The Floating Press imprint: 2252 books

Cicero, a Roman philosopher, orator, and politician, exerted an enormous influence on the development of Western culture, not only in his own time, but also in subsequent eras. Indeed, the rediscovery of a cache of his letters is often credited as being one of the driving forces behind the Renaissance....

Nineteenth-century historian Alice Morse Earle brings the religious beliefs and practices of the Puritans to life in this fascinating discussion of the Protestant sect's way of worship. From the accompanying music to the common themes of sermons, no detail of Puritan religious services is overlooked.

What does it really mean to be possessed of free will? Why is this issue one of the most prominent points of divergence between the various Christian sects and traditions? In Freedom of the Will, leading thinker and theologian Jonathan Edwards offers a comprehensive take on this complex doctrine, addressing free will's relevance to Christianity and other religious faiths.

In The Higher Powers of Mind and Spirit, New Thought expert Ralph Waldo Trine speaks of those "moments in the lives of all of us when we catch glimpses of a life -- our life -- that is infinitely beyond the life we are now living." This volume is packed with profound insights and practical tips designed...

In the Western cultural context, it is often assumed that success and fulfillment are synonymous with the amount of power and influence that one accumulates over the course of a lifetime. In this spiritual tract, theologian Henry Van Dyke contends that the opposite is actually often closer to the truth;...

What happens to the soul after death? Do we go on to be reborn in another body, or are we transported to some as-yet-unknown astral plane? Regardless of what your stance on the concept of reincarnation might be, this comprehensive introduction to the subject -- written by renowned New Thought expert William Walker Atkinson -- is an engrossing and enlightening read.

Will Durant was an influential American philosopher who sought to offer a unified perspective of the whole of Western thought, as well as to present philosophical issues and problems in accessible language that could appeal to a broad audience. In Philosophy and the Social Problem, Durant tackles his greatest concern: that of reducing human misery by changing our social and political institutions.

Although the practice of meditation has only caught on in mainstream Western culture within the past several decades, it has been part of many religious traditions, particularly those originating in the Far East, for thousands of years. James Allen, an early Western champion of meditative prayer, provides a comprehensive introduction to meditation that is suitable for newcomers to the practice.

Mary Ann Evans, the British writer who worked under the male pen name George Eliot, was a fascinating literary figure and one of the most influential novelists of the Victorian period. This biography from Mathilde Blind delves into Eliot's life and work, presenting a compelling, well-rounded account.

Welsh writer Arthur Machen achieved literary acclaim with his groundbreaking tales of the supernatural, some of which modern-day horror luminary Stephen King ranks among the best in the English language. In the engaging nonfiction volume Hieroglyphics, Machen turns his focus to literary criticism, opining on the role of the ecstatic in literature.

For centuries, critics and fans alike have extolled the virtues of the Russian masters of fiction, with many ranking them among the foremost literary artists the world has ever produced. This volume collects finely crafted gems from the likes of Pushkin, Gogol, Turgenev, Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky.

Does the mere thought of standing up to speak in front of a room full of people make you break out in a cold sweat? Do you have a major talk, toast, or presentation planned that you're not sure you're going to be able to pull off due to your fear of public speaking? If so, get back to basics with this...

Renowned professor and thinker Felix Adler was the primary figure behind the Ethical Culture movement, a quasi-religious initiative unattached to any particular brand of theism, which flowered in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. In this volume, Adler addresses parenthood and child-rearing, placing these activities within a firm moral and ethical framework.

The Path of Light is Barnett's 1909 translation of an important text to Mahayana Buddhism. It is the treatise of the Bodhicharyavatara of Santideva--part of the Wisdom of the East series. Barnett gives a detailed introduction to Mahayana Buddhism and its significance.