The Poisoned Embrace is a provocative investigation into the history of sexual pessimism as it has evolved in Western theology throughout the ages. Since the days of the Early Fathers, sex and death have formed a theological equation known as sexual pessimism. This aversion to the carnal, and its consequent elevation of the virginal and the chaste, springs not from Christianity, but from Gnosticism. Osborne examines the art, mythologies, and traditions of Christendom, and distinguishes thematic archetypes: the Virgin, the Witch, the Leper, the Noble Savage, the Jew, the Oriental, the Androgyne, and Don Juan. He traces our now-glorified ideal of sexual passion back to the Troubadours and Northern Mystics, and explores how the Passion of the Cross relates the ideas of sublime passion and therapeutic energy.

Since the days of the Early Fathers, sex and death have formed a theological equation known as "sexual pessimism"--an aversion to the carnal which consequently elevates the virginal and the chaste. Here, Osborne gives a bracing account of how we imagine one of the most intimate aspects of our lives.

A New York Times Notable Book The inspiration for PBS's AMERICAN EXPERIENCE film The Poison Squad. From Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times-bestselling author Deborah Blum, the dramatic true story of how food was made safe in the United States and the heroes, led by the inimitable Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley, who fought for change By the end of nineteenth century, food was dangerous. Lethal, even. "Milk" might contain formaldehyde, most often used to embalm corpses. Decaying meat was preserved with both salicylic acid, a pharmaceutical chemical, and borax, a compound first identified as a cleaning product. This was not by accident; food manufacturers had rushed to embrace the rise of industrial chemistry, and were knowingly selling harmful products. Unchecked by government regulation, basic safety, or even labelling requirements, they put profit before the health of their customers. By some estimates, in New York City alone, thousands of children were killed by "embalmed milk" every year. Citizens--activists, journalists, scientists, and women's groups--began agitating for change. But even as protective measures were enacted in Europe, American corporations blocked even modest regulations. Then, in 1883, Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley, a chemistry professor from Purdue University, was named chief chemist of the agriculture department, and the agency began methodically investigating food and drink fraud, even conducting shocking human tests on groups of young men who came to be known as, "The Poison Squad." Over the next thirty years, a titanic struggle took place, with the courageous and fascinating Dr. Wiley campaigning indefatigably for food safety and consumer protection. Together with a gallant cast, including the muckraking reporter Upton Sinclair, whose fiction revealed the horrific truth about the Chicago stockyards; Fannie Farmer, then the most famous cookbook author in the country; and Henry J. Heinz, one of the few food producers who actively advocated for pure food, Dr. Wiley changed history. When the landmark 1906 Food and Drug Act was finally passed, it was known across the land, as "Dr. Wiley's Law." Blum brings to life this timeless and hugely satisfying "David and Goliath" tale with righteous verve and style, driving home the moral imperative of confronting corporate greed and government corruption with a bracing clarity, which speaks resoundingly to the enormous social and political challenges we face today.

After a career of navigating in the dark, Hang Thi Yen Black, shares her story of breaking free from the confines of generic formulas to become a tenacious woman, mother, and Silicon Valley leader armed with skill, will, and tenacity. Hang's motivation is simple-pave the path with nearly three decades of experience developing resources and resilience so that other women, marginalized by cultural biases, may learn how to:* Level the playing field and arrive at any destination they choose on their own merits, on their own terms, with dignity and authenticity.* Create their own access to powerful networks and resources.* Be inspired to conquer their world, as they choose to define it, with confidence and truth."My hope is that women who have been unseen, and minorities who have been unheard, feel empowered to celebrate their unique identity."

I wrapped myself in the portals embrace and felt my feet land on a new surface. I stood on a sandy beach that was wet and damp, causing the ground to stick to my shoes. The portal snapped shut, and I felt misty rain dance on my shoulders. Thunder sounded from overhead, and before I could comprehend the impending storm, a gash of lightning hit the hill just to the right of the river. The ground quaked below me before an explosion of sand burst from the ground. AS WINTER ARRIVES Arica Miller is back to regular school life at Hill Valley. After resolving the disappearance of the Kings Jewel and returning it safely, Arica doesnt expect anything else to go wrong. Too soon does Arica learn that a great evila poisonhas spread through the Sorcerers Underworld, threatening to take away all magic. And worse, the only person who can save the magical world has been kidnapped: the king. In order to find the king, Arica and her friends must follow an ancient prophecy in which they must defeat vicious creatures, travel through mysterious forests, and restore peace to the poisoned landno matter how dangerous it could be In this final installment of The Pendant Trilogy, Arica learns of dark pasts, unknowable futures, and the truth of the pendants origin. Arica doesnt have much time leftand if she fails, the mortal and the magical worlds are both at stake.

One of Vanity Fair's 21 Best Books of 2020 (So Far) A Vulture, LitHub, and PureWow Most Anticipated Book of 2020 "As precise as any scientific observation and far more tantalizing." --Vogue "A sophisticated, surprising take on the campus novel (with a welcome dose of witchery). Knight's writing feels a little wild and charged, as if you're constantly on the edge of discovering something new with her." --Goop "Hex is some dark and joyous witchery." --Lauren Groff, author of Florida "A beautiful, spooky spell." --Jenny Slate, actress and author of Little Weirds A breathtaking and hypnotic novel about poison, antidotes, and obsessive love Nell Barber, an expelled PhD candidate in biological science, is exploring the fine line between poison and antidote, working alone to set a speed record for the detoxification of poisonous plants. Her mentor, Dr. Joan Kallas, is the hero of Nell's heart. Nell frequently finds herself standing in the doorway to Joan's office despite herself, mesmerized by Joan's elegance, success, and spiritual force. Surrounded by Nell's ex, her best friend, her best friend's boyfriend, and Joan's buffoonish husband, the two scientists are tangled together at the center of a web of illicit relationships, grudges, and obsessions. All six are burdened by desire and ambition, and as they collide on the university campus, their attractions set in motion a domino effect of affairs and heartbreak. Meanwhile, Nell slowly fills her empty apartment with poisonous plants to study, and she begins to keep a series of notebooks, all dedicated to Joan. She logs her research and how she spends her days, but the notebooks ultimately become a painstaking map of love. In a dazzling and unforgettable voice, Rebecca Dinerstein Knight has written a spellbinding novel of emotional and intellectual intensity.

From the mind of Braeden Michaels, drink from this cup, the raven's poison, a concoction of his collected poems all about the human condition. Imbibe in the rainbow of emotions found in the soul's colors and taste the bitter aftertaste when you're drenched in rage. Indulge in the reasons beneath dripping lust before absorbing all the ways we experience our wide-ranging flavors of love and finish off with a sip of self-destruction. This is us. Humanity. All the layers stripped away and arranged for your pleasure.