This engaging yet deeply informed work not only examines Roman history and the multitude of Roman achievements in rich and colorful detail but also delineates their crucial and lasting impact on Western civilization. Noted historian Carl J. Richard argues that although we Westerners are "all Greeks" in politics, science, philosophy, and literature and "all Hebrews" in morality and spirituality, it was the Romans who made us Greeks and Hebrews. As...

Explores the subtle, secret influences that affect the decisions we make--from what we buy, to the careers we choose, to what we eat. You think that your choices and behaviors are driven by your individual, personal tastes, and opinions. Our own personal thoughts and opinions is patently obvious. Right? Wrong. Other people's behavior has a huge influence on everything we do, from the mundane to the momentous. Berger integrates research and thinking...

"The playwright, poet, essayist, activist, and Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka is also a longtime art collector. In this book of essays, he offers a glimpse into the motivations of the collector, as well as a highly personal look at the politics of aesthetics and collecting. Detailing moments of first encounter with objects that drew him in and continue to affect him, Soyinka describes a world of mortals, muses, and deities that imbue the artworks with...

Examines the art of effective persuasion to argue that its secret lies in a key moment before messages are delivered, sharing strategies for how to psychologically prepare one's listeners to render them most receptive. Social psychologist Robert Cialdini shines a light on peak persuasion and reveals that the secret doesn't lie in the message itself, but in the key moment before the message is delivered. What separates average persuaders from extraordinarily...

"You were born influential. But then you were taught to suppress that power, to follow the rules, to wait your turn, to not make waves. Award-winning Yale professor Zoe Chance will show you how to rediscover the superpower that brings great ideas to life. Influence doesn't work the way you think because you don't think the way you think. Move past common misconceptions -- such as the idea that asking for more will make people dislike you -- and understand...

Recounts the accomplishments of President Obama during his eight years in office, considering his major successes and how he was able to govern while facing both racial hostility and unrealistic expectations. Barack Obama was once an unlikely candidate, but his successful campaign for the White House made him a worldwide sensation and a transformative figure even before he was inaugurated. Elected as the Iraq War and the Great Recession had discouraged...