According to legend, anyone who wandered into the labyrinth in Ancient Crete never came out again. Some labyrinths may have offered patterns for an erotic spring dance. Those on the floors of Medieval cathedrals represent mathematical perfection–and walking their paths was a symbolic approach to the divine. From ancient Mediterranean coin patterns to the great French cathedral labyrinths to contemporary cornfield mazes, labyrinths and mazes have appeared all over the world, but never have so many been created as in today’s revival, on farms, and in parks, churches, hospitals, and spas across the country. In his charmingly quirky investigation of an image that has inspired countless beautiful patterns and mysterious practices, David Willis McCullough offers an irresistible way to enjoy their enduring appeal.

Every good reference book is both a product and a reflection of its time. The Dictionary of Magic & Mystery is not just another compendium or dictionary of occultism: it is a jumping-off point for further research. Here, the reader will find the ancient and modern interpretation for magical and mystical terms, together with explanations for the differences between the varied (and often conflicting) approaches to magic.

Originally published: London: J.M. Watkins, 1921.

The Gnostics were an early Christian mystical sect. They were persecuted and documents destroyed because the Church desired a uniform set of beliefs to operate under. Only now have we begun to better appreciate these early Christian mystics. The purpose of this gospel is to awaken us, and aid in the process of spiritual freedom.

From the first account of “Colter’s Run,” published in 1810, fascination with John Colter, one of America’s most famous and yet least known frontiersmen and discoverer of Yellowstone Park, has never waned. Unlike other legends of the era like Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, and Kit Carson, Colter has remained elusive because he left not a single letter, diary, or reminiscence. Gathering the available evidence and guiding readers through a labyrinth of hearsay, rumor, and myth, two Colter experts for the first time tell the whole story of Colter and his legend.

Has Christmas ever seemed too much to grasp with its rushing here and there to buy and exchange gifts, to visit and feast with all the relatives and friends, and to celebrate until your heart is so worn out that it can no longer find any meaning in the feast at all? Then read The Mystery of the Christmas Dollhouse and see how a single gift given so tenderly by an innocent child can change the routine of gift giving ever after. If you truly wish to appreciate Christmas and to understand a little more its deeper meanings, then see it from nine year old Melanie Wassels little heart when she comes to live with her new parents, Emil and Ruth Wassel for Christmas 1956. By understanding the mysteries surrounding Melanie Wassel and her aloofness for what her new parents believe Christmas ought to be, you will come to realize with her how Christmas, the greatest of Christian feasts, is a feast of children, about children and for children, no matter how old or young they may be!