Product Description
In this beautifully illustrated book, the artist combines photographs, paintings, and poems that span his artistic output from 1978 to 2002. Over 50 full-color reproductions are featured. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

my review
I have enjoyed this book a lot. Being a Viggo Mortensen admirer I found it to be a Great Read.

Shades of His Mind in Clouds
I was thrilled to find that Viggo Mortensen, classically talented actor, had a flare for art that was more complex and unique than his beautiful face. Once I got this book, though, I found that "different" didn't even begin to describe it.

This beautiful little book is comprised of three artistic areas: Paintings, photography, and poetry.

The photography: gorgeous and original. Viggo catches beautiful moments of nature, reflections, light, and human form. Often, pictures that are already beautiful captures of color will have added features, like slashes and flickers of light, which you'd almost think were photographing errors except that they add so perfectly to the pictures. Sometimes these flashes of light merely add brightness, whereas at other times they take whatever mood the picture already possesses to a new level. For example: one of my favorite photos shows three dogs, two on leashes and one standing off to the side. One of the leashed dogs, a dalmation, is straining on the leash and has fangs bared towards the lone dog. In this picture, the two leashed dogs are blurred in motion and all three of them have glowing eyes! Again, you'd think that this was a photographic error, but it suits the picture perfectly: the dogs already look almost ethereal and the glowing eyes just enhance the aggressive and surreal mood of the image.

The paintings: beautiful and abstract. These paintings often feature slashes of color across blank backgrounds and are gorgeously presented; they are artistically abstract without being frusterating or making the reader feel like they're developing a migraine trying to figure them out.

The poetry: ah yes, the poetry. The poems in this book, unlike the paintings and photography, most likely will give you a migraine if you try to figure them out. Remember the title of this review? That rather abstract sentence was a small sample of the form of poetry in this book. Let's just say that if Picasso was a poet instead of a painter, his poems would probably look like this. Don't get me wrong, I love the poems. They're just not like any poetry I've read for a good while.

I actually wrote this review mainly to discuss the poems. You'll probably only appreciate them if you're willing to be very open-minded; in fact, the best course of action would be to knock the walls of your skull down and let your brain unravel in all its unlimited, unhindered glory. Maybe I'm making this sound too complicated, but I'm used to complex poetry and the sort in this book required an entirely new kind of mindframe. It's clear that Viggo totally let his mind run when he wrote these, and that's good; that's the beauty of poetry, after all. Just be warned not to take it too seriously or solidly.

Some of the poems are definetly more clear than others; if you have trouble reading the more complex ones, just do what I do: don't try to make sense of them until after you read them. Once you finish and turn your head away from the page, the different pieces of the poem start to become clearer.

Altogether, this book, in all its abstract and geometric glory, is a unique treasure that I'm happy to own. If you've an open, traveling mind and wish to possess a gem of new shape and beauty, I highly recommend it!

Viggo FAN must have
Interesting photos.Viggo takes notice of details, in life's ordinary things and brings them to life.Some poems made my head spin to say, "this is one deep guy".

Coincidence of Memory
I wasn't aware that Viggo was a poet or photographer, but he is very good at both. This book has some very poignant poems and beautiful photos. I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in poetry, photography or just a fan of Viggo Mortensen.

Beautiful and intriguing
This book contains beautiful black and white and colour of Viggo's photographs with some poems and his paintings. Some images are crisp and others haunting and blurred which is very intriguing. Lovely blades of glass and old moss covered tree and flowers and lakes shows beauty of the country of New Zealand. You can see some of the images of the cast of the Lord of the Ring as well. Viggo shows us what he sees everyday through his lenses or with his paintings and his thoughts by his poems. They are very personal and delicate.
I love the photograph of shadowy trees in black and white very much yet every time I open this book, I found more images whispering, talking and singing to me. It is a lovely book to pick up time after time.
... Read more

Product Description
Recent Forgeries documents Viggo's first solo exhibition. It is an extraordinary look into the mind of an artist whose boundless creative output touches a myriad of media, from photography to painting to poetry to acting. Recent Forgeries includes a CD with music and spoken-word poetry. Introduction by Dennis Hopper.Softcover, 7 3/4 x 7 3/4 inches, 110 pages, 83 reproductionsISBN: 1-889195-32-4 7th Edition ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Poesie at its best
It's not only a book. It's an experience, a stop in your live, a konstant compagnion. A book always to have near just in case you want to be told a story, to find a new way to look upon your live. A creativ way. You think about it, you do it. It is so encouraging! Thank you, Viggo Mortensen!

If Forgeries, Where's Reality
As a compilation of writings and musing with photographs and muted paintings, this book reads like a very intensely personal diary/journal and family photo album with an obsession for "RED."Because of the melancholic nature of the writings, it was difficult to comprehend the reality of "Forgeries."The photos show clarity, concise images with good composition though many are personal family shots.It is an interesting view of the author's family and home life but surpising, as a celebrity, anyone would want this much exposure to one's personal private life for outsiders to take a peek.Amazingly many of these photos and location for photo shots reoccur in other publication by the author/artist/photographer.The book is for the curious but not an inspiration as a keeper for literary and artistic merits.

This book is available
I've had this book on my wish list for some time but haven't ordered it.Now, it's no longer available here or other popular bookstores.However, I did find it from Percival Press and I didn't have to pay double!Hope this helps.

Surprising and beautiful.
Viggo Mortensen, Recent Forgeries (1998, Smart Art Press)

Did you know Viggo Mortensen, alternately by turns Lucifer, Aragorn, the American Yakuza, and Tex is also an accomplished painter, poet, short fiction writer, and musician? (Well, I'm taking the "musician" part on faith, because the CD had been removed from the copy of this I just finished by someone who is not me.) And I'm not talking "accomplished" like Jimmy Stewart, Jewel, and Ally Sheedy are accomplished. Nope, Mortensen can be a little loose with his verbiage sometimes, but the man's got it. (And, really, all those reviews from people who had never heard of the man until Lord of the Rings? Where you folks been for twenty years? You never saw The Prophecy? Albino Alligator? Witness? The Indian Runner? The awful remake of Psycho? Get thee to a video store.) And while I'm far less schooled in the arts of photography and painting than I am poetry, it's obvious that Mortensen's photographs have a definite thematic unity to them, when they show up in series, and that the man has an eye for what makes a good picture. The paintings, which have a more restrained Basquiat-esque feel (one wonders if Mortensen's dating Julian Schnabel's daughter had any effect on that), seem as if they're a bit more confused, but still powerful. I liked the representations of both here, certainly enough to go looking for Mortensen's other published works in those two areas.

The poetry was what really floored me. The short fiction is good, but the poetry rips it up (aside, as I said, from some loose verbiage here and there). Mortensen is a man who truly understands the value of image in poetry. You'd think that obvious from someone who works in the film industry, but take a read of Jimmy Stewart's book sometime and get back to me on that. I guarantee you won't find anything as worthy of being called poetry as

...An errant vine has sprouted
two blue flowers
where it reaches
roots of the lemon tree.
They are beautiful;
I am suspicious.
("Cuttings")

A wonderful little book. Probably more wonderful had not some enterprising soul stolen the CD, but I can recommend it without hesitation. And come on, people, add a copy of Albino Alligator, one of the best films ever made, to your order. ****

Convincing "Forgeries"
He's a poet, he's a painter, he's a photographer. Don't think Viggo Mortensen is just an actor, as talented as he is in that. "Recent Forgeries" is a collage of his works of all kinds, with poetry woven together with pictures and paintings... not to mention the CD. Pieced together but never patchy, this is a must-have.

Mortensen offers a display of poetry, often melancholy and thoughtful ("I taste the blood/that shimmered/on your lips/Lingering, like guilt does"). There's also a selection of what seem like short stories woven in, like the slice-of-life "Relay" or the charming "Bedtime Story For Henry." And of course, paintings and photographs: the vivid "Sun Losing Its Yellow," soothingly surreal "Mute," and the quiet still photographs like "School." (A mildly decayed stone gate)

Accompanying the "Recent Forgeries" book is a CD, in which Mortensen reads his poetry out loud, including "Bedtime Story For Henry," "Clear," and a handful that are not included in the book itself. Mortensen's smooth voice is accompanied by Buckethead, DJ Bonebrake and others.

Most people who act don't have a lot of artistic dimension beyond that. Chalk one up for the eclectic bohemian: Mortensen has mastered self-expression in different ways, and shows it well in "Recent Forgeries." There's a little of everything -- everything, that is, that can be pressed between book covers. Along the way, the photos, paint and words seem to run together into a sweeping, colorful landscape.

Mortensen's assorted artwork can evoke anything -- his poetry ranges from funny (like the quirky "Home") to poignant to ironic, and his artwork can be soft or angular, usually filled with great waves of color. At first some of them look random, but closer inspection shows just how careful and deliberate they are. His photographs are about the only thing that stay the same -- Mortensen focuses on little things that most people would miss, like signs, trees, empty stone gates with overgrown roads, and so on.

A rich, well-rounded look into the mind of a talented artist. Viggo Mortensen's "Recent Forgeries" is a treat for anyone who appreciates art in all its forms. A rare creation, well worth having. ... Read more

Product Description
The nobility and pure poetry of horses is celebrated in the exquisite color and black and white photographs of Viggo Mortensen, who thoughtfully explores their roles as partners, teachers, and fellow travelers, asking no favors and returning respect for respect. Featuring photographs from Mortensen's extensive international travels, the images range from sharply colorful close-ups and vivid mustang landscapes to dappled, dreamy forms and ghostly, abstract tableaus. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Horse is Good but the product is disappointing
I was disappointed with the book.I thought that maybe there would be some written words with the photos. In the Table of Contents, there really was like a legend, to know what picture you were lookingat but it didn't seem to match up to the photos that I was looking at and was confusin.It was essentially a strange concoction of photos, somewhat related to the horse. What it looks like to see a view between horses ears.Unless someone is a midget that is looking down, the scene wasn't awe inspiring.When I ride, what I see lies ahead of me and beckons me to go explore.This scene is beautiful!A picture of the thigh and leg of a rider on the horse.Another with a horse with a close up of his bit.The picture on the cover, is obscure.Frankly, I throw pictures away with the head and ears cut off.I throw away photos like these all the time.I think that Viggo is a very talented person and maybe he was making a statement.I just didn't get it. There were a couple of photos that I would have rated as good!The rest, is garbage.Maybe I don't have the intellect to understand this artistic adventure.So, not everyone will like this book.If you know someone that already has The Horse is Good, look at it first and see if you might want to add it to your library.I was very disappointed that my first purchase on his line of books, since he is one of my favorite celebrities.I don't know if I want to see any of his other stuff.

For Hidalgo & Frank T. Hopkins
Horses are my passion, and Mr. Mortensen--painter, photographer, poet, songwriter, horseman, actor and polyglot--has my deep esteem and respect. However, I found this book, overall, a disappointment. While there are definitely intriguing, creative approaches to photographing the horse--the horse peeking his head out the door of a tepee, the mane and ears a rider sees from atop the horse, a view of a boot in a stirrup and a horse's leg upon sun-baked ground, a close-up of the horse's mouth with a bit, and close-ups of the eye, the winter hair--overall I did not get a sense of a celebration of the horse, nor of the connectedness I believe Mr. Mortensen has with horses. Furthermore, the book is more appropriately titled by its dedication: For Hidalgo & Frank T. Hopkins. For me, lacks the content for the title THE HORSE IS GOOD. There are definitely some interesting pictures taken from ingenious perspectives. Mr. Mortensen has taken an original approach to a "well-worked" subject (the horse) but, for me, it did not depict the goodness, beauty and happy freedom of the horses I know and love in my 5 beautiful horses. This book was a disappointment, probably due to a difference in artistic taste. I do not doubt his talent or love for the horse, I only disagree with this particular presentation and title. Reading the other reviews, I am a lone voice in the wilderness.

THe Horse Is Good
This is a spectacular book and stands as my favourite Viggo Mortensen book, the range and quality of photos and written words in this book are breath taking and thought provoking. A must read.

Hidalgo 2002-2003
This is an exceptional book of photography with the noted surprises by Mr. Mortensen.It is a book entirely of photographs*;the subject is exclusively of horses;all of the photos were taken on or near the movie set for Hidalgo*.The only writings in the book are the index page (but no page numbers) and a dedication page "For Hidalgo and Frank T. Hopkins."
It is a grand study of THE HORSE with full page photos.Included are photos of some of the supporting actors and their horses in the "Oceans of Fire" 3000 mile race.
What is intriguing are the self photographs of Mr. Mortensen as Frank T. Hospkins and Hidalgo.How he mastered those photos and shots of his shadow without revealing that he was the photographer* is amazing.The numerous photos of shadows are very imaginative and creative.
The movie Hidalgo is a must see and will certainly put this photo album in proper perspective.Happy Trails!
***Exceptions 1) One painting on opening page;2)Two Mortensen family photos;3) One photo of Dad by Henry.***

Viggo is Good With Horses
You can definitely feel Viggo's love for horses.He captures man's relationship with them.The photographs are shot mostly on location during his time filming Hidalgo.The first photographs are noteworthy.At first I thought what was he thinking, but now I appreciate the hidden beauty.In these first photos he uses a layering effect much like his paintings.They look as though he superimposed the photographs.The results are an abstract outline of figures.

Viggo shoots from many perspectives-seated atop, from below, straight on; he focuses on an eye, a mouth, the hairs on the body, the sweat, and hands on the reigns.

He captures the desert sun and shadows at noon as well as shadows at night.I can't help but wonder-how did he do that without getting a shadow of the camera in the picture?

I like his technique.The photographs are skillful and artistic.They show the human side of Viggo.The horses speak for themselves.It leaves me respecting both of them.

The final picture is taken by Viggo's son Henry, who also has talent.We get a glimpse of Viggo with a horse nuzzling his camera.

Very well done. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (10)

Bad Number in a Good Series
This is a good series that I, generally, highly recommend for its fresh new fiction and offbeat nonfiction writing.But this is not a good number in the series.

This collection has two introductions -- never a good sign.Introductions are never really good, and these two, well, reek.

Two pieces redeem the collection."Big Brother" is an extraordinary short story that is at once very funny and very sad.It touches on issues of race, sex, parenthood, and carrying on with life in the face of death.It's a terrific story that should have been collected in the year's best stories.The other good piece is David Sedaris' very funny story about his adolescence.

Not sure these two stories can justify buying the whole collection, but they certainly won't disappoint.

The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2004 (The Best American Series)
A great read, with a heartfelt Introduction by Viggo Mortensen on the power and passion of the word! --Diana Divine, Los Angeles, CA

What Exactly Is "Nonrequired" Anyway?
Most of the copious volumes from the Best American series are formidable collections in categories that you can really sink your teeth into. You know what you're getting with the Best American writing about Travel, Science and Nature, Music, Mysteries, or even Recipes. But this "Nonrequired" series is either a vanity project for cooler-than-thou editor Dave Eggers, or a dead letter office for orphaned submissions and quirky leftovers. So what does "Nonrequired" really mean as a category? Is it supposed to mean writing from alternative publications or unorthodox sources? That's partially true here, but not entirely, because this volume has submissions from New York Times, Atlantic Monthly, GQ, and Esquire. Is "Nonrequired" supposed to mean cutting-edge styles or offbeat subject matter? With a few noteworthy exceptions, this is not really the case either, because the vast majority of submissions here are completely typical short stories that are often perfectly competent (though sometimes not), but are not out of the ordinary in any literary sense. This is especially curious because there is already a Best American Short Stories collection. Is "Nonrequired" supposed to feature writers from alternative lifestyles, immigrant cultures, or disadvantaged social conditions? That is the case for some of the submissions here, but this also is not consistently the case.

Most awkwardly, this mostly fictional collection has two observational essays and four journalistic articles. Ironically, the four non-fiction articles are the best items here because they deal with interesting subjects, but their placement seems arbitrary and inconsistent. And finally, this book gets off to a horrendous start, with Eggers' so-very-not-funny foreword, and the stultifying introduction by Viggo Mortensen, who acts far better than he writes. So what's the point of having all these writings in this one volume, with the poorly defined category trying to group them together? Maybe it's so Eggers and his group of teen interns with big thoughts can feel like they've served the world, by compiling material that's apparently cool enough for us because it's cool enough for them. But one person's cool is another person's cold. And that's when you can even figure out what the category is supposed to mean [~doomsdayer520~]

Review for The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2004
I liked the foreward and the introduction the best.I was disappointed in some of the stories.I believe there were students on the selection panel for the stories, so I was surprised at the language/content in some of the selections.

Where are the truly overlooked gems?
Not here...

But, what do you expect from the man who only publishes his friends/lovers? Here, again, you'll find Eggers friends whose work he's published elsewhere, people Eggers knows at the Onion web site, etc. etc. This is a great idea for a Best American book, but sooner or later, McSweeney's is going to have to stop pretending topublish overlooked, outsider, experimental, or even good, work. Where can one really find that, I wonder... ... Read more

Product Description
"Beyond Baroque Live 2," is a live recording of poetry, stories and music from a majestic November evening in the fabled Venice, California. This eclectic evening—the putting together of white-haired professors with iconoclastic emcee hip hop notables, with slammers, renown painters, journalists, Latino activists, actors, singer/songwriters-all poets—in front of over 300 strangers from Paris to Southern California, Boston to Colorado, Spain to Chicago, and Peoria, at the famed Beyond Baroque Literary Center, to form an evening of community honoring the important indie driven Midnight Special Bookstore and the release of the contemporary anthology of poetry, The Spoken Word Revolution. The two disc CD includes work by: Marvin Bell (Iowa Poet Laureate), Mike McGee (2003 National Poetry Slam Champion), Patricia Smith (author of Close to Death, nominee for the Pulitzer in journalism), Luis Rodriquez (author of Always Running, activist), Viggo Mortensen (author of The Horse Is Good, actor), Georgeanne Deen (author of Western Witch, Season of the, painter), Mark Eleveld (author of The Spoken Word Revolution), and perhaps the two best performance poets on the planet, Saul Williams (author of ,Said the Shotgun to the Head) and Regie Gibson (author of Storms Beneath the Skin) with musical accompaniment by John Condron. The CD is designed by Michelle Perez, and co-produced by Perceval Press. Total running time 85.18. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Baroque and the beyond
For the information of those who haven't been lucky enough to go to Venice, California, Beyond Baroque Literary Center is an acclaimed bookstore and art center. This two-disc CD, "Beyond Baroque Live 2," permanently captured a very unique night there, for anyone who unluckily was not there at the time. (Myself included)

In November of 2003, a number of noted poets and authors came together at Beyond Baroque for two reasons: One was to raise money for the gone-but-not-forgotten Midnight Special Bookstore. The other was to commemorate Mark Eleveld's deeply interesting "Spoken Word Revolution: Slam, Hip Hop & The Poetry Of A New Generation."

Ignoring for the moment the good intentions, this collection is a treat for poetry buffs. Poet/actor/painter/activist Viggo Mortensen opens the event, and is followed by Eleveld's short'n'sweet recitation of a Billy Collins poem. Both, incidently, are involved in the publishing companies that jointly released this collection, so it somehow seems appropriate that they kicked off the night.

Among the others who recite are Poet Laureate Marvin Bell, Pulitzer nominee Patricia Smith, and slam poetry heavyweights such as Mike McGee and Regie Gibson.Mortensen also recites poetry in a rich, flowing voice, such as his exceptional "Back to Babylon," "Lullaby" and "First Light.

It's somehow comfortable and humbling to listen to this CD. There aren't any biases or barriers; there are artists of all stripes, and different types of poetry on parade. Gritty, bittersweet, a bit sentimental (Smith's contribution) and all around intriguing. What's more, it feels like you are sitting in a chair up at the front row, listening to these people recite.

If you were unable to attend the November 2003 recitation (as most people weren't) then "Beyond Baroque Live 2" lets you hear it all. And what's even better, you can go back and listen to that rich night again.

I am looking forward to more poetry
Not a fond poetry reader until now, I was pleasantly surprised by Live at Beyond the Baroque 2.
Wished I had bought Beyond Baroque 1 as well. Was not aware of it's existance at the time. Wonderful poetry by Patricia Smith, lively and sensitive. And Luis Rodriguez is unique, as Luis and with any other identity. Mike McGee's high speed rap poetry is hilarious. This man must have a photographic memory! Really feels like you're in the audience. You have not decided to buy it yet? Don't hesitate! Do it! I am looking forward to more poetry. May it be soon!!!!!!!!
Mia
The Netherlands ... Read more

Product Description
A review of Viggo Mortensen's collection of Poetry, Photographs, and paintings. ... Read more

Product Description
In March 2003, Viggo Mortensen explored the town of Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota, the site of a tragic massacre that occurred December 29, 1890. There he photographed a traditional Lakota Ghost Dance, and the resulting images re-create the dance that was originally performed by members of Chief Big Foot's band. Treating this sacred rite as both delirious remembrance and ephemeral dream, Miyelo includes literary and historical documentation that examines the Ghost Dance's origins. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Miyelo
Enjoyable reading. Very interesting. Was presented as a book by Viggo Mortensen (not the reason I bought the book) but actually written by several others. Only the pics belong to Mr. Mortensen, along with a very few words, so if you are buying this book because of the actor, don't. But it's worth the read, so get it anyway.

so, so
I like that we got to see the first couple of pages, and some of the pitcures, or just a couple, but when i got the book, to use for inspiration for my photo class, it was very disappointing that all the pictures were not like the couple they show,i love viggo, but this was not one of his better works.sorry

Miyelo
This book would be an excellent supplement to a historical study of the American Plains of the 1870's to the 1890's with its accompanyingextensive 4 page biliographical references.It is a compilation of various writings and documents from variousauthors.The color plates are illusionary, ghostly and indistinct.I would not consider this book for leisure reading.

White man wants to be Indian
He's taken sacred text and made money on it. Not good medicine for him or his horse.

Ghostly dance
One of the many talents of artist Viggo Mortensen has is to somehow photograph anything at all, and give it an aura of mystery. If the subject is already interesting, then Mortensen's photographs are outright fascinating. Mortensen's "Miyelo" is a photography book that is more than just a book, but an experience.

"Miyelo" is a collection of photographs focusing on the Lakota Ghost Dance, a recreation of a dance first performed in South Dakota in the late 1800s. Along with these photographs are more items related to the Ghost Dance -- Mortensen's own words, essays by experts of all stripes, chants, and quotations from everybody from Mark Twain to Crazy Horse to Lao-Tze.

"Miyelo" is one of those books that leaves you a bit dizzy after you've finished it. Mortensen shot the photographs for this book while filming the movie "Hildago" in the California desert. The result is surreal but extremely effective, almost like a vision of the past.

Mortensen's photography is never more entrancing than it is here. Just about every photo is shimmering and blurred, like a hallucination or a mirage. It gives the entire book the quality of a dream set on paper. "Miyelo 15" features a Lakota man standing in front of a shimmering desert landscape, while "Miyelo 5" shows only a series of transparent figures that seem to be moving. Living up to the name of the dance, these people look like ghosts.

Accompanying the photographs are Mortensen's foreword (which reads almost like poetry): "After one of the dryest summers in memory, nearly all green had bled from the landscape, leaving cottonwood bark tatter and twig tip as grey as reflected dawn on the creek; pale as wrist scar, frost grass, clay cut bank and barely there clouds running for cover to the Black Hills."

But as wonderful as the essays and foreword are, it's Viggo Mortensen's dreamlike photography that makes this book truly unforgettable. Vibrant, hallucinatory and bittersweet, this is a keeper. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The obvious
Nice photographs of what life exists around that we take for granted...the lines, the shapes, the colors, and more. Brings to the surface, beautiful imagery and emotions. Lovely piece.

Hole in the Sun
I found the subject matter and content interesting. Red #22 and Blue #20 had some amazing texture and color variation that added depth and contrast to the composition. I enjoyed seeing what caught the attention of the artist.

"Hole" in one
Just how good can a bunch of photos of a swimming pool be? That is the question raised once you hear about "Hole in the Sun," one of talented artist Viggo Mortensen's many books. Yes, it's photos. Of a swimming pool. And Mortensen's exceptional photographic skill makes it all come alive.

Mortensen displays different abstract photographs -- some color, and some black and white only -- in a sort of visual silence. At first he shows the quiet pool, undisturbed and photographed from many angles, even the reflections in the increasingly murky water. Then the pool is abandoned, and the wear and tear on it is revealed.

It's a surprisingly poignant book. There's no poetry, not much but the pictures. And without anything to distract the reader, Mortensen shows us the many facets of the pool. As it deteriorates, his pictures become sadder and lonelier-feeling, like watching a beautiful old statue falling into disrepair.

And Mortensen proves that yes, just about anything can be made interesting in the hands of a skilled photographer. He captures the eerie quality of cacti reflected in blue, and a little white butterfly drowned in the water. Some -- like the stark "Blue 17," are so abstract that you can't tell what they are. His color photographs are startlingly vivid, so that readers can even see the splotches of green on the pool walls.

Painter/poet/actor/photographer Viggo Mortensen again proves his skill with a camera, in a book that shows that anything can make a good photo. Beautiful and skillful. ... Read more

Product Description
The academic study of religion is undergoing great changes in response to globalization. Just as sociologists now find it necessary to think in terms of "multiculturalism," so religion scholars and theologians today must work in the context of "multireligiosity." Globalization is leading not only to multiethnic societies but also to plurality in religions and worldviews. Theology and the Religions: A Dialogue offers the first sustained analysis of the trend toward multireligiosity and its implications for the study of religion. Drawing on the resources of cultural analysis, religious studies, and theology, an international slate of thirty-seven scholars explores the relation of multiculturality and multireligiosity, the need for interreligious dialogue, and the possibilities for a "theology of religions." This groundbreaking work is supported by case studies of various religious traditions in diverse cultures from around the world. Offering an engaging, wide-angle view of religion worldwide, Theology and the Religions makes a vital contribution to our understanding of the forces shaping the future of religious and social life. Contributors: Kajsa Ahlstrand Theodor Ahrens Jan-Martin Berentsen Ulrich Dehn Helene Egnell Marianne C. Qvortrup Fibiger Patrik Fridlund Virginia Garrard-Burnett Geomon K. George Elisabeth Gerle Friedrich Wilhelm Graf Hans Hauge Ulf Hedetoft S. Mark Heim Chris Hewer Klaus Hock Michael Ipgrave Andrew J. Kirk Lene K hle Volker K ster Aasulv Lande Oddbj rn Leirvik Ole Skjerb k Madsen Hiromasa Mase Mogens S. Mogensen Viggo Mortensen Johannes Nissen Klaus N rnberger Caleb Oladipo Tinu Ruparell Risto Saarinen Lamin Sanneh Olaf Schumann Notto R. Thelle Joachim Track V tor Westhelle H. S. Wilson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A good text
This is a good text on interfaith/multicultural dialogue.Do not let the low reviews be an indicator because they bought without looking to see if Aragorn was actually a professor of theology and then panning the book with a bad review and not chalk it up to their own impulsiveness.

One star to Amazon not the book!!!!
Amazon should know better. It is possible in the whole world that 2 writers share the same name !
You shoud not list Viggo Mortensen's works of art : poetry /photography/paintings/and movieswith Viggo Mortensen's writings about theological concepts. The former is the actor, artist,and the latter is the theologian.
Please, be consistent ! A little clean up is in order (no pun intended!).

how many Viggo Mortensen's can there be?
I also bought this book thinking it was the celebrity Viggo Mortensen's.Wonder how many have been sold for that reason?It really is a fascinating book but a challenging read.

Not What I was Looking For
I bought this book on the assumption that it was edited by the LOR, Viggo Mortenson. I understand he is the ownwer of an editing company and sometimes writes editorial notes in material his companypublishes.... my mistake!!! This book was written by a very learned professor of systematic theology and the director of the center for Multireligious Studies at Aarhus University in Denmark.....not the same guy.... Im sure its an interesting read for the right person. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a book about the unique challenges that religion, especially Christian theology and the Christian church, faces in today's changing world. Central to the new world situation is the reality of globalization. Just what does the interconnectedness of the world mean for the process of Christian theology? Does globalization have implications for the way Christians and churches ought to act? These chapters by scholars from different contexts and continents — Africa, Europe, and North and South America — answer such crucial questions by exploring from various perspectives the relation of globalization to Christian mission and ecumenism.

The title of the book is key to its intent. First, it is written "for all people," who now find themselves living in a postmodern, globalized world. Second, it reflects the nature of Christianity, which, from its very inception, has understood itself as a universal faith guided by Jesus' Great Commission. Third, the title reflects the character and career of Viggo Mortensen, a Christian leader and teacher who has always tried to be a theologian for all people, consciously open to the particularity and challenges of the times. Thus, in attempting to build bridges between different cultures, in being open to the realities of the world and responsible in relation to the victims of the day's order, and in keeping alive the idea of and working for a united humanity, this volume not only represents a fitting tribute to Mortensen, a highly respected friend and theologian, but also suggests new ways of shaping a world for all people. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not the book I thought it was!
While this book is quite interesting in its own right, it was written in honor of a Danish theologian, Viggo Mortensen.. not the Viggo of Lord of the Rings fame.Before I bought the book, I tried to research the theologian Viggo, but did not find any information as far as a biography.

I see that I am not the only one to have made this mistake, because the amazon.com lists shows the books that other people have bought along with this one. It was also frustrating and misleading that amazon.com would sell this book with art books by "Lord of the Rings Viggo" at a discounted price.. suggesting that the two books are by the same author.
From a theological perspective, this book was generally about christian religion and the trials that christian faith faces in modern times.. I was expecting a much broader view of all religions worldwide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Highlights of heedless slaughter
Viggo Mortensen does it all -- writing, vibrant poetry, painting, eccentrically moving music, acting, and photography. None of these are done in the "normal" style.

And nowhere is this made more abundantly clear than in "Pandemonium in America," Mortensen's collaboration with avant-rocker Buckethead. It's a wildly unpredictable stretch of experimental music infused with intensely weird instrumentals, intense vocals, and an atmosphere of ominous, bleak power. Expect nothing, because you'll only be wrong.

It opens with the spacey loops, tinkly piano and plucked guitars of "Den Gang Jeg Drog Afsted," which sounds like folk melody played on another planet.

But Mortensen falls back on poetry after that -- the disdainful intonation of "Back to Babylon" ("we'll need all the energy we can muster for compiling this generation's abridged anthology of official war stories, highlights of heedless slaughter..."), and his eerie, powerfully dreamlike channeling of Blake ("Dark is the heaven above/and cold and hard the earth beneath/And as a plague-wind filled with insects cuts off man and beast").

From then on, it's all bizarre beauty -- ghostly distorted ballads, thick droning tribal melodies, murmuring poetry recitals, earthy laments and dances, and a few songs that are just pure musical experimentation, whether it's captured noise and instruments or a thick stretch of spacey post-industrial... whatever. There's even a country song flavoured with Mortensen's distorted vocals.

Yup, I said none of this would be what you'd expect. But that hardly makes it bad.

In fact, "Pandemonium From American" is one of Mortensen's more accessible works, with some catchy moments and alluring experimental work all folded in together. And there's some unifying themes woven into these odd songs, evoking a world with loss of innocence, political corruption, and a truckload of apathy.

While the transitions from one extreme style to another are a little jarring, the music itself is sort of a wild jam session on acid. Buckethead provides excellent, atmospheric guitars, and there's some undercurrents of bass, piano, and drums. Thick slabs of keyboard and powerful Rhodes and organ are woven in here, along with some harmonica, shaker... and, um, wheelchair. Yes, wheelchair.

Mortensen's deep, intense voice slips through the album like a foreboding prophet, murmuring poetry when he's not crooning quietly. His poetry and lyrics are solid stuff, whether the evocative words of Blake, or more arty and thought-provoking ("Pay at the window for reheated prejudiced incantations. Take them home and enjoy with wide-screen, half-digested replayed previews of solemn national celebration...").

And his supporting vocalists Dominic Monaghan and Elijah Wood don't do too badly either -- Monaghan is eerily powerful in "Shadow," while Wood's repetitive lament is haunting ("Never told me, never told me... now you've gone"). But they both have some fun in the last song, where they gibber like chipmunks on acid. Trust me, it's funny.

Music produced by actors, and acting produced by singers -- these are usually too painful to think about. But Mortensen and his collaborators fill "Pandemonium From America" with a powerful, eerie mix of musics and emotions. ... Read more

Product Description
This long awaited second publication by the highly recognized film actor and artist/poet, Viggo Mortensen melds his acutely sensitive ability to intertwine words, paintings and photography into one lyrical conceptual landscape. Working like a personal diary, SignLanguage, takes us on a visual journey into the soul of Mortensen's creative forces. His diary-based photographs, taken while filming 'The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Rings' become dream-like landscapes shrouded in mystery and suspense while his multi-layered paintings entwine themselves around stanzas of poetry. The melding of all three forces allows the reader to become acutely aware of the details surrounding the artists existence, a multiple of split-second images burned into the mind of a thousand different places.

SignLanguage exquisitely features extensive color and black and white reproductions of both his photographic works and his intensely personal collage based paintings, partly intertwined in an informative essay by international critic and poet, Kevin Power. Special highlights also include unique photographs by Mortensen while on location during the filming of 'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Strange Sign Language
Disconnected, Disjointed, Dissassociated, Disoriented
Fragmented, Confused, Illussionary
All is Meaningless, Hopeless, Helpless, Worthless, Emotionless
Lost, No goals, No ambitions, No absolutes, No past, No future
Only the moment counts, obsession with the Now.
These are my impressions of this book.From goth, punk (Henry's dyed spiked hair, painted face & fingernails wearing a girl's fur jacket) to dead (Yes, there is even a graphic photo of a dead bloody carcass or a donkey.)Kevin Power, University Alicante, Spain gives a gallery style narrative of Mortensen's pics and paintings but you have to search for which item he is writing about.He states" Viggo Mortensen's photographs are not so much about something..."These pics are about nothing.Another comment by Power "Mortensen again and again focuses and frames his sense of being in the world, the strangeness of it and his strangeness before it."AND HOW STRANGE IT IT!It you truly want to see the "strangeness" of Mortensen's work, this shows it.My regret, that I even bother to look at all.It strikes me with an oppressive sadness that this might be considered a work of art.

For the paintings
Like some of the other reviewers, I wish there had been poetry and commentary from Viggo. However, there are so many paintings in this book that I couldn't be disappointed.I'm not an art snob by any means nor do I usually care for abstract art, but I enjoy Viggo's works because I am a fan and want to understand him better. I wish he would include some kind of description of what was behind the painting, a little about what he was thinking. But I guess that would be giving too much away.

Not bad.
This was my first book puchase with Viggo as author.I was disappointed that the introduction was not by Viggo himself.It is interesting what subject matter Viggo selects to capture in a picture.The pictures span a wide range of topics and are often significant from an artistic standpoint.

My favorite are the paintings.I understand that he didn't start painting until after he did the movie A Perfect Murder.He is a natural.His use of color exquisite.The paintings have many layers.Sometimes he covers them with handwriten words; his penmanship is suprisingly neat and legible, and you can often make out phrases.

I appreciate that he lets fans into his world.

This is the one if you're after the Lord of the Rings pix!
I have most of Viggo's books. This is the one you're after if you want the pictures he took while in New Zealand for Lord of the Rings. He has some just beautiful pictures of the cast as well as the country in this one. The ones of Elijah Wood (this is the one where he's in the snow), Karl Urban (I adore this picture. I captures his eyes so well.), & Bernard Hill are the best ones. Having been to NZ, I recognized a lot of the nature shots. They are beautifully done. It also has pictures of Dennis Hopper and several of Viggo's son Henry. It also has quite a bit of his paintings. I recommend this one as well as "Coincidence of Memory". To see what the pictures and paintings look like, I suggest going to viggophile.com and click on "creativity". She has quite a few examples of all his books.

ZOWZA!
I am completely blown away by the nonsensical willowings of the uppermost layer. It truly speaks of divine reality and sequestered formality. If, indeed that is the intent, then I applaud every inkling of the proverbial artist, not only in asmuch as one does, but also because of the intentional effort that cries out, "I am!". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Pleasing and enjoyable
I loved this book. It shows true depth of Viggo Mortensen. He can put things into a whole new perspective for people who will keep there mind open for new things and/or ideas of another. I believe this is one of the best books I have seen in many years.

Waiting for the moon
Viggo Mortensen is an artist of all stripes -- painting, poetry, acting and photography. And he gives those artistic sensibilities a workout in "45301," a stunning collection of photographs that takes the mundane surroundings of various countries, and transform them.

Light is the core of "45301" -- soft light, sharp light, colorful light and light being smothered by shadows. Even color comes second to the presence of light. There are smoldering abstract images that look like they're about to burn through the page -- the pictures are that striking and that vivid. And then there then smoky, ghostly shots of what look like mountains.

Mortensen's focus on the seemingly ordinary continues in this book. There are images of blurred, chaotic trees, the melancholy skyscape of "Hacia Mariel," or the quiet, chilly movement of "Fototeca." More color and movement is found in images like the intense glow of a dying campfire, or the dramatic image of riders silhouetted against a colorful sky.

There isn't any writing in the conventional sense, unless you count the picture index. The photographs in "45031" are overlaid on examples of Mortensen's handwriting. It's often indecipherable, scribbled out and either thin and pale, or dark and sprawling. That makes it even more enticing, and an effective frame for such enigmatic photographs.

And Mortensen again shows his ability to make the mundane seem magical. Horses, riders, trees, sky, clouds and houses all get the treatment, either shown in motion, shot from unusual angles, or in a strangely distorted manner. And of course, light and color are what the magic of the pictures sometimes depends on -- a strangely colored sky is all it takes to lend the photo an eerie look.

Given its gritty, otherworldly look, "45031" is a strangely dizzying book to read. With entrancing abstract photos and a unique format, this is another winning collection by Viggo Mortensen.

Where is the envy?
Viggo Mortensen is a wonderful photographer.His pictures make me want to smash my camera on the ground in envy and despair and gouge out my inferior eyes and curse the Universe for not making me a photography savant.The colors in his photographs and the way he frames them make me want to look at them over and over again and study their elements.So, imagine, if you will, my excitement at receiving 45301 in the mail from a bookstore in Denmark, which, since the book is out of print, is apparently the only bookstore on the planet that actually has it in stock.It arrived last Friday afternoon, and when I got home from work I made myself a gin and tonic, ceremoniously opened the book's shrink-wrap, and settled onto the sofa to look at it and feel that sweet, burning envy.

45301 has been described in one review as "dense and thought-provoking", and this is correct.It is dense, in that there is something on every page, and it provoked the following thoughts: 1) What the hell is this?2) I need another gin and tonic, and 3) I can sell this on eBay and get my money back.Most of the pictures are of indeterminate subjects, and they are mainly set against a background of illegible, scrawled notes.There are many interesting photos, but because most are printed very small and are against that heinous scrawly background, they do not draw me in and make me want to look at them.There are 13 pages of negatives, and while they DO have interestingly colored frames, they're not compelling.

Here's the thing about 45301:It's not so much a photography book as it is an art book, and I can appreciate it that way, despite my initial disappointment.It's abstract photography and scrawled notes and negatives compiled together to form a piece of art, and that's great as long as that's what you're looking for.But if what you're looking for is Mr. Mortensen's less abstract photography, you should buy Recent Forgeries instead, because that book is fantastic.His Coincidence of Memory and Sign Language are also good, and if you're going to buy any of these three, you should order them directly from Perceval Press (www.percevalpress.com), because it's highly worthy of support (you will also get the books most quickly and inexpensively from them).Recent Forgeries and Coincidence of Memory contain Mr. Mortensen's poetry as well as photography, and to talk about that would be a whole other review, but in a nutshell, it had me taking off my pants.[pssst! that means it's good!]

In conclusion, Viggo Mortensen is a talented photographer, but you probably wouldn't know it from looking at this book.If you want a piece of art in book form, you should consider buying it, and if you're a fan of Mr. Mortensen's acting and are obsessively collecting everything he's ever published, then I guess there's no question but that you will buy it [please seek help].In either of these cases, it will help if you are at least semi-rich, because to buy this now will cost you anywhere from $65 (what I paid, including shipping from Denmark) to $180 (currently), and if you pay $180 for this book, my review of your financial acumen would have to be "HAhahahahahahaha!"

End Transmission.

oops
My wife wrote this in a fit of insomnia at 4:30 in the morning and accidentally posted it under my name.Not too bright, that woman. ... Read more