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Religion and the Decline of Magic: Studies in Popular Beliefs in Sixteenth and Seventeenth-Century England
by Sir Keith ThomasWitchcraft, astrology, divination and every kind of popular magic flourished in England during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, from the belief that a blessed amulet could prevent the assaults of the Devil to the use of the same charms to recover stolen goods. At the same time the Protestant Reformation attempted to take the magic out of religion, and scientists were developing new explanations of the universe. Keith Thomas's classic analysis of beliefs held on every level of English society begins with the collapse of the medieval Church and ends with the changing intellectual atmosphere around 1700, when science and rationalism began to challenge the older systems of belief.
Religion and Magic in Ancient Egypt
by Rosalie DavidThe ancient Egyptians believed that the Nile - their life source - was a divine gift. Religion and magic permeated their civilization, and this book provides a unique insight into their religious beliefs and practices, from 5000 BC to the 4th century AD, when Egyptian Christianity replaced the earlier customs. Arranged chronologically, this book provides a fascinating introduction to the world of half-human/ half-animal gods and goddesses; death rituals, the afterlife and mummification; the cult of sacred animals, pyramids, magic and medicine. An appendix contains translations of Ancient Eygtian spells.
Religion and Humour: An Introduction (Engaging with Religion)
by David FeltmateThis timely and lively introduction to exploring the intersection of religion and humour evaluates existing scholarship and methodologies within the field, arguing for a culturally critical approach to the study.Hinged on a qualitative sociological framework, this book asks questions about the construction, presentation, and purpose of humour in religious contexts. It is broken down by theoretical approach, with chapters covering: a “comparative religions” approach; a theological approach; how social sciences offer us useful tools for research; and a review of existing theoretical models. As the first volume to introduce the field of religion and humour, this engaging book is essential reading for students approaching the topic for the first time, and for anyone with an interest in related fields such as religion and popular culture and humour studies.
Religion 101: From Allah to Zen Buddhism, an Exploration of the Key People, Practices, and Beliefs that Have Shaped the Religions of the World (Adams 101)
by Peter ArcherDiscover the origins and traditions of world religions!With so many religions in the world, it isn't always easy to recall each faith's key influences, spiritual figures, and dogmas. Written in easy-to-understand language, Religion 101 offers a fascinating--and memorable--glimpse at the sacred stories, traditions, and doctrines that have influenced today's most popular religions.From Jesus and the Four Noble Truths to the Buddhist Wheel of Existence, this book provides you with thought-provoking insight into the customs and beliefs of common faiths like Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam. Inside, you will also discover hundreds of important religious facts, illustrations, and thought puzzles that you won't be able to find anywhere else.So whether you're looking to unravel the mysteries of existence and meaning, or just want to find out what Kabbalah is all about, Religion 101 has all the answers--even the ones you didn't know you were looking for.
Relight My Fire: (The Stranger Times 4) (The Stranger Times #4)
by C. K. McDonnellThe Stranger Times - winner of the 2023 British Fantasy Award for Best Audio Work!Some comebacks can be murder . . .Stella is enjoying life as an almost student, or at least she is until a man falls from the sky right in front of her, leaving a big old hole in the pavement for Manchester Council to fill. The obvious question of how he ended up in the sky in the first place has no obvious answers, which is where The Stranger Times come in.But this isn't just the hunt for another story. Dark powers think Stella might have been involved and the only way she and the team can prove her innocence is to find out what the hell is really going on. And what have dodgy gear, disturbed graves and a decommissioned rock star got to do with all this?Vincent Banecroft has problems of his own in the form of a tall, dark but-definitely-not-handsome man dressed like a funeral who has been sent to make the paper's editor atone for his sins. Once he finds out exactly what that entails, Banecroft is not keen. Being banished to a Hellscape for all eternity looks like being no fun at all, not least because he has that pale Irish skin that burns really easily . . .All that plus territorial ghouls, homicidal felines, eternal (and seemingly unstoppable) gnomes and a celebrity Who's Who that'd put a royal wedding to shame, and you're looking at a wild few days for The Stranger Times.Relight My Fire is the fourth book in the acclaimed and brilliantly funny Stranger Times series.
Relics of Ruin (Books of the Usurper #2)
by Erin M EvansFrom a rising star in epic fantasy comes the captivating second novel in a trilogy featuring an unlikely team who must find a way to work together and solve an empire-spanning mystery to defend the last place they call home. The conspiracy at the heart of the empire has been revealed. The Archivists played a key role in solving a brutal murder and uncovering one of the empire&’s longest kept secrets. Now, what&’s left in its wake are a series of unearthed artifacts, one shaken city, and the shocking truth not dared spoken aloud. Just as the empire has begun to regain normalcy, another mystery unveils itself when a stolen ancient relic is found. Only no one knew that it was missing from its sacred vault in the first place. And now that the real one has been recovered, who replaced it with a fake? With Quill and Amadea at the heart of another mystery, they will need to quickly follow the clues that all lead back to this new relic. Because all the while, an old enemy is gathering strength beyond the Salt Wall and the Archivists might come to find there&’s nowhere left for them to go but over."Detailed and mysterious, a place to explore and relish. Highly recommended!" ―R. A. Salvatore, author of "The Legends of Drizzt"For more from Erin M. Evans, check out:Empire of Exiles
Relics of Ruin (Book of the Usurper #2)
by Erin M. Evans"Evans skillfully expands the world building while exploring the character depths, with delightful twists that resolve some conflicts while setting up the next book." — BooklistWithin the Imperial Archives, the Chapel of the Skeleton Saints holds the ornamented relics of the Orozhandi protectorate’s holy sorcerers.And the bones of one misplaced murder victim.Saint Hazaunu of the Wool has stood sentinel in the chapel for nearly a century—but the bones found beneath the floor of a crime scene are inarguably the saint’s. While the first question Archivist Superior Amadea Gintanas must ask is how were the bones stolen, the second is who exactly is standing in the saint’s niche? And how did they get there?All eyes go to Tunuk, the lonely bone specialist of the Imperial Archives—who isn’t talking. Tunuk knows something happened to the saint twelve years ago—but not who took her place or why. But without answers, Tunuk’s the obvious suspect for both the murder and the theft—something neither Amadea nor her new apprentice, Quill, believe.While tracing the rumors of a burgeoning attack from beyond the Salt Wall and keeping secrets that could shake the empire, Quill and Amadea must shine a light on a past Tunuk would rather keep in shadow. But when the bones of the saint are stolen again and a saboteur strikes too close to home, all three of them will have to reckon with the possibility all these perils are intimately connected.This edition includes a brand-new illustrated guide to the peoples of the empire.Praise for Relics of Ruin:"Relics of Ruin was a welcome return to a world I have grown very fond of. ... it was another twisty mystery that delved into the complicated politics and history of the empire..." — Fantasy Book Critic"Relics of Ruins is astounding, a worthy continuation to what is amping up to be a new favorite series." — Witty and Sarcastic Book Club"Relics of Ruin was another captivating read in this series that left me wanting to keep peeling away the fantastic layers of this story.... I think its going to be one heck of a thrilling ending that cements the Books of the Usurper as a must-read fantasy series for every fantasy fan out there." — Out of This World Reviews
Reliable and Intelligent Optimization in Multi-Layered Cloud Computing Architectures
by Madhusudhan H. S. Satish Kumar T. Punit Gupta Dinesh Kumar Saini Kashif ZiaOne of the major developments in the computing field has been cloud computing, which enables users to do complicated computations that local devices are unable to handle. The computing power and flexibility that have made the cloud so popular do not come without challenges. It is particularly challenging to decide which resources to use, even when they have the same configuration but different levels of performance because of the variable structure of the available resources. Cloud data centers can host millions of virtual machines, and where to locate these machines in the cloud is a difficult problem. Additionally, fulfilling optimization needs is a complex problem.Reliable and Intelligent Optimization in Multi-Layered Cloud Computing Architectures examines ways to meet these challenges. It discusses virtual machine placement techniques and task scheduling techniques that optimize resource utilization and minimize energy consumption of cloud data centers. Placement techniques presented can provide an optimal solution to the optimization problem using multiple objectives. The book focuses on basic design principles and analysis of virtual machine placement techniques and task allocation techniques. It also looks at virtual machine placement techniques that can improve quality-of-service (QoS) in service-oriented architecture (SOA) computing. The aims of virtual machine placement include minimizing energy usage, network traffic, economical cost, maximizing performance, and maximizing resource utilization. Other highlights of the book include: Improving QoS and resource efficiency Fault-tolerant and reliable resource optimization models A reactive fault tolerance method using checkpointing restart Cost and network-aware metaheuristics. Virtual machine scheduling and placement Electricity consumption in cloud data centers Written by leading experts and researchers, this book provides insights and techniques to those dedicated to improving cloud computing and its services.
Reliability Engineering Technology of Digital Diagnosis and Treatment Equipment
by Xiuqing Li Jun Gao Wen LiThis book focuses on the reliability engineering of medical devices, especially digital diagnosis and treatment equipment in China. It details the professional technologies and application methods of reliability design analysis, fault model analysis and reliability test of digital diagnosis and treatment equipment, to meet the needs of project undertakers of digital diagnosis and treatment equipment. From the three aspects: safety analysis and EMC design protection, material selection and control, and software engineering and quality, this book provides professional and technical ideas and methods of reliability for the quality problems prone to occur in the field of medical devices, as well as method guidance for readers. Meanwhile, it runs through the whole process of design, engineering, testing, production and management of all digital diagnosis and treatment equipment research and development enterprises and even product R & D enterprises in the field of medicaldevices. It is used as reading materials for personnel of testing institutions and evaluation institutions in medical devices.
Reliability Engineering for Industrial Processes: An Analytics Perspective (Springer Series in Reliability Engineering)
by P. K. Kapur Hoang Pham Gurinder Singh Vivek KumarThis book explores how transformative changes driven by the new-age economy can bring about improvements in a company's engineering and manufacturing capabilities. The new-age economy is driven by advanced engineering and manufacturing practices, processes, and technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud Computing, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), and Internet-enabled systems to automate industrial processes. Today's business dynamics are governed by uncertainties, disruptions, complexities, and ambiguities that demand quicker and more intelligent decisions. These changes could relate a renaissance in the company's engineering and manufacturing capabilities. To sustain these volatile and ever-changing business dynamics, Industry 4.0 and 5.0 have revolutionized how organizations operate and make intelligent business decisions. Moreover, the extensive role of business analytics has overcome the limitations ofclassical computing through new technologies and intelligent computing methodologies. Over the past few years, much emphasis has been given to investing in developing hardware and programming frameworks for achieving computational intelligence using fuzzy logic, evolutionary computation, neural networks, probabilistic methods, and learning theory. Within this frame of reference, the reliability, quality, and maintenance of complex industrial and manufacturing systems are essential for organizations to utilize them successfully for informed decisions. This book focuses on studies that provide new solutions for system reliability, quality, security, and maintainability using quantitative and qualitative research. It emphasizes developments and problems in systems engineering management, systems integration, software and hardware engineering, and the development process.
Reliability and Risk Analysis: A Practical Guide, Third Edition (ISSN)
by Mohammad Modarres Katrina GrothCompletely updated for a new edition, this book introduces reliability and risks analysis, for both practicing engineers and engineering students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Since reliability analysis is a multidisciplinary subject, this book draws together a wide range of topics and presents them in a way that applies to most engineering disciplines.What Every Engineer Should Know About Reliability and Risk Analysis, Second Edition, emphasizes an introduction and explanation of the practical methods used in reliability and risk studies, with a discussion of their uses and limitations. It offers basic and advanced methods in reliability analysis that are commonly used in daily practice and provides methods that address unique topics such as dependent failure analysis, importance analysis, and analysis of repairable systems. The book goes on to present a comprehensive overview of modern probabilistic life assessment methods such as Bayesian estimation, system reliability analysis, and human reliability. End-of-chapter problems and a solutions manual are available to support any course adoptions.This book is refined, simple, and focuses on fundamentals. The audience is the beginner with no background in reliability engineering and rudimentary knowledge of probability and statistics. It can be used by new practitioners, undergraduates, and first-year graduate students.
Relevance Logic (Elements in Philosophy and Logic)
by null Shay Allen LoganRelevance logics are a misunderstood lot. Despite being the subject of intense study for nearly a century, they remain maligned as too complicated, too abstruse, or too silly to be worth learning much about. This Element aims to dispel these misunderstandings. By focusing on the weak relevant logic B, the discussion provides an entry point into a rich and diverse family of logics. Also, it contains the first-ever textbook treatment of quantification in relevance logics, as well as an overview of the cutting edge on variable sharing results and a guide to further topics in the field.
Relentless Pursuit: My Fight for the Victims of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
by Bradley J. Edwards Brittany Henderson&“A thrilling page-turner about the pursuit of justice&” (New York Post), this is the definitive story of the case against Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and the corrupt system that supported them, told in thrilling detail by the lawyer who has represented their victims for more than a decade.In June 2008, Florida-based victims&’ rights attorney Bradley J. Edwards was thirty-two years old and had just started his own law firm when a young woman named Courtney Wild came to see him. She told a shocking story of having been sexually coerced at the age of fourteen by a wealthy man in Palm Beach named Jeffrey Epstein. Edwards, who had never heard of Epstein, had no idea that this moment would change the course of his life.Over the next ten years, Edwards devoted himself to bringing Epstein to justice, and came close to losing everything in the process. Edwards tracked down and represented more than twenty of Epstein&’s victims, shined a light on his shadowy network of accomplices, including Ghislaine Maxwell, and uncovered the scope of his sexually exploitative organization, which reached into the highest levels of American society.In this &“revelatory exploration of the long fight to bring a monstrous man to justice&” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), Edwards gives his riveting, blow-by-blow account of battling Epstein on behalf of his clients, and provides stunning details never shared before. Epstein and his cadre of high-priced lawyers were able to manipulate the FBI and the Justice Department, but despite making threats and attempting schemes straight out of a spy movie, Epstein couldn&’t stop Edwards, his small team of committed lawyers, and, most of all, the victims, who were dead-set on seeing their abuser finally put behind bars.
Relentless: My Story of the Latino Spirit That Is Transforming America
by Luis A. Miranda Jr.Essential reading from an expert voice: Luis A. Miranda Jr.&’s personal and political memoir reveals a deep understanding of Latino culture and how to build community to change our world for the better. A veteran of New York and national politics, Luis Miranda embodies the relentless spirit of progress of American immigrants. There is no one on the Latino, New York, and national political scene with the breadth of experience, passion, and storytelling charm of Luis Miranda. In Relentless, he shares a fascinating narrative of his life and career—from his early days as a radically minded Puerto Rican activist to his decades of political advice and problem-solving. Miranda recounts the thrill of the ascendency of Hamilton, created by his son Lin-Manuel, and he details the suffering after the devastation of Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria. Amid the triumphs and challenges, Miranda examines what his experience reveals about our ever-changing politics, demographics, and society.
Release the Beast: A Drag Queen's Guide to Life
by Bimini Bon BoulashTHE BIMINI BON BESTSELLER (Sunday Times official!)A hilarious and inspiring guide to transforming your life through lessons from drag, by the UK's favourite drag queen and star of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Bimini Bon Boulash.'MAGIC! A fun, fierce, honest origin story of how to drag yourself up out of trouble and become an icon' Katherine Ryan 'A triumph for UK queer culture' Travis Alabanza'Eye-opening, intelligent, thoughtful as well as sassy and surprising - a must read' Lorraine Kelly_______________________________________Bimini Bon Boulash is the nation's sweetheart, capturing hearts and minds as the gag-inducing, death-dropping, plant-based breakout star of RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 2. Not only did she make us laugh and cry, she showed us how to develop a Positive Mental Attitude and live happily and healthily outside society's idea of 'normal'.Telling the story of how drag took her from the brink of self-destruction to the mainstage, as well as life lessons drawing on convention-breaking icons from Kate Moss to Katie Price, in this book Bimini uses all her wit, charm and kindness to show us how to lead the lives we wish we could lead, through the life-changing magic of dragging up._______________________________________'Radical, life-affirming, and utterly important for this time' Riyadh Khalaf'A very important read' Gottmik 'She's a superstar' Kathy Burke'You will always be our winner' Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London'A force of nature' James AcasterSunday Times Bestseller, October 2021
Release Me
by Suki CunninghamJo Bell is a feisty journalist with just one weakness - her boss, Jerome. When he sends her on a features assignment to a stately English home, she finds herself sucked into an erotic battle of wills with the owners of the mansion - who have their own weaknesses. Young, posh and decadent Alicia will go to any lengths to prove her sexual superiority, and her seemingly shy brother is keeping his own proclivities too quiet for Jo's liking. As the estate is used as a film location for an historical drama, all manner of boundaries are pushed to the limit. Soon, even Jerome is brought into the siblings' games of degradation and punishment - acted out in private and in front of the cameras.
Relax to the Max (Jeanie & Genie #2)
by Trish GrantedIn the second book of the Jeanie and Genie series, Willow Davis accidentally transforms her best friend, Jeanie, into a super-mellow version of herself! Will Jeanie and Willow be able to fix this mess—or will Jeanie be stuck on relax mode for good?Super-studious Jeanie accidentally makes a wish that she could relax like her classmate, Max. In a flash, Willow grants the wish and suddenly, Jeanie is so not herself…she&’s showing up to school in her PJs, passing notes in class—and she doesn&’t even care about her favorite things, books and homework, anymore! Will Willow be able to reverse the wish and turn Jeanie back into her old self again?With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, the Jeanie & Genie chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.
Relax in a Minute
by Tony WrightonDo you feel stressed out?Want to relax quickly and let go of unhelpful tension in your life? These super-quick, easy and effective strategies based on the principles of NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) will help you chill out and feel better in minutes, whether you're stressed about work, having trouble unwinding on holiday or simply want to enjoy your life more. You will discover how to:·Make instant changes to reduce feelings of stress and fear·Schedule time to worry as well as time to switch off so you can relax and let go·Gain perspective on stressful situations·Make changes to the way you deal with long-term stress, and much more.From simple physical exercises to easy-to-do mental strategies, Tony Wrighton's techniques will help you deal with specific issues in every area of your life, and will allow you to relax and feel great.
Relations
by Jane MillerIn this remarkable book, Jane Miller writes about the experience of being a daughter and a sister, about the intensities of family life and the illuminations that come from the last days of parents. Relations describes a record-keeping kinship and offers portraits of her parents' long marriage, its mysteries and incompatibilities, of her grandfather, the scientist Redcliffe Salaman, and of her great-aunt Clara Collet, one of the first women civil servants. It is a story in which Karl Marx and George Gissing have parts to play.Here are the tensions of belonging and yet not belonging to an English middle-class at once hospitable to difference and internally divided. More than two hundred years of English history are present in these portraits, which show the dawning emancipation of women and the effects of empire on family life. It is the story of an evolution, of a move out of trade towards public service and the professions, and towards the dramas and family romance of recent times.
The Relate Guide to Sex and Intimacy
by Cate CampbellSex and intimacy are what make couple relationships special and different. We may even measure the quality of the relationship by how intimate we feel or how good the sex is. This can be wonderfully reassuring when it goes well, but we all have times in our lives and relationships when we don’t feel so close. When sex isn’t working well or isn’t happening, confidence in the relationship can ebb away too. Yet there is plenty you can do to turn things around and recapture the fading intimacy. In The Relate Guide to Sex and Intimacy, Cate Campbell takes a realistic look at modern relationships, steering you through practical exercises, examples, quizzes and talking points to help give your sexual self and your relationship an intimacy makeover. Comprehensively tackling the issues that challenge sex and intimacy, this book will both equip you to understand and manage problems when they arise and to make a good sex life even better.
The Relate Guide to Finding Love
by Barbara Bloomfield RelateWhy are you looking for love right now? What kind of relationship do you want? How will you know if you find 'The One'? The Relate Guide to Finding Love will answer all these questions, and more.From the UK's leading relationship counsellor, The Relate Guide to Finding Love offers common sense help and advice on all aspects of dating and relationships. Short, snappy chapters, each containing a thought-provoking exercise, plus personal case histories, combine to make this a fun and interesting read to help you to:- Discover your needs and what you expect from a relationship- Get yourself into the right frame of mind to meet someone new- Make the most of online dating and singles events- Identify whether your new love is really the one for youWhether you are looking for a long-term relationship or just a quick fling, this practical, accessible guide is perfect for you.
Reinventing Yourself with The Duchess of York: Inspiring Stories and Strategies for Changing Your Weight and Your Life
by Sarah, The Duchess of York Weight WatchersAre you ready to change your life? Join Sarah, The Duchess of York on an inspiring journey to help you rediscover -- and achieve -- your true goals.Today, The Duchess of York is a confident, single working mother of two girls. But, as most of the world knows, that wasn't always the case. Once targeted by the international press, The Duchess has learned one of life's great lessons: how to uncover what you want out of life and get it. She reveals how the ups and downs of her life -- including her divorce, her financial problems, and the deaths of those close to her -- have made her a stronger, wiser person and a better mother.In the first chapter, "Transforming My Life," The Duchess explores how, when and why she decided to take charge and reinvent her life. In the chapters that follow, readers will discover how they, too, can change their own lives. The book provides a series of self-assessment quizzes and questionnaires, as well as concrete steps you can take to initiate change. Throughout, The Duchess offers her insights, including how each chapter topic relates to her life and what she has learned from others.Reinventing Yourself with The Duchess of York supplies a blueprint for action for anyone seeking to change her life. In an easy-to-follow format, the book provides concrete information and advice on how to use an eight-step plan to achieve your goals -- whether it's losing weight, getting fit, or simply improving your health. Reinventing Yourself also explains how to apply the plan to other areas of life, including changing careers, starting over after divorce, and more.To help inspire you toward your goals, Reinventing Yourself also includes heartwarming and motivating profiles of women who have redefined their lives: Weight Watchers Leaders, real women who have lost weight and transformed their lives in countless ways. In interviews with The Duchess and profiles throughout, these women explore how to make the best of your circumstances, live a happier, healthier life, and change your destiny.
Reinvented Lives: Women at Sixty: A Celebration
by Charles Handy Elizabeth HandyTwenty-eight women, ranging from Anita Roddick and Prue Leith to less well-known names, write their own personal stories which are accompanied by Elizabeth Handy's black and white photographs and an introductory essay by Charles Handy. This generation of women is entering the sixties more healthy, more educated and more energetic than most of their mothers. The subjects in this book provide the models for what has become, for the first time, a new age for many women. Released from most of the cares and responsibilities that accompany midlife for women, they are free to reinvent themselves, to give more time to their career or calling, or to luxuriate in the serenity and friendships that few had time for in the past. Some enter new relationships, some start new careers or go back to study, some find that their work is only now reaching its peak. Many have survived traumas and tragedies, but 'the past is just the prologue' as one of them explains.
Reintroducing Harriet Martineau: Pioneering Sociologist and Activist (Reintroducing...)
by Stuart Hobday Gaby WeinerThis book explores the innovative, sociological approach adopted by Harriet Martineau in her efforts to develop a ‘scientific’ approach to understanding social and societal change. With attention to her focus on the key social structures and societal issues of her day – the economy, education, the condition of women and the evils of slavery – the authors highlight her creation and application of what we now recognise as sociological methodology, fieldwork and analysis. Through an examination in each chapter of the writings that best illustrate Martineau’s sociological perspective, Reintroducing Harriet Martineau discusses her enduring contribution to sociology. As such, it will appeal to scholars and students of sociology with interests in the history of the discipline and questions of methodology.