How meaning works—from monkey calls to human language, from spoken language to sign language, from gestures to music—and how meaning is connected to truth. We communicate through language, connecting what we mean to the words we say. But humans convey meaning in other ways as well, with facial expressions, hand gestures, and other methods. Animals, too, can get their meanings across without words. In What It All Means, linguist Philippe Schlenker explains how meaning works, from monkey calls to human language, from spoken language to sign language, from gestures to music. He shows that these extraordinarily diverse types of meaning can be studied and compared within a unified approach—one in which the notion of truth plays a central role. “It’s just semantics” is often said dismissively. But Schlenker shows that semantics—the study of meaning—is an unsung success of modern linguistics, a way to investigate some of the deepest questions about human nature using tools from the empirical and formal sciences. Drawing on fifty years of research in formal semantics, Schlenker traces how meaning comes to life. After investigating meaning in primate communication, he explores how human meanings are built, using in some cases sign languages as a guide to the workings of our inner “logic machine.” Schlenker explores how these meanings can be enriched by iconicity in sign language and by gestures in spoken language, and then turns to more abstract forms of iconicity to understand the meaning of music. He concludes by examining paradoxes, which—being neither true nor false—test the very limits of meaning.

From two leading scholars in the field, a comprehensive account of the Chinese economy's explosive growth over the past 25 years.

First known as Elaine Nardo on the Emmy-Award winning sitcom Taxi, Marilu Henner has moved from Evening Shade to her own hit talk show, Marilu. Whether talking about life on the set or her steamy affairs, Marilu Henner tells it like it is. Includes 16 pages of photos.

Health by All Means documents the transformation of a community with, for, and by women who experience gender-based structural violence. It can be experienced as a story, a philosophy lesson, a walk with a treasured friend, and, at times, a song, and much dancing. The program was initiated in the context of a university partnership by a faculty member and students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison -including the Department of Gender and Women's Studies, the Global Health Institute and the 4W Women and Wellbeing Initiative. HbAM's success can be attributed to a broad network of actors -including community leaders, students who rotated through and were transformed by it, financial supporters, both individuals and organizations, and from support and recognition by UNESCO.

When Ray Comfort scooped up his tired dog Sam as it ran beside his bike, the animal loved it. So he built a platform on his bike, sat him on it, added a seatbelt, and put sunglasses on the dog. To his surprise people came out from their homes to take photos. Women called out “How cute!” Drivers gave a thumbs up. Sam suddenly became a wonderful way to meet strangers. In this book you will find ways, which you never thought possible, to connect with strangers and fulfill the Great Commission.

Jeffery Darnell Thomas wanted to be rich and powerful. It was his dream for as long as he could remember. Growing up in one of the toughest neighborhoods in America at the time is a test though. But his hatred of poverty, along with a strong desire to make it better for his people, is the fuel behind his passion. All he needs is that one big break. He devises a plan that could make or break everything. In the process he learns a lot about himself and life. This is a story about hard work and determination that will move your soul.

A vivid insider's account of a life in intelligence, special operations, and strategy from the Cold War to the war with al-Qa’ida • "[An] illuminating and richly detailed memoir." —The New York Times Book Review "Deeply insightful...A sweeping and breathtaking journey that gives the reader unprecedented access to the courage, sacrifice, and bravado of our nation’s finest warriors, in their finest hours." —Admiral William H. McRaven, author of Wisdom of the Bullfrog and #1 New York Times bestseller, Make Your Bed In 1984, Michael Vickers took charge of the CIA’s secret war against the Soviets in Afghanistan. After inheriting a strategy aimed at imposing costs on the Soviets for their invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, Vickers transformed the covert campaign into an all-out effort to help the Afghan resistance win their war. More than any other American, he was responsible for the outcome in Afghanistan that led to the end of the Cold War. In By All Means Available, Vickers recounts his remarkable career, from his days as a Green Beret to his vision for victory in Afghanistan to his role in waging America’s war with al-Qa’ida at the highest levels of government. In captivating detail, he depicts his years in the Special Forces—including his training to parachute behind enemy lines with a backpack nuclear weapon in the event of a Soviet invasion of Western Europe—and reveals how those experiences directly influenced his approach to shaping policy. Vickers has played a significant role in most of the military and intelligence operations of the past four decades, and he offers a deeply informed analysis of the greatest challenges facing America today, and in the decades ahead. Riveting and illuminating, this is a rare and important insider’s account of the modern military and intelligence worlds at every level.