The Arabian Nights has become a synonym for the fabulous & the exotic Every child is familiar with the stories of Aladdin Sinbad the Sailor & Ali Baba Yet very few people even specialists in oriential literature have a clear idea of when the book was written or what exactly it is Far from being a batch of stories for children The Arabian Nights contains hundreds of narratives of all kinds
- fables epics erotica debates fairy tales political allegories mystical anecdotes & comedies It is a labyrinth of stories within stories Widely held in contempt in the Middle East for its frivolity & occasional obscenity the work has nevertheless had a major influence on European & American culture to the extent that the story collection must be considered as a key work in Western literature A full understanding of the writings of Voltaire Dickens Melville Proust & Borges or indeed of the origins of science fiction is impossible without some familiarity with the stories of the Nights This companion aims to guide the reader into this labyrinth of storytelling It traces the development of the stories from prehistoric India & Pharaonic Egypt to modern times & explores the history of translation & imitation Above all it uses the stories as a guide to the social history & counter-culture of the medieval Near East & the world of the storyteller the snake charmer the burglar the sorcerer the drug-addict the treasure hunter & the adulterer
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The Arabic Club Readers are series of banded colourful & fun books for young learners of Arabic designed to nurture confidence & motivation ...

Outlandish alchemist & magician political intelligencer apocalyptic prophet & converser with angels John Dee (1527-1609) was one of the most colorful & controversial figures of the Tudor world In this fascinating book-the first full-length biography of Dee based on primary historical sources-Glyn Parry explores Dee&s vast array of political magical & scientific writings & finds that they cast significant new light on policy struggles in the Elizabethan court conservative attacks on magic & Europe&s religious wars John Dee was more than just a fringe magus Parry shows he was a major figure of the Reformation & Renaissance ...

Since 2012 the energy on our planet has changed considerably with much more high-frequency energy coming in In addition many of the tools & techniques we have been using on the ascension path have moved to a new vibration with different geometric set-ups Diana Cooper & Tim Whild have been working with the angels for many years & believe that people are now ready to receive this new high-frequency ascension information The Archangels wish to help you to ascend your frequency to the fifth dimension & beyond In The Archangel Guide to Ascension Diana & Tim offer clear steps to accelerate your journey to the light These steps are sequential so that your path will be smooth & clear Each chapter offers guidance about the Archangels information about the step you are on & a visualization to assist your journey Archangel Metatron who vibrates with the number 55 is overlighting the whole book & will be with you as you work with the guidance it offers ...

Just like humans each type of animal has its own soul purpose on Earth Birds fish insects & reptiles are on their own spiritual journey Some animals incarnate in service to humanity while others serve the planet or are here to grow spiritually through life on Earth The souls of animals like the souls of humans come from different stars or planets even from different universes In this book which features unprecedented teachings on the animal realm Diana Cooper shares fascinating channelled information about the soul missions & service work of many of the creatures of the world We discover the various planets or stars from which they originate & what they come to Earth to learn or teach As well as comprehensive material about the creatures with whom we share the planet & the particular angels they work with this incredible book contains visualizations to connect with them & prayers to help them all The Archangel Guide to the Animal World will expand your consciousness & help you see the animal world through enlightened eyes ...

The modern world is passing through a time of critical change on many levels cultural political ecological & spiritual We are witnessing the decline & dissolution of the old order the tumult & uncertainty of a new birth Against this background there is an urgent need for a coherent framework of meaning to lead us beyond the growing fragmentation of culture belief & personal identity Keiron Le Grice argues that the developing insights of a new cosmology could provide this framework helping us to discover an underlying order shaping our life experiences In a compelling synthesis of the ideas of seminal thinkers from depth psychology & the new paradigm sciences Le Grice positions the new discipline of archetypal astrology at the centre of an emerging world view that reunifies psyche & cosmos spirituality & science mythology & metaphysics & enables us to see mythic gods heroes & themes in a fresh light He draws especially on the work of C G Jung Joseph Campbell Richard Tarnas Fritjof Capra David Bohm & Brian Swimme Heralding a 'rediscovery of the gods' & the passage into a new spiritual era The Archetypal Cosmos presents a new understanding of the role of myth & archetypal principles in our lives one that could give a cosmic perspective & deeper meaning to our personal experiences ...

The concept of ' Archteypes' & the hypothesis of 'A Collective Unconscious' are two of Jung's better known & most exciting ideas In this volume
- taken from the Collected Works & appearing in paperback for the first time
- Jung describes & elaborates the two concepts Three essays establish the theoretical basis which are then followed by essays on specific archetypes The relation of these to the process of individuation is examined in the last section The Archetypes & the Collective Unconscious is one of Jung's central works There are many illustrations in full colour

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The Architect's Apprentice is a dazzling & intricate tale from Elif Shafak bestselling author of The Bastard of Istanbul' There were six of us the master the apprentices & the white elephant We built everything together' Sixteenth century Istanbul a stowaway arrives in the city bearing an extraordinary gift for the Sultan The boy is utterly alone in a foreign land with no worldly possessions to his name except Chota a rare white elephant destined for the palace menagerie So begins an epic adventure that will see young Jahan rise from lowly origins to the highest ranks of the Sultan's court Along the way he will meet deceitful courtiers & false friends gypsies animal tamers & the beautiful mischievous Princess Mihrimah He will journey on Chota's back to the furthest corners of the Sultan's kingdom & back again & one day he will catch the eye of the royal architect Sinan a chance encounter destined to change Jahan's fortunes forever Filled with all the colour of the Ottoman Empire when Istanbul was the teeming centre of civilisation The Architect's Apprentice is a magical sweeping tale of one boy & his elephant caught up in a world of wonder & danger'A gorgeous picture of a city teeming with secrets intrigue & romance' The Times' Shafak's most ambitious novel yet her best
- generous & imaginative' Independent ' Exuberant epic & comic fantastical & realistic like all good stories it conveys deeper meanings about human experience' Financial Times' Fascinating A vigorous evocation of the Ottoman Empire at the height of its power' Sunday Times' Intricate multi-layered resplendent vividly evoked beautifully written' Observer' Sumptuous absorbing moving' Independent on Sunday
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Accompanying an exhibition of the same name at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art this publication examines the recent work of the Chinese architect Wang Shu Pritzker Prize winner in 2012 At a time when China's explosive urbanization is making inroads into rural areas & leaving the marks of cheap concrete construction everywhere Wang Shu & Amateur Architecture Studio are keen to work against this tendency by reusing materials from the buildings that Chinese authorities are systematically tearing down & rebuilding after western models Wang Shu's architecture reveals a thoughtful attitude toward both design & implementation as well as the ability to react flexibly to the surroundings & history of a particular site ...

The Architecture of Happiness is Alain de Botton&s exploration of the hidden links between buildings & our well being In The Architecture of Happiness bestselling author Alain de Botton explores one of our most intense but often hidden love affairs with our houses & their furnishings He asks What makes a house truly beautiful? Why are many new houses so ugly? Why do we argue so bitterly about sofas & pictures
- & can differences of taste ever be satisfactorily resolved? To answer these questions & many more de Botton looks at buildings across the world from medieval wooden huts to modern skyscrapers; he examines sofas & cathedrals tea sets & office complexes & teases out a host of often surprising philosophical insights The Architecture of Happiness will take you on a beguiling tour through the history & psychology of architecture & interior design & will change the way you look at your home& Engaging & intelligent full of splendid ideas happily & beautifully expressed& Independent
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