Most Popular Books by James Harpur

5 August 2005. While conducting a secret mission thirty miles off the remote cost of Kamchatka, the Russian Navy submarine AS-28 became snared in the thick cables anchored to 60-tonne concrete blocks. Without power the stricken boat sunk to the seafloor. Trapped too deep to escape her crew now had just seventy two hours before the air onboard ran out. Twenty-four hours later - still haunted by the loss of the Kursk - the Russian Navy requested assistance. And on their side of the world, Commander Ian Riches, Boss of the Royal Navy''s Submarine rescue team got the call: there was a sub down. With their expertise and specialist equipment, he knew his team had a chance to save the men, but Kamchatka was at the very limit of their range. And the clock was ticking. After the failure of the Russian Navy''s own attempts to resucue them, the crew of the AS-28 shut down all of their boat''s non-essential systems, climbed into thick thermal suits to keep the freezing cold at bay and waited, desperate to eke out the stale, thin air inside the pressure hull of their submarine. But they knew their time was running out... 72 Hours tells the story of an extraordinary, edge-of-the-seat real-life drama. It''s the gripping, inside story of one of the most dramatic rescue attempts of recent years.

For 2,000 years, women and men of the Christian faith have experienced what some mystics call a ''dazzling darkness'': the spiritual journey to the heart of ultimate reality, or God. These direct communions have ranged from mild illuminations to a union consuming the mystic''s will. This book traces such spiritual figures'' lives, times and teachings, from early Christendom to modern mystics like Simone Weil and Thomas Merton. It explores how the anchoress Julian of Norwich grew up while the Black Death was devastating Europe; how, when the beguine Marguerite Porete lived, the Church was particularly primed to burn ''heretics''; and how Pierre Teilhard de Chardin developed his idea of spiritual evolution with Darwin''s theories in the air. Deeply researched and highly engaging, Dazzling Darkness tells the stories of towering figures like Hildegard of Bingen, Teresa of Ávila and John of the Cross, and highlights many lesser-known mystics, including Mary of Egypt, Seraphim of Sarov and Charles de Foucauld, allowing their voices to sing out to future generations.

2000 Catholic Press Association Award Winner! The Collegeville atlas of the Bible offers those with an interest in their historical and religious heritage a guided tour through the Bible. It describes the stories and events of the Bible and places them in their historical and geographical context. Fabulous 3-D cutaways, maps, and ground plans, all based on the latest historical evidence, enhance the comprehensive text and bring the dramatic events of the Old and New Testaments to life in glorious detail. When the Bible says that Abraham migrated from Ur, Jacob fled to Haran, and Jesus healed and taught in Galilee, many people think of these places as merely names with a semi-legendary status. But with recent archaeology, sites such as Jericho, Hazor, Megiddo, and Masada are now living monuments to the dramatic action described in the Bible. The Collegeville atlas of the Bible illustrates the most important of these sites, while capturing the atmosphere of biblical times with graphic reconstructions, and photographs of archeological remains and biblical artifacts. The Collegeville atlas of the Bible begins with the events of Genesis and follows the sequence of the biblical books, ending with Revelation. The main text gives succinct outlines of biblical stories and explains points of theology. Special features, such as The making of the Psalms" and *Modern Bedouin Encampments, - shed fascinating light on a variety of topics. Central to The Collegeville atlas of the Bible is its use of 50 maps (route maps, ground plans, and locators) to detail biblical territories and routes, and to pinpoint the locations of important events. In the Old Testament, for example, a Mesopotamian ziggurat will show how the Tower of Babel might have looked, while Solomon''s Temple is shown in al its magnificence. In the New Testament, the city of Jerusalem and the siege of Masada are among the visual panoramas presented. In addition, feature map spreads show major journeys and empires, and location shots add their own authentic vistas. Specially-commissioned reconstructions and beautifully illustrated reflective page spreads build on this foundation to add contextual information to the discussion of biblical stories. Additionally, 300 superb full-color photographs take the reader to the Holy Land as it is today in order to better understand how it was in biblical times. The Collegeville atlas of the Bible is divided into two main sections corresponding to the Bible itself: The Old Testament In the Beginning The Patriarchs To the Promised Land From Judges to Kings Decline, Fall and Restoration The Hellenistic Age The New Testament Jesus''s Early Life The Ministry of Jesus Death and Resurrection The First Christians Revolution and Revelation Special features: Specially-commissioned 3-D artworks and ground plans based on the most up-to-date archaeological finds reconstruct the palaces, cities, and towns chronicled in the Bible. Expert text explains the stories of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, explaining the history and the theology related to each one. Carefully selected quotations are taken from the Bible, alongside quotations from other historical sources, for a new angle on these ancient stories. Detailed relief maps show the routes of individuals and the movements of peoples, from Abraham''s first journey in Mesopotamia to the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, to Paul''s last journey to Rome. Detailed descriptions and images of surviving artifacts prompt discussion of aspects of everyday life in the Holy Land. Fully illustrated reflective spreads add a thoughtful discussion of many biblical stories. Authoritative and comprehensive, its 50 maps, 18 major artworks, and 300 full-color photographs make this atlas of the Bible a visual feast. Will appeal to anyone interested in archaeology and ancient history, especially the cultures of ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and the splendid empires of the Middle East. Marcus Braybrooke is a Church of England vicar and co-president of the World Congress of Faiths. He has written several books about the Bible, Judaism, and interfaith relations. James Harpur has written and edited several books on religion and the Bible. His interest in the sacred is also shown in two volumes of poetry. "

The ultimate guide to extraordinary, enchanting, and sinster creatures. All over the world, from ancient legends to modern movies, stories about creatures have abounded and this atlas covers them all. Learn their stories and tips on how to survive an encounter of your own!

This series of photographic histories, produced in conjunction with Getty Images, is a multi-faceted vision of Britain over the past century-and-a-half, a heritage shared by all who live within its shores.

The title poem of this accomplished second collection tells the story of the monk who dreamed the death of William II, and sets the key note for a series of meditations on death and destiny. Includes the sonnet sequence on the death of the poet''s father which won James Harpur the Poetry Society''s 1995 National Poetry Competition. James Harpur was born in 1956, studied Classics and English Literature at Cambridge, has taught in Crete, worked as a lexicographer, and is now a freelance writer and editor living in London. He was awarded an Arts Council bursary in 1996.

This is a comprehensive reference to over 35 places of legend, including sites, cities and landscapes. It includes a seven-page gazetteer giving insight into travel and accommodation, and what to see and do at the places featured in the book. Locator maps direct the reader to each area.

The Story of the Christian Mystics offers concise, illuminating portraits of some eighty major mystics of the Christian tradition, from the beginnings to the present. The radiant lives of these God-seeking women and men transformed their own times, and their profound contributions to divine wisdom continue to impact our own search for meaning. The Story of the Christian Mystics provides the historical and spiritual context of each of these mystics, as well as descriptions of their experiences of encountering the Divine. In their witness and writings, mystics have shown that the direct apprehension of God can be radically transformative, not only through the deepening of their own spiritual lives, but also by helping them to deal with and benefit the world. For many great mystics, the contemplative and active lives were mutually supportive. Infused with mystical love, Francis of Assisi embraced a state of poverty and served those on the margins of society; Catherine of Siena campaigned for peace among warring factions and tried to unify religious powers; Catherine of Genoa tended to the sick and dying in her local hospital; Teresa of Avila reformed her monastic order and founded new convents, while George Fox founded the Society of Friends, or Quakers; and in the twentieth century, Thérèse of Lisieux and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Simone Weil and Thomas Merton were mystics for the troubled times they lived in. For readers of any faith or none, The Story of the Christian Mystics presents this great mystical tradition full of commitment, hope, and inspiration and encourages us to transform ourselves and our world through the deepening of love.

This series of photographic histories, produced in conjunction with Getty Images, is a multi-faceted vision of Britain over the past century-and-a-half, a heritage shared by all who live within its shores.

Revelations: The Medieval World brings to life the Middle Ages as no book before. It is organized in five main chapters, each focusing on a key component of medieval society: castles, knights, and lords; town and country; houses of God; monks and monasteries; and warfare. The approach is at once classic and contemporary, presenting the history in authoritative yet lively and entertaining text with beautiful full-color artwork and photography. Each chapter is enhanced by a stunning six-page gatefold that reveals a reconstruction of a historical place or event in all its medieval splendor. With an introductory chapter that provides an overview of the Middle Ages, from the fall of the Roman Empire to the beginnings of European exploration of the New World, Revelation: The Medieval World is an absorbing journey back in time, providing an eyewitness perspective to this fascinating period in history.

This atlas charts a worldwide journey through varied territory, beginning where legend, myth and reality meet. These are the eternal realms, such as the Garden of Eden, Camelot and Avalon, which cannot now be seen, but which have for centuries motivated explorers, writers and artists. The natural settings are as varied as those of Hawaii''s Haleakala Crater, Japan''s Mount Fuji and India''s River Ganges, places where gods and heroes are believed to have walked on Earth. the Valley of the Kings; the Mayan city of Tikal in the heart of the Guatemalan jungle; and Ohio''s Serpent Mound, created by the ancestors of the Native Americans. Human-built beauty and monuments are the stuff of legends too, from the Taj Mahal to the Forbidden City and Elsinore. Legendary places can embody the triumph of human courage over adversity, as witnessed in the rebuilding of Coventry Cathedral.

An illustrated guide book to the events, places and people of the Bible.

Hauts lieux de prière, tombeaux de personnages célèbres à travers le monde: histoire et légendes entourant ces lieux, description, manifestations de cultes.

Par la multitude des récits, des prophéties et des enseignements qui les composent, l''Ancien et le Nouveau Testament n''ont cessé de passionner et de guider de nombreuses générations. A l''intérieur de ce livre, adapté à tous les membres de la famille, découvrez ce trésor de l''humanité, à travers une quarantaine d''épisodes puisés parmi les plus importants et les plus spectaculaires de la Bible. Depuis la présentation symbolique de la création du monde jusqu''à la vie fascinante de Jésus, en passant par l''histoire exaltante de David et Goliath, tous les passages bibliques présentés dans cet ouvrage sont racontés avec simplicité, sans jamais pour autant trahir les textes d''origine. Au fil des pages, de précieuses informations sur le contexte historique, géographique et culturel de l''époque ainsi que de nombreuses surprises (animations, livrets, fiches, cartes...) vous permettront de faire de la découverte de la Bible une expérience familiale interactive ! Des surprises vous attendent ! Une carte à déplier pour situer les lieux bibliques. Des fiches à emporter partout sur lesquelles figurent quelques-uns des plus beaux psaumes. Des livrets à parcourir pour en savoir plus sur l''interprétation des songes, sur les douze apôtres... La reproduction d''un manuscrit de la mer Morte à dérouler. Une tirette à actionner pour découvrir le message divin.

Beschouwingen over de betekenis van de wonderen van Jezus.