Focusing on Shakespeare's Hamlet as foremost a study of grief, Alexander Welsh offers a powerful analysis of its protagonist as the archetype of the modern hero. For over two centuries writers and critics have viewed Hamlet's persona as a fascinating blend of self-consciousness, guilt, and wit. Yet in order to understand more deeply the modernity of this Shakespearean hero, Welsh first situates Hamlet within the context of family and mourning as it was presented in other ...

Although it is customary to credit Freud's self-analysis, it may be more accurate, Alexander Welsh argues, to say that psychoanalysis began when The Interpretation of Dreams was published in the last weeks of the nineteenth century. Only by going public with his theory--that dreams manifest hidden wishes--did Freud establish a position to defend and embark upon a career. That position and career have been among the most influential in this century.In August 1899, Freud wro...

For about three thousand years comedy has applied a welcome humanist perspective to the world’s religious beliefs and practices. From the ancient Greek comedies of Aristophanes, the famous poem by Lucretius, and dialogues of Cicero to early modern and Enlightenment essays and philosophical texts, together with the inherent skepticism about life after death in tragicomedies by Plautus, Shakespeare, Molière, and nineteenth-century novels by such as Dickens and Hugo, the literary critic and...

Packed with hundreds of Winston Churchill's sharpest remarks, this charming collection showcases the wit, brilliance, and mischievous humor that made him one of the most entertaining – and quotable – figures of the modern era.Sir Winston Churchill was one of the 20th century’s most iconic leaders, renowned as a masterful speaker and a prolific writer. He penned histories, biographies, memoirs, and even a novel, while his journalism, speeches, and broadcasts total m...

In this “thoughtful, introspective, and moving account” (The Washington Post), former NBC news anchor David Gregory probes various religious traditions to better understand his own faith and answer important questions about who we want to be and what we believe.When David Gregory was a reporter covering the White House, President George W. Bush asked him a question: “Gregory, how’s your faith?” Raised by a Catholic mother and a Jewish dad, David had a stro...

Perfect for personal study and for all types of faith formation groups, The Lumen Fidei (Light of Faith) Study Guide is the first available resource of its kind. All Catholics will benefit from its rich commentary, reflection questions, and ideas for living more fully by the “light of faith.”This study guide is the essential companion to Lumen Fidei, Pope Francis’s first encyclical, which was published in July of 2013. Jared Dees—author and seasoned religion teach...

The New York Times bestseller by the former governor and presidential candidate-an instant classic, reissued for 2010.Christmas has become synonymous with shopping, overindulging, and stress. But according to Mike Huckabee, that was never God's intention. Going back to the Nativity, Christmas is supposed to be about simple things: faith, love, family, and hope. The hard part, in today's crazy world, is remembering that those simple things are the most prec...

Immortal Comedy is the first book to 'think' philosophically about the comic phenomenon in general. Although author Agnes Heller had written a book that is both deeply scholarly and meditative on the subject of the comic form in film, literature, and life her writing is eminently approachable. In both its subject and style, Immortal Comedy is a seminal book. In it, Heller takes us on a journey through theories of comedy beginning with classical thought. She then detours through foundationa...

The period between the First World War and the fall of the Berlin Wall is often characterized as the age of extremes—while this era witnessed unprecedented violence and loss of human life, it also saw a surge in humorous entertainment in both democratic and authoritarian societies. The Politics of Humour examines how works such as satirical magazines and comedy films were used both to reaffirm group identity and to exclude those who did not belong.The essays in this collec...

Bernard Goldstein’s memoir describes a hard world of taverns, toughs, thieves, and prostitutes; of slaughterhouse workers, handcart porters, and wagon drivers; and of fist-and gunfights with everyone from anti-Semites and Communists to hostile police, which is to say that it depicts a totally different view of life in prewar Poland than the one usually portrayed. As such, the book offers a corrective view in the form of social history, one that commands attention and demands respect for th...

Well-meaning people want to believe that all roads lead to the same God and heaven. But wanting something to be true is far different from truth lining up with reality. Unless you make an intentional effort to examine what you believe and why, it's quite possible you are living your life on the basis of a lie, and don't know it.* What is truth?* It is relative or absolute?* Is it personal or universal?* What are the differences among the various religious faiths...

Words of Hope for the Depressed, Oppressed and Repressed provides a spiritual boost for coping with depression and other effects of the recession. It is an oasis of hope for the downtrodden and for those who feel like they are losing the rat race. Let the light of God shine in your life. It's like an energy drink for the soul.