Monday, August 17, 2009

Stuff We Found While Weeding

Rosey Grier's Needlepoint for Men.
I remember the hubbub when this book came out—“that big football player does needlepoint?” Well, he did. And he also wrote a book about it. Like its author, the book is big and friendly, and full of good advice like, “One thing to remember if you have someone paint a canvas for you is that you should have them spell your name right.” Appearing with his decidedly guy-oriented needlepoint projects (needlepoint samurai, anyone?) you will find several of his friends whom he has roped into sharing his hobby. A sweet-natured, nostalgic book, even if you don’t give a toss about needlepoint.

Comparative Urban Design: Rare Engravings, 1830-1843, Melville C. Branch.
There is a special kind of person out there who loves to look at old maps and I confess to being one. This book is a treat for people like me in that it reproduces maps of major world cities from a narrow time period and puts them all in one place for easy browsing. Okay for me, you might say, but of what practical use could this be to anybody else? Well, if you are planning some genealogical tourism, this could help you visualize where your forebears lived. Or if you are a reader (or writer!) of historical fiction, this could be an informative tool for you. Or maybe you just want to meditate on the state of the world of urban planning in the mid-18th century. Otherwise, if you are a cartographile, plan on relaxing in a chair under a tree and spending an afternoon flipping through all these delicious maps. On a side note, the other author given credit for this book is The Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, so you just know it has to be good!

Folk Toys of Japan, Misako Shishido, translated by Tatsuo Shibata.
Long before Hello Kitty and Pokemon there were toys in Japan with intriguing legends behind them. This classic book from 1961 gathers 50 tales and illustrates each one, sometimes with delicate color reproductions. The stories are sweet and touching and may seem vaguely familiar to anyone who has watched the anime of Hayao Miyazaki. The most touching of all may be the one with the funniest-sounding name: the tale of the Bean-Jam Bun Eater. Trust me.

-- Sue, Main Library

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