If now in decline since the tumultuous events of 1989, communism was without doubt the great political movement of the twentieth century--at its peak, more than a third of the world's population lived under communist rule--and it is still a powerful force in many areas of the world, most notably in the People's Republic of China. What is communism? Where did the idea come from and what attracted people to it? Is there a future for communism? This Very Short Introduction considers these questions and more in the search to explore and understand this controversial political force. Explaining the theory behind its ideology, and examining the history and mindset behind its political, economic and social structures, Leslie Holmes considers the evolution of communism from Marx's time, to its practice in the Bolshevik Revolution, to its collapse in 1989-91. Holmes highlights the inner dynamics, crises, and demise of communism as a global system, and introduces the major players in the communist world, including Marx, Lenin, Stalin, and Mao.

Ichiko lived in a big city, but goes back to her small hometown Komori, located on a mountain in the Tohoku region. She is self-sufficient. Ichiko gains energy living among nature and eating foods she makes from seasonal ingredients.

Chopin’s nocturnes could well have been written for the voice, their beautiful, lyrical melodies unfolding with a magic that few composers for piano can match. Arthur Rubinstein understood their childlike wonder, his playing refreshingly, charmingly simple. The bell-like tone of his right hand soars artlessly over subtle accompaniment, and everything is delicately pedalled, tempos just so. Bask in Op. 15 No. 3 or Op. 27 No. 1 to hear the mastery of Rubinstein’s control: fortes never growl, pianissimos are exquisite. And the elegant ornamentation in Op. 32 No. 1 shows a stunning technique at the total service of Chopin’s timeless music.

Sid Meier's Civilization VI is a turn-based strategy 4X video game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K. The mobile and Nintendo Switch port was published by Aspyr Media. The latest entry into the Civilization series, it was released on Windows and macOS in October 2016, with later ports for Linux in February 2017, iOS in December 2017, Nintendo Switch in November 2018, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in November 2019, and Android in 2020.