“Enthralling . . . Here we find an ugly, walleyed existentialist philosopher, the elegantly beautiful author of The Second Sex and the Gallic equivalent of a bevy of young starlets who share the bed of one or the other--or sometimes both. Readers will turn these pages alternately mesmerized and appalled.” — Michael Dirda, Washington Post Book World Passionate, freethinking existentialist philosopher-writers Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre are one of the world's legendary couples. Their committed but notoriously open union generated no end of controversy in their day. Biographer Hazel Rowley offers the first dual portrait of these two colossal figures and their intense, often embattled relationship. Through original interviews and access to new primary sources, Rowley portrays Sartre and Beauvoir up close. Tête-à-Tête magnificently details the passion, daring, humor, and contradictions of a remarkably unorthodox relationship.

No ideology has perhaps generated more controversy and strong reactions than Islam. Yet, beyond the attacks of its detractors and the defence of its apologists, what is Islam really about? On what basis does the legitimacy of this much-maligned religion and its prophet rest? Will Islam ever be able to cope with modernity? Can Muslims coexist peacefully and productively with non-Muslims? By envisaging a personal encounter with Islam's founder, Husam Dughman, a Libyan of Arabic and Muslim background, takes us through a fascinating journey that explores Islam's past, examines its present, and outlines its future. He grapples to find answers to two major questions: If Muhammad were alive today, how would he defend his historical record? Just as importantly, how would Muhammad evaluate the situation of Islam as it stands in today's world? Drawing on his authentic and extensive knowledge and experience of Islam, Arabic culture, and Western culture, Mr. Dughman hands us an original, intellectually stimulating, and readable book that dares to pose uneasy questions and suggest possible answers in a manner that can only contribute to an enlightened vision of a Muslim world able one day to achieve high development and friendly coexistence with the rest of humanity. Husam Dughman was born in Libya and educated in Libya and the U.K. He earned his B.A. and M.A. in Political Science from the University of Kent at Canterbury, where he won several awards for academic excellence and graduated with a First Class with Honours. In 1993, Mr. Dughman returned to Libya and was successful in securing a position as a university professor of Political Science. Due to political reasons, he left his university position in 1997 and subsequently worked in legal translation. He emigrated to Canada in 2002, where he has been helping new immigrants with their settlement.

Where are you mentally? Are you comfortable with yourself? What experiences brought you to this place and time? Perhaps, you have a lot to share, as so many of us do. That is why we have heart-to-heart conversations the essence of this collection. Tête-à-tête: Conversations about Our Experiences offers the heartfelt, open, and honest conversations we need to have about the experiences that brought us to the place where we are right now whether that is a comfortable place or not. In this, her second poetry collection, author Beverly Maitland begins a new, thought-provoking conversation about our personal experiences and how they have shaped us. She uses poetry of all forms, along with insightful conversations about our life experiences, to explore the struggles we face, the emotions we feel, and the pleasures we encounter. Tête-à-tête: Conversations about Our Experiences encourages intuitive reflection through engaging conversations, enabling us to analyze our lives and put into unique perspective our own paths of failure, success, or enlightenment. This collection, with powerful imagery and reflection, seeks to help you contextualize the past by accepting what was, sail enthusiastically with the waves of the present, and learn how to use those experiences to shape a future of growth, wisdom, and enlightenment.

A selection of Cartier-Bresson's most memorable portraits, published to accompany the 1998 National Portrait Gallery exhibition. The photographer himself supervised the design of the book and the juxtaposition of the images. Sir Ernst Gombrich provides an introduction to the collection.

Tété-Michel Kpomassie was a teenager in Togo when he discovered a book about Greenland—and knew that he must go there. Working his way north over nearly a decade, Kpomassie finally arrived in the country of his dreams. This brilliantly observed and superbly entertaining record of his adventures among the Inuit is a testament both to the wonderful strangeness of the human species and to the surprising sympathies that bind us all.

A fascinating guide to English's exotic side...

'God punished the baobab for her gigantic and bloated arrogance and He tossed her in the air as some insignificant weed and he hurled her back onto the ground first, and that is why the baobab gropes with its roots towards Heaven and buries her head, arms and hands in the deep earth in shame...it is therefore fitting that she should abound in the Land of Shame and Suffering...' The title story is a symbolic reflection upon the war in Mozambique, its people abandoned to drought and floods. Other stories in this collection take us to Botswana, Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. 'Purple Heart' tells the story of Selina Clarke, a thirteen year-old orphan and paraplegic, with both legs amputated above the knee; a deformed and disabled victim of one of Africa's civil wars. Kari Dako is Norwegian and lives in Ghana. Ama Ata Aidoo identifies the author and her writing thus: 'This collection of stories have Africa for a background; characters who are, or deal with matters Africa. What is important though is that they are excellent tales.'