Immerse yourself in the profound and thought-provoking world of Havelock Ellis with "Impressions and Comments". This book is a collection of daily impressions and commentaries, gathered from the author's personal notes on life and thought. Ellis covers a wide range of topics, from the miracles of nature to the charms and absurdities of human existence, all the while maintaining a deep-rooted faith and central vision. Here's an excerpt: "July 27.—A gentle rain was falling, and on this my first day in Paris since the unveiling of the Verlaine monument in the Luxembourg Gardens, immediately after I left Paris last year, I thought there could be no better moment to visit the spot so peculiarly fit to be dedicated to the poet who loved such spots—a "coin exquis" where the rain may fall peacefully among the trees, on his image as once on his heart, and the tender mists enfold him from the harsh world."

Raphael’s Ostrich begins with a little-studied aspect of Raphael’s painting—the ostrich, which appears as an attribute of Justice, painted in the Sala di Costantino in the Vatican. Una Roman D’Elia traces the cultural and artistic history of the ostrich from its appearances in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs to the menageries and grotesque ornaments of sixteenth-century Italy. Following the complex history of shifting interpretations given to the ostrich in scientific, literary, religious, poetic, and satirical texts and images, D’Elia demonstrates the rich variety of ways in which people made sense of this living “monster,” which was depicted as the embodiment of heresy, stupidity, perseverance, justice, fortune, gluttony, and other virtues and vices. Because Raphael was revered as a god of art, artists imitated and competed with his ostrich, while religious and cultural critics complained about the potential for misinterpreting such obscure imagery. This book not only considers the history of the ostrich but also explores how Raphael’s painting forced viewers to question how meaning is attributed to the natural world, a debate of central importance in early modern Europe at a time when the disciplines of modern art history and natural history were developing. The strangeness of Raphael’s ostrich, situated at the crossroads of art, religion, myth, and natural history, both reveals lesser-known sides of Raphael’s painting and illuminates major cultural shifts in attitudes toward nature and images in the Renaissance. More than simply an examination of a single artist or a single subject, Raphael’s Ostrich offers an accessible, erudite, and charming alternative to Vasari’s pervasive model of the history of sixteenth-century Italian art.

“The characters were captivating. The story was simply spellbinding." - Kristy Feltenberger Gillespie Sixteen-year-old Bianca Monroe has prepared for this moment her entire life: the day she’ll enroll in the quietly famous magical school Miss Mabel’s School for Girls. Winning a spot to work directly with Miss Mabel is a dangerous game. Bianca soon faces enchanting spells, simmering potions, and the warmth of new friendships. Unfortunately, Miss Mabel has her own evil plans—and if Bianca loses, she’s at the very center of them. Get all four books in one easy-to-read collection today. Books included are: Miss Mabel’s School for Girls Alkarra Awakening The High Priest’s Daughter War of the Networks Grab your copy right now—and sink into a brand new world just waiting to take your breath away.

Susan Zuccotti describes the ever-escalating dangers to which Jewish refugees and recent immigrants were subjected to in France and Italy as the Holocaust marched forward. She chronicles the lives of nine central and eastern European Jewish families, through historical documents and personal testimonies.