Book Description
Throughout the previous six editions, this text has earned a reputation for elegance and the highest standards of quality.
Living with Art helps students develop an appreciation of art by offering a clear and comprehensive introduction to the visual arts from several perspectives: themes and purposes of art; the vocabulary of art; individual art media (painting, drawing, camera arts, sculpture, architecture, etc.); and the history of art. The book is rich with illustrations drawn from a wide range of artistic cultures and time periods.
Customer Reviews:
Great Textbook!.......2006-07-30
I just started my summer class a few weeks ago, and I definitely agree with the instructor that it's a truly great textbook! It's not as pricey as I initially thought it was going to be and it has a ton of art information. The CD and timeline are kind of useless, but I would still use them to study for exams or quizzes. If you want to learn about art in SOOO many ways, get this book because it's a treat!
chosen paintings shown several times.......2006-05-01
I got this book for a class, and besides just using it for tests, I haven't opened it much. Most of the paintings in the first few chapters are also the same paintings in the last few chapters, though, and I thought it would have more variations. However, the info in each section is concise, easy to read, and the whole book is a great introduction for the beginner to the study of art.
Great Book for the begining Artist or Art lover.......2006-03-22
I found it to be detailed enough to learn about art without boring me. It was actually for a class I'm taking by found I read more chapters than required because it was a great overview on many diffent subjects from art to architecture
Great Book.......2006-03-14
Received the book in time and actually it was very fast too. Product is great. A Million thanks.
okay.......2006-02-22
the book is great but the service shipping to me was horrible. it follows my introduction to art history class very well.
Average customer rating:
- Beautiful book
- Great Book!
- Love It or Hate It - I Loved It
- FOR THE LOVE OF OLD: LIVING WITH CHIPPED, FRAYED, TARNISHED, FADED, TATTERED, WORN , AND WEATHERED THINGS THAT BRING COMFORT...
- Not her best...
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For the Love of Old: Living with Chipped, Frayed, Tarnished, Faded, Tattered, Worn and Weathered Things that Bring Comfort, Character and Joy to the Places We Call Home
Mary Randolph Carter
Manufacturer: Rizzoli
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0847828476
Release Date: 2006-10-24 |
Book Description
This stunning volume focuses on the qualities of the old things in our homes (the patina of an old table, pewter dulled by age, old floorboards that creak) and how to live with and incorporate them into our personal aesthetic. Divided into chapters by the qualities of oldâpeeling, dried, tarnished, faded, chipped, frayed, rusty, and mossyâthis unique book not only pays tribute to furniture, textiles, china, silver and other accessories with these qualities but also shows us how best to preserve, adapt, and arrange them. Lavishly illustrated with beautiful photographs that highlight the warm colors and rich textures of wood and paint, cloth and leather, For the Love of Old also includes ideas and recipes for saving old items from the junk pile, preserving and caring for the old things you have, giving newer things a lived-in feel, and bringing an enduring personality to every home.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful book.......2007-09-03
This book is beautiful. It is a coffe table copy. One you want to use for display. I was drawn with interest to someone who sees beauty in such old things. The book is very unique. I'm glad I have a copy.
Great Book!.......2007-02-07
I loved Mary Randolph Carter's book American Family Style so much and this book seemed to me like a part two of that original book. Although this book wasn't filled with pictures of her family it was filled with the same warmth and comfort as the original. Even though it may not be filled with exactly the things I might put in my own home it is something I enjoy reading. You can tell the author truly LOVES these lost, rusty, beautiful things. I truly can appreciate that.
Love It or Hate It - I Loved It.......2007-02-01
Many, indeed virtually all, of the books we see on interior decorating show rooms set with furnishings that are either brand new or antiques that are pristine and beautiful. They are a very, very long way from those long ago college days when glasses came from empty jelly jars and none of the plates or silverware matched.
Ms. Carter's book is a celebration of the old, the frayed, etc. The individual table settings don't have to be all alike. They just need to be interesting, attractive, have a story to tell. I particularly liked her comments regarding silver, probably because I've gotten a lot of it from my mother and grandmother.
Ms. Carter has an artistic eye that sees art where other people see junk. She matches her eye with her photographic skills that enable her to show exactly what she means. It's a book to be celebrated by those of us who like garage sales, thrift shops and making that special find.
FOR THE LOVE OF OLD: LIVING WITH CHIPPED, FRAYED, TARNISHED, FADED, TATTERED, WORN , AND WEATHERED THINGS THAT BRING COMFORT..........2007-01-10
AN AWESOME, INSPIRING, AND COMFORTING BOOK FOR THOSE WHO LOVE THE OLD AND ECLECTIC LIFESTYLE. SIMPLY WRITTEN AND BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED WITH PHOTOS FIT FOR FRAMING. A GREAT RAINY DAY READ AND SUITABLE FOR THE COFFEE TABLE.
Not her best..........2007-01-09
I love her other books, I was so looking forward to reading this one over a long afternoon. I fell hook, line and sinker for her romance with flea markets and flea market treasures. This one looks like she took the leavings off the cutting room floor from her other books, packaged it nicely and called it good. Except it is not, good that is. Sorry but this stuff just looks like junk that I would not give a second glance to at a yard sale or flea market. And the price is so high!! Mutton done up as lamb.
Book Description
This beautiful book makes the lushness and luxury of two of today's most acclaimed interior designers accessible and practical for readers at home. With clients from Vera Wang to Tina Turner singing their praises, Stephen Sills and James Huniford, of Sills Huniford Associates, have written the ultimate guide to creating a beautiful home. This book brings the luxury and sensuality of Sills Huniford's signature style to a practical level, addressing concerns like integrating technology into the home, devising the most flexible floor plan, and getting the most out of a small space and modest budget. Every aspect of style is addressed in clear language detailing the basic lessons of design. Their unmatched understanding of atmosphere, color, and design is brought to life in stunning and never-before-seen color photographs that prove both inspiring and practical. Written by Michael Boodro, a former editor at Vogue and current editor for the New York Times Magazine style section, DWELLINGS is certain to become a touchstone for a generation that is searching for a new level of style and sophistication in the way they live.
Customer Reviews:
"Shallow & Vacant" doesn't begin to describe it .......2006-04-21
These designers have a great gimmick going. Basically, they travel around the world, hoarding antiques, ship them back to NYC and have cheap Mexican labour refinish them. They then charge foolish, rich clients (the ONLY people they'll work for) exorbitant prices for shoddily refinished junk. The reason the book seems "shallow & vacant" is because it's a direct reflection of the designer's personalities. Their designs are more stage settings than ones for living in. They manage to pull the wool over most clients eyes, but, they have been sued when their scheme was discovered and had to drastically lower their prices as compensation. So, if empty, weirdly coloured interiors don't make you vomit, then buy this book!
A must have .......2006-03-23
This is a divine book.
Sills and Huniford show in the pages of this book that they are America's premier decorators. Thier talent is so great and the understanding of how interiors can be elegant, refined, well edited and still very livable are beautifully portrayed in this pages. To have this as a reference and a cronicle of thier work is a treasure. I HIGHLY recommend this book.
Don't listen to other reviews.............2006-01-06
This book is great!! From the text you actually learn something rather than just a bunch of boring pictures. The pictures are annotated with the designers comments- you can actually LEARN things from this book. It's not a pretty coffee table book ( thank god, do we really need another one of those?! ) but one which you can actually learns secrets to great design. One step above the beginers level. I would highly recommend this book!
size is not important.......2005-04-07
Yes, many photos are small. However, all photos are beautiful. If you want to upholster your own headboard or want new and fascinating uses for MDF, look elsewhere. Maybe I am biased -- I don't read (or look at) decorating books to learn how to decorate. I look at them for color, balance, and proportion. Sure, there are ideas here. Subtle ideas. Quiet ideas. Lovely ideas. Not all rooms of color are orange (will this trend end)! Think of grey, watery blues, nut browns! Trading places does not tread here. As far as no dust cover, who needs it? I pet my book often. Not merely a decorating book, this is an art book. Enjoy! Don't just learn how to lay tile.
I just HAD to add my two cents' worth, because..........2005-03-05
I was amazed by the polarity of the reviews for this book -- always a good sign, as long as the lengthier reviews are the negative ones. Having bought a copy for resale, the reviews below motivated me to heavily skim it, and here's the fat skinny as I see it.
These guys really are gifted professionals, whose approach melds formal principle with intuitive insight. Their advice taken piecemeal may read like mostly conventional wisdom, but there is a LOT of it packed into a small space. And their "writing about themselves" (hard to avoid, really) is how you get the Be-Here-Now feel of their process. This personal, casebook approach adds considerable vitality to the link between the layered and revealing text and the superbly composed interior photos.
No, the latter are NOT huge -- discernment is a mark of these designers, and the medium is as much the message here as with the design examples and text. The real learning comes Zen-like, in the space between the words and images -- that's why some readers "get it" and others (who tend to want concrete "how to" or big, flashy pix and divertingly original text) don't. Check out a library copy if you're in doubt as to whether you're this book's kind of person. Or just take the plunge, get humble and patient, and see what -- and how -- you can learn....
On the text: sure, we all know that the floor is the foundation of any room, furniture should be suitable, luxurious bathrooms will pamper you, wall surfaces offer lots of possibilities, and colors should harmonize but need not match. But then you come upon nuggets of concentrated utility, like their three (primordial) strategies for the use of color, and such interesting observations as, "When color is integral to the material -- stone, wood, metal -- it registers less strongly".
The authors' offbeat perspective surfaces here and there like a thread in a tapestry. They liken the floor to the "face" of a room -- then survey ten classic flooring materials in a sentence, list eight functions that floor designs can serve in two more, and rattle off a dozen points of practical wisdom about carpets -- all this being reflected in the accompanying pictures. You don't read this book so much as you mine it.
The use of many transitional pages with nothing but large-scripted aphorisms and chapter titles IS a tad on the indulgent side, but even here the whole can be more than the sum of the parts. "A room's function should be paramount in determining the way it looks" (4: Living in a Room), yet "The more defined a room's function is, the harder it can be to design" (8: Functional Spaces). "Be Here Now", gentle acolytes -- these dividers are really connectors as well, functioning on the rebound as subsumers of more practical wisdom than is apparent until you've done your homework. Read that text and get your eyeballs into those pix for a couple of iterations, grok the "tell `em then show `em" paradigm in play, and go to school on these guys!
In sum, "editing, function and order" are as masterfully displayed in every aspect of the layout as they are demonstrated to be essential to the design of a room. The book is multi-dimensionally gorgeous, inside and out -- quite the bonus, really (check out the super-classic "Billy Baldwin Decorates" by way of comparison, and see what I mean). You can display this coffee table gem with pride, for its fascinating Persian-Miniature style photos, discussion-provoking koan/cliches, sheer textural delight to the eye and hand, and for the delectation of your subtler friends....
Book Description
In recent years, mid-century modern furniture, glass, ceramics, and textiles have become hugely popular among those who appreciate the stylish contribution these pieces make to the contemporary home. Modern Retro will inspire you to create a look that combines modern classics by such visionaries as the Eameses, Bertoia, and Aalto with thrift-store finds and the best contemporary design. Created by modern classics dealer Andrew Weaving and design commentator Neil Bingham, with photography by Andrew Wood, Modern Retro is not about slavishly recreating a period feel. Instead, it shows how to take the best designs of the 1920s through 1970s and use them throughout your home in a relaxed and individual way, allowing you to make the most of the gloriously eclectic forms, colors, and patterns available.
Customer Reviews:
Inspiring and accessible.......2002-06-14
Since I already have a few 50-60's modern pieces in my home, I purchased this book to give me a better idea of what other items were out there. The designs have great style, but seem totally achievable. Using this book as a guide and source of inspiration you could decorate your home in a comfortable yet stylish manner. Some of the pieces they show are pricey, while others are probably inexpensive flea market finds. The author gives you enough information that you could go out into the flea markets and antique/second hand shops and make some sound purchase. It is a shame the book is less than 200 pages. I would have loved to see more.
Expensive style without the costs!.......2001-12-30
This book is amazing. It teaches you to create a contemporary looking home, without the outrageous costs of designer furnishings. It tells you what to look for at thrift stores, and how to use what you already have. I would highly reccommend this book to anyone even just a little bit interested in design! It's truly great.
Inspirational book.......2000-11-15
For a book on home furnishings, this book certainly contains enough good pictures to get you inspired. It is also well researched and written and actually covers quite a lot of ground inspite of its rather small size at 144 pages. In fact, this book is so good, I only wish there was a bigger version of it, with even more wonderful examples of lovely interiors filled with retro furniture. This book covers interior styles from the Art Deco period to the 1970s. It does mention a little of the famous designers such as Noguchi, Eames, Nelson, etc., but its primary purpose is to teach you about how to achieve the modern retro look, with discussions on living rooms, kitchens, work rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, furniture, lighting and accessories. What I find particularly useful is the list of retailers specializing in original pieces of furniture, a list of retailers and manufacturers of modern re-issues, and a list of architects and designers whose work had been featured in the book. Be warned though, that the list consists mostly of companies in the United Kingdom. This book is definitely a good buy for enthusiasts of retro furniture.
Book Description
Charles Darwin has been at the center of white-hot public debate for more than a century. In Living With Darwin, Philip Kitcher peers into the flames swirling around Darwin's theory, sifting through the scientific evidence for evolution, Creation Science, and Intelligent Design, and revealing why evolution has been the object of such vehement attack. Kitcher ranges back in time to provide valuable perspective on the present controversy, describing the many puzzling issues that blocked evolution's acceptance in the early years, and explaining how scientific research eventually found the answers to these conundrums. Interestingly, Kitcher shows that many of these early questions have been resurrected in recent years by proponents of Intelligent Design. In fact, Darwin himself considered the issue of intelligent design, and amassed a mountain of evidence that effectively refuted the idea. Kitcher argues that the problem with Intelligent Design isn't that it's "not science," as many critics say, but that it's "dead science," raising questions long resolved by scientists. But after providing a convincing case for evolution, Kitcher points out that it is also important to recognize the cost of Darwin's success--the price of "living with Darwin." Darwinism has a profound effect on our understanding of ourselves and our place in the universe, on our religious beliefs and aspirations. It is in truth the focal point of a larger clash between religious faith and the discoveries of modern science. Unless we can resolve this larger issue, the war over evolution will go on. Evolution is a dangerous idea. In this balanced and sympathetic volume, Philip Kitcher illuminates this idea while suggesting ways to defuse the danger, suggestions that embrace both the religious impulse and the force of scientific evidence.
Customer Reviews:
Darwin's Personal Life.......2007-09-05
An excllent sumary in small hard-cover format of Charles Darwin's life. It reflects the agony he experienced in knowing that his discoveries were totally contrary to the 1800's teachings of the Church and startling contradictions to the book of Genesis.
Carl Bauer, Prescott AZ
Finding the true path.......2007-09-05
It's a bit depressing, seeing a man of global outlook having to produce a book of such limited audience. Kitcher's philosophical study is an excellent summation of the false ideas forwarded by anti-Darwin forces in the US. His approach is a needed one, that "creationists" of various stripes there must be addressed in rational terms, and on their own ground. He accomplishes the task with extraordinary skill and reserve. It's a badly-needed book, but it's a pity is that this is so. It's to be hoped Kitcher's well-reasoned techniques applied here will reach a significant portion of that targeted readership.
His approach is to categorise the themes of creationist writers as regards the value of the "science" they purport to espouse. He puts creationists in three basic forms: "Genesis" - the biblical "literalists"; "novelty" - special acts of creation by some supernatural interference; and the "anti-selectionists" - composed of the newer "Intelligent Design" advocates. "Anti-selectionism" has found a niche by contesting the concept of the Tree of Life, the graphic representation of gradual change in organisms over time to produce new forms. It isn't evolution itself these writers contest, but the details not readily explained by what we know now. Aimless mutations aren't enough to explain the complexity of some elements in certain organisms, they argue. Some undetectable "force" must be involved. The first two forms are adhered to by sincere, if dogmatic followers. The third is one that must be considered on the evidence under study. That consideration must adhere to the rules of scientific investigation to be valid.
Kitcher understands that the challenge of the anti-selectionists isn't based on scientific, but on cultural, values. He recognises that the real agenda of "Intelligent Design" is to give religious people a way to grasp Darwin's concept within a framework of supernatural forces. They have been forced to concede that "young-Earth" biblical creation is untenable. They also recognise that "special creations" aren't supported by the fossil or genetic record. The only way to allow their deity a means of keeping its hand in is to give some tampering power. Bacterial flagella and some internal functions of the body argue against Darwin's "descent with modification". Building up certain proteins to perform the tasks they do today cannot be sustained, they contend. Kitcher responds by noting that while the "anti-selectionists" can make this arguement due to lack of hard fossil evidence for how these functions evolved, neither do the Darwin-detractors offer any evidence for divine tampering to establish them.
The author's classifications may be novel, but the issues involved have been presented often. What makes this book important and necessary is Kitcher's resistance to sinking into wearying invective. His prose is bright and conversational, his lining out of evidence firmly dispassionate and his conclusions irrefutable. He makes no unwarrented claims, and fully recognises that gaps in our knowledge remain to be filled.
Another gap, however, must also be contended with. What to do about those who feel that "faith" is a human necessity? The author offers an historical synopsis of what the Enlightenment contributed to our view of the supernatural. Of all the challenges to Christian belief, it was Darwin's that was the most devastating. It was one thing to displace the Earth from the centre of the universe. It was quite another to remove any supernatural element from life's workings. In particular, it's devastating to some to learn that humans are not the subject focus of divine attention. Kitcher's answer is that a new form of "faith" must emerge, and be encouraged. That "faith" will not resist natural selection, but embrace it. That new religion will combine a form of Darwinist humanism with a sense of the spiritual as a social mucilage. There will be no "god", but there will be a drive to reduce pain and suffering so far as possible. It won't be easy to establish such a concept, particularly in a nation with such vocal forces objecting to natural selection having a role in human affairs. But success depends on the withdrawal of artificial objections to Darwin's ideas. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Another Round in the Darwin-Intelligent Design Wars.......2007-08-29
I found this to be a very helpful addition to the literature on the continuing conflict between evolutionists and those supporting intelligent design. Unlike some other books on this topic, the author does not try to dispose of ID by declaring it unscientific; rather his view is to demonstrate that it represents "dead science," discarded in 1859-1870, much like alchemy. In other words, the scientific "basis" for ID has not progressed since the days of Paley's "Natural Theology" (1826), while the scientific evidence supporting Darwin has grown tremendously in depth and reach. It is also helpful that the book covers the entire history of creationism, since the author addresses "genesis creationism," "novelty creationism", and "anti-selectionism." The author effectively demonstrates in language generally understandable to the layperson why each of these three approaches is defective in analysis and foundation. His discussion of how DNA and modern genetics support evolution is particularly effective and helpful.
Along the way, he poses some tough questions for those advocating ID. For example, when does "intelligence" act, and how does it affect life. The author's discussion of the "concrete case" argument, i.e., how could complex structures such as the human eye be the result of evolution, and what he terms the "computational argument" that invokes mathematical probabilities as an argument against evolution, casts much welcome light on these contentions. Kitcher is quick to admit there are gaps in the fossil records, and that as of the present some important dimensions of evolution have not yet been proven. But in his view the direction science is going suggests that more and more of these issues will be resolved in the future.
The final chapter, "A Mess of Pottage," focuses upon a key point. For the author, there really is no way Darwinism can be compatible with religion that posits supernatural dimensions. For him, it is either Drawin or God, and there is no way to compromise. There is certainly room to disagree with the book on this point. Instead, the author suggests that there is still room for what he terms "spiritual religion." Much like the author's "Abusing Science: The Case Against Creatinism" (1982), this book is very well written, and at 186 pages fairly compact, including 19 pages of helpful notes. Whichever side one is on in this debate, this book is challenging and worthy of consideration.
Living IN Darwin.......2007-08-05
Although my parents insisted I attend and participate in a christian church environment, they also insisted that I could make up my own mind when I was of age. After visiting various denominational churches,I reached the conclusion that although the basic tenets of Christian religion were commendable,notions of 'creation by a diety'were unacceptable for me.
When a friend gave me a copy of 'Origin of Species' I virtually devoured it.
It is important for a reader of this work to do so with a truly open mind but in the final analysis they will be faced with confronting their ingrained 'faith' or beliefs because those lessons taught in sunday school to impressionable young minds are difficult to abandon.
I have become an unrepentant Atheist and have in turn exposed my children to scientific analysis rather than non-scientific faith based education.
I have confidently offered this book to them for extra reading as it deals with the issues of evolution Vs creationism in a scientific manner without emotional religious bigotry.
Perhaps the fact that I came to live in Darwin Northern Territory Australia, named after Charles Darwin who visited here during his voyages has heightened my interest in his theories and laid a solid foundation to scientific study
I believe I can live with Darwin.......2007-08-03
Ever since the Origin of Species was published in 1859, Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection has been viewed as dangerous to Christian faith. This is especially true for adherents of biblical literalism who view it as a threat and have taken various steps to assuage its effects on the faithful. The most recent of which comes under the title "Intelligent Design." [ID] In his book, Living with Darwin, philosopher of science Philip Kitcher sets out to attack claims made by proponents of Intelligent Design by showing their weakness as a "scientific" as well as a "religious" hypothesis." And ultimately demonstrating why a Darwinian orthodox explanation is still the best option available.
In chapter one, "Disinterring Darwin," Kitcher refers to [ID] as "dead science" a doctrine that "once had its day in scientific inquiry and discussion but has rightly been discarded" (8). This means that at some point in the past it was seriously considered a workable scientific hypothesis but for good reasons it was abandoned and left for dead, to be replaced by a hypothesis that does a better job of explaining the natural world. But Kitcher recognizes that this is not the last word for proponents of [ID], or as he likes to call them "resurrection men." The [ID] proponents have other tricks up their sleeve as Kitcher demonstrates. For one, there isn't just one strand of intelligent design that evolutionists have to deal with. Kitcher concentrates on a total of three anti-evolution approaches: "Genesis creationism," "novelty creationism," and "anti-selctionism" respectively. This makes it a little more difficult for proponents of evolution to refer to [ID] as non-science (nonsense) because aspects of these other hypothesis could easily meet the requirements of a science. Instead, Kitcher seriously considers the [ID] program by playing their game and addressing their objections to Darwinian orthodoxy. Secondly, Kitcher recognizes a two-part distinction between a "negative thesis' and a "positive thesis" in [ID]. The negative thesis says that life as a whole is too complex to have come about the way the theory of natural selection explains it. On the other hand, the positive thesis says that there is an alternative causal agency to natural selection which is thought to be intelligent. Now it shouldn't automatically be assumed that this "intelligence" is the supernatural creator God of the Bible. Kitcher will address this subject in the final chapter (chapter 5). Suffice it to say that merely labeling something "intelligent" doesn't get one closer to the supernaturalism one wishes to prove. In fact, it may just make that understanding of a designer more problematic when one actually considers what kind of world actually exists.
In chapter two Kitcher addresses genesis creationism and ultimately says "Good-bye to Genesis" and any compatibility of a literal interpretation of the flood story with the fossil record in the layers of rocks. The initial problem for adherents of a worldwide flood mentioned in the book of Genesis is that the layers give an ordered appearance with extinct animal fossils at the bottom with the most recent animals at the top (as it should be if the earth is very old and animals have gone extinct). There is, however, a hypothesis by Genesis creationists that Kitcher entertains. Genesis creationists propose that God created all of the animals at one time. If this is the case, then it is impossible that the fossils at the bottom of the strata can be older than the fossils at the top. Instead, they believe the Noahic flood could have mixed around the fossils and distributed them the way scientists currently observe. On problem with this interpretation is that the layers are ordered by ecologies so that it would be unlikely that, barring a miracle, the flood could have washed all of the fossils in the exact arrangement we have them. Not only would one have to grant that God caused the flood, but God also meticulously controlled where each animal would be deposited in the layers of strata. Another problem with a literal interpretation that besets Genesis creationism is the scene Kitcher paints of Noah and his family trying to care for all of the animals, making sure they stayed alive and didn't eat the other. There is also the trouble of creating artificial environments for each animal. If it truly was a worldwide flood then not all animals will obviously be able to survive in a sedentary environment like the ark. When one truly thinks on these things it does become harder to take the biblical account of the flood story seriously. I even found myself laughing when I read Kitcher's account of the birds that weren't taken onto the ark trying to find shelter while Noah and his family fought them off. I suppose God would be very displeased if any other birds than the two "He" told Noah to bring with him onto the ark got on board. When one actually consider the story and the fact that there are flood myths in other religious texts, you see that this is more likely story rife with symbolism and not an account of a historical even that can be used as scientific hypothesis. Kitcher doubts that even the "resurrection men" would want to bring this story back from the dead. As Kitcher explains in the chapter, it was rightly buried in 1831 by a reverend Adam Sedgwick who was a very meticulous geologist and had done the requisite legwork. If the good reverend saw fit to bury it, why not those others who adhere to a literalist interpretation?
In chapter three, "One Tree of Life," Kitcher examines the claims of novelty creationists. But when it comes down to it there are only two options. You can either believe that newer organism's branch from older ones in a tree-like fashion, or they are specially created by a supernatural intelligence. Kitcher exhibits patience once again by taking the claims of the novelty creationists seriously but ultimately showing that their hypothesis fails. For one, Kitcher points out that we cannot ultimately trust the competence of a "designer" who has the ability to create these newer organisms but leaves traces of the structure of previous organisms. Why not start from scratch with a better design than to reuse the same stuff that possibly caused an organism to go extinct? If evolution is correct, then it would appear that the newer organism is a modified descendent of the previous organism instead of one that came into existence ex nihilo (out of nothing) at the whimsy of the "designer." Examples such as this raise more questions than the novelty creationists can answer. Ironically, this is how [ID] thrives. As Kitcher observes, the task of explaining all the details of evolution to a novelty creationist is "Sisyphean, that no sooner has this particular stone reaches the summit than another one will appear requiring the same time-consuming work" (70-71). Evolution is not as quick to answer all of the objections as [ID] is to raise them. But this isn't necessarily a bad thing since it is mostly sophistry, and [ID] still has the problem of providing answers to the objections it raises to evolution's answers. And at the end of the day Darwinian evolution by descent with modification wins out over a special act of creation by a supernatural designer that can't seem to measure up to the omnipotent and omnibenevolent God of the Bible that proponents of [ID] ultimately wish to defend.
Chapter 4 examines the anti-selectionist's rhetoric and asks if natural selection is "at the mercy of chance?" In this chapter Kitcher identifies two types of arguments at the heart of the anti-selectionists. The first type is what Kitcher calls the "cumulative case argument." This is the view which states that challenges natural selection by calling into question it ability to act on certain types of organisms that are too "complex." The eye is a common example of an organ that couldn't have evolved via natural selection because it would need all of its working parts to have evolved. This was a problem that originally beset Darwin but was addressed in his time. Kitcher observes how anti-selectionists arbitrarily decide how these organisms must have been like and why there explanation is no better than an invention of his as to why we observe the eye as complex today. I think the point he is trying to make is that we don't know the initial conditions for how something as complex as the eye evolved. However, just because we haven't solved the problem doesn't mean it is unsolvable. Furthermore, Kitcher questions the "positive" alternative that the anti-selectionists offer in the way of what most likely is a supernatural intelligence. But why is this better explanation for how certain organisms evolved? Kitcher observes that any good theory is flexible enough to undergo change. As a scientific hypothesis a supernatural designer cannot be scrutinized. If this is the case, then it seems that we have reached the end of the road in scientific investigation. This is not good science and Kitcher knows it. The second approach is what Kitcher calls the "computational case argument." Unlike the concrete case, the computational case deals with probabilities instead of the complexity of an organism being intelligently designed. And it appears that the odds are not in favor of [ID] when one seriously considers the way they use probabilities. It all seems like a carefully crafted part of their rhetorical attack on evolution since it appears that they have an agenda in the way they use probability theory to their advantage. But through careful scrutinizing Kitcher walks through several arguments (e.g., blood-clotting mechanism) and ultimately shows why they fail.
The strengths of this book lie in the final chapter which he calls "A Mess of Pottage." The phrase is associated with a story in the Bible where Esau sells his birthright to his brother Jacob for a bowl of lentil stew. Kitcher uses this phrase as a metaphor for Darwinian evolution to show the concern of a supporter of supernaturalistic religion that they are surrendering something far more valuable and everlasting for something vacuous and temporal. For some the trade-off isn't worth it and instead they choose to remain faithful to their doctrines. What Kitcher does is introduce a "spiritual religion" into the conversation. This way one could have their lentil stew and eat it too. If you take Kitcher's critique of the doctrines of providentialist faith seriously, then this may be the only alternative open to live with Darwin without falling into an extreme secularism or atheism which strips all of the value from religion or falling back into supernaturalism with the problems it contains, most notably its insoluble problem of suffering vis-à-vis an intelligent designer who is omnipotent and omnibenevolent. And you can still have your most cherished stories without taking them as literal historical happenings. It is doubtful that everyone will be satisfied with Kitcher's approach. As a matter of fact, a cursory glance of reviews of his book show that some people cannot accept Kitcher's alternative. I say, so much for those folks. Personally, I found it enlightening and a suitable alternative for the time being. But I also have abandoned supernatural religion for a naturalistic approach called "Panentheism" adopted by philosophers such as Charles Hartshorne, David Ray Griffin, and John B. Cobb just to name a few, so I have less trouble agreeing with Kitcher. The doctrine of Panentheism literally states that "all is in God." So in this panentheistic approach one could use the analogy that we are individual cells in a supercellular organism, i.e. God. It is far beyond the scope of this review to go into detail with this approach. I brought it up because I thought it would be interesting to see how Kitcher would respond to a semi-popular theology such as this. Regardless, it seems clear that in order for one to live with Darwin she is going to have to abandon his faithfulness to supernatural theology.
Book Description
n A gorgeous full-color showcase of 130 magnificent home designs n Stunning interior and exterior photography displays the elegance and grace of these palatial homes n Opens with an extensive 64-page editorialsection offering information on the latest decorating techniques and the hottest home design trends n This lavish home plan collection is divided into four primary sections that feature Magnificent Master Suites, Opulent Baths, Gourmet Kitchens and Grand Gathering Spaces n Complete construction blueprints are available for every home Within these pages lie the most luxurious home designs, from the best architects and residential designers the nation has to offer. Homes with that special something extra that sets them apart and opens the door to Fine Living .
Book Description
Everyone has books—but most people simply put them on a shelf, neglecting more creative ways to make their treasures an integral part of the interior design. Alan Powers’ witty, elegant guide to showcasing your precious volumes will change all that. Going room to room, from kitchens to hallways, he reveals inspirational ways that books can create character in the home. Stunningly photographed images from around the world display large-scale libraries, as well as such ingenious space-saving devices as enclosed book lofts; shelves cleverly tucked into stairways; and narrow wall-mounted boarding that fits snugly behind a chair. There’s advice on caring for the volumes, technical hints on planning and building bookshelves, and practical, detailed projects. Special double-page features cover such topics as designer solutions and constructing furniture out of books.
Customer Reviews:
Living With Books.......2006-01-31
Lots of design information on home decorating with books. If floor space is being taken over by your collection of books and magazines, here is a book packed with creative book storage and display ideas for every room in the house including the bathroom. From "Design Matters" in Oregon Home, "There are options for the maximalists (walls covered floor-to-ceiling with books of all shapes) and minimalists (neatly piled art books as mantelpieces) in us all." So if you are a big-time book collector or just looking to stash your cookbooks, this book is inspiring.
Just what the title says..........2004-09-06
I'm shocked amd confused by the negative reviews I see here. This is a fabulous photo book. Even if you don't like how others seem to live with/use their books, you have to respect their ingenuity and funky designs. Some are quite sloppy, lol. This will get you thinking about how you can use books as decor and even furniture. This is far from boring, whereas another reviewer mentioned the Ellis book At Home With Books, which I thought was just AWFUL, a total snooze. I've never returned a book to a library so quickly! I was so impressed with LIVING WITH BOOKS that I added it to my wish list...and will be purchasing it today.
disappointing.......2004-01-27
I had high hopes because I love reading about books, but this one was disappointing. I originally gave it three stars for the photos, which are worth looking at, but the text it pretty awful -- a serious drawback in a book aimed at compulsive book collectors. I took off one whole star specifically for a line that says something like, "It doesn't matter if books access is difficult, as long as it isn't completely impossible." Doesn't matter to whom? It does to this reader. I reread. I browse nostalgic favorites. I like to handle my books, and I need to be able to get to them. Also, a substantial number of the storage systems shown appear to be concerned more with style than with storage -- I didn't mind the coffee table constructed of books layered with glass, as those were old design catalogs and the whole was sort of a pun, but the grid system and a few other types of shelves that only contained a book or two here and there as placed by a decorator is really not my idea of living with books. Get this if you want pretty pictures. If you're really interested in books themselves and how they are stored, try Henry Petroski's The Book and the Bookshelf instead.
pretty interesting.......2003-05-01
This is more of a coffe table book. It's full of interesting photographs of, what else, books. The pictures show books incorporated into interesting architecture, unique shelving and storage for books, home libraries and offices, etc. The text offers advice and commentary on displaying and storing books in practical, unique, and interesting ways. If you're a bookworm and/or collect lots of books, you would enjoy paging through Living With Books.
Books in their natural habitats . . ........2000-11-29
I have a feeling the previous reviewers were expecting a how-to book of home construction projects. Actually this is more of a tour guide. It's fascinating to discover the many creative, ingenious, and very original ways architects and ordinary booklovers have found to store books, display them, and enjoy being in their presence. Face it -- one never has enough bookshelves. And some of these homes are definitely masquerading as libraries! Here are bookshelves up under the eaves of an older house, or installed over the doorways in the hall, or built into closets and cupboards and under kitchen counters. Others are freestanding on metal shelves and poles and rigged like a ship's masts. There are small libraries built into the landings of staircases and others that cover entire walls of bedrooms. Some are two tiers deep, with the front one moving sideways on rollers. Others share space with lamps, TV sets, telephones, clocks, computers, ancient artifacts, photographs, and knick-knacks. And the one thing all the arrangements depicted in this book have in common is, none of them -- even the most attractively arranged -- are just for show. One look at the worn covers and frayed jackets tells you these books are the constant companions of their owners.
Customer Reviews:
AA & the Oxford Group after 17 years of continued research.......2006-11-29
The Oxford Group and Alcoholics Anoymous is one of the early books Dick B. wrote. It has had several publishers, several reprints, and two editions. Since the original publication in the early 1990's, Dick has continued his Oxford Group and Oxford Group related research. And certainly one of the most important and developing truths he discovered is the number of wellsprings (other than the OG) which provided the complete A.A. picture - 14 elements by last count. They include Dr. Carl Jung and conversion; United Christian Endeavor and the practices of conversion, Bible study, prayer meetings, Quiet Hour, love and service; the Salvation Army with abstinence, salvation, and service; the Rescue Missions with altar call conversions, Bible reading, hymns, prayers, and testimonies; the writings of William James on conversions and the rescue mission testimonies; input from Rowland Hazard as to conversion and Oxford Group ideas; Dr. William D. Silkworth's ideas on alcoholism and on Jesus Christ, the Great Physician, as the cure; the Oxford Group and its 28 point life-changing program that wound up as the basis for Wilson's New York program and Big Book; the teachings of Rev. Sam Shoemaker which were virtually copied into the Twelve Steps; the teachings of Dr. Bob's wife before and after A.A. was founded and covering the Bible, the literature, the devotionals, most of the OG life-changing ideas, and practical advice for alkies and their families; the twisting into the A.A. story Richard Peabody's "no cure" ideas several years later; Quiet Time and its call for rebirth, Bible study, prayer, use of devotionals, and seeking God's guidance; the immense amount of Christian literature AAs read, including the many books read and circulated by Dr. Bob; the New Thought Movement's "higher power" theories coupled with bits of its universalim language; the Bible with the particular emphasis on the Book of James, Jesus's sermon on the mount, and 1 Corinthians 13; and the original program of the Akron Christian Fellowship that produced the great 75% success rate and was reported to AAs by Rockefeller's agent Frank Amos. And 17 years after Dick began his work, each one of the well-springs called for further exploration of each particular element. The Oxford Group history in A.A. was no exception. Not only did Dick revise the book and publish his second edition; he also wrote a dozen articles about Oxford Group literature, the four absolutes, the series of "Letters," the special role of Rev. Sam Shoemaker, the real source of God "as we understood Him" in Shoemaker's writings and experiment of faith, details on the Morning Watch and Meditation, and a new title: "Making Known the History of Early A.A.'s Biblical Roots"--which told of the 29,300 historical items, hundreds of Oxford Group books, and wide variety of sources and source information that needed to be factored in by those who choose to investigate and truthfully report or summarize the real A.A. program. You will find The Oxford Group and Alcoholics Anonymous, 2d edition, just as fundamental to understanding A.A. as the original edition. However, as Dick's research grew, the Oxford Group began to fit more softly, surely, and precisely in the Akron program, the New York conversion genesis, the relation to other wellsprings in existence before and at the time OG ws founded, and the particularly interesting fact that though the Akron program bore little resemblance to the Oxford Group program, its charismatic leadership, its houseparties, its huge meetings, its political outreach, and its often agnostic flavors, Bill chose to veer away from the Group, from the Bible, from Jesus Christ, from the Salvation Army and the Missions, cease talking about the Oxford Group, start working with Sam Shoemaker on an actual Oxford Group approach, and then incorporate those ideas in the language and "result" from "taking" Bill's Twelve Steps. Put the Oxford Group book at the top of your A.A. history reading, and be sure to look for its context as part of the other sources contributing to A.A.'s early years, and spiritual program of recovery.
Oxford Group History.......2005-11-25
It's a very good account of the Oxford Group, from which AA evolved.
As this is likely a topic of interest to a small group, I was happy to find it.
Oxford Group and A.A........2005-04-19
I learned so much from this book by Dick B. When I first started reading it, I remembered my old sponsor of 34 years sober, as he told me his version of the story. I have since learned, in large part because of A.A. Historian Dick B.'s many books, that not only was my sponsor wrong, but that, I was being told many untrue stories about the connection between A.A and The Oxford Group in A.A. meetings as well. The people that have stated untrue stories as fact, simply haven't read any of Dick B.'s books. I am much more educated on the truth, and do not put much importance upon a passing along of stories of old. There are stories and there is truth. I suggest reading this book and all of Dick B.'s other titles to my fellow drunks, sponsees, as well as others. I have had the plerasure of meeting and talking to Dick, and the man walks his talk. Thank you so much for helping me with my walk with our Creator- it has solidified my sobriety ten fold.
Sincerely,
Rev. Stephen J. Murray, MCRC / NICD Director www.nicd.us
TAKE WHAT YOU NEED AND LEAVE THE REST ...........2002-08-22
... As another reviewer correctly notes, the early recovery rates were nothing like 75 percent from initial contact. At the time of the writing of the Big Book, only a handful of alcoholics were solidly sober in New York, despite Bill's efforts of several years, and at least two of them were of an agnostic bent ... Hank and Jim B. In Akron, where they number 80 or so -- still less than 100, virtually all Protestant, virtually all men -- they were still putting the newbies in the hospital and then visiting them continuously for days before offering the message. It just could be that that sort of personal, intensive attention and identification had more to do with the better results in Ohio than the explicitly Christian message of the still-extant Oxford Group ``drunk squad.'' While much of value was retained from the Oxford Group, much else was quickly jettisoned with the formation of the first independent AA group in Cleveland. And it is from those roots that AA really took off, with the Plain Dealer articles, etc. I have heard a number of tapes (and a few talks in person) from alcoholics of that era. Clearly, the emphasis was more ``religious'' than today; Christian devotionals were widely used; in Ohio, the Absolutes and a respectful nod toward the Bible remained. But the evangelical Protestant tone of the Oxford Groups did not survive. Catholics and Jews were among the early second wave ... according to Clarence S., about whom Dick has written a book. I am in much agreement with much of what Dick has to say ... such attitudes as ``take what you need and leave the rest'' :) and explicitly virulent attacks on religion do not help alcoholics get and stay sober. Nothing in the program is a bar to the practice of religion and the book suggests consulting with our priest, rabbi or minister (not many Christians have a rabbi!) about our spiritual life. But it's hard to imagine something more divisive than evangelical Christian prosthelytizing in the context of an AA meeting. It's a message that can be carried ... outside those walls.
Again, I admire Dick's homework. There is lots of useful information here and in his other books that simply is readily not available elsewhere. Some of his premises are off-base, and hence some of his conclusions -- based on the sort of evidence that you get if you're hoping to build a case -- are equally off-base.
I have found the insights on such matters as morning meditation to be life-changing. Life-changing ... that's what it's all about. Not so much your mind ... or even your heart ... but your life.
Thank God for AA. And best wishes to Dick B.
An attempt to force AA into a religion.......2002-08-02
Exaggerated success claims for early AA don't justify the author's religious ambitions. A reading of the personal stories in the 1st edition of 'Alcoholics Anonymous' finds relapse after relapse. At the time of the book's publication, AA had less than 100 members, including only one woman (who relapsed soon after).
AA's success did not even begin until the grip of the Oxford Group was loosened. Bill W. had proselytized his religious enthusiams for six months before meeting with Dr. Bob. NOT ONE of his 'prospects' sobered up. Dr. Bob had been an Oxford Group member for several years before his encounter with Bill; his enslavement to alcohol had not been changed at all. Bill's 'sponsor,' Ebby T. spent most of his life drunk, living on the charity of AA members.
AA, as such, has no method for promoting religious, or anti-religious positions in the public sphere. Individuals like Dick B. are free to give the impression that they somehow 'speak for AA' without risking any censure.
AA is defined and preserved by its 12 traditions. An examination of the Oxford Group's conduct reveals consistent violation of ALL these principles. The fault does not lie with Buchman (the O.G's founder) but with the principles of the Oxford Group, in particular: its obsessive concern with money, property and prestige and its evangelical ambition.
The AA pamphlet '44 Questions' states in no uncertain terms:
"Is A.A. a religious society?
"A.A. is not a religious society, since it requires no definite religious belief as a condition of membership. Although it has been endorsed and approved by many religious leaders, it is not allied with any organization or sect. Included in its membership are Catholics, Protestants, Jews, members of other major religious bodies, agnostics, and atheists.
"The A.A. program of recovery from alcoholism is undeniably based on acceptance of certain spiritual values. The individual member is free to interpret those values as he or she thinks best, or not to think about them at all.
"Most members, before turning to A.A., had already admitted that they could not control their drinking. Alcohol had become a power greater than themselves, and it had been accepted on those terms. A.A. suggests that to achieve and maintain sobriety, alcoholics need to accept and depend upon another Power recognized as greater than themselves. Some alcoholics choose to consider the A.A. group itself as the power greater than themselves; for many others, this Power is God - as they, individually, understand Him; still others rely upon entirely different concepts of a Higher Power.
"Some alcoholics, when they first turn to A.A., have definite reservations about accepting any concept of a Power greater than themselves. Experience shows that, if they will keep an open mind on the subject and keep coming to A.A. meetings, they are not likely to have too difficult a time in working out an acceptable solution to this distinctly personal problem."
To anyone who is struggling with alcohol: remember that "The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking." There is NO religious requirement, indeed many old-timers advised all newcomers to 'check your religion at the door.'
In love and service
John C.
(14 years of god-free, sober AA membership)
Book Description
"Modern Retro" will inspire you to combine modern classics by names such as Eames, Jacobson, and Aalto, with flea-market finds and contemporary designs. The book begins with an introduction to key design innovations of the mid-twentietn century. Ingredients of the Retro Look explores the elements of the style: furniture, lighting, textiles and rugs, ceramics, and glass. Creating the Retro Look, the third part of the book, shows how to combine these elements to create a stylish home. -This bestselling title sold over 65,000 copies in hardcover. -By mid-century experts Neil Bingham and Andrew Weaving.
Book Description
Living with Japanese Gardens shows how to capture and integrate an authentic Japanese aesthetic into any landscape plan. Japanese gardens affirm our connection with the natural world through the integration of the garden with the home, enriching the total living space. From the artistry with which the gardener places plants, rocks, and water with the viewer's perspective in mind, to the way in which a Japanese garden can make one feel safe and sheltered, their mystery and appeal are now wildly popular.
Customer Reviews:
Japanese Poetry, Gardens and Traditions.......2006-07-27
Aching nostalgia -
As evening darkens
and every moment
grows
Longer and longer,
I feel
ageless as the
thousand year pine."
~Kenneth Rexroth, One Hundred More
Poems from the Japanese
One of the ideas I love from Japanese design books is the luxury of a deep soaking tub. One of the baths in this book is in an open room with glass windows and walls. Of course taking a bath outside seems a dream, but now and then you find those pictures too.
Throughout this lovely book you will find quaint bridges, bamboo gardens, Japanese maple trees, waterfalls, sand and stone gardens and romantic stone paths wandering through trees. Inside, you can see how to place a bed near an antique paneled screen or how to bring stone fountains indoors.
"An ideal Japanese garden is viewed through a window while on relaxes inside, sipping tea at the kitchen table; soaking in a hot bath; or sitting on a bench on a covered veranda." ~ pg. 11
One of the brilliant ideas is a courtyard garden with a retractable roof. The ponds are especially artistic with lots of lantern designs. There is a teahouse in a forest and a home you can only access if you walk over the pond on a slab stone bridge.
~The Rebecca Review
Books:
- Make It with Style: Window Shades: Creating Roman, Balloon, and Austrian Shades (Make It with Style)
- Mary Emmerling's American Country Classics: The New American Country Look
- Materials and Components of Interior Architecture (6th Edition)
- Mexicolor: The Spirit of Mexican Design
- Mini House Now
- Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life : How to Use Feng Shui to Get Love, Money, Respect and Happiness
- Nancy Lancaster: English Country House Style
- New Built-Ins Idea Book: Media Centers Nooks & Crannies Window Seats Kitchen & Dining Areas Work Centers (Idea Books)
- Off the Wall: Wonderful Wall Coverings of the Twentieth Century
- Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics: The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and The Lady & Sons, Too!
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
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- The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities
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- OpenGL
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- Post-Colonial Shakespeares
- Cost Accounting: Processing, Evaluating, and Using Cost Data
- Market Socialism: The Debate Among Socialist
- A Stab in the Dark
Living with Art's Core Concepts in Art, Version 2.5
Gilbert's Living with Art
Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software
Real Essays with Readings: Writing Projects for College, Work, and Everyday Life
C Programming: A Modern Approach
