What We Are Reading Today: Painting as an Art

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Updated 20 September 2023
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What We Are Reading Today: Painting as an Art

Author: Richard Wollheim

“Painting as an Art” is acclaimed philosopher Richard Wollheim’s encompassing vision of how to view art.

Transcending the traditional boundaries of art history, Wollheim draws on his three great passions — philosophy, psychology, and art — to present an illuminating theory of the very experience of art.

He shows how to unlock the meaning of a painting by retrieving—almost re-enacting—the creative activity that produced it.

In order to fully appreciate a work of art, Wollheim argues, critics must bring a much richer conception of human psychology than they have in the past.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘How the Universe Got Its Spots’

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Updated 02 January 2026
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘How the Universe Got Its Spots’

  • Nimbly explaining geometry, topology, chaos, and string theory, Levin shows how the pattern of hot and cold spots left over from the big bang may one day reveal the size of the cosmos

Author: JANNA LEVIN 

Is the universe infinite or just really big? With this question, cosmologist Janna Levin announces the central theme of this book, which established her as one of the most direct, unorthodox, and creative voices in contemporary science.

As Levin sets out to determine how big “really big” may be, she offers a rare intimate look at the daily life of an innovative physicist, complete with jet lag and the tensions between personal relationships and the extreme demands of scientific exploration.

Nimbly explaining geometry, topology, chaos, and string theory, Levin shows how the pattern of hot and cold spots left over from the big bang may one day reveal the size of the cosmos.