David Shenk Bücher

Exploring the impact of faith, David Shenk's narrative weaves together his experiences in diverse communities, from Shirati Village in East Africa to the orchards of Lancaster County, PA. His journey began with a childhood question about the significance of Jesus, leading him to a life dedicated to Christian missions. Through his travels, Shenk shares powerful stories from various cultures and religions, illustrating the transformative difference that faith can make in people's lives. This is a profound exploration of mission and the universal quest for meaning.

A history of chess explains how the game, its rules, and its pieces have had a profound influence on military strategy, literature, the arts, mathematics, and the development of artificial intelligence

"Fresh insights into the nature of exceptional peformance…. A deeply interesting and important book” (New York Times Book Review) that offers a revolutionary and life-changing message on the new science of human potential. Is true greatness obtainable from everyday means and everyday genes? Conventional wisdom says no, that a lucky few are simply born with certain gifts. Now you can forget everything you think you know about genes, talent, and intelligence, and take a look at the amazing new evidence. Here, interweaving cutting-edge research from numerous scientific fields, David Shenk offers a new view of human potential, giving readers more of a sense of ownership over their accomplishments, and freeing parents from the bonds of genetic determinism. As Shenk points out, our genes are not a “blueprint” that dictate individual destinies. Rather we are all the product of interplay between genes and outside stimuli—a dynamic that we can influence. It is a revolutionary and life-changing message.

Dva hráči, třicet dva figurek, šedesát čtyři polí. A stovky let historie, myšlení a fascinace. Šachy jsou všude kolem nás. Ať už je to šachovnicový vzor, spousta jazykových obratů typu „myslet pár tahů dopředu“ či „patová situace“, samozřejmé spojování šachů a inteligence, nebo rostoucí popularita hry samé — zkrátka šachy představují neoddělitelnou součást západní kultury a společnosti. Během své dlouhé a spletité historie tato ve svých pravidlech jednoduchá, ale o to komplexnější hra stačila ovlivnit filozofii, umění i politiku a dodnes nepřestává fascinovat miliony hráčů po celém světě. Nesmrtelná hra vypráví její dějiny od počátků ve starověké Persii přes pozoruhodnou cestu středověkou Evropou až po dnešní velmistry zápolící s umělou inteligencí. Je však i příběhem jedné legendární partie z devatenáctého století, označované právě jako „nesmrtelná hra“, či destruktivní závislosti, kterou šachy mohou v lidech vyvolat. Nesmrtelná hra je milostným dopisem této hře her i vstupenkou do barvitého a nečekaného světa, který se ukrývá za čtyřiašedesáti políčky.

Winner of the 2002 BMA Popular Medicine Book Prize: This is a haunting literary and scientific examination of Alzheimer’s disease and the race to find a cure. ‘A truly remarkable book – the definitive work on Alzheimer’s, both in social and medical terms, “The Forgetting” is incisive, humane, never ponderous, full of dry humour and brilliantly written with quiet, unpretentious authority. As a layman with personal experience of “caring” for an Alzheimer’s sufferer I am well aware of the stages of the disease and its prognosis and ending. Shenk is excellent on all these, and in his reflections on memory and the individual, and the individual’s response to the progress of the disease. I can’t imagine a book on Alzheimer’s being better researched and understood, or presented with greater sympathy.’ John Bayley In 1906 Alois Alzheimer dissected and examined the cerebral cortex of Auguste D’s brain and became the first scientist in medical history to link a specific brain pathology to behavioural changes. The disease named after him, turns otherwise active and healthy people into living ghosts. It is a rare condition for those in their 40s and 50s but 10% of the 65+ population suffers from it and 50% of the 85+. It is longevity’s revenge and as the baby boom generation drifts into its elderly years the number of Alzheimer’s victims is expected to quadruple, making it the fastest-growing disease in developed countries. As Adam Phillips writes in his foreword ‘This remarkable book will radically change our notions of looking after people and our assumptions about independence. Out of fear of mortality we have idealised health and youth and competence. “The Forgetting” reminds us among many other things that there is more to life than that.’ Shenk’s history of Alzheimer’s is both poignant and scientific, grounded by the fundamental belief that memory forms the basis of our selves, our souls, and the meaning in our lives.