An introduction to the Talmud describes such topics as its contents, the relationship between science and medicine and Talmudic philosophy, the Talmudic lifestyle, and blessings found in the Talmud

An updated and revised edition of one of The Complete Idiot's Guidespopular religion and history titles. Additional information about Jews in early American history through the 19th century. Expanded coverage of Jewish history and culture in the places you might least expect - Asia and South America. Jewish history and culture brought up to date to 2004.

This second edition updates and revises one of The Complete Idiot's Guidesmost popular religion titles. New topics covered- How the winds of change have affected the major denominations of Judaism in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. New times, new concerns-what about the role of women in Judaism, gay rabbis, interfaith marriages? And can a clone count for a Minyan? Gazing into a crystal ball, Judaism and the future-can the present population preserve a religion? Is Israel making it harder or easier for Judaism to survive? And is there a difference between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism? First edition has netted 1.3K

• Fascinating, fact-filled writing that delivers hundreds of years in the life of the European continent • Terrific supplementary reading for AP History students

Explores the ideas of several philosophers, including Socrates, Descartes, Kierkegaard, and Freud, and discusses how to create a philosophy and apply philosophical principles.

What the Kabbalah can do for you. According to the authors of this comprehensive guide, the Kabbalah that Madonna popularized is far from authentic. In fact, the Kabbalah is much bigger—and better. Here, readers will discover how it can deliver money, love, health, and many other things. - An international authority on authentic Kabbalah was a consultant for this book. - Blends religion/spirituality with New Age mysticism.

Today, with religion being talked about more than ever in the United States, and most Americans professing their belief in God, the time is ripe for an exploration of what God means, and has meant, throughout history. In this fascinating guide, Jeffrey Webb explores humanity's ideas of God, from the days of Pantheism through the Hebrew Scriptures and rabbinic tradition, to Christian Trinity and the New Testament, to the Qur an and God in the Sunni and Shi ite traditions, to present-day metaphysics and beyond. The religion category is hugely successful According to a 2003 Harris Poll, while only a quarter of Americans attend a religious service every week, 79% believe there is a God, and 66% are absolutely certain this is true The unbiased tone and coverage makes this book a perfect primer

An easy-to-understand introduction to Judaism's most sacred text The foundation of Hebrew and Jewish religion, thought, law, and society is the Torah-the parchment scroll containing the text of the Five Books of Moses that is located in every synagogue. This accessible guide explains the Torah in clear language, even to those who were not raised in the Jewish religious tradition. Christians who want to know more about the Jewish roots of Christianity need to understand the Torah, as do followers of Islamic tradition and those interested in the roots of Abrahamic faiths. The Torah For Dummies explains the history of the Torah, its structure and major principles, and how the Torah affects the daily lives of people who follow the Jewish way of life.

National Book Award Finalist: “This man’s ideas may be the most influential, not to say controversial, of the second half of the twentieth century.”—Columbus Dispatch At the heart of this classic, seminal book is Julian Jaynes's still-controversial thesis that human consciousness did not begin far back in animal evolution but instead is a learned process that came about only three thousand years ago and is still developing. The implications of this revolutionary scientific paradigm extend into virtually every aspect of our psychology, our history and culture, our religion—and indeed our future. “Don’t be put off by the academic title of Julian Jaynes’s The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind. Its prose is always lucid and often lyrical…he unfolds his case with the utmost intellectual rigor.”—The New York Times “When Julian Jaynes . . . speculates that until late in the twentieth millennium BC men had no consciousness but were automatically obeying the voices of the gods, we are astounded but compelled to follow this remarkable thesis.”—John Updike, The New Yorker “He is as startling as Freud was in The Interpretation of Dreams, and Jaynes is equally as adept at forcing a new view of known human behavior.”—American Journal of Psychiatry

Madman, tyrant, animal—history has given Adolf Hitler many names. In Mein Kampf (My Struggle), often called the Nazi bible, Hitler describes his life, frustrations, ideals, and dreams. Born to an impoverished couple in a small town in Austria, the young Adolf grew up with the fervent desire to become a painter. The death of his parents and outright rejection from art schools in Vienna forced him into underpaid work as a laborer. During the First World War, Hitler served in the infantry and was decorated for bravery. After the war, he became actively involved with socialist political groups and quickly rose to power, establishing himself as Chairman of the National Socialist German Worker's party. In 1924, Hitler led a coalition of nationalist groups in a bid to overthrow the Bavarian government in Munich. The infamous Munich "Beer-hall putsch" was unsuccessful, and Hitler was arrested. During the nine months he was in prison, an embittered and frustrated Hitler dictated a personal manifesto to his loyal follower Rudolph Hess. He vented his sentiments against communism and the Jewish people in this document, which was to become Mein Kampf, the controversial book that is seen as the blue-print for Hitler's political and military campaign. In Mein Kampf, Hitler describes his strategy for rebuilding Germany and conquering Europe. It is a glimpse into the mind of a man who destabilized world peace and pursued the genocide now known as the Holocaust.