Culture Books - Page 15

The Triumph of Music: The Rise of Composers, Musicians and Their Art

Tim Blanning

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Editorial Review:

A distinguished historian chronicles the rise of music and musicians in the West from lowly balladeers to masters employed by fickle patrons, to the great composers of genius, to today’s rock stars. How, he asks, did music progress from subordinate status to its present position of supremacy among the creative arts? Mozart was literally booted out of the service of the Archbishop of Salzburg “with a kick to my arse,” as he expressed it. Yet, less than a hundred years later, Europe’s most powerful ruler—Emperor William I of Germany—paid homage to Wagner by traveling to Bayreuth to attend the debut of The Ring. Today Bono, who was touted as the next president of the World Bank in 2006, travels the world, advising politicians—and they seem to listen.

The path to fame and independence began when new instruments allowed musicians to showcase their creativity, and music publishing allowed masterworks to be performed widely in concert halls erected to accommodate growing public interest. No longer merely an instrument to celebrate the greater glory of a reigning sovereign or Supreme Being, music was, by the nineteenth century, to be worshipped in its own right. In the twentieth century, new technological, social, and spatial forces combined to make music ever more popular and ubiquitous.

In a concluding chapter, Tim Blanning considers music in conjunction with nationalism, race, and sex. Although not always in step, music, society, and politics, he shows, march in the same direction.

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Dracula (Modern Library)

Bram Stoker

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 342 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

An old fashioned tale that doesn't offend 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Bram Stoker's "Dracula" was first published in 1897, and as one reads this work, it is overwhelmingly apparent that it was written during a time when morals and virtues were held in a much higher regard than they are today.

The book is comprised primarily of various journal entries from six main characters. Two of these main characters are remarkable women, possessed of lofty talent and high moral character. It is when both of these women encounter Count Dracula himself and fall under his poisonous and deathly spell that the remaining main characters in the book--all courageous and gifted and accomplished men--spring to the aid of these women.

I, for one, loved the old fashioned language, the rigid formality and courtesy, and the unyielding respect that the main characters demonstrated in their interactions with one another. Chivalry was certainly not dead in 1897, if one were to use this book as evidence. The graciousness and loyalty that the men in this book showed the women is inspiring, and the moral refinement and sensibilities of the women characters caused me to yearn for an older time, away from the immorality and crudeness apparent in today's society.

I had to smile at one point when reading the book when the two main women characters found themselves out late at night after a frightening experience. They were both in their full-length bedclothes, which apparently covered every part of their bodies but their bare feet. One of the women, not wanting to appear immodest dabbed mud on their bare feet so as not to offend anyone who might see those exposed parts.

This book is filled with suspense and plausibly thrilling episodes. It stands as a wonderful classic of good-natured fright, which proves that tension and drama and expectation may be created in a work of fiction without all of the offending elements of bloody violence, gore, vulgarity, sex, and devilishness thrown into the mix. Its ending is noble, with at least one of the main characters revealing remarkable compassion when she sees the look on Count Dracula's face during the final decisive scene in the book. This book was a pleasant surprise, as I wasn't suspecting a work of such high literary value from a "horror" novel. Thus, I highly recommend it.

Editorial Review:

Of the many admiring reviews Bram Stoker's Dracula received when it first appeared in 1897, the most astute praise came from the author's mother, who wrote her son: "It is splendid. No book since Mrs. Shelley's Frankenstein or indeed any other at all has come near yours in originality, or terror."

A popular bestseller in Victorian England, Stoker's hypnotic tale of the bloodthirsty Count Dracula, whose nocturnal atrocities are symbolic of an evil ages old yet forever new, endures as the quintessential story of suspense and horror. The unbridled lusts and desires, the diabolical cravings that Stoker dramatized with such mythical force, render Dracula resonant and unsettling a century later.

Torn Asunder: Recovering from Extramarital Affairs (Healing for the Heart)

Dave Carder

List Price: $16.99 By: Moody Pr Amazon Marketplace: 25 new & used starting at $2.94

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 32 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Balanced Approach 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Goes beyond the simplistic notion of shallow forgiveness into the real work of repentance and reconciliation. Squares the responsibility between both spouses instead of placing an unfair burden on the spouse who has been betrayed to do all the work necessary for restoration of the relationship.

Not just facts 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I was ready for a dry book with too many facts and statistics, but this book has been great. I'm only on the first chapter and have learned so much already.

Great book 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I bought this book for my best girlfriend when she found out her husband was having an affair. She said it was wonderful and really helped her understand why her husband cheated, what "type" of affair it was, and how to tell if he is likely to do it again.

Editorial Review:

There is hope for recovery from the devastation of extramarital affairs. Carder identifies three classes of affairs, includes detailed descriptions of the marriage and personality styles that encourage infidelity, and offers practical, specific, realistic counsel for beginning the recovery process.

Natasha's Dance: A Cultural History of Russia

Orlando Figes

By: Henry Holt and Company, New York, New York Amazon Marketplace: 6 new & used starting at $10.08

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 44 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Natasha's Dance 3 out of 5 stars.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I'm still in the middle of this thick book, and I find it fascinating--but my Russian colleagues tell me is it not altogether trustworthy in its portrayal of Russian history and culture, so I'm looking at it with an eye toward possible problems. That said, it is an eminently readable, fun way to get through a lot of the history of this endlessly fascinating country.

The third side of the Russian coin. 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Having lived in Russia six years and still in business there since 1991, I quickly learned that in Russia there is not only the proverbial two sides of the coin, but often three. Figes cetainly examines that underside of what makes a Russian different. He does it with revealing research and obvious affection and respect for those deep characteristics so unique to Russia and it's people. Certainly a scholarly work, but still entertaining, convincing, and a joy to read. As I have heard from Russian readers of my own book, "Why does it always take a foreigner to explain us." Figes is a master at that.

Frederick R. Andresen, Author of "Walking on Ice, An American Businessman in Russia"

The Medium is the Massage

Marshall McLuhan, Quentin Fiore

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 23 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

What is the point of this book? 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 11 people found this review helpful.

This book was recommended to me and I bought it. I have no idea what the point of this book is...it's just a bunch of tweaked out pictures. I thought it was...well, I don't know what I was thinking. I wasted ten bucks.

Editorial Review:

30 years after its publication Marshall McLuhan's The Medium is the Massage remains his most entertaining, provocative, and piquant book. With every technological and social "advance" McLuhan's proclamation that "the media work us over completely" becomes more evident and plain. In his words, 'so pervasive are they in their personal, political, economic, aesthetic, psychological, moral, ethical and social consequences that they leave no part of us untouched, unaffected, or unaltered'.

McLuhan's remarkable observation that "societies have always been shaped more by the nature of the media by which men communicate than by the content of the communication" is undoubtedly more relevant today than ever before. With the rise of the internet and the explosion of the digital revolution there has never been a better time to revisit Marshall McLuhan.

Cultural Anthropology

Serena Nanda, Richard L. Warms

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

The World is Flat : Ethnography, Globolization, and Environmental Crisis, etc., etc. 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 6 people found this review helpful.

"Cultural Anthropology, ... informed by a wide array of theoretical perspectives, innovative in form and content, and focused on both traditional and emerging topics. ...that helps shape new directions in the field. In their view, Cultural Anthropology occupies an important niche in what can be thought of as the ecology of anthropological publications, ..." 'Vision Statement'



Cultural anthropology:
According to WIKEPEDIA, Cultural anthropology (the holistic study of humanity) is one of four fields of anthropology as it developed in the United States. It is the branch of anthropology that has developed and promoted "culture" as a meaningful scientific concept; it is also the branch of anthropology that studies cultural variation among humans. Cultural Anthropology continues to provide a forum for experimentation with varied, often interdisciplinary, theoretical frameworks within anthropological projects. Work with critical theories of race, sex, class, feminism, and post-colonialism will continue to be important, and in need of new perspective.

Anthropology and Culture:
The anthropological concept of "culture" reflects in part a reaction against earlier Western discourses based on an opposition between "culture" and "nature", according to which some human beings lived in a "state of nature". Anthropologists argue that culture is "human nature," and that all people have a capacity to classify experiences, encode classifications symbolically, and teach such abstractions to others. Since humans acquire culture through learning (the processes of enculturation and socialization), people living in different places or different circumstances may develop different cultures. Anthropologists have also pointed out that through culture, people can adapt to their environment in non-genetic ways, so people living in different environments will often have different cultures. Much of anthropological theory has originated in an appreciation of and interest in the tension between the local (particular cultures) and the global (a universal human nature, or the web of connections between people in distinct places/circumstances).

Cultural Change:
All cultures are dynamic, no culture was, has been, or is static. All cultures change throughout time and space, but most of them are conservative in that their tendencies to resist change. Since Alexander the great started a global Hellenization especially around the Mediterranean, this was encountered by resistance like in Judea. Some still resist more than others by like non tolerance in dressing or eating habits or education, especially between religion motivated societies. Enacting laws for the preservation and protection of traditional cultural patterns, by limiting national language to one or two, while putting up barriers to alien ideas and things, even reaction to illegal immigration as clear from recent reactions in France, Europe in general, and the USA.

Covered Issues:
The main issues covered by this book, are arranged for a systematic approach to the subject. It starts with Human diversity, and how this is a key in the book agenda to introduce the subject. The idea of culture, language, and learning culture turn to social-economics of making a living, and economic behavior, marriage, family, kinship, and gender, discusses social ranking, and stratification, and concludes in power and control. Cultural identities are surveyed in religion, and the arts. Cultural change is the last main chapter of the book.

Conclusion:
How did anthropology contribute to solving human problems, and the role of anthropologists in public policy wrt legislation and implementation could very well portrayed in the Global warming debate, and Kyoto agreement, ethnic cleansing in Balkans and Africa, all such vital issues raise legitimate concerns on behalf of Cultural Anthropologists.

Editorial Review:

Build your own awareness of cultures around the world with CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY! Emphasizing the issues of gender, stratification, ethnicity, globalization, and the similarities and differences among all cultures, this anthropology text provides you with the tools you need to succeed. Take advantage of CengageNOW, which saves you time and enhances your performance in the course through Pre-Tests, Personalized Study Plans and Post-Test materials.

Culture and Psychology

David Matsumoto

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Satisfied Customer 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 15 people found this review helpful.

Product was what they said it was and speedy service. Very satisfied with my purchase.

good job. 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 16 people found this review helpful.

exactly what i expected. delivery was on time and the condition of the book was accurately described in the original order, so no surprises or missing pages.

Editorial Review:

David Matsumoto uses cross-cultural research as a platform to evaluate psychology as we know it and shows readers how to develop their own critical thinking skills. He encourages readers to raise questions about traditional knowledge and theories and to investigate the world around them so they can reap the benefits of diversity and turn its challenges into assets.

The Humanistic Tradition, Book 5: From Romanticism To Realism and The Nineteenth Century World

Gloria K. Fiero

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Editorial Review:

The penultimate volume in this series chronicles the move towards modernism, covering the arts, politics, and philosophy from the end of the 1700s to the dawn of the twentieth century. Using literary and musical excerpts to illuminate discussions, Fiero addresses important events and discoveries of the nineteenth century world. Volume five begins with the art and literature of the Romantic era, and concludes with coverage of the shifting aesthetics of the late nineteenth century. As in previous volumes, Volume Five includes a range of vivid illustrations and images throughout the text to enhance the material.

Hope for the Separated

Gary D. Chapman

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Wonderful, appropriate, practical resource 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

For those of us who have found ourselves separated from our spouse it is a terrible, frustrating, depressing and confusing time. We're married -- but we're not. We're single -- but we're married. We have a spouse -- but not a husband/wife. We can't be a family -- but we can't be a single. And a separation can only go in one of two ways -- reconciliation or divorce. Chapman's book is a terrificly easy and incredibly appropriate read. Having surely counseled dozens of separated couples, he touches on every aspect involved, for both parties, regardless of the offense or the offender, emotions or intentions. For the Christian, it offers great insight in to what God expects of us and how we need to be conducting our lives in this difficult time. I read it, loved it, and am trying to apply the principles he relates as best as I can. I gave it to my wife who I hope will find it as useful and practical as I did. Time will tell. But if it doesn't work, it won't be because I didn't do everything I could do, and this book has helped point me in the right direction. If you are separated and have even the slimmest hope for reconciliation -- BUY THIS BOOK! You won't regret it.

Editorial Review:

Even when love is lost and hope is gone, God's Word still has the power to heal. Hope for the Separated explains why the biblical ideal for a separated couple is reconciliation. It reveals how to draw on the power of God's Word to heal broken relationships.

Western Experience

Mortimer; Hanawalt, Barbara; Rabb, Theodore; Woloch, Isser; Grew, Raymond Chambers

By: McGraw-Hill College Amazon Marketplace: 28 new & used starting at $1.80

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

A nice 1000-page synopsis of the European Culture, but... 3 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.

"The Western Experience" edited by Chambers covers a massive range of topics in a manner that is conducive to the understanding of the material. The book discusses many Social, Political and economic trends for each respective time frame. However, there are some glaring omissions as a historical text. The book will state for example, that a certain organization was established in a certain year, however, nothing further is mentioned. No explanations as to why or as to what purpose said organization ultimately served. Further, the text becomes, at times, difficult to follow, as things are not discussed in chronological order. The reader often has difficulty in distinguishing the year and what specific events where happening elsewhere at the same time. But it must be noted here that the reader most certainly does recognize parallelism within history, as the result of its interconnected, yet non-chronological, organization scheme.

If must be noted, however, that while it is at times difficult to follow, the book, especially in the more modern history parts, does a relatively good job of remaining objective.