Reviews (15)

Comprehensible
Written with humor and very concisely. I love the pictures (comics) Donald Palmer did a great job of introducing Kierkegaard and his philosophy to the masses.

Amazingly Accurate and Fun Portrayalfor the Beginner
Author/illustrator Palmer brings out Kierkegaard's brilliance in a way accessible to all, simply conveying the complexity of Kierkegaard the person and Kierkegaard the writings while providing a continuous laugh fitting for SK's own serio-comic ironic style.Kierkegaard's the epitome of epigrammatic writing and living, a zealous genius misrepresented by both secularist existentialists as well as respected Christian theologians/teachers who wrongly accuse SK of throwing out objective Christian truth, when really SK's subjectivity IS the evangelical truth of personal relationship with God, not mereexternal religious tradition.As for the comics in this book, they (as is SK) are HILarious, though probably more so because of the Bible allusions.This book contains a glossary and bibliography, and after this SK intro I'd recommend 'The Essential Kierkegaard' by the editors Hong, then skipping 'Concept of Irony'and starting with 'Either/Or' reading thru the rest of SK's books, which from the outset were written on 2 parallel tracks, one being pseudonymous works (from which it is unfair to attribute quotes to SK) and the other being signed works.P.S.--it's ironic that SK is now associated with the existentialist all-about-self-and-living-in-the-moment philosophies when SK lived so dead to self (his name even means 'graveyard') and with vision, methodically poured himself out in a planned series of books so that his readers entrapped in dead state church religiosity might become aware that they're dead and need to get a life (a self).

Digestible Kierkegaard for Postmodern People
Few initially realize that the aesthetic slug which Kierkegaard often decried was he himself. Kierkegaard stuggled with determining, or rather willing, who he would be as a man in books like Either/Or. All of this is what makes him so relevant for postmoderns, existentialism students and even for card-carrying religionists.
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Subjects:  1. 1813-1855.    2. Biography    3. Comic books, strips, etc    4. Danish philosophers    5. Denmark    6. History & Surveys - 19th Century    7. History & Surveys - Modern    8. Kierkegaard, Soren    9. Kierkegaard, S²ren,    10. Philosophers    11. Philosophy    12. Modern Western philosophy, c 1600 to the present   

Reviews (1)

Excellent!
This is one of the best royal biographies of the year! The authors stick to the facts and do not reley on untrue rumors; at the same time they fully describe the personialty of Crown Princess Mary of Denmark. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1968-    2. 1972-    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Crown Prince of Denmark,    7. Crown Princess of Denmark,    8. Europe - Scandinavia    9. Frederick,    10. Mary,    11. Monarchy And Aristocracy    12. Royalty    13. Scandinavia - History    14. Women    15. Biography: general    16. History / Scandinavia    17. Northern Europe, Scandinavia   

Reviews (5)

Putting a human face to the Danish occupation - a Must Read!
Tveslov's "Conquered, Not Defeated" is a touching look at Denmark during WWII through the eyes of a boy but also with the perception through which the events in that country can be viewed with adult eyes years after the fact.With skill, he takes the reader into the fascinating world of Copenhagen during the war - the occupation and, more importantly, the incredible people who lived and died during that dark period of their history.Theirs is a story worth the telling - and worth the remembering.These true recollections of a middle class boy and his family make the reader realize the profound impact of a war that tore Denmark apart and then united her in ways that no one could foresee."Conquered, Not Defeated" is a testament to the resiliency, the independence and compassion of the Danish spirit, deftly told . . . a story the reader will not soon forget.

Peter Tveskov is a GENIUS!
Conquered, Not Defeated is nothing short of fantastic.Being of Danish descent on both my maternal and paternal sides, I found this book a real and all-encompassing glimpse into the lives of my Scandinavian relatives through Mr. Tveskov.It is difficult to find books on the subject of Danish history which are filled with actual historical accounts from someone who writes with ease of his very own experience.It was a pleasure to delve into this wonderful book and feel as though I were reading Mr. Tveskov's own personal journal of his experience...I am grateful for the anecdotes and historical research he provided so we Danish descendents can truly understand all that Denmark endured during the horrors of WWII.Being affiliated with the Danish Sisterhood, I highly recommend this book to all Scandinavians and anyone interested in WWII history.READ THIS BOOK!

rings true
Coming from a danish family i can tell you that this seemingly simple read really gives a good feel of the times through a childs eye. Mr. Tvestov gives just enough extra information to be able to understand the times in which he grew up in addition to his personal experience.It's also an entertaining, if slightly repetitive read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1934-    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Denmark    5. General    6. History    7. Personal narratives, Danish    8. Tveskov, Peter H.,    9. World War, 1939-1945   

Subjects:  1. Historiography    2. History    3. History: World   

Subjects:  1. 1866-1935    2. 20th century    3. Antiques & Collectibles    4. Antiques/Collectibles    5. Art & Art Instruction    6. Commercial - Fashion Design    7. Denmark    8. Design - General    9. Exhibitions    10. Georg Jensen s²lvsmedie, A/s    11. History    12. Individual Artist    13. Jensen, Georg Arthur,    14. Jewelry    15. Silverwork    16. Antiques & collectables: jewellery    17. Art / Individual Artist    18. Jewellery & jewellery-making   

Subjects:  1. 18th century    2. 19th century    3. Architecture    4. History - General    5. Row houses    6. Sociology    7. Sociology - General    8. United States    9. United States - Revolutionary War    10. Architecture / History    11. Houses, apartments, flats, etc    12. Philadelphia; Boston; Norfolk, Virginia; Charleston, South Carolina; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Baltimore; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Salem, Massachusetts; Washington, D.C.; city houses; urban dwellings; vernacular architecture; urban landscapes; Bristol, England; Amsterdam; Denmark Vesey; enslaved habitation; archaeology; material artifacts; material culture    13. USA    14. c 1700 to c 1800    15. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (3)

"We don't disagree as much as you think"
To his colleagues, Niels Bohr was the "Pope of Physics." Razor-edged minds like Dirac, Franck, Frisch, Gamow, Klein, Mott, Oppenheimer, Pauli, Planck, Schrödinger, and others -- many of whom would later become Nobel laureates themselves -- to proud to say they had studied with Bohr. He was a poor lecturer because he never knew where his thoughts would take him and would often stop in the middle of an explanation when a new idea occurred to him. Without him, there would be no modern physics, no quantum mechanics, no basic understanding of the atom. And while Bohr sometimes entertained theories that turned out to be wrong -- which he was the first to admit -- even Einstein was wrong in areas where Bohr was right. Ottaviani is a very uneven graphics chronicler of modern science and scientists, but this is a very well thought out book, as successful an attempt as I have seen to explain Bohr's thought (as well as his humane and internationalist personal beliefs) and the basics concepts of quantum physics.

Bohr and
Ottaviani's Suspended in Language operates on a number of different levels and is appealing with just the right mixture of intellect and humor. While managing to create a biographical text on the life of Niels Bohr the story also delves into the fundamental principlesof quantum mechanics. Ottaviani created a piece that could be solely read as a primer on quantum mechanics while managing to focus on Bohr's life. The facts are elucidated in illustrations that are intentionally reminiscent of a comic-strip. Just when you begin to feel like you're cramming a bit too much information into your brain all at once the book will take a several page detour into the every day dealings of Bohr's life, and having given you the chance to collect your wits, rev back up to an intellectual furor. What truly makes the book remarkable though is the concise yet vivid description of the various other physicists that Bohr interacted with and influenced. Ottaviani obviously felt compelled to tell the story of Bohr's life because he impacted so many different areas of science and revolutionized fields whose true merit has yet to be realized. Everyone should read this book in order to have a basic understanding of how the scientific notions that guide our lives today were first conceived of and then put into widespread implementation. It's a great read and an even better learning experience.

Bohr Isn't Boring!
Science teachers have a large number of stories - some true, some apocryphal, and some somewhere in between - to regale their students with.We have Einstein's demands of the deity concerning dice, Rutherford's booming voice that trashed lab apparatus, Oppenheimer's Indian verse quoting at Trinity, and Teller's strangelovian life among others, but no good stories from the life of Niels Bohr.Jim Ottaviani, Leland Purvis, et al. have saved us with their intelligent, witty, and spacey cartoon retelling of Niles Bohr's life - Suspended In Language.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Comic books, strips, etc    4. Comics & Graphic Novels    5. Denmark    6. Educational    7. Fine Arts    8. History    9. Physicists    10. Physics    11. Quantum Theory    12. Science    13. Scientists - General    14. Comics & Graphic Novels / General   

Subjects:  1. Denmark    2. Europe - Scandinavia    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. Western Europe - History +    7. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    8. History / Europe / General   

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Ancient - Greece    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. Cities and towns, Ancient    5. City-states    6. Greece    7. Handbooks, manuals, etc    8. History    9. History: World    10. Sociology - Urban    11. To 1500    12. Ancient Greece    13. Classical Greek & Roman archaeology    14. Classical Studies | Ancient History | Greek    15. European history: BCE to c 500 CE    16. History / Ancient / Greece   

Reviews (2)

Excavating the heavens
Victor Thoren has done a remarkable job with what looks like relatively scant material.He draws as detailed a picture as possible not only ofTycho the astronomer and nobleman, but also the man. And it is in thislatter department that his lack of material and references is sensed.Nevertheless, as far as the science and technology is concerned, he hasdone an excellent job in rebuilding for us all of Tycho's instruments andreconstructing the environment and atmosphere where these remarkablemeasurements were made. "Uraniborg" Scholarly, Fascinating, and Comprehensive
"The Lord of Uraniborg" is a scholarly description of the life of Tycho Brahe, the eccentric and brilliant Danish astronomer whose work laid the foundation for the discovery of the motion of the planets byJohannes Kepler.Author Victor Thoren demolishes a number of myths aboutBrahe, while at the same time his exhaustive research into historicalrecords reveals a number of fascinating aspects of Tycho's life.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1546-1601    2. 16th century    3. Astronomers    4. Astronomy    5. Biography    6. Brahe, Tycho,    7. Denmark    8. General    9. History    10. Science    11. Science/Mathematics    12. Scientists    13. Biography: general    14. Brahe - Tycho    15. Brahe, Tycho    16. Science / History   

Reviews (1)

The anonymous story of the Danish Jews
The book tells the little known story of how the unselfish average Danish population made an extra effort and put their own lives in danger to save Denmark's Jewish population to safety from the German occupants duringWWII. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Denmark    2. Europe - Scandinavia    3. History    4. History: World    5. Holocaust    6. Jewish - General    7. Jews    8. Persecutions    9. Pundik, Herbert    10. Religion - Judaism    11. Rescue    12. World War, 1939-1945    13. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    14. Sweden   

Reviews (4)

The science of avoiding decision
Everything I have read by Kierkegaard, Either/Or, The Seducer, Deep Park or whatever has the same central argument- the relative merits of manipulating the situation as opposed to doing or not doing whatever some inner voice tells him. The first book in Kierkegaard's remarkable Authorship
Although Kierkegaard had written other books before this one, mainly some literary critical works as well as his dissertation THE CONCEPT OF IRONY, this is the book that begins what he calls his "Authorship."The works constituting his Authorship have two main things in common:1) they are all written by Pseudonymous Authors that represent points of view that do not precisely correspond with Kierkegaard's beliefs and 2) they are intent on delineating what Kierkegaard called the three stages of existence:the aesthetic, the ethical, and religious stages.

Subjects:  1. History & Surveys - 19th Century    2. History & Surveys - Modern    3. Philosophy    4. Religious    5. Christian theology    6. Danish    7. Literary studies: 19th century    8. Other prose: 19th century    9. Phenomenology & Existentialism    10. Philosophy / Religious    11. Religion   

Reviews (1)

Superb, I cannot recommend this book highly enough
This has to be the definitive account!. This brings a new and refreshing perspective on the Jutland controversy, and has caused me to re-revaluate my own idea's on the subject. Be warned though that this is no light account, though it reads very well, the subject matter is for the die-hard naval fanatic, not for the casual reader.
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Subjects:  1. History: World    2. Denmark    3. European history: First World War    4. First World War, 1914-1918    5. Warfare & Defence   

Reviews (1)

Not That Impressive
Not much on the blitzkrieg, much more on pre-WWII German history leading upto the blitz.A lot of pictures of Hitler, going by the title I thought I would be getting a lot more about Poland and Norway/Denmark.Still, a good basic book, with a few very interesting pictures of the campaigns. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Campaigns    2. Demark    3. Denmark    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. History: American    7. Military - General    8. Military - World War II    9. Norway    10. Poland    11. World War, 1939-1945    12. Defence strategy, planning & research    13. European history: Second World War    14. Germany    15. History / Military / World War II    16. Second World War, 1939-1945    17. Theory of warfare & military science   

Reviews (3)

A reminder of life in the past.
This is a rather unusual book and well worth reading. Most of the time we read about remains being found in caves,tombs or graves under stone monuments,etc. In this case, there is a real departure in that they are found in wet bogs.
"The dead and the sleeping, how they resemble one another"
A beautiful slim volume which should be on everyone's bookshelf. It is adisturbing and yet strangely moving book. However the text is woefully out of date and has a lot of misinformation on the Celts and their relationship with the trading systems of the North. It also lacks the modern theories of how and why these individuals were sacrificed. I highly recommend this book just as long as you don't use it as your only source of information on the Celts.

Glimpse into Iron Age life and ritual
P. V. Glob's BOG PEOPLE is a concise and illuminating study of several exquisitly preserved bodies of Iron Age inhabitant discovered northern Denmark by peat diggers in the early 1950s.Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Anthropology - General    3. Antiquities    4. Bog bodies    5. Denmark    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Iron age    10. Prehistoric Anthropology    11. Prehistoric Archaeology    12. Social History    13. History / Ancient / General    14. History / Social History   

Reviews (1)

A light hearted read
This book, though not an authorised biography and contains only 'researched' information, is a great read. Especially for the fellow Australian who can understand some of the references made - like the stories told in the Little Golden Books etc. This provided a few laughs, though not sure if they'll be understood by the non-antipodean! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography / Royalty    2. Biography & Autobiography / Women    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. General    5. History / Scandinavia    6. Crown Prince of Denmark,    7. Crown Princess of Denmark,    8. Denmark    9. Frederick    10. Mary    11. Princesses   

Reviews (1)

Fascinating
This is a fascinating account of a real life adventure. I could not put it down. A must read for everyone interested in sailing and Viking history. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Archaeology    2. Archaeology / Anthropology    3. Denmark    4. Maritime history    5. Ships & shipping: general interest   

Subjects:  1. Antiques & Collectibles    2. Antiques/Collectibles    3. Art & Art Instruction    4. China    5. Ethnic jewelry    6. History - Asian    7. Inner Mongolia    8. Jewelry    9. Jewelry Arts And Crafts    10. Mongolia    11. Mongols    12. Fashion design    13. Gold & silversmithing    14. Jewellery & jewellery-making   

Subjects:  1. 1864-1916    2. Art    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Denmark    6. General    7. Hammershi, Vilhelm,    8. Hammersh²i, Vilhelm,    9. History - General    10. Individual Painters - 19th Century    11. Painters    12. 20th century    13. Art / General    14. Hammersh²i, Vilhelm    15. History of art & design styles: c 1800 to c 1900    16. History of art & design styles: from c 1900 -    17. Individual artists    18. Painting & paintings    19. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (7)

A Good Book! Well worth your time!
Tycho and Kepler: The Unlikely Partnership That Forever Changed Our Understanding of the Heavens, by Kitty Ferguson, is a 402-page dedication to two astronomical greats of the early seventeenth century, Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler.Beginning with an examination of the society into which Brahe was born, the book traces him throughout his childhood and adulthood, from the building of Uraniborg, Brahe's astronomical observatory on the island of Hven to his banishment from the kingdom of Denmark.Not until nearly the hundredth page is Kepler discussed, but from that point forward, tales from each man's life are alternated.It seems that more time is devoted to Brahe.The two stories come together when the men meet, and it follows them together from that point forward.When Brahe passes away, the focus immediately and entirely shifts to Kepler and follows him to the end of the book.The story comes to an abrupt finish with Kepler's death, though the volume also contains three appendices explaining and elaborating on complex astronomical terms discussed in the body of the book.
Tycho & Kepler - a gooooood read
Tycho & Kepler - The Unlikely Friendship that Forever Changed Our Understanding of the Heavens is, for the most part, an excellent novel and easy read.Although it is a little confusing and dry at the times when complex astronomical concepts are being explained, they are outweighed by the wealth of historical accounts and gratuitous, but juicy tidbits.For instance, besides explaining the extensive instruments that Tycho built, Ferguson offers that he was also the first Dane to write a poem in Latin, that he had a twin that died at birth, and his aunt and uncle kidnapped him from his parents who wanted a girl and didn't much care.As for Kepler, not only did he develop the Harmonic theory, but had a miserable marriage, a mother accused and tried for witchcraft, and was the first author of a science fiction novel.Kitty Ferguson thus tells the life stories of the astronomers Tycho and Kepler in an informative, educational, yet narrative and interesting way.She effectively spans the 20-year gap between Tycho and Kepler by beginning the book describing Tycho's childhood and indeed his life exclusively up until the advent of a comet on December 27, 1571.Ferguson explains that, when Tycho saw the comet, he was out at one of his 60 manmade fish ponds on his estate at the Danish Isle of Hven, catching fish for dinner that evening.Meanwhile Kepler saw the same comet, but he was only five, and it was during a rare warm moment that he shared with his mother on a hilltop in Leonberg.Thus Kepler enters the story.For the rest of the book, Ferguson fluidly integrates the two men's lives, switching back and forth in an understandable, connected way.She eventually merges the two stories in a dynamic, functional manner, and shows how they used each other, and that many of their final results were synthesized versions of their combined efforts.Basically, Tycho provided excruciatingly accurate data that Kepler confirmed mathematically and extrapolated on.Kepler could have never figured out all that he did with out Tycho's data; he had bad eyesight and could not observe the sky he so dearly slaved for.It was because Tycho initially mistrusted Kepler that Kepler received only slight amounts of data that Kepler discovered that planetary orbits are elliptical - Tycho gave him only data on Mars, which happens to have the most extreme elliptical orbit, otherwise Kepler never would have noticed. Tycho also used Kepler to advance his own work and complete (among other things) the Rudolfine Tables, which are not merely the positions of planets, but guides to figure out what positions they are in at any time, (now, 586 years ago, or one thousand years into the future).The aptly-named chapters are elegantly punctuated with helpful pictures, like paintings of people discussed, illustrations of instruments, maps of the places mentioned, explanatory diagrams, and more.There are also obliging appendixes in the back, explaining astronomical terms (even though they are well-explained in the reading), and an index.
The Odd Couple
Kitty Ferguson tells the tail of the unique and often humorous relationship between Johannes Kepler and Tycho Brahe that led to some of the greatest astronomical discoveries of our time. Going against the common belief of the geocentric universe, Kepler changes the world forever with the essential help of Brahe's observation on the heavens. Although the result of their relationship is extraordinarily beneficial to astronomy, the relationship is not as peaceful as one would think. Ferguson makes this evident throughout the story and gives numerous examples of their feuding and bickering over their work together. It reminded me of a 17th century spin off of the odd couple. Both informative and entertaining, this book covers everything from Brahe's golden nose to Kepler robbery of Brahe's information and is definitely worth reading if you are interested in the subject. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1546-1601    2. 1571-1630    3. Astronomers    4. Astronomy - General    5. Biography    6. Biography / Autobiography    7. Brahe, Tycho,    8. Denmark    9. Germany    10. History    11. Kepler's laws    12. Kepler, Johannes,    13. Science    14. Science/Mathematics    15. Scientists - General    16. Brahe, Tycho    17. Kepler, Johannes