Ancient City

The Ancient City by Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges, translated by Willard Small, 323 pages

In The Ancient City, the 19th century historian Fustel de Coulanges explores the origins of the great city-states of the classical world, chief among them Sparta, Athens, and Rome.  All of these, he observes, were born out of a context of familial, tribal associations bound together by religious observance, in which the concept of property was centered on the ancestral tomb and law was "at the same time a code, a constitution, and a ritual."  The history of the ancient world then progresses or degenerates as a movement away from this hierarchical religious community towards a polity which is more egalitarian, secular, and dissolute.

In an age like our own when historiography generally treats religion as an accident, this landmark work indisputably establishes religion as the central reality of every ancient civilization.  The family, the tribe, and the city were all religious in their foundations.  Then, as now, those foundations are vulnerable to water and fire, to the slow drip of complacency and the burning flame of resentment.

Freak Babylon: An Illustrated History of Teratology and Freakshows by Jack Hunter

Freak Babylon: An Illustrated History of Teratology and Freakshows by Jack Hunter   152 pages

An indepth history of humans born with limbs and other body manifestations that are unusual, often medical phenomenons such as John Merrick, theatrically known as "The Elephant Man", Tom Thumb famous for his diminutive stature and his work with P.T. Barnum and the Barnum and Bailey Circus, humans who have excess facial hair growing to unusual lengths creating the Jo Jo the Dog Faced Boy character, the stories behind each of these individuals and many more besides.   It is a fascinating look at the people behind the hype of the Circus sideshows baiting the public with wonders they have never seen before nor since.   Todd Browning's fascination with amputees and all people who's anatomies make them different is discussed and how long it took Todd Browning to bring his obsession to the big screen as the film, "Freaks," which took him over 10 years to do and after flying high for bringing Bela Lugosi to movie houses as Count Dracula, Todd Browning's career was essentially over after the debacle caused by his next film, "Freaks" that critics found so disturbing that it was banned many places.    The photos are often shocking but the stories behind each are so compelling this is a hard book to put down.   Gripping in its appeal, the reader will want to look away but something in the psyche wants to see it and understand it, too.   A very good book showing that regardless of how we look we are all people with the same needs, wants and desires and right to respect and if not cordial treatment at least respectful.   Bravo!   In an age of extreme bullying this book is right on time.   I highly recommend this book it is an eye-opening shocker that you won't soon forget.   Definetly for the non-squeamish adults out there.

The secret lives of color

The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair  320 pages

I first saw this book in a Bas Bleu catalog and thought it sounded interesting --- and since the library owned a copy, it was a perfect way to give it a try without buying a potential dud.  Now that I've read it, I'm already thinking of at least two people to whom I could gift this book.

The author focuses on the unusual and fascinating stories of 75 different shades, hues and dyes. Divided into sections, you move from whites to yellows, blues to greens, and everything in between. You discover where certain colors came from, how they were created, how they were used, and much more.  It's not just an exploration of color, but an exploration of culture, as well. I was surprised to learn about how some of these colors were created (and how scary the chemical process can be). This book is visually stunning as you go from page to page, but it's also a great history lesson!