Six Names of Beauty
Crispin Sartwell has written a classic book on experiencing the world aesthetically. It is rich with real examples and personal knowledge of the way each of the six names of beauty discloses a different mode of beauty's meaning in human life. The book has the clarity and acuity of philosophy at its best, without jargon or dogma or the kind of heaviness that typically weighs down the discussion of what should be marvelous to think about. I enjoyed it greatly, and would recommend it as an antidote to those that believe aesthetics is marginal or minor, and a treat for those who realize that beauty is what gives value to life at its best.–Arthur C. Danto, Johnsonian Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Columbia University, and author ofThe Abuse of BeautyCrispin Sartwell not only speaks with a fresh and distinctive voice, he says fresh and distinctive things. Pursuing the word for beauty through six different cultures, Sartwell illuminates its richness and breadth through a multitude of fascinating meditations that range from the fine arts to the popular ones: from rock to reggae, fireworks and perfume to Grünewald and Brueghel, from Plato and Frege to Emerson and Confucius. Sartwell's commentaries are perceptive and often profound but never pretentious, and his personal, informal style is engaging. This book will fascinate the reader who delights in curious but illuminating observations that extend from everyday life and popular culture to philosophy and the insights of non-Western traditions.–Arnold Berleant, author of the forthcoming Re-thinking Aesthetics: Rogue Essays on Aesthetics and the Arts.A small book with a large theme,Six Names of Beautyinvites the reader to consider the nature of beauty by looking at it through the prism of six different languages/cultures -- English, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Greek, Japanese, and Navajo. Enlightening..New Art Books–Art Times, Sept. 2004