John Abbott

John Abbott, author of The Improvisation Book, explains how theatre directors at every level can use improvisation in the rehearsal room. Foreword by Mark Rylance. 'Improvisation can be used as part of the creative process of rehearsing a play. It can be a fabulous tool for exploration and discovery. It can strengthen the actor’s commitment to their character. And it can create an environment of confidence and spontaneity.' Packed with useful exercises and improvisation scenarios, and examples from a wide variety of plays, Improvisation in Rehearsal reveals how improvisation enriches and enlivens the creation of characters, back-stories, relationships, shared histories and emotional lives. The book also demonstrates how improvisation can be used as a powerful tool in the foundation of a strong company, and when searching for the hidden depths and dynamics in a scene. Building on his own experience as an actor, director and teacher, Abbott writes with clarity and an infectious enthusiasm which will motivate directors to try the techniques for themselves. As Mark Rylance says in his Foreword, this book 'will inspire and delight its readers'.

Damselflies and Dragonflies (Odonata) of Texas is an indispensable updated reference to the 224 species of odonates distributed throughout the Lone Star state. Included in this volume are detailed species distribution and seasonality information arranged so that users can quickly and easily search by scientific name, county name, or flight season. All information is updated through 2007. A variety of articles are also included on the natural history, collection and preservation, and diversity of Texas odonates. Whether using the book to find new species records in the deserts of west Texas or perusing articles in the comfort of your home, volume 3 of the Odonata Survey of Texas is an essential guide for both life-long and budding odonatologists alike.

A practical guide to conducting improvisation sessions, for teachers, directors and workshop leaders. ***Comes with a full set of improvisation cards to use in any improvisation session The Improvisation Book takes you step-by-step, session-by-session through a graded series of improvisation exercises. Starting with the very first class, it adds a new element at each stage until even the most inhibited students have gained a full vocabulary of improvisational techniques.

The Unfinished Revolution is essential reading not only for educators and policymakers, but for anyone who has looked at the difficulties faced by schools and the communities around them and thought, "There must be a better way." Drawing on a vast body of evidence and relevant research, the book covers: * How humans learn, and why our innate talents for learning through community involvement clash with current school systems. * The historical reasons for the demise of learning within the community and the rapid ascent of mass education. * The impact changing economies and working practices have had on family life, and on our expectations of schools. * The English experience, showing how difficult it has proved over the past 50 years to move away from entrenched systems of education. * How educational practices need to change in order to promote lifelong learning. Abbott and Ryan believe that education should be about far more than teaching the basics and improving test scores, and offer up their own compelling vision of how and what children should learn in the 21st century.

While the rate of urbanisation in the developing world has increased dramatically over the past 20 years, governments' capacity to support urban growth has, in many cases, failed to keep up with this trend. Non-governmental organisations working in the field have long advocated community management of the urban environment as the best solution to this problem, and there is now a growing consensus that the answer does, indeed, lie with local communities. Yet there is still little understanding of what constitutes meaningful and effective community participation, or how it may be achieved in such a complex operating environment. Sharing the City gives a comprehensive account of urban community participation, both in theory and practice. It first presents a wide-ranging analysis of the issues, and develops a participatory framework for urban management. Using case studies and existing examples from around the world, and drawing on lessons learned from previous experience, it then develops the theory into a practical working model. Effective participatory urban management calls for a fundamental rethink on the part of all the actors involved - from local authorities and development agencies, through local and international NGOs, to the community-based organisations and the communities themselves. In redefining their roles and relationships, Sharing the City presents a new and radically different, yet viable and effective, approach to the concept of urban management.