Famous British Authors - Ten Best-Loved

By Keith Valentine
Which famous British authors made it to The Big Read? A survey conducted in 2003 by the BBC to reveal the UK's best-loved book? What novels are they famous for? And which of their books were in the Top 200 list?
There are a few things to consider, though, if you want to enjoy reading the novels written by the best-loved, famous British authors. First, determine where your interests lie. You may be interested in contemporary novelists, or perhaps you are more intrigued by classic writers? Works of English literature originating prior to World War II is considered by most to be classical in nature, whereas novels written during or after that...

Top 10 Violin Concertos of All Time

Author: Dr. Sander I. Marcus
If you're looking for objectivity, you won't find it here. I'm a psychologist by profession and an amateur violinist. So the following list and the explanations are purely subjective, not the opinion of a professional musician or musical scholar, and will probably change by the time I finish writing this. Nevertheless, as of today, here are the top 10 violin concertos of all time ...

Acrylic: A Revolution in Art, Design and Jewelry

By Eliane Kristensen
Acrylic sometimes called plexiglass refers to a hard transparent plastic material. Originally used for industrial purposes as a lightweight alternative to glass, it is now not only found in most spheres of daily life, but it has also opened new exciting avenues in jewelry, design and art.
The discovery and production of acrylic acid in 1843, was followed by other developments, particularly the discovery of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), more commonly called acrylic. Patented in Germany in 1933, Plexiglas is a well known brand name. Other brand names - such as Lucite and Perspex - are used interchangeably with the term acrylic.
Commercial production of acrylic dates back 1936. It opened new possibilities and was used on...

Ancient Greek Statues

Author: HollyHellerman
I have usually loved ancient art, but especially ancient Greek statues and vases. As an American, living in a time where excess will be the chief aesthetic, it can be inspiring to see an art that revels in proportion rather than extremes. Ancient Greek statues often try to portray themes of beauty inside the body, but they don't do it by overstating every thing. An ancient Greek statue of a man won't be pumped up to enormous proportions. A depiction of a goddess figure won't have ridiculous curves that would be out of place in any location but Los Angeles. They strive to create things look right - lovely in a very simple, human way.

Ancient Greece Art – Cycladic Sculptures in the Greek Islands

Author: Twomacs
Cycladic sculptures are thousands of years old and yet look eerily modern. A face with no facial features, except the nose, is not exactly how we think of ancient Greek art. Cycladic art came to prominence during the twentieth century. Unfortunately that started a period of looting, which destroyed the possibility of putting the sculptures in any kind of location or archeological context. To this day we know very little about Cycladic art. A measure of its growing importance is ...