History of Beauty Paperback – September 21, 2010

The book was exactly as described, fast delivery and good packaging. Thank you.

Good packaging and speedy shipping. Book is in great condition.

This is an excellent archive of writing about and images of beauty from Classical Antiquity to the present day. The one thing that the book makes abundantly clear is that what is considered "beautiful" is constantly changing. The concept of that which is beautiful is as old as the human race itself and will continue to be redefined as long as history lasts. Umberto Eco's strength in bringing this collection of texts and images together is his use of little known sources from the Middle Ages as well as Italian Renaissance authors such as Baldassare Castiglione who deserve to be better known. Binding, design and organisation are all first rate and this is a very readable and accessable text. Beauty is all that pleases................

Only Umberto Eco could write a book that defines beauty through the ages of western culture as this one does. He looks at the great contemporary writers for insight into the great contemprary artists. Umberto brings Plato to the front to explain early Greek art, and brings in Hume to explain humanist style. It is a classical book that should be used in colleges to not only introduce people to art but to thinking about art and words. The color plates are wonderful. What I wish is that the Italian CDrom was available in English. One can see from the style used that this book was a great interactive CDrom.Reading Umberto's insights and looking at great art..what a wonderful way to spend a morning at starbucks!

A beautiful book. I misplaced mine (loaned it to someone? or it's someplace where it will show up? or?) and so missed having it around to just pick up and peruse from time to time that I replaced it with this used copy in like-new condition. I don't do that often and is probably the strongest evidence I can offer of the pull of this volume. I also own Eco's companion book on Ugliness -- purchased many years after the first HoB. Hope I don't lose it, because I enjoy having it, too, but would be less compelled to replace it. Besides the visuals, Eco's text is a pleasure.

Art book listed vgc is like new, in a great mailer. Could not be happier. Thank you

This is a beautifully bound book, even next to its original hard cover release. It's nice and compact without compromising the quality of the photographs. Even though I got this for research purposes, I've decided not to mark the pages with my notes so that I can have this sit on my coffee table. A must for all Eco fans !

Warmly recommended

Not too many obscure references. Interesting comparative histories mostly from Western World perspective.

was great