How do humans stop fighting? Where do the gods of myth come from? What does it mean to go mad? Mark R. Anspach tackles these and other conundrums as he draws on ethnography, literature, psychotherapy, and the theory of René Girard to explore some of the fundamental mechanisms of human interaction. Likening gift exchange to vengeance in reverse, the first part of the book outlines a fresh approach to reciprocity, while the second part traces the emergence of transcendence in collective myths and individual delusions. From the peacemaking rituals of prestate societies to the paradoxical structure of consciousness, Anspach takes the reader on an intellectual journey that begins with the problem of how to deceive violence and ends with the riddle of how one can deceive oneself.

From purest pain comes sweetest vengeance. The city of Coldlake, where everything appears bright and sunny but beneath the surface is blood and darkness. A city where killers hide in plain sight and the ones you trust can turn on you in a heartbeat. My heart has endured pain, but in the arms of the Coldlake Syndicate, I've known only sweetness. Their kisses are my joy and their love is my salvation. When their pasts collide with our present, nothing will ever be the same. My four men have suffered at the hands of an unknown killer, and I'll do whatever it takes to heal their broken hearts. I see him, and he will tremble at my coming. Vengeance will be mine. Author's note: Third Comes Vengeance is the final book in the Promised in Blood series. These books contain dark themes, violence, and a Why Choose romance with ruthlessly possessive men. The story is dark, dirty, and delicious, so please read at your discretion.

What you're about to witness comes from a dark place. It's taken a lot of planning, but you should know that every single thing I'm about to do is deserved. More than deserved, it's owed, tenfold. Nothing I could do to these people will ever be enough to get even.***Charlotte McLintock has a new identity and a new look as Raven Deighton. She needs it so that she can infiltrate the elite private school that's covering up her twin's death. They claimed it was suicide, but she knows better. Her plan's been almost two years in the making. What started off as a desire to know the truth has turned into a burning compulsion for vengeance. However, she soon finds that life at Westchester Preparatory Academy's not what she expected and that everyone's hiding secrets - even the four hot guys she's rapidly falling for. Her one mission is to uncover the truth about what happened to Lizzie so that she can make everyone involved pay, and she's not about to let anyone or anything - even her own torturous heart- stop her from burning them all to the ground.***Vengeance is a contemporary New Adult reverse harem bully romance, with dark themes and a twist. It works as a savage standalone piece (if you love a cliffhanger) but will actually form part of a trilogy with closure at the end of the series.***WARNING***This book carries an 18+ warning. Vengeance is a medium to fast burn dark romance. It contains hot guys, foul language and sexual scenes, including some graphic physical bullying, and potential suicide, depression and sexual assault triggers.I would love for you to read this book, but please be aware that it comes with a warning.

Nearly four years after running from the scene of not one, but two crimes, Charlotte McLintock is barely managing to survive and keep a roof over her head. With her daughter to look after, a degree to finish, and several jobs to juggle, life is hard. But they're not the only battles she's facing: guilt, secrets, and a broken heart still haunt her every waking moment, and stalk her dreams. When shadows from her past resurface and threaten to unravel everything she's worked so hard for, Charlotte must decide if it's time to come clean or run once more. Will she be able to earn the atonement she so desperately craves, or will those hunting her demand their own special kind of vengeance?***WARNING***Atonement is a contemporary New Adult reverse harem second-chance romance, with some dark themes. It is told from multiple points of view and is a medium burn with a cliffhanger. It contains hot guys, bad language and sexual scenes. I would love for you to read this book, but please be aware that it comes with triggers, a warning of 18+, and you really need to have read Vengeance first.

"I had been found feral, and despite their beautiful home... they were the same. Savages. Feral Savages. So I would treat them accordingly. I would live accordingly. I would kill accordingly." I have a secret. Okay, probably more than one. I live a delicate balance, living with the evil I know than the one I don't. I accepted that. Until they showed up. Until they brought my secret and past into the light. Until I had no choice but to accept my true fate.Sh*t. This is why you punch first and ask questions later.*Fantasy RH* Our bad*ss heroine and guardians swear a lot. As well, please be advised that the book contains darker themes including assault, PTSD, and violence. Additionally, sexual themes are suitable for mature audiences +18.

Who killed Laius? Most readers assume Oedipus did. At the play’s end, he stands convicted of murdering his father, marrying his mother, and triggering a deadly plague. With selections from a stellar assortment of critics including Walter Burkert, Terry Eagleton, Michel Foucault, René Girard, and Jean-Pierre Vernant, this book reopens the Oedipus case and lets readers judge for themselves. The Greek word for tragedy means “goat song.” Is Oedipus the goat? Helene Peet Foley calls him “the kind of leader a democracy would both love and desire to ostracize.” The Oedipus Casebook readings weigh the evidence against Oedipus, place the play in the context of Greek scapegoat rites, and explore the origins of tragedy in the festival of Dionysus. This unique critical edition includes a new translation of the play by distinguished classics scholar Wm. Blake Tyrrell and the authoritative Greek text established by H. Lloyd-Jones and N. G. Wilson.

Beginning with the return: vengeance in reverse -- Violence deceived -- Trying to stop the Trojan War -- Return to the beginning: the making of a meta-god -- Madness in the making, or unanimity minus one -- No exit? Madness and the divided self