Celebrates the artistry and diversity of the photographic medium

Much has been written about Natsume Soseki (1867–1916), one of Japan’s most celebrated writers. Known primarily for his novels, he also published a large and diverse body of short personal writings (shohin) that have long lived in the shadow of his fictional works. The essays, which appeared in the Asahi shinbun between 1907 and 1915, comprise a fascinating autobiographical mosaic, while capturing the spirit of the Meiji era and the birth of modern Japan. In Reflections in a Glass Door, Marvin Marcus introduces readers to a rich sampling of Soseki’s shohin. The writer revisits his Tokyo childhood, recalling family, friends, and colleagues and musing wistfully on the transformation of his city and its old neighborhoods. He painfully recounts his two years in London, where he immersed himself in literary research even as he struggled with severe depression. A chronic stomach ailment causes Soseki to reflect on his own mortality and what he saw as the spiritual afflictions of modern Japanese: rampant egocentrism and materialism. Throughout he adopts a number of narrative voices and poses: the peevish husband, the harried novelist, the convalescent, the seeker of wisdom. Marcus identifies memory and melancholy as key themes in Soseki’s personal writings and highlights their relevance in his fiction. He balances Soseki’s account of his Tokyo household with that of his wife, Natsume Kyoko, who left a straightforward record of life with her celebrated husband. Soseki crafted a moving and convincing voice in his shohin, which can now be pondered and enjoyed for their penetrating observation and honesty, as well as the fresh perspective they offer on one of Japan’s literary giants.

It's that time again. Birds fly north, trees explode, and the earth becomes a pallet for God. Here within these pages, in black and white, I have tried to give you all the colors of a rainbow. A window, if you will, not only into my life, but yours as well. In my life I have been a soldier, a philosopher, an engineer, a massage therapist, a musician, a martial artist, a writer and a poet. Looking back, I find when I put all of these together in some mysterious way; it makes sense that I have become a romantic. I don't quite understand it, but it flows effortlessly from my heart and my pen, and as easy for me to accept as breathing. I have also learned that everyone understands love. Some because they have it, some because they have gone through it, and still others because they need it. You will find it here, in the words, in the sentiment, in-between the lines or in the emotions that they might provoke. I cannot think of a better place to have written these words than Woodstock.

A catalog of an exhibition held at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center.

Freeman Dyson’s latest book does not attempt to bring together all of the celebrated physicist’s thoughts on science and technology into a unified theory. The emphasis is, instead, on the myriad ways in which the universe presents itself to us--and how, as observers and participants in its processes, we respond to it. "Life, like a dome of many-colored glass," wrote Percy Bysshe Shelley, "stains the white radiance of eternity." The author seeks here to explore the variety that gives life its beauty. Taken from Dyson’s recent public lectures--delivered to audiences with no specialized knowledge in hard sciences--the book begins with a consideration of the practical and political questions surrounding biotechnology. As he seeks how best to explain the place of life in the universe, Dyson then moves from the ethical to the purely scientific. The book concludes with an attempt to understand the implications of biology for philosophy and religion. The pieces in this collection touch on numerous disciplines, from astronomy and ecology to neurology and theology, speaking to the lay reader as well as to the scientist. As always, Dyson’s view of human nature and behavior is balanced, and his predictions of a world to come serve primarily as a means for thinking about the world as it is today.

Follow the way social attitudes and historical events—among them, slavery and materialism, wars and plagues—influenced how glassworking developed in the Roman world from the mid-first century B.C. to the late sixth century A.D. Woven into this story is the place of glassware in Roman everyday life, from the lady-of-the-house's cosmetic preparations each morning to the setting of table for the evening meal. Included are two special appendices: one considers the technology of ancient glassmaking, the other summarizes ancient opinions on the properties and merits of glass.

Reflections from a Glass House is a coming-of-age story about Carol Sveilich, a girl who struggled with assimilation in the Bay Area community of San Jose during the 1960s while wrestling with indigestion within her own family of social misfits. Sveilich tells of a girlhood profoundly affected by her family's obsession with music, useless gadgets, and worry. And, oh yes - sex, drugs, and rock n' roll.

These thirteen original essays are provocative explorations in the construction and representation of self in America's colonial and early republican eras. Highlighting the increasing importance of interdisciplinary research for the field of early America

Detective Bob McCaffey attempts to achieve fame by solving the high profile murder of an entertainment industry mogul, Burl Mathews. His investigation leads him into the murky world of promoters and money men, and nearly gets him killed. Before his search is over, Bob will face the dark side of his own ambition. his notoriously shady business deals. Bob, a Dallas police department detective who specializes in fraud cases, is assigned to lead the murder investigation. situation. Mathews had bullied and cheated his way to the top of the broadcast entertainment industry, and some of the people he betrayed in the past began to fight back via lawsuits, blackmail, and other means. Mathews needed money, lots of it and in a hurry, to solve his problems. He decided to sell the stock of his company, and attempt to raise over USD100 million. This stock deal becomes the focal point of Bob's investigation. develops a very convincing case, but against the wrong people. A former assistant to Mathews and her boyfriend are charged with the crime. Bob soon realizes his mistake and nearly ruins his career trying to correct it, but it is almost too late. Just when the young lovers' convictions seem certain, Mathews' wife confesses to arranging the murder, and surprises everyone by revealing a motive far removed from greed.