"Origins: An Etymological Dictionary of Modern English" by Eric Partridge
A "must have" book.
If you love the English language and are truly very curious about the meanings of its words as reflected in the evolution of its origins and meanings, this is a "must have" book. I have used the 1966 issue of it for years now, and rate it more useful, although a companion book, to the seminal work of Walter Skeat. No library can realistically be said to be complete,nor can any lover of the English language, without both of these works.
"The Very Modern Mindreader: And other Miracles" by Richard Osterlind
The Triumphant Return Of One Of Mentalism's Living Legends! Richard Osterlind's name has always been associated with strong and practical effects guaranteed to leave a powerful impression on an audience. In this new manuscript, The Very Modern Mindreader and Other Miracles, his first release of completely new material to the magic and mentalism fraternity in over ten years, Osterlind delivers three outstanding effects, ready to go right into your professional repertoire.
New Political Religions, or an Analysis of Modern Terrorism
In New Political Religions, or an Analysis of Modern Terrorism, Barry Cooper applies the insights of Eric Voegelin to the phenomenon of modern terrorism. Cooper points out that the chief omission from most contemporary studies of terrorism is an analysis of the "spiritual motivation" that is central to the actions of terrorists today. When spiritual elements are discussed in conventional literature, they are grouped under the opaque term religion. A more conceptually adequate approach is provided by Voegelin's political science and, in particular, by his Shellingian term pneumopathology-a disease of the spirit.
"Virtually alone within the flood of volumes on September 11 and its aftermath, this study brings us inside the terrorist mind-set. It does this by taking seriously what terrorists say as a guide to the motivations for their horrendously inexplicable actions. Where most of the instant scholarship that has appeared is still floundering to find the appropriate mode of analysis, Cooper has identified the new terrorism as a form of apocalyptic political religion."--David Walsh
Maximum PC, formerly known as boot, is an American magazine published by Future US, and focuses on modern day PC hardware. Most content in the magazine is projected to a less business-oriented audience than many other magazines. The magazine is focused more so on home-related computing, and the relation of modern hardware toward modern software and gaming.
The Oxford History of Modern Europe
This is a good reference book, well written and interesting in a narrative format, not too many dates and details for the general reader.
