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Lädt ... Mr Lear: A Life of Art and Nonsense (2017)von Jenny Uglow
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Melde dich bei LibraryThing an um herauszufinden, ob du dieses Buch mögen würdest. Keine aktuelle Diskussion zu diesem Buch. What an endearing man, what an enjoyable biography! This wonderfully written, beautifully illustrated biography tells the life history of Edward Lear, known principally to me as the author of the poem, The Owl and The Pussycat. That poem is well known and was judged to be England’s favorite poem. It is certainly one of mine. But there was so much more: Lear’s nature illustrations, his travels and gorgeous scenic drawings and paintings, his limericks, his alphabets, his gift for friendship. All of this is marvelously well told by Jenny Uglow, and set within the context of both Lear’s time and family background. Lear was a courageous and intrepid traveler as well as an often insecure, indecisive, and needy man. He had both physical and psychological challenges, which are sympathetically told. What shines through though, and no doubt sustained his many friendships, was his humor and affection which he bestowed upon the adults and children around him. He would have been lovely to know and I highly recommend this biography. Lear was a name familiar to me, but I knew nothing of his life, and nonsense verse has little appeal to me. I read this book by chance, and am really pleased I have. The book is beautiful, and wonderfully illustrated. Occasionally I thought the detail was more than sufficient, but then I got sucked into the travels and revelled in them, desperate now to follow in Lear's footsteps to India, Corsica, San Remo, and so on. I can recommend this biography. Bought this because of the good reviews and the absolutely gorgeous presentation. It's a beautiful book to hold and flick through with lots of illustrations and reproductions. As a biography, it's about as straightforward a history of a life as it's possible to imagine. That's not necessarily a criticism, but, as with any life, there are longueurs and repetitions. The analysis of Lear's nonsense is deft and illuminating (like the Dong's nose) and probably the best thing here. Mostly, though, I just like how the book feels in my hands. This is by far the best biography I have ever read, and considering I have read many, that is high praise. I had read Levi's biography many years ago and I hardly remember anything, it left such a weak impression. What I do remember is finding it a boring book and being a bit disappointed, considering how much I love Lear. Uglow's writing, by contrast, is like reading a good novel—e.g. you keep on hoping Lear will marry Gussie even though you know he won't in the end. Uglow brings Lear to life as an individual, while also providing insight into his art & creative process—both for his landscape painting as well as his nonsense. Her fascinating portrayal is not just of the protagonist, but the many interesting friends and acquaintances he had. She also vividly portrays the era & brings alive its artistic & cultural trends. I learned quite a bit not just about Lear and his art, but of the historical artistic milieu which influenced him. Even if you never heard of Edward Lear, this book is highly recommended. Zeige 5 von 5 keine Rezensionen | Rezension hinzufügen
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A sparkling biography of the poet and artist Edward Lear by the award-winning biographer Jenny Uglow Edward Lear, the renowned English artist, musician, author, and poet, lived a vivid, fascinating life, but confessed, "I hardly enjoy any one thing on earth while it is present." He was a man in a hurry, "running about on railroads" from London to country estates and boarding steamships to Italy, Corfu, India, and Palestine. He is still loved for his "nonsenses," from startling, joyous limericks to great love poems like "The Owl and the Pussy Cat" and "The Dong with a Luminous Nose," and he is famous, too, for his brilliant natural history paintings, landscapes, and travel writing. But although Lear belongs solidly to the age of Darwin and Dickens--he gave Queen Victoria drawing lessons, and his many friends included Tennyson and the Pre-Raphaelite painters--his genius for the absurd and his dazzling wordplay make him a very modern spirit. He speaks to us today. Lear was a man of great simplicity and charm--children adored him--yet his humor masked epilepsy, depression, and loneliness. Jenny Uglow's beautifully illustrated biography, full of the color of the age, brings us his swooping moods, passionate friendships, and restless travels. Above all, Mr. Lear shows how this uniquely gifted man lived all his life on the boundaries of rules and structures, disciplines and desires--an exile of the heart. Keine Bibliotheksbeschreibungen gefunden. |
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Google Books — Lädt ... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)821.8Literature English & Old English literatures English poetry 1837-1899 Victorian period, 19th centuryKlassifikation der Library of Congress [LCC] (USA)BewertungDurchschnitt:
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The author indulged in a bit of literary interpretation of some of his work, but that is to be expected. We want the work to mirror the man. Whether it actually does or not, only Edward Lear could say.
For me, it wasn't just the story, which was well told, or the person, who is a wonderfully interesting man, it was also the production value of the work itself. There were many illustrations and reproductions of Lear's art, also much of his verse was included, all beautifully done. The pages themselves were soft and silky, an invitation to hold. ( )