Herbert Read was a maverick character in the cultural life of the twentieth century. A radical leader of the avant garde in the 1930s; and an anarchist revolutionary during the war years; by the time of his death in 1968 he had become a key figure at the heart of the British cultural establishment. To Hell with Culture offers readers an ideal overview of the ideas that marked out this seminal and hugely influential thinker. It is a controversial work that engages the reader in a wide range of topics; from revolutionary art to pornography.Adept at challenging assumptions and penetrating to the heart of any issue; Reads deft prose encourages the reader to think critically; to question and to subvert the voice of authority; of whatever political or cultural creed. Only through such a critical evaluation of culture; Read believes; can one appreciate the art that arises from the unpolitical manifestation of the human spirit. At a time when authority and value are questionable terms; and when culture itself is a contested concept; Reads is both a challenging and an enlightening voice.
#1774620 in eBooks 2005-07-08 2005-07-08File Name: B000SIL1HU
Review
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful. Great design guideBy M. R.Im a ceramic artist always looking for southwestern inspiration. This book is terrific! Wonderful sourcebook of patterns and "rock art" type drawings. I own several books on the topic; and this is by far the best. If I had been aware of it; and purchased it earlier; I would not have bought many of the other titles I own.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Thorough book of designBy Di-anneI couldnt remember this title ; but a cousin owned this and I wanted a copy too. Glad I found it on . It is pretty thorough and has quite a few different tribes and regions to be inspired by. Very handy for gourd art reference.6 of 7 people found the following review helpful. Great resourceBy Super ShopperI picked up this book when I was looking for a reliable source for Native American tattoos. I had an interest in using a tattoo for a fictional character I write about and this book gave me much more than I bargained for. There were many interesting tidbits about the history of designs; not just tattoos; but also a wide variety of artwork such as pottery design; celebratory decorations; and ceremonial artwork. I was pleasantly surprised to be drawn into this book; and I ended up reading the entire book instead of skimming through for only the info I needed. In the end; this book was engaging and fun; and it gave me an entirely different perspective on Native American artwork. I am so glad I picked this up not only for the enjoyable read; but because it gave me a good reason to understand why my idea was not appropriate. There are customs and beliefs associated with many symbols that I did not fully understand; so this book helped me to create a much more accurate portrayal of the Native American design I used in my fiction work.Thank you Le Roy Appleton. I loved this book and it is easy to see how much love and work you put into creating it.If you are a reader interested in true Native American culture; this is a great resource for you.