Author: Keith Houston Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company ISBN: 0393244806 Category : History Languages : en Pages : 517
Book Description
"Everybody who has ever read a book will benefit from the way Keith Houston explores the most powerful object of our time. And everybody who has read it will agree that reports of the book’s death have been greatly exaggerated."— Erik Spiekermann, typographer We may love books, but do we know what lies behind them? In The Book, Keith Houston reveals that the paper, ink, thread, glue, and board from which a book is made tell as rich a story as the words on its pages—of civilizations, empires, human ingenuity, and madness. In an invitingly tactile history of this 2,000-year-old medium, Houston follows the development of writing, printing, the art of illustrations, and binding to show how we have moved from cuneiform tablets and papyrus scrolls to the hardcovers and paperbacks of today. Sure to delight book lovers of all stripes with its lush, full-color illustrations, The Book gives us the momentous and surprising history behind humanity’s most important—and universal—information technology.
Author: Abigail Bainbridge Publisher: Taylor & Francis ISBN: 1000839273 Category : Art Languages : en Pages : 735
Book Description
Conservation of Books is the highly anticipated reference work on global book structures and their conservation, offering the first modern, comprehensive overview on this subject. The volume takes an international approach to its subject. Written by over 70 specialists in conservation and conservation science based in 19 countries, its 26 chapters cover traditional book structures from around the world, the materials from which they are made and how they degrade, and how to preserve and conserve them. It also examines the theoretical underpinnings of conservation: what and how to treat, and the ethical, cultural, and economic implications of treatment. Technical drawings and photographs illustrate the structures and treatments examined throughout the book. Ultimately, readers gain an in-depth understanding of the materiality of books in numerous global contexts and reflect on the practical considerations involved in their analysis and treatment. Conservation of Books is a quintessential reference work for book conservators and anyone working with books, such as collection managers, librarians, curators, dealers, collectors, historians, and related professionals. It is also an indispensable text for students to complement hands-on training in this field.
Author: Lena Bjerregaard Publisher: Lulu.com ISBN: 1609621158 Category : Art Languages : en Pages : 428
Book Description
From May 31st to June 4th, 2016, the 7th International European conference on pre-Columbian textiles was held in Copenhagen. This volume unites seven original articles on pre-Columbian textiles from Mexico, which compare information on 20th century finds first described by Alba Guadelupe Mastache with that from previously unpublished finds and recently discovered contexts. A unique chapter presents the technical analysis and replication of a pre-Columbian tunic recovered in a cave site in Arizona, at the northern margins of the Mesoamerican interaction sphere. Thirteen articles on archaeological textiles from the central Andes include analysis of both textile assemblages preserved in museum collections and those recovered during recent fieldwork in archaeological sites of the Andean desert coast. These include textile assemblages representing the Initial and Formative Periods, Paracas and Nasca contexts, the Middle Horizon, diverse late Intermediate Period assemblages and emblematic Inca garments.
Author: A. Yáñez-Arancibia Publisher: WIT Press ISBN: 1845647564 Category : Business & Economics Languages : en Pages : 629
Book Description
This book fills a gap in the literature on environmental sustainability by addressing the topic from the perspective of social and economic development. Progress in understanding and achieving sustainability requires the integration of scientific, social, economic, and legal issues. Yet progress in understanding and achieving sustainability will only be achieved through integration of scientific, social, economic, and legal aspects. A treatise on environmental sustainability should raise the current state of knowledge by proposing and recommending decision-making efforts and breaking new ground with agendas aimed for the younger generation. These younger scientists will be confronted with future uncertainty related to the set of crises that characterise the 21st Century (e.g. ecological, social, food, energy, environmental, climatic, financial, etc.). Currently, there are a number of indicators that demonstrate that ecological conditions are being compromised globally. These include reduced primary productivity, reduction in biological complexity, spreading pollution such as eutrophication, ecological degradation in any continental/basin/coastal/sea ecosystem, reduction in biodiversity, lowered resilience and slow recovery of damaged ecosystems, and reduced ecological integrity. All of these problems are related to social and economic pressure. The challenge for most ecological systems is not only to establish the baseline for current ecosystem conditions, but also to explore options for recovery and sustainability. The latter involves ecological restoration where ecosystem and environmental services are maintained and enhanced. These services are essential to social integration and economic development. This book not only introduces a theoretical and conceptual framework for the topic, but also analyses the uncertainty for sustainability because of dwindling natural resources. It includes contributions providing a basis for public policies, case studies integrating concepts and tools for solutions, and a set of position papers addressing new agenda topics that will shape the 21st century. The book will be useful for researchers, professors and students alike, as well as for all stakeholders from social, economic and academic sectors.
Author: Arthur O. Tucker Publisher: Springer Nature ISBN: 3030193772 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 361
Book Description
The Voynich Codex is one the most fascinating and bizarre manuscripts in the world. The manuscript (potentially equivalent to 232 pages), or more properly a codex, consists of many foldout pages. It has been divided by previous researchers into sections known as Herbal/Botanical/Pharmacology; Balenological/Biological; Cosmology; one page known as The Rosette; and a final Recipe section. All the sections contain text in an unknown writing system, yet to be deciphered. Cryptological analyses by modern computer programs nevertheless have determined that the language is real and not a hoax, as has been suggested by some. Despite the fact that this codex is largely an herbal, the interpreters of this manuscript with two exceptions, have not been botanists. To this end, our recent research suggests that the Voynich is a 16th century codex associated with indigenous Indians of Nueva España educated in schools established by the Spanish. This is a breakthrough in Voynich studies. We are convinced that the Voynich codex is a document produced by Aztec descendants that has been unfiltered through Spanish editors. The flora of New Spain is vast, and the medicinal and culinary herbs used by the Aztecs were equally as copious. Even though it is our hypothesis that the Voynch Codex was written as a private herbal in 16th century New Spain, many of these herbs have relevance today because they or closely related species have been noted to be medicinal or have culinary value. The Voynich Codex has an estimated 359 illustration of plants (phytomorphs), 131 in the Herbal Section (large images) and 228 in the Pharmaceutical Section (small images of plant parts). In our book “Unraveling of the Voynich Codex”, to be published by Springer this summer, Tucker and Janick have partially identified species in the Herbal Section. In this proposed work, all of the plants of the Herbal Section will be identified along with those plants of the Pharmacology Section where identification is feasible. Each plant identification will include subdivisions to include descriptors (formal botanical identification), names in English, Spanish, and Mesoamerican names where known, ecology and range, and properties (medicinal and culinary) of these and related species. Photographs of the phytomorphs and contemporary plants will be included. These identifications represent hard evidence that the Voynich Codex is a 16th Century Mexican manuscript. Exploring the herbs of the Aztecs through the Voynich Codex will be a seminal work for all Voynich researchers and also of interest to a wider audience in medicinal and culinary herbs, artists, and historians. In summary, our new book project Flora of the Voynich Codex will provide a photo-illustrated guide to complete the botanical evidence related to the Voynich Codex, one of the most valuable historic texts of the 16th century.
Author: Sheona Shackleton Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media ISBN: 3642179835 Category : Technology & Engineering Languages : en Pages : 289
Book Description
This book provides a comprehensive, global synthesis of current knowledge on the potential and challenges associated with the multiple roles, use, management and marketing of non-timber forest products (NTFPs). There has been considerable research and policy effort surrounding NTFPs over the last two and half decades. The book explores the evolution of sentiments regarding the potential of NTFPs in promoting options for sustainable multi-purpose forest management, income generation and poverty alleviation. Based on a critical analysis of the debates and discourses it employs a systematic approach to present a balanced and realistic perspective on the benefits and challenges associated with NTFP use and management within local livelihoods and landscapes, supported with case examples from both the southern and northern hemispheres. This book covers the social, economic and ecological dimensions of NTFPs and closes with an examination of future prospects and research directions.
Author: Sylvia Marcos Publisher: ISBN: Category : History Languages : en Pages : 180
Book Description
This epistemological study, which is based on ancient chronicles and stories, hymns and ritual discourses, epics and poetics, as well as contemporary ethnographic studies of Mesoamerica, has as its salient issues: gender fluidity, eroticism linked to religion, permeable corporeality, embodied thought and the amblings of oral thought
Author: William N. Brown Publisher: Springer Nature ISBN: 9811606544 Category : History Languages : en Pages : 224
Book Description
This open access book explores the historical, cultural and philosophical contexts that have made anti-poverty the core of Chinese society since Liberation in 1949, and why poverty alleviation measures evolved from the simplistic aid of the 1950s to Xi Jinping’s precision poverty alleviation and its goal of eliminating absolute poverty by 2020. The book also addresses the implications of China’s experience for other developing nations tackling not only poverty but such issues as pandemics, rampant urbanization and desertification exacerbated by global warming. The first of three parts draws upon interviews of rural and urban Chinese from diverse backgrounds and local and national leaders. These interviews, conducted in even the remotest areas of the country, offer candid insights into the challenges that have forced China to continually evolve its programs to resolve even the most intractable cases of poverty. The second part explores the historic, cultural and philosophical roots of old China’s meritocratic government and how its ancient Chinese ethics have led to modern Chinese socialism’s stance that “poverty amidst plenty is immoral”. Dr. Huang Chengwei, one of China’s foremost anti-poverty experts, explains the challenges faced at each stage as China’s anti-poverty measures evolved over 70 years to emphasize “enablement” over “aid” and to foster bottom-up initiative and entrepreneurialism, culminating in Xi Jinping’s precision poverty alleviation. The book also addresses why national economic development alone cannot reduce poverty; poverty alleviation programs must be people-centered, with measurable and accountable practices that reach even to household level, which China has done with its “First Secretary” program. The third part explores the potential for adopting China’s practices in other nations, including the potential for replicating China’s successes in developing countries through such measures as the Belt and Road Initiative. This book also addresses prevalent misperceptions about China’s growing global presence and why other developing nations must address historic, systemic causes of poverty and inequity before they can undertake sustainable poverty alleviation measures of their own.
Author: Keith Houston
Author: Abigail Bainbridge
Author: Lena Bjerregaard
Author: A. Yáñez-Arancibia
Author: Arthur O. Tucker
Author: Sheona Shackleton
Author: Citlalli López Binnqüist
Author: Grace Nangendo
Author: Sylvia Marcos
Author: William N. Brown