Book Description
A charming chronicle of smiles and smiling throughout history.
It has been said that supreme enlightenment is reflected in the holy smile of the Buddha. Yet the Victorians thought of open-mouthed smiling as obscene, and nineteenth-century English and American slang equated "smiling" with drinking whisky. In A Brief History of the Smile, Angus Trumble deftly weaves art, poetry, history, and biology into an intriguing portrait of the many meanings of the human smile.
Elegantly illustrating his points with emblematic works of art, from eighteenth- and nineteenth-century European paintings to Japanese woodblock prints, Trumble explores the nuances of smiling in a variety of cultures and contexts. But he also asks key questions about the behavioral and psychological aspects of smiling: Is smiling unique to human beings? When and how does human smiling become an act of communication? How does smiling foster our attachments to one another?
Effortlessly mingling erudition, wit, and personal anecdote, Trumble weaves a seamless interdisciplinary tapestry as he brings his expertise as writer, historian, and thinker to bear on the art of the smile.
Customer Reviews:
Amusing,Very Interesting SMILE History! .......2005-02-15
Mr. Trumble is an art historian with a terrific wry sense of humor, and great knowledge about his subject! His talk to some dentists led him to research the long and mostly amusing history of the smile. Analyzing Greek,Chinese, Cambodian sculptures, some of the best known western SMILE paintings,Japanese geishas (who dyed their teeth black), early US Presidents (a bit dour until the advent of Teddy Roosevelt),Darwin's thoughts on the facial habits of his new-born babes, and a lot more, we are led through a smiling tour de force. This is the kind of book you'll read closely the first time, and then probably browse thru for interesting and amusing tidbits.So why not click the order button right now!
A warm, engaging and delightful little book.......2004-06-18
This book was really a lot of fun to read. Angus Trumble is obviously a very knowledgeable expert in the field of art history (and it appears a lot of other things), but he brings a wit and whimsy to the subject that really transforms the material and makes art a delightful experience. I enjoyed every minute of it.
A Happy History.......2004-06-08
Say "cheese." If you say cheese, you are ready for the photographer to render a picture-perfect portrait complete with smile. That's the way it has been since around 1920, when photographers at British public schools developed the tradition. And yet that is not the way it has always been, according to _A Brief History of the Smile_ (Basic Books) by Angus Trumble, a lively history of a subject no one might expect to have a history. The photographer Cecil Beaton instructed his subjects to say "lesbian." In Australia there is a fashion for saying "money." Spaniards say "patata" (potato) and the Japanese use the English word "whisky." The Czechs used to use the Czech word for cheese, but now say "fax" which may hurtle them into modernity. Plenty of languages don't have a smile word; the photographers just ask for a smile and the subjects do the best they can. We don't smile just for the photographer, of course, and Trumble, a museum art curator, has a lot more to say about his subject, a pleasant history that he happily says is "about smiling in the broadest possible sense."
The origin of this book was a surprise invitation to Trumble to address a convention of dentists. As a curator of art, he was thought by the dentists to have something to say on the representation of teeth and beauty. He began to examine smiles in art. You can bet the _Mona Lisa_ is here, as is Frans Hals's _Laughing Cavalier_. There is a famous "archaic smile" on early Greek sculpture. The figures of young men and women stand stiffly, but their mysterious smiles give them a reassuring amount of life. Dutch and Flemish painters of the 17th century had a favorite subject of the "hennetaster," or "chicken groper," a boy who smiles as he feels up a hen to see if she has an egg on the way. These enormously popular paintings were riotously funny to their owners and the guests to whom they were displayed; the humor in part derived from the interchangeability of the Dutch words for bird, birds, or hens with those for genitalia, women, coitus, and other double entendres. The mysterious figure of the sheela incongruously may be found in Irish churches; she grins as she displays her genitals. This image distressed art historians, one of whom depicted the sheela simply with her hands on her hips. The figure is not like a repulsive gargoyle, however, and harks back to the magical women who would, for a fee, lift their skirts and show their genitals as a way of granting good luck. Jesus smiles as he undergoes crucifixion in an abbey in Eichstatt, and some of the Romanesque sculptures, which otherwise have very small mouths, are brightened by surprising smiles.
This is a charming miscellany. Here you will be able to find a little bit about gurning, not grinning, which is an extreme form of making faces, in competition, no less. Lipstick sales go up when economics go down. Geishas stained their teeth black to set them off against faces painted dead-white. The nerves that make a natural smile are different from the ones activated when we force a smile, and so the two smiles look different; sometimes neurological patients will be able to do one of the smiles but not the other. 30% of Americans show their canine teeth when they smile, and only 67% turn up the corners of the mouth when they smile. No one really knows why tiny babies smile except that it is a trick calculated to make the adults around them like them; of course it works. Laughing has been thought to be bad taste; Lord Chesterfield advised his son, "The vulgar often laugh, but never smile; whereas well-bred people often smile, but seldom laugh." King James enjoyed pulling other people's teeth as a pastime, and would pay them for the privilege. We are smiling more heartily now; Trumble says this is because of modern dentistry, which encourages display of healthy teeth, and modern photography, which can catch a spontaneous smile when previously sitters had to keep immobile for long periods of time to make a portrait. In chapters on themes such as Decorum, Lewdness, Deceit, and Desire, Trumble has covered more about smiles than you ever thought there could be. He has a penetrating but light touch; this is not only a history of smiles but a stimulus to them.
it made me smile.......2004-03-06
I loved this book. It was full of useless information (the most fascinating kind) and was obviously a labour of love. I never knew about sheelas. (I always thought they were middle aged Australian barmaids.) The fact that this book is so engaging, so resolutely cheerful, and written with such a sustained lightness of touch is all the more surprising since it was written by a Trumble. (Trumbles being, in my experience at any rate, genetically predisposed towards gloominess, and not given overmuch to smiling.) Maybe it will be left to another, more upbeat family to compose "A Brief History of the Frown".
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Cuff Links
Susan Jonas , and
Marilyn Nissenson
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Cuff Links
ASIN: 0810929082 |
Customer Reviews:
Cuff Links.......2000-12-17
Normally this book is printed on top quality paper with extra photos. You sell paperback. WHY?
Average customer rating:
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Cuff Links
Bertrand Pizzin , and
Jean-Noel Liaut
Manufacturer: Assouline
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Cuff Links
ASIN: 2843233380 |
Book Description
Cuff links are one of the few pieces of jewelry that men are allowed to wear, other than a wedding ring, a watch or perhaps a ring bearing the family insignia or a tie-pin. Whether they are made of precious stones or shaped like an animal, these tiny pieces of jewelry can express a tremendous amount of style and creativity. Bertrand Pizzin has one of the most exquisite and varied collections of cuff links in the world. This book takes a tour of that collection, highlighting the famous dates in the evolution of the jewelry, exploring the various styles used over the past two hundred years and examining the role they have played in fashion. Featuring the best pieces by Van Cleef, Cartier, Tiffany and others, Cuff Links is a little gem of a book and the perfect gift for Father's Day of any day.
Customer Reviews:
Cuff Links.......2002-10-09
I didn't find this book helpful. Few photos and limited info. May be a nice read if you just want to learn about cuff links. Not useful as a reference.
Book Description
Thor was always one of the toughest assignments at Marvel. Producing the adventures of the Norse thunder god was an intimidating task; making the travails of Asgardian heroes interesting to a comic book audience was a staggering chore. It didn't help that any creator who leant his skills to the title would inevitably draw comparisons to the Wagnerian power of the character's initial artist, comics legend Jack Kirby. Defying convention, writer-artist Walt Simonson threw all preconceived notions out the window and over a two-and-a-half-year span produced epic adventure that held an ever-growing readership in thrall.
Simonson wove a complex series of adventures that shuttled mercilessly from the golden spires of fabled Asgard to the streets of New York City to the farthest stars in the Universe. The entire pantheon of the Aesir was completely reimagined through Simonson's powerful images, becoming both more contemporary while retaining their regal, mythic trappings.
Now Marvel presents the finest work of this visionary creator in this collection. Close your eyes and allow yourself to enter a world of rock trolls and frost giants, fire demons and trickster gods. Walt Simonson will take you into this fantastic world and make seem as real as your own.
Customer Reviews:
Definitive.......2007-04-21
When it comes to Marvel's big guns, just about all their top characters are identified with having at least one definitive writer who no subsequent one has been able to top. With the X-Men, it was Chris Claremont (and later Grant Morrison), with the Fantastic Four, it's John Byrne, and with Daredevil, it's Frank Miller. With Thor though, no one has ever been able to touch the definitive take on the character that writer/artist Walter Simonson had. In these first issues collected in the beginning of Simonson's legendary run, we are treated to a Thor story and characterization that harkens back to the classic Stan Lee days while giving it a bit of a modern edge. Not to mention that this also features the introduction of fan favorite supporting character Beta Ray Bill as well as plot points that would continue to have lasting effects for quite some time, and you have the beginning of the truly essential Thor saga. Calling Simonson a visionary is saying it lightly; his take on Thor has never been close to being equalled. All in all, if you want a Thor story that is the true meaning of definitive, then look no further.
Beta Ray Bill.......2007-02-28
Thor's stories are those of magic and myth. But after Walt Simonson began writing and drawing, "The Mighty Thor" comics were given so much more: drama, tragedy, science, love, laughter, tears, action, and Beta Ray Bill. The mysterious alien is among the most misunderstood and most overlooked Marvel characters of all, but is also among the most amazing and dynamic. In this collection, the story of Beta Ray Bill is told, with engaging dialogue and brilliant art, all done by Walt Simonson.
Until I Read This Book, I Never Realized How Great Thor Could Be.......2005-07-08
Before getting this Trade Paperback (which reprints Thor #s 337-348) most of my familiarity with Thor came from "The Avengers" and I hadn't often encountered characters like Balder The Brave, Lorelei and Beta Ray Bill outside of "The Official Handbook To The Marvel Universe" and such. After reading the run of the book though I'm ready to hail Thor as one of Marvel's top heroes, and was surprised at how fantastic and well-developed the rest of the cast is.
The first issue reprinted begins with a mysterious prologue involving a massive, fiery, hammer-wielding monstrous figure (most readers already know who I'm talking about I'm sure; for those with relatively little knowledge of the Thor/Asgardian mythology corner of the Marvel Universe I'll refrain from using his name), going about his dark machinations "far beyond the fields we know" [in] "the core of an ancient galaxy". From there the saga gets going with a bang, with the arrival of an alien (one of the coolest looking aliens I've ever seen by the way) going by the unlikely name of Beta Ray Bill arriving in our section of space, mistaking the Mighty Thor for one of a horde of demons the alien is locked in war with, and eventually through a rapidfire chain of events Becoming an entirely NEW Thor for the Marvel Universe.
The partnership of the Thors, the machinations of the fire demon, the grandeur of Odin, various romantic angles, the last viking, often superb dialogue, ample humour, some surpringly sexy scenes (given the time the original issues were first published), the awakening of a 'dark elf' and the truly epic saga unfolding of Balder as one of Marvel's greatest 'supporting' characters are just a few of the elements in this volume that make it so essential.
There is a problem with the art. It has nothing to do with the skill of the penciller, inkers, or colorists. It's just that when the issues reprinted here were first published back in - the early to mid eighties, I believe - the printing processes, the coloring processes in particular, didn't always lend themselves to detailed, vivid artwork quite as well as what would become the norm for comic publishers a few years later. For example, in certain scenes the facial features of characters who appear small on the page because of distance or because they're full figure in a small panel or whatever, lose their distinctiveness. The book still looks great 99.5% of the time, but I feel with the talent of the artists involved it would have looked even better if there had been access to the superior art reproduction techniques back then. They did accomplish some magnificent effects with shading though.
Also be on the lookout for one of the best surprise appearances by a character in comics history, in issue 341 (Chapter 5 of this book).
9/10. Bottom line: if you're considering whether you should add this material to your library, I think the Thunder God himself says it best: "Aye, Verily."
Great Introduction to Thor!!.......2003-01-20
This was my introduction to "The Mighty Thor." I had read several positive reviews and thought I'd try it myself. The story was fascinating. Walt Simonson obviously had loads of background on Norse Mythology before beginning his incredible run. My only complaint is that the story actually continues for four or five more issues when this volume ends. However, it is not difficult to find those today for the price of a current comic in any comic book store. If you like Thor or think you might like it, this is a good place to start!
THE Definitive Thor Run Begins Here.......2002-12-06
The early '80's were a very exciting time to be a comic-book fan. Frank Miller on Daredevil, John Byrne on Fantastic Four, Bruce Jones and Brent Anderson on Ka-Zar....But when Walter Simonson quietly took over The Mighty Thor with issue #337, he took the character and brought him to the forefront of the comics industry, and the fans sat up and took notice. (I vividly remember that first issue of Thor being THE hot topic during the 6th-grade lunch period the day after it was released. Copies were being passed around and oohed and aahed over like they were gold nuggets.) I bought Thor Visionaries mostly out of nostalgia; I didn't think the stories could possibly hold up almost twenty years later.
I was wrong.
Not only do they still hold up, they were even better than I remembered them! The stories virtually crackle with energy, and when read together, I was better able to appreciate Simonson's intricate & meticulous plotting. (And his art ain't too hard on the eyes, either!)
Under a gorgeous new Walt Simonson cover are his first twelve issues, which starts the Surtur story-arc, and introduces Beta-Ray Bill, the noble alien who bests Thor in combat and does the heretofore impossible: Lifts Thor's hammer, effectively BECOMING Thor! We also get a great battle (Or two!) with Fafnir, and finish off with Thor's attempt to stop Malekith The Dark Elf from opening the Casket of Ancient Winters, which could plunge Earth into a new ice-age. Unfortunately, the book ends with a rip-roaring cliffhanger, and while there are more Simonson issues yet to be reprinted, Marvel hasn't made any plans for a second volume of Thor Visionaries, so there's no telling when Walt's Surtur epic will see the light of day in collected form.
The writing and art in this volume is amazing. Simonson's Thor resonates deeply in ways he never has before (Or since); I especially enjoyed the scenes between Thor and his Father, Odin. As another reviewer mentioned, two pages in the first chapter are printed out of order, and that kind of stuff drives me nuts. For a book of this price to not be perfect is inexcusable. It often seems like reprint books are just slapped together, and that's just sad. Considering the fact that they often contain some of the most important stories, they should be labors of love, not a slapped-together afterthought. In addition to the new cover, Simonson contributes a new introduction that explains the genesis of the Surtur storyline; It's cool to learn how he made his dream a reality.
Thor Visionaries: Walter Simonson is a MUST-READ for any comic fan. Lets hope Marvel gets on the ball and gives us Volume Two sooner rather than later!
Amazon.com
Robert Benchley's wit appears effortless--it is a blend of autobiography, satire, the inconsequential, and the sudden surprise. At the start of "Fall In!" he muses, "It may be because I do not run as fast, or as often, as I used to, but I seem to be way behind on my parades. It must be almost a year since I saw one, and then I was in it myself." At one time Benchley was everywhere, a prolific reviewer and ubiquitous actor and screenwriter; now we must be grateful for his son's selection of humorous sketches. The Algonquian witster remains as brilliantly nonplused as ever as he observes his species in all its skewed play--from football's confusions to the folly of footnoters to French for Americans. When Benchley declared, "The surest way to make a monkey of a man is to quote him," he can surely not have been looking to himself. James Thurber's remark seems truer: "One of the greatest fears of the humorous writer is that he has spent three weeks writing something done faster and better by Benchley in 1919."
Book Description
Robert C. Benchley's sketches and articles, published in periodicals like Life, Vanity Fair, and The New Yorker, earned him a reputation as one of the sharpest humorists of his time; his influence—on contemporaries such as E. B. White, James Thurber, and S. J. Perelman, or followers like Woody Allen, Steve Martin, and Richard Pryor—has left an indelible mark on the American comic tradition. The Benchley Roundup collects those pieces, selected by Benchley's son Nathaniel, "which seem to stand up best over the years"-a compendium of the most endearing and enduring work from one of America's funniest and most penetrating wits.
"It took me fifteen years to discover that I had no talent for writing, but I couldn't give it up because by then I was too famous."
—Robert Benchley
Customer Reviews:
"Immergluck Never Marries".......2005-12-13
Whether providing program notes for you to read while the Mezzo changes her mantilla (and she always has more mantillas than songs), providing a cut-and-paste for Dreiser's next American Tragedy (complete with maps, recipes, and court transcripts), or simply describing The Wreck of The Sunday Paper, Robert Benchley proved that comedy could be witty, sophisticated, and yet completely unpretentious. His scale was Seinfeldian, but far from being the eminently hittable Suburban Snot, Benchely admits to being as confused about the deritus of daily life as the rest of us. And like the rest of us, he finds it amazing that we make it from one day to the next with our lives, and even some shreds of our dignity, intact. He likes opera music, but knows that the plots are wild, trashy, and more than a bit ridiculous. He knows that travelling with kids is a contact sport that only the hardy survive (the hardy usually being the kids themselves), and that Christmas dinner with the extended family is something very pleasant in the abstract but a trial by fire in practice. And he has a sharp eye out for go-getters, lecturers on health and sex, and the pretentious of any sort, all of whom make life even more annoying than it already is. A few of the period details may strike you as quaint, but at heart, this is still very contemporary comedy. And very funny.
One of the great humorists of all time.......2005-02-24
This is such a delight: a master of humor takes us on a romp through his life. Think of James Thurber, O. Henry, and the more modern David Sadaris and W. Bruce Cameron. Rich, full, delightful humor, all based on the human condition. This is a collection of essays that is absolutely timeless, as funny now as when they were originally written.
A must read for all serious humorists.......2004-07-06
If you could judge a book by it's cover, you would assume that this book went out of print around about 1964. This is really too bad, because when you try to resell it on Amazon or eBay it will really reduce the price you can ask for it.
Robert Benchley, who died in 1945, wielded an extremely dangerous sense of humor that tragically took the lives of many of his contemporaries. Nevertheless, there is no disputing that his work has influenced so many American humorists that it's not even funny.
From Woody Allen, Dave Barry, Steve Martin, Regis Philbin and many others to an unknown reviewer like me who is trying desperately to be funny, there is really no comparison.
A genuinely great American humorist.......2000-09-09
I only found out about Benchley from a short book on Algonquin Round table quotes but I'm very thankful for it--it's shameful that Benchley has basically been forgotten. Why on earth should such a gifted, briliant comic writer be so little known nowadays? There's simply no reason I can think of. He's just as good as Perelman or Thurber, and he deserves much wider reading. This anthology is a pretty good collection of his work, featuring most of his more popular and beloved pieces. What one notices about Benchley is that he really isn't quite so gentle and affectionate in his humor as those who remember him say--he was the original master of what he termed the "dementia praecox" (crazy written humor basically)and when he applies this to ordinary life or parodies bad writing he can be quite cutting. His style is just about perfect--simple but carefully constructed to wring every laugh it can out of subtleties of phrasing and syntax. His parodies of academic writing are among the greatest ever, effortlessly exposing the bad ideas, pretension and willful obfuscation that lurk beyond so many professors' works. His humor is that of a good natured man so bewildered with the modern world that he defends himself with humor, and depending upon the situation that humor can be quietly observant or fast and crazy, therefore reducing its target to nonsense as well. This book needs to be re-printed with a beter cover, and it wouldn't hurt to add more stories to make it a definitive overview of the man's work. Having done so, the book should be aggresively marketed so that it ends up in the humor section of every bookshop in the land. It's the least Benchley, one our greatest American comic writers, deserves.
Wonderful writer, so don't buy this book........1999-08-29
I love Benchley's work. I began reading "My Ten Years in a Quandary..." as a child at the cottage nearly forty years ago. I can still read that tattered book and enjoy it immensely. I am less thrilled by this compilation--can't always agree with Nathaniel Benchley's choices and miss some of Gluyas Williams sketches that have been dropped. Get one of the original collections--starting with, if you want, "My Ten Years..." and then, when you decide that you want everything the man ever wrote, you won't be buying stories you already have.
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- Arte Povera (Themes and Movements)
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