Fools Are Everywhere


Book Description

In this lively work, Beatrice K. Otto takes us on a journey around the world in search of one of the most colorful characters in history—the court jester. Though not always clad in cap and bells, these witty, quirky characters crop up everywhere, from the courts of ancient China and the Mogul emperors of India to those of medieval Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas. With a wealth of anecdotes, jokes, quotations, epigraphs, and illustrations (including flip art), Otto brings to light little-known jesters, highlighting their humanizing influence on people with power and position and placing otherwise remote historical figures in a more idiosyncratic, intimate light. Most of the work on the court jester has concentrated on Europe; Otto draws on previously untranslated classical Chinese writings and other sources to correct this bias and also looks at jesters in literature, mythology, and drama. Written with wit and humor, Fools Are Everywhere is the most comprehensive look at these roguish characters who risked their necks not only to mock and entertain but also to fulfill a deep and widespread human and social need.




Bufón Ha Perdido Su Gracia


Book Description

When they discover that laughter is missing from their kingdom, a jester and his helpmate set out on a quest to find it.




Fools and Jesters at the English Court


Book Description

Fools have been a feature of virtually every recorded culture in the history of civilization, making significant contributions to the development of early theatre and literary drama. This book offers a reign by reign chronicle of English court fools.




I Am Jester Doing Jesters Things


Book Description

I am Jester Doing Jesters Things Notebook Birthday Gift is a 120 pages Simple and elegant Notebook on a Matte-finish cover, Passion Women Multitasking Girl Birthday gifts for your Daughter, birthday gifts for Women, Gift for Jester Great for taking notes in class, journal writing and essays,Great as a Birthday gift 120 pages Size 6 x 9 (15.24 x 22.86 cm)- the ideal size for all purposes White-color paper Soft, glossy cover Matte Finish Cover for an elegant look and feel Looking for Jester Gift? BEST GIFT for Jesters NOTEBOOK PERSONALIZED Jesters Notebook for anniversary, birthday, fathers day, mothers day, Christmas, or valentines day. This notebook will work for any occasion!? Then you need to buy this Cute I am Jester Doing Jesters Things gift Journal for her




Freemasons For Dummies


Book Description

Unravel the mysteries of the Masons All the myths and rumors about Masonic organizations probably have you wondering "what do Masons really do?" Questions like this one are a natural by-product of being the oldest and largest "secret society" in the world. This book is an ideal starting place to find answers to your questions about the secret and not-so-secret things about Freemasonry. Now in its third edition, this international best-seller peeks behind the door of your local Masonic lodge and explains the meanings behind the rituals, rites, and symbols of the organization. Along the way the book covers nearly 3,000 years of Masonic history, introduces you to some famous Freemasons you already know from history books, and explains the relationship with related groups like Knights Templar, Scottish Rite, Order of Eastern Star, and the beloved fez-wearing Shriners. Look inside the book to learn: What it takes to become a member of the Freemasons, and what you can expect when you join How Lodges are organized and what really goes on during Masonic ceremonies The basic beliefs and philosophies of Freemasonry, including how Masons contribute to charity, and society in general The origins behind some of the wild myths and conspiracy theories surrounding Freemasonry and how to debunk (most of) them Written by a 33rd degree Scottish Rite Mason and the Public Relations and Marketing Director for the Grand Lodge F&AM of Indiana, Freemasons For Dummies is a must-read guide for anyone interested in this ancient fraternal order, whether you're looking to join or are just curious about some of the more mysterious aspects of Freemasonry.




Fools and Jesters in Literature, Art, and History


Book Description

Jesters and fools have existed as important and consistent figures in nearly all cultures. Sometimes referred to as clowns, they are typological characters who have conventional roles in the arts, often using nonsense to subvert existing order. But fools are also a part of social and religious history, and they frequently play key roles in the rituals that support and shape a society's system of beliefs. This reference book includes alphabetically arranged entries for approximately 60 fools and jesters from a wide range of cultures. Included are entries for performers from American popular culture, such as Woody Allen, Mae West, Charlie Chaplin, and the Marx Brothers; literary characters, such as Shakespeare's Falstaff, Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel, and Singer's Gimpel; and cultural and mythological figures, such as India's Birbal, the American circus clown, the Native American Coyote, Taishu Engeki of Japan, Hephaestus, Loki the Norse fool, schlimiels and schlimazels, and the drag queen. The entries, written by expert contributors, are critical as well as informative. Each begins with a biographical, artistic, religious, or historical background section, which places the subject within a larger cultural and historical context. A description and analysis follow. This section may include a discussion of the fool's appearance, gender role, ethical and moral roles, social function, and relationship to such themes as nature, time, and mortality. The entry then discusses the critical reception of the subject and concludes with an extensive bibliography of general works.




A Distant Mirror


Book Description

A “marvelous history”* of medieval Europe, from the bubonic plague and the Papal Schism to the Hundred Years’ War, by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Guns of August *Lawrence Wright, author of The End of October, in The Wall Street Journal The fourteenth century reflects two contradictory images: on the one hand, a glittering age of crusades, cathedrals, and chivalry; on the other, a world plunged into chaos and spiritual agony. In this revelatory work, Barbara W. Tuchman examines not only the great rhythms of history but the grain and texture of domestic life: what childhood was like; what marriage meant; how money, taxes, and war dominated the lives of serf, noble, and clergy alike. Granting her subjects their loyalties, treacheries, and guilty passions, Tuchman re-creates the lives of proud cardinals, university scholars, grocers and clerks, saints and mystics, lawyers and mercenaries, and, dominating all, the knight—in all his valor and “furious follies,” a “terrible worm in an iron cocoon.” Praise for A Distant Mirror “Beautifully written, careful and thorough in its scholarship . . . What Ms. Tuchman does superbly is to tell how it was. . . . No one has ever done this better.”—The New York Review of Books “A beautiful, extraordinary book . . . Tuchman at the top of her powers . . . She has done nothing finer.”—The Wall Street Journal “Wise, witty, and wonderful . . . a great book, in a great historical tradition.”—Commentary




7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness


Book Description

In 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness, best-selling author Joe Paprocki provides a prescription for spiritual health based on the rich wisdom of Catholic Tradition. Through his nondogmatic, downright inviting style of writing, Paprocki makes this book eminently accessible to non-Catholics and "seekers" as well. Recognizing that the spiritual immune system is weakened almost daily by toxic patterns and attitudes that negatively impact our ability to live in a harmonious relationship with God and others, Paprocki offers seven enduring and reliable strategies for achieving spiritual wellness. After identifying practical ways to integrate each of these strategies into daily living, he describes seven persistent dangers to our spiritual well-being and how these dangers manifest themselves in our lives. At its core, 7 Keys to Spiritual Wellness helps us see the Christian faith not as a collection of rules and doctrine, but as a spiritual path--a path whose guideposts for spiritual wellness are sure to lead us to a more meaningful life and to a much richer experience of our faith.




The Book of the Courtier


Book Description




Critical Role: The Mighty Nein Origins--Jester Lavorre


Book Description

What's a nice tiefling like Jester doing in a party like the Mighty Nein? Jester Lavorre had an unconventional upbringing, even for one born in cosmopolitan Nicodranas. Daughter of the famed Ruby of the Sea, she had many opportunities for mischief as a small child, of which she took full advantage! Dive into the mystery of Jester's early years, her first meeting with the Traveler, and the fateful events that set her on a path to eventually join the Mighty Nein. Jester's story is brought to life by writer Sam Maggs (Captain Marvel; The Unstoppable Wasp) with art by Hunter Severn Bonyun, in direct consultation with Laura Bailey! It's available as a gorgeous hardcover, ready to take its place in your Critical Role library!