Amber Books Ltd.

'Spookiness is the real purpose of the ghost story. It should give you the creeps and disturb your thoughts…' - Roald Dahl Whether considered the souls of the dead, windows in time or interdimensional beings, cultures throughout the centuries have reacted with fear and fascination to their horrific haunts and eerie appearances. In Ghosts, discover the intriguing stories behind one some of the most infamous and terrifying spectres ever seen. This enchanting collection uncovers the mysteries of historic ghost sightings, delving into the past. Alongside traditional tales, learn how ghosts continue to be prevalent in our contemporary lives and popular culture. Accompanied by intricate images, delve into the life and origins of every spectre featured in this riveting read. Discover fascinating facts about historical ghostly happenings of figures such as the Grey Lady, learn which of Henry VIII's infamous wives haunts the Bloody Tower, read more about friendly, beloved ghosts created by Charles Dickens and Daphne du Maurier and explore the disappearances surrounding the St Louis Cemetery in New Orleans, USA. Ghosts is beautifully illustrated, packed with stunning images and full of haunting tales.

Although stories of these creatures date back to the earliest history of humanity, they are no less fascinating or popular today as a steady stream of books, games, movies, television shows, and other media revisit their stories and reinterpret the myths. But what lies behind these myths and legends? In Dragons & Mythical Beasts, discover the fascinating tales behind the most formidable mythical creatures ever imagined. Did these bizarre animals once exist in ancient times, inspiring the accounts and stories that have kept them alive? Or do these creatures large and small reflect the characteristics of the cultures in which they were created? If you have a love for the myths and want to learn about the unique beasts that dwell within them, this book is a great way to do it. Not only will you learn about ones you may have never heard of, but you will also be able to draw parallels between cultures and see how they interpreted their surroundings through stories of mythical creatures and magical beasts. Dragons & Mythical Beasts is intricately decorated, packed with beautiful images and full of fascinating tales.

Ancient Chinese culture has a been a rich source of wisdom for many millennia. Chinese Wisdom provides a concise insight into the ideas of great Chinese thinkers, arranged thematically. Living in the 5th century BCE, great teacher Confucius laid the foundations for an outlook and way of life that focused on correct behaviour, humaneness and respect for one's elders, precepts that are deeply embedded across East Asian countries to this day. His disciple, Meng Ke, outlined new ideas for rulers which provided the basis of Chinese political culture for many centuries afterwards. Laozi, the founder of Taoism and author of the Tao Te Ching, wrote about the Tao, or the Way - the correct way of living attainable to all and which links all things. Sun Tzu's Art of War provides advice on how to overcome and outwit an opponent (the basic tenets of which are often applied to business strategy today), while Zhu Xi taught the advantages of meditation as a method for self-knowledge and self-cultivation. Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding, Chinese Wisdom offers more than 80 succinct quotes from Chinese thinkers through the ages, on topics as wide- ranging as filial piety, love, clear thinking, work, business, war and family.

Stoicism is a school of philosophy founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens in the 3rd century BCE. It is a philosophy that stresses positive emotions over negative and helps in providing a framework for living well and achieving happiness. Embraced by emperors in Rome, Stoicism has been an influence on philosophers throughout the years, such as Thomas More and Descartes, and is currently undergoing a cultural resurgence. Divided thematically, Stoics Illustrated contains over 100 quotes from key philosophers, including Zeno of Citium, Cleanthes, Diogenes of Babylon, Cato the Younger, Seneca, Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, and will give the reader many emotional and practical tools for living a better life.

The mythology of the Vikings is still alive today in popular culture: everyone knows of Thor, the Norse god of war (made popular through the Marvel Cinematic Universe); Ragnarök, the great battle at the end of the world, where many gods and heroes perish and the earth is submerged in water; the tragic love story of Siegfried and Brunhild, central to the music and operas of German composer Richard Wagner; the characters of Loki the Trickster, the great god Odin’s eight-legged horse Sleipnir, and elves, dwarfs and trolls, all popular motifs in 20th century fantasy literature. In Norse Gods & Myths see how Odin exchanged his eye in order to drink from the wisdom-giving Mímisbrunnr magical well; learn how Loki cut off the hair of the beautiful goddess Sif as a practical joke, and had to repay Thor by obtaining the all- powerful hammer Mjöllnir from artisan dwarves; explore how Asgard, the mythical dwelling place of the gods, was fortified by the giant jötunn in exchange for the fertility goddess Freya’s hand in marriage; and marvel at Yggdrasil, the sacred tree around which the Norse cosmos developed. Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding with 100 illustrations and photographs, this book will fascinate anyone interested in the mythology that brought us the terrifying giant wolf Fenrir and the goddess Hel, ruler of the underworld.

For centuries we have been fascinated with fairies, mythical beings often possessing intriguing magical powers to curse, trick or heal humans. In Fairies, discover the charming story behind our best loved magical characters, including the Fairy Godmother, Shakespeare’s Titania and the beloved Tinker Bell. For centuries we have been fascinated with fairies, mythical beings often possessing intriguing magical powers to curse, trick or heal humans. The label of 'fairy' has at times applied only to specific magical creatures with human appearance, magical powers, and a penchant for trickery. At other times it has been used to describe any magical creature, such as goblins and gnomes. In Fairies, discover the charming story behind our best loved magical characters, including the Fairy Godmother, Shakespeare’s Titania and the beloved Tinker Bell. Myths and stories about fairies do not have a single origin, but are rather a collection of folk beliefs from disparate sources. Various folk theories about the origins of fairies include casting them as either demoted angels or demons in a Christian tradition, as deities in Pagan belief systems, as spirits of the dead, as prehistoric precursors to humans, or as spirits of nature. Fairies is a pocketful of delight, packed with beautiful images and full of fascinating tales.

Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding with a new introduction and editorial notes, this complete edition of the Analects from Confucius and his disciples will appeal to anyone interested in philosophy, spirituality and Chinese culture. You may rob the Three Armies of their commander, but you cannot deprive the humblest peasant of his opinion – Confucius (Analects 9.25) The Analects of Confucius has been one of the most widely read and studied books in China for the last 2,000 years, and continues to have a substantial influence on thought and values today. His words largely concern ethics, morality within the family, within marriage and within government, social relationships, justice and sincerity, valour and virtue. But whether you regard this as high philosophy or self- help for all the ages, whether your interest is in Chinese culture or leadership, whether it is spirituality or success that occupies your thoughts, Confucius has wise and accessible things to say about them all. This complete edition of the Analects, which is made up of 20 books of brief passages from Confucius and his disciples, is presented with a new introduction and new editorial notes. Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding and with a timeless design, Confucius: The Analects will appeal to anyone interested in philosophy, spirituality and Chinese culture.

Beautifully produced in traditional Chinese binding and with a timeless design, Haiku features 90 classic poems from four poets: Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson, Kobayashi Issa and Masaoka Shiki with each poem is presented in Japanese script, along with romanized Japanese (romaji) and an English translation. Haiku – seventeen-syllable poems that evoke worlds despite their brevity – have captivated Japanese readers since the seventeenth century. Today the form is practiced worldwide and has become established as part of our common global heritage. This beautiful traditionally hand-bound volume presents new English translations of classic poems by the four great masters of Japanese haiku – Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson, Kobayashi Issa, and Masaoka Shiki – accompanied by both the original Japanese and a phonetic transcription. With a timeless design, Haiku is an expert introduction and celebration of one of the most beautiful and accessible forms of poetry in the world.

The Tao Te Ching, written around 300BC, describes the fundamental beliefs of Taoism, addressing how to live a simple, peaceful and harmonious life, how to rid oneself of desires and institutions that promote greed. This traditional Chinese-bound dual-language edition presents the original Chinese text with a new translation on the facing page. No understanding of Chinese civilization is possible without a grasp of Taoism, the philosophy that has shaped not just Chinese spirituality but also art, science and politics. And it was in the Tao Te Ching, written around 300BC, that the fundamental beliefs of Taoism were first gathered. This short, wise but very humble book went on to influence on philosophy, religion and politics. In a compellingly simple rhetorical style the book addresses how to live a simple, peaceful and harmonious life, how to rid oneself of desires and free society of institutions that promote greed. This dual-language edition of Tao Te Ching presents the original Chinese characters with a new translation on the facing page. With a new introduction that discusses the questioned authorship of the text and editorial notes, all 81 brief chapters are included, ranging from advice for politicians to wise words for the everyday person. Of immense influence across millennia, Tao Te Ching is a classic text richly deserving this exquisite edition.

Written around 1645, Miyamoto Musashi’s Five Rings is a new modern translation of a classic Japanese work on mastery in swordsmanship, leadership and conflict produced using beautiful traditional Chinese bookbinding techniques. Strategy is the craft of a warrior – Miyamoto Musashi Written around 1645, Miyamoto Musashi’s Five Rings is a classic Japanese work on mastery in swordsmanship, leadership and conflict. Musashi was a swordsman, philosopher and strategist, and today his work remains of influence not only in the realm of martial arts but in the business world, too. Musashi’s no-nonsense approach to the martial arts and combat includes eliminating technical flourishes, understanding that technique should simply be understood as defeating your opponent, and appreciating that the same qualities apply in both small- scale and large-scale conflicts. Repeatedly, he stresses the importance of learning through practice, rather than merely reading about them. Produced using beautiful traditional Chinese bookbinding techniques, Five Rings is presented in an exquisite edition with a brand new modern translation.

“Chivalry is a flower no less indigenous to the soil of Japan than cherry blossom” are the opening words to Inazo Nitobe’s Bushido. It was 1900 and Inazo, a Japanese academic living in the USA, had been prompted to write the book after an American professor had wondered how the Japanese imparted moral education on their children if schools didn’t offer any religious instruction. The answer, Inazo realised, was through Bushido. Bushido is the chivalric code of moral principles that the Samurai followed: rectitude, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honour and loyalty. Influenced by Confucianism, Shinto and Zen Buddhism, it tempers the violence of a warrior with wisdom and serenity. Alongside Sun Tzu’s The Art of War and Machiavelli’s The Prince, Inazo’s book has become influential among military and corporate leaders looking for ways to manage their people and overcome their opponents. Beautifully produced in a handy pocket format, Bushido: The Code of the Samurai includes the classic Inazo Nitobe text with a new introduction and colourful illustrations throughout. It will appeal to anyone interested in leadership, the code of the Samurai and Japanese culture.

First revealed by a Tibetan monk in the 14th century, Bardo Thodol (“Great Liberation upon Hearing in the Intermediate State”) – known more commonly as The Tibetan Book of the Dead – describes the experience of human consciousness in the bardo, the interval between death and the next rebirth in the cycle of death and rebirth. The teachings are designed to help the dying regain clarity of awareness at the moment of death, and by doing so achieve enlightened liberation. Popular throughout the world since the 1960s and overwhelmingly the best-known Buddhist text in the West, this classic translation by Kazi Dawa Samdup is divided into 21 chapters, with sections on the chikhai bardo, or the clear light seen at the moment of death; chönyid bardo, or karmic apparitions; the wisdom of peaceful deities, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas; the 58 flame-enhaloed, wrathful, blood-drinking deities; the judgement of those who the dying has known in life through the “mirror of karma”; and the process of rebirth. The text also includes chapters on the signs of death and rituals to undertake for the dying. Presented in a high-quality Chinese-bound format with accompanying illustrations, The Tibetan Book of the Dead is an ideal resource of ancient wisdom for anyone interested in Tibetan Buddhist notions of death and the path to enlightenment.