Books published by Cosimo Classics

[S]urely that need not and ought not to be the whole of Christmas-only a single day or generosity, ransomed from the dull servitude of a selfish year,-only a single night of merry-making, celebrated in the slave-quarters of a selfish race! If every gift is the token of a personal thought, a friendly feeling, an unselfish interest in the joy of others, then the thought, the feeling, the interest, may remain after the gift is made.-from "Christmas-Giving and Christmas-Living"A popular pastor and poet at the turn of the 20th century, Henry Van Dyke sings the praises of acts of kindness and generosity, of good will and good cheer, and of the spirit of Christmas. First published in 1905 this charming volume includes:Ø a dream-story: The Christmas AngelØ a little essay: Christmas-Giving and Christmas-LivingØ a short Christmas sermon: Keeping ChristmasØ two Christmas prayers: For the Home and For Lonely FolksAlso available from Cosimo Classics: Van Dyke's The Spirit of AmericaOF INTEREST TO: lovers of ChristmasAmerican author and clergyman HENRY VAN DYKE (1852-1933) was pastor of Brick Presbyterian Church in New York City from 1883 to 1899 and professor of English literature at Princeton University from 1899 to 1923. He wrote numerous books of poetry and devotion, including Little Rivers (1895), The Other Wise Man (1896), and Fisherman's Luck (1899).

The mighty genius of Napoleon has so overshadowed all those beneath him that they have not received their due praise, nor their proper place in history.... But with weak men Napoleon never could have unsettled Europe, and founded and maintained his Empire. The Marshals who led his armies, and governed his conquered provinces, were men of native strength and genius; and as they stand grouped around their mighty chief, they form a circle of military leaders, the like of whom the world has never at one time beheld.-from the PrefaceWithin the reign of Napoleon still in the living memory of some, American author J. T. Headley took on the daunting task of rehabilitating the names and deeds of the emperor's righthand men, virtuoso military strategists and men of dauntless action eclipsed only by the brilliance of their leader. Gathered from essays that appeared in magazines in 1846, this striking two-volume work-notable in itself for being the first books published by the now legendary Scribner and Co.-offers an extraordinary and unparalleled look at Napoleon's most trusted generals.After a brief defense of Napoleon against British historians and an analysis of the emperor's character, Volume I introduces us to:. Marshal Berthier, Duke of Neufchatel, Prince of Wagram, whom Headley calls Napoleon's Boswell. Marshal Lannes, Duke of Montebello, a man of humble birth whose "reckless daring and unconquerable resolution" caught Napoleon's eye. Marshal Macdonald, Duke of Tarentum, as bold and steely as Bonaparte himself. as well as Augereau, Davoust, St. Cyr, Moncey, Mortier, and Soult.OF INTEREST TO: military historians, readers of biographies, students of the Napoleonic WarsAmerican writer and journalist JOEL TYLER HEADLEY (1813-1897) was an editor at the New York Tribune and wrote extensively on historical matters. Among his many books are Washington and his Generals (1847), Life of Cromwell (1848), and the bestselling Life of Washington (1857).

Wherever Quakers are found they are useful and steady citizens. Their eminence seems out of all proportion to the comparatively small numbers. -from "Types of the Population" First published in 1919, this now-classic book chronicles the settlement and early life of one of the most dynamic places in American history: the Mid-Atlantic coast, including Philadelphia. From William Penn's first association with the Quakers, which would eventually lead him to the colony named for him, to the British takeover of the Quaker communities in the 18th century, Fisher describes:· the founding of Pennsylvania· life in early Philadelphia· the affect of the French and Indian War in the region· the settling of New Jersey· plantation life and the culture of the trading class· how the disposition of the Quaker dramatically impacted the character of America· and much more.AUTHOR BIO: SYDNEY GEORGE FISHER (1856-1927) wrote extensively about the history of Pennsylvania, including The Making of Pennsylvania (1896), Pennsylvania, Colony and Commonwealth (1897), and The True William Penn (1900).

There is no moderate drinker who is not going on to the next stage of his journey, or who not turning back....He is coming back toward the norm of sobriety , or he is going on toward drunkenness. -from "The Moderate Drinker"Be not misled! Drink and Be Sober isn't a command, or a guidebook to moderation, but a fascinating document of the post-World War I temperance movement and an impassioned call for the abolishment of alcohol. Published in 1916, its outbursts encompass:· What Alcohol Does to the Man· Why Some Drinkers Are Drunkards· Crime, Drink-Storms, and Degeneration· Drink and National CrisesWith today's hindsight into the disaster of Prohibition, this is a startling and inadvertently entertaining screed against the nightmare of drink.VANCE THOMPSON is also the author of Eat and Grow Thin and The Ego Book.

READER!-You have been bred in a land abounding with men, able in arts, learning, and knowledges manifold... But there is one art, of which every man should be master, the art of REFLECTION. If you are not a thinking man, to what purpose are you a man at all?-from "The Author's Preface"Here in one compact volume are two important works on religion and spirituality from one the finest poets in the English language. In Aids to Reflection, first published in 1825, and Confessions of an Inquiring Spirit, which appeared in 1840, Coleridge ponders:· pain and pleasure, aka "sensibility"· prudential aphorisms· elements of religious philosophy· original sin· redemption· the divine origin of the Bible· and much more.With the included essay on faith and Coleridge's notes on The Book of Common Prayer, this is a concise guide to the philosophical thinking of one of the great names in English literature.English poet and philosopher SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE (1772-1834) is considered one of the great writers of Romanticism, the late 18th century artistic and intellectual movement. His best known works are The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan.

A drive across a dull, marshy plain brings one to a delightfully wild district of downs... amid which three great tumuli, standing close together, are said to mark the graves of Odin, Thor, and Freya...-from "In Sweden"English aristocrat Augustus J.C. Hare filled his days with trips to the Continent, and returned home to share his journeys with eager readers-and the journals of his travels still enjoy a cultishly devoted readership today. Here, in this 1884 publication, Hare waxes lyrical on a trek through Holland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, describing:· low-lying Holland's battles with the sea and its effect on the landscape· the one spot in Denmark's capital, Copenhagen, no visitor should miss· the glorious view of the Baltic ford from Stockholm's grand hotels· which structure in Norway, is one of the most beautiful in the world.Charmingly told and often rhapsodically enthusiastic, this travelogue continues to delight today's armchair explorers. British travel writer AUGUSTUS JOHN CULBERT HARE (1834-1903) also wrote Epitaphs for Country Churchyards (1856), Walks in Rome (1871), and Wanderings in Spain (1873).

[O]ur little book... is addressed to those for whom material progress and augmented means of luxury do not constitute the goal of life...-from the PrefaceIn simple question-and-answer format, this lovely little book explores the basics of Buddhist teachings. Specifically designed for Westerners, this 1920 publication anticipates objections and the need for clarifications from cultural outsides to the faith. Among the questions answered are:· What is the Buddhist religion?· Who is the Buddha?· What is the cause of sorrow, and of death and birth-renewal?· What is the knowledge which leads us to salvation?· What is Nirvana?· What is an evil deed?· Are there such occurrences as miracles?· and more.This excellent introduction for lay readers sings with clarity and poetry even today."Subhádra Bhikshu" was the pseudonym of German author and Buddhist scholar FRIEDRICH ZIMMERMANN (1852-1917).