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The Curves of Life
The open-ended curve of the spiral gives a sensation of continuous motion — of life, in fact. In The Curves of Life, Sir Theodore A. Cook (1867–1928), English author and editor, finds that the spiral or helix may lie at the core of life's first principle — that of growth. The spiral is fundamental to the structure of plants, shells, and the human body; to the periodicity of atomic elements and to an animal's horns; to microscopic DNA (the double helix) and to the Andromeda nebula.
The Curves of Life portrays the significance of the spiral in 426 illustrations, from a Narwhal's tusk to Dürer's plan for a cylindrical helix. From the spiral in nature, science, and art, the author suggests ideas on the essence of beauty and man's response to it. "One of the chief beauties of the spiral as an imaginative conception is that it is always growing, yet never covering the same ground, so that it is not merely an explanation of the past, but is also a prophecy of the future."
Martin Gardner, mathematician and author, said of The Curves of Life, "This is the classic reference on how the golden ratio applies to spirals and helices in nature."
The Curves of Life portrays the significance of the spiral in 426 illustrations, from a Narwhal's tusk to Dürer's plan for a cylindrical helix. From the spiral in nature, science, and art, the author suggests ideas on the essence of beauty and man's response to it. "One of the chief beauties of the spiral as an imaginative conception is that it is always growing, yet never covering the same ground, so that it is not merely an explanation of the past, but is also a prophecy of the future."
Martin Gardner, mathematician and author, said of The Curves of Life, "This is the classic reference on how the golden ratio applies to spirals and helices in nature."
528 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1974
About the author
Theodore Andrea Cook
79 books2 followersSir Theodore Andrea Cook (28 March 1867 – 16 September 1928) was a British art critic and writer.
Sporting activities
Theodore Cook spent his early years in Wantage after his father, Henry Cook, became the headmaster of King Alfred's School in 1868, a year after his eldest son was born. He subsequently studied at Radley College, where he also pursued sporting activities becoming captain of the football and boating teams. He continued his studies in Classics, at Wadham College, Oxford where he was a member of the boat club, and participated for Oxford in the 1889 Boat Race. He stayed in Oxford after graduation and in 1891 founded the "University Fencing Club". He continued being interested in fencing and was captain of the English Fencing Team in the 1903 championships in Paris and the 1906 championships in Athens. He was involved in the arrangements for the Olympic Games of 1908 in London, being one of the three British representatives on the International Olympic Committee.
He won a silver medal in the art competitions at the 1920 Olympic Games for his "Olympic Games of Antwerp".[1]
Activity as writer and publisher
Theodore Cook's legacy from his artist mother was an early introduction to the world of paintings, sculpture and architecture. This inspired him to travel particularly in Europe and to publish authoritative works on Old Provence, 25 Great Houses of France,[2] Leonardo da Vinci, and sculpture, among many others, some of which were illustrated by his mother.
This led Cook into journalism. He was for some years editor of the St. James Gazette, the paper edited "for gentlemen by gentlemen". As a freelance he wrote for the old Standard and contributed to the Daily Telegraph articles on rowing by "An Old Blue".
In 1910, he became editor of The Field,[3] the County Gentleman's Newspaper, a position he still held at the time of his death in 1928.
His knighthood in 1916 was, in his opinion, a recognition of the work for the war effort by his magazine rather than of his own individual contribution. He died of a heart attack on 16 September 1928, aged 61.
Sporting activities
Theodore Cook spent his early years in Wantage after his father, Henry Cook, became the headmaster of King Alfred's School in 1868, a year after his eldest son was born. He subsequently studied at Radley College, where he also pursued sporting activities becoming captain of the football and boating teams. He continued his studies in Classics, at Wadham College, Oxford where he was a member of the boat club, and participated for Oxford in the 1889 Boat Race. He stayed in Oxford after graduation and in 1891 founded the "University Fencing Club". He continued being interested in fencing and was captain of the English Fencing Team in the 1903 championships in Paris and the 1906 championships in Athens. He was involved in the arrangements for the Olympic Games of 1908 in London, being one of the three British representatives on the International Olympic Committee.
He won a silver medal in the art competitions at the 1920 Olympic Games for his "Olympic Games of Antwerp".[1]
Activity as writer and publisher
Theodore Cook's legacy from his artist mother was an early introduction to the world of paintings, sculpture and architecture. This inspired him to travel particularly in Europe and to publish authoritative works on Old Provence, 25 Great Houses of France,[2] Leonardo da Vinci, and sculpture, among many others, some of which were illustrated by his mother.
This led Cook into journalism. He was for some years editor of the St. James Gazette, the paper edited "for gentlemen by gentlemen". As a freelance he wrote for the old Standard and contributed to the Daily Telegraph articles on rowing by "An Old Blue".
In 1910, he became editor of The Field,[3] the County Gentleman's Newspaper, a position he still held at the time of his death in 1928.
His knighthood in 1916 was, in his opinion, a recognition of the work for the war effort by his magazine rather than of his own individual contribution. He died of a heart attack on 16 September 1928, aged 61.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 8, 2015
Theodore Andrea Cook (1867–1928), with a deep background in sport and literature, traveled in Europe during the early Twentieth Century and published authoritative works on French and English history, Leonardo da Vinci, and sculpture among other subjects. In 1910 he became editor of The Field: The County Gentleman’s Newspaper until his death in 1928. In his passionate sleuthing of the open-ended spiral curve in this book he uncovers what he sees as a beautiful truth foundational to the structure of plants, shells, physiology, the periodic table, animal horns, and galaxies. (Sometimes the horns of goats are morphological indications of domestication, a physiological indicator that always strikes me whenever I encounter it.) The Curves of Life explores such significances through 426 illustrations from a Narwhal's tusk to rare seashells to exquisite architecture. No less than Martin Gardner said of this work, "This is the classic reference on how the golden ratio applies to spirals and helices in nature."...
[Look for my entire review at MAA Reviews]
[Look for my entire review at MAA Reviews]
Did Not Finish
July 23, 2015SO MANY SPIRALS. Left hand spirals, right hand spirals...
This is an odd book. I got to about page 100 before I started skimming. And then I just looked at the pictures.
I think I heard of this book after teaching an 'Intro Math' class where I taught fractals. And yes, some of that is fun without much math. But this is semi-math, trying to be smart in places where it is obviously not. I know this is dated. But there are chapters on left and right handed people! And then spiral staircases!
Yes, spirals in flowers and shells and horns are interesting. But more than anything, this book just contains lots of examples.
This is an odd book. I got to about page 100 before I started skimming. And then I just looked at the pictures.
I think I heard of this book after teaching an 'Intro Math' class where I taught fractals. And yes, some of that is fun without much math. But this is semi-math, trying to be smart in places where it is obviously not. I know this is dated. But there are chapters on left and right handed people! And then spiral staircases!
Yes, spirals in flowers and shells and horns are interesting. But more than anything, this book just contains lots of examples.
November 15, 2011
Excellent and "profusely illustrated" volume on every sort of curve (spiral) you can imagine; both in the natural world and in architecture. Some of the "science" may have been overtaken, but that does not detract from the overall quality. Written in 1914, the Dover edition is surprisingly readable and informative. Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews