In Pagan Theology, Michael York situates Paganism-one of the fastest-growing spiritual orientations in the West-as a world religion. He provides an introduction to, and expansion of, the concept of Paganism and provides an overview of Paganism's theological perspective and practice. He demonstrates it to be a viable and distinguishable spiritual perspective found around the world today in such forms as Chinese folk religion, Shinto, tribal religions,...

The Psalms are a unique portion of the Old Testament - 150 songs and poems - that cover a wide range of emotions to express the heart and essence of humanity. Written over several centuries by multiple authors, these Psalms illustrate the theology and worship of the Israelites, imparting lessons through the ages. This reading uses the King James Version of the Bible - a translation whose language is praised as some of the greatest poetry ever written...

The place is Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692, an enclave of rigid piety huddled on the edge of a wilderness. Its inhabitants believe unquestioningly in their own sanctity. But in Arthur Miller's edgy masterpiece, that very belief will have poisonous consequences when a vengeful teenager accuses a rival of witchcraft - and then when those accusations multiply to consume the entire village. About this author: Arthur Asher Miller was an American playwright...

Sally Bowles, an American cabaret singer in 1930s Berlin, becomes involved in the rise of the Nazi party.

The story of Julius Caesar on the theme that behind every man there stands a woman. In this case there were several, among them his strong-willed mother, his formidable mistress and his beautiful daughter, whom he married to Pompey in order to cement an alliance. The story is told against the background of everyday life in ancient Rome, detailing the mores and manners of the day. By the author of The First Man in Rome.

In The Bull from the Sea, the story of Theseus resumes with the hero's return from Knossos. In the wake of his father's suicide, Athens is now Theseus's to rule. With his close friend Pirithoos, Theseus sets out for the land of the Amazons, falling in love with their beautiful leader, Hippolyta. Her boldness and sense of honor match his own, but though they're happy and bear a son, tragedy lies ahead. The Athenians mistrust the foreign Hippolyta,...

In The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, prose magician Michael Chabon conjured the golden age of comic books, interwining history, legend and story-telling verve. In The Final Solution, he has condensed his boundless vision to create a short, suspenseful tale of compassion and wit that re-imagines the classic 19th-century detective story. In deep retirement in the English countryside, an 89-year old man, vaguely recollected by the locals...

As Kumalo searches for his son, Absalom, in the city of Johannesburg, the character of South Africa is revealed. The land, its people and its racial ferment are visible behind the story of the tragic influences of the city upon the native son.

It is 1868, and Spain teeters on the brink of revolution. Don Jaime de Astarola is Spain's greatest fencing master- a man of honor, an anachronism- priding himself on the precision and dignity of his ancient art, and the perfector of the deadly unstoppable sword thrust technique. His friends spend their days in cafes discussing plots at court, but Jaime lives an ordered and celibate life dedicated to one passion: the art of...

Shakespeare knew more about the art of acting and the art of theater than any other playwright-but there is no general consensus about how Shakespeare should be played. There are no rules. While the Bard created superhuman characters and placed them in situations that stretch the imagination to its limits, he also provided his actors with the keys to playing them. Discover his secrets in this remarkable guide. In A Shakespearean Actor Prepares, actor,...