Puppetry: A World History
by Eileen Blumenthal
List Price:
Our Price: $38.84
You Save: $36.16 (48%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $33.14 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Eileen BlumenthalEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-07-01
ISBN: 0810955873
Number of pages: 272
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Book Reviews of Puppetry: A World History
Book Review: Excellent book on the history of puppets!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of those luscious, lavishly illustrated coffee-table books that doll and puppet aficionados will drool over before shelling out $65 to obtain a coveted copy. Within the 272 pages, artistic as well as historic photography of puppets dating from antiquity to modern times chronicle the history of this captivating art form. The accompanying text is scholarly, but approachable and easy to read. The history of this art form is fascinating, really.
The author structures her massive effort into chapters detailing the history of puppets, types of puppets, and uses for puppets, including sex acts, illustrations for violent stories, and political commentary, as well as public service (Sesame Street), and ventures into the spirit world.
I love her opening statement: "They can be gods, idiots, or worms. They are able to nurture children or terrify adults. They survive indefinitely without normal biological aging but also can die and come back to life again and again."
Recommended reading for anyone interested in puppets, their history and uses in popular culture.
Summary of Puppetry: A World History
Puppets have existed in one form or another in nearly every culture throughout human history. From the intriguing shadow puppets of Java to the romantically challenged Miss Piggy, from African carved-wood actors with outsize genitalia to merry maniac Mr. Punch, puppets are incredibly diverse, reflecting the varied cultures, environments, and personalities of their creators.In this lavishly illustrated volume, Eileen Blumenthal provides a comprehensive overview of the history and techniques of puppetry, examining the unique nature and abilities of puppets and illustrating the countless roles they (and their creators) have played in societies across the globe for thousands of years. She draws on examples from an astonishing array of puppeteers, performances, and historical artifacts, providing readers with an in-depth view of this intricate world of constructed actors and the eclectic-and often eccentric-artists who create them. With a lively and accessible text and a wealth of illustrations, this one-of-a kind volume will be treasured by lovers of both visual and theater arts. AUTHOR BIO: Eileen Blumenthal is professor of theater arts at Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, and a writer on contemporary Asian and Western theater. She has written hundreds of articles and reviews. She is also the author of Joseph Chaikin: Exploring at the Boundaries of Theatre and coauthor, with Julie Taymor, of Abrams' highly acclaimed Julie Taymor: Playing with Fire.
Theater Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Theater Books
Looking Out: Perspectives on Dance and Criticism in a Multicultural WorldMacmillan Pub Co; Published: 1995-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $110.69
Directors on Directing: A Source Book of the Modern Theatreby Toby Cole, Helen Krich Chinoy
Allyn & Bacon; Published: 1963-01-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $92.40
Price in other shops:
Voice and the Actorby Cicely Berry
Wiley; Published: 1991-07-30; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.00
Price in other shops:
A Trip to the Light Fantastic: Travels With a Mexican Circusby Katie Hickman
Harpercollins; Published: 1995-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.00
Who On Earth Is Tom Baker? An Autobiographyby Tom Baker
Harper Collins, 1997; Published: 1997; Hardcover; Book
Who on Earth Is Tom Baker?by Tom Baker
Harpercollins Audio; Published: 1997-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $133.82
Streisand: A Biographyby Anne Edwards
Little Brown & Co (T); Published: 1997-04; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $3.65
Price in other shops:
The Orton Diariesby Joe Orton
Da Capo Press; Published: 1996-08-22; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.48
Price in other shops:
Understanding Movies (12th Edition)by Louis Giannetti
Allyn & Bacon; Published: 2010-01-31; Paperback; Book
Best price: $75.00
Price in other shops:
The Theater Experience Tenth Editionby Edwin Wilson
McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages; Published: 2005-12-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $50.00
Similar Books and other products
Art of the Puppetby Bil Baird
Plays; Published: 1977-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $150.60
Making and Manipulating Marionettesby David Currell
Crowood Press; Published: 2005-01-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $30.48
Price in other shops:
Puppet Mania!by John Kennedy
North Light Books; Published: 2004-01-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.02
Price in other shops:
Julie Taymor: Playing with Fireby Eileen Blumenthal, Julie Taymor, Antonio Monda
Harry N. Abrams; Published: 2007-09-30; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $33.53
Price in other shops:
Shadow Puppets & Shadow Playby David Currell
Crowood Press; Published: 2008-04-28; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $25.97
Price in other shops:
Puppets, Masks, and Performing ObjectsThe MIT Press; Published: 2001-04-16; Paperback; Book
Best price: $16.24
Price in other shops:
The Complete Book of Puppetryby George Latshaw
Dover Publications; Published: 2000-03-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.92
Price in other shops:
Puppet Planet: The Most Amazing Puppet-Making Book in the Universeby John Kennedy
North Light Books; Published: 2006-04-26; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.90
Price in other shops:
Strings, Hands, Shadows: A Modern Puppet History (DIAgram (Detroit Institute of Arts))by John Bell
Detroit Institute of Arts; Published: 2000-11; Paperback; Book
Best price: $14.96
Price in other shops:
Puppets and Puppet Theatreby David Currell
Crowood Press; Published: 1999-03-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $26.94
Price in other shops: