Customer Reviews (1)

Incredible experience
You have to be really into Italian art and Early Renaissance to get the feeling of this wonderful book. The way it's lavishly printed makes you happy almost as much as you would see the originals. I would recommend this to an art lovers as a second choice after the site tours. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1416?-1492   2. 15th century   3. Arezzo   4. Art   5. Art & Art Instruction   6. European   7. Individual Artist   8. Italy   9. Legend of the true Cross   10. Mural painting and decoration, Italian   11. Mural painting and decoration, Renaissance   12. Piero,   13. San Francesco (Church : Arezzo   14. Subjects & Themes - Religious   15. Techniques - Painting   16. della Francesca,   

Customer Reviews (2)

Amusing and child-oriented
What can one say about a book that clearly goes through the possible ideas a young child might entertain? This book has some very funny pictures to match some very clear notions of what is not worth doing, including playing with poo and bothering the household's pet. Like all books for young children, it should be read out loud and with room for discussion. But don't worry about leaving it around for your youngster to check out; keep in mind that this book is based on a child's repetoire of ideas, not an adult's. And take it as lightly as it is offered, to be enjoyed with a child.

Cavaet Emptor
My library recently got in three picture books by Francesco Pittau. I cannot, for the life of me, remember where I read about these books, where I saw the reviews. I must have seen it somewhere.

I have a pretty high tolerance for yucky stuff. I have never ever, in my whole life, come across a book I have honestly thought should be kept out of the library. Never. I have read books that have deeply disturbed me. I have read books that have seemed to have absolutely no merit whatsoever, literary or otherwise. Still, I didn't think any of them should be kept off the shelves.

And now I am torn.

Most of That's Disgusting, I can get behind. Washing your feet in the toilet? That is disgusting. Making sculptures out of poo? That's disgusting, too. Ditto to eating soap and playing in the litter box. Eww! Disgusting!

But. "Sticking your finger in the cat's behind?" (Yes, IN.)

That's not disgusting. That's disturbed.

I never knew where the mythical line was, but I think it is clearly crossed here. The charming art that reminded me of Lane Smith and made me laugh? Somehow, amazingly, it wasn't funny anymore when the cartoon child's little finger was aiming at the clearly delineated place he could stick it in the cat's behind!

I do NOT want to be a censor. On the other hand (the one far, far from the cat's bottom, thank you very much!), there is no way I find this appropriate even for our Young Adult collection. Sexual violation of household pets? Not funny.

The saddest thing is, if this page ... were not here, I would have loved this book and used it for programming...

SO. This book will *not* be put on the shelf with our picture books. It will probably be a part of our Office collection where patrons can ask for it, but no little kid will find it by accident. This book is ABSOLUTELY not appropriate for the 4-8 year old set! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks   2. Children: Kindergarten   3. Conduct of life   4. Fiction   5. Humorous Stories   6. Humorous fiction   7. Juvenile Nonfiction   8. Preschool Picture Story Books   9. Social Situations - Manners & Etiquette   

Life Is Paradise is a gorgeous book, one that any Clemente aficionado would not want to be without. It includes a sensitive, smart essay by Vincent Katz, an illuminating interview with the artist, and nearly 100 very large, beautifully printed reproductions of Clemente's portraits in watercolor, oil, and dry media. As Katz writes, "One can wallow for days in these faces."

Lavishly produced and designed (with one egregious exception: in a series of watercolors the face of the subject falls within the "gutter," or centerfold, of the book, making it absolutely impossible to see), Life Is Paradise is divided into thematic chapters. Some rubrics--"Poets," "Oil on Wood," "Great Expectations," "Children," "Devi," "New York Muses," "Voices"--are literal: Robert Creeley and the late Allen Ginsberg are in the "Poets" section, for example. However, some are more wide-ranging: the watercolors include a vast selection of famous faces (as well as more poets, like John Ashbery). And the number of celebrities is staggering: Anne Bancroft, Gwyneth Paltrow, Toni Morrison, Fran Lebowitz, Philip Glass, and dozens of others. But it is the art that mesmerizes the reader. Some of Clemente's portraits are phenomenally precise and delicate; some are violent, dark, and wild; the eyes are always dominant; but all are "done" differently, seen differently, presented differently--masklike on one page, psychologically engaging on the next. Clemente's inventiveness--and this book represents only a small part of his vast output--can leave a reader breathless, wondering how many ways there are to approach the combination of a human countenance and a blank page. --Peggy Moorman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Artist Is A Great Talent But His Publisher Is A Butcher
This is wonderful painting and you will find yourself sighing over what should have been. I must agree with the other reviewers at Amazon, who say this is the worst designed book they've ever seen. It's too true. Yes, the dead center, binding portion of the book (called the gutter) is where you'll find the crucial part of many of the portraits! To say this hinders the viewing experience is about as mild a statement as one can make. If I were Clemente, I would want this book recalled as a defective product and the manufacturer (publisher) made to come up with a new one, just like with a defective automobile (The Lemon Law). So why am I giving it a 3 star rating? Clemente's art works are a 5 star event. Seeing them under these circumstances is better than not seeing them. The gorgeous cover portrait is representative of Clemente's work shown in this book. The color reproductions themselves seem quite fine; it is solely an issue of design placement of the images. I'm not sorry I bought it; I do wish I had gotten it at half price though!

Francesco Clemente's Paradise
The first thing to note about this book is its gorgeousness. There is simply no other word for the stunning graphic presentation, beginning inside the front cover and continuing throughout. Orchids Unfolding could easily be a subtitle.

The portraits are compelling and would be even if many of them were not of the rich and famous. Whether oil on wood or watercolor, whether lean of line or voluptuous in intensity, they leave no doubt as to Clemente's talent.

If there is any criticism to be made of this book, it is to be directed toward the publisher. One wishes that the double-page portraits did not cleave the faces in half, making them difficult to read as they fall into the center of the spine. Surely some astute editing could have corrected this.

Otherwise it is a pleasure to feast upon the fruits of Clement's talent. If you appreciate his work you will be happy to own this book.

You Have to See This!
This is a beautiful book. The pages are a large but not cumbersome size that enables the reader to truly see the work. Some paintings are unfortunately split by the binding, but the rest of the book makes up for it. Clemente's style is so emotive and beautiful. If you like Francesco Clemente, this is a definite must for your collection. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1952-   2. Art   3. Art & Art Instruction   4. Catalogs   5. Clemente, Francesco   6. Clemente, Francesco,   7. Criticism   8. Individual Artist   9. Individual Painters - Contemporary   10. Portraits   

Subjects:  1. English   2. Foreign Language - Dictionaries / Phrase Books   3. Grammar   4. Italian   5. Italian language   6. Textbooks for foreign speakers   7. Grammar & vocabulary   8. Italy   

Customer Reviews (5)

Touching silence
Francesco dal Co. give us the best aproach to Tadao Ando work. An architect that focus on the most subtil things that makes a certain space (prototyped space, like he says) sacralized. The perfect control of the light and shadow, the minimalist use of the materials in harmony with the also minimalist use of the forms themself wich, in the most poetic way, express the Japanese filosophy (ZEN thoughts) of continous space - a space both of the contruted and non-construted (natural) life.

Much more aspects of Tadao Ando architecture and life (can we distinguish between the work and life of an artist?) are treated in the best way in this book, wich includes a compilation of his own writings and an antology of the critic on his work. The quality of the paper and photographs are also very good, although architecture can't be experienced trough a simple 2 dimension layout (there is nor the 3rd dimension nor the 4th - time).

Now, it's all about architectural taste...

Genius.
Ando is amazing. Recommended if you like him or just concrete/glass construction.

A very good introduction to Ando's work.
Very comprehensive with a lot of good photographs, although too many of them are monochromatic. To someone who's familiar with Tadao Ando's work it emphasizes important aspects of the architect's work such as the penetration of light and the feeling of his transcendental spaces, but to a "novice" it may be a little bit hard to swallow. The presentation is excellent with some additional information about the sites, time of construction etc. The last part includes instructive articles written by critics and by Ando himself. Tadao Ando's own writings are a must to anyone who loves architecture. A good book on a stupendous architect! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1941-   2. 20th century   3. Ando, Tadao,   4. Architecture   5. Architecture,   6. Architecture, Domestic   7. Art   8. Criticism and interpretation   9. Individual Architect   10. Individual Architects Of The 20th Century   11. International Architecture - Asian   12. Japan   13. Architecture / Individual Architect   

Subjects:  1. Applied   2. Automatic control   3. Engineering - Mechanical   4. Geometry, Differential   5. Robotics   6. Science/Mathematics   7. Technology   8. Technology & Industrial Arts   

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General   2. Computer Science   3. Computers   

Subjects:  1. Duchenne muscular dystrophy   2. Genetics   3. Medical   4. Medical / Nursing   5. Muscular Dystrophy   6. Neurology - General   7. Hereditary diseases & disorders   8. Neurology & clinical neurophysiology   9. Physiology   

Customer Reviews (1)

A very good introduction to cosmology
Professor Coles' book on cosmology in the VSI series is a very good introduction to the subject. If you search for a first book on the subject, that's it (although you can also choose Stephen Hawking's Brief History of Time and the contents of these two books could complement with each other)! It provides an overview of the key concepts of cosmology in non-technical language while preserving room for deeper thought and exploration for those who are not satisfied with an introduction.

In my opinion, Chapter 2 provides the best simplified exposition of Einstein's relativity and here and there the book shows very clear exposition of the Hubble's law with kept-to-minimum mathematical presentation which is comprehensible by the general reader without relevant training at all.

Although it may be my own problem, I cannot quite get hold of the key concept of the Friedmann models. The models are first presented in Chapter 3 but they are often quoted in later chapters. Reading them all together, I fail to make a coherent understanding on the models. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Astronomy - Universe   2. Big bang theory   3. Cosmology   4. Cosmology (Astronomy)   5. Science   6. Science/Mathematics   7. Cosmology & the universe   8. Science / Astronomy   

Customer Reviews (1)

The pictures in this book will take your breath away!
I bought this book after our first trip to Turkey, and we have been back since, having this beautiful book as a reference. No trip to Istanbul is complete without a boat trip up the Bosphorus. This book reinforces that fact, plus takes us inside buildings that one can only see from the water. The quality of the photos, descriptions and printing are first rate. The commentary is well written, with an excellent section on the history of the Bosphorus and its effect on the design of the houses and palaces. Design elements and details are beautifully illustrated. I enjoy just reliving the slow, beautiful trip up one of the world's most historic waterways. This book would also be a valuable resource for set designers looking to reproduce the opulant period interiors. If you read this book before a trip to Istanbul, you will have a much better appreciation and understanding of one of the most beautiful places in the world. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture, Domestic   2. Domestic   3. General   4. Interior decoration   5. Istanbul   6. Photo Essays   7. Seaside architecture   8. Travel - Foreign   9. Turkey   10. Vernacular Architecture   

Customer Reviews (4)

Glowing Self-Confidence in Idealized Images
Before discussing this book, let me mention that most parents will feel this book is not appropriate for children. Although the nudes are modestly and tastefully done, these images would be "R" rated in the movie theater.

Francesco Scavullo is best known for his portraits and fashion photography. He is one of the best known photographers to emerge in those fields around the time that Richard Avedon was becoming popular. His nudes reflect that strength in the sense that his portrait and fashion-style poses work best. In many cases, the poser's nudity is limited to seeing a neckline and shoulders unencumbered by the distraction of a line of clothing. For that reason, many of these images don't really seem like nudes at all.

This book suffers from three serious problems. First, the page size is extremely small. As a result, the photographs are never very large and sometimes are almost microscopic, when combined into a series over two facing pages. You lose a lot of the effect that way. It's like trying to look at fashion and portraits in Reader's Digest size. The editors made up for this by doing a very fine job of selecting photographs that look awfully good for such small reproduction sizes.

Second, there simply are not that many images in the book. To get a fully satisfying flavor of Mr. Scavullo's work would have required at least twice as many. I do not know if this is because there were few outstanding nudes to choose from, or on account of limits imposed by the publisher to keep the price down. If there were not that many high quality nudes available, a better solution would have been to have included fully-clothed shots of similar posings to put the nudes into a context.

Third, the work comes across as much too glossy and healthy looking to be real. Despite the claims in the introduction that Mr. Scavullo's strength in these images was to see the "real" person rather than an idealized person, I found most of the images looking much too shiny and vibrant to be anything other than an idealization. The work clearly is designed to be flattering to the poser, as well. There's just a little too much "appeal" put into the shots, like a Las Vegas neon sign. Where humor was put into the images, I found it usually didn't work for me.

On the positive side, seldom do I see a book where I like as high a percentage of the photographs as I do in this one. So the editors deserve a kudo.

Impressive also was that a nude photograph of Mr. Scavullo appears with his biography. He felt that he should not ask others to do what he had not.

So, I gave the book back one star for these positives, raising it from a two star to a three star rating.

Even if you do not buy the book, I hope you will have an opportunity to see it and form your own opinions of these photographs. This book presents many opportunities for refining your taste in photography.

Here are my favorite images in the order in which they appear:

Jay Johnson, 1969 (head and shoulders version)

Helmut Berger, 1969 (head version)

David Sabedru, 1991

Kate Mulder, 1992 (eyes downward version)

Dana Patrick, 1990

Cindy Crawford, 1990

Linda Evangelista, 1990 (series of head shots from behind)

Claudia Schiffer, 1992

Naomi Campbell, 1989 and 1990

Margaux Hemingway, 1975

Brooke Shields (color), 1991

Wale, 1993 (series)

Sterling St. Jacques, (1978) (See if you can do this pose!)

Sandy Spener and Karla Wolfangle (color), 1971

Hiram Keller, 1969

I suggest an exercise in visual image-making for you to follow on from what you have seen in this book. Begin with a bare table. Then begin adding still life elements until it seems the most "real" to you. As you add the elements, feel free to change the compositions to learn what causes you to see a more "real" scene. Make some notes of what you learn, and take photographs that you can attach to the notes.

Then come back to this book about two weeks later, and see how you would have changed the posings, the make-up, and lighting of these images to have made them more "real" for you.

Seek truth, as well as beauty. Otherwise, you will always be overwhelmed by the sheen of attractiveness . . . and miss the beauty that comes from stark openness.

Just lacking something
I admit I'm not a fan of Scavullo, but I like to think that I have an appreciation of the work. There are some tremendous images here, but overall there is just something missing. It's difficult to pinpoint, but there is very little emotion that I felt coming from these shots. I've seen more of his work that actually moved me. None of these had that effect. It's not bad and from a technical standpoint it's okay. However, I was expecting more than that.

Argh!
How can this possibly be among the photobook bestsellers? The book is so freaking tiny one could mistake it for one of those "boyzone/a-teens 2001 school pocket calendar" thingys. How could someone agree in publishing a photographic book in this format? This is a skinny (pocket)book too. Thin, poor printing and awfully boring. I hold this as one of the worst nude photography books I have ever come across. Not one interesting page. Not even technically. Nothing stands out... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1929-   2. Art   3. Celebrities   4. Fashion photography   5. Glamour Photography   6. Individual Photographer   7. Photography   8. Portrait photography   9. Portraits   10. Scavullo, Francesco,   11. Subjects & Themes - Erotica   12. Subjects & Themes - Portraits   13. Photography / General   

Subjects:  1. Behavior   2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks   3. Children: Kindergarten   4. Conduct of life   5. Human behavior   6. Humorous Stories   7. Interpersonal relations   8. Juvenile Nonfiction   9. Juvenile literature   10. Preschool Picture Story Books   11. Social Situations - Manners & Etiquette   12. Social Situations - Values   

Customer Reviews (1)

no pictures
I was expecting alot o clearf pictures of his works, and got none. If a text book is what you are looking for, I recomend it but since I wanted mostly pictures, I was very much dissapointed. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1906-1978   2. 20th century   3. Architecture   4. Criticism and interpretation   5. Individual Architect   6. Individual Architects Of The 20th Century   7. International Architecture - European   8. Italy   9. Reference   10. Scarpa, Carlo,   11. Scarpa, Carlo   

Customer Reviews (2)

Why were the Crusaders there - any way?
The history of the Crusaders cannot be complete without the contribution of the inhabitants of that part of the world.

There are only a few books, probably no more than two or three, that attempt to relate the stories of the invaded against probably hundreds written from the view point of the invaders.

The earnest reports of the Arab historians of the time contained in the book must be a reflection of the pain and outrage that must prevailed throughout the 100-year invasion of Syria's littoral region. Sensitive readers would find it easy to understand!

Serious teachers of history will find this book authentic, clear and revealing. It represents a very interesting example in history writing by Arab historians of those days. For a narrative of some of the historic text included in this book, the invaluable work of A. Maalouf and J. Rothschild, "The Crusaders Through Arab Eyes" is a rich companion.

Very Informative
I read this book for a class on the Crusades. This is an extremely informative book that provides a different viewpoint on the European invasions of Palestine and Egypt from 1098-1303. Gabrieli includes excerpts from several Islamic historians who wrote copiously on this topic, and the information they provide gives the reader a different view of the fight for the Holy Land.

This book reads quite fast, as the excerpts for the most part are very short. The best section of the book has to be the detailed information on Saladin, the Arab general and sultan who dealt the Christians a punishing blow at Hittin in 1187, and who eventually retook Jerusalem. Lots of stories provide an interesting character study of this Islamic hero. We read about his military heroism, his religious piety, his sense of justice and honor, and his relationship with the Christians. There is the interesting story of how Saladin helped a Christian woman recover her child. The child was seized and was almost sold into slavery until Saladin intervened on her behalf and returned the child to its mother. The other sections of the book deal with the initial campaigns of the Christians during the First Crusade, such as the taking of Antioch and the legend of the Holy Lance, a ridiculous story that the Arab historians rightly perceive as total bunk. The last part of the book deals with the Egyptian campaigns of Louis IX and the eventual collapse of the Christian occupation in Palestine.

Most of these writings are pretty interesting, but there are a few drawbacks. Many of these accounts are propaganda meant to paint the Muslims in the best possible light. Also, this would be a useless review unless I mentioned the amazingly horrible writings of Imad ad-Din, who served as a close official to Saladin. His prose is so turgid and congealed that it is very taxing to get through. He spends a whole page giving EXTREMELY gory descriptions of the dead Christians at Hittin. There are only so many descriptions of bashed in heads and ripped livers a person can take! His prose is so difficult that it is hard to glean the actual history out of his writing. A final downfall of the book, which is more my fault then anything else, is the complicated names of the Arabs. These guys have more names then you can shake a stick at. It takes a leviathan effort to wade through them.

Overall, this is a very worthy book for someone interested in this time period. Any serious historian should always look at as many sides of an event as possible, and this book will give many insights. Just be prepared for Imad's interesting accounts! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arab countries   2. Crusades   3. Historians   4. History - General History   5. Jerusalem   6. Medieval   7. Medieval World History (Circa 450 - Circa 1450)   8. Sources   

Subjects:  1. Astronomy - General   2. Science   3. Astrophysics   4. Cosmology & the universe   5. PHYSICS   6. Science / Astronomy   

Customer Reviews (2)

Great Italian history for the serious reader
An exceptional account of Italian Renaissance history by a prolific contemporary of that time. It covers a short time period: 1490-1534, which is filled with political upheaval. For good reason, this is considered a classic. Guicciardini is an intriguing source, having held high military and civil offices. In addition to his informative and clear style, he gives valuable insight into the political climate of these years.

The translator, Sidney Alexander, not only provides a very readable version, but enriches this edition with a helpful introduction and notes, revealing much about Guicciardini and his account.

Although, not a light read, it is not tedious, and definitely worthwhile for the serious reader.

The High Renaissance And You Are There
This is an extraordinary book, on many levels. It is a concise abridgement of a much longer work and a fine, readable translation of the original 16th century Italian. More importantly, the substance is priceless. This is nothing less than a guided tour of the amazing events of the late 15th and early 16th centuries, from a clear-eyed, surprisingly objective reporter who knows whereof he speaks. Guicciardini was, among other things, Machiavelli's assistant and an adviser to popes. Writing from the vantage point of his personal observation of the events of his lifetime, he discusses: the Medici, the building of the dome of St. Peter's for the jubilee of 1500, the related sale of indulgences, the ensuing "Lutheran heresy," the discovery of the new world, Henry VIII's divorce and the ensuing separation of the Church of England, and the arrival of syphillis in Europe, among other topics. Be warned that it is dense material, but it is worth the effort. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1492-1559   2. Europe - Italy   3. History   4. History - General History   5. History: World   6. Italy   7. European History   8. History / Italy   

The Compendium Maleficarum was the ultimate field guide for the beginning demonologist in the 17th century. Guazzo's Compendium was accepted by his contemporaries as the authoritative manuscript on witchcraft. Later demonologists continued to hail the conciseness and clarity with which Guazzo analyzes the practice. The Compendium not only gives an organized account of the subject matter but provides a glimpse at the Christian view of witchcraft during the early 17th century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Deadly Piece of Literature
Like it's famous companion, the Malleus Maleficarum, the Compendium Maleficarum is one of the most famous witchhunting manuals of the late Renaissance. It was written at a time when belief in witches, demons, and devils was widespread across Europe and the Church was obsessed with stamping out heresy, freethinking, and the last vestiges of paganism, all of which it saw as a threat to its power and dominion. This book, which is a reprint of the orginal printed in 1608, is not what many would consider "fun" reading, as the text is long and laborious and filled with examples and effusive details of how to detect, interrogate, and execute witches. It also goes into great detail as to how one supposedly became a witch and the various rites and rituals that went along with it. It should be noted that this is not a guide on how to be a witch, nor does it have anything to do with modern Wicca. In fact, this book deals with superstitious beliefs in witchcraft and demons that clearly show the paranoid mindset promoted by the church and instilled in the generally credulous public in the early 17th century. It shows the fear, yet morbid fascination, that many people, clerics especially, had in regard to these dark subjects and the murderous lengths to which they would go to rid themselves of them. To the people of the 17th century, these beings were real and represented a real threat. The Church, as well as secular authorities and politicians, eagerly took advantage of these paranoias for their own purposes, whether it was to settle an old score or seize large amounts of money and property from suspected wealthy "witches". Even without these added misuses, mass hysteria and delusions were responsible for many thousands of tortures and deaths due to this book and its companions.

This edition includes a rather long and verbose introduction by the famous eccentric Montague Summers, who was well known for his great interest in witchcraft and the occult. Summers wrote and edited a large number of books on these subjects in the early 20th century and is truly an intersting character. His translations and re-editing of this book and the Malleus Maleficarum have made them available to a modern audience. Summers has often been criticized for his supportive views of these works and the actions of the Inqusition during the centuries of the witch hunts. It is interesting to read his thoughts of and praises for the likes of men like Guazzo, Kramer & Sprenger (authors of the Malleus Maleficarum), and the long litany of popes who issued Papal Bulls in support of the deadly machinations of the Inquisiton and their witch hunting offshoots. Keep in mind Summers was writing in the 20th century! It makes one wonder whether Summers really believed the things he wrote or if there was some other meaning behind them.

This is defiantely a book for anyone interested in the history of witchcraft and the occult. It presents a very interesting view on the pre-Enlightenment mindset as people were striving to shed the last superstitious remnants of the middle ages. It offers a frightening glimpse of an intolerant world of religious fundamentalism and widespread fear of the unknown.

Witchtrials, not Wicca
If you're looking for books relating to the modern religion called Wicca, then this book will probably not be what you're looking for.

It is, however, excellent if you're looking for some insight into the beliefs of the witch hunters and the folk beliefs commonly held regarding witchcraft from that time. Many interesting tidbits for any hunter of lore, but due to the duress under which it was extracted in some cases and the author's tendency to present data that it is doubtful he made any attempt to substantiate even as folk belief, I would not recommend it as a primary research source.

Excellent for understanding some of the beliefs of the witchunters and for the occassional bits of folklore. An interesting read. Good for getting a sense of perspective on the time period.

Misunderstood book
The Compendium Maleficarum, a minor treatise on witchcraft, is really a misunderstood book. First, the book reflects popular superstitions and theological opinions of the late medieval/early Renaissance period about witchcraft and many of the latter were never binding upon Cathollics as they were only theories. Some of the book could pass as orthodox Catholic demonology... some of it is quaint, imprecise, and bizarre. Second, the book was not an attack on paganism but upon Satanism as is obvious from even a cursory reading of the book. The literary quality is highly debatable. Fine prose passages filled with imagination, wit, and learning are by far outnumbered by sentimental, awkward, and/or brutal sections. The book is much more popular than academic in style; hence, its at times repetitive and dull examples comprise the bulk of the book. Of interest mainly to students of Church history. Keep in mind that the mishmash of opinions and information imparted by an obscure monk is not the infallible teaching of the Holy Catholic Faith. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Demonology   2. Early works to 1800   3. General   4. New Age   5. New Age / Parapsychology   6. Occultism   7. Witchcraft   8. NEW AGE/PARAPSYCHOLOGY   

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Subjects:  1. Piero,   2. della Francesca,   3. 1416?-1492   4. Criticism and interpretation   5. Holy Cross   6. 15th-16th Century Art   7. Iconography (Fine Arts)   8. Art & Art Instruction   9. Art   10. Individual Artist   11. History - Renaissance   12. Bargain   

Customer Reviews (1)

"One of the Greatest Poets of All Time"
The Italian philosopher, Fransesco Petracha (1304-74), who was responsible for the recovery of many Latin manuscripts, who was one of the primary causes of the revival of Latin letters, and who, like Dante, wrote much of his poetry in the vulgar tongue, is one of the greatest poets of all time and one of the most influential men in the history of the western world. Of the poems he wrote in his native Italian, 366 have survived under the name "Canzoniere" (short-song). Roughly 45 of the 366 poems are provided here in an excellent, faithful translation which steers clear of that cancerous and faulty element in poetry--the rhyme. They were carefully selected for their content, so the discouraging number of 45 poems seems bigger when the editor's subtle discretion is taken into account. The basis of these poems--like Dante's Beatrice and Catallus' Lesbia--rests mostly upon Petrach's undying love for Laura, but at times his verse resounds with political and religious themes, and with praises of Rome's past and the Italy of his own time. Every poem will be an enjoyable read; they are always profound and inspiring in their glorification of feminine beauty; and the vivid and picturesque allusions to nature are always soothing and edifying. One may easily see, after reading Petrach's "Canzoniere," Horace handing Petrach his pen and Virgil his laurel crown, for they were as real to him as the lines of his poetry. They guided him through the fields of Italy and lent him breaths of inspiration along the way. Petrarch was anything but a mean and vulgar poet; he deservedly stands out as great amongst the greatest. Also included are some short prose works (letters) which throw some significant light upon the life and character of Petrach. This conveniently sized collection of the poet laureate's works is thoroughly recommended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Continental European   2. European - Italian   3. Fiction   4. Poetry   

Subjects:  1. Europe - Italy   2. Food habits   3. Guidebooks   4. Italy   5. Reference   6. Regional & Ethnic - Italian   7. Restaurants   8. Travel   9. Travel - Foreign