Precious repositories of ancient wisdom? Musty relics of outmoded culture? Timeless paragons of artistic achievement? Hegemonic tools of intellectual repression? Just what are the classics, anyway, and why do (or should) we still pay so much attention to them? What is the literary canon? What is myth, and how do we use it?
These are some of the questions that gave rise to John Kirby's "Secret of the Muses Retold." This new study of works by five twentieth-century Italian writers investigates the abiding influence of the Greek and Roman classics, and their rich legacy in our own day. The...

The Ancient Art of Tea is a delightful look at the philosophy, history, and culture of tea in China.

The health benefits of tea, from green teas to white, oolong and black teas, are well known in our world today. How to create the perfect, healthy cup of tea is a process few people truly understand, making The Ancient Art of Tea a needed guide for tea lovers.

Making a perfect cup of tea is a dynamic process that requires the right environment, good spring water, a suitable fire to boil water, skill in steeping tea, and deep understanding of tea connoisseurship....