Performance Isnt Everything

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High Performance Habits

Author : Brendon Burchard
Publisher : Hay House, Inc
ISBN 13 : 1401952852
Total Pages : 401 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (19 download)

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Book Synopsis High Performance Habits by : Brendon Burchard

Download or read book High Performance Habits written by Brendon Burchard and published by Hay House, Inc. This book was released on 2017-09-19 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: THESE HABITS WILL MAKE YOU EXTRAORDINARY. Twenty years ago, author Brendon Burchard became obsessed with answering three questions: 1. Why do some individuals and teams succeed more quickly than others and sustain that success over the long term? 2. Of those who pull it off, why are some miserable and others consistently happy on their journey? 3. What motivates people to reach for higher levels of success in the first place, and what practices help them improve the most After extensive original research and a decade as the world’s leading high performance coach, Burchard found the answers. It turns out that just six deliberate habits give you the edge. Anyone can practice these habits and, when they do, extraordinary things happen in their lives, relationships, and careers. Which habits can help you achieve long-term success and vibrant well-being no matter your age, career, strengths, or personality? To become a high performer, you must seek clarity, generate energy, raise necessity, increase productivity, develop influence, and demonstrate courage. The art and science of how to do all this is what this book is about. Whether you want to get more done, lead others better, develop skill faster, or dramatically increase your sense of joy and confidence, the habits in this book will help you achieve it faster. Each of the six habits is illustrated by powerful vignettes, cutting-edge science, thought-provoking exercises, and real-world daily practices you can implement right now. If you’ve ever wanted a science-backed, heart-centered plan to living a better quality of life, it’s in your hands. Best of all, you can measure your progress. A link to a free professional assessment is included in the book.

Beyond Performance 2.0

Author : Scott Keller
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1119596688
Total Pages : 291 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (195 download)

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Book Synopsis Beyond Performance 2.0 by : Scott Keller

Download or read book Beyond Performance 2.0 written by Scott Keller and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2019-07-03 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Double your odds of leading successful, sustainable change Leaders aren’t short on access to change management advice, but the jury has long been out as to which approach is the best one to follow. With the publication of Beyond Performance 2.0, the verdict is well and truly in. By applying the approach detailed by authors, Scott Keller and Bill Schaninger, the evidence shows that leaders can more than double their odds of success—from thirty percent to almost eighty. Whereas the first edition of Beyond Performance introduced the authors’ “Five Frames of Performance and Health” approach to change management, the fully revised and updated Beyond Performance 2.0 has been transformed into a truly practical “how to” guide for leaders. Every aspect of how to lead change at scale is covered in a step-by-step manner, always accompanied by practical tools and real-life examples. Keller and Schaninger’s work is distinguished in many ways, one of which is the rigor behind the recommendations. The underpinning research is the most comprehensive of its kind—based on over 5 million data points drawn from 2,000 companies globally over a 15-year period. This data is overlaid with the authors’ combined more than 40 years of experience in helping companies successfully achieve large-scale change. As senior partners in McKinsey & Company, consistently named the world’s most prestigious management consulting firm, Keller and Schaninger also draw on the shared experience of their colleagues from offices in over 60 countries with unrivaled access to CEOs and senior teams. Beyond Performance 2.0 also dares to go against the grain—eschewing the notion of copying best practices and instead guiding leaders to make choices specific to their unique context and organization. It does this with meticulously balance of focus on short- and long-term considerations, and on fully addressing the hard technical and oft cultural elements of making change happen. Further, the approach doesn’t just focus on delivering change; it builds an organization’s muscle to continuously change, making it healthier so that it can act with increased speed and agility to stay perpetually ahead of its competition. Leaders looking for a proven approach to leading large-scale change from a trusted source have found what they are looking for in Beyond Performance 2.0.

The Art of Confession

Author : Christopher Grobe
Publisher : NYU Press
ISBN 13 : 1479882089
Total Pages : 320 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (798 download)

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Book Synopsis The Art of Confession by : Christopher Grobe

Download or read book The Art of Confession written by Christopher Grobe and published by NYU Press. This book was released on 2017-11-07 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The Art of Confession tells the history of this cultural shift and of the movement it created in American art: confessionalism. Like realism or romanticism, confessionalism began in one art form, but soon pervaded them all: poetry and comedy in the 1950s and '60s, performance art in the '70s, theater in the '80s, television in the '90s, and online video and social media in the 2000s. Everywhere confessionalism went, it stood against autobiography, the art of the closed book. Instead of just publishing, these artists performed--with, around, and against the text of their lives." --

How to Be Good at Performance Appraisals

Author : Dick Grote
Publisher : Harvard Business Press
ISBN 13 : 1422142701
Total Pages : 228 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (221 download)

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Book Synopsis How to Be Good at Performance Appraisals by : Dick Grote

Download or read book How to Be Good at Performance Appraisals written by Dick Grote and published by Harvard Business Press. This book was released on 2011-07-05 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do you supervise people? If so, this book is for you. One of a manager’s toughest—and most important—responsibilities is to evaluate an employee’s performance, providing honest feedback and clarifying what they’ve done well and where they need to improve. In How to Be Good at Performance Appraisals, Dick Grote provides a concise, hands-on guide to succeeding at every step of the performance appraisal process—no matter what performance management system your organization uses. Through step-by-step instructions, examples, do-and-don’t bullet lists, sample dialogues, and suggested scripts, he shows you how to handle every appraisal activity from setting goals and defining job responsibilities to evaluating performance quality and discussing the performance evaluation face-to-face. Based on decades of experience guiding managers through their biggest challenges, Grote helps answer the questions he hears most often: • How do I set goals effectively? How many goals should someone set? • How do I evaluate a person’s behaviors? Which counts more, behaviors or results? • How do I determine the right performance appraisal rating? How do I explain my rating to a skeptical employee? • How do I tell someone she’s not meeting my expectations? How do I deliver bad news? Grote also explains how to tackle other thorny performance management tasks, including determining compensation and terminating poor performers. In accessible and useful language, How to Be Good at Performance Appraisals will help you handle performance appraisals confidently and successfully, no matter the size or culture of your organization. It’s the one book you need to excel at this daunting yet critical task.

Designing for Performance

Author : Lara Callender Hogan
Publisher : "O'Reilly Media, Inc."
ISBN 13 : 1491903732
Total Pages : 181 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (919 download)

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Book Synopsis Designing for Performance by : Lara Callender Hogan

Download or read book Designing for Performance written by Lara Callender Hogan and published by "O'Reilly Media, Inc.". This book was released on 2014-12-04 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As a web designer, you encounter tough choices when it comes to weighing aesthetics and performance. Good content, layout, images, and interactivity are essential for engaging your audience, and each of these elements have an enormous impact on page load time and the end-user experience. In this practical book, Lara Hogan helps you approach projects with page speed in mind, showing you how to test and benchmark which design choices are most critical. To get started, all you need are basic HTML and CSS skills and Photoshop experience. Topics include: The impact of page load time on your site, brand, and users Page speed basics: how browsers retrieve and render content Best practices for optimizing and loading images How to clean up HTML and CSS, and optimize web fonts Mobile-first design with performance goals by breakpoint Using tools to measure performance as your site evolves Methods for shaping an organization’s performance culture

Psychology and Work Today

Author : Carrie A. Bulger
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1351683004
Total Pages : 435 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (516 download)

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Book Synopsis Psychology and Work Today by : Carrie A. Bulger

Download or read book Psychology and Work Today written by Carrie A. Bulger and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-03-23 with total page 435 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Psychology and Work Today, 11th Edition is an exciting update of a well-loved textbook that introduces industrial and organizational psychology, explaining how industrial-organizational psychologists make work and working better. This accessible and informative text explains how industrial-organizational psychologists help organizations hire the best people by designing tests and interviews that uncover the skills and abilities of applicants, make work better by removing or reducing safety issues and sources of stress so that personnel are motivated and able to perform to their abilities, and work with managers and leaders to be more effective at leading others. This book also describes how industrial-organizational psychologists work with organizations to embrace diversity in the workforce and celebrate the strengths that employees from many backgrounds bring to organizations. In addition, this text includes how psychologists help organizations to design the physical work environment to best suit employees, while other psychologists help organizations to market their products and services to consumers. This text covers both the essential and traditional industrial-organizational psychology topic areas such as job analysis, employee selection, and work motivation as well as topic areas that are important in workplaces today such as stress and well-being, human factors, and preparing for jobs of the future. The chapter on consumer psychology remains unique to this textbook. This new edition includes coverage of employable skills desired by hiring managers and executives; the ways the highly publicized replicability crisis has affected the science and practice of industrial-organizational psychology; online and mobile employment testing; diversity and inclusion throughout the workplace, including microaggressions; preparing people and organizations for jobs of the future; incivility and harassment at work, including abusive supervision; safety climate and employee health; and advertising on social media and video games. Including many illustrative examples of industrial-organizational psychology in real-world workplaces, the 11th Edition is thoroughly updated to include the latest theory, research, and practice on each key topic. Each chapter features defined key terms, a chapter outline, a chapter summary, review questions, annotated additional reading, and engaging Newsbreak sections. The book will be of interest to undergraduate students in introduction industrial-organizational psychology or psychology of work behaviour courses.

Excluded

Author : Julia Serano
Publisher : Seal Press
ISBN 13 : 1580055052
Total Pages : 338 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (8 download)

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Book Synopsis Excluded by : Julia Serano

Download or read book Excluded written by Julia Serano and published by Seal Press. This book was released on 2013-10-01 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A transformational approach to overcoming the divisions between feminist communities While many feminist and queer movements are designed to challenge sexism, they often simultaneously police gender and sexuality -- sometimes just as fiercely as the straight, male-centric mainstream does. Some feminists vocally condemn other feminists because of how they dress, for their sexual partners or practices, or because they are seen as different and therefore less valued. Among LGBTQ activists, there is a long history of lesbians and gay men dismissing bisexuals, transgender people, and other gender and sexual minorities. In each case, exclusion is based on the premise that certain ways of being gendered or sexual are more legitimate, natural, or righteous than others. As a trans woman, bisexual, and femme activist, Julia Serano has spent much of the last ten years challenging various forms of exclusion within feminist and queer/LGBTQ movements. In Excluded, she chronicles many of these instances of exclusion and argues that marginalizing others often stems from a handful of assumptions that are routinely made about gender and sexuality. These false assumptions infect theories, activism, organizations, and communities -- and worse, they enable people to vigorously protest certain forms of sexism while simultaneously ignoring and even perpetuating others. Serano advocates for a new approach to fighting sexism that avoids these pitfalls and offers new ways of thinking about gender, sexuality, and sexism that foster inclusivity.

Leadership Isn't For Cowards

Author : Mike Staver
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1118240235
Total Pages : 246 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (182 download)

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Book Synopsis Leadership Isn't For Cowards by : Mike Staver

Download or read book Leadership Isn't For Cowards written by Mike Staver and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2012-05-17 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A no-nonsense guide to driving performance while still maintaining a great place to work Leadership Isn't For Cowards offers straightforward steps to leading courageously and practical tips for driving performance. Courageous leadership means toughening your approach by being rigorous in the application of your values through the company culture. It means confronting and challenging people, and not letting them get away with being less than you know they can be. The path to courageous leadership has six components: Accept Your Current Circumstances, Take Responsibility, Take Action, Acknowledge Progress, Commit to Lifelong Learning, and Kindle Relationships. These manageable steps include: Identify the area in your business or life where a gap exists between your current reality and your desired reality Align yourself with a person or a group of people who can commit to holding you accountable for closing the gap Make a specific commitment to the outcome(s) you want and assign dates to them With courageous leadership, you'll create a culture and a mindset that encourages and demands excellence! Follow these steps to bring out the best in your employees and lead your company to significant success.

Musical Performance

Author : Stan Godlovitch
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1134654405
Total Pages : 181 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (346 download)

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Book Synopsis Musical Performance by : Stan Godlovitch

Download or read book Musical Performance written by Stan Godlovitch and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2002-01-31 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most music we hear comes to us via a recording medium on which sound has been stored. Such remoteness of music heard from music made has become so commonplace it is rarely considered. Musical Performance: A Philosophical Study considers the implications of this separation for live musical performance and music-making. Rather than examining the composition or perception of music as most philosophical accounts of music do, Stan Godlovitch takes up the problem of how the tradition of active music playing and performing has been challenged by technology and what problems this poses for philosophical aesthetics. Where does does the value of musical performance lie? Is human performance of music a mere transfer medium? Is the performance of music more expressive than recorded music? Musical Performance poses questions such as these to develop a fascinating account of music today. musicians - but via some recording medium on which sound has been stored.

SQL Performance Explained

Author : Markus Winand
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9783950307825
Total Pages : 196 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (78 download)

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Book Synopsis SQL Performance Explained by : Markus Winand

Download or read book SQL Performance Explained written by Markus Winand and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

The First 20 Hours

Author : Josh Kaufman
Publisher : Penguin
ISBN 13 : 1101623047
Total Pages : 290 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (16 download)

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Book Synopsis The First 20 Hours by : Josh Kaufman

Download or read book The First 20 Hours written by Josh Kaufman and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2013-06-13 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Forget the 10,000 hour rule— what if it’s possible to learn the basics of any new skill in 20 hours or less? Take a moment to consider how many things you want to learn to do. What’s on your list? What’s holding you back from getting started? Are you worried about the time and effort it takes to acquire new skills—time you don’t have and effort you can’t spare? Research suggests it takes 10,000 hours to develop a new skill. In this nonstop world when will you ever find that much time and energy? To make matters worse, the early hours of practicing something new are always the most frustrating. That’s why it’s difficult to learn how to speak a new language, play an instrument, hit a golf ball, or shoot great photos. It’s so much easier to watch TV or surf the web . . . In The First 20 Hours, Josh Kaufman offers a systematic approach to rapid skill acquisition— how to learn any new skill as quickly as possible. His method shows you how to deconstruct complex skills, maximize productive practice, and remove common learning barriers. By completing just 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice you’ll go from knowing absolutely nothing to performing noticeably well. Kaufman personally field-tested the methods in this book. You’ll have a front row seat as he develops a personal yoga practice, writes his own web-based computer programs, teaches himself to touch type on a nonstandard keyboard, explores the oldest and most complex board game in history, picks up the ukulele, and learns how to windsurf. Here are a few of the simple techniques he teaches: Define your target performance level: Figure out what your desired level of skill looks like, what you’re trying to achieve, and what you’ll be able to do when you’re done. The more specific, the better. Deconstruct the skill: Most of the things we think of as skills are actually bundles of smaller subskills. If you break down the subcomponents, it’s easier to figure out which ones are most important and practice those first. Eliminate barriers to practice: Removing common distractions and unnecessary effort makes it much easier to sit down and focus on deliberate practice. Create fast feedback loops: Getting accurate, real-time information about how well you’re performing during practice makes it much easier to improve. Whether you want to paint a portrait, launch a start-up, fly an airplane, or juggle flaming chainsaws, The First 20 Hours will help you pick up the basics of any skill in record time . . . and have more fun along the way.

High Performance Browser Networking

Author : Ilya Grigorik
Publisher : "O'Reilly Media, Inc."
ISBN 13 : 1449344720
Total Pages : 420 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (493 download)

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Book Synopsis High Performance Browser Networking by : Ilya Grigorik

Download or read book High Performance Browser Networking written by Ilya Grigorik and published by "O'Reilly Media, Inc.". This book was released on 2013-09-11 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How prepared are you to build fast and efficient web applications? This eloquent book provides what every web developer should know about the network, from fundamental limitations that affect performance to major innovations for building even more powerful browser applications—including HTTP 2.0 and XHR improvements, Server-Sent Events (SSE), WebSocket, and WebRTC. Author Ilya Grigorik, a web performance engineer at Google, demonstrates performance optimization best practices for TCP, UDP, and TLS protocols, and explains unique wireless and mobile network optimization requirements. You’ll then dive into performance characteristics of technologies such as HTTP 2.0, client-side network scripting with XHR, real-time streaming with SSE and WebSocket, and P2P communication with WebRTC. Deliver superlative TCP, UDP, and TLS performance Speed up network performance over 3G/4G mobile networks Develop fast and energy-efficient mobile applications Address bottlenecks in HTTP 1.x and other browser protocols Plan for and deliver the best HTTP 2.0 performance Enable efficient real-time streaming in the browser Create efficient peer-to-peer videoconferencing and low-latency applications with real-time WebRTC transports

Zone to Win

Author : Geoffrey A. Moore
Publisher : Diversion Books
ISBN 13 : 1682301702
Total Pages : 147 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (823 download)

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Book Synopsis Zone to Win by : Geoffrey A. Moore

Download or read book Zone to Win written by Geoffrey A. Moore and published by Diversion Books. This book was released on 2015-11-03 with total page 147 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the last 25 years, Geoffrey Moore has established himself as one of the most influential high-tech advisors in the world—once prompting Conan O’Brien to ask “Who is Geoffrey Moore and why is he more famous than me?” Following up on the ferociously innovative ESCAPE VELOCITY, which served as the basis for Moore’s consulting work to such companies as Salesforce, Microsoft, and Intel, ZONE TO WIN serves as the companion playbook for his landmark guide, offering a practical manual to address the challenge large enterprises face when they seek to add a new line of business to their established portfolio. Focused on spurring next-generation growth, guiding mergers and acquisitions, and embracing disruption and innovation, ZONE TO WIN is a high-powered tool for driving your company above and beyond its limitations, its definitions of success, and ultimately, its competitors. Moore’s classic bestseller, CROSSING THE CHASM, has sold more than one million copies by addressing the challenges faced by start-up companies. Now ZONE TO WIN is set to guide established enterprises through the same journey. “For any company, regardless of size or industry, ZONE TO WIN is the playbook for succeeding in today’s disruptive, connected, fast-paced business world.” —Marc Benioff, CEO, Salesforce “Once again Geoffrey Moore weighs in with a prescient examination of what it takes to win in today’s competitive, disruptive business environment.” —Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft "With this book, Geoffrey Moore continues to lead us all through ever-changing times...His work has changed the game of changing the game!" —Gary Kovacs, CEO, AVG “ZONE TO WIN uses crystal-clear language to describe the management plays necessary to win in an ever-disrupting marketplace. Regardless of your level of management experience, you will find this book an invaluable tool for building long-term success for your business.” —Lip-Bu Tan, President and CEO, Cadence Design Systems

Power Performance for Singers

Author : Shirlee Emmons
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0199761787
Total Pages : 337 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (997 download)

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Book Synopsis Power Performance for Singers by : Shirlee Emmons

Download or read book Power Performance for Singers written by Shirlee Emmons and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 1998-08-20 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To perform well in today's highly competitive world where technical skills have been advanced to an unprecedented degree, a singer must be able to handle incredible pressure within the performing arena; his or her ability to deal with this stress will often determine whether he or she will succeed. Why, then, do singers with less technical skill sometimes out-perform stars? Why do some stars suddenly stop performing? What is that mysterious factor that makes an electric performance? Consistent, competent performances do not depend solely upon superior vocal skills, nor are they a matter of luck. On the contrary, the best performances result from a combination of mental attitude, concrete performing skills, and excellent technical skills in that order. Yet most singers have never had the opportunity to acquire the essential skills that make for a successful career. Written as a self-help manual for singers at all levels of expertise, Power Performance for Singers is designed to teach performing artists, and especially singers, how to experience elite performance at their level. The skills outlined in this book will help singers use what they have, to enjoy their voices during performance, and to perform consistently to the best of their present ability.

Unplugged

Author : Brian Mackenzie
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1628602619
Total Pages : 272 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (286 download)

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Book Synopsis Unplugged by : Brian Mackenzie

Download or read book Unplugged written by Brian Mackenzie and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-07-11 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: We're looking at our wrists not only to check the time, but also to see how much we've moved, monitor our heart rate, and see how we're stacking up against yesterday's tallies. By 2020, the global market for fitness-focused apps and devices is expected to grow to $30 billion. The authors believe we are turning rich experience into yet another task we need to complete to meet our daily goals. They encourage you to reconnect to your instincts and the natural world, and avoid the common mistakes that most people make with wearables and tracking apps.

The Empty Church

Author : Shannon Craigo-Snell
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0190630094
Total Pages : 221 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (96 download)

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Book Synopsis The Empty Church by : Shannon Craigo-Snell

Download or read book The Empty Church written by Shannon Craigo-Snell and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016-08 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why go to church? What happens in church and why does it matter? The Empty Church presents fresh answers to these questions by creating an interdisciplinary conversation among performance studies, theater directors, and Christian theologians. The result is a compelling depiction of church as a performative relationship with Jesus Christ, mediated by Scripture, in hope of the Holy Spirit.

This is Not Just a Painting

Author : Bernard Lahire
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1509528717
Total Pages : 546 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (95 download)

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Book Synopsis This is Not Just a Painting by : Bernard Lahire

Download or read book This is Not Just a Painting written by Bernard Lahire and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2019-04-15 with total page 546 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 2008, the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon acquired a painting called The Flight into Egypt which was attributed to the French artist Nicolas Poussin. Thought to have been painted in 1657, the painting had gone missing for more than three centuries. Several versions were rediscovered in the 1980s and one was passed from hand to hand, from a family who had no idea of its value to gallery owners and eventually to the museum. A painting that had been sold as a decorative object in 1986 for around 12,000 euros was acquired two decades later by the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon for 17 million euros. What does this remarkable story tell us about the nature of art and the way that it is valued? How is it that what seemed to be just an ordinary canvas could be transformed into a masterpiece, that a decorative object could become a national treasure? This is a story permeated by social magic the social alchemy that transforms lead into gold, the ordinary into the extraordinary, the profane into the sacred. Focusing on this extraordinary case, Bernard Lahire lays bare the beliefs and social processes that underpin the creation of a masterpiece. Like a detective piecing together the clues in an unsolved mystery he carefully reconstructs the steps that led from the same material object being treated as a copy of insignificant value to being endowed with the status of a highly-prized painting commanding a record-breaking price. He thereby shows that a painting is never just a painting, and is always more than a piece of stretched canvass to which brush strokes of paint have been applied: this object, and the value we attach to it, is also the product of a complex array of social processes – with its distinctive institutions and experts – that lies behind it. And through the history of this painting, Lahire uncovers some of the fundamental structures of our social world. For the social magic that can transform a painting from a simple copy into a masterpiece is similar to the social magic that is present throughout our societies, in economics and politics as much as art and religion, a magic that results from the spell cast by power on those who tacitly recognize its authority. By following the trail of a single work of art, Lahire interrogates the foundations on which our perceptions of value and our belief in institutions rest and exposes the forms of domination which lie hidden behind our admiration of works of art.