With over 140 million copies in print & serving as the principal proselytizing tool of one of the world's fastest growing faiths the Book of Mormon is undoubtedly one of the most influential religious texts produced in the western world Written by Terryl Givens a leading authority on Mormonism this compact volume offers the only concise accessible introduction to this extraordinary work Givens examines the Book of Mormon first & foremost in terms of the claims that its narrators make for its historical genesis its purpose as a sacred text & its meaning for an audience which shifts over the course of the history it unfolds The author traces five governing themes in particular-revelation Christ Zion scripture & covenant-and analyzes the Book's central doctrines & teachings Some of these resonate with familiar nineteenth-century religious preoccupations; others consist of radical & unexpected takes on topics from the fall of Man to Christ's mortal ministries & the meaning of atonement Givens also provides samples of a cast of characters that number in the hundreds & analyzes representative passages from a work that encompasses tragedy poetry sermons visions family histories & military chronicles Finally this introduction surveys the contested origins & production of a work held by millions to be scripture & reviews the scholarly debates that address questions of the record's historicity Here then is an accessible guide to what is by any measure an indispensable key to understanding Mormonism But it is also an introduction to a compelling & complex text that is too often overshadowed by the controversies that surround it ABOUT THE SERIES The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly Our expert authors combine facts analysis perspective new ideas & enthusiasm to make interesting & challenging topics highly readable ...

Abducted from her West African village at the age of eleven & sold as a slave in the American South Aminata Diallo thinks only of freedom
- & of finding her way home again After escaping the plantation torn from her husband & child she passes through Manhattan in the chaos of the Revolutionary War is shipped to Nova Scotia & then joins a group of freed slaves on a harrowing return odyssey to Africa Based on a true story Lawrence Hill's epic novel spans three continents & six decades to bring to life a dark & shameful chapter in our history through the story of one brave & resourceful woman
...

By the Man Booker-winning author Marlon James this is the powerful story of Lilith born into slavery on a Jamaican sugar plantation at the end of the eighteenth century Even at her birth the Night Women
- a clandestine council of fierce slaves plotting an isl&-wide revolt
- recognize a dark force in her that they treat with both reverence & fear But as Lilith comes of age & begins to understand her own feelings & identity she dares to push at the edges of what is imaginable for the life of a slave woman & as rebellions simmer & unspoken jealousies intensify Lilith's powers & sense of purpose threaten not just her own destiny but the destinies of all the slave women in Jamaica

...

the great feature of the book is that anyone can read it without excessive head scratching You'll find plenty here to keep you occupied amused & informed Buy dip in wallow -IAN STEWART NEW SCIENTIST"a delightful look at numbers & their roles in everything from language to flowers to the imagination" -SCIENCE NEWS"a fun & fascinating tour of numerical topics & concepts It will have readers contemplating ideas they might never have thought were understandable or even possible" -WISCONSIN BOOKWATCH" This popularization of number theory looks like another classic" -LIBRARY JOURNAL ...

Winner of the Garden Media Guild Awards Reference Book of the Year 2016 the Guild of Food Writers Food Book of the year 2016 & the BBC Food & Farming Awards 2016 for Outstanding Achievement Accompanied by a beautiful & comprehensive website of the same name this wonderfully unique book is an indispensable & one-of-a-kind guide It tells the story of the pear from its delightful taste & wonderful appearance to breeding & cultivation following the fruit's journey through history & around the world Beautifully illustrated with 40 botanical watercolour paintings by Elisabeth Dowle The Book of Pears is the most up-to-date & comprehensive guide to the pear Moving through continents & cultures Joan Morgan celebrates the pear's long history as both a fresh & cooking fruit Revealing the secrets of the pear as a status symbol some of the most celebrated fruit growers in history & how the pear came to be so important as an international commodity The pear directory which makes up the second half of the book covers the world's ancient & modern varieties each with full tasting notes & historical geographical & horticultural detail A fully illustrated version of this directory is shown on the author's website wwwthebookofpearsfruitforumnet ...

Now fully revised & updated The Book of Saints is a comprehensive biographical dictionary of saints canonised by the Roman Catholic Church It contains the names of over 10000 saints including all modern ones with significant information about their lives & achievements Each section begins with an illustration of a particular saint & the volume

Includes:: a list of national martyrs a bibliography & a helpful glossary Produced by the Benedictine monks of St Augustine's Abbey Chilworth (formerly Ramsgate) this classic resource is now in its 8th edition & is fully revised to include all the saints canonised in the last ten years including Pope St John Paul II & Blessed Paul VI

...

Crafted with all the skills that have made his previous books bestsellers The Book of Secrets will be essential reading for Deepak Chopra's huge number of followers worldwide & also appeal to everyone searching for the meaning of life & looking for answers to the questions Who Am I? 288 pages Chopra Deepak MD ...

A sumptuous guide to 600 of the world's weirdest & most beautiful species from the black seed with hair like Donald Trump to pinhead-sized orchid seeds
- The Guardian The book drives home the incredible botanical wealth that is found on our precious blue planet
- The English Garden True time capsules of life seeds are significant items of hope & promise They are the most complex organs plants ever produce & come in an enormously diverse range of shapes sizes & colours; from the impressive coco de mer nut to the microscopic seeds of an orchid to the extraordinary cobalt blue of the traveller's palm pit Seeds are often overshadowed by the adult plant's size & show Here 600 seeds are spotlit each given equal attention each shown as glorious photographs life size & in detail alongside an engraving of the parent plant Every profile

Includes:: a population distribution map a table of essential information & a commentary revealing notable characteristics related species & a diagnosis of the specimen's importance in terms of taxonomy rarity dispersal method & scientific significance Arranged taxonomically this essential reference reveals the variety & importance of seeds to an extent never seen before



...

' No one knows sheds like Joel Bird The creativity & knowledge which won him shed of the year is echoed throughout this brilliant book'
- George Clarke The Book of Shed is for the new vision of the shed A beautifully designed hardback book it will provide you with the inspiration & the information you need to plan & create your new space by combining imaginative ideas & beautiful design with practical thinking & building knowledge Written by designer-builder TV personality & all-round shed-progressive Joel Bird this wonderful tome is split into four comprehensive sections
- on the history & basics of the shed; shed inspiration & style; the shed build; & some of Joel's most distinctive shed case studies
- & is the perfect fireside read whether you're a seasoned shed-head or completely new to the joys of your own purpose-built haven wherever & whatever that may be


...

Eric John Stark rides again! Leigh Brackett unforgettable science-fantasy hero of The Secret of Sinharat & The Ginger Star cuts a red swath across the brutal planet Skaith Having killed the king-dog Flay in his quest to save an old friend & mentor Stark now wanders the Worldheart in the company of nine ferocious canines that respond to his every command Ruling the hounds of Skaith means tapping into the savagery of Stark own mysterious past & even a moment hesitation could turn the pack against him! ...