Beauty: What It Is and Why It Matters

If I can put 10 out of 5 starts I would. I must read for every Catholic! I’m a young mom and read so many catholic women’s books and studies that disapprove the notion of beauty and counteract beauty and virtue and it seems that that view is very wide spread. I’m always protecting about putting beauty down. Thank you so much John-Mark for writing this book! He defines beauty in such am unusual way: something that is orderly and surprising, something that brings delight. This book is very good mixture of theological thoughts, he quotes Aquinas and John of the Cross and others, and practical advice. He frames beauty as such that leads to God and holiness, has a very holistic approach. I love that he even mentions beauty in cooking!First time even I understood why l loved mathematics since I was 7. I always found it beautiful and this book answered why. Math is obviously very orderly and at 7 I found it very surprising and I can add 2 and 3 and get a totally different number 5. High math, integrals are also very orderly, elegant and surprising!He mentions order and beauty in nature. I must add that I’m fascinated with the order, surprise and beauty on a molecular level. If you think of DNA, how humans develop on a cellular level, all the proteins, hormones etc. It’s so orderly, so surprising, so beautiful! See some examples https://www.beautifulchemistry.net/structure#/protein-structures/ Not surprisingly many scientists become believers after studying how things work.I’d also call the book “Catholic answer to Marie Kondo”. It explains why Marie Kondo approach works – we all seek beauty, but it goes deeper and shows how beauty is there to lead us to God! 30% of the book is underlined. Definitely a life changing read!

The book came through in good time and, although used, was in near new condition.

Text is very accessible to any first year college student, or advanced high schooler. All points are well argued and supported. While written from a Christian (Catholic) perspective it is also very humanistic in outlook. WARNING! There are NO illustrations in the book. This was a minor disappointment, and an illustrated version would be FANTASTIC (hint hint). Still, highly recommended.

Written not for philosophy majors, but for the common man, this book explores the elements of order and surprise in beauty, and argues for its inclusion in our lives and our education.

This is one of those books that changes how i look at things in general. It is worthwhile for anyone who is human.

all went well; many thanks.

Teetering on the fence between Catholic Teaching and Aesthetic Philosophy, Dr. Miravalle does not pick a side, but presents many examples from each. This indecision cripples the text, making it neither a theology handbook nor a philosophically mature text.

This work delivers what the subtitle promises in an engaging and thought provoking way.

In a world where you can get famous for doing stupid pranks on Internet videos, this book inspires you to do your best at whatever you do and thereby contribute to the beauty of the created order… Beauty as a vocation reflects God… One word of caution: the author is Catholic and ends the book by praising Mary as the ultimate expression of beauty; as a Christian I believe this is incorrect, but the rest of the book is certainly worth reading

Lots to reflect on here. Life would be beautiful if we all read this book and put it into practice.