David Adam

A fascinating read that explores the power of intrusive thoughts, how our brains can turn against us, and how obsessive compulsive disorder can affect an individual’s life

A Story of OCD

The Man Who Couldn't Stop

Following the success of The Man Who Couldn’t Stop, David Adam now expounds on the latest research into intelligence, revealing how this revolution in neuroscience will help us access the untapped potential locked within us all. What if you have more intelligence than you realize? What if there is a genius inside you, just waiting to be released? And what if the route to better brain power is not hard work or thousands of hours of practice but to simply swallow a pill? In The Genius Within, David Adam explores the groundbreaking neuroscience of cognitive enhancement that is changing the way the brain and the mind works—to make it better, sharper, more focused and, yes, more intelligent. He considers how we measure and judge intelligence, taking us on a fascinating tour of the history of brain science and medicine, from gentlemen scientist brain autopsy clubs to case studies of mental health patients with extraordinary savant abilities. In addition to reporting on the latest research and fascinating case studies, David also goes on his own personal journey to investigate the possibilities of neuroenhancement, using himself as a guinea pig for smart pills and electrical brain stimulation in order to improve his IQ scores and cheat his way into MENSA. Getting to the heart of how we think about intelligence and mental ability, The Genius Within plunges into deep ethical, neuroscientific, and historical pools of enquiry about the science of brain function, untapping potential, and what it means for all of us. Going to the heart of how we consider, measure, and judge mental ability, The Genius Within asks difficult questions about the science that could rank and define us, and inevitably shape our future.

Unlocking Your Brain's Potential

The Genius Within

An intimate look at the power of intrusive thoughts, how our brains can turn against us, and living with obsessive compulsive disorder Have you ever had a strange urge to jump from a tall building or steer your car into oncoming traffic? You are not alone. In this captivating fusion of science, history, and personal memoir, David Adam explores the weird thoughts that exist within every mind, and how they drive millions of us toward obsession and compulsion. Adam, an editor at Nature and an accomplished science writer, has suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder for twenty years, and The Man Who Couldn't Stop is his unflinchingly honest attempt to understand the condition and his experiences. What might lead an Ethiopian schoolgirl to eat a wall of her house, piece by piece, or a pair of brothers to die beneath an avalanche of household junk that they had compulsively hoarded? At what point does a harmless idea, a snowflake in a clear summer sky, become a blinding blizzard of unwanted thoughts? Drawing on the latest research on the brain, as well as historical accounts of patients and their treatments, this is a book that will challenge the way you think about what is normal and what is mental illness. Told with fierce clarity, humor, and urgent lyricism, this extraordinary book is both the haunting story of a personal nightmare and a fascinating doorway into the darkest corners of our minds.

OCD and the True Story of a Life Lost in Thought

Wenn obsessive Gedanken unseren Alltag bestimmen

Zwanghaft

Travelling with Jesus

The Way of the Cross

In his thirteen years as Vicar, popular author David Adam welcomed over 1 million pilgrims to the Holy Island of Lindesfarne in Northumberland. Each pilgrim had a story to tell and each came for a different reason. Some radiated a sense of God's presence, and others were simply too hurried to do anything but look around quickly and move on to the next site. Using the stories of pilgrims Adam encountered on Holy Island, he explores how we can approach our own lives as pilgrimage, without ever leaving the comfort of our homes. How can we move beyond what is safe in our world and encounter the Mystery? How can we learn to disconnect from all the technology that keeps us multi-tasking all day and all night? How can we rediscover awe in the world around us? In the wonderful prose and poetry for which he is so well-loved, David Adam helps us get on the road of life, even when we don't have time to travel to distant lands.

Reflections on Searching and Longing

The Road of Life

A look at St Aidan and the Lindisfarne community, a light which shone in the Dark Ages. As the new enlightenment has passed and we seem to be in another age of darkness, the flame of faith needs to be rekindled.

St Aidan for Today

Flame in My Heart

Celtic prayers have always offered everyday needs to God in a straightforward way. Power Lines incorporates the insights of the Celtic tradition into a series of modern prayers about the concerns of work—whether paid, unpaid, in factory, home, or office. This book opens up Celtic patterns of prayer to focus on the work we all do in the presence of God. Chapters in this book provide prayers for various times of day (morning, the working day, and evening) as well as some of our emotional responses to work (achievement and disappointment). A special chapter of litanies provides useful prayers and responses for congregations and other groups who wish to make their work concerns part of their worship. Power Lines concludes with a selection of classic prayers from Augustine, Francis, Teilhard de Chardin, and many others. Beyond Ourselves Grant us a vision, Lord, To see what we can achieve To reach out beyond ourselves To share our lives with others To stretch our capabilities To increase our sense of purpose To be aware of where we can help To be sensitive to your Presence To give heed to your constant call. David Adam is the vicar of Holy Island on the coast of Northunberland, where he ministers to thousands of pilgrims and other visitors. He is well known for his books of prayers, and is an authority on Celtic Christian spirituality. His other books include: Flame in My Heart, The Cry of the Deer, Traces of Glory, Glimpses of Glory, The Open Gate, and the Edge of Glory, all available from Morehouse Publishing.

Celtic Prayers About Work

Power Lines

St Cuthbert, monk and bishop of Lindisfarne, was a man of extraordinary charm and ability. A preacher, teacher and pastor, he was also reputed to have gifts of prophecy and healing. David Adam, one of the most prolific and best-loved writers in the Celtic tradition, vividly relates the story of this central figure in Celtic Christianity. Drawing out the qualities which make Cuthbert so important in our own time, Fire of the North celebrates the saint's ready sense of God's presence and eager response to nature. The narrative is complemented throughout by prayers specially composed to help us experience the direct force of Celtic spirituality for ourselves.

The Life of St Cuthbert

Fire of the North

In this captivating book, David Adam aims to help us recognize that there are moments in each day of our lives that are cause for thanksgiving, when we may pause and praise God. The author explores in turn our natural ability to rest, to see, to know, to love and to enjoy - first in relation to our surroundings, and then in relation to our Creator. By the end of the volume, his hope is that a deepening awareness of the glories of the world around us will lead us, time and again, to delight in uttering 'Alleluia!'

Occasions for Alleluia

This work explores what it means to be a saint, to always be walking on the edges - geographically, physically and spiritually. Saints give us an idea of what we could be if we had the courage and faith to move out of our comfort zones and truly begin to live in the presence of God. The author calls on us to take this path, painful as it may be, since it is the only way open to the Christian serious about growing in faith. Walking the Edges is inspired by the stories of St Martin, St Patrick, St Cuthbert and other.

Living in the Presence of God

Walking the Edges

Written in engaging and accessible prose, this book is ideal for study groups and individuals. Prayer exercises at the end of each chapter help readers incorporate into their minds and souls the wisdom Aidan and those of the Celtic period still provide for us today. Also includes poems, blessings, and 17 black-and-white line drawings.

In Tides and Seasons, David Adam draws from the rich store of Celtic Spirituality insights which speak to our own world today. The prayers he has written for this book echo the rhythms of creation which find their parallels in our spiritual lives. The movement of the tides - incoming, full flood, ebb tide, low tide - are linked to the cycle of the year, the seasons of life and the highs and lows of our own experience. Many strong currents are at work in our lives. Yet in the ebb and flow, nothing is lost, only changed. The sea of God's love is not diminished. Even in times of despair, we are made aware that there are other shores, eternal reaches, and that after the lowest ebb, the tide will flow again.

Modern Prayers in the Celtic Tradition

Tides and Seasons

Tales From The Bayou is a compilation of six short stories about South Louisiana, dating from 1814, which was when the Battle of New Orleans was fought, to our modern times. The purpose of the book is to introduce Louisiana culture to those who may not be familiar with this part of America, and to enhance the appreciation of our heritage to local citizens of this very unique region. The book is very special in that it tells the stories of life from a variety of views. From little Cajun boys in the 1930’s and their mischievous antics, the lifelong story of a man of color along the shores of Lake Pontchartrain, and of course, the personal tale about Jean Lafitte and his fictitious offspring. The book also tells a heartwarming story from the prospective of a 30-something woman who is the proprietor of the Decator Street Guest House in the French Quarter of New Orleans. It is the author’s desire that all will be entertained, and will enjoy the stories for what they are, and take an inside look at the hopes, the dreams, the triumphs and the failures of his characters.

Tales From The Bayou

In a series of forty meditations, one for each day of Lent David Adam reflects on the life of Moses in the book of Exodus. The story of this great leader provides inspiration for us to follow the Israelites' example - to launch out into new adventures, freeing others and ourselves from slavery and seeking God's Promised Land. We are encouraged to step out of the familiar and to risk the desert; to leave that which captivates us and to move forward. Containing a Scripture reading, a short meditation, and a prayer for each day of Lent, thisis a book to challenge our relationship to the world, to each other and to our God. It will stretch our vision and ourselves so that we may positively reach forward to freedom.

A Journey Into God

Forward to Freedom

The House Across the Street is a story about a young boy who watches his childhood playground, in the rurals of Mobile, Alabama, become a beautiful Victorian estate. Young Nelson spends a lifetime trying to acquire, not only a home, but also a special someone who lives inside. Youll watch him grow into a mature man and take on responsibilities he thought was unattainable. You will be inspired by his perseverance and tenacity against all odds to be a man that every parent would be proud of.

The House Across the Street

Over fifty joyous years, David Adam has exercised a rich and profoundly influential ministry. From his earliest days, he was encouraged to use his eyes to absorb what was around him. He writes: 'I lived in a land of open fields, moorland, and beaches: a land of castles, of history, of heroes, saints and story . . . a radiant world . . . full of the mystery of existence.' Leaving school at 15 to work at the local coal mine, he became increasingly aware of the need to have a purpose in life. The Society of the Sacred Mission at Kelham (regarded as 'the Commando course of the Church of England') was his tough training ground, and thereafter he embarked on a 23 year ministry in Danby in the North York Moors. During this time The Edge of Glory: Prayers in the Celtic Tradition was published. Many more bestselling volumes were to follow during the exhilarating, exhausting and unforgettable thirteen years he served as Vicar of the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. Though autobiographical, the aim of The Wonder of the Beyond is primarily to help us enter a more wonder full world; to open our eyes, ears and hearts to what is about us; to become more truly aware of the glory of God in our midst.

The Wonder of the Beyond

“The Road of Life provides opportunity for spiritual reflection and is ideal for those looking for a different sort of Lent book... [it] is well-written and full of nuggets providing ample food of thought.” Christian Marketplace

David Adam

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