Book Description
Armies and empires, statesmen and tyrants--the acclaimed historian Robin Lane Fox vividly recounts the history of two great civilizations and one thousand years that forged the Western world
The classical civilizations of Greece and Rome once dominated the world, and they continue to fascinate and inspire us. Classical art and architecture, drama and epic, philosophy and politics--these are the foundations of Western civilization. In The Classical World, eminent classicist Robin Lane Fox brilliantly chronicles this vast sweep of history from Homer to the reign of Augustus. From the Peloponnesian War through the creation of Athenian democracy, from the turbulent empire of Alexander the Great to the creation of the Roman Empire and the emergence of Christianity, Robin Lane Fox serves as our witty and trenchant guide. He introduces us to extraordinary heroes and horrific villains, great thinkers and blood-thirsty tyrants. Throughout this vivid tour of two of the greatest civilizations the world has ever known, we remain in the hands of a great master.
Customer Reviews:
A great overview.......2007-08-22
I knew a lot about bits and pieces of classical culture and history, but this book put it all together nicely. It would defenitely be best for people who have an interest in the topic going in. It gets a bit encyclopedic in places, but overall a good and informative read.
Fill-in the gaps in your knowledge of history and have fun doing it.......2007-05-31
I enjoy reading history and decided on this book to give me information about an era I know little about, ancient Greece and Rome. This work is an excellent introduction to this topic and is quite enjoyable to read. The chapters are generally twelve pages or less, so it is convenient to sample the material in small doses. And those doses prove to be fascinating enough to tempt the reader to push on through succeeding chapters even as the eyelids grow heavy at night.
This is a narrative history which chronologically traces the developments of both societies. It is heavy on political events, but provides enough social history to make the period come alive. Fox's work can serve as a fine springboard for later reading in more concentrated areas that the reader may wish to explore. For the person with an interest in history, Professor Fox lays a basic foundation and provides a strong sense of understanding what made Grecian and Roman societies work. In an engaging style, he helps us understand how many traditions, practices, and values evolved in western civilization.
The Classical World is an excellent introduction to the ancient world for the general reader.......2007-05-21
Rome was not built in a day. Neither was Athens or Alexandria or your knowledge of the ancient world! "The Classcial World" is a long book with
small print which will give you a good working understanding of the classical world from Homer (8th century BC) to Hadrian the Roman ruler of the second century AD.
Fox is an Oxford Scholar best known for his book on Alexander the Great used by Oliver Stone in his making of the movie "Alexander." In being forced to cover over 900 years of history it is impossible for Fox to cover, in detail, all the political, social, literary and scientific advances made in that near millenium. Rather, Fox gives us a political survey of the times with some social history included. The chapters are short and digestable. We learn of what is what like to live in the Athens of Pericles or the Rome of Julius Caesar. Fox teaches us about blood sports, sexual morality, literature and the complicated politics of the distant past over 40 generations ago. We meet such seminal figures in Western culture as Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Caesar, Cleopatra, Mark Antony and Latin authors such as Tacitus, Virgil, Suetonius as well as Greek historians Herodotus & Thucydides. The philosophy of Plato and Aristotle is explored. We see empires rise and fall. We meet early Christians such as Paul and see the impact of Christianity on the Roman Empire.
This book is written in a plain easy to comprehend style. The book is well illustrated containing good maps. The most interesting section, to this reviewer, was the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of emperors in the first century BC. Emperors from the Julian-Claudian dynasty are fascinating. Caesar, Augusutus; Tiberius; Caligula; Claudius; Nero are well drawn.
Fox says three major themes are apparent in the way ancients looked at the world" Freedom-from Athenian republicanism to the tyranny of Roman emperors; justice issues were important to the ancients as were the role of luxury in life. The Spartan Greeks would have been appalled at the wanton luxury and sybratic lifestyle of the Roman aristocracy.
This book would do well as a basic textbook for Ancient History 101.
Sweeping history of the Classical World.......2007-02-24
Robin Lane Fox has authored a sweeping history of what he calls "The Classical World," from Homer's Greece to Hadrian's Roman Empire. While a work of such scope means that there cannot be great depth in discussing any point in that era; on the other hand, it provides a bird's eye view of issues, themes, and change over time. The author himself notes that (page xv): "It is a challenge to be asked to write a history of some none hundred years, especially when the evidence is so scattered and diverse, but it is a challenge which I have enjoyed."
Some definitional issues. Lane defines "The Classical World" as (page 1) ". . .the world of the ancient Greeks and Romans, some forty lifetimes before our own but still able to challenge us by a humanity shared with ours." Fox ceases his narrative with the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian. Why? Lane says (page 2): ". . .'classical literature' ends in his reign. . . ." Even more important Page 2), ". . .is that Hadrian himself was the emperor with the most evident classicizing tastes."
First, Fox focuses on three themes across this span of history--freedom, justice, and luxury. He believes that each of these--and the changes that occurred with time--can help explain the sweep of events.
Second, he divides the time span into several eras, and treats each separately, although noting how the themes of freedom, justice, and luxury play out in each. "The Archaic Greek World" begins with Homer's Greece and concludes with the great Persian Wars. The next time period is what Fox refers to As "The Classical Greek World." This period runs from the rise of democratic Athens, the Peloponnesian War, Socrates, the rise of Philip of Macedon. The next phase is what he terms "Hellenistic Worlds," beginning with Alexander the Great's incredible success and the development of one of the world's largest empires. This frame runs until the final struggles between Carthage and Rome. Fox then moves on to a discussion of "The Roman Republic." Here, he considers the increase in luxury in Rome, the intrigues among Pompey, Julius Caesar, and Caesar's death. He follows this with a discussion "From Republic to Empire." The chapters in this segment include the rise of Octavian (to Augustus), his conflicts with Mark Antony, the Civil War against the assassins of Caesar, and so on. The last portion of the book, "An Imperial World," traces the post-Augustan period, concluding with Hadrian's rule.
Under Hadrian, according to Fox (page 571): ". . .the two worlds of this book, the classical Greek and the Roman, came closely together. Hadrian's love of Greek culture is evident in his patronage, his favours for Greek cities (especially Athens) and his personal romantic life."
In a history as large as this, one sacrifices depth for breadth. It is interesting to note Fox's rather dismissive treatment of Julius Caesar and Octavian/Augustus, as compared with more sympathetic treatments of each in the recent biographies by Goldsworthy and Everitt. Also, Everitt's biography of Cicero provides greater depth on that key figure in the period of time when the Republic was moving toward Empire. All in all, this is a well written book and worth looking at by those interested in this slice of history.
Readable but not compelling.......2007-02-21
Overall, TCW is an adequate survey of over-arching trends in Greco-Roman history. I found the writing style strange, however. Perhaps I'm just more accustomed to linear narratives but TCW seems to lack focus (not to mention depth, but that's to be expected in a general survey).
What is interesting is the theme that runs through the entire work: the correlation between "luxury" (i.e. concentration of wealth and conspicuous consumption) and tyranny/corruption (including sexual mores). I'm not sure if this theme is deliberate or if the author is simply reflecting the values of his sources. Either way, this theme colors the history presented.
What I did like, however, was that relatively little ink was spent on Alexander and Caesar. IMHO it's too easy to get wrapped up in these individuals at the expense of their greater historical context. (Sure, they're interesting but there are plenty of books dealing with them). I was also pleased with the chapters dealing with the Diadochi (the Successors to Alexander the Great).
Another interesting aspect of the book was the (to a significant degree) common culture shared between the Greeks and the Romans. More traditional histories seem to treat the Romans as having emerged independent of and isolated from the larger Greek world that was really the dominate culture in much of the Mediterranean (and the Black Sea, for that matter). That was, perhaps, the most enlightening contribution of the book (for me, at least).
Overall, TCW is an adequate general survey of the subject but not exactly a compelling read.
Book Description
A full, authoritative, and wholly engaging account of these endlessly fascinating tales and of the ancient society in which they were created.
Greek myths are among the most complex and influential stories ever told. From the first millennium BC until today, the myths have been repeated in an inexhaustible series of variations and reinterpretations. They can be found in the latest movies and television shows and in software for interactive computer games.
This book combines a retelling of Greek myths with a comprehensive account of the world in which they developed—their themes, their relevance to Greek religion and society, and their relationship to the landscape.
- "Contexts, Sources, Meanings" describes the main literary and artistic sources for Greek myths, and their contexts, such as ritual and theater.
- "Myths of Origin" includes stories about the beginning of the cosmos, the origins of the gods, the first humans, and the founding of communities.
- "The Olympians: Power, Honor, Sexuality" examines the activities of all the main divinities.
- "Heroic exploits" concentrates on the adventures of Perseus, Jason, Herakles, and other heroes.
- "Family sagas" explores the dramas and catastrophes that befall heroes and heroines.
- "A Landscape of Myths" sets the stories within the context of the mountains, caves, seas, and rivers of Greece, Crete, Troy, and the Underworld.
- "Greek Myths after the Greeks" describes the rich tradition of retelling, from the Romans, through the Renaissance, to the twenty-first century.
Complemented by lavish illustrations, genealogical tables, box features, and specially commissioned drawings, this will be an essential book for anyone interested in these classic tales and in the world of the ancient Greeks. 250 illustrations, 120 in color.
Customer Reviews:
text book.......2007-09-09
Reminds me of a college text book. It's very informative, so be prepared. It's not just a collection of the myths.
Well Constructed and Visually Engaging.......2007-01-22
I've been picking through the gamut of Greek myth texts for an introductory course, and I was fortunate to come across this beauty. It's not just a mythology text that the art historian can use, it's the ONLY classical myth "textbook" I have encountered that could legitimately appeal to art history classes. There are illustrations (usually color photos) on every page. The quality of the pages and binding itself is also really quality stuff. The narration is pretty standard. It's more of a summary text kind of thing than the various excerpts you find in other classical myth texts. I wouldn't use any of the other mythology texts, but this one makes a wonderful supplement to primary source material such as Homer, Hesiod and/or the tragedians. This thing raises the bar for the presentation of classical myth books.
The most beautiful book I have ever owned!.......2007-01-09
Not only does The Complete World of Greek Mythology give the reader a panoramic view of the major motifs of ancient Greek mythology, but there are breath-taking illustrations on every page. It is a magnificent book! And what a bargain. The publishers could easily charge twice as much. Tom Browder
Excellent........2005-06-18
An enormously engaging and highly explanatory work which details ancient greek religious beliefs and the works of the major playwrights and poets alike. What is of particular interest is how Gods and the stories of Myths of Gods and Godess's helped to explain the surrounding world to the people of the time. What is remarkable is these stories really were the first kind of documented evidence of humanity making sense of it's exsistance, purpose and meaning. A phenomena which has been occuring in revised and multi-cultural forms ever since.
The Myths are surprising, intelligent and familair at once, they are remarkable informative and have much contemporary resonance. A classic work on a classic subject.
Are the gods still with us?.......2004-07-16
Seeing the recent movie "Troy" (twice) sparked my reading Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey" (Lombardo's translation). But Homer left gaps, assuming his audience was familiar with the mythology. Buxton's book very nicely, comprehensively and entertainingly fills in those gaps. It's fun to read or just peruse by itself, or as a reference.
Even so I'm struck by the early Greeks' absolute belief in the gods, in the gods' presence, and in their power over men and events. Given those Greeks' knowledge of their world back then, I suppose such beliefs were to be expected. But we've come a long way in the intervening three millennia - still many today profess belief in God, the angels and saints. Based on what's known today about our world, in my book, "Concepts: A ProtoTheist Quest for Science-Minded Skeptics", I propose an alternative to such beliefs.
Amazon.com
Popular classicist Peter Green (author of Alexander of Macedon, 356-323 B.C.) offers an engrossing narrative of the wars between the Greeks and the Persians. This is real David-and-Goliath material, with the scrappy, feuding city-states of ancient Greece fending off a much larger aggressor. The conflicts themselves are a kind of struggle for the soul of Western civilization: "On the one side, the towering, autocratic figure of the Great King; on the other, the voluntary and imperfect discipline of proudly independent citizens." The Greeks surprisingly fare better in these encounters, and make themselves legends on the plains of Marathon (192 Greek casualties versus 6,400 Persians), during the heroic last stand at Thermopylae, and elsewhere.
The Greco-Persian Wars is full of wonderful stories featuring bravery, cowardice, and treachery. Unlike so many of his fellow historians, Green understands the importance of a dramatic narrative, sometimes employing novelistic techniques to relate what happened. It's not an overstatement to say that the course of Western history might have taken a strikingly unfamiliar turn if these battles had had different outcomes. Green is a natural storyteller, and The Greco-Persian Wars is a delight to read, even for readers who have no background or special interest in the classical world. --John J. Miller
Book Description
This is a reissue, with a new introduction and an update to the bibliography, of the original edition, published in 1970 as The Year of Salamis in England and as Xerxes at Salamis in the U.S.
The long and bitter struggle between the great Persian Empire and the fledgling Greek states reached its high point with the extraordinary Greek victory at Salamis in 480 B.C. The astonishing sea battle banished forever the specter of Persian invasion and occupation. Peter Green brilliantly retells this historic moment, evoking the whole dramatic sweep of events that the Persian offensive set in motion. The massive Greek victory, despite the Greeks' inferior numbers, opened the way for the historic evolution of the Greek states in a climate of creativity, independence, and democracy, one that provided a model and an inspiration for centuries to come.
Green's accounts of both Persian and Greek strategies are clear and persuasive; equally convincing are his everyday details regarding the lives of soldiers, statesmen, and ordinary citizens. He has first-hand knowledge of the land and sea he describes, as well as full command of original sources and modern scholarship. With a new foreword, The Greco-Persian Wars is a book that lovers of fine historical writing will greet with pleasure.
Customer Reviews:
biased garbage!.......2007-08-09
Obviously mr. peter green has some hostility toward the the persian (iranian)culture. Right at the intro, he goes on about how achaemenid persia gave no contribution to the world at all! well, for one, the persian court was a frequent learning place for the greek scholars for at least 200 years.(according to herodotus himself), postal system,tolerating free practice of religon and culture, no use of slavery, intricate governmet system(which completely was a failure when greeks attempted after alexander's barbaric conquest),pioneering army technological advances( check out "persian army" by nick sekunda), building great roads connecting the empire(two third of the known world then)... not to mention that alexander and the rest of the greeks burned down and destroyed alot of persian literature, and scentific recordings, alot of persian achievements were destroyed. Therefor, what is left today is known to be the greek's acheivements to their credits without a solid proof for the most part. only the battles that the greeks had won are grossly portrayed which to the iranians was nothing but an insignificant setback, untill the barbaric advances of alexander ofcourse. Even the bible praises cyrus, darius, xerxes, and artaxerxes for the humane, and generous actions of the persian emperors especially to the jews. mr. peter green get a clue! there was a reason that the persians were always envied by the greeks, and there was a reason that the greeks call the persian emperors lord of asia!
History at its best.......2007-03-25
History books should be interesting and supported by facts. Peter Green's Greco-Persian Wars scores well on both counts. He combines the historical fact with a narrative that maintains the reader's interest.
Excellent historical book.......2007-03-21
The book writes like a story. It is beautifully written and well researched. Anyone who is wanting to know the clash of the Greeks and the Persians, the battle of Marathon, the Hot Gates (a.k.a., the famous battle for the West) and the aftermath that leads to rising power of the great Greek empire, this is a must book. Mr. Green truly knows his Greek history and is not shy in making the narrative alive and reader friendly. Five stars all the way!
Par excellence........2007-01-26
This is quite simply THE book to read to thoroughly understand the conflict between Classical Greece and Imperial Persia. It rivals Kagan's "The Peloponnesian War" in depth and detail. And while not quite the break neck read of Holland's "Persian Fire" it compensates with an eminently readable style and makes Cartledges's "Thermopylae" look anemic and cadaverous even given the significantly more limited scope of the latter's work.
Green does an exceptional job of comparing and contrasting the ancient sources of information on the period, Herodotus, Plutarch, Aeschylus etc. and weaves them together with the modern scholarship of Burn and Pritchett etc. while injecting his own theories to provide a narrative that brings both the players and their times vividly to life.
Green takes Herodotus to task for bias and obvious propagandistic nonsense early and often and with common sense and logic corrects many of the more egregious errors of the primary sources, in particular the size of Xerxes army, specifically the probable confusion between chiliarchs (commander of 1,000 men) and myriarchs (commander of 10,000 men). Using Munro and Maurice among others he corrects the likely decimal error in Herodotus's calculation of the size of Xerxes army. Reducing it from a phantasmagorical 1.7 million men to more credible 170,000 infantry with another 40,000 cavalry, quisling Greeks and miscellaneous others.
Add in no small amount of irreverent levity and you have the perfect tract on what Thomas Cahill (How the Irish Saved Civilization) refers to as a "hinge" of history.
In two words, BUY IT!
Excellent and Epic.......2006-12-14
I recently bought a copy of Prof. Green's book The Greco-Persian wars and I could not put it down. The book is amazing and well-worth every penny I spent on it. Just the account of Thermopylae had me on the edge of my seat and filled with excitment and pride in what these barve 300 Spartans and their allies did for Greece and western civilization. Green's love-affair with Heroditus is quite evident and was a great use to him in this book. I loved Green's Alexander to Actium and I greatly love the Greco-Persian Wars. Buy this book and you will not be disappointed. I highly recommend this book
Average customer rating:
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Media Economics: Theory and Practice (Lea's Communication)
Manufacturer: Lawrence Erlbaum
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Media Economics: Understanding Markets, Industries and Concepts
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The Business of Media: Corporate Media and the Public Interest
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Media Economics: Applying Economics to New and Traditional Media
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Understanding Media Economics
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The Economics of Financing of Media Companies (Business, Economics and Legal Studies, 1)
ASIN: 0805845801 |
Book Description
Media Economics: Theory and Practice focuses on the basic principles of economics in the business sector and applies them to contemporary media industries. This text examines the process of media economics decision making through an exploration of key topics, such as industrial restructuring, regulatory constraints upon media operations, and changing economic value, providing key insights into media business activities. With the structure and value of media industries changing rapidly and sometimes dramatically, this text moves beyond a basic documentation of historical patterns to help readers understand the mechanics of change, offering insight into the processes reproducing contemporary trends in media economics.
Thoroughly updated in this third edition, Media Economics focuses on the primary concerns of media economics, the techniques of economic and business analysis, and the overall characteristics of the media environment; and explores contemporary business practices within specific media industries, including newspaper, magazine, television, cable, movie, radio advertising, music, and online industries. New for this edition are chapters on the advertising, book publishing, and magazine publishing industries. Chapters contributed by expert scholars and researchers provide substantial discussions of the crucial topics and issues in the media industry sectors, and emphasize both domestic and international businesses.
Offering a thorough examination of the economic factors and forces concerning the media industries, Media Economics is appropriate for use as a course text for advanced media management and economics students. It also serves as an indispensable reference for scholars and researchers in media business arenas.
Book Description
Worship of the Egyptian goddess Isis dates as far back as 2500 B.C. and extended at least until the fifth century A.D. throughout the Roman world. The importance of her cult is attested to in Apuleius's Golden Ass, and evidence of its influence has been found in places as far apart as Afghanistan and Portugal, the Black Sea and northern England. The first study to document the extent and complexity of the cult's influence on Graeco-Roman and early Christian culture, R. E. Witt's acclaimed Isis in the Ancient World is now available in paperback.
Customer Reviews:
great all around.......2005-08-07
I love the book, It came quickly, it arrived in great shape, and it's a great read. Thanks a lot!
Perhaps the most interesting book I have ever read.......2004-04-07
This book is extremely interesting if you have any questions about where Western religious traditions come from. This book clearly dispels the myth that the religion of Isis was merely some kind of fringe 'mystery cult'. It was instead the world religion of the Mediterranean before Christianity. Isis is not given enough credit by modern historians of religion. It was highly organized with its priesthood and liturgies. Abstinence from wine, porc and sex was required of priests for the sake of cleanliness. Bathing and ritual washing were performed several times a day. Hymns were sung at specified times; holy water from the Nile was sprinkled about; a baptism was performed when being initiated as a believer; Isis gave birth to Horus, who is really the earthly incarnation of the All-Father Osiris, on the 23rd of December, etc... Its evolution into/influence upon Christianity can be traced. In fact the dog-headed God Anubis is still worshipped as a saint on a Greek Island to this day; and the festival of Isis being carried to the sea-shore to bless the start of the sailing season, called the "Carrus Navalis" has turned into the "Carnival" that we see today all over the Mediterranean (a false etymology was thought up for it to explain it as the 'carne levare' when the original meaning for the celebration was forgotten). This book clearly shows how Christianity was hardly a rude intruder from an overlooked little corner of the world, and how it instead grew feeding upon the millennia of experience of Isis, first as official religion of Egypt under the pharaohs, and then extending to the entire Medditerranean and European worlds through the Ptolemies and through the Empire of Rome. In relgious anthropology, Isis is the 'missing link' between Christianity and paganism, proving that it was a very mild transition from the one to the other. I can hardly express how fascinating this book is.
THE sourcebook for Isis Sleuths.......1999-06-08
Witt's study of the Isis cult focuses primarily on her fame outside of Egypt, but his research is impeccable and always fascinating in its detail. Isis in Rome. Isis in Santorini. Isis in Gaul. Isis just about everywhere in the Mediterranean world. Witt does an excellent job when gathering information about her festivals, cult objects and practices, and her place in widespread popular piety as a precursor of the Vigin Mary figure. There's also info on the gods of Isis' Egyptian entourage--Osiris, Anubis, Horus, Nephthys--and their respective places in the cult outside Egypt. All in all, a marvelous and ample treatment of one of the ancient world's most influential and enduring religious traditions.
Book Description
In 99 full-color maps spread over 175 pages, the Barrington Atlas recreates the entire world of the Greeks and Romans from the British Isles to the Indian subcontinent and deep into North Africa. It spans the territory of more than 75 modern countries. Its large format (13 x 19 ins or 33 x 48 cm) has been custom-designed by the leading cartographic supplier MapQuest.com, Inc., and is unrivalled for range, clarity and detail. Over 70 experts, aided by an equal number of consultants, have worked from satellite-generated aeronautical charts to return the modern landscape to its ancient appearance, and to mark ancient names and features in accordance with the most up-to-date historical scholarship and archaeological discoveries. Chronologically, the Barrington Atlas spans archaic Greece to the Late Roman Empire, and no more than two standard scales (1:500,000 and 1:1,000,000) are used to represent most regions.
Since the 1870s, all attempts to map the classical world comprehensively have failed. This new initiative has finally achieved that elusive and challenging goal. It began in 1988 at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, under the direction of the distinguished ancient historian Richard Talbert, and has been developed with approximately $4 million in funding support.
The resulting Barrington Atlas is a reference work of permanent value. It has an exceptionally broad appeal to everyone worldwide with an interest in ancient Greeks and Romans, the lands they penetrated, and the peoples and cultures they encountered in Europe, North Africa and Western Asia. Scholars and libraries should all find it essential, although it is not just for them. It is also for students, travelers and lovers of fine cartography, as well as for anyone eager to retrace Alexander's eastward marches, to cross the Alps with Hannibal, to traverse the Eastern Mediterranean with St. Paul, or to ponder the roads, aqueducts and defense works of the Roman Empire. For the new millennium the Barrington Atlas brings the ancient past back to life in an unforgettably vivid and inspiring way.
Map-by-Map Directory
The Barrington Atlas includes a CD-ROM Map-by-Map Directory. A separate 1,500 page two-volume print edition of the Directory is also available at $150 / £95. The Directory is designed to provide information about every place or feature in the Barrington Atlas. The section for each map comprises:
- a concise text drawing attention to special difficulties in mapping a region, such as extensive landscape change since antiquity, or uneven modern exploration.
- a listing of every name and feature on the map, with basic data about the period of occupation, the modern equivalents of ancient placenames, the modern country within which they are located, and brief references to relevant ancient testimony or modern studies.
- a bibliography of works cited.
The Map-by-Map Directory is an essential accompaniment to the Barrington Atlas. As a uniquely rich, comprehensive, up-to-date distillation of evidence and scholarship, it has no match elsewhere and opens the way to an immense variety of further research initiatives.
The CD-ROM will work on any MAC or PC that supports Adobe Acrobat Reader, version 4.0. The installation software for Acrobat Reader is included on the CD-ROM.
Average customer rating:
- good but not necessarily for the beginner
- Beautiful, but not for beginners
- Superb!
- Relief-Style Paper Sculpture
- Beautiful galleries, Some great projects
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Paper Sculpture: A Step-by-Step Guide
Kathleen Ziegler , and
Nick Greco
Manufacturer: Quarry Books
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Binding: Paperback
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The Pop-Up Book: Step-by-Step Instructions for Creating Over 100 Original Paper Projects
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ASIN: 1564963292 |
Book Description
"Paper Sculpture: A Step-By-Step Guide" will teach you the technical skills necessary to create visually appealing paper sculptures. Through easy to follow Photographs and text, you will learn a variety of white, coloured, painted and specialty paper techniques. The pristine beauty of paper sculpture is illustrated by nine artists who describe the curling, scoring and folding techniques used to create a wide variety of provocative paper sculptures. Full colour portfolio pieces by each artist demonstrate the myriad applications of paper as an illustrative medium. This must-have guide, for the novice or seasoned professional, will awaken your creative energy and assist you in producing your own artistic paper sculptures.
Customer Reviews:
good but not necessarily for the beginner.......2003-08-17
This is a good book for inspiration of ideas, however, it's not a step by step guide. Like just about every book that I've seen so far on paper sculpture, they skip crucial steps which will lose the layperson. Even I had to reread the book serveral times only to go about it on my own. The authors would do better to give a more thoruogh explanation of a work than fill the book with artist showcases. I am sick of picking up coffee table books. I want a book that gives time on paper quality and tools, and techniques first and foremost.
Beautiful, but not for beginners.......2003-03-23
A remarkable book showing what can be accomplished in paper sculpture, but definetly not for beginners. It shows some step-by-step projects, but not really the technique used. Good for inspiration, but it assumes that you already know what you are doing. Good reference when you are up and running.
Superb!.......2002-01-22
I consider myself an intermediate since I started with Clive Stevens' Fun with Paper Sculpture--I didn't really learn much more than I already knew. However, this book is suitable for anyone from a rank beginner to polished professional. I picked up some new techniques and discovered new types of paper and paints to use in my work. I've gotten the most use from the artist galleries beacuse they spur my own creativity to no end! I never tire of looking at the gorgeous pieces and find myself reading this book from cover to cover every now and then.
I don't draw very well, but I've found that I can easily build flowers and other objects from component shapes. The professional quality of featured projects spur me to do my very best to make my own stuff as polished and professional as possible. You'll be amazed with what you can create with little more than white glue and some cut up paper. There's even a lobster project that can be made from cereal boxes or toilet paper tubes! Great book, geat hobby, great price.
Relief-Style Paper Sculpture.......2001-11-12
I liked this book's diversity of relief-style paper sculptures. By relief-style I mean paper that is cut and then folded, rolled, mounted, etc. onto a flat surface. Other types of paper sculpture, such as cast paper sculpture are not covered. If you are interested in other ways to use paper I recommend the book The Art of Sculpting with Paper by Michael G. Lafosse.
This book is a combination gallery of each artist's work plus one project each artist did step-by-step demonstrating their techniques. The beginning chapter gives an overview of the basic techniques every relief-paper sculptor uses and types of paper suitable for relief paper-sculpting. It then launches into the artist demo/gallery format. The nice thing about the step-by-step demos is that you can copy that project for practice if you wish (although patterns are not provided so you would need to recreate the pattern on your own.) Each step-by-step demo is definitely of professional quality. Most, if not all, of the artists featured are graphic illustrators who work on these kind of projects as a living for various commercial clients. Therefore, you can expect that the art displayed inside is of similar quality to the cover photo.
Using this book I've begun a small project that I designed myself. It's definitely fun but I can see how it could become more time consumming. One thing I would've liked to have seen in this book was an estimate of the time it took for each artist to complete their project (not including the very initial sketch design). This would give me a better estimate of how long a similar project might be for me (although I'd estimate about 1/2 to 2/3 more time since I'm a beginner). I've enjoyed this book so much I plan to get the sequel. It's an excellent introduction to this style of paper art.
Beautiful galleries, Some great projects.......2001-03-18
This is a wonderful book for anyone interested in paper sculpture. Each project is followed by a wonderful gallery of similar work by the demonstrating artist. These make the book worthwhile for anyone who appreciates the medium even if they don't do the work themselves.
The book starts out with a brief introduction to paper sculpture and overview of paper sculpture techniques. Nine projects, each directed by a different artist, follow. Though the instructions are arranged step-by-step with photos, there are some advanced techniques involved and some experience and talent would be needed to create some of the more elaborate projects. There are also no templates, so making a project that looks exactly like the one in the book it almost impossible.
I didn't try all the projects, but did enjoy making the sun. It is fairly simple and looks so great using marbled papers. I would have liked to try the goldfish and the swan shown on the cover, but I felt they were a bit to time-consuming and complex for me. Other projects, like the Liberty Bell and too cute chicken wreath, just didn't perk my interest.
All in all, I'm glad I bought the book. The artwork examples are great and have inspired me to try some things on my own such as butterflies, fish and landscapes. I like that they list all the artists with contact information, awards they've earned and clients they've served. A list of schools that offer professional instruction is also a nice bonus.
Average customer rating:
- astounding scholorship
- A siminal and salient work in the study of religious mythology.
- Disturbing until Deprogrammed -- Scholarship that Lifts the Veils
- Pulls no punches
- EVEN BETTER THAN HER FIRST BOOK!
|
Suns of God: Krishna, Buddha and Christ Unveiled
Acharya S
Manufacturer: Adventures Unlimited Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1931882312 |
Book Description
Picking up where the bestselling and controversial "The Christ Conspiracy" leaves off, "Suns of God" leads the reader through an electrifying exploration of the origin and meaning of the world's religions and popular gods. Over the past several centuries, the Big Three spiritual leaders have been the Lords Christ, Krishna and Buddha, whose stories and teachings are curiously and confoundingly similar to each other. The tale of a miraculously born redeemer who overcomes heroic challenges, teaches ethics and morality, performs marvels and wonders, acquires disciples and is famed far and wide, to be persecuted, killed and reborn, is not unique but a global phenomenon recurring in a wide variety of cultures long before the Christian era.
These numerous godmen were not similar "historical" personages who "walked the earth" but anthropomorphizations of the central focus of the famous "mysteries." A major element of the cryptic, international brotherhood, these mysteries extend back thousands of years and are found worldwide, reflecting an ancient tradition steeped in awe and intrigue. The reasons for this religious development, which has inspired the creation of entire cultures, are unveiled in this in-depth analysis containing fascinating and original research based on evidence both modern and ancient, captivating information kept secret and hidden for ages.
"Suns of God" is possibly the most complete review of the history of religion from its inception ever composed in a single volume.
Customer Reviews:
astounding scholorship.......2007-09-20
Not a book for the easily offended(christians,jews...etc). Very enlightening and VERY well documented view of the history of our "saviours". I recommend it highly to those few critical thinkers left out there.
A siminal and salient work in the study of religious mythology........2007-04-06
Acharya is simply outstanding. This should be required reading for all Christians provided they use their rational mind to objectively evaluate the evidence. Those with the blinders of faith firmly in place should buy and study this book. Since religion can be equated with mental delusion, a person owes themselves the dignity to question the embraced myth. This book will show you the questions to ask and point the way to find the answers. The many scholars of the past who proved beyond a shadow of doubt that the big three Sun Gods are mythological constructions are amply sampled. The quote heavy format and simplified bibliography make SoG a useful tool for those seeking to understand the development of religious legend. This book should be very helpful. Its a strong buy.
Disturbing until Deprogrammed -- Scholarship that Lifts the Veils.......2007-03-27
Acharya has researched a variety of sources to pull together truths that lift the comfortable veil shadowing most of humanity today. At first for people embedded in one of the main world religions, as it was for me, this can be a disturbing read. If one keeps an open mind and is willing to independently see truth, Acharya's books are important towards deprogramming people. The importance of deprogramming oneself is to develop critical thinking skills vital to independent individual thought instead of mass movement or mass thought which overwhelms and substitutes independent observation. Note that: 1984 is only possible when groups organize at the expense of the individual.
We see clearly all around us how the impetus for many wars and manipulations are abusing the good intentions of people who have believed en mass without question the "sacred" books. As one withdraws support from mass manipulations, it becomes clearer that mind control actually is used to tie humanity to needless suffering -- both self-imposed and externally inflicted.
I actually was afraid to write a review for a period since the mind control programming was so strong. People today are still entrained to shun those who are not of their particular belief systems.
If one is willing to leave the shores and explore, a wise life choice, Acharya's books are a good place to begin. It feels like a medicine that tastes bad almost bad enough to kill you, but it is effective. The scholarship is extensive and this book is a bargain. If read with an open mind, this book can be life changing, if you'll let it. If you do, you won't want to go back. You'll find you're beginning to buy your own freedom of choice and can choose life in ways perhaps previously unavailable to you.
At the very least, it's an interesting read. Also consider, the more something is opposed (the more energy that goes into putting something down like these books), the more important it is to understand what's behind the efforts to suppress the information.
Pulls no punches .......2007-02-16
As a former Christian minister, and perhaps more importantly as a former apologist for the faith I would like to comment on this latest book from Acharya S.
First, and what is often hardest for the faithful to accept, is that she is correct in nearly all of her statements concerning the history of organized religions, especially in the west.
Second, and perhaps equally difficult for those who prefer fantasy to reality, is that she is so direct about it. She makes no bones about her belief, or perhaps lack of belief, and although she and I do not agree on every detail- still, Acharya has pretty much outlined, at least for anyone seriously considering a leap off that fence between belief and disbelief, a required text- a primer of common sense if you wish. I have read the reviews and it would seem that you either loved the book- or hated it. There is no way anyone, regardless of how faithful to their religion they might be, can rate this book any less than 4 stars, if for nothing more than the viable research it involved. One major problem that many find with adherents to religion is their black and white- all or nothing approaches to pretty much everything. They are not open to new ideas or new beliefs- they have a vested interest in staying the course. Recently I was asked to be part of a panel formed to investigate the accuracy of some of the Gnostic texts that were voted out of the official Bible. For purposes of historical and social accuracy, many panel members were using the accepted Bible. This I felt was completely wrong headed- as anyone who sees the Bible as the final edict of historical fact is already refusing to accept or acknowledge any other authority, for example the writers Tacitus and Philo of Alexandria. This ties in to the very basis of Acharya's books- the search for and use of other source materials and mythologies that may perhaps better explain the history of western religions. If we remember that the first synod was in Laodicea a part of modern day Greece, where about 363 AD, a group of men came together to decided which books of the dozens of Gospel accounts were to be aloud to be read in churches. Since that time, there have been almost a dozen similar organizations, headed by Bishops, Popes, and Emperors, that have managed to rule out many of the stories about Jesus that conflicted with the idea that some, and certainly not most, of his original followers held of who he was. They have given us the Bible in it's current accepted edition. Had all the original manuscripts been kept, the Bible of today would be an even bigger jumble of contradiction, confusion, and myth. However, having read most of this material, I think it would certainly would have made for a better read.
Finally, as I explained to the committee- the Gospels are not history; they are religious stories and propaganda. They are contradictory, exaggerated, and in many aspects mythical. To many non-Christian historical researchers, those who deal with cold facts, there remains serious doubt that Jesus ever existed as a real person, although I believe he did. Still, it is impossible to prove anything about him apart from he may or may not have been an historical figure and it is more plausible, as Acharya points out in her first book, that Jesus was the result of myth making, a human process that is indeed historically documented.
Finally, let me say to the faithful, I would recommend avoiding this book- it may well become the fly in your ointment of a faith based life. To others, especially those indoctrinated into religion at an early age- perhaps it is time to seek a foundation for your beliefs in a book other than the Bible. Also I especially enjoyed the FOREWORD.
EVEN BETTER THAN HER FIRST BOOK!.......2006-12-12
Pay no attention to the flatliner-fundiots that diss this book without even having read it! These lying snakes-in-the-grass carry on their ideological warfare, "lying for the truth" all over Amazon. They're human dreck sucking filth at the teets of evil!
Now on to Acharya's delightful book! :-D
Starting where her controversial (and bestselling) book The Christ Conspiracy left off, Suns of God guides the reader in an illuminating journey all the way back to the origins of the three greatest World Religions and the Triumvirate of its three deities: Buddha, Krishna, and Christ. Acharya demonstrates that the life stories and teachings of these three Demigods are suspiciously similar. Take for instance the tale of the virgin-born divine Teacher/Savior who overcomes demonic temptations, instructs his followers in sublime morality and ethics, works wonders and miracles, forms a band of followers, and is hailed as a Godsend far and wide. Then this Godman is finally persecuted, put to death, and resurrected. This tale is not unique to Christianity, but occurs many times throughout history, and all over the world, predating by centuries and even millennia the story of Jesus Christ.
The many Demigods or "Godmen" throughout history are not historical figures that just "happen" by coincidence to share the same nature and life story! No, these "Godmen" are all one and the same Mythic being under many names, a Myth that has been central to the so-called "Mystery religions" throughout recorded human history. This dying-and-rising Godman Myth is the focal point of a worldwide fellowship whose Mysteries reach back for many millennia. That is why these Godmen Myths are unbiquitous, and carry such an air of occult mystery. In fact, it is this Godman Myth that is behind the generation of a number of entire cultures! Acharya S explores all this and more as she takes the reader on a fascinating journey to Understanding. She reveals to the reader exactly why this Divine Myth was created, by divulging the secrets of the worldwide effort to illumine humanity through this central Mythical motif that is found all over the world. She also exposes those who wish to derail the purpose of this Myth by changing it's focus to...well, you'll have to read the book to find out!
Suns of God is the best and most comprehensive treatment of the History of Religion that has ever been offered in a single, readable, enjoyable volume. Suns of God is not merely a sequel, but a solid piece of research that stands on its own. I give this book five stars and two thumbs way up!
An excellent five-star companion volume is JEHOVAH UNMASKED which has been endorsed by Acharya S herself! "Rev. Merritt illustrates a powerful personal journey that many people can relate to but may not yet have made themselves. Like our individualized personalities, our conclusions to cosmic conundrums may be different. Nevertheless, JEHOVAH UNMASKED represents another nail in the biblical coffin that contains a mummified and rotten god belonging to the violent barbarians and troglodytes of the Stone Age." -Acharya S.
JEHOVAH UNMASKED is a fascinating look at the real identity of the god Jehovah. Is Jehovah "Almighty God" or just a pretender? Is God a despotic murdering lunatic as the Old Testament depicts, or is that just a pretender god? Did the first Christians believe in God the Mother? What and where is the Kingdom of God? Who told the First Lie in the Garden of Eden, Jehovah or the Serpent? Are you SURE? Who or what was it that gave us the list of New Testament books as we have them now? The answers to these questions will shock, fascinate, inform, and entertain.
Book Description
The thousand years of Egyptian history from the conquest of Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. to the Arab conquest in A.D. 641 are rich in archaeological evidence and well documented by 50,000 papyri in Greek, Egyptian, Latin, and other languages. However, travelers and others interested in the
remains of this period are ill-served by most guides to Egypt, which concentrate on the pharaonic buildings. The dozen leading experts who have contributed to this volume redress the imbalance with clear and concise presentations of the history and documentary evidence from the Hellenistic, Roman,
and Late Antique periods, enabling the reader to appreciate the fascinating cities, temples, churches, and tombs from these later periods.
With specially commissioned plans of sites and buildings and room-by-room tours of museums, this book is both a tourist's companion to the principal sites and an armchair guide to the splendors of a little-known and culturally diverse civilization.
Customer Reviews:
Egypt: From Alexander To The Early Christians.......2005-10-12
This gorgeous book is an asset to any history-lover or Egyptophile's library. The chapters, written on such subjects as Alexandria's kings and queens, and Ptolemaic Art, are informative and accessable, but this book is no beginner's guide to Ptolemaic Egypt, and is very in-depth. While not a picture book, this work includes twenty six gorgeous and rare color photos. Though few, these pictures are extroadinary. The book contains dozens of wonderful black and white photos, and it seems that all the images and visuals in this book aren't simply there for their beauty (though they are amazing) and serve a purpose. Perhaps the best part of this book is the dozens of never-before seen maps and timelines, which help to give the reader a visual idea of time and chronology, as well as the layouts of some of the more important historical and archeological sites and monuments. Maps of Egypt, the Ptolemaic and Roman Empire, the Greek and Roman Provinces in Egypt, and important cities and trade routes are included, and are extremely helpful and important. This book is worth every penny of its 40 or so dollars. The best book I've encountered on the Greco-Roman Period of Egypt. I recommend this wonderful book to anyone interested in this fascinating time period.
Book Description
Is publishing a cultural or commercial endeavor? Drawing on extensive data sets and applying the theoretical tools of both sociology and economics, The Culture and Commerce of Publishing in the 21st Century is the definitive social and economic analysis of the current state and future trends of the industry. This book examines the substantive issues, challenges, and problems confronting the diverse, and in many ways fragile, book publishing industry in the United States. The authors specifically emphasize the consumer, college textbook, and scholarly publishing components of the U.S. book publishing industry as they analyze the cultural and economic structure of the book publishing industry in the twenty-first century.
The book begins by charting the changes in the book publishing industry between 1945 and 2005, then goes on to examine industry specifics, strategies being employed for domestic and global competitiveness, and the economics of publishing and the impact of technology. Through in-person interviews and a broad sampling of people from every sector of the industry it examine the demographic trends in play. The temperature of the current publishing culture is presented in a chapter titled “I'm Glad I'm Not An Author . . .” The book ends by looking forward, highlighting the trends likely to impact the growth of the industry in the future.
Throughout the book, the tables provided track the industry from 1945 until 2005, and give the reader a snapshot of the data year-by-year, and category by category: bestsellers, average book prices, U.S. bookstore sales, average sales by category, and the demographic breakdown of readers. It also provides forecasts for the coming years, both units and revenues, for 2005-2009. The thoughtful analysis presented in this book will be valuable to leaders in publishing as well as the scholars and analysts who study this industry.
Customer Reviews:
A Report on Mainstream Book Publishing.......2006-12-01
This book purports to answer the question, 'Is publishing a cultural or commercial endeavor.' The answer, of course, is a simple, 'Yes.' To the large corporation owning a publishing company the answer is 'mostly commercial.' To a unversity press (this book is published by Stanford University Press), the answer is probably somewhere in the middle. This book, for instance, is not likely to make the best seller charts. To a church owned press, or a self-published book the answer is probably 'mostly cultural.'
This book concentrates mostly on the larger companies, the publishers whose names we all know. There isn't much from the World War II soldier that has just decided to publish his memoirs, or the church that has put it's significant books on the web for anyone to read.
The general feeling about the industry is not good. The percentage of readers in the country has gone down. The small book stores are having to find niches where Barnes & Noble and WalMart don't compete. And all of this is true.
Then there's Harry Potter, where even the announcement of the title of the next book gets announced on the evening network TV news. And there were 172,000 new books published in the US in 2005; 375,000 published in the English Speaking World. New technologies makes small print runs more profitable. Internet marketing is as of yet, an unknown. As this book says in it's final sentence, 'The game changed in the summer of 1995 when Jeff Bezos opened Amazon.com; we just do not know whether the game changed for better or worse.
This book is one view of the book publishing industry in America. Anyone with a position of responsibility in the business will ignore it at their peril.
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