A significant reinterpretation of Sarawak history, Power and Prowess explores the network of power, economic and ritual relationships that developed on the northwest coast of Borneo in the mid-nineteenth century, from which a coalition led by James Brooke established the state of Sarawak. Where many authors placed Brooke in the context of nineteenth century British imperialism, this study perceives him in the context of Bornean cultures and political economies. Brooke emerges from the historical record as a 'man of prowess', with the author identifying important ritual sources of Brooke's power among Malays, Bidayuh and Ibans, sources which derived from and expressed indigenous cultural traditions about fertility, health and status. Drawing on conceptual frameworks from political science, as well as recent southeast Asian historiography, Power and Prowess offers a detailed political history of the period and new interpretations of Brooke's career. This study also retrieves from the historical sources previously concealed narratives which reflect the interests, priorities and activities of Sarawak people themselves. J.H. WALKER lectures in political science at the University of New South Wales at the Australian Defence Force Academy.

Power and Prowess reexamines the formation of Sarawak in the middle of the nineteenth century, offering a detailed political history of the period as well as a new interpretation of the establishment of the state by James Brooke and the reactions of indigenous leaders and groups.

Site Reading offers a new method of literary and cultural interpretation and a new theory of narrative setting by examining five sites—supermarkets, dumps, roads, ruins, and asylums—that have been crucial to American literature and visual art since the mid-twentieth century. Against the traditional understanding of setting as a static background for narrative action and character development, David Alworth argues that sites figure in novels as social agents. Engaging a wide range of social and cultural theorists, especially Bruno Latour and Erving Goffman, Site Reading examines how the literary figuration of real, material environments reorients our sense of social relations. To read the sites of fiction, Alworth demonstrates, is to reveal literature as a profound sociological resource, one that simultaneously models and theorizes collective life. Each chapter identifies a particular site as a point of contact for writers and artists—the supermarket for Don DeLillo and Andy Warhol; the dump for William Burroughs and Mierle Laderman Ukeles; the road for Jack Kerouac, Joan Didion, and John Chamberlain; the ruin for Thomas Pynchon and Robert Smithson; and the asylum for Ralph Ellison, Gordon Parks, and Jeff Wall—and shows how this site mediates complex interactions among humans and nonhumans. The result is an interdisciplinary study of American culture that brings together literature, visual art, and social theory to develop a new sociology of literature that emphasizes the sociology in literature.

Discover Your Power. Eighteen-year-old Dane Willows has long awaited his chance to compete in the Trials of Power, a rigorous triumvirate of tests designed to challenge intelligence, survival instinct, and combat prowess. Only then will Dane awaken the power inside him, as is tradition. Will he become a mighty Geomancer, able to shape stone and earth? Or a cunning Luminarus, able to bend and distort the very light around him? Dane can barely contain his excitement as his Trials commence, ready to earn his place in Physos and discover his true calling. Then everything goes wrong. A solar inferno erupts outside the Trials Arena at the hands of the mysterious Avon, a power-hungry renegade thought dead decades ago after destroying an entire city. Now Avon has returned, his power unmatched. So long as Avon lives, no city is safe from his wrath. And he's not alone. With the future of Physos in the balance, Dane and his allies must race across Physos in search of answers and end Avon's reign of calamity before more lives are lost. All too soon, Dane realizes the real trials have only just begun. Purchase Trials of Power before February 11th, 2021 for an exclusive look into Book 2 of the FORCES OF POWER series, Balance of Power.

"No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD Serving God and knowing his ways take time, but the rippling effects of the influence of the Holy Spirit make the difference. I believe and understand God can be seen, felt, and be with after an encapsulating encounter in his presence with his messenger. Our heritage, given to us by the Lord, is dependent on him alone (Isa. 54:17)! As a former missionary, I have been directed to share these encounters or experiences of holiness and guidance (as directed by God) to the world. The Prowess speaks about the encounters of the holiness and power of God and how God specifically chooses certain moments to set us aside, shape our lives, and teach us new things under the remarkable influence of the Holy Spirit (the Anointing). It is also about how God revealed himself to me in an ongoing normal but very dragging church service, which all of a sudden turned into jubilant worship, with us clapping, laughing, and screaming under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

The corridors of power are a game of strategy and manipulation. Political Prowess: Tactics of Cunning Politicians offers a masterclass in the art of political maneuvering, drawing from the strategies of history's most successful political minds. This book unveils: The art of negotiation: Learn the art of the deal, from crafting winning arguments to making strategic concessions. The power of persuasion: Discover how to sway public opinion and win over key supporters. Campaign mastery: Develop strategies for crafting a winning message and mobilizing voters. The art of compromise: Learn to navigate the complex world of political alliances and forge strategic partnerships. Political Prowess is a must-read for anyone who aspires to understand the intricacies of political power and emerge victorious in the game of thrones.