Landmark of anthropological and mythological scholarship explores the connection between the legend of the Grail and ancient mystery cults. A major source for T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land."

Landmark of anthropological and mythological scholarship explores the connection between the legend of the Grail and ancient mystery cults. A major source for T.S. Eliot's "The Waste Land."

Examines the relationship between sports and society, including the degree to which modern sport expresses the characteristics of modern society, such as secularism, equality, specialization, rationalization, and bureaucracy.

In a world where women hold all the power, the only purpose for a man is to secure a good match and hope his "bed price" is high enough. Jorlan Reynard is chosen by the Marquelle Gree Tamryn, and, in a bold move, the powerful aristocrat marries him, offering him the security of her name and position. When a conspiracy arises against her, the Marquelle must summon all her influence to fight for their survival. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

This stirring collection presents spiritual rituals from around the world and offers guidance on bringing the powerful practices into modern life. Filled with fascinating details on the history and meaning behind a wide range of sacred rituals for love, awareness, joy, and so much more, this timeless handbook guides readers through more than 40 empowering practices—including a candlelight ritual for renewal, a soothing ritual for unwinding, and a tea ceremony for fostering connection and gratitude. With evocative watercolors throughout, this book is a lovely invitation to nourish the mind, body, and soul through enduring rituals for well-being.

The romance novel has the strange distinction of being the most popular but least respected of literary genres. While it remains consistently dominant in bookstores and on best-seller lists, it is also widely dismissed by the critical community. Scholars have alleged that romance novels help create subservient readers, who are largely women, by confining heroines to stories that ignore issues other than love and marriage. Pamela Regis argues that such critical studies fail to take into consideration the personal choice of readers, offer any true definition of the romance novel, or discuss the nature and scope of the genre. Presenting the counterclaim that the romance novel does not enslave women but, on the contrary, is about celebrating freedom and joy, Regis offers a definition that provides critics with an expanded vocabulary for discussing a genre that is both classic and contemporary, sexy and entertaining. Taking the stance that the popular romance novel is a work of literature with a brilliant pedigree, Regis asserts that it is also a very old, stable form. She traces the literary history of the romance novel from canonical works such as Richardson's Pamela through Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Brontë's Jane Eyre, and E. M. Hull's The Sheik, and then turns to more contemporary works such as the novels of Georgette Heyer, Mary Stewart, Janet Dailey, Jayne Ann Krentz, and Nora Roberts.