Did you know Santa Claus is not the only Christmas gift-bringer in the world?As a matter of fact, they're Twelve Christmas Heroes that give children gifts each Christmas.Every year, Santa and other Christmas figures from around the world gather at a glorious castle for a meeting to discuss how things are going and how their annual trips went.Wouldn't you like to sit in on that secret meeting? One individual got that chance.Santa arrived early in town. He was...

Truth waits for eyes unclouded by longing.'Lao-Tzu (poet and philosopher)In this collection of short, contemplative, enlightening reflections, spiritual teacher and Quaker Christopher Goodchild, inspired by his own experiences, guides you through his spiritual and philosophical journey to his truest and most peaceful self. Written from a 'soul' perspective, the book reveals how, by looking beyond vulnerability to see innate strength, and searching beyond pain and turmoil to...

This beautifully illustrated, moving and revelatory book will inspire readers to see that it is often that which gives us the deepest sorrow in life that can bring us the greatest joy.'Welcome to my world. I have autism.'But A Painful Gift is not about my autism. It is about the struggle to be truly ourselves in the world. To be fully human, to touch people and to be touched by people in return.'Autism is a blessing, a gifted way of seeing the world. It is also deep...

Mike Thomas should have known that it wouldn't be that easy. As a retired Police Detective working as a PI spying on the occasional cheating spouse, Mike should have known that he'd been out of the game to long. Leaving behind the badge and the violent world that had come with it once he'd met Marci; Mike thought that he was done with that life. But, when Marci asks for Mike's help investigating a corrupt cop that may have been involved in a friend's death, he had no idea it would lead to ...

God is good."Taste and see that the Lord is good," the Psalmist writes (Ps 34:8). And to those who called him good, Jesus said, "No one is good—except God alone" (Mk 10:18).In this Studies in Christian Doctrine and Scripture volume, Christopher R. J. Holmes explores the divine attribute of God's goodness through a theological interpretation of the Psalter that engages with the church's rich tradition, including Augustine and Barth, but especially Aquinas. H...

"In loving yet unsentimental prose, Sy Montgomery captures the richness that animals bring to the human experience. Sometimes it takes a too-smart-for-his-own-good pig to open our eyes to what most matters in life.”—John Grogan, author of Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst DogA naturalist who spent months at a time living on her own among wild creatures in remote jungles, Sy Montgomery had always felt more comfortable...

“Christopher Bayes is a master, an extraordinary visionary who has done more to liberate young American actors over the last two generations than I can possibly express. His classes in Clowning are philosophical manifestos; the power of his laughter inextricable from the depth of his spirit. This book is a treasure. Nothing can replace the experience of being in the room with a master teacher, but this practical, playful, brilliant book is the next best thing. Read it. It is indispensable....

Katie had everything planned out in her head. She's going to convince her friends to set the two of them up on a dare to his dorm. Once they were alone, her plan is to seduce John into being with her. This was the plan and yet, as the door to his dorm room slammed shut, Katie quickly found that John was the one controlling her.

Why on earth does anyone need a guide on how to listen to sermons? Don't we simply need to 'be there' and stay awake? Yet Jesus said: 'Consider carefully how you listen.' The fact is, much more is involved in truly listening to Bible teaching than just sitting and staring at the preacher.Christopher Ash outlines seven ingredients for healthy listening. He then deals with how to respond to bad sermons - ones that are dull, or inadequate, or heretical. And finally, he challenges us w...

"Chris Angle's Defining Ethics, Good & Evil blends three distinct modes into a successful and creative synthesis. First, in keeping with modern deontological approaches, Angle posits a single principle, respect, as the basis for ethical enquiry, and explores this principle through a surprising and satisfying variety of applications. Second, he couches the entire work in the classic form of the dialogue, which provides not only historical resonance but also underscores the dialectical natur...

In 'Christoph Kolumbus' beleuchtet Carl Falkenhorst die epochale Reise des berühmten Entdeckers, die nicht nur als Aufbruch in eine neue Welt gilt, sondern auch die Grundlagen der europäischen Expansion legt. Falkenhorst kombiniert historischen Detailreichtum mit einem zugänglichen literarischen Stil, der sowohl Fachleute als auch interessierte Laien anspricht. Seine Analyse basiert auf einer Vielzahl primärhistorischer Quellen und vermittelt ein facettenreiches Bild von Kolumbus, dessen E...

When we think of psychology, we think of a field dedicated to understanding and curing the dark side of life--addictions, phobias, compulsions, anxieties, and on and on. But there is a field of psychology that looks at the bright side, that considers seriously these questions: What makes life most worth living? And how can we pursue a good life? That field is called, not surprisingly, positive psychology. In Pursuing the Good Life, one of the founders of positive psychology, Chris...