Human Life

Today music fills our lives. How we have created, performed and listened to this music throughout history has defined what our species is and how we understand who we are. Yet music is an overlooked part of our origin story. The Musical Human takes us on an exhilarating journey across the ages - from Bach to BTS and back - to explore the vibrant relationship between music and the human species.

Even if we've never had direct contact with one, we will have seen one, or at the very least, heard one. For those of us who live in the Western world, it is more than likely that one sleeps in our house, possibly even on our bed. I'm talking, of course, of the dog. Yet, this animal, which lives alongside 500 million of us all over the world - as an invaluable partner and a trusted confidant - presents us with one great unsolved mystery: how did this relationship - the most complex and enduring of any between human and animal - start in the first place?

How did humans come to be who we are? In his marvelous, eccentric, and widely lauded book Being a Beast, legal scholar, veterinary surgeon, and naturalist extraordinaire Charles Foster set out to understand the consciousness of animal species by living as a badger, otter, fox, deer, and swift. Now, he inhabits three crucial periods of human development to understand the consciousness of perhaps the strangest animal of all—the human being.

In 1997, Yiannis Kouros ran 188 miles in 24 hours. In 1984, at age 42, Maria Moreira gave birth to her 10th set of twins. In 1973, Terry Tao learned to read when he was two years old. Tao started college at age nine, and at 24 was appointed a full-time professor at UCLA. What does it feel like to be exceptional? And what does it take to get there? Why can some people achieve greatness when others can’t, no matter how hard they try? Just how much potential does our species have? Evolutionary biologist Rowan Hooper has the answers.

Human Design is a revolutionary system for self-understanding comprising wisdom from Western astrology, the chakra system, I Ching, the Kabbalah tree of life, and facets of modern quantum mechanics, biochemistry, and astronomy. This incredibly powerful modality reveals with great specificity how each human being has different natural talents, a unique life purpose, and a specific mode of operating that aligns them to their true nature. It also provides you with practical strategies for navigating your unique life path with authenticity, ease, and success.

In our age of science and psychology, it's tempting to think of human sexuality in terms of biology and interpersonal relationships. But in The Soul of Sex, Thomas Moore regards sex as an experience of the soul and emphasizes the more human themes of fantasy, desire, meaning, and morality. Moore turns especially to the religious traditions of the world, to rites, stories, and visual imagery that see in sex some of the most profound mysteries of life.

On the eve of her fourth album, singer-songwriter Aviva Rosner is plagued by infertility. The twist: as much as Aviva wants a child, she is wary of technological conception, and has poured her ambivalence into her music. As the album makes its way in the world, the shock of the response from fans and critics is at first exciting—and then invasive and strange. Aviva never wanted to be famous, or did she? Meanwhile, her evolving obsession with another iconic musician, gone too soon, might just help her make sense of things.

Are you ready to unlock the wisdom and treasures that exist in your inner spiritual realm and that are awaiting a connection with you now? You can manifest the life you long for, expand your awareness and definition of self, and realize your full potential and ability to create a more peaceful world.

Internationally-known actress and dog mom Anjali Bhimani (Ms. Marvel, Overwatch, Apex Legends, Modern Family), I Am Fun Size, and So Are You! is a series of essays—part memoir, part life map— all combined to lead you through your own personal challenges and toward a fuller, bigger life.

The hero's journey - this human life - is a search for the greatest treasure of all: the gifts of your true nature. These gifts are your birthright, but they have been hidden from you, kept from you by the dragon: the ego. These gifts are the wisdom, love, peace, courage, strength, and joy that reside at your core. A Heroic Life shows you how to overcome the ego's false beliefs and face the ego's fears.

In Born in Africa, Martin Meredith follows the trail of discoveries about human origins made by scientists over the last hundred years, recounting their intense rivalry, personal feuds, and fierce controversies, as well as their feats of skill and endurance. The results have been momentous. Scientists have identified more than 20 species of extinct humans. They have firmly established Africa as the birthplace not only of humankind but also of modern humans.

Ritual is one of the oldest, and certainly most enigmatic, threads in the history of human culture. It presents a profound paradox: people ascribe the utmost importance to their rituals, but few can explain why they are so important. Apparently pointless ceremonies pervade every documented society, from handshakes to hexes, hazings to parades. Before we ever learned to farm, we were gathering in giant stone temples to perform elaborate rites and ceremonies. Dimitris Xygalatas leads us on an enlightening tour through this shadowy realm of human behavior.

Do you want to know what virtues can help you raise kind, confident, and happy children? Are you curious about how you are going to apply this in parenting? Happiness is just a byproduct of all the virtues that you will learn in this audiobook. Once your children leave your home, you can only give advice and support. Help your children grow into kind, confident, and happy humans.

When he became an undertaker, Rupert Callender undertook to deal with the dead for the sake of the living. This book is his brilliant, unforgettable story—the life and work of the world’s first punk undertaker—but it's also about ordinary, everyday humanity and our capacity to face death with courage and compassion, to say goodbye to the people we love in our own way.

Menopause hit Darcey Steinke hard. First came hot flashes. Then insomnia. Then depression. As she struggled to understand what was happening to her, she slammed up against a culture of silence and sexism. Some books promoted hormone replacement therapy. Others encouraged accepting the coming crone. Beyond that, there was little that offered a path to understanding menopause in a complex, spiritual, and intellectually engaged way.

Birds are highly intelligent animals, yet their intelligence is dramatically different from our own and has been little understood. As we learn more about the secrets of bird life, we are unlocking fascinating insights into memory, relationships, game theory, and the nature of intelligence itself. The Thing with Feathers explores the astonishing homing abilities of pigeons, the good deeds of fairy-wrens, the influential flocking abilities of starlings, the deft artistry of bowerbirds, the extraordinary memories of nutcrackers, and other mysteries.

Experience Earth from the big bang to the dinosaurs and beyond in this beautifully written, vibrant overview of our home planet's journey from creation to our time today.

Make your life easier with practicing mindfulness meditation. Because this allows you to have a positive mental and emotional outlook on your relationships, your education, your job or your career goals. This book will not make every wish you have come true, but it will show you how to dare to dream - to reach for your goals no matter where or who you are. Meditation is a good way to de-stress and relax. It is also ideal to use in recreating an individual's spiritual and emotional well-being.

After speaking out about how weak and insecure men control women in relationships in 2009 on several globally televised shows, Tony Gaskins launched his career as a life coach and relationship counselor. Since then, Gaskins, has become one of America’s foremost experts on love and relationships. Drawing inspiration from the Bible and from his own personal failures and successes, Gaskins offers a framework for how to recognize the right person to settle down with, how to set standards that promote loving relationships, and more.

All places are not created equal. In this groundbreaking book, Richard Florida shows that where we live is increasingly a crucial factor in our lives, one that fundamentally affects our professional and personal prospects. As well as explaining why place matters now more than ever, Who's Your City? provides indispensable tools to help you choose the right place for you.