Advances in Multiresolution for Geometric Modelling (Mathematics and Visualization)

Book Description

Multiresolution methods in geometric modelling are concerned with the generation, representation, and manipulation of geometric objects at several levels of detail. Applications include fast visualization and rendering as well as coding, compression, and digital transmission of 3D geometric objects.

This book marks the culmination of the four-year EU-funded research project, Multiresolution in Geometric Modelling (MINGLE). The book contains seven survey papers, providing a detailed overview of recent advances in the various fields within multiresolution modelling, and sixteen additional research papers. Each of the seven parts of the book starts with a survey paper, followed by the associated research papers in that area. All papers were originally presented at the MINGLE 2003 workshop held at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, UK, 9-11 September 2003.

Book Description

'any narrative of human action and adventure - whether we call it history or Romance - is certain to be a fragile handiwork, more easily rent than mended' The fragility - and the durability - of human life and art dominate this story of American expatriates in Italy in the mid-nineteenth century. Befriended by Donatello, a young Italian with the classical grace of the 'Marble Faun', Miriam, Hilda, and Kenyon find their pursuit of art taking a sinister turn as Miriam's unhappy past precipitates the present into tragedy. Hawthorne's 'International Novel' dramatizes the confrontation of the Old World and the New and the uncertain relationship between the 'authentic' and the 'fake', in life as in art. The author's evocative descriptions of classic sites made The Marble Faun a favourite guidebook to Rome for Victorian tourists, but this richly ambiguous symbolic romance is also the story of a murder, and a parable of the Fall of Man. As the characters find their civilized existence disrupted by the awful consequences of impulse, Hawthorne leads his readers to question the value of Art and Culture and addresses the great evolutionary debate which was beginning to shake Victorian society.

Customer Reviews:

Tour 19th-Century Rome with Hawthorne.......2007-04-05

I started the Marble Faun twice: The first time was kind of a slog before my trip to Rome. The instant I got back home drom the trip I started all over again and I felt I was reading a completely different book! It was an absolute joy to tour that wonderful ancient/Christian/Renaissance city with Hawthorne as my guide. After all, Rome hasn't changed THAT much since the mid-19th century, and it's been a tourist attraction forever. Be sure to read this book with the Internet close at hand, or sitting in the public library, or at least a decent pictorial tour book of Rome at hand. (If you google the words `rome art lover' you will find a website that answered most of my questions.) You'll want to see exactly what Hawthorne is talking about. The writing just drips with metaphor and symbolism, ie Corrupt, eroding Europe vs. American Purity. Hawthorne references history, specific artworks, architecture, myth, literature to describe (I wouldn't say flesh out) out his 4 characters--three young American expat artists, and their Italian friend--and the intrigue that manages to take them all over the city and on a trip beyond the walls. I loved Hawthorne's broodings all the things I loved about Rome, in particular a visit to Saint Peter's by an innocent Protestant who has witnessed a murder by her friends. Another highlight: the guilty parties' reaction when, creeped out by something they see in the Capuccine Church, they flee down to that amazing crypt...During his characters' walk through the Forum, Hawthorne ruminates on why the ancient past in Rome seems so much more recent than, say, the Middle Ages do in England. I could go on and on. I did not find the solution to the mystery of the plot at all satisfying, but I forgive Hawthorne this once and have even vowed to re-read the Scarlet Letter, which I didn't enjoy in HS.

A Novel of Conscience.......2006-03-29

This penetrating and provocative novel has the power to create a trance-like state in the reader's mind. Much of the dream quality of the scenes is the result of the setting in historic Rome, the art focused characters, and, especially, the author's poetic genius.

Like "The Scarlet Letter" and other Nathaniel Hawthorne works, this story centers upon morality and the value of experience in a person's growth, and here read "SIN" for experience.

I read the book in four days, and that is a dash for me. Totally immersed in the story, I frequently found myself marveling at the poetic presentation of universal truths about mankind; some of which had me re-examining hard won personal realizations about morality.

It had been years since I read this icon of the American Renaissance; I'll be reading another selection of his soon.

Maybe not Hawthorne's best, but still good.......2002-07-16

This is a great book for people who have been to Rome or are going to Rome. However, as with most of Hawthorne's novels, some patience is required. I found that the first half of this book moved along quickly and was, in a word, enchanting. The second half was not quite as engaging and the end seemed somewhat abrupt to me. I almost felt that Hawthorne was in a rush to finish. Not that I didn't enjoy it. I was just left on the last page saying, "What? Where's the rest of the book?" I'll admit it though, I'm a Hawthorne fan and despite it's imperfections this is a worthwhile read and one of my personal favorites.

A Disappointment.......2002-07-16

According to Hawthorne, this is not a novel, it's a Romance, and not just a Romance, but an Allegory, fraught with Symbolism, to illustrate a MORAL. The end result being that Hawthorne's characters are a cartoonish, unconvincing bunch, uttering stilted dialogue like a troupe of half-baked Shakspearean hams declaiming away in some tawdry, gaslight melodrama. Hawthorne frequently brings the story to a dead stop so that he can inflict on the reader his generally negative opinions on art, Rome, Italians, etc., reserving most of his venom for Catholicism. In spite of all that, he does succeed in telling a story, even if he does cheat the reader out of a satisfactory ending. If you want to read the Fall of Man, acted out by arty Americans in 19th century Rome, you're better off with "Roderick Hudson" by Henry James. James took the basic elements of Hawthorne's novel and came up with a much more rewarding book.

Innocents Abroad.......2002-03-17

_The Marble Faun_ concerns three young American artists, Miriam, Hilda and Kenyon, and their Italian faun-like friend, Donatello, whose characters are transformed while on their stay in Rome, the Eternal City. _The Marble Faun_ is very reminiscent of Henry James' novella, "Daisy Miller," where a young and innocent American woman falls under the deleterious spell of this European city. In fact, Hilda, while visiting one of its art galleries is warned by an old German artist to go back to America soon "or you will go never more...The air has been breathed too often, in so many thousand years, and is not wholesome for a little foreign flower like you, my child, a delicate wood-anemone from the western forest-land." Hilda witnesses a serious crime being committed by Donatello and Miriam (supposedly, neither of whom would have done so were it not for the evil influence of Rome's atmosphere) and becomes overwhelmed from ensuing feelings of guilt and depression. Despite her Puritan heritage, Hilda is compelled to unburden herself by seeking confession with a Catholic priest, who suggests that she convert to Catholicism. Hilda seriously considers, but decides to resist this transformation.

Hawthorne spends much of the novel in describing in detail Rome's architecture, its art galleries, churches, and its many other landmarks and shrines. When relevant to the story--especially in the author's depiction of the catacombs (from whence Miriam and Donatello commit their unforgivable deed), sunlight streaming through a church's stained glass windows, the extinction of a legendary flame standing before a lofty shrine, and the majestic bronze statue of a pope stretching out his hand in benediction--the effects are quite wonderful. However, a sizable portion of the novel is merely endless travelogue, which seriously detracts from this fairly well-told gothic romance. I did very much like Hawthorne's portrayal of carnival-time in Rome towards the end of the book, and the author's conversation with Kenyon and Hilda at the novel's conclusion is quite charming.

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Hawthorne the master of "the master" (Henry James)

From a high school English teacher's P.O.V.

The Scarlet Letter - should have been a short story

A Review of The Scarlet Letter

It was touching and really hit the spot!

Nathaniel Hawthorne : Collected Novels: Fanshawe, The Scarlet Letter, The House of the Seven Gables, The Blithedale Romance, The Marble Faun (Library of America)
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Manufacturer: Library of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0940450089

Book Description

Here in one volume are all five of Nathaniel Hawthorne's world-famous novels. Written in a richly suggestive style that seems remarkably contemporary, they are permeated by America's and Hawthorne's own history. "The House of the Seven Gables" moves across 150 years from an ancestral crime condoned by the Puritan theocracy to a new beginning in the bustling and democratic Jacksonian era. Hawthorne's masterpiece, "The Scarlet Letter," is a dramatic allegory of the social consequences of adultery and the subversive force of personal desire in a community of laws. "The Blithedale Romance" explores the perils, which Hawthorne knew at first hand, of living in a utopian community, and the inextricability of political, personal, and sexual desires. "Fanshawe" is an engrossing apprentice work which Hawthorne published anonymously and later sought to suppress. "The Marble Faun," his last finished novel, involves mystery, murder, and romance among American artists in Rome.

Customer Reviews:

Hawthorne the master of "the master" (Henry James).......2006-11-24

I strongly agree with Richard's comments. Hawthorne should be read again and again throughout one's life. Even the great master of the novel, Henry James, found himself coming back time and again to Hawthorne as a touchstone of his creative imagination. We are fortunate to have dedicated teachers lead us through Hawthorne's work while we are teenagers, as adults we can read his work and appreciate it as a great work of art. Those who prefer to run through literature at a rapid pace would be better off staying with Marvel Comics. Library of America has provided a great service by publishing the Centenary Edition of Hawthorne in this beautiful edition. We are the better for it who can meditate deeply on the art and imagination of Nathaniel Hawthorne.

From a high school English teacher's P.O.V........2005-10-29

Please, whatever you do, don't categorize Hawthorne's (or any writer's) work as a long-winded relic from some gradeschool lit class. True, we English teachers are about the only folks left trying to keep this literature alive, but we do it because it's so worth preserving. I'll admit we do a disservice to Hawthorne by "forcing" young people to read it. Often a lack of maturity in the reader only translates to resentment for the writer, which in Hawthorne's case is a real shame. So you were "bored" by The Scarlet Letter when you were 15 years old... What a surprise... Has anything about you changed since then? Have you matured? Is there any possibility that you are more prepared today, as a thirty year old, to read, understand and appreciate Hawthorne's stories (and his brilliant style) than you were fifteen years ago? Give yourself some credit and give these great writers another try. You may be surprised at how deeply Hawthorne's insights into human nature cut after experiencing more of life yourself.

The Scarlet Letter - should have been a short story.......2004-12-29

I am going against the grain here but can anyone explain how this story can take so long to tell. Trying to enjoy the majority of American authors, Hawthornes works have not be an easy go. Though admittedly not a fan of Hawthornes full length works, his short stores can be enjoyable. But a book that begins with 28 pages of 'The Custom House', before the story even begins, is already very dull. I, like many other people, was forced to read this work for a sophomore literature class. That was 31 years ago and I still remember thinking what a moderately entertaining short story this would have made. In its form, its unbearable.

A Review of The Scarlet Letter.......2002-03-15

The Scarlet Letter, written by Nathaniel Hawthorne, will intreset readers who like romance and drama. In this novel, not only does romance and drama appear, but questions of morals of the characters. Also, the novel discusses the consequences that the characters must go through for their bad choices and mistakes.
Pearl, the child of Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale, was born in jail, when her mother was sentenced for commiting adultury against her husband Roger Chillingworth. Due to her crime, Hester was sentenced to wearing a red scarlet letter A on her chest, and Raising an evil daughter, that refuses to follow the laws.
Pearl as well as the red scarlet letter A is a symbol of wrong doing. Pearl could be described as the scarlet letter in human form. She is a very important character in this novel, she is the person that allows the story to continue. Pearl goes through her life, everyone looking down on her for her parents' crime. The very crime that pushes her father overboard.
Arthur Dimmesdale kept the secret that he was Pearl's father. He didn't want people to know of his sin because he was supposed to be a holy man. The fact that he didn't tell the truth to people, ate him up inside. Finally Dimmesdale admitted to his sin, and thgen died. His part of the story was very real, because if someone keeps a secret for so long they can just burst.
All the events that take place in the novel relate in some manner. Which ends up linking all of the characters together. Hawthorne does a good job of making his characters feel the pain of their mistakes. Each character is trying to overcome their past. Some due to sin, others due to jealousy, and to hatred.
As a result of his jealousy against Dimmesdale, Chillingworth, Hester's ex-husband, ends up having a miserable, torturous life. Chillingworth hates the thought that his wife could have had an affair with Dimmesdale. Then when Arthur Dimmesdale dies, Chillingworth's life also ends, because he cannot destroy his enemy's life anymore.
In addition to Chillingworth's jealousy and hatred for Dimmesdale, there is also Pearl's hatred for her parents. Pearl hates being blamed for her parents' crime, which leads to her hating them. People looked at Pearl the same way they looked at the scarlet letter, a reminder of adultury and sin against the Puritain faith. Hawthorne was able to link all his characters together with all the events that were taking place in the story.
This novel can affect the reader's emotions and fellings. One minute leaving the reader feel bad for one of the characters, and the next hating them, because of something they did. If a reader finds suspense, romance, and emotional ups and downs interesting they should read this book. However, it might not be recommended for younger readers because, it can be a little hard to follow at sometimes, but overall it is a good book.

It was touching and really hit the spot!.......1999-04-30

I love all of Hawthorne's books but this one was his all time best

The Marble Faun: Hawthorne's Transformations (Twayne's Masterwork Studies)

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The Marble Faun: Hawthorne's Transformations (Twayne's Masterwork Studies)
Evan Carton
Manufacturer: Twayne Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Marble Faun (Dover Thrift Editions)
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486434117

Book Description

Murder and romance, innocence and experience dominate this sinister novel set in mid-19th-century Rome. Three young American artists and their friend, an Italian count, find their lives irrevocably linked when one of them commits a violent crime of passion. Hawthorne's final novel is "must reading" for its symbolic narrative of the Fall of Man.

Hawthorne's the Marble Faun: A Re-Appraisal

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Hawthorne's the Marble Faun: A Re-Appraisal
Richard E. Mezo
Manufacturer: Dissertation.com
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1581120567

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Since its publication in 1860, critics have questioned the artistic value of Hawthorne's The Marble Faun. A revival of critical interest during the 1950's and 1960's has done little to change a generally unfavorable opinion of the work. With a few notable exceptions, most recent critics believe The Marble Faun to be inferior to Hawthorne's other completed romances. Such opinions, however, usually seem to be based upon the personal taste of the individual critic rather than upon any sort of objective artistic standards. The purpose of this study is to examine and evaluate the various critical approaches to The Marble Faun. These interpretations provide the basis for a re-appraisal of the work. A study of the structure, the main themes, and the characters of The Marble Faun reveals that it is not an inferior work of art. In many respects, The Marble Faun reflects the maturity of Hawthorne's artistic and philosophical beliefs. The Marble Faun is a work capable of standing on its own merits. Some critics have misunderstood Hawthorne's aesthetic principles. Hawthorne thought that art should be used to suggest moral values. The power of art, he believed, was in its suggestiveness. The creation of an ideal beauty which has no exact counterpart in the material world suggests the reality of an unknowable divine providence. However, the value of a work of art depends upon the mood of the viewer. The viewer must assist the artist with his sympathy and imagination in an act of continual creation. The work of art will reflect back only those qualities which are brought to it by the viewer. Hawthorne's view of life is similar to the philosophy expressed by modern Christian existentialists. Throughout his writings, Hawthorne's concern for humanity is evident. In TheMarble Faun, Hawthorne explores a problem which has become almost an obsession of modern man. This problem is the question of man's moral position in what seems to be a meaningless, if not hostile, universe. The most important theme of The Marble Faun is a consideration of the consequences of man's alienation from other men, from God, and from nature. The structure and the themes of The Marble Faun are developed through the actions of the major characters. Hilda, Miriam, Donatello, and Kenyon are each transformed by a fall from relative innocence into a world of suffering humanity. Donatello's transformation from faun to man is more striking than the transformations of the other three characters, and it is his fall which leads to the question of the felix culpa. Although Hilda and Kenyon are ultimately less mature characters than Donatello and Miriam, they also benefit from their experiences in Rome. Hawthorne's belief in the brotherhood of all men is demonstrated by the experiences of the major characters in TheMarble Faun. Whether or not it is their wish, each of these characters must accept the responsibility for his own actions and each must become involved with humanity. It is Hawthorne's deep concern for the human condition, profoundly expressed in his art, which makes The Marble Faun a work of enduring importance to our civilization.

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The Marble Faun
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Manufacturer: Wildside Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The pointed and furry ears, therefore, are the sole indications of his wild, forest nature. Only a sculptor of the finest imagination, the most delicate taste, the sweetest feeling, and the rarest artistic skill -- in a word, a sculptor and a poet too -- could have first dreamed of a Faun in this guise, and then have succeeded in imprisoning the sportive and frisky thing in marble. Neither man nor animal, and yet no monster, but a being in whom both races meet on friendly ground. The idea grows coarse as we handle it, and hardens in our grasp. But, if the spectator broods long over the statue, he will be conscious of its spell; all the pleasantness of sylvan life -- And, after all, the idea may have been no dream. . . .

Nathaniel Hawthorne's The House of Seven Gables and the Marble Faun (Monarch Notes)

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Nathaniel Hawthorne's The House of Seven Gables and the Marble Faun (Monarch Notes)
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Manufacturer: Monarch Press
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3 Titles By Nathaniel Hawthorne : The House of the Seven Gables - The Marble Faun - The Celestial Railroad: And Other Stories

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3 Titles By Nathaniel Hawthorne : The House of the Seven Gables - The Marble Faun - The Celestial Railroad: And Other Stories
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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multiple books ship as one item. save on shipping/handling charges.

Confounding Images: Photography and Portraiture in Antebellum American Fiction

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Confounding Images: Photography and Portraiture in Antebellum American Fiction
Susan S. Williams
Manufacturer: University of Pennsylvania Press
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ASIN: 0812233972

Contexts for Hawthorne: *The Marble Faun* and the Politics of Openness and Closure in American Literature

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Contexts for Hawthorne: *The Marble Faun* and the Politics of Openness and Closure in American Literature
Milton R. Stern
Manufacturer: University of Illinois Press
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0252018192

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