More than two thousand years ago Stoicism revealed a way of living with less suffering and more happiness.Even though the Ancient Stoics lived a long time ago they had startling insights into the human condition which have lasted until this day.Stoicism sought answers to questions such as "how can I be more happy?" or "what is the purpose of life?" and much more...However it has often been misunderstood as being uncaring or avoiding any pleasures. T...

In Search of Enlightenment: 50 Spiritual Masterworks gathers a capacious cross-cultural archive of religious reflection, mystical testimony, philosophical inquiry, devotional counsel, and literary meditation. Moving among aphorism, sermon, autobiography, visionary prose, theological argument, and poetic revelation, the volume stages enlightenment not as a single doctrine but as a continuing struggle over selfhood, grace, reason, suffering, and ethical action. Its most memorable selections ...

How do we define compassion? Is it an emotional state, a motivation, a dispositional trait, or a cultivated attitude? How does it compare to altruism and empathy? Chapters in this Handbook present critical scientific evidence about compassion in numerous conceptions. All of these approaches to thinking about compassion are valid and contribute importantly to understanding how we respond to others who are suffering. Covering multiple levels of our lives and self-concept, from the individual...

The Blossoming Bookshelf gathers forty-three classic texts into a capacious history of gardening, botany, horticulture, and the cultural imagination of plants. Its range extends from practical manuals on cultivation, soils, orchards, and landscape design to reflective nature writing, botanical inquiry, travel-inflected observation, and accounts of public and domestic gardens. The volume's significance lies in this productive interchange between utility and aesthetics: advice on raising pla...

The Gospel Coalition Book Awards Winner – Theological StudiesModern theology claimed that it ignited a renaissance in trinitarian theology. Really, it has been a renaissance in social trinitarianism. Classical commitments like divine simplicity have been jettisoned, the three persons have been redefined as three centers of consciousness and will, and modern agendas in politics, gender, and ecclesiology determine the terms of the discussion. Contemp...

In 'Standard Selections,' readers are invited into a rich tapestry of thematic exploration, weaving through the fabric of 19th-century literary artistry. This collection showcases an impressive range of literary styles, from the evocative poetry of romanticism to the introspective narratives that emerged during Victorian times. The anthology captures the essence of both celebrated speeches and intimate poetics, affirming the universal appeal and enduring influence of these timeless works. ...

The worlds breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places...- Ernest HemmingwayIn a future of bleakness and roboticism, a totalitarian government enforces upon the people a lifestyle that lulls them into a state of obedience. Your career and social status are predestined and you cannot alter it - this is a reality that walks a fine line between evoking sensations of fear and inducing a sense of futility.A dystopian reality can sometimes...

The Most Influential Works by Sir Thomas Browne gathers the essential writings of one of seventeenth-century England's most original prose stylists, from the spiritual self-examination of Religio Medici to the learned skepticism of Pseudodoxia Epidemica and the meditative grandeur of Urn-Burial. Browne's prose is baroque, Latinate, richly metaphorical, and intellectually restless, standing at the crossroads of Renaissance humanism, Baconian inquiry, Anglican devotion, and early modern scie...

"Lectures on the Philosophy of the Human Mind" by Thomas Brown is a profound exploration of the intricacies of human thought and consciousness. In this first volume, Brown delves into the nature of perception, memory, and the faculties of the mind, drawing on both philosophical inquiry and empirical observation. His lectures aim to bridge the gap between abstract philosophical concepts and the practical understanding of human psychology, making complex ideas accessible to a broader audienc...

Religio Medici sets out Sir Thomas Browne's spiritual testament as well as being an early psychological self-portrait. In its day, the book was a European best-seller. It was published in 1643 by the newly-qualified physician, and its unorthodox views placed it swiftly upon the Papal Index Librorum Prohibitorum in 1645. Although predominantly concerned with Christian faith, the Religio also meanders into digressions upon alchemy, hermetic philosophy, astrology, and physiognomy. Hydriotaphi...

The seventeenth century writer Sir Thomas Browne was an English polymath and author of varied works, revealing his wide learning in diverse fields, including science and medicine, religion and the esoteric. His most famous work is ‘Religio Medici’, a journal principally concerning the mysteries of God, nature and man, which he described as “a private exercise directed to myself.” It was an immediate success and was soon circulated widely in Europe. Noted for his melancholia tone, Browne’s ...

In 'The Garden of Cyrus,' Thomas Browne navigates the intricate relationship between nature, art, and philosophy through a distinctive literary style that intertwines prose and poetic elements. Published in 1658, this work exemplifies the author's fascination with the symbolism of the number five, which he meticulously explores through the lens of the quincunx—a geometric pattern that reflects both the intricacies of the natural world and human perception. Browne's exceptional blend of eru...