An English translation of "Al-Iqd al-Farid", which is one of the classics of Arabic literature. Compiled in several volumes by an Andalusian scholar and poet named Ibn Abd Rabbih (246-328 H/860-940 CE), it is a mine of information about various elements of Arab culture and letters during the four centuries before his death.

“It was the first time I’d seen what the ocean may have looked like thousands of years ago.” That’s conservation scientist Gregory S. Stone talking about his initial dive among the corals and sea life surrounding the Phoenix Islands in the South Pacific. Worldwide, the oceans are suffering. Corals are dying off at an alarming rate, victims of ocean warming and acidification—and their loss threatens more than 25 percent of all fish species, who depend on the food and shelter found in coral habitats. Yet in the waters off the Phoenix Islands, the corals were healthy, the fish populations pristine and abundant—and Stone and his companion on the dive, coral expert David Obura, determined that they were going to try their best to keep it that way. Underwater Eden tells the story of how they succeeded, against great odds, in making that dream come true, with the establishment in 2008 of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA). It’s a story of cutting-edge science, fierce commitment, and innovative partnerships rooted in a determination to find common ground among conservationists, business interests, and governments—all backed up by hard-headed economic analysis. Creating the world’s largest (and deepest) UNESCO World Heritage Site was by no means easy or straightforward. Underwater Eden takes us from the initial dive, through four major scientific expeditions and planning meetings over the course of a decade, to high-level negotiations with the government of Kiribati—a small island nation dependent on the revenue from the surrounding fisheries. How could the people of Kiribati, and the fishing industry its waters supported, be compensated for the substantial income they would be giving up in favor of posterity? And how could this previously little-known wilderness be transformed into one of the highest-profile international conservation priorities? Step by step, conservation and its priorities won over the doubters, and Underwater Eden is the stunningly illustrated record of what was saved. Each chapter reveals—with eye-popping photographs—a different aspect of the science and conservation of the underwater and terrestrial life found in and around the Phoenix Islands’ coral reefs. Written by scientists, politicians, and journalists who have been involved in the conservation efforts since the beginning, the chapters brim with excitement, wonder, and confidence—tempered with realism and full of lessons that the success of PIPA offers for other ambitious conservation projects worldwide. Simultaneously a valentine to the diversity, resilience, and importance of the oceans and a riveting account of how conservation really can succeed against the toughest obstacles, Underwater Eden is sure to enchant any ocean lover, whether ecotourist or armchair scuba diver.

A beach cafe. An event to remember. The summer heats up with friendship and fun. From a USA Today bestselling author. "A fun read that grabs you at the start." — Tina Sloan When Marina Moore decides to expand her farmer's market and pop-up dinner business, the next step is a cafe on the shores of Summer Beach. But challenges loom, and Marina must quickly become more creative than ever, especially when her children need help. Her sister Kai's position with a musical theater troupe forces more changes. Their sister Brooke is having marital challenges, while grandmother Ginger continues to contribute her advice on the life well-lived—if only her granddaughters will listen. Meanwhile, writer Jack Ventana stumbles onto more old secrets in Summer Beach, and his overgrown Labrador retriever puppy Scout manages to dig his way into trouble on the beach. When the status quo changes between Jack and Marina, their budding romance is threatened. Join the fun once again in Summer Beach, where the bonds of friendship and love prove unbreakable. From the USA Today bestselling author of the bestselling Seabreeze Inn at Summer Beach book series, the Coral Cafe is a new chapter on the sunny coastline. Reviews "Jan Moran is a favorite author of mine. All in all a fun read which grabs you at the start." — Tina Sloan, Author of Changing Shoes, Award-Winning Actress (Guiding Light, and other films and television) "Jan's books never disappoint me. When I pick one up, I know it will be a fun read with wonderful characters. The women will be intelligent businesswomen and loyal to their families and friends. There will be sweet romances. It is refreshing to have a series in which not all the central characters are "Barbie doll" types in their 20s. In Coral Cottage, Marina Moore is 40ish while the delightful, yet mysterious Ginger is nearly 80. The perfect beach or weekend read." — B.J.'s Reviews

A heartwarming holiday beach special. Marina Moore’s new Coral Cafe is a Summer Beach favorite of locals and visitors alike. When her sister Kai throws her energy into helping create a Summer Beach performing arts theater, the entire family gets involved. Soon they are in a race to open by the holiday season. As former investigative journalist Jack Ventana struggles to adapt to life as a single father in a small beach town, his relationship with Marina suffers. Will this winter bring them together or force them apart? Join Marina and Kai as they involve the entire Summer Beach community in fundraising and casting a new holiday show to celebrate the joy of Christmas and winter holidays. From USA Today bestselling author Jan Moran, Coral Holiday is the third novel in the Summer Beach: Coral Cottage series.

A leading art historian’s plea for a more engaged reading of Italian Renaissance art Only Connect constructs a history of Renaissance paintings and sculptures that are by design completed outside themselves by the spectator, that draw the spectator into their narrative plot or aesthetic functioning, and that reposition the spectator imaginatively or in time and space. John Shearman’s concern is mostly with anterior relationships with the viewer—that is, relationships conceived and constructed as part of a work’s design, making, and positioning. He proposes unconventional ways in which works of art may be distinguished from one another, and in which spectators may be distinguished as well, and enlarges the accepted field of artistic invention. Only Connect challenges us to recognize the presuppositions of Renaissance artists about their viewers, shining a light on the process of discovery by some of the most inventive and intellectual artists of the period.