Shedding The Veil

Shedding the Veil is a highly original overview of Europe's exploration and discovery beyond her own confines. It tackles the subject via an analysis of maps dating from circa 1434 to 1865, with an emphasis on the period before 1600. The book begins with an appraisal of the peculiar circumstances which led late medieval Europe to pursue long-distance travel, both overland and by sea, introduces cosmographic traditions inherited from classical times, and investigates pre-Columbian excursions into the western ocean. Finally, the great voyages and mappaemundi of the early sixteenth century are described in depth. After 1600 the focus begins to narrow North America and particularly to the colonization of the American Northeast. All maps discussed in detail are illustrated. 40 full-page b/w plates, 25 full-page color plates. Contents:Part One: A World Called Europe:PrecedentsThe World As Known to Medieval EuropeClassical Enlightenment: The Renaissance Before ColumbusPart Two: A New World:The Western Antipodes?The Race to Skirt AmericaTruly a Fourth Part of the GlobePart Three: Early Colonization:The British and FrenchThe DutchPre- and Post- Revolution Readership: General. keywords: “… it is wonderful that a single collector could put together such treasures! The author provides readers with good information in a spritely manner … The Book is physically attractive, and the sixty-five illustrations (40 black and white; 25 color) are good. According to David Jolly in the flyer about the book, it will be sought after by collectors and dealers. In my opinion scholars could learn much from it as well … The book offers a lively text about some very interesting and rare maps.” Meridian “It is based on selected items from the collection of Sidney R Knafel, the quality and depth of which is clearly shown in the book … It is good to see such a well illustrated book, and a work in which the discussions are clear, concise and informative … An unusual feature is the binding of the book which is imitation leather rather than the usual cloth binding. This should ensure its longevity.” The Map Collector “The individual entries not only describe the map, but contain a wealth of information on the historial context of each item. Many obscure but interesting sidelights are given … More than 300 footnotes and an extensive index evidence just how wide-ranging this work is … any collector or dealer will find this a valuable addition to their reference library.” Antique Map Handbook “The many explanatory footnotes will be of interest and help to less expert readers … Mr Knafel, the collector; Mr Suarez the compiler, and the publisher deserve credit for an outstanding production that should please cartomaniacs very much.” Cartomania “This recently published book is probably the best book available on the early maps of the dsicovery period. It also covers some important later maps chiefly relating to New England. The book is destined to be a classic.” Paul Mahoney “In this well produced book, Thomas Suárez illustrates and describes 61 maps and globes in the Sidney R Knafel Collection. The maps were produced between 1472 and 1865, a period which saw considerable developments in exploration, science and map-making … he shows wide knowledge and scholarship.” IMCOS Journal “The book's excellent scholarly commentary on the 61 maps discussed and illustrated sets it apart from the many coffee table publications which have appeared in recent years.” Society for the History of Discoveries “This book provide a very personal, interpretive look at important early map of the Americas … I enjoyed the journey — and know I will return to this book again and again. Mr Suarez has great respect for the maps he describes, both for their cartographic artistry and the intellectual puzzles they present us … This book represents a welcome and unusual linking of private collector, dealer, publisher and exhibitors.” Association of Canadian Map Libraries and Archives “Shedding the Veil is a welcome overview of an extensive private collection for which no catalogue had been published. For individuals interested in the history of cartography, Suárez serves as a knowledgeable guide to these cartographic documents, interpreting them in the light of the historical, political and cultural context in which they were shaped.” Cartographica

Casting Gender puts forward a vision of theatre, storytelling, and the performance of the everyday function within the lived spaces of its performers and audiences, asking how women artists/scholars embody meaning, carry social value, and constitute possible identities. Drawing on scholarship in intercultural communication, performance studies, women's studies, and cultural studies, this collection of new, critically informed research advances our understanding of how theater works as intercultural communication and as a vehicle for change. Casting Gender offers varied locations and sites of research, highlighting the rich diversity of women's cultural identities, roles, and societal positions. This book moves beyond the western-centered nature of intercultural performance and intercultural communication theory and practice by creating a forum for nonwestern voices.

Why Muslim women should not wear the veil Across much of the world today, Muslim women of all ages are increasingly choosing to wear the veil. Is this trend a sign of rising piety or a way of asserting Muslim pride? And does the veil really provide women freedom from sexual harassment? Written in the form of letters addressing all those interested in this issue, Questioning the Veil examines the inconsistent and inadequate reasons given for the veil, and points to the dangers and limitations of this highly questionable cultural practice. Marnia Lazreg, a preeminent authority in Middle East women's studies, combines her own experiences growing up in a Muslim family in Algeria with interviews and the real-life stories of other Muslim women to produce this nuanced argument for doing away with the veil. Lazreg stresses that the veil is not included in the five pillars of Islam, asks whether piety sufficiently justifies veiling, explores the adverse psychological effects of the practice on the wearer and those around her, and pays special attention to the negative impact of veiling for young girls. Lazreg's provocative findings indicate that far from being spontaneous, the trend toward wearing the veil has been driven by an organized and growing campaign that includes literature, DVDs, YouTube videos, and courses designed by some Muslim men to teach women about their presumed rights under the veil. An incisive mix of the personal and political, supported by meticulous research, Questioning the Veil will compel all readers to reconsider their views of this controversial and sensitive topic.

From New York Times bestselling author Barbara Wood: A magnificent coming-of-age saga about two sisters from an aristocratic Egyptian family who rebel against tradition. Inside a beautiful mansion on Virgins of Paradise Street in post-World War II Cairo, Jasmine and Camelia Rasheed grow to womanhood under the watchful eyes of their grandmother and the other women of the prominent Rasheed family. Despite the glamour and elegance of the city, women still wear the veil and live in harems. But as Egypt begins to change, so do Jasmine and Camelia. Rebelling against a society in which the suppression of women is assumed, Jasmine and Camelia embark on turbulent personal and professional voyages of discovery. Cast out of the family, Jasmine travels to America to become a doctor while Camelia sets out to become one of the foremost beledi dancers in the Middle East. Sensuous, spicy, and romantic, Virgins of Paradise is a spellbinding novel set in an exotic and erotic culture. Brilliantly portraying two sisters' search for identity amidst historic change, Wood also conveys a portrait of an ancient nation merging into the modern era while mired in superstition, magic, and mythology.

From Fouad Ajami, an acclaimed author and chronicler of Arab politics, comes a compelling account of how a generation of Arab intellectuals tried to introduce cultural renewals in their homelands through the forces of modernity and secularism. Ultimately, they came to face disappointment, exile, and, on occasion, death. Brilliantly weaving together the strands of a tumultuous century in Arab political thought, history, and poetry, Ajami takes us from the ruins of Beirut's once glittering metropolis to the land of Egypt, where struggle rages between a modernist impulse and an Islamist insurgency, from Nasser's pan-Arab nationalist ambitions to the emergence of an uneasy Pax Americana in Arab lands, from the triumphalism of the Gulf War to the continuing anguished debate over the Israeli-Palestinian peace accords. For anyone who seeks to understand the Middle East, here is an insider's unflinching analysis of the collision between intellectual life and political realities in the Arab world today.