Ed Cooke

Explore the birth of the Romantic Age of Science in this absorbing history that delves into the lives of the men and women who made groundbreaking discoveries and inventions at the end of the 18th century. Follow the voyages of Joseph Banks and Captain Cook in search of new worlds, and delve into the astronomical, chemical, poetic, and philosophical discoveries of William Herschel and Humphry Davy. Discover how the great Romantic writers, from Mary Shelley to Coleridge and Keats, were inspired by the scientific breakthroughs of their day. A thrilling evocation of the second scientific revolution, whose consequences still resonate today.

Presented as a collection of confessional letters written by the eponymous protagonist, The Sorrows of Young Werther charts the emotional journey of a young man who, during a stay in a picturesque German village, falls in love with Lotte, a local woman engaged to another man. As he realises that his passion is doomed to failure and constant pain, Werther contemplates taking the most drastic of measures. Partly autobiographical, and the prototype for many later Romantic works in its depiction of the sensitive, tortured Romantic hero, Goethe's seminal classic is a timeless masterpiece of world literature.

Explore the wisdom of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in Maxims and Reflections. This timeless collection features several hundred unforgettable paragraphs and aphorisms in the categories of Life and Character, Literature and Art, Science and Nature. Like the classics of Epictetus and Seneca, this book is a valuable guide to understanding the mysteries of existence.

Explore the world of blindness and perception in "Touching the Rock" where John Hull reflects on his experience of odd sounds, echoes, and a changed perception of his surroundings. Through beautiful language and deep reflection, Hull transforms his blindness into a gift that makes him an excellent watcher and hearer of the world. Read about a world where every human experience is transformed, from eating and lovemaking to buying drinks in a bar. This book is a must-read for anyone wishing to explore and understand a new perspective.

This classic account explores the levels of insight consciousness-altering drugs can provide when combined with philosophical reflection. The author, Alan Watts, delves into the profound, answering questions about the nature of existence and the sacred. The book includes forward authors Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert, who were Harvard professors, and is a must-read for those in search of understanding.