Paradise: A History of the Idea that Rules the World

From the Church in the Middle Ages to the people who prepare sucidide bombers, there is always someone promsing a better tomorrow, if only we do what they say. Although much is made of the clash between Islam and Christianity, here, Kevin Rushby argues that there is no clash — we all want the same thing: paradise, Eden, perfection. Rushby sets out on two journeys: a physical one to the Mountain of the ASsassins in Iran, home of htemyth that “bright-eyed maidens of Paradise” await those who die serving Allah; and an intellectual one, back through the history of our ideas about Paradise in the Judaeo-Christian and Islamic traditions. Rushby reveals in an accessible mix of history, religion, and philosophy, the reasons why we have come to live in such a divided world by showing how rationalist thought stretches from Pythagoras to Jacobean England and how tales of the gods have brought destruction and terror, from the Book of Revelations to the London Underground bombing of 2005.

This book is in Good readable condition. It has been read and may show some age & wear to the wraps/boards, or light creasing/wear to the pages. The binding may show very minimal wear, or be fully intact. Generally, most wear will solely be superficial.

*This came from a former professor’s collection, who used low-tack post-it notes to bookmark/annotate his books. Most of them have been removed, however it is possible that a stray few were overlooked. If this is the case, they are both unobtrusive and easily removable. Additionally, there may be annotations. In most, however not all cases, they are solely in the introduction/foreword. Any clarifying questions should be emailed to tornlight@gmail.com*

*Image in the listing is stock. There may be variation in the actual product.