Best of
Mythology

2008

Percy Jackson and the Olympians


Rick Riordan - 2008
    When his mom tells him the truth about where he came from, she takes him to the one place he'll be safe—Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island). There, Percy learns that the father he never knew is actually Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon Percy finds himself caught up in a mystery that could lead to disastrous consequences. Together with his friends—a satyr and another the demigod daughter of Athena—Percy sets out on a quest to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods. The Sea of Monsters After a summer spent trying to prevent a catastrophic war among the Greek gods, Percy Jackson finds his seventh-grade school year unnervingly calm. But things don't stay quiet for long. Percy soon discovers there is trouble at Camp Half-Blood: the magical borders which protect Half-Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner by the Cyclops Polyphemus on an island somewhere in the Sea of Monsters—the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millennia—only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new name: the Bermuda Triangle. Now Percy and his friends must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclops by the end of the summer or Camp Half-Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family—one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke… The Titan's Curse When Percy Jackson receives a distress call from his friend Grover, he immediately prepares for battle. He knows he'll need his powerful demigod allies, Annabeth and Thalia, at his side; his trusty bronze sword Riptide; and…a ride from his mom. The demigods race to the rescue, to find that Grover has made an important discovery: two new powerful half-bloods whose parentage is unknown. But that's not all that awaits them. The Titan lord, Kronos, has set up his most devious trap yet, and the young heroes have unwittingly fallen prey. Hilarious and action-packed, this third adventure in the series finds Percy faced with his most dangerous challenge so far: the chilling prophecy of the Titan's curse.

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods Goddesses


Judika Illes - 2008
    Within these pages meet love goddesses and disease demons, guardians of children and guardians of cadavers. Discover Celtic goddesses and goddesses of the Kabbalah, female Buddhas, African Powers, Dragon Ladies, White Ladies, Black Madonnas, the Green Man, the Green Fairy, lots and lots of ghosts, djinn, mermaids, fairies, and more. From the beneficent to the mischievous, working with these spirits can bring good fortune, lasting love, health, fertility, revenge, and relief. Discover:The true identities of over one thousand spirits (as well as their likes and dislikes)How to communicate with specific spirits for your own benefitHow to recognize these spirits when they manifest themselvesThe mythological and historical events associated with specific spiritsThe colors, days, numbers, and astrological signs associated with specific spiritsThe Encyclopedia of Spirits also provides an overview of the role of spirit communication throughout history and a general guide to working with spirits. No matter what your life's problems or desires, this book can guide you to the right spirits who can help fulfill your dreams. For the spiritual adept, the amateur, or the simply curious, the Encyclopedia of Spirits will inform, inspire, and delight.

The Palace of Illusions


Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni - 2008
    Narrated by Panchaali, the wife of the legendary Pandavas brothers in the Mahabharat, the novel gives us a new interpretation of this ancient tale. The novel traces the princess Panchaali's life, beginning with her birth in fire and following her spirited balancing act as a woman with five husbands who have been cheated out of their father’s kingdom. Panchaali is swept into their quest to reclaim their birthright, remaining at their side through years of exile and a terrible civil war involving all the important kings of India. Meanwhile, we never lose sight of her strategic duels with her mother-in-law, her complicated friendship with the enigmatic Krishna, or her secret attraction to the mysterious man who is her husbands' most dangerous enemy. Panchaali is a fiery female redefining for us a world of warriors, gods, and the ever-manipulating hands of fate.

Murder on Balete Drive


Budjette Tan - 2008
    BurgosCase 4: Our Secret Constellation

Stories from Mahabharata: 5 in 1 (Amar Chitra Katha)


Anant Pai - 2008
    But woven into its colossal tapestry are hundreds of smaller stories, each providing a unique insight into the main theme. This collection tells of Savitri, the loyal wife who was not afraid to bargain with the Lord of Death for her husband's life, of Shibi, the righteous king, who was prepared to sacrifice his life to save that of a pigeon's, of the innocent Devyani, whose love for Kacha was doomed to a tragic end, of Shachi, whose devotion protected her husband, Indra, from the forces of evil and of Nala and Damayanti, who face all calamities and win back happiness.

The Mythical Creatures Bible: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Mythical Creatures


Brenda Rosen - 2008
    This title provides a complete guide to the mythical beasts and beings from a variety of cultures around the world, including Mesopotamian, ancient Greek, ancient Egyptian and Chinese, Japanese, Nordic, Celtic and Native American.

The Illustrated Signs and Symbols Sourcebook


Adele Nozedar - 2008
    Where does each symbol come from and what does it mean? Learn about Native American hunting symbols, secret alphabets, and coded message. Find out the true meanings of Indian murdras, the Masonic compass, the Eye of Horus, the Caduceus, and hundreds of other ancient signs. Loaded with over a thousand lush images, this comprehensive sourcebook has everthing you need to unlock the secrets of the symboles of our world.

Tales Of Vishnu (Amar Chitra Katha)


Anant Pai - 2008
    However, though Brahma has created the universe and Shiva can destroy it, it is up to the great god Vishnu to keep all creatures within it well and happy. Always compassionate, he is also the wisest of the trinity. It is he who good-naturedly sorts out the mess the others create. And above all, Vishnu always favours the good and the pure.

Encyclopedia Mythologica: Fairies and Magical Creatures Pop-Up


Matthew Reinhart - 2008
    Further on, a crystalline elfin castle rises into the clouds, not far from some scary hobgoblins and trolls. And on a truly stunning spread, a humanoid magical tree spreads its branches to reveal a face within its foliage, while flowers unfold and rearrange their petals, turning into flower fairies. Visiting mythical beings around the world, from household brownies to the merfolk lurking deep below the sea, this breathtaking 3-D book, brimming with facts and fancy, will hold humans of all ages in its spell.

Element Encyclopedia of Secret Signs and Symbols: The Ultimate A-Z Guide from Alchemy to the Zodiac


Adele Nozedar - 2008
    A book that has definitions & explanation about numerous signs & symbols

Yokai Attack!: The Japanese Monster Survival Guide


Hiroko Yoda - 2008
    This book is the result of long hours spent poring over data and descriptions from a variety of sources, including microfilms of eighteenth-century illustrations from the National Diet Library in Tokyo, in order to bring you detailed information on almost 50 of these amazing creatures for the first time in English.Illustrations, created by the talented Tatsuya Morino, detail the potential appearance of each yokai. Alongside each illustration is a series of "data points," with each yokai's significant features at a glance—especially handy for any potential close encounters.Yokai Attack! will surely convince you that Japan's tradition of fascinating monsters is a long one—yet far from being history.Together with Yurei Attack! and Ninja Attack!, Yokai Attack! is the last guidebook to Japan you'll ever need.

The Penguin Book of Classical Myths


Jennifer R. March - 2008
    Whether it's Ikaros flying too close to the sun, Prometheus stealing fire from the gods or the tragedy of Oedipus, their characters have inspired art, literature, plays and films, and constellations named after them fill the night sky. But how much do you really know about them?From the clash of the Titans to the fall of Troy, here are the greatest legends of all time, brilliantly retold by classical scholar Jenny March. All the heroes, monsters, villains, gods and goddesses of classical civilization are included; the epic journeys of Odysseus and Aeneas; the founding of Athens and Rome; the quests of Jason seeking the Golden Fleece and Theseus slaying the minotaur. Giving the origins, development and interpretation of each myth, this is the essential guide to the stories that have shaped our world.

The McElderry Book of Greek Myths


Eric A. Kimmel - 2008
    Vibrant art adds a fresh twist to this collection, giving today's readers their own version of these timeless tales. Eric A. Kimmel brings these adventures to life with language that is colloquial and easy to read. Pep Monserrat breathes beautiful modern colors and style into his paintings, even as he reinvents images from classical antiquity. Together they've created a masterpiece of mythology, perfect for young readers.

English Fairy Tales and Legends


Rosalind Kerven - 2008
    Folk tales and legends are an intrinsic part of English national culture—so which are the fairy tales from England? Rosalind Kerven presents an answer here, as she has revived the best of these tales for a new generation with more than a dozen classics rewritten to engage readers. The 15 stories include tales of giants, dragons, fairies, beauty-and-the-beast, and Arthurian romance. Each tale is linked with a specific place or county in England—for example, "The Dragon Castle" from Northumberland, "The Girl Snatched By Fairies" from County Durham, "The Princess and the Fool" from Kent, and "The Dark Moon" from Lincolnshire. The second half of the book has notes on each story relating where the history came from, its development, and short summaries of many related or similar stories.

The Mythic Bestiary: The Illustrated Guide to the World's Most Fantastical Creatures


Tony Allan - 2008
    From the ethereal unicorn of medieval European fable to the monstrous eight-headed dragon of Japanese legend, such animals have embodied some of life's greatest mysteries, and humankind's most primal impulses: the love of beauty, the terror of the grave. Familiar myths have lodged them in our consciousness, but we may not know them as well as we think. With stunning artwork and a wealth of enchanting tales, The Mythic Bestiary sheds light on these shadowy creatures, displaying them in all of their beauty and ferocity.The book is a complete materia monstrum organized into three parts, according to habitat--the beasts of the air, those of the earth, and those of the aquatic realms. We meet the monsters and hybrids of the classical world, the myriad serpents and dragons of both East and West, the malevolent ogres and trolls of Scandinavia, and the elusive cannibals, shape-shifters, and ape-people of the dense forests of North America and Eurasia. Detailed entries describe the classic appearance of each beast, chart variations across cultures, and explore contemporary incarnations in film and literature, from Batman to Pirates of the Caribbean, from J. R. R. Tolkien to J. K. Rowling. Indispensable for all those drawn to the beasts of myth and legend, the Mythic Bestiary brings these compelling creatures thrillingly to life.

If My People . . .: A 40-Day Prayer Guide for Our Nation


Jack Countryman - 2008
    If My People guides believers on a 40-day prayer journey in the spirit of 2 Chronicles 7:14. "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."In the days prior to the election, this prayer booklet guides believers through 40 days of prayer, plus providing seven prayers from past presidents, inspired during some of our country's darkest days. Note: Must be ordered in multiples of 25.

Goddesses: A World of Myth and Magic


Burleigh Muten - 2008
    Offers descriptions, facts, and anecdotes about the well-known female figures of Greek and Roman mythology, as well as many other tradition.

The Secret History of Giants


Ari Berk - 2008
    Now comes a hugely engrossing chronicle of giants since antiquity, from their role in forming mountains and causing earthquakes to the mysteries of their sacks (watch out for hitchhiking humans); from their means of employment (how did the Druids built Stonehenge?) to an extensive map of places around the world where giants may likely be found. Exhaustive and lushly illustrated, this enormously valuable resource is sure to fascinate all who open its covers.Special features include:* sundry flaps, booklets, and gatefolds* a lavish foiled and embossed cover* an elegant tassel dangling from the spine

The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1001 Nights, Volume 1 of 3


Anonymous - 2008
    But using her wit and guile, she begins a sequence of stories that will last 1001 nights: stories of 'ifrits and money-changers, prices and slave girls, fishermen and queens, and magical gardens of paradise. This volume also includes the well-known tale of 'Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves'.Along with this landmark new translation, Robert Irwin's introduction discusses the many cultures The Arabian Nights has drawn on and the elaborate structure of the story-within-a-story that defines the collection, as well as the importance to the Nights of locked doors, sex, and the recurring themes of money, merchants and debts. This edition also contains suggestions for further reading, a glossary, maps and a chronology.

From Futility to Happiness: Sisyphus as Everyman


Kenneth Wapnick - 2008
    His life of futility mirrors our life in the body and the hopelessness inherent in pursuing any meaning in the world. The first part of the book addresses this view as presented in A Course in Miracles, summarized in the idea that we can never be truly happy in the world because it is not our home. The second part discusses the transition from futility to happiness in the context of the Course s offering of another way of looking at our seeming fate, reflecting Camus important essay on Sisyphus, which he ended by stating, We must imagine Sisyphus happy. Through a change of mind brought about by changing our inner teacher from the ego to Jesus, our lives of futility are transformed into opportunities for unlearning the ego s thought system. A purposeless life of inherent meaninglessness thus metamorphoses into a meaningful classroom that leads us to the Heaven we never truly left. As with the other books in this series, The Practice of A Course in Miracles, From Futility to Happiness is presented as an aid in applying the Course s principles of forgiveness more meaningfully to our everyday lives, that they may become increasingly happy and less futile in our experience.

Tyr Myth Culture Tradition Vol. 3 (Tyr)


Joshua Buckley - 2008
    IN THE THIRD VOLUME:Thomas Naylor on "Cipherspace," Annie Le Brun on "Catastrophe Pending," Pentti Linkola on "Survival Theory," Michael O'Meara on "The Primordial and the Perennial," Alain de Benoist on "Spiritual Authority and Temporal Power," Nigel Pennick on "The Web of Wyrd," Thierry Jolif on "The Abode of the Gods and the Great Beyond," Stephen Flowers on "The Spear of Destiny," Joscelyn Godwin on Philip Pullman's "Dark Materials" trilogy, Ian Read on "Humour in the Icelandic Sagas," Geza von Neményi on the "Hávamál," Gordon Kennedy on the "Children of the Sonne," Michael Moynihan on "Carl Larsson's Greatest Sacrifice," Christopher McIntosh on "Iceland's Pagan Renaissance," Jónína Berg on Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson, "Selected Poems" by Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson, Vilius Rudra Dundzila on "Baltic Lithuanian Religion," James Reagan on "The End Times," interviews with the stalwart folk singer Andrew King and the modern minnesinger Roland Kroell, Collin Cleary on "Paganism Without Gods," Róbert Hórvath on Mark Sedgwick's "Against the Modern World," and extensive book and music review sections.

The Fairy Bible: The Definitive Guide to the World of Fairies


Teresa Moorey - 2008
    Illustrated throughout with captivating artwork in glorious color, it examines fairy legend and lore through the ages and leads us into fairy cities, landscapes, rings, and paths. Find out what clothes they wear (fairies can be fussy about their dress), what they like to eat and drink, and what plants and animals they cherish. Discover the secrets of fairy festivals, and the various names they like to be called—including the Little Folk and Good Neighbors. Altogether, it’s a privileged glimpse into a paradise that vibrates at a different frequency than ours…and that few can ever see.

Philippine Folk Literature: An Anthology


Damiana L. Eugenio - 2008
    This anthology presents a bird's-eye view of the whole range of Philippine folk literature.

Celtic Folk Soul: Art, Myth & Symbol: Art, Myth and Symbol


Jen Delyth - 2008
    Her debut book, Celtic Folk-Soul, illuminates the beauty, power and spirit of nature expressed through the ancient language of Celtic art and symbol: the voice of the Folk-Soul. This beautiful book is rich with Delyth's stunning artwork and is structured around a symbolic nine-chapter motif. From ... Full description

Dialogues of the Gods


Lucian of Samosata - 2008
    Philosophy was the new God, but there were efforts in some circles to divert men's minds from the philosophical sects and restore a sort of unorthodox faith in the old religion. Against this artificial revival of mythological faith, Lucian pitted the influence of his tremendous satirical powers. In the "Dialogues of the Gods," he pulls the curtain aside-exposing the Gods as they engage in private disputes, domestic brawls, and love affairs, with their jealousies and scandals, their paltry strifes and petty motives. The lesson is simple: Can one worship beings with such weaknesses, such foibles, and such scandalous and immoral lives? This new translation by Baudelaire Jones breathes fresh life into ancient deities such as Zeus, Hera, Hermes, Aphrodite, Poseidon, and Athena, revealing complex, contradictory, sex-obsessed creatures that modern mortals can surely relate to.

Ganesh And The moon


Prabha Nair - 2008
    The Moon faced Ganesha’s wrath for laughing at him,when the elephant- headed god fell off the mouse he rode.When Ravana obtained the Atmalinga from Shiva, thegods were perturbed and turned to Ganesha for a solution.Kind-hearted, benign and always ready to help, Ganesha can also display anger at injustice and foolishness.This Amar Chitra Katha features stories that revolve around one of the most popular and endearing figures in Indian mythology.

Psyche & Eros (Graphic Myths & Legends)


Marie P. Croall - 2008
    But when her beauty draws the jealous anger of the powerful goddess Aphrodite, Psyche finds herself in great danger. She is taken away to an isolated mountain to marry a monster. Will Psyche find love after all with her mysterious new husband? Or will she fall prey to Aphrodite’s revenge?

Mythology: Myths, Legends and Fantasies


Greg BaileyHugo McCann - 2008
    Mythology is a comprehensive and authoritative guide to the world's myth and legends presented in six different sections - the Classical Era, European Mythology, Egyptian and African Mythology, Middle East and Asian Mythology, Mythology of Oceania, and Mythology of the Americas.

5 in 1: Heroes from the Mahabharata (1010)


Anant Pai - 2008
    Includes the following titles: Bheeshma / Drona / Tales of Arjuna / Karna / Abhimanyu

Srimad Bhagavadgita: with English Translation and Transliteration


Shri Hari - 2008
    The book contains Sanskrit text with English translation, glory of Shrimadbhagvadgita, contents of principal subjects of each chapter of Shrimadbhagvadgita. The book also carries some essays regarding attainment of God through renunciation.

Days in Midgard: A Thousand Years On - Modern Legends Based on Northern Myth


Steven T. Abell - 2008
    In oblique encounters with passing strangers, the lives of ordinary and not-so-ordinary people turn in new and interesting directions. These stories are based on the myths of the Vikings, but they contain nothing magical or supernatural. Or do they? Sometimes it's hard to tell. Perhaps the magic lies in living men and women as they spend, and sometimes end, their Days in Midgard.

Written In Wine: A Devotional Anthology For Dionysos


Diotima Sophia - 2008
    The world of Dionysos is one of wildness, freedom, mystery and intoxication, a dangerous and boundary-blurring place where nature is alive with wonder. Come with us as we revel with the god on the mountainside and explore the furthest reaches of our own selves under his frenzied inspiration. Inside these pages you will find essays, poetry, rituals and fiction, as well as personal accounts of Dionysian experiences.

The World Behind the World


Michael Meade - 2008
    In The World Behind the World, Meade weaves a tapestry of mythic tales and cogent commentary that truly inspires and offers a "mythic inoculation" in times of great uncertainty. As nature rattles and culture unravels, mythic imagination tries to return to the world, for endings and beginnings are particularly mythic. When "the End" seems near, how people imagine the world becomes more important; how people imagine humanity becomes of the utmost importance. Meade shows how "myth makes meaning" and helps a person find the meaningful path through life. He mines a series of "re-creation" stories in which the earth renews itself just when all seems lost. When it appears that there's no time left, it isn't time that people need, but the touch of the eternal. While explaining how culture renews itself from the dreams of youth and the visions of elders, Meade introduces the concept of becoming ancient again by connecting to the eternal youth and the old soul within. At one level, The World Behind the World is a guide for living at the ends of time. At another level, it's an introduction to "living myth" and it involves a re-imagination of culture at all levels.

Llewellyn's 2009 Herbal Almanac


Llewellyn Publications - 2008
    Amp up the flavor factor of your favorite foods with savory spices, add a splash of color to your wardrobe, create wholesome and delicious culinary recipes, mix healing salves and tonics to ward off illnesses—and cultivate your personal connection to the natural world.Enchanting you with herbal wisdom for over fifteen years, Llewellyn's Herbal Almanac offers three dozen articles that delve into the nourishing and healing properties of the earth's most potent and bountiful gift. Get ready to heighten your green consciousness, and feel the powerful influence of herbs in your life.Lazy Gardens for Busy Bodies by Elizabeth BarretteGrasses in the Herb Garden by James KambosPractical Pestos by Suzanne RessWinter and Summer Savory by Anne SalaHerbs for Young Children by Clea DanaanPet Food Cooked with Love (and Herbs) by Kaaren ChristOrganic Cosmetics by Sally CraginCosmetics of Ancient Egypt—Today! by Sorita d'EsteHerbal Home Care by Janice SharkeyA Plate of Herbal Passion by Nancy V. Bennett

Feeding the Flame: A Devotional to Loki and His Family


Galina Krasskova - 2008
    In this book, readers will find not only Loki and Sigyn, but also Angurboda, Odin, Glut and all of Loki's children equally honored. It is a celebration of devotional consciousness and an offering of love to a very complex family of Gods.

Rulers of the Horoscope: Finding Your Way Through the Labyrinth


Alan Oken - 2008
    Alan Oken masterfully guides you through the labyrinth of delineating and synthesizing the complex interchange between rulers of houses and their signs and the nature of the houses they occupy and rule. He defines and describes derivative houses, planetary and house rulerships, dispositorships, mutual reception and the compatibility and nature of importance of their placement in the horoscope. The astrological charts of well-known people are illustrated with detailed descriptions of planetary relationships, their positive and negative aspects, and the traditional and modern interpretation of the houses. Alan Oken's in-depth exploration of the ruler for each of the twelve houses and the rulers of the rising sign is an invaluable tool for astrology students and teachers alike.

Conversations With A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda - 2008
    Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna consciousness (ISKCON).Through his room conversations, press conferences, morning walk conversations and conversations with scientists, scholars, politicians, world leaders and others we can experience the powerful preaching of Srila Prabhupada.

How to Be a Viking


Ari Berk - 2008
    Containing guidance and knowledge for young, aspiring Northlanders, 'How To Be A Viking' reveals everything you ever wanted to know about the ancient Norse gods, giants, trolls, sailing ships and Viking runes.

Babylonian Star-Lore. an Illustrated Guide to the Star-Lore and Constellations of Ancient Babylonia


Gavin White - 2008
    The zodiac is, however, but a part of a much larger system of star-lore that could reveal so much about ancient man and his beliefs. Knowledge of this lore could provide many profound insights into how early civilisations viewed the gods, the nature of the universe and the destiny of mankind. This book is the first of its kind, specifically written for the layman, to explore the constellations and star-lore of ancient Babylonia. It presents the idea that the constellation figures as a whole amount to a 'pictorial calendar' that integrates various seasonal festivals - concerned with the mythic life-cycle of the sun, the farming and herding year, the institution of kingship and various rites directed towards the dead - into an elegant system that ultimately represents an archaic image of time itself. The introductory sections provide all the essential background information on how ancient Near Eastern cultures viewed the heavens. It starts with a survey of the writing system and then moves on to consider the nature of ominous signs and celestial divination. The final sections introduce the reader to the archaic view of the cosmos and an overview of the whole star-map. The main body of the book is composed of an A-Z Gazetteer, which explores the names, appearances and associated lore of each star and constellation in greater detail. A set of appendices furnishes additional information on the planetary and geographic associations of the stars, the calendar and the seasonal cycle of Mesopotamia. Beyond the familiar figures of the zodiac, the Babylonian constellations have laid in almost total obscurity for the last two thousand years. Here for the first time the complete star-map is reconstructed and many of its secrets revealed, so that now the whole system of celestial symbolism can be restored to something approaching its former glory.

Night's Black Agents: Witches, Wizards and the Dead in the Ancient World


Daniel Ogden - 2008
    This book covers the literature of both Greek and Roman cultures over a period of more than a thousand years, through the advent of Christianity. Although classical culture was conservative, especially in regards to ghosts and witches which were strongly bound up in folklore, such tales preserve and conserve ideas about ghosts and witchcraft, and they survive to achieve this effect precisely because they are wonderfully engaging. Consequently, and also because they have directly and indirectly shaped our own culture's lore of magic and ghosts, these tales speak to us today still with a great directness and immediacy. In Night's Black Agents, Ogden uncovers the ancient foundations of the supernatural stories that have endured for generations.

Monsters and Villains of the Movies and Literature


Gerrie McCall - 2008
    STORIES BEHIND THE WORLD'S SCARIEST CHARACTERS FROM ANCIENT MYTH, LEGEND, AND LITERATURE.

The Last of the Shor Shamans


Alexander Arbachakov - 2008
    An engrossing exploration of the vanishing way of life of the Shor Shamans of Siberia.

The Note She Left: Poems


Susan Hahn - 2008
    In four sections—“The Bells,” “The Crosses,” “Widdershins,” and “Afterwor(l)d”—she contrasts the hope against the dark that is embodied by an amulet or cross with the abased resignation of torture, failed prayers, and witchcraft. Though Hahn’s vision is a dark one, its dramatic emotional depth speaks to a human power that, though damaged, can still engage.from The Crosses (V)Cross my fingers, cross my heart,arms extended, legs together, not apart,I make of myself a cross.In my pockets bright blue beads,small clay gods, scarabs,four-leaf clovers, bejewelled mezuzahs.In my hat cockleshellsto exorcize the demons,to keep hidden the seventh chakra,the tonsure, the bald compulsion.Cross my fingers, cross my heart,arms extended, legs together, not apart. In my ears little bells of confusion,to frighten away eyes of the evil.On my breast a foul sachetto repel the lick of the Devil.Cross my fingers, cross my heart.In my window a glass witch ballto guard against the shatterfrom intruders.Cross my fingers.

Real Presence: In Seach of the Earliest Icons


Wendy Beckett - 2008
    In Encounters with God Sister, Wendy Beckett traveled to remote churches and monasteries to view the earliest icons of Mary. In Real Presence, she resumes this journey to see additional early icons of Jesus and the saints - icons that are among the few to survive the wholesale destruction of icons in the early eighth century. In contrast with the familiar and magnificent icons of later history, these early icons have a haunting simplicity and unfamiliar spiritual power. They come to us from a time closer to that of Christ, when faith was still alive with wonder and possibilities, and these images, a vehicle for prayer, can truly convey his real presence. Sister Wendy journeys to the heart of the great treasure-house of pre-Iconoclastic icons at Mt. Sinai to celebrate its unique historical and spiritual value, and to reveal the spirituality and devotional practices of our ancestors. Prayerful and heartfelt, Real Presence offers everyone 'a taste of the spiritual happiness that is there for the asking, for the seeking, for attention'.

Dragons: A Beautifully Illustrated Quest for the World's Great Dragon Myths


Jonathan D. Evans - 2008
    This book takes you on a journey through the great Eastern and Western dragon myths, from ancient Babylonian creation stories to the famous legend of St. George. Beautifully illustrated with magnificent paintings, engravings, and sculptures from history, this volume shows how the mere mention of dragons has inspired creativity in so many cultures.

The Sons of Shiva


Anant Pai - 2008
    Includes the following titles: Ganesha,Kartikeya, andAyyappan.

The Secret of St. Nicholas


Ellen Cook Nibali - 2008
    Inspired by Jesus, Nicholas sneaks over at night and throws a bag of gold for dowries through their window. It lands in a stocking. One daughter is wed, but the father keeps wasting gold until Nicholas is down to his last bag of gold. What should he do? Can he save the girl and keep his giving a secret? Almost two thousand years later, St. Nicholas still comes secretly at night, putting surprises in children's stockings.

Gateway of the Gods: The Rise and Fall of Babylon


Anton Gill - 2008
    It was here that the first city-states came into being, and with them many of the social, legal, and economic structures that we recognize today. Beginning with a survey of the early Mesopotamian dynasties, Anton Gill then chronicles the city's rise under the Amorite king Hammurabi who unified Mesopotamia under the hegemony of Babylon, its troubled fortunes in the centuries that followed, its golden age under a dynasty of Chaldean kings in the seventh and sixth centuries BC, and the life of its last great king Nebuchadrezzar II. Gill not only describes the political and military triumphs of Nebuchadrezzar's reign but also explores its many achievements in the cultural sphere—from art to mathematics, from economics to legal matters, and from astronomy to writing—as well as features of everyday life, from sex and shopping to food and drink customs.

Sekhem Heka


Storm Constantine - 2008
    It is the Egyptian equivalent of the Indian concept of prana, and also of chi and ki, terms used in the Orient to denote the all-encompassing essential force that binds the universe together. Sekhem is both all around us and within us. Sekhem, Seichim and Reiki work very well together as a unified trinity of sacred healing energies to completely harmonize your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bodies, bringing balance to your life. They help you expand your capacity to carry more light and love, which anchors and grounds the essential life force within your energy system. Many people all over the world feel a calling to Egypt and Egyptian energies. Learning to work with these energies can transform your life. Sekhem Heka introduces the searcher to this practice through seven degrees of spiritual and personal self-exploration and self-development. Drawing upon her experiences in Egyptian Magic and the energy healing systems of Reiki and Seichim, Storm Constantine has developed this new system to appeal to practitioners of both magic and energy healing alike. Incorporating ritual and visualisation into a progressive journey through the seven energy centres of the body, Sekhem Heka can be practiced by those who are already attuned to an energy healing modality, as well as those who are simply interested in the magical aspects of the system. Sekhem Heka is designed to help the practitioner work upon self-evolution and self-knowledge. Each of the seven tiers focuses upon a particular energy centre and an Ancient Egyptian god or goddess, with practical exercises and rites. The author has devised a new terminology for the system, drawn from the Ancient Egyptian language, including powerful mantras to help manifest positive changes in your life.

Homeric Hymns and Other Homerica


Homer - 2008
    Swinburne praised their "romantic and sometimes barbaric grandeur," their "freshness, strength, and inextinguishable fire." And the great critic George Saintsbury wrote, "For more than two centuries they were the resort of all who, unable to read Greek, wished to know what the Greek was. Chapman is far nearer Homer than any modern translator in any modern language."This volume presents the original text of Chapman's translation of the Homeric hymns. The hymns, believed to have been written not by Homer himself but by followers who emulated his style, are poems written to the gods and goddesses of the ancient Greek pantheon. The collection, originally titled by Chapman "The Crowne of all Homers Workes," also includes epigrams and poems attributed to Homer and known as "The Lesser Homerica," as well as his famous "The Battle of Frogs and Mice."

Wicca 334: Further Advanced Topics in Wiccan Belief


Kaatryn MacMorgan-Douglas - 2008
    Containing twelve new topics and four new "Wicca in Practice" vignettes, 334 is designed for the serious student of Wicca interested in covering controversies, debates and injustices within the religion. Those searching for spells or techniques are not served by this book, which focuses instead on philosophy, Wicca's occasionally strained relationship with other religions and such divisive issues as propaganda and religious imperialism.

The Logomachy of Zos


Austin Osman Spare - 2008
    Like Aleister Crowley with whom he had a brief association, Spare was a genius in his own time unappreciated and vilified by a society that could little understand him. His was the inspiration that led to the formation of the 'Illuminates of Thanateros' (IOT) in England in the late 1970’s and the practice of what is now known as Chaos Magic. The Logomachy of Zos is a massive eruption of magical aphorisms, each acting as a microcosm of Spare's thoughts. It is an ideal starting point for studying this brilliant figure in the occult literature.

Buddhist Stores


Anant Pai - 2008
    Collections of stories about Buddhism.

Pandemonium and Parade: Japanese Monsters and the Culture of Yokai


Michael Dylan Foster - 2008
    This history of the strange and mysterious in Japan seeks out these creatures in folklore, encyclopedias, literature, art, science, games, manga, magazines, and movies, exploring their meanings in the Japanese cultural imagination and offering an abundance of valuable and, until now, understudied material. Michael Dylan Foster tracks yôkai over three centuries, from their appearance in seventeenth-century natural histories to their starring role in twentieth-century popular media. Focusing on the intertwining of belief and commodification, fear and pleasure, horror and humor, he illuminates different conceptions of the "natural" and the "ordinary" and sheds light on broader social and historical paradigms—and ultimately on the construction of Japan as a nation.

Treasury of African American Heroes: Follow the drinking gourd, John Henry


Morgan Freeman - 2008
    This touching story captures the drama of a perilous flight to freedom. John Henry Read by Denzel WashingtonOriginal Music by B. B. KingJoin John Henry, an African American hero born with a hammer in this hand, on a scenic journey from cotton country to the wilderness. There he finds men of all color working together to build a great railroad. John Henry quickly becomes king of the railroad camps by driving more steel than any man alive, and in an exciting contest even out-performs a steam drill.

Qabalah -The Book of Enoch - The Book of Watchers


Steven Ashe - 2008
    The Book of Enoch describes the fall of the Watchers who fathered the Nephilim. The fallen angels then went to Enoch to intercede on their behalf with God. The remainder of the book describes Enoch's visit to Heaven in the form of a vision, and his revelations. The Book of Enoch, written during the second century B.C.E., is one of the most important non-canonical apocryphal works, and probably had a huge influence on early Christian, particularly Gnostic, beliefs. Filled with hallucinatory visions of heaven and hell, angels and devils, Enoch introduced concepts such as fallen angels, the appearance of a Messiah, Resurrection, a Final Judgement, and a Heavenly Kingdom on Earth. Interspersed with this material are quasi-scientific digressions on calendrical systems, geography, cosmology, astronomy, and meteorology.

Poisonous Plants in Great Britain


Fred Gillam - 2008
    If you thought only mushrooms and toadstools had it in for humans, think again! These fair isles shelter a multitude of extremely vicious killers, about which every sensible rambler and picnicker should be informed.

Lachlei


M.H. Bonham - 2008
    Appearing as a warrior from a rival clan, Areyn slays the king of the Lochvaur, knowing that he can shift the balance in the world of mortals. But the king's death brings an unlikely adversary. Lachlei, the queen of the Lochvaur, proves to be a daunting warrior. Swearing vengeance against the rival clan, Lachlei thrusts her people into a deadly war against demons and undead.

Armageddon?


Stuart Slade - 2008
    When all Hell breaks loose on Earth, all Earth will break loose on HellThe Salvation War is a web original, written by Stuart Slade, which premiered online in the beginning of the year 2008, and starts by asking one question: what happens when God declares that humanity shall forever be kept away from Heaven, and all souls and bodies are now property of Satan? Humanity chooses to fight back, declaring war on both Heaven and Hell.

The Devil: A History of Satan from Antiquity to the Present


P.G. Maxwell-Stuart - 2008
    Sometimes grotesque, sometimes beautiful, sometimes threatening, sometimes seductively helpful, sometimes comical, Satan has played a variety of roles in human existence. Feared and frightening adversary of humankind during the Middle Ages, supposed master and friend of witches during the 16th century, and seducer of the devout during the 17nth, he was gradually explained away as the 19th century started to lose its faith at home and export him in all his traditional aspects to the Empire. Satan made a startling and vicious comeback during the 20th century as a focus of renewed admiration and even worship. This book follows the Devil through his various and sometimes surprising incarnations from the ancient world to the present, and shows that his significance is by no means over, even in the West.

Varieties of Mythic Experience: Essays on Religion, Psyche and Culture


Dennis Patrick Slattery - 2008
    It also shows how psychology and philosopy have been influenced by myths.

Folk Metaphysics: Mystical Meanings in Traditional Folk Songs and Spirituals


Charles Upton - 2008
    And they also taught us - just as Plato did, 2400 years ago -- that myth and folklore constitute a 'philosophical' language, where images (as in dreams, holy icons, and symbolic poetry) can carry a great burden of meaning. Few seem to realize, however, that certain works of art conventionally considered to be unconscious products of the 'folk imagination' were quite consciously and deliberately constructed, by highly-informed individuals, to transmit specific items of spiritual lore. Among these 'few' was Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, who said: The content of folklore is metaphysical. Our failure to recognize this is primarily due to our own abysmal ignorance of metaphysics and of its technical terms.. The true folklorist must be not so much a psychologist as a theologian and metaphysician, if he is to 'understand his material'.. Traditional man lived in a natural environment he could read like a book - a book written in primordial symbols of Divine Reality (the Sun, the Rain, the Mountain, the Eagle) - as well as in a man-made environment that was in large part deliberately constructed to remind him of that Reality, and teach him the nature of it (just as our own human world, with its 'weapons of mass distraction', seems ingeniously contrived to make us forget it). Through song, dance, gesture, poetry, architecture, proverbs, jokes, riddles, stories, games, toys, medicine, painting, sculpture, weapons, tools, scriptures, sacred rites, and the traditional forms and rhythms of daily life, we were always in the presence of reminders of the Sacred; all fingers (or almost all) pointed to the Moon. That deliberately-constructed sacred environment is now largely a thing of the past. Dedicated artists may work to keep traditional arts and crafts alive, but the cultural context that could reveal their relevance and tap their spiritual power is usually missing; even the 'folk memory' itself has now largely been replaced by the Internet. However, it is still possible to approach ancient artistic constructions, like the traditional ballads which are the subject of this book, in spiritually fruitful ways. The great myths, such as are transmitted by certain 'folk' songs, were received in the Age of Revelation -- now, however, we live in the Age of Exegesis. As the profound meanings of these songs are unwrapped, they escape from our hands like freed birds, back to the Source they came from. And they challenge us to follow them.

Bө and Bön: Ancient Shamanic Traditions of Siberia and Tibet in Their Relation to the Teachings of a Central Asian Buddha


Dmitry Ermakov - 2008
    Combining scholarly research with spiritual insight, the author draws on his experience in both Yungdrung Bön and the Bө Murgel tradition of Buryatia to bring this subject to life. It covers mythology, cosmology, rituals, gods, spirits, the after-life, sacrifice, healing, and magic. Thorough studies of the pantheons of both belief systems reveal striking parallels not only between the deities of Bön and Bө Murgel, but also with those of other ancient Eurasian traditions and peoples such as the Indo-Iranian Aryans and ancient Greeks. This brings us to a larger phenomenon - an Ur religion of Eurasia. The author gives the historical backdrop to Central and Inner Asia and its peoples, from where the development, migration, and possible overlapping of Bө and Bön can easily be traced. The different types of Bön are defined, showing how Yungdrung Bön can be distinguished from them.This book includes interviews with Bönpo lamas Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche and Khenpo Tenpa Yungdrung, with excerpts from their teachings, plus interviews with Bө and Utgan priests and priestesses in Siberia. The author also takes a critical look at misconceptions surrounding Bön and Shamanism and the figure of the Shaman in general."This remarkable book is the most thorough attempt to date to explore these connections (between Bön and Siberian shamanism). On the basis of wide-ranging scholarship as well as a long and close association with the most eminent exponents of the traditions he explores, the author presents the richness of Tibetan Bön and Buryatian Bө Murgel, discerning beneath the distinctive features of these systems a matrix of beliefs and practices in which they have their origins…this fascinating and provocative book is sure to stimulate interest and debate concerning the religious heritage of Inner Asia." Charles Ramble.

Classics of Spiritual Philosophy and the Present


Vladimir Antonov - 2008
    It includes Tao Te Ching of Lao Tse, Bhagavad Gita of Krishna, Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus, Emerald Tablets of Thoth-the-Atlantean, Golden Verses of Pythagoras, apocryphal Gospel of Philip, and many more. The texts are presented in a modern competent edition with clarifying commentaries. The reader can become acquainted with the Teachings of Jesus Christ and Buddha, with the fundamentals of Quran and Sunna, with the concept of Agni Yoga, with the spiritual knowledge of Native Americans, with the Teachings of contemporary Divine Messiahs: Sathya Sai Baba and Babaji from Haidakhan. One may see that in all times God has been teaching people the same, though in slightly different words - depending on concrete cultural traditions and political situations. He teaches us what He wants us to be, what is the meaning of our lives on the Earth, and how to realize it.

The Holy Book of Mary Magdalene: The Path of the Grail Steward


Jennifer Reif - 2008
    Leading us to her Sacred Marriage with Jesus, we discover the depth of her union with the Bridegroom. The mysteries of sacred union bring a renewing and perfect love. As we discover this experience, we are guided into a compassionate life. The Holy Grail lives on, and we become stewards fulfilling an ancient quest, living to bring a little bit more of heaven to earth. The Holy Book of Mary Magdalene celebrates Jesus and Mary Magdalene with passionate prayers, magical ceremonies, and seasonal festivals. From the Festival of the Sacred Marriage, "O Lady of Earth and Heaven, whose being is bathed in glittering light, through you the vine and the pomegranate grow rich like royal blood. Flowers burst from ready boughs, and verdant meadows wake. All rejoice, for the Bride has come."Setting the stage, this work begins with an alternative Genesis. The union of the Holy Mother and Father is the igniting point for the formation of the universe. The Garden of Eden is revisited, and the tree of knowledge is not the home of an evil serpent that entices humanity with forbidden fruit. Instead it is a source of wisdom, a gift from the Everlasting to humankind.

Camelot Lost


Jessica Bonito - 2008
    Camelot Lost delves deeper into the legend of Camelot than ever before, pitting father against son, husband against wife, and brother against sister. The raw qualities of love, war, and the passionate deceptions that inspire them are thoroughly explored through the relationships of the chosen, and for the first time ever, the story of Arthuras lesser-known son, Amr Pendragon, is finally revealed. Spellbinding in its sensuality and vehemence, Camelot Lost passionately explores a timeless tale and introduces a vivid array of characters and conflicts that are sure to captivate readers and challenge all preconceived notions of the Arthurian legend.

Uxl Encyclopedia Of World Mythology


U.X.L. - 2008
    When students examine myths in classes across the curriculum or when myths and heroes come up in everyday life, they act as a window into the beliefs and values of ancient civilizations. This new five-volume set from U-X-L will help students with the plot points, the historical context, and the mythological allusions they need to fully understand how mythologies not only reflect cultures of old but also remain meaningful in society today.

Snorri Sturluson and the Edda: The Conversion of Cultural Capital in Medieval Scandinavia


Kevin J. Wanner - 2008
    1179-1241), the most powerful and rapacious Icelander of his generation, dedicate so much time and effort to producing the Edda, a text that is widely recognized as the most significant medieval source for pre-Christian Norse myth and poetics? Kevin J. Wanner brings us a new account of the interests that motivated the production of this text, and resolves the mystery of its genesis by demonstrating the intersection of Snorri's political and cultural concerns and practices.The author argues that the Edda is best understood not as an antiquarian labour of cultural conservation, but as a present-centered effort to preserve skaldic poetry's capacity for conversion into material and symbolic benefits in exchanges between elite Icelanders and the Norwegian court. Employing Pierre Bourdieu's economic theory of practice, Wanner shows how modern sociological theory can be used to illuminate the cultural practices of the European Middle Ages. In doing so, he provides the most detailed analysis to date of how the Edda relates to Snorri's biography, while shedding light on the arenas of social interaction and competition that he negotiated.A fascinating look at the intersections of political interest and cultural production, Snorri Sturluson and the Edda is a detailed portrait of both an important man and the society of his times.

The Ancient Romans


Virginia Schomp - 2008
    A retelling of several key ancient Roman myths, with background information describing the history, geography, belief systems, and customs of ancient Rome.

The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel


Whitley Stokes - 2008
    Whitley Stokes's translation of "The Destruction of Da Derga's Hostel." [Reprinted in facsimile from the 1910 edition.]

A Bargain with Death


Hywela Lyn - 2008
    To save him, she goes in search of Death himself, putting her very soul in danger. Will she save the life of her beloved? Or will her sacrifice be in vain? And what if her surrender is more than she bargained for?

Euripides, Vol VII: Fragments, Aegeus-Meleager


Euripides - 2008
    A further 52 tragedies & 11 satyr plays, including a few of disputed authorship, are known from ancient quotations & references & from numerous papyri discovered since 1880. No more than 1/5th of any play is represented, but many can be reconstructed with some accuracy in outline, & many of the fragments are striking in themselves. The extant plays & the fragments together make Euripides by far the best known of the classic Greek tragedians. This edition, in a projected two volumes, offers the 1st complete English translation of the fragments together with a selection of testimonia bearing on the content of the plays. The texts are based on the recent comprehensive edition of R. Kannicht. A general Introduction discusses the evidence for the lost plays. Each play is prefaced by a select bibliography & an introductory discussion of its mythical background, plot, & location of the fragments, general character, chronology, & impact on subsequent literary & artistic traditions.

Multi-Media Magic


Taylor Ellwood - 2008
    We are surrounded by multi-media transmitting endless streams of memetic information around the world. Now, with Multi-Media Magic, you can use that information to take control of your life and manifest your reality. Author Taylor Ellwood shows readers how definitions, clothing, corporations, video games, paintings, and much more can be integrated into magical practices. Utilize new methods for evoking entities, whether it's in a corporate setting, or in the comfort of your own home. Incorporate invocation to heal yourself or another person, explore your identity, or even to change your body and health. Explore just how powerful words can be for shaping your reality on a daily basis. Rather than insisting on a right way to do multi-media magic, Taylor shows you, through personal examples and exercises, how to take the concepts in Multi-Media Magic and revolutionize the way you practice magic. "This is a remarkably thoughtful and erudite, and extensive, consideration of the nature of magic. The author has a firm grip on modern sociology and anthropology, and can hold his own against any of their professional practitioners. I was impressed by the care with which his arguments are composed, the rigour with which they are presented, and the charm with which they are expressed." --Ronald Hutton, Professor of History and author of Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft

The Great Snake: Stories from the Amazon


Sean Taylor - 2008
    From sly jaguars and the slowest of sloths to spine-tingling giant serpents and white-suited strangers, his retellings teem with legendary beings, vivid color, earthy comedy, and the mysteries of the rainforest. Together, with Fernando Vilela’s dramatic, color-saturated illustrations, they reveal the Amazon peoples' beliefs and way of life. Notes and a glossary provide additional information about the region.

The Little Book of the Great Enchantment


Steve Blamires - 2008
    He kept her true identity a closely guarded secret.Many famous people - W.B. Yeats, "AE," MacGregor Mathers, Dante Gabriel Rossetti - were involved in Sharp's short life; he was a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and Yeats' secret Celtic Mystical Order; and he and Fiona Macleod were involved with the mysterious Dr. Goodchild whose ancient bowl was proclaimed by many to be the Holy Grail. But the enduring legacy of these two fascinating writers is the wealth of Faery magical lore contained in the writings of Fiona Macleod.For the first time this book reveals previously unknown secrets from the life of William Sharp and shows clearly how to recover the Faery lore contained in Fiona Macleod's literary output. These writings are not only about the Realm of Faery, they are the first authentic first-hand accounts from the Realm of Faery, revealing previously unknown Faery gods and goddesses, Faery belief, lore and magic. The Little Book of the Great Enchantment adds significantly to the corpus of serious writings on this greatly misunderstood subject.

Myths & Legends of India, Egypt, China & Japan


Rachel Storm - 2008
    Over 500 images illustrate such topics as the various pantheons, yin and yang, demons and black magic, flood myths and sacred rivers.

The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night; Volume 11 of 16


Anonymous - 2008
    He was known for his travels and explorations within Asia and Africa as well as his extraordinary knowledge of languages and cultures. According to one count, he spoke 29 European, Asian, and African languages. He was a captain in the army of the East India Company serving in India. Following this he was engaged by the Royal Geographical Society to explore the east coast of Africa and led an expedition guided by the locals which discovered Lake Tanganyika. His best-known achievements include travelling in disguise to Mecca, making an unexpurgated translation of The Book of One Thousand Nights and a Night. Burton was considered a controversial figure in his day; many considered him a hero, others jealous of his achievements called him a scoundrel. Burton remains possibly the greatest explorer ever because of his remarkable research and uncensored documentation of the lifestyles of the various cultures he encountered in his adventures.

Devoted


Alkistis Dimech - 2008
    8vo. 173pp. Saffron cloth, black titling to spine, black chalice stamped and finished with night black endpapers, black ribbon marker. Prepared in a strictly limited and hand-numbered edition of 814 copies. "Devoted" comprises fifteen essays by fourteen writers on their devotional work. It is a bloody and passionate blend of primal gnosis and poetic expression. These essays reveal powerful applicable magickal practice. They are suffused with the living experience of the Spirit world. Devoted will enrich your own work, whether you are witch, magician, heathen, thelemite, or sorceror. >From possession, to blood letting and fetishes, to sabbatic dance, there is a wealth of experience to explore within these pages. Devoted provides indepth essays on working with: Babalon, Ishtar, Hecate, Lilith, Loki, Tiamat, Dionysos, the Yoginis, the Lwa, & the Spirits of Goetia. The writers are a chorus of powerful new voices and established practitioners.

Memoirs, Correspondence And Private Papers Of Thomas Jefferson, Ed. By T.J. Randolph (1)


Thomas Jefferson - 2008
    Sabin Americana is rich in original accounts of discovery and exploration, pioneering and westward expansion, the U.S. Civil War and other military actions, Native Americans, slavery and abolition, religious history and more.Sabin Americana offers an up-close perspective on life in the western hemisphere, encompassing the arrival of the Europeans on the shores of North America in the late 15th century to the first decades of the 20th century. Covering a span of over 400 years in North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean, this collection highlights the society, politics, religious beliefs, culture, contemporary opinions and momentous events of the time. It provides access to documents from an assortment of genres, sermons, political tracts, newspapers, books, pamphlets, maps, legislation, literature and more.Now for the first time, these high-quality digital scans of original works are available via print-on-demand, making them readily accessible to libraries, students, independent scholars, and readers of all ages.++++The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification: ++++SourceLibrary: Huntington LibraryDocumentID: SABCP01677201CollectionID: CTRG95-B2079PublicationDate: 18290101SourceBibCitation: Selected Americana from Sabin's Dictionary of books relating to AmericaNotes: Includes index.Collation: 4 v.: ill.; 22 cm

Yogic Secrets of the Dark Goddess: Lighting Dance of the Supreme Shakti


Shambhavi Lorain Chopra - 2008
    This book unfolds a panorama of insight, devotion, mantra and meditation that propels the reader into a vision of reality beyond life and death. It also reveals various dimensions of life and consciousness in Kali's transformative dance.

Star Lore of Babylon


Manly P. Hall - 2008
    Wallis Budge. Just as we have gradually come to revitalize our knowledge of the solar system, and just as today we are inclined to fall into an analogical system of comparing things, so antiquity perfected its religions and philosophies by reference to the great sidereal science of universal dynamics, with which many nations of the ancient world were already well acquainted. Their findings survive today as an astronomical or astrological factor in theology, and it is utterly useless to say that we have outgrown it, or discarded it. The most orthodox of our religious believers throughout Christendom and throughout most other religions that are surviving to this day, include, without realizing it, a great deal of Sabaeanism and star lore in the legends, rituals, sacraments, vestments and symbolism of their faiths.

Inanna, Goddess of Love: Great Myths and Legends from Sumer


Marcella Kampman - 2008
    

Worshipping Women: Ritual and Reality in Classical Athens


Nikolaos Kaltsas - 2008
    The first section, "Goddesses and Heroines", introduces the principal female deities of Athens and Attica, in whose cults and festivals women were most actively engaged: Athena, Artemis, Aphrodite, and Demeter and her daughter Persephone. The second section, "Women and Ritual," explores the practice of ritual acts such as dances, libations, sacrifices, processions and festivals in which women were active in classical antiquity. Here the critical role of the priestess comes to light, specifically in her function as key-bearer for the temples of the gods. The final section, "Women and the Cycle of Life," looks at how religious rituals defined moments of transition. This section focuses on nuptial rites and wedding banquets but also death, another occasion on which Athenian women took on major responsibilities, such as preparing the deceased for burial and tending the graves of family members. Contributors include, in addition to the editors, Professor Mary Lefkowitz of Wellesley College; Professor Olga Palagia of the University of Athens; Dr. Angelos Delivorrias, director of the Benaki Museum; Professor Michalis Tiverios of the Aristotelion University of Thessaloniki; Professor Joan Breton Connelly of New York University; Professor Jenifer Neils of Case Western Reserve University; and Professor John Oakley of the College of William and Mary in Virginia, among others.

The Listener's Bible (English Standard Version)


Max McLean - 2008
    This Gold Medallion-winning new translation combines a word-for-word translation approach with a literary beauty that is perfect for the oral expression of God's Word.Public Domain (P)2004 Max McLean

Fabulous and Monstrous Beasts


Belinda Weber - 2008
    Learn about these creatures from around the world in this eye-popping compendium. From fairies and hobgoblins to mermaids, vampires, sea serpents, yetis, and so much more, this book also includes information on the real-life “monsters†behind the myths. Divided into Creatures of the Air, Creatures of the Land, and Creatures of the Water, this collection is packed with dynamic illustrations, photography, and plenty of information to keep readers hooked. Whether it’s ancient creatures or modern monsters, this book is a must have for young fantasy lovers.

Naupaka


Nona Beamer - 2008
    Alas, society's ancient ways did not allow them to be together. Follow along their journey as they seek to find approval from the gods and discover the fate that befalls them. Lovingly told by Native Hawaiian cultural treasure Aunty Nona Beamer and illustrated with the vibrant and evocative block prints of Caren Ke'ala Loebel-Fried, this beautiful keepsake edition of the popular Naupaka folktale will be a favorite for young and old alike! In English and Hawaiian, also includes an audio CD featuring Nona and Keola Beamer.

Root, Stone and Bone: Honoring Andvari and the Vaettir of Money


Galina Krasskova - 2008
    Yet there are a small number of people who have experienced Him as a God of great wisdom, particularly concerning right relationships, right ownership, mindful consumption and proper utilization of resources and finances. In our age of rampant consumerism, where spirituality has become yet another commodity to buy and sell, Andvari's lessons are needed more than ever. This devotional, the first to honor Him, explores His nature, the ways in which He may be honored, and powerful lessons for developing a honorable relationship with the spirit of money.

Celtic Sea Stories. [Compiled By] George MacPherson


George W. Macpherson - 2008
    A celebration of the importance of the sea in Celtic culture, this unique collection is a testament to the beauty and significance of the sea.

Folktales of the Amazon


Juan Carlos Galeano - 2008
    Organized thematically, these tales for mature readers convey messages of kinship bonds and reciprocity, capturing the socialized relationships between peoples, animals, plants, places and a variety of shape-shifting supernatural entities. Often shocking or hair-raising, some of these tales even range into illicit topics, such as cannibalism and psychotropic plants.

Native American Folktales


Thomas A. Green - 2008
    Prepared especially for students and general readers, this book conveniently collects 31 of the most important Native American folktales. These are drawn from the major Native American cultural and geographical areas and are organized in sections on origins; heroes, heroines, villains, and fools; society and conflict; and the supernatural. The tales reflect the environment, cultural adaptations, and prevailing concerns of the areas from which they are taken. Each tale begins with a brief introductory headnote, and the book closes with a selected bibliography. Students in social studies classes will welcome this book as a window on Native American culture, while students in literature courses will value its exploration of Native American oral traditions.Prepared especially for students and general readers, this book conveniently collects and comments on 31 of the most important Native American folktales. These are drawn from the major Native American cultural and geographical areas and reflect the environment, cultural adaptations, and prevailing concerns of the regions from which they are taken.

Baloma; the Spirits of the Dead in the Trobriand Islands


Bronisław Malinowski - 2008
    Death affects the deceased individual; his soul (baloma or balom) leaves the body and goes to another world, there to lead a shadowy existence. His passing is also a matter of concern to the bereft community. Its members wail for him, mourn for him, and celebrate an endless series of feasts. These festivities consist, as a rule, in the distribution of uncooked food; while less frequently they are actual feasts in which cooked food is eaten on the spot. They center around the dead man’s body, and are closely connected with the duties of mourning, wailing and sorrowing for the dead individual. But—and this is the important point for the present description—these social activities and ceremonies have no connection with the spirit. They are not performed, either to send a message of love and regret to the baloma (spirit), or to deter him from returning; they do not influence his welfare, nor do they affect his relation to the survivors.

Giants, Cannibals and Monsters: Bigfoot in Native Culture


Kathy Moskowitz Strain - 2008
    One of these creatures, now known as Bigfoot, passed beyond the realm of native lore and has become firmly entrenched in modern culture - for we too have seen this mysterious being.For countless ages before Europeans set foot in North America, native people inhabited the vast arctic regions, forests, deserts, and plains. They lived off the bountiful land, and developed unique cultures with stories of their heroes and adventures that have been passed down through successive generations. Many stories involved fearsome creatures with supernatural powers, believed to wander the land in a shadowy existence somewhere between reality and the unknown.One of these creatures, now known as Bigfoot, passed beyond the realm of native lore and has become firmly entrenched in modern culture - for we too have seen this mysterious being.Kathy Moskowitz Strain, a professional archaeologist and anthropologist with the U.S. Forest Service in California, presents in this volume a collection of verbatim stories from 55 native cultures that tell of giants, cannibals, and monsters in North America. We are taken to the campfires where such stories have been repeated for thousands of years by native elders and warriors. The work has been skillfully arranged with native culture profiles and hundreds of photographs of the respective native people in their various walks of life. Above all, this book is an adventure into the inner circles of our aboriginal people. It provides a unique insight into a part of their mythology, values, and spirituality.For those interested in this fascinating branch of human knowledge, this work is invaluable.