Showing results by author "Popular Culture and Religion." in All Categories

Thought Vibration, or The Law of Attraction in the Thought World by William Walker Atkinson. William Walker Atkinson (December 5, 1862 – November 22, 1932) was an attorney, merchant, publisher, and author, as well as an occultist and an American pioneer of the New Thought movement. Atkinson was a prolific writer, and his many books achieved wide circulation among New Thought devotees and occult practitioners. He published under several pen names, including Magus Incognito, Theodore Sheldon, Theron Q. Dumont, Swami Panchadasi, Yogi Ramacharaka, Swami Bhakta Vishita, and probably other ...

The Book of Tea by Kakuzō Okakura. The Book of Tea was written by Okakura Kakuzo in the early 20th century. It was first published in 1906, and has since been republished many times. - In the book, Kakuzo introduces the term Teaism and how Tea has affected nearly every aspect of Japanese culture, thought, and life. The book is noted to be accessible to Western audiences because though Kakuzo was born and raised Japanese, he was trained from a young age to speak English; and would speak it all his life, becoming proficient at communicating his thoughts in the Western Mind. In his book he ...

The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. The Divine Comedy (Italian: Commedia, later christened “Divina” by Giovanni Boccaccio), written by Dante Alighieri between 1308 and his death in 1321, is widely considered the central epic poem of Italian literature, the last great work of literature of the Middle Ages and the first great work of the Renaissance. A culmination of the medieval world-view of the afterlife, it establishes the Tuscan dialect in which it is written as the Italian standard, and is seen as one of the greatest works of world literature. The Divine Comedy is composed of ...

The Salem Witchcraft, the Planchette Mystery, and Modern Spiritualism by Harriet Beecher Stowe; Samuel Robert Wells. The object in reprinting this most interesting review is simply to show the progress made in moral, intellectual, and physical science. The reader will go back with us to a time—not very remote—when nothing was known of Phrenology and Psychology; when men and women were persecuted, and even put to death, through the baldest ignorance and the most pitiable superstition. If we were to go back still farther, to the Holy Wars, we should find cities and nations drenched in ...

The Communist Manifesto, by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. The Communist Manifesto was conceived as an outline of the basic beliefs of the Communist movement. The authors believed that the European Powers were universally afraid of the nascent movement, and were condemning as "communist," people or activities that did not actually conform to what the Communists believed. This Manifesto, then, became a manual for their beliefs. In it we find Marx and Engel's rehearsal of the idea that Capital has stolen away the work of the artisan and peasant by building up factories to produce goods ...

My Man Jeeves by P. G. Wodehouse. Bertram Wooster is an English gentleman living in New York, who seems to get himself into all sorts of jams. It’s up to his manservant Jeeves to come up with the plan to save the day from unpleasant houseguests, stingy uncles, broken hearts, and hard-partying aunts.

Candide by Voltaire. Candide, by Voltaire, is a satirical novella published in 1759 that critiques philosophical optimism, particularly the idea that "all is for the best in this best of all possible worlds". The story follows the naive protagonist, Candide, as he endures a series of horrific and absurd misfortunes, leading him to reject his tutor Pangloss's optimistic teachings and ultimately conclude that the key to happiness is to "cultivate one's garden". It is a sharp, witty, and often dark satire of religion, government, philosophy, and human nature.

Paradise Lost by John Milton. Paradise Lost is an epic poem by John Milton that retells the biblical story of the Fall of Man, focusing on Satan's rebellion against God, his temptation of Adam and Eve, and their subsequent expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Written in blank verse, it is considered one of the greatest works in English literature, exploring themes of free will, obedience, temptation, and the nature of good and evil through its complex characters, particularly the charismatic Satan, who is often seen as a tragic hero.

The Story of 'Mormonism' by James E. Talmage. A few years before James E. Talmage was called to serve as an apostle for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the "Mormon" church), he gave a series of lectures at universities such as the University of Michigan and Cornell, describing the history of the Church. These lectures were later compiled and published as 'The Story of "Mormonism."' It is a concise, yet informative summary for all interested in learning the history and beliefs of the "Mormon" church.

Le Avventure di Pinocchio. Carlo Collodi. (Italiano) Le avventure di Pinocchio. Storia di un burattino è il titolo del romanzo ottocentesco che ha come protagonista un notissimo personaggio di finzione, appunto Pinocchio, burattino di legno al centro di celeberrime avventure. Si tratta di un classico della cosiddetta letteratura per ragazzi e fu scritto nel 1881 da Collodi (pseudonimo dello scrittore Carlo Lorenzini). Il personaggio di Pinocchio - burattino umanizzato nella tendenza a nascondersi dietro facili menzogne e a cui cresce il naso in rapporto ad ogni bugia che dice - è stato ...

Walden by Henry David Thoreau. Walden by Henry David Thoreau is one of the best-known non-fiction books written by an American. Published in 1854, it details Thoreau’s life for two years, two months, and two days around the shores of Walden Pond. Walden is neither a novel nor a true autobiography, but a social critique of the Western World, with each chapter heralding some aspect of humanity that needed to be either renounced or praised. Along with his critique of the civilized world, Thoreau examines other issues afflicting man in society, ranging from economy and reading to solitude and ...

Mafia, 1946 Havana Conference. The 1946 Havana Conference was a pivotal December 22–26 summit of U.S. Mafia leaders, convened by Charles "Lucky" Luciano at the Hotel Nacional in Cuba. It solidified the Mafia's control over gambling and narcotics trafficking in Havana, reinforced Luciano’s leadership, and addressed the handling of Bugsy Siegel’s failing Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. - Key Organizer: Charles "Lucky" Luciano, who was in exile after being released from prison on the condition he leave the U.S.. - Significance: Considered the most important organized crime summit ...

The Art of War by Niccolò Machiavelli. The Art of War (1521) is the only book published by Niccolo Machiavelli during his lifetime, and he saw it as one of his finest achievements. The Art of War develops many themes introduced in Machiavelli’s earlier works “The Prince” and “Discourses” and presents them as the collected wisdom of a fictional leader Lord Fabrizio Colonna. The book is constructed as a series of dialogues supposedly held during a summer afternoon spent in the Orti Oricellari gardens in Florence. The stated aim is “To honor and reward virtue, not to have ...

A Confession by Leo Tolstoy. Leo Tolstoy's "A Confession," written in 1882 shortly after a life-altering spiritual crisis, is a brutally sincere reflection on life, morality, and the nature of faith. Tolstoy describes in great detail the process by which he lost his faith in established Christian churches, the meaninglessness of wealth and fame, the agony of acute depression, and how he overcame misery and dread through personal study of the teachings of Jesus Christ. Along the way, he contrasts the artificial faith and arrogance of educated people with the genuine faith and humility of the ...

The Everlasting Man by G. K. Chesterton. This book needs a preliminary note that its scope be not misunderstood. The view suggested is historical rather than theological, and does not deal directly with a religious change which has been the chief event of my own life; and about which I am already writing a more purely controversial volume. It is impossible, I hope, for any Catholic to write any book on any subject, above all this subject, without showing that he is a Catholic; but this study is not specially concerned with the differences between a Catholic and a Protestant. Much of it is ...

Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin Abbott Abbott. Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions is an 1884 science fiction novella by the English schoolmaster Edwin Abbott Abbott. As a satire, Flatland offered pointed observations on the social hierarchy of Victorian culture. However, the novella's more enduring contribution is its examination of dimensions; in a foreword to one of the many publications of the novella, noted science writer Isaac Asimov described Flatland as "The best introduction one can find into the manner of perceiving dimensions." As such, the novella is still ...

Thoughts are Things by Prentice Mulford. Thought movement, published in 1889, that teaches how to use the power of thought to improve one's life, health, and happiness. It explains that individuals have two minds—a limited "mind of the body" and a higher "mind of the spirit"—and that by aligning with the spiritual mind, one can manifest positive changes through mental discipline, personal responsibility, and understanding the "law of attraction". The book argues that thoughts are real forces that shape our physical reality, a concept that became a cornerstone of self-help and ...

American Mafia. The American Mafia, commonly referred to in North America as the Italian-American Mafia, the Mafia, or the Mob, is a highly organized Italian American criminal society and organized crime group. The terms Italian Mafia and Italian Mob apply to these American-based organizations, as well as the separate yet related Sicilian Mafia or other organized crime groups in Italy, or ethnic Italian crime groups in other countries. These organizations are often referred to by its members as Cosa Nostra (Italian: 'Our Thing') and by the American government as La Cosa Nostra (LCN). The ...

Around the World in Seventy-Two Days by Nellie Bly. Around the World in Seventy-Two Days is the 1890 travel narrative by American journalist Nellie Bly (Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman) detailing her record-breaking journey around the globe, inspired by Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days. Published in book form after being serialized in the New York World, it chronicles her 24,899-mile trip, which she completed in 72 days, beating the fictional record and even meeting Verne in France. The book recounts her experiences with steamships, trains, and various cultures, from England and ...

Your Invisible Power by Genevieve Behrend. Genevieve Behrend was a teacher of Mental Science, a New Thought discipline created by Thomas Troward (1847- 1916). Your Invisible Power, published in 1921, is her first and most famous book. It is a guide to the use of visualization and other mental processes in life enhancement and the achievement of personal goals.