'This is an excellent book. It addresses what, in both conceptual and political terms, is arguably the most important source of tension and confusion in current arguments about the environment, namely the concept of nature; and it does so in a way that is both sensitive to, and critical of, the two antithetical ways of understanding this that dominate existing discussions.' Russell Keat, University of Edinburgh

Carlo Ginzburg builds up a portrait of Piero della Francesca's patrons and explains the contemporary intrigues resonant in his paintings. This edition includes additional material dealing with the work of Roberto Longhi, the dating of the Arezzo Cycle and the rediscovery of della Francesca.

Martin Ryle and Kate Soper reflect critically on the enduring ideal of 'culture' as the means of intellectual development, exploring the tensions and contradictions between it and the contemporary world of work, pleasure and consumption.

This volume casts a critical eye on representations and practices of consumption in the Western world. It offers a unique contemporary perspective on the themes of counter-consumerism, ecological crisis and sustainability that are rising fast on the political and cultural agenda.