The Artist And The Bridge

First published in 1999, this book explores how, from the stone bridges of neoclassicism which soar out of wild woods to span pastoral valleys to the post-1750 engineer’s bridge with its links to the more industrial landscape, the bridge was a popular feature in painting throughout the period 1700-1920. Why did so many artists choose to portray bridges? In this lavishly illustrated and intriguing book, John Sweetman seeks to answer this question. He traces the history of the bridge in painting and printmaking through a vast range of work, some as familiar as William Etty’s The Bridge of Sighs and Claude Monet’s The Railway Bridge at Argenteuil and others less well known such as Wassily Kandinsky’s Composition IV and C.R.W. Nevinson’s Looking Through the Brooklyn Bridge. Distinctive characteristics emerge revealing the complex role of the bridge as both symbol and metaphor, and as a place of vantage, meeting and separation.

Distinctive characteristics emerge revealing the complex role of the bridge as both symbol and metaphor, and as a place of vantage, meeting and separation."--Jacket

A “witty [and] compelling” true story for kids about San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge—and why it’s orange—by the New York Times–bestselling author! (Fast Company). In this delightfully original nonfiction book, National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize finalist Dave Eggers tackles one of the most famous architectural monuments in the world: the Golden Gate Bridge—and all the arguments and debates about building it and what it should look like. Cut-paper illustrations by Tucker Nichols enliven the tale, and this revised edition also includes real-life letters from local constituents making the case for keeping the bridge orange. With sly humor and lots of fascinating historical facts, this is an accessible, enjoyable read for kids (or adults), transporting readers to the glorious Golden Gate no matter where they live. “Eggers’s featherlight humor provides laughs throughout.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review). “A love letter to infrastructure.” —The New York Times “A story compelling enough to keep adults interested as they read it (and re-read it and re-read it) each night at bedtime.” —Fast Company

It is often difficult to describe beauty or even justify attempts to experience something beautiful. Yet if artists--whether painters or poets, actors or musicians, architects or sculptors--teach us anything, it is that the pursuit of beauty is a common feature among all humanity. As Cecilia González-Andrieu contends, these varied experiences with artistic beauty are embedded with revelatory and prophetic power that not only affects a single individual but allows for communal formation. Named one of America magazine's most promising young theologians, González-Andrieu seeks to engage art in order to reveal its religious significance. Bridge to Wonder proposes a method of theological aesthetics allowing readers to mine the depths of creative beauty to discover variegated theological truths that enable greater communion with each other and the One source of all that is beautiful.

Koans-such as "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"-have penetrated deeply into popular consciousness - even being referenced on, for example, The Simpsons. Yet, those who encounter koans in the traditional literature or in the context of exploring Zen practice themselves can often find them utterly baffling. The Flowing Bridge is the first-ever book to address all of the first koans that Zen students encounter-"What is Mu?", "What is the sound of the single hand?", and the so-called "miscellaneous" koans that have historically been kept as esoteric secrets. Sister Elaine MacInnes, a Catholic nun and a Zen teacher in the lineage of the renowned master Koun Yamada, offers exceptionally valuable guidance to beginners on how to work with koans-and reveals an uncommon depth of insight and an easeful technical mastery of Zen's most misunderstood and most powerful tools. This book is sure to become a classic, standing alongside The Gateless Gate and The Blue Cliff Record as a must-read for anyone seeking Zen's subtlest teachings and deepest power.

Twelve-year-old Chloe Ashton is an only child living in the remote wilderness of Oregon. She spends her days happily exploring the forests around her home, and is astonished to find the animals seem to know her, to follow her, and even try to speak to her. When a family tragedy results in Chloe's abduction and sale to the vagabonds, she is taken deeper into the woods, and finds out just how much the animals know. Set at a time when technology is first touching the west, there is an evil rising in the land. The country is under attack, and all creatures, man and beast, must hide. The old legends speak of an ancient, natural magic deep within the mountains and rivers, and as Chloe struggles to survive, she finds that it still exists deep within the forests. Friendship can be found even in the darkest of places, and it doesn't always come in human form. Bridge of the Gods is a novel for all ages about the magical power of nature, and of finding friendship in the darkest of places.