Garden Philosophy

Humans have long turned to gardens—both real and imaginary—for sanctuary from the frenzy and tumult that surrounds them. Those gardens may be as far away from everyday reality as Gilgamesh’s garden of the gods or as near as our own backyard, but in their very conception and the marks they bear of human care and cultivation, gardens stand as restorative, nourishing, necessary havens.

After several millennia living as a lone sentinel in the Garden of Eden, the angel Tesque is contemplating leaving his post in rebellion against God. Meanwhile, in another time and place, a professor of mathematics isolates herself in remote Iceland as she finds herself increasingly at odds with society. The connection between these two characters? A letter, a sentient dog, and a deep-seated resistance to the demands of love.

In his extraordinary new book, Alain de Botton explores the importance of buildings in our lives, pondering our attachment to our homes and considering such questions as: Why do people disagree about taste? Can beautiful surroundings make us good?

There is no real evidence that humans ever 'domesticated' cats. Rather, it seems that at some point cats saw the potential value to themselves of humans. John Gray's wonderful new book is an attempt to get to grips with the philosophical and moral issues around the uniquely strange relationship between ourselves and these remarkable animals. Feline Philosophy draws on centuries of philosophy, from Montaigne to Schopenhauer, to explore the complex and intimate links that have defined how we react to and behave with this most unlikely 'pet'.

When Dr. David Hosack tilled the country's first botanical garden in the Manhattan soil more than 200 years ago, he didn't just dramatically alter the New York landscape; he left a monumental legacy of advocacy for public health and wide-ranging support for the sciences. In melodic prose, historian Victoria Johnson eloquently chronicles Hosack's tireless career to reveal the breadth of his impact. The result is a lush portrait of the man who gave voice to a new, deeply American understanding of the powers and perils of nature.

Monty was just like any other dog. A scruffy and irascible Maltese terrier, he enjoyed barking at pugs and sniffing at trees. But after yet another dramatic confrontation with the local Rottweiler, Anthony McGowan realises it’s high time he and Monty had a chat about what makes him a good or a bad dog. Taking his lead from Monty’s canine antics, McGowan takes us on a hilarious and enlightening jaunt through the major debates of philosophy.

In Japanese gardens, composition follows from placement of the first stone; all elements and plantings become interconnected. These eight essays on Kyoto gardens similarly begin with keen description and build into richly meditative excursions into art, Buddhism, nature, and science. Landscape architect Marc Keane shows how Japanese gardens are both a microcosm of the natural universe and a clear expression of our humanity, mirroring how we think, worship, and organize our lives and communities.

In Material, Kary takes listeners along with him to visit some of the places where modern artisans are preserving, and in some cases passing on, the old craft skills. His vivid descriptions and eye for detail make this book a rich and delightful listen, and the natural and cultural history he imparts along the way provides an important context for understanding our own past and the roots of our industrial society. Personal, engaging, and filled with memorable people, landscapes, and scenes, Material is a rich celebration of what it means to imagine and create.

Is there a philosophy behind owning a pet? What was Ayn Rand like with her cats? Why is the death of a pet so devastating and how can you most enjoy them in life? Leonard Peikoff, foremost interpreter of Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism, answers these and other questions in this charming new book about pets. This absorbing book makes an amusing and thought-provoking compendium on pets from the world’s foremost Objectivists. In this collection of essays, Peikoff delves with insight, humor, and philosophy into the meaning of loving a pet.

An exact reprint of a lost spiritual classic by Neville Goddard. Contains the complete text of the books, Prayer - The Art of Believing, Feeling is the Secret, Freedom For All, Out of this World and Resurrection. As more and more of his first editions are disappearing, it is important to bring back reprinted editions of Neville's work at affordable prices for current students, as well as those new to his works. This edition is identical to the original publication with the exception of a new, previously unread introduction by Neville.

La magia del orden, de Marie Kondo, la gurú japonesa de la organización, ha revolucionado los hogares y las vidas de millones de personas a lo largo del mundo. Este audiolibro presenta el aclamado método KonMari, que explica paso a paso el plegado de todas las prendas desde camisetas hasta calcetines, además de enseñarnos cómo obtener armarios y cajones perfectamente organizados.

Both Stoicism and Minimalism go hand in hand, decluttering your mind as well as decluttering your life, leaving space and energy for the things that matter and are important to you. Having strategies for both is essential to making the most out of these timeless teachings. Life moves at a very fast pace these days, and the Stoic teachings will enable you to not "sweat the small stuff".

Join some cuddly puppies for a collection of sayings from the Buddha. The verses, taken from the Dhammapada, were written centuries ago, but today, they offer insight for all of life's basic struggles. Meditate along with the verses to gain a greater understanding of you, your life, and your purpose. Find the meaning of truth in these verses and how to find it in the world around you. Let your inner Zen puppy guide you to enlightenment. 

From his vantage point as a garden designer and writer based in Kyoto, Marc Peter Keane examines the world around him and delivers astonishing insights through an array of narratives. How the names of gardens reveal their essential meaning. A new definition of what art is. What trees are really made of. The true meaning of the enigmatic torii gate found at Shinto shrines. Why we give flowers as gifts. The essential, underlying unity of the world.

Most people know that Gregor Mendel, the Moravian monk who patiently grew his peas in a monastery garden, shaped our understanding of inheritance. But people might not know that Mendel's work was ignored in his own lifetime, even though it contained answers to the most pressing questions raised by Charles Darwin's revolutionary book, On Origrin of the Species, published only a few years earlier. Mendel's single chance of recognition failed utterly, and he died a lonely and disappointed man.

Nearly everyone who cares about dogs or cats knows that they have a sense of self that renders them unique. Yet traditional science and philosophy declare such feelings irrational and anthropomorphic. Animals, they say, have only the crudest form of thought and no sense of self at all. Leslie Irvine's If You Tame Me challenges these entrenched views by demonstrating that our experience of animals and their behavior tell a different story.

In this fascinating exploration of the changing status of dogs and cats in society, pet lover and award-winning journalist David Grimm explores the rich and surprising history of our favorite companion animals. He treks the long and often torturous path from their wild origins to their dark days in the middle ages to their current standing as the most valued animals on Earth. For pet lovers or anyone interested in how we decide who gets to be a “person” in today’s world, Citizen Canine is a must-have. It is a pet tale like no other.

The solution is almost always fewer things. That's the Naked House philosophy in a nutshell, though the importance of top-notch organization (a place for everything and everything in its place), design unity, cleanliness, and quality round out this book’s description of the most desirable, peaceful home in which to live. With a tongue-in-cheek, personal style, The Naked House is an inspiring but not-too-serious primer on cleaning, organizing, and reducing clutter - and on changing the way you view the purpose and soul of your home.

Les pirates des Caraïbes avaient imaginé le Draque, l'ancêtre du Mojito, dès le 16e siècle. Et les marins anglais, aidés des Amérindiens, avaient inventé le Punch avant que la Marine anglaise songe elle-même au Gin Fizz et au Gin Tonic pour guérir ses troupes. Aux États-Unis, les bars clandestins, les speakeasies, qui ont proliféré à l'époque de la prohibition ont mis à la mode certaines mixtures, souvent pour camoufler le goût douteux de l'alcool frelaté qu'on y servait.

Discover long term minimalist strategies that will get your home cleaned and organized in just seven days! Are you feeling stressed and overwhelmed with all the clutter in your life? Do you sometimes get the horrible impression that someday you will drown under all the unnecessary stuff piling in your life? Yet despite all your efforts the clutter always come back doesn't it. Well not anymore! With this guide you will finally have the secret weapon you need to live a life free of clutter!