Other books that might interest you

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  Sovok - The Memoirs of a Liar?

  Kevin McKinney

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  Witness first-hand the transition from Soviet Union to liberated Russia and its return to a regime of tyranny and injustice from the perspective of a foreigner who lived through it. McKinney describes his interactions for over twenty years with dissidents, billionaires, artists, cosmonauts, mob bosses, presidents, prosecutors, and prime ministers, while constantly breaking laws and bending rules, as mostly every character in the book also does. He introduces some of the most dangerous, loyal, and hospitable people, and often they're one in the same person. 
  Described by one literary critic as "Jack Kerouac, narrating the adventures of Thomas Pynchon's character, Tyrone Slothrop, only in Russia," Sovok takes you on a front-row view of the transition from Soviet Union to liberated Russia and then how it went back to today's tyranny. 
  If a movie plot, it would be a blend of Grand Hotel Budapest, Wolf of Wall Street, Bonfire of the Vanities, Snatch, Eastern Promises, and Everything is Illuminated. By declaring himself a liar, the author prods the reader to question everyone and everything. Through personal stories, one of Sovok's central themes is that a network of loyal and moral friends can circumvent the strictest government regulations and defeat criminal syndicates. Sovok falls into one or a dozen categories of book. The one category it is not is ordinary. 
  "Everything is so realistic that is seems invented," - Italy 
  "The impression is incredible. I feel like I'm in reading science fiction, yet I am one of the characters. Events are described not as I knew them, but completely differently. It's as if the author saw them from a different angle, and that the author's angle is truer than the distorted view I saw them from. This is the best thing I've read in many years." - Ukraine 
  "I am totally, completely, absolutely and entirely fascinated. The things you write about are so well familiar to me. I love it." - Russia

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  The Mandela Effect - Exploring...

  John Harpoon

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  The Mandela Effect is a psychological phenomenon in which large groups of people remember an event, fact, or detail differently from documented reality. The term originates from a widespread belief that Nelson Mandela died in prison during the 1980s, despite historical records confirming his release in 1990 and later presidency of South Africa. Since then, the Mandela Effect has come to describe various collective false memories, ranging from misremembered movie quotes to altered brand logos and even significant historical events. While some view it as mere confusion or misinformation, others see it as evidence of alternate realities or shifts in consciousness.  
  The phenomenon gained widespread recognition through the internet, where individuals began sharing their experiences of remembering things differently than historical records suggest. Social media platforms, online forums, and viral discussions have amplified these false memories, making them more widespread and reinforcing the belief that something unusual is occurring. Many people report feeling unsettled upon discovering that their memories do not align with reality, further fueling speculation about the cause. Some theories suggest that quantum physics, parallel universes, or glitches in reality could be responsible. Others argue that the Mandela Effect is a result of how human memory works, shaped by cognitive biases and external influences.  
  Memory is not a perfect recording of past events; rather, it is a reconstructive process that can be influenced by suggestion, misinformation, and group reinforcement. Psychological research has shown that memories can be distorted over time, leading to the formation of collective false memories.

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  America's First Guru The Message...

  Sripad Jaganantha Das

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  "Always try to represent yourself as happy. Initially, it becomes your look, gradually it becomes your habit and finally it becomes your personality." 
   
  "Comfort is no test of truth. Truth is often far from being comfortable." 
   
  "Desire, ignorance, and inequality – this is the trinity of bondage." 
   
   
  In a teeming, often-suspect ocean of gurus, mystics, fakirs, yogis, perfect masters, and various other self-proclaimed incarnations of the godhead who have stepped foot on American soil over the years in pursuance of their spiritual ambitions, Swami Vivekananda was arguably the first, finest, and resolutely most authentic. A simple, austere man, he was a mountain of spiritual power made more impressive by his innate kindness, humility, and compassion toward all. 
   
  In this impossibly rare collection, the great master speaks for himself via a long-lost recording based on the philosophical, esoteric, and transcendent teachings of his beloved Hindu faith, or Sanatan Dharma (everlasting truth). Further, there is featured a profound collection of some of the swami’s finest thoughts on life and the spiritual path narrated by Sripad Jagannatha Das. 
   
  All in all, here is an intriguing, inspirational, historic audio biography of one of the most famous but yet, oddly, least known of the spiritual titans of his time and beyond. An absolute must for all serious yoga practitioners and devotees of truth. A true, unexpected spiritual treasure.

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  The Buddha’s Practical Teaching

  John D. Ireland

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  "To summarise what has been indicated above, our aim should be complete deliverance from suffering, or stated positively, the unconditioned and perfect happiness of Nibbāna; to be differentiated from other forms of happiness which are imperfect because ‘conditioned’ by impermanence, and thus liable to revert to suffering when circumstances or ‘the conditions’ change. By an understanding of the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism we are set in the right direction to achieve this aim. But to reach this understanding the mind must be carefully prepared by moral discipline and other virtues, released from the grip of worldly pleasures and emotions and reach a state of clarity and purity through meditation and wise discrimination. Then by reflection on the three characteristics of existence, the impermanence, suffering and absence of an underlying entity, this understanding will arise giving assurance and confidence. The practical nature of the Buddha’s teaching is that it leads one gradually step by step, like a building raised brick by brick upon secure foundations." —John D. Ireland

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  In Praise of Listening - A...

  Christian McEwen

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  In her latest book, In Praise of Listening, Christian McEwen reflects on listening (silence, music, nature, prayer) in a series of thoughtful chapters, each one focused on a different theme. When an athlete speaks of "listening to his body," or a gardener describes herself as "listening to the land," when writers and artists explain that they are "listening" to their work-in-progress, they are using the word as she chooses to use it here—as an extended metaphor for openness and receptivity, rippling out from the self-centered human to the farthest reaches of the non-human world. 
   
   
   
  In Praise of Listening is a kind of sister or first cousin to McEwen's earlier, timely, and very popular, World Enough & Time, with the same emphasis on creativity and slowing down. As McEwen says: Most of us think of listening in fairly literal fashion: human beings listening (or not listening) to one another; the pleasure of attending to a familiar piece of music. But listening can have a far broader and more capacious meaning, moving out beyond the small apparatus of the ears to the hands or belly or enveloping spirit/mind.

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  Ancient Egyptian Law and...

  Omar Khalil

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  Ancient Egyptian law was deeply rooted in the concept of Ma’at, the divine order that governed the universe and ensured balance, truth, and justice. This principle was not just a philosophical ideal but a practical guide for governance and social conduct. The legal system in Egypt was designed to maintain harmony within society, regulate disputes, and uphold the authority of the ruling elite. Unlike modern legal frameworks based on written statutes, Egyptian law was a combination of tradition, royal decrees, and religious doctrines. It was adaptable, relying on the wisdom of judges and officials rather than rigid legal codes. 
  The origins of legal traditions in ancient Egypt can be traced back to the early dynastic period when the first centralized state emerged. As society became more complex, a structured system of governance was necessary to manage resources, trade, and interpersonal conflicts. The earliest evidence of legal practice comes from administrative records, tomb inscriptions, and temple documents, which indicate that law was an integral part of daily life. While no single codified legal text has survived, references to decrees issued by pharaohs suggest that laws were issued and enforced at the highest levels of authority. 
  At the heart of Egyptian governance was the role of Ma’at, which extended beyond ethical conduct to legal proceedings. Ma’at represented a cosmic balance that rulers were duty-bound to uphold. The pharaoh, as the earthly representative of the gods, was seen as the ultimate source of justice. His decrees and judgments set legal precedents, shaping the administration of law across the kingdom. This divine connection made Egyptian law unique, as it blended religious principles with practical governance, ensuring that justice was not only a human responsibility but also a sacred duty.

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