Clarke Books

Traditional African art has an immediacy to it that cannot be denied. It is vibrant and powerful and sometimes disturbing. On the other hand, the textiles are geometric and require highly skilled artisans. Then there is modern African art, both a precursor and an influence of early European modern artists.

The Western world first became aware of African art after exploration of the continent began. As more and more groups came in, they discovered the unique and, to their eyes, bizarre nature of the art, collected artwork by the piles and took the pieces home. Africans began making what they thought Europeans wanted. By the beginning of the 20th century, Picasso discovered the masks and modern art was born. You can see the obvious influence in the beginning of his cubist period in "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon." You can see Picasso's influence in "Mother Africa." (To view some of this art, please click on the title of the book and find the image selection on the left side of the page.)

Because African art often was created for utilitarian purposes, its artists remain anonymous. This was not rectified until the middle of the 20th century when African art collecting became serious.

The effects of syncretism are revealed in the textiles. After the women had silk thread from Europe, the geometry of the rugs became dazzling in precision and color.

For a number of years African artists, academically trained, have had to determine the direction of their art. Some believe they should have the freedom of choice to create with no obligation to their roots. Others believe they must reflect Mother Africa and also show creative innovation. The viewer will see both types in this book.

The book is arranged by regions. Duncan Clarke states that this forced arrangement is for ease in locating works of art. The art itself does not necessarily reflect the region. For example, if you talk about impressionistic painting, which artist do you mean because each interpreted the "impression" differently? Same with regional African art.

I invite you to view the six pieces I photographed from the book to include in this review. If you have a chance, visit the African section of an art museum the next time you go. If it is a good museum, the African art is always spectacular.

a great book about aircraft and airports. anyone who likes avation will love this book!!

My nephew is such a huge fan of the movie, "Dinosaur". He wants to know everything about Aladar, and this book has everything you ever wanted to know about him. What a joy it was to find this book. Now I'm getting one for all his cousins!!

The editor's discription of this product is all wrong. This is a play based of from Caroll's works.

In this one-act fantasy play Alice's Adventure Under Ground by Christopher Hampton, has a style of surrealism playing with the imagination of a child. This play is based off and is adopted from the writings of Lewis Carroll. This leads it to have a logic all of its own, and presented towards the nonrealistic side of life.

This takes place in a fireside room in Christ Church where Lewis Carroll sits in loneliness to his thoughts. He looks up to a mirror where he sees Alice inside of it for a second before she disappears and he sets up tea. A moment or so later there is a knock and Alice enters the room. He proceeds to tell her stories that draw her into some of tales of Wonderland and as this happens, he and three others become all of the characters Alice would encounter in that strange land of logic. There is no costume change, just physical performances transform them from classy 1860s people to the bizarre people of unique logic.

Although the stories are presented from Alice's adventures of both books, the setting remains inside the room and it is though the imagination the transports us beyond the logic. The room seems be made up slightly abstractly, but it should have a sense that view comes from the eyes of a child. They would turn structure into a twisted surreal image of itself, trying to make it into a not unfriendly place of plain innocence.

Lewis Carroll in this play has that same kind of purity we can see in several conversations with Alice. Like when Alice is trying to convince Carroll the she isn't someone named Mabel, because she knows more things than her. Carroll tests her out.
Carroll: What's four times six?
Alice: Thirteen.
Carroll: Is London the capital of Paris?
Alice: Yes.

The logic from the books play nicely in all of the childlike scenes, always it creates wonder in common sense and tearing apart the ideas of what adults may think a proper. It reminds me of the purity of the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory where what may seem true to life is not a constant everywhere. Only through our imaginations, can we let ourselves free from structure and see things with new eyes. Everything real will be surreal and that will become the normal

First, I should say that I spent two summer with John Cariani doing summer stock at Summer Theatre at Mount Holyoke. And he is one of the funniest, entertaining and endearing humans on the planet. Secondly, every word, every absurd twist of this comedy is so purely his heart that reading it was like reconnecting with an old friend. It is beautifully written. So sweet and romantic, it is guaranteed to melt even the iciest of hearts. The closest thing I can compare it with is "A Midsummer Night's Dream." It has all of the magic and fantasy of Shakespeare's romp, but it's Great Northern setting makes it delightful and the very simple and effective dialogue makes it so completely modern, without placing it in any one time period. In five or ten years, the messages and humor will still play to audiences without seeming dated, jaded or political. Kudos, John!

A really terrific book for any young person wanting to learn about frogs or toads. Great information on types of frogs and thier habits. My nephew loved it and recites all the interesting facts to anyone who will listen. The pictures are actual photos not cartoons or drawing.

How did the Victorian woman cope with the image of herself as a writer?
What were the constraints on female friendships in a world centered on the preeminence of the husband?
How significant for an ambitious woman were her politics about men?
At the heart of the book is a friendship between two women: Jane Carlyle, and the novelist Geraldine Jewsbury. But it was a difficult friendship; and in its difficulty lies much that is illuminating: about 19th century domestic ideology: about writing for a market, and female fame and about the complex ambivalences between women.
Examining aspects of their lives, writing, and relationships, alongside those two other writers...Felicia Hermans and Geraldine's sister, Maria Jane...Norma Clarke provides a subtle and illuminating discussion of the possibilities that were open to women in the Victorian age.

This book is a compilation of auto enthusiast magazine articles from the past, and thus it offers an insight into what was expected from a car. AMC was always the small fish in a big pond, surviving only by filling market niches that the BIG THREE ie GM, Ford, and Chrysler ignored. Had it not been for the foreign import invasion from Europe and especially Japan, AMC would likely still be around today. But the small Kenosha, Wisconsin company barely managed to compete against it's Detroit cousins, and the import onslaught was the final nail in the coffin. Still, one has to wonder what a 2008 Ambassador, Matador, Hornet, Javelin, Rebel, and especially Pacer might have looked like !!

I purchased this book for my African & African American Literature class and it is fantastic. The readings are very diverse and help to increase your understanding and awareness of Black Culture.

I was already aware that this book was a collection of reviews on Javelins & AMX, but was very pleasantly surprised that many are reproduced in colour. There are also a few nice extras like original full colour advertisements etc. For the price, I don't think anyone would be disappointed with this very nice book.