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        Humanities & Social Sciences
        October 2011

        Servants of the empire

        The Irish in Punjab 1881–1921

        by Patrick O'Leary, Andrew Thompson, John Mackenzie

        Punjab, 'the pride of British India', attracted the cream of the Indian Civil Service, many of the most influential of whom were Irish. Some of these men, along with Irish viceroys, were inspired by their Irish backgrounds to ensure security of tenure for the Punjabi peasant, besides developing vast irrigation schemes which resulted in the province becoming India's most affluent. But similar inspiration contributed to the severity of measures taken against Indian nationalist dissent, culminating in the Amritsar massacre which so catastrophically transformed politics on the sub-continent. Setting the experiences of Irish public servants in Punjab in the context of the Irish diaspora and of linked agrarian problems in Ireland and India, this book descrides the beneficial effects the Irish had on the prosperity of India's most volatile province. Alongside the baleful contribution of some towards a growing Indian antipathy towards British rule. Links are established between policies pursued by Irishmen of the Victorian era and current happenings on the Pakistan-Afghan border and in Punjab. ;

      • Trusted Partner
        Humanities & Social Sciences
        February 2017

        Servants of the empire

        The Irish in Punjab 1881–1921

        by Patrick O'Leary, Andrew Thompson, John M. MacKenzie

        Punjab, 'the pride of British India', attracted the cream of the Indian Civil Service, many of the most influential of whom were Irish. Some of these men, along with Irish viceroys, were inspired by their Irish backgrounds to ensure security of tenure for the Punjabi peasant, besides developing vast irrigation schemes which resulted in the province becoming India's most affluent. But similar inspiration contributed to the severity of measures taken against Indian nationalist dissent, culminating in the Amritsar massacre which so catastrophically transformed politics on the sub-continent. Setting the experiences of Irish public servants in Punjab in the context of the Irish diaspora and of linked agrarian problems in Ireland and India, this book descrides the beneficial effects the Irish had on the prosperity of India's most volatile province. Alongside the baleful contribution of some towards a growing Indian antipathy towards British rule. Links are established between policies pursued by Irishmen of the Victorian era and current happenings on the Pakistan-Afghan border and in Punjab.

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      • Mind, Body, Spirit
        March 2021

        Mind Full

        Unwreck Your Head De-Stress Your Life

        by Dermot Whelan

        In 2007, comedian and broadcaster Dermot Whelan arrived at a comedy festival in an ambulance after having a panic attack en route. Realising this was not a sustainable way to travel to future gigs, he decided to become a meditation teacher and learn how to de-stress. Telling Dermot’s own story and offering useful everyday tips and techniques, Mind Full is his funny and accessible guide to meditation. If you feel like you’ve lost touch with the happier version of yourself and would like to:SLEEP BETTERREDUCE STRESS, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSIONHAVE MORE PATIENCE WITH THE PEOPLE YOU LOVEENJOY LIFE MORE… this book is for you. With exclusive access to Dermot’s guided meditations, Mind Full will help you restore your sense of fulfilment, happiness and true contentment. ‘Fixed whatever block I had harboured towards the concept of meditation … I had convinced myself that I wasn’t one of those people. Now I realise there is no prerequisite character type. It’s just for … people. A lovely, funny, honest book.’ Cillian Murphy

      • Graphic novels

        FOR A FISTFUL OF DRACHMAS

        by IVÁN GARCIA / RUTH O'LEARY

        for a fistful of drachmas TONS OF ACTION IN THE ANCIENT GREECE HISTORIC ADVENTURE In a remote village on the Epirus region, the people lock themselves after dark. A huge lion have them terrorized. The Governor offers a generous reward to anyone who hunts it down.  An Athenian mercenary and a Spartan renegade/soldier will join forces and overcome their differences to kill the beast. But once the hunting begins new doubts arise. Is the lion a real creature or, as some pretend, a terrible and mysterious curse? Is it worth to provoke the anger of the gods for a fistful of drachmas? Perfect combination of action, humour and history The history in the service of the adventure Exquisite drawing and thorough research

      • Fiction

        Days at the Morisaki Bookshop

        by Satoshi Yagisawa

        25-year-old Takako has lived a relatively easy life. Born and raised on the southern island of Kyushu, she went to a good university and got a graduate job at a company in Tokyo where she met her charming boyfriend, Kashikoi. However, when Kashikoi casually announces that he’s been cheating on her and is planning to marry somebody else, Takako’s life is suddenly in freefall. She loses her job and with it all of her friends and acquaintances. She ends up in a deep depression but just as her despair seems to have reached a new low, she receives a call from her distant uncle.         Her uncle, who she refers to as Ojisan, is in his forties and has always lived something of an unconventional life, especially since his wife Momoko left him out of the blue five years ago. He runs a second-hand bookshop in Jimbocho, Tokyo’s famous book district which is home to hundreds of used bookshops, publishing houses and literary societies. Takako used to turn her nose up at Ojisan’s way of life but when he offers her the tiny room above the bookshop rent-free in exchange for helping out at the store, she reluctantly agrees. In the months that follow, Takako surprises herself by discovering a passion for Japanese literature from the “Modern” period (1868–1945), partly thanks to recommendations from Ojisan and the bookshop’s loyal customers. She becomes a regular at a local coffee shop where she befriends a graduate student who is waitressing there part-time, and she also meets a young editor from a nearby publishing house who’s going through his own messy breakup.         Just as Takako is learning how to enjoy life again, Kashikoi gets back in touch which unearths all the negative emotions associated with their relationship. Ojisan notices the decline in Takako’s mood and when she finally tells him the whole story he is horrified at Kashikoi’s behaviour. Ojisan convinces Takako to take a cab to Kashikoi’s apartment at 11pm. They confront him and this gives Takako the closure she needs. Takako is infinitely grateful to Ojisan and her life starts to come back together again: she’s offered a job at a design company and she finds a new apartment.         A year and a half later, Takako has the chance to return the favour and help Ojisan get closure on the mystery that has plagued him for the last five years: why his loving wife Momoko suddenly left him. When Momoko reappears and refuses to explain her absence, Takako senses that Momoko might not be comfortable sharing her reasoning with Ojisan but that she may open up to Takako. Momoko moves into the room above the bookshop and Takako visits often. They form a bond and go on a two-day trip to the Okutama Mountains in far western Tokyo. There, Momoko confesses that she left because Ojisan got so wrapped up in the bookshop that he was oblivious to the emotional turmoil she went through after the birth of their stillborn child. She always wanted children but had to have a hysterectomy. For her, it is all tied up in the guilt surrounding an abortion she had in her twenties.         Takako tells Ojisan. He runs after Momoko, who is leaving again. She says she’ll return one day but he needs to get his own feelings in order before she comes back. When Momoko returns a year later, she and Ojisan enthusiastically embark on the next chapter of running the Morisaki Bookshop together, and Takako has begun to date the editor she met at the coffee shop.

      • Travel writing

        Vitali's Ireland

        Time Travels in the Celtic Tiger

        by Vitali Vitaliev

        Vitali’s Ireland offers a unique perspective on 21st century Irish cultural identity, delivered in a style rich with his typical sardonic wit. Ukrainian-born Vitali Vitaliev, an award-winning travel writer and journalist, uses his outsider’s perspective to recount his Irish adventures. A renowned cultural observer, he muses on the nation’s quirks and stereotypes, whilst his reference to mid-19th century guide books provides an insightful historical comparison. The result is an affectionate if slightly perplexed portrait of a nation in transition.

      • July 2018

        Creating a Customer Service Mindset

        by Jaquie Scammell

        If you’re looking to transform the customer service culture in your organisation, to decrease complaints and increase compliments, Jaquie Scammell’s approach is simple and more human than simply introducing better processes and procedures – and her approach works. Jaquie has studied Australian organisations that provide the best customer service, and from this research she has created a system which, if followed, will increase loyalty to your business. You too will be able to create a winning customer service mindset that will be adopted by your frontline service leaders, the people who impact your customer service staff, who impact your customers every day. In Creating a Customer Service Mindset, Jaquie includes interviews with leaders from six of the best Australian businesses, which have a customer service mindset. These organisations may not have as much street cred as Google, Amazon or Facebook, but they lead the way when it comes to building a high performing service culture where customer loyalty is constantly increasing.

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