Bøger udgivet af Empire Books

The dead citizens of Spoon River recite poems about their lives, their town, and their sorrows. Each poem is an epitaph, containing fragments of the town's history. Instantly successful upon its publication in 1915, "Spoon River Anthology" is an unconventional work that explores the gripping but often bleak truths about life in a small American town.

Mark Twain's humorous tale of a Connecticut factory supervisor being transported back in time to the days of Camelot is a classic example of the author's double-edged wit. Hank Morgan falls unconscious during an altercation in 19th century Connecticut, but awakens to the questioning of a knight curious to know his reason for trespassing in Camelot. Hank's advanced engineering knowledge allows him to rise to a high, but precarious, position in King Arthur's Court. As Twain uses his imaginative talents and engaging style to create a fantasy world to delight his audience, he simultaneously presents a sharply critical satire.

Joseph Conrad's classic tale Heart of Darkness has remained of vital import to Western literature thanks to Conrad's ability to weave a tapestry of symbolism within a masterfully written tale of adventure. Charles Marlow, the main character of the novel, unearths corruption in the Victorian era of colonization and searches for its causes in his Congo travels. Heart of Darkness urges the reader to explore the duality of light and darkness in all of its many forms, literal and allegorical, including those shadows that exist within each human heart.

First published in 1899, "The Story of Little Black Sambo" is a popular tale about a little boy using his wits to overcome danger.

When Sir Michael Audley sees the beautiful Lucy Graham, he instantly falls in love. He marries her although she is only a governess, and all goes well until his nephew, barrister Robert Audley, starts to suspect that Lucy is hiding a terrible secret. In a plot that unfolds around a case of "accidental bigamy," "Lady Audley's Secret" is one of the most successful sensation novels of all time.

One of the founders of the Boy Scouts of America, Beard provides a hand-on guide for building a variety of habitable structures in the wilderness and other difficult environments. Shelters, Shacks, and Shanties provides easy-to-follow instructions on building everything from tents to teepees to log cabins.

"True Vine: Meditations on a Month of John 15:1-16" is a collection of thirty-one devotionals. The devotional for each day offers a meditation on Christ's parable about the vine and the branches. Andrew Murray's readings of the gospel are incisive and offer profound insights into the relationship between Christ and man.

A. W. Tozer's conversion as a teenager was as sincere as it was complete, and preceded an inspired career in the ministry. His personal experiences and his depth of commitment to the Gospel informed his calling. Combined with his talent for the written word, Tozer's faith led to his collection of spiritual writings. The Pursuit of God is arguably one of his most moving works, detailing the process of building a more intimate relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

James Joyce's pivotal collection of fifteen short-stories is lovingly presented in this quality edition. Dubliners is a realistic and unique perspective on Irish middle-class life in the early 20th century, offering a depth of honesty and firsthand experience absent from the history books. Through these stories, Joyce explores much more than a historical representation of Irish life, however. His skill at transforming the human experience into narrative form gives the characters in these short tales a life that transcends their time and place.

Regarded by numerous critics as Forster's masterpiece, Howards End is a novel that explores the many intricacies of class relations in English society during the turn of the century. Centering around three families representing England's working class and wealthy elite, the novel weaves a complicated tapestry of misunderstandings, careless impulses, and, ultimately, tragedy. Like many of Foster's works, Howards End concerns the nature of class and social status and how they affect one's relationships and well-being, for better or for worse.

A seminal work in etiquette and personal relations, Emily Post's Etiquette pioneered many social networking concepts still popular today. Addressing a variety of topics ranging from how to conduct oneself when meeting strangers to how one should behave at formal dinners and engagements, Post offers a wide range of advice that still resonates in social circles today.

Jack London continues his exploration of the savagery inherent in men and beasts alike in this companion novel to his earlier The Call of the Wild. White Fang provides a complementary narrative of a wild wolf-dog's ability to adapt to a domesticated existence. London's descriptions of the mindless brutality of nature are overshadowed only by his vivid depictions of the conscious brutality of human beings. White Fang explores the multitude of reasons that human beings might choose to justify their brutality and the redemption possible when they do not.

Written in the 12th century, Moses Maimonides' "Guide for the Perplexed" was a long letter to one of his rabbinical students discussing a variety of philosophical matters concerning theology. In part, the text seeks to clarify some of the contradictions between the literal meaning of the Torah and its philosophical explications. A strong influence on philosophical discourse since its publication, the text continues to interest contemporary philosophers and theologians.

Sparked by Thoreau's outrage at American slavery and the American-Mexican war, Civil Disobedience is a call for every citizen to value his conscience above his government. Within this 19th century essay, Thoreau explains government of any sort - including democracy - does not possess more wisdom or justice than its individual citizens, and that it is every citizen's responsibility to avoid acquiescence. More than an essay, Civil Disobedience is a call to action for all citizens to refuse to participate in, or encourage in any way, an unjust institution.

"The Science of Fingerprints: Classification and Uses" is a handbook compiled by the FBI. A practical manual, it details techniques for taking, classifying, and analyzing fingerprints. These are the law-enforcement tools used to identify criminals, missing persons, and others.

This is Bly's truly disturbing account (and expose) of a mental asylum to which Bly was committed after feigning insanity. Including graphic depictions as to the treatment of mental patients and their unsanitary surroundings, Bly's controversial 1887 expose reveals the scandal and brutality of mental health in the nineteenth century and the ease with which professionals were prepared to accept and treat mental "disorders".

A book of essays by G. K. Chesterton, this selection contains sardonically-titled pieces such as "The Romance of Thrift" and "The Empire of the Insect." Of it, Chesterton writes (in the dedication), "this book is what is wrong and no mistake." In fact his book is a witty and incisive conservative analysis of the culture of his time.

Dreams have a meaning. Once we learn how to interpret them, we can begin to decipher their meaning. In "Dream Psychology", published in 1920, Freud demonstrates how the interpretation of dreams can illuminate the desires of the unconscious.

In 1831, naturalist and geologist Charles Darwin joined the Beagle expedition to Tierra del Fuego. What he observed when he got to the new world would eventually lead him to formulate his theory of natural selection. Published in 1859, "On the Origin of the Species" is the controversial classic that revolutionized natural science and altered our understanding of the world.

Man's moral nature is influenced by sentiment and sympathy. The human ability to sympathize forms the psychological basis of man's desire to adhere to natural moral laws. Adam Smith explores ideas about individual freedom and self-interest, conscience and virtue, and a classic work of moral philosophy that remains relevant.

This volume collects four of Freud's most stimulating essays: "The Horror of Incest", "Taboo and Emotional Ambivalence", "Animism, Magic and the Omnipotence of Thoughts", and "The Return of Totemism in Childhood". With these essays, Freud applies his psychoanalytic method to various objects of study, including the incest taboo and ancient art. With several implications for the fields of anthropology and religious studies, this Freud collection remains a diverse and fascinating read.

"Leviathan" is a work of political philosophy. Written by Thomas Hobbes during a time of civil war, it argues that sovereign rule is the most stable form of government. An early proponent of social contract theory, Hobbes' observations regarding the dangers of unrestrained individual freedom have influenced generations of thinkers.

Perhaps the most influential political work of all time, this slim volume penned by Marx and Engels in 1848 remains a relevant description of the tensions which continue to define the social classes. The Communist Manifesto goes forward to describe the Communist Party as envisioned by the Communist League, which commissioned the work. Boldly stating that the history of human civilization itself is the history of class struggle, this ambitious text presents an incisive cross-section of society and a manifesto for its transformation.

From the spiritual to the economic, Emerson's Self-Reliance details the various aspects of a man's ability to rely on himself for survival. This 19th century essay resolutely supports Emerson's life-long belief in individualism and encourages mankind to pass over practices like conformity and false consistency for following intuition and instincts instead. Rather than promoting ideas of anti-society, Emerson asserts self-reliance is a starting point for a more efficient society, and not an end goal.

Teaism has shaped all aspects of Japanese life. The simplicity of tea infuses Japanese architecture and art, as well as its spiritual institutions. Okakura Kakuzo's book-length essay about tea and its role in Japanese culture was written in English and intended for the Western reader.

The author wrote this book in 1982 to give his students a training manual to supplement their pursuit of the martial arts. This book served as a prototype for his training manuals which go from Orange Belt to 10th Degree Black Belt. It is a progression which builds from one level to the next. This revised edition of Sam Pai Kenpo is being released for historical purposes. Our system has gone through many revisions since I began in February 1966. When I started, there were no names for the self-defense techniques. The instructor just had to call out a right punch or push, and the student at that level would respond with the appropriate technique.This book follows the class protocol step by step, so it will feel like you are attending an actual class in the Dojo. Of course, a book can only take you so far and you are encouraged to find a qualified Kenpo instructor and attend their school for further instruction.

"SPIRIT TRAINING" is the sum of essential components of karate-do that direct the intensity and implementation of all physical activity. The calm, disciplined, everyday-spirit outlined in the Dojo Kun and 20 Precepts of Master Gichin Funakoshi, is meshed with the ever-aware, split- second, explosive, subconscious-directed actions that would nullify even the most ferocious animal. There is the peaceful spirit of disposition and conviction that Funakoshi stressed as the essence and necessity true karate-do. And there is Musashi's "void," the highest stage of karate-do described by Masatoshi Nakayama, where accumulated training is internalized to the extent that the martial artist can react with perfection, with no prior indication of danger, at any time or place. What all have in common is the dedicated and disciplined daily study of our conscious thought streams and subconscious mind, coupled with "internalized" karate skills... Or, the sum could be described as "Spirit Training." Webster's defines "spirit" as the "life-giving force," or the "animating component, or stimulant." All of that is inseparable from karate-do. I have always encouraged my students to make karate become part of their lifestyle. The "karate lifestyle" can support a healthy, disciplined, inquisitive and well-adjusted human being. It combines the strengths of character from traditional karate-ethics updated with the preparations for the rapidly growing complexities of today's demands and challenges. Karate Spirit-Training supports strengths and fortifies weakness, stimulates growth and motivates. It is never old fashioned. In fact, its traditional elements are more usable, valuable, and relevant than ever. Used as a character-building, health and fitness, dependable source of positive energy and attitude development, it is incredibly empowering. If you are a good karate teacher, you are a lifelong learner; always the "beginner's mind." Spirit training is about learning the tangible and the intangible. The top of the iceberg is obvious, but the true strength of what we see lies beneath. That is where we can always look for more to make sense of what we think we see. Our insights and studies here are rather comprehensive, very meaningful and quite powerful. Like all martial art studies, we look wide and deep. We learn from everyone, everything, and every experience. This book reflects that empowering process. It is meant to be an insightful lens of all that is easily over-looked, and to see what is too often missed.

Shorin Ryu is one of the world's major Karate styles. Created and developed by Okinawan masters, this style mixes the traditions and experiences of the ancient art with a modern approach to self-defense. In this work, Master Ota shows key traditional kata and bunkai. Some of the traditional Shorin Ryu forms illustrated in this essential book have never been analyzed this way before. This work is more than a how-to manual; it explores the history and philosophy behind this dynamic and practical method of Karate-do. Containing hundreds of photo illustrations that show the forms step-by-step, this book will be a valuable reference for anyone seeking to learn and understand not only the principles and techniques of Shorin Ryu but also the cultural essence of Okinawan Karate.