The Fountainhead The Fountainhead is a 1943 novel by Ayn Rand, and her first major literary success. More than 6.5 million copies of the book have been sold worldwide. The Fountainhead's protagonist, Howard Roark, is an individualistic young architect who chooses to struggle in obscurity rather than compromise his artistic and personal vision. The book follows his battle to practice what the public sees as modern architecture, which he believes to be superior, despite an establishment centered on tradition-worship. How others in the novel relate to Roark demonstrates Rand's various archetypes of human character, all of which are variants between Roark, the author's ideal man of independent-mindedness and integrity, and what she described as the "second-handers". The complex relationships between Roark and the various kinds of individuals who assist or hinder his progress, or both, allow the novel to be at once a romantic drama and a philosophical work. Plot summary[edit] Ellsworth M. Background[edit]
Odyssey Greek text of the Odyssey's opening passage The Odyssey (Greek: Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. The poem is fundamental to the modern Western canon, and is the second oldest extant work of Western literature, the Iliad being the oldest. It is believed to have been composed near the end of the 8th century BC, somewhere in Ionia, the Greek coastal region of Anatolia.[1] The poem mainly centers on the Greek hero Odysseus (known as Ulysses in Roman myths) and his journey home after the fall of Troy. It continues to be read in the Homeric Greek and translated into modern languages around the world. The Odyssey has a lost sequel, the Telegony, which was not written by Homer. Synopsis[edit] Exposition[edit] The Odyssey begins ten years after the end of the ten-year Trojan War (that is the subject of the Iliad), and Odysseus has still not returned home from the war.
King Midas and his golden touch - Greeka.com The story of King Midas is a myth about the tragedy of avarice and narrates what happens when true happiness is not recognized. Midas was a man who wished that everything he touched would turn into gold. However, he had not thought that this wish was not actually a blessing, but a curse. The wish Midas was a king of great fortune who ruled the country of Phrygia, in Asia Minor. One day, Dionyssus, the god of wine and revelry, passed through the kingdom of Midas. The curse The next day, Midas, woke up eager to see if his wish would become true. Without even thinking, he ate a grape but it also turned into gold! The atonement The god heard Midas and felt sorry for him. Midas hugged his daughter in full happiness and decided to share his great fortune with his people.
5 Must Read Finance Books - Investopedia.com In 2010, the bestselling finance books represented a sampling of old standards mixed with modern classics. I have selected some of my favorites that I think you'll enjoy as well-written and valuable books to improve your financial life. (We give you a list of informative and entertaining reads that you'll want to share with others this season. Check out 10 Books For The Holidays.) IN PICTURES: World's Greatest Investors 1. In particular, Ramsay is known his "snowball" strategy for getting out of debt. 2. For example, the book points out that working hard and even earning a high income are not enough to ensure financial success. "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" is a must read for those looking to change their attitude about money and wealth. 3. The central tenet of the book is that a scientific approach should be used when directing your investments. IN PICTURES: Baby Buffett Portfolio: His 6 Best Long-Term Picks 4. This is not the book for those who want set-it-and-forget-it investments. 5.
The Labyrinth of Crete, the myth of the Minotaur Zeus, in the form of a bull, brought Europe from the Phoenician seashore to Gortys in Crete where he made love with her under a plane tree (or on the plane tree after assuming the form of another sacred animal, the eagle), since then the plane tree was blessed to never lose its leaves (evergreen). From their union three sons were born triplets (or two twins). Next, Zeus arranged the marriage of Europe to the Cretan King Asterion (or Asterio), who appointed Europe's and Zeus' sons as his successors. -> Read more about Gortys -> Read more about the Abduction of Europe by Zeus As promised, the three sons of Europe and Zeus (Minos or Minoas, Radamanthis, Sarpidon) succeeded King Asterion to the throne of Crete. The gods loved Minos because his father, Zeus, honored him above all. Once, wanting to offer a sacrifice in honor of his uncle Poseidon, Minos asked Poseidon to send the best bull he could find from the sea. -> Read more about the Minoan Palace of Knossos -> Read more about Daedalus
Trojan War Sources The Burning of Troy (1759/62), oil painting by Johann Georg Trautmann The events of the Trojan War are found in many works of Greek literature and depicted in numerous works of Greek art. There is no single, authoritative text which tells the entire events of the war. Other parts of the Trojan War were told in the poems of the Epic Cycle, also known as the Cyclic Epics: the Cypria, Aethiopis, Little Iliad, Iliou Persis, Nostoi, and Telegony. In later ages playwrights, historians, and other intellectuals would create works inspired by the Trojan War. Legend The following summary of the Trojan War follows the order of events as given in Proclus' summary, along with the Iliad, Odyssey, and Aeneid, supplemented with details drawn from other authors. Origins of the war The plan of Zeus The Judgement of Paris Zeus came to learn from either Themis[12] or Prometheus, after Heracles had released him from Caucasus,[13] that, like his father Cronus, one of his sons would overthrow him.
Must-Read Economics : Planet Money Iphokhia/Flickr Listeners often write in asking for book tips. I polled the PM staff and a few econ and finance bloggers. What are your favorite econ books? Bethany McLean and Joe Nocera’s All the Devils Are Here. Niall Ferguson’s The Ascent of Money. Michael Lewis’ The Big Short. Milton Friedman’s Capitalism and Freedom. Greg Ip’s The Little Book of Economics: How the Economy Works in the Real World. Liaquat Ahamed’s Lords of Finance. Todd G. Adrian Nicole LeBlanc’s Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble, and Coming of Age in the Bronx. John McMillan's Reinventing the Bazaar. Andrew Ross Sorkin’s Too Big To Fail. Gary Stern and Ron Feldman’s Too Big To Fail. Pietra Rivoli’s The Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy. Tim Harford’s The Undercover Economist.
Greek mythology Greek mythology is explicitly embodied in a large collection of narratives, and implicitly in Greek representational arts, such as vase-paintings and votive gifts. Greek myth attempts to explain the origins of the world, and details the lives and adventures of a wide variety of gods, goddesses, heroes, heroines, and mythological creatures. These accounts initially were disseminated in an oral-poetic tradition; today the Greek myths are known primarily from Greek literature. Archaeological findings provide a principal source of detail about Greek mythology, with gods and heroes featured prominently in the decoration of many artifacts. Sources Literary sources The poetry of the Hellenistic and Roman ages was primarily composed as a literary rather than cultic exercise. Finally, a number of Byzantine Greek writers provide important details of myth, much derived from earlier now lost Greek works. Archaeological sources Survey of mythic history Origins of the world and the gods