Aesthetic of the Cool: Afro-Atlantic Art and Music Hardcover – December 5, 2011

By no means, was Robert Farris Thompson the first scholar who described the survival of African traditions in the Americas. But what set him apart from other scholars was his focus on the African aesthetic. In the United States we think of this aesthetic as "the cool." In Latin America and parts of Africa this aesthetic is known variously as axe, ashe or ache. (Excuse me but I do not know how to put an accent over the letter e.) This aesthetic animates most of the creative arts of African peoples. In turn, to understand those arts, it is essential to understand this underlying aesthetic."Aesthetics of the Cool" is a collection of essays that Robert Farris Thompson wrote over a career that has spanned more than fifty years. Some of the articles came out in the popular press and others in academic journals. This in turn leads to some of the articles being easy to understand and other being a bit on the scholarly side. Fortunately, all of the articles are well illustrated with first rate photos.Yale University's Robert Farris Thompson is an important American scholar and we are fortunate to have so many of his articles in one volume. This is a great book and I highly recommend it.

Thompson is one of the most gifted scholars of our era in the way that he writes about transAtlantic Black culture through art, music, and dance. This book is a primer for any student of Africana culture and music especially, as it completely demolishes borders as a framework for understanding cultural expressions (e.g., African American studies as an isolated experience).

Dr. Robert Farris Thompson books, I have always loved his research. This book do not disapoint. It has Unique flow. It is a joy to read.

RFT is a Yale expert, and this text is a beautiful continuation of his lifelong study of diaspora cultures. Highly recommended.

Needed it for a history course, and it met its purpose. Good condition. Satisfied.

A beautiful book