Examining the special relationship between footwear and film, Shoe Reels explores images of shoes in cinema. It questions what shoes mean in the context of narrative, aesthetics and symbolism, why they are so memorable, and what their wider cultural resonances might be.

A New York TimesNotable Book: An “ingeniously plotted” tale of tragedy, comedy, and small-town gossip (The New York Times Book Review). The quiet English town of Ennistone is known for its peaceful, relaxing spa—a haven of restoration, rejuvenation, and calm. Until the night George McCaffrey’s car plunges into the cold waters of the canal, carrying with it his wife, Stella. And until the village’s most celebrated son, famed philosopher John Robert Rozanov, returns home, upending the lives of everyone with whom he comes in contact. Stirred up by talk of murder and morality, obsession and lust, religion and righteousness, the residents of Ennistone begin to spiral out of control, searching for answers and redemption for the sins of their peers—and discovering more about themselves than they ever wanted to know. With breakneck plotting and intricately flawed characters, The Philosopher’s Pupil is a darkly humorous novel from the Man Booker Prize–winning author of The Sea, The Sea, masterfully exploring the human condition and the inherent blend of comedy and tragedy therein.

In 1747 Paris, Sophie falls in love with married philosopher Denis Diderot, who is collaborating with authors to create an encyclopedia of all human knowledge, a project that threatens to undermine both the monarchy and the church--as well as Sophie?s right to freedom, love, and happiness.

Not just anyone sits down to write their own personal Bible. The famous one, popular with millions of Christians, was penned by 35-40 different authors, over a span of some 1100 years. As of 1995, it was still considered (Guinness) the world’s #1 best seller of all-time. In stark contrast, Michael’s 2-volume Principles of Philosophy was meditated, contemplated, drafted, and written - in deep anonymity and solitude - over a daily and nightly 30-month span. His two books come in at over 800,000 words (the same as ten 80,000-word works). With the King James Old and New Testament totaling just over 783,000 words, it is easy to see why Michael views himself as both prolific (plentiful) and loquacious (talkative) when it pertains to laying down thought. As the Bible is for millions on the planet, Michael feels his principles are also a template - an owner’s manual - a guidebook - for (in particular) how to: (1) view life on earth; (2) work on the detail of one’s philosophy and worldview; and (3) examine and conduct a balanced, meaningful existence on this planet. The Holy Bible consists of 80 books (39 in the Old Hebrew part, 14 in the Apocrypha, and 27 in the New Christian part). Michael’s Principles (Volumes One and Two) each cover 84 chapters of the basic areas of life as he views them, with 21 chapters outlined each, for: (1) the mental; (3) the social; and (2) the material; (4) the spiritual areas of our lives. A detailed numbering system is in place for quick reference to topics. Each volume happens to come in at 613 entries, making a total of 1226 separate entries in the two books. By dictionary definition, a “principle” is defined as a “fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.” This is precisely why he chose “principles” in the title. His own personal philosophical principles are what he tries to practice daily. Michael even states they are likely the reason he is still with us in bodily form on the earth, and remains in (relative) possession of his right mind as well. Since leaving organized religion early on in life, these tenants, practiced in balance, have been what Michael has focused on for several decades. They work well for him. In the course of these pursuits, he says he has come to thousands of conclusions. And they all point to the balanced life. As he insists, for him, it is all about equivalent portions of mind (mental), body (material), relationships (social), and spirituality (God; the Universe). Basically, everything can be summed up within these four primary areas of life. Michael seems to never hesitate to conclude that he has found his own personal means of salvation in the midst of pursuing his balance of the Principles of Philosophy. - Tanya Walker (wife)

Drawing from ancient, medieval, modern, and contemporary sources, this textbook offers a comprehensive and systematic historical overview of aesthetic theory.

Includes complete texts or abstracts of lectures delivered before the Society, minutes of meetings, directory of members, and annual accounts.

This edited volume groups research on the significance of ancient feet and footwear, much of which was presented, discussed and reviewed at the conference: Shoes, Slippers and Sandals: Feet and Footwear in Antiquity, held at Newcastle University and the Great North Museum from 29 June–1 July 2015. Ancient dress and adornment have received significant consideration in recent scholarship, though, strikingly, feet and footwear have featured relatively little in this discussion. This volume aims to rectify this imbalance through its fifteen chapters covering a wide range of aspects associated with feet and footwear in classical antiquity. Contributions are grouped under four headings: ‘Envisaging footwear’, ‘Following footprints’, ‘One from a pair’ and ‘Between representation and reality’, reflecting the broad range and interdisciplinary nature of the approaches undertaken.

The rise and spectacular fall of the friendship between the two great philosophers of the eighteenth century, barely six months after they first met, reverberated on both sides of the Channel. As the relationship between Jean-Jacques Rousseau and David Hume unraveled, a volley of rancorous letters was fired off, then quickly published and devoured by aristocrats, intellectuals, and common readers alike. Everyone took sides in this momentous dispute between the greatest of Enlightenment thinkers. In this lively and revealing book, Robert Zaretsky and John T. Scott explore the unfolding rift between Rousseau and Hume. The authors are particularly fascinated by the connection between the thinkers lives and thought, especially the way that the failure of each to understand the otherand himselfilluminates the limits of human understanding. In addition, they situate the philosophers quarrel in the social, political, and intellectual milieu that informed their actions, as well as the actions of the other participants in the dispute, such as James Boswell, Adam Smith, and Voltaire. By examining the conflict through the prism of each philosophers contribution to Western thought, Zaretsky and Scott reveal the implications for the two men as individuals and philosophers as well as for the contemporary world.