The Great Protector of Wits provides a new assessment of baron d'Holbach (1723-1789) and his circle. A challenging figure of the European Enlightenment, Paul-Henri Thiry d'Holbach was not only a radically materialistic philosopher, a champion of anticlericalism, the author of the Systeme de la nature - known as 'the Bible of atheists' -, an ideologue, a popularizer of the natural sciences and a prolific contributor to the Encyclopedie, but he also played a crucial role as an organizer of intellectual networks and was a master of disseminating clandestine literature and a consummate strategist in authorial fictions. In this collective volume, for the first time, all these different threads of d'Holbach's 'philosophy in action' are considered and analyzed in their interconnection. Contributors to this volume: Jacopo Agnesina, Nicholas Cronk, Melanie Ephreme, Enrico Galvagni, Jonathan Israel, Alan Charles Kors, Mladen Kozul, Brunello Lotti, Emilio Mazza, Gianluca Mori, Iryna Mykhailova, Gianni Paganini, Paolo Quintili, Alain Sandrier, Ruggero Sciuto, Maria Susana Seguin, and Gerhardt Stenger.

The first scholarly book on Thomas Vaughan (1621-1666) draws from recent studies in Western esotericism to place his famously difficult writings in their proper context. It shows that they develop themes from a distinctively Rosicrucian synthesis of alchemy, magic, and Christian cabala. Vaughan introduced Rosicrucian documents to English readers and placed them in older philosophical contexts during the breakdown of censorship that followed the English Revolution against the old order in politics and religion. Willard's book will appeal to students of early modern ideas about religion, science, and society as they were seen by an intelligent and eloquent outsider.

We all have questions about our lives, our souls, and loved ones who have passed on. Now we can find the answers.

In "Heaven and Earth," world-renowned spiritual medium and bestselling author James Van Praagh reveals the techniques that anyone can use to contact "the other side." Combining his own experiences with the testimony of others who have been touched by their spirit guides, Van Praagh encourages us to embark on our own journey of discovery, teaching us to

" recognize and listen to our own inner voices

alter our awareness to make contact with the

spirits of the departed

interpret our dreams as messages from beyond

use our inherent psychic gifts to help and heal others "

Most of us go through life without developing the wonderful, natural, God-given abilities inherent in all of us. In "Heaven and Earth," James Van Praagh gives us the tools to bring them to life.

Islamicate Occult Sciences in Theory and Practice brings together the latest research on Islamic occult sciences from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, namely intellectual history, manuscript studies and material culture. Its aim is not only to showcase the range of pioneering work that is currently being done in these areas, but also to provide a model for closer interaction amongst the disciplines constituting this burgeoning field of study. Furthermore, the book provides the rare opportunity to bridge the gap on an institutional level by bringing the academic and curatorial spheres into dialogue. Contributors include: Charles Burnett, Jean-Charles Coulon, Maryam Ekhtiar, Noah Gardiner, Christiane Gruber, Bink Hallum, Francesca Leoni, Matthew Melvin-Koushki, Michael Noble, Rachel Parikh, Liana Saif, Maria Subtelny, Farouk Yahya, and Travis Zadeh.