Showing results by narrator "Neil Gardner" in All Categories

Ritual is perhaps the oldest, and certainly the most enigmatic, thread in human culture. Seemingly pointless ceremonies pervade every known society: from handshakes to hexes, hazings to parades, birthdays to graduations. And yet, though rituals exist in every culture and can persist nearly unchanged for centuries, their logic has remained a mystery until now. Today, a fearless new generation of anthropologists is venturing into this shadowy realm.

Never before has the biblical stance on marriage, sex and sexuality been under such scrutiny. It’s been undermined, criticised and ignored and yet the message of the Bible is liberating and practical - and sex the way God intended is not only the best sex, but also the safest! Revolutionary Sex, based on talks by William Taylor, is a no-nonsense look at one of the biggest issues of our day.

It wasn't long-ago that Britons could have been as at home in Varanasi as they could have been in Wolverhampton—why?—because the shape and location of Britain's land-mass has not always been the same, and with large parts of Britain scattered across the globe, British borders and its identity has always been on the move. But, by knowing more about the twelve pivotal moments that occurred over a 2,000-year period, we can not only gain a full sense of our British history, but we can also understand where we are heading.

Scripture has brought us light in darkness, strength in weakness, comfort in sadness. It isn't difficult to endorse the Psalmist's experience that the words of God are 'more precious than gold... sweeter than honey'. So it's distressing to watch the Bible being dislodged from its position of authority, not only in our nation but also in the church. Here we focus on the urgent need to continue in, respond to, interpret and expound God's Word.

Decades after the colonial powers withdrew from Africa, the continent is still struggling to catch up with the rest of the world. When the same colonists withdrew from Asia, it kick-started several decades of sustained and unprecedented growth throughout the continent. So what went wrong in Africa? And are we doing the right things to fix it, or are we making matters worse?

Most of us give little thought to the back of the book - it's just where you go to look things up. But here, hiding in plain sight, is an unlikely realm of ambition and obsession, sparring and politicking, pleasure and play. Here we might find 'Butchers, to be avoided', or 'Cows that sh-te Fire', or even catch 'Calvin in his chamber with a Nonne'. This is the secret world of the index: an unsung but extraordinary everyday tool, with an illustrious but little-known past. Here, for the first time, its story is told.

From drawing board to preservation, this publication examines how the Spitfire evolved during WWII, developing with each mark to meet the ever increasing demands that were placed on it. This legendary British aircraft is compared with its contemporaries, such as the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the Hawker Hurricane, along with in-depth analysis of how Spitfires fared in various theatres of battle. This is the perfect tribute to a true British icon.

Is entrepreneurship the path for everyone? No. But can anyone, no matter where they come from, become a successful entrepreneur if they choose to? According to Alexandre Mars, the answer is a resounding yes. Serial tech entrepreneur, millionaire and philanthropist Alexandre Mars gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to become an entrepreneur, and one who does good along the way, sharing tricks of the trade he learned over his career building companies (and selling them to the likes of Blackberry and Publicis) in the U.S. and Europe.

Our lives are full of challenges, drawing on our reserves of physical and mental energy as we strive for what matters to us, and those we care for. As we progress through each new day we develop new skills, undergo new experiences, and grow as individuals. But how do we harness all that experience, how do we find the energy to take life by the scruff of the neck and discover the strength and truth of what were capable of achieving?

No city on earth has preserved its past as has Rome. Visitors stand on bridges that were crossed by Julius Caesar and Cicero, walk around temples visited by Roman emperors, and step into churches that have hardly changed since popes celebrated mass in them 16 centuries ago. These architectural survivals are all the more remarkable considering the violent disasters that have struck the city. Afflicted by earthquakes, floods, fires and plagues, it has most of all been repeatedly ravaged by roving armies.

The Millionaire's Map is a quick guidebook that enables the listener to understand the principles of the Law of Attraction. It describes the author's personal experience on the subject and defines a plan to follow. The audiobook is brief as it is the author's intention that the listener quickly understands the principles in their life and quickly applies them. Many works on the Law of Attraction exist but with little or no factual evidence from the author. Here you will have a recent real life example.

The church at Philippi is considered to be one of the model churches of the New Testament. But if this were a report at a shareholders' meeting, we might be asking ourselves whether the chairman has really got this right? Is something being hidden? It seems too good to be true! If this were an athlete stating this, we might be asking ourselves whether there has been some performance-enhancing substance in the diet! And if this were an end-of-term report, we might be asking ourselves if the teacher had got the right child. Can a church really be that good?

How to Keep Dinosaurs is a best-selling guide, packed with the sort of information keen dinosaur keepers crave - from feeding and housing to curing common ailments, breeding and showing your animal. The author, a zoologist with extensive experience of dinosaurs, has provided a timely and much-needed source book for all those who keep dinosaurs and for the huge numbers who are contemplating getting one. It is as essential to every dinosaur keeper as a stout shovel and a tranquilliser rifle.

All of us will go through moments when we are forced to face up to life’s big questions. For some it is the reality of death—watching tragedies unfold around us. For others it is the wonder of life—marvelling at the birth of a baby, or the spectacle of a sunset. These moments provoke questions—about life and value, identity and meaning, society and the environment, love and relationships, justice and freedom, despair and hope. In Making Sense of Life, Michael Ots honestly and carefully examines the questions that we all have.

Within our heads, we carry around an infinite and endlessly unfolding map of the world. Navigation is one of the most ancient neural abilities we have - older even than language - and in Dark and Magical Places, Christopher Kemp embarks on a journey to discover the remarkable extent of what our minds can do.

The BBC is a central part of British life, shared culture and international standing. But the BBC is in peril as never before in its long history. It faces ever-increasing competition and threats from new technology and consumption trends. It suffers relentless attacks from a range of hostile players motivated by their own political and commercial interests. And it faces deep funding cuts. These pressures may even destroy it within a generation. We must not end up recognising what its value was only when it's gone.

A fascinating piece of historical scientific writing, written in 1913 by E. Walter Maunder (F.R.A.S.), the superintendent of the Solar Dept. at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. The book is a snapshot in time showing the evolution of thinking on the solar system and cosmology. The author considers, in fine detail, the plausibility of life on other planets within our solar system, the requirements for such life, and the barriers that life faces.

Global in scope, but homing in on the role ordinary people play in conflict and division, Reconciliation enables Christians to engage confidently in a ministry bequeathed to us by Christ himself.

In A Mucky Business, Tim Farron, former Leader of the Liberal Democrats Party and friends, explore and defend why Christianity and politics should and must work together. If Christians are to love their neighbours, they need to engage with the issues that affect everyone. Why should Christians leave their beliefs at the door when they enter public life? No one else does!

Anders Bortne has a nice life in Oslo. Married to a wonderful woman, with two delightful children, his days are occupied by his creative work. Not all is well though, Anders has been sleepless for 16 years, and it is taking its toll on his life and his family. No remedy has gone untested: sleeping pills, yoga, herbs, acupuncture, hypnosis, but none has worked. What do we know about the most important hours of the day? What is the history of sleep, and how is our health affected?