Jon Cohen

A groundbreaking book about the past, present, and future of pandemics, and a behind-the-scenes portrait of the intrepid and innovative community of scientists working tirelessly to stop the next one before it starts In 1955, the vaccine that eliminated polio was celebrated as a "planned miracle." Today, despite the astonishing global effort that came together to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 at unprecedented speed, we struggle against the rise of science denial and misinformation. Since 2020, we have had to face a terrifying truth: It's not if we'll experience another pandemic, it's when. How do we prepare? Planning Miracles tells the stories of the committed scientists at the front lines, fighting back against societal distrust and panic, monitoring the threats that exist, detecting outbreaks early, and developing new interventions as quickly as possible. Renowned science reporter Jon Cohen travels from the mountains of Vietnam to the rainforests in the Amazon, from the "wet" markets in Cambodia to fairgrounds in the United States, exploring how we can better defend ourselves against the growing threat of pandemics, and he finds surprising--and encouraging--answers. Cohen meets scientists sampling bats, pigs, wild birds, poultry, and insects to hunt for the next dangerous virus. He visits labs developing next-generation vaccines with cutting-edge technology that aim to protect us from entire viral families. Cohen discovers the unexpected links between climate change and the spread of disease and describes efforts to improve the equitable distribution of vaccines, diagnostics, and data sharing around the world. Weaving together history, reportage, and science writing, Planning Miracles is revelatory and necessary--providing hope that if we work together to plan for the next pandemic, we can avoid disaster.

This engaging, practical resource sets out twelve original projects for making music inclusively with children and young people of all ages who have special abilities or needs, including those with profound and multiple learning difficulties, those on the autism spectrum, those who have a vision or hearing impairment, and those with social, emotional, and mental health needs. Created by leaders in the music and special needs field working with music industry professionals, Count Me In! includes projects with a wide range of musical styles and genres, and there is an accompanying website with hundreds of freely downloadable audio files. The resource is based on the Sounds of Intent framework, which encourages teachers and others to target activities at their pupils’ and students’ particular levels of musical development. The pieces of music are ‘deconstructed’ into separate activities that are individually targeted at sound-makers, pattern-makers, motif-makers and song-makers so that all young people can join in at the same time. Count Me In! is a must-have resource for class teachers, teaching assistants and other non-music-specialist staff supporting children with learning difficulties in special and mainstream schools and colleges, as well as musicians from music services, music hubs and other arts organisations who visit schools. It can be used without needing to be able to read music, though there are scores in simplified and standard notation, as well as chord charts.

This engaging, practical resource sets out twelve original projects for making music inclusively with children and young people of all ages who have special abilities or needs, including those with profound and multiple learning difficulties, those on the autism spectrum, those who have a vision or hearing impairment, and those with social, emotional, and mental health needs. Created by leaders in the music and special needs field working with music industry professionals, Count Me In! includes projects with a wide range of musical styles and genres, and there is an accompanying website with hundreds of freely downloadable audio files. The resource is based on the Sounds of Intent framework, which encourages teachers and others to target activities at their pupils’ and students’ particular levels of musical development. The pieces of music are ‘deconstructed’ into separate activities that are individually targeted at sound-makers, pattern-makers, motif-makers and song-makers so that all young people can join in at the same time. Count Me In! is a must-have resource for class teachers, teaching assistants and other non-music-specialist staff supporting children with learning difficulties in special and mainstream schools and colleges, as well as musicians from music services, music hubs and other arts organisations who visit schools. It can be used without needing to be able to read music, though there are scores in simplified and standard notation, as well as chord charts.

It's only natural to ask people what they think of your ideas. After all, you can't launch, create or do something of value if you're not interested in the opinions of your intended audience. Trouble is, the asking doesn't always help. Learning the lessons from a lifetime of listening, Jon Cohen reveals why you can't trust what people say and explains why their answers will often lead you astray. Drawing on an extraordinary array of entertaining and inspiring examples, Jon demonstrates how to ask better, listen harder and get closer to the truth. This book will transform your ability to understand your customers, enabling you to develop more imaginative ideas, braver public policy and more compelling marketing communications. Asking for Trouble is your indispensable guide to asking people what they think.

USA TODAY BESTSELLER A grieving widower, a determined girl, a courageous librarian and a mysterious book come together in an uplifting tale of love, loss, friendship and redemption. Thirty-four-year-old Harry Crane works as an analyst for the US Forest Service. When his wife dies suddenly, Harry, despairing, retreats north to lose himself in the remote woods of the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania. But fate intervenes in the form of a fiercely determined young girl named Oriana. She and her mother, Amanda, are struggling to pick up the pieces from their own tragic loss of Oriana's father. Discovering Harry while roaming the forest, Oriana believes that he holds the key to righting her world. Harry reluctantly agrees to help Oriana carry out an astonishing scheme inspired by a book given to her by the town librarian, Olive Perkins. Together, Harry and Oriana embark on a golden adventure that will fulfill Oriana's wild dream--and ultimately open Harry's heart to new life.

The renowned science writer tackles a difficult subject--miscarriage--offering the most comprehensive exploration of the subject yet, discussing the various factors that cause miscarriage, including pollution, sex, and airplane travel, all the while dispelling many myths that surround this tragic event. Reprint.

This volume in the New Studies in Economic and Social History series examines Italy’s transformation from a largely rural state in the nineteenth century to today’s industrial powerhouse. At the time of unification in 1861, much of the country was backward, poor, and agrarian: few would have believed that a hundred years later Italy would become one of the seven largest industrial countries, its people among the wealthiest in the world. This process of development and structural change has generated an enormous and evolving literature, alive with controversies and compelling insights. New research and reinterpretation of existing data have led to a reevaluation of the nature of Italian Dualism, while revisions to national income accounts are modifying the traditional picture of economic growth. Jon Cohen and Giovanni Federico provide a concise, up-to-date account of this literature, highlighting new views on old issues, and signalling areas in need of further research.

This volume in the New Studies in Economic and Social History series examines Italy's transformation from a largely rural state in the nineteenth century to today's industrial powerhouse. At the time of unification in 1861, much of the country was backward, poor, and agrarian: few would have believed that a hundred years later Italy would become one of the seven largest industrial countries, its people among the wealthiest in the world. This process of development and structural change has generated an enormous and evolving literature, alive with controversies and compelling insights. New research and reinterpretation of existing data have led to a reevaluation of the nature of Italian Dualism, while revisions to national income accounts are modifying the traditional picture of economic growth. Jon Cohen and Giovanni Federico provide a concise, up-to-date account of this literature, highlighting new views on old issues, and signalling areas in need of further research.