The Nation-Free Recipe

Readers who finished the acclaimed 2018 first edition swiftly dove into a second reading. Why the page-turning intrigue? This enriched edition builds on the book’s fundamental magnetism for the open-minded - smiling at the wonders of human psychology woven subtly through seeming coincidences. Masterfully staged events feature an ascending cast, yet nothing is random. Will you love finding yourself challenged and enthralled? The recipe is served.

Europe endured grave suffering in the 20th century, as conspiring empires played citizens against each other. This book unlocks coded fairytales in political history, made more precious by its unexpected messenger. Readers can uncover how to adjust their interpretive keys, as the powerful secretly do.

Intelligence services bank on public ignorance and misunderstanding. This book checks their ledger. Next, it explores the dicey ‘Book of Ideas’ gifting game amongst spy agencies vying for influence. Other dispatches: Implanted ideological triggers as viral memes, the Iron Curtain as an extension of divisions sown by elites, cracks in the Cambridge spy ring novel, and why updating one’s mental maps is necessary for freedom.

The National Debt and Our Grandchildren: Should We Worry?

Throughout our history Americans have embraced the myth that our national debt is immoral and destructive.

This deeply rooted belief goes back to our Founding Fathers: Jefferson excoriated debt as “the greatest of dangers to be feared.” Andrew Jackson demonized debt as “a national curse.” Current political leaders continue to endorse this negative view of our national debt. Obama said that incurring debt was “irresponsible” and “unpatriotic.” John McCain condemned it as “generational theft.”

In this book, the prize-winning economics professor Arthur Benavie, demonstrates in clear and non-technical language that belief in this myth has repeatedly blocked our federal government from creating jobs and investing in our children’s future.

Benavie describes the many occasions, including from the administrations of FDR to Obama, where our leaders were faced with severe political retribution at the mere suggestion that their policies would increase the national debt.

Belief in this myth presents a continuing danger to the wellbeing of our children and grandchildren. Benavie examines several ways to disempower it.

The Orbs of Frenchtown

When Patricia and Russell Vincent took an evening stroll through their neighborhood in 1981, they had no idea where that walk would lead them. They spotted a few old headstones standing alone in a grassy field, some dating back to the late 1700s, and their curiosity was sparked. This evening would lead them to an important discovery in their hometown of Monroe, Michigan.

The Orbs of Frenchtown reflects on the importance of place by exploring the early settlement of Monroe called Frenchtown, through its destruction during the War of 1812, and the ghosts the Vincents found along the way. This historical work shows the links that connect us to history by looking into America’s past. The determination of the Vincents’ quest ultimately stands as a tribute to the contributions of this special couple during the later years of their lives, and to the town they held dear.

The Prince of Evolution

The Prince of Evolution is the evolutionary reframing of one of the most important and controversial political texts in history. It reframes Machiavelli’s The Prince as a text expressing a revolutionary political theory that expresses an evolutionary ‘best practice’ framework for political competition.

By applying the two patterns of evolution, natural and artificial, discovered by Charles Darwin and David R. Wood. In doing so it reveals new insights and value to be derived from Machiavelli’s original text. Most importantly, by providing an evolutionary framework for every human relationship that has ever existed, and reframes Machiavelli, the man, to be just as human as you or I.

The Prince of Evolution is a groundbreaking work that will disrupt the entire field of political science. And the way we all look at organizations, communities, and ourselves.

The Princess and the Sneeze

In the whimsical Land of Ease, the royal edict is clear: the prince must find a bride by his twenty-first birthday, and not just any bride, but a true princess distinguished by a very delicate sneeze. Amidst a flurry of candidates, each with her unique sneezing style, the search takes comical turns. The fate of the kingdom hangs in the balance – will it become known as ‘The Land of Sneeze’? Surprising revelations and a chaotic pillow fight full of goose feathers bring unexpected twists to this light-hearted tale of royal matchmaking.

The Promises

I have struggled with alcoholism and addiction for nearly over 50 years and I had searched the corners of the earth for the solution to my living hell. Yet, the solution to my malady was right in front of me. As Bill W. wrote in Bill’s Story, “But my friend sat before me, and he made the point-blank declaration that God had done for him what he could not do for himself. His human will had failed. Doctors had pronounced him incurable. Society was about to lock him up. Like myself, he had admitted complete defeat. Then he had, in effect, been raised from the dead, suddenly taken from the scrap heap to a level of life better than the best he had ever known!” 

Bill goes on to write, “Most of us feel we need look no further for Utopia. We have it with us right here and now.” (BB p.16). Yes, I have found the solution to my alcoholism, my living hell, my malady. I have found my “heaven on earth” – The Fellowship of AA! If I learned one thing in my lifetime it is that wisdom is not the art of intelligence, it is the art of living. Life is not an endgame, there is not a finish line – life is an infinite journey! 

The Qara-Daghian

“Is it appropriate to recite ‘Shema Israel’ in this place?”

In a dreamlike moment, I found myself in the synagogue, surrounded by people wrapped in prayer shawls and the thrilling voice of the cantor, Hakham Abdullah. I imagined my grandfather, Hakham Nissim, hovering beside me, whispering verses with his angelic voice, encouraging me to pray in this place that was once ours. Inspired by his presence, I set my heart on righting the insult to my grandfather’s memory. With permission granted, I prepared to pray, facing Jerusalem as is the Jewish tradition, stunning those around me.

Born in Halabja, the gas-hit city of Kurdistan, the writer recounts the tribulations of an Aramaic-speaking Qaradaghian Jewish tribe spanning five generations. This poignant memoir weaves together fascinating family stories, some tragic and others filled with love and heroism. The climax of the book is a nostalgic visit to the landscapes from which the author was uprooted as a child. His 2018 visit, published in the Kurdish media under the headline ‘The first Jew to return to Halabja since 1950,’ reveals the harsh reality of the Muslims rushing to build a mosque on the ruins of the synagogue.

In the city of Slemanyia, the writer visits the Great Synagogue where his grandfather served as rabbi, now converted into a mosque. Here, he sets a precedent by praying in a place where no Jewish prayer had been held for 67 years, a testament to the enduring spirit of the lost people in the land of Assyria. The hardships that began 2,700 years ago continued in the Land of Israel, where the writer undergoes immigration experiences until his successful integration into the New-Old Land.

The Reflections

This book offers a faithful English translation of An-Nazarat (‘The Reflections’) by Mustafa Lutfi al-Manfaluti, a distinguished essayist from the era of the Nahda, or the Modern Arabic Literary Renaissance in Egypt. Al-Manfaluti’s magnum opus, first published in 1910, is a rich collection of short stories, essays, and a few adapted translations, originally featured in Egypt’s al-Mu’ayyad newspaper.

With a sharp, reflective eye, al-Manfaluti captures the vibrant tapestry of life, inviting readers to explore the intricate interplay of cultural identity and the dynamic evolution of society. His works, which John A. Haywood describes as spanning the ‘whole gamut of current ethical and social problems,’ offer a glimpse into the early 20th-century Egyptian zeitgeist, touching on themes of political nationalism, pan-Islamic aspirations, and religious reform.

Al-Manfaluti’s unique, almost highbrow style, with its distinct lustre, sets his writings apart. Abdul-Sattar Jawad compares him to the Romantic essayist Lamb, noting al-Manfaluti’s use of personal reminiscences, stories, interest in the natural past, and prose poems, often reinforced with verse quotations.

Hailed as a genius in the art of literary composition and prose-writing, and a leader in pure stylistic diction, al-Manfaluti’s An-Nazarat remains a seminal work for those interested in the Middle East and the Nahda period, a melting pot of social and literary significance.

The Rice Tree Chronicles

A friend once asked the author how many countries I had visited and what was on my bucket list, and his reply was that it wasn’t filled with things or places, but with people like “The Walnut Man” or “The Albeeno Aborigine” and the Ladyboy in “Bangkok Confidential” that he had met along the way and the stories that they shared about themselves. If anything, a little bit of luck, patience, and an ear for listening have made all the difference in seeing the world through a different set of lenses.

The richness of travel is in each footstep taken like walking el Camino de Santiago in Spain, where each day is a new adventure along an 800-kilometer trail filled with stories of personal challenge, hardships overcome, immense satisfaction, and a bookmark in the lives of people from all corners of the world.

Each story, each memoir is merely a point in time in someone’s life and the reward was having it handed to you as a gift.

The Sexpert

If your intimacy has stalled, this book offers passionate possibilities. Gain insight into techniques that attract partners as you discover adventurous positions for deeper satisfaction.

Delve into the keys to compatibility and learn how to better understand and communicate attraction with a lover. Whether you want to boost a committed bond or relay interest to someone new, these tips help bring relationships to thrilling new heights.

Enjoy exercising erotic expertise as you and your special someone read together. Let steamy stories and scenarios richly illustrated within these pages stimulate excitement and inspires exploration between the sheets.

Give your sex life a boost while getting in sync with a partner like never before. The Sexpert has the passion and power to transform lulls into lust.

The Soul of an Unwanted Child

In Soul of an Unwanted Child, David Bailey shares a poignant and powerful journey of survival and self-discovery. Born in rural North Carolina to a teenage mother in a Baptist sharecropper family, Bailey’s narrative begins with a life marked by rejection and invisibility. His story unfolds in the tumultuous 1960s and 70s, where he struggles with the emotional and physical scars left by an upbringing filled with neglect and abuse. Despite these challenges, Bailey’s journey is one of remarkable resilience and determination.

As Bailey navigates through a hostile and uncaring environment, he confronts deep-seated issues of identity, belonging, and self-worth. From the painful realities of a broken family to the harsh discipline of military life, Bailey’s path is fraught with obstacles that test his spirit and will. Yet, it is through these very trials that he begins to forge his own identity and find a sense of purpose.

Soul of an Unwanted Child is more than a memoir. It is a testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Bailey’s story is a vivid reminder that our beginnings do not define us, and that with courage and perseverance, we can overcome the most daunting challenges. This book is a compelling read for anyone who has ever felt overlooked or underestimated, offering hope and inspiration to find light in the darkest of circumstances.

The Street Church Movement

Shishyashram, a community of Christians stewarding their skills and minds to glorify God, has the unique opportunity of reaching out to the red-light district of GB Road in New Delhi to share the love of Christ with the women who reside there. The Holy Spirit led us to go there and revealed to us how our Lord Jesus walked on this earth, choosing to meet people no one else wanted to see. If we were to follow in the steps of Jesus, then our path was destined to cross GB Road.

The red-light district is associated with violence, abuse, organized crime, and human trafficking. While many have given up on people who live there or are trapped there, we know full well that the Lord has not given up on them. He takes His love to them in revealing to them the kingdom of God.

Our faith in Jesus gives us hope for the deliverance of the captives of GB Road. When Jesus came to seek and save those who were lost, He went and met the people in the places where they lived.

The incarnation of the Son of God did not complete in His birth as a human but found its fulfilment when He humbled Himself and served the most despised, rejected, poor, sick and oppressed, and those who were captives and lived on the other side of the wall—those who were slaves to crime, injustice and the flesh trade.  He wants believers to follow Him in such places too.

John 12:26, Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honour the one who serves me.