Book Description
As the Los Angeles Times said: "Drawing expertly on five centuries of the cultural history of Europe and the Americas, Fuentes seeks to capture the spirit of the new, vibrant, and enduring civilization [in the New World] that began in Spain." Fuentes's singular success in this remarkable endeavor has made the book a classic in its field. (A Mariner Reissue).
Customer Reviews:
My reflections.......2007-08-09
Reading this book, helped me see how close to each other we all are. How the Islamic culture and arts are part of the Hispanic world. For instance, a great percent of the words that we use in Spanish derived from the Arabic language. It's a great read!!
Best book I have read in a long time.......2007-05-25
This book is the English translation of El Espejo Enterrado, by Mexican writer and diplomat Carlos Fuentes. It consists of 399 pages divided into 5 parts and 18 chapters which describe the history of the Spanish speaking people from their Cretan and Greek roots, through their development during the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Imperial Period, all the way to modern Spain and South America.
The book also includes 5 two page tables titled The Monarchs of Spain and showing detailed genealogical information on the families that ruled Spain from 970 ad to the beginning of the 20th century (not included in the Spanish version published by Taurus-Bolsillo 1992), as well as a large number of beautiful black and white and color illustrations (also not included the Spanish version published by Taurus-Bolsillo 1992). I missed such information, when reading the Spanish version, particularly the illustrations, because the author refers to them in the text, often with very detailed descriptions.
The book ends with the credits, acknowledgements, and index.
El Espejo Enterrado is listed as an essay, although it probably should be classified as a history book. Yet it is more than that, because Carlos Fuentes is more than an essayer or a historian. He is a multifaceted artist who sees and describes reality in a more comprehensive as well as captivating manner than the average essayer or historian would. Hence he does not just give the description of the events that shaped the history of the Spanish speaking people, he makes them interesting, he makes the reader want to learn more. For example, by discussing the individuals whose thoughts and actions influenced the decisions of the Spanish speaking people (e.g., Jean Jacques Rousseau and Napoleon); by relating the major world events from which those related to the Spanish speaking people developed (e.g., the Renaissance, the French Revolution, the American Revolution); or by describing the works of some of the major Spanish speaking artists (e.g., Don Quixote, La Vida Es Sueno, Las Meninas, La Maja Desnuda). Hence with this book, you will learn more than the history of the Spanish speaking people, you will meet some of the great thinkers of the Western world, you will be reminded of the history of the Western world, you will learn about the products of the most illuminated minds of the Spanish speaking world. You will also discover about many word origins, (how many among you reading this review know the meaning of the word Saragoza, the origin of the name Malinche, the identity of the woman from whom California got its name, the reason why the Mexicans call the turkey guacolote). And you will acquire an awful lot of useful information which would otherwise not be easily available all in one book, for example, the real significance of Goya's painting Saturn Devouring his Children".
If you are educated in the history and artistic expressions of the Western World and interested in Spain and South America, you will not be able to put this book down until you come to the end. In actual fact, you will probably wish that you never came to the end.
Understanding the Hispanic tradition.......2006-01-17
The countries of Latin America have collectively had a long and tortured history; starting with the wars between the great native empires, the arrival of Columbus and the Spaniards, and finally US imperialism throughout the 20th century. Now, at the dawn of the 21st century, Latin Americans are more conscious than ever of their past, the contributions both native and European to it, and the state of their current economies, societies and culture. Part of this awakening and collective consciousness is the rise of prominant authors born and raised within the Hispanic world. One of these is Carlos Fuentes from Mexico, who in this book examines the origins and evolution of Latin American peoples, countries, and cultures. Paying attention to the influences from Spain, Portugal, France, various current and ancient native tribes, and now the US, this book shows how modern Hispanic culture came together in ways often violent, haphazard and chaotic. Rarely was one person in charge of this process; rare are the works that dominated this evolution. Outside of the Catholic Church, Latin America knows no equivalent of Sun Tzu's Art of War, Homer's epic poems, or the US Constitution. The author then tries to distill what is best about Latin American culture, and in doing so, points a way forward for Hispanics throughout the Western Hemisphere. Overall, a great book to understand this region of the world, its past, its present, and its probable future.
Unsatisfied.......2005-10-09
I was reading my book again to study for one of my tests and I realized that I am missing some pages and some pages are out of order. Is there something that I can do to obtain a full copy that is in order?
Magnificent!.......2002-08-06
This book is absolutely spellbinding and captivating in it's presentation that is both an excellent narrative and artistic with imagery to further enhance the experience. The editorial review here at Amazon by Kirkus Reviews is a good synopsis to get a good idea about the books contents. Also there are many sample pages available for your perusal. From a readers perspective this book is one to cherish after the reading experience is over. Carlos Fuentes presents the subject of Spain and it's influence on the new world with clarity and makes his points with the precision of a sugeon, clean and accurate. Beginning with the ancient imagery of the bull found in caves in Spain Fuentes begins his analysis showing how this imagery continues in the arts and culture in such diverse domains as the works of Goya and Picasso, advertisements for brandy and of course the Spanish spectacle of bullfighting. He picks and chooses his historical path, weaving through the centuries concluding with the the growth of Hispanic USA. The book is full oh historical facts, little known bits of information abound as Fuentes draws analogies that stimulate the mind, stimulating the reader to conclude further inferences. The book reminds me of Bronowski's "The Ascent of Man" only on a smaller scope, from a perspective that makes connections between Spain and Latin America as oppossed to the whole of humanity. The "mother" countries influence is expounded upon as only Fuentes can, his use of language is powerful, insightful and revealing all the while showing his keen intelligence and sharp eye for details. The accompanying artwork throughout the book is fantastic and helps the reader to further understand the subject. A moving narrative is delivered by Fuentes and I highly suggest this book to anyone interested in the history of Spain and it's long lasting influence in the Americas. A natural outcome of reading this book is to further explore one of the many topics introduced. Included is a complete lineage of Spanish succession detailing the various ruling families and marriages that created the kings and queens of Spain. Aslo there is an outstanding suggested bibliography. This is a superb book that stimulates the mind while you read and beyond.
Book Description
This newly updated edition of a well-known work explores a pair of modern science's most fundamental discoveries: the asymmetric DNA helix and the overthrow of parity (left-right symmetry) in particle physics. Absorbing and thought-provoking, The New Ambidextrous Universe was written by Martin Gardner, one of Dover's most popular authors,.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful, but somewhat out-of-date (only at the end)........2002-01-16
I think that THE NEW AMBIDEXTROUS UNIVERSE (1990) is a wonderful book on symmetry and asymmetry in the worlds of everyday life, chemistry, physics, and unification theories. Everything in this book is noteworthy, and also up-to-date except for the last few chapters.
It is a very good updating of the previous (1978) edition, which concluded with many open questions in elementary particle physics that were resolved (and new questions raised) in 1978 - 1989.
It is high time for this book to be updated if Mr. Gardner can manage it (he is rather elderly; born in 1914), and a publisher will take a new edition. Books like this are gueling to revise and update.
Review from a non-scientific perspective.......2002-01-14
I'm not going to say that I understand all of this. Most of it is way over my head, but after reading it, I can say that I understand more now than I did before. I'm planning on attacking it again in a couple years. Overall, however, Gardner does a good job of bring complicated scientific theory down to a plain English level by using diagrams and analogies.
Frames superstrings and twistors.......2000-04-29
Every decade Gardner updates this book. The five new chapters in the 1990 edition, including material on twistors and superstrings, are well worth the price. What Gardner does best is frame the new theories within a historical perspective. For example, he says it is impossible not to compare string theory with Lord Kelvin's (W. Thompson) 1958 theory of vortex strings. Vortex string theory was fashionable for at least fifty years. Gardner shows the vortex string theory and the superstring theory to be kissing cousins: Lord Kelvin used perfect fluid to refer to the superstring quantum vacuum -- both referring to the same sub-space area. String theory speaks of vibrating frequencies of energy while vortex rings were also vibrating frequencies that gave the atoms different properties. Instead of quantum foam with jittering virtual particles, vortex theory had vortex sponges with billions of vortex motions whirling in all directions.
Gardner's account of Roger Penrose's twistor theory is short and excellent. Physicists have gotten tangled up trying to speak of deeper down events which are hidden from view due to their sub-Planck length size (10 to the minus 33rd power of a centimeter). Here it is pointed out that "on a sufficiently small scale the concept of a space-time point evaporates in the complex space of twistor theory." Twistor theory, like superstring theory, was merely trying to formulate how the submicroscopic particles come into being. Both theories consist of math and lack any experimental verification. To repeat, the author discusses these obtuse theories in a way that frames their overall direction of thought. Gardner appears to agree with Howard George who calls superstring theory a "recreational mathematical theology." The bottom line -- both twistor and string theory are philosophy -- not physics.
IS SUPERSTRING THEORY A RECREATIONAL MATHEMATICAL THEOLOGY?.......2000-03-30
Every decade Gardner updates this book. The five new chapters in the 1990 edition, including material on twistors and superstrings, are well worth the price. What Gardner does best is frame the new theories within a historical perspective. For example, he says it is impossible not to compare string theory with Lord Kelvin's (W. Thompson) 1958 theory of vortex strings. Vortex string theory was fashionable for at least fifty years. Gardner shows the vortex string theory and the superstring theory to be kissing cousins: Lord Kelvin used perfect fluid to refer to the superstring quantum vacuum -- both referring to the same sub-space area. String theory speaks of vibrating frequencies of energy while vortex rings were also vibrating frequencies that gave the atoms different properties. Instead of quantum foam with jittering virtual particles, vortex theory had vortex sponges with billions of vortex motions whirling in all directions.
Gardner's account of Roger Penrose's twistor theory is short and excellent. Physicists have gotten tangled up trying to speak of deeper down events which are hidden from view due to their sub-Planck length size (10 to the minus 33rd power of a centimeter). Here it is pointed out that "on a sufficiently small scale the concept of a space-time point evaporates in the complex space of twistor theory." Twistor theory, like superstring theory, was merely trying to formulate how the submicroscopic particles come into being. Both theories consist of math and lack any experimental verification. To repeat, the author discusses these obtuse theories in a way that frames their overall direction of thought. Gardner appears to agree with Howard George who calls superstring theory a "recreational mathematical theology." The bottom line -- both twistor and string theory are philosophy -- not physics.
Book Description
An analysis of the use of the mirror as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool for children and adolescents.
Dr. Paulina F. Kernberg, the founder of a clinical program for children of divorced families at New York Presbyterian/Westchester Hospital, was an authority on personality disorders and on the emotional effects of divorce on children. She was one of the experts appointed to evaluate the custody case of Elián González in 2000.
Beyond the Reflection is the result of her extensive research on a new diagnostic technique in child development: a child's behavior in front of a mirror. Kernberg convincingly demonstrates that this behavior is paradigmatic of the mother- child relationship. The pleasure of self-recognition, or the discomfort and anxiety a child experiences in front of a mirror, is directly linked to the ways he relates to his original looking glass—the mother—and in turn determines his subsequent sense of self-worth.
This fascinating study explores Lacan's pioneering theory of the mirror stage; the correlation between theory, clinical observation, and systematic developmental studies; and recent advances in neuroscience and ethology, which contribute to ongoing research in the field of child development and its clinical application.
The Kernberg Mirror Behavior Checklist and the Kernberg- Buhl-Nielsen Mirror Behavior Interview, the diagnostic tools utilized in these clinical observations, will be of particular interest to researchers eager to find a concrete basis for studying the origin of selfhood. Twelve black & white line drawings throughout.
Average customer rating:
- Creative, Fascinating Use of the Mirror
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Mirror by Design: Using Reflection to Transform Space
Pamela Heyne
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0471118338 |
Book Description
This book gives readers the full tour on mirror, from its origins over 6,000 years ago to today's uses in design. It also illustrates the remarkable ways in which mirror can be used to alter perspectives and change the way people react to a room. Color and black-and-white photographs demonstrate design achievements with mirror.
Customer Reviews:
Creative, Fascinating Use of the Mirror.......1999-12-06
To paraphrase 'Art Times', 'this is far more than an interior decorator's book, but a definitive analysis of the creative, and practical uses of the mirror.' 'Mirror By Design' won Honorable Mention for the Polsky Award from the American Society of Interior Designers.
Ms. Heyne, an architect herself, shows how architects and designers use mirrors to dematerialize heavy, bulky design elements, such as mirroring supporting columns; to create illusions, such as installing an 'infinity chamber' in a low restaurant ceiling to provide the feeling of height; or even to create views where there are none, such as through Ms. Heyne's own 'periscope window', which reflects a view from ground level into a basement area.
Experiments in underground space, in light tubes which can provide sunlight in lower story rooms, and numerous other fascinating products, make this a wonderful resource for the architect or designer.
Average customer rating:
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Circles of Reflection : The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors
Ju-Hsi Chou
Manufacturer: Cleveland Museum of Art
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 094071759X |
Book Description
This volume features a comprehensive overview of the development of Chinese bronze mirrors through over 90 examples from the Carter Collection recently added to the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Ranging in date from the Han dynasty to the 19th century, these examples encompass various production techniques, alloy compositions, and patination. Extensive technical analyses are provided together with a comprehensive essay on the making of bronze mirror: its casting techniques, clay mold technology, color and patination, and finishing work. Translation of inscriptions together with extensive inclusion of Chinese characters make this volume a valuable reference work on mirror inscriptions and terminology
Book Description
The fascinating tale of one of the most remarkable inventions in human history and its effects on science, myth, religion, manners, and the arts.
Of all human inventions, the mirror is perhaps the one most closely connected to our own consciousness. As our first technology for contemplation of the self, the mirror is arguably as important an invention as the wheel. Mirror Mirror is the fascinating story of the mirror's invention, refinement, and use in an astonishing range of human activities--from the fantastic mirrored rooms that wealthy Romans created for their orgies to the mirror's key role in the use and understanding of light.
Pendergrast spins tales of the 2,500-year mystery of whether Archimedes and his "burning mirror" really set faraway Roman ships on fire; the medieval Venetian glassmakers, who perfected the technique of making large, flat mirrors from clear glass and for whom any attempt to leave their cloistered island was punishable by death; Isaac Newton, whose experiments with sunlight on mirrors once left him blinded for three days; the artist David Hockney, who holds controversial ideas about Renaissance artists and their use of optical devices; and George Ellery Hale, the manic-depressive astronomer and telescope enthusiast who inspired (and gave his name to) the twentieth century's largest ground-based telescope. Like mirrors themselves, Mirror Mirror is a book of endless wonder and fascination.
Customer Reviews:
Just Pendergrast.......2004-07-28
As he did with his history of coffee, Pendergrast once again grasps the influence of one item in human history and, thus, modern society. His grasp of the scientific phenomennon involvig mirrors, and the importance of the study of light in modern science, the relativisti theory, etc. makes this book a more than complete insight into human history, "Through the Looking Glass".
I value Pendergrast's books for the perspective they provide to history, and the way he manages to make the whole subject entertaining. This book is not only educative in history and science, but also an easy read.
A fascinating book.......2003-11-20
Mark Pendergrast has a talent for writing about a complex subject and making it both understandable and entertaining. Having read his most recent book, Mirror Mirror, I am impressed with the author's versatility and research capability. In writing about the mirror, Pendergrast has explored its history and use in religion, magic, science, art, space exploration, as well as an item of vanity and self indulgence. He has presented his findings in a way that is both enjoyable and educational. The people written about range from early scientists such as Archimedes and Galileo to the modern researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
The New York Times Book Review, which led me to purchase Mirror Mirror, states that it is the equivalent of a liberal arts education. I'm inclined to agree with that assessment. Give Mirror Mirror a 5-star rating.
Reflections on Mirror Mirror.......2003-11-18
Mirror, Mirror is a fascinating read not only for those lovers of the technical but also for those more interested in human history--as I am. Pendergrast explains scientific and technical concepts clearly. What I particularly loved about the book--besides learning a great deal about the history of science--was the way he wove in the human story. Pendergrast makes names like Herschel and Newton come alive as real people with distinct personalities. Reading a book of such quality and scope is my favorite way of learning about history and science.
A Wonderful Reflection on a Fascinating Subject.......2003-11-18
As an artist and a psychotherapist-in-training, this book appealed to me on many levels. It's a well-researched investigation of the history of mirroring and mirror-making, the mystical and the everyday practical use of mirrors, the psychological dimensions, etc. The story of the importance of mirrors in the history of the telescope, and mankind's resultant ability to investigate the cosmos is comprehensively presented. Dense and technical in places, but fun and insightful in others. Worth the read just to get to the last chapter titled, "Final Reflections: Illusions and Realities".
A nice addition to a sparse literature!!!.......2003-11-17
As a person somewhat 'expert' in mirror research (see Keenan et al., The Face in the Mirror: The Search for the Origins of Consciousness), I am always on the lookout for solid research on the topic of mirrors. Mark Pendergrast has put together a great book on the topic. This is the most comprehensive title that one can buy if interested in the history of mirrors.
His reserach is pretty amazing. Even though I have researched the topic for years, I still learned a tremendous amount reading this book. It is noted that Mark Pendergrast makes the reading entertaining. A nice surprise.
Thumbs up all the way...
Julian Paul Keenan
Book Description
Because it has always represented a rich collaboration of the music, art, architecture, handicraft and science of its day, the organ, more than any other instrument, continues to reflect the spirit of the age in which it was built. The Organ as a Mirror of its Time, the first book to consider this instrument's historical and cultural significance, reflects the efforts of twenty leading scholars of the organ. The book chronicles the history of six organs in Scandinavia and Northern Germany, at least one specimen for every century from 1600 to the present. By considering their original contexts and their histories since they were built, as well as the extraordinary coincidences that link them together, the book offers a unique perspective on the cultural history of northern Europe. A CD with appropriate repertoire played on each of the six instruments accompanies the book.
Customer Reviews:
An interesting perspective on North European Pipe Organs.......2003-01-26
Do the names Cavaille-Coll, Cahman, Compenius, Marcussen, and Arp Schnitger sound familiar? If not, this book, most likely, is not for you. If you do recognize them, and are appreciative of their work, you will really enjoy The Organ as a Mirror Of Its Time, which is a collection of articles skillfully edited and arranged by Kerala J. Snyder. These prominent and historic European pipe organ builders, along with some of their more famous instruments, comprise the theme around which the contributors collectively construct an intriguing historical, cultural, political, and artistic context. The scope of the book spans four centuries, and concentrates on six specific representative instruments in Sweden, Denmark, and Germany. While the composite of all the articles achieves the intended overview, each article has a life of its own and can be enjoyed outside the surrounding framework of the book.
After reading this book, you will have an insatiable desire to hear the instruments that you have just learned so much about. Fortunately, the book comes with a CD, which has performances on each of the six subject organs. One piece by Bengt Hambraeus, called Riflessioni (played on the Marcussen in Oscar's Church, Stockholm, Sweden) will blow you away.
Obviously, this book is for real devotees of classical European pipe organs and their milieu. If you fit in that category, I highly recommend this book to you. However, you will find that a couple of the articles were written BY academics FOR academics (bless them....they can't help it), but the effect is softened by their being intermingled with articles written for the rest of the human race. The only other disappointment involves the last of the six instruments, the North German organ in Orgryte New Church, Goteborg, which was built with the combined efforts of several university research and development teams, scientists in the fields of Metallurgy, Fluid Dynamics, and Applied Acoustics, and all of it coordinated by an international team of organ designers, builders, and voicing specialists. The instrument was conceived as a composite of several Arp Schnitger organs in Hamburg, Zwolle, Lubeck, and Alkmaar. It was completed and subsequently inaugurated in August of 2000. From the picture of it on page 343, it looks magnificent. After such a build-up, you really want to hear what it sounds like, which you can do by listening to the last cut on the CD. However, due to the selection of a particularly dreary piece (a Chorale by Weckmann), and the organist's uninspired choice of registration, the organ unwittingly comes across sounding like what it really is.....an organ built by a committee.
Book Description
How teenage girls can combat the world's definition of self-image through a biblical understanding of who they are. Written like a conversation, this book tells girls how God created them and how he intends for them to love others and themselves.
Customer Reviews:
Highly reccomended.......2007-06-18
This is a great book. I would recommend it to any teen girl. It's well written and very easy to follow. It offers lots of practical advice and shares a biblical perspective without forcing the Bible down your throat. I think all teen girls could appreciate this book and can find something in it that relates to themselves. A must have for any home, even if you don't have girls. It gives you an excellent perspective on how teen girls view themselves and the world around them. You have to buy this book!
This book is awesome!.......2004-02-27
This book is awsome! It's a great book for all christian girls to have, or even non-christians. It helps you see what God thinks about things girls go through and have to deal with every day. I would recommend this book to anyone.
Book Description
Young adult historical fiction brings the past alive through stories of adventure, suspense, and mystery. The genre is both complex and controversial, encompassing novels that range from romance and fantasy to stark historical realism. The book examines t
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