Angels & Demons

Angels & Demons
Author: Dan Brown
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 496
Release: 2006-05-23
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 074349346X

The murder of a world-famous physicist raises fears that the Illuminati are operating again after centuries of silence, and religion professor Robert Langdon is called in to assist with the case.

Story of the Eye

Story of the Eye
Author: Georges Bataille
Publisher: Random House
Total Pages: 149
Release: 2013-09-26
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0141913673

Bataille’s first novel, published under the pseudonym ‘Lord Auch’, is still his most notorious work. In this explicit pornographic fantasy, the young male narrator and his lovers Simone and Marcelle embark on a sexual quest involving sadism, torture, orgies, madness and defilement, culminating in a final act of transgression. Shocking and sacreligious, Story of the Eye is the fullest expression of Bataille’s obsession with the closeness of sex, violence and death. Yet it is also hallucinogenic in its power, and is one of the erotic classics of the twentieth century.

The Cult of Individualism

The Cult of Individualism
Author: Aaron Barlow
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 311
Release: 2013-08-27
Genre: Political Science
ISBN:

American individualism: It is the reason for American success, but it also tears the nation apart. Why do Americans have so much trouble seeing eye to eye today? Is this new? Was there ever an American consensus? The Cult of Individualism: A History of an Enduring American Myth explores the rarely discussed cultural differences leading to today's seemingly intractable political divides. After an examination of the various meanings of individualism in America, author Aaron Barlow describes the progression and evolution of the concept from the 18th century on, illuminating the wide division in Caucasian American culture that developed between the culture based on the ideals of the English Enlightenment and that of the Scots-Irish "Borderers." The "Borderer" legacy, generally explored only by students of Appalachian culture, remains as pervasive and significant in contemporary American culture and politics as it is, unfortunately, overlooked. It is from the "Borderers" that the Tea Party sprang, along with many of the attitudes of the contemporary American right, making it imperative that this culture be thoroughly explored.

All Seeing Eye

All Seeing Eye
Author: Rob Thurman
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 249
Release: 2012-07-31
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1451652232

A suspenseful supernatural thriller following a man with psychic abilities from the New York Times bestselling author of the Cal Leandros novels. Jackson Lee’s life was forever changed when he discovered his sister’s small pink shoe in the grass and instantly realized his sister was dead. Her tragic death triggered an even more horrific family massacre that threw Jack’s life into a tailspin. The years quickly take him from state homes to the streets to grifting in a seedy carnival, until he finally becomes a cynical psychic. At last, Jackson has left his troubled past behind him and found a semblance of peace. That is, until the government blackmails him. Helping the military contain the aftermath of a bizarre experiment gone violently wrong, everything Jackson knows about himself will change just as suddenly as it did with his little sister’s shoe. And while change is constant...it’s never for the better.

The Cult of Trump

The Cult of Trump
Author: Steven Hassan
Publisher: Free Press
Total Pages: 336
Release: 2020-09-01
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1982127341

*As featured in the streaming documentary #UNTRUTH—now with a new foreword by George Conway and an afterword by the author* A masterful and eye-opening examination of Trump and the coercive control tactics he uses to build a fanatical devotion in his supporters written by “an authority on breaking away from cults…an argument that…bears consideration as the next election cycle heats up” (Kirkus Reviews). Since the 2016 election, Donald Trump’s behavior has become both more disturbing and yet increasingly familiar. He relies on phrases like, “fake news,” “build the wall,” and continues to spread the divisive mentality of us-vs.-them. He lies constantly, has no conscience, never admits when he is wrong, and projects all of his shortcomings on to others. He has become more authoritarian, more outrageous, and yet many of his followers remain blindly devoted. Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert and a major Trump supporter, calls him one of the most persuasive people living. His need to squash alternate information and his insistence of constant ego stroking are all characteristics of other famous leaders—cult leaders. In The Cult of Trump, mind control and licensed mental health expert Steven Hassan draws parallels between our current president and people like Jim Jones, David Koresh, Ron Hubbard, and Sun Myung Moon, arguing that this presidency is in many ways like a destructive cult. He specifically details the ways in which people are influenced through an array of social psychology methods and how they become fiercely loyal and obedient. Hassan was a former “Moonie” himself, and he presents a “thoughtful and well-researched analysis of some of the most puzzling aspects of the current presidency, including the remarkable passivity of fellow Republicans [and] the gross pandering of many members of the press” (Thomas G. Gutheil, MD and professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School). The Cult of Trump is an accessible and in-depth analysis of the president, showing that under the right circumstances, even sane, rational, well-adjusted people can be persuaded to believe the most outrageous ideas. “This book is a must for anyone who wants to understand the current political climate” (Judith Stevens-Long, PhD and author of Living Well, Dying Well).

Gods of Ancient Egypt

Gods of Ancient Egypt
Author: Barbara Watterson
Publisher: The History Press
Total Pages: 151
Release: 2003-09-04
Genre: History
ISBN: 075249502X

Illustrated in colour, this is an introduction for the general reader to Egyptian mythology and its mysteries. It includes a concise introduction to general aspects of Egyptian religion, followed by specific sections devoted to the most important of the gods. With sections on personal religion and temple ceremony, there are also accounts of mythological stories associated with the gods, and a map of the principle cult centres.

The Mote in God's Eye

The Mote in God's Eye
Author: Larry Niven
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 596
Release: 1974
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0671741926

Science fiction-roman.