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  The Koran and the Flesh

  Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed

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  A childhood marked by religion classes, his passion for the Koran, his father's homophobia and his impulses, Ludovic-Lotfi Zahed is the author of an unpublished and rare book on the possible reconciliation between homosexuality and Islam. The man who, as a teenager, turned away from a religion that rejected him, who became a Salafist out of love for his brother in religion—he was unaware of his homosexuality at the time—is today an adult who has matured, a moderate Muslim who returned to his initial positions, denouncing the corruption that reigns within Islam, the quest for power between Salafists and Muslim extremists.
  In a remarkably well-written book, halfway between biography and essay, he explains how he lived through the discovery of his homosexuality. He tells of the many questions of identity that followed, the rejection of his Salafist "brothers" who were disturbed by his effeminate attitude and the relationships of domination within the Muslim community. In his analysis, which appears in the background, the author wonders: Why such a need for universal normalization among his Muslim brothers? Why such a need for gregarious living? Why do they never talk about the well-being of the other?
  The Koran, a stake in the fratricidal wars of those who use religion as a weapon, is a real bargaining chip for dogmatic Muslims. Very early on, he confided in me: “I was astonished by the way in which it is possible to ‘buy’ the respect of a brother by quoting two or three well-felt verses, followed by the commentary of an ulama, a pillar of Islamic law." The Koran and the Flesh is a testimony of an unsuspected richness which, beyond the question of homosexuality, deals with the more ignored aspect of the life of a nearly ordinary Muslim in France.

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  China and the 20th Century - The...

  Charles River Editors

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  In 1937, the fledgling Empire of Japan once more went to war with China, which by then had become a nation broken into petty warlord fiefdoms and wracked by civil war. The Japanese enacted a brutal campaign over the fragmented realms that made up China, committing atrocities just as horrendous as their Axis allies in Europe. Despite this, the sheer size of China, coupled with Japan’s overextension, allowed the larger, less developed nation to endure throughout World War II. 
  At the same time, China was experiencing an equally brutal civil war between Nationalist and Communist forces, which became inextricably intertwined with the fighting raging across the globe. In fact, the sheer scale of the horrors of the civil war remain hard to believe today, even as action in that theater is often overlooked because of events in Europe. What most people remember about the civil war is that it was ultimately won by Mao Zedong and the Communists, ushering in a new era of Communism in China and exiling the Republic of China’s government to Taiwan. Political tensions between Taiwan and China remain precarious to this day.  
  The Republic of China’s most famous leader and general was Chiang Kai-Shek, who rose from humble origins as the son of a local trader to become, as he liked to remind visitors, the ruler over more people than any other world leader. He certainly became one of the most influential leaders of the 20th century, yet today, he is considerably less well-known than many other figures from that period, which was so rife of chaos and tumultuous change. Chiang had come to power at a time when China was rebuilding itself after a period of internal conflict and turmoil, attempting to unify the nation in the face of the Japanese and the man who would become his arch-rival: Mao Zedong, leader of the Chinese Communists.  
  These ideological - and military - conflicts would decide the fate of Asia's biggest country going forward.

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  Abortion Pills Go Global -...

  Dr. Sydney Calkin

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  A bold, unique look into the global self-managed abortion movement 
   
  Abortion pills have made safe abortion possible for millions of people around the world, even in the most restrictive circumstances. Sydney Calkin illustrates the profound, transformative promise of these pills—which are safe, effective, and responsible for a sharp decline in maternal mortality. This timely book demonstrates that the widespread practice of self-managed medication abortion makes it more difficult for countries to enforce oppressive abortion laws and less willing to do so. 
   
  Following these pills as they are manufactured and transported by feminist activists in nations from India to Ireland, Northern Ireland, Poland, and the United States, Calkin shows that their growing availability in places with restrictive laws means more people have access to self-managed healthcare. Abortion Pills Go Global looks ahead to see how the broader politics of abortion could shift in response to this global movement—one that looks not to laws for protection but to on-the-ground feminist mobilizations across borders.

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  Russia 2070 (Population): The...

  Andrew Kirby

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  Dive into the most comprehensive projection of Russia’s population and ethnic landscape by the year 2070. This meticulous analysis goes far beyond national totals, providing granular, region-by-region estimates for every Oblast, Okrug, and Autonomous Region. 
  Using a rigorous methodology that cross-references historic Census data, detailed Ethnologue sources, and current demographic trends, this report paints a striking portrait of the potential collapse and transformation of an old empire. Discover which regions face the most catastrophic population decline and how internal and external migration flows are set to reshape the ethnic map of the Russian Federation. 
  This is more than just a list of numbers. It’s a stark, data-driven look at the forces eroding Russian society. While based strictly on established demographic trends, the underlying context of this population crisis, including Russia's persistent Tier 3 ranking on the U.S. Department of State's human trafficking list—underscores the complex challenges threatening the nation’s stability. 
  Understand the future of Russia's people, one region at a time. The death of an empire starts with its population.

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  The Cloud Of Unknowing - The...

  Evelyn Underhill (editor),...

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  In the middle ages, Christianity shared much with Buddhism and other Eastern philosophies. Read on to learn how Christian mystics came to the same conclusions as those from very different faiths. This edition has been adapted from the 1923 version into modern English to make the ideas more accessible to today's reader, the Cloud of Unknowing distills a complex mystical epistemology and discipline into engagingly readable prose.The Cloud of Unknowing is a work of Christian mysticism written in Middle English in the latter half of the 14th century. It is a spiritual guide, which focuses on using contemplative prayer to know God by abandoning consideration of God's particular activities and attributes, and having the courage to surrender your mind and ego to the realm of "unknowing", at which point one may begin to glimpse the nature of God.The book counsels the young student to seek God, not through knowledge and intellect, but through intense contemplation, motivated by love, and stripped of all thought. This is brought about by putting all thoughts and desires under a "cloud of forgetting," and thereby piercing God's cloud of unknowing with a "dart of longing love" from the heart.

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  Tarot Mastery for Beginners

  Amanda Chamberlain

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  Do you want to learn how to read tarot cards or even become an expert? Do you want to improve your life or that of other people thanks to psychic tarot reading?Do you want to know the never-before-seen techniques contained in tarot mastery?If the answer is yes, then read on...The Chamberlain family has always practiced Wicca magic in all aspects and Tarot reading. Amanda Chamberlain with well over 10 years of experience in the Tarots decided to divulge all her experiences in this book.There are methods provided to teach you how to not only read the cards as you encounter them but also to make intuitive interpretations of each card individually as well as in their relation to the rest of the deck...Tarot can be thought of as a kind of language through which we can hear and understand divine messages.This communication comes through the individual cards and the symbolic system of the deck as a whole.Tarot for Beginners sets you up to learn this language with a thorough grounding in the key concepts surrounding the Tarot, including:- The origins and evolution of the Tarot as a divinatory art- A comprehensive overview of the Major, Minor, and Court Arcana- Tips for choosing your first deck and getting acquainted with your cards- Instructions for the basic 3-card spread and the 10-card Celtic Cross, two of the most widely-used spreads in contemporary Tarot- A step-by-step process for conducting Tarot readings- Advice on reading the cards for yourself and in love- Core meanings of each card in the standard Tarot deck- And Much More!

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