Whether it's sleek leather pants, a shiny new Apple computer, or a designer toaster, we make important decisions as consumers every day based on our sensory experience. Sensory appeals are everywhere, and they are intensifying, radically changing how Americans live and work. The twenty-first century has become the age of aesthetics, and whether we realize it or not, this influence has taken over the marketplace, and much more. In this penetrating, keenly observed book, Virginia Postrel makes the argument that appearance counts, that aesthetic value is real. Drawing from fields as diverse as fashion, real estate, politics, design, and economics, Postrel deftly chronicles our culture's aesthetic imperative and argues persuasively that it is a vital component of a healthy, forward-looking society. Intelligent, incisive, and thought-provoking, The Substance of Style is a groundbreaking portrait of the democratization of taste and a brilliant examination of the way we live now.

Whether it's sleek leather pants, a shiny new Apple computer, or a designer toaster, we make important decisions as consumers every day based on our sensory experience. Sensory appeals are everywhere, and they are intensifying, radically changing how Americans live and work. The twenty-first century has become the age of aesthetics, and whether we realize it or not, this influence has taken over the marketplace, and much more. In this penetrating, keenly observed book, Virginia Postrel makes the argument that appearance counts, that aesthetic value is real. Drawing from fields as diverse as fashion, real estate, politics, design, and economics, Postrel deftly chronicles our culture's aesthetic imperative and argues persuasively that it is a vital component of a healthy, forward-looking society. Intelligent, incisive, and thought-provoking, The Substance of Style is a groundbreaking portrait of the democratization of taste and a brilliant examination of the way we live now.

From airport terminals decorated like Starbucks to the popularity of hair dye among teenage boys, one thing is clear: we have entered the Age of Aesthetics. Sensory appeals are everywhere, and they are intensifying, radically changing how Americans live and work. We expect every strip mall and city block to offer designer coffee, a copy shop with do-it-yourself graphics workstations, and a nail salon for manicures on demand. Every startup, product, or public space calls for an aesthetic touch, which gives us more choices, and more responsibility. By now, we all rely on style to express identity. And aesthetics has become too important to be left to the aesthetes. In this penetrating, keenly observed book, Virginia Postrel shows that the "look and feel" of people, places, and things are more important than we think. Aesthetic pleasure taps deep human instincts and is essential for creativity and growth. Drawing from fields as diverse as fashion, real estate, politics, design, and economics, Postrel deftly chronicles our culture’s aesthetic imperative and argues persuasively that it is a vital component of a healthy, forward-looking society. Intelligent, incisive, and thought provoking, The Substance of Style is a groundbreaking portrait of the democratization of taste and a brilliant examination of the way we live now.

"Style and Substance" offers a unique look at hundreds of dazzling rooms the magazine has showcased during its first two decades. Illustrations throughout.

From renowned photographer Melanie Acevedo and founding editor of domino magazine Dara Caponigro, comes a lush dive into the private worlds and gorgeous homes of creative trailblazers in art, design, and fashion around the world. The Authentics is a deep exploration into the substance of style through evocative photography and stimulating interviews that seek to unravel the tenets of taste and talent. The featured homeowners, all true originals, help define our culture--including interior designer Miles Redd, actress Peggy Lipton, and Libertine designer Johnson Hartig. With an artful mix of color and black-and-white photography that includes portraits, interiors, gardens, and still-life shots of flowers, food, and more, The Authentics examines the lives and work of these visionaries in an inspiring tribute to confidence, originality, and the power of finding one's own voice.

Ideal for courses in advanced composition, Substance, Style, and Strategy offers a comprehensive guide to develop effective writing in every student. It enables students to form a personal style, to write about issues that are substantial and meaningful, and to use a range of strategies for solving writing problems of all kinds. Recognizing that students often require basic reminders of elementary stylistic principles, the book begins with a review in the first chapter, "Developing a Personal Style," that brings writers up to speed in standard skills. It discusses issues of subject, audience, style, and the writing process. Following chapters examine not only the types of essay writing students must do in college but also ways of writing that will be useful to them as developing writers later in life. The author presents workable, direct, and useful strategies for writing effective personal, biographical, argumentative, familiar, and critical essays. Each essay form is discussed in detail and illustrated through examples that are analyzed in depth; these examples are illuminating and instructive because they offer ways of solving problems that all writers confront. The text concludes with a practical appendix on research materials that outlines the most useful research strategies for modern writers, discussing both print resources and new on-line resources such as Lexis-Nexis, CD-ROM on-line databases and services, and the World Wide Web. Substance, Style, and Strategy stimulates students to develop their thoughts and feelings in skillful, meaningful, and expressive prose, providing them with a thorough grounding in how to be writers for life.

In Don't Be Such a Scientist, Randy Olson shares lessons of his transformation from tenured professor to Hollywood filmmaker, challenging the science world to toss out its stodgy past in favor of something more dymanic --and ultimately more human. In this second edition, Olson buils upon the radical approach of Don't Be Such a Scientist throught timely updates and new stories. In his signature candid style, Olson weighs in on recent events in the science community, celebrating the rise in grassroots activism while critiquing the scientific establishment. In an age of renewed attack on science, Don't Be Such a Scientist, Second Edition is a provocative guide to making your voice heard.--