A lively and accessible history of Modernism; The First Moderns is filled with portraits of genius; and intellectual breakthroughs; that richly evoke the fin-de-siegrave;cle atmosphere of Paris; Vienna; St. Louis; and St. Petersburg. William Everdell offers readers an invigorating look at the unfolding of an age."This exceptionally wide-ranging history is chock-a-block with anecdotes; factoids; odd juxtapositions; and useful insights. Most impressive. . . . For anyone interested in learning about late 19th- and early 20th- century imaginative thought; this engagingly written book is a good place to start."mdash;Washington Post Book World"The First Moderns brilliantly maps the beginning of a path at whose end loom as many diasporas as there are men."mdash;Frederic Morton; The Los Angeles Times Book Review"In this truly exciting study of the origins of modernist thought; poet and teacher Everdell roams freely across disciplinary lines. . . . A brilliant book that will prove useful to scholars and generalists for years to come; enthusiastically recommended."mdash;Library Journal; starred review"Everdell has performed a rare service for his readers. Dispelling much of the current nonsense about postmodernism; this book belongs on the very short list of profound works of cultural analysis."mdash;Booklist"Innovative and impressive . . . [Everdell] has written a marvelous; erudite; and readable study."-Mark Bevir; Spectator"A richly eclectic history of the dawn of a new era in painting; music; literature; mathematics; physics; genetics; neuroscience; psychiatry and philosophy."mdash;Margaret Wertheim; New Scientist"[Everdell] has himself recombined the parts of our eras intellectual history in new and startling ways; shedding light for which the reader of The First Moderns will be eternally grateful."mdash;Hugh Kenner; The New York Times Book Review"Everdell shows how the idea of "modernity" arose before the First World War by telling the stories of heroes such as T. S. Eliot; Max Planck; and Georges Serault with such a lively eye for detail; irony; and ambiance that you feel as if youre reliving those miraculous years."mdash;Jon Spayde; Utne Reader
#2180048 in eBooks 2009-12-07 2014-01-01File Name: B00306KYUC
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. paladin999 was excellentBy Paul J Giordanopaladin999 the shipper was excellent.As for the book ---if you are going to read the Knights. read this translation with the notes and the Greek on the facing page.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Aristophanes has Cleon replaced by a sausage seller . . .By Lawrance Bernabo"The Knights." produced in 424 B.C.. is clearly an all-out attack on Cleon. the leader of Athens after the death of Pericles. As related by Thucydides. earlier that year Cleon had induced the Spartans to propose peace. Consequently. Aristophanes opens the comedy with two slaves of the crotchety old Demos ("the people of Athens") dressed up to resemble the generals Demosthenes and Nicias. The two slaves complain about how everyone is picking on Paphlagon. a leather seller who is the favorite of Demos and clearly intended to be Cleon. The oracles tell that Paphlagon is going to be replaced by a sausage seller named Agoracritus."The Knights" is a second-tier comedy by Aristophanes because it is devoted entirely to making fun of Cleon. Consequently. Aristophanes makes his point early on and by the time Agoracritus the sausage seller beats Cleon at this own game. the comic dramatist is beating a dead horse all the way into the ground. This comedy always struck me as being like a SNL skit that lasts the entire show. In the end Demos. rejuvenated by being stewed in a plot by Agoracritus. takes control and declares he will abolish all innovations and restore the old traditions.The legend is that the mask makers of Athens. fearing reprisals from Cleon. refused to make a mask of the Athenian leader and that Aristophanes played the part himself. Of course. Cleon would have been in the audience watching the play at the festival that year. but unlike what happened when Socrates stood throughout the production of "The Clouds." we know nothing of Cleons response aside from the fact that Aristophanes survived to write more comedies.
