'Anyone looking for the most readable survey of the history of art from the [sic] cave paintings to the 20th century should buy the new, beautifully produced pocket edition of The Story of Art, still one of the great classics of art criticism.' - Independent A cornerstone of art history - in a compact yet readable format and with a new preface by the author's granddaughter The Story of Art has been a global bestseller for over half a century - the finest and most popular introduction ever written, published globally in more than 30 languages. Attracted by the simplicity and clarity of his writing, readers of all ages and backgrounds have found in Professor Gombrich a true master, who combines knowledge and wisdom with a unique gift for communicating his deep love of the subject. Updated with a stunning new cover and a preface written specially by Professor Gombrich's granddaughter Leonie, this pocket format allows Gombrich's classic work to continue its triumphant progress for another generation, and to remain the title of first choice for all newcomers to art and its history.

'If in this book harsh words are spoken about some of the greatest among the intellectual leaders of mankind, my motive is not, I hope, to belittle them. It springs rather from my conviction that, if our civilization is to survive, we must break with the habit of deference to great men.' - Karl Popper, from the Preface Written in political exile during the Second World War and first published in two volumes in 1945, Karl Popper's The Open Society and Its Enemies is one of the most influential books of all time. Hailed by Bertrand Russell as a 'vigorous and profound defence of democracy', its now legendary attack on the philosophies of Plato, Hegel and Marx exposed the dangers inherent in centrally planned political systems and through underground editions become an inspiration to lovers of freedom living under communism in Eastern Europe. Popper's highly accessible style, his erudite and lucid explanations of the thoughts of great philosophers and the recent resurgence of totalitarian regimes around the world are just three of the reasons for the enduring popularity of The Open Society and Its Enemies and why it demands to be read today and in years to come.

The Story of Art, one of the most famous and popular books on art ever written, has been a world bestseller for over four decades. Attracted by the simplicity and clarity of his writing, readers of all ages and backgrounds have found in Professor Gombrich a true master, and one who combines knowledge and wisdom with a unique gift for communicating his deep love of the subject. For the first time in many years the book has been completely redesigned. The illustrations, now in colour throughout, have all been improved and reoriginated, and include six fold-outs. The text has been revised and updated where appropriate, and a number of significant new artists have been incorporated. The bibliographies have been expanded and updated, and the maps and charts redrawn. The Story of Art has always been admired for two key qualities: it is a pleasure to read and a pleasure to handle. In these respects the new edition is true to its much-loved predecessors: the text runs as smoothly as ever and the improved illustrations are always on the page where the reader needs them. In its new edition, this classic work continues its triumphant progress tirelessly for yet another generation, to remain the title of first choice for any newcomer to art or the connoisseur.

A Remembrance from Leonie Gombrich:

My grandfather Ernst Gombrich did not usually write for children. Nor did he study history at university: art history was his subject. He was therefore delighted and astonished in almost equal degree that his very first book, Eine kurze Weltgeschichte fur junge Leser, should have endured so long and found so many friends all over the world.

He wrote it as a young man and in a considerable rush, and later considered that both these factors contributed to its long lived appeal. For this little book would never have been written at all were it not for the unusual circumstances that presented themselves in Vienna in 1935.

When the book came out, in 1936, it was very well received, reviewers assuming that my grandfather must be an experienced teacher. Though publication was stopped by the Nazisbecause they considered the outlook too pacifist it was reissued thirty years later. My grandfather added a new final chapter and was once again delighted by the books success, and the many translations that have followed.

A special edition of the international bestseller that is "sumptuously illustrated. . . . Perfect for reading to alert and curious children, but it's even better as a secret pleasure, read alone, with no children in sight." (Philip Kennicott, Washington Post) E. H. Gombrich's A Little History of the World, an engaging and lively book written for readers both young and old, vividly brings the full span of human experience on Earth to life, from the stone age to the atomic age. Gombrich's text paints a colorful picture of wars and conquests; of grand works of art; of the advances and limitations of science; of remarkable people and remarkable events. But Gombrich was, first and foremost, the best-known art historian of his time; his beloved Little History suggests illustrations on every page. Featuring more than two hundred illustrations-most in color-this beautiful edition incorporates a wide range of images, showing us the earliest cave paintings, the classic sculptures of the ancient Greeks, beautiful Islamic calligraphy, oil portraits of the mighty through the ages, and much more. With a high-grade design, fine paper, and classic binding, this enhanced edition will have an important place on family bookshelves for many years to come.

'If in this book harsh words are spoken about some of the greatest among the intellectual leaders of mankind, my motive is not, I hope, to belittle them. It springs rather from my conviction that, if our civilization is to survive, we must break with the habit of deference to great men.'

- Karl Popper, from the Preface

Written in political exile during the Second World War and first published in two volumes in 1945, Karl Popper's The Open Society and Its Enemies is one of the most influential books of all time. Hailed by Bertrand Russell as a 'vigorous and profound defence of democracy', its now legendary attack on the philosophies of Plato, Hegel and Marx exposed the dangers inherent in centrally planned political systems and through underground editions become an inspiration to lovers of freedom living under communism in Eastern Europe.

Popper's highly accessible style, his erudite and lucid explanations of the thoughts of great philosophers and the recent resurgence of totalitarian regimes around the world are just three of the reasons for the enduring popularity of The Open Society and Its Enemies and why it demands to be read today and in years to come.

El libro de arte mas celebre y popular de todos los tiempos ha sido un exito de ventas durante mas de cinco decadas, con traducciones a 34 idiomas. Presenta la historia del arte en forma de discurso narrativo, "una cadena viva que aun hoy comunica la epoca contemporanea con la era de las piramides". Su popularidad sigue vigente por el estilo directo y sencillo y la habilidad del autor para hacernos llegar el mensaje con claridad. Combina el profundo conocimiento con un don para la comunicacion.

"Three informed opinions on the classical question of representation...Provocative."--'Art Journal.' 'Softshell Books.'

In this intriguing book, E.H. Gombrich, who was one of the world's foremost art historians, traces how cast shadows have been depicted in Western art through the centuries. Gombrich discusses the way shadows were represented--or ignored--by artists from the Renaissance to the 17th century and then describes how Romantic, Impressionist, and Surrealist artists exploited the device of the cast shadow to enhance the illusion of realism or drama in their representations. First published to accompany an exhibition at the National Gallery, London, in 1995, it is reissued here with additional color illustrations and a new introduction by esteemed scholar Nicholas Penny. It is also now available as an enhanced eBook, with zoomable images and accompanying film footage.

The Sense of Order provides a comprehensive survey of the rich history and theory of decorative art. The universal human impulse to seek order and rhythm in space and time can be seen in an astonishing range of human activities: children's play, poetry, dance, music and architecture, as well as art. Its persistent prevalence in our every activity calls for a rigorous explanation of this fascinating phenomenon in terms of our biological heritage. Professor Gombrich in this tome, which he himself regarded as his most original work, offers precisely this. His characteristic erudition and expertise signify his writings here as no less than revolutionary in our perception of art and, in turn, of our very selves. A pleasure to read, this pivotal book is as accessible as it is sophisticated, and as engaging as it is idiosyncratic.

A new book by Sir Ernst Gombrich, author of the international bestsellers The Story of Art and Art & Illusion (among others), and Director of the Warburg Institute of the University of London 1959-1976, is clearly an event. In 1935, with a doctorate and no job, the 25 year-old Gombrich was invited by Walter Neurath (later founder of Thames and IIudson) to attempt a history of the world for younger readers. Written in an intense six weeks, Eine Kurze Weltgeshichte fur Junge Leser was first published in Vienna the same year. An immediate success, it has since been translated into seventeen languages, tailored for the different markets. The original German edition was reissued in 1985 with an Epilogue bringing the story to the present, and Gombrich further revised it shortly before his death, aged 92, in 2001. The Little History, as it came to be known, has never been published in English until now. In forty chapters, Gombrich tells the story of man from the stone age to the atomic bomb. There emerges a colourful picture of wars and conquests, grand works of art, the spread and limitations of science, tribes evolving towards society. mankind's experience across the centuries, a guide to man's achievements and an acute witness to his frailties. What has made the Little History an international success? The key is its tone - completely clear, straightforward, relaxed, unpompous, humane - Gombrich makes immediate contact with the curious of all ages. It is the product of a pan-European sensibility, and is wholly free of nationalistic preoccupations. The broad sweep of mankind's history seems freshly intelligible when told in this profoundly generous spirit. The first English edition of this classic book is being produced by Yale to reflect its status as a timeless work to be collected and savoured: fine design and setting, printed on a high quality of paper, cloth binding, ribbon marker, and newly commissioned illustrations.

"This is the first English translation of a brief, scholarly, and brilliantly original work which sets out to examine the links between the legend of the artist, in all cultures, and what E.H. Gombrich, in an introductory essay, calls 'certain invariant traits of the human psyche.'"-Denis Thomas, Journal of the Royal Society of Arts "This book gathers together various legends and attitudes about artists, ancient and modern, East and West, and gives fascinating insights into attitudes toward artistic creation. It impinges on psychology, art history and history, aesthetics, biography, myth and magic, and will be of great interest to a wide audience in many fields.... A delightful and unrivalled study."-Howard Hibbard "Thought provoking and valuable.... To all those interested in psychiatry and art from the perspectives of history, criticism, or therapy and to the wide audience concerned with the psychology of aesthetics and of artistic creation."-Albert Rothenberg, American Journal of Psychiatry Ernst Kris was a psychoanalyst who wrote on a wide variety of subjects, including art. Otto Kurz was librarian of the Warburg Institute in London.