George Inness and the Science of Landscape

Book Description

George Inness (1825-94), long considered one of America's greatest landscape painters, has yet to receive his full due from scholars and critics. A complicated artist and thinker, Inness painted stunningly beautiful, evocative views of the American countryside. Less interested in representing the details of a particular place than in rendering the "subjective mystery of nature," Inness believed that capturing the spirit or essence of a natural scene could point to a reality beyond the physical or, as Inness put it, "the reality of the unseen."

Throughout his career, Inness struggled to make visible what was invisible to the human eye by combining a deep interest in nineteenth-century scientific inquiry—including optics, psychology, physiology, and mathematics—with an idiosyncratic brand of mysticism. Rachael Ziady DeLue's George Inness and the Science of Landscape—the first in-depth examination of Inness's career to appear in several decades—demonstrates how the artistic, spiritual, and scientific aspects of Inness's art found expression in his masterful landscapes. In fact, Inness's practice was not merely shaped by his preoccupation with the nature and limits of human perception; he conceived of his labor as a science in its own right.

This lavishly illustrated work reveals Inness as profoundly invested in the science and philosophy of his time and illuminates the complex manner in which the fields of art and science intersected in nineteenth-century America. Long-awaited, this reevaluation of one of the major figures of nineteenth-century American art will prove to be a seminal text in the fields of art history and American studies.

Customer Reviews:

Both good and bad........2006-11-19

It is with no end of begrudging that I award five stars to this book. It is unconscionable that University of Chicago Press published this fabulous text on Inness' work, but included a mere twenty-one color prints, at that most of them two a page, and charges $50 for it! If you consider buying it, do so with the sure knowledge that Dr. DeLue's work is a classic, not to be missed, her analysis extremely depthful, her prose elegant. As for UofC Press, how greedy. For shame!

God's Landscapes.......2005-03-18

This is a terrific book, beautiful and thought-provoking, about one of America's best and most intriguing artists. The author shows how Inness' desire to help people see more deeply, to see God behind the landscapes, shaped his paintings. It is a delight to read how ideas have consequences in art; how deliberate Inness was in his project; and then to see how gorgeous his paintings are.

The only reason it does not get 5 stars from me? Not enough color plates. But it really is a fine book.

George Inness and the Science of Landscape

Average customer rating:

George Inness and the Science of Landscape
Rachael Ziady DeLue
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OPL6Q8

Book Description

The Writer's Retreat Kit is a portable book-and-card package with practical prompts for writers. Each retreat contains exercises and tips to get writers and artists started and keep them going.

Customer Reviews:

not as wonderful as i had hoped.......2007-05-17

so, i guess it just was not all that i thought it could/should/would be in the right hands (mine). i'm sure it has all the perfect things for someone, but not me. don't get me wrong-- it was not horrible. it just wasn't inspiring, and i needed that this time. it also wasn't very informative. i'm still going to keep it on the ref-shelf here, but i don't think it will spawn the great american...oh look. my cursor blinks when i stop typing. in short, it was no Writing Down the Bones.

Very nice package with minor flaws.......2006-03-08

Cute little package with a booklet and cards for inspiration and quick reference and inspiration. The booklet binding is not good as the first two pages read were torn out by simply turning the page. The glue that holds the book together needs work as it is a nice little keepsake. The cards are of great quality and can see them lasting quite a while. Most of the ideas for retreats are pretty common and if you are a writer, you could find those ideas on your own easily and many more. I do appreciate the oveall serene and calm reading it was and I do recommend it. Be extremely careful with turning the pages and you can have a cute little kit that can be used time and time again.

A Box of Inspiration.......2006-01-02

I do love New World Library's books. They're always beautifully produced-- and this one's no exception. It's delightfully written and designed.

Author Judy Reeves surveyed about 100 writers about writing retreats during the making of this kit. One of the things she discovered was that writers nearly always believed that a retreat had to involve traveling away from home at least overnight. To this, she answers, "Consider that a writing retreat is not necessarily a place, but a concept. Consider the word retreat not as a noun but as a verb." In other words, retreats surely can involve travel-- but they can also be just as "real" if they occur in your bedroom, backyard, or at a local park or café. What matters more than location is intention.

In that spirit, Judy offers 20 "themed" retreats. Each theme has its own mini-chapter, and the chapters have four sections of ideas: Time Away, Day Retreats, Mini-Retreats, and Retreats at Home. Time away is the "luxury" option, involving at least a few days of travel. A day retreat is 24 hours or less, a mini-retreat is a brief (a couple of hours or less) respite, and a retreat at home is... well, a retreat at home!

In addition to ideas for where to go and what prompts and exercises to try, there are also ideas for what to bring, what to read, what to do when you're not writing, and even a couple of recipes. It's an amazing wellspring of ideas.

There's a slight "New Age" bent to the book, which I enjoyed, but some religious folk may take umbrage to the "Oracles" theme and a few of the more "otherworldly" suggestions. Of course, they can just skip those parts if they choose.

The writing advice is firmly rooted in the Natalie Goldberg/Julia Cameron school of letting the pen guide you and turning off your internal censors. But the craft advice is minimal in this book; its primary focus is on direct suggestions for sparking creativity and getting "in flow."

If you're feeling blocked, or stagnant, or just need to remember why it is you write in the first place, this book may become your best friend. It can help you reconnect with yourself and your love of writing, as well as provide you with inspiration for hundreds of stories. It's also a thoughtful gift for just about any writer in your life.

--Jenna Glatzer, editor in chief of AbsoluteWrite.com and author of The Street-Smart Writer

"Travel Kit" Helps Writers Discover Alternative Retreats.......2005-04-29

As a writer I have been blessed. I live in paradise and, at anytime, can sit on my deck and gaze out over the lake, listen to wind whistling through the trees, or admire the millions of stars overhead. I can walk through the woods, sit and watch birds and animals, admire the trout attempting to climb up the creek to spawn, and glean inspiration and rejuvenation from my environment on a daily basis. However not everyone has the options I do. Judy Reeves has found a way to assist any writer, living anywhere. This kit helps you to connect with your muse while teaching how to create a retreat right where you are.

"The Writer's Retreat Kit" by Judy Reeves is a gem. The attractive kit includes a book and a deck of cards. The prose in the book takes you on a gentle and innovative cruise. Your passage through a variety of expeditions teaches you alternatives to "traditional" retreats. Each theme offers four options and suggestions for additional nourishment. The work also provides exercises along with ideas for starting and ending ceremonies. The cards can be pulled for inspiration or direction, too. The combinations are endless.

Judy Reeves is a talented author who is a muse to writers all over the globe. In addition to contributing great and innovative programs for the writing community in San Diego, Judy was one of the first guest speakers and authors hosted by my Alliance of Writers. She blessed me by writing about the group in her, "Writing Along, Writing Together."

If you need a gift for a writer--or are a writer looking for something innovative and fresh--this is a winner!

Intriguing.......2005-04-02

This kit is very interesting. I've seen other "writer's retreat" books attempted before (one involved setting aside 3 days!) but this one is more flexible. It offers 20 themed 'retreats' and within each one, suggests 4 variations depending on how much time you have to spare, from a weekend to just a few minutes.

The cards are actually larger than "pocket" size. A few list suggestions for getting into the mood for your retreat, making a gradual entrance into it and a graceful exit out of it. The remainder of the cards are each tied to one of the 20 themes and list plenty of writing prompts. (I'm more of a fiction writer and while there were some suitable prompts, most were more approachable by poets and those who journal.) I don't know why the cards, since they'd do just fine as part of the book, and cards can be lost, damaged, or - given their size - a little unwieldly.

For me personally, I like this kit and would recommend it highly for those days when you're just itching to write *something* and you just don't know *what*.

Creative disciplines;: Explorations in awareness

Average customer rating:

Creative disciplines;: Explorations in awareness
Toska Tolces
Manufacturer: B. Wheelwright co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Study & Teaching | Reference | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007EML9W

Book Description

From the authors of Would You Rather, comes Do Unto Others, A Life's Little Instruction Book for those looking to add a little lunacy to their lives.With over 1,000 off-the-wall things to do in over 50 locations (churchs, shopping malls, public bathrooms, etc.), Justin Heimberg and David Gomberg have created a laugh-a-minute guide to disturbing and disgusting those around you.Here are some sample suggestions:Things to Do During a Job Interview --Answer all questions in interpretive dance --If they ask.... "So Where Are you From?" You answer.... "I'm probably the creation of some insane wizard." Fun Things to Do in a Mall --At the bookstore, hang out in self-help section, hit on vulnerable women. --Offer to pay for things in a) pennies b) acorns c) "tales of adventure"From the outlandish to the absurd, DO UNTO OTHERS covers all the bases of how to make the most out of mundane situations.AUTHORBIO: Justin Heimberg and David Gomberg are the esteemed authors of WOULD YOU RATHER.... and WOULD YOU RATHER 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO.

Customer Reviews:

Not So Much With The Funny.......2007-07-28

From the other reviews I pretty much expected a bunch of things that you could literally carry out with a little planning, kind of like Penn & Teller's book Cruel Tricks for Dear Friends. As near as I can figure, those reviews were written by the authors' entire circle of friends.

What you get instead is a barely-sorted list of surrealist nonsense that tries way, WAY too hard to be funny and fails nearly every time. I have to confess that I smiled at a couple of the entries, but this is not the laugh-out-loud book that I thought it would be.

Seriously funny.......2007-07-09

Very, very funny little book for those with a quirky sense of humor on what not to do in social situations. Maybe not for everyone, but it may make you giggle into a mild sweat the whole length of an airplane ride.

A bunch of stoners trying to make a buck!.......2007-06-08

Stupid! I don't know how I got suckered into this. I thought it might be fun for my ESL class but I'd be too embarrased to read or more or less show it to anyone!

because you were meaning to quit your job and alienate you neighbors anyway.......2006-12-10

This is a pretty small unassuming book-shaped-object (about the size of a cd case and only about 100 pages long) but it certainly packs a wallop.

It's basically a collection of lists of asinine things you can do to make certain situations a tab bit more interesting for you and loads more uncomfortable for others.

Very funny. Even if you decided you don't want to be exiled from polite society and thereby refrain from doing any suggested activity in the book, it's lots of fun to *imagine* yourself doing them.

In appreciation of the unexpected!.......2005-04-03

Nonsense, though usually an annoyance, has proven itself to be quite useful. Nonsense breaks the monotony and stale routine of day to day life. It makes things interesting. It's only an annoyance when you are on the receiving end. When delivering, nonsense is a powerful tool for humor, manipulation, and self-entertainment. And that's where this book finds its place in the world.
Everyday (and not-so-everyday) situations can be turned into memorble events with a little help from this book. Learn the most innapropriate yet humorous gobbledygook to spout when things take a turn into Dullsville. For example- Things to Do to Annoy Alex Trebek if You're on Jeopardy: 1.)Phrase answers in unconventional question forms: "Is it..."; "Would it happen to be..."; "Do you suppose maybe it is..."; "What in the Sam Hill is..." 3.) Call Alex "Wink." 6.) Answer, "What is a pompous Canadian who over-articulates?"
An excellent springboard for wacky ideas, this book should leave you with a general appreciation for amphigory and knowledge of how to apply it into your life.

Book Description

Born in 1879, the daughter of a Viennese painter, Alma Mahler inspired the passionate love and devotion of an astonishing array of creative artists. She married three of them--the composer Gustav Mahler, the architect Walter Gropius, and the writer Franz Werfel--and had a host of admirers and
lovers, including the painters Oscar Kokoschka, Egon Schiele, and Gustav Klimpt. The composer Alban Berg dedicated his opera Wozzeck to her and a violin concerto to the memory of her daughter, Manon, who died of polio.
In Alma Mahler, Francoise Giroud provides a spirited portrait of one of Europe's great femme fatales, ranging from her childhood (she was raised on a steady diet of Nietzche) to her heyday as a leading figure in Europe's art scene, to her later life as an exile in California and New York. We meet
a woman of remarkable beauty and unconventional mind, the possessor of a fine, demanding intelligence, who was highly conscious of herself as a member of the elite, a woman never truly conquered by her lovers. Her last husband, Franz Werfel, called her "one of the very few sorceresses of our time."
And indeed when she appeared, her presence attracted all eyes as she moved like a queen through a room. And what eyes she drew. Virtually all the great figures of 19th-century Vienna march through these pages, including Sigmund Freud, Richard Strauss, Arnold Schonberg, Hugo van Hofmannsthal, Karl
Kraus, and Elias Canetti, and Giroud pens striking portraits of each. There are also many memorable scenes: Franz Werfel singing Verdi arias with James Joyce in a Paris cafe; the young Gropius, having an affair with then-married Alma, chased from the Mahler home by guard dogs and taking refuge under
a bridge; Kokoschka, after his affair with Alma has died, commissioning a life-sized doll, a faithful reproduction of his former lover. But the heart of the book is Alma's marriage to Mahler. We read Alma's own first impression of Mahler--"He is terribly nervous. He paced around the room like a wild
animal. He's pure oxygen. You get burnt if you go too near." Unfortunately for Mahler, his attempt to subjugate his young wife to his will--"you have only one profession from now on: to make me happy"--led to disaster, and he himself was burnt.
Alma Mahler stood at the center of the creative world, the intimate friend (if not lover) of the major artists of her age, and Giroud paints an unforgettable portrait. It was awarded France's Grand Prix litteraire de la femme in 1988.

Customer Reviews:

A TYPICAL LOVE AFFAIR IN BELLE EPOQUE ERA.......2002-10-09

Like CAROLINE OTERO,MISIA SERT and a few others,ALMA MAHLER came to symbolize the emerging power of women in the arts,at least in terms of the influence they had over their famous husbands.What FRANCOISE GIROUD tried to establish with that book,is that GUSTAV MAHLER gradually destroyed his wife's personnality.We've come a long way since then,but back then,it was almost impossible for a woman to made a name for herself ,even if she had a strong personnality.It was simply put a man's world,and FRANCOISE GIROUD in a true feminist way has found herself a good subject with the love affair between the composer and ALMA.I enjoyed reading this a lot.It's actually not a so called biography,more an essay about love and the way it can alter your life.

ALMA MAHLER OR THE ART OF BEING LOVED. Translated by R. M. Stock.

Average customer rating:

ALMA MAHLER OR THE ART OF BEING LOVED. Translated by R. M. Stock.
Françoise. Giroud
Manufacturer: Oxford Univ. Press,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000TFIR6K

Average customer rating:

Not for the faint of heart

Excellent book for learning Chinese Chess

The most comprehensive English book on the game.

Chinese Chess: An Introduction to China's Ancient Game of Strategy
H. T. Lau
Manufacturer: Tuttle Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Chess | Board Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
China | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 080483508X

Customer Reviews:

Not for the faint of heart.......2001-11-30

Well, it's a good book such as it is. I wanted to give it 3.5 or even 4 stars. I just didn't feel it delivered what it advertised.

The *tons* of recorded games in the appendices are great. The total lack of annotation is terrible. Perhaps many or most people don't need annotation, but the book was advertised as a book for *beginners* and I am in fact a total beginner, and I found the lack of annotation to be extremely unhelpful. I can't understand why many of the moves are made - and there are even a few games which end in resignation in which I don't understand why the player resigned. Now, like I said, probably many people don't need this explained, but I do, and if you think you would need these kinds of things explained, then this is not the book for you.

On the other hand the explanations of the various openings (8 openings and 8 responses are discussed) are quite good. Again, they will seem high-level to a total beginner like me. There are a lot of things it is assumed you will understand which you might not understand. But still, if you have a board in front of you and play through the moves as you go through the discussion, you will be at least somewhat edified.

Unfortunately, the discussion doesn't really go in-depth. The openings and responses are given, and some comments like "red intends to attack the right side" or "blue is defending the central line" are given at the end of the listing, but no real discussion of the implications of the moves are given. Xianqui is a very tactical game - even more tactical than Western Chess because of the extreme importance of aggressiveness and sacrifice in the game. For that reason, I feel a more detailed discussion of the results of the various opening systems was in order.

So, all in all a decent book but it is quite scary if you aren't ready. Not *really* a beginner's book though I think it is trying to be one.

Here's what it is that bothers me - it reads like a textbook; as though it is assuming you have an instructor there with you to go over the text and to help explain the material. Unfortunately, of course, there is no such instructor so it's kind of like trying to learn the Chinese language by yourself out of a slightly outdated textbook with no access to native speakers to practice with or ask questions of.

But it *is* one of only *two* books on Xianqui strategy I can find anywhere on the net, so the final judgement is: buy it, but be prepared.

Excellent book for learning Chinese Chess.......2000-02-23

This is a beautifully bound book, well suited for beginners and intermediate players of Chinese chess.

The most comprehensive English book on the game........1997-01-10

The game of Chinese chess, or 'elephant chess' as it is known in Chinese, has been played for centuries. Since, naturally, most of the books heretofore published on this challenging game of strategy have been in the Chinese language, the present book by H. T. Lau renders a welcome service to another large group of game-lovers the world over. Explained with clear examples coupled with about 170 diagrams are the fundamental aspects of Chinese chess - the board, the mode of movement and values of the pieces, and the basic rules. The reader will note that there are interesting variations on the Western chess theme (although no prior knowledge of other forms of chess are necessary for an understanding of this book). Once the basics have been outlined, standard opening strategies are explicated, as are tactics for use once the game gets under way. Strategies used with various combinations of pieces commonly remaining toward the conclusion of the game are described in a chapter devoted to the end-game, which is perhaps the phase that the beginner should master first. This section shows how a player with seemingly few pieces left can win a game, and how a player in what looks like a losing situation can force a draw. Eightly mid- and end-game exercises designed to sharpen the player's skill are presented with answers at the end of the book. Finally, two appendixes are devoted to the elegantly constructed games found in two classic seventeenth-century works on Chinese chess. Here, then, is a book for both the novice and the chess fan who wants to add to his or her repertoire of fun.

Average customer rating:

A Worthwhile Read for Any Multi-Family Real Estate Investor

Need more concrete answers

We'll talk about that later!

The answer!

Great Real Estate Investment Book

Rich Dad's Advisors®: The ABC's of Real Estate Investing: The Secrets of Finding Hidden Profits Most Investors Miss (Rich Dad's Advisors)
Ken McElroy
Manufacturer: Business Plus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0446691844

Customer Reviews:

A Worthwhile Read for Any Multi-Family Real Estate Investor.......2007-09-30

I purchased and read this book after hearing an interview that talked about Ken's next book in the series--the more advanced version of this book. I've been a real-estate investor for some years and along with my two partners we own 1800 units in three western states. I've never before read an investment book that I didn't have some major disagreements with before reading this one. Actually, the only thing surprising to me was that Ken doesn't provide emergency lock-out service for his residents. We do, but many things in this business are counter-intuitive. I'd like to know his reasons. It's too bad he doesn't have a blog--and even though I'm not reviewing his personal website, he needs an update including downloads of the forms he promises to have available there in the book (they're still coming soon according to the web-site, but it's 3 years since the book came out).
There seems to be a lot of confusion among the reviewers as to who this book should appeal to. I think to all: from beginner to seasoned investor. Some who feel it doesn't address them in the reviews haven't paid attention. Buying single family homes and renting them is speculation. Small mom and pop rentals are also not investing any more than is flipping homes. I've watched these speculators come and go over the years--good luck to them they'll need it. Meanwhile if you're an ambitious 20 something who wants to go into real-estate who doesn't have the money, go to work for someone like me, or if you like more structure, for a large property management company and learn the business and you'll find lots of money available to you. If you're older, like I was, find some partners, take the risk and plan to work.
A saying I've always remembered is: Wise men learn from others' mistakes, fools from their own, and the rest just don't learn. I've always aspired to be at least a fool, but I wouldn't hesitate to learn from the mistakes of others. I recommend the book.

Need more concrete answers.......2007-08-02

Book is a good read, but I felt I needed more concrete answers to my questions. Maybe more strategies or specific steps to take in different scenarios.

I have found another book that answered my questions and had more strategies to share. Bubble Proof: Real Estate Strategies that Work in any Market by Tonja Demoff. Great read!

We'll talk about that later!.......2007-06-27

Author spends a lot of time telling you he will discuss it in a later chapter. Overall a decent book with relevent information.

The answer!.......2007-06-10

If you are serious about investing in real estate,then this is the real estate "Bible" of investing.

Great Real Estate Investment Book.......2007-05-14

This book was an excellent primer in Investing in Real Estate. I was extremely pleased with the easy to understand material, and guidelines it provided me on the subject. I would highly recommend it to anyone that is serious about investing in real estate.

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