Product Description
Northern Soul has been described as the longest running fad in the history of British music culture. What began as an underground 60s Mod scene in unlicensed, no-frills clubs in the north west of England became the youth craze of the mid-70s. Northern Soul has confounded its critics by surviving, and growing into an adult dance scene whose followers share a passion for the music of Black America unrivalled anywhere else in the world. Packed with memorabilia, behind-the-scenes facts, and interviews covering artists from the Motown days right up to current chart acts like Fatboy Slim, Too Darn Soulful is the definitive history of a dance scene that refuses to die. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Northern Soul
I never know that there was, and still is, such a vibrant Northern soul scene in England. This books explores the history, the tracks, the drugs and the people involved. I thought I knew a lot but turns out I am just a novice. interesting read ... Read more

Product Description
In the early hours of a September morning in 1973, a huge WWI building tentatively opened its doors to the cult followers of an underground dance scene. The unfashionable Casino Club was open for business for its first-ever Northern Soul all-nighter. Little could the promoters have realised the phenomenon they were creating - a phenomenon that would put Wigan and the Casino on the map, not only across the length and breadth of Britain but also in Europe and America. For eight years the Wigan Casino all-night Nothern Soul sessions achieved fame, notoriety and, eventually, legendary status among youngsters all over Britain. It was loved by each of its 100,000 members, voted the world's best disco by the American-based magazine Billboard and started its own record label and magazine. Its DJs unearthed rare 1960s American soul recordings and launched them into the national pop charts, reviving the careers of many black artists. Northern Soul was the youth culture of the 1970s and is still a major influence on many artists recording today. ... Read more

Product Description
This title tells the story of the rise and fall of the Hamiltons and of Martin Bell going to Westminster. Written by a political journalist, this retelling of the Tatton election campaign reads like a farce with a classical plot, with highs and lows, villains and heroes, and the good guy winning in the end. ... Read more

Product Description
First critical study of the Bengal Army and the Indian Mutiny. assesses current research, uses new source. Will be the standard work in the field ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Wonderful Book
This book of wonderfully placed poems and photographs reminds us that there is an unhurried world of beauty right before our eyes. We all need that breath of fresh air to remind us that the world is more than hurried phone calls and grocery lists.This book provides that needed reminder to truly appreciate our natural world.What greater service could a book provide !? ... Read more

Product Description
Hume's brilliant and dispassionate essay "Of Miracles" has been added in this expanded edition of his "Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion", which also includes "Of the Immortality of the Soul", "Of Suicide", and Richard Popkin's illuminating Introduction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Even before Darwin, it was unreasonable to be a theist.
Personally, I rejected theism in response to just the sort of philosophical reasoning presented by Hume (though I hadn't read the dialogs themselves or the other essays in this collection until after my de-conversion).As important as evolution is, and as fascinating as critical scholarship of the Bible is, I really wish non-theists would lead with Hume while engaging in counter-apologetics.These arguments (even Hume's much maligned argument against believing that a miracle has occurred, which Anthony Flew defended quite adequately, in my view) require little to no specialized knowledge of history, ancient languages, physics or biology.They undermine the reasons that almost all theists, in my experience, give for believing in God: teleological arguments, cosmological arguments and arguments from miracles and religious experience.The dialogs are short, and even though the 18th century English may be a bit of a distraction to some folks, this is the text that I recommend to theists who want to seriously consider the case against belief in God.As the best of philosophical literature often does, the Dialogs present the opposition's own arguments powerfully (Cleanthes is a better apologist than W.L. Craig in my judgement.) even as it buries them.I'd challenge anyone to carefully and honestly consider Hume's case and remain a (non-fideistic) theist.

solid
got a good book for little but found it ironic that shipping was more expensive than the book all together, anyway good buy

One of those books often cited but not necessarily read
I think that ctdreyer's excellent review of Hume's Dialogues nicely encapsulates the purpose and issues in the book, and I agree wholeheartedly with his estimation of it.I'd like to raise two additional points here.

The first is that it's extraordinary that the latest generation of freethinkers--so-called "New Atheists" such as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens--virtually ignore Dialogues.Each of them pays lip service to Hume as one of their own, but none of them gives any suggestion that they've actually read him.Daniel Dennett, another New Atheism prophet, discusses Hume in his Darwin's Dangerous Idea, but barely mentions him in his later explicit atheist text, Breaking the Spell.This is curious.

My second point is that the failure to discuss Hume may be curious, but isn't inexplicable.While I agree with ctdreyer's appraisal that Hume did a job on the argument from design, it's not at all clear from the Dialogues that Hume thinks the argument totally meritless.Even if it can't be philosophically demonstrated with a high degree of precision, Hume through Philo seems to say that it makes good sense to assume that a universe displaying some degree of intelligent design has a like cause.Hume isn't persuaded that the cause is personal or morally concerned.But he does seem to think that it is rational.This would make Hume a deist of sorts rather than a freethinker.

All of which raises the fascinating question of the relationship between the justifiability and the justification of God-belief.If Hume is correct, the former may not be necessary for the latter.Not exactly the fideistic position of the Dialogues' Demea, but not completely unrelated, either.

By the way:Richard Popkin's introduction to this edition of the Dialogues is excellent.It, along with the inexpensive cost, makes the Hackett edition my favorite.

Slender paperback stuffed with ideas
I bought this book for a class, and although we were only required to read sections of the book I ended up reading the entire thing, including the extra two essays (Immortality of the Soul & Suicide). The entire thing was extremely well-written and thought-provoking, even to a novice philosopher such as myself.

This isn't a book you can fly through. Hume requires the reader to slow down and really think about what is being said. The main section of the book (Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion) involves four characters, three discussing theories, and one student (technically the narrator) listening and occasionally commenting. By using this dialogue technique, Hume is able to present several sides of each argument in a unique way, and not simply expound his own theories. The method is most effective.

I won't go into depth of what this book discusses, the theory of design, arguments about God's nature and being, the argument from the existence of evil, and whether a posteriori or a priori arguments are best suited for proving God's existence. Overall this book is interesting and exciting, even for a 200 year old publication. Even if you're interested in modern philosophy, this book still offers some interesting theories. And obviously if you're interested in philosophy at all, it's a good book to check out for some history on the subject.

The introduction offers a good deal of information about the essays included in the book as well as Hume himself.

Classic statement of arguments against God's existence
While being a theist I do not accept Hume's conclusions, he is no doubt the finest philosophical skeptic in the West since the time of Sextus Empiricus.

Hume, the philosopher who woke Kant from his 'dogmatic slumbers', takes a very empirical approach to reality and philosophy.In Hume's mind, the pretensions of the human mind to certain truth and knowledge do not accord with the way things are.Many things are believed on insufficient evidence or sloppy thinking or for reasons of emotional need rather than on evidence and reason.The task he set himself was in many ways like that of Descartes, except unlike Descartes Hume did not believe that either the methods of science or God (Hume was an atheist) could give us grounds for certain knowledge.

The dialogues on Natural Religion are one of his supreme masterpieces.Published after his death, this dialogue features a conversation between two philosophers about the nature and existence of God and the proofs for his existence.One philosopher is a skeptic, Philo, and the other is a theist, Carneades.Demea the Deist provides a third interlocutor in the dialogue.Carneades states several popular arguments for God's existence in Hume's time, including the teleological argument, moral argument, and argument from design.Philo responds to this arguments, mostly using the argument from evil as well as appeals to the rule of regular law in nature, to refute ideas about miracles, providence, and evidential design from a supreme 'architect.'Hume states the counter-arguments in extremely powerful terms, essentially completely demolishing the position of Carnedes and concluding that at best, only a very weak inference can be made for God's existence from the structure of the world.

Hume's arguments have been recently re-stated by several atheist philosophers, including J.L. Mackie and Daniel Dennett.For Mackie, Hume was right in arguing theism is philosophical nonsense, and for Dennett, God is a redundant hypothesis when the order and beauty of the universe is readily and clearly explained by science, and at best a kind of Spinoza-style pantheism is where the sacred can enter into the cosmos.While I disagree, the adoption of Hume's arguments by many leading philosophers shows both the power, beauty and logical coherence of Hume's position, which should be read carefully by any philosopher who wants to offer a rational proof that God exists.

For me it is not the order but the beauty of the universe which suggests God exists, but perhaps for others this beauty is marred too much by suffering and evil to come to such a conclusion, and Hume would surely agree. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Relationship Bridge to the Soul
I found this book to be deep and soulful yet delightfully easy to read and humorous. Christopher Moon explains his concepts about how relationships (of any kind) are mirrors for us. They are the best way for us to trulyknow ourselves and to heal past wounds.He also provides exercises to doeither with yourself or with a significant partner. The results of doingthese is amazing! I highly recommend this book to anyone but particularlypeople who are, or plan to be in a relationship. ... Read more

Product Description
First in THE PASTOR'S SOUL A Groundbreaking New Series for Pastors! Meets the changing needs ofmaturing, deepening generation of pastors. Answers the demand for honesty and depth in pastoral helps. Developed in partnership with Leadership, the most respected journal in America for evangelicalpastors and church leaders. Single-author books from respected peerson the topics pastors want most. Love is the bridge between a pastor'sinner and outer life, between attitude and action. Love for acongregation, though, can be fleeting. After the honeymoon, reality setsin: The pastor's current church isn't all that different from his last church. The Power of Loving Your Church helps pastors unleash alove that lasts in bonding, compassion, sacrifice, and heartfelt affection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Reminder to Focus on the Basics of Ministry
Leadership columnist and respected pastor Dr. David Hansen has written four books, and two books about pastoral ministry. This is his second book. This text begins by laying before the readers a dilema that Pastor Hansen was dealing with in his ministry. Particularly, he was strugging through the struggle of whether to allow teen boys to wear baseball caps in the worship service of the rural church he pastored. In the process of struggling through the "baseball cap crisis" Hansen comes to one very important conclusion. It is more important for a pastor to love his CHURCH that to meet the emotional needs of any particular individual. The rest of the book unpacks what it means not just for a pastor to love particular individuals, but to also love their CHURCH.

Throughout the book you learn about the different words for love in Scripture, and how each of these forms of love impact pastoral ministry. On the way we meet the sometimes ornery and always lovable folks that Hansen ministers with, and we are drawn into Montana ministering with him.

The concept of the book is simple, but really loving your church is hard. Hansen acknowleges this. And then, on a roundabout tour through his ministry, he gives us a few tools to make that a reality.

Loving Your Church
In his book, The Power of Loving Your Church, David Hansen shows his readers Christ's love in action in the church.One story especially touched me. While ministering in Rural Montana, David met a feisty94-year old blind woman whose fierce independence buffeted his earlyattempts to minister to her.She chopped her own wood, cooked her ownmeals and wouldn't accept help from anyone, much less the preacher.Shewould, however, allow him to drop by to give her the Lord's Supper. For the longest time, he couldn't convince her that people loved her. "Love isn't in the Bible," she said, "The Bible calls it charity, notlove."He continued to be faithful to minister to her on her terms. With time, she began to allow the church to bring meals by and even let thePastor chop some wood for her.Her cold exterior began to thaw.Thechurch started helping her with her bills and assisted her niece incleaning up around the place.Pastor David began chopping wood for her ona regular basis-it was his way of showing Christ's love for one of Hischildren. Before her hundredth birthday, she went into a local nursinghome where she receives the care she needs.Though Pastor David didn'tneed to chop wood for her anymore, he continued to minister to her.In hisbook, he describes what happened after stopping by the nursing home to giveher communion one day. "Upon rising to leave, I stoop over and giveher a hug.She reaches up and returns my embrace."Before leaving, hetells her something powerful "`I have charity for you, Kathryn," And sheresponds, "Well, that's nice, a person needs a lot of that." (Hansen,169-170) Christ's love, excuse me, charity can melt the hardest heartand heal the deepest hurts.Kathryn was right, a person needs a lot of it.

Practical and encouraging.
I picked up this book on a Saturday night when I had to face the congregation from the pulpit the next morning, and I didn't want to see some of them. I couldn't put it down until I finished it. Hansen's stories,told with humility and light handedness, helped me "get real"about what I expect from the congregation I serve. The church hasn'tchanged much, but I have. This book helped me see myself differently andhelped me get into the pulpit the next morning with charity and hope. Great stories told well - in a style similar to Hansen's earlier THE ART OFPASTORING: MINISTRY WITHOUT ALL THE ANSWERS. ... Read more

Product Description
What people are saying about "Dead Souls":

• "Well...at least it burned nicely."
• "Dave Barnett is never allowed to speak to me again."
• "Never has a tree died for so little a reason."
• "I need a bath."
• "It's sad when God forgets about one of his children."
• "I didn't read it, but I'm sure it sucks."

What we're saying about "Dead Souls": This book is amazing. THEY haven't read this book. WE have. And it's great.

The name Dave Barnett ring a bell? It should -- he's the mastermind behind one of horror fiction's biggest success stories -- Necro Publications. You can thank Dave for publishing amazing extreme horror fiction from the genre's top talents including Edward Lee, Charlee Jacob, Joe Lansdale, Gerard Houarner, Tom Piccirilli, Mehitobel Wilson, and more.

Now's it's his turn to put pen to paper. And trust us, it's not what you expect. This is NOT the extreme fiction you might find in one of Necro's publications. Barnett's fiction packs a punch, from terrifyingly haunting suspense to spine-tingling brutal violence.

Aside from the knockout tale "Spin Cycle" which appeared in the bestselling anthology "Shivers," the rest of these tales are appearing here for the first time, and it's a major debut collection from what we consider to be one of the genre's best-kept secrets.

Among the people you'll meet
in Dead Souls are:

• A grade-school genius who longs to teach his bullying classmates a few things about life
• A picture-perfect family with a horrifying secret bubbling beneath the surface
• A serial killer who finds his greatest enemy in the most unlikely of places
• A small-town veterinarian who finds herself at war with an unstoppable killing machine
• A zombie who learns the real definition of having a bad day
• ...and many others...

Barnett is a powerful, unforgettable new talent in writing. As Gerard Houarner says in his introduction, "I can tell you his vision is violent, but it is inevitable violence born out of suffering. Pain is a catalyst, often welcomed, sometimes a door to transcendence. Through suffering, characters outside the mainstream find out who, and what, they truly are. Discovery of self is linked to the discovery of violence in that self. There is attitude. Also a touch of science fiction, and magic. Dave is not without surprises."

You haven't read him before. No one has. But this is a career that you're going to want to say you were there for from the very beginning. Here's your chance.

Don't miss it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Dead Souls, by Dave Barnett
Dave Barnett's Dead Souls is an interesting thing in the world of horror books. What makes it so? Dave Barnett isn't a writer, he's the owner and publisher of Necro Publications and its imprint Bedlam Press. In fact, when I asked him once about his own writing he said he'd not written anything in years. However, a chance acceptance into the Shivers anthology published by Cemetery Dance Publications, 2002, has prompted Dave to get out some of those old stories and see just what could be done with them. What he did was put them together into the book Dead Souls, a collection of 8 viscous stories where Dave has pulled no punches. Something tells me all those years of publishing hardcore horror authors has taught him a thing or two about the genre.

The first story, "Bully" is a first-person account of a young boy's education in pain and torture when he was 9, a genius moved ahead in school and learning to deal with the school bullies in his own way.

"Everything...Will Be Just Fine" is another story about a young boy, this time one who's beginning to remember where he came from and how he ended up in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. This is probably my favorite story in the book with its insane dream imagery and subtle twist at the end.

"Growth" continues the young boy theme, but that cycle is wrapped up here, this time with a story of magic and belonging. This one wasn't what I was expecting in a book by horror publisher Dave Barnett, but diversity is always a good thing.

"The Hill" takes things to a more sci-fi place, right in the middle of the Vietnam war and it's also my second favorite story.

"Tick-Tock" and "Libra" return to the "Bully" theme of murder, while "Kill Me Again" would be at home in any Living Dead anthology. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Dave told me he'd written it for the Book of the Dead anthology in '89, a collection of zombie stories set in the world of the George Romero films.

Dave wraps things up with "Spin-Cycle", that Cemetery Dance antho story that got him back in the game. This is the shortest and easily the strangest story of the bunch.

Dave Barnett writes with an enthusiasm common to beginning writers, but he's got one advantage over the average beginner in that he's been working for over ten years with some of the best names in horror fiction, first as editor of Into the Darkness magazine, then as owner of Necro. That alone is an education you can't put a price on.

The themes and ideas he sets forth here aren't breaking any new ground, in fact he seems to be preoccupied with serial killers and children, but this is just a beginning and as any writer can tell you, the more you do it the broader your ideas get, and if "Everything...Will Be Just Fine" and "The Hill" are any indication of where he's going, I look forward to his next collection. The prose, also, is a little stiff in places, but that's just another one of those ticks you work out with time--hell, I can't even read the stuff I wrote back when. And at the same time there are passages that make me shake my head and say aloud "Nice one, Dave," like this from "Everything...Will Be Just Fine":

Then Bobby is back in his body, the buck's broken body. And he is face-to-face with the beast. Bobby watches as the wolf bears down on the buck's leg--his leg. With every bite, more of Bobby disappears. It is painless, even pleasurable--almost intoxicating. Bobby stops squirming and watches himself slowly vanish into the belly of the beast. They are one.

The wolf stops halfway up Bobby's leg, and like a dog that eats its own vomit, the void devours the wolf, and with it, Bobby.

"Wait," Bobby cries. "Don't leave," he pleads. But his words echo back from the diminishing voice, mocking him as he lies bleeding in the brightening grass.

I don't think he's yet where he wants to be, but if he keeps turning out work like these three paragraphs, I think he'll get there sooner rather than later.

Dead Souls
An absolutely amazing book!!!!! I couldn't put it down..... Intriguing and terrifying from beginning to end!!!! ... Read more

Product Description
The novel begins with the Library at Alexandria in ancient Egypt, when a mysterious inscription is found following a major storm stating an enigmatic riddle about the Soul. In current times, at a major Medical Research Center in North Carolina, a part of the brain is found to have 'blank' tissue in a DNA test. Incredibly, an ancient language Code is found within this tissue. And importantly, this Code always disappears upon the donors death!The Centers relentless geneticist Dr. Eric Rhodes, struggles to make sense of this Discovery, theorizing that it maybe related to Human Spirit (ones Soul).In order to prove this theory, he searchs for the key within the Dead Sea Scrolls in Israel.After much trial and error, he finds an ancient document by a librarian at the Library at Alexandria, pertaining to "The Place of the Cure of the Soul!" This leads to the key to translate the Code, revealing the central regions of the Soul. Meanwhile, a zealot seeks to stop Eric after realizing that he is about to unravel the Code.He directs his operative to 'barbeque' Eric as the Code is being solved. When Eric's 'head' thuds to the table, the afterlife of ones 'Soul' is observed while he is Heaven. Awakening from his coma, Eric prepares a major Paper describing this Discovery, the Code and its translation. Together with his lover, Dr. Janice Westphal, they announce this momentous Discovery at a Conference where he reveals 'A Window on the Soul.'Later, after speaking with many groups on finding the Code and the 'Window on the Soul,' and much personal turmoil, Eric finally expresses his special 'knowledge' about Eternal Life and Heaven. In his understated way, he does this quietly, within his church and with various other groups. The story ends with Eric contemplating his 'connection' to the unsolved 'riddle.' ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The Code Of The Human Spirit is fascinating.
I found The Code Of The Human Spirit: A Window On The Soul to be a great first effort in writing a book on a fascinating and mysterious subject.There is something for everyone in this well written story including mystery, romance and intrigue.It leaves a lot of questions and "what if's" in one's mind and would be great reading for a book club.
Particularly enjoyable was the way David left you hanging at the end of each chapter and anxious to know what happens next.I couldn't put it down.
Great job David!
KarenS.

"The Code" A Romantic Peek Into The Soul

For a first time author, David R. Gray has created an imaginative, theory into a mysterious
part of all of us.The soul, are there certain ingredients in this ever so human particle
that ties us all together in who we are or who we should become?

David manages to take us on a journey of his imagination which is compelling.The story has
something for the reader looking for the unusual, and has a bit of intrigue, mystery and a certain
nicey bit of romance with the Author's own playful touch.

Nice job and though it has some rough edges and could use some editing, a fun, imaginative, read.

Author insight:

As the author, I am naturally pleased with this first novel, which has been prepared over the last two years. The connection with the Library at Alexandria is real in that the inscription: "The Place of the Cure of the Soul." did exist there. No doubt, it did not come about as described in the book, but these enigmatic words add to the allure and mystery that takes place within the novel. The book questions the what if's about: actually finding a human based Code in a body part; the translation of this Code, finding the connection to the human Soul, the Soul's meaning and purpose in ones afterlife, the life of ones Spirit in Heaven, it's linkages and indirect influence on the lives of those still physically existing as well as other issues and points. In addition, there is a continuing love story that is a constant thread throughout the book plus a villian who attempts to prevent the work of the hero, Eric, the geneticist,from becoming known to the world. In sum, reading between the lines, the book suggests as many questions for the reader to ponder, as it attempts to answer with it's interpretations. Good reading; David R. Gray ... Read more

Product Description
Do You Want God to Change You?

David Alsobrook experienced a dynamic, life changing experience. It was a total transformation of his soul and has resulted in permanent peace within. His intimacy with God has deepened dramatically as a result of soul transformation and desires this same grace to be experienced in your life.Do you want deeper peace?Do you want a mind free from care?Do you desire to be free from inner turmoil, frustration, and confusion?This book tells you how you can receive these blessings from the Lord through deep inward change in your soul. ... Read more

Product Description
Sheet Music Booklet: Don't Give up on Us. Seem to miss so much. Black bean soup. Bird on a wire. Topanga. kristofer David. Landlord. The Wall. Hooray for Hollywood. Ex Lover. 1927 Kansas City. Going in with my eyes open. This booklet features three full page color photos of David as well as a one page tv biography. The cover features David sitting on a breen bench in a sweat suit with a brick wall in the background. ... Read more