Author: Greg Egan
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0575088133
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 233
Book Description
A million years from now, the galaxy is divided between the vast, cooperative meta-civilisation known as the Amalgam, and the silent occupiers of the galactic core known as the Aloof. The Aloof have long rejected all attempts by the Amalgam to enter their territory, but have permitted travellers to take a perilous ride as unencrypted data in their communications network, providing a short-cut across the galaxy's central bulge. When Rakesh encounters a traveller, Lahl, who claims she was woken by the Aloof on such a journey and shown a meteor full of traces of DNA, he accepts her challenge to try to find the uncharted world deep in the Aloof's territory from which the meteor originated. Roi and Zak live inside the Splinter, a world of rock that swims in a sea of light they call the Incandescence. Living on the margins of a rigidly organised society, they seek to decipher the subtle clues that can reveal the true nature of the Splinter. In fact, the Splinter is orbiting a black hole, which is about to capture a neighbouring star, wreaking havoc. As the signs of danger grow, Roi, Zak, and a growing band of recruits struggle to understand and take control of their fate. Meanwhile, Rakesh is gradually uncovering their remote history, and his search for the lost DNA world ultimately leads him to a civilisation trapped in cultural stagnation, and startling revelations about the true nature and motives of the Aloof.
Incandescence
Author: Carmen Acevedo Butcher
Publisher: Paraclete Press (MA)
ISBN: 9781557254184
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 300
Book Description
As anyone will discover who casually dips into this beautiful collection, the women mystics of Christian tradition offer a lucid alternative to today's more rationalistic approaches to God. They offer a way to peace, laughter, love, and connection with each other, and they show us a picture of a tender, nurturing, forgiving God who is as intimate as our own breath. There are indeed "women's ways of knowing" and they are revealed in these insightful daily readings. Incandescence offers fresh translations from the writings of famous and not-so-famous mystics---Julian of Norwich, Mechthild of Magdeburg, Catherine of Siena, Hildegard of Bingen, Gertrude of Helfta, Margery Kempe, and others. Each reading includes a meditation, prayer, poem, or song, providing an oasis in a hectic day. The topics in this luminous volume include: *God's divine, mothering love *The guidance of God's light *The sensuality of faith *A helpful and friendly Trinity
Publisher: Paraclete Press (MA)
ISBN: 9781557254184
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 300
Book Description
As anyone will discover who casually dips into this beautiful collection, the women mystics of Christian tradition offer a lucid alternative to today's more rationalistic approaches to God. They offer a way to peace, laughter, love, and connection with each other, and they show us a picture of a tender, nurturing, forgiving God who is as intimate as our own breath. There are indeed "women's ways of knowing" and they are revealed in these insightful daily readings. Incandescence offers fresh translations from the writings of famous and not-so-famous mystics---Julian of Norwich, Mechthild of Magdeburg, Catherine of Siena, Hildegard of Bingen, Gertrude of Helfta, Margery Kempe, and others. Each reading includes a meditation, prayer, poem, or song, providing an oasis in a hectic day. The topics in this luminous volume include: *God's divine, mothering love *The guidance of God's light *The sensuality of faith *A helpful and friendly Trinity
Signs of the Signs
Author: William Brevda
Publisher: Bucknell University Press
ISBN: 1611480434
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 435
Book Description
This book is a study of signs in American literature and culture. It is mainly about electric signs, but also deals with non-electric signs and related phenomena, such as movie sets. The 'sign' is considered in both the architectural and semiotic senses of the word. It is argued that the drama and spectacle of the electric sign called attention to the semiotic implications of the 'sign.' In fiction, poetry, and commentary, the electric SIGN became a 'sign' of manifold meanings that this book explores: a sign of the city, a sign of America, a sign of the twentieth century, a sign of modernism, a sign of postmodernism, a sign of noir, a sign of naturalism, a sign of the beats, a sign of signs systems (the Bible to Broadway), a sign of tropes (the Great White way to the neon jungle), a sign of the writers themselves, a sign of the sign itself. If Moby Dick is the great American novel, then it is also the great American novel about signs, as the prologue maintains. The chapters that follow demonstrate that the sign is indeed a 'sign' of American literature. After the electric sign was invented, it influenced Stephen Crane to become a nightlight impressionist and Theodore Dreiser to make the 'fire sign' his metaphor for the city. An actual Broadway sign might have inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. In Manhattan Transfer and U.S.A., John Dos Passos portrayed America as just a spectacular sign. William Faulkner's electric signs are full of sound and fury signifying modernity. The Last Tycoon was a sign of Fitzgerald's decline. The signs of noir can be traced to Poe's 'The Man of the Crowd.' Absence flickers in the neons of Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles. The death of God haunts the neon wilderness of Nelson Algren. Hitler's 'empire' was an non-intentional parody of Nathanael West's California. The beats reinvented Times Square in their own image. Jack Kerouac's search for the center of Saturday night was a quest for transcendence. This book will interest readers who want to learn more about the city, the history of advertising, electric lighting, nightlife, architecture, and semiotics. In contrast to other cultural studies, however, Signs of the Signs is primarily a work of literary criticism. Lovers of literary light will appreciate this book the most.
Publisher: Bucknell University Press
ISBN: 1611480434
Category : Literary Criticism
Languages : en
Pages : 435
Book Description
This book is a study of signs in American literature and culture. It is mainly about electric signs, but also deals with non-electric signs and related phenomena, such as movie sets. The 'sign' is considered in both the architectural and semiotic senses of the word. It is argued that the drama and spectacle of the electric sign called attention to the semiotic implications of the 'sign.' In fiction, poetry, and commentary, the electric SIGN became a 'sign' of manifold meanings that this book explores: a sign of the city, a sign of America, a sign of the twentieth century, a sign of modernism, a sign of postmodernism, a sign of noir, a sign of naturalism, a sign of the beats, a sign of signs systems (the Bible to Broadway), a sign of tropes (the Great White way to the neon jungle), a sign of the writers themselves, a sign of the sign itself. If Moby Dick is the great American novel, then it is also the great American novel about signs, as the prologue maintains. The chapters that follow demonstrate that the sign is indeed a 'sign' of American literature. After the electric sign was invented, it influenced Stephen Crane to become a nightlight impressionist and Theodore Dreiser to make the 'fire sign' his metaphor for the city. An actual Broadway sign might have inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. In Manhattan Transfer and U.S.A., John Dos Passos portrayed America as just a spectacular sign. William Faulkner's electric signs are full of sound and fury signifying modernity. The Last Tycoon was a sign of Fitzgerald's decline. The signs of noir can be traced to Poe's 'The Man of the Crowd.' Absence flickers in the neons of Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles. The death of God haunts the neon wilderness of Nelson Algren. Hitler's 'empire' was an non-intentional parody of Nathanael West's California. The beats reinvented Times Square in their own image. Jack Kerouac's search for the center of Saturday night was a quest for transcendence. This book will interest readers who want to learn more about the city, the history of advertising, electric lighting, nightlife, architecture, and semiotics. In contrast to other cultural studies, however, Signs of the Signs is primarily a work of literary criticism. Lovers of literary light will appreciate this book the most.
Smita Patil
Author: Maithili Rao
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 9351775135
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 411
Book Description
In the three decades since Smita Patil died-at the impossibly young age of thirty-one-she has unwaveringly been one of Indian cinema's biggest icons. That is unusual enough for a 'parallel cinema' actor, rendered more remarkable in a career that spanned a mere ten years. Patil, one of the leading lights of the New Indian Cinema of the mid-1970s, has a body of work that would make veterans proud. Smita Patil: A Brief Incandescence tells her remarkable story, tracing it from her childhood to stardom, controversial marriage and untimely death. Her close friends remember 'Smi' as outspoken and bindaas, not beyond hurling abuses or taking off on bikes for impromptu joyrides. Film-makers like Shyam Benegal and Jabbar Patel, and co-stars Om Puri and Shabana Azmi talk about Patil's dedication to her craft and her intuitive pursuit of that perfect take. From the difficult equation she shared with her mother to her propensity for 'wrong' relationships, about which she was always open unlike other stars of the time, this is a complex and honest exploration of Patil's life. The book also includes a sharp critique of the films that defined her. They read like a roster of the best of New Indian Cinema: Bhumika, Mandi, Manthan, Umbartha, Bhavni Bhavai, Akaler Sandhane, Chakra, Chidambaram and Mirch Masala among them. Maithili Rao also examines Patil's many unfortunate forays into mainstream commercial cinema. Incisive and insightful, Smita Patil: A Brief Incandescence is an invaluable addition to film studies in India, bringing alive an entire era when cinema in India was truly different. It is also the definitive biography of a rare talent and a haunting life.
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 9351775135
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 411
Book Description
In the three decades since Smita Patil died-at the impossibly young age of thirty-one-she has unwaveringly been one of Indian cinema's biggest icons. That is unusual enough for a 'parallel cinema' actor, rendered more remarkable in a career that spanned a mere ten years. Patil, one of the leading lights of the New Indian Cinema of the mid-1970s, has a body of work that would make veterans proud. Smita Patil: A Brief Incandescence tells her remarkable story, tracing it from her childhood to stardom, controversial marriage and untimely death. Her close friends remember 'Smi' as outspoken and bindaas, not beyond hurling abuses or taking off on bikes for impromptu joyrides. Film-makers like Shyam Benegal and Jabbar Patel, and co-stars Om Puri and Shabana Azmi talk about Patil's dedication to her craft and her intuitive pursuit of that perfect take. From the difficult equation she shared with her mother to her propensity for 'wrong' relationships, about which she was always open unlike other stars of the time, this is a complex and honest exploration of Patil's life. The book also includes a sharp critique of the films that defined her. They read like a roster of the best of New Indian Cinema: Bhumika, Mandi, Manthan, Umbartha, Bhavni Bhavai, Akaler Sandhane, Chakra, Chidambaram and Mirch Masala among them. Maithili Rao also examines Patil's many unfortunate forays into mainstream commercial cinema. Incisive and insightful, Smita Patil: A Brief Incandescence is an invaluable addition to film studies in India, bringing alive an entire era when cinema in India was truly different. It is also the definitive biography of a rare talent and a haunting life.
Elizabeth Peyton
Author:
Publisher: Rizzoli Publications
ISBN: 0847858553
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 250
Book Description
This beautiful volume focuses on a five-year period in Elizabeth Peyton’s evolving career to suggest not only a visual chronicle of an age, its heroes, heroines, and interests, but also of an individual’s life—that of Peyton herself. Elizabeth Peyton’s work has been renowned since the early 1990s, when she began exhibiting her paintings and drawings of artists, musicians, historical figures, and friends. This new volume, prepared by the artist in collaboration with designer Brendan Dugan, founder of Karma bookstore and gallery, presents a concentrated view of a period bookended by two exhibitions in Brussels, one in 2009 and the second in 2014, a time of introspection, and the development of a more personal painterly language. This phase of Peyton’s work is about a new realism and a considered situating of her interests and passions in relation to her own working practice. We see her range expand to take in lush still lifes composed of books, flowers, and fragmentary interiors; expressive, blooddrenched scenes drawn from Richard Wagner’s operas; and many magnificent and subtle portraits of peers and mentors, historical or present-day. From David Bowie to celebrated tenor Jonas Kaufmann; from Delacroix and Giorgione to Peyton’s artist peers such as Matthew Barney and Klara Liden; from Friday Night Lights actor Taylor Kitsch to tattoo artist Scott Campbell, as well as numerous self-portraits, her work is about narrowing the distance between the self and the object of fascination. “They are people expressing what it is to be human. Most art that’s any good is trying to do that—trying to put a voice to feeling. And in particular, the feeling of their time,” writes Peyton.
Publisher: Rizzoli Publications
ISBN: 0847858553
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 250
Book Description
This beautiful volume focuses on a five-year period in Elizabeth Peyton’s evolving career to suggest not only a visual chronicle of an age, its heroes, heroines, and interests, but also of an individual’s life—that of Peyton herself. Elizabeth Peyton’s work has been renowned since the early 1990s, when she began exhibiting her paintings and drawings of artists, musicians, historical figures, and friends. This new volume, prepared by the artist in collaboration with designer Brendan Dugan, founder of Karma bookstore and gallery, presents a concentrated view of a period bookended by two exhibitions in Brussels, one in 2009 and the second in 2014, a time of introspection, and the development of a more personal painterly language. This phase of Peyton’s work is about a new realism and a considered situating of her interests and passions in relation to her own working practice. We see her range expand to take in lush still lifes composed of books, flowers, and fragmentary interiors; expressive, blooddrenched scenes drawn from Richard Wagner’s operas; and many magnificent and subtle portraits of peers and mentors, historical or present-day. From David Bowie to celebrated tenor Jonas Kaufmann; from Delacroix and Giorgione to Peyton’s artist peers such as Matthew Barney and Klara Liden; from Friday Night Lights actor Taylor Kitsch to tattoo artist Scott Campbell, as well as numerous self-portraits, her work is about narrowing the distance between the self and the object of fascination. “They are people expressing what it is to be human. Most art that’s any good is trying to do that—trying to put a voice to feeling. And in particular, the feeling of their time,” writes Peyton.
Yves Klein: Incandescence
Author: Frédéric Prot
Publisher: 5Continents
ISBN: 9788874396252
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 240
Book Description
French painter Yves Klein (1928?1962) stands as one of the most exciting artists of the 20th century. A founding member of the New Realism movement, he was also a pioneer in performance art and installations, and a forerunner of body art, land art, and conceptual art. During his meteoric eight-year career, Klein expressed his vision through a wide range of media, including pure color (notably a deep, bright blue now known as Yves Klein Blue), architecture, sculpture, literature, and music. This book looks afresh at Klein's works, and especially those that involve fire. Klein used fire to represent the mysterious and intangible elements of the world: He believed that an artist's transfiguration of reality could change a viewer's personal values, and his aim was to usher in an age of happy and fulfilled humankind. Here, images of his spectacular mur de feu or ?wall of fire,” along with his monochromes, monogolds, drawings, letters, and articles, as well as pictures of Klein producing his works, are testament to the artist's belief in the spiritual power of art. This magnificent volume includes a fascinating DVD of archival footage of Klein creating art with fire. The 12-minute DVD shows Klein creating the Mur de feu (Wall of Fire) and the Fontaine de feu (Fountain of Fire) for an exhibition in Germany in 1961, filmed by Yvan Butler, and the Peintures de feu (Fire Paintings) in France in 1962, filmed by Albert Weill. Newly composed music by Daniel Humair accompanies the films.
Publisher: 5Continents
ISBN: 9788874396252
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 240
Book Description
French painter Yves Klein (1928?1962) stands as one of the most exciting artists of the 20th century. A founding member of the New Realism movement, he was also a pioneer in performance art and installations, and a forerunner of body art, land art, and conceptual art. During his meteoric eight-year career, Klein expressed his vision through a wide range of media, including pure color (notably a deep, bright blue now known as Yves Klein Blue), architecture, sculpture, literature, and music. This book looks afresh at Klein's works, and especially those that involve fire. Klein used fire to represent the mysterious and intangible elements of the world: He believed that an artist's transfiguration of reality could change a viewer's personal values, and his aim was to usher in an age of happy and fulfilled humankind. Here, images of his spectacular mur de feu or ?wall of fire,” along with his monochromes, monogolds, drawings, letters, and articles, as well as pictures of Klein producing his works, are testament to the artist's belief in the spiritual power of art. This magnificent volume includes a fascinating DVD of archival footage of Klein creating art with fire. The 12-minute DVD shows Klein creating the Mur de feu (Wall of Fire) and the Fontaine de feu (Fountain of Fire) for an exhibition in Germany in 1961, filmed by Yvan Butler, and the Peintures de feu (Fire Paintings) in France in 1962, filmed by Albert Weill. Newly composed music by Daniel Humair accompanies the films.
The Midwife's Revolt
Author: Jodi Daynard
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
ISBN: 9781477828007
Category : Boston (Mass.)
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
"On a dark night in 1775, Lizzie Boylston is awakened by the sound of cannons. From a hill south of Boston, she watches as fires burn in Charlestown, in a battle that she soon discovers has claimed her husband's life. Alone in a new town. Soon, word spreads of Lizzie's extraordinary midwifery and healing skills, and she begins to channel her grief into caring for those who need her." -- back cover.
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
ISBN: 9781477828007
Category : Boston (Mass.)
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
"On a dark night in 1775, Lizzie Boylston is awakened by the sound of cannons. From a hill south of Boston, she watches as fires burn in Charlestown, in a battle that she soon discovers has claimed her husband's life. Alone in a new town. Soon, word spreads of Lizzie's extraordinary midwifery and healing skills, and she begins to channel her grief into caring for those who need her." -- back cover.