Dystopian sci-fi from behind the Iron Curtain is one of a kind. The authors had to be creative in order not to run afoul of the censors, and that results in works with layers of meanings.
That second last paragraph reads like a summary of Spengler's ideas about the development of culture towards their final flowering in a civilisation, which exhausts the culture that it springs from.
While the damage was severe, it was far from a total loss. Although the restoration work turned out better than I had anticipated, I doubt France could build something like ND from scratch. And it's not just a matter of materials or craftsmanship either. The spirit of the thing is gone.
Well, Spain is building Sagrada Familia from scratch, 1882-2026. And the US built the Washington National Cathedral 1906-1988, a more derivative but still beautiful work.
Although, given how fast our cultures are changing, can we really take credit for something begun over 100 years ago? Maybe not. I don't know if there are many interesting cathedrals being started these days. There are other beautiful buildings though.
Dystopian sci-fi from behind the Iron Curtain is one of a kind. The authors had to be creative in order not to run afoul of the censors, and that results in works with layers of meanings.
I can recommend Janusz Zajdel, too.
That second last paragraph reads like a summary of Spengler's ideas about the development of culture towards their final flowering in a civilisation, which exhausts the culture that it springs from.
Is the question about Notre Dame supposed to be rhetorical? Because we literally did just rebuild Notre Dame….
While the damage was severe, it was far from a total loss. Although the restoration work turned out better than I had anticipated, I doubt France could build something like ND from scratch. And it's not just a matter of materials or craftsmanship either. The spirit of the thing is gone.
Well, Spain is building Sagrada Familia from scratch, 1882-2026. And the US built the Washington National Cathedral 1906-1988, a more derivative but still beautiful work.
Although, given how fast our cultures are changing, can we really take credit for something begun over 100 years ago? Maybe not. I don't know if there are many interesting cathedrals being started these days. There are other beautiful buildings though.
A Strugatsky book! Отлични сте!
Thinking about it, this sort of seems like a Mid-Century Communist version of The Backrooms.