What conceptual blind spot kept the ancient Greeks (unlike the Indians and Maya) from developing a concept of zero? Why did St. Augustine equate nothingness with the Devil? What tortuous means did 17th-century scientists employ in their attempts to create a vacuum? And why do contemporary quantum physicists believe that the void is actually seething with subatomic activity? You’ll find the answers in this dizzyingly erudite and elegantly explained book by the English cosmologist John D. Barrow. Ranging through mathematics, theology, philosophy, literature, particle physics, and cosmology, The Book of Nothing explores the enduring hold that vacuity has exercised on the human imagination. Combining high-wire speculation with a wealth of reference that takes in Freddy Mercury and Shakespeare alongside Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, and Stephen Hawking, the result is a fascinating excursion to the vanishing point of our knowledge.

WE WILL BE ENTERING the beautiful world of a Zen Master’s no-mind. Sosan is the third Zen Patriarch. Nothing much is known about him – this is as it should be, because history records only violence. History does not record silence – it cannot record it. All records are of disturbance. Whenever someone becomes really silent, he disappears from all records, he is no more a part of our madness. So it is as it should be.

As a vast Holy War begins, a powerful new force emerges in the second book of this “violent, passionate, darkly poetic” fantasy series (SFSite.com). The first battle against the heathen has been won, but while the Great Names squabble over the spoils, Kellhus draws more followers to his banner. The sorcerer Achamian and his lover, Esmenet, submit entirely—only to face an unimaginable test of faith. The warrior Cnaiur falls ever deeper into madness. The skin-spies of the Consult watch with growing trepidation. And across the searing wastes of the desert, a name—a title—begins to be whispered among the faithful. Who is the Warrior-Prophet? A dangerous heretic who turns brother against brother? Or the only man who can avert the Second Apocalypse? With the fate of the Holy War hanging in the balance, the great powers will have to choose between their most desperate desires and their most ingrained prejudice. Between hatred and hope. Between the Warrior-Prophet and the end of the world . . .

Since its publication in 2005, The Gift of Nothing has become an instant classic--the perfect gift for "the person who has everything." In this appealing picture book, Mooch the cat--star of the nationally-syndicated comic strip Mutts--searches for a present for his friend, Earl the dog. Earl already has everything he needs: a bowl, a bed, a chewy toy...What else could Mooch get him? Then it dawns on him: NOTHING! This timeless tale has a heart-warming message about the most valuable gift of all--friendship--that appeals to readers of all ages. Great for a last minute gift, this special edition includes an elegant paper slipcase designed to look like gift wrap with foil accents and an embossed bow and faux hang tag.

A NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST "Brilliant, honest, and equal parts heartbreaking and soul-healing." --Laurie Halse Anderson, author of SHOUT "A singular voice in the world of literature." --Jason Reynolds, author of Long Way Down A powerful coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and the risks a Filipino-American teenager takes to uncover the truth about his cousin's murder. Jay Reguero plans to spend the last semester of his senior year playing video games before heading to the University of Michigan in the fall. But when he discovers that his Filipino cousin Jun was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, and no one in the family wants to talk about what happened, Jay travels to the Philippines to find out the real story. Hoping to uncover more about Jun and the events that led to his death, Jay is forced to reckon with the many sides of his cousin before he can face the whole horrible truth -- and the part he played in it. As gripping as it is lyrical, Patron Saints of Nothing is a page-turning portrayal of the struggle to reconcile faith, family, and immigrant identity.

"The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences."--Seng-t'san The Hsin Hsin Ming, Verses on the Faith-Mind by Seng-t'san, the third Chinese patriarch of Zen, is considered to be the first Chinese Zen document. Lucidly translated here by Richard B. Clark, it remains one of the most widely-admired and elegant of Zen writings, and is as relevant today as it was when it was written. In a world where stress seems unavoidable, Seng-t'san's words show us how to be fully aware of each moment.

A smart and witty picture book about a king whose pride is challenged, by the renowned Spanish illustrator and children's author Guridi. It is not nothing to be the king of nothing and the formidable king of nothing presides with proper pride over his kingdom of which nothing is known except that he is the king. He parades through his kingdom, and he oversees his kingdom, and he sets out to defend his kingdom—especially when, one day, out of the blue, the last thing he would ever have expected or wanted shows up within its borders: something. What to do? The King of Nothing is a sly and witty and entertaining parable about personhood and power, about always getting your way and not always getting your way, and getting on anyway. It is a playful book of first philosophy and fundamental psychology for kids, brilliantly executed and illustrated by Guridi, a renowned Spanish artist and author for children.