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Caravaggio
by Francine ProseFrancine Prose's life of Caravaggio evokes the genius of this great artist through a brilliant reading of his paintings. Caravaggio defied the aesthetic conventions of his time; his use of ordinary people, realistically portrayed--street boys, prostitutes, the poor, the aged--was a profound and revolutionary innovation that left its mark on generations of artists. His insistence on painting from nature, on rendering the emotional truth of experience, whether religious or secular, makes him an artist who speaks across the centuries to our own time.Born in 1571 near Milan, Michelangelo Merisi (da Caravaggio) moved to Rome when he was twenty-one years old. He became a brilliant and successful artist, protected by the influential Cardinal del Monte and other patrons. But he was also a man of the streets who couldn't seem to free himself from its brawls and vendettas. In 1606 he fled Rome, apparently after killing another man in a dispute. He spent his last years in exile, in Naples, Malta, and Sicily, at once celebrated for his art and tormented by his enemies. Through it all, he produced masterpieces of astonishing complexity and power. Eventually he received a pardon from the Pope, only to die, in mysterious circumstances, on the way back to Rome in 1610.Francine Prose presents the brief but tumultuous life of one of the greatest of all painters with passion and acute sensitivity.
Caravaggio: Painter of Miracles
by Francine ProseFrancine Prose's life of Caravaggio evokes the genius of this great artist through a brilliant reading of his paintings. Caravaggio defied the aesthetic conventions of his time; his use of ordinary people, realistically portrayed-street boys, prostitutes, the poor, the aged-was a profound and revolutionary innovation that left its mark on generations of artists. His insistence on painting from nature, on rendering the emotional truth of experience, whether religious or secular, makes him an artist who speaks across the centuries to our own time.<P> Born in 1571 near Milan, Michelangelo Merisi (da Caravaggio) moved to Rome when he was twenty-one years old. He became a brilliant and successful artist, protected by the influential Cardinal del Monte and other patrons. But he was also a man of the streets who couldn't seem to free himself from its brawls and vendettas. In 1606 he fled Rome, apparently after killing another man in a dispute. He spent his last years in exile, in Naples, Malta, and Sicily, at once celebrated for his art and tormented by his enemies. Through it all, he produced masterpieces of astonishing complexity and power. Eventually he received a pardon from the Pope, only to die, in mysterious circumstances, on the way back to Rome in 1610.<P> Francine Prose presents the brief but tumultuous life of one of the greatest of all painters with passion and acute sensitivity.
The Book of Vice: Very Naughty Things (and How to Do Them)
by Peter SagalSomewhere, somebody is having more fun than you are.Orso everyone believes. Peter Sagal, a mild-mannered, Harvard-educated radio host—the man who puts the second "l" in "vanilla"—decided to find out if it's true. From strip clubs to gambling halls to swingers clubs to porn sets and back to the strip clubs (but only because he left his glasses there), Sagal explores what the sinful folk do, how much they pay for the privilege, and how exactly they got those funny red marks.
"Live from Cape Canaveral": Covering the Space Race, from Sputnik to Today
by Jay Barbree“From Sputnik to the International Space Station, Jay Barbree has seen it all, and reported it well. ‘Live from Cape Canaveral’ encapsulates the most technically exciting half century in history.” –Neil ArmstrongSome fifty years ago, while a cub reporter, Jay Barbree caught space fever the night that Sputnik passed over Georgia. He moved to the then-sleepy village of Cocoa Beach, Florida, right outside Cape Canaveral, and began reporting on rockets that fizzled as often as they soared. In "Live from Cape Canaveral," Barbree—the only reporter who has covered every mission flown by astronauts—offers his unique perspective on the space program. He shares affectionate portraits of astronauts as well as some of his fellow journalists and tells some very funny behind-the-scenes stories—many involving astronaut pranks. Barbree also shows how much the space program and its press coverage have changed over time. Warm and perceptive, he reminds us just how thrilling the great moments of the space race were and why America fell in love with its heroic, sometimes larger-than-life astronauts.
Night at the Museum: Larry's Friends and Foes (I Can Read! #Level 2)
by Catherine HapkaLarry Daley ran his own company. But he missed his old job at the Museum of Natural History in New York City. Larry was once the night guard there. Larry also missed the statues in the exhibits. He knew their secret: A magic Egyptian tablet brought them to life each night!
A Nest For Celeste: A Story About Art, Inspiration, and the Meaning of Home
by Henry ColeCeleste is a mouse who is looking for a home. Is it nestled in the toe of a warm boot? In the shirt pocket of Celeste's new friend Joseph, who is Audubon's apprentice? Or is home the place deep inside Celeste's heart, where friendships live?
That Extra Half An Inch: Hair, Heels and Everything in Between
by Victoria BeckhamI've always been a girls' girl. And I know from experience that making the very best of yourself is something any woman can do. I was never the six-foot-tall pin-up. I've always been the girl-next-door who got lucky. I've come a long way in the last ten years, but this book isn't my attempt to tell you what or what not to do. It's just to share some of what I've learned. In That Extra Half an Inch, a tongue-in-cheek reference to her love of high heels, Beckham shares her tips for finding your own style including: Learning how to dress for special occasions; Shopping for everyday wear and where to look for it; Accessories: defining the looks that work best for you; Helpful hints for the holidays; Making the most of your wardrobe; How to feel confident and look great every time you leave the house. That Extra Half an Inch is a beautiful, nothing-but-the truth, easy-to-use book on fashion, beauty and style. Victoria shares her personal style secrets so whether you're getting ready for work, a night out on the town or even doing the school run, you too can feel confident and look great every time you step out of the front door.
Fancy Nancy at the Museum (I Can Read! #Level 1)
by Jane O'ConnorNancy's class is going on a trip to the museum, and Nancy wants to be extra fancy for the occasion. After a bumpy bus ride, she doesn't feel very well. Luckily for Nancy, her teacher, Ms. Glass, has a few fancy tricks of her own. Nothing can keep Nancy from making this trip magnifique! (That's a fancy French word for great!)
Art and Physics: Parallel Visions in Space, Time, and Light
by Leonard ShlainIn this book, Leonard Shlain explores how artistic breakthroughs could have prefigured the visionary insights of physicists on so many occasions throughout history. Art & Physics is a seamless integration of the romance of art and the drama of science--and an exhilarating history of ideas.
Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival
by Anderson CooperFew people have witnessed more scenes of chaos and conflict than Cooper, whose groundbreaking coverage on CNN has changed the way we view the news.
Hidden Passions: Secrets From The Diaries Of Tabitha Lenox
by Tabitha LenoxOn the surface, this seaside town is a New England dream of cobblestone streets and charming colonial homes. In its sleepy little harbor, fishing trawlers bob next to pleasure yachts on sun-drenched waves. But beneath the picture-perfect waters and walkways lie tumultuous secrets that threaten to tear Harmony's families apart. Hidden Passions turns back the clock in the quant town more than twenty years to reveal the intimate details of those secrets.. Sam Bennett is the hardworking son of the town's police chief. Handsome and well built, he catches the eye of every woman in town. Unfortunately, his heart belongs to one who will break it.. Eve Johnson is an upstanding premed student who on a lark decides to pursue a private fantasy -- one that could ravage her life... Julian Crane is a wealthy law student who is desperate to marry the beautiful Ivy Winthrop, but the reason why could shatter Ivy's happiness forever.. T.C. Russell lives to become a tennis pro, but his heartfelt dream is about to be smashed in a way no one would ever suspect.. Grace Standish is a home-schooled farm girl who wants nothing more than to live a peaceful life in the country until her mother reveals a shocking secret... Only one woman knows the intimate details of all their stories. While everyone in Harmony believes this woman is nothing more than a harmless eccentric, the truth is that she is an irrepressible sorceress of darkness who's been causing trouble in Harmony even before Prudence Standish accused her of being a witch in 1693 -- a grudge this society shameness still holds today! She has always known the hidden passions of every man, woman, and child in this quiet harbor town. But only now is she ready to reveal that tantalizing details to you. So turn off the Coast Road and enter Harmony...but be very careful if you should encounter a mysterious woman carrying a doll. As she's done with Harmoney townfolk for hundreds of years, she may very well look into your heart to see what it is you truly desire and grant it -- for a terribly high price
Jack Benny: The Radio and Television Work
by The Editors at the Museum of Television and RadioDetailed descriptions of over 150 radio and TV programs, a section on his historic 'radio feud' with Fred Allen, reprints of scripts, and critical analyses of his work by the curators of the museum.
Strange Fruit: The Biography Of A Song
by David MargolickRecorded by jazz legend Billie Holiday in 1939, "Strange Fruit" is considered to be the first significant song of the civil rights movement and the first direct musical assault upon racial lynchings in the South. Originally sung in New York's Cafe Society, these revolutionary lyrics take on a life of their own in this revealing account of the song and the struggle it personified. Strange Fruit not only chronicles the civil rights movement from the '30s on, it examines the lives of the beleaguered Billie Holiday and Abel Meeropol, the white Jewish schoolteacher and communist sympathizer who wrote the song that would have an impact on generations of fans, black and white, unknown and famous, including performers Lena Horne, Eartha Kitt, and Sting.
The Secret Architecture of Our Nation's Capital: The Masons and the Building of Washington, D. C.
by David OvasonToday, there are more than twenty complete zodiacs in Washington, D.C.-- each one pointing to an extraordinary mystery. David Ovason, who has studied these astrological devices for ten years, now reveals why they have been placed in such abundance in the center of our nation's capital and explains their interconnections. His richly illustrated text tells the story of how Washington, from its foundation in 1791, was linked with the zodiac, with the meaning of certain stars, and with a hidden cosmological symbolism that he uncovers here for the first time. Fascinating and thoroughly researched, The Secret Architecture of Our Nation's Capital is an engrossing book that raises provocative questions and offers complex insights into the meanings behind the mysterious symbols in Washington. David Ovason has spent more than a decade researching the architecture and zodiacs of Washington, D.C. He teaches astrology and has studied the life and writings of Nostradamus for more than forty years. He is the author of several books, including The Secrets of Nostradamus and Nostradamus: Prophecies for America. Mr. Ovason lives and works in England.
Confessions of the Guerrilla Girls
by Whitney ChadwickSince 1985, a group of anonymous women wearing gorilla masks and brandishing glue brushes have taken zap actions at the art world's "stale, male, Yale" establishment. Their wonderfully smart-ass posters (example: "Advantages of being a woman artist: Working without the pressure of success, knowing your career might pick up after you're eighty...") have bedecked city walls, converted elitist curators, become collector's items, and even found their way into museum collections. Their work - and this book - offers proof that humor is a great, blunt-edged weapon against evil.<P><P> The Guerrilla Girls are a collective of female artists and art-world professionals. Their largest contingent is in New York, but they have also been sighted all over the United States, across Europe, and wherever truth, justice, and the American way of discrimination still prevail.
A Year in the Life of William Shakespeare
by James S. ShapiroThose with a keen interest in Shakespeare will enjoy insight into the man, his work and his times. Shapiro knows his readership will be a motivated one and is counting on the subject material to drive them to carry on. What makes the book an engaging read is the political context it provides. We begin to understand why he wrote some of his plays and certain characters, and what pressures he would've dealt with keeping his craft "cutting-edge", but popular to the masses, as well as staying in the Queen's favor.
The Narnian: The Life and Imagination of C. S. Lewis
by Alan JacobsonBiography of Lewis and an analysis of his writings.
Pictures from Our Vacation
by Lynne Rae PerkinsGiven a camera that takes and prints tiny picture just before leaving for the family farm, a young girl records a vacation that gets off to a slow start, but winds up being a family reunion filled with good memories.
Escape! The Story of the Great Houdini
by Sid FleischmanBiography of Houdini. How did he walk through walls, escape drowning, and shatter iron chains? The rare photos and the exclusive update about the rumor that Houdini was poisoned might help. But remember, a true magician never reveals his tricks.
Amellia Bedellias Masterpiece
by Herman ParishAmelia Bedelia visits an art museum, where her confusion leads to surprising results.
What We Ache For: Creativity and the Unfolding of Your Soul
by Oriah Mountain DreamerInspirational guide to awakening personal creativity in any art form. Dreamer uses practical examples to convey the link between creativity, spirituality, and sexuality while showing how all 3 can enrich one's life.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion
by Perry MooreHow the movie got started, how the cast was chosen, chapters on each child, the White Witch, and the CGI, special effects, and costume teams, and an interview with Douglas Gresham, C. S. Lewis' stepson
Why Christianity Must Change or Die: A Bishop Speaks to Believers In Exile
by John Shelby SpongFrom back cover: [Spong presents his] controversial stands on the Bible, Jesus, theism, and ... [He calls] for a Christianity based on critical thought rather than blind faith, on love rather than judgment, and that focuses on life more than religion.
Benjamin Franklin: A Man of Many Talents
by Kathryn Hoffman Satterfield Editors of TIME FOR KIDSA brief biography highlights some of the achievements of one of the most famous men from the early years of the United States.