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The Wisdom of Thomas Jefferson
by Philosophical LibraryA fascinating look inside the mind of an American Renaissance man Statesman. Diplomat. Politician. Scholar. Inventor. Architect. President. Few men exemplify the Enlightenment ideal more than Thomas Jefferson. In this comprehensive collection of quotations from Thomas Jefferson's letters, official communications, and other writings, the dynamic personality and insatiable curiosity of this brilliant man jump off the page and draw us into the young country he so greatly influenced. Whether writing about the right to freedom or the future of Native Americans, the westward expansion or the political climate in France, his personal impressions of historical luminaries or his architectural preferences, his financial troubles or his feelings about religious freedom, Jefferson's convictions are brilliantly explained and often ahead of their time. With seventeen chapters arranged chronologically to highlight the evolution of his thought, as well as a timeline and a cross-section of his finest works, The Wisdom of Thomas Jefferson paints a detailed and revealing portrait of this great man.
The Wisdom of Thoreau (Wisdom)
by The Wisdom SeriesA collection of wise words on solitude, simplicity, nature, and life at Walden from the leader of the transcendentalist movement. In excerpts collected here from his most important works, Henry David Thoreau documents his experiences in nature and the wisdom he finds in his explorations of sound, reading, solitude, and other aspects of leading a simple life at Walden. A fearless individualist, Thoreau explored not only poetic naturalism but also a number of ideas that were groundbreaking for his day, including civil disobedience and environmentalism. This introduction to one of America&’s great thinkers shows that as an essayist and poet-philosopher Thoreau remains a relevant voice in the never-ending quest of man to understand his place in the natural terrain.
The Wisdom of Tuscany: Simplicity, Security & the Good Life
by Ferenc MátéWith our world so storm-tossed and rudderless, this might just be the book for our times. Sun-drenched Tuscany is synonymous with the ideal life. But it didn't happen by chance. Since the Etruscans, the Tuscans have treated their breathtaking countryside with sagacious respect and, in hamlets and hill towns, have built a culture of simplicity, beauty, neighborliness, good food, and a love of daily life. Ferenc Máté, a Tuscan resident for twenty years, explores this idyllic existence. He finds Tuscans brimming with creative practicality, down-home humor, and relentless optimism. Blended with their passion for work and independence, they have achieved a haven of economic stability, physical and emotional security, and a fortifying sense of belonging. From their organic gardens to their mouthwatering cuisine, from high-quality, craftsmen-made products and family-run businesses to the joys centered in human contact, Tuscans live a healthy, emotionally rich life. Máté--engaging, funny, and insightful--shows us how to live like Tuscans.
The Wisdom of W.E.B. Du Bois
by AberjhaniThe men and women who shaped our world—in their own words. The Wisdom Library invites you on a journey through the lives and works of the world’s greatest thinkers and leaders. Compiled by scholars, this series presents excerpts from the most important and revealing writings of the most remarkable minds of all time. THE WISDOM OF W.E.B. DU BOIS “Throughout history, the powers of single blacks flash here and there like falling stars, and die sometimes before the world has rightly gauged their brightness.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., wrote of W.E.B. Du Bois, “History cannot ignore [him] because history has to reflect truth, and Dr. Du Bois was a tireless explorer and a gifted discoverer of social truths. His singular greatness lay in his quest for truth about his own people.” Du Bois was the first African-American to receive a Ph.D. from Harvard (1896). A brilliant writer and speaker, he was the outstanding African-American intellectual of his time. His lifelong active struggle for racial equality and civil rights resulted in the founding of both the Niagara Movement and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). As editor of the NAACP’s magazine, The Crisis, Du Bois presented the literary genius of many of the Harlem Renaissance’s most compelling voices; and his own works—the sociological study The Philadelphia Negro and his famous 1903 treatise, The Souls of Black Folk—eloquently delineated the African-American struggle for identity in America. During his lifetime, Du Bois was a powerful force in academia, literature, civil rights, and the peace movement. Using excerpts from his many books as well as from articles, essays, poems, letters, and speeches, The Wisdom of W.E.B. Du Bois provides a telling portrait of the man and his groundbreaking ideas. It is a tribute to a voice that would not be silenced and to a pioneer who, in his passion for justice movingly declared, “the cost of liberty is less than the price of repression.”
The Wisdom of William Shakespeare
by Philosophical LibraryHundreds of ideas and quotations from the pillar of Western literature The playwright Ben Jonson said William Shakespeare was not "of an age but for all time." The most influential and oft-quoted figure in English literature, Shakespeare reveals an uncanny understanding of human behavior, and he imparts his wisdom through the varied voices of his characters. His thoughts on love, friendship, power, politics, injustice, education, humanity, life, death, and grief, here organized by subject, collectively demonstrate that no writer before or since has captured so well the motivations that drive our behavior. In this invaluable collection, scholars and enthusiasts alike will find an easy-to-use and comprehensive guide to the Bard of Avon.
The Wisdom of Wolves: How Wolves Can Teach Us To Be More Human
by Elli H. Radinger'ENCHANTING' MAIL ON SUNDAY They care for their elderly, play with their kids, and always put family first. Can we all learn something from the wisdom of wolves? In this unforgettable book, wolf expert and naturalist Elli Radinger draws on her 25 years of first-hand experience among the wolves of Yellowstone National Park to tell us their remarkable stories. __________ Wolves are more human than we ever knew . . . In fact, they can teach us how to be better humans. They play, love, care for others, show compassion, die of broken hearts, pine for home, work in teams, are endlessly patient and leaders know when to defer to followers. In The Wisdom of Wolves naturalist Elli Radinger takes us on a journey into the heart of the wolf pack, revealing what they can teach us about family, cooperation, survival, leadership, commitment and how to enjoy what life gives us. No other book will bring you closer to discovering the truth about wolves - and ourselves. 'This book is the result of her two decades of close observation; part impassioned memoir, part natural history study, and part photo gallery. Her access to her subjects is extraordinary' SUNDAY TIMES'Elli's bestselling book suggests that in a high-tech age, when so many of us have become alienated from nature, wolves have much to teach us about the art of living well' DAILY MAIL'Through The Wisdom of Wolves, we get to feel that little bit closer to the pack and discover what we may have in common' BBC WILDLIFE
The Wisdom of Wolves: Lessons From the Sawtooth Pack
by Jamie Dutcher Jim DutcherFrom the world-famous couple who lived alongside a three-generation wolf pack, this book of inspiration, drawn from the wild, will fascinate animal and nature lovers alike.For six years Jim and Jamie Dutcher lived intimately with a pack of wolves, gaining their trust as no one has before. In this book the Dutchers reflect on the virtues they observed in wolf society and behavior. Each chapter exemplifies a principle, such as kindness, teamwork, playfulness, respect, curiosity, and compassion. Their heartfelt stories combine into a thought-provoking meditation on the values shared between the human and the animal world. Occasional photographs bring the wolves and their behaviors into absorbing focus.
The Wisdom of the Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy)
by Admiral William H. McRavenTHE INSTANT #1 New York Times BESTSELLER From the acclaimed, bestselling author of Make Your Bed—a short, inspirational book of advice and leadership lessons that Admiral McRaven collected over his four decades as a Navy SEAL. The title &“Bullfrog&” is given to the Navy SEAL who has served the longest on active duty. Admiral McRaven was honored to receive this honor in 2011 when he took charge of the United States Special Operations Command. When McRaven retired in 2014, he had 37 years as a Navy SEAL under his belt, leading men and women at every level of the special operations community. In the ensuing four years, he served as Chancellor to the entire University of Texas System, with its 230,000 students and 100,000 faculty and health care workers. During those four decades, Admiral McRaven dealt with every conceivable leadership challenge, from commanding combat operations—including the capture of Saddam Hussein, the rescue of Captain Phillips, and the raid for Osama bin Laden. THE WISDOM OF THE BULLFROG draws on these and countless other experiences from Admiral McRaven&’s incredible life, including crisis situations, management debates, organizational transitions, and ethical dilemmas, to provide readers with the most important leadership lessons he has learned over the course of his forty years of service. Each chapter provides a Make Your Bed-like parable, rich with insights like those featured in his bestselling memoir, Sea Stories, about the specific leadership traits required to be at the top of your game, including: Who Dares, Wins Run to the Sound of the Guns No Plan Survives First Contact with the Enemy THE WISDOM OF THE BULLFROG is Admiral McRaven&’s clear-eyed treatise on the leadership qualities that separate the good from the truly great.
The Wisdom of the Heart
by Henry MillerAn essential collection of writings, bursting with Henry Miller’s exhilarating candor and wisdom In this selection of stories and essays, Henry Miller elucidates, revels, and soars, showing his command over a wide range of moods, styles, and subject matters. Writing “from the heart,” always with a refreshing lack of reticence, Miller involves the reader directly in his thoughts and feelings. “His real aim,” Karl Shapiro has written, “is to find the living core of our world whenever it survives and in whatever manifestation, in art, in literature, in human behavior itself. It is then that he sings, praises, and shouts at the top of his lungs with the uncontainable hilarity he is famous for.” Here are some of Henry Miller’s best-known writings: an essay on the photographer Brassai; “Reflections on Writing,” in which Miller examines his own position as a writer; “Seraphita” and “Balzac and His Double,” on the works of other writers; and “The Alcoholic Veteran,” “Creative Death,” “The Enormous Womb,” and “The Philosopher Who Philosophizes.”
The Wisdom of the Radish: And Other Lessons Learned on a Small Farm
by Lynda BrowningWho knew that the hot career choice for recent college grads would be farming? Lynda Hopkins, a farmer's girlfriend, took her master's degree in environmental science communication and planted kale, radishes, and tomatoes on a small farm in Northern California to earn a living (sort of). What at first sounds pastoral and idyllic soon becomes a series of challenges as the realities of what it takes to run a farm come to light. From making the classic neophyte agronomist error of getting emotionally involved with her chickens to ruminating on the value of radishes, Hopkins's retelling of life on a farm in the modern age is engaging, even gripping. Through it all, Hopkins cultivates a sense of belonging, and with a lot of hard work and a little luck, she becomes quite a bit more than just a farmer's girlfriend.
The Wisdom of the Saints
by Suzanne CloresThe Philosophical Library presents the most important thinkers through the ages and their most influential writings THE WISDOM OF THE SAINTS “There is more value in a little study of humility and in a single act of it than in all the knowledge of the world.” —Saint Teresa of Avila The saints’ lives represent the divine will on earth, and their words offer hope when we are uncertain, security when we feel unsafe, and wisdom when we need it most. Here on these pages is a treasury of inspirational guidance on such diverse subjects as work, love, money, fear, indecision, peace, freedom, compassion, politics, health, and more. Drawn from the traditions of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, The Wisdom of the Saints offers enlightenment that transcends all boundaries—hope that speaks to all of us, no matter what faith we follow. “The most deadly poison of our times is indifference.” –Saint Maximilian Kolbe
The Wise Hours: A Journey Into The Wild And Secret World Of Owls
by Miriam DarlingtonPeople Pick of the Week “Unfailingly precise and lovingly poetic. . . . Nature writing of the first order.” —The Wall Street Journal “A beautiful book; wise and sharp-eared as its subject.” —Robert Macfarlane One minute I was sipping my tea by the window. There was nothing but the palest edge of grey light and a wisp of steam from my cup—and then a shadow swooped out of the air. With the lightest of scratches, as if the dawn light was solidifying into life, there it was, perched like an exclamation mark on the balcony: an owl, come to my home. Owls have existed for over sixty million years, and in the relatively short time we have shared the planet with these majestic birds they have ignited the human imagination. But even as owls continue to captivate our collective consciousness, celebrated British nature writer Miriam Darlington finds herself struck by all she doesn’t know about the true nature of these enigmatic creatures. Darlington begins her fieldwork in the British Isles with her teenage son, Benji. As her avian fascination grows, she travels to France, Serbia, Spain, Finland, and the frosted Lapland borders of the Arctic for rare encounters with the Barn Owl, Tawny Owl, Long-eared Owl, Pygmy Owl, Snowy Owl, and more. But when her son develops a mysterious illness, her quest to understand the elusive nature of owls becomes entangled with her search for finding a cure. In The Wise Hours, Darlington watches and listens to the natural world and to the rhythms of her home and family, inviting readers to discover the wonders of owls alongside her while rewilding our imagination with the mystery, fragility, and magnificence of all creatures.
The Wise King: A Christian Prince, Muslim Spain, and the Birth of the Renaissance
by Simon R. Doubleday"If I had been present at the Creation,” the thirteenth-century Spanish philosopher-king Alfonso X is said to have stated, "Many faults in the universe would have been avoided. ” Known as El Sabio, "the Wise,” Alfonso was renowned by friends and enemies alike for his sparkling intellect and extraordinary cultural achievements. In The Wise King, celebrated historian Simon R. Doubleday traces the story of the king’s life and times, leading us deep into his emotional world and showing how his intense admiration for Spain’s rich Islamic culture paved the way for the European Renaissance. In 1252, when Alfonso replaced his more militaristic father on the throne of Castile and León, the battle to reconquer Muslim territory on the Iberian Peninsula was raging fiercely. But even as he led his Christian soldiers onto the battlefield, Alfonso was seduced by the glories of Muslim Spain. His engagement with the Arabic-speaking culture of the South shaped his pursuit of astronomy, for which he was famed for centuries, and his profoundly humane vision of the world, which Dante, Petrarch, and later Italian humanists would inherit. A composer of lyric verses, and patron of works on board games, hunting, and the properties of stones, Alfonso is best known today for his Cantigas de Santa María (Songs of Holy Mary), which offer a remarkable window onto his world. His ongoing struggles as a king and as a man were distilled--in art, music, literature, and architecture--into something sublime that speaks to us powerfully across the centuries. An intimate biography of the Spanish ruler in whom two cultures converged, The Wise King introduces readers to a Renaissance man before his time, whose creative energy in the face of personal turmoil and existential threats to his kingdom would transform the course of Western history.
The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made
by Evan Thomas Walter IsaacsonWith a new introduction by the authors, this is the classic account of the American statesmen who rebuilt the world after the catastrophe of World War II.A captivating blend of personal biography and public drama, The Wise Men introduces six close friends who shaped the role their country would play in the dangerous years following World War II. They were the original best and brightest, whose towering intellects, outsize personalities, and dramatic actions would bring order to the postwar chaos and leave a legacy that dominates American policy to this day. The Wise Men shares the stories of Averell Harriman, the freewheeling diplomat and Roosevelt&’s special envoy to Churchill and Stalin; Dean Acheson, the secretary of state who was more responsible for the Truman Doctrine than Truman and for the Marshall Plan than General Marshall; George Kennan, self-cast outsider and intellectual darling of the Washington elite; Robert Lovett, assistant secretary of war, undersecretary of state, and secretary of defense throughout the formative years of the Cold War; John McCloy, one of the nation&’s most influential private citizens; and Charles Bohlen, adroit diplomat and ambassador to the Soviet Union.
The Wisest Fool: The Lavish Life of James VI and I
by Steven VeerapenIn this new biography, the story of James VI and I is laid bare, and a welter of scurrilous assumptions penned by his political opponents put to rest. James VI and I has long endured a mixed reputation. To many, he is the homosexual king, the inveterate witch-roaster, the smelly sovereign who never washed, the colourless man behind the authorised Bible bearing his name, the drooling fool whose speech could barely be understood. For too long, he has paled in comparison to his more celebrated – and analysed – Tudor and Stuart forebears. But who was he really? To what extent have myth, anecdote, and rumour obscured him? In this new biography, James’s story is laid bare, and a welter of scurrilous, outrageous assumptions penned by his political opponents put to rest. What emerges is a portrait of James VI and I as his contemporaries knew him: a gregarious, idealistic man obsessed with the idea of family, whose personal and political goals could never match up to reality. With reference to letters, libels and state papers, it casts fresh light on the personal, domestic, international, and sexual politics of this misunderstood sovereign.
The Wishing Year
by Noelle OxenhandlerA real-life The Secret with a strong dash of Eat Pray Love and Salvation Creek, The Wishing Year will touch anyone who has ever made a wish . . . The Wishing Year is a captivating memoir of one woman's courageous year-long journey to make her most fervent wishes come true. Taking stock of her life one New Year's Day, Noelle Oxenhandler found it sadly wanting. And so, stifling her doubts, she brazenly launched three wishes into the universe: for a new love, a healed soul and a place to call home. So begins both a journey of self-discovery and a mystical exploration of the quintessentially human art of wishing - from primeval magic to contemporary belief in the 'law of attraction'. Ultimately, as Oxenhandler's wishes start to come true, she discovers both the power of wishing and the truth behind the cautionary adage 'Be careful what you wish for'. Delightfully candid, insightful and ripe with promise, The Wishing Year will inspire even the most sceptical reader to wish upon a star.
The Wit In The Dungeon: The Life of Leigh Hunt
by Anthony HoldenHe was born in the year Dr Johnson died, and died in the year A.E. Houseman and Conan Doyle were born. The 75 years of Leigh Hunt's life uniquely span two distinct eras of English life and literature. A major player in the Romantic movement, the intimate and first publisher of Keats and Shelley, friend of Byron, Hazlitt and Lamb, Hunt lived on to become an elder statesman of Victorianism, the friend and chamption of Tennyson and Dickens, awarded a sate pension by Queen Victoria. Jailed in his twenties for insulting the Prince of Wales, Hunt ended his long, productive life vainly seeking the Poet Laureatship with fawning poems to Victoria. A tirelessly prolific poet, essayist, editor and critic, he has been described as having no rival in the history of English criticism. Yet Hunt's remarkable life story has never been fully told.Anthony Holden's deeply researched and vibrantly written biography gives full due to this minor poet - but major influence on his great Romantic contempories.
The Wit and Wisdom of Ted Kennedy
by Bill AdlerThe mantras and political philosophies of Ted Kennedy, collected by the editor of the New York Times best-selling The Kennedy WitA collection of quotations and philosophies from Ted Kennedy, grouped thematically in categories ("Words of Inspiration," "On the Kennedy Family and its Legacy," "Personal Reflections," "On Religion and Public Life," "Lighter Movements"). Each section includes a brief introduction by the editor to set off the group quotes, which range from charming one-liners to Kennedy's letter to Pope Benedict that President Obama hand-delivered to the Vatican in July 2009.
The Wit and Wisdom of Yogi Berra
by Phil PepeA collection of quotes, anecdotes, and malaprops from one of baseball&’s wisest and wittiest personalities. New York Times–bestselling author Phil Pepe takes readers along on Yogi Berra&’s journey from St. Louis to New York&’s Yankee Stadium, including all the stops along the way—from his days as a tack-puller in a women&’s shoe factory, to a pre-game tribute in St. Louis, when he coined the phrase, &“I want to thank all those that made this night necessary,&” to his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Pepe explores Yogi Berra as a boy, player, hero, coach, manager, husband, father, and jokester, including all of the &“Yogi-isms,&” in an absorbing treatment that is simultaneously comical, thoughtful, and biographical. Famous Yogi-isms: - About a popular restaurant: &“Nobody goes there anymore. It&’s too crowded.&” - On Little League Baseball: &“I think it&’s wonderful. It keeps the kids out of the house.&” - On why the Yankees lost the 1960 World Series: &“We made too many wrong mistakes.&”
The Wit of Cricket: Classic Collection
by Barry JohnstonThis bumper collection of the funniest anecdotes, jokes and stories from cricket's best-loved personalities proves that cricket is a funny game - even when rain stops play!In this special audio edition, you can hear not only the most popular stories told by five of the game's all-time great characters - Richie Benaud, Dickie Bird, Henry Blofeld, Brian Johnston and Fred Trueman - but also the humour of famous cricketers such as Ian Botham, Andrew Flintoff, Justin Langer, Shane Warne, and modern players including Jimmy Anderson, Joe Root and Ben Stokes.Here are dozens of hilarious anecdotes from around the world about the legendary cricketers Geoffrey Boycott, Donald Bradman, Michael Holding, Sachin Tendulkar and many others - not to mention broadcasting gaffes and giggles, sledging, short-sighted umpires and the phantom sock snipper in the England dressing-room!(P) 2022 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
The Wit of Cricket: Second Innings
by Barry JohnstonThis bumper collection of the funniest anecdotes, jokes and stories from cricket's best-loved personalities proves that cricket is a funny game - even when rain stops play!In this updated and expanded edition, you can read not only the most popular stories by five of the game's all-time great characters - Richie Benaud, Dickie Bird, Henry Blofeld, Brian Johnston and Fred Trueman - but also the humour of famous cricketers such as Ian Botham, Andrew Flintoff, Justin Langer, Shane Warne, and modern players including Jimmy Anderson, Joe Root and Ben Stokes.Here are dozens of hilarious anecdotes from around the world about the legendary cricketers Geoffrey Boycott, Donald Bradman, Michael Holding, Sachin Tendulkar and many others - not to mention broadcasting gaffes and giggles, sledging, short-sighted umpires and the phantom sock snipper in the England dressing-room!
The Witch and the Priest
by Hilda LewisIf you visit the ancient parish church of Bottesford, in Leicestershire, England, you will find inscribed there a record of the events related in this engrossing tale of long ago. The story concerns Joan Flower, "a notorious witch of exotic appearance," who in life cast off God and in death denied the Devil, closing the gates of both Heaven and Hell to herself. Hilda Lewis tells how Joan, whose evil became notorious, enmeshed her daughters in her unearthly schemes, finally using them in her campaign of revenge against the Earl and Countess of Rutland, whom she was determined to harm by occult means, and whose two young sons she finally destroyed. (The Earl's tomb is the only one in England carrying an allegation that the heirs to an estate were killed by witchcraft.) As this dark story unfolds against a bright background of life in castle and village, Mrs. Lewis recreates a time when "midnight" hags set the ministers of hell to work.
The Witch of Lime Street
by David JaherHistory comes alive in this textured account of the rivalry between Harry Houdini and the so-called Witch of Lime Street, whose iconic lives intersected at a time when science was on the verge of embracing the paranormal.The 1920s are famous as the golden age of jazz and glamour, but it was also an era of fevered yearning for communion with the spirit world, after the loss of tens of millions in the First World War and the Spanish-flu epidemic. A desperate search for reunion with dead loved ones precipitated a tidal wave of self-proclaimed psychics--and, as reputable media sought stories on occult phenomena, mediums became celebrities. Against this backdrop, in 1924, the pretty wife of a distinguished Boston surgeon came to embody the raging national debate over Spiritualism, a movement devoted to communication with the dead. Reporters dubbed her the blonde Witch of Lime Street, but she was known to her followers simply as Margery. Her most vocal advocate was none other than Sherlock Holmes' creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who believed so thoroughly in Margery's powers that he urged her to enter a controversial contest, sponsored by Scientific American and offering a large cash prize to the first medium declared authentic by its impressive five-man investigative committee. Admired for both her exceptional charm and her dazzling effects, Margery was the best hope for the psychic practice to be empirically verified. Her supernatural gifts beguiled four of the judges. There was only one left to convince...the acclaimed escape artist, Harry Houdini.David Jaher's extraordinary debut culminates in the showdown between Houdini, a relentless unmasker of charlatans, and Margery, the nation's most credible spirit medium. The Witch of Lime Street, the first book to capture their electric public rivalry and the competition that brought them into each other's orbit, returns us to an oft-mythologized era to deepen our understanding of its history, all while igniting our imagination and engaging with the timeless question: Is there life after death?From the Hardcover edition.