A Guardian Best Nature Book of the Year 2017The magic and mystery of the woods are embedded in British culture, from ancient folklore to modern literature. They offer us refuge: a place to play, a pla
Suppose our knowledge of the Quran began only recently with the discovery of mysterious scrolls in a desert cave. Suppose there was no Islamic history and no Muslim community to help us understand thi
An introduction to the past, present, and future of bio-warfare by an international security expert draws on a wealth of research to offer insight into such topics as Saddam Hussein's biological weapo
Little Tiger is not like other tigers. She is curious about the world and always questions everything, not content to simply follow in her mother's footsteps and spend her days hunting around their ho
Shariah law is one of the most controversial and politicized concepts in the Islamic world. Typically regarded with suspicion if not outright disdain in the West, it is a complex subject poorly unders
How are virtue ethics presented in Islamic writings? Focusing on two pre-modern scholarly traditions central to contemplating virtue – philosophy and Sufism – The Polished Mirror presents the thinkers
The 75th Anniversary EditionIn 1942, five young German students and one professor at the University of Munich crossed the threshold of toleration to enter the realms of resistance, danger and death. P
In this authoritative and readable study, Russell-Wood documents the experience of both slaves and freemen of color in colonial Brazil, charting their culture, social framework, and domestic lives.
A highly acclaimed introduction to the figure of Jesus from a Muslim perspective, this book illuminates the unity and division between the Islamic and Christian faiths.
Muslim pilgrims travel to a wide variety of places, not only the holy cities of Mecca and Karbala. Around the world there are countless sacred sites, including the graves of important historical and r
From the works of the Greek philosophers to the Postmodernist theories of Jacques Derrida and Richard Rorty, this authoritative survey encompasses over two thousand years of interaction between philos
Drawing on a wide variety of religious traditions, Cantwell Smith addresses how, why, and with what implications our understanding of the terms faith and belief has altered with time.
Contrary to popular opinion, the bulk of Islamic law does not come from the Qur'an but rather from hadith, first-hand reports of the prophet Muhammad's words and deeds, passed from generation to gener
Tang Shuxiu and her husband are on an 800-mile train journey from Beijing to Shifang, where they believe their only child has perished in a recent earthquake. Three days after the event, Tang is too d
By pairing a scholar of Islamic law with a scholar of Jewish law, a unique dynamic is created. This new perspective not only provides a deeper understanding of the other’s legal tradition, but it also
Francesca Caccini. Barbara Strozzi. Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre. Marianna Martines. Fanny Hensel. Clara Schumann. Lili Boulanger. Elizabeth Maconchy.Great composers all, but their musical legacy is
This comprehensive study explores the central role of prayer through the ages, from ancient indigenous prayer rituals to today's large-scale public worship.
The rich mystical tradition of the Near and Middle East is the fascinating subject of this wide-ranging study by Dr Margaret Smith, a renowned writer in this field. Her book explores the relationship
"The book, built on interviews with many participants, is well-reported and consistently heartbreaking.... a useful work of advocacy, calling attention to a terrible traffic in human misery.""-- Kirku
"The popular understanding of nutrition is clouded by superstitions, primitive intuitions, conspiracy theories, and old wives' tales. This irreverent and intelligent expose brings sanity and good sens
From Vietnam to Iraq, Martin Bell has seen how war has changed over the last fifty years. It is neither fought nor reported the way it used to be. Truth is degraded in the name of balance and good tas
This accessible text tackles the major issues challenging contemporary Christian belief to produce a controversial conception both of Christianity and of the wider religious life of humanity.
What is the nature of the Qur’an? It might seem a straightforward question, but there is no consensus among modern communities of the Qur’an, both Muslim and non-Muslim, upon the answer. And why shoul
No one will ever again die from smallpox. With the battle won against that ‘most terrible of the ministers of death’, an unprecedented humanitarian coalition has now turned its attention to polio, mal
On Easter Sunday, April 23, 1916, the members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood’s military council put their names to the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, declaring that they were the provi
A Guardian best history book of 2016Every family has its skeletons, but in 1823 the grand Wallop family was about to share theirs with the world. The 3rd earl of Portsmouth was a peculiar man but, by
Human Rights ? Equality ? Free Speech ? Privacy ? The Rule of LawThese five ideas are vitally important to the way of life we enjoy today. The battle to establish them in law was long and difficult, a
Religion and environmentalism are far more closely linked than one might think. It is an irrefutable fact that a healthy biosphere is a necessary precondition to any human activity, including religiou
A unique exploration of sex and religion, covering a wide range of issues from marriage and celibacy, passion and love, to veiling, mystical union, and symbolism.
For more than a century successive US and UK governments have sought to thwart nationalist, socialist and pro-democracy movements in the Middle East. Through the Cold War, the ‘War on Terror’ and the
Growing up in the Nairobi of the 90s, a seething boiling pot of racial tension and conflicting cultural taboos, Leena and Jai are raised to believe in a Kenya full of possibility and potential. But as
Euridice is young, bright and ambitious. A talented musician, she dreams only of fame and fortune. But this is Rio de Janeiro in the 1940s, and the one thing society expects of its women: to be loving
Jesus: A Beginner’s Guide introduces Jesus, the man and his enduring legacy. Separating fact from fiction, Professor Le Donne places Jesus within the context of first-century Judaism, and explores t
Shortlisted for the CWA New Blood Dagger Award"THE PICTURES is a compelling and dazzling debut for fans of Raymond Chandler and James Ellroy. Bolton's tightly paced mystery vividly re-creates 1930s Ho
Since Qaddafi's ousting in 2011, Libya has been beset by instability and conflict. To understand the tumultuous state of the country today, one must look to its past. With great clarity and precision,
In 2005, twenty-two years of civil war in Sudan were brought to an end by the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Negotiations between north and south had ended in compromise, however, and h
Halloween in Essex, and things are going well for the writers on the Mystery and Suspense course at old Ratchette Hall. Things however take a turn for the downright nasty when early on All Saints Day
A man drives alone along the vast, desolate roads of Patagonia, a mystical land. He comes across a starving and helpless teenager, who is now the prince grown older and returned to Earth. The two trav
The restaurant is crowded and noisy. The man sits by the window, watching the grey sky, bored, as he is every Monday morning. Suddenly he turns and she's there, standing in front of him. Years have pa
