Added by: Maria | Karma: 3098.81 | Non-Fiction | 30 June 2008
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Some of the greatest works in English literature were first
published without their authors' names. Why did so many authors want to
be anonymous--and what was it like to read their books without knowing
for certain who had written them? In Anonymity, John Mullan
gives a fascinating and original history of hidden identity in English
literature. From the sixteenth century to today, he explores how the
disguises of writers were first used and eventually penetrated, how
anonymity teased readers and bamboozled critics--and how, when book
reviews were also anonymous, reviewers played tricks of their own in
return.
Today we have forgotten that the first readers of Gulliver's Travels and Sense and Sensibility
had to guess who their authors might be, and that writers like Sir
Walter Scott and Charlotte Brontë went to elaborate lengths to keep
secret their authorship of the best-selling books of their times. But,
in fact, anonymity is everywhere in English literature. Spenser, Donne,
Marvell, Defoe, Swift, Fanny Burney, Austen, Byron, Thackeray, Lewis
Carroll, Tennyson, George Eliot, Sylvia Plath, and Doris Lessing--all
hid their names. With great lucidity and wit, Anonymity tells
the stories of these and many other writers, providing a fast-paced,
entertaining, and informative tour through the history of English
literature.
More than fifty years after his death, Albert Einstein's vital engagement with the world continues to inspire others, spurring conversations, projects, and research, in the sciences as well as the humanities. Einstein for the 21st Century shows us why he remains a figure of fascination.
In this wide-ranging collection, eminent artists, historians, scientists, and social scientists describe Einstein's influence on their work, and consider his relevance for the future. Scientists discuss how Einstein's vision continues to motivate them, whether in their quest for a fundamental description of nature or in their investigations in chaos theory; art scholars and artists explore his ties to modern aesthetics; a music historian probes Einstein's musical tastes and relates them to his outlook in science; historians explore the interconnections between Einstein's politics, physics, and philosophy; and other contributors examine his impact on the innovations of our time. Uniquely cross-disciplinary, Einstein for the 21st Century serves as a testament to his legacy and speaks to everyone with an interest in his work.
The contributors are Leon Botstein, Lorraine Daston, E. L. Doctorow, Yehuda Elkana, Yaron Ezrahi, Michael L. Friedman, Jürg Fröhlich, Peter L. Galison, David Gross, Hanoch Gutfreund, Linda D. Henderson, Dudley Herschbach, Gerald Holton, Caroline Jones, Susan Neiman, Lisa Randall, Jürgen Renn, Matthew Ritchie, Silvan S. Schweber, and A. Douglas Stone.
Renowned story teller, Kendall Haven brings his expertise as an oceanographer to the authorship of this third book in a four- book series intended for teachers to use with students in the upper elementary and middle school grades. It focuses on natural phenomena of the sea (tides, tsunamis, sea spouts, giant squid, killer whales) through the eyes of ancient myth and looks at the modern day science that explains each myth, using the interdisciplinary style of teaching. Haven, bringing his knowledge of the science of oceanography, integrates various scientific fields of oceanic study--Physical Oceanography, Geologic Oceanography, Biological and Chemical Oceanography, etc.--to further integrate science curricular areas with the study of myth. Students will not only be encouraged to appreciate the magic in myth and science, but to understand the commonality of all human experience with nature over all time. The book contains myths from several different cultures along with accompanying scientific explanations to use with students. Included are bibliographies, recommended Web sites, student projects, and discussion and activity ideas. Illustrations and diagrams enhance student interest. The book is to be used by teachers and librarians with students and by students in libraries and classrooms.
Joseph Cornell and Astronomy provides an in-depth look at one artist's intense fascination with the science of astronomy. Joseph Cornell (1903-72) has often been viewed as a recluse, isolated in his home on Utopia Parkway, lost in the fairy tales and charming objects of his collages and assemblage boxes. Less commonly known has been Cornell's vested and serious interest in the history of astronomy and the cutting-edge discoveries made during his own lifetime. An avid reader, he amassed a library of books and articles about science and astronomy, and his reflections about these subjects had a direct impact on his art.
This book explores why astronomy captivated Cornell, and considers hundreds of his works--found-footage films, three-dimensional space-object boxes, enigmatic collages, and cosmic ephemera--that contain references to astronomical phenomena. Kirsten Hoving considers Cornell's enormous collection of astronomy materials, ranging from eighteenth-century books to recent works; newspaper and magazine articles that Cornell clipped and sorted; and diary entries of his observations while stargazing in his backyard. She examines how Cornell explored many dimensions of astronomy through his identities as a Christian Scientist and surrealist artist.
Unfolding Cornell's work with depth and breadth, Joseph Cornell and Astronomy offers a convincing and original appreciation of this intriguing American artist.
