Bring real business insights to your company through effective and engaging dashboards in QlikViewAbout This BookBuild outstanding dashboards that respond to your company’s information needsPresent the data in efficient and innovative ways to promote insightsUnleash the true power of QlikView by creating engaging visualizations Who This Book Is For This book is focused on QlikView developers with basic knowledge of *ing and layouts who want to improve their designing skills and build effective, eye-catching dashboards that deliver tangible value to their business.What You Will LearnBuild a comprehensive library of QlikView components to speed up your developmentsDefine a practical roadmap that will help you build business-driven dashboardsExplore the most effective and engaging ways to present dataApply the best practices in the field of data visualizationAvoid common pitfalls when creating bar, line and pie chartsCreate robust visualizations such as heat maps, histograms and scatter plots In Detail QlikView is one of the most powerful analytical tools in the market. Based on an in-memory associative model, it lets users freely navigate through the data, spot trends and make better decisions. This platform is capable of integrating a wide range of data sources like ERP systems, data warehouses or spreadsheets into a single application in order display dashboards with state-of-the-art visualizations. Creating Stunning Dashboards with QlikView is an easy to follow handbook that guides you through the process of creating an effective and engaging dashboard that delivers tangible value to the business. It starts with the identification of the business needs and the definition of the main KPIs, and takes you all the way to the application rollout. Throughout the book, you will learn how to apply some of the best practices in the field of data visualization, create a robust navigation schema, chose the best chart types for each scenario and many other things that will help you create effective dashboards that uncover all the stories behind the data.Style and approach This easy-to-follow compilation of best practices, tips, and tricks will help you leverage your QlikView developments. Each section presents practical guidelines to help you create dashboards that are not only functional, but also engaging and compelling.

Over 40 recipes to help you create real-time JavaScript applications using the robust Socket.IO frameworkAbout This BookCreate secure WebSocket connections and real-time mobile applications using Socket.IODevise efficient messaging systems between the server side and the client sideA step-by-step implementation guide to help you create elements of Socket.IO application Who This Book Is For If you have some knowledge of JavaScript and Node.js and want to create awe-inspiring application experiences using real time communication, then this book is for you. Developers with knowledge of other *ing languages should also be able to easily follow along.What You Will LearnBuild rich and interactive real-time dashboards using Socket.IO to pipe in data as it becomes availableDesign chat and multiple-person interfaces that leverage Socket.IO for communicationSegment conversations to rooms and namespaces so that every socket doesn’t have to receive every messageSecure your data by implementing various authentication techniques, locking down the HTTP referrer and using secure WebSocketsLoad balance across multiple server-side nodes and keep your WebSockets in sync using Redis, RabbitMQ or MemcachedStream binary data such as audio and video in real-time over a Socket.IO connectionCreate real-time experiences outside of the browser by integrating Socket.IO with hybrid mobile applications In Detail Socket.IO is a JavaScript library that provides you with the ability to implement real-time analytics, binary streaming, instant messaging, and document collaboration. It has two parts: a client-side library that runs in the browser, and a server-side library for node.js. Socket.IO is event-driven and primarily uses the WebSocket protocol that allows us to emit data bi-directionally from the server and the client. Socket.IO This book is a complete resource, covering topics from webSocket security to scaling the server-side of a Socket.IO application and everything in between. This book will provide real-world examples of how secure bi-directional, full-duplex connections that can be created using Socket.IO for different environments. It will also explain how the connection vulnerabilities can be resolved for large numbers of users and huge amounts of data/messages. By the end of the book, you will be a competent Socket.IO developer. With the help of the examples and real-world solutions,you will learn to create fast, scalable, and dynamic real-time apps by creating efficient messaging systems between the server side and the client side using Socket.IO.Style and approach This book is written in a cookbook-style format and provides practical, immediately usable task-based recipes that show you how to create the elements of a Socket.IO application.

Over 88 recipes for effective use of Infusionsoft to mitigate your CRM needs, marketing automation, conducting online business optimallyAbout This BookMaximize client engagement by automating lead capture and follow-upCollect information and set up lead scoring in Infusionsoft to enhance your marketing interactions to build more clientsSet up online shopping carts, manage your online store, and enhance user experience Who This Book Is For If you want to excel in the use of Infusionsoft to develop a set of common applications or project types and solutions effectively, this book is perfect for you. This book will empower you to provide better results for your clients, faster! It is assumed that you are familiar with and use Infusionsoft.What You Will LearnSet up and configure features that will enhance new user creation using InfusionsoftAttract leads and build your list efficientlyUnderstand the different strategies to sell and get paidCreate amazing customer experiences by following up and automating messagesMaster techniques to use Infusionsoft for internal administrative functionsMake better business decisions by mastering the reporting functionalitySave time and simplifying day-to-day usage using InfusionsoftGet to know the Ninja hacks while working with Infusionsoft efficiently. In Detail Infusionsoft is an all-in-one software-as-a-service (SaaS) for small business sales and marketing. It empowers businesses with the same level of automation and personalization that were previously only available to large corporate enterprises with deep pockets. You can easily manage customer relationships, target communications in an automated manner, and sell their products/services online effectively. Starting with recipes on the general setup and core competencies related to Infusionsoft, you will then learn about tools to enhance user experience. Further on, you'll dive deep into different strategies to attract, sell, and wow your customers. You’ll also explore different ways to manage administrative tasks and reporting, which are crucial to perform better workflow management. Later, you will become proficient in lead generation and lead management, referral management, report generation, and working with the campaign builder. Finally, the book closes with unsupported ninja hacks to take your business strategies into the stratosphere!Style and approach A recipe-based guide that covers real-life scenarios on optimising marketing automation, lifecycle management, lead generation, inventory management, and adding ecommerce functionality

Design and develop advanced computer vision projects using OpenCV with PythonAbout This BookProgram advanced computer vision applications in Python using different features of the OpenCV libraryPractical end-to-end project covering an important computer vision problemAll projects in the book include a step-by-step guide to create computer vision applications Who This Book Is For This book is for intermediate users of OpenCV who aim to master their skills by developing advanced practical applications. Readers are expected to be familiar with OpenCV’s concepts and Python libraries. Basic knowledge of Python programming is expected and assumed.What You Will LearnGenerate real-time visual effects using different filters and image manipulation techniques such as dodging and burningRecognize hand gestures in real time and perform hand-shape analysis based on the output of a Microsoft Kinect sensorLearn feature extraction and feature matching for tracking arbitrary objects of interestReconstruct a 3D real-world scene from 2D camera motion and common camera reprojection techniquesTrack visually salient objects by searching for and focusing on important regions of an imageDetect faces using a cascade classifier and recognize emotional expressions in human faces using multi-layer peceptrons (MLPs)Recognize street signs using a multi-class adaptation of support vector machines (SVMs)Strengthen your OpenCV2 skills and learn how to use new OpenCV3 features In Detail OpenCV is a native cross platform C++ Library for computer vision, machine learning, and image processing. It is increasingly being adopted in Python for development. OpenCV has C++/C, Python, and Java interfaces with support for Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS, and Android. Developers using OpenCV build applications to process visual data; this can include live streaming data from a device like a camera, such as photographs or videos. OpenCV offers extensive libraries with over 500 functions This book demonstrates how to develop a series of intermediate to advanced projects using OpenCV and Python, rather than teaching the core concepts of OpenCV in theoretical lessons. Instead, the working projects developed in this book teach the reader how to apply their theoretical knowledge to topics such as image manipulation, augmented reality, object tracking, 3D scene reconstruction, statistical learning, and object categorization. By the end of this book, readers will be OpenCV experts whose newly gained experience allows them to develop their own advanced computer vision applications.Style and approach This book covers independent hands-on projects that teach important computer vision concepts like image processing and machine learning for OpenCV with multiple examples.

Master PowerCLI to automate all aspects of VMware environmentsAbout This BookLeverage PowerCLI to perform administration tasks in a more effective and efficient wayEscape from daily tedious and repetitive tasks by unleashing the full potential of your creative side through *ingMaster the intricate workings of PowerShell and PowerCLI through easy and real-life examples Who This Book Is For If you are a system administrator with working knowledge of PowerShell and PowerCLI who wants to perform quick and easy *ing but at the same time achieve complex results and write production grade *s, then this book is for you.What You Will LearnUse GitHub for collaboration and Pester to automate unit testsWrite advanced reusable functions and dynamic variables and learn about error handling in PowerShellAutomate ESXi host installation using Auto-Deploy, host profile, and host imageImplement security best practices in a vSphere data centerManage SRM, vCloud Air, and vRealize Operations environmentsAccess and utilize vSphere APIs to manage advanced aspects of vSphere and work with .NET view objectsUtilize REST APIs to manage vRealize Automation environmentsCreate a Windows GUI through the use of PowerShell and Sapien PrimalForms CE In Detail Have you ever wished that every morning you could automatically get a report with all the relevant information about your datacenter in exactly the same format you wantOr whether you could automate that boring, exhausting taskWhat if some crucial task needs to be performed on a regular basis without any errorPowerCLI *s do all that and much more for VMware environments. It is built on top of the popular Windows PowerShell, with which you can automate server tasks and reduce manual input, allowing you to focus on more important tasks. This book will help you to achieve your goals by starting with a short refresher on PowerShell and PowerCLI and then covering the nuances of advanced functions and reusable *s. Next you will learn how to build a vSphere-powered virtualized datacenter using PowerCLI while managing different aspects of the environment including automated installation, network, and storage. You will then manage different logical constructs of vSphere environment and different aspects of a virtual machine. Later, you will implement the best practices for a security implementation in vSphere Environment through PowerCLI before discovering how to manage other VMware environments such as SRM, vCloud Director and vCloud Air through PowerCLI. You will also learn to manage vSphere environments using advanced properties by accessing vSphere API and REST APIs through PowerCLI. Finally, you will build a Windows GUI application using PowerShell followed by a couple of sample *s for reporting and managing vSphere environments with detailed explanations of the *s. By the end of the book, you will have the required in-depth knowledge to master the art of PowerCLI *ing.Style and approach In this book, every topic is explained in a very easy-to-follow fashion with real-life, simple examples so that you get an idea of not only the topic but also the context in which it should be used or where it can be best utilized.

The Marquis of Craigmere, who is one of the most handsome and attractive men in the Beau Monde, is pursued by an exotic and beautiful married woman called Peony Lawson The Marquis finds this affaire-de-coeur amusing and enjoyable until Peony says that that she intends to tell her husband what they have been doing and ask him for a divorce. The Marquis is horrified because he was determined never to get married until he is much older and needs to have an heir. He knows, however, that Peony is serious and he will have to be exceedingly clever not to be involved in a scandal that would force him to live abroad for some years. He is at Royal Ascot and is hoping to win the Gold Cup. He is not successful, but as the race ends he sees the Duke of Hawkhurst, who was a friend of his father’s. The Duke has always been in debt and a way suddenly occurs to the Marquis of saving himself from the horror of Peony’s intentions. He tells the Duke that he wishes to marry his daughter, Natalie, in two days’ time. The Duke thinks it strange, but he realises that a very rich son-in-law will save him when he is on the verge of bankruptcy. However, his daughter Natalie is in love with the charming son of a neighbour, who is far from being a rich man, and she is in despair at the prospect of being married to the Marquis. Her cousin, Silva, who is beautiful and intelligent, urges her to elope and promises that she will somehow keep the knowledge of it from the Duke until it is too late for him to prevent it. How Silva arranges for Lady Natalie and the man she loves to set off for Gretna Green and how to save not only her cousin, but also herself from what has been for her a life of misery at the Duke’s Castle, she takes her place at the altar. And the Marquis only discovers the switch when they are on their way to Dover for their honeymoon on his yacht. Find out what happens next in this intriguing and fast moving love story by BARBARA CARTLAND.

Enhance your SAP HANA skills using this step-by-step guide to creating and reporting data models for real-time analyticsAbout This BookThis book will help you to process analytical and transactional data in real time with the help of SAP HANA.Walk through the steps of the data modeling process and build various data models and artifacts in SAP HANA Studio.Packed with rich examples and use cases that are closely focused on developing real-time applications. Who This Book Is For If you are a SAP HANA data modeler, developer, implementation/migration consultant, project manager, or architect who is responsible for implementing/migrating to SAP HANA, then this book is for you.What You Will LearnGet to grips with the basic building blocks of Analytics/Data models in the SAP HANA environment.Discover various schemas, modeling principles, Joins, and the architecture of the SAP HANA engine.Build data models and artifacts in Sap HANA Studio.Design decision tables and understand the concept of transport management in the SAP HANA landscape.Work with the different views in SAP HANA Studio.Explore full-text search and fuzzy search in SAP HANA.Create your own scenarios and use cases using sample data and code. In Detail SAP HANA is an in-memory database created by SAP. SAP HANA breaks traditional database barriers to simplify IT landscapes, eliminating data preparation, pre-aggregation, and tuning. SAP HANA and in-memory computing allow you to instantly access huge volumes of structured and unstructured data, including text data, from different sources. Starting with data modeling, this fast-paced guide shows you how to add a system to SAP HANA Studio, create a schema, packages, and delivery unit. Moving on, you’ll get an understanding of real-time replication via SLT and learn how to use SAP HANA Studio to perform this. We’ll also have a quick look at SAP Business Object DATA service and SAP Direct Extractor for Data Load. After that, you will learn to create HANA artifacts—Analytical Privileges and Calculation View. At the end of the book, we will explore the SMART DATA access option and AFL library, and finally deliver pre-packaged functionality that can be used to build information models faster and easier.Style and approach This is an easy-to-follow, step-by-step, rapid guide to help you learn analytics in SAP HANA through ample hands-on exercises and use case scenarios.

Explore clustering algorithms used with Apache MahoutAbout This BookUse Mahout for clustering datasets and gain useful insightsExplore the different clustering algorithms used in day-to-day workA practical guide to create and evaluate your own clustering models using real world data sets Who This Book Is For This book is for developers who want to try out clustering on large datasets using Mahout. It will also be useful for those users who don’t have background in Mahout, but have knowledge of basic programming and are familiar with basics of machine learning and clustering. It will be helpful if you know about clustering techniques with some other tool.What You Will LearnExplore clustering algorithms and cluster evaluation techniquesLearn different types of clustering and distance measuring techniquesPerform clustering on your data using K-Means clusteringDiscover how canopy clustering is used as pre-process step for K-MeansUse the Fuzzy K-Means algorithm in Apache MahoutImplement Streaming K-Means clustering in MahoutLearn Spectral K-Means clustering implementation of Mahout In Detail As more and more organizations are discovering the use of big data analytics, interest in platforms that provide storage, computation, and analytic capabilities has increased. Apache Mahout caters to this need and paves the way for the implementation of complex algorithms in the field of machine learning to better analyse your data and get useful insights into it. Starting with the introduction of clustering algorithms, this book provides an insight into Apache Mahout and different algorithms it uses for clustering data. It provides a general introduction of the algorithms, such as K-Means, Fuzzy K-Means, StreamingKMeans, and how to use Mahout to cluster your data using a particular algorithm. You will study the different types of clustering and learn how to use Apache Mahout with real world data sets to implement and evaluate your clusters. This book will discuss about cluster improvement and visualization using Mahout APIs and also explore model-based clustering and topic modelling using Dirichlet process. Finally, you will learn how to build and deploy a model for production use.Style and approach This book is a hand's-on guide with examples using real-world datasets. Each chapter begins by explaining the algorithm in detail and follows up with showing how to use mahout for that algorithm using example data-sets.

Leverage the powerful Arduino and XBee platforms to monitor and control your surroundingsAbout This BookBuild your own low-power, wireless network using ready-made Arduino and XBee hardwareCreate a complex project using the Arduino prototyping platformA guide that explains the concepts and builds upon them with the help of examples to form projects Who This Book Is For This book is targeted at embedded system developers and hobbyists who have some working knowledge of Arduino and who wish to extend their projects using wireless connectivity.What You Will LearnInteract with XBee boards using the XCTU program on Windows, OS X, or LinuxMake your Arduino boards communicate wirelessly, using XBee modules in the advanced API modeCentrally collect and store measured sensor data, in the cloud or your own databaseConnect the coordinator Arduino to the Internet and send data to web servicesControl your environment automatically, based on sensor input from your networkInteract with off-the-shelf ZigBee Home Automation devicesMake your devices battery-powered and let them sleep to get months or even years of battery life In Detail Arduino has been established as the de facto standard microcontroller programming platform, being used for one-off do-it-yourself projects as well as prototypes for actual products. By providing a myriad of libraries, the Arduino community has made it very easy to interact with pretty much any piece of hardware out there. XBee offers a great range of low-power wireless solutions that are easy to work with, by taking all of the complexity of wireless (mesh) networking out of your hands and letting you focus on what to send without worrying about the how. Building wireless sensor networks is cost-effective as well as efficient as it will be done with Arduino support. The book starts with a brief introduction to various wireless protocols, concepts, and the XBee hardware that enables their use. Then the book expands to explain the Arduino boards to you, letting them read and send sensor data, collect that data centrally, and then even control your home from the Internet. Moving further more advanced topics such as interacting through the standard Zigbee Home Automation protocol, or making your application power-efficient are covered. By the end of the book, you will have all the tools needed to build complete, real-world solutions.Style and approach A hands-on guide, featuring a single home automation project that can be built as described or with endless variations. Every step is illustrated with complete examples and screenshots, allowing you to build the examples swiftly.

Learn how to do more with the Android SDK with this advanced Android Application guide which shows you how to make even better Android apps that users will loveAbout This BookLearn how to design and build better Android apps to reach new usersExplore the latest features and tools in the Android SDK that will help you become a better developerFrom concurrency to testing – through to adding adverts and billing, this book ties together every element to help you deliver a high-quality Android application on Google Play Who This Book Is For Mastering Android Application Development is intended for Android developers that want insight on and guidance through the steps they need to take to give their creations the edge in a competitive market.What You Will LearnCreate an Android project with Android M featuresDesign the basic navigation for our app using the UI componentsSet up a cloud-based platform and store data on itImplement programming patterns such as Singleton and Observer to maintain your project code for future useDisplay lists and grids using Android RecyclerViewImplement user interface components and make your app look professionalHandle, download, and store images along with memory managementCreate the database and content providers to perform read-write operationsAdd notifications to the app and analytics to track the user’s usageShow a Google map view on your appConfigure minify to obfuscate the codeAdd adverts and create products for purchase in your app In Detail There are millions of Android apps out there for people to download – how do you make sure yours has the edgeIt’s not always about innovation and ideas – the most successful apps are those that are able to satisfy customer demands – they’re the ones that look the best, the fastest, and the easiest and most intuitive to use. This book shows you how to create Android applications that do precisely that – it has been designed help you consider and answer those questions throughout the development process, so you can create applications that stand out against the crowd. Learn how to create exemplary UIs that contribute to a satisfying user experience through the lens of Material Design, and explore how to harness the range of features within the Android SDK to help you. Dive deeper into complex programming concepts and discover how to leverage concurrency and navigate memory management and image handling. You’ll also find further guidance on testing and debugging so you can guarantee that your application is reliable and robust for users. Beyond this you’ll find out how to extend your app and add greater functionality, including notifications, location services, adverts and app billing (essential if you want to properly monetize your creation!). To make sure you have confidence at every stage in the process, the book also shows you how to release your app to the Play store – to make sure your maximising your efforts to create a popular Android application!Style and approach This is a step-by-step guide where theory and practice are merged in a way that helps you to put a new concept into practice with ease. By helping to focus on the end result, and showing all the technical steps you need to get there, you will be poised for development success!

Build robust and scalable iOS and Mac OS X game applicationsAbout This BookLearn to use and implement the 23 Gang of Four design patterns using Swift 2Design and architect your code for Swift application developmentUnderstand the role, generic UML design, and participants in the class diagram of the pattern by implementing them in a step-by-step approach Who This Book Is For This book is intended for competent Swift developers who want to apply enduring design patterns with Swift to structure and scale their application code.What You Will LearnChoose the appropriate pattern depending on the problem to be solvedUnderstand the generic class diagram of each of the 23 GoF patterns and how each object participates in the patternUse Swift to implement these patterns even though the language doesn’t provide all of the object-oriented programming concepts such as abstract class, interface, and so onArchitect your software to avoid the overuse of memory, time spent on calculations, or high network trafficFind the best way to organize your code to make it more secure from the outside worldPrepare your code to make it more flexible when the consumer changes or the third-party component hidden code changesStructure your code to change the algorithm to apply at runtimeDeliver Flyweight responsibility to your objects In Detail Swift is a multi-paradigm language. It has expressive features familiar to those used to work with modern functional languages, while also keeping the object-oriented features of Objective-C. It remains compatible with Apple’s legacy codes and frameworks. A design pattern systematically names, motivates, and explains a general design that addresses a recurring design problem in object-oriented systems. It describes the problem, the solution, when to apply the solution, and its consequences. It also gives implementation hints and examples. Knowledge about design patterns is also one of the best ways to make you different compared to other low-level developers. This book shows you how to use Swift 2 to learn about 23 Gang of Four (GoF) design patterns, and is organized into three categories. The book will present you the five creational patterns, followed by the seven structural patterns, and finishing with the 11 behavioral patterns as defined by the GoF. Each chapter will introduce the pattern by defining its role, which common problems the pattern should be used for, its generic UML representation, how each objects presented in the class diagram participate in the pattern, and what the role of each of these objects is. The book then presents you with a concrete case as an illustration that will be used to implement the pattern using Swift.Style and approach A step-by-step tutorial completed with screenshots and code highlights wherever necessary. Each chapter discusses one or more patterns with its definitions and a simple-to-follow illustration case using a playground or XCText project to implement it with Swift.

Over 40 recipes to accelerate the process of learning game design and solving development problems using Unreal EngineAbout This BookExplore the quickest way to tackle common challenges faced in Unreal EngineCreate your own content, levels, light scenes, and materials, and work with Blueprints and C++ *ingAn intermediate, fast-paced Unreal Engine guide with targeted recipes to design games within its framework Who This Book Is For This book is for those who are relatively experienced with Unreal Engine 4 and have knowledge of its fundamentals. Working knowledge of C++ is required.What You Will LearnDiscover editor functionalities for an in-depth insight into game designDevelop environments using terrain for outdoor areas and a workflow for interiors as well using brushesDesign various kinds of materials with unique features, such as mirrors and glowsExplore the various ways that lighting can be used in the engineBuild various level effects using Blueprints, Unreal's visual *ing systemSet up a development environment and develop custom functionality with C++ for your gamesCreate healthbars and main menus with animations using Slate, Unreal's UI solution, through the UMG EditorPackage and create an installer to get your project out into the world In Detail Unreal Engine is powerful tool with rich functionalities to create games. It equips you with the skills to easily build mobile and desktop games from scratch without worrying about which platform they will run on. You can focus on the individual complexities of game development such as animation and rendering. This book takes you on a journey to jumpstart your game design efforts. You will learn various aspects of the Unreal engine commonly encountered with practical examples of how it can be used, with numerous references for further study. You will start by getting acquainted with Unreal Engine 4 and building out levels for your game. This will be followed by recipes to help you create environments, place meshes, and implement your characters. You will then learn to work with lights, camera, and shadows to include special effects in your game. Moving on, you’ll learn Blueprint *ing and C++ programming to enable you to achieve trigger effects and add simple functionalities. By the end of the book, you will see how to create a healthbar and main menu, and then get your game ready to be deployed and published.Style and approach This book offers detailed, easy-to-follow recipes that will help you master a wide range of Unreal Engine 4's features. Every recipe provides step-by-step instructions, with explanations of how these features work, and alternative approaches and research materials so you can learn even more.

When Stanley Lambchop wakes up one morning, his brother, Arthur, is yelling. A bulletin board fell on Stanley during the night, and now he is only half an inch thick! Amazing things begin happening to him. Stanley gets rolled up, mailed, and flown like a kite. He even gets to help catch two dangerous art thieves. He may be flat, but he's a hero. This is the very first Flat Stanley adventure, updated with crisp new art. Supports the Common Core State Standards

After decades of service and years of watching her family's troubles splashed across the tabloids, Britain's Queen is beginning to feel her age. She needs some proper cheering up. An unexpected opportunity offers her relief: an impromptu visit to a place that holds happy memories—the former royal yacht, Britannia, now moored near Edinburgh. Hidden beneath a skull-emblazoned hoodie, the limber Elizabeth (thank goodness for yoga) walks out of Buckingham Palace into the freedom of a rainy London day and heads for King's Cross to catch a train to Scotland. But a characterful cast of royal attendants has discovered her missing. In uneasy alliance a lady-in-waiting, a butler, an equerry, a girl from the stables, a dresser, and a clerk from the shop that supplies Her Majesty's cheese set out to find her and bring her back before her absence becomes a national scandal.Mrs Queen Takes the Train is a clever novel, offering a fresh look at a woman who wonders if she, like Britannia herself, has, too, become a relic of the past. William Kuhn paints a charming yet biting portrait of British social, political, and generational rivalries—between upstairs and downstairs, the monarchy and the government, the old and the young. Comic and poignant, fast paced and clever, this delightful debut tweaks the pomp of the monarchy, going beneath its rigid formality to reveal the human heart of the woman at its center.

According to Wikipedia: "Yoga is the Hindu practice of physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on the Hindu concept of divinity or Brahman. The word is associated with meditative practices in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism."

The complete multi-volume Lives, in a single file. The Clough translation. According to Wikipedia: "Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus (c. AD 46 - 120 — commonly known in English as Plutarch — was a Roman historian (of Greek ethnicity), biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist. Plutarch was born to a prominent family in Chaeronea, Boeotia, a town about twenty miles east of Delphi. His known works consist of the Parallel Lives and the Moralia."

According to Wikipedia: "Epictetus (Ancient Greek: ?π?κτητο?; AD 55 – AD 135) was a Greek sage and Stoic philosopher. He was born a slave at Hierapolis, Phrygia (present day Pamukkale, Turkey), and lived in Rome until banishment when he went to Nicopolis in northwestern Greece where he lived the rest of his life. His teachings were noted down and published by his pupil Arrian in his Discourses."

The classic essay that helped ignite the American Revolution. According to Wikipedia: "Thomas Paine (Thetford, England, 29 January 1737 - 8 June 1809, New York City, U.S.) was an English pamphleteer, revolutionary, radical, classical liberal, inventor and intellectual. He lived and worked in Britain until the age of 37, when he migrated to the American colonies just in time to take part in the American Revolution. His main contribution was as the author of the powerful, widely read pamphlet, Common Sense (1776), advocating independence for the American Colonies from the Kingdom of Great Britain, and of The American Crisis, supporting the Revolution."

The classic history of war between Athens and Sparta. According to Wikipedia: "Thucydides (c. 460 B.C. – c. 395 B.C.) was a Greek historian and author of the History of the Peloponnesian War, which recounts the 5th century B.C. war between Sparta and Athens to the year 411 B.C. Thucydides has been dubbed the father of "scientific history" due to his strict standards of evidence-gathering and analysis in terms of cause and effect without reference to intervention by the gods. He has also been called the father of the school of political realism, which views the relations between nations as based on might rather than right. His classical text is still studied at advanced military colleges worldwide, and the Melian dialogue remains a seminal work of international relations theory. More generally, Thucydides showed an interest in developing an understanding of human nature to explain behaviour in such crises as plague and civil war."

De Bello Gallico (The War in Gaul) and The Civil War. According to Wikipedia: "Gaius Julius Caesar (13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. A politician of the populares tradition, he formed an unofficial triumvirate with Marcus Licinius Crassus and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus which dominated Roman politics for several years, opposed in the Roman Senate by optimates like Marcus Porcius Cato and Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus. His conquest of Gaul extended the Roman world to the North Sea, and he also conducted the first Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC. The collapse of the triumvirate, however, led to a stand-off with Pompey and the Senate. Leading his legions across the Rubicon, Caesar began a civil war in 49 BC from which he became the master of the Roman world. After assuming control of government, he began extensive reforms of Roman society and government. He was proclaimed "dictator in perpetuity" (dictator perpetuo), and heavily centralised the bureaucracy of the Republic. A group of senators, led by Marcus Junius Brutus, assassinated the dictator on the Ides of March (March 15) in 44 BC, hoping to restore the normal running of the Republic. However, the result was another Roman civil war, which ultimately led to the establishment of a permanent autocracy by Caesar's adopted heir, Gaius Octavianus. In 42 BC, two years after his assassination, the Senate officially sanctified Caesar as one of the Roman deities. Much of Caesar's life is known from his own Commentaries (Commentarii) on his military campaigns, and other contemporary sources such as the letters and speeches of his political rival Cicero, the historical writings of Sallust, and the poetry of Catullus."

According to Wikipedia: "Jacob Abbott (November 14, 1803 – October 31, 1879) was an American writer of children's books. Abbott was born at Hallowell, Maine to Jacob and Betsey Abbott. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1820; studied at Andover Theological Seminary in 1821, 1822, and 1824; was tutor in 1824-1825, and from 1825 to 1829 was professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Amherst College; was licensed to preach by the Hampshire Association in 1826; founded the Mount Vernon School for Young Ladies in Boston in 1829, and was principal of it in 1829-1833; was pastor of Eliot Congregational Church (which he founded), at Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1834-1835; and was, with his brothers, a founder, and in 1843-1851 a principal of Abbott's Institute, and in 1845-1848 of the Mount Vernon School for Boys, in New York City. He was a prolific author, writing juvenile fiction, brief histories, biographies, religious books for the general reader, and a few works in popular science. He died in Farmington, Maine, where he had spent part of his time after 1839, and where his brother, Samuel Phillips Abbott, founded the Abbott School."