Bøger udgivet af Prometheus Books UK

Emotional vampires are individuals we deal with in daily life who leave us feeling normally angry, confused, upset, or fatigued. These manipulative psychological leeches may be total strangers or our best friends, co-workers or family members. By controlling situations and people for their own purposes they prey upon their victims with the deliberate aim of stealing emotional energy - just like mythical vampires. Many of these predators know exactly how much frustration, anger, and anxiety they inflict, while others carry on virtually unaware of the damage they cause, and victims are many times unaware that they are being bled. These vampire attacks may be one-time interactions or they could go on for years. They can range from just being emotionally troublesome to threatening the careers, mental health, and even the lives of their victims. This work identifies and classifies emotional predators, exposes the methods they use, describes the collective "vampirism" of groups, and offers ways to combat the effects of an emotional attack.

A study of the historical genesis and present-day persistence of antisexualism in American healthcare and social/legal policy.

Possibly the best authoritative work on the world's mysteries. From fire walking to the prophesies of Nostradamus, this new book pares the fiction from many popular theories, and urges us to educate ourselves through critical inquiry. Jeane Dixon claims she predicted the assassination of President Kennedy, and to millions this prediction gives her the credibility to be a top psychic. Yet the media and Dixon's devoted followers dare not question, or even recognize, the many failed predictions she has offered over the years. Nostradamus is so well-known today that many people actually fear the date he predicted for World War III. Yet when his "prophecies" do not come true, the fiction-hungry media and public turn a blind eye. Bizarre Beliefs spans the globe in search of rational and factual explanations for UFO claims, alien abductions, the Bermuda Triangle, crop circles, evidence of a living Elvis Presley, fortune tellers, Nostradamus's writings, spiritualism, astrology, graphology, fire walking, biorhythms, hypnosis, divining, ghosts, the curse of Tutankhamun, the Loch Ness monster, and "shocking" coincidences. This fascinating book of investigative enquiry questions our ability to believe the outrageously unbelievable, and discloses the gullibility of the human mind, which discounts reason for the romance of the absurd. An amusing, informative, and outstandingly well-written account of the world of weird.

The main purpose of this booklet is twofold: to help Humanists who are thinking of becoming officiants on a regular basis; and to help families and friends who are faced with the need to organize a ceremony themselves at short notice. A third group who may find parts of it useful are funeral directors coping with funerals where there is no officiant and the family has no wish to play an active role.The booklet aims to set out clearly the basic format of a Humanist ceremony, to suggest possible readings and turns of phrase, and to state simply the various practical measures that need to be taken. In short, it is a straightforward working manual. "[It was] the first funeral I had attended where I felt comfortable, and comfortedby the words spoken."" . . . it gave me a sense of great peace.""To hear others publicly proclaim their love, respect and admiration for myhusband made the funeral an uplifting experience. Afterwards so many who hadattended told me that it was the most interesting, most moving, most relevantand best funeral that they had ever been to. Their remarks gave me a greatdeal of comfort and I knew that I had treated my husband's atheism with therespect and dignity that it deserved.""A large number of those present, from a wide range of beliefs and backgrounds,later expressed what we can only call enthusiasm for an experience that wasnew to them, and in many cases compared very favourable with the often awkwardand impersonal alternatives with which they were familiar.""Bearing in mind that this is a form of ceremony which has not yet gained wideacceptance, we consider ourselves fortunate . . . to have received such expert andpersonal attention."

A single source for an incredible amount of book and author information. While this is a "how to" for book collectors, it is also intended for people who love books and would like to know more about the books, authors, and reading genres they most enjoy. The Handbook presents enough factual data for all would-be collectors to make knowledgeable choices: pseudonyms and true names (cross-indexed), collectible volumes and their values by category, a compendium of book-related services, and much more. A browser's delight!

Designed to help couples achieve a more enjoyable relationship and a better sex life, this comprehensive, constructive guide addresses every aspect of lovemaking and human sexuality. Based on their wide experience of helping couples to achieve more enjoyable personal relationships and a better sex life, the authors detail self-help treatments for the most common sex problems. They offer advice not only to couples starting out on a relationship but also to those who have been together for a lifetime.

This lively introduction to the major questions of philosophy is indispensable for instructors seeking a text that explains the basic problems in clear and non-technical language. In addition to addressing the crucial question: "What is philosophy?" this book concentrates on topics most likely to be of immediate interest to the beginning student. Questions of ethics, skepticism and the external world, epistemology, the nature of God, free will and determinism, and political philosophy are discussed in detail. This original book also includes critical analyses of such thinkers as Plato, Descartes, Hume, Pascal, Marx, and Locke, among others. A valuable text, ideal by itself or for augmenting any anthology.

The Bible, undoubtedly the most widely read book of the Western world, has outsold every other book in the history of publishing. Despite its popularity and cultural importance as the foundation of Christianity and Judaism, few people have more than superficial knowledge of the actual contents of the Scriptures. In What is the Bible? Carl Lofmark clearly and succinctly synopsizes the basics of biblical scholarship and criticism. Designed for the reader with little or no prior knowledge of the subject, Lofmark's approachable, well-organized presentation cuts through the complexities of biblical exegesis and rationalist critiques, and outlines the basic structure, history, and inherent theological controversies of the Bible. The first half of Lofmark's discussion summarizes the essential facts of biblical scholarship: how and when the various books of the Bible were compiled, a brief history of scriptural translations, the evolving understanding of the Bible's original languages, and how the various editions we know today were developed and codified across two millennia. The second half delves into major critiques of the Bible as an authoritative guide for living: its self-contradictions, its mixture of fact and fiction, the questionable and even deplorable morality of many biblical passages, the intellectual difficulties of literal or symbolic interpretation, and its inadequacy as a foundation for modern ethics. As an introduction to an important and often controversial subject, What is the Bible? will be useful to believers and skeptics alike.

Does an ancient monster lurk in the depths of Scotland's Loch Ness? Is this creature the last living dinosaur? What secrets does the mysterious loch hold?For centuries, an international eye has been focused on Loch Ness and the belief that a creature, "Nessie," lives deep within the isolated body of cold green water. The Loch Ness Monster: The Evidence is the final word on this mystery; a compact but comprehensive review of the principal evidence for the existence of an unknown creature (or creatures) in Loch Ness.Beginning with an explanation of the origin of belief in the monster, and the myths and deception surrounding the story, this volume surveys the eyewitness evidence, reviews the most notorious reports, as well as photos and instrumental evidence. Steuart Campbell, a scientific skeptic, exposes the falsehoods behind each alleged sighting, explores every new shred of evidence, and discusses the sonar work of the U.S. Academy of Applied Science's exploration. Included is commentary on other such nautical mysteries and sightings in other seas of the world.The definitive work on the subject, The Loch Ness Monster is a must read for monster buffs and others who've always wanted to know the truth about Loch Ness.

Uncovering the Past is an absorbing history of archaeology that traces the study of ancient material culture from its beginnings as a hobby for Renaissance scholars to the sophisticated modern discipline we know today. Professor William Stiebing devotes the first part of his chronicle to the exploits of the colorful, dynamic excavators of archaeology's "Heroic Age." One may wonder whether the adventures of Indiana Jones are really far-fetched after reading Steibing's account of Giovanni Belzoni's removal of the seven-ton colossus of Ramesses II, which was dragged by wooden platform and transported by boat from Egypt to London; or of clergyman John Peters' skirmish with Arab tribesmen, who surrounded his excavation site and finally pillaged and burned his camp; or of Heinrich Schliemann's quest to prove the authenticity of Homer's Iliad by searching for ancient Troy in Turkey.The second part of the book shifts the focus to modern archaeology, describing how new methodologies and techniques such as area surveys, statistics, carbon-14 dating, and computer visualization are turning the former pastime of dillettnates into a rigorous science.Uncovering the Past is an excellent introduction to archaeology, both for those who enjoy its romance and those who seek an accurate survey of its history and current status.

This captivating book affirms a child's ability to think, to seek information, and to question "why?"Children should be given information, not dogma, and tools for critical thought, not holy books, asserts Dan Barker. Maybe Right, Maybe Wrong teaches children important humanistic ideas. Andrea, the book's main character, distinguishes between rules and principles, finds that there is not always a "right" thing to do, and realizes that sometimes the "right" thing is to choose the lesser "wrong." Her most important insight: Regardless of one's own beliefs, you should respect everybody's human rights. Through Andrea, Barker painlessly teaches "situation ethics" to children.Maybe Right, Maybe Wrong doesn't speak down to kids, but uses simple language and fun illustrations to make a tough topic understandable.

First published in French, Marx's The Poverty of Philosophy (1847) was composed during his years in Brussels, when he was developing his economic views and, through confrontations with the chief leaders of the working-class movement, establishing his intellectual standing.In this classic work, which laid the foundation of ideas later developed in Capital, Marx polemicized against then premier French socialist, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon. Proudhon wanted to unite the best features of such contraries as competition and monopoly. He hoped to save the good features of economic institutions while eliminating the bad. Marx, however, declared that no equilibrium was possible between the antagonisms in any given economic system. Social structures were transient historical forms determined by the productive forces: "The handmill gives you society with the feudal lord; the stream mill, society with the industrial capitalist."

Palmists, astrologists, and readers of tarot cards or crystal balls claim to help solve personal problems. Mediums claim to aid communication with deceased friends and relatives. Faith healers and psychic surgeons claim to cure physical illness. Psychic detectives offer advice to law enforcement agencies in hope of solving crimes. Other claimants operate in religious organizations using their alleged ability to help attract new followers or maintain the loyalty of present ones. Is all of this just innocent fun, real help, or can psychics actually harm individuals with their claims?Deception & Self-Deception outlines many of the techniques that can be used to fake psychic ability and describes ways in which these can be countered during an investigation. Richard Wiseman examines the general principles of deception and how these principles may be used to deceive. He also gives an account of the reliability of testimony related to the performance of alleged psychics and seances.