Ein amerikanischer Psychiater, Schriftsteller und Professor an der Harvard Medical School. Er war ein mit dem Pulitzer-Preis ausgezeichneter Biograf und eine führende Autorität für die spirituellen oder transformativen Auswirkungen angeblicher Entführungserlebnisse durch Außerirdische.
Based on the testimony of 200 subjects who claimed to have been abducted by aliens, this analysis by a distinguished scholar stands as one of the most definitive and well-researched studies on the subject. It persuasively examines the broader implications of these experiences and their larger place in human consciousness. It serves as a fitting tribute to a pioneer authority in this controversial field, and pays homage to a man who dedicated his career to investigating the phenomenon of alien abduction and its role in the science of human experience.
Masks are objects that demonstrate creative skills of many different periods and cultures. Masks are a nearly universal phenomenon, but their uses and meanings are strikingly different across cultures. In this book, eight leading experts explore the stories of masks across ancient and modern civilizations in a survey of their meaning and power.
A Harvard psychiatrist, the author of A Prince of Our Disorder, presents accounts of alien abduction taken from the more than sixty cases he has investigated and examines the implications for our identity as a species.
The British Museum houses one of the world's premier collections of African art. In this beautifully illustrated exploration, John Mack and an international team of artists and scholars utilize this renowned collection to guide readers through the diverse art forms of Africa. Expecting only traditional masks and wooden figures, readers will be surprised by the range of artworks featured, including a Tunisian wedding tunic, a water bottle crafted from ostrich eggshell by the San people, and a multimedia monoprint by a Nigerian artist from 1999. The book uniquely encompasses art from all five regions of Africa, including Saharan Africa, with each section introduced by a British Museum curator who provides essential historical and cultural context. Importantly, this work embodies multiple perspectives; the art reflects the voices of both ancient and contemporary artists engaging with their cultures and the world. Commentaries are contributed by historians, anthropologists, curators, and artists—both local and international—who challenge simplistic notions of "Africanness." African artists also provide insights into their own work and that of their predecessors, while scholars from African universities illuminate the significance of various objects. By presenting a comprehensive view of African art, enhanced by diverse commentary, this book fosters a deeper appreciation for the continent's artistic heritage.
Una ricerca completa sui modi in cui le società, spinte da innata curiosità, hanno interagito con il mare, la vasta distesa che ha allo stesso tempo unito e diviso gli uomini. Gran parte della popolazione mondiale abita sulla costa o nei suoi pressi, vivendo e affrontando il mare nelle maniere più disparate. Storia del mare esplora le diversità insite nei mari stessi, le tecnologie marittime, e in particolar modo la pratica della navigazione, nonché le varie culture che circondano il mare. La separazione fra terra e mare si individua nelle trasformazioni comportamentali di un marinaio quando torna a terra e nello status intermedio dei luoghi nei quali i due regni si fondono e contrappongono, come le spiagge e i porti, dove le navi sono dispiegate anche in contesti simbolici. John Mack osserva il mare attraverso la lente della cultura, componendo con straordinaria agilità uno studio sulle influenze artistiche e mitologiche, con riferimenti che spaziano dai “soliti noti” (Shakespeare, Melville, Conrad, Turner) a scrittori “insospettabili” come Victor Hugo, Bruce Chatwin e Samuel Johnson. La sua carrellata di immagini marittime spazia così dalla letteratura alle arti visive, dalle stampe di Hokusai alle opere di Jonathan Raban. Gettando un’ampia rete, Storia del mare attinge a storie, archeologia marittima, antropologia, storia dell’arte, biografia e letteratura per fornire un resoconto innovativo delle acque che ci circondano.
