This unusual book examines, even glories in, the incomplete. Medieval art historian Tronzo introduces the concept noting the veneration of fragments of the bodies of saints in his own period of study. The other essays continue this dichotomy. Some look at pieces of statues and monuments from antiquity and how they were perceived by Renaissance artists, partly as inspiration but also as something to be restored to completeness. The work is divided into received and created fragments, but this delineation is fluid. Clipped coins, shards of pots, scraps of manuscript can all be both created and found. The classification is in the perception and, at base, the perception of and reaction to the fragment is the point of each essay. This leads to the ways in which cultures use fragments, from broken statues, to bits of cloth to disembodied brains. The two sections are interrupted by a beautiful photo essay on the fragmentary work of artist Cornelia Parker. The work as a whole (sort of) is delightful and provocative, challenging the reader to rethink her ideas of the beauty of unity. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)