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The main idea of this book is to generalize measure and operator theory to non-commutative situations. In the usual operator theory, von Neumann algebras serve as a generalization of "classical" measure theory. Commutative von Neumann algebras, or W*-algebras as they are sometimes called, are essentially bounded meausurable functions, and have measure spaces as their dual. These facts and a fine movtivation for the subject appear in the introduction to the book. The author shows with great clarity what is involved in extending measure theory to the non-commutative case. What is most interesting about the extensions is that they involve ideas from quantum physics. In addition, readers familiar with K-theory will see some brilliant uses of it in the book, particularly in the extension of BDF-theory to noncommutative situations, namely the KK-theory of Kasparov. The author also gives a taste of physics applications in the very last section of the book. He shows, interestingly, that when space-time is replaced by a product with a certain finite space, the Lagrangian of quantum electrodynamics becomes that of the Standard Model. Although such "add-ons" to space-time are not uncommon in physics (Kaluza-Klein theories being one example), the author's strategy is unique in its use of bimodules, and gives the three lepton generations.
There are also many other interesting topics as well in the book, such as how to deal with non-Hausdorff quotient spaces using noncommutative C*-algebras, deformation theory and the Kasparov group, the notion of Morita equivalence, leaf spaces of foliations, the E-theory of morphisms of separable C*-algebras, the extension of de Rham cohomology to a noncommutative framework (cyclic cohomology) and its relation to K-theory, the noncommutative torus and the quantum Hall effect.
The book is an excellent source of information on noncommutative geoemtry and with the many references given one can find more detailed proofs. It is a subject that will no doubt continue to make its presence known in mathematics (and physics) in years to come.
its many exciting applications. As most would expect, the book
covers operator algebras, quantum theory, and other areas of mathematical physics; --but, in addition, there is a lovely treatment of tiling theory[Penrose tilings, cartwheel tilings and the like], of the Dixmier trace, of groupoids, and of foliations.-- All new subjects: intriguing and penetrating!
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However, the discussion of civilisations so remote from ours in time and spirit (Dravidian, Indus, Cretan, etc...) is mind-boggling and challenging. It makes our own culture seem very narrow-minded in some ways and ignorant of so much of human nature. The author was a native Frenchman yet deeply immersed in Hindu/Shaivite culture and religion from a young age. His insights are rare and precious. Thank you Monsieur Danielou.
The bulk of the material is about Siva, (which is understandable given the background of the author and the relative amounts of material available on each of the subjects) though this leads to a somewhat fragmentary portrait of Dionysus.
In places it has the tone of a polemic for a return to 'natural' or 'ecstatic' religion as a basis for saving the planet. It treats the 'good' features of such an approach at length but fails to adequately address the fact that 'Siva/Dionysus' is at heart a 'mad' and ambivalent God (CF. W Otto above). I am not sure I can stomach a return to ritual or cult prostitution or to human sacrifice. Feminists may be interested in his description of the 'natural' role of women.
At first he appears to be anti-christian though this turns out to be more anti Roman-Catholic and Institutional Church. He believes that Christianity in its original, unadulterated form was very close to 'natural' spirituality and points to the many parallels between Dionysus and Christ.
I would suggest that readers get a good background in both subjects before reading this book.
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I bought this book because it was recommended by The Economist in a book review when it was first released. It appeared to be an interesting discussion about how different religions have accepted or rejected images that were memorialized in print. In light of the Taliban's destruction of the Buddha statues, I was especially interested in this topic to enlighten me about how various cultures have viewed the representation of God, gods, people, animals, landscapes, etc. The Economist review and the book's cover led me to believe that this book would enlighten me in that regard. It didn't.
Be forewarned that this book is almost entirely about religious images and Christianity. There is some discussion in the beginning of the book about images of gods in ancient times (and what Plato and Aristotle thought about them), but most of the book is about the iconoclastic and iconophilic schools of Christian theology. (The discussion about iconoclasm in Judaism and Islam is limited to a few pages.) Hence, I would characterize this book under the heading philosophy, not art.
My only other comment pertains to the writing. Keep in mind that Besancon wrote this book in French, so you are reading a translation. I don't know if it's because of the writing in the original, the translation or the subject matter, but this is a very dry read. I will confess that I keep the book on the bedside table to provide soporific assistance. Calling itself an "Intellectual History" does not, to me, give a book license to be painfully boring.
While there are some interesting passages (such as the discussion about the Trinity in Christianity, which was helpful in explaining the concept of the Holy Spirit), I rate this book as two stars. I do this primarily because it was not what it purported to be. It would have been more aptly entitled, "The Depiction of the Divine in Christian Theology." And the cover picture should have been from a painting of a crucified Jesus. But then again, that probably wouldn't sell as many copies.
The book is a little strange: one is always aware that Besancon has his own view of things--but it is a highly learned, far-ranging and charming view. Highly recommended.
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The first one was the most interesting of the group, containing the most seminal essays on the noir style by Durgnat, Higham, Porfirio and Schrader and even a translation from Borde & Chaumenton's French framing of the "noir mystique." Also, several noir films were considered in a "case study" section, among them KISS ME DEADLY, NIGHT & THE CITY, ANGEL FACE and the post-noir LONG GOODBYE. The last section of Volume One dealt with "Noir, Then and Now" with several interesting articles on noir's legacy and the new noir. It was a sensational critical work after Silver & Ward's trend-setting volume FILM NOIR, now in its third edition from Overlook Press.
FILM NOIR 2, in the Limelight series carries on the tradition of including seminal essays on noir by Nino Frank, the film critic who actually named the style, Jean-Pierre Chartier and Claude Chabrol, among other worthy and perceptive American
critics such as Tom Flinn and Stephen Farber. Reverting to the case history approach, Robert Porfirio, Robin Wood, Silver and Ward, among others scrutinize critically the films of Hitchcock,
the femme fatales of PUSHOVER (Kim Novak) & THELMA JORDON (Barbara Stanwyck)among other themes as "jazz & noir," "tabloid cinema" and "neo-noir fugitives," all wonderful essays written with style and critical acumen. Part 3 of this volume seems to suggest this would be the last in the series, discussing the "evolution" of noir, especially essays on the "new noir," and especially Kent Minturn's excellent article on "abstract expressionism and film noir, demonstrating the effects of Jackson Pollack's paintings on the noir style.
FILM NOIR READER 3 must be the absolute last in the series because it focus is on mainly interviews with filmmakers of the classic noir period. Divided into 3 sections, it deals with 8 directors such as Andre de Toth, Fritz Lang, Billy Wilder, Robert Wise among others, filmmakers such as photographers James Wong Howe and John F. Seitz, actors such as Claire Trevor and Lizabeth Scott, composers such as Miklos Rozsa and finally a series of commentaries about noir by Curtis Bernhardt, Budd Boetticher and Daniel Fuchs.
Of the director section, all were fairly interesting interviews by Alain Silver or Robert Porfirio with the exception of Otto Preminger who seemed to defy the questions put to him and did not care to be labelled a "noir" director. Of the actors, I enjoyed Claire Trevor's appraisal of her roles and Lizabeth Scott's method of transforming herself psychologically into a "femme fatale." But the commentaries section of this interview book really runs out of steam with Daniel Fuchs' perception of Jews, Gentiles and Communists in Hollywood as well as the take of his own words on THE GANGSTER with Barry Sullivan.
He even complains as he writes answers to Porfirio's questions, while admiring the critic, he feels "it pains him his own prose is so lousy."
While this third volume is chock full of wonderful stills
from classic films of the period, sometimes the stills have absolutely nothing to do with the text...worse, there are serious flaws in editing that mar the book...on p. 60 Anne Bancroft is referred to in THE BLUE GARDENIA while on the next page it is Anne BAXTER, the real star of the film is seen in a still with Ann Sothern; the still facing p. 135 identifies Ray Teal as the actor in the foreground with Orson Welles on the stairs in CITIZEN KANE while it is actually RUSSELL COLLINS and more blatantly, in the still on p.141 from BODY AND SOUL, how can any one mistake B-actress HAZEL BROOKS seen here with John Garfield for the beautiful and classy Lili Palmer identified in the caption.
Finally, I believe FILM NOIR READER 3 is a worthy entry in the series for its preservation of information and stills about noir although the interviewers seemed to have scraped rock bottom to put this volume together. Perhaps they should turn their attentions to the new noir. However, I must commend the publisher, Limelight, for continuing the series and bringing about an affordable paperback with such gorgeous stills that are alone worth the ... price. And some of the interviews are really excellent--the ones with Billy Wilder, Miklos Rozsa and James Wong Howe among others. But it is difficult to take such diverse views on noir and give them a unique, systematic frame of reference because of the very complexity in the material and the divergent views among the authors. I simply cannot imagine how far down "the noir trail" we can go without stumbling in the future. Volumes 1 and 2 are certainly superior to this last one, but Vol. 3 gives me a sense of closure regarding the material, but not the "noir style." For as long as there are men deceived by women for cash or sex, noir will go on forever.
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The queen does not like this idea at all so she hatches a plan to prevent her son marrying & she makes sure that the few princesses who do audition for Prince Ralph's wife all fail.
Mad with grief, Prince Ralph tears off in his expensive car down to Lower-Crestalia & when smoke starts billowing out of his hood, poor Ralph is stranded.
To his great surprise & relief, an auto-mechanic pulls up next to him & a dirty young woman in overalls carrying a tool box, jumps out. They get to talking, & the Prince is smitten! Her name is Opal, & she is the princess of Lower-Crestalia.
On the spot Prince Ralph proposes & when her prince charming confesses that his mother has idiotic tasks in store for her, Opal only becomes more determined.
Opal passes the tests with flying colors & that's when the queen insists there be a third test which is the one from which the title of this hilarious book is taken.
Will Princess Opal pass the final test? Will the queen's crafty plan succeed? Read this enchanting book & find out!
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This is not your regular jolly-old read but there is something about this book that lingers on long after the plot of a more conventional novel is forgotton. There is something here that seeps osmotically into the consciousness and remains like memories of undramatic moments in human life.