book pickings

A visual way to explore the Brain Pickings book archive :: Otlet's Shelf by Andrew LeClair & Rob Giampietro :: Back to Brain Pickings

CREATIVITY :: DESIGN :: SCIENCE :: HISTORY :: PSYCHOLOGY :: ART

illustration

  1. I Saw a Peacock with a Fiery Tail Ramsingh Urveti 17th-century British “trick” poetry meets Indian folk art in this magnificent die-cut masterpiece, two years in the making.

    I Saw a Peacock with a Fiery Tail

    Ramsingh Urveti

    17th-century British “trick” poetry meets Indian folk art in this magnificent die-cut masterpiece, two years in the making.
  2. The Donald Boxed Set: Donald and the … & Donald Has a Difficulty (Box Set) Peter F. Neumeyer In September of 1968, author and editor Peter F. Neumeyer embarked upon a thirteen-month collaboration with the inimitable mid-century illustrator Edward Gorey. Their remarkable illustrated correspondence tackled topics as diverse ad metaphysics and pancake recipes, but focused primarily on the three books at the heart of their collaboration. The first two are now out as a boxed set for the first time in The Donald Boxed Set: Donald and the … & Donald Has a Difficulty — a lovely duo of smyth-sewn casebound books in a beautiful slip-case, brimming with Gorey’s signature black-and-white illustrations of eccentric characters and strange creatures.

    The Donald Boxed Set: Donald and the … & Donald Has a Difficulty (Box Set)

    Peter F. Neumeyer

    In September of 1968, author and editor Peter F. Neumeyer embarked upon a thirteen-month collaboration with the inimitable mid-century illustrator Edward Gorey. Their remarkable illustrated correspondence tackled topics as diverse ad metaphysics and pancake recipes, but focused primarily on the three books at the heart of their collaboration. The first two are now out as a boxed set for the first time in The Donald Boxed Set: Donald and the … & Donald Has a Difficulty — a lovely duo of smyth-sewn casebound books in a beautiful slip-case, brimming with Gorey’s signature black-and-white illustrations of eccentric characters and strange creatures.
  3. Waterlife Rambharos Jha Artist Rambharos Jha explores the marine wonderland through vibrant Mithila art, a form of folk painting from Bihar in eastern India. The book comes in a limited edition of 3,000 hand-numbered copies and, like all handmade Tara gems, is screen-printed by local artisans in Chennai using traditional Indian dyes, whose earthy scent you can smell as you leaf through the thick, textured pages. The result is possibly the most exquisite book you’ll ever hold in your hands.

    Waterlife

    Rambharos Jha

    Artist Rambharos Jha explores the marine wonderland through vibrant Mithila art, a form of folk painting from Bihar in eastern India.

    The book comes in a limited edition of 3,000 hand-numbered copies and, like all handmade Tara gems, is screen-printed by local artisans in Chennai using traditional Indian dyes, whose earthy scent you can smell as you leaf through the thick, textured pages.

    The result is possibly the most exquisite book you’ll ever hold in your hands.
  4. Abstract City Christoph Niemann The collected visual essays of Christoph Niemann, blending quirky humor with keen insight into the human condition to explore everything from his love-hate relationship with coffee to the fall of the Berlin Wall to his obsession with maps to the familiar drudgery of red-eye flights.

    Abstract City

    Christoph Niemann

    The collected visual essays of Christoph Niemann, blending quirky humor with keen insight into the human condition to explore everything from his love-hate relationship with coffee to the fall of the Berlin Wall to his obsession with maps to the familiar drudgery of red-eye flights.
  5. Missed Connections: Love, Lost & Found Sophie Blackall Since 2009, illustrator extraordinaire Sophie Blackall has been capturing Craigslist missed connections in her delightful illustrations and unmistakable style of Chinese ink and watercolor, brimming with charm, romanticism and soft whimsy. Here, she collects the best of these poetic visual what-if love stories, each told in a shorthand “missed connection” ranging from the lyrical (I Gave You My Umbrella but the Wrong Directions) to the warm-and-fuzzy (We Shared a Bear Suit) to the shared love of the tragicomic (Ice Skating in Central Park We Collided). See some of the beautiful illustrations at the link.

    Missed Connections: Love, Lost & Found

    Sophie Blackall

    Since 2009, illustrator extraordinaire Sophie Blackall has been capturing Craigslist missed connections in her delightful illustrations and unmistakable style of Chinese ink and watercolor, brimming with charm, romanticism and soft whimsy. Here, she collects the best of these poetic visual what-if love stories, each told in a shorthand “missed connection” ranging from the lyrical (I Gave You My Umbrella but the Wrong Directions) to the warm-and-fuzzy (We Shared a Bear Suit) to the shared love of the tragicomic (Ice Skating in Central Park We Collided).

    See some of the beautiful illustrations at the link.
  6. Seven Lady Godivas: The True Facts Concerning History’s Barest Family Dr. Seuss In 1939, the iconic children’s book author released an “adult” book about nudes, The Seven Lady Godivas, which was such a flop it quickly went out of print. Today, it endures not only as a delightfully odd piece of rare Seussean ephemera, but also as a reassuring reminder that even genius can falter.

    Seven Lady Godivas: The True Facts Concerning History’s Barest Family

    Dr. Seuss

    In 1939, the iconic children’s book author released an “adult” book about nudes, The Seven Lady Godivas, which was such a flop it quickly went out of print. Today, it endures not only as a delightfully odd piece of rare Seussean ephemera, but also as a reassuring reminder that even genius can falter.
  7. Children’s Picturebooks: The Art of Visual Storytelling Martin Salisbury From cave paintings to Maurice Sendak to the iPad, the fascinating evolution of the picturebook as a storytelling medium and a cultural agent.

    Children’s Picturebooks: The Art of Visual Storytelling

    Martin Salisbury

    From cave paintings to Maurice Sendak to the iPad, the fascinating evolution of the picturebook as a storytelling medium and a cultural agent.
  8. Henri’s Walk to Paris Leonore Klein & Saul Bass Saul Bass (1920-1996) is considered by many the greatest graphic designer of all time, responsible for some of the most timeless logos and most memorable film title sequences of the twentieth century. In 1962, Bass collaborated with former librarian Leonore Klein on his only children’s book, which spent decades as a prized out-of-print collector’s item. This month, exactly half a century later, Rizzoli is reprinting Henri’s Walk to Paris — an absolute gem like only Bass can deliver, at once boldly minimalist and incredibly rich, telling the sweet, aspirational, colorful story of a boy who lives in rural France and dreams of going to Paris. Take a peek inside at the link.

    Henri’s Walk to Paris

    Leonore Klein & Saul Bass

    Saul Bass (1920-1996) is considered by many the greatest graphic designer of all time, responsible for some of the most timeless logos and most memorable film title sequences of the twentieth century.

    In 1962, Bass collaborated with former librarian Leonore Klein on his only children’s book, which spent decades as a prized out-of-print collector’s item. This month, exactly half a century later, Rizzoli is reprinting Henri’s Walk to Paris — an absolute gem like only Bass can deliver, at once boldly minimalist and incredibly rich, telling the sweet, aspirational, colorful story of a boy who lives in rural France and dreams of going to Paris.

    Take a peek inside at the link.
  9. Stone Is Not Cold M Sasek Miroslav Šašek brings famous sculptures to life in this irreverent vintage children’s book circa 1961. The subdued black-and-grey drawings are nonetheless infinitely playful and lively, a feat of contrasts that reflects Šašek’s rare gift for visual storytelling.

    Stone Is Not Cold

    M Sasek

    Miroslav Šašek brings famous sculptures to life in this irreverent vintage children’s book circa 1961. The subdued black-and-grey drawings are nonetheless infinitely playful and lively, a feat of contrasts that reflects Šašek’s rare gift for visual storytelling.
  10. The Bomb and the General Umberto Eco Iconic novelist and philosopher Umberto Eco’s little-known 1966 children’s book, exploring themes of harmony and peace through his lifelong obsession with semiotics – the study of signs and symbols.

    The Bomb and the General

    Umberto Eco

    Iconic novelist and philosopher Umberto Eco’s little-known 1966 children’s book, exploring themes of harmony and peace through his lifelong obsession with semiotics – the study of signs and symbols.
  11. Visions of the Jinn: Illustrators of the Arabian Nights Robert Irwin A visual history of Arabian Nights, some of the most influential storytelling of all time, in 300 years of illustrations.

    Visions of the Jinn: Illustrators of the Arabian Nights

    Robert Irwin

    A visual history of Arabian Nights, some of the most influential storytelling of all time, in 300 years of illustrations.
  12. Scrap Irony Felicia Lamport and Edward Gorey Edward Gorey’s brilliantly irreverent illustrations for poet Felicia Lamport’s snarky cultural commentary circa 1961, covering everything from dating rituals to the space race.

    Scrap Irony

    Felicia Lamport and Edward Gorey

    Edward Gorey’s brilliantly irreverent illustrations for poet Felicia Lamport’s snarky cultural commentary circa 1961, covering everything from dating rituals to the space race.
  13. Tres Riches Heures De Mrs Mole Ronald Searle On New Year’s Eve 1969, Monica Searle was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer. Experimental at the time, chemotherapy — the course of action Monica’s doctor recommended — was a leap of faith. After each treatment, her husband Ronald made Monica a Mrs. Mole drawing “to cheer every dreaded chemotherapy session and evoke the blissful future ahead.”

    Tres Riches Heures De Mrs Mole

    Ronald Searle

    On New Year’s Eve 1969, Monica Searle was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer. Experimental at the time, chemotherapy — the course of action Monica’s doctor recommended — was a leap of faith. After each treatment, her husband Ronald made Monica a Mrs. Mole drawing “to cheer every dreaded chemotherapy session and evoke the blissful future ahead.”
  14. The World Is Round Gertrude Stein An obscure and lovely pocket-sized edition of the 1938 children’s book by Gertrude Stein, featuring stunning blue-and-white pictogram illustrations by artist Roberta Arenson.

    The World Is Round

    Gertrude Stein

    An obscure and lovely pocket-sized edition of the 1938 children’s book by Gertrude Stein, featuring stunning blue-and-white pictogram illustrations by artist Roberta Arenson.
  15. Just a Second Steve Jenkins From the 5,085-foot water journey of a whale’s song to the 50 beats of a hummingbird’s wings to the 300-foot plunge of a peregrine falcon, the charmingly illustrated pages weave a kind of alternative metric system for telling time through the surprising things that happen in a single second — a measure that, as Jenkins points out, is a human invention.

    Just a Second

    Steve Jenkins

    From the 5,085-foot water journey of a whale’s song to the 50 beats of a hummingbird’s wings to the 300-foot plunge of a peregrine falcon, the charmingly illustrated pages weave a kind of alternative metric system for telling time through the surprising things that happen in a single second — a measure that, as Jenkins points out, is a human invention.
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