Not long ago I received a letter from an old-time friend, in which he urgently requested me to make a journey to his city. In bygone days he and I had spent many hours together, discussing the mysteries of existence, the hidden powers which nature manifests to us, and the origin and destiny of the human soul. My friend is a physician, and what is more, an earnest student; and he is also an investigator of that strange phenomenon in nature which manifests itself in organized beings subjecti...

I call our world Flatland, not because we call it so, but to make its nature clearer to you, my happy readers, who are privileged to live in Space. Imagine a vast sheet of paper on which straight Lines, Triangles, Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons, and other figures, instead of remaining fixed in their places, move freely about, on or in the surface, but without the power of rising above or sinking below it, very much like shadows—only hard and with luminous edges—and you will then have a prett...

For the first time, these enchanting folk tales, the origins of which lie in the oral tradition, have been gathered together in book form. The charming selection of thirty fairy tales and legends are full of Herefordian wit and wisdom, and are perfect for reading aloud or alone. Although on the surface they may appear quaint, these stories tell of strange happenings in the peaceful Herefordshire countryside, formed from early attempts to explain the natural and spiritual w...

Hereford has a darker side to its history, filled with strange – and sometimes unlikely – true tales. Was King Arthur a Hereford man? Why was its patron saint murdered by his would-be father-in-law? Why did another of its saints become the only saint to die excommunicated? Was a Bishop of Hereford involved in the murder of a king by the most frightful method imaginable? Did bones from the Cathedral graveyard really cure every disease known to man? Was a ghost really respon...

Worcestershire is a county of contrasts, with one face turned to the modern buzz of Birmingham and the other turned towards the quiet rural landscape of the West Country. Its folk tales reflect this dichotomy, with some stories based in the fears and superstitions of village life, and others evolving from the strains and pressures of a new industrial reality. From battles of the Civil War to witchcraft trials, Worcestershire is steeped in history – and almost every village...

Herefordshire has always been a border region and prone to conflict. During the Iron Age it was the dividing line between the Silures and Dobunni tribes and many hill forts in the area are still visible. The division heightened with the coming of the Romans as the Dobunni accepted Roman rule but the Silures carried out a successful guerilla campaign against the invaders. The arrival of the Saxons pushed the people that came to be called the Welsh back through the county, so that when the N...

Herefordshire is still a largely rural and agricultural county, centred on the cathedral city of Hereford, but it has had infamous and bloody events in its past, including shocking murders and appalling crimes. From the only British solicitor to be hanged for murder to the still mysterious death of an architect who had a fanatical belief that his home had been the site of King Arthur’s castle, the county is the repository of some dark and fascinating stories. Victims and perpetrators range...

What do most business owners have in common? A lack of freedom.If you're like most owners, tied to the business, you likely:Actively work in the business, trading your time for dollars.Follow Wall Street's advice, putting your savings away until "retirement," rather than putting it to work today.Wonder whether you'll ever have "enough" to step away from full-time active work.If you've picked up this book, od...

Herefordshire has had the mixed blessing of being a border county, predominately rural and far away from any metropolis. Lying between England and Wales, its past has been bloody, with raids and an unstable boundary. Borders are always porous and much Welsh influence can be found, especially in the west of the county. The county did not play a major part in the Industrial Revolution, which meant it became something of a backwater. Its unspoilt countryside provided a pleasant place to visit...

WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK FROM CREATING MORE FREEDOM, WEALTH, AND IMPACT?Too many people are running so hard on the hamster wheel of work and life that they never stop to ask simple questions or challenge the “conventional” wisdom we’ve all been taught—questions such as: • Why do we max out our debt with school loans and credit cards? • Why do we sacrifice our entire working life, trading time for dollars, until we’re in our sunset years? • Why do we keep our hard-earned dollars in a...

The flight and extradition of Charles F. Dodge unquestionably involved one of the most extraordinary battles with justice in the history of the criminal law. The funds at the disposal of those who were interested in procuring the prisoner's escape were unlimited in extent, and the arch conspirator for whose safety Dodge was spirited away was so influential in political and criminal circles that he was all but successful in defying the prosecutor of New York County, even supported as the latte...

The history of Hereford began with the establishment of the Saxon St Guthlac’s Monastery on the site of what is now Castle Green. Slightly later came the building of the cathedral, around AD 680. The cathedral city, destroyed by the Welsh and repaired by the Normans after 1066, was visited by Charles I, but its royal connections don’t end there. Nell Gwynne, actress and mistress of Charles II, is said to have been born here in 1650. Today, Hereford extends far beyond the medieval walls. In...