Places Of Last Resort

Northerly locations were desperately sought out after more accessible land further south was taken up. Wood identifies the demographic characteristics of the surging population of land-seekers, showing how some aspects echoed those of earlier settlers. The northern settlers of the interwar years grappled with demanding conditions, which required new adaptations. They were supported in their efforts by politicians, bureaucrats, and religious leaders who had less than innocent reasons for endorsing what were questionable settlement experiments in unopened or abandoned areas. The book includes a series of gripping case studies to illustrate both the face of failure and what appear to have been the ingredients for success in marginal areas.

A stimulating overview of the intellectual arguments and critical debates involved in the study of British and Irish cinemas British and Irish film studies have expanded in scope and depth in recent years, prompting a growing number of critical debates on how these cinemas are analysed, contextualized, and understood. A Companion to British and Irish Cinema addresses arguments surrounding film historiography, methods of textual analysis, critical judgments, and the social and economic contexts that are central to the study of these cinemas. Twenty-nine essays from many of the most prominent writers in the field examine how British and Irish cinema have been discussed, the concepts and methods used to interpret and understand British and Irish films, and the defining issues and debates at the heart of British and Irish cinema studies. Offering a broad scope of commentary, the Companion explores historical, cultural and aesthetic questions that encompass over a century of British and Irish film studies—from the early years of the silent era to the present-day. Divided into five sections, the Companion discusses the social and cultural forces shaping British and Irish cinema during different periods, the contexts in which films are produced, distributed and exhibited, the genres and styles that have been adopted by British and Irish films, issues of representation and identity, and debates on concepts of national cinema at a time when ideas of what constitutes both ‘British’ and ‘Irish’ cinema are under question. A Companion to British and Irish Cinema is a valuable and timely resource for undergraduate and postgraduate students of film, media, and cultural studies, and for those seeking contemporary commentary on the cinemas of Britain and Ireland.

The steep rise in neighborhood associations in post-Katrina New Orleans is commonly presented in starkly positive or negative terms – either romanticized narratives of community influence or dismissals of false consciousness and powerlessness to elite interests. In A Neighborhood Politics of Last Resort Stephen Danley offers a messier and ultimately more complete picture of these groups as simultaneously crucial but tenuous social actors. Through a comparative case study based on extensive fieldwork in post-Katrina New Orleans, Danley follows activists in their efforts to rebuild their communities, while also examining the dark underbelly of NIMBYism ("not in my backyard"), characterized by racism and classism. He elucidates how neighborhood activists were tremendously inspired in their defense of their communities, at times outwitting developers or other perceived threats to neighborhood life, but they could be equally creative in discriminating against potential neighbors and fighting to keep others out of their communities. Considering the plight of grassroots activism in the context of national and global urban challenges, A Neighborhood Politics of Last Resort immerses the reader in the daily minutiae of post-Katrina life to reveal how multiple groups responded to the same crisis with inconsistent and often ad-hoc approaches, visions, and results.

In a kingdom ravaged by the beasts and terrors of an ancient war, the only hope against them is the army of mixed-blood beings known as the King's Legion: dragoons, shadowmarch, sorcerers, titans... and the Princes of the Blood, nigh-invincible warriors of fearsome magic and strength, their only weakness a need for pure human blood. When his brother runs away, Raffé agrees to undergo the Blooding, but he is a pale imitation of his strong, capable brother. No one expects him to survive and become a Prince, merely to die to save the rest of his family and preserve honor. But runaways and weaklings are the least of the kingdom's concerns when an ancient evil returns with new tricks, and their only hope lies with knowledge long lost and a fierce bond forged in darkness...

The author of Close-Up: How to Read the American City now offers another original vision of our changing environment. With the offbeat, witty style that has made him a favorite among readers and radio listeners, Clay travels "across the grain"--from the heart of the city out to the country--to catalog and illustrate a unique cross-section of America. Maps and line drawings.

The Caribbean has the fortune—and the misfortune̬to be everyone's idea of a tropical paradise. Its sun, sand and scenery attract millions of visitors each year and make it a profitable destination for the world's fastest growing industry. Tourism is increasingly touted as its only hope of creating jobs and wealth—literally, the island's last resort. Last Resorts examines the real impact of tourism on the people and landscape of the Caribbean. It explores the structure of ownership of the industry and shows that the benefits it brings to the region do not live up to its claims. New developments in ecotourism, sex tourism, and the burgeoning cruise industry are not changing this pattern of short-term exploitation of the region's resources. The book shows how Caribbean societies are corrupted by tourism and its culture turned into floorshow parody. This new edition has been extensively revised and updated. It gives voice to people inside the tourism industry, its critics, and tourists themselves, and offers vital insights into a phenomenon that is central to the globalized world of today.

Why would Abigail Bissett suddenly resign as an FBI profiler to take a position with Carnival Cruise lines revamping shore excursions in Mediterranean ports? Why would she embark on a new life thousands of miles from Brookline, Massachusetts, her hometown? "I don't understand why you'd leave a job that you spent years training for and clearly love for a position that is inconsequential in the scheme of things," her mother pleads over coffee hours before Abby departs. "Because I can no longer deal with psychologically sick people out there," Abby responds. "The serial killers. The serial rapists. The child molesters. You get the point, Mom." "I do," Carole grudgingly responds. "But I've never known you to run from a challenge." "Maybe my FBI career has changed me," says Abby. "Look at it this way, Mom. I'm taking on a new challenge-one that's less stressful." In LAST RESORT, travel with Abby on an anything but typical cruise aboard the Carnival Liberty.