Download or read book The Little Book of Humanist Weddings written by Andrew Copson and published by Piatkus. This book was released on 2021-09-23 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the authors of the Sunday Times bestseller The Little Book of Humanism A humanist wedding ceremony allows couples the freedom to express their love in a completely personal way - and choose what marriage means to them. In a beautiful collection of insights from humanist celebrants, plus quotes, poems and meditations from humanist writers and thinkers throughout history, The Little Book of Humanist Weddings is filled with inspiration to complement your unique celebration of love and commitment.
Download or read book The Good Book written by A. C. Grayling and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2011-04-05 with total page 610 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Few, if any, thinkers and writers today would have the imagination, the breadth of knowledge, the literary skill, and-yes-the audacity to conceive of a powerful, secular alternative to the Bible. But that is exactly what A.C. Grayling has done by creating a non-religious Bible, drawn from the wealth of secular literature and philosophy in both Western and Eastern traditions, using the same techniques of editing, redaction, and adaptation that produced the holy books of the Judaeo-Christian and Islamic religions. The Good Book consciously takes its design and presentation from the Bible, in its beauty of language and arrangement into short chapters and verses for ease of reading and quotability, offering to the non-religious seeker all the wisdom, insight, solace, inspiration, and perspective of secular humanist traditions that are older, far richer and more various than Christianity. Organized in 12 main sections----Genesis, Histories, Widsom, The Sages, Parables, Consolations, Lamentations, Proverbs, Songs, Epistles, Acts, and the Good----The Good Book opens with meditations on the origin and progress of the world and human life in it, then devotes attention to the question of how life should be lived, how we relate to one another, and how vicissitudes are to be faced and joys appreciated. Incorporating the writing of Herodotus and Lucretius, Confucius and Mencius, Seneca and Cicero, Montaigne, Bacon, and so many others, The Good Book will fulfill its audacious purpose in every way.
Download or read book The Little Book of Humanist Weddings written by Andrew Copson and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A humanist wedding ceremony allows couples the freedom to express their love in a completely personal way - but with so much choice, it can make the prospect of finding the perfect words a little daunting. In a beautiful collection of quotes, poems and meditations from humanist writers and thinkers throughout history and humanist celebrants, The Little Book of Humanist Weddings is filled with inspiration to complement your unique celebration of love and commitment.
Download or read book In My Gut I Don t Believe written by Joe Armstrong and published by . This book was released on 2020-12-10 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In My Gut, I Don't Believe is an intimate coming of age memoir, set in Mount St Mary's, a Catholic seminary, in 1980s Dublin. Making extensive use of contemporaneous private journals, Joe Armstrong shows his personal, psychological, emotional, sexual and intellectual growth, from boy to young man, escaping a difficult mother and a Church demanding the submission of his mind, body and will.Torn between faith and doubt, safety and risk, love and fear, the memoir is a portrait of the young man trying to live the vow of celibacy while becoming aware of his need for affection, intimacy and love. It shows his efforts to live the vow of obedience while awakening to his need to obey himself. It provides an authentic, peerless, fly-on-the-wall insight into Catholic seminary life. This is a story of learning to listen to and trust yourself, discarding other voices, and making the hardest decision of your life. It shows that nobody knows you better than you know yourself. It illustrates how hard it is to grow beyond the worldview you were born into. It's a siren call to listen to your feelings, thoughts and hunches - not those of other people - if you are to become yourself.Set in the decade before the clerical scandals of priests fathering children in secret became known to the public and before the crimes of paedophile priests and their cover-up by the hierarchy caused many to lose their faith, Joe Armstrong's personal journey from belief to doubt anticipates and articulates the experience of millions. Praise for 'In My Gut, I Don't Believe''A fascinating, courageous and moving account of an individual leaving the trammels of religion for the good light of humanism - an educative story on many levels, well told.' - Professor A. C. Grayling
Download or read book The Celts written by Alice Roberts and published by Heron Books. This book was released on 2015-10-05 with total page 394 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Informed, impeccably researched and written' Neil Oliver The Celts are one of the world's most mysterious ancient people. In this compelling account, Alice Roberts takes us on a journey across Europe, uncovering the truth about this engimatic tribe: their origins, their treasure and their enduring legacy today. What emerges is not a wild people, but a highly sophisticated tribal culture that influenced the ancient world - and even Rome. It is the story of a multicultural civilization, linked by a common language. It is the story of how ideas travelled in prehistory, how technology and art spread across the continent. It is the story of a five-hundred year fight between two civilizations that came to define the world we live in today. It is the story of a culture that changed Europe forever. 'Roberts's lightness of touch is joyous, and celebratory' Observer 'Clear-spoken and enthusiastic' Telegraph
Download or read book A Lovely Love Story written by Edward Monkton and published by Andrews McMeel Publishing. This book was released on 2012-11-06 with total page 38 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mr. Darcy and Miss Bennett. Ozzie and Harriet. Jay-Z and Beyonce. Great couples often find togetherness by embracing their individual differences. In this modern-day fable, Edward Monkton pens an irresistible love story about a fiercely funny but distant Dinosaur who falls in love with a forgetful but free-spirited (and shopping-savvy) Lovely Other Dinosaur. * Monkton, perhaps better known as the U.K.'s top-selling living poet Giles Andreae * This ode to love pairs Monkton's signature illustrations with simple yet profound prose.
Download or read book The Renaissance of Marriage in Fifteenth Century Italy written by Anthony F. D’Elia and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2004 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Weddings in 15th-century Italian courts were grand, sumptuous affairs, often requiring guests to listen to lengthy orations given in Latin. D'Elia shows how Italian humanists used these orations to support claims of legitimacy and assertions of superiority among families jockeying for power, as well as to advocate for marriage and sexual pleasure.
Download or read book Humanism A Very Short Introduction written by Stephen Law and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2011-01-27 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Summary: Philosopher Stephen Law explains why humanism--though a rejection of religion--nevertheless provides both a moral basis and a meaning for our lives.-publisher description.
Download or read book Tamed written by Alice Roberts and published by Random House. This book was released on 2017-10-19 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: **'A masterpiece of evocative scientific storytelling.' BRIAN COX** **'Will appeal to fans of Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens'. Mail on Sunday ** The extraordinary story of the species that became our allies. Dogs became our companions Wheat fed a booming population Cattle gave us meat and milk Maize fuelled the growth of empires Potatoes brought us feast and famine Chickens led us to wonder about tomorrow Rice promised us a golden future Horses gave us strength and speed Apples travelled with us HUMANS TAMED THEM ALL For hundreds of thousands of years, our ancestors depended on wild plants and animals to stay alive – until they began to tame them. Combining archaeology and cutting-edge genetics, Tamed tells the story of the greatest revolution in human history and reveals the fascinating origins of ten crucial domesticated species; and how they, in turn, transformed us. In a world creaking under the strain of human activity, Alice Roberts urges us to look again at our relationship with the natural world – and our huge influence upon it. AN ECONOMIST AND MAIL ON SUNDAY 'BOOK OF THE YEAR' 2017
Download or read book Good Without God written by Greg Epstein and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2010-10-26 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An inspiring and provocative exploration of an alternative to traditional religion Questions about the role of God and religion in today's world have never been more relevant or felt more powerfully. Many of us are searching for a place where we can find not only facts and scientific reason but also hope and moral courage. For some, answers are found in the divine. For others, including the New Atheists, religion is an "enemy." But in Good Without God, Greg Epstein presents another, more balanced and inclusive response: Humanism. He highlights humanity's potential for goodness and the ways in which Humanists lead lives of purpose and compassion. Humanism can offer the sense of community we want and often need in good times and bad—and it teaches us that we can lead good and moral lives without the supernatural, without higher powers . . . without God.
Download or read book The Incredible Human Journey written by Alice Roberts and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2010-04-05 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Alice Roberts has been travelling the world - from Ethiopian desert to Malay peninsula and from Russian steppes to Amazon basin - in order to understand the challenges that early humans faced as they tried to settle continents. On her travels she has witnessed some of the daunting and brutal challenges our ancestors had to face: mountains, deserts, oceans, changing climates, terrifying giant beasts and volcanoes. But she discovers that perhaps the most serious threat of all came from other humans. When our ancestors set out from Africa there were already two other species of human on the planet: Neanderthal in Europe and Homo erectus in Asia. Both (contrary to popular perception) were intelligent, adept at making tools and weapons and were long adapted to their environments. So, Alice asks, why did only Homo sapiens survive? Part detective story, part travelogue, and drawing on the latest genetic and archaeological discoveries, Alice examines how our ancestors evolved physically in response to these challenges, finding out how our colour, shape, size, diet, disease resistance and even athletic ability have been shaped by the range of environments that our ancestors had to survive. She also relates how astonishingly closely related we all are. As a lecturer in Anatomy at Bristol University, Alice Roberts is eminently qualified to write this book. As a talented artist, she is perfectly qualified to illustrate it, and dotted throughout this lively book are many of the sketches and photographs from her travels.
Download or read book Joining Hands and Hearts written by Susanna Macomb and published by Atria Books. This book was released on 2003-01-09 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: So you're getting married! The wedding is the most gloriously celebrated of life's rites of passage. Today couples of all faiths, colors, and cultures are choosing an interfaith ceremony for its spiritually inclusive and personal approach. It is a way of rejoicing in our differences and celebrating our commonality in an atmosphere of mutual love and respect. If yours is an interfaith, intercultural, or interracial union, then you have already embraced a love that knows no boundaries. What could be more beautiful? But now that it's time to make a public statement to the world, you may suddenly be filled with questions: How do we make sure that our ceremony is a reflection of our love and our relationship? How do we remain true to ourselves and still make our families happy? How can we create a wedding ceremony that merges our religious, spiritual, cultural, and personal beliefs? Can we do this without offending or alienating anyone? Who will officiate at our ceremony? When and where will the ceremony take place? Which rituals will we include? Joining Hands and Hearts will help you answer all of these questions and more, with a detailed questionnaire to help you learn more about yourselves and each other, practical guides to structuring an interfaith wedding ceremony, tender counsel on how to work with your families, and the most complete manual of religious, cultural, and universal rituals, prayers, vows, and blessings available. In warm, inclusive language, Reverend Susanna Macomb guides you through the most sensitive of issues with love and encouragement. She offers the stories and ceremonies of other couples to inspire you. You are not alone! Interfaith, intercultural, and interracial couples bring healing and hope for all of us. You are the future, and Joining Hands and Hearts can help you celebrate your union with all of the love, grace, and magic it deserves.
Download or read book Handfasting and Wedding Rituals written by Raven Kaldera and published by Llewellyn Worldwide. This book was released on 2003 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An overview of wedding rituals for neopagans features ceremonies inspired by a wide range of influences, mythological love stories, and belief systems, including interfaith ceremonies allowing for just about any combination of religions, and tips on finding officiates, suggested readings, and more.
Download or read book Read This for Inspiration written by Ashly Perez and published by Clarkson Potter. This book was released on 2020-12-01 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From former BuzzFeed personality Ashly Perez comes a funny, honest, and unabashedly feminist book of inspiration and wisdom to help you plant some roots, live in the process, and accept you for you. Take a break from mindless phone scrolling and empower yourself to live intentionally and find meaning all around you every single day. Read This for Inspiration, filled with short bursts of encouragement and enlightenment, is your staring place. Look inward and also way beyond your arm’s length—these entries are inspiring not only for the wisdom they impart but also for the way they lift you up. Virtual BuzzFeed start turned television writer Ashley Perez has compiled all of the inspirations that have enriched her own life—influenced by history, literature, music, and her mom—to help you discover what motivates you. We all have to start somewhere.
Download or read book What W H Auden Can Do for You written by Alexander McCall Smith and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2013-09-29 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bestselling novelist Alexander McCall Smith's charming account of how the poet W. H. Auden has helped guide his life—and how he might guide yours too When facing a moral dilemma, Isabel Dalhousie—Edinburgh philosopher, amateur detective, and title character of a series of novels by best-selling author Alexander McCall Smith—often refers to the great twentieth-century poet W. H. Auden. This is no accident: McCall Smith has long been fascinated by Auden. Indeed, the novelist, best known for his No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, calls the poet not only the greatest literary discovery of his life but also the best of guides on how to live. In this book, McCall Smith has written a charming personal account about what Auden has done for him—and what he just might do for you. Part self-portrait, part literary appreciation, the book tells how McCall Smith first came across the poet's work in the 1970s, while teaching law in Belfast, a violently divided city where Auden's "September 1, 1939," a poem about the outbreak of World War II, strongly resonated. McCall Smith goes on to reveal how his life has related to and been inspired by other Auden poems ever since. For example, he describes how he has found an invaluable reflection on life's transience in "As I Walked Out One Evening," while "The More Loving One" has provided an instructive meditation on unrequited love. McCall Smith shows how Auden can speak to us throughout life, suggesting how, despite difficulties and change, we can celebrate understanding, acceptance, and love for others. An enchanting story about how art can help us live, this book will appeal to McCall Smith's fans and anyone curious about Auden.
Download or read book Best Ceremony Ever How to Make the Serious Wedding Stuff Unique written by Christopher Shelley and published by The Countryman Press. This book was released on 2019-02-12 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gravitas and fun get married within these pages, and we're all invited Certified lifecycle celebrant Christopher Shelley is on a mission to revolutionize the wedding ceremony—or at least to make it as enjoyable as the reception. In Best. Ceremony. Ever., he will forever alter the way couples and wedding pros think about tying the knot. Shelley, who has officiated hundreds of weddings, walks couples and officiants through working together, from setting the atmosphere to telling an unforgettable love story. He shares questions for the couple to ask themselves before meeting with their officiant, and offers a wedding vow workshop and complete sample ceremonies. Shelley cares about the guests as much as the couple getting married, and his friendly, entertaining guide is a treasure chest of ideas to make guests laugh, cry, and then laugh at how much they’re crying. From announcing the wedding (insert cliff-hanger) to selecting venues (consider breweries!) to choreographing processionals (dance party!) to explosive recessionals (balloon drop!), opportunities to surprise guests abound.
Download or read book The Complete Celebrant Handbook written by Han Hills and published by . This book was released on 2016-04-29 with total page 516 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Within these pages you will find an invaluable blueprint to building creative, exciting, organized, professional-level ceremonies of every kind. Whether you are looking to design a single spectacular dream event, improve your business, or launch a whole new career, this book will be your handy companion, as you move from planning to amazing success!* Unity Rituals * Cultural Etiquette* Ceremonial Diagrams * Business advice* Sample Questionnaires * Contracts* Legal Requirements by State * 100 Ceremony Readings * Preparation instructions for every modern ceremony