Aristóteles, with his propensity for observing, classifying, correlating, and inferring, remained unchanged through the parallelism between Sócrates approaching execution and Rembrandt approaching bankruptcy.

"Imaginem Que" is a brilliant book that not only traces the origins of Western civilization rooted in ancient Greece but also the connections between that civilization and the modern world. Heller goes further and proposes that the first modern European republic was born in 17th-century Holland, a daughter of the classical utopian republics, and thus transferred to the American continent - which is not entirely absurd - and this first proposal nourishes the entire book.

However, if it were just this (and it was already not little), I would not have been dazzled by this reading, which is an extraordinary collage whose objective (its second proposal) is to prove that all of History is pure fallacy.

To this end, the narrator constantly jumps between eras and analogous events. For example, when Sócrates was 65 and Platão was 24, Athens was blockaded by ships financed by Persia and commanded by Spartans. On land, the city was again besieged. The population gathered again inside the walls at the end of a war that had begun 27 years earlier. Similarly, when Rembrandt was 47 and painting his Aristóteles, the coasts of Holland were blockaded by the English, who, with the experience of their struggles against the Dutch, had learned to build larger warships capable of transporting heavier armament. They also realized that there was more money in trade than in agriculture and cattle ranching, just as the Dutch had learned from the Portuguese.

Using Rembrandt's painting "Aristóteles Contemplando o Busto de Homero" as the germ for this reflection, the author weaves powerful correlations that intertwine the painter's biography and the lives of the portrayed in a mixture of art, philosophy, politics, and culture. For instance, when the Dutch expelled the Portuguese from the Moluccas in the Indian Ocean and established their global monopoly on cloves and nutmeg, Rembrandt, who was nine years old, enrolled in a Latin school. Shakespeare died. In 1617, Rembrandt celebrated his 11th birthday and Snellius developed the technique of trigonometric triangulation for cartography, using the North Star to measure the latitudes of the Dutch cities of Alkmaar and Bergen-op-Zoom. In the eighth year of the Twelve Years' Truce, the Dutch joined the English to send warships to Venice to help it fight against the Habsburgs of Austria. Rembrandt finished his Latin school course two years before the war with Spain was resumed, two years after William Harvey, of St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London, had first announced his discovery of the circulation of the blood, while the first black slaves arrived in the English colony of Virginia, precisely twelve years after the founding of Jamestown.

The power of "Imaginem Que" lies in a narrative force very close to fabulation, where the stories, like Russian dolls, fit into each other. The narrative thread is unwound by the narrator in the style of "One Thousand and One Nights," with unparalleled mastery, capable of leaving the reader (who always knows the outcome of the story unless he knows nothing about History) in suspense and, above all, in "check" because he is constantly reminded that his reality is a long sequence of coincidences that, like the chaos theory, bring us to the present moment.

For example, in 432 BC, Pericles decreed a law that prohibited the ships of Megara from entering the ports of the Athenian empire. This helped lead to war. It also led to that long series of events in which Athens was defeated; the empire was destroyed; democracy was prohibited and then restored; Sócrates and Asclépio were tried, considered guilty, and executed; Platão wrote his philosophies and inaugurated his school; Aristóteles arrived in Athens as a student and left as a fugitive, and later, during a different war, Rembrandt painted him in Amsterdam contemplating a bust of Homero that was only a copy, and as a result, as a conclusion of several centuries of risky voyages, in 1961, a real and verifiable fact, the Parke-Bernet Galleries made their triumphant passage from the intersection of Madison Avenue and 77th Street in the city now called New York to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street, before John F. Kennedy was assassinated between the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

It is very clear to Heller that history repeats itself, that nothing is independent in the historical line, that there are no accidents, and that deviations from the course are rare because the conductors of destiny are always the same, yesterday as today, moved by the same interests and passions.

For example, in the second half of the 20th century, the antagonistic superpowers of capitalism and communism coexisted in a symbiotic balance of necessary evils and understood each other much better than either wanted to admit. The Soviet Union and the United States were enemies for seventy years, and the only two times they both went to war in this century was as allies against Germany. In both countries, as everywhere, the quality of government was generally very low. The leaders on both sides never seemed to hate each other as much as they hated the members of their own populations who disagreed with them, and, just like in ancient Athens, the smaller nations that tried to escape their domination. Each of the two governments would be defenseless without the threat of the other. It is impossible to imagine either nation functioning as smoothly without the terrible danger of annihilation by the other. However, it is easy to imagine the chaos that would arise in both with a sudden outbreak of peace. Peace on Earth would mean the end of civilization as we know it today.

From Homero, Sócrates, Platão, Aristóteles, Rembrandt, Philip II (our "I"), to Kennedy and Hitler, passing through philosophy, tragedy, the Thirty Years' War, colonialism, Wall Street, or the Metropolitan, "Imaginem Que" is a delicious work full of references and erudite crossings, in which the most relevant personalities of Western history have room to breathe, speak, and meditate on their times and ours.

Heller demystifies the aura of heroism that surrounds Western history, showing it to be bellicose, misogynistic, and cruel as it really is, but with moments of true inspiration and genius from which immortal works are born.

For example, Rembrandt's Aristóteles was exhibited in London in 1815, having miraculously survived the First Northern War, the Second Northern War, the War of Devolution, the War of the Grand Alliance, the War of the Spanish Succession, the War of the Polish Succession, the War of the Austrian Succession, the Seven Years' War, the First Silesian War, the Second Silesian War, the War of the Bavarian Succession, the Russo-Turkish War, the French Revolution, the Turco-Polish War, the Swedish-Danish War, the Swedish-Russian War, the Franco-Austro-Prussian War, the War of the First Coalition against France, the Franco-Dutch War, Napoleon's Italian campaign, the Anglo-Spanish War, Napoleon's Egyptian campaign, the War of the Second Coalition against France, the Irish Rebellion against England, the other Anglo-Spanish War, the Russo-Persian War, the War of the Third Coalition against France, the Franco-Prussian War, the Franco-Portuguese War, Napoleon's triumphant invasion of Russia and his disastrous retreat, the Congress of Vienna, and the Battle of Waterloo, emerging safely from these and other dangerous events and arriving, intact and safe, by paths and in ways that we do not know, in London.

Along the way, Heller applies doses of irony and biting sarcasm to more or less unknown historical events. For example, New Amsterdam surrendered, at the beginning of the Second Anglo-Dutch War, to a body of less than 200 Englishmen and was re-baptized with the name of New York. It was surrendered without a fight by the director-general of New Holland, Peter Stuyvesant, who surrendered Wall Street. Let someone now try to recover it without a fight. In totalitarian countries, like China and the Soviet Union, the public is lulled with decrees, strict regulations, police, and terror. In industrial democracies, it is lulled with contempt and favoritism.

And, in the end, her premise that History is fallacious cannot but be proven, and if so, it is not surprising that we take it for harmless. For example, the death of a person is not as important for the future as the literature about that same death. From History, nothing can be learned that can be applied, so don't be fooled thinking the opposite. - History is nonsense. - said Henry Ford. But Sócrates died. Platão does not say that he cried on that day. He would have been only twelve years old at the time of his "The Symposium" and so was not present to hear the affectionate tributes of Alcibiades to Sócrates, which he so eloquently describes. Rembrandt's painting of Aristóteles Contemplating the Bust of Homero may not be by Rembrandt but by a disciple so divinely endowed in learning the lessons of his master that he was never again able to do anything else and whose name, consequently, has been lost in obscurity. The bust of Homero that Aristóteles is shown contemplating is not of Homero. The man is not Aristóteles.

A glorious coming of age story unfolds. It's about a young English boy who enrolls in a wizard school. As he spends his days there, he discovers a treasure trove of hidden magical ability within himself. He cavorts with hirsuite giants and majestic Owls, having adventures that are truly out of this world. But wait! I was reading it upside down. In reality, it's a novel with a unique perspective. It's written from the point of view of a real painting. The painting comes to life in the pages of the book, sharing its story, its secrets, and its beauty. Uhmm, yeah. It's a fascinating concept that takes the reader on a journey like no other.

An interesting historical description emerges when comparing Ancient Greece during its golden age with Holland 1000 years later. This comparison is vividly presented through the picture of Aristo painted by Rembrandt. The description delves into the details, painting a rich picture of both eras. It explores the cultural, social, and political aspects of Ancient Greece, highlighting its辉煌成就. In contrast, it also examines the unique characteristics of Holland during a later period. While the description may be a bit too long and at times meander, it remains captivating. It offers a fascinating glimpse into the past, allowing us to appreciate the similarities and differences between these two distinct historical periods.

I have an absolute passion for the concept and subject matter that is presented here. It truly intrigues me and holds a great deal of potential.

However, I must admit that getting through this particular piece was an extremely tedious task. It seemed to drag on at times, and I found myself having to push through in order to reach the end.

The pacing could have been better, and perhaps the content could have been presented in a more engaging and dynamic way. Despite this, I still appreciate the underlying ideas and the effort that went into creating it.

I just hope that in future iterations, the author can find a way to make the reading experience more enjoyable and less of a chore.

In the end, this novel said basically nothing.

It seemed to lack a clear and engaging storyline. The characters were not well-developed, and their actions and dialogues felt rather flat and uninteresting.

The plot meandered aimlessly, without any real conflict or tension to keep the reader hooked.

There were no significant revelations or moments that made the reader think or feel deeply.

In essence, it was a disappointment, failing to deliver the kind of entertainment and literary value that one would expect from a novel.

Perhaps the author needed to spend more time planning and structuring the story, or maybe they simply lacked the necessary skills and creativity to bring the narrative to life.

Whatever the reason, this novel ultimately fell short and left the reader with a sense of dissatisfaction and a feeling that their time could have been better spent reading something else.

Pretty cool and funny!

This thing has a very interesting structure. It's like a unique little world of its own. The way it's put together is both captivating and entertaining. You can't help but be drawn in by its charm.

Whether you look at it from afar or up close, there's always something new to discover. It's full of surprises and little details that make you smile.

The coolness factor is off the charts, and the funny elements add an extra layer of enjoyment. It's truly a one-of-a-kind creation that brings a lot of fun and excitement.

Overall, it's a really neat and engaging thing that you'll definitely want to check out.

The text plays with vivid colors, conveys emotions, moods, and even the manner of speech can be selected thanks to the detailed description.

Interestingly, the events that took place in different corners of the planet during one period of time are told, and how they affect the present; how the same mistakes are made in different epochs, in different countries, but for the same reason - money.

That case when a picture can tell the story of the world better than all existing textbooks; and there is no need to constantly flip through the pages to correlate the names and phenomena that occurred throughout the globe (from loud to insignificant), and understand their influence on each other.

A wonderful journey of Aristotle to New York, touching on all levels of development (and degradation, if we are to be precise) of society.

This text truly offers a unique perspective, painting a vivid picture that engages the reader and makes them think about the various aspects of history and society.

It shows how the past and present are intertwined, and how the same patterns and mistakes can repeat themselves across different times and places.

The use of such detailed descriptions and examples makes the text not only informative but also highly engaging and thought-provoking.

\\"There comes a time in the lifecycle of a nation when no decision that can be made is the right one and no action that can be taken is intelligent.\\" This profound statement sets the tone for Joseph Heller's exploration.

\\"There are outrages and there are outrages, and some are more outrageous than others. Mankind is resilient: the atrocities that horrified us a week ago become acceptable tomorrow.\\" Heller's words make us reflect on the ever-changing nature of our perception.

When Heller delves into the space of art and philosophy, the outcome is uncertain. The book commences in 1653 with Rembrandt painting \\"Aristotle Contemplating the Bust of Homer\\". The narrative shifts between the painter, the painting, and the painted. Aristotle, who opposed monetary gains, is sold and auctioned until he is hung at MET for $250,000. Meanwhile, Rembrandt, despite his works bringing in millions, is a spendthrift who ends up bankrupt.

As the discussion turns to Aristotle, we are taken back to ancient Greece, where Socrates, Plato, and the war between Athens and Sparta are explored. The dialogues are a faithful rendition of the written history and the works of these philosophers, with Heller's own asides and comments.

What Heller seems to be aiming for is to show that over generations, little changes. Things evolve and come full circle, as he parallels with 1988 USA. He critiques Plato's republic but then distances himself from a definite stance. Through the dialogues, we learn about Socrates' questioning technique.

The major drawback of the book is its structure. It meanders across ages and lacks connecting motifs. However, the disjointed pieces still offer valuable insights into Greek history, Socrates' trial, Plato's republic, and Rembrandt's penury.

Not the best, but still a book worth considering!

Imagine that a fabulous author is almost only known for one of the books he wrote.

Imagine that, besides this book, which is in itself a great novel, this author wrote several other fantastic novels.

Imagine that two of the best books I read this year are by this author, who had an innate talent for using historical and mythological events as the basis for his novels.

Imagine that one of these two books is this "Imagine that" [Picture This, translation by Cristina Rodriguez, Portuguese edition of 1991].

Imagine that, in this book, Joseph Heller makes brilliant associations between the golden age of ancient Athens, the Dutch golden age, and the rise of the American empire.

Imagine that what lies behind all regimes is not the well-being of the people, but the acquisition of property and power.

Imagine that Heller starts from the painting "Aristotle Contemplating the Bust of Homer" to introduce us to Rembrandt, Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates.

Imagine that History is made up of trivia and insults, and that Henry Ford, that great Nazi, said that History is nonsense.

Imagine that all political regimes are a farce, that the common citizen has no power at all, and that no one learns anything from History.

Imagine that, despite all this, Heller tells us all this with sarcasm and humor.

Imagine that you could read this book, and that probably you never did.

Rembrandt, Socrates, and Aristotle. How Rembrandt painted Aristotle when the latter was thinking about Plato. Create another one like that, I love such. I thought a lot about it, very much. The conclusions are comforting.)

"Rembrandt could not afford Rembrandt."

"He was yet another seeker of logical intelligibility in a world that does not even possess non-logicality." (On Spinoza).

Read!

Expanded version:

Rembrandt, the renowned Dutch painter, had a profound interest in the great philosophers of antiquity, namely Socrates and Aristotle. It is fascinating to imagine how Rembrandt might have depicted Aristotle in a moment of deep reflection, perhaps when he was pondering the ideas of his mentor Plato. The thought of Rembrandt's creative process in capturing such a complex and intellectual scene is truly captivating.

"Rembrandt could not afford Rembrandt." This statement seems to imply that even Rembrandt, with his extraordinary talent, faced limitations and challenges. Maybe he struggled to meet the high standards he set for himself or had financial difficulties that prevented him from fully realizing his artistic vision.

"He was yet another seeker of logical intelligibility in a world that does not even possess non-logicality." This observation about Spinoza can also be applied to Rembrandt. Both were in search of a deeper understanding of the world and the human condition through their respective mediums. Their pursuit of truth and knowledge was unwavering, despite the inherent contradictions and uncertainties of life.

Reading about these great artists and philosophers allows us to gain a deeper appreciation for their work and the profound impact they have had on our culture and society. It also encourages us to reflect on our own lives and the questions that we seek to answer.

I just couldn't get into it.

There were indeed some parts that were funny, which managed to bring a smile to my face for a moment.

The premise of the whole thing was also interesting enough to initially catch my attention.

It seemed like it had the potential to be something really engaging and enjoyable.

However, as I continued to experience it, I found that it just wasn't for me.

Maybe it was the way the story was developed or the characters didn't resonate with me on a deeper level.

Despite the funny parts and the interesting premise, there was something lacking that prevented me from fully immersing myself in it.

In the end, I had to admit that it just didn't click with my personal tastes and preferences.

But that's okay, as everyone has different interests and what might not work for me could be a great fit for someone else.

Picture This by Joseph Heller is an absolute gem. It's yet another wonderful work from the talented Heller.

Picture This isn't a traditional novel. Instead, it's like a lecture on Ancient Greece and Rembrandt's era, delivered by a tipsy teacher who constantly messes up the chronology, blends different timelines, and adds humor with one-liners. There is a sort of storyline about Rembrandt's Aristotle gaining self-awareness and reflecting on the present times compared to the past. However, to me, it's just a plot device that forms the basis of the lecture format.

Heller presents a wealth of historical information in a way that doesn't cause confusion. Despite the numerous names, dates, and events, they are all interconnected. The twisted chronology and narration, ironically, actually help in remembering the historical facts. And then, once it clicks in the reader's mind, Heller solidifies the data with clever punchlines, whether it's a simple yet effective one-liner or a complex joke based on prior knowledge. This book made me care about topics that I would otherwise not be interested in, and that's a definite win for me.

It was a complex but enjoyable read, and I laughed a lot throughout. I highly recommend it, but I also caution potential readers not to rush, as there is a lot of information to absorb.