The Antichrist, though mentioned a mere four times in the Bible, and then only obscurely, has exercised a tight hold on popular imagination throughout history. This has been particularly true in the U
The story of the lie detector takes us straight into the dark recesses of the American soul. It also leads us on a noir journey through some of the most storied episodes in American history. That is
Clothed in mystery and lost in uncharted seas, the Spice Islands of the early sixteenth century tantalized European imagination to the point of obsession. As the only place on Earth where grew the "ho
In this unprecedented work two decades in the making, leading historian Robert S. Wistrich examines the long and ugly history of anti-Semitism, from the first recorded pogrom in 38 BCE to its shocking
"The need for realism in reform of its monetary system is what makes Bernstein’s story of the Power of Gold so timely. It is a compelling reminder that maintaining a fixed price for gold and fix
This scholarly study of the centuries-long history of fornicatory dolls examines the enduring obsession with creating an idealized, silent female sexual object and the manifestations of this desire t
From the plantation to the breakfast table—the stimulating history of the world’s obsession with tea from its first discovery in China to the present day. Moxham first became fascinated b
Ram (Middle East studies, Ben Gurion U. of the Negev, Israel) presents a critical history of changing Israeli perceptions of Iran before and after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He argues that, while so
America's wars after the 9/11 attacks were marked by a political obsession with terrorist 'sanctuaries' and 'safe havens'. From mountain redoubts in Afghanistan to the deserts of Iraq, Washington's po
An intimate narrative history of porcelain, structured around five journeys through landscapes where porcelain was dreamed about, fired, refined, collected, and coveted.Extraordinary new nonfiction, a
An intimate narrative history of porcelain, structured around five journeys through landscapes where porcelain was dreamed about, fired, refined, collected, and coveted.Extraordinary new nonfiction, a
First published in 1860, Éliphas Lévi's history of magic follows in the wake of his enormously successful Dogme et Ritual de la Haute Magie, which first appeared in 1854. In this book, the French occultist and alleged magician offers a thoroughly comprehensive survey of the idea of 'magic' in Western history, from its origins in Indian, Greek, cabalistic and hermetic traditions to the latest developments in nineteenth-century occult philosophy, as well as his own private recollections of his experience with magic. Lévi is adamant in his treatment of magic as a serious science and one compatible with Christianity, encouraging his readers to see magic as the reconciliation point between faith and reason, science and belief, authority and liberty. Extending to almost six hundred pages and with numerous illustrations, this book should appeal to those interested in the nineteenth-century obsession with mysticism and the occult.
Dan Boothby had been drifting for more than 20 years, without the pontoons of family, friends or a steady occupation. Finally, unexpectedly, an opportunity presented itself. After a lifelong obsession
This is the story of an American love affair.Intimate and painfully real, this epic tale from the pages of history is based on the lives of vivacious and iron-willed Diana Bullitt, a Southern woman f
An obsession with perpetual youth may seem a particularly modern phenomenon, but it is a goal that western scientists and philosophers have aspired to (and worked towards) for the last four hundred ye
An obsession with perpetual youth may seem a particularly modern phenomenon, but it is a goal that western scientists and philosophers have aspired to (and worked towards) for the last four hundred ye
For curious nonmathematicians and armchair algebra buffs, John Derbyshire discovers the story behind the formulae, roots, and radicals. As he did so masterfully in Prime Obsession, Derbyshire brings t
