Robin Wood Tarot: The Book


Robin Wood - 1998
    In it, I explore the real, factual history of the Tarot (No one knows, and does it really make any difference?) as well as a chapter about the theories of the history of the Tarot in general, and a recounting of the history of the Robin Wood Tarot. There is a description of the symbolism that is common to most decks, along with a listing of the symbols that are used in the Robin Wood Tarot in particular. The bulk of the book is a description of each card; including a verbal key to help the Reader remember the meaning, a synopsis of what the card might mean in a reading, and a complete description of what is on the card and why I put it there. This is followed by a short discussion of how the Tarot works, how to begin to read (including a section on Grounding and Centering, ) and an exploration of the Ethics of reading the Tarot. Finally, there is a short section about spreads. (It's short, because the book quickly became much longer than I expected!) And, in the very back, there are a few appendices which go into more detail about some of the stories and legends that are mentioned in the book, as well as a section covering the Rules of Tarocchi!

The World's Most Evil People


Rodney Castleden - 2005
    Vlad the Impaler was a prince known for executing his enemies by impalement. He was a fan of various forms of torture including disembowelling and rectal and facial impalement. Vlad the Impaler tortured thousands while he ate and drank among the corpses. Joseph Stalin, the Soviet dictator, ordered that millions of peasants were either killed or permitted to starve to death. Stalin brought about the deaths of more than 20 million of his own people while holding the Soviet Union in an iron grip for 29 years.

Banned Manifestation Secrets (Banned Secrets Book 2)


Richard Dotts - 2014
    Now in his latest work Banned Manifestation Secrets, Richard Dotts delves even deeper into the spiritual world of manifestations, the Law of Attraction, and the direct shaping of energy to explain how you can create whatever you want in life... every single time, with very few exceptions. Writing from his own personal experience and pitfalls, Dotts shares why the Law of Attraction seems to work beautifully for some people but not for others. Or why it works in certain cases, for certain things, and not for others (for example, the "big" stuff). His study and interpretation of both ancient and modern manifestation traditions may delight and shock you. What most modern self-help and Law of Attraction books teach is essentially a 'watered-down' version of creating one's own reality. They take a very formulaic or recipe-like approach to manifestation: Do this, then that, followed by that... But this is clearly not the way ancient spiritual masters approached manifestations and the creative process. Ancient spritual teachers did not have a fixed formula through which to create. Instead, they used their inner states to shape and influence the energy fields directly. Modern man in a scientific age is trying to do what they did, through lots of affirmations, forcefulness, and rationalizations in a very convoluted way, resulting in lots of wasted and misdirected effort. As Richard Dotts points out in this book, the art of manifesting is not about what you DO. It is about what you FEEL and who you are inside. The key to successful manifestations lies in cultivating an inner state of being that is conducive to allow such manifestations to happen in your own life. What's covered in the book: * The #1 misconception about manifestations and the "Law of Attraction", that is unknowingly perpetuated by every new book or "technique" out there (Once you understand this principle, you'll greatly increase your effectiveness as a "conscious manifestor") * What the ancient spiritual masters (Jesus, Buddha) know about manifestations and creating your own reality* Is it true that certain manifestation principles are secrets and deliberately hidden from the general public? Are they "banned" or forbidden in any way? * 4 ways to state your intention clearly, irrevocably to the Universe (No, this does not involve affirmations or visualizations. Instead, Dotts explains how the Universe picks up on every single one of your intentions... every single time.)* Scientific proof that you REALLY have access to an unlimited stream of income, money, well-being, or anything that you want. If you have never been convinced by the New Age talk about having faith, then you need to read Dotts' scientific answer to this question. * The #1 hurdle to effective manifestations and how to remove it * How to get rid of negative doubts, beliefs, fears and worries which just seem to arise spontaneously along with your desires... thus preventing them from sabotaging your efforts (Dotts explains one easy, and one difficult way to achieve this.) * What happens every single time when your manifestations fail to appear? * Tools to speed up your manifestations and the attraction process* Is action needed / necessary in the manifestation process?

The Cellar


Curtis Richardson - 2013
    He discovers that he is the "guest" of a Confederate widow in whose dooryard his squad was ambushed. Ike worries about his sanity due to his memory loss and the constant commentary in his head from a fallen comrade who finds Ike's situation amusing. Ike soon learns that Mrs. Pendleton has wounds of her own and that her charity towards her visitor has limits and she has ulterior motives that could be hazardous to the young soldier as he fights for his life and his sanity in.....The Cellar.

Fiendish Killers: Perpetrators Of The Worst Possible Evil


Anne Williams - 2007
    Burke and Hare, possibly two of Scotland's most gruesome inhabitants, who murdered people so that they could sell the cadavers. Albert Fish, a man so fiendish that his story makes Hannibal Lecter's exploits seem tame by comparison.You can read about these and many more who commit unspeakable crimes with complete disregard for their fellow human beings.

Tastes of Horror


Matt Shaw - 2013
    Please see below for the contents: Smile Alex's mum was tired and over-worked. Holding down a full-time job, keeping the house clean and looking after the children - the youngest of which was still a handful with his ADHD as they tried to get the medication right - she just wanted a break. Even if it were only for an afternoon - so she sent Alex to the shopping mall, with his younger brother who was throwing a tantrum because he wanted to go to the toy store to spend his pocket money. She never once thought Alex would lose his younger brother in the crowds. And no one would have guessed how the day would have ended or just how many more children were missing. Buried I've stopped panicking now. Not because I'm not scared. I just know panicking won't help the situation. It'll only serve to make it worse. Need to try and remain calm for as long as possible. Control my breathing. Save my oxygen. I breathed in and coughed. The air in here is stale. I hope I'm not in here for long. Please, dad. Don't let me be here for long. Please. I started to cry. Helpless. The 8TH Moving from school to school is never easy. You're constantly struggling to catch up to the level of the other students. You're forever meeting new friends just to have to leave them and establish new colleagues at the new schools. You always find yourself lost in the never-ending maze of corridors as you battle to get to grips with where everything is... But it's worse when the more unfriendly students decide to take an instant dislike to you. Tormenting you each day...Pushing you to see how long it is before you're going to snap. Wondering what you're going to do in retaliation to their harsh words and cruel pranks. Are you going to stand up to them or are you going to be yet another pupil who goes out of their way to avoid them whilst crying yourself to sleep until you feel as though you can't take the suffering anymore? You're going to stand up to them of course. You're going to turn the tables on them. You're going to be the teacher to a very special class. A class where the lessons will be heard through-out the world...Lessons which will never be forgotten. This is your classroom now and lessons will be learned. The Cabin “You’d never see the ghosts, not properly. You’d only catch a glimpse of their shapes out of the corner of your eye and you’d hear their stolen, vengeful scream; an ear-piercing shriek to steal the lives of anyone who heard it.” For Craig, the trip to the cabin was supposed to be a quiet retreat from his hectic city life where he could concentrate on writing his latest novel. For his wife, Susan, and his two kids, Jamie and Ava, it was supposed to be a weekend vacation. For all of them, it became a nightmare. Happy Ever After If it's just you and me, together, for the rest of our lives - no-one else to mess things up... could you ever love me? Peter loves Vanessa. He loves her a lot and is looking forward to starting a nice life with her, and only her. No one else to get in the way and mess up their beautiful relationship. He'll do anything for her. Absolutely anything to make her happy. Anything to see that beautiful smile of hers. Anything to live happily ever after with her. The only problem is - Vanessa doesn't know Peter and, more importantly, understand why she is cuffed to the dining room table. Told through the eyes of the two people living the story, follow Peter as he keeps Vanessa prisoner hoping that she will fall in love with him and follow Vanessa as she desperately looks for a way out of this hell. Bonus short story: The Ward

Young Blood: The Story of the Family Murders


Bob R. O'Brien - 2002
    After years of speculation and rumour, for the first time the real-life expose about this famous series of murders in Adelaide can be told by the man who solved the case. South Australia has an international reputation for being the home of some very strange murders. But during the 1970s this capital city was shocked when a series of young men, all fit and healthy, disappeared from its streets one by one. their bodies were found dumped in the countryside outside the city. All were mutilated and some were dismembered. A group of prominent SA judges and businessmen, believed to be gay, were suspected of being involved with the killings (they weren t). this group were dubbed the Family. the author he detective who investigated the murder of the most high profile of the victims (the son of the city s pre-eminent tV newsreaders) ventually arrested accountant Bevan Von Einem, who is still in gaol for his crimes.

The Long Night: A True Story


Ernst Israel Bornstein - 2016
    But in the autumn of 1939, decades of anti-Semitic propaganda turned into full-fledged violence. Bornstein’s family was subsequently sent to Auschwitz where his parents and siblings were gassed to death.The Long Night is Bornstein’s firsthand account of what he witnessed in seven concentration camps. Written with remarkable insight and raw emotion, The Long Night paints a portrait of human psychology in the darkest of times. Bornstein tells the stories of those who did all they could do to withstand physical and psychological torture, starvation, and sickness, and openly describes those who were forced to inflict suffering on others. The narrative is simple, yet profound; unbridled, honest, and dignified.The Long Night was written shortly after the war when the author’s memories were fresh and emotions ran strong. Originally published in German in 1967 as Die Lange Nacht, this is the first English translation of this work.

44 Months in Jasenovac


Egon Berger - 2017
    This book is an authorized translation of the original book that was written in Croatian in 1966. What follows was written by the original publisher. There is no stronger or more reliable material than the one that is born from one’s own experience. Eyewitnesses and direct participants provide us with not only the facts, but also that sublimely human spirit common to all happenings in which people participate. It doesn’t matter that this account is about the fear that the people of Jasenovac experienced, or about the deeds of their torturers. For every one hundred thousand people in the Jasenovac camp during its horrifying four-year existence, there was only one—literally one—who survived. Those were the odds in the balance of life and death: one hundred thousand dead and one alive. And there is a witness, right in front of us, who found the strength to reminisce, to go back to the place of his torture, to break the psychological barriers, and to lead us step by step through his nightmare, through waves of terror that exceed every notion of horror. From the beginning of his time at Jasenovac to the end, Egon Berger was witness—and victim—to a rampage without limit. Of those who survived, he is the only one who told the story. Berger does not bring us a literary masterpiece—he brings us only the experience, a story about forty-four months of his life in a camp, told simply. A story is enough—a story that calls images to mind and makes us tremble with the thought, “Are such things possible?” For myself and every person who had been to Jasenovac and lived, it is a miracle that we survived. Yes, it is possible, it is real, and it is true. A terror arose in front of us from the oblivion. It should not be forgotten. Share this record with future generations who will hopefully not know such terror. Ivo Frol, 1966

A Day to Die For: 1996: Everest's Worst Disaster - One Survivor's Personal Journey to Uncover the Truth


Graham Ratcliffe - 2011
    Following the tragedy, numerous accounts were published, with Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air becoming an international bestseller. But has the whole story been told? A Day to Die For reveals for the first time the full, startling facts that led to the tragedy. Graham Ratcliffe, the first British climber to reach the summit of Mount Everest twice, was a first-hand witness, having spent the night on Everest's South Col at 26,000 ft, sheltering from the deadly storm. For years, he has shouldered a burden of guilt, feeling that he and his teammates could have saved lives that fateful night. His quest for answers has led to discoveries so important to an understanding of the disaster that he now questions why these facts were not made public sooner. History is dotted with high profile disasters that both horrify and capture the attention of the public, but very rarely is our view of them revised to such devastating effect.

Confessions of the Serial Killer H.H. Holmes (Illustrated)


Herman Webster Mudgett - 2013
    Holmes himself.There are many who claim Herman Mudgett (a.k.a. H. H. Holmes) was Jack the Ripper. While many of the facts support the theory, many do not. While no one can know the extent of Holmes crimes, his own words and those of contemporary reporters provide a unique view into the mind of the man who is probably the most prolific serial killer of all time. While Holmes admitted to 27 murders, the number is probably far higher. Holmes posted job opportunities for assistants in local papers and women who responded to these advertisements were never heard from again. During the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893 (frequently referred to as the Chicago World's Fair), a Holmes ran a hotel filled with secret rooms and traps made to murder his guests. Soundproof rooms allowed him to torture and kill both his guests and his lovers, sometimes for months on end. After his arrest, H.H. Holmes wrote two confessions. In the first confession, he admits that he is a swindler but insists he is not a murderer. In the second, after his conviction, he admits to murdering 27 people. For the first time in the 21st century, both confessions are now available to readers everywhere.The confessions have been painstakingly transcribed for all to see the devious nature of this monster. It is unknown how many people Holmes killed in his murder hotel in Chicago. The detectives who searched the horror chambers were unable to get a true body count because Holmes had installed lime pits to dissolve the bodies. Some place the number of murders attributed to Holmes as high as 200. The book now includes another book written shortly after the trial and execution of Holmes: Holmes, the Arch Fiend Or: A Carnival of Crime; The Life, Trial, Confession and Execution of H. H. Holmes. This book provides a narrative that is not covered in the other texts, including possible conversations between Holmes and his victims. A fourth book has been added to this series: The Holmes Castle. This contemporary account, written in 1895 prior to Holmes execution, describes more of the atrocities of Holmes and provides new names of people who simply disappeared after contacting Holmes.

Wanting Enlightenment Is a Big Mistake: Teachings of Zen Master Seung Sahn


Seung Sahn - 2006
    He taught that Zen is not about achieving a goal, but about acting spontaneously from "don't-know mind." It is from this "before-thinking" nature, he taught, that true compassion and the desire to serve others naturally arises. This collection of teaching stories, talks, and spontaneous dialogues with students offers readers a fresh and immediate encounter with one of the great Zen masters of the twentieth century.

A First Rate Tragedy: Robert Falcon Scott and the Race to the South Pole


Diana Preston - 1997
    Inside, they made a grim discovery: Scott's frozen body lay between those of two fellow explorers. They had died just eleven miles from the depot of supplies that might have saved them. The remaining two members of the party were nowhere in sight, but Scott's eloquent diary revealed their nightmarishly similar fate. It is a story that continues to haunt the popular imagination, and which has never been told more grippingly or with greater compassion than in this book.

Stupid Ancient History


Leland Gregory - 2012
    Silly, shocking, weird, hilariously funny—and outrageously true—the short anecdotes inside his anthologies of human stupidity are culled from print, online, and broadcast media from all over the world. Inside Stupid Ancient History, Gregory chronicles Greek philosophers, Roman conquerors, and historic mythconceptions, including:  — To fight off Roman ships in 300 BC, Carthaginians catapulted live snakes at them.— The Athenian lawmaker Draco died of suffocation when gifts of cloaks were showered upon him by grateful citizens at an Aegina theater in 620 BC. — In ancient Rome, long before the advent of the Christian Bible, Roman men swore to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth” by placing their right hand on their testicles. It is from this ritual that we derived the term “testimony.” —  Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, The Temple of Artemis in Ephesus burned to the ground in 356 BC. The arsonist was executed; and to make sure his wish for everlasting fame wouldn’t come true, it was ordered that his name be stricken from all records and never mentioned again. But people will talk. Despite all efforts, his name leaked, and Herostratus is remembered as one of the most notorious firebugs in history.

Letters to My Torturer: Love, Revolution, and Imprisonment in Iran


Houshang Asadi - 2010
    This time, however, was different. Little did he know in 1983 that he would spend the next six years being brutally, mindlessly tortured by those he supported. “Brother Hamid”, Asadi’s torturer, stopped at nothing to extract his “confessions”. Asadi was a spy for Russia, for Britain, for anyone or anything. Hamid became an ambassador; Asadi a fugitive, haunted by nightmares and persisting pain. His feet lashed till lame, he was grilled until he could no longer answer a simple question. In these letters, discover how, through his accidental friendship with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, a fellow cellmate under the regime, Asadi was saved from execution – and confronts his torturer one last time. In 1983, Houshang Asadi was imprisoned in Tehran. Under torture, he said he was a spy. Many of his friends also confessed and were executed. He was released after six years. Today he lives in Paris with his wife, Nooshabeh Amiri. They write for the Iranian news website Rooz Online