Pleasure Of Ruins
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Edition: repr.,
Condition remarks:
Book: Fair
Jacket: Chipped and worn with some minor damage
Pages: Good
Condition remarks: Note: Faded boards with minor discoloration.
What draws the human eye — and the human heart — to crumbling columns, overgrown temples, and the skeletal remains of once-great civilisations? Rose Macaulay's Pleasure of Ruins answers this question with breathtaking erudition, chronicling humanity's enduring fascination with decay and desolation across centuries and continents. From the sun-bleached remnants of Rome and Athens to the jungle-swallowed monuments of the Far East, Macaulay presents a sweeping survey of the world's most evocative ruins, weaving together history, literature, and personal meditation into a richly textured tapestry. Published by Thames and Hudson and illustrated with stunning photography, this landmark work argues that the ruin holds a unique aesthetic and philosophical power — one that has captivated poets, painters, and pilgrims alike. Macaulay's prose is at once scholarly and lyrical, her voice authoritative yet deeply personal, illuminating the strange melancholy and sublime beauty that only the passage of time can create. For anyone who has ever stood before a fallen arch or a forgotten temple and felt an inexplicable pang of wonder, Pleasure of Ruins remains an indispensable — and utterly unforgettable — testament to the romance of what endures.
Author: Rose Macaulay
Format: Hardback
Published: 1966, Thames and Hudson
Genre: Travel & exploration
Edition: repr.,
Condition remarks:
Book: Fair
Jacket: Chipped and worn with some minor damage
Pages: Good
Condition remarks: Note: Faded boards with minor discoloration.
What draws the human eye — and the human heart — to crumbling columns, overgrown temples, and the skeletal remains of once-great civilisations? Rose Macaulay's Pleasure of Ruins answers this question with breathtaking erudition, chronicling humanity's enduring fascination with decay and desolation across centuries and continents. From the sun-bleached remnants of Rome and Athens to the jungle-swallowed monuments of the Far East, Macaulay presents a sweeping survey of the world's most evocative ruins, weaving together history, literature, and personal meditation into a richly textured tapestry. Published by Thames and Hudson and illustrated with stunning photography, this landmark work argues that the ruin holds a unique aesthetic and philosophical power — one that has captivated poets, painters, and pilgrims alike. Macaulay's prose is at once scholarly and lyrical, her voice authoritative yet deeply personal, illuminating the strange melancholy and sublime beauty that only the passage of time can create. For anyone who has ever stood before a fallen arch or a forgotten temple and felt an inexplicable pang of wonder, Pleasure of Ruins remains an indispensable — and utterly unforgettable — testament to the romance of what endures.