The enigma of King Herod as a cruel bloodthirsty tyrant on the one hand, and a great builder on the other is discussed in a systematic modern historical and psychological study. It seeks to unravel the contradictory historic mystery of the man and his deeds. After A. Schalit's KAnig Herodes, this study is a new comprehensive, pioneering study on the intriguing personality of Herod, also using the insights of psychology. Herod's mental state reached an acute level, consistent with the DSM-IV diagnosis for "Paranoid Personality Disorder." He grew up with an ambiguous identity and suffered from feelings of inferiority. Haunted by persecutory delusions, he executed almost any suspect of treason, including his wife and three sons. The Hebrew original text was Winner of the Ya'acov Bahat Prize for Non-Fiction Hebrew Literature for 2006.

This groundbreaking volume highlights the work of contemporary women writing in French whose cultural links, ethnic identities, and historical roots lie outside France. The writings of these women emanate from the cultures of Africa and the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and Quebec and other French-speaking regions of Canada. By writing in French, the writers discussed in both acknowledge and write against the cultural heritage of France. In doing so, they participate in the subversion of European literary traditions and take part in various forms of cultural and linguistic blending, generating new artistic currents. Each of this essays articulates contemporary debates about the politics and cultural effects of sexism, homophobia, racism, and essentialism, as well as pointing out connections and points of resistance among such diverse strings as feminism, nationalism, and ethnicity.

What are the origins, current status, and prospects for the distinctiveness of Canada into the twenty-first century? With essays by such noted Canadian writers as John Ralston Saul, Jocelyn Letourneau, and Margaret Atwood, and contributions by over a dozen senior scholars and international Canadianists, this collection of essays provides an insightful and stimulating debate on Canada's role in the coming century. Following the introductory essays four major themes are addressed. The first, 'Individuals, Collectivities, and the State, ' analyzes Canada's historical governance, state-civil relationships, and society. The second, 'The Texture of Canadian Society, ' looks at Canada's business, literary, and political cultures. 'Culture, Identity, and the Market, ' the third theme, employs these aspects of Canadian culture and provides a more in-depth look into Canadian tourism, cultural policies, international forces, and citizenship. Finally, 'The Place of Canada in the World of the XXIst Century, ' addresses global security and Canada's expected role in the international community in the twenty-first century. The collection ends with a discussion of information technology and communications from a Canadian perspective and a look into the future from the vantage point of current societal trends and literary metaphors and maps. Together, the essayists promote the dynamism and change possible in Canadian society, and call for a re-examination of Canada's past in order to determine her future. Above all, the essayists plead for equilibrium - between economics, culture, and technological change. Contributors Margaret Atwood Monique Begin Alan Cairns Terry Cook Maya Dutt Teresa Gutierrez-HacesMichael Hall Lorna Irvine Huguette Labelle Denis Lacorne Jean Laponce Jocelyn Letourneau Gilles Paquet Susan D. Phillips Jean-Louis Roy John Ralston Saul Shirley Thompson Michael Wilson Donna Winslow

In this collection of essays some of Canada's foremost writers and thinkers, including John Ralston Saul and Margaret Atwood, call for equilibrium among economics, culture, and technological change. While promoting the dynamism and change possible in Canadian society, they also call for a re-examination of Canada's past in order to chart its future.