In this gripping narrative history, Lesley Hazleton tells thetragic story at the heart of the ongoing rivalry between the Sunniand Shia branches of Islam, a rift that dominates the news now morethan ever. Even as Muhammad lay dying, the battle over who would takecontrol of the new Islamic nation had begun, beginning a successioncrisis marked by power grabs, assassination, political intrigue,and passionate faith. Soon Islam was embroiled in civil war,pitting its founder's controversial wife Aisha against hisson-in-law Ali, and shattering Muhammad’s ideal of unity. Combining meticulous research with compelling storytelling, Afterthe Prophet explores the volatile intersection of religion andpolitics, psychology and culture, and history and current events.It is an indispensable guide to the depth and power of theShia–Sunni split.

No religion in the modern world is as feared and misunderstoodas Islam. It haunts the popular imagination as an extreme faiththat promotes terrorism, authoritarian government, femaleoppression, and civil war. In a vital revision of this narrow viewof Islam and a distillation of years of thinking and writing aboutthe subject, Karen Armstrong’s short history demonstrates that theworld’s fastest-growing faith is a much more complex phenomenonthan its modern fundamentalist strain might suggest.

Raja and Nilu are fated to fall in love. They both have been abandoned—he through his mother’s suicide inthe public pond, she through her mother’s constant escape intodrink. He has grown up on the streets, she in a crumbling mansion.And yet, they find each other, again and again. First when they arechildren. Then when they are young lovers. And finally after theyboth fear they have lost their marriage. But the events of thepast, even those we are ignorant of, inevitably haunt the present.And Raja and Nilu’s story is not only their own. Using Nepal’s political upheavals as a backdrop to demonstratehow we are irreparably connected to past and home, Buddha’s Orphansis an engrossing, unconventional love story, a seductive,transporting read, and further evidence that Samrat Upadhyay is oneof our finest writers, thoroughly deserving of his acclaim as “theBuddhist Chekhov” and comparisons to Amitav Ghosh, William Trevor,and Jhumpa Lahiri.

Scattered over much of the world throughout most of theirhistory, are the Jews one people or many? How do they resemble andhow do they differ from Jews in other places and times? What havetheir relationships been to the cultures of their neighbors? Toaddress these and similar questions, some of the finest scholars ofour day have contributed their insights to Cultures of the Jews, awinner of the National Jewish Book Award upon its hardcoverpublication in 2002. Constructing their essays around specific cultural artifacts thatwere created in the period and locale under study, the contributorsdescribe the cultural interactions among different Jews–from rabbisand scholars to non-elite groups, including women–as well asbetween Jews and the surrounding non-Jewish world. What theyconclude is that although Jews have always had their own autonomoustraditions, Jewish identity cannot be considered the fixed productof either ancient ethnic or religious origins. Rather, it hasshifted and assumed new forms

Colorstrology is a fascinating blend of astrology, numerology,and color theory that offers exciting new insights about our livesand relationships. Written by renowned astrologer Michele Bernhardtwith the artists at Pantone, Inc., the global authority on color,the system features 366 "birthday colors" that illustrate who weare and how we behave. For example, people born on January 29 (like Oprah Winfrey) sharethe color Keepsake Lilac; they are "ambitious" and "tender" and"born to make a difference . . . it is not uncommon to find [them]in front of an audience." People born on May 11 (like Salvador Dal) share the color Green Tea. They "have a vivid imagination and cansee new ideas and concepts more readily than others." Using Colorstrology, you'll quickly understand how to enhanceyour best personality traits with your birthday color. Thisfull-color book features detailed profiles of everyone you knowplus 366 perforated swatches so you can take your birthday colorwherever you go. PANTONE

The I Ching is the most ancient and profound of the Chineseclassics, venerated for over three thousand years as an oracle offortune, a guide to success, and a dispensary of wisdom. This newtranslation, with commentary by Confucius, emphasizes applyingpractical wisdom in everyday affairs. Complete instructions forconsulting the I Ching are included.

A radical and powerful reappraisal of the impact ofConstantine’s adoption of Christianity on the later Roman world,and on the subsequent development both of Christianity and ofWestern civilization. When the Emperor Contstantine converted to Christianity in 368AD, he changed the course of European history in ways that continueto have repercussions to the present day. Adopting those aspects ofthe religion that suited his purposes, he turned Rome on a coursefrom the relatively open, tolerant and pluralistic civilization ofthe Hellenistic world, towards a culture that was based on the ruleof fixed authority, whether that of the Bible, or the writings ofPtolemy in astronomy and of Galen and Hippocrates in medicine. Onlya thousand years later, with the advent of the Renaissance and theemergence of modern science, did Europe begin to free itself fromthe effects of Constantine's decision, yet the effects of hisestablishment of Christianity as a state religion remain with us,in many respects, today. Bri

Max Weber's best-known and most controversial work, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, first published in 1904, remains to this day a powerful and fascinating read. Weber's highly accessible style is just one of many reasons for his continuing popularity. The book contends that the Protestant ethic made possible and encouraged the development of capitalism in the West.

Constructing their essays around specific cultural artifactsthat were created in the period and locale under study, thecontributors describe the cultural interactions among differentJews–from rabbis and scholars to non-elite groups, includingwomen–as well as between Jews and the surrounding non-Jewish world.What they conclude is that although Jews have always had their ownautonomous traditions, Jewish identity cannot be considered thefixed product of either ancient ethnic or religious origins.Rather, it has shifted and assumed new forms in response to thecultural environment in which the Jews have lived. Mediterranean Origins , the first volume in Cultures ofthe Jews , describes the concept of the “People” or “Nation” ofIsrael that emerges in the Hebrew Bible and the culture of theIsraelites in relation to that of neighboring Canaanite groups. Italso discusses Jewish cultures in Babylonia, in Palestine duringthe Greco-Roman and Byzantine periods, and in Arabia during theformative ye

Here is the unparalleled account of the most awesome and awfulchapter in the moral history of humanity. Lucid, chilling andcomprehensive, Lucy S. Dawidowicz’s classic tells the completestory of the Nazi Holocaust–from the insidious evolution of GermanAnti-Semitism to the ultimate tragedy of the Final Solution.

Holman Bible Publishers is pleased to offer its first student Bible featuring the popular Holman Christian Standard Bible translation, combining biblical accuracy with modern readability like never before. A visually driven product for a visually driven culture, The Holman Student Bible enhances the study of God's Word with colorful page designs, explanatory sidebars, engaging study questions, and many other reading helps that are especially relevant to the development of true faith among this new generation.

Available in paperback for the very first time, here'severything you need to make your own astrological readings of yourmost precious relationships Why do you feel you've known someone for years when you've justmet? Why are you attracted to someone who seems like your completeopposite? Why do you and your loved one argue the way you argue? How can you make your relationships last in spite of yourdifferences? The answers to these questions can be found within your birthchart and that of your loved one. Linda Goodman's RelationshipSigns is the first astrology book to provide a totallyindividual, detailed analysis of how compatible you and yourpartner really are. Whether you are familiar with astrology or acomplete novice, this comprehensive reference shows youstep-by-step how to find the keys to harmony and the areas ofpotential trouble--all you need is each person's birth date andtime. Individually tailored to you and your loved one, here is yourguide to the relationships

After-death communications, or "ADCs, " occur when someone iscontacted spontaneously and directly by a deceasedfamily member or friend, without the help of any medium. Theauthors' research shows that these spiritual experiences offerhope, love, and comfort for thousands of people. Included are morethan 350 first-hand accounts of those whose lives have been changedand even protected by messages or signs from the deceased.

Featuring seminal work in the philosophies of mathematics and language, this comprehensive and assiduously edited collection also makes available his provocative and controversial views on religion and international relations.

The mythologies and cosmology of Amazonian shamanismmaterialize in fantastic color and style in this unique,large-format volume, representing the fruit of several years ofcollaboration between a Peruvian folk artist/shaman and a Colombiananthropologist/filmmaker.

David Mamet's interest in anti-Semitism is not limited to themodern face of an ancient hatred but encompasses as well the waysin which many Jews have internalized that hatred. Using themetaphor of the Wicked Son at the Passover seder (the child whoasks, "What does this story mean to you?") Mamet confronts what hesees as an insidious predilection among some Jews to excludethemselves from the equation and to seek truth and meaninganywhere--in other religions, political movements, mindlessentertainment--but in Judaism itself. He also explores the ways inwhich the Jewish tradition has long been and still remains theWicked Son in the eyes of the world. Written with the searinghonesty and verbal brilliance that is the hallmark of Mamet's work,The Wicked Son is a powerfully thought-provoking look at one of themost destructive and tenacious forces in contemporary life.

The author of the runaway bestseller How the Irish SavedCivilization has done it again. In The Gifts of the Jews ThomasCahill takes us on another enchanting journey into history, onceagain recreating a time when the actions of a small band of peoplehad repercussions that are still felt today. The Gifts of the Jews reveals the critical change that madewestern civilization possible. Within the matrix of ancientreligions and philosophies, life was seen as part of an endlesscycle of birth and death; time was like a wheel, spinningceaselessly. Yet somehow, the ancient Jews began to see timedifferently. For them, time had a beginning and an end; it was anarrative, whose triumphant conclusion would come in the future.From this insight came a new conception of men and women asindividuals with unique destinies--a conception that would informthe Declaration of Independence--and our hopeful belief in progressand the sense that tomorrow can be better than today. As ThomasCahill narrates this momentous shift,

For centuries, the strange and beautiful tarot cards have beenan endless source of mystery and fascination. One of theforemost authorities in the field reveals the intricacies of thisancient art. With detailed explanations, Eden Gray offers explicitadvice about the three different methods of reading the cards, andusing the tarot for divination and meditation. Both beginningstudents and advanced devotee will find in this book new insightsinto the ancient lore of the tarot.

In this provocative yet persuasive book, now in paperback, EricH. Cline uses the tools of his trade to examine some of the mostpuzzling mysteries from the Hebrew Bible and, in the process, tonarrate the history of ancient Israel. Combining academic with anaccessible style that has made him a favorite with readers andstudents alike, he lays out each mystery, evaluates all availableevidence—from established fact to arguable assumption tofar-fetched leap of faith—and proposes an explanation thatreconciles Scripture, science, and history. Numerous amateur archaeologists have sought some trace of Noah’sArk to meet only with failure. But, though no serious scholar wouldundertake such a literal search, many agree that the Flood was nomyth but the cultural memory of a real, catastrophic inundation,retold and reshaped over countless generations. Likewise, someexperts suggest that ’s storied victory at Jericho is thedistant echo of an earthquake instead of Israel’s sacred trumpets—afascinating, geological

The late author Arysio Santos was a highly regardedclimatologist, geologist, and nuclear physicist. He was also ascholar of history, folklore, languages, and the occult. In thisgroundbreaking study of Atlantis, he draws on all thesedisciplines, as well as ancient maps, Plato’s dialogues, andfolkloric narratives, to provide the most compelling case yet ofthe disappearance of an entire civilization. Professor Santos demonstrates that Plato’s dating of Atlantis’sdisappearance in 11,600 BP (before present) precisely correspondsto the catastrophic end of the Pleistocene Ice Age, as well as ahistoric flood event of cataclysmic proportions. The rising of thesea level by nearly 500 feet, he argues, submerged continent-sizedlands—including Atlantis, which he connects with the biblicalGarden of Eden. Provocative chapters cover such topics as thecontinent’s appearance in ancient maps, Indonesia as the true siteof Eden, American interpretations of Atlantis, the four rivers ofparadise, and more, giv

In Carroll's provocative reading of the deep past, the Bible'sbrutality responded to the violence that threatened Jerusalem fromthe start. Centuries later, the mounting European fixation on aheavenly Jerusalem sparked both anti-Semitism and racist colonialcontempt. The holy wars of the Knights Templar burned apocalypticmayhem into the Western mind. Carroll's brilliant and original leapis to show how, as Christopher Columbus carried his own Jerusalemcentric worldview to the West, America too was powerfully shaped bythe dream of the City on a Hill - from Governor Winthrop to AbrahamLincoln to Woodrow Wilson to Ronald Reagan. The nuclearbrinksmanship of the 1973 Yom Kippur War helps prove his point:religion and violence fuel each other, with Jerusalem the groundzero of the heat.

In this "rare book that combines searing passion . . . with asubject that has affected all of our lives" (Chicago Tribune), thenovelist and cultural critic James Carroll maps thetwo-thousand-year course of the Church's battle against Judaism andfaces the crisis of faith it has sparked in his own life as aCatholic. "Fascinating, brave and sometimes infuriating" (Time),this dark history is more than a chronicle of religion. It is thecentral tragedy of Western civilization, its fault lines reachingdeep into our culture. Drawing on his well-known talents as astoryteller and memoirist, Carroll has created "a deeply felt work,a book that measures the "sweep of history" against [his]experience as a man of the church" (San Francisco Chronicle). Acourageous and affecting reckoning with difficult truths that willtouch every reader, "CONSTANTINE'S SWORD is a history written tochange the way people live" (Talk).