Saturday, October 20, 2012

Glittering Images, Camille Paglia, c. 2012

This is an incredible book. I've just started reading it; I have read the first three chapters. Everything about this book is superb.

It's absolutely the perfect size to carry in one's backpack, one's oversize purse, whatever, on your next flight, or for folks like me, on my evening bicycle ride to the local pub. It's an incredible book.

I don't care for the dust jacket design but that's about it.

The paper is incredibly high grade; the photographs are superb.

And then the writing -- wow! Wonderful. Ms Paglia starts out with a short description of the period in which the piece of art was created. Filled with cocktail trivia. I though I knew a lot of trivia but this book is full of wonderful trivia. And then she gets into the "art review." Wow, is Ms Paglia good. In two to four pages she provides a docent's description of each piece of art.

I generally only buy used books and remaindered books, but I was really looking forward to this book, and paid full-price at an independent bookstore in Cambridge, MA. $30. And worth every penny.

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