Best Selling Books by Paul Mason

Can you lick your own elbow? Could you pick up a car? Can you sneeze faster than a cheetah? This book takes a fun look at the human body by asking and answering a series of quirky yet thought-provoking questions such as these Although primarily a recreational read, the book nevertheless contains a wealth of fascinating information and bizarre facts about the human body that readers will be sure to find captivating."

Topics covered include: What is judo? The roots of judo; Getting started; Structure; Technique; Basics; Falling; Throws; Combinations and counters; Groundwork; Training; Warming up and stretching; Physical conditioning; Coordination and balance; Food and diet; Competition; Major competitions.

Learn about the various parts that make a bicycle, how to change them, and how to fix them.

Explores the basics of computer search and research, explaining the difference between search and research, how to search and how to organize the results of a search to turn them into research.

Topics covered include: equipment, technique (freestyle, butterfly, breaststroke, and backstroke), training, food and diet, competition, championships, race tactics, major competitions, being a champion.

As twentieth-century city planners invested in new transportation systems to deal with urban growth, they ensured that the automobile rather than mass transit would dominate transportation. Combining an exploration of planning documents, sociological studies, and popular culture, Paul Fotsch shows how our urban infrastructure developed and how it has shaped American culture ever since. Watching the Traffic Go By emphasizes the narratives underlying our perceptions of innovations in transportation by looking at the stories we have built around these innovations. Fotsch finds such stories in the General Motors "Futurama" exhibit at the 1939 World''s Fair, debates in Munsey''s magazine, films such as Double Indemnity, and even in footage of the O. J. Simpson chase along Los Angeles freeways. Juxtaposed with contemporaneous critiques by Lewis Mumford, Theodor Adorno, and Max Horkheimer, Fotsch argues that these narratives celebrated new technologies that fostered stability for business and the white middle class. At the same time, transportation became another system of excluding women and the poor, especially African Americans, by isolating them in homes and urban ghettos. A timely, interdisciplinary analysis, Watching the Traffic Go By exposes the ugly side of transportation politics through the seldom-used lens of popular culture.

Sharks—sleek, fast-moving predators with powerful jaws—can take care of themselves, right? Wrong! Thanks to humans, many shark species are officially endangered and some iconic sharks even face extinction. This has happened through demand for shark fin soup, big-game fishing, ocean pollution, and other threats to their survival. Discover why sharks need our protection and why we need them. True stories and fascinating science combined with superb photographs explain how these incredible hunters have become the hunted—and also how we can protect them in the future.

"Discover a habitat filled with steaming swamps and crawling with dinosaurs fighting to survive. Spread-by-spread match-ups pit species against one another in scientifically accurate battles, while fact files give report writers all the info they need at a glance"--Provided by publisher.

Describes the issues with the growing urbanization of the world, including unsafe and unsanitary conditions, shortages of resources, and pollution problems.

Examines mankind''s exploration of outer space, from early rockets, through the competition to land on the moon first, to the cooperative efforts leading to an international space station.

This engaging series examines places around the globe where life is anything but serene.

Lammas (or Lughnasa) is now one of the most obscure of the eight festivals of the witches'' Wheel of the Year. This book features practical advice on how to celebrate the festival, themes to explore, recipes, incense, spells, traditional types of divination, and information about several full rituals.

"Chances are, when you think of sharks, it''s the great white or hammerhead that swim into view! But the world''s oceans hold around 500 different species of sharks, and some are extremely bizarre. Check out sharks with strong fins used to crawl on land, a whip-like tail to stun fish, a saw-like snout, and cunning seaweed camouflage. Meet the owners of these cool features and find out how they use them. Superb photographs and action-packed text take you down to the depths to view an array of fascinating but rarely seen creatures"--Amazon.com.

Contents: Battle with Gravity; What is mountain biking?; Getting started; Bike Types; Biking Equipment; Bike Setup; Riding Style; Technique; Mountain Bike Muscle; Training Diary; Cross Training; Eating for Fitness; Racing Fuel; Support Crew; The Biking Year; Starting to Race; Race preparation; Big Competitions; The Racing Experience; Pro Rider; World Champions.

An authoritative and highly readable book on this popular species.

Get up to speed with the fastest cars around!

The awesome tricks and skillful moves of street soccer athletes are taking the urban sports scene by storm. Make sure it''s on your radar! Inside you''ll find these features: Blog Spot Read about a week in the life of a professional street soccer player! Five-Minute Interview Get the lowdown from street soccer coach and On the Radar expert Darren Laver. Top Five Check out five of the best street soccer games!

Presents an overview of the sport of skiing, including technique, equipment, guidelines, resources, and safety concerns.

"Stories of real-life shark attacks--including the famous attack on Mick Fanning as he defended a surfing title--are presented in non-sensational but high-energy text. The balanced approach with high-impact photos will satisfy shark lovers and report writers."--

Take a peek beneath the canopy of prehistoric forests to discover the world of dinosaurs. Spread-by-spread battles pit species against one another in scientifically accurate battles, while fact files give report writers the info they need at a glance.

"Expand the world by turning off the screens and unplugging with friends and family. Readers will be inspired to host a tea party, interview their elders, and save the planet before bedtime with 25 activities and projects to do with others"--

"Explore the unique world of dinosaurs in coastal habitats. Spread-by-spread match-ups pit species against one another in scientifically accurate battles. Fact files give report writers all the info they need at a glance."--

What sort of footprint are you leaving on the environment? Do you have a heavy footprint or a light footprint? Everything we do and everything we use has an impact on the environment. Heavy footprints harm the environment and use lots of natural resources. Light footprints harm the environment as little as possible and use fewer natural resources. Read the Environmental Footprints series to decide what type of footsteps you want to take in the future! In How Big Is Your Water Footprint? read about what makes up a travel footprint and the effect this has on the environment. Discover ways to reduce your travel footprint and live sustainably. Special Features Rethink! feature offer ways to lighten your footprints Case studies give real-life examples of heavy-footprint and light-footprint actions. Book jacket.

Excerpted from the Introduction The land Canoeing in North America has expanded in recent years to include practically every part of the map. In the United States people of all ages are taking to the rivers in ever-increasing numbers. Rivers that once were considered too dangerous are now canoed regularly as whitewater skills grow. In each state -- southern, prairie, mountain, or coastal -- canoeing has become a means of journeying into wilderness areas and providing the adventure that people are seeking. In Canada, you can put a canoe into the water at any major city and paddle to the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Arctic, or the Gulf of Mexico. The land is laced with a complex network of waterways; some are large, some are small, but most are navigable by canoe. When you look at the face of Canada and study the geography carefully, you come away with the feeling that God could have designed the canoe first and then set about to conceive a land in which it could flourish. The waterways are navigable because the canoe can be portaged easily around the difficult stretches of water. Even the portages over the height of land between watersheds are no longer than those around most rapids and falls. In one place the waters flowing to the Atlantic and the waters flowing to the Arctic are separated by no more than a beaver dam. It was the canoe that made it possible for the Indian to move around before and for several hundred years after the arrival of the white man. As the white man took over their land, the native people would regret the generosity with which they shared their amazing mode of travel. The more I study the birchbark canoe and what it can do, the greater is my admiration for these people who were here long before we arrived. The birchbark canoe is made entirely from materials found in the forest: birch bark, cedar, spruce roots, ash, and pine gum. When it is damaged, it can be repaired easily from the materials at hand. When it has served its purpose, it returns to the land, part of a never-ending cycle. Once you understand this cycle of growth, manufacture, use, and return to the land you begin to understand why our modern culture is in such trouble. The noncycle of growth, manufacture, use, and garbage is a dead end. This is not to discredit the marvelous things that modern technology brings us; but we need to be more aware of where we are headed and from whence we came. An appreciation of the canoe and acquisition of the necessary skills to utilize it as a way to journey back to what''''s left of the natural world is a great way to begin this voyage of discovery. The shrinking land There was a time when traveling a distance of 5,000 miles (8000 km) in North America would have been regarded as a very long way. Before the railroad. covering that kind of distance meant extreme hardships any way you chose to make the trip. Improving methods of transportation has been a high priority of human beings as far back into recorded history as you care to go. With each improvement the world has grown smaller. Today you can cover 5,000 miles in about eight hours. All you have to do is go to the airport (which is usually the hardest part), buy a ticket, and select a seat in the smoking or nonsmoking section of the aircraft. About the greatest discomfort you might expect to endure is to end up in the smoking section if you are a nonsmoker or vice versa. When the choice of travel was limited to horse, canoe. wagon, ox cart, or on foot, this 5,000 miles could have taken a couple of years. Today, the earth is indeed getting very small. However, trying to convince the world of business and commerce that there are places on this earth where distances should remain undiminished is not an easy task. Such an idea is very difficult to defend in monetary terms. Perhaps the best way to make a case for primitive methods of travel is in the form of a parable. Let''''s say you are hiking and come upon a beautiful, pristine lake nestled among high hills. You estimate to be a bout ten miles (16 Km) long and with great anticipation look forward to several days of a difficult but exciting journey of discovery around the shoreline. Before long a canoeist comes along and invites you to come aboard to make the journey easier. You gladly accept because the going is tough. Now you can get a better perspective on the shoreline and yet the pace is slow enough so that you do not miss anything. You are aware, however, that in accepting the ride the lake has diminished somewhat in size. You estimate that while hiking would have taken you at least four days, you will now be able to do it in an easy two. After a couple of miles, a motorboat comes along side and you a re offered a ride around the shoreline. The canoeist accepts, and while you are less than enthusiastic, you don''''t have much choice. As the 100 horsepower (74 600 W) engine roars into action, you slowly become aware that the lake is beginning to feel very small. As the trees and cliffs race by, you realize that what you had hoped to discover in four days is now going to be revealed in a couple of hours. The miles are eaten away as you speed through each bay and inlet and race by most of the islands. When the journey is over and you are dropped off at the point where you first came upon the lake, the mystery is gone. You''''ve seen it all; yet you''''ve seen nothing. The motorboat driver meant well, but he has only succeeded in diminishing the size of the lake. You set up camp and watch the lengthening shadows. As you look far down the lake, you wish that you did not already Know what lay around that point. You regret that your first view into the hidden bay will not be the reward of a difficult hike tomorrow. For many people, the case I have just attempted to make would seem pointless. To them scenery is scenery, any way you get to see it. To others, it makes a lot of sense. It''''s all a matter of perspective. What encourages me to write about the concept of keeping things undiminished by means of primitive travel is the fact that people do change their minds. I enjoy writing for the already converted, but the possibility that other people might awaken to this subtle concept of keeping what''''s left of the natural world big is why I write this book. There is no shortage of road builders and people who make their living by shrinking distance. They will succeed too well if there are not enough of us around to present a case for the preservation of the natural environment. Some of it is a I ready overcrowded to the detriment of the plants, animals and native people who lived there long before we arrived. They all have a right to exist because all, like us, were created. In our modern, man-made world we tend to forget this. A journey by canoe a long ancient waterways is a good way to rediscover our lost relationship with the natural world and the Creator who put it all together so long ago. The path of the paddle can be a means of getting things back into their original perspective.

Policing and the Media provides an up-to-date overview of the changing dynamics and dimensions of the relationships that exist on the British police-media nexus. Factual, fictional and factional representations of policing in the media are the major - and for a great many citizens probably the sole - influence in shaping their perceptions and opinions about crime, law and order, community safety, police efficiency and integrity, not to mention the efficacy of criminal justice and penal policy. This book deals with all three representations, noting the lines between such clear divisions are increasingly blurred and the concepts of reality, realism and representation, slippery and complex.

What sort of footprint are you leaving on the environment? Do you have a heavy footprint or a light footprint? Everything we do and everything we use has an impact on the environment. Heavy footprints harm the environment and use lots of natural resources. Light footprints harm the environment as little as possible and use fewer natural resources. Read the Environmental Footprints series to decide what type of footsteps you want to take in the future! In How Big Is Your Food Footprint? read about what makes up a food footprint and the effect this has on the environment. Discover ways to reduce your footprint and live sustainably. Special Features Rethink! feature offer ways to lighten your footprints Case studies give real-life examples of heavy-footprint and light-footprint actions. Book jacket.

The human body is full of amazingly complex systems. Science has helped explain so much about the way our bodies work, but there are still plenty of myths some consider as fact. Are human bones really four times as strong as concrete? How close can someone sit to a TV before damaging his or her eyes? This fun, informative book separates fact from fiction through the use of engaging fact boxes and specific scientific research to debunk some of the myths surrounding the human body.

Engage with the people in your community through 25 activities and projects designed to get you out into your neighborhood. Clean a neighbor''s car, walk a dog, organize a block party, clean up the trash, and more. Discover great ways to make new friends and give back.

What sort of footprint are you leaving on the environment? Do you have a heavy footprint or a light footprint? Everything we do and everything we use has an impact on the environment. Heavy footprints harm the environment and use lots of natural resources. Light footprints harm the environment as little as possible and use fewer natural resources. Read the Environmental Footprints series to decide what type of footsteps you want to take in the future! In How Big I Your Clothing Footprint? read about what makes up a clothing footprint and the effect this has on the environment. Discover ways to reduce your clothing footprint and live sustainable. Special Features Rethink! feature offer ways to lighten your footprints Case studies give real-life examples of heavy-footprint and light-footprint actions. Book jacket.

The world is full of amazing animals, but some u0093factsu0094 about them often seem too strange to be true. Do goldfish really have short memories? Is cow flatulence really ruining the ozone layer? This book takes a magnifying glass to some of the wildest things people say about animals to find the truth behind the exaggerations, misunderstandings, or even lies we accidentally spread as fact. Fact boxes throughout the book help readers separate the facts from fiction, and entertaining cartoons and illustrations add to the animal fun.

The sweeping grasslands are a raging battleground! Witness towering Utahraptors threatening a young Iguanacolossus, Allosaurus locked on to giant Brontosaurus, and other titanic fights to the death. No dinosaur can surrender--all want to be predator, not prey--

Cars are fascinating. They''re often quick, sleek, and complex. For many automobile lovers, American supercars are a favorite. Readers of this engaging volume will learn about some of the most well-known cars made in the country. A unique and easy-to-understand layout presents stats and facts about each car in a concise way. Detailed photographs are paired with informative captions and labels that help readers understand the different features of each car. Curious readers of all ages will love learning about these exciting vehicles.