The Way of the Samurai
The Way of the Samurai, featuring stencilled page edges and full-colour illustrations.
To many people, the word samurai conjures images of menacing masks, long blades and elaborate armour. However, this classic text by Inazo Nitobe reveals the greater depths to samurai culture - they were not simply warriors but an aristocratic class who practiced literary and military arts in equal measure.
The Social Contract
The Social Contract is one of the most influential studies of political philosophy ever made, presenting a radical vision of how society should be organised to ensure the liberty and equality of its citizens. Arguing against the 'divine right' of the monarchy, Rousseau instead claims that state should be governed by the collective will of the people and their shared interests. It is only through this 'social contract' that man can be free. Rousseau's ideas influenced both the French and American Revolutions and created the foundations of the liberal democratic societies that exist today.
Dream Psychology
Dream Psychology is an accessible distillation of his theories on dream analysis for the general reader, decoding the symbolism of dreams and exploring how the unconscious mind communicates its desires. The methods of psychoanalysis outlined here were revolutionary in their time and continue to play a major role in modern psychology.
Utopia
Utopia is a fascinating novel that tells the story of a visitor to a distant island home to a community that has established an ideal society. Based on harmony, justice, rationality, virtue, equality and the pursuit of happiness, it presents a sharp contrast with sixteenth century England. This remarkable novel is complex, insightful and far-sighted, and has, for centuries, been of great interest to scholars, politicians, writers and readers who have sought to untangle its mysteries and bring to life their own utopias.
The Egyptian Book of the Dead
The Egyptian Book of the Dead is an ancient collection of spells, prayers and incantations designed to guide the departed through the perils of the underworld. Written as part of funeral rites to ensure eternal life, these scrolls were often left in the sarcophagus of the deceased and now offer fascinating insight into Egyptian culture.
The Egyptian Book of the Dead
The Egyptian Book of the Dead is an ancient collection of spells, prayers and incantations designed to guide the departed through the perils of the underworld, ultimately ensuring eternal life. Written as part of funeral rites, these scrolls were often left in the sarcophagus of the deceased and now offer fascinating insight into Egyptian culture.
The Dialogues of Socrates
In The Dialogues of Socrates collection of Plato's dialogues, the student of Socrates provides a profound exploration of the philosopher's belief in personal responsibility through dialogues with fellow Athenians. Featured are six key works: Charmides, Symposium, Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo, offering an insightful read for both new philosophy enthusiasts and seasoned intellectuals.
The Analects of Confucius
The Analects of Confucius are a collection of Confucius’s sayings brought together by his pupils shortly after his death in 497 BC. Together they express a philosophy, or a moral code, by which Confucius, one of the most humane thinkers of all time, believed everyone should live. Upholding the ideals of wisdom, self-knowledge, courage and love of one’s fellow man, he argued that the pursuit of virtue should be every individual’s supreme goal.