Other books that might interest you

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  Mystics with the Queen’s Ear...

  Editors Charles River

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  With the golden glow of the candlelight kissing his cheeks, he hovered over a spirit mirror, a flat, exquisitely lustrous “shew-stone” fashioned out of raven-black obsidian. Gazing intently upon his reflection in the dark volcanic glass, he chanted in hushed tones as he ran his fingers across the engravings on the oat-colored wax wheel next to him, the Sigilla iEmeth, which featured a septogram and runic carvings and symbols in minuscule print. This was none other than John Dee, one of the greatest scientific minds of his time, but also one of the most controversial. He was a learned man in fields as varied as mathematics and astronomy, centuries before they became formalized fields of study, but he is better remembered for performing magic and alchemy. Instead of astronomy, he became renowned across England for astrology, and he was one of the country’s most notorious occult writers during his life. 
  The world has never had its shortage of legends surrounding the lives of supposed mystics, visionaries, and prophets. But few have ever grabbed a hold on pop culture quite like that of Grigori Rasputin, one of the most shadowy and mysterious figures in Russian history. Naturally, what makes Rasputin one of the 20th century’s most colorful and memorable figures is what we do not know. Some contemporaries considered him a saintly mystic, psychic, healer and prophet, while others considered him a debauched heretic. The extent to which he beguiled the ruling Romanovs, and how he did so, remain mysterious as well. 
  It’s hard to kill a legend, and that has literally been the case with Rasputin, whose death remains the most legendary aspect of his life. Perhaps the best known part of the Rasputin story is that his murderers practically had to kill him 10 times to finish him off, using everything from poison to bullets to drowning. Naturally, exactly how Rasputin actually died remains a source of controversy as well.

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  Son of Apollo - The Adventures...

  Christopher A. Roosa, James Lovell

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  Christopher A. Roosa grew up the eldest son of Apollo 14 astronaut and command module pilot Stuart A. Roosa. As a child of the space program, Christopher had a ringside seat at the dinner table of one of twenty-four Americans who had either entered lunar orbit or landed on the moon. The first book written by an offspring of an Apollo astronaut to focus on growing up in that era, Son of Apollo tells the inside story of the life of his father, a man who had a remarkable career despite always believing his air force career was "off-track," from his initial application to the service to his removal from the prime crew of Apollo 13 and his subsequent assignment to Apollo 14. During the Apollo 13 mission and recovery, Stuart played an integral role in developing the procedures to return the crew to Earth safely. The focus—and the pressure—of the entire Apollo program then shifted to the Apollo 14 mission. If the Apollo program was to continue, Stuart and the Apollo 14 crew would need to get safely to the moon, land, and return. 
   
   
   
  In writing about his father's career, Christopher Roosa also shows us a familial side of the Apollo experience, from the daily struggles of growing up in the shadow of a father who was necessarily away in training most of the year to the expectations involved in being an astronaut's son.

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  The Dream of a Ridiculous Man -...

  Fyodor Dostoevsky, Tim Zengerink

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  What if the voice of one “ridiculous” man could reignite your faith in humankind? 
  Plagued by hopelessness, a solitary man prepares for the ultimate escape—until a staggering dream hurls him into a world of pure beauty.  
  When that heaven turns to ruin, he wakes with a mission: persuade every living soul that love can save the earth. 
  What you’ll hear inside: 
   — A Riveting Inner Monologue – Immerse yourself in the raw honesty of a mind on the brink 
   — A Cosmic Dreamscape – Vivid soundscapes recreate the fall of a perfect world 
   — Timeless Insights on Freedom and Responsibility – Dostoevsky’s powerful challenge to modern cynicism 
   — A Clear, Contemporary Performance – Narration that honors the original emotion while speaking directly to today’s listener 
  At just over an hour, this audio experience packs a universe of wisdom into a single breath.  
  Press play and let one dream change the way you see the world.

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  Get Carman - In court with...

  Karen Phillipps

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  George Carman QC was, and perhaps still is, Britain's most famous lawyer within living memory. Equally feared and respected, he made his name as an erudite and incisive advocate largely in the field of libel. Coming to prominence with his superb defence of disgraced former Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe on a charge of conspiracy to murder, Carman subsequently defended many well-known faces from the worlds of entertainment, sport, politics and business, including Ken Dodd, Richard Branson and Elton John.
  Away from court, Carman was a complex and private yet not unsociable man. In 1986, he met barrister Karen Phillipps and, although she turned down his immediate marriage proposal, the two would have a close platonic relationship for the rest of Carman's life.
  Carman intended to write his memoirs but became too ill to complete the book and died in 2001. Using his papers, press cuttings and court transcripts – along with the testimonies of some of those who saw him in action and her own extensive memories of her close friend –Phillipps presents a portrait of this eminent advocate through the cases that made him famous. All the drama of the courtroom world that Carman belonged to is here, along with some of the best and most entertaining theatre the English justice system has ever seen.

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  Long Odds - From their pens to...

  H Rider aggard

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  Sir Henry Rider Haggard, KBE was born on June 22nd, 1856 at Bradenham in Norfolk, England.   
  After his education he was pushed towards an Army career but failed the entrance exam. Next Haggard was positioned to work for the British Foreign Office but he seems not to have sat that exam.  Using family connections, he was sent to Southern Africa by his father in search of a further opportunity of a career. 
  Haggard spent six years there before a return to England and marriage.  He had begun to write and publish some non-fiction in Africa but it was only after studying Law in the hope it might prove to be the proper career his father wanted for him that Haggard began to write fiction, using his African experiences as the basis.   
  His first fiction was published in 1885 and the following year King Solomon’s Mines was published. It was a phenomenal success. His career was set. 
  Haggard wrote well and wrote often. He managed to sympathise with the local populations even though they were exploited and manipulated by Europeans intent on amassing fortunes in money, people and resources.  His writing career covered the great sprint to Empire of several European powers and both reflects and criticizes these events through his well-loved characters including Allan Quatermain and Ayesha. 
  In his later years Haggard pursued much in the way social reform as well as standing for Parliament and writing a great many letters to The Times. 
  Henry Rider Haggard died on May 14th, 1925 at the age of 68. His ashes were buried at Ditchingham Church.

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  Awop Bop Aloo Mop - Little...

  Tina Andrews

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  As much music history as biography, Awop Bop Aloo Mop celebrates "Little" Richard Wayne Penniman, who burst onto the American scene in 1955 with his mega-hit "Tutti Frutti." Almost by himself, Little Richard wrote the anti-rules and poured the concrete for the foundation of a new musical art form he created. Alan Freed would call it "Rock & Roll." Dubbing himself "The Architect of Rock & Roll," Little Richard was known for his wild, flamboyant performances and outrageous costumes. He was one of the first artists to make the androgynous look popular, and his influence could be experienced in the music and performances of Mick Jagger, The Beatles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, James Brown, and David Bowie. But Little Richard also had demons he struggled with throughout his career—his complicated relationship with his sexual orientation, and its effect on his faith. 
   
   
   
  He helped solidify The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Billy Preston, and The Beatles as major acts who used his onstage antics for their success. A terrible car crash sidelined Little Richard for months, causing him to miss his own induction into the first Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 for his contribution to music. But he later appeared in movies, television shows, and tours, showing everyone why he remains the "Originator, the Innovator, and the Architect of Rock & Roll."

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