An Invitation to Death is the gripping story of a serial killer set in contemporary India. Darius Irani, a hyper-intelligent young man, goes on a murderous spree, targeting young, beautiful, urban women, who fall prey to his easy charm, sense of humour and innate madness. Strangely, he does not rape his victims, but the brutalisation is savage-like, indicating a deep hatred for women. The killer manages to evade the cops every single time. As the inevitable cat and mouse game plays out – with a great deal of blood spilling along the way, and climaxing in a devastating reality – the journey reveals the depravity of the human mind, and the way politicians, police and media deal with hard crime in this country.

"A fascinating book . . . a must-read for all who want to deepen their relationship with life and living . . . I regard this work as an important resource, one-of-a-kind in its genre, and a refreshing wellspring of pragmatic wisdom." -Andrew Weil, M.D., best-selling author of Spontaneous Healing, Healthy Aging, and Fast Food, Good Food "A great book . . . an important work by two amazing teachers . . . a kind of a 'Jewish Book of the Dead, ' like the Egyptian and Tibetan 'Book of the Dead' . . . It blends the mystical with the pragmatic . . . a guiding lamp illuminating our path at every moment." -David Carson, co-author of the best-selling Medicine Cards and Crossing into Medicine Country "Maron and Winkler take the inexplicable, give it meaning, and return it again to delicious mystery . . . They metamorphose complex concepts into song whose rhythm and melody become nearly hypnotic . . . They give us new ways of seeing that excite and incite to new ways of living. And dying." -Anna Redsand

Ruth Tamari's interview project invites adults over 21 to share their thoughts about aging, dying and death. Speaking about these taboo topics with a rare openness and honesty, participants share their beliefs, fears, and wisdom. When her own dad became ill Ruth felt overwhelmed and unprepared, and was surprised to realize how the interviewees had given her the courage and strength she needed for what she was about to experience. The Invitation weaves Ruth's experiences and the interviewees' personal stories in a compelling way that will engage and absorb you. A special chapter includes the interview questions and creative ways to explore them yourself.

Death, Dying, and the Time Traveler is a collection of short stories. These stories are told by the Time Traveler, who is sent to Earth from another universe. The Time Traveler was genetically created to be Caucasian. As he grows up, his makeup has gradually changed and he has become a man of color. When Madonna, the commander-in-chief of the high council of Alexis, the planet that sent the Time Traveler to Earth, returns years later and transports the Time Traveler aboard his space vessel, he is baffled by these unbelievable stories. During his journey through life on Earth, the Time Traveler was always confronted with death and dying. He has experienced the depths of human sufferance, and there are no great stories of glory to be told. The Time Traveler questions man's existence on Earth and explores three temptations that have led to his failure here. Madonna and his council must decide the fate of the Time Traveler. Will he return to Earth and fulfill his destiny or return to Alexis with Madonna? These are the Time Traveler's thrilling stories of the past, chilling stories of the present, and shocking stories of the future.

Ren thought he’d caught him a little thief only to find that hidden under layers of boy clothes and dirt was the most desirable temptress he’d ever seen. Realizing that she’d been branded with a demon’s mark and seemed to have a death wish, Ren quickly decides that the only way to keep her alive is to not let her out of his sight. If the demons were suicidal enough to think they were going to steal her away from him, he would give them their own death wish.Getting mixed up with the underground thievery ring run by demons had been easy... it was escaping them once they decided to kill her that Lacey was having trouble with. When her partner dies just to give her a head start, she doesn’t let his sacrifice go to waste and runs like a horde of demons are chasing her... which they are. How was she to know that her escape route would lead her straight into the middle of a demon war and into the arms of a sexy stranger that was more powerful than her worse nightmare? Ren thought he’d caught him a little thief only to find that hidden under layers of boy clothes and dirt was the most desirable temptress he’d ever seen. Realizing that she’d been branded with a demon’s mark and seemed to have a death wish, Ren quickly decides that the only way to keep her alive is to not let her out of his sight. If the demons were suicidal enough to think they were going to steal her away from him, he would give them their own death wish.

Funerary practices have long been a classic topic of anthropological inquiry, which has tended to focus on death rituals as expressions and reinforcers of community ties and values. In this book, the author looks at funerals as an urban business, based on her fieldwork at a large Japanese funeral company. Her central theme is the progressive commercialization of what once were primarily religious rituals. The book depicts the process of contemporary Japanese funerals, the practices of those who provide commercial funeral services, and the motivations and behavior of the mourners who purchase those services. In so doing, it examines the role of funeral companies in shaping Japanese cultural practices and changing an important aspect of Japanese society. The author addresses several related questions: What cultural changes accompanied the shift from traditional community funeral rituals to commercial funeral services? How did the mass consumption of commercial funerals produce cultural homogeneity while allowing for differences in individual services? How does the marketing of professional funeral services mediate changing cultural values? How have commercial services served to objectify changing concepts of dying, death, and the deceased in contemporary Japan? The author demonstrates that the funeral industry, the purchasers of funeral services, and Japanese values surrounding death are mutually dependent and are responsible for supporting, representing, and transforming cultural practices. Throughout, the author relates vivid and often moving details and anecdotes to lend a personal element to her study of the commodification of death in Japan.

AN UNNECESSARY DEATH by Dean Bentley I was hired by the Department of State the same week I took the Civil Service Exam in Washington, DC. I was promoted and blessed with wonderful years working for some great men. And those brilliant men decided I needed to get into Foreign Service, State Department's Diplomatic Corps, as I had the right temperament and abilities. I thought I understood how diplomats were selected; but I had a lot to learn, because that's when I ran into a truly insane diplomat. That evil man actually caused the death of an outstanding employee of the Department of State; and he knew there were two witnesses to the crime. He would stalk our lives for decades. This is that story.