January eBook of the Month: Venerable Father by Paul Breiter

We are showcasing all things Paul Breiter this month with the release of his reprinted book, One Monk, Many Masters. Join in by reading our January eBook of the Month, Venerable Father: A Life with Ajahn Chah!

Available until now only in limited editions, Venerable Father has become an underground classic among Buddhists, especially those practicing the Thai tradition. It details the joys and struggles of Paul Breiter's years with Ajahn Chah, who was perhaps Thailand's best-known and most-loved Buddhist master.

Breiter describes Ajahn Chah as a figure who is at once human yet extraordinary, an orthodox yet unconventional teacher whose remarkable skill, patience, and compassion in training disciples flowed naturally from his deep and joyous realization of the truth. Breiter also explains, quite vividly, the life of a Westerner in a Thai forest monastery and the unique spiritual lessons to be learned there.


About the Author
Paul Breiter was born in Brooklyn in 1948. In 1970, he became ordained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, where he met Ajahn Chah and became his student. After disrobing in 1977, Breiter returned to the US and continued Buddhist study with masters in the states. Breiter's other books include One Monk, Many Masters, A Still Forest Pool, Being Dharma, and Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away.

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January Quote of the Month: "By thought, the thing you want is brought to you; by action you receive it"

"By thought, the thing you want is brought to you; by action you receive it."

— Wallace Wattles in The Science of Getting Rich

Continuing January with books that will help readers become the best version of themselves, we present our Quote of the Month, from The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles.

Many people are in need of more money. It is one of the most popular self-help topics and perpetual concern for many people in the United States and around the world. In his book The Science of Getting Rich, Wallace Wattles gives readers his program for becoming wealthy.

Originally published in 1910, his method promises to work without failure because it is based upon exact science and infallible scientific laws. Sacrificing an explanation of his philosophy for brevity, Wattles provides readers a stripped-down guide on shaping the universe to their benefit through the power of positive thinking.

About the Author
American author Wallace Delois Wattles (1860-1911) overcame poverty and failure in his life to become a pioneer of the early self-help movement. Among his books are The Science of Being Great and The Science of Being Well.

Astrologer Tamplin on the Wealth of Nations and Transformation of the Global Economy

Ed Tamplin, a respected Australian mundane astrologer, who analyzes political and financial events, wrote this week an interesting horoscope about the Pluto return of the US.  Apparently, at the birth of the US on July 4th 1776, Pluto, the ancient Roman wealth ruler, was placed in the US second house of assets and earning capacity. This placement caused the US to become "the wealthiest nation and the home of modern capitalism."

Tamplin then describes something else important that happened in 1776: "On March 9, a work appeared that would influence financial thinking for centuries after - Adam Smith's classic 'Wealth Of Nations'. Smith was a Scottish philosopher and economist. His magnum opus, appeared at the start of the Industrial Revolution.......This book traces history from the Fall of Rome to the feudal societies, to the mercantile age. Smith argued successfully that wealth was not created by hoarding precious metals, but rather through increasing production and expanding trade. His ideas made gross domestic product, a measure of a country's productive output, part of the fiscal vernacular. Smith also contended that an economy and markets were naturally self-regulating."

So, Tamplin not only links Pluto to the foundation of the U.S., but also to the everlasting influence of this classic book -  by the way while showing the Cosimo Classics cover on Tamplin's website, which is much appreciated. What does this all mean when the US has its Pluto return in 2022? Tamplin believes that this will herald a total transformation of the U.S. and the global economy. Anyone following news events from Brexit to the Trump election, from increasing wealth disparity to unstoppable stockmarkets and the rise of cryptocurrencies, can attest that business as usual no longer applies, and should not be counted on. Brace yourself and be prepared by following websites such as Ed Tamplin's or reading books such as The Wealth of Nations.

Cosimo is proud to offer several editions of The Wealth of Nations, for example two unabridged editions in paperback and hardcover.



And two shorter unabridged editions also in paperback and hardcover.

January Classic of the Month: The Life of P.T. Barnum

Grab your dancing shoes and warm up that singing voice! Celebrate the release of The Greatest Showman by picking up your copy of The Life of P.T. Barnum by P. T. Barnum, our January Classic of the Month!

The Greatest Showman is an original musical film starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, and Michelle Williams. The story was inspired by P. T. Barnum's life and his creation of the Barnum & Bailey Circus. The movie has gotten some fantastic reviews, even landing a Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Song, however, the main complaint seems to be that the movie's premise is incredibly fictionalized without being historically accurate whatsoever.

What better way is there to learn more about the story behind the famous politician and businessman than through books? Educate your friends and family before or after seeing the movie with our January Classic of the Month, written by Barnum himself.

Originally published in the United States in 1855, P.T. Barnum recounts "the true history" of his adventures and the many enterprises in which he had engaged. A fascinating and—to say the least—colorful man, Barnum regales us with a storied chronicle of his checkered career, where he had been everything from farmer's boy to small town merchant to bank president and, ultimately, a master showman. 

He had frequented jails and palaces, known poverty and wealth, traveled over a large portion of two continents, and had seen all varieties of people and characters. This light-hearted, intriguing history will endeavor the reader to laugh at the antics of this inimitable showman, who, interestingly enough, never coined the phrase, "There's a sucker born every minute." 

About the Author
Phineas Taylor ("P.T.") Barnum (1810-1891) is one of the most peculiarly famous personalities in American history. A consummate showman and entrepreneur, Barnum was famous for bringing both high and low culture to American audiences. From the melodious opera singer Jenny Lind to the bizarre hoax of the Feejee Mermaid, from the clever and quite diminutive Tom Thumb to Jumbo the Elephant, Barnum's oddities, spectacles, galas, extravaganzas, and events tickled the fancies of Americans of all ages.

Left at East Gate Discontinued

Cosimo announces that we are permanently  discontinuing, effective immediately,  our distribution of the book Left at East Gate, a First-Hand Account of the Rendesham Forest UFO Incident, Its Cover-up and Investigation  by Larry Warren and Peter Robbins.  This step  has been taken  at the request of both of the book’s authors.  In October, 2017 Cosimo had temporarily suspended its distribution of this book.

January Book of the Month: One Monk, Many Masters

We are very excited to present the newest addition to our Cosimo Books imprint One Monk, Many Masters: The Wanderings of a Simple Buddhist Traveler by Paul Breiter as our January Book of the Month!

In 1969, Paul Breiter was among the throngs of disaffected youth who traveled to the exotic East, seeking to escape the cultural and spiritual upheavals at home. He traveled first to India, thinking that indulging the senses would be his means of finding God. Instead, he found himself at a monastery in Thailand, taking the precepts of a Buddhist monk. He would spend the next seven years in robes, not indulging the senses, but depriving them.

One Monk, Many Masters is an account of Breiter's life as a monk and his ongoing search for enlightenment after leaving the monastic robes. Breiter's spiritual wanderings weave through the Theravada, Zen, and Tibetan Buddhist traditions under such great teachers as Ajahn Chah, Ajahn Sumedho, Kobun Chino, Lama Gonpo, and the 16th Karmapa. After being out of print for a  number of years, Cosimo Books is proud to make Paul Breiter's biography available again.

About the Author
Paul Breiter was born in Brooklyn in 1948. In 1970, he became ordained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, where he met Ajahn Chah and became his student. After disrobing in 1977, Breiter returned to the US and continued Buddhist study with masters in the states. Breiter's other books include Venerable Father: A Life with Ajahn Chah (from Paraview Special Editions), A Still Forest Pool, Being Dharma, and Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away.

Happy Birthday to Alice in Wonderland Creator, Lewis Carrol!

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll, was born on January 27th in 1832. Without this famous English author, we wouldn't have great poems, literature, photography, or classics like Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. We raise our glass to you Sir Carrol, happy (almost) birthday!

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Original Version

The adventures of Alice (named for one of the little girls to whom the book was dedicated) who journeys down a rabbit hole and into a whimsical underworld realm, instantly struck a chord with the British public, and then with readers around the world. Dodgson's playfulness, with language, with mathematical puzzles, with testy creatures such as the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts, still confounds and teases lovers of fantasy fiction today. 

Through the Looking-Glass - Original Version 

In 1872, in reaction to the universal acclaim Alice's Adventures in Wonderland received, Dodgson published this sequel. Nothing is quite what it seems once Alice journeys through the looking-glass, and Dodgson's wit is infectious as he explores concepts of mirror imagery, time running backward, and strategies of chess-all wrapped up in the exploits of a spirited young girl who parries with the Red Queen, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, and other unlikely characters. In many ways, this sequel has had an even greater impact on today's pop culture than the first book. 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass 

Here, in one volume, you'll find both Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the 1872 sequel, Through the Looking-Glass. Together, this is a masterwork of playful prose in which the author has invented some of the most memorable characters in literature: the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter and the Red Queen. The conundrums and delights of these works ensure their ongoing influence over modern pop culture. This unabridged replica edition features the original illustrations by English artist Sir John Tenniel and is a treasured addition to any library.

Alice's Adventures Under Ground: Facsimile of the Original 1864 Author's Manuscript 

Alice's Adventures Under Ground was the little-known first draft of what became the famed Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. When Charles Dodgson, better-known as Lewis Carroll, first composed the story of Alice, it was on a boating trip with the Liddell sisters. It was for Alice Liddell that he told tales of Alice's adventures, and Dodgson eventually promised to write the stories down for her. This edition of Alice's Adventures under Ground is the second recorded version of Alice's tales (the first was destroyed), given as a gift to Miss Liddell for Christmas. Afterward, friends encouraged Dodgson to publish Alice's Adventures, which he did after some revisions with Macmillan & Company in London, as the version we know and love today. This facsimile of the handwritten 1864 manuscript includes additional material from the 1886 version and 37 original illustrations. The original manuscript can be viewed in the British Museum in London.

Thank you for your great works of literature Lewis Carrol!

January Series of the Month: The Personal Power Books

We at Cosimo are starting off the month of January by highlighting books that will help our readers become the best version of themselves. We are happy to present Cosimo's Series of the Month: The Personal Power Books by William Walker Atkinson.

The original 12-volume series, the Personal Power Books are a set of self-help books designed to be carefully studied to develop personal power. In the Foreword to Volume I, personal power is defined as "The ability of strength possessed by the human individual, by which he does, or may, accomplish desired results in an efficient manner, along the lines of physical, mental, and spiritual effort and endeavor." In other words, these books describe the methods to attaining control and power in your own life, whether it be financial, physical, mental, or emotional--certainly a worthy goal for any individual.

About the Author
American writer William Walker Atkinson (1862-1932) was editor of the popular magazine New Thought from 1901 to 1905, editor of the journal Advanced Thought from 1916 to 1919 and proponent of the New Thought movement. He authored dozens of New Thought books under numerous pseudonyms, including the name "Yogi Ramacharaka", some of which are likely still unknown today.

The paperback retail list price for this series is: $179.88 but now our price is: $139.99 (you save $39.89 or a 22 percent discount) and free shipping.

The hardcover retail list price for this series is: $275.88, but now our price is: $219.99 (you save $55.89 or a 20 percent discount) and free shipping.

Cosimo's Newest Release, One Monk, Many Masters, is Now Available!

We are very excited to present the newest addition to our Cosimo Books imprint One Monk, Many Masters: The Wanderings of a Simple Buddhist Traveler by Paul Breiter!

One Monk, Many Masters is an account of Breiter's life as a monk and his ongoing search for enlightenment after leaving the monastic robes. Breiter's spiritual wanderings weave through the Theravada, Zen, and Tibetan Buddhist traditions under such great teachers as Ajahn Chah, Ajahn Sumedho, Kobun Chino, Lama Gonpo, and the 16th Karmapa. After being out of print for a  number of years, Cosimo Books is proud to make Paul Breiter's biography available again.

Early reviews are in!

"Breiter's knack for unadorned observation takes the reader on a worthwhile trek through modern Buddhism as journeyed by a Western layman turned monk and back again."
—Sakula Mary Reinard, Spiritual Director, Portland Friends of the Dhamma

"Breiter's experience with Buddhist teachers, expressed in this book with honesty and insight, is a pleasure to read."
–Angie (Zuiko Enji) Boissevain

About the Author
Paul Breiter was born in Brooklyn in 1948. In 1970, he became ordained as a Buddhist monk in Thailand, where he met Ajahn Chah and became his student. After disrobing in 1977, Breiter returned to the US and continued Buddhist study with masters in the states. Breiter's other books include Venerable Father: A Life with Ajahn Chah (from Paraview Special Editions), A Still Forest Pool, Being Dharma, and Everything Arises, Everything Falls Away.

To read the full press release, please click here. 

December Quote of the Month: "Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents!"

"Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents!"
—Louisa May Alcott in Little Women

It is one of the most beloved novels in the English language, and its protagonists among the best friends a reader can have. Louisa May Alcott's Little Women—inspired by her own childhood with three sisters in Concord, Massachusetts—is the simple, elegant tale of tomboy Jo March, who strains against the limitations of women of her time, and dependable Meg, compassionate Beth, and spoiled Amy. Their childhood adventures and squabbles as well as their adult romances and travels continue to enthrall and delight readers a century and a half after the novel was first published, and have inspired stage plays, comic books, and countless film adaptations. Timelessly classic, this is an essential work for any library of 19th-century literature.

 

About the Author

Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), one of the most well-known American novelists of the 19th century, was born on November 29, 1832 to transcendentalist educator Amos Bronson Alcott and his wife, Abigail May Alcott. She was the second of four sisters (like Jo, her literary corollary), and grew up in a family that encouraged and sympathized with her abolitionist and feminist leanings. As a child she received instruction from noted literary figures such as Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, all family friends. In addition to the Little Women series, which included four novels, she wrote 28 other works, three under the pen name A.M Barnard. Though Alcott had chronic health problems in her later years, most likely attributed to an autoimmune disease, she continued to write until her death at 55 in 1888.

December eBook of the Month: Quiet Talks on Prayer by Samuel Dickey Gordon

This month Cosimo presents Quiet Talks on Prayer by Samuel Dickey Gordon as our December eBook of the Month in honor of the Christmas holiday.

"You see sin is slapping God in the face. It may be polished, cultured sin. Sin seems capable of taking quite a high polish. Or it may be the common gutter stuff. A man is not concerned about the grain of a club that strikes him a blow. How can He and I talk together if I have done that, and stick to it-not even apologized. "
— from "Why the Results Fail"

What is prayer? Can humans influence God's will? Why does it seem that many prayers go unanswered? The mysteries of the communication between God and his faithful are explored in this 1904 guide to the power and puzzle of prayer: how God heeds our entreaties, the ideal spirit with which to pray, and even what prayer means in the grand scheme of The Universe. Those who pray will find this a source of comfort and enlightenment even today, a century after it was first published.

About the Author
American lay-preacher Samuel Dickey Gordon (1859-1936) was a devotional speaker in high demand throughout the early 1900s, as well as a prolific author of inspirational works. His "Quiet Talks" series includes Quiet Talks on Power and Quiet Talks About Jesus.

Purchase this eBook at any of the retailers below.

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December Classic of the Month: The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum

Cosimo is celebrating all things Christmas this month by curling up by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa and our Classic of the Month, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum!

How did Santa Claus invent the first toy? Why does he travel by night and enter homes via chimney? How did he come to travel with eight reindeer? Beloved writer L. Frank Baum introduces us to a fantastical Father Christmas raised by a fairy queen among the magical denizens of an enchanted forest, a mortal among immortals who outwits evil Awgwas in his quest to share gifts and spread love around the world. First published in 1902, this is a beautiful, mythic tale, one that will charm children of all ages.

About the Author
Beloved writer Lyman Frank Baum (1856-1919) was the creator of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and author of 13 other Oz novels; plus 41 other novels, 83 short stories, over 200 poems, and at least 42 scripts.

December Book of the Month: The Joy of Ritual by Barbara Biziou

As many of us get into the holiday spirit in preparation for Christmas and Hanukkah, the Cosimo staff will be reaching for The Joy of Ritual by Barbara Biziou to help us celebrate. 

Ritual is a universal language that gives substance and meaning to our lives. People are eager to honor the significant moments in their lives and Barbara Biziou, one of America's foremost ritual experts, teaches us how to restore ritual to its rightful place as food for the soul through practical, easy-to-use ritual recipes that are inspiring and fun.

Rituals can enhance daily routines, enrich milestones, and guide us through difficult transitions. Whether you're releasing fear, bringing deeper meaning to a family or community gathering, or celebrating an important event, The Joy of Ritual is like a wise best friend that reconnects us to our hearts and souls.

About the Author
Barbara Biziou is an interfaith minister, motivational speaker, and a life-strategy coach. She is the author of The Joy of Ritual & The Joy of Family Rituals, as well as a Huffington Post blogger, executive consultant, dynamic public speaker, and national TV personality. Biziou has a deep commitment to integrating practical spirituality into people's lives, both personally and professionally. She is a frequent guest on radio and television and has appeared in the New York Times, Body and Soul, Harper's Bazaar and Parent's Magazine.

Cosimo offers this title in paperback at leading online bookstores including Barnes & Noble and Amazon, and also as an eBook.

Upcoming author event alert! Barbara Biziou will present her favorite rituals and ways to prepare for 2018 at her event Navigate 2018: Rituals and Astrology on December 16th in New York City. For more information about the workshop (cohosted with Rebecca Gordon), tickets, and location, please visit the event site.

December Series of the Month: History of the American People

"What with adventurers who were ungovernable and men of industry and ability who wished to be let alone, it was not an easy or a promising place in which to set up the authority of proprietors who were in England and had done nothing to help the men whom they meant to govern. Sir William Berkeley, nevertheless, being himself one of the proprietors, took the first step towards making good the rights of the new masters in 1664, when, by the authority of his associates, he commissioned William Drummond to act as governor among the people at Chowan and Perquimans."
       —from Chapter VIII: “New Jersey and Carolina”

Cosimo is lighting the birthday candles this month for Woodrow Wilson, born on December 28th, 1856! Help us in wishing him a happy birthday by picking up our December Series of the Month, A History of the American People.

It was during his tenure at Princeton that Wilson penned this five-volume history of the United States, and it reflects many of his ideas and biases he later brought to national politics. This beautiful replica of the 1902 first edition features all the original halftone illustrations. Students of Wilson and of the ever-changing lens through which history is told and retold will find this an enlightening and illuminating work.


About the Author: 

Before he served as the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921, before he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919, Thomas Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) was a lawyer and an academic: a university professor of history and politics, and president of Princeton University.

Cosimo offers Wilson's impressive series by individual volume at various online bookstores or as a full set in hardcover or paperback, especially of interest to collectors, readers who like to expand their personal library or professional librarians. If you are interested in purchasing the full set, please contact us.

The hardcover retail list price for the series is $154.95, but now:our price: $119.99  (you save $35 or a 22 percent discount)The paperback retail list price: $64.95, but now: our price: $49.99 (you save $15 or a 23 percent discount) including free shipping.

Author Loren Coleman Comments on 'Yetis are "Just Bears"'

The crypto world was rocked last week when scientists announced that Yeti DNA very much resembled the DNA of polar bears. Cosimo Author Loren Coleman commented on the article on his blog saying:

"For decades, cryptozoologists have pointed to there being three kinds of Yetis – a small Yeti, a human-sized Yeti, and a quite large bear-like Yeti. Explorer Tom Slick investigated these three types in the Himalayas in the 1950s. Bernard Heuvelmans and Ivan T. Sanderson in the late 1950s and 1960s, as well as modern researchers this century, including myself, Mark A. Hall, and Patrick Huyghe, called this variety the Dzu-Teh. The recent Bryan Sykes’ study confirmed there were bear artifacts behind some of the so-called Yeti samples he studied and which were highlighted by Icon Films."

Coleman was also interviewed by The Huffington Post to get his take on the matter, saying: “Until we discover a yeti, we’ll never have a sample of yeti DNA, so the only matches that come up will be from samples of bear."

Read up on all things Yeti by checking out our cryptozoology page online, reading more of Loren Coleman's work, or paying a visit to the International Cryptozoology Museum.