Blog — Page 201 of 284

Humanity 

Ai Weiwei

Princeton University Press

Ai Weiwei.

Chances are that you either are familiar with him and what he does or you would have heard of the impact of his oeuvre – be it within or outside the confines of China.

What Weiwei does is always political – sometimes more explicit than not.

As an artist Ai Weiwei does not limit himself to a single discipline: Writing, installations, photography, sculptures, films and documentaries are all part of his repertoire with freedom of speech, the abuse of human rights and the need to lend his voice to those who are not being heard being central topics – which is not further wondrous as he is a former refugee himself.

The title of this little book is a telling one: It comprises Weiwei’s musings on the history of humanity and mass migration from interviews, essays and extracts from conversations with the red thread that it can be condensed to being that at the end of the day we all are refugees and that the concept of artificial man-made demarcation lines is incompatible with the times we live in.

With the tendency of history to repeat itself over and over again and a climate of indifferences, the book raises fundamental question that everyone should consider before trumpeting his angle out into the word.

Humanity epitomizes Ai Weiwei’s mission, one of compassion and preservation of basic human rights and is testament to his unwavering focus on ensuring that those who come across him do not ignore their individual obligation.

Weathering the Elements

In the previous instalment of this series I touched on my recent hiking excursions in the neither regions of Norway.

At the region where according to Nick Cave the sun shines, i.e. Oceania, arduous hiking trails can be conveniently broken up by indulging in what the paddle-able bits of the ocean, local rivers and secluded beaches have to offer, e.g. employing a kayak or canoe.

With the risk of your previous belongings getting wet, a regular backpack will not really cut it. A durable, waterproof pack it must be for the travel on water, sturdy enough to weather the elements, which is when a Duluth Pack comes in handy.

A peculiar name?

Sure is, yet a telling one as it was named after the city Duluth in Minnesota, where French-Canadian Camille Poirier pioneered the style of the pack which traditionally was made of cordura nylon, leather or heavy canvas with square measurements to fit neatly inside your canoe and can accommodate large quantities of gear while still being compact.

As with many zweckentfremdete things these days, the rugged and leathery style of the traditional Duluth Packs has become fashionable and hip – not merely the backpack variant but all styles, shapes and forms, from computer bags via purses to other bags that one could use for the daily commute.

While the style might have become more urban, the basics and DNA still remained: Solid, practical continuously handcrafted construction that has mastered a number of tests of time and is built to last.

I travel and commute a lot.

Going the distance out in the territory – be it the great outdoors or more urban ones – means that one needs to lug around equipment and all kinds of belongings.

My preferred Duluth Pack has served me well in a variety of contexts: For daily commute with electronics, hikes, as a carry-on on international travel.

The heavy-duty design and Verarbeitung based on a burly eighteen-ounce canvas construction with adjustable leather shoulder straps.

In layman’s terms: Duluth’s emissions do not just look the part. The leather handle and heavy duty zippers mean business while attention to detail shows itself with the little compartments in and outside the backpack to accommodate storage space for the smaller everyday items. Should something happen to your gear along the way; it is backed by a lifetime warranty.

Specifically for laptops and computers, a specific compartment offers protection for your gadget.

The fact that Duluth Pack produces its outdoor gear in a variations of fourteen colours to mix things up ensures that the packs are not only functional but also have something to offer in the realm of aesthetics – be it for your hike, leisure activities or a corporate environment.

Principles of Archaeology

T. Douglas Price / Kelly Knudson

An introduction to archaeology that helps students think like archaeologists

Thames & Hudson

T. Douglas Price.

Professor and life-long learner.

An undisputed, distinguished Koryphäe and preeminent in the realm of archeology with a profound pedigree and academic background that could hardly by more profound.

Predestined to compile a tome about methods that can be difficult to teach in the classroom with the main objective to advise practical ways of gaining an understanding of how archaeologists work. 

Each chapter depicts clear coverage of how archeologist approach their projects, not leaving out scientific concepts and ethical considerations beautifully and opulently illustrated with over two hundred photos and over one hundred fifty line drawings.

Price manages to strike the right balance between factual guidelines and instilling a sense of scintillating excitement in a field that some might find tedious, dull and boring. He engages the reader and makes his points that focus, curiosity, a holistic worldview, wanderlust, willingness to be a team player, patience, perseverance and critical thinking skills are indispensable for anyone interested in working in the realm of archeology.

An engaging introduction into the peeping Tom of the sciences - a fascinating field that opens the gates to understanding who we are and where we come from, a realm that allows to unearth objects that help to reconstruct the past and emptying out time capsules.

The Art of Living Alone and Loving It

Your inspirational toolkit for a whole and happy life

Jane Mathews

www.murdochbooks.com.au

Slow living.

Solo living.

Conscious living.

When did these things become labeled and a lifestyle?

Making a virtue out of a necessity?

Getting your inner self an airing?

The Art of Living Alone and Loving It is a book for those faced with the situation of living in the singular, providing advice and inspiration to look at the benefits no matter if your situation is deliberately chosen or not.

The book takes a holistic approach, i.e. tackles mundane day-to-day operations (food preparation, organization of trips and holidays), financial affairs, staying on course and abstaining from self-medication and other distractions. What makes the book worthwhile is the warmth with which advice is provided when it comes to dealing with the repercussions of dealing with the societal stereotypes that come with the territory of living as a single.

Every aspect is being paid attention to and there should be something worthwhile to be found in this toolkit for anyone to pursue a contended life, even when you find yourself faced with the challenge of discovering that there are actually things like “two-man” jobs.

A book for those both wanting to learn the art of enjoying their own company and getting to the bottom of what makes them feel lonely.

Sam Knee

Music nerd.

Vintage design and postwar fashion aficionado

Youth culture connoisseur.

Photographer.

Author.

Sam Knee.

Grown up in the rural South of England, Knee grew up on a diet of punk – his sisters introduced bands like The Fall and Swell Maps to him, and the Mod movement based around The Jam before he embarked on a discovery journey through the wider independent music scene.

Given his background, he was inspired by the time nestled between the post-movement, i.e. post-pink/mod et cetera, and pre-rave culture, which fostered a subculture within the indie scene and spawned a resurgence of the fashion, music and style of the 1960s. It was that pocket of time that inspired him to release his first book A Scene In Between.

His second book The Bag I'm In: Underground Music and Fashion in Britain was the extension of his first endeavour: This time Knee focuses on the rise and fall of scenes, how they merge, burn out, serve as fertile ground for other scenes and so forth. A comprehensive tome on music sub-cultures in the United Kingdom from the 1960s through to the 1990s, emphasizing nuances between each sub-genre from punk via mod to psychobilly and what have you.

Accompanied by an illustrated guide by Florence Bamberger, highlighting the more subtle details in the looks and outfits, and an introduction by Bobby Gillespie, it is more than a mere reference guide that should be found in the library of any alternative music and fashion aficionado.

Untypical Girls: Styles and sounds of the transatlantic indie revolution is the telling name of Sam Knee tracing attitude, the musical emissions and again, the looks of female protagonists who shaped sub-cultures, as we know it and refused to stand behind their male counterparts.

Starting with the punk roots in the old world, Knee transitions to more recent developments in the US, which culminates in elaborations on the riot gRRRl movement and grunge.

A celebration of female energy, beautifully illustrated with early photos of ladies that would take on a dominant position in shaping the scenes they were in, e.g. Courtney Love, Kim Gordon and Bratmobile.
 
Memory of a Free Festival: Counterculture Festivals in Britain 1966-1986, has Knee’s focus firmly set on free music festivals that formed the backbone of subculture in the United Kingdom from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Not limited to labels and categories, Knee starts off with jazz festivals, transitions via the anti-war movement and Rock against Racism and Jobs for a Change to punk and indie music in the 1980s, which serves as the canvas on which he describes the political developments that gave birth to those festivals as well as societal changes.

Again, the myriad opulent illustrations make this a must-have book for anyone interest in the power and history of sub- and countercultures.

All of the aforementioned books were published and are available from http://www.cicadabooks.co.uk along with other highly illustrated books for adults as well as children.