Discover 100 unique travel experiences in North America where tourists are few and far between, from Central Alberta's deserted ghost towns to the wild horses of Assateague Island. Featuring alternative destinations across the region, this inspiring guide takes readers beyond the classic bucket list to reveal unforgettable crowd-free adventures. Hike beneath a canopy of green forest in Canada's wild and unspoilt Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario; or spot humpback whales on eco-conscious off-shore tours as they make a splash in the Dominican Republic's Samana Bay. From under-the-radar national reserves to small towns with big personalities, these remarkable, yet lesser known spots have so much to offer. Travelers will also learn how their visit can benefit local communities and up-and-coming neighborhoods; with sustainable travel options highlighted wherever possible. Inside Offbeat North America: - 100 lesser-known destinations with hidden gems from each of the USA's 50 states, along with Canada, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic - Go if you like comparisons offering magnificent alternatives to over-populated sites and landmarks for amazing crowd-free experiences - Insider knowledge on how your visit can make a positive impact on local businesses - Helpful tips for first-time travelers - Expert advice on why you should go, when you should go and how to get there - Presented in a beautiful hardcover format with striking photography, practical planning information and handy maps Connect with vibrant cultures, unearth amazing stories and make these exhilarating under-the-radar travel experiences part of your next great trip. Perfect for curious minds, Offbeat North America is a must-read for anyone dreaming of, or planning an upcoming adventure. Gift this unique book to the traveler in your life or simply keep these off-the-beaten track destinations all to yourself. About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet, a Red Ventures Company, is the world's number one travel guidebook brand. Providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveler since 1973, Lonely Planet reaches hundreds of millions of travelers each year online and in print and helps them unlock amazing experiences. Visit us at lonelyplanet.com and join our community of followers on Facebook (facebook.com/lonelyplanet), Twitter (@lonelyplanet), Instagram (instagram.com/lonelyplanet), and TikTok (@lonelyplanet). 'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' - Fairfax Media (Australia)

The Maps for Curious Minds series is back—with 100 vivid infographic maps that transform the way we understand the cultural and geographical wonders of North America No matter how well you think you know North America, the 100 infographic maps in this singular atlas uncover a trove of fresh wonders that make the continent seem like the center of the universe. Did you know that North America is where the first T. rex was found? Or that it’s where you can visit the world’s biggest geode as well as its oldest, tallest, and largest trees—not to mention the world’s tallest and steepest roller coasters?! Brimming with fascinating insight (Who is the highest-paid public employee in each state?) and whimsical discovery (Where can you visit the world’s largest island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island?), this book highlights the unexpected contours of geography, history, nature, politics, and culture, revealing new ways to see North America—and the hundreds of millions who call it home.

The Concise Garland Encyclopedia of World Music comprises two volumes, and can only be purchased as the two-volume set. To purchase the set please go to: http://www.routledge.com/9780415972932

Rhythm & blues emerged from the African American community in the late 1940s to become the driving force in American popular music over the next half-century. Although sometimes called “doo-wop,” “soul,” “funk,” “urban contemporary,” or “hip-hop,” R&B is actually an umbrella category that includes all of these styles and genres. It is in fact a modern-day incarnation of a musical tradition that stretches back to nineteenth-century America, and even further to African beginnings. The New Blue Music: Changes in Rhythm & Blues, 1950-1999 traces the development of R&B from 1950 to 1999 by closely analyzing the top twenty-five songs of each decade. The music of artists as wide-ranging as Louis Jordan; John Lee Hooker; Ray Charles; James Brown; Earth, Wind & Fire; Michael Jackson; Public Enemy; Mariah Carey; and Usher takes center stage as the author illustrates how R&B has not only retained its traditional core style, but has also experienced a “re-Africanization” over time. By investigating musical elements of form, style, and content in R&B—and offering numerous musical examples—the book shows the connection between R&B and other forms of American popular and religious music, such as spirituals, ragtime, blues, jazz, country, gospel, and rock 'n' roll. With this evidence in hand, the author hypothesizes the existence of an even larger musical “super-genre” which he labels “The New Blue Music.”

A leading expert provides an engaging firsthand portrait of American Judaism today American Judaism has been buffeted by massive social upheavals in recent decades. Like other religions in the United States, it has witnessed a decline in the number of participants over the past forty years, and many who remain active struggle to reconcile their hallowed traditions with new perspectives—from feminism and the LGBTQ movement to “do-it-yourself religion” and personally defined spirituality. Taking a fresh look at American Judaism today, Jack Wertheimer, a leading authority on the subject, sets out to discover how Jews of various orientations practice their religion in this radically altered landscape. Which observances still resonate, and which ones have been given new meaning? What options are available for seekers or those dissatisfied with conventional forms of Judaism? And how are synagogues responding? Wertheimer provides new and often-surprising answers to these questions by drawing on a wide range of sources, including survey data, visits to countless synagogues, and revealing interviews with more than two hundred rabbis and other informed observers. He finds that the majority of American Jews still identify with their faith but often practice it on their own terms. Meanwhile, gender barriers are loosening within religiously traditional communities, while some of the most progressive sectors are reappropriating long-discarded practices. Other recent developments include “start-ups” led by charismatic young rabbis, the explosive growth of Orthodox “outreach,” and unconventional worship experiences often geared toward millennials. Wertheimer captures the remarkable, if at times jarring, tableaux on display when American Jews practice their religion, while also revealing possibilities for significant renewal in American Judaism. What emerges is a quintessentially American story of rash disruption and creative reinvention, religious illiteracy and dynamic experimentation.

The first major new work from the man who taught America How to Cook Everything is truly the one book a cook needs for a perfect dinner--easy, fancy, or meatless, as the occasion requires. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR BY LIBRARY JOURNAL Mark Bittman is revered for his simple, straightforward, and flexible approach to everyday cooking. In Dinner for Everyone, he shares 100 essential main dishes, each with easy, vegan, and all-out recipes as the mood or occasion requires. These 300 all-new recipes, accompanied by more than 100 full-color photographs, form a diverse collection that includes quick meals for busy weeknights (hearty soups, tacos, and one-pot pastas), creative plant-based fare that will please both vegans and non-vegans alike (lemon polenta with mushroom ragu, pomegranate-glazed eggplant, or cauliflower tinga tacos), and impressive dishes perfect for entertaining (handmade noodles and even your Thanksgiving centerpiece). Whatever the experience level, craving, or time constraint, home cooks will find exactly what they need to prepare all their favorites with confidence and enthusiasm. Rooted in Mark's philosophy of using efficient cooking techniques, fresh ingredients, and basic equipment--and written in his signature to-the-point style--Dinner for Everyone is a one-stop, indispensable reference for life's ultimate question: What's for dinner?

When The Beatles arrived in postwar America, Beatlemania swept the nation as hysterical girls flocked to the band and young men grew out their hair. In this book Andrew Hunt explores this wildly enthusiastic fandom from the bottom-up. Showcasing oral histories, fan magazines, club newsletters, newspapers and personal memoirs, he uncovers The Beatles' fan culture from the perspective of Beatlemaniacs, Beatlephobes and ordinary Americans to understand the impact it had on society at large. Offering a cultural history from below, Beatlemania in America highlights previously neglected voices of fans, critics, parents, teachers and politicians. It contextualises the Beatles fandom against a wider, global perspective of changing cultures and shows how this band was part of a wider shift of social change. It delves into who Beatles fans were and shows how their collective voice gave them power. Exploring themes of gender and race in this turbulent and tumultuous era of American history, it highlights the social issues and debates provoked by this subculture which foreshadowed the arrival of an increasingly polarized society.

"Frightening...Firestorm comes alive when Struzik discusses the work of offbeat scientists." --New York Times Book Review "Comprehensive and compelling." --Booklist "A powerful message." --Kirkus "Should be required reading." --Library Journal In the spring of 2016, the world watched as wildfire ravaged the Canadian town of Fort McMurray. Firefighters named the fire "the Beast." It seemed to be alive with destructive energy, and they hoped never to see anything like it again. Yet it's not a stretch to imagine we will all soon live in a world in which fires like the Beast are commonplace. In Firestorm, Edward Struzik confronts this new reality, offering a deftly woven tale of science, economics, politics, and human determination. It's possible for us to flourish in the coming age of megafires--but it will take a radical new approach that requires acknowledging that fires are no longer avoidable. Living with fire also means, Struzik reveals, that we must better understand how the surprising, far-reaching impacts of these massive fires will linger long after the smoke eventually clears.