The heart, maybe the world's most famous symbol, is the subject of Ole Martin Høystad's book "A cultural history of the heart", now translated into Greek. On 10 November you have the chance to listen to the author explore this icon of our deepest emotions.
– I am really looking forward to presenting my book "A cultural history of the heart/From Antiquity to the present" to a Greek audience, says Ole Martin Høystad, especially since Antiquity is one of the main sources of my work as a scholar.
Høystad takes the readers on a journey starting 5000 years ago, investigating the history of the heart through a cross-cultural perspective. Ranging widely across thinkers, texts and disciplines, the book explores through the symbol of the heart how we as human beings see ourselves.
– The language of the heart is something that we all have in common, across cultural, religious and political borders, even though the expressions may differ, he underlines in the Introduction to the Greek edition of the book.pdf (in Norwegian).
About the author
Ole M. Høystad is professor of cultural studies at Telemark university college in Norway, and currently visiting professor of cultural studies and history at the University of Southern Denmark in Odense. In a short presention of Høystad the author underlines the honour of being translated also into Greek.
Torgeir Straand, the author's son, will entertain during the book presentation. Photo: www.tiltelemarkPresentations at the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center
On Wednesday 10 November at 19:30 the book will be presented at Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Syngrou Avenue 356, with a round table discussion coordinated by journalist George Kioussis.Invitation Organised by the publisher Bartzoulianos
On Thursday 11 Νovember there will be a lecture: "The heart - as physiology, symptom and symbol. A different history of cardiology" at 12:00, conference room Stelios Papadimitriou (7th floor), Syngrou Avenue 356.
Press critics
'A History of the Heart is about far more than the changing representation of this most charismatic organ. Indeed, the ease with which the central storyline opens into a wide-ranging intellectual history of Western culture is the book's chief delight and major achievement . . . beautifully presented' – Times Higher Education Supplement
A cultural History of the Heart is published by Bartzoulianos and translated by Apostolos Spanos. Prologue by Thanasis Dritsas.
The presentation is supported by the Norwegian Embassy and the Norwegian Institute at Athens.
By Gunhild Guldseth