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UER Forum > Private Boards Index > Books/Literature > Occult books. (Viewed 12999 times)
dirt 


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Occult books.
< on 8/17/2009 11:44 PM >
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I have a love for both antiquarian books and the occult, and it seems I'm not the only one. I'll start this as picture thread, but it doesn't have to remain such.




He seemed to move among very delicate objects, on ground mined with goodness knows what precious explosives. ~ Jean Cocteau
Oryx 


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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 1 on 8/18/2009 12:07 AM >
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Ooh this can also be a place to find more titles to add to my collection




dirt 


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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 2 on 8/18/2009 12:25 AM >
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Theosophical Glossary by H.P Blavaytsky from 1966



Language Of The Hand by Cheiro. I think this edition dates to the 20's.



Heaven Knows What by Grant Levi. 1972



Standard Masonic Monitor by George E. Simons. 1904, in leather.



Key To Astrology by Raphael. No date.



The Samkhya Philosophy Translated by Nandalal Sinha. 1979



Yoga by J.F.C. Fuller. No Date



The Golden Dawn An Encyclopedia of Practical Occultism by Israel Regardie. 1970



Hatha Yoga by Yogi Ramacharaka. 1904





He seemed to move among very delicate objects, on ground mined with goodness knows what precious explosives. ~ Jean Cocteau
Esoterik 


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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 3 on 8/18/2009 4:02 AM >
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Dirt has some sweet finds. I love old books, and new ones too - especially hardback. Here are some from my collection (took camera phone pics but couldn't get to upload):

Some stuff on John Dee:

True and Faithful Relation (Ye Magickal Childe edition)
The Queen's Conjurer (not the best bio but a good one)
The Private Diaries of John Dee
Enochian Evocation
Practical Angel Magic of Dr. John Dee's Enochian Tables
Ordines Descendines (a recently published fraud, supposedly Dee appealed not to angels but directly to the lords of hell - this was some lost document of angel calls. A fake, but a very clever fake. I had to have it. Too bad it was put out in a crappy paperback.)

Grimoires

The Vertable Key of Solomon (recent Golden Hoard ed)
Three Books of Occult Philosophy (a must have, the recent Llewellyn edition edited by Donald Tyson - not a grimoire but a foundation book on why magic works)
Keys to the Gateway of Magic (Golden Hoard ed)
The Archidoxes of Magic (Paracelsus)
A Treatise on Angel Magic
Heptameron & Arbatel of Magic (Ouroboros Press ed)
A Complete Book of Magic Science by Frederick Hockley (Teitan Press ed)
Picatrix Vol 1 (Ouroboros Press ed)
A Collection of Magical Secrets (recent PB, more from Skinner and Rankine)
Occult Spells / Frederick Hockley (another beautiful HB edition from Teitan Press)
Grimorium Verum (trade pb published by Joseph Peterson, see his site www.esotericarchives.com)
The Book of Abramelin (new ed published by Ibis, everyone can now skip the incomplete Mathers edition)
Liber Juratus Honorii (The Sworn Book of Honorius, a critical latin ed, too bad I don't know latin)
The Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy (new Ibis Press ed, edited by Stephen Skinner)
The Goetia of Dr. Rudd (Golden Hoard ed)

I used to have an interest in Crowley, even was initiated into the OTO, but I didn't have a real interest in following his system. Rather, I am fascinated by the man and the life he lived, and have some good bios about him.

But it's not all occult, I have a good stock of graphic novels, back issues of Heavy Metal from the 70's and 80's, books on WW2 and Viet Nam, and a decent amount of Lovecraft.

My most recent purchase was the reissue of the (in)famous Simon Necronomicon in cloth covered hardback. It's a fake but any sane person knows that. Someday I would like to collect all the different Necronomicons that have been put out since the 60's.



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[last edit 8/18/2009 1:56 PM by Esoterik - edited 1 times]

“You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know... morons.”
dirt 


Location: Oakland, CA
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Je suis très aimable et très caustique.

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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 4 on 8/18/2009 9:11 AM >
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Posted by Esoterik
Dirt has some sweet finds. I love old books, and new ones too - especially hardback. Here are some from my collection (took camera phone pics but couldn't get to upload):

Some stuff on John Dee:

True and Faithful Relation (Ye Magickal Childe edition)
The Queen's Conjurer (not the best bio but a good one)
The Private Diaries of John Dee
Enochian Evocation
Practical Angel Magic of Dr. John Dee's Enochian Tables
Ordines Descendines (a recently published fraud, supposedly Dee appealed not to angels but directly to the lords of hell - this was some lost document of angel calls. A fake, but a very clever fake. I had to have it. Too bad it was put out in a crappy paperback.)

Grimoires

The Vertable Key of Solomon (recent Golden Hoard ed)
Three Books of Occult Philosophy (a must have, the recent Llewellyn edition edited by Donald Tyson - not a grimoire but a foundation book on why magic works)
Keys to the Gateway of Magic (Golden Hoard ed)
The Archidoxes of Magic (Paracelsus)
A Treatise on Angel Magic
Heptameron & Arbatel of Magic (Ouroboros Press ed)
A Complete Book of Magic Science by Frederick Hockley (Teitan Press ed)
Picatrix Vol 1 (Ouroboros Press ed)
A Collection of Magical Secrets (recent PB, more from Skinner and Rankine)
Occult Spells / Frederick Hockley (another beautiful HB edition from Teitan Press)
Grimorium Verum (trade pb published by Joseph Peterson, see his site www.esotericarchives.com)
The Book of Abramelin (new ed published by Ibis, everyone can now skip the incomplete Mathers edition)
Liber Juratus Honorii (The Sworn Book of Honorius, a critical latin ed, too bad I don't know latin)
The Fourth Book of Occult Philosophy (new Ibis Press ed, edited by Stephen Skinner)
The Goetia of Dr. Rudd (Golden Hoard ed)

I used to have an interest in Crowley, even was initiated into the OTO, but I didn't have a real interest in following his system. Rather, I am fascinated by the man and the life he lived, and have some good bios about him.

But it's not all occult, I have a good stock of graphic novels, back issues of Heavy Metal from the 70's and 80's, books on WW2 and Viet Nam, and a decent amount of Lovecraft.

My most recent purchase was the reissue of the (in)famous Simon Necronomicon in cloth covered hardback. It's a fake but any sane person knows that. Someday I would like to collect all the different Necronomicons that have been put out since the 60's.


That is quite a list. Being that my focus has been elsewhere in my studies, most of these do not ring a bell. If you could narrow down to five that you recommend the most, that would be most appreciated.




He seemed to move among very delicate objects, on ground mined with goodness knows what precious explosives. ~ Jean Cocteau
Oryx 


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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 5 on 8/18/2009 1:53 PM >
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Esoterik, I had no idea you were into the occult. I have the same views about Crowley too. I'm not really one to join magical groups, covens or whatever. But yeah, the man is fascinating.

Haha oh the Necronomicon. I have a few of Simon's books. Dead Names, the Gates of the Necronomicon, Spellbook, etc. I'd like to get one of the leather bound copies. I really like Tyson's version of it. He has a nice way with words.

Ah, thank you Lovecraft




Brind 


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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 6 on 8/18/2009 2:38 PM >
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I have a great interest in the occult, but I don't believe in any of it. I love just seeing the different ideas and philosophies. I'll definitely have to look up a bunch of these books. I'm always on the search for related books that aren't written by some deranged psychic or a hillbilly that thinks little grey men like to stick things in his ass.




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Esoterik 


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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 7 on 8/18/2009 7:09 PM >
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Some books that I enjoyed and would recommend:

The Eye in the Triangle (An Interpretation of Aleister Crowley) by Israel Regardie: My favorite bio of the old man. Regardie was Crowley's one time personal secretary and student. The two had a massive falling out, as happened so much with Crowley's personal relationships. True adventure, the author was only 21 or 22 when he decided to leave the US and travel to study under Crowley. His parents weren't happy he left to be with "the wickedest man in the world."

The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton - I'll just give the wikipedia link: http://en.wikipedi...tomy_of_Melancholy "In attacking his stated subject, Burton drew from nearly every science of his day, including psychology and physiology, but also astronomy, meteorology, and theology, and even astrology and demonology." Written in 1621 the author tackles the causes and symptoms of melancholy (depression) and rambles far and wide over 900 pages. I wish I had taken notes because I don't remember all that interested me, but it was a lot. Guess I'll have to re-read.

I don't get alchemy but do enjoy looking at alchemical images as artwork, for these I recommend The Golden Game (pub by Thames and Hudson) and The Hermetic Museum (Taschen) - both deliver

From Mesmer to Freud: Magnetic Sleep and the Roots of Psychological Healing. Was this the West's dicovery of chi? What beneficial effects obtained from magnetism have since been buried by modern medicine.

Three Books of Occult Philosophy by Agrippa, edited by Donald Tyson - another huge volume which would be rough reading (ye olde english gets tiring) if not for Tyson's notes and translations. He adds a bunch of appendixes of interesting material. I think there are thousands of notes here, it's like having a patient tutor while reading through all this arcana.

All of these are available on Amazon. I know Amazon hurt independent retailers so I do shop around, but I can't afford expensive stuff and have to look for the best deal.



[last edit 8/18/2009 7:57 PM by Esoterik - edited 1 times]

“You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know... morons.”
Esoterik 


Location: Kansas City
Gender: Male
Total Likes: 122 likes




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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 8 on 8/18/2009 7:54 PM >
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Posted by Oryx
Esoterik, I had no idea you were into the occult. I have the same views about Crowley too. I'm not really one to join magical groups, covens or whatever. But yeah, the man is fascinating.

Haha oh the Necronomicon. I have a few of Simon's books. Dead Names, the Gates of the Necronomicon, Spellbook, etc. I'd like to get one of the leather bound copies. I really like Tyson's version of it. He has a nice way with words.

Ah, thank you Lovecraft


Simon's Necronomicon generates a lot of controversy, there are a ton of websites either praising it or debunking it! However people feel about it, I'm just glad it's around.

Some Lovecraft fans wrote a cool history of this: The Necronomicon Files
(from Amazon): Necronomicon-- a mere glance at its pages sends its readers shrieking into the night, their soul seared for all eternity! At least that's what people want you to believe. Thank goodness authors Daniel Harms and John Wisdom Gonce III set the record straight in this scholarly yet accessible history of the dreaded tome. The Necronomicon Files is an incredibly comprehensive guide to the Necronomicon that covers all aspects, legends and factual history surrounding this nefarious book. From a complete history of the book as it evolved in the Cthulhu mythos started by Lovecraft and continued by others, to contemporary editions now available to the public. From appearances and references in movies and other media, to the actual magical concepts behind the fictional and published Necronomicon variants. Much more than just a dry, factual account, Harm's and Gonce's deep knowledge in their respective fields of interest bring the history and continuing influence of the Necronomicon alive with wit and verve. Humorous and intriguing, this compassionate examination of the Necronomicon is a thorough repudiation of the myths surrounding it, yet preserves much of the romance and fascination associated with the legend.





“You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know... morons.”
Oryx 


Location: Who knows
Gender: Neither
Total Likes: 40 likes


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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 9 on 8/18/2009 8:04 PM >
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I don't have any old publications of occult books. Here's a few from my collection:

Isis Unveiled Vol 1 & 2 - Madame Blavatsky
I actually haven't gotten to this one yet. Picked it up when I saw it at Barnes & Noble one day. I've never seen this at a mainstream retail store so I grabbed it right away.
Psychic Self Defence - Dion Fortune
Love her writing. One of the most knowledgable authors on occult philosophy. Plenty of info and sources for further reading.
The Mystical Qabbalah - Dion Fortune
Ridiculous amount of information. Studying the Qabbalah is like studying quantum mechanics - If you think you understand it, you probably don't.
The Book of Thoth - Aleister Crowley
Shit load of information on Crowley's wonderful Thoth Deck. Deals more with the history and symbolism of the cards as opposed to how to read them in spreads.
Tactical Magick - Seth
Obscure author who goes by the pseudonym of Seth. This is a tiny, semi-hard to find paperback about using quick, effective rites.
Obedience of a Christian Man and How Christ Rulers Ought to Govern - William Tyndale
Not exactly "occult", but still fascinating none the less. Originally published in 1535.
Portable Darkness: An Aleister Crowley Reader - Scott Michaelsen (etc.)
Excellent primer for anyone interested in entering the world of Crowley.
Prometheus Rising - Robert Anton Wilson
Fantastic book. Just read it.
Mastery - George Leonard
Again, not exactly "occult", but infinitely valuable to anyone looking to improve their life in any means.
The Will To Power - Friederich Nietzsche
This is why I love the occult. You can incorporate just about anything with it. If you don't know why this relates then... well. I'm sorry for you.




Oryx 


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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 10 on 8/18/2009 8:11 PM >
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Posted by Esoterik


Simon's Necronomicon generates a lot of controversy, there are a ton of websites either praising it or debunking it! However people feel about it, I'm just glad it's around.



I think anyone who bashes the Necronomicon or tries to "debunk" it, takes it way too seriously. Still, regardless of whether it might have been real or not, it's still curiously useful and incredibly entertaining.




Esoterik 


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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 11 on 8/19/2009 5:19 PM >
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I listed a lot of grimoires in my initial list. While collectable and interesting in their own right a lot of them are hardly edifying to read since they are filled with mostly ultra-pious prayers and conjurations.

Much more interesting are some books about grimoires and the people who created/used them:

Forbidden Rites by Richard Kieckhefer: Product Description from Amazon: Preserved in the Bavarian State Library in Munich is a manuscript that few scholars have noticed and that no one in modern times has treated with the seriousness it deserves. Forbidden Rites consists of an edition of this medieval Latin text with a full commentary, including detailed analysis of the text and its contents, discussion of the historical context, translation of representative sections of the text, and comparison with other necromantic texts of the late Middle Ages. The result is the most vivid and readable introduction to medieval magic now available. Like many medieval texts for the use of magicians, this handbook is a miscellany rather than a systematic treatise. It is exceptional, however, in the scope and variety of its contents—prayers and conjurations, rituals of sympathetic magic, procedures involving astral magic, a catalogue of spirits, lengthy ceremonies for consecrating a book of magic, and other materials.

With more detail on particular experiments than the famous thirteenth-century Picatrix and more variety than the Thesaurus Necromatiae ascribed to Roger Bacon, the manual is one of the most interesting and important manuscripts of medieval magic that has yet come to light.


Grimoires: A History of Magic Books by Owen Davies Product Description from Amazon:No books have been more feared than grimoires, and no books have been more valued and revered. In Grimoires: A History of Magic Books, Owen Davies illuminates the many fascinating forms these recondite books have taken and exactly what these books held.
At their most benign, these repositories of forbidden knowledge revealed how to make powerful talismans and protective amulets, and provided charms and conjurations for healing illness, finding love, and warding off evil. But other books promised the power to control innocent victims, even to call up the devil. Davies traces the history of this remarkably resilient and adaptable genre, from the ancient Middle East to modern America, offering a new perspective on the fundamental developments of western civilization over the past two thousand years. Grimoires shows the influence magic and magical writing has had on the cultures of the world, richly demonstrating the role they have played in the spread of Christianity, the growth of literacy, and the influence of western traditions from colonial times to the present. Through his enlightening and extraordinary account, we see how these secret books link Chicago to ancient Egypt, Germany to Jamaica, and Norway to Bolivia, and grasp how the beliefs of Alpine farmers became part of the Rastafarian movement, how a Swede became the most powerful wizard in early America, and how a poor laborer from Ohio became a notorious villain in his own country and a mythical spirit in the Caribbean.
Despite religious condemnation and laws barring their use, the grimoire has survived to the present day, and not just in Harry Potter films and Broadway's Wicked. Here is a lively and informative history of a genre that holds a powerful fascination for countless readers of the occult.





“You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know... morons.”
Esoterik 


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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 12 on 8/21/2009 4:49 PM >
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Some catalogs are a big help in learning about certain subjects - here are a couple that I recommend, from antiquarian esoteric book dealer Todd Pratum. His catalogs always had lengthy descriptions and recommendations, one can learn just from reading them. Expensive yes, but that's what interlibrary loan is for!

http://www.pratum....atum/opantbks.html

http://www.pratum....ages/catalog85.pdf

Edited to add this link: http://weiserantiq...m/catalogsixtytwo/ Great descriptions and photos.



[last edit 8/21/2009 9:14 PM by Esoterik - edited 1 times]

“You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know... morons.”
Oryx 


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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 13 on 10/8/2009 5:44 PM >
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Esoterik 


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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 14 on 10/8/2009 7:25 PM >
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Posted by Oryx
http://Kessinger.net


Yuck, they take public domain books, make crappy xerox photocopies of them and sell them for a high price. The bindings don't hold since they just glue the pages together. They they put their copyright on a book that was public domain so they can sue anyone else who tries to republish. Really the quality is no different than putting a book face down on a photocopier, you can't even read some pages because it's so faint.

I wouldn't buy one of their photocopied books but I do use their site as a resource to find interesting titles, then look for 'em somewhere else






“You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know... morons.”
Oryx 


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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 15 on 10/9/2009 12:40 AM >
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Aw I haven't actually picked up any of their books. I just found it online and thought I'd share. Shame, they seem to have a lot all in one place.




Esoterik 


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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 16 on 10/9/2009 7:34 PM >
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Posted by Oryx
Aw I haven't actually picked up any of their books. I just found it online and thought I'd share. Shame, they seem to have a lot all in one place.


yeah I was friends with a bookdealer who always had a rant about kessinger so I picked up on that attitude....but really I bought a few and was disappointed that due to the fact it was a photocopy I couldn't read some of the pages. Plus I don't think it's fair to take a scarce public domain book, produce a photocopy of it then copyright the cheap knock-off to keep to keep anyone else from putting out a more quality product.

man I'm too into books lately, time to go explore something.





“You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know... morons.”
dirt 


Location: Oakland, CA
Gender: Male
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Je suis très aimable et très caustique.

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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 17 on 10/9/2009 7:56 PM >
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It kinda pisses me off that you can re-copyright public domain, because I was wanting to start up my own press, and there were a few books on their catalog that I would want the right to publish in a higher quality. I really like how the Yogi Publication Society books look.




He seemed to move among very delicate objects, on ground mined with goodness knows what precious explosives. ~ Jean Cocteau
Esoterik 


Location: Kansas City
Gender: Male
Total Likes: 122 likes




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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 18 on 10/9/2009 9:06 PM >
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Posted by dirt
It kinda pisses me off that you can re-copyright public domain, because I was wanting to start up my own press, and there were a few books on their catalog that I would want the right to publish in a higher quality. I really like how the Yogi Publication Society books look.



There are ways around it, such as setting a book in a new typeface, making some changes to the text so you can say "edited by..." adding some footnotes and by adding a new "forward to the present edition." Maybe add an index too. Then, it becomes a new version/edition.




“You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know... morons.”
splumer 


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Re: Occult books.
< Reply # 19 on 10/11/2009 6:11 PM >
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Posted by dirt
It kinda pisses me off that you can re-copyright public domain, because I was wanting to start up my own press, and there were a few books on their catalog that I would want the right to publish in a higher quality. I really like how the Yogi Publication Society books look.


I have a friend who's a copyright lawyer, and he says all they can copyright is the image and presentation. Once its in the public domain, the content stays in the public domain. By that logic, someone could copyright the KJV of the Bible and really have a field day.




“We are not going to have the kind of cooperation we need if everyone insists on their own narrow version of reality. … the great divide in the world today … is between people who have the courage to listen and those who are convinced that they already know it all.”

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