About Looking

Book Description

As a novelist, art critic, and cultural historian, John Berger is a writer of dazzling eloquence and arresting insight whose work amounts to a subtle, powerful critique of the canons of our civilization. In About Looking he explores our role as observers to reveal new layers of meaning in what we see. How do the animals we look at in zoos remind us of a relationship between man and beast all but lost in the twentieth century? What is it about looking at war photographs that doubles their already potent violence? How do the nudes of Rodin betray the threats to his authority and potency posed by clay and flesh? And how does solitude inform the art of Giacometti? In asking these and other questions, Berger quietly -- but fundamentally -- alters the vision of anyone who reads his work.

Customer Reviews:

About Looking.......2005-10-17

The book was in great condition and came very prompty. I know nothing about art history, so this book is way over my head.

Interesting Perspective.......2005-04-02

This is a romantic view of art with leftist references. It is about the way we perceive things visually, in various contexts. He uses photographs and painted works primarily but ends the book by describing how we might view a field. Different sociological and psychological factors will temper what we interpret what we are seeing.

Berger writes in a style that I enjoy, descriptive and without concern for the grammatical structure that the nuns taught me in elementary school. That is not to say it is poorly written, Berger does take some license with proper English. Still the florid prose is very entertaining to me.

I agree with the political concerns that the author has but I do have a problem with his presentation. In particular he discusses the uses of visual images for propaganda and how art was manipulated by Nazi Germany. This is true but then he describes how art can be used to promote socially progressive ideology. In my own opinion propaganda is propaganda whether it is from the left or the right of the political spectrum.

A second issue I take with this author is that he takes some pretty fanciful leaps in his determination of what some artistic ploy means. He described a series of sculptures that would be placed next to a wall. One side of the sculptures was flat. He determined that this was not due to their inevitable placement but to some other factor.

My last issue has to do with presentation. Berger makes a lot of assumptions that are personal. They are undoubtedly a result of a lot of thinking, reading and discussing art. I do not necessarily think they are wrong. He does however, assume that he is correct. Several times this occurred when I was unable to see from his perspective at all. I think that suggestions and fanciful leaps can be appropriate in an art criticism reading. I suggest that the points would reach home more readily if they were phrased ala "...perhaps we could suggest..., or ...maybe one way of interpreting the form is..." Berger instead uses polemic type phrasing such as "undoubtedly this is a result of..."

For an interesting perspective, some historical information and thought provoking suggestions this is a very good read.

You gotta read this !.......2004-04-24

This is indispensable reading. No joke.

Please read this book........2002-08-20

Please please read this book. You will not regret it. Every essay is an eye opener and get you to really rethink your world-view.

How little we appreciate visually.......2001-03-16

Most of what our eyes take in is filtered, as we cannot process all that is within the field of our vision. Were there no limits, sleep would be required for the vast majority of each 24-hour period. Our brain provides filters that allow selective acknowledgement or perhaps isolated concentration on those visual cues that we deem important.

Mr. John Berger's book, "About Looking", will radically change your perception of what you see.

Much of the book is dedicated to explaining how various artists' works should be visually understood, what a casual viewer would observe as opposed to someone who is trained in art. I have generally found the long-winded, affected, and pretentious descriptions of art by "Art Experts" to be ridiculous at best and coma inducing more the norm. As Mr. Berger takes you through various artists and how he "sees" their work the language can still seem a bit affected, but as you read, this man uses the words he needs. To suggest he is affecting his explanations would be a petty way to express one's ignorance. Read what he says, and you will see things, as you have not before.

I enjoyed the entire book, however the essays, "Why Look At Animals, and, Uses of Photography", were of greatest interest. They went beyond the explanation of expanding the methods of how the visual can be expanded and included History, Anthropology, and Sociology as well. Many people find zoos artificial, perverse, or even fraudulent. When you read this man's explanation of Animals, our relationships to them over time and how we see them, and they us, regardless of what you now feel you will feel differently.

The same is true in his essay on photography. The science is relatively new, the use and invasion of the camera has become something so common the practice of using a camera is barely noticed. There are the occasional eruptions over privacy, surveillance, and "Big Brother", but those that suggest we are not already a society who have given up much of their privacy, are deluding themselves. Mr. Berger does not just opine on the subject. Court cases, the use of the camera in all its incarnations is explored more deeply than a casual look would suggest there is material to talk about.

This is not a book by a shallow charlatan picking off a couple of quick tricks that make you say hmmmmmmm. He does show that even when the filtered information arrives we see very little of what reaches us; we rarely gain the benefit of all the information. He demonstrates how a bit of inquisitiveness can make what seems ordinary spectacularly special.

Average customer rating:
The Place My Words Are Looking For : What Poets Say About and Through Their Work
Paul B. Janeczko
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Classics by Age | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0027476715

Average customer rating:

Good basic book about geography

Looking at Maps and Globes

Looking at Maps and Globes (Rookie Read-About Geography)
Carmen Bredeson
Manufacturer: Children's Press (CT)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0516259822

Customer Reviews:

Good basic book about geography.......2007-06-08

This book does provide a good basic introduction for kids. Just needs to have some pictures updated in it. My four-year-old twins will enjoy it.

Looking at Maps and Globes.......2004-08-06

Carmen Bredeson has written a very good introduction to maps and globes. Covers such topics as legends, directions, and scale. The writing and the book design are clear and clean. The illustrations and photographs are of good quality, but I wished there had been more photos taken specifically for this book as oppose to stock photos. There is an index. Karen Woodworth-Roman, Children's Science Book Review

TELL ME ABOUT IT: LYING, SULKING, GETTING FAT... AND 56 OTHER THINGS NOT TO DO WHILE LOOKING FOR LOVE

Average customer rating:

A very good choice
What not to do
"Yes mother..."
A Great Book for Hypocrites!
Advice columnists are not Gods

TELL ME ABOUT IT: LYING, SULKING, GETTING FAT... AND 56 OTHER THINGS NOT TO DO WHILE LOOKING FOR LOVE
Carolyn Hax
Manufacturer: Miramax
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 078686673X

Book Description

As an advice columnist for The Washington Post, Carolyn Hax has gained a fanatically loyal following in print, online, and over the airwaves with very direct, humourous take on matters of the heart. As the number of people seeking her advice surged she began to notice certain recurring dilemmas and snags in the accounts of affairs gone wrong. As she puts it, "The letters I receive form a virtual catalogue of the most counterproductive ways to interact with other human beings. With this in mind she has put together a handbook of the commonest mistakes made during the pursuit of love.

Customer Reviews:

A very good choice.......2006-06-09

This is the only "relationship book" I would recommend without reservation to anyone, of any gender/age/sexual orientation combination you can think of. Carolyn covers--with humor, compassion, and common sense--all of the mistakes that so many of us make when looking for luuuuuuv. Actually, just about everything she says could easily be applied to any kind of relationship. She has a lot of good stuff to say and she's totally unpretentious. This is a readable "relationship" book that actually applies to real people in real situations. Who knew?

What not to do.......2004-01-01

Unlike some of the other reviewers here, I was completely unfamiliar with Carolyn Hax before reading this book. Here, she comes across as wise, witty, funny, realistic--and yes, a bit unapologetically preachy and moralistic, but in a good way. There's good advice here for any woman or man whose love life is less than 100% satisfactory. It's mostly obvious, common-sense type stuff, but there are plenty of people who need to hear it. (And yes, I found a couple of words of wisdom here that I personally need to take to heart.) This is the kind of advice that your best friends would give you, if they were smart enough to see it and foolish enough to risk offending you.

"Yes mother...".......2003-12-19

You know, this book is okay... I mean, it brings up some good points, but Carolyn Hax ended up really annoying me. The whole time, it seemed like she was looking down her nose at me, like she was far more superior. No one wants to read a book that makes them feel stupid. I found her comments not witty, but petty. I don't want to be reading something that tells me not to do stuff all the time. It's never fun to be told what to do and when to do it. If I wanted that kind of treatment, i'd hang out with my mother.

Parts of it are good, but if you're looking for a book that helps, look elsewhere... or learn your own dating philosophy, because Hax's seems to be nothing but rules, rules rules.

A Great Book for Hypocrites!.......2003-01-29

Physician, heal thyself. Hax was fun to read years ago when she first started her column, but she's grown tired and predictable. She wondered why she caught such hell when she and her husband divorced shortly before announcing she was pregnant and engaged to another man. She actually wondered. She needs a good advice columnist to straighten her out. I don't recommend she look for one in this book, though.

Advice columnists are not Gods.......2002-01-09

I'm one of those "devoted fans." Hax has said in her chats and column that she and Nick are spliting - that's where the info comes from. But more importantly, a divorce does not disqualify an advice columnist. A person who lives life well is not incapable of making mistakes. Actually, if they were, their advice would stink.

Looking at the Planets: A Book About the Solar System/With a Glow in the Dark Planet Mobile

Average customer rating:

Make your own solar system

Looking at the Planets: A Book About the Solar System/With a Glow in the Dark Planet Mobile
Melvin Berger
Manufacturer: Scholastic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0590203002

Customer Reviews:

Make your own solar system.......2002-09-07

This book would be a good way to introduce children to the solar system. It focuses on the nine planets, and has a "punch-out" glow-in-the-dark kit that allows you to make your own model of the solar system. The information is of the most basic, which would probably be best for children from four to eight.

The Gentleman's Guide to Life: What Every Guy Should Know About Living Large, Loving Well, Feeling Strong, and Looking Good

Average customer rating:

Not a true gentleman
Disappointing - not for true gentlemen
Sleazy
I thought that it was pretty good.
Not A Book For Gentlemen

The Gentleman's Guide to Life: What Every Guy Should Know About Living Large, Loving Well, Feeling Strong, and Looking Good
Steve Friedman
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Beauty & Fashion | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Accessories:

ASIN: 060980202X
Release Date: 1999-05-11

Book Description

Whether you're a sensitive, bookish type or a beer-guzzling Cyber-jock--or just an average guy--The Gentleman's Guide to Life is a perfect and indispensable primer on looking, living, and feeling good, answering all your questions about clothes, career, fitness, love, and lust.

How do I move up without selling out?
How do I help my friends (and crush my enemies)?
How do I feed and care for my boss?
What kind of suit should I wear?
What kind of shoes do I wear with the suit? Socks?
Do I really need to take my vitamins?
Is this impotence or lack of interest?
How much sleep do I need?
How can I bluff my way through a wine list?
What is Cubism?
How much should I tip?
What CDs should I have to relax? To seduce?
Do I like her? Do I really, really like her?
What does she mean I don't listen?
How do I propose (or ask for the ring back)?
Am I the best man I can possibly be?

Customer Reviews:

Not a true gentleman.......2006-04-08

I checked this book out (did not purchase it, fortunately) after reading a tacky article by the author on MSN.com about how a woman can best "romance a man". I actually checked out the book because I could not believe, after reading the MSN article, that the author had really written a book on how to be a "gentleman" and I had to see for myself what it had to say. It was as tacky as the article in MSN. A true gentleman is true to himself and is who he says and appears to be.

Disappointing - not for true gentlemen.......2006-02-07

Sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek. I suppose as a humor book, it's OK, but I'm sorry I wasted my money on it (and I wish I had read the reviews before I did, because it looks like many readers had the same reaction).

Sleazy.......2005-12-27

I think we'd be better off going to church. I normally have all the dates I want, some of them so hot I'm actually embarrassed a bit, but after reading this bad boy, my success rate fell off, until I got it out of my head. Fortunately, that didn't take too long!

I thought that it was pretty good........2005-06-01

The author makes some really valid statements that are right on and easy on the eyes. He distills the subject matter into a highly potent brew that can help any of us, who were not born into the "lifestyles of the rich and famous" to at least not make a fool out of ourselves when placed into situations requiring some finnesse. I have read it a number of times. His wit alone is worth the cost of the book.

If you like to read GQ and want to become more than what you are then I highly suggest this book for you. Most of the other reviewers seem to be down on this book. I don't understand why. I really liked it. I read it twice.

Here is a quote:

(When asking about wines...)
"Do not say, 'What's your best stuff?'
"Do say, 'I know we'd like a pinot noir. Would you recommend a domestic or French? What's the best value?'
You are conveying some basic knowledge, a big dollip of humility, and a genuine concern that you not spend the month's rent on drinks. The sommelier will appreciate this and do you right."

This is my kind of book. To the point, and offering guidelines for actionable pleasures.

Not A Book For Gentlemen.......2003-05-30

This book is for those who wish to
imitate gentlemen... and the title
is indeed misleading !

Customer Reviews:

Gardens from the Sand, Dan Cavicchio.......2000-02-26

(Despite the jaded outlook of the cynical reviewer from Kirkus, which condemned this book with faint praise)....Garden from the Sand sings with the inspiring power of the Nature that lies inside of each one of us....if only we listen.

A gentle and intriguing story for wise children, young adults, and adults who wish to remember the wisdom and innocence of their earliest relationships with Nature-- This is a story about trust...in the deeper powers of Life that run through all of us....and about Listening to the World as though your Life depended upon it.

It does.

It is a story about deep ecology---our relationship with the world, and how we change it, unwittingly, or with considered aaction.

This book offers a fresh and simple tale of a child's learning to understand the natural world and his place in it, and of coming of age in a single parent family.....

Clarion's search for his father, is a search for his roots..and his personal power. He finally finds himself in the relationship and stewardship of his environment and community.

Customer Reviews:

Terrific Little Science Series! .......2006-05-05

Rookie Readers provide sophisticated information in an easy reading text. Great for my ESOL students. I really thought this book was helpful because research with a telescope might be overlooked in science class. My students may have never heard about a telescope before coming to America.

Book Description

This handsomely illustrated handbook is a resource that no porcelain painter should be without. The beginner will find it an easy guide to creating spectacular effects, while the more experienced may find techniques that they have not fully explored, such as marbling and working with gold leaf. Each illustrated step shows what color, which brush, and which paint stroke to use, while a wide range of subjects-from birds to landscapes-will ensure that painters are never short of inspiration.

Average customer rating:

Porcelain Painter's Handbook
Aude Creuze Veronique Habegre
Manufacturer: Andre Deutsch Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OQ6J5A

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