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Anyone interested in the history and development of Western music will welcome this collection of outstanding musical examples illustrating the general course of musical style from the early Middle Ages to the mid-eighteenth century. Included are 50 carefully selected compositions of great historical importance  each masterful and beautiful in its own right.Selections include chants, the organum, parts of masses, motets, chansons, canzonas, lute dances, madrigals, ricercari, and clavecin pieces. Among the pieces are exquisite motets by Josquin, Lassus, and Byrd; madrigals by Marenzio and Caccini; brilliant instrumental displays by Frescobaldi, Pachelbel, Couperin, and Domenico Scarlatti; choral music by Handel and Bach, and much more.Each example is accompanied by notes that identify the place of the composition in the history of music and suggest ways for the reader to undertake a useful analysis of that music. Most examples are in easy-to-follow "short score"  i.e., in two staves, lending themselves to analysis and performance by the student singly or in informal ensembles. The music can be performed either vocally or at the keyboard, allowing the reader to gain unmatched insight into the character and significance of a rich cross-section of historic styles.

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The Best Supernatural Tales of Arthur Conan Doyle

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How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.  Sherlock HolmesWhen Holmes wearied of mundane Victorian reality, he reached for the cocaine; his creator Doyle reached beyond reality, to the occult mystery world as real to him as a hansom cabso real that it became part of his fiction. It is no surprise that in the year "A Study in Scarlet" appeared (1887), this versatile writer was reading seriously in spiritualism, attending seances, and had already written some of the thrilling tales in this book. The Best Supernatural Tales of Arthur Conan Doyle gathers together for the first time in an American edition the fifteen finest short stories in this genre by the master storyteller. Relative to his vast literary output, Doyle wrote comparatively few stories dealing specifically with spiritualism, Egyptian magic, psychometry, and other occult domains he knew so thoroughly  and these scattered stories, skeptically dismissed or simply buried beneath the mass of his detective, historical, sports, medical, and other pieces, have yet to receive their due as superior or typical examples of his narrative power. The polymath Doyle has recourse to many twilit borderline realms of the beyond in these stories which appeared in various periodicals from 1880 to 1921. "The Bully of Brocas Court" gives a new slant to the Victorian ghost story in one of Doyle's favorite settings, the world of boxing. "The Captain of the Polestar" recalls the weird northern backdrop of the author's whaling adventures; "The Brown Hand" deals in body-soul bondage with a touch of the East. Two hackle-raising histories, "Lot No. 249" and "The Ring of Thoth," depend on the riddle of Egyptian mummy lore; "The Leather Funnel" and "The Silver Hatchet" involve psychometry, a material object's retention of an aura or memory of its past, which a sensitive being can "replay" through dreams. And then there is "J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement," Doyle's speculative solution to the Marie Celeste conundrum, which was vehemently denounced when published (anonymously) because it seemed so true and so terrible. Doyle readers, students of the occult, and anyone who loves an imaginative tale will wish to experience, through these obscure, rarely reprinted stories, what was personally so close to their author.

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Only five of Emily Dickinson's poems were published while she lived; today, approximately 1,500 are in print. Dickinson's poetry reflects the power of her contemplative gifts, and her deep sensitivity courses through her correspondence as well. Lovingly compiled by a close friend, this first collection of Dickinson's letters originally appeared in 1894, only eight years after the poet's death. Although she grew reclusive in her later years and seldom saw her many friends, she thought of them often and affectionately, as her missives attest. The small cast of daily characters in Dickinson's little world takes on vivid life in the letters, and her famous wit sparkles from every page.

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An ignorant and ineffectual man, McTeague has established for himself a small, uneventful career as an unlicensed dentist; but his life changes after he meets and marries the lovely Trina. A winning lottery number temporarily enriches their lives  until Trina's ever-increasing lust for money arouses a latent brutish nature in her husband. Inspired by an actual crime sensationalized in the San Francisco press at the turn of the twentieth century, McTeague chronicles the demise of a charlatan and his wife as they descend into a web of moral corruption.A literary sensation when first published in 1899, Frank Norris' cult classic was one of the earliest works in American literature to present a compelling, realistic view of human nature at its most basic level. It was also the the basis for Erich von Stroheim's groundbreaking 1924 silent film, Greed. A riveting tale of avarice, degeneration, and death, McTeague is "one of the great works of the modern American imagination" (Alfred Kazin).

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While best known for literature's greatest, most popular, and most famous vampire novel, Dracula, Bram Stoker also wrote superlative short stories. Indeed, he was a genius at creating horror within the confines of a short tale. Now readers can sample Stoker's mastery in this treasury of fourteen spine-tingling stories. Not all the selections deal with the ghostly and supernatural, but they are always bizarre, and somelike "The Squaw" and "The Burial of the Rats"are equal to Poe at his best. In addition to these two masterly tales, the collection includes "The Crystal Cup," "The Chain of Destiny," "The Castle of the King," "The Dualists" (probably Stoker's most horrifying story), "The Judge's House," "The Secret of the Growing Gold," "A Dream of Red Hands," "Crooken Sands," "Dracula's Guest," and three more. Lovers of occult and supernatural fiction will delight in this inexpensive collection of ghost and horror stories, called by Stephen King "absolutely champion short stories."

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Returning to the horror story genre again and again during the first 20 years of his literary career, Rudyard Kipling produced a substantial body of work in the genre. This collection includes 17 of the best of these tales.Written in Kiplings vigorous, plain-spoken manner and gathered together for the first time in one volume, the stories vary widely in tone, style, and subject matter  from comic ghost stories (Haunted Subalterns) to grim tales of psychological terror (The Wandering Jew)to chilling stories of the returning dead (The Lost Legion). Also included are the title story, widely considered Kiplings most accomplished horror tale; The Dream of Duncan Parrenness, the authors first tale of the supernatural; The City of Dreadful Night, a brooding prose poem; The Phantom Rickshaw, a forbidding tale of a man haunted by the ghost of a woman he jilted; At the End of the Passage, which poignantly conveys the loneliness and homesickness felt by many English civil servants in India; and nine other compelling works.Selected, introduced, and edited by occult fiction authority S. T. Joshi, these tales will be welcomed by horror story fans and devotees of the celebrated English author.

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 Father Brown, an ordinary priest whose unremarkable exterior conceals extraordinary crime-solving ability, is celebrated for his solutions to metaphysical mysteries, a genre perfected by his creator, G. K. Chesterton. More than lighthearted comedies built around puzzling crimes, these superbly written tales contain deeply perceptive philosophical reflections. The Innocence of Father Brown (1911) was the first collection of stories featuring the ecclesiastical sleuth and is widely considered the best. In this annotated edition of the collection, the Chesterton scholar Martin Gardner provides detailed notes and background information on various aspects of such stories as "The Blue Cross," "The Secret Garden," "The Invisible Man," "The Hammer of God," "The Eye of Apollo," and seven more, as well as an informative introduction and an extensive bibliography. Included also are eight illustrations reproduced from the first edition. The result is an indispensable companion for all Chesterton enthusiasts and a perfect introduction for anyone who has yet to meet the incomparable Father Brown. 

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The Ghost-Dance Religion and Wounded Knee

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Immediately following the massacre of Wounded Knee (December 29, 1890), the well-known anthropologist James Mooney, under the auspices of the Bureau of American Ethnology and the Smithsonian, investigated the incident. His interest was primarily in the Indian background to the uprising. Admitting that the Indians had been generally overpowered by the Whites, what led the Indians to think they stood a chance against White arms? His answer was astonishing: the Ghost-Dance Religion.Investigating every Indian uprising from Pontiac to the 1980s, every Indian resistance to aggression, every incident of importance, Mooney discovered a cultural pattern: a messianic religion that permeated leaders and warriors from Tecumseh and his brother The Prophet on up to the Plains tribes that revived the Ghost-Dance in the 1880s and 90s. The message was: abandon the ways of the Whites; go back to Indian ways; an Indian messiah is coming; the Indian dead are to be resurrected  indeed, some have already returned; and the Whites are to be killed by the Spirits.Mooney made an exhaustive study of this cult, the rise of its latest version, diffusion to the Plains, and its relevance to the medicine man Sitting Bull and others. Citing many primary documents as well as anthropological data he gathered himself, Mooney gives an extremely detailed, thorough account of the cult; its songs and dances, ceremonies, and its social impact.This work has always been considered one of the great classics of American anthropology, a book that not only offers an account of a very interesting cultural phenomenon, but also throws light on many events in Indian-White relations that are otherwise dark. Its data have never been superseded and the book remains a work of primary importance in Native American studies.

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Sign Language Among North American Indians

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Used throughout the world since earliest times as a common means of communication, sign language was particularly well developed among the Plains Indians of North America. The present study, a significant document in the history of American anthropology, was originally published in 1881 as part of the first annual report of the Bureau of American Ethnology. The author was a retired U.S. Army officer and bureau employee who was perhaps the foremost expert at that time on American Indian sign language. His exceptional knowledge of the subject produced a classic body of research data, still cited by anthropologists.The book begins with theories and observations about the genesis and universality of sign language, as well as its use by animals, children, and uninstructed deaf-mutes. Following an account of his research and methodology and suggestion for further research, the author devotes several pages to describing and illustrating signs used for specific words  from "antelope," "trade," and "yes" to such sentences as "Who are you?" "What is your name?" and "How old are you?" Especially interesting are 40 pages or so of narratives or dialogues, most given both in sign language and in oral paraphrase. Throughout the book, clearly diagrammed illustrations indicate proper movements of body and hands for signing.Students of linguistics and anthropology  anyone fascinated by this age-old method of communication  will welcome this inexpensive reprint of a long-unavailable treasure.

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The American Family in the Colonial Period

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First published in the early 20th century, this book contributed significantly to an understanding of the forces at work in the evolution of family institutions in the United States. The first of a three-volume series, the text describes the American family as a product primarily of European folkways, economic transition to modern capitalism, and its distinctive environment  a virgin continent. Exhaustive in its use of primary and secondary sources, The American Family in the Colonial Period will be invaluable to students of early American history and of interest to all who enjoy reading about America's past and its early settlers.

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Students of Spanish and lovers of poetry will find here an inspiring treasury of forty poems ranging from the time of the Conquest to the first half of the twentieth century. Included are works by Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, Jose Marti, Ruben Dario, Amado Nervo, Gabriela Mistral, Pablo Neruda, and many other poets.In addition to the original Spanish versions, noted educator Seymour Resnick has provided excellent new literal English translations on the facing pages, along with brief biographical notes on each poet. The result is a rich selection of the finest Spanish-American poetry specially chosen for its quality and enduring popularity. Those studying the language will find here ample material for honing their Spanish-language skills, while any poetry lover will enjoy the richness and beauty of this versein English or Spanish.

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14 Stories by Lovecraft, Blackwood, Machen and Others

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Weird tales  exquisitely chilling works of fiction dealing with supernatural horrors, fantasy, and pseudo-science  became an established genre with the enduring masterpieces of Edgar Allan Poe. The 14 spellbinding stories assembled in this outstanding collection are by later writers, who produced a great outpouring of weird fiction in the Golden Age of the genre, between 1880 and 1940.Included in this treasury are "The Sin Eater," by Fiona McLeod, a wild Celtic fantasy about a grotesque ritual; Algernon Blackwoods The Man Whom the Trees Loved, in which a mans spirit is ultimately absorbed by the trees surrounding his estate: "The Eye Above the Mantel," by Frank Belknap Long, a sonorous prose-poem demonstrating the effects of verbal witchery; Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family, by H. P. Lovecraft, which ingeniously fuses conventional supernaturalism with science fiction; as well as absorbing works by such masters as Ambrose Bierce, Ralph Adams Cram, William Hope Hodgson, F. Marion Crawford, Lord Dunsany, M. P. Shiel, R. H. Barlow, Arthur Machen, W. C. Morrow, and Fitz-James OBrien.Edited by occult fiction expert S. T. Joshi, who has also written an illuminating introduction, these gripping tales will transport lovers of ghost stories and devotees of supernatural fiction to terrifying realms of the unknown.

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History of the Later Roman Empire, Vol. 2

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From the Death of Theodosius I to the Death of Justinian

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Generally acknowledged to be Professor Burys masterpiece, this panoramic and painstakingly accurate reconstruction of the Western and Byzantine Roman empire covers the period from 395 A.D., the death of Theodosius I, to 565 A.D., the death of Justinian. Quoting contemporary documents in full or in great extent, the author describes and analyzes the forces and cross-currents that controlled Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, the Persian and Teutonic regions; the rise of Byzantine power, territorial expansion, conflict of church and state, legislative and diplomatic changes; and scores of similar topics.Detailed coverage of such important figures as Belisarius, Justinian, Procopius, Alaric, Attila, and many others is given as well as a complete contemporary account of a visit to Attilas court. The Vandal empire, the Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Lombards, etc., are given extensive treatment. Professor Bury investigates the literary, cultural, and religious history of the period in great detail and relates it to the organization and development of the Eastern and Western empires and the diffusion of Byzantine culture into Italy.An important and valuable contribution to our knowledge of a period the history of which has been too much neglected.  Classical Review.

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Written in 1912, Death in Venice is Thomas Mann's best-known novella  a haunting, elegiac masterpiece in which the main character, Gustav Aschenbach, is a successful and much-revered author. While vacationing in Venice, this highly disciplined writer, who always has maintained extraordinary control of his literary creations, finds himself suddenly overwhelmed by an all-consuming love for a beautiful young boy. A deadly epidemic sweeps through the city, but Aschenbach's attraction to the youth compels him to remain, thus sealing his fate.The second work in this volume, "A Man and His Dog," concerns Bauschan, a friendly mongrel pointer acquired by the Mann family in 1916. A constant companion during the author's morning walks, the loyal creature also deposited himself regularly under Mann's desk while the author worked  a gesture not always appreciated by the writer. More of a genial essay or memoir than a "story," this charming piece, including "one of the most beautiful descriptions of landscape in German literature," is reprinted here with its original preface, which is translated (most likely for the first time) into English.For both works, Stanley Appelbaum has provided an introduction and informative notes, along with excellent new English translations on the pages facing the original German.

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Raised as a Santee Sioux in the 1860s and 1870s, Charles A. Eastman (Ohiyesa) wrote eleven books in which he attempted to correct misapprehensions whites had about Indians and to bring the two races closer together.In the present volume he offers biographical sketches of 15 great Indian leaders, most of them Sioux and some of them, like Red Cloud and Rain-in-the-Face, friends and acquaintances of the author. In vivid vignettes Eastman captures the character, achievements and historic importance of such leaders as Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, Little Crow, Chief Joseph, and Spotted Tail.Enhanced with 12 portraits, these inspiring pieces will be of great interest to students of American Indian culture and history as well as to anyone who enjoys reading about the larger-than-life figures who dominated Indian life in the second half of the nineteenth century.

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Stirring campfire tales of the Old West animate these memoirs of Colonel William F. Cody, better known as Buffalo Bill. In a personal narrative as thrilling and satisfying as the most colorful fiction, Cody takes readers on back trails through the frontier he knew and loved, a world that changed almost beyond recognition during his own lifetime. His exciting stories of buffalo hunts, adventures among the Indians, stagecoach travel, and riding with the Pony Express sparkle with cameos of historical figures such as Wild Bill Hickok and Generals Sherman, Sheridan, and Custer, the latter of whom he served as a scout. Cody's vivid yarns begin with his frontier boyhood and perilous rides through Indian territory as an 11-year-old cattlehand, and conclude with the glittering triumphs of his Wild West Show, a dramatic re-creation of Indian battles and frontier life that dazzled audiences throughout the eastern United States and Europe. In this book, Cody draws on his own first-hand experience to paint an unforgettable picture of a storied period in American history and his own role in it. Historians and other readers intrigued by tales of the Old West will find themselves spellbound by these lively and readable memoirs. Eight handsome illustrations by famed artist N. C. Wyeth complement the colorful text.

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In this fascinating memoir, first published as a book in 1907, the author recalls the remarkable story of his journey westward as a young man to the Montana Territory. Traveling in the days before railroads crossed the continent, he sought wild life and adventure and found both among the Piegan Blackfeet.As a welcome guest of the Indians, J. W. Schultz took part in almost every aspect of tribal life, enabling him to write vivid and dramatic descriptions of buffalo hunts, war parties, daring raids on enemy quarters, and other adventures; but he also paints a detailed picture of the quieter side of life in the vast encampments of lodges that dotted the plains: religious ceremonies and customs, child-rearing, food preparation, burial practices, tales told around the campfire, and much else.The authors sensitive commentary testifies to his deep love and affection for the people with whom he lived, among them Nat-ah-ki, the young and beautiful Blackfoot girl who became his wife; Ashton, an Easterner with a secret sorrow; Diana, an orphaned Indian girl, who, as Ashtons loving ward, received a proper education but met a tragic death; and Berry, a tall, fearless Indian trader of mixed blood who became the authors long-time friend.Spanning a period in American history that saw the Indian way of life dwindle to near extinction, this extraordinary firsthand account of a white mans experiences in the word of the Plains Indian will not only captivate general readers but will also appeal to ethnologists and students of Native American life and culture. A new Introduction by Hugh A. Dempsey, Chief Curator Emeritus, Glenbow Museum, Calgary, Alberta, provides biographical information on the author and traces the books publishing history and cultural impact.

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Extracted and Translated from the Chronicle of Ibn Al-Qalanisi

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A Saracen stronghold throughout the long history of the Crusades, Damascus served as the capital city for Nur al-Deen, Saladin, and other medieval Muslim leaders. From this prime vantage point comes a remarkable contemporary account of the early Crusades, written by one of the city's leading citizens. Ibn Al-Qalanisi, a distinguished scholar of literature, theology, and law, was twice elected mayor of Damascus. His Chronicle begins in 1097, in the early years of the First Crusade, and concludes in 1159, the year before his death at the age of 90.An informative introduction sets the scene just prior to invasion by the Crusaders. The colorful narrative relates the particulars of life during wartime; in addition to his accounts of battles, blockades, and diplomatic negotiations, Ibn Al-Qalanisi paints vivid and decidedly biased portraits of the personalities on both sides of this holy war, from gallant commanders and intrepid troops of his native land to their opposition, the "infidels" and :accursed ones."The author based his work on both written documentation and oral reports, the latter sometimes transcribed from the lips of actual participants. Intended primarily as a textbook for students, this translation by H. A. R. Gibb renders the Arabic text as literally as possible, with minimal annotation, and constitutes an indispensable resource for anyone who needs a firsthand account of the early Crusades.

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History of the Later Roman Empire, Vol. 1

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Generally acknowledged to be Professor Burys masterpiece, this panoramic and painstakingly accurate reconstruction of the Western and Byzantine Roman empire covers the period from 395 A.D., the death of Theodosius I, to 565 A.D., the death of Justinian. Quoting contemporary documents in full or in great extent, the author describes and analyzes the forces and cross-currents that controlled Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, the Persian and Teutonic regions; the rise of Byzantine power, territorial expansion, conflict of church and state, legislative and diplomatic changes; and scores of similar topics.Detailed coverage of such important figures as Belisarius, Justinian, Procopius, Alaric, Attila, and many others is given as well as a complete contemporary account of a visit to Attilas court. The Vandal empire, the Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Lombards, etc., are given extensive treatment. Professor Bury investigates the literary, cultural, and religious history of the period in great detail and relates it to the organization and development of the Eastern and Western empires and the diffusion of Byzantine culture into Italy.An important and valuable contribution to our knowledge of a period the history of which has been too much neglected.  Classical Review.

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It is every Muslim's duty to read the Koran and try to understand it, which can be a problematic task for those unacquainted with Arabic. The study and appreciation of Arabic literature likewise demands a thorough familiarity with the Koran; the majority of works by Muslim writers abound in allusions to its precepts and quotations from its pages. The sacred text's purity of style and elegance of diction make it the standard of Arabic.This classic guide to one of the world's most widely read books permits everyone, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, to understand the Koran  even those with no prior knowledge of Arabic. Geared toward beginners, it was written to answer the need for an American version of the Koran in contemporary English. Each word is listed under its verbal root, grouping words without roots alphabetically, and numerous explanations of the text appear throughout to help beginners master some inevitable difficulties and to assist more advanced readers of Arabic in solving problems.