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ActuaLitté

Histoire et Philosophiesophie

The Undergrowth of Science. Delusion, self-deception and human frailty

Walter Gratzer's themes in the stories he relates in The Undergrowth of Science are collective delusion and human folly. Science is generally seen as a process bound by rigorous rules, which its practitioners must not transgress. Deliberate fraud occasionally intrudes, but it is soon detected, the perpetrators cast out and the course of discovery barely disturbed. Far more interesting are the outbreaks of self-delusion that from time to time afflict upright and competent researchers, and then spread like an epidemic or mass-hysteria through a sober and respectable scientific community. When this happens the rules by which scientists normally govern their working lives are suddenly suspended. Sometimes these episodes are provoked by personal vanity, an unwillingness to acknowledge error or even contemplate the possibility that a hard-won success is a will o' the wisp; at other times they stem from loyalty to a respected and trusted guru, or even from patriotic pride; and, worst of ail, they may be a consequence of a political ideology which imposes its own interpretation on scientists' observations of the natural world. Unreason and credulity supervene, illusory phenomena are described and measured, and theories are developed to explain them - until suddenly, often for no single reason, the bubble bursts, leaving behind it a residue of acrimony, recrimination, embarrassment and ruined reputations. Here, then, are radiations, measured with high precision yet existing only in the minds of those who observed them; the Russian water, which some thought might congeal the oceans: phantom diseases which called for heroic surgery; monkey testis implants that restored the sexual powers of ageing roués and of tired sheep; truths about genetics and about the nature of matter, perceptible only to Aryan scientists in the Third Reich or Marxist ideologues in the Soviet Union; and much more. The Undergrowth of Science explores, in terms accessible to the lay reader, the history of such episodes, up to our own time, in ail their absurdity, tragedy and pathos.

01/2000

ActuaLitté

Musique classique

Songs of Love. 12 Romances. 12 Lieder. Soprano (tenor) and piano.

Leokadiya Kashperova (1872-1940), hitherto consigned to a footnote in musical history as Stravinsky's piano teacher, is undergoing rediscovery. A double graduate of the St Petersburg Conservatoire, she emerged as a virtuoso pianist and composer in the romantic tradition. She was associated with some of the great musicians of her day, including Balakirev and Auer. She performed in both Germany and the UK in the 1900s, but her career petered out after 1920. Songs of Love was first published in 1904. No evidence survives of any public performance in Kashperova's lifetime although it is very likely that they were performed at her regular 'musical evenings at home on Tuesdays' mentioned in her Memoirs. The transparency of the piano writing strongly suggests that she would accompany herself singing. Kashperova, by all accounts, possessed a fine voice, and in the summer of 1906 she decided 'to learn from the artistry', as she put it, of the tenor Raimond von Zur-Mühlen who was widely celebrated for having developed (with Clara Schumann) the Lieder-Abend tradition. His summer-schools on the Baltic coast were frequented by aspiring singers from all over Europe, even Japan and India. Kashperova herself was responsible for the poetic lyrics of Songs of Love (in both Russian and German), which may well have emerged from her own bittersweet experience of life and love ; she was not to marry until 1916 at the age of forty-four. That Kashperova is the author of both the music and the lyrics of Songs of Love would suggest that they express very personal sentiments. Instrumentation : soprano (tenor) and piano

12/2023

ActuaLitté

Sciences de la terre et de la

Theoretical Astrophysics. Volume 1, Astrophysical Processes

Graduate students and researchers in astrophysics and cosmology need a solid understanding of a wide range of physical processes. This clear and authoritative textbook has been designed to help them to develop the necessary toolkit of theory. Assuming only an undergraduate background in physics and no detailed knowledge of astronomy, this book guides the reader step by step through a comprehensive collection of fundamental theoretical topics. The book is modular in design, allowing the reader to pick and chose a selection of chapters, if necessary. It can be used alone, or in conjunction with the forthcoming accompanying two volumes (covering stars and stellar systems, and galaxies and cosmology, respectively). After reviewing the basics of dynamics, electromagnetic theory, and statistical physics, the book carefully develops a solid understanding of all the key concepts such as radiative processes, spectra, fluid mechanics, plasma physics and MHD, dynamics of gravitating systems, general relativity, and nuclear physics. Each topic is developed methodically from undergraduate basic physics. Throughout, the reader's understanding is developed and tested with carefully structured problems and helpful hints. This welcome volume provides graduate students with an indispensable introduction to and reference on all the physical processes they will need to successfully tackle cutting-edge research in astrophysics and cosmology.

01/2000

ActuaLitté

Droit

Activation Policies for the Unemployed, the Right to Work and the Duty to Work

Since the 1990s and the 2000s, Western social protection systems have experienced a turn towards activation. This turn consists of the multiplication of measures aimed at bringing those who are unemployed closer to participation in the labour market. These measures often induce a strengthening of the conditions that must be met in order to receive social benefits. It is in this well known context that the authors gathered in this book decided to take a closer look at the relationship between activation policies for the unemployed and the right and the duty to work. If activation measures are likely to increase transitions towards the labour market, we can also make the assumption that they may, particularly when they are marked with the seal of coercion, hinder or dramatically reduce the right to freely chosen work. In such circumstances, the realisation of the "right to work", which is often stated to be the aim of those who promote activation, tends in practice to be reduced to an increasing pressure being exerted on the unemployed. In this case, isn't it actually the duty to work that is particularly reinforced ? After an historical and philosophical perspective on the issue, this assumption is confronted with the developments observed in the United States and in France, and then with the guidelines laid down in international human rights instruments. What follows is a discussion of two alternatives to the dominant activation model : the basic income guarantee and the employment guarantee.

06/1987

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Sciences politiques

Politique européenne N° 71/2021 : Le Parlement européen et la politique de la mémoire. Explorer la constellation des acteurs

Au sommaire : Le Parlement européen et la politique de la mémoire / The European Parliament's youth policy, 1952-1979 : An attempt to create a collective memory of an integrated Europe / Victimizing Europeans : Narrating Shared History in the European Parliament's House of European History / Competing Regimes of Memory ? The European Day of Remembrance in Romania / Acting at the margins Italian mnemonic activism in the European Parliament / (Un)shared memory : European Parliament and EU. Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism

07/2021

ActuaLitté

Sociologie

Experiencing Same-Sex Marriage

This book provides an understanding of how the legal and cultural debates and advances and limitations on same-sex marriage are experienced by gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) people, same-sex couples, and their social networks. Using data collected from hundreds of GLBT people, same-sex couples, and their social networks over the past decade, the book examines the following topics : same-sex marriages' impact on how GLBT individuals view their relationships and community ; same-sex couples' decision making regarding whether to marry or not ; the interactions between same-sex couples and members of their families-of-origin regarding same-sex marriage ; the same-sex marriage experiences of understudied members of the GLBT community ; and the interactions between same-sex couples and members of their social networks in locations with restrictions against legally recognized same-sex marriage. These findings are examined through the lens of the social scientific study of relationships. They are based on a communication studies perspective on personal relationships, and therefore emphasize communication concepts and theories relevant to the understanding of same-sex marriage experiences.

01/2014

ActuaLitté

Non classé

The Concept of Man in Igbo Myths

In the vast silence of their isolation, the traditional Igbos have learnt the ways of living in harmony with nature. From their origin in distant time, they have kept a sacred perspective on the natural world. In our age, there is the need for traditional wisdoms to retain their validity and be intrinsic to our philosophic and scientific perceptions of the cosmos. We cannot do without their knowledge, their spiritual perspective, and their deep faith in the harmony of all nature. Ignoring these qualities has profound environmental implications. Global warming, environmental pollution, and the exhaustion of nature's resources are but a few of the symptoms of the nature's experiences as we continue to mistreat it in order to satisfy our own ends. This work helps us to realise that wherever we are, we are a part of nature. All the things around us are as presences, representing forces and powers of life that are not ours and yet are all part of us. Then we find them reflecting in ourselves, because we are nature, though not identical with it.

11/1999

ActuaLitté

Anglais apprentissage

THE CANTERBURY TALES. Avec cassette audio

'In April when the sweet showers fall... then people want to go on pilgrimages.' A group of pilgrims travelling from London to the shrine of Thomas Becket in Canterbury decide that each traveller should tell a story. The Knight tells a tale of high romance. The Pardoner tells a story of death. And the Wife of Bath tells the story of her five husbands and her fight to control the men in her life. But The Tales end with the story of the perfect marriage and how, if we are generous to one another, we can find the perfect society. A selection of stories from Chaucer's masterpiece depicting life in fourteenth century England is presented here in modern English. There is a wide range of activities and special informative sections on Chaucer and his times. The accompanying cassette contains the complete story and the extra listening activities.

06/1999

ActuaLitté

Espagne

Secret Seville

Far from the crowds and the well-worn clichés, Seville still has many hidden gems it only reveals to locals and visitors who head off the beaten track. An essential guide for those who thought they knew Seville well or are seeking to discover another side of the city. Why is there a stone relief of Grace Kelly on the wall of Seville Town Hall and how can you track down the railway from the Ibero-American Expo of 1929 ? Where might you find the legacy of Christopher Columbus' son, a medieval Jewish cemetery in a car park, the oddest of barbershops, forgotten souvenirs from the Guadalquivir steamboats, Masonic symbols in a church, the last remaining vestiges of the Andalusian pavilions from the '29 Expo, a little-known Modernist electric power station, an example of the Nazi Enigma machine, a collection of Chinese and Japanese art in a Renaissance mansion or the pillars of a medieval synagogue ?

04/2022

ActuaLitté

Théâtre

Arrival of Mira, Love story between Bhojan and Mira

Arrival of Mira Foreword Arrival of Mira tells the story of a beautiful young woman who held true to her faith despite many severe hardships. Mira was still only a child when she decided that Ginidhara Gopal (Lord Krishna) was her 'husband' and that she wanted to devote her life to serving and worshipping him. Later, the now orphaned Mira was married to Bhojan, the prince of Mewar and son of Rana, the king of Chittoor. Bhojan fell in love at first sight but found it hard to understand Mira's utter devotion to Ginidhara. Mira suffered at the hands of her in-laws who could not understand the depth of her love for Ginidhara and wanted her to follow their worship of Kali (in the form of Durga). Mira suffered imprisonment in a haunted palace and then exile for her beliefs. Even her friends were persecuted because of her uncompromising love for Lord Krishna. Eventually Bhojan came to understand his wife's piety. The story is told in the form of a musical play where the love story is interwoven with delightful songs and dances. The character of Mira is one to win the hearts of all who read of her. Her gentle devotion and steadfast belief are an inspiration to everyone. Thank you, Dr Shuddhananda Bharati for having made this beautiful story available to us. Daye Craddock Editions ASSA, Christian Piaget

03/2013

ActuaLitté

Comics divers

Something is killing the children Tome 3 : The Game of Nothing

ous les monstres ne se cachent pas dans l'obscurité, et ça, Erica est en train d'en faire l'amère expérience. Alors que Archer Peak a été totalement confinée suite à la récente vague de meurtres, et que la nouvelle commence à se répandre en dehors de la ville, la Loge du Massacre décide d'intervenir enfin. Sans état d'âme, ses membres n'hésiteront pas à employer les grands-moyens pour éradiquer l'infestation. Erica risque d'avoir besoin d'aide si elle veut éviter une situation irréversible.

10/2021

ActuaLitté

Comics Indépendants

Something is killing the children Tome 3 : The game of nothing

Tous les monstres ne se cachent pas dans l'obscurité, et ça, Erica est en train d'en faire l'amère expérience. Alors que Archer Peak a été totalement confinée suite à la récente vague de meurtres, et que la nouvelle commence à se répandre en dehors de la ville, la Loge du Massacre décide d'intervenir enfin. Sans état d'âme, ses membres n'hésiteront pas à employer les grands-moyens pour éradiquer l'infestation. Erica risque d'avoir besoin d'aide si elle veut éviter une situation irréversible.

01/2022

ActuaLitté

Non classé

The Blue Headscarf

On Friday, November 24, 1944 in Cologne, Private Robert Bradley, posted as a scout from the Sixteenth Corps, Third US Army, Twelfth American Army Group, submachine gun in hand, his ears pricked and his eyes alert, discovered the dislocated body of what seemed to be a girl, her waist fixed flat by a wide leather belt to an upside down bed, lying across it, her head thrown back and her arms dangling. Motionless, with hollow eyes. On the first day of the year 2005, there was an unpleasant surprise in store for the inhabitants of the peaceful Provençal village of Les Valats. In one of the houses, the first rays of bright, cold sunshine came in through the southern skylight and lit the living room wall where the blurred and grey shadow of a body was swinging. Alternating between the history of Ukraine and the landscapes of Provence as backdrop, the authors invite the reader to delve into an intriguing destiny where local anecdotes are blended with authentic events, right to the tormented depths of their characters. In this narrative ride through space and time, is it possible to determine who the culprits are the victims of ?

01/2020

ActuaLitté

Sciences politiques

Games of Power. Chaos ou renouveau ?

Crise énergétique, prolifération nucléaire, explosion des mafias... le chaos mondial est-il pour demain ? Percutant et brillant, cet ouvrage répond à la question de manière inattendue. Loin des clichés habituels, il décrit la mécanique de fond et préconise des solutions opérationnelles pour endiguer un éventuel scénario catastrophe. Games of Power passionnera les étudiants, enseignants et dirigeants soucieux d'appréhender au mieux les grands enjeux du xxie siècle.

06/2014

ActuaLitté

Science-fiction

The Dead House

"Carly et moi, on est plus proches que des soeurs. Plus proches que des jumelles. On pourrait presque ne faire qu'une. Après tout, nous n'avons qu'un corps. Mais nous sommes différentes. On pourrait dire qu'elle est la meilleure part de moi. Nous partageons une vie ; chacune en a un morceau. Carly a eu le jour. J'ai eu la nuit. Nous vivons par alternance. Ca a toujours été comme ça. J'ai toujours été Toujours." Une vingtaine d'années s'est écoulée depuis que l'enfer s'est abattu sur le lycée Elmbridge, emportant la vie de trois élèves et laissant Carly Johnson portée disparue. La principale suspecte : Kaitlyn, "la Fille de Nulle Part." Le journal de Kaitlyn, découvert dans les ruines, révèle un esprit perturbé. Ses pages racontent une nouvelle version de l'histoire, bien plus sinistre et tragique, et la Fille de Nulle Part se retrouve au centre de tout. Beaucoup disent qu'elle n'existe pas, et d'une certaine manière, c'est vrai - elle est l'alter ego de Carly Johnson. Carly est là le jour, laissant place à Kaitlyn la nuit. Et c'est durant la nuit que le mystère de la Maison Morte se dévoile, fruit d'une magie sombre et dangereuse.

02/2020

ActuaLitté

Science-fiction

Le trône de fer (A game of Thrones) Tome 8 : Les noces pourpres

Le temps des batailles est révolu ; le fier royaume des sept couronnes n'est plus qu'un champ de ruines. Les quelques prétendants qui s'opposent encore nouent alliances et accords par des mariages arrangés et sans amour. Seuls les plus subtils et les plus retors l'emporteront... car quand l'épée échoue, la trahison prend le relais. Et pendant ce temps, par-delà les mers, loin dans les terres brûlées, Daenerys, dernière descendante de la lignée des Targaryen, conquiert un gigantesque empire pour restaurer l'antique puissance de Valyria et de ses dragons...

03/2004

ActuaLitté

Science-fiction

Le trône de fer (A game of Thrones) Tome 5 : L'invincible forteresse

Le dénouement est proche. Car il ne reste que deux prétendants au trône des Sept Couronnes : Joffrey, le héraut du clan des Lannister, retranché à Port-Réal, et Stannis Baratheon, qui a masse ses navires aux abords de la capitale en vue de l'assaut final. Celui qui s'en rendra maître deviendra le véritable souverain du royaume. Il revient à Tyrion Lannister, le " Lutin " Haï de tous - aussi bien de ses ennemis que de ses allies - de préparer activement la défense de l'invincible forteresse. Pour cela, il a élabore un plan machiavélique afin de défaire le seigneur de Peyredragon et ses troupes. Un plan que seul son cerveau démoniaque et sa volonté de fer peuvent mettre en œuvre...

08/2002

ActuaLitté

Science-fiction

Le trône de fer (A game of Thrones) Tome 4 : L'ombre maléfique

Plongé dans le chaos, le royaume des Sept couronnes est en proie à une formidable pandémie de violence, les héritiers du souverain défunt se disputent le trône dans d'âpres et sanglants combats. Et les puissants seigneurs, ralliés aux diverses causes, négligent tout égard pour le peuple, qui supporte souffrances et famine. Les ennemis jurés Catelyn et Tyrion fourbissent chacun leurs armes, Catelyn Stark rejoint Renly Baratheon, à la tête des forces de Hautjardin et accalmie, tandis que Tyrion Lannister durdit de nouvelles alliances et prépare Port-Réal à repousser le futur siège, mais un nouveau péril se profile : une ombre qui plane, frappe les rois et renverse les citadelles...

04/2002

ActuaLitté

Science-fiction

Le trône de fer (A game of Thrones) Tome 2 : Le Donjon rouge

Comment Lord Eddard Stark, seigneur de Winterfell, Main du Roi, gravement blessé par traîtrise, et par là même plus que jamais à la merci de la perfide reine Cersei ou des imprévisibles caprices du despotique roi Robert, aurait-il une chance d'échapper à la nasse tissée dans l'ombre pour l'abattre ? Comment, armé de sa seule et inébranlable loyauté, cerné de toutes parts par d'abominables intrigues, pourrait-il à la fois survivre, sauvegarder les siens et assurer la pérennité du royaume ? Comment ne serait-il pas voué à être finalement broyé dans un engrenage infernal, alors que Catelyn, son épouse, a mis le feu aux poudres en s'emparant du diabolique nain Tyrion, le frère de la reine ? Si les hautes figures, les personnages émouvants et les monstres sadiques conservent dans LE DONJON ROUGE la place de choix qu'ils occupaient dans LE TRÔNE DE FER, ce sont surtout les femmes qui tiennent cette fois les premiers rôles : lionnes ou louves, amantes, épouses ou mères, jeunes filles en fleur innocentes ou rebelles, elles réservent à leurs seigneurs et maîtres, censés pourtant dominer la partie, les plus suaves et déchirantes surprises...

01/1999

ActuaLitté

Non classé

Oaths, Vows and Promises in the first Part of the French Prose Lancelot Romance

This book examines the narrative use made of oaths, vows and promises in a thirteenth-century work of fictional literature, reviewing the textual prominence accorded them by the writer in the light of legal texts of the Middle Ages that deal with the same subject. Medieval society had to deal with highly complex problems that arose out of the central importance accorded the given word. Jurists wrestled with the problems in an attempt to solve them ; the writer of a work of narrative fiction can explore such problems in terms of human drama. The writer of the prose Lancelot was clearly aware of the legal debate, and he used both the characters and plot of his fictional text to construct narrative sequences that allowed him to depict the moral and psychological perplexities that faced both society and individuals over these matters.

02/1993

ActuaLitté

Décoration

Systems as Playgrounds. deValence at kyoto ddd gallery, Edition bilingue français-anglais

deValence is a graphic design studio founded in Paris in 2001. Published on the occasion of its exhibition at kyoto ddd gallery, this book presents a selection of works designed in the field of theater, architecture, design, publishing and contemporary art. deValence pays particular attention to typography and the process of shape forming. In tandem with this prolific activity, the studio has an associated publishing house, B42, which produces works that seek to stimulate reflection on and discussion of visual cultures and design as well as the role of the designer in society. For this first solo exhibition in Japan dedicated to the studio, the kyoto ddd gallery is presenting a selection of the studio's projects illustrating its contribution to the renewal of contemporary graphic design.

09/2019

ActuaLitté

Comics Indépendants

House of Slaughter Tome 2 : Ecarlate

En recrutant Jace Boucher, seul rescapé d'une éminente famille de chasseurs, La Loge du massacre ne pensait pas faire entrer le loup dans la bergerie. Bien décidé à venger sa famille, il aura fallu l'intervention de son colocataire, ami et amant Aaron Slaughter pour l'empêcher d'assassiner jusqu'au Directeur de la Maison Slaughter. Durant quinze longues années, Aaron fut missionné pour traquer et éliminer le renégat en fuite, mais entre sa loyauté envers famille d'accueil et ses sentiments pour Jace, Aaron pris la lourde décision de jouer la carte du double-jeu. Mais pour combien de temps ?

03/2023

ActuaLitté

Littérature française

Mehersthan Memoir (Meher Baba)

Mehersthan Memoir (Meher Baba) This book is dedicated to the unique One who has assumed a form and name to lead the play of universal existence. He throbs in our loving heart ; He breathes in our living soul. He sings in our fervent spirit and he thinks in our purified mind. That infinite Ancient One from his supernal height, bends towards us to embrace us in his love, and to feed our soul with the nectar of his bliss. Blessed are they that have the mind to know him, the heart to feel him and the love to live in his consciousness ! He may have been born to human parents in Poona, studied in a college, played cricket, left home, have seen great souls, sat alone silent, spoken in gestures, written books - but that is not his history. Many live such a life ; many scholars write books ; many saints sit in contemplation ; many monks leave home for mountain resorts ; but they cannot be one like him. Millions of bulbs challenge in vain the darkness of night. One sun rises and the night dissolves into his golden light. One sun rises and the night dissolves into his golden light. We have seen monks, yogins and saints. Some live alone for peace. Some open Ashrams and collect donations to run them. Some comercialise their name and form. Some display miracles to surprise human minds ; some offer boons ; some predict the future ; some curse you when you do not offer them what they want. Some seek pleasure and treasure. But who seeks God and finds God in the self to awaken God-awareness in other men and women ? Who says "I am God and you are God too"? Who rises above the prattle of words, the rattle of weapons and battle of ideologies to the lofty peace of supersonic silence and pours his blessings from the dizzy height of the soul in tune with God ? Who is he that embraces all in the heart and awakens the soul which has none of the human creations of caste, religion, race, pedigree nor colour ? Editions ASSA, Christian Piaget

07/2017

ActuaLitté

Histoire et Philosophiesophie

Charles Darwin's Zoology Notes & Specimen Lists from H.M.S. Beagle

Two long sets of scientific notes were made by Charles Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle. Those transcribed here are concerned with natural history, and although in 1839 he drew on them quite extensively in writing his famous " Journal of Researches ", neither they nor his geology notes have previously been published. He was a superb observer, and recorded vividly and accurately his first impressions of the appearance and behaviour of the wide range of animals, from ants to ostriches, encountered during his travels. Often he performed little experiments on the creatures that he captured, and he was never happy until he had exhaustively explored the why and wherefore of every one of his observations. During the long periods on board ship, he carried out a thorough analysis of hitherto unrecognised features of the internal anatomy of a variety of marine invertebrates, and made elegant pencil drawings of them under his dissecting microscope. The volume also includes his lists of 1 500 specimens preserved in Spirits of Wine, and some 3 500 not in Spirits, with impeccably accurate cross references to the main notes. Although his notes were made strictly for his own use, and were often highly technical, they were well written throughout, and contain many highly readable passages. Only towards the very end of the voyage were his first doubts about the immutability of species consciously pressed, but here are to be found the first seeds of his theory of evolution, and of the important new fields of behavioural and ecological study of which he was one of the principal founders.

01/2000

ActuaLitté

Littérature française

Les inventeurs. Essai

What do Christopher Columbus, Reneke, Zénobe Gramme and Louis Pasteur have in common ? They were all inventors. Well fine, but who invented the crab's claw, the suction cups and the flight of squids or the proboscis of blood sucking insects ? Is invention intellectual fantasy, an industrial tool or a fundamental biological reaction ? How is this riddle to be solved ? Should we go through the list of inventions or inventors ? Is it a question of circumstances or motivations ? Who is in charge ? The Material or the Spirit ? In order to try to find a way of answering these questions, first a few very different inventors and their inventions will be presented. A few paradoxes emerge from this first part. Then we will devote an entire chapter to an exceptional inventor whose extraordinary work revolutionized how we now approach this topic. Finally, what can be said about all the inventions like the wings of birds or butterflies, the eyes of fish or insects, the leaves of trees or the social organization of beehives ? In these cases, man is not the inventor. There are countless marvels like these in the world around us. Can we explain them ? This will be the subject of the third part of this essay.

02/2017

ActuaLitté

Non classé

Nietzsche and the End of Freedom

Nietzsche's writing is not some game of 'freeplay' and terms like 'intertextuality' are useless in discussing its influence. This study takes Nietzsche, then Kafka's Trial, Thomas Mann's Death in Venice, Heinrich Mann's Man of Straw, Rilke's Malte Laurids Brigge and Musil's Törless. It argues that Nietzsche mediates and modernises the dilemmas of Romanticism and that a properly differentiated account of his literary reception can illuminate the dynamics of German culture on the eve of the Great War.

07/1993

ActuaLitté

Monographies

Hardy's Wessex. The landscapes that inspired a writer

This fascinating book tells the story of Thomas Hardy's Wessex. Accompanying a multi-venue exhibition, it explores Hardy's life and work. Internationally-acclaimed writer Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) is best known for his evocative depictions of the West Country landscape and its people, a region that he called 'Wessex'. What is less well-known is that this landscape also inspired him in many other aspects of his life, from campaigning for animal welfare to questioning the way society viewed women. This publication accompanies a blockbuster, multi-venue exhibition of the largest collection of Thomas Hardy memorabilia ever to be displayed at once. Hardy was born in the West Country, a few years after Queen Victoria came to the throne, and spent most of the rest of his life among its landscapes and people. When he turned writer, these landscapes and people re-emerged as his 'partly-real, partlydream country' of Wessex, in novels like Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Far from the Madding Crowd and Jude the Obscure. 'Hardy's Wessex' now conjures up a range of mental images : from raging seas on the coast to haunting ancient monuments, Victorian towns packed with life to peaceful hillsides grazed by sheep. However, through Hardy's 87-year life span, the West Country changed dramatically. Ideas of the role of women, humans' responsibility to animals, the realities of war, love and courtship, superstition, social structure, religion and how people related to the world around them altered fundamentally. Through his stories and campaigning, Hardy was keen to show not only the rural idyll, but also the tensions and diffi culties that lay beneath these views. These dramatic landscapes were the lens through which Hardy presented his worldview to his readership. From the tragedy of a woman saying farewell to her sailorlover on the end of Portland Bill, to a shepherd losing his flock and facing ultimate ruin on the chalky hills. The landscapes shape his characters, whose stories in turn convey his messages of social change to his readers. This publication will explore the impact that Wessex had on Hardy's works, and how living there shaped his views on the often divisive social issues of the period. Uniting beautiful landscape imagery with a selection of personal items from Hardy's life, this book will show you the man behind the literature.

06/2022

ActuaLitté

12 ans et +

Les 8 royaumes mortels Tome 1 : La cité de Pierre-de-Vie

Raised as a slave in the Darkoath camps of Aqshy, Kiri dreams of a better life. Of a city of wonders, the place of her birth… Lifestone ! She despairs of ever reaching it until a fateful day arrives when her barbarian captors are attacked by Sigmar's noblest warriors, the Stormcast Eternals. Seizing her chance, Kiri flees through a mysterious realmgate that takes her far from the fiery lands of Aqshy. She arrives in the realm of Ghyran and finds the city of Lifestone. But a curse lies on this place, withering its noble spirit. Her path leads her to a special group of children who, like her, are realm-marked the prophecised saviours of Lifestone. There's Thanis, the fighter ; Alish, the inventor ; Kaspar ; the sneak and Elio, the healer. But dark forces are allying against the children and will do anything to stop them achieving their destiny.

06/2019

ActuaLitté

Non classé

The Search for Lyonnesse

Although Mme de Lafayette is acknowledged as the founder of the modern novel, her precise legacy has been understood only in relation to male-authored texts. However, she wrote as a woman, addressing issues that concerned women of her day, particularly the problem of the apparent incompatibility of sexual fulfilment and the institution of marriage. This study seeks to identify how La Princesse de Clèves was interpreted by three of Mme de Lafayette's most talented women successors and to show how their more sombre and subversive view of society was mediated in works of fiction which have strong affinities with the contes de fées for which they are well known. The novels of Mlle Bernard, Mme d'Aulnoy and Mlle de La Force are significant, not simply for what they tell us about themselves as women writers but also for what they reveal about the origins of the eighteenth-century novel.

07/1999

ActuaLitté

Histoire de France

The Borders of Schengen

Currently, we are witnessing a "border game" with participants on a global scale. The massive movement of illegal immigrants and refugees who have arrived in Europe over the last few months has led political leaders, activists' movements and anonymous citizens to rethink practices and discourses. The media have multiplied news stories about mobilization initiatives that go well beyond the sphere of the state and even operate on the fringes of the law. Nationalism and identity issues have found their way onto the EU and its member-states' agenda while the international community argues about the urgency to collaborate to address one of the greatest problems seen in Europe since the Second World War. Schengen borders have been suffering reconfigurations on an almost daily basis and Schengen has even been temporarily suspended in some countries, with the ghost of the end of the Union hovering over Europe. The series of multidisciplinary texts collected in this book offer the reader a variety of perspectives on the understanding of the Schengen area. Broadly speaking, this volume includes reflections on subjects that embrace the debates on the concept and practices of the free movement of persons within Europe, the security dimension of the European Union, illegal immigration and migration management, human rights and the role of various players and interests. This is the book to read if you wish to understand the latest developments in the Schengen area on its 30th anniversary.

09/1993