The Teachings of Don Juan

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E. Jean Matteson Langdon and Gerhard Baer

Shamans and their practices have fascinated Western civilization since publication of the earliest ethnographies. Yet, alien to a positivistic worldview and characterized by hysteria, ecstasy, and magic, shamanism has continued to be classified as vestigial or archaic long after such labels have become meaningless. Lately, a fresh approach has emerged that rejects arbitrary definition in favor of symbolic analysis and native interpretation. Portals of Power explores this new perspective. Researchers from South America, Europe, and the United States examine shamanism in twelve South American societies. In considering such aspects as visionary experience, native conceptions of power, ritual efficacy, expressive culture, and response to change, contributors to this volume present shamanism as an enduring cultural form, rather than an archaic religion. This is a work that transcends debates about "true" shamanism, to present a global view of shamanism as a dynamic aspect of culture.

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Russ Kick

Do you believe any of the following? Alcoholics Anonymous is effective. Hackers pose a grave threat to the nation. There's a hidden code in the Bible. Thousands of species have become extinct because of deforestation. Licking certain toads will get you high. Most terrorists are Middle Eastern. Wake up! You Are Being Lied To. This book acts as a battering ram against the distortions, myths and outright lies that have been shoved down our throats by the government, the media, corporations, organized religion, the scientific establishment and others who want to keep the truth from us. An unprecedented group of researchers -- investigative reporters, political dissidents, academics, media watchdogs, scientist-philosophers, social critics and rogue scholars -- paints a picture of a world where crucial stories are ignored or actively suppressed and the official version of events has more holes in it than Swiss cheese. A world where read dangers are downplayed and nonexistent dangers are trumpeted. In short, a world where you are being lied to.

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the Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell

Shocked by the teenage violence she witnessed during the Rodney King riots in Los Angeles, Erin Gruwell became a teacher at a high school rampant with hostility and racial intolerance. For many of these students--whose ranks included substance abusers, gang members, the homeless, and victims of abuse--Gruwell was the first person to treat them with dignity, to believe in their potential and help them see it themselves. Soon, their loyalty towards their teacher and burning enthusiasm to help end violence and intolerance became a force of its own. Inspired by reading The Diary of Anne Frank and meeting Zlata Filipovic (the eleven-year old girl who wrote of her life in Sarajevo during the civil war), the students began a joint diary of their inner-city upbringings. Told through anonymous entries to protect their identities and allow for complete candor, The Freedom Writers Diary is filled with astounding vignettes from 150 students who, like civil rights activist Rosa Parks and the Freedom Riders, heard society tell them where to go--and refused to listen.Proceeds from this book benefit the Freedom Writers Foundation, an organization set up to provide scholarships for underprivieged youth and to train teachersFrom the Trade Paperback edition.

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John Truby

"John Truby is one of the most respected and sought-after story consultants in the film industry, and his students have gone on to pen some of Hollywood's most successful films, including Sleepless in Seattle, Scream, and Shrek. The Anatomy of Story is his long-awaited first book, and in it he shares all his secrets for writing a compelling script. Based on the lessons in his class, Great Screenwriting, The Anatomy of Story draws on a broad range of concepts and archetypes from philosophy and mythology, offering techniques and anecdotes alongside Truby's own unique approach to building an effective, multifaceted narrative." "Truby's method of constructing a story is at once perceptive and practical, focusing on the hero's moral and emotional growth. Writers will dig deep within and explore their own values and worldview in order to create an effective story. They will come away with a precise set of tools to employ - specific techniques to make the audience care about their characters. They will learn how to make their characters grow in meaningful ways, how to construct surprising plots that are unique to their particular concepts, and how to express a moral vision that can move an audience." "The foundations of story that Truby lays out are so fundamental that they are applicable - and essential - to all writers, from novelists and short story writers to journalists, memoirists, and writers of narrative nonfiction."--Jacket.