european

"All the bourgeois fools who incessantly utter the words immoral, immorality, morality in art, and other silly things remind me of Louise Villedieu, a five franc whore who, when accompanying me one day to the Louvre - where she had never been - started blushing and covering her face; and pulling all the time at my sleeve, she asked, before the immortal statues and paintings, how people could put such obscenities on public display" ~ Mon Coeur mis a nu (My heart laid bare)

The ministry of interior declared in 1857 that "Les Fleurs du Mal" constituted "an act of defiance in contempt of the laws which safeguard religion and morality" and both Baudelaire, the publisher and the printer was convicted on grounds of immorality, and all available copies of "Les Fleurs du Mal" was confiscated.

The courts verdict stated that whatever mitigating comments "Les Fleurs du Mal" might contain, nothing could dissipate the harmful effects of the images Mr. Baudelaire presents to the reader, and which, in the incriminated poems, inevitably lead to the arousal of the senses by crude and indecent realism.

"You know that I have only considered literature and the arts as pursuing a goal unrelated to morality, and that the beauty of conception and style alone are enough for me." ~ Baudelaire

The ban on the censored poems was not lifted until May 31, 1949!!

With "Les Fleurs du Mal" Baudelaire came to spearhead the Symbolist movement as a reaction against the prevailing naturalism in literature at the time. Baudelaire sublimated debauchery, spleen and hideousness to an art of studied elegance, but people often forget the wicked sense of cynical, black humour permeating many of his poems:

"I've just seen an adorable woman. She has the most beautiful eyes in the world - which she draws with a matchstick - the most provocative eyes - the brilliance of which is the clue solely to the khol on her eyelid - a voluptuous mouth - drawn with cochineal - and, on top of that, not a hair of her own - in short 'A GREAT ARTIST !` "

In Baudelaire's own words "A translation of poetry... may be an enticing dream, but can only ever be a dream" and therefore this dual-language book of "The Flowers of Evil/Les Fleurs du Mal" definetly is the one to get...

Les Fleurs du Mal is a bittersweet compilation of poems by Charles Baudelaire, the master of forlorn sentiments who lived in Paris around 1850. Unique to his style is a juxtaposition of the realm of nature with that of the modern city (Paris). Baudelaire, like Gaugin, was one of the few artists of his cohort who had traveled out of his usual frame of reference (from Paris to the islands of La Reunion and back to Paris again), instilling in his vision a lust for the exotic and for realms of simple enchantment. While many perceive his works as pessimistic, it seems to me that the elements of humour and sarcasm woven throughout his works reveal an underlying transcendence over any serious lugubrious entrapment. The French-English text here helps to expose what may have been lost or altered in the translation. Ultimately the poems and their English counterparts here maintain the glory of Baudelaire- dark and uncanny rhymes often intertwined with florid beauty and intimations of the untarnished. A timeless works, the Flowers of Evil is sublimely written.

Very interesting item! The best works by Charles Baudelaire in French original and in English translation. Except the great qualities of Baudelaire's poetry the value of this book is also in the possibility to compare original with translation. There are many academic disputes about translating of poetry. This book is a fine example of an effort to offer every reader a chance to judge for himself about quality of each and every translation. "Flowers of evil" are enough for five stars themselves. What to say then about this book which offers double-language edition of the forst modern collection of poetry and also some additional texts?

Five Stars or Four Stars - a difficult choice. WALLS OF WAR is indeed a classic, and possibly this book shall be also. Like WALLS OF WAR, FORTRESS EUROPE contains some inaccurracies. The most outstanding problem is the lack of photos and what appears to be missing information on some of the drawings. A problem is that many fine descriptions of fortifications are not accompanied by illustrative material. At 400 pages I do not know where they would put addditional material with what seems to be over 150 oustanding illustrations already included. On the plus side, which far outweighs the problems, in addition to all the information on such a large number of fortifications presented the Introduction includes an Internet site address. On this site is a link to an Update Page where information is added and/or corrected, and on the other pages of this site are links to Maginot, Czech, Vallo Alpino, and other fortification pages which include many colorful illustrations of items covered in FORTRESS EUROPE. These internet pages compensate for the missing illustrations. The only problem is that some of us have limited internet access and there are hours of material to view. The site even has a FORUM where readers can submit questions for more information on these fortifications. This site the FORTRESS EUROPE book is linked to turns this work into a truly interactive work. The 5 Star rating is based on the positive internet support this book features. ---H.Zarska

A good fortification book consists of a good balance of text, photos and drawings. Fortress Europe is an excellent fortification book. The text, photos, and superb drawings describe not only well known WWII fortifications such as the Maginot Line and Atlanticwall, but the more obscure fortifications of WWII Europe, such as the Soviet Molotov and Stalin lines, the Greek Metaxas line, and Yugoslavian fortifications. In many cases this is the first English language technical description ever given of these fortifications. This is a must have for anyone interested in WWII fortifications.

This book, like Mallory and Ottars WALLS OF WAR is destined to become a classic on the fortifications of World War II. It covers many defenses I have never even heard of. The drawings are magnificent. On the downside I have noticed some minor errors which are either from the authors or the publisher, but this does not detract from this work. The only thing that might be missing is more illustrations and a little more coverage of the Balkans and Iberia. Still I have seen nothing to compare to it and we may only hope this leads to more books on that go into greater depth on some of the defensive systems covered in this work. --Doug Dallas

I find I enjoy this more intimate, personally acquaintance with the mind of Eugene Ionesco better than his plays. Even his earliest memories are tightly wound with his inescapable feelings of absurdity. Like Nabokov, Ionesco found solace in his work as a refuge from the the basic meaninglessness of world events, politics, and in some ways even art itself. In one passage he renounces Rimbaud's "Illuminations", so far does he descend into the depths of skepticism. Misery has it's place here, but so does an odd, rare kind of joy. "I know what hell is now", he says in a tone of authoritativeness. A must read.

A beautiful book that sparks with the wonderment of life. I am inspired by the way Ionesco combines storytelling and philosophy in such a elgeant manner. He is able to provide organization to the chaos which is the search for understanding. He writes honestly and from the heart with the most humble tone i have read in a long time. Anyone who has ever pondered the basic questions of life and death should read this book. He will both inspire and teach any open mind.

Ionescu wrote a jouranl that make takes your breath away. There is so much human understanding, so deep and still so common questions he poses inthis book that one cannot stop admiring it. He was ald when he wrote it and all his fame and career were already behind. The 'member of the French Academy' the 'imortal' appears to the reader amazingly simple and shy with a touch of gentilness and kindness sending you rather to Reiner Maria Rilke than to the author of 'Rhinoceros'.A book that deserves to be read!

An extremely good book. I'm not seriously into Art but I saw this book at a friend's house and I was very impressed. - Very interesting and informative

I thoroughly enjoyed this interesting and informative look at Gainsborough's work. It is ideal for students, art lovers or anyone who simply loves beautiful books. A must for every trendy coffee table. I can only congratulate the authors and say I will be looking out for their next publication.

Excellent read. A must for Gainsborough fans, and anyone who loves true art.

I don't know much about Czech literature, so I don't know if the Prague Spring had anything to do with the writing of Karel Capek, but I would not be surprised to discover a connection. "Leaves wither because spring is already beginning, because new buds are being made, as tiny percussion caps out of which the spring will crack....if we could only see that secret swarming of the future within us, we should say that our melancholy and distrust is silly and absurd and that the best thing of all is to be..living.."

Karel Capek wrote those words in 1929 when he was 39 years old. By 1938, the year the Nazis invaded Prague, he was dead. His brother Josef died a few years later in Bergan-Belsen. But this book is not about those sad events. This book is about a year in the life of a good gardener, how ever extraordinary a writer he might have been.

During his lifetime, Capek realized that humans were becoming enslaved by fascism and run-amuck technology. The ancient and cyclical daily practices of humans were dying before his eyes --the beet farmers stacking their fall harvests at the railroad stations; the wagon loads of manure that could be delivered for garden beds; the nursury men who understood plants giving way to "market garden centers" staffed by those who regularly misidentify plants and stocked with items that "move" (produce a high volume of sales).

THE GARDENER'S YEAR is a reflective book. You don't have to garden to appreciate it, but if you garden, you will probably laugh on more than one occasion. Where is the gardener who has not struggled with a hose; Who has not looked with greed on a bald spot and attempted to squeeze six more phlox plants in, only to discover a dormant sping plant; And, where is the gardener who has not wandered about the yard with a plant in each hand trying to find just one more place for a perennial. Capek understood the gardener's soul. We are a greedy lot, obsessed with dirt, happy in a wagon load of s___, and hostile to many-legged life forms, but, we are also the best sort of human beings who understand the meaning and importance of life.

Capek's writing reminds me of that of Henry Mitchell who wrote two columns (one on gardening the other on "everyday" philosophy) for the Washington Post. Like Mitchell Capek had the gift of converting his own gardening experiences into tales that inform, enlighten, and illustrate the best and the worst of human nature. "I tell you there is no death, not even sleep. We only pass from one season to another. We must be patient with life, for it is eternal."

There is humor and self-deprecation in The Gardener's Year...This is a book that will appeal to the gardener, the philospher, and the Zen deotee, the reader of self-help books, as well as the humorist. Here are quotes: "After his death, the gardener does not become a butterfly but ... a garden worm tasting all the dark, nitrogenous and spicey delights of the soil." "I find a real gardener is not a man who cultivates flowers; he is a man who cultivates the soil". "The life of a gardener is active and full of will." There are easy references to German philosophers, campanula alpina, Tolstoy, the perfume of manure. All this is presented with humor but there are no fools in this book. It could easily be subtitled "Zen and the Pleasant Art of Gardening." It didn't change my life, but it made it better. For Godsake, by this book!

I'll make this short. These essays are simply the best ever about the act of gardening and the gardeners themselves. Anyone who has ever tended a garden for any length of time will immediately relate to the situations and the people in these writings. They are humorous as well as accurate. You'll laugh at yourself and your friends through these wonderfull essays.

Lovely illustrations and repeating, predictable text. The illustrations are "old fashioned" looking and were drawn in ink then colored with watercolors and gouache. A classic tale about a gingerbread cookie man that gets up and runs away when he is released from the oven and leads many on a long chase. My children want me to read this story over and over again! There are many versions of this story in print but we especially like this one. As a bonus, the recipe for gingerbread cookies is on the back cover.

I have read this book more than any other!! My children love to hear run run run as fast as you can.... that they chant with me! Great classic book!!

Run as fast as you can, and get this book! The illustrations are fantastic, and the rhythm and rhyming are far better than "The Ginger Bread Boy"! I have purchased copies of both, and my 3 year old enjoys this one MUCH more! This is a book that every child should have in their room! Even if the "Ginger Bread Man" does get eaten in the end, he is after all, just a cookie! This is a fun book to read to your children, and I highly recomend it!

This book is part of a fabulous series that puts ancient history in an entirely different perspective -- it is written like a modern newspaper, only presented as though it is written during the time of ancient Greece (or Rome, Egypt, etc.)

Though the humor is lively and intelligent (great inside jokes for serious history students), the humor is never at the expense of historical accuracy -- these books are actually good background material for the study of ancient cultures. If you are fond of Ancient Greece, you MUST read this book.

I bought mine and a school book fair,(The price here is much better) It tells of all sorts of things that happened in Greece years back, I also recomend the rest in the series, including The Roman Record, and The Egyptian Echo.

This is going to be a "must have" book for any kid, teacher, or parent who is interested in Ancient Greece. Whether you have a little background or have studied the subject extensively, you will find something to interest you--or at least to tickle your funny bone. (The inside jokes are hysterical.) Though too short to be a definitive source book, this will be a great supplement for anyone looking to study Greek history.

This book is even good reading... its humorous little anecdotes, sprinkled among the recipes and photos, reveal little-known facts and add even more vibrancy to the tone of the book. All of the recipes that I have tried (about 15) have turned out beautifully, with my guests begging to know from what restaurant I bought the take-out! Greek with Gusto has de-mystified what was to me formerly a very foreign cuisine.

These recipes are very usable and the flavors are wonderful. I love Greek food and now I can make it at home. I really appreciate the lower-fat focus that these recipes have. Greek friends rave about this cookbook -- they're the true experts and it has passed their taste tests. The food photos are clear and very appealing. The illustrations and commentaries also make it terrific to read.

I have made several recipes in this book and have had complete success with all of them. I love the illustrations and the step-by-step instructions. Anyone can make delicious Greek food with this book!

On a late summer trip motoring across Europe, I found this petite pocket guide ooohhh soooo French. Although my thoughts were in English, I could pronounce the local wines, cheeses and restaurant dishes with some confidence. My only foe paw was ordering souffle' glace' expecting a gloriously mile high dessert and instead receiving a delightfully frozen demi cup of ice cream...the souffle' waits for no one, so why wait?

Order this little gem now!

What a great little book. It should be required reading for food lovers as well as food servers. For the stiff American tongues, it provides an easy way to correctly order in the best restaurants with confidence and style. Magnifique!

the definitive guide to avoiding pronounncing faux pas when ordering in french,german or italian restaurants.

Do you want to read a book which is romantic ,but not frivolous,thrilling but not exagerated?Then try "Helena" written by Machado De Assis,in my opinion the best Brazilian writer of all times.But beware!The author is very exact, almost cynical, in showing life as it really is,full of lies and deceptions.So reading Machado books is always a very tough exercise because you always fell to be personally examinated and confronted by the author.But this "interactivity",plus the inimitable witness of Machado is what makes the reading a most pleasing experience.In this book which which belongs to the "Romantic" period of Machado De Assis production the author explores his favourite theme:the conflict between what we really are and what we are supposed(by the other people of course) to be.Who is really Helena?We all are Helena because basically we all live in the same contraddiction that she in the end is unable to face anymore.The other point in which Machado excelles is in the analysis of the family life expecially the very special relationship which develops between brother and sister.I suggest to everyone to read this book of Machado and many others.5stars!

So sorry , my english is not very well ... Vale apena ! Quem não leu amará esta linda obra deste fabuloso autor !

I read it a long time ago as a first introduction to Brazilian Classic Literature. It is a light novel with the great elements of the Romantism Era of Literature, and it reflexes very well the society of the last quater of the eighteenth century of the country. Women are a focal point in the novels by Machado de Assis, and recently I read that his wife revised his novels, and even changed the storyline when she saw the heroine suffering too much. Praise for the women of last century that helped their great men be so loved by a culture!