William Crooke (1848-1923) was an English orientalist and "the central figure in Anglo-Indian folklore" according to Richard Mercer Dorson. Born in a family long settled in Ireland, he was educated at Tipperary Grammar School, before winning a scholarship to the Trinity College, Dublin. In 1871, he entered the Indian Civil Service. As an Indian Civil Service officer, his tenure was entirely spent in the United Provinces of Agra and Awadh. During this time, he held charge as Magistrate and Collector of various districts like Etah, Saharanpur, Gorakhpur and Mirzapur. In these districts, he found abundant material for his researches in the ancient civilisation of India. He was also an accomplished hunter, and an outspoken critic of the mechanically efficient "Secretariat" system. He was allowed to retire early after just 25 years of service in 1895. Apart from his official duties to which he was heavily devoted, he found ample time to write much on the people of India and their religions, beliefs and customs. In 1910, he was chosen to be the President of the Anthropological Section of the British Association, and became the editor of Folklore in 1915. His works include: Rural and Agricultural Glossary, NWP and Oudh (1888), The Popular Religion and Folklore of Northern India (1896) and The Tribes and Castes of the NWP and Oudh (1896).

A collection of Serbian folk tales preceded by background to the history and cultural traditions of the Slavic people, including short essays on good and evil spirits, vampires, superstition, Christmas Eve, wedding rites, etc.

Winner of the International Lannan Literary Award for Nonfiction Animal tracks, word magic, the speech of stones, the power of letters, and the taste of the wind all figure prominently in this intellectual tour de force that returns us to our senses and to the sensuous terrain that sustains us. This major work of ecological philosophy startles the senses out of habitual ways of perception. For a thousand generations, human beings viewed themselves as part of the wider community of nature, and they carried on active relationships not only with other people with other animals, plants, and natural objects (including mountains, rivers, winds, and weather patters) that we have only lately come to think of as "inanimate." How, then, did humans come to sever their ancient reciprocity with the natural world? What will it take for us to recover a sustaining relation with the breathing earth? In The Spell of the Sensuous David Abram draws on sources as diverse as the philosophy of Merleau-Ponty, Balinese shamanism, Apache storytelling, and his own experience as an accomplished sleight-of-hand of magician to reveal the subtle dependence of human cognition on the natural environment. He explores the character of perception and excavates the sensual foundations of language, which--even at its most abstract--echoes the calls and cries of the earth. On every page of this lyrical work, Abram weaves his arguments with a passion, a precision, and an intellectual daring that recall such writers as Loren Eisleley, Annie Dillard, and Barry Lopez.

Japan's impact on the modern world has been enormous. It occupies just one 300th of the planet's land area, yet came to wield one sixth of the world's economic power. Just 150 years ago it was an obscure land of paddy fields and feudal despots. Within 50 years it became a major imperial power – it's so-called 'First Miracle'. After defeat in the Second World War, when Japan came close to annihilation, within 25 years it recovered remarkably to become the world's third biggest economy – it's 'Second Miracle'. It is now not only an economic superpower, but also a technological and cultural superpower. True miracles have no explanation: Japan's 'miracles' do. The nation's success lies in deeply ingrained historical values, such as a pragmatic determination to succeed. The world can learn much from Japan, and its story is told in these pages. Covering the full sweep of Japanese history, from ancient to contemporary, this book explores Japan's enormous impact on the modern world, and how vital it is to examine the past and culture of the country in order to full understand its achievements and responses. Now in its third edition, this book is usefully updated and revised.