Humanities West

Google Books effort still enjoys academic support

2011-04-21T14:03:00.000-07:00

Google Books has been trying for years to digitize and make available on-line millions of volumes of printed books from the world's libraries. Although the effort has been mired in endless litigation for years, it still enjoys substantial support from the academic community. Here is an article from the Stanford University Library newsletter, ReMix (April 2011):

Quo Vadis, Google Books?

In the wake of last month’s judicial rejection of the proposed settlement of litigation between Google Books and various publishers and authors, there are only two firm facts that can be confidently stated about what’s next: first, nobody, with the possible exception of the litigants, knows anything; and second, the litigants aren’t talking. Thus we have the conditions for rampant public speculation, and many have risen to this temptation. I shall not.

Instead, I remind readers that the scanning of millions of books by the Google Books project has never abated, either at Stanford or among the many other participating libraries. Every weekday, a truckload of books goes to Google and a like number come back from them, in a smoothly choreographed process that assures both safekeeping and tracking of the books. The total to date is in the vicinity of two million volumes, and we anticipate continuing this process for years to come. We do not know how or even if any given book will be used by Google, but we are certain of the utility to Stanford in having our holdings preserved and being made searchable through digitization. We are hopeful of additional beneficial outcomes for Stanford.

The key word in Stanford’s public reaction to the demise of the proposed settlement was “disappointment.” That, almost five years after the class-action suits were initiated against the project, there is no resolution whatever is certainly disappointing; any decision might seem preferable to none. That a startling vision of public access to a vast amount of text as articulated in the proposed settlement has been occluded is another disappointment. That the “orphan works” and other copyright issues remain in limbo is a lesser disappointment, if only because efforts are underway to address them by legislative rather than judicial means. However, the key word I wish you to take away is “persistence.” We persist in scanning books through Google (as well as in our own labs). We persist in developing techniques to help scholars use digitized texts. We may be confident that the litigants will persist in seeking some eventual resolution to the court case. We persist in hoping that the discordance between copyright law and the realities of the digital age will be harmonized, at least with regard to printed literatures, before the century is much further along. We persist in fulfilling a vision and mission that depend on both digital and artefactual means of providing and preserving information.

Looking forward, but unprophetically,

Andrew Herkovic

Short Resource List for Minoan Crete

2011-04-13T16:03:00.000-07:00

One of the best introductions to the rediscovery of Minoan civilization is Alexandre Farnoux's Knossos: Searching for the Legendary Palace of King Minos (1996, 159pp), part of the excellent Discoveries series (i.e., concise, lavishly illustrated, with selected historical documents). The Minotaur's Island is an informative, if somewhat melodramatic, video documentary (2008, 98 minutes, available through Netflix or Amazon) featuring historian Bettany Hughes summarizing what we know about Minoan Crete today. Cathy Gere's Knossos & the Prophets of Modernism (2009, 234pp. also in Kindle format) details how the rediscovery and interpretation of Minoan culture was heavily influenced by a war-ravaged Europe's eagerness to find and embrace a more benign and peaceful cultural heritage. For those who enjoy historical fiction, Mary Renault's classic The King Must Die (originally 1958, but numerous recent editions plus audiobook format) retells the legend of Theseus' encounter with the Minoans, against the backdrop of a cataclysmic volcanic eruption.

Compiled by Chuck Sieloff

Short Resource List for Toledo: Multicultural Challenges of Medieval Spain

2011-01-22T11:12:00.000-08:00

If you would like to do some additional reading or research related to the Humanities West program on Toledo (Feb. 4 and 5, 2011), the following short list of recommended resources is a good starting point.

Chris Lowney’s A Vanished World: Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Medieval Spain (2006, 320pp) focuses on the messy reality of a multicultural society in which the pragmatic need to coexist goes hand-in-hand with factionalism, political fragmentation, and ever-shifting alliances that often crossed cultural boundaries. Maria Rosa Menocal gives a somewhat more idealized and romanticized view of “convivencia” in The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain (2003, 352pp, available in Kindle format). Menocal also co-authored (with Jerrilynn D. Dodds and Abigail Krasner Balbale) an award-winning study of cross-cultural influences in Castillian art, architecture, and literature: The Arts of Intimacy: Christians, Jews, and Muslims in the Making of Castillian Culture (2009, 416pp). The book, which focuses on Toledo, is lavishly illustrated and includes a 64-page bibliographic essay and a detailed chronology. Teofilo Ruiz, a featured speaker at the program, has created a Teaching Company video course, The Other 1492: Ferdinand, Isabella, and the Making of an Empire (12 half-hour lectures) which provides excellent historical background and context, although its emphasis is on the transition from medieval Iberia to modern Spain, rather than on the long period of Muslim/Christian/Jewish coexistence.

Early Italian musical instruments

2010-10-06T13:32:00.000-07:00

The Viola da Gamba

The viola da gamba (also called the "viol" or "gamba") is not a fretted cello! [A] cello has 4 strings and a viol usually has 6, like a guitar, or 7. In addition, the viol's frets . . . are . . . made of gut tied onto the neck, like those of a lute, and are therefore movable. Viols are bowed, like cellos, but the bow is held . . . underhand, like a pencil or chopsticks. . . . The smallest, highest-sounding member is a treble viol, equivalent to the violin. Next larger and deeper in tone is the tenor viol, approximately equivalent to the viola. Even larger and deeper-sounding is the bass viol, equivalent to the cello. The largest, deepest size, the double bass, is the only viol played in orchestras today.

Viols have a long history. They were perhaps most popular in the 15th to 18th centuries, from about the time of Henry VIII of England, who played them, to that of Louis XIV of France (the Sun King). Shakespeare mentions them in several plays, including Twelfth Night. The sound of the viol is sweet and shimmering, quieter than that of violins, violas, or cellos. [source]

Come and see David Morris make music on the viola da gamba on October 22 at the Herbst Theatre.

The Bassetto Simone Cimapane

The Bassetto Simone Cimapane is a cello of big proportion, almost a "bassetto" or a "basso di violino", made in Rome by Simone Cimapane in 1685. Simone Cimapane was active in Rome as a maker of string instruments and as a musician during the second half of the seventeenth century and he played with Arcangelo Corelli. His name appears in the "Societá del Centesimo" that was created by the members of "Congregazione di Santa Cecilia" in Rome in 1688. He is also mentioned in the lists of musicians employed by Cardinal Pamphili, together with others musicians under Corelli. Most likely Simone Cimapane was father of Bartolomeo, a double bass player active in Rome during the time of Corelli. At least two others members of this family were active musicians: one a violin player and one a singer. This instrument has original measure and is considered an Unicum, an instrument of historical importance because it was played in the Orchestra of Arcangelo Corelli. For its features and historical relevance, it belongs in the Italian musical heritage. [Text provided by Alessandro Palmeri]

Additional images of the Bassetto Cimapane during restoration may be found here.

Come and see Alessandro Palmeri make music on the Bassetto Cimapane on October 23 at the Herbst Theatre and October 24 at SF Conservatory.

Short list of recommended resources for Venice: Queen of the Adriatic

2010-08-31T16:04:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth Horodowich has written a short and very readable summary, A Brief History of Venice: A New History of the City and Its People (2009, pb, 230pp), which includes brief references to the physical remains from each period that may still be seen today when visiting the city. Somewhat denser is William H. McNeill’s Venice: The Hinge of Europe, 1081-1797 (originally published in 1974, reissued in 2009, pb, 323pp), which focuses more attention on Venice’s relations with the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires and the emerging European powers. If art is your primary focus, Patricia Fortini Brown’s Art and Life in Renaissance Venice (2005, pb, 176pp) provides historical and social context along with excellent illustrations. Jan Morris originally wrote her impressionistic portrait of Venice fifty years ago, but has revised it several times for later editions. It is currently available as Venice in Kindle (2008, 336pp) and Audiobook (2010, 5:16 hours) formats, and in book form as The World of Venice (1995, pb, 320pp). Our featured speaker for the Friday evening program (Oct. 22), Joanne Ferraro, provides an unusual perspective on Venice’s social history and the role of women in Marriage Wars in Late Renaissance Venice (2001, 240pp, also available in Kindle), based on her examination of court records of marital disputes.

Remember, if you are ordering any of these books (or anything else) from Amazon, you can help Humanities West by ordering through our Amazon Affiliates link. We get 4-6% of your purchase price, at no additional cost to you. Just one additional click.

Historical fiction set in Venice

2010-08-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

Humanities West programs offer a kind of cross-disciplinary immersion in some particularly interesting historical setting. Another way to add a dimension to that immersive experience is through historical fiction that shares a similar historical and cultural setting. Although you may have to sift through some schlocky (and wildly inaccurate) works that are simply looking for an exotic background, good historical fiction is meticulously researched and goes to great lengths to recreate the atmosphere, the look-and-feel, and even the psychological mindset of its period. A fictionalized plot, set against a backdrop that often includes real historical places, events and personalities, can bring a distant period to life in a way that few works of straight history are able to do.

It should come as no surprise that Venice, the focal point of our Oct. 22-23 program, has figured prominently in many works of historical fiction. But where to start? It turns out that there is an excellent web site called Historical Tapestry. "We are a group of readers who love to read Historical Fiction set in all eras. Historical Tapestry is exclusively devoted to Historical Fiction."

In response to a request for information about works set in Venice, the folks at Historical Tapestry have compiled a list organized by historical period, with the bulk of the works set in the 15th and 16th centuries. While I can't claim to have read all these books, based on a perusal of Amazon summaries and reviews, it looks like Elle Newmark's The Book of Unholy Mischief or Thomas Quinn's The Lion of St. Mark might be good places to start. The Newmark book is also available in Kindle and Audiobook formats.

Feel free to add your own recommendations or critiques if you are familiar with these or any other works of historical fiction set in Venice.

Agora: a film about Alexandria, astronomy, and a woman of science

2010-08-04T13:16:00.000-07:00

Agora is not your typical summer blockbuster. You may even have trouble finding a theater where it is currently playing. But the movie is centered on some themes that will undoubtedly resonate with fans of Humanities West, especially those who attended last season's programs about astronomy (in October 2009) and Alexandria (in February 2010).

This is the story of Hypatia, the brilliant female philosoper, mathematician, and astronomer, who lived and taught in Alexandria at the end of the fourth century and beginning of the fifth century, when Alexandria was being torn apart by factional strife between the Hellenistic pagans, the Jews, and the rapidly rising Christians. Hypatia, who has been called "the last of the Hellenes", had a devoted following that included members of all three cultural strands, but her dedication to a life of reason and empirical skepticism brought her increasingly into conflict with the faith-based fanaticism of the Christians, who eventually destroyed the multi-cultural cosmopolitanism that had made Alexandria the cultural and scholarly center of Mediterranean civilization for centuries. The brutal public murder of Hypatia by an organized mob of Christian militants in 415 AD may also be seen as the symbolic end of the Hellenistic era that our program celebrated. (The image below is from Raphael's School of Athens.)

The film's depiction of factional strife in Alexandria, although sometimes uncomfortably graphic, seems to follow historical accounts rather accurately. Its re-creation of ancient Alexandria and of everyday life in the streets, as well as in the scholarly precincts of the Library, are impressive and convincing. The film also depicts Hypatia's intellectual struggle to challenge the assumptions of the dominant geocentric model of Ptolemaic astronomy, and replace it with a simpler, more elegant heliocentric model, a theory that would take more than a thousand years (and the invention of the telescope) to gain widespread acceptance. This account is credible (based on Hypatia's scholarly accomplishments and on the existence of competing heliocentric theories in the Greek tradition), but is also highly speculative, since little direct evidence of her work survived.

If you enjoy historical dramatizations, this film is worth seeing. If you are unable to find it in a theater, the DVD can be pre-ordered through Netflix or Amazon, although it will apparently not be available until later this Fall.

Bibliotheca Alexandrina architects chosen for SF MOMA addition

2010-07-29T12:14:00.000-07:00

Those of you who attended last February's program on Alexander /Alexandria will probably remember some striking pictures of the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina, designed to be a modern counterpart to the ancient Library of Alexandria. The modern Library embraces technology and a multi-cultural approach to create a world-class cultural institution and center of learning. To find out more about the Library, visit its web site.

For a brief tour of the facility, take a look at this four-minute YouTube video.

That Library was the first major project of a Norwegian architectural firm (Snohetta) that has just been chosen to design the new addition to San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art. To learn more about the firm and see other examples of its striking design work, visit its web site.

Happy Birthday, Mechanics' Institute.

2010-07-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

Many Humanities West attendees are already familiar with the Mechanics' Institute, which has been a long-time friend and supporter of our programs. They often provide a lovely venue for the "extra" talks that are presented in conjunction with our Herbst Theatre programs. On July 15th, MI will be celebrating the centennial of the opening of their current building at 57 Post Street in San Francisco. (The organization itself is considerably older than the building, having been founded in 1854, shortly after the Gold Rush.) Here are the details about the event. Please note that donors to Humanities West are entitled to the reduced rate of $10 for "co-sponsor members".

INVITE

Building Centennial Celebration 1910-2010

THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2010

NOON – 8:00 PM

57 POST STREET, SAN FRANCISCO, CA

You are cordially invited to celebrate the Mechanics’ Institute’s Building Centennial. Designed by renowned architect Albert Pissis, 57 Post Street is an historic landmark and a striking example of the Beaux Arts style. Come enjoy interior tours of our building—highlighting its unique architectural details—

and walking tours of Pissis’ other buildings in downtown San Francisco.

Participate in stimulating lectures and discussions on the legacy of Albert Pissis, the rebuilding of San Francisco after the earthquake and fire of 1906, and the socio-political landscape of 1910.

Delicious refreshments available at a re-creation of the Ritz Old Poodle Dog.

The celebration concludes with cake and champagne. We look forward to seeing you!

Reservations required:

MI & Cosponsor Members $10; Public $25

415.393.0100 or rsvp@milibrary.org

For schedule of events, please visit www.milibrary.org

Card and commemorative poster courtesy of Anchor Brewing Company.

Promotional cosponsors include AIA San Francisco, Heyday Books,

Humanities West, San Francisco Architectural Heritage, San Francisco

Historical Society, William Stout Architectural Books & Publishing.

.^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thursday, July 15, 12:00 noon – 8:00 pm

Mechanics’ Institute

Building Centennial Celebration

(1910 - 2010)

SCHEDULE OF DAY & PROGRAMS

12:00

Refreshments available in the Ritz Old Poodle Dog from Noon - 3:00 pm, 4^th floor

12:30 - 2:15 pm, 4^th floor

A Tribute to Architect Albert Pissis’ Legacy,

The Mechanics’ Institute Commission, and San Francisco circa 1910

Guest Speakers:

Charles Fracchia (When the Water Came Up to Montgomery Street:

San Francisco During the Gold Rush),

William Kostura (Russian Hill: The Summit 1853-1906)

Richard Reinhardt (Four Books, 300 Dollars and a Dream)

Chris VerPlanck, Architectural Historian and principal,

Knapp & VerPlanck, Preservation Architects.

2:30 - 4:30 pm

All Tours start at Rangoni Firenze Shoes

Indoor Tours of the Mechanics’ Institute Library & Chess Room

Highlighting its unique architectural details

Lead by Rick Evans & MI Staff

Walking Tours of Pissis’ Architectural Gems in Downtown San Francisco

Lead by Michael Corbett, William Kostura, Therese Poletti, Chris VerPlanck

^^^^

Self-guided Tours

^^^

Historic Postcard Exhibit, Library 2^nd & 3^rd floors

Provided by David Parry & John Freeman, SF Bay Area Postcard Club

^^^^

6:00 - 8:00 pm, 2^nd floor

From Earthquake Rubble to Beaux Arts Splendor:

Mechanics’ Institute and the Miraculous Rebuilding of San Francisco

Afternoon speakers will be joined by the following panelists:

Gray Brechin (Imperial San Francisco)

Alice Carey, Historical Architect, Carey & Company Architecture

Michael Corbett (Splendid Survivors)

John King, Architecture Columnist, SF Chronicle,

Waverly Lowell, Curator, UCB, Environmental Design Archives

Therese Poletti (Art Deco San Francisco

Peter Booth Wiley (National Trust Guide: San Francisco)

Cake & Champagne

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Reservations required:

MI & Cosponsor Members $10; Public $25

415.393.0100 or rsvp@milibrary.org

For schedule of events, please visit www.milibrary.org

Special exhibition on Genghis Khan

2010-06-27T17:17:00.000-07:00

In early 2008, Humanities West had a very popular program about Genghis Khan, who turns out to be a much more interesting and complex figure than popular stereotypes might suggest. For those who would like to learn more about the man and his times, The Tech Museum in San Jose is hosting the only West Coast appearance of a special exhibition about Genghis Khan, featuring many artifacts that have never been shown outside Mongolia.

I'm not sure how this exhibit wound up at The Tech, but it looks interesting. (They had a terrific exhibition about the inventions of Leonardo de Vinci a while back.) The duration of the exhibit is not obvious on the web site, but it looks like it runs until Oct. 24th.

Background resources for all levels of interest

2010-04-20T14:30:00.000-07:00

The final program of our 25th Anniversary Season, The Florence of the Medici, is coming up in just ten days (April 30-May 1). In addition to the formal program at Herbst Theatre, there are a number of related events that are open to the public at little or no cost. See our web site or our Facebook page for full details.

For those who would like to do some additional background research about the topic, we have identified a range of resources for every level of interest. If you just want to spend a few minutes refreshing your memory about the historical context of Renaissance Florence, we have prepared a one-page overview. Ticket-holders may also request a copy of a Sourcebook or reader that contains extracts from a variety of sources (the limited distribution is to ensure compliance with copyright restrictions). For those with a little more time, there is the Short Resource List of material aimed at a general audience in a wide variety of formats. Finally, there is a more extensive bibliography that includes many scholarly works as well as specialized web sites.

If you make use of any of these resources, please give us some feedback on what you find most useful and what changes you would suggest for future programs.

Piano recital by Andrea Padova (March 17)

2010-03-16T15:57:00.000-07:00

This piano recital is sponsored by the Italian Cultural Institute (one of our partners for the Medici Florence program) as part of a Spring Festival of Italian Music. Looks like you might get in for free by mentioning the email announcement or printing out this item.

Italian pianist Andrea Padova made his name as the winner of the J.S.Bach International Piano Competition in 1995 and with a highly regarded recording of Bach-Busoni transcriptions. His return recital in San Francisco includes a Bach masterpiece, Ouverture in the French Style, Schumann rarely played and highly poetic Intermezzi op. 4, and the first book of Preludes & Interludes, an interesting cycle alternating Bach and Padova short pieces.

Admission: $15 general / $7 IIC members Free entry with this email message

Part of Primavera Italiana – the Spring Festival of Italian Music – curated by Luciano Chessa.

-

Information

Date: Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Time: 6:30 pm

Location: Istituto Italiano di Cultura

Organized by: Istituto Italiano di Cultura

Short list of recommended resources for Medici Florence

2010-03-14T14:40:00.001-07:00

If you would like to learn a little more about our topic, but don't have a lot of extra time to invest, try some of these resources. Jerry Brotton's The Renaissance: A Very Short Introduction (2006, 148pp., also available in Kindle format) puts the period in the broadest possible context, emphasizing often neglected aspects like the influence of Byzantine and Islamic cultures and the role of new technologies like the printing press. The Renaissance – In a Nutshell by Peter Whitfield provides a concise and insightful summary of the Italian Renaissance, with special emphasis on Florence, in a 72-minute audiobook (2009). If you don't mind the melodramatic presentation style, PBS has a four-part video series on The Medici, Godfathers of the Renaissance as part of its Empires series (3 hours, 40 minutes, available through Netflix). It provides a solid introduction to our topic, and features our Friday night speaker, Dale Kent, as one of the academic commentators. If art is your primary interest, A. Richard Turner's Renaissance Florence: The Invention of a New Art provides a lavishly illustrated introduction (1997, 176pp.). Finally, an excellent web site Renaissance – Focus on Florence provides a wealth of background material aimed at teachers under the umbrella of Annenberg Media's Learner.org (http://www.learner.org/interactives/renaissance/florence.html).

Experiencing history through video games

2010-02-22T14:50:00.000-08:00

I'm not a big fan of video games, but as the technology matures, it is demonstrating an ability to create very compelling and engaging virtual environments that can be educational as well as entertaining. My grandkids know more about Greek and Egyptian mythology than I ever did at their age, and its all from playing The Age of Mythology. Now, along comes a game called Assassin's Creed II, which is set in Renaissance Italy.

According to this Wall Street Journal article, the game is "as close as we've managed to get to real time travel." Using Renaissance scholars as advisers, the game's creators have reconstructed the look and feel of Renaissance Florence, Venice, and Rome in painstaking detail. As the player, you are walking (or more often, running) through the streets, experiencing the everyday sights and sounds of bustling 15th century towns, exploring authentic reconstructions of major architectural landmarks, and interacting with historical figures like Leonardo, Machiavelli, and Savonarola. It's an immersive experience that offers "a kind of education by stealth".

Of course, it would be wonderful if such historical simulations could do away with the pervasive violence and mayhem of the video game and focus on the truly educational aspects of the subject, but then who would pay to develop such a product and, perhaps more importantly, who would find it compelling enough to spend hours of their free time exploring all the intricate details. (The original Assassin's Creed was set during the Crusades, and sold eight million copies at a theoretical list price of $60.)

Like it or not, this is a powerful technology that will influence the way the younger generation experiences and learns about distant times and places. If you would like to sample what the game looks like, take a look at this 7-minute YouTube video introduction to the Florence segment.

Serageldin talks about Alexandria Library at Stanford

2009-12-05T12:59:00.000-08:00

Dr. Ismail Serageldin gave an informative and moving talk at Stanford on Dec. 2nd about the new Bibliotheca Alexandrina, which he founded and still leads.

Inspired by the ancient Museum and Library, which thrived for centuries not only as the world's greatest repository of scrolls and books, but also as a gathering place for the leading scholars from different disciplines and different cultures, the new Library is an attempt to re-imagine what such a center of learning would look like if it could take full advantage of today's revolutionary technologies for managing, distributing, and accessing information. The mission of the Library, as stated by Serageldin, is to provide "Access to all information for all people at all times."

The library complex, housed in a magnificent new building in Alexandria, includes not just a collection of millions of books, but also conference facilities, research institutes, four museums, a planetarium, an exploratorium (modeled after San Francisco's), a TV studio, a web site, and a copy of the Internet Archives (which tries to preserve snapshots of the incredibly voluminous and volatile information residing on the Web). The Library has a staff of 2000 people, and receives 1.2 million visitors a year.

The Library is involved in many interesting projects that are pushing the edge of new technologies. A few of the most notable are:

The creation of "Supercourses" that are available on-line and on DVDs. These courses include thousands of lectures and can provide access to learning to hundreds of thousands of students.
The development of a "Universal Networking Language" to facilitate the automatic translation of texts from many different languages into many other different languages. Instead of laboriously developing translators that are specific to each unique pair of languages, the UNL requires only one translation mechanism (i.e., to and from UNL) for each new language that is added.
The World Digital Library is a collaborative effort to capture high-quality digital images of important documents, books, maps, etc. from around the world, so that scholars (and ordinary students) from around the world can examine these works in great detail without needing to be physically in the same place.

Short list of recommended resources for Alexander/Alexandria

2009-11-30T11:07:00.000-08:00

This list is for those who would like to do a little background research for the upcoming program about Alexander and Alexandria, but don't have much time. The emphasis is on resources that are concise, easily accessible in a variety of formats, and aimed at a general (rather than scholarly) audience.

There are, of course, innumerable biographies of Alexander the Great, but if you are looking for a short, readable, and lavishly illustrated introduction to his life and historical impact, try Alexander the Great: Son of the Gods by Alan Fildes and Joann Fletcher (Paperback, 2004; 176pp). Alexander’s life has also been the subject of many TV and video documentaries, of variable quality. The History Channel’s The True Story of Alexander the Great (2004; 2hrs 30min; available on Netflix) gives a reasonably balanced account drawing on both ancient and modern sources with high-quality production values.

Alexandria: Jewel of Egypt by Jean-Yves Empereur (part of the excellent Discoveries series) provides a concise, but richly illustrated, overview of Alexandria’s history from its founding in 331 BCE to its modern role as Egypt’s second city and includes selected extracts from historical documents and literary sources. (Paperback, 2002; 158 pp.) A thorough historical analysis of Alexandria’s role as the center of Hellenistic culture may be found in The Rise and Fall of Alexandria: Birthplace of the Modern World by Justin Pollard and Howard Reid (Paperback, 2006; 329pp; also available in Kindle and Audiobook formats).

The Egyptology Online website provides a capsule history of the city, while the significance of the ancient Library and its modern re-incarnation are discussed on the travel-oriented site, Sacred Destinations.

If you are planning to purchase any of these items (or other items) through Amazon, you can help Humanities West by entering Amazon through our referral link. We receive a small percentage of your purchase at no additional cost to you (and all your existing account settings at Amazon are unchanged).

Additional background info on Dr. Serageldin and the new Alexandria Library

2009-11-20T17:34:00.000-08:00

The previous post publicized two talks that Dr. Ismail Serageldin, the Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, will be giving at Stanford on Dec. 2nd at Dinkelspiel Auditorium. At 2:00 pm, he will discuss “The New Library of Alexandria: A Beacon of Knowledge.” At 4:00 pm he will deliver a lecture, co-sponsored with the Office of Religious Studies, “For a Better Dialog Between the West and Muslims.” Both programs, and the reception to follow, are open to the public. The following additional information is provided by an email communication of the Stanford University Libraries:

Egyptian Library Visionary to Speak at Stanford

My Credo

The world is my home

Humanity is my family

Non-violence is my creed

Peace, justice, equality and dignity for all is my purpose

Engagement, rationality, tolerance, dialogue, learning and understanding are my means

With outstretched hands we welcome all those who share these beliefs . . .

-Ismail Serageldin

Dedicated to recapturing the spirit of openness and scholarship of the original Library of Alexandria, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is truly a modern wonder and has partnered with Stanford in digitization of Arabic-language books, professional development in emerging nations, and other projects....

A dazzling and engaging speaker, Dr. Serageldin has published over 60 books and monographs and over 200 papers on a variety of topics including biotechnology, rural development, sustainability, and the value of science to society. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from Cairo University and Master's degree and a PhD from Harvard University and has received 25 honorary doctorates. His Web site contains recent news, presentations and speeches, as well as his numerous services and appointments to world organizations. We urge ReMix readers to seize these opportunities to hear one of the world's foremost librarians and humanitarians. Please contact Sonia Lee if you would like to attend.

Egypt's Bibliotheca Alexandrina, shown above, boasts a spectacular campus on the shore of the Mediterranean, containing specialized libraries; sophisticated digital research and development units; museums of antiquities, manuscripts and the history of science; a planetarium and exploratorium; a cultural panorama; art galleries; academic research centers; conference facilities; resident institutions; and permanent exhibitions.

Director of Bibliotheca Alexandrina speaking at Stanford on Dec. 2nd

2009-11-13T16:23:00.000-08:00

Dr. Ismail Serageldin, the director of the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, officially inaugurated in 2002, will be delivering two talks at Stanford on Wednesday, Dec. 2nd.

At 2:00 pm: The New Library of Alexandria: A Beacon of Knowledge

[The modern library is an attempt by Egypt and the city of Alexandria to recreate, in spirit if not content, the original Library of Alexandria. The Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt created what was at the time, the world's largest library in the third century BC in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. Though historical accounts disagree as to how, why and when, this massive repository of centuries of scholastic work was burned down and lost to the ages.]

At 4:30 pm: For a Better Dialog Between the West and Muslims

The talks will be held at Dinkelspiel Auditorium on the Stanford campus, and are free and open to the public. More information, including maps, is available here.

Please respond by November 25 if you would like to attend
sonialee@stanford.edu, 650-736-9538

Public acceptance of evolution

2009-10-10T14:53:00.000-07:00

At the Astronomy program, we had a one-page handout that provided some historical context for the topic. Today, many find it hard to understand why it should have taken more than 150 years for the heliocentric theories of Copernicus, the careful observations of Galileo, and the ingenious calculations of Kepler to gain widespread acceptance. But beliefs die hard, and beliefs that are central to man's self-image and his perceived role in the universe are especially resistant to challenge. To provide some modern perspective, the handout reminded readers that Darwin's theory of evolution was published 150 years ago and has been reinforced by a steady stream of scientific evidence ever since then. Nevertheless, a majority of people in the United States still do not accept the validity of evolution, and major elements of the world's great religions continue to resist incorporating evolutionary science into their belief systems.

This assertion apparently surprised and dismayed a number of people in the audience, but it is supported by a number of studies and polls that have been made regarding the public acceptance of evolution in the U.S. and elsewhere. The most widely publicized study (from 2005) compared results in 34 different countries. As the graph shows, the U.S. ranked 33rd, ahead of only Turkey, in public acceptance of evolution. Over the last 20 years, those in the U.S. expressing belief in evolution declined from 45% to 40%, while those rejecting it outright declined from 48% to 39%, with the rest not sure. So 60% of Americans either reject or are skeptical of evolution.

The same study also cites a survey that used different response choices, but came up with essentially the same result: "A dichotomous true-false question format tends to exaggerate the strength of both positions. In 1993 and 2003, national samples of American adults were asked about the same statement but were offered the choice of saying that the statement was "definitely true, probably true, probably false, definitely false," or that they did not know or were uncertain. About a third of American adults firmly rejected evolution, and only 14% of adults thought that evolution is "definitely true." Treating the "probably" and "not sure" categories as varying degrees of uncertainty, ~55% of American adults have held a tentative view about evolution for the last decade."

Other polls look even worse. According to an excellent article in the Economist, "In the United States a Gallup poll conducted last year found that only 14% of people agreed with the proposition that “humans developed over millions of years”, up from 9% in 1982."

Explanations usually focus on the much stronger strain of religious fundamentalism in America, especially when compared to Western Europe, and on the significant, but often unacknowledged, cultural gulf that exists between the two coasts, on the one hand, and the vast middle stretches of the country, on the other. It may be dismaying, but it should not be surprising.

Filippenko's Astronomy course on big sale

2009-10-09T11:50:00.000-07:00

Didn't get enough of Alex Filippenko at our program on Oct. 3rd? According to a current catalog, his Teaching Company video course, Understanding the Universe: An Introduction to Astronomy (96 half-hour lectures) is currently on sale for $144.95 through Oct. 30, 2009. It normally sells for $799.95.

I could not find this special sale price on their web site: www.teach12.com, but the catalog says to be sure to use priority code 37088 when ordering by phone (1-800-TEACH-12) or web.

Don't miss Alex Filippenko speaking at the Astronomy program

2009-09-22T13:01:00.000-07:00

The closing talk at our upcoming program Copernicus, Galileo & Kepler: Redefining our Place in the Universe (Oct. 2 & 3) will be delivered by Alex Filippenko of the UC Berkeley Astronomy Department. While the title "Dark Energy and the Runaway Universe" may sound intimidating for a lay audience, Filippenko has a well-deserved reputation for making complex scientific concepts understandable. In addition to publishing 500 research papers, he has been voted the "Best Professor" on campus five times. Other recognition awards include the Carl Sagan Prize for Science Popularization in 2004 and the U.S. Professor of the Year award in 2006 (sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching). He has also produced a well-received astronomy video course for The Teaching Company on Understanding the Universe: An Introduction to Astonomy (96 30-minute lectures). Don't miss this chance to hear one of America's best known astronomers talking about what is sometimes considered the most important unsolved problem in physics: the nature of dark energy.

Henry Tenenbaum will be interviewing Filippenko on KRON Channel 4 News Weekend show (Sunday Sept. 27, 8:00-10:00 am).

Reinventing the Culture Business for the Attention Economy

2009-09-10T18:33:00.000-07:00

That was the title of a seminar I went to with a couple of other Humanities West people on 9/9, sponsored by the National Arts Marketing Project. The keynote speaker was Doug McLennan (ArtsJournal.com), who made some very interesting points about the difficulties that many cultural organizations are having in making the transition from a mass culture dominated by TV, movies, and newspapers to a niche culture in which people have an almost infinite variety of choices about how to spend their time and money.

A few key observations:

While half of the mainstream arts journalist jobs have gone away since 2005, there are some 300,000 arts blogs on the internet, and culturally focused media like the New Yorker and NPR are actually increasing their audience and thriving. (The New Yorker has more subscribers now in California than in New York.)
We've moved from a service economy to an experience economy (think Starbucks), but the next phase is an attention economy, in which there is too much stuff competing for everyone's attention. Ironically, the more choices you have, the more likely you are to be dissatisfied with the choices you make, because you could have chosen so many other things.
With so many choices, many people don't decide what to do until the last minute, and they are less likely to be loyal returning customers, even if they enjoyed their experience. What these people value is being part of a community and being active participants in whatever is being sold. They want to be able to make comments, express opinions, influence decisions, connect with other participants. This means giving up some real control over the customer relationship, which is hard for many traditional organizations.
People aged 12-24 trust unknown peers more than they trust experts. That may seem irrational to an older generation, but the internet generation is comfortable with their wide social networks, and is distrustful of experts and authorities, who are always trying to tell them what to think and what to do and what to buy.
"Losers build websites; winners build communities."

One of the big challenges that Doug didn't talk about, but that organizations like Humanities West face all the time, is how do you appeal to this younger potential audience, while still maintaining the loyalty and support of your older audience, who may be looking for very different things.

Book discussion on Sept. 21

2009-09-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

At the suggestion of several Humanities West fans, we have organized related book discussions to be held regularly at the Commonwealth Club (595 Market Street, 2nd Floor). We anticipate about 6 events a year, with the discussions to be facilitated by Lynn Harris.

The first of these book discussions will be held on Monday, September 21st at 5:30 p.m. James A. Connor's book "Kepler's Witch: An Astronomer's Discovery of Cosmic Order Amid Religious War, Political Intrigue, and the Heresy Trial of His Mother"will be discussed. This should provide valuable background to those who intend to attend Humanities West's program at the Herbst Theater on October 2nd and 3rd - Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler: Redefining Our Place in the Universe.

There will be no charge for these Humanities Book Discussion Group events at the Commonwealth Club. (If you'll be buying this book, also available in Kindle format, through Amazon, please use our referral link. We get a small percentage of the purchase price, at no additional cost to you. A painless way to help Humanities West.)

Short resource list for Astronomy program

2009-08-20T18:25:00.000-07:00

If you would like to do a little background research for our upcoming Astronomy program on Oct. 2-3, but don't have a lot of time, here is a short list of resources in a variety of formats that you might find helpful.

Thomas S. Kuhn’s classic work, The Copernican Revolution: Planetary Astronomy in the Development of Western Thought (1957; currently in 24th printing; 297 pp) recreates the historical context within which new astronomical concepts and observations battled for acceptance, eventually changing the way man perceived his place in the universe. Owen Gingerich takes an unusual approach in The Book Nobody Read: Chasing the Revolutions of Nicolaus Copernicus (2004, 306 pp). He tracks down and physically examines the earliest copies of the book that started it all, Copernicus’ De Revolutionibus, to determine who read the book and how they reacted to its ideas (as revealed in marginal notes and comments). Dava Sobel’s popular Galileo’s Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love (1999, 420 pp; also available as audiobook) uses the surviving letters of his oldest child to create a more personal perspective on Galileo’s life and work. There are also two good PBS specials relevant to our program: Galileo’s Battle for the Heavens (Nova, 2002, 120 min.) and 400 Years of the Telescope (2009, 60 min.), both readily available from Netflix. PBS has also created a web site to provide additional educational materials related to its Galileo program.

Remember, if you purchase any of these materials (or any other products) using our referral link to Amazon, Humanities West receives a small percentage of your purchase price at no extra cost to you. A painless way to help support Humanities West.

What are the Humanities?

2009-08-15T17:14:00.000-07:00

It often seems that "the Humanities" is an old-fashioned term that has lost its meaning in the modern world of highly specialized academic disciplines. It's interesting to see that Stanford University is making a conscious attempt to restore meaning and relevance to the term by creating umbrella resources on both the web and Facebook that try to consolidate and integrate the many different threads of Humanities-related activities at the University.

Stanford's web site, called The Human Experience, highlights the activities of 15 different academic departments, over 25 interdisciplinary programs, and over 30 research centers (including, of course, the Stanford Humanities Center, which works closely with Humanities West on many of our programs). Stanford has also created an excellent Facebook page, The Humanities at Stanford, that encompasses the same broad range of activity in a more dynamic environment.

So what are the Humanities? Stanford's web site defines it this way:
"The humanities can be described as the study of the myriad ways in which people, from every period of history and from every corner of the globe, process and document the human experience. Since humans have been able, we have used philosophy, literature, religion, art, music, history and language to understand and record our world. These modes of expression have become some of the subjects that traditionally fall under the humanities umbrella. Knowledge of these records of human experience gives us the opportunity to feel a sense of connection to those who have come before us, as well as to our contemporaries."

Check out these two resources, and let us know what you think.

Become a "fan" of Humanities West on Facebook

2009-08-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

Humanities West has created a new Facebook Page.

Just click on the button labeled "Become a Fan" and the rest will take care of itself. It's an easy way to stay in touch and to share your ideas and your feedback with us and with other fans. It's also a great way to be notified of upcoming special events and special offers that are related to our regular programs.

Not currently a Facebook user? It's easy and it's free. You'll probably be surprised at how many of your friends and relatives are already part of the Facebook phenomenon. Just be careful. It can become somewhat addictive.

Roger Hahn talking about Galileo on July 18th

2009-07-10T16:01:00.000-07:00

Roger Hahn, UC Berkeley historian of science and our keynote speaker for the Astronomy program on Oct. 2nd, is delivering a talk on "A Troublesome Pioneer: Galileo Galilei" (July 18th, 11:00-12:00, at the Genetics and Plant Biology Building, Room 100 on the Berkeley campus).

"Galileo revolutionized astronomy by turning his telescope to the heavens in 1609. The full story of his achievements is replete with complications that make it difficult for modern man to realize how troublesome his discoveries were in his own times. Many of them stem from Galileo's personality which was calculated to upset the established order; others from the changes his pioneering work forced upon traditional astronomers, and more especially upon the Catholic Church. 400 years later we picture him as a critical link in the progress of our understanding; but in his own times he was soundly criticized and properly condemned."

This talk is part of a monthly series of talks sponsored by the UC Berkeley Astronomy Department in celebration of the International Year of Astronomy 2009. The talks take place on the third Saturday of every month at 11:00-12:00, and are open to the public and free of charge. Videos of previous talks as well as logistical details and maps are available at the web site for this program series.

Make a Weekend of it: Special hotel deal for Humanities West attendees

2009-07-07T10:30:00.000-07:00

Don't like the idea of driving back and forth to San Francisco for our programs? Consider pampering your body as well as your mind by enjoying a luxurious weekend in the City. Take advantage of a special offer from the new Fairmont Heritage Place Ghirardelli Square.

The Fairmont Heritage Place, located within Ghirardelli's former chocolate factory at 900 North Point Road in San Francisco, overlooks San Francisco Bay, combining contemporary urban design with a landmark setting. Its 43 spacious residences include an open concept living space with fireplace, a large plasma screen TV, and a kitchen and dining area designed for interactive entertaining (with 24-hour butler and concierge sevice available). Many also have outdoor view terraces.

For the Friday and/or Saturday nights of our 2009-10 programs, Humanities West attendees are eligible for the following special room rates:

One Bedroom City View Residence = $299.00 per night
One Bedroom Bay View Residence = $369.00 per night
Two Bedroom City View Residence = $419.00 per night
Two Bedroom Bay View Residence = $485.00 per night
Three Bedroom City View Residence = $535 per night

The rates also include transportation to and from Herbst Theatre as well as continental breakfast and a daily wine reception served in their lounge.

To reserve, Humanities West attendees must contact the property directly, and not use the website for their reservations. Ask for Michael Klein, the property Revenue Manager, at 415-268-5706, and request the Humanities West rate.

If you take advantage of this offer, we would love to hear about your experience. Please leave a comment to tell us how it went.

Galileo's Telescope

2009-07-03T14:15:00.000-07:00

The instrument that revolutionized astronomy 400 years ago was relatively simple, and underwent rapid evolution and refinement as its usefulness was demonstrated. To learn more about the origins of the first telescope, check out this article by Albert van Helden or listen to this 15 minute segment from NPR. A Nova website also contains some useful background information about the invention of the telescope.

If you are going to be in Philadelphia this summer, you can see one of only two surviving Galileo telescopes at The Franklin Institute (through Sept. 7, 2009). This is the first time that one of these instruments has left Italy.

If you would like to explore the full history of the telescope up to today, check out the PBS documentary, 400 Years of the Telescope, which is readily available through Netflix

A Star is Named....for Humanities West

2009-06-20T11:19:00.000-07:00

In honor of our upcoming Astronomy program and of the International Year of Astronomy, a star has been named for Humanities West. According to the official certificate:

This is to register the Star designated as 21048
with Magnitude 8, type K0,
located at the coordinates: RA 0H 4m 8.3s, and Declination 56° 55m 15.88s, to be known and named:
Humanities West
Dedicated to illuminating and elevating the human spirit
through exploration of
the many sources of modern culture.

You can see the star by going to Google Sky. We're the one right in the center of the image.

Thanks to Monika Collins, our tireless assistant to the Executive Director, for ensuring our little slice of immortality.

Celebrating the International Year of Astronomy

2009-06-13T18:12:00.000-07:00

2009 has been designated as the International Year of Astronomy, in honor of the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first astronomical observations with a telescope. Humanities West is joining the celebration with the first program of our 25th Anniversary season: Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler: Redefining our Place in the Universe (Oct. 2 and 3, 2009). Details of the program can be found here on our website.
Please join us for this unusual and exciting program which combines our usual focus on historical context with a look at the current state of astronomical knowledge as well as a specially commissioned dance performance by Danse Lumiere, inspired by the scientific and philosophical work of past and present astronomers.

If you would like to find out more about the International Year of Astronomy, and the associated activities being held in 140 different countries, you can visit their official web site. This short (3 minute) video clip from the European Space Agency provides an interesting and visually arresting introduction. For a more local focus, check out the activities being organized by the Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, whose Executive Director, Alexander Zwissler, will be our moderator for Friday night.

If you know of other local events tied to IYA2009, please share your information by adding a comment below.

Join us for a Commonwealth Club Salon discussion on April 30

2009-04-26T12:41:00.000-07:00

This session will focus on the themes of our recent program about Napoleon's impact on Europe and Europe's reaction to Napoleon. The event is being hosted by the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco (595 Market Street, 2nd Floor, the Gold Room). Refreshments will be served starting at 4:45pm, with the discussion starting at 5:15pm. The cost is $8 for members and $15 for non-members. Details may be found here.

What is a salon? A salon is a gathering of stimulating people under the roof of an inspiring hostess or host partly to amuse one another, partly to refine their taste and increase their knowledge through conversation and readings. Intellectual salons have been around practically as long as there have been intellectuals.

Questions and Comments on the Napoleon program

2009-04-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

Our 2008-09 season has ended with the Confronting Napoleon program. Although we always have evaluation forms and question cards at the event, sometimes it's good to have an opportunity to comment after a day or two of reflection.

What did you think about the program? Did you come away with some new ideas or new perspectives on familiar historical events? Do you have any lingering questions that you wish you had asked?

This is your chance to continue the discussion. It's easy to enter comments. Just click on the "__ comments" line right below this item and you will be taken to a screen where you can enter your own thoughts.

Juan Cole at Confronting Napoleon program

2009-04-07T12:08:00.000-07:00

Juan Cole has recently published an important new book about Napoleon's invasion of Egypt entitled Napoleon's Egypt: Invading the Middle East and his talk at the upcoming Humanities West program will focus on aspects of this topic. (If you purchase the book through our link to Amazon, a small percentage of the purchase price will go to Humanities West, at no additional cost to you.)

However, Cole is also one of America's leading experts on the Middle East, and is a frequent commentator on Middle Eastern issues. If you are interested in seeing how he combines historical insight with contemporary issues and lessons, you might want to watch his hour-plus talk ("Lessons from Past Western Incursions in the Middle East") on YouTube, which compares the French experience with America's experience two centuries later. There is also a four-minute segment from YouTube in which Cole answers five questions about current political issues in the Middle East. Cole also publishes a blog, Informed Comment: Thoughts on the Middle East, History, and Religion, which you can follow.

Napoleon in Egypt

2009-04-05T14:57:00.000-07:00

One of our talks in the upcoming Confronting Napoleon program (April 17-18) focuses on Napoleon's invasion of Egypt. Although militarily a failure, the French invasion triggered a wave of scientific and cultural interest in Egypt that influenced French and European attitudes for decades after the fall of Napoleon.

This 5 minute clip from YouTube is a nicely illustrated summary of the lasting impact of Napoleon's attempt to conquer Egypt.

What did Napoleon really look like?

2009-04-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

We've all seen some of the famous portraits of Napoleon by leading artists of the day, but how accurate are they?

Independent art historian Simon Abrahams writes: "Anyone interested in Napoleon may be intereted in how the most well-known portraits of the Emperor (by Ingres, David, Gros and Delaroche) look as much like the artist as the man himself. Indeed the discovery raises questions as to what Napoleon really looked like. See the visual comparisons for yourself at my website: www.artscholar.org."

Web site devoted to Napoleon

2009-03-28T15:28:00.000-07:00

In addition to thousands of books about Napoleon, you can find a lot of background material on the web. Napoleon.org is a web site devoted to all things Napoleonic (including the Second Empire of his nephew, Napoleon III). You can find a wealth of on-line material covering every possible aspect of Napoleon, although it is clearly aimed at admirers of Bonaparte. It also has material aimed at children. It is regularly updated, and includes monthly highlight topics.

It is sponsored by the Foundation Napoleon, which describes itself as "a registered charity committed to the encouragement of the study of and interest in the history of the First and Second Empires and the preservation of Napoleonic heritage."

One of the most interesting features of the web site is an animated time line covering the period from 1769 (Napoleon's birth) to 1879 (the death of Napoleon III's heir). You can very easily browse through the dates and get more details on events in four categories: politics, battles, economy & society, and arts & sciences. Very well implemented.

Do you have a different favorite on-line resource? Share it by entering a comment to this post.

Audience Survey Results

2009-03-27T08:49:00.000-07:00

We received 138 responses to our on-line Audience Survey. 41% came from regular Humanities West attendees, 33% from occasional attendees, 12% from first or second time attendees, and 14% from people who have never been to a program.

The clear winner among the 14 programs proposed was Queen of the Adriatic: The Venetian Republic and Empire. The next four highest ranking programs were tightly clustered in the scoring:

Uncovering the Past: The Rediscovery of Pompeii and Herculaneum
Henry VIII's London: The Birth of Modern England
Toledo and the Triumph of Cultural Coexistence in Spain
Isle of the Minotaur: Minoan Crete and the Dawn of European Civilization

Since our 2009-10 season is already fully defined and scheduled, the results of this Survey will influence our 2010-11 season. The Humanities West Board is currently fleshing out some of these program ideas to determine the feasibility of putting on a stimulating, but cost-effective program. We expect three of these top five candidates to be selected for the 2010-11 season.

In addition to these voting results, we received 98 suggestions for future programs from 46 different people, as well as 51 general comments about Humanities West. Many of the suggestions and comments were very thoughtful and interesting, and all of the inputs have been consolidated and distributed to the entire Board of Directors for their review.

We would like to thank all of those who participated in the Survey. If you have any feedback about either the process or the results, please enter your comments by clicking on the word "comments" just below this entry.

Short resource list for "Confronting Napoleon" program.

2009-03-06T13:50:00.001-08:00

The next program, coming up in just a few weeks, deals with Napoleon's impact on European culture.

It has been said that more books have been written about Napoleon than about any other man, except for Jesus Christ, and our extended reading list contains a number a massive biographies and histories that could keep the average reader busy for years. If, on the other hand, you are simply looking for relatively quick and painless ways to broaden your understanding of Napoleon and his impact on Europe, you might want to start with D. G. Wright's Napoleon and Europe (Seminar Studies in History series, Longman, 1984; 137pp), which combines 95 pages of balanced and concise narrative with a section of short document excerpts, an extensive bibliography, and a chronology. Alexander Grab's Napoleon and the Transformation of Europe (European History in Perspective series, Palgrave, 2003; 249pp; also available in Kindle format) provides separate chapters for each major country, clearly showing how Napoleon's impact was always a mixture of modernizing reform and Franco-centric exploitation.

For those who want to know more about the central figure of the age, Vincent Cronin's Napoleon (Harpercollins, 1995; 400pp) offers a balanced, but basically positive account of his life, without dwelling on the minutiae of his military exploits. Paul Johnson's short biography, Napoleon: A Life (Penguin Lives series, paperback 2006; 208pp; also available in Kindle format and as an audiobook) challenges the hero-worshiping view of Napoleon, seeing him as an essentially negative precursor to the traumatic era of European conflicts in the 20th century. PBS Home Video also has a four-hour documentary Napoleon (2000; re-released 2006 as part of the Empires series) available from Netflix or Amazon.

Two of our speakers have also made significant contributions of the history of Napoleonic Europe, with Steven Englund's Napoleon: A Political Life (Harvard U. Press, pb 2005; 600pp) and Juan Cole's Napoleon's Egypt: Invading the Middle East (Palgrave, pb 2008; 304pp; also available as an audiobook).

If you purchase any of these books (or any other items) through our Amazon link, a small percentage of the purchase price is donated to Humanities West, at no extra cost to you. A painless way to give.

Review of Humanities West and India Rising

2009-03-03T21:19:00.000-08:00

Another enthusiastic review of Humanities West in general and India Rising in particular has been posted on The Irascible Chef web site. One brief excerpt:

"I am lucky enough to have been the guest at several Humanities West productions at the Herbst Theater in San Francisco.

The interesting things I’ve learned, the energy that has been exposed, the pondering and thinking that has ensued—all of it, inspirational, on the learning front.

I have heard experts speak on subjects like Genghis Khan and his Empire, Benjamin Franklin and his letters, and recently India Rising Tradition meets Modernity. (Napoleon is up next)

Humanities West has brought together the people who have made these subjects their life’s work and gotten them to share their knowledge with the world."

India Rising: Tradition Meets Modernity

2009-03-02T13:49:00.000-08:00

We hope you found India Rising: Tradition Meets Modernity both informative and entertaining.

Please use the comment section to share your thoughts on this past weekend's program.

Help spread the word with HW logo merchandise

2009-02-24T10:05:00.000-08:00

You can help give Humanities West a little more public exposure by purchasing and using some new logo merchandise available from our on-line store on the Cafe Press website. These handsome golf shirts, tote bags, mugs and magnets are imprinted with Humanites West logos.

The tote bags and golf shirts also have the attention-getting phrase "What do Ben Franklin, Bollywood, and Bonaparte have in common?" printed on the back. When my wife wore the shirt to our local farmers' market and to the new San Francisco Academy of Sciences, a half-dozen people stopped to ask what the three had in common. The answer, of course, is that all three were featured in the Humanities West 2008-2009 season. It was a great way to introduce a few more people to our unique entertainment/education offerings.

So help spread the word and show your devotion to the Humanities by ordering your own. A small markup on the price also helps support our ongoing programs.

Do you have your own way of spreading the word and increasing public awareness of Humanities West? Share your experiences by adding a comment to this post.

Help us choose future programs

2009-02-06T13:33:00.000-08:00

Feedback from our annual Audience Survey is an important part of the process we use to select future programs. It is a chance for you to tell us which of the proposed topics you would be most interested in, and also a chance for you to suggest your own favorite ideas for a potential Humanities West program.

This year, we are taking a somewhat different approach to our Audience Survey. Instead of just handing it out in hard-copy form to those people who happen to be attending our February program, we are using an on-line survey tool which you can easily access by clicking on this link. This approach allows us to reach a broader audience, save time and money, and reduce paper use.

If you have not already done so, please fill out the Survey by March 7th. A summary of the results will be published in our newsletter and on this blog.

India Rising program featured in India Currents

2009-02-02T18:12:00.000-08:00

India Currents: The Complete Indian American Magazine has published a feature article (Feb. 1, 2009) highlighting the upcoming Humanities West program about India.

"In keeping with its theme, “India Rising: Tradition Meets Modernity” is structured as a presentation on the colorful kaleidoscope that India presents: literature and cinema with rural village scenes competing with urban landscapes, Indian-American cultural fusion, and the seductive joys of Bollywood. The event explores present-day India, which is rooted in ancient themes that intermingle with contemporary modes of expression: Modern artists incorporating gods and legendary heroes in their work, musicians fusing jazz and Western classical with Indian traditional."

Read the entire article here.

MAKE A WEEKEND OF IT: special hotel deal for Humanites West attendees

2009-01-29T09:59:00.000-08:00

Don't like the idea of driving back and forth to San Francisco for our programs? Why not turn it into a great weekend in the City by taking advantage of our special arrangement with the new, luxurious Fairmont Heritage Place Ghirardelli Square?

The Fairmont Heritage Place, located within Ghirardelli's former chocolate factory at 900 North Point Road in San Francisco, overlooks San Francisco Bay, combining contemporary urban design with a landmark setting. Its 43 spacious residences include an open concept living space with fireplace, a large plasma screen TV, and a kitchen and dining area designed for interactive entertaining (with 24-hour butler and concierge sevice available). Many also have outdoor view terraces.

Fairmont Heritage Place is offering a generous promotionally-priced package for Humanities West attendees for the evenings of Feb. 27 and/or 28 (India Rising) and April 17 and/or 18 (Napoleon). The cost is $229 per night for a One-Bedroom City View Residence or $329 per night for a One-Bedroom Bay View Residence, including daily continental breakfast and complimentary shuttle service to and from Herbst Theater on Friday and Saturday. (The hotel tax of 14% is additional.)

To book this offer, contact the Fairmont Heritage Place Ghirardelli Square directly by phone at 415-268-5706, and ask for the special Humanities West rate. Rooms at this promotional rate are limited, so call early to avoid disappointment.

If you take advantage of this offer, we would love to hear about your experience. Please leave a comment to tell us how it went.

The Story of India on PBS

2009-01-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

Want to do some relatively painless homework before our India program in February? Starting Jan. 5th, PBS is broadcasting a series of six hour-long programs by Michael Wood about the history and cultural heritage of India. It's called The Story of India. It looks like there will also be a companion book to the series, but the book and the DVD are not yet available for purchase, so you will have to catch the TV broadcast or Tivo it. Fortunately, each episode is being broadcast multiple times in different time slots. Check your TV listings.

If you catch one of the early segments, let us know what you think of it, and whether you would recommend it to others.

India Rising speakers in Wall Street Journal

2008-12-27T21:11:00.000-08:00

As we approach the new year, the Wall Street Journal asked some 32 influential people three questions: "What professional project do you plan to complete in 2009? What personal resolution do you finally hope to keep next year? And what problem should your industry or professional community tackle more effectively?"

As it happens, two of the respondents, Vikram Chandra and Shashi Tharoor, are featured speakers at our upcoming Indian Rising program on Feb. 27-28. Here are their responses the Journal's questions.

Vikram Chandra, 47

Author, Mumbai and Berkeley, Calif.

PROFESSIONAL: I just started a new novel a couple of months ago, and in a magical, perfect world I'd finish it in 2009. But my last novel came in at 900 pages, so I'll settle for slow, steady progress.
PERSONAL: I'm the father of a 7-month-old baby, so I think it's time for me to get done with my driving lessons and face the terrors of the DMV.
INDUSTRY: I'd love the publishing industry the world over to accept fully and without further complaint that electronic publishing is here to stay, and to provide innovative, sophisticated and, above all, low-priced competition for the Kindle and Sony Reader.

Shashi Tharoor, 52

Associated Press

Shashi Tharoor

Former under-secretary-general of the United Nations, author, Trivandrum, India

PROFESSIONAL: I have been immersing myself more and more into Indian public life. With the terror attacks having brought the country to a crossroads and national elections due in the spring, I will have to decide whether and how far to involve myself in my country's political future.
PERSONAL: To take a real stab at beginning work on a novel -- my last was in 2001. Though there have been three nonfiction books since, I haven't been able to find the time or the space inside my head to create my own fictional world.
INDUSTRY: We need in 2009 to tackle the task of reinterpreting America to the world: post-Bush, post-9/11, and post the historic election that has galvanized Washington-watchers on every continent.

(from Wall Street Journal, Dec. 27, 2008, pp. W1-W3)

Vikram Chandra presenting at India Rising (2/28/08)

2008-12-15T15:02:00.000-08:00

Vikram Chandra, an award-winning Indian author who currently divides his time between Mumbai, India, and the Bay Area, will be a featured presenter at the India Rising program on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2009. Chandra's latest novel, Sacred Games, is set in Mumbai, which was so recently in the headlines as the target of terrorist attacks.

For those of you who would like to review some additional background material about Chandra, the following web sites may be of interest:

A half-hour interview from NPR's Bookworm show
The transcript of an interview conducted by Jai Arjun Singh, a New Delhi-based journalist and blogger
An hour-long YouTube segment from the University of California of Chandra reading a selection from Sacred Games

Which of these sources do you find most useful? Which would you recommend to others?

A Short Resource List for India Rising

2008-11-30T13:37:00.000-08:00

India is a land of staggering complexity and diversity, so it is not easy to come up with a short list of accessible resources for those who have lots of curiosity, but only limited time to devote to the topic. If you are looking for a brief introduction to the grand sweep of Indian history, try India: An Illustrated History by Prem Kishore and Anuradha Kishore Ganpati (2003, 200 pp, paperback).

Our keynote speaker, Shashi Tharoor, has recently published a collection of essays about the tensions between tradition and modernity in today’s India: The Elephant, The Tiger, And the Cell Phone: Reflections on India, the Emerging 21st-Century Power (2008, 498pp, paperback). Another interesting collection of essays dealing with India’s cultural diversity is Gita Mehta’s Snakes and Ladders (1998, 320pp, paperback; also available in audio book format from Amazon or Audible.com).

During the program, Vikram Chandra will be reading from his massive award-winning novel, Sacred Games; he has also published a book of short stories and novellas called Love and Longing in Bombay (1998, 272pp, paperback), which might provide a more accessible introduction to his work. For fans of Indian cinema, Netflix offers 8-10 movies by Satyajit Ray, and a separate genre category devoted to the "Best of Bollywood."

If you buy any of these items through the link provided, Humanities West will receive a small dividend at no extra cost to you. If anyone has any additional suggestions to recommend, please enter them as a comment to this posting.

Shashi Tharoor coming to Humanities West

2008-11-08T10:08:00.000-08:00

India Rising: Tradition Meets Modernity (Feb. 27-28, 2009) will feature a keynote address by Shashi Tharoor, a world-famous UN diplomat and author. For some interesting insight into Tharoor's background and upbringing, watch this eleven minute interview on YouTube.

Tharoor has written a book called The Elephant, the Tiger, and the Cell Phone, which directly addresses many of the themes of our program, and which is on our short list of recommended reading for those who would like to do a little homework before attending the program. (If you buy the book through our link to Amazon, Humanities West gets a small share of the price at no extra cost to you.)

In addition, there are two short clips on YouTube that show Tharoor discussing themes from the book. In this first one, he relates an incident that reveals the immense cultural and linguistic diversity of India. In the second one, he uses the example of the cell phone to show how modern technology has directly impacted traditional Indian society.

Based on these clips, I think we are in for a real treat on Friday night, Feb. 27th. Don't miss it!

Next up: India Rising

2008-11-03T18:11:00.000-08:00

India Rising: Tradition Meets Modernity
February 27-28, 2009
Herbst Theatre, San Francisco

India's artists, in pace with their country's rapid modernization, have adopted many contemporary techniques; but past traditions remain strong, and a fruitful creative tension has developed in the interplay of familiar themes and modern modes of expression. Rural village scenes in the novels of R.K. Narayan, or the films of Satyajit Ray, compete with the urban landscapes of Robinton Mistry and Vikram Chandra, with Indian-American cultural fusion in Mira Nair's films, and with the insidious joys of Bollywood. Abstract and surrealist artists incorporate images of legendary gods and heroes in their work, and musicians create exciting new sounds in collaboration with western jazz and classical performers. The result: unique new delights for the eye, the ear, and the spirit.

In Partnership with the Consul General of India in San Francisco, Center for South Asia Studies, University of California Berkeley and the University of California Santa Cruz.

For the program details, visit our web site.

Franklin program featured in The Onion

2008-10-26T12:27:00.000-07:00

The local print version of The Onion for Oct. 16-22 included a lengthy article about the Benjamin Franklin program as part of its AV Club coverage of local San Francisco events. (Unlike the rest of the contents in this satirical newspaper, the AV Club provides serious reviews, interviews, etc. about local events.) Since I couldn't find this article anywhere on the web, I am reproducing it here for those who missed it.

Feature

Benjamin Franklin and the Invention of America. With election season in full swing, there’s no better time to take a look back at American history to see just how we got here. More than 200 years before anyone declared, “It’s all about the Benjamins,” it was about one Benjamin—Mr. Franklin. Patriotic statesman, noted scientist, prolific writer, and industrious inventor. Franklin is celebrated Friday and Saturday at the Herbst with a program from Humanities West that includes insightful lectures, music, and more. Just what was it that made Franklin so special? The A.V. Club spoke with three of the people involved with the program—including Pulitzer-winning Stanford prof Jack Rakove—about beaver hats, democracy, and tying the past to the present.

Dee Andrews

History Department Chair, California State University East Bay

The AV Club:

What question do you get asked most about Benjamin Franklin?

Dee Andrews: I think the image most people have of Franklin is from the end of his life, when he was a diplomat in Paris, the famous pictures of him in his beaver hat with the spectacles at the end of his nose, being surrounded by Parisian women. I think most people want to know whether he was really quite as sexually prolific as people seem to think he was. He was really an extraordinary figure by all measures—intellectually and experientially nobody can compare with him. He would be the first to say that he liked women, absolutely, but I think that’s admirable myself.

AVC: Is there anyone in modern America who resembles Franklin?

DA: No. At his time it was possible to be somebody who was involved in many different aspects of life, because the world was as simpler place. I suppose if any of the great computer wizards of our time turn to politics and writing, that could still be a possible life course. If Steve Jobs decides to get involved in California politics and it also turns out he’s a brilliant writer and knows how to be a truly gifted diplomat in his old age, I suppose Steve Jobs might be a Franklin type.

AVC: Given today’s political climate, what lessons should we learn from Franklin?

DA: That democracy is still the best hope on earth for a fair and just society. Franklin was the most democratic of the Founding Fathers, he had come out of regular people. He wrote his newspaper for regular people and he was eager to sense public opinion.

Jack Rakove

Professor of History, Stanford University

AVC: Why was Franklin never president?

Jack Rakove: Had he not gone back to France in 1776 as part of our embassy, Franklin could have been president of the Continental Congress. When Franklin comes back from Europe in the mid-1780s, he’s elected president of Pennsylvania. When he comes back he’s almost turning 80, which by anybody’s standards, then or now, maybe even John McCain’s, would be regarded as a relatively senior age.

AVC: Was the media as critical of prominent figures then as they are today?

JR: Oh yeah, probably more so. Eighteenth-century press is pretty wide open, pretty satirical. There are conventions like you don’t sign your name, you write pseudonymously, opinion pieces are published under an initial or some sort of pen name. The convention was that it’s the argument that counts, and not the authority of the writer. Today when you blog or when you post comments to a news article or opinion piece, you can do it anonymously and therefore you have the same kind of license that existed in the 18^th century. You can hide behind the veil. That’s probably one of the reasons why people are so obnoxious on the Internet.

AVC: How as it decided that Benjamin Franklin would be on the 100-dollar bill?

JR: That I don’t know. He was a wealthy guy, so maybe they thought aim high.

George Hammond

Chairman of the Board of Directors, Humanities West

AVC: Have you found any obscure facts about Franklin?

George Hammond: People have an image of him putting the kite up in the sky and having the key attached to it and proving that lightning is electricity, but he actually sat down and wrote a scientific paper on the subject, making predictions about what would happen. He went to Europe and he was well known as this one American scientist when Europeans thought there’s nothing going on over there except farming. Philadelphia was a town of about 20,000 people at the time. From their point of view, America was less civilized than, say, what people think of the backwoods of Canada now.

AVC: What do you hope that people will take away from this series?

GH: One of the things that we really try for in our programs is to fill in the detail to cut through the image. People will say today there’s this big financial mess so we can’t get anything done, and in the old days they didn’t have these messes. It’s important when you’re living in the present time to not buy the fact that the past was quite as simple as it appears. People accomplished great things when there was a huge mess going on.

--Nicole Beckley

Questions and Comments on Franklin program

2008-10-17T12:44:00.000-07:00

If you attended Benjamin Franklin and the Invention of America (Oct. 17-18,2008), we would welcome any follow-up questions or comments that you might have. If you have a question that didn't get answered during the panel discussion (or that occurred to you later), please enter it here and we will try to post an answer for you. If you have comments or feedback regarding this program or Humanities West in general, please let us know what you are thinking.

Don't be intimidated by a somewhat confusing user interface. To enter a comment, simply click on the word "comments" that appears just below this item. You'll be taken to a page where you can enter a comment (and see other comments that have been entered). Where it says "Choose an identity", the easiest thing is to pick "Name/URL", which will allow you to simply enter your name (no URL is necessary). If you prefer to remain anonymous, then pick "Anonymous" as your identity. When you are finished, just hit the button marked "Publish your comment". As a protection against machine-generated "blog spam", you will be asked to enter some visually distorted letters and numbers into a box, thereby demonstrating that you are in fact a human being.

It's easier than it sounds, so please give it a try....

Franklin program on local TV and radio

2008-10-10T17:33:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, Oct. 12th at approximately 8:15 am, George Hammond (Chairman of the Board of Directors of Humanities West) and Dee Andrews (Professor and Chair of History at CSU East Bay) will be interviewed on KRON 4 TV about the upcoming Benjamin Franklin program.

Also, KDFC (Classical 102.1 FM) will be featuring music influenced by Benjamin Franklin on its "Home Town Tuesday" feature at 10:00am on Oct. 14th.

Be sure to check out these local media appearances.

Franklin's Glass Armonica

2008-09-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

One of the special treats in our Franklin program is a rare chance to learn about and hear the glass armonica, an instument invented by Franklin in 1761. According to Wikipedia, "... 37 bowls were mounted horizontally nested on an iron spindle. The whole spindle turned by means of a foot-operated treadle. The sound was produced by touching the rims of the bowls with moistened fingers. Rims were painted different colors according to the pitch of the note....With the Franklin design it is possible to play ten glasses simultaneously if desired, a technique that is very difficult if not impossible to execute using upright goblets."

The instrument was very popular in the late 18th and early 19th century, with over 100 composers (including Mozart and Beethoven) writing music for it. Its popularity eventually faded, partly because of (unfounded) rumors that its ethereal tones could cause madness, but mainly because it was unsuited for performances in anything other than small chamber settings.

For a little historical background and some insight into how the instrument was made, check out this excellent five-minute segment from The History Channel (via YouTube). For a beautiful sample of how the instrument sounds, try this brief selection from YouTube.

There are a number of CDs featuring the glass armonica available on Amazon, including one by our featured lecturer/performer, Dennis James. Just go to Amazon using our link (we get a small cut of the purchase, at no cost to you), and do a search on "glass armonica".

What do you think of this strange instrument? Does it arouse any emotional reactions? Should it be revived?

There was never a good war or a bad peace.

2008-09-18T13:46:00.000-07:00

Franklin's famous cartoon, Join, or Die.

In an effort to promote Unity among the colonies, Benjamin Franklin penned and then published this cartoon in his Pennsylvania Gazette on May 9, 1754.

The colonies were at odds as to whether to engage the French and their Native allies over the land west of the Appalachians in what would become known as the French and Indian War.

The cartoon came to take on greater significance as the Revolutionary War approached and has lasted as one of the most enduring images in our Nation's history.

Join us to learn more about this image's creator:

Benjamin Franklin and the Invention of America
October 17-18, 2008

For full PROGRAM SCHEDULE and other resources,
please visit www.humanitieswest.org

The image and information above is drawn from Wikipedia.

Symposium offering class on Franklin's Autobiography

2008-09-18T09:21:00.000-07:00

Symposium: Great Books Institute is a San Francisco organization that offers facilitated, small-group discussions of classic books from around the world. In cooperation with Humanities West, Symposium is sponsoring a class based on The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, to be held on Oct. 8 and 15th at their facility at 325 Hayes Street. There is a modest charge for participating, but first-time attendees can go for free, so this is a great opportunity to try out this interesting new twist on the traditional "book club." For more information, visit the Symposium web site.

Franklin's Autobiography was not published until after his death in 1790, but it became one of the most popular books in 19th century America, and was one of the first American books to win widespread popularity and respect in Europe. The book epitomized early America's democratic ideal of "the self-made man" and was used to instill civic virtues and high moral standards in several generations of American youth. The book is available in both hard-copy and audio formats. (If you are going to buy it on Amazon, remember to go through the Humanities West Amazon link when you order. It's a painless way of having Amazon make a small contribution to HW.)

If any of you have had experience with Symposium, or if you attend their upcoming session on The Autobiography, please share you comments on this blog.

Benjamin Franklin in Historical Context

2008-09-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

Before the names and dates start flying at you, it's sometimes helpful to put yourself mentally back into the time period of our subject. The following one page summary is offered as a reminder of how different things were in 18th century America.

Benjamin Franklin in context (PDF file)

What surprises you most in this material? Personally, I was struck by how small even the largest colonial towns were during this period. Franklin's skills as a 'social networker' (to use a modern term) were extremely effective in this kind of small-town environment. I had also never realized that New England might have had the highest literacy rate in the world at that time.

Please add your own comments and observations to this post.

Humanities West presents.

2008-09-11T20:01:00.000-07:00

Benjamin Franklin and the Invention of America
October 17-18, 2008
Herbst Theatre, San Francisco

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), during his long and incredibly productive life, epitomized many aspects of the remarkable transformation that eventually led to the establishment of the first modern constitutional state. With his passion for self-improvement and gift for institutional innovation, Franklin constantly reinvented himself: printer's apprentice, successful Philadelphia printer, storekeeper, bookshop owner, journalist, writer of Poor Richard's Almanack and the Autobiography, and social entrepreneur and environmentalist 1731-style. Franklin invented the Franklin stove, swim fins, the glass armonica, and bifocals. He tamed lightning with his kite. He was a politician, diplomat, colonial patriot, ambassador to France, president of the Executive Council of Pennsylvania, signer of the Constitution, and author of an anti-slavery treatise. In one person, Benjamin Franklin helped create the American civil society. He was called, by the time of his death at 84, the "harmonious human multitude."

Join us at the Herbst Theatre for our special program, and leave your comments below.

Welcome

2008-05-04T15:35:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Humanities West web log.

We hope this forum helps promote discussion of our programs and we invite all visitors to comment on their experiences with Humanities West.

Athens: Saturday Edition

2008-05-03T08:30:00.000-07:00

Please use the comments to discuss the Athens program.

Athens in its Golden Age: The Time of Pericles

2008-05-02T13:48:00.001-07:00

Please use the comment section to share your thoughts on Friday night's program