studioblog: 24 July 2006

Texts before class meets

I've posted some readings on the texts page. You can see a list of possible texts we'll engage on this pageI'm strongly recommending that everyone prepare for the studio by reading one book and listening to a set of lectures on mp3. The book is Outside Lies Magic: Regaining History and Awareness in Everyday Places, by John Stilgoe It is great for orienting you to a particular kind of looking that is key to seeing what is materially there and beginning to know how to comprehend it. Very enjoyable and pleasant, but take note of the significance of what he says.
The mp3's are availble for download on this wiki The Soul and the City: Art, Literature and Urban Life by Arnold L. Weinstein. They focus on more traditional texts and culture on the city. They are a good context setter for a broad understanding of the city in cultural history.

It looks now like I'll be gathering a set of readings from diverse texts for the core of our discussions.