This work by Walter Pater, published in 1873, as
a volume of collected (previously published) essays
along with an essay on "Winckelmann", a Preface, and
a Conclusion was [and perhaps still is] an extremely
influential work of aesthetic criticism. The volume
helped shape [influence] the perceptions, the
attitudes, and the approaches of many youthful readers
in the late 1880's and 1890's. It is very interesting
to read, immensely engaging to consider and muse about,
but also offers cautions to the overenthusiastic,
easily influenced [or persuaded] disciple.
This volume consists of an Introduction [by the
editor, Adam Philips], a Preface [by Pater], 9 chapters,
and a Conclusion (in this particular edition
by Oxford Classics there is also a chronology, a
Selective Bibliography, an Appendix titled "Diaphaneite,"
and Explanatory Notes in the back. The chapter titles
(after Pater's Preface) are: Two Early French Stories;
Pico Della Mirandola; Sandro Botticelli; Luca Della
Robbia; The Poetry of Michelangelo; Leonardo da Vinci;
The School of Giorgione, Joachim Du Bellay; Winckelmann;
and Conclusion.
* * * * * * * * * *
What's the problem here? Well, unfortunately, Pater
is not completely reliable as an objective perceiver
or critic. He tends to be a bit eccentric in his
individualistic perceptions and interpretations of
the art works, but he goes ahead and defends this
approach in a very "modern" sounding fashion --
which seems to include a bit of "situational perceptions,"
subjective impressions of perception and response,
and subjective criticism. Which makes for extremely
engaging [sometimes irritating] reading, but leaves
something to be desired as far as objective and
judicious thoughtfulness and truthfulness. Pater
seems to believe that it is acceptable to "bend"
or even create facts to further his own it-pleases-
me-to-think-that-this-is-or-should-be-so desires.
We know that we are on a slippery critical slope
[though it will sound all too familiar to modern
ears and modern apologetics] when the editor Phillips
informs us: "In Pater's first published writing, his
essay on Coleridge of 1866, he had suggested that --
'Modern thought is distinguished from ancient by its
cultivation of the "relative" spirit in place of the
"absolute" ... To the modern spirit nothing is, or
can be rightly known, except relatively and under
conditions." It doesn't take much time to realize
that such a critical position is going to lead to
an end-position of aesthetic, critical, and moral
relativism ("You can't tell me I'm wrong, because
there is no one set way of seeing, analyzing,
believing, or evaluating."-- the spoiled, indulged child's
self-justification for the validity of its own
ego supremacy and authority against that of any
parental or adult restrictions. Such a position usually
means a lack of any meaningful in-depth self questioning
or objective evaluating of personal motives, and a
welcoming of lack of restraints in the pursuit of
pleasure and non-self discipline. And this, of course,
is the critical negative refrain that often comes
against the decadent followers of Pater's credo.]
The second fall-out effect of Pater's evaluations
and pronouncements is that some of his disciples
[self-styled] went farther than even he was willing
to approve with their hedonism and purposefully
shocking lifestyles and "decadent" behaviors and
aesthetic appetites.
But it came from statements like this, which Pater
may have meant one way, but which their subjective,
individualistic perceptions took another way: "The
aesthetic critic, then, regards all the objects with
which he has to do, all works of art, and the fairer
forms of nature and human life, as powers or forces
producing PLEASURABLE SENSATIONS [caps are mine], each
of a more or less peculiar or unique kind. [We value
them --he says] for the property each has of affecting
one with a special, a unique, impression of pleasure.
Our education becomes complete in proportion as our
SUSCEPTIBILITY to these impressions increases -- in
depth and VARIETY."
Let the perceiver and the critic -- and the
experiencer -- proceed with extreme caution and good
judgment.
* * * * * * * * *

This book has changed many lives in a very
peculiar way: although its evaluations are
quite wrong at times, particularly the chapter
on the School of Giorgione(if you care, check
out the edition with an introduction by
Kenneth Clark), Pater's Renaissance still
shines with the very same light that made it a
cult among Victorian youngmen.

The "gemstone flame", the pervasive feelings
of which Pater invited us to share have not
vanished (in spite of the attempts of the
so-called modern art), and the book's
invaluable lesson is that you simply
do not need a fancy objet d'art to see
what true beauty is all about.

So basically this is what I have to say: if
you have ever derived aesthetic pleasure from
anything at all in life, you should read this
little book tomorrow. If you never felt any
such pleasure, you must read The Renaissance
right now, or you'll simply let the good
things pass you by. I mean it.

Written expressly for middle school students, Researching Issues is a short, simple, straight-to-the-point, 40 page guide to chosing a topic to research, finding references and resources, taking notes, and putting one's research into a properly organized paper. The text is clear and unambiguous, taking into account both traditional references and the expanding information frontier of the Internet. Researching Issues is quite confidently recommended as first-class self-study guide and supplement for young people of middle school age, as well as ideal for home schooling parents who want to help teach their child how to look things up and find things out.

This pamphlet is directed to middle school students but is reviewed here as a basic primer for any needing to research and report on controversial issues. Students are taught how to choose and research an issue topic, how to locate the latest print, electronic and audiovisual materials on the topic, and how to credit sources. An excellent primer for all ages.

Royce Adams' Revenge On Rairarubia is an engaging fantasy novel young readers ages 9 and older. The fourth volume in the superbly written "Rairarubia" series, Revenge On Rairarubia has a self-contained plot and story that makes it the perfect book to jump in and start following the wondrous happenings on the fantasy world of Rairarubia and the ordinary young girl from our world who becomes involved in its wild ways. She and her best friend must confront giant birds trained to carry off animals and children, a deadly plague, and more in their quest to stop a villain who desires vengeance upon the land and all living things. Revenge On Rairarubia is an exciting story for young readers, and if they aren't already familiar with the three earlier volumes by Adams, Rairarubia (1882897366...), Return To Rairarubia (1882897447...)and Raid On Rairarubia (1882897560...), will quickly set off in search of them!

Molly Doogan and her best friend, Netty Parmet, return on what may be the last of this incredible young fantasy series.

The nine stones formed a circle in Molly's room again. This time within it was a giant bird egg and it was hatching! Thinking quickly, Molly returned it to Bovert in Rairarubia and the adventure begins!

There seemed to be a traitor in the realm training giant birds, Gremerkles, to carry off animals and children. Romey and Sam have married and their daughter, Princess Tracy, was one of the stolen children. The team must rescue the children quickly! Romey and Sam get tricked and become infected with a deadly plague that may kill all in Rairarubia as revenge from an unknown foe! The only hope was for Molly to bring her doctor mother to Rairarubia.

***** I read this book in one sitting! It was fantastic! I can only hope this is not the last in this series. I have become fond of the characters and the magical realm of Rairarubia. This series is perfect for fifth grade and above. Yes, even adults will love it. I sure did!

Author, W. Royce Adams, has a remarkable talent for writing in a way that teens and pre-teens can easily understand and enjoy! I urge parents to purchase this series and read them with their children. Highly recommended! *****

And mine was red. Asbury's books about primary colors are delightful. You'll also want to buy, as did I, Bonnie's Blue House and Yolanda's Yellow School.

Buy all three of these books. They are warm and comforting. I love reading them and my baby (although young) loves hearing them. It makes me want to have a red vacation.

Although this is a children's book, it is "must reading" for any adult who wants to re-energize their enthusiasm for the origin of America. I got this book for my grandchildren, but after reading it myself, decided that it's an adult book as well.

The author has succeeded in making the reader understand the genius of Samuel Adams of Boston. The type of grassroots politics practiced by Adams and other patriots, clearly is as valid today as in theirs.

Always focused upon the ultimate goal, "the last Puritan" was given the title by his peers of "the father of American independence". Author Fradin has been successful in pointing out why Adams deserves the title.

The story is breathtaking. If I had one wish regarding this wonderful book, it would be that every American child hears or reads the story. They would be better Americans for it.

Thanks to Dennis Fradin for writing it. I was so impressed with it, that after reading it I called the author to personally thank him.

An exciting experience awaits young and old when they pick up this book.

My wife and I like to read books on American history to our sons (ages 7 and 8) and were absolutely delighted with this book. Samuel Adams was one of the most important of the patriot leaders, but one about whom little is said these days. That is too bad because no one was a truer, more consistent believer in freedom than he was. Samuel Adams opposed England's taxes and mercantilist trade restrictions; he was just as vociferous an opponent of slavery. Fraidin's writing is clear and easily understood by children, but this is not a childish book. The parents enjoyed and got as much out of it as did the children did. If you think it is important for young Americans to know the history and philosophy of our independence, this book is one give them.

A pioneering Russian aeronautical theorist and writer, he is the father of the Soviet space program. He built the first wind tunnel and solved fundamental problems about space travel, such as use of liquid rocket fuel, long before such activity was feasible. Although he was unappreciated in his lifetime, Sputnik's launch was made to coincide with his centennial.

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky died on September 19, 1935 at the age of 78. His works and his ideas have become the scientific basis of the modern theory of jet propulsion. He foresaw the significance of jet propulsion and the conquest of the stratosphere, of flights at supersonic speeds.

A museum has been opened in Kaluga in the house where Tsiolkovsky died. The exhibits are mechanical devices and models which he made with his own hands. The scientist's manuscripts and copies of his published works are exhibited in glass showcases.

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky's tombstone bears the following prophetic words inscribed under the bas-relief of a rocket: "Mankind will not remain on the earth forever, but, in search of light and space, will at first timidly penetrate beyond the limits of the atmosphere and then finally conquer the spaces of the solar system."

Probably the best (but certainly one of the best) in Hall's Quiller-series. It tackles a number of issues & just in the right proportion. We learn the most about Quiller, his personality, sense of honour from this book: the scene in Lyublyanka is quite enlightening. The agent who's ready to die for the Bureau, but kills for his sense of pride; and who wouldn't betray his word to his (ex)-friend not even to save his own life. The perfect mixture of adventure, plot and the tackling of existential questions.

I must declare an interest: This book is dedicated to me. It's the eighth of 19 brilliant escapades starring the lean and mean Quiller, about whom reviewers have observed, "the ultimate pro, cynical, hard and master of the double-think ... businesslike, low-keyed, nondescript."

An Englishman, Adam Hall - real name Elleston Trevor - died at his Arizona home in 1996, one day after completing "Quiller Balalaika", scandalously still not taken up by an American publisher. However, the In Memoriam tributes from writers and reviewers around the world set in motion reprints of all his earlier works, including those under his various noms-de-plume (many of which have been misleadingly rejacketed as Adam Hall titles, thus giving the impression of a post-humous cache of new Quillers).

"The Scorpion Signal" is Hall at his tense and entertaining best, opening with Q in foul mood with his employers and actually turning down the mission before the full gravity of the situation sinks in: A fellow agent - another top executive in the field - has been put through interrogation at Lubyanka, escaped, and been *re-captured*. And he knows everything about one of British intelligence's most valuable Moscow-based cells, enough to blow the agency sky high. Quiller's job: To get into the KGB fortress and out again with his target intact. Only Adam Hall could conceive such a suicidally improbable mission for his man and succeed so convincingly. Even with the change of political climate and the demise of that whole genre of cold war thrillers, the Quiller canon continue to crackle on the page for their sheet storytelling excitement and what one reviewer spotted as Hall's "scholar's way of relishing the finer points of his discipline for their own sake." One of the doyens of this trade is no longer with us but his hero lives on to keep new readers on the edge of their seats and to show newcomers how it's really done. If you don't know Q, start with the equally capable "Quiller Memorandum" and work up, and I envy you the pleasures in store.

This is the best and most complete description of the life cycle of a mole I have ever read. It also gives supplementary information on other moles and incompetents in the CIA as it goes along. There is one problem in the book. It assumes that the CIA has a monopoly on people with common human nature imperfections. I have seen similar problems in the military, academia, and industry. The reader is probably familiar with the recent Catholic child molesting scandal which is another example. As a result of this, the author advocates corrective action which involves the either-or logical fallacy and "throwing out the infant with th bath water" type actions.

Well written, and stunning in its detail of the incompetence, unbelievable bungling, and the persistent failure to follow up on what was obvious about Ames to all but the blind--this,within the bowels of the CIA at the highest levels. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Not even Ames's rampant drinking, lavish lifestyle, and poor performance could for years unmask or launch a thorough investigation, something in any other organization would certainly take place. And then, to have the same person assigned to the CIA's Counter Intelligence Center with access to highly classified material and at the same time was "considered a dumping ground for CIA underachievers" has to be the apex of irony on a scale incapable of measurement.

"The directorate of [CIA] operations regarded the Counter Intelligence Center as a place that poor performers could be sent because they could not do much harm," said panel chairman Jeffrey H. Smith, a former Senate Intelligence Committee staff member. "It was like a bank concluding that because one of its officers had performed poorly, he should be put in charge of the vault." (pp. 248-49) Indeed.

For the many who did their jobs, this must have been a crushing revelation, none more so than for Jeannie Brookner, a successful case officer who was forced to bring a sexual discrimination lawsuit against the Agency, in which the court papers revealed "a male-chauvinist nightmare of drunkeness, drug-taking, and wife-beating, in which the mentally unsound [Ames might well qualify, in certain respects] serve alongside the corrupt to produce a parody of the intelligence community that is far more bizarre than anything a novelist might imagine. It is difficult to believe that in this apparently lunatic world the CIA could ever spy successfully against anybody." (p. 250)

A companion book would to have to be "The Year of the Rat: How Bill Clinton Compromised American Security for Chinese Money."

While Rick Ames smugly and gloatingly languishes in jail, he must wonder at times why he hasn't Bill as a cellmate because, as both books reveal, "Ah shucks, we did it for the money."

I like this book. I like the dragon story the best. He was green and red and had fire in his breath. I liked the adventure. It was exciting. It was not dangerous. It was fun. The dragon was Ho, Ho, Ho. (Ho? That word means good--way far away in China.)

Stuart Adams' charming compilation of letters from Santa Claus offers readers of all ages new insights and pleasures with each read.

Seven Sleeps Until Christmas is about giving the gift of ourselves and the ongoing discovery of oneself in the context of our relationships with others. This book reinforces important values; it emphasizes creativity and imagination, being with others and sharing, and the joy of giving.

Some of the things that make 7 Sleeps a thoughtful book, are its attention to details...Santa's handwritten salutations, the font, and a built-in display stand. These sweet details make it a favorite and easy gift to give to teachers, family members, and friends.

(***So far, each copy I have ordered from Amazon.com was signed not only by the author, but also Santa Claus himself!)

It is a really great book. I could read it 40 times. It is only good if you havent read any of the other ones.

If you are a lover of the office philosophy and observations of Dilbert and the gang then you will love this book. It is truly what the title suggests in that the publisher took three popular Dilbert books and placed them together into one large volume. As always, the biting humor and often accurate portrayal of all things corporate will have you laughing out loud as you realize how absolutely preposterous some of the situations are while also realizing that this sure looks a lot like real life.