Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a uniquely reluctant and distinctly German Lutheran revolutionary. In this volume, the author, an Anglican priest and historian, argues that Bonhoeffer’s powerful critique of Germany’s moral derailment needs to be understood as the expression of a devout Lutheran Protestant. Bonhoeffer gradually recognized the ways in which the intellectual and religious traditions of his own class - the Bildungsbürgertum - were enabling Nazi evil. In response, he offered a religiously inspired call to political opposition and Christian witness—which cost him his life. The author investigates Bonhoeffer’s stance in terms of his confrontation with the legacy of Hegelianism and Neo-Rankeanism, and by highlighting Bonhoeffer’s intellectual and spiritual journey, shows how his endeavor to politicially reeducate the German people must be examined in theological terms.

Volume II of ORBITS: "The Reluctant Revolutionary" continues the saga of the young Estonian, Jarmo Matson, as he enrolls at the University of St. Petersburg in 1903. He joins a politically minded group, "The Circle of Friends", where Russian students mingle with Westerners (Canadian, English, American, German and French) to learn about freedom and democracy. Coming from a country conquered by Russia and administered for her by the Baltic German Knighthood, Jarmo has a built-in prejudice against Germans and Russians. Yakov Kupinski, a fellow student and a revolutionary leader, tries to recruit him to Russia's revolution, but Jarmo resists. His goal is to regain power from the local Germans, along with an even bolder goal of breaking free of Russia. Jarmo becomes friends with Dmitri Rogov, son of a wealthy industrialist. He falls for and becomes obsessed with Dmitri's sister Kira, a ravishing beauty who only toys with him. The Rogovs introduce Jarmo to the glittering life of St. Petersburg, while Yakov Kupinski shows Jarmo the seamier side of Russia. Unwittingly, Jarmo becomes involved with Kupinski's revolutionary schemes and narrowly escapes being part of a plot to assassinate the Military Governor of Moscow, an uncle of Nicholas II. At a ball, Jarmo meets a poet, Kirill Bergamov, and a young actress, Lyudmila Pudnitseva. Jarmo and Lyudmila "hit it off" and their friendship becomes a most pleasurable affair. She reveals that she's a revolutionary with Kupinski and warns Jarmo that the poet Bergmanov is an Okhrana Secret Police agent who suspects Jarmo of revolutionary activities. The poet is also a rejected suitor of Kira, making him a doubly dangerous enemy. A surprise attack by Japan finds Russia ill-prepared for war and forced to sue for peace. The oppressed nation explodes into the Revolution of 1905 and anarchy engulfs Russia. During that maelstrom of madness Jarmo is faced with personal disasters, and must chart his course carefully to avoid both the extreme right and Marxist dreams of world rule. He is caught up in the horror of events, and eventually becomes "The Reluctant Revolutionary". When armed Cossacks attack the student body at a demonstration, Jarmo is severely wounded while saving Dmitri's life. He recovers at the Rogov's home, where Kira again brings her fatal charms into play. Bergmanov plots Jarmo's sentencing to Siberia; Lyudmila Pudnitseva and Dmitri's younger sister Irina plot a prison break for Jarmo...

"The Reluctant Revolutionary: The Untold Story of George Washington" offers a fresh perspective on the iconic figure of George Washington, delving into his inner struggles and personal journey during the tumultuous years of the American Revolution. Through meticulous research and compelling narrative, this book sheds light on Washington's doubts, fears, and pivotal decisions that shaped the course of American history. From his early life to his pivotal role as a leader of the Continental Army and the first President of the United States, this captivating biography presents a nuanced portrayal of a man who reluctantly became a revolutionary hero. With vivid storytelling and rich historical detail, this book immerses readers in the untold complexities of Washington's character and the profound impact of his legacy on the birth of a nation.

A New Yorker Best Book of 2022 A Globe & Mail Book of the Year "A stimulating work on the politics of language." LA Review of Books As globalisation continues languages are disappearing faster than ever, leaving our planet's linguistic diversity leaping towards extinction. The science of how languages are acquired is becoming more advanced and the internet is bringing us new ways of teaching the next generation, however it is increasingly challenging for minority languages to survive in the face of a handful of hegemonic 'super-tongues'. In Speak Not, James Griffiths reports from the frontlines of the battle to preserve minority languages, from his native Wales, Hawaii and indigenous American nations, to southern China and Hong Kong. He explores the revival of the Welsh language as a blueprint for how to ensure new generations are not robbed of their linguistic heritage, outlines how loss of indigenous languages is the direct result of colonialism and globalisation and examines how technology is both hindering and aiding the fight to prevent linguistic extinction. Introducing readers to compelling characters and examining how indigenous communities are fighting for their languages, Griffiths ultimately explores how languages hang on, what happens when they don't, and how indigenous tongues can be preserved and brought back from the brink.

Rebel Leaders focuses on the world-shaping, powerful arena of politics and warfare, looking at those revolutionaries throughout the centuries who have changed the course of history. Since ancient times, rebel leaders have fought against oppressive colonial masters, autocratic tyrants, crushing military regimes or rule by supreme monarchs and emperors. Other rebels have fought for causes less noble. Some of them have succeeded in overthrowing their enemy and establishing themselves and instituting their political vision—sometimes only briefly, sometimes for their lifetime, as in the case of Fidel Castro. Some, like George Washington, have been handed ultimate power yet refused the temptation of absolute rule. Rebel Leaders examines seventeen intriguing figures who have fought the state and won.

Arguing against the standard interpretation of Hannah Arendt as an anti-modernist lover of the Greek polis, author Seyla Benhabib contends that Arendt's thought emerges out of a double legacy: German Existenz philosophy, particularly the thought of Martin Heidegger, and her experiences as a German-Jewess in the age of totalitarianism.