Other books that might interest you

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  Say Hello to My Little Friend -...

  Nat Segaloff

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  When Brian DePalma's operatically violent and profane Scarface debuted in 1983, the film drew almost as much fire as the relentless gunfire in the film itself. The movie was a remake of 1932's Scarface—revamped for a new era of drugs, sex, and graphic violence. Attacked as both a celebration of cocaine-fueled excess and a condemnation of it, the film's reputation only grew as the years went by. But the real story of its success started nearly a century ago—when Hollywood first fell in love with the American gangster . . . 
   
   
   
  Hollywood's infatuation with money, power, and organized crime has captured the public's imagination and made Scarface one of its most enduring modern myths. From a 1912 gangster film by D. W. Griffith to the 1932 hit Scarface starring Paul Muni, to Brian DePalma's 1983 shocker, the antihero's rise and fall exposes the dark side of the American Dream—whether it's Prohibition Era bootleggers or modern-day drug dealers. When actor Al Pacino got the idea of doing a remake of Scarface after screening the original, a legend was (re)born—and the rest is history. With guns blazing and chainsaws whirring, movie biz writer Nat Segaloff tears into this pop culture phenomenon with fascinating insights, stunning revelations, and a true fan's glee. This is a must-listen book for movie buffs, crime lovers, and culture vultures everywhere.

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  Scent - A Natural History of...

  Elise Vernon Pearlstine

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  A fascinating exploration of the natural history of scent and human perceptions of fragrance from the viewpoint of plant and pollinator 
   
   
   
  Plants have long harnessed the chemical characteristics of aromatic compounds to shape the world around them. Frankincense resin from the genus Boswellia seals injured tissues and protects trees from invading pathogens. Jasmine produces a molecule called linalool that attracts pollinating moths with its flowery scent. Tobacco uses a similarly sweet-smelling compound called benzyl acetone to attract pollinators. Only recently in the evolutionary history of plants, however, have humans learned to co-opt their fragrances to seduce, heal, protect, and alter moods themselves. 
   
   
    
  In this wide-ranging and accessible new book, biologist-turned-perfumer Elise Vernon Pearlstine turns our human-centered perception of fragrance on its head and investigates plants' evolutionary reasons for creating aromatic molecules. Delving into themes of spirituality, wealth, power, addiction, royalty, fantasy, and more, Pearlstine uncovers the natural history of aromatic substances and their intersection with human culture and civilization.

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  The Undiscovered Self - With...

  C. G. Jung, Sonu Shamdasani

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  This audiobook narrated by David Rintoul and John Telfer brings together two of C. G. Jung's timeless essays on self-knowledge and the exploration of the unconscious
  
  These two essays, written late in Jung's life, reflect his responses to the shattering experience of World War II and the dawn of mass society. Among his most influential works, "The Undiscovered Self" is a plea for his generation—and those to come—to continue the individual work of self-discovery and not abandon needed psychological reflection for the easy ephemera of mass culture. Only individual awareness of both the conscious and unconscious aspects of the human psyche, Jung tells us, will allow the great work of human culture to continue and thrive.
  
  Jung's reflections on self-knowledge and the exploration of the unconscious carry over into the second essay, "Symbols and the Interpretation of Dreams," completed shortly before his death in 1961. Describing dreams as communications from the unconscious, Jung explains how the symbols that occur in dreams compensate for repressed emotions and intuitions. This essay brings together Jung's fully evolved thoughts on the analysis of dreams and the healing of the rift between consciousness and the unconscious, ideas that are central to his system of psychology.

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  Medieval Conspiracy Theories:...

  Editors Charles River

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  Few eras are easier to let the imagination run wild than the Middle Ages, which have often been coined the Dark Ages based on a perceived lack of progress and information. Indeed, we can say that it is not completely unfounded because we know less about that historical period compared to those that come after it. In addition, it is a period marked by a great number of deaths caused by plague epidemics, crusades, and inquisitorial persecutions. Often, researchers are not even sure how and why certain events happened, and these mysteries still occupy the attention of historians. 
  	This era was very harsh, difficult, and often gloomy. In that greyness, burdened by various fears, people were looking for something that would light up their lives and bring them a feeling of beauty and joy. People experienced all things and events around them more intensely than people do today. They often exaggerated the events that happened, giving them a mystical and divine character. For this reason, medieval sources are taken with a grain of salt and are first carefully examined before believing.  
  	At the same time, some historical mysteries about the era may never be solved, if only because the relevant excavated material has been lost or the archaeological site has been destroyed. In other cases, it is because new evidence is unlikely to emerge, or the surviving evidence is too vague to lead to a consensus. Of course, the lack of answers only makes these enigmas more intriguing.  
  	Similarly, few stories have the power to mesmerize as much as unsolved mysteries, so codes and missing puzzle pieces fill people with excitement and intrigue. What did a source want to say with that coded message? What mysteries did they hide? 

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  The Covert Narcissist -...

  Dr. Theresa J. Covert

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  DO THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS SOUND FAMILIAR? 
  - Ruined self confidence 
  - Doubting yourself and your sanity 
  - Mood swings 
  - Sleeplessness 
  - Extreme weight loss or weight gain 
  - Uncharacteristic jealousy/ insecurity 
  - Feeling like you don’t know the difference between right and wrong 
  - Extreme paranoia (being turned into an obsessive detective) 
  - Endless, repetitive obsessive thinking about your ex 
  - Constantly trying to find explanations for what has happened 
  - Feelings of helplessness and despair 
  - A desire to self isolate 
  - Feeling desperately misunderstood 
  - Overwhelming feelings of loss and grief 
  - Extreme bouts of rage 
  - An inability to be comfortable with yourself 
  - Strange dreams 
  The list goes on…. 
  Covert Narcissists dangle their vulnerability in front of you as bait, just waiting for your good nurturing mothering/fathering instincts to kick in and rescue the poor little lost child they are presenting to you. 
  But beneath the mask of a shy, vulnerable and “good person” something far more sinister lurks. 
  And this what makes covert narcissism so damaging and dangerous: the nature of the disorder is such that you are brainwashed into thinking you are dealing with a human being with a morality, perhaps even a “pillar of the community”. 
  OFT REPEATED MYTHS OF THE INTERNET ABOUT NARCISSISTS : 
  You are Told: Narcissists are always brash, loud, assertive, flashy and Confident. 
  The problem is: Coverts are quiet, insecure and passive. 
  You are Told: Narcissists will never apologise for things they do. 
  The problem is: Coverts can learn that a quick and TOTAL apology is a really slick way of getting their target to “go back to sleep” if it looks like they are waking up.

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  Delusion and Mass Delusion

  Joost A. M. Meerloo

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  "Delusion and Mass Delusion" by Joost A. M. Meerloo is a seminal work that dissects the intricate psychology behind individual and collective delusions. Published in 1949, this insightful book delves into the mechanisms through which manipulation, propaganda, and coercion can sway individuals and entire societies into embracing false beliefs and irrational behaviors. Drawing from extensive psychiatric expertise and historical examples, Meerloo explores the vulnerabilities of the human mind to external influences, shedding light on the profound impact of social dynamics on shaping beliefs and perceptions. With profound insights into the roots of mass hysteria, indoctrination, and ideological fanaticism, "Delusion and Mass Delusion" remains a timeless exploration of the complexities of human psychology and societal behavior.

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