Bazaar to Piazza: Islamic Trade and Italian Art, 1300-1600

Book Description

The Mediterranean trade in luxury goods from the East made a strong and lasting impression on Italian artistic taste and production during the early Renaissance. This opulently illustrated book describes and illustrates the fascinating ways that imported art objects inspired improvements and new variety in Italian decorative arts. From Italian textiles featuring Islamic and Asian motifs to ceramics and glassware that reflected Syrian techniques and ornamental concepts, this book gives an extraordinary view of the influence of imported Oriental goods in Italy over three crucial centuries of artistic development.
Rosamond Mack traces Italy's emerging decorative arts tradition as she discusses textiles, ceramics, glass, bookbinding, and metalwork; she also considers how Italian painting reflects trans-Mediterranean trade and travel. Painters represented carpets and ceramics from the East in their works, as well as textiles with bands of writing replicating or suggesting Arabic script, negotiating cultural differences in their borrowings. These paintings show how Islamic motifs were absorbed into Christian contexts.
Beginning in the 1300s and 1400s, the works of Italian craftsmen inspired by luxury goods from Islamic and Asian countries gradually began to compete with those brought to Europe in huge quantities on Italian merchant ships. Yet even after their own versions surpassed the quality of some of the imported goods, Italians continued to collect, imitate, and adapt objects from the Ottoman empire and China. As Mack discusses these important influences, she provides useful summaries of the history of Renaissance decorative arts and presents a balanced and carefully researched view of the controversial topic of East-West artistic exchange.
This uniquely comprehensive study offers an intriguing look at the effects of exchange in Renaissance material culture, shedding new light on the development of the Italian Renaissance as a whole. No other source provides so rich and inclusive a synthesis of the period's decorative arts.

Customer Reviews:

Perfect Condition and Great Price.......2007-01-10

It came brand new, in perfect condition and it was a nice discount!

INFLUENCE OF ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION IN THE ITALIAN RENAISSANCE.......2006-02-25

To whom visit Italy, Venice is different of other important art centers , like Rome or Firenze . The Oriental influence in the
architecture remains as first impression.Screnning windows in the lunette above Porta Sant'Alippio , ,the grills on Saint Mark, the facades of the Doge's Palace.But,also, in the painting , and general decorative arts the islamic and oriental influence is visible. Venise was the gateway of the Orient.As
written in the Introduction of this excellent book , it was not necessary to travel to the bazaars of Damascus to acquire merchandise,because it could be found in Venice . The book is a complete study of this commerce ,between 14th and 17 th centuries ,and its influence in the life of Venice - including
the new class of designers , imitating silks , ceramics , glasses , and other kind of products.This book describes a very
interesting connection , not quite found in other works - the
influence of Islamic civilization in the Italian Renaisance.

The Mediterranean Naval Situation, 1908-1914 (Harvard Historical Studies)

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The Mediterranean Naval Situation, 1908-1914 (Harvard Historical Studies)
Paul G. Halpern
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Naval | Military | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0674564626

The Historical Jesus: The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant

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Massive, Important Scholarship
Crossan's Jesus
Kross'n Crossan
Do Not Take Up Your Crossan and Follow Him
Who to follow?

The Historical Jesus: The Life of a Mediterranean Jewish Peasant
John Dominic Crossan
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060616296

Book Description

"He comes as yet unknown into a hamlet of Lower Galilee. He is watched by the cold, hard eyes of peasants living long enough at a subsistence level to know exactly where the line is drawn between poverty and destitution. He looks like a beggar yet his eyes lack the proper cringe, his voice the proper whine, his walk the proper shuffle. He speaks about the rule of God and they listen as much from curiosity as anything else. They know all about rule and power, about kingdom and empire, but they know it in terms of tax and debt, malnutrition and sickness, agrarian oppression and demonic possession. What, they really want to know, can this kingdom of God do for a lame child, a blind parent, a demented soul screaming its tortured isolation among the graves that mark the edges of the village?"

–– from "The Gospel of Jesus," overture to The Historical Jesus

The Historical Jesus reveals the true Jesus––who he was, what he did, what he said. It opens with "The Gospel of Jesus," Crossan's studied determination of Jesus' actual words and actions stripped of any subsequent additions and placed in a capsule account of his life story. The Jesus who emerges is a savvy and courageous Jewish Mediterranean peasant, a radical social revolutionary, with a rhapsodic vision of economic, political, and religious egalitarianism and a social program for creating it.

The conventional wisdom of critical historical scholarship has long held that too little is known about the historical Jesus to say definitively much more than that he lived and had a tremendous impact on his followers. "There were always historians who said it could not be done because of historical problems," writes Crossan. "There were always theologians who said it should not be done because of theological objections. And there were always scholars who said the former when they meant the latter.'

With this ground–breaking work, John Dominic Crossan emphatically sweeps these notions aside. He demonstrates that Jesus is actually one of the best documented figures in ancient history; the challenge is the complexity of the sources. The vivid portrayal of Jesus that emerges from Crossan's unique methodology combines the complementary disciplines of social anthropology, Greco–Roman history, and the literary analysis of specific pronouncements, anecdotes, confessions and interpretations involving Jesus. All three levels cooperate equally and fully in an effective synthesis that provides the most definitive presentation of the historical Jesus yet attained.

Customer Reviews:

Massive, Important Scholarship.......2007-08-22

For all its flaws, John Dominic Crossan's "The Historical Jesus" is certainly essential reading for anyone interested in, well, the historical Jesus. Crossan is a scholar of the first order, and his massive erudition brings together otherwise disparate pieces of ancient history and literature, biblical and secular, to create an honest and methodologically consistent portrait.

Alas, it is his method in which I think the most flaws are to be found. The two most cited sources for his program of stratifying the "first layer" of the Jesus tradition which then moves on to multiple attestation are the "Sayings Gospel" Q and the extracanonical Gospel of Thomas. While Q is a pretty uncontroversial result of over a century of scholarship, it is uncertain, first, whether such a document exists, and second (and much more controversially) whether different layers of its construction can be identified. As for the Gospel of Thomas, his remarkably early dating in the 50s CE (compare with canonical Mark, which in his view does not come around until the early 70s, although here he is at least more or less backed up by the majority of critical scholars) is certainly open for debate. John Meier, in the first volume of his "A Marginal Jew" series, convincingly summarizes a case for the dependence of Thomas on the synoptic gospels. It is something of a shame that Crossan's portrait of Jesus depends so heavily on questionable dating; the preacher of a sapiental Kingdom of God, at least, would not have anything near the force it currently does were the Gospel of Thomas put in the second century, which is where many scholars place it.

Still, the merits of this work are many and much-needed. Among them are his critical reading of Josephus, the analysis of different protest movements in the Roman Empire (which follows on the work, primarily, of Richard Horsley), and his always insightful reading of Jesus' parables. While Crossan is often credited, and criticized, for classifying Jesus as a sort of Jewish cynic, I don't think the radicalism he sees is necessarily dependent on any philosophical "type." It's a natural enough result of his stratigraphy of the Jesus tradition.

No one can accuse Crossan of being unprovocative, and this work has inspired lively debate within the now puttering historical Jesus enterprise. Even if you disagree with him utterly, he is a force to be reckoned with. I find that my loyalties lie more with scholars like Meier and E.P. Sanders, since their portraits do not rely on terribly specific dating of the gospels, much less different layers within them, which I believe Crossan judges with too much confidence. Meier's volume 1 to "A Marginal Jew," mentioned above, contains the best criticism I have seen of Crossan and others' tendentious dating methods. Donald Harman Akenson, in his "Saint Saul," also has good critiques of such methods, although at times his criticisms amount to little more than personal attack.

As Crossan says in the closing paragraph, "if you cannot believe in something produced by reconstruction, you may have nothing left to believe in." In this I think he is quite correct, and even if his isn't the best, it is certainly one of the most formidable and enduringly interesting.

Crossan's Jesus.......2006-11-22

Crossan writes well, and his "historical Jesus" is a must-read and a fast-read for anyone interested in Jesus or Christianity.
There is a trend for academics teaching the Bible or religion to write popular works that would hopefully capture the imagination of the non-initiated or the curious (e.g. Bart Ehrman's or N.T. Wright's rapidly accumulating volumes). They come from both ends of the political/world-view/ philosophical and what-have-you spectrum and in between. This book was one of the pioneers of this approach.
In any case, works that touch on the figure of Jesus and beliefs about him are bound to elicit controversy and discussion. That is often part of the author's agenda. And they all must be taken with a grain of salt - whether it's Schweitzer's Jesus, Bultmann's Jesus, Ehrmann's Jesus, Fredericksen's Jesus, Sanders' Jesus, Wright's Jesus, Vermes' Jesus, Liberation Theology's Jesus, the Jesus Seminar's Jesus....
What matters is that the author should be responsible enough to take into account conflicting issues, proceed in a reasoned argument, and be intellectually honest.

Kross'n Crossan.......2006-11-04

I'm not a card shark, so I'm going to tip my hand. I am both a Christian and a scientist. I want you to know at the outset that as brilliant as this man is, and as logical as his method seems, he nevertheless fails to deliver the Goods.

Make no mistake, J.D. Crossan is a creative genius. His brilliance is seen in the scholarly and systematic manner in which he brings together various threads of anthropological and historical data. His work evinces a comprehensive familiarity with the literature. For those of us not versed in "stratigraphy" and the finer art of reading between the lines of a historical document, he weaves a compelling story.

Crossan describes his method as "scientific history." Using the word `scientific' implies that he is willing to adapt his paradigm if the evidence directs. In the final analysis, Crossan uses his method in the service of his own worldview. Crossan preserves his presuppositions through his analysis of the facts instead of allowing the latter to transform the former. This is not `scientific' in the true sense.

In this review, I will focus on his method, because it is easy to end up at his final destination unless you can see how and where he might have gone wrong.

Crossan's methodology -

Crossan says that his method analyzes the problem on three levels; anthropological, historical and literary. That is true. Further, he insists that these "cooperate fully and equally to achieve an effective synthesis, thus demanding equal sophistication on all three levels at the same time." He says, "the discipline of this book is to work primarily with plurally attested complexes from the primary stratus of the Jesus tradition." The scope of his program clearly has scholarly merit, and sets him apart from his peers in historical Jesus research. But I think there are some areas where his execution of the program falls short of the promise.

(1) He treats all prospective "gospels" on an equal basis, apparently disregarding traditional canonical lines of demarcation. His primary concern is establishing a probable genetic lineage of Jesus' sayings. Crossan appears to believe that God doesn't have an interest or a direct hand in the way we get scripture. This may make sense for naturalists or deists even, but not for theists.

(2) He uses an analytical concept called the "complex" for analyzing and organizing ancient texts into their basic units of meaning. The difficulty is that isolation of these complexes is an intensively hermeneutical process with huge potential for disagreement. Are these complexes based on events, or on themes? And, to what extent do these "complexes" conflate similar but distinct accounts?

(3) Crossan uses the familiar phenomenon of geologic stratification as a metaphor to explain his approach to establishing chronological layers within the literature. He presumes Scripture is naturally generated and so looks to establish pathways to explain how the text came to be transmitted. But if we expand on that metaphor, how does one interpret a petrified tree that passes through all of the strata? It forces one to reassess his assumptions. Specifically, what happens to our stratigraphic continuum when there is clear evidence that early documents depend on supposedly later documents? Such anomalies could leave Crossan standing in mid-air.

(4) Central to Crossan's method is his assessment of attestation. This is his metric for credibility. But Crossan admits that determination of the degree of attestation is in many cases a scholarly best guess. In this, Crossan appears not to allow himself to be guided or influenced by any theological notion that certain New Testament writers are inspired. He employs an editorial process he calls "bracketing singularities." In this, accounts of Jesus' sayings and actions lacking in plural attestation are called `singularities' and they are not considered admissible in reconstructing the historical Jesus. This leaves us without the virgin birth, the sermon on the mount, the Lord's prayer, the last supper or the empty tomb. This is Crossan's razor and it cuts deep, leaving roughly half of the New Testament on the editing room floor. This is a problem.

Assessment -

First, this book is very unbalanced, focusing almost exclusively on the historical and anthropological contexts, as if knowing the background of a subject tells the whole story. To echo the words of a friend, `Reading Crossan's Historical Jesus, I can't help feeling like I'm searching for something that isn't there. It is like looking at a master painter's portrait of Christ in which the image of the Master has been carefully extracted from its artistic context leaving a mere shadow of an outline, until all that remains is context without subject.'

Second, the methodology Crossan describes may be considered adequate as a component of a naturalist or deist epistemology. But it fails in a universe of sparse observers where "singularities" are important. What Crossan's method lacks is a criterion for assessing the credibility of singly attested scripture passages. I'm no historian, but I suspect that the bulk of ancient history would succumb to Crossan's razor.

Finally, the bigger question that these considerations raise for me is this, `Is this truly sophistication, or is it merely sophistry?'

My assessment is that it is truly unfortunate for all of us that Crossan has chosen to employ his considerably noteworthy talents in the service of a lesser god than the Jesus of history.

Do Not Take Up Your Crossan and Follow Him.......2006-08-30

In "The Historical Jesus" John Dominic Crossan attempts to de-mythologize the New Testament in order to recover the Jesus of history (as opposed to the Jesus of faith). Unfortunately, his methodology and presuppositions end up creating a layer of mythology, not dissolving the one he thinks is there. He relies heavily on the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Peter, and the Epistle of Barnabas as containing the oldest traditions. However, the Gospels of Thomas and Peter are mid-late 2nd century documents, the second of which is an admitted forgery, and Barnabas, though probably from the 1st century, is also widely acknowledged as a forgery. A look at the early church fathers reveal as much. Crossan also relies on a completely fictional document he concocted called the "Cross Gospel," which he says is embedded in the Gospel of Peter. These documents were used by Mark to construct his Gospel, which was then used by the other three Gospel writers.

According to Crossan, Mark invented a number of literary devices to put forward his theological agenda. If we only look at the inventions Crossan finds in Mark pertaining to the Resurrection and the presuppositions he brings to the data we can see the fatal flaw in his entire project. Crossan's first presupposition regarding the Resurrection is that he rejects the supernatural; miracles are out of bounds and the events they describe must have some other explanation, usually a combination of natural/psychological factors and political/social allusions. Crossan claims not to deny the Resurrection, but he redefines it to mean something completely different. He believes the "Saturday" after Jesus' crucifixion lasted at least 5-10 years while the followers of Jesus tried to make sense of his death. Finally, it occurred to them that Jesus is still alive in their hearts and that his message of love and egalitarianism was still relevant and needed to be preached. This realization is symbolized in Easter, and this is what Crossan means by the Resurrection. Thus, he can use the word and sound orthodox but be speaking heresy. It's a shell game.

To support his take on Jesus' resurrection, Crossan claims that Mark has invented a number of fictions to symbolically tell in a narrative way the process of how the Gospel came to be in the form we have it in the New Testament. Crossan accepts the crucifixion of Jesus as indisputable fact, but rejects his burial as told in the New Testament. He believes if Jesus was buried at all it was in a common grave and was likely food for scavenging animals. Thus, Mark had to somehow get the body from Pilate and into the hands of Jesus' followers so that he could be buried and that the tomb could be found empty to symbolize his still being alive. Mark's stroke of genius was to invent Joseph of Arimathea as a go-between, someone who had a foot in both Pilate's and the disciple's worlds. Crossan sees Matthew, Luke, and John as adding their own takes on Joseph and thus exposing the accrual of the myth. Mark says Joseph is a member of the Sanhedrin, Matthew says he's rich, Luke says he is good and righteous, and John says he secretly follows Jesus because he fears the Jews. Crossan looks at these characterizations as each adding to the myth. But clearly the more responsible reading is that they are complementary descriptions. Similarly, Crossan finds myth accruing in the different descriptions in the burial cloth and the tomb itself. This leaves the discovery of the tomb by the women as obviously invented, though it does speak to the egalitarian message of the Gospel as Crossan sees it.

There are a number of problems with this recasting of the Resurrection that go beyond reading complementary accounts as contradictory. In the first century the testimony of women in a court of law was considered unreliable at best. So why have the first witnesses of the empty tomb be women if it was an invention? They could have been accompanied by men, therefore fulfilling the egalitarian agenda. But they alone were the first witnesses of the most important event in the ministry of Jesus. Why, if this was an invention, choose the very people whose testimony would be discarded out of hand? The far better explanation is that they actually were the first witnesses to something that actually occurred.

And what does Crossan do with 1 Corinthians 15:1-19? Here Paul claims that if the Resurrection of Jesus did not happen then our faith is in vain; find another explanation for it and Christianity fails. Not only that but Paul embeds a creed in vv 3-7 that states that Christ died, was buried, was raised on the third day, and appeared to a number of his followers. This creed can be dated to within 1-3 years of the Resurrection. Crossan's ignoring of this seems a clear case of special pleading. He does deal with the passage, however, and dismisses it as a power-play by Paul to get the respect of the other Apostles based on vv 8-11.

In the end Crossan not only fails in recovering the Jesus of history he thinks is hidden, he actually buries Jesus under so much myth that he can no longer be found or even recognized.

Who to follow?.......2006-01-22

Great book. Author is sensitive to likely human need for faith and belonging, while remaining fearless and faithful to the task of asking difficult questions. Breadth and application of sources is exceptional. Not for those seeking easy comfort.

Writing the Feminine: Women in Arab Sources (The Islamic Mediterranean)

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Writing the Feminine: Women in Arab Sources (The Islamic Mediterranean)

Manufacturer: I. B. Tauris
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This book questions the conventional wisdom of the Mediterranean Muslim woman as a passive victim of the tyranny of religion, society, and male relatives. These original essays build on a range of experiences from varied regions and periods--from medieval love poetry to popular literary sources and fatwas and legal analyses--bear witness to the fact that individual women of all social classes play pivotal roles in both the private and public realms of Arab society.

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A Bible Reader

Paul, The Apostle - His Life and Times
Robert T. Boyd
Manufacturer: Nelson Reference
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0529102528

Book Description

A detailed and thorough examination of Paul, his life, and teachings with black and white pictures and maps inserted throughout the text.

Customer Reviews:

A Bible Reader.......2000-03-28

Boyd's book was an interesting book. I enjoyed his insight on the life of Paul. I did find one problem with his book. Towards the end, he starts using his imagination to fill in the blanks on Paul's life. He added an extra mission trip which the Bible does not include. Other than that I enjoyed the Book. I would recommend this book to any person that is interested in a detailed book on the life of Paul.

An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya

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An excellent book: A "MUST BUY"
Great book for the amature Mayanist!
Already a classic
Gift from the Gods
The Quintessential Guide to the Gods of Ancient Mesoamerica!

An Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya
Mary Miller , and Karl Taube
Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Mexico | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0500279284

Book Description

The myths and beliefs of the great pre-Columbian civilizations of Mesoamerica have baffled and fascinated outsiders ever since the Spanish Conquest. Yet, until now, no single-volume introduction has existed to act as a guide to this labyrinthine symbolic world. The Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya is the first-ever English-language dictionary of Mesoamerican mythology and religion. Nearly 300 entries, from accession to yoke, describe the main gods and symbols of the Olmecs, Zapotecs, Maya, Teotihuacanos, Mixtecs, Toltecs, and Aztecs. Topics range from jaguar and jester gods to reptile eye and rubber, from creation accounts and sacred places to ritual practices such as bloodletting, confession, dance, and pilgrimage. In addition, two introductory essays provide succinct accounts of Mesoamerican history and religion, while a substantial bibliographical survey directs the reader to original sources and recent discussions. Dictionary entries are illustrated with photographs and specially commissioned line drawings. Mary Miller and Karl Taube draw on their research in the fast-changing field of Maya studies, and on the latest Mexican discoveries, to produce an authoritative work that will serve as a standard reference for students, scholars, and travelers.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent book: A "MUST BUY".......2006-05-14

-- *VERY* COMPREHENSIVE; an excellent book: A "MUST BUY"

Anyone serious about understanding the Aztec mind and social order should read both "Time and Sacrifice in the Aztec Cosmos" (K. A. Read) and also, "THE JADE STEPS" by Burr Cartwright Brundage (University of Utah Press; (c)1985; ISBN# 0-87480-247-4). FYI, Dr. Brundage has authored nearly a dozen extraordinarily well written and researched books on Aztec civilization; most are (sadly) tough to find.

Great book for the amature Mayanist!.......2003-03-21

This is a great refereance book for the amature Mayanist. "Gods and Symbols" is filled with specialized facts, covering subjects from Olmec to Aztec times in good detail. It is readable for both beginners and experts. The amount of information can be overwhelming at times; it therefore is useful to have some background knowledge beforehand to be able to place facts in a larger contextual framework. However, the book's intent is to be a refereance work so this should be expected.

Already a classic.......2001-03-05

One of THE definitive reference works for everyone even remotely interested in the cultures of ancient Mesoamerica, "Gods and Symbols" well comprises the most important as well as more specialized facts, covering all its subjects from Olmec to Aztec times in the same amount of detail. It's written to be accessible to both beginners and people more firm with the subjects, and certainly offers more than enough for both groups. However, although the cross-references are fine, the encyclopaedic, culture-jumping approach makes for a somewhat fractured read, and the sheer amount of information can prove overwhelming at times; it therefore could be useful to have some background knowledge beforehand that can help you place facts in a larger contextual framework when you need to. However, this hardly is a reason for criticism given the book's intent, and it doesn't stop it from being a highly readable standard work I can unhesitatingly recommend to just about anyone.

Gift from the Gods.......2000-11-22

I am not a seven year grad student of the authors but a curious amateur anthropologist, former history teacher who loves art. That said this is the perfect book for the average layman, not too technical or with an overabundance of esoteric jargon. ... This book is filled with just about everything you need to know about the fabulous cultures that existed in Meso-America. All the famous cultures are covered including the Toltecs, Olmecs, Zapotecs and every other "tec" or "mec" you could imagine. Although the focus is the Gods, it is nearly impossible to cover the Gods without adressing the issue of culture. Some very fascinating information that even the most knowledgeable of readers will find captivating. Upon first getting the book I went through half the book in one sitting!! No matter your base of understanding there is something to learn here. A reference book but yet very readable as it is well written and full of great illustrations and photgraphs. The good thing is that if you don't feel like reading page after page, some drawing will catch your fancy and the next thing you know you are reading about it. So whatever the mood there is something here for the reader at all times. The paper is of thick stock and the size is handy enough to put in your backpack to take anywhere. Since I am not a scholar and have a limited understanding of the subjects, much clarification was given to issues I knew about but didn't fully understand. ... So the book is full of information that clarifies and breaks down all aspects of ancient Mexico, even those that have somehow been lost in the shuffle of modern times. Arranged as any dictionary alphabetically, it is a valuable source of information for all interested in Meso-American Gods and symbols and their meanings. There is a brief introduction that gives an overview of the time periods covered and the cultures that is very concise and informative. This is followed by an index that has the subjects covered in an easy to find format if you are looking for a particular subject. The end includes a guide to sources and a bibliography for furhter study. Especially recommended for students, artists or history buffs this is a book that compliments any library that features books about Mexico prior to the conquest. Truly a gift of the Gods, the ancient symbols are preserved and explained here in this compendium by way of the east coast to the Pacific rim. I'll learn much from this book for years to come.

The Quintessential Guide to the Gods of Ancient Mesoamerica!.......1999-04-07

I am a seven-year graduate student of Dr. Karl Taube, at the University of California, Riverside. I highly recommend this text to anyone interested in the gods, religion, or iconography of ancient Mesoamerica. There exists no book in English comparable to this one. This book is concise, yet packed with a plethora of hand-drawn illustrations by the authors and laden with inumerable useful tidbits of interest to scholars, lay-men, art historians, anthropologists, archaeologists, and historians. Quite honestly, this book is perfect for anyone needing a quick but poignant and on-the-mark "dictionary" type reference from two of the best cutting-edge scholars in ancient Mesoamerican studies today. You will definately get your money's worth with this choice - buy it today! By-the-way, this is an unpaid advertisement; strictly a humble review by a graduate student who worships the ground Drs. Taube and Miller walk on - tanslated, not biased in the least.

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A Masterful Study of Dionysos
An essentail to understanding Dionysus
Dionysus: "the fruit of the storm"
Dionysus: Myth and Cult
Passionate and poetic.

Dionysus: Myth and Cult
Walter Friedrich Otto
Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Greek & Roman | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0253208912

Customer Reviews:

A Masterful Study of Dionysos.......2005-07-12

Walter F. Otto's literary tribute to Dionysos is a masterpiece of mythic spirit and proportions. Plunging into the paradoxical realm of the god, he explores the divine drama of the deity and his various roles as conqueror, deliverer, Lord of Souls, God of Wine and vegetative nature, his special relationship with the Feminine, the maenad priestesses of his cult and his consort, Ariadne. He presents a work of love and immediacy that is clearly born of an intimate connection with this complex god and his cult. Irresistibly readable.

An essentail to understanding Dionysus .......2004-12-29

The first part of the book is essentially a long essay on the way myth and cult interact. It is important to note that this is a philological book and it can appear pedant. The thesis in the first section is still crucial to pre-Christian religious studies today, but some of the polemics against other thinkers within it are quite dated.

The second part of the book covers the historical development of both the Dionysus myth and cult. Otto unravels several popular and scholarly misreadings of the Dionysus myth. You may want a Attic/Koine Greek lexicon and alphabet guide near you if you feel so inclined, but most untranslated words can be figured by context with few exceptions.

I well also note that this is an excellent translation from the German; Robert B. Palmer's introduction is very helpful in contextualized this work in the history of Philology and religious studies.

Dionysus: "the fruit of the storm".......2002-03-16

Water F. Otto's Dionysus: Myth and Cult is a difficult but extremely rewarding study not only of the god Dionysus but of myth and cult as well. The book is divided into two parts. The first looks at the meaning of myth and cult and their relationship, the second attempts to arrive at the essential characteristic of Dionysus. By no means should you skip the first part. In it Otto lays the groundwork for his penetrating analysis of the god. It is a scintillatingly brilliant and illuminatingly original exposition of the meaning and origins of myth and cult. Anyone interested in Greek religion or for that matter liturgy alone, should read it. Although written over forty years ago it will still challenge and startle. Otto is gifted with a poetic depth of perception and gnomic expressiveness worthy almost of Heraclitus. For example at one point he states: "The more alive this life becomes, the nearer death draws, until the supreme moment-the enchanted moment when something new is created-when death and life meet in an embrace of mad ecstasy."

Otto holds that "The true visage of every true god is the visage of a world." In the second part he sets about discovering the form or visage of Dionysus. This he brilliantly lays out in chapters dealing with every aspect of the god. Chapters include: The Vine, The Somber Madness, Dionysus and the Element of Moisture, Dionysus and the Women, and Dionysus and Apollo. I will not attempt to recount his conclusions. Get the book and read them in Otto's lapidary language. Don't be put off from reading this book if you don't know Greek. While there are a fair number of untransliterated words, you can understand the meaning of the sentences from the context. However, be aware that this is not "lite" reading but a serious study that requires and will repay thought. The book itself is a handsome, sturdy paperback with glued signatures.

Dionysus: Myth and Cult.......2000-03-26

The author brings the immediate experience of Dionysus to the reader. In the first part, a general context is laid out. In the second, the stories of Dionysus are told, of a living presence. This immediacy makes the essay both powerful and compelling.

Passionate and poetic........1998-10-15

This book is written in two parts. The first is an essay about the use of Cult practices as a source for the substance and interpretation of myth. The second (and longest) describes the myths themselves.

I have only read the second part. Ottos description and interpretation of the myths surrounding Dionysus is poetic and, and at times borders on the sublime. His impact is emotional as well as intellectual, and I came away feeling that I knew the God of whom he writes. This must say something for both the passion of the author for his subject and the skill and sympathy of the translator.

Customer Reviews:

lovely adventure for the open minded.......2007-05-19

It never ceases to amaze me, the level of anger and resentment this book elicits from some while others are of my frame of mind in adoring the creativity here. I am a Pagan and a student of a Mystery School (which, by the way, lists this among recommended reading) but when I read this I didn't find anything offensive, sexist or so outrageous about it at all. It became my favorite pre-bedtime reading because it's beautifully written and I didn't take any of it completely literally. I find it magickally inspiring, but I didn't even think to take the rituals outlined at the end of each chapter (and what a fun idea that was!) and actually do them. It just seemed like great detail in a lovely novel to me. But at the same time some fundamental ideologies and philosophies inherent to the Pagan/Druidic way of life are preset here. It blows me away that Monroe has become such a target of animosity for what I see as a really fun, sweet, imaginative book. I mean, I love Harry Potter but I'm not about to jump off a building on a broom. Let's have a little common sense here. But I also have to add that a teacher of mine I greatly admire shed a little light on why this book comes under such intense attack; when someone exposes things and makes certain discoveries that might not be welcome just yet, it can cause a reactive approach rather than a responsive one. That doens't make it right or wrong, we're all entitled to our opinions, but if you are considering reading this book please pick it up and give it a chance for your own benefit. As with anything, be your own judge; don't love it or hate it, buy it or not, based on anyone else's experience. A book is, to me, a living, breathing being and it's worth giving it the chance to see if it connects to you. If you're here thinking about it, maybe there is something within for you. We all see and experience things through our own subjective filters, right? So let it be what it is for YOU.

As for my experience of it...I keep it next to the bed along with a host of other favorites and it's often a pre-bedtime treat. I find it to be a lovely adventure.

Not worth the paper.......2006-10-27

I sell books for a living. Metaphysical, druid, occult, wiccan books.
I won't even carry this one.
Complete drivel. Historically innacurate. Theosophically unsound. A blemish on the face of Paganism in general and an outright insult to druids.
Merlin and Arthur stop along their journey to eat . . .CORN AND PUMPKINS?
Even as a work of fiction it falls short, as it stomps "suspension of belief" into the ground!
Obviously a simple ploy to make money off naive individuals desperate for druid lore, or very gullible readers who simply don't care about what their practicing so long as they get to "play druid". Author has no conscience or ethics in writing this complete piece of crap.
Would personally love to introduce the author to authentic old-school druid practices.
If you absolutely want to see for yourself, check it out at the library. DO NOT SPEND MONEY ON THIS BOOK. You'll be angered and disappointed if you do, and you'll be supporting an ignorant unethical author.

The Book that Launched a Million Neo-Druid Ships........2006-09-12

This was one ,of the many Neo-Druid books,i have ever read.It firstly sparked my imagination in the pagan area.Now,if you look at who has been complaining the loudest,about Douglas Monroe,it's the Wiccan Elite segment .They are claiming ,that they're also "Druid Experts,because it's a sub-set of our Wicca-Paganism".
Remember:Good fences,make good Pagans.You can graze ,on my pagan global heath,but don't[...] on my Druid path.How do you true-blue Wiccans really know what the ancient Druids ,accepted and practised,anymore than what the English Witches had done two thousand years ago??The segment of know-all Wiccan elitists belong in the obliette,for awhile,to cool off a bit.Remember-Pliny,Caesar and Tacitus wrote little ,if anything,about the British Witches.So, you have to keep an open-mind and tap into this imaginative presentation here.It's an enjoyable read ,for anyone's journey into Druidry.

Wow.......2006-08-09

This book was actually reccommended to me by one of my Druid friends!

I loved the story and the information and theories provided in it. Without taking everything as absolute fact but keeping an open mind about the information presented, I was able to learn SO much about myself and perhaps even the world around me.
I will admit that we need to assume that the information presented is fictional, since Druids have no "How To" books -- however, what was presented in this book was presented well, AND it makes the STORY wonderful to read.
But that's basically all it is. A story.
If you're one of the folks that took the book at face value and drugged yourself with mistletoe (which, by the way, is not nearly as toxic as people think, when made into a tincture), then I'll say you need to do a little bit of your own thinking for a change.

Take what's presented in this book with a grain of salt, and read it as the FICTION it's intended to be.

And by the way, Belladonna (aka "Deadly Nightshade") is safe for human consumption in small amounts, and is frequently used as a sleeping aid. Keep in mind that just because a whole plant is toxic, it doesn't follow that tinctures and teas will be deadly, in correct doses.

So...

Even if you don't believe in Magick and Wizards and Druids, this book is still absolutely lovely. It's a good read and provides a little more flesh to the well known King Arthur stories. Enjoy!

Don't buy this book!.......2006-03-29

If one is actually using this book as a reference, they show their ignorance to anything Celt or Druid related. In this book he references pumpkins being indigineous to Ireland (which they were not) and female priests as "dryads" which was a greek term for wood nymph. Along with his basically telling readers "Go ahead, suck on some mistletoe, it can't hurt you," he is basically giving them an excuse to remain ignorant to anything Celt or Druid related simply because they can site this one book as a reference. Anyone who is truly interested in learning ANYTHING would know to compare sources before you take anything as 'fact.' If one were to take the time to compare this book to other scholarly works out there they would quickly be clued into the fact that what Monroe has written is lies.
Sadly, he is laughing all the way to the bank, however, not with my money in his pocket. As a Druid, I take offense to any piece of literature that uses our title to back lies. I would say, as the reviews clearly show, anyone recommending this book is in the minority.

Fascism's European Empire: Italian Occupation During the Second World War (New Studies in European History)

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Fascism's European Empire: Italian Occupation During the Second World War (New Studies in European History)
Davide Rodogno
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0521845157

Book Description

A controversial reappraisal of the Italian occupation of the Mediterranean during the Second World War which Davide Rodogno examines for the first time within the framework of fascist imperial ambitions. He focuses on the European territories annexed and occupied by Italy between 1940 and 1943: metropolitan France, Corsica, Slovenia, Croatia, Dalmatia, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo, Western Macedonia, and mainland and insular Greece. He explores Italyâ€™s plans for Mediterranean expansion, its relationship with Germany, economic exploitation, the forced â€~Italianisationâ€™ of the annexed territories, collaboration, repression, and Italian policies towards refugees and Jews. He also compares Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany through their dreams of imperial conquest, the role of racism and anti-Semitism, and the â€~fascistizationâ€™ of the Italian Army. Based on largely unpublished sources, this is a groundbreaking contribution to genocide, resistance, war crimes and occupation studies as well as to the history of the Second World War more generally.

Imaginary Greece: The Contexts of Mythology

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for the serious scholar

Imaginary Greece: The Contexts of Mythology
Richard Buxton
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521338654

Book Description

This is a study of Greek myths in relation to the society in which they were originally told. It does not re-tell the myths; rather, it offers an analysis of how myths played a fundamental role in the lives of the Greeks. The relation between reality and fantasy is discussed by means of three case studies: the landscape, the family, and religion. Most of all, this book seeks to demonstrate how the seemingly endless variations of Greek mythology are a product of its particular people, place, and time.

Customer Reviews:

for the serious scholar.......2000-05-16

Buxton's small book is big on theory and thus truly useful only to scholars interested in Greek mythology, especially as a social or intellectual phenomon. While one may not agree with everything Buxton has to say, his theories are well supported by the evidence he uses and he has a firm grasp of the ancient Greek mind and culture. A must have book for the serious scholar. The only thing that might make it better would be a more general approach since that would make it accessible to a wider audience.

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