As a doctor in Vietnam, Lily survived unimaginable terror and loss. Now, safely ensconced in a close-knit Maine town and a seemingly comfortable marriage, she no longer needs to be afraid, but she is: afraid of light, afraid of sudden sounds, afraid of seeing the wide-eyed child of war who haunts her. So Lily is unprepared for the act of betrayal that threatens to take away the one thing she cannot live without: her young son. Plunged into a bitter custody battle, befriended by a man with a heartbreaking secret of his own, Lily must fight–to escape her own memories, to survive an uncertain future, and to protect, above all else, the love between a mother and child.

How do texts speak with authority? That is the question at the heart of Kierkegaard's theory and practice of "indirect communication." None of Kierkegaard's texts respond to this question more concisely and powerfully than the four discourses he wrote about the lily in the Gospel. The Lily's Tongue is a nuanced, sustained reading of these Lily Discourses. Kierkegaard takes the lilies as authoritative, rather than merely "figural" or "metaphorical." This book is a careful exploration of what Kierkegaard means by this authority. Frances Maughan-Brown demonstrates how Kierkegaard argues that the key is in the act of reading itself—no text can have authority unless the reader grants it that authority because no text can entirely avoid figural language. Texts don't speak directly; their tongue is always the lily's tongue. What is revealed in the Lily Discourses is a groundbreaking theory of figure, which requires a renewed reading of Kierkegaard's major pseudonymous works.

Aromatherapy is one of the most popular forms of natural therapies available to us. What makes essential oils so exciting is that they are the only ‘plant-based remedies’ that work on all levels of our wellbeing — our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing. As an aromatherapy educator, I often notice how frustrated people become when they have to learn the individual properties and actions of essential oils. The aromatree identifies the relationships that exist between the individual essential oils and the different parts of a plant such as leaves, roots, resin, wood, fruits, seed or flowers. In Aromatree, we examine the relationship and pattern between the botany of the plant, traditional folklore, symbolism, mythology of plants, aroma, chemistry, pharmacology, essential oil safety, our psyche, our personality, the chakras, the energetics according to traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, and blending tips. Aromatree embraces all aspects of aromatherapy. Whether you are a beginner or a professional aromatherapist, you will gain an incredible insight into using essential oils.