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William Morrow Paperbacks
￥121.80
The world wildest collection of animal knowledge and lore! Lions, and tigers, and bears . . . and dinosaurs, dragons, and monsters. Oh my! For hundreds of years, the most popular books in the Western world next to the Bible were bestiaries, fanciful encyclopedias collecting all of human knowledge and mythology about the animal kingdom. In these pages, eagles and elephants lived next to griffins and sea monsters. Now, in The Big, Bad Book of Beasts , award-winning author Michael Largo has updated the medieval bestsellers for the twenty-first century, illuminating little-known facts, astonishing secrets, and bizarre superstitions about the beasts that inhabit our world and haunt our imaginations. You'll learn about the biggest bug ever, the smallest animal in the world, and the real creatures that inspired the fabled unicorns. You'll discover how birds learned to fly, why cats rub against your legs, and a thousand other facts that will make you look at nature in a wonderfully new way. Did you knowThe fastest animal in the world is the peregrine falcon, which reaches speeds of over 200 miles per hours. Circus ringmaster P.T. Barnum fooled many when he displayed a mermaid carcass that was later proved to be monkey bones sewed together with the body of a fish. Discovered in a remote volcanic crater in New Guinea, the Bosavi wolly rat grows to the size of a cat. President Andrew Jackson bought an African gray parrot to keep his wife company. The bird outlived them both and was removed from Jackson funeral for cussing in both English and Spanish. A to Z: From Aardvark to Zooplankton! For all ages! Includes 289 illustrations!
HarperCollins e-books
￥95.11
For students, researchers, and history lovers, a look at day-to-day life in a rarely explored era. "About life and death, midwives and funerals, business, books and authors, and town government."--Choice
The True Believer
￥88.56
A stevedore on the San Francisco docks in the 1940s, Eric Hoffer wrote philosophical treatises in his spare time while living in the railroad yards. The True Believer -- the first and most famous of his books -- was made into a bestseller when President Eisenhower cited it during one of the earliest television press conferences.Completely relevant and essential for understanding the world today, The True Believer is a visionary, highly provocative look into the mind of the fanatic and a penetrating study of how an individual becomes one.
Writing That Works, 3e
￥88.56
Writing That Works will help you say what you want to say, with less difficulty and more confidence. Now in its third edition, this completely updated classic has been expanded to included all new advice on e-mail and the e-writing world, plus a fresh point of view on political correctness. With dozens of examples, many of them new, and useful tips for writing as well as faster on a computer, Writing That Works will show you how to improve anything you write: Presentations that move ideas and action Memos and letters that get things done Plans and reports that make things happen Fund-raising and sales letters that produce results Resumes and letters that lead to interviews Speeches that make a point
William Morrow
￥55.91
Call Me Irresistible R.S.V.P. to the most riotous wedding of the year . . . Lucy Jorik is the daughter of a former president of the United States. Meg Koranda is the offspring of legends. One of them is about to marry Mr. Irresistible Ted Beaudine the favorite son of Wynette, Texas. The other is not happy about it and is determined to save her friend from a mess of heartache. But even though Meg knows that breaking up her best friend's wedding is the right thing to do, no one else seems to agree. Faster than Lucy can say "I don't," Meg becomes the most hated woman in town a town she's stuck in with a dead car, an empty wallet, and a very angry bridegroom. Broke, stranded, and without her famous parents at her back, Meg is sure she can survive on her own wits. What's the worst that can happenLose her heart to the one and only Mr. IrresistibleNot likely. Not likely at all. Call Me Irresistible is the book Susan Elizabeth Phillips's readers have long awaited. Ted, better known as "little Teddy," the nine-year-old heartbreak kid from Phillips's first bestseller, Fancy Pants , and as "young Teddy," the hunky new college graduate in Lady Be Good , is all grown up now along with Lucy from First Lady and Meg from What I Did for Love . They're ready to take center stage in a saucy, funny, and highly addictive tale fans will love. "Crown Susan Elizabeth Phillips the queen of romantic comedy," raves the McClatchy-Tribune News Service, just one of numerous accolades the beloved New York Times bestselling author has earned in her remarkable career. For more than three decades, this wise and witty writer has charmed hearts and won the devotion of legions of readers. Now she's back with the book her fans have been demanding a sassy, sexy, downright irresistible tale of true love Texas-style, featuring gorgeous heartbreaker Ted Beaudine, now grown up and in a heap of romantic trouble all his own.
Lucky Child
￥90.77
After enduring years of hunger, deprivation, and devastating loss at the hands of the Khmer Rouge, ten-year-old Loung Ung became the "lucky child," the sibling chosen to accompany her eldest brother to America while her one surviving sister and two brothers remained behind. In this poignant and elegiac memoir, Loung recalls her assimilation into an unfamiliar new culture while struggling to overcome dogged memories of violence and the deep scars of war. In alternating chapters, she gives voice to Chou, the beloved older sister whose life in war-torn Cambodia so easily could have been hers. Highlighting the harsh realities of chance and circumstance in times of war as well as in times of peace, Lucky Child is ultimately a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and to the salvaging strength of family bonds.
The Governator
￥145.91
Who is the real Arnold SchwarzeneggerInvestigative journalist and number one New York Times bestselling author Ian Halperin reveals the true and untold story about this larger-than-life and often outrageous figure From his childhood in Austria to his rise as a star ofAmerican conservative politics, the story of ArnoldSchwarzenegger life reads like the * of a HollywoodB-movie penned by Horatio Alger. In this exclusivepeek behind the curtain, award-winning scoop hunterIan Halperin wades through the myths and rumors todiscover the real Arnold behind the icon, a man definedby unbridled ambition and an unending quest for power. Based on extensive research, undercover forays, andcandid interviews with many of the Terminator closefriends and peers, Halperin brings the myth to life with: a riveting journey through Schwarzenegger pastto explore his relationship with his abusive father andhis feelings toward the Nazi party. insights into the shadowy world of bodybuildingand Schwarzenegger early steroid use. an investigation of Schwarzenegger reputation asa bully and a womanizer, including his alleged affairs and public accusations of sexual harassment behavior that earned him the nickname the Groper.an in-depth look at his long-standing fascination withthe Kennedys and his remarkably seamless assimilation into his wife fabled family. a detailed look into Maria startling weight loss. an analysis of Schwarzenegger political career,revealing him to be a surprisingly effective and talentedgovernor. the behind-the-scenes machinations of the Kennedyfamily to influence Schwarzenegger political agenda. And finally Halperin uncovers the never-before-told details of an incredible and audacious plan for Schwarzenegger to attempt to rewrite the Constitution and run for president of the United States.
On Writing the College Application Essay, 25th Anniversary Edition
￥83.03
What does an admissions officer look for in a college application essayYou. It's that simple. There's no formula, no trick, no strategy, says Harry Bauld, a former Ivy League admissions officer. But with acceptance rates at all-time lows, just being yourself in an essay means understanding your readers and the unique form in which you are writing. In this fully revised and updated edition of the classic guide to writing the best essay of your life, Bauld reveals the big clich s (The Trip, The Jock, Miss America, Pet Death) and helps you discover ways to come alive on the page as a real person instead of applicant number 13,791.
The Pope's Last Crusade
￥90.77
A conspiracy within the Vatican to stop an outspoken Pope In 1938, Pope Pius XI was the world most prominent critic of Hitler and his rhetoric of ethnic purity. To make his voice heard, Pius called upon a relatively unknown American Jesuit whose writing about racism in America had caught the Pope attention. Pius enlisted John LaFarge to write a papal encyclical the Vatican strongest decree publicly condemning Hitler, Mussolini, and their murderous Nazi campaign against the Jews. At the same time conservative members of the Vatican innermost circle were working in secret to suppress the document. Chief among them was Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, whose appeasement of the Germans underlay a deep-running web of conspiracy. Pacelli, who would become Pope Pius XII, was joined by Wlodimir Ledóchowski, leader of the Jesuit order, to keep the finished encyclical from reaching the increasingly ill Pope. Peter Eisner, award-winning reporter and author of the critically acclaimed The Freedom Line , combines shocking new evidence (released only recently from Vatican archives) and eyewitness testimony to create a compelling journey into the heart of the Vatican and a little-known story of an American partnership with the head of the Catholic Church. A truly essential work, it brings staggering new light to one of the most critical junctures in modern history.
Avon
￥55.31
Lady Philippa Marbury is . . . odd The brilliant, bespectacled daughter of a double marquess cares more for books than balls, for science than the season, and for laboratories than love. She looking forward to marrying her simple fianc and living out her days quietly with her dogs and her scientific experiments. But before that, Pippa has two weeks to experience all the rest fourteen days to research the exciting parts of life. It not much time, and to do it right she needs a guide familiar with London darker corners. She needs . . . a Scoundrel She needs Cross, the clever, controlled partner in London most exclusive gaming hell, with a carefully crafted reputation for wickedness. But reputations often hide the darkest secrets, and when the unconventional Pippa boldly propositions him, seeking science without emotion, she threatens all he works to protect. He is tempted to give Pippa precisely what she wants . . . but the scoundrel is more than he seems, and it will take every ounce of his willpower to resist giving the lady more than she ever imagined.
Knocking on Heaven's Door
￥94.10
From one of Time magazine 100 most influential people in the world, a rousing defense of the role of science in our lives The latest developments in physics have the potential to radically revise our understanding of the world: its makeup, its evolution, and the fundamental forces that drive its operation. Knocking on Heaven Door is an exhilarating and accessible overview of these developments and an impassioned argument for the significance of science. There could be no better guide than Lisa Randall. The bestselling author of Warped Passages is an expert in both particle physics (the study of the smallest objects we know of) and cosmology (the study of the largest). In Knocking on Heaven Door , she explores how we decide which scientific questions to study and how we go about answering them. She examines the role of risk, creativity, uncertainty, beauty, and truth in scientific thinking through provocative conversations with leading figures in other fields (such as the chef David Chang, the forecaster Nate Silver, and the screenwriter Scott Derrickson), and she explains with wit and clarity the latest ideas in physics and cosmology. Randall describes the nature and goals of the largest machine ever built: the Large Hadron Collider, the enormous particle accelerator below the border of France and Switzerland as well as recent ideas underlying cosmology and current dark matter experiments. The most sweeping and exciting science book in years, Knocking on Heaven Door makes clear the biggest scientific questions we face and reveals how answering them could ultimately tell us who we are and where we came from.
Drama
￥94.10
In this riveting and surprising personal history, John Lithgow shares a backstage view of his own struggle, crisis, and discovery, revealing the early life and career that took place out of the public eye and before he became a nationally known star. Above all, Lithgow memoir is a tribute to his most important influence: his father, Arthur Lithgow, who, as an actor, director, producer, and great lover of Shakespeare, brought theater to John boyhood. From bedtime stories to Arthur illustrious productions, performance and storytelling were constant and cherished parts of family life. Drama tells of the Lithgowscountless moves between Arthur gigs John attended eight secondary schools before flourishing onstage at Harvard and details with poignancy and sharp recollection the moments that introduced a budding young actor to the undeniable power of theater. Before Lithgow gained fame with the film The World According to Garp and the television show 3rd Rock from the Sun , his early years were full of scenes both hilarious and bittersweet. A shrewd acting performance saved him from duty in Vietnam. His involvement with a Broadway costar brought an end to his early first marriage. The theater worlds of New York and London come alive as Lithgow relives his collaborations with renowned performers and directors, including Mike Nichols, Bob Fosse, Liv Ullmann, and Meryl Streep. His ruminations on the nature of theater, film acting, and storytelling cut to the heart of why actors are driven to perform, and why people are driven to watch them do it. Lithgow memory is clear and his wit sharp, and much of the humor that runs throughout Drama comes at his own expense. But he also chronicles the harrowing moments of his past, reflecting with moving candor on friends made and lost, mistakes large and small, and the powerful love of a father who set him on the road to a life onstage. Illuminating, funny, affecting, and thoroughly engrossing, Drama raises the curtain on the making of one of our most beloved actors.
Oh My God! ?n 6 s?pt?m?ni. Sl?be?te rapid ?i uime?te-?i prietenii
￥57.14
Cucamonga este o carte de avangard?, experimental?, care cuprinde texte din zonele poeziei, prozei ?i filozofiei. Cele cinci capitole ale c?r?ii s?nt urm?toarele:1) Best Sailor. Este un poem ?n proz?, polemic ?i critic la adresa societ??ii de consum ?i a pie?ei de carte dominate de bestselleruri. Arm?tura fiec?ruia dintre cele ?apte capitole ale acestui poem este alc?tuit? din scurte descrieri ale c?r?ilor prezente ?n topurile de v?nz?ri din Statele Unite ale Americii, topuri publicate ?n revista The New York Times Book Review (nr. 11 din 24 martie 2008). Unul dintre personajele cele mai sonore care apar ?n acest text este Barack Obama.Best Sailor este probabil singurul poem din lume cu bibliografie (lista cuprinde ?n jur de 100 de c?r?i).2) 19 pove?ti despre orice. Este un capitol care cuprinde 19 poeme scrise ?n registre diferite, fiecare fiind despre ceva anume: Despre visele unora pl?tite de al?ii; Despre importan?a ficu?ilor ?n via?a c?l?torilor; Despre pas?rea care ??i ia zborul din om; Despre pescuitul alternativ; Despre cum se pleac? ?n luna de miere; Despre cum ajunge privirea s? vad?; Despre orbirea vorbirii; Despre pompierul care ??i incendia ?ig?rile; Despre rolul menghinei ?n deprinderea tehnicii zborului; Despre legile rescrise ale ospitalit??ii termodinamice; Despre c?l?toria p?m?ntului ?n jurul omului; Despre mor?i numai de bine; Despre teorema pesc?ru?ului cu cap de lup; Despre fatalitatea de a urm?ri ?tirile la televizor; Despre anatomia valurilor; Despre garderoba incandescent? a lui Dumnezeu; Despre con?inutul de metal al picioarelor; Despre lumina care ne calc? pe urme; Despre categoriile aristotelice ale liniei orizontului. Ultimele cinci poeme-pove?ti au la baz? c?te o ipotez? ?tiin?ific? ?i s?nt scrise ?ntr-o manier? inovatoare.3) Iubita mea vitreg? ?i 4) Unul dintre domni?oara W ?i doamna Kuttare s?nt dou? poeme ?n proz?, cu personaje ?i ?nt?mpl?ri stranii. (Aceste poeme s?nt relu?ri din c?r?i mai vechi, ap?rute ?n urm? cu 8-9 ani.)5) Demonadologia este o lucrare de filozofie, o scurt? introducere ?n metafizica r?ului, alc?tuit? din 90 de paragrafe, care parodiaz? Monadologia, celebrul tratat de metafizic? al lui G. W. Leibniz. Monadei leibniziene i-a fost aici substituit? demonada, ?n locul lui Dumnezeu apare Demonezeu, iar cea mai bun? dintre lumile posibile a fost ?nlocuit? de cea mai rea dintre lumile posibile. De?i trateaz? despre principiile care stau la baza r?ului din lume, Demonadologia se ?ncheie ?ntr-o not? optimist?, cu happy-end.
Democracy in America: Book Two
￥28.04
The girl had been an orphan from childhood, and Rowland Trowbridge had been almost as a father to her. Avice loved him and watched over him as a daughter; at least, that had been the case until lately. A few weeks since, Mr. Trowbridge had succumbed to the rather florid charms of Mrs. Black, his housekeeper, and told Avice he would marry her in a month. Though greatly surprised and not greatly pleased, Avice had accepted the situation and treated the housekeeper with the same pleasant courtesy she had always shown her. The two “got along” as the phrase is, though their natures were not in many ways congenial. Avice remained at the window till she saw at last Leslie Hoyt’s tall form approaching. She ran to open the door herself. “Oh, Judge Hoyt,” she cried, “Uncle hasn’t come yet! There must be something wrong! What can we do” THE MARK OF CAINBY CAROLYN WELLS AUTHOR OF “A CHAIN OF EVIDENCE,” “THE GOLD BAG,” “THE WHITE ALLEY,” ETC.WITH A FRONTISPIECE IN COLOR BY GAYLE HOSKINS
A Christmas Carol in Prose: Being a Ghost Story of Christmas
￥8.18
Soii Claudia i Haruya Sumiya sunt modele de buntate i sensibilitate. Au parcurs zeci de mii de kilometri n drumurile lor din Japonia pn n Ro-mnia, pentru salvarea cinilor fr stpn, n timp ce 90% dintre romni, spre ruinea lor, au asistat pasivi la mcelrirea a peste 300.000 de cini. Etalon pentru iubitorii de animale, cartea se adreseaz tuturor vrstelor; are i candoare, i caracter educativ, i mult nelepciune. Dac au inim, n paginile ei se regsesc oameni din toate categoriile socia-le. Judecata de valoare a doamnei Claudia Sumiya este imbatabil: ntr-adevr, toi cei care se ocup s omoare cinii, de la preedinte pn la hingherul de rnd, sunt oameni cu mintea contorsionat”. Devotai unei cauze nobile, soii Sumiya i-au salvat de la un sfrit iminent i ngrozitor pe celua Fetia din Romnia, pe motanul Sultan i pe ci-nele Sheba din Japonia. Grija lor i a iubitorilor de animale s-a ndreptat i spre eroul Ta-keshi Koizumi, condamnat la moarte pentru vina de a-i fi rzbunat cel mai loial prieten, cinele Chiro, ucis de hingheri, cu bestialitate. Cu siguran, familia Sumiya este binecuvantat cu mult fericire, pentru c iubirea revrsat ctre un animal se ntoarce nze-cit spre cel care-l iubete necondiionat. nchei prin a-i felicita pe cei doi autentici iubitori de animale i scriitori remarcabili, care ne dau permanent lecii de via: Iubim oamenii, de aceea cei mai inteligeni dintre ei spun c noi suntem cei mai buni prieteni ai lor. V mulumim c existai!“ – Marius Marinescu
Majdnem Aushwitz
￥58.61
A szerz? a két nem k?z?tti klasszikus konfliktushelyzeteket vázol fel, majd k?nnyedén kivitelezhet? és hatékony megoldásokat kínál a kezelésükre. Ha megfogadjuk tanácsait, vérbeli "férfiszelídít?ként" nem esik majd nehezünkre, hogy k?lcs?n?s megbecsülésre és szerelemre épül? párkapcsolatban éljünk, olyan intim viszonyban, amelyben kulcsszerepet játszik a humor, és amelyben álmaink férfija szívesen és ?nszántából k?vet bennünket, hogy kapcsolatunk boldog és sikeres legyen.
November lánya
￥78.07
A bájos, v?r?s hajú Répássy Rebeka szereti a magas sarkú cip?ket, a drágak?veket és a bécsi kávét. Nem szereti viszont a tenger gyüm?lcseit, a tolakodó pasikat és a felt?nést. A sors szeszélye folytán mégis egyik pillanatról a másikra az osztrák tévé képerny?jén találja magát, és a Kísérletkastély cím? valóságshow ígéretes szerepl?jeként egy ország kíséri figyelemmel minden mozdulatát. A tét Rebeka számára százezer euró, a hírnév, és váratlan ráadásként a szívfájdítóan jókép? producer, Marcus szerelme. A Bécsben dolgozó magyar lány igyekszik megállni a helyét a kereskedelmi tévék számára ismeretlen világában, ahol semmi sem az, aminek látszik: az ellenfelek barátnak álcázzák magukat, a segítség kerül? utakon jár, és még az igazi szerelem is álruhába bújik. Vajon ki mozgatja a szálakat a háttérben? Mi a szerepe az eseményekben a titokzatos újságírón?nek, Fr?ulein Lemkének? ?s vajon megtartja-e Rebeka kezdeti elhatározását, miszerint nem hajlandó szerelmeskedni a kamerák el?tt? Aki a rokonszenves Rebekához hasonlóan kedveli az osztrák f?várost, a karácsonyi hangulatot és a bécsi kávét, az kül?n?sen élvezni fogja PALOT?S PETRA izgalmakban és fordulatokban nem sz?k?lk?d? regényét.
O Espiritismo e as For?as Radiantes
￥31.31
ber Zsófi, a harmincas, okos és sikeres mfordító egy nap arra ébred, hogy ki akar szállni a hétkznapok mókuskerekébl. Krnyezete legnagyobb dbbenetére vidékre kltzik, hogy birtokba vegye a nagymamájától rklt, mesébe ill házat. A titokzatos Nagyi azonban, akirl faluszerte azt suttogták, boszorkány, mást is tartogat unokája számára. Zsófi krül egyre sokasodnak a megmagyarázhatatlan események és a véletlen egybeesések. Mintha a ház – vagy valaki más – üzenni akarna neki. Vajon mit jelentenek a külns dátumok a nagypapa fényképének hátoldalán Mi minden rejtzhet az ódon, sokrekesz szekreterben Kinek a horoszkópját rizgette féltett kincsként a Nagyi és miért Bauer Barbara generációkon átível regénye arra keresi a választ, honnan jvünk, és milyen terheket halmoztak ránk felmenink. Talán nem is tudunk róluk, mégis egy életen át cipeljük ket Vagy elég bátrak vagyunk ahhoz, hogy megszabaduljunk a kéretlen útravalóktól Mialatt Zsófit mindinkább magába szippantja nagymamája naplója, melynek lapjain egy idtlen szerelem felemel és szívszorító trténete bontakozik ki, saját sorsa is gykeres fordulatot vesz egy férfi váratlan felbukkanásával. Nagyon úgy fest, hogy Szoboszlai András az igazi – de lehet, hogy egy kicsit még annál is tbb. Mieltt kzs jvjük tervezgetésébe vágnának, szembe kell nézniük saját múltjukkal, és kiderül, hogy trténetük szálai a felszín alatt szorosabban fonódnak ssze, mint azt bármelyikük is gondolta volna…
Rejtelem a déltengeren
￥28.78
lmában nem, de életében egyszer kinyílik az ajtó az írón eltt. Szeredás Emerenc ajtaja, amely mások számára rkre zárva marad. A megingathatatlan jellem, erklcséhez és hiedelmeihez tántoríthatatlanul ragaszkodó asszony házvezetnnek áll az írónhz, ám els perctl nyilvánvaló, hogy diktál. Gazdája megmérettetik, és nem találtatván knnynek, Emerenc nem csupán otthona, hanem lelke ajtaját is megnyitja eltte, ha csak résnyire is. gy sejlik fel Magyarország huszadik századi trténelmének kulisszái eltt egy magára maradt n tragikus, fordulatos sorsa. Vajon mit rizget az ids asszony a hét lakatra zárt ajtó mgttAz ajtó a ki- és bezártság, a születés és a halál si jelképe. llandó kettsség jellemzi a két fhs áhítatosan odaadó, máskor szinte gyllkd kapcsolatát is. A szeretet kapujában állnak. Sikerülhet-e végül beljebb vagy elengedni egymást Az ajtó Szabó Magda talán legismertebb regénye: Szabó István forgatott belle filmet, és 2015-ben felkerült a The New York Times sikerlistájára.
A mélyb?l j?tt fest?: Sziklai Károly naiv festészete
￥28.53
Graff Angéla és Encsy Eszter élete és sorsa oly szorosan tartozik ?ssze, akár a nappal és az éjszaka – s ?k ketten éppen ennyire ellentétei is egymásnak. Komor korban t?ltik együtt gyermekéveiket, amelynek s?tétségér?l Angéla mit sem tud, s amely ?r?kre feketére festi Eszter lelkét. Angéla gondtalan áhítattal mosolyog a hajnali fénybe, mik?zben széthulló családja életük romjait menekíti, Eszter pedig tehetetlen irigységgel zokog, amiért nem láthatja szenvedni ezt az ártatlan angyalt. ?vekkel kés?bb találkoznak ismét, a kapocs kettejük k?z?tt egy férfi ? férj és szeret?. Eszter ünnepelt színészn?, mégis boldogtalan: a lelkében izzó démoni gy?l?let lassan elpusztít mindent, ami boldoggá tehetné. Angéla ?r?k gyermek, fogalma sincs a k?rül?tte munkáló gyilkos indulatokról, emészt? szenvedélyekr?l. Nem sejti, hogy akiket a legjobban szeret, háta m?g?tt megcsalják, élete f?lforgatására készülnek. Az ?z?egy szerelmi háromsz?g és egy élethosszig tartó, engesztelhetetlen bosszú kegyetlen t?rténete. Szabó Magda magával ragadó, kíméletlen regénye mé.ltán tette egy csapásra híressé és elismertté szerz?jét: t?bb mint húsz nyelvre fordították le, és máig sem veszített elementáris erejéb?l
The Alchemist
￥18.74
Of all the myths which have come down to us from the East, and of all the creations of Western fancy and belief, the Personality of Evil has had the strongest attraction for the mind of man. The Devil is the greatest enigma that has ever con-fronted the human intelligence. So large a place has Satan taken in our imagination, and we might also say in our heart, that his expulsion therefrom, no matter what philosophy may teach us, must for ever remain an impossibility. As a character in imagi-native literature Lucifer has not his equal in heaven above or on the earth beneath. In contrast to the idea of Good, which is the more exalted in proportion to its freedom from anthropomor-phism, the idea of Evil owes to the presence of this element its chief value as a poetic theme. The discrowned archangel may have been inferior to St. Michael in military tactics, but he cer-tainly is his superior in matters literary. The fair angels—all frankness and goodness—are beyond our comprehension, but the fallen angels, with all their faults and sufferings, are kin to us. There is a legend that the Devil has always had literary aspi-rations. The German theosophist Jacob B?hme relates that when Satan was asked to explain the cause of God’s enmity to him and his consequent downfall, he replied: “I wanted to be an author.” Whether or not the Devil has ever written anything over his own signature, he has certainly helped others compose their greatest works. It is a significant fact that the greatest im-aginations have discerned an attraction in Diabolus. What would the world’s literature be if from it we eliminated Dante’s Divine Comedy, Calderón’s Marvellous Magician, Milton’s Paradise Lost, Goethe’s Faust, Byron’s Cain, Vigny’s Eloa, and Lermon-tov’s Demon? Sorry indeed would have been the plight of litera-ture without a judicious admixture of the Diabolical. Without the Devil there would simply be no literature, because without his intervention there would be no plot, and without a plot the story of the world would lose its interest. Even now, when the belief in the Devil has gone out of fashion, and when the very mention of his name, far from causing men to cross themselves, brings a smile to their faces, Satan has continued to be a puissant personage in the realm of letters. As a matter of fact, Beelzebub has perhaps received his greatest elaboration at the hands of writers who believed in him just as little as Shake-speare did in the ghost of Hamlet’s father.
