Mads Lange S Forgotten Treasures

Mads Johansen Lange (1807-1856) was the most influential person that made Bali prosper during the mid 19th century. In order to receive favorable treatment and procure lucrative trade deals, he presented the kings of Bali with luxury goods. His philosophy was to unite and share rather than divide and conquer, so he treated all his relationships equally within the social-political system of the time. Lange strived to have peace maintained in Bali for his business to succeed and for the welfare of the inhabitants. The prosperity is evident in the luxury goods that he presented to his contacts, from valuable daggers with gold and precious gems, to elaborate temple sculptures, to fancy carved cabinets. Lange branded these gifts with his name, many with an image of his face or important scenes from his life. Portrait figures done in an unusual and animated style illustrate important events, from befriending royalty, to playful interactions with his wives, to negotiating peace treaties between the Balinese and the Dutch. Those who are closely or remotely familiar with Lange’s role in Balinese history will be fascinated by these artifacts as they increase the interest and understanding of him as a human being. These gifts remained hidden in palaces, temples, and caves across the island for nearly 200 years. This unique collection was made possible through the untiring efforts of a fellow Dane, Peter Bloch.

The main aim of this book is to discuss various modes of studying and defining the medieval self, based on a wide span of sources from medieval Western Scandinavia, c. 800-1500, such as archeological evidence, architecture and art, documents, literature, and runic inscriptions. The book engages with major theoretical discussions within the humanities and social sciences, such as cultural theory, practice theory, and cognitive theory. The authors investigate how the various approaches to the self influence our own scholarly mindsets and horizons, and how they condition what aspects of the medieval self are 'visible' to us. Utilizing this insight, we aim to propose a more syncretic approach towards the medieval self, not in order to substitute excellent models already in existence, but in order to foreground the flexibility and the complementarity of the current theories, when these are seen in relationship to each other. The self and how it relates to its surrounding world and history is a main concern of humanities and social sciences. Focusing on the theoretical and methodological flexibility when approaching the medieval self has the potential to raise our awareness of our own position and agency in various social spaces today.

Erik Varden published The Shattering of Loneliness in 2018. Now, with the world in the throes of uncertainty and turbulence, he helps us interpret the signs of the times, convinced that the perennial experience of monks and nuns has much to teach us. The principles of monasticism have become attractive to many, awakened as we are to the importance of integrity, the pursuit of peace, asceticism as a path to freedom, hospitality and contemplative seeing. After a deeply personal introduction, Varden invites us to consider what makes a monk. He then takes us on a pilgrimage through the Church's year, drawing on Scripture, tradition and literary and religious figures of our time. Varden lets the reader discover the generous breadth and depth of a monk's outlook on life. In so doing he provides inspiration, enjoyment and enlightenment in equal measure.

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