If you have ever wondered where the vast majority of those ancient stories of wars, heroes, kings, queens, slaves, princesses, beautiful women and horrible sorceresses that you have seen a thousand times on TV or on the big screen really come from, well, the answer is that almost all of them come from the pen of the Greek historian Herodotus of Halicarnassus and his "Nine Books of History" written two and a half thousand years ago.

If you have ever wondered where the vast majority of those ancient stories of wars, heroes, kings, queens, slaves, princesses, beautiful women and horrible sorceresses that you have seen a thousand times on TV or on the big screen really come from, well, the answer is that almost all of them come from the pen of the Greek historian Herodotus of Halicarnassus and his "Nine Books of History" written two and a half thousand years ago.

The human imagination gives rise to the most beautiful man-made structures and creations on Earth: architecture, literature, theatre, music, art, humanitarian initiatives, moon landings and space exploration, mythology, science, they all require a large dose of imagination. We all live surrounded by the results of the imagination of our peers, and the creations of our ancestors. Without imagination there is no compassion, no moral compass and no progress. But without imagination there is also no fear of death. There are no premeditated murders or terrorist attacks; these rely on the human ability to imagine, to call up images and test-drive possible scenarios in the human mind. Once we get out the magnifying glass, we discover that the imagination is a double-edged sword. All of us together, humanity as a collective, are creating very confused and mixed outcomes: world peace remains elusive, wars rage and children starve. Addictions and pollution proliferate. Medicine of the Imagination: Dwelling in Possibility examines these issues and suggests that if we are to transcend religious wars, homophobia and medical “cures” worse than the diseases we face then it that it is our moral duty to engage our imagination in service to other people.

With clarity, humor, and insight, award-winning filmmaker Barnet Bain guides readers to unlock the raw power of the creative self. Sharing creativity principles and practices at the leading edge, The Book of Doing and Being offers a life-altering map for stepping beyond what we already know and into a dimension of imagination from which innovation is born. Known for his inspiring movies and documentaries, as well as his popular creativity workshops, Barnet Bain makes available his teachings for the first time in book form. Discover how will and action come together with imagination and feeling to form the very foundation of creativity by working with this treasury of more than forty transformative exercises. Each one is designed to spark new creative connections by challenging our usual ways of thinking, feeling, and perceiving. These lessons, tools, and techniques serve to unlock great reservoirs of creativity in every individual, whether it’s jumpstarting or completing a project, launching a new business, creating a work of art, experiencing more fulfilling relationships, or making other dreams come true. Bain’s motivational guidance includes: rewiring your brain to unleash ultra-creativity; finding freedom from self-criticism, perfectionism, and other obstructions to productivity and creative expression; harnessing the two forces of creativity: inspiration and action; discovering your emotions as the doorway to creative aliveness and ingenuity; and heeding the call of your Real Work, regardless of age, education, or experience. Step by step, you will make the discovery of a lifetime: how to stop being ruled by your past and start consciously creating your present and future. You will be surprised and energized—by your next creative impulse, the next idea that excites you, the next experience that moves you—and you will live a creative life.

Professor of Music at Colgate University and a widely respected musicologist, Godwin traces the history of the idea, held since ancient times, that the whole cosmos, with its circling planets and stars, is in some way a musical or harmonious entity. The author shows how this concept has continued to inspire philosophers, astronomers, and mystics from antiquity to the present day.

Exploration tells the intriguing story of the navigators who crossed oceans to chart the coastlines of distant continents, the adventurers who traversed deserts and polar wastes, and the traders who sought new markets and commodities in faraway lands. The secrets of the planet and its living inhabitants have been unraveled thanks to the efforts made by these navigators and adventurers. This new, full-color book begins with a narration of the earliest seagoing ships and the vehicles that transported diplomats, warriors, and merchants around the Mediterranean region and later around the world. It explores the Vikings who terrorized Western Europe and colonized Greenland as well as the swift outrigger vessels that sailed from Asia to the islands of the Pacific. This accessible resource describes the development of navigational instruments to help on long journeys out of sight of landOCoincluding the sextant and compassOCoand explains how to calculate latitude and longitude."