No comments about The Road To Rome, A Modern Pilgrimage.

1 comments about Religion, Art, and Visual Culture: A Cross-Cultural Reader.

1. This is an amazing book. It opens up all kinds of interesting questions about the importance of seeing and vision in a range of different religious contexts. In each major section, Plate invites us to approach a religious tradition not through its main scriptures but through a visual medium. Islam, for example, is approached via calligraphy as a way of thinking about the written word as image. Buddhism is approached through zen gardens as a way of thinking about the concept of shinjin (mind-body). I used this book as the primary textbook for a college course called "Religion and Visual Culture." It was a huge success. It is filled with interesting ideas and fresh approaches, and it is great reading. I highly recommend it.

No comments about A Sense Of The Sacred: Theological Foundations Of Christian Architecture And Art.

2 comments about Tibetan Art: Tracing the Development of Spiritual Ideals....

1. This is a fine addition to anyone's library, either specialist or beginner. Perhaps the most spectacular advantage this book has is that Ms. Heller has managed to find almost entirely new pieces to illustrate her book...no more do we have to view recycled images! She has evidently spent a great deal of time scouring private collections to find these pieces and some of them may only be described as absolutely stunning. Ms Heller carefully places Tibetan art into a historical and social setting. It is largely due to the layout of the book she succeeds in this so admirably. The art works are described and commented on in separate sections of the book but within the larger chapters which themselves clearly describe their historical and social context. The advantage of this layout is that the reader is able to locate art works within their "setting" and the thoughtfully constructed and readable text adds greatly to the enjoyment of the art itself. The text has the freedom to follow religious and historical currents without interrupting or being interrupted by the art historical material which is given the respect of not being forced to compete with the other text.

   Unlike so many other books on this subject, accurate dimensions are given as well as previous publication data for the few pieces seen before.

   I would have liked to see an Introduction which among other things, perhaps traced Ms. Heller's long time involvement with Tibetan art, but given all the other extremely positive aspects of the book it is a small loss.




2. This book is remarkable in that it reads well on both the lay and expert levels. Well illustrated and explained; it doesn't talk down to those unfamiliar with the topic nor bore those who are. An excellent addition to any art book collection. Cheers.

No comments about Visual Piety: A History and Theory of Popular Religious Images.

No comments about Faith and Transformation: Votive Offerings and Amulets from the Alexander Girard Collection.

No comments about Angels CD-ROM and Book (Dover Electronic Clip Art).

No comments about The New Testament: A Pictorial Archive from Nineteenth-Century Sources (Dover Pictorial Archive Series).

1 comments about Norman Rockwell's Faith of America.

1. This book is great. The author talks to Norman Rockwell's widow several months after Mr. Rockwell's death and her words are enlightening. The author travels to two of Mr. Rockwells home towns and speaks with people who posed for many of the pictures.
   It was heart warming reading this book while looking at the nearly 100 pictures the author describes in detail.
   Paula McLeish

No comments about Indian Temple Sculpture.