This book is an expanded, larger-format, and more highly illustrated version of a smaller book released by CEU Press in 2011. It presents and comments on an extensive set of religious and personal photographs and illustrations that depict people along with divine beings or absent loved ones. First, Christian examines the periodic appearances of Christ-like strangers in the Spanish countryside through the vision of a woman in La Mancha in 1931. Then he considers the long history of images with liquids on them not only for early modern Spain, but also in the United States, Italy and France in the 1940s and 1950s. The third and most extensive chapter addresses the iconography of illustrated depictions of divine and spirit beings in conjunction with humans and how its conventions were incorporated into commercial postcards and personal photographs, culminating in photo montages of families and their absent soldiers in World War I. The fourth theme is new to this edition. It compares the electric moments in Spanish communities when people ritually come into physical contact with saints and with animals, or transform themselves into saints or animals for ritual purposes. Over 50 of the color photographs by Spain's preeminent documentary photographer, Cristina García Rodero, are included.

Discover the charming and reflective tale of ""The Rabbit"" by Guy De Maupassant. This short story centers on a rabbit and its symbolic significance in the lives of those who encounter it. Maupassant’s narrative explores themes of innocence, nature, and the impact of seemingly minor events on human emotions. De Maupassant skillfully uses the rabbit as a metaphor for deeper human experiences, revealing how small and seemingly insignificant creatures can have a profound effect on people's lives. The story provides a thoughtful examination of nature and the human condition.""The Rabbit"" is ideal for readers who appreciate stories with symbolic depth and emotional resonance. Perfect for those who value Guy De Maupassant’s ability to infuse everyday events with deeper meaning and insight.