The election of Pope Leo XIV signals a defining moment for the Catholic Church. As he steps onto the world stage, the first pontiff ever to hail from the United States inherits the throne of St. Peter, the legacy of Pope Francis, and the challenges of a rapidly changing Church.In Pope Leo XIV, veteran Vatican correspondent Christopher White delivers an authoritative account of the conclave that shaped this momentous transition, the forces that propelled Pope Leo XIV to the...

In Skipjack, Christopher White spends a pivotal year with three memorable captains as they battle man and nature to control the fate of their island villages and oyster fleet. Through these lively characters, White paints a vivid picture of life on a skip - jack, a wooden oystering sailboat as they dredge for oysters—a favorite staple of iconic American seafood cuisine for over a hundred years. But this last vestige of American sailing culture is rapidly dying. State officials hav...

This book presents original research applying mathematics to musical rhythm, with a focus on computational methods, theoretical approaches, analysis of rhythm in folk and global music traditions, syncopation, and maximal evenness. It honours the legacy of computer scientist and music theorist Godfried Toussaint.In addition to addressing a topic pioneered by Toussaint, application of mathematics to representation of musical rhythms, the volume also builds upon his interest in analys...

In the wake of the clergy abuse scandal of the last decade, many media commentators predicted the end” of the Catholic priesthood. Demands for an end to celibacy, coupled with calls for women’s ordination, dominated discussions on the effectiveness of the Catholic Church in America. Renewal argues that rather than a decline of the priesthood and a diminishing influence of the Catholic Church, we are living in a time of transformation and revitalization. The aging generation of pr...

Daniel Pallson is considered by most to have everything one could ask for as one of the wealthiest self made people in the world, however in reality since he tragically lost his son twenty years ago he has been one of the emptiest. Since then he has shut most everything out of his life including his wife, extended family, faith in himself, spirituality and all except his successful business.A long time American citizen and resident Daniel returns to his native Iceland for a very im...

Global warming usually seems to happen far away, but one catastrophic effect of climate change is underway right now in the Rocky Mountains. In The Melting World, Chris White travels to Montana to chronicle the work of Dan Fagre, a climate scientist and ecologist, whose work shows that alpine glaciers are vanishing rapidly close to home. For years, Fagre has monitored the ice sheets in Glacier National Park proving that they—and by extension all Rocky Mountain ice—will melt far fa...

This collection of essays by leading scholars explores the present, dynamic state of metaphysical religion in America. It includes chapters that: put survey data on this growing group in context; clarify definitional issues in the study of spirituality in general and metaphysical spirituality in particular; and assess the networks, conferences, rituals, festivals, retreat centers and periodicals recently developed by metaphysicals. The contributors discuss characteristic practices of menta...

Putting forward an extensive new argument for a humanities-based approach to big-data analysis, The Music in the Data shows how large datasets of music, or music corpora, can be productively integrated with the qualitative questions at the heart of music research. The author argues that as well as providing objective evidence, music corpora can themselves be treated as texts to be subjectively read and creatively interpreted, allowing new levels of understanding and insight into m...

This intelligently revised volume on the life and work of Rembrandt offers detailed insight into the artist from an authority on the subject.Rembrandt is among the few old masters to retain universal appeal among art lovers today. His striking self-portraits and scenes are on view at museums around the world—yet he remains an elusive, enigmatic figure.In Rembrandt, distinguished art historian Christopher White carefully considers Rembrandt’s histor...

Salvador Dalí was, and remains, among the most universally recognizable artists of the twentieth century. What accounts for this popularity? His excellence as an artist? Or his genius as a self-publicist? In this searching text, partly based on interviews with the artist and fully revised, extended and updated for this edition, Dawn Ades considers the Dalí phenomenon. From his early years, his artistic friendships and the development of his technique and style, to his relationship with the...

At a combined 600+ pounds, Chris & Patty were a happy couple, but a heavy couple. When Patty's weight-loss surgery was approved, Chris faced a stark choice--risk 'Bariatric Divorce'? Or get on board.Chris made the choice to adopt the healthy lifestyle his wife had recommended for decades--this time for real, and this time for good. He had never been successful at weight loss before, but he felt he had no excuses left. He knew this would be the biggest chal...

90 SECONDS TO MIDNIGHT On January 23rd 2023 'The Doomsday Clock' used by atomic Scientists to evaluate how far our world is from nuclear destruction was moved forwards to '90 seconds to midnight' which indicates that mankind has again entered a time period of unprecedented danger. In the 1970's NASA's Pioneer satellites discovered a new planetary body in the far regions of our solar system using its infrared equipment. NASA growing concerned about how this planet would affect our world sen...