The secret power of beauty

Author(s)

    • Armstrong, John

Bibliographic Information

The secret power of beauty

John Armstrong

(Penguin books)(Penguin philosophy)

Penguin, 2005

Other Title

The secret power of beauty : why happiness is in the eye of the beholder

Available at  / 7 libraries

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Note

Originally published: Allen Lane, 2004

Includes index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

The notion of beauty is elusive: we love the things we find beautiful, and yet we are inarticulate when we try to communicate this love, or describe its essence. We are aware of people, paintings and houses that are universally recognized as beautiful, and yet we know also that beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. In defining beauty and our response to it, we are often caught between the concrete and the sublime. We wish to categorize beauty, to clearly label its parts, and yet we wish also to celebrate its mysterious and at times mythical power. Armstrong's response is a discursive and graceful journey through various and complementary interpretations, leading us from Hogarth's belief that the essence of beauty lies in shapely curves, to Kant's discourses on the meaning of pleasure. In this lucid and lyrical exploration John Armstrong aims to deepen our response both to beauty and to happiness. As he shows, the ability to truly recognise the beauty that surrounds us in the everyday could enable us to deepen the enjoyment of our lives.

by "Nielsen BookData"

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Details

  • NCID
    BA71102773
  • ISBN
    • 0140294724
  • Country Code
    uk
  • Title Language Code
    eng
  • Text Language Code
    eng
  • Place of Publication
    London
  • Pages/Volumes
    xi, 171 p.
  • Size
    20 cm
  • Classification
  • Subject Headings
  • Parent Bibliography ID
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