Reading Descriptions Provided by Amazon
Jangled Jester The Secular Occultist's Handbook of Physicalist Magick
✎ 363 Pages ⏲ (9-10 hours of reading / listening)
"The Secular Occultist's Handbook of Physicalist Magick is an interactive and studious guide that interlaces storytelling, philosophy, physicalism, magic, magick, occultism, science, and secularism. This 9-chapter intersection of agnosticism, art, and science-based spirituality is simplistic yet enchanting. Nonreligious, researched, and esoteric, TSOHPM is a compilation of tools, resources, and thought exercises for developing secular wellness. This book, penned by Jangled Jester, emphasizes the importance of form and function in the frontiers of existence and experience. Edited and illustrated with the help of GPT, Jangled Jester extends gratitude to OpenAI for making the production of this work more accessible."
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Richard Dawkins The Magic of Reality
✎ 273 Pages ⏲ (6-7 hours of reading / listening)
"An elegant, text-only edition of the New York Times bestseller that’s been hailed as the definitive authority on…everything. Richard Dawkins, bestselling author and the world’s most celebrated evolutionary biologist, has spent his career elucidating the many wonders of science. Here, he takes a broader approach and uses his unrivaled explanatory powers to illuminate the ways in which the world really works. Filled with clever thought experiments and jaw-dropping facts, The Magic of Reality explains a stunningly wide range of natural phenomena: How old is the universe? Why do the continents look like disconnected pieces of a jigsaw puzzle? What causes tsunamis? Why are there so many kinds of plants and animals? Who was the first man, or woman? Starting with the magical, mythical explanations for the wonders of nature, Dawkins reveals the exhilarating scientific truths behind these occurrences. This is a page-turning detective story that not only mines all the sciences for its clues but primes the reader to think like a scientist as well."
✰ FREE KINDLE E-READ
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Carl Sagan The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
✎ 482 Pages ⏲ (12 hours of reading / listening)
" NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the renowned astronomer and author of Cosmos comes a “powerful [and] stirring defense of informed rationality” (The Washington Post Book World) in a world where fake news stories and Internet conspiracy theories play to a disaffected American populace. LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE WINNER • “Glorious . . . A spirited defense of science . . . From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought.”—Los Angeles Times How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience, New Age thinking, and fundamentalist zealotry and the testable hypotheses of science? Casting a wide net through history and culture, Pulitzer Prize–winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions. He examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies as witchcraft, faith healings, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today’s so-called information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning, with stories of alien abduction, “channeling” past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms."
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Richard Feynman The Character of Physical Law
✎ 184 Pages ⏲ (4-5 hours of reading / listening)
" An introduction to modern physics and to Richard Feynman at his witty and enthusiastic best, discussing gravitation, irreversibility, symmetry, and the nature of scientific discovery.
Richard Feynman was one of the most famous and important physicists of the second half of the twentieth century. Awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1965, celebrated for his spirited and engaging lectures, and briefly a star on the evening news for his presence on the commission investigating the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger, Feynman is best known for his contributions to the field of quantum electrodynamics. The Character of Physical Law, drawn from Feynman's famous 1964 series of Messenger Lectures at Cornell, offers an introduction to modern physics—and to Feynman at his witty and enthusiastic best.
In this classic book (originally published in 1967), Feynman offers an overview of selected physical laws and gathers their common features, arguing that the importance of a physical law is not “how clever we are to have found it out” but “how clever nature is to pay attention to it.” He discusses such topics as the interaction of mathematics and physics, the principle of conservation, the puzzle of symmetry, and the process of scientific discovery. A foreword by 2004 Physics Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek updates some of Feynman's observations—noting, however, “the need for these particular updates enhances rather than detracts from the book.” In The Character of Physical Law, Feynman chose to grapple with issues at the forefront of physics that seemed unresolved, important, and approachable."
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Aleister Crowley Magick: Liber ABA, Book 4
✎ 844 Pages ⏲ (21-22 hours of reading / listening)
"Aleister Crowley’s magnum opus, in which he systematically expounds on mystical and magical theories and techniques.
This profusely illustrated edition brings together the complete texts of all four parts of Liber ABA (Book 4) in one volume under the overall title Magick. This edition incorporates Crowley`s own additions, corrections, and annotations, and restores dozens of passages omitted from the first editions. Magick is the fundamental textbook of modern magick in the New Aeon. It also has invaluable teachings for students of Yoga and meditation. Crowley mastered the practices of Yoga during his studies in the East, and writes about them lucidly, without recourse to the imprecise language of mysticism. Beginning with a discussion of the universal origin of world religions in mystical revelation, Magick then explores the theory and practice of mysticism and magick in the light of modern scientific thought. Crowley`s own revelation, The Book of the Law, is then treated as a case study, with an autobiographical study of events leading to its reception. Extensively cross-referenced and annotated, this edition features over 100 diagrams and photographs, as well as a glossary, bibliography, and detailed index. This second revised one-volume edition features revisions based on new typescripts for a more accurate text than all earlier editions, and it includes a revised AA curriculum, a new syllabus of the O.T.O. papers, and an important, previously-unpublished AA paper."
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Frédéric Bastiat The Law
✎ 78 Pages ⏲ (2 hours of reading / listening)
""The Law" by Frédéric Bastiat is a seminal work in political philosophy and economics, offering a robust defense of individual liberty and property rights against the encroachments of government.
Written in 1850, Bastiat's concise yet profound treatise critiques the use of law as an instrument of coercion and redistribution, arguing instead that its proper role is the protection of individual freedoms. Through eloquent and accessible prose, Bastiat expounds on the dangers of socialism and economic interventionism, advocating for a system where the law serves only to uphold justice, ensure public order, and protect rights.
His work remains a cornerstone of libertarian thought, celebrated for its lucid analysis of the principles underpinning a free society and its prescient warnings against the overreach of governmental power."
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Don Norman The Design of Everyday Things
✎ 383 Pages ⏲ (9-10 hours of reading / listening)
" One of the world's great designers shares his vision of "the fundamental principles of great and meaningful design", that's "even more relevant today than it was when first published" (Tim Brown, CEO, IDEO). Even the smartest among us can feel inept as we fail to figure out which light switch or oven burner to turn on, or whether to push, pull, or slide a door. The fault, argues this ingenious -- even liberating -- book, lies not in ourselves, but in product design that ignores the needs of users and the principles of cognitive psychology. The problems range from ambiguous and hidden controls to arbitrary relationships between controls and functions, coupled with a lack of feedback or other assistance and unreasonable demands on memorization. The Design of Everyday Things shows that good, usable design is possible. The rules are simple: make things visible, exploit natural relationships that couple function and control, and make intelligent use of constraints. The goal: guide the user effortlessly to the right action on the right control at the right time. The Design of Everyday Things is a powerful primer on how -- and why -- some products satisfy customers while others only frustrate them."
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Dr. Kirk J. Schneider Existential–Humanistic Therapy (Theories of Psychotherapy Series®)
✎ 188 Pages ⏲ (4-5 hours of reading / listening)
Dr. Schneider coined "
" and is a major inspiration to Jangled Jester's project.
"This second edition provides an updated introduction to the theory, history, research, and practice of existential-humanistic therapy, which merges existential philosophy with humanistic psychotherapy, along with recent trends in existential-integrative therapy. Existential-humanistic therapy melds European existential philosophy, which values self-inquiry, struggle, and responsibility, with the American tradition of spontaneity, optimism, and practicality. In this updated edition of their popular book, Kirk Schneider and Orah Krug demonstrate how this unique approach can help clients free themselves from self-imposed limitations and develop a deeper understanding of their authentic life goals by cultivating skills such as experiential reflection. Schneider and Krug explore existential-humanistic therapy’s theoretical and historical underpinnings, its empirical foundations, the therapeutic process and mechanisms of change, as well as future developments. Detailed case examples vividly illustrate the work of existential-humanistic therapy, highlighting key takeaways that are equally accessible and valuable to graduate students and veteran practitioners. New to this second edition is an increased focus on a more integrative perspective, which makes existential-humanistic therapy applicable to a wider array of settings and diagnostic populations. This flexibility also makes it more adaptable to other therapeutic approaches and expands its influence on clinical psychology as a whole."
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Grady Hillhouse Engineering in Plain Sight: An Illustrated Field Guide to the Constructed Environment
✎ 264 Pages ⏲ (6-7 hours of reading / listening)
"Engineering in Plain Sight is a beautifully illustrated field guide with accessible explanations to nearly every part of the constructed world around us. Author Grady Hillhouse is the creator behind the popular YouTube channel Practical Engineering (over 3 million subscribers!) and this book is essentially 50 new episodes crammed between two covers. Engineering in Plain Sight extends the field guide genre from natural phenomena to human-made structures, making them approachable and understandable to non-engineers. It transforms readers' perspectives of the built environment, converting the act of looking at infrastructure from a mundane inevitability into an everyday diversion and joy. Each section of this accessible, informative book features colorful illustrations revealing the fascinating details of how the human-made world works. An ideal road trip companion, this book offers a fresh perspective on the parts of the environment that often blend into the background. Readers will learn to identify characteristics of the electrical grid, roadways, railways, bridges, tunnels, waterways, and more. Engineering in Plain Sight inspires curiosity, interest, and engagement in how the infrastructure around us is designed and constructed."
READING PLANS
★ Light (4-5 months):
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Time Frame: 18-20 weeks
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Weekly Reading Time: 4-5 hours
Plan:
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Weeks 1-3: Jangled Jester The Secular Occultist's Handbook of Physicalist Magick
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Weeks 4-5: Richard Dawkins The Magic of Reality
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Weeks 6-8: Carl Sagan The Demon-Haunted World
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Week 9: Richard Feynman The Character of Physical Law
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Weeks 10-13: Aleister Crowley Magick: Liber ABA, Book 4
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Week 14: Frédéric Bastiat The Law
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Weeks 15-16: Don Norman The Design of Everyday Things
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Week 17: Dr. Kirk J. Schneider Existential–Humanistic Therapy
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Weeks 18-19: Grady Hillhouse Engineering in Plain Sight
★★ Moderate (3-4 months):
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Time Frame: 12-16 weeks
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Weekly Reading Time: 5-7 hours
Plan:
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Weeks 1-2: Jangled Jester The Secular Occultist's Handbook of Physicalist Magick
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Week 3: Richard Dawkins The Magic of Reality
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Weeks 4-6: Carl Sagan The Demon-Haunted World
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Week 7: Richard Feynman The Character of Physical Law
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Weeks 8-10: Aleister Crowley Magick: Liber ABA, Book 4
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Week 11: Frédéric Bastiat The Law
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Week 12: Don Norman The Design of Everyday Things
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Week 13: Dr. Kirk J. Schneider Existential–Humanistic Therapy
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Weeks 14-15: Grady Hillhouse Engineering in Plain Sight
★★★ Accelerated (2-3 months):
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Time Frame: 8-12 weeks
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Weekly Reading Time: 7-10 hours
Plan:
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Week 1: Jangled Jester The Secular Occultist's Handbook of Physicalist Magick
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Week 2: Richard Dawkins The Magic of Reality
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Weeks 3-4: Carl Sagan The Demon-Haunted World
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Week 5: Richard Feynman The Character of Physical Law
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Weeks 6-7: Aleister Crowley Magick: Liber ABA, Book 4
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Week 8: Frédéric Bastiat The Law
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Week 9: Don Norman The Design of Everyday Things
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Week 10: Dr. Kirk J. Schneider Existential–Humanistic Therapy
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Week 11: Grady Hillhouse Engineering in Plain Sight