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  Presence - The Strange Science...

  Ben Alderson-Day

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  A psychologist’s journey to understand one of the most unusual experiences known to humankind: the universal, disturbing feeling that someone is there when we are alone 
   
  These experiences of sensing a “presence” when no one else is there have been given many names—the Third Man, guardian angels, shadow figures, “social” hallucinations—and they have inspired, unsettled, and confounded in equal measure. 
   
  While the contexts in which they occur are diverse, they are united by a distinct and uncanny feeling of visitation. But what does this feeling mean, and where does it come from? When and why do presences emerge? And how can we even begin to understand a phenomenon that can be transformative for those who  
  experience it, and yet so hard to put into words? 
   
  The answers to these questions lie in this tour de force, which takes readers through contemporary psychology, psychiatry, neuroscience, and philosophy.  
   
  Presence follows Ben Alderson-Day’s attempts—as a psychologist and a researcher—to understand how this experience is possible. What is a voice when it isn’t heard, and how otherwise do we know or feel that someone is in our presence? Is it a hallucination, a change in the working of the brain, or something else? 
   
  The journey to understand takes us to meet explorers, mediums, and robots, andallows us to step through real, imagined, and virtual worlds. Presence is the story of who we carry with us, at all times, as parts of ourselves.

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  The Confessions of Fiona -...

  Steve Blamires

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  The Confessions of Fiona by Steve Blamires details the beliefs, stories, and tenets of the Sidhe as revealed by one of the Sidhe, Fiona Macleod. For twelve years, this faery woman laid out the entire mythology, pantheon, and rituals of the faeries themselves. This volume reveals, expands, and explains what we can learn from her.  The Secrets of the Sidhe Revealed!  In 1893, the Scottish writer and mystic William Sharp (1855–1905) started writing under the name Fiona McLeod. The name Fiona did not exist before then, at least not in our world. For the following twelve years, Fiona wrote profusely of her own tradition; that is, the mythology and deities that the faeries recognize. None of these myths, legends, gods, or goddesses were known to humans prior to Fiona’s revelations.   Steve Blamires presents those concepts in his new book, The Confessions of Fiona. He has studied the esoteric faery tradition for thirty years. He presents a unique ritual system; previously unknown myths, legends, and gods and goddesses, offering insight to the modern researcher of this fascinating nonhuman magical body of work. Woven into the legends that the faeries share is a whole ritual magical tradition that humans can emulate with a basic knowledge of the Western magical tradition, the four festivals, the four magical tools, and what has come to be known as pathworking. But they are all significantly different from our human perspective.   Faeries are large, shockingly powerful, and, at times, cruel and dangerous. Steve shows how and when these mighty beings of ancient times were literally shrunken to become the Tinkerbells of popular imagery. Because of this important change of perspective, Steve includes in this book an in-depth look at the faery god Dalua—a truly dark, dangerous god but a necessary one.   To help readers access more of Fiona McLeod’s writings and teachings, Steve has included an appendix detailing all her essential works and scores of relevant direct quotations throughout the book.

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  The Children of Athena - Greek...

  Charles Freeman

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  A compelling and fascinating portrait of the continuing intellectual tradition of Greek writers and thinkers in the Age of Rome. 
   
  In 146 BC, Greece yielded to the military might of the Roman Republic; sixty years later, when Athens and other Greek city-states rebelled against Rome, the general Lucius Cornelius Sulla destroyed the city of Socrates and Plato, laying waste to the famous Academy where Aristotle had studied. However, the traditions of Greek cultural life would continue to flourish during the centuries of Roman rule that followed, in the lives and work of a distinguished array of philosophers, doctors, scientists, geographers, travellers and theologians. 
   
  Charles Freeman's accounts of such luminaries as the physician Galen, the geographer Ptolemy and the philosopher Plotinus are interwoven with contextual 'interludes' that showcase a sequence of unjustly neglected and richly influential lives. Like the author's The Awakening, The Children of Athena is a cultural history on an epic scale: the story of a rich and vibrant tradition of Greek intellectual inquiry across a period of more than five hundred years, from the second century BC to the start of the fifth century AD.

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  Stalin's Library - A Dictator...

  Geoffrey Roberts

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  A compelling intellectual biography of Stalin told through his personal library. 
   
   
   
  In this engaging life of the twentieth century's most self-consciously learned dictator, Geoffrey Roberts explores the books Stalin read, how he read them, and what they taught him. Stalin firmly believed in the transformative potential of words and his voracious appetite for reading guided him throughout his years. A biography as well as an intellectual portrait, this book explores all aspects of Stalin's tumultuous life and politics. 
   
   
    
  Stalin, an avid reader from an early age, amassed a surprisingly diverse personal collection of thousands of books, many of which he marked and annotated revealing his intimate thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. Based on his wide-ranging research in Russian archives, Roberts tells the story of the creation, fragmentation, and resurrection of Stalin's personal library. As a true believer in communist ideology, Stalin was a fanatical idealist who hated his enemies—the bourgeoisie, kulaks, capitalists, imperialists, reactionaries, counter-revolutionaries, traitors—but detested their ideas even more.

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  The Random Factor - How Chance...

  Mark Robert Rank

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  UNCOVERS HOW TRULY RANDOM THE WORLD IS BY CHALLENGING NOTIONS OF PREDICTABILITY AND RUGGED INDIVIDUALISM 
   
  It’s comforting to think that we can be successful because we work hard, climb ladders, and get what we deserve, but each of us has been profoundly touched by randomness. Chance is shown to play a crucial role in shaping outcomes across history, throughout the natural world, and in our everyday lives. In The Random Factor, Mark Robert Rank draws from a wealth of evidence, including interviews and research, to explain how luck and chance play out and reveals how we can use these lessons to guide our personal lives and public policies.  
   
  This book traverses luck from macro to micro, from events like the Cuban Missile Crisis to our personal encounters and relationships. Rank also delves into the class and race dynamics of chance, emphasizing the stark disparities it brings to light.  
   
  This transformative book prompts a new understanding of the twists and turns in our daily lives and encourages readers to fully appreciate the surprising world of randomness in which we live. 
   
  “A fantastic read. Mark Robert Rank deftly brings together insights from a wide range of studies and everyday experiences to show the underappreciated role that randomness plays in all aspects of social life. Accessible and entertaining, the book provides a valuable new perspective on contemporary inequality.”—Michael Sauder, Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology and Criminology, University of Iowa

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  The Lyceum Address - The...

  Abraham Lincoln

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  Abraham Lincoln's Lyceum Address, delivered in 1838, reflects on the fragility of American democracy and the potential dangers of lawlessness and mob rule. Lincoln begins by honoring the Founding Fathers and their sacrifices, emphasizing the importance of preserving their legacy. He warns against the threat posed by individuals who seek to undermine the rule of law and exploit public discontent for personal gain. Lincoln argues that the true danger to the nation comes not from external enemies but from internal strife and moral decay. 
  Central to Lincoln's message is the idea that respect for laws and institutions is essential for maintaining a stable and just society. He calls for citizens to uphold the principles of justice and equality, stressing the need for education and moral guidance to foster responsible citizenship. Lincoln uses historical examples, including the rise and fall of ancient republics, to illustrate the consequences of unchecked lawlessness and civic indifference. 
  Throughout the address, Lincoln's eloquence and deep concern for the future of democracy in America are evident. He urges his audience to cherish and protect the nation's democratic ideals, emphasizing that the strength of the United States lies in the unity and moral character of its people. Lincoln's Lyceum Address remains a timeless reminder of the enduring values that underpin a free and democratic society.

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