The Holy Grail, mysterious, hopeful, offering eternal life and proof of a living dynasty. Fabled knights feature in this intriguing narrative around the Living Christ. For over two thousand years since the Holy Grail disappeared, it existed as the object of many quests, adventurous souls who even now seek eternal life. This story as fascinating as ever, bringing to light those who supported Jesus of Nazarene, such as Joseph of Arimathea and Mary of Magda. A rich tale, brimming with dedication, faith, love and abiding strength from understanding the teachings of a true Master of divinity. What can King Arthur's Knights of the Roundtable still reveal? How much did a black and white terrier have to do with this history? When a baker stepped out of twenty-first century life, what did he take into the past? Does a pilon, or mortar and pestle, represent a vital clue for seekers of truth? How many prayers did Mary Magdalene offer, living as a recluse in a French grotto? Could Samoan brothers bring the Holy Grail forth? What does a family in Texas, who love singing A cappella, cause to happen? Many such questions are answered, much wonder and delight appear too in this well paced story, packed with extraordinary detail.

In American fiction, two forms of the Arthurian myth are commonly found: the use of the myth for political reasons, and the use of the myth for the continuation of an aesthetic tradition that can be traced back to the earliest use of the Arthurian cycle by writers in the British Isles. This work traces the use of the legend from Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court to Donald Barthelme's novel The King. It discusses how Twain used the myth to take a stand against England, how it served cultural and aesthetic purposes in John Steinbeck's writing, how Raymond Chandler used it in complex texts with less obvious Arthurian allusions that carried strong cultural and even political associations, how John Gardner used aspects of the myth to embellish already existing narrative structures and to underscore philosophic debates, and how Donald Barthelme suggests the continuing interest of American writers in the Arthurian legend today in his novels. Also discussed is the effect of World War II on American literature and the Arthurian myth and the Camelot image surrounding the Kennedys.

Human Evolution and Pre-History, first Canadian edition, is brief text that offers a straightforward, balanced presentation on views of human evolution, adaptation, and prehistory. It focuses on selected aspects of physical anthropology and prehistoric archaeology as they relate to the origin of humanity, the origin of culture, and the development of human biological and cultural diversity.

The Holy Grail is an image familiar to us all as an almost unattainable, infinitely desirable goal. The idea has passed into everyday speech and the legends behind it are as current in today's culture as they have ever been. And yet the Grail has no real religious meaning and is nowhere mentioned in the Bible. What is the truth behind this elusive symbol? Here, Barber traces the history of the stories surrounding the Holy Grail. He describes how through a long series of imaginative transformations, the grail has moved from the sphere of romance to religion, and in twentieth century popular culture has become an emblem of mysticism and man's highest aspirations, intimately linked with the central ritual of the Christian faith. The search for the grail has always been described as a quest; in this book, Barber goes on his own quest, brilliantly exploring the richness of the Holy Grail's cultural impact. Barber traces the history of legends surrounding the Holy Grail, from Chretien de Troyes' great romances to the popular bestsellers of the late twentieth century.