An edited transcript of lectures recorded by the BBC in 1966—67, this book is editor Hardy’s (one of Isaiah Berlin’s literary trustees) commendable effort to preserve the legacy of one of the most prominent thinkers of the 20th century. Berlin searches for the sources of Romanticism primarily in Germany, focusing on Hamann, Kant, Herder, Fichte, Schiller, Schlegel, and others who contributed to the rise of the movement at the end of the 18th century. This break in European consciousness led to the replacement of Enlightenment-era objective criteria in the evaluation of human reason and beauty with individualistic, relativist, and mystical Romantic views. Proponents of Romanticism advocated the rejection of aesthetic rules, believed in emotionalism and the liberating function of art, and craved the infinite as embodied in myths. For them, the creative process entailed delving into the artist’s unconscious, and they espoused the idea that will, not reason, dominates life. Berlin points out the complexity of Romanticism, which embraces an infinite array of potentially conflicting aspects. He considers the obvious paradox between the valorization of the noble savage on the one hand, and the whimsical Gothic taste for extravagance and mysticism on the other. Both tendencies, however, reflected the Romantic urge to transgress the boundaries of dull, everyday existence by pointing to some unattainable, exotic reality. Among the offshoots of the Romantic worldview, Berlin mentions two powerful 20th-century phenomena: existentialism and fascism. Existentialism was rooted in the extreme Romantic view of the universe as void, while fascism can be traced back to Fichte’s patriotic diatribe calling upon the “younger, vigorous” German nation to conquer weaker, “decadent people.” Besides occasional plot summaries of prose works, Berlin does not illustrate his views with actual Romantic texts. His survey of Romanticism remains a fairly dry but exacting account of the ideas underlying the movement’s aesthetic sensibilities. Complicated by uneven syntax and repetitiousness betraying the genre of oral presentation, the book is a challenge even to the dedicated reader.
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-691-00713-6
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Princeton Univ.
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This readable survey of cosmology (and the astronomical evidence on which it is founded) shows an unusual awareness of the larger philosophical context in which scientific ideas are worked out. Thuan (Astronomy/Univ. of Virginia) is well known in France (where this book first appeared) both for popular science books and for TV appearances. It is easy to see why, if the present volume is a fair sample. He begins with a vivid description of his work at a modern astronomical observatory, where he and his colleagues are more likely to settle down in front of a bank of instruments and computer keyboards than to step outside for a direct view of the sky. Still, the emotional impact of the night sky is at the root of the appeal of astronomy and forms the source of its speculations about the universe we inhabit. Thuan quickly surveys the many ways in which past civilizations have interpreted the findings of astronomy, from the mythological universe of the ancients to the deterministic model of the late 19th century. He outlines the structure of the cosmos as revealed by increasingly more sophisticated instruments and techniques, smoothly explaining such central concepts as the Hubble constant and black holes. Thuan shows a particular willingness to grapple with some of the larger philosophical and religious issues implicit in any discussion of how the universe began and how it may end; his argument for the anthropic principle (that the universe is designed to produce intelligent living creatures) is tantalizing, although the principle itself seems to depend on circular reasoning. Likewise, his willingness to speculate on the ultimate fate of life in the universe sets him apart from many astronomers, who shy away from such questions. Clear, comprehensive, well written (and well translated), this is a fine introduction to the key issues of modern cosmology. (photos, not seen)
Pub Date: July 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-19-507370-3
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Oxford Univ.
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1995
BOOK REVIEW
A well-meaning but ultimately unsatisfying account of a priest's work with youths in the barrio of East LA. West-coast journalist Fremon follows Father Boyle through the streets of East LA's gang-ridden Pico-Aliso neighborhood as he attempts to bring stability, hope, and comfort to the young people who make up the area's eight distinct gangs. Though the priest's tireless and selfless efforts make him a heroic figure, in this treatment he remains a cardboard one; Fremon provides no insights into the psychological forces that motivate him. She intersperses Father Boyle's story in alternating chapters with first-person narratives by gang members. Their voices are not distinct enough to engage the reader, and repeated tales of drug-addicted, abusive mothers and absent fathers eventually create a monotony that deadens the sympathy Fremon clearly wants us to feel for these gangbangers. In addition, the violence they casually perpetrate makes them appear at least as much victimizers as victims. Neither Fremon nor Father Boyle offers reasons or solutions beyond clichÇs. We don't need this book to tell us that funerals rather than graduation parties are the social norm for these kids, or that they take to gangs as surrogate families. More interesting is the suggested relationship between teen pregnancy and teen mortality. ``Think about it,'' offers Father Boyle. ``If you don't believe you're going to live till you're 21, then you want to see junior now.'' Fremon's journalistic prose is most effective when she chronicles the tensions that arise after the Jesuits decide to remove Father Greg from his parish. A portrait of one man staring into America's societal abyss shouldn't be this superficial.
Pub Date: July 14, 1995
ISBN: 0-7868-6089-8
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1995
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