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Beautiful Losers: Sam Francis and the Allure of Imperfection
Introduction:
Dive into the captivating world of Sam Francis, a pivotal figure in Abstract Expressionism, whose life and art defied easy categorization. This in-depth exploration delves beyond the surface of his vibrant, emotionally charged canvases, examining the "beautiful loser" label often applied to him and dissecting the complexities that shaped his unique artistic vision. We'll uncover the influences that fueled his creativity, the struggles he endured, and the enduring legacy he left behind, showcasing why his work remains relevant and profoundly moving today. This post offers a comprehensive analysis of Sam Francis's life, art, and enduring influence, providing insights into his techniques, his struggles, and the enduring impact of his "beautiful loser" persona.
1. The Life and Times of Sam Francis: A Biographical Sketch
Sam Francis's life story is as compelling as his art. Born in San Mateo, California, in 1923, his journey was marked by significant personal and physical challenges. A near-fatal car accident in his youth left him with lasting physical limitations and a deep contemplation on mortality, themes that would heavily influence his future work. His early artistic endeavors were disrupted by World War II, where he served in the US Air Force. Post-war, he found himself drawn to the vibrant art scene of Paris, immersing himself in the burgeoning Abstract Expressionist movement alongside artists like Jackson Pollock and Clyfford Still. However, unlike many of his contemporaries, Francis forged a unique path, characterized by his distinctive color palettes and brushwork, moving beyond the purely gestural towards a more nuanced and emotionally evocative style. His later years were spent battling illness, yet he continued to create art until his death in 1994, leaving behind a vast and impressive body of work.
2. Analyzing the "Beautiful Loser" Label: Success and Struggle in Sam Francis's Career
The term "beautiful loser" is often applied to Sam Francis, capturing the paradoxical nature of his career. While achieving significant recognition and critical acclaim, his life was undeniably marked by personal struggles. His physical limitations, battles with illness, and turbulent personal relationships contrasted sharply with the radiant beauty and optimism often found in his canvases. This duality, however, is precisely what makes his work so compelling. His art transcends the mere aesthetic, revealing a raw vulnerability and profound emotional depth, a testament to the power of artistic expression in navigating life's complexities. The "beautiful loser" label encapsulates this duality, highlighting the profound human experience that underpins his artistic achievements.
3. Deconstructing Sam Francis's Artistic Style: Color, Light, and Emotion
Francis's art is characterized by a distinctive blend of color, light, and emotional intensity. His signature style emerged from a careful exploration of color theory, his canvases becoming vibrant expressions of light and shadow. He often employed a seemingly effortless technique, allowing the paint to flow freely, creating delicate washes and gestural marks that capture a sense of movement and spontaneity. This approach, however, belies a deep understanding of color interaction and compositional balance. His works transcend mere abstraction, evoking a range of emotions, from serene tranquility to intense emotional turmoil, reflecting the complexities of his own life experiences. The interplay of light and shadow, the bold strokes juxtaposed with delicate washes, all contribute to the unique and powerful effect of his paintings.
4. Key Influences and Inspirations: From Post-War Paris to Japanese Aesthetics
Francis's artistic journey was shaped by a diverse range of influences. His time in Paris exposed him to the dynamism of the post-war art scene, while his later travels to Japan instilled in him a profound appreciation for Japanese aesthetics. The influence of Zen Buddhism is evident in the meditative quality of some of his later works, which often feature minimalist compositions and a subtle interplay of light and color. These varied influences converged to create a distinctive artistic voice, one that blended the emotional intensity of Abstract Expressionism with the serene contemplation of Eastern aesthetics. This fusion of styles is a key element of what makes his work so unique and enduring.
5. The Enduring Legacy of Sam Francis: A Lasting Impact on the Art World
Despite the "beautiful loser" label sometimes associated with him, Sam Francis’s impact on the art world is undeniable. His work continues to inspire and influence contemporary artists, and his paintings command significant attention in galleries and museums worldwide. His unique approach to color, his emotional depth, and his ability to translate personal struggles into powerful visual expressions ensure his place as a major figure in 20th-century art. His legacy extends beyond his individual achievements, shaping the trajectory of abstract art and leaving a lasting mark on the artistic landscape.
Article Outline:
I. Introduction: Hook, Overview of the article's content.
II. Life and Times: A biographical sketch of Sam Francis, highlighting key life events and their impact on his art.
III. "Beautiful Loser" Deconstructed: Analysis of the label and its relevance to Francis's career.
IV. Artistic Style: In-depth exploration of his techniques, color palette, and emotional impact.
V. Influences and Inspirations: Examination of the factors shaping his unique artistic voice.
VI. Enduring Legacy: Assessment of his influence on the art world and his lasting impact.
VII. Conclusion: Summarizing key insights and reflecting on the enduring power of Sam Francis's art.
(The content above fulfills points I-VII of the outline.)
FAQs:
1. What is the significance of the "beautiful loser" label applied to Sam Francis? The label highlights the paradox of his life—achieving significant success while battling personal struggles and physical limitations. It captures the emotional depth and vulnerability present in his work.
2. What artistic movements influenced Sam Francis? Abstract Expressionism was a major influence, but his work also incorporates elements of Japanese aesthetics and Zen Buddhism.
3. What are the defining characteristics of Sam Francis's artistic style? His style is characterized by vibrant colors, light-filled canvases, a blend of gestural marks and delicate washes, and an emotional intensity that transcends mere abstraction.
4. How did Sam Francis's personal experiences impact his art? His near-fatal car accident, wartime experiences, and health struggles deeply informed his artistic expression, infusing his works with a profound sense of mortality and emotional vulnerability.
5. Where can I see Sam Francis's work? His paintings are held in major museums worldwide, and galleries often showcase his pieces. Online searches for "Sam Francis exhibitions" can help locate current displays.
6. What materials did Sam Francis typically use? He primarily used oils and acrylics on canvas, known for his skillful application of paint to create textured and luminous effects.
7. How is Sam Francis's art different from other Abstract Expressionists? While sharing some characteristics, his work distinguishes itself through a unique color palette, a distinctive sensitivity to light, and a subtle incorporation of Japanese aesthetic principles.
8. What is the current market value of Sam Francis's paintings? The value varies greatly depending on size, condition, and the specific work, but his paintings are highly sought after and command significant prices in the art market.
9. What books or resources are available to learn more about Sam Francis? Numerous books and articles are dedicated to his life and work. Searching for "Sam Francis biography" or "Sam Francis art books" will reveal extensive resources.
Related Articles:
1. Abstract Expressionism: A Comprehensive Overview: A detailed exploration of the Abstract Expressionist movement, placing Sam Francis within its historical context.
2. The Influence of Japanese Aesthetics on Western Art: An examination of the cross-cultural exchange that influenced Francis and other artists.
3. Zen Buddhism and its Impact on Artistic Creativity: An exploration of the meditative practices and philosophies that informed Francis's later works.
4. Color Theory in Abstract Painting: A discussion of color theory principles as they relate to the distinctive palettes used by Sam Francis.
5. The Post-War Parisian Art Scene: A look at the vibrant artistic climate that shaped Francis's early career.
6. Collecting Abstract Art: A Beginner's Guide: Tips for navigating the world of abstract art collecting, including considerations for acquiring works by Sam Francis.
7. The Evolution of Sam Francis's Style: A chronological examination of his artistic development, highlighting key stylistic shifts.
8. Sam Francis and the Concept of "Beauty": An analysis of the meaning of beauty in Francis's art, considering its relationship to his personal struggles.
9. Contemporary Artists Inspired by Sam Francis: Exploring the ongoing influence of Sam Francis on contemporary abstract painters.
| beautiful losers sam francis: Beautiful Losers Samuel Francis, 1994-08 In this collection of essays, Washington Times columnist Francis argues that the 1992 victory of the Democratic Party in the presidential campaign marks not only the end of the Reagan-Bush era but the failure of American conservatism. He asserts that the changes of the last decade have led to a virtual disappearance of the political Right, and that for the first time since the New Deal, the nation faces the prospect of political democracy without an oppositional force to liberalism. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Leviathan and Its Enemies Samuel Francis, 2016-06-23 Leviathan and Its Enemies is Samuel T. Francis's magnum opus on political theory and the history of the modern world, which had been lost to the world after his untimely death in 2005 and is published here for the first time. This edition includes new introductory and critical essays by Jerry Woodruff, Fran Griffin, and Paul E. Gottfried. In his Introduction, Jerry Woodruff writes, Following [James] Burnham, Sam believed a new ruling elite emerged in 20th-century. . . . the growth of giant corporations, the expansion of government power and bureaucracy, and the widespread emergence of mass organizations gave birth to a powerful class of skilled professionals to guide and manage the vast operations of the means of economic production, which, on a smaller scale, were once in the hands of private entrepreneurs and their families. As a result, the old ruling bourgeois elite, along with its political and social institutions and its view of society and politics, were replaced by a new managerial elite, with a world outlook that set out to remake society according to its own interests, and which was hostile to any bourgeois remnants in conflict with that project. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Left-Wing Melancholia Enzo Traverso, 2017-01-10 The fall of the Berlin Wall marked the end of the Cold War but also the rise of a melancholic vision of history as a series of losses. For the political left, the cause lost was communism, and this trauma determined how leftists wrote the next chapter in their political struggle and how they have thought about their past since. Throughout the twentieth century, argues Left-Wing Melancholia, from classical Marxism to psychoanalysis to the advent of critical theory, a culture of defeat and its emotional overlay of melancholy have characterized the leftist understanding of the political in history and in theoretical critique. Drawing on a vast and diverse archive in theory, testimony, and image and on such thinkers as Karl Marx, Walter Benjamin, Theodor W. Adorno, and others, the intellectual historian Enzo Traverso explores the varying nature of left melancholy as it has manifested in a feeling of guilt for not sufficiently challenging authority, in a fear of surrendering in disarray and resignation, in mourning the human costs of the past, and in a sense of failure for not realizing utopian aspirations. Yet hidden within this melancholic tradition are the resources for a renewed challenge to prevailing regimes of historicity, a passion that has the power to reignite the dialectic of revolutionary thought. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Unapologetic Francis Spufford, 2012-09-04 'Passionate, challenging, tumultuously articulate . . . Fascinating.' John Carey, Sunday Times 'A wonderful, effortlessly brilliant book.' Evening Standard 'A rare gem, a book that carries conviction by being honest all the way through.' John Gray, Independent If Christianity is anything, it's a refusal to see human behavior as ruled by the balance sheet. We're not supposed to see the things we do as adding up into piles of good and evil we can subtract from each according to some kind of calculus to tell us how, on balance, we're doing. Unapologetic is a book for those curious about how faith can possibly work in the twenty-first century. But it isn't an argument that Christianity is true - because how could anyone know that (or indeed its opposite)? It's an argument that Christianity is recognisable, drawing on the deep and deeply ordinary vocabulary of human feeling, satisfying those who believe in it by offering a ruthlessly realistic account of the bits of our lives advertising agencies prefer to ignore. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: James Burnham Samuel T. Francis, 1999 |
| beautiful losers sam francis: America Extinguished Samuel T. Francis, 2002 |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Essential Writings on Race Samuel T. Francis, 2007 |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Warmth Daniel Sherrell, 2021-08-03 NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2021 BY THE NEW YORKER AND PUBLISHERS WEEKLY “[Warmth] is lyrical and erudite, engaging with science, activism, and philosophy . . . [Sherrell] captures the complicated correspondence between hope and doubt, faith and despair—the pendulum of emotional states that defines our attitude toward the future.” —The New Yorker “Beautifully rendered and bracingly honest.” —Jenny Odell, author of How to Do Nothing From a millennial climate activist, an exploration of how young people live in the shadow of catastrophe Warmth is a new kind of book about climate change: not what it is or how we solve it, but how it feels to imagine a future—and a family—under its weight. In a fiercely personal account written from inside the climate movement, Sherrell lays bare how the crisis is transforming our relationships to time, to hope, and to each other. At once a memoir, a love letter, and an electric work of criticism, Warmth goes to the heart of the defining question of our time: how do we go on in a world that may not? |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Who are We? Samuel P. Huntington, 2005 America was founded by settlers who brought with them a distinct culture including the English language, Protestant values, individualism, religious commitment, and respect for law. The waves of later immigrants came gradually accepted these values and assimilated into America's Anglo-Protestant culture. More recently, however, national identity has been eroded by the problems of assimilating massive numbers of immigrants, bilingualism, multiculturalism, the devaluation of citizenship, and the denationalization of American élites. September 11 brought a revival of American patriotism, but already there are signs that this is fading. This book shows the need for us to reassert the core values that make us Americans.--From publisher description. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: The Real Right Returns Daniel Friberg, 2018-09-26 The Right is coming back. After decades of humiliation and political failures, the opposition is reorganising, catching up with the times, and getting itself in order. 'The Real Right Returns' is aimed at anyone who is or would like to take part in the true opposition which both Europe and her children around the world so sorely need. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Brother David Chariandy, 2017-09-26 The long-awaited second novel from David Chariandy, whose debut, Soucouyant, was nominated for nearly every major literary prize in Canada and published internationally. An intensely beautiful, searingly powerful, tightly constructed novel, Brother explores questions of masculinity, family, race, and identity as they are played out in a Scarborough housing complex during the sweltering heat and simmering violence of the summer of 1991. With shimmering prose and mesmerizing precision, David Chariandy takes us inside the lives of Michael and Francis. They are the sons of Trinidadian immigrants, their father has disappeared and their mother works double, sometimes triple shifts so her boys might fulfill the elusive promise of their adopted home. Coming of age in The Park, a cluster of town houses and leaning concrete towers in the disparaged outskirts of a sprawling city, Michael and Francis battle against the careless prejudices and low expectations that confront them as young men of black and brown ancestry -- teachers stream them into general classes; shopkeepers see them only as thieves; and strangers quicken their pace when the brothers are behind them. Always Michael and Francis escape into the cool air of the Rouge Valley, a scar of green wilderness that cuts through their neighbourhood, where they are free to imagine better lives for themselves. Propelled by the pulsing beats and styles of hip hop, Francis, the older of the two brothers, dreams of a future in music. Michael's dreams are of Aisha, the smartest girl in their high school whose own eyes are firmly set on a life elsewhere. But the bright hopes of all three are violently, irrevocably thwarted by a tragic shooting, and the police crackdown and suffocating suspicion that follow. With devastating emotional force David Chariandy, a unique and exciting voice in Canadian literature, crafts a heartbreaking and timely story about the profound love that exists between brothers and the senseless loss of lives cut short with the shot of a gun. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Race and the American Prospect Samuel T. Francis, 2006 |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Ask a Manager Alison Green, 2018-05-01 From the creator of the popular website Ask a Manager and New York’s work-advice columnist comes a witty, practical guide to 200 difficult professional conversations—featuring all-new advice! There’s a reason Alison Green has been called “the Dear Abby of the work world.” Ten years as a workplace-advice columnist have taught her that people avoid awkward conversations in the office because they simply don’t know what to say. Thankfully, Green does—and in this incredibly helpful book, she tackles the tough discussions you may need to have during your career. You’ll learn what to say when • coworkers push their work on you—then take credit for it • you accidentally trash-talk someone in an email then hit “reply all” • you’re being micromanaged—or not being managed at all • you catch a colleague in a lie • your boss seems unhappy with your work • your cubemate’s loud speakerphone is making you homicidal • you got drunk at the holiday party Praise for Ask a Manager “A must-read for anyone who works . . . [Alison Green’s] advice boils down to the idea that you should be professional (even when others are not) and that communicating in a straightforward manner with candor and kindness will get you far, no matter where you work.”—Booklist (starred review) “The author’s friendly, warm, no-nonsense writing is a pleasure to read, and her advice can be widely applied to relationships in all areas of readers’ lives. Ideal for anyone new to the job market or new to management, or anyone hoping to improve their work experience.”—Library Journal (starred review) “I am a huge fan of Alison Green’s Ask a Manager column. This book is even better. It teaches us how to deal with many of the most vexing big and little problems in our workplaces—and to do so with grace, confidence, and a sense of humor.”—Robert Sutton, Stanford professor and author of The No Asshole Rule and The Asshole Survival Guide “Ask a Manager is the ultimate playbook for navigating the traditional workforce in a diplomatic but firm way.”—Erin Lowry, author of Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together |
| beautiful losers sam francis: The Favourite Game Leonard Cohen, 2011-11-16 In this unforgettable novel, Leonard Cohen boldly etches the youth and early manhood of Lawrence Breavman, only son of an old Jewish family in Montreal. Life for Breavman is made up of dazzling colour—a series of motion pictures fed through a high-speed projector: the half-understood death of his father; the adult games of love and war, with their infinite capacity for fantasy and cruelty; his secret experiments with hypnotism; the night-long adventures with Krantz, his beloved comrade and confidant. Later, achieving literary fame as a college student, Breavman does penance through manual labour, but ultimately flees to New York. And although he has loved the bodies of many women, it is only when he meets Shell, whom he awakens to her own beauty, that he discovers the totality of love and its demands, and comes to terms with the sacrifices he must make. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Six: The Musical - Vocal Selections , 2020-06-01 (Vocal Selections). Six has received rave reviews around the world for its modern take on the stories of the six wives of Henry VIII and it's finally opening on Broadway! From Tudor queens to pop princesses, the six wives take the mic to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into an exuberant celebration of 21st century girl power! Songs include: All You Wanna Do * Don't Lose Ur Head * Ex-Wives * Get Down * Haus of Holbein * Heart of Stone * I Don't Need Your Love * No Way * Six. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Intimate Strangers B. Nyamnjoh, 2010-01-01 Intimate Strangers tells the story of the everyday tensions of maids and madams in ways that bring together different worlds and explore various dimensions of servitude and mobility. Immaculate travels to a foreign land only to find her fianc refusing to marry her. Operating from the margins of society, through her own ingenuity and an encounter with researcher Dr Winter-Bottom Nanny, she is able to earn some money. Will she remain at the margins or graduate into DUST - Diamond University of Science and Technology? Immaculate learns how maids struggle to make ends meet and madams wrestle to keep them in their employ. Resolved to make her disappointments blessings, she perseveres until she can take no more. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: The Lies that Bind: Rethinking Identity Kwame Anthony Appiah, 2018-08-28 A Washington Post Notable Book of the Year As seen on the Netflix series Explained From the best-selling author of Cosmopolitanism comes this revealing exploration of how the collective identities that shape our polarized world are riddled with contradiction. Who do you think you are? That’s a question bound up in another: What do you think you are? Gender. Religion. Race. Nationality. Class. Culture. Such affiliations give contours to our sense of self, and shape our polarized world. Yet the collective identities they spawn are riddled with contradictions, and cratered with falsehoods. Kwame Anthony Appiah’s The Lies That Bind is an incandescent exploration of the nature and history of the identities that define us. It challenges our assumptions about how identities work. We all know there are conflicts between identities, but Appiah shows how identities are created by conflict. Religion, he demonstrates, gains power because it isn’t primarily about belief. Our everyday notions of race are the detritus of discarded nineteenth-century science. Our cherished concept of the sovereign nation—of self-rule—is incoherent and unstable. Class systems can become entrenched by efforts to reform them. Even the very idea of Western culture is a shimmering mirage. From Anton Wilhelm Amo, the eighteenth-century African child who miraculously became an eminent European philosopher before retiring back to Africa, to Italo Svevo, the literary marvel who changed citizenship without leaving home, to Appiah’s own father, Joseph, an anticolonial firebrand who was ready to give his life for a nation that did not yet exist, Appiah interweaves keen-edged argument with vibrant narratives to expose the myths behind our collective identities. These “mistaken identities,” Appiah explains, can fuel some of our worst atrocities—from chattel slavery to genocide. And yet, he argues that social identities aren’t something we can simply do away with. They can usher in moral progress and bring significance to our lives by connecting the small scale of our daily existence with larger movements, causes, and concerns. Elaborating a bold and clarifying new theory of identity, The Lies That Bind is a ringing philosophical statement for the anxious, conflict-ridden twenty-first century. This book will transform the way we think about who—and what—“we” are. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: The New Sultan Soner Çaǧaptay, 2017 In a world of rising tensions between Russia and the United States, the Middle East and Europe, Sunnis and Shiites, Islamism and liberalism, Turkey is at the epicentre. And at the heart of Turkey is its right-wing populist president, Recep Tayyip Erdo?an. Since 2002, Erdo?an has consolidated his hold on domestic politics while using military and diplomatic means to solidify Turkey as a regional power. His crackdown has been brutal and consistent - scores of journalists arrested, academics officially banned from leaving the country, university deans fired and many of the highest-ranking military officers arrested. In some senses, the nefarious and failed 2016 coup has given Erdo?an the licence to make good on his repeated promise to bring order and stability under a 'strongman'. Here, leading Turkish expert Soner Cagaptay will look at Erdo?an's roots in Turkish history, what he believes in and how he has cemented his rule, as well as what this means for the world. The book will also unpick the 'threats' Erdogan has worked to combat - from the liberal Turks to the Gulen movement, from coup plotters to Kurdish nationalists - all of which have culminated in the crisis of modern Turkey.--Bloomsbury Publishing. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: We Beat the Street Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, Rameck Hunt, Sharon Draper, 2006-04-20 Growing up on the rough streets of Newark, New Jersey, Rameck, George,and Sampson could easily have followed their childhood friends into drug dealing, gangs, and prison. But when a presentation at their school made the three boys aware of the opportunities available to them in the medical and dental professions, they made a pact among themselves that they would become doctors. It took a lot of determination—and a lot of support from one another—but despite all the hardships along the way, the three succeeded. Retold with the help of an award-winning author, this younger adaptation of the adult hit novel The Pact is a hard-hitting, powerful, and inspirational book that will speak to young readers everywhere. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: The Last Book on the Left Ben Kissel, Marcus Parks, Henry Zebrowski, 2020 A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER An equal parts haunting and hilarious deep-dive review of history's most notorious and cold-blooded serial killers, from the creators of the award-winning Last Podcast on the Left Since its first show in 2010, The Last Podcast on the Left has barreled headlong into all things horror, as hosts Henry Zebrowski, Ben Kissel, and Marcus Parks cover subjects spanning Jeffrey Dahmer, werewolves, Jonestown, and supernatural phenomena. Deeply researched but with a morbidly humorous bent, the podcast has earned a dedicated and aptly cultlike following for its unique take on all things macabre. In their first book, the guys take a deep dive into history's most infamous serial killers, from Ted Bundy to John Wayne Gacy, exploring their origin stories, haunting habits, and perverse predilections. Featuring newly developed content alongside updated fan favorites, each profile is an exhaustive examination of the darker side of human existence. With appropriately creepy four-color illustrations throughout and a gift-worthy paper over board format, The Last Book on the Left will satisfy the bloodlust of readers everywhere. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Bubble in the Sun Christopher Knowlton, 2021-01-12 Christopher Knowlton, author of Cattle Kingdom and former Fortune writer, takes an in-depth look at the spectacular Florida land boom of the 1920s and shows how it led directly to the Great Depression. The 1920s in Florida was a time of incredible excess, immense wealth, and precipitous collapse. The decade there produced the largest human migration in American history, far exceeding the settlement of the West, as millions flocked to the grand hotels and the new cities that rose rapidly from the teeming wetlands. The boom spawned a new subdivision civilization—and the most egregious large-scale assault on the environment in the name of “progress.” Nowhere was the glitz and froth of the Roaring Twenties more excessive than in Florida. Here was Vegas before there was a Vegas: gambling was condoned and so was drinking, since prohibition was not enforced. Tycoons, crooks, and celebrities arrived en masse to promote or exploit this new and dazzling American frontier in the sunshine. Yet, the import and deep impact of these historical events have never been explored thoroughly until now. In Bubble in the Sun Christopher Knowlton examines the grand artistic and entrepreneurial visions behind Coral Gables, Boca Raton, Miami Beach, and other storied sites, as well as the darker side of the frenzy. For while giant fortunes were being made and lost and the nightlife raged more raucously than anywhere else, the pure beauty of the Everglades suffered wanton ruination and the workers, mostly black, who built and maintained the boom, endured grievous abuses. Knowlton breathes dynamic life into the forces that made and wrecked Florida during the decade: the real estate moguls Carl Fisher, George Merrick, and Addison Mizner, and the once-in-a-century hurricane whose aftermath triggered the stock market crash. This essential account is a revelatory—and riveting—history of an era that still affects our country today. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: The True Interest and Political Maxims, of the Republic of Holland Pieter de la Court, 1746 |
| beautiful losers sam francis: The Ordeal of Thomas Hutchinson Bernard Bailyn, 1974 The paradoxical and tragic story of America's most prominent Loyalist - a man caught between king and country. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Drop the Rock Bill P., Todd W., Sara S., 2009-06-03 A practical guide to letting go of the character defects that get in the way of true and joyful recovery. Resentment. Fear. Self-Pity. Intolerance. Anger. As Bill P. explains, these are the rocks that can sink recovery- or at the least, block further progress. Based on the principles behind Steps Six and Seven, Drop the Rock combines personal stories, practical advice, and powerful insights to help readers move forward in recovery. The second edition features additional stories and a reference section. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: The Cultural Cold War Frances Stonor Saunders, 2013-11-05 During the Cold War, freedom of expression was vaunted as liberal democracy's most cherished possession—but such freedom was put in service of a hidden agenda. In The Cultural Cold War, Frances Stonor Saunders reveals the extraordinary efforts of a secret campaign in which some of the most vocal exponents of intellectual freedom in the West were working for or subsidized by the CIA—whether they knew it or not. Called the most comprehensive account yet of the [CIA's] activities between 1947 and 1967 by the New York Times, the book presents shocking evidence of the CIA's undercover program of cultural interventions in Western Europe and at home, drawing together declassified documents and exclusive interviews to expose the CIA's astonishing campaign to deploy the likes of Hannah Arendt, Isaiah Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, Robert Lowell, George Orwell, and Jackson Pollock as weapons in the Cold War. Translated into ten languages, this classic work—now with a new preface by the author—is a real contribution to popular understanding of the postwar period (The Wall Street Journal), and its story of covert cultural efforts to win hearts and minds continues to be relevant today. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Cities in Translation Sherry Simon, 2013-03-01 All cities are multilingual, but there are some where language relations have a special importance. These are cities where more than one historically rooted language community lays claim to the territory of the city. This book focuses on four such linguistically divided cities: Calcutta, Trieste, Barcelona, and Montreal. Though living with the ever-present threat of conflict, these cities offer the possibility of creative interaction across competing languages and this book examines the dynamics of translation in its many forms. By focusing on a category of cities which has received little attention, this study contributes to our understanding of the kinds of language relations that sustain the diversity of urban life. Illustrated with photos and maps, Cities in Translation is both an engaging read for a wide-ranging audience and an important text in advancing theory and methodology in translation studies. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Inadequate Equilibria (Draft Version) Eliezer Yudkowsky, 2017-11-16 |
| beautiful losers sam francis: A World After Liberalism Matthew Rose, 2021-01-01 A bracing account of liberalism's most radical critics introducing one of the most controversial movements of the twentieth century One of the best discussions of the extreme right's intellectual foundations that I have ever read.--George Hawley, author of Making Sense of the Alt-Right One of the best books I've read this year. . . . Its importance at this critical moment in our history cannot be overstated.--Rod Dreher, American Conservative In this eye-opening book, Matthew Rose introduces us to one of the most controversial intellectual movements of the twentieth century, the radical right, and discusses its adherents' different attempts to imagine political societies after the death or decline of liberalism. Questioning democracy's most basic norms and practices, these critics rejected ideas about human equality, minority rights, religious toleration, and cultural pluralism not out of implicit biases, but out of explicit principle. They disagree profoundly on race, religion, economics, and political strategy, but they all agree that a postliberal political life will soon be possible. Focusing on the work of Oswald Spengler, Julius Evola, Francis Parker Yockey, Alain de Benoist, and Samuel Francis, Rose shows how such thinkers are animated by religious aspirations and anxieties that are ultimately in tension with Christian teachings and the secular values those teachings birthed in modernity. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Why Does He Do That? Lundy Bancroft, 2003-09-02 In this groundbreaking bestseller, Lundy Bancroft—a counselor who specializes in working with abusive men—uses his knowledge about how abusers think to help women recognize when they are being controlled or devalued, and to find ways to get free of an abusive relationship. He says he loves you. So...why does he do that? You’ve asked yourself this question again and again. Now you have the chance to see inside the minds of angry and controlling men—and change your life. In Why Does He Do That? you will learn about: • The early warning signs of abuse • The nature of abusive thinking • Myths about abusers • Ten abusive personality types • The role of drugs and alcohol • What you can fix, and what you can’t • And how to get out of an abusive relationship safely “This is without a doubt the most informative and useful book yet written on the subject of abusive men. Women who are armed with the insights found in these pages will be on the road to recovering control of their lives.”—Jay G. Silverman, Ph.D., Director, Violence Prevention Programs, Harvard School of Public Health |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Technopoly Neil Postman, 2011-06-01 A witty, often terrifying that chronicles our transformation into a society that is shaped by technology—from the acclaimed author of Amusing Ourselves to Death. A provocative book ... A tool for fighting back against the tools that run our lives. —Dallas Morning News The story of our society's transformation into a Technopoly: a society that no longer merely uses technology as a support system but instead is shaped by it—with radical consequences for the meanings of politics, art, education, intelligence, and truth. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Into The Never Adam Steiner, 2020-03-01 Ushering in a new era of confessional music that spoke openly about experiences of trauma, depression, and self-loathing, Nine Inch Nails' seminal album, The Downward Spiral, changed popular music forever—bringing transgressive themes of heresy, S&M, and body horror to the masses and taking music technology to its limits. Released in 1994, the album resonated across a generation, combining elements of metal, industrial, synth-pop, and ambient electronica, and going on to sell over four million copies. Now, Into the Never explores the creation and cultural impact of The Downward Spiral, one of the most influential and artistically significant albums of the twentieth century. Inspired by David Bowie's Low and Pink Floyd's The Wall, the album recounts one man's disintegration as he descends into nihilism and nothingness. Blurring the lines between autobiography and concept album, creation and decay, it is also the story of Trent Reznor (who is Nine Inch Nails) as he pushed himself to the edge of the abyss, trapped in a cycle of addiction and self-destruction. The Downward Spiral also presents a reflection of America and a wider culture of violence, connecting the Columbine High School shooting, the infamous Manson family murders, and the aftermath of Vietnam and the Gulf War. Featuring new interviews with collaborators and artists inspired by the album, Into the Never sets The Downward Spiral in the context of music of the era and brings the story up to date, from Reznor's recovery to his reinvention as an Oscar-winning soundtrack artist. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: The Heads of Cerberus Francis Stevens, 2014-12-17 A trio of time-travelers land in Philadelphia's brutal totalitarian state of 2118. This 1919 classic was the first alternate-world fantasy, and H. P. Lovecraft hailed its author as among the top grade of writers. Loaded with action and humor, the novel anticipates the work of Philip K. Dick. A much-sought rarity. -- Analog-- |
| beautiful losers sam francis: How to Get Rich Felix Dennis, 2011-08-31 'Making money is a knack, a knack that can be acquired. And if someone like me can become rich, then so can you - no matter what your present circumstances. Here is how I did it and what I learned along the way.' So writes Felix Dennis, who believes that almost anyone of reasonable intelligence can become rich, given sufficient motivation and application. How To Get Rich is a distillation of his business wisdom. Primarily concerned with the step-by-step creation of wealth, it ruthlessly dissects the business failures and financial triumphs of 'a South London lad who became rich virtually by accident'. Part manual, part memoir, part primer, this book is a template for those who are willing to stare down failure and transform their lives. Canny, infuriating, cynical and generous by turns, How To Get Rich is an invaluable guide to 'the surprisingly simple art of collecting money which already has your name on it'. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Folk Devils and Moral Panics Stanley Cohen, 2011 'Richly documented and convincingly presented' -- New Society Mods and Rockers, skinheads, video nasties, designer drugs, bogus asylum seeks and hoodies. Every era has its own moral panics. It was Stanley Cohen's classic account, first published in the early 1970s and regularly revised, that brought the term 'moral panic' into widespread discussion. It is an outstanding investigation of the way in which the media and often those in a position of political power define a condition, or group, as a threat to societal values and interests. Fanned by screaming media headlines, Cohen brilliantly demonstrates how this leads to such groups being marginalised and vilified in the popular imagination, inhibiting rational debate about solutions to the social problems such groups represent. Furthermore, he argues that moral panics go even further by identifying the very fault lines of power in society. Full of sharp insight and analysis, Folk Devils and Moral Panics is essential reading for anyone wanting to understand this powerful and enduring phenomenon. Professor Stanley Cohen is Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics. He received the Sellin-Glueck Award of the American Society of Criminology (1985) and is on the Board of the International Council on Human Rights. He is a member of the British Academy. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: How Change Happens Duncan Green, 2016 DLP, Developmental Leadership Program; Australian Aid; Oxfam. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: The Sympathizer Viet Thanh Nguyen, 2015-04-02 Now an HBO Limited Series from Executive Producers Park Chan-wook and Robert Downey Jr., Streaming Exclusively on Max Winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction Winner of the 2016 Edgar Award for Best First Novel Winner of the 2016 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction One of TIME’s 100 Best Mystery and Thriller Books of All Time “[A] remarkable debut novel.” —Philip Caputo, New York Times Book Review (cover review) Winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize, a startling debut novel from a powerful new voice featuring one of the most remarkable narrators of recent fiction: a conflicted subversive and idealist working as a double agent in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. The winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, as well as seven other awards, The Sympathizer is the breakthrough novel of the year. With the pace and suspense of a thriller and prose that has been compared to Graham Greene and Saul Bellow, The Sympathizer is a sweeping epic of love and betrayal. The narrator, a communist double agent, is a “man of two minds,” a half-French, half-Vietnamese army captain who arranges to come to America after the Fall of Saigon, and while building a new life with other Vietnamese refugees in Los Angeles is secretly reporting back to his communist superiors in Vietnam. The Sympathizer is a blistering exploration of identity and America, a gripping espionage novel, and a powerful story of love and friendship. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Six Months of a Newfoundland Missionary's Journal Edward Wix, 1836 |
| beautiful losers sam francis: The Managerial Revolution: What is Happening in the World James Burnham, 2021-03-18 Written in 1941, Burnham's claim was that capitalism was dead, but that it was being replaced not by socialism, but a new economic system he called managerialism; rule by managers. |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Social Inequality and Social Stratification in U.S. Society Christopher Doob, 2015-08-27 Social Inequality – examining our present while understanding our past. Social Inequality and Social Statification in US Society, 1st edition uses a historical and conceptual framework to explain social stratification and social inequality. The historical scope gives context to each issue discussed and allows the reader to understand how each topic has evolved over the course of American history. The authors use qualitative data to help explain socioeconomic issues and connect related topics. Each chapter examines major concepts, so readers can see how an individual’s success in stratified settings often relies heavily on their access to valued resources–types of capital which involve finances, schooling, social networking, and cultural competence. Analyzing the impact of capital types throughout the text helps map out the prospects for individuals, families, and also classes to maintain or alter their position in social-stratification systems. Learning Goals Upon completing this book, readers will be able to: Analyze the four major American classes, as well as how race and gender are linked to inequalities in the United States Understand attempts to reduce social inequality Identify major historical events that have influenced current trends Understand how qualitative sources help reveal the inner workings that accompany people’s struggles with the socioeconomic order Recognize the impact of social-stratification systems on individuals and families |
| beautiful losers sam francis: Mirrors Eduardo Galeano, 2011-08-04 In Mirrors, Galeano smashes aside the narrative of conventional history and arranges the shards into a new pattern, to reveal the past in radically altered form. From the Garden of Eden to twenty-first-century cityscapes, we glimpse fragments in the lives of those who have been overlooked by traditional histories: the artists, the servants, the gods and the visionaries, the black slaves who built the White House, and the women who were bartered for dynastic ends |
