What if everything in the world were a misunderstanding, what if laughter were really tears?

Either/Or is the earliest of the major works of Søren Kierkegaard, one of the most startlingly original thinkers and writers of the nineteenth century, and the first which he wrote under a pseudonym, as he would for his greatest philosophical writings.

Adopting the viewpoints of two distinct figures with radically different beliefs—the aesthetic young man of Part One, called simply 'A', and the ethical Judge Vilhelm of the second section—Kierkegaard reflects upon the search for a meaningful existence. He contemplates subjects as diverse as Mozart, drama, boredom, and, in the famous Seducer's Diary, the cynical seduction and ultimate rejection of a young, beautiful woman.

A masterpiece of duality, Either/Or is an exploration of the conflict between the aesthetic and the ethical—both meditating ironically and seductively upon Epicurean pleasures, and eloquently expounding the noble virtues of a morally upstanding life.

In this best-selling new book, his first in seventeen years, Robert M. Pirsig, author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, takes us on a poignant and passionate journey as mysterious and compelling as his first life-changing work. Instead of a motorcycle, a sailboat carries his philosopher-narrator Phaedrus down the Hudson River as winter closes in. Along the way he picks up a most unlikely traveling companion: a woman named Lila who in her desperate sexuality, hostility, and oncoming madness threatens to disrupt his life.

In Lila Robert M. Pirsig has crafted a unique work of adventure and ideas that examines the essential issues of the nineties as his previous classic did the seventies.

Totalitarizmin kendini yeniden üretmesi, yalnızca baskıcı güçlerin zora dayalı yöntemleriyle değil, bireylerin de sınırlı bir özgürlüğe razı olmasıyla gerçekleşir. Yaratıcılığını zorlayarak özgürlüğünü zenginleştirme çabasına girmeyen birey, var olanla yaşamayı seçer. Bu noktada düzen, bireyin onayıyla ayakta kalıyordur artık. “Seçme özgürlüğü” düzenin sunduğu çeşitlilik oranında vardır: “Ya şu ya da bu”dur. Gündüz Vassaf ise böylesi bir “seçme özgürlüğü”nün tutsaklaştırıcı yanlarına dikkat çekerek “ya hep ya da hiç”i önerir... Ve totalitarizmi ayakta tutan kimi kavramların ne denli kof olduğunu gösterir: Gündüze karşı geceden, cennete karşı cehennemden, konuşmaya karşı sessizlikten, akla karşı delilikten, anlaşmaya karşı anlaşmazlıktan... yana olur. Kahramanlığa karşı çıkar, “hain”leri savunur.

Gündüz Vassaf, “şeytanın avukatı” olarak, içimizde büyütüp yaşattığımız küçük ‘totaliter dünyalar’ımızı afişe ediyor, daha doğrusu ‘yüzümüze vuruyor’. Totalitarizmin -anne karnındaki bebeğin beslenmesi gibi- bireyle toplumu bağlayan göbek bağıyla semirdiğini, hayata ilişkin algılarımızı ve kimi dayatılan kimisini de gönüllü olarak kabul ettiğimiz kavramları irdeleyerek gösteriyor. Cehenneme Övgü, yazarın kendiyle hesaplaştığı, herkesi de hesaplaşmaya çağıran, hatta kışkırtan bir kitap.

One, No One and One Hundred Thousand is a thought-provoking novel by Luigi Pirandello. The story follows the protagonist, Vitangelo Moscarda, who undergoes a profound identity crisis after a casual remark from his wife. She informs him that his nose tilts to the right, leading Moscarda to a startling realization: "For others, I was not what till now, privately, I had imagined myself to be."

This revelation sets Moscarda on a journey of self-discovery, where he questions the nature of reality, identity, and the multifaceted perceptions others have of him. Through a series of philosophical musings and encounters with various characters, he grapples with the fragmented nature of the self and the illusions that shape our understanding of the world.

In this novel, Pirandello masterfully explores the fundamental human inability to communicate, our essential solitariness, and the inescapable restriction of our free will, all while evoking thoroughly sustained and earthy laughter.

This book is a remarkable synthesis of themes and personalities, illuminating such dramas as Six Characters in Search of an Author, and invites readers to ponder the essence of identity and the freedom found in embracing one's own madness.

Moscow to the End of the Line is a classic of Russian humor and social commentary. The story follows a fired cable fitter who embarks on a binge and hops a train to Petushki, where his most beloved of trollops awaits.

Throughout the journey, he delivers a magnificent monologue to angels, fellow passengers, and the world at large. His musings cover a range of topics including alcohol, politics, society, philosophy, the pains of love, and, of course, more alcohol.

Thomas Mann's last great novel, first published in 1947 and now rendered into English by acclaimed translator John E. Woods, is a modern reworking of the Faust legend, in which Germany sells its soul to the Devil. Mann's protagonist, the composer Adrian Leverkühn, is the flower of German culture, a brilliant, isolated, overreaching figure, his radical new music a breakneck game played by art at the very edge of impossibility. In return for twenty-four years of unparalleled musical accomplishment, he bargains away his soul—and the ability to love his fellow man.

Leverkühn's life story is a brilliant allegory of the rise of the Third Reich, of Germany's renunciation of its own humanity and its embrace of ambition and nihilism. It is also Mann's most profound meditation on the German genius—both national and individual—and the terrible responsibilities of the truly great artist.

The world's threats are universal like the sun, but Ricardo Reis takes shelter under his own shadow. Back in Lisbon after sixteen years practicing medicine in Brazil, Ricardo Reis wanders the rain-sodden streets. He longs for the unattainably aristocratic Marcenda, but it is Lydia, the hotel chamber maid, who makes and shares his bed.

His old friend, the poet Fernando Pessoa, returns to see him, still wearing the suit he was buried in six weeks earlier. It is 1936, and the clouds of Fascism are gathering ominously above them, so they talk; a wonderful, rambling discourse on art, truth, poetry, philosophy, destiny, and love.

Parable, paradox, anecdote, dream, and autobiography blend into an exuberant world view and affirmation of human possibility.

The author shares brief anecdotes about life in South America, memories of incidents from his own past, and meditations on reading, literature, and freedom.

One day fourteen-year-old Sophie Amundsen comes home from school to find in her mailbox two notes, with one question on each: "Who are you?" and "Where does the world come from?" From that irresistible beginning, Sophie becomes obsessed with questions that take her far beyond what she knows of her Norwegian village.

Through those letters, she enrolls in a kind of correspondence course, covering Socrates to Sartre, with a mysterious philosopher, while receiving letters addressed to another girl. Who is Hilde? And why does her mail keep turning up? To unravel this riddle, Sophie must use the philosophy she is learning—but the truth turns out to be far more complicated than she could have imagined.

In a Pennsylvania meadow, a young fireman and an angry gambler are forced to build a wall of fifteenth-century stone. For Jim Nashe, it all started when he came into a small inheritance and left Boston in pursuit of "a life of freedom." Careening back and forth across the United States, waiting for the money to run out, Nashe met Jack Pozzi, a young man with a temper and a plan.

With Nashe's last funds, they entered a poker game against two rich eccentrics, "risking everything on the single turn of a card." In Paul Auster's world of fiendish bargains and punitive whims, where chance is a shifting and powerful force, there is redemption, nonetheless, in Nashe's resolute quest for justice and his capacity for love.

Jean-Baptiste Clamence, a successful Parisian barrister, has come to recognize the deep-seated hypocrisy of his existence. His epigrammatic and, above all, discomforting monologue gradually saps, then undermines, the reader's own complacency.

Philosophical Investigations by Ludwig Wittgenstein presents a deep dive into the philosophies of mind, language, and meaning. This work is a distillation of two decades of intensive philosophical exploration.

Wittgenstein's approach in this book challenges traditional views and provides a new perspective on how we understand and interact with the world through language. His unique insights make this book a cornerstone in the field of philosophy.

Explore the intricacies of language and its role in shaping our thoughts and perceptions. Philosophical Investigations invites you to question and ponder the very nature of understanding and communication.

In this collection, Calvin and his tiger-striped sidekick, Hobbes, are hilarious whether the two are simply lounging around philosophizing about the future of mankind or plotting their latest money-making scheme.

Chock-full of the familiar adventures of Spaceman Spiff, findings of Dad's popularity poll, and time travel to the Jurassic Age, Scientific Progress Goes "Boink" is guaranteed to set scientific inquiry back an eon—and advance the reading pleasure of all Calvin and Hobbes fans.

The Story of Philosophy offers a brilliant and concise account of the lives and ideas of the great philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Bacon, Spinoza, Voltaire, Kant, Schopenhauer, Spencer, Nietzsche, Bergson, Croce, Russell, Santayana, James, and Dewey.

Few write for the non-specialist as well as Will Durant, and this book is a splendid example of his eminently readable scholarship. Durant’s insight and wit never cease to dazzle. The Story of Philosophy is a key book for any reader who wishes to survey the history and development of philosophical ideas in the Western world.

This valuable book provides a complete manual for the study and practice of Raja Yoga, the path of concentration and meditation.

This new deluxe printing of these timeless teachings is a treasure to be read and referred to again and again by seekers treading the spiritual path.

The classic Sutras (thought-threads), at least 4,000 years old, cover the yogic teachings on ethics, meditation, and physical postures, and provide directions for dealing with situations in daily life.

The Sutras are presented here in the purest form, with the original Sanskrit and with translation, transliteration, and commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda, one of the most respected and revered contemporary Yoga masters.

In this classic context, Sri Swamiji offers practical advice based on his own experience for mastering the mind and achieving physical, mental and emotional harmony.

Dr. Harivanshrai Bachchan is India's leading Hindi poet, a confidante of the Nehrus. His son is India's best-known cinema superstar, Amitabh Bachchan.

The core of this book is a long sequence called Madhushala (the house of wine), which could be compared to the Rubaiyat in imagery and metre.

Michel Foucault offers an iconoclastic exploration of why we feel compelled to continually analyze and discuss sex. This book delves into the social and mental mechanisms of power that cause us to direct the questions of what we are to what our sexuality is.

Foucault challenges the norms and invites readers to rethink the complex relationships between sex, power, and identity. Through this work, he provides a critical lens on how sexuality is perceived and its impact on society.

In this sequel to The History of Sexuality, Volume I: An Introduction, the brilliantly original French thinker who died in 1984 gives an analysis of how the ancient Greeks perceived sexuality.

Throughout The Use of Pleasure, Foucault analyzes an irresistible array of ancient Greek texts on eroticism as he tries to answer basic questions:

• How in the West did sexual experience become a moral issue?
• Why were other appetites of the body, such as hunger, and collective concerns, such as civic duty, not subjected to the numberless rules and regulations and judgments that have defined, if not confined, sexual behavior?

In 1888, the last sane year of his life, Nietzsche produced these two brief but devastating books. Twilight of the Idols, "a grand declaration of war" on all the prevalent ideas of his time, offers a lightning tour of his whole philosophy. It also prepares the way for The Anti-Christ, a final assault on institutional Christianity.

Yet although Nietzsche makes a compelling case for the 'Dionysian' artist and celebrates magnificently two of his great heroes, Goethe and Cesare Borgia, he also gives a moving, almost ecstatic portrait of his only worthy opponent: Christ.

Both works show Nietzsche lashing out at self-deception, astounded at how often morality is based on vengefulness and resentment. Both combine utterly unfair attacks on individuals with amazingly acute surveys of the whole contemporary cultural scene. Both reveal a profound understanding of human mean-spiritedness which still cannot destroy the underlying optimism of Nietzsche, the supreme affirmer among the great philosophers.

This breathtaking, reverberating survey of human nature finds Kundera still attempting to work out the meaning of life, without losing his acute sense of humour. It is one of those great unclassifiable masterpieces that appear once every twenty years or so.

It will make you cleverer, maybe even a better lover. Not many novels can do that. - Nicholas Lezard, GQ

On the Genealogy of Morals, written in 1887, showcases Friedrich Nietzsche's use of philosophy, psychology, and classical philology to offer new directions to ancient ethical inquiries. This work is divided into three essays, each exploring different aspects of morality and its origins. The first essay delves into the contrast between master morality and slave morality, highlighting the diverse meanings of "good" in each context. The second essay investigates the concepts of guilt and the bad conscience, while the third essay examines ascetic ideals not only in religion but also in the academic realm.

Ecce Homo, Nietzsche's autobiographical review of his life and works, was written in 1898 and first published posthumously in 1908. It provides chapters on all the books he published, offering his interpretations which are both fascinating and invaluable. This edition, translated and annotated by renowned Nietzsche scholar Walter Kaufmann, presents Nietzsche's most clear and thorough expression of his psychological philosophy.

Tao Te Ching, traditionally attributed to the legendary Old Master, Lao Tzu, is a cornerstone of spiritual literature and philosophy. More than a mere religious text, this work is a guide to living in harmony with the natural flow of existence, known as the Way or Tao.

John C. H. Wu's translation captures the enigmatic beauty of the original text, presenting it in English while preserving its timeless wisdom. Wu, a jurist and scholar, brings to life the essence of Lao Tzu's teachings, which are as relevant today as they were over two thousand years ago.

The Tao Te Ching emphasizes the virtues of humility, spontaneity, and generosity, encouraging readers to embody the qualities of the enlightened sage in all aspects of life. Whether it is in leadership, business, politics, or personal growth, the insights found within these pages are invaluable for anyone seeking balance and harmony.

Part of the Shambhala Pocket Library series, this edition is designed to be a portable and accessible entry point for those new to Lao Tzu's work, as well as a treasured companion for those who already embrace the wisdom of the Tao.

Despair is the wickedly inventive and richly derisive story of Hermann Karlovich, a man who undertakes the perfect crime—his own murder.

Extensively revised by Nabokov in 1965, the novel offers a masterly portrait of Hermann, who is rapt in his own reality, incapable of escaping or explicating it. Hermann is a compelling character in the fascinating gallery of living characters Vladimir Nabokov has given to world literature.

In his pseudo-worldliness and odd genius, Hermann stands alongside other neurotic Nabokovian creations. Despair is illuminated throughout by the virtuosity and cunning wit that are Nabokov’s hallmarks.

A Course in Miracles is a landmark guide to modern spirituality, as relevant now as when it was first published in 1975. This thought-provoking and informative book is divided into three volumes: Text, Workbook for Students, and Manual for Teachers. It explores universal spiritual themes aimed at helping you achieve dramatic, lasting results in every aspect of your life.

By following the self-study program, you will learn to develop a constant state of happiness and peace through the application of its principles. The book provides a pathway to transform your perception and experience of the world, fostering an inner journey towards greater understanding and meaning.

It is 1967. In separate wings of a Viennese hospital, two men lie bedridden. The narrator, Thomas Bernhard, is stricken with a lung ailment; his friend Paul, nephew of the celebrated philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, is suffering from one of his periodic bouts of madness.

As their once-casual friendship quickens, these two eccentric men begin to discover in each other a possible antidote to their feelings of hopelessness and mortality—a spiritual symmetry forged by their shared passion for music, a strange sense of humor, disgust for bourgeois Vienna, and fear in the face of death.

Part memoir, part fiction, Wittgenstein’s Nephew is both a meditation on the artist’s struggle to maintain a solid foothold in a world gone incomprehensibly askew, and an eulogy to a real-life friendship.

El libro de los abrazos es una síntesis perfecta del imaginario más inspirado de su autor. Celebraciones, sucedidos, profecías, crónicas, sueños, memorias y desmemorias, deliciosos relatos breves en los que hasta las paredes hablan.

Un libro ilustrado por partida doble: a la mirada luminosa de Galeano se suman sus grabados.

“Lea una historia por día y será usted feliz la mitad del año. Lea una historia por día y estará usted triste la otra mitad. Cada página es tan hermosa como el libro.” (Koos Hageraats, HP/De Tijd, Holanda.)

Michel Foucault takes us into the first two centuries of our own era, into the Golden Age of Rome, to reveal a subtle but decisive break from the classical Greek vision of sexual pleasure.

He skillfully explores the whole corpus of moral reflection among philosophers such as Plutarch, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, and Seneca, and physicians of the era. Foucault uncovers an increasing mistrust of pleasure and growing anxiety over sexual activity and its consequences.

Under the spell of quantum physics, Bach and his wife Leslie are catapulted into an alternate world, one in which they exist simultaneously in many different incarnations. First, they encounter themselves as they were 16 years ago on the day they first met. In this version of their lives, they do not marry, and never achieve the happiness Bach assures us that their real union has produced.

Bach once again displays an inventive imagination and inspirational zeal that will have readers examining their own lives.

Mere Christianity is C.S. Lewis's forceful and accessible doctrine of Christian belief. First heard as informal radio broadcasts and then published as three separate books - The Case for Christianity, Christian Behavior, and Beyond Personality - Mere Christianity brings together what Lewis saw as the fundamental truths of the religion.

Rejecting the boundaries that divide Christianity's many denominations, C.S. Lewis finds a common ground on which all those who have Christian faith can stand together, proving that "at the centre of each there is something, or a Someone, who against all divergences of belief, all differences of temperament, all memories of mutual persecution, speaks the same voice."

In this extraordinary book, Bruce Chatwin has adapted a literary form common until the eighteenth century though rare in ours; a story of ideas in which two companions, traveling and talking together, explore the hopes and dreams that animate both them and the people they encounter.

Set in the almost uninhabitable regions of Central Australia, The Songlines asks and tries to answer these questions: Why is man the most restless, dissatisfied of animals? Why do wandering people conceive the world as perfect whereas sedentary ones always try to change it? Why have the great teachers—Christ or the Buddha—recommended the Road as the way to salvation? Do we agree with Pascal that all man's troubles stem from his inability to sit quietly in a room?

We do not often ask these questions today for we commonly assume that living in a house is normal and that the wandering life is aberrant. But for more than twenty years, Chatwin has mulled over the possibility that the reverse might be the case.

Pre-colonial Australia was the last landmass on earth peopled not by herdsmen, farmers, or city dwellers, but by hunter-gatherers. Their labyrinths of invisible pathways across the continent are known to us as Songlines or Dreaming Tracks, but to the Aboriginals as the tracks of their ancestors—the Way of the Law. Along these "roads" they travel in order to perform all those activities that are distinctively human—song, dance, marriage, exchange of ideas, and arrangements of territorial boundaries by agreement rather than force.

In Chatwin's search for the Songlines, Arkady is an ideal friend and guide: Australian by birth, the son of a Cossack exile, with all the strength and warmth of his inheritance. Whether hunting kangaroo from a Land Cruiser or talking to the diminutive Rolf in his book-crammed trailer, Chatwin turns this almost implausible picaresque adventure into something approaching the scale of a Greek tragedy.

The life of the Aboriginals stands in vivid contrast, of course, to the prevailing cultures of our time. And The Songlines presents unforgettable details about the kinds of disputes we know all too well from less traumatic confrontations: over sacred lands invaded by railroads, mines, and construction sites, over the laws and rights of a poor people versus a wealthy invasive one. To Chatwin, these are but recent, local examples of an eternal basic distinction between settlers and wanderers.

His book, devoted to the latter, is a brilliant evocation of this profound optimism: that man is by nature not a bellicose aggressor but a pacific, song-creating, adaptive species whose destiny is to quest for the truth.

The Power of Myth launched an extraordinary resurgence of interest in Joseph Campbell and his work. A preeminent scholar, writer, and teacher, he has had a profound influence on millions of people—including Star Wars creator George Lucas. To Campbell, mythology was the “song of the universe, the music of the spheres.” With Bill Moyers, one of America’s most prominent journalists, as his thoughtful and engaging interviewer, The Power of Myth touches on subjects from modern marriage to virgin births, from Jesus to John Lennon, offering a brilliant combination of intelligence and wit.

From stories of the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and Rome to traditions of Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity, a broad array of themes are considered that together identify the universality of human experience across time and culture. An impeccable match of interviewer and subject, a timeless distillation of Campbell’s work, The Power of Myth continues to exert a profound influence on our culture.

A Thousand Plateaus is a fascinating exploration of capitalism and schizophrenia by renowned philosopher Gilles Deleuze and psychoanalyst Felix Guattari. This work is part of their landmark philosophical project, Capitalism and Schizophrenia, which continues to influence contemporary philosophical debates.

The book offers a compelling analysis of social phenomena, providing fresh alternatives for thinking about philosophy and culture. Its radical perspective acts as a toolbox for nomadic thought, making it a significant influence on today's anti-capitalist movement.

Translated by Brian Massumi, this book challenges accepted norms of morality, language, and politics, suggesting an open system of psychological exploration that cuts through conventional boundaries.

Broad humor and bitter irony collide in this fictional autobiography of Rabo Karabekian, who, at age seventy-one, wants to be left alone on his Long Island estate with the secret he has locked inside his potato barn. But then, a voluptuous young widow badgers Rabo into telling his life story—and Vonnegut in turn tells us the plain, heart-hammering truth about man’s careless fancy to create or destroy what he loves.

Wendell Berry, a longtime spokesman for conservation, common sense, and sustainable agriculture, writes eloquently in several styles and methods. Among other literary forms, he is a poet of great clarity and sureness. His love of language and his care for its music are matched only by his fidelity to the subjects he has written of during his first twenty-five years of work: land and nature, the family and community, tradition as the groundwork for life and culture.

His graceful elegies sit easily alongside lyrics of humor and biting satire. Husbandman and husband, philosopher and Mad Farmer, he writes of values that endure, of earthy truths and universal imagery. His vision is one of hope and memory, of determination and faithfulness.

For this far-reaching yet portable volume, Berry has chosen nearly two hundred poems from his previous eight collections.

The Brothers Karamazov is a profound and multifaceted novel that delves into the depths of human psychology and the complexities of ethical and moral dilemmas. Set in 19th century Russia, this literary masterpiece presents a captivating narrative that intertwines a murder mystery and a courtroom drama with an exploration of erotic rivalry within a family dynamic.

The story unfolds around the Karamazov family, particularly the patriarch Fyodor Pavlovich Karamazov and his three diverse sons: Dmitri, the impulsive and sensual eldest; Ivan, the intellectual and rational middle child; and Alyosha, the youngest son, who is a wholesome and red-cheeked novice. Through their personal struggles and relationships, the novel addresses profound questions about God, free will, and morality, against the backdrop of a Russia that is facing modernization and social change.

Renowned for its rich character development and philosophical depth, The Brothers Karamazov encapsulates the social and spiritual striving of Russian culture during a pivotal era. It remains a testament to Dostoyevsky's legacy as one of the greatest novelists in history.

Dès ses premiers livres, Henri Michaux faisait entendre une voix profondément singulière. Et même si la parenté de ces textes avec les récits de Kafka (dans Plume notamment, publié en 1930) peut sembler évidente, leur force tient encore aujourd'hui du miracle : miracle de voir une langue retrouver sa jouvence, miracle de découvrir chaque mot remis à nu, débarrassé de tout artifice, y dévoilant un monde loin des apparences, une réalité secrète et souterraine.

Toute sa vie, Michaux fut un grand solitaire, un aristocrate de la littérature. Mais à peine entrebâillées, les portes de ce Lointain intérieur projettent le lecteur dans un royaume de rêves et de terreurs, dont le fil se déroule suivant la logique implacable du désespoir. Ce monde brutal, pesant, écrase l'homme-plume avec une sauvagerie qui évoque les premiers âges de notre Histoire.

La poésie de Michaux ne s'embarrasse pas de mélodies. Cri, clameur, puis rumeur, gonflements et sursauts, éruptions puis éboulements. Moderne, à l'écart de toutes les modes, Michaux a su demeurer une référence, un pionnier qui n'a pas pris une ride.

Novel with Cocaine delves into the depths of an adolescent's cocaine addiction, presenting a Dostoevskian psychological novel of ideas. It explores the complex interplay between psychology, philosophy, and ideology through the story of Vadim, who, after formative experiences at school and with women, succumbs to drug abuse and the philosophical reflections it provokes.

Though the narrative makes little direct reference to the Revolution, it's set against a backdrop where the obsession with addictive forms of thinking resonates with the historical context. The novel critically examines how "our inborn feelings of humanity and justice" can lead to "the cruelties and satanic transgressions committed in its name."

This collection of essays was the last work planned by Ayn Rand before her death in 1982. In it, she summarizes her view of philosophy and deals with a broad spectrum of topics.

According to Ayn Rand, the choice we make is not whether to have a philosophy, but which one to have: rational, conscious, and therefore practical; or contradictory, unidentified, and ultimately lethal.

Written with all the clarity and eloquence that have placed Ayn Rand's Objectivist philosophy in the mainstream of American thought, these essays range over such basic issues as education, morality, censorship, and inflation to prove that philosophy is the fundamental force in all our lives.

After he firewalked in Polynesia, the world wasn't the same for Alexander Hergensheimer, now called Alec Graham. As natural accidents occurred without cease, Alex knew Armageddon and the Day of Judgement were near. Somehow he had to bring his beloved heathen, Margrethe, to a state of grace, and, while he was at it, save the rest of the world...

بين طيات هذا الكتاب سلسلة خطابات ألقاها الدكتور علي شريعتي في قاعة "حسينية الإرشاد" بطهران سجلت على أشرطة، ثم نقلت كتابة على الورق، بدون تغيير أو تطويل أو تقصير أو تقديم أو تأخير، فجمعت دفتي كتاب سمي النباهة الاستحمار.

وفي هذا الكتاب يقول الدكتور علي شريعتي: إنه لمن سوء الحظ أن لا ندرك ما يراد بنا، فيصرفوننا عما ينبغي أن نفكر فيه من مصير مجتمعنا أو أفكر فيه أنا من مصيري كإنسان، إلى أن نفكر في أشياء نحسبها راقية جداً وعظيمة ومشرِّفة، فيصيبون الهدف دون أن نشعر!

ومن أجل هذا قلت في مكان آخر: "إذا لم تكن حاضر الذهن في "الموقف" فكن أينما أردت، المهم أنك لم تحضر الموقف، فكن أينما شئت: واقفاً للصلاة أم جالساً للخمرة، كلاهما واحد".

إن المستعمرين لا يدعونك لما تستاء منه دائماً، فيثيرون انزجارك فتنفر منهم الى المكان الذي ينبغي أن تصير اليه! بل يختارون دعوتك حسب حاجتهم، فيدعونك احياناً الى ما تعتقده أمراً طيباً من أجل القضاء على حق كبير، حق مجتمع أو إنسان، وأحياناً تدعى لتنشغل في حق آخر، فيقضون هم على حق آخر هو أولى.

عندما يشب حريق في بيتك، ويدعوك أحدهم للصلاة والتضرع الى الله، ينبغي عليك ان تعلم أنها دعوة خائن، فكيف الى عمل آخر؟ فالأهتمام بغير إطفاء الحريق، والإنصراف عنه الى عمل آخر، ما هو الا استحمار، وإن كان عملاً مقدساً أو غير مقدس.

Narcissus and Goldmund is the story of a passionate yet uneasy friendship between two men of opposite character. Narcissus, an ascetic instructor at a cloister school, has devoted himself solely to scholarly and spiritual pursuits. One of his students is the sensual, restless Goldmund, who is immediately drawn to his teacher's fierce intellect and sense of discipline. When Narcissus persuades the young student that he is not meant for a life of self-denial, Goldmund sets off in pursuit of aesthetic and physical pleasures, a path that leads him to a final, unexpected reunion with Narcissus.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being is a profound narrative that explores the story of a young woman deeply in love with a man who is caught in a battle between his love for her and his incorrigible womanizing habits. Another strand of the story involves one of his mistresses and her modestly faithful lover. This compelling novel skillfully weaves together geographically distant locales, ingenious and playful musings, and a diverse array of styles, asserting its place as a significant accomplishment by one of the world's truly exceptional writers.

Essays and Lectures by Ralph Waldo Emerson covers the most productive period of his life, 1832–1860. Emerson, known as America's eloquent champion of individualism, acknowledges the countervailing pressures of society in American life. As he extols what he called “the great and crescive self,” he also dramatizes and records its vicissitudes.

This volume includes indispensable and renowned works such as “The American Scholar” - our intellectual Declaration of Independence, “The Divinity School Address”, considered atheistic by many of his listeners, and the summons to “Self-Reliance”. More embattled realizations appear in “Circles” and “Experience”. Emerson also offers wide-ranging portraits of Montaigne, Shakespeare, and other “representative men,” along with astute observations on the habits, lives, and prospects of the English and American people.

This collection includes Nature; Addresses, and Lectures (1849), Essays: First Series (1841), and Essays: Second Series (1844), plus Representative Men (1850), English Traits (1856), and The Conduct of Life (1860). These works established Emerson’s colossal reputation in America and earned him admirers abroad, including Carlyle, Nietzsche, and Proust.

Emerson’s enduring power is felt throughout American literature: in those like Whitman and major twentieth-century poets who seek to corroborate his vision, and among those like Hawthorne and Melville who questioned, qualified, and struggled with it. His vision reverberates in American philosophy, notably in the writings of William James and John Dewey, and in the works of his European admirers.

Follow the exhilarating, exploratory movements of Emerson's mind in this comprehensive gathering of his work. This volume is not merely another selection of essays; it includes all his major books, conveying the exhilaration and exploratory energy of perhaps America's greatest writer.

The Wisdom of Pooh. Is there such thing as a Western Taoist? Benjamin Hoff says there is, and this Taoist's favorite food is honey. Through brilliant and witty dialogue with the beloved Pooh-bear and his companions, the author of this smash bestseller explains with ease and aplomb that rather than being a distant and mysterious concept, Taoism is as near and practical to us as our morning breakfast bowl. Romp through the enchanting world of Winnie-the-Pooh while soaking up invaluable lessons on simplicity and natural living.

The Varieties of Religious Experience is a profound exploration into the psychology of religion by renowned philosopher William James. This work delves into the heart of religious life, not through the lens of organized religion, but through the individual experiences that shape our understanding of the divine.

James presents a pluralistic view, suggesting that religious experiences are the essence of spiritual life. He examines concepts such as conversion, repentance, mysticism, and the human hopes and fears regarding the afterlife. Through a series of engaging lectures, he analyzes the religious experiences of notable figures such as Voltaire, Emerson, Luther, and Tolstoy.

With his characteristic humor and insightful analysis, James challenges readers to question established norms and explore the depths of their own spiritual beliefs. This book remains a cornerstone in the study of the psychology of religion and continues to inspire thoughtful reflection on faith and spirituality.

Remembrance of Things Past: Volume II delves into the intricate tapestry of Belle Epoque France, unfolding through the profound reflections of its narrator. This volume encompasses The Guermantes Way and Cities of the Plain, capturing the essence of art, time, and memory.

As the narrator grows up, falls in love, and experiences the tumultuous events of the First World War, the narrative mesmerizes readers with its intricate portrayal of human emotions and societal norms. The translation by C. K. Scott Moncrieff, later revised by Terence Kilmartin, has been celebrated for capturing the essence of Proust's monumental work.

This literary masterpiece invites readers into a world where personal experiences are intertwined with historical events, offering a unique perspective on the passage of time and the power of memory.

Summa Theologica is a monumental work by St. Thomas Aquinas that aims to summarize all human knowledge. Although such an undertaking might seem ambitious even today, this classic masterpiece remains a cornerstone in philosophical and theological literature.

Through its comprehensive examination of enduring questions, Aquinas provides timeless insights into the nature of existence, ethics, and the divine. His work continues to inspire and challenge readers, encouraging them to engage with fundamental questions that have persisted through the centuries.

This collection, spanning five volumes, delves deep into the complexities of faith and reason, offering readers a chance to explore the intricacies of medieval thought and its relevance today.

The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World is a profound exploration of the principles that have shaped the United States and brought about unparalleled progress in the last 200 years. This book delves into the 28 Principles of Freedom that the Founding Fathers deemed essential for peace, prosperity, and freedom.

Among these principles are The Genius of Natural Law, Virtuous and Moral Leaders, Equal Rights—Not Equal Things, and the importance of Avoiding the Burden of Debt. These principles are not just historical artifacts but are presented as timeless truths that remain relevant in today's political, economic, social, and spiritual landscape.

This work is more than a historical account; it is a call to action for those who seek to understand and implement the foundational beliefs that have guided the nation to greatness. The insights provided in this book are designed to inspire and educate, offering a pathway to understanding the miracle of American democracy.