**“Tracks Along the Left Coast more than accomplishes its self–appointed task of celebrating de Angulo’s legacy.” —Rain Taxi“Schelling’s biography of Jaime de Angulo—'cattle puncher, medical doctor, bohemian, buckeroo,' among other things—presents a fascinating, full–bodied portrait of a man and an era, as well as delving deep into California’s Native history. De Angulo’s isn't a household name, but in Schelling's work the man called by Ezra Pound the 'American Ov...

The poets of classical India regarded love as the first and deepest of passions. Translator and scholar Andrew Schelling perfectly encapsulates the history and passion of eighth-century India in this collection.“A single stanza of the poet Amaru,” declared a ninth-century poetry critic, “may provide the taste of love equal to what’s found in whole volumes.” Graceful and yet remarkably playful, intensely passionate, and at times hinting of divine transcendence, the ...

For thousands of years, India has excelled at erotic love poetry, and the genius of its devotional poetry often harnesses great energy and mystical insight. It is in fact often hard to tell whether the poets are offering poems of spiritual longing using the garment of love poetry, or writing erotic poems in the guise of devotion. Perhaps, in a country where erotic sculpture routinely ornaments its many temples and the gods are known for their explosive sexuality, this question has little m...

An award-winning translator finds surprisingly modern themes in a selection of erotic and religious stanzas from one of classical India's most celebrated poets.Although few facts are known about his life, the Indian poet Bhartrihari leaps from the page as a remarkably recognizable individual. Amidst a career as a linguist, courtier, and hermit, he used poetry to explore themes of love, desire, impermanence, despair, anger, and fear. “A thousand emotions, ideas, wor...

A lyrical translation of an inspired selection of verses from the earliest Buddhist monks and nuns.More than two thousand years ago, the earliest disciples of the Buddha put into verse their experiences on the spiritual journey--from their daily struggles to their spiritual realizations. Over time the verses were collected to form the Theragatha and Therigatha, the "Verses of Elder Monks" and "Verses of Elder Nuns" respectively. In Songs of th...

Since its emergence in the late twentieth century, climate fiction—or cli-fi—has concerned itself as much with economic injustice and popular revolt as with rising seas and soaring temperatures. Indeed, with its insistent focus on redressing social disparities, cli-fi might reasonably be classified as a form of protest literature. As environmental crises escalate and inequality intensifies, literary writers and scholars alike have increasingly scrutinized the dual exploitations of the eart...

**“An intriguing amalgam of personal memoir, philosophical speculation, natural lore, cultural history, and art criticism.” —Los Angeles TimesFrom the award-winning author of Orwell's Roses, a stimulating exploration of wandering, being lost, and the uses of the unknown**Written as a series of autobiographical essays, A Field Guide to Getting Lost draws on emblematic moments and relationships in Rebecca Solnit's life to explore issues of uncertain...

Stories that "celebrate the web of nature that holds the world together" from the New York Times –bestselling author of Of Wolves and Men ( The Philadelphia Inquirer ).Barry Lopez, the National Book Award–winning author of Arctic Dreams, has written eloquently on what it means to be human, taking the demands and gifts of the n...

The Native American Book of Knowledge The Circle of Life is an American Indian symbol for the Four Directions. The four colors represent the four stages of life, from childhood to old age; the cycle of seasons, from spring to winter; and the four races of people. Each of the Four Directions symbolizes a certain power. In this circle, East is knowledge, South is life, West is the power of change, and North is wisdom. The Native American Book of Knowledge reveals the true history of the America...

When Ishi, "the last wild Indian," came out of hiding in August 1911, he was quickly whisked away by train to San Francisco to meet Alfred Kroeber, one of the fathers of American anthropology. When Kroeber and Ishi came face to face, it was a momentous event, not only for each man but also for the cultures they represented. Each stood on the brink--one was in danger of losing something vital while the other was in danger of disappearing altogether. Ishi was a survivor, and he viewed the br...

Cormac McCarthy, the author of such works as Blood Meridian, All the Pretty Horses, No Country for Old Men, and The Road, is one of America's greatest living writers--an uncompromising examiner of the depths of human depravity, the nature of evil, and the bonds that endure.This companion is intended for both the scholar and lay reader seeking a comprehensive understanding of McCarthy's body of work. Alphabetically ordered entries offer analysis of novels, characters, motifs, allusions, pla...

From the author of How the World Moves: A revelatory new look at the hallowed, diverse, and threatened landscapes of the American IndianFor thousands of years , Native Americans have told stories about the powers of revered landscapes and sought spiritual direction at mysterious places in their homelands. In this important book, respected scholar and anthropologist Peter Nabokov writes of a wide range of sacred places in Native America. From the “high coun...