Cleopatra's Nose: 39 Varieties of Desire - Hardcover

Thurman, Judith

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0374126518 ISBN 13: 9780374126513

Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2007

Synopsis

A new anthology of essays by the National Book Award-winning author of Isak Dinesen: The Life of a Storyteller focuses on the themes of human vanity, femininity, and "women's work" as she addresses such topics as Toni Morrison, tofu, performance art, pornography, platform shoes, fashion, human sexuality, the nature of beauty, and the quest for power.

About this title

Review

Praise for Secrets of the Flesh: A Life of Colette: & nbsp; " A burnished, historically opulent, elegant, distinguished work . . . A& nbsp; book that will stand as literature in its own right. " -- Richard Bernstein, The New York Times
& nbsp;
" The most impressive and fascinating book of the . . . season. No novel, no memoir, no other biography displays such insight and vitality . . . Through deft observation, research, and beautiful writing, Thurman brings alive one of the most astonishing writers and women ever to stride this earth. " -- USA Today
& nbsp; "[Colette] has been the subject of . . . a half-dozen significant biographies over the past thirty years. Yet this one by Judith Thurman will be hard to top . . . Its prose is smoothly urbane, at times aphoristic, always captivating. " -- The Washington Post Book World

Praise for "Secrets of the Flesh: A Life of Colette: """ "A burnished, historically opulent, elegant, distinguished work . . . A book that will stand as literature in its own right." -- Richard Bernstein," The New York Times
""The most impressive and fascinating book of the . . . season. No novel, no memoir, no other biography displays such insight and vitality . . . Through deft observation, research, and beautiful writing, Thurman brings alive one of the most astonishing writers and women ever to stride this earth." "--USA Today
""[Colette] has been the subject of . . . a half-dozen significant biographies over the past thirty years. Yet this one by Judith Thurman will be hard to top . . . Its prose is smoothly urbane, at times aphoristic, always captivating." "--The Washington Post Book World"

"Blessed with intellectual curiosity, a sharp wit and unwillingness to receive opinions, Thurman seems unlikely to produce anything less than a feat of style. . . . An excellent book."--"The New York Times Book Review"

"Elegant yet casual, knowledgeable without being intimidating, self-revealing but never self-indulgent . . . Open the cover and drop in anywhere. You'll find Thurman's crisp intelligence always at home."--"The Boston Globe"

"Thurman's essays are so deeply felt and arc so elegantly from the uniqueness of each individual to the greater conundrums of humankind, they are, indeed, exquisite works of art deserving a book's more lasting embrace."--"Booklist
""When paired with her ability as a biographre to peel layers and put a life into context, Thurman's grasp of global politics, history, and language can be astounding. . . . But what fun we have when the self-professed shoe addict writes about clothes and the people who worship them."--"Austin Ametican Statesman"

"Blessed with intellectual curiosity, a sharp wit and unwillingness to receive opinions, Thurman seems unlikely to produce anything less than a feat of style. . . . An excellent book."--"The New York Times Book Review"

"Elegant yet casual, knowledgeable without being intimidating, self-revealing but never self-indulgent . . . Open the cover and drop in anywhere. You'll find Thurman's crisp intelligence always at home."--"The Boston Globe"

"Thurman's essays are so deeply felt and arc so elegantly from the uniqueness of each individual to the greater conundrums of humankind, they are, indeed, exquisite works of art deserving a book's more lasting embrace."--"Booklist
""When paired with her ability as a biographer to peel layers and put a life into context, Thurman's grasp of global politics, history, and language can be astounding. . . . But what fun we have when the self-professed shoe addict writes about clothes and the people who worship them."--"Austin American Statesman"

Blessed with intellectual curiosity, a sharp wit and unwillingness to receive opinions, Thurman seems unlikely to produce anything less than a feat of style. . . . An excellent book. "The New York Times Book Review"

Elegant yet casual, knowledgeable without being intimidating, self-revealing but never self-indulgent . . . Open the cover and drop in anywhere. You'll find Thurman's crisp intelligence always at home. "The Boston Globe"

Thurman's essays are so deeply felt and arc so elegantly from the uniqueness of each individual to the greater conundrums of humankind, they are, indeed, exquisite works of art deserving a book's more lasting embrace. "Booklist"

When paired with her ability as a biographer to peel layers and put a life into context, Thurman's grasp of global politics, history, and language can be astounding. . . . But what fun we have when the self-professed shoe addict writes about clothes and the people who worship them. "Austin American Statesman""

"Blessed with intellectual curiosity, a sharp wit and unwillingness to receive opinions, Thurman seems unlikely to produce anything less than a feat of style. . . . An excellent book." --The New York Times Book Review

"Elegant yet casual, knowledgeable without being intimidating, self-revealing but never self-indulgent . . . Open the cover and drop in anywhere. You'll find Thurman's crisp intelligence always at home." --The Boston Globe

"Thurman's essays are so deeply felt and arc so elegantly from the uniqueness of each individual to the greater conundrums of humankind, they are, indeed, exquisite works of art deserving a book's more lasting embrace." --Booklist

"When paired with her ability as a biographer to peel layers and put a life into context, Thurman's grasp of global politics, history, and language can be astounding. . . . But what fun we have when the self-professed shoe addict writes about clothes and the people who worship them." --Austin American Statesman

About the Author

Judith Thurman is the author of Isak Dinesen: The Life of a Storyteller, winner of the National Book Award, and Secrets of the Flesh: A Life of Colette. A staff writer at The New Yorker, she lives in New York City.

About this edition

• Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0374126518
• ISBN 13: 9780374126513
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 427