Welcome to the Humanities Collection Development Blog!

What materials would you like the library to purchase to support instruction in the humanities? This blog exists to facilitate sharing reviews and suggestions for the humanities collection of the Alpine Campus Library. As your Humanities faculty liason, I will post regular entries of reviews I have read with links to the more colorful entries on Amazon. You can email me (kweber@coloradomtn.edu) or use the comments feature of this blog to let me know what you'd like for us to order, or even what kinds off reviews you'd like to see. Let's get started! Kristin



Book Reviews from July & August 2007 Library Journal



Armstrong, Karen. The Bible: A Biography. Atlantic Monthly. (Books That Changed the World). Nov. 2007. c.288p. ISBN 978-0-87113-969-6. $21.95. REL
Once again, Armstrong (The Great Transformation) has written a groundbreaking history. This one, a well-reasoned and inspired biography about the most influential book of all time (at least in the West), comes complete with the interesting circumstances, people, and places that made the Bible what it is: so important, controversial, and misunderstood a text. Whether writing on Jewish oral history, providing an unobstructed summary of kabbalistic teachings, or conveying the impact of the Christian Right on American politics, Armstrong shows a depth of insight and transparent understanding of complex theological issues. In her closing, she insists that "this short biography makes it clear that many modern assumptions about the Bible are incorrect"; she is not being presumptuous. She argues persuasively for a more compassionate hermeneutics and a more charitable exegesis—a theme common to many of her books in their exhortations toward a kinder and more tolerant world of faith. This book is a miqra, or a "call to action" for all Jews, Christians, and Muslims. And Armstrong is Armstrong—simply one of the best writers ever on religion. Recommended for all libraries.—Gary P. Gillum, Brigham Young Univ., Provo, UT



Fantasy and Faith: The Art of Gustave Doré. Yale Univ. in assoc. with the Dahesh Museum of Art. 2007. 224p. ed. by Eric Zafran with R. Rosenblum & L. Small. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-300-10737-1. $65. FINE ARTS
Images of fantasy and horror, melancholy and memory are intrinsic to French artist Gustave Doré's (1832–83) work, but as this first English study in 25 years points out, his illustrations are only one element of his oeuvre. Doré's paintings and sculpture reveal a strong Romantic vision of the 19th century as well as a taste for political and mythological images, and though they have never had the same appeal as his graphic works, they are well worth considering. Based on holdings in American collections, this fascinating work examines the artist in the context of his own time and assesses his impact on visual media to the present day. Rosenblum (modern European Art, NYU) draws interesting parallels between Doré and Édouard Manet and points out their differences. Political statements and sardonic caricature are the topic of Dahesh Museum of Art curator Small's essay, while Zafran (curator, Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art) examines Doré's work by theme. His inclusion of criticism from contemporary publications offers insight into the tastes and sensibilities of an earlier generation. Highly recommended for all art and academic libraries as well as large public collections.—Paula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib., New York



Houston, Joe. Optic Nerve: Perceptual Art of the 1960s. Merrell, dist. by CDS. 2007. 208p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-8589-4389-3. $49.95. FINE ARTS
Curator Houston recently mounted an exhibit of op art, an optical-illusion art form popular in the 1960s, at the Columbus Museum of Art, OH. This catalog, the only recently published work on the subject, accompanies that exhibit, yet it could easily stand alone. Following an introduction by art critic Dave Hickey are 11 well-written chapters describing op art within its historical context. This text is interspersed with images of archival material and high-quality photographs of installation pieces and paintings. Readers will find additional depth and understanding of this movement in the "Manifestos" section, which contains ten short essays by artists working in the op art genre. The catalog also provides short biographies of the more than 55 international artists it features—including Josef Albers, Bridget Riley, and Victor Vasarely—and a bibliography of criticism primarily from the 1960s. Recommended for public and academic libraries with art and 1960s history collections.—Valerie Nye, Coll. of Santa Fe Lib., NM



Dromgoole, Dominic. Will & Me: How Shakespeare Took Over My Life. Pegasus. Sept. 2007. c.320p. ISBN 978-1-933648-46-0. pap. $14.95. THEATER
This passionate memoir by the artistic director of the Globe Theatre serves to introduce readers to Shakespeare and offers new insights into the plays and characters. Dromgoole ties his personal history to Shakespeare's work, illustrating how his own life and the contemporary world have been enriched, explained, and illuminated by the plays and poems. Through such topics as love, death, family, friendship, and war, readers come to know both Dromgoole and Shakespeare. Dromgoole posits that Shakespeare is "hard wired" into the British psyche in part from World War II: e.g., after losing their theater during the Blitz, the Old Vic company produced "nation-defining performances" with greats like Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud. Writing that "no one could ban Shakespeare," Dromgoole illustrates how the plays could work covertly in politically repressive countries to provoke thought for new solutions. This is a marvelous text in which Shakespeare (and Dromgoole) spring to life in unexpected and delightful ways. Recommended for theater, academic, and large public library collections.—Susan L. Peters, Univ. of Texas, Galveston



Flori, Jean. Richard the Lionheart: King and Knight. Praeger. 2007. 462p. tr. from French by Jean Birrell. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-275-99397-9. $49.95. BIOG
Flori (director, Centre D'Études Supérieres de Civilisation Médiévale, Poitiers) offers more than just a fascinating portrait of Richard the Lionheart. Through the personality and actions of this tempestuous 12th-century character, Flori delves into the origins and meaning of the medieval code of conduct commonly known as chivalry. King Richard was the product of a profoundly violent culture that led to the dominance of the knight on horseback. Flori emphasizes that, at the heart of his being, Richard I exemplified a conflict that permeated all of 12th-century Christendom: unabated violence vs. Christian ethics. From this conflict evolved the chivalric code that became institutionalized largely through the efforts of Richard as Roi-Chevalier (King-Warrior). The rituals of knighthood mandated a code of conduct that put limitations on the murderous behavior of the ruling elite of Europe and brought order to an increasingly chaotic sociopolitical environment. Flori's critical familiarity with the chroniclers of Richard the Lionheart's era lends an authenticity to this work that even the distinguished medievalist John Gillingham cannot match in his impressive Richard I. Birrell has done a superb job of translating Flori's Richard Coeur de Lion, which makes this distinguished work an essential selection for all medieval history collections.—Jim Doyle, Rome, GA



Green, Bill & others. I'm a Lebowski, You're a Lebowski: Life, The Big Lebowski, and What-Have-You. Bloomsbury, dist. by Holtzbrinck. Sept. 2007. c.256p. illus. ISBN 978-1-59691-246-5. pap. $15.95. FILM
In 1998, the Coen brothers followed up their Oscar-winning film, Fargo, with The Big Lebowski. Although it initially failed to make a big splash commercially, it has generated a cult following strong enough to support an annual Lebowski Fest. This book by four such devoted fans and founders of the Lebowski Fest—Green, Ben Peskoe, Will Russell, and Scott Shuffitt—includes enough behind-the-scenes trivia and inside information to impress even the most hard-core Little Lebowski Urban Achiever (as dedicated Lebowski savants dub themselves). The authors managed to score interviews with every major actor (and many of the minor ones), and they all have interesting stories to tell. Also interviewed are some of the real-life inspirations behind the outlandish characters of the film, such as Peter Exline, whose rug really tied the room together, and Jeff Dowd, who first called himself "The Dude." Notably absent, however, are the Coen brothers, who "neither bless nor curse" the book. Sure to be of interest to anyone who enjoys the film, this is recommended for all libraries.—John Helling, NYPL



The Inner Journey: Views from the Islamic Tradition. Morning Light. (Parabola Anthology). 2007. 318p. ed. by William C. Chittick. illus. ISBN 978-1-59675-017-3. pap. $22.95. REL
Parabola, a journal about myth, tradition, and the search for meaning, has for 30 years been publishing essays from ancient and modern students of the mystical religious traditions. In 2005, Morning Light Press debuted its series compiling the journal's best essays on each tradition; volumes on Buddhism, Christianity, and Hinduism have already appeared, and a volume on Judaism also appeared this year. This volume's editor is one of the foremost Western authorities on Islamic thought and Sufism. He brings together interviews with Iranian Muslim philosopher Seyyed Hossein Nasr delineating the profound mystical and symbolic meanings of the Islamic spiritual experience; essays by French philosopher and theologian Henry Corbin, sympathetic academics, and prominent Western converts to Islam; and translations of the works of Rumi, Attar, and other great mystics of the Muslim world. Because of its comfortable and positive presentation of the inner core of Islamic teaching—removed from the modern politicization of the Muslim community—and its concomitant overemphasis on Islam as a legal system, this collection may serve as a partial antidote to the Western public's prejudices against Islam. Highly recommended for public, religious, and university libraries.—William P. Collins, Library of Congress



Nasr, Seyyed Hossein. The Garden of Truth: The Vision and Promise of Sufism, Islam's Mystical Tradition. HarperSanFrancisco: HarperCollins. Sept. 2007. c.256p. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-06-079722-5. $24.95. REL
This volume continues the prolific intellectual output of Nasr (Islamic studies, George Washington Univ.; The Heart of Islam: Enduring Values for Humanity), one of Islam's most respected thinkers. The Sufi mystical heart of Islam is one of the few antidotes to fundamentalism in the Muslim world, and here Nasr looks at the human spiritual quest for Ridwan—the paradisiacal divine garden—from an orthodox Sufi perspective. Life is a journey from the heavenly primordial covenant through a physical experience to the pinnacle of choosing to become nothing and to experience God as the only true existence. To reach the truth, the disciple must follow divine law and walk a spiritual path guided by a master. While non-Muslims may borrow Sufi ideas, truly being a Sufi requires that one also be a Muslim. Nasr structures the journey to Ridwan in terms of what it means to be human, the nature of truth in essence and manifestation, love, beauty, goodness, the disciple's path, and what Sufism offers. He ends with a history and description of various Sufi orders and a glossary of terms. Eloquent, elegant, and lucid, this work should be on the shelves of university, public, and religious libraries.—William P. Collins, Library of Congress



Some publishers I like:



Oxford University Press

Shambhala Press

Which publishers do you like?