Humankind has a special relationship with rain. The sensory experience of water falling from the heavens evokes feelings ranging from fear to gratitude and has inspired many works of art. Using unique and expertly developed art-historical case studies – from prehistoric cave paintings up to photography and cinema – this book casts new light on a theme that is both ecological and iconological, both natural and cultural-historical. Barbara Baert’s distinctive prose makes Looking Into the Rain. Magic, Moisture, Medium a profound reading experience, particularly at a moment when disruptions of the harmony among humans, animals, and nature affect all of us and the entire planet. Barbara Baert is Professor of Art History at KU Leuven. She teaches in the field of Iconology, Art Theory & Analysis, and Medieval Art. Her work links knowledge and questions from the history of ideas, cultural anthropology and philosophy, and shows great sensitivity to cultural archetypes and their symptoms in the visual arts.

Embark on an enchanting journey in "The Rain's Secret: Celestial Odyssey." Follow Riya and her friend as they navigate the mystical realms of Mumbai, wielding the power of the Monsoon Stone. From ethereal gardens to temporal tapestries, they unravel cosmic mysteries, confront discordant forces, and harness celestial harmonies. As Astral Stewards, they strive to preserve the delicate balance between astral realms and earthly dreams, unveiling the profound connection that binds the cosmic tapestry of existence. Will their celestial odyssey bring everlasting harmony or plunge the realms into chaos? Explore the boundless wonders of this celestial adventure.

A narrative poem about the Tohono O'Odham Indian's Saguaro Wine Ceremony, their most important harvest celebration.

The water beckons… Illista and her sister fled their homeland when invaders killed their parents and tried to enslave the girls’ innate water magic. Now disguised as servile Waki, Illista serves the Segra people on the dusty high plains, far from the warm oceans of her childhood. One night, lured by the siren song of the Segra’s sacred lake waters, Illista sheds her Waki disguise for a swim and becomes witness to a murder attempt on the Segra chief’s only son and heir. War looms… Joral’s marriage to the daughter of another tribe will seal the peace between the warring nations and strengthen both halves of the Segra people against invaders from the West. When he is poisoned and nearly drowned on the night of his betrothal, a mysterious sprite of a woman saves his life. Was the attempt on his life the workings of a rival, or was it tied to the sudden arrival of Western mercenaries who seek the missing water witches? A secret revealed… When Joral discovers Illista’s secret, will he sacrifice her to secure peace for his people? Or will he follow his heart for the sake of a water sprite who may be the Segra’s only hope for restoring the rains to the drought-ridden land?

“Takes us to the exotic and pillaged places of the earth . . . and into the hearts of two passionate, revolutionary women who dared to love and lose.” —Carole DeSanti, author of The Unruly Passions of Eugénie R In a voice haunting and filled with longing, Before the Rain tells the story of love unexpected, its fragile bounds and subtle perils. As a newspaper editor in the ’80s, Luisita Torregrosa lived her career. Enter Elizabeth, a striking, reserved, and elusive writer with whom Torregrosa falls deeply in love. Their story—irresistible romance, overlapping ambitions, and fragile union—unfolds as the narrative shifts to the Philippines and the fall of Ferdinand Marcos. There, on that beautiful, troubled island, the couple creates a world of their own, while covering political chaos and bloody upheavals. What was effortless abroad becomes less idyllic when they return to the United States, and their ending becomes as surprising and revealing as their beginning. Torregrosa captures the way love transforms those who experience it for an unforgettable, but often too brief, time. This book is distinguished not only by its strong, unique, and conflicted heroines, but also by Torregrosa’s lyrical portrait of the Philippines and the even more exotic heart of intimacy. “Spare, precise and soulful, Before the Rain is an epic travelogue of the heart. It has the urgency of a front page news story, but then, no matter what is happening in the world, love is always revolutionary when it happens to you.” —Bob Morris, author of Assisted Loving “As Torregrosa fashions in her oblique and beautiful fashion, the two women could never really acknowledge their love publicly, underscoring a sad truth to this memorable work.” —Publishers Weekly

A trio of unforgettable stories from the superstitious Italian province of Campania In Campania fizzy drinks are delivered by cart, old women sell gold to a furtive clientele, and the tobacconist’s daughter is a prize beyond imagining. In the first tale, “I am Super Legend,” a local team of beer-swilling, smoking, perennial losers is dragged toward the dubiously prestigious championship by the coach’s son, who becomes cursed by his nickname, Super Legend. In “Look at Me,” a motherless boy tries to help his father’s best friend, the mute Cesare, who has fallen in love with their housekeeper Silvia. And in “The Child Comes Home,” a young boy disappears, and his mother – after losing everything and being forced to take up her grandmother’s questionably legal profession – is consoled by her bickering sisters-in-law and her undying wish to hear her son’s knock on the front door... A sublime mixture of humour and pathos, and brimming with colourful characters, I Stole the Rain is a delightful collection from one of Italy’s pre-eminent storytellers. Elisa Ruotolo is a Classics teacher who has published several short stories. I Stole the Rain is her first collection. ‘Armed with a frightening mastery over the complicated landscape of human emotions and an ability to stunning portray them with crisp, concise prose, Ruotolo has managed to pull off a near impossible balancing act. She’s created a set of fictional pieces so believable that they breathe on their own, and so inspired by life that word by word they force the reader to experience every glorious moment of their existence.’ Typographical Era ‘By the end of the book one feels as if a lifetime in stories has passed by in the blink of an eye. The prose is sharp, witty, and transcendent, and the characters remain long after the stories have been read and reread.’ Necessary Fiction