"Raised in a secular family but increasingly interested in the relevance of faith in our modern world, A.J. Jacobs decides to dive in headfirst and attempt to obey the Bible as literally as possible for one full year. He vows to follow the Ten Commandments. To be fruitful and multiply. To love his neighbor. But also to obey the hundreds of less publicized rules: to avoid wearing clothes made of mixed fibers; to play a ten-string harp; to stone adulterers....

First published in 1927, E. M. Forster's "Aspects of the Novel" compiles a series of lectures given to Trinity College at the University of Cambridge in that same year. By utilizing examples from other classic works Forster puts forward a standard theory on the writing of fictional prose. The book takes turns tackling the issues of story and plot, character, fantasy, prophecy, pattern and rhythm in the writing of novels; the elements which Forster...

Why is it that men, and not women, have always had power, wealth, and fame? Woolf cites the two keys to freedom: fixed income and one's own room. Foreword by Mary Gordon.

"A world-renowned scholar uses the Bible's own words to understand a fateful change that occurred during the biblical era, one that would ultimately determine the whole way in which Jews and Christians would encounter God ever since. A great mystery lies at the heart of the Bible. Early on, people seem to live in a world entirely foreign to our own. God appears to Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and others; He buttonholes Moses and Isaiah and Jeremiah and...

A world-renowned scholar of religion and bestselling author of "The Gnostic Gospels, Beyond Belief," and" Reading Judas" explores the strangest and most controversial book in the Bible: the Book of Revelation.

Is it possible that there exists an ancient master blueprint that holds the secret behind the events of our times? Could this blueprint lie behind the rise and fall of leaders and governments? Could events that took place nearly 3,000 years ago now be determining the course of our world and with it the course of our lives? Could ancient figures from the Middle East hold the key to the leaders of our own day, what they do, when they rise, and when...

Genesis recounts the story of creation, step-by-step: 'Let there be light'; 'Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear'; 'Let the earth bring forth [vegetation]'; 'Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life'; 'God created the whales'; 'And God created ... every winged fowl.' For thousands of years, Judeo-Christian belief has accepted this progression as truth. And...

In the first major history of crime fiction in fifty years, The Life of Crime: Detecting the History of Mysteries and their Creators traces the evolution of the genre from the eighteenth century to the present, offering brand-new perspective on the world's most popular form of fiction. "The Life of Crime is the result of a lifetime of reading and enjoying all types of crime fiction, old and new, from around the world. In what will surely be regarded...

Dr. Kevin Leman shares the biblical wisdom that has shaped him into the successful, joy-filled person he is today. With his trademark wit and humorous stories from his personal life, Dr. Leman shows readers how to jump-start or revitalize their lives both spiritually and practically with words from one of the wisest men of all time. (Hint: It's not him.) Dr. Leman offers hope, courage, and a fresh perspective on living a great life.

"An irresistible, nostalgic, and insightful--and totally original--ramble through classic children's literature from Vanity Fair contributing editor (and father) Bruce Handy. In 1690, the dour New England Primer, thought to be the first American children's book, was published in Boston. Offering children gems of advice such as 'Strive to learn' and 'Be not a dunce,' it was no fun at all. So how did we get from there to 'Let the wild rumpus start?'...