Download or read book The Urbanization of Opera written by Anselm Gerhard and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 1998-08-15 with total page 540 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why do so many operas end in suicide, murder, and death? Why do many characters in large-scale operas exhibit neurotic behaviors worthy of psychoanalysis? Why are the legendary grands operas - much celebrated in their time - so seldom performed today?

Download or read book Transforming Paris written by David P. Jordan and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 1995-01-01 with total page 762 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Paris we know today, with its grand boulevards, its bridges and parks, its monumental beauty, was essentially built in only seventeen years, in the middle of the nineteenth century. In this brief period, whole neighborhoods of medieval and revolutionary Paris -- over-crowded, dangerous, and filthy -- were razed, and from the rubble a modern city of light and air emerged. This triumphant rebuilding was chiefly the work of one man, Baron Georges Haussmann, Napoleon III's Prefect of the Seine. It was Haussmann's task to assert, in stone, the power and permanence of Paris, to show the world that it was the seat of an empire of mythic proportions. To this end, he imposed grand visual perspectives, as when he transformed Napoleon I's Arc de Triomphe into a magnificent twelve-armed star from which radiated the broadest boulevards of Europe. Below ground, his modern sewer system became one of the wonders of the civilized world, eagerly toured by royalty and commoners alike. Haussmann's mandate was not only to create an impression of grandeur but to secure the city for better control by government. By creating formal spaces where there had previously been a maze of chaotic streets, Haussmann opened Paris to effective police control and thwarted the recurrent demonstration of its well-known revolutionary fervor. The determined and autocratic Haussmann imprinted rational order and bourgeois civility on the unruly city which had for so long simmered with riot and insurrection. Though he planted chestnut trees, installed gas lights, rebuilt the water supply, and improved transportation and housing, Haussmann's labors were (and remain) controversial. He forced tens of thousands of the poor from the center of the city, and destroyed significant parts of old Paris. But in this important new biography David Jordan reminds us that Haussmann was not immune to the charms of the old city. By leaving some areas intact, the Baron achieved the grand effect of implanting a modern city boldly within an ancient one. Here, at last, Haussmann's labors are given the aesthetic as well as the historical appreciation they deserve.

Download or read book The Parks and Gardens of Paris written by William Robinson and published by London : Macmillan. This book was released on 1878 with total page 596 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Planning the Greenspaces of Nineteenth Century Paris written by Richard S. Hopkins and published by LSU Press. This book was released on 2015-05-11 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the second half of the nineteenth century, state and municipal governments oversaw the explosive growth of public parks, squares, and gardens throughout the city of Paris. In Planning the Greenspaces of Nineteenth-Century Paris, Richard S. Hopkins skillfully weaves together social and cultural history to argue that the expansion of these greenspaces served as more than simple urban embellishment. Rather, they provided an essential component of the Second Empire's efforts to transform and revitalize France's capital city, and their development continued well into the Third Republic. Hopkins brings a new dimension to the study of nineteenth-century Parisian urbanism by considering the parks and squares of Paris from multiple perspectives: the reformers who advocated for them, the planners who constructed them, the workers who maintained them, and the neighborhood residents who used them. As public areas over which private citizens felt a high degree of ownership, these spaces offered a unique opportunity for collaboration between city officials and residents. Hopkins examines the national and municipal goals for the greenspaces, their intended contributions to public health, and the roles of park service employees and neighborhood groups in their ongoing centrality to Parisian life. Hopkins's study moves deftly from the aspirations of the political authorities to the ways in which new public spaces contributed to community-building and neighborhood identity. Drawing on extensive archival research, he depicts a greenspace design and development process that illustrates the dynamic relationship between citizens and city.

Download or read book The Margins of City Life written by John M. Merriman and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 1991-04-18 with total page 331 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Margins of Urban Life brings to life the "floating worlds of the periphery" in nineteenth-century French cities--the world of beggars, the most miserable prostitutes, ragpickers, casual labor, and unwanted people; the location of slaughterhouses, gas factories, tanneries, and, increasingly, even executions. The men and women of the suburbs and faubourgs were long identified by urban elites and government officials with the turbulent "dangerous classes" who might one day fall upon the wealthy quarters of the center. Merriman analyzes and evokes the social, class, neighborhood, cultural, and political solidarities--the shared sense of not belonging--that made the marginal people in peripheral places emerge as contenders for political power. His investigation explores the world of the Catalan agricultural laborers, the textile workers of the "high town" of Reims, the bitter rivalry between Catholic and Protestant workers in the faubourge of Nimes, the haven for under- and unemployed proletarians in Ingouville, above Le Havre, and France's strange frontier town, Napoléon-Vendée.

Download or read book M moires Du Baron Haussmann written by Georges Eugene Haussmann and published by Wentworth Press. This book was released on 2019-02-22 with total page 590 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Download or read book Tradition and Innovation in French Garden Art written by John Dixon Hunt and published by University of Pennsylvania Press. This book was released on 2002-05-27 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Papers from a symposium held at the University of Pennsylvania.

Download or read book The Sleeping Sword written by Brenda Jagger and published by Canelo. This book was released on 2019-01-03 with total page 617 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Victorian woman defies convention and follows her heart to freedom in this conclusion to the Barforth Trilogy from the author of Flint and Roses. Grace Agbrigg has ambitions beyond merely ornamenting the home of a rich husband. But Victorian England is still almost wholly a man’s world in which women—rich or poor—must do the bidding of the father, husband or employer. Attracted against her will to the ambitious and ruthless Gideon Chard, Grace instead makes the marriage that is expected of her. But eventually she breaks free of a relationship that is a sham to become the only divorcee in Cullingford. Cast out by society, Grace is faced with a future she never expected—one in which she holds the keys to her own happiness. Set against a background of change and unrest, of dazzling wealth cheek by jowl with bitter poverty, this conclusion to the Barforth Trilogy is perfect for fans of Sandy Taylor, Katie Flynn and Josephine Cox.

Download or read book The Witches of Cambridge written by Menna van Praag and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2016-02-09 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For fans of Alice Hoffman, Sarah Addison Allen, and Adriana Trigiani, The Witches of Cambridge reveals an astonishing world where the heart’s deepest secrets give way to the magic of life-changing love. Be careful what you wish for. If you’re a witch, you might just get it. Amandine Bisset has always had the power to feel the emotions of those around her. It’s a secret she can share only with her friends—all professors, all witches—when they gather for the Cambridge University Society of Literature and Witchcraft. Amandine treasures these meetings but lately senses the ties among her colleagues beginning to unravel. If only she had her student Noa’s power to hear the innermost thoughts of others, she might know how to patch things up. Unfortunately, Noa regards her gift as a curse. So when a seductive artist claims he can cure her, Noa jumps at the chance, no matter the cost. Noa’s not the only witch who’s in over her head. Mathematics professor Kat has a serious case of unrequited love but refuses to cast spells to win anyone’s heart. Kat’s sister, Cosima, is not above using magic to get what she wants, sprinkling pastries in her bakery with equal parts sugar and enchantment. But when Cosima sets her sights on Kat’s crush, she conjures up a dangerous love triangle. As romance and longing swirl through every picturesque side street, the witches of Cambridge find their lives unexpectedly upended and changed in ways sometimes extraordinary, sometimes heartbreaking, but always enchanting. Praise for The Witches of Cambridge “Intriguing and original . . . The magic that works wonders for modern-day English witches also charms readers in this delightful and quirky romantic tale.”—Publishers Weekly “A lively and whimsical tale of romance, family, and friendship sure to delight her fans and newcomers alike.”—Booklist “Fans of Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic are sure to enjoy The Witches of Cambridge. . . . [Menna] van Praag’s writing is lyrical and the story sweetly affirming.”—BookPage Find your next book club pick, read special features, and more. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle.

Download or read book Life With Lacan written by Catherine Millot and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2018-05-01 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ‘There was a time when I felt that I had grasped Lacan’s essential being from within – that I had gained, as it were, an apperception of his relation to the world, a mysterious access to that intimate place from which sprang his relation to people and things, and even to himself. It was as if I had slipped within him.’ In this short book, Catherine Millot offers a richly evocative reflection on her life as analysand and lover of the greatest psychoanalyst since Freud. Dwelling on their time together in Paris and in Lacan’s country house in Guitrancourt, as well as describing their many travels, Millot provides unparalleled insights into Lacan’s character as well as his encounters with other major European thinkers of the time. She also sheds new light on key themes, including Lacan’s obsession with the Borromean knot and gradual descent into silence, all enlivened by her unique perspective. This beautifully written memoir, awarded the André Gide Prize for Literature, will be of interest to anyone wishing to understand the life and character of a thinker who continues to exert a wide influence in psychoanalysis and across the humanities and social sciences.

Download or read book The Chicago Race Riots July 1919 written by Carl Sandburg and published by . This book was released on 1919 with total page 90 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Dress Shop of Dreams written by Menna van Praag and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2014-12-30 with total page 339 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For fans of Alice Hoffman, Sarah Addison Allen, and Adriana Trigiani, The Dress Shop of Dreams is a captivating novel of enduring hopes, second chances, and the life-changing magic of true love. Since her parents’ mysterious deaths many years ago, scientist Cora Sparks has spent her days in the safety of her university lab or at her grandmother Etta’s dress shop. Tucked away on a winding Cambridge street, Etta’s charming tiny store appears quite ordinary to passersby, but the colorfully vibrant racks of beaded silks, delicate laces, and jewel-toned velvets hold bewitching secrets: With just a few stitches from Etta’s needle, these gorgeous gowns have the power to free a woman’s deepest desires. Etta’s dearest wish is to work her magic on her granddaughter. Cora’s studious, unromantic eye has overlooked Walt, the shy bookseller who has been in love with her forever. Determined not to allow Cora to miss her chance at happiness, Etta sews a tiny stitch into Walt’s collar, hoping to give him the courage to confess his feelings to Cora. But magic spells—like true love—can go awry. After Walt is spurred into action, Etta realizes she’s set in motion a series of astonishing events that will transform Cora’s life in extraordinary and unexpected ways. Praise for The Dress Shop of Dreams “Reminiscent of Love Actually and P.S. I Love You, this cute little book is recommended to readers who want to be charmed by the possibilities of love.”—LibraryReads (Top Ten Pick) “[Menna] van Praag has a deliciously innate capability to weave the totality of characters of The Dress Shop of Dreams into a compelling tale. Each character, from Cambridge to Oxford, augments and refines these dynamics. Ultimately, van Praag cracks the code that deciphers magical fate when it comes to couture and the complexities of love.”—New York Journal of Books “[A] brightly colored fabulist confection . . . sure to delight those looking for a little fairy dust in their romance.”—Kirkus Reviews “The Dress Shop of Dreams is a delightful blending of many love stories plus a tale of murder and suspense. Van Praag has a knack for balancing a large cast of engaging characters, and her references to beloved authors and historic scientists are enjoyable touchstones between doses of mystery and magic.”—Booklist “The Dress Shop of Dreams is a light, sweet and shimmering confection, well worth a read.”—BookLoons “Bighearted, beautiful, and brushed with magic, this novel celebrates life’s moments of joy, possibility, and transformation. Menna van Praag’s writing is bright with sparkles and lovely grace notes.”—Susan Wiggs, bestselling author of The Beekeeper’s Ball “The Dress Shop of Dreams is a dream come true for lovers of romantic tales with a twist of fantasy. Utterly enchanting! Menna van Praag’s imaginative, endearing characters will stay with you long after you close the book.”—Mary Alice Monroe, New York Times bestselling author of The Summer Wind “Dresses, dreams, magic, and mystery swirl in this enchanting novel. The Dress Shop of Dreams is the book to read before turning off your bedside light.”—Nancy Thayer, New York Times bestselling author of Nantucket Sisters Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more.

Download or read book Navani from Delhi written by Anne Benoit-Renard and published by Av2 by Weigl. This book was released on 2014-08-15 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seven-year-old Navani, from Delhi, India, takes readers on a tour of her city.

Download or read book King Conan The Scarlet Citadel written by Timothy Truman and published by Dark Horse Comics. This book was released on 2012-02-14 with total page 114 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Trapped in the dungeons beneath an evil wizard's scarlet stronghold, Conan must confront a slew of new challenges and foes as he fights to free himself and reclaim the throne of Aquilonia! Featuring duplicitous betrayers, sparring sorcerers, and all of the brutal excitement you've come to expect from the rampaging Cimmerian, this trade paperback collects the four-issue King Conan: The Scarlet Citadel adaptation. * From the fan-favorite creative team of Conan the Cimmerian!

Download or read book Twists of the Tale written by Ellen Datlow and published by Wildside Press LLC. This book was released on 2009-02-02 with total page 366 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In ancient Egypt they were worshiped. In the Middle Ages they were crucified. From a gentle purr to a sudden scratch, enter the dark, secret world of the creature who is definitely not man's best friend - and who likes it just fine that way. In this extraordinary collection, twenty-four master storytellers look into the inscrutable eyes of felis catus, and see a reflection of the frightening, the fantastic, and the bizarre. From birds' feet left at your door to a howl in the night, from a preen to a pounce, find out who they really are... if you dare.

Download or read book The Prints of Paul Klee written by James Thrall Soby and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Paul Klee, the Swiss German painter influenced by expressionism, cubism and surrealism, also produced a number of etchings in his early years, beginning in 1903. These works, remarkable for their technical proficiency, illustrate his evolution from a traditionalist to one of modern art's most daring masters. Previously published in 1945 and 1947, this third revised edition was issued by the Museum of Modern Art and by Graphic Matter in 2013 in a limited edition of 500, printed and bound by Trifolio, Verona. It beautifully reproduces each of Klee/s prints on fine paper, which are accompanied by original texts and an updated list of plates.

Download or read book Herodotus and Sima Qian The First Great Historians of Greece and China written by Thomas R. Martin and published by Macmillan Higher Education. This book was released on 2018-11-27 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this accessible volume, Thomas R. Martin compares the writings of Herodotus in ancient Greece with those of Sima Qian in ancient China to demonstrate the hallmarks of early history writing. While these authors lived in different centuries and were not aware of each other’s works, Martin shows the similar struggles that each grappled with in preparing their historical accounts and how their efforts helped invent modern notions of history writing and the job of the historian. The introduction’s cross-cultural analysis includes a biography of each author, illustrating the setting and times in which he worked, as well as a discussion of how each man introduced interpretation and moral judgment into his writing. The accompanying documents include excerpts from Herodotus’ The Histories and Sima Qian’s Shiji, which illustrate their approach to history writing and their understanding of their own cultures. Also featured are maps and illustrations, a chronology, questions to consider, and a selected bibliography.