Darkness Visible

The New York Times–bestselling memoir of crippling depression and the struggle for recovery by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Sophie’s Choice. In the summer of 1985, William Styron became numbed by disaffection, apathy, and despair, unable to speak or walk while caught in the grip of advanced depression. His struggle with the disease culminated in a wave of obsession that nearly drove him to suicide, leading him to seek hospitalization before the dark tide engulfed him. Darkness Visible tells the story of Styron’s recovery, laying bare the harrowing realities of clinical depression and chronicling his triumph over the disease that had claimed so many great writers before him. His final words are a call for hope to all who suffer from mental illness that it is possible to emerge from even the deepest abyss of despair and “once again behold the stars.” This ebook features a new illustrated biography of William Styron, including original letters, rare photos, and never-before-seen documents from the Styron family and the Duke University Archives.

With an introduction by Philip Hensher Winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize Darkness Visible opens at the height of the London Blitz, when a naked child steps out of an all-consuming fire. Miraculously saved but hideously scarred, soon tormented at school and at work, Matty becomes a wanderer, a seeker after some unknown redemption. Two more lost children await him, twins as exquisite as they are loveless. Toni dabbles in political violence; Sophy, in sexual tyranny. As Golding weaves their destinies together, his book reveals both the inner and outer darkness of our time. 'An intensity of vision without parallel.' TLS 'A vision of elemental reality so vivid we seem to hallucinate the scenes ... Magic.' New York Times Book Review 'One of the most moving books I've ever read.' Myrna Blumberg, The Times 'A brilliantly spooky novel ... Written with great insight and a surprising humour, it is a thorough pleasure to read.' Atlantic Monthly

One of the best books ever written on one of humanity’s greatest epics, W. R. Johnson’s classic study of Vergil’s Aeneid challenges centuries of received wisdom. Johnson rejects the political and historical reading of the epic as a record of the glorious prehistory of Rome and instead foregrounds Vergil’s enigmatic style and questioning of the heroic myths. With an approach to the text that is both grounded in scholarship and intensely personal, and in a style both rhetorically elegant and passionate, Johnson offers readings of specific passages that are nuanced and suggestive as he focuses on the “somber and nourishing fictions” in Vergil’s poem. A timeless work of scholarship, Darkness Visible will enthrall classicists as well as students and scholars of the history of criticism—specifically the way in which politics influence modern readings of the classics—and of poetry and literature.

The first book to examine the spiritual and therapeutic practice of retreat in physical darkness to explore inner light • Shows how experiencing complete darkness over prolonged periods helps in developing mental clarity and creativity • Draws upon many indigenous and spiritual traditions that use this technique The use of ceremonial darkness is a classic and cross-cultural method for exploring hidden aspects of unconscious and super-conscious states, accessing invisible landscapes, and embracing the deeper recesses of the self. In Darkness Visible Heaven and Buxton examine the spiritual and therapeutic practice of taking retreat in physical darkness. For millennia mystics and sages have used darkness as a spiritual tool for breaking with their pasts, prior conditioning, and the limited reality of their societies. Spiritual seekers from many traditions--Celtic, Eastern, indigenous North and South American, Tibetan, and African--have used darkness as a tool for spiritual enlightenment. Heaven and Buxton show how experiencing complete darkness, even for only a period of hours, brings about a remarkable clarity and mental stillness and thus provides a springboard for creativity, intuition, and spiritual development. They include exercises that explore lucid levels of dream consciousness, drawing both from their experience as teachers of this method and from the many cultures that include this practice in their spiritual traditions. Darkness Visible shows how deprivation of sight can truly teach us to see.

In Healing from Depression, Douglas Bloch shares his struggle to stay alive amidst overwhelming despair and out-of-control anxiety attacks, and explains how the power of prayer and other holistic approaches ultimately led to his recovery. As one of the millions of Americans who suffer from depression, Bloch could not be helped by so-called “miracle” drugs. Therefore, he had to seek out conventional and alternative non-drug methods of healing. The result is a 12-week program that combines his inspirational story with a comprehensive manual on how to diagnose and treat depression, offering new hope and practical strategies to everyone who suffers from this debilitating condition. Complete with worksheets and goal sheets to customize individual plans, Healing from Depression is an accessible self-guided program for managing and recovering from depression. Acclaimed as a “life-line to healing,” this important book stresses the importance of social support, on going self-care activities like relaxation, nutrition, exercise, prayer, meditation, support groups, therapy and keeping a daily mood diary and gratitude journal.

Afghanistan is a collection of stunning, lyrical photographs from an acclaimed, prize-winning photojournalist. From 1994 to 2006, Seamus Murphy photographed the effects of the Taliban regime, the tumultuous years of civil war, and the historical elections following the fall of the Taliban. Alongside scenes of war and politics, his magnificent photographs capture intimate images of domesticity, work, and leisure. Seamus Murphy has won six World Press Photo awards and has received widespread acclaim for his work in Afghanistan and the Middle East.

In an alternate version of London in 1895, a few talented people can travel instantly between locations through Thresholds - tears in the fabric of reality. Lord Henry Lewis is a Warden, working to close dangerous Thresholds to prevent the sickness that flows from the darkness outside reality. William Marsh loses his family to the sickness when several undirected Thresholds are opened in his home. Marsh has the born talent to open Thresholds, and Lord Lewis's superiors order him to train the young man. Their relationship is strained, but they slowly come to rely on each other. The number of rogue Thresholds is increasing and times are dangerous. Lewis and Marsh discover that a cult, disillusioned by the scientific advances of the age, is opening the rogue Thresholds to destroy mankind. As London falls into darkness, they must race against time to stop the end of the world.

Spiritual seekers from many traditions have used darkness as a method for exploring hidden aspects of unconscious and super-conscious states, and for embracing the deeper recesses of the self. Heaven and Buxton show how experiencing complete darkness, even for only a period of hours, brings about a remarkable clarity and mental stillness, and thus provides a springboard for creativity, intuition, and spiritual development.