David  K. Knox
Director of Technological Academic Initiatives
The Graduate School
The University of Georgia

The University of Georgia Arch. Made of cast iron, the Arch was constructed in 1856. The three pillars represent Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation. It is said that any undergrauate that passes through the Arch rather than around it will never graduate. Since I have earned the right to pass under it, I always walk through the Arch to renew my bond with my school.

Click here to return to my main page.

Empiricist, Humean, Voltairean, Palladian, Machiavellian, Jeffersonian, Platonist, Aristotelian, Eamesian, Modernist, Existentialist, Labrador Afficionado.

My Recreational Reading:

Karmann Ghia Der VW im Gala-Kleid by Peter Kurze and Lutz Gaas

In German! Excellent history of the beautiful Karmann-Ghia with delightful period photographs and informative text.

Classical Furniture by David Linley

Authored by the talented son of Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon. Beautiful book by someone whom I admire.

Danish Chairs by Noritsugu Oda

As a woodworker/furniture maker the Danish chairs of masters such as Arne Jacobsen, Finn Juhl, and their contemporaries are my archetypes.

The Eames Lounge Chair by Martin Eidelberg, Thomas Hine, Pat Kirkham, and David A. Hanks

I write this from an Eames shell chair looking at my Eames lounge chair and ottoman: I am an Eamesian.

Vespa: Style in Motion by Davide Mazzanti

The most fun you can have on two wheels. The story of the stylish and sturdy Vespa from its post-war inception to the present day.

Great Houses of Scotland by Simon Sykes

Beautiful book with comprehensive stories of Scotland's great houses. The photos and stories of the libraries in the houses are pure delight to any bibliophile.

Andrea Palladio: The Complete Illustrated Works by Guido Beltramini

I discovered Palladio when I was a child. At the time I pored over the pages of the Dover edition of the Quattro Libri. I have been a devoted Palladian ever since.

The World of Cognac by Gilbert Delos

An attractive and informative jaunt through the major houses (Hennessy, Courvoisier, Martell et. al.) and many of the smaller houses. I hear a glass of Hennessy five star calling me now.

Caesar by Adrian Goldsworthy

Excellent new biography of Julius Caesar. I am very fond of the young generation of British historians such as Goldsworthy. Other notables in this group are Peter Heather, Christopher Kelly, and Tom Asbridge.

Banvard's Folly: Thirteen Tales of People Who Didn't Change the World by Paul Collins

I love this book. I got it when it came out five years ago. Although it sounds trite, I could not put it down. Anytime I want some entertaining and edifying reading, I pull it out and read one of the stories. Collins is a great writer.

On This Hill : A Narrative History of Hampden-Sydney College 1774-1994 by John Luster Brinkley

I have read dozens of institutional histories but this is one of my favorites (see below). Brinkley is a fine writer with a perfect sense of how to balance serious history and amusing anecdote. This book served as one of the models for my doctoral dissertation. Also available from the Hampden-Sydney bookstore.

The University of Georgia: A Bicentennial History, 1785-1985 by Thomas G. Dyer

This is the official history of the University of Georgia by my major professor. This work, and this gentleman, were the great models for my dissertation and my academic career.

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon

I read Gibbon cover to cover once a year to keep up up my style and my insight. However, I totally disagree with Gibbon's assessment of Byzantine history. I refer the investigator to Cyril Mango's works as beautifully written and researched entries into Byzantine studies. Still, Gibbon, the friend of David Hume and Voltaire, remains a major force in history and historical writing. If you are pressed for time, the abridgement by the late, great Moses Hadas is a fine substitute.