"The Art-Work of the Future" and Other Works

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Poor, frustrated, and angered by the “fashion-mongers and mode-purveyors” of art, Richard Wagner published The Art-Work of the Future in 1849. It marked a turning point in his life: an appraisal of the revolutionary passions of mid-century Europe, his farewell to symphonic music, and his vision of the music to come.

Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was unsurpassable, he wrote. Henceforth "The Folk must of necessity be the Artist of the Future," and only artists who were in harmony with the Folk could know what harmony was for. The essay became a touchstone for Wagner, his family, friends, and followers, as he sought to produce works that thoroughly combined music, dance, drama, and national saga.

In addition to Wagner’s epoch-defining essay, this volume includes his "Autobiographical Sketch," "Art and Climate"; his libretto for an opera, "Wieland the Smith"; and his notorious "Art and Revolution." The concluding piece, "A Communication to My Friends (1851), explains his views on his first successes—The Flying Dutchman, Lohengrin, and Tannhäuser—and defines his agenda for later works.

As spokesman for the future, Wagner spoke most of himself. In these works he set forth his ambitions, identified his enemies, and began a campaign for public attention that made him a legend in his own time and in ours.

i in the Sky: Visions of the Information Future

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i in the Sky: Visions of the Information Future
A. Scammell
Manufacturer: Routledge
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Binding: Hardcover

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Why2K?
Stephen Hayward
Manufacturer: Booth-Clibborn
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1861541457

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Why2K? is a rich collage of text and imagery that brings together writing by a number of Britain's leading authors and addresses some of the key issues that we face as we enter the new millennium. Using innovative design as a key element of its communication, this book raises questions about the nature of identity and belonging, the implications of technological advance, the loss of historical memory and what we mean when we talk about love. This collection includes poetry, travel writing, short stories, scientific essays, political polemic, garden writing and autobiography. With newly commissioned and previously published work from Eric Hobsbawm, Derek Jarman, Germaine Greer, Hanif Kureishi, George Orwell, Louis de Bernires, Michle Roberts, Steve Aylett, Jane Grigson, J.G. Ballard, Virginia Woolf and others. Designed by Jonathan Barnbrook.

Cooking globally eating whenever: the future of dining; a noted food-trend specialist shows what the world's chefs will be dishing up in the coming years.: An article from: The Futurist

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Cooking globally eating whenever: the future of dining; a noted food-trend specialist shows what the world's chefs will be dishing up in the coming years.: An article from: The Futurist
Art Siemering
Manufacturer: World Future Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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This digital document is an article from The Futurist, published by World Future Society on May 1, 2004. The length of the article is 4655 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: Cooking globally eating whenever: the future of dining; a noted food-trend specialist shows what the world's chefs will be dishing up in the coming years.
Author: Art Siemering
Publication: The Futurist (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 1, 2004
Publisher: World Future Society
Volume: 38 Issue: 3 Page: 51(7)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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In 1874, Steacute;phane Mallarmeacute;, the great French poet, undertook a highly idiosyncratic project--the publication of a fashion magazine called La Derniegrave;re Mode (The Latest Fashion)--that he almost single-handedly compiled. Using a variety of feminine and masculine pseudonyms to theorize about fashion and to advise on popular vacation destinations, home furnishings, and entertainment, Mallarmeacute; created a spectacularly original work. The distinguishing feature of Mallarmeacute;'s magazine is that it explores the nature of fashion from the inside. While it is a genuine fashion magazine, it also satirizes the entire genre. Various theories have been entertained about the work: it has been viewed as a prose poem, a hoax, and a cynical money-making venture. Furbank and Cain, however, argue that such guesses are hopelessly off the mark. Complete with the original artwork and a contextualizing introduction and commentary, this is the definitive translation of one of French literature's greatest enigmas.

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With their town devastated by titanic hurricanes, the citizens of the spiral-haunted town of Kurôzu-cho--including Shuichi, Kirie and her family--find themselves cut off from the outside world. Reporters and rescue teams cross the mountain range into Kurôzu-cho only to find themselves unable to leave. Trapped inside the cursed ruins, the desperate survivors struggle and huddle together, waiting to run into giant snails or worse. The very laws of nature are changed as the spiral sucks them in. And to fight it, or to escape, the last survivors must go to the heart of the horror to witness what may be their evenutal fate...

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A must for both the aspiring and seasoned artist. Uniquely geared to the work of theatre and film artists, this book, for the first time, sets out clearly and concisely the ideas, principles, and character typology of various psychological schools from Freudian, Kleinian, and Jungian to contemporary developments. The practical uses and applications of their theories are graphically demonstrated throughout the book by means of numerous examples and in-depth analyses drawn from classic and contemporary theatrical and cinematic literature. Stanislavskian methods are also discussed. An immensely useful, essential tool for character creation and analysis. Features a foreword by noted acting teacher Alice Spivak.

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Rich resource for creating deep and individual characters.......2006-07-05

Anyone who acts or writes should aspire to creating the deepest characters they can -- and what a wealth of contradictions, loves, fears, resentments, childhood hurts, faith and joy is every person on this earth, both the ones born with flesh and the ones someone writes and acts and who often seem realer than your neighbor. (I refuse to even consider that Hamlet or Shylock never lived.) Robert Blumenfeld's new book gives us a history of psychology and how it can be applied to creating many-layered characters; even more fascinating, he delves into specific interpretations of many great characters, and the psychology he himself used when portraying the Marquis of Queensberry in the off-Broadway long-run, complex drama, "The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde."

This is a book about not saying lines as an actor, or writing scenes as a novelist, but portraying the deepest soul of a character, no matter how short the role may be. Doing this is a great joy, and will make the audience member, or casting director, or reader sit up slowly in their seat and find themselves rapt with attention, listening to the endless reverberations under every word and gesture before them.

Keep this book on your shelf and consult it often!

An informative study of the interpretive science of psychology and the methodical analysis of acting & character interpretation.......2006-05-07

Tools And Techniques For Character Interpretation: A Handbook Of Psychology For Actors, Writers, And Directors by New York actor, dialect coach, and writer, Robert Blumenfeld is an informed and informative study of the interpretive science of psychology and the methodical analysis of acting and character interpretation on stage or before cameras. Presenting a superbly written instruction manual on the performance art of acting, Tools And Techniques For Character Interpretation provides readers with a thematically appropriate interpretation of the great psychologists Freud, Klein, and Jung, as well as a practical understanding of the applications of psychological analysis in acting. Tools And Techniques For Character Interpretation is to be given high praise and strong recommendation for all aspiring or practicing actors, directors and screenwriters for its remarkable coverage of the psychology involved with the art of acting. Also very highly recommended by Robert Blumenfeld is "Accents: A Manual for Actors" (Limelight, 2002) and "Acting with the Voice: The Art of Recording Books (Limelight, 2004).

Hmmmm............2006-04-12

In his preface, Blumenfeld explains how his book "takes from the science of behavior tools and techniques that will be useful to the actor in practicing the art of behavior, to the writer in creating characters with depth, and to the director in interpreting scripts." This handbook is fairly heavy reading, but is still accessible to people who are not very familiar with the world of psychology. Thankfully, Chapter 8 is nearly 50 pages of alphabetized psychology terms and topics. Blumenfeld covers basic psychological principles and theories with examples from film and television.

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The Easy Classics books were written to provide beginning to intermediate violinists with an enjoyable introduction to some of the greatest classical melodies. This book features 16 solos and duets in keys suitable for the violin with piano accompaniment. Some of the popular titles include: Ode to Joy by Beethoven; Sleeping Beauty Waltz by Tchaikovsky; Eine kleine Nachtmusik by Mozart; and more. A solo pull-out part is provided with piano accompaniment.

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Brainiacs on the prowl for challenging fun will find everything they're looking for in these cunning conundrums. Puzzle master Terry Stickels has created a mind-melting collection filled with hundreds of diverse and fiendishly tricky problems--including wordplay, math, analytic reasoning, logic, visual dilemmas, and code breaking. Figure out the next number in a series, find hidden phrases, and determine what a three-dimensional object would look like from two-dimensional drawings. Every puzzle provides a workout that strengthens mental muscles. And while these brainteasers do require concentration, they don't demand any special training or high-level math skills. A little practice, patience, and imagination are all it takes.

Customer Reviews:

Terry Stickels has done it again.......2006-12-17

If you like puzzles, this is the book to have. It is full of challenging puzzles of many different kinds. Choose one kind of puzzle and try a couple, or challenge yourself by tackling different ones. Something for every puzzle lover--a terrific collection.

Book Description

Lester Brown, "the guru of the global environmental movement" (The Telegraph of Calcutta), argues that, like the Sumerian and Mayan civilizations, our economy is fast destroying its environmental support systems, threatening future generations. The challenge is to restructure the global economy, replacing our fossil fuel-based, automobile-centered, throwaway economy with a new one that is environmentally sustainable. Brown outlines his vision of the new economy. It will be powered not with fossil fuels but with solar and wind energy. Its urban transport systems will be centered not around the automobile but around light rail and the bicycle. It will not be a throwaway economy but will be a reuse/recycle economy with a stable population. And building this new economy represents the greatest investment opportunity in history. There is no middle ground. Either we build an economy that is environmentally sustainable or stay with our existing economy until environmental deterioration leads to economic decline.

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Eco-Economy: Building an Economy for the Earth.......2006-11-18

This book is an interesting addition to the series of books written by Lester Brown; it includes updated references which are useful.

Book Free Online .......2005-10-07

I bought this as a required book for a college course. In the forward of this book it states that the book is available for free online. Just google "Eco-Economy" and you will find it in its entirety.

Eco-Economy.......2004-12-15

In Eco-Economy, Lester R. Brown first details the current state of the Earth and the economy that operates on it and utilizes its resources. Brown explains the current economic processes and trends, and presents an initial justification for integrating the world's economy into the ecological processes of natural systems, while providing economic security through the protection of these natural systems. Brown asserts, "...[T]he only formulation of economic policy that will succeed is one that respects the principles of ecology" (6). Next, Brown cites the threats and burdens humans have imposed on the environment, including effects on land, climate, water, natural ecosystems, and plant and animal species utilized for human needs, all in justification for his "eco-economy." A transition to an "eco-economy" will allow for a more efficient and sustainable use of resources, and will result in a great reduction in environmental threats posed by humans and an investment into the future perpetuity of the world's ecological systems and resources that provide for economic goods and services.
Finally, Brown details the structure and intricacies of his proposed "eco-economy," one in which solar and wind power would be at the base of an economy that operates with the hydrogen fuel cell, and in which economic processes are cyclical, instead of linear. The eco-economy's cyclical process would channel production and consumer waste outputs back into the system as inputs to be reused. In the eco-economy, cities will be redesigned to become more conducive for people with less congestion and traffic, more mass rail transport systems, and intricate and usable bike transport systems. New industries will be created in the eco-economy to build hydrogen fuel cells and to build and maintain wind energy systems, among others, and a new approach to material usage, production, and consumption will be incorporated to reduce and reuse waste.
Furthermore, Brown details the eco-economy's restructuring of food and water production and distribution systems to increase efficiency, as well as the need for reduced fertility to control population growth. Finally, Brown explains what must be done to allow for the existence of an eco-economy and cites steps and incentives to facilitate the transition from the current conventional economic situation. He summarizes this approach when he writes, "If we use fiscal policy to encourage environmentally constructive activities and to discourage destructive ones, we can steer the economy in a sustainable direction" (235).
Although Lester R. Brown presents insightful and logical solutions to the world's depreciating economic practices in their use of natural resources, current economic situations and the ease of transition to an "eco-economy" is greatly oversimplified. An economy that uses resources sustainable, in a cyclical manner is a noble proposition, but one must be realistic in portraying the ease and likelihood of a switch. Initially, for example, there is a problem with Brown's touting of the cultivation of wind energy as the energy basis of the new eco-economy. He asserts "Millions of turbines soon will be converting wind into electricity, becoming part of the global landscape" (87). Although wind energy production possesses much potential for reducing the current use of fossil fuels for energy, transition to a wind-based energy economy is not quite as simple as Brown advertises. Wind turbines are very large and very expensive, and much public criticism has recently occurred over the production of turbines in natural areas where residents do not want to be degraded or dominated by these massive structures. Such controversy has occurred in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with residents denouncing a proposal to build a wind farm on a nearby offshore site. For wind energy to become the basis of our economy, as Brown asserts, this public perception and backlash must be overcome. Also, creative manipulation of legislative and economic practices that have an inherent financial interest in maintaining the current fossil fuel economy must occur. The oil and other energy and fossil fuel-based industries have much incentive to remain in business, and possess tremendous economic and political influence.
Appropriately, Brown proposes creating an economy which "tells the ecological truth," (234) one in which companies will be forced to bear the costs of production, instead of merely imposing these costs onto the environment and society as externalities. However, although Brown notes that "some companies will be winner and some will be losers" (95) in the new eco-economy, he fails to solidify the point that in order to facilitate economic change to benefit the environment, new environmentally-friendly industries must be made profitable. Not only must tax disincentives be applied to discourage destructive, as well as subsidies to encourage constructive practices, but a full-scale restructuring of the economy must be had for destructive industries to be replaced by constructive ones. Again, this point is dangerously oversimplified, at the expense of portraying the misconception that the current economy's industries can easily be replaced by new constructive industries like wind energy and hydrogen fuel cell production.
Brown writes, "Investments in the infrastructure for the new energy economy, which would eventually have to be made as fossil fuels are depleted..." (94). The environment cannot afford to wait around until "fossil fuels are depleted" as Brown asserts, and since there is much financial incentive to maintain the current fossil fuel economy, immediate and ongoing government monetary and research support must be made to make these constructive industries viable and profitable, to ease and facilitate the ongoing transition to an eco-economy. This switch will not be made overnight as Brown seems to assert, but will be a gradual undertaking.

Profoundly Important Book.......2004-05-27

If money were no object, I would mail copies of Lester Brown's "Eco-Economy" and Paul Hawken's "Natural Capitalism" to every CEO, country leader, and business school dean on the planet. Eco-Economy is a well-researched, balanced, detailed portrayal of where the world is today ecologically, and where the world could be in the future, depending on the choices we make (or fail to make) when it comes to managing our fragile and taxed natural environmnent.
Brown makes his case clear: it is now time for ecologists to team up with economists to ensure that the prices we pay for all goods and services "tell the ecological truth". One of the most critical examples is the price we pay in North America for gasoline: the pump price has never reflected the total true costs that are borne by members of society and by the natutal environment. Until governments impose gasoline taxes that reflect those total true costs, the fossil fuel resource will continue to be undervalued and wasted.
To read Eco-Economy is to go on an emotional roller coaster ride. The earlier chapters accurately describe the perilous state of many ecological systems, such as life-sustaining aquifers being depleted or contaminated, and irreversible soil erosion due to the removal of trees. I found these chapters well worth reading, but very disturbing. What is good news for the reader and, more important, good news for the planet, is that Brown offers numerous examples of how we can (technically, at least; if we could now just muster the required political will) stop or even reverse our erstwhile environmentally damaging behaviour -- in other words, "how to get there from here".
Brown identifies sustainability-related opportunities and responsibilities for all key sectors of the human race: government leaders, business CEOs, NGOs, academics. Further, Brown reminds us that lone individuals can make a difference, too: the publishing of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring represented a much-needed "threshold" that prompted the world to re-think its use of DDT. Thus, for those of us who do not run a government or a company, we have the power of the pen on our side, and we can choose to exercise that power.

A convincing vision of a sustainable society.......2004-01-16

Lester Brown, Chairman of the Worldwatch Institute, which is known for the high quality of its reports, presents his vision of an environmentally sustainable economy - an eco-economy. The purpose of his book is to show that we have no alternative to restructuring the economy if we want economic progress, to describe with some degree of confidence what the eco-economy will look like and to outline a strategy of how to get there in the time available.

After cataloguing the grim decline in the planet's ability to carry on with business as usual, and pointing out that mismanagement is destroying forests, rangelands, fisheries and croplands, - the four eco-systems that supply our food and, except for minerals, all our raw materials - Eco-Economy provides hope that the solutions are within our reach, affordable and can lead to new employment opportunities and a higher standard of living.

An economy is sustainable only if it respects the principles of ecology; if it does not, it will decline and eventually collapse; there is no middle ground. Relying on distorted market signals to guide investment decisions is a recipe for disaster. We need a change in mind set similar to that when our ancestors accepted that the earth revolves around the sun.

Twenty five years ago the concept of environmentally sustainable development - restoring carbon balances, stabilizing population and water tables, conserving forests, soils and plant/animal diversity - was introduced but not one country is progressing satisfactorily on all fronts. Nonetheless glimpses of the eco-economy are visible. Many countries have stabilized their population - the first requirement for a sustainable future, - banned construction of coal-fired power plants or nonrefillable beverage containers, reforested, and encouraged use of bicycles. These are all facets of building a sustainable economy in marked contrast to the fossil-fuel-based, automobile-centered, throwaway economy of today.

Perhaps the most profound change will occur in the energy field where wind-generated energy at a cost as low as four cents per watt is likely to be a major source of energy for the foreseeable future. By electrolyzing water to produce hydrogen during slack times we have the means of storing wind energy and, in due course, of transporting it through defunct oil and gas pipe lines. Use of natural gas will keep expanding for the present as it is an ideal fuel for the transition from a carbon-based economy to one based on hydrogen. Together, electricity and hydrogen can meet all the needs of a modern society. Other renewable sources of energy will play a lesser role. During the 1990s photovoltaic sales increased by an average of 20% per year, climbing by 43% in 2000, while the capacity of geothermal increased by 4% and hydro by 2%. Energy conservation and efficiency is still the best investment we can make with such items as compact fluorescent lamps having a very rapid pay back. The United States could meet the Kyoto protocol by 2010 simply by moving to Europe's energy efficiency levels, which in turn are not yet taking full advantage of the state of the art technologies.

The second major change will occur in materials handling. Failure to adopt a comprehensive recycling program has resulted in removing New York City's 12,000 ton daily output of garbage in a fleet of vehicles 15 km long, on the 900 km round trip. A simple measure like recycling paper would shorten the convoy by 4.5kms. Metals are a major problem as their mining and processing are environmentally destructive and energy intensive. Redesigning the materials economy to be compatible with the eco-system includes such measures as easy disassembly for recycling, reducing waste generation, banning throw away beverage containers, improved methods of manufacturing, clustering factories so that waste from one acts as an input to another, legislation requiring a minimum percentage of recycled material and setting a zero emissions goal. Most worrying of all is China's rapid rise in standard of living and the world's inability to support a western standard of living with a western way of doing business. As an example if annual paper use in China were to rise to US levels, it would need more paper than the world currently produces. Mr. Brown describes ways to do the same job using far less raw material.

In similar fashion the book deals with agriculture and food, forest products, cities, population stabilization, and leadership.

This book has helped me in two ways. First, I lacked a grand and convincing vision of what a sustainable society might look like and the second was that in a period of such rapid change I feared that an investment today might turn out to be a white elephant tomorrow. I believe that the future painted by Lester Brown is not only possible but is almost bound to happen if each of us do our part, as much is already being put in place. I can adopt his vision as my vision feeling much more confident in my actions and that I can leave a better world to my children and grandchildren.

In Bangkok one evening at 9pm all television stations focused on a huge electricity meter while the announcer asked everyone to switch off unnecessary lights and electrical appliances. Everyone was amazed to see the meter wind down enough to switch out two power stations. We have to remember that building a sustainable economy requires both major structural changes in addition to billions of small actions world wide.

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