There is Eric Joisel who makes these strange creatures, such as goblins and wizards with such detail.  Paul Jackson is on the opposite spectrum and makes interesting shapes using just one fold or simple pleating.  I was most impressed with Chris Palmer.  His geometric patterns and shapes are beautiful and all from folding one piece of paper.  I also loved his works that incorporate movement.  But it isn’t just art.  Scientists are using folding to find better ways to “fold” proteins in pills and store airbags in cars.

After you watch Between the Folds, you might be inspired to create some origami objects.  To help, check out some books from our collection.

The photography by Stephenson is stunning.  You will recognize the perspective immediately if you have ever wandered through an old cathedral with your head tipped back, staring straight up at the arching stonework overhead.  The sense of height captured in the pictures is remarkable, and the photos are cropped to give a sense of perfect geometry and balance.

This is coffee table sized book, with a single photo filling each page.  Often the side-by-side pages are pictures from the same church:  one showing the nave, the other showing the crossing, for instance.  The images of the stonework, painted designs and stained glass of these vaulted ceilings are kaleidoscopic as you turn the pages.

The text is at the back of the book, where you will find a history of the construction techniques of these ancient churches.  There are thumbnail photos and page numbers there, to send you back to the original picture.

The photographer has captured the awe-inspiring beauty of these grand structures and allows us, in his words, to see “the great Gothic churches as some of the most compelling art ever produced, still capable of providing an all-encompassing transcendent experience.”  Direct from the comfort of your armchair.

The story’s well known, having been around for about 28 centuries.  I’m here to praise Robert Fitzgerald’s translation, which makes this the ratttling tale it should be, and an attached essay by D. S. Carne-Ross, “The Poem of Odysseus,” which clarifies much of the weird stuff that happens here.  The Greek gods, for instance, were very likely to lead you into temptation, rather an odd thought for modern readers.  Carne-Ross also points out the role of women (who were kind of an afterthought in the Iliad) and instances of doubling, where events echo other events.

While this would make a great movie (paging Peter Jackson), you won’t find many travel tips.  Offer your hecatombs and don’t piss off any deities.

Valentino in the subtitle refers to UCLA film archivist who is restoring a Los Angeles film palace, or at least trying to restore it and not the early film actor, although the actor does play a small part in the story. The story revolves around the theater, a wealthy donor whose wife had a “relationship” with Greta Garbo  and a murder.  The mystery’s pacing is good and keeps the reading quickly turning the pages.  What I found most enjoyable about the read were all of the references to film history and restoration.  The final segment of the book – Closing Credits was a lovely bonus.  It is a bibliography of books on Garbo,  theaters – both the early grand ones and grand ones now built for the very wealthy in their homes, books on film quotations and film guides and other books on film and film history.  All-in-all, it was a lot of fun and now I will go back and read the first Valentino mystery Frames and hope I enjoy it as much.

An Irish Country Girl is a nice addition to the Ballybucklebo series that focuses on the lives of two country doctors in Northern Ireland and the community they live in.  Patrick Taylor’s books are a combination of James Herriott and Marcus Welby, MD with good character development and a strong sense of place.  The book starts with Kinky telling local children a story from her teenage years.  Initially I thought the story was a bit long; however, it sets the stage for the rest of the story and understanding Kinky’s character.  Overall this is a nice book for a cold, icy Iowa day.  ~~Enjoy~~

Mantel re-imagines the court of Henry VIII, through the eyes and voice of Thomas Cromwell. Those of you who watch The Tudors are probably up on who Cromwell is. Many of you might have some sort of inkling of the statesman who made it possible for Henry to marry Anne Boleyn and helped dissolve the Catholic monasteries. (If you thought he was someone who caused a wee bit o’ trouble in Ireland, you’ve got the wrong Cromwell.) Cromwell is widely remembered for his calculating mind and ruthless ambition, but Mantel portrays him in full and he benefits from it. For sure, he’s all about the numbers, and knowing who owns what, and how that can help the king (and himself).  Here, we also see a man who is scarred by a miserable childhood, who loves his wife and children, who is fond of good food and culture, and who is loyal to those he serves.

One of the best things about this book is the feeling of ‘knowing’ that you get while reading it. Many events that are described have weight and a sense of direction–the moment Henry is told that the baby is not a boy, or when Cromwell first meets the young Jane Seymour–and they inexorably lead towards that day in Cromwell’s future that we already know about. Wolf Hall ends well before that moment, and I think it’s a testament to Mantel’s powerful writing that I was happy to not see the end of Thomas Cromwell.

The cover of Voices calls this book a thriller, I would call it a dark pyschological study with a significant depression level evident in most of those involved–more Iowa Winter reading than sunny beach reading.  If you like Ian Rankin or Henning Mankell I think you’ll like this book.

DWELL – At Home in the Modern World. Dwell is an architectural magazine  described as, “… staging a minor revolution. We think that it’s possible to live in a house or apartment by a bold modern architect, to own furniture and products that are exceptionally well designed, and still be a regular human being.” The pictures are wonderful, the articles give great ideas, and I find a lot of inspiration about planning spaces.  PLUS – Iowa City Public Library was mentioned in the recent article Farm Fresh – what a great surprise!

Health – My neighbor subscribes to Health and sends the magazines my way when she’s done.  Health has a lot of interesting articles and doesn’t seem to be as heavily laden with quick-fix articles as some other magazines.  I should have discovered a New Years Resolution in one of the articles, but there were so many distractions … waves, whales, naps.  Nevertheless, it’s a great magazine.

More – On my 40th birthday a friend gave me More magazine as a joke.  I enjoyed the articles so I subscribed.  More’s tagline is, “Celebrating Women over 40.”  Sometimes I find their fashion suggestions a bit too big city, but I do enjoy their articles and features.  A recent article was about one of my favorite authors, Julia Glass.

The Library has a wonderful magazine collection on the Library’s second floor that covers a wide variety of subjects.  Back issues of magazines check out for seven days and staff at the Reference Desk are always happy to help you find what you are looking for.  ~~Enjoy~~