Kurt Vonnegut's career, marked by nearly 50 short stories and 13 novels since 1950, serves as a lens on American society through various political eras. His sharp critiques of complacency during the Eisenhower years, admiration for the Kennedys, and disdain for Nixon highlight his role as a significant commentator. The collection of 14 essays explores his unique position in American literature, reflecting on his foreboding yet rarely gloomy insights into life and culture as he navigates through evolving societal landscapes.
A challenging exploration of the visual arts from 1880 through 1920, Modern Starts is an unconventional guide to the beginnings of modernism. Deliberately abandoning customary labels--such as Fauvism, Cubism, and Futurism--and accepted chronological ordering, Modern Starts offers many pathways, each independent and self-sufficient, intended to suggest fresh modes of looking at and thinking about works both very familiar and quite unfamiliar. Loosely organized into three thematic sections, the book begins with "People," treating the great period of early modern figurative art from Rodin and Matisse to Munch. "Places" features landscapes and cityscapes by such artists as Atget, Cazanne, de Chirico, and Lager. "Things" addresses the importance of object-like works, such as Duchamp's "Readymades" and Brancusi's sculptures; and representations of things from Picasso's still lifes to Lucian Bernhard's advertising posters. Provocative juxtapositions, new contexts, and inventive interplays of mediums provide a stimulating look at the beginnings of modernism. Published to coincide with MoMA2000, an 18-month series of exhibitions at The Museum of Modern Art, New York drawn from the Museum's incomparable collection. Modern Starts is the first in a series of three volumes focusing on distinct 1880-1920, 1920-60, and 1960-2000.
Focusing on the life and contributions of Robert Angus Smith, this study explores his pivotal role in the discovery of 'acid rain' and its implications for 19th-century sanitary science. It highlights the necessity for regulation in the chemical industries and reflects the shifting dynamics of British politics during that era. The book serves as an essential resource for historians of science, technology, and industry, as well as for environmental historians seeking to understand the roots of 20th-century environmental movements.
Focusing on the Muspratt family, this study explores their significant role in the development of the chemical industry in Liverpool, particularly through James Muspratt's pioneering use of the Leblanc Process for large-scale alkali production. The book highlights the family's broader contributions to Victorian and Edwardian culture, encompassing politics, education, art, literature, and theatre. It is the first comprehensive examination of their collective history and entrepreneurial spirit in both chemical manufacturing and various other pursuits.
