Book picks similar to
Lightning Bird: The Story of One Man's Journey Into Africa's Past by Lyall Watson
africa
nonfiction
biography
studies
Scatterling of Africa: My Early Years
Johnny Clegg - 2021
Suspended for a few seconds, they float in their own space and time with their own hidden prospects. For want of a better term, we call these moments “magical” and when we remember them they are cloaked in a halo of special meaning.’For 14-year-old Johnny Clegg, hearing Zulu street music as plucked on the strings of a guitar by Charlie Mzila one evening outside a corner café in Bellevue, Johannesburg, was one such ‘magical’ moment. The success story of Juluka and later Savuka, and the cross-cultural celebration of music, language, story, dance and song that stirred the hearts of millions across the world, is well documented. Their music was the soundtrack to many South Africans’ lives during the turbulent 70s and 80s as the country moved from legislated oppression to democratic freedom. It crossed borders, boundaries and generations, resonating around the world and back again. Less known is the story of how it all began and developed. Scatterling of Africa is that origin story, as Johnny Clegg wrote it and wanted it told. It is the story of how the son of an unconventional mother, grandson of Jewish immigrants, came to realise that identity can be a choice, and home is a place you leave and return to as surely as the seasons change.
I Am the Wolf: Lyrics and Writings
Mark Lanegan - 2017
Lanegan's voice is one of the most distinct and recognizable in rock, but his talents aren't limited to his vocal skills. Lanegan's lyrics are on par with the best of them, exploring with Blake-like insight the stark and scorched emotional terrain that exists somewhere beyond sadness, addiction, trauma, and spiritual longing. With a body of work that now includes seven albums with the Screaming Trees, eleven acclaimed solo albums, three albums of duets with Belle and Sebastian's Isobel Campbell (including the Mercury Prize-shortlisted Ballad of the Broken Seas), and collaborative albums and singles with the likes of Queens of the Stone Age, Moby, Soulsavers, Twilight Singers, and countless others, Mark Lanegan occupies a singular space in rock music. Now, for the first time ever, the reclusive singer presents a comprehensive look at his lyrics, the stories behind them, and the making of his albums. I Am the Wolf is a rare and candid glimpse into the inner workings and creative process of a legend.
Embraced by the Light
Betty J. Eadie - 1992
The events that followed can only be described as the most profound and extensive near-death experience ever recorded. During the time she was clinically dead, Betty was given knowledge of the afterlife that would make even the greatest skeptic think twice. As she traveled through the spiritual realm, she learned more about the laws and history of the universe than perhaps anyone before her. She explains with uncanny detail the reasons why we have chosen to be on this earth at this time in history, and how all out actions are growing experiences for our immortal spirits. In those few minutes that stretched into eternity, Betty's life was changed forever. In this special unabridged recording of "Embraced by the Light," she shares the vision of a world she never imagined existed, and gives new meaning to the question, "Why are we here?"
Six Months in Sudan: A Young Doctor in a War-torn Village
James Maskalyk - 2009
I went to Sudan, and am writing about it again, because I believe that which separates action from inaction is the same thing that separates my friends from Sudan. It is not indifference. It is distance. May it fall away.”In 2007 James Maskalyk set out for the contested border town of Abyei, Sudan, as a doctor newly recruited by Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). Equipped with his experience as an emergency physician in a downtown hospital and drawn to the hardest parts of the world, Maskalyk spent his days treating malnourished children, coping with a measles epidemic and watching for war. Worn thin by the struggle to meet overwhelming needs with few resources, he returned home six months later more affected by the experience, the people and the place than he had anticipated.Six Months in Sudan began as a blog that Maskalyk wrote from his hut in Sudan in an attempt to bring his family and friends closer to his hot, hot days. It is the story of the doctors, nurses and countless volunteers who leave their homes behind to ease the suffering of others, and it is the story of the people of Abyei who suffer its hardship because it is the only home they have. With great hope and insight, Maskalyk illuminates a distant place and chronicles the toll of war on one community, one man, and the cost of it to all of us.
Magickal Servitors: Create Your Own Spirits to Attract Pleasure, Power and Prosperity
Damon Brand - 2016
Magick can make people see you in a new light, protect you, end bad luck, open new opportunities, and direct change in whatever way you want. If you have a need, it can be served through magick With servitor magick you create a spirit yourself, using your mind, heart and soul, to serve your deepest needs. This is the most personal magick imaginable, and it can reward you with extreme pleasure, the power to create change, and the ability to attract prosperity in all areas of your life. Everything that could be said about servitors has been said. Until now. Servitor magick has been around for a long time, but it became popular in the last half-century or so. There are countless Chaos Magick books and free websites that will tell you how to create a servitor. There are a small number of variations on a theme, but the essence of these sources is the same. Magickal Servitors contains two major secrets discovered by The Gallery of Magick, which are embedded within the fabric of this process. This magick is designed to be accessible to beginners as well as experienced occultists. If you are new to magick, all you need is an open mind and the willingness to work with the techniques as instructed. You will be pleasantly surprised by the way the world yields to the touch of magick. You will discover: Spirits that are easy to contact and effortless to command. Servitors that grow and change with your needs. Magick for long-term, repeating results. Servitors for Self-Development, that help you enhance or subdue a personality trait. Perception Servitors, to see people and situations clearly. Servitors of influence, to stir thoughts and feelings in others. Manifestation Servitors for material rewards and real-world change. The secret process of Vision, Creation and Life that gives birth to a loyal, powerful spirit. Acclaimed author Damon Brand say, ‘With the secrets of practical magick, you create your life according to your true will. There is no higher magick than the magick that brings results.’ This book presents a system for creating servitors that will enable you to craft a conscious spirit that will act on your behalf, manipulating matter, time and the patterns of reality to bring the results you desire.
Smart Power: Climate Change, the Smart Grid, and the Future of Electric Utilities
Peter Fox-Penner - 2010
This and other developments will prompt utilities to undergo the largest changes in their history. Smart Power examines the many facets of this unprecedented transformation. This enlightening book begins with a look back on the deregulatory efforts of the 1990s and their gradual replacement by concerns over climate change, promoting new technologies, and developing stable prices and supplies. In thorough but non-technical terms it explains the revolutionary changes that the Smart Grid is bringing to utility operations. It also examines the options for low-carbon emissions along with the real-world challenges the industry and its regulators must face as the industry retools and finances its new sources and systems. Throughout the book, Peter Fox-Penner provides insights into the policy choices and regulatory reform needed to face these challenges. He not only weighs the costs and benefits of every option, but presents interviews with informed experts, including economists, utility CEOs, and engineers. He gives a brief history of the development of the current utility business model and examines possible new business models that are focused on energy efficiency.Smart Power explains every aspect of the coming energy revolution for utilities in lively prose that will captivate even the most techno-phobic readers.
Nyx in the House of Night: Mythology, Folklore and Religion in the PC and Kristin Cast Vampyre Series
P.C. CastJana Oliver - 2011
It's a place where magic, religion, folklore, and mythology from multiple traditions merry meet and meld to create something incredible and new.In Nyx in the House of Night—a 2-color illustrated companion to the House of Night series—some of your favorite YA authors, plus a few experts, help you navigate the influences behind the House of Night series in a guide that would get even Damien's seal of approval.Travel with P.C. Cast as she gets her first tattoo in Ireland, climbs the ruins of Sgiach's castle, and discovers the lore that led to the Isle of Skye vampyres. Read Kristin Cast's defense of women in history and mythology who, like Zoey, have made a practice of juggling multiple men. Sit in on a vampyre lecture by Bryan Lankford, the real-life basis for House of Night instructor Dragon Lankford, on the parallels between Wiccan and vampyre circle rituals. Tour Tulsa's House of Night landmarks with local Amy H. Sturgis.Plus:•Karen Mahoney on Nyx and other goddesses of the night•John Edgar Browning on vampires in folklore, fiction, and reality•Jana Oliver on tattoos and other Marks•Ellen Steiber on feline familiars•Yasmine Galenorn on priestesses and goddess worship•Jordon Dane on Zoey's Cherokee heritage•Jeri Smith-Ready on the Raven Mockers and Kalona's less than heavenly inspiration•Christine Zika on the connection between Nyx and the Virgin Mary•Triniy Faegen on the Greek version of the OtherworldNyx in the House of Night also includes an appendix of character names that reveals the myth behind Zoey's last name, which House of Night cats have ties to Camelot, Egypt, and Middle-earth, and more!
The Crown: The Official Companion, Volume 1: Elizabeth II, Winston Churchill, and the Making of a Young Queen
Robert Lacey - 2017
This official companion to the show's first season is an in-depth exploration of the early years of Elizabeth II's time as Queen, complete with extensive research, additional material, and exclusive, beautifully reproduced images. One of the show's most powerful themes is that royals do not choose their duty; it is thrust upon them. Princess Elizabeth never expected her father to die so suddenly, so young, leaving her not only a throne to fill but a global institution to govern. Crowned at twenty-five, already a wife and mother, follow the journey of a woman learning to become a queen while facing her own challenges within her own family. This is the story of how Elizabeth II drew on every ounce of strength and British reserve to deal with crises not only on the continent but at home as well. Written by bestselling historical biographer Robert Lacey, who also serves as the show's historical consultant, this official companion provides an in-depth exploration from behind the palace gates. Relive the majesty of the first season of the hit show, with behind-the-scenes photos, meticulously researched images from the time, and more.
Nostradamus: The Complete Prophecies
John Hogue - 1996
More than twenty years of research have gone into this, the most complete book ever published on the life and prophecies of Nostradamus.
Astrology, a Cosmic Science
Isabel M. Hickey - 1975
This handy reference book provides a strong foundation for the beginner as well as new insights and self-knowledge for more advanced astrology students. Isabel Hickey's inspirational approach has been extraordinarily popular for years, and her emphasis on the deeper, more metaphysical aspects of astrology's mysteries has resulted in continuous word-of-mouth recommendation by enthused readers-resulting in sales now topping 150,000 copies.
Alien Hand Syndrome and Other Too-Weird-Not-To-Be-True Stories
Alan Bellows - 2009
This collection of too-weird-not-to-be-true stories gives the freakish details behind odd curiosities, from unusual drug side effects to the Alien Hand Syndrome--a disorder wherein a person's hand develops a will of its own.
In Sorcery's Shadow: A Memoir of Apprenticeship among the Songhay of Niger
Paul Stoller - 1989
The tale of Paul Stoller's sojourn among sorcerors in the Republic of Niger is a story of growth and change, of mutual respect and understanding that will challenge all who read it to plunge deeply into an alien world.
I Never Gave My Consent: A Schoolgirl's Life Inside the Telford Sex Ring
Holly Archer - 2016
Seven men, all from the town’s Pakistani heritage community, were jailed for selling vulnerable young girls for sex. The convictions made national news, but for one girl the chilling headlines were all too real. Holly Archer was just fourteen when her life changed forever after becoming embroiled in a frightening web of exploitation and abuse. Enduring countless violent rapes and death threats, she was forced to sleep with several men a night. As her abusers’ grip tightened, she fell into despair, twice becoming pregnant. Hours after her last GCSE exam, she took an overdose in a desperate attempt to end the nightmare that had become her life. Her escape eventually came when, old enough to leave home, she fled to Birmingham. She moved house every six months, fearing her abusers would hunt her down. She eventually found the strength to return to Telford shortly after giving birth to a daughter, around the same time the police launched an investigation into the exploitation of young girls in the town. She underwent hours of rigorous police interviews but in the end decided she could not face her abusers in court. Nonetheless, seven men were convicted of sex offences and jailed as a result of the investigation. Holly slowly began to pick up the pieces of her life and was given a job with a rape prevention charity. Having survived her ordeal, she now tells her full, shocking story for the first time.
The Stargate Conspiracy
Lynn Picknett - 1999
One that involves intelligence agencies, politicians, international bestselling authors, and the world's leading scientists and industrialists. They believe that this conspiracy, centred upon the eternal mysteries of ancient Egypt, targets and threatens us all.
Ride a White Swan: The Lives and Death of Marc Bolan
Lesley-Ann Jones - 2012
His far reaching musical and stylistic influence is more relevant today than ever with hits such as 'Ride A White Swan', 'Children Of The Revolution', 'Get It On' and 'Hot Love' as fresh and exhilarating as when first released. At the peak of his popularity during his lifetime Bolan was outselling Jimi Hendrix and The Who, and yet relatively little is really known about the hypnotic, enigmatic 20th century boy turned 21st century icon. At last, in the 35th anniversary year of his tragic death, Marc Bolan represents the definite biography. Here rock biographer, Lesley-Ann Jones, paints a meticulous portrait of the T-Rex front man. From his childhood growing up in Hackney to his untimely death at the age of 29, Bolan's life was one of relentless experimentation and metamorphoses. Hallucinogenic drugs, wizardry and levitation, alcoholism, tax evasion and a spectacular fall from grace were to punctuate his short life, as he continued to strive to reinvent himself and his music over and over again. Lesley-Ann has been granted access to those who knew Bolan best, including his partner and the mother of his only son, Gloria Jones and his brother, Harry Feld.