Deemed by Heinrich Heine a city of merchants where poets go to die; Hamburg was an improbable setting for a major intellectual movement. Yet it was there; at the end of World War I; at a new university in this commercial center; that a trio of twentieth-century pioneers in the humanities emerged. Working side by side; Aby Warburg; Ernst Cassirer; and Erwin Panofsky developed new avenues in art history; cultural history; and philosophy; changing the course of cultural and intellectual history in Weimar Germany and throughout the world.In Dreamland of Humanists; Emily J. Levine considers not just these men; but the historical significance of the time and place where their ideas took form. Shedding light on the origins of their work on the Renaissance and the Enlightenment; Levine clarifies the social; political; and economic pressures faced by German-Jewish scholars on the periphery of Germanyrsquo;s intellectual world. By examining the role that context plays in our analysis of ideas; Levine confirms that great ideasmdash;like great intellectualsmdash;must come from somewhere.
#2879118 in eBooks 2013-10-29 2013-10-29File Name: B00GSXJ0MM
Review
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful. Required readingBy Sometimes I readJames McBride is such a good writer. He takes you "there"; you are in the woods of South Carolina; you are in segregated 1940s Augusta; with a motherless child when fortune shines on him and he developes a friendship with another boy his age and that friendship will sustain him throughout his lifetime. I am a James Brown fan. The first concert I ever attended was his show at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles in the sixties. I was mesmerized by the band; the sound; the man; his performance.....( that cape!).. I even met James Brown after the concert at VIP records where hewas signing autographs. So my relationship with James goes way back. I loved this book; it was real; it was "deep"; it made very astute and insightful observations into the black experience in America which by the way is even more relevant today. The book is as much about James Brown as it is about the music industry; and the legal system which revictimized James Brown and his incredibly stupid; and greedy heirs.I read this book after reading Colson Whitehead "Underground Railroad". That book left an imprint on my soul with its beautiful prose and tragic; incredibly barbaric retelling of the horrors of slavery which tried and failed to destroy the pure joy; intelligence and creativity of black people. This book had me listening to "Night Train" and baking a peach cobbler and being swept away by the telling of the story. James Brown and John Coltrane; James McBride and Colson Whitehead; Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison... Barack and Michele Obama.....collard greens and gumbo.... but still we"rise". James McBride and Colson Whitehead should be required reading for everyone who loves the music and life that is the blackexperience in America.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Emotional Account of a Convoluted LegacyBy Mark S. CrawfordJames Brown was bigger than life. He had a big personality; a big heart; and big troubles. Some were his fault; and others were caused by meddlers. By now; most people recognize that Mr. Brown was a complicated man; or at the very least; misunderstood. He gave so much of himself; and yet demanded so much in return. In his heart of hearts; however; it seems he truly wanted to not only entertain people; but also help those who needed it. With that in mind itrsquo;s a crying shame ndash; even disgusting ndash; what has happened to his legacy. James McBride digs deep and relays several emotional stories from those who knew Brown personally (though notably missing is Maceo Parker) and sheds much needed light on the quagmire of events that took place after Mr. Brownrsquo;s death. Particularly enlightening are the interviews with David Cannon and Buddy Dallas. In the aftermath of Brownrsquo;s death; the media portrayed Cannon and Dallas as blood sucking leeches. Once you read McBridersquo;s account yoursquo;ll see them ndash; and what happen to them ndash; in a whole different light.After reading the book; all I could do was shake my head in disbelief that so many people stubbornly refuse to do the right thing and honor Mr. Brownrsquo;s final wishes and help maintain his legacy. The man should be honored for his positive contributions. People are squabbling over his money; control of his estate ndash; even his body. From what Irsquo;ve read few people even know where and in what manner the man is buried. His last home should be open like Graceland; and the fans allowed to pay their respects. Prince hasnrsquo;t been dead a year and they already have his house/studio open to the public!I could not put this book down until I finished reading it. McBride does a fantastic job of describing the local politics and social context of the Augusta area; as well presenting a variety of revealing and moving interviews from those who knew Mr. Brown. True fans might even shed a tear.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. So Interesting...By andrew reviewIn my humble opinion James Brown was one of the most influential musical entertainers of the twentieth century(a point this book advocates as well).His music is instantly recognizable and is part of the fabric of American music. Brown was also a mass of contradictions--not easily categorized or summed up(the recent film biography though fun was not accurate). Mcbride;a musician himself; tries to unravel Brown; his influence on music; and the effect or racism of his life and career. Mcbride interviews the last survivors of Browns band; life time friends and Browns first wife. Also included is a section on Browns relationship with Al Sharpton--which is fascinating(Brown was like a father to him). I saw James Brown at the Park West in Chicago in the late seventies and it remains the best show I have ever seen--by far. Truly the hardest working man in show biz; this is a must read for anyone interested in Brown or the music he created. Even if youre not that interested in him; its still a great story.
