Most books on the history of gardens describe the way that gardens have been created; by contrast; The Afterlife of Gardens examines the way that gardens have been experienced. Using examples from many sites around the world; John Dixon Hunt examines responses to gardens; from Renaissance sites to Baroque creations to modern motorway landscaping. Examining how a garden has been experienced extends its history beyond the physical into cultural terms; and the author describes how this lsquo;afterlifersquo; of gardens; as they are understood and experienced by many generations; is often lsquo;redesignedrsquo; in visitorsrsquo; imaginative and cultural responses.The author looks at many aspects of the subject; including the enigmatic Hypnerotomachia Polifili of 1499; part fictional narrative and part scholarly treatise; this fascinating early narrative of garden reception paves the way for an exploration of subsequent landscapes and their reception in later periods. He also looks at Italian Renaissance gardens; the Picturesque; the architectural and inscriptional elements of gardens; the ways experiences of gardens have been recorded; and the different kinds of movement within gardens; from the strolling pedestrian to the motorway traveller who experiences landscapes at speed.In this ambitious new book the author shows how the complete history of a garden must extend beyond the moment of its design and the aims of the designer to record its subsequent reception. He raises questions about the preservation of historical sites; and provides lessons for the contemporary designer; who may perhaps be more attentive to the life of a work after its design and implementation. This book will interest all who have a professional interest in gardens; as well as the wide general audience for gardens and landscapes of past and present.
#3968904 in eBooks 2013-02-07 2013-02-07File Name: B00BCJTYSW
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. I Knew It!By John M. FordCharacters in movies and TV shows do a lot of things that donrsquo;t make much sense. And you see them over and over again in different movies by different actors directed by different directors. Irsquo;ve watched decades of horror movies and I still canrsquo;t understand why characters split up with a monster on the loose; walk backwards around corners while looking for danger from behind; and donrsquo;t just leave the haunted house and go home.Roger Ebert has been noticing these things; too. And hersquo;s noticed a lot of them; organized them into a list; and even explained a few of them. Ebert has gathered recurring movie clicheacute;s from his fans (two thirds of the entries in the book are credited to others) and listed them along with his own gems. And he gives each of them a cute name. Some will seem quite familiar; others may prompt you to watch your favorite movies with a new eye.Here are ten that stood out to me:- ldquo;As Long as Yoursquo;re Up; Get Me a 2 times; 4.rdquo; When a fight in a bar breaks out; nearly everyone in the place begins fighting; spontaneously and without causemdash; even with people they have been sitting next to for some time.- Bathroom Rule. No one ever goes into a movie toilet to perform a natural function. Instead characters use the bathroom to take illegal drugs; commit suicide; have sex; smoke; get killed; exchange money; or sneak out through the bathroom window.- Climbing Villain. Villains being chased at the end of a movie inevitably disregard all common sense and begin climbing up somethingmdash; a staircase; a church tower; a mountainmdash; thereby trapping themselves at the top.- Female Voice of Destruction. If the auto-destruction feature is activated at a secret base or spaceship; the countdown is always announced by a female voice.- Grave Talk. Handy screenwriterrsquo;s tool where a character can reveal his personality and motivation by explaining everything to a tombstone.- Law of Poignant Remnants. Whenever the wreckage of a plane crash is shown; there is always a teddy bear or doll in the midst of the wreckage.- Magic Shave. When a shaving actor is interrupted after just a few strokes; he wipes the lather off with a towel to reveal a close-shaved face.- One-at-a-Time Attack Rule. In any situation where the hero is alone; surrounded by dozens of bad guys; they will always obligingly attack one at a time.- Phantom Photographer. A familyrsquo;s vacation snapshots always include every family member; even if they were twenty miles from the nearest neighbor.- Sci-Fi Currency Conversion. In any science-fiction movie; anywhere in the galaxy; currency is referred to as ldquo;credits.rdquo;So if you are creating a drinking game for your favorite movie or just want to be reassured that others see these things; toomdash;this book is for you. It is both amusing and thought-provoking; good for reading in the bathroom or other rooms. I recommend buying it instead of checking it out of the library. Mostly because of the bathroom reading thing.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Roger Ebert;It doesnt get any better.By Yankee stationAbsolutely essential information for movie lovers. Very telling comments on movie plots by an expert observer.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Fun and easy read.By SusanThis is a fun and easy read. If you enjoy movies this book will make that more fun.