Synopses & Reviews
Each one of us can be an oasis of peace.Desmond Tutu
Inspired by the idea that wisdom is the greatest gift one generation can give to another, award-winning photographer and filmmaker Andrew Zuckerman interviewed, photographed and filmed 50 of the worlds great writers, actors, artists, designers, politicians, musicians and religious and business leaders of our time. He posed seven questions to each of his subjectsall over 65 years of ageand their candid responses offer uniquely inspirational and often surprising insights.
Thoughts from Nelson Mandela, Frank Gehry, Judi Dench, The Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Clint Eastwood, Ted Kennedy, Robert Redford, Vaclav Havel, Terence Conran, Buzz Aldrin, Lou Reed, Willie Nelson, Madeline Albright, Jane Goodall, Burt Bacharach, Andrew Wyeth, Vanessa Redgrave, Nadine Gordimer and many more reveal lifetimes of adversity and triumph, and present intimate insights into very public lives.
Beautifully photographed and accompanied by a documentary DVD, Wisdom is above all a timeless gift and a deeply revealing portrait of the common experiences that unite generations.
Synopsis
Inspired by the idea that one of the greatest gifts one generation can give to another is the wisdom it has gained from experience, multi-award-winning photographer and filmmaker Andrew Zuckerman has recorded the thoughts and ideas of more than fifty of the world's most prominent writers, artists, designers, actors, politicians, musicians, and religious and business leaders--all over sixty-five years old, from Nelson Mandela to Vanessa Redgrave. To create profound, honest, and truly revealing portraits of these luminaries, Zuckerman has captured their voices, their physical presence, and their written words.
This edition includes three new interviews from Yoko Ono, Jeanne Moreau, and Helmut Jahn. A unique passcode is also included, which will give readers access to online content, including a documentary film and exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage.
Synopsis
and#8220;Thereand#8217;s no fool like an old fool,and#8221; as the saying goes; but just what, precisely, is wisdom? And who is wise? Wisdom has fascinated the human race for thousands of years; ancient authors sought to capture it in collections of proverbs and fables, while modern thinkers seek to uncover its essence. It has been thought about in many different ways and searched for in many different places. Philosophers have claimed to be lovers of it and scholars have always tried to define it, yet wisdom is as elusive today as it has ever been.
All societies have had to deal with the problems posed by the basic facts of human existence, such as love and death, and have sought wise solutions to them. Across the world cultures have believed that wisdom is something divine, and have attributed it to deities such as Sarasvati, Apollo, and Odin. In this book Trevor Curnow provides an introduction to wisdom in its many forms through human history. and#160;Giving new insight into what wisdom actually is, and where to find it, this book will interest all those seeking and#8220;a word to the wiseand#8221; in their lives.
Synopsis
and#147;Thereand#8217;s no fool like an old fool,and#8221; the saying goes. What is it about wisdom that sets it apart from mere intelligence? What is that elusive difference between a simple grasp of the facts and profound understanding? Wisdom has fascinated the human race for thousands of years; philosophers are notorious for being
in love with it, and for centuries writers have tried to capture its essence in proverbs and fables. In this book, Trevor Curnow provides an accessible introduction to wisdom and the many ways we have thought about and tried to achieve it throughout history.
Drawing on examples from a diversity of eras and placesand#151;from ancient Egypt to medieval Europe to modern Africaand#151;Curnow explores the ways we have sought to overcome the problems posed by our existence, such as love and death, with a steadfast wisdom. He shows how many cultures have attributed wisdom to deities such as Apollo, Odin, and Sarasvati, and how, especially, we have placed it within the vehicle of the proverb, which has safeguarded its lessons throughout time and across cultures.
Including a collection of one hundred sayings that offer a rich record of wisdomand#8217;s reification, this history gives new insight into what wisdom actually is and where we might find it.and#160;
About the Author
Andrew Zuckerman was born in Washington, D.C., in 1977 and spent his teenage years photographing local bands for small magazines. He moved to New York to attend the School of Visual Arts before opening his own studio, where he has created award-winning still-life and portrait photography. In 2006 he cofounded Late Night & Weekends, which has produced the critically acclaimed film High Falls and the feature documentary Still Bill.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Wisdom, Gods and Goddesses
2. Wisdom, Myth and Legend
3. Wisdom in History
4. Wisdom and Literature
5. Wisdom and Divination
6. Wisdom and Philosophy
7. Wisdom, Mysticism and Magic
8. Wisdom and Proverbs
9. Wisdom and Present Day
Conclusion
Postscript: A Century of Wisdom
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References
Further Reading
Bibliography
Acknowledgements
Index