Stories about Paper: Hardcovers I
After a very long time, I finally got inspired to post about books again, thanks to the prettybooks community. I'm starting up again with a book I wish everyone would read.
This is my most absolute favorite book about the way I wish life functioned. It is part of a series of books on architecture and urban planning, but it is unique in that it is conceived as a series of patterns, almost literally like dress patterns, on laying out cities, towns, neighborhoods, work spaces, bedrooms, children's nooks, everything. It creates such a beautiful vision that every time I peruse it again, I actually have the urge to own property (not usually a goal of mine) and build a house from scratch. Not only are the concepts thoughtful and gentle, the book itself is a pleasure to hold. It has the weight and heft of a bible, with sturdy but almost tissue thin pages, and a not-quite-hard cardboard cover. The jacket makes a dry shushing sound when one's finger's graze it, and the colors are very warm. The text is pleasing to the eye and the explanations of each pattern often contain small photographs and charming little sketches. This book is better at understanding how people live indoors than any full color interior design extravaganza (as much as I batten on those), and I am astounded by the amount of work that it must have taken to produce. This book is a marvel.
I hope these aren't too small to make out...
Each numbered pattern begins with a large illustration of the concept, with a nod to the patterns upon which this pattern relies, then a discussion and perhaps more drawings or photos with further mention of other patterns that interact with the pattern.
Look at how the pages just drape so comfortably.
Opening the book at random.
800 pages in!
One of my very favorite patterns, Small Panes.
A Pattern Language has gotten considerably more expensive to obtain over the years, but if I lost all of my books tomorrow, this would be one of the first ten I'd replace.
This is my most absolute favorite book about the way I wish life functioned. It is part of a series of books on architecture and urban planning, but it is unique in that it is conceived as a series of patterns, almost literally like dress patterns, on laying out cities, towns, neighborhoods, work spaces, bedrooms, children's nooks, everything. It creates such a beautiful vision that every time I peruse it again, I actually have the urge to own property (not usually a goal of mine) and build a house from scratch. Not only are the concepts thoughtful and gentle, the book itself is a pleasure to hold. It has the weight and heft of a bible, with sturdy but almost tissue thin pages, and a not-quite-hard cardboard cover. The jacket makes a dry shushing sound when one's finger's graze it, and the colors are very warm. The text is pleasing to the eye and the explanations of each pattern often contain small photographs and charming little sketches. This book is better at understanding how people live indoors than any full color interior design extravaganza (as much as I batten on those), and I am astounded by the amount of work that it must have taken to produce. This book is a marvel.
I hope these aren't too small to make out...
Each numbered pattern begins with a large illustration of the concept, with a nod to the patterns upon which this pattern relies, then a discussion and perhaps more drawings or photos with further mention of other patterns that interact with the pattern.
Look at how the pages just drape so comfortably.
Opening the book at random.
800 pages in!
One of my very favorite patterns, Small Panes.
A Pattern Language has gotten considerably more expensive to obtain over the years, but if I lost all of my books tomorrow, this would be one of the first ten I'd replace.