This book presents a cultural and emotional history of the heart. The book is divided into four parts (like the heart): The Physical Heart; The Religious Heart; The Heart in Art; and The Written Heart. The first part covers, amongst other things, anatomy and the history of ideas about how the heart works; weaknesses of the heart and disease; surgery and transplants; and other animals hearts - the heart as the seat of life. The second has the Bleeding Heart of Christ; pagan sacrifice; saints attributes; the heart in Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism - the heart as the seat of the soul. The third looks at votive art, the "heart/fruit thing"; sublimated visual hearts; kitsch; advertising and logos; cartoons - the heart as visual symbol. The fourth looks at expressions of love in literature, from the Greeks musings on Eros and Agape through myths and legends and the invention of courtly romance to the romantic novel; and song lyrics - the heart in writing.
- ISBN10 0385501730
- ISBN13 9780385501736
- Publish Date 14 January 2003 (first published 4 November 2002)
- Publish Status Remaindered
- Out of Print 16 December 2014
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Doubleday Books
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 354
- Language English