This week’s @TheTLS, featuring T. H. Breen on the American Revolution; @ae_stallings on Edna St Vincent Millay; @agnesjuliet on the medical mistreatment of women; @JC_Scutts on love; @LamornaAsh on The Matrix; @judecook_ on twins – and more pic.twitter.com/Hs1LX6wMwV
— George Berridge (@George_Berridge) January 12, 2022
Category Archives: Books
Previews: Times Literary Supplement – January 7
Reviews: ‘Greek Myths’ By Gustav Schwab (Taschen)
This collection of 47 tales from Gustav Schwab’s seminal anthology of Greek myths stages the illustrious exploits of Heracles, Jason, Odysseus, and a host of heroes.
Through the masterful drawings of Clifford Harper and artworks from the leading figures of the Golden Age of Illustration, including Walter Crane, Arthur Rackham, and Virginia Frances Sterrett, the world of Greek mythology is reimagined into life.
The Greek myths are timeless classics, whose scenes and figures have captivated us since ancient times. The gods and heroes of these legends hold up a mirror to the human condition, embodying universal characteristics and truths – whether it be the courage of Perseus, the greed of Midas, the vaulting ambition of Icarus, the vengeance of Medea, or the hubris of Niobe. These traits are the basis for immortal dramas and rich narratives, as profound as they are entertaining, which form the bedrock of our culture and literature today and remain relevant and fascinating for all readers, young and old alike.
Gustav Schwab (1792–1850) was a German author, teacher, and professor. From 1828, Schwab worked at Johann Friedrich Cotta’s eponymous publishing house in Stuttgart, where he was a patron and mentor of young authors. After issuing a collection of his own poetry, he composed the seminal Sagen des klassischen Altertums (Gods and Heroes: Myths and Epics of Ancient Greece, 1838–1840), an indispensable standard work of Greek mythology that has popularized its tales in Germany and across the globe.
Previews: London Review Of Books – January 6, 2022
Previews: Times Literary Supplement – December 24
Shakespeare & Company: Author Aysegul Savas On Her Book ‘White On White’
A “marvelous” (Lauren Groff) and “gentle, mysterious and profound” (Marina Abramović) novel about a woman who has come undone.
A student moves to the city to research Gothic nudes, renting an apartment from a painter, Agnes, who lives in another town with her husband. One day, Agnes arrives in the city and settles into the upstairs studio.
In their meetings on the stairs, in the studio, at the corner café, the kitchen at dawn, Agnes tells stories of her youth, her family, her marriage, and ideas for her art – which is always just about to be created. As the months pass, it becomes clear that Agnes might not have a place to return to. The student is increasingly aware of Agnes’s disintegration. Her stories are frenetic; her art scattered and unfinished, white paint on a white canvas.
What emerges is the menacing sense that every life is always at the edge of disaster, no matter its seeming stability. Alongside the research into human figures, the student is learning, from a cool distance, about the narrow divide between happiness and resentment, creativity and madness, contentment and chaos.
White on White is a sharp exploration of empathy and cruelty, and the stunning discovery of what it means to be truly vulnerable, and laid bare.
Travel & Culture Books: ‘Gstaad Glam’ (Assouline)
In the southwest corner of Switzerland, nestled among the snowy mountains of the Swiss Alps is the picturesque, upscale resort town of Gstaad. Teeming with exclusive ski clubs and a fur coat–clad jet set, Gstaad is the definition of Alpine chic, which is evident in the luxurious, family-owned Gstaad Palace, the members-only restaurant The Eagle and the high-fashion boutiques that line the town’s main promenade.
It is this combination of opulence and quiet that has attracted a plethora of celebrities including Madonna, Grace Kelly, Stavros Niarchos and Julie Andrews, to name a few. While glitz and glamour are in abundance, local tradition and culture are always close by. Whether it’s in the Pinte Bar at Hotel Olden that exudes authentic charm or a farm on the outskirts of town showcasing a quaint, pastoral lifestyle, this beautiful volume showcases Gstaad’s elegant traditions and unexpected treasures.There is no shortage of amusements in Gstaad.
It is nature at its finest that yearns to be explored. With 124 miles of slopes, visitors can participate in skiing, snowboarding and sledding in the winter months and hiking, biking, polo and golf in the summer. Gstaad’s calendar is packed with can’t-miss events including the Swiss Open, hot-air balloon festival and Menuhin Festival of music. And after a long day of hitting the slopes and experiencing all Gstaad has to offer, cozy up with a cup of hot chocolate from the decades-old Charly’s, the perfect spot to people-watch along the Promenade.
Shakespeare & Company: Author Philip Hoare On ‘Albert & The Whale’ (2021)
Boomers Daily 