Most Popular Books by John Richards

John F.

A young woman is haunted by the disappearance of her grandmother, a brilliant mathematician whose research uncovered the basis for parallel universes. A botanist travels across the seas in search of an elusive, deadly flower that was also his late father''s obsession. A talented painter produces his best work – unsettling masterpieces with strange, fantastical elements – years after he was last seen in person.In this gothic-inspired collection of stories, John Richards pushes the limits of what short fiction can be. With settings that range from rural France to medieval Italy to nineteenth-century Borneo, The Gorgon Flower is an impressively crafted, engrossing debut by a bold new writer.

With the exception of Sri Lanka, South Asian countries have not achieved quality basic education – an essential measure for escaping poverty, inequality, and social exclusion. In The Political Economy of Education in South Asia, John Richards, Manzoor Ahmed, and Shahidul Islam emphasize the importance of a dynamic system for education policy. The Political Economy of Education in South Asia documents the weak core competency (reading and math) outcomes in government primary schools in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal, and the consequent rapid growth of non-government schools over the last two decades. It compares the training, hiring, and management of teachers in South Asian schools to successful national systems ranging from Singapore to Finland. Discussing reform options, it makes the case public good and public priorities are better served when both public and non-government providers come under a strong public policy and accountability framework. The Political Economy of Education in South Asia draws on the authors'' broad engagement in education research and practice in South Asia, as well as analysis by prominent professors of education and NGO leaders, to place basic education in a broad context and make the case that universal literacy and numeracy are necessary foundations for economic growth.

This is the first study in English of Altichiero, one of the most important painters of the later Italian Trecento. Altichiero worked exclusively for the despotic rulers of Verona and Padua, translating their chivalric aspirations into fresco cycles of extraordinary beauty and originality. Altichiero, whose work is indebted to Giotto, worked in close collaboration with Petrarch. In addition to an informative catalogue and bibliography, the book also contains a wealth of illustrations in both color and black and white that bring the work and world of Altichiero to life.

Recombinant DNA: Science, Ethics, and Politics emerged from papers presented at a conference, Ethical and Methodological Dimensions of Scientific Research: Recombinant DNA, A Case Study, held at the University of Georgia, April 15-16, 1977. Starting with an introduction to the methods and uses of recombinant DNA technology, the remaining contributions made by researchers at the symposium are organized into four parts. The first part contains papers on the development and utilization of recombinant DNA technology; genetic engineering in agriculture; and the dangers of unrestricted research. The second part focuses on the ethical aspects of recombinant DNA research. It includes studies such as ethical prerequisites for examining biological research; the limitations of broad moral policies; and ethical theories underlying the recombinant DNA controversy. The third part examines the legal aspects of recombinant DNA research and examines the issue of whether such research should be regulated. The papers in the fourth part consider directors for future research.

The Digital Teaching Platform (DTP) brings the power of interactive technology to teaching and learning in classrooms. In this authoritative book, top researchers in the field of learning science and educational technology examine the current state of design and research on DTPs, the principles for evaluating them, and their likely evolution as a dominant medium for educational improvement. The authors examine DTPs in light of contemporary classroom requirements, as well as current initiatives such as the Common Core State Standards, Race to the Top, and the 2010 National Educational Technology Plan.