Editorial: The University of Chicago Press
"[Mitchell] undertakes to explore the nature of images by comparing them with words, or, more precisely, by looking at them from the viewpoint of verbal language. . . . The most lucid exposition of the subject I have ever read."—Rudolf Arnheim, Times Literary Supplement
Though it is for the sparkling epic, Aeneid, that the Roman poet Virgil is best known, it was these two poems, The Eclogues and Georgics, which first established his reputation. Cast in the tradition of pastoral poetry, The Eclogues were written between 41 BCE and 37 BCE when Virgil (Publius Vergilius Maro, to give him his full name) was in his thirties. The Eclogues (the word means ‘Selections’ in Greek) contain 10 poems, a combination of dialogues and monologues. They drew on the ‘bucolic’ (rural) style of the ancient Greek poet Theocritus (c 300BCE-c 260 BCE), but Virgil weaves many references to contemporary Roman events. Though The Eclogues have perhaps existed in the shadow of Georgics, they have been highly regarded and studied by academics and poets down the centuries. They are presented here in the 20th century translation by the British poet R. C. Trevelyan, and read in multi-voice format as they were originally written, with clearly delineated characters bringing the content to life with verve and temperament. Though also pastoral in nature, Georgics is very different in style. Published in 29 BCE, the main subject is agriculture (the title reflects the Greek word ‘georgika’, agricultural things), and vigorously promotes traditional means of farming. Again, Virgil weaves into his verse cultural and political themes. Cast in four Books, the dynamic expression draws on numerous Classical, mythical and contemporary references, while explaining the best methods for ploughing, animal husbandry, observing weather patterns, the life of bees and the like. Increasingly, the rise and fall of man’s endeavours can be reflected in the vicissitudes of agricultural life. The 20th century translation of Georgics used on this recording is by the highly respected translator of Latin poetry, Smith Palmer Bovie. It is read by Jamie Parker. Closer study of both works while listening is possible through the complete texts that come with the recording. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.Ver libro
Harriet Tubman, freedom fighter and leader in the Underground Railroad, is one of the most significant figures in US history. Her courage and determination in bringing enslaved people to freedom have established her as an icon of the abolitionist movement. But behind the history of the heroine called "Moses" was a woman of deep faith. In Walking the Way of Harriet Tubman, Therese Taylor-Stinson introduces Harriet, a woman born into slavery whose unwavering faith and practices in spirituality and contemplation carried her through insufferable abuse and hardship to become a leader for her people. Her profound internal liberation came from deep roots in mysticism, Christianity, nature spirituality, and African Indigenous beliefs that empowered her own escape from enslavement—giving her the strength and purpose to lead others on the road to freedom. Harriet's lived spirituality illuminates a profound path forward for those of us longing for internal freedom, as well as justice and equity in our communities. As people of color, we must cultivate our full selves for our own liberation and the liberation of our communities. As the luminous significance of Harriet Tubman's spiritual life is revealed, so too is the path to our own spiritual truth, advocacy, and racial justice as we follow in her footsteps.Ver libro
In 'Becoming a Philosopher' Jonathan Rée describes the extraordinary lives of some of most influential thinkers of the past four hundred years and the radical and sometimes bizarre ideas that emerged from them. In so doing he challenges the notion of philosophy as a set of fixed ideas to be arranged and catalogued like botanical specimens. Rather, the philosophical life is revealed, as Kierkegaard has described, as one of relentless struggle, a never-ending 'dance in the service of thought' which might, with luck, result in a single fresh idea.This collection of ten biographical pieces, originally published as book reviews in the London Review of Books, begins with Spinoza, the excommunicated lens grinder who sought as little attention as possible for his anonymously published work; and ends with Sartre, the most public of public intellectuals whose funeral was marked by thousands on the streets of Paris. In between we find Newton working tirelessly to establish a chronology of the ancient world; Hegel gazing on Napoleon as he marches through Jena in 1806; and Wittgenstein drawing up plans for a new kind of propeller before writing his landmark Tractatus in the trenches of the First World War. Alongside them we also meet Leibniz, Hume, Lessing, Kierkegaard and Collingwood.This audiobook also features an introductory conversation between Jonathan Rée and Thomas Jones, an editor at the LRB and presenter of the LRB Podcast.Subjects covered: Spinoza, Newton, Leibniz, Hume, Lessing, Hegel, Kierkegaard, Wittgenstein, Collingwood, Sartre.These pieces have been amended in places from the original for the purposes of recording.Ver libro
In the early 1960s, a peaceful world was an imaginable goal. The United Nations was widely respected and regarded as humankind's best hope for resolving global conflicts. African and Asian nations, having recently won their freedom from colonial domination, sought dignity and influence on the world stage. At the helm of their efforts was U Thant, a practicing Buddhist from a remote town in Burma who, as the UN's first non-Western secretary-general, became the Cold War era's preeminent ambassador of peace. From the moment of his predecessor's death in 1961, Thant faced a deluge of violent conflicts. Crucially, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, he played an indispensable role in defusing tensions and helping both superpowers find a way back from nuclear confrontation. For years Thant also challenged Washington over its war in Vietnam, identifying paths to peace that could have saved the lives of millions. Drawing on newly declassified documents, Thant's grandson, historian Thant Myint-U, gives a riveting account of how his grandfather's gentle yet willful disposition shaped his determination to avoid a third world war, give voice to the newly decolonized world, create a fairer international economy, and safeguard the environment. Rather than a vestige of an idealistic past, U Thant's fight for peace is central to a fresh understanding of our world today.Ver libro
This is a romantic, historical, adventure novel, based in Central Asia and Northern India in the 1800s.The story is revealed through the journals of the central character and his family, seen through the eyes of descendants from the point of view of 1938. Rich in detail, A Royal Secret will grab you from the start and stay with you long after you have finished the last chapter.Ver libro
When people think of ancient Greece, images of philosophers such as Plato or Socrates often come to mind, as do great warriors like Pericles and Alexander the Great, but hundreds of years before Athens became a city, a Greek culture flourished and spread its tentacles throughout the western Mediterranean region via trade and warfare. Scholars have termed this pre-Classical Greek culture the Mycenaean culture, which existed from about 2000-1200 B.C., when Greece, along with much of the eastern Mediterranean, was thrust into a centuries long Dark Ages. Before the Mycenaean culture collapsed, it was a vital part of the late Bronze Age Mediterranean system and stood on equal footing with some of the great powers of the region, such as the Egyptians and Hittites. If anything, the collapse of the Mycenaeans was a drawn-out affair, and while the early centuries of the Dark Ages might be seen as a continuation of this trend, even in the worst years, there was a degree of continuity and even some innovations. These changes including the beginnings of the use of iron as an alternative to bronze and some religious practices that continued to be observed. Furthermore, enough remained to form the basis of a recovery in economic, cultural, and artistic aspects of life in the later stage of the era, and in the political sphere, changes necessitated by the collapse in the economic system certainly paved the way for the rise of the polis During the Greek Renaissance of the 8th century the Greek alphabet developed and the earliest surviving Greek literature was composed, while in terms of art and architecture, sculptures and red-figure pottery began. Warfare changed significantly as well when the hoplite became the core infantry. Put simply, none of these developments could have occurred if the basis for these changes had not been secured during what came to be known as the Greek Renaissance.Ver libro
