The Art of Being Human: The Humanities As a Technique for Living

Book was needed for a University Humanities class. Not too difficult to read/comprehend. I'm more impressed with Amazon and shipping/purchasing process.

Ever human should know the art of Being human. Let's revel in our humanity - Execellent book for promoting this!

This review is for The Art of Being Human: The Humanities as a Technique for Living, 9th Edition. ISBN 13: 978-0-205-60542-2. // This textbook has much to offer for those who glean treasure from it. Sure, it isn't perfect, and some things need perhaps to be redesigned or added to make its more satisfying. However, I have successfully used this book (and the earlier editions of the text) in introductory Humanities courses for high school seniors and for college students. I like it because it contains a variety of topics I can pick and choose from, allowing me to offer a fresh course each semester, while also honoring the key course competencies.

I don't understand another reviewer's complaint about organization because I believe this book to be well organized with the following features: Brief Contents section; Detailed Contents section; Preface; Content divisions--Part I, Part II, and Part III; Three Color Plate sections--first between pages 44-45, second between 140-141, third between pages 460-461; Endnotes; Credits; and Index. [I would worry about anyone who couldn't locate information within a book structured like this! :) No offense is meant. I just felt like the book in certain reviews wasn't presented properly, fairly.]

The main content of the book is divided into three sections, and these sections allow the creative instructor to develop an exciting course that is akin the a Whitman's Sample Chocolate box. Depending on how deeply the instructor chooses to delve into the sections or how the instructor chooses to supplement the text, the book could be used intensively for a one semester survey course, or more leisurely for two courses, a part one and part two, with each course's duration 16 weeks. I typically use it for the one semester "Introduction to Humanities" type courses, and then I am selective about my topics and assignments within a given semester--refreshing the course each time I teach it in some fashion. More work for me, yes. However, this unpredictability keeps students on their toes and ensures a little level of built-in academic integrity in today's fluid, copy & paste, easy data world. For example, if students attempt to receive last semester's students' efforts to submit, they will be sorely disappointed as well as thwarted because the activities have changed. No canned courses here! :D

Features of the book I like: Quotes in the margins; bold vocabulary words and key terms; picture selections that emphasize the reading; chapter subheadings; Topics for Writing and Discussion at the end of each chapter; nice-sized font and white space that allow for relaxed, reflective reading; and the Detailed Contents section.

Features that I don't like as well: the orange borders and peachy-pink boxes, but then I don't care much for that color combination; the cover image---I like the covers on earlier editions better; some of the black & white photos are hard to discern--would have been better as color. I agree with another reviewer who would have like to see more information about the Plate images, regarding size of the work, media, etc. // However, these are all items of personal taste. I also agree that some of the images should have been rendered in larger format. Other reviewers / users may feel differently.

Here's a Quick Summary of the Brief Contents:

Part I: Exploring the Humanities (Three Chapters that are, in my opinion, worth the book: The Humanities: Still Vital; Profile of the Critical Thinker; Myth and the Origin of the Humanities)

Part II: Disciplines of the Humanities (Each topic is a chapter: Literature; Art; Music; Theater; The Musical Stage: Opera, Music, Drama, Dance; Cinema.)

Part III: Themes of the Humanities (Each topic is a chapter: Religion; Morality; Happiness; Love; Death and Life-Affirmation; Conflict through Art; Freedom.)

Some of the interesting images in this text:

Water Stone, 1986 / Relativity / Black Orpheus 1959 / Gabriel Alix, Food for the Spirit (1992); The Starry Night (1889); Navajo Dawn (1989)

Instructors: View a sample copy of this text to see if it is right for your course before adopting or committing yourself. Also, watch for the publisher's new editions. Students: if your instructor is using this textbook, communicate with your instructor about he or she may be using it, and by all means, please read your course syllabi and course outlines! Homeschooling Parents: This book makes a fun resource, and it offers readings skills and vocabulary! Casual Readers: Enjoy as you will! :)

This book is used at West Ottawa High school for a Humanities class. I have found it very interesting and keeps you reading until you can't read no more. It isn't to hard of reading and gives your information with examples quickly and efficantly.