Broadview Press

The aesthetics of natural environments.

The aesthetics of nature is the central focus of environmental aesthetics, a new field that addresses the philosophical issues surrounding the aesthetic appreciation of the world. The essays in this collection contemplate topics such as the relationship between the appreciation of art and of nature; the nature and value of natural beauty; and the connection between aesthetic appreciation of the environment and the obligation to preserve it. Carlson (philosophy, U. of Alberta) and Berleant (philosophy, emeritus, Long Island U.) introduce the volume with a historical overview of the field, beginning with 18th century British and Scottish philosophers and ending with suggestions for future research. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Carolingian civilization; a reader, 2d ed.

This wonderfully useful reader contains translations into English of 81 Carolingian documents of all kinds, making it a great resource for the undergraduate history classroom. The second edition omits only three of the documents of the first (Strabo's Little Garden, Eriugena's Homily, Einhard's Letters) and adds seven new ones, including Rimbert's Life of Anskar, Ratramnus on dog-headed creatures, the monk Bernard's journey to Jerusalem, the Polyptyque of the church of Marseilles, and Audradus Modicus's Book of Revelations. Each document is introduced with a short description by Dutton (humanities, Simon Fraser U., British Columbia, Canada). (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Seeing medieval art.

Kessler (art history, Johns Hopkins U.) has written an engaging text introducing the reader to the issues and experiences central to medieval art. The eight chapters are thematic; their topics are matter, making, spirit, book, church, life and death, performance, and seeing. These broad themes invite discussion of a wide range of medieval art so that the reader will come to appreciate the work's impact on the viewer in connection with its context, function, setting, creation, and materials, among other factors. In addition to b&w images, a group of good quality color plates is included. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

A short history of the Middle Ages, 2d ed.

Rosenwein (history, Loyola U., Chicago) has succeeded in writing a history of the Middle Ages that presents Byzantium and Islam alongside Western Christendom with equal emphasis, developing the relationships between them throughout the text in a way students will find familiar to their own time. Though political events are described, much attention is given to developments in art and culture, religion and thought, and the realities of everyday life, making this an unusually engaging history for the beginning undergraduate. The volume is full of good quality color illustrations and many fine maps. The second edition contains corrections to the first, published in 2002. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

A short history of the Middle Ages, 2d ed.; v.1: From c.300 to c.1150

These were times of great sinners and great saints, and of new societies that rose and fell in concert or contrary to that of the Romans. In this undergraduate text Rosenwein (history, Loyola U.) introduces readers to European, Byzantine and Islamic cultures up to the middle of the twelfth century, showing how their people coped with political reorganization and created identities, and what they left in cultural and societal structures, artifacts and ideas. With each chapter she provides a well-chosen list of further reading. (Annotation ©2006 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)