Trapped by Magic. Trapped by Politics. Trapped by Destiny.Trapped in the form of the knight who supposedly slew him, the dragon Tzavalantsaval--with a loathsome goblin steward as his only true ally--struggles to navigate the Kirresci royal court and humanity itself, even as politics and intrigues he scarcely understands push the southern kingdoms ever nearer to open war.

Legacy of Ash is an unmissable fantasy debut--an epic tale of intrigue and revolution, soldiers and assassins, ancient magic and the eternal clash of empires. A shadow has fallen over the Tressian Republic. Ruling families -- once protectors of justice and democracy -- now plot against one another with sharp words and sharper knives. Blinded by ambition, they remain heedless of the threat posed by the invading armies of the Hadari Empire. Yet as Tressia falls, heroes rise. Viktor Akadra is the Republic's champion. A warrior without equal, he hides a secret that would see him burned as a heretic. Josiri Trelan is Viktor's sworn enemy. A political prisoner, he dreams of reigniting his mother's failed rebellion. And yet Calenne Trelan, Josiri's sister, seeks only to break free of their tarnished legacy; to escape the expectation and prejudice that haunts the family name. As war spreads across the Republic, these three must set aside their differences in order to save their home. Yet decades of bad blood are not easily set aside. And victory -- if it comes at all -- will demand a darker price than any of them could have imagined.

One of the largest southern cities and a hub for the cotton industry, Memphis, Tennessee, was at the forefront of black political empowerment during the Jim Crow era. Compared to other cities in the South, Memphis had an unusually large number of African American voters. Black Memphians sought reform at the ballot box, formed clubs, ran for office, and engaged in voter registration and education activities from the end of the Civil War through the Brown v. Board of Education decision of 1954. In this groundbreaking book, Elizabeth Gritter examines how and why black Memphians mobilized politically in the period between Reconstruction and the beginning of the civil rights movement. Gritter illuminates, in particular, the efforts and influence of Robert R. Church Jr., an affluent Republican and founder of the Lincoln League, and the notorious Memphis political boss Edward H. Crump. Using these two men as lenses through which to view African American political engagement, this volume explores how black voters and their leaders both worked with and opposed the white political machine at the ballot box. River of Hope challenges persisting notions of a "Solid South" of white Democratic control by arguing that the small but significant number of black southerners who retained the right to vote had more influence than scholars have heretofore assumed. Gritter's nuanced study presents a fascinating view of the complex nature of political power during the Jim Crow era and provides fresh insight into the efforts of the individuals who laid the foundation for civil rights victories in the 1950s and '60s.

Short Description An allegory written by B Mathew. Written in flowery classical English of prose and verse. It has abundant allusions, bringing to life and excitement the beauty of classical mythology, western legends, Biblical stories, literature and poetry. Extended Description This book is a fiction story. But this book is also poetry. And this book is also a philosophy on principles of success. You can read it like a novel or fairytale story. You can also read it like poetry or philosophy. This allegory is written in classical English language with verses in poetry and allusions. The plot of this fairytale allegory is about a vagabond called Mr. Ambition, who lives in the City of Penury. This city of Penury is ruled by a horrible monster called Lord Poverty. In this city of Penury, this vagabond suffers great disgrace & reproach. One day, a good man by the name of Mr. Think Rich meets Mr. Ambition and encourages him to run away from the city of Penury and escape to another city called the City of Prosperity. But however, the long journey to that City of Prosperity is filled with great and terrible dangers and deadly snares, where there are many giants, monsters and demons and unimaginable deadly traps. As such, advises Mr. Think Rich, that Mr. Ambition must first make a detour to a mystical labyrinth called the Garden of Sorrow to seek out a mysterious giant called Mr. Other-Self. Because only Mr. Other-Self could safely guide Mr. Ambition to the city of Prosperity. At the entrance of the mystical Garden of Sorrow, Mr. Ambition meets Mr. Destiny. Mr. Destiny thereafter knights him as Sir Ambition the gallant Argonaut. But however, Sir Ambition finds himself overwhelmed by great misfortunes inside the garden of Sorrow. Where following a terrible battle with the horrible giant called Suicide, Sir Ambition is captured by the monster, Unemployment and imprisoned in a labour camp called, Hard-Manual-Labour Estate. Here the monster Unemployment maims Sir Ambition by digging out one of his eyes. But with the aid of an alter-ego, Sir Auto-Suggestion, Sir Ambition escapes Hard-Manual-Labour estate, but with Unemployment on hot pursued. In Sir Ambition's search for the mysterious man, Other-Self, he accidently stumbles upon a mysterious kingdom called, the Kingdom of Within. Here he is welcomed and nursed. After his wounds are healed, the king of this Kingdom of Within and his valiant gladiators escort Ambition out in his search for the elusive Mr. Other-Self. Then once again, the grisly monster, Unemployment confronts Ambition, the valiant king and knights from the kingdom of Within. But the monster, Unemployment easily overpowers and destroys these valiant men and fatally wounds Ambition, leaving him to die a painful and slow death. But with the help of his alter-ego and others, Ambition gathers his feeble strength and continue searching for the mysterious man, Mr. Other-Self. Finally Ambition stumbles upon a strange glittering Kingdom of GreatWithin and makes a last and final attempt to awaken the mysterious man, Other-Self. Sir Ambition succeeds in setting into motion the awakening process but soon dies from his fatal wounds. But even though Ambition dies, he dies with anticipated hope of a resurrection from death, knowing that Mr. Other-Self shall raise him up. Part 1 ends with the awakening process of the invincible man Other-Self.

Celebrate your special day—and yourself—with simple rituals in this modern guide to ancient spiritual traditions. Your birthday is the ultimate moment to celebrate, honor, and reflect on who you truly are. This practical companion is a modern-day grimoire filled with rituals, spells, and other simple practices for making the most of your solar return. Practices include simple spell craft, candle magick, solar work, astrology and numerology, kitchen witchcraft, recipes for specific intentions, and more. Reflect on the past year, let go of what you don’t need, and move into your new year with clarity, purpose, and a touch of self-care magick. Blow out the candles in a whole new way this birthday and beyond.

A comprehensive look at the life of Elias Ashmole, who represents the historic missing link between operative and symbolic Freemasonry • Explores the true role of occult and magical studies in the genesis of modern science • Explains the full meaning of the term magus, which Ashmole exemplified Elias Ashmole (1617-1692) was the first to record a personal account of initiation into Accepted Freemasonry. His writings help solve the debate between operative and “speculative” origins of Accepted Freemasonry, demonstrating that symbolic Freemasonry existed within the Masonic trade bodies. Ashmole was one of the leading intellectual luminaries of his time: a founding member of the Royal Society, a fellowship and later academy of natural philosophers and scientists; alchemist; astrological advisor to the king; and the creator of the world’s first public museum. While Isaac Newton regarded him as an inspiration, Ashmole has been ignored by many conventional historians. Tobias Churton’s compelling portrait of Ashmole offers a perfect illustration of the true Renaissance figure--the magus. As opposed to the alienated position of his post-Cartesian successors, the magus occupied a place at the heart of Renaissance spiritual, intellectual, and scientific life. Churton shows Ashmole to be part of the ferment of the birth of modern science, a missing link between operative and symbolic Freemasonry, and a vital transmitter of esoteric thought when the laws of science were first taking hold. He was a man who moved with facility between the powers of earth and the active symbols of heaven.

“Ash’s book paints a telling portrait of this most restless generation raised in a system that has provided them with unprecedented personal opportunities while denying them political ones . . . A gifted observer.”—Washington Post If China will rule the world one day, who will rule China? There are more than 320 million Chinese between the ages of sixteen and thirty. Children of the one-child policy, born after Mao, with no memory of the Tiananmen Square massacre, they are the first net native generation to come of age in a market-driven, more international China. Their experiences and aspirations were formed in a radically different country from the one that shaped their elders, and their lives will decide the future of their nation and its place in the world. Wish Lanterns offers a deep dive into the life stories of six young Chinese. Dahai is a military child, netizen, and self-styled loser. Xiaoxiao is a hipster from the freezing north. “Fred,” born on the tropical southern island of Hainan, is the daughter of a Party official, while Lucifer is a would-be international rock star. Snail is a country boy and Internet gaming addict, and Mia is a fashionista rebel from far west Xinjiang. Following them as they grow up, go to college, find work and love, all the while navigating the pressure of their parents and society, Wish Lanterns paints a vivid portrait of Chinese youth culture and of a millennial generation whose struggles and dreams reflect the larger issues confronting China today.