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The Art of Transition: Latin American Culture and Neoliberal Crisis
by Francine MasielloThe Art of Transition addresses the problems defined by writers and artists during the postdictatorship years in Argentina and Chile, years in which both countries aggressively adopted neoliberal market-driven economies. Delving into the conflicting efforts of intellectuals to name and speak to what is real, Francine Masiello interprets the culture of this period as an art of transition, referring to both the political transition to democracy and the formal strategies of wrestling with this change that are found in the aesthetic realm. Masiello views representation as both a political and artistic device, concerned with the tensions between truth and lies, experience and language, and intellectuals and the marginal subjects they study and claim to defend. These often contentious negotiations, she argues, are most provocatively displayed through the spectacle of difference, which constantly crosses the literary stage, the market, and the North/South divide. While forcefully defending the ability of literature and art to advance ethical positions and to foster a critical view of neoliberalism, Masiello especially shows how issues of gender and sexuality function as integrating threads throughout this cultural project. Through discussions of visual art as well as literary work by prominent novelists and poets, Masiello sketches a broad landscape of vivid intellectual debate in the Southern Cone of Latin America. The Art of Transition will interest Latin Americanists,literary and political theorists, art critics and historians, and those involved with the study of postmodernism and globalization.
The Art of Translating Poetry
by Burton RaffelThis book by a well-known translator and critic is divided into two parts, the first dealing with the linguistic and other more technical aspects of translating poetry, the second involved with more practice-oriented matters. The chapters in Part One examine the specific constraints of language and the unavoidable linguistic bases of translation; the constraints of specific languages; forms and genres; and prosody and comparative prosody. Part Two looks at the subjective element in translation; collaborative translation; the translation of oral poetry; and the translator's responsibility.Languages discussed include Indonesian, Japanese, Chinese, Old and Middle English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Persian, Russian, Latin, and Greek. The book argues, inter alia, that literal translation is impossible; that no translation can fully create the original but that good literary translation can create a usable approximation; that translation is secondary not only to the original work being translated but also to the linguistic (and literary) nature of the language being translated into; that the literary translator's primary responsibility is to the work he is translating; that there is nothing ever definitive about any translation; that the poetry translator must be a poet and poems should not be translated into prose; and that there must be a subjective identification between translator and translated work.This is the first attempt to systematize linguistic information about the translation of poetry. It is also the first book to range widely over the languages and literatures of the past and the present, and European and Asian languages and literatures as well. Raffel is the first author to combine in one study linguistic and scholarly knowledge and extensive experience of translation.
The Art of Translating Poetry
by Burton RaffelThis book by a well-known translator and critic is divided into two parts, the first dealing with the linguistic and other more technical aspects of translating poetry, the second involved with more practice-oriented matters. The chapters in Part One examine the specific constraints of language and the unavoidable linguistic bases of translation; the constraints of specific languages; forms and genres; and prosody and comparative prosody. Part Two looks at the subjective element in translation; collaborative translation; the translation of oral poetry; and the translator's responsibility.Languages discussed include Indonesian, Japanese, Chinese, Old and Middle English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Persian, Russian, Latin, and Greek. The book argues, inter alia, that literal translation is impossible; that no translation can fully create the original but that good literary translation can create a usable approximation; that translation is secondary not only to the original work being translated but also to the linguistic (and literary) nature of the language being translated into; that the literary translator's primary responsibility is to the work he is translating; that there is nothing ever definitive about any translation; that the poetry translator must be a poet and poems should not be translated into prose; and that there must be a subjective identification between translator and translated work.This is the first attempt to systematize linguistic information about the translation of poetry. It is also the first book to range widely over the languages and literatures of the past and the present, and European and Asian languages and literatures as well. Raffel is the first author to combine in one study linguistic and scholarly knowledge and extensive experience of translation.
The Art of Travel (Vintage International)
by Alain De BottonAny Baedeker will tell uswherewe ought to travel, but only Alain de Botton will tell ushowandwhy. With the same intelligence and insouciant charm he brought toHow Proust Can Save Your Life,de Botton considers the pleasures of anticipation; the allure of the exotic, and the value of noticing everything from a seascape in Barbados to the takeoffs at Heathrow. Even as de Botton takes the reader along on his own peregrinations, he also cites such distinguished fellow-travelers as Baudelaire, Wordsworth, Van Gogh, the biologist Alexander von Humboldt, and the 18th-century eccentric Xavier de Maistre, who catalogued the wonders of his bedroom. The Art of Travelis a wise and utterly original book. Don’t leave home without it. From the Trade Paperback edition.
The Art of Travel: Essays on Travel Writing
by Philip DoddsFirst published in 1982. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
The Art of Trend Trading
by Michael ParnessLook inward for the missing piece to your trading strategy The Art of Trend Trading bucks the trend of technicality to show readers how instinct and strategy can unite to bring about consistent investment success. Rather than diving ever-deeper into the overdone world of complicated modeling and forecasting techniques, trader, CEO, and bestselling author Michael Parness explains how making intuition a part of your investment strategy tends to result in more long-term profit. Using animal spirits as a metaphor and tool, Parness helps readers understand how their natural tendencies may run counter to their strategy, and how this dichotomy may be the shackle holding them back from true market success. Readers will learn how this perspective lifted Parness from homelessness to making millions in both Bull and Bear markets, and will start developing their own market instinct as they refine and tune into their own natural intuition. Everyone's looking for the "ultimate" system, a way to "game the market" and uncover the "secret" to successful investing. Over the years, Parness has observed that the best traders - those who consistently make money - are the ones that use instinct and intuition, as well as strategy. This book shows you how to identify the natural trader within, and use your gut to inform an ever-evolving investment plan. Follow the author's journey from homelessness to millionaire Identify and understand your own strengths and weaknesses Develop your instinct alongside your strategy Take a lesson from traders making consistent money There's no substitute for good strategy, but it's no secret that some strategies seem to be more profitable than others. The Art of Trend Trading helps you find that missing piece and turn it into more consistent investment success.
The Art of Trial Process: An Outline of Judicial Philosophy in China
by Kai YangThis book focuses on the reality of China’s modern judiciary, systematically demonstrating and discussing the judicial philosophy and judicial ethics as applied by Chinese courts and judges. In order to illustrate the methods of jurisprudence and sociology of law in the context of China’s judicial practice and practicability of applicable laws, it also addresses judicial methodology and Chinese judges' trial methods. Based on comparative study and aiming at global judicial reform, the book provides valuable guidance and insights for readers pursuing a detailed understanding of modern Chinese judiciary, Chinese judges and Chinese rule of law. The book is intended to primarily serve the need of legal professionals around the world, in particular those who are interested in China’s judicial system.
The Art of Trover Saves the Universe
by Squanch GamesAn oversized full-color art book showcasing the insane imagination of Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland! Save the universe! Save your dogs! Take your chair to the streets and follow Trover throughout the cosmos as you battle your way through hordes of clones on your quest to stop Glorkon! This freaky and awesome hardcover art book is the perfect companion to Squanch Games's first full length game! Feast your eye holes on 192 pages of crazy concept art and intimate commentary! Dark Horse Books and Squanch Games invite you to embrace weirdness by picking up the greatest art book in the galaxy! Or don't. It's whatever. I'm not your dad.
The Art of True Healing
by Israel RegardieThe Art of True Healing details a powerful exercise that stimulates the body, mind, and spirit to help us create physical health and personal success. Originally published in 1932, predating by more than a half century the current interest in the mind's power to heal, this concise work guides readers through what Israel Regardie calls the Middle Pillar meditation -- a technique that combines the mystical concepts of yoga's chakras and the Kabbalah's Tree of Life to create a simple and effective healing tool. In this edition, editor Marc Allen brings Regardie's work into the twenty-first century -- showing us how to unleash energy to heal our bodies and, ultimately, every part of our lives. Like few books before or since, The Art of True Healing provides both the theory and practices necessary for attaining well-being and fulfillment.
The Art Of Tuning: A Self-guided Manual For Piano Tuning, Design, Action Regulation, And Repair From Mid-19th Century France
by Claude Montal Fred Sturm Paul Poletti Mario IgrecClaude Montal's THE ART OF TUNING is the first comprehensive text on piano tuning, construction, and repair ever written. Filled with historical details concerning the pianos of the mid-19th-century, The Art of Tuning documents the technology, tools, and techniques used during the most vibrant period in the development of the pianoforte. This translation by the piano technician and pianist Fred Sturm RPT masterfully preserves the direct and approachable style of the original.
The Art of Type and Typography: Explorations in Use and Practice
by Mary Jo KrysinskiThe Art of Type and Typography is an introduction to the art and rules of typography. Incorporating the industry standard—InDesign—for typesetting from the outset, this book serves as a guide for beginning students to learn to set type properly through tutorials, activities, and examples of student work. Encompassing the history of typography from ancient times to widespread modern use, The Art of Type and Typography provides context and fosters creativity while developing key concepts, including: The history of type; Terminology; Classification; Measurement; Spacing; Alignment; Legibility; Hierarchy; Layout and Grids; Page Elements; InDesign tools and style sheets. Writing clearly and to the point, Mary Jo Krysinski brings over 30 years of design experience to this essential guide. With a glossary, sample class activities, additional online resources and a beautiful clean design, this book is the perfect introduction for a beginning typography student, and a handy reference for those needing a refresher.
The Art of Ukraine (World of Art #0)
by Alisa LozhkinaAn in-depth overview of Ukrainian art from the dawn of modernism in the late nineteenth century to the start of the Russian invasion in winter 2022. This new volume in the World of Art series provides an overview of Ukrainian art, artists, and art movements from the dawn of modernism and the 1900s to the Soviet period, to post-Soviet times and the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022. Ukrainian art and artists are discussed within historical and political contexts as well as how they have contributed to, and interacted with, Ukrainian culture and identity. Filled with rich illustrations, each chapter explores a different art period or movement. We are at a historical moment where Ukraine and its cultural identity are in grave danger, and author Alisa Lozhkina offers a powerful opportunity to connect curious and empathetic readers with the Ukrainian art tradition.
The Art of Unarmed Stage Combat
by Robert NajarianThe Art of Unarmed Stage Combat is your guide to the principles and techniques of theatrical violence, combining detailed discussions of the mechanics of stage fighting with the nuances of acting decisions to make fighting styles reflect character and story. Expert Fight Director Robert Najarian offers never-before-published games and exercises that will allow you to develop the skills and concepts for performing violence for stage and screen. This title utilizes a unique system of training techniques that result in stage violence that is both physically engaging for you as a performer, while remaining viscerally engaging for the audience.
The Art of Uncertainty: How to Live in the Mystery of Life and Love It
by Dennis Merritt JonesWhat if we could learn to accept I don't know and embrace the possibility that the future is full of mystery, excitement, and unlimited opportunity? The Art of Uncertainty is an invitation to the reader to consider its essential message: learning to love the unknown by staying present in the moment. If the difficulties of recent years have taught us anything-particularly those who "did everything right" and still saw it all fall apart-it's that none of us has as much control over our lives as we believe. The only thing we can control is our next thought. What if we could learn how to be at peace with uncertainty and embrace the possibility that the future is full of mystery, excitement, and unlimited opportunity? What if we discovered that a new paradigm can be more fulfilling, more rewarding, and more peaceful than what we have known? Living in the I don't know and loving it is an art form we can all master, and The Art of Uncertainty is the perfect guidebook.
The Art of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End
by VariousJourney alongside Nathan Drake once again, as Naughty Dog and Dark Horse Books team up to bring you this comprehensive and breathtaking exploration into Uncharted 4: A Thief's End! Numerous never-before-seen designs and concept art accompanied by commentary from the developers give you behind-the-scenes access to the creation of this gaming masterwork. This beautiful oversized hardcover is a must-have for any fan of the Uncharted franchise and high quality video game art.The Art of Unchartend 4 will be released by Dark Horse simultaneoulsy with the new game, Uncharted 4.
The Art of Understanding Art
by Irina D. CostacheThe Art of Understanding Art reveals to students and other readers new and meaningful ways of developing personal ideas and opinions about art and how to express them with confidence. Offers an inquiry--unique among introductory art texts--into the learning process of understanding and appreciating art Examines the multiple issues and processes essential to making, analyzing and evaluating art Uses cross-cultural examples to help readers develop comprehensive, yet personal, ways of looking at and thinking about art Includes an annotated glossary of the 'Art World', institutions and individuals that play a role in defining art as well as diagrams, textboxes callouts and other visual elements to highlight information and enhance learning Richly illustrated with over 40 images Suggests innovative class assignments and projects useful for developing lesson plans, and offers an online companion site for additional illustrations and information
The Art of Unit Testing: with examples in C#
by Roy OsheroveSummaryThe Art of Unit Testing, Second Edition guides you step by step from writing your first simple tests to developing robust test sets that are maintainable, readable, and trustworthy. You'll master the foundational ideas and quickly move to high-value subjects like mocks, stubs, and isolation, including frameworks such as Moq, FakeItEasy, and Typemock Isolator. You'll explore test patterns and organization, working with legacy code, and even "untestable" code. Along the way, you'll learn about integration testing and techniques and tools for testing databases and other technologies.About this BookYou know you should be unit testing, so why aren't you doing it? If you're new to unit testing, if you find unit testing tedious, or if you're just not getting enough payoff for the effort you put into it, keep reading.The Art of Unit Testing, Second Edition guides you step by step from writing your first simple unit tests to building complete test sets that are maintainable, readable, and trustworthy. You'll move quickly to more complicated subjects like mocks and stubs, while learning to use isolation (mocking) frameworks like Moq, FakeItEasy, and Typemock Isolator. You'll explore test patterns and organization, refactor code applications, and learn how to test "untestable" code. Along the way, you'll learn about integration testing and techniques for testing with databases.The examples in the book use C#, but will benefit anyone using a statically typed language such as Java or C++.Purchase of the print book includes a free eBook in PDF, Kindle, and ePub formats from Manning Publications.What's InsideCreate readable, maintainable, trustworthy testsFakes, stubs, mock objects, and isolation (mocking) frameworksSimple dependency injection techniquesRefactoring legacy codeAbout the AuthorRoy Osherove has been coding for over 15 years, and he consults and trains teams worldwide on the gentle art of unit testing and test-driven development. His blog is at ArtOfUnitTesting.com.Table of ContentsPART 1 GETTING STARTEDThe basics of unit testingA first unit testPART 2 CORE TECHNIQUESUsing stubs to break dependenciesInteraction testing using mock objectsIsolation (mocking) frameworksDigging deeper into isolation frameworksPART 3 THE TEST CODETest hierarchies and organizationThe pillars of good unit testsPART 4 DESIGN AND PROCESSIntegrating unit testing into the organizationWorking with legacy code Design and testability
The Art of Unit Testing, Third Edition: with examples in JavaScript (The Art of)
by Roy OsheroveUnit testing is more than just a collection of tools and practices—it&’s a state of mind! This bestseller reveals the master&’s secrets for delivering robust, maintainable, and trustworthy code.Thousands of developers have learned to hone their code quality under the tutelage of The Art of Unit Testing. This revised third edition updates an international bestseller to reflect modern development tools and practices, as well as to cover JavaScript. Inside The Art of Unit Testing, Third Edition you will learn how to: Create readable, maintainable, and trustworthy tests Work with fakes, stubs, mock objects, and isolation frameworks Apply simple dependency injection techniques Refactor legacy code with confidence Test both frontend and backend code Effective unit tests streamline your software development process and ensure you deliver consistent high-quality code every time. With practical examples in JavaScript and Node, this hands-on guide takes you from your very first unit tests all the way to comprehensive test suites, naming standards, and refactoring techniques. You&’ll explore test patterns and organization, working with legacy code and even &“untestable&” code. The many tool-agnostic examples are presented in JavaScript and carefully designed so that they apply to code written in any language. About the technology The art of unit testing is more than just learning the right collection of tools and practices. It&’s about understanding what makes great tests tick, finding the right strategy for each unique situation, and knowing what to do when the testing process gets messy. This book delivers insights and advice that will transform the way you test your software. About the book The Art of Unit Testing, Third Edition shows you how to create readable and maintainable tests. It goes well beyond basic test creation into organization-wide test strategies, troubleshooting, working with legacy code, and &“merciless&” refactoring. You&’ll love the practical examples and familiar scenarios that make testing come alive as you read. This third edition has been updated with techniques specific to object-oriented, functional, and modular coding styles. The examples use JavaScript. What's inside Deciding on test types and strategies Test Entry & Exit Points Refactoring legacy code Fakes, stubs, mock objects, and isolation frameworks Object-Oriented, Functional, and Modular testing styles About the reader Examples use JavaScript, TypeScript, and Node.js. About the author Roy Osherove is an internationally-recognized expert in unit testing and agile software methodology. Vladimir Khorikov is the author of Manning&’s Unit Testing Principles, Practices, and Patterns, a Pluralsight author, and a Microsoft MVP. Table of Contents PART 1 1 The basics of unit testing 2 A first unit test PART 2 3 Breaking dependencies with stubs 4 Interaction testing using mock objects 5 Isolation frameworks 6 Unit testing asynchronous code PART 3 7 Trustworthy tests 8 Maintainability PART 4 9 Readability 10 Developing a testing strategy 11 Integrating unit testing into the organization 12 Working with legacy code Appendix Monkey-patching functions and modules
The Art of Urban Astronomy: A Guide to Stargazing Wherever You Are
by Abigail BeallDid you know that stars are seasonal? That Orion is one of the brightest constellations? That a single day on Venus is longer than an entire year on Venus? Space has captivated mankind since the beginning of time. Fifty years ago, Neil Armstrong became the first man to step on the moon and since then our knowledge of astronomy has continued to expand. With so many mysteries yet to be solved, science journalist Abigail Beall takes readers on an astonishing journey though the landscape of space. In The Art of Urban Astronomy, you will be guided through the seasons and learn about the brightest stars and constellations, the myths and legends of astronomy and how to identify star clusters and galaxies with just your eyes or a pair of binoculars. For urban dwellers wrapped up in the rush and bustle of the city, it can be calming and truly valuable to take the time simply to stop, look and reconnect with nature. Packed full of seasonal star charts, constellation charts and fascinating facts, this is the perfect guide for those who have looked up at the night sky and don't know where to begin. After reading this book, you'll never look up in the same way again.
The Art of Urban Astronomy: A Guide to Stargazing Wherever You Are
by Abigail BeallDid you know that stars are seasonal? That Orion is one of the brightest constellations? That a single day on Venus is longer than an entire year on Venus? Space has captivated mankind since the beginning of time. Fifty years ago, Neil Armstrong became the first man to step on the moon and since then our knowledge of astronomy has continued to expand. With so many mysteries yet to be solved, science journalist Abigail Beall takes readers on an astonishing journey though the landscape of space. In The Art of Urban Astronomy, you will be guided through the seasons and learn about the brightest stars and constellations, the myths and legends of astronomy and how to identify star clusters and galaxies with just your eyes or a pair of binoculars. For urban dwellers wrapped up in the rush and bustle of the city, it can be calming and truly valuable to take the time simply to stop, look and reconnect with nature. Packed full of seasonal star charts, constellation charts and fascinating facts, this is the perfect guide for those who have looked up at the night sky and don't know where to begin. After reading this book, you'll never look up in the same way again.
The Art of Urban Astronomy: A Guide to Stargazing Wherever You Are
by Abigail BeallDid you know that stars are seasonal? That Orion is one of the brightest constellations? That a single day on Venus is longer than an entire year on Venus? Space has captivated mankind since the beginning of time. Fifty years ago, Neil Armstrong became the first man to step on the moon and since then our knowledge of astronomy has continued to expand. With so many mysteries yet to be solved, science journalist Abigail Beall takes readers on an astonishing journey though the landscape of space. In The Art of Urban Astronomy, you will be guided through the seasons and learn about the brightest stars and constellations, the myths and legends of astronomy and how to identify star clusters and galaxies with just your eyes or a pair of binoculars. For urban dwellers wrapped up in the rush and bustle of the city, it can be calming and truly valuable to take the time simply to stop, look and reconnect with nature. Packed full of seasonal star charts, constellation charts and fascinating facts, this is the perfect guide for those who have looked up at the night sky and don't know where to begin. After reading this book, you'll never look up in the same way again.
Art of Usagi Yojimbo
by Stan SakaiIn the tradition of the celebrated collections The Art of Sin Cityand The Art of Hellboy, Dark Horse is proud to showcase the work of multi award-winning creator Stan Sakai in The Art of Usagi Yojimbo. The sold-out hardcover edition, timed to coincide with the twentieth anniversary of the creation of Sakai's signature character, Usagi Yojimbo, was met with an overwhelming response from thousands of fans around the world. This edition features scores of never-before-seen pieces, a long out-of-print twelve-page primer illustrating how Stan creates each of his Usagi stories, forty-eight full-color pages of Stan's beautiful painted artwork, and more. Additionally, some of the biggest names in comics pay tribute to their favorite rabbit ronin in a fantastic gallery section, with pinups by Frank Miller, Geof Darrow, Jeff Smith, Sergio Aragonés, and Matt Wagner, among others!
The Art of Useless: Fashion, Media, and Consumer Culture in Contemporary China (Global Chinese Culture)
by Calvin HuiSince embarking on economic reforms in 1978, the People’s Republic of China has also undergone a sweeping cultural reorganization, from proletarian culture under Mao to middle-class consumer culture today. Under these circumstances, how has a Chinese middle class come into being, and how has consumerism become the dominant ideology of an avowedly socialist country? The Art of Useless offers an innovative way to understand China’s unprecedented political-economic, social, and cultural transformations, showing how consumer culture helps anticipate, produce, and shape a new middle-class subjectivity.Examining changing representations of the production and consumption of fashion in documentaries and films, Calvin Hui traces how culture contributes to China’s changing social relations through the cultivation of new identities and sensibilities. He explores the commodity chain of fashion on a transnational scale, from production to consumption to disposal, as well as media portrayals of the intersections of clothing with class, gender, and ethnicity. Hui illuminates key cinematic narratives, such as a factory worker’s desire for a high-quality suit in the 1960s, an intellectual’s longing for fashionable clothes in the 1980s, and a white-collar woman’s craving for brand-name commodities in the 2000s. He considers how documentary films depict the undersides of consumption—exploited laborers who fantasize about the products they manufacture as well as the accumulation of waste and its disposal—revealing how global capitalism renders migrant factory workers, scavengers, and garbage invisible.A highly interdisciplinary work that combines theoretical nuance with masterful close analyses, The Art of Useless is an innovative rethinking of the emergence of China’s middle-class consumer culture.
The Art of Value Investing
by John Heins Whitney TilsonSays Bill Ackman of Pershing Square Capital Management about The Art of Value Investing: "I learned the investment business largely from the work and thinking of other investors. The Art of Value Investing is a thoughtfully organized compilation of some of the best investment insights I have ever read. Read this book with care. It will be one of the highest-return investments you will ever make. " Based on interviews with the world's most-successful value investors, The Art of Value Investing offers a comprehensive set of answers to the questions every equity money manager should have thought through clearly before holding himself or herself out as a worthy steward of other people's money. What market inefficiencies will I try to exploit? How will I generate ideas? What will be my geographic focus? What analytical edge will I hope to have? What valuation methodologies will I use? What time horizon will I typically employ? How many stocks will I own? How specifically will I decide to buy or sell? Will I hedge, and how? How will I keep my emotions from getting the best of me? Who should read The Art of Value Investing? It is as vital a resource for the just starting out investor as for the sophisticated professional one. The former will find a comprehensive guidebook for defining a sound investment strategy from A-to-Z; the latter will find all aspects of his or her existing practice challenged or reconfirmed by the provocative thinking of their most-successful peers. It also is a must read for any investor - institutional or individual - charged with choosing the best managers for the money they are allocating to equities. Choosing the right managers requires knowing all the right questions to ask as well as the answers worthy of respect and attention - both of which are delivered in The Art of Value Investing.
The Art of Vanishing: A Memoir of Wanderlust
by Laura SmithA young woman chafing at the confines of marriage confronts the high cost of craving freedom and adventure. At twenty-five, as her wedding date approached, Laura Smith began to feel trapped. Not by her fiancé, who shared her appetite for adventure, but by the unsettling idea that it was hard to be at once married and free. Laura wanted her life to be different. She wanted her marriage to be different. And she found in the strangely captivating story of another restless young woman determined to live without constraints both an enticement and a challenge. <P>Barbara Newhall Follett was a free-spirited trailblazer who published her first novel at 11, enlisted as a deck hand on a boat bound for the south China seas at 15 and was one of the first women to hike the Appalachian trail. Then in December 1939, when she was not much older than Laura, she walked out of her apartment on a quiet tree-lined street in Brookline, leaving behind a fraying marriage, and vanished without a trace. <P>Obsessed by her story, Laura set off to find out what had happened. The Art of Vanishing is a riveting mystery and a piercing exploration of marriage and convention that asks deep and uncomfortable questions: Why do we give up on our childhood dreams? Is marriage a golden noose? Must we find ourselves in the same row houses with Pottery Barn lamps telling our kids to behave? Searingly honest and written with a raw intensity, it will challenge you to rethink your most intimate decisions and may just upend your life.