This is a short story followed by two poems that illustrate the search for the foundations and roots of character and personal truth.

Three narratives, set in the fifth, fourteenth, and twentieth centuries, all revolving around an ancient text and each with a love story at its centre, are the elements of this brilliantly ingenious novel, a follow-up to the international bestseller An Instance of the Fingerpost. The centuries are the 5th (the final days of the Roman Empire); the 14th (the years of the Plague — the Black Death); and the 20th (World War II). The setting for each is the same — Provence — and each has at its heart a love story. The narratives intertwine seamlessly, and what joins them thematically is an ancient text — “The Dream of Scipio” — a work of neo-Platonism that poses timeless philosophical questions. What is the obligation of the individual in a society under siege? What is the role of learning when civilization itself is threatened, whether by acts of man or nature? Does virtue lie more in engagement or in neutrality? “Power without wisdom is tyranny; wisdom without power is pointless,” warns one of Pears’s characters. The Dream of Scipio is a bona fide novel of ideas, a dazzling feat of storytelling, fiction for our times.

The Emperor's Regret are a collection of stories based on Chinese themes. I have experimented with fiction. In the first story, The Emperor's regret I experiment with combining fiction story form with non-fiction use of footnotes. In the second story I experiment with western and eastern story forms. In the third story I experiment with contemporary reality with ancient fantasy.

An illustrated monthly magazine in the interest of better art, better work and a better more reasonable way of living.

Step inside the world's most famous garden and understand the strength of its attraction in this beautiful and fascinating study. Since is was bought and transformed by writer Vita Sackville West and diplomat Harold Nicholson in the 1930s, this garden has captured imaginations with its unique and intricate design. This unforgettable garden of rooms is influential today for its design, its exuberant planting, and its effect on visitors as a complete garden experience. Author Tim Richardson explores its power and its magic, explaining the nuances of its evolution and shows how we can all enjoy it today. Beautiful photographs transport you to the National Trust property, showcasing it in all its brilliance.

A look at Fortune Telling and Divination from the author of Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft Best-selling Wiccan seer and gypsy mystic Raymond Buckland focused his attention on the intuitive art of prognostication in this tome. A master of his art, the late Buckland designed fortune-telling decks, read cards, and did other types of fortune telling for over fifty years. A comprehensive A-to-Z exploration of all that peers into tomorrow, The Fortune-Telling Book: The Encyclopedia of Divination and Soothsaying divines the meanings of 400 key topics relating to this oft-misunderstood, oft-consulted-upon science. Written in clear, concise language, it discusses everything from aeromancy (seeing by observing atmospheric phenomena) to zoomancy (divination by the appearance or behavior of animals) and the 398 others in between. This fascinating encyclopedia is illustrated with 100 pictures and includes a detailed index and additional reading recommendations. Packed with colorful histories, people, and significant events, The Fortune-Telling Book shows readers how to foretell their own fates. It’s sure to please fortune-telling enthusiasts, whatever their powers.