Approaching the central themes of Spinoza's thought from both a historical and analytical perspective, this book examines the logical-metaphysical core of Spinoza's philosophy, its epistemology and its ramifications for his much disputed attitude towards religion. Opening with a discussion of Spinoza's historical and philosophical location as the appropriate context for the interpretation of his work the book goes on to present a non-'logical' reading of Spinoza's metaphysics, a consideration of Spinoza's radical repudiation of Cartesian subjectivism and an examination of how Spinoza wanted religion to be understood in the context of his wider thinking and the influence of his non-Christian background. Mason also assesses Spinoza's significance and importance for philosophy now.

Approaching the central themes of Spinoza's thought from both a historical and analytical perspective, this book examines the logical-metaphysical core of Spinoza's philosophy, its epistemology and its ramifications for his much disputed attitude towards religion. Opening with a discussion of Spinoza's historical and philosophical location as the appropriate context for the interpretation of his work, the book goes on to present a non-'logical' reading of Spinoza's metaphysics, a consideration of Spinoza's radical repudiation of Cartesian subjectivism and an examination of how Spinoza wanted religion to be understood in the context of his wider thinking and the influence of his non-Christian background. Mason also assesses Spinoza's significance and importance for philosophy now.

A Book of the Year - The Times A Book of the Year - Observer A Book of the Year - Mail on Sunday Avoiding the chaos of the First World War, Piet Barol leaves the bustle of civilization and heads into Africa's greatest forest. With a business to build and secrets to escape, his only weapons are courage and intuition. His African guides have their own reasons for taking him to their ancestral lands. What he finds there changes him forever, and unleashes a chain of events he can neither predict nor control... This "gorgeous treat of a novel" (The Times, Book of the Month) is a funny, sexy, irreverent, and intensely moving portrait of what unites human beings when their sacred mysteries are blown apart.

'An enthralling, perfectly paced romp that breathes new life into the picaresque genre' Observer 'Rich in period detail and with requisite glittering trappings' Daily Mail 'A Continental Downton Abbey plus sex, with a dash of Dangerous Liaisons tossed in' Seattle Times 1907, Amsterdam. The belle epoque is in full swing and Piet Barol has secured a job as tutor to the troubled son of Europe's leading hotelier - a child who refuses to leave his family's mansion on one of the city's grandest canals. As Piet is swept into the glittering society, he begins to uncover its secrets and finds his life transformed. With nothing but his looks, charm and youth to rely on, he is determined to make a fortune of his own. But in the heady exhilaration of this opulent new world, amid romance, delights and temptations he has only dreamed of, Piet discovers that some of the liaisons he has cultivated are dangerous indeed . . .

Penguin Books reintroduces the timeless story of the love affair between a British artist and a Chinese prostitute.

Robert is t he only resident of the Nam Kok hotel not renting his room by the hour when he meets Suzie at the bar. She becomes his muse and they fall in love. But even in Hong Kong, where many white expatriates have Chinese mistresses, their romance could jeopardize the things they each hold dear. Set in the mid-1950s, "The World of Suzie Wong" is a beautifully written time capsule of a novel. First published more than fifty years ago, it resonated with readers worldwide, inspiring a film starring William H olden, a ballet, and even a reggae song. Now readers can experience the romance of this groundbreaking story anew.

From a Shotgun Shack is the memoir of Richard Mason. Richard left a real shotgun shack to become a successful oil exploration geologist, an honored environmentalist---a three-term president of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation, and in 2009, because of his work in downtown El Dorado, the downtown was named the top Main Street town in the U. S. Along the way he became a friend of former President Clinton. Richard worked his way through college, sometimes holding as many as three jobs. After working for Exxon on the famous King Ranch and in Benghazi, Libya, he resigned to become an independent geologist and oil operator. He is an amazingly successful geologist, who has discovered some 30 oil and gas fields. Richard is a former top ranked tennis player, he sings in the adult choir, and has taught an adult Sunday School class for 40 years.

Out of the death throes of Gaddafi's Libya a strange, potentially catastrophic story emerges as al-Qaida and one of the countries inner circle of leaders hatch a plan to secrete away hidden enriched uranium and biomaterial. Josh Martin SF leads a team of CIA Agents to prevent the deployment of these WMDs on a journey that traverses Africa, and ends in unbelievable chaos.

Imagine for a minute; a ghostly theater, a historic gunfight, a lawless oil boom, and a cast of scoundrels. Now add thirty brothels, characters such as H. L. Hunt-who got his start in Downtown El Dorado-some racy women, and finally sprinkle it all with gobs of money as a roaring 1920s oil boom swept over this little community of 3500 and blossomed it to 40,000 in 18 months. You'll find an "OK Corral" gunfight, mules drowning in muddy streets, and yes, most importantly, you'll find an old 1920s theater surrounding by numerous other old buildings.-and they're all filled with spirits Is Downtown El Dorado, Arkansas the most haunted town in the country?

A coming of age story is featured as the 10th novel in the Richard, the Norphlet Paperboy Series. Richard and John Clayton encounter unusual family problems and they decided to spend a few days with Uncle Swamp hoping that their family problems will work out while they are gone. However, rain and more rain floods the area and they are swept down the river on an epic flood. After days on the Ouachita, Black, Red, and finally the Mississippi they manage to swim ashore near New Orleans. Penniless, wearing only cutoff shorts they, they struggle to survive in the French Quarter. After a week of living in the Quarter by eating out of garbage cans and sleeping in a drainage culvert they are picked up and sent to a repressive Louisiana Reform School. The breakout and struggle to return home tests every fiber of the boys emotions. It's a true test of the boys resolve and determination to survive.

The 8th in the Richard, the Paperboy series. Another wild tale about Richard and his best friend John Clayton. This time the boys get tangled up with a wild snake filled wedding. Of course, it's the space creatures who are the big problem, but the Norphlet Cornbread Festival has to happen, and the boys are determined to win---any way they can.

As a young boy, R. Harper Mason lived the life of the paperboy, 'Richard, ' in this novel. His interactions with the people in the small town of Norphlet, Arkansas, and the surrounding woods and swamps, formed the basis for both his first novel, The Red Scarf, and this sequel, Lyin' Like a Dog. It was time of brown, sunburned feet and shirtless summers where a boy's only entertainment was his imagination. Mason is a geologist, an environmentalist, and an advocate for historic preservation. He lives with his wife, Vertis, in El Dorado, Arkansas... a few miles south of Flat Creek Swamp.