Everywhere we look there seems to be trouble and strife, war and pain. But underneath all that lies an ember of hope, a spark of optimism, which gets us out of bed each morning. This book is all about that spark, and the different ways it has flared to life during the time of humanity. It"s not about "religion", though religions feature. It includes hermits and martial arts devotees, stargazers and scientists, all those who devoted their lives to understanding the mysteries of life and added their own flavour to the human soup. It delights in the inventiveness of the human family as it seeks to lift its game, providing a roller coaster ride to enlightenment options. Market: For teens and upwards, this is a popular, vividly written and illustrated guide to the "higher" answers of life, to history"s greatest thinkers, teachers and traditions, from the beginning of everything to the present day.