Other books that might interest you

• 

  James Cook: A short biography -...

  5 Minutes, 5 Minute Biographies,...

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  James Cook, discoverer of Australia: Life and work in a short biography! Everything you need to know, brief and concise. Infotainment, education and entertainment at its best!

  Show book

• 

  The Arts in Jewish Culture -...

  Joseph Arston

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Jewish artistic expression has evolved over centuries, shaped by religious traditions, historical experiences, and cultural exchanges. From ancient biblical times to the modern era, Jewish creativity has flourished in music, literature, and visual arts, reflecting both continuity and adaptation. Despite periods of persecution and displacement, Jewish artists have found ways to preserve and redefine their cultural identity, using art as a means of storytelling, worship, and resistance. 
  Religious tradition has played a central role in shaping Jewish artistic expression. In early Jewish history, art was often intertwined with religious observance, as seen in the intricate designs of synagogues, illuminated manuscripts, and Torah decorations. The prohibition against graven images, derived from the Second Commandment, led to a focus on symbolic and abstract representation rather than figurative depictions. This influenced the development of decorative arts, such as calligraphy, textiles, and ritual objects, which incorporated elaborate geometric patterns and Hebrew inscriptions. Music also became an integral part of worship, with ancient melodies passed down through generations in synagogue chanting and liturgical songs. 
  The Jewish diaspora further enriched artistic traditions by exposing Jewish communities to diverse cultural influences. As Jews migrated across different regions, they absorbed elements from the surrounding societies while maintaining distinct artistic styles. In medieval Europe, Jewish scholars and poets contributed to the Golden Age of Hebrew literature, particularly in Spain, where they engaged with Islamic and Christian intellectual traditions. In Eastern Europe, Yiddish theater and folk music flourished, blending local influences with Jewish themes. Meanwhile, in the Middle East and North Africa, Jewish artisans adapted their crafts to fit regional aesthetics while preserving religious symbolism.

  Show book

• 

  The Mere Exposure Effect -...

  William Rands

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  The Mere Exposure Effect is a psychological phenomenon where repeated exposure to a stimulus leads to an increased preference for that stimulus. This effect occurs without any active engagement or deep processing from the individual. Simply put, the more we encounter something, the more likely we are to develop a liking for it, even if we don’t consciously realize why. This effect can apply to a wide range of stimuli, from people and objects to sounds, images, and even ideas. The central principle behind this concept is that familiarity breeds fondness. 
  First identified by psychologist Robert Zajonc in the 1960s, the Mere Exposure Effect has become a cornerstone of psychological research, illustrating the powerful impact that repeated exposure can have on human preferences. Zajonc’s studies showed that individuals tend to rate unfamiliar stimuli more favorably after repeated presentations, even when they are not consciously aware of the exposure. His work demonstrated that this preference for familiar stimuli occurs across various domains, from simple shapes to more complex social contexts. 
  The Mere Exposure Effect is often seen in everyday life. For example, we might find ourselves gravitating toward a particular song after hearing it multiple times on the radio, even if we initially didn’t like it. Similarly, we may develop stronger connections to people we encounter frequently, whether in our personal lives or in the workplace. This effect also plays a crucial role in the success of advertising campaigns, where repeated exposure to a brand or product can significantly influence consumer behavior, often leading to a preference for those products.

  Show book

• 

  A Rare Recording of 1920's...

  Steve Porter, Ernest Hare,...

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Variety entertainment dominated the popular recording industry's acoustic era (pre -1925), from its beginnings in the 1890s, when records were made on wax cylinders, right up to the beginning of the jazz age in the mid-1920s. From slapstick vaudeville routines and ethnic dialect skits to romantic ballads and dramatic recitations, sound recordings brought variety entertainment into the homes of millions of Americans. The following are three recordings from the era.  
   
  The Arkansas Traveler, performed by Steve Porter and Ernest Hare, recorded in 1922. A classic "rube" sketch, The Arkansas Traveler was probably the best-selling example of the popular genre "descriptive scene," a humorous dramatic sketch that often included sound effects and music.  
   
  Desperate Desmond, written and performed by Fred Duprez, recorded in 1915. Duprez was a vaudeville comedian famous for his comic monologues. An Edison record catalog, circa 1927, had this to say about the Desperate Desmond bit: "Duprez invented all this himself and has given it before many audiences. It is really very cleverly worked out; some of the incidental music fits the characters with a burlesque fashion, and some of it, apparently to Duprez's intense disgust, is wildly inappropriate. To quote a popular advertisement If you can't laugh at this, see a doctor."  
   
  Laughing Record (Henry's Music Lesson), performed by Sally Stembler and Edward Meeker, recorded 1923. This comic sketch was so popular nearly every early record company sold a recording of it. This is the Edison Company's version. Known as the "laughing girl," Sally Stembler was recalled in Jim Walsh's seminal column, "Favorite Pioneer Recording Artist," in Hobbies Magazine (September, 1973): "Miss Stembler was a vaudeville comedienne who for a generation or more entertained audiences with laughing specialties."

  Show book

• 

  Pearl of the Desert - A History...

  Rubina Raja

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  Palmyra has long attracted the attention of the world. Well before its rediscovery in the seventeenth century, the ancient city gained legendary status because of its Queen Zenobia, who in the third century CE rebelled against Rome and expanded Palmyra's territory into what is now modern Turkey and Egypt. 
   
   
   
  Pearl of the Desert is the most comprehensive history of this fabled ancient city in English. Assimilating the rich archaeological and literary evidence, Rubina Raja unfolds the story chronologically, from the earliest evidence of settlement in the Bronze Age to Palmyra's rise as an urban center in the late Hellenistic and Roman periods, its destruction by Rome in 273 CE, and its survival in the Byzantine and medieval Islamic periods. The book ends with a discussion of Palmyra's modern rediscovery and, more recently, its chaotic misfortunes during the Syrian civil war when it was used as a symbol of, alternately, the resistance of the rebels, the power of ISIS, and the supremacy of the Syrian state. 
   
   
   
  After several years of destruction and looting, securing of the site has begun as well as planning for its restoration. At this turning point in Palmyra's long history, there is no better time to assess the past, present, and future of this remarkable city.

  Show book

• 

  The Daily Pressfield - A...

  Steven Pressfield

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

  THE DAILY PRESSFIELD is 365 days (plus a bonus week) of motivation, inspiration, and encouragement.  
  Are you starting a new book/album/business venture? Open to page one of THE DAILY PRESSFIELD and start rolling. Each chapter begins with a picked quote from THE WAR OF ART, GATES OF FIRE, Pressfield's Writing Wednesdays blog, and other P-field sources. The second half of each chapter is Steve's commentary on that passage. THE DAILY PRESSFIELD is a year's worth of kicks-in-the-butt and pats-on-the-back, structured to counsel, support, and guide you-day-by-day-from the start of your project to its successful completion.

  Show book