Delve into practical computer vision and image processing projects and get up to speed with advanced object detection techniques and machine learning algorithms Key Features * Discover best practices for engineering and maintaining OpenCV projects * Explore important deep learning tools for image classification * Understand basic image matrix formats and filters Book Description OpenCV is one of the best open source libraries available and can help you focus on constructing complete projects on image processing, motion detection, and image segmentation. This Learning Path is your guide to understanding OpenCV concepts and algorithms through real-world examples and activities. Through various projects, you'll also discover how to use complex computer vision and machine learning algorithms and face detection to extract the maximum amount of information from images and videos. In later chapters, you'll learn to enhance your videos and images with optical flow analysis and background subtraction. Sections in the Learning Path will help you get to grips with text segmentation and recognition, in addition to guiding you through the basics of the new and improved deep learning modules. By the end of this Learning Path, you will have mastered commonly used computer vision techniques to build OpenCV projects from scratch. This Learning Path includes content from the following Packt books: * Mastering OpenCV 4 - Third Edition by Roy Shilkrot and David Millán Escrivá * Learn OpenCV 4 By Building Projects - Second Edition by David Millán Escrivá, Vinícius G. Mendon?a, and Prateek Joshi What you will learn * Stay up-to-date with algorithmic design approaches for complex computer vision tasks * Work with OpenCV's most up-to-date API through various projects * Understand 3D scene reconstruction and Structure from Motion (SfM) * Study camera calibration and overlay augmented reality (AR) using the ArUco module * Create CMake scripts to compile your C++ application * Explore segmentation and feature extraction techniques * Remove backgrounds from static scenes to identify moving objects for surveillance * Work with new OpenCV functions to detect and recognize text with Tesseract Who this book is for If you are a software developer with a basic understanding of computer vision and image processing and want to develop interesting computer vision applications with OpenCV, this Learning Path is for you. Prior knowledge of C++ and familiarity with mathematical concepts will help you better understand the concepts in this Learning Path.

Demystify the complexity of machine learning techniques and create evolving, clever solutions to solve your problems Key Features *Master supervised, unsupervised, and semi-supervised ML algorithms and their implementation *Build deep learning models for object detection, image classification, similarity learning, and more *Build, deploy, and scale end-to-end deep neural network models in a production environment Book Description This Learning Path is your complete guide to quickly getting to grips with popular machine learning algorithms. You'll be introduced to the most widely used algorithms in supervised, unsupervised, and semi-supervised machine learning, and learn how to use them in the best possible manner. Ranging from Bayesian models to the MCMC algorithm to Hidden Markov models, this Learning Path will teach you how to extract features from your dataset and perform dimensionality reduction by making use of Python-based libraries. You'll bring the use of TensorFlow and Keras to build deep learning models, using concepts such as transfer learning, generative adversarial networks, and deep reinforcement learning. Next, you'll learn the advanced features of TensorFlow1.x, such as distributed TensorFlow with TF clusters, deploy production models with TensorFlow Serving. You'll implement different techniques related to object classification, object detection, image segmentation, and more. By the end of this Learning Path, you'll have obtained in-depth knowledge of TensorFlow, making you the go-to person for solving artificial intelligence problems This Learning Path includes content from the following Packt products: *Mastering Machine Learning Algorithms by Giuseppe Bonaccorso *Mastering TensorFlow 1.x by Armando Fandango *Deep Learning for Computer Vision by Rajalingappaa Shanmugamani What you will learn *Explore how an ML model can be trained, optimized, and evaluated *Work with Autoencoders and Generative Adversarial Networks *Explore the most important Reinforcement Learning techniques *Build end-to-end deep learning (CNN, RNN, and Autoencoders) models Who this book is for This Learning Path is for data scientists, machine learning engineers, artificial intelligence engineers who want to delve into complex machine learning algorithms, calibrate models, and improve the predictions of the trained model. You will encounter the advanced intricacies and complex use cases of deep learning and AI. A basic knowledge of programming in Python and some understanding of machine learning concepts are required to get the best out of this Learning Path.

Design, develop, and master efficient Power BI solutions for impactful business insights Key Features *Get to grips with the fundamentals of Microsoft Power BI *Combine data from multiple sources, create visuals, and publish reports across platforms *Understand Power BI concepts with real-world use cases Book Description Microsoft Power BI Complete Reference Guide gets you started with business intelligence by showing you how to install the Power BI toolset, design effective data models, and build basic dashboards and visualizations that make your data come to life. In this Learning Path, you will learn to create powerful interactive reports by visualizing your data and learn visualization styles, tips and tricks to bring your data to life. You will be able to administer your organization's Power BI environment to create and share dashboards. You will also be able to streamline deployment by implementing security and regular data refreshes. Next, you will delve deeper into the nuances of Power BI and handling projects. You will get acquainted with planning a Power BI project, development, and distribution of content, and deployment. You will learn to connect and extract data from various sources to create robust datasets, reports, and dashboards. Additionally, you will learn how to format reports and apply custom visuals, animation and analytics to further refine your data. By the end of this Learning Path, you will learn to implement the various Power BI tools such as on-premises gateway together along with staging and securely distributing content via apps. This Learning Path includes content from the following Packt products: *Microsoft Power BI Quick Start Guide by Devin Knight et al. *Mastering Microsoft Power BI by Brett Powell What you will learn *Connect to data sources using both import and DirectQuery options *Leverage built-in and custom visuals to design effective reports *Administer a Power BI cloud tenant for your organization *Deploy your Power BI Desktop files into the Power BI Report Server *Build efficient data retrieval and transformation processes Who this book is for Microsoft Power BI Complete Reference Guide is for those who want to learn and use the Power BI features to extract maximum information and make intelligent decisions that boost their business. If you have a basic understanding of BI concepts and want to learn how to apply them using Microsoft Power BI, then Learning Path is for you. It consists of real-world examples on Power BI and goes deep into the technical issues, covers additional protocols, and much more.

Get to grips with the unified, highly scalable distributed storage system and learn how to design and implement it. Key Features * Explore Ceph's architecture in detail * Implement a Ceph cluster successfully and gain deep insights into its best practices * Leverage the advanced features of Ceph, including erasure coding, tiering, and BlueStore Book Description This Learning Path takes you through the basics of Ceph all the way to gaining in-depth understanding of its advanced features. You’ll gather skills to plan, deploy, and manage your Ceph cluster. After an introduction to the Ceph architecture and its core projects, you’ll be able to set up a Ceph cluster and learn how to monitor its health, improve its performance, and troubleshoot any issues. By following the step-by-step approach of this Learning Path, you’ll learn how Ceph integrates with OpenStack, Glance, Manila, Swift, and Cinder. With knowledge of federated architecture and CephFS, you’ll use Calamari and VSM to monitor the Ceph environment. In the upcoming chapters, you’ll study the key areas of Ceph, including BlueStore, erasure coding, and cache tiering. More specifically, you’ll discover what they can do for your storage system. In the concluding chapters, you will develop applications that use Librados and distributed computations with shared object classes, and see how Ceph and its supporting infrastructure can be optimized. By the end of this Learning Path, you'll have the practical knowledge of operating Ceph in a production environment. This Learning Path includes content from the following Packt products: * Ceph Cookbook by Michael Hackett, Vikhyat Umrao and Karan Singh * Mastering Ceph by Nick Fisk * Learning Ceph, Second Edition by Anthony D'Atri, Vaibhav Bhembre and Karan Singh What you will learn * Understand the benefits of using Ceph as a storage solution * Combine Ceph with OpenStack, Cinder, Glance, and Nova components * Set up a test cluster with Ansible and virtual machine with VirtualBox * Develop solutions with Librados and shared object classes * Configure BlueStore and see its interaction with other configurations * Tune, monitor, and recover storage systems effectively * Build an erasure-coded pool by selecting intelligent parameters Who this book is for If you are a developer, system administrator, storage professional, or cloud engineer who wants to understand how to deploy a Ceph cluster, this Learning Path is ideal for you. It will help you discover ways in which Ceph features can solve your data storage problems. Basic knowledge of storage systems and GNU/Linux will be beneficial.

Leverage the power of Kubernetes to build an efficient software delivery pipeline. Key Features * Learn about DevOps, containers, and Kubernetes all within one handy book * A practical guide to container management and orchestration * Learn how to monitor, log, and troubleshoot your Kubernetes applications Book Description Kubernetes has been widely adopted across public clouds and on-premise data centers. As we're living in an era of microservices, knowing how to use and manage Kubernetes is an essential skill for everyone in the IT industry. This book is a guide to everything you need to know about Kubernetes—from simply deploying a container to administrating Kubernetes clusters wisely. You'll learn about DevOps fundamentals, as well as deploying a monolithic application as microservices and using Kubernetes to orchestrate them. You will then gain an insight into the Kubernetes network, extensions, authentication and authorization. With the DevOps spirit in mind, you'll learn how to allocate resources to your application and prepare to scale them efficiently. Knowing the status and activity of the application and clusters is crucial, so we’ll learn about monitoring and logging in Kubernetes. Having an improved ability to observe your services means that you will be able to build a continuous delivery pipeline with confidence. At the end of the book, you'll learn how to run managed Kubernetes services on three top cloud providers: Google Cloud Platform, Amazon Web Services, and Microsoft Azure. What you will learn * Learn fundamental and advanced DevOps skills and tools * Get a comprehensive understanding of containers * Dockerize an application * Administrate and manage Kubernetes cluster * Extend the cluster functionality with custom resources * Understand Kubernetes network and service mesh * Implement Kubernetes logging and monitoring * Manage Kubernetes services in Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform,and Microsoft Azure Who this book is for This book is for anyone who wants to learn containerization and clustering in a practical way using Kubernetes. No prerequisite skills are required, however, essential DevOps skill and public/private Cloud knowledge will accelerate the reading speed. If you're advanced, you can get a deeper understanding of all the tools and technique described in the book.

Conquer complex and interesting programming challenges by building robust and concurrent applications with caches, cryptography, and parallel programming. Key Features * Understand how to use .NET frameworks like the Task Parallel Library (TPL)and CryptoAPI * Develop a containerized application based on microservices architecture * Gain insights into memory management techniques in .NET Core Book Description This Learning Path shows you how to create high performing applications and solve programming challenges using a wide range of C# features. You’ll begin by learning how to identify the bottlenecks in writing programs, highlight common performance pitfalls, and apply strategies to detect and resolve these issues early. You'll also study the importance of micro-services architecture for building fast applications and implementing resiliency and security in .NET Core. Then, you'll study the importance of defining and testing boundaries, abstracting away third-party code, and working with different types of test double, such as spies, mocks, and fakes. In addition to describing programming trade-offs, this Learning Path will also help you build a useful toolkit of techniques, including value caching, statistical analysis, and geometric algorithms. This Learning Path includes content from the following Packt products: * C# 7 and .NET Core 2.0 High Performance by Ovais Mehboob Ahmed Khan * Practical Test-Driven Development using C# 7 by John Callaway, Clayton Hunt * The Modern C# Challenge by Rod Stephens What you will learn * Measure application performance using BenchmarkDotNet * Leverage the Task Parallel Library (TPL) and Parallel Language Integrated Query (PLINQ)library to perform asynchronous operations * Modify a legacy application to make it testable * Use LINQ and PLINQ to search directories for files matching patterns * Find areas of polygons using geometric operations * Randomize arrays and lists with extension methods * Use cryptographic techniques to encrypt and decrypt strings and files Who this book is for If you want to improve the speed of your code and optimize the performance of your applications, or are simply looking for a practical resource on test driven development, this is the ideal Learning Path for you. Some familiarity with C# and .NET will be beneficial.

Harness the power of Python objects and data structures to implement algorithms for analyzing your data and efficiently extracting information Key Features * Turn your designs into working software by learning the Python syntax * Write robust code with a solid understanding of Python data structures * Understand when to use the functional or the OOP approach Book Description This Learning Path helps you get comfortable with the world of Python. It starts with a thorough and practical introduction to Python. You’ll quickly start writing programs, building websites, and working with data by harnessing Python's renowned data science libraries. With the power of linked lists, binary searches, and sorting algorithms, you'll easily create complex data structures, such as graphs, stacks, and queues. After understanding cooperative inheritance, you'll expertly raise, handle, and manipulate exceptions. You will effortlessly integrate the object-oriented and not-so-object-oriented aspects of Python, and create maintainable applications using higher level design patterns. Once you’ve covered core topics, you’ll understand the joy of unit testing and just how easy it is to create unit tests. By the end of this Learning Path, you will have built components that are easy to understand, debug, and can be used across different applications. This Learning Path includes content from the following Packt products: * Learn Python Programming - Second Edition by Fabrizio Romano * Python Data Structures and Algorithms by Benjamin Baka * Python 3 Object-Oriented Programming by Dusty Phillips What you will learn * Use data structures and control flow to write code * Use functions to bundle together a sequence of instructions * Implement objects in Python by creating classes and defining methods * Design public interfaces using abstraction, encapsulation and information hiding * Raise, define, and manipulate exceptions using special error objects * Create bulletproof and reliable software by writing unit tests * Learn the common programming patterns and algorithms used in Python Who this book is for If you are relatively new to coding and want to write scripts or programs to accomplish tasks using Python, or if you are an object-oriented programmer for other languages and seeking a leg up in the world of Python, then this Learning Path is for you. Though not essential, it will help you to have basic knowledge of programming and OOP.

Create distributed applications with clever design patterns to solve complex problems Key Features * Set up and run distributed algorithms on a cluster using Dask and PySpark * Master skills to accurately implement concurrency in your code * Gain practical experience of Python design patterns with real-world examples Book Description This Learning Path shows you how to leverage the power of both native and third-party Python libraries for building robust and responsive applications. You will learn about profilers and reactive programming, concurrency and parallelism, as well as tools for making your apps quick and efficient. You will discover how to write code for parallel architectures using TensorFlow and Theano, and use a cluster of computers for large-scale computations using technologies such as Dask and PySpark. With the knowledge of how Python design patterns work, you will be able to clone objects, secure interfaces, dynamically choose algorithms, and accomplish much more in high performance computing. By the end of this Learning Path, you will have the skills and confidence to build engaging models that quickly offer efficient solutions to your problems. This Learning Path includes content from the following Packt products: * Python High Performance - Second Edition by Gabriele Lanaro * Mastering Concurrency in Python by Quan Nguyen * Mastering Python Design Patterns by Sakis Kasampalis What you will learn * Use NumPy and pandas to import and manipulate datasets * Achieve native performance with Cython and Numba * Write asynchronous code using asyncio and RxPy * Design highly scalable programs with application scaffolding * Explore abstract methods to maintain data consistency * Clone objects using the prototype pattern * Use the adapter pattern to make incompatible interfaces compatible * Employ the strategy pattern to dynamically choose an algorithm Who this book is for This Learning Path is specially designed for Python developers who want to build high-performance applications and learn about single core and multi-core programming, distributed concurrency, and Python design patterns. Some experience with Python programming language will help you get the most out of this Learning Path.

Jason and Whit Fireson, the notorious, bank-robbing duo known as the Firefly Brothers, wake to find themselves lying on cooling boards in a police morgue. Riddled with bullet wounds, the reality is inescapable: they've been killed. But they're alive. It is August of 1934, in the midst of the Great Depression but in the waning months of the great Crime Wave, during which the newly-created FBI killed such famous outlaws as John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and Pretty Boy Floyd. Across the nation, men are out of work and families are starving, and Americans are stunned and frightened by the collapse of their country's foundations. The Firesons' lovers Darcy and Veronica struggle between grief and an unyielding belief that Jason and Whit have survived, while their stunned mother and straight-arrow third brother desperately try to support their family and evade police spies. And through it all the Firefly Brothers themselves race to find the women they love, and make sense of a world that has come unmoored. Complete with kidnappings and gangsters, heiresses and speakeasies, The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers combines the stark realism of a troubled time with all the myth-making magic of the American Dream itself. It is an imaginative and breathless story about being hopelessly outgunned – and tells a tale of danger, redemption, and love that transcends death.

Bringing together three favourite novels about Paddington, the beloved, classic bear from Darkest Peru. Book 1 - A Bear Called Paddington: Paddington Bear travels all the way from Darkest Peru and meets the Brown family on Paddington station for the first time. Since then the Browns’ lives have never been quite the same… for ordinary things become quite extraordinary when a bear called Paddington is around. Book 2 - More About Paddington: Whether he is attempting home decorating, detective work or photography, Paddington always causes his own special brand of chaos! Book 3 - Paddington Helps Out Somehow, trouble comes naturally to Paddington. What other bear could catch a fish in his hat, or cause havoc in the Browns’ kitchen just trying to be helpful? Paddington Bear has been delighting adults and children alike with his earnest good intentions and humorous misadventures for over fifty years.

Deadly Seven is a combination of monologues and ‘light’ script engagement of a psychologist with her seven clients, who each represent a deadly sin. Once the psychologist realises she lacks control over each of her clients’ lives, she decides to put an end to their madness. All characters represent an obsession which ultimately destroys them; leading to their deaths.

"Reportajele din aceast? carte vorbesc despre aspecte din istoria recent?, cum ar fi migra?ia, corup?ia, via?a ?n penitenciare sau problemele minorit??ilor, ?nchiderea spitalelor sau stresul care schimb? vie?i, crizele din s?n?tate, pove?ti ale unor oameni obi?nui?i, care fac lucruri speciale. Reg?sim, ?ns?, ?i pove?ti de demult, cum e cazul reportajelor despre lupt?torii anticomuni?ti din mun?i, despre tezaurul de la Pietroasele sau istoriile din satele s?se?ti. Reportajele surprind realit??i dintr-o Rom?nie aflat? ?n continu? schimbare, cu enorme discrepan?e. Sunt ca o fotografie a realit??ii. Cine le cite?te afl? cum se tr?ia sau cum se tr?ie?te ?n anumite locuri. Cum se schimb? sau de ce nu se schimb? lucrurile ?i mentalit??ile. Cartea cuprinde 30 de reportaje publicate ?n revista Dilema veche, dar ?i adapt?ri dup? reportaje sau documentare radio difuzate la Europa FM ?i Radio Rom?nia Actualit??i. Reportajul e un gen mai rar ?nt?lnit ast?zi ?n presa din Rom?nia. Dar asta nu se ?nt?mpl? din cauza lipsei de interes a publicului, ci din pricina lipsei de bani ?i de investi?ii ?ntr-o pres? de calitate. De fiecare dat? c?nd totu?i apar reportaje bine f?cute, se constat? c? publicul le urm?re?te cu interes, tot a?a cum urm?re?te reportajele ?i documentarele oferite de televiziunile str?ine. Asta fiindc? oamenii au nevoie de pove?ti. Un reportaj bine f?cut este de fapt o poveste adev?rat?. P?n? la urm?, ?i aceast? carte este o carte cu pove?ti adev?rate." (Liliana Nicolae)

A classic recipe book which excludes ingredients harmful to those suffering from candida, M.E., and allergy sufferers.

A bewitching comic fantasy by a master of the supernaturalCat doesn't mind living in the shadow of his sister, Gwendolen, the most promising young witch ever seen on Coven Street. But trouble starts brewing the moment the two orphans are summoned to live in Chrestomanci Castle. Frustrated that the witches of the castle refuse to acknowledge her talents, Gwendolen conjures up a scheme that could throw whole worlds out of whack.

Claire and her mother are running out of time, but they don't know it. Not yet. Claire is wrapped up with the difficulties of her bourgeoning adulthood—boys, school, friends, identity; Claire's mother, a single mom, is rushed off her feet both at work and at home. They rarely find themselves in the same room at the same time, and it often seems that the only thing they can count on are notes to each other on the refrigerator door. When home is threatened by a crisis, their relationship experiences a momentous change. Forced to reevaluate the delicate balance between their personal lives and their bond as mother and daughter, Claire and her mother find new love and devotion for one another deeper than anything they had ever imagined. Heartfelt, touching, and unforgettable, Life on the Refrigerator Door is a glimpse into the lives of mothers and daughters everywhere. In this deeply touching novel told through a series of notes written from a loving mother and her devoted fifteen-year-old daughter, debut author Alice Kuipers deftly captures the impenetrable fabric that connects mothers and daughters throughout the world. Moving and rich with emotion, Life on the Refrigerator Door delivers universal lessons about love in a wonderfully simple and poignant narrative.

His father and uncles are enchanters, his mother a powerful sorceress, yet nothing seems magical about Christopher Chant except his dreams. Night after night, he climbs through the formless Place Between and visits marvelous lands he calls the Almost Anywheres. Then Christopher discovers that he can bring real, solid things back from his dreams. Others begin to recognize the extent of his powers, and they issue an order that turns Christopher's life upside down: Go to Chrestomanci Castle to train to be the controller of all the world's magic.The Lives of Christopher Chant is the adventure-filled story of the boyhood of Chretomanci, the famous magician who also appears in Charmed Life, Witch Week, and The Magicians of Caprona.

‘One of the best stories I’ve read in a long time!’ Stacey Rebecca (NetGalley reviewer) The Cotswolds Cookery Club was originally published as a three-part serial. This is the complete story in one package. The Cotswolds Cookery Club is opening its doors! Connie has had enough. Enough of the city, enough of her job – and most importantly, enough of her cheating boyfriend! Finally free to chase her dreams, Connie sets up her very own Cotswolds Cookery Club – a place to share scrumptious recipes and, more importantly, a lot of wine… Trish always dreamed of living in a little chocolate box village – but she never expected to be starting over at forty. Could joining the Cookery Club be the perfect distraction from her stroppy teenage daughter and her ex-husband’s new girlfriend? Kate spends her life juggling her three young children and running the busy Cotswolds veterinary practice. It’s time to take charge of the disparate ingredients of her life and transform them into the perfect pot-au-feu! But with three delicious men turning up the heat, perhaps the sleepy Cotswolds village has a few surprises in store… Fans of Milly Johnson, Caroline Roberts and Jill Mansell will love this heartwarming read!

This treasury of all-new true miracle stories from the bestselling authors of Christmas Miracles, The Magic of Christmas Miracles, and Mothers' Miracles offers the real-life wonder their readers have come to love. Some highlights:A disk jockey's selection of music has an astounding unintended effect a comatose Polish woman begins to softly sing along with a song from her childhood.While body surfing, a man is slammed by a wave and hears his neck snap. Unable to move, he begins to swallow water to hasten death. Instead, he feels himself lifted from the water, gliding safely to shore.A school janitor befriends a student, only to learn that she is the daughter of his long-lost son and his very own granddaughter.A Gift of Miracles, like its predecessors, will remind readers and their families that in the midst of our hectic and sometimes frightening world, magic, mystery, and miracles happen. And that if we look hard enough in the corners of our own lives, we, too, can find miracles.

Hryhory Skovoroda is considered by many as the first great Slavic philosopher and poet. Written over a period stretching from the 1750s until 1785, his The Garden of Divine Songs is a unique collection of 30 poems, featuring a complex system of strophic structures and with only a few of the songs written in a traditional way. Skovoroda never repeats one and the same strophic structure; this being the case, his Garden of Divine Songs according to writer-scholar Valery Shevchuk functions as a “practical guide to the art of poetry”, exemplifying all the meters and strophic patterns that were possible in Ukrainian poetry of that time. The poet makes masterful use of the accomplishments of academic poetry; the so-called “songs of the world” are the most prominent poems in this collection. These songs are an expression of Skovoroda's views in poetic form, and many ideas from The Garden of Divine Songs, such as the search for happiness in the world in song 21, would later form the basis for some of Skovoroda’s philosophical treatises. Skovoroda’s originality, and his ability to approach the most cardinal problems of human existence, stem from his capacity to combine known motifs, borrowed from literary sources such as classical texts, the Bible, and ancient Ukrainian poetic works, with his own system of thinking that focuses on his philosophy of the heart. The complete poems of Skovoroda are appearing in their entirety here in English for the first time, accompanied by a guest introduction by prominent Ukrainian writer Valery Shevchuk. This title has been realised by a team of the following dedicated professionals: Translated by Michael M. Naydan with an introduction by Valery Shevchuk Translations Edited by Olha Tytarenko Maxim Hodak - Максим Ходак (Publisher), Max Mendor - Макс Мендор (Director), Ksenia Papazova (Managing Editor).

The novel Seven Signs of the Lion is a magical journey to the city of Lviv in Western Ukraine. Part magical realism, part travelogue, part adventure novel, and part love story, it is a fragmented, hybrid work about a mysterious and mythical place. The hero of the novel Nicholas Bilanchuk is a gatherer of living souls, the unique individuals he meets over the course of his five-month stay in his ancestral homeland. These include the enigmatic Mr. Viktor, who, with one eye that always glimmers, in a dream summons him across the Atlantic Ocean to the city of lions, becoming his spiritual mentor; the genius mathematician Professor Potojbichny (a man of science with a mystical bent and whose name means “man from the other side”); the exquisite beauty Ada, whose name suggests “woman from Hades” in Ukrainian, whose being emanates irresistible sensuality, but who never lets anyone capture her beauty in a picture; the schizophrenic artist Ivan the Ghostseer, who lives in a bohemian hovel of a basement apartment and in an alcohol-induced trance paints the spirits of the city that torment him; and the curly-haired elfin Raya, whose name suggests “paradise” in Ukrainian and who becomes the primary guide and companion for Nicholas on his journey to self-realization. The hero is summoned to the land of his ancestors to find the “seven signs of the lion” in a mysterious quest. The multicultural and unique architectural aspects of the “city of lions” with its medieval old town dating back several centuries is showcased. Part cultural history, the novel deals with the legends and myths surrounding the city and its environs. Anglophone readers will be introduced to a country, a people and a culture that largely remain undiscovered for them.

Maksym Rylsky (1895-1964) is one of the most outstanding Ukrainian poets of the the 20th century and master of the genres of the modern sonnet and the long narrative poem. He was closely associated with the Neoclassicist group of Ukrainian poets, who employed traditional poetic forms with rhyme and meter, wrote in a clear and accessible contemporary idiom, and often referenced Ancient Greek and Roman mythology as well as numerous other authors from world literature in their poetry. Rylsky was also a prolific translator from English, French, German, and Polish as well as a folklore and literary scholar, who worked most of the earlier part of his life as a teacher of philology. He published his first book of poetry at the precocious age of fifteen—On White Islands in 1910. His other early books of poetry include The Edge of the Forest: Idylls (1918), Under Autumn Stars (1918), The Blue Distance (1922), Long Poems (1924), Through a Storm and Snow (1925), Beneath Autumn Stars (1926), Thirteenth Spring (1926), Where Roads Meet (1929), and Echo and Re-echo (1929). Rylsky gained considerable popularity among the Ukrainian reading public for his neo-romantic contemplative musings and intimate lyrical poetry that focused on love, life and nature. While his poetry was completely apolitical, at the end of the Ukrainian cultural renaissance in the 1920s that was crushed by Stalin, Rylsky was sternly rebuked in the state-controlled press for focusing on the personal and not writing in service to the state. In 1931 the Soviet secret police, the NKVD, arrested and publicly humiliated him. He was released in 1932 after he agreed to write in the style of socialist realism and was one of the few prominent Ukrainian writers to survive the Stalinist purges of the 1930s. During the wartime period he wrote two masterful long poems that deviated from socialist realism—“Thirst” (1942) and “Journey to Youth” (1941-4), for which he was again publicly chastised. In 1942 he became Director of the Institute of Fine Arts, Folklore and Ethnography in Kyiv, a post that he held until his death in 1964. The Institute now bears his name. He published some 30 collections of original poetry during his lifetime as well as numerous translations and scholarly works. By 1974 almost five million copies of his works in the original or in translation had appeared in the USSR. In his last two books—In the Shadow of the Lark (1961) and Winter Notes (1964) published during The Thaw, a period of relaxed censorship during the reign of Nikita Khrushchev, Rylsky’s poetic voice returned to the stature of his early poetry. This selected works edition includes poetry from virtually all of Rylsky’s early collections of poetry, with selection primarily based on esthetic principles; the powerful long poem “Thirst,” penned during the darkest days of World War II for Ukraine; and other poems from various periods of his life. Translated by Michael M. Naydan. With a guest introduction by Maria Zubrytska