Glenn D. Lowry Knihy

From its earliest beginnings thousands of years ago, the course of man’s progress has been measured by his empires. Large, dynamic flows of power, people, and culture that merge, thrive, then break apart - the pieces only to merge again in a new configuration, the process to be repeated. Through pictures and words, " Their Rise and Fall" brings the reader face to face with many of the world’s greatest empires. Full-color photographs are combined with an absorbing narrative in a lively historical account of each empire and an examination of the period’s most enduring cultural achievements. This volume in the series focuses on Genghis Khan and the Mongols, and on The Mogul Expansion. In the first half of the 13th Century, mention of the Mongol hordes - "the scourge of God" - struck fear in the hearts of all who knew them. They were considered the instrument of God's punishment for the sins of mankind; yet the legacy the Mongols bequeathed to India in literature, music, architecture and painting, remains one of the most notable accomplishments of any civilization.

For the past few years, The Museum of Modern Art has been in the midst of the largest building project in its history. Designed by Yoshio Taniguchi, the new museum will open in midtown Manhattan in November 2004 - 2005 to coincide with MoMA's 75th anniversary. The 630,000-square-foot complex is nearly twice the size of the former facility, with dramatically expanded and redesigned spaces for exhibitions, public programming, educational outreach, and scholarly research. In his initial proposal, Taniguchi explained that his goal was “to create an ideal environment for art and people through the imaginative and disciplined use of light, materials, and space.” His stated vision of “a museum that preserves and reinforces MoMA's unique character as the repository of an incomparable collection of modern and contemporary art, as a pioneer of museums of modern art with a unique historical inheritance, and as an urban institution in a midtown Manhattan location” has been resoundingly implemented. The New Museum of Modern Art offers an affordable, concise overview of the new building and its master architect by Glenn D. Lowry, Director of The Museum of Modern Art.

The big, bold, seductive and surprising color photographs of German photographer Andreas Gursky set forth a stunning image of our contemporary world of high-tech industry, international markets, big-time sports, fast-paced tourism and slick commerce. Tracking the zeitgeist from his native Germany to such far-flung places as Hong Kong, Brasilia, Cairo, New York, Shanghai, Stockholm, Tokyo, Paris, Singapore and Los Angeles, Gursky has earned acclaim at the leading edge of contemporary art with a polished signature style that draws upon a great diversity of ideas, precedents and techniques. Created in collaboration with the artist, this oversize book surveys the fullness of his work to date with gorgeous color plates, generous two-page details, and a wealth of supporting illustrations. The first in-depth study in English of Gursky's art, this book was published in conjunction with a major retrospective at The Museum of Modern Art, New York.