Between the late 1920s and the early 1950s, one of the most persuasive personality cults of all times saturated Soviet public space with images of Stalin. A torrent of portraits, posters, statues, films, plays, songs, and poems galvanized the Soviet population and inspired leftist activists around the world. In the first book to examine the cultural products and production methods of the Stalin cult, Jan Plamper reconstructs a hidden history linking artists, party patrons, state functionaries, and ultimately Stalin himself in the alchemical project that transformed a pock-marked Georgian into the embodiment of global communism. Departing from interpretations of the Stalin cult as an outgrowth of Russian mysticism or Stalin's psychopathology, Plamper establishes the cult's context within a broader international history of modern personality cults constructed around Napoleon III, Mussolini, Hitler, and Mao. Drawing upon evidence from previously inaccessible Russian archives, Plamper's lavishly illustrated and accessibly written study will appeal to anyone interested in twentieth-century history, visual studies, the politics of representation, dictator biography, socialist realism, and real socialism.

Just like master scientists use principles of physics to transform energy into extraordinary displays of power, alchemical leaders use metaphysical principles to transform resources into results that exceed norms and expectations. Grounded squarely in data, and anchored deeply in universal wisdom, The Alchemy of Power reveals: what power is what it means to have it how to develop and manage it how to navigate the global call for leaders to use their power to create a better world by developing better workplaces. The Alchemy of Power is rich with information and inspiration that connects studies on leadership, with emergent global trends, and with ageless metaphysical teachings—and ties it all to what’s on leaders’ minds and desktops right now. Written by a seasoned leadership and cultural consultant who has trekked the globe exploring world philosophies and spiritual practices, The Alchemy of Power is about increasing your capacity for causing results that amount to much more than the sum of parts—leadership alchemy.

‘A breakthrough book. Wonderfully applicable to everything in life, and funny as hell.’ Nassim Nicholas Taleb Why is Red Bull so popular – even though everyone hates the taste? Why do countdown boards on platforms take away the pain of train delays? And why do we prefer stripy toothpaste? Discover the alchemy behind original thinking, as TED Talk superstar and Ogilvy advertising legend Rory Sutherland reveals why abandoning logic and casting aside rationality is the best way to solve any problem. In his first book he blends cutting-edge behavioural science, jaw-dropping stories and a touch of branding magic on his mission to turn us all into idea alchemists. He shows how economists, businesses and governments have got it all wrong: we are not rational creatures who make logical decisions based on evidence. Instead, the big problems we face every day, whether as an individual or in society, could very well be solved by thinking less logically. To be brilliant, you have to be irrational.

We think we are rational creatures. Economics and business rely on the assumption that we make logical decisions based on evidence. But we arent, and we dont. In many crucial areas of our lives, reason plays a vanishingly small part. Instead we are driven by unconscious desires, which is why placebos are so powerful. We are drawn to the beautiful, the extravagant and the absurd from lavish wedding invitations to tiny bottles of the latest fragrance. So if you want to influence peoples choices you have to bypass reason. The best ideas dont make rational sense: they make you feel more than they make you think. Rory Sutherland is the Ogilvy advertising legend whose TED Talks have been viewed nearly 7 million times. In his first book he blends cutting-edge behavioural science, jaw-dropping stories and a touch of branding magic, on his mission to turn us all into idea alchemists. The big problems we face every day, whether as an individual or in society, could very well be solved by letting go of logic and embracing the irrational.

Traditional Alchemy is typically known for attempts at transmuting base metals into gold. However, before this version of alchemy came into existence, there was another usage. The usage was that of spiritual and life transformation. Alchemy was originally intended to transform man's base mental self into his supreme spiritual self; alchemy was also intended for life transformation: poverty to prosperity, weakness to strength, fear to faith, sickness to health; the ultimate goal was that of achieving eternal life. Before the physical science of alchemy, there was the spiritual science of life that is alchemy. The science of life, alchemy, is now at your fingertips. The principles in this book were extracted directly from "The Book of Alchm, The Alchemystical Bible." You now have everything you need to transform and improve your life for the better. This easy to understand and workable science will help you to achieve all of your life's most noble desires.

Jarow offers a practical guide--complete with a series of exercises and guided visualizations--to help cultivate one's relationship with the universe by exploring 12 key areas on the pathway to fulfillment.

A “timely, informative, and fascinating” study of 8 inventions—and how they shaped our world—with “totally compelling” insights on little-known inventors throughout history (Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Sixth Extinction) In The Alchemy of Us, scientist and science writer Ainissa Ramirez examines 8 inventions and reveals how they shaped the human experience: • Clocks • Steel rails • Copper communication cables • Photographic film • Light bulbs • Hard disks • Scientific labware • Silicon chips Ramirez tells the stories of the woman who sold time, the inventor who inspired Edison, and the hotheaded undertaker whose invention pointed the way to the computer. She describes how our pursuit of precision in timepieces changed how we sleep; how the railroad helped commercialize Christmas; how the necessary brevity of the telegram influenced Hemingway’s writing style; and how a young chemist exposed the use of Polaroid’s cameras to create passbooks to track black citizens in apartheid South Africa. These fascinating and inspiring stories offer new perspectives on our relationships with technologies. Ramirez shows not only how materials were shaped by inventors but also how those materials shaped culture, chronicling each invention and its consequences—intended and unintended. Filling in the gaps left by other books about technology, Ramirez showcases little-known inventors—particularly people of color and women—who had a significant impact but whose accomplishments have been hidden by mythmaking, bias, and convention. Doing so, she shows us the power of telling inclusive stories about technology. She also shows that innovation is universal—whether it's splicing beats with two turntables and a microphone or splicing genes with two test tubes and CRISPR.