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In Tune With the World: A Theory of Festivity
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$ 10.23
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| Item Number |
103394 |
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Item Description...
In this stimulating and still-timely study, Josef Pieper takes up a theme of paramount importance to his thinking -- that festivals belong by rights among the great topics of philosophical discussion.As he develops his theory of festivity, the modern age comes under close and painful scrutiny. It is obvious that we no longer know what festivity is, namely, the celebration of existence under various symbols. Pieper exposes the pseudo-festivals, in their harmless and their sinister forms: traditional feasts contaminated by commercialism; artificial holidays created in the interest of merchandisers; holidays by coercion, decreed by dictators the world over; festivals as military demonstrations; holidays empty of significance. And lastly we are given the apocalyptic vision of a nihilistic world which would seek its release not in festivities but in destruction. Formulated with Pieper's customary clarity and elegance, enhanced by brilliantly chosen quotations, this is an illuminating contribution to the understanding of traditional and contemporary experience. |
Item Specifications...
Pages 104
Dimensions: Length: 8.5" Width: 5.52" Height: 0.32"
Weight: 0.34 lbs.
Binding Softcover
Publisher St. Augustine's Press
ISBN 1890318337
EAN 9781890318338
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Availability 12 units.
Availability accurate as of May 26, 2012 11:37.
Usually ships within one to two business days from La Vergne, TN.
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Reviews - What do our customers think?
 | Wonderfully clear Aug 14, 2008 |
| The principal thesis of Pieper's book is that festivity is first and foremost a celebration of being and the whole creation as gift. For Pieper festivity and worship are interconnected. As usual, Pieper's writing is crystal clear and a joy to read. On easter, he writes: "Easter itself, although it celebrates a historical event, could never be a real festival, let alone "the festival of the Church", if it were not more than and different from a mere memorial day. What is in truth involved is a mysterious contemporizing of this event, which evokes an incomparably more real present than memory can". This thought resonated with me following a week spent at Solemes Abbey, where each Mass was (and is) an extraodinary solemn and festive occasion. I experienced there a powerful sense of memory i.e. the Church's memory of the Lord's last supper and passion was a real lived and sacred memory which was being kind of breathed into my memory, so that it became my memory too. | | |  | Outstanding Book . . . Poor Edition May 18, 2004 |
| Pieper's argument is outstanding, expansive and joyful. This particular edition, on the other hand, is riddled with typographical errors that make the reading more of an effort than it would otherwise be. One example is that the letter "b" often appears as the letter "h". One wonders why these errors were allowed to make it into print and thus sully what is otherwise a very pleasant way to pass an afternoon. | | | | What is Joy? Sep 25, 2003 |
| Father Thomas Hopko has remarked, along with many others, that man is essentially homo adorans. That is, we are created to glorify and celebrate. God, the chief object of our glorification, and the very nature and cycle of our existence are the continual subjects of adoration and festive reflection across so many cultures and times. Even when the concept of God is removed from society, there persists the nagging need to commemorate and celebrate the past in terms quite religious. Memorial Day is a real anamnesis, Thanksgiving is eucharistic, etc. Some will disagree with this thesis, but I think it bears consideration. Pieper does something similar in his work by drawing on the ancient and more recent past to analyze the notions of Feast, sacred rest, and joy. This book ties in very well with his book on leisure and is very insightful. I would also recommend Alexander Schmemann's "For the Life of the World" as an excellent introduction to the sacramental worldview. Enjoy! | | | | A plea for a more joyful life May 4, 2000 |
| Josef Pieper is probably best known for his book "Leisure: The Basis of Culture." This book on festivity is a good companion to that volume. Pieper discusses festivity's contrast to ordinary, everyday work, but points out that festivity involves more than the absence of labor. Real festivity also requires a quality of spirit which makes enjoyment possible, and that quality of spirit is love. He says, "One who loves nothing and nobody cannot possibly rejoice." The artificial festivals created by business can not possibly regenerate us the way festival is meant to do, because they are rooted in acquisitiveness rather than love and generosity of spirit. This is a beautiful book which will make you want to celebrate something truly festive! | | | Write your own review about In Tune With the World: A Theory of Festivity
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