The Look of Things: Essays

by John Berger

Book by Berger, John

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

251 pages, Hardcover

First published January 27, 1972

About the author

John Peter Berger was an English art critic, novelist, painter and author. His novel G. won the 1972 Booker Prize, and his essay on art criticism Ways of Seeing, written as an accompaniment to a BBC series, is often used as a college text.

Later he was self exiled to continental Europe, living between the french Alps in summer and the suburbs of Paris in winter. Since then, his production has increased considerably, including a variety of genres, from novel to social essay, or poetry. One of the most common themes that appears on his books is the dialectics established between modernity and memory and loss,

Another of his most remarkable works has been the trilogy titled Into Their Labours, that includes the books Pig Earth (1979), Once In Europa (1983) Lilac And Flag (1990). With those books, Berger makes a meditation about the way of the peasant, that changes one poverty for another in the city. This theme is also observed in his novel King, but there his focus is more in the rural diaspora and the bitter side of the urban way of life.

Reviews

[Mientras Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pese a ser finito es un libro para leer con calma, digerir cada artículo antes de llegar al siguiente

[Francisco Loureiro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um livro com perspetivas interessantes sobre diferentes temáticas.

Recomendo.

[Carlota Portugal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apesar de ter gostado bastante do livro e das perspetivas expostas pelo autor, dou apenas 3 estrelas porque, no meu caso, não possuo cultura artística suficiente para entender algumas referências (pintores/escultores, obras, movimentos artísticos, conceitos, etc), o que prejudicou o meu "follow up" de algumas linhas de pensamento. No entanto, mesmo que num processo demorado de entendimento, o livro estabeleceu bastantes pontos interessantes sobre as ligações entre os artistas, as obras e os métodos de produção. Sem dúvida que a última parte do livro - "Interrogar o visível" - foi a que mais me chamou a atenção e aquela que mais recomendo lerem quando passarem numa livraria e tiverem 1 horita para gastar.

"Deste modo, a arte, por muito livre ou anárquico que seja o seu modo de expressão, é sempre um apelo a um maior controlo e um exemplo, dentro dos limites artificiais de um 'meio', das vantagens de tal controlo. Todas as teorias sobre a a inspiração do artista constituem projeções do efeito que a sua obra exerce em nós. A única inspiração que existe é o pressentimento do nosso próprio potencial "

[Dagerman · Rating 1 out of 5]

A set of essays full of confusing, vague verbiage, halfway between literature and theory (bad literature and worst theory, I mean) which I only managed to finish reading at a cost. It is paradoxical that an author who calls himself a communist spends so much time on the most bourgeois and venal of all the arts: painting. Awfull. Ideology blinds.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting book and interesting man!! gonna have to hit a winter focus reread though to truly take it all in

[Frightful_elk · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction to John Berger's writing, includes art criticism, creative and political writings.

[Azti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Al no seguir un hilo conductor en todo el libro, es interesante leer diferentes ensayos sobre diferentes temas. Desde ensayos fotográficos, artículos sobre artistas hasta revoluciones políticas.

[Marta Correia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ensaios para digerir, anotar e revisitar. Destaco a secção “Interrogar o Visível” e a sua ode ao Cubismo