Search results for ""Shepheard-Walwyn (Publishers) Ltd""

A chance discovery provided the author with the key to unlocking the centuries old enigma of Botticelli's Primavera, a masterpiece painted for the private viewing of a Medici. Its pagan figures in a paradisical spring meadow illuminated the cryptic world of the Renaissance pagan revival. Botticelli's allegory emerged to address its personal message to a young Medici. Botticelli's cleverly disguised message for Lorenzo Minore, is to be found on the right side of La Primavera, where Chloris draws Zephyr's attention to it. This book is extremely well researched and beautifully produced with eighty color plates. Lane-Spollen clearly explains the fusion of Christian and pagan imagery which is reflected in La Primavera, placing it in the wider context of Italy's religion and politics. The author employs a readable style which will make this book suitable for those familiar with this period looking for more detail about a beloved painting, and those who are new to the Renaissance and Art History. Lane-Spollen gives a clear overview of why and how Botticelli conveyed his message in disguise. An esteemed circle of scholars around the Medici, disillusioned with a worldly and corrupted medieval Church, searched for a purer, unadulterated Christianity in the pre-Christian foundations of their faith. This was a sensitive occupation in a society where the reach of the Church was present in all matters public and private. In 1460 a manuscript was brought to Cosimo de'Medici. Its author, Hermes, was revered by Augustine and the early Church Fathers. Its revelations on the true nature of Man held the evidence they were seeking and stood in stark contrast to the medieval Church view in which the lowly humble sinner must throw himself on the mercy of the Church for his redemption. The Hermetic corpus which so inspired the Medici circle, saw Man as unique among all species, of unlimited potential and possessing a 'spark of the Divine'. As Burckhardt noted, "it became the breath of life for all the most instructed minds of Europe". For medieval man, it heralded his rebirth, his Renaissance. Expressing this newly discovered 'God-like' being in art stimulated the creative imagination of Renaissance artists like Botticelli, Leonardo, and Raffaello. Lane-Spollen gives a clear overview of why and how Botticelli conveyed his message in code: An esteemed circle of scholars around the Medici, disillusioned with a worldly and corrupted medieval Church, searched for a purer, unadulterated Christianity in the pre-Christian foundations of their faith. This was a dangerous occupation in a society where the reach of the Church was present in all matters public and private. In 1460 a manuscript was brought to Cosimo de'Medici. Its author, Hermes, was revered by Augustine and the early Church Fathers. Its revelations on the true nature of Man held the evidence they were seeking and stood in stark contrast to the teachings of the medieval church and had no place for man as a lowly humble sinner who must throw himself on the mercy of the Church. Neoplatonism and the Hermetic corpus which so inspired the Medici circle, saw Man as unique among all species and possessing a 'spark of the divine'.Though heretical and blasphemous in the extreme, this philosophy had a profound effect and spread rapidly. As Burckhardt noted, 'it became the breath of life for all the most instructed minds of Europe'. Convinced by its impeccable provenance, the Medici circle of philosophers and poets strived to merge the three great but competing religions, Judaism, Islam and Christianity, into a single religion in harmony with their original pre-Christian foundations. Expressing this newly discovered 'God-like' being in art stimulated the creative imagination of the early Renaissance as artists like Botticelli, Leonardo, Michaelangelo and Raphaello strove to express 'divine' Man's dignity, his innate capability and the profound depths of his potential for greatness.

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Marsilio Ficino (1433-99) was one of the most influential thinkers of the Renaissance. He put before society a new ideal of human nature, emphasizing its divine potential. This title features his principles which have formed the basis of good government and inspired statesmen down the ages.

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The central message of 'Parmenides', that everything depends on the One, resonates with the growing awareness around the world of the inter-relatedness of all things, be it in the biosphere, the intellectual or spiritual realms. This title features a commentary to the translation of 'Parmenides'. It is suitable for renaissance scholars.

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Real estate is sold as a much safer investment than the constantly fluctuating stock market. Share price volatility is compared unfavorably with the steadier and impressive gains made from real estate which is, we are told, 'as safe as houses'. This book details the cyclical nature of real estate.

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In "Globalisation for the Common Good", the author argues that it is possible to achieve a balance between economically efficient production and an equitable distribution of the wealth in a sustainable environment, so that everybody who is willing to work can share in the benefits of globalization.

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Shows an alternative exists to the present economic policies of high taxation and borrowing to ease the personal hardships caused by unemployment and retirement. The main obstacles to reform are ignorance of an alternative economic strategy and the reluctance of economists to admit their error.

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Part of an eight-volume series that features the men and women of British history from Roman times to the end of Queen Victoria's reign. The biographical essays are arranged in a broadly chronological sequence, and the subjects include artists, explorers, scientists and eccentrics.

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How better than to mark the 150th anniversary of Darwin's book on human evolution than by challenging his theory with an updated version which instead places the female species at the centre of the theory. Sexual selection may have created us, but by refusing to take a good hard look at ourselves and our impact on the planet, we may be granting natural selection the power to eliminate us. A fascinating book which is both controversial and entertaining and which will deepen your understanding of human evolution like you would never have imagined. Heather deepens our understanding of human evolution by including genetic discoveries that were unavailable in 1871 when Darwin wrote The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex. She offers an updated version of the theory by viewing the courtship dance through a female lens. Darwin was correct in acknowledging that sexual selection is driven by female choice, but he was seriously mistaken in granting a female no active influence and depicting her as passively succumbing to the charms of the triumphant male who had bested another in a competition to win her favour or to the one who had tickled her fancy with his feathers. In the process of her doctoral research, Heather analysed hundreds of hours of tape-recorded interviews in which women identified the traits that made specific men in their lives sexually and reproductively attractive. Their insights help us make sense of recent studies that leave researchers scratching their heads when the species they study don't appear to be playing by the rules, according to Darwin. We are in the midst of two immediate existential crises-climate change and growing economic inequality-caused by human behaviour. If we are to be successful in addressing these challenges, Remoff argues that we need to come to terms with the double-edged sword at the heart of all that makes us special. Who are we? What selection pressures forged our species specific traits? Of all the trillions of species that have ever existed on this planet only one, Homo sapiens, has mastered language, the art of symbolic communication. Did female passions play a role in triggering our way with words? Absolutely. Our choice of reproductive partners shaped not only language ability but also many of the other traits that define us today.

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When the Romans settled in Britain in 43 CE they could hardly have imagined that the small agricultural settlement of Londinium on the Thames would eventually become one of the biggest cities in the world. Its people worshipped then in small buildings like the Mithraeum, but over the next two thousand years cathedrals, synagogues, churches, mosques and temples changed the city skyline. Destroyed many times - by fire, disease, internal revolution and foreign powers - London has always rebuilt itself, stronger than ever in its determination to over-come all the difficulties put in its path. Gradually new forms of worship from beyond these islands came to influence the capital city, bringing with them other faiths, with their own prayers, scriptures and music. As the different tribes and communities have intermingled, they have left their mark on the city, adding architectural richness to it. For religion plays a vital part in any city's life. This is the first time that the history of London's faiths and beliefs has been recounted. This is not a book for academics, though it is deeply researched and may throw light on matters not always understood. It is a readable history for those who enjoy exploring the world about them, coming to understand other Gods and the ways in which belief and prayer can differ. It will appeal to those interested in how historical development can alter the lives of a people and how religious affiliation changes history. From earliest times, when the Romans built their temple to Mithras, now reborn in the Bloomberg building near the Thames, the story follows religious changes in the city when monasteries were destroyed, a great cathedral burned, new churches were built and London almost disappeared under enemy bombardment. Ancient religions from the East have latterly made their home here. Modern ideas have taken root, and today London has a vibrant multi-faith community, its first woman Bishop, and beautiful buildings for worship in a multitude of different ways.

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The controversy surrounding the publication of the Zinoviev letter in The Daily Mail in October 1924 has close parallels with events today: Was it leaked by British officials or fake news to influence the outcome of the forthcoming election? On the basis of compelling evidence this book overturns the generally accepted view about the authenticity of the Zinoviev letter, proving it was genuine. The minority Labour government under Ramsay MacDonald had called an election for November. In the last days of the election campaign the press broke the news of a letter purporting to have been sent from Moscow by Grigory Zinoviev, Chairman of the Soviet-controlled Communist International, to the Communist Party of Great Britain. The letter urged members of the Party to increase their efforts to gain power by manipulating the Labour Party, which was hostile to Communist aims, so as to move the Labour Party to a revolutionary position, and by recruiting disenchanted military personnel to form the basis of a British `Red Army'. The Zinoviev letter had reached the Foreign Office via the Secret Service. It caused a storm, with accusations that it was a fabrication by White Russians or by British elements hostile to Ramsay MacDonald's Labour Government, and possibly lost Labour the election. It has never been established whether it was leaked to the Daily Mail by British officials or by someone from the British Communist Party. The author reveals that Zinoviev's letter, sent to British Communists by the Comintern, was not a fabrication, as has been widely believed for almost a hundred years. The evidence to show that this is so has been publicly available since 1930. The book ends with the question, was it overlooked or deliberately concealed by those with an allegiance to the Soviet Union? That is the new and real mystery of the Zinoviev letter.

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There are hundreds of Sue Ryder charity shops throughout the UK, but few shoppers sorting through racks of jackets or piles of paperbacks know much about their founder. Sue Ryder was a determined, philanthropic and driven woman who set about creating homes for those in desperate need of care. The suffering of most of her patients was the result of trauma experienced in WW2, or from serious disability or illness. Sue Ryder was born into a very privileged family. When she was only sixteen years old, she chose to leave her expensive private school and throw herself into the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry. This was the beginning of her vocational career and led to an affection for the people of Poland, who she cared for during Special Operations Executive work. In the post-WW2 chaos she supported displaced people in a range of European countries. She worked directly in the field, sourcing and supplying food, medicine and clothing for those who were otherwise entirely abandoned. She constantly needed money for her work but her shops and radio appeals raised some, and local authorities made financial contributions. Eventually she opened homes and hospices in places as diverse as Malawi, Albania and Wales. Sue Ryder made a huge and positive difference to the lives of thousands, despite - or perhaps because of - having a character which could, at times, be as obsessive and downright difficult as it could be creative and inspiring. Over the years she was awarded various civic, military and academic honours, including being made a life peer in 1979. Sue Ryder was brought up to help others and she committed her life to doing so. This book is written so that Sue Ryder's name, work and life are known about and not forgotten.

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MARSILIO FICINO of Florence (1433-99) was one of the most influential thinkers of the Renaissance. He put before society a new ideal of human nature, emphasising its divine potential. As teacher and guide to a remarkable circle of men, he made a vital contribution to changes that were taking place in European thought. For Ficino, the writings of Plato provided the key to the most important knowledge for mankind, knowledge of God and the soul. It was the absorption of this knowledge that proved so important to Ficino, to his circle, and to later writers and artists. As a young man, Ficino had been directed by Cosimo de' Medici towards the study of Plato in the original Greek. Later he formed a close connection with Cosimo's grandson, Lorenzo de' Medici, under whom Florence achieved its age of brilliance. Gathered round Ficino and Lorenzo were such men as Landino, Bembo, Poliziano and Pico della Mirandola. The ideas they discussed became central to the work of Spenser, Shakespeare, Donne, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Raphael, Durer, and many other writers and artists. The first letter in this volume is from Cosimo to Ficino, inviting him to visit him on his estate at Careggii and to bring with him `Plato's book on The Highest Good' (the Philebus) which Cosimo had asked him to translate in 1463. Though there is some uncertainty about the precise nature of Ficino's Platonic Academy, in another letter he replies to a correspondent's request for `that maxim of mine that is inscribed around the walls of the Academy'. This revised edition has corrected errors made in the original translation more than four decades ago, and the notes to the letters and the biographical notes have incorporated much new material from scholarship on the period which has grown enormously in the intervening years and continues to flourish.

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Based on a three-year course prepared by Leon MacLaren for the School of Economic Science in London in the late 1960s, this book reassesses the first principles of economics. Leon MacLaren (1910–1994) was a barrister, politician, philosopher, and the founder of the School of Economic Science. In his view, science is a study of laws that exist in nature, while economics is a study of the humanities with the interaction between human nature and the natural universe at its heart. With original subject matter from his economic course and introducing more recent examples and statistics from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the United States, the study examines the major characteristics of the modern economy—such as banking, taxation, and international trade—and considers the role of the government in economic affairs. It concludes with an examination of society's structure as a whole, the part economic activity plays in the bigger picture, and the social and cultural influences that shape the production and distribution of wealth.

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Looking at some of the Shakespearean comedies, author John Vyvyan suggests they express a consistent, profoundly Christian philosophy of life based on the Platonic ideas of beauty and love. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, and All’s Well That Ends Well, the heroines bring to life the idea of love as the force that is awakened in the world by beauty which then leads the soul to perfection. Vyvyan believes that for Shakespeare, love was preeminent over human ideas of justice, that self-discovery was a supreme human experience, and that breaking faith with the ideal—as Agamemnon, Cressida, and Hector all do in Troilus and Cressida —sowed the seeds of tragedy. The author’s recognition of Shakespeare's use of allegory enables him to make sense of certain developments in these plays that seem weak or absurd from the psychological standpoint. He does not suggest that Shakespeare’s philosophy is the most important thing about his plays; it is simply one thing about them that ought to be known. The recognition of this philosophy enhances enjoyment of the plays, giving them a new dimension and richness. This edition contains a list of the author’s Shakespearean references and an enhanced index.

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One outcome of the Second World War, Dawsey writes in his foreword, was the proposition that all human beings should enjoy certain fundamental freedoms. These were enshrined by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Since the book was first published in 1971 this endorsement has led to greater recognition of human rights in Russia, China, and many other parts of the world. In the West, Andelson argued, human rights have been an issue that are often invoked but seldom intelligently considered. Thus there have been pressure groups pushing for this, that and the other right to be recognised without considering how such a right might impinge on the freedom of others; for example the right to free expression versus the right to privacy, the right to life of the unborn child versus the mother's choice. Seeking to establish the ground for rights, Andelson exposed the inadequacy of the radical-humanist, utilitarian and self-realisation approaches as well as many widely held Christian approaches, and developed an original thesis.

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From its beginnings in London to its worldwide enrollment—including affiliated schools in Europe, North and South America, South Africa, and Australasia—this account examines the history and growth of the School of Economic Science. Based on the economic theories of the American social reformer and economist Henry George and the land tax campaigns led by Andrew MacLaren, the school’s philosophy has adapted over the course of eight decades. Influenced by spiritual leader George Gurdjieff, philosopher Peter Ouspensky, and Indian sage Sri Shantananda Saraswati, to name a few, the institution has attracted hundreds of thousands of students, but it has also endured criticism and controversy. Objectively, this record explains why supporters of the School of Economic Science hold it in such high regard.

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St Claire Bullock - a Professor of Philosophy, no less - in the intervals between pondering the great questions of life, turned his hand to penning light verse in the manner of Hilaire Belloc, Ogden Nash and Edward Lear. In rhyming couplets these wry and witty poems ponder the foibles and vanities of mortals. Some of these are captured in pen and ink drawings which caricature the subject of the poems. Each character is given an amusing name, beginning with Master Cecil Abercorn, through Clarence Castle, Serena Huff, The Marchioness of Mal de Mer, Major Houghton Reid and Thomas Tinkham Tattersall to Roland Washburn White. There are 70 poems in all of which 10 are illustrated. The illustration on the front cover relates to Rupert Ashe: 'The greatest pride of Rupert Ashe was his luxuriant moustache. He took great care to keep it groomed, And even, with restraint, perfumed. He brushed it upward every day, and it made such a grand display, that people who were not the wiser, imagined that he was the Kaiser.'

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Warden turns to the ancient Chinese philosophy of Taoism to appreciate the significance of symbols as a subtle way of conveying understanding the failings of the world.

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Dorothy Boux has transcribed in calligraphy and illustrated an ancient account of the creation of the universe. Not much can be said about its origin, except that it came to the attention of H.P. Blavatsky during her extensive travels in India and Tibet in the 1850s. During a visit to a temple, Blavatsky was shown some tablets on which this account was inscribed in an ancient language. She was given an explanation of their meaning and years later she wrote them down for inclusion in her book, "The Secret Doctrine", as the "Stanzas of Dzyan". Although the original source of this ancient knowledge cannot be identified, it can be likened to the accounts in Genesis and the Upanishads, but providing some interestingly different details. The seven days of creation in Genesis are reflected in the seven stanzas into which it is divided. Ultimately, its authenticity rests on its harmony with existing sacred writings, which speak to each one of us in the silence of the heart.

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Marsilio Ficino (1433-99) directed the Platonic Academy in Florence, and it was the work of this Academy that gave the Renaissance in the 15th century its impulse and direction. During his childhood Ficino was selected by Cosimo de' Medici for an education in the humanities. Later Cosimo directed him to learn Greek and then to translate all the works of Plato into Latin. This enormous task he completed in about five years. He then wrote two important books, "The Platonic Theology" and "The Christian Religion", showing how the Christian religion and Platonic philosophy were proclaiming the same message. The extraordinary influence the Platonic Academy came to exercise over the age arose from the fact that its leading spirits were already seeking fresh inspiration from the ideals of the civilizations of Greece and Rome and especially from the literary and philosophical sources of those ideals. Florence was the cultural and artistic centre of Europe at the time and leading men in so many fields were drawn to the Academy: Lorenzo de'Medici (Florence's ruler), Alberti (the architect) and Poliziano (the poet). Moreover Ficino bound together an enormous circle of correspondents throughout Europe, from the Pope in Rome to John Colet in London, from Reuchlin in Germany to de Ganay in France. Published during his lifetime, "The Letters" have not previously been translated into English. The sixth volume is set against the backdrop of war between the Italian states in the period 1481-84. The disruption and suffering caused by these wars is reflected in some of the letters, which contain some of Ficino's finest writing.

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Marsilio Ficino (1433-99) directed the Platonic Academy in Florence, and it was the work of this Academy that gave the Renaissance in the 15th century its impulse and direction. During his childhood Ficino was selected by Cosimo de' Medici for an education in the humanities. Later Cosimo directed him to learn Greek and then to translate all the works of Plato into Latin. This enormous task he completed in about five years. He then wrote two important books, "The Platonic Theology" and "The Christian Religion", showing how the Christian religion and Platonic philosophy were proclaiming the same message. The extraordinary influence the Platonic Academy came to exercise over the age arose from the fact that its leading spirits were already seeking fresh inspiration from the ideals of the civilizations of Greece and Rome,and especially from the literary and philosophical sources of those ideals. Florence was the cultural and artistic centre of Europe at the time and leading men in so many fields were drawn to the Academy: Lorenzo de' Medici (Florence's ruler), Alberti (the architect) and Poliziano (the poet). Moreover, Ficino bound together an enormous circle of correspondents throughout Europe, from the Pope in Rome to John Colet in London, from Reuchlin in Germany to de Ganay in France. Published during his lifetime, "The Letters" have not previously been translated into English. This third volume consists of the 39 letters Ficino published in his book IV, which he dedicated to Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary. During the period covered by the letters in this volume, Ficino was working on a revision of his translations of Plato's dialogues and his commentaries on them. Some of the letters consist largely of passages taken from the dialogues, for example, those in praise of matrimony, medicine and philosophy. the largest single letter is a life of Plato which furnishes some interesting parallels with Ficino's own life, as described in a near contemporary biography by Giovanni Corsi which is included, partly for this reason, at the end of the volume. Corsi comments - "The first thing which encouraged me to write about this man was that he himself not only investigated the precepts and mysteries (of the Platonic Academy) but also penetrated, laid open and expounded them to others. This was something which no one else for the previous thousand years so much as attempted, let alone accomplished."

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Marsilio Ficino (1433-99) directed the Platonic Academy in Florence, and it was the work of this Academy that gave the Renaissance in the 15th century its impulse and direction. During his childhood Ficino was selected by Cosimo de' Medici for an education in the humanities. Later Cosimo directed him to learn Greek and then to translate all the works of Plato into Latin. This enormous task he completed in about five years. He then wrote two important books, "The Platonic Theology" and "The Christian Religion", showing how the Christian religion and Platonic philosophy were proclaiming the same message. The extraordinary influence the Platonic Academy came to exercise over the age arose from the fact that its leading spirits were already seeking fresh inspiration from the ideals of the civilizations of Greece and Rome and especially from the literary and philosophical sources of those ideals. Florence was the cultural and artistic centre of Europe at the time and leading men in so many fields were drawn to the Academy: Lorenzo de'Medici (Florence's ruler), Alberti (the architect) and Poliziano (the poet). Moreover Ficino bound together an enormous circle of correspondents throughout Europe, from the Pope in Rome to John Colet in London, from Reuchlin in Germany to de Ganay in France. Published during his lifetime, "The Letters" have not previously been translated into English. Following the Pazzi Conspiracy of 1478, Florence was at war with both the Pope (Sixtus IV) and King Ferdinand of Naples. Prompted by the appalling conditions under which Florence suffered as a result of the war, Ficino wrote eloquent letters to the three main protagonists. In his three letters to Sixtus, who was the main architect of the war, Ficino states in magnificent terms the true work of the Pope - to fish in the "deep sea of humanity", as did the Apostles. King Ferdinand of Naples spent most of his life in intrigue, not only against other states, but also against his own barons. Yet, Ficino addresses him in the words of his father, the admirable King Alfonso. This extraordinary letter, written in the form of a prophesy, speaks of his son's destiny on Earth. "In peace alone a splendid victory awaits you..., in victory, tranquility; in tranquility, a reverence and worship of Minerva" (wisdom). Negotiations for peace were in fact begun about five months later. In his letter to Lorenzo de 'Medici, Ficino presented, with dramatic clarity, the two sides of Lorenzo's nature. The letter may have prompted Lorenzo's bold visit to King Ferdinand's court and the ensuing negotiations for peace. In insisting on the reality of unity and peace in the face of war and division, Ficino uses a number of analogies. He speaks in at least two letters of all the colours emerging from simple white light, just as all the variety of the universe issues from one consciousness. "For the Sun, to be is to shine, to shine is to see, and to illuminate is to create all that is its own and to sustain what it has created."

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This new translation offers a contemporary rendering of this ancient work which addresses fundamental questions of law and duty for all members of society. One cannot but be impressed by the breadth of scope conjoined with sometimes minute and informative detail. The Laws embody the genius of their originators whose minds could contemplate the full extent of human society and accommodate a code of conduct which would ensure its lawful and harmonious regulation. The modern mind will certainly take issue with many of its directions and prohibitions, yet the same mind may also find within The Laws a source of inspiration and guidance in a world of apparently increasing disorder and conflict. Societies continuously modify the conventions by which they function and these may be evolutionary or consciously directed. It is for each generation to discover how the laws expressed in this work may find contemporary relevance. The present age thirsts for new frontiers of enquiry to bring advancement to the world. Within The Laws with its wealth of principles there is rich material for such an exploration. The text is of great interest as a cultural document but will equally find validity as an object of serious consideration for those who have a practical vision for the welfare of mankind. The text used is the version which has been translated by Jones (1794), Burnell (1884), Buhler (1886), and Doniger (1991). It includes the following eight appendices: Appendix I Weights, Measurements, Denominations; Appendix II Penances, Sacrifices, Teachers; Appendix III Places and Peoples; Appendix IV Prayers, Hymns, Verses cited in The Laws of Manu; Appendix V Fauna, Flora, Foods; Appendix VI Time Durations and Seasons; Appendix VII Gods and Deities; Appendix VIII The Circle of Neighbouring Kingdoms; Extensive index (almost 100 pages)

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This book charts the author's long journey of healing from the trauma caused by having to go into hiding as a child and having to deny that she was Jewish. It is not intended as an autobiography or a clinical paper on the healing process but as an account of a very personal inner journey. Marika Henriques records in words and images how she was shaped and her profession determined by historical events. She was born in Budapest in 1935. During the Holocaust in 1944, separated from her family, she became a hidden child. She was nine years old and those dark times had a profound and lasting effect on her. That being a Jew was shameful and had to be hidden remained deeply etched into her being for decades. Fascism was followed by communism after the war. Persecuted once more, now for her middle class background, she escaped, at the age of twenty-one, in 1956 during the Hungarian uprising. She crossed the border on foot amongst mine fields in temperatures of minus 25 degrees centigrade. Eventually she arrived as a refugee in England and in 1961 she married a Swedish Jew. In due course she found her vocation and became a Jungian psychotherapist. In doing, so she had to undergo psychoanalysis, during which the drawings and poems poured out of her as part of the healing process. Jung's ideas were an integral part of the process of understanding herself and her images. The drawings the drawings emerged unbidden and were drawn quickly, without fully understanding what they signified, but over the years she has stitched 19 of them as tapestries. The gentler pace of stitching was all a part of the healing process, and they are woven together with the drawings and poems in the book as she unfolds her story, the story of wounding and healing, herself and others. The culmination was a painstaking journey to return to her tradition and people. It started with a major surgery and ended twenty years later on the pulpit, the bimah, of a synagogue.

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When Dominic Sandbrook quoted Samuel Smiles extensively in his TV series on nineteenth-century work and leisure; when Ian Hislop flourished a copy of Smiles's Self-Help ("the book that launched the genre") in his programme on 'Workers or Shirkers?'; when Andy Burnham reflected publicly on "lack of aspiration" as a main cause of Britain's north-south divide - all were testifying to the intense topicality of the work and ideas of Samuel Smiles. This is the first full biography of the man who, in the industrial on-rush of the 19th century, gave the world the idea of self-help as a go-to strategy in an age of frenzied change. Using Smiles's unpublished correspondence with family, friends and publishers, and drawing extensively on his writing, The Spirit of Self-Help tells the very human story of how Samuel Smiles came from a small-town, small-time family in Scotland to become, by turn and sometimes together, medical doctor, campaigning journalist, railway executive, best-selling author, and global celebrity. This is both a biography and a reflection on themes of success and failure, the individual and society, moral and material worth, and the relationships between these sets of ideas. Driven by its subject, The Spirit of Self-Help revolves around the oldest idea of all - the possibility of happiness, for everyone, in all possible circumstances. In that sense, though set in the 19th century, this is an intensely topical book.

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The author was the first to forecast (in 1997) the events that ruptured the global economy in 2008 by applying an analysis that exposes the fault lines in the structure of the market economy. Now, he extends his analysis to the future of the West, to evaluate fears from distinguished commentators who claim that European civilisation is in danger of being eclipsed. He concludes that the West is at a dangerous tipping point and provides empirical and theoretical evidence to warrant such an alarming conclusion. But he also explains why it is not too late to prevent the looming social catastrophe. Attributing the present crisis to a social process of cheating, he develops a synthesis of the social and natural sciences to show how the market system can be reformed. He introduces the concept of organic finance, which prescribes reforms capable of delivering both sustainable growth, with a more equitable distribution of wealth, and respect for other life forms.To explain the persistent failure to resolve protracted social and environmental crises, the author introduces a theory of social trauma. Populations have been destabilised by the coercive loss of land to the point where they have lost their traditional reference points. No longer able to live by the laws of nature, they are forced to conform to laws that consolidate the privileges of those who had cheated them of their birthright: access to nature’s resources. Many pathological consequences flow from this tearing of people from their social and ecological habitats. To recover from this state of trauma, the author argues, people need to use the new tools of communication, such as social media, to regain control over their future destiny through a kind of collective psychosocial therapy.The author challenges the view that the West can climb out of depression by applying the financial measures known as “austerity”. He outlines a new strategy that would restore full employment and reverse the decline in middle class living standards in Europe and North America.

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This collection of 20 essays examines the merits of land-value taxation and distinguishes it from the conventional property tax because it has a more benign economic influence. It includes four essays by William S. Vickrey, the 1996 Nobel laureate in economics.

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A biography of James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps, an eminent Victorian scholar and author, widely recognized as the greatest contributor of his age to our knowledge of Shakespeare's life and times.

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What is the land of Britain worth? Amazingly, there are no statistics to answer the question. To remedy this deficiency an expert panel has valued the land and natural resources of Britain, thus making the first authoritative assessment since William the Conqueror's Domesday Book.

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The New School of Economics offers a coherent plan to transform our current confining and unjust economic system into a fair and prosperous economics with opportunities for all. This book addresses systematic issues and offers a roadmap to overcome denied access to prosperity, by creating a more just and vibrant society where everyone has an opportunity to thrive and find fulfilment. The author introduces a more simplified introduction to the world of Physiocracy, and the physiocrats, the 18th century group of economists who believed that the wealth of nations derived solely from the value of ‘land agriculture’ or ‘land development’ and that agricultural products should be highly priced. At the center of this book is the movement of a new way of economic thinking. With their political-economic framework, The New Physiocrats refer to this as the ‘New School of Economics’. The New School of Economics presents many opportunities for lively debate. Especially now, when the whole banking system is about to collapse. The author presents an entirely new banking and tax system that is a much fairer distribution of resources and their allocation than ever before.

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Everyone wants to be happy…don’t they? Everyone seeks fulfilment in life…don’t they? Unfortunately, this is not the common state in life today and much is due to the human failing of greed. This book offers a solution. Science explains and understands the world of matter and philosophy explains and understands the world of spirit. Economics is the meeting place of these two worlds. Tippett provides the bridge between these two realms. It is a necessary to do so, to ensure the rule of justice. This book is aimed at presenting a common-sense, first-principles, philosophical perspective on a vital subject that seems to have lost its way. There is such a thing as justice, there is such a thing as truth; and these two need not be lost forever.

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Why are so many trapped in poverty, when others are grossly well-off? Why are house prices continuously rising faster than inflation? Why do people so often find themselves in jobs that give them little sense of fulfilment? Why is a multi-national coffee shop franchise not actually making its money from coffee. These questions have confronted the UK economy for decades without resolution by governments of the right or left. It is the failure of economics, the author argues. Economists have long asserted that three factors of production, land, labour and capital, lie at the root of their subject. Yet in the development of the subject into theories and practical applications there has been a thorough analysis of labour and capital but a grievous omission of the factor of land. This is reflected in the minimal place it holds in modern textbooks, in popular discussion and political debate. Much of the argument about major issues, like industrial policy, the distribution of wealth and income and government policy reverts to a polarised struggle between two antagonists, labour and capital. The third factor, land, hides in the background unacknowledged yet exerting a major influence on the outcome of the whole economic process. What needs to change, the author argues, are deeply embedded features, which have generally been established for a very long time. They are principally the taxation system, the land tenure system, and the banking system. Review copies and media publicity is being sought as the subject matter of the book is very topical – the general recognition that the system isn’t working for all.

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This volume and its companions contain the first English translation of the letters written by the philosopher-priest who helped to shape the changes that we associate with the Renaissance. The letters in this eleventh volume cover the period from autumn 1492 to the spring of 1495, when they appeared in print. A few related or later items are included in an Appendix. A twelfth volume will bring the series to completion with nine distinctive treatises which Ficino gathered into a separate volume in 1476 but later re-included in his Letters as Book II. In the 1490s, Ficino was occupied with the political upheavals in Florence, and much of his effort was concentrated on trying to bring people back into dialogue with one another, in the hope of finding a more constructive outlook. Many of the letters in this book are covering letters to accompany copies of his work On the Sun, which considers the sun in its many aspects, as a heavenly body, a physical life force, a source of inspiration and an allegorical representation of the governing power in the universe. Other important letters include advice on coping with the evils of the time, the responsibilities and privileges of the philosopher, a reiteration of the importance of love, and further reflections on the theme of light. We note the increasing presence of friends in German lands, where several of his works were now being published. He also writes to friends in the French court. One unusual letter tackles a religious question: Ficino was moved to intervene in an argument on the degree to which the Platonic philosophers of old anticipated aspects of the Christian Trinity. While it would be comforting to find such agreement, Ficino says there is none in Plato, though some of the later Platonists offer confirmation of Christian doctrines in their writings. Another controversy relates to the status of astrology, for which Ficino claims only a modest place despite his own writings on the subject. In a related letter on Providence he again returns to the evils the city is experiencing and how these might best be met. Facing one of those evils head on, Ficino composed an address to the French King whose armies were threatening Florence. It is not known whether this address was delivered delivered in the presence of the king during the meeting which Ficino and others attended, but it lies on record as a genuine attempt to resolve hostilities. The illustration on the front of the jacket is from a manuscript of the earliest version of Ficino's work On the Sun, written in 1492 for Count Eberhard of Wurttemberg. It is reproduced with kind permission of the Wurttembergische Landesbibliothek, Stuttgart (HB XV 65,fol.7r). A translation of this early version is included in the Appendix.

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Few have given much thought to how a state of freedom and justice should be organized. This book is the result of the author’s 35-year odyssey in search of an answer. He has taken a multi-disciplinary approach, reading widely over many years in the realms of Politics and Economics, Sociology and Philosophy, History and Law. This approach has led to some fresh insights which do not fit into the current left wing/right wing political analysis straitjacket. Comparing the consensus theory of the origin of the state, popularized by Rousseau, with the less well-known conflict theory as expounded by Franz Oppenheimer, the author argues that most states have arisen from the conquest of one class over another, or one tribe over another. Thus the modern state is characterized by a ruling class exercising the coercive power of the state, denying freedom and justice to the rest in varying degrees. Thus the state can be our greatest enemy – the 20th century provides plenty of evidence for that. To counter the abuse of power, the author follows the work of Frederic Bastiat in describing a minimal state, limited to the defence of the territory and to maintaining law and order.

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In Eradicating Ecocide, international environment lawyer and Ecocide law expert Polly Higgins sets out to demonstrate how our planet is fast being destroyed by the activities of corporations and governments, facilitated by ‘compromise’ laws that offer insufficient deterrence. She offers a solution that is radical yet pragmatic, and, as she explains, necessary. This is the first book to examine the power of law to change everything. Higgins provides context by presenting examples of laws in other countries and in earlier times in history which have succeeded in curtailing the power of governments, corporations and banks, and have triggered change. Eradicating Ecocide is a crash course on what laws work, what doesn’t and what else is required to prevent the ever escalating destruction. Eradicating Ecocide provides a comprehensive overview of what is required in law in order to prevent ecocide. It is a book unlike any other; based on the principle of ‘first do no harm’, it applies equally to global as well as smaller communities and anyone who is involved in decision-making.

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Are you angered by the high level of inequality but frustrated about what to do? From Here to Prosperity tells you how we can resolve this together. It is not another lengthy, learned work on the extent of the problem, it is about how to fix it, build a sustainable economy and bring greater social justice. This refreshing book is a must-read for anyone who wants to see a better life for themselves and the millions who suffer unnecessary financial hardship and pressure every day. It is written in a common sense style to encourage discussion and immediate action. Research shows that high levels of inequality are bad for us all (The Spirit Level: Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett). Polls show that extreme inequality is a key issue for voters and that most people expect the government to take effective action. But they don't, Why? Because we don't push them hard, show our true feelings. Voting is not enough, a strong determined social movement is required to press our politicians to act boldly and transform our society for the better, for all, not just the few. From Here to Prosperity is a handbook for this social movement, this political revolution. It sets out a very clear bold agenda for action. This agenda is based on the principle of 'Income for me/wealth for we". We keep more of the income we earn and we share more equitably the wealth we create jointly. There are just five key interlinked policy initiatives in the Agenda for Progressive Prosperity and they could all be kick started on Day One of any new political administration and see positive results within three years, to ensure that our democracy works for us all, not just the few. Now is the time to act. First step: buy this book.

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Inspirational and entertaining, this autobiography chronicles the life of a performing artist with a deeply devout outlook. Mary O’Hara won global acclaim as a singer and harpist, yet behind public success was an unsuspected tragedy in which joy turned to sorrow. From her humble beginnings in the west of Ireland to her first husband’s tragic death and her 12-year sojourn in a monastery, this tale of triumph over tragedy also journeys with O’Hara into the wilds of Africa following her second marriage. Written with warmth and humor, this book is also filled with insights into O’Hara’s albums and concert tours.

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Thoughtful and informative, this essay is an analysis of the basis and nature of human rights. Arguing that human rights is an issue that is often invoked but seldom intelligently considered, this record examines concrete, immediate, moral, and social issues, including birth control, taxation, welfare, private behavior, and military service. Noting the inadequacies of non-Christian positions—such as the radical-humanist, utilitarian, and self-realization approaches—this account develops an original thesis in which the absolute ground for rights is the will and grace of God.

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Tells the story of how the poet Kathleen Raine has developed from a small girl, who knew at the age of eight that she wanted only to write poetry, into a world-renowned poet and literary scholar.

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In forty short articles, this book presents the author's commentaries on the meaning and implications of twenty-five of Plato's Dialogues and of the twelve Letters traditionally ascribed to Plato. It is of interest to Renaissance scholars and historians.

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Three billion people in the world live on less than $2 a day. Mark Braund, an economic philosopher by experience, has spent 15 years wrestling with these issues personally and professionally. The result is The Possibility of Progress in which he attempts to explain how we got into this mess, and why conventional politics cannot get us out of it.

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This collection of 20 essays examines the merits of land-value taxation and distinguishes it from the conventional property tax because it has a more benign economic influence. It includes four essays by William S. Vickrey, the 1996 Nobel laureate in economics.

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Chronologically, this translation comprises the third book of Ficino's letters ("Liber III"), as published during his lifetime, and dates from August 1476 to May 1477. They follow volume 1 and are therefore published as volume 2. Both book two and three of Ficino's Letters were dedicated to King Matthias of Hungary whom Ficino regarded as a model of the philosopher king referred to in Plato's "Republic". Indeed, Matthias was no ordinary king. He became one of the very few Christian leaders to defeat the Ottoman Turks decisively during the period of their empire's almost continuous growth from the early 1300s to the death of Suleiman I in 1566. King Matthias was also a devotee of philosophy, keenly interested in the practical study of Plato. Members of Ficino's Academy dwelt at this court, and an invitation to visit his court was extended to Ficino himself. Ficino's Academy was consciously modelled on the philosophical schools of antiquity. It was not merely an institute of learning. The bond between Ficino and the other members of the Academy was their mutual love, based on the love of the Self in each, a love capable of expression in all fields of human activity. It was because such love was the basis of his School that Ficnio could write (letter 21) - "the desire of him, who strives for anything other than love, is often totally frustrated by the event. But he alone who loves nothing more than love itself, by desiring immediately attains, and in always attaining continues to desire." It is the principle of unity to which Ficnio repeatedly returns in this volume. He returns to it not just as a philosophical concept, but as an immediate perception. In his letter to Paul of Middelburg ("distinguished scientist and astronomer"), Ficino observes - "If any age can be called a golden one it is undoubtedly the one that produces minds of gold in abundance. And no one who considers the wonderful discoveries of our age will doubt that it is a golden one. For this golden age has restored to the light the liberal arts that were almost extinct: grammar, poetry, rhetoric, painting, sculpture, architecture, music and the ancient art of singing to the Orphic lyre."

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This year marks the anniversary not only of what would have been John Lennon's 80th birthday but also the 40th anniversary of his death in New York. Understanding John Lennon takes us back to where it all began. While other writers have only touched on the 'cause' of John's genius, Francis Kenny reveals its roots in the post-war nature of Liverpool, John's family with its complex history, and the pain and hurt John felt during his childhood, revealing how his early life experiences shaped his brilliance as a songwriter and musician. Of all the books on The Beatles, this is the only one by an author who was himself born and raised under the same influences as the band's, in the heart of Liverpool. From the maritime nature of the city to its blue-collar background and the Irish heritage of its people, this book provides an insight into post-war Liverpool and John's family life, which gave rise to his brilliant but conflicted nature and traces how this ultimately contributed to the fall of The Beatles. Covering Lennon's life from Liverpool to New York, Kenny writes with sympathetic understanding of the confusion, pain and corrosiveness that can, at times, accompany the demands and expectations of the creative process at its highest level. With new material revealing the real source of inspiration of 'Strawberry Fields', we are provided with a thought-provoking insight into a complex mind and a genius in the making. Whilst most books regurgitate the same stories about John's childhood and his time with The Beatles, this book presents an original insight into the founder of a band that was at the forefront of a social and cultural revolution. It is the only work to reveal the true sources of John's genius which continues to leave an enduring imprint on our everyday life and imagination.

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