3 comments about The Art of the Maze.

1. As an architect interested in the design and construction of labyrinths, I have found this to be the most substantial of the resources available. This book deals with design history and theory and gives many expamples of labyrinths and their cousins, puzzle mazes. It explains the differences and the varieties in a compelling way and makes any reader want to run out and start building one.



2. 
   Despite the suggestion of its title, this is not a book dedicated solely to "the art of the maze" although a sizable portion is devoted to the designs of some of the world's most beautiful mazes. For those interested in mazes it is an excellent and informative book in many ways; however, it does have a few shortcomings.
   
   The greatest of these shortcomings is the layout. Dozens of lovely large color photographs fill THE ART OF THE MAZE, but their placement is problematic. They sometimes appear pages before or after their discussion in the text, which can lead to frustrated page flipping if the reader wishes to see a depiction of something as it is being described. The sidebars containing valuable information occur haphazardly throughout the book, often popping up dead center in the text making them more of an interruption than an enrichment.
   
   There is also added confusion due to the designation of labyrinths -- the maze's forerunner and ancestor -- as a type of maze. Early on the authors distinguish between a labyrinth, which has a single winding path to its center, and a maze, which has junctions and choices and is in essence a kind of puzzle to be solved. However, labyrinths and mazes are then treated as a single entity for the rest of the book. This can be aggravating for those readers who have studied labyrinths as a phenomenon unique from mazes.
   
   If the reader can get past these sticking points, THE ART OF THE MAZE is a valuable book. It provides an excellent history of labyrinths in its opening chapter "Origins and History." Particularly enjoyable is the lengthy treatment of "The Man in the Maze" labyrinth motif found in the Tohono O'otam and Pima tribes of Arizona. The authors give keen insight into the early uses of labyrinths among past cultures. They also present the fascinating theory that labyrinths may actually be symbolic representations of mazes, which would make the maze far older than previously believed.
   
   The second chapter "The Nature of Puzzlement" introduces the different types of mazes. It even tells how to solve the simplest maze design via the "hand-on-wall" method. A fair amount of history is included in this section as well.
   
   The third chapter "Mazes in the Landscape" is undoubtedly what gave the book its name. It showcases the most famous, most beautiful, and most elaborate mazes in the world as well as the best examples of mazes for each medium from hedges to turf to wood and metal to stained glass. The incredible Alice-In-Wonderland Maze at Merritown House in Dorset, the "imprint" foot mazes at Gloucestershire and Bicton Park, and England's oldest hedge maze at Hampton Court Palace are among those featured. This section contains fantastic, full color, aerial photographs. "Mazes in the Landscape" is also the best laid out chapter, and almost all of its graphics line up with the text.
   
   The fourth and final chapter "The Riddle of the Maze" is a wrap-up chapter on the maze's appeal, offering a few ideas as to why the maze has become a subject of renewed interest. Differing from the other sections, its focus is on the maze as an art form rather than a structure or pattern.
   
   A glossary opens this book following the Duke of Marlborough's introductory letter. Included at the end are a gazetteer of mazes around the world sorted by country, a short bibliography for further reading, and a thorough index. As for the book itself, it is well bound for a paperback.



3. I've been fascinated by mazes and labyrinths for many years and have built up a shelf-full of books on the subject. I snatched up The Art of the Maze as soon as I saw it on the display table of a local bookstore and now regard it as the best book in my collection.

   It's the result of a happy marriage between two unusual authors: Adrian Fisher, probably the leading authority and builder of mazes working today, and Georg Gerster, the world's best aerial photographer. The photographs of mazes are spectacular but what I most appreciate is the consistently elegant design and layout of the book. It's replete with handsome diagrams and drawings which brilliantly illustrate the principles of maze design.

   The text is also superb: thoughtful and truly interesting. Mr. Fisher provides deep and sometimes quirky insights into the history and aesthetics of mazes without ever becoming pedantic. His survey ranges from the mazes of antiquity to the latest innovations from around the world.

   The book is published in London and lists its price only in pounds; I suspect it would be very hard to find at most American bookstores. Thank goodness for Amazon!

No comments about Jellicoe at Shute.

4 comments about William Garnett: Aerial Photographs.

1. I've just revisited this book for what must be at least the hundreth time. It is an old friend that never fails to bring new hope. Garnett goes beyond the stunning simplification of a harsh and chaotic world at the horizons into one of harmony and purpose from a loftier perspective: It allows me a better perspective on my own place in the world, and - more importantly - the world's place in my own sphere. It reminds me that it can be a place where beauty and inspiration intersect.



2. This book features a broad range of Garnett's highly graphical aerial photographs. While almost all are striking in pattern, form and texture, I particularly enjoyed the agricultural shots, the sanddunes, and the fractal/branching patterns. Garnett's work is so very different than almost everything else I've seen, that I felt I needed this book to round out my collection.



3. Garnett's work is for me the absolute essence of what the art of photography is all about. He has an incredible eye for beauty and the technique to bring it to life. The printing is top notch, and the introduction enriches the book further.

   These are black and white aerial photographs only in the most literal sense. They also exist as simply exquisite patterns, textures, abstracts, but always with a second hit of pleasure when you realize what the literal subject was.

   Of 50 books of photography I own, this is the most precious to me.




4. This book contains 73 black and white aerial landscape photographs, with a brief introduction and a list of Garnett's exhibitions and publications/photo essays. The photographs are amazing. Pure form, pattern, and texture. The scale of many images is completely deceptive - fractals 30 years before the word was invented! The introduction by Martha Sandweiss is concise and insightful. I would have liked to know more about how the pictures were made, but this information is probably available from the bibliographic references. My only criticism is that the binding on my copy is failing slightly.

No comments about Land use and landscape planning.

2 comments about The Small Garden Planner.

1. This book is written from a British perspective and it typically envisions a space to work with that is relatively small, confined, and possibly abused in the past; such as you typically find attached to a terraced (i.e., row) house in London or elsewhere in the UK. As such it is really inspirational for urban gardeners in the US who have a similar space to work with. All garden plans are accompanied by photographs and diagrams, and all plants are identified by common and taxonomic names; you can pick and choose from the various designs offered. The book gave me heaps of ideas when I had exhausted my small stock.



2. What more could a gardener want than a gardening book packed with pictures and informtion on what the plants are and how to use them.

   As the title suggests, it also has illustrations on layouts which compliment the beautiful photographs and plant listings.

   I'll keep coming back to this one because I know I'll see something different every time I look at it.

No comments about The sign of the flying goose;: A guide to the national wildlife refuges.

2 comments about In A Canadian Garden.

1. There is a chinese proverb that roughly translates as follows: If you want to live happily for a week, find a new concubine; if you want to live happily for a month, hunt a pig; if you want to live happily for years, raise a garden. So you live in Canada and want to live happily for years. Is the natural environment conducive to raising and maintaining a garden? "In a Canadian Garden" dispels the myth that a canadian garden is an oxymoron by showcasing some of the finest gardens from around the country, tended by amateurs.
   
   The authors Nicole Eaton and Hillary Weston, amateur gardeners themseles, set out to find well designed amateur gardens across Canada. "In a Canadian Garden" contains a sampling of such gardens that were selected by the authors, based on factors such as aesthetically pleasing designs conceptualized by the respective gardeners, whose passionate visions are seen to fruition in these gardens. Another factor was regional representation and the use of local plant species. One doesn't have to be a gardener to appreciate these gardens, which range in size from ones spanning many acres to modest sized gardens situated in the heart of major cities. Each garden is featured with an essay from the respective gardener describing their visions and how they achieved it in their garden design. If, by chance, you are unable to visualize a garden based on the essay, Freeman Patterson's photographs of the salient features of each garden, would clarify beyond doubt. His images are very thoughtful and sensitive of the visions of each gardener that they complement the essays most effectively.
   
   So, is a Canadian garden really a contradiction in terms? The answer is very evident from this book. What is even more evident is that you too can create a beautiful garden right in your own backyard.



2. A pair of Canadian "socialites" (is there such a thing in Canada??) trot around their country, giving their thoughts on the gardens they see... Pretentious and quite uninspiring!

No comments about Washington, design of the Federal City.

1 comments about Malcolm Hillier's Herb Garden.

1. This book is honestly my favorite gardening book - and I have quite a library! It includes basic information on both medicinal and culinary herbs, but what makes this book truly valuable is the information and advice it provides on artfully combining colors and textures. Malcom does an excellent job of combining beauty with herbal functionality. This book is overflowing with beautiful photos of plants combined in various themes, reflecting a variety of seasons and plant types. I've used several of the book's ideas to turn my garden into something really special! I highly recommend this book to every gardener!

No comments about Italian Parks & Gardens.