R enowned French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre references artists such as Tintoretto, Calder, Lapoujade, Titian, Raphael, and Michaelangelo in discussing how great art of the past relates to the challenges of his eraEssays in Aesthetics is a provocative collection that considers the nature of art and its meaning. Sartre considers the artist's "function," and the relation of art and the artist to the human condition. Sartre integrates his deep concern for the...

During the last century China has undergone more change than during any other period in its long and turbulent history. Roughly a quarter of the world's population has been directly affected by the radical transformation that culminated in the establishment of the present Communist state—one which claims to have translated into reality the Confucian ideal of securing the equality of all men. In underdeveloped regions throughout the world, wherever the quest for social justice has been chec...

From the I Ching to The Little Red Book: Two thousand years of wisdom from some of China's greatest philosophers and political thinkers.The Wisdom of Confucius: Whether considering his own life, human nature, or a society's responsibilities, Confucius's teachings emphasize morality, social relationships, justice, and sincerity. He pursued social and political reform, leaving a legacy of wisdom that remains vital today. Organized by topic a...

J ean-Paul Sartre's most influential existentialist work, Being and Nothingness , broken down into its most fertile ideasIn To Freedom Condemned, Sartre's most influential work, Being and Nothingness, is laid bare, presenting the philosopher's key ideas regarding existentialism. Covering the philosophers Hegel, Heidegger, and Husserl, and mulling over such topics as love, God, death, and freedom, To Freedom Condemned

A comprehensive reference guide to religious cults of the ancient world, with essential information on religious systems, texts, temple sites, and more.Dictionary of Pagan Religions offers a wide-ranging survey of the many religious cults that have flourished around the world from the Stone Age to the present. From Egyptian to Celtic traditions, and Gnosticism to Cabala, coauthors Harry E. Wedeck and Wade Baskin have compiled in-depth information about the rites an...

Through the centuries, Gypsies all over the world have been misunderstood, maligned, rejected. Outcasts of the countries in which they live, they have wandered for centuries over the face of the earth. They have no homeland, no political unity, no recognition among nations. They have been alone, sundered, shunned, persecuted and banished. Until about a century ago, their original home had been a matter of dispute. Their language had been a source of puzzlement. Yet their conduct and their ...

This debut work lays bare the early brilliance and philosophical conflicts of André Gide, a towering figure in French literatureAndré Gide, one of the masters of French literature, captures the essence of the philosophical Romantic in this profoundly personal first novel, completed when he was just twenty years old. Drawing heavily on his religious upbringing and private journals, The Notebooks of André Walter—with its "white" and "black" halves—tells the ...

This comprehensive reference volume offers in-depth information on one of the world's most fascinating and misunderstood cultures.Throughout history, Gypsies all over the world have been maligned and rejected. Outcasts of the countries in which they live, these nomads have wandered for years over the face of the earth. They have no homeland, no political unity, no recognition among nations. In popular folklore, they are vagrants, thieves, tinkerers, and con artists...

This alphabetical reference guide offers in-depth information on topics, terminology, and key figures from the history of sorcery and magic.Sorcery—the art of manipulating the supernatural forces that control the universe—has a long, rich, and fascinating legacy reaching back to ancient times. Any student or practitioner of this strange art will need a roadmap to its unique vocabulary and secret history. Drawn together from many different sources and presented in t...

An encyclopedic survey of esoteric traditions, supernatural phenomena, and spiritualist thinkers from ancient mythmakers to present-day gurus.The concept of the supernatural applies to a variety of occurrences that are beyond the grasp of typical human consciousness. Supernaturalism encompasses the animate and the inanimate; the physical and the metaphysical; Heaven, Hell and all that is between. This reference guide offers an in-depth survey of these phenomena, as...

A comprehensive A-to-Z reference guide to the terms, concepts, influential figures, and key events associated with Satanism.Dictionary of Satanism is a concise yet wide-ranging reference guide for the casual reader or student of satanic practices. It features essential information on the important concepts, issues, people, places, and events associated with Satanism, as well as the myriad forms and names that satanic worship has taken from ancient times to the pres...

Three authoritative yet accessible reference books explaining the terms, concepts, histories, and significant personalities of occult systems and practices.Dictionary of Satanism is a concise yet wide-ranging reference guide for the casual reader. It features essential information on the important concepts, issues, people, places, and events associated with Satanism. Also covered are the myriad forms and names that satanic worship has taken from ancient tim...