"Sarah Gristwood has written a masterpiece that effortlessly and enthrallingly interweaves the amazing stories of women who ruled in Europe during the Renaissance period."--Alison Weir Sixteenth-century Europe saw an explosion of female rule. From Isabella of Castile, and her granddaughter Mary Tudor, to Catherine de Medici, Anne Boleyn, and Elizabeth Tudor, these women wielded enormous power over their territories, shaping the course of European history for over a century. Across boundaries and generations, these royal women were mothers and daughters, mentors and protégées, allies and enemies. For the first time, Europe saw a sisterhood of queens who would not be equaled until modern times. A fascinating group biography and a thrilling political epic, Game of Queens explores the lives of some of the most beloved (and reviled) queens in history.

Game Theory through Examples is a thorough introduction to elementary game theory, covering finite games with complete information. The core philosophy underlying this volume is that abstract concepts are best learned when encountered first (and repeatedly) in concrete settings. Thus, the essential ideas of game theory are here presented in the context of actual games, real games much more complex and rich than the typical toy examples. All the fundamental ideas are here: Nash equilibria, backward induction, elementary probability, imperfect information, extensive and normal form, mixed and behavioral strategies. The active-learning, example-driven approach makes the text suitable for a course taught through problem solving. Students will be thoroughly engaged by the extensive classroom exercises, compelling homework problems, and nearly sixty projects in the text. Also available are approximately eighty Java applets and three dozen Excel spreadsheets in which students can play games and organize information in order to acquire a gut feeling to help in the analysis of the games. Mathematical exploration is a deep form of play; that maxim is embodied in this book. Game Theory through Examples is a lively introduction to this appealing theory. Assuming only high school prerequisites makes the volume especially suitable for a liberal arts or general education spirit-of-mathematics course. It could also serve as the active-learning supplement to a more abstract text in an upper-division game theory course.

Combining all the political intrigue of Game of Thrones with the sweeping romanticism of Outlander, Dorothy Dunnett’s legendary Lymond Chronicles have enthralled readers for decades and amassed legions of devoted fans. The first book in the series introduces Dunnett’s unforgettable antihero as he returns to Scotland with a wild plan to redeem his reputation and save his home. The year is 1547. Scotland is clinging to independence after a humiliating English invasion. Paradoxically, the country’s freedom may depend on a man who stands accused of treason. He is Francis Crawford of Lymond, a scapegrace nobleman of crooked felicities and murderous talents, with a scholar’s erudition and a wicked tongue. Clawing his way back into a country that has outlawed him, and to a family that has turned its back on him, Lymond will prove that he has both the will and the cunning to clear his name and defend his people—no matter the cost.

'Like The Queen's Gambit, this isn't really about chess, but power' Sunday Times What does it take to make it to the top of your game? As a chess champion, Jennifer Shahade has travelled the world playing major tournaments. At the top, she finds rivalry and friendship; sexism and feminism; ecstatic highs and excruciating losses. Chess Queens invites us behind the scenes of this ultra male-dominated sport. We meet today's elite, as well as the pioneering female players in history who fought against the odds to get to the top. An essential guide for all aspiring chess queens, Jennifer's story reveals what it takes to break through the glass ceiling. 'Jennifer Shahade is a brilliant, insightful thinker who never fails to entertain and engage' Maria Konnikova 'An astoundingly intimate, thoughtful and inspirational book by a person who has seen it all from the inside' Angela Saini

In the final book of the family’s long journey, the fight has just begun. Duke William is now King of England, but the English will not rest until they have pushed him off English soil. To secure his place under the Crown, King William sends his troops to begin the Harrying of the North. Among his arsenal is the man who has become known as the Devil’s Hand. He and his army leave nothing but death and destruction in their wake as they do the King’s bidding. King William put a great deal of time into creating his perfect killing machine and believes the mighty House of Tresche will try to reclaim him. He knows the brother will serve as perfect bait to bring the rest of the family under his control once again. As the battleground at Hastings quieted, only one member of the House of Tresche was free. Now there is only one of them left under William’s thumb, and his family wants him back. It is no longer a battle for the Crown, but one for a family torn apart by war. Will the mighty House of Tresche succeed in freeing Roan? Or is it too late to save the man once known as Roan the Fearless?

Welcome to the pinnacle of American crime stories. For many of todays inner-city youth, misguidance, a lack of vision, and not enough mind leads to time in prisonbut thats where things change for Earl. The young character meets perhaps the wisest mind in captivitya mind so supreme in wisdom that it was trapped there by a criminal underworld who feared it. The gems of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding given to the young man is the breakdown guidance every young mind needs. When God created man, He searched for a helpmate for him. He didnt bring Adam a Road-Dawg. He brought him a woman, Olds had taught. Thats your true partner in life. She had been mistreated, socially discarded, and seemingly cursed with dark black skinuntil he came along. As he battles for his supremacy in the streets, the conversations shared between the two is the breath of life that shapes the intellects of Kings & Queens.