STEPHEN H. PROVOST (2020)

Pop Goes the Metal traces the musical and cultural phenomenon that came to be known, both derisively and affectionately, as “hair metal.” Musically, it was rooted in the British Invasion, power pop, and early heavy metal. Visually, it began with Bowie and Sweet and T. Rex, and kept right on going through Kiss and Alice Cooper to Poison and Twisted Sister. Travel to L.A.’s Sunset Strip scene that gave birth to Van Halen, Mötley Crüe, Guns N’ Roses, and halfway around the world to explore the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. Revisit the early years of MTV, the era of heavy metal magazines, the “Satanic Panic,” and the PMRC; read about overdoses, car crashes, unscrupulous managers, and concert chaos.

Paperback (334 pages, 6 x 9)
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ages 12 and older

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STEPHEN H. PROVOST (2019)

They dared to be different: to shoot three-point shots, play football in the summer and baseball in skirts. They fielded teams with names like the Chicago Whales and Virginia Squires in leagues like the ABA, AAFC and WHL. They were innovators and outlaws, playing in rundown arenas and without TV contracts but making the kind of memories you don’t find in prime time. Illustrated with dozens of photos and filled with statistics, “A Whole Different League” brings these memories and much more together in a single volume that covers everything from bowling to Negro League baseball. It’s a look at the “other” leagues that helped shape the way our favorite sports are played today, even if they themselves are all but forgotten.

Paperback (340 pages, 8 x 10)
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suitable for all ages

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STEPHEN H. PROVOST (2019)

She was the first player to sign a contract in the first women’s professional basketball league, paving the way for the WNBA. She set records for the most points in a season, in a game, and in a playoff game that still stand four decades later. Yet few people know the story of Molly Bolin. Her shooting stroke evoked comparisons to Stephen Curry and earned her the nickname “Machine Gun Molly.” She appeared in a movie with Pete Maravich and in a poster that made her the sports world’s answer to Farrah Fawcett. But perhaps most impressively, she overcame the odds time and again through hard work and dedication. This is the story of a young girl from a small town in Iowa who had a dream, pursued it and made it come true. This is the legend of Molly Bolin.

Paperback (237 pages, 6 x 9)
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suitable for all ages

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STEPHEN H. PROVOST (2022)

Follow in the footsteps of the celebrated American storyteller in Nevada, visiting the places he lived, visited, worked, and wrote about. Read about his adventures traveling the Wild West, prospecting for gold, and digging up (or making up) stories for the Territorial Enterprise in Virginia City. Learn about the time he started a forest fire in Lake Tahoe, the time he witnessed a deadly gunfight at a boxing match, and his experience having a lucrative claim jumped in Aurora. Illustrated with numerous vintage and modern photos and illustrations, these are the remarkable stories that transformed Samuel Clemens into Mark Twain and a territory into a state.

Paperback (224 pages, 6 x 9)
hardcover, eBook
suitable for all ages

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STEPHEN H. PROVOST (2018)

Myth, language, hidden writings, and political intrigue converge to paint a startling picture of how Western religion was forged in the ancient Near East and beyond. The lives of the pharaohs, Mesopotamian gods, Celtic traditions, and apocryphal biblical texts are just some of the puzzle pieces that come together to create a new and cohesive picture of where and how our sacred traditions arose. "Forged in Ancient Fires" and its companion work "Messiah in the Making" form "The Phoenix Principle," each examining in turn the Old and New Testament time periods through the expanded lens of mythic archetype and history. Readers of Graham Hancock will find new fascination in these works, which survey figures ranging from Moses and Jesus to King Arthur, from Robin Hood to the Queen of Sheba.

Paperback (488 pages, 6 x 9)
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suitable for teens and older

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STEPHEN H. PROVOST (2018)

Who was Jesus? It is a question that has been asked and answered many times and in many ways throughout history. But in order to even begin addressing this question, the person of Jesus must be placed in historical and mythical context. Once this is done, some truly shocking answers emerge. Here was a revolutionary leader with training in the mystical traditions of Egypt who sought to follow in the footsteps of King Solomon, the pharaohs and the gods themselves. "Messiah in the Making" surveys Western traditions based on their origins in mythology and the cultural and political climate in which they developed. The lives of the pharaohs, Mesopotamian gods, Celtic traditions, and apocryphal biblical texts are just some of the puzzle pieces that come together to create a new and cohesive picture of where and how our sacred traditions arose.

Paperback (504 pages, 6 x 9)
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suitable for teens and older

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STEPHEN H. PROVOST (2018)

The Gospel of the Phoenix tells the story of Jesus' life, in biblical style, as never before. Fans of Kahlil Gibran and students of history alike will enjoy this story of a Jewish teacher trained in Egyptian healing and mysticism who set about spreading a gospel of humility, servanthood, and renewal. His mission? To reveal the hidden kingdom of heaven that is both within and all around us. His method? Retracing the footsteps of his heavenly father, the Egyptian god Osiris, and honoring his divine mother while immersing his followers in the way of forgiveness, humility and wisdom. The themes in this work will be familiar to Christians and non-Christians alike, but are presented from a perspective that readers from all backgrounds will find fresh and provocative. The intent mirrors that of the author of Luke: to create what he described as an orderly account based on numerous sources. Includes dozens of classic illustrations and some 60 pages of author commentary.

Paperback (228 pages, 6 x 9)
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middle grade and up

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STEPHEN H. PROVOST (2018)

The Way of the Phoenix serves as a companion volume to The Gospel of the Phoenix. As the latter book explored the life of Jesus from a new perspective, this work uses the style of wisdom literature to offer insights into life, ethics and meaning. "The Way of the Phoenix" is divided into two sections. The first is a series of tales modeled after the parables of Jesus, the fables of Aesop, the stories of Hans Christian Andersen and others. The second is a series of teachings in the style of proverbs, sayings and aphorisms, grouped according to subject matter. All the material here is original, but the subjects are familiar. The Way of the Phoenix is a work in the tradition of Kahlil Gibran, Paul Coelho and others who have used the language of legend and fable to tell new stories based on timeless truths.

Paperback (174 pages, 6 x 9)
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suitable for all ages

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STEPHEN H. PROVOST (2018)

The Osiris Testament completes the Phoenix Chronicles trilogy begun with The Gospel of the Phoenix and continued with The Way of the Phoenix. The Osiris Testament is a poetic look at humanity's creation and the development of Western mythic tradition from a new perspective. Just as Gospel of the Phoenix set forth a new version of Jesus' life and The Way of the Phoenix offered a collection of new, original parables and proverbs, The Osiris Testament draws from Mesopotamian, Hebrew, Egyptian, Norse, Greek and Celtic sources to weave a new narrative corresponding loosely to the Pentateuch. As with its companion volumes, this work is for those who enjoy the works of Kahlil Gibran and Robert Graves, and students of the interplay between myth and ancient history.

Paperback (228 pages, 6 x 9)
eBook
middle grade and up

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STEPHEN H. PROVOST (2018)

This volume is a compilation of three previously published works - The Osiris Testament, Way of the Phoenix and The Gospel of the Phoenix - which together make up a new vision of ancient myths across the diverse cultures whose lore and legends, when woven together, make up the tapestry of Western mythical tradition. The Osiris Testament corresponds roughly to the Pentateuch, The Way of the Phoenix to the Book of Proverbs (and the parables of Jesus) and The Gospel of the Phoenix to the canonical gospels. Each presents familiar material, together with more obscure traditions, in a fresh presentation.

Paperback (454 pages, 6 x 9)
middle grade and up

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STEPHEN H. PROVOST (2018)

The debate between the theist and the atheist dates back millennia. Yet the crucial question involves not the existence of deity, but what kind of deity might exist. Can we eliminate certain options and leave ourselves free to explore others? In Requiem for a Phantom God, the author argues that we can. Any consideration of the divine should rule out what C.S. Lewis termed "nonsense." Self-contradictory portraits of God are not only meaningless, but they have the potential to do great harm - and they have over the course of human history. Requiem discusses the abuses and pitfalls of faith, and whether it is possible to speak of a faith that is not blind. It addresses modern and historical examples of religious abuse and suggests they tell us about the doctrines that support them.

Paperback (196 pages, 6 x 9)
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ages 14 and older

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STEPHEN H. PROVOST (2024)

50 Undefeated expands the author's book Undefeated with a new preface, updated information, new photos and five more stories of people who have overcome prejudice, bullying and oppression. This collection tells the true and inspiring stories of 50 individuals who have triumphed in the face of daunting challenges. Dismissed because of their religion, demeaned because of their gender, or persecuted for their race, they come a variety of backgrounds. A Christian in one nation's majority may be persecuted in another land. The same applies to a Jew or a Pagan. What of the atheist and transgender individuals? Their stories are drawn from past and present, from the realms of history, sports and politics. Bigotry knows no bounds ... but neither does the human spirit.

Paperback (248 pages, 6 x 9)
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middle grade and up

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STEPHEN H. PROVOST (2018)

Some politicians use the media to their advantage. Others reshape it in their image. Had the political force that is Donald J. Trump met the immovable object that was the American news media in the 20th century, the result would have been predictable. Trump would have vanished without a trace. Today, however, the once-powerful Fourth Estate might as well be in foreclosure, shattered into a million pieces by cable television, talk radio and the internet. At once condemning and exploiting the media, he’s transformed the presidency into a reality show, complete with multiple scandals and cliffhangers to keep everyone tuned in. He didn’t arrive out of nowhere. The way for his ascent was paved by the media themselves, hungry for drama to stoke ratings and boost subscriptions. Media Meltdown examines the implicit Faustian bargain between Trump and the modern media and its repercussions for America.

Paperback (212 pages, 6 x 9)
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STEPHEN H. PROVOST (2020)

Journalists, political scientists, and psychologists have spent years asking themselves how Donald Trump managed to take the American people captive. Now, you know. In this volume, you’ll find the 12 rules Trump followed to secure and retain his base’s devotion. You don’t need to ask him to find out what they are. Just watch him; listen to what he’s said. He’s not immoral, but amoral. He doesn’t care about what he fights for, as long as he wins. He’s a modern-day snake oil salesman obsessed with preserving that image, because he’s deathly afraid of being exposed as the fraud he really is. He depends entirely on others’ approval to validate him, because he’s never succeeded on his own. Here’s what Trump’s method tells us about him, and about ourselves. We can take our power back — from him and others like him — by exposing it for what it really is.

Paperback (143 pages, 6 x 9)
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STEPHEN H. PROVOST (2020)

Why did evangelical Christianity stray so far from the teachings of Jesus? And how has that decision helped divide us more than ever?Today, many evangelical activists place loyalty above character and blind faith ahead of principle. They've abandoned Jesus for a different kind of savior: a militant messiah like King David, who slept with his friend's wife, then arranged to have him killed - but who established a theocratic kingdom on earth. That's what they want. Not a democracy or a republic, but the rule of God. Their impulse to empire dates back to the fifth century, when the African bishop Augustine argued that faith should be compulsory. Jesus, You're Fired explores the history, theology, and motives behind the movement to exchange the kingdom of heaven for an earthly empire. And to replace Jesus with a different kind of messiah.

Paperback (266 pages, 6 x 9)
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STEPHEN H. PROVOST (2018)

Have you ever wanted to plug your ears and scream after hearing a newscaster, politician, sports announcer or your boss use THAT word again? You know the one: that buzzword or cliche that sets your teeth on edge because you've heard it so often? It doesn't really mean anything. It's just there. On people's lips. In the newspaper. On television. Everywhere, all the time. Well, chances are, it's here, too, in this irreverent look at some of the things people say far too often while giving them far too little thought. Consider this book your last line of defense against the banal inanities that assault your ears on a daily basis. Its purpose is to poke fun at them, which is really all most of them are good for: poking fun at. "Please Stop Saying That!" is a no-holds-barred, sarcastic look at the catch phrases used in politics, religion, sports, business, pop culture and elsewhere. You'll never look at (or listen to) jargon quite the same way again.

Paperback (204 pages, 6 x 9)
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