The appearance of The Mummery Book by Adi Da Samraj signals a remarkable occasion in the world of literature. It is a novel in the mode of a vast parable, in which mystical and esoteric states of awareness are fleshed in poetic imagery. It is an experimental work?what Adi Da Samraj calls a ?prose opera that shatters the conventional limits of language and raises literary portrayal to radical levels of consciousness. 'At the level of form and style, The Mummery Book is reminiscent of Gertrude Stein, e.e. cummings, and Joyce. Adi Da makes words crackle and swoon, pound and console with an endless suggestiveness guided by a desire to open up the reader's heart and imagination to the possibility of transformation. . . . As playful as it is profound, as heart-breaking as it is consoling, The Mummery Book is an absolutely unique literary experience.' ?from the foreword by Philip Kuberski, PhD Professor of English, Wake Forest University and author.

Mark Twain has always been America's spokesman, and his comments on a wide range of topics continue to be accurate, valid, and frequently amusing. His opinions on the medical field are no exception. While Twain's works, including his popular novels about Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, are rich in medical imagery and medical themes derived from his personal experiences, his interactions with the medical profession and his comments about health, illness, and physicians have largely been overlooked. In Mark Twain and Medicine, K. Patrick Ober remedies this omission. The nineteenth century was a critical time in the development of American medicine, with much competition among the different systems of health care, both traditional and alternative. Not surprisingly, Mark Twain was right in the middle of it all. He experimented with many of the alternative care systems that were available in his day--in part because of his frustration with traditional medicine and in part because he hoped to find the "perfect" system that would bring health to his family. Twain's commentary provides a unique perspective on American medicine and the revolution in medical systems that he experienced firsthand. Ober explores Twain's personal perspective in this area, as he expressed it in fiction, speeches, and letters. As a medical educator, Ober explains in sufficient detail and with clarity all medical and scientific terms, making this volume accessible to the general reader. Ober demonstrates that many of Twain's observations are still relevant to today's health care issues, including the use of alternative or complementary medicine in dealing with illness, the utility of placebo therapies, and the role of hope in the healing process. Twain's evaluation of the medical practices of his era provides a fresh, humanistic, and personalized view of the dramatic changes that occurred in medicine through the nineteenth century and into the first decade of the twentieth. Twain scholars, general readers, and medical professionals will all find this unique look at his work appealing.

The second edition of Stem Cells: Scientific Facts and Fiction provides the non-stem cell expert with an understandable review of the history, current state of affairs, and facts and fiction of the promises of stem cells. Building on success of its award-winning preceding edition, the second edition features new chapters on embryonic and iPS cells and stem cells in veterinary science and medicine. It contains major revisions on cancer stem cells to include new culture models, additional interviews with leaders in progenitor cells, engineered eye tissue, and xeno organs from stem cells, as well as new information on "organs on chips" and adult progenitor cells. In the past decades our understanding of stem cell biology has increased tremendously. Many types of stem cells have been discovered in tissues that everyone presumed were unable to regenerate in adults, the heart and the brain in particular. There is vast interest in stem cells from biologists and clinicians who see the potential for regenerative medicine and future treatments for chronic diseases like Parkinson's, diabetes, and spinal cord lesions, based on the use of stem cells; and from entrepreneurs in biotechnology who expect new commercial applications ranging from drug discovery to transplantation therapies. - Explains in straightforward, non-specialist language the basic biology of stem cells and their applications in modern medicine and future therapy - Includes extensive coverage of adult and embryonic stem cells both historically and in contemporary practice - Richly illustrated to assist in understanding how research is done and the current hurdles to clinical practice

The Knee Of Listening has transformed the lives of thousands of secular and religious seekers since it was first published in 1972. Avatar Adi Da& ’ s spiritual autobiography tells the miraculous story of His unique incarnation and revelation in the West for the sake of liberating all beings. This newly expanded edition includes: - An expanded description of Avatar Adi Da's early life, leading up to His Divine Re-Awakening in 1970. - The secrets of Adi Da's & " Pre-History& " before His birth in 1939. - Revelations about the Spiritual Work of the great Realizers in Adi Da's lineage, and His unique Demonstration of the Seventh Stage of Life. - The profound events of & " Yogic death& " (in 1986, 1999, and 2000) that occurred after His Divine Re-Awakening--events that completed Adi Da's process of Incarnating the Divine Conscious Light.

"New talks and essays from the Avatar Adi Da on death and ultimate transcendence; accounts of profound events of yogic death in Avatar Adi Da's own life; stories of his blessing in the death transitions of his devotees" -- Cover.

Philadelphia Mummers is the story of America's oldest annual folk parade and its legacy to Philadelphia's working-class spirit. The Philadelphia Mummers are costumed individuals and families who celebrate by "strutting" and performing on New Year's Day. For many, mummery is also a way of life. The first official parade occurred in 1901, but it is an evolving tradition, reflecting both the challenges and opportunities of changing times. Philadelphia Mummers tells the story of modern-day mummery and the expressions of art, freedom, and celebration of thousands of people who come together in the working-class spirit of America's oldest annual folk parade.

Shortlisted for the Whitbread Award, award-winning author of the Elric series Michael Moorcock offers a captivating and immersive portrait of London from World War II through the 1980s through the eyes of three outpatients from a mental hospital. In this masterful exploration of the human condition, three outpatients from a mental hospital—a music hall artist, reclusive writer, and a woman just awoken from a long coma—experience the history of London from the Blitz to the late 1980s through a chaotic experience of sensory delusions. Believing themselves to hear voices from London’s past, their fragmented and poignant stories create a tapestry of episodes, snippets, and sidelines that capture the essence of those living on society’s fringes. What The Guardian calls “a great, humane document,” Mother London is a literary work that transcends time and place and is a must-read for literary and historical fiction fans alike.