Books about Reconstructing from Amazon.com

From the author's introduction:

Ancient battles seize the modern imagination Far from being forgotten, they have become a significant aspect of popular culture, prompting a continuing stream of books, feature films, television programs and board and computer games... there is a certain escapist satisfaction in looking back to an era when conflicts between entire states turned on clear-cut pitched battles between formed armies, lasting just a few hours and spanning just a few miles of ground. These battles were still unspeakably traumatic and grisly affairs for those involved - at Cannae, Hannibal's men butchered around two and a half times as many Romans (out of a much smaller overall population) as there were British soldiers killed on the notorious first day of the Somme.

However, as with the great clashes of the Napoleonic era, time has dulled our preoccupation with such awful human consequences, and we tend to focus instead on the inspired generalship of commanders like Alexander and Caesar and on the intriguing tactical interactions of units such as massed pikemen and war elephants within the very different military context of pre-gunpowder warfare.

Lost Battles takes a new and innovative approach to the battles of antiquity. Using his experience with conflict simulation, Philip Sabin draws together ancient evidence and modern scholarship to construct a generic, grand tactical model of the battles as a whole. This model unites a mathematical framework, to capture the movement and combat of the opposing armies, with human decisions to shape the tactics of the antagonists. Sabin then develops detailed scenarios for 36 individual battles such as Marathon and Cannae, and uses the comparative structure offered by the generic model to help cast light on which particular interpretations of the ancient sources on issues such as army size fit in best with the general patterns observed elsewhere. Readers can use the model to experiment for themselves by re-fighting engagements of their choice, tweaking the scenarios to accord with their own judgment of the evidence, trying out different tactics from those used historically, and seeing how the battle then plays out. Lost Battles thus offers a unique dynamic insight into ancient warfare, combining academic rigor with the interest and accessibility of simulation gaming. This book includes access to a downloadable computer simulation where the reader can view the author's simulations as well create their own..
Price: $17.63 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Reconstructing Clothes for Dummies offers inspiring projects and savvy tips on how to salvage those tired old clothes in your closet and turn them into a one-of-a-kind wardrobe It shows craftsters, DIY enthusiasts, budget-conscious fashionistas and people from all walks of life how to unleash their inner fashion designer and transform outdated duds into hip new clothes. Featured projects include making good use of old scraps; reviving shrunken sweaters; finding redemption in that bridesmaid dress; decorative repair and embellishment of existing pieces; and creating unexpected home décor with what’s hiding in your drawers..
Price: $10.75 [Notify me when price goes down.]

A critical look at the nature and direction of English studies in America It offers an intervention in debates about educational and cultural values and goals, showing how English came to occupy its present place in the American educational system..
Price: $8.00 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Reconstructing Gender is an anthology that addresses the contemporary experiences from a variety of women and men. Drawing from a wide range of sources including research articles, critical essays, and personal narratives, Disch has chosen accessible, engaging, and provocative readings that represent many perspectives and experiences. Eleven part-opening introductions identify important issues in the general field of study, describe the readings, remind the reader about some of the central themes emerging throughout the book, and raise questions for students to consider...
Price: $39.52 [Notify me when price goes down.]

This ethnography by a noted anthropologist is a book about transformation, about the meanings mothers of "imperfect" children give to motherhood and disability in an age in which infants are commodified and technology seems to hold out the promise of "perfect" babies. In an era in which motherhood is achieved rather than ascribed (Ginsburg 1989), and specific traits of babies themselves increasingly appear to Americans in terms of choice, how do mothers of infants and toddlers with disabilities - the children few would actively choose - make sense of their motherhood? How do they interpret and negotiate the meaning of disability? How might their experience of nurturing a child who "departs from what is understood to be species typical" (Asch 1998:77) contribute to disability studies and disability activism, and to our understandings of how personhood is - and could be - constructed in America? An ideal short book for teaching courses in anthropology, sociology, disability studies and women's studies..
Price: $21.56 [Notify me when price goes down.]