Richard Higgins – författare

Meditative reflections on the great spiritual seeker’s deeply felt experience of the divine.Henry David Thoreau’s spiritual life is a riddle. Thoreau’s passionate critique of formal religion is matched only by his rapturous descriptions of encounters with the divine in nature. He fled the church only to pursue a deeper communion with a presence he felt at the heart of the universe. He called this illimitable presence many names, but he often called it God.In Thoreau’s God, Richard Higgins invites seekers—religious or otherwise—to walk with the great Transcendentalist through a series of meditations on his spiritual life. Thoreau offers us no creed, but his writings encourage reflection on how to live, what to notice, and what to love. Though his quest was deeply personal, Thoreau devoted his life to communicating his experience of an infinite, wild, life-giving God. By recovering this vital thread in Thoreau’s life and work, Thoreau’s God opens the door to a new understanding of an original voice in American religion that speaks to spiritual seekers today.

Trees were central to Henry David Thoreau's creativity as a writer, his work as a naturalist, his thought, and his inner life. His portraits of them were so perfect, it was as if he could see the sap flowing beneath their bark. When Thoreau wrote that the poet loves the pine tree as his own shadow in the air, he was speaking about himself. In short, he spoke their language. In this original book, Richard Higgins explores Thoreau's deep connections to trees: his keen perception of them, the joy they gave him, the poetry he saw in them, his philosophical view of them, and how they fed his soul. His lively essays show that trees were a thread connecting all parts of Thoreau's being-heart, mind, and spirit. Included are one hundred excerpts from Thoreau's writings about trees, paired with over sixty of the author's photographs. Thoreau's words are as vivid now as they were in 1890, when an English naturalist wrote that he was unusually able to "to preserve the flashing forest colors in unfading light." Thoreau and the Language of Trees shows that Thoreau, with uncanny foresight, believed trees were essential to the preservation of the world.

Whether simply uneasy or downright hostile, the relation between religion and liberal democracy in this country has long been vexed and complex--and crucial to what America is and aspires to be. Amid increasingly contentious exchanges over fundamentalism, abortion rights, secularism, and pluralism, this book reminds us of the critical role that religion plays in the health and well-being of a democracy.A healthy democracy draws strength from a rich civic and social life, many forms of which are religious. Moreover, these contributions are anchored in the intrinsic commitments of faith, commitments that extend over time, linking generations past and present. Strengthening these commitments and practices, the authors suggest, will also fortify pluralistic civil society and democratic participation. Their book provides the analytical tools and historical perspective for building and reinforcing such a constructive engagement between religion and liberal democracy--and for understanding the ongoing dialogue between secular political philosophy and communities of faith.Taking Faith Seriously offers nine case studies that describe the multiple and subtle roles that religion plays on many levels in our civic life: increasing moral and social "capital," inspiring citizens to serve their neighbors, building relationships across barriers of race and income, and providing a moral vision of what kind of society we are called to be.

Essential Sports Medicine is a brand new core text for medical and physiotherapy students and General Practitioners who want a comprehensive yet concise practical guide to the biomechanics and physiology of sporting injuries and treatment.The book takes a multi-disciplinary approach and is organised into regional and sports-specific injuries. The book also covers the team physician’s role, acute management, drugs in sport, and rehabilitation techniques. High quality functional anatomical diagrams and photographs are included as well as Key Points boxes to highlight diagnosis and rehabilitation protocol.The content is completely up-to-date and is aimed at students and GPs interested in this increasingly important and popular subject, rather than specialists in the field. The contributing authors are recognised worldwide experts in their areas.Essential Sports Medicine is ideal for medical students and physiotherapy students and General Practitioners undertaking further postgraduate training in this area.Pre-Publication reviews"I believe there is a great need for a publication such as this, which will dedicate itself entirely to the still rather young and developing area of sports medicine..."—4th year medical student, Glasgow University"I like it a lot!... The inclusion of chapters on drugs, women, and children, etc. also widens the scope, adding to its appeal"—Final year medical student, Newcastle University"I am impressed by the aim and scope of the book. The area of education in sports medicine is one which is becoming increasingly important, but at present is poorly served in terms of reference materials"—Derbyshire GP who has just completed the Diploma in Sport and Exercise Medicine