Dolores Cannon uses information obtained from regressive hypnosis to formulate a provocative viewpoint on the ancient astronaut theory of human origins. Her findings indicate that the earth was seeded eons ago by travellers from outer space. These visits by ancient extraterrestrials did not end with their intervention in human evolution. They have continued up to the present day resulting in a whole class of contemporary humans who have been subject to alien abduction.

Raun (Central Eurasian studies, Indiana U.) surveys Estonia's political history, economy, social and demographic developments, and cultural life from the prehistoric era to the present, with attention paid to historiography and different interpretation of significant issues. Estonian history is also placed in the context of northern and eastern Europe. The original edition was published in 1987; the second, in 1991, and this is an updated version of that second edition. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Offerings of various kinds – food, incense, paper money and figures – have been central to Chinese culture for millennia, and as a public, visual display of spiritual belief, they are still evident today in China and in Chinatowns around the world. Using Hong Kong as a case study, Janet Scott looks at paper offerings from every conceivable angle – how they are made, sold, and used. Her comprehensive investigation touches on virtually every aspect of Chinese popular religion as it explores the many forms of these intricate objects, their manufacture, their significance, and their importance in rituals to honor gods, care for ancestors, and contend with ghosts. Throughout For Gods, Ghosts and Ancestors, paper offerings are presented as a vibrant and living tradition expressing worshippers' respect and gratitude for the gods, as well as love and concern for departed family members. Ranging from fake paper money to paper furniture, servant dolls, cigarettes, and toiletries – all multihued and artfully constructed – paper offerings are intended to provide for the needs of those in the spirit world. Readers are introduced to the variety of paper offerings and their uses in worship, in assisting worshippers with personal difficulties, and in rituals directed to gods, ghosts, and ancestors. We learn of the manufacture and sale of paper goods, life in paper shops, the training of those who make paper offerings, and the symbolic and artistic dimensions of the objects. Finally, the book considers the survival of this traditional craft, the importance of flexibility and innovation, and the role of compassion and filial piety in the use of paper offerings.

A cumulative folk song in which seven soldiers build a magnificent cannon, but Drummer Hoff fires it off. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

“An edge-of-your-seat tale of suspense paired with a heart-stopping romance . . . Love blooms amid the gritty realism of Sidney Bell’s harrowing plot.” —Sarina Bowen, USA Today–bestselling author Released after five years in the system for assault, streetwise Edgar-Allen Church is ready to leave the past behind and finally look to his future. In need of a place to crash, he’s leaning on Miller Quinn. A patient, solidly masculine pillar of strength and support, Miller has always been there for him—except in the one way Church has wanted the most. With his staunchly conservative upbringing, Miller has been playing it straight his whole life. Now with Church so close again, it’s getting harder to keep his denial intact. As they fumble their way back to friendship after so many years apart, Miller struggles to find the courage to accept who he really is. What he has with Church could be more than desire—it could be love. But it could also mean trouble. Church’s criminal connections are closing in on the both of them, and more than their hearts are at risk. This time, their very lives are on the line. Don’t miss the next titles in Sidney Bell’s male/male romance series: Hard Line and Rough Trade. “Bell writes a meaty romance that you can’t put down, and it’s a worthy addition to the M/M contemporary romance genre.” —RT Book Reviews (Top Pick) “A friends-to-lovers tender romance, a suspenseful mystery . . . Sidney Bell pulls it all off and makes it appear effortless.” —Gay Book Reviews