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Churchill
Jacob Bannister - 2013
His staunch patriotism, tenacity, appetite for a fight, and, above all, his towering rhetoric inspired the British people to mount a gallant defense of their island nation. Having set a new bar for national heroism, he earned a place in the pantheon of the world’s greatest leaders. Churchill, a fearless soldier, was a veteran of countless battles and a rider in one of Britain’s last cavalry charges. He was also a gifted writer, a winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, whose war reporting made his name and whose books outlived him. A bon vivant who loved his brandy and cigars, he was also a devoted husband whose marriage was a lifelong love affair. By any measure, Churchill was a giant. But the man was far from perfect. He was a hero, yes, but a human one. He could be petty, irascible, and self-centered; it was bred in his bone that white Englishmen were born to lead the world and all others to be led. His mistakes cost billions of dollars and thousands of lives, but he had courage and a born politician’s sense of the public stage. In the end, Churchill became a regal figure whose life came to symbolize defiance of tyranny in the face of impossible odds. Here is his story.
On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life Through Great Books
Karen Swallow Prior - 2018
Great literature increases knowledge of and desire for the good life by showing readers what virtue looks like and where vice leads. It is not just what one reads but how one reads that cultivates virtue. Reading good literature well requires one to practice numerous virtues, such as patience, diligence, and prudence. And learning to judge wisely a character in a book, in turn, forms the reader's own character.Acclaimed author Karen Swallow Prior takes readers on a guided tour through works of great literature both ancient and modern, exploring twelve virtues that philosophers and theologians throughout history have identified as most essential for good character and the good life. In reintroducing ancient virtues that are as relevant and essential today as ever, Prior draws on the best classical and Christian thinkers, including Aristotle, Aquinas, and Augustine. Covering authors from Henry Fielding to Cormac McCarthy, Jane Austen to George Saunders, and Flannery O'Connor to F. Scott Fitzgerald, Prior explores some of the most compelling universal themes found in the pages of classic books, helping readers learn to love life, literature, and God through their encounter with great writing.In examining works by these authors and more, Prior shows why virtues such as prudence, temperance, humility, and patience are still necessary for human flourishing and civil society. The book includes end-of-chapter reflection questions geared toward book club discussions, features original artwork throughout, and includes a foreword from Leland Ryken.
On Love
Alain de Botton - 1993
The narrator is smitten by Chloe on a Paris-London flight, and by the time they've reached the luggage carousel, he knows he is in love. He loves her chestnut hair and pale nape and watery green eyes, the way she drives a car and eats Chinese food, the gap that makes her teeth Kantian and not Platonic, her views on Heidegger's Being and Time - although he hates her taste in shoes. On Love plots the course of their affair from the initial delirium of infatuation to the depths of suicidal despair, through the (Groucho) "Marxist" stage of coming to terms with being loved by the unattainable beloved, through a fit of anhedonia, defined in medical texts as a disease resulting from the terror brought on by the threat of utter happiness, and finally through the nausea induced and terrorist tactics employed when the beloved begins, inexplicably, to drift away. Alain de Botton is simultaneously hilarious and intellectually astute, shifting with ease among such seminal romantic texts as The Divine Comedy, Madame Bovary, and The Bleeding Heart, a self-help book for those who love too much. He is schematically flawless, funny, funky, and totally engaging. Filled with profound observations and useful diagrams, On Love displays and examines for all of us the pain and exhilaration of love, asking, "Can we not be forgiven if we believe ourselves fated to stumble one day upon the man or woman of our dreams? Can we not be excused a certain superstitious faith in a creature who will prove the solution to our relentless yearnings?"
Be a People Person
John C. Maxwell - 1989
Being a leader means working with people, and that's not always easy! Interpersonal relationships can make or break a leader-whether in the office, the church, or elsewhere.
A Year with Aslan: Daily Reflections from The Chronicles of Narnia
C.S. Lewis - 2010
Lewis, get your daily dose of inspiration from this one-of-a-kind devotional collecting 365 readings from the beloved Chronicles of Narnia. C.S. Lewis channeled his profound spiritual understanding into The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and the other books in his seminal fantasy series. This enthralling anthology (with lavish illustrations by Pauline Baynes) is the perfect gift for fans of the beloved children's books, and a peerless set of meditations for anyone looking to step through that secret door to their own world of devotion.
Kybalion: A Study of the Hermetic Philosophy of Ancient Egypt and Greece
Three Initiates - 1912
This concise guide offers a modern interpretation of the doctrine, distilling its teachings with seven compelling principles that can be applied to self-development in daily life.
The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure
Jonathan Haidt - 2018
These three Great Untruths are part of a larger philosophy that sees young people as fragile creatures who must be protected and supervised by adults. But despite the good intentions of the adults who impart them, the Great Untruths are harming kids by teaching them the opposite of ancient wisdom and the opposite of modern psychological findings on grit, growth, and antifragility. The result is rising rates of depression and anxiety, along with endless stories of college campuses torn apart by moralistic divisions and mutual recriminations. This is a book about how we got here. First Amendment expert Greg Lukianoff and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt take us on a tour of the social trends stretching back to the 1980s that have produced the confusion and conflict on campus today, including the loss of unsupervised play time and the birth of social media, all during a time of rising political polarization. This is a book about how to fix the mess. The culture of “safety” and its intolerance of opposing viewpoints has left many young people anxious and unprepared for adult life, with devastating consequences for them, for their parents, for the companies that will soon hire them, and for a democracy that is already pushed to the brink of violence over its growing political divisions. Lukianoff and Haidt offer a comprehensive set of reforms that will strengthen young people and institutions, allowing us all to reap the benefits of diversity, including viewpoint diversity. This is a book for anyone who is confused by what’s happening on college campuses today, or has children, or is concerned about the growing inability of Americans to live and work and cooperate across party lines.
All Is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir
Brennan Manning - 2011
Since that time, Brennan Manning has been dazzingly faithful in preaching and writing variations on that singular theme Yes, Abba is very fond of you! But today the crowds are gone and the lights are dim, the patches on his knees have faded. If he ever was a ragamuffin, truly it is now. In this his final book, Brennan roves back his past, honoring the lives of the people closest to him, family and friends who ve known the saint and the sinner, the boy and the man. Far from some chronological timeline, these memories are witness to the truth of life by one who has lived it "All Is Grace.""
The Richest Man Who Ever Lived: King Solomon's Secrets to Success, Wealth, and Happiness
Steven K. Scott - 2006
Scott reveals King Solomon’s breakthrough strategies to achieve a life of financial success and personal fulfillment.Steve Scott flunked out of every job he held in his first six years after college. He couldn’t succeed no matter how hard he tried. Then Dr. Gary Smalley challenged him to study the book of Proverbs, promising that in doing so he would achieve greater success and happiness than he had ever known. That promise came true, making Scott a millionaire many times over. In The Richest Man Who Ever Lived, Scott reveals Solomon’s key for winning every race, explains how to resolve conflicts and turn enemies into allies, and discloses the five qualities essential to becoming a valued and admired person at work and in your personal life. Scott illustrates each of Solomon’s insights and strategies with anecdotes about his personal successes and failures, as well as those of such extraordinary people as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and Steven Spielberg.At once inspiring and instructive, THE RICHEST MAN WHO EVER LIVED weaves the timeless truths of one of our greatest works of literature into a detailed roadmap for successful living today.
You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life
Eleanor Roosevelt - 1960
Roosevelt expresses her philosophy of life by relating the experiences which have enabled her to cope with personal and public responsibilities.
How to Be Idle
Tom Hodgkinson - 2004
In How to Be Idle, Hodgkinson presents his learned yet whimsical argument for a new, universal standard of living: being happy doing nothing. He covers a whole spectrum of issues affecting the modern idler—sleep, work, pleasure, relationships—bemoaning the cultural skepticism of idleness while reflecting on the writing of such famous apologists for it as Oscar Wilde, Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Johnson, and Nietzsche—all of whom have admitted to doing their very best work in bed.It’s a well-known fact that Europeans spend fewer hours at work a week than Americans. So it’s only befitting that one of them—the very clever, extremely engaging, and quite hilarious Tom Hodgkinson—should have the wittiest and most useful insights into the fun and nature of being idle. Following on the quirky, call-to-arms heels of the bestselling Eat, Shoots and Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss, How to Be Idle rallies us to an equally just and no less worthy cause: reclaiming our right to be idle.
The Choose Yourself Stories
James Altucher - 2014
Following on the footsteps of the National Best Seller "Choose Yourself" James Altucher is back with the revealing, funny, and embarrassing stories from his own life that show that even in the worst case scenario there is always a way towards reinvention and happiness.
The Magic Mala: A Story That Changes Lives
Bob Olson - 2017
His desperate financial circumstances lead him to open his mind to new ways of living. After finding some mala beads, Robby is taken on a magical journey that teaches him the secrets to personal manifestation and happiness.If you liked The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, The Way Of The Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman, or The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield, you are sure to love Bob Olson's The Magic Mala.An inspiring novel that transforms the lives of its readers, this book will leave you fascinated and educated about the universal laws that govern our lives. It's a story you'll want to read often to remind yourself of its wisdom--primarily, the magic of living a conscious life. More importantly, The Magic Mala will help you recognize the power you've always had but didn't know was there: your inner ability to create the life of your dreams.For more information and a free pdf of the top 5 mantras to use with your mala, visit BobOlson.com.What You Will Learn In This Book+ How to manifest the life of your dreams+ How to communicate with the Universe+ How to recognize the beliefs that limit you+ How to consciously protect your energy+ How to identify spiritual guidance+ How to create magic in your life+ How to increase happiness & abundance+ How to use mala beads for transformationPRAISE FOR THE MAGIC MALA
Bob Olson takes us on a magical, heartwarming and spiritually exciting journey, as we follow Robby on a universal quest for happiness that will change him and us forever. A truly life enhancing book that I am honoured and excited to be making into a movie. Ileen Maisel, Producer, Amber EntertainmentThe Magic Mala is a special book about a couple who learns a life-changing lesson about the power of intention. Synchronistic events, messages from the other side, unexpected encounters with wise teachers, and a path to prosperity using an unlikely tool, will leave you inspired to use what you learn from this story in your own life, too! Cheryl Richardson, New York Times best-selling author of Take Time for Your Life
The Magic Mala is a book that caught me completely by surprise! I didn't even know I was searching for the wisdom it imparts, but it immediately spoke to me. I'd say it even woke me up and helped me recalibrate my priorities and energy. The characters are so engaging and relatable--not your typical spiritual guides but all the more genuine for it. The Magic Mala is that rare book that calls me to read it over and over again, each time strengthening my resolve to face and pursue my dreams. In its pleasant and straightforward story lies a powerhouse of uplifting inspiration and authentic ways to find your place in the Universe. It's simply life changing. I'm so thankful The Magic Mala found me! Bessie Gantt, Editor and WriterA magical tale, masterfully told.
Pushing to the Front or Success Under Difficulties
Orison Swett Marden - 1894
Readers reported how Pushing To The Front brought them back from ruin to better themselves; back to passions they had earlier abandoned, and inspired them to press onward and rebound from prior business failures.Written in the late 19th century, Pushing To The Front stands out as a timeless classic. Marden makes regular references to successful women of the day. He even refers to the coming of the 20th century as "the century of the woman". Orison Swett Marden goes on to talk about the need for women to express themselves beyond the role of the typical housewife and mother.He continues to demonstrate a keen understanding of the coming age, challenging more traditional views of the time, by praising black Americans such as Frederick Douglass and others.Pushing To The Front clearly distinguishes itself apart from some of the worst attitudes of the time. Orison Swett Marden masterfully illustrates his abhorrence of bigotry toward race, age or gender. He holds a particular disgust for anyone blindly living only for the almighty dollar.He is successful at inspiring his readers to instead pursue a fulfilling career that excites them and enriches them intellectually.Orison Swett Marden challenges us to identify and develop our natural talents and passions to the fullest. He points out how doing what we love ultimately provides us with the drive and motivation necessary to prosper both emotionally, physically and monetarily.Mardens’ most persistent theme in the book is that character is built through adversity."Kites rise against, not with, the wind."- Orison Swett Marden
The Unfettered Mind: Writings of the Zen Master to the Sword Master
Takuan Soho - 1645
So succinct are the author's insights that these writings have outlasted the dissolution of the samurai class to come down to the present and be read for guidance and inspiration by the captains of business and industry, as well as those devoted to the practice of the martial arts in their modern form.